Old House Renovation, part 1 Trivia Quiz

Answer: Provide a binding agent to hold plaster together

The former use of horse hair in plaster is similar to the use today of reinforcing steel rods in concrete construction (i.e., provides a binding agent).

Answer: Wiring that used porcelain insulators so the wiring wouldn't touch wooden framing members

When doing a major house rewiring, old-style knob-and-tube wiring can be reused for some circuits only if you are certain the load will always be low wattage (for example, a *hard-wired* 60 watt lamp). If the load size could vary (for example, outlets where various appliances might be plugged in), then the old knob-and-tube wiring should be replaced with modern 15 or 20 amp-rated Romex.

Answer: Freestanding tub with four feet

Clawfoot bathtubs are now back in style, with an internet search showing both old tubs (reglazed or original glazing) and modern reproductions of old designs readily available.

Answer: Spaced wooden strips attached to wall studs that provide a support for plaster

Since the wood used for lath is often "springy," cutting holes in old plaster walls (for, say, a new electrical box) should be done with a hand saw rather than an electrical Saber saw or reciprocating saw to avoid loosening plaster adjacent to where the desired hole will be (from the saw vibrations). You could also use an electrical saw if it has a *fine tooth* blade.

Answer: Metal

BX cable is still used today in metal-stud construction to prevent any wearing or chafing of the wiring insulation.

Answer: Wall located such that it supports structures on floors above it

You can remove a non-load-bearing wall with no danger to the house structure. You can also remove a load-bearing wall, but *first* you must support the load it is supporting with either a temporary or permanent structure. Caution: the load being supported is not always located directly above the wall you want to knock out. If you're not sure how to identify a load-bearing wall, consult a carpenter or other expert.

Answer: External siding, floor tiles, and insulation wrap for hot-air heating ducts and hot-water pipes

Now that asbestos has been identified as a potential carcinogen, removal of it is an essential and expensive part of the renovation process that is best left to experts. If the asbestos is stable and is not flaking, the best course of action is often just to leave it alone but keep an eye on it.

Answer: Drinking water

Replacing some galvanized pipes with copper ones (but not all of them) will, in time, lead to corrosion at the joint where the two are joined together because of the galvanic reaction of dissimilar metals. If a connection between dissimilar types of metals is impossible to avoid, then a small rubber coupling should be used between them. This part is commonly available.

Answer: House fires sometimes resulted when connections between the wiring and terminal screws were made improperly

Between 1965 and 1973 aluminum wiring was used to install electrical branch circuits in about 1.5 million homes in the U.S. Subsequent fires in some of these homes were attributed to faulty aluminum-wire connections at an outlet. As a result, the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission initiated research that showed that homes using aluminum wires manufactured before 1972 are 55 times more likely to have one or more electrical connections reach 'fire hazard conditions' than homes wired with copper. Another factor was that dissimilar metal problems between aluminum wiring and copper in the outlets corroded and caused the problems.

Note that a fire can result from ANY improper wiring connection, not just with aluminum wiring.

Answer: Toilet with a chain that connects the pull handle with the toilet flushing mechanism

If you saw the movie 'The Godfather,' you saw one of these. In the restaurant shooting scene, the gun Michael Corleone used was taped behind the water tank.