#Damaged Duct Replacement

[purebreezeairductcleaners]

How to Use Regular Inspections to Identify Air Duct Replacement Needs

Air ducts play a vital role in maintaining your home’s comfort by circulating air efficiently throughout your space. Over time, air ducts can become damaged, leaky, or clogged with debris, which impacts their performance. Regular inspections are essential to catch these issues early and prevent costly repairs. In some cases, these inspections may reveal the need for air duct replacement to ensure optimal HVAC performance and air quality.

The Importance of Regular Air Duct Inspections

Regular inspections of your air ducts are crucial for identifying potential problems before they escalate. Over time, ducts can develop cracks, loose connections, or even suffer from blockages due to accumulated debris. These issues can lead to inefficient airflow, uneven room temperatures, and increased energy consumption. Early detection through routine inspections helps address these problems, preventing more significant damage that might require an urgent air duct replacement.

Signs Your Air Ducts May Need Replacement

There are several signs that your air ducts may require attention. If you notice uneven heating or cooling, higher-than-usual energy bills, or excessive dust buildup in your home, these could be red flags. Other indicators include strange noises coming from your HVAC system or visible damage to ductwork during an inspection. When these signs appear, a professional assessment can determine whether air duct replacement is necessary.

Extending the Life of Your HVAC System Through Inspections

Regular air duct inspections not only identify when replacement is needed but also help extend the lifespan of your HVAC system. Addressing minor issues early prevents them from escalating into major problems that can overwork your system. This proactive approach can save you money on energy costs and avoid the need for premature HVAC replacements. Routine maintenance, paired with timely air duct replacement, ensures your system operates efficiently for years.

Benefits of Air Duct Replacement

When inspections reveal significant duct damage, replacing the ducts can bring several benefits. A new duct system eliminates leaks, improving airflow and ensuring consistent temperatures throughout your home. This also enhances your HVAC system’s energy efficiency, helping to reduce utility bills. Moreover, air duct replacement improves indoor air quality by preventing contaminants like dust, mold, and allergens from circulating, making your home a healthier place.

How Often Should You Schedule Inspections?

To maintain a well-functioning HVAC system, it’s recommended to schedule air duct inspections every three to five years. However, homes with older systems, frequent HVAC usage, or noticeable performance issues may require more frequent inspections. By identifying problems early, you can plan for necessary maintenance or air duct replacement, avoiding unexpected disruptions and ensuring consistent home comfort.

Stay Ahead with Proactive Air Duct Care

Don’t let hidden air duct issues compromise your home’s comfort and efficiency. Regular inspections are the key to maintaining a healthy HVAC system. If your ducts show signs of wear or damage, consider scheduling a professional evaluation. When replacement is necessary, air duct replacement ensures your system runs smoothly, providing a more comfortable and energy-efficient home environment.

[breatheeasyairducts]

How to Know When It’s Time for Air Duct Replacement

Your home’s air ducts are a critical component of your HVAC system, quietly working behind the scenes to keep your living space comfortable. However, like any part of your home, air ducts don’t last forever. Recognizing when it’s time for an air duct replacement can help you avoid rising energy costs, improve air quality, and maintain your home’s comfort.

Key Signs It’s Time to Replace Your Air Ducts

Your Ducts Are Over 10-15 Years Old Most ductwork lasts between 10 to 15 years. After this point, wear and tear can lead to inefficiencies, making replacement a smart move.

Higher Energy Bills Without Explanation If your energy costs have risen but your HVAC system is relatively new and well-maintained, the problem could lie in your air ducts. Leaks or blockages force your system to work harder, consuming more energy.

Persistent Dust and Poor Air Quality Excessive dust in your home, along with worsening allergy symptoms, could mean your ducts are leaking or contaminated with mold and debris.

Uneven Heating or Cooling If some rooms are consistently warmer or colder than others, your air ducts may have cracks, leaks, or obstructions affecting airflow.

Noisy HVAC Operation Whistling, rattling, or banging noises can indicate that your ductwork is damaged or poorly installed, necessitating replacement.

Sub-Keywords in Action

HVAC Efficiency: Replacing old ducts allows your system to operate efficiently, lowering energy usage and costs.

Indoor Air Quality: New ductwork ensures cleaner, healthier air by preventing dust, mold, and allergens from circulating.

Energy Savings: Efficient air ducts mean your HVAC system won’t overwork, resulting in significant savings on energy bills.

Benefits of Timely Air Duct Replacement

Addressing air duct issues before they escalate offers several advantages:

Lower Utility Costs: Optimized airflow reduces the workload on your HVAC system, cutting energy consumption.

Improved Comfort: Consistent temperatures throughout your home enhance your overall comfort.

Healthier Living Environment: Replacing old, leaky ducts helps keep pollutants out of your air supply.

Don’t Wait for Problems to Escalate

Knowing when to replace your air ducts is essential for maintaining an efficient and comfortable home. If you’re experiencing any of the signs mentioned above, it might be time to consider professional air duct replacement.

[spacejammie-eimmajecaps]

It's supposed to rain tonight, which would be pleasant, except that it rained a few days ago and water was literally streaming inside from the top of my dining room window

[nothomegal]

ITS CHRISTMAS EVE (or at least where I live bc timezones) and I would like to gove Pyramid Head smoochies under mistletoe pls 😌

Aww I was having this idea too! And since it's Christmas allow me to bless you with a drawing!...

...And a lilttle one-shot!

"Mistletoe"

(Pyramid Head x GN Reader)

Warning: suggestive implications by the end, but mostly fluff!

Word Count: 1k

Christmas was always a funny holiday for (Y/N). Either because they never truly felt connected to it or because they haven't felt the 'magic of Christmas' since childhood. Don't get me wrong, they would still put some decorations when they could, but ever since they came to Silent Hill such tradition was lost.

Not like they mind it too much though, they already have the absolute best gift and company they could ever ask for! Just tell me, who in their right mind would be upset about having a nearly 8ft tall demi-god creature as your forever partner? You have to be chronically insane to turn down such blessing!

And speaking of the creature, (Y/N)'s daydream was interrupted when a large hand curled around their arm and stopped them. They shoot a curious glance to their lover, who was already looking at whatever got his attention.

Right above them, placed on the old metallic door frame with, what they suppose is duct tape, were hangign a bunch of oddly shaped pieces of paper. Some pieces where green, others painted green, and all of them where kept together with a piece of damaged red cloth that was tied as a bow.

(Y/N) stares at that weird construction with furrowed brows, really trying to grasp what the hell they're looking at. Pyra was still as well, but his head tilted towards his human as he curiously observes their reaction. Seems like they too have no clue what is this-.

However, (Y/N) manages to make out the shape of it and instantly burst out laughing.

—"No way! No way someone actually made one!"— you say between laughs.

The beast simply observes them, letting out a low wondering rumble. Is that another pointless joke humans have? (Y/N) is laughing hard so it must be something very funny or very stupid.

After the laughter had ceased, (Y/N) takes a look at their monster and suddenly remember what he wanted in the first place. Oh, right. They were supposed to explain what is that.

—"Okay, okay."— you say between giggles as you point at the object. —"That thing over there is supposed to be a mistletoe. Remember when I told you about Christmas and how people decorate that one fuzzy tree? Well, this thing is also kinda a Christmas tradition. People hang it somewhere high and when two step or pass underneath it, they have to kiss."—

While (Y/N) explains, Pyra listens to them carefully. But the second they mention the kiss part, the air between them shifts and becomes... Odd. And Pyra himself still, way too still.

(Y/N) of course feels the change, and is quick to start clarifying.

—"But of course, it's optional. It's not like you're forced to kiss anyone. If anything, I never did! So I suppose this will remain as a silly tradition some-"—

Their speech is replaced by a tiny gasp when the monster suddenly grabs their jaw, gently lifting and moving their gaze where he needed. Their eyes narrow slightly when they noticed a tongue peek out from his helmet and slowly, almost shily, wiggle towards their face.

—"Aww. What a polite guy."— you chuckle as a little blush creeps on your cheeks. —"Well of course I'll give you a kiss."—

Ever since they introduced this new method of showing affection, it wasn't rare to witness Pyra ask for a 'kiss' once or twice. It's kinda funny to see how shy he gets, always taking it slow and giving them enough time to stop or pull away. Do they do that? Nuh-uh! Do they think it feels gross? Weird, yes. But (Y/N) is deranged so it's fine.

The pink muscle soon presses against their lips, and they respond by giving it a kiss while holding it in place gently, totally unbothered by its wet and slippery texture. They could feel Pyra practically melt into the gesture, he does it every time. It's small, but is the closest they can get to an actual kiss, and the intimacy and specialness of it seems to get the beast to his very core.

After some second, when (Y/N) attempts to lean back, a pair of big arms gets a hold around them, cementing them in place completely and pulling them closer to the monster. The said beast lets out a low menacing growl as his tongue licks their cheek and part of the jaw. The message was clear...

M̵̞͔̥̏̌̊o̷͕͒̓͑ͅŗ̷̭̝̓̾e̵̠̤͓̅̒̋.

He wanted more.

Despite the apparentaly hostile growls, (Y/N) showed no intimidation and simply chuckled as they roll their eyes.

—"Someone is feeling frisky, huh?"—

Another, and a bit louder, growl resonated from inside the beast's helmet. His grip around them tightening and the tongue sliding along their lips, almost begging for them to kiss it again.

—"Calm down tiger. We both know if we continue you'll get too carried on."— you coo, sliding one of your hands along one side of his helmet.

He groans with certain displeasure, but his grip soon losens as he slightly tilts his head into their touch, yet he doesn't let go neither.

—"If you're really feeling like doing it then let's go somewhere else. You don't want anyone to see me naked, don't you?"—

This time their answer is no longuer a growl or a sound, but the same pair of big hands lighting their form up and swinging over a broad shoulder.

Before starting to walk however, the monster reaches up and snatches the little paper mistletoe. (Y/N) of course notices that and can't hold back the little laugh.

—"Well well, see you really liked this particular tradition."—

They get no response as the monster resumes his walking. But the small squeeze on one of their thighs was enough proof to know that they got it right and it won't be the last time the see the little item.

After this little interaction, and probably after what's about to come, (Y/N) doubts to ever be able to feel that magic of Christmas again.

However, they realize that they still experienced something new. The magic of the mistletoe.

Is that an actual thing? Who knows.

But it worked on Pyra so it must be a thing, right?

It worked well after all.

...Too well.

[fandumb-whimsey]

Scarecrow Leg Observations/Headcanons

aka I thought about it too much and now it's everyone else's problem.

(important note: I am not in the medical field and I learned/looked up a lot of this with the help of Dr. Google)

The leg brace seems like a simple detail which can be overlooked in the larger design. On the surface, it's pretty straight forward: leg got damaged and now needs an orthopedic brace to function. This in and of itself is interesting since the artist undoubtedly referenced actual braces, specifically old ones, to fit Scarecrow's aesthetic:

This is a running theme with him; he seems to favor old, antique items and will repair things (like the use of duct tape or zigzag stitching for tears on his costume) before replacing them, which fits an image of someone coming from a background of poverty. Not entirely important to the conversation, just an interesting aside.

There is official material which states his leg is "permanently broken", which is probably the easiest, most succinct way to state this issue, but it's not entirely an accurate way to put it. If a leg is considered broken beyond repair, it's likely to be amputated. Bones which don't heal correctly the first time can be broken again and realigned to heal properly, often through surgery with the use of pins, rods, plates, and/or screws. However, "permanently broken" could also be implying he has suffered irreparable nerve damage which affects the use of the leg (more on that in a moment). One possibility: The bones in Scarecrow's leg do not heal properly due to the severity of his fractures likely needing surgery. Unable to access such resources after his run-in with Croc, this results in a malunion. In his case, the misalignment could be subtle as there is no obvious bend or twist in his leg, but still causes problems which requires use of a brace.

Another possibility: Perhaps he is lucky and his leg does heal well. Maybe there's no malunion at all. Unfortunately, whether the bones mend together well or not, evidence strongly implies that it was broken seriously enough that it damaged his peroneal nerve, leading to muscle weakness and foot drop, which necessitates the use of the brace to function.

If you look closely, you can see there is additional support around Scarecrow's ankle that would otherwise prevent rotation of that joint. You can see this in the game when he circles Batman on the airship:

When he takes a step with his good leg, the foot remains more parallel to the floor. Compare that to the foot in the brace, where the toes point upward with each stride due to being in a fixed position. I feel this is a strong indication of him having lasting damage here (such as foot drop) and part of why the leg brace is vital to his mobility (and undoubtedly one of many reasons why he's so furious at Batman).

Something like this often has trickle down effects. Having to compensate for a weaker limb can throw the body off balance, especially if it's a leg. This can create joint and back pain outside of (or in addition to) the issues related to the initial trauma. Combined with the other things he has had to deal with, there is something to be said of Scarecrow's tenacity. He is very driven and ambitious, even if it's the pure, seething drive for vengeance which causes him to persevere. It's a quality one can admire. :)

The rambling ends here, thanks for reading. And an extra big thanks to a very special someone who, without their help, none of this would be possible...I'm of course talking about my guy KILLER CROC for going absolutely feral in those Asylum sewers, really gave Jonny here a spooky glow-up, am I right?

Pictured: Scarecrow regretting his fear toxin frivolity into the sewers.

[limpfisted]

some disability wyll stuff regarding occular prosthesis. eye trauma tw, obviously. i do not have any eye prothesis and am not a doctor or historian, but i wanna talk about wyll seriously as disabled and fantasy disabled rep

medieval “glass eyes” were UNCOMFORTABLE.

modern day prothesis need to be removed and cleaned every three weeks or so. every six months or so, they need to be polished. debris/grit/slime can get on the outside of the eye. the eye can be scratched and grow cloudy.

the modern prosthesis needs to be replaced every so often. you’ll notice it because your eye socket will shift and change, and so it needs to be refitted to be more comfortable. your socket/eyelid will eventually start to sag, your tear ducts will leak discharge, and you might start to get infections and further dryness when it needs to be replaced.

bc wyll’s eye is a sending stone—we can assume that mizora is the only one who is allowed to replace it. we dont know if wyll is allowed to take out his eye and clean it himself—but tbh. we can make some assumptions considering the eye itself is a method of controlling him

she uses the maintenance/upkeep/replacements of the eye as a further way to control him, and probably further humiliate him lbr

we can also probably extrapolate that while his eye was damaged in the fight with mizora, mizora was the one who removed it and thats how he got the scars on his face. we don’t know if she used anaesthesia. considring the scars on the face make it seem like he at least tried to struggle, probably not

a big reason wyll is really good disabled rep to me personally, is a lot of disabled people rely on abusers as “caretakers” and then cant leave them. even when theyre not particularly good caretakers

its also worth noting again it can take people who lose an eye months to recover, WITH physical therapy. judging distances, holding things, cutting food, driving, are all things that can be hard at first. plus depression, ptsd, feeling dysphoric and a sense of loss

wyll has to relearn how to fight p much, and do it all on his own. we dont know when he got his first contract from mizora. we dont know the first time he was sent to avernus

but u can imagine mizora wasnt altogether kind about it.

in general i think wyll deserves a soft eyepatch and to never have to wear a prothesis again, that would be so traumatic tbh

[macgyvermedical]

Home Nursing Advice Column #3: Treating Cuts

Cuts are common injuries that range from extremely minor to extremely severe. Being able to determine whether or not you can take care of a cut yourself- or whether you need to seek professional help- is a good skill to have.

Note that if you are uncomfortable at any time taking care of a cut in yourself or someone else, stop and get help. This is for educational purposes only and should not be your only source.

First, make sure you are safe, and secure whatever it was that caused the injury.

Second, stop bleeding. Most bleeding can be stopped by applying firm, direct pressure over the top of the wound. If the wound is spurting blood, or you cannot stop the bleeding by applying pressure, you need to call local emergency services or go to an emergency department. This type of wound is likely to require surgery to fix.

If you were able to stop the bleeding, the next goal is to clean the wound. The only thing you need to clean a wound is water. Using alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, or iodine damages the tissue in the wound and delays healing. The water used needs to be clean enough to drink, but does not need to be sterile.

Run water through the wound to remove any visible debris. If (non-spurting) bleeding starts again, keep cleaning- once you are finished cleaning, put pressure on the wound again to stop the bleeding.

If the cut is small (about an inch or smaller in length, gaping no more than a 1/4 inch and no deeper than 1/4 inch), you can close it yourself. To close a cut, dry the edges of the cut well and take some cloth medical tape (or duct tape or band-aids), and cut it into thin (1/4 inch) strips. Hold the edges of the wound together and lay strips of the tape perpendicular to the cut, leaving about a 1/8 inch between each strip and pressing them down on one side. Then, stretch the tape strips taut across the wound and stick them down on the opposite side.

Cover the wound with a bandage and check daily for signs of infection.

If the cut is larger, you're going to want to pack it. If you aren't comfortable doing this, you also may want to seek professional care.

To pack a wound, you'll need some gauze sponges, which you can get at a pharmacy. Moisten these with water clean enough to drink, and insert into the wound. It shouldn't be so tight it is painful, but all parts inside the wound should be touching gauze.

What you are trying to do here is keep the wound open and clean so that it can heal from the bottom up.

Every day, remove the gauze and replace it with new moistened gauze. You should also be looking for signs of infection, including increased pain, swelling, heat, redness, or foul smelling drainage. If you notice any of these, see a professional.

[atopfourthwall]

Watching thru Star Trek Voyager for the first time. Do you like this series if so, favorite episode?

Posting my full thoughts below a read more because spoilers. But it's a mixed bag at best, favorite episode the two-parter Scorpion.

It's biggest issue is that it refuses to abide by its central concept: a Starfleet vessel lost 70,000 lightyears from home with few resources and in a place the Federation have never been to, made up of a mixed crew of both Starfleet and the Maquis - a rogue terrorist organization set on freedom from Cardassian oppression due to shitty treaties the Federation made in the name of peace.

Voyager goes for seven years and you would think with a premise like this, the ship should be a WRECK by the time it gets home - barely held together with duct tape, flickering lights and debris in spots because there just isn't time or necessity to deal with minor stuff like that when there are bigger concerns to deal with. You'd think the crew has gotten more lax, dirtier or with more rolled up sleeves and casualwear as the situation has made them less of a formal structure like a regular Starfleet vessel and more like a found family, maybe with a ton of alien crewmembers from the Delta Quadrant who have decided to join Voyager along the way because they (and the Federation by proxy) have offered something that wasn't present in their corner of the galaxy, something better and they want to join the mission back home. You'd think the ship itself would have changed in appearance as they've had to patch it with technology and because they don't have regular drydocks to replace lost/damaged systems and bulkheads. Sure, Star Trek has replicator technology, but I can't imagine Voyager has MASSIVE replication technology capable of creating HUGE swaths of the hull. At the very least, you'd think you'd see cracks in the hull hastily sealed up - maybe a kind of Kintsugi thing where the cracks are a different color because of special alien material used to keep it strong. You'd think those Maquis crewmembers, despite being former Starfleet, wouldn't be wearing Starfleet uniforms because why would they? They're here because they're stuck and what's Starfleet going to do if they haven't shined their boots? Throw them all in the brig for however long it takes to get home? More interpersonal conflicts between crewmen as they have to find a way to live together, have different approaches to solving problems, maybe deal with the crippling loneliness and despair that comes with thinking you may never make it home (either because of the dangers of space travel or just because it'll be 70 years on our current technology to get there).

But no. Nothing like that ever happens in Voyager.

Because it followed the pattern that had made Star Trek TNG so successful (despite it having a premise that DEMANDS more serialization), every episode the reset button is pressed. The ship is restored to normal, character development is rare or confined to a single episode. The few attempts at serialization are just… badly written (or just met with a shrug), which probably explains why they mostly dropped it in later seasons. You'd be forgiven for watching the first episode and then the last while thinking "Wow, not much changed except for Janeway's hairstyle."

Oh, but there WAS change… just not very much. A new cast member to replace one leaving… and a character brought on to be the breakout character - one of the few times we brought on new crew from this part of the galaxy - was shuffled away the episode beforehand because inexplicably some of his people were farther out than they ever should have been and he decided to stay with them because he met them for a few days. A romance between cast members that… was okay, but not great. Another romance introduced at the last second because they needed one of their characters to actually DO something because they had spent 7 years inventing boring hobbies and interests for him separate from his identity as fake-90s-Native American-whose-entire-culture-was-thought-up-by-a-fraud-who-tricked-Hollywood-into-thinking-he-knew-what-he-was-talking-about.

A lot of plots could have happened on any other Trek show. A lot of plots dealt with "Hey, maybe we'll get home THIS time!" and they of course would not. They invented a whole new way of propulsion that allowed you to be in every spot in the universe at once (and easily reversed the negative side effects by the end of the episode)… aaand then just pretended it never happened. The recurring villain enemies ranged from godawful to okay, but not fully realized.

Behind the scenes it was often full of office politics before actual quality. Whenever an episode needed some padding? Add technobabble. Have an ambitious idea for an episode? Nope, we're not interested in anything challenging. Do anything that might make the characters look bad or have more shades to them? Noooope. There were plans and ideas, things thrown out like, for instance, a year-long storyline where the ship would get as battered as I suggested… and it was shot down, turned into a two-parter with the reset button pushed hard at the end of it.

There's plenty to like about Voyager. Some really do love the characters and I like a lot of them, too. And there are plenty of episodes that I recommend and really enjoy and rewatch… but it's mostly wasted potential. It's telling that Ron Moore, who joined Voyager's writing staff after Deep Space 9 ended because he wanted to keep doing Star Trek, left after only 3 episodes… and went on to make the Battlestar Galactica remake, which for all its flaws did the Voyager concept considerably better and with all of those ideas I mentioned up top concerning the crew, the damage to the ship, the shades of grey, the hopelesness at times but still hope, etc.

[grand-theft-carbohydrates]

that feeling when 99 plays in the last episode and it slowly dawns on you that it's reigen's theme song. i need 2 million yen right now for replacement tear ducts. and another 20 million for emotional damages.

[lumenflowered]

Some options for removing scorch marks from flooring:

Turn back time to before the marks happened

Rip out the floor and replace it and pretend you didn't have to

Cause different damage over the marks to obscure them

Cover the marks in duct tape as a "temporary" measure forever

Use a water, ground, or rock type move on the floor to counter fire

Adamantly deny that the marks on the floor are from scorching

Scorch the rest of the floor evenly so the marks don't show

Burn down the house, change your name, move to another region, and never speak of this shame again

Not an option.

Hypothetically viable but I would have to find new flooring to replace it with.

Then I would have a different problem?

I am thoroughly uncertain as to where Reina keeps the duct tape.

I don't think it was actually a Fire-type move, exactly, though I see your logic.

I am a bad liar.

While I am certain my Arcanine would love to do so, I do not believe anyone else would love him doing this.

It is not my house to burn down. I happen to like my name. I would rather not move to another region. I am quite happy to do that last part though.

[purebreezeairductcleaners]

How to Use Regular Inspections to Identify Air Duct Replacement Needs

Air ducts play a vital role in maintaining your home’s comfort by circulating air efficiently throughout your space. Over time, air ducts can become damaged, leaky, or clogged with debris, which impacts their performance. Regular inspections are essential to catch these issues early and prevent costly repairs. In some cases, these inspections may reveal the need for air duct replacement to ensure optimal HVAC performance and air quality.

The Importance of Regular Air Duct Inspections

Regular inspections of your air ducts are crucial for identifying potential problems before they escalate. Over time, ducts can develop cracks, loose connections, or even suffer from blockages due to accumulated debris. These issues can lead to inefficient airflow, uneven room temperatures, and increased energy consumption. Early detection through routine inspections helps address these problems, preventing more significant damage that might require an urgent air duct replacement.

Signs Your Air Ducts May Need Replacement

There are several signs that your air ducts may require attention. If you notice uneven heating or cooling, higher-than-usual energy bills, or excessive dust buildup in your home, these could be red flags. Other indicators include strange noises coming from your HVAC system or visible damage to ductwork during an inspection. When these signs appear, a professional assessment can determine whether air duct replacement is necessary.

Extending the Life of Your HVAC System Through Inspections

Regular air duct inspections not only identify when replacement is needed but also help extend the lifespan of your HVAC system. Addressing minor issues early prevents them from escalating into major problems that can overwork your system. This proactive approach can save you money on energy costs and avoid the need for premature HVAC replacements. Routine maintenance, paired with timely air duct replacement, ensures your system operates efficiently for years.

Benefits of Air Duct Replacement

When inspections reveal significant duct damage, replacing the ducts can bring several benefits. A new duct system eliminates leaks, improving airflow and ensuring consistent temperatures throughout your home. This also enhances your HVAC system’s energy efficiency, helping to reduce utility bills. Moreover, air duct replacement improves indoor air quality by preventing contaminants like dust, mold, and allergens from circulating, making your home a healthier place.

How Often Should You Schedule Inspections?

To maintain a well-functioning HVAC system, it’s recommended to schedule air duct inspections every three to five years. However, homes with older systems, frequent HVAC usage, or noticeable performance issues may require more frequent inspections. By identifying problems early, you can plan for necessary maintenance or air duct replacement, avoiding unexpected disruptions and ensuring consistent home comfort.

Stay Ahead with Proactive Air Duct Care

Don’t let hidden air duct issues compromise your home’s comfort and efficiency. Regular inspections are the key to maintaining a healthy HVAC system. If your ducts show signs of wear or damage, consider scheduling a professional evaluation. When replacement is necessary, air duct replacement ensures your system runs smoothly, providing a more comfortable and energy-efficient home environment.

[practically-an-x-man]

Cassandra crashes through your OCs' window, battered and covered in blood. It looks like she just lost a fight with the supervillain of the week, and she has a broken wing that she can't reverse the transmogrification spell on without hurting herself more. What do they do?

Ooooh, thank you!!

Rae: Actually knows how to set a broken wing, thanks to living with Warren, and promptly does so. She bandages up Cassandra's other wounds, offers her some water and a quick meal if it'll help, and sends her on her way.

Robin: Sends her down to Hank's lab to get medical attention, and immediately calls someone to repair the window - it wouldn't be the first time she's had to get that replaced.

Madison: Probably throws a knife at her at first, just as a reflex to her crashing through the window, but once she gets over the immediate shock she offers some field first aid and tries to get her broken wing set well enough for it to starting healing or for Cassandra to reverse the spell.

Ophelia: Brings her into her lab and patches her up, but asks way too many questions about how she's able to spontaneously generate functional, biological wings without any apparent conservation of matter. Probably also grabs her actuators to take care of the supervillain herself, once she's finished cleaning Cassandra up.

Gia: Screams and throws flowerpots at her until Cassandra staggers out to find some other help, then patches up the window with duct tape and a sheet of plastic and checks her bank account to see if she can even afford to have it replaced. She also doesn't sleep for a week after that.

Jasper: Dealing with wings is... new, but they look up a few anatomical diagrams and veterinary guidelines and are able to set the bone using that and their medical background to guide them. Cassandra might be a little surprised at how nonchalant Jasper is (at least after they've gotten over the shock of her crashing through the window), but they've dealt with witches before.

Kestrel: Goes to grab Warren, since he's got more experience with it than they do (hard to set your own broken wing when you're in kestrel form, and all) (also it's funny that both Warrens would have experience with this lmao), and he gets the bone set and splinted. Kestrel then uses a healing charm to heal it up enough for Cassandra to reverse her spell and remove the wings.

Katherine: Calls on Heka to regenerate Cassandra's own magical energy, so she can take care of her own healing and transmogrification spells, and the two of them proceed to spend hours talking about and comparing their respective forms of magic.

Quinn: Assumes it's some sort of hallucination and literally ignores Cassandra until she just gives up. Only realizes it was real when Billy asks her why the wall of her trailer is all dented in.

Eris: At best, offers to cut Cassandra's broken wing off so she can reverse the spell (it can't heal wrong if it's not there, right?). At worst, immediately jumps into the fight and probably does more damage than the original supervillain.

Nikoletta: Tries to help as best she can (there's a half-formed idea somewhere about sending Cassandra's wings to the shadow realm as a makeshift way of reversing the spell, but I'm not sure that really makes sense), but makes Cassandra promise in writing to pay for the window repair since Nik really can't afford to pay for it herself. She's also really curious about Cassandra's shadow-based magic and spends a while talking about it (and secretly spends the next week trying to see if she can summon wings of her own)

Jimmy: With much respect to Jimmy... what the fuck would he do? I guess he'd call someone at the Paranormal Research Center and see if they can help, but there's really not much he can offer here.

[usafphantom2]

Stray flashlight sucked by F-35 engine caused $4 million in damage

Fernando Valduga By Fernando Valduga 01/19/2024 - 20:18in Incidents, Military

The F-35's ALIS system should soon be replaced by a new cloud-based platform.

A portable flashlight left inside the engine inlet of a USAF F-35 fighter was sucked into the engine during a maintenance operation at Luke Air Base, Arizona, in March 2023, causing almost $4 million in damage, according to a new accident investigation report.

The investigation, released on January 18, blamed the maintainer for not following the joint and U.S. Air Force guidelines as the main cause of the accident, which damaged the $14 million engine enough so that it could not be repaired locally.

However, the researchers also cited problems with the Autonomous Logistics Information System (ALIS) of the F-35 as a factor that contributed substantially. ALIS is intended to integrate operations, maintenance, forecasts, supply chain, customer support services, training and technical data, but the system has struggled with the lack of real-time connectivity, clumsy interfaces and much more.

As a result, the report states, “the substantial number of checklists and the difficulty in accessing the corrections cause complacency when users consult the necessary maintenance procedures”.

The accident in question occurred on March 15, when a three-person maintenance team was completing a Time Compliance Technical Directive on the F-35 to “install a measurement buffer on the engine fuel line and perform a leak check on the new measurement buffer while the engine was running,” according to the report.

After the plug was installed, a maintainer conducted a tool inventory check, before another maintainer performed a "Before maintenance operations" inspection of the engine. For this, the maintainer used a flashlight to inspect the engine inlet and left it on the edge of the entrance.

The maintainer who performed the engine inspection then operated the engine for five minutes to check for fuel leaks. During this time, the cabin showed no indication of damage from foreign objects to the engine, but when the engine was turned off, the team reported hearing abnormal noises. The maintainer who conducted the engine operation performed another inspection and identified the damage, while the maintainer who completed the first check of the tool inventory performed another and noticed the lack of a flashlight.

Finally, the engine suffered damage to the second stage rotor, the third stage rotor, the fifth stage rotor, the sixth stage rotor, the fuel nozzle, the bypass duct, the high pressure compressor (HPC), the high pressure turbine (HPT) and the variable fan input vane, valued at US$ 3,933,106.

Investigators found that the maintainer who conducted the inspection before the engine ran did not follow the Joint Technical Data warnings to remove all loose items before entering the aircraft entrance and to ensure that all engine inlets and exhausts were free of foreign and loose objects. The aviator also did not follow the instructions of the Air Force Department to "perform a visual inventory" of the toolkit after completing each task.

Finally, the report also concluded that the local practice of the 62ª Aircraft Maintenance Unit did not fully follow the instructions of the DAF, which require the individual who signed the toolkit to perform visual checks of the inventory. Instead, the practice of the unit was to make the individual who performed the operation of the engine conduct the inventory check. As a result, the two aviators involved in the accident thought that the flashlight had been found.

The ALIS factor in the accident marks another problem for the problematic F-35 support venture. The program has been affected by high costs and technical problems, and lawmakers have expressed frustration with ALIS before. The Joint Office of the Program is in the process of moving to a new "Integrated Operational Data Network", but the authorities have described it as a gradual effort - it has already been under construction for four years.

Source: Air & Space Forces Magazine

Tags: ALISMilitary AviationF-35 Lightning IIIncidentsUSAF - United States Air Force / U.S. Air Force

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Fernando Valduga

Fernando Valduga

Aviation photographer and pilot since 1992, he has participated in several events and air operations, such as Cruzex, AirVenture, Dayton Airshow and FIDAE. He has works published in specialized aviation magazines in Brazil and abroad. He uses Canon equipment during his photographic work in the world of aviation.

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[sheepkebby]

Finally making fandom ocs after all these years, and I'm gripping my head trying to figure out how non-feral(?) special infected would live. These things weren't built to last.

Oh for sure! Without treatment, most special infected won't last more than a month. Tanks, for example, have such high blood pressure that there's a very likely chance they'll get intense internal bleeding if they do something as simple as lying down. This will cause them to slowly bleed to death from the inside out.

I feel like, when creating characters based around special infected, you have to take a few artistic liberties.

First and foremost, you have to omit any brain damage that every infected almost definitely has. If you wanted to explain this in a way that almost makes sense, you can say "Their immune system was just strong enough to suppress the infection to protect their brain, but it couldn't protect their whole body." This also gives you the freedom to have your zombie characters retain a certain amount of sentience or intelligence.

Secondly, you have to think about the symptoms of the disease, and how they'd affect the character. Not just in matters of appearance, but how they live their lives, and their chances of survival. If you wanted to create an infected character you'd have to keep these symptoms in mind, and play with how severe they are.

Several months ago I did a little brain exercise where I considered the survival chances of each special infected. Hypothetically, if a cure of some kind was created, and ignoring the brain damage aspect:

Commons - High chance of survival. Since there are no crazy mutations in their bodies, I think if we were able to force-feed them a fucking meal they'd be just fine. Most of them are probably blind, and would have to deal with the effects of malnutrition/starvation, but I think that would be the worst of it.

Tanks - NO chance of survival. I hate to say it but I think a tank's heart would give out within a month at the LATEST. That poor little pump is working overtime to keep that unnaturally huge body running. And with the amount of exercise tanks get, I think it's only a matter of time before their organs completely shut down. I doubt there are any surgeries we could possibly do to give them a normal-shaped body again either. I don't think there's anything we can do to save a tank. If the conditions are right and supplies are plentiful, medical professionals could hypothetically keep a tank alive in a comatose state, but nobody wants to live like that.

Witches - High/moderate chance of survival. A home-cooked meal and therapy. IMMEDIATELY. She needs to be treated for starvation. Maybe her fucked up fingers can be surgically shortened as well.

Hunters - Moderate chance of survival. If they haven't already broken all their joints from jumping around, I say they'd have a chance. The duct tape around their limbs puts them at serious risk of cutting off blood circulation to their limbs though. We might have to amputate some of their limbs, de-claw them, teach them how to walk around blind, and give them a lollipop. If those procedures are successful then they'll be fine.

Smokers - Low/moderate chance of survival. This one's complicated. Smokers have a lot going on. I'm going off the assumption that the lumps growing out of them are cancerous, and the cancer cells regenerating is what keeps their tongue growing even after it snaps. If we were able to surgically remove the tumours, blast them with chemotherapy so their tongues stop regenerating, surgically shorten their tongue and stitch it up, maybe they'd have a chance. Plus they would probably need skin grafts to re-construct their face. They'd also need surgery to rearrange/replace any organs that were damaged by their tongue or the smoke in their bodies. They'd also need physical therapy to learn how to eat properly again, maybe even speech therapy if their tongue had given them a lisp. It would be an extremely lengthy process, and that's why I'd say it's a low/moderate survival rate. You'd have to be one tough bitch to recover from being a smoker, but I believe it's possible at least.

Spitters - EXTREMELY LOW chance of survival. If her jaw is completely eroded from her stomach acid, imagine how her insides look. Based on how her body looks, it's safe to assume all her organs are mush. Fun fact; Whenever you throw up, your body lines your mouth/all your insides with saliva to protect yourself from the stomach acid about to burst out of you. No amount of saliva is gonna save a spitter... However, some medications reduce the amount of acid the stomach produces, and some surgeries tighten the esophagus muscles to prevent acid reflux. I think if the flu symptoms were caught early on, and the right precautions were taken, a spitter could survive the infection. This is tricky, though, as there will be a moment when this poor patient passes a point of no return if a cure isn't administered soon enough.

Boomers - EXTREMELY LOW chance of survival. Reread everything I just said about the spitter. They're basically in the same predicament.

Chargers - NO chance of survival. Look at it. It's basically a smaller tank. Maybe chargers would have a slightly longer lifespan than a tank since they're not AS big, but still, it's big enough that its body is going to shut down eventually. Based on how shrivelled up their small arm looks, and how deformed their head looks, I'm fairly certain their body is neglecting to give nutrients to the less useful parts of the body, forcing all the Meats into that Big Meaty Arm. Even if you amputated that giant arm, I don't think there's any saving a charger. The rest of it would just be skin and bone. The poor creature's head looks caved in.

Jockeys - Moderate chance of survival. They'd need facial reconstruction and spinal reconstruction surgeries, as well as skin grafts for their hands and feet. Some medical procedures for any organ damage from the hump, too. Finally, they'd need an insane amount of therapy. The idea of recovery for a jockey seems absurd but this is very doable. They have a better chance of surviving than a tank, charger, spitter, or boomer, as their organs would be less damaged.

NOTE: I am not a medical professional, so some of my speculations may be wildly inaccurate, but these are the headcanons that I stick with.

ALRIGHT. Now that we've thought long and hard about the flu symptoms, we can get to work making a character! I'm going to be using my beloved little freak Carter as an example.

Looking at Carter compared to other smokers in L4D2, it's clear I took plenty of artistic liberties. Most noticeably, his cancerous growths are a lot less severe. His tumours are smaller and fewer, and he only has one tongue. This is a design choice that a lot of artists in the L4D2 community hold near and dear. It's why smoker OCs are so popular. The cancerous symptoms were the only symptoms I pulled back on, though, as you can still see he's got fucked up eyes, smoke rising off him, and excess sweat.

It's important to remember that immunity to the infection always comes down to genetics. Ellis, Nick, Rochelle, Coach, Louis, Bill, Francis, and Zoey can get zombie germs all over them and be perfectly fine! They have the right genetics that make them immune to the disease. It doesn't matter how healthy/unhealthy they are.

On the flip side, unlucky souls with the wrong genetics will get infected no matter how strong their immune system is. HOWEVER, people with stronger immune systems and healthier lifestyles will be able to fight off diseases better than other people. Think about covid, and how young, healthy people could handle the virus better than people with lung conditions or compromised immune systems. I like to imagine a similar predicament with the green flu. Carter was young, healthy, ate well, exercised, and had a strong immune system. He just had the wrong genetics, so he got infected. Because of his strong immune system, though, his body was able to suppress the infection juuuust enough to protect him from deadly mutations and major brain damage.

Some other side effects of Carter's infection include a speech impediment, partial blindness, and low stamina. It's hard to talk with that tongue in the way, he's only got one eye (which is damaged), and the smoke in his lungs makes it difficult to breathe and thus difficult to run for extended periods. These symptoms, while painful, are interesting to think about and give Carter a lot of charm! His speech impediment makes him unique compared to all my other characters.

Once you consider all the symptoms your character will have, reel in some of the more deadly ones, and consider medical procedures they can endure to become human again, you're all set! And hell, you don't even have to put as much thought into this as I did. If you make a witch OC and say "This is my witch, the virus won't kill her and she retains sentience because I said so." That's perfectly valid! Just have fun with it!

So there you have it, all my thoughts that go into creating infected L4D fan characters!

Shoutout to my friend @determined-goop-blog who's a huge nerd when it comes to researching medical procedures. Their speculations helped me write how the virus affects the jockey and the spitter, and how they might recover.

[formulatrash]

Hi Hazel,

I hope you are the right person to ask about this. So the way I understand it, in formula e, formula 2 and indycar all the teams have basically the same car, but it's still very clear that some teams are better than others. What are the teams actually changing to make that difference? I know that indy has two different engines but there has to be more to it. Can you change everything except for the chassis in fe? What is up with f2/f3? Idk this really confuses me from series to series.

no worries, it is confusing tbh.

so all the series you've mentioned have a spec chassis, which means every car looks the same. it has the same parts, from the same supplier. in Formula 2 and 3 it also has the same engine, again all from a single supplier (Mechachrome).

F2 and 3 are supplied a biofuel mix by Aramco (as of this year), IndyCar is fuelled by a biofuel made by Shell and all of Formula E use the same Williams Advanced Engineering battery. so it's not like F1 teams where every garage has a different fluids supplier.

Formula 2 and 3 teams can then change the setup of the car. that's sometimes very important for maintaining a good balance; it's why having an experienced team or a driver with good setup knowledge can make a huge difference and why some ultra-rich drivers like Amaury Cordeel pay for their teammate to share setup and essentially do the work for both cars. that's stuff like front and rear wing angle, ride stiffness, etc.

in Formula E teams can then make certain parts of the car themselves (brake ducts, for instance) and there is also a range of powertrain suppliers. initially, the Porsche powertrain looked unbeatable this season because it had the best race efficiency, whereas that seems to have swung the way of the Jaguar powered cars towards this late stage. the powertrain and the teams management of it make a very big difference to the efficiency of the car. you can also make small tweaks to the physical setup of the car but in FE they're not massively major just because there's no real aero to adjust (FE cars have less downforce than a GT car) only things like tiny increments of ride height and stuff - the overall efficiency is much more important.

in IndyCar there's a common chassis and then Honda and Chevrolet are the engine suppliers. sometimes it's clear that one or the other has the upper hand in terms of outright or sustained speed (so it's pretty noticeable in some years at the Indy 500) but teams can also make substantial setup changes that will vary how quick they are or the way the car behaves. this is a good article about the aerokit options available for IndyCar teams this year.

so, in terms of mechanical or technical things they can change, there is some stuff across all the series and in Formula E or IndyCar it's quite a wide range.

then there's what I'd broadly call operational factors. this is basically how good is the team at competing in their respective series.

that can come down to how well the cars are prepared for and looked after over a race weekend - generally, bigger budget teams will have more mechanics available to work on the cars and so be able to give them more attention. no garage is slacking but if you have more resources, better analytics tools, more option to change parts, etc then you will have an advantage. drivers also pay for parts across the year, so things like crash damage and wear-and-tear might mean that they're re-using parts if they're on a budget that they're replace, if they had infinite funds.

something that's affected all the series recently is the supply chain problems that Dallara (which makes the F2/3 and IndyCar chassis) and Spark (which is a subsidiary of Dallara that makes electric racecars, in FE and XE) has had. so there has been a lack of spare parts at various points across the board and FE currently has a severe lack of Gen3 parts - not at all helped by the carnage in Rome.

then there's how well the teams work with the drivers. how much data processing power they have, how good their performance engineers (the people who translate data to the drivers, basically) are and how well the team can execute strategies. in F2 or IndyCar that can include being slick at pit stops and knowing when to call them but there's also other factors.

take qualifying in F2 and 3, for instance. F2/3 cars use the F1 pit lane, with temporary pits set up in the bays outside the garages (basically where F1 teams do a pit stop) but they can't get inside the garages. which means that they are not allowed to refuel once the car has left the support series paddock, since refuelling is only allowed in garages.

for qualifying you want to run low fuel but also give yourself enough options to get a few runs in. if the track turns out to develop super quickly towards the end but you don't have the fuel to go out again, you'll lose out on position - this happened a weird amount with Prema last year, in F2, even though they're normally one of the best teams, operationally.

and there's lots of little things like that. understanding the tyres so you can get them up to temperature the best, knowing what calls to make if it rains, having the experience and confidence to do that even in series where, since they're literally for training, the drivers don't.

in IndyCar the strategy is super complicated because there's tyres and also fuel and obviously you want to get over the line having spent the least amount of time in the pits but that's going to take being clever and as in all sports a little bit lucky. then there's also the role of the spotter, which is basically to be the opposite of the Ferrari pit wall by accurately and promptly telling the driver about everything happening around them on track. it's not an engineering role, more purely about that sporting awareness and communication - F1 could prob learn.

in FE things are slightly different because FE is slightly different (no different tyre compounds, no pit stops, etc) but basically the teams that can correlated simulator data to put together the best on-track package will be in the lead. and if the mechanics can stay up all night fixing a car from the ground up and still be on it enough to fully prepare both cars the next day then hell, they're the best in the business.

so lots of factors affect how the car performs. generally the biggest constraint for teams is budget because money can fix a lot of the other problems but experience is the next hurdle. Sacha Fenestraz was talking quite a lot about how his engineering team in Nissan is all quite new to Formula E and how much they've had to learn together during the rookie practice on Friday.

[clonerightsagenda]

Ok last 'the gang is working at Goddard now' post from discord before I call it a night, assuming tumblr will let me post this one

Kat only loosely related, but although the Hephaestus doesn't have a CAPCOM (too far away) I wonder if closer low Earth orbit Goddard installations have one and if they, like NASA CAPCOMs, are all former astronauts. Probably not, I would think, since if you've got 1 person filtering all communication you'd probably want it to be one of Cutter's more… informed people. now imagining Jordan doing a CAPCOM stint since she's comms Jordan: What, you say the hull isn't damaged but you were hit by something. Was it round? Perhaps…. melon-shaped? Klein who's up doing a satellite launch from a station or whatever: I'll kill you Gill Klein’s just never gonna live that down huh Kat unfortunately he literally didn't Gill Rip Kate : ) but also :’ ( Also remind me what CAPCOM means because I’m like “the video game company?” Gill Concept: the Hephaestus crew doing a shift or two on CAPCOM to unwind after a long day of dismantling Goddard Futuristics from the inside out Kat capsule communicator basically they're the single line of communication between astronauts and the ground, to streamline stuff and they're usually astronauts because they know what the crew is doing more personally "In the context of potential crewed missions to Mars, NASA Ames Research Center has conducted field trials of advanced computer-support for astronaut and remote science teams, to test the possibilities for automating CAPCOM." hm. Maybe Goddard has AI capcoms Gill The Sensus series’ predecessor line, perhaps Kat Some poor asshole on a low orbit station: We've got an ammonia leak Automated CAPCOM: Please choose from the following options. Press 1 for a personnel issue. Press 2 for a maintenance issue Astronaut: We're dying Kate Pfff Kat someone: we've got some crew hostility in one of the low orbit stations Minkowski: Put Eiffel on CAPCOM for a few days. Either they'll calm down or they'll unite in being annoyed by him instead. Win win Kate Their secret weapon Gill Minkowski likes doing CAPCOM to unwind but Lovelace finds it stressful bc she’s way worse about being a backseat driver Kat Minkowski: Finally normal simple problems to solve. It is usually a pretty simple, boring job. Until something goes wrong Gill meanwhile, Lovelace: What do you MEAN you've never had to duct-tape a water reclamation system back together?? Kat Haha yeah. Former astronaut capcoms have creative solutions LEO crew who can get new supplies shipped up basically whenever: We could just… trash this broken part and order a replacement Lovelace: Why when you can mcgyver this solution with only moderate risk to life and limb Gill the Hephaestus Mission and the crew themselves gain such a reputation that when the rumors start circulating that Minkowski got her current job by killing Marcus Cutter ("and did you ever meet Marcus Cutter?") half the company is lowkey terrified of her Kate “Ohhh look at YOU with your cushy life, you can just order a NEW part. Back in MY day my boss came up there personally with a gun and shot at us” Kat Haha It’s a very different life being right next to earth easy mode Gill LEO crewmember whispering to another one while their commander is on the phone: God, I hope we don't have to go through a teambuilding exercise run by Isabel Lovelace… Kat Although I suppose it makes it even easier for cutter to send goons up to harass you Kate True… “Hey, can we have a new part?” “No, but you can have Victor Riemann! Have fun!”

Gill Alternatively: "Uh… we think we need a new part… ma'am." Minkowski: …okay? Let me get the word out to the supply team. "You're… not gonna send Warren Kepler and his minions with them like Mr. Cutter used to, are you?" Minkowski: What? No. Most of them didn't even come back from Wolf 359. "/sighs and other noises of audible relief, oh thank god!" Kat now imagining SI5 showing up for no goddamn reason on a resupply shuttle and the mission commander being like "i didn't order you" and closing the hatch crewmember: don't those burn up on re-entry commander: not my problem Gill Telling command you need help? Admitting human weakness? That's a Kepler-ing. Kat Yeah well does it admit human weakness to have to be let onto the station before you burn up with all the dirty laundry and other garbage when the capsule gets sent back thru the atmosphere Eiffel hearing about life on LEO stations: I can't believe this. They got new underwear sent up to them though it's a dangerous game… .Terry Virts had two consecutive underwear shipments explode thanks space x Cutter: The Andromeda station's psych evals are too far in the green. Blow up their next three laundry shipments.