Why am I melting? There are SO many answers to that question depending on what we are talking about. It is such an important question that M&M’s figured out the answer long ago. They obviously must melt in your mouth–not in your hands. Seems right to me.
Now obviously melted chocolate over ice-cream has to be OK too. Can’t imagine a problem there–unless you can’t eat dairy products–then over Rice Dream works too.
Can you imagine pizza if the cheese did not melt?
How about melting insulation on electrical wires? Can’t imagine a situation where that is going to turn out OK.
Awhile back, I inspected an apartment with 14 units. In almost all of these units the ranges were installed such that heat escaping from the sides of the oven doors was burning the cabinet on one side and the wall on the other side. Now this is not a “melting” issue—more like a fire hazard issue that requires repairs.
These ranges segue into a story about the range at another inspection where the cabinets on both sides of the range were “melting” due to the proximity to the “warm” edges of the range.
In this case we have “melting” but no fire hazard. How the heck can that be?
The answer is that these cabinets are “wannabe cabinets.” Not “real” cabinets. Almost any normal cabinet finish—including paint, plastic laminate and varnishes can withstand this kind of proximity to ranges without damage. The finish on these cabinets–designed to look like painted wood–is actually plastic that has been shrink-wrapped over a wannabe-wood core. They sort of look OK–in the showroom–but in real life service they don’t hold up very well.
The recommendation?
Replace the doors with real cabinet doors. This type of product is just another one of the many products available to consumers that have little if any redeeming social value and are a tremendous drain on precious natural resources. They cannot really be repaired–only added to a landfill somewhere.
I have now come to the end of my “melt” down.
By Charles Buell, Real Estate Inspections in Seattle
If you enjoyed this post, and would like to get notices of new posts to my blog, please subscribe via email in the little box to the right. I promise NO spamming of your email!
Leave a Reply