I don't know about you, but it's not Christmas, no matter what channel it's on A Christmas story “On Repeat” does not run in the background and is observed in whole or in part at some point during the day. I remember seeing this film when I was a child at the cinema with my family and although times were different back then, the film was just as well received as it is today. So of course, over the years, this film has taken its rightful place among the classic Christmas films. No matter the time, childhood is hard and Christmas is chaos, but despite everything, families manage to come together.
Last year, Upon closer inspection I took a closer look at the film Christmas holidays and found a few items in the Griswold home that needed attention. (Oh Clark!) This year we thought we would set our inspectors' eyes on Ralphie's house.
It's a clinker!
All Ralphie wants for Christmas is a Red Ryder BB Gun, but his father dreams of a new oven. With this whole furnace situation, we get a great time capsule picture of home heating in America in 1939. Coincidentally, 1939 was the year that the fire and smoke damper became mandatory in HVAC systems, so this damper may have been fairly new-fangled.
It was basically a way to control the smoke exhaust in the event of a fire or smoke. When he shouts: “Open the damper!” The smoke would have been led out of the house through a roof vent instead of collecting in the basement. You would set it to “closed” when not in use, to “draft” when in normal use, and fully to “open” when smoke is present.
Killer sink
Dad won't kill Ralphie, but the sink might. Oh, I know, it's beautiful. This amazing cast iron kitchen sink is a dream, but in the 1930s and 40s they were made from lead, meaning lead could leach into the water. Plus, back then they weren't sealed like they are now, and they cracked and rusted much more easily, which is also damn toxic. While we're at it: all the pipes are undoubtedly made of cast iron. It's a miracle that one of our grandparents survived.
A shocking display
The old man is giving Clark Griswold a run for his money with this outlet, and thank God he's just trying to light a lamp. I've said it before and I'll say it again: don't overload your outlets. Even in the modern age of GFCI protection and surge protection, you can still get electrocuted or start a fire. In Ralphie's day it was all too easy. We're especially prone to this around the holidays when we add lights and decorations, new toys, trains and gadgets, extra cooking utensils, etc.
If, like me, you have a collection of tacky A Christmas Story lamps, including two night lights, three ornaments, a mini light, an actual lamp, and an ugly Christmas sweater that lights up, then I feel sorry for you. Because I'm talking about my husband, not myself. And if you need a home inspection this holiday season, give us a call!