Home Improvement: How fucked am I regarding my well water situation? |
- How fucked am I regarding my well water situation?
- Why did wood paneling become so popular, then fall so out of fashion?
- Building a rain garden (with no natural slope)
- How do I stop water coming into basement between foundation and studded wall?
- Shallow Well Pump - Help me turn it on
- Fireplace and hidden projector screen
- Help with door barricades?
- Looks like a section of my fence is dying, what's the best way to tackle this?
- Gutter Guards: apparently there are different kinds? Please weigh in!
- Who owns the comms going to my house
- Installing outdoor cameras?
- Ceiling moisture problem - no attic
- Block outside sound from bedroom?
- Water Heater Recs
- What kind of siding/shell would you use on the basement portion of this house?
- Can anyone help me identify this flooring?
- Weird breaker panel splice 200amp service to 125amp?
- Painting Fireplace
- Air purify whole house?
- Small bathroom wall color help!
- Toilet lid screws stuck. Not sure how to get it off.
- Looking for ideas on how or what to do with this.
- Carport support posts rotting
- Kitchen sink hole spacing for faucet, spray, air gap, air switch and hot/cold filtered water dispenser. Best spacing and order?
| How fucked am I regarding my well water situation? Posted: 24 Mar 2020 09:36 AM PDT Long story short. Hire contractor to repair old porch from 1892. It was all lead paint. The dude said he was epa certified and that everything he did was completely legal. He proceeded to sand lead paint, get chippings all over my yard and I mean ALL over my 3 acre property. He just stopped showing up after the first payment and left everything in my yard. I reported him to the EPA and a guy came out to look at it. He was fucking astonished at how badly this guy fucked up my yard. I told him I have well water with no filter and he said it will all get into my water supply eventually. What is eventually? Are we talking 3 months from now? Or 5 years from now? I can't sue the contractor since my state is in a total lockdown pretty much and no lawyers are available nor is anyone able to come clean it up. I was told not to fuck with the stuff and just leave it because the second i start messing with it I'm liable for some reason. edit wow! Thanks for all the responses guys. I would like to apologize because I meant "liable" not "responsible" and that probably created some confusion. What I was told was that the cost of getting it out of my soil (since it already rained and became very muddy in the time between now and when the contractor started to ghost me after getting his first check) would be insane and may require 12-18 inches of excavation. I was told not to start messing with it because let's say I start to attempt a clean up and it blows out into the street or something I can become liable because of the stupid laws in my state. While I still am going to call up as many people as possible because it still needs to be cleaned up I am a bit less worried now since it would be like 8 or 9 years before it even touches my water supply (according to what people in this thread have told me) but it is still all over my yard. I do not have any pets, but I need to be considerate of others who may enter my yard so I will be getting someone to clean it up as soon as possible. Thank you. edit 2 to the people saying "clean it up yourself" no. I cant. The amount of lead is literally that much. It's like It snowed lead or something. No way im risking that. To anyone wondering how that much lead really got in my yard its because the house is huge and the porch surrounds the entire house and the guy was tracking it all around my yard because he was going around my yard carrying the old pieces of wood back and forth. Will update later. Am currently in the process of contacting state health officials. If all else fails I might have it cleaned it up as thoroughly as possible and then switch to city water the second the lockdown ends. I'm going to have a fucking panic attack. Quite literally every office I call, every contractor i call is not answering or just has "closed because covid 19" on their messaging machine. So I am going to get off reddit for today. Will update tomorrow morning if anyones actually interested. [link] [comments] |
| Why did wood paneling become so popular, then fall so out of fashion? Posted: 24 Mar 2020 09:32 AM PDT I grew up in a house with wood paneling on almost every wall, and my parents are now in the process of dealing with it in their current house. I know it was incredibly common decades ago, but I can't seem to find any actual information about the stuff. Any article about it is either about how to remove it or making the bold claim that it's coming back into style. But I'm weirdly curious about its history. How did it become so widespread? Was there a reason that everybody used it outside of a simple design trend? And when it fell out of fashion, why did it fall so hard? It's the Comic Sans of home design. Everyone hates it. But most of the time, it's...fine? Did it just become antiquated because its use was so widespread, or did it also begin to be an inferior material compared to basic drywall and the like? [link] [comments] |
| Building a rain garden (with no natural slope) Posted: 24 Mar 2020 08:22 AM PDT Finally finished my rain garden (well, let's be honest, a garden is never 'truly' finished, but close enough). I needed to move water away from the house but also didn't really have a slope to my yard, so I improvised. https://imgur.com/gallery/9Yw04lb Happy with how it turned out (and my back's happy that I'm done shoveling!) [link] [comments] |
| How do I stop water coming into basement between foundation and studded wall? Posted: 24 Mar 2020 05:45 PM PDT Two car garage; the stud wall between the two doors is leaking into the garage. About a month ago I just ran some caulk/concrete glue around the outside. Slowed it down but hasn't alleviated the problem. Driveway doesn't slope towards the house. Less than 2 year old garage doors/seals Downspout comes down that wall but turns away from the doors. Not sure what to do here. [link] [comments] |
| Shallow Well Pump - Help me turn it on Posted: 24 Mar 2020 06:19 PM PDT I live in Southern VA. Have a shallow well pump in my garage. It feeds a sprinkler system and out door spigots. Had a company come and winterize my sprinkler system. It looks like they unplugged and let the pressure out of my pump/tank. Anyone know how to turn the pump on and get water pressure back in the tank? Would love to DIY and save some $$$. [link] [comments] |
| Fireplace and hidden projector screen Posted: 24 Mar 2020 01:36 PM PDT Built out a bulkhead to hide projector screen and a fireplace / accent wall. https://imgur.com/gallery/QowJ6Cw We have been fixing up our midcentury modern house we just bought and i built out this fireplace and bulk head to hide our projector scereen on the wall that will be all built ins. im planning on building cabinets and bookcases on either side make the whole built in wall. Took 1/4 inch plywood and cut it to 6 inches with a 45 degree bevel on either side to make it look like tongue and groove, but much cheaper. We live in florida, so the fireplace is pretty much strictly for looks. Never gets cold enough to use one, but love the look of one. Drywalled the bulk head and finished the wood with poly. Love the look and cant wait to start on the cabinets. [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 24 Mar 2020 02:19 PM PDT So my wife has been wanting to put up barricades on the doors for added protection (similar to this https://i.ytimg.com/vi/tr0N3gmtQTo/maxresdefault.jpg) She has already purchased the wood (4 ft 2×4s) and brackets to hold them. Was looking at how to secure them to the door. Seems most pictures have the support screwed right into the door frame. Is that the best place to put them? I honestly don't know how door frames are made and if it's best to screw them there or into the wall (which would be going into concrete block I assume) The other question is our door frame isn't flat, so if we screwed the support flush to the frame they'd be at an angle. If it's determined the door frame is the best place to put them do we try to find a wedge or something to make it flat or just not screw part of it fully into the frame to keep it flat? Hopefully I'm explaining that so it makes sense. Any help is appreciated [link] [comments] |
| Looks like a section of my fence is dying, what's the best way to tackle this? Posted: 24 Mar 2020 07:50 AM PDT We have a section in our yard that is always wet due to rain runoff and it's looking like it's rotting the shit out of a couple of my fence posts. Woke up to this this morning. Any suggestions for the best way to tackle this? Replace the bad posts with new treated wood posts and set it in concrete? What are my short term and long term solutions? [link] [comments] |
| Gutter Guards: apparently there are different kinds? Please weigh in! Posted: 24 Mar 2020 02:26 PM PDT My husband took on the role of "gutter master" and did some research, but I've volunteered to actually finish this project. We are getting our gutters replaced and want to add gutter guards too. We have a flourishing maple tree that's a bitch to clean up. All the little spiral seed pods wind up in our gutters. I got a quote from a reputable gutter guy to replace 80 ft of gutters and add "Bull Dog" gutter guards for $1300. Price seems reasonable, but Husband wants micromesh instead. I would love to just pay someone who knows what they're doing and have it done. We've got other projects going right now. Bull Dog gutter guards are aluminum and what this company typically uses.Micro-mesh are what my husband thinks is better. Thoughts/opinions? Edit: I'm in PNW for what it's worth. [link] [comments] |
| Who owns the comms going to my house Posted: 24 Mar 2020 04:48 PM PDT Roofing work including replacing the fascia boards on a newly acquired single family home and don't know who to call to take the phone and the coax off of the fascia so I can replace it. Tried looking it up online but that resulted in a waste of time a barrage of ads I don't fucking need. Seriously considering cutting the landline at the pole, because landline. And the cable company is going to have to run newer cable anyway as the existing came off Noah's Ark. Any thoughts? Thanks in advance and cheers! [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 24 Mar 2020 05:58 PM PDT I'm looking to install these Yi Outdoor cameras at a residence. They need to be plugged into an outlet. I'm an extreme rookie with any home improvement stuff. What's the best way to install these? Drill a hole to the inside for power? [link] [comments] |
| Ceiling moisture problem - no attic Posted: 24 Mar 2020 04:45 PM PDT
Problem:
Solution:
Questions:
Thanks in advance for any input! [link] [comments] |
| Block outside sound from bedroom? Posted: 24 Mar 2020 09:20 PM PDT I live on the top floor of my apartment complex and there's AC units on the rooftop that seem to make pestering humming/vibration noises throughout the day and night. Is there a great way I can block outside noise/vibrations from the ceiling, windows, and/or walls? Thanks for any advice! [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 24 Mar 2020 07:04 PM PDT Hey all, I plan to replace an old 50 gallon GE tank that has lasted 18 years despite hard water and zero maintenance as I am anticipating a failure soon. It heats well, but it can sound like a popcorn due to the sediment in it (I'm afraid draining it will cause it to fail sooner, though a home warranty replacement sounds tempting). So far I've had a couple quotes, Bradford White/Lochinvar $975 installed and America brand for $1100 installed. Both have 💩 reviews online. Is there a brand/type you all would recommend that is reliable and low maintenance? A gas tankless sounds tempting too, but installed it will run closer to $4500 from what I gather [link] [comments] |
| What kind of siding/shell would you use on the basement portion of this house? Posted: 24 Mar 2020 05:30 PM PDT We're reviving an old barn/house and looking for ideas on how to address some of its "outer shell" Photos here: https://imgur.com/a/uVMeqIX The first aspect we need address this Spring is the lower corner part covered in the reddish shingles (kind of looks like bricks, but it's just shingles). A lot of the foundation is made up of fieldstones, so we want something that will complement that as well as the wood/cedar that makes up the rest of the siding. Thoughts? Inspiration? [link] [comments] |
| Can anyone help me identify this flooring? Posted: 24 Mar 2020 04:20 PM PDT I had to pull up some carpet in the basement because of a spill and found this underneath. I'm not sure what it is, can anyone help me identify? https://imgur.com/eCdHIbc.jpg https://imgur.com/CJndnCg.jpg [link] [comments] |
| Weird breaker panel splice 200amp service to 125amp? Posted: 24 Mar 2020 03:42 PM PDT Located in the PNW. So something weird is going on with the panel on my house. I pulled the permit records and they had a permit for 200A service installed to the house but it appears to be spliced into a 125amp panel and the wire guage is reduced with electrical tape covering the splice. Is this a safe install or is that a warning sign? Also could I rectify the situation by having the panel replaced with a 200amp panel or just have the breaker replaced with a 200amp breaker? [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 24 Mar 2020 05:09 PM PDT Hello all! We want to paint our brown brick fireplace white. From various painting projects we have Kilz original primer and Behr Marquee interior paint. Will those to do the job or do we need specific paint for bricks?? [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 24 Mar 2020 10:36 AM PDT I live in a large 3 story house with around 3500 square footage. I would like to air filter the whole house for allergens, mold, and other particles but I'm not sure how to do it. Should I buy a couple large air purifiers and put them in central locations? Should I buy multiple small purifiers and dot them around the house? Also, it would be great for it to have a HEPA filter. [link] [comments] |
| Small bathroom wall color help! Posted: 24 Mar 2020 08:19 AM PDT Need bathroom paint color advice! DARK grey floors and shower tile. Light grey vanity. Currently the walls are primed. I would like to add some color to it other than white or grey, but looking for opinions! [link] [comments] |
| Toilet lid screws stuck. Not sure how to get it off. Posted: 24 Mar 2020 08:26 AM PDT Heres pics of the top and bottom https://imgur.com/a/oZ4A8tY With the toilet paper bs going on i wanna install a bidet on each of my toilets. the other one was easy this one, has different mounting hardware and i dont know how to get it off. The screws wont turn and i dont know of i need to do something with the bottom plastic covering of the bolt [link] [comments] |
| Looking for ideas on how or what to do with this. Posted: 24 Mar 2020 03:54 PM PDT In my breezeway, above these 2 windows, there are openings. It is open both on the inside and out. Previous owner stuffed insulation in the middle, put sheet plastic over the outside opening, and a curtain over the inside opening. I don't know what it was supposed to be, What it originally was, or how to fix it. Help? [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 24 Mar 2020 02:15 PM PDT Hey everyone been in a house for about 2 years that has a carport. Not sure when it was originally built. If I had to guess I would say the 90s. The construction on it doesn't look great and one especially troubling thing is the supports. The outer supports closest to the driving are sitting directly on the concrete. Due to how the drainage happens down my driveway they end up sitting in water when it has rained. As a result you can tell from the photos they are rotting. My neighbor has a plan to do a French drain on his property near the outermost post which should help long term with the drainage but it still seems there should be a footer in between the wood support post and the concrete. Need some help here.
Any help would be greatly appreciated [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 24 Mar 2020 03:45 PM PDT We're now we'll into a kitchen remodel and are at that point where the order and placement of the faucet, etc. is upon us. How do we decide which item goes where, and what are logical distances between them? Faucet in the middle, of course. The faucet we're contemplating is one with separate hot and cold handles - one on either side. With of faucet from handle to handle is 6 1/8". Because we need to comfortably get our hands onto the faucet handles, what amount of space would we need between the faucet and the items to it's immediate left and right? And is there a logical order for the above mentioned items? I figure, going from left to right (we're both right handed, and dishwasher is on the left): air gap, air switch, faucet, spray wand, filtered water dispenser. 30" farmhouse sink, by the way. Anything of which I need to be aware before "writing this in stone"? Contractor is asking about this and needs to know quickly, now that it's push come to shove. Everything needs to fit. Room for hands on handles. Air gap next to dishwasher. Anything else needing to be considered? Thanks for any guidance! We always only had a faucet and soap dispenser. Now we're going for all these bells and whistles. Seems a bit much, but it is what it is. We're leaving out the soap dispenser, as it was one more hole in a crowded field. Edit: Thank you all for your input! It really does help to bounce ideas off others! We are looking to "declutter" the design. Looks like we'll go with a single handle faucet And a cold-only filtered water dispenser, which has the benefit of having the one handle as well, so less fussiness going on. Also, a pull down faucet, so no need for a separate spray. This reduces our hole count to four. And, as our countertop will be white with a white tile backsplash, we plan on white air gap and air switch. Looks like we may get back to the more simple farmhouse look we were going for. [link] [comments] |
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