Home Improvement: Install a bidet, they said (update) |
- Install a bidet, they said (update)
- Shocky shower's electrified drain
- I’m at my wit’s end with my Nest thermostat.
- How to unhook fridge's water line from house
- How can I save these handprints in concrete?
- What's your coronavirus inspired project??
- COVID-19 and you MEGATHREAD!
- Shower leaking through grout under curb
- Foundation addition question
- Wiring help: replacing a light/fan switch into two separate switches with a dimmer.
- Rheem Hot Water Burner Issue
- Water traped in the chimney and is leaking through the ceiling, what's the best option?
- Bay Window Leaking
- HELP
- Spilled bleach on car floor caroet, now smell won't go away.
- LVP flooring for unconditioned basement?
- Intractable ceiling leaking
- Large format vs. Small tile for first time DIY wall install?
- Alternative to fix decorative screen door sag (slanted top gap) without turnbuckle?
- Will collar ties in attic support my weight?
- Is disposal fixable or need to be replaced?
- Help with insulating bonus room over garage.
- Spary expanding foam under the bathtub
- Finishing Basement Without Permits - Question...
- Bathroom renovation framing issue...
| Install a bidet, they said (update) Posted: 12 Mar 2020 08:01 AM PDT A few people in my original thread asked me if I liked the bidet attachment, but it hadn't been installed yet. Maintenance installed it, and can I just say: I have never been so thrilled to have cold water shoot at my butthole knowing I don't need to worry about the TP shortages. If you haven't gotten one yet, do it. [link] [comments] |
| Shocky shower's electrified drain Posted: 12 Mar 2020 06:19 AM PDT TLDR: cast iron drain pipe has voltage even with main breaker off and said shower occupants when touching grounded water valves. After moving in to a new to us 1960 home that needs some love with plenty of /r/HomeImprovement projects, my wife and I discovered the guest shower was very lightly zapping us when touching the handles. It was so faint neither of us commented on it for ~2 weeks thinking we were tweaking a nerve/bumping a scratch/etc. Regardless, it came to a point and needed investigation since it's the only functioning bath at the moment and safety was a concern with electricity+water. The house has galvanized pipes I've partially replaced with PEX but not this area yet so thought it might be a bad ground or rogue neutral coming back down the bonded water pipes. Had an electrician come out to help quickly diagnose and they threw bonding jumpers all over the water lines and bonded water to gas line chasing it but we eventually discovered it was the drain that had voltage and the water lines were correctly grounded. Apparently the standing water and water running down your body when showering was conducive enough to carry ~1A and zap you when touching the grounded water controls. Electrician couldn't figure it out and brought the experienced old timer foreman it to drop some wisdom but couldn't either other that to say there might be a wire in the attic with slightly degraded insulation just barely touching a vent pipe (thus conducting a trickle of voltage back down into the drain system in the slab). At $280/hr to scratch their heads and speculate, I thanked them for all the grounding jumpers and sent them home. I investigated further and found that if I plugged an extension cord in and checked voltage from hot to drain, I would get 130V. Since line voltage for the house and at that cord too was 122V hot to ground, that implied to me that the voltage was coming from the other phase from my extension cord circuit since voltage was being added. I thought myself pretty clever and then killed all the breakers on that other 120v leg to work back as to which breaker circuit was the culprit. No luck/change. Ok so that's weird but whatever, killed power to the rest of the breakers just to see but nope still getting 9V from drain to ground... Ok WTF... I go one step further up and kill the main 200A breaker at the meter thinking surely that'll do it but nope, even with all power of to the house there's still 9V & 1A coming up the drain pipe that's in the slab and physically in the ground!! It couldn't be more grounded but somehow I have voltage in the soil? Super confused now and consulting the wisdom of fellow redditors, any ideas what going on or I could investigate to sort this out? 9V isn't much I know, but it is noticeable when wet and the water is flowing right. Unsurprisingly very similar to sticking a dying 9V battery on your tongue... Help! Edit: Added pictures of filthy drain and multimeter Hot to ground (ground on extension cord) gets 122V Hot to shower water pipe gets 122V (not pictured but tested) [link] [comments] |
| I’m at my wit’s end with my Nest thermostat. Posted: 12 Mar 2020 03:39 PM PDT Hello all! I installed a Nest thermostat. I keep getting the e195 error showing there is no power to R. I watched several YouTube videos and I need to hook up a wire on the unit in the attic to the R so there is power. Fine. I go into the attic to the unit and I can't figure out how to get to the wires. It's a brand new (less than a year old) Trane unit. It's 83 degrees in my house. Please help! TIA! [link] [comments] |
| How to unhook fridge's water line from house Posted: 12 Mar 2020 05:53 AM PDT Hi all, first time poster in this sub. Let me know if this post is inappropriate but I'm not sure where else to post it. I recently bought my first house and an old GE brand side-by-side fridge was left in my basement. It is hooked up to my house's plumbing for the fridge's water/ice dispenser. I want to sell this fridge but I am unsure of how to disconnect it from my plumbing. I tried to find a manual for the fridge. Without knowing the exact model number, I found this one: https://www.manualslib.com/manual/806094/Ge-Side-By-Side-Refrigerators.html?page=16#manual. It has a section on hooking up the water line but I don't find it clear. ("Step 3 Install Water Line") Picture of my fridge: https://imgur.com/a/5VKxc0t The fridge's water line is connected to my plumbing at this valve (at least I think that's what it's called) https://imgur.com/a/BrfZBUF The valve seems to have two positions. Straight down (6 o'clock), or where it is in the picture (about 10 o'clock). The valve was straight down when I started looking at this, and the water was flowing through the fridge as expected. When I turn the valve to the 10 o'clock position, the water flow through the fridge seems to have less pressure, but it still seems to run endlessly (I dumped several cups of water out and the water just keeps on coming). I can still hear water flowing up in the pipe in my basement ceiling. I'm hoping someone who is a bit more experienced with plumbing/appliance hookups can help me figure this out! Any ideas would be much appreciated! If it matters, the valve is Dahl branded. I couldn't find the exact valve on their website: https://www.dahlvalve.com Thanks in advance for any help! [link] [comments] |
| How can I save these handprints in concrete? Posted: 12 Mar 2020 07:25 PM PDT Hi! 5 years ago when we built our house, my kids put their handprints in the concrete on the driveway. We are looking to move and I'd really like to save this. Also, I'm guessing the next owners may not want this. I've thought of 3 options. Let me know what you think in terms of cost, difficulty, etc.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1j9N1fiPgO8kccGRTPQCMPJqImVZB861F/view?usp=drivesdk [link] [comments] |
| What's your coronavirus inspired project?? Posted: 12 Mar 2020 11:53 AM PDT What home projects are you all planning to pass the time while 'social distancing'? Mine is installing in some built-ins and under-cabinet lighting this weekend! [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 12 Mar 2020 07:09 PM PDT All, While the mods here on /r/HomeImprovement realize this isn't directly related to this subreddit, we feel this is a necessary step for both the health of the community and health of its members. The Coronavirus, COVID-19, has now gone global and all efforts are focused on minimizing/flattening out spread. In an effort to keep the sub clean, create a central point of information, and all-around stay on-topic ALL COVID-19 related content should be posted in this thread. Yes, that includes shitposts about your new bidet. Much of this information is taken word-for-word from the CDC, but posted here for awareness. So what is the novel coronavirus known as COVID-19:"A novel coronavirus is a new coronavirus that has not been previously identified. The virus causing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), is not the same as the coronaviruses that commonly circulate among humans and cause mild illness, like the common cold." Where did it come from:"Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses. Some cause illness in people, and others, such as canine and feline coronaviruses, only infect animals. Rarely, animal coronaviruses that infect animals have emerged to infect people and can spread between people. This is suspected to have occurred for the virus that causes COVID-19. Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) are two other examples of coronaviruses that originated from animals and then spread to people." How does it spread:"This virus was first detected in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China. The first infections were linked to a live animal market, but the virus is now spreading from person-to-person. It's important to note that person-to-person spread can happen on a continuum. Some viruses are highly contagious (like measles), while other viruses are less so. The virus that causes COVID-19 seems to be spreading easily and sustainably in the community ("community spread") in some affected geographic areas. Community spread means people have been infected with the virus in an area, including some who are not sure how or where they became infected." It's worth noting, that spread is via close contact with an infected person. Current indications are around 6ft or droplets created when coughing or sneezing. It's also important to understand that the virus can remain viable for up to 3 hours in the air and 3 days on surfaces.Prevention of this infection is, by in large, the same as any other virus (as noted from the CDC):
Ways to protect others are also basically the same (as noted from the CDC):
So how does all this relate to home improvement?Other than the likely incoming influx of COVID-19 related, posts not a lot. Please try to limit discussions on COVID-19 to this thread. We the mods will remove other posts as we see them. It's also worth noting that the dissemination of critical information is an effective way to help limit the spread of this disease. It is VITALLY important not to panic. No, you don't need 6 months worth of toilet paper. No, you don't need 30 cases of water. No, you don't need enough hand sanitizer to stock a small hospital. Follow the basic "don't be a dumbass" guidelines. Don't go to large events, wash your hands, cover your face when you cough/sneeze, stay home when you are sick, and don't spread FUD. Above all don't follow random advice you find online! Always follow what your federal and local governments are advising. This post is an opportunity to have an open discussion about keeping our home's clean and virus-free. This post and sub are NOT the place to push a political agenda. Any political posts will be removed and the user banned! There are plenty of places on reddit to discuss politics, but this sub is not one of them.Additional resources - will be added to as needed: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus https://www.reddit.com/r/HomeImprovement/comments/fhleyb/whats_your_coronavirus_inspired_project/ https://www.livescience.com/how-long-coronavirus-last-surfaces.html [link] [comments] |
| Shower leaking through grout under curb Posted: 12 Mar 2020 06:48 PM PDT Master shower is leaking from under the curb whenever we shower. It drips out of the grout from under the solid granite top. I am a total novice, but even I can tell the quality of craftsmanship and tile work is… lacking. My best guess: the door frame was installed before they caulked between the edges of the curb and the wall. You can clearly see that the grey silicone was applied after. Meaning there is only grout (or nothing at all) behind the 1 inch portion covered by the width of the metal door frame. So the water that collects inside the track doesn't escape out of the weep holes, but seeps out on the left and right edges. Any other guesses? Photos: https://imgur.com/a/AFjPoMt ~1.5 year old new home in North Carolina, if that makes any difference. Judging by the hard water spots, the leak has been happening for a little while now, but I didn't notice it until last week. 1 to 2 daily showers happening for 1 year. [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 12 Mar 2020 06:39 PM PDT We just bought an old house and are in the beginning stages of planning for remodel. We had a foundation guy come and check it out. He gave us a floor plan and it shows where 3 foundation additions are. Does that mean the house used to be smaller and they added on to it? We're really wanting to knock down a wall to expand the living room but I'm wondering if that used to be an exterior wall. [link] [comments] |
| Wiring help: replacing a light/fan switch into two separate switches with a dimmer. Posted: 12 Mar 2020 04:23 PM PDT I have a single switch in a bathroom that controls both the fan and the lights. I want to swap it with a two switches that control the fan and the lights with a dimmer. But I'm struggling to understand the wiring here: https://imgur.com/a/oUBiZUl The two bare ones I have look like they have the "tag" on them but I thought those were ground. Can I even use this switch without the tagged live wire? I've watched a bunch of videos but I don't see any that look like mine so I'm coming to the experts. [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 12 Mar 2020 10:14 PM PDT Hi all, this is the first home maintenance issue I've had that actually drove me to posting online, so I'm really going insane here. My hot water heater was apparently installed about 3 years ago (before we bought the house) and recently had an issue with the electronic control gas valve. Rheem sent me a new one under warranty and I replaced it. Now I'm having an issue I may have created myself by cleaning the flame sensor (I initially thought it could have been that). I can light the pilot light and it does just fine and stays lit by itself, but when I turn the dial away from "Pilot" the burner will only kick on for a few seconds before it flares out, taking the pilot light with it. The gas valve will keep running for a few seconds before realizing the issue and giving me a solid red light, which means that it is shutting down. Is this from something wrong with the flame sensor, or is this an air/gas flow issue? [link] [comments] |
| Water traped in the chimney and is leaking through the ceiling, what's the best option? Posted: 12 Mar 2020 10:12 PM PDT I live in a 5 story building (i am in the 2nd floor myself) and we had an old chimney that was originally connected to an old heater which was removed and the chimney opening in the ceiling was blocked with cement years ago. We have been experiencing bad weather conditions and it has been raining for over 24 hours. Now here is the problem, the water made it's way inside the chimney and since there is no opening in the ceiling it kept stacking until it got filled to the point that the water started dripping through the ceiling (through the cement) and somehow also made it's way to the center of that room and started dripping from where the ceiling fan and chandelier are located. It has been leaking for about 16 hours now and it's not fully drained yet, we blocked it from top to make sure no more water gets in but if my calculations are any accurate the chimney has a width and length of about 20 cm and a height of 12 meters so there is probably close to 400+ liters water trapped in there and it's only dripping a few drops from 2 locations. I don't know how long it will take for it to fully drain, it's been 16 hours already and at the same time i am concerned about issues with the electricity from the lamps and fan in the ceiling (for now i shut down the power off that room). Is it best to let it drain on its own or should i consider getting an electric drill and making a bigger opening in the wall to drain it faster? any advice would be appreciated. [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 12 Mar 2020 04:11 PM PDT I need to find out if I should call a general contractor or an window repair person. We had rain in Southern California today. There is water pooling in the window and the drywall. It is also a leak coming from the floor below under the base boards. My house/window is 30 years old. The exterior is made of stucco. [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 12 Mar 2020 09:31 PM PDT I have fallen into a marketing scam and just bought a policy with American Home Protect what do I do to prevent a ton of extra fees (bought maybe 2 hrs ago before realizing I didnt need it like they said) [link] [comments] |
| Spilled bleach on car floor caroet, now smell won't go away. Posted: 12 Mar 2020 09:29 PM PDT So I spilled some bleach on the carpet of my car. I tried to wipe it up and let it dry but the bleach smell still remains. I tried putting baking soda in it and let it be overnight as I read that's supposed to remove the odor but it didn't. And I was liberal with the application. Another google search mentioned that using pure white vinegar will neutralize the odor when it dries; however, I also read that the mixture of bleach and vinegar will out off toxic gases. Does this still apply after the area is completely dried where it's just the bleach odor that remains? Any tips? Thank you! [link] [comments] |
| LVP flooring for unconditioned basement? Posted: 12 Mar 2020 05:15 AM PDT I live in a cold climate (Boston Mass), in a 120 old home with a half exposed rubble foundation and an after the fact poured cement floor. I use the space as laundry/mechanical, storage and a wood working shop and am planning to put down new flooring to help warm/finish the space a touch and smooth out the floors (the cracks make it tough to roll tools around). I am going to use the dricore insulated panels to build a level subfloor and create a thermal break and was planning to use LVP as the final surface since it's cheap, durable, easy to install and floatable (in the off chance I ever have to pull it up for water intrusion). But as I am trying to narrow down my product choice, I am seeing things about LVP not being suitable for unconditioned spaces? Is this as concern on the low temp end (space varies between 45-70*F throughout the year)? Or is it only a high temp/direct sunlight issue? Thanks [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 12 Mar 2020 09:02 PM PDT I have had a lot of leaking issues with my house since I purchased it. I've had both roofers and A/C (there is ductwork on the roof) people work on it, and though it has improved it is still getting damp in heavy rain. I have never been able to figure out the problem and numerous contractors have not solved the issue. From the limited photos I have, can someone help me diagnosis the issue? It is only coming from two vents that are connected to ductwork that connects to a rooftop A/C unit. It seemed like before water was getting into the ducts and dripping or pouring in, but now it is almost like condensation as it takes an hour or so of rain before the ceiling gets damp inside. Any help would be greatly appreciated, as I am not very handy. It has been extremely frustrating and the contractors that have been brought in can't see to fix anything or even really diagnose it properly. I posted some photos of the ceiling and ductwork here: https://imgur.com/a/N0PtS0r [link] [comments] |
| Large format vs. Small tile for first time DIY wall install? Posted: 12 Mar 2020 08:57 PM PDT I have been DIYing probably since I was 8 years old since I grew up on a farm and come from a long proud line of DIYers. I point this out for 2 reasons. First, I am fairly competent and confident in taking on anything new. Second, I find it strange I have somehow made it to 41 without ever having tiled a wall before. Go figure. Anyway, we are remodeling our only bathroom and we are now at the point where it has been taking way longer than expected. We plan(ned) on 9" subway tile for a run surround all the way up to the ceiling. We started the process and actually bought the tile 9 months ago and finally to the point where I will be starting tiling soon. My wife, who initially was the one who wanted the subway tile, was looking today and thinking that she now may want large format ..mainly because it should still look OK in the small bathroom, but mainly because the small tile will take quite a while to finish and we need our bathroom fully functional again. So, for someone who is capable and doesn't cut corners when it comes to prepping, what are the few big pros/cons vs. large format and smaller tile? [link] [comments] |
| Alternative to fix decorative screen door sag (slanted top gap) without turnbuckle? Posted: 12 Mar 2020 08:22 PM PDT I need to remove my screen door because it's rubbing pretty good and thought I would try to fix the slanted gap at the top, likely from sag. I'd prefer not to have a turnbuckle diagonally across as it's a decorative Victorian door and I'd prefer not to detract from it's simplicity if that makes sense. Will decorative gusset plates in the corners work or is the only effective method using a turnbuckle? Putting upward pressure on the door doesn't make it true up or budge at all at the moment. [link] [comments] |
| Will collar ties in attic support my weight? Posted: 12 Mar 2020 08:21 PM PDT I'm trying to run some cable through the attic space above our den and wondering if I'm about to fall through it or crack some drywall or something. Our den's ceiling is raised and when I go into the attic, it seems like it's collar ties that are nailed to the rafters with insulation in between and that's what I would have to crawl over. Doesn't look like joists. It's a small space and just has an A-frame style roof with what look to be collar ties. Not sure if I'm using that term correctly. I know it's a numbers game but just wondering would that generally support an average person? I found a similar pic on Google and it's below, can't take a pic now, sorry. Imagine the bottom area is drywalled up and the upper area is what I need to crawl through. Thank you. [link] [comments] |
| Is disposal fixable or need to be replaced? Posted: 12 Mar 2020 08:16 PM PDT I recently bought and moved into my first home, and I'm finding more and more things that need fixed. Newest problem is the disposal. There appears to be a pretty big crack in it towards the top (https://imgur.com/a/Cp0MFiQ). I discovered it after dumping a pot full of water down the drain while washing it and heard a water leak below the sink. After some testing, I found the crack. It only leaks when a large amount of water is poured in the drain at once. Is this something I can fix (and tips on how/materials) or would it be better to replace the whole disposal unit? Any help is appreciated! [link] [comments] |
| Help with insulating bonus room over garage. Posted: 12 Mar 2020 08:06 PM PDT Hi guys. I am about to start on my bonus room over the garage build. I am starting to tackle the insulation. Would you help me with what I need? Here is the knee wall. https://i.ibb.co/Kzxynr3/IMG-1466.jpg On the backside of the knee wall there is already a cardboard type barrier installed. The barrier is stapled to the studs. Can I use this and just tape the seams up and spray foam any gaps? I am planning on using faced R-13 in the walls. For where the ceiling will be up against the roof rafter, I plan on using rafter mates for an air channel and faced R-19. I will cover the ends of this insulation (on the knee wall end) with an insulation board and spray foam it around the edges. Here is the top of the ceiling. https://i.ibb.co/k8WxCn4/IMG-1469.jpg I plan on using faced r-30 for the "attic" section. Here is the floor. https://i.ibb.co/hDZ5DRp/fullsizeoutput-11da.jpg I could use advice here. How do you recommend I insulate this space? Insulation board on sheetrock then r-30? I plan to seal off each gap between the floor joist with insulation boar and spray foam. Lastly, am I required to use a vapor barrier in any of these areas? [link] [comments] |
| Spary expanding foam under the bathtub Posted: 12 Mar 2020 08:06 PM PDT My contractor put expanding foam under my bathtub to make it more stable. But the floor next to the bathtub have noise when we step on it. The contractor said that because of the expanding foam. Does anyone know why the floor have noise? I think he may not install the floor correctly. But he insist that the noise is from the expanding foam under the bathtub. [link] [comments] |
| Finishing Basement Without Permits - Question... Posted: 12 Mar 2020 07:38 PM PDT So, I've started to finish my basement without pulling permits. I've been following code (for the most part that I am aware of) - living room, spare room (without egress), and bathroom. (pre-plumbed). My neighbor who did the same exact thing without permits goes to sell his house. His realtor discloses that no permits are pulled which raised red flags. He is now having to pull drywall to expose electrical and get everything signed off along with pay fines. How do I avoid getting caught when I inevitable sell my house? I have all of the drywall up already but not mudded. I've done everything myself and I pride myself on it looking professionally done. Any suggestions? Located in Wisconsin. TLDR - did not pull permits - midway through finishing basement - neighbor goes to sell house who did the same thing but is now getting fined - what to do with my project? Or can I sell without disclosing? [link] [comments] |
| Bathroom renovation framing issue... Posted: 12 Mar 2020 07:36 PM PDT Expanding half bath to full, however, existing door frame and wall were framed up to ventilation duct using some sort of liquid nail. Can I do the same for my 2x4 framing? or what would be the thinnest way to frame around duct? [link] [comments] |
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