Home Improvement: Electrician Rant |
- Electrician Rant
- Another cheap project. $30 mudroom upgrade
- PLEASE HELP! I just got a new stamped patio last week and I'm having a lot of issues.
- I’m Installing Hardwood to replace the old carpet in our 1964 townhouse. Does anyone what this is and how I can remove it without potentially causing an electrical fire?
- Old house and flaking paint.... I f$&$ed up... I think
- Can I plug a bathroom sink vent to stop smells?
- Walkway/Trash Can Patio Complete!
- Will my garage rafters support hoisting a kayak for storage?
- Ceiling Fan Install - User Error
- Garage Ceiling is collapsing. Options?
- How to install a burglar-proof AC unit in a double-hung window
- I reset the circuit breakers, but power is still off in half of my new apartment. Is there something in this box that needs to be fixed?
- Storage area cat dilemma
- Anyone bought these knobs before?
- NJ Permit question? Do we need a licensed plumber/electrician/framer or as long as it passes inspection it's fine?
- How do I even go about remodeling the walls of this garage?
- What kind of contractor do I need?
- Post-renovation - holes in plaster/lath walls
- Mold/Water Damage - Do I need to rip this out?
- Cracked Travertine...How to fix?
- Main breaker tripping
- Are gutter guards worth it?
- What can I put in the cracks in my sidewalk/driveway?
- Gila window film
| Posted: 22 Jun 2020 03:15 PM PDT Southern California. While redecorating my bedroom I decided to replace some outlet recepticals and convert one receptical to a junction box. The previous owner had a tv mounted on the wall and had an outlet installed just below the crown molding. It's an eyesore so I wanted to convert it to a junction box and cover it with a plate and paint it to match the wall. Anyway. I f*ed somethig up because now about 10 outlets, including 2 gcfi outlets, and can lights in my kitchen all connected to that circut don't work. I tried trouble shooting thinking I crossed a wire somewhere but I think everything is wired correctly now, but still no power. I decided to call an electrician. They reschedule on me several times after waiting for them all day for 3 days in a row. Finally the person comes out. He was very nice, looked everything over then gives me a breakdown of their packages. I was like what? I don't need a package just fix what is broken. He tried to sell me on replacing all the outlets and switches in the whole house. For $5500! Um no. He lists off several other options decreasing down to the lowest price which includes troubleshooting only the circut without power and replacing all those outlets and switches for $1250. I said no way, I don't need everything replaced, I just need to find out why that circut has no power, I probably have it wired incorrectly, or 1 receptical on that circut needs replacing and it's likely only a 30 min fix. He said they don't do that, they would need to replace everything. I told him that was bull shit and he left. I'm so angry. Freaking waste of 3 days to have them try to scam me into services I don't need! [link] [comments] |
| Another cheap project. $30 mudroom upgrade Posted: 22 Jun 2020 03:13 AM PDT $30 for a quick mudroom makeover. New costs were the wainscoting (48x96 panel was $20, and 2 ledger boards $5ea). The general process was pretty simple. Removed my baseboard (I probably could have just rested it on top actually), cut the wainscoting and affix to the wall (I just used brad nails in the 3 studs, no need to glue it down in this location), frame out the finger joint board, put the boards on top, and done! I already had screws, stain, paint, finger joint boards, etc. on hand. If I had to do it over again, I'd probably not buy the ledger board. It is very cheap wood, not straight, and supposedly for outdoor use only. I can easily replace that with actual pine. [link] [comments] |
| PLEASE HELP! I just got a new stamped patio last week and I'm having a lot of issues. Posted: 22 Jun 2020 10:38 AM PDT I need professional and experienced advice in how to address these concerns with the company. Most of these issues could only be fixed with a total tear out and redone patio. Trying to figure out what to do, or if they offer a discount, how much would even be acceptable, or if these problems will create long term issues and should not be left. This company has had a lot of issues from the start, so I need to know what I am being overly critical of, and what are genuine concerns. To me these seem like legitimate concerns. Here are some photos and short videos of what I'm dealing with. https://imgur.com/gallery/wZr2YBW Please post if you are a professional contractor or just experienced etc. I welcome all advice, but if someone is on the business please let me know so I can back up my concerns a bit. EDIT: Here's the kicker. This is very much a real company, that has been in business almost 30 years, but since they were recommended by some friends, I didn't put the thought into it that I should have. Normally, I am very clear and thorough the few times I have had to hire someone else to do work on my home, but with this company, we never had a contract. I don't recall signing anything. I can't believe I slipped on that. I normally make sure everything is very clear spelled out. They came out, we discussed what I want, and they did it. I haven't even paid them a penny yet. [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 22 Jun 2020 04:54 PM PDT Note: I don't think it's a doorbell since the box for that is in the living room. It could also be part of the old non functional intercom, but I'm not quite sure. any help would be highly appreciated! [link] [comments] |
| Old house and flaking paint.... I f$&$ed up... I think Posted: 22 Jun 2020 05:28 PM PDT I have an old house and the walls in one area had paint flaking off. Well, I wanted to repaint anyway so I started scraping off by hand using a paint scraper. This proved to be a tedious and endless effort, so I got Ready Strip and applied that, thinking that this would make my job easier. Well it got most of it up, but there are still some parts that just got all gummed up. It is like 7 layers of paint. Well these gummy bits now can't even be scraped OR sanded off. It looks like a wreck. I have no idea how I'll ever get to repaint it with all this junk gummed up on it. Now I'm asking for help on what to do next so I don't screw this project up more. What do I do? Should I apply more paint stripper? Just sand it the best I can then paint over it? Wipe it up with soap and water? Help! [link] [comments] |
| Can I plug a bathroom sink vent to stop smells? Posted: 22 Jun 2020 04:33 PM PDT There are two of these vents under our master bath sinks. Only one periodically and randomly starts venting a really foul smell and it doesn't seem to be for any reason. We are on sewer lines if that matters. Is there anything I can do about it? [link] [comments] |
| Walkway/Trash Can Patio Complete! Posted: 22 Jun 2020 08:57 AM PDT Whew. Over a 90+ degree weekend in the sun wearing jeans and boots while watching my toddlers as my wife sleeps for her job (night shift nurse), I somehow managed to install a brick walkway with a mini-patio for our trash/recycle cans with my sanity barely intact. To say I'm a little sore is an understatement, but man, am I glad this is done. My wife started with the digging and sod cutting and then we did that together last weekend. We thought we'd get the materials by then and be able to work on it together, but didn't anticipate that the delivery would take a little longer than usual. So, this meant I had to work on it pretty much by myself this past weekend as it was about the only time to be able to do it. You'll see in the pic it's a bit damp from misting the polymeric sand to begin the curing process to bind the pavers. Lined the earth underneath with landscape fabric to prevent weeds, then spread 20+ bags of paver base (50# each, geez). Tamped down earth, then tamped down the paver base. Knocked down most pavers with a rubber mallet to try my best to level it out. Underestimated the amount of polymeric sand I needed and had to run to Lowe's to buy a couple more buckets. Am proud to say that I was spot on with my estimate for number of bricks and ended up with only 6 left over. It's not the most perfectly level or professional job, and I'll admit to half-assing it here and there, but it was my first time doing something like this and, most importantly, it slopes away from the garage so it drains properly. If I had any advice for anyone considering something doing something like this, it's this:
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| Will my garage rafters support hoisting a kayak for storage? Posted: 22 Jun 2020 03:44 PM PDT Recently purchased a large-ish kayak (about 85 lbs) and would like to store it in the garage out of the way of things. I would like to use a 400lb electric hoist similar to the one seen here: https://www.harborfreight.com/440-lb-electric-hoist-with-remote-control-60346.html?_br_psugg_q=440+pound+hoist I have an unfinished garage in an older house (built in 1958), and I'm thinking it would be best to anchor the hoist across a few rafters in the garage roof (two or more), but I'm unsure if my roof would be able to handle a 100 lb load (weight of kayak and some equipment) for storage. Is there a rule of thumb way of figuring out how much your roof truss/rafters can support without seeking a structural engineer to advise? Here are some pics of my garage ceiling. The rafters are 2x4 redwood spaced 24" apart. I would like to support the hoist/load across two or more rafters (marked in black running perpendicular to the rafters, hoist in middle marked red). Also tried capturing a picture of the entire garage roof. Thanks in advance for advice [link] [comments] |
| Ceiling Fan Install - User Error Posted: 22 Jun 2020 07:39 PM PDT (New to posting here so let me know if I need to give more details or pictures). Summer is here and my oscillating fan of 8 years died. Decided to upgrade the bedroom lights to ceiling fans. After 2 hours of fiddling with it, everything looked good. Turned it on and the light worked and the fan spun! However, as it spun I heard a soft clicking sound. The faster it spun, the more frequent the clicking. $@%#! I got a fan on the cheaper end of frugal (about $50) and figured it was just not a good fan and now I had to uninstall it and return it. But I knew there was a non-zero chance I messed something up so, as I had to take it apart anyway, I'd keep an eye out for anything obvious. Turns out that I made a rookie mistake and the wiring wasn't tucked up far enough. The wires were barely touching the spinning portion of the fan (on the top of where the blades attach). Put those up and BOOM! Good as new (which it is...). If you have a fan that is noisy, maybe make this a part of your check list before scrapping the whole thing. Picture: http://imgur.com/a/gtCcCZo [link] [comments] |
| Garage Ceiling is collapsing. Options? Posted: 22 Jun 2020 07:22 PM PDT to keep things short:
Part of this is my fault. I tried to mount some storage space on the ceiling and just barely missed the studs on a few of the mounting points, which caused that huge hole. However, the ceiling has always had a ton of cracks and sagging, especially when it rains. My question is, is there a reason I can't just take down the drywall and mount 1/2" plywood instead? I'd rather have something that's not going to disintegrate when it gets humid. edit: seems like the consensus is to put 5/8 drywall back up and just make sure it's well-screwed this time. Any ideas on how to fix the parts that are already cracked? Do I just mud over them? [link] [comments] |
| How to install a burglar-proof AC unit in a double-hung window Posted: 22 Jun 2020 05:57 PM PDT I live in a co-op apartment, which is an odd mix of having more of the responsibility and less of the freedom. Each co-op building/board divides those differently, so please believe my assessment of what sorts of things w can and can't do on our own authority, or with my own skills.Our windows are aluminum, so I cannot make holes in the frame of the literal window. There is a deeper opening that is framed in wood, and I can make holes in that, though it doesn't come right up to the window itself. We want to install a window AC unit in a window that is right next to the entry vestibule's roof. It would be very easy for something to climb up to that roof and get in through that window if it's not secured. Sure, it's on the street and so very visible, but if they can get in quickly, they're golden. Of course there's the ability to push an air conditioner into the apartment (which we might mitigate by getting a .U-shaped Midea AC unit, or which we could circumvent by attaching some sort of barrier on the inside). We have double-hung windows, and I don't know how to secure the upper window (which slides in the outer rack) in a way that can't be messed with from the outside. We have seen a burglar pull an upper window down and climb into an apartment through the opening on the top, even if it wasn't a full opening (like, literally seen him--my husband watched him do it as we called the cops). There are these sorts of wedge bars, but they'd have to go on the outside of the window, so what would keep a burglar from just pulling them out?https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HBWD8NK/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_Plv8Eb7MWXY9M Would these sorts of thumb-screw window locks work? Again, what would stop someone from just pulling them off?https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TJXT3FG/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_inv8EbQMSVTDG Any ideas, especially pics, would be very helpful. And here are pics of our actual window(s). (Pardon the grime.)https://imgur.com/a/8XYdeYt [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 22 Jun 2020 05:14 PM PDT Power suddenly shut off in my new (to me) apartment, built in 1901. I reset all the switches in the circuit breaker box in the kitchen (they're all now in the on position https://imgur.com/a/UJpIBFy), but power remains off everywhere but the bathroom and kitchen. I can't find any other circuit breaker boxes. However, there's this box in the hallway; is there something in it that needs to be fixed? https://imgur.com/a/588y1e6 How do I get the power back on in my apartment? edit: I'm in the NYC area. [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 22 Jun 2020 07:58 PM PDT Hi Reddit! New here, I run a nonprofit kitten/cat adoption center and the cats always go into the storage area. I've tried shoji screens, but they're quite smart and slowlyyy paw them open. Now I've debated on pet gates (most are too short, cats can jump so high), barn doors (Idk if the shelves are sturdy enough for track, and the middle two go in more so it's not even), or bifold doors (again, tracks). Measurements of the spaces in between the shelves are 39",37", and 44". From white wall to wall is 190", including walls is 201" Does anyone have suggestions? Thank you! [link] [comments] |
| Anyone bought these knobs before? Posted: 22 Jun 2020 05:11 PM PDT The issue i am having is that the entry knob is designed to where you leave the long screws in on the exterior knob and the interior knob just twist over the screws and locks in place. I can't figure out if i am dumb or if it is a bad design but the knob falls off or comes off in my hand nearly every other day. I've tried tightening the screws but it still happens. [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 22 Jun 2020 02:37 PM PDT My husband is a plumber (w/ extensive electrical background) in NY but we're buying a house in NJ. We are planning on:
It's going to be an owner-occupied one family dwelling. We tried to find out from the city but they're hard to reach - I want to make sure we're doing everything by law and won't have any possible issues with home insurance. I read online that as long as the property is owner occupied and passes all inspections that you can do the work yourself without hiring a LICENSED plumber / electrician / framing company. However, online info and real info varies. I cannot find any information about this online either - it just says to make sure all necessary permits are pulled. Thank you! [link] [comments] |
| How do I even go about remodeling the walls of this garage? Posted: 22 Jun 2020 03:25 PM PDT This definitely looks and feels more like wood than drywall. There are these awful wood "posts" that go all the way down parts of the wall. At some parts there is a square of drywall with a few mm of a gap/impression which would take decades to mud flush with the wood around it. Where would you begin, Reddit? Help a first time homeowner! [link] [comments] |
| What kind of contractor do I need? Posted: 22 Jun 2020 09:09 PM PDT I have a small backyard (estimated at 500 sqft or less) that needs the following done:
I've contacted landscape/hardscape contractors, but they're all telling me the job is too small. I could do multiple contractors I guess (one for concrete, one for landscaping, one for sprinklers?) but I have to get HOA approval for any modifications I make so the more contractors, the more complicated it becomes... Plus who does the demo if the irrigation needs to be fixed before concrete is laid? I'm a little lost. I appreciate any advice. [link] [comments] |
| Post-renovation - holes in plaster/lath walls Posted: 22 Jun 2020 05:14 PM PDT Recently had our almost 100 year old house's electrical rewired. Since the walls are plaster/lath, they had to cut through the plaster and the lath in many spots to get the wiring all the way through. Is it feasible to simply use drywall to patch up holes in plaster/lath if the lath was cut out too? Really want to give it a shot as a DIY project, but is this too far advanced? Couldn't find a lot of resources covering this on what to do if there's no lath to attach drywall to or even redo the plaster. [link] [comments] |
| Mold/Water Damage - Do I need to rip this out? Posted: 22 Jun 2020 08:28 PM PDT I discovered some water damage and mold in the cabinet underneath my kitchen sink (picture linked below). I have identified the source and will be fixing that shortly, but I could use this sub's advice on how to address the damage to the cabinet. I'm going to clean out any mold, but then am not sure what to do after that. Should I cut out the damaged area of the bottom board and then place a new board on top? Leave the bottom board in tact and place a new board on top? Something else? I'm ideally trying to avoid ripping out the bottom board entirely, at least for the time being. Thanks! [link] [comments] |
| Cracked Travertine...How to fix? Posted: 22 Jun 2020 03:06 PM PDT Okay I'm trying to sell my house and I have two cracked travertine at five potential buyers have noticed and were upset about. I have no extra travertine tile as this was installed 10 years ago by a previous owner. I just need to know what the best fix is. Can I put some grout in there? Can I put some caulk? Cracked Travertine Tile https://imgur.com/gallery/jpwIkyI [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 22 Jun 2020 04:17 PM PDT Yesterday, I was doing some work and I plugged in a compressor and a miter saw on different circuits in my house while the dryer and ac were running and the main 100a breaker tripped. I didn't think much of it because I figured I overloaded it by not paying attention and plugging too many things in. So I unplugged the saw and the compressor and reset the breaker. Everything worked normally for about 20 min then the main breaker tripped again. None of the branch breakers tripped. The compressor and the saw still weren't plugged in. So I didn't think it was overloaded at this point. The only other thing I can think of is that I have my fridge on an extension cord plugged into the same outlet as the dryer because I temporarily had to move it to the garage while working. (The dryer isn't a full size it's just a small combo machine that plugs into a 20a circuit). Could this be the problem? I'd think the 20a branch circuit would trip before the main breaker of this was the problem. Also, the main breaker wasn't tripping immediately it was taking 15 min or so before it tripped. So this should rule out a short right? Is it possible my dryer is bad and is causing a surge when it hits a certain cycle? Anyone have any ideas what's going on here? [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 22 Jun 2020 05:45 PM PDT I'm I getting quotes on gutter installations and I'm considering purchasing the guards along with them. They increase the cost of installation significantly. I'm worried that I will spend a significant sum on them and they won't work well. To add context I live in a wooded area but my house is a single story ranch so it isn't too difficult to access the roof. The options Im considering are Gutter Glove Pro (most expensive an more than doubles the cost) and Leaf Defender (cheaper but no structure under the mesh) What are your experiences? Edit: I live in New England so performance and durability in the winter is another concern. [link] [comments] |
| What can I put in the cracks in my sidewalk/driveway? Posted: 22 Jun 2020 07:54 PM PDT I know I could cut some 1"x2" and put it in the cracks, but what are some other alternatives to keep my driveway and sidewalks looking nice and weed-free? [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 22 Jun 2020 07:49 PM PDT We have a west-facing house that gets very hot in the evening. I bought some window film and installed it before realizing it's privacy and not specifically heat control, though the listing and the reviews still claim it helps heat. I installed it on the outside as I believe our windows are dual pane. The windows are getting hot—hotter than the windows that I've not yet installed it on. I also don't notice a difference in room temp. I'm scared they might crack. Is this a legit worry, and if so, is there a window film I should be looking at, or a different solution? [link] [comments] |
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