Home Improvement: There's stupid, and then there's STUPID. |
- There's stupid, and then there's STUPID.
- Bought a house built in 1997 that has sat vacant for ~10 years. What things would you inspect? What might I forget to look into?
- DIY Pro-tip: when replacing a toilet skip the wax ring and use a Sani-seal gasket instead. More forgiving, easier to install, and longer lifespan!
- Shower tiles somehow look dizzying, how to temporarily cover them?
- Replacing a 30 amp, dual "hot" kitchen outlet with an Adorne outlet - is this correct?
- Older house with a water leak
- New Dishwasher Stinks
- Best mask available for drywall work
- Winix c545 wifi
- How to get the correct slope for bathtub-in-shower layout
- Step cracking on brick house built circa 1990
- How many hammers is too many hammers?
- Going to be redoing all electrical in my home and redoing the whole kitchen. Any recommendations for things you wish you had?
- Multiple cracks in basement concrete floor and not level. Best way to repair in order to make the area livable again and sellable.
- [USA] A better way than a heat gun to remove non-silicone caulk from brick/mortar?
- AC return vent is in the worst place, and very loud
- Latex paint seems good despite bein 15 years old and freezing hundereds of times. Still seems good though.
- How can I repair/refinish my bathtub after removing a glass shower door and rail? Rusted holes left in porcelain tub
- Can I use 18ga brad nailer for engineered hardwood flooring?
- Any advice or guides on fluorescent tubes?
- Massive leak after AC stops running
- Before I start insulating my converted attic, is there anything I’m missing?
- Moving an electrical box in a co-op?
- Flushable Wipes...are they though?
| There's stupid, and then there's STUPID. Posted: 23 Jul 2020 04:02 PM PDT Replacing a hard wired mechanical timer for my pool pump today. Only 3 wires, but I labeled them before I took off the old timer just out of habit. Flipped the breaker back on, and a loud POOF. Tripped the circuit for the whole sub-pabel. Turns out, even though I labeled them, still managed to switch two of them when I installed the new timer!! Yes, I swore. 2 minutes later, all good. Moral of the story, if you're going to label something, may as well read them!! [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 23 Jul 2020 08:19 AM PDT Other than the things I can notice by walking around, what would you be concerned about? I'm a little worried that maybe there is a plumbing leak down in the foundation or somewhere that I can't see/access.
This is my first house I have owned and I'm not a very experienced contractor. The house seems to be in great shape for having nobody look after it for 10 years, but I'm not sure what exactly could go wrong in areas not easily seen by the eye. Thank you! [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 23 Jul 2020 05:59 PM PDT My brother is a professional plumber and he swears by these gaskets instead of the old fashioned wax rings. They're super easy for a DIY install, and totally forgiving if you have to reposition a toilet. [link] [comments] |
| Shower tiles somehow look dizzying, how to temporarily cover them? Posted: 23 Jul 2020 05:45 PM PDT This is a weird one. I just moved into a new apartment and noticed when showering that half of the tiles seem like they were printed wrong and have this weird 3d effect going on and it's kinda dizzying to see. Image. Do you guys have any suggestions for a way to cover them without ruining them? I thought about getting a 3m poster stickies and then stick a shower curtain to them. It sounds stupid but when you see them in person they really do make you dizzy. [link] [comments] |
| Replacing a 30 amp, dual "hot" kitchen outlet with an Adorne outlet - is this correct? Posted: 23 Jul 2020 06:07 PM PDT Edit: Solved, thank you everyone! Edited due to updated information. My wife told me it was a 30 amp breaker but it's actually a set of 15s. I'm not sure if single or dual pole. On the old outlet, they've snipped the top and bottom hot connectors. I had one black wire and one red. From what I understand, I believe this means that the top and bottom plugs effectively become two separate "connections" but share a neutral, which makes sense seeing as the socket is on dual 15 amp breakers. I want to make sure I'm wiring the new terminal correctly. I'm using Adorne outlets, which are a little different than standards outlets. If I understand correctly, I would need to snip the exposed metal connector on top, but use the same, "left" sockets on both, and wire the neutral on the left as well. Here's my mock-up. Is this correct? If it's any help, here are the manufacturer's installation instructions. [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 23 Jul 2020 06:11 PM PDT Hi! I'm hoping someone on this thread can help me. Yesterday we had the water company out at our house and they said we for sure have a leak some where. The issue is we have an older house with a day light basement (no crawl space) and we have no idea where our water main is so we can shut the water off and determine if the leak is in the house or from the street to the house. We have checked the closet where our water heater is but cannot find anything in there. Any other suggestions? Would they have put it on the outside of our house? Thanks so much! [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 23 Jul 2020 07:50 PM PDT I can't seem to figure this out so your help would be greatly appreciated. I have a relatively new Whirlpool dishwasher and the dishes tend to stink like rotten eggs after I run a cycle. I've checked the filter(s) as well as under the washer arm on the bottom and there is no build up of junk. I checked the drain pipe and it has a high loop. I've ran a cycle with vinegar. Any other ideas, thoughts or suggestions? Edit: I also open the door and leave it open for a while after the cycle is completed to avoid it remaining compact in all the heat for an extended period of time. [link] [comments] |
| Best mask available for drywall work Posted: 23 Jul 2020 05:16 PM PDT I am looking for a mask that is available that I can use for some drywall work. I know N95s are impossible to find so what is a good alternative? I'm working on converting an office into a nursery for our first child. Anyone know what's available? I just need 1 mask so I can work without worrying about inhaling drywall dust and messing up my lungs. Thanks. [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 23 Jul 2020 06:30 PM PDT Probably not the best place to post this. I just got a Winix c545 from Woot. The device seems to work with manual controls (fan runs, lights on, etc). However, I installed their app and am trying to get it set up on Wifi. When I put press the "wifi" button on the device for about 3 seconds, it beeps and the light is flashing. However, I've tried 3 different iPhones - none of them can see the device from Settings->wifi. All devices are on the latest iOS. I have an iPhone 8 and 2 new iPhone SE's. No go on any of these. Anyone else have any luck? [link] [comments] |
| How to get the correct slope for bathtub-in-shower layout Posted: 23 Jul 2020 09:02 PM PDT Hey all, [link] [comments] |
| Step cracking on brick house built circa 1990 Posted: 23 Jul 2020 06:07 PM PDT How bad is this 'step cracking' and should I walk away from this house? Thanks! [link] [comments] |
| How many hammers is too many hammers? Posted: 23 Jul 2020 10:45 PM PDT I already had too many hammers because I moved to another country and bought a set, then years later brought my original hammers over the pond. Recently an older relative died and left me a lifetime's worth of hammers. I feel like my basement is half full of hammers. Don't even get me started on screwdrivers and plier-like tools. I probably have 100 of each. Can you ever have too many hammers? If so, how do you go about de-hammering? [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 23 Jul 2020 08:23 AM PDT Any ideas that can be implemented during the remodel that would make life easier/ that you wish you had in your home. Thanks! [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 23 Jul 2020 03:54 PM PDT title says it all Only other details would be that the reason I'm redoing it is because of flooding and a sump pump malfunction. We had to rip out moldy carpet. I don't want to lay carpet down and I'd like to avoid the cost of epoxy. What are some cost effective options that will repair and enhance appeal since I have the intent to sell? [link] [comments] |
| [USA] A better way than a heat gun to remove non-silicone caulk from brick/mortar? Posted: 23 Jul 2020 08:23 PM PDT I've googled around and the method I'm looking at trying is a heat gun. Allow me to reiterate that this is not silicone caulk. Will this work, or is there a better method? It's dark where I live right now, but I can try to take some pictures, anyway. [link] [comments] |
| AC return vent is in the worst place, and very loud Posted: 23 Jul 2020 08:02 PM PDT We moved into a new house recently, and the AC return vent (which has the furnace right behind it) is extremely loud when the AC is on. The fan inside runs so strong that it almost sucked in the air filter when I opened the grill to see what was happening. I don't quite understand why the furnace shares a space with the air return vent/fan, but is it possible the fan could be replaced with a quieter one? It's ridiculous. [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 23 Jul 2020 09:58 PM PDT I have a half used can of latex paint that has been in a shed for 15 years. It has seen temperatures of about 10 to 110 degrees fahrenheight through the seasons. It must have frozen and thawed hundereds of times. I opened it up and saw it had seperated but it mized back together perfectly with no lumps. It also still had the regular slightly fumy smell. I painted some scraps and it seems perfect. However I've read all over that once it freezes its bad becaust it changes the molecular structure. I find it hard to believe though since it seems just fine. Is there any reason to believe it really is bad? I just need to paint a few small areas, but dont want to risk it flaking prematurely or something like that. [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 23 Jul 2020 08:21 AM PDT I have a newborn on the way and would like to make this tub look as fresh as possible before he gets here [link] [comments] |
| Can I use 18ga brad nailer for engineered hardwood flooring? Posted: 23 Jul 2020 07:00 PM PDT Title says it all. I know many will say to buy a flooring nailer/stapler, but I'm on a budget and I already have an 18ga brad nailer. Just want to know if it's okay to use. [link] [comments] |
| Any advice or guides on fluorescent tubes? Posted: 23 Jul 2020 09:04 PM PDT In my house there are several fluorescent tube fixtures. I've tried to replace bulbs, but now they are at the point where it is a coin flip whether turning on the switch will make light happen. Any tips on solving or troubleshooting? [link] [comments] |
| Massive leak after AC stops running Posted: 23 Jul 2020 08:53 PM PDT I'm just wrapping up the demo on a house we bought. It is a skeleton. It's been in the mid 90s here in southern Kentucky, and most of the work during the hot spell has been in the upstairs - of course. I've been running the AC to at least have a cool place to retreat to. The AC has been running fine. I bought a dehumidifier and put it in the basement next to the furnace. It's been running non-stop for a couple weeks. It's definitely helped. While downstairs, I heard the sound of water dripping in the basement. Water was literally pouring out of the AC. Not a drip, but looked like a water line broke or something. After a couple minutes it started slowing down to eventually nothing. The AC kicked back on and ran 10 minutes or so, and as soon as it stopped, the water started again. Anyone have any idea what is going on? I've seen runoff on AC before, but never like this! [link] [comments] |
| Before I start insulating my converted attic, is there anything I’m missing? Posted: 23 Jul 2020 06:39 PM PDT 1930's home in the south, had a converted attic bedroom from eons ago, only foam board insulation on the ceiling with some r-19 haphazardly stuffed in the knee walls. We gutted today, so tomorrow is fixing electrical and framing, but the day after that is insulation. Should I insulate the entire attic roofline, or just put up plywood behind the kneewalls and only insulate the usable space? I'm thinking R-30 bats since it's readily available at HD, but should I go higher? How high, and where? Biggest question: do you insulate above/around the collar ties where the ceiling will be? There is no vent in the attic, just in case that matters. I hope I used the right terminology/made sense! [link] [comments] |
| Moving an electrical box in a co-op? Posted: 23 Jul 2020 05:04 PM PDT I'm in the process of purchasing a co-op in NYC and trying to figure out how to renovate all these weird unlivable apartment layouts. I saw a really nice place that had the 1 unfortunate flaw of having a REALLY small half-open kitchen in the living room. There's so much space to expand it and make it a normal kitchen...except i found out the electrical box is in the middle of the awkward floor to ceiling 3ft D x 5in W wall that pokes out into the room and boxes the kitchen in. Ideally i would just want to move the box into the 'normal' wall or, even if need be, just make the random poking out wall counter depth so I can expand the kitchen beyond it. Any thoughts on if this is possible logistically or in the context of a co-op? Trying to get info from the realtors as well, but it's hard sometimes as you're supposed to pretend to the building you don't want to do any invasive construction. Co-ops... [link] [comments] |
| Flushable Wipes...are they though? Posted: 23 Jul 2020 12:03 PM PDT I know that flushable wipes devastate sewer and septic systems, but are they okay to flush occasionally? I'm getting a new septic system (discharging) next week and my MIL with dementia is now having toileting issues. I'll spare you all the details, but it would be helpful if she could use flushable wipes, but I have heard that they really aren't that flushable. The tank has the capacity for up to 4 bedrooms, we have 2 (Three adults in the house.) Any thoughts/advice on this? Update: Thank you all! We will NOT flush them. [link] [comments] |
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