Home Improvement: Cautionary Safety Tale - My Trip From The Attic to Bathroom |
- Cautionary Safety Tale - My Trip From The Attic to Bathroom
- Kitchen Remodel with updated layout
- Simple bathroom upgrade
- Cut this cable while digging in our yard. Can someone identify what this is?
- Vent hood condensation/dripping for seemingly no reason
- Trying to change a medeco double keyed deadbolt.
- Please help me get the right hinges
- Finally fixed my rotting column outside my house!
- How to grout this brick pathway?
- Pilot light on my water heater has gone out twice, but we also have the T&P valve leaking and pooling water. Could that be the cause?
- Advice Needed: Should I be alarmed? Foundation issues or something else?
- Is kilz really that good?
- Ceiling vents - drywall crumbled apart
- Should I drill steel door for door closer or use a power tool to install a screw?
- Recently bought a 23 year old house and noticed this crack that goes from a corner and along the ceiling for approx 20cm. Is this just a normal settlement crack?
- Garage door sensor question
- Patio Door - When was a rough 70 1/2" rough frame a common thing?
- Will 48” bifold doors fit in a 47” wide closet?
- Tips for painting door?
- I need to shave a bit off the bottom of an interior door.
- Hello! Im new to reddit and found out I could get some help or atl east ask a few questions here about mold removal.
- Removing layers of paint/sealant from concrete floor?
- Noisy upstairs walking! Need advice in eliminating external noise in downstairs bedroom
| Cautionary Safety Tale - My Trip From The Attic to Bathroom Posted: 16 Aug 2020 02:36 PM PDT Photo Album Here: https://imgur.com/a/tCRm4pi I'm using a throwaway since my cat and bathroom would be recognized by some friends who frequent reddit. A few weeks ago I was in the attic fixing the ductwork for the kitchen fan. It's been blowing clean out into the attic for god knows how many years. I make a lot of repairs on the condo I currently live in as it is owned by family members but hasn't seen much work outside of critical maintenance since the place was built in the 70's. Because I was up there I decided to go check out the connections on the bathroom fan as I've been planning to replace it as well. I got too relaxed and stopped paying attention as I walked over to that part of the attic. I stepped off the joists and realized quickly that I was falling. There was no time to grab onto anything and I plunged into darkness. I did not know where I was falling at first, as the bathroom door was closed and lights were off. I landed hard with my foot miraculously going straight into the toilet not even nicking the seat, my head took out the towel rack, my arms slammed into the vanity top. The toilet water splashing in my face was what helped me realize where I was. In serious shock I rolled over on my hands and knees breathing hard for a few moments while taking in my injuries. All in all I got away relatively unscathed and was very lucky. I got up to turn on the light before I began picking up insulation and drywall. First handful I grabbed I looked down and had a black widow on my hand. I quickly threw it, stepped on it, and proceeded to throw up due to shock. My girlfriend was out on a run and I got to inform her of our new plans to renovate the bathroom once she got back. Moral of the story is slow down, take your time, and remember your PPE. The respirator and goggles kept a lot of that dust and insulation out of my lungs/eyes. Cheers, M [link] [comments] |
| Kitchen Remodel with updated layout Posted: 16 Aug 2020 08:07 AM PDT Album of the Process and Progress My wife and I started a kitchen remodel back in the beginning of February. Our main goal was to improve the layout, which was very...lacking. There was plenty of opportunity for change, so this was our wishlist:
We did most of the work ourselves, except for the electrical, plumbing, and cabinet installation. We had to move the gas line for the stove, and get some dedicated circuits for the disposal and dishwasher to bring it all up to code. Biggest Challenges/Takeaways This was the largest undertaking we've done, and we quickly felt like we were in over our heads. It only takes a week of doing dishes in wash basins to really appreciate having an operational sink in the kitchen. Here's what we learned:
Project Timeline and Cost We finished the project in June, and that was with some delays with the contractors and inspections. Overall, we did most of the work on the weekends, with some evening work mixed in. From start to finish, it took us somewhere in the ballpark of 4-5 months total. The real challenge is doing as much work as you can to limit the time your kitchen is out of commission. We had access to the stove nearly the entire time, but the sink is the real thing that you end up appreciating. Total Cost of the project was around $20K. About half of that was for the plumbing, electrical, and cabinet installation, which is why I recommend doing as much as you can by yourself to cut down on costs. Cabinets (Klearvue) - $4K Countertops (Quartz, Interstellar) - $3K Sliding Door - $160 Flooring (Expressa, Smoky Mountain Oak) - $700 Lighting (Island Pendant and Wall Sconce) - $160 Backsplash (Mohawk Subway Tile) - $80 Faucet - $100 Sink (Karran, Quartz) - $240 Stools - $60 Fridge (LG, 30") - $1050 There are some miscellaneous costs too, like paint, the shelves, grout, etc. We took advantage of Menards' 11% rebate in such a way that our cabinets paid for our flooring, and our flooring paid for our backsplash. Overall, we're very happy with the final product and happy to have a functional kitchen again! [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 16 Aug 2020 04:42 PM PDT Got rid of the damn popup stopper in my sink and replaced with a grate drain. I was having to disassemble about every two weeks and clean out hair and gunk that built up on the stopper when it started draining slow, and I got sick of it. That stopper has been used exactly once when my daughter wanted to set off a bath bomb. Can't find brushed nickel grate drains locally (even from my usual supply houses; they're all chrome because it's usually something used commercially - in fact, I've got about six commercial-grade chrome ones in my plumbing box) so it was an Amazon buy. I spent a little more to go with the Kohler because the cheaper ones are made of thinner brass, have inferior plating, and are generally just not made as well. Took me about ten minutes to do the swap. Just sharing my little Sunday afternoon project with y'all. [link] [comments] |
| Cut this cable while digging in our yard. Can someone identify what this is? Posted: 16 Aug 2020 02:58 PM PDT Was cleaning up the edge of our property and this cable was in the top 5 - 6" and got cut when I dug in with a shovel. Can someone identify what this might be? Here are a few pictures of the cable I am talking about: https://imgur.com/a/HYhD346 I can see 4 distinct copper wires, each a different color. I can identity red, yellow and green. The last one looks like it could be black or perhaps blue. Hard to tell with all the dirt over it. And they are all encompassed in a black cable. None of our utilities are in the area (I had 811 come out and lay markers), so I am not sure what it could be. [link] [comments] |
| Vent hood condensation/dripping for seemingly no reason Posted: 16 Aug 2020 08:32 PM PDT The other day, I walked into my kitchen and noticed the vent hood above the stove was dripping everywhere. When I turned on the lights and looked on the underside, it was completely soaked with condensation. I used up almost an entire roll of towels wiping it all up. At first, I thought it was just because I had run the dishwasher twice in a row and steam from it was getting caught up under there, since I didn't notice it until after I ran it that time. However, a few days later, the condensation is back and I have not run the dishwasher at all. I also haven't been using the stove, or have run the vent. It also hasn't been raining, although I can't see why that would cause it to do this either. It averages about 91F where I live, with high humidity, and I have been keeping the house cool at 68F for the last 2 weeks. Could that have something to do with it? I have no idea. [link] [comments] |
| Trying to change a medeco double keyed deadbolt. Posted: 16 Aug 2020 09:41 PM PDT I was successful in removing the inner faceplate which seems like the goto video everyone posts but I am. Now stuck looking at what seems like ball bearing inside of a allen wrench head? Is that possible or am I missing something. Any and all help would be greatly appreciated. [link] [comments] |
| Please help me get the right hinges Posted: 16 Aug 2020 04:33 PM PDT Pictures here: https://imgur.com/gallery/YS9A52P I have a really old house that has partial inset cabinet doors. There's a lip where part of it can overlay and the previous hinges were the kind that sit outside the door. I really want to upgrade to soft close hinges that I can't see. But I have tried to do some research and the hinges I bought leave a gap in the back and make the door too short (left to right) to cover the entire hole. Someone help please! [link] [comments] |
| Finally fixed my rotting column outside my house! Posted: 16 Aug 2020 09:05 AM PDT I know it's not that crazy, but I thought it looked good! Few steps and a bunch of hours sanding and painting the three affected columns - it was complete. Almost looks new! Almost.... Any tips on a better execution? Love to hear your feedback! [link] [comments] |
| How to grout this brick pathway? Posted: 16 Aug 2020 09:58 PM PDT For some reason my brick pathway connected to the patio seems to just be on dirt and not secured by grout. Weird because the patio it's connected to is secured. You can see the difference in the attached picture. As a result we get a ton of mud that gets washed in each time it rains. What's the easiest way for me to grout this and cover up the mud and dirt? Can I just throw a layer of polymeric sand in there? Thoughts? Many thanks! [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 16 Aug 2020 09:53 PM PDT Long story long, our water heater was leaking like crazy, so we had it replaced, only to find it is the T&P valve. We have an extension tank, the issue is that the water pressure for my city that is coming into our pipes is way too high (not sure why, we live on a mountain so I assume it's related.) So, right now I am waiting on the plumber to get help from the city locating our valves so that he can place a regulator on our outside pipes. But for right now, we have a pan under the heater that fills up and we have to wet-vac the water out. Twice we've been out of the house for a long day and come back to a full pan and the pilot light out. So my question is: is the pilot light going out because of the amount of water accumulating in the pan? Is that something that is even possible? I tried a google search for this and came up with nothing. I don't really know what to do and I can't imagine it's the thermocouple because this is a brand new water heater. I just want to know if it's possible for the high water level in the pan to put out the pilot light. Thanks in advance! [link] [comments] |
| Advice Needed: Should I be alarmed? Foundation issues or something else? Posted: 16 Aug 2020 09:38 PM PDT I found this crack in the drywall on the wall above a bathroom door. This wall goes to the ceiling and is on the second story. I am wondering if this is foundation issues or something else. Our house is 14 years old. The soil our house is built does have some clay in it and the temperature has been 100+ for about a month. [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 16 Aug 2020 09:26 PM PDT bought a house I like. Smelled like cat piss. ripped the carpet out to subfloors. Found some pretttttty big stain areas. im in the process of cleaning. Sprayed contribution mold cleaner and wiped it down. Still smells pretty bad. I'm gonna do some more basic cleaning. I bought some kills original oil based. I Plan on doing 2 coats. Will this for sure kill the smell? or will it just be way better. Is the solution just replacing the subfloor if your in doubt. Or has Kilz taken the doubt away? [link] [comments] |
| Ceiling vents - drywall crumbled apart Posted: 16 Aug 2020 07:05 PM PDT Is there anything I can do that is quick to solidify the crumbled drywall where the ceiling vent goes? The previous owner has left the hole unable to screw anything into. I've tried anchors with no luck. Any caulk that would harden to allow the vent to screw in securely? [link] [comments] |
| Should I drill steel door for door closer or use a power tool to install a screw? Posted: 16 Aug 2020 06:58 PM PDT Hi all, I am not very handy. We moved into a condo and there was a door closer already installed on our door. It recently broke and I replaced it with an identical model and threw out the old. It was an absolute pain removing it from the door because the builder did such a poor job installing it and the screws were very tight. Throwing out the old model proved to be a mistake since I am using the screws with the new model and while they are supposedly the same size, I cannot for the life of me find a way to install the screws. I can screw one of them in about 1cm and that's just about it. The other side doesn't even line up properly and I can't even fit the screw in the hole because of the offset. In any case, my goal right now is to simply get the one screw through the hole and installed on the side that lines up. My questions here are related to how I should go about this. Should I throw the screw into a drill and try to force it into the hole? It seems to fit through to some extent, but it gets extremely tight after a certain period of time and won't go any further using a screwdriver. Or should I use a drill bit to expand the hole a little? The door is hollow so I'm not really sure how using a drill bit on a door works. Do I use a regular bit or should I find a drill screw? Ahhhh. So lost. Any help would be appreciated! [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 16 Aug 2020 08:48 PM PDT |
| Posted: 16 Aug 2020 08:48 PM PDT Morning all. My question is simple. Can I put a second set of garage door sensors higher up on the same circuit as the ones near the floor. I would assume if you could you would wire then in series so that either set would stop the door from coming down. Thanks in advance! DJ [link] [comments] |
| Patio Door - When was a rough 70 1/2" rough frame a common thing? Posted: 16 Aug 2020 08:32 PM PDT Building experts - I have a question and curiosity. When was a 70 1/2" x 80" rough opening in the north central US area a common thing? You can probably guess where I'm going with this question - all of my patio doors are these dimensions and modern patio doors are commonly 72". Moving to a nonstandard size triples the price of patio doors. Thoughts/opinions? Should I invest in changing the rough in dimensions (I'm handy - I can add studs to the floor by removing sheetrock). [link] [comments] |
| Will 48” bifold doors fit in a 47” wide closet? Posted: 16 Aug 2020 08:31 PM PDT What's the wiggle room I have? I have no trim just drywall. I'm trying to get rid of sliders, I hate them. [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 16 Aug 2020 08:19 PM PDT So, I painted my door today but the surface doesn't have a consistent texture and I noticed a few bubbles & lint. It's fine for now but what should I know next time? I used old latex paint and a new roller (not sure what type). [link] [comments] |
| I need to shave a bit off the bottom of an interior door. Posted: 16 Aug 2020 02:09 PM PDT Tried sandpaper with minimal success. Would a rasp planer work or do I need one with the blade. My dad was a master carpenter/cabinet maker and is probably shaking his head is dismay from the hereafter. Thanks. [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 16 Aug 2020 11:21 PM PDT My parents house has had this issue for a while and im not exactly sure how to fix it. For context this is the UAE so the weather is really hot and the ACs are on almost 24/7. I dont know where to start in terms of chemicals and sprays so any help would be VERY appreciated! [link] [comments] |
| Removing layers of paint/sealant from concrete floor? Posted: 16 Aug 2020 11:17 PM PDT Please excuse my ignorance - I've owned my home for 3 years but am inexperienced in major repairs! In the next few months I'll be getting my basement waterproofed and I'd like to put hard flooring down as soon as that's done. The previous owners put down on the (cracked) concrete floor what looks like 3 layers that I can only guess is sealant and paint. I started getting it up by hand with a paint scraper in an effort to find as many cracks as possible (to find out where seeping was originating from) months ago and barely made a dent. Is there a way to get this stuff up easier without having to do so much manual labor myself? Or is it possible I don't have to remove it all and can just put flooring over it? [link] [comments] |
| Noisy upstairs walking! Need advice in eliminating external noise in downstairs bedroom Posted: 16 Aug 2020 11:14 PM PDT CRRUNCH CRRUNCH CRRRRUNCH CRRRUNCH BANG BANG CRRUNCH I remember being so relieved ~7 years ago when I moved from a downstairs living space to a top-floor one. I guess after 7 years, I'd forgotten how much I actually appreciated not having people walking around above me. This is nearly insufferable. There's sounds coming from my window, too: There's a communal driveway right next to my window, and I can clearly hear every car that pulls in or out, including all the gently-displaced gravel as the car tires slowly roll across. Additionally, one neighbor likes to chirp their car's horn in a sporadic rhythm, akin to Chinese water torture, for a full minute and a half each night. My door is super cheap and hollow and any noise can come through it, including my upstairs roommates oddly silently creeping around in my downstairs hallway. So, I believe there are 4 areas I need to look at soundproofing:
I spent an hour or 2 Googling solutions this morning. Unfortunately, those cute little acoustic wall mounts I was envisioning (Amazon examples) are seemingly less for keeping impact noises OUT (i.e., the walking around in the kitchen above me) and more for keeping airborne noises from reverberating in the room you're in, particularly useful for studio recording. As stated earlier, above me is the kitchen. The first "downstairs soundproofing" article I started reading said all renovation would have to be done from the room above. I do not want to renovate my kitchen/rip up the vinyl flooring because I live in a shared home and don't want to be too intrusive on my roommates' living space, if possible. (BTW, Yes, we're allowed to renovate, but if I do anything major I'll definitely ask first.) Next I found this article, which actually said I could do all the renovations from within my room. So that's promising:
So I have 3 options for the ceiling and wall noise, it seems:
Top priority is eliminating the noise from people walking in the kitchen above me. Which solution has the best cost-to-effectiveness ratio? What's worked best for you guys? In terms of cost, I make <30k /year and just finished college so I'm certainly not rich but I really hope I can find an effective solution within my budget. Thank you in advance! Less urgent: For the door, the next page on the article i linked above just says I should invest in an STC-rated door. Are there some solid brands that you guys recommend? If I want a door with an actually decently high STC rating, I imagine I'd need to upgrade from a wooden door frame to a metal one? For the window, I found a YT video by a user named "Soundproof Guide" (linked in comments), but am curious what has worked for you guys. [link] [comments] |
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