Home Improvement: Shocky Shower Update |
- Shocky Shower Update
- Found original tile work in 1920s house but last homeowners probably ruined it for good
- Best Way to Anchor Cabinet on Outside?
- Replaced NuTone intercom door station with Ring Pro
- Recently bought a new home, finding bed bugs, DIY I or professional?
- Can I convert these to floating shelves in my kitchen?
- Proper cantilever/overhang insulation?
- My window air conditioner has started making funny noises
- Best Non-Wood Deck?
- caulking issue with mosaic tile
- Replacing an gas oven, but the previous oven's electrical wires were wired together without an outlet.
- Spiral Staircase
- Replacement Shower Knob?
- Oven and bathroom vents?
- What’s this light fixture called?
- Tips for making this loft bed sturdier?
- Help before I completely lose my mind...
- Trying to get a nail in the wall and its like my whole wall is one big stud?
- Has anyone ever tried DIYing a tub reglaze? If yes, what should I know before trying? And whats a good product to use? TIA
- Anyone have Luxury Vinyl Plank floors?
- Repair grout in shower? Might be too far gone
- Flooding window well
- Strange smell and congestion/difficulty breathing after insulating. Should I be concerned?
- Replace copper pipe nipple - brazing required?
| Posted: 26 Sep 2020 07:50 AM PDT TLDR: /u/Hodgkisl/ was right and PG&E equipment was failing sending rogue voltage back up the neutral, into the grounding system and back up my cast iron drain system into the showers occupants. Been a while since my original post but a baby and more renovations have delayed my follow up. Regardless, the issue has been resolved and I'm posting the update for anybody else who runs into something somewhat similar as the suggestions received were very creative and worthwhile avenues to investigate for a unique problem. After calling PG&E and describing the issue, they did take it seriously but not quite as much as I expected nor described by other users. Basically they assigned a two man crew to come check it out but they were pretty inept to be honest and I had to literally explain conductivity to them (adding a ground wire to the other neutral bar "would solve it" even though they were obviously already bonded together). They were insistent it was something in the house wiring and I was refusing to accept that buck being passed so I asked them to check the voltage at the transformer on the pole ground and the found it was corroded and broken in several places on the pole. Woohoo found the issue!..... But not so much unfortunately... They drove a new ground rod at the base of the pole (assuming the original was as corroded as the drop) which I appreciated but before they bonded it to the drop I had them check voltage from the transformer drop to the rod and low and behold they saw the same ~9V between a new and known ground so huzzah! PG&E issue confirmed! Hat in hand, they agreed there was an issue on their end and would enter the ticket in as an semi-emergency replacement. This was probably the best comment I've heard but the foreman said "I won't let your wife hear it but, you were right". To add to my big head, my neighbor was apparently eavesdropping and came over after they left and said he was glad I was there and "knew what the hell I was talking about to see through their BS". The next weekend a full three truck crew showed up and replaced the arms on the pole that were deteriorating, ran new guy lines, replaced the run to my house that had some squirrel chew marks for good measure, blocked off the road to replace the branch connections to the main line and put a new ground in that one too. Rogue voltage gone for real now. Safe family again. Thank you to all the redditors support and ideas tracking down the issue, I definitely gave credit to the "internet forum people" when discussing options eliminated with the first crew. PS - while the shower is no longer trying to kill us with electricity, apparently the trap failed shortly after this endeavour and was leaking septic gases back up the house. Thankfully, I had just finished another bathroom renovation so we moved to the new room/bath and sealed up the formerly shocky shower until I'm able to come back and renovate that one replacing the (in slab ugh) trap. Yay homeownership! [link] [comments] |
| Found original tile work in 1920s house but last homeowners probably ruined it for good Posted: 26 Sep 2020 05:34 PM PDT So I'm working on my bathroom and started demoing today. Underneath a self standing vanity I find hexagonal pattern tile work - fairly timeless and distinct. Unfortunately the last homeowners put what I'll call vinyl tiles on top with what looks like thinset/mortar. Is there any chance I can salvage this or am I screwed? What products and techniques should I try? [link] [comments] |
| Best Way to Anchor Cabinet on Outside? Posted: 26 Sep 2020 06:50 PM PDT We are installing two new cabinets as shown in the photo here. We've used adhesive on the bottom of both cabinets directly to the flooring & have anchored the cabinet closest to the wall to the two vertical 2x4s you can see in this photo. I was wondering if y'all would think that placing a 3/4" thick wood stud between the two cabinets and anchoring the inside one to the outside one (plus the adhesive) would be enough to keep these in place or do we need to consider alternative anchoring methods? We will be putting granite countertops on top once everything is done. If the latter, what options do we have? Thanks! [link] [comments] |
| Replaced NuTone intercom door station with Ring Pro Posted: 26 Sep 2020 04:13 PM PDT I replaced the bright brass NuTone intercom station / doorbell at my front door with a ring pro, while using a relay to retain the NuTone chime as my wife like thats it rings everywhere including the back yard. I needed a 15 degree angle mount since my doorbell is offset to the right of my doors, and the door on the left is the door that actually gets used. I modified a template from thingverse to create a large base (same size as intercom) 15 degree angle, and I created a mounting bracket to go under it to keep all screws hidden under the Ring Pro. Primed and painted Oil Rubbed Bronze. I used a 24v AC relay with the ring power kit inline, and used the normally open terminals on the relay to trigger the door chime, wiring diagram in photo album. [link] [comments] |
| Recently bought a new home, finding bed bugs, DIY I or professional? Posted: 26 Sep 2020 06:10 PM PDT Recently bought a new town home, about 6 months ago now, and we've just discovered an early infestation getting started. So far only signs in one room which was confirmed by the professional. We got a quote today for $1800 (bay area pricing) to have a professional take care of it, but based on the list of things they want us to do I'm not sure how much extra work they are doing that we can't do ourselves. I'm leaning towards paying up and having it taken care of the first time, but wanted some opinions from people who have delt with them before. We just put some interceptors on the infected bed frame, the saucer like things. That should at least help reduce any risk of spreading in the mean time. [link] [comments] |
| Can I convert these to floating shelves in my kitchen? Posted: 26 Sep 2020 06:45 PM PDT I don't like the brackets the previous homeowner used to put up these wood shelves, but I do like the wood. Would it be realistic to remove the brackets and turn them into floating shelves? If so, what would be the best way to cover up the holes in the subway tile? [link] [comments] |
| Proper cantilever/overhang insulation? Posted: 26 Sep 2020 06:24 PM PDT Plan: https://imgur.com/a/gncQGwS Pics of actual area: https://imgur.com/a/YhwYkQA Basic Info:
Based on my plan, foam piece #1 goes in first and gets caulked around the edges. Next comes the rockwool. After the rockwoolis in place, foam piece #2 then goes in and gets caulked, however, after actually opening up the cantilever, I am having issues caulking the red area(see plan). I am only able to caulk the bottom of piece #2 up until the brick wall. Piece #3 can be done from the inside. Thoughts on this? [link] [comments] |
| My window air conditioner has started making funny noises Posted: 26 Sep 2020 07:48 PM PDT It started in the middle of the night and we turned it off. But it sounds like a helicopter? A bike with a card in it's spokes. Something like that. When I turned it back on the fan didn't start turning until I hit the side of it. What could be the problem with it? LG 6000btu window air conditioner [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 26 Sep 2020 07:44 PM PDT Looking to redo my deck and have seen Trex is supposedly good. Thoughts? [link] [comments] |
| caulking issue with mosaic tile Posted: 26 Sep 2020 09:38 PM PDT I am tiling a backsplash with a mosaic tile and went to caulk it before grouting and discovered discoloration from grouting. Here's an image of the issue: I figured out after the fact that I need to seal it. I am used to sealing grout, not tile. It appears that the bottom of the tile (unfinished) is absorbing the oil or whatever in the caulking to create that discoloration. This is everywhere I caulked. What's the proper way to finish out this project? Thanks! [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 26 Sep 2020 07:21 PM PDT Whoever installed the previous oven was too lazy to install an outlet and plug the oven in, so I'm looking to get it ready for a new oven I'm going to purchase. All of the ovens that I have seen are standard 120V/20A outlets. My plan is to test the current wires to verify that they are 120V and then install a 120V/20A outlet and a Grounding Plug on the existing oven. See below for what I plan to use. https://www.amazon.com/ELEGRP-Receptacle-Resistant-Self-Test-Interrupters/dp/B07WHPZYMG https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0015P708Y The other thing I'm worried about is the way they have solid gas pipes coming out of the side of the cabinet about 6" from the wall seems like I need to find an oven that has clearance for that pipe. Any advice is appreciated. Update: I'm fairly certain this is a 240V outlet. I'm going to reach out to an electrician now. Not comfortable working with that kind of Voltage. [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 26 Sep 2020 07:06 PM PDT So we're looking at remodeling our 2 story house and trying to save space. A suggestion was made to consider a spiral staircase instead of a traditional U-shape. I'm not sure how I feel about that. What is everyone's opinion of spiral staircases? [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 26 Sep 2020 06:58 PM PDT Hello, So my wife goes to take a shower, grabs the knob, and it comes right off. It looks like the screw broke (but didn't break in the mounting shaft thankfully) but in looking for a replacement knob I'm having trouble finding one. The plate says "Grohe" but I can't seem to find any knobs related to that. Any ideas as to what kind of knob I might be looking for? Thank you. [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 26 Sep 2020 06:57 PM PDT Hi. This is the...dumbest question. I accept judgement. What kind of talented tradesperson installs/reconnects/fixes oven hood duct work? Same with a slightly disconnected bathroom fan vent. The Googles have failed. HVAC? General handyperson? I don't even know who to call to get these things fixed and I'm not sure I enjoy the attic enough to DIY. Washington State, slightly drunk. [link] [comments] |
| What’s this light fixture called? Posted: 26 Sep 2020 05:45 PM PDT What's this type of light fixture called and how can I find a replacement piece of glass? I am trying to google it but don't know exactly what it's called so I am struggling. [link] [comments] |
| Tips for making this loft bed sturdier? Posted: 26 Sep 2020 05:34 PM PDT Beginner-ish here. This is just the initial build, I'm going to add stairs along the wall and wrap it all in plywood which should also add some more bracing. The posts from floor to ceiling are anchored to the wall, the far side is all anchored into the wall studs. The ceiling framing is also anchored into studs. The bottoms are screwed into the subfloor. Before I go further, am I missing anything obvious to make this sturdier/safe for my son? This holds me okay but want to make sure the structure is sound. Thanks! [link] [comments] |
| Help before I completely lose my mind... Posted: 26 Sep 2020 06:42 AM PDT In the past 2 weeks or so we've noticed an uptick in flies inside our house. We're in a really "buggy" area so figured initially they were getting in when we'd open the door. Then we started noticing more. Checked all of the windows we would occasionally open to make sure the screens weren't ripped and properly in place and didn't find anything. Thought maybe they were getting in through the screened-in porch, so stopped opening that area. However, we've now had pretty much all windows shut in the house for several days AND I KEEP FINDING THEM EVERYWHERE. I killed at least 30 yesterday but obviously missed may more. Trash has been taken out regularly, the sink drain seems to be clear, don't smell anything dead in the basement/crawl space. My husband thinks they might be getting in through the HVAC since we've had it off the last couple of weeks. Please, I'm begging anyone out there, what am I missing and what can I do? I never thought an occasional fly was too big of a nuisance but when I walk by an area and 5-10 fly out from around the blinds of a window I'm starting to go crazy. My dog is also concerned for my well-being as I chase them around with a fly swatter and yell profanities. Edit: One of the little devils https://imgur.com/a/6AeZIr6 [link] [comments] |
| Trying to get a nail in the wall and its like my whole wall is one big stud? Posted: 26 Sep 2020 03:46 PM PDT The nail only goes in a little bit before I hit wood... for the whole wall. Is my wall filled with wood or am I hammering wrong? Any way I can get the nail into the stud or that bad I am just trying to hang a shelf edit: have determined the walls are lath with plaster with the shape of the house and how old it looks the place is definitely lath n plaster. I will be renting a drill at some point to hang my shelf I guess [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 26 Sep 2020 05:03 PM PDT Just want to reglaze a tub before redoing the whole washroom next summer. Want it to hold up for a few months at least. [link] [comments] |
| Anyone have Luxury Vinyl Plank floors? Posted: 26 Sep 2020 07:10 PM PDT Finishing the basement and looking to do vinyl floor planks down there. Either Smartcore from Lowe's or Lifeproof from Home Depot. Overwhelming and just looking for thoughts and opinions. The contractor is doing the install so I just need an idea what to get. [link] [comments] |
| Repair grout in shower? Might be too far gone Posted: 26 Sep 2020 06:54 PM PDT When we bought our house last year the shower was new-er. We noticed there was a little mildew in the corner because the pony wall leans towards the glass, nbd. As time has gone on, despite regular cleanings, we are developing little black mildew looking spots in cracks all along the bottom of the shower, like the floor is separating from the wall. When we had grout/tile companies come inspect our tiles (the floor needs to be replaced something awful) they said you cannot just put new grout on old grout. Any suggestions or recommendations on where to find a good DIY to fix? Is it better to try grouting over it or should we remove the existing grout and basically disassemble/reassemble the tiles? [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 26 Sep 2020 10:06 PM PDT My window well flooded recently, sending water into the window seam and wetting my basement. I don't know much about window wells, but I was under the impression that they came with a drain. This is in Portland, OR, and the house was built in the 40's. So I [dug](https://imgur.com/IQ0JmAi) about two feet below the window line hoping to find it but didn't find anything. Is it possible/likely that this window well just doesn't have one? Do I need to go deeper? Assuming there isn't a drain, what are my options at this point? This same window flooded once before, but the nearby downspout had become disconnected and seemed to explain it. For this most recent flooding, about 25' away the gutter was overflowing due to a clogged downspout, which I've since remedied. I wouldn't think that would've caused it because of the distance, and also because another similar window well closer to the overflowing didn't flood. In any case, figuring out how to best drain any water that starts accumulating in this window well is my main point of interest. Thanks for any advice. [link] [comments] |
| Strange smell and congestion/difficulty breathing after insulating. Should I be concerned? Posted: 26 Sep 2020 03:47 PM PDT Just had a company remove our old fiberglass insulation, disinfect, air seal and blow in celluose insulation starting on Thursday and finishing on Friday. Thursday they removed the old insulation and started air sealing and Friday they finished air sealing and blew in the celluose. Starting Friday afternoon/evening I noticed a mild chemical smell and started having some difficulty breathing. My sinuses started getting inflamed and I felt a mild burning sensation in my nose. Other family members are congested. I immediately opened the windows and left them open for a few hours. I closed the windows when we went to sleep and last night was not fun. Today we've had the windows open for about 8 hours and its still there. Additionally, I've turned on all of the fans, the hvac fans, and vacuumed most of the house. I'm still having problems despite all of this. I contacted the company and they said I should give it a few days and change my air filters, but that doesn't quite make me feel good about my current situation. I have small children and I'm worried this might be a bigger problem for them. Has anyone had a similar experience/is this normal and nothing to be concerned about? Is anyone aware of potential health concerns that I should be aware of? Is there a particular type of contractor I should ask about my issues? [link] [comments] |
| Replace copper pipe nipple - brazing required? Posted: 26 Sep 2020 09:30 PM PDT The shower repair saga continues. Shower is leaking in the wall. Turns out many years ago, I replaced the tub spout and damaged the pipe nipple, so somehow water is going back into the wall. It appears that there was a set screw that needed to be removed before removing the tub spout. Since I didn't remove it, I needed up destroying the threads on the pipe nipple, and now the spout more/less sits on it (still snug enough to stop flow to the tub, strange enough) I recently saw that pipe nipples can be replaced without tearing out tile. Is brazing not required? [link] [comments] |
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