Home Improvement: Helpful Reminder: Many cities have tool libraries that can help you acquire a tool quickly and of course, save you money! |
- Helpful Reminder: Many cities have tool libraries that can help you acquire a tool quickly and of course, save you money!
- Ducting a heat pump hot water heater
- Need help investigating strange, fume-like smell appearing sporadically in certain areas of apartment
- Anyone know how to open this?
- What are some must have tools for laying tile other than the basics?
- Roof company goofed when applying rubber roof, wants to just put another layer over it instead of redoing it fresh?
- Looking for a watersafe solution. Zip Sheathing. Can it be painted? Seal-krete? Other suggestions?
- Fall yard to-do list
- Great Surprise Behind Vanity
- Where can I find a glass sliding tub door replacement?
- Neighbors balcony
- How can I make my bedroom as soundproof as possible?
- How to clean a concrete wall for repair
- How to remove a stripped screw
- What to do with gun safe?
- Entry door is not making contact with the weatherstripping in one corner.
- Air sealing and insulation in Chicago
- Quick question about lights - What should I replace them with to save electricity?
- ryobi circular saw
- Laminate and thin subfloor over glued down thin pile carpet?
- Option on a switched outlet for an island
- Home inspector found rust in heat exchanger. Furnace is less than one year old.
- Over-the-range Microwaves
- How hard is it to remove a skylight?
| Posted: 09 Oct 2020 05:57 AM PDT My city has a small tool library that's mostly volunteer run. Membership is anywhere from $20-100 depending on how many tools you want to take out at a time (and frankly, how much you want to help the library). I have lots of specialty tools that I bought, used once, and will never use again. Waste of money at pretty much any price (even harbor freight prices). But - there are tools I don't have for the simple reason that I've never needed them. So I was installing a hot water tank (Hybrid/heat pump heater - I highly recommend it after using it for a grand total of a few hours) - and realized that I needed a special crimper to clamp pex to barbed connectors (hose clamps "work" but they are not recommended for pex). Not wanting to buy a $70 crimper tool, I checked the library, saw they have them, signed up and paid dues online, stopped by and picked one up (along with a hammer drill since I have to mount my TV antenna to the outside of the house on the chimney). I had eight crimps to make, and I have 4 holes to drill. Renting these tools would have ran me more than the $20 I paid for library dues, and buying them would have been more expensive. [link] [comments] |
| Ducting a heat pump hot water heater Posted: 09 Oct 2020 08:11 PM PDT I am planning on installing a 50 gallon hybrid electric water heater and there exists the option to make it ducted (8" can be necked to 5" or anything in between) or ductless based on having at least 700 cubic feet of space in the room it resides (my finished basement). We recently put solar panels on the house and just had an 18 SEER air source heat pump installed last weekend to replace our old a/c unit and furnace, so I am aiming for highest possible efficiency and lowest use of energy. My question is - has anyone else created a "valve" system using a wye to blow the cold air into the house during the summer for "free" air conditioning and blowing the cool air outside during the cooler months to reduce stress on the hvac system? Am I crazy for getting this far down the energy efficiency rabbit hole? Ideally an automated system based on outside air temp with a valve that opens or closes would be amazing, but I'd settle for a manual setup that I open or close when the weather turns. I am in western PA for reference. Side note - the department of energy has done some studies I found that do show an increase in efficiency with full ducting, but I am curious about any real world examples or advice out there! [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 09 Oct 2020 03:56 PM PDT Hi all. I'm dumbfounded with this issue. Occasionally (probably once every other day) I smell something difficult to describe, it's like a "fumey", sour smell and smells more like paint/nail polish than it does gas. The smell could be compared to gas but I know that distinct smell, and that's definitely not it. The first time I smelled it (a few months ago) I panicked, called around, called emergency maintenance, and they eliminated everything they thought could cause any danger as a cause for the smell. Not sure if I trust their thoroughness to be honest, but I talked to enough people to convince me it was not an immediate danger. The odd thing is that it's never completely concentrated to one area or anything that could be defined as a source, and it comes and goes. It most often appears at night and in the early morning. Sometimes I can smell it just slightly, sometimes it is severe. Sometimes there can be weeks with no smell. When it is extremely strong, the smell collects in the bathroom, which is on the second floor of my apartment. It is usually most pungent at the bottom of the stairs, which for me leads to a tiny landing and a closet (technically the first floor). Note that this is not directly below my bathroom. I have investigated this entrance area fully. I combed through everything in the closet (which is a Harry Potter like thing that goes under stairs leading to the second floor) and the smell is actually weaker there, and I have confirmed there is NOTHING in there that could leak or cause that smell. There is also a small vent that serves an unknown purpose next to the door (I will attach pictures shortly), however the smell does not appear to be stronger near the vent and seems to just hang in the air. This entrance is bordered on both sides by neighbors. At first I convinced myself that it was my odd neighbor on my left, and that it was cat pee or some kind of meth lab (I know, I know.). However I spoke to her and she welcomed me in, and I could tell for sure it was not her, the smell was much weaker in her place. A new person has moved in to that place and the smell persists. The neighbors to my right are nice people, but admittedly kinda shady for a couple of reasons. I don't have any solid reasoning to suspect them, so it's unfair for me to assume it's them. I do know that the guy works in beat up cars in the shared parking lot. Also, the new neighbors who live above them have detected the same exact smell. Their apartment is identical to mine, with their doorway on the other side of the shady neighbors, and they mentioned the same areas as myself as being hot spots for the smell. The smell has recently been more frequent and I've resolved myself to call someone from the fire department the next time I smell it during the day, but I've only been smelling it at night. I am admittedly afraid to schedule an appointment of sorts and have them show up when there is 0 smell. I wanted to know if anyone here might have any ideas. I don't know what I'm expecting but any thoughts would help. Thanks to those who took the time to read this. Here are pictures of the downstairs area where the smell is usually the strongest, plus the vent that is there. [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 09 Oct 2020 08:42 PM PDT The house I recently bought has this odd bulb in the front yard. Ever seen this kind of rig before? I've tried wd-40 and hand power, but haven't managed to open it yet. Any ideas on what I might be doing wrong? [link] [comments] |
| What are some must have tools for laying tile other than the basics? Posted: 09 Oct 2020 10:01 PM PDT I recently saw. Video here of a man doing a shower and he had this cool ruler that would perfectly measure for the holes for the shower fixtures. What other tools are not necessary, but make tile work a million times easier? [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 09 Oct 2020 07:13 PM PDT I'd posted a few days ago about a company that put a rubber roof on my home and didn't really do a great job – there was blistering in places and they left it unfinished. The supervisor came by today to look at it and said they would just put a new layer of foamboard over the goof and redo it that way instead of removing the goofed layer, and that doesn't seem right to me. Are they just being lazy? I'm also noticing that my home is way colder than usual right now, and I'm wondering if they didn't seal up around some of the places where the trim meets my walls. The main roof still hasn't been put on either, so I know I'm probably losing some heat there, too. Maybe you guys could tell me if this is normal before the roof gets finished or if I should raise concerns about it? [link] [comments] |
| Looking for a watersafe solution. Zip Sheathing. Can it be painted? Seal-krete? Other suggestions? Posted: 09 Oct 2020 09:13 PM PDT So I'm building a greenhouse raised up because the yard floods. For the floorboards we used Zip Sheathing. Because there will be a lot of water inside someone suggested that I add an extra layer of protection to the floor so it doesn't rot out on me. I was originally looking at Poly but then found Seal-Krete Epoxy seal garage floor paint and thought it might be a little less slippery and then could coat over the paint and make it look like a real floor. Problem is it's made for cement coatings. Do you think it will still work? They do make a primer, maybe that will work? I can't find out what the zip coating is actually made of or any instance of someone painting it directly. Also, flashing tape... Can I use the aluminum tape I have or do I need to get specific flashing tape. If none of this is something that will work does anyone else have any suggestions to help reinforce the waterproofing of the floor so I don't fall through? Thanks in advance! [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 09 Oct 2020 06:24 PM PDT What are your fall yard must do in the fall to get ready for winter. Appreciate all the tips since we have no clue how to do yard maintenance coming from a townhome with HOA that included lawn care. [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 09 Oct 2020 03:28 PM PDT Currently in demo mode for our bathroom quarantine project and found this nasty surprise. Gonna spray bleach on it, cut it out and replace that portion of the drywall. That's the best move, right? [link] [comments] |
| Where can I find a glass sliding tub door replacement? Posted: 09 Oct 2020 08:10 PM PDT My sliding door exploded in the middle of the night and I have spent the past week looking both in stores and online for a replacement. I haven't been able to get anything out of who I think is the manufacturer (Delta/Liberty Hardware), and what I have found are either the wrong size or full door kits. I just want a door! Door dimms are 30" x 59" x 5.7mm [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 09 Oct 2020 03:27 PM PDT My next-door neighbor built a new balcony and I've lost privacy in my backyard. His balcony overlooks my entire backyard. I think this devalues my property and might put off potential buyers in case if I want to sell in the future. Any suggestions on what my rights are or what I can do. I'm in MA. [link] [comments] |
| How can I make my bedroom as soundproof as possible? Posted: 09 Oct 2020 04:55 PM PDT My roommates are fucking LOUD and I'm studying to get into grad school. I've asked them a thousand times to quiet down, but nothing works. The 3 of them all have girlfriends who have basically decided to live with us, none of them have classes before 1PM, they start drinking at around 2PM, and blast music until 3AM (7 Days a week). It's fucking awful. (None of them have jobs, or more than 1 class a day so they're CONSTANTLY home) Now I want to "do my part" I guess and try to knock out some of the noise. It mostly comes from the basement (directly below), and Kitchen/Living Room (About 20 feet from my bedroom door) I've already bought some of those "Soundproof Foam" squares to hang up, since they were cheap. Next I'm looking at a thick rug (Kinda sad about this one since the carpet is really nice) "Blackout curtain" Though my window is 97Inches wide and 35 inches tall so I'm not having much luck there A "Door Sweep" to seal the gap under my door Is there anything else I can do? I'd absolutely kill to move out but it's not looking too promising. [link] [comments] |
| How to clean a concrete wall for repair Posted: 09 Oct 2020 07:24 PM PDT https://i.imgur.com/b8xVxiB.jpg So I have a crack in my concrete wall in the basement and I bought a filler repair kit, but what's the best option to clean up everything that's seeped through the wall over the last couple years? [link] [comments] |
| How to remove a stripped screw Posted: 09 Oct 2020 07:19 PM PDT At one time I had to reverse my dryer door. I have moved again and need to reverse it to the original way. I accidentally stripped the head off the bottom screw. My question is...how can I get this out so I can move it to the other side? [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 09 Oct 2020 09:28 PM PDT So the previous owner of my house owned guns and built a gun safe from a previous cupboard. It has heavy duty locks and lined with timber. I have plenty of storage and cupboards already, and no valuables needing to be locked up. Any other suggestions? [link] [comments] |
| Entry door is not making contact with the weatherstripping in one corner. Posted: 09 Oct 2020 04:24 PM PDT The top right corner (knob side) is not pressing against the weatherstripping and I can see light coming through. If I push on it a bit, it will seal, but it doesn't stay that way. I believe it is tilted slightly inward away from the top of the frame. How can I adjust it slightly so it makes a good seal all around? [link] [comments] |
| Air sealing and insulation in Chicago Posted: 09 Oct 2020 06:12 PM PDT I'm a long term lurker who finally bought a 70s home in the Chicago suburbs. I've spent all summer happily fixing fence posts, and getting the lawn nice and green. But when the temperature first dropped to 55 suddenly several weeks ago, our indoor temperature dropped from 74 to 60 overnight with no windows open. This made me double check the attic, where we have small patches of insulation like bad dust bunnies under a bed. So basically no insulation. So I started on our local gas provider's website (nicor) and got insulation quotes from 6 of companies they recommended. Most were over the phone quotes to air seal and blow in cellulose for around $2,000. These quotes we're given without knowing anything other than the 1000sqft size. We have a space pak system with the AC air handler in the attic and annoying WW shaped rafters, so I'm sure it's harder than the phone quotes guess. Only 2 companies actually sent someone out before giving quotes. The first person who came out gave me a quote of $2,800 to air seal and insulate to R60(18") with cellulose. The other person who came out gave me a phone quote of $2,800 (without knowing the other quotes), but then I got his real proposal for $3,500. The highest priced guy's website is the best and he definitely was the most personable and knowledgeable, but he went on a tirade against all other insulators cheaping out when I tried to get him down to the second highest quote. Eventually we met in the middle and he agreed to $3,000. My question is, is insulation worth it? And should I go with the highest priced quote or just take a chance with the cheaper guys? Everyone is certified and approved by Nicor(the gas company). I'd love if any professional insulators (previous or current) could weigh in. Thanks, Confused homeowner [link] [comments] |
| Quick question about lights - What should I replace them with to save electricity? Posted: 09 Oct 2020 06:09 PM PDT I'm in a new apt that looks like it has a bunch of cheap, generic lights. Is it still some sort of fluorescent light that's the best still? What is your guys' professional/non-professional opinion/facts? Thank you. [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 09 Oct 2020 03:56 PM PDT So i bought a ryobi set of tools and liking it so far but i have one issue.. when i put the blade in the circular saw it is too tight against the plastic guard and the guard turns with the blade like the blade is too thick but it's the one that came with the set.. any ideas before i return this item?? thanks! [link] [comments] |
| Laminate and thin subfloor over glued down thin pile carpet? Posted: 09 Oct 2020 03:54 PM PDT We have 100 m2 (~1080 ft2) of cement floor in the basement that is carpeted. Seems that it was glued down and a real pain to get up. The carpet is not thick or plush at all. Am wondering if it is possible to put thin plywood down on the carpet as a base then put laminate overtop of that? Yeah it's the lazy way but if it is a sound idea I will. Thanks! [link] [comments] |
| Option on a switched outlet for an island Posted: 09 Oct 2020 03:27 PM PDT I'm wanting to install task/mood lighting in our kitchen. I had an additional switched outlet installed for the kitchen when it was built. This will allow me to plug the main lights into this outlet and have the convenience of using a regular switch, as opposed to some hacky little switch somewhere. The problem is, I'd like to also do this for the island but since the island just has a regular outlet, and I'm not planning on trenching out the cement just to lay some wire for this, I was thinking of the idea to have some sort of 2 piece "wireless" device plugged into the switched outlet I mentioned above that when switched on, triggers the outlet on the island to switch on as well. I don't even know if something like this exists. I would imagine that Bluetooth would be one wireless option as it is less than 30 feet away. Does such a gadget exist? Update: So I see there are remote switches but that is not what I'm looking for. In my case, I'm looking for a solution that one device is plugged into a switched outlet that when turned on, triggers the second device that's plugged into a non switched outlet to switch itself on. [link] [comments] |
| Home inspector found rust in heat exchanger. Furnace is less than one year old. Posted: 09 Oct 2020 03:27 PM PDT I close on my first house this Thursday. I had a very thorough inspector come in and look around. He took a panel off the furnace so you could see into the heat exchanger and used a flashlight to see inside the barrel-like chambers. On one side of one of the barrels there was a spot of rust. Probably 1 square inch in size, not big, but it was there. This raised a big flag with him and he said it should be fixed before we get a small hole and fill the area with carbon monoxide. We put it on the current owner of the house to get it replaced under warranty, it is a new furnace. The listing said it was replaced in 2020. They had someone form Centerpoint energy come out and write a handwritten report that was word-for-word. "Rust is Normal In the Heat ExchamBers and Burners, A Byproducd of combustion is water vapor, metal that is Not painted or treated will Rust, Furnace is In a Basement where it can Be Damp Furnace is in Safe operating ConDision C.O. under Safe Levels. No Need to Replace any Parts." Is it normal for a furnace that is under a year old to be rusting in the heat exchangers? I'm worried I will have issues in a year or 2 and it will not be covered under warranty because I did not purchase it and it is out of date. I'd appreciate any input. [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 09 Oct 2020 03:22 PM PDT Hi there, I am a new home owner. I have learned from the past that small microwaves suck and it is worth the extra money to buy a larger microwave. I went to the store today and the person helping told us we would need to put the microwave over the range for ventilation purposes. However, the brands we were looking at were too big to go over the range.
Thank you so much for any help that anyone can provide? I will continue to do my own research but I always love the first hand knowledge of redditors! [link] [comments] |
| How hard is it to remove a skylight? Posted: 09 Oct 2020 07:07 PM PDT I have a tiny skylight that I hate. It is in a bedroom and it adds a lot of light to a room that is mostly used for sleeping. What would be involved in getting rid of it? Is this an expensive project? Who would I contract this out to, a roofing company? handyman? Thanks! [link] [comments] |
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