Home Improvement: [OPEN DISCUSSION] Weekly thread |
- [OPEN DISCUSSION] Weekly thread
- Los Angeles - Scammy "Los Angeles Insulation" claiming to install attic insulation for free with LADWP rebates
- Trying to figure out why I have a weak flushing toilet. Kind of out of ideas.
- Pocket Door Rescue
- How to prepare a wood burning stove for use?
- My central heat
- Building a breakfast nook, but the plans aren't clear. How are these vertical 2x4s attached to the horizontal frame?
- Should vinyl siding replacement cost 25-30% of the value of your home?
- Broke a Levitating Moon Lamp, Need Advice on How to Fix it
- Any way to fix this stairway?
- What's the best way to install a shutoff valve on this copper pipe?
- Caulking Fiber Cement Board Butt Joints?
- Tile on subfloor. Anyone have some suggestions?
- Help in sizing cellular shades for 30" x 73" windows
- I have a lamp post in my backyard. What kind of bulb goes into it?
- Physical aches and pains
- What could be killing my capacitors?
- Best way to hang this TV?
- Will leaving a scented mousetrap in the garage just attract more mice from outside?
- Grout/Caulk/Weep holes - I'm confused and need clarification on standards
- Home Warranty Question
- Large amount of joist removed in crawl by prior owner’s plumber, how to fix properly?
- Should I insulate my floors?
- Is there anything I can do preventively to kill mosquitoes in the off season?
- Mounting metal pegboard, and new to drilling into concrete. Can I drill and mount one Tap Con at the corner, and drill the rest of the pilots through the board? Or do I have to tap all of the holes first before mounting (which leaves a very small margin of error for drilling accuracy/measurements)
| [OPEN DISCUSSION] Weekly thread Posted: 02 Dec 2020 01:59 PM PST Welcome to the (roughly weekly) Open Discussion thread.
We do this for a few reasons. We know some folks are hesitant to create a new post for a small question they may have. Well, this is the place to ask, and discuss. At the same time, with a growing community we find ourselves having to limit the posts that may be off-topic to the primary purpose of the sub (home improvement questions and project-sharing posts). These topics include home warranty companies, general painting advice, room layouts, or rants about companies, contractors, and previous owners. While these may be of interest, we are trying hard to provide a venue that will both allow, and constrain, the conversation. Thus, this thread. Thank you for participating.
Just a reminder to stay away from any personal or disrespectful commentary. From the sidebar:
If you haven't already, please review the sub guidelines.
Have fun and stay safe folks! [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 02 Dec 2020 01:52 PM PST I just want to spread the word - Someone came to my door saying they were with "Los Angeles Insulation," he was nice, I didn't get creepy vibes, he had ok ish flyers and an ID (in hindsight his e-mail being an aol.com one should have been a clear red flag.) He said he was working with LADWP to install attic insulation for people for free. At the time it seemed ok but in hindsight I was concerned, so LADWP security line and customer service rep both verified that he's not affiliated with LADWP. I did let him in to take a photo of the attic, and he got a copy of my latest LADWP bill and my contact info. He did not act otherwise suspicious, he was pretty nice. He didn't ask suspicious questions or ask for my credit card information or money or anything. And there IS a legitimate LADWP attic insulation rebate program, but you have to go through them, they're not going door to door. I e-mailed and called him and asked him to cancel whatever appointment he had made to install the insulation. Hopefully that's the end of it. I FEEL LIKE A BIG IDIOT. So. Don't be me. [link] [comments] |
| Trying to figure out why I have a weak flushing toilet. Kind of out of ideas. Posted: 02 Dec 2020 04:03 AM PST This problem has manifested itself more since lockdown but the reality is it's probably been around for a while and I just didn't notice it so much. The toilet has a very weak flush. Number 1 it can deal with just fine, but number 2 is a literal crap shoot. Best case scenario, it'll flush but leave everything in the bowl. Worst case is the bowl slowly and surely fills until it over flows and I have poop water all over my bathroom floor. Leave it and eventually the water will drain back to normal level. Sometimes a double flush will work. Sometimes not. I thought it was a clog and spent way too many days plunging away and debating whether I should pull the entire thing and snake the drain. Then I got a 5g bucket one day and dumped it in the bowl and it flushed a number 2 with no issues whatsoever. So now I'm kind of stumped, frustrated and more than half tempted to just replace the entire stupid thing especially since this seems like the kind of problem I could throw a few hundred bucks and a couple of hours of time at. I drained the tank completely and dumped a bunch of vinegar through the outlet to the bowl and let that sit. It made no difference. I raised the water level about half an inch but that made no difference either. I've seen some suggestions that I run a wire coat hanger through the water outlets on the bowl but I'm afraid of just utterly ruining the porcelain. I'm not sure what other options I have. If it matters, the toilet has one of these guys instead of a regular flush valve thingie. Maybe that's part of my problem? Edit: Looking through the comments it looks like there are several great suggestions.
I think I'm going to try them in that order. There's a hardware store across the street where I can get the acid and flush valve over lunch I think. If they don't work we'll replace the thing this weekend I guess. Edit part 2: I never expected this thread to blow up. I'm now convinced that I have every single problem mentioned here. I decided to forego pouring acid into the tank as I'm kind of afraid of also corroding my drain pipes. I did get a replacement flush valve so we're going to put that in tonight and then eat a lot of fiber for dinner. We'll see what happens. Also going to take a nail to the holes (that's what she said?) and see if that makes a difference. I'll look at Lowes for a replacement if that fail. I confess I'm a bit reluctant to get a toilet with a smaller tank and part of me is tempted to just replace the bowl since, if it's got build up, that's where the buildup is right? [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 02 Dec 2020 06:49 PM PST Just about to move into our first home- a 1925 beauty in East Orange, NJ. After getting to spend more time in the house and looking in the crevices, I think I found a hidden gem: POCKET DOORS! The previous owner boarded up the opening, so I'm hoping to pry it open and check it out. Any tips for rescuing them? Just score the edges with a razor and take a crowbar to it? [link] [comments] |
| How to prepare a wood burning stove for use? Posted: 02 Dec 2020 08:19 PM PST I have an old Squire wood burning stove that I want to use to help heat my home, but I know nothing of fireplaces, and I'm having trouble finding the right info online. Squire was a brand of Knight Energy Systems Inc, but I can't find a manual online anywhere since the company is no more. The stove: https://imgur.com/a/tqna28d (I removed the smoke stack to clean it, so obviously I will reconnect it before using) I'm not sure how to clean the insides of the stove, but the metal smoke stack that is directly above seems to be pretty crusty on the inside. Can anyone direct me to a site or advise what all I should look for before burning wood in there? There is no metal insert, and below where there was a fan/blower, it is missing. I found a similar Squire model that says the stove can still be used with out it due to convection heating, but I'm not sure if there are any other parts inside that I should know about. Please advise! [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 02 Dec 2020 08:50 PM PST I'm a new home owner and have not had central heat since I was a kid. I just replaced the filter like a couple weeks ago but my house is an ice box. I'm not sure what to do, and don't wanna call a professional if it's something I can fix myself. [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 02 Dec 2020 01:33 PM PST |
| Should vinyl siding replacement cost 25-30% of the value of your home? Posted: 02 Dec 2020 05:56 AM PST I've gotten a couple quotes, but they seem insanely high. My house is just a two story rectangle. No strange outcroppings, nothing tricky. The houses in my neighborhood cost around $150K and so far the average for the quotes I've gotten is $38k to replace the vinyl siding. I'd love to be able to just purchase the siding and hire a respectable contractor to install it, but I'm having trouble finding such a person. My googling just turns up shops that will only install the products they sell. Any advice on how to find a qualified installer that doesn't require the product to be purchased from them? FYI, I'm in the Detroit suburbs. [link] [comments] |
| Broke a Levitating Moon Lamp, Need Advice on How to Fix it Posted: 02 Dec 2020 07:54 PM PST I broke a levitating moon lamp, something very similar to this:https://www.floately.com/collections/our-products/products/luna-floating-moon?gclid=Cj0KCQiAk53-BRD0ARIsAJuNhptn-KZ9RuCWd9juVXApy6OKaEL9hKsdxv2N8ARLHTyD0fP82ot5ZLIaAkd2EALw_wcB Now, I basically just dropped the moon, and the magnetic device that is planted/glued inside was knocked loose. I'm pretty sure all I need to do is glue it back on. Of course the moon is totally sealed, but I could move the magnet with another magnet. So basically any advice on how to fix it, in the least invasive way possible? Like if I can fix it by poking a 1mm wide hole in the bottom that would be pretty awesome. [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 02 Dec 2020 09:50 PM PST We want to have a clear path for the doorway but can't seem to come up with a solution. Can't move the doorway because of the furnace. Can only go about 2 steps from the bottom and you lose clearance above to make a landing. We thought maybe making the stairs a bit steeper could solve it but not sure what else to do here. Anyone have any suggestions? [link] [comments] |
| What's the best way to install a shutoff valve on this copper pipe? Posted: 02 Dec 2020 05:37 PM PST Hello, I'm installing a dishwasher and my sink doesn't have a valve to attach the hot water connection to. This pipe is the hot water going to my sink, how should I go about adding a shutoff valve to it? Any help is appreciated. [link] [comments] |
| Caulking Fiber Cement Board Butt Joints? Posted: 02 Dec 2020 01:47 PM PST We bought a house that has fiber cement board siding. The house is 10 years old and in Texas. When the home was inspected, the inspector recommended filling the gaps in the butt joints on the siding (board-to-board) with caulk. Some of the gaps are as large as 1/8", maybe larger. Should I actually caulk the joints? A lot of what I'm finding online says not to caulk them. If I shouldn't caulk them, should I be worried about water ingress in the gaps? [link] [comments] |
| Tile on subfloor. Anyone have some suggestions? Posted: 02 Dec 2020 11:28 PM PST I've watched a lot of videos on youtube, or some DIY articles and I'm not unexperienced in laying tile on cement foundation, but I've never done it on a subfloor. My main concern is the tile or grout cracking from just body weight flexing the floor. My wife says when I walk buy her she can feel the floor flex, but this is if she's sitting on the floor with the dog, or something like that. Some videos suggest doubling up the plywood base before the cement board. I really don't want to do that, as that would require me to remove ALL the trim and redo that. anyone every have similar concerns and learn how to overcome it? I'm thinking that with the cement board, and the rigidity of the tile/mortor, that flex might be entirely eliminated. My kitchen is all tiled and I've only had 2 tiles come loose since moving in 6 years ago. I can deal with that here and there. I just don't want to tile myself and deal with a loose tile every month. [link] [comments] |
| Help in sizing cellular shades for 30" x 73" windows Posted: 02 Dec 2020 11:01 PM PST Hi, I have a series of windows approx ~30" x 73" (a couple are 76" length), and trying to buy cellular shades for them to block out heat. - would 3/4" or 1 1/4" work better for these sized windows? - what exactly is the 3/4" or 1 1/4" size referring to? is it the actual pleat size or the vertical height of the pleat once it's unfolded? - should I add a few inches to the length to make sure shades hit bottom? I read at least one review where his cellular shades shorted by a couple inches over years of exposure to sun / heat... - any good or bad experiences with online cellular shade stores? Any help is much apppreciated! [link] [comments] |
| I have a lamp post in my backyard. What kind of bulb goes into it? Posted: 02 Dec 2020 05:49 PM PST Album here: https://imgur.com/a/DvuxLPb No idea how this thing works or what kind of bulb I would put in here. Any ideas? [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 02 Dec 2020 07:05 AM PST As a 55 year old guy who formerly had a sedentary IT career, doing a full renovation is wreaking havoc on my body. Not talking the pains of having a 16 foot triple lvl beam fall on me, the missed hammer swings that landed on my fingers, or even the kickback from my table saw that nearly broke a finger. I'm referring to the chronic pains. Waking up with my fingers so stiff and sore that I can barely move them, my elbows so sensitive, anything touching them causes me to wince in pain. The reduced finger grip strength, the thick painful calluses on my thumb and pointer finger... I suspect a lot of it is from using my Paslode framing nailer. I have had to frequently get into awkward positions with my arms extended trying to press in the safety mechanism far enough to fire a nail. But I digress... Does anyone have any advice/guidance on ways you use to avoid these chronic aches and pains? Arm wraps? Supplements? Epson salt baths? Whatever helps. Saying I should hire someone younger and in better shape won't be helpful, lol. I've tried. With the exception of building a staircase and blowing in foam insulation, and help lifting 2 load bearing beams into place, I've done everything myself - alone. Full demo of a 2500 square foot home (all removed to the studs), beams replacing load bearing walls, removal of an interior chimney, and repair of structural damage... For the most part, I've been in there day after day chipping away at it. I'm not writing this to be a crybaby, looking for sympathy... My intent is genuinely to gather suggestions on strategies others use to avoid joint and exertion injuries and ailments. Any advice would be appreciated. [link] [comments] |
| What could be killing my capacitors? Posted: 02 Dec 2020 10:00 PM PST My heat went out, and the culprit turned out to be a failing capacitor on the furnace blower motor. These things happen, of course, but this is the second one I'll be replacing in the three years I've lived here. What could be killing my capacitors? Addendum: disconnecting and reconnecting the cap fixed the problem for now, but I'm still going to replace it as it's a 10uF cap that tests at 8.4 uF. [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 02 Dec 2020 07:37 PM PST I bought an 85" TV that weighs around 110 lbs. I plan to mount it in my living room above the fireplace. The way it's framed out, my studs are 42" apart - the middle is a hollow area where the gas fireplace insert vent goes up and out. To properly secure the TV, I was thinking of using a single 2x8 span with 2 SPAX (3/8" x 6") per side and then mounting my tv mount at center using the supplied lag bolts. Is this the best way? Is there another method your recommend? Thanks! PHOTO LINK: https://ibb.co/mCYWxmH [link] [comments] |
| Will leaving a scented mousetrap in the garage just attract more mice from outside? Posted: 02 Dec 2020 05:56 PM PST Just got rid of a mouse found in the garage, I believe there was only the one. Hiding out behind the mini fridge where it's a little warmer as it's beginning of winter here. I used a catchmaster multi-catch and got him the first night with some peanut butter and seeds near the vent holes so the scent could reach him and lure him in. It worked really well as he was calmly chilling in there the next morning, I decided to live release him a few miles away. I know the bigger issue is preventing them from getting in in the first place. I removed all food (we were keeping flour and some other items in there) and I'm looking at patching the little holes in the corners of the garage door where they might manage to get through. I also sprayed some repellant on the wood near those spots and was considering putting some of those ultrasonic / vibration / radio signal repellants in there though I only see mixed reviews on those, most skew to them not working. But the main question perplexing me: I want to leave the trap in the garage in case there's other mice in there or new ones come in , but won't having food in the trap just lure more into my garage in the first place? Kind of a catch 22 isn't it? And unbaited traps won't catch any mice of they're in there. So what's a person to do? Thanks in advance for any insight into this or just sharing experience from a similar situation. [link] [comments] |
| Grout/Caulk/Weep holes - I'm confused and need clarification on standards Posted: 02 Dec 2020 12:52 PM PST TL:DR at bottom I have a full bathroom reno starting next month and have been doing tons of research everywhere I can to apply the right materials and methods. I do have a contractor coming to install everything and recently had a discussion on tiling the shower/Tub. The plan is to use the wedi system behind the walls and wedi niche's to waterproof the walls. The contractor normally grouts everything, all the transitions (corners, niche's). Most of what I have read says to caulk these transitions and apply NO grout. Is this the general consensus, grab the matching silicon caulk from the manufacturer and use that in the corners? I have included a link to the grout and caulk I was considering buying, any other recommendations are welcome. Floor and shower grout: https://www.lowes.com/pd/MAPEI-Ultracolor-Plus-FA-25-lb-Charcoal-All-in-One-Grout/1000127941 ---I realize floor grout should be sanded but this claims to be ok for floors to. Also considered the keracolor sanded grout for the floors. Matching caulk: https://www.lowes.com/pd/MAPEI-Mapesil-T-10-1-oz-Charcoal-Silicone-Caulk/1000138785 **Here's the bigger question, weep holes: Now I have been reading about folks installing weep holes so water can drain from behind the walls and prevent mold. Should we not be sealing the corners and all the transitions with caulk and include weep holes? Also read about folks grouting just the bottom to let water drain, I'm flat out just confused about this. We have large shower tiles (https://www.lowes.com/pd/Anatolia-Tile-Hudson-Brilliant-White-Glossy-8-in-x-24-in-Glossy-Ceramic-Wall-Tile/1001038722) and hexagon floor tiles (https://www.tileshop.com/products/black-hex-porcelain-floor-tile-10-in-680185#product-detail-details1). I planned on purchasing this mortar thinset for the shower and floor as well. (https://www.lowes.com/pd/MAPEI-Large-Format-Floor-and-Wall-50-lb-White-Powder-Thinset-Medium-Bed-Mortar/1000698138) Any major objections to the thinset and using it for both walls/floor? I genuinely appreciate any input. As a complete novice, I have been trying to read/research as much as I can to be knowledgeable. I understand the contractor is a resource but he generally says grout is grout, get what you want/prefer. TL:DR: The tiles have been bought but I wanted to clear the other variables before purchasing the grout, thinset, caulk, and make sure the tile is installed correctly. Caulk and leave weep holes or just caulk? Avoid grout in the corners/niche's? wedi showerproofing behind tiles. Thank you in advance. Edit: forgot to ask about sealing the grout, seen mixed bag on this. Is it recommended to seal the grout even if it says you don't have to? Seems like its an easy enough thing to do for extra protection against discoloration/mold. Update: contacted wedi through messenger. They said, TCNA guidelines call for 1/4" space between all change of planes, where tile meets tile. They are to be caulked, no weep. This included the built in niche as well. [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 02 Dec 2020 05:39 PM PST I just purchased a home and it came with a home warranty. It was noted in the inspection the furnace was at the end of its life but still functioning. Since I moved in a month ago, the furnace no longer is working properly and a service technician said it is 50 years old and original to the house and unserviceable. Since I want this resolved as soon as possible, is it even worth seeing of my Home Warranty will replace the unit or should I just pay out of pocket? Edit: The cost of the new furnace is $5-7k. [link] [comments] |
| Large amount of joist removed in crawl by prior owner’s plumber, how to fix properly? Posted: 02 Dec 2020 02:26 PM PST Hi all, As it says in the title the previous owner added a 3/4 bath and they/their plumber cut out all but 2-1/2" of joist over a foot long span to allow for the drain lines (see album) and I would like to fix this/properly reinforce the joist. My first thought was to use a very small basement floor jack supporting the joist at both ends of the span but I don't want to risk blowing out the earth laterally into the lower portion of the crawl if too much pressure is exerted—this would defeat the entire purpose of adding the screw jacks. I found these jacks which should fit.. the clearance from the bottom of the joist to the earth is 13-1/2". Any recommendations? [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 02 Dec 2020 08:50 PM PST The ground floor of my house has original, 100 year old pine, tongue and groove boards. No subfloor, and no insulation underneath. This summer I got a few quotes to insulate the whole thing, but 3 different contractors told me it wasn't worth it since I have my crawlspace encapsulated already. This week it got really cold. In certain areas where the floor boards have bigger gaps I can feel cold air blowing up from underneath. The house is leaky as hell, so maybe it wouldn't be worth it, but how much of a difference could insulating the floors really make? [link] [comments] |
| Is there anything I can do preventively to kill mosquitoes in the off season? Posted: 02 Dec 2020 08:45 PM PST We get terrible mosquitoes in the summer. I live in a rowhouse and the other neighbors don't do much in their yard to treat so I'm limited in what I can do in my space to kill off the evil assholes. Anything I can do during the cold months to try to lessen the amount of mosquitoes when things get warm again? [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 02 Dec 2020 06:24 PM PST Mounting metal pegboard, and new to drilling into concrete. Can I drill and mount one Tap Con at the corner, and drill the rest of the pilots through the board (see picture)? Or do I have to tap all of the holes first before mounting (which leaves a very small margin of error for drilling accuracy/measurements) [link] [comments] |
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