Home Improvement: [OPEN DISCUSSION] Weekly thread |
- [OPEN DISCUSSION] Weekly thread
- My dryer's heating element died because I'm a dumbass who didn't clean my dryer vent. Had a pro clean it out and they found a simple issue with the vent that killed my dryer.
- I guess 32 years was a good run, so long Hotwater heater
- Contractor told my niece she needs to replace HVAC if she replaces Hot Water Heater
- Staircase Update!
- Update: I'm the guy with the horrible cat pee smell I couldn't get rid of. Status: success!
- Middle shower nob has just entirely fell out, water pouring out of the hole
- Quick Question: Accidentally Drilled Completely Through Exterior Brick Facade
- Hot water dies after 10 min even after changing hot water tank
- Sealing Grout
- Resource to help learn basic wiring
- What type of saw do I need
- Help updating kitchen
- I need Help finding the best respirator for removing old duct work.
- I really REALLY appreciated all of the input in my last post, and now I have a more pressing question. I now need help convincing my fiance and mother in law that using drywall as tilebacking for a shower is a bad idea, and that we should tear it out and use cementboard. They think it's no big deal.
- Soundproofing Internal Bedroom Door
- Installing garbage disposal in kitchen
- Slope backyard
- Need help on figuring out this
- Ice broke my garbage disposal
- Ceiling Problems
- Looking for backsplash options
- Sellers stated there was a major remodel in the listing. Property disclosures state there was no remodel done.
- Advice for finishing room in basement as workshop
- Popcorn ceilings. I’m over looking at them as I make improvements to this house.
- Ticking in my walls
| [OPEN DISCUSSION] Weekly thread Posted: 15 Dec 2020 07:04 AM 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: 15 Dec 2020 02:23 PM PST I'm a first time home owner and I bought Speed Queen washer and dryers since I'd read about them being reliable machines. Indeed they are, but over time we noticed it was taking longer and longer to get large loads of clothes totally dry. A couple weeks ago the heat went out in the dryer so we called a technician in as it was still under warranty. He confirmed it was the heating element, got it replaced free of charge, and then advised we contact a dryer vent cleaning company to come check it out as he pulled out a huge wad of dryer lint which he suspected was the culprit that killed our heating element. Lo and behold, the vent cleaner pointed out that the builders of our house screwed the pooch on the dryer vent. He said they used a metallic mesh like the type you see in insect screens in your windows, and because it's such a fine mesh, the lint can't escape. It backs up, clogs up, and eventually your dyer bites the dust. He tore it out and replaced it with the correct vent screen, mentioning that this is a common issue he deals with multiple times a week. Happy to report my dryer is kicking ass again and no longer takes two drying sessions to do the job. Don't make the same mistake I did! Make sure your appliances are registered so you can use the warranty, and definitely make sure you're getting that dryer vent cleaned out regularly! [link] [comments] |
| I guess 32 years was a good run, so long Hotwater heater Posted: 15 Dec 2020 03:47 AM PST I'm sure it's no record, but looking forward to 50 Gallons of hotwater, this 40gal unit probably wasn't maintained well, my guess is we were getting maybe 20 gallons tons of sediment I bet in this unit. Hahaha I get it, it's a water heater, but I'll leave it as is. Glad this post is generating lots of conversation. [link] [comments] |
| Contractor told my niece she needs to replace HVAC if she replaces Hot Water Heater Posted: 15 Dec 2020 03:45 PM PST He gave her some line about the water heater being used to help heat the house. I'm not in a position to inspect the system myself or take pics, but this isn't a thing, is it? Her heat & hot water are both gas, but that doesn't mean they're tied together in such a way that the water heater can't be replaced on its own, does it? Edit: system is called Apollo Hydroheat It does seem to use the water heater to provide hot water for an air exchanger. Still doesn't seem to need to replaced all at once. [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 15 Dec 2020 11:14 AM PST Hello again folks! I posted a few months ago looking for advice on how to patch up my raggedy stairs. Long & short: previous owners had carpeted the whole stairway, whoever tore the carpet out after they left butchered the stairs. Y'all were super helpful (thank you!), and although there is still work to be done and I have certainly not done an expert job, I want to share the progress I've made. So here is the before/during of my stairs! I started out by filling the gouges/scrapes in the stairs with MH Ready Patch. (32oz can, purchased at Home Depot for about $15 I believe?) Using a firm and a flexible scraper, I scooped small globs out of the can, applied & smoothed, and then left it all to dry/harden overnight. I started after lunch on a Saturday and the whole process probably took me about 4 hours from the time I opened the can to the time I started the drying process. Sunday morning I sanded down the patched areas with medium and then fine sandpaper (not sure what brand/price as they were what I had at home already, but I believe they were the kind labeled "for wood" and maybe ran me about $10 per pack). I also taped off the treads in preparation for my next day's painting (with typical blue painter's tape, maybe $7 for the roll I have, purchased at Home Depot), which probably took 30-45 minutes. At this point I also realized that some of the wood pieces oh the underside of the treads (the little white strips in the photo) had come loose, so I hammered those back in as well. The sanding probably took 2 hours or so (hello perfectionist/harsh self-critic combo!) Around noon on Sunday I started painting the risers with leftover paint from a previous project (Behr Ultra paint + primer in the color "Boreal," a gorgeous green! Cost about $30 per can at Home Depot if I recall). First coat plus dry time was about 3 hours, got my second coat on right before starting dinner at about 4:30pm. In the spring I am planning to sand and stain the treads and put a coat or two of white/cream on the little strips of the risers and the trim along the sides. But I think it already looks infinitely better, thanks to the advice and product recommendations I got from y'all! All in all, I completed this project at a leisurely pace over the course of a weekend (approximately 12 hours total), and spent around $100 for all materials (although I did not purchase them all at once for this project specifically). I'm looking forward to finishing up the project in the coming year, and it's great to have this community to get pointers from- you guys are the best! (And I definitely have a bunch of other questions for y'all that I will be asking soon lol) Thanks again for being so welcoming and helpful, and may 2021 be the best year for all our home projects! Cheers! [link] [comments] |
| Update: I'm the guy with the horrible cat pee smell I couldn't get rid of. Status: success! Posted: 15 Dec 2020 10:08 AM PST This is my original post, we very slowly and not so methodically went through moving things around and out of our living room. Both my wife and I just noticed yesterday that we stopped smelling the cat pee. Our conclusion was that once we got rid of our pack and play, that's when we noticed the smell consistently had disappeared. I really appreciate all the suggestions everyone offered. I'm sorry I can't really provide more of a detailed solution, but we're glad the smell had finally left. I guess a takeaway could be if you have cats and then have kids, be watchful of the things that your kids lay in. Our cats would occasionally pee in the crib as well, but luckily we used those liquid mattress covers. Ok, I'll stop ranting now, just wanted to update everyone. Thanks again! [link] [comments] |
| Middle shower nob has just entirely fell out, water pouring out of the hole Posted: 15 Dec 2020 06:25 PM PST My middle shower knob hasn't been working very well lately, and tonight it just entirely popped out and all the water came through the hole in the wall. Nothing online explains how to fix this at all, I'm just trying to get the dang thing back in place! [link] [comments] |
| Quick Question: Accidentally Drilled Completely Through Exterior Brick Facade Posted: 15 Dec 2020 10:01 PM PST I was installing a doorbell camera and had borrowed a friend's hammer drill to drill into the exterior brick to mount the doorbell camera. I didn't realize at the moment to set the drill depth and ended up drilling all the way through the brick. This is my first time drilling into brick and am now worried about any possible issues I've caused by going all the way through the brick facade. Any advice? [link] [comments] |
| Hot water dies after 10 min even after changing hot water tank Posted: 15 Dec 2020 08:22 PM PST Hi, I'm helping family with their hot water issues. When they shower it runs out after 10 min. They changed their hot water tank as it was quite old but still have the same issue. I asked to to run the shower for 10 min and when it gets cold to turn on the bathroom taps and see if that was still hot. They say its lukewarm but not hot. They don't know what they are doing and I am quite far away. I will have to check it this weekend for myself. Any ideas on what to check to confirm if its the shower that is only the problem? If it turns out that other taps have the same issue, any ideas on what to check? We are quite strapped for cash now and don't want to be taken to the cleaners by a plumber without know what to check. I would really appreciate any ideas. Update: they have a 40 gallon natural gas tank. They have lived in the house for years and 40 gallons has always been sufficient. They say that when the shower gets cold after 10 min, they ran the washroom at at max Heat and it was lukewarm. Whereas a few min earlier it was scalding hot. Could it be the pipes in the house are somewhat messed up? Anyway to be sure? [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 15 Dec 2020 09:01 PM PST How do you seal grout in bathroom tiling? And what products should I use? Any advice is greatly appreciated! [link] [comments] |
| Resource to help learn basic wiring Posted: 15 Dec 2020 07:22 PM PST I have an unfinished basement that I will be finishing out as an "apartment" for our disabled adult daughter. I'm looking for a resource to help me learn basic wiring. Nothing more than outlets and a couple ceiling fans with lights. I'm very mechanical and hands-on but I haven't had the opportunity to learn electrical yet [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 15 Dec 2020 08:52 PM PST Hello all, My MIL got me a sliding compound miter saw for Christmas because I was considering it while thinking about what kind of saw I need for projects around my house. We bought a 1926 Craftsman cottage last year and I need something to use to redo some exterior trim, new baseboards, build a small green house, cat needs a catio, install wood floors ect.. My question is, is this the type of saw I need or should I exchange it for a table saw? I have a circular saw but I need to make long straight cuts. [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 15 Dec 2020 08:46 PM PST Just bought a house and the kitchen is a discombobulated mess. I don't have a strong eye for style especially when it comes to home decor and have no clue where to start. I'm thinking we want to keep the countertops but are otherwise open to suggestions. What can we do to make the kitchen more cohesive/modern? My first thought was to get the cabinets painted white but not sure if that will help. ETA: Sorry, it won't let me put pictures for some reason. I'm new to this. [link] [comments] |
| I need Help finding the best respirator for removing old duct work. Posted: 15 Dec 2020 06:57 PM PST So I've been working in HVAC installation and I've found that crawl spaces, and messing with flue pipes make my lungs feel bad, kinda like when I used to remodel homes as a laborer. I want to buy a legitimate respirator because I don't want to feel sick anymore. I do wear a mask already all day with Covid going around but it doesn't stop dirt and other grossness getting in. Does anyone know the best type of respirator to get? Any help is much appreciated! [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 15 Dec 2020 10:48 AM PST I'm a baby DIY home improvement gal and I can use all the help I can get, so I really appreciate all of the criticism and hard advice. So my fiance and mother in law believe that using mold resistant drywall plus thinset and tile is enough to prevent mold. I've received overwhelming advice irl and on the internet to rip out the drywall we put in and put in cement board instead because otherwise we're asking for mold. Which is why we ripped out the wall in the first place. My problem is that I do not know nearly enough about this to convince them otherwise, and I was wondering if I could get your in-depth reasoning for why drywall is a bad idea for shower wall lining so I can show them this post. I think it will be easier to convince if I show them all of your responses. [link] [comments] |
| Soundproofing Internal Bedroom Door Posted: 15 Dec 2020 10:16 PM PST So, I need some help here. I'm not a handyman in any degree so I've come for an experts opinion. I live in a older home, the kinds with the squeaky floorboards/ doors with a 2 inch floor gap. The walls are surprisingly thick, thankfully, but my roommate likes to be very loud in the living room. My bedroom's door is right in front of any and all sound waves. I did a little soul searching on Amazon and decided to get some open cell foam insulating tape for the crack where the door closes. This isn't sound proofing, but I'm sure it helps block out a teeny tiny bit, as well as any cigarette smoke. I also ordered a neat gap stopper that you attach with a 3M tape, it's a hard plastic with multiple channels, you measure to the gap and cut the excess, pretty simple. That'll help any sound or draft coming through the giant gap under the door. Here's where my curiousity sets in. I want to go the sound proof foam route, I found many neat acoustic panels anywhere from 0.4" thick to 2" thickness, they're expensive but it's a necessary purchase. Do I place the foam towards the noise? Does it have to be completely covered in these squares to be effective? Larger acoustic panels or single foam squares? Any value friendly recommendations? My idea is panels on each side, probably on the upper bevel and lower bevel of the door. I just want as much sound dampening as I can get, I know it's unrealistic to have full soundproof expectations with drywall and studs, but I'm hoping for at least a 75% reduction as I like to have girly friends over and well the current one is a little loud.. plus its not too great when your roomie is hacking a loogie when you're trying to work your magic yknow? Thanks for sticking with my ignorance, I appreciate your support. [link] [comments] |
| Installing garbage disposal in kitchen Posted: 15 Dec 2020 10:13 PM PST I have a question about whether or not a garbage disposal can go in any kitchen sink from a plumbing perspective. I live in NYC and I am unsure if the building needs specific plumbing to have garbage disposals or not? [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 15 Dec 2020 06:06 PM PST |
| Need help on figuring out this Posted: 15 Dec 2020 09:48 PM PST I just moved to an apartment and saw this inside the kitchen sink cabinet. Although it does not look like mold, can someone confirm what exactly is this? [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 15 Dec 2020 09:46 PM PST Recently moved into a older home. Today I changed out the splash guard/gasket to my garbage disposal. I saw that ice can clean the disposal so I threw in a few cubes and ran the disposal. Soon after I discovered that there was a leak under my sink, caused by a hole in the garbage disposal that wasn't there before. Is ice bad for your disposal? Does hard water have anything to do with this? There was corrosion on the disposal when I looked at it. [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 15 Dec 2020 09:46 PM PST Hey guys, New here and would like to seek some advice. Parts of my ceiling has mould and there are booklice everywhere on the ceiling. I tried cleaning the ceiling with a cloth but would not work as it will always come back a few months later. In addition, parts of my ceiling paint is peeling off too. Is a good idea to use a anti mould primer and paint to paint over the peeled paint and ceiling? [link] [comments] |
| Looking for backsplash options Posted: 15 Dec 2020 07:25 PM PST Is there anything of quality that can be applied directly on top of these brick blocks? Looking to upgrade the kitchen a bit... [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 15 Dec 2020 01:15 PM PST Hi all! Lurker here and I am in process of purchasing a home to take advantage of the current interest rates. We finally found an option that my wife and I like. The listing stated there was a huge kitchen remodel done and the sellers told our agent that a beam was placed spanning almost the width of the entire house to open it up more. We appreciate their efforts into making the house more open concept since this was a key parameter in our must haves. We got the home disclosures and it stated that there was no remodel done to the home. This sketched me out since something of this caliber must require permits and an engineer. I am getting the impression that my agent just wants us to close since we have been searching for a few months. I wanted to ask the community on their thoughts and if anyone has more understanding on the industry norms would chime in and give their opinion. Thank you! -justdopey365 EDIT: Looks like the home doesn't have a permit online. Lets see what the sellers say. [link] [comments] |
| Advice for finishing room in basement as workshop Posted: 15 Dec 2020 05:39 PM PST TL;DR - want to put workshop in unfinished basement but what are these metal things on the wall? https://i.imgur.com/qZ4ooCf.jpg Hi all - we just closed on a house in the South East US! It's the second house we've owned and this one has a great unfinished part of a basement I want to make into a workshop! I'd love any advice for those that have done a similar project. Whole space is 13'x13' right now. As I was down there this afternoon thinking about adding some framing to the unfinished concrete wall I noticed some metal hooks. Are those strong enough to hold tools if I hang stuff on them? I had a nice peg board setup in the garage in our old house, so I'd like to add one of those again. It's also time for a proper workbench. See link below for more pictures. What would you recommend doing with the space? Thanks! [link] [comments] |
| Popcorn ceilings. I’m over looking at them as I make improvements to this house. Posted: 15 Dec 2020 04:16 PM PST Spray bottle of water and a scraper? What else to I need? What sucks is this house is 3000sq ft with 10,12,15ft ceilings. Looking for advice on what to do [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 15 Dec 2020 06:25 PM PST Whenever I'm lying in bed at night I hear a ticking when I stand in a certain area in my room it gets louder or quieter it isn't mice but it might be the copper pipes but when I'm lying in bed when buying on the right side it ticks like crazy does anyone know why 🤷🏻♂️ [link] [comments] |
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