Home Improvement: PSA New Home Owners: Go buy a pipe repair kit before you need it |
- PSA New Home Owners: Go buy a pipe repair kit before you need it
- Do not put Crockpots or other heating "counter top" appliances on granite counters.
- Gift ideas for 74 year old contractor dad with arthritic hands who still insists on working
- Leaking Stack Vent
- Duct cleaning--worth it?
- Blown in insulation in walls
- Is my plan to partially remove an inground pool crazy?
- Samsung Dishwasher Model #DW80R5060UG leaking
- Metal bracket for awkward angle?
- Just bought a 3M dual respirator for stripping paint off a guitar with a heat gun but
- Installer removed outdoor air sensor
- White or darker tile for basement bathroom?
- TV Wall Mount in Plaster
- I’m trying to remove antique door hardware to restore. Can’t get knobs off spindle.
- Does anybody have brush seals on their garage doors?
- Need help identifying smell that appears when using shower, dishwasher, and clothes washer
- Convert a Crawl to Slab foundation
- Need stair advice
- Molding is off around the house, bad idea to spray foam the space around the window?
- Is this mold or mildew? Serious concern or just a re-caulk?
- Scary hole in basement floor
- Crush damage on new tool chest...repair?
- Faint Gas Smell in Baby's Room
- What should I do about a large hole in my yard?
| PSA New Home Owners: Go buy a pipe repair kit before you need it Posted: 18 Dec 2020 08:15 AM PST Yesterday I drilled through a wall expecting a stud and instead was met with hot water gushing all over the foyer, because for some reason the builders put it in what I saw as an obvious place for a coat rack. That said, repairing a pipe is easy, even for total novices. But yesterday we were having a blizzard, which meant we could neither have someone come here nor could we go to the hardware store. This morning I paid a plumber almost $200 to come at 7am and do 10 minutes of very easy work so we could shower and get going with our days on time. I brushed my teeth with strawberry spindrift last night, and washed my face by boiling down some snow and then waiting for it to cool down. Please learn from my mistake. Happy holidays! Edits for repeated comments: - I was tired and panicky and didn't even know that hot water shutoffs were a thing. That's something I'm gonna go check out tonight and see - thanks everyone! - Finally, I'm a woman, in case that matters to anyone - I keep seeing "he" and normally I wouldn't bother correcting, but I want women on this sub to know that we can also fix things and should know our way around basic repairs. - For those who implied or outright stated that I'm an idiot for making a mistake: you must not learn new things very often. Do better. Thanks everyone! Happy holidays :) [link] [comments] |
| Do not put Crockpots or other heating "counter top" appliances on granite counters. Posted: 18 Dec 2020 06:40 PM PST I was making chili a couple days ago, and suddenly heard a loud "pop" from my kitchen. It took me a little bit to realize what happened, but eventually found the new crack in my granite countertop. It started at the corner, and extended inward ~8 inches before tapering out. My Crockpot has legs on it and is insulated. The area of counter under it felt warm, but not particularly hot. I was very surprised this was able to crack a granite countertop, and I would have expected the counter to act more like a large heat sink and quickly dissipate whatever heat was transferred to the counter. Clearly not the case! I got lucky, and once my counter fully cooled, the crack sealed back up entirely. You can only see it if you were looking specifically for it, and you can't even feel it if you run your finger over it. There are a lot of posts about this happening with small "counter top" appliances like this, and they usually propagate out from the corner. There are fixes for this if your crack doesn't disappear like mine. Typically it involves buying an epoxy kit for granite. You purchase a clear epoxy kit and color it with granite powder. You take a diamond drill bit or sanding device to spare piece of granite or an inconspicuous area (underside of counter) to collect a small amount of fine powder, and add that to your clear epoxy. If you want to make your soups and chili, either place the pot on the stove (be mindful of your burners), or place some sort of insulating barrier between your pot and counter. Save yourself an epoxy project! [link] [comments] |
| Gift ideas for 74 year old contractor dad with arthritic hands who still insists on working Posted: 18 Dec 2020 06:05 PM PST Does anyone have any tool gift ideas that have saved your hands or made your lives easier? My dad is 74 with arthritic hands and he's been a contractor for his entire life but he still acts like a 20 year old and complains about his hands hurting a lot. So I want to give him some tools that would prevent him from having to use his hands as much. No gift cards. He has all the main power tools. Thank you! [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 18 Dec 2020 06:43 PM PST Yesterday I discovered sagging paint and a soft drywall spot in my office ceiling. We tore into it tonight and found a plumbing vent line made up of a pvc line, a rubber couple, and a cast iron pipe. The cast iron pipe is actually a 90 degree bend that turns and goes straight up to the roof and out. I think that the water leaking out of the couple is from condensation, paired with the freeze/thaw cycle, the condensation is now leaking. https://i.imgur.com/AgGjjdm.jpg Just under the 90 degree bend, and behind the remaining drywall, is a wooden block that's supporting the weight of the cast iron stack. I don't have access to the attic space. It's behind a finished knee wall behind the bathroom sink, and installing an access door will be a different post. How do I fix this for good? There was evidence of a prior patch in the drywall we cut out, so this isn't the first time this spot has been an issue. [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 18 Dec 2020 08:28 PM PST Hi all, Over the past year, I've been struggling a lot with indoor allergies in my home. I've been allergy tested and am allergic to dust mites, pennicillium, and dogs (mildly). We change our furnace filter every 2-3 months, vaccum regularly, etc. But I think this year I've seen an increase due to spending more time actually in my home (thanks, Covid--working 75% from home and not going out much). So, I'm wondering if getting our air ducts would help or hurt. My google searches tell me both way--yes it would help OR, no it would just knock loose all the dust that was in the ducts and likely make my allergies worse. So...anyone here have any experience with duct cleaning and can offer any advice? TIA [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 18 Dec 2020 07:03 PM PST Our house was built in 1986. It's a two story, in central Va. We've lived in this house 2 years and the winter is awful. The kitchen is bitterly cold. When I take a dish out of the cabinet (on an exterior wall), the dish is ice cold. The other bad area is the master bedroom and bath. Linen closet in the bath is like the kitchen cabinets - everything is cold. It's a nice house in a nice neighborhood. That's why I find it hard to believe there is little/no insulation in the walls. Was this a normal thing in the 80s? I've never been in a house that's like this. I've invested in a few space heaters to make it bearable, but it ain't great. Our electric bill is very high, imo. I've been thinking about seeing if we can get insulation blown in for the kitchen and bed/bath. What does this kind of job typically cost? Likely to be <$1000? Or more? Thanks for any insight. [link] [comments] |
| Is my plan to partially remove an inground pool crazy? Posted: 18 Dec 2020 08:22 PM PST I don't have the funds to have a contractor come and remove an old in ground pool (filled with dirt btw). So I was thinking of this: After calling 811 and marking utility and other relevant lines, dig 18 inches deep around the pool, dig it up, and using a grinding wheel chop off in segments the top foot to foot and a half of the pool, then bury it. This thing is a heinous eyesore and I want to turn my backyard into a nice big flat piece of grass instead of a concrete barren wasteland it is now. Is my idea crazy or are there any alternatives? [link] [comments] |
| Samsung Dishwasher Model #DW80R5060UG leaking Posted: 18 Dec 2020 09:21 PM PST We just bought a house and the dishwasher that is here is from 2017. It is a Samsung Model #DW80R5060UG. We ran it twice with no issue and on the third time it started to leak on the front corner of the machine. It doesn't seem to be from the door but towards the front corner of the machine. We are getting the LC error code as well. I will attach a video of the leak. What do you think the issue is and what should be the fix? [link] [comments] |
| Metal bracket for awkward angle? Posted: 18 Dec 2020 07:47 PM PST I'm currently building out a van and would like to attach a 2x4 with an end that's 35-degrees to to this metal box that holds my taillights. Is there a special type of L-bracket that I could use? [link] [comments] |
| Just bought a 3M dual respirator for stripping paint off a guitar with a heat gun but Posted: 18 Dec 2020 06:05 PM PST Halfway through I started smelling the paint or lacquer or something through the mask pretty strongly. I have some asthma and other underlying conditions so Im worried that I could have caused some harm and Im afraid to try it again [link] [comments] |
| Installer removed outdoor air sensor Posted: 18 Dec 2020 04:32 AM PST Hello, Moved into a new house a year ago and am in the process of getting settled in. The house has a Knight/Lochinvar 149,000 BTU modulating boiler that's 12 or so years old. Back this fall, one of our heating zones wasn't working and it turns out that one of our zone relays died. While the installer was here replacing it, I asked them about the outdoor air sensor and they indicated that they had previously removed it but didn't elaborate. Is there any possible harm to having this reinstalled? Isn't the whole point of a modulating boiler to use that sensor to adjust water temps? I'm in MN and although this house is efficient, anything to lower operating costs is welcomed! [link] [comments] |
| White or darker tile for basement bathroom? Posted: 18 Dec 2020 08:17 PM PST We're finishing our basement and next step is tile for the bathroom and I need to make a final decision asap. I thought I had my decision made but then I sent a picture to my contractor and mentioned some things to consider, and I wanted to get some other opinions. I've only been considering white tile because it's in the basement and to be honest I had a really bad experience with spiders when I was renting a basement room a long time ago. I was already extremely afraid of spiders and hate any bugs inside the home really, but after living in this basement and catching so many giant spiders that very much resembled the poisonous hobo spider, the fear is just out of control when I see a spider in a basement. So I wanted to stick to white tile so that I can easily spot a spider before stepping on one. My contractor said he wouldn't recommend going with white because it's hard to keep clean especially long term. I actually was thinking I like white because it's easier to see dirt and I can make sure it's actually clean. But is there something more that I'm missing as to why I should avoid white? [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 18 Dec 2020 04:30 PM PST I have an 80 year old home that was renovated about 13 years ago. Everything I hang seems to be in plaster and I have yet to find a stud anywhere in the dang house. Does anyone have any help on how to possibly hang a TV in plaster? I'm so nervous about anchors simply ripping out of the wall with my TV. [link] [comments] |
| I’m trying to remove antique door hardware to restore. Can’t get knobs off spindle. Posted: 18 Dec 2020 08:04 PM PST I took a picture it appears the little screw in the base of the knob itself is removed on both ends. (Only one screw per knob) I assumed you twist the knob off the spindle but it won't budge on either end. Would love to restore and use this hardware which may have came with the house originally. Would love some advice. [link] [comments] |
| Does anybody have brush seals on their garage doors? Posted: 18 Dec 2020 09:59 PM PST I have a "normal" 2-car segmented panel-style garage door that uses a double T-track style weather seal at the bottom. The roots of a nearby tree have heaved the concrete upwards on one side of the entrance so that it's difficult to get a good seal across the full width of the door when closed. A 3 3/4" wide seal leaves about 1/2" gap on the side opposite the tree when the door is fully-lowered.. A 5.5" wide seal is too wide and "floppy" and tends to get caught as the door lowers which leads to a gap on either side big enough for rodents to get through, not to mention cold air. I presently have a 4.5" wide seal installed but it's showing its age and I can't find them that size anymore so I'm looking at alternatives... Does anybody have brush seals on their garage door? I'd initially considered installing angled brush seals along the sides and across the top in order to get a wind-proof seal where the current rubber seals are lacking but now I'm wondering how well brushes would work along the bottom also? [link] [comments] |
| Need help identifying smell that appears when using shower, dishwasher, and clothes washer Posted: 18 Dec 2020 07:29 PM PST About a month ago I noticed a strong earthy smell in my kitchen after I took a shower. It seemed to be coming from the kitchen sink so I poured vinegar down the drain and cleaned the tub. The smell came back two days later. The smell happens when I run the dishwasher, clothes washer, or when I take a shower. I can only smell it in my kitchen. It's weird because I can consistently smell it in certain parts of the kitchen. I've checked every cabinet, checked the refrigerator and freezer, cleaned it from top to bottom, but I can't figure out what's causing it. Another weird thing is that the smell has gradually changed from earthy to something that smells like rotten cleaning products. It's hard to describe. This change happened about a week ago. I occasionally hear a tapping sound from the wall behind my kitchen sink. It happens when I run the sink for more than a few minutes, and when I run the dishwasher. Is there anyway to check if this is the sound of a leak without tearing down the wall behind the sink? My only other idea is the smell is coming from wall outlets. I'm going to plug them to see if the smell goes away. Does anyone have any ideas on how to troubleshoot this? I'm losing my mind trying to figure this out. edit: Forgot to mention that I ran water in every drain to eliminate the possibility of an empty drain trap. [link] [comments] |
| Convert a Crawl to Slab foundation Posted: 18 Dec 2020 07:15 PM PST I have a older house in bad shape. I was going to restore, but after initial inspection.. the house is shot. Termites have eaten through 3 walls and the house has shifted off the block in some areas. The only things worth saving : garage, attached mudroom hallway ( in the back of the house), and the side entry way ( small area between garage and house). the remaining needs to be demolished. Several have suggested it would be cost prohibitive to covert crawl to slab, but in this case.. where Im removing about 1/2~ 3/4 of the house and the entire roof, converting crawl to slab be an option? Pictures are attached to show the extent of damage and state of the house. Also, another option might be, try to save the foundation and build back onto existing crawl foundation. Please.. any help / advice would be greatly approached. Update: for some reason, not able to post pictures, so below please find links to some of the pictures. https://i.postimg.cc/6qcc8cy8/B8730-D4-B-5-E5-A-49-FC-A054-4-D6-C846062-B7.jpg https://i.postimg.cc/QMKffcnz/BAE47-CA5-7-A2-B-4485-AC00-53-D5-FC6-D6-FA4.jpg [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 18 Dec 2020 09:12 PM PST I'm building a two run stair set dropping from our kitchen to our laundry room. I plan on doing 2-2x10 solid stringers (no cuts) and 'floating' 2x10 (no toe kick) runs. When I screw in through the stringers to attach the steps, my plan was to use spax or GRK screws and a little wood glue to avoid any squeaks. What length screws should I use? How many on each side? Am I over thinking this? [link] [comments] |
| Molding is off around the house, bad idea to spray foam the space around the window? Posted: 18 Dec 2020 01:29 PM PST I have a can of great stuff, seems like it will do the trick. Will I regret or pay for this later? There's a pretty serious draft in there. I only want to feel the breeze when I'm camping! [link] [comments] |
| Is this mold or mildew? Serious concern or just a re-caulk? Posted: 18 Dec 2020 06:32 PM PST HERE are some images. Any idea what this is? Serious concern or general cleaning? Should I recaulk or should I make sure it's not worse than pictured? Thanks for the help! [link] [comments] |
| Posted: 18 Dec 2020 06:28 PM PST New homeowner here. My basement has a 5 inch drain hole cut into the slab. It goes into a pipe that quickly changes direction. There is me no pump or anything. Does this just drain directly into my exterior French drains?? Seems a little wacky if it does. Also, there is a constant cold wind blowing out of this thing. What the heck do I have here, and is it legit? [link] [comments] |
| Crush damage on new tool chest...repair? Posted: 18 Dec 2020 08:30 PM PST I just bought a new tool chest as part of my overall suite of home projects. I had to wait a while for it to come in stock and then I waited nearly a month for delivery. Got it home and found dents and creases all over it. It's out of stock again so not easily exchangeable. The biggest dent interferes with the drawer. If I could fix it I could live with the rest. https://imgur.com/a/dcvxT0E Any tips on straightening this metal? [link] [comments] |
| Faint Gas Smell in Baby's Room Posted: 18 Dec 2020 08:25 PM PST Need help please! We have had 2 HVAC companies, the gas company and a handyman out and no one can properly diagnose the following problem: Moved into an older 2 story house (built 1968) a month ago. The house has a central HVAC system and the problem is that there is an intermittent natural gas smell from a single vent in an upstairs room (my 6 month old daughter's room). The furnace has been checked and rechecked and appears to be in good working order (it is about 12 years old) This is an intermittent problem - which is super frustrating because when the gas company was out the problem was not occurring. From my testing (I have confirmed slight amount of gas present with a gas detector): -Sometimes when stage 1 or stage 2 heating is on there is a trace amount of gas detected and smelled at a single vent in the second floor bedroom -The smell is never detected in any of the other 4 rooms upstairs or any downstairs rooms -If heating is off and only the fan is run then there is no gas detected -There is no gas detected in the mechanical room around the furnace -Kitchen and laundry room appliances have been tested and are not the source of the problem -Gas is not detected every time the heat is on, it is intermittent and occurs with no regularity (it is a daily problem) -One HVAC guy told me the heat exchanger did not appear cracked or damaged Anyone have any ideas? Edit: dirty diapers or baby gas are not the culprit. :) [link] [comments] |
| What should I do about a large hole in my yard? Posted: 18 Dec 2020 04:35 PM PST A large hole appeared in our backyard. We thought it was a sinkhole. I asked my neighbor to look and she told me they (her & the previous owners) paid to have a tree removed from that spot a long time ago. It's right on our property lines. So I called 811 just to make sure there are no pipes that could have leaked/be leaking. They sent everyone to my yard (gas/electric/etc). One guy mentioned to me the grate (idk what it's called-manhole cover type thing) in the front side of our yard. It's almost in a direct line to the hole. He said it was for wastewater or something. After telling my husband about it- he remembered that last summer people came and were blowing it out or working on it. The water people are two days past their latest time to be here regarding my 811 call. They didn't answer when I tried to call. I've tried to lookup local maps of drainage systems but haven't had much luck. What do you think is causing the hole? What should I do about it? Edited to add pictures of the hole -hubby threw sticks in it- and a photo of a drain similar to what is in the side of my yard. [link] [comments] |
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