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canyoneer posted:AC is original to the house, 2001 vintage, definitely builder-grade. AC inspector dude said when we bought in 2013 said that it was end-of-life, and may die today, tomorrow, or in 20 years. I guess I have the Queen Elizabeth II of heat pumps because it refuses to die, but also isn't very helpful at the best of times. Since data points on "how much does a new heat pump cost" are few and far between - I paid Climate Pros a tick over $14k for my 4-ton 18 SEER system... and yes, it loving sucked when mine died in September. It didn't give much warning until one morning I realized it hadn't cycled off in ages and it was starting to get warmer inside. Popped a hole in the outside unit and vented what little R22 was left in it. They at least hooked me up with a temporary (good used) outside unit they pulled off another job to get things cooled down a few days before they were able to get the new system on hand. If your system is running hours non-stop, that's a big part of your $375 peak summer bills. Kaiser Schnitzel posted:I don't know about water etc. but planting a tree out there to shade the room/window will sure help too. Also a valid suggestion. There are some trees that will still provide enough shade to make a dent, without needing an absolute ton of water. I had a giant mesquite in front of my house until a microburst in 2018 slammed it into my roof.
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Mar 11, 2021 04:43
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canyoneer posted:I have a big question and an effortpost of photos. I think it's about insulation.... canyoneer posted:Should I insulate the entire garage ceiling? Or can I just build a nice barrier and insulate over the top of the office part? It can't hurt, and if you do it yourself, cost is not a huge consideration. By the way, you should take photos of the entire attic space first, so that you know where all of your piping & wiring are before they're buried. Being sure you have a walkway across the framing with 4x8 plywood sheets will never be easier to lay, and you'll need it anyway to do this job. canyoneer posted:What R value should I be shooting for? canyoneer posted:Do I need a vapor barrier or something? canyoneer posted:Do I need to do anything with the walls? canyoneer posted:So, am I on the right track here?
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Mar 11, 2021 04:53
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glynnenstein posted:It could be a loop vent which connects to a different vent elsewhere. I'm going to have to look at where I have vent stacks, because it seems like a loop vent or a circuit vent but not tied into a vent stack anywhere. However, the loop ties in to a 4" waste pipe that runs horizontally (with good slope) out to my septic tank and the loop is technically around all the fixtures off this main branch. Perhaps the thought is that the 4" pipe is big enough to draw air from the rest of the system without it being an issue, because the only vent stack I can make out on my roof is near the upstairs bathroom on the opposite side of the house, and it drops down as a 2" line into another 4" pipe in the basement. A number of other fixtures tie in to this 4" pipe with no apparent venting, but my P-traps are certainly staying full based on the water that came out when I cleaned them out, so it's a mystery. I'll need to take a closer look for vent stacks when the snow melts.
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Mar 11, 2021 06:15
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TrueChaos posted:I'm going to have to look at where I have vent stacks, because it seems like a loop vent or a circuit vent but not tied into a vent stack anywhere. However, the loop ties in to a 4" waste pipe that runs horizontally (with good slope) out to my septic tank and the loop is technically around all the fixtures off this main branch. Auto-vent in the wall or attic with a main stack elsewhere?
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Mar 11, 2021 06:44
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Please tell me about self leveling concrete, or slme other type of solution to get a room in my basement level. When I pressure washed the block prior to drylok I noticed all the water was running towards the back wall. I set the laser level up this morning and shot the room, these are the measurements from the floor up. 
fps_bill fucked around with this message at 14:53 on Mar 11, 2021 |
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Mar 11, 2021 14:45
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Hi HCH! I've got a home improvement question and would like to know which thread it oughtta go into (or if anyone can tell me a good answer right off the bat). I moved into a house built in 1900 back in November. It has no screens on the original windows and no central air; my neighboring houses of the same vintage all have window units. I've got a hand-me-down window AC which I plan to put in the bedroom and keep that closed off, just for sleeping. I'm alright with hot weather as long as air's moving, but I don't want to have wide open windows with no screens. Especially after a wasp was trying to get in my kitchen window yesterday. Plus, we're hoping to get a cat soon. The windows, like I said, I think are original; doesn't look like any way to put screens in (did screens not exist back then?). Any ideas on how to keep bugs out/cats in? I can take pictures of the framing if it helps. Right now I just wanna know where I should post this, as I don't hang out in HCH often. Thanks!
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Mar 11, 2021 19:58
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I would probably just pay a windowscreen person to put up screens for you. It would involve them screwing some thin sheet metal type channels to the exterior of your window frames that the mesh screens would go in (and you could take them out for winter). Unless your home is like historically protected or whatever in which case I dunno.
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Mar 11, 2021 20:52
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Take a picture. There are super cheap "guaranteed to fit" custom screen sites online, I think we used whatever Lowes links to. You measure, if it doesn't fit you tweak it and they remake it for free. Ours are modern but I bet if there is room to squeeze one in it would fit fine, if ugly. Your cat will not be stopped by it if that's what you're hoping.
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Mar 11, 2021 21:04
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How soon after a new shop concrete floor is poured should a wait before sealing it? Also, any recommendations on what to seal it with?
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Mar 11, 2021 22:15
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A kiss.
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Mar 11, 2021 22:29
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Elviscat posted:Auto-vent in the wall or attic with a main stack elsewhere? Found a roof vent as the snow melted significantly today, so that'd vent the master bath. Still don't have a clue how the powder room is vented, the toilet and sink drop into a 3" line with no apparent vent connections at all. Not going to think too much about it as the ptraps are staying full. It appears the rest of the stuff (kitchen, washing machine) is connected to a stack on the other side of the house that also serves the 2nd floor bathroom. I really wish I had the plans for the house  E: I'm a dumbass, the powder room and laundry room sinks have a vent pipe that disappears into the wall, the PO just got paint all over it where it goes into the wall so it didn't really stand out. I have to think they're tied into the relatively nearby vent stacks. Mystery solved I guess! TrueChaos fucked around with this message at 22:52 on Mar 11, 2021 |
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Mar 11, 2021 22:39
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JacquelineDempsey posted:Hi HCH! I've got a home improvement question and would like to know which thread it oughtta go into (or if anyone can tell me a good answer right off the bat). These work great but are heavy, expensive, and are a pain in the rear end to deal with. Otherwise, do what every other house on the block did in the 50s and get sliding screens/storms installed. They're ugly but they are cheaper, lighter, and much easier to deal with.
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Mar 11, 2021 23:12
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mutata posted:A kiss. Done. What next?
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Mar 12, 2021 00:28
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spacetoaster posted:How soon after a new shop concrete floor is poured should a wait before sealing it? Also, any recommendations on what to seal it with? 28 days is pretty much industry standard for a full cure to put down a coating or sealer. What do you want in a sealer? Want to add a sheen or color, or want to keep it natural looking? Need any kind of specific chemical resistance? Vehicles getting driven or parked on it? Is it broom finished or smooth troweled?
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Mar 12, 2021 01:36
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Final Blog Entry posted:28 days is pretty much industry standard for a full cure to put down a coating or sealer. What do you want in a sealer? Want to add a sheen or color, or want to keep it natural looking? Need any kind of specific chemical resistance? Vehicles getting driven or parked on it? Is it broom finished or smooth troweled? Broom finished. It'll need to resist normal shop spills of oils, paint, varnish, etc.
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Mar 12, 2021 01:41
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Cool, if it's broom finished you shouldn't need to etch or anything else as long as water can soak in rather easily. If it's not getting too abused with heavy traffic or gnarly solvents and chemicals and you just want to keep it easy to clean and keep dust down then you probably don't need to be too picky. Your paint retailer or big box of choice probably has water-based and solvent-based options in wet or natural look that would suit your needs. Waterbased will be lower odor and easier application at the expense of some durability. The solvent products are generally xylene based so you want good ventilation for putting them down. If you want to over engineer it, you could throw Sherwin Williams Rexthane Moisture-Cure Urethane or Armorseal 1K Waterbased Urethane clear on it. The Rexthane is particularly nasty stuff when putting it down but drat it's nice. Check manufacturer instructions for whatever you use, a lot of these will recommend to thin down the first coat on bare concrete for better penetration and then do one or two more coats full strength.
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Mar 12, 2021 03:05
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Final Blog Entry posted:Cool, if it's broom finished you shouldn't need to etch or anything else as long as water can soak in rather easily. If it's not getting too abused with heavy traffic or gnarly solvents and chemicals and you just want to keep it easy to clean and keep dust down then you probably don't need to be too picky. Your paint retailer or big box of choice probably has water-based and solvent-based options in wet or natural look that would suit your needs. Waterbased will be lower odor and easier application at the expense of some durability. The solvent products are generally xylene based so you want good ventilation for putting them down. Thanks for the information. I can actually do the more difficult (but more durable) stuff because it's brand new and tools/machines won't be installed for at least 3 more weeks. It's just a big empty space until then.
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Mar 12, 2021 03:33
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I made this wine rack a few years ago, and am finally getting around to hanging stuff up in our new house we moved into last year. We have a fireplace that goes through the middle of the upstairs dividing the kitchen and living room, and unfortunately this is the only place that makes sense to hang it in this space. We already have wine storage downstairs and really would like to hang this. I have a metal french cleat style hanging hardware on it. What would be the best way to secure it to the brick with confidence it wouldn't result in a horror show of 4 broken wine bottles? I've used tapcons for a couple hose hangers outside the house, drilling into the mortar, but never feel like I get them to really bite in, they sometimes feel loose, which just wouldn't work with this. If I used tapcons, should I try drilling into the brick itself, fix my technique in the mortar, or should I use a different kind of concrete anchor or even a regular plastic expansion drywall anchor? 
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Mar 12, 2021 03:42
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Can anyone recommend a good laser cutting service? I need some laser cut self-adhesive insulators made of fishpaper, kapton, or similar. Who has a lot of available materials and a good website where I can upload an autocad file? 600x300mm.
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Mar 12, 2021 05:09
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nosleep posted:I made this wine rack a few years ago, and am finally getting around to hanging stuff up in our new house we moved into last year. We have a fireplace that goes through the middle of the upstairs dividing the kitchen and living room, and unfortunately this is the only place that makes sense to hang it in this space. We already have wine storage downstairs and really would like to hang this. Tapcons in the brick instead of the mortar would probably do it. These old style lead concrete anchors are my favorite for softer material like brick. If you really don't want it to come off, drill the hole for the tapcon, clean the hole with a pipe cleaner, then fill the hole with two part epoxy and set the Tapcon, that'll hold 'er.
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Mar 12, 2021 05:10
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JacquelineDempsey posted:... My 90-YO house has the original sash double-hung windows. I ordered & installed storm windows that included a screen. You can build screens, or have them made - out of decent finished trim wood. My parent's house had wooden screens that we took down every fall. They had little matching number plaques for each window. They were fitted against the stop, and held in place with two hook & eyes on the inside.
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Mar 12, 2021 05:55
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PainterofCrap posted:You can build screens, or have them made Seconding that this is an option. My 1950s house still has the original casement windows and was missing screens on the 4 south windows. I took measurements and went to a local window shop. They hooked me up and the screens were a perfect fit.
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Mar 12, 2021 05:58
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fps_bill posted:Please tell me about self leveling concrete, or slme other type of solution to get a room in my basement level. When I pressure washed the block prior to drylok I noticed all the water was running towards the back wall. I set the laser level up this morning and shot the room, these are the measurements from the floor up. Are those basement dimensions inches or feet? A 135x54 foot basement seems huge, but a 4 foot wide basement seems tiny as hell (I live somewhere with few to no basements). With regard to the sloping, I wouldn't worry too much about it if it's sloping less than 1 inch over 20 feet. Usually if it's less than that, most people won't notice the out of levelness. You usually have to prepare slab floors to get the right surface profile for a good bond with a self leveling material (shotblast would be best, acid etch may be ok). Without the prep you risk it delaminating and cracking. You will risk the feathered edge cracking too, unless you cut in some sort of joint to give you the minimum required thickness of the product you use. You'll also potentially get shrinkage cracking, so don't add any more water than is called for. Some type of finished flooring will obviously hide any cracks if they occur. They are generally the consistency of runny pancake batter and the pot life is very short, so you need to mix and pour quickly (or mix in a hopper and pump continuously if that's available to you). You'll want to vent the space because the ones I've used in the past are fast set and the basement will get very warm and humid very quickly.
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Mar 12, 2021 08:01
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Xenix posted:Are those basement dimensions inches or feet? A 135x54 foot basement seems huge, but a 4 foot wide basement seems tiny as hell (I live somewhere with few to no basements). With regard to the sloping, I wouldn't worry too much about it if it's sloping less than 1 inch over 20 feet. Usually if it's less than that, most people won't notice the out of levelness. Sorry, those are inches. Thats just 1 room in my basement. If i had been thinking i would have used a yard stick and a ruler butted together 0-0 so my measurements would have been +/- off of zero. Zeroed the laser at the front middle of the room and went from there.
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Mar 12, 2021 09:56
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Ah ok. So that room slopes about twice as much as what the sort of "industry recommended" slope is for foundation performance where I'm at. If the house is old, the settlement from the new structure on the soil is likely complete. If it changes from time to time, you're on expansive soil, and it'll heave up a bit in the rainy season and settle back down in the dry season. If you're on a slope, you may want to monitor the area. If the sloping stops you from using the room how you like or it bugs you on a regular basis, then, sure, releveling it with a self leveler seems reasonable. I come up with needing about 2 cubic feet of material (possibly less). The sacks are usually something like 0.4 cu ft per sack, so you'd need 4-6 to level it out, so you'd be fine just mixing and pouring from 5 gallon buckets with a drill mixer.
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Mar 12, 2021 17:02
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spacetoaster posted:Thanks for the information. I can actually do the more difficult (but more durable) stuff because it's brand new and tools/machines won't be installed for at least 3 more weeks. It's just a big empty space until then.
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Mar 12, 2021 18:18
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Kaiser Schnitzel posted:I painted the old gross floor in my shop with Sherwin Williams industrial enamel with a grippy additive. It’s held up pretty well and was much much cheaper than epoxy or something. I think I had to prime it with something particular and if it is new concrete it will definitely need a particular primer. I like Sherwin Williams so I'll head over to their store in a few days.
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Mar 12, 2021 18:33
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Two questions. First, I have a small set of stairs going out my back door and into my yard - 3 stairs and maybe a 3x3 landing. Last year, during summer I applied some self adhesive no slip tape to try and help with icing. It worked OK for a while, but when clearing off snow one morning, the whole strip came off two steps like it was nothing. I followed the instructions, made sure the wood was clean and dry, not too hot or cold out when putting the tape on, and it is outdoor rated, maybe the adhesive is just weak? I was thinking of instead taking some resin and mixing in some pea gravel or something with a bit of grip and applying a layer to the steps. Good idea? Bad idea? I know it would be a bit more permanent, but I'll probably be replacing the boards in a few years anyway. Second, even though I've lived in this house for about 6 years now, it really only occurred to me the other day that I have some carpeting in my bathroom. There is about a 4 inch strip just on the other side of the doorway, inside the bathroom where the carpet from the hall comes in. Thinking on it, my guess is that the bathroom was redone and tiled before the carpet was completed, and the PO ran out of tiles, so they just continued the carpet into the bathroom. It's not a major concern, other than having carpet and padding in a bathroom just always feels gross. The carpet is far enough away that in any day to day scenario, I'm not too worried about drips or spills or anything like that, but if the toilet starts leaking it might be a problem. Presumably there is hard wood under the carpet, as there was when I pulled up carpet in other areas. Does it make sense to back burner this until we decide to replace the carpet in the hall area? I almost feel like it's not worth the effort to pull up this little strip, put down tile and add some kind of transition, but I also feel like I'd rather have a pro do it right if I'm going to do it.
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Mar 12, 2021 21:28
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CzarChasm posted:Two questions. First, I have a small set of stairs going out my back door and into my yard - 3 stairs and maybe a 3x3 landing. Last year, during summer I applied some self adhesive no slip tape to try and help with icing. It worked OK for a while, but when clearing off snow one morning, the whole strip came off two steps like it was nothing. I followed the instructions, made sure the wood was clean and dry, not too hot or cold out when putting the tape on, and it is outdoor rated, maybe the adhesive is just weak? I was thinking of instead taking some resin and mixing in some pea gravel or something with a bit of grip and applying a layer to the steps. Good idea? Bad idea? I know it would be a bit more permanent, but I'll probably be replacing the boards in a few years anyway. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08BPL2G8C/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 i'm using this on my stairs and it seems to work pretty well, it lasted the whole winter on my shittily painted stairs (lookiung at you PO) even with shoveling. I applied when it wasn't very warm out and I just kind of wiped the stairs with a broom quick before applying. I basically wanted to show I provided  in case amazon fell on my stairs.
tater_salad fucked around with this message at 22:17 on Mar 12, 2021 |
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Mar 12, 2021 22:14
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If you want a slip resistant surface that's more durable than those sticky strips a non-slip paint like this is what you want.
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Mar 12, 2021 22:55
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Both good options, thank you.
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Mar 12, 2021 23:48
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A third option if you already have a product in a color you like is to paint or epoxy coat the stairs and broadcast concrete or play sand into it while wet and then back roll or install a second coat.
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Mar 12, 2021 23:55
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I know lifeproof is a popular option, but how do people feel about duraclic at Lowe's?
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Mar 13, 2021 00:18
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spacetoaster posted:I like Sherwin Williams so I'll head over to their store in a few days. If you're headed to SW and decide you want something solid color instead of clear go with the H&C solvent based solid stain. Thin down the first coat with around 1 pint per gallon of xylene and then do one or two coats full strength. It'll hold up to probably anything you could ever do to it, with the exception of being sensitive to gasoline. The neat thing with it is that even years later if you gently caress it up with something or just want to freshen it up you can just dunk a brush or roller in straight xylene and go at the area with it, it will rewet the stain like it's fresh out of the can and will dry back down fresh and clean.
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Mar 13, 2021 01:13
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Elviscat posted:If you want a slip resistant surface that's more durable than those sticky strips a non-slip paint like this is what you want. I wonder if this’d be fine over the Rustoleum coating the PO here did. Hmm.
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Mar 13, 2021 03:37
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My fridge has some paint chipped off the corner, and the exposed metal is rusting. After sanding off the rust, what primer and / or paint should I put on it? I am in the UK.
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Mar 13, 2021 09:50
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Steakandchips posted:My fridge has some paint chipped off the corner, and the exposed metal is rusting. You'll want a rust preventing primer and enamel paint. There's a few 2 in 1s that will do it, it's often just called appliance paint. Here's some UK choices, I'd probably check some reviews and match the color: https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=appliance+paint
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Mar 13, 2021 17:55
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Rexxed posted:You'll want a rust preventing primer and enamel paint. There's a few 2 in 1s that will do it, it's often just called appliance paint. Here's some UK choices, I'd probably check some reviews and match the color: Thanks. In your link there was the direct to rust Hammerite white paint jar. I have the spray on tin already, which I will use. Much appreciated, thank you!
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Mar 13, 2021 19:42
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Looking to build assemble a computer 8ft table. I want to prevent sag in the center. Similar to this: Bottom: https://i.imgur.com/jVZtsf2.jpg (I don't want to use slotted angle though because my kids are always hiding under the desk ) Assembled: https://i.imgur.com/q4z34FS.jpg The concern is sag in the middle due to weight. Will this actually help with the sag? Instead of having the slotted angle, I am looking to have this strut stuff (not sure 12 or 14, poo poo is expensive though) 12 gauge - https://www.homedepot.com/p/Superstrut-10-ft-12-Gauge-Half-Slotted-Metal-Framing-Strut-Channel-Gold-Galvanized-ZA1200HS-10/100125003 14 gauge - https://www.homedepot.com/p/Superstrut-10-ft-14-Gauge-Half-Slotted-Metal-Framing-Strut-Channel-Gold-Galvanized-ZB1400HS-10/100164315 I would be using a solid wood countertop though, not particle board from ikea. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Interbuild-Acacia-8-ft-L-x-25-in-D-x-1-5-in-T-Butcher-Block-Countertop-in-Brown-Oil-Stain-669179/309607680 Any input?
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Mar 13, 2021 20:44
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If it's solid wood that's almost overkill. https://woodbin.com/calcs/sagulator/ I would reckon a single square profile bar would offer more rigidity than the L profile stuff. Otherwise, I lean more towards wood being easier to work with, and an apron would also work well to brace the span. I eyeballed it with a random big box store wood and in a worst case scenario, a little 4x1 apron would suffice to prevent sag with 200lbs on the center of the desk. 
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Mar 14, 2021 09:11
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