|
Do these honeycomb cellular shades look fixable? There are two of them: left side hangs normally, right side is crooked and doesn't close any further than this. The brand is Smith & Noble. Sounds like maybe they can be restrung, but not sure if that's an easy job for a novice... 
|
#
?
Sep 10, 2021 15:53
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 30, 2024 15:48 |
|
|
First try: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uWwp9QILZs Then try: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jup3Ios3S5M IDK how expensive they are but if they're hosed, and you can't return them, why not take a crack at it? That's like the DIY golden ticket: if it works, you're your own repairman; if it doesn't, you get to buy new ones guilt free! Wasabi the J fucked around with this message at 23:56 on Sep 10, 2021 |
|
#
?
Sep 10, 2021 23:53
|
|
|
Restringing them is annoying but easy. 1. Measure the length of the string on the working side. Add 3-4". Cut a piece of replacement cord to that length. 2. Take them off the window and compress the accordion as far as it will go. 3. Rubberband the shades to keep them compressed. 4. Thread replacement cord through. 5. Make a knot at the bottom of the shades. Remove rubber bands. 6. Open shades to their normal width, then secure cord to top of whatever winds up the shades. Buy your supplies (and read helpful instructions!) at https://fixmyblinds.com/collections/identify-your-blind This is easier with two people, both when you're compressing the blinds and when you're threading the cord through.
|
|
#
?
Sep 11, 2021 00:15
|
|
|
I have a beat up single-pane basement window down in a “well.” Its not an egress. It doesn’t let in any light and it’s not visible from the outside of the house because there’s a ground-floor bay window hanging over it. I can barely wedge my arms in to reach it from the outside. How dumb of an idea is just covering it from the outside with 2” pink foam board and filling the edges with canned expanding foam? It won’t be visible at all from outdoors.
|
|
#
?
Sep 11, 2021 18:52
|
|
|
eddiewalker posted:I have a beat up single-pane basement window down in a “well.” Seems fine. Maybe make it reversible if you can. Oh, but whatever you do make sure it's properly sealed and weatherproof or you're going to get water trapped in there rotting your woodwork.
|
|
#
?
Sep 11, 2021 18:55
|
|
|
The “sealed and weatherproof” is what I’m concerned about. Pink board and foam cans are all closed-cell I think, but I don’t want to go creating a big sponge.
|
|
#
?
Sep 11, 2021 18:59
|
|
|
I don't use some of my ceiling fixtures, so I use the blank decora plates on the right. For the ones with fixtures I use the decora toggles on the left. Unfortunately the blank plates have a design defect - the circled area that is empty on the toggle is filled in on the blank plate - meaning there is no way to get it flush with the wall, as the inner part of the decora screwless wall plate (the part you screw in) makes contact there. What would be a good way to fix this? some sort of really small hole punch? Obviously I would need to do four of them.
|
|
#
?
Sep 11, 2021 21:10
|
|
|
Stack Machine posted:[slowly liveposting shed progress] OK, so the past two weekends were roofing and window installation. I can finally leave it in the rain without a tarp over it.  It's probably obvious which side I did first. The good news is that at least the less-evenly-spaced rows of shingles face away from the street/back yard area.  I just kind of flowed the cap shingles over the edge of the ridge vent, which doesn't look great from the ground so I might just slice it and nail it flush, but hey it'll probably shed water, hopefully. Otherwise it'd be a pretty bad shed.
|
|
#
?
Sep 12, 2021 01:16
|
|
|
actionjackson posted:I don't use some of my ceiling fixtures, so I use the blank decora plates on the right. For the ones with fixtures I use the decora toggles on the left. Unfortunately the blank plates have a design defect - the circled area that is empty on the toggle is filled in on the blank plate - meaning there is no way to get it flush with the wall, as the inner part of the decora screwless wall plate (the part you screw in) makes contact there. What would be a good way to fix this? some sort of really small hole punch? Obviously I would need to do four of them. Dremel with a shaping bit if you've got one.
|
|
#
?
Sep 12, 2021 01:46
|
|
|
Slugworth posted:Any sort of small saw, side nipper, file, etc. There's honestly not a lot of wrong ways to do it. I think I'd find a rough file/rasp that was the right size and have at it. Should eat through that plastic fast. cool thank you
|
|
#
?
Sep 12, 2021 06:36
|
|
|
Edit - solved my own problem.
zaepg fucked around with this message at 20:06 on Sep 14, 2021 |
|
#
?
Sep 12, 2021 19:12
|
|
|
Slugworth posted:Any sort of small saw, side nipper, file, etc. There's honestly not a lot of wrong ways to do it. I think I'd find a rough file/rasp that was the right size and have at it. Should eat through that plastic fast. I contacted Leviton, they said that I needed a different one for Decora screwless wallplates, so I ordered it and will return the other ones but goddamn it was so misleading, the one I have now says "for decora wallplates" https://www.homedepot.com/p/Leviton-Decora-Plastic-Adapter-Blank-No-Hole-Gray-80414-GY/301753393 but no you actually need this one, which does not have "blank" in the name, has no reviews, and is not sold in stores. Oh and it's literally not even on leviton's own website https://www.homedepot.com/p/Leviton-1-Gang-Decora-Midway-Wall-Plate-White-80314-W/301349055
|
|
#
?
Sep 14, 2021 19:01
|
|
|
My garage door has been opening strangely. When I go to open it, the left side starts to move up the track, then a second later the right side snaps into place and starts to move too. It will jump about 2" or so to catch up, then it opens fine. If I close the door and immediately re-open, it's fine. I've checked the track for blockages and oiled the wheels, everything is moving fine, and you can free-spin the wheels by hand when the door is down. Anything I should check?
|
|
#
?
Sep 15, 2021 16:32
|
|
|
What did you oil them with? White lithium or the wrong thing? Clean the tracks, and try to see if the track is "straight" still, or if all the wheels spin easily. Do you have a spring?
|
|
#
?
Sep 15, 2021 16:53
|
|
|
H110Hawk posted:What did you oil them with? White lithium or the wrong thing? I oiled them with 3 in 1 garage door lube. All wheels spin easily, tracks appear to be straight, yes I have a spring and it appears to be in working condition.
|
|
#
?
Sep 15, 2021 18:19
|
|
|
Is this all observed with a motorized opener? Have you pulled the release cord and run the door up and down slowly by hand?
|
|
#
?
Sep 15, 2021 18:22
|
|
|
eddiewalker posted:Is this all observed with a motorized opener? Have you pulled the release cord and run the door up and down slowly by hand? I tried the release this morning. It still hung for a second on the left side, but you can freely spin the wheel before trying to lift it up.
|
|
#
?
Sep 16, 2021 11:39
|
|
|
Y'all, I got a weird loving question that has been bugging my wife and I for years, since the first time we tried to take down something we had scotch-taped to our walls. Our paint is that cheap flat matte rough-as-hell apartment-standard white in color, but when we put masking tape on it for something, the masking tape peeled the paint off like wallpaper, revealing a brown soft papery layer underneath. You can't Magic Eraser the crayon off without taking up the paint either. I suspect it's painted-over wallpaper, since the PO was a little old lady, my wife thinks it's just builder-grade paint or cheaper. I'm really honestly just curious at this point. At some point in the near future, we're painting at least a couple of the walls to start, probably the whole place eventually. Will primer take care of these issues so that we can clean a nice satin paint without taking it up? Emulsion the best for interior since it's low-VOC and we have animals and kids? EDIT: Another thing I just thought of. Our bathroom towel bar came down some time ago, pulled off the wall when my oldest tugged on the towel a little too hard. It appears to have been just sort of...set in the drywall, if that makes sense? Plastered in? No screws or anything, it's one of those bog-standard ceramic-y apartment ones. So now there are two sizable holes, maybe 3" x 4" each, clear through the drywall. My wife picked up this wall repair fabric that is self-adhesive and you spackle over, but it looks like it's more for cracks. These are big honkin' holes - what's good to repair giant drywall holes? EDIT: AmbassadorofSodomy posted:Post pics.  Good point.Tiny sample of what happens when scotch or masking tape come off the wall, God forbid anything stickier.  Towel bar holes. 
D34THROW fucked around with this message at 17:39 on Sep 16, 2021 |
|
#
?
Sep 16, 2021 15:06
|
|
|
D34THROW posted:Y'all, I got a weird loving question that has been bugging my wife and I for years, since the first time we tried to take down something we had scotch-taped to our walls. Our paint is that cheap flat matte rough-as-hell apartment-standard white in color, but when we put masking tape on it for something, the masking tape peeled the paint off like wallpaper, revealing a brown soft papery layer underneath. You can't Magic Eraser the crayon off without taking up the paint either. Post pics.
|
|
#
?
Sep 16, 2021 17:08
|
|
|
D34THROW posted:
Top pic - Looks like the paint pulled the paper off the drywall behind it. Spackle, sand, prime, paint to patch it. Given the general condition/coloration/staining of the rest of the wall it's going to stand out, but getting it to "primed" is far enough given they need to repaint the entire wall. If you've lived there long enough, or it was like that when you got it (hope you have pictures) they can't make you pay for it (in the USA anyways.) Second pic - I assume this is trimmed up but I bet they used construction adhesive to glue it up. Perfectly fine, if a kid rips it off the wall screws aren't going to change the outcome unless it's screwed into the studs. Low / Zero VOC paint is good for the environment, but you should be opening the windows and airing the house out for DAYS post painting regardless. Paint fumes aren't good for you, VOC's are worse. A well primed and painted wall with high quality paint will sustain WAY more abuse than flat apartment white $19.95/gallon garbage. Eggshell or satin will sustain it even better. Based on the staining on your wall that paint is just junk, and the drywall behind it has been absorbing abuse for decades because of it. We had the same tape problem in our cheap rented condo, but our house with $50/gallon paint, properly primed, two coats, etc, we can scrub the hell out of. Had a piece pop off the other day taking some plaster with it and it surprised me, but I also pulled a 3m hook straight off the wall instead of delicately releasing it like you're supposed to - I got cocky and paid for it.
|
|
#
?
Sep 16, 2021 17:48
|
|
|
I think I ran over a raccoon latrine with my brand new lawn mower. Yuck. Now I am worried I have breathed in or eaten the roundworm eggs. Also I'm yucked out by my lawn mower now. Anyone have such an experience?
|
|
#
?
Sep 16, 2021 19:39
|
|
|
H110Hawk posted:Top pic - Looks like the paint pulled the paper off the drywall behind it. Spackle, sand, prime, paint to patch it. Given the general condition/coloration/staining of the rest of the wall it's going to stand out, but getting it to "primed" is far enough given they need to repaint the entire wall. If you've lived there long enough, or it was like that when you got it (hope you have pictures) they can't make you pay for it (in the USA anyways.) The PO's children flipped the place after she died. The place is full of shoddy DIY worksmanship - the paint jobs in the bathroom, for example. There were paint drips on the TP holder, paint on the tile and door trim, paint on the ceiling. The laminate throughout the main area of the house isn't very tight at all, the T-molding between the kitchen/foyer and the laminate looks like they barely used any adhesive on it at all (let alone a track). EDIT: I digressed. The point being that the finishes were mostly-new when we moved in. Luckily we rent from my parents, who bought the place to help us move out of a lovely and hopeless situation a thousand miles away. We pretty much have carte blanche to do anything minor like painting - they just don't want us getting major poo poo done without their approval like roofing (that's another story). A lot of our walls are hosed between four very artistic children and a handful of rescue rabbits that just adore spraying piss all over. We also have phantom handprints in the kitchen and bathroom wall paint, like the painters leaned on them or something. quote:Second pic - I assume this is trimmed up but I bet they used construction adhesive to glue it up. Perfectly fine, if a kid rips it off the wall screws aren't going to change the outcome unless it's screwed into the studs. It's pretty much exactly as it's been since the bar came off. Nice clean holes with a bit of the white paint behind to show they painted around the towel bar (and got paint on that too). Will that wall repair fabric (looks like nylon mesh with roughly 1/4" holes) work to patch it up or is that for reinforcing cracks? D34THROW fucked around with this message at 19:50 on Sep 16, 2021 |
|
#
?
Sep 16, 2021 19:45
|
|
|
Slugworth posted:Any sort of small saw, side nipper, file, etc. There's honestly not a lot of wrong ways to do it. I think I'd find a rough file/rasp that was the right size and have at it. Should eat through that plastic fast. okay update, I found out it's not the circle parts, but from the parts of that top and bottom part that are raised. So I just spent the early part of the afternoon dremel-ing six of these and putting them back in. it worked! thanks
|
|
#
?
Sep 16, 2021 20:37
|
|
|
Woodsy Owl posted:I think I ran over a raccoon latrine with my brand new lawn mower. Yuck. Now I am worried I have breathed in or eaten the roundworm eggs. Also I'm yucked out by my lawn mower now. Anyone have such an experience? Unless you actually ate whatever created the odor, you should be fine.
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2021 15:55
|
|
|
Could someone give me a quick rundown of where permeable membranes are used in timber framed houses? Stuff like Tyvek Housewrap. From what I can tell you use it (or a similar product) 1. on the underside of suspended timber floors, where it supports the insulation 2. on the outside of wall sheathing, e.g. stud -> OSB -> housewrap -> battens -> cladding 3. NOT on flat roofs, since they have an impermeable top surface anyway (joist -> OSB -> EPDM in my case) Is that correct? Anywhere I've missed? The idea is that it blocks the majority of weather while still allowing moisture to pass through (out of) the building, right? Is there anything special I need to do with it around flashing areas? Is there a rule of thumb for how to overlap it with other materials? Many thanks.
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2021 20:17
|
|
|
Installing bath fan that has a light built into it. This bathroom has a separate switch for the light, separate switch for the fan.  I'm supposed connect the bath fan's blue wire to the red wire. Correct? I'm just so used to matching up color to color so when I saw blue and red wires got all 
melon cat fucked around with this message at 22:27 on Sep 17, 2021 |
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2021 22:24
|
|
|
Jaded Burnout posted:Could someone give me a quick rundown of where permeable membranes are used in timber framed houses? Stuff like Tyvek Housewrap. What are you trying to do with it? There are a lot of membrane products and they are made for a bunch of different purposes. Tyvek is typically used as a mechanical drainage layer (also called a drainage plane or a Water Resistive Barrier) behind exterior cladding. It has a high perm rating, so it is not suitable for use as a vapor barrier. I wouldn't use it to support insulation - drywall/plaster board will do that just as well. Some people use a membrane to hold back insulation when the membrane is also a vapor barrier, but Tyvek isn't. This is the Dupont guide for flashing with Tyvek, you might find it helpful: https://www.dupont.com/content/dam/...tall_Reside.pdf It's sometimes called the 'red line' test - on your drawing (or use a finger if you're doing this in the field on the building itself) trace the path of water touching the barrier. If you find a place where it can go into the building around your flashing, rethink your flashing. EDIT: you asked for a quick rundown, here is a very high level one that talks about use behind siding, no other applications: https://www.finehomebuilding.com/pdf/021177066.pdf
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2021 22:51
|
|
|
melon cat posted:Installing bath fan that has a light built into it. It Depends(tm) - Can you post a picture of the wiring diagram in the instructions? Or make+model? Or both?
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2021 23:03
|
|
|
Tezer posted:What are you trying to do with it? There are a lot of membrane products and they are made for a bunch of different purposes. I'm perhaps failing the A/B problem here. The issue is that in the UK we don't have a lot of timber construction, so our go-to code documents aren't necessarily relevant, or at least I can't be sure they're relevant. I've got a few specialist books which have some details, but I wanted to check with folks that deal with this more routinely, which is the case in the US. I've been using the New Zealand standards for a lot of the structural work, but they've moved their membrane information into another standard which isn't freely available. Because our standard build is a two-leaf masonry wall, I don't know for sure what types of membranes are used where and why. Tezer posted:I wouldn't use it to support insulation - drywall/plaster board will do that just as well. Some people use a membrane to hold back insulation when the membrane is also a vapor barrier, but Tyvek isn't. The reason I mentioned supporting the insulation is because of this: https://www.dupont.co.uk/building/suspended-timber-floor-construction.html posted:Tyvek® Supro membranes are sturdy and durable. They provide adequate support for the insulation, and are recommended for use in suspended timber floor constructions. Plasterboard isn't suitable because it's the floor I'm talking about, rather than the ceiling. It's a one-storey structure. Tezer posted:This is the Dupont guide for flashing with Tyvek, you might find it helpful: These look useful, I'll take a look, thanks.
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2021 23:34
|
|
|
H110Hawk posted:It Depends(tm) - Can you post a picture of the wiring diagram in the instructions? Or make+model? Or both? Hey yeah it's the Panasonic FV-0510VSL1. Here's a screenshot of the wiring diagram: 
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2021 23:36
|
|
|
melon cat posted:Hey yeah it's the Panasonic FV-0510VSL1. Here's a screenshot of the wiring diagram: Well then, that clears it up. Unless someone here knows better I would start by capping both blues off, but all the whites together, red to one black, and the supply black to the remaining supply red, and connect your ground to the ground screw. See what that gets you. I bet your nightlight does not work. Or call the number on the box and ask wtf because the drawing doesn't match the product.
|
|
#
?
Sep 18, 2021 00:09
|
|
|
melon cat posted:Hey yeah it's the Panasonic FV-0510VSL1. Here's a screenshot of the wiring diagram: lmao that's a pretty horseshit diagram. Though if you look through the manual, I think this is what you're looking for on page 8:  Which... isn't much better given what you have. It looks like you need to trace the wires back to their connector on the fan side to differentiate what they're for. Nothing is called out as blue, though... I would guess blue is the fan, the blacks are the lights, but tracing them back should tell you all you need to know. Green is of course ground, and white is neutral. So with the wiring you have, I would say both lights on the same switch, and then the fan on the other. You won't be able to control the night light separately unless you run a new cable and add a switch. this is a shitshow. Probably some intern or junior engineer... this is way too easy to screw up this bad. DaveSauce fucked around with this message at 01:37 on Sep 18, 2021 |
|
#
?
Sep 18, 2021 01:33
|
|
|
H110Hawk posted:Well then, that clears it up. Unless someone here knows better I would start by capping both blues off, but all the whites together, red to one black, and the supply black to the remaining supply red, and connect your ground to the ground screw. See what that gets you. I bet your nightlight does not work. Yeah that would explain why I couldn't make sense of the wiring diagram. No mention of the blue wire whatsoever in the manual. This poo poo is dumb. DaveSauce posted:lmao that's a pretty horseshit diagram. "Netural"  Also worth nothing: this is for an toilet room in an attic which already has two switches. The toilet has its own room and the sink + shower is outside of it (don't ask I didn't do this poo poo). The previous old unit was a Broan "boob" style bath fan. One switch controlled the light once switch controlled the light. I hope I can get similar functionality out of this Panasonic one. melon cat fucked around with this message at 01:40 on Sep 18, 2021 |
|
#
?
Sep 18, 2021 01:34
|
|
|
You know that diagram actually isn't so bad, if they'd only use the right drat wire colors. Seriously this isn't hard. I'd expect a screw-up like this to happen maybe once in a while on big complicated machines, not a fan where there are literally 6 wires.
|
|
#
?
Sep 18, 2021 01:39
|
|
|
DaveSauce posted:You know that diagram actually isn't so bad, if they'd only use the right drat wire colors. Does this pic of the bath fan's junction box help at all? It at least identifies which ones are for the "lights". 
|
|
#
?
Sep 18, 2021 02:14
|
|
|
melon cat posted:Does this pic of the bath fan's junction box help at all? It at least identifies which ones are for the "lights". Yeah try what I suggested. If you get nightlight instead of regular light then try the blue to red instead of lights-black to red.
|
|
#
?
Sep 18, 2021 03:00
|
|
|
I'm considering getting insulation blown into the stud bays of my house. Is my understanding of the process basically correct?
I also have to do the cost/benefit analysis, especially regarding how long I expect to continue to live in this house. I spent a fair amount on heating last winter, despite keeping the house pretty cool (like, never more than 65F)...but I'm not sure I'll still be living here in a year. It's the obviously correct thing to do from an environmental standpoint, but I very much doubt it'll budge the sale price of the house significantly. I haven't solicited quotes yet, but I'd guess that getting this done would cost probably a few thousand dollars for a 1100-sqft house?
|
|
#
?
Sep 18, 2021 04:40
|
|
|
TooMuchAbstraction posted:I'm considering getting insulation blown into the stud bays of my house. Is my understanding of the process basically correct? Ours did it from the outside and patched all the stucco but I had to paint. It was 100% worth it from purely a comfort standpoint, and paid for itself in reduced heating/cooling costs in like 2 years. (Mostly cooling, hello 100+F summers.) We also did the attic. Would do it again.
|
|
#
?
Sep 18, 2021 05:31
|
|
|
Tezer posted:What are you trying to do with it? There are a lot of membrane products and they are made for a bunch of different purposes. Tyvek is typically used as a mechanical drainage layer (also called a drainage plane or a Water Resistive Barrier) behind exterior cladding. It has a high perm rating, so it is not suitable for use as a vapor barrier. I wouldn't use it to support insulation - drywall/plaster board will do that just as well. Some people use a membrane to hold back insulation when the membrane is also a vapor barrier, but Tyvek isn't. OK so after some more reading it looks like the intended approach is to use a breather membrane (I think this is the term we use more than WRB) externally and a vapour barrier internally, basically two bubbles. I think I can manage that. Looks like something like Tyvek AirGuard Reflective for inside and Tyvek Housewrap for the outside would do the job?
|
|
#
?
Sep 18, 2021 10:05
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 30, 2024 15:48 |
|
|
H110Hawk posted:Yeah try what I suggested. If you get nightlight instead of regular light then try the blue to red instead of lights-black to red.
|
|
#
?
Sep 18, 2021 13:17
|
|