|
Yeah if wasps started crawling out of toilets I would burn my house down and just start anew, nope nope no thanks noooooooooope
|
#
?
Sep 13, 2021 18:47
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 31, 2024 00:00 |
|
|
Arsenic Lupin posted:But I came here to ask about this: Honestly, it’s probably easier to skip the trap check and just pour a little water in. Just get a cup and make the rounds of running sinks/tubs and pouring water in drains without running water via the cup. It doesn’t take much to fill the trap. Actually checking drains in a tight spot with no direct line of sight usually involves strategic use of mirrors and flashlights, or a drain scope. You can just look down things like sinks, but it’s more effort to pull the stopper mechanisms to see than it is to just run the sink.
|
|
#
?
Sep 13, 2021 18:55
|
|
Johnny Truant posted:Yeah if wasps started crawling out of toilets I would burn my house down and just start anew, nope nope no thanks noooooooooope 
|
|
|
#
?
Sep 13, 2021 21:12
|
|
|
Yellow jackets in vent stacks is a horrifying new one to me, but probably a pretty easy fix in the grand scheme of things.
|
|
#
?
Sep 13, 2021 22:30
|
|
|
are there any weird downsides to radon mitigation I should know about? I’ve had a long term test thing running and the average radon value it’s coming back with is like 6.6 picl a month, so I think it’s probably needed.
|
|
#
?
Sep 13, 2021 23:15
|
|
|
kitten emergency posted:are there any weird downsides to radon mitigation I should know about? I’ve had a long term test thing running and the average radon value it’s coming back with is like 6.6 picl a month, so I think it’s probably needed. Sure, the downsides are that you have an electrically powered fan running all the time and you're potentially dragging in outside air (to to negative the negative pressure being created), increasing cooling and heating bills. The upside is not getting cancer.
|
|
#
?
Sep 13, 2021 23:25
|
|
|
kitten emergency posted:are there any weird downsides to radon mitigation I should know about? I’ve had a long term test thing running and the average radon value it’s coming back with is like 6.6 picl a month, so I think it’s probably needed. You're also slightly increasing the radon concentration immediately outside your house. Like, sliiiiightly. We're talking near homeopathy levels here.
|
|
#
?
Sep 13, 2021 23:48
|
|
|
cruft posted:You're also slightly increasing the radon concentration immediately outside your house. The first house I was under contract for last year was a purchase from a homeopathy "doctor". The radon mitigation system apparently was making noise when she purchased the place 10+ years ago so she simply unplugged the thing so the vibrations didn't interfere with her blood. The kitchen didn't have a microwave and the wireless router was surrounded by an aluminum foil box in the basement.  
|
|
#
?
Sep 14, 2021 00:07
|
|
|
Motronic posted:Sure, the downsides are that you have an electrically powered fan running all the time and you're potentially dragging in outside air (to to negative the negative pressure being created), increasing cooling and heating bills. well yeah i figured the upsides. didnt really know how they worked so this was helpful. thanks!
|
|
#
?
Sep 14, 2021 00:11
|
|
|
kitten emergency posted:well yeah i figured the upsides. didnt really know how they worked so this was helpful. thanks! It's really just some PVC pipes drilled into the right places under your basement slab that are all connected together running to the roof of your house somewhere with a fan somewhere in that mix to keep dragging air out from under the slab. Some part of it that you should be able to see past where the pipes come together will have a gauge on it that tells you "yes, this is sucking enough" or "no, no longer sucking enough". They're pretty maintenance free systems. At some point the fan will die of course, and you'll replace it and it will run for another 15+ years.
|
|
#
?
Sep 14, 2021 00:14
|
|
|
The house I am building is in a high radon area according to the first few results of googling radon maps. Our foundation under the basement slab is all crushed stone and pea gravel with perforated drain pipes that run to 2 sump crocks in the corners of the basement. Our radon solution was to run a 3” pvc pipe from one of the crocks to the roof with an in-line fan on the outside of the house. Then then the crocks were sealed with acrylic covers and silicone. It brought our radon levels of 7-9 down to 2-3, so apparently it is working. TLDR: You might not need to dig through your basement floor if you have a sump crock.
|
|
#
?
Sep 14, 2021 00:39
|
|
|
NomNomNom posted:Getting a new concrete driveway and patio, contractor offers and recommends an acrylic sealer. Easy upsell for them or actually worthwhile? Maybe worthwhile, depending on what they're actually talking about applying. "Acrylic sealer" is kind of vague. If anything, a silane or siloxane water repellent would be what I'd use. They completely penetrate, aren't film-building, and won't alter the color or appearance of the concrete. They would help keep the concrete cleaner from mildew/algae growth and easier to clean when you do need to break out the pressure washer. If applicable to your region, they supposedly protect against deicing salts and ice damage, but I'm a Floridian who can't speak to that personally. Keep in mind too that most any exterior clear sealer or water repellent will have a lifespan of anywhere from 1-4 years depending on the product, application, exposure, and traffic. Unless you're going to keep up with redoing it as needed, it's probably not worth doing as a one-time deal when it's poured.
|
|
#
?
Sep 14, 2021 01:10
|
|
|
I've been dragging my feet on installing my radon mitigation system. Got all the pieces, have just been procrastinating on cutting the hole in the side of my house. I suppose one other downside to a radon mitigation system is the potential noise that the fan and vibrations the pipes could cause. Depending on where the system is installed this may or may not be an issue for you. Because I need to install mine on the exterior wall about 18" from where I sleep at night, I went with a low voltage fan, thicker pipes, and have some rubber gaskets ready to install on the wall clamps to cut down on vibration transfer. Hopefully it will be nearly silent or at the worst a quiet white noise. Found a lot of great info on that here: https://www.wpb-radon.com/Radon_fan_noise.html If you're paying someone else to install the system you may or may not be able to control these factors.
|
|
#
?
Sep 14, 2021 01:11
|
|
|
We got the 4" option which was a little bit more for materials but allowed for lower velocity and reduced noise. I haven't heard a sound from the system in 18 months. We could have gone with a variable speed fan for a few hundred more dollars that would have let them dial in exactly how much flow was needed, potentially saving electrical costs. But I calc'd it out and it wasn't ever really going to pay for itself. e: they sealed both sump pits, core drilled a 4" hole in one corner, and sucked out a couple buckets worth of gravel immediately below the hole. They drill a couple of test ports on the other side of the basement to test suction draw of the system to make sure it was pulling enough. brugroffil fucked around with this message at 01:42 on Sep 14, 2021 |
|
#
?
Sep 14, 2021 01:33
|
|
|
Modus Man posted:The house I am building is in a high radon area according to the first few results of googling radon maps. Our foundation under the basement slab is all crushed stone and pea gravel with perforated drain pipes that run to 2 sump crocks in the corners of the basement. Our radon solution was to run a 3” pvc pipe from one of the crocks to the roof with an in-line fan on the outside of the house. Then then the crocks were sealed with acrylic covers and silicone. It brought our radon levels of 7-9 down to 2-3, so apparently it is working. we do indeed have a sump crock. I wonder if the reason the radon levels are high is because it’s not sealed? the slab is floating as well so I presume gas can infiltrate that way.
|
|
#
?
Sep 14, 2021 01:38
|
|
|
kitten emergency posted:we do indeed have a sump crock. I wonder if the reason the radon levels are high is because it’s not sealed? the slab is floating as well so I presume gas can infiltrate that way. Oh yeah, that's supposed to at least have a heavy lid on it. I've never seen them truly sealed, but that might be a thing where that would do the trick rather than a full on active radon system (that's never the case around here).
|
|
#
?
Sep 14, 2021 01:47
|
|
|
Motronic posted:Oh yeah, that's supposed to at least have a heavy lid on it. I've never seen them truly sealed, but that might be a thing where that would do the trick rather than a full on active radon system (that's never the case around here). yeah right now it just has a kinda flimsy plastic cover with a hole in it for the dehumidifier drain line to go into
|
|
#
?
Sep 14, 2021 01:48
|
|
|
kitten emergency posted:yeah right now it just has a kinda flimsy plastic cover with a hole in it for the dehumidifier drain line to go into I mean......if you have a really detectable radon level covering that and even sealing it isn't likely to solve the issue. That's not really how radon and/or concrete work. But the good news is that in places that have radon there are (used to be) plenty of contractors that can get this done for a reasonable price. In hellworld who knows how this works out but it shouldn't be a big deal at least in materials.
|
|
#
?
Sep 14, 2021 02:12
|
|
|
Motronic posted:Only if it's closed, but that same valve is something that would never be needed (or closed) on a properly working and serviced system because......the system is literally lower than your lowest sanitary output by definition. Spoke to the other plumbing/septic company in town and got the same "they're supposed to breath" spiel, the only difference was that they also suggested that, since mine is a pump out tank, sealing it too tightly might create a vacuum when it's pumping? I'm just going to tuck tape the gently caress out of it and see what happens. If nothing goes awry, I'll do it properly with that tape stuff you linked.
|
|
#
?
Sep 14, 2021 03:28
|
|
|
kitten emergency posted:we do indeed have a sump crock. I wonder if the reason the radon levels are high is because it’s not sealed? the slab is floating as well so I presume gas can infiltrate that way. We sealed the sump crocks because our system is drawing the air right from there instead of a separate hole through the basement slab. Without sealing the lids there would be no suction. I also doubt that just sealing the lids alone would reduce the amount of radon in the basement. As far as I know the only way to get rid of it is to actively remove it and vent it into the atmosphere.
|
|
#
?
Sep 14, 2021 03:49
|
|
|
kitten emergency posted:we do indeed have a sump crock. I wonder if the reason the radon levels are high is because it’s not sealed? the slab is floating as well so I presume gas can infiltrate that way. We installed our old radon mitigation system in our sump pit and it cost maybe 800 for that and the sump pump. Depending on your house, I would make sure to install a sump pump at the same time. For some reason houses in our area of CO only had the pit, but with no pump, butit was fed by a french drain system around the house and if the pit filled with water above the pvc draining into it, the radon mitigation no longer worked (since it was essentially sucking the air/radon from the ground through the French drain, which was now blocked). I also don't think your radon is going to be a result of the opening; It's not as if all the radon is being funnelled through that opening. PageMaster fucked around with this message at 06:12 on Sep 14, 2021 |
|
#
?
Sep 14, 2021 06:07
|
|
|
thanks for the insight! we’re getting some quotes but it seems pretty affordable.
|
|
#
?
Sep 14, 2021 06:58
|
|
|
When the ground is really saturated my radon system will gurgle, always wondering if I could put in some sort of access plug or anything to try and suck that water out because it’s quite loud. Obviously would need to be air tight when closed.
|
|
#
?
Sep 14, 2021 09:52
|
|
|
Concrete contractors broke ground this morning. That mini ex doesn't mess around.
|
|
#
?
Sep 14, 2021 14:16
|
|
|
Well that's not great. They got a ton of work done today, but while demolishing the existing concrete patio found out it was semi attached to the house: 
|
|
#
?
Sep 14, 2021 21:40
|
|
|
NomNomNom posted:Well that's not great. They got a ton of work done today, but while demolishing the existing concrete patio found out it was semi attached to the house: I hope they’re paying for the repair.
|
|
#
?
Sep 15, 2021 00:57
|
|
|
BigFactory posted:I hope they’re paying for the repair. What repair?
|
|
#
?
Sep 15, 2021 01:13
|
|
|
NomNomNom posted:Well that's not great. They got a ton of work done today, but while demolishing the existing concrete patio found out it was semi attached to the house: 
|
|
#
?
Sep 15, 2021 18:08
|
|
EVERYWHERE 
|
Sous Videodrome posted:
Got the fence painted over the weekend! Primed:   and painted:  Any suggestions for a good vine on the back trellis? Grapes would be nice but I don't want to attract rats. Something native to the PNW would be best. Separate question: I have a window well that just has dirt at the bottom. It's under a roof overhang and basically never gets wet. I have never had water intrusion issues. I've pulled the grate to repaint it and I have painted the walls of the window well. Should I bother putting gravel down? I've read that you should have a minimum of 3-6" of gravel, but given it's been in place since the house was built I feel like adding gravel would basically just be an aesthetic change. 
|
|
#
?
Sep 15, 2021 20:14
|
|
|
Sous Videodrome posted:Any suggestions for a good vine on the back trellis? Grapes would be nice but I don't want to attract rats. Something native to the PNW would be best. Hops, if you do not have a dog. Grows pretty fast, looks nice, smells great in the fall.
|
|
#
?
Sep 15, 2021 20:24
|
|
|
quote:I have a window well that just has dirt at the bottom. Build a diorama. Pyramids or stonehenge will always be cute to see out your basement window. peanut fucked around with this message at 00:26 on Sep 16, 2021 |
|
#
?
Sep 16, 2021 00:24
|
|
|
Most of the grading done today. No improvement to the brick by the door other than my dude saying he'll handle it...
|
|
#
?
Sep 16, 2021 00:44
|
|
|
NomNomNom posted:Most of the grading done today. No improvement to the brick by the door other than my dude saying he'll handle it... I totally missed that in the first picture. That sucks, good luck getting it repaired. I just looked at the dirt and first few feet under the window.
|
|
#
?
Sep 16, 2021 00:58
|
|
|
Motronic posted:What repair? Oh snap, I didn't see the missing brick, either.
|
|
#
?
Sep 16, 2021 01:03
|
|
|
What is that we're seeing beneath the previously existing brick underneath the door? I'm not a construction understanding person, so I don't know what's normally underneath a brick exterior before you hit things like studs and drywall.
|
|
#
?
Sep 16, 2021 01:34
|
|
|
cruft posted:Oh snap, I didn't see the missing brick, either. I see what's going on. Why do you or the other person think this is a "repair" that the contractor should pay for. That's a scope of work change the person who owns the house pays for. If you really want "zero risk" contracts for things like this where the amount of work/money required will never increase after the job starts you need to be prepared to pay 5x for every last job you get done. This isn't reality, it's not how it works. This change is on the homeowner. Also on the fact that they bought a home where some poo poo stain poured the patio that way. You pay for your POs idiocy.
|
|
#
?
Sep 16, 2021 02:09
|
|
|
Motronic posted:You pay for your POs idiocy. Truer words have ne'er been spoken.
|
|
#
?
Sep 16, 2021 02:59
|
|
|
Motronic posted:I see what's going on. Why do you or the other person think this is a "repair" that the contractor should pay for. That's a scope of work change the person who owns the house pays for. I’m a demo contractor, so I’m biased when I see people do lovely demo work, but where I come from I tell people about scope changes before I do the work, not after. Particularly if the after is Oops I damaged your house, the one thing you hired me not to do. They didn’t make a proper separation.
|
|
#
?
Sep 16, 2021 03:04
|
|
|
Yeah how is that not on the demo crew for not doing proper determination on what they're actually removing instead of just letting 'er rip and tearing out part of the house? You find something abnormal that's additional work, you document and present beforehand. You don't just blunder ahead and then demand the owner pay to fix the damages you caused.
|
|
#
?
Sep 16, 2021 03:10
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 31, 2024 00:00 |
|
|
Real question, we are going to have to do some major work on our single (1) bathroom. Other than renting a porta potty, where do we poo poo?
|
|
#
?
Sep 16, 2021 04:03
|
|
