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Is Angie's List still a thing for contractors?
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Sep 27, 2021 21:56
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wesleywillis posted:Is Angie's List still a thing for contractors? I had really good luck finding a local concrete business through Angi's list last year, and they did a great job on my driveway. Same with an excavation company before that. Recently had some of my coworkers recommend a handyman (woman?) who does basically everything, I think they originally found her through Thumbtack. I've got a buncha projects I'd love help getting knocked out that she seems perfect for. Unrelated question for the thread... I've got an old Hoosier Cabinet with a chipped and beat up porcelain enamel top that I'd love to refinish. I know porcelain enamel is kinda tricky, but would anyone have any recommendations for resurfacing the porcelain? Can I sand epoxy my way to something palatable?
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Sep 27, 2021 22:17
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Arsenic Lupin posted:So, my well has iron bacteria; I have the characteristic brown biofilm inside the toilet tanks, and the water drips orangish. Is there a reason, other than cosmetic, why I should care? I'll bite. I drill test wells, and most motherfuckers don't drink the poo poo from the wells I drill, especially in the places I drill them bitches. I don't know a lot about drinking water wells, but I know a couple things. As I've been told over the years, iron bacteria itself isn't really harmful, but it can create conditions where other bacteria might grow, which might be harmful. It can also potentially cause your well screen, and drop pipes etc to clog if it gets too far out of hand. To be on the safe side, you should get the water tested. Just in case it has other harmful bacteria in it. Coliform and the like. You should be testing the water periodically anyway, even if there wasn't any iron in it somewhere about every 3-4 months. Your local health department should *probably* supply you a free test kit with instructions, that you can take a sample and send it off to them to see whats up. Note that the kit might be free, but the test may not be. But the cost shouldn't be prohibitively expensive. Most places I've heard charge in the neighborhood of 50-60 bucks for a test. YRMV
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Sep 27, 2021 22:24
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How would I best attach one of these signs to this carport? We live in a weird part of the street where it bends and the numbers switch oddly so delivery drivers miss our house a lot without a big sign. I thought I would screw in to the red gutter pipe but now I am thinking I probably shouldn't do that. Maybe that metal zip-tie-looking pipe hanger stuff? I have some liquid nails leftover from another project and also know I probably shouldn't just glue it there, either.
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Sep 28, 2021 00:27
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So I have an uneven flat roof (in NM, those adobe style houses) were water pools when it gets colder, and I've been having problems with leaks. I tried several things, including coating the whole thing in this white reflective latex paint. The most recent attempt was to put on this black Henry wet patch stuff, which apparently worked for a while, but it seems like it was meant for sloped roofs and broke down in standing water. I'm going to try some other things, like another layer of the white latex (building up the low spots?), but right now I've got this greasy black semi-sticky remains of the wet patch on the area I need to do something else with, and I'm sort of at a loss on how to remove it. It's a pretty large area (maybe 20 to 30 sq ft), and I'm hesitant to go at it with some kind of solvent, but it's also not going to just dissolve in water--it's broken down and partially dissolved in the standing water, but there's still some of it that resembles tar that's still adhered. Should I actually just go for soap and water? Is there some other soap-like solvent that I should try? Or will I need something like acetone, and if so exactly what kind of solvent should I use that won't be some kind of environmental hazard? I really don't want to have to do something like vacuum it all up and somehow dispose of it in a way that isn't just pouring it down the drain or on the gravel outside.
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Sep 28, 2021 00:39
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wesleywillis posted:Is Angie's List still a thing for contractors? I've been using Thumbtack with a roughly 80% success rate.
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Sep 28, 2021 01:04
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zachol posted:So I have an uneven flat roof (in NM, those adobe style houses) were water pools when it gets colder, and I've been having problems with leaks. I tried several things, including coating the whole thing in this white reflective latex paint. The most recent attempt was to put on this black Henry wet patch stuff, which apparently worked for a while, but it seems like it was meant for sloped roofs and broke down in standing water. I don't know the answer to dealing with your mess of patch, but if you want a roof coating to deal with some ponding water you need to go to a silicone product
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Sep 28, 2021 01:21
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Final Blog Entry posted:I don't know the answer to dealing with your mess of patch, but if you want a roof coating to deal with some ponding water you need to go to a silicone product Oh, that looks nice. Thanks for the link. Is there a suggestion for preparing the roof? Right now I've got something very similar but latex based. I'm wondering whether I need to rough it up or prime it or if I "just" need to get it cleaned first.
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Sep 28, 2021 01:38
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effika posted:How would I best attach one of these signs to this carport? You picked a wonky location for that sign, especially with that particular one. Don't mount it to your downspout for several reasons, e.g. a windstorm will make the sign pry on whatever its mounted onto. This is also why you should not use glue. Can you make a signpost? A call to 811, a 4x4, and some quick set concrete shouldn't set you back too much, and can be done in an afternoon if you've used a shovel.
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Sep 28, 2021 02:31
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My new cat led me to a mouse nest under my dishwasher. I noticed the rear end in a top hat mice chewed on the power cable, exposing all three of the inner wires. How much of a poo poo should I give about the wires? Is it gonna burn my house down if the dishwasher leaks? I need to know how much to bother the property manager about it.
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Sep 28, 2021 02:57
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Wasabi the J posted:You picked a wonky location for that sign, especially with that particular one. Wood where I'm at is insane, so I really didn't want to spend $$$ on a post. Also I'd have to get some help to do it (upper body issues) and that means it's a now a Project... and then I'm back to taping laminated print-outs along the downspout again. But yeah, I guess a post really is the better option overall. It's an option that isn't a good fit for what I can do right now, but it definitely is the better option in the long run. So... Any thoughts on other ways I can make the address really big and nearer to the street than the house since none of the delivery people look at the house for whatever reason? Maybe some really big reflective stickers I can put there? (Those all are so small, though, at least the ones I'm finding.)
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Sep 28, 2021 04:16
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Imbroglio posted:My new cat led me to a mouse nest under my dishwasher. I noticed the rear end in a top hat mice chewed on the power cable, exposing all three of the inner wires. How much of a poo poo should I give about the wires? Is it gonna burn my house down if the dishwasher leaks? I need to know how much to bother the property manager about it. That wire set has to be replaced.
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Sep 28, 2021 04:40
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effika posted:Wood where I'm at is insane, so I really didn't want to spend $$$ on a post. Also I'd have to get some help to do it (upper body issues) and that means it's a now a Project... and then I'm back to taping laminated print-outs along the downspout again. Where's your mailbox? It's hard to tell how things are situated with regards to the road, but if you have a mailbox on the street get some hanging numbers for that. If it's that black slot on the house, numbers above that would like nice. Otherwise to the left of the door would be good, or left or right side bricks by the recessed doorway. I typically wouldn't look at the downspout if I were trying to find a house, but if that makes more sense just get some self tapping gutter screws and drive one of those number signs into your gutter, or you can buy metal or reflective sticker individual house numbers at any big box hardware store. If you're screwing into your gutter, use something with a pan head so it's less obvious, eg something like this but in stainless steel so it doesn't rust. If you're putting some larger numbers to the left of the door or on the brick, I'd just caulk them in place for now to see if the number placement helps you or you like the look of it. They won't weigh hardly anything, and you can just peel them off and place it elsewhere, or do something more permanent like screws or adhesive designed for masonry.
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Sep 28, 2021 04:42
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effika posted:Wood where I'm at is insane, so I really didn't want to spend $$$ on a post. Also I'd have to get some help to do it (upper body issues) and that means it's a now a Project... and then I'm back to taping laminated print-outs along the downspout again.
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Sep 28, 2021 05:03
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i like nice words
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wesleywillis posted:I'll bite. Thank you! I got a set of tests on the well, including coliform, before I bought the house. The pumphouse already runs well water through a UV sanitizer. I will keep testing it regularly, now that I know I should. Thanks for your advice.
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Sep 28, 2021 05:22
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effika posted:Wood where I'm at is insane, so I really didn't want to spend $$$ on a post. Also I'd have to get some help to do it (upper body issues) and that means it's a now a Project... and then I'm back to taping laminated print-outs along the downspout again. A lot of peeps around here have their house numbers painted on the curb in front of their house, simple option if that is available.
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Sep 28, 2021 05:22
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Rakeris posted:A lot of peeps around here have their house numbers painted on the curb in front of their house, simple option if that is available. Imma be honest I never look at that poo poo when I need it, I fail to look because it's not in my line of sight and it's not mandatory, so it's a crapshoot if you'll find the exact or approximate number; and if it's night -- forget it. No matter what option you take, I recommend they point it where an approaching driver can see it at passing speed. I would be tempted to hang it around that gutter, but I'd try to diminish any rigidity, so it won't torque the sheet metal in any way if it gets hit with the occasional sudden wind; but even then, the swaying weight of the sign would constantly be applying stresses to a nonstructural member. I'm kind of an anxious about outdoor fixtures because I have experienced poo poo like some twerp kid samurai slicing my cactus in the front yard the day after it was planted, though. Wasabi the J fucked around with this message at 11:02 on Sep 28, 2021 |
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Sep 28, 2021 10:58
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Imbroglio posted:My new cat led me to a mouse nest under my dishwasher. I noticed the rear end in a top hat mice chewed on the power cable, exposing all three of the inner wires. How much of a poo poo should I give about the wires? Is it gonna burn my house down if the dishwasher leaks? I need to know how much to bother the property manager about it. Give all the shits. Give the biggest poo poo you can possibly give. Turn off the disconnect/breaker/unplug it/whatever you need to do to cut power to that cable. Replace it before you turn it back on. The black wire is hot and has exposed copper. Not a ton, but that doesn't matter. Do this immediately.
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Sep 28, 2021 12:15
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What should you do with a smoke alarm with a non-replaceable battery that has run out and keeps beeping because of it? Apart from replacing it, obviously. Crack it open and cut the wires? Put it in a bucket of water?
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Sep 28, 2021 13:39
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edit: Upon re-reading, it seems I misinterpreted the question. DaveSauce fucked around with this message at 14:42 on Sep 28, 2021 |
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Sep 28, 2021 14:18
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Flipperwaldt posted:What should you do with a smoke alarm with a non-replaceable battery that has run out and keeps beeping because of it? Apart from replacing it, obviously. Crack it open and cut the wires? Put it in a bucket of water? https://support.firstalert.com/s/article/detector-disposal If it's ionizing you have to figure out where to put it because of the Americium in there. And replace it. If it's under 10 years old then see if there is a warranty for you: https://support.firstalert.com/s/article/About-our-10-Year-Battery-Warranty
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Sep 28, 2021 14:29
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Rakeris posted:A lot of peeps around here have their house numbers painted on the curb in front of their house, simple option if that is available. Anne Whateley posted:Just get a sign and shove it in the ground next to your driveway entrance. This is on the cheap/temporary end, but there are plenty of fancy custom ones too. OSU_Matthew posted:Where's your mailbox? It's hard to tell how things are situated with regards to the road, but if you have a mailbox on the street get some hanging numbers for that. If it's that black slot on the house, numbers above that would like nice. Otherwise to the left of the door would be good, or left or right side bricks by the recessed doorway. I typically wouldn't look at the downspout if I were trying to find a house, but if that makes more sense just get some self tapping gutter screws and drive one of those number signs into your gutter, or you can buy metal or reflective sticker individual house numbers at any big box hardware store. If you're screwing into your gutter, use something with a pan head so it's less obvious, eg something like this but in stainless steel so it doesn't rust. You guys all gave some good advice! I am going to get the numbers painted on the curb. Way easier. Thanks everyone!
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Sep 28, 2021 15:11
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Yeah the new one is up already, no worries about that. Wasn't wired in or anything. But what with the old one. It's an optical one, so it can go in the trash if the battery's removed. But there's no way of opening the thing up without violently destroying it. I could probably get rid of it as is at the council recycling centre, but the idea of storing it in the house, beeping away, for a couple of weeks until I have the opportunity to go there, isn't appealing. Was just wondering if there was a correct way of decommissioning it.
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Sep 28, 2021 15:16
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Flipperwaldt posted:Yeah the new one is up already, no worries about that. Wasn't wired in or anything. There is normally a little thing you can do to disconnect the battery permanently. Otherwise yeah snap the plastic off with a screwdriver, pull the battery off, and recycle it. You will need to bring the battery somewhere to recycle.
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Sep 28, 2021 15:19
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H110Hawk posted:There is normally a little thing you can do to disconnect the battery permanently. Otherwise yeah snap the plastic off with a screwdriver, pull the battery off, and recycle it. You will need to bring the battery somewhere to recycle.
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Sep 28, 2021 15:36
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PainterofCrap posted:That wire set has to be replaced. DaveSauce posted:Give all the shits. Give the biggest poo poo you can possibly give. Thank you both! This is what I needed. It is unplugged, and I will leave it unplugged until it gets fixed.
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Sep 28, 2021 17:23
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Someone lost the stopper to our drain but I'm having trouble finding a replacement plug. Does anyone know what type of plug this is or how to go about finding a new stopper that will work?   I'd even be happy to remove the mechanism entirely but I can't even seem to find a way to remove the center pole. I tried to put an Allen key in the center but it just seems to spin. Any ideas or help would be greatly appreciated!
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Sep 28, 2021 20:25
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There's some characters engraved in the lip. At about 5 o'clock on the last photo.
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Sep 29, 2021 00:20
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Yeah good catch I think that's Stainless and then Pat. Pend.
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Sep 29, 2021 01:12
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Is there a thread about installing security camera's, I have a need to install one for reasons but there doesn't seem to be any outlets on the outer wall, I've seen on youtube I might need to drill a hole for the cable to reach an outlet instead?
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Sep 29, 2021 04:54
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Raenir Salazar posted:Is there a thread about installing security camera's, I have a need to install one for reasons but there doesn't seem to be any outlets on the outer wall, I've seen on youtube I might need to drill a hole for the cable to reach an outlet instead? Can also use POE to power them, but that is another thing.
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Sep 29, 2021 05:11
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New place I noticed doesn't have GFCI outlets in the kitchen. Will replace them of course (I'll have to try and figure out which outlet is "first", but it's only 3 outlets) but I noticed the breaker is 20A, should I get 20A outlets? The current outlets are 15(or at least don't have the sideways plug) Edit: or is replacing the breaker something within my skill range if I can replace an outlet? Kia Soul Enthusias fucked around with this message at 07:44 on Sep 29, 2021 |
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Sep 29, 2021 07:42
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15A receptacles are fine on 20A breakers as long as there's more than one receptacle. It's the only case where breakers and receptacles are allowed to mismatch like that. As long as the wiring on the circuit is 12 gauge or larger, you're good. Replacing the breaker versus an outlet is maybe slightly more difficult at most but it doesn't require any skills you don't have. In a kitchen I think I'd prefer a GFCI at the receptacle instead of the breaker so you can reset it right there if needed. The biggest thing when working in the panel is that unless you have your main disconnect completely upstream of the panel, your service entry wires will still be live, so you need to keep clear of them.
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Sep 29, 2021 16:29
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Raenir Salazar posted:Is there a thread about installing security camera's, I have a need to install one for reasons but there doesn't seem to be any outlets on the outer wall, I've seen on youtube I might need to drill a hole for the cable to reach an outlet instead? https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3635963&pagenumber=135&perpage=40
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Sep 29, 2021 17:26
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IOwnCalculus posted:15A receptacles are fine on 20A breakers as long as there's more than one receptacle. It's the only case where breakers and receptacles are allowed to mismatch like that. As long as the wiring on the circuit is 12 gauge or larger, you're good. It's a small condo so the panel is literally 5 feet away, so no problem having to reset anything. I dunno, just thought it might be better to have the GFCI at the source and capture anything else that might be on the circuit. I figure more GFCI is better than less except maybe for the fridge outlet? One of the breakers controls one kitchen outlet only that I can tell, so it must go to other outlets in the bedroom or something. I'll test it when I get the chance.
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Sep 29, 2021 19:07
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I have an aluminum insulated patio cover that's leaking near the end. Water is traveling to the underside of the gutters. This happens with just the condensation every morning. Pretty sure the caulking seal has failed and needs to be replaced. Any suggestions on best product to use? I'm in SoCal where there's tons of heat and sun but not much rain.
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Sep 30, 2021 15:34
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I'm trying to schedule a repair in my fireplace (back wall rebuild, necessary based on an inspection when i bought this house). The fireplace also lacks any kind of screen or glass door thingy. Are hanging fireplace screens, or if I want to go fancier, glass doors, easy enough to install DIY? Is it just a drill and a few masonry anchors? Or is this something I need to be hiring the chimney service to do while they're here? I'd prefer to do it myself if it's feasible.
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Sep 30, 2021 19:54
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Does it make any difference if you put a timber lintel above the door opening (as a header) or above the cripple studs (below the top plate)? I'm seeing both ways, though lintel-as-header seems more common.
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Oct 1, 2021 11:53
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Jaded Burnout posted:Does it make any difference if you put a timber lintel above the door opening (as a header) or above the cripple studs (below the top plate)? As a header right above the door opening is far more common. I guess in theory it could still do it's job up under the top plate, but I'm not sure I've ever seen than done in practice, and I can't think of any reason why you would do that.
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Oct 1, 2021 13:22
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FCKGW posted:I have an aluminum insulated patio cover that's leaking near the end. Water is traveling to the underside of the gutters. This happens with just the condensation every morning. I work for a company that does these roofs. My service guy way back when probably would have run a bead of Vulkem 116 (or Solar Seal these days) over the seams, let it cure, then ran tar tape (like PowerBond or Peel & Seal) over the seams. It's not all that uncommon, those things get beat on. (Which, incidentally, is why any other color upper surface than white is not warrantied. No, you don't come to us when your bronze composite roof begins to delaminate on the top because the adhesive is failing from the roof soaking up fifty times as much sun.) My problem: I've got an 800W (6.7 A) smoker that always trips my external GFCIs. That circuit consists of all of the outside standard outlets (not the A/C, not the sprinkler pump) and the one outlet in the garage that the fridge is hooked up to (it's an older Whirlpool, can't get to the back to check the amperage right now but I don't think it's gonna be that much). It's all on a 15A breaker, but I'm not sure what's causing the GFCI to trip. I found a thing that says even a leakage of 5 mA from hot to ground can cause a trip, but...I don't think that's what's happening? Is it possible that the specific outlet I'm trying to use has a hot-to-ground leak, and if so, is that something I can pick up with a multimeter?
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Oct 1, 2021 14:13
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