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I went solar a few years back. I'd say it's like anything else, just research around for a company with good reviews and get a couple quotes from different places. I went with a local off grid places and had no issues.
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Jan 13, 2023 16:49
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Edit: yeah, it's exactly that sort of "research" that I'm hoping to get a leg up on, by anyone here. I'm in literally my first day of seriously considering it, and I don't know where to start.
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Jan 13, 2023 17:00
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Teabag Dome Scandal posted:I'm in the process of selling my old house and the buyer inspection noted some holes in the garage that need to be covered. The inspector means something specific, so definitely ask what they want to see. It's their request, they can be more specific. 'Not fireproof' is an insufficient comment as it isn't a term used in the code books I'm familiar with (the term I see the most is 'fire resistance'). I can't tell in the photos exactly what is going on with the garage side of the wall (and of course, I don't know where you live or what code book is enforced). If it's the 2015 IRC, the wall between the garage and the home must have 1/2-inch drywall or equivalent on the garage side. So if you have 1/2-inch drywall under that wood cladding, then repairing that drywall will be the solution that won't get any additional questions asked. Use fire block spray foam (comes in cans) at the wire penetrations after securing them so they won't move and dislodge the foam in the future. Technically the products used around penetrations like that need to be 'approved' but for residential if it's sold at your local building supply it's probably considered approved. If that wood cladding does not have drywall underneath (I'm guessing this is the case?), now we are in a gray zone involving the word 'equivalent'. You have to install 1/2-inch drywall 'or equivalent'. What is equivalent? Generally wood with a thickness of 5/8-inch or better, but it really depends on the code book, inspector, etc. Go buy some pieces of 2x8 and just screw them over the holes at that point, and secure/foam the wiring. The door looks like, best case, a wood door. If it's 1-3/8 inch thick, then you just need to fix the hole at the bottom so it is 1-3/8 thick wood. Maybe just slapping a piece of 2x8 over the hole will work, check what the inspector will pass. If it's not a solid wood door repairs won't bring it up to code (the code requires a wood door of a certain thickness, a steel door of a certain construction, or a door specifically marked with a certain fire resistance rating), so just ask the inspector what they want to see.
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Jan 13, 2023 17:08
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Tezer posted:The inspector means something specific, so definitely ask what they want to see. It's their request, they can be more specific. 'Not fireproof' is an insufficient comment as it isn't a term used in the code books I'm familiar with (the term I see the most is 'fire resistance'). Thank you! This is all very helpful. You are correct that there is no drywall behind the wood cladding. The house is like 80 years old. Am I correct in assuming that getting a 2x8 is so that the thickness is as close as possible to 1-3/8 and the width is so that a solid piece completely covers the larger holes? I am almost positive the door is solid. It is going to look very weird with a board covering the hole. Maybe I can keep one side with the car door and cover up the inside garage side so it doesn't look so weird. Or I guess if the garage side is fixed I can just use some thin plywood on the house side.
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Jan 13, 2023 18:16
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Teabag Dome Scandal posted:I'm in the process of selling my old house and the buyer inspection noted some holes in the garage that need to be covered. I am not an inspector, but I'm betting that the issue is that code requires a firebreak between the garage and the living space. If that's the case, then the holes need to be filled with some sort of firebreak material, just covering the openings will not be sufficient. I know in my area holes in the firebreak for electrical pass-through have to be filled in with fire blocking foam or caulking. You may want to talk to your local code enforcement people and find out what they would sign off on as fixes.
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Jan 13, 2023 18:52
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Fill them with steel wool mixed with drywall mud. Apply chicken wire over top while still wet. Immediately paint with the thickest exterior high gloss you can find.
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Jan 13, 2023 18:53
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null_pointer posted:Is there a solar power thread or something related? Connecticut is about to go through a 40% price hike for power bills, so given that I've been kicking around the idea of going solar for a while, the time is definitely come. I've just got too many questions on finding a company, leasing versus purchasing, etc, and would like goon help. If you have the means to do so, purchasing outright even with financing is the best path-- leases and PPAs create complication around selling and if you need to re-roof. Your payback period will almost certainly be shorter. As for finding the right contractor, it's like any other trade in that the best option will probably be a local business with a garbage website and if possible get a referral from someone who's used them. As a starting point, you could look for sunpower dealers even if you don't go with a sunpower solution. They don't mandate exclusivity but do vet them so chances are they're not a shoddy fly by night operation. Qwijib0 fucked around with this message at 19:06 on Jan 13, 2023 |
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Jan 13, 2023 19:03
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Teabag Dome Scandal posted:Thank you! This is all very helpful. I recommended a 2x8 because the width will cover everything I see (except maybe the door hole?), it's likely available locally, and if the home inspector wants to see a certain thickness they aren't going to require anything thicker than 2-inch nominal. You might even be able to get your local home improvement store to cut it for you to some useful lengths if you don't own a saw. The door will look very odd, but the goal is to pass the HUD inspection, 'pretty' isn't required. There are likely other issues with the door, but the only one you've been asked to address is the hole at the bottom. Really the door should be replaced, but that's not what the home inspector has asked for (yet). PremiumSupport posted:I am not an inspector, but I'm betting that the issue is that code requires a firebreak between the garage and the living space. If that's the case, then the holes need to be filled with some sort of firebreak material, just covering the openings will not be sufficient. I know in my area holes in the firebreak for electrical pass-through have to be filled in with fire blocking foam or caulking. Most codes require a continuous surface, but having all materials coplanar isn't a requirement. That said, it's all up to local interpretation. Just filling the holes with foam/caulk will not work as most fire caulk/foams aren't meant to fill open holes - they require a backing material in large openings. From memory I think 1/2 is the largest hole that can just be filled with materials I've reviewed - but it depends on the spec of the specific product. I would not call code enforcement. You are trying to meet the requirements of the home inspector, which is not the same thing as meeting the requirements of code enforcement. The person you need to talk to is the home inspector. Tezer fucked around with this message at 19:34 on Jan 13, 2023 |
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Jan 13, 2023 19:32
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edit: double post
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Jan 13, 2023 19:33
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null_pointer posted:Edit: yeah, it's exactly that sort of "research" that I'm hoping to get a leg up on, by anyone here. I'm in literally my first day of seriously considering it, and I don't know where to start. First off, I AM NOT AN ELECTRICIAN. Solar availability and contractors are going to vary wildly place to place. You need to look into your local market, try looking on forums for your local area, nextdoor, maybe, god forbid, facebook. There's no solar power thread because there are forums offsite dedicated to it and no one here wants the possible liability, which is fine. There's a ton to consider first anyhow. Is it just going to be supplemental? Emergency back up power? Primary power with grid tie? What's your budget? Etc. Anecdote time: My friend's relatively small off grid 48v system, 15kwh of LiFePO4, 2000w of Panasonic panels, 5kw inverter/controller, 5kw transformer, cables, conduit, switches, etc, plus some electrician labor to wire touch and double check all of our work, was still around $15k. We did all the labor. The trenching, setting up the array, battery rack, running conduit and wire, etc. That saved some money, but we had the time and bodies to wreck. And he still needs to throw another $6k~ at more panels/batteries to get up to the recommended 3 days of storage for off grid. By the time he's done with it, it'll be over $20k. But it's that, or pay Xcel $25k/mile for power poles to the property (closest pole is around 2 miles out). (Update if anyone saw my posts in the wiring thread a while back, it still hasn't burnt down! But we are replacing the CCA 1/0 with copper this summer.) He uses about 8kwh/day now (in a 600sqft house, with one of the cheapest gas heaters made, at 7500ft elevation), up from around 4kwh on his old 12v system. The average american home uses 30kwh/day. So figure out your average daily usage, call around to local solar electrical contractors, and get quotes. And be ready to balk at the prices a bit. But if this is your forever home, the place you're planning to die, it will probably pay off in the long run. If you plan to move within a decade, probably don't bother. Leasing is an entirely different ball of wax. If you lease, do your best to make sure the company will be around a while, or you may be stuck with a half finished job and expensive roof decor instead of something functional. I AM NOT AN ELECTRICIAN. Oh. And don't buy used panels.
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Jan 13, 2023 19:45
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Tezer posted:I would not call code enforcement. You are trying to meet the requirements of the home inspector, which is not the same thing as meeting the requirements of code enforcement. The person you need to talk to is the home inspector. I disagree with this take. The goal should be to make it code compliant and safe. While the home inspector can and does identify issues, I would not rely on them to know how to properly fix it.
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Jan 13, 2023 19:47
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PremiumSupport posted:I disagree with this take. You're wrong. This inspection is for HUD requirements. It has little to do with local code enforcement. And yes, I used to be local code enforcement. We aren't trained on that, nor would we be available to just drop by because you called us instead of the authority who is making the determination and actually knows what is required. Also, exactly what code do you think local code enforcement should apply to that? When the building was built nothing likely applied to any of the HUD deficiencies. If I treat it as new it needs double 5/8" drywall between the storage and enclosure and the rest of the house.
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Jan 13, 2023 19:52
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Thanks to everyone for their thoughts. I'm waiting to hear back from the nonprofit I have to work with to see about being in touch with the inspector since as many have pointed out it's going to be up to him on what is satisfactory. The most annoying part of this is I had a separate inspection done last year and that inspector didn't say anything about the firewall and as you can see it isn't really hidden or obscured. This inspector also pointed out a small section of the roof sheathing is in contact with the furnace vent and I need to get that remedied as well. Seems like its all just vibes.
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Jan 13, 2023 20:20
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Teabag Dome Scandal posted:The most annoying part of this is I had a separate inspection done last year and that inspector didn't say anything about the firewall and as you can see it isn't really hidden or obscured. What exactly did you ask for in that inspection? Because there's a big difference between "normal home sale inspection" and "I need to pass a HUD inspection" as you are learning now.
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Jan 13, 2023 20:32
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Motronic posted:What exactly did you ask for in that inspection? Because there's a big difference between "normal home sale inspection" and "I need to pass a HUD inspection" as you are learning now. It was also a HUD HQS. This has been a nearly year long process for reasons I won't get into but I had one done at the start to identify issues that would prevent the city from signing off. Its only valid for 6 months and a buyer was found after it had expired so they had to have their own done.
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Jan 13, 2023 20:40
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Teabag Dome Scandal posted:It was also a HUD HQS. This has been a nearly year long process for reasons I won't get into but I had one done at the start to identify issues that would prevent the city from signing off. Its only valid for 6 months and a buyer was found after it had expired so they had to have their own done. Yeah.....I'd be filing a complaint on that one. That's not at all acceptable.
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Jan 13, 2023 20:42
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Motronic posted:Yeah.....I'd be filing a complaint on that one. That's not at all acceptable. What do you mean? The time between the first and the second was not caused by any delay from the nonprofit. I had a fairly extensive list of things that needed to be corrected that I tried to do myself. Or do you mean the disparity between the two inspectors on pretty obvious things?
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Jan 13, 2023 20:47
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Teabag Dome Scandal posted:Or do you mean the disparity between the two inspectors on pretty obvious things? That's the one. Which inspection is correct? Did the first one miss things? Is the second one overzealous? Remember, we're not talking about general home buying deficiencies. You're being jacked up over HUD deficiencies that must be corrected before sale. Someone screwed up, and that's not okay. People in positions like that have an outsized impact on people when they screw up. They need to be held to a higher standard.
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Jan 13, 2023 20:54
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Does anyone know what the hell this top cap is called?   It's just a metal box around the water heater vent... but as you can see the cover is deteriorating. I'd like to just replace the cover, so I don't have to deal with reflashing around the base. I found https://www.continentalindustries.com/AJ/All/6/Housing - but that cover doesn't really look the same. I haven't really been able to find any other suppliers for this.
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Jan 13, 2023 21:10
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Looks like some sort of vent cap. I've never seen one like that before though. Of course almost all water heater/furnace vents in my area are round instead of square as well. edit: it almost looks like they capped off an old chimney to use as a vent PremiumSupport fucked around with this message at 21:52 on Jan 13, 2023 |
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Jan 13, 2023 21:48
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Motronic posted:You're wrong. You're right, sorry. I missed the post where they said it was for HUD. I thought this was some regular bank/realtor hired home inspector pointing out that it wasn't up to code.
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Jan 13, 2023 21:58
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PremiumSupport posted:Looks like some sort of vent cap. I've never seen one like that before though. Of course almost all water heater/furnace vents in my area are round instead of square as well. It's not an old chimney - it's a square metal box that's entirely hollow inside (except for the vent). From below:  I can only assume someone was unhappy with how the vent looked before, and had this disaster installed. I think I'm going to have to take that upper cap off and see what I have to work with.
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Jan 13, 2023 22:28
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Motronic posted:That's the one. Which inspection is correct? Did the first one miss things? Is the second one overzealous? If I had an idea of who to complain to I certainly would. The nonprofit doesn't give a gently caress. I'm reviewing the original HUD form and general report the inspector I hired gave me and she does mention the cat door and other holes in the general inspection report (but not the HUD HQS) quote:A pet door has been cut into the interior door to the garage, meaning that it can no longer act as a fire door. A couple of holes have also been cut into the back wall of the garage, further compromising the firewall in the home. Teabag Dome Scandal fucked around with this message at 22:30 on Jan 13, 2023 |
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Jan 13, 2023 22:28
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devicenull posted:It's not an old chimney - it's a square metal box that's entirely hollow inside (except for the vent). If you know someone that does sheet metal work (some hvac guys), ask them. They should be able to make something that will work to replace it. Fab work means fab prices, though.
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Jan 13, 2023 22:43
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Teabag Dome Scandal posted:If I had an idea of who to complain to I certainly would. The nonprofit doesn't give a gently caress. I'm reviewing the original HUD form and general report the inspector I hired gave me and she does mention the cat door and other holes in the general inspection report (but not the HUD HQS) Love to see someone writing an inspection report incorrectly using firewall, at least by ICC definitions
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Jan 13, 2023 23:17
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Anyone have experience with Hardie board siding? We're re-doing the outside of our house and looking into it and unsure if its worth the hype.
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Jan 13, 2023 23:32
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Cornuto posted:Anyone have experience with Hardie board siding? We're re-doing the outside of our house and looking into it and unsure if its worth the hype. We were told it was like 3-4x the cost of vinyl.
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Jan 14, 2023 01:53
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Teabag Dome Scandal posted:I'm in the process of selling my old house and the buyer inspection noted some holes in the garage that need to be covered. Yes. Just cut out pieces of 1/2" or 3/4" plywood & screw them over the holes with deck screws. Find out the thickness for the required fire rating for burn-through For the electric, take a piece of 3/4" plywood, slot out so the flex wire can hang down, screw it to the wall; since that should be enough dept to recess the cable, screw another plywood plate over top of that to cover the cable in the slot.
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Jan 14, 2023 05:04
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Cornuto posted:Anyone have experience with Hardie board siding? We're re-doing the outside of our house and looking into it and unsure if its worth the hype.  (someone gave me a ton of felt scraps...)  I put it on my garage towards the end of the exterior build, in August 2005. Looks great, holds great, my only gripe is painting it, but that's not the Hardie's fault. I didn't follow the installation instructions - which were to hand-nail. Since I was hanging it solo, I used a Paslode with ring-shank nails. I built a shim on the end of the gun so that the nails wouldn't pin the siding too hard to the sheathing (because even dialled all the way out, the Paslode was sinking them a little). With Hardiebacker, it's important that you don't bury the heads through the surface at all; normal expansion & contraction can work the siding loose at the nailhead. I did have a couple that were a bit tight to the point that the bottom of the run started lifting away. Two or three spots, not where easily seen, I screwed them back down with stainless deck screws. PainterofCrap fucked around with this message at 05:20 on Jan 14, 2023 |
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Jan 14, 2023 05:18
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Part of the beauty of Hardee is getting it in the color you want and never having to paint it. Whoever installed it on this place did a great job (down to sealing each of the butt ends). All I ever do it pressure wash it. It's been up 15 years and looks brand new ever spring once that's been done.
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Jan 14, 2023 16:16
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I thought that was vinyl that you don't have to paint? Isn't hardee board a cement and wood fiber material?
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Jan 15, 2023 02:05
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TooMuchAbstraction posted:I thought that was vinyl that you don't have to paint? Isn't hardee board a cement and wood fiber material?
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Jan 15, 2023 02:18
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Slugworth posted:It comes in a variety of stained colors. Not stained. Factory coated. You can I'm talking about actual real deal Hardie Plank Lap Siding. Your experience WILL vary with whatever generic fiber cement product you're looking at. Motronic fucked around with this message at 02:50 on Jan 15, 2023 |
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Jan 15, 2023 02:47
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I don’t recall there being a color option when I ordered mine. I know there is now.`
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Jan 15, 2023 02:48
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Motronic posted:Not stained. Factory coated. You can
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Jan 15, 2023 03:23
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Slugworth posted:We may be talking past each other - I meant stained as in impregnated with color, so it survives chips and what not as you said. Sounds like it. I was reading stain as the colloquial transparent stain and you're talking solid stain which is probably pretty close to their process.
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Jan 15, 2023 03:57
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Might as well mix the dye in while it's slurry to guarantee consistent color.
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Jan 15, 2023 05:28
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What are these large, opaque fiberglass (?) sheets on this roofing called? I've seen older styles in dark green. I'm planning on building an outdoor shelter for our vehicle and want to use this material.
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Jan 15, 2023 15:45
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Plastic corrugated roofing is a good search term to start with
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Jan 15, 2023 16:05
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I want an N100 respirator. Half face, ideally. I went to my local not-home depot hardware store and they had a couple P95 models, but that's it. Is there a reputable place online I can buy from that will sell authentic and legitimately protective filters, or should I go to home depot or what?
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Jan 16, 2023 19:43
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