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Motronic posted:That sounds like a drywall hammer, and I don't know a single person who has the skill to operate one anymore. But it's an excuse to post one of my favorite videos showing how its done: My old man would use them, at least for smaller sections. We'd use a T-Square for larger cuts. I'd also like to use this opportunity to thank my dad for not letting me become a professional drywaller. He wasnt a perfect parent but I'm glad he never let me settle for drywall and pushed me out of the trade. EDIT: What a dumb page snipe. Heres an actual question. Anyone have any advice on re-staining a cedar fence? Ive got large sections that appear sunbleached or were just poorly stained the first time that I want to go over this summer, not for aesthetic reasons but just to keep the fence in as good as shape for as long as possible. Do I need to sand over areas and then use a sprayer? Or can I just grab a brush and stain right over whats already there? BaseballPCHiker fucked around with this message at 15:58 on Mar 11, 2024 |
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Mar 11, 2024 15:56
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BaseballPCHiker posted:My old man would use them, at least for smaller sections. We'd use a T-Square for larger cuts. Power wash it then paint over. You might end up with a couple of spots that are darker, but it shouldn't be that bad with stain. A second coat after the first one has a few days to really soak in and dry will help a lot with that too.
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Mar 11, 2024 16:08
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Motronic posted:That sounds like a drywall hammer, and I don't know a single person who has the skill to operate one anymore. But it's an excuse to post one of my favorite videos showing how its done: Love this video, I think I actually went  when he does the curved portion.
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Mar 11, 2024 16:43
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Hieronymous Alloy posted:You could try just yanking with pliers from the outside but that might cause more damage. Yeah the thing is though if you look at the 2nd picture the nail head isn't even accessible. Like it looks like you'd have to take the window off/apart to even access it. It's weird af. Like even if I hammered from the end sticking out the nail doesn't have anywhere to go because the head is behind window stuff. GlyphGryph posted:I saw the window posts, I just don't actually understand what's going on in it. Same lol KoRMaK posted:my guess is that the reasons for why it was nailed shut will start to reveal themselves once you get the nail out I am in touch with the previous owners so I just shot him a text to ask what the reasoning behind it was.
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Mar 11, 2024 18:04
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I've got a couple canvas awnings on the exterior of my place that need to have the fabric replaced. I've got a suitable fabric picked out for it, but I don't have a sewing machine to do it myself. It's a pretty simple bit of sewing needed - I am not really sure what sort of place to call for a job like this though. Any suggestions?
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Mar 11, 2024 19:00
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Motronic posted:That sounds like a drywall hammer, and I don't know a single person who has the skill to operate one anymore. But it's an excuse to post one of my favorite videos showing how its done: fletcher posted:I've got a couple canvas awnings on the exterior of my place that need to have the fabric replaced. I've got a suitable fabric picked out for it, but I don't have a sewing machine to do it myself. It's a pretty simple bit of sewing needed - I am not really sure what sort of place to call for a job like this though. Any suggestions? If you live in a reasonably large area, go to Yelp and search for "Awning" or "Sunshade". It's a specialty.
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Mar 11, 2024 19:16
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Might try calling camper places too, they might be able to send you in the right direction.
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Mar 11, 2024 19:20
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KoRMaK posted:my guess is that the reasons for why it was nailed shut will start to reveal themselves once you get the nail out H110Hawk posted:Well it turns out the kids (7.75, 4.5) the other day found out "you can punch a hole in it and go in and out of your window!!!" They were playing super well together off on the other end of the house and thus were being left nominally unsupervised. Well, we found out their activity. Times three windows. Glad we don't live in the 2 story house yet. Until I found out Ace was reasonable at repair prices my plan was to just remove the screens altogether. Lack of something stands out less than something broken.
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Mar 11, 2024 19:26
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I went to an open house yesterday, it was built in 1999. Does a sour smell in a basement always mean mold? What about if the owners turned off and removed the plumbing from the basement wet bar and are offering a one year home warranty on the house? If that wasn't enough, the place had shag carpet and the master bathroom door hit the toilet when it opened. My wife and I literally ran out the door after smelling the basement.
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Mar 11, 2024 20:58
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Not Wolverine posted:I went to an open house yesterday, it was built in 1999. Does a sour smell in a basement always mean mold? I'd guess mildew in the AC, myself, or an incontinent pet. Needs to be cleaned, not a great sign, but not automatically a critical issue. As for mold, remember that it's almost literally everywhere. Mold spores suffuse our environments, indoors and out, we are constantly inhaling them, and always have been. This isn't unhealthy, it's just a fact of life. Mold only becomes a problem when there's particularly large quantities around, and even then it's probably only going to be an issue for people with existing respiratory problems. In other words: keep your home reasonably clean, and don't worry about mold unless it starts negatively impacting your life.
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Mar 11, 2024 21:09
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And in a basement its likely that it just needs a dehumidifier. Lots of unfinished or badly HVAC'd finished basements do to keep from smelling musty/prevent mold from growing freely because they just don't get enough air stirring/exchanging.
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Mar 11, 2024 21:14
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hung 8 IKEA cellular blinds today. of course my weird MCM house has weird MCM single pane non standard window sizes. so an hourlong project turned into an 8hr project due to needing to trim the cloth and sheet metal to basically 8 different sizes lol being able to set them to my HomeKit automations is sick though and definitely worth it
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Mar 11, 2024 21:56
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Not Wolverine posted:I went to an open house yesterday, it was built in 1999. Does a sour smell in a basement always mean mold? If you're describing an odor like day-old+ cat piss: it might be cat piss, but it's probably carpet & pad that's been wet for at least a couple days. When I inspect a water damage loss and I smell that, I'm writing to replace the carpet & pad - although if there's nothing else wrong/stained on the carpet, it can be pulled, the padding replaced after the floor is dried, the carpet re-laid & shampooed with a little mildewcide or bacteriacide in it, and it'll probably be fine.
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Mar 11, 2024 22:04
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Lesson learned today on service calls. We had a transfer switch installed for power outages and also bought the generator from the same electric company. Finally after a year we were able to use it with a power outage that lasted more than 10 minutes-great! Started up fine and we had power, except for the well pump. I called the electrician up and he troubleshot it over the phone but no luck, so he said he’d be out as soon as possible-ok great. Surely he wants to make sure his work was sound, right? He comes just as the power is restored but he takes a look anyways. Nothings wrong with the install, but the pressure switch on the well pump kicked off when the power went out. He took the cover off and manually pushed the contacts and the pressure started coming right up. He then said he wouldn’t charge me for two guys (two guys were there) but just one, and since he installed the switch, he wouldn’t charge me emergency fees, just write a check for $125. I was pretty shocked this wasn’t included as just trying to make things right, but he did travel out to the house and diagnose it. I didn’t challenge it because I was pretty shocked about the fee and didn’t want to raise a fuss since they’ve done good work in the past. Is this the joy of being a homeowner or did I get taken? As for the pressure switch shutting off-this has never happened when the powers gone out for 10-15 minutes. Anyone know if this is normal? It’s probably the same switch from 1986 with the rest of the house.
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Mar 11, 2024 23:00
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It happens and it certainl wasn't anything to do with their work. You paid $125 to learn how to troubleshoot this problem. That's pretty cheap.
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Mar 11, 2024 23:02
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Against my better judgement I ordered two outdoor light fixtures from CB2. One arrived intact, the other was so bent due to shoddy manufacturing that it couldn’t even be assembled. They sent a replacement, and it arrived broken in half. They sent a second replacement, and it had the same problem as the first. I gave up after that. I now have 1 working and 3 broken lights. The materials are so flimsy that they can barely hold together. Up to this point I have pretty much only bought vintage furniture and lighting (that is comparable in price to CB2!) so this was a rude awakening if it passes as quality nowadays. I honestly didn’t think it would be this bad, is this seriously what it’s like ordering poo poo from the likes of them?
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Mar 11, 2024 23:22
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nwin posted:
If you're having someone come out to look at work they previously did, just ask them if they're charging it as a service call or if they're covering their previous work. Find out before anyone shows up and set expectations from the get go.
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Mar 12, 2024 00:38
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Cyrano4747 posted:If you're having someone come out to look at work they previously did, just ask them if they're charging it as a service call or if they're covering their previous work. Find out before anyone shows up and set expectations from the get go. Yeah. Bad assumption on my part because he trouble shot it and was like “eh. We checked everything. I’ll have to take a look. We’re doing x job right now but we can swing by right after.” I just assumed it would have been covering their previous work. Honestly, maaaaybe it would have been if it was an issue related to their install. Not sure. I’ll give him credit for getting out there so fast. I was just starting to look at the well pump electrical when my wife said he was in the driveway. Maybe if it would have taken him a bit longer I could have YouTubed the answer. Lesson learned. Could be worse like the pump was actually hosed and now I’m paying for the electrical guy and a plumbing guy to come out.
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Mar 12, 2024 01:04
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nwin posted:He then said he wouldn’t charge me for two guys (two guys were there) but just one, and since he installed the switch, he wouldn’t charge me emergency fees, just write a check for $125. Depends a lot on the contractor but most of the time you're gonna get charged. Their time is pretty valuable (in terms of their income) and a call is a call. Unless you had it written in the scope of work or the installer is particularly nice, this is the joy of homeownership. (And I think they really did do you a solid by knocking those extra charges off) Also, my sympathies, this stuff sucks and is expensive and stressful and always happens at the worst times.
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Mar 12, 2024 01:24
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PainterofCrap posted:If you're describing an odor like day-old+ cat piss: it might be cat piss, but it's probably carpet & pad that's been wet for at least a couple days. I'm under the impression home inspectors typically don't pull back carpet and certainly won't cut open drywall. I had no desire to buy that place and after my wife revealing the hidden floor dryer I'm certain that house is haunted. I don't know what would happen to whoever buys the house and I don't want to find out myself.
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Mar 12, 2024 18:50
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Are there any effective mitigations for dust at the whole-house level? Despite having high-merv filters, two large standalone air filtering units, constant sweeping and vacuuming, and never opening the windows we can’t stay on top of the dust from the red clay soil in this area. Everything develops a layer of brown dust within a day or two. We’ve run out of the obvious fixes. I’m thinking about having a concrete patio poured in the backyard since it doesn’t hold grass very well and the dogs are probably a big source of the dust. Aside from that, I don’t know what to do.
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Mar 13, 2024 03:37
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Tiny Timbs posted:the dogs are probably a big source of the dust BaseballPCHiker posted:Anyone have any advice on re-staining a cedar fence? Ive got large sections that appear sunbleached or were just poorly stained the first time that I want to go over this summer, not for aesthetic reasons but just to keep the fence in as good as shape for as long as possible. Do I need to sand over areas and then use a sprayer? Or can I just grab a brush and stain right over whats already there?
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Mar 13, 2024 06:31
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slidebite posted:Powerwash well, let dry and use a wagner sprayer. I'll never use a brush on a fence again if I can help it. This. Only downside is depending on your fence type (gaps between the slats), you can lose up to 40% of the stain from overspray. I have something stupid like 220+ft of fence so getting it all done was pricey.
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Mar 13, 2024 12:16
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Try two on the paint: Thanks for the tips, definitely looks a lot better with the edge fixed. There is still some bleeding, but I dont think I'm going to be able to avoid that with walls that look like this even in the better, flatter areas  Now on to the actual borders.
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Mar 13, 2024 12:26
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Tiny Timbs posted:the dogs are probably a big source of the dust. Yeah dogs tracking the clay in AND pet dander and hair are going to be a big source of dust. You can vac and filter to your hearts desire and you'll still be dusty. only thing that's gunna maybe help is more or higher air movement filters. You may want to also set your HVAC to circulate so even if it's off it will exchange air (you'll need to change filters more often)
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Mar 13, 2024 14:28
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GlyphGryph posted:
It's a bit late for advice unless you want to re-paint your walls again, but that kind of texture on walls is a fixable problem. Go buy a bucket of joint compound, thin it a bit, and put a layer over that. It's pretty easy, just do it like you would spackle. Let it dry, sand lightly*, repeat as necessary until you have a smooth texture you're happy with. It would be a massive pain in the rear end to do a whole wall this way (at that point I'd just live with the texture or replace the dry wall) but for a few square feet it's no big deal. *edit: wet sand, with a sponge. Google that, read up on it, it's easy. The first time I did this I just regular sanded and lol that was a mess.
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Mar 13, 2024 14:35
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You also want to make sure you wipe down the painter's tape with a damp sponge or rag before you begin painting. It works by having a moisture-activated polymer (?) that seals when it gets wet, so wiping it down first pre-activates it and gives you a better seal/cleaner line.
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Mar 13, 2024 14:44
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brugroffil posted:You also want to make sure you wipe down the painter's tape with a damp sponge or rag before you begin painting. It works by having a moisture-activated polymer (?) that seals when it gets wet, so wiping it down first pre-activates it and gives you a better seal/cleaner line. Also don't cheap out on the tape. Yes I know the expensive tape is $10 a roll and the cheap tape is $4 a roll, if that. The paint you're putting on it costs way loving more and if you gently caress up your lines you're going to need to use more paint, and honestly it's worth spending the extra just to avoid aggravation.
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Mar 13, 2024 14:47
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brugroffil posted:You also want to make sure you wipe down the painter's tape with a damp sponge or rag before you begin painting. It works by having a moisture-activated polymer (?) that seals when it gets wet, so wiping it down first pre-activates it and gives you a better seal/cleaner line. Huh, I had no idea about the moisture bit, I'll keep that in mind. Cyrano4747 posted:It's a bit late for advice unless you want to re-paint your walls again, but that kind of texture on walls is a fixable problem. Go buy a bucket of joint compound, thin it a bit, and put a layer over that. It's pretty easy, just do it like you would spackle. Let it dry, sand lightly*, repeat as necessary until you have a smooth texture you're happy with. It would be a massive pain in the rear end to do a whole wall this way (at that point I'd just live with the texture or replace the dry wall) but for a few square feet it's no big deal. It might be fixable, but I have no intent of fixing it, hah. I actually did exactly what you said for several of the worst areas for a couple passes, but I didn't care enough to do the whole wall and decided I was just going to live with it, at least for a while. Also, I don't think I cheaped out on the tape. The newer purple tape the thread suggested definitely seems to be doing better than the old blue stuff despite not being as sticky, anyway.
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Mar 13, 2024 15:01
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tater_salad posted:Yeah dogs tracking the clay in AND pet dander and hair are going to be a big source of dust. You can vac and filter to your hearts desire and you'll still be dusty. only thing that's gunna maybe help is more or higher air movement filters. Vacuum your dogs
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Mar 13, 2024 17:01
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Cyrano4747 posted:*edit: wet sand, with a sponge. Google that, read up on it, it's easy. The first time I did this I just regular sanded and lol that was a mess. Yeah I didn't do this in my kitchen dining room about a month ago... and I'll probably be regretting that for a few more months 
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Mar 13, 2024 18:35
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brugroffil posted:You also want to make sure you wipe down the painter's tape with a damp sponge or rag before you begin painting. It works by having a moisture-activated polymer (?) that seals when it gets wet, so wiping it down first pre-activates it and gives you a better seal/cleaner line. GlyphGryph posted:Huh, I had no idea about the moisture bit, I'll keep that in mind. That edge treatment is specific to Frogtape brand, not sure if anyone else makes a tape that wiping the edge does anything. 3M has a version of their blue tape with what they call "Edge Lock" technology, but it works differently from Frogtape and doesn't need the wipe down. Their technology is something with the adhesive I think, it's been a while since the 3M rep explained it to me.
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Mar 13, 2024 18:41
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Tunicate posted:Vacuum your dogs Dog door entrance with acrylic tunnel and clean room style air shower.
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Mar 13, 2024 19:16
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Tiny Timbs posted:Are there any effective mitigations for dust at the whole-house level? Despite having high-merv filters, two large standalone air filtering units, constant sweeping and vacuuming, and never opening the windows we can’t stay on top of the dust from the red clay soil in this area. Everything develops a layer of brown dust within a day or two. I used to live in a house from about the 1920s with a high ceilinged crawlspace or perhaps basement, the catch was the floor was just dirt and being an old house the floor wasn't as tight as a modern house plus the furnace unit was in the basement. We had a tremendous amount of dust in the house and really the only possibility was all this basement dry rear end dirt working it's way constantly into the house. Didn't have the money at the time to properly sort it. So my question to you would be what is your house built on top of? Slab, crawlspace/basement and what sort of barriers do you have between your house and the dirt if it's not a slab? edit: also maybe your duct work needs to be cleaned out, I think generally those cleanings are a scam, but if you have an old enough place where maybe previous owners didn't use good filters in the HVAC...dust issue from the ducts?
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Mar 13, 2024 19:22
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brugroffil posted:You also want to make sure you wipe down the painter's tape with a damp sponge or rag before you begin painting. It works by having a moisture-activated polymer (?) that seals when it gets wet, so wiping it down first pre-activates it and gives you a better seal/cleaner line. interesting!
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Mar 13, 2024 20:29
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Tiny Timbs posted:Are there any effective mitigations for dust at the whole-house level? Despite having high-merv filters, two large standalone air filtering units, constant sweeping and vacuuming, and never opening the windows we can’t stay on top of the dust from the red clay soil in this area. Everything develops a layer of brown dust within a day or two. Positive air pressure in the house would keep stuff from blowing in. But as you've said its probably the dogs. I've often wished dyson would make a walk through pet dryer that you just run them through before letting them in the house. e: ala ryanrs posted:Dog door entrance with acrylic tunnel and clean room style air shower.
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Mar 13, 2024 20:30
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Vim Fuego posted:I've often wished dyson would make a walk through pet dryer that you just run them through before letting them in the house. To do it right, as an air shower, you need both high flow and high velocity. So you need a big 240V industrial or agricultural blower, like 5+ HP. Your dog would probably love it, though. His own personal on-demand car window.
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Mar 13, 2024 20:47
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I remember working in dark rooms in highschool and college that always had positive air pressure to keep dust out. I've thought about that idea in my house ever since I bought it, but have no idea how to go about it. Hell, even if it was just in my garage, I'd be happy.
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Mar 13, 2024 22:07
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Verman posted:I remember working in dark rooms in highschool and college that always had positive air pressure to keep dust out. I've thought about that idea in my house ever since I bought it, but have no idea how to go about it. Hell, even if it was just in my garage, I'd be happy. Oh man, this reminds me of a past job, where I was writing software for a custom-built microscope that was kept in a positive pressure room. The facilities had some issue that kicked the ventilation system into reverse, which turned the room into a negative pressure room while I was inside. Which, a) not great for the equipment that's supposed to be kept perfectly clean at all times, b) it felt super weird to suddenly have the air pressure drop substantially inside the room, c) I couldn't get the door open because suction was holding it closed. And I'm not exactly a weakling either. Fortunately they fixed the issue within a minute!
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Mar 13, 2024 22:27
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TooMuchAbstraction posted:Oh man, this reminds me of a past job, where I was writing software for a custom-built microscope that was kept in a positive pressure room. The facilities had some issue that kicked the ventilation system into reverse, which turned the room into a negative pressure room while I was inside. Which, a) not great for the equipment that's supposed to be kept perfectly clean at all times, b) it felt super weird to suddenly have the air pressure drop substantially inside the room, c) I couldn't get the door open because suction was holding it closed. And I'm not exactly a weakling either. Ah, our darkroom had a blackout revolving door so that nobody could accidentally open the big door and ruin prints. It also wasn't affected by air pressure like a regular door would be but it would make your ears pop when you went through. I do recall our vents had high merv furnace filters just in case something were to happen and we got a backflow. It was a pretty elaborate setup for a community college but also kudos to the professor who had it set up because it was real nice to learn in.
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Mar 13, 2024 23:43
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