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lol internet.
Sep 4, 2007
the internet makes you stupid
One room in the house seems to have no heating come out of the register at all. Any ideas?

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LogisticEarth
Mar 28, 2004

Someone once told me, "Time is a flat circle".

lol internet. posted:

One room in the house seems to have no heating come out of the register at all. Any ideas?

Could be a few things, disconnected ductwork, blocked duct, undersized blower... Can you get to the ducts anywhere or are they buried in the wall?

Elephanthead
Sep 11, 2008


Toilet Rascal
You can shut all the other vents and see if air comes out. If not you probably have a clog or disconnected run.

Bibendum
Sep 5, 2003
nunc est Bibendum
Older ducts had balancing valves that can get misaligned, not sure if that is a thing on newer work though.

devicenull
May 30, 2007

Grimey Drawer
Homeownership fun:

I've been installing a whole house ventilating dehumidifier, because after we had some air sealing done the house has been somewhat stuffy. There's also been a weird odor. We've also been finding bits of fiberglass insulation in the HVAC registers.

So, I cut a hole in the ductwork to attach the dehumidifier... and find a massive fiberglass mouse nest. No mice, but I have no idea how long this has been here, nor how they got into the ductwork.

I've vacuumed it all up, and ripped out a bunch of the duct insulation that was covered in mouse piss.

I'm not sure where I go from here.. duct cleaning seems like it's in my immediate future, but short of running a camera through all the ducts I can't even begin to figure out how to find where they got in. We have a bunch of flex duct in the attic, so it was probably somewhere there...

Good-Natured Filth
Jun 8, 2008

Do you think I've got the goods Bubblegum? Cuz I am INTO this stuff!

Do you tip contractors that are doing work for you? I have some guys putting in a patio, and they've been doing a very good job quickly. But I'm paying them what seems to be a sizable amount of money (comparable to other quotes I received, but had I done it myself, it wouldn't have cost nearly as much - just a lot of time and back pain). I'm not sure what the etiquette is. I've grown up tipping some service people, but not all.

Elephanthead
Sep 11, 2008


Toilet Rascal

Good-Natured Filth posted:

Do you tip contractors that are doing work for you? I have some guys putting in a patio, and they've been doing a very good job quickly. But I'm paying them what seems to be a sizable amount of money (comparable to other quotes I received, but had I done it myself, it wouldn't have cost nearly as much - just a lot of time and back pain). I'm not sure what the etiquette is. I've grown up tipping some service people, but not all.

You tip them by recommending them to others (assuming the patio doesn't go to poo poo).

Tiny Timbs
Sep 6, 2008

Good-Natured Filth posted:

Do you tip contractors that are doing work for you? I have some guys putting in a patio, and they've been doing a very good job quickly. But I'm paying them what seems to be a sizable amount of money (comparable to other quotes I received, but had I done it myself, it wouldn't have cost nearly as much - just a lot of time and back pain). I'm not sure what the etiquette is. I've grown up tipping some service people, but not all.

You give contractors food and drinks, not tips.

Rocks
Dec 30, 2011

Write them a reference letter (in print) that they can use for future work with other clients

Battered Cankles
May 7, 2008

We're engaged!

Good-Natured Filth posted:

Do you tip contractors that are doing work for you? I have some guys putting in a patio, and they've been doing a very good job quickly. But I'm paying them what seems to be a sizable amount of money (comparable to other quotes I received, but had I done it myself, it wouldn't have cost nearly as much - just a lot of time and back pain). I'm not sure what the etiquette is. I've grown up tipping some service people, but not all.

You seem to be getting what you paid for. Congratulations!

lol internet.
Sep 4, 2007
the internet makes you stupid

LogisticEarth posted:

Could be a few things, disconnected ductwork, blocked duct, undersized blower... Can you get to the ducts anywhere or are they buried in the wall?

Buried in the wall/attic. The house is only 1 years old so I don't recall if it was ever working to begin with. Just noticed now. I bought some new filters but I doubt it's that. I'll mention it in my warranty I guess.

Elephanthead
Sep 11, 2008


Toilet Rascal
Has anyone encapsulated a crawl space? I am mostly interested in quality of floor temp above then any problem plus tossing in some storage containers of garbage my wife won't toss out cause she is an aspiring hoarder. It is a partial crawl under a kitchen.

Motronic
Nov 6, 2009

Elephanthead posted:

Has anyone encapsulated a crawl space? I am mostly interested in quality of floor temp above then any problem plus tossing in some storage containers of garbage my wife won't toss out cause she is an aspiring hoarder. It is a partial crawl under a kitchen.

You can't just take unconditioned space and turn it into conditioned space without some serious problems. Most people screw this up badly and end up with a mold factory. Vapor barriers need to be taken into account. It's doable depending on what you're starting with, but not likely as straightforward as you may think.

Elephanthead
Sep 11, 2008


Toilet Rascal
I am not to worried about that it is less then 5% of the interior volume of the house just take the inside access door off and conditioned space., I am more concerned with what type of barrier to put on the dirt. Closed cell spray foam is a no brainier to insulate the concrete walls and sills. I need something sturdy though on the ground if I am going to be inside of the space more then never. The other problem is it seems to be a very attractive job for shady contractors looking to install $4 of plastic wrap for thousands of dollars and making no difference to moisture levels.

Motronic
Nov 6, 2009

Elephanthead posted:

I am not to worried about that it is less then 5% of the interior volume of the house just take the inside access door off and conditioned space.,

I'm not entirely sure what to tell you - it really doesn't matter how much or how little of the interior space it constitutes. Vapor barriers needs to be removed/placed in the proper locations or it will become a problem. Without knowing where you have vapor barriers and insulation now I wouldn't be able to say much else, but you drat well should be concerned with it.

As to what to put on the dirt - the best thing I've seen is 20 mil polythylene specifically made for the purpose. You can go thinner, but I wouldn't want to if I was going to use it for storage.

It needs to be properly installed - meaning sealed to the walls and all seams sealed.

Elephanthead
Sep 11, 2008


Toilet Rascal
It is a sheet of plastic over dirt caulked to a concrete wall. I am not building a space shuttle.

Motronic
Nov 6, 2009

Elephanthead posted:

It is a sheet of plastic over dirt caulked to a concrete wall. I am not building a space shuttle.

I'm not talking about just the floor covering.

But you obviously don't care to get information that doesn't agree with what you think you already know, so best of luck to you.

Grumpwagon
May 6, 2007
I am a giant assfuck who needs to harden the fuck up.

What do people have their homeowners deductible at? I'm a first time home buyer (spoiler alert to the 2017 goals thread), trying to decide what to set it at.

I have a 6 month efund and save about 60% of my income, so I'm thinking we can afford a good high deductible. The default I was quoted was $1500. Does $5000 seem ok? The difference is about $150/year, which doesn't seem like that much, but even the $1500 deductible is only $550/yr, so that's a pretty big savings percentage wise.

No Butt Stuff
Jun 10, 2004

Mine was a 6k and I sleep much better at night now that it's 1k

Leperflesh
May 17, 2007

I figure I'd never want to make like a $2k claim, on the basis that that'd instantly increase my rate. Because what would it be? Theft? Raise my rate because my neighborhood must be dangerous. Fire? Raise my rate because my house has dangerous wiring or maybe I'm just an idiot.

I may be totally wrong in this assumption though. Does making a small claim against homeowner's insurance affect your risk profile/premiums?

Irritated Goat
Mar 12, 2005

This post is pathetic.
Got a plumber in cause our pipes are backing up randomly. Turns out there's loving roots in the line. Thanks nature. :sigh:

On the upside, he looked through our house and didn't find anything else so I'm hopeful I'll be able to have some time to squirrel away some funds after I fix my yard from its current completely hosed state. :unsmith:

The Dave
Sep 9, 2003

Irritated Goat posted:

Got a plumber in cause our pipes are backing up randomly. Turns out there's loving roots in the line. Thanks nature. :sigh:

On the upside, he looked through our house and didn't find anything else so I'm hopeful I'll be able to have some time to squirrel away some funds after I fix my yard from its current completely hosed state. :unsmith:

Welcome to my life. My sewer line is 100 years old and runs past three massive trees. We just have insurance on it because a cleaning is going to happen yearly. Last guy that came suggested using "Root-X" to completely clear everything out and help protect, I don't know if it's legit or not.

Andy Dufresne
Aug 4, 2010

The only good race pace is suicide pace, and today looks like a good day to die

Leperflesh posted:

I figure I'd never want to make like a $2k claim, on the basis that that'd instantly increase my rate. Because what would it be? Theft? Raise my rate because my neighborhood must be dangerous. Fire? Raise my rate because my house has dangerous wiring or maybe I'm just an idiot.

I may be totally wrong in this assumption though. Does making a small claim against homeowner's insurance affect your risk profile/premiums?

The rate hike for a first claim isn't really much, you just lose your "no claim" discount. However I've been told that a 2nd claim within a few years is what will absolutely gently caress you, which is a good reason to avoid making claims on small items. There are some things you're going to need to make a claim for if they happen (i.e. roof destroyed in a storm).

H110Hawk
Dec 28, 2006

Grumpwagon posted:

What do people have their homeowners deductible at? I'm a first time home buyer (spoiler alert to the 2017 goals thread), trying to decide what to set it at.

I have a 6 month efund and save about 60% of my income, so I'm thinking we can afford a good high deductible. The default I was quoted was $1500. Does $5000 seem ok? The difference is about $150/year, which doesn't seem like that much, but even the $1500 deductible is only $550/yr, so that's a pretty big savings percentage wise.

This is your skin in the game. Remember that the time you're most going to want your homeowners (aka Fire) insurance is when your house burns down. During this time you will have the clothes on your back assuming you were lucky enough to pull some on before running outside. How comfortable are you going to be (literally) cutting a $5,000 check to get the process started? During this time you're going to be paying out of pocket to remediation people, cleaning, medical costs, heading to target to buy underwear and a toothbrush, etc. This is going to be on credit cards and out of your immediate-access checking account.

Personally I pay the extra couple bucks per year to (hopefully) cap my loss at $1,000.

King Burgundy
Sep 17, 2003

I am the Burgundy King,
I can do anything!

H110Hawk posted:

This is your skin in the game. Remember that the time you're most going to want your homeowners (aka Fire) insurance is when your house burns down. During this time you will have the clothes on your back assuming you were lucky enough to pull some on before running outside. How comfortable are you going to be (literally) cutting a $5,000 check to get the process started? During this time you're going to be paying out of pocket to remediation people, cleaning, medical costs, heading to target to buy underwear and a toothbrush, etc. This is going to be on credit cards and out of your immediate-access checking account.

Personally I pay the extra couple bucks per year to (hopefully) cap my loss at $1,000.

Yeah, this is where I'm at too.

Even if I'm not claiming the small stuff, I'd still rather have the lower deductible.

Also, we just had our roof replaced due to hail damage. This is the type of thing you'll actually claim on your insurance, and having to pay out 5k to get that done rather than 1k is a huge difference.

lwoodio
Apr 4, 2008

Irritated Goat posted:

Got a plumber in cause our pipes are backing up randomly. Turns out there's loving roots in the line. Thanks nature. :sigh:

On the upside, he looked through our house and didn't find anything else so I'm hopeful I'll be able to have some time to squirrel away some funds after I fix my yard from its current completely hosed state. :unsmith:

If it makes you feel any better, our plumber recently augered the main line and pulled out a clump of roots the size of a cat. When he scoped it afterwards, it was nearly pristine.

Catatron Prime
Aug 23, 2010

IT ME



Toilet Rascal

The Dave posted:

Welcome to my life. My sewer line is 100 years old and runs past three massive trees. We just have insurance on it because a cleaning is going to happen yearly. Last guy that came suggested using "Root-X" to completely clear everything out and help protect, I don't know if it's legit or not.

I've got hundred year old clay pipes, so I've debated doing that with mine. Apparently it's pretty effective and the coating can apparently kill taproots for a year. I'd be curious to know what the consensus is.

DR FRASIER KRANG
Feb 4, 2005

"Are you forgetting that just this afternoon I was punched in the face by a turtle now dead?
I had clay pipes that had to be replaced with PVC at every section until it got to the straight shot to the sewer main in the street.

It was kinda neat to watch them do it. They dug access holes at every turn in the drainage path and just shot the new pipe through the ground with a hydraulic pump.

Leperflesh
May 17, 2007

My huge sycamore gets roots into my sewer line so I have to have it cleaned out about every year or 18 months or so. This last time, I said "gently caress it" and saved about half the cost by renting a 100' powered snake thing from Home Depot and doing it myself. That brought the cost down to about $70, plus two round trips to Home Depot, plus a pair of gloves I ruined, plus about three hours total of my time.

I figure if I have to do this for the rest of the time I own this house it still will never add up to the cost of a whole sewer line replacement, so as long as that's the only problem, I'm just gonna keep doing it. I'm gonna look into this root-x thing though because this isn't the first time I've heard of it.

brugroffil
Nov 30, 2015


We had a similar yearly root problem at our old house. The last guy we had it also recommended root x. We used it for a year, but then we moved so I can't say if it really helped or not, just another plumber's recommendation

QuarkJets
Sep 8, 2008

Oh boy, there are two dime-sized soft spots in the ceiling of my bathroom. I assume that this is what water damage looks like




Help thread, who do I call? Plumber? General contractors? Structural engineer? How many thousands of dollars can I look forward to spending on what looks like such a small problem (which I think is a large problem because surely digging out pipes between two floors is bad news)

uwaeve
Oct 21, 2010



focus this time so i don't have to keep telling you idiots what happened
Lipstick Apathy

QuarkJets posted:

Oh boy, there are two dime-sized soft spots in the ceiling of my bathroom. I assume that this is what water damage looks like




Help thread, who do I call? Plumber? General contractors? Structural engineer? How many thousands of dollars can I look forward to spending on what looks like such a small problem (which I think is a large problem because surely digging out pipes between two floors is bad news)

Real estate agent. Kilz the stain and list the house.

brugroffil
Nov 30, 2015


Demolition company. :rip: your house



Probably a plumber though, and cutting into drywalled ceiling to fix a leak shouldn't be that big of a deal. I'd think more on the order of several hundred rather than thousands.

Hubis
May 18, 2003

Boy, I wish we had one of those doomsday machines...

brugroffil posted:

Demolition company. :rip: your house



Probably a plumber though, and cutting into drywalled ceiling to fix a leak shouldn't be that big of a deal. I'd think more on the order of several hundred rather than thousands.

Depends on how much black mold has accumulated between his walls since the leak started.

The Dave
Sep 9, 2003

It's just a dice roll for everything. What's above that room?

Elephanthead
Sep 11, 2008


Toilet Rascal
If you can get to it from an attic, fix the water issue, then screw that drywall up, patch the screws, kilz, paint repeat done. If you can't cut drywall, fix patch. If that is an outside wall the roof might have an issue that needs to be fixed from the top.

You are probably going to want a side job delivering pizzas for the next decade to pay for it.

CloFan
Nov 6, 2004

QuarkJets posted:

pipes between two floors

TheWevel
Apr 14, 2002
Send Help; Trapped in Stupid Factory
I had a 2nd floor shower drain pan leak onto the ceiling below and it was like $300 to have someone fix the leak and the ceiling. The same house had a roof leak and it was only $600 to get fixed.

Based on this thread they each should have cost 10s of thousands of dollars in mold remediation and cleanup. Get some real quotes.

The Dave
Sep 9, 2003

We had one leak in our kitchen because the bathroom above used too small of a trap size and NO GLUE ON ANY OF THE PVC! That was just a couple hundred to fix.

Another leak on the other side of the kitchen was because our roof was on it's last legs, now that was a $16k fix.

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Hubis
May 18, 2003

Boy, I wish we had one of those doomsday machines...

TheWevel posted:

I had a 2nd floor shower drain pan leak onto the ceiling below and it was like $300 to have someone fix the leak and the ceiling. The same house had a roof leak and it was only $600 to get fixed.

Based on this thread they each should have cost 10s of thousands of dollars in mold remediation and cleanup. Get some real quotes.

Definitely get some real quotes. The mold issue is largely proportional to how long the issue has gone on unnoticed -- if you are prompt about it then it should be minor. On the other hand, my parents had a pipe in the crawl space under their kitchen that had a pinhole leak spraying everywhere that they didn't know about until it finally caused some of the floor boards to warp, and that was mold city.

Given that this is drywall, I am guessing you are catching it on the early side of things, so my outlook is optimistic provided there is nothing stupid going on in there. If this were an attic with fill insulation, on the other hand, then it could be a real headache.

E: the drywall itself is easy, you could do it yourself. in fact you might want to go get a keyhole saw and cut a hole there to try and see what's going on. Depending on the plumbing, you could do that too if you are industrious.

Hubis fucked around with this message at 16:59 on Sep 27, 2017

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