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shits.ridic posted:I have learned that in November 2017 (annual pest inspection time) signs of bedbugs were spotted in someone's apartment. I don't know whose, or if the unit was even occupied at the time but it turns out nothing was done.
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Apr 27, 2018 19:22
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I live in TX. This is going to sound douchey but I don't know how else to say it: I work for liability lawyers, I know a ton of lawyers, and the leasing office knows this. Besides, management hasn't said anything about money (and they better not, given the fact that it sounds like the treatment consists of using a single, pansy-rear end chemical). I couldn't spend my own money on this if I wanted to--as in, hire a better pest control company. No one is going to guarantee their work in a multifamily dwelling. And yeah I shouldn't have to spend my time tearing up the carpet but they simply aren't going to do it so I have to try. I've had bed bug encasements on my mattress and box spring for years and I replace them every year. I can't remember when I started doing this but it's just good practice if you're a renter especially in a grimy city like Houston. Hopefully my furniture including bed won't have to be thrown out. But tbh I don't care about my bed because honestly it's kind of old and I wouldn't mind a new one. But gently caress me if that red chair ends up ruined, it was my dad's.  I can't wait to get home and try ripping up the carpet, might feel cathartic
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Apr 27, 2018 19:43
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JFC I'm itching just from reading that
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Apr 27, 2018 22:41
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Can’t you break a lease over infestation?
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Apr 27, 2018 23:17
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How do they handle bed bugs in the first world proper (Norway, Switzerland, etc.) anyway?
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Apr 28, 2018 07:23
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Norway opens the door and freezes them, Switzerland squashes then with bars of Nazi gold.
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Apr 28, 2018 09:11
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Roommate moved out a month ago and his room is still kinday musty. Ive mopped with bleach, wiped down the walls, and none of his poo poo still remains, aside from the funk. I've bought and run an ozone generator, but I don't think it did much if anything. Any other ideas.
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Apr 28, 2018 16:34
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Wasabi the J posted:Roommate moved out a month ago and his room is still kinday musty. Ive mopped with bleach, wiped down the walls, and none of his poo poo still remains, aside from the funk. Open all your windows for a whole day? Move out? See if he upper decked his air vent?
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Apr 28, 2018 16:47
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It's not poop it's just like, sweaty. And I've left the window open in that room for a week. Also it's my house I paid for with money.
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Apr 28, 2018 17:19
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Does it have a popcorn ceiling? That poo poo holds odors like carpet.
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Apr 28, 2018 18:21
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Wasabi the J posted:It's not poop it's just like, sweaty. And I've left the window open in that room for a week. Repaint.
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Apr 28, 2018 18:23
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It stinks to you because he marked it as his own territory. Piss all over the walls/ceiling/floor. Voila, it’s yours.
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Apr 28, 2018 18:27
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MrYenko posted:Does it have a popcorn ceiling? That poo poo holds odors like carpet. If the room is "apartment white" they make awesome paint that goes on purple and dries white. You could likely get the whole room thinly covered for under $50 even if you own nothing for painting.
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Apr 28, 2018 18:35
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Back again, about the hole in my garage. I've decided I'll use a stucco patch to fill the hole, is DAP All Purpose Stucco good to go? Is it paintable (seriously there is like zero info on this product online)? Second question I got, so the hole is from running a camera wire into the house. I will be making another one, again about 1 inch. I do have a cover (you can see it on the other side of the hole in that picture I posted last page) that goes on the outside, but its still a sizable hole after the wire is run through, annoyingly enough the part that plugs into the power source is needlessly big. Is there something I can shove into the hole to help keep it sealed, but I can easily remove later when I decide to remove the camera?
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Apr 28, 2018 20:08
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Fallom posted:Can’t you break a lease over infestation? Strictly speaking, no, because they're ~trying. But given their fuckup of being notified of bedbugs six months ago and seemingly doing nothing, I bet I could break the lease over it. But I don't want to move. It's actually very, very nice here aside from this issue. Also, moving is the Wrong Thing To Do when you discover bedbugs because you likely end up taking the infestation with you. At the very least I should wait until the apt has been treated (probably multiple times) before moving out... Of course it's easy for me to say these things when my actual bedroom doesn't seem to be infested yet. After researching online yesterday, I ordered some stank rear end neem oil spray that I hope I won't need, and I picked up a bunch of diamectous earth. My mission this weekend is to put DE all around the edges of the carpeted rooms where I'm pulling it up. I'm also going to put the DE in the electrical outlets and smoke detectors. DE is gonna to shred the fuckers if they try to invade. I also bought bedbug traps that go under the feet of the bed frame. Bugs can crawl in but get trapped by the slippery surface and can't climb up the bed nor can they climb back down. BUT they can still come through from the ceiling fixture (fan/light) or smoke detector, and drop down on me. These things are diabolical. I'm thinking about trying to pull the ceiling fixtures and put DE up there, too, but that might be beyond my capabilities. I also put a fan by my bed because it helps dissipate the CO2 from exhaling, which is what attracts them (same as mosquitoes). That might not help but can't hurt.
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Apr 28, 2018 20:18
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shits.ridic posted:These things are diabolical. Yeah, the more you research them the more it seems like the intro to a horror movie.
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Apr 28, 2018 20:36
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This sucks. About an hour ago I went to take a break from the work I'm doing. I flopped on my bed and just stared at the ceiling for a few minutes. I thought I saw a tiny dark thing moving on the ceiling at the center of the room, as if it came from the ceiling fan. Told myself 'nah couldn't be'... 'it's just a shadow from the popcorn ceiling' ... 'fan blades tricking my vision'... but I was too afraid to turn off the ceiling fan, thinking that if it was a bug, whatever it was, it might drop on me. So I made a "pillow" of clear packing tape and stuck it on the end of my broomstick. I waited for the bug to crawl across the ceiling, past the perimeter of the spinning fan blades then I jabbed it with my sticky broom. I folded the tape over, sealing the little bastard in a cellophane prison so I could examine him. Yes it is a bedbug. I'm no expert but I feel like that's an indicator of heavy infestation, that I saw one out here strolling in the middle of the afternoon. I got spooked and went for a long walk outside. Now I can't stop whipping my head around and peering up at the ceiling; I'd probably look like a paranoid crackhead if anyone was here to see me like this. gently caress these things. If you're reading this, anybody, and think you might be seeing some poo poo in your house, pick it up with sticky tape, it's a good way to get a real close look and confirm.
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Apr 28, 2018 22:46
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Apr 29, 2018 00:24
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So that indoor dryer vent box is pretty great. The humidity is far less than a shower and it beats the gently caress out of having it vent into my ceiling.
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Apr 29, 2018 00:32
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Gumbel2Gumbel posted:So that indoor dryer vent box is pretty great. The humidity is far less than a shower and it beats the gently caress out of having it vent into my ceiling. Do you have an old house with hardly any insulation? You might end up making it really humid inside during the winter and cause fogged up windows, icy windows, mold from lack from lack of ventilation, etc.
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Apr 29, 2018 01:15
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kid sinister posted:Do you have an old house with hardly any insulation? You might end up making it really humid inside during the winter and cause fogged up windows, icy windows, mold from lack from lack of ventilation, etc. I'm agreeing; but an old, loosely constructed house usually has plenty of ventilation. I wonder how many changes of air per day occur in my old house built just after the turn of last century.
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Apr 29, 2018 14:28
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As the owner of a house built in 1930 which still has the original wood windows: it depends how hard the wind is blowing.
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Apr 29, 2018 14:39
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I've still got my old Atari here, in its box, but it's, uh, let's just say the box is far from mint condition. Right now, I can just hide it away somewhere it isn't seen, but in a few months I'll be moving to a place where I won't have room to do that. I don't want to ditch it because it's basically an antique at this point, but a ratty old box is not pleasant to look at. What are some things I can do so that I can bring it with me without turning my new place into an eyesore?
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Apr 29, 2018 15:35
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Wrapping paper.
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Apr 29, 2018 15:48
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The underside of my cast iron sewer pipe in the basement has developed a leak. Is attempting to patch this a fool's errand? 
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Apr 29, 2018 16:32
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opengl128 posted:The underside of my cast iron sewer pipe in the basement has developed a leak. Is attempting to patch this a fool's errand? I'm no plumber, but I wouldn't be surprised if that crack is just the most visible part of more extensive damage. Who knows how thin the walls of that pipe are now. Maybe you could patch it and it'd hold for years...and maybe you'd patch it and it'd just fail somewhere else a month or two later. At minimum I'd want to get that cut open around the crack and a new section of pipe installed; that'd also open things up so you'd be able to see how much damage you're looking at. ...I also wouldn't want to do this myself. Let someone who's used to dealing with sewage pipes handle it.
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Apr 29, 2018 16:50
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opengl128 posted:The underside of my cast iron sewer pipe in the basement has developed a leak. Is attempting to patch this a fool's errand? You should get that replaced.
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Apr 29, 2018 18:10
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opengl128 posted:The underside of my cast iron sewer pipe in the basement has developed a leak. Is attempting to patch this a fool's errand? *** Note: the pipe is full of pooh. Have a bucket ready to catch what comes out when the cuts are made. And make sure no one in the house flushes or runs water while doing the repair. Noticed everything is painted and it looks to be somewhat finished. This repair will leave with you two large black rings and a section of PVC for all to see. You will have to decide what you want to see. i.e. replace a longer length of the pipe if you want a more uniformed look across the room. When you cut out the damaged section it will also allow you to check out the rest of the pipe and see the extent of the corrosion. Oh and cast iron is heavy--don't cut out a massive length without having the pipe secured. HycoCam fucked around with this message at 18:13 on Apr 30, 2018 |
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Apr 29, 2018 19:13
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HycoCam posted:Cut it out and replace the section. Grab two Fernco couplings (https://www.lowes.com/pd/Fernco-4-in-x-4-58-in-dia-Flexible-PVC-Coupling-Fittings/1000075325) and a length of pvc. (Get the right diameter--can't tell if that is 4" or 3".) Cut out the damaged section with a sawzall***. Slide the couplings over the pipe, cut the PVC to fit the missing section snuggly, slide the couplings over the joints, tighten, and re-secure the drain pipe to the wall. Poof--done. Typically a very quick repair job. If you can, don’t cut cast iron with a sawzall, it’s hard as gently caress and won’t cut easily. It’s super brittle though, so is there is a tool you can use, I think they are called snap cutters, which basically applies a lot of pressure on it with a chain and cracks it where you need it to be cut.
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Apr 30, 2018 01:53
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First thing you need to do is find out how much of that pipe is rotten. Take a hammer and tap; the hammer should rebound quickly with a slight ringing sound. If a dull thump is your result, mark the pipe & move on until you hit solid pipe. Seconding the cast cutter. You will probably have to rent one. I have access to one, but they can be hard to find. Looks like a mediaeval melee weapon: a length of steel pipe with an adjustable, levered cam & a length of bicycle chain with can-opener blades evey other link. Wrap the chain around the pipe, hook it onto the cam, take out the slack, and lever it tight until the cast snaps. To avoid solid waste, flush the toilet a number of times before you begin. VV This is true. some laws are inviolate. VV PainterofCrap fucked around with this message at 12:34 on Apr 30, 2018 |
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Apr 30, 2018 02:01
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You will still get covered in poo poo water, it's the law.
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Apr 30, 2018 06:22
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Don't use ferncos, use no-hub couplings. They are basically ferncos, but with a metal band around them. Generally ferncos aren't legal above ground. Also you will need to add supports for the pipe before you cut it. You can probably just use the metal plumber's tape like is there. As for cutting, if you have a sawzall, you can buy a cast iron blade for around 15 bucks, but it's gonna take longer to cut than a chain snapper, which you can rent for half a day for 25 bucks or so.
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Apr 30, 2018 14:44
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I'm looking for ideas on how to cover up this unsightly, un-used side of the house. The windows are blacked out from the inside, and frosted on the outside. There is no central A.C., so a window unit was installed carelessly.  The window unit works fine, and the owner used some insulation spray to fill in the cracks between the window and the framing around the A.C. It looks like poo poo.  This side of the house is not visible from the road, or the front of the house. It's un-used other than myself and the neighbors doing our landscaping on the sides of our relative's houses. So I'm trying to sort out what I could "cover up" this side of the house with. My thoughts were landscaping some no-visibility bushes around the front of the (Broken) central A.C. unit, maybe looking at some hanging vines, and I'm not sure what else...? There might even be another option besides landscaping I'm not aware of? Any help would be appreciated. This is a relative's house, and she just badly want's all this mess covered up.
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Apr 30, 2018 21:45
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Why not just take care of it? Junk the big AC if it's broken and nobody cares, replace the blacked-out window. if the budget is too tight to allow for that, what is the budget?
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Apr 30, 2018 21:52
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i like nice words
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Anne Whateley posted:Why not just take care of it? Junk the big AC if it's broken and nobody cares, replace the blacked-out window. if the budget is too tight to allow for that, what is the budget? That was my first request to my Aunt, to just junk the broken central A.C. box. She doesn't want to. I guess she's under the illusion she'll actually have the central A.C. repaired someday, so she doesn't want it removed. I have no idea what's wrong with her central air. The blacked out window and the window A.C. are all fine. She just kind of wants that side of the house covered with some "tall" landscaping. She would spend up to, but not over $1,000 to do some exterior planting around there.
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Apr 30, 2018 22:05
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I have a feeling that anything tall enough to cover that stuff is also going to need to be planted a decent distance away from the wall to prevent trapping moisure, climbing the walls, roots damaging the foundation, etc.
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Apr 30, 2018 22:12
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TooMuchAbstraction posted:I have a feeling that anything tall enough to cover that stuff is also going to need to be planted a decent distance away from the wall to prevent trapping moisure, climbing the walls, roots damaging the foundation, etc. I feel the same way. Is there a plant you can recommend that fits those criteria?
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Apr 30, 2018 22:17
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Crepe myrtle or lilac. Comedy option, since it's not your house: bamboo 
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May 1, 2018 02:50
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If you have $1000, that seems like it would be enough to fix it instead of just covering it up? The $100 solution is just gonna be a lean-to arbor and whatever quick-growing vines you want.
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May 1, 2018 05:14
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I just bought a house about 2 months ago and already I've had to change at least 8 lightbulbs, but all different. The previous owners had the correct watt bulbs from what I can tell and I've been replacing them with the correct bulbs. I've started keeping track of when I change them to see how long they last. At this point I'm thinking it can't be a coincidence that this many bulbs are burning out right after we bought the house. Could there be something wrong with the wiring or circuit breaker? Any suggestions on how to test this on my own without calling an electrician?
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May 1, 2018 13:57
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