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Does anyone have any opinion of roofing shingle brands/product lines? Most quotes I'm getting are either Timberline HD or Certainteed Landmark, a lot of posts on reddit poo poo all over Timberline due to a supposed drop in quality in recent years, but that could just be reddit.
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May 23, 2018 14:02
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lol internet. posted:I'm in the Seattle area and the housing prices are pretty much booming. Call your lender and ask if their automated valuation model shows you are 77.5% (aim big). If so, ask for it to be dropped or what would be required. If it is actually $630k then you should be fine. Unless you're a special loan type like FHA in which case you're hosed and have to refi. The worst that happens is they say no and require you to refi.
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May 23, 2018 17:10
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Got the first quote for spray foam attic insulation (1720 sqft): $6000 Includes cost of ripping out existing thin layer of fiberglass insulation, walling off the garage part of the attic and redoing some of the HVAC piping to make it blow the air out the roof vs into the attic. The guy said foam is quite a bit more expensive but my roof is almost flat so if I do cellulose or fiber then it would basically fill the whole attic and make it super hard to service (with large risk of having it ruined by the first person who climbs up there). He also said foam is cleanest as I wouldn’t need to worry about small particles (e.g. cellulose) being sucked into the living areas when the A/C starts. Will get more quotes obviously.
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May 23, 2018 18:53
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Uh, why is your HVAC drawing air from the attic? I have cellulose in my attic and in my knee walls and have not really had any issues at all. Of course I also never go in my attic because... why would I?
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May 23, 2018 20:53
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No Butt Stuff posted:Uh, why is your HVAC drawing air from the attic? Something about backdraft. He said small amounts of air can bring small particles in. I’ve read elsewhere that fiberglass and cellulose can cause respiratory problems so I don’t think he was making it up. As for going in the attic, you may not, but service techs may. For example I’ll be installing ceiling vents in bathrooms at some point in the near future, and that part of the attic has very little room because of the way the roof is shaped. If cellulose or fiberglass is used, whoever installs the ventilators would need to cut through it to do the vents. Slow News Day fucked around with this message at 22:49 on May 23, 2018 |
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May 23, 2018 21:36
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Interesting, is his proposal then to spray foam but keep the space a cold attic?
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May 23, 2018 22:31
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sweet_jones posted:Interesting, is his proposal then to spray foam but keep the space a cold attic? Sorry, can you clarify? What do you mean?
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May 23, 2018 22:56
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The term I've heard is hot roof vs cold roof. Hot roof has the insulation up against the shingles, and cold roof has the insulation on the floor of the attic. Do you have HVAC ducts in the attic? Hot roof can help with HVAC efficiency in that case because the attic will stay closer to room temperature. It can also give you a better air seal if you have tons of penetrations in the ceiling below the attic like an interior chimney or lots of can lights. A lot of hot roof conversions done by foam companies are not to code for cold climates. You should check the recommended R value for your zone and make sure the installation in your quote would be sufficient The line about pulling insulation dust into the house is mostly baloney, as a cellulose installer will air seal the attic to prevent air infiltration into the house. Air sealing and blowing cellulose would probably be half the cost that the foam company gave you. If you have natural gas or electric heat, you should check with your utility company for any rebates and use an installer on their approved list.
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May 24, 2018 01:07
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lwoodio posted:The term I've heard is hot roof vs cold roof. Hot roof has the insulation up against the shingles, and cold roof has the insulation on the floor of the attic. Do you have HVAC ducts in the attic? Hot roof can help with HVAC efficiency in that case because the attic will stay closer to room temperature. It can also give you a better air seal if you have tons of penetrations in the ceiling below the attic like an interior chimney or lots of can lights. A lot of hot roof conversions done by foam companies are not to code for cold climates. You should check the recommended R value for your zone and make sure the installation in your quote would be sufficient Hmm, that seems backwards, at least for where I live, where attics without insulation can go up to 140 degrees in the summer. But yes, I understand. This guy recommended a hot roof (i.e. insulation up against the shingles) and one reason he gave was that the HVAC ducts are in the attic.
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May 24, 2018 01:14
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New homeowner here. Is it useful to get a yearly follow-up inspection from a home inspector, or should I just hire the relevant professionals (HVAC, plumbers, electricians, pest control, etc.) to do inspections? Our house was built in 1992 and had most of the major stuff replaced relatively recently (HVAC in 2012, roof in 2005 after a hail storm, pool resurfaced in 2013). The inspection report yielded nothing major other than some code compliance things.
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May 24, 2018 01:38
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As long as it's not required for a warranty I wouldn't spend the money on contractor inspections of things I can look out for myself. HVAC specialists, in particular, have a reputation for concluding that you need to replace your whole system when nothing's wrong. I got new homeowner nerves about my home's boiler system and the HVAC guy said it wasn't worth doing more than a visual check since the boiler was "only" 10 years old and I wasn't experiencing any issues. He showed me what to keep an eye on. Tiny Timbs fucked around with this message at 01:51 on May 24, 2018 |
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May 24, 2018 01:49
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SpartanIvy posted:I'm in the market for a ladder too and I've all but decided on the Extend+Climb telescoping ladders. 15.5' max, but adjustable to any point below that as well. Holds up to like 250 lbs which is more than enough for me+tools. Only downside is there's no A-frame to it so it has been to leaning on something. I know this is a few pages back but: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCzbLtRDV_Q
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May 24, 2018 03:56
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balancedbias posted:I know this is a few pages back but: Man I was expecting the ladder to fail but that guy was just dumb. I still want one (but a better brand)
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May 24, 2018 04:04
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enraged_camel posted:Something about backdraft. He said small amounts of air can bring small particles in. Is he not doing air sealing before the cellulose? That seems like it should mitigate any issues with the HVAC picking up cellulose. I have cellulose in my attic, and can't say that I've noticed it floating around my house. If you have any sort of work you're planning in the attic, it would make way more sense to do that first, regardless of the insulation you're putting in.
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May 24, 2018 04:08
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enraged_camel posted:Hmm, that seems backwards, at least for where I live, where attics without insulation can go up to 140 degrees in the summer. But yes, I understand. This is the route we went. Our furnace is in that space, and it allowed us to properly insulate three exterior walls along with the roof sheathing. We're in the high desert with no A/C and this has worked well for us. For us, paying to have a thorough vacuum was well worth it. We had archaeology of blown in insulation, with the four different varieties. It was as if decades of owners said "hey, it's drafty" and blew in another layer of insulation rather than air sealing. Joys of owning a 115 year old house.
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May 24, 2018 17:39
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Another question - what about home warranty programs? One came with our purchase (First American), but I'd like to hear about others.
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May 27, 2018 14:28
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IT BURNS posted:Another question - what about home warranty programs? One came with our purchase (First American), but I'd like to hear about others. Send me $500 and I will give you the same terrible coverage. Basically I'll charge you $65 to send you the cheapest person desperate for $40 to your house to deny repairs. Unless you have some massive problem you can foresee (a/c literally making a death rattle, someone in here managed to get a basement sump, etc) they're a waste of money.
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May 27, 2018 14:36
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Check out the home buying thread for many horror stories about those warranties. Even if you have the exact issue the warranty is designed to account for there is always some way for the company to weasel out of them, they seem to be borderline illegal scams. Effectively less than worthless.
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May 27, 2018 15:50
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Even if they do provide service, the incentives are all wrong: they want to spend the minimum amount needed to legally satisfy their obligation, while you generally want the best results (most durable fix, quality of appliance, etc.) for your money. I'd only get a house warranty if I were desperately house-poor; otherwise, just keep some money for a rainy-day fund.
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May 27, 2018 17:01
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Any of you have a house with a flat section of roof? Wouldn't it make sense for the roof to be sloped in such a way that the water ran off the sides instead of keeping a puddle in the middle? Is this just bad design or a common issue with all flat roofs? 
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May 27, 2018 19:40
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None of the flat sections of my roof are actually flat and level, AFAIK.
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May 27, 2018 19:56
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zaurg posted:Any of you have a house with a flat section of roof? "Flat" roof does not mean flat in that sense. Your roof is not properly pitched and needs to be repaired.
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May 27, 2018 20:00
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Motronic posted:"Flat" roof does not mean flat in that sense. Your roof is not properly pitched and needs to be repaired. poo poo. ok thanks. https://www.hunker.com/13402553/the-proper-angle-for-water-runoff-on-a-flat-roof "To keep damage like leaks from occurring, standing water should not exceed 48 hours." I swept that pool off the roof today but drat, it has been about 4 years since it was last repaired.
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May 27, 2018 20:04
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How hard is it to get an A/C unit moved? Mine is literally next to the outdoor patio, and it is loud as hell, which makes it impossible to have a conversation when sitting outside with guests.
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May 27, 2018 20:08
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We were given a 1 year home warranty when we got our house. We had a 30 year old sub zero frige in the kitchen that died very quickly after moving in. We tried to get this repaired under the warranty and a fix was attempted, but it didn't last long. Another tech came out and said that it's really a total write off because the parts aren't available. The warranty company wanted to only cover with they believed the value was, but my wife gave them hell and they caved and cut us a check for $5000. So we got a new fridge and a new bed out of it.
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May 27, 2018 20:15
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enraged_camel posted:How hard is it to get an A/C unit moved? Mine is literally next to the outdoor patio, and it is loud as hell, which makes it impossible to have a conversation when sitting outside with guests. It's not necessarily "hard", but the system needs to be evacuated, the unit physically moved and then the line set extended and the power moved (and the thermostat/signaling wire). How difficult that might be depends on both your home's construction and where you want to move it to as well as just how hidden you need/want the line set and electrical to be. FYI, this is NOT the time of year to be doing that kind of poo poo. Everyone is busy and will want a premium.
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May 27, 2018 20:30
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You can also get a much quieter AC compressor but it shouldn't be next to your patio, it should be next to your neighbor's patio.
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May 27, 2018 22:04
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Elephanthead posted:You can also get a much quieter AC compressor but it shouldn't be next to your patio, it should be next to your neighbor's patio. This is a pro tip.
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May 27, 2018 22:20
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Tips on home security systems? ADT has been spamming me with mail since I moved in. I don’t have that much stuff so it’s not a huge priority (I’m not particularly worried about being burglarized), but my insurance guy said having a security system reduces home insurance rate somewhat so that got me interested.
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May 28, 2018 03:56
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zaurg posted:Any of you have a house with a flat section of roof? Edit: I am so sorry, I thought I was in the grazu thread. Papa Was A Video Toaster fucked around with this message at 04:10 on May 28, 2018 |
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May 28, 2018 04:07
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enraged_camel posted:Tips on home security systems? ADT has been spamming me with mail since I moved in. If you’re paying for an actual monitoring service the savings you get from the insurance rate drop will be a wash.
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May 28, 2018 04:28
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HEY NONG MAN posted:If you’re paying for an actual monitoring service the savings you get from the insurance rate drop will be a wash. How do I decide whether I need home security? Are there calculators or guides?
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May 28, 2018 06:46
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enraged_camel posted:How do I decide whether I need home security? Are there calculators or guides? Personally, I would say you should hire a couple guys to watch your house 24/7.
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May 28, 2018 06:54
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I live in a large metro area with high property crime rates and directly adjacent to a BRT line. I pay someone a monthly fee (that I should probably shop around now that I think about it) because my neighbor had their door kicked in not terribly long ago.
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May 28, 2018 07:00
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enraged_camel posted:How do I decide whether I need home security? Are there calculators or guides? I kind of looked into this awhile ago and it seemed like the only advice was "everyone MUST have a security system" and can you guess who was providing that advice? What I wound up figuring out was: A) A security system won't prevent your house from getting burgled. It may encourage a burglar to leave sooner, but they already sort of have that incentive. In fact, security alarms caused by burglaries tend to have pretty slow response times (because 80% of alarms are actually false alarms). B) It won't help you with a home invasion any more than a phone would. If you're worried about ninjas swinging into your bedroom through the window and incapacitating you before you can make a phone call then get a security system, I guess C) You can get insurance coverage against break-ins (both for damage to your home and the value of property lost), and that's a shitload less expensive than active monitoring. A security system will decrease your insurance rate a tiny bit, but it's negligible compared to the cost of active monitoring. That said, active monitoring comes with a bunch of other services, like they'll call the fire department if a fire is detected and they might be a core part of a smart-home system anyway, if that's something that you want. Knowing that there's a company watching over your house is valuable to some people even if it doesn't make sense financially.
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May 28, 2018 09:00
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enraged_camel posted:How do I decide whether I need home security? Are there calculators or guides? Not really, it comes down to how you feel about it. I live in a metro with a fair amount of break-ins, so I get home security. Frankly, the largest deterrent is the sign that says you have a security system, which makes break ins less likely. To the other points, it's not likely to make a big difference otherwise. However, for me, we use an alarm.com system which integrates a lot of smart home stuff -- so my locks, most of my lights, and doorbell are all integrated so I can talk to and see someone at the front door if they ring the door bell; I can unlock the door for them, etc. It also controls my thermostat and I have water sensors, so when the GFI on my sump pump popped and it overflowed last week, the alarm went off before there was any damage and I was able to fix it. To me, the whole home stuff is a lot more interesting than the pure security stuff you'll get from ADT (don't use ADT). You won't net save money with active monitoring.
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May 28, 2018 16:18
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Kind of related, I went to Lowe's and home Depot trying to find a rekeying kit so I can change the locks in my soon to be house, and while neither of them sell the kits, the guy at Lowe's tried to convince me I should just buy a security system. Like it was somehow a reasonable alternative to locks. I just laughed and walked off.
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May 28, 2018 16:28
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SpartanIvy posted:Kind of related, I went to Lowe's and home Depot trying to find a rekeying kit so I can change the locks in my soon to be house, and while neither of them sell the kits, the guy at Lowe's tried to convince me I should just buy a security system. Like it was somehow a reasonable alternative to locks. I just laughed and walked off. You need a dowel the size of your lock cylinder and a metal file. Swap a longer pin into a shorter pin slot, leave the longer pin blank, file down a key until it works smoothly then duplicate it. Alternatively buy a handful of locks keyed the same, swap the pins with yours then return them. You still need the dowel. Also never listen to me.
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May 28, 2018 16:34
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H110Hawk posted:You need a dowel the size of your lock cylinder and a metal file. Swap a longer pin into a shorter pin slot, leave the longer pin blank, file down a key until it works smoothly then duplicate it. What. You buy a pin kit online, and a new random key (x10) at the locksmith. I did the last rental I rented for about $25, which was 8 cylinders. lovely landlord wouldn't do it.
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May 28, 2018 18:07
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Zauper posted:Frankly, the largest deterrent is the sign that says you have a security system, which makes break ins less likely. I’m gutting the entire battery-backed-up active-monitored multi-zone all-opening security system in my house, because gently caress that noise. Kept the sign.  (Previous owners were a special flavor of paranoid.)
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May 28, 2018 19:00
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