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Even if you can't do anything about it, you should absolutely contact the super and tell them, preferably more than once and in writing. That way when this turns into a real shitshow (literally) you can say 'Look I told you about this on X date and again on Y date and you never fixed it, my duty was to inform you and I did that'. Otherwise someone is definitely going to try and pin it on you.
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Apr 5, 2019 16:21
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Anne Whateley posted:Guess I have a toilet that runs now. At least I don't pay the water bill and it's not a drought area Then you really shouldn't care. Contact the super/manager in a way that serves as written documentation (email) and explain that this is a high-priority item that needs to be fixed immediately, and that you won't be held liable for any damage/water bill it causes. Find a way to get them your key (they should already have this) to fix it if you aren't available to let them in. Any DIYer will tell you that 'simple' fixes have the potential to explode into major issues. Especially with stuff like plumbing or electrical work, you can get in over your head quickly and the damage can be large if you're really unlucky.
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Apr 5, 2019 16:29
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I can email the property management company just to document it. That's what I did when my bathroom actually flooded like 3? years ago when my upstairs neighbor overflowed his bathtub. It was bad enough I was concerned about the structural integrity of the plaster, but apparently they weren't! That was when I coordinated with the super and took a full day off work for him to fix, and he no-showed. I called him at like 2 and he was like "well it's too late to start now!!!" So the paint is still hanging off the ceiling and bubbling off the walls.
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Apr 5, 2019 16:31
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i like nice words
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Anne Whateley posted:I can email the property management company just to document it. That's what I did when my bathroom actually flooded like 3? years ago when my upstairs neighbor overflowed his bathtub. It was bad enough I was concerned about the structural integrity of the plaster, but apparently they weren't! That was when I coordinated with the super and took a full day off work for him to fix, and he no-showed. I called him at like 2 and he was like "well it's too late to start now!!!" So the paint is still hanging off the ceiling and bubbling off the walls. You need to start looking for new apartments if you can.
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Apr 5, 2019 16:36
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I live in NYC and my place is rent-stabilized, so that's not an option. If something is so urgent it's worth getting the super up from his dinner table -- basically if there's a fire -- then he'll do it. Otherwise, good luck; he only works M-F, 9-5 (tbh 10-12 and 2-4,) and only if you can find him. Even that probably works okay if you assume everyone has a stay-at-home wife. I don't. I'm fine with doing small DIY stuff. This fix would be super simple, well within my capabilities, if it were a normal toilet with a tank, and it doesn't look any more difficult with a flushometer -- just turn off the water, take off the cap, rinse off the diaphragm and make sure the hole is clear, and put it back. The only hiccup is the screw. I didn't know whether that was an "omg stop immediately"-sized hurdle or a "just spray some CLR or plumbers' lube on it"-sized hurdle. Apparently it's the former.
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Apr 5, 2019 16:43
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Anne Whateley posted:I live in NYC and my place is rent-stabilized, so that's not an option. Yeah good luck getting your slumlord into your apartment. He wants to reset that clock..
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Apr 5, 2019 16:54
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stupid puma posted:Hard to say since labor costs are very regional but installing the pre fab pan itself is pretty easy - basically just lay it down and connect the drain line. I didn’t read the directions but I bet the walls are pretty easy to install. In addition to any demo they will have to install a new mixing valve. Around here (Minneapolis) I bet this is probably a $3k or $4k job in labor (not including the pan and surround and fixtures) to contract the whole thing out and I bet one guy could do it in less than a day. It's a 1BR/1BA so I'm not concerned about not having a tub since someone with kids probably wouldn't be interested in my place. Anyway I decided to just get the tub/shower resurfaced as all I was quoted at least 8-10K to do the conversion.
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Apr 5, 2019 17:39
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I emailed this to Kohler as well, but any idea how I might remove this lever/handle? I already removed the screw in the middle as you can see. I expected I could just pull it off but I cannot. There are no openings I can see in it. Also taking out the escutcheon screws doesn't help at all. I do have a hacksaw in case maybe it was glued on during construction (??). I'm replacing all my fixtures since they are gross and need to be removed for the tub refinishers to cover everything anyway. Also for the spout, you can see the white plastic piece somewhat in the bottom of the picture. Does this need to be replaced or can I just put on a new spout? It's the kind where you just push the spout in and then turn it a couple times. I have some putty to use for this as well. I noticed there are two types of spouts that I could find - one is "slip-fit" and one is "1/2" NPT." I'm not sure which one is the appropriate replacement. It's a white tube that is threaded at the end. actionjackson fucked around with this message at 17:46 on Apr 5, 2019 |
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Apr 5, 2019 17:40
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Anne Whateley posted:I live in NYC and my place is rent-stabilized, so that's not an option. You can get around the shutoff screw problem by finding the shutoff upstream of the fixture. If it's not in your rented space, that's the end of it for you, but if it's accessible you can turn that off, drain the line by flushing, and then dig in. The two things that most often cause constant running are the diaphragm and the vacuum breaker and it should be easy to find videos on replacing. These fixtures are pretty simple, but it can be kinda awkward to work on them until you have practice, and it is possible to gently caress up and make a flood pretty fast, so be warned. Again, they are ubiquitous so plenty of videos to show you how to work on them, then you can judge for yourself.
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Apr 5, 2019 18:48
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I suggest you don't gently caress with ancient high pressure NYC plumbing. A minor mistake can turn into a very expensive problem in a blink of an eye. And the property management will charge you for it, and not at handyman rate. Document all your inquiries, look up Tennant rights. You most likely can withhold rent until the issues are resolved. But you have to do it in a very specific manner, likely vie escrow account. That usually gets repair team out to you in a jiffy.
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Apr 5, 2019 23:13
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Withholding rent almost always fucks you over long-term in NYC. If the toilet weren't working at all, the place would be uninhabitable and that would definitely get fixed, but you couldn't withhold rent for a toilet that works fine, is just running. glynnenstein posted:The two things that most often cause constant running are the diaphragm and the vacuum breaker and it should be easy to find videos on replacing. These fixtures are pretty simple, but it can be kinda awkward to work on them until you have practice, and it is possible to gently caress up and make a flood pretty fast, so be warned. Again, they are ubiquitous so plenty of videos to show you how to work on them, then you can judge for yourself. I'm definitely confident in my ability to do all that. The only issue is glynnenstein posted:You can get around the shutoff screw problem by finding the shutoff upstream of the fixture. If it's not in your rented space, that's the end of it for you 
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Apr 5, 2019 23:32
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Sounds like you need to figure out an inconspicuous way to make the toilet not work.Ashcans posted:We recently had our boiler replaced with a new dual system (boiler/hot water), and while we did we took the chance to have our system split into two zones - upstairs and downstairs. Well, the upstairs zone doesn't seem to be kicking on properly. The downstairs is fine, the upstairs thermostat works and the right lights turn on, but it doesn't seem to flow. The pipe coming from the zone 2 pump is room temperature. I am guessing that either the pump isn't working properly, or there is something closed that ought to be open? I did try bleeding the radiators and didn't find any air stuck.
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Apr 7, 2019 05:04
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Ashcans posted:We recently had our boiler replaced with a new dual system (boiler/hot water), and while we did we took the chance to have our system split into two zones - upstairs and downstairs. Well, the upstairs zone doesn't seem to be kicking on properly. The downstairs is fine, the upstairs thermostat works and the right lights turn on, but it doesn't seem to flow. The pipe coming from the zone 2 pump is room temperature. I am guessing that either the pump isn't working properly, or there is something closed that ought to be open? I did try bleeding the radiators and didn't find any air stuck. I don't work on boilers, but why do these pumps look upside down? Why would they make them with the labels upside down? Any of you mechanical guys care to tell me why it's this way? Clean sweat joints though, I will say that.
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Apr 9, 2019 05:58
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BubbaGrace posted:I don't work on boilers, but why do these pumps look upside down? Why would they make them with the labels upside down? Any of you mechanical guys care to tell me why it's this way? Clean sweat joints though, I will say that. For whatever reason, Taco likes to orient the labels to the direction of flow is "up". Most installers prefer to run the coldest water through the pumps in increase their lifespan, so in your typical "boiler is downstairs, I'm heating floors above it" scenario where the pumps end up wall mounted you'll find them upside down, on the end of the loop feeding the boiler input rather than being installed on the boiler output and feeding the zone. Since it's all closed loop and presumably properly bled it doesn't really matter where in the loop you put your pump. I'm not really sure how much of a difference it makes, but I know it's a thing that is done this way more than not in my area.
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Apr 9, 2019 14:25
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I've heard people give different reasons for putting primary pumps on the boiler inlet vs the boiler outlet and vice versa (relief valves, cavitation, cooler water, water chemistry, air behavior, etc, etc) but I was taught the only thing that's really important is that the expansion tank is plumbed before the pump's suction and otherwise you can do it either way.
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Apr 9, 2019 15:19
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Motronic posted:For whatever reason, Taco likes to orient the labels to the direction of flow is "up". Most installers prefer to run the coldest water through the pumps in increase their lifespan, so in your typical "boiler is downstairs, I'm heating floors above it" scenario where the pumps end up wall mounted you'll find them upside down, on the end of the loop feeding the boiler input rather than being installed on the boiler output and feeding the zone. Since it's all closed loop and presumably properly bled it doesn't really matter where in the loop you put your pump. Thanks for the clarification and sorry for that horrible English, it was late. I really would like to get more experience on the mechanical side, but the company I work for doesn't touch Boiler systems unfortunately. I try to pick up as much info as I can from various groups.
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Apr 9, 2019 23:27
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What is this black dongle that sits between my sink sprayer line and the 2 lines coming out of the bottom of my faucet? And how do I stop it from leaking? This faucet is only like 4 months old. It seems to be leaking from the threads of what looks like a hex plug that plugs a hole I don't know the purpose of on a dongle I don't know the purpose of. https://youtu.be/QQK34aoSMcA
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Apr 10, 2019 03:31
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It's how the pull out sprayer connects to the faucet. I've never seen one like this though. There is nothing you can do to repair that part. It is either defective or got damaged. I doubt you will find a replacement diverter with out special ordering it. What brand faucet is this? If its home depot cheapo glacier bay, you got what you paid for.
BubbaGrace fucked around with this message at 04:07 on Apr 10, 2019 |
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Apr 10, 2019 04:05
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Dunno the brand. I'm sure it was as cheap as possible but modern looking because we rent the place. They probably buy them in bulk just like these loving garbage GU24 light fixtures that keep burning out that we have all over too. Thanks for the help though. Was hoping this was a tighten/seal/replace the thing that looks like a plug situation. I guess I'll have maintenance come look at it because I don't have access to shut my water off even if I wanted to put a good one in myself.
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Apr 10, 2019 04:47
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owls or something posted:we rent the place Yet another thread where we need a question after someone hits the post button. "Do you rent? Y/N" If you hit no you get logged out. If you do that twice you get a sixer. Seriously, you are paying for the privilege of this being not your problem. Use it.
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Apr 10, 2019 04:50
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owls or something posted:Dunno the brand. I'm sure it was as cheap as possible but modern looking because we rent the place. They probably buy them in bulk just like these loving garbage GU24 light fixtures that keep burning out that we have all over too. Please show me the faucet though, just for my own curiosity.
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Apr 10, 2019 05:47
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Motronic posted:Yet another thread where we need a question after someone hits the post button. "Do you rent? Y/N" If you hit no you get logged out. If you do that twice you get a sixer. Should I call them to flip a tripped breaker switch or tighten a loose doorknob screw too? Sorry for invading your safe space.
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Apr 10, 2019 07:32
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BubbaGrace posted:Please show me the faucet though, just for my own curiosity.  edit: the brand is Premier owls or something fucked around with this message at 23:37 on Apr 10, 2019 |
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Apr 10, 2019 11:33
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owls or something posted:Should I call them to flip a tripped breaker switch or tighten a loose doorknob screw too? B) Legit, the entire advantage to renting is this poo poo isn't your problem. He's not trying to be a dick, he's just pointing out that you don't need to handle stuff like this, and that in fact doing so can really screw you over if things don't go well in the process. You sound a lot more reasonable than some renters who ask for advice here, but man, we've seen some poo poo.
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Apr 10, 2019 11:55
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I didn't come to the plumbing thread for lectures on how renting works. I said I'd be calling maintenance before ya'll felt the need to point out I shouldn't have to deal with it. I'll gently caress off. Forget it. Thanks for the info and staying on topic, BubbaGrace.
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Apr 10, 2019 12:13
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Please just give me the instructions for how I can replace my car's timing belt. I need to do this before tomorrow when I take it back to Hertz Rent a Car.
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Apr 10, 2019 12:15
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I've been in and seen plenty of dire landlord situations where if you don't fix it yourself it's never getting fixed, so IMO there's no reason to shut someone down because they're fixing something as a renter.
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Apr 10, 2019 14:22
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Yeah, I mean, I would love to wave a hand and have my super fix my running toilet, my leaky faucet, the gap in a window screen, one weird spot where the paint is alligatoring off the wall, swap out standard switches for rockers with dimmers, etc. But not all renters are in a situation where the super/landlord is going to jump up and take care of anything. I've been in my apartment for like 7 years, I'm going to be here another 10+, so I'm fine with doing some very simple DIY stuff to make my space more enjoyable.
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Apr 10, 2019 15:45
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There’s a difference between a) this was fine when I moved in but it’s not working now as a result of normal wear and tear vs b) this place would be nicer if it had X instead of Y. The first one you are paying for the landlord to fix whether you like it or not as that kind of cost is factored into the rental price. Might as well get what you’re paying for. I’m fairly handy but if I were in a rental I’d just be picking up the phone if something broke. Small fixit jobs can turn into big fixit jobs really quickly and the landlord should be taking on that potential liability, not the renter IMO.
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Apr 10, 2019 18:16
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stupid puma posted:I’m fairly handy but if I were in a rental I’d just be picking up the phone if something broke. Yeah, but a lot of people just won't get any response from a landlord for anything short of "your house has burned down." It's not that they're making a choice between calling and having it fixed vs doing it yourself, it's between never have it fixed vs do it yourself.
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Apr 10, 2019 18:24
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I think it's ok to ask if something is repairable, no matter the property ownership scenario. Maybe they will be able to tell the shifty, useless maintenance guy how to fix it. 
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Apr 10, 2019 20:27
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stupid puma posted:There’s a difference between a) this was fine when I moved in but it’s not working now as a result of normal wear and tear vs b) this place would be nicer if it had X instead of Y. The first one you are paying for the landlord to fix whether you like it or not as that kind of cost is factored into the rental price. Might as well get what you’re paying for. I’m fairly handy but if I were in a rental I’d just be picking up the phone if something broke. Small fixit jobs can turn into big fixit jobs really quickly and the landlord should be taking on that potential liability, not the renter IMO. How many times would you like to do that before you decide you can replace your own washer or jiggle your own toilet lever?
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Apr 10, 2019 20:53
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Anne Whateley posted:How many times would you like to do that before you decide you can replace your own washer or jiggle your own toilet lever? I would take my business to another person who rents apartments so I was getting what I'm paying for. And, yes.....I know you don't want to do that because you are paying under market (i.e., probably getting what you are paying for)
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Apr 10, 2019 21:15
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I know the assumption is I live in a shithole, but it's a prewar elevator building, hardwood floors, common areas are well maintained, it's a good space. What makes the difference is the super. My last apartment was in a slightly less nice building in a slightly less nice area, owned and managed by the same company as this one. But that super was really friendly, worked 24/7, he and his family would accept packages, just a fantastic super. It's just the luck of the draw whether you get a good or bad one. And there's a lot of friction to switch because you don't want to make a family homeless and you also don't want to wipe out all that institutional knowledge in addition to losing the local super support network (everyone is cousins from the old country). In general the property management company is pretty laid-back and that doesn't bug me. I like that they don't care if I replace the basic showerhead or get a cat. In exchange, I don't mind doing little DIY stuff myself; I'd rather build these skills anyway.
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Apr 10, 2019 21:35
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owls or something posted:
It looked like a bootleg Moen. I have never heard of Premier until today. Did some digging and it's a Home Depot "Contractor Grade" brand, aka garbage, as I suspected. Sorry OP lol. EDIT: Here is your fixture. Boy they went all out on this one. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Premier-Waterfront-Single-Handle-Standard-Kitchen-Faucet-with-Side-Spray-in-Chrome-2498034/300314955 BubbaGrace fucked around with this message at 00:16 on Apr 11, 2019 |
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Apr 11, 2019 00:13
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Anne Whateley posted:We literally all agree that would be ideal. I would be happy for that to happen. But when I "just pick up the phone," the super tells me he only works M-F 9-5. Okay but I also work then, an hour+ away. Okay, well, it would be really nice to have [whatever], so I guess I'll burn a vacation day on it. I arranged it with the super, let him pick the date, confirmed he would definitely do it then, and then I spent my vacation day sitting around waiting because he no-showed. Can't your super do work without you home?
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Apr 11, 2019 00:44
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Guy Axlerod posted:Can't your super do work without you home?
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Apr 11, 2019 15:40
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Nitrox posted:The answer is yes, absolutely. I've worked with tenants who, while living in squalor and having nothing to their name, were incredibly concerned about maintenance coming over to do the most basic work, like changing an air filter. They would take a day off from work just be there for this monumental event. I'll never understand I can understand it. It's one of the best things about owning an actual house. Nobody can enter my property (and possibly snoop around my poo poo) without me inviting them or a judge issuing a search warrant (and a few other, rare legal exceptions.) It's natural to not want unknown people entering your residence: so much so that even the government's ability to do so is strictly and explicitly limited by the USA's foundational document.
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Apr 11, 2019 17:32
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I've been having problems with my water heater refusing to work consistently since last week when around the same time the natural gas lines in my neighborhood were switched over to the new lines they put down. I had the utility come out and measure it and they said they measured it at 4 oz/in2 which is exactly what is standard and within the ideal range for my water heater. So I went on with my troubleshooting from there but haven't had any luck. I bought my own manometer and measured from the gas tap on the water heater and it's only pulling 2.81 oz/in2. So here's my question. The gas tap only works when the main valve is open, meaning the main burner is on. So it's the measurement of the pressure while it's using gas. Would that bring down the result that dramatically? It's a 60,000 BTU water heater on a 1/2" gas line and it worked just fine for almost a year before they swapped out the gas pipes on the street, and my meter. Worth noting is that I also had the meter replaced when I first moved in a year ago, so the prior meter wasn't old by any means. My thinking is when the swapped out the lines and meter this time, they put in a new regulator which is regulating the gas to a lower pressure than the old one, and now my pressure is too low to allow the water heater to run properly, even if it is the standard 4 oz/in2. Does that jive with anyone that knows anything about natural gas? This is kind of my first fore ray into troubleshooting gas appliances. I know enough not to blow myself up at least.
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Apr 14, 2019 05:09
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SpartanIvy posted:So it's the measurement of the pressure while it's using gas. Would that bring down the result that dramatically? Yes. The reading you seem to be taking is not line pressure, but "residual pressure." Do you not have a port before this valve to test the thing you need to test (i.e. "static pressure")? My guess is that the static pressure is in fact too low at the appliance. While it could be a volume issue, you'd need tom compare the static vs. residual pressures to get a decent guess on that. If you static pressure is in fact 4 I wouldn't be entirely surprised to see a residual pressure around 3 like what you got. But it really depends. Things like this might even be in the appliance installation manual.
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Apr 14, 2019 05:18
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