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I can only buy sealed 10 year smoke detectors with non-replaceable batteries in my area. It feels wasteful, but I heard the actual detector element expires after 10 years anyway.
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Mar 26, 2020 02:54
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They are legitimately consumable items unfortunately. It's a radioactive element that makes them work which expires. A 10 year replaceable one is worth one night of trying to figure out which one is loving chirping that the 9 volt battery in it is slightly just barely starting to die.
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Mar 26, 2020 03:23
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So that means even smoke detectors like ours which use the mains instead of batteries, only last 10 years?
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Mar 26, 2020 05:34
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His Divine Shadow posted:So that means even smoke detectors like ours which use the mains instead of batteries, only last 10 years? Probably. There are different types of detectors, but they’ll likely all have an expiry date somewhere. Radioactive source - the most sensitive for tiny particles generated during smouldering. Optical - for bigger smoke particles. Heat - for actual fire. Often these are combined in the same device.
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Mar 26, 2020 09:40
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I bought a box of smoke detectors a few years ago, but there are only two locations where they are actually wired in. I have thought about installing the others, but I wasn't sure if I needed to run power to all of them or just run them on 9V batteries. Also, I used to have three bushes in front of those front windows, to the left of the front door. Two of them died so I cut them all down, but I have no idea what to replace them with that will look half decent. I would like to eventually get the siding replaced on the house and change the paint scheme, but for now what could I put in that will add a little privacy in front of the windows and also not look like rear end?  There was also a tree at the very left corner of the house that I had cut down a few years ago and slabbed for lumber. For various reasons, it needed to go. I'd like to plant something else in the front yard to replace that as well, but the red line denotes the approximate property line. My front yard is pretty small/narrow. I'm in central Texas, so plants and trees that can handle the hot as balls summers and drought that isn't uncommon are good. MetaJew fucked around with this message at 10:41 on Mar 26, 2020 |
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Mar 26, 2020 09:45
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I like those bushes with red leaves year-round (except right now when they're brilliant yellow :3) #1 and #9 on this list http://postris.com/list/468/16-evergreen-shrubs-with-amazing-foliage-for-year-round-colo/ peanut fucked around with this message at 11:50 on Mar 26, 2020 |
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Mar 26, 2020 11:46
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His Divine Shadow posted:So that means even smoke detectors like ours which use the mains instead of batteries, only last 10 years? Yes, for most of them. They should be stamped/stickered with a date inside.
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Mar 26, 2020 15:53
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My new place had a whopping one (1) smoke detector when I moved in that was very dead even after replacing the 9V. My last home's smoke detectors all used 2 AA batteries, but I didn't see those when I had to get new ones, only the sealed Li-ion ones. But I only looked in one store, I didn't look online or anything. DrBouvenstein fucked around with this message at 16:17 on Mar 26, 2020 |
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Mar 26, 2020 16:15
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I got a bunch of these for my new place, as well as a few smoke alarm only types, and they take AA batteries: https://www.firstalert.com/product/wireless-interconnected-photoelectric-smoke-and-carbon-monoxide-combo-alarm-with-voice-and-location/ I think they were the best reviewed "dumb" alarms on Wirecutter that also had an interconnect function. I also do not have a hardwired system in my house.
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Mar 26, 2020 16:20
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Sirotan posted:I got a bunch of these for my new place, as well as a few smoke alarm only types, and they take AA batteries: I have 3 First Alert CO/Smoke detectors (one per level), but they aren't interconnected. They take AAs and are easy to test. I'm pretty happy with them.
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Mar 26, 2020 17:30
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mischief posted:They are legitimately consumable items unfortunately. It's a radioactive element that makes them work which expires. I'll take the one night of chirping if it means being able to pull the battery to shut the drat thing up when it objects to my baking, rather than pressing the "silence" button which doesn't actually do anything.
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Mar 26, 2020 20:11
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ToxicFrog posted:I'll take the one night of chirping if it means being able to pull the battery to shut the drat thing up when it objects to my baking, rather than pressing the "silence" button which doesn't actually do anything. Clean your oven. And don't put one in your kitchen I don't care what people say gently caress that. Cooking is a smoky process a lot of the time.
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Mar 26, 2020 20:38
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H110Hawk posted:Clean your oven. And don't put one in your kitchen I don't care what people say gently caress that. Cooking is a smoky process a lot of the time. But depending on kitchen's location compared to the detector for that floor, it still might be kind of close, and there are a lot of homes out there without proper kitchen exhausts. For better or worse, mine is actually pretty far from the kitchen, in my "hallway" (barely long enough to call it that) and at the intersection of literally every other room, all 3 bedrooms and bathroom. It's almost pointless to have one there since all 3 bedrooms have one...I really should move it to be more centered in the living room.
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Mar 26, 2020 23:00
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DrBouvenstein posted:But depending on kitchen's location compared to the detector for that floor, it still might be kind of close, and there are a lot of homes out there without proper kitchen exhausts. Yeah that sucks. My old apartment was like that. One time we set off the one in the hallway that's wired to the fire department.  Hallways are important as early warning if you have your door shut while asleep. We have a convenient way to draft between two windows (front/back of the house) that doesn't go past the smoke detector on the far side of the living room. Then there are 4 that are all right next to each other more or less, one per bedroom and one in the hallway that connects the 3 bedrooms together.
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Mar 27, 2020 00:12
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 Do "bug catchers" like this actually work against mosquitos? https://www.costco.com/dynatrap-1-acre-insect-and-mosquito-trap.product.100304876.html I feel like the fact I have to ask should tell me everything I need to know. There are a few people who claim these work, but I've heard that from the "mosquito delete-o" NG stuff 20 years ago, etc. And at least that generated lots of CO2. I have about an acre of land at my new place that and I would like to keep the patio as habitable as possible. I usually use some chemical treatment, as well as fans and obviously getting rid of any standing or collecting water. Anything that helps would be appreciated.
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Mar 27, 2020 12:16
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The CO2 ones with propane tanks absolutely work. This one says it generates some CO2, but unknown how much. Reviews on Amazon are mixed, like with anything. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0196PJH0I
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Mar 27, 2020 12:34
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Hed posted:I have about an acre of land at my new place that and I would like to keep the patio as habitable as possible. I usually use some chemical treatment, as well as fans and obviously getting rid of any standing or collecting water. Anything that helps would be appreciated. This has come up before, probably in this thread, and I've mentioned that garlic based sprays have 100% taken care of my massive mosquito problem. Lasts for about three weeks unless you get some seriously heavy rain. Other posters mentioned that this only works on some mosquitoes and I don't remember which - but it's whatever is in eastern PA by the Delaware river. This is the stuff I've been using: https://www.amazon.com/Mosquito-Bar...ps%2C143&sr=8-7 Also agree with falz: the CO2 ones absolutely work, but I've found them to sometimes require more maintenance than I'd like.
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Mar 27, 2020 15:55
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Thanks guys. I usually use the garlic stuff as well, which also has the affect of making the backyard smell like antipasto night! Someday I'll run my NG out to a fire table and a CO2 bogey elsewhere in my yard so that I can be lazy with both. Defense in depth.
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Mar 27, 2020 16:11
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The basics with mosquitoes with out pesticides: Fans work really well. If you can get airflow in the area--no bugs. Bugs like bright lights. A bright light away from your gathering spot will help to pull the bugs away.
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Mar 27, 2020 17:57
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H110Hawk posted:Clean your oven. And don't put one in your kitchen I don't care what people say gently caress that. Cooking is a smoky process a lot of the time. It's not in the kitchen, it's in the hallway on the same floor. It's just incredibly oversensitive; you can set it off by baking, even with a clean oven (turning on the vent fans will sometimes prevent this, but not always), stir-frying, making toast, lighting a candle... And not having a "silence" button is just tremendously bad design, because then you have to yank the battery to shut it up and remember to put it back in later.
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Mar 27, 2020 18:37
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ToxicFrog posted:It's not in the kitchen, it's in the hallway on the same floor. It's just incredibly oversensitive; you can set it off by baking, even with a clean oven (turning on the vent fans will sometimes prevent this, but not always), stir-frying, making toast, lighting a candle... I agree with you. That thing would be returned as defective.
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Mar 27, 2020 19:11
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ToxicFrog posted:It's not in the kitchen, it's in the hallway on the same floor. It's just incredibly oversensitive; you can set it off by baking, even with a clean oven (turning on the vent fans will sometimes prevent this, but not always), stir-frying, making toast, lighting a candle... Do you know what type it is? Ionization smoke detectors are generally more sensitive to small smoke particles so I've read they are more likely to go off while you're cooking. Maybe swap it out for a photoelectric smoke detector?
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Mar 27, 2020 19:16
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There are specific types of smoke detectors marked for kitchen use. The one I installed has been fine.
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Mar 27, 2020 19:49
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Okay, another question for y'all. I don't have a covered patio, so when it rains, rain water splashes back up onto my back door. In addition, with the location of a flood lamp on the back porch, a lot of insects gather around it and also crawl all around the back door. So I've got bugs and spiders and things that can get in the house whenever I open the door, along with any water dripping from the door if I have to go outside briefly. I have been contemplating installing a storm door over it to prevent some of the rain splashing, up and also keeping bugs from getting inside. My dilemma is this: Should I have the storm door hing on the same side as the back door, or the opposite? Personally I think the opposite hinge makes more since given the layout of the patio. Bugs will still get in and you'll have to squeeze between the chimney and light to get back inside the house. If I hinge it on the opposite side it puts a barrier between the light and the path into the house. The counterpoint is that I will always have to open the back door wide open to open the storm door, but the storm door has weather stripping and is relatively sealed enough that it doesn't seem like that big of a hassle to just leave the back door open when I go outside-- and have the storm door closed. What's the right solution here? 
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Mar 27, 2020 22:23
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Could you just reverse your current door as well?
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Mar 28, 2020 06:59
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totalnewbie posted:Could you just reverse your current door as well? I suppose if I bought a new prehung door and reinstalled it? But that would be wasteful. The best solution, yes, but not easily done. This is said door: 
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Mar 28, 2020 07:01
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Did a couple of minor projects this week around the house. Put in some erosion mitigation along the right side fence line. Moved the rocks from an area up front I want to sod over and cut up some scrap pressure treated lumber to act as flow gates. A major downspout feeds into this from the corner so it gets a lot of water flow. I’ll eventually run the downspout under the yard and let it out somewhere where it can flow to the drainage easement and stop rotting my fence posts.  Moved the thermostat over a wall. The previous spot had awkward placement on the wall for decorating purposes plus the glow is visible in the tv if you know where to look. I apparently measured perfectly because with the 30’ piece of 8wire I had 1ft of slack on both ends. First time I’ve dug this far into the guts of an hvac system to swap wires, so that was fun. 
devmd01 fucked around with this message at 12:38 on Mar 28, 2020 |
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Mar 28, 2020 12:35
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Looking for suggestions for screens for old push out casement windows. My house is from the 30s and still has the original leaded glass windows. A lot of windows have roll down screens but most of them don't lock in place. It seems like there's not much in the way of DIY options for roll down screens, everything seems to be custom made and very expensive. My only idea is to fabricate my own screen panel and add hinges and a latch. Picture for reference https://imgur.com/gallery/4sA84U9
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Mar 29, 2020 16:43
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Why do you need hinges and a latch? Do you want the screens to open like a window as well? I'd assume the cheapeast way is to make them yourselves using the kits like this, and mount them to the outside somehow. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Screen-Tight-5-16-in-x-36-in-White-Aluminum-Window-Screen-Frame-Kit-WSKIT51636/206613125
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Mar 29, 2020 18:02
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The windows open outwards so the screens are going to have to be mounted inside somehow.
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Mar 29, 2020 21:29
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Motronic posted:This has come up before, probably in this thread, and I've mentioned that garlic based sprays have 100% taken care of my massive mosquito problem. Lasts for about three weeks unless you get some seriously heavy rain. I might give this a try this year. If you can fix the tick issue, I'd appreciate it as well. It's a little crazy -- I grew up in Western PA, and played in the woods nearly every day and literally the first time I had (okay, found) a tick on my person was ... two years ago. I think if I'd had to deal with them more growing up they wouldn't disgust me as much a they do.
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Mar 30, 2020 11:21
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tetrapyloctomy posted:I might give this a try this year. If you can fix the tick issue, I'd appreciate it as well. It's a little crazy -- I grew up in Western PA, and played in the woods nearly every day and literally the first time I had (okay, found) a tick on my person was ... two years ago. I think if I'd had to deal with them more growing up they wouldn't disgust me as much a they do. Ticks are gonna have to be a pesticide treatment. I would honestly suggest you just call a pest control company for that - you're not likely to be able to get the types/concentrations they use, and you sure aren't going to have the right equipment to apply it safely and efficiently. A someone who has a pesticide license, I still have my regular pesticide company (that takes care of the house - I don't do vertebrates, or indoors - I know landscape/ag stuff) apply that. While I can buy the exact same stuff they do, it doesn't make sense for me to buy the type of tank/sprayer setup they have for this with how little they charge me (and how expensive the equipment would be, plus maintenance).
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Mar 30, 2020 17:08
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falz posted:Why do you need hinges and a latch? Do you want the screens to open like a window as well? Holy poo poo I didn't know this existed. I have old windows with removable wooden storm windows (the kind that hang from the top of the window and fit inside the frame) and I've been looking into building versions with a screen for the summer months.
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Mar 30, 2020 17:55
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Is there any sort of screened in porch type pop-up thing that could conceivably be "summer permanent?" Has anyone done such a thing? Fully willing and able to pull it down over the winter but would like to safely leave it up spring to fall. Everything in pictures looks like the wind would carry it off, even with it screwed and weighed down to the deck. I've got tools and woodworking experience, but anything that looks permanent is going to require HOA paperwork. Basically, is there a way to get most of the functionality of a screened in porch on our deck without going in on a $15k construction project?
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Mar 30, 2020 20:21
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Pergola with removable screens?
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Mar 30, 2020 20:32
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Huxley posted:Is there any sort of screened in porch type pop-up thing that could conceivably be "summer permanent?" Many quality tents can be "permanent" - the problem is typically that people don't or cant anchor them appropriately. Pop up tents are going to be more problematic because their design goal is to quickly pack/unpack from a small form factor. This compromise pretty much means their frames are both weaker and more prone to the environment (lots of plastic connectors) than a "real tent". They also typically use thin, light material that holds up fine for occasional use, but isn't going to be appropriate for full season use - or at least not make it past a season or two. There are plenty of aluminum framed standalone screen in porches in all the big box stores. It's been the rage for the last several years. Perhaps one of those will work.
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Mar 30, 2020 20:38
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My dishwasher went belly up at just the wrong time. I'd hoped I could fix it with a replacement part of finding some clog somewhere, but I'm out of options. Anyway, I'm going to buy a new one, but the flooring underneath has some old rot issues so I'm just going to replace it. It looks like plywood, but I'm wondering if there are any specific things I should consider in replacing it as far as making it a little more resistant to water?
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Mar 30, 2020 20:56
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BeastOfExmoor posted:My dishwasher went belly up at just the wrong time. I'd hoped I could fix it with a replacement part of finding some clog somewhere, but I'm out of options. I can't speak to the flooring itself, afaik the coating that adheres tile or whatever to the floor should stop water if it coats the whole thing. However you could get a pan or tray to put under the dishwasher if it fits appropriately: https://smile.amazon.com/s?k=dishwasher+tray
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Mar 30, 2020 21:18
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BeastOfExmoor posted:My dishwasher went belly up at just the wrong time. I'd hoped I could fix it with a replacement part of finding some clog somewhere, but I'm out of options. To literally answer your question, you can get marine plywood which is very resistant to water, but also quite expensive. There's probably a more effective way though.
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Mar 30, 2020 21:38
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Rexxed posted:I can't speak to the flooring itself, afaik the coating that adheres tile or whatever to the floor should stop water if it coats the whole thing. However you could get a pan or tray to put under the dishwasher if it fits appropriately: That's a great option! I was worried that waterproof plywood would just allow a slow leak migrate to an area where it could cause even larger problems.
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Mar 30, 2020 21:51
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