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Quaint Quail Quilt posted:Just as long as you didn't get the Pella line that's thin vinyl wrapped over wood several years back that all ended up rotting from the inside out. We already did attic insulation + air sealing... we're replacing windows for functional reasons. The house is from the 60's, the windows were replaced... maybe 90s? They've stopped working very well, and the PO went with replacement windows so we lost several inches of opening. There's no way I'm going to do siding while keeping these crappy windows, it's just not worth it. We have an appointment with another place tomorrow, we're giving them a 1hr deadline and hoping for less bullshit.
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Jun 19, 2020 00:40
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Oh boy lets talk foundation! We recently cut down a huge shrub hedge that went along the both sides of the house. The bushes grew like crazy, took a lot of maintenance to keep nice, and you don't even see it from the front. Plus some racoons were living in the thick bushes and pooping on the roof???? I also secretly wanted to be able to 100% see all of the sides of the house so I can drive myself crazy over looking for cracks, signs of termites and other exiting homeowner poo poo. Well once the bushes all came out I noticed something very interesting, there appears to be some signs of foundation repair? It looks like a small crack was forming and then maybe rebar was drilled in and inserted to help stabilize it? The rebar insert locations are about 4 feet intervals on either side of the crack area and there are about 8 total. The house is 30 years old. Anyone want to share info on how hosed/not this is?     Captain Beans fucked around with this message at 22:51 on Jun 19, 2020 |
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Jun 19, 2020 20:36
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Looks like foundation repair work to keep a wall from caving in. Definitely worth having a couple of foundation repair companies come take a look and get some quotes.
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Jun 19, 2020 21:14
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I'm not sure if thats foundation repair work, or just exposed post tension foundation tendon anchors. At least one of those photos is of a anchor. Generally there's a coat of cement that goes over the actual foundation to cover all that stuff up, and it looks like yours is long gone. I would have someone come out and at least look at that crack though. It might be nothing, but it could be a sign of a larger issue. Where do you live? Is your area known for expansive clay soil? edit: It's something to get checked out, but probably not a big deal. Your house isn't going to fall down or anything. Best case you need to reapply some foundation coating or cement to cover those things up. They definitely should NOT be exposed. skipdogg fucked around with this message at 21:22 on Jun 19, 2020 |
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Jun 19, 2020 21:18
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Yeah that's small repair work IMO, not huge costly foundation work. There's no tilting, the crack isn't very wide, there's no cracks extending up into the brickwork to indicate that the foundation is separating. It's conceivable that there was brick repointing at the same time as foundation repair work done, but my relatively uneducated guess is not. My own foundation has a similar (a little tighter) crack where a tree used to be next to the house, and a foundation repair place told me it wasn't worth bothering with unless the crack was at least half an inch or there were signs of tilting or movement in the foundation. I'd still get it looked at (or email photos to) a couple of foundation specialists and see what they say, just in case, but at this point I wouldn't be too scared about it.
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Jun 19, 2020 21:55
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I’d actually suggest a structural engineer over a foundation company. They’re not as beholden to finding a critical problem they can totally fix for the low low cost of $15,000 like your average foundation repair salesman will. Coats a little more for an evaluation, but you’re not getting the evaluation from a sales guy on commission like you will with foundation repair companies.
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Jun 19, 2020 22:01
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Yeah that's a good idea.
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Jun 19, 2020 22:12
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Tendon anchors are definitely what these things are, once you yall brought up that term I was able to find tons of example pictures. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction. All the locations seem to have the 2 cut off nails to either side which is characteristic of the tendon anchors. Looks like I really just need to get them cleaned up and covered again.
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Jun 19, 2020 22:42
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Is there any reason i shouldn't use caulking to seal in these cracks in my garage? I'm wanting to wash my car in the garage and i assume having water flowing down through these cracks is going to cause me issues later. Any recommendation for what caulk to use? https://imgur.com/a/54Eclg0
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Jun 21, 2020 14:23
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Woke up this morning to a Bat in my bedroom. Now I get to wonder how a bat got inside and watch for a second bat, at which point I call a pro. I think it came in through either the chimney or attic fan, it was tiny so those would both probably have gaps big enough. Also my cats played with it and one sneezed directly in my eyeball so here's hoping for a new strain of Rona.
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Jun 21, 2020 15:23
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StormDrain posted:Woke up this morning to a Bat in my bedroom. Now I get to wonder how a bat got inside and watch for a second bat, at which point I call a pro. I think it came in through either the chimney or attic fan, it was tiny so those would both probably have gaps big enough. You need to take it to animal control to test for rabies ASAP. It may have bitten you without you Knowing in your sleep.
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Jun 21, 2020 15:46
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Spikes32 posted:You need to take it to animal control to test for rabies ASAP. It may have bitten you without you Knowing in your sleep. For real. If you don't have the bat any more, call your doctor as they may recommend rabies post-exposure prophylaxis if the bat can't be tested. Also call your veterinarian to confirm whether your cats are up to date on rabies vaccination, and local laws may dictate that they receive a booster.
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Jun 21, 2020 15:50
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DoubleT2172 posted:Is there any reason i shouldn't use caulking to seal in these cracks in my garage? I'm wanting to wash my car in the garage and i assume having water flowing down through these cracks is going to cause me issues later. Those are normal cracks in exactly the spot they were intended to be in. No action is required or necessary.
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Jun 21, 2020 16:11
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Spikes32 posted:You need to take it to animal control to test for rabies ASAP. It may have bitten you without you Knowing in your sleep. Just going to pile on here because this is no joke. https://vitals.lifehacker.com/if-a-bat-was-in-your-bedroom-you-probably-need-a-rabie-1828720417
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Jun 21, 2020 16:32
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Thank you! Confirmed by the local clinic and getting a shot asap.
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Jun 21, 2020 17:58
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StormDrain posted:Thank you! Confirmed by the local clinic and getting a shot asap. Whew. Thank you for taking this seriously. It's 100% fatal if you don't catch it before you get symptoms. This is not hyperbole. You have like 1-2 days to start treating it according to what I read when traveling. (We got rabies shots before going to extend that time.) Edit: please no one  the Paris protocol, it's saved a statistically microscopic sample of people. It's off the pin from 100% to 99.9999% fatal or whatever.
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Jun 21, 2020 18:31
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One thing about believing in a cold unfeeling universe, my life is the most valuable thing I have. Getting shots now. Wife didn't want to come and I asked her if she paid her last life insurance premium. It didn't work but you've got to buy the lottery ticket to win right? (she's going separately).
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Jun 21, 2020 18:58
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Good choice. Rabies, and bats, are two bugs you do not want to mess around with.
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Jun 21, 2020 19:00
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GoGoGadgetChris posted:Good choice. Rabies, and bats, are two bugs you do not want to mess around with. 
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Jun 22, 2020 05:22
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Look, who's making the posts? YOU chowderheads... or ME?!
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Jun 22, 2020 06:22
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Motronic posted:Those are normal cracks in exactly the spot they were intended to be in. No action is required or necessary. Otherwise slathering a tiny crack like that with regular caulk or silicone in whatever that is (or a driveway crack) is just asking for it to have to be redone every 2 years or whatever. If you went that route don't breathe the dust, use a wet method and or a good mask, google silicosis
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Jun 22, 2020 16:07
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Quaint Quail Quilt posted:I'm not disputing this, but if you did want to make it nicer looking and sealed you could cut a little 1/8 inch to quarter inch V and use NP1 or silkaflex (stuff like they use for stucco) or re-grout it. I don't care so much about the looks as being sure that if some water drains through the cracks when washing my car in there it won't cause problems over time
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Jun 22, 2020 18:55
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Bats also carry coronavirus  Not even joking
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Jun 27, 2020 11:13
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what are the absolutely essential things a homeowner needs that can be purchased from Home Depot? I'll be making a trip there soon and want to make as few trips as possible. we're moving into a new house shortly; going from a renter to living in a place we own. yard, basement, garage, all that. getting lawn gear like a lawnmower, weed whacker, a wet/dry vac, a ladder, etc. other than some basic tools and normal cleaning supplies we own basically nothing required to maintain a place. edit: hmm poo poo maybe I should ask this in DIY pmchem fucked around with this message at 15:25 on Jun 27, 2020 |
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Jun 27, 2020 15:23
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pmchem posted:what are the absolutely essential things a homeowner needs that can be purchased from Home Depot? I'll be making a trip there soon and want to make as few trips as possible. Yeah, the tools thread is a good spot for this kind of question. But honestly, I can probably predict the answer you'll get: make sure you have a drill or impact driver and a set of bits, a set of screwdrivers (get a ratcheting handle with interchangeable bits, and yes, you need this even though your drill/driver can accept those same bits), a tape measure, and maybe a portable stepladder. Everything else you should buy because you need it for a specific project that you plan to tackle within the next month. There's so many things you could work on as part of home maintenance, but a lot of it will end up getting put off. You don't want to buy a tool just to have it sit around in its box for six months. Worse, you don't want to buy a tool, unpack it six months later, and discover it doesn't work and needs to be exchanged.
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Jun 27, 2020 15:44
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pmchem posted:what are the absolutely essential things a homeowner needs that can be purchased from Home Depot? I'll be making a trip there soon and want to make as few trips as possible. A favorite parking spot. A mental map of the store, especially where the "expensive" and "what people actually buy" options are for some things. Sometimes it's just "look at the bottom/floor shelf, it's where the contractor packs are" other times it's a whole other section to not have the gimmicks. Figure out which employees are the good ones. Mine has a roaming guy who was a EE for years and now is a Lowes employee in retirement because he likes helping DIYers. Great to chat with, doesn't fear being fired, works Thurs-Sun. Acceptance of the 3-trip-project as the norm until you get a good stock of things. Then it's acceptance of the fast-3-trip-project because you know where everything is and don't need to fret over buying the right tools, just the consumables. I would get a lightweight easy to carry around toolbag sorta deal. Something you can put enough things in to be useful around the house but not so much as to be "every stupid tool you own." https://www.lowes.com/pl/Open-tote--Tool-bags-Tool-storage-work-benches-Tools/4294770557?refinement=4294765551
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Jun 27, 2020 16:17
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pmchem posted:what are the absolutely essential things a homeowner needs that can be purchased from Home Depot? I'll be making a trip there soon and want to make as few trips as possible. I love my Ryobi power tool kit I bought for ~$150. Came with a circular saw, oscillating tool, reciprocating saw, drill, impact driver, two batteries and a tender in a nice bag. The only additional power tools I’ve had to get were a bigger circular saw and a hedge trimmer.
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Jun 27, 2020 16:36
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Couple small niceties that people often overlook while focusing on the big tool poo poo.
Home depot has sales on all the power tools right now for July 4th as well so good time to upgrade those if you want.
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Jun 27, 2020 17:29
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If you have to hang a bunch of stuff, a laser level is like $30 and saved me a ton of frustration hanging curtains. I wouldn’t call it essential, but it’s neat.
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Jun 28, 2020 02:20
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Seconding shop vac, rubber mallet, and extension cords. For gardening and yard work, my new favorite tool is the pickaxe (in particular, a pick mattock). Comes in very handy when the shovel or garden hoe can’t quite hack it. Recommend having on hand. Just don’t hit any underground pipes with it.
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Jun 28, 2020 07:33
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Queen Victorian posted:Seconding shop vac, rubber mallet, and extension cords. I use my rubber mallet probably 10x more than my regular hammer. A vice grip is useful for when you really need to grab and tear at something. Also for some of this stuff check out tekton tools on Amazon. Straight to your door perfectly fine quality tools. Not really home specific but I love our set of kobalt (Lowes house brand) mini screw drivers. Has #0/00/000 in philips/flat/star. Everyone should own them. Multipack of drywall anchors, picture hangers, and a box of #8 redheads also let's you hang stuff anywhere you want.
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Jun 28, 2020 15:38
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H110Hawk posted:I would get a lightweight easy to carry around toolbag sorta deal. Something you can put enough things in to be useful around the house but not so much as to be "every stupid tool you own." https://www.lowes.com/pl/Open-tote--Tool-bags-Tool-storage-work-benches-Tools/4294770557?refinement=4294765551 Meh just get a couple 2.5 gallon buckets. Take the tools you think you'll need with you, put them back later. To me, having a separate toolbox just means there's one more place to look for something.
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Jun 28, 2020 16:57
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devicenull posted:Meh just get a couple 2.5 gallon buckets. Take the tools you think you'll need with you, put them back later. To me, having a separate toolbox just means there's one more place to look for something. I have a inside toolbag and then "everything else" in the detached garage. The inside one is basically various screwdrivers (manual and cordless), the box of driver bits and drill bits, flush cutters, vice grips, mallet, needle nose, angle cutters, linesman pliers(I don't know if that's the right name. Rubber insulated big gently caress off grabber thing.), sharpie and pencil. It covers the day to day stuff without needing to go to the garage. If the garage is attached that might be easier to do. I also like the handle and little sleeves for the screwdrivers and such more than the bucket. Oh and in the garage I have a big gently caress off flathead "screw driver" I don't think I've ever turned a screw with. I do however whale on the end of it with a hammer and use it as a lever/pryer where a crowbar just won't work. It's probably 18" long and a half inch at the end? You'll know when you need it. H110Hawk fucked around with this message at 17:19 on Jun 28, 2020 |
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Jun 28, 2020 17:16
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Def grab like 3-4 of the 5 gal Lowes/home depot buckets.. they're great.. quick demo garbage cans. quick bucket for carrying water / cleaning etc. They're like $3 each and are very useful.. even just as a seat flipped usidedown while you work on poo poo Harbor freight has an okay bag for like 6bux. I have 1 okay quality lowes open one for when I stick my drills in em. it's nice to have bags with different needs. Right now I have an electric one (Wire nuts, stripper, circuit tester, non contact tester), a wrenches one / plumbing (wrenches, putty, teflon tape). and the my lowes one is general construction. Knife, measuring tape, drill bits, driver bits, small level, a 10 pack of #2 bits that work in both drill and impact. I've found that trying to go all in sucks though.. you're not going to get everything you need in one go.. just know where the poo poo is.. don your mask and gloves and run in / out. My lowes in store pickup is a few hours.. my home depot is a day or 2, Ive' actually gone in and picked my own order and brought it back to the desk because there was 1 of something I needed left and I didn't want it to get nabbed off the shelf. I tried to list all the poo poo I've bought comign from a similar situation of losing all my tools after a divorce. General: Screwdriver set Socket/ wrench set I think the Kobalt 129ish or so tool kit is a decent start for the above level: one 3-6' and one 12 inch Speed square Regular square Some twine 3-6 of the lowes folding utility knives (and not that 45° to slide blade out poo poo) and a 50 pack of blades. it's nice to have a knife within a 30 second search Sandpaper and poo poo Plumbing: Channel locks 10" pipe wrench (a second would be nice) Teflon tape Plumbers putty Power tools: Drill / driver set (ryobi has 2 3AH battery and free 79 dollar or les tool) for 99 bux it's a good deal if you want to go green. Second drill is nice if it's in your budget. freestanding light Impact driver Saw of some kind to cut poo poo (corded circular saw is most versatile) Shop vac Extras: orbital cutting tool and Recip saw Miter saw and stand also a very nice to have if you're planning on cutting lumber.. but that can be bought when you realize you have a lumber project. The metabo / hitachi one is low cost and has served me well.. Sliding is nice but basic compound works in most situations. Outdoor: Mower / Trimmer / hedge trimmer shovel Garden rake if you plan on doing outside bush removal / dirt laying etc. Electrical: 2-6 GFCI Outlets if you don't have GFCI breakers.. several regular outlets Wire nuts Wire strippers non contact tester Extension cords (like 1 6' and one 50') a few surge protector / 6 outlet powerplugs Painting: someoen has a good list above. Everything else is going to be project based I feel. tater_salad fucked around with this message at 17:30 on Jun 28, 2020 |
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Jun 28, 2020 17:28
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Oh yeah, don't overlook the safety stuff. A nice set of work gloves (and a crappy pair for demo/yard stuff), some impact glasses and reusable earplug or earmuffs are some of the best investments you can make for the future.
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Jun 28, 2020 17:41
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Don't buy a nice set tools to start if you haven't been doing a bunch of work with those types of tools previously. There are going to be some gaps in almost any set, and there will also be stuff you never need. But a large but cheap set at Walmart or Harbor Freight. Replace anything that breaks with the best quality you can afford/ feel is reasonable, because that is the stuff you actually used enough to justify having a nice one. If you find you use a tool a lot and it is lacking in features but sturdy and a pain in the rear end to use, go ahead and replace that also.
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Jun 28, 2020 18:00
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Where can I read about house appliances? Is consumer reports still the go to? I need to get a washer and dryer and refrigerator, but best I can find are youtube videos which have a seemingly random ranking system in place. I'm looking at American Freight company as a possible alternative because I don't care about cosmetic scratches or dings.
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Jun 28, 2020 18:08
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Bioshuffle posted:Where can I read about house appliances? Is consumer reports still the go to? I need to get a washer and dryer and refrigerator, but best I can find are youtube videos which have a seemingly random ranking system in place. I'm looking at American Freight company as a possible alternative because I don't care about cosmetic scratches or dings. Semi joking answer. They all suck. Consumer reports is ok for performance ratings, but all the new tech has killed longevity in appliances. I bought CR’s number one fridge 2 years ago and while it works great it’s already had a major repair. I have little faith this 3,300 dollar MSRP fridge will last 8 years.
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Jun 28, 2020 18:24
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skipdogg posted:Semi joking answer. They all suck.  Just buy an LG 3 pack and get a deep discount then. Maybe spring for an extended warranty because gently caress everything.
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Jun 28, 2020 18:28
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Consider Costco for appliance purchases. I bought my Samsung Flex washer and dryer there, and was able to stack 7 years of warranty coverage on them using the square trade warranty they offer and the Costco Visa card. They’ve been problem free for 2 years now, but they’re expensive and complicated so I felt the warranty was worth it. I don’t even know if they’re economically feasible to repair really. If I had to buy appliances again I’d go with Frigidaire I think. I had a washer dryer set from them (affinity front loaders) I used for 9 years and probably did over 4500 loads of laundry in and they still worked great when the delivery guy of my new set took them away. Second choice would probably be whirlpool. Huge caveat though. I’d get the most basic sets they had, more tech is just more things to go wrong. There are still some quality options out there in appliance land, but they’re expensive.
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Jun 28, 2020 18:47
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