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Flash Gordon Ramsay posted:Plus the only not ugly electric stoves have glass tops which scratch and shatter. Nah. With an absolute minimum of care this won't happen. Use the purpose-made cleaner occasionally with a scrubber pad and most junk will wipe right off. I use granite countertop spray for regular cleaning, just helps to get the grease up without stripping the surface (wax? It kinda goes on like wax, but whatever is in the cleaner). I think that people who have issues use the wrong products and methods. It's not window glass. I'll say that a gas range is best, though I'm perfectly happy with our electric. But if you bake, an electric convection oven is very nice to have.
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# ? Oct 12, 2020 18:44 |
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# ? May 21, 2024 14:56 |
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Motronic posted:Yeah, adding some extra info for those who might be thinking "my dishwasher washes the dishes and drains just fine, but why does it stink?" BRB fixing my drain loop, thanks!
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# ? Oct 12, 2020 19:01 |
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Anybody have any idea how to get the grill off of this thing, or maybe take it off the wall? And/or how to clean and empty it? This is one of the heating supply vents to the apartment and it's completely disgusting, full of dirt and dust and probably caked in mold. I want to get rid of the crap stuck in it, and I've been trying to take it apart so I can get at it all. You'll notice some of the screws have lot a bit of the paint, and that's cause I took them off once. But I don't think the screws actually do anything, cause nothing loving changed when I undid them - the thing is still completely and utterly stuck. I tried unscrewing the one in the very middle, but it just kinda spins in place and does nothing. How do I clean this thing out? Pipe cleaners? Paperclips? A jigsaw?
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# ? Oct 12, 2020 19:19 |
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Pollyanna posted:You'll notice some of the screws have lot a bit of the paint, and that's cause I took them off once. But I don't think the screws actually do anything, cause nothing loving changed when I undid them - the thing is still completely and utterly stuck. I tried unscrewing the one in the very middle, but it just kinda spins in place and does nothing. How hard did you pull on it with the screws out? The cover might be stuck on with paint.
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# ? Oct 12, 2020 19:44 |
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TerminalSaint posted:How hard did you pull on it with the screws out? The cover might be stuck on with paint. That's my thought. Looks like it's just a sheet metal cover with decades of paint holding it on. A few passes over the seams with a fresh razor blade would do wonders. Could hulk it with a screwdriver, but that'd probably bend it once you put enough force on to break the paint. Also if you don't use a razor blade, the paint will break unevenly and you'll have jagged paint flakes all over.
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# ? Oct 12, 2020 20:15 |
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Oh I don’t give a poo poo about the paint, it should have never been painted over anyway. I’ll try working it over with a razor, but the screw in the middle I have no idea what the gently caress, cause it’s not coming out and it would stop the cover from coming off. Maybe I’ll work it even further...it’s a screw, so as long as I keep trying to turn it left, it’ll come out, right?
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# ? Oct 12, 2020 21:29 |
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Pollyanna posted:Oh I don’t give a poo poo about the paint, it should have never been painted over anyway. I don't see why they'd install a reverse-threaded screw, so yeah, it should. You might try cutting a slot in the screw head and using a flathead screw, if you're having trouble getting the screwdriver to not slip out.
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# ? Oct 12, 2020 21:40 |
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Screws often either wear out the screw hole so the threads don't do much of anything and the screw spins in the hole, or the threads wear out themselves leaving a bare spot on the screw will just spin in the hole. Try using pliers (or better yet vise-grips) to pull back on the screw head while turning it CCW. It's also possible the center screw isn't holding anything together anymore and it's just the paint that's the issue.
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# ? Oct 12, 2020 21:46 |
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Hed posted:You're supposed to say you would get a full size combi oven!! That would be a great choice for someone who rarely cooks, since they're always broken.
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# ? Oct 12, 2020 22:11 |
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Naw, I mean it like gets stuck at some point when I’m turnjng it left. Prolly just needs more force.
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# ? Oct 12, 2020 23:10 |
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Are you sure it's a screw holding the case on and not a knob of some sort for adjusting the heater/fan/whatever?
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# ? Oct 13, 2020 01:23 |
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It looks like it actually might be the latter! Absolutely not a heater or a fan, looks to be some sort of knob for opening or closing the vent somehow. There's definitely no cover to speak of, I think I'd have to take the whole thing off. I'm considering doing that, actually, but I have no idea how. I get that this is technically the landlord's problem, but the landlord is effectively absent and is not conscious of anything going on with this property, really. So I think I'm going to just rip this out and replace it because I hate this loving apartment so much I want it to die a horrible death. How do I get rid of this thing?
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# ? Oct 13, 2020 03:00 |
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I had a big ol' post typed up and then I hit back and I lost it all. gently caress. But I got the cover off, and I cleaned out all the dust bunnies and hopefully I'll sneeze less this winter. --- I still need some advice. There was a register here. It's gone now. Well, I put it back afterward, but it wasn't actually screwed or otherwise secured into the wall, just glued (taped?) onto it. Raggedly glue seal on the right of the register. Sorry, you're gonna have to tilt your head. The register when reinstalled. Identical to how it was before, but the glue/tape seal is obviously broken. (Those screws don't actually do anything but screw into the ground, they're just to prevent the register from moving forward.) Not like this register was actually properly sealed before, cause the corners are sagged in and I had to plug them up with foam. So, you know. Penis. This is godawful construction and I hate it and I want to make it not suck. What's the best way to replace this piece of poo poo and actually affix it to the wall, with proper sealing? Do I need a replacement like this? If so, what's my best option for installing this? Should I maybe just say gently caress it and buy a caulk gun and glue it back because I hate this apartment and I hope it burns down after I move out? Should I challenge my landlords to mortal combat with the deed to this dungeon on the line? Should I just buy my own loving house at this point because I have more household experience than some trust fund dipshits playing at feudalism????? Pollyanna fucked around with this message at 04:20 on Oct 13, 2020 |
# ? Oct 13, 2020 04:15 |
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Also should I be worrying about getting lead poisoning from all this paint dickery I'm removing? I'm washing my hands but I sure do hope I'm not inhaling lead dust.
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# ? Oct 13, 2020 04:23 |
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Pollyanna posted:Also should I be worrying about getting lead poisoning from all this paint dickery I'm removing? I'm washing my hands but I sure do hope I'm not inhaling lead dust. Most of that paint should be lead free, and as long as you don't break it up much you shouldn't be exposed to too much lead. Wear gloves if you're able, and 100% wash your hands thoroughly before eating or drinking.
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# ? Oct 13, 2020 05:07 |
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how long have i been living in a poisonous hellhole then oh god im gonna die and/or become a boomer
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# ? Oct 13, 2020 06:19 |
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You are being the opposite of Pollyanna about this...
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# ? Oct 13, 2020 07:03 |
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Yes, yes, I know. I would like advice on the above vent thing, though.
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# ? Oct 13, 2020 19:20 |
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turns out I already have a 240v connection behind my oven, i checked with an electrician so if I get a new gas oven I can do the connection myself using a kit, but in terms of peace of mind I'd rather have a professional do it oh yeah but since I live in Minneapolis that will be a $350 permit fee, yes really oh and I might want to change my kitchen floor sometime, so that will be another $350 lol my city sucks rear end
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# ? Oct 13, 2020 19:35 |
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Pollyanna posted:Yes, yes, I know. Elviscat posted:Most of that paint should be lead free, and as long as you don't break it up much you shouldn't be exposed to too much lead. Wear a respirator if you have one, but if you're not making paint dust you're not inhaling lead. CDC guidance: https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/prevention/sources/paint.htm
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# ? Oct 13, 2020 19:51 |
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Pollyanna posted:I had a big ol' post typed up and then I hit back and I lost it all. gently caress. But I got the cover off, and I cleaned out all the dust bunnies and hopefully I'll sneeze less this winter. Registers don't seal too tightly. You're over thinking this. Just put it back and screw it to the wall. Baseboard registers like that used long rear end screws in the holes on either side to attach to the wall. If you do replace it, be sure to take some measurements first. There are a lot of different kinds of registers.
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# ? Oct 13, 2020 21:05 |
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kid sinister posted:You're over thinking this You do recognize who you're interacting with, right? And also remember this from last year I presume.
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# ? Oct 13, 2020 21:12 |
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I can't seem to get a straight answer from google, and I don't want to pay $100 for a plumber to walk in the door and tell me this is just the way it is, so i'll ask here. I just bought a condo, and the water heater is a good 10 years old. I immediately had to get the shower fixed by a plumber because the cartridge needed replacing - I was getting approximately 2 minutes of warm water and then just cold. I timed it, I now get about 10 minutes of warm water, and about 3 minutes of real hot water, of which I have to turn the knob all the way to get. I've always taken long showers, so maybe i'm just complaining, but does that length seem right? Is that just how much i'm going to get for a 30 gallon tank?
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# ? Oct 14, 2020 01:48 |
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That doesn't sound right to me. A shower head might be rated at like 2.5 gallons per minute, as I recall. If you were only drawing from the hot water tank then you'd get over 10 minutes, but usually you're mixing in some amount of cold water so it should last even longer. If you're in an area with hard water, it's possible the tank is gunked up with sediment; I seem to recall that's a thing that can happen. I don't know the fix though.
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# ? Oct 14, 2020 01:52 |
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ArtVandelay posted:I can't seem to get a straight answer from google, and I don't want to pay $100 for a plumber to walk in the door and tell me this is just the way it is, so i'll ask here. Electric or Gas? If it's electric make sure both elements work.
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# ? Oct 14, 2020 01:56 |
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H110Hawk posted:Electric or Gas? If it's electric make sure both elements work. Also.......you know that tank has never been drained and is full of scale.
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# ? Oct 14, 2020 01:59 |
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H110Hawk posted:Electric or Gas? If it's electric make sure both elements work. Yeah, it's electric. I doubt it's ever been drained. Thanks for the advice. With an actual functioning 30 gallon tank, how long a should hot water be lasting?
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# ? Oct 14, 2020 02:07 |
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ArtVandelay posted:Yeah, it's electric. For a single shower? Unlimited. If you get a bougie heat pump one I don't know.
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# ? Oct 14, 2020 02:47 |
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kid sinister posted:Registers don't seal too tightly. You're over thinking this. Just put it back and screw it to the wall. Baseboard registers like that used long rear end screws in the holes on either side to attach to the wall. Sounds good to me. The one problem is that loving weird setup where the wall has like a chunk cut out of it - I might need to screw a piece of wood to the wall or something to get it to stick via the screws. Bah, I’ll figure it out. Elviscat posted:Wear a respirator if you have one, but if you're not making paint dust you're not inhaling lead. I had to scrape off paint to get at these screws, but it’s definitely recent paint - this whole place used to be purple instead of white. Maybe since it’s new paint there’s no lead. Pollyanna fucked around with this message at 15:05 on Oct 14, 2020 |
# ? Oct 14, 2020 15:02 |
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I threw together a pair of simple mortise and tenon style chairs out of project wood to use around our fire pit. I'm not putting a huge amount of time/effort into them (like under $20 and under an hour of work so far), but do want to at least protect them a little when sitting in the grass/dirt/outside. Is BLO a good option for a low cost/effort outdoor finish? Or should I grab something like a cheap-ish gallon of exterior waterproofing sealant ala Thompsons/Olympic? I don't really want to go through the bajillion coats of varnish/poly or epoxy.
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# ? Oct 14, 2020 19:33 |
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This is a good situation to use exterior-rated paint, I think.
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# ? Oct 14, 2020 20:10 |
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ArtVandelay posted:Yeah, it's electric. Boogie woogie woogie! Seriously though, check the heating elements and drain it. You can check all the elements with a continuity test of a multimeter. If there's no continuity, then that element has burnt out and will need replacing. It could be one of the thermostats too. Crank up the temp, then see if you can measure AC voltage on its output side. Or it's just full of sediment. You may have to unscrew the drain valve out of the tank as some of the pieces may be too big to pass. They're easy to break up though. You can open up the valve on top to help flush out the little crap as well.
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# ? Oct 14, 2020 20:40 |
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What does draining the water heater do? I have a rental that gets checked yearly but am curious what good maintenance is.
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# ? Oct 15, 2020 00:38 |
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Jenkl posted:What does draining the water heater do? I have a rental that gets checked yearly but am curious what good maintenance is. Sediment/minerals that fall out of the water tend to collect at the bottom of the tank. Flushing from the bottom hose bib helps to get some of this crap out. No matter what, tank water heaters are 10-15 year devices. Some people act like old water heaters are a badge of honor, but it's pretty stupid to risk thousands of dollars of water damage for a $600 tank that has lived a useful life.
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# ? Oct 15, 2020 01:21 |
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B-Nasty posted:Sediment/minerals that fall out of the water tend to collect at the bottom of the tank. Flushing from the bottom hose bib helps to get some of this crap out. *glances nervously at his water heater’s 1984 inspection sticker* My excuse is that its in the garage which slopes out, and the whole house is concrete block on poured concrete, anyway.
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# ? Oct 15, 2020 01:26 |
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Jenkl posted:What does draining the water heater do? I have a rental that gets checked yearly but am curious what good maintenance is. Electric water heaters are weird. The heating elements create a magnetic field that makes the sediment suspended in the water collect and fall to the bottom of the tank. It takes awhile, but it will fill a good portion of the tank. It won't hurt anything, but it does displace water, meaning you'll have less hot water. There's a reason that a popular line of water heater replacement elements is called "Sandhog". Also, if you're replacing an electric water heater, it's a good idea to try and drain all of the sediment out before you attempt to move it anywhere, just to reduce the weight.
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# ? Oct 15, 2020 01:41 |
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Stupid question, but do gas water heaters have the same issue? I understand sediment still exists, but I know the electric calrods tend to attract sediment more readily. Our water heater was replaced in 2009 by the PO, and hasn't been drained at least since we moved here in 2016... probably longer.
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# ? Oct 15, 2020 01:46 |
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DaveSauce posted:Stupid question, but do gas water heaters have the same issue? I understand sediment still exists, but I know the electric calrods tend to attract sediment more readily. No, not anywhere near as bad.
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# ? Oct 15, 2020 01:51 |
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Speaking of water heaters, mine is ~20 years old (gas) and bound to give up the ghost sooner or later. What should I look for when buying a new one? I assume this is the type of thing you need/want a plumber to install.
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# ? Oct 15, 2020 02:19 |
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# ? May 21, 2024 14:56 |
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Toebone posted:Speaking of water heaters, mine is ~20 years old (gas) and bound to give up the ghost sooner or later. What should I look for when buying a new one? I assume this is the type of thing you need/want a plumber to install. I just had mine replaced, I think it's more of an hvac person. My old and new one are both power vent which seems to be a good feature to have.
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# ? Oct 15, 2020 02:36 |