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Oh, I should be replacing those, huh?
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Oct 30, 2020 17:49
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Democratic Pirate posted:Is replacing wired smoke/CO detectors an easy DIY task, or should I hire it out? The process seems straightforward, but the combination of electrical work and risk of an incorrectly installed system not catching a fire or carbon monoxide leak has me willing to pay an electrician. I would recommend hiring a handyman to do this for you. I would charge you $400/hr + a flight to your house myself 
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Oct 30, 2020 21:13
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I have the stupidest contractor grade bullshit ones in the rest of my house and apparently can’t even order the right battery + hardwired option from HD since I ended up with battery only that have to go back. I even have the 14/3 ran and boxes all ready to go!
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Oct 30, 2020 21:16
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Residency Evil posted:Oh, I should be replacing those, huh? Every 10 years.
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Oct 30, 2020 23:12
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The rungs and hinges go bad that fast, huh?
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Oct 30, 2020 23:19
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H110Hawk posted:The most dangerous part is getting up on a ladder. Get the ones with the 10 year integrated battery! How do I change my ladder’s battery if my ladder is out of battery?
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Oct 30, 2020 23:47
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Sundae posted:How do I change my ladder’s battery if my ladder is out of battery? On a wheeled office chair, duh.
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Oct 31, 2020 01:16
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ntan1 posted:I would recommend hiring a handyman to do this for you. I would charge you $400/hr + a flight to your house myself Ha ha, okay great !
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Oct 31, 2020 01:42
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I'd recommend a non-contact voltage tester, especially if the circuit breaker isn't labeled, it can otherwise be difficult to confirm that sort of fixtures power is off.
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Oct 31, 2020 03:10
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H110Hawk posted:Every 10 years.
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Oct 31, 2020 13:12
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gently caress. Our shower is leaking in to our living room again. Last time, it was an issue with the caulking around the shower door, which I fixed myself after we had a plumber come out and water mitigation people come out and make sure there wasn't a more serious leak. I also ended up recaulking the bottom part of our shower completely after that. We were planning on repainting our living room to fix the water damage, but should my first step in this case be to hire someone to do a very good/thorough job of resealing the shower completely?
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Oct 31, 2020 16:04
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Wiggly Wayne DDS posted:in particular make sure the unit and sensor are both rated for 10y. there was a problem a few years back of 10y units being sold with a 5y sensor. that bit was hidden in the installation booklet so the average engineer would only see the unit lifetime and think it's fine That should be a lawsuit. If the box plainly says 10yr integrated battery you can't hide in fine print that the smoke alarm itself only lasts half that time. Do you have an article on that?
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Oct 31, 2020 16:06
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no articles, i'm handing over first-hand experience. most of them should be off of the market but they were selling cheaper and had replaceable modules. issue was they looked similar to the 10y variants so when checking co detector expiry dates an engineer would naively read the unit expiry date and think that's fine it should still chirp when it's at the expiry stage
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Oct 31, 2020 16:40
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tater_salad posted:Umm.. you should very much kick the anthill on this.. someone hosed up big.. and then they hosed up big again.. tryign to hide what they did and not do it in any official capacity. you can't just dig up a survey marker and stick it somewhere. I’m too tired of being angry and not having any solutions, so whenever ifever this becomes a problem down the road, I’ll fight it then. I’ll probably try to follow up in a few months, I don’t know. Maybe I just need to get a second opinion with another lawyer. Plus, honestly, my savings are already tapped from this driveway and fence and other projects, I just need some time to save back up before I burn another pile of cash. At least I have my documentation in order. Motronic posted:I'd just like to mention here, because so many people felt the need to poo poo on my opinion in the house buying thread earlier: this is why you buy "enhanced" title insurance or buyer's title insurance - whichever its called in your area. It's literally a pay for it one time insurance policy for things exactly like this. I was super curious so I checked my title insurance and tl;dr it’s garbage. Explicitly excludes boundary structures like fences, and payouts from a claim are limited to 1,000$ or 1% of policy (3-5k), whichever is less. Seems like it’s primarily protection against people making a claim on your deed. I’m guessing there’s better policies out there, but mine is just explicitly bad 
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Nov 1, 2020 05:50
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Residency Evil posted:gently caress. Our shower is leaking in to our living room again. Last time, it was an issue with the caulking around the shower door, which I fixed myself after we had a plumber come out and water mitigation people come out and make sure there wasn't a more serious leak. I also ended up recaulking the bottom part of our shower completely after that. We were planning on repainting our living room to fix the water damage, but should my first step in this case be to hire someone to do a very good/thorough job of resealing the shower completely?
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Nov 1, 2020 08:53
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ntan1 posted:A shower leaking in the way you have described usually means the entire shower may need to be replaced. Is this tile construction with a raised entrance into the shower? A shower will find the weakest spot and pour all its water out of it heh. Normally it won't start leaking unless you changed something or it has always leaked. If it is tile find a 55 year old guy that has been doing showers for 30 years. If it is some fiberglass thing just get it replaced they are not that much. (Relative to a wet mop tile shower and not that much is thousands) I'm gonna have nightmares about this now.
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Nov 1, 2020 14:00
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ntan1 posted:A shower leaking in the way you have described usually means the entire shower may need to be replaced. Is this tile construction with a raised entrance into the shower? Yeah, it's tile with a raised entrance. Elephanthead posted:A shower will find the weakest spot and pour all its water out of it heh. Normally it won't start leaking unless you changed something or it has always leaked. If it is tile find a 55 year old guy that has been doing showers for 30 years. If it is some fiberglass thing just get it replaced they are not that much. (Relative to a wet mop tile shower and not that much is thousands) I'm gonna have nightmares about this now. He's coming on Tuesday to take a look/possibly just reseal the shower completely. Hoping that's all it is versus having to spend thousands...tens of thousands? redoing our shower/repainting our downstairs/etc.
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Nov 1, 2020 14:33
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OSU_Matthew posted:I was super curious so I checked my title insurance and tl;dr it’s garbage. Explicitly excludes boundary structures like fences, and payouts from a claim are limited to 1,000$ or 1% of policy (3-5k), whichever is less. Seems like it’s primarily protection against people making a claim on your deed. I’m guessing there’s better policies out there, but mine is just explicitly bad Yikes that's pretty awful. Like all of these things, it depends on what you've bought and the legally mandated state minimums most likely.
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Nov 1, 2020 16:00
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There's a chance we have to replace our washing machine. I've never shopped for a washing machine. I'm doing research, but any tips or notable features I should try to get or try to avoid?
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Nov 1, 2020 16:47
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Get an HE washer. They're quiet, gentler on the clothing, and the clothes come out with less water in them which makes drying more efficient. I recommend an LG in the $600 range.
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Nov 1, 2020 16:50
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ObsidianBeast posted:There's a chance we have to replace our washing machine. I've never shopped for a washing machine. I'm doing research, but any tips or notable features I should try to get or try to avoid? Apparently it costs more for identical model but a darker colour. Also, if you don't care about appearance, you can save hundreds by finding a scratch-and-dent place in your area. This may not have answered your question, but these are things I think about when I'm appliance shopping.
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Nov 1, 2020 16:51
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ObsidianBeast posted:There's a chance we have to replace our washing machine. I've never shopped for a washing machine. I'm doing research, but any tips or notable features I should try to get or try to avoid? No front-loaders. It's amazing there hasn't been a multi-million dollar class action against manufactures of FL washers. Imagine a product so poorly designed and tested that the only way to combat mold growth and funk in your washer is to leave the door ajar all the time. Somehow, owners of FLs have rationalized this (Stockholm syndrome) as an acceptable solution. Some models now actually pop the door ajar automatically, which is really doubling down on the insanity.
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Nov 1, 2020 17:46
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B-Nasty posted:No front-loaders. Top loaders suggest this as well. This is a fight you aren't going to win as the alternative is more moving parts to ventilate the washers once unloaded.
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Nov 1, 2020 18:01
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Yeah but you don't bang your knee by leaving a top loader open
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Nov 1, 2020 18:10
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Front loaders use half the water, less electricity, and don't damage your clothes. There's no denying that they are the better and more responsible option But they cost more, you often want/need to buy the stands, the washer vibrates like crazy, washing takes about 15 minutes longer than a top load, and of course you need to keep the door cracked for about an hour after use.
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Nov 1, 2020 18:26
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GoGoGadgetChris posted:Front loaders use half the water, less electricity, and don't damage your clothes. With all the high-efficiency appliances, we're pretty much at the point of diminishing returns. I just looked at the Energy Guide sticker for same-brand, HE, comparable 4.5 cu/ft FL/TL, and the TL will cost $29/year with an electric water heater vs $12 for the FL. So you save $17/year, but at least with those 2 models, the FL was about $120 more expensive, so it's unlikely it will pay back over it's expected lifetime, especially if you have issues with the door gasket that require replacement. More responsible is a stretch, unless you live in a very drought-prone area. Apparently, 3 children have actually died specifically due to front loading washing machines. Unless you can lock your laundry room door, the open machine (at kids' level) is an additional hazard. Front loading washing machines: kills kids, makes your clothes smell like mildew, and will probably leak onto your floor at some point.
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Nov 1, 2020 19:54
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B-Nasty posted:No front-loaders. I agree with this sentiment, but for the guy asking about recommendations, consider this question: Do your clothes get DIRTY, or do you use them for work? Like yardwork more intense than cutting the grass, mechanic work, factory work, heavy workout stuff? Don't get a frontloader. Get a toploader with an agitator that squeaks around the high efficiency regulations by allowing you manual overrides, like a Speed Queen TC5 or as GE GTW685BSLWS. Do you work in an office? Get a frontloader, you''ll probably be fine. Normal toploaders: Let you set water level manually, have fast cycle time, use more water. Apparently are "hard on" clothes. I haven't had an issue with this but I don't wear delicates. High Efficiency toploaders: Have pain in the rear end autofill water levels, which sound like a good idea until you find out it makes a load of laundry take 1.5-2 hours. Frontloaders: I don't think they use a high enough water volume to get truly dirty clothes clean. I'm really hard on clothes, and have owned two different makes of frontloader. I'd find loads of wash with particularly dirty items just not getting clean. Plus you have to leave the door open so they don't smell (they will anyway) and the mechanical design is poo poo because now you're counting on an easily-damaged doorseal to keep water in the unit. Plus long cycle times. I think they're garbage, honestly. Like a lot of other appliances I think we've hit (maybe exceeded) diminishing returns on washing machines in the push for efficiency.
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Nov 1, 2020 20:12
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I am hoping in the next 10 years we get a push for longevity at current efficiency levels. Every appliance these days is super efficient at the end users part but they all poo poo the bed every 5-10 years. (Like what California has done for sealed-system compressors, electric drive trains in cars, stuff like that.)
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Nov 1, 2020 20:18
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GoGoGadgetChris posted:Front loaders use We got a modern LG model and it has a way to balance the load, so it's not vibrating like crazy, works really well for us We also got the ventless washer dryer combo, which was pricey at about $2k, but allowed us to put a washer/dryer in our apartment at the time that wasn't plumbed/ventilated for one After using ventless washer dryers all over SE Asia we just had to have one. It's an incredible concept. Put dirty clothes in, come back three hours later, pull out dry, clean clothes. No remembering to switch it over to the dryer half way through Also, because it has an integrated dryer, you can close the door
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Nov 1, 2020 20:22
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B-Nasty posted:With all the high-efficiency appliances, we're pretty much at the point of diminishing returns. I just looked at the Energy Guide sticker for same-brand, HE, comparable 4.5 cu/ft FL/TL, and the TL will cost $29/year with an electric water heater vs $12 for the FL. So you save $17/year, but at least with those 2 models, the FL was about $120 more expensive, so it's unlikely it will pay back over it's expected lifetime, especially if you have issues with the door gasket that require replacement. More responsible is a stretch, unless you live in a very drought-prone area. You definitely don't go front loader to save money, if that's what you thought I was saying.
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Nov 1, 2020 20:36
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I am not going to get into the top loader v front loader debate other than to add that my front loader leaves the clothes a lot softer than my old top loader did, and that living in a condo I don't have room for a top loader. I am just going to post that according to consumer reports, the best front loader brands are LG followed by Speed Queen, the best top loader agitator brands are maytag followed by GE, the best top loader HE brands are LG followed by kenmore, and the top compact models are samsung followed by Miele. I still have my CR subscription, and while posting the whole guide probably breaks some copyright laws, if you have a specific model you want me to look up feel free to PM me.
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Nov 1, 2020 20:45
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GoGoGadgetChris posted:Front loaders use half the water, less electricity, and don't damage your clothes. Also I believe whirlpool did at one point (not sure about current situation) used dissimilar metals stainless and aluminum for the 'spider arm' so one day bam you hear a this and it's time for a new washer because the arm is now cracked due to corrosion.
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Nov 1, 2020 20:53
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We really like the LG front-loader we got for our condo last year. Stacked they fit in the small room with the water heater and they are miles better than the washer-dryer combo the previous owner left us which was a major sock eater. Like literally when we had a guy come service it he found dozens of moldy old socks outside the main barrel. But yeah, we had heard about the mildew problem before buying so we always leave the door open. I guess I had never thought about how that might be a problem with kiddos.
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Nov 1, 2020 22:11
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Chad Sexington posted:We really like the LG front-loader we got for our condo last year. Stacked they fit in the small room with the water heater and they are miles better than the washer-dryer combo the previous owner left us which was a major sock eater. Like literally when we had a guy come service it he found dozens of moldy old socks outside the main barrel. Or people with stepchildren or stepsiblings.
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Nov 1, 2020 22:18
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So I'm just going to chime in and say we've had the same LG front loader for 9 years now and never had any problems with it. We don't typically leave the door open and I've not noticed any smell of mold or seen any growth on the front seal, maybe my wife and I are both the stinky people at work and no ones said anything but this sounds like a way overblown issue to me. My wife does run through a cleaning cycle with some sort of washing machine cleaner every 2 weeks, maybe that's why we haven't noticed an issue, definitely worth it in that case. Oh also, it's never shook excessively unlike every top loader I've ever used if you accidently put in an unbalanced load. Chad Sexington posted:We really like the LG front-loader we got for our condo last year. Stacked they fit in the small room with the water heater and they are miles better than the washer-dryer combo the previous owner left us which was a major sock eater. Like literally when we had a guy come service it he found dozens of moldy old socks outside the main barrel. I had no idea washing machines eating socks was actually a real thing.
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Nov 1, 2020 23:23
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I've never seen a top loader outside of the US, in the 3 countries I've lived in in Europe it's all front loaders. Even in the big shared laundry rooms in various apartment buildings here in Sweden it's all front loaders. I know toploaders exist solely from visiting the US and seeing them in shows/movies, so I'm surprised to hear it's a hotly-contested topic.
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Nov 2, 2020 00:36
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I think this is another case of "invented/popularized here first, everybody else started with the better/redesigned stuff when it got to their country 20 years later", meanwhile in the US it's, "well this is the X granpappy had, so I'll be damned if I change"  See also, SMS, GSM cell phones (sim cards etc), 50hz 240v electricity, uh, I forget the others
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Nov 2, 2020 03:52
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Yeah we are SO much happier with our LG front loader versus the GE top loader that was here when we bought the house. We’ve had it somewhere around 5 years.
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Nov 2, 2020 04:02
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We had a Kenmore set with top loading washer that came with the house and literally just shredded clothes every once in a while. Then we were given a Kenmore HE toploader set and that didn't really get stuff clean. My mom decided when her sister was selling a Samsung HE front loader set that she was going to buy it for us. The washer takes forever and anything really dirty needs to run twice. If I replace these I'm getting an older speed queen set.
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Nov 2, 2020 04:32
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Hadlock posted:We got a modern LG model and it has a way to balance the load, so it's not vibrating like crazy, works really well for us I'm looking to buy a modern washer/dryer in the near future and this post may have totally changed my direction in what I was looking for.
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Nov 2, 2020 04:38
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