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wilderthanmild posted:Update on my asbestos tile situation: the previous owner loving nailed the tackstrips for the carpet into the tiles. This probably means I can't even just put a new floor over it without getting loving asbestos everywhere. That's how tack strips are installed. Remove them and the broken tiles while taking appropriate precautions.
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Feb 20, 2021 16:21
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BaseballPCHiker posted:Has anyone here used one of those custom made to order blinds sites like SelectBlinds or can recommend a company? I've been happy with blindsmax.com - but they're like $200/window at minimum.
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Feb 20, 2021 16:46
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wilderthanmild posted:Update on my asbestos tile situation: the previous owner loving nailed the tackstrips for the carpet into the tiles. This probably means I can't even just put a new floor over it without getting loving asbestos everywhere. Hepa vac and a crowbar should pop the nails out. Put the curled end under the nail and rock it backwards. Otherwise you could hepa vac and oscillating tool cut them off but I wouldn't unless the head pops off the nail. They make hepa kits for shop vacs, they work great. Just keep the hepa vac pointed straight onto the work area until the dust is gone and you will be fine. Wear a P100/N100 respirator for good measure. Also lol you will be lucky to have a flooring contractor even bring up asbestos tile depending on their quality. "Open the windows it will be fine" - probably half of all flooring contractors.
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Feb 20, 2021 17:47
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H110Hawk posted:Hepa vac and a crowbar should pop the nails out. Put the curled end under the nail and rock it backwards. Otherwise you could hepa vac and oscillating tool cut them off but I wouldn't unless the head pops off the nail. They make hepa kits for shop vacs, they work great. If the head pops off the nail, you can just lift the tile off - don't put an oscillating tool anywhere near it. Home depot rents out HEPA filters if you'd like.
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Feb 21, 2021 04:46
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devicenull posted:If the head pops off the nail, you can just lift the tile off - don't put an oscillating tool anywhere near it. I was thinking just to flatten the nail if it won't pull free. If you're removing the tile yeah don't put the tile powderizer near it.
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Feb 21, 2021 05:12
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MrLogan posted:House Ownership Thread: I had no idea [blank] was so incredibly expensive I just started looking at wall shelving and this statement is very very true.
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Feb 21, 2021 22:21
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KidDynamite posted:I just started looking at wall shelving and this statement is very very true. You start to think about how badly you want to be organized. I had thoughts of building out my closet and I decided a mesh bin was all I really needed.
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Feb 22, 2021 04:41
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I think I'm going to replace my furnace instead of chuck any more money into it. Are there any bells & whistles that come highly recommended or should I just go for basic thing-that-makes-heat I was thinking about doing the AC at the same time but looks like per code I'd need to move it from its current spot and directly into the path along the side of my house. No thanks! That can be someone else's problem (hopefully)
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Feb 22, 2021 22:20
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I saw a screenshot of a plumbed in humidifier that could be adjusted by Nest. No idea about feasibility or cost, but it sounded neat.
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Feb 22, 2021 22:48
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Cormack posted:I saw a screenshot of a plumbed in humidifier that could be adjusted by Nest. No idea about feasibility or cost, but it sounded neat. Hacking my enemies to give them mold problems while also eliminating their dry skin issues.
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Feb 22, 2021 23:11
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Cormack posted:I saw a screenshot of a plumbed in humidifier that could be adjusted by Nest. No idea about feasibility or cost, but it sounded neat. Meh, those humidifiers always seem to be a big upsell for HVAC companies.. they get used for a few years then break or the cost of filters gets to be too much. Depending on where you live, I'd suggest a dedicated dehumidifer instead. It really helps here in the fall/spring where it's very wet but not really hot enough for AC. You might want to price out doing the AC anyway, a place near me was recently doing a free furnace with AC purchase (no idea if their cost was competitive or not!)
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Feb 23, 2021 01:16
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devicenull posted:Meh, those humidifiers always seem to be a big upsell for HVAC companies.. they get used for a few years then break or the cost of filters gets to be too much. Yes, the evaporative kind. If you actually need a humidifier, and there are large areas of the country that could benefit from this, you want a steam/ultrasonic unit. With an RO filter to feed it. Those actually work. While the still require service it's not the dumpster fire of those crappy units that more often flood your mechanical room than actually work properly.
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Feb 23, 2021 01:39
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Man I'm in the Pacific Northwest so if I want to boost my humidity I can just open the window for 1ms Between new windows and a new furnace I'm gonna have a mighty low utility bill 
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Feb 23, 2021 01:42
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GoGoGadgetChris posted:Man I'm in the Pacific Northwest so if I want to boost my humidity I can just open the window for 1ms If you're replacing the furnace with a hybrid system (heat pump and small furnace to supplement) there may be low energy rebates/loans you can tap into that might make more sense than one to one replacement. What kind of system do you have?
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Feb 23, 2021 05:09
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I have one of those and I really like it. It does run longer than a traditional hvac system, but it does a good job of keeping a relatively constant temperature. My energy costs are pretty drat low for a 3400 sq ft two-story w/ basement. Service life is shorter than a traditional hvac apparently, which mine is past.
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Feb 23, 2021 11:26
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GoGoGadgetChris posted:I think I'm going to replace my furnace instead of chuck any more money into it. When I bought my house and immediately had to replace the boiler a few years back I was lucky enough to be friends with a senior plumber/HVAC guy. The one thing he said was actually worth it, at least for my house, was this thermostat that measured the outside temp and fed into the control unit. Basically it could sense the temps outside and automatically start increasing the heat before the inside of my house got colder. I dont think it was that much more. Besides that the only other thing I upgraded was the control unit was a bit fancier, again based on his advice. Lets me do zone heating and split the temps between my 2nd and 1st floors.
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Feb 23, 2021 14:43
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Smugworth posted:Hello thread. New homeowner here. Outdoor spigot has a drip leak even though the water is shut off. PO gave me a check for $200 even though our inspector didn't even mention it and we didn't ask for it to be fixed, how about that? Hi Home Ownership Thread it's me again. I did not flood my home yet but I have been happily living with a bucket under this and spur of the moment decided today was the day to try and fix it.  The right hand pipe leads 10-15ft directly to an outdoor spigot and that's it. The whole reason I cut the pipe was because the spigot had frozen over and I was going on vacation, so I was hoping to ward off a burst pipe, or at least water damage hidden behind drywall where the piping lies. Well, I decided to try to pressure test the pipe before I started working on it, and lo and behold, I can force a small amount of air through the pipe simply by blowing through it. Seems to me the pipe did indeed lose its integrity when it froze. The spigot is closed (I tried tightening it both ways just in case), and I guess the spigot could be the issue, but it sounds like I should just hire a plumber, right? Cutting dry wall and pulling out the old pipe is a little beyond what I'm willing to bet my YouTube University degree on. e: looks like there's a couple right angles from the basement up and behind the drywall to the outdoor spigot too, so I'm sure that will be fun to maneuver around Smugworth fucked around with this message at 17:57 on Feb 23, 2021 |
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Feb 23, 2021 17:36
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We are soon to be homeowners and trying to figure out solar options to deal with insane electric bills we have been told about(california). Is there a specific thread for bone solar chat?
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Feb 23, 2021 19:59
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One thing I am actually unsure about is how frequently a two stage HVAC system will actually matter versus a one stage. Hours of research doesn’t reveal any clear perspective.
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Feb 23, 2021 20:13
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PageMaster posted:We are soon to be homeowners and trying to figure out solar options to deal with insane electric bills we have been told about(california). Is there a specific thread for bone solar chat? We talk about solar in the AI EV thread. I got solar installed in October. Any specific questions? I can tell you about my sample size of one.
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Feb 23, 2021 20:48
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A lot of it is going to depend on your utility's net metering policies, how much solar you can actually get on the roof, and how much that solar costs you. My sample size of one: a SolarCity/Tesla lease has, at best, broken even with not having it installed at all. Worst case I've paid something like $500 extra in energy costs over the past not-quite-seven years, and this is with a better net metering agreement than I'd be able to get today.
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Feb 23, 2021 20:59
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Shammypants posted:One thing I am actually unsure about is how frequently a two stage HVAC system will actually matter versus a one stage. Hours of research doesn’t reveal any clear perspective. What type of system? Heat pump/AC or furnace? Generally speaking, low and slow is the best way to get optimal comfort. If AC, it will remove more moisture from the air, and heat or AC will be more evenly distributed as the fan is running longer and doing a better job circulating around your house. Being able to run at a lower stage also means less stops-starts (instead it keeps running longer), so it improves efficiency and helps extend the life of the system. My heat pump, for example, only kicks onto the second stage (controllable with advanced thermostats) when it gets really cold and stage 1 can't keep up. Because the unit is more sized for heating, during the Summer, it basically never kicks into stage 2 for AC. I wouldn't do it strictly on the claim that it will save money. Sizing the system properly in the first place, using large (4"+) filters, and ensuring adequate ductwork is more important.
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Feb 23, 2021 21:05
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Anybody here put solar on their roof? Now that I cut down the huge tree in my yard, I'm looking at quotes but I really have no idea what I should be focusing on to compare. I was considering a battery so that we could use it in case of blackouts (we don't have a generator) and if we ever get an electric car. We're in California if it matters. Is there a good resource that anyone can recommend to learn more about the most important aspects of solar?
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Feb 23, 2021 22:40
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MrLogan posted:We talk about solar in the AI EV thread. I got solar installed in October. Any specific questions? I can tell you about my sample size of one. Mostly in what to consider when shopping around. I'm assuming roof direction and type, surrounding trees, etc. may make solar more or less worth it, and if all solar suppliers and manufactures are created equal; I can get solar from tesla, costco, random yelp solar installer, etc...is price the main difference or are some things worth paying more for? California specifics on metering will probably matter but I would have to figure that out once I set up my utilities. Plan on being in the home for 30 years so I have to guess out will definitely be with it, but not sure how to start shopping.
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Feb 23, 2021 23:43
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BRAKE FOR MOOSE posted:I also like my Article furniture but I haven't had it long enough to comment on durability. I have a Sven sofa and a Mod chair. I am researching leather couches for the first time (in the United States) and the struggle is real. It seems the general options are: * cheap ikea couch (nothing against this except I want my couch to last and be of good quality, get that aged leather over time) * Article leather couches (~2k USD - the sweet spot for budget, seem to be the most reputable direct-to-consumer internet couch) it's a price I am willing to pay, but digging into some reviews online it seems these do not hold up after a couple of years for many, with complaints including "bottoming out" when seated and hitting the wood, seat cushions slowly sliding forward, velcro attachments failing * Paying ~2-3k more for the next level up (but having no idea what the candidates are here and no easy to find online repository of info beyond sites among the likes "apartment therapy" etc. which usually are sponsored or pointing out a couch being trendy on instragram as a plus rather than the actual build quality, and point mostly to the above direct-to-consumer lines I think I might spring for the Article and hope for the best, but maybe sell it off down the line if it starts disappointing
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Feb 24, 2021 18:10
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Thom ZombieForm posted:I am researching leather couches for the first time (in the United States) and the struggle is real. It seems the general options are: My wife and I just went through this process over Christmas as we decided a new couch would be our gifts to each other. Buying online seemed to be a crapshoot. Costco has some good options at a good price but less selection, and were often sold out. Might be an option for you to consider. Also most physical locations we went to had massive backorders and shipping delays. There were a few couches we liked but would've been a year out for delivery. Ultimately we found a Flexsteel, which seems to be a well regarded brand, for $3200 with only a month delivery time that we liked. Good luck in your search! Supposedly Feb-March is often the best time to buy furniture cheap, at least according to a single ConsumerReports article I read while researching.
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Feb 24, 2021 18:34
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PageMaster posted:Mostly in what to consider when shopping around. I'm assuming roof direction and type, surrounding trees, etc. may make solar more or less worth it, and if all solar suppliers and manufactures are created equal; I can get solar from tesla, costco, random yelp solar installer, etc...is price the main difference or are some things worth paying more for? Well, you can't chance your roof direction. I would just compare the total price and how much solar (kWh) they are going to give you. I got eight different quotes and Tesla was by far the best kWh/$. I used energysage.com for a lot of them and checked Sam's Club, Tesla, etc. Also check out https://www.google.com/get/sunroof. Any competent company should be able to figure out how many panels you need given your address and a copy of your utility bill to tell them how much you use in a year. Happy to send you a referral code if you want to use them at save $100 or whatever their referral bonus is.
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Feb 24, 2021 20:13
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Thom ZombieForm posted:I am researching leather couches for the first time (in the United States) and the struggle is real. It seems the general options are: Just went through couch buying about 3 years ago. I wanted something that would last longer than the Haverty's couch we bought, but I didn't have high end money. To be fair we got 8 1/2 good, rough years (kids and pets) out of that couch, and it was like 1200 bucks. I feel we got our moneys worth. We still have them in the kids game/living room in our new house. I wanted a good "Value" if that makes sense. I don't like to spend money just to spend money, but I'll spend money on quality when I feel there's a solid value there. I have no doubt that a Hancock and Moore, or Bradington and Young couch would be amazing and the last couch I ever bought, but I don't have gently used Honda Civic money to spend on a couch. I could go on and on, but my suggestion would try to find a locally owned leather showroom of some sort in your area and go in and look at all the options. I spent a couple hours talking to the owner of a store in my area (who has since retired), and he gave me some great information, and great options, and we ended up buying our sectional from him at what I feel is a good value. Key things to look at is construction, foam density on the cushions, and leather quality. We have kids and pets, so leather quality was really important to me. We went with a thicker top grain leather, which the cats have managed to scratch of course, but they won't puncture it. Make sure they're using a thicker density foam like 2.0 instead of 1.8 in the seat cushions, they'll hold up longer. To hit our price point, the couch we bought was manufactured in Mexico. Anything US manufactured is obviously going to be more expensive. We also had to compromise and do a vinyl leather match on the back/sides of the couch. It's all up against a wall anyway but it would have cost another 2 grand for 100% leather. Maybe the next couch will be actual 100% leather. All in all we paid about 6K for a good sized sectional from Palliser, and it was worth it. There are some good quality middle of the road brands out there. Palliser, Southern Motion, Natuzzi, FlexSteel (FlexSteel has multiple lines... one is less expensive and not as good quality, double check). Avoid anything made in China. Vietnam makes a ton of furniture, Mexico as well. Random other tips: - Buy locally, if you have a problem, a local shop will be helpful, I know it's 2021 and everyone wants to do stuff online and not talk to other humans, but I still feel some stuff should be purchased locally, and furniture is one of those things. - Avoid chain/corporate owned shops. There are still lots of mom/pop family owned furniture stores out there, give them your patronage. I had fantastic experiences with them, and terrible ones with corporate chain stores. Customer service is much better as well.
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Feb 24, 2021 21:52
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Smugworth posted:Hi Home Ownership Thread it's me again. This sounds like a good time to put in a drain right after that shutoff, so you can get the rest of the water out of the line next time!
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Feb 25, 2021 23:47
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MrLogan posted:Well, you can't chance your roof direction. Thanks! I know roof is set but I didn't know if there would be anything that would make solar not recommended (certain directions, slopes, roof types, etc.), Tho I guess that would be up to the company to tell me. I'm a little reassured tesla had the bestkWh/$ (I figured they would be the most expensive for brand name), and sunroof isn't available at my location yet unfortunately, but it looks like solar isn't as specialized at I thought it was and there's a ton of companies to work with; yourenergysage link is probably exactly what I needed to get started. Did you ultimately end up going with Tesla?
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Feb 26, 2021 05:27
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Tesla panels (panels or tiles) have had a tendency to catch fire or just flat out not work. Please don't use them. There are a lot of panel makers out there, pick someone else. Sunpower used to be energy density king but I don't know if that's true anymore. I personally would go with micro inverters. Then single panel problems or inverter problems don't tank your whole system, and you're never backhauling  amounts of DC current.
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Feb 26, 2021 05:38
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PageMaster posted:Thanks! I know roof is set but I didn't know if there would be anything that would make solar not recommended (certain directions, slopes, roof types, etc.), Tho I guess that would be up to the company to tell me. I'm a little reassured tesla had the bestkWh/$ (I figured they would be the most expensive for brand name), and sunroof isn't available at my location yet unfortunately, but it looks like solar isn't as specialized at I thought it was and there's a ton of companies to work with; yourenergysage link is probably exactly what I needed to get started. Did you ultimately end up going with Tesla? Yes, I ended up using Tesla. My guess is they were the cheapest due to economies of scale. As for as roof types, most of the most common ones can take solar panels. Clay and certain types of metal roofs can't, but the solar company would be able to verify your roof will work. How old is your current roof? If you expect to replace it in the next 5 years, then I'd hold off on getting the panels. H110Hawk posted:Tesla panels (panels or tiles) have had a tendency to catch fire or just flat out not work. Please don't use them. There are a lot of panel makers out there, pick someone else. Sunpower used to be energy density king but I don't know if that's true anymore. I think this is fake news. Tesla doesn't make their own panels (yet). Maybe this was the case with Gen 1 of the solar roof? They used Q.Peak 340w panels for mine with Delta inverters. Tesla's customer service was pretty bad at pro-actively giving updates/answering questions, but I have no other solar companies to compare it to. It took four months from order date until the installation and then another month for county inspections, etc. to activate after that.
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Feb 26, 2021 13:40
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devicenull posted:This sounds like a good time to put in a drain right after that shutoff, so you can get the rest of the water out of the line next time! Noted 
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Feb 26, 2021 14:13
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I'm pretty sure Tesla uses pretty bog standard off the shelf equipment for their solar line outside of the solar roof brand. They did get sued by Walmart for some of their flat top installs catching fire. But honestly Tesla doesn't install them themselves they use local contractors to do that so in terms of what Tesla does themselves it's designing the system and sourcing the parts. The actual install itself is done by local folks who could be of varying quality.
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Feb 26, 2021 14:38
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Speaking of solar and Tesla, anyone have experience with their Powerwall
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Feb 26, 2021 15:28
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MrLogan posted:I think this is fake news. Tesla doesn't make their own panels (yet). Maybe this was the case with Gen 1 of the solar roof? Nitrousoxide posted:I'm pretty sure Tesla uses pretty bog standard off the shelf equipment for their solar line outside of the solar roof brand. Yeah I wouldn't reward bad behavior. Their cars have hilarious basic problems too. If they had support that was functional and a parts network to repair things it would be at least a little bit excusable. You don't know what low bidder they're going to use to strap a critical electrical system to your house, and their support is going to be non-existent if there is a problem. Sure another company might be that way as well but at least it will be a surprise. Same reason I wouldn't use their energy storage devices in my house. I can't imagine how terrifying those will be as they get to EOL.
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Feb 26, 2021 17:42
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Bought our first home, looking for peace of mind on one hopefully minor thing. House has natural gas, and the vent in the living room (I think it's for the heat; it's much larger than I'd expect for the central air) is right where we want our 125 gallon fish tank to go. There's no better spot and quite likely no other spot when you consider size and weight. How much, rough ballpark, would it cost to move that vent? ~$500? ~$1000?
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Feb 27, 2021 00:25
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disaster pastor posted:Bought our first home, looking for peace of mind on one hopefully minor thing. Does your central air and heat not use the same venting? I'm not even close to an expert, but I was under the impression that unless you had radiator\window unit heat or whatever, your furnace would blow heat through the same ventilation system as your A\C. Also, if it's bigger than other vents, maybe it's an intake? Sorry, I can't help with a quote, but figured I'd chime in with clarifying questions that other more knowledgeable folks might need to help answer.
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Feb 27, 2021 00:37
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It all depends on what's below and where it can move to pictures of this big vent would be helpful.
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Feb 27, 2021 01:16
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marjorie posted:Does your central air and heat not use the same venting? I'm not even close to an expert, but I was under the impression that unless you had radiator\window unit heat or whatever, your furnace would blow heat through the same ventilation system as your A\C. Also, if it's bigger than other vents, maybe it's an intake? This is entirely possible, I am very much an idiot about this stuff right now. It is almost certainly the same ventilation system. It would probably be great if it were an intake, then we'd have to worry less. tater_salad posted:It all depends on what's below and where it can move to pictures of this big vent would be helpful. Sorry for lovely pic. 
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Feb 27, 2021 01:21
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