|
We're having our basement finished. I wanted to pre-install tubing for cables/wires in the walls so if in the future I wanted to run cables for some reason it should be easy. Is this a dumb idea? Anyone seen something like this before?
|
#
?
Aug 30, 2021 00:06
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 27, 2024 20:26 |
|
|
downout posted:We're having our basement finished. I wanted to pre-install tubing for cables/wires in the walls so if in the future I wanted to run cables for some reason it should be easy. Is this a dumb idea? Anyone seen something like this before? It's called conduit and it's exceptionally common in professional installs.
|
|
#
?
Aug 30, 2021 00:08
|
|
|
downout posted:We're having our basement finished. I wanted to pre-install tubing for cables/wires in the walls so if in the future I wanted to run cables for some reason it should be easy. Is this a dumb idea? Anyone seen something like this before? Running conduit when a wall is open is pretty standard. Tie a few strings to something fluffy and pull them through the conduit with a vacuum while you're at it. Then you can just pull your cables through later.
|
|
#
?
Aug 30, 2021 00:09
|
|
|
downout posted:We're having our basement finished. I wanted to pre-install tubing for cables/wires in the walls so if in the future I wanted to run cables for some reason it should be easy. Is this a dumb idea? Anyone seen something like this before? It's a great idea, but since you're running the conduit anyway, you should also install at least 1 cable, whether that's ethernet or coax or something else. That gives you something to wrap your pull string around, which is also something you should have to make future runs easier.
|
|
#
?
Aug 30, 2021 00:11
|
|
|
armorer posted:Running conduit when a wall is open is pretty standard. Tie a few strings to something fluffy and pull them through the conduit with a vacuum while you're at it. Then you can just pull your cables through later. I like this idea.
|
|
#
?
Aug 30, 2021 00:13
|
|
|
Could just fill each conduit with fishhook/string/etc. and run it with plenty of slack between the wall plates too.
|
|
#
?
Aug 30, 2021 00:14
|
|
|
BigFactory posted:I replaced my ugly old kitchen faucet a few weeks ago with a new one that instead of having 2 faucets and a separate sprayer it has one lever thing and the sprayer is built in, so there’s an extra hole for a soap dispenser thing. but we don’t use liquid soap so it was just sitting there empty until I got the idea to fill it up with the cheapest vodka I could find. now I can use that for disinfecting stuff or topping off drinks. I think it’s a good solution. Would recommend. Get a second sprayer for when you discover the faucet with the built in sprayer is annoying as hell
|
|
#
?
Aug 30, 2021 00:32
|
|
|
nm posted:Get a second sprayer for when you discover the faucet with the built in sprayer is annoying as hell How would that shoot out vodka?
|
|
#
?
Aug 30, 2021 00:46
|
|
|
QuarkJets posted:Almost every outlet in our house has a cover with a super gaudy metallic design, would anyone actually buy these things or should they go straight in the trash?
|
|
#
?
Aug 30, 2021 01:41
|
|
|
armorer posted:Running conduit when a wall is open is pretty standard. Tie a few strings to something fluffy and pull them through the conduit with a vacuum while you're at it. Then you can just pull your cables through later. And also pull more string through when you do so when the cables you ran are out of date you can pull something more useful. It's called Mule tape. Also yes you could use one of your old cables but usually best option is this. Also don't do a bunch of angles, keep it as straight as you can.
|
|
#
?
Aug 30, 2021 01:44
|
|
|
BigFactory posted:How would that shoot out vodka? Wait, you mean some houses don't have hot and cold running vodka?
|
|
#
?
Aug 30, 2021 03:00
|
|
|
Why would you even want hot vodka?
|
|
#
?
Aug 30, 2021 03:18
|
|
|
Hard to set your drink on fire without it?
|
|
#
?
Aug 30, 2021 04:28
|
|
|
QuarkJets posted:It's a great idea, but since you're running the conduit anyway, you should also install at least 1 cable, whether that's ethernet or coax or something else. That gives you something to wrap your pull string around, which is also something you should have to make future runs easier. I'm not sure why this would matter, but maybe it's because I've pulled a lot of cable/conduit in my time and have the technique down. When conduit is completely empty it's both easier to fish and easier to get a pull string into. You just install it, taking the same care to make sure there aren't any hard bends that are inaccessible. Then when you want to fish it later you tie your pull cord to a piece of plastic bag and jam it in one side of the conduit. Put a shop vac on the other side and it will pull through. This works with anything from 1/2" flexible conduit to probably just about any size, but the largest I've done is 4" (and a LOT of 4" at that). Now that your pull cord is through you fish your first cable(s) along with two more pull cords. Pull them through with the cord you just put in. Subsequent pulls should include another cord so that there are always at least two in the conduit. Motronic fucked around with this message at 14:30 on Aug 30, 2021 |
|
#
?
Aug 30, 2021 14:27
|
|
|
falz posted:Hey kids I'm going to remodel a bathroom this winter. I'm going to leave all plumbing where it currently is, but replace the 'builder grade' one piece shower/tub combo with a dedicated shower. This is upstairs, there's a tub on main level so that should be fine for old people or whatever. Harkening back to this. After further consideration, the full width of room (60") shower base seems most plausable because 1) I don't want a custom tiled pan due to $ and effort 2) 'square' bases (36"x36" for eaxmple) all seem to have center drain 3) It would probably look weird, as folks noted. I'll start by just assuming that that end of bathroom is still all shower, but slightly wider (32 or 34") and work on a design from there, figuring out some other solution for towel storage.
|
|
#
?
Aug 30, 2021 14:58
|
|
|
Oooo got my annual water quality thing. Curious what peoples thoughts are on a whole home water softeners/filters/whatever given these parameters. I'm just including things that are near "hardness" since I don't know what matters and what doesn't. Our water definitely tastes better through a basic charcoal filter (brita/LG in fridge filter), and our tankless water heater prefilter definitely gets disgusting in a year. We get a decent amount of scale build up in showers and such but overall water does things like lather soap and rinse off cleanly, unlike in Midland, TX where you just sort of always felt "slick." I don't really have a problem statement.  Total Dissolved Solids (mg/L) 290 Alkalinity (mg/L) 150 Calcium (mg/L) 60 Hardness (CaCO3, mg/L) 190 Hardness (CaCO3, grains/gal) 11 (Isn't this the same as above just converted to something water softener sales people understand?) Magnesium (mg/L) 11 pH 8.0 Potassium (mg/L) 1.8 Sodium (mg/L) 22 And because it makes me laugh that nutjobs love cavities:  Fluoride (mg/L) 0.33
|
|
#
?
Aug 30, 2021 22:17
|
|
|
I am very much pro water softener. I use a ton less cleaning products, and things are much easier to clean without all the scale buildup. Our hardness varies from 170 to 340 mg/L. Depends on where the water is being pulled from. We have surface water, and water being pulled from limestone aquifers in my area. Pretty much everyone has one here in the San Antonio area, and most newer houses come pre-plumbed for one.
|
|
#
?
Aug 30, 2021 22:46
|
|
|
QuarkJets posted:Yeah we have a mantle but it's also a 65" TV, that'd be a pretty big angle from eye level to TV center even in this largish room. I guess if we were in recliners that could be fine, but we have a couch and a somewhat normal chair My folks have one of these (https://www.mantelmount.com/) over their fireplace and it does a good job of getting the TV in a better viewing position, at least whenever you aren't actively using the fireplace. I believe the handle below the TV also has a heat sensitive rubber on it that changes color if it gets too hot as an indicator something is hosed up with your draft or something.
|
|
#
?
Aug 30, 2021 22:48
|
|
|
H110Hawk posted:Oooo got my annual water quality thing. Curious what peoples thoughts are on a whole home water softeners/filters/whatever given these parameters. I'm just including things that are near "hardness" since I don't know what matters and what doesn't. Our water definitely tastes better through a basic charcoal filter (brita/LG in fridge filter), and our tankless water heater prefilter definitely gets disgusting in a year. We get a decent amount of scale build up in showers and such but overall water does things like lather soap and rinse off cleanly, unlike in Midland, TX where you just sort of always felt "slick." I don't really have a problem statement. skipdogg posted:I am very much pro water softener. I use a ton less cleaning products, and things are much easier to clean without all the scale buildup. In addition to what skipdogg said, it also just helps with extending the life of any appliance that is using the water too. Though  at those ranges; during good times my hardness might be 600-700 ppm, and in the "bad" times, 1,200-1,500 ppm.
|
|
#
?
Aug 30, 2021 23:21
|
|
|
SourKraut posted:In addition to what skipdogg said, it also just helps with extending the life of any appliance that is using the water too.  Don't chip a tooth on your water.
|
|
#
?
Aug 30, 2021 23:28
|
|
|
SourKraut posted:Though I'm close to that on my well. You can clean a sink and then run water in in once, come back and see white scale where the water dried. "Yep, must have not checked the water softener brine tank lately" Just when though this one, but this time is was "why doesn't soap work anymore" and caught it earlier than "my shower just gave me a concussion".
|
|
#
?
Aug 30, 2021 23:33
|
|
|
Well I guess we don’t have it so bad then 
|
|
#
?
Aug 30, 2021 23:37
|
|
|
Motronic posted:I'm close to that on my well. The sad part is that I'm on municipal water...
|
|
#
?
Aug 31, 2021 00:32
|
|
|
SourKraut posted:The sad part is that I'm on municipal water... I mean......I'm on a well but the people on muni water close to here have the same problems and also have water softeners because....surprise....the water is coming out of the same formations and it's all just as hard.
|
|
#
?
Aug 31, 2021 00:59
|
|
|
I'm in southern california, the concept of "local water" is hilarious.
|
|
#
?
Aug 31, 2021 01:47
|
|
|
H110Hawk posted:I'm in southern california, the concept of "local water" is hilarious. Our water in Glendale scares my Midwestern relatives enough that I can’t bring them a glass I fill for 2-4 minutes until the sediment settles. Pasadena wasn’t that bad shockingly enough.
|
|
#
?
Aug 31, 2021 05:57
|
|
|
TheGreyGhost posted:Pasadena wasn’t that bad shockingly enough. If you ignore the trichloroethylene. Our water is super airy - it looks white when poured from the faucet.
|
|
#
?
Aug 31, 2021 06:23
|
|
|
Is there a deck/patio thread? I'm about to rip out my small deck (~12x20ft) and have my brother (a carpenter) rebuild it. Was thinking about going with a wood I am unfamiliar with (Ipe) and would love somewhere to sanity check my decisions.
|
|
#
?
Aug 31, 2021 21:47
|
|
|
This is probably as good of a thread as any! Started the fence (re)staining today. I got one panel done and really like the color. Only 31 more panels to go, plus another 150ft of full privacy fence thankfully only one side!  It was at this point I remembered that I bought a pack of small roller covers for this purpose so those are getting busted out for the next session.
|
|
#
?
Sep 1, 2021 00:14
|
|
|
Get yourself some drop cloths and a cheap airless sprayer and save yourself a loooot of time. Looks good though.
|
|
#
?
Sep 1, 2021 00:58
|
|
|
Motronic posted:I mean......I'm on a well but the people on muni water close to here have the same problems and also have water softeners because....surprise....the water is coming out of the same formations and it's all just as hard. Yeah I should have clarified that this is municipal surface water. Only about 5% of my city’s demand is supplied by groundwater and I’m not in that zone.
|
|
#
?
Sep 1, 2021 01:48
|
|
|
Slugworth posted:Get yourself some drop cloths and a cheap airless sprayer and save yourself a loooot of time. Looks good though. Seconded, I was rolling my fence with stain and got lucky the neighbor had a sprayer for me to borrow, much faster and a much more even application too. edit: just realized that could sound like I'm saying your panel looks bad, it looks good but it's easier to be even with a sprayer in my one fenced yards worth of experience
|
|
#
?
Sep 1, 2021 07:22
|
|
|
I have a spherical septic tank with risers that bring the access about 5" above ground, and a plastic lid sits on top. The lid isn't airtight and there is some evidence of a now-missing gasket of some kind. I'll occasionally smell some odor near the tank. I don't smell it inside the house and the field looks to be in good shape, and I don't see any other evidence of a blockage either in the main line or in the stack that would prevent regular venting, so I'm thinking it's just because of the poor seal around the lid. What's my best option to seal the rim? I'm thinking something like that peel & stick weather stripping, but that stuff doesn't seem super durable.
|
|
#
?
Sep 1, 2021 21:34
|
|
|
just another posted:I have a spherical septic tank with risers that bring the access about 5" above ground, and a plastic lid sits on top. The lid isn't airtight and there is some evidence of a now-missing gasket of some kind. I'll occasionally smell some odor near the tank. I don't smell it inside the house and the field looks to be in good shape, and I don't see any other evidence of a blockage either in the main line or in the stack that would prevent regular venting, so I'm thinking it's just because of the poor seal around the lid. https://www.amazon.com/Sealing-Tuf-Tite-Polylok-Septic-16/dp/B01IRM64UW This. And do it ASAP. Groundwater ingress will saturate your field.
|
|
#
?
Sep 1, 2021 22:07
|
|
|
Someone posted about this awesome looking Thermostat last winter or something: https://www.sunset.com/lifestyle/tech/ces-2020-honeywell-smart-thermostat And well its cancelled for sure: https://twitter.com/Honeywell_Home/status/1372210243023691779 Someone needs to come out with a work of art / nice looking thermostat since its literally always in a prominent room and always in sight. falz fucked around with this message at 16:48 on Sep 2, 2021 |
|
#
?
Sep 2, 2021 16:46
|
|
|
falz posted:Someone posted about this awesome looking Thermostat last winter or something: drat that looked dope, what a shame. FWIW, I really enjoy the latest full color Nest (not the cheap garbage Nest they built to provide with energy company subsidies). It's got a metal body, the LCD is good quality, and the UI is real slick. I find it better looking than Ecobee which is a rounded square vs. the classic circle.
|
|
#
?
Sep 2, 2021 16:53
|
|
|
I have that cheapo nest and honestly I like the mirrored front (except when my MIL who has no idea how to use it tries to adjust the temp and smudges it up). It's very simple and gets the job done.
|
|
#
?
Sep 2, 2021 16:56
|
|
|
I bought a house last year. My smart thermostat has done nothing for me because well.. someone has basically been home for the last 18 months. Thanks for listening to my ted talk.
|
|
#
?
Sep 2, 2021 17:28
|
|
|
falz posted:Someone posted about this awesome looking Thermostat last winter or something: Why can't we have nice things?  The round smart thermostat they actually released is so buttfucking ugly.Guess I'll just add programmatic/remote control to my 60-year-old T87 via Arduino doohickey or something.
|
|
#
?
Sep 2, 2021 17:49
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 27, 2024 20:26 |
|
|
tater_salad posted:I bought a house last year. My smart thermostat has done nothing for me because well.. someone has basically been home for the last 18 months. Thanks for listening to my ted talk. I don't really like the smart energy saving features of a lot of smart thermostats. Modern homes are designed to maintain a temperature, not let the house heat up in the summer and then bring it back down to temp when you get home. Oversized HVAC equipment leads to to increased wear and tear on the system. I bought a couple of Ecobees just for the remote temp sensor features, it helps keep my desired temp in the rooms I'm in. I have one on each floor with 2 extra sensors and it keeps everything comfortable. The WiFi access is nice as well, but I turned off all the eco stuff.
|
|
#
?
Sep 2, 2021 17:59
|
|