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Zarin posted:Comedy college-level engineering option: You could try to find a bi-fold door the size of the opening and just install that in the doorframe. ha I'd consider it if the wife would go for it. My cat is smart enough to open up one of the doors at my old place that doesn't latch well so I'd have to make sure they couldn't figure that out too.
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Apr 20, 2022 02:53
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Currently applying for home equity loans/HELOCs at two different financial institutions in order to compare rates, one with my normal big-name bank (PNC) and one with a local credit union. Is there a point in the process where, if I back out of one of these applications, I'll be on the hook to pay some sort of penalty? Or will I have simply wasted a few hours of some poor accountant's time?
C-Euro fucked around with this message at 03:09 on Apr 20, 2022 |
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Apr 20, 2022 03:01
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Making plans for improvements to our new house. This is the kitchen, its a bit small, but not by much and entirely usable for us.  One thing we would like to do is add some sort of range hood and vent it outside. By the looks of it this doesnt seem easily done. If you look close there is a raised bit behind the stove that is the old brick chimney. Its a 100+ year old house with plaster and lathe, and stucco exterior. Running a vent outside seems like it'll be a pain. Are we better off getting some sort of like filter hood instead? Just a big sized charcoal filter to run air through?
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Apr 20, 2022 03:10
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Comrade Gritty posted:I'm not an expert, but according to him, this is how that device is intended to fail. Burn itself out then trip the breaker before it can cause more damage to the house. To my eyes it looks like it was trying pretty hard to cause damage to the house, but what do I know. At least the AFCI breaker will keep that particular circuit from having problems again, just hope it doesn't end up with a bunch of nuisance tripping. I've designed wiring devices people in this thread probably have in their homes. That did a pretty good job, if you consider what happened. Electrical arcs are incredibly hot, high energy events. The UL flame-rated plastic of the outlet itself, the wire insulation, and the wiring box all combined to keep the flame from propagating out into the way-more-flammable parts of your house. This is why naked splices (no box), poorly installed/aligned wallboxes, or off brand electrical devices get people who have seen their effects fired up. Say your GFCI manufacturer cut corners on their plastics, you could've had a full blown fire that might've fed itself instead of self-extinguishing. All of this stuff doesn't matter right up until it does. But man, that's scary stuff. Glad it turned out okay for you.
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Apr 20, 2022 03:11
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Comrade Gritty posted:
And a doublepost to say something about this: Marketing and installers, especially new construction "high volume" companies require backstabs, so engineers design backstabs that pass all regulatory safety tests. None of the engineers I've worked with that design products with backstabs would use those backstabs in their own homes. Take from that what you will. I think you're on the right track with your plan to get rid of them.
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Apr 20, 2022 03:18
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Sounds like anything electrical with the word “stab” in it is bad news.
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Apr 20, 2022 03:22
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BaseballPCHiker posted:
I dunno what the rules are but looks like you could take a 6" round duct and run it along the top of your cabinets, maybe hang it from the ceiling, and exhaust it through the wall there, using a 90° bend off the vent above the stove, maybe? Maybe there's room for an 8" duct if that's not big enough. And then on the exterior some side vent cover with some flashing
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Apr 20, 2022 03:22
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BaseballPCHiker posted:Making plans for improvements to our new house. Option 1: downdraft stove and have a vent under your floor Option 2: run it on top of the cabinets Option 3: move stove to a different wall
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Apr 20, 2022 03:26
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BaseballPCHiker posted:Making plans for improvements to our new house. Our kitchen has a setup that looks similar which has a duct going up to a 90 that then runs horizontally on top of the cabinets to exhaust out the left wall in your picture. Not sure if that's possible with yours but this being my first house with exhaust vs recirculation I would do everything I could to vent
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Apr 20, 2022 03:31
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Real vent up n over to the outside wall, there is no substitute
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Apr 20, 2022 06:05
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Comrade Gritty posted:The pump is before the sand mound, the sand mound is up a large hill from the septic tank/pump tank. It's firing out the far end of the sand mound, which I assume is the "end" of the pump line. This turned out to be very easy, one of the cleanouts on the sand mound had broken off, most likely the Landscaper's Lawnmower. $200 and 30 minutes later and the septic guy has us back up and running.
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Apr 20, 2022 17:07
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Pollyanna posted:Sounds like anything electrical with the word “stab” in it is bad news. Home Ownership: the word "stab" is bad news
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Apr 20, 2022 17:28
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Ceiling leak rectified. In upstairs unit, plumber took off access panel to jetted tub adjacent to stand-up shower and could see shower water exiting the tile where there was loose grout, pouring into the plumbing wall in between shower and tub. Charged the poor guy like $200 for that 5 minutes of work lol. And luckily he agreed to pay for my ceiling re-paint as well with no drama. So now I am scarily looking at my own grout and caulk situation. It is all ~20 years old now so overdue for checkup and repair if needed. I will probably hire it out because I want it done correctly and would rather not spend the hours doing the work. Goon opinion on what to do here? Should I have the grout re-done in only the areas that are cracking, and for caulk just rip it all out and re-do to be safe? This is my own condo which is identical to the layout upstairs, and likely identical grout issue you're seeing.   e: yep I just took off the access panel and can see it leaking clearly lol. I just have to not have the shower head pointed at that exact spot until I can get it repaired. Idiot POs. Inner Light fucked around with this message at 19:10 on Apr 20, 2022 |
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Apr 20, 2022 17:42
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From what I've learned thus far into home ownership is that there's almost nothing that a healthy bead of caulk can't fix I went loving overboard nuts with caulk in my bathroom. I caulked every seam in it before *and* after installing the baseboards around the floor and tub. I suspect you could put a small dirty bomb in my bathroom (which I do on occasion  ) and not have any radiation get out.
AHH F/UGH fucked around with this message at 21:30 on Apr 20, 2022 |
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Apr 20, 2022 21:27
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AHH F/UGH posted:From what I've learned thus far into home ownership is that there's almost nothing that a healthy bead of caulk can't fix If you're my PO, you try that with concrete block walls and it sorta works well enough to paint over it. But the real solution is this. 
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Apr 20, 2022 21:48
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When i build my dream home I'm going to make all the walls out of access panels
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Apr 20, 2022 22:26
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Qwijib0 posted:Home Ownership: the word "stab" is bad news Home Ownership: there’s almost nothing that a healthy caulk can’t fix
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Apr 20, 2022 22:40
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There's something extremely funny about how consistently the really right wing guys at Home Depot or Lowe's make an effort to say caulk like "kowalk" intead of "cock". Because that'd be gay, and I ain't fuckin GAY gut dammit.
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Apr 21, 2022 00:23
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I caulked over the seams in the lovely trim installed over the retrofit vinyl windows in my living room to keep ants out last year. Now the house grew and shrank back once and it all cracked and ants are back. Probably have to rip it all out and do it right, the first time I didn’t know about the closed-cell foam backing rods I was supposed to put in the larger gaps.
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Apr 21, 2022 00:49
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Silicone caulk is a bit more stretchy too if you didnt use that the first time. Its a pain to clean up if you get it where you dont want it, but its worked well for me in spots.
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Apr 21, 2022 02:26
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dxt posted:ha I'd consider it if the wife would go for it. My cat is smart enough to open up one of the doors at my old place that doesn't latch well so I'd have to make sure they couldn't figure that out too. I did put some latches on the wall. I also ran a bungee cord from the center knob to a hook on the bottom corner so it really took a good solid pull on the knob to actuate the door; the cat trying to use a paw on the bottom corner was not able to open the door after that. . . . she did manage to warp the door enough to squeeze through it on occasion but for the most part it kept her out.
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Apr 21, 2022 03:27
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Lmao gently caress banks forever. Got an email from my homeowners insurance saying the premium has not been paid yet, plan will be canceled on 4/20 if it’s not paid. Called the bank on 4/7 to ask what the gently caress. Got on the phone with someone from the escrow department, who said “they don’t have it scheduled to be paid yet, they will be soon”. Then he literally said he scheduled the payment for before 4/20 in that moment. Guess who just got a “Notice of cancellation of insurance” email. Yelling at Bank of America employees was not on my to do list for tomorrow.
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Apr 21, 2022 05:44
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Edit: wrong thread
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Apr 21, 2022 10:22
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Just joined the homeowner's club, generating my list of things to shake my fist at. - Every single strike plate in the house is too small - they used standard-sized strikes for deep frame trim. Every frame has chipped paint and some wood missing where the latches hit the frames. - Patio gate hinge is warped and appears to have perhaps twisted the post that it's mounted to. Gate itself scrapes along the ground unless you physically lift it as you open, and if you don't the bottom of the free-swinging side falls away from the rest of the gate (the screws are no longer biting) - Front entry leaks sound and air due to single-pane windows, bad weatherstripping, and ancient (but good lookin') stained-glass transom feature. PO left a smart lock that cannot be mechanically engaged from the outside and does not engage if I tighten the door screws up. - City provides pretty nice garbage cans to each house. Mine (and only mine, everyone else's was fine) disappeared after the first collection. At least I don't have my sister's house, which needed a new roof and windows from day 1.
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Apr 21, 2022 13:58
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Consider yourself lucky! None of that seems all that bad. Of course youre probably just scratching the surface and some new exiting and fresh horrors await you.
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Apr 21, 2022 14:08
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At least you didn’t have textured fleur de lis wallpaper everywhere
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Apr 21, 2022 14:17
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Inner Light posted:Ceiling leak rectified. In upstairs unit, plumber took off access panel to jetted tub adjacent to stand-up shower and could see shower water exiting the tile where there was loose grout, pouring into the plumbing wall in between shower and tub. Charged the poor guy like $200 for that 5 minutes of work lol. And luckily he agreed to pay for my ceiling re-paint as well with no drama. IMO that joint in your tile should be caulked, not grouted (which is why the grout is failing). Scrape it out and run a bead, will take you an hour to scrape it clean and $10 for a good tube of caulk.
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Apr 21, 2022 16:16
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Orange DeviI posted:At least you didn’t have textured fleur de lis wallpaper everywhere  Related to this: My place has textured walls. Everywhere. EVERYWHERE. I have a goddamned toddler; those walls are toast, and the repairs are going to take even longer now that I have to spray/knock-down every repair I make.
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Apr 21, 2022 18:44
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NomNomNom posted:IMO that joint in your tile should be caulked, not grouted (which is why the grout is failing). Scrape it out and run a bead, will take you an hour to scrape it clean and $10 for a good tube of caulk. Note - get colored, sanded caulk from the tile aisle
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Apr 21, 2022 18:46
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Sundae posted:
I have three different textures in my house including a shittily textured paintjob covered by a shittily done wallpaper job! 
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Apr 21, 2022 18:53
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POs took down drywall in the house extension and replaced it with planks, which they painted white. The whole thing has a vague nautical theme that doesn't really fit with the house. Maybe they had a shitload of anchor decor when they lived here, idk At least it's super easy to spot where the studs are!
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Apr 21, 2022 19:14
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Not a Children posted:POs took down drywall in the house extension and replaced it with planks, which they painted white. The whole thing has a vague nautical theme that doesn't really fit with the house. Maybe they had a shitload of anchor decor when they lived here, idk Is that even code?  My understanding was that drywall was largely used due to its fire resistance.
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Apr 21, 2022 20:18
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Zarin posted:Is that even code? The only areas that require fire protected wall assemblies in a home are between changes of use. Like between the garage and the rest of living space of the house.
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Apr 21, 2022 21:09
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Motronic posted:The only areas that require fire protected wall assemblies in a home are between changes of use. Like between the garage and the rest of living space of the house. And even then it is likely the contractor has left a huge gap you can’t see in the ceiling for fire to roar through
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Apr 21, 2022 21:50
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Motronic posted:The only areas that require fire protected wall assemblies in a home are between changes of use. Like between the garage and the rest of living space of the house. Does that include both sides of the wall? My garage shares part of a wall with my kitchen and while the kitchen is sheetrocked, the garage side has real old wood shiplap on it.
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Apr 21, 2022 22:00
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Getting some quotes for a heat pump to replace my furnace (currently fine but I don't have aircon... And it's not a great furnace). I'm not looking forward to the process... and I do this for a living.
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Apr 22, 2022 04:17
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SpartanIvy posted:Does that include both sides of the wall? My garage shares part of a wall with my kitchen and while the kitchen is sheetrocked, the garage side has real old wood shiplap on it. A fire rated assembly would include the specified drywall on each side, yes. 5/8" type x typically. I doubt that's what's in my house, since it's from 1978, although it is drywalled and taped both sides, with a spring loaded rated door, which is nice.
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Apr 22, 2022 04:25
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StormDrain posted:A fire rated assembly would include the specified drywall on each side, yes. 5/8" type x typically. Good to know! I'll be sure to install some when I redo that wall.
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Apr 22, 2022 04:33
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SpartanIvy posted:Good to know! I'll be sure to install some when I redo that wall. [url="https://www.usg.com/content/usgcom/en/design-studio/wall-assemblies.html?facets={%22k%22:%22WallType_facet_pim%22,%22v%22:[%22Interior%20Partitions%22]}&facets={%22k%22:%22FramingType_facet_pim%22,%22v%22:[%22Wood%20Stud%20(Load-Bearing)%22]}"]US Gypsum fire rated assys [/url] For reference. I don't know what part of the country you're in but also insulate it if you're paying to keep your house any kind of temp. https://www.usg.com/content/usgcom/en/design-studio/wall-assemblies.html?facets={%22k%22:%22WallType_facet_pim%22,%22v%22:[%22Interior%20Partitions%22]}&facets={%22k%22:%22FramingType_facet_pim%22,%22v%22:[%22Wood%20Stud%20(Load-Bearing)%22]} I doubt the forums are going to figure out this link eh? It looks like UL U305 is your huckleberry.
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Apr 22, 2022 05:25
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I recently joined the HOA board (I guess Americans may call if a condo board because it's all privately owned apartments in one building) for my building because the only people who wanted to join the board were either over 70 or engaged in a conflict with the association and trying to get a new bathroom paid by the renovation fund for common. I regret it already. There's a mystery leak somewhere between floor 17 and 13 that intermittently leaks 500ml of water per day. A dozen different plumbers and specialized companies have in the past year and a half diagnosed five different problems, some of which have definitively been resolved. It's not the rain pipe, it's not the toilet sink on the 16th floor, it's not the washing machine drain on the 15th, etc. The leak's still running, poo poo between residents is getting personal and I think we're headed towards court cases and huge fights with insurance companies. Everyone says they love that I volunteered so there's at least someone with a fresh perspective (on average, most people have lived in the building 15 years, I moved here in 2020), but I'm starting to think I made a big mistake
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Apr 22, 2022 10:47
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