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knowonecanknow posted:I recently moved into a new build and the master shower has the really weird odor to it. Supposedly the walls, and shelves in the shower are marble but they don't look marble. The underside of the corner shelves are very rough, and porous, reminds me of a pumas stone. Did they clean/seal the tile at that time as well? Could be what they used. I don't know anything about sealing marble, but some of the sealers I've been around used on sopastone are freaking nasty and leave it smelling for days. Motronic fucked around with this message at 14:08 on Sep 28, 2022 |
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Sep 28, 2022 14:05
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knowonecanknow posted:I recently moved into a new build and the master shower has the really weird odor to it. Supposedly the walls, and shelves in the shower are marble but they don't look marble. The underside of the corner shelves are very rough, and porous, reminds me of a pumas stone. Anyway--when I put my nose to the walls and the underside of those shelves that is definitely the source of this weird, strong, odor. Any ideas on why it stinks up my whole bathroom real bad for the last 2 weeks? Any chance it's the adhesive or some sort of sealer? I'd start with OxiClean solution in a spray bottle, then try bleach in a hidden spot and if it doesn't discolor anything, scrub with that. Just rinse it really well. If it's actually stone/quartz, they often don't polish the bottom of the material, which can lead to this sort of issue.
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Sep 28, 2022 15:01
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Thanks for all the tips. I will give them a whirl.
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Sep 28, 2022 16:14
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Okay, quick sanity check. I had previously posted in the main diy thread about a possible roof leak. Well it wasn't the roof, it was the 2nd floor bathroom drain pipe. Album shows where I tore out the wall and found a huge crack, and the extent of the cast iron pipe in the house. https://imgur.com/a/JVPl6Gw Upstairs bath has been shut off since I opened the wall. Home warranty company sent out a plumber, who recommended replacement of all the cast iron, but the warranty company denied the claim due to the age of the home. Luckily, most of the drain pipe elsewhere in the house has already been replaced with pvc. House was built in 1922, so I assume this may be 100 year old pipe. I'm planning on tackling this myself this weekend. I have patched 1/2" pvc once or twice, but never 4". All the cast iron is getting cut out and replaced with pvc, should I work top down or bottom up? My plan is to get all the cast iron out, then cut and dry fit pvc, then finally glue it. I have access to a sawzall, what other tools will I need?
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Sep 29, 2022 00:58
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Cast-iron blades for the sawzall. They're at least $30 each; I'd get three 6" or 8". Or a cast-iron cutter (looks like a melee weapon). Good, heavy gloves. And helpers. Cast iron is heavy, especially when you have to manipulate it in & out of tight spaces. FYI the water damage, access to the cast-iron, and the costs associated with repairing the walls (plaster or drywall) & re-painting/tiling/papering etc. are all covered by homeowner's insurance. The also cover the cost of opening the wall or walls far enough to access the stack. Were it me, I'd cut out the cracked section & replace with with PVC tied to the existing cast with ferncos. It can get hairy & expensive if the cast is still in place under the toilet. That means pulling the toilet, a section of the floor, and opening the wall at the vent or stack because you'll be replacing the ideal bend, which is where all of your sink & tub drainage tie into the stack. PainterofCrap fucked around with this message at 03:23 on Sep 29, 2022 |
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Sep 29, 2022 03:17
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PainterofCrap posted:
Oh man, did the adjuster and I discuss this at length. I have a call in to my agent to confirm, but the adjuster said the language in my policy only covers "sudden and accidental" leaks, and since this pipe isn't constantly full of water it was not a sudden leak, even though the leak couldn't be seen until the wall started to be damaged. State farm still has not officially denied coverage, but it's been two weeks since I submitted the claim with no updates. Now I'm worried about being lost in the hurricane Ian mess, so waiting a call back from my agent. As for tying into the toilet, the upstairs bath was totally gutted during the renovation before we bought the house, including moving toilet and tub locations. Above the cracked section is all pvc, and my thinking was never having to open this wall again, so why not replace the remaining cast-iron. The plumber agreed, but the home warranty company did not. Thanks for the tip on the pipe cutter, rental place near me has them and it'll be $30 for the weekend. Sounds way better than sawzalling multiple pieces of pipe! heyou fucked around with this message at 12:04 on Sep 29, 2022 |
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Sep 29, 2022 11:16
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OK, then you’ll only need to section out the bottom, there should already be a fernco tied to the bathroom PVC at the top of the run. The damage itself has to be recent. Denials are based on the damage being clearly & obviously sustained over a period of time, such as toilet flange leaks that rot the subfloor & the toilet sinks, etc. the age of the actual break is irrelevant; this is especially true of stack cracks because leak are highly erratic, with very little water leaking out. It’ll typically show itself at the first floor level below the crack, at the floor or baseboard, because leak water can accumulate there. You’ll also see drips under/around the stack in the basement. That being said I have heard that State Farm is going the way of Allstate in being assholes & denying what should be covered, putting the burden on the insured. I have covered dozens if not hundreds of cracked stack leaks. Sure the iron cracked twenty years ago, but it only recently opened up far enough to leak enough to cause damage, or the insured had a party or a lot of people over resulting in unusually high water traffic, etc. PM me for more detailed claim discussion if needed. Especially if they deny. PainterofCrap fucked around with this message at 15:11 on Sep 29, 2022 |
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Sep 29, 2022 15:03
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You might benefit from hiring a public adjuster to negotiate with the insurance company. They will take a cut, but usually get way more money than you would yourself so it's worth it
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Sep 29, 2022 16:05
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PainterofCrap posted:
Thanks for the info, I thought I remembered from your AI posts that you're in insurance. I might take you up on that once I get some sort of answer. I called my agent this morning, they said they have no more information then the website, which just shows "In Review". The claim team point of contact has not returned my calls or emails so it seems like I'm stuck in limbo at the moment. Never heard of a a public adjuster, I will investigate that route rear end well. State farm sent an adjuster out, how took tons of pictures and measurements, that was a week ago. I think it's strange that their report or even their visit shows in my claim status.
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Sep 29, 2022 16:56
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Nitrox posted:You might benefit from hiring a public adjuster to negotiate with the insurance company. They will take a cut, but usually get way more money than you would yourself so it's worth it This is more often than not not in your best interest. Unless you really definitely do not want your claim handled quickly and in your best interest and also don't want 20% of it or whatever. If it gets into denials, appeals fail, etc, you should hire a lawyer. Though unless the total damage is well over $10k you probably shouldn't be claiming in the first place.
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Sep 29, 2022 17:12
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H110Hawk posted:This is more often than not not in your best interest. Unless you really definitely do not want your claim handled quickly and in your best interest and also don't want 20% of it or whatever. Is that like a homeowners insurance claim rule of thumb? The plumbers estimate only was $6500. I finally got some info from agent, I should have a decision today. Edit : Coverage officially denied because it was leaking repeatedly whenever the drain had water in it! Judging by my $2k deductible I think I'm proceeding with repairing it myself this weekend. heyou fucked around with this message at 19:15 on Sep 29, 2022 |
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Sep 29, 2022 18:55
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heyou posted:Is that like a homeowners insurance claim rule of thumb? The plumbers estimate only was $6500. I finally got some info from agent, I should have a decision today. It's basically risk management on your part, I meant it to be "a substantial burden on your finances and well above your deductible." I still have a $1k deductible from State Farm so that's $5500 if they pay it. If you have a 1% deductible on a $500k rebuild that's $1500 they pay. I wouldn't claim in the second case. I might consider it in the first case if there is a high likelihood of further damage being revealed when they start work in earnest.
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Sep 29, 2022 19:16
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are the automated heat cable things to prevent pipe freezing any good? As in, could one rely on a hardwired system to keep the pipes in a house from freezing even in lieu of the central heat? Or are they best used as a supplemental kinda thing. I only know them for use in gutters to keep them from freezing and they're too unreliable for me to want to put behind drywall something like this, but proper commercial grade stuff from an electrical supply house: https://www.amazon.com/Freeze-Protection-Cable-Heavy-Duty-Self-Regulating/dp/B082FMX2GZ?th=1
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Sep 29, 2022 19:26
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devicenull posted:I get good drainage from the sink, no real concerns there... I just stuck a garden hose at full blast in there and the sink was keeping up with like 95% of the water. RO update: Since it was draining into the sink we were aware of when it was running... and it was running 24 hours a day for some reason. Replacement unit has been ordered. BIG-DICK-BUTT-gently caress posted:are the automated heat cable things to prevent pipe freezing any good? As in, could one rely on a hardwired system to keep the pipes in a house from freezing even in lieu of the central heat? Or are they best used as a supplemental kinda thing. I only know them for use in gutters to keep them from freezing and they're too unreliable for me to want to put behind drywall I wouldn't trust them to prevent pipes from freezing in an unattended house. You're better off turning water off at the curb and draining all the lines. What happens when power goes out on the coldest night of the year?
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Sep 29, 2022 23:50
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Nitrox posted:You might benefit from hiring a public adjuster to negotiate with the insurance company. They will take a cut, but usually get way more money than you would yourself so it's worth it This is not a good public adjuster situation. They're disputing coverage, which PAs cannot do, and the loss is way too small. Like may things in life, the platonic ideal of the public adjuster is nothing like the reality. They will be extremely nice & attentive until they sign you up, at which point their enthusiasm begins to wane; and once the check clears, you'll never hear from them again. The worst ones take 35%-50% (except in states like Delaware, where they're capped by statute to 10%). The only time I'd ever recommend a public adjuster is if you are in a complicated life situation and do not have the time for/are out of the country/cannot physically or emotionally handle your claim, and the claim is larger (over $50K). Even then, there are only a couple I know that I would even think of recommending. Most of them are lazy, mendacious assholes that have only the barest working knowledge of the insurance contract. BIG-DICK-BUTT-gently caress posted:are the automated heat cable things to prevent pipe freezing any good? As in, could one rely on a hardwired system to keep the pipes in a house from freezing even in lieu of the central heat? Or are they best used as a supplemental kinda thing. I only know them for use in gutters to keep them from freezing and they're too unreliable for me to want to put behind drywall 1. Good luck wrapping every inch of hot & cold supplies in your house in heat tape 2. The amount you'll spend in heat tape is enough to keep your thermostat at 55-degrees F all winter. 3. The amount you'll spend on your electric bill energizing a literal mile of heat tape will far exceed the cost of keeping your house at 55-degrees all winter If this is a seasonal home, then you should purge all of the water lines with compressed air and pour RV antifreeze in your toilet bowls, toilet tanks, and every drain in the home (to keep the traps from freezing) PainterofCrap fucked around with this message at 02:58 on Sep 30, 2022 |
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Sep 30, 2022 02:49
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double post. poo poo. Have a claim photo! 
PainterofCrap fucked around with this message at 03:00 on Sep 30, 2022 |
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Sep 30, 2022 02:55
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PainterofCrap posted:This is not a good public adjuster situation. They're disputing coverage, which PAs cannot do, and the loss is way too small. Thanks for the advice! I will keep this in mind for future claims. I'm going to proceed with repairs myself, but I did pm you about details of the coverage.
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Sep 30, 2022 13:55
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devicenull posted:RO update: Since it was draining into the sink we were aware of when it was running... and it was running 24 hours a day for some reason. Replacement unit has been ordered. PainterofCrap posted:This is not a good public adjuster situation. They're disputing coverage, which PAs cannot do, and the loss is way too small. it's not for me, its for a duplex we're renovating for an investor. THe thinking was that heat cables running on a public electric service could kick in if heat in one of the units ever wasn't running for some reason. The layout is such that the kitchens are right above each other and right above the service panels so it would be a short and easy run of cable, those are also the only water pipes in proximity to an exterior brick wall. Maybe we'd get the water main too. On the other hand it seems like the degree to which we'd be doing it wouldn't fully supplant the need for central heat so what's the point then. And they don't shut gas off in the winter here anyways. Maybe we'll just use the money saved for spray foam insulation instead
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Oct 1, 2022 11:38
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On an aside, why is it bad if the drains freeze. I understand that water expands as it freezes, and in a closed water valve there's no room in which it can expand. But with a drain pipe/p-trap, they're not "full" .. There's a little bit of water in the p-trap but youd think it would have plenty of space for the expanding ice. What am I missing?
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Oct 1, 2022 11:40
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BIG-DICK-BUTT-gently caress posted:On an aside, why is it bad if the drains freeze. I understand that water expands as it freezes, and in a closed water valve there's no room in which it can expand. I can guarantee that it will crack the pipe. My folks have a summer cottage and, more than once, someone forgot to do a P-trap. Which has led Yooper, more than once, having to replace them. It isn't a dramatic spray like a pressured line, but a stinky weeping drip of gray/black ooze. We see pretty hard freezes, maybe if you are in a milder climate it wouldn't be as dramatic but I wouldn't chance it.
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Oct 1, 2022 12:19
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So the recommendation for the cast iron pipe cutter was excellent, 10 out of 10 would rent for $17 again. Old pipe is all out, new pipe in! Found a couple drops around a fitting in the basement, not sure if it's a tiny leak or what. I'm monitoring, gonna be a few weeks until I have help to close the wall. Bonus 1936 newspaper that I found in the ceiling behind the pipe! 
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Oct 1, 2022 22:38
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Hagerstown? Grab a Krumpe's Do-Nut for me
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Oct 1, 2022 22:59
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heyou posted:So the recommendation for the cast iron pipe cutter was excellent, 10 out of 10 would rent for $17 again. Nice work! If that's a copper stub I spy off to the lower right of your photo: try to save it, copper is very expensive. Still over $3/lb. Reminds me: I have a cat-litter bucket 3/4 full of copper & brass I have to take to the salvors soon...
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Oct 2, 2022 00:21
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PainterofCrap posted:Nice work! That's the plan! The downstairs bathroom tied in there. sharkytm posted:Hagerstown? Grab a Krumpe's Do-Nut for me They're walking distance from me!
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Oct 2, 2022 00:40
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heyou posted:
Hey that's cool. My grandad built his house in the mid- late 30s and he used to do that. Whenever he renovated or built something or whatever, he'd put a newspaper or some sort of something in the wall or under the tub with the date on it. We found a schedule for the Hamilton tiger cats cfl team from the early 60s under a tub 50 ish years later. Coincidentally enough I did the same thing when my parents were finishing the basement of their newly built house in 99 or early '00. I had no idea at that time that my grandad did the same thing.
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Oct 2, 2022 02:13
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heyou posted:That's the plan! The downstairs bathroom tied in there. I grew up near there, swam and went to temple in Hagerstown. Summers at Antietam Recreation, as one does.
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Oct 2, 2022 21:25
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I drained and flushed my water heater today for the first time since I moved in (2 years). It was completely clear with no sediment. I flushed it a couple times and still nothing but clear water came out. The water heater was new in 2017…did I just get lucky? I can’t imagine the PO ever did it based on everything else in the house.
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Oct 3, 2022 03:03
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heyou posted:Okay, quick sanity check. I had previously posted in the main diy thread about a possible roof leak. Well it wasn't the roof, it was the 2nd floor bathroom drain pipe. Album shows where I tore out the wall and found a huge crack, and the extent of the cast iron pipe in the house. Unrelated note, but for the picture with your hot water heater, it might be worth double checking that those are dielectric nipples on your inlet/outlet connections. I would hope/assume so, but it wouldn't be the first time someone thought that PTFE tape acted as the dielectric separator.
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Oct 3, 2022 05:24
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SourKraut posted:Unrelated note, but for the picture with your hot water heater, it might be worth double checking that those are dielectric nipples on your inlet/outlet connections. I would hope/assume so, but it wouldn't be the first time someone thought that PTFE tape acted as the dielectric separator. Any way to tell without tearing it all apart? I had never heard of these, looks like it's to prevent dissimilar metal corrosion at the connector?
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Oct 3, 2022 13:54
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TheWevel posted:I drained and flushed my water heater today for the first time since I moved in (2 years). It was completely clear with no sediment. I flushed it a couple times and still nothing but clear water came out. If "your area potentially has very good water quality" is "luck" then sure, lucky.
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Oct 3, 2022 14:33
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heyou posted:Any way to tell without tearing it all apart? I had never heard of these, looks like it's to prevent dissimilar metal corrosion at the connector? It's fine. These are fitting supplied with the water heater, 99% of them do.
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Oct 4, 2022 06:54
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This is going to be a dumb question. My bathroom sink is draining slowly and i want to unscrew the clean out plug and clean the trap. The plug is there, but it's smooth. It doesn't have the square for a pipe wrench and it also doesn't have an indent that some clean outs have. What's the best way of unscrewing it?
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Oct 5, 2022 04:19
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Oct 5, 2022 05:26
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Post a picture. Is it completely round at the cap? May be easier to remove the trap itself.
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Oct 5, 2022 05:28
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Nitrox posted:It's fine. These are fitting supplied with the water heater, 99% of them do. Eh, the factory-installed galvanized nipples/heat traps can often have problems long-term with corrosion between the nipple and internal plastic lining. It's still helpful to have something separate from the factory installed nipple...
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Oct 5, 2022 08:39
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The Slack Lagoon posted:This is going to be a dumb question. My bathroom sink is draining slowly and i want to unscrew the clean out plug and clean the trap. The plug is there, but it's smooth. It doesn't have the square for a pipe wrench and it also doesn't have an indent that some clean outs have. What's the best way of unscrewing it? Do you mean the ptrap between the sink and the wall? Because those are hand tight. If you mean something else then post a picture. Be prepared to need to buy a dumb little gasket thing if it's a cheap ikea sink. Speaking of which I've been avoiding doing this.
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Oct 5, 2022 16:43
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Please chime in anyone, I’ve had 12k of work done in the house. Complete repipe and new sewer line. It was done while I was out of town, the half bath water lines slowly leaked it made a mess there, maybe floor needs replaced but probably not… BUT…house is a wreck from filthy shoes…thank god it hasn’t rained in weeks. And the sewer line hump sticks way above yard. They have not been paid one cent yet. The owner is coming in the morning. Is it ok reasonable for me to say uh I’m not cleaning my floors, and what about bump in front yard? No doubt he will handle half bath. Again they did this without one cent down. But it’s 12k. Main question is it reasonable I want house cleaned? And is bump normal or no? Was excavated down many feet.
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Oct 10, 2022 06:47
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Bump? As in dirt over grade from excavation? If so yes, water it well and it will go down pretty quick. And imo yes they should be cleaning your floors if they are that dirty.
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Oct 10, 2022 07:01
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Rakeris posted:Bump? As in dirt over grade from excavation? If so yes, water it well and it will go down pretty quick. And imo yes they should be cleaning your floors if they are that dirty. Yes on bump over excavation, and the new trap by street sticks way up? Again they did a shot ton of work and I haven’t paid so I’m in the power position and I texted ow we when I got home and he will be here in morning. Yeah I’m not paying 12k and having to clean my house after
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Oct 10, 2022 07:06
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everdave posted:Yes on bump over excavation, and the new trap by street sticks way up? How far is way up? Could be poor backfill compaction which may lower it a little overtime (or with watering)...if that is the case I would be worried about fall. However it could just be installed higher than you are used to. (Latter is most likely imo) They can be easily cut and lowered to flush with the grass or you can cut it lower and put in a box. Do not cut below grade and bury them. When I worked excavation if we messed up someone's house we either cleaned it ourselves or just paid a cleaning service.
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Oct 10, 2022 07:58
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