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B-Nasty
May 25, 2005

H110Hawk posted:

Thanks, these both align with what I presumed I would hear. Based on what's in the attic the odds of this thing being affixed to anything other than structure are slim. Looks like we're rollin the dice. I'll give it a good solid pull on that mounting bracket thingy before actually affixing a fan to it.

If you have access to that box from above via the attic, you really ought to take the time to install one of those nice new-work fan boxes that spans 2 joists. Once those things are screwed into the joists, you could do pullups from the fan, and you won't have issues with it wobbling when the fan is on high.

It might just be me, but I would never put a spinning, heavy object above my head without knowing that it was attached in a secure manner.

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B-Nasty
May 25, 2005

Around here, I think it's no more than 25% notch in an exterior/load bearing or 40% otherwise. That corner looks bogus to me if it's bearing (which it is).

It looks pretty sloppy all around, so I'm not surprised if it doesn't meet code.

B-Nasty
May 25, 2005

BoyBlunder posted:

What would be the best way to insulate this? Both the floor & ceiling? One or the other? Spray foam, batt or blown in?

Do you need the roof rafters to be insulated? You'd be increasing your conditioned space envelope to include the attic, and unless you have HVAC equipment up there, it's probably not worth it to add that much extra space to condition.

The best (no money spared job) would be to closed-cell spray foam the floor joists, then blow in a nice, deep blanket of cellulose. The foam would also serve as an air seal (assuming it was done well), which you want to do before batts or blow. Ideally, you want good/numerous soffit vents and a roof vent with baffles to protect the soffits from the blown-in clogging the airflow.

B-Nasty
May 25, 2005

overboard posted:

Insulating the floor also tends to be easier (therefore cheaper) and means you aren’t heating all the air in your unused attic in the winter.

And another benefit is being able to notice leaks before the roof decking is destroyed or the water runs down the foam to the soffit area and destroys that. (assuming you go in your attic occasionally)

I think the jury is out on if sprayfoaming voids your shingle warranty or not. Different shingle companies require that the roof is able to 'breathe', and (not that they are worth much anyway) will invalidate your warranty.

If you have an attic that doesn't have HVAC or ducts in it, do what you can to air seal, ventilate, and keep close to outside temps.

B-Nasty
May 25, 2005

BoyBlunder posted:

So you all convinced me to insulate my attic floor rather than spray foam my attic ceiling. Which is better - fiberglass batt, or blow-in cellulose? I'm in MA, so the EPA recommends an R49 so that it's up to code, so that's R49 fiberglass batt, or 15" of blow-in.

Also, from what I can tell, I have 2 ridge vents, and no soffit vents - is that enough?

Neither is really better, but cellulose is probably going to be cheaper and easier for that much R value. It's a DIY job, though pretty messy and requires 2 people. I think the box stores still rent the machine for free with a large enough purchase.

Ideally you'd have a ridge vent the entire length of the roof AND soffit vents. You also want to look into airsealing the attic floor protrusions now, before you have a blizzard's worth of cellulose insulation to contend with.

B-Nasty
May 25, 2005

Jerk McJerkface posted:

So my attic has knee walls (cape cod). Should I insulate the entire roof (even into the open kneewalls) or the roof were it's "finished" and then inside/bottom of the knee walls so there's an open space?

Pictures are easier, and this answer had what I was generally typing:https://diy.stackexchange.com/a/131850 If you only have the ridge vent (not roof vents), you'll definitely need to have baffles that given an air channel up the interior room's angled ceiling (attic side) to that vent. What isn't shown in that image is the need to bag up insulation to stuff into the floor joists to prevent air movement under the room.

This EPA guide has some great tips for attic insulation as well: https://www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/publications/pubdocs/DIY_Guide_2016.pdf?7be1-2081

B-Nasty
May 25, 2005

CzarChasm posted:

Is there some way to prevent spiders from setting up webs in specific areas? I don't hate spiders, I do my best to not kill them, spiders are real and strong and my friend. But on my back porch, where I enter and leave every day, at least once a week I get a big old face full of web and spider and I don't like it. Is there some treatment I can put around my door frame to keep them from setting up shop directly in my path?

The easy answer is to buy some bifenthrin concentrate on Amazon and mix it into a gallon sprayer. It will coat surfaces and even stand up to a few months of rain and such.

That's basically what the pest control guy would do, except he'll try to charge you $300 for something that takes $20 and an hour to do yourself.

B-Nasty
May 25, 2005

BigFactory posted:

I just stick a bucket under mine and use it to water plants

I've been meaning to get a condensate pump for my hybrid (heat pump) water heater, but even in this humid summer, the 'temporary' 5gal bucket I've had under the drain takes weeks to fill.

It makes me sad when I anthropomorphize the little pump that can handle 80 gallons/hour getting only a few drops an hour.

B-Nasty
May 25, 2005

That's called a drum trap, specifically, a swivel drum trap. They're technically not allowed anymore, and can present some issues with gunk buildup. This article has more details: https://structuretech1.com/drum-traps/

However, yours looks to be in really good shape. I'd probably try to remove the cleanout plug and if you can, and there isn't a huge amount of buildup on the pipes, I'd let it be until you start to have issues. If you're doing a bunch of work and don't mind running a new drain pipe into the basement, just replace it with a standard under-sink trap (never double up traps.)

B-Nasty
May 25, 2005

Salvor_Hardin posted:

Yikes, I looked up the Fluke model I'm used to using and its 10x the price of that one.

Yeah, there's no need to spend that much for a meter. Hell, the vast majority of home users would do just fine with the Harbor Freight freebee one. Testing HVAC equipment is the most sophisticated use a home user would need one for (if they aren't into building analog circuitry), and that's just dealing with rough measurements of a few voltages, continuity, resistance, and capacitance.

You want to see somewhere around 25mV for the thermocouple in a flame.

B-Nasty
May 25, 2005

peepsalot posted:

e3: The only thing I haven't done yet which I meant to do was check the compression. I once had a compression tester, but I've lost it; I might search some more for it tomorrow. I suppose if its got poo poo compression then I should just trash the whole thing?

If you can find a compression test around or borrow one, give that a shot first. If that's screwed junk the thing.

If you didn't, you'll want to check the spark.

If both those pass, I'd spend the $13 shipped for a Chinesium replacement carb from Amazon (loving amazing world we live in.): https://www.amazon.com/TECUMSEH-CARBURETOR-LAWNMOWERS-RECYCLER-Everest/dp/B00KI15SYO

If that doesn't fix it, it's probably not worth your time to check/fix valve clearances. I'm 90% sure the new carb will fix it, but if you're really feeling crazy, I think Harbor Freight has a vertical mount engine that you could swap in for ($100) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1zgOT-ggVU, but honestly, unless the deck was brand new, that's just insanity.

B-Nasty
May 25, 2005

Epic Doctor Fetus posted:

I also see a bunch of methods for applying the new stain (mop, pump sprayer, brush) and if anyone has tips for that, too, I'd appreciate it.

It's not going to be the answer you want to hear, but I've always found a good-ol' paintbrush to be the best way to apply the stain. I've tried the other methods, and they usually are just messy and wasteful and never give as good of a finish as a brush.

I've done both deck cleaner and pressure washer to prep, and for my case, I think I preferred the deck cleaner. I had an area of the deck that was shaded by the house, so it would get a mildew/dark discoloration to it. The cleaner did a better job with that then the pressure washer ever did. The acidic cleaner (https://www.homedepot.com/p/BEHR-Premium-1-gal-All-In-One-Wood-Cleaner-06301N/203200559) did a good job of removing the dark color, and it seemed to really 'dry out' the wood so the stain could sink in. It also took less time than pressure washing, even with a good amount of scrubbing. Pressure washing also has the disadvantage of potentially leaving streaks/grooves in your wood if you're too close/high pressure/older wood.

Make sure the deck is completely dry before staining and that you have at least 24 hours of dry/warm weather after the stain. That was typically the biggest PITA; finding a full Summer weekend of zero rain in the Mid-Atlantic.

B-Nasty
May 25, 2005

Also, see if there's a label or something that has the manufacturing date of the water heater on it.

If it's electric, most of the parts that break can technically be replaced (thermostat, heating elements), but if it's older than 15 years, it's better to just replace the whole unit. Usually by that point, rust will have made it impossible to replace an element without leaks, and the tank could be ready to start leaking at any time.

B-Nasty
May 25, 2005

CzarChasm posted:

Hoping to get some work done on my house by a professional, calling around and trying to get estimates/quotes. What are the steps to take to properly check out a contractor? What should I be looking for?

Same as a lot of things, actually. Referrals from past customers, online reviews, Yelp, search for their name/business name on Google. If you're lucky, your state has some form of registration or better yet, licensing. For example, in Pennsylvania, you can search here: https://www.attorneygeneral.gov/resources/home-improvement-contractor-registration/

Beyond research, try to structure payments at various checkpoints along the process (avoiding lump sum payments near the beginning), and if they require the upfront purchase of materials, insist that the materials are stored on-site (i.e. you own them.) Any payments you can put on credit cards are a huge win, because if there's theft or fraud, the CC company will figure it out for you and probably refund your money.

In general, you should be looking for years of experience and asking who will actually be doing the work if the contractor has other employees. You want them to have insurance for property damage and injuries. It helps to be somewhat knowledgeable as to what the job entails so you can ask important questions: e.g. new tile shower, what type of waterproofing is done, how is the plumbing done, etc. If permits are required (and they almost always are), ensure they get pulled properly and inspected as necessary. Here, the local inspector can be your friend.

Finally, as with anything, going with the lowest cost guy is almost always not the best idea.

B-Nasty
May 25, 2005

TooMuchAbstraction posted:

My house has a tendency to develop mold near some of the windows (thanks, fog!). I can nuke it back for awhile using bleach, but is there some kind of treatment I can apply to discourage it from coming back?

It's hard to beat good ol' bleach.

One thing that does help slightly is to make sure the surface is as clean as possible (no films), and a strong alkaline substance like trisodium phosphate (TSP) is my go-to. It's safe to mix it with bleach, but you'll want to protect any plants with pre/post-watering or better yet, plastic.

My favorite vinyl siding cleaner, Mold-Armor, is the same theory: 6% bleach with a dash of sodium hydroxide.

B-Nasty
May 25, 2005

DrBouvenstein posted:

I thought bleach wasn't that good for mold because while it will kill the surface stuff, it can't penetrate far enough before it loses it's strength, so the mold keeps coming back because there's spores still present, even if you stop the source of moisture?

It is going to depend on the surface. I was assuming vinyl/metal or some other non-porous surface where the bleach (and TSP) would remove any trace of mold. That doesn't mean it won't return eventually; it's always a losing battle if the surface is moist, warm, and doesn't see sunlight very much.

Quite frankly though, I haven't seen any convincing evidence that even on porous surfaces something else actually works better. If you have deep-seated mold on a porous surface, the only real remediation is to remove the material completely. Contrary to what other, expensive cleaning solutions claim, even the EPA/OSHA don't state that bleach doesn't work, they just don't recommend you dump a ton of bleach in areas where people hang out: https://www.epa.gov/mold/brief-guide-mold-moisture-and-your-home

B-Nasty
May 25, 2005

Mr Executive posted:

So I'm tearing out an old basement bathroom vanity. I go to turn off the water supply and the hot water doesn't have a shut off valve. There isn't a shutoff anywhere back to water heater, so I just turned off water to the whole house in order to remove this vanity. Is there some sort of plug/cap I can get at home depot that I can install until I can get a plumber here to install a proper shut off?

Perfect application for Sharkbite: https://www.homedepot.com/p/SharkBite-1-2-in-Brass-Push-to-Connect-End-Stop-U514LFA/202270531

Before you pop it on, you may want to make sure there's enough pipe sticking out for the plumber to be able to cut the sharkbite off and still have enough left to work with. They are technically removable, but he may not want to mess with it.

B-Nasty
May 25, 2005

Irritated Goat posted:

#2 - Paint marching. How would it best? We had our house redone after a flood and our contractors were poo poo and didn’t do some small sections. Problem is, we can’t get them to tell us what they used. It wasn’t the brand we picked so we want to be sure we’re grabbing the right stuff instead of testing with possible matches.

Good luck, is about the best that can be offered. What I typically do is take a razor blade and cut out about a 1 inch square flake of the paint + drywall paper (don't cut deep) and take it to the paint store (I'm a cheap bastard, so usually Home Depot) and they can run the square through their photo reflective computer thing to match the color. This usually works pretty well for touch ups and stuff like behind the toilet on a swapout, but there's basically no chance it's going to be perfect/unnoticeable if the area you're painting gets lots of light, especially sunlight.

B-Nasty
May 25, 2005

Medullah posted:

What's the best way to get rid of wallpaper like this?

Lowes and others sell wallpaper removing solution which you apply with a sponge to help dissolve the glue. They also see a tool with teethed-rollers that perferates the paper to allow the solution to work better. After that works its magic, it's just scraping with plastic putty knives and wallpaper scrapers for a few hours.

B-Nasty
May 25, 2005

GWBBQ posted:

I wouldn't assume that. The gas company should have an address lookup. Having a gas line installed could be anywhere between free and $1000 depending on the company.

LOL.

I have a line about 1/4 mile away (outside the neighborhood), and if I can get 25% of my neighbors to sign up and add a gas appliance, it will only cost us $30,000 each spread out over 10 years. Sure, power company, I'd love to pay you $250 + meter fee + gas usage every month; I'm sure that will work out for me.

If I'm going to be buying infrastructure, it'll be solar panels to make the power company pay me instead.

B-Nasty
May 25, 2005

Jerk McJerkface posted:

Does this have to be done from the outside? Or can you do it from inside? I need to do this and I don't want to cut up the outside.

You can, and in most cases it is done from the inside. However, plaster walls or something else that would make the inside walls a PITA to patch would make the outside approach preferred. If you have something like vinyl siding, it may be easier to pop off a panel, drill/fill, and pop the panel back on than it would be to patch a zillion drywall holes.

Also, fireblocking in the walls can make this job require more holes than expected.

B-Nasty
May 25, 2005

Just be careful not to in any way prevent the floating floor from expanding under the trim. Don't nail the trim/quarter round down from the top or anything that would get in the way or go into the planks.

In other words, install the trim/QR correctly.

B-Nasty
May 25, 2005

Mercury Ballistic posted:

Anything better than great stuff foam to seal a window frame with? I am having a porch built, and the old window trim is off and I can see the back of the drywall from outside. I was gonna foam it with the low expansion foam, but wanted to make sure that was the smart move.

Nope, the Great Stuff blue can is the best thing to use.

If you've never done this before, be sure to follow the directions, and don't overfill. In theory, that variety of foam can be smushed back into the gap if you overfill and it mushrooms out, but in reality, it will stain most surfaces it touches (e.g. siding) and/or be a pain to get off.

B-Nasty
May 25, 2005

Fallom posted:

Is there a spray foam product that will fill in between two studs? I have a very small section of wall that faces the exterior and sends a cold draft through one of my cabinets.

The only DIY kits I can find are like $400+ and meant for doing a whole house. I’m tempted to just dump a few cans of Great Stuff in there but I doubt it’d cure properly.

A better way to do this might be to grab some rigid foam board insulation (aka XPS) and cut a piece(s) just slightly smaller than the stud bay you want to fill, then use the can foam (or caulk) to seal the edges of the board against the stud. This approach is typically used in basements to seal the rim joists when professional spray foam isn't available or desired. The 2" foam board will give you an R10, but more importantly, you can get a nice air seal if you foam/caulk the edges well.

B-Nasty
May 25, 2005

Fallom posted:

Yeah something like that would be the ideal approach but I wouldn't be able to get full access to the area without demolishing a big chunk of the kitchen. I'm interested in spray foam because I heard you can pump it in through a small hole in the wall, which I would make inside the top part of the cabinet so it can't be seen.

Oh, yeah, I thought you meant you had access to the empty stud bay.

As TooMuchAbstraction mentioned, blown cellulose is a better bet than spray foam. Typically, when walls that have been injected with spray foam are opened, the foam isn't evenly distributed due to obstructions in the wall or sticky, uneven expansion. I wouldn't use foam anywhere it can't be seen while it is curing to ensure full coverage.

Cellulose will certainly help, but not totally block air leaks. You'll need to do some digging if you want to actually stop air infiltration.

B-Nasty
May 25, 2005

I think the more common term is a 'deadman' anchor. I think 'sleepers' are more like brackets, think like how railroad ties are held in place to the rails.

As the picture shows, you'd insert the anchor through the wall so it sits flush with the face, and then spike down through it with the rest of the wall boards.

B-Nasty
May 25, 2005

Mercury Ballistic posted:

Should I try and find a replacement blower and fab a connection, or just toss the whole thing and save up for an insert?

Personally, I'd go with (and I did) an insert. I'm going to wager a ton of money that if you get a sweep out there to do a level 2+ inspection, there's going to be issues with the (probably) terracotta chimney liner and other firebox issues that will cost a ton to fix. But, throw a stainless liner and insert in there, and you're good.

Even better, consider a nat gas/propane insert. Sure you have to pay for the fuel, but it's cleaner, no smoke or soot, no seasoning wood/insects, no tracking dirt inside, and won't require yearly sweeping. Nothing beats a wood fireplace/insert for ambiance, but I'm not into all that goes along with it.

B-Nasty
May 25, 2005

big crush on Chad OMG posted:

I will say that if you’re primarily using the fridge more often than the freezer the bottom style is more convenient, as everything is waist high or up.

As a tall dude, I can say I'll never go back to a style that doesn't have the freezer on bottom. I had the classic top-freezer, single door fridge/freezer for the longest time, and having to bend almost 90 degrees to see the contents of the fridge was very annoying. First world problems and all, but it's just dumb to have the freezer at a convenient level, considering you go in the fridge far more.

I also have a large version of that LG unit posted earlier. So far, I really like it.

B-Nasty
May 25, 2005


The flashing around that chimney looks like it was installed by a drunk monkey.

e.f.b. ^

B-Nasty
May 25, 2005

H110Hawk posted:

The cheapest fan home depot sells had it. I would be shocked if you found one that didn't.

Fans (every one I've ever seen) have 4 wires coming from them Green=ground, White=neutral, Black=fan power, and Blue=light power. Sometimes the manufacturer connects the black and blue and you need to clip it to control them separately. Most likely, you could also use one of the remote ones, since they typically just have a remote receiver that connects to those 3-4 wires. You could just not install it in your situation, though you'd be paying more for the remote you aren't using.

B-Nasty
May 25, 2005

Vulture Culture posted:

Sometimes it's best not to disconnect the pull-chain, just avoid putting an extension on it

The remote-included fans I just installed are remote-only, no chains on them. I also hard-wired them to constant power, so if my remote dies, I guess I'm flipping the breaker. At least the remote receiver defaults to off unlike Hue bulbs up until recently.

B-Nasty
May 25, 2005

Jerk McJerkface posted:

I meant to dry it as much as I can before I paint the area the cabinets will cover with drylock. Is that useful?

Also, ingeneral, is there a good guide to how to use drylock?

You just want the cement to be as dry as possible. Applying Drylock with a roller is more like slapping peanut butter on the wall than it is like regular painting. You can smooth it a bit, but it's going to be a little clumpy/lumpy. I always go heavy with my application, so the can doesn't cover nearly as much as it claims, but that's typical anyway.

I think roller works better (and faster) than brush. Grab some smaller rollers for tight areas, and only use the brush where you have to. Wear old clothes/shoes, because it's guaranteed that Drylock will spatter off the roller, since you want to really load it up.

B-Nasty
May 25, 2005

Jerk McJerkface posted:

Thanks! Should I scrape off any old build up and prep the surface at all?

If the old paint is obviously flaking off and/or you have any efflorescence, go over it with a wire brush and get it reasonably cleaned up. Make sure you have extra left over to go back over areas where the paint was applied too thin. You may or may not need a second coat, depending on how much moisture your walls are trying to hold back. You can always do one and then wait to see if that fixes the issue before the second coat. If you slap it on real thick, you probably won't need to.

It's actually kind of a fun painting project, because it doesn't need to be anything near perfectly applied or much pre-prep, and like all painting, the after always looks so much better than before.

B-Nasty
May 25, 2005

punissuer posted:

here's a pic of the 'repair' job (left) which doesn't look like it's going to do a thing due to the huge gap?

Lol, no.

Thinking about flashing is actually pretty easy if you just spend some time considering how gravity will cause water to run off of every surface.

In this case, the head flashing (base flashing) should run up under the shingles and up the back side of the chimney. This flashing should be angled out so water running down the roof hits the flashing and is directed around the chimney. If the chimney is wide, the angle around the chimney is exaggerated with saddle flashing, which is basically a wedge that ramps the water around.

For water running down the chimney, you don't want it sneaking between the base flashing and chimney. This is where the counter flashing comes in. It covers over the base flashing and is cut into the chimney itself. The point of keeping these two components separate is to allow the roof to move slightly relative to the chimney without buckling or ripping off the flashing.

Good diagrams and explanations here: http://www.ashireporter.org/HomeInspection/Articles/Chimney-Flashings/2413#62389

B-Nasty
May 25, 2005

Crumps Brother posted:

What I think I need to do is head up to the attic, move the insulation to the side, and remove/replace the box from up there. Should I get the same style of box or is there's a better style I could put in its place? I feel like whatever I put in its place should also better seal up the attic from the bedroom to prevent heat loss in the winter, but I'm not 100% on that or how I'd do it.

If you have access from above, the best way to do this is by fitting in a new work fan box (assuming you still want a fan): https://www.homedepot.com/p/Commercial-Electric-15-3-cu-in-New-Construction-Brace-with-1-1-2-in-Box-CMB150-NB/205383182

If you're lucky, you can reuse the hole as it is, but you may need to enlarge it or move it slightly away from the joist so the new box fits. I wouldn't worry too much about cutting more drywall, as the fan canopy is usually big enough to cover any imperfections. Then, use caulk and/or spray foam to seal the box to the top of the drywall. If your have wider gaps, you may want to drywall tape/patch in the room first, but if you're careful with cutting, caulk should be enough.

Those boxes screwed to the joists are the best way to hang a fan. Zero wobble, and you could do pullups on it if you wanted to.

B-Nasty
May 25, 2005

Gee, it almost looks like water got under the 'flashing' that was there and ran down the inside of the chimney. :ughh:

B-Nasty
May 25, 2005

Yeah, you were going in that attic no matter what to get that crusty bracket monstrosity out of there. That joist spanning box I linked earlier should work with the box slid all the way to the side with minimal hole embiggening. You may want to cut the depth tabs on the joist mount plates of that thing to make it fit easier. I usually leave them and work them in between the drywall and the joist, but it's an unnecessary struggle.

B-Nasty
May 25, 2005

Fallom posted:

What spray foam did you use? I’ve been thinking about air sealing my attic but most insulation foams warn against using them against light or fan houses that warm up.

You can use the foam around a box that isn't a light fixture (e.g. a can light) unless it is IC-rated, but you have to make sure not to get any in the box itself, which isn't allowed.

B-Nasty
May 25, 2005

The Slack Lagoon posted:

Is there a thread for appliances? My dishwasher isn't running properly. The dial isnt rotating and the dishes were in the wash cycle for like 2 hours before I realized it wasn't moving

Look up the model number and see if there are any guides for accessing the control panel (or try to figure it out yourself.) While you're at it, see if it's actually possible to find/buy parts for that model.

Quite frankly, if your dishwasher has a dial, it's probably a very basic 'builder' model and at least 15 years old. It's probably not worth putting much money or effort into it, because it's outlived its useful life, and modern dishwashers are better in almost every conceivable way. If you can fix it for <$30, it might be worth it to get another year or so out of it, but I'd consider that borrowed time.

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B-Nasty
May 25, 2005

actionjackson posted:

Is there anyway to rethread the hole?

The hack DIYer would probably just use a slightly larger diameter screw, but that is a bad idea, because it's likely to further crack the plastic and expose the contacts more.

New outlets are literally a dollar at Home Depot, and almost anyone that knows how to use a screwdriver can replace an outlet. Either do that, or pay someone to do that.

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