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extravadanza posted:It's xtremeair brand. I actually tried to buy a heavily price reduced scratch and dent 'good' quality zephyr hood from Amazon warehouse but they couldn't find it in their warehouse so they cancelled it. ☹️ Interesting, it's a visual clone of a Zephyr down to the buttons, which is why I though it was one to begin with.
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Feb 3, 2019 18:40
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eddiewalker posted:My Honda mower is going strong on 15 years with nothing but an oil drain/refill a couple times a summer. If you actually do that a couple times a summer you can keep nearly any junk heap mower running. I'm not saying don't buy a Honda, but they are designed to be abused and still last as long as yours. You've basically made your mower immortal.
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Feb 4, 2019 06:44
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SetPhazers2Funk posted:it's likely that the bank appraiser will flag it as part of their review HycoCam posted:The appraiser is going to measure your house, count bedrooms, count bathrooms What bizarro world you you all live in where appraisers even bother to drive by a property, never mind actually enter it? In all of my property transactions around here they have been loving useless, and obviously do nothing more than google street view and/or Zillow and MLS to do their "research."
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Feb 12, 2019 16:22
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peanut posted:Flat roof intended as a deck will be very flat. Flat roof that will never be seen will be slightly sloped. That's not at all the only way that kind of thing is done. Good construction techniques include a properly pitched "flat" roof with a deck above it. This both allows the walking/sitting area to be level and keeps the waterproof surface from requiring additional abrasion and puncture resistance while decreasing wear from traffic.
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Feb 13, 2019 00:06
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Niacin posted:Anybody have resources for kitchen lighting design/best practices / lessons learned? The biggest thing I pay attention to in kitchen lights is making sure task areas/surfaces are lit without shadows. In most kitchens this is overwhelmingly handled by under cabinet lighting (led strips are awesome). If you have an island it's lighting over that. The rest is simply preference.
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Feb 14, 2019 00:45
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B-Nasty posted:Turning them all on at once would be ridiculous, but it's nice to be able to put the light right where you need it where you're working. As ambient light, we just leave either the 2 over the sink or the cabinet lights on, which is subdued, but plenty to see without using too much energy. This is a really good point. The only time I have everything on is when we're entertaining. The only down side is I have to make a run around my kitchen every night to turn off all the lights with switches in appropriate places for the task lights to get everything shut down. It's on my home automation nerd list to put in z wave switches so I have a "f this I'm going to bed" button that just turns off everything downstairs.
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Feb 14, 2019 02:27
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You're looking for a double pole toggle switch: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Leviton-20-Amp-Commercial-Double-Pole-Toggle-Switch-White-R52-0CSB2-2WS/202027029 Make sure it's appropriately rated for your load.
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Feb 19, 2019 20:07
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null_pointer posted:Can we do some Lawn Chat? I'd like to overseed the lawn, but that hasn't worked out in the past -- the seeds just never seem to take root. Do I need to go whole hog and dethatch / seed / roll in order for it to be worthwhile? Also, watering the Whole Goddamn Lawn would be a huge pain in the rear end -- do I time it so that I seed right before it rains? Explain what "overseed" that you have done in the past means. Is it literally just throwing seed on the lawn? Because that is never likely to work. The specifics of what you need to do depend on what everything looks like now, but chucking seed out there is never a good option. In my area, core aeration with 2 1/2" or so spoons (less than a real aeration) followed by seeding and then dragging does the trick almost always. I'm actually looking at a spool aerator that has 4" and 2.5" spoons on it so I can just do that all in one shot. e: https://www.everythingattachments.com/Drum-Lawn-Aerator-p/eta-pluggerv2.htm 
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Apr 16, 2019 01:18
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Enos Cabell posted:How well do metal roofs or slate shingles etc hold up to heavy hail? I assumed that's why asphalt shingles are used here in the plains. Metal is fine for the most part, but gets ugly (dents). Slate gets destroyed. It's almost like there are different products for different needs.
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Apr 19, 2019 15:39
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Send some soil samples out to the local ag extension to see what you may need (probably lime), apply that, then core aeration and over seed with whatever grass seed mix the ag extension recommends for your area.
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Apr 23, 2019 17:04
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That Works posted:I checked the areas and the ground gave way equally on the good turf vs the dead spots, but... The deader spots definitely feel like soft clay and less like topsoil. Should I just dig them up and turnover at end of summer and seed it then? I'd pull samples from those spots and some other random spot and see if it's different visually. If it is, you have a different problem to solve that might involve topsoil and a complete re-seeding.
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Apr 24, 2019 00:48
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life is killing me posted:So my A/C unit has not been working correctly lately. This is on auto, heat, cool, both units (not to mention the builders didn't put in a return air in our son's room, serviced by the second unit in the attic and I can't figure out what the gently caress). The main problem is the unit on our side of the house, which today was set to 72 and the actual temperature was 76 on the thermostat. So, I turned it down three degrees to 69 and the unit kicked on, but not only can I not feel air blowing from the grates, but the thermostat stayed the same for about 45 minutes and then went UP a degree to 77. This unit services two bedrooms and our living room, and again, no air from any of the vents on this side even though I can hear the unit running. Not sure this is as simple as the heat from outside, auto isn't kicking the temperature down when it detects high temperature and neither is cool, so as a result it's unbearably hot in the house and there's nothing we can do about it. To be fair I'm warm at night under just the sheet with the temperature at 69, while my wife of course wants the fan off and the temperature up to 71. But even she says it's hot right now. What "unit"? Are you talking about the compressor outside? If so, turn the thermostat to fan after it's been off for a while. See if you get any air through the vents. If no, you need to look at the inside unit: the blower fan or the start/run cap is probably bad.
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Apr 26, 2019 14:49
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life is killing me posted:It’s the indoor units. So the indoor units are making noise like the fan is on but you are getting no air out of the vents? Sounds like you have a multi zone setup. I'd start looking at the dampers and see if they are actually moving.
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Apr 26, 2019 21:35
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I mean....the obvious answer here is to go find the dampers. See if they are closed and open them. Figure out why they are moving (probably just not tightened down enough), tighten them up and figure out a good balance and then make them with a black marker in case they move again. If you're not up for that call someone, potentially even the same people, and tell them "these keep moving, please fix it so this stops happening." Perhaps have them show you where they are/mark them in case it happens again.
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Apr 26, 2019 23:28
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life is killing me posted:No I mean that they supposedly tightened the dampers their most recent visit. Well, it didn't work and you physically can't access them, so your easiest choices are now between call them or call someone else. There are other options I won't get into here.
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Apr 28, 2019 00:41
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Jaded Burnout posted:Probably not gonna keep the dogs in unless they add chickenwire or something at which point it's not very aesthete Hog panels wired to the back of it. They don't look bad at all, but it's def only appropriate in a more rural setting.
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Jun 7, 2019 00:31
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Faustian Bargain posted:I moved to a new place a couple weeks ago and somehow I’m getting 4-5 moths in the house every day. What can I do? Time to call a pest company? Your phrasing makes me think you a renting. If that's the case the answer is, as always: call your land lord. They very well may have a pest control contract on the place, and most of those will come out periodically to treat, but if something is going on in between visits they show up to deal with it for free.
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Jun 7, 2019 14:59
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What the hell is even happening in that first pic? Is it a tarp across the driveway going into a tent made of tarps on the left? How did you come into possession of this property in such a state? I have so many questions and need details.
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Jun 19, 2019 23:46
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ntan1 posted:It's a property purchased in the San Francisco Bay Area. Yep, there's all the information necessary. Good job. That looks like it was a hell of a lot of work.
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Jun 20, 2019 14:54
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surf rock posted:I'm not sure what to do about cracks and other damage in my driveway: https://imgur.com/a/dYdXwNE So you have a concrete driveway? You need to seal the cracks so the freeze/thaw doesn't make them worse. Something like this will do: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Quikrete-10-1-oz-Concrete-Crack-Sealant-862017/203604186 You CAN seal concrete (like the top of it) but I'm not sure that's a necessary thing. If it keeps cracking it's likely something else, like water getting into another crack/cut and heaving the slab when it freezes or just poor prep which you'll never fix without doing it all over again.
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Jul 6, 2019 01:08
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That's a lovely laminated door that has already outlived it's lifespan. Sorry.
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Jul 6, 2019 01:43
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This is amazingly location and exact home specific. Most people are lucky to start seeing a break even on a solar install before the panels end up needing to be replaced. And that's with optimistic numbers on how your local utility will be/continue to buy back power (hint: they're all going to switch to wholesale or worse if they aren't already there). The only thing that has ever made a solar panel install worthwhile has been federal and local tax incentives.
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Jul 15, 2019 17:20
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Ebola Dog posted:On the other hand solar panels for heating your water rather than producing electricity are much easier to break even on apparently, though I don't have exact numbers to back that up. Yeah, those has been pretty solid in most places since the 90s, providing you have relatively moderate or low electricity costs - because while the heating of the water is quite efficient and free, just like in geothermal heating, the constantly running circulation pump(s) are not.
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Jul 15, 2019 17:30
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Hubis posted:How much of that is consumption-specific (i.e. how much of your peak production lines up with peak draw)? I work from home and so I'm actually around the house during peak production times. We live in a place hot enough that the HVAC is running pretty consistently during the day and I've been wondering how much of that could be offset by solar. Put your address in here: https://www.google.com/get/sunroof If they don't cover your area it's probably for a really good reason.
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Jul 15, 2019 18:05
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WithoutTheFezOn posted:What about for pool heating? I don't see why one would heat a pool with a PV panel going to an inverter then going to an electric heater. Why not use a tried and true hot water panel with a heat exchanger and skip all of the losses (and expense)?
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Jul 15, 2019 22:48
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The Wonder Weapon posted:This is what the edge of my outbuilding looks like. The face is a thin, aluminum or vinyl sheet attached to wood with what appear to be normal nails. The underside is a just a sheet of...vinyl? It's not backed by anything. That doesn't seem right at all. There should be wood under there. What's under the eave? A soffit? Can you lift it up and look in there at the back side? It's nearly 100% that if you sunk a screw in there you'd hit a 2x(someting) and be totally fine to hang your lights from it.
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Jul 16, 2019 03:39
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The Wonder Weapon posted:Since there's a 2xWhatever behind the vertical face, can I just screw the eye hook into that? I was initially worried that adding a hole would lead to corrosion, but in typing all this out, I realize it's already got nails in it, so that's probably not a big deal. I mean...in an abundance of caution you can throw some silicone caulk or something on the screw so water doesn't leak in (I'd do this, it's probably not necessary) since the screw head will be proud of the cladding unlike the nails holding it there. But this is potentially preventing a problem that might need to be acted on a couple decades from now.
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Jul 16, 2019 03:59
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B-Nasty posted:Hopefully the box is one of those simple low-voltage boxes that doesn't have a back - that will make it a pretty easy task. "Low volt ring" FYI.
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Jul 25, 2019 20:34
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Unless you badly need the extra insulation on the walls (because the wall cavities aren't properly insulated) all you really need is Tyvec/house wrap. That should make the whole window thing a lot easier. As to which you should do first/which makes the biggest difference, I'm gonna say windows. Because even if they aren't leaking THROUGH the windows I bet they were installed like poo poo, and you should make sure the replacements are properly foamed around. Then you should make sure the interior trim is properly caulked. If found those two things to make the biggest difference in performance.
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Jul 27, 2019 21:00
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peanut posted:Whatheck! My parent's crusty old apartment complex has sprinklers go every morning, to keep the blanket of fallen pine needles damp. It's stupid and unnecessary. Your parent don't live in what should be actually a desert. So it's not quite the same.
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Aug 15, 2019 00:50
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peanut posted:Is this why so many houses don't have overhead lighting and need floor lamps instead? ?!?! Depends on what houses you are talking about. Overhead lighting wasn't a thing until relatively recently. (relatively in the perspective of homes that still exist in many areas of the US)
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Aug 16, 2019 00:27
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So yeah, 60 and 70s in CA (the US in general) was not full of can lights in the ceiling. Starting with the 70s and 80s we began to see those awful single point source boob lights in the middle of rooms and they are truly awful because everything is in a shadow and a bunch of floor/table lamps are better in basically every way. Especially when many of the outlets for the room are switched.
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Aug 16, 2019 01:30
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I'm not by any means a brisk guy but if I was in your position I'd be hiring a structural engineer.
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Aug 24, 2019 02:51
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WithoutTheFezOn posted:Haha, outstanding typo. Leaving it.
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Aug 24, 2019 04:14
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General_Failure posted:The thing about that is it can't really collapse inwards. That must be quite a unique building.
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Aug 25, 2019 01:26
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Slugworth posted:Theres an interior decoration thread, but if you're not spending 10k on your couch, they'll want nothing to do with you. To be fair, "$10k is the minimum for a decent leather couch. A barely nice one." (anyone remember that thread title in BWM? I think it was about shoes.)
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Sep 2, 2019 21:37
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Spring Heeled Jack posted:Just discovered that the Samsung fridge I have becomes useless at dispensing water/making ice when a water filter is installed. It came with the house so I just figured it was another bad Samsung appliance, until I googled the model number and found a number of complaints. It slows to a trickle and makes an awful pumping noise with one installed, took it out and it’s like a faucet. Where did you get the filter? There is a serious counterfeiting problem with those at the moment, exacerbated by amazon's binning system.
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Sep 3, 2019 14:24
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Spring Heeled Jack posted:It's a homedepot generic filter, but the complaints online mentioned issues with direct-from-samsung parts as well. The tap water in our area is fine, so I'm not super concerned. My wife is just happy we have a steady flow of ice now. Be careful about what "direct from Samsung" means. Buying from Samsung on Amazon is not the same thing as having them shipped to you from Samsung via Samsun'g web site (what I do because I got a counterfeit from Amazon).
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Sep 3, 2019 15:27
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Bloody posted:how do I win the war on house ants Terro baits and a week. Anything more aggressive will kill them before they bring the poison back to the nest in your walls.
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Sep 3, 2019 20:29
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B-Nasty posted:I have a feeling Motronic is referring to the liquid-based ant traps with the little plastic feeder: https://www.amazon.com/TERRO-T300B-2-Pack-Liquid-Baits/dp/B00E4GACB8 Exactly that. You can chug it and it's not going to hurt you - the LD50 is like GALLONS for a human. The stuff simply works for ants and you don't have to worry about spraying neurotoxins in your house. It's not clear to me that Fipronil works "better" - go back to what I said about not getting drug into walls/to the nest. And I've re-certed my pesticide license so I can buy whatever the hell I want.
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Sep 4, 2019 14:16
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