Home Improvement Thread

robbiestoupe
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Postby robbiestoupe » Mon Jan 03, 2022 4:51 pm

Can’t go wrong with a Dewalt. Sucks that it doesn’t come with the stand though

Ad@m
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Postby Ad@m » Mon Jan 03, 2022 6:24 pm

TIL
In April 2016, DeWalt created an Android-powered smartphone designed for building industry workers. It costs £379 ($544), is designed to survive a 2 m (6 ft 7 in) drop onto concrete, and has an operating range of −20–60 °C (−4–140 °F).

DigitalGypsy66
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Postby DigitalGypsy66 » Tue Jan 04, 2022 8:33 am


CBear3
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Postby CBear3 » Tue Jan 04, 2022 9:27 am

Went to buy some 2x4s at HD this weekend and had sticker shock again.

NTP66
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Postby NTP66 » Tue Jan 04, 2022 3:05 pm

My whole house humidifier has been running as of today, so I went to the basement just to check for leaks and stuff. Found some water under the PVC/drain, and noticed that whoever installed the furnace didn't glue the connections. How **** lazy can you be?

DigitalGypsy66
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Postby DigitalGypsy66 » Tue Jan 04, 2022 4:08 pm

That's exactly what happened when we had an evaporator coil replaced on our old heat pump a few years ago. The PVC pipe was not glued (nor cleaned...) and it backed up through the joint, leaked through the ceiling and destroyed 2/3 of the laminate flooring in that part of the house. Of course, you can't replace 2/3 of the flooring...

We'd had a hail storm earlier that year, so our deductible was paid, and we ended up with better flooring than what was there. And that HVAC contractor, who was an dadhole, lost out on replacing that unit a few years later. $13K invoice to his competitor.

Tomas
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Postby Tomas » Tue Jan 04, 2022 4:18 pm

Anybody has a proven solution for tankless water heater condensation pipe freezing? (I tried to look for the solution on the internet, but nothing usable so far). My problem:

The previous owner of the house we bought last year installed a tankless water heater. The heater itself is in the garage, next to the outer wall. It produces a lot of condensation, which leaves the house through a narrow plastic pipe. The pipe extends very little (I'd say 2 inches tops) outside of the outer wall of the house.

Last several days, we finally got some low nightly temperatures (single digits/teens) - and the part of the condensation condensation pipe that is outside of the house froze - which means the water heater stopped working. Naturally, once you remove the ice, it will work again - but new ice starts building up pretty fast.

A plumber told us to put a space heater inside of the water heater box and direct it where the condensation pipe goes into the wall. It does not generate enough heat to prevent ice build up. Hence - does anybody know what would work?

Thanks!!

NTP66
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Postby NTP66 » Tue Jan 04, 2022 4:20 pm

I’ve had similar happen, only I caught the issue before it got bad thanks to a separate issue (A-coil pan crack/leak).

I inspected the entire drain, and only one connection was unglued - the most important one, IMO:

Image

Also, I highly recommend this shut off/clean out to anyone:

Image

The tube is clear, so you can see blockages, and if it gets clogged, the switch will automatically trigger the AC to turn off.

Tomas
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Postby Tomas » Wed Jan 05, 2022 8:13 pm

Anybody has a proven solution for tankless water heater condensation pipe freezing? (I tried to look for the solution on the internet, but nothing usable so far). My problem:

The previous owner of the house we bought last year installed a tankless water heater. The heater itself is in the garage, next to the outer wall. It produces a lot of condensation, which leaves the house through a narrow plastic pipe. The pipe extends very little (I'd say 2 inches tops) outside of the outer wall of the house.

Last several days, we finally got some low nightly temperatures (single digits/teens) - and the part of the condensation condensation pipe that is outside of the house froze - which means the water heater stopped working. Naturally, once you remove the ice, it will work again - but new ice starts building up pretty fast.

A plumber told us to put a space heater inside of the water heater box and direct it where the condensation pipe goes into the wall. It does not generate enough heat to prevent ice build up. Hence - does anybody know what would work?

Thanks!!
OK, here is my simplified question:

What would 5AF experts suggest to prevent the 0.5 inch diameter, very short (probably 2 inches long - and I can actually make it even shorter because the pipe can be slightly moved in-out) condensate plastic pipe from freezing? The pipe already slopes down from the heater - but it still freezes.

Because it is too short, the heat tape would not work (I think). Should I simply wrap it in a foam insulation? Anything else?

Image

Image

mac5155
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Postby mac5155 » Wed Jan 05, 2022 8:16 pm

Is it possible to relocate the drainpipe to a nearby interior drain?

robbiestoupe
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Postby robbiestoupe » Thu Jan 06, 2022 1:15 pm

I second mac's thought. Even if you have to route it several feet along the wall, you aren't going to prevent freezing without an electric heater.

AuthorTony
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Postby AuthorTony » Fri Jan 07, 2022 8:18 pm

My Whirlpool over the range microwave kicked the bucket after limping along for the last year. I really, really don't look forward to replacing it and mounting a new one. If I get another Whirlpool, will I at least be able to use the same mounting bracket? The model I had is discontinued, of course, so I'm trying to find something that will fit (this one is 29.875") and would prefer to use the existing hardware rather than having to install new.

NTP66
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Postby NTP66 » Fri Jan 07, 2022 8:32 pm

No idea there, but what I’d do is look for a similar model from them, and then check a site like repairclinic.com to see if the mounting brackets are the same part number, or compatible.

AuthorTony
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Postby AuthorTony » Fri Jan 07, 2022 8:49 pm

Good thinking. Thanks!

meow
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Postby meow » Sat Jan 08, 2022 8:16 am

I switch companies with our last microwave replacement. The bracket change wasn’t a big deal. The pain in the ass was the mounting bolts through the floor of the overhead cabinet weren’t in the same place. Huge pain to get that fixed.

shafnutz05
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Postby shafnutz05 » Sat Jan 15, 2022 1:14 pm

For some reason, after the week I've had, I decided to install a new kitchen sink today.

I'm a fcking idiot.

AuthorTony
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Postby AuthorTony » Wed Jan 26, 2022 3:47 pm

I want to build a louvered "fence" to close in underneath my deck, but I haven't been able to find the slotted pieces locally. Here's a listing from Home Depot, but they're unavailable there. Any ideas on where else I should look when the local Lowes, HD, and lumber companies don't even know what I'm talking about? :lol:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/2-in-x-4-in ... /203317904

robbiestoupe
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Postby robbiestoupe » Wed Jan 26, 2022 7:41 pm

Get that dado blade up and running Tony

LITT
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Postby LITT » Thu Jan 27, 2022 8:17 am

or a router if table saw is out of the question

mac5155
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Postby mac5155 » Thu Jan 27, 2022 8:24 am

You may not need to cut at all, check out this technique

Image

AuthorTony
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Postby AuthorTony » Thu Jan 27, 2022 10:46 am

Thanks for the tips, guys! I sold my table saw, but I do have a router. Not a ton of experience with it, but this wouldn't exactly be fine detail work. I'm also intrigued by the pic Mac posted. That might be more to my skill level(or lack thereof), ha.

skullman80
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Postby skullman80 » Thu Jan 27, 2022 10:49 am

Anyone know of a program that you could take a pic of the outside of your house and be able to put different paint colors on it to see what it looks like?

Trying to get an idea of what might look good on our house if we were to get it repainted and wondered if something like that existed.

robbiestoupe
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Home Improvement Thread

Postby robbiestoupe » Thu Jan 27, 2022 10:53 am

Anyone know of a program that you could take a pic of the outside of your house and be able to put different paint colors on it to see what it looks like?

Trying to get an idea of what might look good on our house if we were to get it repainted and wondered if something like that existed.
My wife just went through an assessment with Sherwin Williams. Granted, I didn't get involved, and it was for an interior room, but they may be able to help. All done over the phone and they sent us some free samples to try (apparently - haven't seen them yet)

count2infinity
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Home Improvement Thread

Postby count2infinity » Thu Jan 27, 2022 10:57 am

I think sherwin williams allows you to upload photos and try different colors.

https://www.sherwin-williams.com/visual ... ive/scenes

skullman80
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Home Improvement Thread

Postby skullman80 » Thu Jan 27, 2022 10:58 am

Thanks to you both.. will check out sherwin williams.

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