Home Improvement Thread

robbiestoupe
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Postby robbiestoupe » Fri Aug 05, 2022 9:58 am

Turns out I fired a trim nail through the sump pump exit line. Much easier to fix than a cracked foundation.

Still no lead on the kitchen GFI, both breakers continued to work normally throughout the day.
Is that kitchen GFI daisy chained to any other outlet? If so, and if that outlet was near the water leak, that could have been your problem

CBear3
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Postby CBear3 » Fri Aug 05, 2022 10:43 am

Yeah, but the breaker tripped yesterday, and the sump probably hasn't run since the 29th (everything except the carpet was dry yesterday when the circuit tripped). Not sure if the outside light to the patio is on the same circuit. As humid as it was maybe there's something there.

I think all signs point to them being separate **** ups.

DigitalGypsy66
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Postby DigitalGypsy66 » Fri Aug 05, 2022 11:49 am

So when you buy a new home, there is a contractor key that is just that - the contractor(s) use it to get in and out of the house. The builder gave us a KwikSet smartkey reset key with our permanent keys, to change over the locks after closing. It's a fairly simple process. I did the main deadbolt, then threw away the contractor key and reset tool. :face:

Last week, my wife locked herself out of the house...because I didn't reset the doorknob lock on the front door. :face: Or the door to the garage either. Potentially disastrous for us.

So I bought a KwikSet reset cylinder which should allow us to change the locks on both of those doors, provided I can get the cylinders and then plugs out and into the reset tool. Should be interesting.

NTP66
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Postby NTP66 » Fri Aug 05, 2022 11:50 am

lol DG. This is why I love having a digital lock on the front door. Much easier to simply give them a temporary code to get in and out of the house, and that all comes with logging to see when the code was used.

NTP66
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Postby NTP66 » Fri Aug 05, 2022 11:51 am

And since we're on the topic, here's the model I have. Integrates with Samsung SmartThings, too:


Kane
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Postby Kane » Fri Aug 05, 2022 11:59 am

So when you buy a new home, there is a contractor key that is just that - the contractor(s) use it to get in and out of the house. The builder gave us a KwikSet smartkey reset key with our permanent keys, to change over the locks after closing. It's a fairly simple process. I did the main deadbolt, then threw away the contractor key and reset tool. :face:

Last week, my wife locked herself out of the house...because I didn't reset the doorknob lock on the front door. :face: Or the door to the garage either. Potentially disastrous for us.

So I bought a KwikSet reset cylinder which should allow us to change the locks on both of those doors, provided I can get the cylinders and then plugs out and into the reset tool. Should be interesting.
Some friendly locksmith advice: get rid of those locks ASAP. You won't be able to have them changed again anyway. Next time they need changed you'll have to buy all new. Might as well ditch Kwikset right away.

skullman80
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Postby skullman80 » Fri Aug 05, 2022 1:56 pm

I second the Yale lock ntp posted have the same one.

RonnieFranchise
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Postby RonnieFranchise » Fri Aug 05, 2022 5:39 pm

Painted a small bathroom today. All the stiff you have to paint around in a bathroom, in close quarters, trying not to spill paint or back into a wall. I’d rather paint a large bedroom where all the obstacles are movable.

skullman80
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Postby skullman80 » Fri Aug 05, 2022 5:41 pm

When my wife and I painted out bathrooms we the small space between the wall and the vanity in both.. we got back as far as we could with one of those skinny flat things..and just said F it after...you can't see it unless you pull out the vanity which would be a PITA.

DigitalGypsy66
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Postby DigitalGypsy66 » Sat Aug 06, 2022 8:41 am

Oh, we have a digital front door lock that works with our smart home panel. I was resetting the locks on the two door handles, which was fun. The first one took about 30 minutes and several videos to get swapped out. The second one took about 10, and I didn't even need my reading glasses. :lol:

We rarely enter through the front door anyway, always the garage. So that front door lock and knob won't get used a whole lot anyway.

dodint
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Postby dodint » Wed Aug 10, 2022 11:46 am

I'm having my roof replaced this summer. Eventually. Been waiting since May but whatever.

I have a chimney I no longer use, I converted from a furnace to a heat pump. All our remodel ideas involve removing that chimney and repurposing the space it takes up. It's in the center of the house (not against a perimeter wall) and goes from the basement, through the main level, and through the attic.

Any idea how difficult it would be to remove the exterior stack so the new roof won't have the chimney hole?

Can I just go up in the attic a few days before the roofers come and remove it? I imagine I could use a masonry saw to make a horizontal cut and then just remove the bricks layer by layer until I'm through to the outside. Then I can remove the interior column down the line when I do the interior remodel.

My Dad is an experienced contractor and would be helping me, I'm just gauging the feasibility of it before I bring the project to him.

count2infinity
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Postby count2infinity » Wed Aug 10, 2022 1:21 pm

Did you ask the roofing dudes? Might be worth it just to let them handle the outside part of it. Weigh their price vs doing it yourself.

AuthorTony
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Postby AuthorTony » Wed Aug 10, 2022 1:22 pm

It shouldn't be hard at all, just time consuming. One brick at a time.

NTP66
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Postby NTP66 » Wed Aug 10, 2022 1:23 pm

I've seen it done on This Old House a number of times, and that's basically what they do. Start from the top and work their way down, patching the roof once that section is gone. The part I'd worry about are variables, like if some dingleberry ran something in the chimney, etc. Something unexpected/goofy.

meow
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Postby meow » Wed Aug 10, 2022 5:34 pm

Play Jenga with that dodint

LITT
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Postby LITT » Thu Aug 11, 2022 3:21 pm

we bought a floor model chandelier for a steep discount. about a day before we were supposed to pick it up i was thinking i hope they kept the extra chain links and also the electrical wiring in its length from the factory. nope to both. i can swing some links but the wiring, can i just get some heat shrink tubing and attach two electrical wires together?

mac5155
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Postby mac5155 » Thu Aug 11, 2022 3:47 pm

Can you, yes.. I'm not sure what proper code is though

NTP66
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Postby NTP66 » Thu Aug 11, 2022 3:56 pm

Honestly, if you have access, I would simply try and rewire the entire fixture without splicing the cord. You can buy the wire in bulk, and provided that you have a soldering iron, you can easily make the connections.

If you want to splice, I would still solder and heat shrink, and be damn sure that you cut the splice at least 1” from each side of the wire, so that there is no possibility of arcing.

robbiestoupe
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Postby robbiestoupe » Thu Aug 11, 2022 4:08 pm

Pretty sure any electrical code will say no splicing outside an electrical box. Whether you want to follow code or not is up to you.

NTP66
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Postby NTP66 » Thu Aug 11, 2022 4:14 pm

Is there code for an external lamp, though?

Kane
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Postby Kane » Thu Aug 11, 2022 4:17 pm

A, B, B, A, A, B, B, A

robbiestoupe
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Postby robbiestoupe » Thu Aug 11, 2022 4:18 pm

Considering it's most likely hard wired to the house wiring, and most of those fixtures come with a box/enclosure to splice the wiring in, I'd say yes.

But I'd go with your suggestion NTP. Pull the old wiring and rewire it yourself.

robbiestoupe
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Postby robbiestoupe » Thu Aug 11, 2022 4:19 pm

A, B, B, A, A, B, B, A
Image

Kane
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Postby Kane » Fri Aug 12, 2022 8:50 pm

Always fun to turn on the dishwasher and see a stream of water coming out from under it a couple moments later.

Willie Kool
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Postby Willie Kool » Fri Aug 12, 2022 9:50 pm

Always fun to turn on the dishwasher and see a stream of water coming out from under it a couple moments later.
Considering the fact that Mrs K is my dishwasher, yeah...

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