Home Improvement Thread

Postby **AuthorTony** » Mon Mar 14, 2016 3:24 pm

Old water heaters lasted almost forever. My grandparents had one for something like 40+ years and it worked absolutely fine. After replacing the original in my house, I go through one about every 5 years. I even bought one from Lowes with a "lifetime warranty". They replaced it once. The second time it went out, they said they don't make that model any more so I was SOL.

Postby **NTP66** » Mon Mar 14, 2016 5:22 pm

I'm actually looking forward to mine dying (only 4 years old, so I'll likely be waiting a while) so that I can change around that system and include a heat pump.
Why?

Man, getting no sleep last night has taken its toll. I was actually referring to my furnace, not my water heater. I want the heat pump because of the savings in money. I actually wouldn't mind a tankless water heater, or even a hybrid.

Edit: Note that I have LP at my house, not natural gas, so there is a bit of a premium in terms of cost. Still not as bad as oil, thankfully.

Postby **tjand72** » Mon Mar 14, 2016 7:36 pm

Which one do you have? They have the 10" double bevel slider on sale Easter weekend for $93. I thought it was a great deal. I've heard that the sliders have a greater chance of being out of square though.

I made a mistake - I have the 10" sliding miter. I got it for about $100 a few years ago. I'd love a double bevel. It's served it's purpose and you can't beat if for $100.

Postby **columbia** » Mon Mar 14, 2016 7:48 pm

I'm actually looking forward to mine dying (only 4 years old, so I'll likely be waiting a while) so that I can change around that system and include a heat pump.
Why?
Man, getting no sleep last night has taken its toll. I was actually referring to my furnace, not my water heater. I want the heat pump because of the savings in money. I actually wouldn't mind a tankless water heater, or even a hybrid.

Edit: Note that I have LP at my house, not natural gas, so there is a bit of a premium in terms of cost. Still not as bad as oil, thankfully.

I'm not sure where you are, but I would be cautious about getting a heat pump. They strain to keep a house warm in GA. I know, because that's all that's really available, because of a lack of natural gas.

Postby **tifosi77** » Mon Mar 14, 2016 8:16 pm

I'd really like to get an on-demand water heater.

You mean one of those electric units? I've read that they generally aren't that much better than a gas tank. But where they do seem to outperform is that you use much less water before the hot water is available.

Postby **Shyster** » Mon Mar 14, 2016 9:19 pm

I'd really like to get an on-demand water heater.
You mean one of those electric units? I've read that they generally aren't that much better than a gas tank. But where they do seem to outperform is that you use much less water before the hot water is available.

There are gas-powered tankless water heaters too. My water heater has been acting up, so I've spent some time looking at options for when it finally croaks. Tankless water heaters of any kind cost significantly more than tanked heaters and can have much higher installation costs. For example, a gas tankless water heater requires a higher volume of gas than a regular heater, so it might require a new larger-diameter gas line to feed it if the existing one can't provide enough capacity. Also, gas tankless heaters require dedicated intake and exhaust lines for airflow just like a furnace would. My brother had one installed and he has two PVC pipes running up and through his basement wall to the outside for intake and exhaust. While the tankless models do consume less energy than regular heaters, it really takes a lot of hot-water use to make up those costs in the long run.

Considering I live alone and relatively speaking don't use all that much water, it wouldn't make that much sense for me to buy one. I'm going to buy something like a 50 gal. tank when mine dies. A family of six or more, on the other hand, would probably fit the bill for a tankless heater.

Postby **mac5155** » Mon Mar 14, 2016 11:00 pm

Which one do you have? They have the 10" double bevel slider on sale Easter weekend for $93. I thought it was a great deal. I've heard that the sliders have a greater chance of being out of square though.
I made a mistake - I have the 10" sliding miter. I got it for about $100 a few years ago. I'd love a double bevel. It's served it's purpose and you can't beat if for $100.

Cool, thanks! I think I'm going to pull the trigger on it next weekend.

Postby **NTP66** » Tue Mar 15, 2016 7:20 am

I'm actually looking forward to mine dying (only 4 years old, so I'll likely be waiting a while) so that I can change around that system and include a heat pump.
Why?
Man, getting no sleep last night has taken its toll. I was actually referring to my furnace, not my water heater. I want the heat pump because of the savings in money. I actually wouldn't mind a tankless water heater, or even a hybrid.

Edit: Note that I have LP at my house, not natural gas, so there is a bit of a premium in terms of cost. Still not as bad as oil, thankfully.
I'm not sure where you are, but I would be cautious about getting a heat pump. They strain to keep a house warm in GA. I know, because that's all that's really available, because of a lack of natural gas.

I'm in the suburbs of Philly, but heat pump technology has come a long way in recent years. My parents' neighbor is an HVAC guy who advised me on this a while back. They do have hybrid systems that will allow you to switch to gas heat if the heat pump can't keep up, which is probably what I'd be looking at if the system died tomorrow.

Postby **NTP66** » Tue Mar 15, 2016 7:31 am

Source of the post Also, gas tankless heaters require dedicated intake and exhaust lines for airflow just like a furnace would.

This is only true for direct vent tankless systems. If you go with a power vent system, only one pipe is required (though, you can't put them in a tiny room).

Postby **AuthorTony** » Wed Mar 16, 2016 1:27 pm

Here's a stupid question. I want to replace 2 screen doors. I measured the doors and they measure 31.5x80. I can't find any doors that size at Lowes or Home Depot. They have plenty of doors listed as 32" doors though. Are doors sort of like 2x4s in that they are a little bit smaller than listed?

Postby **Silentom** » Wed Mar 16, 2016 1:38 pm

Here's a stupid question. I want to replace 2 screen doors. I measured the doors and they measure 31.5x80. I can't find any doors that size at Lowes or Home Depot. They have plenty of doors listed as 32" doors though. Are doors sort of like 2x4s in that they are a little bit smaller than listed?

Are you accounting for the hinge? 32" is probably correct. And, yes, doors usually are a little undersized. 36" is usually 35 1/4" to 35 7/8", and so on and so forth.

Postby **Nuge** » Wed Mar 16, 2016 2:35 pm

I'm actually looking forward to mine dying (only 4 years old, so I'll likely be waiting a while) so that I can change around that system and include a heat pump.
Why?
Man, getting no sleep last night has taken its toll. I was actually referring to my furnace, not my water heater. I want the heat pump because of the savings in money. I actually wouldn't mind a tankless water heater, or even a hybrid.

Edit: Note that I have LP at my house, not natural gas, so there is a bit of a premium in terms of cost. Still not as bad as oil, thankfully.
I'm not sure where you are, but I would be cautious about getting a heat pump. They strain to keep a house warm in GA. I know, because that's all that's really available, because of a lack of natural gas.
I'm in the suburbs of Philly, but heat pump technology has come a long way in recent years. My parents' neighbor is an HVAC guy who advised me on this a while back. They do have hybrid systems that will allow you to switch to gas heat if the heat pump can't keep up, which is probably what I'd be looking at if the system died tomorrow.

A hybrid system seems like the way to go. My air conditioning unit is likely on it's last legs and I just replaced an LP furnace. The guy told me if I need to replace the a/c unit, a heat pump is only about an extra grand and they would hook it up to tie into the furnace when the temperature hit a certain point like you said.

Postby **AuthorTony** » Wed Mar 16, 2016 3:09 pm

Here's a stupid question. I want to replace 2 screen doors. I measured the doors and they measure 31.5x80. I can't find any doors that size at Lowes or Home Depot. They have plenty of doors listed as 32" doors though. Are doors sort of like 2x4s in that they are a little bit smaller than listed?
Are you accounting for the hinge? 32" is probably correct. And, yes, doors usually are a little undersized. 36" is usually 35 1/4" to 35 7/8", and so on and so forth.

No, I'm measuring the door itself, from edge to edge. Glad to hear doors are usually a little smaller. My house is 40 years old and has small doors. I have door envy.

Postby **NTP66** » Wed Mar 16, 2016 3:15 pm

Source of the post No, I'm measuring the door itself, from edge to edge. Glad to hear doors are usually a little smaller. My house is 40 years old and has small doors. I have door envy.

There's one way to get that bigger door...

Postby **dodint** » Wed Mar 16, 2016 3:19 pm

Source of the postMy house is 40 years old and has small doors. I have door envy.

That's a shame. I've got some big, hard, satisfying doors swinging at my house.

Postby **Silentom** » Wed Mar 16, 2016 3:22 pm

Here's a stupid question. I want to replace 2 screen doors. I measured the doors and they measure 31.5x80. I can't find any doors that size at Lowes or Home Depot. They have plenty of doors listed as 32" doors though. Are doors sort of like 2x4s in that they are a little bit smaller than listed?
Are you accounting for the hinge? 32" is probably correct. And, yes, doors usually are a little undersized. 36" is usually 35 1/4" to 35 7/8", and so on and so forth.
No, I'm measuring the door itself, from edge to edge. Glad to hear doors are usually a little smaller. My house is 40 years old and has small doors. I have door envy.

32" isn't so bad for residential doors. Only reason you'd need something wider would be for ADA requirements.

Postby **Silentom** » Wed Mar 16, 2016 3:23 pm

Source of the postMy house is 40 years old and has small doors. I have door envy.
That's a shame. I've got some big, hard, satisfying doors swinging at my house.

Keep up on them and they'll last forever.

Postby **mac5155** » Wed Mar 16, 2016 6:30 pm

Postby **shmenguin** » Fri Mar 18, 2016 12:33 pm

i'm a reasonably smart guy. there is some evidence to support that.

but i can't wrap my thick head around home electrical wiring. i have an old beat up outlet that works fine...it feeds another outlet, which then feeds a 3 way light switch...i think. when i replace that junker with a new GFI outlet, the 3 way switch trips it and shuts everything down. what in the hell is that crap?

Postby **NTP66** » Fri Mar 18, 2016 12:37 pm

Are you positive that they're wired properly? Check to see if the ground is somehow touching another wire after pushing the outlet into the box. That would certainly cause a trip on the GFCI.

Postby **shmenguin** » Fri Mar 18, 2016 12:39 pm

Are you positive that they're wired properly? Check to see if the ground is somehow touching another wire after pushing the outlet into the box. That would certainly cause a trip on the GFCI.

ground wire? ha...that's a funny one.

so there is a cluster of wires behind the outlet this new one feeds. if something is touching like that, could it trip the GFCI but NOT the old junky one?

Postby **NTP66** » Fri Mar 18, 2016 12:51 pm

It could, yes. An easy test would be to pull it out of the wall, make sure nothing's touching, and the flip the switch to see if it then trips the GFCI. If so, you probably have two wires touching there. If not, you'll have to dig a little deeper. I would actually pull the cover plates off all switches and outlets on that circuit to verify that they're all wired properly. IME, every time I've seen an outlet wired improperly, it's almost always an outlet down the line of the one feeding it.

Postby **shmenguin** » Fri Mar 18, 2016 12:55 pm

The entire house is on like 2 circuits..."properly" is out the window.

so is the gfci basically "smarter", so it knows to trip if something isn't right/safe? If so... I just love the fact that my son's room is probably going to burst into flames later.

Postby **NTP66** » Fri Mar 18, 2016 1:47 pm

I wouldn't say smarter, just that it's built to trip if it detects an imbalance in the circuit between the hot and neutral, which is why I think your issue is likely a wiring issue. If there's a bare wire that keeps grounding the circuit, that'd do it, too.

Postby **AuthorTony** » Sat Mar 19, 2016 5:54 pm

Has anyone here built an outdoor fireplace? I'd love to build one this spring to put near by backyard theatre/deck, but I want to use natural stone, not the kits/bricks they sell at home improvement stores. I'm curious how it would all go together since natural stone won't fit tight. Would I use some sort of mortar? And would I need to line it with firebricks inside to prevent the rocks from breaking?