Home Improvement Thread

[NTP66]

We have a big yard (well, big for here), and a pool surrounded by a concrete patio with an awning supported by a metal frame that's attached to the house. We can do the low-volt stuff on two sides of the yard (replacing some of the janky solar sticks that are there now), and probably under that awning as well. But I want to do the full edge/coping of the pool surround, and that's the really tricky part.

Ah, gotcha. That said, if you had to go under concrete, landscape companies can drill under one with trenches on either side. I've actually seen it done, and it's pretty cool.

[meow]

We ran invisible fence under our driveway when we lived in Pittsburgh. It was surprisingly easy for them, but they had grass on each side and it was easily accessible

[robbiestoupe]

They resurfaced our road last week and upon walking the street, I saw at least two houses have their invisible fences dug up by the equipment when the dug up the old surface.

[mac5155]

I've been at camp Thursday to Sunday, and today the boys daycare was closed. I said F the grass and we had a boys day at the Science Center, chick fil a and then did our mothers day shopping. But now my grass is about a foot tall

[tifosi77]

We have a big yard (well, big for here), and a pool surrounded by a concrete patio with an awning supported by a metal frame that's attached to the house. We can do the low-volt stuff on two sides of the yard (replacing some of the janky solar sticks that are there now), and probably under that awning as well. But I want to do the full edge/coping of the pool surround, and that's the really tricky part.

Ah, gotcha. That said, if you had to go under concrete, landscape companies can drill under one with trenches on either side. I've actually seen it done, and it's pretty cool.

There is already a trench that's close to the surface for the hot tub and return plumbing for the pump, and there are underwater lights in the pool itself. (You can see the cuts in the concrete where the lines were sunk however many years ago) So I don't know if we could piggyback on that, or there would need to be a separate run, or what.

In theory, what I want to do sounds quite simple, really. I could probably get away with using Govee WiFi lights (not that I want to go full send on the RGB goofiness lol) and covering the lines with the pebbles that already surround the pool coping for overflow drainage. But I suspect it is actually neither simple, nor cheap. And I find that though troubling.

[NTP66]

We have a big yard (well, big for here), and a pool surrounded by a concrete patio with an awning supported by a metal frame that's attached to the house. We can do the low-volt stuff on two sides of the yard (replacing some of the janky solar sticks that are there now), and probably under that awning as well. But I want to do the full edge/coping of the pool surround, and that's the really tricky part.

Ah, gotcha. That said, if you had to go under concrete, landscape companies can drill under one with trenches on either side. I've actually seen it done, and it's pretty cool.

There is already a trench that's close to the surface for the hot tub and return plumbing for the pump, and there are underwater lights in the pool itself. (You can see the cuts in the concrete where the lines were sunk however many years ago) So I don't know if we could piggyback on that, or there would need to be a separate run, or what.

In theory, what I want to do sounds quite simple, really. I could probably get away with using Govee WiFi lights (not that I want to go full send on the RGB goofiness lol) and covering the lines with the pebbles that already surround the pool coping for overflow drainage. But I suspect it is actually neither simple, nor cheap. And I find that though troubling.

Definitely worth exploring if you can use existing electrical conduit to run like for your lights.

[count2infinity]

Took Friday and all of next week off... going to:

-Paint the front door
-Power wash our fence and front porch
-Rip out the old deck and replace with Trex
-Paint our Bilco doors
-Build 4 new raised beds
-Expand a few flower beds
-Cut down a dead/dying crab apple tree
-Plant a new fruit tree
-Mulch everything (about 4 cubic yards worth)

Gonna be a fun week.

[MalkinIsMyHomeboy]

so, uh...crap

I called a fridge technician regarding my fridge not making ice/dispensing water and they believe the fridge itself is working fine but that no water is being supplied to the fridge (it's hooked up but there's no pressure). He suggested I look in the crawlspace to see if there's a valve that's stopping water

well, I looked in the crawlspace and...well, my claustrophobia kicked in. I can't see if there's a valve from the outside so it would require someone to crawl in through a space that's only like 2 feet tall


do yall do this ****? **** is freaky.

finally built up the confidence to get in there. Didn’t see a single animal, including any insects or spiders which actually surprised me. It was very tight, especially when I had to crawl over and under vents/pipes/tubes. I found the water line that went to the fridge and followed it all the way to the end…when I discovered that it wasn’t connected to any water line at all. It was just a loose end. Are you shitting me


called a plumber and they’re doing it now. Funnily, the plumber who I’m sure has to work in crawlspaces often, complained about how tight the crawlspace was, so I feel justified

[NTP66]

Time to re-seal my driveway. I think this may be the first time that I effectively made my decision based on seeing this guy's work in my neighborhood (he puts a sign on the lawn with his info). Every driveway was extremely clean, and he uses the kind of sealer I want used on mine. $225 for the entire thing, which includes fixing two minor cracks on either side - less than half of what I paid the last company to initially seal the driveway a few years ago.

[mac5155]

Went down to the basement today for the first time In about a week and found a massive puddle of water. I can't discern anywhere that's leaking, so my only guess is it backed up through a floor drain. My brother in law has a pipe camera so he's coming tomorrow to see if we can figure anything out. I certainly hope it's nothing major.

[shafnutz05]

Went down to the basement today for the first time In about a week and found a massive puddle of water. I can't discern anywhere that's leaking, so my only guess is it backed up through a floor drain. My brother in law has a pipe camera so he's coming tomorrow to see if we can figure anything out. I certainly hope it's nothing major.

That is always a nervy discovery. Good luck.

[shafnutz05]

Time to re-seal my driveway. I think this may be the first time that I effectively made my decision based on seeing this guy's work in my neighborhood (he puts a sign on the lawn with his info). Every driveway was extremely clean, and he uses the kind of sealer I want used on mine. $225 for the entire thing, which includes fixing two minor cracks on either side - less than half of what I paid the last company to initially seal the driveway a few years ago.

We've been here for ten years and never had it done... I guess it's time

[MrKennethTKangaroo]

I like sealing the driveway. I've decided that if the financial system crashes and I am no longer employable I'll probably start sealing asphalt for a living.

[DigitalGypsy66]

We've had concrete driveways for the last two houses - no sealing necessary. I guess that's a southern thing?

[NTP66]

I don’t know anyone who has had their concrete driveway sealed, or even their walkways. Asphalt is another story. I have a reminder that goes off every 2 years to check and see if it needs to be done, and this year it does. I’ve got some staining on it, and two minor cracks need to be addressed.

The same very much applies to my stamped concrete patio. You can easily tell the difference between a maintained patio and a neglected one.

[skullman80]

We were told when we got our concrete driveway in 2021 that it should be resealed every few years.

It was sealed initially with whatever the concrete was mixed with but for upkeep and to have it last we were told like every 3-4 years I think.

[NTP66]

Yeah, 2-4 years is the basic recommendation for both concrete and asphalt.

[meow]

Sealing’s mainly needed to combat the freezing-thawing-freezing-thawing cycle of the north. It’s not necessary in the south, so DG is correct

[mac5155]

Went down to the basement today for the first time In about a week and found a massive puddle of water. I can't discern anywhere that's leaking, so my only guess is it backed up through a floor drain. My brother in law has a pipe camera so he's coming tomorrow to see if we can figure anything out. I certainly hope it's nothing major.

That is always a nervy discovery. Good luck.

OH this is a good one. He brings his camera and snake today. We snaked through a clean out in the basement. Once we hit the foundation/exit... We see a clog. So he gets his auger out and it ends up coming up through the vent pipe. Still clogged. Can't get it, no matter how hard we try, to get to the septic tank.

Shove the camera down the vent pipe then from the outside. He's like, wtf, there's a 2 inch pipe down there. It makes no sense why. It should be 4 inch. Then all of a sudden the clog clears lol. Whatd we do? Who knows, but it worked...so then we flush again, clogged again. Can't figure it out. Eventually hes like, that 2 inch pipe is just floating in there. I don't know why they'd do that. Then it hits me....i disassembled my camper jack a few weeks ago, and on the camper jack was a 2 foot piece of 2 inch PVC that held a flag when we camped. It's no where to be found. I went and asked lil mac where it was and he said he "put it in the other pipe"

TLDR my system backed up cause a 2 inch PVC pipe my son threw down a vent clogged it. Needless to say the vent pipe cover, which just sat on top of the pipe, will be permanently installed tomorrow morning. What a day

[mac5155]

I like sealing the driveway. I've decided that if the financial system crashes and I am no longer employable I'll probably start sealing asphalt for a living.

You can bust out like 5-7 decent sized of them in a day, at $100 a pop it's worth it.

[NTP66]

Mac, I don’t mean to laugh, but… At least you know what your problem is.

As for asphalt sealing, are you seriously able to find that for $100 in your area? My driveway is a two car driveway, mind you, so I guess around $100 for a single would be close.

[willeyeam]

I was quoted $170 this week from an acquaintances business. Seems reasonable enough to not worry about haggling and quoting with other businesses

[NTP66]

I saw enough of this guy’s work that unless his quote was outrageous, I was going to just accept it. Honestly, I was thrilled with the $225 quote know what others have paid.

[mac5155]

Mac, I don’t mean to laugh, but… At least you know what your problem is.

As for asphalt sealing, are you seriously able to find that for $100 in your area? My driveway is a two car driveway, mind you, so I guess around $100 for a single would be close.

Oh believe me. I was mad, then I was like, you know what. This is best case scenario lol

[NTP66]

My BIL showed me what the quote from his company would have been for the new HVAC system I'm having installed this weekend, and I almost had to laugh. $13.5k all in, compared to the $7400 that I paid.