Home Improvement Thread

Postby **NTP66** » Tue Aug 16, 2022 2:48 pm

I replaced a few outlets recently with ones that also include USB ports, since I have so many accessories that can be powered by them. Easier than adding more power strips.

Postby **robbiestoupe** » Tue Aug 16, 2022 3:47 pm

I replaced a few outlets recently with ones that also include USB ports, since I have so many accessories that can be powered by them. Easier than adding more power strips.

Those puppies will run you about $25 though. Maybe TL was getting all the fancy shmancy outlets and dimmer switches

Postby **Troy Loney** » Tue Aug 16, 2022 3:49 pm

I don’t want that ****, I think I’m getting boned here. Going to shop around some

Postby **Shyster** » Tue Aug 16, 2022 4:23 pm

To echo the others, switches and outlets are quite easy to replace. I did a mass switch-and-outlet replacement in my house shortly after I bought it. There are plenty of videos on YouTube on how to do it, and every Home Depot or Lowes has a rack of books, and I can guarantee at least a couple of them are along the lines of "Wiring Made Easy." A receptacle tester runs like $20 or so, and it will confirm that everything is wired correctly.

Randomness: I personally like Leviton products. Not because of anything to do with how good they are, but because Thomas & Betts Corp. v. Leviton Mfg. Co. was a case in my contracts class back in law school. Leviton is a family-owned company. The husband of a niece of the founder (Blumberg) decided to secretly sell the couple's shares to Thomas & Betts, which wanted to use that purchase as a "beachhead" to eventually buy and take over Leviton. Blumberg also served as a Vice President. When Harold Leviton (the CEO, majority shareholder, and family head) learned of the sale, he was so pissed that he fired Blumberg, hired him back, and then fired him again. I admire that level of vindictiveness. (Thomas & Betts failed, BTW, and Leviton is still family-owned to this day.)

Postby **NTP66** » Tue Aug 16, 2022 4:33 pm

Leviton also makes quality components if you don’t care about the family aspect, lol.

Postby **NTP66** » Tue Aug 16, 2022 4:38 pm

3 things I think every home owner should own:

1. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Klein-Tools ... /317460355

2. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Klein-Tools ... /206517824

3. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Klein-Tools ... /100630729

Postby **Beveridge** » Tue Aug 16, 2022 7:35 pm

Christmas list started.

Postby **NTP66** » Wed Aug 17, 2022 10:00 am

They replaced water/sewer lines in our neighborhood a few years ago and did the patch job. Of course that material shrunk at a different rate than the existing material, so now there's a nice reverse speed bump going through the road.

I re-read the e-mail that my district rep sent me, and he mentioned that they would 'address any low spots before final resurfacing'. I sure as hell hope that yesterday's work was the low spot work, as there are no longer dips in the road, but the actual patch job looks half-assed. This can't possibly the final product...

Postby **robbiestoupe** » Wed Aug 17, 2022 11:09 am

They replaced water/sewer lines in our neighborhood a few years ago and did the patch job. Of course that material shrunk at a different rate than the existing material, so now there's a nice reverse speed bump going through the road.
I re-read the e-mail that my district rep sent me, and he mentioned that they would 'address any low spots before final resurfacing'. I sure as hell hope that yesterday's work was the low spot work, as there are no longer dips in the road, but the actual patch job looks half-assed. This can't possibly the final product...

Have you ever seen a patch job that smoothly transitions with the old road surface? You have yourself a speed bump, my friend.

Postby **meow** » Wed Aug 17, 2022 11:25 am

Leviton also makes quality components if you don’t care about the family aspect, lol.

Co-sign

Postby **dodint** » Fri Aug 19, 2022 7:53 am

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.

My roofer called yesterday and asked if they could start work this morning. No time for me to remove the chimney myself, but he said they do it all the time and can take care of it no problem.

They decided to do that first, so it's before 8am and there are bricks flying off of the roof.

Postby **Kane** » Fri Aug 19, 2022 8:03 am

Fire them fckers down into the yard.

Postby **NTP66** » Fri Aug 19, 2022 8:08 am

Fire them fckers down into the neighbor's yard.

Postby **dodint** » Fri Aug 19, 2022 8:21 am

Yeah, the foreman was making a fuss about making a soft landing pad for them in the yard, by taking some shingles off first. Whatever man, let 'em fly. The grass will grow back.

Filling the neighbors pool has a nice sound to it, though.

Postby **Kane** » Fri Aug 19, 2022 8:41 am

Postby **Dickie Dunn** » Fri Aug 19, 2022 12:14 pm

Our budget payment gas bill has gone insane over the past year. I reached out to Peoples this morning after receiving notification that our payment next month will be nearly double of what it was last year and was informed that on 7/1 gas rates went from $4.56 to $8.71 per MCF. JFC. Hope my wife is looking forward to wearing a winter coat in the house.

Postby **Beveridge** » Fri Aug 19, 2022 12:42 pm

Our budget payment gas bill has gone insane over the past year. I reached out to Peoples this morning after receiving notification that our payment next month will be nearly double of what it was last year and was informed that on 7/1 gas rates went from $4.56 to $8.71 per MCF. JFC. Hope my wife is looking forward to wearing a winter coat in the house.

They are so stupid when it comes to that budget billing. I swear they look at the winter months as their guide instead of the whole year. They increase it every year, and my credit would increase every year. I turned that off in January knowing I'd be out soon after and it took until April for it to go away. But if you owe come December, you bet your ass they are there to collect.

Postby **NTP66** » Fri Aug 19, 2022 12:42 pm

Is this propane or natural gas? Either way, even $4.56 seems insanely high to me.

Postby **Beveridge** » Fri Aug 19, 2022 12:43 pm

Natural.

Postby **NTP66** » Mon Aug 22, 2022 11:13 am

They replaced water/sewer lines in our neighborhood a few years ago and did the patch job. Of course that material shrunk at a different rate than the existing material, so now there's a nice reverse speed bump going through the road.
I re-read the e-mail that my district rep sent me, and he mentioned that they would 'address any low spots before final resurfacing'. I sure as hell hope that yesterday's work was the low spot work, as there are no longer dips in the road, but the actual patch job looks half-assed. This can't possibly the final product...

Went to the store on Friday and saw that they milled the street, so their little patch work was just to address low spots. I literally cheered out loud when I saw this. That's how bad this road was, and how relieved I was to see that they were going to address it appropriately. They already repaved the next street over, and did a fantastic job joining the existing road.

Postby **robbiestoupe** » Mon Aug 22, 2022 11:30 am

Nice. They're doing utility work outside my home now, but it's just Armstrong laying fiber for higher speed internet. Just here to destroy our yards, not our road.

Postby **NTP66** » Mon Aug 22, 2022 11:33 am

Could be worse - could be Comcast...

Postby **robbiestoupe** » Mon Aug 22, 2022 11:57 am

Could be worse - could be Comcast...

I'm amazed at our choices here: Armstrong or Consolidated Communications. No Verizon or Comcast. Not that I need any ludicrous speed internet or a big name supplier, just curious to me.

Postby **mac5155** » Mon Aug 22, 2022 6:44 pm

Are you in butler area? We have Armstrong here in Connellsville. I have no complaints with them..

Postby **meow** » Mon Aug 22, 2022 7:27 pm

We had Armstrong in Erie. No complaints