Home Repairs

[A_B]

Professionals may love it. The easy shit that probably isn't worth their time gets handled. Or it doesn't and they can come in and fix it at a premium. And otherwise they can spend time on bigger revenue jobs.

[The Sybian]

Professionals may love it. The easy shit that probably isn't worth their time gets handled. Or it doesn't and they can come in and fix it at a premium. And otherwise they can spend time on bigger revenue jobs.

Good point, and they probably get bigger jobs when people break stuff doing simple repairs.

[Gunpowder]

So... GC and his plumbing supply experts are stumped. Best we/they can figure is that the leaky faucet was due to the bad/old cartridge, but the reduction in water pressure was something else. And whatever that something else is, it got worse during the work to take everything apart and replace the cartridge. Debris or something else in the plumbing? Cannot get a good flow to the faucet or the shower as-is.

So demo might start as early as today to take out the portion of the shower wall from the diverter to the faucet and replace the diverter and anything else as needed. Lucked into finding almost a perfect match of tile in stock at HD. And cheap, so if we need to buy extra to cut them all to match the existing size, we will.

Have you checked the pressure valves on the incoming water, and do both cold and hot water leak?

I'd have an actual plumber look at it before I started demo-ing the wall, that sounds kinda ridiculous to go there so quickly.

[rass]

Seems it was the diverter, where the water supply lines and the plumbing that leads to the faucet and shower all come together right where I tried to replace the cartridge. Still not sure if I effed up completely or exacerbated an issue that was already there (and maybe avoided an emergency by doing this now)?

New one is nicer, with dedicated shutoffs so if this ever comes up again we don’t have to shut down the water to the whole house. Shower should be usable tomorrow.

[The Sybian]

Seems it was the diverter, where the water supply lines and the plumbing that leads to the faucet and shower all come together right where I tried to replace the cartridge. Still not sure if I effed up completely or exacerbated an issue that was already there (and maybe avoided an emergency by doing this now)?

New one is nicer, with dedicated shutoffs so if this ever comes up again we don’t have to shut down the water to the whole house. Shower should be usable tomorrow.

Great, I'll stop by around noon. Should I bring my own towel?

[rass]

Leave to towel and bring your log.

[The Sybian]

Last night I noticed a weird smell upstairs last night. Kind of a cross between burned microwave popcorn and burning rubber. Finally realized it was coming from inside the drier. My daughter ran laundry last night, and I'm trying to figure out if she melted something in the drier, or if the drier is burning. Running a load now to see if I can locate the issue. If you read about a house fire in my town, notify the fire department. Thanks in advance.

[rass]

Last night I noticed a weird smell upstairs last night. Kind of a cross between burned microwave popcorn and burning rubber. Finally realized it was coming from inside the drier. My daughter ran laundry last night, and I'm trying to figure out if she melted something in the drier, or if the drier is burning. Running a load now to see if I can locate the issue. If you read about a house fire in my town, notify the fire department. Thanks in advance.

Venting all clear?

[The Sybian]

Last night I noticed a weird smell upstairs last night. Kind of a cross between burned microwave popcorn and burning rubber. Finally realized it was coming from inside the drier. My daughter ran laundry last night, and I'm trying to figure out if she melted something in the drier, or if the drier is burning. Running a load now to see if I can locate the issue. If you read about a house fire in my town, notify the fire department. Thanks in advance.

Venting all clear?

I disconnected and cleaned out the vent behind the drier about a month ago. Pulled out some lint, not too bad. Bigger issue I have in the winter is that the steam turns to water in the vent pipe as it runs through the attic. There is a dip in the line that can collect water, so I put a small hole and a bucket to drain it. I should probably have someone address that, but I don’t think that issue is related.

[mister d]

If you read about a house fire in my town, notify the fire department. Thanks in advance.

Sounds like you have excellent local news.

[A_B]

If you read about a house fire in my town, notify the fire department. Thanks in advance.

Sounds like you have excellent local news.

Yeah, but they're apparently assholes. "coming to you live from a house fire we didn't call the FD about, it's Moira Fier, WRSN"

[EnochRoot]

We have $1500 in roof repairs going on this morning. This, after I just dropped my wife off for jury duty.

I guess that's one of the times where jury duty might be slightly preferable (to the sound of four guys stomping around your roof for what I'm guessing will be 5-6 hours).

[Steve of phpBB]

Yeah, we had guys tromping on our roof a few weeks ago, and it drove the dog crazy all day.

This was to install solar panels. Our system went online last week - just in time for the Winter Solstice of course.

[Pruitt IV]

Door handle on my backdoor broke. Took the knob off and the mechanism has fallen apart.

Is this a major thing? Like do I need a whole new handle set, or can I simply replace the mechanisms?

[Brontoburglar]

if you buy a new door handle it may be easier to just install that in whole than trying to put your current one back together via a repair

[Gunpowder]

if you buy a new door handle it may be easier to just install that in whole than trying to put your current one back together via a repair

Most likely the case, depending on what happened with the old one and if you can even get a replacement for what you need.

Do you have a picture of your handle?

[A_B]

if you buy a new door handle it may be easier to just install that in whole than trying to put your current one back together via a repair

Most likely the case, depending on what happened with the old one and if you can even get a replacement for what you need.

Do you have a picture of your handle?

Damn. That's a little forward.

[Gunpowder]

[DSafetyGuy]

Looks like he and his door are going to touch them.

[rass]

I'm about to break my knob off

[mister d]

Thanks for the pubes, Sean.

[HaulCitgo]

cross between a spider and rat

[mister d]

And a hog.

[Brontoburglar]

oh hell yeah, got a ceiling crack going from the hall closet/pantry in the kitchen to the front wall by the door. textured ceiling too. I'm fairly sure it's because of the sustained below-zero temps we've had recently. time to cross off another accomplishment on the home repair list next week after another cold snap this weekend

[Nonlinear FC]

Unless you are doing something way above and beyond, which would be weird for door to the backyard... Just get a whole set and save yourself the hassle. Not that expensive, pretty easy install (as you probably already know, even if it was just disassembling it.)

[Pruitt IV]

if you buy a new door handle it may be easier to just install that in whole than trying to put your current one back together via a repair

That was definitely the case. It was shockingly easy to do

[Gunpowder]

oh hell yeah, got a ceiling crack going from the hall closet/pantry in the kitchen to the front wall by the door. textured ceiling too. I'm fairly sure it's because of the sustained below-zero temps we've had recently. time to cross off another accomplishment on the home repair list next week after another cold snap this weekend

Cover your floors

[Giff]

Any ideas why our master bed/bath/closet get so much colder than the rest of the house? We have the heater on and it's comfortable in the rest of the house, but about 20 degrees colder in there. The weird thing (to this idiot who knows nothing about home/car/any kind of repairs) is that I would expect the opposite to happen in the summer, but it doesn't. Yes, this has gone on for years and we've never done anything about it.

[The Sybian]

Any ideas why our master bed/bath/closet get so much colder than the rest of the house? We have the heater on and it's comfortable in the rest of the house, but about 20 degrees colder in there. The weird thing (to this idiot who knows nothing about home/car/any kind of repairs) is that I would expect the opposite to happen in the summer, but it doesn't. Yes, this has gone on for years and we've never done anything about it.

I have the same issue. I assume it's because the master is the last stop on the duct line. We also have a fun heat differential in my wife's office. First floor is the guestroom, which is tile directly on the concrete slab foundation. In the winter, the floors are very cold and the thermostat is downstairs. My wife's office in on the same furnace, but it heats to the temp of the downstairs room. We keep it set at 65, and it's freezing downstairs but gets up around 90 in her office. Had a couple HVAC people out, not much they can do. Only option is a dual thermostat and it'll go in-between the two temps, so if you set it at 65, it'd be 50 downstairs and 80 upstairs. If it worked. There is no flap in the ducts to adjust heat flow and closing the grates doesn't do much.

[Giff]

Any ideas why our master bed/bath/closet get so much colder than the rest of the house? We have the heater on and it's comfortable in the rest of the house, but about 20 degrees colder in there. The weird thing (to this idiot who knows nothing about home/car/any kind of repairs) is that I would expect the opposite to happen in the summer, but it doesn't. Yes, this has gone on for years and we've never done anything about it.

I have the same issue. I assume it's because the master is the last stop on the duct line. We also have a fun heat differential in my wife's office. First floor is the guestroom, which is tile directly on the concrete slab foundation. In the winter, the floors are very cold and the thermostat is downstairs. My wife's office in on the same furnace, but it heats to the temp of the downstairs room. We keep it set at 65, and it's freezing downstairs but gets up around 90 in her office. Had a couple HVAC people out, not much they can do. Only option is a dual thermostat and it'll go in-between the two temps, so if you set it at 65, it'd be 50 downstairs and 80 upstairs. If it worked. There is no flap in the ducts to adjust heat flow and closing the grates doesn't do much.

Jeez, that sounds like a pain.

[The Sybian]

Any ideas why our master bed/bath/closet get so much colder than the rest of the house? We have the heater on and it's comfortable in the rest of the house, but about 20 degrees colder in there. The weird thing (to this idiot who knows nothing about home/car/any kind of repairs) is that I would expect the opposite to happen in the summer, but it doesn't. Yes, this has gone on for years and we've never done anything about it.

I have the same issue. I assume it's because the master is the last stop on the duct line. We also have a fun heat differential in my wife's office. First floor is the guestroom, which is tile directly on the concrete slab foundation. In the winter, the floors are very cold and the thermostat is downstairs. My wife's office in on the same furnace, but it heats to the temp of the downstairs room. We keep it set at 65, and it's freezing downstairs but gets up around 90 in her office. Had a couple HVAC people out, not much they can do. Only option is a dual thermostat and it'll go in-between the two temps, so if you set it at 65, it'd be 50 downstairs and 80 upstairs. If it worked. There is no flap in the ducts to adjust heat flow and closing the grates doesn't do much.

Jeez, that sounds like a pain.

She is always cold, so it isn't horrible, and she just cracks the window when it gets too hot. And we have a portable space heater when people are down there in the winter.

[Sabo]

Any ideas why our master bed/bath/closet get so much colder than the rest of the house? We have the heater on and it's comfortable in the rest of the house, but about 20 degrees colder in there. The weird thing (to this idiot who knows nothing about home/car/any kind of repairs) is that I would expect the opposite to happen in the summer, but it doesn't. Yes, this has gone on for years and we've never done anything about it.

1. Is the master bed/bath/closet on the second floor, and if so, is it above the garage?

2. Have you checked your attic to see if it’s insulated above the cold rooms? If so, is the insulation consistent throughout the attic?

3. What kind of heater do you have? A forced air furnace? Electric baseboards? If the former, do you have a cold air return in the bedroom? And if so, is there any furniture or other items blocking the airflow to the cold air return?

[MaxWebster]

at the risk of this being a completely idiotic question (i just don't know) ...


what could/would be a reason that suddenly this winter in the finished part of our basement i'm getting water coming up from the ground? it's not on the walls but right in the middle of the floor i.e. through the shag (yeahbaby) carpet. it's fking freezing outside so i'd have thought everything would be frozen.

[Brontoburglar]

could the basement floor have cracked underneath?

[Giff]

Any ideas why our master bed/bath/closet get so much colder than the rest of the house? We have the heater on and it's comfortable in the rest of the house, but about 20 degrees colder in there. The weird thing (to this idiot who knows nothing about home/car/any kind of repairs) is that I would expect the opposite to happen in the summer, but it doesn't. Yes, this has gone on for years and we've never done anything about it.

1. Is the master bed/bath/closet on the second floor, and if so, is it above the garage?

2. Have you checked your attic to see if it’s insulated above the cold rooms? If so, is the insulation consistent throughout the attic?

3. What kind of heater do you have? A forced air furnace? Electric baseboards? If the former, do you have a cold air return in the bedroom? And if so, is there any furniture or other items blocking the airflow to the cold air return?

1. Yes.
2. No, but will check.
3. Not sure, but will check.

Appreciate it!

[The Sybian]

could the basement floor have cracked underneath?

Most likely. And the ground water probably isn't frozen. The ground retains heat.

[MaxWebster]

well...fuck.

can i ... just glue it?


(is there any chance this is a sump pump issue? we have one on the other side of the basement - the "ugly" side - although i've never seen any water there so i assume it's working...)

could the basement floor have cracked underneath?

Most likely. And the ground water probably isn't frozen. The ground retains heat.

[Brontoburglar]

have you seen/heard your sump go off? that's where I'd start to rule it out, anyway. worst case is you can pour some water down there to trigger the float

[MaxWebster]

thanks bronto and syb - i'll start looking at shit seriously tonight :/

[Brontoburglar]

the easiest fix in this case is that your sump isn't working and you just need to replace it and that solves the issue. I hope that's the play, anyway.

does your current one have a backup system/battery backup? it'd be rare if both pumps had failed if so.