What Did You Do To Your House Recently?
Re: What Did You Do To Your House Recently?
The Water Heater from Hell. 5 days without a shower.
OK, I'm a lazy retired bum, what's the big deal. Well, aside from waking up a little more than I intended to when my foot went squish on a 2AM trip to the RR, I'm on Jury Duty and had the water heater install from hell. Soldered in place, well, unions, but you couldn't move it even after breaking them apart. Pitched from it's residence in the garage back towards the house so when it sprung a leak, it leaked into the house. Broken sill plate that should have mostly stopped it. Nothing I can't do, I've done my share, but no time W-F with jury duty and I had to do everything from build a new platform to replumb things. It was due, it was on my list, I was just hoping it would last until I got to it. Water is currently heating up and a hot shower awaits me in just a few.
I should add, I've installed a bunch over the years, from under the counter point of use to 100G commercial, and everything in between. But none of them took a fraction as long as this one.
OK, I'm a lazy retired bum, what's the big deal. Well, aside from waking up a little more than I intended to when my foot went squish on a 2AM trip to the RR, I'm on Jury Duty and had the water heater install from hell. Soldered in place, well, unions, but you couldn't move it even after breaking them apart. Pitched from it's residence in the garage back towards the house so when it sprung a leak, it leaked into the house. Broken sill plate that should have mostly stopped it. Nothing I can't do, I've done my share, but no time W-F with jury duty and I had to do everything from build a new platform to replumb things. It was due, it was on my list, I was just hoping it would last until I got to it. Water is currently heating up and a hot shower awaits me in just a few.
I should add, I've installed a bunch over the years, from under the counter point of use to 100G commercial, and everything in between. But none of them took a fraction as long as this one.
Re: What Did You Do To Your House Recently?
aHH, the glories of a dirt floored utility dungeon. I 'm on my 4 th or 5th 40 gallon propane water htr. I have streamlined the process with ball valves and unions. The last R+R was an easy afternoon including picking up the new htr from Loews. I have dispensed with the oldstyle globe valves in favor of ball valves for every water supply leaving the dungeon. Mike, back in the days before I stopped fixing The jury rigged stuff and replaced it with all new stuff. I wouldn't bother with un- sweating stuff, I just shut off the water and opened up stuff with a tubing cutter.The system wasn't pitched right. You can't sweat a pipe with water in it.
I'm rebuilding the raised beds with 6x6s salvaged from a retaining wall. They are random lengths, so I'm half lapping them.
I'm rebuilding the raised beds with 6x6s salvaged from a retaining wall. They are random lengths, so I'm half lapping them.
Last edited by a on May 14, 2018 8:39 PM, edited 1 time in total.
Re: What Did You Do To Your House Recently?
Sure you can, you just have to boil it out first. Yep. I didn't even think about keeping the ever so slightly leaking gate valve. I ran flex lines so it's like a union. I've got it pitched towards the garage, not the house, I had to replace a bunch of sheetrock so it's now got aluminum flashing all the way around. I say 15 minutes, but really no more than 2 hours if I have to do it again. Much more, but that's the executive summary.a wrote:You can't sweat a pipe with water in it.
Re: What Did You Do To Your House Recently?
Redid the kitchen in my place in Florida. Lower cabinets are IKEA, uppers are from Lowe's - couldn't do IKEA uppers due to the soffits above being only 12" deep, didn't want to deal with ripping them out. Kind of wish I did now though... But overall it looks good and works well for a tiny 8x9 galley kitchen. Added a slightly stupidly expensive 18" Swedish dishwasher, and a gigantic 48" drainboard sink. Did it all myself, with the help of a friend for a week. Got all the fancy drawer sides, dividers, and inserts too.
Before: Old kitchen by kevinr1916, on Flickr
After: Sink Side by kevinr1916, on Flickr
Stove side by kevinr1916, on Flickr
With backsplash completed: Backsplash 2 by kevinr1916, on Flickr
Before: Old kitchen by kevinr1916, on Flickr
After: Sink Side by kevinr1916, on Flickr
Stove side by kevinr1916, on Flickr
With backsplash completed: Backsplash 2 by kevinr1916, on Flickr
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Re: What Did You Do To Your House Recently?
Looks nice...good job! I really did the single drain board sink. Are you now going sans microwave?
Re: What Did You Do To Your House Recently?
Thanks! Only thing left is paint, but I can't decide on a color. I really like the sink too, it was a bit of a splurge... I got a smaller microwave on a stainless steel cart - built a cabinet for above it for glasses and such. It's across the dining area from the kitchen area.russellrh72 wrote:Looks nice...good job! I really did the single drain board sink. Are you now going sans microwave?
Coffee Cart by kevinr1916, on Flickr
Re: What Did You Do To Your House Recently?
Scored a Regency ceiling fan with a 4 light set up from Craigslist free stuff. I took it apart and replaced the single light fan in the front room. The old fan sans light will go into a wired fan box in the kitchen I had wired when I had an electrician in back in '02 when I last re-did the kitchen.
Re: What Did You Do To Your House Recently?
Installed an Idiot Bump in the garage, so the car is always perfectly positioned front to back.
It's positioned for the Mercedes, not tried to park the e28 in that spot yet...
It's positioned for the Mercedes, not tried to park the e28 in that spot yet...
Re: What Did You Do To Your House Recently?
Renovated a 1990’s craphole I bought for 130k and just now sold for 199k. Not as easy as it looks on TV, but I suggest everyone do it once.
Re: What Did You Do To Your House Recently?
Pics or it didn't happen. Seriously though, hat's off to you.oldskool wrote:Renovated a 1990’s craphole I bought for 130k and just now sold for 199k. Not as easy as it looks on TV, but I suggest everyone do it once.
Re: What Did You Do To Your House Recently?
Painting my house exterior. May get a photo when I'm finished but over 20+ hours in and I have a long ways to go still. This project is taking away from my other car project time!
Re: What Did You Do To Your House Recently?
Am in cool down mode. Last 2 days spent fixing the dryer. 95 and super muggy Sinus headache. I worked on it in briefs, I'd worked in 10 15 minutes. That would drench me in sweat so I couldn't see straight.Crazed on store brand pseudoefedrine , I dismembered the poor thing. Removed the top , front and sides. I was following the interweb wisdom that told to check for a bad door switch , then a few thermo fuses I had a schemtic that identified colors and fuses Everything worked as it should with a continuity test. Back to more interweb,. Turns out 21st century dryers can be reset by turning the timer to off and pushing the start button. Had the drum out. Taking it out was the beginning of the put together cycle. Typical 2 steps forward 1 step back stuff. moves. Good tutorial for future work when about 20 $ of parts come in.
Re: What Did You Do To Your House Recently?
Funny you should mention a ceiling fan. Just did one for our bedroom. A cluster as usual. Studfinder didn't show anything on the ceiling, so I bought a better one. Supposedly. New one still didn't show anything that made sense. 1st floor of a two story house. Turned out the ceiling joists weren't 2X10's, but some sort of engineered wood I beam. Thick plywood top and bottom with a OSB main web. 6" apart where I wanted the fan. A bit of repair work from where I tried to first cut out for the box, but not too bad and it works just in time for 112 yesterday. No wonder my upstairs floors squeak.a wrote:Scored a Regency ceiling fan with a 4 light set up from Craigslist free stuff. I took it apart and replaced the single light fan in the front room. The old fan sans light will go into a wired fan box in the kitchen I had wired when I had an electrician in back in '02 when I last re-did the kitchen.
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Re: What Did You Do To Your House Recently?
Hire a realtor.
What do I do with multiple sets of E12 6x14 turbines???
What do I do with multiple sets of E12 6x14 turbines???
Re: What Did You Do To Your House Recently?
Engineered floor joists, Mike, The twenty' foot I beam 2x12s only weigh about 50 lbs, yet they are code for 20 foot spans . My father did the same span with paired douglas fir 2x12s The ceiling sheet rock should be screwed into 1x3 strapping run at right angles to the joists. . Least thats how my addition was done. here is my experience with the electrician's bulk fan boxes on a flimsy strut that fatigued and broke within 2 yrs. I replaced it with a steel 4" round box screwed to 2 1x3s laid across the joist. then you screw it all together with 1 1/2 sheet rock screws. I've done 4 fans that way and the install is pains taking , but is a rugged install.
Re: What Did You Do To Your House Recently?
No 1X3's at right angles, the rock is just screwed into the I beam. Assuming the I beam flanges to be suitable for a 20 pound load, when split between two of them, I laid a shortie 2X4 on top of the I flange, screwed it at a 45 to the vertical webbing just to locate it, not to really support it, then the 4" round box to the 2X that is resting on the flanges.a wrote:Engineered floor joists, Mike, The twenty' foot I beam 2x12s only weigh about 50 lbs, yet they are code for 20 foot spans . My father did the same span with paired douglas fir 2x12s The ceiling sheet rock should be screwed into 1x3 strapping run at right angles to the joists. . Least thats how my addition was done. here is my experience with the electrician's bulk fan boxes on a flimsy strut that fatigued and broke within 2 yrs. I replaced it with a steel 4" round box screwed to 2 1x3s laid across the joist. then you screw it all together with 1 1/2 sheet rock screws. I've done 4 fans that way and the install is pains taking , but is a rugged install.
If I'd known what I was going to be looking at before hand, time would have been cut in half if not less. I'm sure they're adequate, perhaps better, but I doubt it, but I just don't like working with them. Of course the biggest problem was the 6.5 inch spacing between those two studs, again, more for not expecting it than it really being a problem.
Re: What Did You Do To Your House Recently?
I've evolved my go to fasteners from bailing wire to duck tape to sheet rock screws.
Re: What Did You Do To Your House Recently?
I keep them on hand, labeled in separate boxes, 1-1/8, 1-1/4, 1-5/8, 2", 2.5", 3", 3.75". Plus most of those sizes in galvy deck screws too.a wrote:I've evolved my go to fasteners from bailing wire to duck tape to sheet rock screws.
Re: What Did You Do To Your House Recently?
Straightened up the garage a bit...
... and figured it was about time I put one of these out there. Just in case.
... and figured it was about time I put one of these out there. Just in case.
Re: What Did You Do To Your House Recently?
Good call! Every garage should have a doorbell.e28Sean wrote:... and figured it was about time I put one of these out there. Just in case.
Re: What Did You Do To Your House Recently?
You think you are funny... don’t you?Karl Grau wrote:Good call! Every garage should have a doorbell.
Re: What Did You Do To Your House Recently?
Julie decided to replace the downstairs carpets with hardwoods, and to replace the upstairs carpets with new.
I decided to rip and and replace all the circa 1999-2002 electronics in the house. All my "do it yourself" stuff, including a panelized Lutron lighting system, and Crestron AV control is gone. It will all be replaced with Control4. Also upgrading all my speakers, receivers, and TVs.
We are doing both projects at the same time. Duh.
Leading up to this insanity we cleaned the house of 16 years of kids crap. I lost count of the dump and donation runs we made. House feels lighter, for sure. Kind of like an E28 with its interior stripped out.
It'll still be a few weeks before it's done. Assholes and elbows every day, all day. We can't live in the house right now because almost no lighting works (and there are no carpets). At least my garage is still functional, although I have to use a 7 foot stick to turn on and off the lights. We're staying in a hotel.
I decided to rip and and replace all the circa 1999-2002 electronics in the house. All my "do it yourself" stuff, including a panelized Lutron lighting system, and Crestron AV control is gone. It will all be replaced with Control4. Also upgrading all my speakers, receivers, and TVs.
We are doing both projects at the same time. Duh.
Leading up to this insanity we cleaned the house of 16 years of kids crap. I lost count of the dump and donation runs we made. House feels lighter, for sure. Kind of like an E28 with its interior stripped out.
It'll still be a few weeks before it's done. Assholes and elbows every day, all day. We can't live in the house right now because almost no lighting works (and there are no carpets). At least my garage is still functional, although I have to use a 7 foot stick to turn on and off the lights. We're staying in a hotel.
Re: What Did You Do To Your House Recently?
Chas is f*ing hilarious.e28Sean wrote:You think you are funny... don’t you?Karl Grau wrote:Good call! Every garage should have a doorbell.
Re: What Did You Do To Your House Recently?
Ummm...cek wrote:We can't live in the house right now because almost no lighting works (and there are no carpets). At least my garage is still functional, although I have to use a 7 foot stick to turn on and off the lights. We're staying in a hotel.
Re: What Did You Do To Your House Recently?
Don't you fret. There is a plan A, B, and C.vinceg101 wrote:Ummm...cek wrote:We can't live in the house right now because almost no lighting works (and there are no carpets). At least my garage is still functional, although I have to use a 7 foot stick to turn on and off the lights. We're staying in a hotel.