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Harriet Carker posted:$250 a piece for roof box vents - reasonable? They are recommending 4 for about 1000 square feet. Is there a reason they aren't doing ridge venting? I've had both and much prefer the ridge vents, they are easier to install imo too.
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Jul 21, 2022 19:36
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Yooper posted:Is there a reason they aren't doing ridge venting? I've had both and much prefer the ridge vents, they are easier to install imo too. Because the service is being offered by an insulation contractor in the course of replacing attic insulation, not a roofer replacing a roof. Retrofitting a ridge vent at a time when the roof isn't being replaced doesn't seem like a great idea. It may also require extensive soffit work depending on how open it is or isn't already. Box vents are easy, quick, cheap, and don't require a lot of fuss to immediately make things better.
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Jul 21, 2022 19:42
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Harriet Carker posted:$250 a piece for roof box vents - reasonable? They are recommending 4 for about 1000 square feet.  PainterofCrap posted:I would drop down that recessed light & its box closest to the sink, & see/feel around up there to determine the run direction of the floor joists above. You should be able to reach up in there with a spade bit & an extension (if there is a joist blocking your way) & drill a hole through for a wire, if necessary. ACTUALLY I just remembered as I'm typing this that I have proper prints for the house too. I can probably pretty easily see. e: Nope, prints don't really show it. I'll try to pull down the one potlight and take a looksee. slidebite fucked around with this message at 19:58 on Jul 21, 2022 |
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Jul 21, 2022 19:51
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Dumb question, I have a back covered patio that has recessed LED puck lights. I have access via the attic to the entire patio area wiring. I want to add a fan. Would any problems (electrical or otherwise) be caused by tying the wiring for the fan into the lights so the switch turns both on? I would assume not but am still in the planning stages
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Jul 21, 2022 20:03
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Motronic posted:Because the service is being offered by an insulation contractor in the course of replacing attic insulation, not a roofer replacing a roof. Retrofitting a ridge vent at a time when the roof isn't being replaced doesn't seem like a great idea. It may also require extensive soffit work depending on how open it is or isn't already. If there is insufficient soffit venting wouldn't that be an issue for either one? Box venting still requires holes cut in the middle of the roof, unless what I think is a box vent is something different? edit : I'm not being combative, genuinely curious and trying to educate myself.
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Jul 21, 2022 20:12
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Yooper posted:If there is insufficient soffit venting wouldn't that be an issue for either one? They do require proper intake air to do the job well, but it's a much lower bar for them to do "something" compared to a ridge vent. With box vents you could just open up the soffit under each one and it would work (with baffles to keep the insulation out of the way, which I assume the insulation guys will install). This is mostly because they're fairly large and close enough is gonna get you something. Ridge vents really need a lot of careful work, a lot more soffit vents, baffles in all of them, etc because they're a lot smaller. For a soffit vent to work you really need to get everything right so the convection starts dragging air through across the entire underside of the roof. A properly set up and installed ridge vent is MUCH better than even the best installed box vents IMO, it's just a lot bigger job and typically not done unless you're replacing a roof. I do'nt even want to think about trying to cut sheathing across the entire ridge of an already-shingled roof.
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Jul 21, 2022 20:19
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Motronic posted:Because the service is being offered by an insulation contractor in the course of replacing attic insulation, not a roofer replacing a roof Yep, that’s right. I talked them down to $200 per and decided to go ahead with it. Scope creep, as always, is very real. But I figure if I’m going to get this done, might as well do it right.
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Jul 21, 2022 20:21
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Anyone ever plumbed in a refrigerator ice maker? I got my new fridge yesterday and it has a ice maker. The old one of course did not, having been manufactured in 1977. The utility room is right underneath the kitchen so I'm thinking I'll go down instead of through the cabinets and behind the stove, but I'm still going to have to route the supply tube a fair distance to find a water line, as they're all on the opposite wall. Is this a reasonably easy DIY plumbing project or should I call a pro?
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Jul 21, 2022 20:39
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PremiumSupport posted:Is this a reasonably easy DIY plumbing project or should I call a pro? Completely unknowable without knowing your level of plumbing skills. Do NOT use a saddle valve kit. They will leak and flood your poo poo eventually. They always do. You probably want to install a nice wall mount box with a valve and water hammer suppressor like this: https://www.supplyhouse.com/Bluefin-IB050PX-HA-1-2-PEX-Crimp-Ice-Machine-Outlet-Box-w-Water-Hammer-Arrestor
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Jul 21, 2022 20:45
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Yeah, unfortunately a box like that is out of the question. The wall behind the fridge is a shared wall between units (dulpex) so no pipe in wall. It's going to have to drilled through the floor, probably copper tubing as it will keep the hole small and the fridge doesn't have the correct fittings for plastic/pex tubing. None of the existing supply pipes are pex either, it's all copper and I've never soldered pipe. The last time I had a plumber in to tap one (whole house humidifier) he used a saddle valve, should I be worried about it?
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Jul 21, 2022 21:52
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PremiumSupport posted:The last time I had a plumber in to tap one (whole house humidifier) he used a saddle valve, should I be worried about it? Yes, you should. You should hire a better plumber to fix the humidifier hookup and to install the ice maker hookup.
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Jul 21, 2022 21:56
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Motronic posted:They do require proper intake air to do the job well, but it's a much lower bar for them to do "something" compared to a ridge vent. Cool, that's a great explanation. Thanks!
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Jul 21, 2022 22:00
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The low skill option that's not a saddle valve is cutting into an existing run of pipe, and putting in a either a Sharkbite T + 1/4 stop valve or a combination fitting like the one below. https://www.homedepot.com/p/SharkBi...4983A/206356284 Minimum tools required would be pipe cutter, something to ream and deburr the cut pipe, and adjustable wrenches for the actual compression fitting for the 1/4 line. Sharkbite fittings have been around a long time now and are reliable as long as you make sure you've got a square reamed/deburred cut and you seat the fitting fully.
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Jul 21, 2022 22:09
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Depending how deep the alcove/fridge is, it's possible to have the supply and hammer suppressor on a stub out of the floor. Here is mine - I did work on my fridge so I'm checking behind it daily for leaks before I button it up. Personally, I'd hire a plumber but I'm very risk adverse when it comes to working with water.
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Jul 21, 2022 22:46
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Plumber hired. Thanks all!
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Jul 21, 2022 22:53
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Harriet Carker posted:Yep, that’s right. I talked them down to $200 per and decided to go ahead with it. Scope creep, as always, is very real. But I figure if I’m going to get this done, might as well do it right. You will not regret this decision unless they don't properly install them and they leak in which case you will. It means the hot air in your attic can convection its way out and your house will cool down faster when the sun goes down.
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Jul 21, 2022 23:16
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well, my new metal roof is half done and my upstairs temperature is already down to a point where the AC can cope with it. I got the most reflective option which might have been overkill, but now I can chill out upstairs and look down on the peasants who are blinded by the light reflecting off my shiny new roof
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Jul 22, 2022 00:41
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Insulation done. They ended up installing 7 roof box vents instead of 4 and not charging me extra so that was a cool surprise. The crawl space is so clean and lovely now! Hoping I did this just in time for the heat dome that’s supposed to hit next week.
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Jul 22, 2022 01:48
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Tunicate posted:well, my new metal roof is half done and my upstairs temperature is already down to a point where the AC can cope with it. Buy your neighbors sunglasses so they can 
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Jul 22, 2022 01:50
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MetaJew posted:I got my siding and windows replaced a few weeks ago on my 1991 builder house. They tore off this cheap wood-product siding that was rotten around the base from the previous owner not having gutters and water splashing up against it. Then they installed 1/2" foam sheeting, a Tyvek wrap, and 8" (I think) hardie planks. I also opted for some black Andersen 100 "fibrex" windows, that at least aesthetically I really like. Thanks for the info! That all seems like good advice.
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Jul 22, 2022 03:03
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I bought this house and they were adamant that the fireplace is as-is and that it's not functional. I'm trying to get it functional and get a chimney person out here to get mine inspected and cleaned. I'm expecting them to try to sell me on a liner, but is that super necessary? Those stainless steel liners are pretty new inventions and people have had fireplaces for a thousand years. Seems to me that if you have a clean flue that you should be good to go. Can any of you speak to this?
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Jul 22, 2022 16:22
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WILDTURKEY101 posted:I bought this house and they were adamant that the fireplace is as-is and that it's not functional. I'm trying to get it functional and get a chimney person out here to get mine inspected and cleaned. I'm expecting them to try to sell me on a liner, but is that super necessary? Those stainless steel liners are pretty new inventions and people have had fireplaces for a thousand years. Seems to me that if you have a clean flue that you should be good to go. Can any of you speak to this? If you have cracks/defects in your masonry you have to fix it. One of those ways is a liner. People also used to die in chimney started house fires all the time. They should be able to point out physical defects and clear options for remediation. If the defects are out of physical reach then a liner may be the cheapest way to make it functional. You can always get a second opinion.
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Jul 22, 2022 16:28
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H110Hawk posted:If you have cracks/defects in your masonry you have to fix it. One of those ways is a liner. People also used to die in chimney started house fires all the time. ok thanks. I'm coming up on one year of owning a house and I'm finding that there is a very small space between going "ahhhh it'll be fine" and having a huge problem down the line, or just getting ripped off when it comes to stuff I can't DIY.
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Jul 22, 2022 17:07
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WILDTURKEY101 posted:ok thanks. I'm coming up on one year of owning a house and I'm finding that there is a very small space between going "ahhhh it'll be fine" and having a huge problem down the line, or just getting ripped off when it comes to stuff I can't DIY. There are certainly dishonest trades people around but anyone recommending something should be able to talk about it in a way that doesn't make you feel pressured, dumb, or dismissed. It's also important to treat them that way as well, you can always say thank you for the written bid you need to think it over. Sign up for facedoor and ask a local group for suggestions on trades. You will quickly find out who are the go to people in your area. You can follow up with what specifically they had done and why they liked them. To use a bfc example - I have complicated taxes. Asking for a tax person results in a LOT of people suggesting themselves (no), or who have taxes no more complicated than a 1040-ez (when that was a thing) and are victims of turbotax's fraud upon america. Those suggestions are worthless to me. For you? Find someone whose chimney person said no liner needed. Hopefully that's a good starting point for people who aren't just pushing liners.
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Jul 22, 2022 17:19
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A lot of chimney service businesses have cameras now so they can show you exactly what is wrong with your chimney. For example, I have two chimneys, one is in great shape and the other the original clay liner wasn't installed correctly back in the 1950s (I'm guessing previous owners knew this, the liner was completely clean like it had never been used). They snapped some photos and showed me the difference between a good looking original liner and my liner. You don't need to lead with 'I want a functional chimney'. You can just ask for a safety inspection, which avoids indicating that there is an upsell opportunity. Just say 'I want to know if I can use this chimney safely, otherwise I just won't be using it.' They likely do these kinds of inspections/services all the time.
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Jul 22, 2022 17:27
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It may depend on your local regs too. I live in Maryland and when we had a chimney company out to check our fireplace (house built in the 40's) they said they'd have to put in a liner if they did anything as it was a code requirement now. We also had to have a PVC liner in our other chimney/vent put in when we got a new furnace about 8 years ago.
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Jul 22, 2022 22:22
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There's a ton of places where hvac ducting has been run over big runs of electrical wire in my basement. So when we go to rewire in the next few years I assume that will be "neat"
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Jul 22, 2022 23:17
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Danhenge posted:There's a ton of places where hvac ducting has been run over big runs of electrical wire in my basement. So when we go to rewire in the next few years I assume that will be "neat" Is uhhh that not kosher?  (cries in rats nest of wiring that was hidden in the drop ceiling that wasn't checked during inspection)
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Jul 23, 2022 01:17
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Exterior painting question. I've got cedar vertical channel rustic siding. It overlaps each plank similar to tongue and groove but with a channel between the planks for aesthetics.   Wood is in good shape. I'm prepping for paint and in the scrape/sand/caulk phase. Should I caulk every seam? That would be ~180 feet around the house of 10' high siding (14 peak at the ends), 2 seams per foot running vertically. It seems excessive but if it's the right thing to do, I'll do it. Currently it doesn't appear caulked, but the paint looks to have filled most of the gaps. The seams are vertical and we don't really get driving rain here in Seattle. My eaves hang over about 5-6' so the siding stays pretty dry when it's raining. Part of me really wants to just wash and paint but I can't let myself shortcut. I know prep will make it last longer and look better.
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Jul 23, 2022 01:21
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Danhenge posted:There's a ton of places where hvac ducting has been run over big runs of electrical wire in my basement. So when we go to rewire in the next few years I assume that will be "neat" I mean if you're re-wiring what's the problem? Cut it off and use it as fish tape in the walls where you need to, abandon whatever you can't reach.
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Jul 23, 2022 01:24
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Verman posted:Exterior painting question. Are you sure? No offense, but that looks a whole lot like a modified version of T1-11. including in your closeup. In which case you only have an actual gap every 4 feet because those are just 4x sheets of fancy plywood. And your closeup wasn't one of those edges if this is the case. The soffit stuff absolutely looks like real actual wood and is beautiful. But that siding....I don't think it's that.
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Jul 23, 2022 01:33
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H110Hawk posted:I mean if you're re-wiring what's the problem? Cut it off and use it as fish tape in the walls where you need to, abandon whatever you can't reach. There are a few dozen spots where the current runs seem to come out through the floor/wall above the ducting, but I suppose it might not be as irritating as I fear. The real kicker is truly the crawl spaces with some questionable asbestos pipe wrap where the old wiring runs are without simple overhead access.
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Jul 23, 2022 02:46
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Danhenge posted:There are a few dozen spots where the current runs seem to come out through the floor/wall above the ducting, but I suppose it might not be as irritating as I fear. Yeah that sounds sketch. Good luck.
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Jul 23, 2022 02:53
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Motronic posted:Are you sure? No offense, but that looks a whole lot like a modified version of T1-11. including in your closeup. In which case you only have an actual gap every 4 feet because those are just 4x sheets of fancy plywood. And your closeup wasn't one of those edges if this is the case. 100%. The siding is definitely channel rustic boards and not paneling. This spot is above the garage door where you can see the individual boards.  This photo is from a wood vendor but what's on the house. I've got a few scrap pieces floating around somewhere and they look identical.  House was built in '55 and while it was likely a mid/budget house for the time, it still used a lot of real materials from the northwest. Lots of clear cedar and Douglas fir. It's a post and beam roof with exposed beams (6"x9") and (3x6") t&g car decking for the ceiling/roof and soffit/eaves. I can't even fathom what it would cost to build just in materials today. Seeing the "ye olde English village" outdoor light makes me hate it the more I see it. My wife and I are trying to bring the house back to it's original mid century styling with more appropriate finishes. Verman fucked around with this message at 05:23 on Jul 23, 2022 |
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Jul 23, 2022 05:18
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Verman posted:100%. The siding is definitely channel rustic boards and not paneling. This spot is above the garage door where you can see the individual boards. Is there building envelope under that paneling? If so it should be caulked/taped already if your codes are like Canada, and if not I dunno... surely they wouldn't have caulked that originally right?
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Jul 23, 2022 05:41
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PO fuckeryCancerCakes posted:Interlude 1 - why is it raining inside?
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Jul 23, 2022 06:29
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It's hard to say because we've only been in the house a year and have never busted open an exterior wall but my guess is tar paper. The reason I say this is the garage (which I think was added a few years later) is unfinished and I can see the marriage between the two. The exterior wall of the house that is shared with the garage has 1x7" horizontal shiplap on the garage side and is covered with super thick tar paper. I think this was the house's original exterior wall before the garage was added. The exterior walls of the garage go (from inside to outside) standard 2x4 studs, 1x7 shiplap, tar paper, and the vertical cedar channel siding. I can tell the paper is there because there's a knot in the shiplap that you can see the paper on the other side. I think the shiplap was the original sheathing vs homes now sheathed with OSB stand board. My guess is the rest of the house is the same way. From my Google fu, tar paper was a common moisture barrier for the time 1955. Coming from someone who only ever saw 1980/90s houses built with cardboard and vinyl, the overbuilt nature of a 50s home is shocking. Every trade pro we've had in the house has complemented the construction and materials. The last painter kept complementing the post and beam and how he appreciated the choices of mid century styling to highlight the building materials vs hiding them under drywall.
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Jul 23, 2022 06:53
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If you don't have moisture intrusion problems then the eaves and tar paper are handling it fine. No need to caulk prior to painting IMO
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Jul 23, 2022 07:05
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Verman posted:It's hard to say because we've only been in the house a year and have never busted open an exterior wall but my guess is tar paper. The reason I say this is the garage (which I think was added a few years later) is unfinished and I can see the marriage between the two. I appreciate the response. I have no experience with stuff of that era (I worked in modern construction with tyvek etc) so I have no recommendations to make. I have to say my knee jerk reaction is that trying to seal something that wasn't designed for it is going to be a bad idea.
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Jul 23, 2022 07:07
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I've never ever heard of anyone caulking seams on wooden house paneling, it honestly sounds utterly bizarre to me. Seems to me caulking like that would make it more likely to trap moisture behind it.
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Jul 23, 2022 07:56
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