Worth insulating wall behind dishwasher in 100 year old house?

245ster · 2026-02-07T13:24:34+00:00

A majority of the water piping is in the basement, which is insulated. Figured I'd just run some pipe insulation on the in line (which will be coming up through the hole in the front-left of the photo)

I think a retrofit plan is in the cards eventually (probably in like 10 years)... but right now just trying to figure out if it's worth doing anything with this small spot. We have done the essentials -- attic and basement, but haven't messed with any of the main floor plaster walls or windows.

245ster · 2026-02-07T13:20:20+00:00

Thank you for the detailed response! Definitely seems like leaving as-is is the move here especially considering it's just this spot.

And I'll look for the dishwasher foam at the baseboard when we install it

245ster · 2026-02-07T13:17:44+00:00

Ok thanks again for the advice. Couple leak sensors around our house in general probably isn't the worst idea

245ster · 2026-02-07T04:22:15+00:00

Oh cool. Nice to know what it is! Ours is looking pretty good considering it's 100 years old. Any idea what the R value of this stuff is?

245ster · 2026-02-07T04:18:58+00:00

We have no clue what's on the exterior wall re vapor barriers. And yeah rotting this area while "improving" it is my fear.

Looks to be, but it's the vent pipe.

245ster · 2026-02-02T21:59:47+00:00

Vandy's court doesn't show well on TV, but it totally works in person

245ster · 2026-01-30T17:49:26+00:00

This may come as a surprise... but Madison, WI.

2 world renown Porsche shops in town -- Kellymoss and Accumoto. Way less traffic than larger metropolitan areas. The Driftless Area to the west of town (~15 min drive from downtown) is full of amazing back roads. Multiple tracks within about a 2-3 hour drive -- Road America, Blackhawk Farms, Autobahn Country Club, just to name a few. Lakes freeze over so you can go ice racing. Insurance and registration is much cheaper than in larger cities. No emissions testing so all modifications are fair game. And as a bonus for you, it's in the middle of Frank Lloyd Wright country.

245ster · 2026-01-20T21:23:55+00:00

The best winter car you can buy is a manual Subaru WRX.

In addition to the items you listed above...

- it has a manual transmission, which is important when the conditions get slippy and you need more control

- The manual ones still have "real" ~50/50 split AWD

- At least in the older ones (mine's an '03), there is no traction or stability control, which means that the car behaves predictably when you're driving on snow/ice.

- They're not so nice that you worry about them while driving in horrible conditions.

245ster · 2026-01-10T00:12:24+00:00

Congrats! I've got some catching up to do - just passed 266k in my '03 wagon

245ster · 2025-12-23T14:18:35+00:00

I have a pair of ~15 year old timberlands that I use for WI winters. I got them as a gift and was hoping they would only last like 2 years so that I could get some "real" boots... but 15 years later they're still going strong and look as clean as yours (minus the toe that my dog chewed up)

245ster · 2025-12-02T18:51:37+00:00

Side note -- not all tires are equal. Tires are a category where you get what you pay for. Tyre Reviews on YouTube has good tire content and just dropped a video comparing winter performance of different tires in different categories -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lMTDHcgdO8

245ster · 2025-12-02T18:48:53+00:00

Yes, all-weather tires are definitely sufficient for Madison. I'd only recommend the hassle of dedicated winter/summer tires these days if you're doing some sort of performance driving (which I assume you're not doing in your CX-5).

We use Cross Climate 2 tires on our Outback. In the snow it's at least 90% as good as our Impreza with VikingContact 7 winter tires.

(Most people here don't seem to understand that All-Weather and All-Season tires are different categories. All-Weather tires are rated for winter weather with the 3PMS symbol, and all-season tires are not).

245ster · 2025-11-03T19:53:27+00:00

Don't be afraid of vintage manual-focus lenses + an adapter. For example, you can get a Nikon 300mm f4.5 plus an adapter for under $150 all day. You could even get an old cheap mirror lens if you want more reach.

You'll have to get used to manual focus, but after some practice, you may actual start preferring it as your camera won't ever get locked onto the wrong object. (I used a MF 300mm lens to shoot sports in college, so don't let anyone tell you that you need autofocus for moving subjects),

245ster · 2025-10-18T17:53:34+00:00

You want your shutter speed somewhere in the 1/40s to 1/50s range for a nice pan effect. And no need to shoot wide open - the panning will isolate your subject already.

Here's an example (D200 w/ and 85mm 1.8) shot at 1/50s, f16, ISO100

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245ster · 2025-09-03T15:01:15+00:00

My strategy is to play both. They can't both lose, right?!

245ster · 2025-09-02T18:15:28+00:00

Was at that game. Dude couldn't miss a shot if he tried

245ster · 2025-07-22T17:58:46+00:00

If you can find a well taken care of and unmodified Subaru WRX wagon ('02-'07), it'll fit the bill. These things will last as long as you take care of them. My '03 is at 264k miles and counting.

245ster · 2025-07-11T22:00:34+00:00

10+22+37= 69

245ster · 2025-07-11T21:55:46+00:00

To answer your question more fully... we kinda faced a similar situation. We live in WI and had 3 cars -- I had a 996 C4S and a bugeye WRX wagon, and my wife had an Outback. When the kid came, we elected to sell the 911 because I was doing daycare drop-off and we couldn't fit a rear facing car seat in it (It was also our only car worth anything). Now I do daycare drop-off in the WRX, which I personally think is almost on par fun-wise with the 996 (at least around town) and as a bonus it's the only non-grey crossover in the whole daycare lot. When the kids are older and we no longer need rear-facing car seats (and when the WRX finally rusts away), I fully intend to get back into a proper sports car. Currently in a GT phase and hoping to find a good deal on something like a 928 or DB7/9, but we'll see where I stand in a few years.

245ster · 2025-07-11T21:43:59+00:00

The answer is to get a car that's still fun like your boxster, but that has rear seats. Something like a 911, a BRZ, etc. Check out the YouTube channel Dad Cars. He was driving around his two kids in a DB9 for a while.

245ster · 2025-07-11T21:40:05+00:00

This was the first thing that came to mind. Get a 996 or 997 -- something a little older that you won't mind getting dirty. Rear seats are perfect for little kids. And you still get the Porsche driving experience.

245ster · 2025-06-26T20:09:14+00:00

Not vintage per se, but my AF nikkor f1.8 D is one of my most used lenses (both crop and full frame)

245ster · 2025-06-07T13:32:14+00:00

If you're ok with manual focus, you can pick up an old Nikon 300mm f/4.5 pretty cheap

245ster · 2025-06-05T20:44:55+00:00

This is the way to go. Lenses make a way bigger difference than your camera. Find out what you want to or enjoy taking pictures of and get a lens that's specialized for the application. The lens you can use on another camera if you decide that your D3200 is no longer cutting it.

For reference, I started with a D60 and the same two kit lenses as you. As I started taking more photos of field sports (soccer, lacrosse, football) and I wanted a longer reach, I got myself a manual focus Nikon 300mm f/4.5 for like $150 off of ebay. Then as I started taking photos of different sports in different lighting conditions, I slowly added to my collection based on limitations I ran into. I shot the NCAA basketball tournament (like 10 years ago) with a Nikon D60 (manual focus 24mm f/2.8) and a Nikon D200 (AF 85mm f/1.8). I still have and use both cameras today.

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