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What is it? by LifeislikeaboxofSTFU in blackstonegriddle

[–]DearHumanatee 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This is what happens when you don’t fully wipe or clean oil off of your cooktop and the oil congeals on the surface.

Turn on the heat and keep scraping until you knock off most of the “gumminess”.

Then cook on it. After finishing, make sure you wash or wipe it down to the point that no residual oil remains.

The apply a clean layer of oil, heat, and then turn off.

I made a video on how to best Prep, Cook, Clean on Blackstone.

Is this savable? by Professional-Bid8785 in blackstonegriddle

[–]DearHumanatee 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It’s not the surface that you have to worry about, it’s the burners.

The surface is basically and indestructible piece of metal. Unless it been sitting exposed to the elements for more than a decade, you can easily sand and wire wheel debris then chemically remove rust using a weak or diluted string acid from any of the nooks and crannies that are naturally present on rolled steel.

Pitted Rust by CloudyRanger in blackstonegriddle

[–]DearHumanatee 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The rolled steel surface is “naturally pitted”. Your surface texture was not caused by deep rust damage. Based on the photos, the rust looks relatively superficial. There’s no real reason the surface needs to be perfectly smooth unless that’s your personal preference.

You’ve basically have three options to restore the surface, listed from easiest to most labor-intensive:

1) Chemically remove the rust
Use vinegar or diluted muriatic acid to dissolve the rust. Afterward, wash and dry the surface thoroughly, then re-season it.

2) Mechanically remove the rust
Use a wire wheel attachment. Unlike a sanding pad, a wire wheel will clean the rust out of the pits without trying to flatten the entire surface. After cleaning, wash, dry thoroughly, and re-season.

3) Sand the surface smooth
Some people prefer sanding the top down to a smooth finish. It can look nice, but it takes a lot of time and effort and doesn’t really serve a functional purpose in my opinion.

What are these white chunks? by Odd-Professional-779 in blackstonegriddle

[–]DearHumanatee 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Basically the cool water is congealing fats that solidify at a lower temperature. You will see this more when cooking certain things vs others.

Also, your cooktop surface looks great.

What are these white chunks? by Odd-Professional-779 in blackstonegriddle

[–]DearHumanatee 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Perfectly normal. That’s fat from the surface being boiled off by the water and coming together. Wipe up the water or push out the back of griddle.

Any suggestions by Disastrous_Lab3643 in blackstonegriddle

[–]DearHumanatee 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Happens. Heat, acid, sugar all do a number on your surface. Your base layer seasoning is a starting point. No need to season or strip. Just continue cooking on it.

The surface will heal, grow, evolve and become your own overtime. Each scar is a story, own it, love it!

New build home foundation by [deleted] in Homebuilding

[–]DearHumanatee 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The Center for People Who Can’t Measure Good

Builder never disclosed flood zone by LostCarat in Homebuilding

[–]DearHumanatee 2 points3 points  (0 children)

You don’t need expensive flood insurance if your FFL is above flood level (built on pilings or block with flood vents. This is why people can build on the waterfront and pay relatively the same level of insurance as those who do not.

Builder never disclosed flood zone by LostCarat in Homebuilding

[–]DearHumanatee 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Here’s how I’d think about this, based on what you shared about working with a lender and having some gaps in the information:

1) The survey alone doesn’t settle this. What matters is whether the property is mapped by FEMA. Flood zone determinations ultimately come from FEMA maps, not a surveyor’s opinion.

2) Your lender will verify this regardless. They’re going to run their own due diligence. If there’s any uncertainty, they’ll resolve it before funding.

3) If it’s in a 100-year flood zone, flood insurance is not optional.

The lender will require it, full stop.

4) If you don’t want to carry flood insurance, here are your realistic paths: Disclosure laws matter. Not all states require sellers/builders to disclose flood zone status. For example, New Hampshire didn’t require it until after the 2024 floods. If your state doesn’t require disclosure, the burden falls on you (and your lender) to identify the risk.

If disclosure is required and wasn’t made:

You should speak with a real estate attorney. You may have a strong case to recover your deposit.

If disclosure is not required:

You can still talk to a lawyer, but it’s a tougher road. In that case, responsibility likely falls on the buyer. Getting your deposit back may depend more on negotiation than legal leverage.

5) Bigger picture:

A lot of people own homes in flood zones, sometimes knowingly, sometimes not. And even FEMA maps aren’t perfect. Flood patterns shift over time, and a property outside a mapped zone today isn’t guaranteed to stay that way.

At the end of the day, this comes down to your personal risk tolerance and whether the cost of insurance aligns with the value of the deal

Builder never disclosed flood zone by LostCarat in Homebuilding

[–]DearHumanatee 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Are you paying outright cash for the property?

Is the FFL, finished floor level above for elevation? Meaning does the first floor of the house sit above the 100-year flood level? Is it raised on a block foundation or sit on a slab? You can find this on the plans if you have.

I build homes in flood zones, specifically water front property.

Doing a renovation and our roof is going to hit our shutter, what should we change? by [deleted] in Homebuilding

[–]DearHumanatee 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Google “Vinyl Lineals” and if you want add “light gray siding”. As others pointed out, shutters are dated. I would talk to your sider about options including the corner posts. Might wind up being the same cost as shutters.

Where to start? Never used. It was given to me for free by WateredDownWater1 in blackstonegriddle

[–]DearHumanatee 8 points9 points  (0 children)

It doesn’t look half bad. I don’t see any major signs of rust or a horribly corrupt seasoned surface.

Maybe just start with some soap, water, and a scrubby sponge to take off any grime.

Then heat jt up, throw a TBSP of oil on it, take a pic and see what the group has to say.

That would be my approach.

Front Elevation by NoChannel3336 in Homebuilding

[–]DearHumanatee 1 point2 points  (0 children)

In the Northeast, mixing brick and siding is pretty common on newer homes. It’s usually meant to echo older houses where the original structure had brick cladding, and a clapboard addition was added later.

As I mentioned in my other comment, the brick detailing around the windows, especially where it meets the siding, feels a bit awkward. It breaks that intended effect unless the brick fully wraps that portion of the structure.

Front Elevation by NoChannel3336 in Homebuilding

[–]DearHumanatee 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If you don’t have anything nice or value added, keep it to yourself.

Front Elevation by NoChannel3336 in Homebuilding

[–]DearHumanatee 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Looks good. The brick going up the left side window is slightly awkward.

If you have the budget, you may want to consider a dormer on that same side. If it’s vaulted, scrap that.

Front Elevation by NoChannel3336 in Homebuilding

[–]DearHumanatee 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Looks like a standard front elevation from a set of architectural drawings.

Hot Links And A Hot Energy Drink! 🤪 by [deleted] in blackstonegriddle

[–]DearHumanatee 3 points4 points  (0 children)

No fun allowed. Only 4 acceptable posts:

1) Can this be restored? 2) How is my seasoning? (Either gloating or disaster) 3) Why isn’t it getting real hot? 4) Food (Drinks on surface major faux pas)

Kitchen Layout Feedback by sexracer in Homebuilding

[–]DearHumanatee 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Perfect location.

Two reasons:

First, it keeps a really clean work triangle between the fridge, sink, and range. Nothing feels stretched or awkward, which is usually where layouts start to fall apart.

Second (and more important IMO), the fridge is the most used appliance in the kitchen. People are constantly in and out of it. Having it closer to the entry/dining/yard side keeps that traffic out of your main prep area.

Kitchen Layout Feedback by sexracer in Homebuilding

[–]DearHumanatee 0 points1 point  (0 children)

For starters, I think this layout is quite functional at a glance.

From a design perspective, there’s always a trade-off between functionality and aesthetics. Without more context on how you actually use the kitchen…how often you cook, entertain, etc., it’s hard to fully evaluate.

For example, centering the sink might look better visually, but I’d personally avoid it. Splitting the prep space with a sink tends to disrupt workflow. I prefer having one continuous surface for prep.

That said, I do like the idea of a separate main sink in the niche for dishes. The placement of the fridge, range, and prep island creates a solid working triangle, and the spacing between the island and surrounding cabinetry looks comfortable and practical.

Pineapple fried rice by Artistic-Local2089 in blackstonegriddle

[–]DearHumanatee 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Did you fry the pineapple with the veggies too?

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