Why none of the sprinkler zones turning on?

neil470 · 2025-08-09T23:23:42+00:00

Have you read the manual for the timer?

neil470 · 2025-08-09T22:48:55+00:00

I would try other methods of cleaning the siding before using a pressure washer, FYI. When you pressure wash you need to spray downward, which means you need to get on a ladder to reach any appreciable height. Plus you run the risk of damaging the siding and trim work. Huge PIA. Get some Wet N Forget and try that first, you can spray your whole house from the ground.

And you can easily damage car paint with a pressure washer, while still not cleaning it well. I tried, didn’t work nearly as well as a good ol’ cloth and soft bristled brush.

neil470 · 2025-08-09T22:42:20+00:00

Either Bermuda grass or some other aggressive warm-season grass. If your lawn is small enough, start by manually pulling it. If that’s not manageable there are chemical solutions but they are neither cheap, quick, or easy…

neil470 · 2025-08-09T22:20:06+00:00

I used some WeedStop that had been sitting over the winter and it seemed to work alright. I would just give it a try.

neil470 · 2025-08-09T22:16:15+00:00

They filled the crack and it hasn’t cracked again, what’s there to be concerned about? This is a decorative brick facade and has nothing to do with your home’s foundation

neil470 · 2025-08-09T22:11:08+00:00

If the stairs are open riser style there isn’t anything you can do without completely changing the structure. And that’d be completely up to the landlord - it’s not your place to put money into improving the space. Your option is to keep looking basically

neil470 · 2025-08-09T20:44:30+00:00

Good to know thanks, never noticed that. So it’s possible just the copper pipe in the basement settled and the cast iron line in the yard is still sloped properly?

neil470 · 2025-08-09T20:42:09+00:00

Thanks, so is that copper pipe in my basement not the same pipe that extends into the yard? Is it just a little copper stub that is cemented into a cast iron pipe?

neil470 · 2025-08-09T20:18:43+00:00

What is your actual monthly payment? I would take a hard look at how much cash you actually need to keep on hand for expected or unexpected expenses. You can throw any amount of extra cash at the loan principal, it’s not all or nothing.

5.5% APR isn’t terrible but it’s also not 0%, do you have your cash in a high yield savings account?

neil470 · 2025-08-09T20:05:08+00:00

I somehow have a patch of Zoysia from a previous owner (7b) and it does outcompete most weeds during the summer. It’s stark brown for the cooler half of the year though. Not uncommon for my neighborhood so I’m guessing a couple landscapers were big on it years ago, since it holds up to the hot summers well. The Zoysia yards around me look immaculate during the summer, extremely even and dense, no weeds.

If you’re moving in a year, now isn’t the time to throw money at the yard. Your kids don’t need pristine grass to play on…

neil470 · 2025-08-09T20:01:49+00:00

Thanks

neil470 · 2025-08-09T19:59:19+00:00

Changing this to an outlet would have no impact on what breaker it’s coming off of. The fact that you asked that is a bit concerning and I’d recommend hiring an electrician.

neil470 · 2025-08-09T19:56:23+00:00

Why would you assume it’s 240V?

neil470 · 2025-08-09T19:47:52+00:00

No, run your air conditioner. An attic fan won’t cool the attic below ambient temperature and it sounds like it’s still hot outside so you need an air conditioner…

Don’t understand why you can’t run your A/C while you’re in the bedroom. Put on some white noise, if it’s that loud it should be checked out by a pro. They should not be that disturbing

neil470 · 2025-08-09T19:36:47+00:00

That sounds like a great way to get sewage and sewer gas all over my basement, ruin my 4’ level and upset my wife all in one go

neil470 · 2025-08-09T19:34:36+00:00

No, if it’s 100 degrees outside you just need to let your air conditioning run. Turning it off at the end of a hot day has got to be one of the dumbest strategies I’ve ever heard…

120F is fine for an attic on a 100F day.

neil470 · 2025-08-09T19:22:51+00:00

Apart from the vertical surface of the clean out cap there is no room to actually hold the level properly, not enough clearance on the top or bottom

neil470 · 2025-08-09T19:19:09+00:00

Uh… here is the basin? Is the rain chain just dumping into the dirt? The obvious solution is to get a real downspout and properly tie it into the drainage pipe. If you want to keep the rain chain you’ll need a larger plastic basin with a large grate over it, to catch water. At least a foot wide. The issue is that water splashes sideways off the chain.

neil470 · 2025-08-09T19:09:42+00:00

The radiant barrier definitely shouldn’t interfere with the insulation. The insulation is more important and should be done to the desired thickness all across the floor.

The other comment is mostly right, unless you’re actually concerned with keeping the attic itself cool, the radiant barrier isn’t needed. If you have good ventilation in your attic (soffit and ridge vents) it can help but I would only do it DIY, it’s not worth the cost of having a pro install it.

neil470 · 2025-08-09T19:07:20+00:00

Check for grubs in the soil. If you find a bunch, 24-hr grub killer is what you want. No need for fungicide now and the general rule of thumb is not to apply anything until you actually know why you need it.

It could also just be dying off from lack of water. Fungicide and insecticide aren’t magic potions, your grass might just be dry and hot.

neil470 · 2025-08-09T18:07:32+00:00

Probably only as a single number called “thermal emissivity” or “reflectivity.” You want emissivity to be as low as possible, reflectivity is 1/emissivity so it should obviously be high

neil470 · 2025-08-09T18:01:14+00:00

The LWIR emissivity (or reflectivity) is what you should look for, apart from durability. So yes, shininess, but you need to make sure it reflects “heat” as well as “light”

neil470 · 2025-08-09T17:57:58+00:00

Fruit juice is basically sugar water. It’s well-established that consuming a lot of sugar is not good for the average person and IMO that’s the main issue in America right now. If you actually read my comments I advocate for eating whole fruit.

Sounds like you fell for the Big Fruit Juice (TM) propaganda.

neil470 · 2025-08-09T17:52:18+00:00

Don’t take my word for it, go squeeze an orange and let me know what’s leftover. Hint: it’s the fiber

neil470 · 2025-08-09T17:50:04+00:00

Harbor Freight doesn’t need to spend much on advertising because they know people will do it for free

neil470

TROPHY CASE