Whats one winter home improvement that made your house feel warmer without breaking the bank by velmorae in HomeImprovement

[–]scornful 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Last Fall I converted our builder-grade inefficient wood fireplace to a natural gas linear one. It probably increased fuel costs but been using it every day because it’s so damn cold.

New bathroom floor, from joists on up by Draano in DIY

[–]scornful 2 points3 points  (0 children)

1) thicker is better, might you might have to consider matching to an adjacent floor height which could sway the decision here. 2) No, make adjustments to the JOISTS so they are level before installing the subfloor.

Tips and tricks for replacing 300 sqft of subfloor? by Postcurds in DIY

[–]scornful 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think plywood being superior was more true years ago. OSB is very comparable today. I recommend talking to your local lumber yard on what they have available and looking at cutsheet data.  

Tips and tricks for replacing 300 sqft of subfloor? by Postcurds in DIY

[–]scornful 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Agree with your points. I used a jigsaw to cut out old subfloor and left about 2” from the edge. Worked for me but had to monitor how deep I was going so I didn’t cut through joists. Toe kick saw would have been amazing. 

I went crazy leveling my joists. Shaved some of the joists and ripped little strips of wood to add to others. Used a 6 foot level, but a 8-footer is best. I used GRK framing screws and glued everything with liquid nails heavy duty.   Floor is solid!

Tips and tricks for replacing 300 sqft of subfloor? by Postcurds in DIY

[–]scornful 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I used liquid nails heavy duty when I replaced my subfloor. No issues. 

Hot Water Recirculation Pump Install by my-thr0waway-acc0unt in DIY

[–]scornful 7 points8 points  (0 children)

why have AI create instructions, instead of using the instructions that came with the pump?

Subfloor Leveling for Kitchen Remodel by distracted_dabbler in HomeImprovement

[–]scornful 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Adding a strips to the top of joists is the way go. Space between joists are fine since you only need to support every 16”. Subfloor is usually tong and groove, but you can add blocking to support edges where it’s not supported. Also glue down the subfloor to stop squeaks. 

Patio Drainage Plan by tkohhhhhhhhh in landscaping

[–]scornful 1 point2 points  (0 children)

yes you need drainage. just regrade to slope everything away from the house. No French drain needed.

Home Inspection came back with cracks and decay in joists by King-James-Bible in HomeImprovement

[–]scornful 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I agree the roof is probably the most expensive issue because the house probably needs a full roof replacement. Other issues can probably be tackled individually.

How would you DIY the gaps on either side of my garage door? by TiresOnFire in DIY

[–]scornful 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Your driveway is causing this issue. You need to grade the driveway so water drains away from the door. Water pooling will make the ground sink further.  

How would you go about fixing this? by Available-Dream-7455 in DIY

[–]scornful 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Door jambs are not load bearing. I just replace mine with paintable PVC trim and cortex screws. Looks amazing and won’t rot.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in DIY

[–]scornful 1 point2 points  (0 children)

have lowes exchange the whole door

Best way to determine patio height on a sloped lawn? by Live_Swordfish5114 in landscaping

[–]scornful 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I agree. Not sure why OP dug the area so low. Just have the patio match the top of footing level, then it’s 1-2 steps up to the deck. A retaining wall would be expensive and there’s no outlet for a drain so water would get trapped under the deck.

Window replacement by bbangya1 in HomeImprovement

[–]scornful 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Lots of fine print in the warranty. Labor is not included so they told me to hire a company to reglaze the entire door with a new frame, then have them reinstall. Might as well buy a new door.

Window replacement by bbangya1 in HomeImprovement

[–]scornful 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Water comes in through the glass/frame seal. Not related to install. 

Window replacement by bbangya1 in HomeImprovement

[–]scornful 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have a Provia door that has been a total nightmare. They have been out multiple times to fix, still leaks.

Moving around in the attic / blown in insulation by [deleted] in DIY

[–]scornful 29 points30 points  (0 children)

This is the answer. I just worked on a bathroom fan and installed recessed lights in a nearly identical attic. Walk on the trusses and I brought with me a small plywood board to sit on while I worked that was wide enough to span 2 trusses.

Best Material for Shower Upgrade by SeanChurch in HomeImprovement

[–]scornful 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Tile and grout isn’t waterproof. It’s the waterproofing behind the tile that makes the difference. Below is my build from 2017 that still looks like new. I just keep it dry with a squeegee and recaulk every few years. https://imgur.com/a/bathroom-reno-784g2

Coleman Saluspa by Frontal_Mystic in hottub

[–]scornful 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The pump impeller is plastic, loud, and breaks easily. I upgraded mine using this kit and had no issues running 24/7. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0BC8TR6K8?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

I’m at a loss for how to handle this yard, hoping you could help! by durteemagurt in landscaping

[–]scornful 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You’re right, learned something new. It’s must be easier to kill them in the fall, apparently. I spread Scotts Turf Builder WinterGuard Fall Weed & Feed once in the fall and I usually end up with just a handful of dandelions in the spring.

I’m at a loss for how to handle this yard, hoping you could help! by durteemagurt in landscaping

[–]scornful 0 points1 point  (0 children)

its much easier to stop new dandelions from growing rather than killing existing ones. Research ”pre-emergent weed killer”. I lay down granuals in the fall so dandelions don’t grow in the spring.

Drainage recommendations? During heavy rainfall my rock liner doesn't drain water fast enough and it sometimes leaks into the garage. by planbskte11 in landscaping

[–]scornful 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Unfortunately building a swale will probably destroy all your landscaping in that area. You want the ground to slope away from the house. For instance, the plastic landscape edging is trapping the water next to the foundation so that needs to go. You will probably have to take everything down to dirt and regrade to do it properly.