Home Improvement/Repair Questions

[mudpuppy]

I had a friend that had a house in a similar style to that. Not quite as hardcore 70s as that, but it had the spiral staircase and a koi pond in the living room.

 

[bwin12]

I disagree. Inspections and haggling over repairs is one of many barriers to closing on a house. It is in the realtor's best interest to have as few recommended repairs as possible. Sure, there are some honest realtors and inspectors out there, but I certainly wouldn't count on it.

Is this why Redfin (and others) is a viable option nowadays?

 

[Supe]

Is this why Redfin (and others) is a viable option nowadays?

Redfin tends to have three main appeals:
1) Better scheduling due to a roving band of agents
2) Better software
3) Much lower rates and commission kickbacks

#3 is the biggie. 1-2% vs 6% is real money on a couple hundred grand. Especially if you end up with a shitty realtor and are effectively paying a huge chunk of change just to fill out standard forms.

 

[wilheldp_PE]

I'd say that #3 is the ONLY reason to use RedFin. Zillow has pretty much removed the need to hire a realtor to get access to the MLS. I don't understand how realtors have avoided anti-trust issues for as long as they have. There is blatant collusion between them to keep commissions up and competition out.

 

[pbrme]

Your lack of home improvement skills is disturbing.

 

[snickerd3]

my kids aren't diehard fans for things like that. They like a lot of different things. Minisnick would have to do one wall minecraft, one wall Harry potter, one wall roblockx, one wall pokemon. SNickette a wall each of unicorns, mermaids, Barbie, rainbows.

 

[wilheldp_PE]

Methinks the kids' interests had very little to do with that project. That smacks of dad being a huge Star Wars fan and making those beds because he thinks they're cool.

 

[jeb6294]

What kind of weight do you suppose 4 or 5 doubled up 2x8’s with 1/2” plywood sandwiched in between would support over a 20’ span?

I’ve started cleaning up another section of the back yard and found what might be a decent spot to get a little bridge across the creek. I haven’t started clearing the spot or actually getting posts in the ground so I’m just guessing it’d be about 20’. Thought about throwing a couple utility poles across, but the logistics would probably be way more involved. Also saw someone selling some 20’ 2x6 1/4” thick steel box beams on the local CL, it those would be ~250lb, so they’d be a handful too.

Ideally, I’d like to be able to use it to get the mower with the wagon back and forth so I can start clearing crap out on that side of the creek. Tractor is 530lb. Add in a rider and a loaded wagon and I’d figure it’s a very conservative 1,500lbjust to be on the safe side.

 

[Supe]

Looked up at the kitchen ceiling last night and saw staining around a nail pop and a small spot right next to it. Had Mrs. Supe knock on the ceiling, and while it could be coming from the toilet or something, it was directly below the corner of the shower, where the door hinge, pan, and tile all meet up. I guess I'm going to remove all the old, dried up caulk, reseal, and prime the spot to see if it returns. If I have to cut out another section of that kitchen ceiling to start a leak search, I'm going to absolutely lose my ****.

 

[kevo_55]

 

[Supe]

That's about what happened the first time when my daughter caved the ceiling in, just without the tub itself.

So I'm seeing a bunch of small areas of missing grout between a number of the shower tiles, and a bad deteriorated pocket of nastiness in the corner of the shower pan, right at the door. A big chunk of grout popped out, so I'm HOPING that's it. I'm not seeing any indicators of water bleed from the toilet area, but the wax ring is about 9 years old, so I guess I'll replace that anyways. I'm hoping a good caulk job around the shower will be enough to get by until I sell this **** hole. I do NOT want to pay to have someone come in and retile the shower and tub.

 

[blybrook PE]

What kind of weight do you suppose 4 or 5 doubled up 2x8’s with 1/2” plywood sandwiched in between would support over a 20’ span?

I’ve started cleaning up another section of the back yard and found what might be a decent spot to get a little bridge across the creek. I haven’t started clearing the spot or actually getting posts in the ground so I’m just guessing it’d be about 20’. Thought about throwing a couple utility poles across, but the logistics would probably be way more involved. Also saw someone selling some 20’ 2x6 1/4” thick steel box beams on the local CL, it those would be ~250lb, so they’d be a handful too.

Ideally, I’d like to be able to use it to get the mower with the wagon back and forth so I can start clearing crap out on that side of the creek. Tractor is 530lb. Add in a rider and a loaded wagon and I’d figure it’s a very conservative 1,500lbjust to be on the safe side.

Jeb, it'll depend on the grade, configuration and spacing of the 2x8's, how they are fastened together and what you are using as a decking to transfer the loads.

I presume you will be using pressure treated or exterior grade 2x8's. So if you post the anticipated configuration of the beams with the spacing, I'll take a look to see what happens.

For example: using "X" for 2x8 beams and "s" for spacing with a four beam layout:
XsXsXsX or XXsXX or XXXX or XsXXsX or ?

 

[pbrme]

What kind of weight do you suppose 4 or 5 doubled up 2x8’s with 1/2” plywood sandwiched in between would support over a 20’ span?

I’ve started cleaning up another section of the back yard and found what might be a decent spot to get a little bridge across the creek. I haven’t started clearing the spot or actually getting posts in the ground so I’m just guessing it’d be about 20’. Thought about throwing a couple utility poles across, but the logistics would probably be way more involved. Also saw someone selling some 20’ 2x6 1/4” thick steel box beams on the local CL, it those would be ~250lb, so they’d be a handful too.

Ideally, I’d like to be able to use it to get the mower with the wagon back and forth so I can start clearing crap out on that side of the creek. Tractor is 530lb. Add in a rider and a loaded wagon and I’d figure it’s a very conservative 1,500lbjust to be on the safe side.

The steel beam is easy. Assuming 30ksi steel, the steel manual lists the HSS6x2x1/4 as having a section modulus (S) = 2.21(in^3), and 12.2 lbs/ft.


The formula for bending stress (σ) in beams is:
Solving for the maximum moment, based on a section modulus of 2.21in^3 and 30ksi steel, yields M = 66,300 lb•in


The formula for simple beam loading, concentrated point load (P) is:
Solving for the max point load (P), based on M of 66,300 lb•in and Length L of 20 ft (240in), gives an allowable point load P = 1105 lbs.
Subtracting the weight of the beam (~250 lbs) gives roughly 850 lbs of left-over capacity. Two of those HSS's installed in the Y-Y Axis (up-right), blocking and decent decking would cover you. The only variable in this configuration would be the pads you put in and the assumed soil PSF.

The same convention could apply to the built-up wood beams. You would just need to look-up the grade and allowable stress (on-line tables) and calculate the section modulus. Like Bly suggested, the assembly of said built-ups is also a factor but as long as the assembly in shear and pullout (screws and liquid nails) is stronger than the base material, this can be a no-nevermind.

 

[Dothracki PE]

Anyone have any experience with C-wire kits to convert old thermostat wiring to newer thermostats? I think I could possibly do it, but I see the humidifier and condenser are also tied in with the furnace control board and I don't want to mess up those two in the process.

 

[Dothracki PE]

Anyone have any experience with C-wire kits to convert old thermostat wiring to newer thermostats? I think I could possibly do it, but I see the humidifier and condenser are also tied in with the furnace control board and I don't want to mess up those two in the process.

As a follow up here are photos of the wires at the control panel and at the thermostat. There is another wire pair that is behind the thermostat but I really can't tell where it is coming from and there is an unused blue wire. I believe the thermostat wire is the one all the way on the left in the control panel pictures. I am thinking it is as easy as using the unused blue wire to connect the common to the thermostat and the control panel, but I want to make sure I am not missing anything.

 

[wilheldp_PE]

@Dothracki PE Like most HVAC installs, that looks like a complete dumpster fire. I'm not sure what's going on with the red wire double ganged with the yellow wire or white wire double ganged with the white wire. That black and white wire cable behind the thermostat looks like 120v, cloth-insulated cable. I'd check that with a multimeter if you have one to confirm its voltage and make it dead if it's live with 120.

Regardless, if you have a superfluous wire (looks like blue might be unused at both ends?), you just need to find a way to connect that to the 24v common somewhere at the furnace, then you'll have it available at the thermostat.

 

[Dothracki PE]

@Dothracki PE Like most HVAC installs, that looks like a complete dumpster fire. I'm not sure what's going on with the red wire double ganged with the yellow wire or white wire double ganged with the white wire. That black and white wire cable behind the thermostat looks like 120v, cloth-insulated cable. I'd check that with a multimeter if you have one to confirm its voltage and make it dead if it's live with 120.

Regardless, if you have a superfluous wire (looks like blue might be unused at both ends?), you just need to find a way to connect that to the 24v common somewhere at the furnace, then you'll have it available at the thermostat.

Your guess is as good as mine. The furnace is about 12 years old and probably due for an upgrade in the near future. Thanks for the reply. Yes the blue is unused at both ends.

The cloth cable is dead. I checked with a multimeter.

 

[matt267 PE]

That's about what happened the first time when my daughter caved the ceiling in, just without the tub itself.

So I'm seeing a bunch of small areas of missing grout between a number of the shower tiles, and a bad deteriorated pocket of nastiness in the corner of the shower pan, right at the door. A big chunk of grout popped out, so I'm HOPING that's it. I'm not seeing any indicators of water bleed from the toilet area, but the wax ring is about 9 years old, so I guess I'll replace that anyways. I'm hoping a good caulk job around the shower will be enough to get by until I sell this **** hole. I do NOT want to pay to have someone come in and retile the shower and tub.

 

[Supe]

If I could firmly identify the source of the leak, you bet your ass I'd slap some flex tape on it right now.

 

[matt267 PE]

If I could firmly identify the source of the leak, you bet your ass I'd slap some flex tape on it right now.

I hear you. Water leaks suck.