Home Improvement/Repair Questions

[Supe]

My wife (also an engineer) decided we need to rebuild the master bedroom closet. This is turning into an engineering/design nightmare. There are too many options. We were literally measuring hanging pants and shirts last night. She had a layout done on paper but that didn't make as much sense once we demo'd everything out. I think it will be easier to remove the door and drywall over and live with the chaos that has become the master bedroom.

But I got a router out of the deal...

I want to redo our closet too, but the g-damned attic crawlspace opening sits right above where the unit would need to sit on my side. I also have reduced depth and width on that side, because the wall is bumped out to accommodate the shower plumbing. I've actually contemplating some sort of hinge for an upper box and the clothing dowels that would allow them to swing down to provide adequate clearance. All we have now are wire racks, and they suck ass.

 

[snickerd3]

THose wire racks aren't that bad. We redid ours before we officailly moved in. before it had those metal slat shelfing things. We installed a double hanging wire on the one wall with the top curving around the far wall then shelfs under that little far side wall. Mr snick get the top rail, I get the bottom rail

 

[Supe]

THose wire racks are that bad. We redid ours before we officailly moved in. before it had those metal slat shelfing things. We installed a double hanging wire on the one wall with the top curving around the far wall then shelfs under that little far side wall. Mr snick get the top rail, I get the bottom rail

What's dumb about, is that if they hadn't put the light fixture where it is, they could have moved the opening one stud to the left and we'd have no issues. I may see if I can find a workaround for that and just cut a new opening.

 

[bwin12]

My goodness, I could never imagine being married to another engineer!

It's not that bad, but if we are being honest we both have degrees (her's is biological eng, mine is civil) and never really use them. She focused on food manufacturing operations, I focused on construction/project management. My wife's dad is a retired chemical engineer, my dad would have been an engineer if he could have stomached formal education past high school.

But, we have 3 kids. Our middle one (the boy) is a lock to be an engineer. I think the youngest daughter will consider it. I think there is no chance the oldest will even consider engineering. It's interesting to watch them grow, learn, find interests and focus on particular aspects of life around them even at 8 to 2 years old.

 

[bwin12]

What's dumb about, is that if they hadn't put the light fixture where it is, they could have moved the opening one stud to the left and we'd have no issues. I may see if I can find a workaround for that and just cut a new opening.

This is what happens. After we committed (ripped everything including the carpet out of the closet) she "redesigned" and next thing I know I'm looking at tearing up subfloor and drywall to relocate/add an outlet.

Even switching out wire racks for 1/2" or 3/4" MDF with brackets or MDF mounts makes the closet look more distinguished.

 

[pbrme]

I may see if I can find a workaround for that and just cut a new opening.

Full send.

 

[jeb6294]

Let’s talk sump pumps and check valves. Does it matter where the check valve goes? Some places says 2-3’ above the floor others say right at the pump.

Time for a replacement and I want to upgrade the janky discharge piping the idiot previous owner did. I want to 45 over to the wall so the PVC can be anchored to something. Would it be better to have the 2 check valves (primary pump and battery backup) up on the wall or down at the crock similar to this…

 

[blybrook PE]

If your running two pumps, you'll want the check valves closer to the pump so you don't short circuit the drain line and pump the water through the second pump.

The built in check valves that I've seen on pumps recently aren't that great and tend to bypass with too much head pressure.

 

[kevo_55]

I've got one of those Barracuda sump pump setups.

It's pretty slick but you'll need a deep cycle battery for it. I bought a 100 amp hour ones and that sucker is heavy.

You'll only need one check valve for water going out. They already have a check valve in the backup DC sump pump.

Just make sure you get a real good check valve. Not one made up completely of plastic.

 

[jeb6294]

So, a little more background. I think the tether switch on the old pump is the problem. The pump will work but you’ve gotta shake the little “ball” on the tether to get it to start even if it’s floating straight up. I’ve already got a backup…that’s what’s keeping things under control at the moment…although the battery had crapped out so the battery out of the boat is currently keeping it going. Not ideal, but it has to do while I see if the old battery can be saved.

Currently there are two discharges with two check valves, one from each pump, and then they meet up and it goes out as one pipe. Trying to decide if I want to do it the same way or DIY the dual setup with the new pump and the existing backup. If it’d fit under the lid, I could pull the backup out and build the dual setup in the garage and drop it in as a unit.

Keeping the check valves makes sense because you’re reducing the amount of water bing held in the pipe so it’s less effort for the pump every time it runs. On the other hand, all the water under the check valve is going to end up back in the sump when it’s done. Keeping everything together like the Barracuda would probably be easier if I could put it together and then drop it in, but working on it in the future would probably be more of a PITA.

 

[jeb6294]

This is the current setup. The PVC has no support so it’s really wobbly.

 

[kevo_55]

You need some support on that PVC. My old sump pump was just a 1/3 hp and it would move a bit when it was working. My current setup is a 1/2 hp for the AC main sump. Before, it would really move when it pumped. So much I would need to tighten the check valve every now and then.

Is that concrete or masonry wall? Can you use some tapcons to fasten a 2x4 ledger for some structure to attach to?

 

[jeb6294]

TBH, I can’t remember what the current pump is, but those pipes have gotta go. However I do it, pipe will 45 over to the wall and I’ll add some wood to the wall to make it easy to strap the pipe and it’ll give me an excuse to use the powder hammer…so loud…so fun.

Ran to Harbor Freight and got a new pump so I could use this weekend's coupon. New pump is 1/2-hp. A little pissed because the picture online makes it look like it’s got one of those separate switches…cord comes from the switch on the pump and plugs in and then the pump plugs into the switch’s outlet…to make it easy to replace the switch if needed but when I opened the box the switch is part of the pump like most of them are nowadays. Has really good reviews though so we’ll see.

Saw this check valve at HD that screws right into the pump. Would make it really easy to hook the two pumps up together with one discharge coming from the sump like the Barracuda.

 

[jeb6294]

As luck would have it, we were going out of town right after our sump pump issues started. We'd been getting so much rain that I couldn't work on it at all before we left, but I was able to verify that the backup was able to keep things under control with the "boat battery bandaid". Also had a neighbor kid coming over to feed the cats and had him checking just to make sure we weren't getting a lake.

Back and no rain for the next few days. Got the first part done...my homemade Barracuda main/backup setup...so there'll only be one pipe coming from the sump and the whole thing can be disconnected and removed for future repairs. Now on to discharge piping.

 

[jeb6294]

I always use slip fittings…anyone done any plumbing work with threaded PVC fittings?

I added a valve so I could disconnect the sump pumps without getting a pipe full of bilge water dumped on me. I accidentally glued the ball valve in the first one so I got a threaded one instead and it’s leaking. I saw something that said not to use Teflon tape so I didn’t, but now I’m seeing stuff that says to use it. Will that solve the leaking or should I just go back to a slip fitting and be more careful with the cement?

 

[Supe]

Used them on my parents pool filter for years without issues. You are supposed to use a PVC thread sealant (non-hardening dope), not teflon tape, and don't overtighten.

 

[pbrme]

...I saw something that said not to use Teflon tape so I didn’t, but now I’m seeing stuff that says to use it. Will that solve the leaking or should I just go back to a slip fitting and be more careful with the cement?

I use teflon tape per my Dad's instruction (he worked in the City parks dept. for over 20yrs) and he routinely serviced all of the sprinkler systems. You can also glue the valves to the stand pipes, and put a union on the lower end. I would go this route if it was me.

 

[jeb6294]

Finito…. I ended up using tape just because I already had some and didn’t want to make (another) trip to HD. From what I read, tape is fine, you just have to make sure you don’t over-torque and crack the fitting. Seems to have fixed the leaks too.

Just need to hook up the backup pump. It’s in there, but I want to wait until we get the boat out of storage. I was using the boat’s main battery as a bandaid but that’s not good for it. The boat also had a trolling motor that we’ll never use so it’s got a deep cycle battery as well. I want to see if that’ll work before I drop $100 to get a new battery.

 

[pbrme]

^Nice work. Are you going to mount some skinny strut on the wall and shelf the new battery backup?

 

[jeb6294]

^Nice work. Are you going to mount some skinny strut on the wall and shelf the new battery backup?

Not sure I’ll be that fancy. It’s an old school sump pit…concrete cast when they poured the basement…so the concrete lip sticks up about two inches. There’s just enough room for the battery box to fit between the wall and the sump pit so I might put it back there, but bind up the cords/wires to clean it up a little.

It’s surprising how much it feels like that corner has opened up now that there aren’t two pipes in the middle of the room.