Quote :

"maybe too late of a response but: D&L on Atlantic Ave"

Agreed...They had a transformer I needed for my blower in stock.

[Edited on September 21, 2014 at 12:01 PM. Reason : l]

9/21/2014 12:00:53 PM

Had a trim board framing the underside of our garage door opening that started showing some serious rot (the paint and primer did too good of a job hiding it). It started bubbling so I 'popped' it and it was completely soft and waterlogged underneath. Cut that piece out to find that one of the 2 14" wide laminated headers located directly above that trim board also had serious rot...

So, what I thought was going to be a simple fix of cutting that out, replacing it, caulking, panting and adding some extra vinyl flashing above the trim against the siding turned into a major headache. Turns out the builders put NO flashing above that trim...the j-channel and the trim boards have been collecting water for years that just sits there with no way to drain. Ended up getting a contractor out because I don't have the time to be ripping out a huge header, jacking it up, installing a new one etc. >.< Oh well. Glad it got caught now before failure of that beam...

9/21/2014 12:24:35 PM

fixed the stopper in the tub today and decided a soak was in order - caught up on ray donovan

9/22/2014 11:28:27 PM

I've wanted to do that in our bathroom, but have been concerned about the moisture and how it might ruin the television.

9/23/2014 10:40:59 AM

the last owners put in the mount and did the bathroom and they had a tv in there for the 6 months they lived with it without issue - no idea on long term though - i just mounted the tv this past weekend

the concern though is partially why it's a $200 vizio - realistically it's used mostly for streaming colbert or music while getting ready in the morning because we very rarely take baths - the previous owners also put in a great fan right over the shower and the mirror never steams up like in past bathrooms if the door was closed

9/23/2014 11:04:54 AM

something like this might help with any potential humidity threats: http://amzn.com/B00H3QQD64

9/23/2014 1:51:47 PM

any tips on respirators for mowing with allergies?

9/30/2014 9:10:14 PM

Quote :

"but have been concerned about the moisture and how it might ruin the television"

my neighbor has had a tv on his deck for the past 6 years and it still works great (and he has it on nearly every night). My parents have one on their screened in porch that still looks great after 4 years (use every sunday for football).

I wouldn't worry about the moisture.

10/1/2014 10:31:01 AM

I letter from my homeowners insurance company saying they need my permission to charge me more than the state mandated rate

and

Quote :

"This form shall remain in effect for all future terms..."

are they trying to fuck me over or what?

anyone got experience with this?

10/1/2014 10:48:28 AM

Can you simply check no?

10/1/2014 10:51:43 AM

Quote :

"unfortunately, we will be unable to continue your coverage if you do not return the form to us."

10/1/2014 10:59:22 AM

Fml, garbage disposal started humming without grinding

10/1/2014 11:48:59 AM

^^ How much is the increase? Switching carriers not an option?

^ I feel like 99% of the time that happens...its an easy fix. Have come to that conclusion after a million small things have stopped my disposal.

10/1/2014 1:32:01 PM

its only about 7.50 a month more than im paying now

just the whole "future terms" shit makes me worry

10/2/2014 8:24:12 AM

DO NOT SIGN THAT!

Call them immediately. Thats a get out of jail free pass for them to charge you more than the state says, and theres no reason to. The future terms bit is the key. They will increase your rates as much as they want, as often as they want.

Better yet, start looking for a new insurance company.

[Edited on October 4, 2014 at 5:07 PM. Reason : .]

10/4/2014 5:07:14 PM

So the heating element went out on my Samsung dryer. My buddy who repairs dryers found the break/fault in the element and twisted the good ends together until I can get a new part. How dangerous does that sound?

Quote :

"Fml, garbage disposal started humming without grinding"

Get an hex key and on the unit find where you can turn the disposal in the opposite direction it normally turns.

10/8/2014 4:51:10 PM

i use an old ax handle, stick it in the hole, and manually turn it.

10/9/2014 8:40:38 AM

A hex key to turn it usually does it for me. If not, a hot vinegar water solution gets poured down and then I'll try the hex key again.

10/9/2014 8:44:22 AM

http://www.amazon.com/gp/goldbox?t=slickdeals&tag=slickdeals&ascsubtag=7d0bdfedaad7460c96219a2bf20019c0

Need a new garbage disposal?

10/13/2014 7:34:49 AM

^damn. helluva deal.

I don't have time to research today, but with 2200 reviews and a 4.5* average, it has got to be good.

Anyone know anything about it?

eh, not a such a huge deal. Listing it at $339 is certainly high, when everyone else is $150-$200. I mean, $88 is still a good deal though.

[Edited on October 13, 2014 at 9:02 AM. Reason : .]

10/13/2014 9:00:38 AM

that's the one I have and I like it. easy to install and works great. pretty quiet (not silent), but gets the job done. my last one was a vibrating bitch that moved everything in the sink all over the place.

10/13/2014 10:32:38 AM

So I dislike big box store rain barrels (55 gal drums) and have made that abundantly clear somewhere on TWW. However, half of my roof drains to one side of my house, where the ground is graded to provide positive drainage (a very shallow v-shaped ditch). I've never been able to get grass to grow here due to the large amount of water coming to such a small area. I have 3 downspouts to catch, 2 of which are side-by-side. I'm going to pick up 2 used 55 gal rain barrels for $50 and rework the downspouts to drop into them; then I can use the water if/when needed, or just let is slowly release.

Before I go all out on cutting and rework, anyone else got any ideas? Ideally, I'd take the downspouts to drains/dry wells, but I've got 3 utility lines in this tight space, digging by hand is not an option, and a fence in the way. I'm thinking that these barrels will be temporary (a few years) until I can get something established.

[Edited on October 13, 2014 at 2:40 PM. Reason : .]

10/13/2014 2:40:07 PM

i think you'll be somewhat surprised as to how fast a 55-gal drum will fill with rain water. if half your roof drains to one side, i don't believe three drums will contain the volume of even a small rain event.

you might be onto something though. do the barrels have standard spigots on the bottom? you could connect a garden hose, and at least drain whatever your barrels do collect, by discharging the water further from your house and giving that area of your yard a chance to recover/grow some grass. what the barrels don't collect could just run off

check this:
http://www.calctool.org/CALC/other/default/rainfall

assuming 600 sq.ft of roof, even a half inch would be 187 gallons, more than the 3 barrels combined.

but if you expect a small rain, just let the barrels collect and use/discharge later. if you expect a heavy downpour, connect hoses, and leave the spigots open. i don't know, just a thought

10/13/2014 3:57:32 PM

Quote :

"i think you'll be somewhat surprised as to how fast a 55-gal drum will fill with rain water. "

this is the exact reason I hate these "rain barrel" systems. I'm just trying to figure out the quickest and cheapest solution for the short-term.

I know the calculations also.

[Edited on October 13, 2014 at 4:01 PM. Reason : .]

10/13/2014 4:00:52 PM

So I've got one in. Took an extra hose, connected it to the bottom spigot, opened it, and ran the hose to my front yard. Should hopefully capture and redirect most of the runoff; not really worried about storing it in the barrel.

[Edited on October 13, 2014 at 6:22 PM. Reason : .]

10/13/2014 6:21:48 PM

^fire up your ol' DrainMod program and run a tile drain through that bitch.

It sounds like a better answer would be to use the rain barrels to reduce runoff, for all but the largest storms, and then when you re-seed in the spring cover the seed in an erosion blanket or turf reinforcement mat to really reduce the impact erosion.

Alternatively, depending on the depth of the ditch/swale you could make it into a rain garden/bio infiltration area. Lay a tile drain down, cover it with some gravel and coarse sand, cover that with soil mixed with sand and plant something that loves water. Seems like this could backfire though too if it ends up not draining as imagined.

10/14/2014 8:57:58 AM

I've got a barrel that catches water from my shed roof and I've got it connected to a soaker hose that runs through my garden. It works pretty well and best of all requires zero effort once it's set up.

10/14/2014 9:06:45 AM

I haven't been here in a long, long time, but last weekend I was cleaning the bathroom and ran into a leak. I thought, "hey, didn't I start a thread about this on TWW once upon a time?". Wow! How did EIGHT years pass by so quickly?!

Anyway, the seal where the supply line goes into the toilet tank had started leaking, but it was a very slow drip, so rather than falling down on the floor, which we would have noticed, it ran down the supply line and dropped onto the wooden bracing of the storage unit that sits overtop the toilet. The wood had swollen a lot, so this thing is ruined.

I suspect that over many flushes, the up and down motion of the float in the tank caused the seal to loosen. The gasket seems to build up residue and become pretty slick, so that would not help.

No questions, just here to bitch about plumbing again and say hello!

10/16/2014 10:22:45 AM

SIX years. oops

10/16/2014 10:54:25 AM

I just received the same letter regarding raising homeowners insurance rates above the state level. Called my agent (State Farm). He gave me the typical speech I'd expect. Basically he said his hands are tied and couldn't budge. It's a corporate level thing. It sounds like NC is one of the toughest states to deal with and all agencies have been losing money recently in NC.

My rate was only 1 dollar above the state max. I'm fine with that but I don't like the part about agreeing to all future rate increases. I guess I can always find someone else in the future if needed.

10/17/2014 10:15:48 AM

http://www.wral.com/hearing-scheduled-on-nc-homeowners-insurance-rates/14096061/

10/20/2014 11:52:45 AM

my wife saw a thing on 5 on your side about those insurance letters.
monica laliberty says to shop around every 3 years to find better rates

10/20/2014 12:35:50 PM

Seriously, suck some State Farm. Do yourself a favor and google 'Best Insurance Companies' and you'll find that USAA is at the top (I'm not military so I'm not eligible) and then right after that is AMICA. I switched about 4 years ago when State Farm wanted to jack the rates of my multiple homes by 25%, despite never filing a claim. I just had my first claim with Amica, and had no issues.

10/20/2014 2:19:31 PM

I've thought about switching to Amica.

But I'm tired of paying my first year's home insurance payment (switched insurance twice in the last two years, and WF requires you to pay, outside of escrow, for the first year of a new policy)

10/21/2014 9:57:19 AM

I am having trouble replacing the pendant light fixtures above the kitchen island. The fixtures on both ends light up, however the one in the middle will not come on.

i checked middle fixture with a infrared current tester, and i have current coming to the fixture. I think I will have to call an electrician to fix the issue. The fixtures are on a three way switch.

10/21/2014 8:37:03 PM

wait, there is power to the middle fixture? if so, it's either a blown bulb or bad fixture... no electrician needed...

[Edited on October 22, 2014 at 9:22 AM. Reason : .]

10/22/2014 9:22:07 AM

Quote :

"But I'm tired of paying my first year's home insurance payment (switched insurance twice in the last two years, and WF requires you to pay, outside of escrow, for the first year of a new policy)"

If you switch midyear, you should get a check back for the unused previous policy.

10/22/2014 2:21:54 PM

bad ''driver'' is the diagnosis. the old fixtures were the halogen two prong 12 volt type. they required a 120v to 12v driver.

my problem was i did nt remove the driver's to install the new lights.

10/23/2014 8:22:30 AM

Ok i got a new garbage disposal... the new one has a plug but the old one was hard-wired into the wall. Would you people in the know recommend that I install an outlet using the old plug, or remove the plug from the new disposal and use the hard wire directly?

10/23/2014 12:42:49 PM

Anyone have any recent home warranty experiences and/or recommendations (including opinions of those who are against them)?

10/24/2014 4:06:39 PM

^I dont think it's worth it. Just save the money.
^^I dont think there is really an advantage to powering either way. You have to do some kind of work either way. The only deciding factor is if rewiring the new unit will void the warranty.

10/24/2014 5:33:30 PM

^^ I don't really think they are worth it. We had one included in for the first year when we bought which is nice when you buy, but we did not renew after that.

10/26/2014 11:49:04 AM

^ Did the same thing. Normally you always have to pay a deductible for any service calls regardless of cost. I came out about even on those.

Depending on company, some have limits, and all have exclusions. You normally also have to use their vendors and only their vendors.

I made out ok on most my service calls, but when I had to have the HW heater replaced, I was out 200 bucks after the deductible ($75) due to exclusions. Plumber "had" to do all sorts of code upgrades before he could put the tank in.

10/26/2014 5:00:16 PM

When I bought my house they went through and basically said "here's all the shit that could reasonably break...those aren't covered." I decided against them at that time.

On the plus, my shitty water heater that they wouldn't cover has lasted nearly 7 years without issue.

10/27/2014 12:03:49 PM

^^ I believe backflow preventers are required by the current plumbing code and, per the code(s), as soon as you touch something whatever you replace it with has to be brought up to code. They're just covering their ass.

I agree backflow preventers are pretty fucking expensive though compared to the cost of the water heater.

10/27/2014 7:33:44 PM

^ No they covered that. They wanted to be all fancy with some of the pipe connections and crap, plus all the small addons added up as nearly all of them went over the "limit" for the individual thing.

11/1/2014 9:14:45 AM

in progress issue. Boiler won't fire. Can't get the boiler to fill up with water. When we open up the water valves, my pipes that connect to the boiler leak water.

Now trying to get a plumber hvac person to come on Sunday is the challenge. Thank God I got the home warranty, and any water damage is covered by my home owners insurance.

[Edited on November 2, 2014 at 1:37 PM. Reason : it is cold in here]

11/2/2014 1:36:57 PM

So what brand of vacuum does everyone like? I need something that will handle pet hair. My house isn't that big (1600 sq ft) and it'll be used mostly in living room where the dogs play.

11/3/2014 1:53:53 PM

We have a Dyson animal (forgot the specific number).

11/3/2014 5:06:05 PM

shark rocket professional works pretty well. all the filters inside can be washed, which helps keep the pet smell down.

11/3/2014 5:31:45 PM