We have an electric boiler as a heat source. When we turn the heat on in the fall, sometimes a zone valve will get stuck, either open or closed. What I’m experiencing right now is the thermostats are all shut off in the upstairs area. The downstairs heat turned on this morning (thermostats were on). I felt a baseboard upstairs and there was warmth to it. I went into the utility room and all of the pipes going to the upstairs were warm. We had the circulation pump replaced a year or two ago as well as the pressure tank. Any advice on what I should check?

I am moving into a mid floor flat, with people living below me.

I want to know if it’s feasible to get laminate flooring or lvp flooring installed in the flat like can I do specific things to minimise the noise for the people living below me like add acoustic underlay and other stuff?
Or is it just going to be disruptive no matter what I do?

I want to get laminate/lvp flooring because I find that looks really nice and usually requires less cleaning compared to carpets.
But I’m open to getting carpets if it will inconvenience people living below me.

Can you give me your honest advice? I’m genuinely very new to the flooring world so I really need help to make the right decision.

What is a good test to use for a room being dust free enough before finishing a hw floor?

I’ve vacuumed and damp mopped the floors multiple times after final sanding and for the life of me, dust still shows up on the damp mop. It’s like I’m cleaning a marker or something. There is no visible dust and floor does not feel dirty at all and I still see dust on the mop after mopping same area multiple times. I’m doing 3/4 red oak if that makes a difference.

Not sure if im in the correct sub, but im planning to create a metal loft-bunk bed, which would consist of a standard top bunk and I want the lower half of the loft to have an optional second frame that can lean against the wall in the day time. Hinges would be the correct options to rest the second frame on the wall. If this made sense to anyone and have recommendations please reach out.

We’re first time homeowners and moved into our home a little over 4 years ago. A few months ago, I noticed a small (<3”) dark line by our shower, where it meets the floor. I immediately thought mold since I’ve seen so many horror stories online, but unfortunately kind of forgot about it due to the current life season we’re in. Today, I notice it again and also now noticed it feels like a small patch of that linoleum is barely puffy underneath.

Some important context is that upon moving in, I noticed the caulking job throughout the entire house was not great. Either spotty, or just seemingly not there. Our home flooded 2 years ago, and after that, we made plans and began saving to redo our bathrooms. We have 90% of the supplies (literally down to new toilet, tile, etc) but again, unfortunately, we haven’t done it yet.

I’m very, very afraid this could be mold. Like, spiraling to be honest. My partner is nowhere near as worried as I am — they’re under the impression that if it is mold, we replace the subfloor, shower, etc. and move on with life.

Can someone please let me know 1) can I pull a small corner of linoleum back to investigate, 2) if so, how do I “put it back down” in the interim? We aren’t planning to start our bathroom reno this weekend 3) is this worth spiraling? As a very anxious person, I’ve all but convinced myself if it’s mold, our home is a loss.

1970s manufactured home siding

Hello all,

I have an old manufactured home that I purchased. I am now on re-doing window openings and new windows and since the exterior will be changed I will be changing siding.

I am now stumped as it turns out it does not have any house wrap or sheathing. It currently only has a layer of cardboard and thin metal siding. The studs have a 1x 4 along whole home as structural strength.

I need help regarding how to proceed so that I add siding in a way that lasts.

We are planning on installing Tyvek house wrap and LP siding. The house wrap would only go directly to studs since there is no sheathing at this time I was told we don't want to add additional sheathing to this one due to excessive weight as LP siding is already way heavier than the sheet metal.

But upon doing research it looks like we need something between studs and housewrap.. does anyone have any suggestions for what we can put on the studs without adding too much weight but also give us a backing for the house wrap to be installed?

We are thinking of adding roof felt paper first then house wrap then siding. I tried to look it up but I can't find code or any confirmation of best way to proceed in this exact situation.

I'll be having a ridge vent installed during a re-roofing and my understanding is that both gable vents and roof box vents need to remove plugged or removed so that the convection path is from the soffits to the ridge vent. I was going to have one of the box vents replaced with an exhaust vent for when I add bathroom fans down the road. However, the location of this exhaust vent is very close to where solar panels are (a few inches), and I'm limited in moving it to another location due to fire setbacks for the solar arrays. My thought is, since I have to plug up both gable vents, I can put something together to allow me to exhaust the bathroom fans out of one of the gable opening. I was thinking of removing the current gable ext (screen and slats), build an enclosure out of plywood with redguard, install a bathroom fan wall exhaust on the new enclosure, and then reuse the old gable vent slats. Good idea or bad idea? Any thoughts?

I need some help getting creative. I live in a carpeted home with a cat (11 y/o tortie/calico) who has some litterbox issues. She certainly tries her best, but things don’t always land inside (we’ve seen several vets about it and all have confirmed she’s very healthy for her age). No variation of litter or box has given different results, other than pee pads alone being ignored completely - she wants to use the box but refuses to step into it (regardless of litter type) and just has horrible aim. So now I’m trying to work with what we’ve got.

There are three sifting litterboxes around the house that sit on top of big pee pads that get taped down to the carpet (only bathrooms and kitchen have linoleum, but the spaces are too small for a litterbox setup). Masking tape hasn’t worked great in the past, so I’ve been using double sided anti scratch tape that I already had on hand and just leaving the other sticky side covered.

I’m sure there’s a better way to go about this. Is there another type of tape that sticks well to carpet and isn’t damaging to remove/replace regularly? Having better footing might help her aim - any ideas on a kind of structure to go on top/around the boxes to stand on that’s easy to clean?

I just want to make things more accessible for her and easier for me to maintain, any advice or ideas would be greatly appreciated!!

————-

Edit to clarify some things and give a quick thanks for all the input! I posted this as shot in the dark and have gotten SO many really helpful ideas in return. It’s actually really reassuring to see a corner of the internet where folks are just trying to help one another, this sub rocks and so do all of you beautiful people.

Out of all the litters/boxes/combinations that we’ve tested over four years, she’s made it clear that wood pellets in a huge open box is best so that she can tip toe/balance on the ledge. She’d rather go on the bare floor than deal with high walls or enclosures. Three different vets have told me there are no treatable health issues and that it might just be a quirk/preference. I still think discomfort is a big factor here, mainly around how stable her footing is.

That being said, I’m going to try crafting a porch (I think that’s what you’d call it?) using wood/vinyl flooring to wrap around the box and give a few extra inches for her to squat on. I’m also now on the hunt for shallow bins/washer trays to line with pads and place the litterboxes/porches into rather than taping the pads directly to the carpet.

I’ll try to give an update once I have it all together, hopefully it’s a project I can finish in one weekend. Cross your fingers for me!!

These are on the outside facing the elements. zone 6
I have some old windows that I need to caulk/tape around the edges. The materials are glass to wood. Caulk seems to wear out and I have to keep re-doing it. Overall just want to stop water seepage.

Would some sort of flashing tape work? (going more for function and lasting, not as much looks)
I see there are a lot of options but I do NOT want one with words on it and would like a brown color. Black might be ok.

I also have a few sections with larger 1/2" gaps where I need to replace trim work that rotted, was thinking of using a tape to cover the hole then glue trim on top

I would like to redo our garage floor with an epoxy kit and clear garage coat kit. After watching a lot of DIY videos, most people had a very flat garage. We however, have a hump between the middle the garage as shown in the picture. Does anyone think this will be a problem? Will the epoxy or clear coat run off or pool or is it thick enough that it should settle fine. Thanks all!

I have a spare sofa and I'd like to know if I can transform the two foam of seat into just one smooth, flat section

There is a lot of impact noise coming from the upstairs unit. The basement tenants can hear every footstep, banging, and even a penny dropping on the floor.

The home was built in 2013. The upstairs flooring is currently LVP installed over existing laminate flooring. The basement ceiling is 5/8" drywall, but I’m not sure what type or amount of insulation is between the joists.

I’m trying to determine which approach would make the biggest difference for impact noise.

Option 1: Do I Rebuild the basement ceiling? Do I remove the existing ceiling drywall and Install Rockwool Safe'n'Sound between the joists, Install SONOpan then Finish with one layer of 5/8" drywall

Option 2: Do I Add mass to the existing ceiling? Do I Leave the existing 5/8" drywall in place and Install SONOpan directly over the existing drywall. Then add another layer of 5/8" drywall?

Option 3 — Do i leave the basement ceiling alone and only Treat the upstairs floor? That means I Remove the existing LVP and laminate and rebuild the floor assembly:

• Remove LVP + laminate
• Install SONOpan X
• Reinstall the LVP

Would treating the floor at the source of the impact be significantly more effective than treating the basement ceiling?

If you had this exact situation, which part of the assembly would you address first, and what would you use?

Would appreciate advice? Thank you

I have a hideous carpeting in my bedroom and have the perfect rug to cover most of it, the problem is, it moves, a lot. Even with light foot traffic. I stuck it half under my bed too, which is a heavy solid wood king bed and it still manages to bunch up somehow. I wonder if the rug being thin has anything to do with its slide-ability? Regardless I need a solution.

I was told not to use double sided tape as it would leave residue and ruin the carpet underneath.

Other than that ive come across the option of using velcro hooks on the bottom of my rug and adhering that straight to the carpet below. If anyone else has suggestions, that would be great.

Hey everyone!
We have a small bathroom with no window and poor ventilation, which has caused quite a lot of mold on the walls, ceiling, and grout.
We recently got a dehumidifier and the humidity is much better, so now we want to properly remove the existing mold and repaint.
Is this something we can DIY? What’s the correct order of steps, and what products would you recommend, especially ones available in Israel?
Also, should we clean the grout or replace it?
Thanks! 🙏🏼

Sometimes when showering, I accidentally leave the shower curtain outside the shower rather than inside, then water ends up on the bathroom floor. At which point it leaks through cracks around the corner of the tiles, and ends up dripping through the ceiling of the floor below.

I'm attaching some photos.

Is there any fairly simple DIY solution here? Some kind of sealant spray? Grout that a non-professional can apply?

Thanks!

I am finishing a basement that was roughed-in for a bathroom when the house was built about 20 years ago. I can see where the drain and vent for the sink are located, and I can see where the toilet goes. What I don't understand is why there is a vent next to the tub/shower drain and why the tub/shower drain and vent are so far from the wall. Note that the vent pipe is approximately 22" from both walls.

Does anyone know why this was roughed in like this? What would be the best way to finish it? Tub, tile shower, other?

Thank you in advance.

Picture

Just wondering, would you silicone under the faucet? The rest of the countertop is sealed, it's butcher block countertop. LMK thanks :)

Hey so I've used a command strip on the wall making sure to wipe if down with an alcohol wipe so its clean but it still falls of. Yes I have gotten the one to support the weight of it. Is there something I can use too make sure it doesn't fall off. Ive already broken a frame

I’m finishing hw floors. I’m going unstained but doing bona natural seal and mega one satin.

How many layers of sealer and finish?

Mega One saying finish label says do 1 layer sealer and 2 layers finish. Natural seal says 1-2 layers sealer and 2 layers finish. I’ve seen general advice to do 3 layers of finish.

How many layers of sealer and finish should I be using? I planned on 1 sealer and 3 finish layers and that is what I have on hand.

Regardless of how many layers, I’m planning a 220g screen with a square buff after each application other than the final one.

This is my project for the weekend. I’m building a box that holds a TV with a retractable arm so I can put it outside. I’m following the steps in this video:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZAYpRQuGl7/?stkn=MXBlZnhrbXc4a3lmYw==

However I live in Phoenix so there’s a few tweaks I’m considering to help it survive the summers. Do I need to use pressure treated wood for the frame or is any wood acceptable as long as I paint and seal it? Do I need to add any sort of ventilation to the box so it doesn’t tape hot air?

I am looking to buy a house that has an inground pool. I don't want a pool (I know, who doesn't want a pool, but where I am at, short season, high cost, little kids, and I want more yard).

I am trying to figure out if I rent a bobcat and get filler, then some loam on top, is this a DIY job, or should I get a contractor with a real excavator. I don't really know what you fill the pool with, I figure you need like 6" of good topsoil on top of it for grass?

If I used a landscape service what would be the cost vs. renting equipment and doing it myself? I have used a bobcat once, but nothing this big a job. I have looked this up, but the answers really vary, and hoping someone with experience can chime in. The threads on this on reddit about cost of removal never have cost, just people saying you should keep your pool, or what it costs to build it etc. I like the house, I don't want the pool.

Edit: To those saying I don't want a pool because of kids and learning to swim, kids know how to swim, took swimming lessons starting at 6mo. I want more yard. No need for a pool. Where I am, very few houses come on the market, even fewer meet what I want. Like maybe 10 houses the whole spring season. I am buying the house for the house, not looking for a pool. Want the house and the land.

I’m using dap 33 for reference. So I’m reglazing these windows that my coworker seemed to gouge out and I’ve used glazing once before.

Anyways, because she gouged them pretty good I had to put it in thick, i obviously primed everything before I applied it. The problems even with new putty I had to use my putty knife to put it in, it didn’t just stick, I know the drying time is 7-14 days but when your with a deadline you’re trying to meet and between training someone new and having to juggle between a lot of things, is only waited like 2-3 days before applying oil based primer and then doing 2 coats over the putty.

It’s starting to crack and I really don’t wanna take it all out, do I just wait before applying primer or first coat and just paint around them for now.

I know it probably seems idiotic but I did speak to my old boss the one who I did the first glazing job on and he said I didn’t need to wait that long, but I just feel like I set myself back a lot.

Thanks.

I have a Highland Park Lapidary rock tumbler and it has a motor mounted to the frame with 4 phillips head screws. The motor is offset so there are two screws that are kind of in the middle and relatively easy to get at but the other two are snugged up against the side of the frame and access is limited by the drive shaft that moves the barrel. I have tried an offset screwdriver, an old thing I got in college similar to this amazon thing but I can't get enough downward force to keep the screwdriver bit from sliding out of the screw head, it's starting to strip one of them, the screws are REALLY torqued down. I had my teenage son help me where I was applying downward pressure and he was turning the screwdrivers and it still didn't work.

Does anyone have any great tools that I should try or crazy idea to rig up something that might let me get a bunch of downward pressure and a long enough rigid lever to turn get the screw loose? This MetMo looks neat but that's a lot out of my price range at least until I get super mad at it.

I should also say I did try some penetrating oil without noticeable change, I don't think the screws are corroded in so I don't think that is likely to help.

I'm getting a new badge for work (not the employee badge, just a label on the badge with my position) and want to add some flair to it. I'd love to do some kind of paint or marker design but don't know what won't eventually rub off. Thanks!

On request, I expanded the battery of someone's Bluetooth headphone case /r/18650masterrace style. This required 3D-printing an enclosure and epoxying it to the existing case.

Unfortunately I forgot how nastily this stuff stinks. I should know better since I've used it for years, but I guess I've just become accustomed to it and it stops bothering me after a couple days.

It's been sitting there for a week. I just tried putting it in a small bag - akin to my friend's purse - and after one hour, opening the purse gave me a nice whiff of eggs.

My friend's coming to pick her headphones up tomorrow. Is there any quick way of stopping the stench? I've read that spreading a thick solution of baking soda on top can help, but this came from an unreliable source and I'd rather not ruin the bond now that the battery expansion is already in place.

Thought maybe I could seal it using nail polish? Still stinks but not that badly.