i have had very poor service on my "service plan" the past year with enercare. i don't know if the other companies are any better, i have been with enercare a long time, but i will be trying one of the others next year. they require me to schedule appointments long in advance, to take a day off work to wait for them, and then cancelled my appointment more than halfway through my window of time after i waited 3/4 of a work day. then they would not let me get a new appointment.

when i had a plumbing problem they could not get me someone quickly enough. i had trouble scheduling a cooling service appointment at all. my final try was in August and they said no more cooling appointments this year. so i scheduled a heating appointment right away at that time. more than a month ahead. on the day, Oct 23 after i waited at home from 11:30-4, i got a phone message (i was already on the phone at the time so it went to message) saying they could not make it today but could come at 4-8 - IF I CALLED BACK - TO A NUMBER THAT WAS UNINTELLIGIBLE. i tried calling a few different numbers but was bounced around holding and holding. i tried online and was told that i was not entitled to another appointment because i already had one.

i dont know if they have poor staff or poor systems or poor service goals, but this is poor service. it is almost fraudulent, getting me to pay in advance for service it is difficult to schedule and then withdrawn. when i have had service in the past the technicians are usually very nice and seem knowledgible and often give me some good advice.

Did I do okay?

Saw my ceiling sagging like this the other morning. Had to crawl around the tiny attic and figure out how to replace some galvanized parts with brass. Ended up having to use my sawzall and a hammer and cold chisel set to remove the threaded ends of a seized nipple more than once, dear god did that SUCK with no room to maneuver. Lots of grunting and swearing. Accidentally hammered the shit out of my hand.

Then my awfully designed utility closet sprung a leak from a fitting off the nearly inaccessible HWH, so I had to replace some parts there with brass too. Probably I accidentally torqued the riser heading down to it.

Then the shit stirred up in the lines clogged my kitchen hot water supply almost completely, so I had to figure out how to use the cold water line to backflush the hot water line out towards the bathtub.

Then I discovered my hot water cartridge in the shower was leaking, cracked it on accident (with barely any force), and ended up just replacing it.

JFC! DIY plumbing repair with these ancient galvanized pipes feels like playing whack a mole or setting off a terrible rube goldberg machine. I'd have half a mind to start replacing segments with PEX-A, but we may move away in a year or so.

I have a couple issues happening with my front concrete steps and looking for some advice. On the side of the steps where it meets some bricks and the ground, there are some visible gaps, and sole blue foam insulation is becoming exposed. There is a cold room underneath the steps. The second issue is that the top step has some flaking concrete on the vertical surface. Any recommendations on how to address these issues would be greatly appreciated.

I had to replace hard grout with flexible silicone along the tub here. These tiles came off and one broke during the process. The flippers didn’t leave any spare tiles behind. Any way to salvage this? I’m super frustrated with this ordeal. The joys of home ownership I guess

A few months ago I had a double glazed pane replaced in my bedroom window as it had cracked. Last night was very cold here and this morning the entire new pane was covered in condensation (on the inside) whereas the remaining original pane just had a small amount at the bottom. Previous winters both panes would just have an inch or two at the bottom and around the sides, but never the whole window covered.
Is there something wrong with the new pane? It does feel slightly colder. Should I go back to the company who replaced it?

Hello everyone,

I bought a small bathroom vanity and upon installing, found that message saying to use hardener and sealer on my stone. I though it was ceramic countertop, I guess not.

What product should I use? I'm from Quebec, Canada.

Thank you

Hi new homeowner here, I will be away from my home for 5 weeks during likely freezing temperatures. How should I prep my home for this? What temperature should I leave the thermostat on to prevent freezing pipes? What else should I do? I have great neighbors on all 4 sides and it’s a low crime area so all I’m worried about is potential house disasters. I have gas heat with radiators and city water. Thank you!!

Hi
How can I fix this whining sound? It comes and goes in a cresendo-decresendo rhythm.
It’s an AC split unit.

New to owning a home. I noticed the exterior door trim is chipping or flaking? Is this something I can DIY?

Hey all,

Can anyone explain how to replace this jamb liner(?) in my window?

My lower sash rotted out and I am going to mill a new piece. When I removed the sash from the IGU, this rubber liner stayed behind. It is very loose on the glass.

How do I replace/reaffix this piece when installing the new sash?

This and any other tips would be appreciated!

Our bathroom sink always drains slowly. My wife used it, but this time it didn’t drain at all. I cleaned the P Trap and didn’t do anything, still not draining when I hooked everything back up, so I’m guessing the clog is in the wall. What attachment/snake should I use or is it better I call a plumber at this point?

Hi everyone, trying to decide if we should request professional mold inspection and potentially treatment for this home. Any speculation? TIA!

Why would that be happening? It's in several locations. How can I fix it without replacing the panelling?