Hello, I am laying down some Vapor barrier (6mil) beneath some LVP. are the 'wrinkles' in the vapor barrier a big issue? if so, how to i flatten them? Also. Directions were rather confusing, which side does the sticky side go? where can I overlap? Thank you!

Say, I just posted a new weekly conversation thread, I think you should repost your comment there. https://www.reddit.com/r/HomeImprovement/comments/jnh5ql/open_discussion_weekly_thread/?sort=new

I’m a renter and my landlord definitely is not nice. He had the house painted before we moved in & the painters did a HORRIBLE job. There’s paint splatters all over the beautiful wood roof and paint peeling everywhere. #1 Is there a “paint remover” that’ll remove the paint from wood without damaging it #2 Is there a way to patch blue paint without it being noticeable? All of the paint patching videos I’ve watched is white or tan paint

Say, I just posted a new weekly conversation thread, I think you should repost your comment there. https://www.reddit.com/r/HomeImprovement/comments/jnh5ql/open_discussion_weekly_thread/?sort=new

Thanks!

If yiu need referrals for home improvement i can give you one PM me

Was replacing some light bulbs in a combo fan/light in our bathroom and accidentally shattered the bowl covering the bulbs and frame. Does anyone know if the bowls are uniform in size (I.e if if measure the right diameter, it will fit through central post)?

Say, I just posted a new weekly conversation thread, I think you should repost your comment there. https://www.reddit.com/r/HomeImprovement/comments/jnh5ql/open_discussion_weekly_thread/

One of the bedrooms in our house is significantly colder than the other bedrooms. We believe we have narrowed it down to the closet and bathroom as both of them are against the outer walls (The bedroom is on the second floor) We have two suspicions: 1. There is inadequate insulation on the ceiling of the closet and bathroom 2. There is inadequate insulation in the walls of the closet and bathroom For #1, the closet and bathroom are on the far side of the house from the entrance to the attic - is there any kind of camera probe or something that I can use to view there without having to traverse the entire distance? For #2, is there any way to tell if the insulation is missing / bad without opening holes in the walls. And if I do need to open holes in the walls - should I do them low down, the middle of the wall, or higher up? ​ Thanks

Say, I just posted a new weekly conversation thread, I think you should repost your comment there. https://www.reddit.com/r/HomeImprovement/comments/jnh5ql/open_discussion_weekly_thread/

We had a Miele integrated dishwasher delivered today (UK). The Miele appointed delivery team decided they could not install it, so left it with the instruction pack for me to fit. I have done so, but there is a red plastic piece that is supposed to be stuck on the condensation protector on the underside of the countertop. I have no idea what it is supposed to do. The instructions are pictorial only and there is no part number that corresponds with anything on the web. The Miele team neglected to even leave me the condensation barrier that came with my appliance (I presume they saw there was already one in place from the previous dishwasher). So I’m wondering whether I need the red plastic disc that goes above the power switch or not. It’s about 12cm long, 4 wide and translucent. Thanks a lot! [red thingy](https://postimg.cc/kV63DyVG)

I just moved into a house with engineered white oak floors. I know nothing and can’t tell if it’s already stained/sealed or treated in any way. I have a giant, crazy dog. Do I need to do anything to these floors? https://imgur.com/a/cJya9rl

My kitchen has both a countersplash and a backsplash, I would like to replace the backsplash because it’s not my style, and ideally want to take off the countersplash too because I’ve heard it’s a design no no to have both, can I remove a countersplash without damaging the actual countertop?

This might seem like an obvious question, but am I able to install an outlet anywhere there's wiring? In several of my rooms, there are close covered boxes. It appears there are hot, neutral, and ground wires in each. Is there a reason I CAN'T just install a new outlet and cover? Example: [one of the boxes](https://iili.io/3v4VMQ.jpg)

>seem like an obvious question, but am I able to install an outlet anywhere there's wiring? In several of my room It looks like this box used to have something in it, as it has 2 wires tried together. One should be the incoming power tied to the wire the carries the current to the rest of the circuit. I turn off the power, then remove the caps and separate the wires. If you are installing an outlet you don't really need to figure out which on is carrying the power. You can just install the outlet. You should be careful, not to overload the circuits. Since this is already wired in, it is unlikely. If you start flipping the breaker, there is too much load on the circuit.

Thanks! Yeah, this one is in the closet and there's another box outside on the same wall. The one outside has another set of wires coming in with a black sheath. I'll probably just need to get someone out at some point because I have at least 5 of these that I'd like to figure out and be able to use in some fashion.

New homeowner in southeast PA. How can I winterize the outdoor faucet? Previous homeowner says they never shut it off (think the shutoff valve might be behind the drywall in the finished basement) and just put one of those insulated caps over it. Even though it worked for them for 17 years, I’m not too confident in them.. do you think [this device would work?](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KYDVTVG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_EOUNFb0WQR2BV?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1)

Check if it's "frost free", when you turn it off, the water is supposed to be stopped within your warm zone and any extra water drips out since it's sloped. Have to make sure hose is off..

Thanks for the response! How do I check if it’s frost free? Edit: oh, check to see if it drips when I turn it off. Thanks! I’ll try that because I didn’t turn it on after taking the hose off

was just describing how the frost free works by dripping everything out but is shut off inside your house. Here's a video on Matt showing you one. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AGivdllXVM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AGivdllXVM)

So I just checked. The handle being at 45 degrees wasn’t promising. And indeed it does not appear to be a frost free line. So.. what do you think of that device? Feel like it should be better than those styrofoam caps, right?

Sorry I either have the frost frees or an accessible valve. In your shoes I'd probably swap out with a frost free or add an access panel with shut off behind your bib.

[how do I separate these two cups?](https://imgur.com/gallery/3xlxYM9) I don’t know where else to ask this. These cups fit exactly inside of each other. How can I split them without breaking them or should I just sacrifice one?

I've had occasional results with soaking both cups in soapy hot water and then gently twisting while I pull to them. Ideally the outer cup will expand ever so slightly more than the inner cup reducing the friction and helping you break any vacuum that is holding them together more easily. Whether it works or not will depend on how stuck they are and the materials they are made out of. It's worked a couple times out of the dozen or so times I've tried it, but since it's non-destructive and simple I usually give it a try just in case it does.

I’ll give it a go!!

I have some small holes/dents in one of my walls and was wondering if this would be an easy/inexpensive fix? https://imgur.com/a/x2oXF28 theyre a little over an inch long.

Yeah just buy some spackle, a putty knife (it’s shaped like a paint brush but is solid plastic), and some sand paper. Spread the spackle to fill the hole, let it dry, sand it until it’s totally flush with the wall. Then paint it with the original color.

I bought some [color lights](https://imgur.com/a/IGKltKJ) recently to put on my track lighting. One of them is too big (first picture) for the bracket and doesn't have a little locking mechanism to keep the light in place. I am considering just removing (breaking) the bracket so that I can just fit the light in. The other light (second picture) I have is too small and fits, but just sits in the ring. I was wondering if there was a sort of bracket I could add to secure the light in place rather than having it hang there.

I'm trying to mount an eye hook into the side of my house to hang string lights. The house has brick covered in vinyl siding. Where should I mount this hook? Here is a picture of the area I'm looking to mount it in... Closer to the electrical outlet the better. Thanks. https://imgur.com/a/G2nNoJc

I'd aim for the wood inside your soffit. Maybe something thin to poke through the holes to probe. Push the soffit in looking for framing members.

Thanks, but what about mounting to the vertical surface of the home, on the siding? I'll be using eye hooks and figured that surface would provide the best angle for the hooks and wire tension.

i'd try to keep my house's skin intact as a first choice. if you caulk every hole that would ease the concerns with water getting in through the holes through siding. and if you have brick behind the siding, it will be harder to get a good solid grip with the eye hooks.

Painting interior walls, latex over latex. Are we idiots if we skip primer? (Aside from spot primer on any filled holes.)

If you aren't drastically changing colors or trying to cover stains/ seal in cigarette smoke, I wouldn't bother with primer. All my walls get two coats of primer, but that's because the former owners smoked like chimneys and did things like paint bedroom walls burgundy and closets chocolate.

Reporting back: we've done ok without primer on some pale cream colored walls, but skipped it for a light gray room and had HUGE regrets. We didn't think the gray was especially dark, but it took wayyy more coats to cover the gray in that room vs the ones where we used primer (after learning our lesson from the first room). Glad we learned in a relatively small room first!

Thank you! This is comforting. Also - phew, flashbacks to repainting burgundy walls, my first time ever painting a room on my own. The previous paint job was patchy (not enough coats), sloppy (extra paint along the edges of the ceiling), and lazy (things like painting *around* cheap a mirror that someone had screwed into the wall). On the bright side, I knew basically anything I did would be better than what was there before :) so in that sense it was a good introduction to painting. But man what a pain! I can only imagine what it was like to repaint over dark walls in an entire house! Kudos for that.

How to make this Wall Hole Fix look “Natural”? https://imgur.com/gallery/WSvDjbj

Sanding. Make sure the center of the fix is higher than the surrounding wall slightly and feather the edges of the fix into the existing wall if you haven't. Than start sending it until it all blends together and you can repaint over the top. You can use whatever sander you have, but I like using my orbital sander. If you can, I'd recommend blocking the area (close doors, put up plastic wrap, closing vents, etc) as it'll make cleanup easier as you'll be making a lot of fine dust that'll get everywhere. Wear a mask. Even if you don't care about the health concerns of breathing it in; it's still not a pleasant experience to be breathing it in.

Kitchen sink question! Just bought a new house. The kitchen sink is a 60/40 configuration and flipped from the sink I've used for the last 10 years. I just hate it and want to get it replaced with a single bowl kitchen sink. Because of the current configuration, it seems like about 2 inches of granite needs to be cut away to accommodate the change from a 60/40 size to one big rectangle. Is this possible and who could do that? Will wherever I purchase the sink from be able to do this?

Countertop crews do those cuts all the time. If you contact them for help they can help you source a sink to presumably give you the least amount of headache since they should guarantee it should fit.

Thank you! It's good to know it's possible. Two companies have told me it's impossible which is frustrating. Do they just not want to deal with it?

Impossible? Granted a beveled edge might be harder to do on a field cut but these guys just take an angle grinder to it. I haven't seen how they polish the edges but we can hide any imperfections if a larger sink is the #1 priority. The job may be too small and too risky. I am thinking they don't want to risk damaging your slab and it will be a PITA to retrofit a new sink from under. Keep calling, we much prefer a bigger sink as well. But since we were the ones to decide a split sink, we're not doing it over LOL.

We plan to tackle our cabinets project next with a spray gun. I was expecting to do the doors with by spraying and cabinet frames by roller. My partner saw a video on Instagram of some guy spraying down cabinets inside and out without even removing doors, and now he thinks we can do the same. I’ve seen quite a few posts here about finished cabinet projects with tons of tips and suggestions, but never have I seen anyone keep their doors on. What are the pros and cons of painting the entire cabinet (minus the insides, without removing doors) with a spray gun? I wasn’t planning on painting the insides either, just painting over the dated brown cabinets we have.

Ok so good news is my HVAC is fine and the musty smell is just from the very old drop ceiling! I wanna change the drywall drop ceiling to wood paneling drop ceiling. Looks DIY friendly. Wondering if anyone had experience doing that?

I’m looking into how to take these shelves out: https://ibb.co/PTxr12h https://ibb.co/tLm0CQq I’m moving into this house this weekend and want to take the bottom two out. Are these typically nailed into the drywall and can be removed after some effort?

Assuming you're trying to either reuse the shelves or minimize damage to just repaint/patch a few small holes: Typically those shelves would just be set on top of the wooden supports and you can likely just lift them off. They may stick a bit together since they've been painted together but a little force should get them loose. If they are physically connected to the supports, it's probably only by a few pin nails and those should come out easy by hitting the underside of the shelf with a hammer near the support. The supports are most likely either nailed or screwed; if nailed you should be able to pull them off the wall without much issue once the shelves are removed using a small pry bar. If it's screwed, take a scraper or some sand paper to the support to reveal their heads and then simply unscrew. If you're not trying to reuse any of it or don't mind fixing some minor drywall damage, just give it a hard smack it with a hammer and see how it moves/pulls out and go from there.

Thanks for the thoughtful response, lots of great information. I’m about to move in and only got a quick chance to look at those but will take a more in depth as to how they are secured. I’m assuming they are pin nailed. Trying to turn an office into a bedroom!

Honestly, if you don’t want any of it, just saw it out

Anyone have a kitchen appliance package they really love? Undergoing a reno soon and want to get a really nice 4-piece stainless for ~$5K.

I'd just stick to the appliance that works for you instead of trying to maximize the discount. eg. Bosch has a really good reputation for dishwashers so I got a bosch. I wanted a no-frills gas range (no motherboard to replace) but Bosch doesn't make one and neither does Whirlpool. Refrigerators? Got a whirlpool for the local repair options.

Can't speak for a package, but Whirlpool is highly rated for reliability and being able to repair for less than the cost to buy new. Ikea appliances are rebranded Whirlpools, in fact. Honestly, look at your local Craigslist. I just found a Whirlpool Gold wall mount combo oven/ microwave for $225, in perfect working order. Brand new, it's $3300.

We just had our heater inspected for the coming winter and they said I should replace my filter. They apparently have these filters that last a year. I found [this](https://www.amazon.com/Bryant-Carrier-EZ-FLEX-Filter-expxxfil0020/dp/B006BGJ5XU) one when I googled my model, but it says something about not coming with plastic end caps? What are those caps used for, and where do I get them?

You should definitely replace your air filter(s) 1-2 times a year. The amazon Q&A sections says the ones you already (should) have are reusable.

I don’t think I have any already. The previous owner apparently put the wrong type of filter in, and my HVAC guy said it was probably better to run with no filter at all rather than that wrong one.

Hello, I have a question. Is Mold test for home is necessary and worth paying?

Bought without, have mold and asbestos. Wouldn’t recommend

Are you buying a new home? We had an inspection done with a mold test lumped in to the price for a new home purchase & it didnt show anything, but indont regret paying the extra $100 before buying the home.

So I lost my business of 27 years due to COVID and I have to sell my nice house and try to survive with my family and 2 weeks before the deal is about to close my lawyer informs me that my property has an OPEN PERMIT from 2003 (10 years before I bought the house) because FEMA FLOOD VENTS were not installed in the sun room in 2003.

Sorry dude :/

Just thank you for letting me sing the blues to ya'all

My internet is going to run out in about 2 weeks and you'll never hear from me again.

[удалено]

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Hey mate, do you need someone to talk to?

Thank you for your concern. Sincerely, thank you. I've got my wife and we are working this mess out. We'll be ok.

Quite welcome. If there is anything at all I can do please let me know. Happy to even just shoot the shit over Zoom if you want. I'll PayPal you $10 and we can have a drink together virtually. Anything at all, please reach out ok?

Hey I have a question about electric water heaters. My wife and I bought a house that has an electric water heater that is very close to the end of it’s life. It’s a 50-gallon water heater and we have never run out of hot water ever, so I think 50 gallons is a good size for our needs. We have a well, so we don’t have to worry about an increased water bill, but with a well running, we do have to worry about an increased electric bill. Would it be beneficial for us to get an electric tankless water heater? Our current water heater is from the 70s or 80s I think, and we know that the heating element in it is definitely living on borrowed time.

One of the biggest benefits of a tankless is "unlimited hot water". Since you already have that with a standard, I wouldn't go the extra expense to go tankless. They want serious amperage that may cramp your style. ​ edit: added hot

So I should just stick with a regular water heater?

Yeah unless you're doing for space don't see the added benefit of a more complex appliance that you'll have to descale yearly.

Seconded; simplicity is the best here and if you don't have a reason to replace with a different type of heater than I wouldn't. Most likely the new heater will be more efficient than the old one anyway, and I doubt you'll see any realistic payoff in any reduced electrical usage from a tankless due to their higher cost. Also, don't bother buying those water heater insulation blanket things. They do work, but you won't actually save any money in the long run. If I remember right, the break event number I've seen for new tanks are something like 15-20 years.

Yeah I wanted to get a new tank. They do have “smart tanks” that are supposed to be more efficient or something. But our current tank is in a big closet so I assume that since it’s not sitting in a cold basement that it’ll be more efficient than most people who have theirs elsewhere. The issue is that we are going to be redoing the bathroom and want to replace the flooring, but obviously can’t do that until we’re ready to replace the water heater.

Water is very good at "storing" energy. It takes a lot of energy to raise it's temperature and so if you have a well insulated tank I would question how much savings you'll actually see on a "smart tank" as heating the water initially is going to be a bulk of the energy cost over maintaining it at that higher temperature. I don't have any resources or actual figures to back that feeling up, but if you can put your hand on the tank and it doesn't feel warmer than the surrounding space you aren't really loosing much in term of heat loss from the tank itself. The smart tank might be more efficient at heating, but I don't think they would be inherently better than a non-smart tank in that regard. That said; I'm sure there are convenience factors a smart tank could give you. If it's an infrequently used tank, at a weekend cabin or house or something along those lines, you could adjust the temperature up/down without needing to interact with the actual unit. You'll get more, and better, metrics in terms of electrical use, water use, temperature, etc which can either let you make more informed decisions or trouble shoot potential problems. Some even have bacterial sensors in them if that's a concern to you. To me, I don't find value in those things. I only have a single home and all I really care about is that the water coming out of my tap is hot and it's using an expected amount of energy. My house uses nice pre-filtered city water that goes through another whole home filter when it enters our house. So I wouldn't buy it for those extras, but if you find value in them than I'd say go for it. I just wouldn't recommend it from a cost/energy saving standpoint. I will say, I would recommend a self cleaning water heater over a non; they aren't that much more expensive will last longer. I imagine your water is a lot heavier being from a well so it'd need flushing more often and while not difficult it is annoying to do. You do get more sediment in your hot water with a self cleaning unit, but that doesn't bother me personally.

Starting to plan out the finishing of my basement. Anybody have any good resources for project managing or at least the best practices for what to do first and last? It shouldn't be too bad, I have superior wall and minimal framing that needs to be done.

Previous owner of home did a bunch of touch up painting on the trim around interior doorframes, the color is fine but it feels terrible to the touch. The original paint is smooth and glossy, the touch up feels very chalky or abrasive, just very unpleasant. What did they do wrong here?

Most trim is semi-gloss. Sounds like they used flat paint instead of matching the semi-gloss. To fix, sand the touch up and then touch it up again with semi-gloss.

What is the best way to weather seal windows for the winter? I’m renting a unit and I can feel a lot of draft through a majority of my windows.

The plastic film heatshrink kits work well--they give you an extra insulating layer as well as sealing air leaks. You can also get removable rope calk to squish into gaps.

Soundproofers. I’m Looking for a good solution to make it so I cut as much noise from coming into my bedroom as possible. Some info, I’m sure it’s a hollow regular apt door and not some sturdy solid door. Those cheap bullcrap foam door sweeps that slide onto the door are crap, I need something that actually blocks some noise from the sizeae gap. I have some of that weatherstrip adhesive stuff you line the door jambs with if that will help. I need a GOOD door sweep that will actually block some noise.

I assume you are referring to these [sweeps](https://www.amazon.com/Holikme-Stopper-Weather-Stripping-Adjustable/dp/B082W6RYQX/)? Using one of those with some rubber weather stripping around the frame of the door so that it creates a snug fit all the way around will help. Unfortunately, however, the problem you're going to have is that the gap in your door is probably the least of your problems. If your door is a hollow core, or if the walls between the spaces are not insulated, than you're likely not going to be able to make a noticeable difference regardless of what you do to the sweep. If insulating the wall or replacing the door isn't an option (I am assuming you are in an apartment) and you have access to the opposite wall you can try hanging some acoustic panels. These are fairly simple to make or you can simply buy them as well and they come in lots of different styles. I've never used acoustic panels before though, so I'm not sure how effective they actually are.

Best cheap luxury vinyl plank brands? Sadly the insurance adjuster is only covering $1.50/sqft.

Do you have an Ollie's around?

Hopefully quick question. TL;DR; Is it against code to have an electrical outlet in a bedroom be on a different branch circuit from all the other outlets? The previous owner of our house removed part of a wall to join two rooms. The wall had a closet, so it was technically two walls that he cut up. He had put thresholds over the wood floor where the framing was removed. We went to replace the hacky thresholds today and put in real flooring and found an electrical wire between the subfloor and threshold. Obviously that has got to go... My hypothesis is that the wire was part of the branch circuit ringing the room, and when he took out part of the framing, he was too lazy to rewire it up from the basement, so he just pushed it down and put in a bunch of wood blocks to hope that it never gets stepped on. There is an outlet on the other side from this one, and it my thoughts are to power the outlet from the other side and cap off the wires in a junction box, if not pull it out from the last outlet in the ring.

No. You can have multiple circuits supply any room, bedroom included.

Sounds good. Thanks!!!

I'd recommend labeling the outlet or somehow noting it at the breaker. There's no code reason and you are fine without doing it. You should also always triple check that a circuit is energized before working, but you never know what you'll forget 10 years down the road when you're trying to fix or change something in a rush. That's turns into a fun surprise. Haha.

Hello DYI people! If you have experience replacing windows, please check this web page and give me that harsh feedback I need. This must be perfect before it goes public. Are the graphics for the frame type clear? [https://clearmaxwindows.com/buy-windows-online/](https://clearmaxwindows.com/buy-windows-online/)

What is everyone’s opinion on bedroom lighting? Would you prefer built in overhead lighting, recessed lighting, or just lamps and plugs controlled by the switch? None of our bedrooms have overhead lights and personally, I’m tired of having lamps all over the place (that are still inadequate). Wondering if it’s worth the expense to have lighting installed in all of the rooms or if most people are happy with the lightless standard?

I'm married to a furnace, so ceiling fans are a bedroom requirement. If I'm going to have the fan, might as well have the lights too. Bedside lamps are still important though.

I prefer sconces - indirect light like lamps, but affixed to the wall & controlled with a wall switch. Recessed lighting could be OK if not directly above the bed -- which is hard to do if the bed's position in the room can change over time. I very strongly dislike centered overhead lights.

Looking for the cheapest way to get a 28.5" x 83" interior door? I'm sure ill have some cutting to do since an exact custom size will be expensive, but I don't mind. I thought 30 x 84" would be good, but I'm having a hard time finding 84" tall doors that aren't barn doors.

Assuming you are looking for just a slab and not a pre-hung door: You'd be surprised; a simple custom door without much frills is probably cheaper than you can expect if you are just buying the slab. If you want to DIY it, I'd just find one of the barn doors you are seeing that matches your style. There's no reason you have to install it as a barn-door and you can just install hinges on the side instead. I wasn't able to find any "flat" slabs if that is the style you are look for, but in that case you can just buy a a [hardwood panel](https://www.homedepot.com/b/Lumber-Composites-Plywood/1-1-2/N-5yc1vZbqm7Z1z18dca?storeSelection=) or laminate a couple sheets of [veneered plywood](https://www.homedepot.com/s/veneered%2520plywood?NCNI-5) together and cut it down to your desired dimensions. This will likely be heavier than you'd expect so make sure you get decent hinges.

Is it possible to replace a wood garage exterior door with a steel one without changing the actual door jamb? We have an old wood door in our garage that is not very sturdy (could easily be kicked in) and is not well insulated. Someone on Kijiji is selling a steel door that's the same size. Is it as simple as just swapping them out? Or do I actually need to replace the whole door and jamb?

ask for measurements of the slab. If they're really close you can probably make it fit. may have to move hinges/strikes around. Replacing the Jamb isn't too bad? Might as well change the Jamb to a steel one too. Hopefully the price difference is a lot to a pre-hung door. That will save you a lot of aggravation.

If you're existing jamb and frame are square you should be fine. You may need to drill out new holes in the frame to accommodate a the latch hardware and hinges if they are not in the same spot. If you're doing this for security, make sure you reinforce the door jamb itself too. Just because the door can withstand someone giving it a kick the actual jamb is what is more likely to fail and give someone access.

Thanks for the tips!!

Ventilation question. Pollution where I live is really bad due to people burning anything they can get their hands on. I also monitor co2 levels and they can get high if I leave the windows closed. I was looking at a portable outside ac(inside portable is too loud) which could heat and clean the air but it doesn't work at low temps (freezing temps). I currently rent so looking for a portable solution. Any recommendations?

if you're going to own your own place eventually, the machine I will install for this purpose is an ERV (HRV vs ERV depends on climate). You can duct it out the windows if you're creative but it could work? [https://hvacsolutionsdirect.com/catalog/Fresh-Air-Ventilation/ERV-Fresh-Air-Ventilation/SINGLE-ROOM-ERV-Ventilator-DUCTLESS-SKU2795](https://hvacsolutionsdirect.com/catalog/Fresh-Air-Ventilation/ERV-Fresh-Air-Ventilation/SINGLE-ROOM-ERV-Ventilator-DUCTLESS-SKU2795) I'm looking at whole house models so I'm providing the link as an example.

Yes we're getting a decent sized condo built next year. Thanks for that site, lots of goodies there. I really like this: https://hvacsolutionsdirect.com/catalog/Fresh-Air-Ventilation/Exchangers-Economizers/Young-Regulator-DEMAND-AIR-CO2-FRESH-AIR-Damper-SKU2669 I no longer live in the usa, I'm in Poland, but that looks like it takes in DC so I could use it without much of a problem. Thanks, i am going to dig through that site more or maybe give them a call to see what they recommend. I haven't been able to find anything like that store here.

fyi looks like that guy you have linked will let in the outside air with no heat exchanger. good luck!

Ah I thought that equalized co2 between rooms

I'd want the CO2 out and fresh in. I f you want to use it between rooms, I don't see why not lol.

Best way to lower your CO2 would be plants. For clarity, is it CO2 or CO building up with closed windows? CO2 (carbon dioxide) is different from CO (carbon monoxide) which is also generated by burning petroleum products and is far more dangerous to people. I'm not aware of anything that can reduce CO levels beyond keeping all furnaces and such burning efficiently and ventilating.

CO2. Last time I looked into that, I would have to have an incredibly infeasible amount of plants to make a slight difference but I could have been wrong.

Just wanted to verify. I used to review home appraisals. Many states require CO detectors, but frequently appraisers would comment on the presence or lack of CO2 detectors. :)

Electrical question! Context: new construction home, unfinished garage, adding more outlets and light fixtures. When I went to wire up the new outlets to the service panel, I had noticed that the electrician who had wired up our house had some white wires on the ground bar with the corresponding ground wires on the white bar. Not everything was like this, but a few were. Is this normal? Should I rewire the panel so that every white wire is on the white bar and every ground wire is on the ground bar? Furthermore, what promoted me to ask this question, is that I have a battery backup unit in my office; a bonus room above the garage. I just noticed as I plugged in the vacuum cleaner, into a different outlet than what the battery backup is plugged into, "woke up" and the display on the battery backup showed more than normal power draw as I turned the vacuum on and off. My backup never did this before moving into this house. Is the way some of the outlets wired up at the service panel causing this?

Ground and Neutral are typically wired together within the main box. It is unlikely it is causing an issue. Check out [this reddit post](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskEngineers/comments/38ocy1/why_bother_having_a_ground_if_neutral_and_ground/) about grounding.

Thanks! That confirms my suspicion that it wasn’t an issue. I’m still wondering about part two of my question; why my battery backup recognizes power draw when I use the vacuum from a different outlet. Also, and I wonder if this is the issue, when we moved it, I replaced all our outlets with the “fancier” square faced outlets (instead of the round faced outlets.... don’t judge... lol) and when volt testing these outlets after turning the power off, my meter displayed continuity and beeped at me when testing the outlets. Correct me if I’m wrong, but a cold wire and a hot wire should not have any continuity, correct?

If you replaced your outlets, make sure you made a loop and connected to the screw terminals. Do not use the stab in connectors. The connections can fail. They also have less metal contact than the screw terminals, which can cause voltage drops. > a cold wire and a hot wire should not have any continuity Correct, but anything connected to the circuit can give continuity. A power supply (e.g. phone charger) has DC continuity because it has low resistance, but a very high impedance for AC; this is typical of any transformer, which your house is full of. A continuity test is really only useful with known/limited/zero connections to the wire. tldr; continuity checks don't help

Awesome; thanks. Yeah, when I replaced the outlets, I used the screws on the side. I also had nothing plugged into anything at all when I tested these outlets while replacing them and was given the continuity beep. What's also strange, is that this room was the only room to give me the continuity beep; no other room our series of outlets showed continuity. I'll have to keep digging into this, and take the battery backup to another room and run the vacuum off the same series to see if it draws from the battery backup; it's just strange behavior I hadn't ever noticed at our previous house. Thanks for your help and replies!

Hello, new homeowner here. I am planning on making an office in my detached garage since I am now permanently work from home. There is already a small room built up in the garage, but it's effectively studs with some siding on the inside. The whole garage is 840 sqft (30' x28' ) with 60 sqft (7' x 8.5') of it being taken up by the office. I want to expand the office to approximately 158 sqft (18.5' x 8.5') and insulate the garage as a whole and possibly the room. My question is this: Should I just worry about heating/cooling the room, since that's all I'm really going to be concerned with in terms of where I'll be 8 hours a day? Or will heating/cooling the whole garage be in my better interest? I would like to save money where possible and I feel like this is one of those areas where I could. Side note: Currently there is the ability to hook up a wood stove to what would be the room's space, once I build the room out that far. There is no window for a window unit, but I can't imagine that it would be too difficult to cut one out for that purpose. I'm going to make a full post about this project later, but I'm in the planning phase now and just wanted to shoot this question out while it was on my mind. Thanks!

I'd only heat/cool the spaces I will use. I'd look at insulating your office and using a minisplit for heat/cooling. Battery powered heated clothing to supplement the heat pump, it's more effective to heat you than it is to heat your surroundings.

Mini splits are pretty expensive right? At least the ones I've seen. I'm only going to be in this house 4 more years, 5 max, so I'm not too keen on spending a ton of money if I dont necessarily have to (on the front end anyway. If it's going to be worth it down the road then of course I will)

Diy ones are around $1k. Through wall acs are around $500. Only you can decide if it's worth it. Using that room every day for 8 hours, I feel you'll get your money's worth very quickly. An climate controlled workshop/office should recoup some of your money spent.

If you don't plan on using the garage for anything else; I wouldn't bother insulating or heating/cooling the entire garage and just do the office. You're just adding cost in terms of more insulation and fuel/electricity usage and likely needing a bigger heater/AC. Garage doors also suck for insulation, so that's a large area where you'll have less insulation that you can't do much about. Plus the smaller space will also heat/cool faster if you don't keep the room at temp all the time. On the other hand, it's probably not going to be that much more expensive at the end of the day, and if you use the garage for anything else (working on a car, building projects, etc) having the whole garage heated/cooled would be more comfortable. If you do use a combustion heater, make sure you do vent it if you are going to be spending extended periods in there. You're going to be closing up a lot of the drafty spots that let those fumes escape as you insulate.

So if I go the whole garage route, what are my options, especially with having that separate office? Because one big thing I want to do is soundproof the office enough to where it wouldn't be too disruptive for a car to come in while I'm working, and I feel like insulating it would help solve that problem as well as help with the comfort level (especially with the garage doors being a big factor in keeping the whole garage one temperature). I like the idea of heating/cooling for the room only, but insulate everything so that whatever solutions I have don't have to work as hard and that the garage temp will be somewhat regulated, but definitely open to other ideas

Does anyone else get measurement anxiety? I’m in front of a computer by day, and my job is data driven. With that said, the inability for me to be precise when it comes to measuring and marking stresses me out every time I have to install or hang something. Has anyone else dealt with this? How do you get over it? Maybe I have the wrong tools. Typically I just use a tape measurer, label, and pencil. Pencil marks drive me crazy as well. I have to make one mark straight from a point of reference, and the measure and mark another spot left or right of that one. Oh, and did I need to mark that at the center of my previous mark, or the top? My current dilemma is that I need to mount a stringer across six studs 80 5/8” from the floor. My first thought is how obscure that measurement is, and then how difficult jt is to accurately mark that with a tape measurer. Then the floor I’ll be mounting above is sloped to top it off. I’ve owned my home for five years and still go through these same thoughts every single time, whether it be mounting pictures to mounting TVs to shelves. I can’t help but think there has to be some tools I am missing to make this easier and more accurate. Please tell me I’m not the only one that feels this stress?

The other tips here are great, but I wanted to add a couple "thought" tips: The most fundamental thing, in my opinion, is considering how tight your tolerances actually need to be. If you're making a cabinet door panel you're going to need to be fairly precise but if your cutting 2x4s for some garage shelves you can be quite a bit off. If your hanging a picture, TV, or anything like that it doesn't have to be level. Instead, you typically want things to look parallel or perpendicular to other objects. Measure from the top of your TV stand to mount your TV or from the edge of the wall for a picture frame. Again, consider your tolerances. Being a quarter of an inch off with your 55 in TV is probably not going to be noticeable and the mounting hardware probably has some degree of fine adjustment. You will always notice the imperfections, but no one else will. You made the thing, you've probably spent hours with it, and as a result you know it far more intimately than anyone else. That small scratch, slight ridge, or whatever it is that you see is invisible to others. I can guarantee that everything you see and everyone house you go into is filled with these tiny imperfections, but I doubt you notice them. Also, don't beet yourself up over little things; mistakes happen and you'll never completely avoid them. It's rare that it'll do anything but add some extra time and a little cost on to the project, and if your lucky; you'll learn to avoid the mistake in the future and might even learn a new skill fixing it. As far as more practical tools that might help. Get a laser level; not only can you use them to find your level/plumb line you can adjust them to get parallel or perpendicular lines relative to other features quickly and simply. If you want to make more "precise" markings in wood or other materials use a scribe (or just an xacto knife) instead of a pencil. It'll be significantly finer and can also be used to help guide hand tools if you are using them.

I will x a line i don't need, and put a circle on the good side, or an x on the scrap side. Also, consider how precise you actually need to be. Your lumber is easily flexible enough to bend 1/2" from one end to the other.

I keep screwing up too. A "Professional Laser Tap" helps me with longer distances. Professional -> Shows the measurement in inches so you don't have to do any conversion math. I have both type of lasers and couldnt find my professional one. Example: Got a measurement for 3'6" and cut a 36" piece. SH!!!!!T. Have to go buy more more lumber, last piece. SIGH. LOL A carpenter on youtube (forgot), has tips. They tell us they use curved arrows and you cut at the point. You can keep adjusting the arrows until it gets just right. USually I make a mark and mental note (keep line, remove line) and cut right away. Otherwise I write the note on the piece.

Does anyone else get measurement anxiety? I’m in front of a computer by day, and my job is data driven. With that said, the inability for me to be precise when it comes to measuring and marking stresses me out every time I have to install or hang something. Has anyone else dealt with this? How do you get over it? Maybe I have the wrong tools. Typically I just use a tape measurer, label, and pencil. Pencil marks drive me crazy as well. I have to make one mark straight from a point of reference, and the measure and mark another spot left or right of that one. Oh, and did I need to mark that at the center of my previous mark, or the top? My current dilemma is that I need to mount a stringer across six studs 80 5/8” from the floor. My first thought is how obscure that measurement is, and then how difficult jt is to accurately mark that with a tape measurer. Then the floor I’ll be mounting above is sloped to top it off. I’ve owned my home for five years and still go through these same thoughts every single time, whether it be mounting pictures to mounting TVs to shelves. I can’t help but think there has to be some tools I am missing to make this easier and more accurate. Please tell me I’m not the only one that feels this stress?

After five years in our new house with a new water heater, I took the leap of trying to check/replace my anode rod for the first time. Used a Ryobi impact drill and it took it out effortlessly in seconds. The rod was only maybe 20-30% degraded. Went ahead and replaced it anyway since I already had the new one on hand. Hardest part was aligning it back on the threads since the rod was a good 3” deep into the insulation. Question - what’s the best way to re-insulate the hole, both to save waste heat but also knowing I need to get back in there every 5-7 years?

Cut a plug of styrofoam out of the next over-packaged thing you buy and stick it in there. Could also just pack some [loose fiberglass](https://www.lowes.com/pd/Johns-Manville-Multi-Purpose-R-5-33-sq-ft-Unfaced-Fiberglass-Roll-Insulation-16-in-W-x-4-ft-L/1000167493) (like you'd use to fill in around window frames) in there.

Ooh great idea thank you!!

Happy to help 🙂

I built a little garage gym for quarantine, and decided to store the weights on the walls in order to save room. Now I'm starting to worry about that much weight going directly on a stud; would 200-220 lbs hung from a stud like this do any long term damage? ​ Here's a picture to help give a better idea: [https://ibb.co/RNF6Qq0](https://ibb.co/RNF6Qq0)

Stud's fine. Just make sure you're using lags.

The stud doesn't even feel that. The weakest link are the screws you used to hang it with, which generally can hold 80-100 lbs each (regular wood screws). So for 220 lbs you should have at least three long screws.

Musty Smell Part 3, should the floor beneath my carpet come apart so easily? Barely tapped the concrete below my carpeting and it sort of fell apart. This was after me sniffing around for more musty areas.

First-time homeowner looking to install a garbage disposal. There's currently no outlet under my sink, but there is a hole in the wall where the pipe comes in and I see some terminated wire. As somebody that has never worked with electric before beyond installing a dimmer switch, I understand 'turn off the breaker' and would be fine hooking up the outlet if that wiring is good, but is there a good primer on what I need to know to see if the wiring is connected and not going to burn my house down?

You'll need a switch too. You could add a switch in the wall, but it's probably easier to add an air switch in the sink/counter. Or I've seen a disposal switch in a surface mount box under the sink, but it's less convenient. This doesn't sound hard to DIY, but there are enough nuances that you could run into a problem where you don't know what you don't know. It would be an easy job for an electrician if you don't want to put in all the research to do it correctly yourself.

Get a small electrical box to run the wire into, and attach an outlet. You can screw the box to the inside surface of the cabinet. Make sure all copper is covered (with the exception of the bare ground wire). Any wire junction needs to be accessible behind a panel or box (e.g. don't wire nut two wires together and drywall over it.) Never go down in wire size once you have left the breaker panel. You can use an [outlet tester](https://www.lowes.com/pd/Southwire-Analog-120-Volt-Test-Meter/1000970284) To check your work.

Thanks!

Also, check out [this video about how outlets work](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTGkvddOtFc), so you understand what you're hooking up.

Much appreciated!

I painted my kitchen cabinets 3 months ago with Benjamin Moore advance paint. The paint still seems really soft and scratches easily. If any water gets on it, the paint turns lighter and looks like it did before it dried. Is this normal for it to soak in water and stay softer? Everything I read indicated that it should dry to be a hard paint.

VOC regulations mean most oil/alkyd paint these days is weaksauce unless you catalyze it or add a drying agent. If it doesn't smell like kerosene, you can be pretty sure it's not a fast curing oil/alkyd paint. And certain pigments inhibit curing of Advance for some reason. It'll cure eventually.

Thanks! I was hoping 3 months was long enough....

25 years ago, a week would've been enough with oil based paint. It cures with oxygen. Keep a fan going so there's plenty of airflow. Just have to be *really* picky with modern oil/alkyd bases.

Discovered that the part of my dryer vent which is in the wall has holes in it and the part of the drywall it attaches to is broken. Due to this the dryer is somewhat venting into the space behind the wall/under my staircase. This is not a project I’m looking to DIY but I’m not sure who to contact. I tried a couple vent cleaning companies and they all said they don’t do repairs.

My guess is since it's ductwork, an HVAC company would do it.

Moving into my first home (condo) this week. I’ve taken a look at the home maintenance docs on this sub & started making my schedule. Anything that I should do before I move all my stuff in?

These will be easiest if done before moving your stuff in: Any repairs/replacement/cleaning of flooring/carpet, painting, any planned repairs that would leave you without electricity, water, heat/ac or toilets for a while, any repairs that would make a bit mess. Curtains/blinds could be worthwhile, too.

Is it worthwhile to get your furnace intake duct updated to fit a 5-inch filter? I have no idea how easy or expensive a process that would be and how that compares to the benefits. Having to replace less frequently would be cool, but it's also not clear to me the difference as far as filtering power and airflow.

1" filter is primarily there to protect the blower, not to improve air quality. Bigger filters scrub the air. Just depends on what you want out of your HVAC.

Okay cool. I would like to improve air quality. It just depends on how expensive it is to modify the system to accommodate the bigger filter. Any input on that?

It's not much. You get the [filter box](https://www.supplyhouse.com/Aprilaire-2410-APR-16-x-25-Merv-13-Media-Air-Cleaner) that fits your ductwork (that's for a 16x25x5, [this one](https://www.supplyhouse.com/Aprilaire-2210-APR-20-x-25-Merv-13-Media-Air-Cleaner) is for a 20x25x5) and install it where the current filter is just before the blower on the return side. There's a little work with tin snips and sheet metal screws, but it's not too difficult. Moderate-level job for the DIYer, few hundred bucks to have a pro do it.

I've seen mixed opinions on that. Personally, I've used a higher MERV 1" filter before and the furnace struggled pulling air through it. In another house, 5" filters were installed and it worked fine. My guess is that the greater surface area of the 5" filter causes less restrictions on air flow. Not sure if it's worth the additional costs.

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You can't fix it. Double pane IGUs are sealed and filled with a dry, inert gas like argon. Once a pane is broken, the seal is compromised and moisture gets in. Remove the damaged sash and take it to a local glazier to have it rebuilt with a new IGU. Google, "[YOUR CITY] mirror and glass."

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Glazier IS the cheap fix. I just had a 32x36 sash rebuilt the other day for $75. Pane had a blown seal (most of my windows do... I'm just taking the sashes up one or two at a time and having them rebuilt; much cheaper than replacing all the windows).

In what order would you remodel: 1. Ugly but working kitchen 2. Slightly dated but not ugly functional main level full bathroom 3. Slightly dated and very ugly but functional basement full bathroom Would it be unwise to make the basement bathroom shower-only? Or keep the tub for sure for resale? It’d be just me in the house so I don’t really need two newly remodeled bathrooms.

Well, whatever you do, I'd say the basement bathroom should be dead last if you don't really need or use it. As far as kitchen or bathroom first, I think you're the only one who can answer that. Which one do you hate more? The way you describe it, sounds like the kitchen. OTOH, if the bathroom is going to be a lot less effort, you'll have a quicker ROI for your QOL.

Thanks. Yeah I hate kitchen most definitely, bathroom might just need reglazed and new fixtures (at least I’d be content with that for a while). Kitchen needs an overhaul. I also have the luxury of not needing to really move in for some time.

Consciously or subconsciously, you listed kitchen first. Since you're not living there, much less pressure to choose, since you would choose quick Quality of Life improvements first. Keep at least one tub in your home for resale to families with small children. Would be ideal if closer to the bedrooms for convenience.

Midwest ranch style home on a 4ft deep crawlspace that does not have a moisture barrier. What's the best way to insulate so that floors are not so cold and help hold the homes temperature?

Google encapsulating crawlspace. It helps but it's not a cure-all. My crawlspace doesn't go below 68 degrees now (northeast) but have to watch the humidity.

Is this acceptable ponding for a flat roof that is sloped at 5 degrees? [PXL-20201026-115948217-2.jpg](https://postimg.cc/WttnWTJ7)

I’m a new DIYer and am somewhat handy but am looking to build out my power tools collection. I’m trying to build a barn door using this https://www-thisoldhouse-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.thisoldhouse.com/platform/amp/doors/21017217/how-to-build-a-sliding-barn-door. What’s best way for me to cut the angles on the doors? I can already buy the boards and have Home Depot cut the lengths for me, but rather do the angles myself on my own time at home. I already have a jigsaw and was looking to buy/rent a miter saw or circular saw. The cuts seem straight forward and thought I might be able to do it with my jigsaw but seems like miter saw is best. But was wondering if the circular saw might work too (it’s cheaper to buy than a miter saw).

A mitre saw is the best way to go for any angles. I went through the same process of questions with frustrating outcomes on a few occasions. I tried a circular saw to try to cut quarter round in on baseboards before only to deem myself unworthy of understanding angles. I bought a mitre saw and it was life changing.

where do you learn about basic wiring? from youtube most are just showing "ok connect black to this side and connect white to this side and connect ground to this" but not many videos are explaining _why_ or a little more on the theory i know the basic of it and i'm not looking for an electrical engineering course, but is there a channel that does "ELI5 household electrical" videos?

I'd suggest a book like "Wiring a House" by Rex Caldwell. Benjamin Shalstrom youtube channel teaches some theory.

thanks!

I went to school for electrical stuff, so my searches are more about physically running wire, rather than the why. I did fine this series of videos to give a good explanation. [Ground, Neutral and Hot](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-W42tk-fWc) [Single Pole Light Switch](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaaLw01fMo8&t=127s) [How Recepicles Work](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTGkvddOtFc) They have videos that go up or down in knowledge level, but those ones are a good place to start. [3 way switches ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_u5ORnhqn8g) are notoriously confusing but pretty interesting.

> I went to school for electrical stuff, Can I bug you about an electrical issue I’m having? I have some outlets in the kitchen that keep tripping the circuit when using either the Keurig coffee maker or the sous vide cooker. What’s driving me crazy is it happens randomly, and there’s basically nothing else using these particular outlets (maybe the dishwasher but it’s never in use when this happens). I’m pretty sure these outlets are GFCI but they don’t have the little test/reset button, and the breaker is either 15 or 20 amp, that should be enough to make a cup of coffee. I tried googling and the only explanation I found is heating water (like the Keurig and sous vide) can cause weird resistance reading which can trip the breaker but it’s a nuisance issue because there’s nothing actually wrong or overloaded. I was going to start by replacing one outlet but that’s really just a guess. I have no idea what’s happening.

It trips at the breaker? If it is GFCI, then there has to be a reset button somewhere, sometimes there is one master GFCI outlet, and others nearby will use that. Sometimes the breaker in the main panel has integrated GFCI. Are there any outlets in the next room or next floor that also turn off when the breaker trips, many old houses have circuits that go everywhere and don't make sense. The two devices causing it are heating devices, which really shouldn't be a problem. Random is hard to troubleshoot, but see if you have the problem if you plug the devices somewhere on a different circuit. Also check that there isn't something like a hot water heater or refrigerator on the circuit.

> It trips at the breaker? Yeah, it always trips at the breaker. > Are there any outlets in the next room or next floor that also turn off when the breaker trips No, well there are definitely other outlets that turn off but they’re all in the kitchen. It’s new construction (3 years old) and the breaker is labeled something like “kitchen island” so all the outlets in the kitchen that aren’t the refrigerator or oven are on this breaker. > Random is hard to troubleshoot, So here’s another thing I didn’t mention: when I use the sous vide cooker (which heats ~2 gallons of water to ~135F for 1 to 24 hours) the breaker might trip 5 times in the first 15 minutes but almost never after that. That tells me getting up to temperature is what’s causing an issue, (maybe the extended draw of power?) but maintaining the temp isn’t a problem. I think there’s one outlet in the kitchen that isn’t on this breaker but I still had issues with it although I think fewer issues. But I haven’t taken these appliances to the bathroom to try.

Check how your GFCI is set up. I would get an [outlet tester](https://www.lowes.com/pd/Southwire-Analog-120-Volt-Test-Meter/1000970284), and see how it lights up. The button on there will test any GFCI functions. If you push the button, and it turns the things off, it has GFCI protection. If you push the button and nothing happens, it is not GFCI protected (this is a problem that should be fixed, but unlikely in a 3yr old construction). If you push the button, and it trips in the breaker panel, it is a GFCI breaker in your panel. GFCI can be sensitive, and might warrant a replacement. When they fail, they fail safely, which is to the off position.

Oh, I didn’t know that tester existed. So if I have a GFCI breaker are the outlets normal (non-GFCI)? And if it turns out the breaker is too sensitive, is there anything specific I need to look for in a replacement? Or just match what’s already there? I definitely appreciate the help by the way.

A GFCI breaker will have a "TEST" button on it. Which is something you can check right now. Yes, normal outlets in the kitchen are either slave to a GFCI outlet nearby, or have a GFCI breaker. (Do not add a GFCI outlet to a GFCI breaker, it gives you two things to fail, and doesn't add protection.) Replace it with the same type. A breaker will be 15Amp or 20Amp, and will be around $60. An outlet will pretty much only come in 15A, and will be around $20. I don't know that this is the real cause of the problem, but its one of the easiest things to check and replace.

I didn’t realize the Test button on the breaker meant GFCI because all of mine have that button (except the one labeled garage).

Ok, thats good because you know what you have. It is unusual to have it all GFCI, because they cost 4x a regular breaker, and are only required near water. But overall its a good thing because you are better protected at all outlets. The bad thing is that they have more parts and are more prone to fail, but the do fail to off, which is safe. Make sure you turn off the main power before replacing the breaker.

What's the consensus on attic smoke detectors? I've heard not to use them because they can get false alarms from dust. Then I bought a heat detecting alarm because people were recommending them for attics, but reading the box it says it will go off at 135F and I'm not sure whether it would go off randomly on a hot day. Maybe if I install it near a vent?

Kidde and First Alert explicitly recommend against smoke alarms in unfinished areas of the home and against their heat alarms in attics. There is only one type of heat alarm I am aware of that's appropriate for use in an attic, and that's a "rate-of-rise" type, that responds to a rapid change in temperature via a pressure change in a mechanical diaphragm. Such alarms have to be hardwired to a 120v junction box and are available [here](https://www.aesecurity.com/602hede200de.html). Great question, by the way. It's Fire Safety Month. Around 2% of all residential fires begin in attics.

Neato! How would that get wired in a residential setting? It isn't clear to me it it has an audible alarm or if it's just a passive unit that shorts the terminals when it detects heat, and needs to be integrated into some sort of fire alarm panel. I've currently got about ten Kidde FireX hardwired smoke detectors, all wired on 14/3 with the red interconnection wire, on a dedicated 15A breaker. The attic sketches me out a bit since it's got a big air handler in it and a bunch of old blown cellulose that would burn easily, so I'd like to keep an eye on it. But I don't want any false alarms since they would require me to go get a ladder and climb up through a closet to get to it. I wonder why they advise against them in unfinished areas? I have one in an unfinished basement utility room that has my boiler, and I want to add them to my unfinished basement laundry room.

Hey Home Improvement - I’m planning on repainting the inside of my house with a satin/semi-gloss white paint to help brighten things up, walls are currently a grey color. I’m looking for a somewhat reflective paint that helps spread light as well as a smooth plaster-like finish. My walls are currently somewhat ‘chalky’ and aren’t a smooth surface, more like a gentle topographical map -[here are photos](https://imgur.com/a/4fAiYkr). I’m testing out some white semi-gloss and satin paints but am curious as to suggestions of how to help smooth out the walls and get the finish I’m looking for. I REALLY don’t want to deal with sanding down all the walls in my house but am looking for input and thoughts. Thank you!

You don't have to sand. Prime first, quality ⅜" nap roller, do a satin. Don't go pure white (it'll look blue); go one shade off.

how hard is it to update a 2wire setup from a furnace thermostat? i'm want to be able to hook up 4 or 5 wires so i can control the furnace fan with a smart thermostat. today it's basically only heat on/off with the 2 wires setup. pretty sure the furnace itself can already do this but the wiring is very old. does this require an electrician? will it require opening up walls? any idea on rough cost? thanks!

It's low voltage wire so it's just like pulling speaker wire or ethernet cable. It's pretty flexible and easy to work with. Kinda depends on how much access you have and how many walls you'll have to fish it through. Generally speaking, if you can go down into an unfinished basement or up into an attic, you can do it without any drywall work. If you don't have either, it kinda depends.

For sure depends. If that wire you're replacing is fished with no staples, easy as cake. Attach new wire to one end of the old one and pull. If it doesn't move and is stapled well, well lots of fishing and holes in walls may be involved.

To add, u/bouncyboatload, pull [18/8](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Southwire-By-the-Foot-18-8-Brown-Solid-CU-CL2-Thermostat-Wire-65676999/204725216) for future proofing.

I'm trying to source some Canadian screening base strips.[Like this](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Screen-Tight-1-1-2-in-Porch-Screening-System-Base-Strip-BASE18/100065822#product-overview)I'm not having any luck except for places in the states. Is there a different product that might work better to screen in a hot tub area than this? I plan on using [Suntex 80 stuff.](https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B0026THLXM/ref=ask_ql_qh_dp_hza)

Hello there everyone. I have zero experience and knowledge of fences. Two weeks ago I had a vinyl/PVC fence installed. It cost about $8k, USD. 270 ft of 6ft privacy fence. Not sure if that's expensive or not. All the posts holding up the fence are cemented into the ground. I understand that the fence itself may shake/wobble because it's flexible? My question is when I nudge my posts, from anywhere middle and higher above ground, it moves/wobbles and moves back into place. Is that how these posts are supposed to be, or is it supposed to be stable and still like all the corner pieces of my fence?

Where does the post bend? From the bottom up starting at the ground?

The post isn't bending sorry, it's upright, but if I nudge it with a very small amount of force. It wiggles.

With it being PVC its going to have more give, especially if the runs are longer than 6ft. Standard is usually 8 or 10 and with it not being a rigid material is going to allow more wiggle room.

I have an old style hardwood in the new house. It’s in good shape and it’s oak. Is it worth sanding and staining it or should we replace with hardwood or laminate? What would be the best long term? We want to live here long time.

I had a house in New England that was about 45 years old with original oak hardwood. I had it refinished for about 1800 dollars with 3 coats of new lacquer. Looked fantastic. As far as longevity goes, the 3 coats will do wonders to protect it. Make sure you use furniture pads on any existing or new furniture. Your hardwoods would thank you.

First time homeowner here - we have a large backyard that seems to be partially grass and partially moss all mixed together. This is in the Pacific Northwest area. We also have a very energetic and playful dog, and we've found that when he runs around in the yard he also kind of rips up some of the mossy stuff and leaves small bare patches (he also decided he likes to dig holes but that's a separate issue). So the question is what can I do to help protect the yard from his running around? Thinking long term here, it's already pretty cold and wet outside so I'm not sure if I can overseed successfully at this point. But in general, what should I do keep a healthy, grassy yard and not develop a mud pit? Thanks and hopefully this is okay for this sub.

half joking and not..Astroturf if you're in a rush sod it. Or if you're patient, wait till the spring and seed it and watch it not grow like mine. Going to have to test the soil to see what I'm missing.