What home improvement work did you do today?

They're great to have! Good deal!

 

Are you running your recirc through the Tankless? Did you check their manual on that?

I’ve got an older Rinnai (~15 years old) and they specifically stated that the HX warranty was void if recirc was run through the unit. Instead, they provided a detail with the recirc downstream of the tankless, using a small tank heater (I have a 5-gallon one) as the recirc heater. Doing this also eliminates the “cold water sandwich” effect when doing dishes.

The reason is that the tankless unit fires up based on flow, and it has a minimum amount of gas it will burn regardless of the temperature that it is dealing with coming in and going out. So if you are recirculating through the unit, you’ve got constant flow with low delta-T (wasted efficiency) that is going to eat a lot of fuel and prematurely wear out the HX.

That said, I absolutely love my tankless setup and will never build without one. And the Rinnai has been bulletproof. We first had a Bosch and it was a pain in the ass to vent and never did run right. The Rinnai used simple venting (double wall 2-way vent/intake ducting) and ran like a top since first turning it on. I do have to flush it about once a year to remove scale in the HX (we have hard water), but using the three way fittings like you installed, that’s really easy to do.

 

Basement bathroom floor is cut out. Need to clean up and then the plumber can come drop the lift station and piping.
Not looking forward to whackin all this with a sledge and using buckets to carry it up stairs and around the house.

 

I did a ton of research before selecting this model (RUR199in). The second “R” in the model # stands for recirculation. These new models have a built in recirc pump that is good for up to 100ft at 1/2”. The unit can be plumbed for a dedicated circ, which I did, or crossover mode, using a thermal bypass valve that you can install under your sink at your furtherest fixture. I chose the dedicated route because running an extra 50’ of pex under the house was easy, and worth the effort IMO.

The unit comes with a Wi-Fi controller so you can set a schedule for the recirc. It will run at specific intervals based on your “economy” or “comfort” settings during the programmed times. This way, it’s not running unnecessarily throughout the day. I’m still tweaking the settings a bit, but so far a win. I got the condensing unit, as they were rated to be a bit more efficient. Used 2” Sch. 40 PVC up to a concentric vent termination through the roof where the old b-vent was from the HWT.

 

Put together a work bench to keep my wife’s craft stuff separate from my projects. Waiting to find a deal on plywood to finish the top and bottom shelves.



Also had to drop way too much money on a new HVAC system for the house.

 

Just made it under the 2,000lb free limit at the dump at 1,920lbs.
Now to wait on the plumber to install and then figure out how I get concrete down there once he is done.
Any smart people out there?
7 x 6 ft area and 4” thickness.
I don’t think it will be feasible to carry down bags of concrete and try and mix downstairs in the basement so that either means I have it pumped in from the road or mixed upstairs and carry down in 5 gallon buckets

 

do you have a window you can make a slide into it through? like...with an actual slide possibly?

 

@RainMan_PNW should be checking in shortly.

 

We have a similar unit. Absolutely love it, we'll never go back to a tank again.

 

Finished laying cardboard down and mulching the 2nd large front garden.

Roofer came out and fixed our roof cap. The original roof (or at least the wood they put the metal on) was wood and it's rotting so it's not holding the screws as well as it should. He didn't speak English well but I think he said there was a hole in the valley between the two roofs and he couldn't fix it. I looked at him, said "Chingar" and he nodded his head and laughed.

I'll find out from my roofing guy (the boss) tomorrow if we need to replace the roof but I'm thinking we do. "Chingar" indeed. At least the roof doesn't look like it's giving me the finger any longer.

 

Where do those existing waste pipes drain to?

As far as concrete, I would mix in a tub in basement. Get someone to help and mix up approx 25-80 pound bags.

 

Just installed sprinkler system, 4 zones. Holy crap did I underestimate how large of a tasker that that would be! Can post pictures of it later if anyone is remotely interested. Yard looks bad rn because of all of the sand.

 

Sounds all my jobs
Me: yea baby, it should take me about an hour or so. It's pretty straight forward.
5 hours later
Wife: babe, wtf are you doing? You're still trying to....
Me: yea! Nothing is f*cking going right! This sh!t broke! This company is f*cking dumb and don't know to make a product! And i don't know when......
Wife: *walks back inside*

 

Creepin on the neighbors(I imagine “running with the devil” )
Pad got poured last week, dudes knocked out the framing in one day. I still think they need to saw cut a door into the house (used to be the carport) they definitely tied into the existing sewer, my peepers didn’t detect any water or power stubbed or ran yet. I hope they are doing a mini split or something for heating and cooling……… I installed a 4ton package for the old owners and that was pushing it close…..

 

This is partially correct for me. All correct except when my wife comes to me and gives me “the look” ( her being bored ) I give her the gth look but have to stop. So a hour job turns into a 5 hour job that then turns into a 2 day.

 

This!
This is the way!

 

Been there

 

Great job!

 

I do have a small 2'x3' window well at the front of the house that my buddy said to possibly try using corrugated metal and make a slide into a wheelbarrow like you're thinking!

Thank you. I see my mistake now when I was calculating...I used 4 feet depth instead of inches and it threw my math all off.
I really don't wanna mix in the basement for a few reasons. Gotta carry all the bags down (yuck), a small mixer or a tub and with every bag pour the concrete dust would be pretty bad so I'd like to avoid that.
After a brainstorm with my buddy he talked about a mixer above that small window and then the use of a slide so that so far I think is the best best. Still gotta wait a week for the plumber to do his thing.

Seeing the tankless water heaters I'm wondering if I should have them install one while he is here haha.

Lastly, thanks for the quick ideas and thoughts gents!

 

Sweet. That’s a massive step forward from my setup. When this one eventually needs replaced, I’m looking forward to seeing what new features are out there (though I’m not expecting to have to replace it any time soon based on the last 15 years of trouble free service).

 

personally, I’d make a visqueen/plastic “room” and mix it down there using a rental or Harbor freight electric mixer. You can rig up some air flow and flex ducting even to get the dust out through that window to the outside. Carrying well-contained bags into the basement is a lot easier that wrestling around wet concrete and building chutes. You’ll have to run your mix pretty wet (which equates to lower final strength when using conventional premix concrete) to use a chute, and what happens if you dump a wheel barrow in the basement? And build that chute hell for stout if you go that route.

on the tankless - there are things you have to consider to install one. They are high BTU machines - often the existing gas line to a standard water heater won’t have enough capacity and so you’re looking at upsizing your gas line…potentially all the way back to the meter. Venting of them can also be tricky - because if the high BTU. Sounds like some of this has gotten better/easier though, but it is also something that can sometimes make retrofitting one a challenge.

 

Thanks. Didn't know that with the tankless. You may be right on the chute falling apart on me. That would be bad...

 

I got my grillzebo painted.

 

I made a jetter for the black tank outta random things. I connect the fitting to the shower hose, then pex tube to the nipple (hehe I said nipple)
It could have better pressure for what im trying to accomplish but its working and thats whats good

 

Planted a Live Oak

 

I took out my dead olive tree (it only made it a year ) and planted a "Crimson Cascade" flowering peach tree.

 

Got the roof on the shed off the back of the chicken coop.

 

You ain't too far from me so an invite to your next BBQ is expected Sir

 

Well, I dug out a spot for an egress window. I had tunnel vision and didn’t think anything of it till I was basically done. I was just going to reroute the sprinkler line too until I noticed my issues. There is no way it can be that close to the gas meter and pipe I’m sure I need to fill it back it and move to the front of the house and dig again. I’m such an idiot! What a waste of time and I still need to fill her back up!