What home improvement work did you do today?

What he said. You might also add one more horizontal along the middle. Attach ever vertical board to it, and anchor it back to the fence verticals every few feet using a two-hole conduit strap or similar (it doesn't need to hold the middle horizontal in place up/down so much as just brace everything together).

 

Just use self-tapping screws and attach the planks directly to the fence frame. I welded up a few gates for my house and attached the wood the same way. They've lasted over 20 years.

 

Damn - you guys are definitely not in the PNW....

 

Well, I do re-coat the wood and paint the steel every now and then. I also replaced the wood on the small gate 2 years ago.

 

I wish I had placed concrete or some gravel under my tuff shed. The galvanized channels have sunk into the dirt a little bit. I will be digging under it and leveling it back up with a bottle jack. If I had to do it again I would have poured a pad and built the shed myself. I was working too many hours at that point in my life and would not have been able to take on a project like that. The shed is built solid, has been thru one hurricane and a few tropical storms with no issues, and it has a 10 year warranty.

Whatever size shed you think you need get the next size up. Mine is 10x12 and already has way too much stuff in it. I added bottom and top vents on the sides and a ridge vent on the roof. The shed stays cool inside even when its 100 degrees outside.

 

Has anyone had their crawlspace encapsulated? Looking to do this soon and wondering if it is worth the cost. Right now I’m getting quotes of about $8k. I don’t have any water issues just pretty stinky crawlspace air that on humid days can make it’s way into the living area.

@1UPPER

 

$8k seems outrageous!

Have you considered just spray foaming it with 2lb closed cell spray foam? I would do a lot more research. I mean if you have 8k to burn I’ll fix the problem for you! I was told it was going to cost $12k to fix my ONE basement wall so I just spent 6 months researching every night and fixed it myself for about $5k which also included all new landscaping as well. Since then I’ve had 4 contractors over and look at it and they were impressed with my results. I have a lot of questions about your scenario, seems like encapsulation is one big bandaid to a cheaper problem.

 

Day 9 & 10 Well the story continues, on day 9 we tiled the floor of the shed...


Then started to empty the garage.. a two day process...


I set up my chop saw, table saw, and some other tools to aid in the shelving in the shed ...


ending up with all the bins lining the back wall of the garage taking up new residence in the shed ...
I finally saw something I haven't seen in over 2 decades, the back wall of the garage!

.

Then on day 10, the day I have been waiting 2 months for... The BIG MOVE!
I get my Bridgeport Mill, all the accessories, and a Drill Mill, which is basically a Drill Press on steroids and a movable bed like a Bridgeport, sort of a "Mini Mill"
Approx 500 + pounds of stuff dropped into the bed with a humongous gantry crane gently setting the Mini Mill onto the truck bed! Then I strapped the bejesus out of it!


Then the PRO MACHINE MOVERS show up, and they went to town ...


After about a hour and a half of jockeying the truck, trailer & mill around, loading that 2200lb. mill on an uphill slope into the garage, SUCCESS! or in Klingon, Qa'plach!


We had to cant the head to get her into the garage, but in the end, NO injuries, or damage, and the job was completed! I would recommend these guys, a father & son team, to anyone thinking of moving "Heavy Iron"

11 hours later I'm whipped, hitting the sack early, and looking forward to tomorrow unloading the Mini Mill from the truck, which handled the load beautifully!
As stated before, I LOVE MY TUNDRA!!!!!

 

Crawl spaces are not very common in my area unless it’s a pier and beam construction. Does your crawl space have a concrete perimeter walls or is it open around the perimeter? Do you have any mechanicals in the crawl space area?

 

Cinder block piers with brick all around the perimeter. Crawlspace is about 2400 square feet and about feet high all around. With the encapsulation, they install a 14mil woven liner on the ground and walls and wrap all the piers. Seal the vents tape all the seams and install an Aprilaire dehumidifier.

 

Glad to hear they are installing a dehumidifier. That was my next question. Have you requested a list of references from previous clients they have done similar work for? It would be helpful to hear what other clients have experienced from the company and their work. Does this work help save on any energy cost? What’s your insulation like in your crawl space?

 

While I agree with you, $8k seems outrageous, it is a fairly big crawlspace and a shit job on your hands and knees. I usually do all my work myself but have kind of decided I don’t want to spend days if not weeks on my hands and knees. Not sure what the price would’ve been pre COVID but getting any kind of work done these days is expensive.

 

I’ve read reviews on their website (both companies so far have been pretty big. DryPro and Crawlspace Brothers). Have a smaller company coming out next Saturday. Wanted to get a couple quotes and ideas.

Yes, it is supposed to save up to 30% on heating and cooling (seems a bit inflated) and I do have insulation between the rafter that both companies have said they would leave it since the house is pretty new and it’s in good shape.

 

Do you have ductwork or an HVAC unit in the crawl space? Do you know what your current insualtion value is in the crawl space? Have checked to see if you can have a closed cell spray foam installed? This would yield a higher r value and it’s a non permeable to water, vapor and air. Cinderblock walls typically only have an r value of R2-R2.5. So pending how the exterior crawl space walls were done this can also cause an energy loss.

 

No, all HVAC stuff is in the attic. They do offer spraying the walls with the closed cell foam but of course at an additional cost. Both inspectors said the same thing. Since the insulation is new, they wouldn’t waste the money on spraying the walls since we live in a mild winter climate (South Carolina).

 

Thats a helluva day! Congrats on the mill! Gotta see some chips flying!

 

I’ve been thinking about your situation:
1) check the humidity down there they sell thermometers with humidity levels.
2) if there’s no air circulation and moisture is coming from the ground that’s an issue,
3) do you have at least a 6mil vapor barrier?
4) dry - damp - wet are different issues. Musty is damp (no air flow), I would call around and get a quote about closed spray foam tell them it’s for a crawlspace.
5) if there is a moisture issue (gutters, downspouts, drip edge) check them all first.
My crawlspace has a vapor barrier and the walls were spray foamed no moisture.
I have a basement with 2 crawlspaces but I run a dehumidifier with a pump so I don’t have humidity issues. BUT i used to until I moved my downspouts away from the house. I would try and fix the issue for $2k vs $8.

 

Yeah, but I guess I'll have to post on YouTube, then post that link here since .mov are not supported, but, I can male a large pile of chips with the best of them! Then come away with a usable part!

 

Could you run a dehumidifier with a hose that daylights out of the house and see if that helps? How is the drainage around your house? Any standing water anywhere? It sounds like you need airflow in the crawl space. Some good reading here.

https://yespest.com/2018/03/15/properly-ventilate-crawl-space/

 

I do have a temp and humidity gauge down there and in the summer time, it can reach 90%+ humidity. It is currently a vented space with a pretty thin vapor barrier and what appears to be plenty of vents in the foundation. I don’t have any standing water problems from rain or the gutters as my house sits on top of a crest and the water runs away on all sides. However, there is a lot of moisture coming from the ground because under the current vapor barrier, it is wet.

As mentioned earlier, my goal is to get rid of the smell down there so it doesn’t make it into my house anymore. Both companies said I don’t have any mold but with how humid it is, over time I will definitely develop some. I think encapsulation with a dehumidifier is my best shot at reducing both of those things.

 

I see you have your priorities right…..bar and wall mounted tv went in first

 

If it was me I would put down a thicker vapor barrier, I don’t know how deep your space is I’m guessing it’s fairly decent. I would make a table or hang it from the ceiling and get a dehumidifier with a pump. Now those pump lines go bad after a year or two, if I remember correctly 1/4” ID and cheap to replace. But your vapor barrier isn’t working.
Stop the moisture from coming up. Should cost under $500 (vs$8k)to try that.

I shut my vents and spray foamed everything closed and made it a conditioned space. Seal tight vent right. Dehumidifier runs in the summer but in the winter my furnace is in the basement (w/ crawl space) so that takes care of any moisture.

 

Do it! What kind of stuff are you making?

A couple times I've thought about getting one if those mini cnc's and mini lathes, but never pulled the trigger.

 

Got rid of the polybutylene that was connected to my water heater. The rest of the house is copper. Before and after pictures.

 

Finally getting around to replacing the fogged windows. 1 down, 4 to go.

 

I always appreciate the compliments! I’m up to my neck in different projects. My wife and I love the Carolinas!

Simple process just tedious work. Did you do them yourself? Looking good!

 

Thanks! Yeah, did it myself. Glass companies around here want about $150 per window just for labor. I already had the glass thanks to when I had someone do a few other windows while they were still under warranty. They ordered me the glass before warranty expired. I went online and bought the tool (razor like pizza cutter) for about $60. The tedious part is cleaning all the old glazing off of the frame. Other than that, pretty easy.

 

Well, I like to call them "Widgets" I seem to find there are times I want to mate part A with something B, and nobody has the piece to mate the two together... So I whip out the pencil & paper, dream it up in my head, blueprint it, then make it! Then there are times that something needs a hole, or 12, and rather than do a half-ass job, I chuck whatever up on the mill and getter done, neatly. I like to make it seem the holes or whatever were factory done rather than just bastardizing & kludging it together!. Plus, I'm a "Maker", this tool is just a means to an end!
Since I got it cheap, a little sweat equity will clean her up, and I have a fun tool to use!