What home improvement work did you do today?

welp, my well house did its job and things worked as I had hoped... not to bad for a makeshift building that I learned a lot on while making...

No frozen pipes and water pressure is back up and normal. Now I just need to get the time/funds to build my proper door, which is no rush at all.

I have an outdoor shower that I have never used because it is right next to my actual shower... odd choice... anyway, the valve exploded in the freeze and was my only issue. So i cut it all out and capped both supply lines for now.

Feeling pretty happy with the progress and excited to get back to work on clearing off my porch for my son.

 

Hell, put it in high-yield* savings, and have it make money for you while you wait for things to break.

I've never bought into the home warranty stuff. When I was a renter, I'd keep rental insurance, because bundling w/my car insurance made it so I was paying $10/mo extra for $20k of coverage. I had to use it twice, and did better than breaking even when stuff happened.

The big tipping point for me would be them making me jump through hoops though. Like, I'm paying you monthly, likely for years, to cover me when I need it. If you're going to make me jump through hoops to cash in, I'll happily tell you where you can stick it.

 

Great idea!

I bought it for my first home. Tried to use it, paid the full fee, then paid the deductible. they came out and said it wasnt covered. The part I ended up replaced (range) was cheaper than the whole experience.

I didnt buy one again, and of course the next house had an issue on move it. Called a plumber and just resolved the issue. From them on, I happily said fuck it and never purchased one again.

Renters ins I 100% support.

 

I feel like you take things things as a personal challenge. "Oh they think adding 50 screws and a patented drill bit to get this cover off will make me call the repair man do they"

 

I always check online for dissection videos to see how bad it is before jumping in, once I'm confident of the problem. It's inevitable I'm gonna slice my hands up (and I did) because they never roll the edges in the metal chassis. It was more tearing apart than I wanted, but not the worst I've seen, and I got a chance to vacuum the hell out of the internals so hopefully it runs more efficiently now. And I replaced the tensioner pulley while I was in there.

Repair call would've probably been $140, minimum. The replacement belt and tensioner kit was $13.89 and I had it in-hand 14 hours after ordering, even if cheap chinesium crap. I somehow doubt any repair guy would've taken the time to clean it out, or even be as meticulous as me. Challenge accepted.

 

You tube university is a welcome addition to my appliance repair skills. In the past year I've fixed a heating element and temperature control sensor in an oven, a fan in a less than year old fridge, and some door springs in the dishwasher. And basically because like you, not only do I not want to pay the appliance repair bill, but I don't want to pay the $150 to them just for showing up.

 

Added horsepower to my safe today.

 

That is good suggestion but that's not how thigs work.....

 

Sorry, I meant high-yield, thanks for catching that.

 

Put blinds up in the laundry room, and most importantly in the guest bathroom. I have blinds to put up in the office, but the priority was the bathroom as it faced the driveway. We didnt care, but our family who stays with us didnt like staring at a wall of trees when they used the bathroom.... fixed...

 

I would LOVE to stare at a wall of tree while doing my business

 

We had the plumbers and the mini split company as well as the framing all happening at once all week. We had a huge mess to clean up and the wife got some painting started. Going back today to finish the sweeping. Gonna be a long day, have 30 sheets of plywood to paint and she got 12 done yesterday. Getting a sooner start today so should finish it

 

You can see them when you shower but not on the throne. I feel like they missed an opportunity there! The blinds make our guests feel better, we leave them up all the time. Well, not in my kids room.

 

Had some outdoor patio string lights we meant to use somewhere else, but never did. When running electrical, we had him run power to an outlet up high and on a switch. They had some small holes to use to hang them. The hooks fit the holes perfectly. The magnets are vent strong. We have the other lighting, but this is not as harsh and bright as the overhead UFO lights. So it'll be nice to hang out there with some ambiance lighting.

DIYMAG Magnetic Hooks, 30lbs+ Magnet Garage Hook 2026 Cruise Cabin Ship Essentials Heavy Duty Strong Magnets Refrigerator Fridge Hanging for Classroom Beach Vacation Kitchen Grills Home Black 60 Pack

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09DYMQN86

Also finished digging a hole for the basketball goal. Mixed and poured the concrete and set the bars and bolts.
Had a leaky faucet in one of the kids' bathrooms, so swapped that out too.

 

I redid my daughters closet this weekend and when I was removing the shelf in there I found this in multiple spots. I guess whoever did this just couldn't find the stud. LOL.

 

I have those same magnetic hooks and, yes, they are pretty strong. The only issue I had with mine was that the hook part on some of them weren't screwed all the way into the magnetic base. Easy fix.

 

Hey All. So when we built our home, we took some old wood off a piggery and used it to make an island countertop. My FIL was caretaker of a huge 1400 acre property that the Rockafellers created way back, to study plant and farming science. The piggery was from that period, and we spent a day together before he passed getting some good lumber off it. Anyways, fun history aside, one corner is starting to dry rot, and the material is no longer available to salvage, I'd really like to fix it. It's a sentimental thing for my wife and I.

I am looking at wood hardeners that are used for similar purposes. Does anyone have any experience with these products? I am not looking to change or add putty after, I just want to harden it, before it gets busted.

 

I have used some two-part epoxy wood hardener before and, as I recollect, it worked pretty well. It has been a number of years so I don't remember a brand name but you should be able to search "epoxy wood hardener" or something similar.

 

I'm not personally doing it, but we're replacing this shed:



I use the term 'shed' loosely. It was built when the house was built, and as you can see, it's old. It is - or was - essentially just metal sheeting on a wood frame.

2 weeks ago just before Snowmageddon the contractor came out and bulldozed it. Yesterday they began the following work.





As can be seen, they've prepped the pad, and I assume they'll begin pouring gravel and compacting it today/tomorrow. They said that by Saturday the concrete pad should be done/set, and they can begin building.

 

For years I've used wood for decking on my raft. The only thing that kept it together was what @shifty`mentioned. 2 part wood epoxy and spar varnish.

https://stonecoatcountertops.com/pr...MIqN-JmJrPkgMVl9LCBB1AQjrQEAQYDSABEgIvmvD_BwE

 

sounds like a two part would be good. I have seen a few products and 1 or two have been two part.

 

Update: I installed my hose-bib/GHT on the top of my water heater today (For hot car washes, washing the steel siding, and whatever else I can dream up).
I've done simple plumbing like this since the late 80s, so this was not my first rodeo. I swear by Blue-Monster thread sealant, and their PTFE as well. Wrapped up, cleaned up, not expecting any issues. I was wrong, I had 2 small small drips. Fittings were Plenty tight. Valves on either side are good quality Watts brand, so it has to be the brass close nipples I got. Just like with our aftermarket auto/truck parts, everything is plummeting in quality. Those brass fittings weren't cheap either! I ended up using the PTFE on those 2 joints and they were fine.... and then just the tiniest weep from another joint. That one is going to sit for a minute...
pics of the addition, and the shit part brand (up in MI it's at Menards stores)

 

I've got one with hot and cold water, its very handy. Stinks about the drips, but sounds like your on top of it.

 

Yeah, I didn't flip that bag over but I'de bet $100 it says China on it lol. Tolerances on those threads just aren't good enough.
I am a big fan of full flow ball valves, even on outside bibs. Easy to see if its on, No twist twist twist too open/close it, and Full Flow.
I'd have them on the outside of our new place here... but those lines are all 1/2" PEX, in walls of 6-7" closed cell foam.
Haha, in fact not only are those lines buried in closed cell foam, but they made no way to isolate them, and/or bleed them back into the building where there is heat.
Because MI has winter... maybe the builder/plumber just forgot? .
So far my invention to prevent them from freezing/blowing out is working... all the way down to -24F recently! I call them our outside night-lights
("Incandescent" if anyone does this... you need the old school bulb for the heat)


It's so rinky dink half assed to have to do this, but here we are lol. I even had to bust through the shop wall and add a plug by this one.
About $1 a month to run them, cheap insurance.

 

Nice ingenuity. I hope a bulb doesn't go out in the middle of the night though :/

 

YOU gotta be that guy don't you I keep an eye on them, in fact thats why I put the little plastic caps in there so you could see if the light was on... didn't know they would glow like they do.
Your absolutely right though. I think they have a few hours with our regular winter temps here. That's my theory and I'm sticken to it.

 

Had to 'emergency' change a lock set on entry door this morning.

The old one ( 5 years old...) was locked up and would not budge.

I did a forensic and the return spring broke and jammed up the works.

Cheap crap. I replaced with same, since we are getting all new doors front and side in a few weeks. I'll specify quality locksets then, if they are even available.

 

lol