House/Property Problems Thread

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by Barnes

Take the screws out, fill the hole with a good quality wood glue, cram it full of toothpicks and snip the ends flush. Let it cure and pop the plate and screws back in.

What would you consider a good quality glue for this? Just plain carpenters glue, or is there something better out there?

[Barnes]

Yeah, carpenters glue would be fine. I put good quality wood glue so that you would know wood specific glue rather than stuff like Elmer's school glue.

[-TC-]

Originally Posted by Barnes

Take the screws out, fill the hole with a good quality wood glue, cram it full of toothpicks and snip the ends flush. Let it cure and pop the plate and screws back in.

I've used this trick before and it works lke a hot damn

[Bindair Dundat]

Originally Posted by JeanLucPicard

<snip>..,

I made a post in the "super mega weather" about my pipes being frozen. Although that is resolved (they were frozen but didn't burst), I am thinking if there insulation problem in the garage roof. In the garage the roofs is all drywalled - I obviously don't want to rip it and check for insulation.

Sorry to say but...the only way you're going to fix this permanently is to open up the ceiling in the area where the plumbing is located. This is a common problem in older houses where much less attention was given to proper insulation in these areas. What year was your house built in? I have been insulating houses since 1989; you can trust me 100% on this.

Originally Posted by JeanLucPicard

Also, at the time of buying the house (June), the inspector didn't bring up anything about that.

Quelle suprise! If the vendor chooses to "fudge the issue" and fails to "disclose" then there is no way any inspector would note something like this on his report. Big "grey area" here...

Originally Posted by JeanLucPicard

So, is there any specific professional we need to call for this? Are there any ways for me to find out without ripping the drywall? Thanks!

A competent "handyman" type contractor will be able to fix this for you. Failing this? Call a drywall company and have them take care of it; that's what they do. You might need to steal some heat from one of the ducts serving another area in the overhang- again, any competent contractor will be able to assess this and fix the issue.

Consider it fortunate that it was only the supply side that froze. I have seen the results of an ice dammed toilet flange in a similar situation and it was not a pretty sight! Beaucoup de "poo-water" draining through the garage ceiling...UGH!

Also? Note my location: I'm not "down there", so I can't come and give you a quote on it.
Best of luck!

[Bindair Dundat]

Originally Posted by Barnes

Yeah, carpenters glue would be fine. I put good quality wood glue so that you would know wood specific glue rather than stuff like Elmer's school glue.

PL 400 or PL Premium (polyurethanes) are the way to go; you don't even need the toothpicks, just pump the hole full of of this stuff and let it cure. Bulletproof.

[Hemi-Cuda]

The kitchen counters in my condo are kinda cheap, and now the laminate is starting to peel off in several places. They look like crap so I think I just want to redo them all, but have no idea who I could call for something like that or what kind of costs I'm looking at (fairly small kitchen with a raised breakfast counter)

[Bindair Dundat]

Originally Posted by Teh_Bandwagoner

Yeah as a slight aside, I notice on the CFL packaging they say that they're not supposed to be used outdoors or in moisture-prone areas. So in other words the anywhere outside and the bathroom.

Ugh with their limited use and difficulties in disposing them, CFLs starting to annoy me!

Anyway, end rant. Carry on.

Yep.
Shortsighted to outlaw incandescent's, given their superior performance in applications outside of the conditioned space in our harsh climate. Question is? Do LED's perform properly at -30C?

If not... then this is an embarrassing boondoggle in the making for the powers that be.

[Bindair Dundat]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

The kitchen counters in my condo are kinda cheap, and now the laminate is starting to peel off in several places. They look like crap so I think I just want to redo them all, but have no idea who I could call for something like that or what kind of costs I'm looking at (fairly small kitchen with a raised breakfast counter)

Tiled splash down to the surface; or do they have the integral backsplash ("post formed") on them?
Failing laminate can be resurfaced in place, but there will be additional costs involved as the sink will have to be "R&R'ed" during the process and the substrate in the sink area may be too shot (water damaged) to support the application of new laminate. If you have tops with the "integral" splash and tile above this, then you are looking at a much more involved process to R&R this in place. The old tops will have to be removed (carefully) and the new ones fitted to match the same profile as the ones you are removing. There are also companies that will do an "overlay" process using a 1/4" of man-made glass/quartz composite which goes right over your existing top. "Granite Transformations" is one such operation. I used them on a complete "gut and redo" (new top substrate) and it came out very nice.

As I've noted, it really comes down to budget and the extant state that you're starting from. A simple laminate overlay job could be as little as $6-700 if everything is ok with the substrate. R&R on post-formed (integral splash) will be more due to the need to remove the existing tops and fit any corners (mitered joints). The "Granite" overlay is not cheap, but it will take you from "average" to OMFG... this can be useful from the perspective of a potential re-sale.
Many different ways that this can go.

I'm in St. Albert so unless you're "up here", I can't help you out any further.
Best of luck!

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by Bindair Dundat

Yep.
Shortsighted to outlaw incandescent's, given their superior performance in applications outside of the conditioned space in our harsh climate. Question is? Do LED's perform properly at -30C?

If not... then this is an embarrassing boondoggle in the making for the powers that be.

LEDs generally work better in the cold. I suggested an incandescent because its $0.49 to check if the CFL is the problem instead of $9.99.

[llwhiteoutll]

Originally Posted by Bindair Dundat

Yep.
Shortsighted to outlaw incandescent's, given their superior performance in applications outside of the conditioned space in our harsh climate. Question is? Do LED's perform properly at -30C?

If not... then this is an embarrassing boondoggle in the making for the powers that be.

LEDs will work just fine at -30C, if the operating range of the household ones are the same as the ones on my truck, you've got a range of -40F to 145F

[Bindair Dundat]

Originally Posted by DuffMan

Does anyone have any experience with running pex to a NG water heater.
or using pex copper risers from the basement to under a kitchen sink, upstairs?

Your definition of the situation is confusing. With respects to connections to a direct fired "flash heater" you would want a soldered connection to a proper outflow manifold. Go Pex from there. The intake side can be pex to a sweated connector directly at the unit itself. No issues there. As far as your sink?
The description is too vague for me to offer up a solution for you.

[DuffMan]

Are you talking about an on demand system? I'm talking about a 50 gallon or whatever Natural Gas hot water tank.

Currently have copper running from the basement up through holes in the floor and cabinet to attach to the kitchen sink. Now I'm wondering about running pex up through the holes, or going with something like like below, copper stub outs. Guess the reason I am thinking about this is that the existing lines get beat up a lot from garbage can, recycling can, dish tray being smashed into them constantly.

[-TC-]

Originally Posted by Bindair Dundat

Tiled splash down to the surface; or do they have the integral backsplash ("post formed") on them?
Failing laminate can be resurfaced in place, but there will be additional costs involved as the sink will have to be "R&R'ed" during the process and the substrate in the sink area may be too shot (water damaged) to support the application of new laminate. If you have tops with the "integral" splash and tile above this, then you are looking at a much more involved process to R&R this in place. The old tops will have to be removed (carefully) and the new ones fitted to match the same profile as the ones you are removing. There are also companies that will do an "overlay" process using a 1/4" of man-made glass/quartz composite which goes right over your existing top. "Granite Transformations" is one such operation. I used them on a complete "gut and redo" (new top substrate) and it came out very nice.

As I've noted, it really comes down to budget and the extant state that you're starting from. A simple laminate overlay job could be as little as $6-700 if everything is ok with the substrate. R&R on post-formed (integral splash) will be more due to the need to remove the existing tops and fit any corners (mitered joints). The "Granite" overlay is not cheap, but it will take you from "average" to OMFG... this can be useful from the perspective of a potential re-sale.
Many different ways that this can go.

I'm in St. Albert so unless you're "up here", I can't help you out any further.
Best of luck!

Interesting...I've been thinking about doing a reno on my kitchen (cabinets, countertops) and bathroom (sinks, tub, tile, electrical fixture, cabinetry) - are you a contactor?

[Bill Bumface]

So, update. It's not the bulb. What's my next best idea? Go at all the wiring with a multimeter?

I'm thinking leaving it screwed up sounds easier... it just makes me nervous to use it if something is funny behind a wall somewhere.

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by hulkrogan

So, update. It's not the bulb. What's my next best idea? Go at all the wiring with a multimeter?

I'm thinking leaving it screwed up sounds easier... it just makes me nervous to use it if something is funny behind a wall somewhere.

My only other guess is a partially loose wire in the fixture, I'd take it apart and put it back together. After that I'd be calling an electrician.

[ricosuave]

Originally Posted by hulkrogan

So, update. It's not the bulb. What's my next best idea? Go at all the wiring with a multimeter?

I'm thinking leaving it screwed up sounds easier... it just makes me nervous to use it if something is funny behind a wall somewhere.

Shut off the breaker that feeds that light.

Remove the fixture from the wall and have a look at the wiring that connects it. My guess is that one of the two maretts connecting the wires together is a little loose, and with the expansion and contraction of it all due to weather, you are getting an intermittent issue.

[REDVAN]

I already PM'ed Bigtime- but does anyone else on CP do flooring or have any recommendations for flooring companies? Looking for supplier and likely install.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by ricosuave

Shut off the breaker that feeds that light.

This will be the hard part when the fixture isn't working... haha. One of those times a wire tester isn't optional.

[burn_this_city]

We have a leaky eavestrough above our garage door. It's causing water to pool on the concrete apron and the first foot into the garage. I'd like to fix the problem, is there any sealer I can apply in this weather that will bond properly?

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by hulkrogan

This will be the hard part when the fixture isn't working... haha. One of those times a wire tester isn't optional.

Under the category of things I am sure you already are aware of; this would be an excellent use of a non-contact voltage tester.
http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/ci...-0520085p.html