The Home Improvement Thread

[Hemi-Cuda]

Something appears wonky with our hot water tank, where it seems to have lost capacity for some reason. It's a 60 gallon Rheem tank that was just put in last year, and until now it's been great. But over the last couple of weeks I've noticed that our hot water is running out a lot faster than it should. Normally we could have 2 people take showers back to back and still have plenty of hot water left, but now it barely seems enough for a single shower. Temperature is fine, and if I tweak the thermostat on it I hear the burner come on immediately so everything seems to be in working order. Any ideas?

[Fuzz]

Broken dip tube.


https://www.wikihow.com/Change-a-Dip-Tube

[d00little]

I have a humidifier attached to my forced air unit. Do I need to change the pad out every year? I know with the hard water we have here it will definitely need changing eventually, but seeing if every year might be overkill.

[Fuzz]

I soak mine in a citric acid solution. It gets gross. Mine is the aluminum weave type.

[BlackArcher101]

If you start seeing white powder on your air filter you waited too long to change the humidifier pad

[Shazam]

Every year is a good interval.

[PaperBagger'14]

I check my humidifier pad every time I replace my furnace air filter, it has only needed replacing once in the last 5 years. It depends how high your humidistat is set but we keep ours on the low end year round.

[photon]

First summer after finally building the upper deck on my house. I was thinking we should install a screen door so we can have it open without letting in the bugs, but the door opens out onto the deck and installing a screen door inside opening inwards would be awkward plus not really enough room with the kitchen table nearby.

Has anyone used those screens that roll up into the side? Are they any good? Seems like something that's a good idea but in practice doesn't work well.

I guess there's those magnetic ones that just hang there but that seems even worse.

[keratosis]

They work well, we have one on our front door. You just have to remember to oil them a couple of times a year.

[indes]

Originally Posted by photon

First summer after finally building the upper deck on my house. I was thinking we should install a screen door so we can have it open without letting in the bugs, but the door opens out onto the deck and installing a screen door inside opening inwards would be awkward plus not really enough room with the kitchen table nearby.

Has anyone used those screens that roll up into the side? Are they any good? Seems like something that's a good idea but in practice doesn't work well.

I guess there's those magnetic ones that just hang there but that seems even worse.

Aside from not looking professional the magnetic ones actually work really well.

[Garbs]

Originally Posted by photon

First summer after finally building the upper deck on my house. I was thinking we should install a screen door so we can have it open without letting in the bugs, but the door opens out onto the deck and installing a screen door inside opening inwards would be awkward plus not really enough room with the kitchen table nearby.

Has anyone used those screens that roll up into the side? Are they any good? Seems like something that's a good idea but in practice doesn't work well.

I guess there's those magnetic ones that just hang there but that seems even worse.

We have phantom screens that are the roll up ones and they work great. Barely notice them. Only real concerns i would have are

1 - Spring loaded and people that arent used to them dont hold onto the handle and it slams shut on a regular basis
2 - Needs to get the spray loob applied once or twice a year to keep them sliding smooth

The company will come out and adjust them if anything goes wrong as well. We liked the one we had on our front door so much we got one for the back for a cross breeze.

[Fuzz]

2025 and we are still messing around with screens doors. How do we not have a laser zapping them out of the air before they can enter? The future is disappointing.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by photon

First summer after finally building the upper deck on my house. I was thinking we should install a screen door so we can have it open without letting in the bugs, but the door opens out onto the deck and installing a screen door inside opening inwards would be awkward plus not really enough room with the kitchen table nearby.

Has anyone used those screens that roll up into the side? Are they any good? Seems like something that's a good idea but in practice doesn't work well.

I guess there's those magnetic ones that just hang there but that seems even worse.

Yes they work well, but it depends on the quality of the product you install

[puffnstuff]

Put one of magnetic ones up a couple years ago, its on the door the dog uses to go out to do his business, works great and I dont have to open it for him. Take it down in the fall and will go back up in the next couple weeks.
Had the roller screens up before that, lasted about 10 years or so, would probably still be good but some furry faced gremlin went thru the screen because he saw a squirrel.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by PaperBagger'14

I check my humidifier pad every time I replace my furnace air filter, it has only needed replacing once in the last 5 years. It depends how high your humidistat is set but we keep ours on the low end year round.

That's actually incredible. Before I got a water softener I had to change it out yearly and that was pushing it. One time it was so caked with deposits I had to disassemble the humidifier to get it out.

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

2025 and we are still messing around with screens doors. How do we not have a laser zapping them out of the air before they can enter? The future is disappointing.

Children, bugs or both? I want one that can do both.

[Incogneto]

We're looking at doing a backyard landscaping reno, doing much the work ourselves. BUT, we'd love to have someone come in and do the design for us.

Anyone here have a recommendation for a landscape design team that would be willing to just do the drawings?

[PaperBagger'14]

Originally Posted by Shazam

That's actually incredible. Before I got a water softener I had to change it out yearly and that was pushing it. One time it was so caked with deposits I had to disassemble the humidifier to get it out.

I know, and I know it’s running because when I got AC installed a few years ago the HVAC tech accidentally cracked the PVC drain pipe from the humidifier and it did leak a small amount of water.

[Titan2]

Originally Posted by photon

First summer after finally building the upper deck on my house. I was thinking we should install a screen door so we can have it open without letting in the bugs, but the door opens out onto the deck and installing a screen door inside opening inwards would be awkward plus not really enough room with the kitchen table nearby.

Has anyone used those screens that roll up into the side? Are they any good? Seems like something that's a good idea but in practice doesn't work well.

I guess there's those magnetic ones that just hang there but that seems even worse.

Phantom screens are awesome if you don't have a cat.

Can get cheaper versions but the name brand is much better. Would work well in this scenario.

[Titan2]

Originally Posted by keratosis

They work well, we have one on our front door. You just have to remember to oil them a couple of times a year.

I almost asked a question then figured I can google that #### myself:
https://www.phantomscreens.com/wp-co...24-digital.pdf

Phantom Silicone spray. So I assume any normal silicone spray I would use with my RV is fine?