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The Home Improvement Thread. Successes and Failures

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Dutch elm disease makes me angry. Three good trees, gone. Dropped all the leaves the first week of July.
And remember, I'm in ND, so this is where Handy quips in with a "just one tree left in the state".

I can't sell the wood as firewood either (spread the disease).
And I'm wide open to a SE wind blizzard now.
 
My wife wants me to build a bench and storage solution for a small closet in our main entry space. I’m not looking forward to all of the non-right angles I’m about to find there.

And I came home from (ugh) Hayward, WI, to find that my dishwasher isn’t draining. I just tore that thing apart after attending YouTube U for dishwashers, and my findings have now made me newly dedicated to running a monthly dishwasher cleaning solution.
 
St. Clown said:
My wife wants me to build a bench and storage solution for a small closet in our main entry space. I’m not looking forward to all of the non-right angles I’m about to find there.

And I came home from (ugh) Hayward, WI, to find that my dishwasher isn’t draining. I just tore that thing apart after attending YouTube U for dishwashers, and my findings have now made me newly dedicated to running a monthly dishwasher cleaning solution.
Click to expand...

I feel that. My house built in 1928 and there's nary a right angle to be found.
 
St. Clown said:
My wife wants me to build a bench and storage solution for a small closet in our main entry space. I’m not looking forward to all of the non-right angles I’m about to find there.

And I came home from (ugh) Hayward, WI, to find that my dishwasher isn’t draining. I just tore that thing apart after attending YouTube U for dishwashers, and my findings have now made me newly dedicated to running a monthly dishwasher cleaning solution.
Click to expand...

Depending on what you are attempting, consider an angle divider for both inside and outside corners. General makes (or used to make) a handy little one.
 
St. Clown said:
And I came home from (ugh) Hayward, WI, to find that my dishwasher isn’t draining.
Click to expand...

At least yours works.
I pulled the first fault code and made that repair ... only to get four additional fault codes, including one stating the main solenoid control circuit and the master controller board has failed.

I might have the new one in August they tell me.

Dishwashers are built for 7 to 11 years. This one made nine; its predecessor made eight.
 
St. Clown said:
My wife wants me to build a bench and storage solution for a small closet in our main entry space. I’m not looking forward to all of the non-right angles I’m about to find there.

And I came home from (ugh) Hayward, WI, to find that my dishwasher isn’t draining. I just tore that thing apart after attending YouTube U for dishwashers, and my findings have now made me newly dedicated to running a monthly dishwasher cleaning solution.
Click to expand...

OH my god the smell of the chopper when I took it apart in my old dishwasher. bllllllllech.

DItched the american chopper-style for European and would never go back. Just need to empty the filter once a month.
 
Removing tree stumps the previous owners let get way out of hand and far too close to the house. The root structure is like the Upside Down in Stranger Things.
 
Condensate pump died for the A/C and furnace. Default for a replacement seems to be 65 gallons per hour. Should that be suitable? Only other option for residential seems to be 80, otherwise it's jumping up into ones that process 1000+ an hour.
 
Spartanforlife4 said:
Condensate pump died for the A/C and furnace. Default for a replacement seems to be 65 gallons per hour. Should that be suitable? Only other option for residential seems to be 80, otherwise it's jumping up into ones that process 1000+ an hour.
Click to expand...

I doubt you can generate 65 gallons an hour from your AC. I think with propane you generate more than a gallon of water for every gallon of propane burned and I would assume AC and heat aren't running at same time so your choice will probably work. Not sure how much moisture is produced with Natty gas. Never use unvented propane heaters in a house
 
Spartanforlife4 said:
Condensate pump died for the A/C and furnace. Default for a replacement seems to be 65 gallons per hour. Should that be suitable? Only other option for residential seems to be 80, otherwise it's jumping up into ones that process 1000+ an hour.
Click to expand...

I had one die in the old house. Bought a replacement from Amazon and hooked it up with minimum fuss. Just make sure you wire it correctly.

One other thing to check -- the pipes that lead to the pump may be clogged with years of gunk. I had that problem too around the same time. Bought a test tube cleaner brush and gave the pipes a workout. That cured the problem.

Since then I've become diligent in cleaning the pipe u-turn (trap?) once a year.

Finally, clean your outside unit at least once every 2 years. My AC company wanted $400, but YouTube U showed me how to do it. You need a shop vac, spray foam cleaner made for ac's (home supply store or Amazon) and a garden hose. Looks like a 1-2 hour job. Cleaner arrives tomorrow from Amazon.
 
The Sicatoka said:
Dutch elm disease makes me angry. Three good trees, gone. Dropped all the leaves the first week of July.
And remember, I'm in ND, so this is where Handy quips in with a "just one tree left in the state".

I can't sell the wood as firewood either (spread the disease).
And I'm wide open to a SE wind blizzard now.
Click to expand...

Have you tried the State Cooperative Extension Service for your county or at UND?
 
walrus said:
I doubt you can generate 65 gallons an hour from your AC. I think with propane you generate more than a gallon of water for every gallon of propane burned and I would assume AC and heat aren't running at same time so your choice will probably work. Not sure how much moisture is produced with Natty gas. Never use unvented propane heaters in a house
Click to expand...

Thanks.

Natural gas furnace. From what I’ve been reading unless it’s a high efficiency it won’t produce much.


joecct said:
I had one die in the old house. Bought a replacement from Amazon and hooked it up with minimum fuss. Just make sure you wire it correctly.

One other thing to check -- the pipes that lead to the pump may be clogged with years of gunk. I had that problem too around the same time. Bought a test tube cleaner brush and gave the pipes a workout. That cured the problem.

Since then I've become diligent in cleaning the pipe u-turn (trap?) once a year.

Finally, clean your outside unit at least once every 2 years. My AC company wanted $400, but YouTube U showed me how to do it. You need a shop vac, spray foam cleaner made for ac's (home supply store or Amazon) and a garden hose. Looks like a 1-2 hour job. Cleaner arrives tomorrow from Amazon.
Click to expand...

The wiring actually brings up an interesting situation. The current one doesn’t have a safety switch and off a brief search it’s actually more expensive to get one without a switch than with. So looks like my options are to cap the wires and go as I’ve been going, learn to wire it myself, or give an electrician a (seemingly) very quick job.

I have no doubt there is some type of build up in the pipes. I actually did the AC clean this spring and would confidently say that it had never been cleaned since installation based on what I took off and out of it. I’m stunned it was still running given the combination of age and debris it was fighting.
 
It is odd to me ND is only getting creamed by Dutch Elm now. Upstate NY was denuded 70 years ago.

Is this something that got to NoDak late, like indoor plumping and civil rights?
 
Kepler said:
It is odd to me ND is only getting creamed by Dutch Elm now. Upstate NY was denuded 70 years ago.

Is this something that got to NoDak late, like indoor plumping and civil rights?
Click to expand...

50 years ago, Nodak's tree was an oak, so it was unaffected by Dutch Elm disease. Someone must have brought one in. Probably done under the cover of darkness by Minnies.
 
joecct said:
I had one die in the old house. Bought a replacement from Amazon and hooked it up with minimum fuss. Just make sure you wire it correctly.

One other thing to check -- the pipes that lead to the pump may be clogged with years of gunk. I had that problem too around the same time. Bought a test tube cleaner brush and gave the pipes a workout. That cured the problem.

Since then I've become diligent in cleaning the pipe u-turn (trap?) once a year.

Finally, clean your outside unit at least once every 2 years. My AC company wanted $400, but YouTube U showed me how to do it. You need a shop vac, spray foam cleaner made for ac's (home supply store or Amazon) and a garden hose. Looks like a 1-2 hour job. Cleaner arrives tomorrow from Amazon.
Click to expand...

Are we talking the condenser unit? Can't you just spray it with a hose? Cleans the bulk of the gunk off the condenser fins and coils. Just need to make sure you're not damaging the fins. I do it twice a year. Spring before the first hot days and in the fall after the leaves have dropped. You shouldn't need an aggressive cleaner.
 
dxmnkd316 said:
Are we talking the condenser unit? Can't you just spray it with a hose? Cleans the bulk of the gunk off the condenser fins and coils. Just need to make sure you're not damaging the fins. I do it twice a year. Spring before the first hot days and in the fall after the leaves have dropped. You shouldn't need an aggressive cleaner.
Click to expand...

It's really dirty. YT U seems to think a spray foam may be necessary. Better safe than sorry this time. Next spring I'll just try the hose.
 
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