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  1. C

    Need help building some walls

    If the goal is to turn this into actual conditioned space then b or c, not a. Option a leaves you with no insulation to the interior of the cinder block and while insulating above it in the new wall won't do nothing, it's not going to do a ton to normalize the temperature in this space since I...
  2. C

    A bewildering choice of shower heads

    I'm also doing this right now but a little farther along. I've picked my products that go in the wall but they aren't installed yet so I don't have performance reviews. However, I can say that in my research a major price variation in a whole shower system had to do with the control valves. Do...
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    Smoke backflowing into home from fireplace

    I had the same issue at my previous and current house and found pre-heating the flue was a must and the better it's pre-heated, the better the draft is and the less smoke into the room. A lit newspaper didn't do it, I use a blowtorch and some lit kindling for a couple of minutes.
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    Looking for the cause of a water leak

    Does it leak only when it rains and every time it rains? If so, you could use a garden hose near that first row of shingles and see if that starts the leak up. If it does, then the problem is definitely there. If it doesn't, then start looking farther up toward that upper window to see if...
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    What kind of wall do I have?

    I had the same thing at my house. It's what was used after traditional lath and plaster but before just using drywall. Generally, from the 40s-60s but that can vary. The backing is like drywall, called rock lath in this case, and the top layer is plaster. The metal is only used at the corners...
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    Do I need a carpenter, a locksmith, or a door company?

    You could also try a local handyman. I think they could fix the latching problem as easily as a locksmith. They could also replace the deadbolt, which may be cheaper than re-keying it. I'd call around and get a general idea of the price of re-keying and hourly rates of locksmith vs. handyman...
  7. C

    Liquid Nails

    Do you know which type of Liquid Nails you used? Several of their formulas aren't meant for use on concrete or brick, although I've never seen it turn into a powder. Fuze it Max or Heavy Duty seem to be recommended for that type of application. Liquid Nails has a nice product summary here to...
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    Subfloor suggestions for this room

    Check the weight limit on the dimpled subfloor product you plan to use but that should be a good solution. I looked a couple up and they had high compressive strengths. You'll need to also put a vapor barrier down against the concrete under the framing you use to fill in the hole. I think...
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    Anyone Know what these are called or how to better insulate them?

    I think it's still considered a French Door. Here's a post where Pella replaced a set in Delaware: https://www.pella.com/ideas/doors/patio-doors/hinged-french-doors/historic-french-door-replacement/
  10. C

    Pool Cool Deck is in need of repair

    That's completely separated in many places. Someone could easily step on that and it will completely give way and come off, creating a jagged edge. I don' think there's anything you can do short of removing the detaching section and building up a patch that would make this structurally sound...
  11. C

    Porch Column Replacement

    Something similar to what they do here would work. You'll just need to use something like tap-cons or another concrete anchor instead of wood screws to fasten the base to the concrete. If you're going to replace with an aluminum plinth the same principal applies, it will still need anchored to...
  12. C

    Need help framing a wall in basement

    I would frame out the soffit section where your wall goes first, and use 2x4s in that section so it's nice and stiff. Then, attach the top of your wall to the soffit, with the wall being however high it needs to be to intersect with the bottom of the soffit. The key is that you'll want your...
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    Crack in floor and ceiling (with photos)

    Are the cracks perpendicular or parallel to the floor joists in the crawlspace? If it were my place, I wouldn't be too concerned with the current size of the crack as your description of the house location (on a hill, next to a river, with slight earthquakes) means some extra settling and...
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    CEILING TILE REPAIR/INSTALL (pics)

    It looks like this style of tile is only secured on two sides. So, the hanging tiles are due to not being joined with a secure tile. These are often very flexible too, so if you patch the missing tiles, you may be able to flex the surrounding ones and get the tongue/groove to snap in. If they...
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    Electric problem? How would I troubleshoot?

    I had a similar problem with my furnace that turned out to be a loose wire. If you're comfortable with it, turn off the breaker to the washer outlet (don't just trust the labels on the breaker box, use a tester!), then take the outlet out and just check that al the wires are in good contact with...
  16. C

    TRIMMING TREES WITH A PRESERVATION ORDER

    Also from the US so unsure on UK regulations but it might be worth talking to the local council to see if they have approved/recommended tree surgeons.
  17. C

    Water dripping on upstair showers after shutting water main

    When testing the showers, did you set them to the coldest option available? With the hot water heater turned off, you won't get any shower water when set to hot and you might get very little when set to warm depending on the mixing ratio. For the water heater valve question, most codes specify...
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    Help me with these corners!

    Same as above, do you have a picture of a corner that wasn't done? Or a before picture of this corner? I can see why you had trouble, that radius on the corner is tough to work around. If it's not structure critical, I would probably remove the caulk, then cut the radius chunk out at the height...
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