The Home Improvement Thread

[Oswego]

Got two quotes for new HVAC over the weekend. Both have similar prices of $15,500. Both sent out salesmen who Ill never allow into my house again. The balls on these guys was amazing. I just kept quiet the whole time then handed them my card at the end of their "speeches" and thanked them for my time. Same kind of guys that whenever their mouths are moving you know they are lying. I wouldn't even trash used car salesman by comparing the two. "Ill do the water heater for free, and I need authorization for deals this good, and I have extra stock in this brand we need to move before 2019, Ill get in trouble for this price" type crap. After the second guy got going I couldn't take it after 15 minutes and I just stopped him in his tracks. Said - I need the hard data for quote comparison with brands and models + written scope of work + permits in writing. No lines of BS with this or that free and this or that on sale due to overstock. I'm not buying today so you can stop the pressure tactics and what I believe to be poor sales tact because they only piss me off. I asked the last guy if they actually worked and he said he wouldn't do it if it didn't work. He calmed down after that and we conversed like normal human beings.

One thing I did think was funny....both guys when asked said new homeowners could care less about efficiency. They go by brand name and age.

 

[tx_shooter]

There is very little that compares to a commission based salesman. I tend to try to shut down the tactics as fast as I can and get the real info out. Thankfully I have contacts for most of the stuff I need through my father-in-law (framing contractor) or my work. I avoid the salesmen as much as possible.

 

[Silverback]

Buy a Lennox system. I know two people with their newer systems (a 2017 and a 2018 install) and they are the fucking shit!! Those things pretty much run 24/7 but 90% of the times its on super low and its just a dehumidifier. You can even have it connected to your smart phone so when you leave the house it realizes you are gone and will adjust temp accordingly.. flip side is when you are coming back it then raises it. I have a Train (2 actually) and while its an great unit.. I wish it was a Lennox.

 

[Silverback]

Costco sells Lennox

 

[Oswego]

Price I'm leaning towards is Lenox HVAC equipment with Bryant High Efficiency Hot water heater w/tank. My chimney is in such bad shape it's either high efficiency or get it replaced from the foundation up and thats going to cost thousands. So basically to spend less on the HVAC system I need to dump money into whats becoming a thing of the past and that I do not want anymore (chimney just to vent my wasted money). I think of the chimney as an extension to me throwing money out the window.....$0.20 center per every dollar to be exact would go up it. Or $0.04 per dollar up the PVC vent. Pretty sure my mind is made up and I just need to cross my t's and dot my i's.

 

[Silverback]

Put a group 24 AGM battery and a new solar charge controller on the little ones playhouse. It is all inside a group 31 battery box that I sealed the lid and only way for air to get in is from under the lid and two holes in the bottom. Made the mistake on the last setup and didn't have holes in the bottom and it was FULL of water. It leaked down the wires and then seeped in over time. It powers a 2 channel remote, one channel for interior LED light strips with 8 4 LED pucks in each up top and down below. Second channel powers 5 exterior 10 watt LED floodlights. Makes playing at night a little easier. But I noticed out there that the spiral slide is SHOT!! I mean done! All the reinforcing rings to keep the sections together are broken. Don't really want to do another slide so I need to think of something to put in its place? Firemans pole? Yeah no. Maybe a second rock wall area?

 

[Oswego]

I'm all for climbing. We had a 50' repelling/climbing tower at camp growing up. I was watching speed climbing the other day and some of the women were amazing. Much better than a firepole

I got a call today from one of the HVAC contractors. Told him I'd need to call him at 3 when I was done work and I heard him sigh. Yea, I never called him back. He just assured me the decision I had already made was correct. Called the other co instead and got some of the wiggle room out of the quote just by being upfront/nice/honest. Signing the contract Thursday. Got a better feeling from them even though pricing was higher. Now I just need to demo an old wood stud wall for the PVC vent pipes to fit close to the block wall in my basment. Pretty sure while I"m at it I will take down the last walls down there anyway. I only left 3 when I did the initial round of demo when I bought it. Might was well start off fresh. Prob just leave it wide open and spray it all white before I try to sell it. No way I'm putting up any new ceilings or walls down there before I sell it.

 

[Silverback]

I also thought about a zip line off the backside and over to the fence. I don't know if it will work though, there are 2 trees right behind it and I am not sure it will work.. plus that means I have to dig a 3' deep hole and concrete in a post for it to attach to. Not sure how long she will still use this thing.

 

[Taco Loco]

These Samsung fridges are not cheap, occasionally the ice maker freezes up, so I pulled the ice bin and turned off the ice maker off. I flip the ice bin over to let it air dry and I noticed a few cracks in the bottom.

I used some Fastweld 10 and a couple extra dividers from a tackle box to reinforce the bottom.

 

[Taco Loco]

I got a stump burned down this evening, I imagine it will still be hot in the morning.

 

[Silverback]

Looks like a satellite photo of a city.

 

[PSU Taco85]

Price I'm leaning towards is Lenox HVAC equipment with Bryant High Efficiency Hot water heater w/tank. My chimney is in such bad shape it's either high efficiency or get it replaced from the foundation up and thats going to cost thousands. So basically to spend less on the HVAC system I need to dump money into whats becoming a thing of the past and that I do not want anymore (chimney just to vent my wasted money). I think of the chimney as an extension to me throwing money out the window.....$0.20 center per every dollar to be exact would go up it. Or $0.04 per dollar up the PVC vent. Pretty sure my mind is made up and I just need to cross my t's and dot my i's.

For the water heater I'd recommend a navien tankless, they are pretty much maintenance free and cost nothing to run when's you aren't using water. My gas bills are basically $15 month in the summer, $12 of which is the monthly hookup free. If you get a standard water heater, get a Bradford white they have the best heaters on the market with with a 10 year warranty.

For a single person, tankless is the way to go IMO. Plus they are more reliable and you don't have a 40 gallon bomb to let loose if it does happen to leak.

 

[Oswego]

I also thought about a zip line off the backside and over to the fence. I don't know if it will work though, there are 2 trees right behind it and I am not sure it will work.. plus that means I have to dig a 3' deep hole and concrete in a post for it to attach to. Not sure how long she will still use this thing.

"She"????...if you build it, it's gotta be adult sized

View attachment 12018

These Samsung fridges are not cheap, occasionally the ice maker freezes up, so I pulled the ice bin and turned off the ice maker off. I flip the ice bin over to let it air dry and I noticed a few cracks in the bottom.

I used some Fastweld 10 and a couple extra dividers from a tackle box to reinforce the bottom.


View attachment 12016


View attachment 12017

Of course I just bought one

For the water heater I'd recommend a navien tankless, they are pretty much maintenance free and cost nothing to run when's you aren't using water. My gas bills are basically $15 month in the summer, $12 of which is the monthly hookup free. If you get a standard water heater, get a Bradford white they have the best heaters on the market with with a 10 year warranty.

For a single person, tankless is the way to go IMO. Plus they are more reliable and you don't have a 40 gallon bomb to let loose if it does happen to leak.

Everyone I had out trashed them. Company I'm going with won't even install them they have had so many issues. Ive heard they are all the rage in Europe. Not heard good things in the USA because we use more water and more volume than they do. Even Richard from "This Old House" says to stay away from them because they can't keep up. Says some of them can't even keep water hot enough for dishwashers and that's a health issue I do not need. I'm single, but want out and house is 4 bedroom 2 bathroom so.... not passing off a bad design to next buyers who may want to use 2 showers at the same time.

My #1 issue is cost. Per Consumer reports (who I trust) it takes 30 years to offset cost difference of on demand vs conventional and they don't last that long so you are losing money in the long run. Also I live in a blue collar ghetto and want out so no need to get fancy stuff Ill never recoup cost of. Only reason I'm going HE is to avoid the chimney repair - otherwise I'd be going with 80% instead of 96% efficient.

My sister just had a on demand water heater installed 2 weeks ago. Cost her almost 4k. Sadly she'll never recoup that cost and her kids are 13 & 16 so in 3-5 years there will only be 2 people in the house. Best part is they had to "add" a tank to hers due to high demand/usage they use currently. I was like WTF - you just got robbed. 4k for a freaking water heater is a total joke. They had to run new gas lines and new vents both of which are a total waste IMHO. I could of replaced the old one in a few hrs for less than 1k and I'm a freaking desk jockey with little/no plumbing experience.

 

[tx_shooter]

The only places I have seen tankless WH make sense is in locations where other additional costs (plumbing and/or fuel) offset the tankless issue. I do know a few people who used an electric tankless to provide hot water to half baths on the opposite side of their house/ external building and they are happy with them. The little heater is not used a lot and only has to push water for a single sink. As for my upcoming water heater I am probably going to go with a 40 or 50 gallon high efficiency model to make the most of it. I have a 40 gallon model now and it is more hot water than we use but there is only two people in a three bedroom house. Next people here will most likely have more people in the house.

 

[Oswego]

The only places I have seen tankless WH make sense is in locations where other additional costs (plumbing and/or fuel) offset the tankless issue. I do know a few people who used an electric tankless to provide hot water to half baths on the opposite side of their house/ external building and they are happy with them. The little heater is not used a lot and only has to push water for a single sink. As for my upcoming water heater I am probably going to go with a 40 or 50 gallon high efficiency model to make the most of it. I have a 40 gallon model now and it is more hot water than we use but there is only two people in a three bedroom house. Next people here will most likely have more people in the house.

I have a 40 and am going back to a 40. Prob should do a 50 for anyone else who is buying, but I'm tapped for cash so 40 it is. House used to have 4 people in it and they put in a 40 so I guess it should be OK with the HE shower heads I installed now. Only time I have ever run out of hot water is when I fill my Jacuzzi tub up and that's only once a year when I have hypothermia from removing the docks at my moms marina in the late November rains. No more marina so no more running out

Also my plans to get out sooner than later can always change and I may get stuck for longer so no need to heat 50 gallons so I can take a hot shower once a day at 4am or wash 5 min of dishes and my hands at 4pm

 

[PSU Taco85]

"She"????...if you build it, it's gotta be adult sized



Of course I just bought one



Everyone I had out trashed them. Company I'm going with won't even install them they have had so many issues. Ive heard they are all the rage in Europe. Not heard good things in the USA because we use more water and more volume than they do. Even Richard from "This Old House" says to stay away from them because they can't keep up. Says some of them can't even keep water hot enough for dishwashers and that's a health issue I do not need. I'm single, but want out and house is 4 bedroom 2 bathroom so.... not passing off a bad design to next buyers who may want to use 2 showers at the same time.

My #1 issue is cost. Per Consumer reports (who I trust) it takes 30 years to offset cost difference of on demand vs conventional and they don't last that long so you are losing money in the long run. Also I live in a blue collar ghetto and want out so no need to get fancy stuff Ill never recoup cost of. Only reason I'm going HE is to avoid the chimney repair - otherwise I'd be going with 80% instead of 96% efficient.

My sister just had a on demand water heater installed 2 weeks ago. Cost her almost 4k. Sadly she'll never recoup that cost and her kids are 13 & 16 so in 3-5 years there will only be 2 people in the house. Best part is they had to "add" a tank to hers due to high demand/usage they use currently. I was like WTF - you just got robbed. 4k for a freaking water heater is a total joke. They had to run new gas lines and new vents both of which are a total waste IMHO. I could of replaced the old one in a few hrs for less than 1k and I'm a freaking desk jockey with little/no plumbing experience.

Just trying to give you advice from a guy that tbat installs them for a living, take it with a grain of salt

We've never had any problems with them others than the inlet filters clogging up which would happen anywhere depending on water quality. 4K is retarded. They are around 400 more than a conventional water heater and taken up less real estate. Go ahead and listen to bob vila though

 

[Oswego]

Just trying to give you advice from a guy that tbat installs them for a living, take it with a grain of salt

We've never had any problems with them others than the inlet filters clogging up which would happen anywhere depending on water quality. 4K is retarded. They are around 400 more than a conventional water heater and taken up less real estate. Go ahead and listen to bob vila though

They had to run new gas and vents lines in a finished basement. My sister was dumb and drank the cool aid they sold her.

I had three people out for quotes + a service tech + talked to commercial plumbers at a job site + hours of on-line reasearch. No one likes them. Scott even says poop. Not going against everyone Ive spoken to or had out. Heck you even installed a conventional in your garage

Bob Villa hasn't been on this old house since the 80's

Still luv ya buddy

 

[PSU Taco85]

They had to run new gas and vents lines in a finished basement. My sister was dumb and drank the cool aid they sold her.

I had three people out for quotes + a service tech + talked to commercial plumbers at a job site + hours of on-line reasearch. No one likes them. Scott even says poop. Not going against everyone Ive spoken to or had out. Heck you even installed a conventional in your garage

Bob Villa hasn't been on this old house since the 80's

Still luv ya buddy

So you took advice from a salesmen, a guy whoever never worked in his life, and the equivalent of the dude equivalent to two guys garage of home improvement

I didn't conventional out back because I need the volume for the floor mass otherwise I think would be running every time the thermostat kicked on. Apples and oranges there

Love ya too

 

[Taco Loco]

For the water heater I'd recommend a navien tankless, they are pretty much maintenance free and cost nothing to run when's you aren't using water. My gas bills are basically $15 month in the summer, $12 of which is the monthly hookup free. If you get a standard water heater, get a Bradford white they have the best heaters on the market with with a 10 year warranty.

For a single person, tankless is the way to go IMO. Plus they are more reliable and you don't have a 40 gallon bomb to let loose if it does happen to leak.

what about a non gas hot water heater, and tankless, recommend?

 

[Taco Loco]

I dont have natural gas, I just don't think the electric tankless are effective enough.