PennSilverTaco's "Perfect 5-Lug Regular Cab" Build, Aspergers, and General BS MegaThread!

Must have been @RustyGreen. Maybe you were the one who told me that houses with busy roofs are more prone to leaking?

 

Negative.

I have never owned a home, don’t know much about it. Wisdom on homeownership probably didn’t come from me.

 

You said something about home ownership...

 

Uh I recommended getting a bigger garage. Do it right the first time.

Might have discussed ranches vs two story homes?

 

Yes, and possibly property taxes...

 

Also, I've wanted a rancher since at least 2009!

 

I had feelings for you when I saw you but was two shy to say or do anything about. I am so happy to finally be your girlfriend that every time we kiss or see each other I still get butterflies and all my ex did was try and say who I could or couldn’t talk to. I tried to take my life. I am two variable to people and one of those people happens to be my loving boyfriend

 

Yeah I think we discussed that as well.

 

I cant...he might get too puffed up ego...

 

I mean, if the shoe fits…

 

Gotta have a nice garage!

 

If anyone is gruff it’s me.
It isn’t @Just A Guy , just look at how much I pick on him.
And he just keeps taking it.
I don’t even know why I started on him?
I think it all started in a different thread.

 

Never heard of this?

This is true.

 

Dunno about that. But after the house lines are filled its just typical usage. Doesnt matter how far you are from the meter or other bathrooms other than maybe pressure drop.

 

I bring it upon myself

 

I knew that had to be a good reason.

 

The issue with plumbing fixtures being far apart is centered around water heating costs. Water heating accounts for around 20% of a homes total energy usage.

Unfortunately, utility rates have a nasty habit of rising over the years, it is a sure bet you will be paying more in 10 years than you are today.

Obviously one wants to take a hot shower, if the shower is 100 feet from the water heater you will need to run 100 feet of water down the drain every time you want hot water.

For 1/2" pipe that is just over a gallon of water, 3/4" pipe is about 2.2 gallons.

We tend to think "...that is only...", however you pay for that hot water 3 times:
1) Purchase it from the municipality
2) Cost to heat it
3) Sewer charge

Over years of ownership that "only" adds up to a lot of money you could use for something else, wasting water & utilities isn't good if you have environmentally friendly inclinations either.

Now some will say that you can install a pump and recirculating loop to help eliminate some of the waste. Sure you can...

Up front you need to pay for the parts and installation, the pump and controls run on electricity - the monthly cost may be small but it is still a cost.
Then there is reliability: 200 extra feet of piping, a pump and the related controls are all items that can (and will) fail at some point.

Remember, "the reliability of a part that isn't there is infinite" - any part that is there can fail. Simple, short runs of plumbing are more reliable.

Purchasing an "efficiently designed" house saves you money every day year after year - money you can put use for other things.


The same logic applies to roofs.
Simple roof designs initially cost less to install - there is less material involved, less labor and the labor required is less technical so the odds are higher of the job being done correctly the first time.

As the roof ages it should be more reliable as there are fewer joints and surfaces to fail.

Water is the homeowners #1 issue, here are a few potential problems:
Plumbing leaks
Freeze damage
Drain clogs/sewer back ups
Damage from appliances like ice makers or washing machines
Roof leaks
Water intrusion from gutters, ice damage or poor drainage
Humidity issues causing rot or mold

In short water can be a serious & expensive PITA for the homeowner.

 

What is your opinion on the tankless “instant” heaters?

As for the hot water and long stretches, I can see that. My grandfather was a plumber up until 1981. He still complains if you use the hot water unnecessarily. Washing hands, rinsing dishes ect.

 

The tankless units seem to be the way of the future. Coming from a maintenance background it is hard for me to say if that is good or bad... It has been quite a while since I really dug into researching them.

They don't really "save" money when heating water so much as it takes the same amount of energy to heat a given amount of water to temperature.
Where they really shine is that there are no stand by losses.

A conventional water heater keeps 30-80 gallons of water warm all the time, if you take a 10 minute shower in the morning the heater is going to be keeping that water ready for the next 23 hours and 50 minutes. So in that usage the tankless makes good sense and should have low operating costs.

For a busy multi-person household however a conventional tank unit might have close to the same operating costs for a much lower up front cost and conventional tanked units are very simple and therefore reliable.

Tankless units have more parts doing more work - and a microprocessor...

 

I am single. Not sure if I’ll ever marry. And definitely won’t have any kids.
I was thinking a tankless might work in my situation. But that all depends on the home I buy or build. I have been helping renovate a home my father bought. Needless to say, I’m getting to where I don’t want anymore than necessary. I done more plumbing than any one man should ever have to do. It’s no fun when you are the only able to do the floor work. Up and down, up and down.

I’m starting to prefer functional over “pretty”.