Home Improvement Today?

I just watched this video and I will say his way is much easier than the way I did my Samsung.

 

I was watching a different one, but did see this guy, too. i've never taken a washer apart before, so it's a little daunting

 

My basement is unfinished so I have complete access to everything. I could do the home run style too, but one of these days I'm going to figure out an occupancy sensor for the bathrooms. That way when you enter the room the circulation pump will run and have hot water there for hand washing after. If you have to choose a faucet to loop that could be a tough call. Do you do the kitchen which gets used the most or the faucet that is the furthest from the water heater. In my old house the master was on the 2nd floor and the water heater in the basement. I'd probably do the master in that house. This house is one level and the kitchen gets used 5 time more that all the other faucets combined.

 

I say do it!

But, I give lousy advice.

I enjoy DIY and think of it as my hobby. My brother in law thinks I'm crazy and just hires everything done. We both have war stories, mine revolve around times when I got in over my head. His revolve around idiot contractors that make things worse rather than better.

 

install a grundfos smart pump recirc with a thermocouple and it will run the pump anytime the return line is 2C less than the supply line and insulate your hot supply and recirc lines with pipe insulation anywhere they are accessible to do so

https://product-selection.grundfos....ica/grundfos-comfort-north-america?tab=models

 

I took a break from this project to finish my office and wait for a replacement newel post to come in. After debating and trying a few tactics to fix my ovalized holes... I came to the conclusion it was better to start over. I ended up fixing the issue on the new newel post by using a spade bit with a long brad point attached to the original drill press to get the correct angled hole without wobble:






Then I had to re-cut the handrail a couple of times to make it tight again.


From there I made my handrail for the closed part of the staircase. I just measured from nose to nose and added 10". Mitered both ends and made mitered returns to get me 1 1/2" off the wall (code so you can fit your hand behind it). Threw a couple of dominos on the ends to help with alignment.




A quick sanding to round over the miter. It's going to sit at the top of a staircase and I imagine a sharp miter would be a hazard for kids 3' tall. This is my attempt at a grain wrap.


I then set our handrail brackets only to find out the middle one is warped and needs to be replaced. Kind of a bummer because I was hoping to get this mounted before I leave town this weekend. Should be a straightforward install when the bracket shows up.


Finally I moved upstairs to the landing to install the second guardrail. It was pretty easy compared to the rake handrail so I won't post a bunch of pictures of the process. Anyway, this morning I applied my finish to all of the components. I really like the way the figure in the hickory comes to life with oil:








Next week should be very easy:

• Mount handrail to brackets
• Install last pieces of flooring
• Caulk + touch-up paint
• Epoxy metal balusters into holes
• Vow to never do stairs again

After that it's back to working on the shop; I'll casually install casing and baseboards as they get painted.

 

For those with heat pumps, do you use bleach or vinegar in your AC drain line on the inside unit? I’ve always used bleach, but our neighbors just had a tech tell them to not use bleach but vinegar instead. They claimed bleach will cause damage, but that’s what I’ve used for the last 17 years.

 

Roof and upstairs wall framing all removed , next week we do some floor framing alterations / frame the new stairwell , then we sheet the floor in plywood and we can frame the new upstairs walls

 

It can't hurt to start it... if it doesn't work out..... all I've lost is some time, right?

 

generally, circulation pumps are ran to the furthest faucet.

 

I installed one in last place, the interconnect loop was in master bed bath cuz it wasthe furthest away. Depending on the model you could buy a second inter connect loop an put it under kitchen sink and have one in furtherthest bathroom. Just a thought.

 

My house was built with a circulation loop so each faucet feeds from the loop. The plumber that installed it was an idiot and put the kitchen sink at the end of 65' of pipe. So, yesterday removed the idiot's hot water loop and installed my own. The first thing I did was make the loop as short as possible while at the same time keeping it as close as possible to the different faucets. I also made the most used sink, kitchen, first in line for hot water instead of last. In the kitchen, without the circulation pump running it now takes 2 cups of water before it runs hot vs nearly a gallon before. With the circulation pump running all of the sinks have nearly instant hot water.

 

Kinda nice w tankless, heat at 120, just go full hot no bs mixing.

 

Finally had some unscheduled time to knock out this drywall.

 

Our mudding skills seem similar.

 

It is not a skill I wish to use more and improve, just get me by.

 

Looks great how did u join the rails and stiles