Home Repairs...

[Bob Haller]

TANKLESS BAD IDEA! Really.

Depending on incoming water temperature may not supply hot enough water incoming cold winter water can cause grief

Likely gas line or power upgrade since BTUs needed much more than standard gas line can supply.

never run out of hot water sounds wonderful till people espically teenagers stay in shower forever increasing energy bill

standby heat loss in winter helps heat home so its not really wasted

in summer though it adds a bit to heat load of home, although nnot a lot, if the indoor temp is 80 and water 120 which is typically where hot water tank is set.

there are new 96% efficent super insulated hot water tanks like pelonis that can save energy and have stainless tank for long life.

people tend to shower till they are nice and warm, a marginal rise tankless can mean people who never get warm enough shower longer

 

[hdtvtechno]

I am going to contract this out this time for the sake of time. We need both done very badly. I will be installing new windows and doors throughout the whole house though, so I will be busy. I also have a section of roof (10ft. X 28ft), that is flat, so I will be sloping that sometime this year too. Living in Michigan means I have from about April to October to get that all done.

For replacing windows
Try Empire Carpet


http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,15750000
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,15425594

 

[navychop]

I have heard of some satisfaction with tankless ("on demand") gas hot water units.
I have never heard of anyone satisfied with the electric versions.

 

[joedekock]

I have heard of some satisfaction with tankless ("on demand") gas hot water units.
I have never heard of anyone satisfied with the electric versions.

Yeah, me too. The way I understand it, the pipe in the unit has a direct flame on it when the water flow is triggered. I believe that it is a copper pipe and they recommend that the nearest joint be 3 ft. away, (so it doesn't heat the solder up and cause a leak at a joint. They make them now big enough for a two bath home. Obviously you are not going to want to use anything but the showers while your showering, but that's the way it is now with tank water heaters.

 

[Mark_AR]

The only way to justify a tankless water heater is if you have a family of 4 or more and you use a lot of hot water. On-Demand heaters run about 4-6 gallons per minute MAX so make sure you have water savers on all of your bathroom showers.

Tankless also costs about 4x-5x price of a traditional heater. I looked at them last year, and for a single guy or a couple, you are better off going with the ol' way.

BTW.. I do 99% of my own work nowadays.

Next on the list:

Pour a 12x17 cement patio with 1/4 round fountain in one corner with an old style hand pump for water outlet and a fire-pit/BBQ in the other as well as native stone retaining wall/seating area. At some point, I'd like a pergola over the whole area to make it more southwestern style. I have an idea for a motorized covering, but I can't explain it and I might just patent it when/if I ever get it designed/built.

Hang a heating and cooling ceiling fan on the screened/glassed portion of the patio that is already done. (Yes there is such a thing)

Making small 6'x8' master bath(1/2 bath) into main house bath and taking the 9'x9' main bathroom and putting french doors, corner jacuzzi tub with clear glass block surround and L.E.D. colored lights behind glass block for ambience. New vanity and marble tops. There are no bathtubs(just showers) in my house now and I need a good soak/whirlpool now and then with my back acting up as I age.

After that, I am thinking about putting faux ceiling beams in my living room to make it more spanish style and arch the entryways. I'd also like to make a small stone water feature in the living room too. I have a corner that is begging for something.

Eventually, I would like to do a kitchen makeover with gas cooktop & electric oven as well as maybe a silestone or organic marble countertop and refinishing/lightening the dark oak cabinets.

Somewhere in between all that, I need to put some more insulation in the attic and fix a few cracked trusses and re-wire the phone run. My DSL has been screwy for a month and I ran a temp wire from the box and it fixed it.

Thats it for now. Plus landscaping and yard work.... *YIKES!*

 

[dfergie]

One Project for me before long will be moving my Home Theater room into a bigger room of the house so instead of a 73" picture, I will have about a 95" picture from my PJ...will recarpet first then wire it etc... I'm going to take my time...

 

[gbjbany]

im in the middle of remodel, removing most of a wall between the kitchen and dining room. Only concern i have is if the wall is a supporting wall, but i'll get up in the roof space to see if it's supporting anything else. What else will tell me if it is ?

 

[dfergie]

Depends... is it a 2x6" wall?

 

[gbjbany]

not sure i know what that means It has 2x4" studs - i have some of the drywall off already, is that the same thing ?

 

[dfergie]

When I was around construction around here they usually made the load bearing walls 2x4 but that was just the contractors we worked with as the houses we built in school all had 2x6 studs...

 

[Bob Haller]

im in the middle of remodel, removing most of a wall between the kitchen and dining room. Only concern i have is if the wall is a supporting wall, but i'll get up in the roof space to see if it's supporting anything else. What else will tell me if it is ?

plumbing heating air returns can all cause grief beyond the structural issues

my wife would like to remove the wall between the kitchen and dining room. I said NO PROBLEM! get some contractor estimates and show me the $ Then go right ahead.

I dont think this project would be a good idea she wants more cabinets, but the wall she wants to remove has a lot, and the dining room has windows so no cabinets there....

in the end she will gain very little

 

[gbjbany]

Yep thanks. I have to redo some electrical and phone stuff but, that's all so far !

 

[Mark_AR]

Load bearing walls usually run opposite of the ceiling joists.

The best way is to crawl up in the attic and look to see if your ceiling joists are sandwiched next to one another from opposite sides of the house over the wall in question. A wall running 'with' the ceiling joists is usually 'not' a load bearing wall.

If it is load bearing, you can use temporary supports on each side of the wall and put in a steel 'I' beam or a 'lam-beam' in place to support the section you are removing. Then let it back down.

If ever doing this to a 2 story home or somewhere you get snowfall, I'd enlist the advise of a carpenter or professional architect. I'd hate to see the house fall in and someone get hurt.

 

[gbjbany]

thanks, it's single story, and i think with the joists, but we will see on saturday when i get up there.