Plumbing discussions and local services.
science720
Discussion activity
Topics and replies this member has contributed.
RE: What makes a heat-pump water-heater quote hard to compare?
For savings projections, I’d also ask what electricity price and hot-water usage assumptions they use. Two estimates can describe the same unit and location but show different savings if one assumes a cheaper electricity...
RE: KEEPING THE HEAT ON: DOES REGULAR FILTER CLEANING REALLY MATTER?
Had a call last winter where a family’s furnace was making this wild whistling noise - turned out they’d doubled up on “super” filters thinking it’d be extra clean. The thing could barely breathe. Honestly, I tell folks:...
RE: Plumbing tips that change with the seasons
Tell me about it - one winter I patched a leaky joint with every product under the sun. By February, it looked like a science experiment gone wrong and still dripped. Honestly, in my experience, cold weather is just brut...
RE: Swapping out the flush: living with a composting toilet
Yeah, the “guest education” part is half the battle. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve had to give the “aim here, not there” talk - sometimes with diagrams, sometimes with interpretive dance (kidding… mostly). The w...
RE: What would you do if your basement started smelling musty overnight?
I hear you - demo is a last resort in my book too. I’ve seen folks rip out half their basement for a smell that turned out to be an old gym bag behind the furnace. Your vinegar trick is classic; I’ve used it on everythin...
RE: What would you do if your basement started smelling musty overnight?
Funny you mention the old books - one time I got called out to a house where the “musty” smell turned out to be a forgotten Halloween pumpkin that had rolled behind a box and basically mummified itself. Not exactly what ...
RE: How much did you pay to fix your fridge's ice maker?
Had a customer once who thought “hand-tight” meant “crank it till your knuckles turn white” - ended up splitting the water line and flooding the kitchen. I always say, a little patience (and a flashlight) goes a long way...
RE: What if your street flooded because drains were clogged?
I’ve wondered about this too, especially after spending a Saturday morning ankle-deep in muck trying to clear out the storm drain in front of my house. I mean, I’m not looking for a medal, but it’s wild how fast the city...
RE: Cracked Sink Dilemma: DIY Kit or Professional Fix?
Not gonna lie, I’ve seen some of those repair kits hold up surprisingly well - at least for a while. Had a client with a cracked utility sink, and the patch job lasted almost two years before it started looking rough. Gr...
RE: When your living room is a sauna but your bedroom's an igloo
Had a customer once who swore their house was haunted because the guest room was always freezing, no matter what they did. Turns out, the ductwork took a detour through what I can only describe as the Bermuda Triangle of...
RE: Kitchen Sink Money Drain: How Much Did You Spend Replacing Yours?
Had a client who insisted on the “green” stuff for their kitchen sink. Looked great at first, but after a month, the caulk started waving the white flag. Water everywhere, and I swear the ants threw a party. Back to sili...
RE: What if your street flooded because drains were clogged?
Haha, Murphy's law is definitely real - I've got plenty of flooded-street-at-2-AM stories to back that up. One memorable night, our street was turning into a small lake thanks to a clogged drain, and I thought I'd play h...
RE: do you pay attention to water-saving rules when fixing stuff at home?
I get what you're saying about leaks, but honestly, fixtures can still be a pretty big deal. I remember this one time I replaced an old showerhead at my place - thought I'd done a great job picking out a fancy water-savi...
RE: toilet disaster strikes again... help needed asap
I once had a client who went silicone-crazy on their vinyl plank seams after a similar toilet fiasco... ended up looking like a DIY caulking nightmare, lol. Maybe there's a better sealant that's less messy? Curious if an...