Plumbing discussions and local services.
writing_bear
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RE: How should a dishwasher installation quote separate basic hookup from extra work?
Clear photos could help an installer give a preliminary estimate, as long as it’s explicitly conditional on what they can’t verify visually. I’d want an on-site check before treating the price as firm if valve operation,...
RE: trouble figuring out thermostat for radiant floor heating
I’d lean programmable if the basement has a predictable routine, so it can be comfortable when you expect to use it. If it’s used at irregular times - or you’re happy keeping it at one steady setting - a manual control m...
RE: How should a dishwasher installation quote separate basic hookup from extra work?
The “allowance or stated hourly/material rate” for hidden conditions is useful, but I’d also ask what triggers a price change. Have the installer pause and get approval before doing extra work, and spell out any diagnost...
RE: Kitchen Sink Money Drain: How Much Did You Spend Replacing Yours?
I hear you - those alarms are like smoke detectors for your plumbing, but they’re not exactly Sherlock Holmes. I tried one under my old sink and it went off when my cat knocked over his water bowl, but missed a slow leak...
RE: Finally tackled my noisy pipes and feeling pretty proud
I hear you on the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” approach, but man, those little noises can turn into wallet-draining disasters. I tried water hammer arrestors in my last place - sometimes they worked, sometimes I fel...
RE: finally figured out my boiler plumbing - anyone else find it tricky?
I’ve actually tried the color-coded zip ties, and I’ll admit - my “system” made perfect sense until I forgot which color meant what a year later. Ended up with a rainbow spaghetti mess under the boiler. Those metal tags ...
RE: What if your street flooded because drains were clogged?
Those gutter cleaning tools are a mixed bag, honestly. I picked up one of those telescoping claw things last year - looked sturdy in the store, but the “heavy-duty” plastic felt more like recycled soda bottles once I sta...
RE: why is documenting plumbing connections such a nightmare?
I tried the masking tape trick too - lasted about a week before it turned into a sticky mess. Ended up using old bread bag tags and a Sharpie. Not pretty, but hey, it’s cheap and I can actually tell what’s what... most d...
RE: Cracked Sink Dilemma: DIY Kit or Professional Fix?
I get where you’re coming from - water’s basically the Houdini of household elements. But I’ll admit, I’m still hanging onto my patch kit optimism, even if it’s mostly out of necessity (and, let’s be honest, a little stu...
RE: Help, my basement drain's backing up again...
Totally agree with this. A couple years back, I had the dreaded basement backup - right before hosting Thanksgiving dinner, no less. Talk about timing... Anyway, after some frantic research (and a few panicked phone call...
RE: Cracked Sink Dilemma: DIY Kit or Professional Fix?
Haha, your dad's epoxy adventure sounds suspiciously familiar. I once tried patching a hairline crack in our bathroom sink with some "miracle" DIY kit I found online. Followed the instructions meticulously, sanded it dow...
RE: anyone tried sustainable plumbing upgrades at home?
I've got to admit, rain barrels are great in theory, but in practice, I've found them a bit limiting. I started with a single 55-gallon barrel thinking it'd be plenty for my modest garden, but reality hit hard during the...
RE: finally figured out my boiler plumbing - anyone else find it tricky?
Totally agree about the tea tasting smoother - thought I was imagining things at first, but nope, it's legit. When we replaced our old copper pipes with PEX, the difference was pretty noticeable. Not just taste-wise eith...
RE: Finally got my bathroom reno right for everyone to use comfortably
Ha, isn't it always the cheap impulse buys that surprise us? I had a similar experience with a bargain-bin toilet seat I picked up as a temporary fix. Figured I'd replace it within a month or two, but here we are five ye...