Broke It, Bent It, Tried To Fix It: Home Improvements

[theredhead77]

Carpenter bees are making their home in my balcony overhang. I was at a loss and sprayed some spray, hoping it would kill the few that were there and they would go away. Sadly I miscalculated how many would die and now I feel like an asshole (I haven't sprayed in a few weeks and dead bees keep ending up on by balcony right under their holes).

I don't want to do traps, I'd rather just deter them. I read online about sealing and painting which will require a trip to home depot. I have some random round parts from IKEA furniture and I'm hoping they may be the correct size to plug the holes but does anyone else have a solution that doesn't require going out, ordering online or killing them with spray?

[ParadoxLost]

1 hour ago, theredhead77 said:

I don't want to do traps, I'd rather just deter them. I read online about sealing and painting which will require a trip to home depot. I have some random round parts from IKEA furniture and I'm hoping they may be the correct size to plug the holes but does anyone else have a solution that doesn't require going out, ordering online or killing them with spray?

Non lethal options...none of which I can vouch for but found online.  Picked the most likely stuff that would be around the house.

Quote

Carpenter bees enjoy the quiet so if you find yourself with some unwanted guests, set up a radio or speaker right next to or on top of where the nest is. Not only does the music disorient them, the vibrations will cause them to evacuate their nest. Often times, once a severe problem has happened in their nest, they will not return to that same place anymore.

Quote

Carpenter Bees are naturally repelled by the smell of citrus. in a small pot of water, slice the citrus fruit and boil it in the water for 10-15 minutes to release the juice. Let the citrus water cool down and pour it into a spray bottle with a “stream” nozzle and spray it into the nest site.

Quote

Carpenter Bees are very sensitive when it comes to scents inside their nest. Peppermint, tea tree and lemon essential oils are excellent for making their nest unbearable thus making them leave for good. Although this isn’t a permanent solution, it will buy you a little time to safely get them out of the nest without hurting them so you can properly seal the entrance site.

So basically, treat them like a neighbor you want to annoy.

[hoodooznoodooz]

I have blood stains on a comforter. I used to take blood stains to the dry cleaner, and she would return everything pristine. Now she’s telling me she sends stuff out, and there are no guarantees. She wouldn’t even take it from me to try. Any advice? They are stains. They have been through the dryer. Thank you in advance.

[isalicat]

16 hours ago, hoodooznoodooz said:

I have blood stains on a comforter. I used to take blood stains to the dry cleaner, and she would return everything pristine. Now she’s telling me she sends stuff out, and there are no guarantees. She wouldn’t even take it from me to try. Any advice? They are stains. They have been through the dryer. Thank you in advance.

Assuming your comforter is color fast and washable, try Soilove (it comes in a bottle). I have had great results with it, and it specifically says it removes all stains, including blood.

[hoodooznoodooz]

2 hours ago, isalicat said:

Assuming your comforter is color fast and washable, try Soilove (it comes in a bottle). I have had great results with it, and it specifically says it removes all stains, including blood.

Thank you, isalicat!

[SusanM]

Has anyone had little brown caterpillars come into the house?  I've never experienced this before.  I've seen only  a few (so far) and they're nice and slow so catching them isn't a problem but I don't want them in my house!  Do you think they're attracted to the house plants?  Or coming in out of the cold?  Or something else is going on?  Whatever the reason I want them gone!

Edited to add: venting is good - problem resolved ( we think) There was a new plant (a holly) we brought into the house just before Christmas and when my husband lifted it up there were a bunch of them in the saucer!  The plant is now outside and staying there!

Edited April 11, 2022 by SusanM

[annzeepark914]

Can someone recommend those "boards" you place under couch cushions to prevent sagging? We have a somewhat new couch but after sitting on one end every day, after a few weeks it starts sagging. I'm not a big person & I'm tired of switching the cushions around. I'd like to try one of those fold-up boards and looked at Amazon. While reading the reviews, it sounds good but then along comes the bad reviews warning folks not to buy it as it's cheap, or it's made in China & crappy, etc. Are there stores that sell quality sofa boards?

[Mondrianyone]

We had the same problem, and I looked at those cushion boards, too. Ended up not buying them after reading the reviews. I like the couch, so I bought new foam and batting for the affected cushions. My (very un-fat) husband is complaining again about the cushion he always sits on, so I was thinking of having someone just cut us a thin board, maybe plywood, slightly smaller than the cushion to put under his spot. I'm not sure you'd need anything fancier than that, and I did take five sessions of adult-ed upholstery, so even though I'm not an expert, I know a little bit. You might want to wrap the board in batting so it doesn't abrade the fabric it touches.

[emma675]

@annzeepark914 I tried some of those boards under my couch cushions (they were vinyl wrapped ones I found on Amazon so they didn't affect the fabric) and I honestly don't think they helped. I think of the stuffing/foam is starting to get compressed the external boards don't help much. Like @Mondrianyone I'm planning to replace the foam and batting in mine.

[annzeepark914]

19 minutes ago, emma675 said:

Like @Mondrianyone I'm planning to replace the foam and batting in mine.

Are you talking about the filler in all the cushions?  Is that expensive to do? Our last sofa was saggy after not too long. Are they just making them poorly now?

[theredhead77]

I have these from Amazon and I think they help a little but I already had my couch restuffed and I think the springs and supports in the actual foundation are just giving out. But my couch is close to 15 years old.

[Bastet]

15 minutes ago, annzeepark914 said:

Is that expensive to do?

Foam is hella expensive, yes, but not something to cheap out on (since you'll just have to replace it more frequently if you do).

[Mondrianyone]

15 minutes ago, annzeepark914 said:

Are you talking about the filler in all the cushions?  Is that expensive to do?

I refilled three of the five cushions on our sectional. I think it was just under $100 for all three (I don't remember if that included shipping or not). I bought the highest-density foam he carried, wrapped in batting. My cushions measured 24"x36"x5", so yours might be more or less depending on the dimensions. It's not cheap, but a lot cheaper than a whole new couch.

[emma675]

28 minutes ago, annzeepark914 said:

Are you talking about the filler in all the cushions?  Is that expensive to do? Our last sofa was saggy after not too long. Are they just making them poorly now?

Yeah, the stuff that's inside the cushions. My couch is only a little over 3 years old but I sit pretty much only on one side and even with rotating the cushions, it's still settling. I'm going to replace the foam inside in a few months. I like stiffer, firmer cushions so I'll probably replace the foam regularly. 

[annzeepark914]

9 minutes ago, emma675 said:

Yeah, the stuff that's inside the cushions. My couch is only a little over 3 years old but I sit pretty much only on one side and even with rotating the cushions, it's still settling. I'm going to replace the foam inside in a few months. I like stiffer, firmer cushions so I'll probably replace the foam regularly. 

I *need* stiffer, firmer cushions as I have back issues. Thanks everyone!!

[JTMacc99]

Walked down into the basement to get something out of the 25 year old refrigerator that still works fine (unlike the 5 year old one, but I digress), and noticed water on the floor near the boiler/hot water heater. 

Closer inspection shows me that water is coming out of the pressure relief drain. It is 8-9 years old. Just about end of life for a hot water heater with my water situation. Meaning that I had some hard water issues that finally got resolved with a softener upgrade a couple years ago. 

A friend asked me, "Is that something you can fix yourself?" Nope. I can fix faucets, toilets, but not this one. 

My plumber gave me two options. Same kind of conventional water heater, or go with an indirect one. Literally twice as expensive to go with the indirect one, but I'm going that route. It's significantly more efficient, because it uses the efficient boiler my home uses for heat, and energy isn't cheap. Conventional water heaters are like 50% efficient, sending a lot of heat up the chimney. My 15 year old boiler will run significantly better than that. 

I'll probably cut my gas bill by $15-$25/month (so let's call that $250/year), and this one doesn't wear out every 8-10 years. So I'll end up recapturing the difference in cost well before I would need to replace a conventional heater. 

[JTMacc99]

Good news/bad news from the plumber's visit.

Turns out they could easily swap out the pressure relief valve on the current 8 year old hot water heater, and problem solved. It'll keep working without replacing for hopefully another couple years. So... I get to put off that expense for a while.

Bad news is my boiler, which is actually 18 years old (I looked it up after guessing it was only 15), is showing clear signs that it's on its way to dying. Specifically you can see the signs of rust, which is very likely caused by steam in the boiler. Steam can only be happening if the seals inside of it are starting to fail. 

Sigh. This is going to be a $8,000 - $9,000 expense whenever I get around to doing it.

[SoMuchTV]

7 hours ago, JTMacc99 said:

Bad news is my boiler, which is actually 18 years old (I looked it up after guessing it was only 15), is showing clear signs that it's on its way to dying. Specifically you can see the signs of rust, which is very likely caused by steam in the boiler. Steam can only be happening if the seals inside of it are starting to fail. 

Sigh. This is going to be a $8,000 - $9,000 expense whenever I get around to doing it.

Lol, I had to google what a boiler is. I’ve lived where I had radiators, but it was a dorm, and I never really thought about what exactly was sending the heat to the radiator. Magic, I guess. Glad I live now where a heat pump will suffice. Although the lifespan and replacement cost probably aren’t all that different. 

[EtheltoTillie]

1 hour ago, SoMuchTV said:

Lol, I had to google what a boiler is. I’ve lived where I had radiators, but it was a dorm, and I never really thought about what exactly was sending the heat to the radiator. Magic, I guess. Glad I live now where a heat pump will suffice. Although the lifespan and replacement cost probably aren’t all that different. 

You should see the boiler in the basement of our apartment building.  It roars and sounds like it's going to take off.  It's about as big as a spacecraft too.

[JTMacc99]

23 hours ago, EtheltoTillie said:

You should see the boiler in the basement of our apartment building.  It roars and sounds like it's going to take off.  It's about as big as a spacecraft too.

Heh. I’m doing some research and it seems like the new residential ones are very quiet and very efficient. Quite the opposite of spaceship sized apartment building ones. 

[secnarf]

I have been slowly partially re-doing my bathroom. I have a new towel bars and hooks to match my new vanity. I was off work today so decided to hang them. First, remove two old towel bars. Then, mark where I want the new towel bars with the paper hole-marking guide that came with it. Screw in all 8 drywall anchors. Then screw in the mounting plates for the first bar. Turns out I had them backwards. So, unscrew them to flip the plate - but one screw gets caught in the anchor, and the only way to remove it is to pull the anchor, so I can no longer use that height of wall (since I want the bar centred). Ok, so I go and use the paper guide again to make the holes a little bit higher up on the wall. Screw in the four anchors and the two mounting plates (the right way this time). Go to put the bar on….it doesn’t fit. I’m a few mm off in my measurements of the width. Now I’m super annoyed because the bar is going to have to be too high (the holes are too big to move them over 2 mm) but I can’t figure out how I messed it up. They match the guide perfectly. So, I try to mount the bottom bar - same thing.  A few mm too close together. I hold the guide up to the wall and it’s perfect. I hold the guide up to the back of the towel bar and THEY DON’T MATCH. The guide they gave is too small!

So, I’m left with 20 holes in the wall, five blisters on my hands and a sore wrist from all the screwing/unscrewing, and no towel bars. 
Mostly I am annoyed that I will have to have the one towel bar way too high - even after I fill in the holes I don’t know that I would trust them to hold the weight of the towel bar to use that same height again. 

[Gramto6]

How frustrating! I am in no way a handy person, but is it possible to fill in the wrong holes, wait for them to set and then install bars just enough in either direction to miss the wrong holes and install at the height you want?

Like I said not a handy person but maybe it would work?

[Mondrianyone]

I think @Gramto6's idea is a good one, and then also how about using molly bolts or toggle bolts rather than just plastic anchors to grab onto the wall for a stronger hold?

Another solution might be to forget about the bar and install towel rings instead. Then you could just completely bypass the height/distance issue and all those holes. Or do a vertical installation with a swing-arm bar?

Good luck!

[SoMuchTV]

14 hours ago, secnarf said:

I have been slowly partially re-doing my bathroom. I have a new towel bars and hooks to match my new vanity. I was off work today so decided to hang them. First, remove two old towel bars. Then, mark where I want the new towel bars with the paper hole-marking guide that came with it. Screw in all 8 drywall anchors. Then screw in the mounting plates for the first bar. Turns out I had them backwards. So, unscrew them to flip the plate - but one screw gets caught in the anchor, and the only way to remove it is to pull the anchor, so I can no longer use that height of wall (since I want the bar centred). Ok, so I go and use the paper guide again to make the holes a little bit higher up on the wall. Screw in the four anchors and the two mounting plates (the right way this time). Go to put the bar on….it doesn’t fit. I’m a few mm off in my measurements of the width. Now I’m super annoyed because the bar is going to have to be too high (the holes are too big to move them over 2 mm) but I can’t figure out how I messed it up. They match the guide perfectly. So, I try to mount the bottom bar - same thing.  A few mm too close together. I hold the guide up to the wall and it’s perfect. I hold the guide up to the back of the towel bar and THEY DON’T MATCH. The guide they gave is too small!

So, I’m left with 20 holes in the wall, five blisters on my hands and a sore wrist from all the screwing/unscrewing, and no towel bars. 
Mostly I am annoyed that I will have to have the one towel bar way too high - even after I fill in the holes I don’t know that I would trust them to hold the weight of the towel bar to use that same height again. 

Agree with Gram - how extremely aggravating.  I would be emailing or calling customer service (hopefully there's some contact info on the packaging).  I get that you want the bars centered but at this point I might go for an artfully staggered look.

[secnarf]

I wouldn’t trust dried spackle to hold these bars up, they’re not that light. 
I think they have also been discontinued by the company, I got them on clearance. I genuinely like their look, but this is ridiculous. Unfortunately it also means I cannot return or exchange. 
 

An update: I went for the bottom bar first this time, as I have less holes there and thus more room for error. It goes swimmingly- I measure the holes exactly 18 inches apart, everything fits, it’s wonderful. So I go to do the top, checking several times that the holes are exactly 18 inches apart. Mind you, I am now working with the second bar that I hadn’t previously opened, but it’s allegedly identical. Screw in the plates, and the bar doesn’t fit!! When I checked, it’s because the bar itself is slightly longer than 18 inches. The other bar was exact, but I guess it was too much to ask for this one to be exact also!! This company (Jacuzzi) clearly doesn’t seem to set much store in exact measurements. 

[Mondrianyone]

I guess that's why you got such a good deal on clearance!

[shapeshifter]

Keeping in mind that I have an extraordinarily sharp sense of smell:
Does a freon leak in central air conditioning smell "sweet"?

And has anyone here ever dealt with that issue?
I did some Googling, but didn't find anything definitive with regards to danger or cost.

I left a message at the HVAC company that previously serviced my condo before I moved here a year and a half ago, but this time of year they might not get back to me any time soon. 

[Jaded]

10 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

Keeping in mind that I have an extraordinarily sharp sense of smell:
Does a freon leak in central air conditioning smell "sweet"?

And has anyone here ever dealt with that issue?
I did some Googling, but didn't find anything definitive with regards to danger or cost.

I left a message at the HVAC company that previously serviced my condo before I moved here a year and a half ago, but this time of year they might not get back to me any time soon. 

That's a toxic kind of leak according to the HVAC company sites I checked like this one.

https://www.stansac.com/blog/freon-smell

[stewedsquash]

@shapeshifter my son has a bachelor degree in industrial maintenance, specializing in HVAC and is also certified for it up the wazoo to handle military stuff (he is one of two who does certain things on the east coast bases but he is not military).  With that in mind he said a freon leak does smell kind of sweet and it is not dangerous but needs to be checked by someone who knows how to check and fix it so hopefully your company will get back with you soon. 
eta To clarify, he works for a major contracting company that specializes in HVAC for commercial businesses and also does military bases. 

 

Edited June 25, 2023 by stewedsquash
Clarifying

[shapeshifter]

3 hours ago, stewedsquash said:

@shapeshifter my son has a bachelor degree in industrial maintenance, specializing in HVAC and is also certified for it up the wazoo to handle military stuff (he is one of two who does certain things on the east coast bases but he is not military).  With that in mind he said a freon leak does smell kind of sweet and it is not dangerous but needs to be checked by someone who knows how to check and fix it so hopefully your company will get back with you soon. 
eta To clarify, he works for a major contracting company that specializes in HVAC for commercial businesses and also does military bases. 

 

Thanks! That kind of goes with what I was reading, but I am such a special snowflake when it comes to odors or perfumes of any kind that they all seem like they're bad for me. 

When I moved to Western NY to be near my daughter, she assured me that her husband and all the men in his extended family could help with moving and any home repairs — and I think she believed it too. 
She also thought if I moved into a condo I wouldn't have to take care of stuff. Hah! 😉
I just wish I knew who to hire. 🙃
My "neighbors" only seem to know of places that are not longer in business.
 

Edited June 25, 2023 by shapeshifter

[Gramto6]

Do  you or anyone in your family know a contractor of any kind? My neighbor is a welder but knows all the other contractors around. Any time I need something done/fixed I ask him and he always has a few names to give me to check out.

[shapeshifter]

46 minutes ago, Gramto6 said:

Do  you or anyone in your family know a contractor of any kind? My neighbor is a welder but knows all the other contractors around. Any time I need something done/fixed I ask him and he always has a few names to give me to check out.

There is a painter my daughter recommended who was excellent.
I was hesitant to ask him for recommendations because whenever I’ve asked doctors to recommend specialists in the past, it turned out their good doctor friends were not often good doctors.  
But this would be different because I can ask if he’s used the HVAC contractor without violating HIPAA or anything. 🙃   
I’ll call him Monday.    
And ask about a plumber too.

[BooksRule]

I was just coming here to post about my central A/C woes.  I've had some repairs on mine over the last several years, and I guess I have to finally admit that it's at the end of its life (I think it's about 15 years old). In May, I noticed that it wasn't cooling like it should, so I called the company I've started using (so far they've been really good to work with.  They'll even come out after 5pm to work on something and it doesn't count as 'emergency afterhours' time-- which costs a lot more.  Only Saturday or Sunday visits cost more (unless they are coming out to finish up something that they couldn't finish on a weekday).  He found that I had a freon leak (which shouldn't happen, so he knew that something else was wrong).  He recharged it and told me to schedule a time for a person to come out and figure out what was causing the problem (he didn't try to find it then, because it was about 9pm by that time). I hadn't gotten around to calling them, but I noticed a day or so ago that even though the system is cooling to the proper temp (and cycling on and off) it isn't working efficiently enough (in my opinion) even with it being around 96 degrees outside.  It will cycle on for about 35 minutes and then only stay off for about 4 1/2 minutes before it comes back on.  Even when it's hot outside, it should be cycling on no more than about 20 minutes and cycle off for about 7-12 (if googling is correct).  Anyway, even if he says that this is okay for when it's so hot outside, sooner or later that freon charge is going to leak out again and I don't want to be caught late on a Friday night with no cool air. I'm going to call tomorrow and see about having some one come out.

 

[Bastet]

Has anyone killed a tree stump and its roots using Epsom salt?  I normally rent a grinder, but I just cut down a tree that sprouted up in a small, corner patch of soil between a building and a concrete slab, and there's no way to get a grinder in there.  It seems the most environmentally-friendly method is to drill holes in the stump and whatever root I can expose, fill them with Epsom salt, cover it all with a tarp, repeat as needed, and let the salt and time take care of the decaying process.  I need those damn roots killed so they don't do any more damage than they've probably done, but I do have time.  Just wondering about any personal experience from someone I "know".

(Also, good gods, my chainsaw got heavy.  Okay, I got old and it just feels heavier.  But damn.)

Edited December 4, 2023 by Bastet

[meep.meep]

I've always heard old wive's tales about copper nails....

This might be one time to call in a professional.

[Bastet]

35 minutes ago, meep.meep said:

This might be one time to call in a professional.

A professional can't get a grinder in the space any more than I can; the machine is the machine and the cramped, corner space with little soil is the cramped, corner space with little soil (this damn thing was not planted, it sprouted up, and I used to keep it at bay but a lot of things got away from me the past couple of years and it became a tree).  I cannot remove it, I need to kill it now that I've got it down to a stump, with roots I can barely access.

36 minutes ago, meep.meep said:

I've always heard old wive's tales about copper nails....

Wives usually know what they're talking about, but that one may or may not work and it takes even longer.  But I do have some, so maybe I'll hammer some of those into it, too, for good measure. 

[luv2lurk]

I used to have a crazy neighbour that took it upon himself to pour turpentine on an ant hill that had formed in my front yard. It was years before I could get the  grass to grow back.

Just Googled, and found this. Might work for you.

https://valiantarborist.com/blog/ways-to-kill-tree-stump-naturally/

[meep.meep]

Well looky there!  Epsom salts and copper nails!

I have had experience with burning stumps out but if it's close to a fence or buildings, you might not want to do that.  We waited until it rained hard, then built a small charcoal fire on top of the stump and watched it like a hawk.  I would never inject lighter fluid into the roots or base of the stump.

[shapeshifter]

Was it @SoMuchTV who had the helpful response to my toilet seat query that was eaten in the board crash? 

Anyway, in case anyone wants to know, I had to return 2 toilet seats, but "the 3rd time's the charm," and the toilet is back in business.
💩 😉

[SoMuchTV]

3 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

Was it @SoMuchTV who had the helpful response to my toilet seat query that was eaten in the board crash? 

Anyway, in case anyone wants to know, I had to return 2 toilet seats, but "the 3rd time's the charm," and the toilet is back in business.
💩 😉

Yes - it looks like that whole conversation got swallowed up into the void. I did find a link for something similar to what I have, with the “easy clean” latches, but it sounds like you’re set now!

https://www.amazon.com/Bemis-390-Toilet-Durable-Enameled/dp/B005MTSVXM/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?crid=3NJ99YQ2UUUYC&keywords=bemis+toilet+seat&qid=1703460405&sprefix=bemis,aps,105&sr=8-2

[shapeshifter]

20 minutes ago, SoMuchTV said:

Yes - it looks like that whole conversation got swallowed up into the void. I did find a link for something similar to what I have, with the “easy clean” latches, but it sounds like you’re set now!

https://www.amazon.com/Bemis-390-Toilet-Durable-Enameled/dp/B005MTSVXM/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?crid=3NJ99YQ2UUUYC&keywords=bemis+toilet+seat&qid=1703460405&sprefix=bemis,aps,105&sr=8-2

That's like the first one I had to return because the wings/tabs on the nuts couldn't turn due to the way the 1973 toilet bowl bulges out at that point.

Here's the one I got:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/BEMIS-Richfield-Round-Easy-Release-Front-Toilet-Seat-in-Bone-521EC-006/205845568
A good thing about buying a toilet seat at Home Depot is that they have display models hanging so you can see the nuts and bolts etc.

Anyway, your reply did actually provide a crucial insight, although I can't recall what it was. 😆
Thanks for being here!

[SoMuchTV]

14 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

Anyway, in case anyone wants to know, I had to return 2 toilet seats, but "the 3rd time's the charm," and the toilet is back in business.

I have to ask, when you went back for the 3rd time, did anyone make a joke about the inadequacy of #1 and #2?

[shapeshifter]

1 hour ago, SoMuchTV said:

I have to ask, when you went back for the 3rd time, did anyone make a joke about the inadequacy of #1 and #2?

Hah!
No. Fortunately I bought them at 3 different places:
Amazon: Bemis with the incompatible nut and bolt assemblage 
Walmart: $8 Mainstay that was broken when I took off the packaging
Home Depot: compatible Bemis 

But I did mention to the sharper Home Depot guy that I'd returned a Bemis that didn't work because of the nut's tab, and he seemed to be all too familiar with that design being a problem for older toilets.
Both guys were late middle-aged, working the floors of Home Depot, so had perhaps learned that it was not wise to try to joke with a tiny, gray-haired woman who needed help getting down a toilet seat because of bad shoulders.
Normally I'd have been fine with a joke, and given back as good as I got, but, by seat #3, maybe not so much. 😉

Edited December 25, 2023 by shapeshifter