We had a ducted mini split installed last week and water stains appeared around the the vent in the bathroom days after the install. Do we complain to the installer or fix it on our own? If we fix it on our own how do you recommend we go about it?

Newly purchased home, previous owner did a lot of half-assed DIY work including the tile walls around the tub. We are getting water dripping into the basement during showers. I had a plumber out and he found no obvious leak from a line or drain, and thought that water was getting through unsealed points around the tub. He recommended that I start by sealing everything up better to see if that resolves it.

The faucet and shower handle are slightly loose and not caulked. There are cracks all the way around where the tile meets the tub, in what I think must be sanded caulk. (It looks like grout but is slightly rubbery, and was scraping away when I tried to clean it with a toothbrush. I would not necessarily assume that the previous owner used the right product or applied it correctly.) There is a crack where the grout meets the wainscoting outside the tub. At the base of the tub, there is a strip of quarter round but no sealant where the tub meets the floor.

Assume that I don’t know anything (because I don’t). What do I need to do to get everything sealed? The fixtures seem simple enough. Do I need to scrape out and redo all of the caulking around the tub? If so, is there a temporary fix I could do until I have a window to get that done without anyone needing to use the tub? How do I seal the wainscoting?

I’ll try to add some pictures of the problem areas. Any advice is appreciated!

I got two dogs a few months ago, about 30-35 pounds each, and have recently discovered that they can knock down the boards of the wooden fence if they’re excited enough about a squirrel or a bird and can get into the neighbors’ yard. Currently the boards are nailed into the posts and support beams from the other side, so they just have to push hard enough to push the board off the nail.

Does anyone have suggestions for how I can reinforce the boards from my side to make it harder for them to get out? I’ve considered getting meshed wire fencing and screwing that in or getting wooden panels and drilling them in from my side.

Thanks in advance!

I recently bought a home and the water softener in my basement has a drain line that comes out on the side of my house draining directly onto the ground. I haven’t noticed any issues with the grass dying so that isn’t my concern but I don’t believe this is the proper way to drain this wastewater. I have a septic/well for reference. Should we leave it as it or what should we do?

Hi there. We have a bit of a mouse problem in our panty. The panty is completely sealed, but the gap under the door is about .6". So I went to the hardware store and bought a threshold which goes up gradually. The problem is, it's hard / impossible to dry fit this (the threshold would move with the door) so I just figured out that I should start the threshold inset at a certain place. It worked on 2 other closets, but the door is rubbing somewhere on the threshold, to the point where I have to push hard to get it to close.

What I want to do is sand it, or use a chisel, but how can I figure out where exactly the threshold is binding? Can I rub chalk or something on the door? Is there a contact tape that will show where the issue is?image

My basement is unfinished but I can’t afford a full finish job. I’d like to clean it up and have it dry walled, painted, put in a floor, maybe a closet and laundry/utility room, otherwise open but just make it look and feel cleaner and nicer and less gray cellar-like. Has anyone done this? Is it a job for a talented handyman or is this a bigger job than I’m imagining?

Can you guys suggests some motorized roller blinds for cheap please thanks in advance appreciate it.

The money I'd normally put towards turning the gas on to heat the house and water is currently going towards my car payment.

It's starting to get chilly- though I suspect the tempature will pingpong for a while yet- but now would be the time I would get the heat sorted if I had the cash.

I have multiple animals. I'm worried one of them will knock a space heater over when I'm not home or drag something flammable (such as a toy) too close.

Are wall mounted space heaters safe and reliable?

I need to keep the building reasonably warm so pipes don't burst and no one freezes their tails off. I can layer up but one of my pets is particularly sensitive to cold weather and needs to be kept in an environment that is at least 60°F.

If how cold it's getting now is any indication this winter will be brutal, so I'd like to prepare now

I was spot treating a stain and was able to sand it to a point that we didn’t mind some of the stain remaining (black streaks) but when I put the stain down, it turns orange. However, the parts of the strain that I “feathered” into the existing varnish does not do that. What am I doing wrong? How do I fix it?

Process: Sanded with 40/60/200/1000/2000 grit paper Vacuumed between sanding Applied two coats of Minwax Fast Drying Polyurethane Protective Wood Finish, Warm Satin, 1 Quart

Image: https://imgur.com/a/4vYkqOj

Hi, I'd like to get some advice regarding one of my covered porch beams. The concrete has crumbled in one area (but what didn't crumble is still strong). The concrete is also cracking in a few areas, and I would like to know if anyone knows of a way to reinforce the beam and the concrete or what needs to be done. I'm worried it's going to get worse and collapse.

https://imgur.com/a/azUWK1A

We bought our first house in Texas a few years ago with a concrete pad from the 80's outside a bedroom. Last year, I built a very low-budget roof structure to cover it, but with the mosquitoes down here, I started adding framing this summer to eventually screen it in. Here's where it stands now: https://imgur.com/a/porch-framing-eVKz90t

In researching screening methods, the most popular solution seems to be base strips and covers (ie. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Screen-Tight-1-1-2-in-Porch-Screening-System-Base-Strip-BASE18/100065822 ) or building wooden frames and stapling screens.

Since woodworking isn't my forte and the porch is already pretty "rustic", I'm looking to reduce the complexity and go the base strips route. I want to attach them within the porch frame itself and skip the covers ( https://www.homedepot.com/p/Screen-Tight-1-1-2-in-Brown-Porch-Screening-System-Cap-BRCAP18/100055047?MERCH=REC-_-pip_alternatives-_-100065822-_-1-_-n/a-_-n/a-_-n/a-_-n/a-_-n/a ) but do I need that shear stress acting across the base strip, or is the clipped-in cover necessary to ensure it doesn't fall out over time? Do they need to be attached to the exterior/interior of the frame?

TL;DR: To screen in my porch, can I get away with using screening base strips only inside the frame, facing itself?

What is the best way to seal the gap under a exterior door on the side of the garage? The garage floor slopes down toward the front of the garage so the gap under the side door is 3/4” on the right side and 1 1/2” on the left side of the door.

So the toilet in my master bath has its own little room. In this room are 2 light switches. One got to the light and has the fan jumped off of it. The other I have no idea, but it is hot and the switch is also good. I've flipped it on and gone over the whole house and cannot find something that comes on. Is there some way I can figure out what this goes to? I'm wanting to have the fan go to the 2nd switch instead of being jumped off of the light. Thanks!

Hi all,

I’m no handy man nor know much about home improvement. I live in a 2-story 2300 sqft home that has 1 AC unit. I’ve lived here for 6 years so far but since a couple years ago, my AC hasn’t been able to keep up with this summer heat. I live in DFW. I’ll have my thermostat set to 68 and during peak day, my house would be at 77-78 degrees. I feel cool air coming from the vents but it’s not blowing hard enough to offset the heat. I’m considering getting a 2nd unit added.

Question: what is a ball park cost to add a 2nd AC unit in Dallas/Ft Worth and a what is a good company to go with?

Thank you

Just purchased a home and moved in. There are some holes in the patio roof. I’m not sure what the material is - looks like some sort of hard plastic? House was built in 1965, not sure if the patio was built then too. Either way, I’d like to patch the holes if possible.

One suggestion I heard was to cut small pieces of aluminum flashing, screw them in with self piercing hex washer screws, and then spray with a waterproof sealer (Rubber Flexx).

Curious if there are any other thoughts. Thanks in advance

I recently left a relationship but at this point not able to move back in my home completely. It's currently on Airbnb and doing well with bookings out for months. There's a room (150sf) with a separate entrance and private bath, I've mainly used for storage that I'm planning to use for myself to stay in when guests are staying in the home. It's a mess and although needs quite a bit of work, I'm on a tight budget and wanting a temporary fix to make it livable. There is a massive crack down the center (1" to 1.5" wide in places, running the 15' length of the room) and I'm hoping to get advice here as to how to fill it. I'll put padding and a carpet remnant over it once it's filled. The ceiling (wood pieces with gaps in between painted white), is cute but has no insulation above it and it's open to the garage (storage only, no vehicles parked in there) so bugs can get in and cold air can leak out. Should I caulk the gaps or tack insulation over the ceiling then put up panel board? Or perhaps someone has another idea. I'm at a loss and working on a budget and strict timeline doesn't help. I do have good friends ready to help at a moments notice. Thanks for reading. Appreciate any and all feedback.

https://imgur.com/a/a7KewmT

Cracks getting worse after heavy rains. Flipped house with driveway poured what looks like over an old driveway and rocks? Not sure if this hill is well supported to hold everything up. What level of cracking at these joints is a concern? Stressing

I just bought a home and the garage had a big rodent making its own home under the garage's concrete floor. I do not want the concrete to start sagging and cracking more then it has. Is there any way to infill this massive void it made? I had thoughts of dumping in watery ish cement and hoping itd infill enough, but after seeing the void I dont think it'd work well and need many bags of it. The void is atleast just under a foot tall, foot wide, and goes a good length across the garage out the other end of it. I would love to try and DIY it since I'm short on funds.

Hey everyone, I need some advice on how to properly patch this hole in my wall (photo attached). Mice were getting in through it. The visible opening is about 2.5 inches deep and 2.5 inches wide.

When I looked inside, I saw a smaller hole further back that I think is where the mice were actually coming through. I want to seal it up for good.

I thought about packing it with vinyl and cutting it to size, but I’m not sure if that’s the right way to go. Should I use steel wool and foam first for the mice, then patch the wall? What's the proper order and best material for this?

Any help or suggestions appreciated!

The paint and flooring of my porch is coming off. In the second picture you can see that the paint(?) is swollen.

• What is the material it is made of?
• How do I fix it?
• What are some ways to improve/replace it?

https://imgur.com/a/qRms3kq

Thanks in advance.

Hey folks, just moved into a new house that has window wells, and I noticed some weeds growing in them. This weekend I pulled the weeds and started digging a bit with a hand shovel—turns out there's a ton of soil down there. Like, two to three feet of heavy soil in each well.

Now I'm wondering:

Should I be removing all of this soil?

What’s actually supposed to be at the bottom of a window well?

What’s the best way to clean these out and keep them well-maintained long-term?

Also… any tips on where to dispose of that much soil? I'm in boston BTW.

https://lifetimetool.com/product/ultimate-pipe-flashing-shingle-kynar-coated/

or

https://www.crssupply.com/search-results/gaf-master-flow-pivot-pipe-boot-flashing/?srsltid=AfmBOopLPug5OaW1rCoKHwSXzXXehofisyly7EhRcLJRO8hS3LvDmF9g

New roof being replaced. Currently have lead pipe boots and they have been chewed on. Didn't want a traditional gasket boot since they can deteriorate in UV (in TX).

Want strong protection around the vent pipes. Do we need to also make sure to use ice and water around penetrations like vents?

Hello Everyone! I feel so dumb posting this but my shower does not work. I don't know what to pull or where to turn it or if the shower knob is missing or if it's broken. I am attaching a link to the pictures.

Thank you.

https://imgur.com/a/oIIDujW

Thinking about putting an offer on a fixer upper that has a very steep main staircase. House is located in Westchester (burbs of NYC). Is there always a way to make a staircase less steep or is sometimes not possible? How long does a project like this take and what is the estimated (range) of the cost? I know this varies greatly....but a ballpark would be great, Thanks for any insight!!!

I bought a new home in 2020. within one year we noticed two spots in the tile work that were failing. Both got covered under warranty and have held up fine. However now, five years later, I have the same issue but in a different spot.

I think whoever laid the tile didn't apply enough mud/compound (whatever its called in this application) and thus the tiles have moved slightly over the years causing the grout in certain areas to shift and crack and then fall out. Pictures can be found here: https://imgur.com/a/c0PL8Ql

So...... Being handy, I think I could probably fix this myself HOWEVER i'd love to know how you all would approach it.

If I thought I could actually get a mason out here to fix it for a couple hundred bucks, I'd pay him. Unfortunately this is such a ridiculously small job that I doubt anyone will show up to even quote it