Random household issues -- questions asked and answered here

Good advice, thanks.

Now if only I could somehow fool the kids into checking it for me. All the pipes come out on the AC side of the house, which is the narrow strip between my house and the one of my neighbor to the left (facing the house). When I clear the snow, there's quite a bit that goes into that little space between our houses. I'd need hip-boots to go there.

You should look into purchasing your water heater. At those rental rates, you should be able to break even very soon and then save, save, save...

And we all know Prags wants to save money!

tim1_2 wrote:And we all know Prags wants to save money!

shabbs wrote:You should look into purchasing your water heater. At those rental rates, you should be able to break even very soon and then save, save, save...

I agree that water heater rentals are kind of a rip off but at the same time anything goes wrong or if it breaks on you, you are kind of screwed. Also, unless you can install one yourself along with the correct gas piping and following it to code, the cost of the install plus the purchase of the water tank will cost you... I would guess 5-8 years of the cost of renting it. After that point the water heater is no longer covered and you are on the hook for anything that goes wrong. You will also have to update the code on your flu to pvc pipe which is about 10 dollars a foot if installed by a contractor... average run is about 20 feet so there is another 226 dollars.

Honestly, I can do all this myself and it still isn't worth the hassle of owning.

You can buy the current one that is in place right from Direct Energy, so no install etc.... the money saved will WELL cover any service needed as long as you don't try to make it outlive itself.

shabbs wrote:You can buy the current one that is in place right from Direct Energy, so no install etc.... the money saved will WELL cover any service needed as long as you don't try to make it outlive itself.

Yup, you can and if anything happens (and they all go at some point) then it's on the home owner. It all depends on how old it is and the type of WH it is. Like I said if it's a brand new water heater you may or may not ever get that money back depending on the WH...

Also, just as an FYI to anyone that has their floor drain covered up... uncover it. Insurance won't pay if the bottom falls out and there is no visible drain.

Yeah, do the math. If it makes sense, save some money.

shabbs wrote:Yeah, do the math. If it makes sense, save some money.

I can actually do it all myself and still won't because I just don't want to deal with installing it, fixing it if something goes, etc, etc, etc. Too lazy and I hate doing it lol.

NEELY wrote:

shabbs wrote:Yeah, do the math. If it makes sense, save some money.

I can actually do it all myself and still won't because I just don't want to deal with installing it, fixing it if something goes, etc, etc, etc. Too lazy and I hate doing it lol.

Well you can still purchase it and then add a service contract.

Anyway, I've asked for a quote from another place. We'll see. If they say $40 a month I stay put, if they say $20 I'm calling Direct Energy or whoever is renting it to me. I remember calling them before wondering why it cost so much, and they had what sounded like a valid excuse.

I'll just say you get what you pay for... let you make your own choice.

NEELY wrote:

shabbs wrote:Yeah, do the math. If it makes sense, save some money.

I can actually do it all myself and still won't because I just don't want to deal with installing it, fixing it if something goes, etc, etc, etc. Too lazy and I hate doing it lol.

Heh. Luckily for me, we have a good family friend who has his own company that does all that HVAC stuff.

So I have a decent crack in my foundation on one side of my house, and a hairline crack on the opposite side of my house (apparently they normally crack in the same spot on opposite sides). Neither one has leaked at all yet, but I imagine the decent sized one will sometime soon. I had a guy come check it out yesterday from this company:

http://www.ottawafoundationcontractors.com/

Unfortunately the "decent" crack is behind my AC unit, so I've been quoted $600 to have it disconnected, moved, and then reconnected afterwards.

The total quote for fixing both cracks is $5,100. This includes moving the AC unit, total excavation of both affected areas, cleaning of the area, chiselling of the cracks, sealing with hydraulic cement, installation of a weeping tile system in the exposed area, waterproofing using rubber waterproofing compound and sheeting membrane, backfill, grading after the hole is refilled, and cleanup.


I would have happily tried to inject the cracks from inside my home, except both cracks are in finished portions of my basement (and really awkward spots to boot), so it'd be a major job (and also disrupt my Sens Den...).

The quote for just fixing the "decent" crack is $3,500. So I figure I might as well get the hairline crack fixed for an extra $1,600.

Anyway, anyone have any experience with foundation cracks?

Is the house still under warranty?

wprager wrote:Is the house still under warranty?

No.

How long have you been in that house? 2006 was the highest total fall precipitation; 2009 was the highest (over the last 30-odd years) for summer. Total winter precipitation looks to be on the decline.

Bottom line, if you've been there for 7 years you've seen the worst we've had, and if you haven't had a leak yet, is there really a worry? The "damange" is not recent is it?

Just make sure that your grade is good -- if not, get some soil and fix it (something I have to do pretty darn now).

We've been in the house since 2004, but the larger crack has gotten bigger lately...not sure when exactly, but it has.

Regarding the foundation crack, I'd cut out a chunk of drywall to get a closer look. If your insulation around the cracks is not wet or black (moldy) than you're probably fine for now.