Home chat 1.0

Building Bag End? Did your front fall off? More leaks than a Chinese steamboat? Show us your pinterest projects!

How do you house, brah?

Own it
28
67%
Rent it
8
19%
:crang: in mom's basement
4
10%
:dong: grabbing frat house
1
2%
At school
0
No votes
I'm nomadic
1
2%
 
Total votes: 42
dubshow
Senior Master Sirloin
Senior Master Sirloin
Posts: 11074
Joined: Mon Nov 07, 2016 9:18 am
Drives: All of them

The 2019 $254k swamp palace is doing pretty well in 2024. I added a mini split to garage/shop. House got new windows and the bedroom side AC from 1994/2008 died last summer. A cool $7,400 for a 3 ton and I was back. :rage:

Last year was expensive AF. This year I really need to add attic insulation and want to build my outdoor kitchen.
User avatar
Desertbreh
Chief Master Sirloin
Chief Master Sirloin
Posts: 16803
Joined: Thu Nov 03, 2016 11:31 am
Location: Beyond Thunderdome

dubshow wrote: Thu Mar 07, 2024 11:11 am The 2019 $254k swamp palace is doing pretty well in 2024. I added a mini split to garage/shop. House got new windows and the bedroom side AC from 1994/2008 died last summer. A cool $7,400 for a 3 ton and I was back. :rage:

Last year was expensive AF. This year I really need to add attic insulation and want to build my outdoor kitchen.
The humidity sucks down there but damn that is free.com. I am envious of your garage split.
Detroit wrote:Buy 911s instead of diamonds.
Johnny_P wrote: Thu Feb 09, 2023 3:21 pm Earn it and burn it, Val.
max225 wrote: Mon May 01, 2023 5:35 pm Yes it's a cool car. But prepare the lube/sawdust.
User avatar
Johnny_P
Chief Master Sirloin of the Wasteful Steak
Chief Master Sirloin of the Wasteful Steak
Posts: 40487
Joined: Thu Nov 03, 2016 9:52 am
Drives: Blue short bus
Location: Philly

So my heating bill on the new house has been in the $400-500 range a month during the winter. Couldn't figure out why. Just figured the system is old as shit and pretty junked at this point.

Got quotes for a new system from 3 people. Still waiting on the 3rd to make the final call, but one of the companies figured out what was going on. My 3rd floor has the air handler for the 2nd and 3rd floors. The main trunk line of foam board duct has completely fallen and is fully separated in the attic. Shine a flashlight just right and you can see the square duct opening where the trunk line was supposed to be connected to, and see the duct laying on the floor joists in the knee wall. Yay.

So that's apparently why the heating bills are outrageous here. System is 30 years old so needs to be replaced anyway. So we will move ahead with that. Heat pump on upper floors, gas furnace on lower floor, should work pretty well. But man, the quotes are all coming back in the $30 grand range. Ugh.

Houses are a big nope to me, man. I'd really rather rent and not deal with any of this.
User avatar
golftdibrad1
Chief Patty Officer
Chief Patty Officer
Posts: 1858
Joined: Tue Aug 16, 2022 9:35 am
Drives: on used bald tires

Johnny_P wrote: Wed Mar 27, 2024 10:39 am So my heating bill on the new house has been in the $400-500 range a month during the winter. Couldn't figure out why. Just figured the system is old as shit and pretty junked at this point.

Got quotes for a new system from 3 people. Still waiting on the 3rd to make the final call, but one of the companies figured out what was going on. My 3rd floor has the air handler for the 2nd and 3rd floors. The main trunk line of foam board duct has completely fallen and is fully separated in the attic. Shine a flashlight just right and you can see the square duct opening where the trunk line was supposed to be connected to, and see the duct laying on the floor joists in the knee wall. Yay.

So that's apparently why the heating bills are outrageous here. System is 30 years old so needs to be replaced anyway. So we will move ahead with that. Heat pump on upper floors, gas furnace on lower floor, should work pretty well. But man, the quotes are all coming back in the $30 grand range. Ugh.

Houses are a big nope to me, man. I'd really rather rent and not deal with any of this.
so you have a ducting problem where you were heating the attic and not the house and are yoloing with a whole new system? :butwhy: Not that ducktwork is cheap, but 'comon man. Fix the ducting. gas furnace aint rocket science. might run another 10+ years.
Desertbreh wrote: Thu Sep 15, 2022 4:28 pm I'm happy for Brad because nobody jerks it to the Miata harder on this forum and that is the Crown Prince of Miatas.
User avatar
Melon2.0
Peppered Angus
Peppered Angus
Posts: 89
Joined: Tue Nov 28, 2023 8:26 am
Drives: Many Things

Picked up a new washing machine over the weekend. The Whirlpool finally bit the dust.

https://www.lg.com/us/washers-dryers/lg ... oad-washer
dubshow
Senior Master Sirloin
Senior Master Sirloin
Posts: 11074
Joined: Mon Nov 07, 2016 9:18 am
Drives: All of them

Melon2.0 wrote: Wed Mar 27, 2024 1:58 pm Picked up a new washing machine over the weekend. The Whirlpool finally bit the dust.

https://www.lg.com/us/washers-dryers/lg ... oad-washer
I still dont trust them front loaders. I hope it takes many loads for you.
User avatar
Johnny_P
Chief Master Sirloin of the Wasteful Steak
Chief Master Sirloin of the Wasteful Steak
Posts: 40487
Joined: Thu Nov 03, 2016 9:52 am
Drives: Blue short bus
Location: Philly

golftdibrad1 wrote: Wed Mar 27, 2024 11:02 am
Johnny_P wrote: Wed Mar 27, 2024 10:39 am So my heating bill on the new house has been in the $400-500 range a month during the winter. Couldn't figure out why. Just figured the system is old as shit and pretty junked at this point.

Got quotes for a new system from 3 people. Still waiting on the 3rd to make the final call, but one of the companies figured out what was going on. My 3rd floor has the air handler for the 2nd and 3rd floors. The main trunk line of foam board duct has completely fallen and is fully separated in the attic. Shine a flashlight just right and you can see the square duct opening where the trunk line was supposed to be connected to, and see the duct laying on the floor joists in the knee wall. Yay.

So that's apparently why the heating bills are outrageous here. System is 30 years old so needs to be replaced anyway. So we will move ahead with that. Heat pump on upper floors, gas furnace on lower floor, should work pretty well. But man, the quotes are all coming back in the $30 grand range. Ugh.

Houses are a big nope to me, man. I'd really rather rent and not deal with any of this.
so you have a ducting problem where you were heating the attic and not the house and are yoloing with a whole new system? :butwhy: Not that ducktwork is cheap, but 'comon man. Fix the ducting. gas furnace aint rocket science. might run another 10+ years.
Only found out about the duct issue recently as I was getting quotes on a new system. I thought the upstairs air handler was just shot being as old as it is.

Yes I could rip the wall open and repair the duct work. Feels like a good idea to be proactive given the age of the hvac system and the fact the ac refrigerant is R22 or something. Once it leaks I’ll be forced into a new system.
User avatar
Gberg2119
First Sirloin
First Sirloin
Posts: 4818
Joined: Thu Nov 03, 2016 9:09 pm
Drives: W///
Location: Philly

Johnny_P wrote: Wed Mar 27, 2024 2:47 pm
golftdibrad1 wrote: Wed Mar 27, 2024 11:02 am

so you have a ducting problem where you were heating the attic and not the house and are yoloing with a whole new system? :butwhy: Not that ducktwork is cheap, but 'comon man. Fix the ducting. gas furnace aint rocket science. might run another 10+ years.
Only found out about the duct issue recently as I was getting quotes on a new system. I thought the upstairs air handler was just shot being as old as it is.

Yes I could rip the wall open and repair the duct work. Feels like a good idea to be proactive given the age of the hvac system and the fact the ac refrigerant is R22 or something. Once it leaks I’ll be forced into a new system.
We had a similar thing happen to us. AC shit the bed the year we moved in. Turns out all the refrigerant leaked out at some point and it was that old stuff which they couldn't replace.

Ours was about 25 years old so we just replaced the whole system.
User avatar
golftdibrad1
Chief Patty Officer
Chief Patty Officer
Posts: 1858
Joined: Tue Aug 16, 2022 9:35 am
Drives: on used bald tires

Gberg2119 wrote: Wed Mar 27, 2024 4:38 pm
Johnny_P wrote: Wed Mar 27, 2024 2:47 pm

Only found out about the duct issue recently as I was getting quotes on a new system. I thought the upstairs air handler was just shot being as old as it is.

Yes I could rip the wall open and repair the duct work. Feels like a good idea to be proactive given the age of the hvac system and the fact the ac refrigerant is R22 or something. Once it leaks I’ll be forced into a new system.
We had a similar thing happen to us. AC shit the bed the year we moved in. Turns out all the refrigerant leaked out at some point and it was that old stuff which they couldn't replace.

Ours was about 25 years old so we just replaced the whole system.
that makes sense IF ITS LEAKING / BROKEN. Ripping out a perfectly functioning HVAC system is borderline insanity.
Desertbreh wrote: Thu Sep 15, 2022 4:28 pm I'm happy for Brad because nobody jerks it to the Miata harder on this forum and that is the Crown Prince of Miatas.
User avatar
Johnny_P
Chief Master Sirloin of the Wasteful Steak
Chief Master Sirloin of the Wasteful Steak
Posts: 40487
Joined: Thu Nov 03, 2016 9:52 am
Drives: Blue short bus
Location: Philly

golftdibrad1 wrote: Wed Mar 27, 2024 4:53 pm
Gberg2119 wrote: Wed Mar 27, 2024 4:38 pm

We had a similar thing happen to us. AC shit the bed the year we moved in. Turns out all the refrigerant leaked out at some point and it was that old stuff which they couldn't replace.

Ours was about 25 years old so we just replaced the whole system.
that makes sense IF ITS LEAKING / BROKEN. Ripping out a perfectly functioning HVAC system is borderline insanity.
Pricing is better now than it would be in the middle of the summer. I dunno man. Do it on a more emergent basis or do it before you’re up shit creek. I proactively replace water heaters because I don’t want to deal with a flooded basement.
User avatar
Desertbreh
Chief Master Sirloin
Chief Master Sirloin
Posts: 16803
Joined: Thu Nov 03, 2016 11:31 am
Location: Beyond Thunderdome

Johnny_P wrote: Wed Mar 27, 2024 5:19 pm
golftdibrad1 wrote: Wed Mar 27, 2024 4:53 pm

that makes sense IF ITS LEAKING / BROKEN. Ripping out a perfectly functioning HVAC system is borderline insanity.
Pricing is better now than it would be in the middle of the summer. I dunno man. Do it on a more emergent basis or do it before you’re up shit creek. I proactively replace water heaters because I don’t want to deal with a flooded basement.
You are right. Brad is :wrong: 30 years? That is fucking ancient. Thing is dead man walking. Control your environment. Control your life.
Detroit wrote:Buy 911s instead of diamonds.
Johnny_P wrote: Thu Feb 09, 2023 3:21 pm Earn it and burn it, Val.
max225 wrote: Mon May 01, 2023 5:35 pm Yes it's a cool car. But prepare the lube/sawdust.
User avatar
wap
Chief Master Sirloin of the Wasteful Steak
Chief Master Sirloin of the Wasteful Steak
Posts: 45159
Joined: Wed Nov 02, 2016 11:52 pm
Drives: Blue Meanie
Location: Pepperland

Desertbreh wrote: Wed Mar 27, 2024 5:32 pm
Johnny_P wrote: Wed Mar 27, 2024 5:19 pm

Pricing is better now than it would be in the middle of the summer. I dunno man. Do it on a more emergent basis or do it before you’re up shit creek. I proactively replace water heaters because I don’t want to deal with a flooded basement.
You are right. Brad is :wrong: 30 years? That is fucking ancient. Thing is dead man walking. Control your environment. Control your life.
:dat: 30 years is boiler life span, not furnace.
Fortunately, our boiler pissed the bed (sprung a non-fixable leak) in the summer so we weren't under pressure to replace immediately. Fuck me if it happened in December. You have a similar advantage, JP. Do it right, while you're not stressing about keeping your family warm since spring is here.
:wap: Where are these mangos?
Detroit wrote: Fri Apr 16, 2021 1:19 pm I don't understand anything anymore.
User avatar
golftdibrad1
Chief Patty Officer
Chief Patty Officer
Posts: 1858
Joined: Tue Aug 16, 2022 9:35 am
Drives: on used bald tires

Alright well Johnny gonna be real fucking mad when he finds out r-410a is also being phased out and he has to pay 300 a lb for refrigerant in 8 years on a system top up. I'd take that 2 year gamble on a working system. Hell... I AM. my r-22 ac is real fuckin old...like 1987. Im hoping to not put in new equipment that is IMMEDIATELY obsolete / hella expensive to maintain / not forwards compatible.
https://www.carrierenterprise.com/hvac- ... -phase-out
https://www.coolingpost.com/world-news/ ... rigerants/

Also fuck the epa for fucking around with the coolants every 15 years. Ozone holes? proven false. Global warming potential? fuck that water vapor dwarfs it ALL.
Desertbreh wrote: Thu Sep 15, 2022 4:28 pm I'm happy for Brad because nobody jerks it to the Miata harder on this forum and that is the Crown Prince of Miatas.
User avatar
Johnny_P
Chief Master Sirloin of the Wasteful Steak
Chief Master Sirloin of the Wasteful Steak
Posts: 40487
Joined: Thu Nov 03, 2016 9:52 am
Drives: Blue short bus
Location: Philly

golftdibrad1 wrote: Thu Mar 28, 2024 8:13 am Alright well Johnny gonna be real fucking mad when he finds out r-410a is also being phased out and he has to pay 300 a lb for refrigerant in 8 years on a system top up. I'd take that 2 year gamble on a working system. Hell... I AM. my r-22 ac is real fuckin old...like 1987. Im hoping to not put in new equipment that is IMMEDIATELY obsolete / hella expensive to maintain / not forwards compatible.
https://www.carrierenterprise.com/hvac- ... -phase-out
https://www.coolingpost.com/world-news/ ... rigerants/

Also fuck the epa for fucking around with the coolants every 15 years. Ozone holes? proven false. Global warming potential? fuck that water vapor dwarfs it ALL.
You know what would have been helpful? Leading with this information to give context as to why I should limp a 30yo AC system along. This is something I did not know and is very helpful knowledge.
User avatar
golftdibrad1
Chief Patty Officer
Chief Patty Officer
Posts: 1858
Joined: Tue Aug 16, 2022 9:35 am
Drives: on used bald tires

Johnny_P wrote: Thu Mar 28, 2024 9:56 am
golftdibrad1 wrote: Thu Mar 28, 2024 8:13 am Alright well Johnny gonna be real fucking mad when he finds out r-410a is also being phased out and he has to pay 300 a lb for refrigerant in 8 years on a system top up. I'd take that 2 year gamble on a working system. Hell... I AM. my r-22 ac is real fuckin old...like 1987. Im hoping to not put in new equipment that is IMMEDIATELY obsolete / hella expensive to maintain / not forwards compatible.
https://www.carrierenterprise.com/hvac- ... -phase-out
https://www.coolingpost.com/world-news/ ... rigerants/

Also fuck the epa for fucking around with the coolants every 15 years. Ozone holes? proven false. Global warming potential? fuck that water vapor dwarfs it ALL.
You know what would have been helpful? Leading with this information to give context as to why I should limp a 30yo AC system along. This is something I did not know and is very helpful knowledge.
I honestly forgot about that being a contributing factor to my decisions until today. I'm more of a run till failure type guy, so my knee jerk was '...so fix the ductwork'. This is of course different with types of things that CAN show signs of degradation. But HVAC? if it aint leaking and the compressor is not high / low amps and making the proper delta p, fuckin send it.
Desertbreh wrote: Thu Sep 15, 2022 4:28 pm I'm happy for Brad because nobody jerks it to the Miata harder on this forum and that is the Crown Prince of Miatas.
User avatar
SAWCE
Command Chief Master Sirloin
Command Chief Master Sirloin
Posts: 21767
Joined: Wed Nov 02, 2016 11:26 pm
Drives: Ebombtra
Location: The mountains

Gonna be rearranging some shit in the house this weekend to prep for :baby: .. my office will move down to the big bonus room downstairs, Michelle will move her office into my current office, and her office will become the nursery. We picked up a dresser of FB marketplace over the weekend, and have some wall paper on order. Once wall paper is here and goes up, we’ll have Home Depot color match the background color and do the base of the dresser in that color and it will go on the opposite wall. Then we’ll need to get a nursing/rocking chair for the room and the crib and we’ll be pretty much good to go. Trying to get it all done early so we don’t have to think about it when it’s crunch time.

Will post up pictures as things happen.
User avatar
Johnny_P
Chief Master Sirloin of the Wasteful Steak
Chief Master Sirloin of the Wasteful Steak
Posts: 40487
Joined: Thu Nov 03, 2016 9:52 am
Drives: Blue short bus
Location: Philly

SAWCE wrote: Thu Mar 28, 2024 12:52 pm Gonna be rearranging some shit in the house this weekend to prep for :baby: .. my office will move down to the big bonus room downstairs, Michelle will move her office into my current office, and her office will become the nursery. We picked up a dresser of FB marketplace over the weekend, and have some wall paper on order. Once wall paper is here and goes up, we’ll have Home Depot color match the background color and do the base of the dresser in that color and it will go on the opposite wall. Then we’ll need to get a nursing/rocking chair for the room and the crib and we’ll be pretty much good to go. Trying to get it all done early so we don’t have to think about it when it’s crunch time.

Will post up pictures as things happen.
When are you guys due? Nesting is pretty great. Really gets you in the mindset.
User avatar
Johnny_P
Chief Master Sirloin of the Wasteful Steak
Chief Master Sirloin of the Wasteful Steak
Posts: 40487
Joined: Thu Nov 03, 2016 9:52 am
Drives: Blue short bus
Location: Philly

wap wrote: Wed Mar 27, 2024 10:55 pm
Desertbreh wrote: Wed Mar 27, 2024 5:32 pm

You are right. Brad is :wrong: 30 years? That is fucking ancient. Thing is dead man walking. Control your environment. Control your life.
:dat: 30 years is boiler life span, not furnace.
Fortunately, our boiler pissed the bed (sprung a non-fixable leak) in the summer so we weren't under pressure to replace immediately. Fuck me if it happened in December. You have a similar advantage, JP. Do it right, while you're not stressing about keeping your family warm since spring is here.
Hydronic heat system that uses a boiler to heat radiators in two air handlers. The air handlers also have the AC coils. 2 outdoor condenser units.

Air handlers are 30yo
Condensers are 20yo
Boiler is about 17yo - needed $3k of repairs as soon as we moved in

I can’t for the life of me figure out why someone ripped out radiators to just shove them inside air handlers. This system is imo pretty stupidly arranged.
Post Reply