The DIY Home Improvement Thread

[dDUBb]

Sweating pipe ain’t hard, mine ain’t pretty but it don’t leak.

We have a saying in my field .. "If you're not getting leaks, you're not soldering"

Last year thr flex copper on the water heater developed a pinhole and I was like well it was a fluke.

If you're developing pinhole leaks; you should test your waters pH. It will leak in the slab eventually.

 

[Grog6]

I did the whole house in 2017 to replace the galvanize from 1950; I did 3/4" supply lines, 1/2" to the fixtures,and a 80 gallon water heater. I had the sewer lines redone after I moved in in 05. I ended up replacing the water heater a year later, as there was no ground in the water heater wire, so new wh, new 10awg wire, and 30A breaker, I can take a 45 minute shower,lol.
None of the og outlets have a ground, so I have a 250' roll of wire to do new runs. The previous owner added a 200a box to replace the 60A box, with fuses. I have room for a few more breakers, so the LR and MBR are going to get their own breaker.

So far, none of my soldered joints have leaked.
The original drains were black iron,slip fit, leaded together.

 

[CDsDontBurn]

Will this stuff also work on ground squirrels? Ground squirrels and gophers are a big reason why I've let my front and back yards go. 5 of those motherfuckers are here (just to the left of leftmost lemon).

Between these fuckers and my dogs digging out the yard to chase them, I've lost interest in making my backyard pretty. But I want to change that, and step 1 is to take out these fuckers quickly and effectively.

 

[Vicinity]

Ive heard of someone placing chickenwire down flat to stop his dog, sounds a bit messy though

 

[Kidd-7]

Sometimes I wish I wasn't a diy everything as it sucks time and my list keeps growing

I feel your pain, I struggle with this all the time. Contractors are so expensive and being perfectly capable of doing the job myself makes it that much more difficult to spend that money.

 

[Irv]

I feel your pain, I struggle with this all the time. Contractors are so expensive and being perfectly capable of doing the job myself makes it that much more difficult to spend that money.

I look at it as a balance of time, money, risk, hassle, and desire, and I also relate my time to money. Either I believe that I want to do something or can do it better than anyone else would with minimal risk to my health, or fuck no I won't.

For instance, I have some carpenter bee damage to repair all across my second story eaves. I've decided I'm not going to do that because I'm not getting on a ladder and moving that across the entire back of my house a few feet at a time, and I don't particularly like being up there in the first place. I could rent a scissor lift, but then I have to deal with transporting it and it would end up costing as much as paying someone else to repair and paint over the bee holes.

The bigger issue I have with contractors these days is that a bunch of them will completely flake out on you, even if they actually show up to give an estimate. Good luck getting them to follow up with you because they ghost harder than the Gen Z online dating scene. This is something I generally respect about the aftermarket automotive trade, and that's probably because those businesses don't want your car in their lot or garage indefinitely.

 

[Kenz]

Will this stuff also work on ground squirrels? Ground squirrels and gophers are a big reason why I've let my front and back yards go. 5 of those motherfuckers are here (just to the left of leftmost lemon).

Between these fuckers and my dogs digging out the yard to chase them, I've lost interest in making my backyard pretty. But I want to change that, and step 1 is to take out these fuckers quickly and effectively.

View attachment 12013

I tried those Gasser bombs to kill moles, they did nothing at all. The moles here are really bad on the yards. They will dig everywhere in the sandy soil and put a mound about a foot tall every several feet.
Only way I got rid of them was with a shotgun. I knock a few of the mounds down, wait for them to start digging.... When they get close to the surface of the knocked down mound blast them with a slug. Even if I don't get a direct hit the shockwave seems to kill them.

 

[White Lincoln]

I can sweat copper if I have to. Last year thr flex copper on the water heater developed a pinhole and I was like well it was a fluke. My ktr friend at church said get ready as he's replumbed 15 in town. I'm on a slab so no access short of a demo saw and I'm not interested in doing my hardwood floors a 4th time. Sometimes I wish I wasn't a diy everything as it sucks time and my list keeps growing . I'm on the 5 yr maybe 7 retirement target so I can get some of my stuff finished.

When we first bought the house, I was lucky enough to befriend a plumber that was willing to teach me a lot of what he knew. Like sweating copper, using PVC, sizes, regulations and all that crap. He passed years ago, God rest his sole. His famous words were "can't find good plumbing parts any more, everything is made in China, and its all crap". He was a plumber out on the base and did plumbing on the side. He never charged me much either, he knew we were struggling with a new home, jobs, etc.

 

[Generalee0527]

I tried those Gasser bombs to kill moles, they did nothing at all. The moles here are really bad on the yards. They will dig everywhere in the sandy soil and put a mound about a foot tall every several feet.
Only way I got rid of them was with a shotgun. I knock a few of the mounds down, wait for them to start digging.... When they get close to the surface of the knocked down mound blast them with a slug. Even if I don't get a direct hit the shockwave seems to kill them.

We had armadillo problem which is worse than moles. County ag service said they are after grub worms. A good dose of 5% seven dust and water it in will wipe out the grubs and the armadillos left. I imagine moles would too. A good mouser cat has been known to catch a few.

 

[Grog6]

My mom's cat ,Trouble, wore the moles out, I haven't noticed any in years, but 10 years ago I'd find mole heads daily, left as a gift.
The current cat doesn't leave gifts, But he terrorizes birds and dogs.

 

[White Lincoln]

I tried those Gasser bombs to kill moles, they did nothing at all. The moles here are really bad on the yards. They will dig everywhere in the sandy soil and put a mound about a foot tall every several feet.
Only way I got rid of them was with a shotgun. I knock a few of the mounds down, wait for them to start digging.... When they get close to the surface of the knocked down mound blast them with a slug. Even if I don't get a direct hit the shockwave seems to kill them.

We have that problem here with ground hogs. One time I was helping my in-laws at their alfalfa ranch, south of Albuquerque. We were trying to cover up all the holes that the irrigation water would flow into and down to the second acre. Friken ground hogs had burrows through both upper and lower acres and the ground could not irrigate properly. The in-laws used the bombs and they seemed to work, for a while. They can cause so much damage to pastures as well as gardens. Thinking of it now, reminds me a Caddy Shack...

 

[Zep5.0]

My clay yard is so tough those F'ers would break their nails, or when it's wet they'd drown.

My brother-in-law told me about a groundhog he captured in a live trap last week. He put it in his covered pickup box. The trap opened and when he lowered the tail gate at the recreational land ,it hissed at him . I guess rolling the cover back and some scare tactics finally worked to get him out. I would have paid to see that exchange.

 

[CDsDontBurn]

We have that problem here with ground hogs. One time I was helping my in-laws at their alfalfa ranch, south of Albuquerque. We were trying to cover up all the holes that the irrigation water would flow into and down to the second acre. Friken ground hogs had burrows through both upper and lower acres and the ground could not irrigate properly. The in-laws used the bombs and they seemed to work, for a while. They can cause so much damage to pastures as well as gardens. Thinking of it now, reminds me a Caddy Shack...

In a place like that, I'd like to do the oxygen and propane mixture for a proper kaboom!

I have neighbors too close to me where doing that would probably also blow up their yard and not just mine, lol.

 

[CDsDontBurn]

Debating on having to do my sewer line myself (dig up and replace with ABS) or if getting a liner installed by the plumber.

Plumber has quoted me for $9,400 for the job to install a liner.

I'm sure I can purchase the material and rent a small backhoe for much cheaper, but the expensive part will be to re-cement the part of my driveway that will have to get demoed.

The big debate here is time. A plumber can get the job done in a day. It'll take me at least 3, lol.

 

[Grog6]

Fuck propane!
Take a cutting torch, adjust it for a perfect blue flame, and knock the flame out, and dunk it tn a hole, Walk to a downhill hole, and set a small candle on the downhill side of the other hole; when the gas gets there you no longer have groundhogs.

 

[XR7-4.6]

Fuck propane!

 

[Grog6]

I got suspended for showing the welding class that trick with a black garbage bag.

 

[White Lincoln]

Debating on having to do my sewer line myself (dig up and replace with ABS) or if getting a liner installed by the plumber.

Plumber has quoted me for $9,400 for the job to install a liner.

I'm sure I can purchase the material and rent a small backhoe for much cheaper, but the expensive part will be to re-cement the part of my driveway that will have to get demoed.

The big debate here is time. A plumber can get the job done in a day. It'll take me at least 3, lol.

View attachment 12062

Are you on septic or you just need to replace your drain line out to the city sewer?

 

[White Lincoln]

Fuck propane!
Take a cutting torch, adjust it for a perfect blue flame, and knock the flame out, and dunk it tn a hole, Walk to a downhill hole, and set a small candle on the downhill side of the other hole; when the gas gets there you no longer have groundhogs.

I shouldn't be saying this, as the Humane Society would be on my arse, but that made me laugh my ass off!

 

[CDsDontBurn]

Are you on septic or you just need to replace your drain line out to the city sewer?

City sewer. As the homeowner, I'm responsible for everything up to the sidewalk.

 

[Grog6]

Rent a backhoe, (trencher), a jackhammer, and,a concrete mixer, and buy the materials. You can cut the driveway, dig it up,do your repair, and the city will tie it to the sewer. an inspector will want to see your work. Then you can bury it, and fix your driveway. make sure it meets city code, or the inspector will make you do it again.

 

[White Lincoln]

City sewer. As the homeowner, I'm responsible for everything up to the sidewalk.

Yep, I had to dig up my main water line to the house to find the leak I had. I was much younger then. I believe it was 18" plus deep, 3" line (our neighborhood was setup for irrigation due to the size of the lots). I am on septic, so I have to be careful what we put down the drain and have it pumped ever so many years. It's like $12,000 now or more to replace the septic tank. I guess if I had a backhoe, crane, bull dozer and a lot of patience, I would do it myself. And, we are required to replace it if we sell the house or make a deal with the new owners they will take care of it. It is over $200 now to have the septic pumped. When we moved here, it was like $75.

 

[dDUBb]

City sewer. As the homeowner, I'm responsible for everything up to the sidewalk.

Only if you have a service clean out on your property near the sidewalk. Otherwise the water company won't even bother to do an inspection to figure out if the problem is on their end.

 

[CDsDontBurn]

Only if you have a service clean out on your property near the sidewalk. Otherwise the water company won't even bother to do an inspection to figure out if the problem is on their end.

Roots are in the sewer line is why I'm doing this. Service clean out is literally 12" from the structure of my house.

 

[CDsDontBurn]

Rent a backhoe, (trencher), a jackhammer, and,a concrete mixer, and buy the materials. You can cut the driveway, dig it up,do your repair, and the city will tie it to the sewer. an inspector will want to see your work. Then you can bury it, and fix your driveway. make sure it meets city code, or the inspector will make you do it again.

That's kinda the plan. I want to scope out how much ~45ft of 4" ABS plastic pipe will run me with all the fittings and everything alongside everything else you mentioned. I know it won't be no $9,400 but at that time it's my time and energy. The other part of me doing it would be that it's all new stuff and not 65yr old clay pipe.

Yep, I had to dig up my main water line to the house to find the leak I had. I was much younger then. I believe it was 18" plus deep, 3" line (our neighborhood was setup for irrigation due to the size of the lots). I am on septic, so I have to be careful what we put down the drain and have it pumped ever so many years. It's like $12,000 now or more to replace the septic tank. I guess if I had a backhoe, crane, bull dozer and a lot of patience, I would do it myself. And, we are required to replace it if we sell the house or make a deal with the new owners they will take care of it. It is over $200 now to have the septic pumped. When we moved here, it was like $75.

It's the digging that I'm not looking forward to. Everything else I could knock out. A neighbor of mine runs his own concrete business, so I'd ask him to redo that part of my driveway and pay him for that.

 

[Vicinity]

That's kinda the plan. I want to scope out how much ~45ft of 4" ABS plastic pipe will run me with all the fittings and everything alongside everything else you mentioned. I know it won't be no $9,400 but at that time it's my time and energy. The other part of me doing it would be that it's all new stuff and not 65yr old clay pipe.



It's the digging that I'm not looking forward to. Everything else I could knock out. A neighbor of mine runs his own concrete business, so I'd ask him to redo that part of my driveway and pay him for that.

Just curious, with the cost going to labor, how much extra cost is it to have solid metal pipe

 

[dDUBb]

Roots are in the sewer line is why I'm doing this. Service clean out is literally 12" from the structure of my house.

I meant as fas as "home owner responsibility" goes. I don't have a clean out, but I do have a sewer inspection camera and a 100 foot snake.

I want to scope out how much ~45ft of 4" ABS plastic pipe will run me with all the fittings and everything alongside everything else you mentioned.

Plastic price varies with oil prices .. that said, I just threw away of a bunch of 4 inch ABS and fittings. And Home depot prices are 4x more expensive than we pay for materials.

Just curious, with the cost going to labor, how much extra cost is it to have solid metal pipe

Cast Iron pipe. Double the cost ( except when you're me then it's free ). Plastic is cheaper and unless these pipes are going under your house or in walls, you won't notice a difference in the sound they make.

 

[Vicinity]

I meant as fas as "home owner responsibility" goes. I don't have a clean out, but I do have a sewer inspection camera and a 100 foot snake.



Plastic price varies with oil prices .. that said, I just threw away of a bunch of 4 inch ABS and fittings. And Home depot prices are 4x more expensive than we pay for materials.



Cast Iron pipe. Double the cost ( except when you're me then it's free ). Plastic is cheaper and unless these pipes are going under your house or in walls, you won't notice a difference in the sound they make.

Im speculating that extra cost would be worth it to sell it later. Im sure the 10-20 year lifespan of the pvc is enough to get by though

 

[dDUBb]

Im speculating that extra cost would be worth it to sell it later. Im sure the 10-20 year lifespan of the pvc is enough to get by though

ABS is about 50 years, PVC is more like 100 years.

 

[CDsDontBurn]

Plastic price varies with oil prices .. that said, I just threw away of a bunch of 4 inch ABS and fittings. And Home depot prices are 4x more expensive than we pay for materials.



Cast Iron pipe. Double the cost ( except when you're me then it's free ). Plastic is cheaper and unless these pipes are going under your house or in walls, you won't notice a difference in the sound they make.

Where would I get PVC or ABS pipe from that isn't HD for a quarter of the price?