Administrator
Compact fluorescent CF bulbs -
The new CF bulbs are way diffewrent than the older ones, the light is a lot whiter. It take a few seconds to brighten up, but be patient. You can save up to $30 month on an average house. Those little savings add up, more if you're the landlord paying for the common area lighting that tenants always forget to turn off. (and if you have that problem, get a light timer, sometimes you have to take control and treat tenants like kids, cause some don't care.)
Administrator
Tile floors quick and dirty
The first tile floor I did in an apartment I followed everything by the book, took 4 hours to rip up tjhe old linoleum, because I was worried about the "flex" and followed the exact instructions I was told. Waaaaay too much time and effort.
Now, if the linoleum, vinyl squares, etc can't be ripped up easily I concnetrate on eliminating all the flex in the floor befor ethe start of the job. I obsessively walk back and forth on the floor, jump up and down, mark all squeaks, figure out where the joists are, and set out to eliminate that flex. Sometimes 10 screws will do the job in well placed spots, sometimes you need 40. The key is if the subfloor has been subjected to floods over the years, nd if it has lost any of its strength.
If so, then you need to shore up key areas, or rip up the floor in spots and sister 2x4s to the joists. PITA, but a necessary step if its bad enough.
In most cases this isn't needed, so I eliminate the squeaks, and lay hardibacker right over the immovable top surface, as long as it's level and solid.
Set up with the hardi screws where indicated on the templates, make sure no screw heads are sticking up, lay my underlayment patch on the seams. You can do this in the morning and be cutting and fitting your tile in the afternoon. It may not be what the books say, but I've never had a cracked tile on an install, or had one crack in the years afterward.
We're talking about middle class houses and rentals here, anything high end you would rip up the floor if needed.
Git er done, progress not perfection.
Administrator
Radiators - steam - vent at least once a year, or when you do work on or open the system.
Had a meeting tonight, and the guy said his office was cold, he had a ceramic heater in the front. 9 radiators on the first floor, and he's cold. I explained about venting and some other stuff. He said he would get around to it. I knew he never woulld, so a half hour later I had all the cold radiators vented until they were piping hot. He couldn't believe the difference, and we unplugged the ceramic heater.
Be careful when doing this, it's not something you can take the pressure vent off and go do something else. Ya gotta listen to when the steam is coming, plug it up when the whole radiator is hot. Take too much time, the rediator not leveled right, and you'll be faced with scalding hot water under pressure coming out. Do it right, and your heating will be more efficient, and save some $$ along the way.
Senior Member
Great tips, Dark. Think I'll take a look at the fins tomorrow!
Administrator
Mick, you only need to vent them if it seems they aren't universally hot, or hear a knocking on the pipes. There were a few in the front of the run that I needed to vent. The way I do it is figure out where the first radiator is situated on the beginning run from the furnace, and start there. Many times you can skip the hot ones. There are also issues if the radiator is near the end of the run, and especially long or oversized radiators.
My girlfriend had 2, one going form her son's room to her Dad's room, same pipe, at the end of that run. It took me forever to figure out that combo wasn't workiing. I swapped out the radiator on the end for one half that size, and now it works better.
They sell different size steam vents, for the most part you can use the cheaper universal ones. The next time you're in the big box store, look at the chart they display along the rack there. You can also fine tune things by putting in the vents they recommmend, but in reality you mostly want to concentrate on the beginning and the end of the run with the different vents. And there is a variable vent that can be manipulated with a screwdriver. I would only use this in certain areas where you are having problems, or maybe the room is poorly insulated to begin with.
Above all, watch when screwing and unscrewing not to strip the threads. I use teflon tape on all old fittings. This is good to remember when you hear the hot steam coming like a steam train and need to screw that sucker in quick!
Administrator
As long as we're talking about plumbing-
Water heaters - drain once a year for longer life
Senior Member
Don't buy cheap duct tape. It's not worth it in the long run. Look for brands that are 10-12mm thick.
Junior Member
Originally Posted by DarkSkies
Absolutely, and the popping you hear coming from them is sediment on the heating fins expanding. The more popping the more you should be planning to replace it.
Senior Member
Re: DIY Tips 101
Does all the females in my house running down the hot water count?
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