• Welcome to OGBoards 10.0, keep in mind that we will be making LOTS of changes to smooth out the experience here and make it as close as possible functionally to the old software, but feel free to drop suggestions or requests in the Tech Support subforum!

Official Pit Home Improvement/DIY thread

What about garage doors? I have a still barely functioning original Overheard Door brand that is probably 20+ years old, but needs some fine tuning every couple of years. It seems like everybody carries them (except I wouldn't touch a Sears one at this point), but is any one better than another? I think Overhead is still the Cadillac, but I don't think I need that with so many other options.
 
Looking for some appliance recommendations:

Undercounter icemaker for a kitchen (so, nice looking all SS front, relatively quiet)
Outdoor built-in grill (looking at this Blaze LTE 32 or 40", extremely well reviewed and well priced)

Any thoughts on GE Monogram vs. Bosch dishwasher?
 
Who's replaced their front door recently? Trying to decide whether it's worth it to pay a company vs. just grabbing something off the shelf and installing it myself.
 
CantStandYa said:
Who's replaced their front door recently? Trying to decide whether it's worth it to pay a company vs. just grabbing something off the shelf and installing it myself.
Click to expand...

good luck hanging a slab door with a good seal if the original front door frame has warped. i would imagine this would be very difficult with an exterior door vs an interior door.
 
Anyone have experience installing a Nest thermostat? I picked one up the other day for my new home after watching a few installation videos and figuring I could do it pretty easily myself. After going through the app installation instructions it says a Nest Pro is required and doesn't allow me to go further into the installation steps. I have the following wires connected to the current thermostat: W2, G, E, W1, Y, R, X, O. Through process of elimination it seems W2 is what's causing the app to suggest the pro installation (I'm also guessing that X is actually C and using C in the app.) Any suggestions? I'd like to avoid paying the $150 for a pro to come out but if that's what needs to happen I'll go that route, just don't want to do that then find out there was an easy fix for the W2 wire.
 
WilmingtonDeac said:
Anyone have experience installing a Nest thermostat? I picked one up the other day for my new home after watching a few installation videos and figuring I could do it pretty easily myself. After going through the app installation instructions it says a Nest Pro is required and doesn't allow me to go further into the installation steps. I have the following wires connected to the current thermostat: W2, G, E, W1, Y, R, X, O. Through process of elimination it seems W2 is what's causing the app to suggest the pro installation (I'm also guessing that X is actually C and using C in the app.) Any suggestions? I'd like to avoid paying the $150 for a pro to come out but if that's what needs to happen I'll go that route, just don't want to do that then find out there was an easy fix for the W2 wire.
Click to expand...

I've installed three of them successfully. For one installation, I was a little unclear on the connections and sent a picture of the wiring to their Customer Support and they replied the same day with a custom wiring set-up to allow for the install. I'd try Customer Support before going out of pocket.
 
Sleepy said:
I've installed three of them successfully. For one installation, I was a little unclear on the connections and sent a picture of the wiring to their Customer Support and they replied the same day with a custom wiring set-up to allow for the install. I'd try Customer Support before going out of pocket.
Click to expand...

Same suggestion. We had a separate issue with the programming part and customer support was really helpful.
 
CantStandYa said:
Who's replaced their front door recently? Trying to decide whether it's worth it to pay a company vs. just grabbing something off the shelf and installing it myself.
Click to expand...

The previous advice about a warped frame needs to be heeded. Some outside doors from big box stores are quite good.

If you want to DIY, look at a door that is prehung. That is, the door is in a frame and you need to fit the frame into the rough opening and shim it plumb and level. If your existing sill is level and your walls are plumb (or pretty close) its not too bad. You just have to be really anal about alignment in three dimensions.

The new metal devices for aligning doors are much easier than wood shims. Once everything is properly aligned, I would put the shims in to help maintain space in compression and put some long screws through the new frame into the rough opening studs.

Also need to account for any differences in thickness of your house wall and the new door frame. You may need filler pieces. Remember that filler vertical goes in front of, not on top of, horizontal. That is, any joints between boards on the outside at least should be up and down, not horizontal.
Like this _| not. □

You will have more work taking out the old frame, but if it rotted, out of plumb, out of square or anything else where it isn't perfect, you will be glad you did.
 
lbE08 said:
Same suggestion. We had a separate issue with the programming part and customer support was really helpful.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the suggestion lbe and Sleepy. After tracing a few wires and talking to Nest support I was able to install the thermostat myself last Friday.
 
It is time to replace both HVAC systems in my house. Sheesh these things are expensive.
 
06deacon said:
It is time to replace both HVAC systems in my house. Sheesh these things are expensive.
Click to expand...

147360-574x836r1-SpilledFuel.jpg
 
Just finishing my second bathroom remodel in as many years. I will be so happy when it is done...I have been working on this one since September.

i want my weekends back
 
WilmingtonDeac said:
Thanks for the suggestion lbe and Sleepy. After tracing a few wires and talking to Nest support I was able to install the thermostat myself last Friday.
Click to expand...

I imagine you'll like it. I installed one upstairs last spring and it cut our A/C bill by like 40% this summer from previous years. I installed a second one downstairs a few weeks ago and am looking forward to seeing what happens with our heat bill this winter.
 
06deacon said:
It is time to replace both HVAC systems in my house. Sheesh these things are expensive.
Click to expand...

next time, buy a smaller house so you only have one to worry about.
#protip
 
06deacon said:
It is time to replace both HVAC systems in my house. Sheesh these things are expensive.
Click to expand...

Yes they are expensive. And the new ones won't last as long. Thank you freon ban. But the new ones could be more efficient, depending on what you get.
 
Yeah I am expecting a nice cut off our heating and cooling bills, in part because we’re also replacing a big inefficient picture window that’s baked in the sun for 20 years.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top