As was foretold, we've added advertisements to the forums! If you have questions, or if you encounter any bugs, please visit this thread: https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/240191/forum-advertisement-faq-and-reports-thread/
Options
Bought a House...
DemonStacey
TTODewback's DaughterIn love with the TaySwayRegistered User regular
TTODewback's DaughterIn love with the TaySwayRegistered User regular
So I bought a house. I will have all my stuff officially moved in this weekend. This is my first experience living alone (well gf will be there with me). I'm a 24 year old male.
So like... I don't know everything seems to be going smooth SO FAR. Any tips? Suggestions? Things to look out for? As you can see I'm super new to this whole situation. Trying to avoid being blindsided by... things. But I don't even know what those things could be!
So like... I don't know everything seems to be going smooth SO FAR. Any tips? Suggestions? Things to look out for? As you can see I'm super new to this whole situation. Trying to avoid being blindsided by... things. But I don't even know what those things could be!
DemonStacey on
0
Posts
I'd like to add to the above, that if you are not handy, there is no reason you can't BECOME so. Guides of all sort are online, I recommend at least pondering fixing things yourself before you call someone. There is a lot of satisfaction and saved money to be had that way. As far as tool buying goes, I highly recommend a "buy it once" policy. Buy the best you can afford, without springing for silly things. If you stick to brands like craftsman, you won't go too far wrong, and paying for one hammer that will last you forever sure beats buying a cheapie first, and then later wanting/needing a better one and putting down money again. This could be a great time to ask older/ more established friends and family if they have extra tools kicking around that they would like to get rid of. I know my dad has a bad habit of "losing" one tool, just to buy a replacement and later find the original.
Likewise, if you don't have the interest or time, there is nothing wrong with calling in an expert, just know that that can get expensive, fast.
Also remember, keeping everything in shape now is way easier than fixing it later.
On the personal notes, if you have lived with your girlfriend before you can probably ignore everything I am about to say, but if not...just try and realize that living with someone is very different from dating them, and there WILL be trade offs you both have to make to make it work. I am not saying that is a bad thing, just a different thing. I think living together is a great way to deepen a relationship and further test compatibility. Just be prepared for the problems that come from having to exit your own nest to guarantee time apart from that person. (And understand that she is having to do the same)
I don't know how many times friends of mine tell me they had x done for $texas when I could have dropped by and done it for free. All you have to do is ask. And if you want to try your hand at something yourself, there is almost always a whole bunch of Youtube videos of people doing it step-by-step.
Bought my first house and moved in two weeks after turning 21, within the first 6 months I lost some fence, a water main broke, and I had a large leak in the roof. I have gotten a hell of a lot better with my hands and watching youtube while on a ladder.
So my advice is keep to a schedule for maintaining the yard, cuz once you fall behind, it's a bitch.
The small unexpected stuff? There reason it is unexpected is because you can't really predict it. Just be sensible and try and keep a small amount of cash for emergencies (this is general life advice).
The only other thing is avoid putting stuff off. If something seems off or is showing signs of wearing out or breaking, start investigating the matter now, not later when it has gone kaput and done more damage in the process.
Luckily I have lot's of tools because I do the work on my car so I have that covered. Yard work will be mostly covered by a buddy of mine who enjoys gardening so I donated my backyard to him. I've already been living with the GF for a few months now.
So with those problems out of the way I guess it's mainly a matter of maintaining everything. Any particulars I should look out for that will let me know something is about to blow up?
Specific question:
It seems the average door is about 80" tall. My doorways seem to be about 77" high. Do I get these cut down at Lowe's or something? Do doors normally need to be adjusted like this?
Also, i grew up in houses, and i don't remember anything ever really going wrong or being broken. So, when stuff happened in my house i was really upset that i got a bad house or something. I was talking to my parents and they told me that, "you were a kid, why would we tell you about what was wrong with the house? Stuff broke all the time!" So i felt much better after that.
Also, don't get down on yourself for missing something stupid. You don't know what you don't know. Eventually you will figure it out.
For example. We have central Air in our house, no one told me there was a filter in there which needed to be changed periodically. Well, long story short... the air flow started getting restricted, and the condenser started freezing up and thawing. and all of a sudden i had this mystery water on the floor in the basement. Well, a visit from my AC guy and an embarrassed shrug on my part later and that problem will not happen again.
If I can offer you any advice... Pay attention to sounds and things out of the ordinary, and fix what you can. But know that no matter what, stuff will break when you least expect it. You will fix it, and life will go on. Don't loose any sleep over what might happen.
That's a good thought with the rain! I will explore all over the house the first time it rains while I'm there.
Anyone have any info on my door troubles?
My first 5 years of house ownership helped (hah!) me learn things about plumbing, hvac, and light carpentry. I leave any electical work more complex than installing light fixtures or fans up to the pros though. That said, simply having a multimeter and not being stupid (use your breaker box and alway realize that if you cannot see A path to ground then you ahaste path) has saved me bucks in diagnosing problems. Plumbing is doable (pier foundation) and I find the main cost in hiring pros goes to remunerating immigrants to do the grunt work (digging) or the poo tax, though i've PVC pipes, not copper, so no soldering skills required. I've spent a lot of time on DIY websites.
Much like the rain thing, test out stuff before you need it. A lot of hvac calls result from when summer/winter hits and the system gets taxed after 6 months of non-use. So check out your ac now before it gets too hot and all the hvac guys are booked for a week solid cause everyone's got ac issues. Same thing with the heat in fall. Replace your filters every month.
And yard work has consumed more of my time and efforts than all other house-related activities combined, by at least an order of magnitude. Have your gardener friend plant/landscape with an eye to ease of maintenance and hardiness for your climate.
Check out your attic and crawl space, preferably during a time of year when you won't die of heat exhaustion. Best to find out you have issues before rodents start running around in your house or you cannot figure out why an area is so cold/hot.
GIS is evil
I'm trying to get a pre-built door quoted at some places online.
Everything is officially in the house!
One that I'm trying to figure out is my bathroom light.
It's one of those tube type bulbs about 20" long. I just put a new one in and it required A LOT of finegling to get it to turn on. The generally installation of it is to push the it straight in then twist the whole thing 90 degrees. It eventually did start working but the next did it stopped again and no matter how much I wiggle it the damn thing just won't turn back on.
Any suggestions for something like this? I;d rather not bother calling an electrician if I don't have to. I was thinking maybe it not setting tightly on the prongs and maybe if I take a pair of pliers and squeeze them together a bit it may set better? Would this be a logical thing to try?
Thanks!
yes, one of those fellows. Now this ballast you speak of... how do I know if it's there?
While on I just rotate the bulb slowly over and under until the prongs set in the contact where they are happy. Could be you got a crap bulb or it got damaged bringing it home. I notice that when they are about to go fluorescents get fiddly turning on, get dim, get buzzy, and sometimes won't really turn on all the way until you tap them lightly. Could be also the prongs on the bulb aren't catching the contacts just right.
If you know the bulb is good and rotating it in the socket isn't working then I'd get some contact cleaner and clean the contacts (fixture should be unplugged or breaker shut off) before trying to physically fuck with the contacts.
though if unsure, definitely throw the breaker.
though i agree, rip that sucker out
Congratulations on buying a house. There is a lot to learn and a lot of advice to give. I've owned multiple properties for 8 years, been doing remodeling work for over 20 years, and have a real estate license. That said, this is all friendly advice and you should always check with your own professionals first.
Get to know a good local hardware store and it's manager/owner if there is one nearby. They can be an invaluable resource and it's good to support local businesses since you own property close to it. If not, Home Depot and Lowes are very often staffed by competent people who have done building trade work.
Talk to your friends and family who also own property.
Check with your county or local government to see if there is a household hazardous waste site where you can properly dispose of such things. My county offer this service for free and they will take all kinds of stuff which shouldn't go to the landfill (ie fluorescent bulbs, old paint, greasy rags, etc). They should have a list of items accepted or not. The same goes for yard waste if you regular garbage service doesn't already cover it.
For your specific questions about the light: Look at the light fixture to see if there is a label specifying what type of bulb is required. There are numerous types of bulbs in all shapes, sizes, and socket types. It's important that you get the correct one. It should also list the maximum wattage allowed in the fixture. Heed this warning and do not just put whatever size bulb you want in there. Using the incorrect bulb can shorten the bulbs life and possibly shorten the life of the ballast.
If everything with the bulb is correct, then try rotating the bulb while it is in place several times. The contacts can become dirty or corroded over time and lead to flickering or unresponsive light. If that does not work, take the bulb out and inspect the contacts using a flashlight. They are usually copper. If you see black or green coloration, they are dirty and should be cleaned. Make sure the power to the fixture is turned off before working on it. Using come electrical contact cleaner on a Q-tip can work wonders.
If the contacts are not broken or dirty, the next culprit would be the ballast. When a ballast is near the end of its life the light will begin to flicker, there will be a buzzing noise louder than usual, or the light won't work at all. Replacing this is an electricians work. Get a professional if you are not experienced with it yourself both for installation and proper disposal of the old ballast. If it's that far gone, you can always consider replacing the fixture with something more environmentally friendly and less costly. An fixture that uses LED bulbs are more money up front, but save you money down the road on less replacement of the bulbs and less energy use.
Good luck!
Yes. I recommend the Milwaukee brand. The M12 ones are great, portable and extremely durable. The batteries charge super fast. The M18 drill drivers are probably a bit overkill for occasional home use. I've used both for extended periods of time at work. I have also used the DeWalt and Makita equivalents, and by far prefer the Milwaukees.
If you are handy at all, the impact driver also comes in a kit with the drill, they're great for quickly driving/removing screws.. I've driven in 1/2 inch HUS Concrete anchors with one.
Please just throw the breaker. You have no idea how the fixture is wired.
I just set a reminder in my iphone for early November to turn off outside water so I remember.
Additionally make sure you know where your circuit breakers are in the event of a power cut, it's handy to have a specific place to keep a torch / candles.
I would suggest that you have a crack at any smaller DIY jobs that come up, with the exception of anything involving Gas or Electricity. It's great to learn how to do stuff and the more you get used to doing the less daunting bigger jobs will seem.
Enjoy your house!
I didn't get a chance to fiddle too much with the light last night as school work got in the way... but hopefully tonight!
Oddly enough, I don't ever turn off the water to my outside taps. Why? I can't.
When we moved in here, I checked everywhere for the shut-off. There are two shut-offs off the main supply under the stairs in the basement. One of those turns off all the water to the house. The other does.... nothing as far as I can tell. Since my basement is 100% finished except for under those stairs and the small furnace/laundry room, I'm thinking they covered up the outdoor shut-off.
I've never had a problem with pipes freezing, thankfully.
Actually, that's a lie. Our pipes froze our first winter, but it was the pipes in the downstairs half bath. Turns out the cold storage room had no insulation above the door, and cold air just freely roamed in the ceiling there, right where the half bath supply lines are. But there's been nothing related to the outdoor faucets freezing. Thankfully.
I had a similar issue when I moved into my current house. First major thing I did was to install shut-offs for the external valves in an easy to reach place. Definitely a good thing to do if you're handy.
I certainly would if it didn't involve cutting a hole in the ceiling. I don't really want an ugly hole/door in the ceiling for a shut-off. Especially since this house is now 13 years old and the taps have been fine thus far.
Is there any good way to know if it's lit without pulling it apart?
Thanks.
Also if your oven is kicking out gas without a pilot, that may be a huge problem.
Google your model number and I'd be surprised if you not only find the manual, but also a video on how to light the pilot. It's also possible that there is no pilot.
Is your oven working properly? When you turn it on, do you smell gas?