Questions in the Home & Garden category.
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May 20
With expansion screws borrowed from your aunt
Could you realistically actually expand a room using galvanized steel beams (and eco friendly wood veneers)? [more inside]
A ton of electronic waste and some taxidermy.
My aunt passed away recently, and I am the trustee of her estate, so I'm coordinating the clean-out and sale of her home. She has a mix of things worth a little bit of value and things worth nothing at all. I'm not sure who to call or how to sequence things. [more inside]
Soundproofing a house against noise from outside - double pane windows?
Our 100 year old house faces a park. In the spring/summer, the park is used for festivals and celebrations featuring live and recorded music with a heavy base component. We are contemplating replacing our single pane windows with double pane or similar in effort to mitigate the sound. Have you done this? does this help much? [more inside]
Recommend a picnic table?
We're looking for a picnic table for use around a fire pit. Can anyone recommend one at the sweet spot of easy to build, durable, and not overly pricey? [more inside]
May 19
What water damage expenses has your insurance covered?
My dishwasher leaked into three rooms and the crawlspace, and the damage is covered by my insurance company. I do NOT want to lie to the company. I DO want to make sure I use every bit of coverage I have. My policy isn't written for easy reading. What might I not have thought of? [more inside]
May 18
need to deal with fire ants, don't want to harm other ants if possible
What's the best way to deal with _only_ fire ants while not harming other ants? I had a bottle of very effective powder last year, but can't find it again. It was great because it went directly on one mound, which let me think that it might not harm other bugs much. [more inside]
A want a light switch with a timer and a motion sensor. Does it exist?
I want to control my bathroom LIGHT with a motion sensor and my bathroom FAN with a timer switch. They are both on the same plate. I need the switch to do this and I cannot find it. The problem is, of course, that motion sensors all have a timer for how long it stays on after motion which messes up the googling. Please can you help me find this. In Canada. Thank you. [more inside]
May 17
What could I use fridge shelves and bins for? Anything?
I got a new fridge. I'm scrapping the old fridge. As I'm gathering my condiments to transfer over, I'm looking at my fridge shelves and drawers and the bins in the door and the big wire baskets in the freezer compartment. One produce drawer is cracked, but the rest of this stuff is...really nice. I feel like i could use them to organize something else? Store something else? Something something? And if I let them go with the fridge a week from now I'll be like "OMG I wish I had a bin exactly that size right now." But I don't want a storage space full of random just-in-case someday shelves. So what might they be useful for? [more inside]
Marty, we gotta get you back...to the 70s! (And early 80s)
Looking for a US brick-and-mortar store that stocks actual, wood/plywood, 4'x8' wall paneling. You know, the kind with the grooves. [more inside]
May 16
Best products and processes for painting interior residential walls
We are moving into a new home and need to paint a number of rooms (2 bedrooms, 2 baths, hallways, closet interiors) and are trying to get it done as quickly and painlessly as possible, without hiring anyone. What should we buy and what tips do you have? [more inside]
Need help with the order of operations for some home improvements.
We're trying to plan out the next few years of home improvements to future proof the house (re: climate change) as durably and thoroughly as possible. Decarbonization and longevity are the two broad goals. I'm having trouble organizing this plan. [more inside]
House cleaner - are my expectations too high?
In the world of "normal every-other-week house cleaning by a paid housecleaner", would you consider the following two jobs to be "normal, to be done every time or as needed", or more of a "deep clean that I should expect to do myself, schedule separately, or request and pay extra for"? Asking in advance of having a talk with my house cleaner to calibrate my read on what is reasonable. [more inside]
May 14
Tips for living in an Easy-Bake oven
It's peak summer here and the outside temperature is only dropping to around 81°F (27°C) at night. I live in a concrete house on a concrete slab and the kitchen floor is currently about 85°F (29°c). It'll only last a couple more weeks, but in the meantime I'd love to hear people's tips.
May 13
I like ice. I want ice. There is no waterline to my fridge spot.
My fridge broke (again). I like ice dispensing freezers a lot. I am confident I would use the ice function frequently (would also use the water function if I had it, but...). My fridge is located on the side of the kitchen with no water hookup. Can I just fill some tank with water every day and have an ice dispenser? Is this a thing? Can I do it with any fridge or do I need a special fridge? [more inside]
Are Dysons worth it vs. knockoffs?
The Great Enshittification of Everything means I can't trust internet reviews any more. Real humans: will a half-cost Dyson knock-off cordless vac meet our needs? [more inside]
May 12
Prevent tripping while making a raised floor area?
I'm making a platform area to raise floor level by ~4" in the galley kitchen here. I'm worried about tripping at the threshold, especially if I'm slightly out of it (late night, early morning, headache, etc.). Visitors are a consideration too. Ideas to make this safer? [more inside]
May 11
The fully mobile Autistic young person and aging
I've been asked to design a large garden space to include a young person (twelve-ish, female) who is a high-functioning, able bodied autist (they have a formal autism diagnosis). [more inside]
May 10
Battery Backup Sump Pump Installation
I’m looking for recommendations from MeFites who have installed their own battery backup sump pump. [more inside]
What's behind the walls of my kitchen?
There's a funny smell. [more inside]
May 9
How do you plan a kitchen, quickly?
My dishwasher flooded my kitchen and it's looking like I'll be needing new flooring, cabinets, and possibly a countertop. I am not a home remodeling type of person. How do I figure out what I want? [more inside]