Western Springs Handyman

11/16/2024

A pox on people who paint sash windows shut!
FYI - There was a reason for double hung sash windows prior to air conditioning. You would lift the bottom sash and lower top sash at night. Hot air from rooms would leave the house through the top sash and consequently draw in cooler outside air through the bottom.

10/23/2024

PEX/Sharkbite repair on copper pipes in a ceiling soffit. Someone attempted to fix this once before with solder but it’s tough to get the heat and solder correct. Using PEX with Sharkbite fittings improves safety by not using an open flame in an enclosed area and eliminates the risk of dripping hot solder on your skin (last picture, prior job). In older houses sometimes it is the only logical way to do a repair or extension.

06/17/2024

Another interesting project. Back in 1938 when the footings for this house and garage were poured there was inadequate information on the blueprint to allow the concrete contractor to hit the right level on the garage footings. I know this because the client had the original blue prints. To make up for the shorter footings they placed a 2x6 on top of the footing and under the wall sill. Over time this wood ended up under grade and increased by water from the sidewalk started rotting.
The only solution was to lift the wall and rebuild the foundation under it.

06/01/2024

Another interesting project completed. Changing out granite for a more authentic look on a fireplace in LaGrange. Fireplace mantle provided by http://rufferredesign.squarespace.com/.

05/13/2024

If someone tells you they can install a railing on your flat roof make sure they know what they are doing.

05/12/2024

Interesting project. More pictures and details to come.

05/08/2024

Hooray for American ingenuity. Found this replacement touch panel for my Maytag Neptune dryer. Maytag wanted to sell the whole assembly for $400+.

03/26/2024

For all your drywall jobs.

02/05/2024

Eighty year old bathroom floor replaced with tile. Took it down to the sub-floor. Installed heating cables. Two layers of Durock because the closet fl**ge was a little high. In retrospect, I would use leveling compound instead of second layer of Durock and thin set over the heating cables.

11/22/2023

Yearly reminder. Disconnect your hoses.

A reminder to all. It’s that time of year. Bring in your hoses or, at minimum, disconnect them from the outside spigot.
Pictured is a spigot I replaced where the valve is actually inside the house. Because the hose was left attached it allowed water to freeze in the hose and then back up and rupture the copper portion of the spigot.
When the spigot was turned on in the Spring water flowed out of the rupture and into the basement.

11/02/2023

I usually use soldered copper for plumbing. In the case of this 100+ year old house I changed my approach and used PEX and some Shark-bite fittings instead. The main reason was trying to get pipes through a floor and also a false wall. I was able to get two 1/2” lines through a single 1-1/2” hole and bend them to reach a source. In addition, it actually took longer to drain the water columns in the house than it did to connect the PEX to the house lines. Also, no solder drips or wet Cu lines that refuse to take enough heat to melt the solder.
I spent more for the fittings themselves but believe that balanced out with my reduced labor.
This stuff has been around for years and meets local code.
In addition, in an old house with little to no insulation in the walls this stuff is more forgiving when we get those infrequent cold snaps.

10/29/2023

Drawbacks of being an owner/operator!😀