This Old #%&@*$ House

My parents have a system with a gas furnace and a heat pump. They can definitely work in concert. The heat pump is used when it's not as cold outside, but their system is a decade+ old at this point. Newer heat pumps are even better.

ThatGuy42 wrote:

Interestingly, the AC Contractor guy who made the larger bid straight up said if we had better insulation, we likely wouldn't need the AC. Now I'm trying to figure out if it's a better idea to invest in an insulation job and see if that is enough, or if it's better to just get the AC done. One thing I know for sure is that I'm not crawling around in that attic to put the insulation in myself. I have been there and done that in my last house, and I helped my parents do it in their house. Twice is enough, thank you. I will find someone I can pay to do it this time.

How expensive is an insulation install? Asking because we have one room in our house that gets significantly colder than anywhere else so its on my neverending list.

If it is just for the occasional heatwave, what about just putting a ductless wall unit in your bedroom? It will cool it down enough to be comfortable sleeping and be a lot easier and cheaper than whole house.

NSMike wrote:

My parents have a system with a gas furnace and a heat pump. They can definitely work in concert. The heat pump is used when it's not as cold outside, but their system is a decade+ old at this point. Newer heat pumps are even better.

This is interesting as I asked one of the contractors specifically about a heat pump and he had said they'd have to replace the furnace to do that. Admittedly, that was the cheap "under the table" guy, so he may have been downright wrong or simply not interested. I may follow up with some of the other vendors and ask for more details about what's possible.

LeapingGnome wrote:

If it is just for the occasional heatwave, what about just putting a ductless wall unit in your bedroom? It will cool it down enough to be comfortable sleeping and be a lot easier and cheaper than whole house.

The wife and I did discuss this a little, but the issue is we have a 1600 square foot house and 3 children. Having just one room be comfortable was simply not an option for us. And all of the windows in our house are large horizontal-opening windows that makes using a window unit or portable unit very complicated. While those are all fairly new, double-paned windows, I know that part of our issue is just the sunlight coming through them heating the place up. Some good awnings or shade covering those windows and the insulation might really be enough to keep the house comfortable. Definitely something for me to look into and follow up on as we proceed.

This is interesting as I asked one of the contractors specifically about a heat pump and he had said they'd have to replace the furnace to do that. Admittedly, that was the cheap "under the table" guy, so he may have been downright wrong or simply not interested. I may follow up with some of the other vendors and ask for more details about what's possible.

To be clear, they were installed together, so they were likely designed to work together.

My old house was 1800 sqft and we replaced our old wall unit the house had with a mini split. I added a 2nd on the other side of the house. I think one would have been good enough. Two was perfect. Cooled the whole house in no time and super quiet. I'd reconsider if you don't want the hassle. 2 mini splits professionally installed was $5500.

Get several quotes as the first company tried to bork us. I think the recommendation came from lunchbox here on the forums.

Alright, going to have to replace our front deadbolt. It's that dark brass look. Anyone have opinions and experiences? Tempted to go with something with a processor or two in it, though I'm not inclined to lose door access if the internet drops.

wordsmythe wrote:

Alright, going to have to replace our front deadbolt. It's that dark brass look. Anyone have opinions and experiences? Tempted to go with something with a processor or two in it, though I'm not inclined to lose door access if the internet drops.

I have a schlage fancy deadbolt and really like it. It works with and without internet and the battery seems to have a long life. There's also a key for it too.

lunchbox12682 wrote:
wordsmythe wrote:

Alright, going to have to replace our front deadbolt. It's that dark brass look. Anyone have opinions and experiences? Tempted to go with something with a processor or two in it, though I'm not inclined to lose door access if the internet drops.

I have a schlage fancy deadbolt and really like it. It works with and without internet and the battery seems to have a long life. There's also a key for it too.

I actually have the same and I’m pretty happy with it. You can even do special codes when a neighbor or friend needs access to your house.

I'd probably have to stick from KwikSet to keep using the same keys on other (Kwik) doors, though, right?

Got new gutters put in earlier this week. (Hopefully that solves the occasional basement puddle.) Requesting quotes for A/C maintenance that I rarely get around to, though there's a chance that would get better if I fixed the leaky duct in the basement ceiling.

Trying to wrap my head around the other projects in this house that, in retrospect, we bought fairly cheap, even if we were overpaying for the area at the time.

  • The garage's slab has been split since we moved in 6 years ago, but that's got some sort of timer on it. 5 years?
  • E Hunnie bought a hanging chair sling that she really wants me to anchor to the vaulted ceiling.
  • That duct thing I mentioned is part of a spine that drops down some 8" from front to back in the basement, containing the main HVAC duct and, if nothing else, the exhaust pipes for the furnace and water heater. One of those pipes (the harder to get to, naturally) has a bad join and drips condensation. Luckily, I guess, that's within a foot of the leaky duct (the vent doesn't actually make it all the way to the hole in the duct ... it's just a rectangular hole in the duct? Anyone know if there's an off-the-shelf extension I could buy and put in there?).
  • There's going to be tuckpointing work to do in the next few years. May knock down the unused chimney while we're at it.
  • Windows aren't great, but at least are relatively new double panes. Still, they weren't all installed very well.

We bought this place off a rehab company that clearly didn't just use cheap parts and labor, but sometimes it turns out were reusing scraps from previous jobs. That said, the value of the property is up something like 40% since we bought, and we really like the neighborhood. When I think of moving, I think of finding new construction within a half mile of here.

wordsmythe wrote:

I'd probably have to stick from KwikSet to keep using the same keys on other (Kwik) doors, though, right?

Yes, if you want to have a single key and all your other locks are KiwkSet, you'd need to get a KwikSet. On the other hand, if you have an electronic deadbolt you probably won't ever use the key.

Yellek and I have Schlage electronic keypad deadbolts on our 3 exterior doors and we like them. Only 1 is internet enabled (SmartThings) but it still works if the internet is down. Of course if the batteries die, that's a whole other issue.

I can't remember if I've ever had to use a physical key in any of them. If I have, it was so long ago that I don't remember.

With Lowe's anyways, you can ask them to rekey if it is same manufacturer to match your current set. Otherwise, you would have to get all new locks for them to match. They have a code on the packages you would have to match up.

lunchbox12682 wrote:
wordsmythe wrote:

Alright, going to have to replace our front deadbolt. It's that dark brass look. Anyone have opinions and experiences? Tempted to go with something with a processor or two in it, though I'm not inclined to lose door access if the internet drops.

I have a schlage fancy deadbolt and really like it. It works with and without internet and the battery seems to have a long life. There's also a key for it too.

Yup. I have a Shlage one with combo entry. I love not taking a house key out on a run with me.

Well my single neighbor who I never see except on his motorcycle came over to dispute where his property line is in my woods. He claims I have overstepped my bounds. I was annoyed but happy to look into this. I go back out to say hi to another neighbor and see he has placed property warning stakes on my side of the line. At this point I am just annoyed. He wasn't being reasonable and I just wanted to know where my kids can plan. Now I have a guy with nothing else to do but watch what I do. Super frigging annoyed.

Hobear wrote:

Well my single neighbor who I never see except on his motorcycle came over to dispute where his property line is in my woods. He claims I have overstepped my bounds. I was annoyed but happy to look into this. I go back out to say hi to another neighbor and see he has placed property warning stakes on my side of the line. At this point I am just annoyed. He wasn't being reasonable and I just wanted to know where my kids can plan. Now I have a guy with nothing else to do but watch what I do. Super frigging annoyed.

Can you get the city or county out to survey?

lunchbox12682 wrote:
Hobear wrote:

Well my single neighbor who I never see except on his motorcycle came over to dispute where his property line is in my woods. He claims I have overstepped my bounds. I was annoyed but happy to look into this. I go back out to say hi to another neighbor and see he has placed property warning stakes on my side of the line. At this point I am just annoyed. He wasn't being reasonable and I just wanted to know where my kids can plan. Now I have a guy with nothing else to do but watch what I do. Super frigging annoyed.

Can you get the city or county out to survey?

Currently looking into this but he came over. Kind of had his own agenda then lined the property with stakes all within the hour. It's obnoxious.

Yeah, unless you live in a recently built area, property lines are usually off from where people assume they are, especially in situations where the property is more rural or less developed, which is the impression I get from you actually having woods on your property.

Get someone to survey.

NSMike wrote:

Yeah, unless you live in a recently built area, property lines are usually off from where people assume they are, especially in situations where the property is more rural or less developed, which is the impression I get from you actually having woods on your property.

Get someone to survey.

No, it's a neighborhood with some 30 year old woods between us. I only have a half acre and he has a bit more than me by property maps. Last night after I said I would look into it more he was just roaming the line for a while and now has placed stakes in the yard to show where he thinks it is. This is several feet beyond what I understood.

I really just don't want the fight. He is very difficult to talk to about it all. I tried to talk to him about how his woods are full of invasive trees killing the good ones and he doesn't care either. I had been clearing out some of those in what I thought was my wooded area and is up in arms I am ruining his privacy. It's really getting blown out of proportion. this is all over about 5 to 10 feet of unused space. but also a small triangle of it not even the whole line. I've not yet assembled the playground I was going to put there. Going to wait until I can verify the property stakes, get in an agreement with him, or get a survey. Sounds like those are the 3 options.

I've learned property lines are difficult to really tack down in the last 24 hours. Let alone if you get contested surveys it can really be a rabbit hole to fall down.

That stinks, Hobear. Hope you get a positive resolution.

Update: I called the county and the city and clarified how to read the map, if the picture was pretty accurate and where to measure from the middle of the street. I also learned he really has no recourse until he gets a survey or I do. I am not probably shelling out the money unless he becomes a problem.

My goal is to really handle this the best we can and not try to stir anything up but currently his measurement is not what my county says is right. At this point I have the high ground and just need to have a chat with him today.

I got a feeling only something from the county will change his mind...

Hobear wrote:

Update: I called the county and the city and clarified how to read the map, if the picture was pretty accurate and where to measure from the middle of the street. I also learned he really has no recourse until he gets a survey or I do. I am not probably shelling out the money unless he becomes a problem.

My goal is to really handle this the best we can and not try to stir anything up but currently his measurement is not what my county says is right. At this point I have the high ground and just need to have a chat with him today.

You know who makes the best neighbors? Fences. Fences are the best neighbors. People suck.

Rainsmercy wrote:
Hobear wrote:

Update: I called the county and the city and clarified how to read the map, if the picture was pretty accurate and where to measure from the middle of the street. I also learned he really has no recourse until he gets a survey or I do. I am not probably shelling out the money unless he becomes a problem.

My goal is to really handle this the best we can and not try to stir anything up but currently his measurement is not what my county says is right. At this point I have the high ground and just need to have a chat with him today.

You know who makes the best neighbors? Fences. Fences are the best neighbors. People suck.

Yea but all the petty criminals coming to sell their stolen goods can be a hassle

Well we didn't get very far. He doesn't believe me and insists he is right. I've measured twice and come to the same point back and forth. I have a few more surveyors to call tomorrow but don't need this headache. Once done gonna keep those stakes in the ground until I can line with bushes or trees. He's a nice enough guy but his unwillingness to see common sense is obnoxious. He is somewhat of a MN passive aggressive guy who won't hear me out.

Thanks all for letting me vent the drama. A fence would make the best neighbor lol.

Look, we're missing the obvious. Clearly, this guy is a murderer who buried a body on your property. He is trying to move that property line and put stakes in the ground so that you don't discover the body when you put in the playground you want. Keep an eye out for any night-time excavations. It's likely that he knows you're in the right and will attempt to move the evidence before you get the surveyors out and the fence/bushes in.

.... Note that I may have been playing too much Hunt a Killer and reading too many murder mysteries lately....

ThatGuy42 wrote:

Look, we're missing the obvious. Clearly, this guy is a murderer who buried a body on your property. He is trying to move that property line and put stakes in the ground so that you don't discover the body when you put in the playground you want. Keep an eye out for any night-time excavations. It's likely that he knows you're in the right and will attempt to move the evidence before you get the surveyors out and the fence/bushes in.

.... Note that I may have been playing too much Hunt a Killer and reading too many murder mysteries lately....

Thank you for this and the much needed laugh in the scenario!

Time to finally get and train that corpse sniffing dog.

Hobear wrote:

Well we didn't get very far. He doesn't believe me and insists he is right. I've measured twice and come to the same point back and forth. I have a few more surveyors to call tomorrow but don't need this headache. Once done gonna keep those stakes in the ground until I can line with bushes or trees. He's a nice enough guy but his unwillingness to see common sense is obnoxious. He is somewhat of a MN passive aggressive guy who won't hear me out.

Thanks all for letting me vent the drama. A fence would make the best neighbor lol.

This is where I'm probably an obnoxious neighbor. I asked my neighbor at our last place about where the property line was since he'd owned his house since purchase. He had no idea, super nice guy, though.

So I had a survey and plat done with the stakes. It turned out that he had been caring for and maintaining probably 300 sq. ft. of the lawn of my property and didn't know it. So he was a little surprised when I had a fence built six inches on my side of the line that covered what he thought was his lawn. He asked me about it and I gave him a copy of the plat and information. He was totally reasonable and thanked me for the information.

The survey was $500, but being able to avoid a he-said, he-said kind of argument and go straight to actual documents was totally worth it. Having a current plat and map as a part of the sale was also really helpful for my buyer.

I've seen the maps we got when we bought our house, and I'm pretty sure that our existing driveway is a little over the line on our neighbor's side. But the owner doesn't even live there. It was her childhood home left to her by parents, and she just rents it out. The renters are an awesome older couple.

So far so good and been here almost 5 years.

In other news, we're moving forward on our AC install tomorrow!

Got a really good bid from a company that is reputable and trusted. Definitely chose not to go with the high bid from a company who gave no details, nor did we go with the "under the table" guy. Super happy I listened to all of your advice and kept looking for a better company. All told, we're going to be out $11.5k for the AC unit and a complete overhaul/re-do of the ducting.

Stele wrote:

I've seen the maps we got when we bought our house, and I'm pretty sure that our existing driveway is a little over the line on our neighbor's side. But the owner doesn't even live there. It was her childhood home left to her by parents, and she just rents it out. The renters are an awesome older couple.

So far so good and been here almost 5 years.

If they let your driveway be installed there and it has been there for years, you can make an adverse possession case that it is your property now and probably be ok.

Same with you Lester - if that guy was maintaining and use that part of land as his yard for years, he probably could have fought you on it. I am glad it worked out ok and he was a nice neighbor.