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I (NB22) just graduated college as well as my sister (F20). We were going to go to a park with our parents (F46 and M51) and their two standard poodles (F4 and M1.5) to take graduation pictures.
We’ve had discussions and arguments in the past about how my parents train them and use a pinch collar on the boy. I’ve sent articles and videos about why they shouldn’t use a pinch collar and even took the boy to HomeDepot and PetSmart twice with just a harness and his normal collar with no major issues. I also sent videos showing them how good he was doing even with other dogs, kids, and people nearby.
So when we were getting ready to go to the park, which is a forest for hiking and hardly ever any people around just a few animals, my dad put his harness on him and the pinch collar. I asked if they could take the pinch collar off and they said no. I said he doesn’t need it and so they gave reasons why he’s “too strong” and hurts my mom’s arm and he “needs it”. I said I can control him and they said no. So I said I won’t go unless he doesn’t wear the pinch collar. My parents said ok so we’ll just take pictures with your sister then.
So I sat down and they left.
I might be the AH because he’s not technically my dog, he’s my parents’ dog. And I’m moving out now anyways. But I love these dogs and they’re really important to me. I just want the best for them, same as my parents.
Edit: They got back and they said we could do pictures in our backyard now but I eventually said I don’t want to since they still went with him on the pinch collar earlier. So they’re saying I’m being childish and holding this disagreement over them and should just forget about it since he won’t be on the pinch collar in the backyard.

Hi all, I have a low water pressure/supply issue affecting both hot and cold sides of the bathtub and shower. Basics: United States, 1950's house, unsure on faucet brand - but would have been something mid-priced at Home Depot or Lowes (Moen pops in my head, but unsure). It is a wall mount faucet set up, two handle style set, with rotating lever handles that I installed about 12 years ago. The shower diverter is integrated to the tub spout (no third handle). There would not have been any adjustment to the supply line shut-off valves by the tenant.
The water is a small stream. This is the case for both bath and shower and with or without the tub spout attached. Pressure for nearby fixtures is normal. The maximum stream/pressure seems the same whether it is hot water, cold, or a combination. I am not sure how long ago or how gradually the issue has cropped up as it is a rental house and the tenant just let us know about it.
I checked under the house for leaks and everything looks good. With the tub spout removed, I ran a small pipe cleaner tool inside the line to clear debris. It cleared some rust but not a fix. I tried removing the handles to see if the pressure is normal without the handles and cartridges. But the set screws are not releasing and may be stripped. I tried WD40 and let that sit but it didn't help. One handle is loose-ish and although I could feel the Alan wrenches slipping at times it also really felt like they were turning at times too.
Anyway, I figured I had better to stop before making things worse since I don't even know if the behind-handle hardware is event the problem. I can get a plumber out late next week but if there are ideas on what this could be and/or tips I'd rather get our tenant back with showering and bath capability sooner than later if it is something that can be handled without specialized equipment and without in-wall work. Note: access to the wall interior will be a pain as a pantry cabinet is installed on the other side of the wall so I haven't taken a gander from the backside.
Any insight is appreciated. Specifically, I feel like the handle hardware/cartridges don't exactly make sense as an issue since it is affecting both hot and cold but theorized that by removing at least one I could see if the pressure was choked in the supply line prior or after. Would the issue necessarily be blockage after the handles/cartridges or could they have clogged/worn in a way where the flow is similarly low regardless of hot/cold?
I was assuming the hardware between handles and outlets is just a simple + pipe junction joining the lines to the shower and tub, since the diverter is at the end of the tub spout. However, in looking through a couple of install manuals for similar set-ups I see something called a "flow director" (not diverter) being in the junction as shown here: https://images.homedepot-static.com/catalog/pdfImages/2a/2a96134c-58bd-4d13-a4f2-3f1bebba2d3b.pdf. I don't remember a "flow director" being something I put in at the center junction point of pipes but I did have the wall open for a remodel so it is possible it was part of the install. Or, if it has one of these it could have been in there from a prior install.
I'm fine installing a new hardware set if that actually fixes things--and I can actually get the handles off, but don't want to start pulling stuff apart if it's a problem in pipes. Thoughts on causes? And is there a way to check if there is a flow director as part of the hardware set-up, and to try and fix it, without getting in-wall access (blow out or better pipe cleaner reaming)?

Hello, I’m putting a tankless in my house and need some advice.

1. Condensate line. Because I am an idiot, there is no drain nearby. Can I pipe through the exterior wall and drain it onto the ground outside?
   
2. It is a unit with recirculating built in. I have installed a check valve on the incoming cold as well as the dedicated recirc line. Do I need and expansion tank, and if so, should it be a 2 gallon or will something like this do?
   

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Amtrol-Therm-X-Trol-Expansion-Tank-ST-1/314305451

1. the garage that it is in is almost 1500 sq ft, is it to have the air intake being in the garage? Sorry probably using the wrong terminology.

Thank you for your time.

Current state of the wall

We have a retaining wall that is holding up a small dirt road that leads to our dock. A few years back a part of the wall needed some work, and some family members decided that the best way to reinforce the wall was to stuff it full of fallen tree branches and sprinkle a couple bags of mixed concrete on it and call it a day. Unsurprisingly, now that a few years have passed the wall is starting to fail.
HERE is a link to an imgur album showing the current state of the wall. The 2nd picture in the album shows measurements. There are about 40 feet worth of wall that is failing. Half of this is 5 to 5.5 ft tall, and the other half is ~5 ft tall on one side and tapers down to nothing on the other. The total wall area is ~180 sq ft.
Note: Im fairly convinced that the only reason the wall is still holding up the road at all is due to the two railroad timbers (16 ft 6x6's) that are wedged between the dirt and the 3 large trees at the top of the wall.
There is also an issue where the summertime shoreline is the hill under the tree roots. (We live on a lake where the summer waterline is ~60 vertical ft higher than the winter waterline). There is a 1 ft tall x 15-ish feet wide by 5 ft deep hole under the roots of the big tree in the center of the pictures.

GOALS

My main goal is to fix the wall "properly" without it collapsing during the process. Money is tight so "as cheaply as possible while still building a structurally stable wall that will last 20+ years".
The secondary goal is to fill the hole under the tree roots in a way that a) helps the tree survive and b) wont wash out when it becomes the shoreline in a month or two.
Note: there is a good amount of natural stone in small-to-medium size pieces (quarter-size to football-size) within ~100 ft of the wall that I could use (at no cost) for this project, but would have to gather by hand. See this image.

IDEAS

I have a few ideas on how to deal with this. That said, if I really liked them I wouldn't have taken the time to make this post.
For fixing the erosion under the tree roots, my idea is basically to gather small-ish rocks, fill the cavity with them, and cement them in along the edge that will touch the water.
Fixing the wall is more...complicated, but my idea is more-or-less to tackle it in ~5 ft wide sections. For each section I'd:

1. remove the current wall material (except for the 6x6 railroad tie at the top, which I might temporarily jack up to support it better when the wall below it is removed). I might need something to hold back the soil, but im hoping not....with only a 5ft wide hole and the railroad tie at the top our very clay-rich soil might hold (for a few days at least).
   
2. screw one of these 60-in long double helix ground anchors into the spoil behind the wall so that the shaft is sticking through where the wall will be.
   
3. build that section of wall (around the ground anchor shaft) out of something. Any input on what that "something" should be is welcome. Current options I'm considering are a) stone (gathered by hand from nearby) and cement, b) landscape retaining wall blocks (perhaps interlocking. perhaps mortared together), and c) landscaping timbers (placed in a staggered offset pattern with vertical pieces of rebar holding them together and going into the ground below). Id like to build in a drainage system of some sort too, but this depends on the wall material choice.
   
4. finish tightening the ground anchor and bind the newly-build wall to the existing railroad tie above it (e.g., by embedding a few pieces of rebar through the railroad tie and into the wall). At 5 ft length the ground anchor's helixes should be well past the "wedge" of soil the wall is holding back and into solid/stable ground.
   

I know that a 5 to 5.5 ft tall retaining wall is typically in the "call a geostructural engineer" category, but that just isnt in the budget. That said, the 6x6 railroad timbers supported by a large tree on either side make this easier than your typical 5+ ft retaining wall. Between this and 8x ground anchors (each with a pullout force of 4750 lbs) the wall should ((I think) be stable for as long as the trees are there.
At any rate, that's my current best idea. Any better ideas / suggestions / input is much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[Geographic Location: PNW]
Our two bathroom fans were improperly vented (or so I assume). The original builders just sorta strung exhaust flex duct up under the roof vents with bits of wire and called it good. The wire gave way, the tubes fell, and now we haven't used our fans because I don't want to pump moist air into our attic.
Here are some additional images: https://imgur.com/a/zM00lRg
I'm aiming to properly vent the fans using the technique I found from This Old House or this similar technique from Family Handyman.
My big question is: should I drill a completely new hole nearby for the new roof vent cap, or should I try to swap out the existing vents for the same cap?
My gut tells me it's not smart to remove two existing vents so I can dedicate them to the fans, and that the new vents would do better with a hole specifically cut to their size. But the current vent holes are almost right above the existing fan exhausts. Should the new vents be a certain distance from the existing attic vents? Do I risk vented moisture getting back in through the attic vents?

We have recessed cans in our ceiling: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Commercial-Electric-6-in-Aluminum-New-Construction-IC-Rated-Recessed-Can-Airtight-Housing-6-Pack-CAT7ICATA-6PK/202256649
That had screw in type lighting like this: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Commercial-Electric-5-6-in-Color-Temperature-Selectable-Integrated-LED-Recessed-Trim-4-Pack-NS01dA09FR2-259/314018779
So it was just simple wire connecting to the screw (I think its called an Edison screw?).
However, now I'm trying to install LED lights because they look nicer, kind of like this: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Commercial-Electric-Ultra-Slim-6-in-Color-Selectable-New-Construction-and-Remodel-Canless-Recessed-Integrated-LED-Kit-4-Pack-91478/310114064
However, they come with a transformer box. I managed to find adapters on Amazon and everything connects together and the light lights up. Originally I wanted to go into the attic and attach the transformers box to a nearby beam/stud but I'm finding access very difficult and nearly impossible.
However, I managed to get it to fit by stuffing the adapter and transformer into the housing and its kept in place by the LED light itself. Luckily, the clips fit nearly perfectly into the sides of the housing. It works, and it turns on.
However, I wanted to know, is this dangerous? Like will they overheat or something or burn? My logic was, that the transformers are usually just put above the drywall and surrounded by insulation anyway, so maybe it would be fine?
But I'm not very experienced with this stuff, so please tell me if what I'm doing is dangerous and stupid. I've taken it off for now, until I know for sure that this won't cause a fire or anything.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/GE-4-5-cu-ft-High-Efficiency-White-Top-Load-Washer-with-Agitator-GTW465ASNWW/308653940
​
This is the one I bought. Came with mechanical errors. Just awful. Please recommend something that doesn't require re-balancing of the clothing items throughout washing. Doesn't have to be high efficiency, but something that requires nothing more than placing clothes in the washer like the old days. Preferably one from Home Depot as it's the only box store nearby. Thank you my friends.

In a world where everything is $9.99, $999.99, $1499.99 the Home Depot has taken a different path and most of their pricing is $10.00, $1000.00, $1500.00. The interesting thing is they also have a price matching policy where if a physical store is accessible/delivers to you they also beat the price by 10%.
So how does this work? Find something you want to get at Home Depot, then Google around for other retailers nearby that possibly have the same item at around the same MSRP but using the .99 pricing. Even with $0.01 difference Home Depot will match and add 10% off.
Just got over $100 off a washing machine with a 5 minute call during online checkout
Edit: I think some people in the comments are missing the point when mentioning looking for the item cheaper elsewhere (like >5% cheaper, etc). What I've posted here is just an observation that Home Depot pricing isn't aligned with most other retailers. That means items for the "same price" ($0.01 difference due to .99 vs .00 pricing) and not on sale at another physical retailer are automatically 10% off at Home Depot even if their competitor is effectively selling it at the same price/potential margin.
Edit 2: Also this seems to apply only to Home Depot Canada based on the comments. More info here.

Sorry if this isn't the right place -- I'm not sure what does or doesn't qualify as a tinyhome proper, other than the rules stating that this particular sub is meant for tinyhouses that are used as a primary domicile. Which this basically is. It's going to be a lot cleaner, more climate controlled, and all-around better to sleep and spend time in than our current "tinyhome." (Which will ofc remain, serving as a kitchen and basically mancave.)
I moved in with my boyfriend over the summer. He lives on 20 acres of land (owned outright by his mother and set to be inherited upon her passing).
I tell people I live in a "tinyhome," but *actually*, this is a straight-up dirt floor shack in the woods. Seriously. It was an old deer-hunting lean-to where he added a fourth wall and a partial divider in the middle.
As such, I'd been planning for a while to see about constructing something a bit more... civilized.
What I ended up doing was going to a nearby place that sells portable buildings -- think TuffShed -- and getting a 12x20 "cabin" style building. (It has windows and a proper door, designed to be used for things like offices. Doesn't scream "garden shed" aesthetically.)
It's being installed today, but I'm going to have to figure out power. We do have power, of course. (I've been paying anywhere from $60-100 or so per month.) But I can't just run an extension cord here, the way things are set up currently.
My SO's been wanting solar for a while now, so for the new place, I'm looking at some rooftop solar panel kits that Home Depot sells for garden sheds. (Link for reference: https://www.homedepot.com/b/Electrical-Renewable-Energy-Solar-Panel-Kits/Shed/N-5yc1vZcdroZ1z0mhhu)
I'm not sure, however, how much wattage I'm going to need.
Electrical items that will need power -- some frequently, some seasonally -- include:
- My work laptop and/or personal Chromebook
- Additional external monitors (I don't tend to use those 100% of the time, but find them handy at times, depending on what I'm doing at work)
- Phone charger
- Lighting (I have my heart set on a chandelier made of deer antlers and no one can stop me, sorrynotsorry. Along with that, probably a standing or desk lamp, maybe two.)
- Window air conditioner (seasonal, but it's Texas, so I mean, probably at least something like 7-8 months out of the year.)
- Desk or standing fan (to be used in lieu of the AC if it's not hot enough to need that, or in addition if it's fucking August and like 110F)
- Space heater (seasonal, needed sporadically at various times from late November or so up through the end of February. It's Texas, so it'll be like 50F/35F for a week, then well up into the 70s the next. Hence "sporadically".)
I'm not sure, however, how much wattage I'm going to need.
Electrical items that will need power -- some frequently, some seasonally -- include:
- My work laptop and/or personal Chromebook
- Additional external monitors (I don't tend to use those 100% of the time, but find them handy at times, depending on what I'm doing at work)
- Phone charger
- Lighting (I have my heart set on a chandelier made of deer antlers and no one can stop me, sorrynotsorry. Along with that, probably a standing or desk lamp, maybe two.)
- Window air conditioner (seasonal, but it's Texas, so I mean, probably at least something like 7-8 months out of the year.)
- Desk or standing fan (to be used in lieu of the AC if it's not hot enough to need that, or in addition if it's fucking August and like 110F)
- Space heater (seasonal, needed sporadically at various times from late November or so up through the end of February. It's Texas, so it'll be like 50F/35F for a week, then well up into the 70s the next. Hence "sporadically".)
How much wattage would make sense for this? 200W? 400W? 600W? More than that?
Or is the kind of solar setup I'm looking at a suboptimal option? Should I just have an electrician connect things to the main grid and install outlets/wiring instead?

Hi All,
I figured I would share some things I have learned over my last 6 or so months doing Shipt now that I have hit over 1k orders done. To preface I started doing gig work just this year at the beginning of 2022. I started with Instacart but learned over time how unreliable it was and started Shipt in June. I also started multi-apping roughly around the same time for a more sustainable income.
I have a pretty good spread of DO and Shop & Deliver orders so I will be going over both. 664 S&D and 347 DO. I have done just about every store my metro has to offer so I have a pretty good feel of what each store has to offer. My all time rating is 4.94 with over 517 rated orders and counting 99% on time for S&D and 100% for DO. My Metro can not tip on DO orders since we only do Harmons(a competitor to Kroger), CVS RX, HomeDepot, BestBuy, and Office Max.
For S&D we have Target, Target Prepaids, Smith’s(Kroger), Food Club Stores(Macey’s, Fresh Market) , PetSmart, PetCo and Office Max.

1. Google Maps and a tip map are your best friend. I personally should have started this sooner but since I started doing it around mid/late August my average hourly income has gone up from an average of $20-25 to $30-35 and this is including time waiting for orders. I personally use the last 4 digits of the order, and the date under the label section of GMaps to keep track. I will either update the orders as the tip throughout the date or weekly to keep everything current.
2. Customers tipping habits will likely not change for the positive over time. You should get a pretty clear picture of how a customer will tip after the first order. If a customer tips average on the first order they have already been tipping average since they started using luxury delivery services. Likewise if a customer tips great on the first order they will continue to tip great moving forward as they probably know the ins and outs of how these services work/or are generally a good human being.
3. 3 Strike rule/system. Live by it and follow it. First order no tip strike one. Second order call them out in a polite way, eg: “Hi ____ Good to see you again! I noticed you didn’t rate or tip last time. If there was anything unsatisfactory about my service or anything I can improve on please let me know so I can provide you the best service possible :)”

If they respond positively then they are very likely to tip on this order and moving forward. If they respond negatively then this an automatic 3rd strike and a DND call support and inform them you do not feel safe completing this order and that you would like to be released from the order. If you finished shopping they will have you return it and get an additional $5 for the return and if you haven’t finished shopping then it’s a simple release without affecting your completion rating.

1. Rating droppers are an automatic DND. This ties in with the 3 Strike system. Anything less than a 5 Star rating is an automatic 3rd strike DND. Even if they tip any amount. I’ve had people tip 20%+ but rate 4 Stars or less since no one can be perfect besides the Imaginary Big White Man in the sky. The amount of potential revenue lost due to a dip in rating even if you know it’s going to be removed is not worth the small amount you’ll gain by completing another one of their orders. Mark them as DND and move on.
2. Don’t waste your time waiting to hand off DO orders to the customer. Again as I stated above the DO orders in my Metro cannot tip on app/online so it would only be cash only tips and out of all my DO orders I’ve had about 6 cash tips 4 of them being from RX orders. I also sent status updates for my first 50 or so DO orders but learned that it wasn’t worth the time holding my breath for a tip. Leave the order at the door, snap a picture and move on. For the RX deliveries I know you are supposed to wait but my Metro is very conservative so the people don’t like answering the door and if they do they make you wait your sweet time, plus my state is one of those states that requires no contact deliveries.
3. DO Orders are only worth it under the right circumstances. This does vary for each type of DO order but a general rule of thumb is either you have a good BONUS offer for them, or they are PROMO. $7 for an order usually going 3+ miles from the store not counting the time and distance to get to the store is not worth your time or gas just for that order. Try to stack them with other orders whether it’s more DO orders from that store or another store nearby going the same way and wait for it to be PROMO. Don’t be that dumbass that settles for $16 or less an hour and takes them right before they go promo. Only time I feel it is acceptable to take before going PROMO is if you are already driving that way to deliver another order and the DO lines up for you. If you stack right and wait for them to go PROMO you can make an easy $48+ in an hour off 4 DO PROMO orders. BE SMART WITH THESE. Also one last little note on these. Don't do the DO grocery and RX bundles you don't get paid enough for those and the more you do them the more Shipt thinks they can get away with these. Let them split at the top of the hour.
4. BestBuy and HomeDepot are almost never worth the time and effort. In my metro they hardly go PROMO anymore and roll over constantly every hour until just right before 8PM and won’t get PROMO pay till 7:30PM. They also usually have very large items on the HomeDepot orders that usually don’t fit in anything smaller than a pick up and go to the areas outside of my metro where there are no other stores. As for the BB orders these are usually more miles than dollars offered and usually have 3-4 of the deliveries in the 8-17 delivery bundle being very large items that are definitely not worth the effort for the pay. BB occasionally lines up with Bonus offers that make a bundle or 2 worth it and we have 2 BB in my metro directly North and South of each other by about 20 miles. When 2 Large bundles line up taking you from one location to the other back then it can be worth it to take the orders. Outside of the stars aligning the orders usually aren’t worth it since they normally don’t take you to areas with more stores to complete orders at.
5. Create a notepad/note/text chain to yourself with multiple pre-written messages to copy and paste. This saves so much time when shopping for multiple orders. You can also do a keyboard shortcut if you fancy that. I would include messages informing them you are shopping multiple orders, but would word it by saying you are shopping orders they were “bundled with” whether this is a self made bundle or shipt bundle doesn’t matter. I would also have a message for orders you picked up promo explaining you may be late something along the lines of “Hi your order was just sent to me. I am on my way to the store and will be there ASAP. Since your order was sent to me so close to your original delivery estimate I may not be able to fulfill it in that time but will do my best to get to you ASAP. If this does not work for you please let me know.” This gives you an out if needed as the customer can request it to be reassigned without it hurting your stats. I would Also have status update messages such as an almost done message and a delivery message.
6. Create a Delivery Message to send when order is delivered with a photo attached. Having a message to inform the customer their order is completed makes you look more professional and if worded right will more likely lead to more tips. Likewise this can help customers to switch over from Prepaids to Shipt Preferreds. I got my message from DashTheory on YT and it has worked well for me since then. Before I started using it I was at about a 40% tip rate since then I have been at about 80%+. It Goes as follows: “Your order is delivered! Your final receipt will be available in your email. Have a great rest of your day and thank YOU for using Shipt!”
7. Be Friendly and personable. Whether you are Part Time or Full Time this work is service related. Being friendly and able to click with all kinds of people goes a long way and will help you get more tips and larger tips. On top of that make sure you are nice to the store employees. The more you chat with them and get along with them the more likely they are to go the extra mile to help you out while you are shopping or checking out.
8. Be quick and efficient. Unless you are in California you are paid by the job not by the hour. Don’t waste your time dragging your feet or overthinking items and replacements. If you can’t find an item or a suitable replacement move on and come back after everything else is done. Likewise don’t waste your time trying to find the perfect replacement, send your customers a picture of what is available and move on to the next item. Find store employees quick to help you verify stock availability on anything that isn't where it’s supposed to be. Lastly if a customer isn’t responding send one more message give them 30 seconds and then call them if they don’t answer call support while you shop the rest of the order. The faster you can cover your ass and complete orders the more you can make.
9. Ask for the preferred. When Shopping non prepaid orders ask them to add you as a preferred. More often than not this will lead to a tip. At the bare minimum it leads to a good rating. Customers will almost never take this in the wrong way and see it as a compliment to them that you would want to shop for them again.
10. Do everything to cover your ass when it comes to ratings. This one took me longer than I would have liked to learn. You could be the best shopper in the world providing great service but there are still those miserable people that believe in an imaginary white man in the sky is perfect and that no one besides that made-up concept deserves a perfect score. Send the intro message, the almost done message, on your way message, and delivered message. If the customer isn’t answering, call them and if they still don’t answer, have support reach out and notate their order. Update your tip map with the first name of that customer so you have a chat to refer to if and when you have to submit rating forgiveness.
11. Trust your gut. If it says to take on order, do it. If it’s telling you an order isn’t worth it then skip that order. If you are getting bad vibes from the customer or the delivery area get yourself out of there and released from the order. If it says to go the extra mile for that customer then do it. Your intuition is a lot better than you give it credit so follow it.
12. Learn your area and its neighborhoods. This one ties into the tip map. But after doing a hundred or so orders you will start getting a good feel for which neighborhoods/cities in your area are worth the effort and which ones aren’t. There are certain cities and neighborhoods in my area that I know will more likely than not disappoint me with a new customer or order when it comes to tipping and customer friendliness so avoid going out of my way for them even if it is slower. Likewise learn which areas have current or upcoming construction so you can avoid those areas from slowing you down.
13. Know your audience. This one comes down to learning different types of people but playing up to what you can infer from them. Fake it till you make it, for example if you can tell you are talking to someone that is more conservative talk like them to connect more with them. If you are talking to someone that is more liberal(you know a decent human) then be more friendly and chatty. Compliment people’s houses, eg: if they have an American flag or Christian decor tell them God bless them and God bless America(conservatives eat this shit up patriotism is one hell of a way to brainwash people) and for people with BLM/Pride/Unity flags and posters thank them for being an ally and nice person. If you’re shopping for a woman, compliment the decor on the outside of their house or the appearance of their house. It goes a long way with them since they are usually the ones decorating it and putting in the effort.
14. Set daily/weekly/monthly Goals. This will set a tangible goal to aim for and set you up for success in the long run.
15. Don’t burn yourself out. While most of us like making money we still need to set time aside to take care of ourselves. Make sure you give yourself some time each week or even each day to unwind and take care of yourself.

There is plenty more I could keep going on about but I feel these are some of the more important things I have learned on this journey. Feel free to ask any questions, give feedback or discuss below.

Our home is an old beach house, with the water heater right out in the open next to our stove (I guess this was common for beach houses of the era).
Anyways, we're about to start remodeling our kitchen, so its time to get it out of there! Indoor space is extremely limited, so the best option seems to be putting the water heater outside (we're in California so it doesn't get too cold here, definitely not below freezing).
Unfortunately, I'm pretty overwhelmed by the choices -- gas/electric, tank/tankless/heat pump -- so would love some advice!
Here are the factors I'm considering:

1. Capacity: 2 bathrooms, laundry, dishwasher. Currently 2 person household, but looking to accommodate 4 people.
2. Space: The outside area where we plan to put it is very visible from three nearby windows, so I'm planning to put it inside a discrete enclosure. I would prefer a lowboy or horizontal water heater that would be able to be tucked away below the window view. Roughly a 4' height limit.
3. Solar: We just had a 8kw solar system installed, so electric is an option. Less inclined to go that route if it's going to consumer our entire solar production.
4. Gas available: Our existing water heater is natural gas, and it is definitely an option to stay with gas. The new location will be on the other side of the wall it currently is on, so the gas line is already very nearby.
5. Hard water: Our water is extremely hard, basically off the charts calcium levels, so it sounds like this could be an issue with tankless.
6. Walls being opened: The kitchen remodel is taking the room down to the studs, so in-wall plumbing access is not an issue. Likewise, we're going to be doing some new electrical runs for a nearby laundry dryer, so running additional electrical won't be a problem either.

Right now I'm looking at this 38gal shortboy electric, but interested in other options I should be looking at.
I'm curious about heat pumps, but not sure if the extra cost would be worth it if it's going to live outside anyways.
Tankless would also be an option, but we do have hard water, and I'm just a little skeptical of tankless in general. Happy to be convinced otherwise though!
Thank you for your advice!

I have some of these doorknobs in my house. These ones.
The problem is, the set screws always eventually loosen, which makes one or both of the doorknobs fall off the spindle no matter how many times I screw the set screws back in.
I did some research and this is a common design flaw with this type of doorknob. This has been frustrating homeowners since the 19th century. Buying a brand new set of glass doorknobs with a brand new spindle from Home Depot or some other big box store will not solve the problem, because after a few weeks or months, the same thing will happen. The set screws will loosen off the spindle and the knobs will fall off. You will have to leave a screwdriver near your door, forever, to periodically tighten them up. If you forget for a few weeks, the knobs will fall off again, either locking you in or out, if you don't have a tool nearby to open the door.
Loctite or any type of epoxy glue does not solve the problem. I've tried it. That's the solution most typically offered, but it does not help. The doorknob still falls off after a few weeks.
You can see for yourself in the reviews section at Home Depot and Amazon, under listings for these glass doorknobs. A large number of people are saying that they are having the same problem with brand new glass doorknobs & spindle sets they purchased to solve the problem of their vintage glass doorknobs always falling off their spindle. Worse, the knob part of the brand new ones sometimes break, causing injuries. So they're even worse than the vintage ones because they are lower quality.
My question is, are there any brands of new glass doorknobs that don't fall off the spindle and don't shatter? Because maybe it's just that Home Depot and Amazon only carry the cheapest models. I'm asking because if there's no brand anywhere that has solved this longstanding design flaw, it's looking like the only lasting solution would be to mortise out the existing lock mechanism and install an entirely new locking mechanism, a modern one, with the type of doorknob that doesn't have just that spindle, and therefore will never fall off. I'm going to try one more thing first, sticking plastic into the setscrew hole before screwing it in - that works for screwing into drywall, so maybe the same concept will work for this problem. If it doesn't, I guess I have to replace the entire locking mechanism with a modern one.

Looking to get other types of wood besides pine from homedepot for some custom pieces and I would like some recommendations for places nearby with good prices.

A handbook for home ownership basics.
(Hello, is there a FAQ, intro guide, or wiki here that I should be looking at? I might be blind but I couldn't find a basic, "home owner 101" page. I humbly submit this writeup for consideration as a "New Homeowner 101" post. This is based on several decades of me making mistakes and learning, as well as helping several friends and neighbours through setting up their first home. Feedback is welcome!)
So you’re moving into your own home. Congratulations!
Home ownership can be a great way to build equity in yourself. Home repair and DIY can be an enjoyable, money-saving pastime. Or perhaps you just want a dry place to sleep that you don’t need to think about.
Here is a quick guide.
(Note: none of these links are affiliate links. I don’t care about making money. I am just linking to an example for some items so you can see what I am talking about or learn more)

Step 1: Initial House Check

Just moved in, or moving in soon? Your Top Priority is safety. Look at these first:

Core Safety

1. Check your smoke detectors.

• If you push the button do they go off? They should. Check if you have the battery type or if they are wired into your house. Replace the batteries if needed, with NON-rechargeable alkaline batteries. This ensures they will have enough power to sound off.
  
• Have at least one smoke detector per floor. No messing around. Fire and CO can kill you.
  
• Splurge for the high-quality smoke detectors that do two different types of detecting - both photoelectric and ionization. They cost around $60 at most hardware stores.
  

1. Get a Carbon Monoxide detector. One per floor and/or one in each bedroom. These can be plugin-type with battery backup. Should last 10 years. If you have a fireplace you'll want a CO detector nearby too.
   
2. Do you have fire extinguishers? Get one for each floor. You can buy these at the hardware store. Make sure everyone in the house knows where they sit.
   
3. Change the locks. You want a qualified locksmith to change all of the locks and issue you a new set of keys. Some realtors will add this service for free as part of buying the house. If this didn’t happen when you moved in, do it now. You never know who has a key to the old house.
   

Fire Safety

1. Does your dryer exhaust send air outside of the house? Turn on your dryer. Go outside and check that the hot air is coming out of the vent. If not, get that fixed.
   
2. Metal dryer duct. The dryer vent (the flap on the outside of the house) and duct (the tube on the inside) should be made of metal, not plastic. Ideally you have a short, rigid duct with minimum bends and elbows, but some houses use semi-rigid metal. They also need to be attached and sealed with metal foil tape, NOT duct tape. If your dryer vent uses grey vinyl duct tape, that should get replaced.
   
   • You can buy metal "ring clamps" or "worm clamps" to hold the duct pieces together. Don't use screws in a dryer duct; that catches lint and can create a fire hazard.
   • Clean out your dryer lint trap after each dryer load
   • Once per year (or spring and fall) - clean out your dryer duct with a vacuum and/or cleaning brush. You can hire a furnace company to do this but it's easy to do yourself.

First Aid and Removing Water

1. Get a first aid kit. You should have some first aid supplies in your house - bandaids, and some over-the-counter pain medicine. The most comprehensive list I have found is on this emergency preparedness website. (bias disclaimer: I post there sometimes). Ideally - plan to take a first aid class.
2. Longer Downspouts. When it rains, does water leave your property and head away from the house? That’s good. If not: add rigid or curvy extensions on your downspouts to drain water farther away from your property. Water is the enemy; keep it away.
3. Sump Pump. If you have a basement, does it have a sump? This is a hole below the basement floor, where water collects on purpose. The pump’s job is to push that water out and away, usually through a hose coming out the side of your house.

You want to hook it up in the spring, and unhook in the fall
Get something at least 1/3 Horsepower or more

Urgent Inspection Items

Review the home inspection. Did your house get an inspection before you bought it? You should. These can often contain a helpful list of items that need fixing. Review to see if anything is urgent. For example - if your furnace or hot water heater were reported to have open, unsafe combustion, fix that right away.
Now you’ve covered the main items so your house can stay safe, standing, and dry.

Step 2: Don’t Panic. Relax. It’s Not A Sprint.

Fixing and maintaining a house takes time. You won’t be fixing everything on your list in one day, one week, one month, or even one year. Don’t panic. Be easy on yourself. Once you have the initial safety items checked, above, consider everything below this as optional. You may take months, years, or longer to do all of the items you want or get to all of the fixes. But you also need to take time and enjoy yourself.
If you know someone with a very nice house, or a wide collection of tools, it likely took them years or literally decades to get there. Don’t worry about comparing yourself to others, or feel that you need to "keep up with the Joneses". Every house is different. But this one is yours. You can make it something that you love.

Items For Later

1. Find and label your breaker box. Your home should have an electrical "breaker box" with a number of switches. These can be used to turn off electricity to different parts of the house - e.g. if you need to fix or replace something. Check and make sure you know where this is, so you can shut off power if needed. Also - do the switches have labels? If not, consider spending an hour on a lazy Saturday labeling them. Turn on all of the lights in the house. Then one at a time - turn off each switch and note which corresponding lights or appliances turn off. Label that breaker switch so you know what it controls.
   
2. Find your water and gas shutoffs. Locate the levers that shut off water and gas flowing into your house. If you need to prevent flooding, it’s useful to know how to turn off the water. For natural gas lines - you can buy a fancy aluminum tool to shut off the line safely. But the normal procedure is: get out of the house, then call the fire department.
   
3. Frost-proof garden hose faucets / hose bibs. If you live in a climate where the temperature drops below freezing, check that your garden hose spigots (also called "hose bibs") are the "frost proof" type. These have an extra valve or screw cap on top to allow water to drain, and prevent them from freezing. Regardless - be sure to unhook your garden hose before winter.
   

Gifts To Your Future Self

Create "The Document"

Create one doc and keep all of your account numbers and contact numbers inside.
Now that you own a home, you may start collecting all kinds of accounts and numbers - home insurance, property taxes, serial numbers on appliances, etc. To stay organized, create one document or folder and keep everything there, in one place. I created a Google Doc and shared it with my spouse - all of the account numbers and contact phone numbers go inside. Then when we need to call insurance, the vet, etc. It’s all there. I print the first page and tack it to the fridge (comment or email me if you want a copy of the template).
I also organize my passwords in a password manager - BitWarden. It’s free, open source, and helps me stay much more organized while keeping my passwords secure.

City Services

If you live in a city, check if they offer free or cheap services to assess and fix your house, such as:

• Watedrainage inspection, to see if the land is sloped and water drains away correctly.
  
• Sewer drain inspection - to check for old tree roots and clear them out of your drain pipes. Depending on the city and age of your house, this may involve a drain rooter, herbicide, or other options.
  

You may also be able to get these inspections from your utility company.

Property Taxes

Depending where you live, property taxes may be paid as part of your mortgage, or directly to the city or county. Call your mortgage company to check. If you pay the city directly (which may be cheaper) you can often sign up to pay monthly bills instead of one large annual bil. This means a smaller bill to deal with, which may be easier.

Upgrades to Reduce Your Bills + Utilities

1. Low-flow taps. I installed "ultra low-flow" aerators (0.5 GPM) on the ends of our faucet taps. Usually $10 or less at hardware stores. These cut our water usage by 30%. Probably the best return-for-money item I’ve installed in the house.
   • You may need teflon tape ($0.50 cents) and some pliers to install them
2. Low-flow showerhead. Can also reduce your water use a lot. 2.5 GPM or less; they can get down to 1.5 GPM.
3. LED bulbs. Do you need/want to replace old-style bulbs with these? Home depot sells packs of LED bulbs. These can make a big difference in your electricity bill if you are converting from old-style incandescents.
4. Curtains + blinds for all windows, to keep warmer in winter, cooler in summer
   • Ikea sells cellular blinds / honeycomb blinds that work well, so long as the windows are standard sizes. Honeycomb blinds create a pocket of air for added insulation.
5. Sink faucet seals. Check if your sinks have silicone caulking around the base of the faucet. You can get a $6 tube of this at the hardware store. Prevents water from leaking down below the sink.

Some insurance companies will give you a discount if you pay your bill yearly instead of monthly. This can require budgeting. Call and ask if they offer a discount for yearly payments.

Maintenance

Budgeting for House Maintenance. Some places tout a "rule of thumb" to expect spending 1% of your house’s value on maintenance each year. We have spent about $100/month, on average, fixing stuff on the house. Some years it has been higher.

• One method: Put aside $20/month to save up a "fix house things" supply of cash.
  
  • I can bet that something will break at some point.
  • But I don't know what, or when.
  • When something does happen, I can use this stack of savings to help pay for it.
  • This helps you to "keep moving forward" with finances, rather than constantly getting knocked back by repairs
  • Even if your "fixit" fund doesn't cover the whole repair, it's always better than nothing.
  • This can roll into budgeting to start an Emergency Fund if you like personal finance
• Furnace filters - In a forced-air furnace, change these every 1-3 months, depending on wear. You can also use a finer filter in the summer (e.g. MERV 9) when there is more pollen in the air, and a coarser filter (e.g. MERV 6) in the winter, to reduce the load on your furnace when it may be running more often.
  
• Furnace ducts - cleaning out furnace ducts is NOT usually needed, unless you find mold, rodents, or pests. If you have a forced-air furnace, many HVAC and furnace companies will tell you that you should have your furnace ducts cleaned every 2-5 years. However, the EPA does not recommend regularly cleaning your ducts:
  

Duct cleaning has never been shown to actually prevent health problems.
If no one in your household suffers from allergies or unexplained symptoms or illnesses and .. [you do not see] large deposits of mold .. having your air ducts cleaned is probably unnecessary.
EPA does .. recommend that if you have a fuel burning furnace, stove or fireplace, they be inspected for proper functioning and serviced before each heating season to protect against carbon monoxide poisoning.

Here is another article from Bob Villa.
If the home is especially dirty or questionable, perhaps have the duct system cleaned right after you move in.

• Eavestrough - hire some company to clean them out, yearly. Stay safe; don't work from heights.

Here is a decent house maintenance checklist from selfreliance. I could probably do a post on this topic.

Tools

Do you want to get into DIY repairs? This can be a fun skill to learn, or a way to save money. Sometimes a quick easy fix you can do yourself can save you hundreds of $$ dollars not calling a repair person. A core selection of quality tools can help you take care of your home.
I prefer to "buy once, cry once", and pay for one quality tool - like a drill - rather than buying the cheapest model which ends up wearing out.

Tools you might want

• Quality drill + battery. In my house - all screw holes are pre-drilled to avoid splitting the wooden studs. Any tall or heavy furniture - e.g. dressers, book cases - gets attached to a stud.
• Studfinder - to help locate those studs
• Screwdriver
• Eye protection glasses
• Earplugs
• Wrench set + pliers
• Headlamp flashlight
• Plunger. Buy it before you need it

Lower priority tools - get as needed

• Dust mask / Respirator mask - I use this whenever I'm working with paint, sawdust, sweeping the garage, etc.
• Assortment of screws
• Hammer, nails
• Monkey wrench - for the big stubborn stuff

Security

• Replace all of the short screws in your door hinges with longer, 2.5" or 3.5" screws. I had to buy a long drill bit to be able to do this properly. Default door screws suck, and may break off easily if someone tries to force their way into your home.
• Door Armor - I spent $200 and installed these metal reinforcement kits around our front and back doors.

Other

• Fire safe - for documents + backup hard drive. Offsite backup is important too.
• Sewer backflow valve. If you are in the city - does your house have one? These are usually at the lowest spot in the drainage, right before the sewer pipes leave your house. There may be an access hatch in your basement. Good to have to prevent sewer backups from getting into your place.
• Your local library may even have a "home energy audit kit" with e.g. thermal camera for spotting poor insulation, a Kill-A-Watt style power usage meter, air quality monitor, etc.

House Insurance

You should get house insurance. The price will probably go up every year. But it's better than not having coverage. One way to fight rising prices is to call around every year before renewal and ask for a quote from several competing companies. Then play the best one against your current company to see if they will match or lower the rate.

Insurance videos

It is helpful to have videos of your stuff, to prove you have your stuff. If you ever need to make an insurance claim, this will help immensely.
Once per year, go into each room and take a video while you slowly pan around the room. State the date, and list all of the things that you see as you pan. Then save the videos some place safe.
Here is a top-rated post on Reddit Personal Finance from an ex-insurance adjuster, describing the best way to list the features of your stuff and make a claim. These videos really help with that.

Long-Term Upgrades

Larger items that can cost more, but help a lot. Long-term dreams to budget for.

• Air sealing - Sealing the gaps, cracks, and other areas where air or creatures can get into your house is usually one of the most cost-effective improvements you can make to reduce your heating/cooling bills, and keep your house more comfortable. This usually involves spending a few $ hundred on sealing tape, foil tape, caulking, and cans of spray foam. This is worth a post all on it's own (stay tuned, I might write one). "Breathing houses" is an old, incorrect myth: your house does not need to breathe.

If you want more info on air-sealing:

• Here is a blog post from a building science expert with a PHD who says "don't bother insulating until after you air-seal first"
• energy.gov has a visual map of locations to check for air-sealing
• The PNNL site has many guides for specific areas and a 40 page PDF.
  
  • Attic insulation. Depending on your climate, this is one of the most cost-effective upgrades you can do to keep your house cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. It’s passive, so it works all the time and doesn’t need power. You may need to work to find a quality attic contractor. You want to air-seal all of the gaps and spaces first with sealing tape, caulking, or spray foam before you add insulation.
  • Battery-powered, backup sump pump. This can give you peace-of-mind that your basement will not flood even when the power goes out and you are away from home. Hire a plumber to do it properly with connecting valves etc.
  • Storm doors, front and back. I installed these myself. These only technically give about R1 insulation, but they stop the cold, cold wind in the winter time.
• Pro tip: If you install multiple storm doors, measure the widths of all of your house doors first, before driving to the hardware store. Because your doors may be different widths. If you measure one door and then assume they are both the same, you might make it all the way home with two doors, screw the first side of the storm door into the wall, and then suddenly discover it doesn't fit, and smashes closed, hanging 6" too far across your door frame. Ask me how I know.
  

Good Luck

All-in-all, turning your house into your home can be a fun, rewarding experience. Sure, things break, and sometimes it seems like there is always another item to fix. But don’t sweat it - you’re building your life and creating a great place to live. Enjoy it.
Good luck!

Other Resources

• Another New Homeowner’s Checklist
• Book: "Black and Decker The Complete Photo Guide to Home Repair". Check your local library.
• Book: "Renovation", by Michael Litchfeld. If you get into serious changes or upgrades. Check your local library.
• Home maintenance checklist
• Reddit post - how to make an insurance claim.
• YouTube - HouseImprovements channel. Very knowledgeable about DIY and fixes. You can find many fixing tutorials on youtube.

..
Edit: Change the section on furnace duct cleaning. Many thanks to u/VaccineMachine for the correction and link to the detailed EPA article. I fell for the hype and always thought that forced-air furnace ducts needed to be cleaned. Apparently not, unless you specifically find mold, rodents, or other pests. Thank you for the correction!
Edit 2: Add a note about air-sealing. You may not do this right away. But it can be one of the most cost-effective improvements you can make to reduce your heating/cooling bills, and keep your house more comfortable. Thanks to both u/foodlover516 and u/CrasyMike for bringing this up. Linked to several references.

A handbook for home ownership basics.
(Hello, is there a FAQ, intro guide, or wiki here that I should be looking at? I might be blind but I couldn't find a basic, "home owner 101" page. I humbly submit this writeup for consideration as a "New Homeowner 101" post. This is based on several decades of me making mistakes and learning, as well as helping several friends and neighbours through setting up their first home. Feedback is welcome!)
So you’re moving into your own home. Congratulations!
Home ownership can be a great way to build equity in yourself. Home repair and DIY can be an enjoyable, money-saving pastime. Or perhaps you just want a dry place to sleep that you don’t need to think about.
Here is a quick guide.
(Note: none of these links are affiliate links. I don’t care about making money. I am just linking to an example for some items so you can see what I am talking about or learn more)

Step 1: Initial House Check

Just moved in, or moving in soon? Your Top Priority is safety. Look at these first:

Core Safety

1. Check your smoke detectors.

• If you push the button do they go off? They should. Check if you have the battery type or if they are wired into your house. Replace the batteries if needed, with NON-rechargeable alkaline batteries. This ensures they will have enough power to sound off.
  
• Have at least one smoke detector per floor. No messing around. Fire and CO can kill you.
  
• Splurge for the high-quality smoke detectors that do two different types of detecting - both photoelectric and ionization. They cost around $60 at most hardware stores.
  

1. Get a Carbon Monoxide detector. One per floor and/or one in each bedroom. These can be plugin-type with battery backup. Should last 10 years. If you have a fireplace you'll want a CO detector nearby too.
   
2. Do you have fire extinguishers? Get one for each floor. You can buy these at the hardware store. Make sure everyone in the house knows where they sit.
   
3. Change the locks. You want a qualified locksmith to change all of the locks and issue you a new set of keys. Some realtors will add this service for free as part of buying the house. If this didn’t happen when you moved in, do it now. You never know who has a key to the old house.
   
4. Find your water and gas shutoffs. Locate the levers that shut off water and gas flowing into your house. If you need to prevent flooding, it’s useful to know how to turn off the water. For natural gas lines - you can buy a fancy aluminum tool to shut off the line safely. But the normal procedure is: get out of the house, then call the fire department.
   

Fire Safety

1. Does your dryer exhaust send air outside of the house? Turn on your dryer. Go outside and check that the hot air is coming out of the vent. If not, get that fixed.
   
2. Metal dryer duct. The dryer vent (the flap on the outside of the house) and duct (the tube on the inside) should be made of metal, not plastic. Ideally you have a short, rigid duct with minimum bends and elbows, but some houses use semi-rigid metal. They also need to be attached and sealed with metal foil tape, NOT duct tape. If your dryer vent uses grey vinyl duct tape, that should get replaced.
   
   • You can buy metal "ring clamps" or "worm clamps" to hold the duct pieces together. Don't use screws in a dryer duct; that catches lint and can create a fire hazard.
   • Clean out your dryer lint trap after each dryer load
   • Once per year (or spring and fall) - clean out your dryer duct with a vacuum and/or cleaning brush. You can hire a furnace company to do this but it's easy to do yourself.

First Aid and Removing Water

1. Get a first aid kit. You should have some first aid supplies in your house - bandaids, and some over-the-counter pain medicine. The most comprehensive list I have found is on this emergency preparedness website. (bias disclaimer: I post there sometimes). Ideally - plan to take a first aid class.
2. Longer Downspouts. When it rains, does water leave your property and head away from the house? That’s good. If not: add rigid or curvy extensions on your downspouts to drain water farther away from your property. Water is the enemy; keep it away.
3. Sump Pump. If you have a basement, does it have a sump? This is a hole below the basement floor, where water collects on purpose. The pump’s job is to push that water out and away, usually through a hose coming out the side of your house.

You want to hook it up in the spring, and unhook in the fall
Get something at least 1/3 Horsepower or more

Urgent Inspection Items

Review the home inspection. Did your house get an inspection before you bought it? You should. These can often contain a helpful list of items that need fixing. Review to see if anything is urgent. For example - if your furnace or hot water heater were reported to have open, unsafe combustion, fix that right away.
Now you’ve covered the main items so your house can stay safe, standing, and dry.

Step 2: Don’t Panic. Relax. It’s Not A Sprint.

Fixing and maintaining a house takes time. You won’t be fixing everything on your list in one day, one week, one month, or even one year. Don’t panic. Be easy on yourself. Once you have the initial safety items checked, above, consider everything below this as optional. You may take months, years, or longer to do all of the items you want or get to all of the fixes. But you also need to take time and enjoy yourself.
If you know someone with a very nice house, or a wide collection of tools, it likely took them years or literally decades to get there. Don’t worry about comparing yourself to others, or feel that you need to "keep up with the Joneses". Every house is different. But this one is yours. You can make it something that you love.

Items For Later

1. Find and label your breaker box. Your home should have an electrical "breaker box" with a number of switches. These can be used to turn off electricity to different parts of the house - e.g. if you need to fix or replace something. Check and make sure you know where this is, so you can shut off power if needed. Also - do the switches have labels? If not, consider spending an hour on a lazy Saturday labeling them. Turn on all of the lights in the house. Then one at a time - turn off each switch and note which corresponding lights or appliances turn off. Label that breaker switch so you know what it controls.
   
2. Frost-proof garden hose faucets / hose bibs. If you live in a climate where the temperature drops below freezing, check that your garden hose spigots (also called "hose bibs") are the "frost proof" type. These have an extra valve or screw cap on top to allow water to drain, and prevent them from freezing. Regardless - be sure to unhook your garden hose before winter.
   

Gifts To Your Future Self

Create "The Document"

Create one doc and keep all of your account numbers and contact numbers inside.
Now that you own a home, you may start collecting all kinds of accounts and numbers - home insurance, property taxes, serial numbers on appliances, etc. To stay organized, create one document or folder and keep everything there, in one place. I created a Google Doc and shared it with my spouse - all of the account numbers and contact phone numbers go inside. Then when we need to call insurance, the vet, etc. It’s all there. I print the first page and tack it to the fridge (comment or email me if you want a copy of the template).
I also organize my passwords in a password manager - BitWarden. It’s free, open source, and helps me stay much more organized while keeping my passwords secure.

City Services

If you live in a city, check if they offer free or cheap services to assess and fix your house, such as:

• Watedrainage inspection, to see if the land is sloped and water drains away correctly.
  
• Sewer drain inspection - to check for old tree roots and clear them out of your drain pipes. Depending on the city and age of your house, this may involve a drain rooter, herbicide, or other options.
  

You may also be able to get these inspections from your utility company.

Property Taxes

Depending where you live, property taxes may be paid as part of your mortgage, or directly to the city or county. Call your mortgage company to check. If you pay the city directly (which may be cheaper) you can often sign up to pay monthly bills instead of one large annual bil. This means a smaller bill to deal with, which may be easier.

Upgrades to Reduce Your Bills + Utilities

1. Low-flow taps. I installed "ultra low-flow" aerators (0.5 GPM) on the ends of our faucet taps. Usually $10 or less at hardware stores. These cut our water usage by 30%. Probably the best return-for-money item I’ve installed in the house.
   • You may need teflon tape ($0.50 cents) and some pliers to install them
2. Low-flow showerhead. Can also reduce your water use a lot. 2.5 GPM or less; they can get down to 1.5 GPM.
3. LED bulbs. Do you need/want to replace old-style bulbs with these? Home depot sells packs of LED bulbs. These can make a big difference in your electricity bill if you are converting from old-style incandescents.
4. Curtains + blinds for all windows, to keep warmer in winter, cooler in summer
   • Ikea sells cellular blinds / honeycomb blinds that work well, so long as the windows are standard sizes. Honeycomb blinds create a pocket of air for added insulation.
5. Sink faucet seals. Check if your sinks have silicone caulking around the base of the faucet. You can get a $6 tube of this at the hardware store. Prevents water from leaking down below the sink.

Some insurance companies will give you a discount if you pay your bill yearly instead of monthly. This can require budgeting. Call and ask if they offer a discount for yearly payments.

Maintenance

Budgeting for House Maintenance. Some places tout a "rule of thumb" to expect spending 1% of your house’s value on maintenance each year. We have spent about $100/month, on average, fixing stuff on the house. Some years it has been higher.

• One method: Put aside $20/month to save up a "fix house things" supply of cash.
  
  • I can bet that something will break at some point.
  • But I don't know what, or when.
  • When something does happen, I can use this stack of savings to help pay for it.
  • This helps you to "keep moving forward" with finances, rather than constantly getting knocked back by repairs
  • Even if your "fixit" fund doesn't cover the whole repair, it's always better than nothing.
  • This can roll into budgeting to start an Emergency Fund if you like personal finance
• Furnace filters - In a forced-air furnace, change these every 1-3 months, depending on wear. You can also use a finer filter in the summer (e.g. MERV 9) when there is more pollen in the air, and a coarser filter (e.g. MERV 6) in the winter, to reduce the load on your furnace when it may be running more often.
  
• Furnace ducts - cleaning out furnace ducts is NOT usually needed, unless you find mold, rodents, or pests. If you have a forced-air furnace, many HVAC and furnace companies will tell you that you should have your furnace ducts cleaned every 2-5 years. However, the EPA does not recommend regularly cleaning your ducts:
  

Duct cleaning has never been shown to actually prevent health problems.
If no one in your household suffers from allergies or unexplained symptoms or illnesses and .. [you do not see] large deposits of mold .. having your air ducts cleaned is probably unnecessary.
EPA does .. recommend that if you have a fuel burning furnace, stove or fireplace, they be inspected for proper functioning and serviced before each heating season to protect against carbon monoxide poisoning.

Here is another article from Bob Villa.
If the home is especially dirty or questionable, perhaps have the duct system cleaned right after you move in.

• Eavestrough - hire some company to clean them out, yearly. Stay safe; don't work from heights.

Here is a decent house maintenance checklist from selfreliance. I could probably do a post on this topic.

Tools

Do you want to get into DIY repairs? This can be a fun skill to learn, or a way to save money. Sometimes a quick easy fix you can do yourself can save you hundreds of $$ dollars not calling a repair person. A core selection of quality tools can help you take care of your home.
I prefer to "buy once, cry once", and pay for one quality tool - like a drill - rather than buying the cheapest model which ends up wearing out.

Tools you might want

• Quality drill + battery. In my house - all screw holes are pre-drilled to avoid splitting the wooden studs. Any tall or heavy furniture - e.g. dressers, book cases - gets attached to a stud.
• Studfinder - to help locate those studs
• Screwdriver
• Eye protection glasses
• Earplugs
• Wrench set + pliers
• Headlamp flashlight
• Plunger. Buy it before you need it

Lower priority tools - get as needed

• Dust mask / Respirator mask - I use this whenever I'm working with paint, sawdust, sweeping the garage, etc.
• Assortment of screws
• Hammer, nails
• Monkey wrench - for the big stubborn stuff

Security

• Replace all of the short screws in your door hinges with longer, 2.5" or 3.5" screws. I had to buy a long drill bit to be able to do this properly. Default door screws suck, and may break off easily if someone tries to force their way into your home.
• Door Armor - I spent $200 and installed these metal reinforcement kits around our front and back doors.

Other

• Fire safe - for documents + backup hard drive. Offsite backup is important too.
• Sewer backflow valve. If you are in the city - does your house have one? These are usually at the lowest spot in the drainage, right before the sewer pipes leave your house. There may be an access hatch in your basement. Good to have to prevent sewer backups from getting into your place.
• Your local library may even have a "home energy audit kit" with e.g. thermal camera for spotting poor insulation, a Kill-A-Watt style power usage meter, air quality monitor, etc.

House Insurance

You should get house insurance. The price will probably go up every year. But it's better than not having coverage. One way to fight rising prices is to call around every year before renewal and ask for a quote from several competing companies. Then play the best one against your current company to see if they will match or lower the rate.

Insurance videos

It is helpful to have videos of your stuff, to prove you have your stuff. If you ever need to make an insurance claim, this will help immensely.
Once per year, go into each room and take a video while you slowly pan around the room. State the date, and list all of the things that you see as you pan. Then save the videos some place safe.
Here is a top-rated post on personalfinance from an ex-insurance adjuster, describing the best way to list the features of your stuff and make a claim. These videos really help with that.

Long-Term Upgrades

Larger items that cost more, but help a lot. Long-term dreams to budget for.

• Attic insulation. Depending on your climate, this is one of the most cost-effective upgrades you can do to keep your house cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. It’s passive, so it works all the time and doesn’t need power. You may need to work to find a quality attic contractor. You want to air-seal all of the gaps and spaces first with sealing tape, caulking, or spray foam before you add insulation.
• Battery-powered, backup sump pump. This can give you peace-of-mind that your basement will not flood even when the power goes out and you are away from home. Hire a plumber to do it properly with connecting valves etc.
• Storm doors, front and back. I installed these myself. These only technically give about R1 insulation, but they stop the cold, cold wind in the winter time.
  • Pro tip: If you install multiple storm doors, measure the widths of all of your house doors first, before driving to the hardware store. Because your doors may be different widths. If you measure one door and then assume they are both the same, you might make it all the way home with two doors, screw the first side of the storm door into the wall, and then suddenly discover it doesn't fit, and smashes closed, hanging 6" too far across your door frame. Ask me how I know.

Good Luck

All-in-all, turning your house into your home can be a fun, rewarding experience. Sure, things break, and sometimes it seems like there is always another item to fix. But don’t sweat it - you’re building your life and creating a great place to live. Enjoy it.
Good luck!

Other Resources

• Another New Homeowner’s Checklist
• Book: "Black and Decker The Complete Photo Guide to Home Repair". Check your local library.
• Book: "Renovation", by Michael Litchfeld. If you get into serious changes or upgrades. Check your local library.
• Home maintenance checklist
• Reddit post - how to make an insurance claim.
• YouTube - HouseImprovements channel. Very knowledgeable about DIY and fixes. You can find many fixing tutorials on youtube.

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Edit: Move the note about "Find your water and gas shutoffs" into the top section, for Initial House Check. Credit and thank you to u/DTra1n- . Yes, finding the safety shutoffs is something you should do at the start. Thank you.
Edit 2: Change the section on furnace duct cleaning. Apparently - you do not need to clean the air ducts regularly. Check out this detailed EPA article. Many thanks to VaccineMachine for the correction and link. I fell for the hype and have been cleaning ours every two years. The EPA says: unless you specifically find mold, rodents, or other pests - skip it. Thank you!

I'm looking at buying a stud finder to hang some paintings on my wall. These are investment pieces some friends and I are splitting, so it's very important that these are hung correctly. One of these paintings is in a rather heavy frame. I don't have an exact weight, but I expect two nails will be fine.
I've found [this](https://www.amazon.com/Franklin-Sensors-FS710PROProSensor-Professional-Findedp/B0195K8OT4) stud finder comes highly recommended. I see there are plenty of cheaper options, like [this craftsman](https://www.amazon.com/CRAFTSMAN-Finder-4-Inch-Depth-CMHT77633/dp/B07QJD6VLL/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=stud+finder&qid=1663864358&sprefix=stud+%2Caps%2C104&sr=8-5) or [this zircon](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Zircon-StudSensor-HD55-Stud-Finder-65945/205143494) so I'm curious if anyone here has experience with this product or something cheaper.
My thought is that it should be worthwhile to spend a bit more on this, the items to be hung are important. I'll only use it a handful of times, so I want to lean towards the less expensive options.
Also, any advice for using a stud finder? I've never used one before. There's no outlets, lights, or fixtures nearby where I want to hang the paintings, so I'm not too worried about accidentally hitting a pipe or wire but maybe I should still be slightly concerned? Should be as simple as mark the stud edges, find the center, mark the elevation I want the nails, and hammer away.

My kitchen sink needs to be replaced. The sink was fine when we bought our home, but soon after moving in, it developed a crack on one side of the sink. It wasn't major, but it was enough to slowly drip water underneath the sink and over time, it really added up and has caused some water damage to the cabinet shelf under the sink. I'll have to get that replaced as well, but for now, I need to focus on the sink itself. I tried "patching" the crack with some aerosol rubberized sealant spray and that did work for awhile until a new cracked formed on the opposite side. Again, I sprayed the sealant and it was fine for some time before just this week, a third new crack has developed.
I realized all along that I was going to have to replace the sink, but with everything else I have going on in my life, I hoped I could get by with "patching it". It's clearly unavoidable now. I need to replace this sink. Here is my problem.
The sink is a granite-composite, under-mounted, low 60/40 split kitchen sink. The model number printed on a sticker on the side of the sink reads "HM20RZSK". A quick Google search reveals the following item sold at Home Depot, or at least, was once sold at Home Depot. This sink is no longer in stock at any nearby Home Depot location I tried, nor is it available online for shipping. Pegasus is apparently the manufacturer and I had trouble finding their website. All of it's measurements and specifications are also listed on that page.
As you can see from the photos in the link, the left side of the sink has a lineaangled-edged top. It isn't a curved top like most in-stock sinks that are similar to this. This is my problem. The sink is set underneath a granite countertop that has been cut specifically to match this sink style, with that lineaangled top edge. I cannot find a sink with that style anywhere. In fact, if you look at the "Questions & Answers" section on the Home Depot product listing page, you will see several people who are in the same position. Their sink is cracked and their countertop is cut specifically for this shape of a sink and they cannot find the same sink to replace it with nor a different manufacturer sink that happens to use the same shape.
The sink has to be replaced regardless of it's unique shape. I find it hard to believe that I cannot find a same-shaped sink anywhere. Am I really going to have to not only replace my sink, but also my entire granite countertop to match the new shape of the new sink? This is going to be extremely expensive for what should have been a relatively inexpensive and easy repair. So, I guess what I am asking is, does anyone know of any manufacturesupplier of kitchen sinks with a vast number of styles/shapes that I can sift through and hopefully find one? I have tried all of the major US and online retailers and none of them have it, but maybe there is a supplier out there that I am unaware of? If that proves to be unfruitful as my experience has been so far, is there some way I can install the most similar styled sink that I can readily buy (which would be the exact same sink except that top left edge is rounded) and somehow fill in the gaps created by the granite countertop that isn't shaped that way? I'd rather not do that if it's going to look bad, but if there is some kind of way to do it that makes it nearly unnoticeable, I'd be alright with that. Or, am I just screwed and I'm going to have to spend a lot more money that I should have to by replacing the sink and the granite countertop all because of a stupid shape oddity?
I'm not really sure what to do from here, so I was hoping someone could give me some advice or suggestions. I hope I explained everything well enough, but in case I was confusing, I made a wonderful MS-Paint visual description: https://i.imgur.com/2btYqs8.png
Thanks in advance.

First time home owner here. House is 50 years old in the Northeast and has no basement. (lowest floor is ground floor and includes the garage) House has cinder block / concerete wall on two sides and the seems to be some damage on the cinder blocks (gaps/cracks at the joints) and paint peeling on the other)
Can I use some concrete/mortar caulk likethis one or do I have to use mortar? Details below
​

1. When you look at the area (filled with mortar?) between the cinderblocks you see some cracks or gaps. This photo is from inside the garage. What are they and what caused them? Is it water damage? (I have not seen water coming into the garage through any wall in the 2 years I lived here) On the outside wall, there were also cracks but I filled these with this caulk. Not sure if that was a good thing to do. There is also one or two cracks on the cinderblocks themselves. This one particular crack can be seen from the outside and inside. So that One cinderblock in the corner seems to be completely broken.
2. There is this one specific block at the bottom that seems to have a rough and porous surface. Is this spalling? There is a window above but I have never seen water inside the garage in 2 years (including winters) I lived here. What can I do about it?
3. The blocks on the other side of the house near the steps seem also damaged (probably from water hitting them off the steps) and the paint has completely peeled and you can see what looks like mortar or concrete underneath it? Another picture here. Someone said it is probably rain water that splattered from the nearby steps onto the wall probably before gutters were installed. Can I just peel the paint and put mortar substitute in there and paint it over? Even easier, can I spread the same type of caulk as above to smoothen it and then paint?

I live in an area where labor is expensive so I am curious if this can be a DIY project especialy if it is not a structural issue. I do not care about the aesthetics of the wall as much as the integrity of the wall and its longevity. If I can just caulk, and paint and protect the wall, will it be okay? Do I need to do more? Should I use concrete sealant instead? Can I even use concrete sealant since the wall is mostly painted and it would be very hard to get off all the paint.
I found a mason in the phonebook and sent him photos and he asked for $1300 to do it but did not tell me what exactly he would do. (he said it would take him a day so he must have thought that it needs a lot of work)