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July 2, 2008
Exterior Painter Recommendations Wanted
Would anyone please recommend a painter to paint the exterior facade of a wood frame house done in Hardee Board? Someone to handle multiple colors (cornice, trim, clapboard, steps) with attention to secondary highlights on cornice and entry door.
Thank you for your input.
February 28, 2008
Sump Pump Info Needed
Does anyone have a sump pump in their basement, and if so, does it pump the water into the sewer line? And do you have a check valve? I have a French drain that was hooked up to drain directly into the sewer line, which caused problems when the sewer backed up because of tree roots. I'm now considering connecting the French drain to a sump pump which would be installed and then drain into the sewer. I was told that because of the configuration of the piping, that the sump pump would not need a check valve. The thing is that my basement is dry and the French drain was probably overkill, so maybe I should just have the connection to the sewer pipe cut off and capped - so the French drain is just non-functional, rather than have the sump pump installed. Any advice on what to do? Also, and recommendations on sump pumps?
February 27, 2008
Plumbing Engineer Recommendations Needed
Does anyone have any recommendations for a plumbing engineer regarding a plumbing problem? Your recommendations are appreciated. Thank you.
Mechanical Engineer Needed
Please recommend a mechanical engineer for a plumbing problem. Thank you.
February 15, 2008
Backyard Drain Problem
I have a drain outside my garden floor door to the backyard. It connects to the sewerline underground - the pipe that enters the backwall to the house - that also is connected from the pipe that runs down the back wall from the roof (drains the roof).
The drain box has two holes - one that connects to a pipe with holes that I think runs parallel to the house (a French drain type of thing?) and the other to the sewer line.
The problem is that there is about 4" of space below the holes to the bottom of the box, where water collects and sits.
Recently we've had an invasion of phorid flies which are know to come from sewer/drain pipes.
So my question is, is there a better box where the water wouldn't sit at the bottom. I think my phorid fly problem is connected to the box, because they are not coming from my basement (dry - no sightings), and are definitely coming into the house from the garden back door and maybe windows. Also, I think the box breeds mosquitoes in the summer.
Author's Comments
So beautiful!!! Would you be willing to share your contractor information at this point? I know you did most of the work yourselves, but you also mentioned using a contractor.
Posted by: BB at February 15, 2008 1:49 PM in response to Nearly finished kitchen (minus one lightbulb and a short to-do list)
11:06 guest. Thank you for your input. What you've said is what I've been thinking - that if the problem is the sewer drain which should now be cured. I had Econo Sewer come and video both the French drain (loaded with phorid flies because of the waste back-up) and the sewer drain- clogged with tree roots at every 4-5 feet where sections of the pipes joined. They water jeted the inside of the French drain and cleaned out the bug problem (drained the jet water out the sewer line), and roto cut all the tree roots, and then put a root killer into the line. So, if the root killer works as they said it would, and I maintain a yearly maintenance, there should be no sewage backup into the French drain. I had the French drain put in in 2000, when I had the back yard dug to the footing, and my back basement wall water-proofed from the outside (parged with cement/ liners/ a French drain and drain that connected to the waste pipe through the basement wall [also connected to the line that runs from the roof down the side of the house]. One concern is that there might be phorid flies within the sewer system, that would travel into the French drain- but I tend to think I may be overthinking this too much as the fly infestation was such a drag.
Posted by: BB at February 28, 2008 11:19 AM in response to Sump Pump Info Needed
P.S. the basement is really dry - so the French drain hasn't really been needed, since the back wall was waterproofed.
Posted by: BB at February 28, 2008 11:20 AM in response to Sump Pump Info Needed
11:06 AM So did you have your sump pump removed because the sewer would back up into the sump pump - you said my former sump pump- so I'm curious.
Posted by: BB at February 28, 2008 11:24 AM in response to Sump Pump Info Needed
Johhny - What plumber do you use, or would you recommend?
Ohlise
What cured the flooding was the digging down to the footing outside the back wall, parging the wall w. cement etc. We used this company http://usbasement.com/ which was featured in This Old House. They were reluctant to come to Brownstone Brooklyn - which was a whole other ballgame from the burbs- in retrospect, maybe I should have used someone local. They suggested the French drain which I think was overkill, as the basement is dry. However, I do think about having the front of the house done- the basement wall consists of boulders and sand really. My inner walls are thorosealed- but I think my front wall gets wet underneath it all. But no water on the floor [knock on wood] - I do worry about more torrential rainstorms with global warming though.
Posted by: BB at February 28, 2008 1:54 PM in response to Sump Pump Info Needed
Which electrical contractor are you using, and do you recommend the contractor?
Posted by: BB at March 5, 2008 11:40 AM in response to Need electrical inspection?
Amendolas on L.I. You can get 4' high board on board for bottom half and 2'lattice (4"x4", not diagonal, but vertical & horizontal for a lovely open look)
Posted by: BB at March 28, 2008 11:25 AM in response to Wood Fence contractor
3:49 Guest - Were there a lot of fumes involved when they did it, and how long did the fumes last?
Posted by: BB at March 31, 2008 3:48 PM in response to Tub reglazing
If you don't want the stones, I would love to take them. Please contact me at 212-698-3534. Thank you.
Barbara
Posted by: BB at May 5, 2008 1:12 PM in response to stones below the surface in backyard
Responses to Author's Forum Comments
We have a sump pit and a pump. The pump empties out into the street from beneath the sidewalk. I do not know if this is how it should work, but the water ends up in the storm drain system on the street. Most of our neighbors have a similar arrangement (our basements get flooded in heavy rains; we are in a flood zone). I have a rain water barrel under the roof gutters, so that water is not added to the sewer system, and when the barrel overflows it dumps into the yard (in heavy rains).
I am intrigued by your French drain as a contractor suggested that we have one done too (if we dug up the slab, i.e.) but they said it would drain into a sump pit and pump.
Have you noticed much less flooding after the drain?
Posted by: ohiise at February 28, 2008 1:16 PM in response to Sump Pump Info Needed
Johhny - What plumber do you use, or would you recommend?
Ohlise
What cured the flooding was the digging down to the footing outside the back wall, parging the wall w. cement etc. We used this company http://usbasement.com/ which was featured in This Old House. They were reluctant to come to Brownstone Brooklyn - which was a whole other ballgame from the burbs- in retrospect, maybe I should have used someone local. They suggested the French drain which I think was overkill, as the basement is dry. However, I do think about having the front of the house done- the basement wall consists of boulders and sand really. My inner walls are thorosealed- but I think my front wall gets wet underneath it all. But no water on the floor [knock on wood] - I do worry about more torrential rainstorms with global warming though.
Posted by: BB at February 28, 2008 1:54 PM in response to Sump Pump Info Needed
I do believe that according to code all storm water whether from roofs or sumps has to be connected directly to the sewer mains. That means when installing a sump it should be connected to the sewer and therefore it would require a check.
However from a practical pov, it is better to have a sump drain into the street, if possible, then you avoid the problem of sewer capacity and backup.
Posted by: denton at February 28, 2008 3:52 PM in response to Sump Pump Info Needed
Where do you think storm water from the street goes?? Into the sewer. New York does not have two separate sewer systems, one for runoff and one for sewage.
Posted by: guest at February 29, 2008 4:01 PM in response to Sump Pump Info Needed
Maybe I'm getting confused about the terminology but I thought a sump pump wasn't connected to anything. Isn't it just a hole in ground where excess water can go (and eventually drain away)? Ideally dug about 4ft deep with layers of pebbles and sand but, still, just a hole. Correct me if I'm wrong coz I want get one installed so any clarifications would be helpful.
Posted by: guest at February 29, 2008 5:49 PM in response to Sump Pump Info Needed
here's a different question on the same topic - what happens if you get an electrician to file with ConEd, he begins the work, gets the new meters in, but then won't show up to finish the work, and hence won't get the inpsection to happen either? could a different electrician take over at this point? or does it have to be the one who filed in the first place?
Posted by: guest at March 5, 2008 2:40 PM in response to Need electrical inspection?
If you use Amendola, be sure to inspect the wood upon delivery. We were promised one thing and received something inferior to what we ordered. We refused delivery and cancelled the order because they would not accommodate us and would not make an exchange to the higher quality wood we ordered at the outset.
Posted by: guest at March 28, 2008 11:57 AM in response to Wood Fence contractor
chuck from "Dig" on Atlantic Ave did mine...beautiful cedar fence. I found him on here originally
718-554-0207 tell him Dave from Bed Stuy referred you
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at March 28, 2008 3:00 PM in response to Wood Fence contractor
can anyone post the cost of their fence project?
Posted by: herkimer at March 30, 2008 4:27 PM in response to Wood Fence contractor
There are a lot of fumes from the paint, but they vent with an exhaust fan if there is a window in the bathroom. Keep the windows open. If you have pets, you may want to move them for the day. It takes 24 hours for the tub to dry, about a day for the smell to leave.
Posted by: guest at March 31, 2008 5:33 PM in response to Tub reglazing
If they remove the doors to strip them, how do you protect your property while the doors are gone? My doors are my tenant entrance to the top floor apartment, and we use the garden. The inside door would not leave enough protection from breakins. Any suggestions?
Posted by: BB at December 5, 2007 1:45 PM in response to Wood-Zone ?