That's roofing felt though, right? I'm not sure, but how do you see the roofing felt but not the front of the drip edge unless the roofing felt is wrapped all the way around the drip edge and then the gutter comes up between the felt and the drip edge?

Maybe the gutter was installed in front of the drip edge and someone tried to shove something in to stop water from going back between the drip edge and the gutter.

I don't think that's roofing felt you're looking at. I believe it's dark brown drip edge that's old and the paint has deteriorated. I think that shiny thin line between the shingles and the gutter is the bead edge of the drip edge with the paint completely worn away.

So my pressure relief valve that's dripping is from the boiler, not the hot water tank. Also realized that there is an in-line pressure gauge which always seems to read about 12 PSI - but that's pretty much the cold temp as the system isn't running much at all right now.

I think the valve just needs to be replaced. I'm trying to read the little tag on it but can't make sense of it. FIL is visiting next week and he said he can replace it no problem.

Maybe and if so maybe the drip edge has cracked at the bend and water is going through there.

Here's another angle



Anyway, thanks for all the input. Very much appreciated as always. I guess the good news is that even with all the rain we've been having and water dumping so close to the foundation, there hasn't been any moisture getting into the basement, which was something I was worried about.

So it's paper/(asphalt felt with embedded fine gravel), right?

That's what it looks like to me. Of course, I don't know **** about this stuff!

Sounds right. It feels like a thin shingle.

I think zikzak is right that the facia shouldn't let water into the soffit regardless of what the gutter is doing, but that as de captain said, the gutter is installed incorrectly and it's channeling and somewhat trapping water against the facia.

Seems like a lot of water to be leaking though if the gutters weren't clogged.

That's a strip of rolled roofing, usually found on sheds and stuff. It doesn't last very long, but it's cheap and easy to install. I'm thinking the water is getting between that strip and the thing that may or may not be a bent piece of drip edge, then running behind the gutter and possibly getting behind the fascia and into the soffit.

Still think the biggest problem is the sagging against the wall, which is likely caused by rotten wood due to the water getting in and running back towards the house.

Anyone have any experience staining concrete after ripping up carpet? I am seeing different levels of difficulty (and different levels of effort) to go through the process from the interwebs.
We are buying a new house and the carpet has to be replaced - pet stains throughout the house. We are thinking of staining the concrete instead of doing new carpet/wood/laminate downstairs. Don't get the keys for a little while longer, so I haven't gotten the chance to see what the condition of the concrete is yet. But the house was built in 2006 so I've got my fingers crossed.

Clean, etch, stain, seal. It takes some effort and knowledge to do a good job, but it's not that difficult. A bit out of date, though. Stained concrete fell out of fashion a decade ago.

Built a gate/fence this weekend:







Still need to figure out a latch- anyone with experience know a good latch for getting in/out from both sides of the gate?

yall do some cool house stuff

I saw one on Alaska the Last Frontier, just made from wood, but the video won't load.

nearing the end of my renovation, and have come across the first major ****-up from the contractor.

decided to get built-ins in some of the other rooms and today i saw this installed in the 2nd bedroom.



looks nice enough, but it isn't what the latest drawings show. instead of cabinets below the bookcases, there are supposed to be drawers that go up higher than the window sill.

sent the contractor and architect an email tonight to let them know about the screw-up. interested to see how they will handle it. i imagine this will be a fairly expensive mistake for the contractor to correct, since the units are fully installed, including adding a soffit above the shelves. only go by the site once a week, so this was my first chance to catch it.

My roof was completed on schedule and it looks good. We've had several big rains without any issues, so I think we're all set. We only ended up replacing two sheets of plywood that were delaminating from water damage prior to when we owned the house.

We were also concerned about possible interior damage around the skylight boxes when replacing them, but the old ones came right out, the new ones popped in, and all we had to do was add a bead of white caulk between the frames and the interior boxes and they look much better than the old ones since these frames actually match the boxes.

Pic of the new roof.

Anyone here have a strong opionion about using oil or water based polyurethane on a pine floor? I'm wondering about asthetics. I understand that the floors will lighten up a bit after they're sanded but does anyone have a sense of how they will age. Should also mention that we're not so concerned about durability as we don't have animals or an army of people marching through. Thanks

Nice roof and nice house Jb.

Oil based poly yellows when it goes down, and even more so when it ages. This gives a warm tone tending towards orange that is either classic or tired, depending on your POV.

Water based has minimal effect on color and leaves a more natural wood look that is a bit more contemporary.

Oil based is harder and more durable, but if you're using the right water based (meaning one specifically intended for floors) the difference isn't major.

Water based stinks a lot less.

Thank you, zik. That's a lot like what I've read. Decisions decisions...

I plan on putting some chairs & a table at the edge of my lawn in a wooded area (the property behind my house is half yard / half wooded). I've removed weeds, etc., and want to cover the area with something before putting in furniture - e.g., mulch, but something without the stench. Any ideas on the best play here? There's probably an obvious answer.

depends on what you want.

decomposed granite or crushed gravel is one option that may be best for furniture because of the smaller sized pieces and it will last longer than a natural material like mulch or bark. you'll want to put down a layer of non-woven geotextile fabric first to keep the soil and rocks separated and also prevent weeds. you should also install a border to keep the rocks from eventually migrating into the surrounding landscape.

another option is to use bark chips or bark dust instead of mulch. depending on where you live they come in a variety of types and sizes. it's still a good idea to put down a layer of geotex before the bark to control weeds. any wood product will break down in a few years and need to be replaced, so a rock base will last longer than wood base.

here are some of the options for chips/dust/rocks in the northwest http://barkblowers.com/products/ (just used the first link i found after a google search for 'bark chips') why don't you see what comes up when you search for the same thing in your area and go from there.

Awesome, thanks. Assume I'm going to move forward with a non-rock option.