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This is a story of two home maintenance items. One that was immediate, and I addressed it, the other must be addressed soon. Here are our thoughts associated with how to proceed.
For the first project, I recently replaced a bathroom ventilation fan in one of our bathrooms. In the time we’ve owned this house it has gotten progressively louder. The bathroom in question is adjacent to our main living areas, so the noise is annoying.
To replace the unit, I had to access it from both above and below to discern how it was attached to the ceiling structure, access the wiring, and evaluate the exhaust hose leading to an external vent. This meant spending time standing on a six-foot ladder in the small bathroom, but also crawling on my belly in the attic. This attic area above the bathroom only had 3 feet of clearance.
We selected a replacement unit from Amazon. It was rated to have better airflow than the existing unit and be much quieter. I started this project one morning, assembling all the tools I thought I would require for the task. I invariably guess wrong and need to make many additional trips to my workbench in the garage. I went into the attic with a pry bar to loosen the attachment to the overhead rafter. After that I was able to drop the unit into the bathroom, disconnect the exhaust hose and evaluate the electrical connections. This was key, because the fan and light work independently, with two switches running from the same source.
I was finally ready to start working with the replacement unit. My electrical connections worked for both the light and the fan, the fan was quiet, and air flowed through the opening. With that knowledge, I anchored the unit to the overhead rafter with screws. The new unit was not the same size as the old one, so with the help of my wife I centered it in the existing hole as best as possible, and then cut pieces of wood to surround housing and prevent attic air and insulation intrusion into the bathroom.
This task took most of the day. Everything works and we’re happy with the result. I still need to do cosmetic work to patch the sheetrock. I could have hired someone to do this job, but it was within my skillset and all it took was time. A professional would have done it quicker, but I have the satisfaction of knowing I did it myself. Even if we had hired a professional, we still would be left with cosmetic work.
The second project is very different, primary brute-force labor. I’ve written about our house addition in Humble Dollar, where we replaced gutters and added gutter guards. It has been over two years since then, and while gutter guards are great, they do not keep everything out. Over time leaves and other debris collected in the gutters and migrated to the areas around the downspouts. As soon as fall is over, they need to be cleaned. This involves being up on a ladder, at times 20 feet in the air, removing some of the gutter guard, scooping out whatever has collected around each downspout, and replacing the gutter guard.
We will contract this maintenance item with a handyman. I’m in good physical shape for my age, but I don’t wish to risk a fall while I’m on the ladder. Here in Raleigh, North Carolina most of the leaves are still on the trees and just now starting to fall. Sometime in early 2025 I’ll look for an appropriately insured handyman to take this task.
Our decisions associated with these projects are a question of balance. The exhaust fan project was relatively simple, I already owned all the tools and accessories required for the job, and I was confident I could complete the task. The gutter cleaning task is very simple but includes a measure of risk that I no longer wish to take. I cleaned the gutters multiple times per year for the first ten years we lived here, but as time marches on, the risk of falling while doing this job is higher than the return (or satisfaction) of completing it myself. This decision isn’t made lightly. The thought of spending money to have something done that I have done myself chafes a bit, but we need to get used to these decisions.
LOL, sounds so familiar. Our son (24) who is in great shape, tall, and thin as a rail helps me with gutter work. I “anchor” the ladder, and he climbs the ladder like a Lemur and quickly rains debris on me. We have it down to a science. AND at the end we sit on the deck and enjoy a glass of really good bourbon. This is in fact his Christmas gift to me every year. I don’t need trinket’s, just his healthy knees to climb a ladder! I think we both enjoy the time together. And I know he enjoys my special pour afterwards.
Scott – I’m on the same page as you about really good bourbon, but always wait until after the task is complete! I like Angel’s Envy, Buffalo Trace, and Eagle Rare. The last two are very hard to find in NC, as the liquor stores are run by the state government.
Very rewarding to do the job yourself. Over 50 years I would take on any Fix It project. When I got to 70 years old, ladders became forbidden, my best buddy fell off one and his arm is injured for life. Nice work on the Fan project. As for leaves in the gutter I found after MUCH research that the best gutter cards are screwed onto the gutter, and are made of a very Strong Resilient Plastic. I put on these gutter guards and have not cleaned the gutters for many years, like 15 years. They are not cheap about $10 per foot installed, but they work, check out YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kst2lQlOf1A. These are not your Home Depot type guards. Stay safe out there and stop using ladders after 65 to 70, it is just not worth an accident.
William – thanks for reading and commenting. Sounds like we’re on a parallel path.
We want to ‘age in place’ so home services are a planned expense in our retirement plan. We are lucky to have 3 grandsons who help out occasionally (& happy to pay them). Recently we purchased a lawn service to apply fertilizer and weed control, and blow out the sprinkler lines. Our lawn has never looked better and my husband is so much happier. And we purchased a home maintenance package to change filters and clean some of our major appliances. Over time, we’ll add snow removal, mowing, and window/gutter cleaning. I agree with you that the risk of falling isn’t worth it and in some cases, they do a better job!
Cheryl, thanks for reading and commenting. I also think that more hired services are in our future. We also hope to age in place but some tasks will get harder as we get older.
I replaced our main bathroom vent motor about a decade ago. Since then I have had a good outcome on dealing with our vent fan noise by an annual shot of white lithium grease after a vacuum of the motor using an attachment that lets me get into the small openings on the motor. The amount of dust & dirt that accumulates in a year always surprises me.
I just did a the major fall cleaning of our gutters yesterday. At 74 I also worry about my balance. I have a two story house with roofs at two levels. For the first story I have a 12′ ladder that allows me to step directly from the ladder to the first floor roof so I have a high level of confidence that I can safely clean the first story gutters with my leaf blower and a small plastic gutter tool to reach into the gutter and get out any matted leaves. I can reach the second level gutters on the backside of my house by simply standing on the first level roof. To reach the second story roof gutters on the front of the house requires climbing from another ladder from the first roof to second roof. I have a small high quality folding adjustable ladder with a stand off bar and which I can adjust its length to extend a couple of rungs above the second roof gutter level. I tie off the ladder to a second roof standpipe and can then properly step through the top of the ladder onto the second roof. The stepping through onto the second floor roof and then reversing to get off that roof after cleaning the front gutters does require a level of fitness and physical strength that will limit the number of additional years I expect I can safely do this chore.
William – thanks for reading and your comments. Procedurally, I think your ladder climbing and descending protocols are good. I’m just not gonna do that anymore.
Fred – thanks for your thoughts. I’ll take a look at this.
Hello Jeff. We had the same problem with our gutters. We had new gutters installed with leaf guards, and all worked fine here in southeastern PA for about two years or so. Then I noticed that the gutters were overflowing at the downspout locations. Small leaf debris got into the gutters and accumulated right over the downspout connection. I then noticed that the gutter opening to the 3×4 downspout was only about 2 inches in diameter, and this was the cause of the plugging. I found the perfect solution online–there’s a very inexpensive device called a funnel drain connection that is mounted to the gutter, after an approximate 4×6 inch opening is cut from the bottom of the gutter. It’s called a “Wide Mouth High Backed Downspout Gutter Funnel”, or “Aquabarrel”. I got several of them on Amazon, and they work like a charm!! Any small debris that gets through the gutter guards gets flushed right out of the downspout–no more clogging!! It’s relatively inexpensive, less than $30 each. I don’t like going up on the ladder anymore, so I had a local maintenance guy install them for us, at a very reasonable cost! I think these will solve your problem!!
Last year we replaced a 45 year old bath fan. I did a little search on line and found that a modern duplicate of this fan with the same dimensions was available. Installing it required a trip to the attic. At 78, I no longer get on a ladder, stepladder, or any similar device. I have a handyman who charges $85 an hour. That might seem like a lot, but it is tiny compared to what an electrician or plumber charges. The fan cost $120 and it took the handyman less than two hours….
Moving on to the topic of gutters….Here in the PNW coastal zone, the dominant tree is the Douglas Fir. There are also lots of Western Red Cedars. Each fir tree has billions of needles which are about 1″ long and about the diameter of a sewing needle. If you have a Doug Fir upwind of your roof, even up to 150′ away, you will have gutter issues on the upwind side of your home. There is no effective (in my opinion) gutter guard or cover that keeps you from having to have someone clean the gutters. For us, the best solution is to have someone with a gas blower blow them out once a year. We also have an in-line filter in two of the downspouts on that side of the house. Fortunately, the handyman will do this as well. He can set a toilet in less than an hour, replace a faucet valve core, install a door or closet door…..
I know quite a few people who, when they hit 60, thought that ladders were still their friends. Falling off of a ladder at any age isn’t a good thing, but it can be an event that really ruins a retirement……
stelea99 – My previous home had a lot of pine needles (different from yours, but the impact is similar). Fortunately the roof slope was low and I was younger, so I was able to use my leaf blower for that job. Thanks for reading and commenting.
Jeff,
We had our handyman replace our master bathroom fan. He told us what to buy.
As to our gutters … back when we had a house one of my sons or son-in-laws would come over to clean them out.
Winston – thanks for reading and commenting.
Jeff, you should have gotten the fan unit with the heater…it’s awesome when you get out of the shower. We’re in the process of renovating two bathrooms and this was a great suggestion by the contractor.
Good call on not doing the gutter cleaning yourself. We’ve all worked hard to afford a reasonable lifestyle at this stage of our lives. Paying someone to do it may cost a few bucks (blow that dough) but may save you a few years of healthy living.👍
luvtoride – Thanks for reading and commenting. The bathroom in this story is not our primary bathroom. I’m not positive without reviewing local electrical codes, but I suspect that I would need to add an additional breaker and electrical circuit to support a heater. I recommend deploying a timer on your heater controls. Electrical resistance heating is expensive compared to natural gas furnaces and heat pumps.
I just replaced a GFCI in our primary bathroom. I just disconnected one wire at a time from the old and placed in same location on the new. It only took about 15 minutes.
Was irritated that the device cost $28, but I’m pretty sure it would have cost hundreds of dollars for an electrician.
David – Thanks for reading and commenting. I’ve replaced several GFCIs. I find that some last forever, and others weaken and begin to trip over time.
Too many bad stories with ladders and heights! I recently paid to have our gutters cleaned,although husband thought he could do it. I would not let him take that risk. You made a wise call.
Kari – Thanks for reading.
I admire those who can and are willing to do DIY projects in or out. I on the other hand am incompetent with zero motivation.
Dick – Thanks. My Dad taught me that if something is broken then there’s nothing to lose if you try to fix it.
I once replaced an outlet and after messing about and ready to test it I found out I had turned off the wrong circuit breaker and had made the change while all the wires were live. Sometimes for us incompetents there is a lot to lose. 😎
Glad you’re OK! Circuit testers or VOMs are relatively inexpensive tools.
I’m impressed! But I know my limitations and I have never done those kinds of jobs myself. I live just down the road from you, but while the gutter cleaners I used aren’t taking new customers, the handyman outfit I relied on for the last few years I owned a house might handle the job.
Kathy – thanks! I’ll check him out when the time comes.
Great post Jeff. I used to own a 32 foot heavy duty ladder. I need that length to get to the end of our gutters where the ground sloped off rapidly. It was a beast and I struggled to carry and put it in place. Over the years I felt less and less comfortable that high up. Our current house has very high gutters and steep roof lines. No way I’m attempting that. Good job on the exhaust fan. It’s always exciting to replace an old electrical or plumbing unit and see what you are getting yourself into. It often involved multiple trips to the hardware store in a single morning.
Ah, plumbing work – my nemesis! Go to the hardware store to buy what you think you need. Another trip to buy what you missed on your first appraisal of the job. Another trip to buy what you inadvertently damaged during the repair. Last trip to return the items you didn’t need after all. And the ultimate finale – you end up calling a plumber anyway. Part of the pride of ownership of a house!
37 years ago in our first house, the overflow tube on a 50 year old toilet broke off, with part of the tube stuck in the threads off the fitting connecting the bowl and tank. I took it apart and searched for a replacement fitting. I finally went to a great old-school plumbing supply house in Norristown, PA. When I showed the seasoned salesman the part, he laughed and said he hadn’t seen one of them for 30 years. Several of the older plumbers hanging in the service desk recommended I used a 2-part epoxy to bond in a plastic tube. I did that and it lasted as long as we owned the house. I found that a serious plumbing supply place like that supplied $100 of advice a for a small dollar purchase. Free expert advice was a great advantage.
GW – Plumbing work used to scare me, but this house has PEX supply lines everywhere, so there’s no soldering or pressure fittings to worry about. At my local hardware store, if I bring a diagram of what I want to do, they’ll walk me through the parts, fittings, etc. I need and make sure I’m good-to-go.
Rick – sounds like we’ve had parallel experiences with gutters and steep roof slopes. I considered rigging a belay line and using my old climbing harness as a fall arrestor. After thinking about it I didn’t bother proposing it to my wife – I knew she would nix it.
And yes, conquering the legacy installation of items that predate our ownership of this house is always fun. I was happy that no trips to the hardware store were required, but as I mentioned, I made numerous trips to the garage to gather additional tools. 🙂
That’s sound reasoning Jeff. I’ve known a couple building trade guys whose career ended after falling off ladders.
Dan – Thanks for commenting. Falling is the fear – and not due to ending a career, but rather to ending a life.
I agree. In 2010 a 73 year old 2 term past governor of my state died from blunt trauma when he fell blowing pine needles off his roof. Yet another thing we all have in common.
OldITGuy – that’s sad. I know a similar story. It’s another reason to assess potential dangers when doing something new.