Have you given up on DIY?

[JoeWras]

Replaced the start capacitor on the outside compressor HVAC unit. Cost $20 in parts, which were obtained on same day Amazon.

This is the kind of thing I'm not ready to give up. It was extremely easy to do. It did not require going into the attic. No ladders.

Just a bit of know-how was required, along with 2 hex drivers. 7 screws.

Not only was there a significant cost savings, I was able to do it very quickly. This was the 2nd day of a serious heat wave here. Many of our schools closed due to A/C problems and lack of HVAC techs to fix the issues. It helps to be able to do this kind of work when labor is short and there's a potential wait for a service call.

 

[Chuckanut]

I no longer do DIY jobs that are risky to my health. The body does not recover from falls, twists, and other forces as fast as it’s used to do. On the other hand I can still paint a wall in a room and switch out a bad electrical socket.

Falls are my big fear. As a younger man I saw too many of my elders take a big fall that they never re covered from. You won’t see me on a ladder removing bad siding or on the sloped roof brushing off the leaves.

 

[djsander]

My wife refuses to let me do anything electrical even though I spent 6 years in the Navy as an electrician. She will not let anybody do painting so we’ve been painting rooms and we have various height ceilings. She said during this round of painting we will hire it out in the future just because it’s taking longer and more tiring. That will probably be in 8-10 years when they all need freshening up. Plumbing I’ll still change fixtures. Outside faucets are getting a plumber as they’ve developed drips and I can’t get them to stop and can’t get them apart. So, some items yes, some items no. I think over time we will just call somebody and not have to deal with it. A lot of people around here have a handyman and even the lady we bought the house from left her handyman’s number. Although after seeing some of the quality of the work they do we will just hire trade professionals. One of the many reasons we have extra dollars so we can pay for it and just somebody else do the work.

 

[Koolau]

I no longer do DIY jobs that are risky to my health. The body does not recover from falls, twists, and other forces as fast as it’s used to do. On the other hand I can still paint a wall in a room and switch out a bad electrical socket.

Falls are my big fear. As a younger man I saw too many of my elders take a big fall that they never re covered from. You won’t see me on a ladder removing bad siding or on the sloped roof brushing off the leaves.

Yeah, ladders scare me a lot. Last time I was on anything other than a 3-step ladder was in my late 50s, cleaning out leaves from the gutter. Heh, heh, that's why I'm paying ridiculous HOA dues so I never have to climb a ladder again.

 

[harley]

I was standing on a 3-step step ladder yesterday, changing some light bulbs. No real issues, but when I was standing on the top step (no hand support) I felt a little unstable. I could see how in a few years I could do the same thing and tumble right off. My solution for now is taller ladders with more support.

 

[Walt34]

I was standing on a 3-step step ladder yesterday, changing some light bulbs. No real issues, but when I was standing on the top step (no hand support) I felt a little unstable. I could see how in a few years I could do the same thing and tumble right off. My solution for now is taller ladders with more support.

My solution is that I'm gradually switching to platform ladders. Downsides are they are a bit more expensive than stepladders and they are a bit heavier. The plus, which is huge to me, is that you're a lot more stable on them because you're standing on a wider platform and you have this "guardrail" on three sides at about waist height to lean on. I think they're great!

https://www.homedepot.com/b/Building-Materials-Ladders-Platform-Ladders/Werner/N-5yc1vZcd4zZ4s6

 

[rayvt]

But they are heavy. And when you get older you cannot lift and carry heavy things anymore.

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Old age is not for the weak.

 

[Music Lover]

But they are heavy. And when you get older you cannot lift and carry heavy things anymore.

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Old age is not for the weak.

If you can't carry a 20-pound ladder (whether or not you plan on using it) then getting out of a chair is probably a problem. I lift weights because I don't want to be the typical old person that struggles to get out of a chair.

 

[Chuckanut]

If you can't carry a 20-pound ladder (whether or not you plan on using it) then getting out of a chair is probably a problem. I lift weights because I don't want to be the typical old person that struggles to get out of a chair.

My doctor once told me that I should be able to get up out of a normal kitchen table chair without having to use my hands. And get off the floor without having grab onto anything and pull myself up. That’s the minimum level of fitness a person should have if possible.

I strive more more now that I know once you lose it, it’s hard to get back. Growing old is not for sissies.

 

[calmloki]

Screw it. I'm gonna go with the pros.

https://www.reddit.com/r/maybemaybemaybe/comments/16hsxg9/maybe_maybe_maybe/

 

[harley]

Screw it. I'm gonna go with the pros.

https://www.reddit.com/r/maybemaybemaybe/comments/16hsxg9/maybe_maybe_maybe/

Well, you just made me waste 2 hours of my life.

 

[Koolau]

Screw it. I'm gonna go with the pros.

https://www.reddit.com/r/maybemaybemaybe/comments/16hsxg9/maybe_maybe_maybe/

That is a classic video.

Reminds me of the possibly apocryphal story of the guy loading unused bricks into a barrel on a roof. Was it 5 accidents or just one?

https://www.physics.smu.edu/scalise/www/misc/bricks.html

 

[JoeWras]

LOL! These stories. I think the brick report is better than a video. Dad worked in the trades and he frequently brought home mimeographed things like this. They were the viral stories of the 60s and 70s.

I think the guy standing on the cut was a joke. He never really cuts it.

There is a copyrighted video out there (FAILARMY) that has someone actually doing this. Well, almost. He is demoing a roof and has one foot on the "good" side, and one foot on the "demo" side. When he makes the cut, he forgot to shift his weight and down he goes. Luckily, only about 8 ft., into the pile of also falling debris.