Thread: Unexplained house problems

Originally Posted by phinik

With all of the knowledge on TD, I'm hoping someone can direct me.
10 months ago I completed a house in Issan. At the time I bought what I thought was good bathroom fixtures (chrome finish from Germany) and good doors. The wood with carving that you have all seen.
These were bought from a major home improvement store.
Here is the problem:
Doors are very warped (had applied stain and polyurethane when new) All fixtures are very corroded, and I am unable to fix that.
Does anyone have any idea what would cause these problems, and what I can do in the future?
I will have to get new doors, so I guess metal framed glass.
Any suggestions?

Thai doors? They wrap.... did you paint them on both sides? A good door is made of oven dry wood. If not, it wrap. You can buy cheap board doors...... instead of spending so much money to full hard wood doors. Yah, you can buy real doors, indeed ping ping..... up to you.

Aluminum slide doors perhaps?

The moisture in the air in Thailand is....70 till 90% or what? Everything gets f@cked up here, nothing stays nice, everything cracks.

Lower your expatiations, it's Thailand. I did the same, think Thai. Save your money.

^ In my previous house we had "expensive" teak wood doors bought from a local craftsman or so we thought, they all warped to some extent.
In my present abode we have cheap fibre doors that do the job, havnt warped, but I don't like them! Would happily change them out if I could find some decent doors that I knew would stand the test of time! When I get around to changing them will be looking for doors like you find in condo's, guess they will be "fire doors" at least they are fairly solid and well made, anybody any experience with doors similar?

Corroding water fittings, experienced this problem, believe I have decent quality fittings that will last a while installed now, I suspected initially that it was due to the ph of the water, it wasn't! the fittings were Thai builders quality - garbage!
This is an easy fix as there are plenty of decent quality fittings on the local market, they just cost more, if you suspect you have crappy fittings best to change before they fail as can be a chore to remove when they split and crumble in the plastic fittings.

For what its worth our landlord 8 months ago / jokingly/ kinda refurbed our townhouse and installed 2 new internal doors , 1 in the bedroom and 1 into the ajoining ensuite bathroom , these doors are made from some kinda composite material , fitted into hardwood frames

He also fitted a double stainless towel rail at the same time , now I know he wouldnt have paid much for either so I guess its kinda Homepro / Dohome quality

BUT having said that so far so good , infact the doors and the rail look the same as the day fitted , oh he also put decent stainless handles on the doors 1 of which the little grub screw keeps coming loose

Originally Posted by Airportwo

^ In my previous house we had "expensive" teak wood doors bought from a local craftsman or so we thought, they all warped to some extent.
In my present abode we have cheap fibre doors that do the job, havnt warped, but I don't like them!

Yah, those ugly plastic door you can paint them, you can glue/screw a wooden profile strip on them.....

Originally Posted by mykthemin

Originally Posted by Fondles

Originally Posted by mykthemin

Originally Posted by Fondles

Originally Posted by rickschoppers

Yes, that was my point. I paid 30,000 baht for our solid teak double carved front doors, but interior solid teak doors can be found throughout Thailand for the price I quoted. They rarely warp and last forever, but one has to get off their butt and do some looking. Stay away from the cheap doors found in places like Global House or Do Home.

Right, so hand carved exterior double doors are 30k, I can believe that but that other moron is implying a normal internal door is 30k.. Which clearly it aint.

Yes tosser good quality are 30000 and will out live us all especially a miserable old git like you. fooking wanker.

And how many Bt.30,000 internal doors are in your house ?

If the answer is more than zero you are a liar.

I have 8 in my house tosser, you know nothing about my house.

Pictures please, or this is just fantasy.

^ Welcome to the Buffalo Board, sweaty...In case we missed you earlier...

The house next to the farmhouse is very old. I don't know much about the wood but it is tight grained heavy and solid. The gf says it's been there foever. As for the doors in the farm house they were hand crafted by a local. The guy that made them crafted the windows as well. It's said he made most of them in the town.

Find that guy in your area. Pay him what he thinks he is worth and the rest is history.

Oh and as for fixtures I had a chuckle when I saw American Standard at the local store. Seems people pay more to have the little blue logo on the shitter. I'm a Chicago faucet fan. Had not seen them in Laos. All the hospitals around here have used them for ever. I'll have to pay more attention to what's on offer going forward. Some things you only want to do once in a lifetime. Good luck with the doors.

I'm a little late to this thread, sorry.

I've got some hoses, in one bathroom, that are also heavily corroded. At first, I was told it was due to poor quality. But then, I noticed it's only the two hoses connected to the hot water heater. So, I suspect something is going on with that heater. Maybe a very slight stray current, not enough to set off the breaker.

Are these fittings in contact with a hot water heater ?

Steve

No steel or iron material AFTER brass or cobber.

Brass and cobber develops ions and your steel/iron materials are done with in a short timeframe

Better look it up yourself; i'm a bit rusty myself

Do you mean copper, Helge ? I seem to recall English is not your first language.


How about some kind of earth strap ? Would that prevent the stray current and corrosion ?

Doubt electrolysis is the problem..Probably just 308 or lower SS..it does develop surface rust..same problem with flex hoses in our bathrooms..changed to plastic. You can remove surface rust using toilet cleanser but be sure to rinse thoroughly or it will stain.