texts: How should I connect the ground wires for my new light fixture?

texts:
I have a question about what to do with ground wires.
I am installing a new light fixture above my dining room table.  Fixture comes with a ground wire obviously.  Main electrical wiring has the normal black and white wire AND a bare copper wire (which I’m assuming is another ground wire).
In addition it appears that my octagonal electric junction box also has a green copper ground wire attached to box with a screw, so I now have three grounding wires. Light fixture mounting bracket has the normal green screw that I should be attaching a ground wire.
Question: Is which wire do I attach to the mounting bracket ground screw AND what to do with the other grounding wires??


texts:
I have some space left under my kitchen sink, which I would like to use as best as I can. However the space I have left over is only (w,h,l) 20x18x52cm. I saw the following drawer on ikea's website and this was as far as I came. The problem with the product is, that it is 5cm too long. I considered cutting it  and gluing it back together but this would mean less structural integrity, wouldn't be nice to look at and hard to pull out.

Of course there are a number of other drawers e.g. made of metal, but none of my dimensions. The material doesn't really matter, however I would like to have metal because its easier to pull out. I also thought about a ground mounted drawer, but I couldn't really find anything. Here you can see the space which I would like to use better (bottom left corner), maybe you have any ideas of buying or doing something on my own for low price (< 30 dollar or so)


texts: Can I apply water based polyurethane over oil based polyurethane and vice versa?

texts:
I can see brush strokes on a dining table from a previous application of polyurethane.

I want to sand these and re-apply polyurethane.  I do not know whether the previous application was a water-based or oil-based product.

What should I do?


texts: Should I hang drywall up to the ceiling (using steel studs)?

texts:
If my studs are 3 meter high, will I have any problems if I hang drywall up to 2.4 meters, leaving 0.6 meter of stud showing? Or should the drywall cover all the studs?

PS: I'm using steel studs.


texts: How do I use a headboard intended to mount on a wall onto a bed frame instead?

texts: I bought a headboard online without realising that it does not have legs. It's just an carved wooden plank that has holes on the back for it to be hung on a wall. I live in an apartment and I do not want to drill holes into the wall for it and I can't seem to find a bracket and bed frame that would help me attach it to the bed frame instead. Does anyone have any leads to which kind of bed frame/bracket I could use for this?


texts: What material is my damaged kitchen ceiling made of and how should I repair it?

texts:
I have a house built in the 1950's, 3 bedroom brick ranch in Michigan.

I had a leak in my roof, which over a period of time caused the kitchen ceiling to start to fall apart, peel, and show water stains on the material underneath that.

I have fixed/replaced the roof, and am now looking to fix the kitchen ceiling. If possible, I'm willing to do the work myself, but only if I can find good instructional videos that walk me through the process.

I was trying to lookup videos this evening, but I'm not sure what materials these are. It looks as though there's some kind of drywall or cement fiberboard, then some kind of mud/plaster/compound, then paint.

This is a closeup that shows the rough material underneath (cement board?), and a bit of a side view of the next two layers.

This is the same view, but zoomed out a little

https://imgur.com/WFXyHqC

This view shows another spot where the middle white layer hasn't peeled away yet, just the paint layer seems to have peeled.

https://imgur.com/GYbw3n8

The next two pictures are a little more zoomed out to show the size of the area that I am dealing with

https://imgur.com/dEdNi0U

https://imgur.com/G54ZZLV

If anyone could point me in the right direction as far as what materials these are, and a general idea of how complex the project would be to fix it, or what i can search for to find an instructional video, i would greatly appreciate it.


texts: How do I fix squishy tiles in shower floor?

texts:
I bought this property a few months ago. The master bathroom has a tile shower. After the shower is used and the floor has dried, stepping on some of the tiles results in a "squish" noise, and a little water comes up through the grout.

You can see in the photo of the shower floor my (poor) re-grouting; there were some cracks in the grout near the drain and I had hoped replacing it would solve the problem. (It obviously didn't.)

What should I do next to diagnose & repair this weeping floor? We've been showering in the guest bathroom for long enough, I think.

Bonus question: how urgent is this?

Weeping:

The whole bathroom is tiled:


texts: When I turn on the water to the sink, it sends water to the tub & shower, why would this happen?


texts: What is this English wardrobe cabinet fitting?

texts:
I'd like to find out what these fittings were used for to decide whether to remove them.
They are installed horizontally and vertically.
My first guess was that they were swing out basket hinges, but that doesn't account for the vertical installation of two of them.
Inside the axel has two holes around 90 deg from each other.


texts: Replacing original 1950s exterior door with new prehung: threshold question

texts: I'm about to replace the original 1950s era back door on my house with a pre-hung. I'm planning this as a DIY job and have watch plenty of videos, but one thing that hasn't been well addressed is what to do with the original threshold.  I have added a couple of pictures.   I imagine i have to rip it (the green piece) out, as it is sloped, and then replace with a level piece and put my new door frame on top of that.  Am I on the right track?  Any further advice specific to the threshold aspect of this job?  Thank you.


texts: Should whole house humidifier leak cold air in the summer?

texts:
I've recently been learning a lot about sealing our HVAC ducts to improve system efficiency. On my mission to seal every accessible leak, I noticed my air conditioning/furnace cabinet joints were leaking quite a bit of air. I started sealing them all up, but noticed my attached humidifier was one of the biggest culprits of air leakage.
The operating manual says it draws in ambient air through a humidifier pad via a fan into the duct to distribute throughout the house (picture from manual attached). That makes sense, but it seems the same air inlet used during winter operation lets air out when trying to air condition the house. The manual doesn't mention any sort of "summer operating mode".
So my questions are:

Is there a way to prevent air leakage with this kind of unit (Honeywell HE300 if model-specific)?
Am I going to a pointless extreme by trying to seal every last cabinet leak?


texts: How should I clean my slate and stucco outdoor patio area?

texts:
I have a patio with a slate floor, with (what used to be) a bright white grout of some sort, surrounded by stucco half-walls that are topped with additional slate. The stucco has a rough surface. There is a buildup of dirt and mold/algae on the slate, grout and stucco.

I think that I want to power wash the area. I'm concerned about damaging the slate, grout or stucco. I'm also clueless about aftercare. A bunch of questions:

Is powerwashing appropriate? Is there a recommended PSI or power level?

Other than using minimum pressure, is there anything special I should do to avoid damaging the patio?

Is sealing slate and/or stucco recommended after power washing? I prefer a natural look. I wouldn't want the slate to be shiny. Are there classes of sealant products I should stay away from or gravitate towards?


texts: Water going out badly from sinks and shower - how to locate the issue?

texts:
I've recently purchased a house and face a number of new challenges now. One of them is that water from the sinks goes out badly, and sometimes not at all (i.e. most goes out, but a few cm remain, for hours). Now one of the showers has started to show the same symptom.

The issue might have gotten worse (or I suffer from selective perception) after we removed the basement kitchen, which left one water outlet open (strong sewage smell, now the outlet is covered).

I've thrown the usual drain cleaner chemicals in there, to little effect, making me believe the problem isn't some hair in the outlet, but somewhere else. As I have no clue about plumbing at all, I don't even know where to start searching for the problem.

Two things that might help: One of the affected sinks has a plastic pipe under it, when I press it air bubbles come up and water goes out, so it seems air and not water is blocking the passage?
Second, we are living in the house with 2 people. The previous owners were a full family (6 people living constantly, I think), so most likely there's now a lot less water going through the system. One shower and one bathtub we don't use at all.

Happy for any answers that can tell me how to troubleshoot the issue and finding out what the problem is.


texts: Can I use a combination of two mobile air conditioner units to cool house?

texts: We have a one story house. It’s 1040 square feet. Our central air unit, which was about 20 years old, finally broke. We’ve been told it’ll be about $4,000 to replace it and that amount of money simply isn’t in the budget right now. I was wondering if maybe putting a mobile air conditioner at one end of the house and another one at the other end would efficiently cool most of the house? I thought mobile units might work better than window units because we have casement windows, and I know casement window units are also pretty pricey. All 3 bedrooms have doors but the living room has an open entryway into the kitchen, so there wouldn’t really be a way to close off the air between the living room and kitchen that I can think of. I even thought maybe just getting an air conditioner with a super high BTU, but again, what’s the point if higher BTU doesn’t translate to coverage of more square feet. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.


texts: Is it okay to use an LFNC whip to connect air conditioner where subject to physical damage?

texts:
I have seen many air conditioners at ground-level in multiple cities near me that are connected using liquid-tight non-flexible conduit (LFNC) whips.

Example: http://www.southwire.com/products/whip-assemblies-ultra-whip-water-well.htm (Note: this is not an endorsement of the product I selected it as an example because it states: "Commonly used for connecting air conditioners" under applications)

Per 2014 NEC section 356.12(1), LFNC shall not be used where subject to physical damage. As I understand, connecting an air conditioner at ground level on an exterior of a home without any surrounding protection like a fence makes the LFNC very much subject to physical damage (particularly from string trimmers).

Are the installations I have seen in violation of code, or does 2014 NEC section 356.10(1) (listed below) somehow trump 356.12(1)?

  356.10 Uses Permitted. LFNC shall be permitted to be used in exposed or concealed locations for the following purposes:

  Informational Note: Extreme cold may cause some types of nonmetallic
  conduits to become brittle and therefore more susceptible to damage
  from physical contact.

  (1) Where flexibility is required for installation, operation, or
  maintenance.


texts:
Location: Oklahoma City.  Tornados and storms abound.  A hail and wind storm has prompted the replacement of the vinyl siding.  During demo of the damaged vinyl I discovered a wood siding layer underneath the vinyl.  The wood layer is rotted and in various areas the tongue and groove sheathing is exposed.  The sheathing in 30-40% of the exterior, that I have exposed from the wood siding removal, has deteriorated so much that the lightest touch turns it to powder.  Beyond the sheathing is insulation and interior sheetrock.  I feel it would be neglectful not to replace the sheathing and maybe put up an air barrier as well.  Or should i just leave the wood siding that remains and just install the vinyl siding over it.  Also the roof has just been replaced.

I'm not sure of the best way to proceed.  I was leaning towards OSB sheathing, Tyvek air barrier, foam insulation, and finally vinyl siding.

Is this the recommended course of action?


texts: How to frame for a drywall ceiling with 8 feet between trusses?

texts:
I have a post frame building that was recently constructed where the post and joists have 8 foot on center spacing. The building is 38' x 54' and we had a 2nd floor built on the North end of it which measures 38' x 30.  This 2nd floor is to be a framed in and finished "living space". I didn't consider how I was supposed to do a drywall ceiling on the 2nd floor when the trusses are so far apart.
I was considering using 1x3" 16' furring strips to span over 2 trusses at 16" on center. I'm afraid that an 8' span will still sag with drywall on it.
My other idea was to put 2x4 8', 16" on center, in between the joists with hangers like these
Would either of these ideas work with what I have? Are there better options?


texts: I have an older 1981 mobile home and an outlet in my living room wasnt holding plugs so I replaced it with a new three prong, taking the wiring off the old push in styled plug and connecting them to the new screw on plug as they were on the old one: two white wires on one the left side, one red wire on top right and two black wires on the bottom right, and the copper ground pigtail on the ground screw. I turned the power back on and plugged in my tester and it is reading as an open ground. How do I fix this?


texts: Can flow rate (or pressure) at the end increase if the diameter of pipe increased and then gradually reduced along the way?

texts:
We have a water tank that's just 6.5 - 7 ft above ground level. The length of the pipe from water tank to sink tap would be around 25 ft. Output from water tank is an 1.5 inch pipe which then reduced to 1 inch pipe after 5 ft. Then the remaining 20 ft (1 inch pipe) is connected to sink tap which then finally reduced to 0.5 inch as per sink tap size. Sink tap is 3 ft above ground level. Due to the lower tank height and thus lesser gravitational pressure (???), the flow rate (also pressure ?) in the sink tap is not optimal (or I could say it's bit below usual flow rate). So plumber is considering following strategies to increase the flow rate (pressure ?) at the sink tap.

Increase the tank height further 3 ft (10 ft above ground level)

Starting 10 ft length would be covered by 1.5 inch pipe

Reduce from 1.5 inch to 1.25 inch after 10 ft

Next 10 ft length would be covered by 1.25 inch pipe

Reduce from 1.25 inch to 1 inch after that

Remaining 5 ft length would be covered by 1 inch pipe

Finally the 1 inch pipe is reduced to 0.5 inch at the sink tap connection

Obviously increasing the tank height would increase the flow rate (due to increased pressure), but does gradually reducing the pipe size (3 times) along the way increases the flow rate (pressure ?) at the end (sink tap) than what it was before?


texts:
I moved into this house last year. When the cable guy came last year he cut the sprinkler system wire by accident. At the time I didn't know what these wires were for. After spending hours today, I found out the wires he cut were for the sprinkler system.
My question is, what is the safest way to reattach the wires? I found that these wires only have 24 volts current. Can I buy 10 feet sprinker wire and reattach it or do I need some sort of junction box? I cannot replace the entire wire since it's going through the garden bed and it's a long distance.

It's going from that black tape to the bottom of the siding


texts: Installed new LED transformer with spring terminal, light won't turn on

texts:
Transformer:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AcPLA2Pc8bgubRKxyaK6iwiYcjKNx6BZ/view?usp=drivesdk

LED light:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1A_YCzH6FLdCCPRd5q3_LZW30tqzxeZZ5/view?usp=drivesdk

Things I've tried:

ensure cabling is tight
ensure main is working by using an old transformer and halogen light
LED light is working, tested in another socket
swap the main phase & neutral cable (order doesn't matter?)
swap the LED cable

I feel I'm doing something wrong but couldn't figure out what

Update:

I wonder if I didn't properly secure the cable. This is what the hole look like. There's no tiny screw that squeeze the cable. I thought screwing the one big screw at the corner is enough?

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1B5ZAns52IIxpQfNHN96DVvtETfw3M0Eg/view?usp=drivesdk


texts:
I have an older house, from the mid 20s. Most of the wiring is knob and tube. Since there are brick walls every time i want to hang something I drill a hole for a screw. To avoid electrocuting myself I bought an electrical tester that's supposed to beep near electricity without touching it. I've come to realize that in large parts of the house it will go off as if there's a current even when there are no wires under the area of wall I'm near. If I touch the wall with my hand (but not just one finger) then it stops.

My theory is that something is trying to use the wall as a ground.

So my questions are, does that seem like a reasonable explanation and does it seem dangerous?

I've never gotten shocked by touching the walls.


texts: Mounting a 32" LED TV to Dry Wall without Stud Support

texts:
We're looking into mounting our current TV on the wall in the bedroom, however we've hit a minor snag, it appears there's no stud in the area where the TV would be mounted.

I've searched the wall using the 'magnet trick' and positioned the TV where we'd like it to go (opposite the bed) and it falls exactly between the edge of the wall (metal stud) and the wooden stud which is half way down the wall.

The mount that I'm looking at (and that's pictured) includes two snap toggle bolts, and I've also looked into and found some additional spring toggles. The TV itself is quite light weighing only 11.0 lb or 5 kg.

Anyway, what all the preamble boils down to is, do you think it'll be safe to mount the TV directly to the dry wall using a combination of Spring Toggles and Snap Toggles and not mounting it to a stud? If so, do you have any tips or hints on how to do it safely? If not, do you have any other suggestions?

Thank you,

TV Real, Mount Photoshopped in at the correct scale

Approximate Room Layout (note the "tv" on the wall)

"Heavy Weight" Spring Toggles


texts: What is my wall made of and how should I hang a 50lb mirror?

texts:
I plan to hang a mirror weighing 50lb on the wall. What type of anchors should I use?

I think my wall is plaster over drywall, but I'm not sure. The house was built in the US in 1952, and the surface is very hard. When attempting to hammer in a nail to hang a small photo frame, I gave up after only chipping the surface and bending the nail. There's a small panel in the wall, and the photo below taken from inside the wall shows there's two layers, one light grey on the inside of the wall (drywall?) and one dark grey on the outside (plaster?).

Should I use masonry drill bit to insert a toggle bolt, or find a stud and drill into that, or something else? It seems the options are mutually exclusive if I hit a stud or not, so is a stud finder required for this work?


texts: What's the signalling voltage on hardwire smoke detectors?  Mix and match?

texts:
What is the signalling voltage on hardwire smoke detectors?
Is it acceptable to mix brands?
Is it acceptable to have detectors on different electrical circuits, connected only with an interconnect wire (will that cause the interconnect to be referenced to the wrong ground level?).

Why?
I have an existing hardwire OneLink alarm, and a battery powered slave.  But the corresponding hardwire BRK alarms get terrible reviews (see  Passive-Aggressive smoke detectors for the type of problem).  I'd like to know if I can purchase higher quality units and still interconnect them.

The OneLink alarms transmit extra digital data wirelessly (e.g. the room and alarm type)... do they do that over the interconnect wire also?

The vendor instructions of course tell you to use only matching alarms.


texts: How to combine in phase 120VAC 15A 60 Hz feeds on a pair of outdoor GFCI outlets?

texts:
My situation is this... I have a pair of outdoor GFCI outlets which are on separate 15A breakers and are in phase with each other so I want to combine them using a special wiring harness such that I can draw up to 30A total at 120VAC (60 Hz).  So I carefully tested that the 2 outlets are indeed in phase by checking them individually first for power, then checking the voltage   between the 2 hots.  Unfortunately, there is a fraction of a volt difference between them and that is enough to "pop" them as soon as I interconnect them  (parallel them).  Both GFCI breakers trip immediately even without any load.  My application is so I can run a 120V device that is MORE than 15A draw without overloading either circuit.  Also because there are other appliances on one of those same circuits inside the house so I would rather split the load (let's say 17A total) so that it is about 8.5A per outlet.  The split doesn't have to be exactly 50/50 but something close to that would be nice.

So my question is how do I do this with GFCI or will those prevent me from doing this?

It appears there are "random" loads on the one outlet (lights, fans...) but the 2nd outlet is dedicated (with no other loads).  I think that might be part of the problem of the voltage difference.  Should I perhaps load up one of the outlets BEFORE combining it with the other one such that the voltages match exactly, thus no current should flow between them?  That might work if the load is constant on the one outlet but then what might happen when I put the heavy load in the paralleled outlets?  This seems like a challenge to get to work.

I think with non GFCI outlets this would be "cake" (easy) but my application is to rapid charge a golf cart battery bank and that has to be done outside and GFCI outlets are required (by law) on outside receptacles.


texts: Connect A 3 way swotch to an existing three way switch

texts: I have a 3 way switch (switch A) that controls a device. I have another three way switch (switch B) that is not connected to anything. I would like to connect switch B to switch A so that it can be part of the same circuit, and control the same device. Is this possible?


texts: How can I repair stacking doors that are not closing properly and running off the track?

texts:
I live near a dam. My front entrance runs along a canal
Stacked / Folding Wooden Doors
I have 4 X 6 pane stacking doors at each of my balconies and I am experiencing the following problems.

The doors are running off the track
Very difficult to get the first pane folded followed with the rest of them. At some point while sliding the doors it comes off the railing.
Too much effort required to fold and unfold these doors
Key latch is misaligned against the frame slot
Water leaking through the edges of the doors

Sliding Wooden Windows

Similar problems as above
Water leaking through the gaps within the windows.


texts: How can I get a smoother finish when painting trim?

texts:
I'm reinstalling some crown molding and decided to do some touching up while it's down. I had previously done some touch-ups on the same style in another room, and never quite got it perfectly smooth. How can I prevent brush strokes from showing on the finished product?

Some factors I've thought about:

Should I go buy a top-of-the line brush?
Would thinning the latex paint with water help?
Should I just go get a paint sprayer to save myself some time? (And hey, another excuse to buy a new tool is always great!)

Follow-up: I went ahead and bought an airless paint sprayer on sale for $60 and used Floetrol as well. (My 1 gallon compressor couldn't supply the cfm required for the HVLP sprayers I considered.) As shirlock suggested, I had to go over the trim with a brush afterward, but I think it was the most efficient method to use. A few minutes of spraying followed by a quick brush over was all it took for 30+ ft of crown molding. I think I actually spent longer cleaning out the sprayer afterwards than I did painting.


texts: Brand New Fridge - Low water pressure from dispenser

texts:
I just bought a brand new - Whirlpool French door fridge.  Water is coming out of the machine, and ice is being made... but... the water pressure from the fridge is slow.  House pressure is fine, sprinkler system is fine.

Yes - valve is all the way open, line isn't kinked, and filter is brand new with the fridge (delivered yesterday).

Suggestions?


texts: How should I investigate an exterior leak from bathroom shower use?

texts: I noticed after a shower if I go outside that there is water leakage coming out of the stucco wall.  Should I start to investigate going under the house for the leak or cut a square out where the leakage seems to be outside.  Or inside the bathroom shower wall?


texts: How can I make a bedroom with lots of windows darker?

texts:
I'm moving into a gorgeous new house with one wrinkle: my bedroom has two full walls of windows, plus skylights. Most of the day, this is great, but at night, I really want it dark where I sleep.

I am coming up with a few options, all of them mediocre, and thought the DIYers might have more:

Buy a zillion window shades/curtains. Con: with the number of windows I have (plus the skylights) this is pushing into the $2000-3000 range.
Curtain off a space with light-blocking curtains and put the bed in there. Con: bad ventilation in the summer.
Buy a four-poster bed and hang light-blocking curtains from it. Con: as #2, but much worse.
Learn to sleep in a sleep mask. :-/

Any other thoughts from the assembled? Have you done this and had it work out?


texts: What is the purpose of the "grounding" tab/wire on a 3-prong to 2-prong adapter?

texts:
We've probably all seen these guys...

They come in handy when you need to plug something with three prongs, into something with two prongs.  What I've never understood was, what the heck is the "grounding" tab for?  It's meant to have the cover plate mounting screw through it. But why?

Is this really designed as a grounding device, or is it there simply as an attachment means to insure the thing doesn't fall out of the receptacle?


texts: Should unsanded grout become darker when wet?

texts:
Anyone who recognizes me at this point will know I've been working on remodeling our bathroom (Should we use a tub surround and Curing time for grout with GroutBoost).
We finally finished everything up, let the grout dry and cure, and caulked around the tub. I used the shower with no plastic over the tile for the first time this morning, which, of course, gave me plenty of time to examine my workmanship.
I found a few little bits of grout on the tile faces that I was able to scrape off with my fingernail. I also noticed that the grout turns much darker when it gets wet, and when I rubbed one of the grout seams with my finger, I was able to get a little cloudy water on my finger. The grout seems hard enough otherwise and dried fairly quickly (returning to it's normal color).
We didn't seal the grout as we used Grout Boost Advanced Pro, and per their FAQ:

Does grout mixed with Grout Boost ever need to be sealed?
No. Since Grout Boost is mixed with the grout, the stain resistance is throughout the grout and can not erode like a sealer.

This is what it ended up looking like:

Click for large version.
Is the color change normal for unsanded grout? I am unsure as it didn't happen with the tile we took out. Also, is it okay I was able to scrape some leftover grout off the tile? I want to be sure my grout dried and cured properly.


texts: How do I connect a P-trap/standpipe to this hole in the wall?

texts:
The flat I'm about to move into has no kitchen, and I'd like to fit a trap/standpipe like this to the wall so that I can use the dishwasher while waiting for our kitchen to be installed.

As far as I understand, the waste pipe is in the middle in this picture, but how do I connect the standpipe to it?

There seems to be a rubber seal running around the inside, roughly 5 mm in size. I can't make out any thread or other interface inside or out.


texts: Can I use an outdoor 8/3 wire to hookup lights outdoor?

texts: I have removed a hot tub from my house and want to know if I can use the cable for some outdoor lights.  The wire is a 8 gauge 3 wire hooked up to a double pole 50 Amp breaker.  It is a lot of wire and rated for outdoor use.  What is the best course of action.


texts: Splitting a Water Heater Gas Line to Connect Gas Dryer

texts:
I have studied the following thread which gave me a lot of answers to my question.

Split Gas Line to Gas Water Heater for Gas Dryer

I still have some follow-up questions and would appreciate if someone could help me with these. I currently have a water heater connected to a gas valve in the wall. I need to split this line to connect to a gas dryer as well.

I am thinking of doing the following using standard connectors. Is there a better way of doing this? Also, is it OK to use Teflon sealing tape to seal the connections.


texts: How to remove old-work ceiling light fixture box attached to conduit pipes

texts:
I am trying to install thin LED recessed lights in my hallway. I need to remove the old ceiling box, as shown in the picture. I tried to remove the box for the whole day but was unsuccessful. I cut the drywall around it ad is sure that it is not fixed with a joist or anything.
I removed the punch knockouts and found that the whole ceiling box was connected to three conduits using the connected, as shown in the picture below. The conduit brings in the wire for a three-way switch system to the said ceiling box. There are the big nuts that are tightly screwing these conduit connected at the backside of the box.
Please give any suggestions as to how to remove the box. I still want to use the same wiring so don't want to damage the conduits or wires coming out of them.
Thank you


texts: Are there LED lamps available for ovens?

texts: The only place I now use an incandescent bulb is in my oven. It went out the other day and I was looking for a replacement. I am using LED all over these days but realized it may not be possible to use LEDs in a heated environment like an oven. Is that the case, or are there LED bulbs for that now also?


texts: I have a deep double fryer I am wiring up, voltage is 208/240, power is 5400/7200 watts, it will be 45 feet from the main electric panel, what size wire and fuses should I use


texts: Is it possible to detect and repair a refrigerant leak in my HVAC system?

texts:
While replacing the blower motor in my HVAC's air handler, the technician mentioned that the refrigerant in the system was also low and that most likely there was a leak.

Is the leak something that a typical DIYer can find and fix, or is this something I should let a pro handle?


texts: In a pex household, would it reduce corosion to bond metal plumbing fixtures to my water heater's anode?

texts:
A water heater's sacrificial anode needs to be electrically bonded to the tank to function.  This is accomplished via continuity through the threads by which it is secured.

Knowing this, am I 'missing out' on some protection the anode could give me if my house' plumbing is all pex?

I suppose I shouldn't worry about appliances as their electrical service ground connection and that of my water heater would provide continuity.

Would corrosion be less likely to occur in my metal faucets if they were also bonded to the anode?

If so, is the difference likely minuscule?  Or might it be worth a couple feet of thin wire under the counter to go from the ground screw of a nearby outlet to the underside of an expensive faucet?


texts: I recently bought an older house. It has had some work done in the master bath, and I just noticed that the tub is separating from the wall. What would be the best way to fix this? Oh I should mention we had the foundation leveled last week, so there are drywall cracks all over the house.


texts: Can remodeling work around a window cause moisture / condensation problems?

texts: I had flashing repair work done around one of three windows in my bedroom last summer. When it started getting cold, I noticed moisture / condensation on one of my windows. I thought it would go away in a few days; it did not. There is continuous moisture on the main window where the work was done. I've been in my home 10 years and have never experienced this problem. And, there is no moisture on the other two windows in my bedroom or on the three windows in my adjoining bathroom. I am wondering if the flashing work could have caused this problem.


texts: How do I tighten a PVC fitting in a narrow space behind a sink?

texts:
I've recently replaced the tap and handles in an old bathroom sink. It turned out to be a bit of a pain because the bolts holding the sink in are rusted into the besser block wall - the bolt head just snapped off the first bolt I tired to unscrew. I decided to leave the sink as is and just try and replace the tap and handles like that. I managed, but now I'm having a really hard time tightening up the PVC pipe fitting under tap because it's in such a tight position.

So my question is, are there any techniques or tools for tightening up such things when they're in such a tight place? I have 3 cm or less space in any given direction due the wall on one side and surrounding sink.


texts: Can a Shallow Well Jet Pump be Mounted Vertically?

texts:
I have a 3/4 HP jet pump pulling water out of a shallow well.

It is designed with a mount that has it sitting horizontally.

Question - Is there any problem with mounting it vertically?  e.g. pipe comes out of ground vertically into pump casing input, and exits vertically out the top of the pump casing output.

Any problems which might arise from doing it this way?


texts: can a plasterboard ceiling hold a 4 kg projector

texts:
i want to mount a 4 kg projector in a plasterboard ceiling but can't find the joint so it will have to go in the plasterboard, i wanted to know if it will hold and what kind of things i'll need.
also if it will hold a 100" projector screen that is about 12 kg
really need help with this.


texts: How can I remove rust stains from clothes?

texts:
While I was cleaning all my rusty devices and equipments, I got some nasty rust stains on my cloth. Then I remember that I had some old clothes that I can use to clean these rusty devices and equipments (else I will dirty all my new favorite clothes). However, I notice that some old clothes also have these "unknown" brown stains.

So, my question is - are there any DIY solution that I can get from my daily products (be it lemon juice or whatever) that can help to remove these rusty stains and brown stains? (By the way, I searched and notice that lemon juice is most preferable in cleaning the rusty stains but it does not mention about cleaning the "unknown brown" stains from old clothes)


texts: I have a problem in my house. If I test the incoming supply on top of the main circuit breaker I get 220 volts with the breaker set to OFF position, but if I test with the breaker ON, I get 66 volts. What is the problem here?


texts: Using the existing neutral as a PE grounding conductor on a NEMA 10-30 outlet

texts:
I was redirected here from the electric engineering exchange with a more specific question out of this earlier post:

https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/340136/is-it-possible-to-run-an-antminer-s9-on-a-250v-nema-10-30

I have a NEMA 10-30 split phase 250V dryer outlet that I want to temporarily utilize to run high power server equipment:

https://shop.bitmain.com/productDetail.htm?pid=00020170920224132179WEIOvhXx06D6

I probed the outlet and got the following voltages:
LINE1 to NEUTRAL: 125V
LINE2 to NEUTRAL: 125V
LINE1 to LINE2: 250V

The power supply requires three wires.

My question is, if I created a custom plug that would adapt the computer power supply type input to a NEMA 10-30, assuming the leakage current on the power supply is <1.5MA, wouldn't the existing neutral wire act as a PE grounding conductor? It was suggested on my other thread that I should switch to a grounding NEMA 6-15 outlet. However, I do not see any physical difference whatsoever between what I currently have and what was recommended, because if I installed the NEMA 6-15 outlet it would require me to use the existing neutral as a grounding conductor, or install a new grounding conductor leaving the current neutral unused.

I understand that in the case of an appliance like my dryer, which uses 125V for the lights and the timer and then dumps the current into the neutral, that this is indeed not up to code because there is a lack of grounding conductor. However in the case of the power supply I am now looking to run, it does not utilize split phase power so as far as I can tell close to zero current would be running through what is considered the neutral, which for all intents and purposes would make it a PE grounding conductor.

Is this merely a question of code/semantics or do I actually need to run ANOTHER wire from the panel to use as a grounding conductor? If I did this, it would simply be connected to nothing on the outlet end, because I need a 3 wire plug. There is nothing else on this branch, only the single 10-30 receptacle on a two pole breaker.

Also, is there any code problem with plugging a 7A computer server into a 30A receptacle? What if I used something like the TrippLite 30A PDU that has multiple outlets, then plug the server into the PDU?

Thank you for any help! Please let me know if I am incorrect in my assumptions.

EDIT: This plug is on a sub panel. Also, with the breaker to the outlet OFF, I am reading around 4V AC from either hot to the neutral. Does this indicate a fault somewhere or is this normal?


texts: How do I assess what to replace during repairs after a severe roof leak?

texts:
Evening!

Long story short. Bad roof leak. Leaked from the roof to the exterior wall.

I do not know the extent of the damage (yet) but obviously I am not too worried since I plan on, once the roof is repaired (just need to survive a few more days) to knock it all down.

The leak is in the ceiling, where it hits a wall. This wall is between the bedroom corner and the closet interior wall. The water is dripping into the room from the ceiling and within the door frame itself currently.

Come repair time, I am immediately going to tear down the ceiling and the wall (needs to be replaced anyways). When this time comes, how should I best judge what needs to be gutted and what can be saved? I am willing to entirely re-frame the wall and drywall, etc. from scratch if need be. I am assuming once tearing down the drywall I can scrub and bleach-water the wood and let air dry for a day to reduce the risk of any mildrew growth?

I know decking in the roof needs replacing as I've already noticed white growth on the underside of the board in the attic, so I am assuming it will be no different come tear-down inside the house.


texts: Can i leave existing drywall alone when adding two small walls to a finished basement?

texts:
I am building two small walls in a finished basement to create a enclosed landing at the bottom of the stairs.

The new walls will meet at 90 degrees, both will be coming off studs in the existing walls.

The new walls are each about 4' long, one has a doorway.

Thing is i'd rather not cut the finished drywall on the existing basement walls and ceiling.
I can locate studs and joists for where the new walls will attach,and i'm anchoring the walls solidly to the cement floor.
I will use long deck screws to anchor the top plates and end studs to existing framing (to get through 1/2 inch drywall) Neither new wall is load bearing, but one will have a door in it so its important that the structure is solid.

My Question: Does leaving the drywall on the ceiling and existing walls significantly weaken the integrity of the new structure?

Follow up:

Thanks for the answers everybody!

i think the threshold will be fine im going to put 2 pre-drilled concrete anchors through the bottom plate on either side of the base plate.

After serious consideration, I think I'm gonna leave the drywall on. I understand all the reasons for taking it off, but I'm confident that between the shearing strength of all my heavy screws and the very solidly attached bottom, the walls will be sturdy enough for my purposes. Even the force of a seriously slammed door is dissipated over the entire two wall system.....hopefully:)


texts:
When taking apart faulty outlets I found melted white wire terminals. I'm told these are the first two outlets on the circuit. The first outlet seemed to melt from both white leads equally without breaking the connection. The second outlet seemed to melt only from one white lead, and got hot enough to melt the wire off the terminal and break the connection, killing the rest of the outlets down the line.

I would blame it on a loose connection or bad plug, but two mistakes right next to each other seems to me less probable. And why only the white leads, not the live wire? Happy to offer more details if they're helpful.

First outlet in the series, white leads (melted) and black leads (fine)

Second outlet in the series, white leads (one melted) and black leads (fine)

The outlets are about five feet apart, if that matters.


texts: Very interesting issue - Hot water not coming out

texts:
Two days ago, my plumber had capped existing hot and cold waters lines in one of the shower and tub area as part of the remodel process.  Since then I did not get hot water anywhere in the house. I rushed to change the water heater today and still no luck. Now I get some warm water in some bath and cold water. The funny part is that even after I shut down the cold water under sink, I get only cold water from hot water line. The water heater is working normally it seems.
Looks like one of these things is happening here

Sediment build up – after installing the new heater today, I got muddy/gray water with lots of air in one of the bath
Bad design, like hot and cold water mixing – I could be wrong as I never had this issue for the past 15 years living in the house
Leak – We had bad weather in Dallas few weeks ago… so it might have cause but the issue is showing up after 3 weeks.
My plumber did something silly two days ago. With my basic knowledge of plumbing, all he did was capping the lines to Tub, and installing a new valve for shower.  Could he have cause some blockage?

I highly appreciate if you can shed some light.


texts:
I'm making an LED lamp and was about to install a feed thru switch, but I noticed my wire is too thick for the switch.  Rummaging through my drawer for another, I found an old dimmer, fun.

I see that it has the words "permanently installed incandescent fixtures only" written on it.  This dimmer is so old, I'd imagine they didn't consider LED when making the warning.

My main question, is it safe to use this dimmer?  The LED uses 7 watts, it's 500 lumens.


texts: How to safely put mirror tiles on the ceiling?

texts: I'm looking to put some mirror square tiles of 30x30cm and the weight of 700gr on the ceiling. How can I safely do that? I want to avoid mirrors falling due to plaster removing.


texts:
A modest sized object had fallen into my bathroom sink causing (I assume) the sink to drain slowly.  That is, at first (after dropping the item) the sink seemed to drain fine but eventually it slowed to a bare minimum.

The sink is a pedestal sink and the drain pipes are pvc with threaded and compression joints, so I took out all the pipes from basin to floor, clean everything (obstruction and all) and put it back together.  Everything was hand-tightened only: the only tool used was a toothbrush to scrub the parts clean.

Now the water drains better but only slightly.  If there is still an obstruction, it would have to be in the floor, but we had no apparent problem before the one item I was able to extract.  On the other hand, now, as the water slowly drains, I can hear a trickle in the drain pipes.  As far as I can recall, this was not the case before I took it all apart.  So I'm guessing that there is air bubble somewhere.  Does that sound reasonable?  And if so, what can I do to deal with it.

Note that this is not a new works project; I simply disassembled, clean and reassembled everything.  I didn't add parts or have any parts left over.  At worst, I might have changed the order of parts or changed the spans between adjustable, compression joints.  But all the fittings and seals were put in place.


texts: What would cause this dishwasher diffuser part to repeatedly fail?

texts:
The diffuser / wash arm support part on my Kenmore dishwasher has failed like clockwork every six months, three times now. This comes as one solid part, with the diffuser blades and support axle fused to the inside of the support shell. The failure is always the same: the diffuser and axle piece separates from the shell and falls into a lower position, which makes the wash arm less stable and less effective.
The machine worked for years before this part failed the first time, but now the replacements only last six months. What could be putting additional stress on the part? Is there something else that could be repaired that might make the diffuser last longer?

The part is Frigidaire # 154367402.
A note about wear and tear visible in the picture: The scoring visible on the bottoms of the diffuser blades happens as a result of the part breaking and ending up in the wrong position, so this wear is unrelated to the root cause of the failure.


texts: What should I do about a stubborn screw on the middle of a dryer cord connection?

texts: I am attaching a 3 prong dryer cord to a dryer. The middle connection is being stubborn. The screw gets to a certain point and is stuck. It will not tighten and the connection is very loose. Can I safely use a metal washer to tighten the connection?


texts: Does it take long time to turn AC unit around?

texts:
I am wondering if it can take a full day of work to turn around AC unit like in this post .

Must my new air conditioning unit be 3 feet from the wall (or positioned backward)?


texts: Ceiling fan install fail! I have 12 wires in 6 different colors. Please help!

texts: Ok so old fan was removed about a year ago.  Dad wired new few but never got it totally right.  The switch worked and ran the fan but the lights never worked at all.  No lights was driving me crazy so my husband decided to fix it.  Now we have 2 Gray, 3 white, 1 black, 1 red,  1 green, 1 bare sticking out of ceiling; 1 blue, 1 white, 1 black sticking outta fan, no power at all to bedroom and the bathroom and living room are also out and for good measure the furnace  seems to have joined the strike as well because we have no heat and it's well below freezing outside.  Please help!  To say there is no money for an electrician is an understatement!  I mean I could not call 1 if I wanted to cuz can't pay with what we Flat don't have.  I know my ignorance in this department makes me less than ideal pupil and it could be a risky handicap but please I usually can figure things out quickly and I'm aware the smart play is call someone but I can't so please does anyone have any advice for us?  I shut the power off at the breaker box already I will try to attach pics


texts: How can I find replacement dishwasher parts?

texts:
We just got a second hand dishwasher but there is a piece missing in the aqua lock water inlet (think that's what its called) that causes leaking.

This missing piece looks like a filter with a black rubber gasket around it. I can't find a replacement part anywhere. Does anyone know where to get one? The missing piece is the red/orange part with a black ring in the picture.


texts: I am getting corrosion on my hot water tank connections that looks like electrolysis. I have a water purification system and it has been tested and working properly. I have a lightning protection ground wire that is connected to the copper piping that leads to the hot water tanks, Can this cause electrolysis?


texts: Do building codes enforce location with regard to plumbing rough-in?

texts:
We're building a new home and paid for the rough-in plumbing for a basement bathroom.  In the model, (which I have been told is not customizable outside their allotted plans) the roughed-in lines were along the stairway in a good location for a future bathroom.  When we were asked to do our pre-drywall walkthrough, we noticed that the drains were located more into the center of the basement which is totally different from the model and very inconvenient to add a bathroom without breaking up the concrete and moving 2 of the 3 drains.

When I asked the builder, they told me that "rough in" meant a rough location as well as no fixtures.  Since this is my 1st built home, I was wondering if the location of the plumbing is subject to any location in the basement? Bottom line, I want the drains where they were in the model.  Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

I did not receive any prints nor was I asked to approve the location or told the location for the rough in was different from what was in the model. I have been told that I cannot change anything from what is offered in their plans as the house is "not a custom built home". Typically, can I request a copy of the basement plans as drawn?


texts: Running 4" PVC pipe through foundation wall

texts:
I am installing a radon mitigation system and my plan is to go off of the sump pump (I bought one of those covers that seals it up good and lets you pass a PVC pipe though it).

The easiest thing to do to connect to the fan outside is to simply drill through the concrete wall above the sump and go outside.  I have never done this kind of thing before and I want to make sure I am not structurally compromising that part of the wall by drilling a big ass hole though it.

Any thoughts/tips would be more than welcomed!


texts: Options to cover imperfection on metal door around new lock

texts:
I'd like to ask for suggestions of materials.
I have a metal door, painted in white. A bigger lock (jimmy-proof lock) was replaced with a smaller lock (regular deadbolt) but ended up leaving several marks and uneven finish. I already tried to plaster and paint but doesn't look good enough.
Questions:

I assume I did not dedicate good effort to do a good plastering and painting. Would you consider that insisting with plaster would be able to achieve a good result? It seems to me I won't be able to get the plaster to be levelled with the rest of the door (there are hole from the jimmy-proof lock too), plus I don't have the exact color anymore, so even if I plaster correctly, the color will look weird unless I paint the whole door and frame again.
I'm thinking of putting a square-sized material underneath the new lock, so it covers the surroundings where the defects are. This will end up serving as a base for the new smaller lock, hiding the imperfections on the door. It might look good actually, it will create a second perfect layer for the new lock and I see some locks even come with a bigger base with this same effect. What materials, in white, opaque, do you recommend that I can cut to the square-shaped size I need including drilling a hole so the new lock can pass through? Acrylic sheet comes to my mind, but I'd like to hear suggestions!

Thank you!


texts:
I'm considering attaching a new towel rail to the drywall in my bathroom, with attachment points approximately marked by the yellow postit notes in this picture.

This is on the 21st floor of a condo building in Montreal (built in 2014). The building manager said the drywall is approximately 1" thick (a full inch! not a centimeter).

Is this really possible? (I haven't been able to get confirmation from anyone else).
If the drywall is really 1" thick, will the usual drywall anchors be effective? Usually the pictures I see of drywall anchors have them exceed the thickness of the drywall by around 1/2", and have expanders which end up significantly expanded after the screw is inserted. However, most anchors are at most 1" long, and in a 1" thick drywall, there probably won't be much room for the expanders to expand. Will this decrease the effectiveness of the anchors?
Another issue is the nearby thermostat/light switches. How do I make sure to avoid any of their wiring when drilling in the drywall anchors? Is it important to avoid them? Part of this I suppose comes down to how the wires are arranged behind thew all. Will they for example come bundled in a metal tube? (In this case hitting the metal tube may cause the tube to flex undesirably?
Is there anything else I need to watch for? How can I tell if there's plumbing behind the wall?
If I gently drill a small hole, poke into the hole with a toothpick and check there's nothing within an inch behind the wall to worry about, is that a guarantee I'll be fine?


texts: I have 2 x 9000Btu split aircon installed in my house three days ago. In fan mode it works properly but when I switch to cooling mode the upper pipe from the outside unit freezes immediately, not cold air coming inside, just like in fan mode. The compressor sound running. The other aircon instead of blowing hot air from the outside fan it blows cold. Both aircons have the same problem.


texts:
We have some windows with 20+ year old blinds, and the valence clips have broken on several of them.  The clip mechanism looks a little funky with 3 parts involved: the valence itself (3" across), a 1" valence clip, and the weird plastic insert in the valence that the clip connects to.  See images for back and side views.
My questions are: 1) what are the "weird plastic inserts" actually called, and where can I get replacements, and 2) is there a better way to attach the valences?


texts: I ran into two hot lines when replacing a three way switch

texts:
I've read up on three way switches, and have replaced a few over the years. I recently installed a bathroom fan, and so had to replace two three way switches. Very simple setup - two switches, one fixture with four lights. As soon as I looked at the old wiring, I got confused. After removing the switches, I did some testing. Each switch box has a hot line coming in. By that, I mean that with no switches installed, each box has a hot pair into it. The only thing that I can figure is that it was a Carter system, as that is the only diagram that I have seen with hot/main into both switches. A little disturbing, as this house was build in 1970, and Carter hasn't been code for ages.

Is my assumption correct? Is Carter the only one with main/hot to both switches? If so, what do I do from here? I'd rather not wire up another Carter setup.

Thanks,
Erick

Additional information: I've attached a picture with what I've discovered. My next task (tomorrow) is to open up the fixture and see how it is connected. It seems like 3 way switch in box 2 was wired in series with the rest of the circuit.

I verified A is connected to B by turning off main, then checking continuity with a multimeter. Verified both are hot with main on with a multimeter.
I assumed C by turning off power, then checking continuity with a multimeter. I don't know if there is a junction or anything else along this, but it does connect through.
I have one line going to the fixture (D), but I haven't verified it yet. It could be some combination of C, D and E for all I know.

Update

I had to admit defeat on this one. I wired up the new switches in exactly the same way as the old. It works, but I still don't understand it. At some point I'll revisit and rewire. Thanks to everyone for their help!


texts: How do i replace a 4x4 square box with a 4x4x21/8 box

texts: The purpose is to hold more wires inside it and not be in violation of NEC. Using an extension would work, but i feel more comfortable with a deeper box. The problem is the 1/2" conduits that feed into the box is set for the 4x4. By replacing it with the 4x4x21/8 the holes are set further back and this would protrude the box out by 1/2", unless i rip the wall and try to offset those conduits which would be a major work problem. What do you guys normally do? This is inside the house. The extension ring seems to be my only option.


texts: Double pane vinyl windows -compromised seal -can it be fixed?

texts:
While I was doing exterior washing for our windows using a pressure washer (low pressure settings) I notices   that one of the windows got water in between the glass panes.
The drops that got is went down on the glass and they left marks in what seems to be very fine dust that deposited there in time.

What options do I have to fix this window?


texts: How to remove latch assembly that is stuck in edge bore?

texts:
I want to replace a door knob, but I have 2 problems:

After removing the door knob, I can't remove the latch assembly from the edge bore. Is there a mechanism to remove this from the door, or is it simply a matter of brute force?
The latch plate is different from the new one. Is it a matter of chiseling the side of the door to fit the plate, or do I need a completely different product?

This is an interior door for a residence.


texts: Can I use an "impact driver for concrete" to drill or drive screws in wood?

texts:
I'm making a slat board fence with old weathered wood and 2x4s.
My new cordless drill has 2 battery packs. I bought an impact driver for concrete but never used one before.
Can I use my impact driver for screws and my drill for drilling? or vice versa?
The drill has variable torque and variable speed. I'm using drywall screws on this wood. I'm tired of switching my drill from drilling to screwing and back, so I want to use two tools, one for drilling and one for screwing, to work continuously until my project is finished. I have hex bits for both drilling and screwing.


texts: My apartment still smells like polyurethane after over a month! I have a toddler with respiratory issues, please help

texts:
I just moved into a recently renovated apartment. I am not sure exactly what work was done or what products were used. It has new parquet wood floors and the place was sitting empty for a month. I first saw it at the end of November, they wanted to rent for December first but I took it January 1, so I am assuming they didn't do any extra renovations in December (not a fancy place, the landlord doesn't seem to care much about his tenants).

I moved my things in with my 2 year old daughter and opened windows, thinking it was the smell of fresh paint, but now it's been over two weeks and the smell is still so strong. I left windows open, baking soda and vinegar bowls - basically for the last week without a noticeable change in smell. I just got an air purifier and have space heaters heating the space while opening windows about 1/3 of the way. There are only two windows and a sliding door and they are all on the same side of the apartment.

I wiped down the floors with a dry mop. Next I was going to try washing with a mild soap.

I don't know what else to do or what to expect. The landlord is not taking any action and I just want to get my daughter settled in her new home. She has asthma and I have sinus issues (which have been acting up after spending a few nights here). I know I can take legal action, but in the meantime I have no where to stay and if I can resolve it myself I would be happy to do so.

Thanks in advance!


texts: Skim-coated textured ceiling - do I really need to sand before priming and painting?

texts: My kitchen had textured walls and ceilings. I've skim-coated, sanded, primed, and painted the walls and they look great. For the ceiling, I'd like to avoid the mess (and health risks) of sanding before I prime and paint. Since this is a ceiling, and not a wall I'm going to be seeing all the time, do I really need to sand it? Or will it be good enough if it's skimmed really well? It's already a world of difference just having a non-textured, skimmed ceiling!


texts: Replace Insides of Old Leaky Push/Pull Tub Valve

texts:
I have a leaky push/pull shower/tub valve that caused some wall damage.  I have taken off the outer components but I can't see any obvious way to open the valve so that I can replace the insides, similar to what can be done on newer valves.

Is this even possible or will I need to bring out a plumber to replace the entire valve?

I did notice on the bottom of the outer ring where the valve protrudes, the ring is not complete, but has a small gap along it's length which allows me to pull it apart laterally, though I haven't done that with any significant amount of force for fear of causing irreparable damage.

We're not ready to remodel otherwise I'd replace the old plumbing, so I'm looking for advice on how to fix this in the cheapest easiest manner.


texts:
We're thinking of flipping the direction our front door opens. We have a solid (meaning no window), steel front door--likely something from the cheap-end of the spectrum from Home Depot.

I'm looking at it and it appears reversible. Both sides are the same, the hinge mounts go through the entire width of the door. There's nothing unique about the hardware on either side.

Safe to assume it's reversible?


texts: Can I fix a mold problem in wall-to-wall carpet myself?

texts:
Recently, an apartment-mate of mine flooded my toilet quite severely. It completely covered the bathroom floor (tiles) and seeped into the carpet. I'd say a good 6-8 feet of carpet was soaked in water. Fortunately, the toilet water was just clear water so it's just water that got onto the carpet. I'm not sure how much of the water she got off the carpet but the area around the affected carpet has been smelling pretty bad. I'm certain there's mold/mildew under the carpet which is the source of the odor.

The carpet is non-removeable and I have no steam/deep cleaner or dry/wet vacuum but I do have a standard vacuum.

How would I get rid of the odor and/or the mold(/mildew?) with limited supplies?

Do I need to hire a professional to do the job for me? Or can this be done by myself.


texts: Can I replace tungsten-halogen lamps with an LED version?

texts:
I've a lamp which uses 12 bulbs of this kind, and I've very little knowledge about this kind of thing, so despite it seems feasible, I don't know what information I should look for, and what kind of LEDs (+adapter?) I should buy to replace the current ones.

The thing is that whilst current lights aren't cheap, they don't last long after opened, and I really mean it, some even are spoilt the day after, whilst they claim to last 2000 to 3000 hours (why does a light bulb stop working btw?)


texts: How do I rewire this circuit controlling several lights and receptacles?

texts: The wiring is suspended on the ceiling inside a metal tube that connects to each light socket and set of outlets at independent metal junction boxes. The first light in the chain finally stopped working the other day a couple years after the second and other lights down the chain kept blowing out new bulbs as they were used for the first time.  Something must be wired improperly since I cannot get any power at the switch or bulb sockets while there is power at the fuse box. How do I properly wire this?  Should I get new wiring with a third wire for ground?  If so, where should it be grounded to and what will the wiring look like at the junction for the switch and first light socket and down the line to the other lights and outlets? The fuse box is an old 30 AMP unit that uses fuses.


texts:
I just moved to an new (for us) house and we seem to not be able to keep the humidity up in the house. The house comes with a Heat Recovery Ventilator (HRV) that in the winter runs all the time on low speed with the Carrier Model 58MVB furnace running continually as well on low to move that new air around. The system is equipped with a General 1042 humidifier. Trying to get to 45% RH right now...outside temperature is 0 C or 32 F roughly.
It seems that the humidifier is only turning on when the furnace is in heat mode.  90% of the time the heating is off but we are drawing in dry outside air via the HRV and the humidifier is not running. So I suspect the wiring for the humidifier solenoid (it's a bypass humidifier) is possibly off of the heat mode terminals rather than the fan blower terminals.
I'm wondering if someone can tell me where they think the wires are connected right now and where they should be moved to?
I also have a Carrier SYSTXCCuid01-a Infinity control. From what I've read online it seems that the controller should be able to control the humidifier separately.  Step one is the wiring and step two is how to configure the controller.
I found a copy of he main control panel online:

The wiring from the humidifier solenoid valve is going to the HUM terminal and the COM 24V terminal.  Here are the photos.  The far left smaller white wire is attached to the HUM terminal which is staring back in the photo.  The adjoining red wire to the COM terminal.  These actual photos are taken from the left side of the control panel drawing above.
Red wire from solenoid to COM:

White wire from humidifier solenoid to HUM:

I also found some information on the Infinity Controller that states that it can initiate humidity addition even when there is no heat requirement. See Part 2 on the photo.


texts: AC Unit Blow Warm Air Indoor But Colder Air Outdoor

texts:
I have two AC Units.  One for upstairs and one for downstairs.  The upstairs one works just fine but not the downstairs.  So, i did a test by turning both units on and went outside to compare the two units.  The upstairs one works fine and blows out warm/hot air, but the downstairs one seems to  blow out cold air compare to the working unit.  These two are not heat pumps.  They are both AC units.  Anyone know what is wrong with my downstairs unit?

BTW: I had the HVAC guy come out to check it 3 years back, and he added refrigerant into the system.  It worked for a week or two after he left, then it's back to warm air again.  Would this be a leak of some sort?


texts: Bathroom fan burned out. Got a new one, installed it, motor hums, fan won't spin. Replaced the switch, now motor won't even hum. What kind of switch do I need?


texts:
I have a kid's club house built over a shed part of it exposed as a balcony with flat floor no roof over it . The old floor was an OSB flooring badly damaged with water, so I replaced it with a new one(pic attached). But I am not sure how to waterproof it and looking for some advice. I am not looking for a state of the art solution, but a simple basic way (read economical) which works. To summarize

Do I need a waterproof tarp or membrane and then a pressure treated plywood over it ? Or is there another way to waterproof it? Someone suggested putting a concrete sheet and then add outdoor tiles (similar to what is done in bathroom), but not sure.
Is there an easy way to create a slight slope without removing the OSB?


texts: Fridge has a weird smell coming from where the compressor is

texts: I have a fridge that has some kind of weird smell coming from where the compressor is. Ive checked the wires and any connections to see if theres any burnt wires, theres nothing. Its not really a burning smell. Its something really weird. Is this dangerous to inhale? What can I do about it?


texts: What is required clearance from mechanical exhaust to garage door?

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I'm looking to add a new tankless water heater, which allows for pvc exhaust.

In California, USA, I think clearance requirements for a door is four feet horizontally or one foot vertically. Does this also apply to garage doors?

What clearance is required by code from this exhaust to garage door?

I see the required clearances from the manufacturer but many of them say refer to local building codes.


texts: Hallway light switch also controls electricity to adjacent rooms

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My house has a hallway with a light and light switch. The switch controls electricity to the light correctly but also electricity to both the entire adjacent rooms (office and front from). When the switch is off both rooms get electricity but when its on they don't. We've always left the switch in the off position and not used the light but I'd like to fix it.

I'm guessing two of the wires should be pigtailed to bypass the light switch entirely? There are three black wires and a ground going to the switch. I've made two diagrams below of the state of each terminal in both the on/off position. Thanks for any help.


texts: How should I mount a 10 ft 2x6 as a wall shelf?

texts:
My living room has a wall with a 10-foot-wide alcove, which has a set of windows that share a Craftsman-kinda window trim with a 2x3 capitol - maybe not the correct term, but see picture.

I have a 10-foot-long 2x6 board to attach above this, as a shelf. (I think it goes better with the trim style than a 1x6 board). But that’s heavy obviously so what method is good to attach it to the wall? Brackets? Pocket screws?

The wall surface is probably 1 or 2 layers of drywall or that grainy, concrete-looking wall stuff that’s in the kitchen.


texts: Heat and water safe material for internal dishwasher repair

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On the inside of my dishwasher is a plastic tube that transports water to a spinning piece in order to clean the upper rack.
Part of the plastic tube has melted through and the top rack is no longer getting properly clean
Edit: The dishwasher was obtained used and already had the damage when I got it. Based on the way it's melted, something hot came from above, so it's  probably not a fault in the appliance itself. It is a Kenmore of some sort, but I currently have a lot more time than money, so I would really prefer to find a DIY solution instead of shopping for OEM parts.


texts: What kind of stains/treatment/varnish do I need to make to my wooden door frame

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I have an interior door frame, which has been sawn locally in Sumatra, Indonesia from what is referred to as 'damar'. This I suspect is Agathis borneensis, or possibly Agathis dammara.

I looked up the wood, and it suggests:

http://tropix.cirad.fr/FichiersComplementaires/EN/Asia/AGATHIS.pdf

'Susceptible to termites'

'Susceptible to dry wood insect borers'

'Poor to moderately durable to fungi'

'Treatability: good'

Apparently Chromated Copper Fluoride treatment will protect against borers and termites in local conditions:

http://www.fao.org/forestry/11703-06b5824b879201dab11d49a0288960124.pdf

So I guess I need to source that.

I would also like to stain the wood.

Can anyone tell me what kind of products are needed?

I understand that there are many, i.e. wood stain, primer, sealer and varnish.

What combination of products and in what order should I use?


texts: I have a jcb corded drill that seems to have suddenly stopped working

texts: The drill is in pretty good condition and worked when used last a few months ago. It is now not working when pressing the trigger. It will randomly have a bust of power and start then when the trigger isn't being pressed shortly after it was pressed. Any ideas or is it ready for the bin?


texts: Can I disconnect a dishwasher from a GFI and leave the circuit otherwise intact?

texts: my dishwasher is wired into a GFI outlet under my sink. Can I remove the wires that go to the dishwasher and leave the other wires intact to use the GFI outlet ?


texts: How do I tell where the radiant wiring or pads, or whatever, is in my ceiling?  I want to install overhead cupboards but am afraid of ruining the heating.


texts:
Has anybody tried to build their own kitchen cabinets ?

I have to replace only about 12 feet of base and top cabinets. They are costing me almost $6000 (installed) for medium grade cabinets. These are not top of the line custom cabinets.

I am fairly handy and have almost all the woodworking tools.

How much will it cost if I choose to build these using decent raw materials ? ( say only a notch or two below top grade ).

Let us ignore the amount of time it will take ( because it really depends upon individual's skill level ).


texts: How can I temporarily attach anti-bird spikes to a window air conditioner?

texts:
I'm trying to stick on anti-pigeon spikes on top of my window air conditioner and want a non-permanent solution that I can take off when I put it into storage.

Is there something I can use that's weather-proof but also removable at the end of the season?


texts: If I install a GFCI on the first outlet in a circuit will the other receptacles on that breaker circuit have GFI protection?

texts:
I have three electrical outlets in my garage which appear to be connected to one circuit breaker.

I am assuming  the outlet closest  to to the panel is first in the three receptacle circuit.

How can I test this assumption?

If it is, will replacing that receptacle with a GFCI receptacle give protection to the other two receptacles in the line ?


texts: Doorbell transformer - Installed in panel -doesn't work when green is connected?

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Earlier today I replaced my doorbell transformer in preparation to install video doorbells.  The old transformer was connected outside the main panel, and only had 2 wires.  One to hot, and the other to the neutral/ground bus.    Of course, the new transformer has 3 wires (black, white, green).  My first attempt to install, I connected the black wire to hot, and both the green and white to the neutral/ground bus.   Turned on the breaker and nothing - no voltage on the meter.  However, when I removed the green wire from the neutral/ground bus (leaving white and black where they were), all worked fine - so I just capped the ground wire and used electrical tape to stick it to the inside of the panel box.   Any idea why the transformer did not work with the ground wire connected to the bus?  Something special about connecting at the panel? Is the setup unsafe?
Thanks
Happy New Year!


texts: Why am I getting condensation on vapour barrier?

texts: I installed some vapour barriers on the windows recently due to it getting a bit cold, but have been noticing that I've been getting a fair bit of condensation on the inside facing part of the plastic. Now the temperature has gone down about thirty degrees since I installed these, so I'm wondering if it's just not up to the task, or I've installed them improperly/poorly, or maybe something else that I've missed? Here's a picture of one installation. as you can see there's condensation on the lower part of the window.


texts: Should I use Tyvek or tar paper on basement walls?

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We are going to be redoing our basement which was done in the 60's and very cold.  We have been told to apply Tyvek or tar paper to the walls, stud, then vapour barrier and drywall.  We plan on using fiberglass batt insulation because of costs (we are retired and limited income).  We would love to do the spray foam and not have to worry about all the vapour barrier and such but we are out of budget - Styrofoams seems like a lot of work by the time you have to cut each piece.

We are going to get some prices by contractors but want to do some work ourselves to keep costs down so of course the behind the scene work is what we want to do - i.e. studding (16 inch on centre and insulating and maybe installing the drywall but not taping and finishing).  If we use tar paper, do we just overlap it or do we tape it much like you do the seams of Tyvek?  Do we go right to the floor with the paper or, like with the insulation, do we keep it a foot off the ground?  Any help, suggestions are greatly appreciated.


texts:
I have this chair with a straw backing. I would like to change the straw on my own since the places that do this work charge over $200.

Is this something I can do on my own? If so, how can I search for information.

I tried searching online, but didn't find anything useful. I'm pretty sure I'm not using the correct terminology; for starters I don't t hink it's called "straw backing".

Thanks.


texts: I have a rectangular table. Can I cut it into 3 pieces to create a removable center leaf?

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The table is pretty simple: 4 legs, pine, 33" x 71". It's just too long for our space. I'd like to cut it down so it's square (or close to square) the majority of the time, but not give up the extra capacity when we have company.

Looks like table slides are readily available, but I haven't been able to find evidence of anyone else done this before. Is this a bad idea/not worth the effort on a decent but inexpensive table?


texts:
I just purchased a new garbage disposal.
The current plumbing will not allow the new disposal to fit in place.
The main sewage line with a wye is in the way and I need to replace it.
This is a single sink single trap set up.
Questions:

what is the best way to do this (see picture)
Can I cut the wye pipe just before the base and then use a saw of some sort to cut the remaining flange around the bottom?
Or, should I just cut the whole wye pipe out and install a new one?


texts: Stairwell ceiling fan direction for non-heated or cooled entryway

texts: I have a stairwell ceiling fan about 18 feet above a non-heated or cooled entryway foyer. I'm confused about how to set the direction for winter or summer. The main living area above is heated and cooled.


texts: Could a disconnected ground wire in the breaker box have caused any problems?

texts: A major home improvement company renovated the outside of our home. During the process the subcontractor jacked into our breaker box without permission and without the use of an electrician. After complaining we finally hired an electrician to review the breaker box and discovered the ground wire had been removed from the ground for almost a 12 week period. My question is what potential harm could of come of this event?


texts: What's the difference in 'rollable' and 'normal' basecoat?

texts:
We got our interior walls and ceilings plastered. Before painting the walls, we've been advised to use a primer / base coat ("voorstrijk" in Dutch)  to seal the walls and reduce the absorption of paint into the fresh gypsum.

There seem to be two varieties of voorstrijk: one that can be applied with rollers (more expensive), and one that can be applied with a brush (cheaper). I think using a roller is easier, but I'm not sure if it's worth the price difference.

What's the difference between these varieties? What makes the 'normal' variety unsuitable for application with a roller? Or conversely, can I just use the 'normal' variety with a roller?


texts: how to adhere a stainless steel backsplash to painted drywall surface

texts: I have a 30" x 21" 22 ga. stainless steel backsplash with 4 (3/16") mounting holes 3/4" from edges.  Since I will be using 4 screws to put it up, can I use removable (not permanent) double sided tape, e.g. DUCT brand, over much if not all of its surface to keep it from buckling or bowing out?  The sheet is set back from a cooktop by about 5 inches.


texts: How do I unclog underground downspout pipes?

texts:
Our gutters drain into a downspout pipe that goes underground. It's very clogged with dirt, leaves, sticks, etc., and now water is backing up and leaking into the foundation of our house. I stuck my hand in there and cleared out as much as I could. The problem is that it hasn't been cleaned in a long time, and is very compact. We just bought the house, and I'm not sure when it was cleaned last.

I'm trying to figure out how to unclog it, without luck. I've tried using a regular plumber snake, and tried blasting water down there. Any suggestions for me?


texts: Have a dedicated circuit for our freezer which has a GFI circuit breaker feeding a GFI outlet in our laundry room where the freezer is.  Unfortunately, the GFI Breaker trips with the slightest power interruption or power surge. This is a major problem when we are not home and the breaker trips.  Fortunately, people watching our cat have noticed the breaker tripped and reset them. I tried replacing the GFI outlet with a conventional outlet, but the GFI breaker will not reset. It immediately trips.  Re-installed the GFI outlet and freezer now running, but I need to resolve this issue to prevent losing food in the freezer if the breaker trips while we are away.


texts: What could be wrong with my air conditioner?

texts:
My outside fan (compressor?) will not turn on.  I have a week or two before the weather gets warm so thought I would try fixing it before I hire someone.

Symptoms - I turn on the air.  The blower turns on.  Nothing outside makes a sound or moves.  Now the last time I used the air conditioner in the fall it cranked up VERY loud outside.  Where I went over to see what the hell was going on.  Well it lasted for a couple minutes and then worked fine.  Tried to turn it on a few days ago for the first time this year and nothing outside came on.

What I have done so far.  All I have done so far is check that electricity is going to the outside unit.  I tested it with a voltage meter and things are flowing correctly.

I am an air conditioner noob so please help.  I can do whatever or take pictures if needed.  The outside unit is only 3 years old.


texts: Removing attic house fan and adding subfloor

texts:
I'm going to help a friend remove his whole house fan in the attic. Since the attic space is walkable, we need to patch the subfloor where the fan was. There is currently 2x6 joists exposed that can be seen from the 3'x3' hole where the fan is installed.

I was thinking about putting some 2x6 framing together with a framing nailer and using lag  screws to tie into the existing joists on all sides. Is this the right way to go or should I be using joist hangers?


texts: How can I provide power to a dehumidifier in the bathroom?

texts:
I have an interior bathroom which has always been damp.  I want to try and do something about it and am thinking of getting a wall mounted continuous flow dehumidifier and attaching the drain pipe either into the toilet tank (easiest) or into the sink drain pipe (bit trickier), but I'm not sure how I can provide power to the dehumidifier.  Obviously I don't have any sockets in the bathroom, and it only has light/fan that use electricity at the moment.  I want to put the dehumidifier above the toilet which would mean it would be on the wall about 1m from the bath/shower and directly to the left and above the sink.

So my question is what is the simplest least disruptive way to get power to the dehumidifier?  Can I drill a hole in the wall and feed the cable through and into the lounge and plug it in there?

Do I need to take any special precautions to make the dehumidifier legal in terms of electricity in the bathroom?

I live in the UK, as that will probably make a difference.


texts: Can I lay new ceramic tile over old linoleum tile?

texts:
I want to re-tile my laundry room. The existing linoleum tile is glued directly to the concrete slab with some sort of black adhesive.

I don't want to pull up the old tile. If I put down backerboard and lay ceramic penny tile over it, will I have problems with the new tile cracking?

Additional Info: The original linoleum tile is asbestos and that's why I don't want to pull it up unless it's absolutely necessary.


texts: how can edpm or a rubber like material be attached to pvc board?

texts: Considering using 4 pvc boards for dug well cover.  Need a sealing layer to keep water out.  A mastic might work too.


texts: I am insulating my detached garage. I was wondering what the purpose of the paper attached to the shiplap sheathing is. It has lots of areas that are ripped. I am not sure if I should rip it out or just leave it behind the insulation. Could somebody give me an explanation for this?


texts: Install Bath Fan 1st floor with parallel joist to exterior wall

texts:
I'm planning on installing a bath fan in a first floor bathroom with one exterior wall.  This ceiling has 2x8 joists running parallel with the exterior wall.  This exterior wall also has a window right in the middle.

My questions are:
1) can I drill 4" holes through each joist to get to the outside?
2) How can I mount the fan perpendicular to the joists?  Do I have to attached cross braces to mount the fan?
3) Is it ok to drill through the window header and vent right above the window?  I guess I'll have to keep  the window closed forever.


texts: Any damage to Water heater when main water shut-off for a prolonged vacation in Texas

texts: Any damage to Water heater in the attic, if main water to the house is shut off for a month when owner on vacation, please? Thank you in advance for your help.


texts: What is this mold and why does it keep coming back?

texts:
This mold-like substance has been growing onto my carpet from the baseboard. I had the carpet cut out and replaced and also sprayed and scraped up the mold on the wood. I came home last night to see it coming back.

It doesn't feel like mold at all, it almost feels like spilled wax. Is it dangerous? How do I get rid of it permanently?


texts: Is it possible to replace this board in the floor with similar hardwood flooring?

texts:
We believe that when some previous owner dug out the basement and installed the spiral staircase, that they must have installed this board which looks bad next to the original hardwood floors.  This board is level with the current hardwood floors, they must have cut through the hardwood floors to install this board.

We are considering laying new floor on top of the current floor, but the hardwood floor that is there now look pretty good so it seems like it would be a waste.  We're just unsure of how to repair this part.

We just finished ripping up the blue carpet you see in the image and found this under it.


texts: Filling Gap Between External Door Frame and Wall - For Securing Strike Plate Screws

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What can I use to fill a gap between a door frame and the wall, at the location where the strike plate screws will be anchored?

I recently installed a new external door frame where the wall ended up being pretty out of whack (the house is over 100 years old). The top of the door frame sits right on the wall, but the bottom required some shimming, as did points in-between. During this installation I failed to think about securing the locking hardware and, indeed, there is a decent gap (maybe 1/2") between the frame and the wall where the security screws are going in.

I'm not keen on this. I don't like that the screws are floating out in space for such a gap. I'd like to fill the gap with something that will (1) give the screws something more to bite and (2) stick to the frame and wall so it does actually provide additional security.

I thought about taking the trim off (of course, I installed the trim already - sigh) and wedging a new shim in, with construction adhesive on it to secure. But is there something I could just squirt in there that will set up and adhere to the adjoining pieces, and will take a screw when set up?


texts: Can I replace two light switches with a single light switch?

texts:
In my basement family room I have two sets of track lighting on either sides of the room. Each set is controlled by it's own dimmer switch, and both dimmer switches are in the same box in the wall.

They are on the same circuit, but power is wired directly to the light, then a single 12/2 wire goes to the light switch. Power doesn't come into the light switch and then out to the lights (which is how I prefer to wire new lights).

The question is, how can I convert these two dimmer switches to a single light switch? I have doubts that I can just tie the blacks together and whites together, then run them through the switch. Wouldn't that be doubling the power going through the switch?


texts: Appropriate wall controller for two fans

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I'm preparing to install two ceiling fans in an especially large room.  Prefer that they both operate from a single switch.

Fans are Tidal Breeze 56 inch , 0.52 amps per fan in high.  I thought I'd use the Lutron CTFSQ-F-WH controller, which matches other switches in this room.  Rated for 1.5 amps, and obviously 2*0.52<1.5.  But the manufacturer's description repeatedly emphasizes using this switch on only a single fan.  Is this likely to work?

I see that Lutron also sells a digital fan controller with a canopy module, MA-FQ4FM-W. That's rated for up to four fans, via four separate canopy modules.  But it feels overly complicated to have canopy modules when I'm running new 14/3 romex with separate fan and light power.  Cost not insubstantial -- seems to be $200+ for one wall switch plus two canopy modules.  Such cramped space to install canopy modules.  Most of all, the appearance of that switch wouldn't match others we're installing.  So I'm trying to find an alternative that works with a more traditional wall switch.


texts: Why does the pop-up on my sink's drain keep popping up?

texts:
After 3 years of good service, the plug in the pop-up waste in a bathroom basin won't stay down/closed for more than 30 seconds. It takes me 2 minutes to shave, and in that time the plug pops up 4 or 5 times.

While it is closed the basin is water-tight and when it pops it drains at about the right speed, so I don't think it is the height of the adjuster under the plug at fault. It seems as though the weight on of the ball on the end of the control is pushing it down, but until 2 weeks ago this didn't happen.

What should I try adjusting to make it work properly again?


texts: Comparing American 240VAC equipment to European 230VAC

texts:
This is more a question for curiosity, as I don't have a 240 volt appliance nor do I plan on visiting Europe.

As far as I have been able to tell, much of Europe uses the CEE 7 standard for household receptacles, which (I think) consists of 1 hot leg at 230 volts and 1 neutral.

The American standard is of course two alternating hot legs, each at 120 volts, which can be used individually (with a neutral) to supply 120 volts, or together (but without a neutral) to supply 240 volts.

Original question:

Other than the slight difference in voltage, and the utility frequency difference (60 Hz vs 50 Hz), does the actual equipment (say a motor) even notice a difference?  Can it even tell that the current is being supplied by 2 alternating hot legs vs 1 hot leg and a neutral?

Editing the question for clarity, because I have a specific gap in my knowledge that I am trying to understand:  (Ok, I have more gaps than just one, but this question is focusing on one.)

To make things more comparable, imagine a magical world where Europe uses 240 volts instead of 230 volts, and 60 Hz instead of 50 Hz.  Now in this hypothetical situation, the major difference we face is:

in America we have 2 alternating hot legs, and--
in Europe they have 1 hot leg and a neutral.

What differences, if any, would be noticed by equipment such as a motor?


texts: PC to TV connection goes black when furnace or stove turns on

texts: The pc is connected to TV via HDMI and it keeps going to a black screen when the furnace blower kicks on or off and also when the stove top oven is in use and making it clicking noises when its cooking food. It never does it when its just on the cable box or when using the PS4. It only happens when I am trying to use the TV as a second monitor. I tried different ports and different cables no change. Works just fine as long as nothing extra comes on. The furnace is in the hallway and stove is in the kitchen obviously. I doubt they would be on the same circuit and why would only one part of the TV be effected. The actual computer monitor has no issues with the flickering.


texts:
When my thermostat reaches the desired temperature, the furnace fan shuts off briefly, then cycles on and off a few times. Several internet posts pointed me to the limit switch, which seems to make sense, so I replaced it. The new switch exhibits the same problem, so I'm not sure whether I got a bad switch or there's something else going on. Is there a way to test the limit switch to rule that out? If so, where do I look next? There seems to be a resistor inline with one of the limit switch leads, but I don't know what it's rated at.

The furnace is a 25-year-old Carrier. The model number and serial number are illegible, and I don't have a manual for it.


texts: The previous owner apparently hacked out a piece of the door. How should I fix it? If I use wood filler, what's the best way to mold it so that it's square? Is there a better fix? (I don't want to replace the door.)


texts: I have a Moen single handle kitchen faucet that I cannot tighten adequately due to lack of room.  I can get some turn on the lock nut with needle nose vice grips but not enough to completely hold it in place.  Does anyone know if there is a special tool for this?  Also should I be caulking the small gap between the faucet and sink bowl?


texts:
What you describe has been very helpful .  When I turn on the stove on one burner, not the other ones causes a breaker to trip that services my den.  The stove continues to operate, no loss of power.  About a month ago my electrician came out and swapped breakers and it trips only when I turn on the stove using the front left burner.  As soon as the coil starts to glow, it trips.

I always thought the stove had its own breaker .  I can’t figure out why the breaker for the den trips and not the stove.  At this point can I conclude it’s the igniter for the coil?

Thanks


texts: What size wire should I use for a 60amp subpanel?

texts: I am installing a 60 amp subpanel in a workshop in my backyard and I will have 2 - 20 amp services with 4-5 outlets on each and 1 - 15 amp service for lighting. The length from the main panel to the workshop is about 105 feet. I will be using a double pole 60 and GFI circuit breaker in the main panel to a 60 amp pull out on outside of work shop then inside to the subpanel. What would be a good size wire. I may run one saw at a time or a couple of saws.


texts: Install a gas stove over vinyl flooring?

texts:
I just installed vinyl flooring over an old plywood subfloor. It used to be covered with very old linoleum. Now I'm installing a new gas range.

The stove manual says the floor needs to withstand 167-deg F (75 C). I'll call the company after the weekend and see what they say.

The range is an LG LRG3061ST, modern, middle-of-the-line:

The flooring is Flexitec from IVC US.

I'm assuming my vinyl floor can't take the heat. If this is true, how should I proceed?

Bare subfloor? This will create a higher ridge of vinyl where I cut it out.
Sheet metal? It will eventually rust if I don't pay for stainless.
Thin luan or plywood? Can I put it over the vinyl?
Loose tile? I'd rather not glue and grout tile for this project.

Any other thoughts?


texts: Need to remove stem from bathtub cold water faucet which turns on clockwise and off counter-clockwise. Does Lefty-Loosy apply here?


texts: What can cause a sink's pivot rod connector to leak water?

texts:
Background: When running water in my bathroom sink, I'm seeing a small water leak (about a drop per minute). I traced the source to the bottom of the pivot rod connector - see the red circle in the attached picture.

Questions: Given that the leak doesn't appear to come from where the connector itself is screwed in, what might the cause be? Can water still be reaching the pivot rod itself?


texts: AC being turned on when calling for humidity

texts: My newly installed Skuttle HSP2000 steam humidifier, controlled by a Generalaire GFX3 humidistat and wired to a Lennox G40UH-48B-090-14 is turning on the AC when being called for humidity. I've verified all wiring


texts: What precautions should I take before moving my family into a pre-1978 (lead-paint-era) house?

texts:
I am about to sign a lease and move with my family, including a 3 mo old and 2 yr old, into a home that was built in 1944. The house is in good condition and has been repainted at least once in the last decade.

The lessors are required to inform me about the dangers of lead paint, but the house has never been tested for lead.

How much should I worry about the dangers of lead and what precautions should I take to reduce the risks? Should I have the house tested?


texts: water coming up from under cement foundation

texts: I've been living in my home for 28 years.  It's brick on a cement foundation built in 1985.  I had a patio poured at the back door in 1986. There is a approx. 1/16 inch crack that I should have sealed where the patio meets the brick but I never did and it has never been a problem.  For the last week water has been seeping from the crack in a couple of areas close to each other enough to saturate an area of approx 3 ft. x 7 ft. This area has been constantly wet for a week now.  Dont know if this is related but about a month ago the water pressure in my shower slowly decreased, got new shower head and had fair pressure for about a week and now it seem to be decreasing again.  Checked water meter and it shows no water leaking when no water is being used. The shower is on the opposite side of the leak, and the ground is not wet anywhere else around the house. Can someone please tell me what this is?


texts: why won't my shower regulate water temperature

texts: a couple days ago this started. no matter what position I turn the handle towards the left it's always very hot. and the same if I turn it to the right. very cold. I'm assuming there must be some sort of regulator. this doesn't happen with any other of my taps. nor does it happen when the bath is run.


texts: Where on motion sensor is the battery on the 2550 bravo. I don’t see it When opened

texts: My system reads the motion sensor is low in battery. When opened I can see battery. It’s a DSC PC 2550 bravo. It looks wired up


texts:
I have this vintage sterling faucet.
It stays like this for hours and hours and hours after turning it off

If i touch the end of the spout little drips fall for hours and hours and hours.

If i close the valve it stops the water immediately.  A little drip forms on the end of the spout.  If i leave that drip on there it hangs there without growing and dropping for hours.  If i touch that little drop a teaspoon comes out and then it seems little drops form and drop off for hours.
Is this water from the inside of the spout slowly drawing the remnants in the tube UP by capillary action or is the valve not totally totally zero psi zero flow closed?