texts: When installing new natural gas plumbing system, can I include multiple capped tees for future branches?

texts:
I'm getting natural gas service installed and am plumbing in the system. Initially, the only appliance will be a gas water heater. I want to run the mainline and future-proof for new appliance installation later on (e.g. furnace, fireplace, range, etc).
Is there any issue with, during the initial install of the mainline, including several tee fittings stubbed out for future branches to where these appliances will probably be located? Specifically, I need to know if this would be a code violation and/or if the inspector would think me crazy.
Is there a better, more professional, or appropriate way to leave stubbed out ends for future installs?
Code should be in context of my locale: Snohomish County, Washington State, USA.
REF: WA State Residential Code (adopts IRC 2015)


texts: Utility panels, gas pipe and building an extension

texts:
I've found a property I want to buy, renovate and put a side extension on.
The side I want to extend currently has utility boxes on the external wall eg gas meter and I think also the gas pipe entry to the house might be there. What do I need to consider during extension?
Can I just build a cupboard around the panels so they aren't an eyesore in the room or do they need to remain accessible from outside the house?
Thanks :)


texts: How can I support a room expansion that will extend above a garage slab?

texts:
I have a mud room that I'd like to make larger. By doing so I have to extend the floor out into the garage. Currently, there is a landing in the garage that is about 3 feet off the ground leading into the mud room. I want to remove the landing and wall/door leading into the mudroom and extending the floor into the garage by about 4 feet and adding non-load bearing walls to the new extension. Since the current walls in garage on top of the foundation, I need to find a way to support the new extended floor/walls. I'm looking for help on how to support a floor that will be about 3 feet off the ground.

Any thoughts?


texts: Did I properly grade the ground around my house?

texts:
I had some water issues in my basement recently.  Taking a good look at all the possible causes I noticed the landscaping around the front my house was slopping in towards the house.  So to fix this I dug up approximately 2 feet of black dirt from the front and replaced it with clay that was slopped at a more appropriate angle.  I then put landscape fabric down and covered that with approximately 4-6 inches of 1/2" washed drainage rock. I also added a 6 inch strip of brick in front of the rock.

So far I have had no problems with water in the basement although I have noticed the concrete on the front of the house looks wet.  What could be causing this? Did I miss a step or 2?


texts: Why does this kitchen receptacle located on the far side, away from the sink, need to be GFCI?

texts:
According to this answer, all receptacles in a kitchen that serve a countertop surface must be GFCI protected.

Which Kitchen outlets do NOT need GFCI?

I already replaced the outlets next to the sink with gfci and will now replace an outlet located on the opposite side of the kitchen sink, so my understanding is that I must replace with a gfci (and tamper resistant too?). I have no problems following code, but I'd rather understand the reasoning behind code. Why does this receptacle need to be gfci protected if it is far away from the sink?


texts:
I've got a problem that I think has only started occurring in the last week or so, my toilet seems to keep draining for up to hours after it was last flushed, and weirdly so it seems to be affecting the en-suite upstairs as well.

I'll start by adding I know little to nothing about plumbing/toilets

The downstairs one (that was flushed most recent) has the water level just about inline with (i think) the overflow valve, and it's just currently constantly draining at a slow steady rate. Image

At the meantime the upstairs one is seemingly very low level in the tank, but just isn't filling up, even if I manually try adding more, this one is also draining, just very very slowly. Image

Is there a simple fix? Do I just need to put more water in the whole system, or is there something I'd possibly need to get a plumber in for?

Update

I've watched a few youtube videos, mostly about replacing the cistern for a new one (which I've just bought, doesn't solve the problem) although I think the issue specifically seems to be that the water is just going in the overflow, there doesn't seem to be a problem with the valve at the bottom, when I flush it, it does stop for a little bit until the water hits the overflow valve and then just keeps going, it's as though it's never told to stop filling the tank back up


texts: rotten egg smell in cold water only bathroom sink of new home

texts:
I live in a brand new home. Since we moved in (Nov 2015) there is a rotten egg smell in just one of the bathroom sinks and just from the cold water. It used to be now and then. Now it is 90% of the time I get that smell in the cold water. What can I do?
The builder sent a plumber out who basically cleaned out the top of the drain and said it should go away. I was doubtful and it has never gone away and is now more the norm for the cold water in that faucet. Help!


texts: Is Schedule 80 PVC Conduit Suitable for Short Directional Boring?

texts:
I'm running some electrical wire around where I'm building my house. There are two places that I'd rather not dig through: A driveway and a creek. The creek is the most important, because the state will require me to get a special permit, dam the creek, and temporarily redirect the flow before it will allow me to dig through it. Ick.

As a result, I'm going to use directional boring (a.k.a. horizontal directional drilling or HDD) to go under the driveway and creek. That way, I never have to disturb the creek bed or dig up the driveway. However, I'm a little uncertain about what type of conduit is permitted to be run through this directionally bored hole.

The only thing I can find in all of the Codez is this, in 300.5:

  (K) Directional Boring.
  Cables or raceways installed using directional boring equipment shall be approved for the purpose.

In all my Interwebz searching, HDPE is clearly approved for directional boring use. However, I've called every electrical supply store and warehouse (that will deal directly with clients, as opposed to only retail outlets) in a 60-mile radius, and none of them sell HDPE conduit. Some of them can order HPDE conduit, but only in huge reels, and they won't sell it to me by the foot. I have to buy the entire reel (2000 or more feet). I only need to bore for 30 feet under the creek and 30 feet under the driveway!!!

So then I take a look at my PVC conduit. The Codez says PVC conduit shall not be used in areas where subject to damage, except when approved for such use. Schedule 80 is commonly used under driveways and roads because that's considered "subject to damage." Both my Schedule 40 and Schedule 80 say they are approved to conform with UL 651. I can read the scope for UL 651, which says (in part):

  1.2.4 In addition to the applicable requirements specified in this standard, Schedule 40 and Schedule 80 rigid PVC conduit intended for directional boring shall be subjected to the performance requirements in 6.12.

However, I can't read 6.12 because you have to pay for it ($$hundreds to thousands$$). It sounds like complying with 6.12 may be an optional part of the standard, but the conduit doesn't say that it conforms to some part of the standard and not others, just that it conforms to UL 651.

So there you have it: I'm not sure what to do. Can I just put Schedule 80 PVC conduit through this directionally bored hole?


texts: How to fix a rupturing wall bathroom tile?

texts: There are bathroom tiles on the wall (natural stone), the bathroom tends to get pretty humid (pre-code/no ventilation, do our best to keep it low). We are seeing that a few of the bathroom tiles are beginning to flake off--there seems to be a veneer and a dusty material underneath. What's the recommended way to fix this in the short-term? (there's the systemic solution to get rid of the humidity, but during the interim we don't want to inhale this underlying tile dust). Thank you!


texts: Air Seal recessed cans without attic access

texts:
I recently discovered moisture in my attic and the mold inspector recommended sealing all the canned lights in our house. We have about 30 in vaulted ceilings where there is no attic access.

Any tips on how to seal the fans from below?

For reference. House in in Seattle, built in 2008. Canned lights are IC air tite halo models. I was surprised that they leak air as they are air tite. But I can imagine given its not sealed like our bathroom recessed lights and closet recessed lights that have a glass cover and gasket.

If I take the baffle off the unit is metal and there are some screws and such.

Do I just caulk the can to the Sheetrock around the opening and then form or tape the crevices using duct tape?


texts: Is a 12-in diameter tree stable enough to support a tree house?

texts:
I plan to build a tree house by bolting two (2) 2x6 on the side of this 12-in diameter tree:

I don't know what tree it is and in the process of asking here:

https://gardening.stackexchange.com/questions/46951/what-tree-is-this-with-reddish-body

The tree seems stable but I don't know how it will behave during strong wind. We don't have extreme weather in Seattle but I could see the pine trees moving in strong winds.

So should I bold the platform of the tree house into this tree? Or it is better just to build 4 foot and support the play house and have this tree in the middle (make a hole for it)?

Thanks.

UPDATE 1

I "feel" a bit unsafe to rely on this tree. So I was thinking of doing this:

Basically the structure will have 4 legs. The tree is in the middle.


texts: Does my panel with a separate disconnect need an isolated neutral bus?

texts:
Sorry about lack of language ....just need a little guidance!

After a fire I had to install new meter below which I installed a small exterior breaker box . Here I can switch all power off to the new breaker panel inside. There is a 100 amp breaker in the outside box below the meter and both neutral and ground are on the same bus there.

There is no ground bus in the new consumer box ....just two neutral buses running either side . Can I wire in both neutral and ground to same bus or will I need to create separate bus for ground leading back to outside shut off box ?


texts: How do I use an air speed meter to measure air flow volume?

texts:
I can buy a Vane Anemometer cheaply but a  Air Flow meter (with a cone) costs a lot more.

Can I just make my own cone?

What issues should I expect if I add a cone to a Vane Anemometer?

How do I convert the readings into liters per second?


texts: Removing a Rayburn Solid Fuel Cooker - Issues to consider

texts:
I have a solid fuel Rayburn Regent cooker (essentially an Aga) with built in boiler in my kitchen, which I want to remove. It is no longer connected to the heating system, but appears to be connected to the chimney.

Are there any particular risks involved with dismantling this type of cooker to remove it? I'm thinking things such as asbestos linings or side effects of opening the chimney, rather than sharp edges or similar.


texts:
Some of the windows in our house have mildew around the replacement window inserts (~18 years old).  Mostly at the bottom.  The original frames were aluminum, the inserts of course are PVC.
The windows were installed with about a 1/2" gap all around and there was a tiny bit of spray insulation installed to "seal."  But the cavity itself is mostly empty.  Then plastic strips were attached to the window to cover the gap, with a little bit of paint caulk around plastic.
My first round of trying to address this was to add a bead of polyurethane caulk around the outside of the exterior window frame.  I don't think this helped much.
Stepping back and thinking about the problem further... I think the problem isn't moisture getting in from outside, but rather the gap is getting cold from outside, warm moist air from inside gets into the gap, and then condenses?
So I'm formulating a plan, but want to add other people's experience and knowledge:

remove strips
10% bleach spray around the gap, let dry
Maybe also spray in concrobium spray, let dry
Brush mold resistant Kilz primer into the gap?
fill gap with some kind of insulation

fiberglass pushed in with fingers? (Hard to keep it from getting too dense though)
spray insulation foam cut flush after curing?  (Hard to remove and inspect later...)
precut neoprene foam strips? (Hard to fill in tiniest gaps)

replace plastic cover strips

I think the main question assuming the rest of my plan is ok, is what to fill the gap with?  I'm hesitant to use spray insulation in case the mildew comes back and I need to pull it all back out.


texts: My roof screws need replacing because of rust, do I do it myself or get someone and pay them ? And how much will it cost ? It's a 4 bedroom obviously tin roof.


texts:
This is my first post here so I won't take offense in any restructuring, closing, migrating...

Project description

I have a tank of water, and its level is always decreasing (for all intents and purposes, it's like it's leaking). I have a pump constantly adding water into this tank. I want to make sure the tank never overflows (I can't tell in advance how fast water will leak, and pump rate is constant).

Materials

So I have a Eltako MFZ61DX-UC delay relay and a float switch (tiny plastic floater that closes the circuit based on water level). What I want to do is quite simple: when water gets too high, stop the pump for 30 seconds so that water level lowers.

The float switch can be placed in either direction, meaning it's either always open, and closes when water gets too high, or it's always closed and opens when water gets too high. That's easy. But it's also important to delay so that the pump doesn't just keep turning off and back on again when water level is close to the float switches level.

That's where the relay comes in. It has several delay functions to choose from (and more info can be found on its notice):

Question

Based on this 1 page notice for the relay, is this doable? Looking at the 6 modes of this relay, it looks like all you can do is temporarily turn on something, not temporarily turn it off. Am I misunderstanding this? Is there some way to wire it so that it'd work?

I have never used a relay but I feel like logically, it should switch between 2 circuits (and not just open and close one), but if that's the case, this notice doesn't make a good job telling me how to wire this whole thing.

If I can oversimplify my question with 2 simple drawings: the notice indicates two terminals for the relay (1 & 2 on the drawing on the left), but I'd like to know where is the third one (3 on the drawing on the right).

Bonus question

In case the first question doesn't work out, can someone point me towards a relay that can actually do what I want here?

For the lazy amongst you, here's a "typical wiring" of this relay, found on the notice. With that and everything else provided before, you should have enough info to answer my question without looking through the notice.


texts:
I am currently swapping out my switches with smart switches and one of the switches had different wire setup from the usual.

Prior to taking out the switch I took picture of the "primary switch" I quated/ say that cause when removing switches wire both had power in both areas.

Main switch
Look closely as the white wire and i believe the line wire are combined.

Secondary switch:

I got the switch currently working and the on and off works on the light. But could some one tell me if you can make it out in the images what that red wire Is?

New Main switch:


texts: What tools or technique to use for cutting hinge and dead bolt recesses?

texts:
I have to hang several new six panel interior doors. Since these are not pre-hung they don't have the recesses cut away for hinges or the bolt or the door handle. I have the jig to use to cut out the hole for the handle. However, I don't know where to begin to cut away the recesses for the hinges. I suppose I could just use a chisel but that seems slow and likely to result in rough corners and uneven depth. I thought about using a routing tool as well.

What is the correct, professional way of prepping the door to be hung on an existing frame?


texts: Best way to fill large (3") vertical crack in solid brick party wall?

texts:
I live in an East Coast row-house built in the early 1920s. There is a 3" crack in the solid brick party wall that I need to address (see photos). My neighbor's baby's room is on the other side and her crying comes right through.
Before readers freak out, some background:
My house was built later the neighbors house, and my house sticks out further in the back. Above the first floor, the bricks of the two houses are not interlocked--that is, there are two brick walls side to side with nothing connecting them. The back yards also slope down steeply. So it is no big surprise that this huge crack formed. I had the house underpinned when I moved in about 15 years ago so the movement has mostly stopped. But the crack expands and contracts slightly through the year, probably due to temperature changes. I monitor it in the attic and it moves about 3 mm a year--it's smallest in the spring, and largest in the fall.
I have now uncovered the crack (there was wire mesh and plaster over it the last 15 years) and need to decide how to fill it. I am thinking cut bricks and concrete. Because the crack is at its largest width right now, hopefully having solid material in there will help stop the movement.
But I'm also a little worried that when the brick walls want to come together 3 mm in the spring and there is a huge amount of pressure between the two wall sections (in the previously open gap), cracks will appear somewhere else, or the walls will twist or something.
If my question makes any sense at all, I'd welcome advice on the best way to fill the crack (or whether it is better to fill it with something flexible?).
Also: Is hydraulic cement better than concrete to put between the bricks?


texts:
I am in the process of utilising the rear half of my detached garage for a hobby room. We have a pitched roof, so joists are 600mm centres.

I have read a few previous question/answers...I take it that using the 12.5mm fire resistant board for the ceiling and dividing wall is worth it for a number of reasons.

In terms of the dividing wall, what is the better option for timber? 50 x 75 or 50 x 100?

Also, do I need to have a 'step' in the door way to cover regs?


texts:
I'd like to improve the poor lighting in my 10' x 12' home office (currently a single small overhead LED located in the center of the room; my wife and I have desks at either end of the space). The space is mostly used for computer work, although I will occasionally use the desk for small electronics projects, which is when the lack of good lighting becomes particularly noticeable. I'm approaching 50, which probably has some impact on the question.
I'm thinking of installing an LED panel over my desk, but I'm having a hard time figuring out how much light I need. I'm looking at surface mount LED panels, something like this.
The ceilings are just under 8' high (about 5' from desk top to ceiling).
A 1x4 panel is typically rated around 4000 lumens, but I'm having a hard time translating the "lumens" rating for the lights into practical information, so I'm hoping somebody here can help before I waste time installing a light only to find that it's overkill. I realize it's a subjective question, but is that too much? Should go with something like a 1x2 instead?


texts: Where are vents required for bathroom drains?

texts:
Here is a diagram of the new drain plumbing we are installing for one and a half new bathrooms.

Where should I locate any required vents on these lines?
I live in Oakland County, MI and it looks they allow the use of air admittance vents for plumbing fixture vents (searched this document). Would using an AAV be a reasonable option for any required vents?


texts: Inspector says that split bolts shouldn't be used on live connections. Right or wrong?

texts:
I installed a spa sub-panel on the exterior of my house.  The inside wiring is NM-B 6AWG wire that goes to a junction box where it's spliced to 6AWG direct bury rated wire (the NM-B wire I had wasn't long enough, so it was cheaper to splice).

The splice was done with split bolts, wrapping 3M Temflex rubber splicing tape, then wrapped in electrical tape.

The inspector claimed that split bolts wrapped in tape are not rated for live connections and I would need to replace the split bolts with standard blue wire nuts.

Is the inspector wrong?  To me, the wrench-tightened, rubber insulated splice would be more durable then a $0.50 wire nut.


texts: Can I modify 3 ampere table lamps to work on 5 ampere round pin plugs?

texts: I have moved to a property with 5amp round sockets around the room. I want to remove the standard 3 pin plugs from my table lamps and re-wire them with the 5amp round pin plugs I have bought. This means they will be on a mains dimmer circuit, so I can choose to have the spotlights on, or the lamps come on with one switch. The problem is, 2 of the table lamps have 3amp fuses in. Can I safely attach them to a 5amp round pin plug and put them in the sockets without blowing anything up?


texts: Small stud wall to sloping ceiling under stairs

texts:
We have an under-stairs toilet that we are replacing. The toilet was quite old, so the drain was 20cm from the wall. Apparently newer toilets require the drain to be pretty much flush with the wall, so we need to put a stud wall in place. It's such a small wall (1.3m high by 0.9m wide) that I don't really want to get a carpenter out to do it.

I've read up on stud walls and the advice is to attach it to the joists above. In this case there is just a plaster ceiling and the stairs above. I don't really want to attach it to the stairs (imagine if the nails / screws went through!) and I think the plasterboard ceiling probably isn't sturdy enough.

So, a few questions

What's the best way to attach the top horizontal wooden stud? I'm wondering if no more nails will suffice onto the ceiling plaster if the rest of the frame is well secured.
How many (if any) vertical and horizontal studs/noggins do I need for a small wall like this, considering I need to run some pipes through it and potentially hang the toilet cistern on it. I'm thinking maybe one vertical and one horizontal?
Any other advice?!

As ever, all advice welcomed :)


texts: Stud wall that doesn't connect to ceiling?

texts:
I am going to be framing out a stud wall in a bathroom for a new walk-in shower. The room has tall vaulted ceilings and I do not want this new shower wall to go all the way up. Maybe just 7-8 feet tall or so with a finished top.

Is it ok for me to frame a wall that doesn't go all the way to the ceiling?
I expect so, but how should I connect to floor and wall to ensure it is as sturdy as possible, given it will not have support from above?


texts: How do I remove this sliding drawer in my kitchen?

texts:
OK, so I for the life of me can not figure out how to take these drawers off of their slides.  The ones I have used in the past have had obvious tabs to push in, or you just had to lift the drawer up or down in the extended position to have them disengage from the slide.

If anyone has used the specific kinds before or if you have not and think I have just lost my marbles please let me know :)


texts: Fire table surface disintegration over winter

texts:
So last summer we bought a fire table from Ace hardware for our new deck.  In late October we covered it up along with the other deck furniture, and left it for the winter.  We uncovered It a couple of weeks ago to find this:

Disappointing to say the least.  Although there were several snow storms here (Tunkhannock, north east PA), as far as I know, it was dry the whole time.

My questions are first, did I do something wrong here, or did something cause this? Or is this just a poor quality product?

And secondly, can I reasonably repair this, and if so how?

If not, then I need a new fire table, what features and/or qualities should I be looking for to insure that this doesn't happen again?


texts: Can I swap parts from a new to old shutoff valve instead of soldering a new sweat valve?

texts:
The shutoff valve on my water heater has an extremely slow leak. A couple years ago I disassembled it by removing the handle and changing out either the packing or the rubber washer, or maybe both (can't remember now), which did help, but sometime in the past few months it's started to leak slowly again.

Can I buy a new valve and just swap the circled area, or must I solder a complete sweat fitting. I've never soldered copper pipes before but I'm not afraid to give it a try.


texts: 3-inch recessed lighting junction access

texts:
I am looking to install 3-inch recessed lighting in room under living areas.  I have the ceiling down so I am using a new-work kit with rails and a pan.  The lights are sold as remodeling and the rest of the parts are sold separately.

So access to the junction with these is gained by dropping the light out of it's clips and pulling the junction through the pan.  This is simple enough when there are no lines running into the box.  But the box just barely fits through the hole in the pan.  Once I put a clamp into one of the knockouts and run a NM-2 cable or two into it, it's nearly impossible to get out.  And when I manage it, I worry that the edge of the hole on the pan is damaging the cable.  In one of these, I need to run more lines (within the limits stated on the box) and at that point, there's no way it's coming through that pan.

Am I missing something?  I can't be the only person to ever have this issue.  The only solution I can think of at this point is to cut a slot in each of the pans to allow for the clamp and wire to come down far enough that I can rotate the box of out the hole.  For the one junction with more lines, I figure I'll have to dig the remodel clamps out of the trash and wait for the drywall to go up and cut the hole as large as possible.  Are there flush clamps that will not protude from the the knockouts or something?

UPDATE: I went by the neighborhood hardware store and got some plastic push-through 'clamps'.  They are almost flush with the outside of the box.  I'm hoping this will resolve my issue for at least the simple configurations.


texts: I can't figure out how to remove this shower knob. I have done knob removal before, but this one is quite perplexing. It seems to have a metal cap that I would think would be taken off to reveal a screw. However, I can't get the metal cap off. I have tried hammering a small screwdriver to get under it, but it doesn't seem to separate at all. There is no screwhole or allen wrench hole in the side or anything like that. Any ideas?


texts: What to do about a cracked stair when I can't find how the stair is held in place?

texts:
I've got an old house from the 1950 or so, and it's got these old stairs that go up to the attic; they don't appear to be nailed in or anything (unless the nails are really small).
Well the other day the one step caved in and now I'm unsure of how to proceed to fix it (see photos below):


texts:
My tub was draining slowly, so I removed the drain cover stopper and reached down into the drain with needle-nose pliers and extracted a disgusting wad of hair and soap residue, as I have done several times before.

However, this time it didn't solve the issue, so I got a drain snake and fed it down into the drain, but it did not extract any further clogs.  And on my next shower, the tub drained much more slowly.  I made the problem worse!

I thought I would have to call a plumber.  As a last resort I watched a few do-it-yourself videos on YouTube, and one of them showed removing the overflow plate and feeding the drain snake down that way, instead of the actual drain.  So I tried that, and lo and behold, it brought out another fat disgusting hair clog.

Why did snaking the overflow plate work, when the actual drain didn't?


texts: Is it safe to use drywall anchors for a heavy bookshelf between two studs?

texts:
I want to put a bookshelf (heavy load) in a small alcove where I have access to threw studs, two 11" apart (left side) and the other two 28" apart (right side).

I would like to mount standards to this and will need something in the center to keep the wood from bowing.

Can I mount a standard on either end and then use some drywall anchors for a third standard in the middle?

This small bits of tape indicate where I marked off screws to help find the studs.


texts: Can I use cement accelerator to decrease setup time of modified thinset

texts:
I am installing larger format Porcelain Tile (18"x18") over ditra on a plywood subfloor. I do not want to use unmodified thinset like they recommend. The TCNA says modified in their installation handbook and with my experience modified is best for tiles and that's how I do it, but I am looking for a better way of cutting the setup time of modified thinset on top of a vapor barrier type product. Rapidset has been suggested but as many of you know it can be a really big pain to work with.

I am looking into a cement mix accelerator from homedepot and I am wondering if cement accelerators would be a good way to cut the setup time so I can grout within about 12 hours.


texts:
I have a sheet of styroglass, which I assume by the name to be a clear polystyrene.

I want to drill some M4 holes into it, which are about 2.5cm separated from each other.

However, I only have drillbits for wood and stone here. Will I be able to dill the holes with these or do I risk to crack the material? Should I go for another type of dillbit or just use strong glue?


texts: Without having a pressure regulator or gauge, how would we determine what psi to set our new expansion tank to? We just replaced the tank and hot water heater.Before replacing them, had an ok amount of water pressure in kitchen, now other faucets are fine but have zero hot water pressure in kitchen. Any ideas??


texts: How can I insulate an already converted attic space?

texts: A couple of years ago we had our attic converted to a spare bedroom,  It became obvious after the first winter that there was a problem, after inspection it was confirmed that there is no insulation at all,  my question is, what is the best way to rectify this? i am hoping that I  can apply some sort of insulated plaster board over the existing board but really i'm clueless, any advice would be really appreciated,  ps. cost is a big factor for me at the moment.  thanks Audrey


texts: How do I keep this polyurethaned oak floor in good condition?

texts:
I rent a heritage home and the polyurethane has been lightly wrecked, but also the wood is drying out from the dry weather and curling up and separating. I am extremely confused about cleaning and conditioning this floor.

I have been told to clean according to polyurethane, however I've also been told that the polyurethane is porous so don't wreck the wood underneath. I've been told wax and oil wreck the poly finish, but then that I should be treating the wood so that it doesn't dehydrate (which it clearly has since I have rented). I've been told to not mop or it will wreck the floor and I've been told to dilute Murphy's oil.

I AM SO CONFUSED! My floors are looking so horrible since I moved in. I rented this house with serious references and then sublet to roommates who think I am a freak for being concerned with the state of the floors.


texts: Toilet is one year old and started adding water every fifteen minutes or so. Replaced flapper and the problem continues.


texts: While building a bed frame, at what point should I start worring about cross beams?

texts:
So, I've made this bedframe that's rather tall, the frame is 32" off the ground, and the legs are each bolted on with two 3/8" bolts running perpendicular, and horizontally.

Having not actually used it yet, it feels very stable, but for safety I'm considering some sort of lateral support. Not actually being a structural engineer, I'm not sure if that's overkill so long as everything else is pretty stable, or if it's a better safe than sorry thing.

Any thoughts/experience is appreciated.

Click for full size


texts: Best way to mount a floating L-shaped desk to a brick wall

texts:
I'm in the planning stages of building a new corner desk. I've started by measuring the corner of the room and planning the size, but I'm not sure what's the best way to mount it right now..

These are some sketchup renders of walls, desk, pc, monitors:

Desk details

Width of L two legs: 60cm (23.622")
length of L the two legs: 272cm and 162cm  (107" and 63")
material of the desk: 3 to 6 cm of plywood (1" to 2.5")
monitors will be wall-mounted

Another way of building the desk is using 1cm (or 1.5cm) pipe (round or square, not sure yet), and place a 1.5cm layer of plywood over that.

Mounting surface details:

the walls are brick (around 30cm / 11.8") with some hollow spaces in them
the corner behind the monitors is a load-bearing, concrete with rebar
(hope that is the right term of concrete with huge steel beams in it)
the right wall has a window with an inside ledge
above the window is also a load-bearing beam made of concrete with
rebar

I was thinking of mounting two pieces of wood or metal to the walls, to create a lip the desk can rest on and a few L-shaped metal pieces that will hold the desk and prevent it from warping.

Am I on the right track?
Thank you!


texts:
I have an eEcobee3 I've been trying to get working with my HVAC.  The HVAC is a heat pump, with the air handler in the attic.  The current thermostat is a RiteTemp 6025.  It's currently wired up at the thermostat the way the RiteTemp instructions say (the C wire is present and hooked up), except that the W wire from the air handler is connected to the W2 terminal on the thermostat, and the Y wire is interrupted by a float switch for the drip pan.  The RiteTemp operates as expected: cool air when the temperature goes above the threshold, warm air when the temperature drops below the threshold.

This is how Ecobee says it should be hooked up with AUX heat.

This is how the RiteTemp is actually hooked up.

This is how the wires are hooked up at the air handler (the fat yellow wires connect to the skinny yellow wires from the bundles and go to the float switch):

(I understand the Y wire triggers the condenser, so presumably the float interrupts the yellow connection to kill the HVAC if the pan drain gets clogged and overflows.)
However, when I hook up the Ecobee following the Ecobee instructions, I get hot air when I should be getting cool.  I'm wondering if the fact that the W wire is connected to W1 at the air handler and W2 at the thermostat is messing things up.  But the RiteTemp works as it should, so...?  Is there a reason the white wire would run from W1 at the air handler to W2 at the thermostat?


texts: Can I use #14 wire on a 20A circuit for a compressor outlet?

texts: Installing a single receptacle, non gfi, on a 20 amp breaker to be used only for a specific piece of equipment (compressor). Compressor specs say, “power consumption will average between 9-11 amps of power and spike near 16 amps”. Can I get away with 14 gage wire? This is for a home food Freeze dryer


texts:
The make of the unit is GE and below is a link to a picture of the label on the back. There aren't any other markings anywhere. I'm guessing this is an older model.

Here's a close-up of the ceiling of the refrigerator where the water seems to be leaking from.

I've read that the possible cause may be a clogged drain hole (with ice) and that leaving the unit unplugged for about four hours may do the trick. So I've unplugged it for now and am waiting. Thought I'd upload these pictures here to see if anyone can help further diagnose the problem.


texts:
Just a couple days ago my kitchen sink started to get clogged and now won't drain. My sink is divided into two sections; both will fill up with water. When I run the garbage disposal, the sink with the garbage disposal empties just for a few seconds, but it looks like that water is just moving into the section on the right, and once I stop the garbage disposal, the left sink then fills up again.

My dishwasher has water sitting in the bottom of it, and yesterday it was leaking onto the floor. When the dishwasher drains, it drains only partially and all the water from the dishwasher ends up in the sink.

I tried vigorously plunging it, I poured plenty of boiling water into the drain, and I have tried drain cleaner with no luck.

I was thinking about buying a snake, but wanted to get input on any other ideas as I am definitely not a plumber.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!


texts: What is causing a whistling sound coming from my upstairs bathroom?

texts:
My upstairs shower is causing a high-pitched whistling sound when it's running and there is a showerhead attached. If I remove the showerhead, but keep the water flowing, the whistling noise stops. It might have something to do with the faucet handles, but I'm not sure. This has happened with different types of showerheads. Also, when the shower is running and I turn the sink on and off (which is next to the shower), the whistling noise will change pitch.

Any ideas?


texts:
I'm considering removing some walls in the center of a home with Howe Trusses (see pic).  I know trusses are normally designed to transfer all the load to the exterior walls, but what concerns me is that the entire length of the house is supported roughly at the center by a wall capable of being load-bearing through to the foundation below.  And while I've owned homes with other styles of trusses, these Howe trusses look ideal for a design where the load is split between the center and the outside walls.  So I'm not confident I can remove those center walls

The exterior walls measure 25' apart on the inside (~25' 4" on center); I'm in coastal Maryland, so my snow load is 25 or 30 psf.  The roof is a 4/12 pitch, and the house was built in the 1970s.

Does anyone know for certain that the trusses in question can handle the full snow load with no center support?  I realized most people, including me, would say "ask an engineer", but I suspect someone here has experience with this truss design over this very common span distance and therefore knows the answer.


texts: I need to replace the set screw on the inside lever of a kwikset door lock. I do not know the model number. How can I determine the size screw I will require?


texts: Best way to stop cold air coming in from fireplace

texts:
My house was built in 1967 and has a real working fireplace. The problem is, it allows a ton of cold air into the house. There is a chimney cap (and I climbed up on the roof to verify it still works), as well as glass doors on the front of the fireplace which were clearly made for safety and not sealing the room from cold air. Since cold air was still pouring in I added a chimney balloon.

However on cold mornings I use an IR thermometer and I can see the difference in temperature around the fireplace - it's still letting tons of cold air in. At this point I no longer care if I can use the fireplace for fires (I got an outdoor firepit for when we want to have bonfires and/or make s'mores). What is the best way to stop cold air coming in? Do fireplace inserts effectively seal them off from the outside? I keep searching for info but everything I see assumes I'll be using the fireplace insert to generate heat by burning things (which I don't really plan on doing). I don't want to heat my home with the fireplace, I just want to stop cold air from pouring in.


texts: I need help with the wiring of a new ceiling fan.  The previous ceiling fan was wired to two switches on the wall, one to control the light and one to control the fan.  The new harbor breeze fan one has a remote with it.  I have two sets of wires coming out of my ceiling, the ceiling fan has one black wire and one white wire.  How do I connect these wires to make everything work again?


texts: We recently purchased a lake house and found moldy framing and drywall.  The removed drywall had a black backing on it, similar to felt paper.  This part of the wall is sub-grade with wood (gc 2x6’s) behind the drywall.  It’s a split-level pier and beam house.  I would like to replace the drywall with OSB or something more water tolerant, but am wondering if roofing paper would be appropriate behind it.


texts:
I'm trying to change my light switch to a Leviton dimmer switch (4).

I checked with a voltage detector pen...

Both bottom two wires connected with my old switch has power when switch is off. Does that mean there are 2 hot wires? How do I connect it with the dimmer?
The upper wire connected with old switch has no power when switch is off but has power when switch is on. So I assume it is the load wire.

I can't find any ground wire connected to old switch, but there is a red wire in the wire box connected with nothing. Should the ground wire to connect with Leviton green wire?


texts: What prevents mortar from being compressed with the weight of courses of brick?

texts: What prevents Mortar from being compressed when courses of masonry are stacked.


texts: I just bought a house and there is this pipe near a gutter. Any idea what it might be or how I would go about finding out?


texts: Should neutral be bonded to ground in main and subpanels?

texts:
I had a licensed electrician replace my main panel and also install a subpanel in my garage.  At the time I knew nothing about electrical, and now I know just barely more than nothing.  I have recently learned that the ground bar and neutral bar should be bonded.  I have examined both my main and subpanels and determined my bars are not bonded.  Should the ground bars in both my main and subpanels be connected?

Subpanel:

Main Panel:


texts:
My guess is no. We had carpet installed on our stairs and our upstairs hallway and bedrooms. The carpet install was "free" though we had to pay extra for the stairs.

When vacuuming the steps the dust-buster lifted the carpet on one of the steps. This also revealed the installers didn't replace the 30 year old damaged tack strip. The little nails on this exposed tack strip aren't at the 45 degree angle that they should be but are mostly pointing straight up.

Which leads me to my next point (pun). In multiple locations the tack strips are easily poking through the carpet. The worst area is where the carpet meets the laundry room, where the carpet transitions to linoleum. The tack strip is an inch from the silver metal piece. The installers actually tried to leave the metal transition piece until my wife remembered paying for that silver metal transition.

The carpet in general seems to be shedding. On the window seats in our children's room there are strings hanging from the carpet.

We purchased the best padding the store had and what we thought was mid range carpet.

When the old carpet is pulled up wouldn't that bend the tacks up so that they point upwards making them a hazard? They should have replaced the old tack strips, right?

Should the carpet on the steps be a single piece or at least sewn together?

Update:
imgur.com put in some weird images instead of mine so this is a link to a flickr set of the carpet issues:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/31260465@N04/sets/72157637395611156/show/


texts: Feed back problem on FM Radio after new 100 amp box installed

texts: I installed a 100 amp box from my exsting 200 amp box. I seem to be getting feed back from my FM radio when I plug in a battery charger and turn it on. Other items don't seem to effect the radio. Did I do something wrong with my installation? I have put in a ground fault outlet as my first in line and I have installed switched overhead LED lights. There is only one 20amp circuit at this time. The two boxes are in the same building, about 50ft apart in an addition. When I use the charger in the original part of the building, I don't have any feedback or buzzing. When I turn on the new lights there is no problem with the radio. I only have one circuit with one outlet (GFI) and then to a switch that turns on my overhead LED lights. I have plugged in other lights in the outlet an no interference.


texts:
I am trying to do is pick out a service panel. MY requirements are. Meter on the Left, 4 jaw Ring, no bypass, outdoor, surface mount, 200 amp, Main Breaker, 8 breaker spaces Underground feed and Lower Right Side knockout. What are the requirement I should be looking for in a unit. Is breaker type just preference or is one better then the other. Is Bolt on better for outside use, versus Plug on. I will install a 100amp breaker and feed to an RV panel on same board. It has it's own breakers for 50/30/20amp plugs.
Thank you in advance


texts: Can I span 11 feet 7 inches with doubled 2x6 deck joists?

texts:
I have and existing deck about ten feet off the ground. The joists are all doubled up 2x6 S. Pine 11' 7" in length. There is a double 2 x 10 beam running across the middle. I need to remove this beam. I need to install some corrugated roofing to create a dry space but I can't do it with the beam in the way. I have seen several tables that say 2x6 can be used but only for a 9 foot span. My joists are all double runs of 2x6's. Can I get rid of the beam?
Thanks,
Mike


texts: Is there any way walls that don't go to ceiling are load bearing?

texts:
I am planning on removing a few walls between my kitchen/dining/living rooms. I keep having people tell me to be careful in case they're load bearing, which I know,  but the walls don't run to the ceiling. Is there any chance they still could be load bearing?

More info:
- Brick rancher, one- story house
- The ceiling in this area starts at 8 foot on exterior walls and vaults to 12 foot. There's a beam, but I'm not sure if it's structural or cosmetic
- The walls in question are all 8ft. They touch the ceiling only at one corner, but this area is actually being built out more.
- Beam is perpendicular to joists. Wall is T-shaped, so some perpendicular (not directly under beam) and some parallel.

The door opening is going to become an actual wall. The fridge is moving to that area, so the wall will remain for about 5' here.

This is where the wall "T"s off from the longer part.


texts: How to cap and remove fireplace gas pipe?

texts:
We recently took out an outdated gas insert and looking to have a simple decorative firebox.

As a temporary measure I put a metal screw cap with some yellow Teflon tape on the gas pipe in the firebox.

The gas pipe goes down to the basement where it connects to flexible piping before connecting back to the black gas line (the tap is closed).

From what I have read I just need to unscrew where the flexible piping connects to the black gas line and place the cap there instead.

It's a 100-year old home so there isn't a gas shutoff valve inside the property, just at the meter instead. I'd prefer not to mess with that valve unless required.

Is this something an amateur can do safely?
Is it reasonable to not have the gas supply to the house turned off, or is that asking for trouble?

If the answer is to get a gas technician in then so be it, but if it's a simple job I can safely do in a few minutes then even better.


texts: Proper way to secure a basement post to a metal I-beam

texts:
A home inspection noted that the center beam in our basement was not secured.

What is required to secure a beam to a column, and is it really required?

The house is in Oakland Co, Michigan, so not a lot of earthquakes there.


texts:
Many places say that you need to cover wires when plastering over them:

theiet.org/forum

  In a zone or not I would still steel cap the cables even if they were only TV Aerial cables.

and this

  IMO PVC capping is safer, as long as it's in the zone, as there is no chance of it becoming live.

and

  If clipping direct to a wall then reasonable protection is needed from the plasterers trowel.

There is diynot.com/forums:

  Capping of any sort is not required by the regs

and finally this

  Nothing wrong with plastering directly over the cables though. As said, the capping was more to prevent damage during plastering and although there is no direct mention if this in the regs, it was the intended purpose.

So some say that it is needed, some say it is worthless... Who is right? Do I need to cap the wires?


texts: Can styrofoam be used between plywood to bring up floor height

texts:
I have a new room built but floor is lower than adjoining hall by 1 1/2 inch.

Can I put rigid foam down over the plywood floor and top with plywood to match heights?


texts: I have 480 volts 3-phase from main service to a step down transformer--120 V, 208 V 3-phase on a single circuit: black, white, ground. I have 120 V from black to white wire with breaker in on position, in off position 0 V.  Black to ground 120 V  breaker on breaker off, 0 voltage from white to ground 90 volts. Do I have a bad or no neutral coming out of the transformer?


texts: Why do many concrete blocks have this strange shape on either end?

texts:
I want to build a simple wall out of concrete blocks and notice some have this strange shape, the ends look like a capital letter "I". As best as I can tell from any picture, this isn't like LEGO, making them snap together.
Why is the shape like that? Is there some advantage to me as a consumer, building a wall, to buy this shape? For instance, will that provide greater strength to the wall?


texts: How do I install carpet tiles in a below grade room?

texts:
A few years ago, I saw an advertisement for carpet tiles that had a jagged edge so there would be less movement in the interlock between tiles, and prevented the need for glue. (would like to find these or similar)

I have a below grade room that has ceramic tile over concrete floor. We want to carpet this area, and figured carpet tiles might be the best/easiest way to accomplish this. Additionally, the room is a pass through from the garage to the main level and is a high traffic area.  We thought carpet tiles would be nice, as we could replace sections of it if need be.

That being said, we would like carpet tiles that don't have to be glued down. Any suggestions?

Also, should I put down a barrier (like you would with a floating floor)? Or put down a moisture block?

Additionally, do I need to make any considerations for the grout spacing in the tile (for the ceramic tile underneath)?

Update:

considering DriCore, but because of the chip board and lack of mold treatment, it has possible moisture issues.

Possible alternative: http://www.supersealonline.us/

and another alternative: http://www.spycor.com/DMX_Subfloor_for_Concrete_p/dmx1.htm


texts: Why does my shower hot water flow slow down during showers? I find that I need to keep adding more hot water to keep a consistent temperature.


texts:
My house has a small "porch" near the main door. In many years I've been here, I never once used this area that is on the North side of the house as a porch. It tends to collect junk that I need to clear out every couple of years (guess how I spent the morning). Just behind that wall however, there is my master bathroom, that is the smallest a bathroom can practically be: 5x7 feet. I am seriously considering starting a project to enclose that space and expand the bathroom a little.

If I do this however, I plan to do it on my own, requesting all the necessary permits. It's the first time I'd do something like this.

My question is: how would one enclose that area? I guess under the stucco, that I suspect is 1/2 to one inch thick, there must be a lumber structure. Would I need to rip everything apart and simply rebuild it from scratch? Note from the pictures the area is already covered by the existing roof so I will not have to touch that, and it is for this reason I believe I'll be able to do this on my own. I will want to add a window.


texts: Can existing basement lights wired in succession from the main electric panel, with the last light on a switch be reverse wired so that all of the lights can be controlled by the switch?


texts: high water pressure in bathtub but not from the shower head!

texts: why do I have high water pressure in the bathtub but not from the shower head? already changed plumbing and changed the shower head


texts: How to clean the emergency drain tube on a Samsung Ecobubble washing machine?

texts:
Today my Samsung Ecobubble 8.0kg washing machine came to a halt mid-wash and reported the error SE/5E. Some googling told me that this was a problem with the drain, and that the filter should be cleaned. Before cleaning it, the water should be emptied out of the washing machine using the emergency drain tube like this:

It warned me that there would be a lot of water, however after pulling out the tube and removing the plug, it just dripped out. When I then proceeded to remove the filter, a lot of water came out, and I spent an hour trying to gently open the filter and let out a little water at a time (to avoid soaking the kitchen floor) until it was empty, which should have been handled by the emergency drain tube.

So I believe that the emergency drain tube is clogged - how can I un-clog it so it can serve its purpose the next time I need to do an emergency drain?


texts: Standard electrical wall mounting box specifications for the USA

texts:
I was wondering what the standard electrical wall mounting box used for sockets in america was. I was also wondering what the specifications for these boxes were, as well as, the pitch and size of the screw screw needed for the for the mounting holes.

Any information will be great, as i'm not from america.


texts:
In our house, we have a partially below grade basement. Occasionally, our basement will smell like sewer gas (farts) but I can not determine where the smell is coming from.
The basement does have sewer clean-out drain in the utility/washroom but our clean-out drain cap is securely tightened. It seems like the smell is coming from the downstairs bathroom which is next to the utility room.
The bathroom downstairs is hardly used but I occasionally flush the toilet and run the shower to keep water from evaporation from the P trap on the shower.
Additionally, it seems that when we use an upstairs bathroom the smell is more present.
Anyone have any ideas on how I can find the smell or what I can do to resolve the smell?


texts: Economical way to prevent dusting from AAC blocks in your garage?

texts:
Two main walls of my garage are made of Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC) blocks and they produce a lot of dusting. Total surface I need to is around 25 square meters.

What can I use to prevent future dusting from the walls? I would prefer something liquid where I can use a roller or a paintbrush instead of preparing the mix with water (as this would involve more dust and efforth).

In case it matters, I live in UK. I seen people recommending PVA but I seen many types and I don't know which type and quantity I need.

I also have concreete floor (15sqm) for which I need a solution, for the same reasons, I don't want more dust in the garage. The garage is used only for storage, so I am not concerned much about traffic. Still, I don't want to see the coating peeling from the walls or ceiling in the next 4-5 years.


texts: What type of adapter should I use to turn a cordless drill in to a corded drill?

texts:
I have old Bosch PSR12 driver/drill that all NiCA are dead.
I've modified it successfully to work as Corded after removing batteries and connecting 12V 1.5A (220v) adapter.
The drill works but when I push for full speed it stops, So I guess the adapter is just not enough.
The Battery box has a 12V 1.2aH label on it.

What adapter should I get ?
Doesnt 1.2aH equiplivent to 1A ?


texts: Should I rent a trencher, or hire it out?

texts:
I need a straight 100', 18" deep trench to run power from my house to a workshop. Though I've never used a trencher before, I'm more than willing to give it a go. That said, when I needed to have a stump ground recently, I found out that it cost about the same to have someone grind the stump for me as it would have cost to rent the machine, and he got it done much more quickly than I could have done it.

So, for trenching would I save much money by doing it myself?


texts: Constructionmethods for wallmounting on brittle brick wall

texts:
I rent a small flat in an old building. Since the walls are pretty brittle. Bricks are far apart, mortar has bigger stones then usual, so drilling can be difficult.

This is why the dowels are not sticking in the wall.

I thought about drilling downwards, to add a downward force to hold the dowel in the wall. Is there a better way?


texts: Flint water crisis - Water filter for Hot water heater?

texts:
I checked with a couple of residents and right now the accepted solution for removing contaminants from the water is boiling, as filters are only being offered for cold water.

It seems to me that they could benefit from a filter placed on the line that feeds the hot water tank as opposed to just a filter on each faucet/similar.

My question is: Do such filters exist? If not, or even if they do, how would one go about making such a filter economically? From a preliminary search it seems 'whole house filters' are quite prohibitively expensive, for example OP mentions here that his cost a thousand dollars. We're doing a drive to help, it'd be nice if we could make the filters ourselves, or give instructions how to, or raise money for reasonably priced filters and then partner with plumbers for installation, etc.

Update: From the wikipedia page on contaminants found in the water

Lead
Coliform bacteria
Trihalomethane (THMs, a chlorine byproduct of disinfecting water)

There may be others.


texts: How can I straighten bent refrigerator radiator fins?

texts: I'm a little worried about the reduction in airflow... should I be?  And if so, how should I straighten the fins?


texts:
My building inspector says my shed is too close to the property line (due to the gable overhang) so I need to move it forward about a foot or two.  It's a framed floor on solid concrete blocks, but there is a enough of an incline that I can't just take it off the blocks and roll it on the ground.
As I see it, if I lift the shed on either side, I could  add some addition 2x6 runners that run perpendicular to the permanent runners that would serve as a base for rolling on.  Then lift the shed back and front to insert rollers (PVC pipe), I should be able to roll it forward enough to satisfy my requirement.
Any issues with this approach?  Other ideas?


texts:
I have a knob dimmer that says on the metal plate "For permanently installed incandescent fixtures only" on it. I would like to replace that with a rocker style dimmer that accepts LEDs. The wording and the fact that the wires are inserted into the back just makes me want to confirm.

Edit: I opened the new one and it looks like my new switch has wires coming out of the back and you're supposed to attach a wire nut around the corresponding wire inside the box. Just gonna leave this up to be absolutely sure I can replace it at this point


texts: How to figure out how far back a kitchen sink goes when the underside is not exposed?

texts: I'd like to replace my kitchen sink with one of the same dimensions. However, there is wood cabinetry concealing the entire underside of the sink. Perhaps it is standard to have the same sink wall thickness on the front and back, and thus I could just measure the inside of the basin and double the front wall thickness?


texts: Best way to cover external XPS insulation

texts: My house has a basement, and on the outside, there's a layer of XPS foam insulation on the outside of the basement wall, up to the grade.  For most of the house, the sod goes right up to the house, however on one section it is exposed, and there's a slight gap between the insulation and the house.  What's the best way to cover it up?


texts: Does a garbage disposal and/or dishwasher need to be on a GFCI?

texts: Part of me always cringes when I turn on the garbage disposal with a wet hand, which got me thinking...  Does this thing need to be on a GFCI?  And on that same thought, does the dishwasher need to be on a GFCI?  Both currently are not and wondering if they should be to meet current code.


texts: How do I change a washer in an outdoor spigot where you can't remove the valve?

texts: I've replaced washers in spigots before, but this one has me stumped.  There is no nut to remove the valve from the body as far as I can see.  The faucet will not shut off.  Not just a drip, but a steady stream.


texts:
I've recently learned about Multi-Wire Branch Circuits and intend to use one to provide dedicated circuits for both my built-in microwave and refrigerator.  I understand the requirements around handle ties, separate phases, etc, but I haven't seen or read of someone using it for fixed appliances.  Would this be a normal/appropriate practice?  I've only seen it discussed regarding split or alternating receptacles.

Thanks


texts:
Adding a small room.
Want to extend HVAC to the new room.

HVAC guy warned me very expensive for such a small job and told me (wink wink nudge nudge) easy to do it myself.
Attic above:

Question:
The foil ends at the existing register.  Are there any standards I need to adhere to. such as:

minimum setback from the end of the trunk before I branch off?
should I just create a "T" junction and lead the foil to the new room?
do I need special metal fittings or couplers made?


texts: How to install vanity light - wall box has 2 white, 2 red, 2 black, 2 ground wires

texts:
Bathroom remodel where electrician wired the following:

GFCI outlet (installed)
Vanity light (not installed)
Fan/light combo (installed)
Shower light (installed)

There are four switches on the wall.
The vanity light fixture has 1 white, 1 black, 1 ground wire.
The box for the vanity light has 2 white, 2 black, 2 red, 2 ground.
I’m not sure how to install. I’ve installed ceiling fans with separate switches for fan/light and 1 red wire. Also installed another bathroom light with one set of wires including 1 red, but am stumped here.


texts: Replacing chandelier, how many lights can it support?

texts:
I want to replace a chandelier that currently has 2 bulbs, and I want to replace it with one that has at least 5 bulbs if possible. We live in an older building (built in 1912), and a friend warned me about doing this.

What do I have to watch out for? How many bulbs can a new chandelier and the current wiring support?


texts: Automated/Controlled Lighting - Options?

texts:
What are some good options to look at for controlled and automated lighting?

I've seen some DMX (stage-lighting standard) implementations for homes, but I'm not sure if that is the only/best option. What other methods are out there? What are the pro's/con's?

Goals

Ability to control brightness and color (for LED lighting)
Control from panels and/or computers
Compatible with multiple lighting types (indoor/outdoor, led, fluorescent, etc)
Set lighting to adjust over time. (For example: lights fade from 0% to 100% over 1 hour)


texts: What is the right way to clear the drilled plug out of a hole saw?

texts:
I am building a project where I am using a hole saw. After drilling through 2, 1" thick boards I have to clear the scrap out of the saw. This is a really slow process and I suspect I am doing it wrong.

Clamp the two boards I am drilling together and then clamp them in my jig.
Cut my holes.
Unlock the arbor
Unscrew the hole saw from the arbor
Use a screwdriver to poke, pry, and pound the scrap out of the saw
Remount the saw to the arbor
Repeat

What is the right way to do this? Is there a faster (but still safe) solution?

I am using a Milwaukee Hole Saw Arbor with a Milwaukee 2 3/8" hole saw. I am using the pilot bit.


texts: Should a leak repair take effect immediately?

texts: I had a repair job earlier to fix a leaking hot water cylinder and the guy who repaired it replaced the valves. The cylinder continued leaking for a while but eventually stopped after a few hours — I am wondering if it just took some time for the replacement valves to take effect or if the repairman is just charging for something that didn't help resolve the problem at all.


texts: Will this Garbage Disposal to P Trap height work?

texts: Recently purchased a retrofit farm sink and went to hook the garbage disposal back up. After roughing everything back up because the farm sink sets much lower I am wondering about drainage and if this setup is acceptable. What do you think?


texts: Hot water pipe sticking up in back yard?

texts:
Found that a copper pipe coming out of ground in back yard is the Hot Water pipe for the house.  Turn on the Hot Water, the pipe gets hot.

It is sticking up out of the ground and think this is NOT GOOD!  Would this be normal for a house on a slab built around 1956 in Texas?

Seems like it should be either running through the house or through the slab, not the back yard!  It has a "nick" in the top of the pipe, so now getting worried it might start leaking, let alone the fact that it is sticking out of the ground.  Would think it should have been buried about 4-8 ft down, not on the surface....

Any ideas?

I understand Ecnerwal's explanation and what to do, just not sure I want to be the one doing it or that its a good long term solution.

Having worked on building houses over the years, I've done anything from framing to electrical wiring.  Even hung drywall, thrown mud and done simple texturing, but that's an art I've never been good at.

One thing I've never done is run copper pipe.  We always had a plumber come in and do this on the houses we built.  Seemed like a lot of soldering and pipe bending - with a lot of patience.  What I have never seen is sending a water line, either hot or cold, out through the yard to come back in on the other side of the house.  This is where I think the 'jury rigging' has taken place.  When?  Who knows.  My concern is, why?

The home was built in 1956(7), so maybe the pipes went bad somewhere?  Regardless, I would have thought they would run the pipe into the ground next to the house, not out of the house a good 10 feet, then back in (and built a deck over it!).  I can certainly bury the pipe again, but I plan on putting in sprinklers and gutters to pipe water to cisterns.

If I hadn't noticed this, the PVC pipes from the gutters would have cut right into this pipe when we did lay those.  Should I be looking to rework this piping against the house slab foundation and bury there?

Most of my building experience was in CA. Is this normal for Texas?

My thought at this point is to call a plumber and see what they think.

Just trying to get some ideas / opinions so I'm at least half way informed before I start paying out big bucks for a little issue (hopefully!).


texts:
The electrical circuit for my bathroom has an electrical outlet in the bathroom, the lights and exhaust fan in the bathroom, an outlet in the hallway immediately outside the bathroom, and the light in the hallway.  The outlet in the bathroom is a GFCI outlet.  When I test the GFCI, the GFCI outlet goes dead as it should.  Everything else, the lights, fan, and socket in the hallway stay live.   To me it makes sense that the socket in the hallway stays live because it is not exposed to moisture like the GFCI socket in the bathroom, but I’m not an electrician, so what do I know?

I have two questions:
Question 1: Is it ok that the hallway socket (in a dry area) stays live when the GFCI is triggered?

Assuming that is ok, here’s what I would like to do.  I would like to run a new 12-2 wire from the hallway socket up through the wall and install a new socket about a foot below the ceiling so I can plug in a CO detector.

Question 2: Would it be acceptable to run a new wire from the hallway socket to a new socket for a CO detector?   The GFCI in the bathroom should have no effect on the CO detector in the hallway.


texts: Will the seals in a toilet dry out if the water is disconnected for a long period?

texts: If we turn the main water off is it a problem for the seals in the toilet to dry out? We we be gone for a year, so over winter and summer..


texts: I have a lighting fixture that uses CF13DT bulbs. How can I replace just the socket to use Edison screw in bulbs or the bi-pin GU24 bulbs?


texts: How to support 1 corner of stair landing

texts:
We have a stair landing that is approx. 4 feet wide and 2 1/2 feet long. The 4 foot wide side rests on the outside concrete block wall. One inner corner appears to be held up by a 2x8 and 2x4, nailed together going down approx. 5 feet to rest on the concrete basement floor.

The other inner corner is buried possibly into a chimney I'm going to remove. It does not transfer anything else above it, and must support the landing and top of the basement stairs.

For a 4 foot by 2 1/2 foot landing is a 2x8 and 2x4 nailed together sufficient to support 1 corner of the landing? I have searched several stair building books and they all gloss over this.


texts: How does Underfloor Heating get the right temperature water via a Thermal Store?

texts:
I am considering my options for a renovation project which will require substantial changes to my central heating and domestic hot water system. I was considering going a thermal store with a biomass boiler (wood pellet) and solar thermal, to supply:

domestic hot water
high temperature water for radiators
low temperature water for underfloor heating

While researching these options I've discovered that underfloor heating needs carefully controlled water temperature. Installation guides for floor coverings make explicit requirements about how the materials are commissioned with respect to the underfloor heating.

So I assume that the underfloor heating system, when used in conjunction with a thermal store has some method of modifying the available water, mixing hot with cooler if hot is too hot? If this assumption is correct what part of the system manages this and where does the mixing occur?

Update

Yes, this is supposedly possible with a thermal store. Quoting from a manufacturers' website:

  The Thermal Store can be used to capture energy from a variety of heat sources, such as solar, heat pumps, biomass and CHP, and is capable of providing hot water at varying temperatures to suit different heat emitters within a building. For example the Thermal Store can supply an underfloor heating system that may require 40°C, radiators requiring 70°C and hot water at 55°C, all from the same unit.

Yes, qualified engineers would be involved in the commissioning of such a system. However, there's an amount DIY in designing the system in the first place and I may take on some of the installation work myself (e.g. laying the pipework for the underfloor heating).

I'm seeking understanding in how such a system balances the temperature requirements.


texts: What could cause my ceiling fan light to go off after 2 seconds of being on?

texts: The light in my Harbor Breeze ceiling fan stays lit for only 2 seconds. Otherwise the unit works great.  What do I need to do to fix this issue?


texts: Water pressure high when first opening kitchen faucet then reduces dramatically when fully opening faucet

texts:
This just started happening today out of nowhere. When I open the kitchen faucet halfway the water pressure is ok. When I open the faucet fully the water pressure drops dramatically. Any ideas as to what the problem would be and would I be able to fix it myself or do I need to call a plumber? I’ve attached a video of me opening the faucet halfway and then fully, and also another video of the under side of the sink while opening the faucet halfway then fully. Thanks so much in advance for any help.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/104Kf85aCJbXBn5SX5iu36YNshZfWnE2u/view
https://drive.google.com/file/d/198V0anKpRrYU45lnHd4lbshA0EIWV-6Z/view


texts: Why doesn't my dehumidifier stay on the humidity setting I select?

texts: This is my 40 pint dehumidifier. I need help setting the humidity it just keeps jumping to 76• and I need it at somewhere around 45•.


texts: Studio apartment only has 2 prong outlets, I need to plug my PC into a 3 prong one

texts:
I recently built my PC, and it is plugged into a 2 prong outlet through a surge protector using a cheater plug, but I get slight shocks when touching the case. While I can remedy that just by not touching my case, I'm afraid that I might damage the components in the long term due to the PC not being grounded.
The apartment does have a 3 prong outlet, however it is located in the bathroom (right above the shower head), and I don't know if using a really long extension cord from the bathroom would be a safe option.
I'm thinking of connecting the ground tab of the cheater plug to the one of the screws on the breaker panel box using a long copper wire, but I am also unsure if this would provide a proper ground and if it would be a safe option as well.
Getting an electrician to change the outlets from 2 prongs to 3 prongs is out of the question during this pandemic as I live in the Philippines and our apartment building doesn't allow any one who doesn't live here to go in.
Any advice would be great


texts: Is it OK that my circuit breaker panel does not latch closed

texts:
I plan on doing some work and having it inspected.
As part of the work I will be switching some normal breakers to AFCI.
Before I get started I notice my panel does not fully latch closed.
The latch appears to be thin sheet metal that has snapped off.

I am wondering if this is a code violation and something I will have to fix.

If so that might really change my plans as I don't see these latches as being sold separately or meant to be replaced.

My town is on the 2011 NEC.
The breaker panel is a 200A GE catalog # TM3020F


texts:
I have an extensive tap & die set, but they're mainly designed for common bolt sizes.

The threads I need to cut are in (and on) metal and/or plastic pipes, or tubes; ranging between ∅49-89mm.

What's the proper way to cut these kinds of threads?


texts: Connect two lamps to the same ceiling socket, controlled by two three-way switches

texts:
Apologies if this is a stupid question, but my google fu is failing me.

I have a ceiling socket for a lamp. I want to use it to power two lamps, controlled by the same two three-way switches. How do I achieve that? I thought there'd be some sort of standard 'splitter' box I can connect to the endpoint and then connect the individual lamps to that, but I cannot find anything. Thanks in advance

EDIT2: completely forgot that the light is actually controlled by two switches, not one

EDIT: here's the socket, standard EU I believe, brown wire, light blue wire, and earth


texts: I now have two single ovens - each on a 30 amp breaker with 10 gauge wiring. I want to replace the two single ovens with a double oven - which requires a 40 amp breaker.  Can I connect the two 10 gauge wires together into an 8 gauge pigtail to connect to a new 40 amp breaker?  There is plenty of room for another breaker.


texts:
I have this water line for my fridge. I don't know how it's suppose to connect to the water since it's just a plastic piece. The gold piece is where it's suppose to connect but doesn't connect to the plasitc at all. I looked in the plumbing section at Lowes, but couldn't find any adapter for it.

When I unscrew the gold piece the line fits but the silver screw isn't long enough to screw into it.

Edit: I cut the line and it connects but it's leaking.

whirlpool refrigerator model: ed5nhgxmq10


texts: What size wire to run from a main panel to workshop panel

texts:
We are currently building a new house that will have an upgraded 400amp main panel in it.  The builder is going to put a disconnect switch on the outside of the garage where the main panel is located so all I have to do is hook into it.
I will also be building a 24'x24' workshop in the back yard. Reading online, it seems like a 100 amp panel in the workshop would suffice.  The workshop will need about 180-200' of wire ran.  I plan on putting down conduit for the wiring (probably 3" to be really safe).  Just have no clue on what size wiring I would need.

I am a DIYer at home and feel I have good electrical common sense, just never ran something this far out or for that large of a panel.

Any help would be great, thank you!


texts:
I am trying to wire a new thermostat, unfortunately i neglected to take a picture of the old wiring. I believe I have an understanding of how it needs to be wires but i could use a second opinion. Can you please help?
I suspect this is what they are calling for but would like confirmation:
L1 to 4
T1 to 2
L2 to 3
T2 to 1
The thermostat is a CT410B Non Programmable Electric Thermostat.
The wires shown below with the wire nuts are the wires from the breaker. The ones without caps are to the heating source (baseboard heat).

Here is the wiring diagram.

And lastly the back of the thermostat:


texts: Why is a screen used to sand drywall, but paper used to sand wood?

texts:
A sanding screen is comprised of small holes:

A sheet of sandpaper has a flexible paper backing:

Despite using different methods of abrasion, the abrasiveness of both products is measured in grit.

What are the functional differences between these two abrasives?

Can they be used interchangeably? Should they?


texts: Attic was built to be living space in 1945, but are the trusses strong enough to keep doing so?

texts: I have a Cape Cod style house that was built in 1945 with an attic as a living space.  The trusses are 2x6, 16" apart, and don't span more than 15' across.  Do I need to reinforce these trusses or should they continue to hold up?  If so, how should I reinforce them?


texts: Ventilation when using water-based stain & finish

texts:
With oil-based stains and finishes, reading SDS safety sheets makes it clear that safely using the products requires nitrile gloves, serious ventilation, and a respirator that can handle VOCs.

With water-based stains & finishes, safety lines are more blurred.

Most SDS safety sheets for water-based stains classify their products as non-hazardous substances (but still say to use gloves/ventilation/respirator).

Some water-based finishes are classified as hazardous substances by their SDS, like Minwax Polycrylic. Other water-based finishes are listed by their SDS as being non-hazardous, like Varethane Water-Based Polyurethane and General Finishes High Performance Water-Based Topcoat

For water-based stains & finishes listed as non-hazardous, what is the real situation with safety? Can I brush this stuff on indoors without a respirator? What about with a respirator, but no/little ventilation? Is an open window considered enough ventilation? If there is practically no odor during or shortly after, am I still inhaling VOCs that are harming me & my family?

*Edit I should specify that this question specifically refers to brush application


texts: Can I setup insulation without tearing down walls?

texts:
My situation is this: I moved into a new apartment last year and my office is the only room that isn't insulated, which is annoying. My daughter's room and her playroom are both insulated as expected. My office door has to be closed when I'm not in there.

Currently, I am using a meager space heater, but I feel like things can be better. Are there insulation boards I can nail to the walls and ceiling? Or should I try and get my landlord to do it?


texts:
Some background on this: the house is old, 1960's, and the previous owners loved having multiple switches run a single light.

I am changing out a light switch inside the house that runs an outside light and this light has two switches, one in the garage and one in the dining room. Yeah very odd spot.

The new switches I see have 3 screws on them, 1 for the hot wire and two for travelers. But the old switch has 2 white wires coming in and 2 black wires. One black wire is hot and one white wire is hot. How on earth do I wire the new switch?

In the pics below I tapped the hot wires.

and second pic


texts: Why can't I find a listed single pole dual smart switch?

texts:
I've been looking for ages for a smart switch to replace an analog single pole dual switch like this.
Everything I am able to find on Amazon, or really anywhere, is cheap foreign-made and not UL or ETL listed, e.g. this or this.
This one actually claims to be ETL certified, but I bought it and it has no such marking and have not yet installed it.
But I'm just wondering if there is some fundamental issue that prevents single-pole dual smart switches from being certified? GE, Leviton, etc. make tons of smart switches but no dual ones. With there being ZERO reputable manufacturers making these, but several shady ones doing so, one has to wonder why?
Note I may just wind up getting a dual Z-wave relay and keep the switch analog, but it's not my top choice as the box is pretty cramped as it is.
Update:
Well I found at least this one that's cETL certified. That's progress I guess.
Update 2:
Wait a tick. Could this actually be what I've been seeking? Z-Wave. A dimmer and a separate on/off in one gang.
Update 3:
The Zooz dual switch arrived yesterday and indeed seems to do the trick! It has US and Canada ETL cert and looks and feels like a legitimate switch unlike the plastic garbage out there.
The dimmer part paired with my ADT Control system despite ADT not being listed as a compatible. The "relay" (for the fan) didn't pair but I assume that is because of the hub; they note that the Smartthings hub needs a special update so I'm sure it's just a software issue. It also doesn't bother me that much since turning off the lights from bed is more important than the fan which I have on 99% of the time.
One thing I don't like about it is that it doesn't have screw-in wire terminals but rather has stranded wires that come out the back that you have to pigtail to wires in the box.
But overall I'm glad to see at least one product that sortof fits the bill and hope this is a sign of things to come.
Thanks for all the suggestions!


texts:
I want to make a flexible 3" hose for the shower. Can someone please tell me how I can go about making my own custom size shower hose? I'm looking to make a 3 inch hose with 1/2" female swivel ends.

This picture is very similar to what I want:

I'm open to using a material as shown in the picture, or braided steel or whatever material showers hoses use.

Currently I'm using quick connects and 3" polyethylene tubing for my project, but I need something more secure and professional looking.

Thanks for any replies!


texts: Can you paint linseed oil putty with water based paint?

texts:
The putty is sealing a window and has has spent three weeks drying. I've heard that you can use water based paint over linseed oil putty, but I want to check.

It was a Selleys linseed oil glaziers putty. The pack says to paint it between 2 and 4 weeks with "house paint" which seems, at the same time, both obvious and uninformative.


texts: Should a brand new AAV be able to leak water?

texts:
I know that ideally, an AAV (Air admittance valve) would not leak air or water out. But, should it be able to leak water under certain circumstances (such as running the garbage disposal) while still being considered "working"?

Consider a house has just a kitchen sink and dishwasher connected to a stack. Everything else was on a different stack. The kitchen stack was vented to the roof, however it was determined that there was a leak in the pipe to the roof. A plumber disconnected the vent, and placed an AAV under the sink.

The issue here is that if the sink is full of water, and the garbage disposal runs for more than 5 seconds, a decent amount of water leaks out of the AAV.

I am reading that AAV's are supposed to be a "one way valve". See diagram below. Air can come in, but the seal should close and not let pressure out...yet water is getting out.

(Image from Amazon.com)

The plumber who installed the AAV insists that the drain under the basement floor must be to blame, and should be "snaked"/cleaned out. Perhaps it is clogged under the basement, but I'm still wondering if an AAV should leak. I'm thinking that it may help to raise the AAV as much as possible. It's obviously below the flood level of the sink. Maybe it could be routed around the sink, just under the counter top, as seen in the following crude photoshop:

Is the plumber free to blame the basement drain, or is this AAV dysfunctional?


texts: How can I cut aluminum angle stock without damaging my tools?  I've done some looking around the interwebs and have not found anything definitive - basically there are warnings about cutting it with anything that is not a chopsaw or hacksaw, and people with success stories on how they cut aluminum without problem.  My main concern is damaging my tools - I would like to make precise cuts with either a tablesaw, bandsaw or powered miter saw.


texts:
I have power coming in SW1 and leaving SW1 is a 12/3 wire. I have 6 lights connected serially in between SW1 and SW2. (black to black, white to white, red to red, etc) and the lights are connected to the blacks and whites accordingly.

How do I get the 3 way switches working?

The red is the only wire not connected to anything else along the way.


texts:
We had a contractor come in and tile our fireplace. The front (where the eye goes immediately) is not flush with the rest and creates a visible line that is driving us crazy. Is there anything we can do ourselves such as sanding or re-grouting that can fix this problem?

We have already paid a lot for the entire job as they also did the cement boards underneath. They are blaming the different thicknesses of the tiles for this look. Is this bad enough for them to come in and redo it from the ground up free of charge?

Thanks!


texts: I want to install a garage heater in my garage. It will be mounted near the electrical panel. Problem is I cant add any more breakers to the panel and the heater has to be hard wired. It is a 5000 watt heater. How can I wire it and what amp breaker do I need to use? The panel already has 30,40, and 60 amp breakers.


texts: How to determine the correct capacity for a sub-panel for a shop?

texts:
I plan to install a sub-panel for my woodworking shop, and would like to determine the total capacity that should supply that sub-panel. These are the main items that will likely be running in the shop, possibly simultaneously:

table saw, 240v, 14 amp
dust collector, 120v, 9 amp
freezer, 14 cu ft (I don't have the amperage)

(The lights are run on their own circuit.)

What is an appropriate capacity for the sub-panel?


texts: Cleaning the stone of a hot-stone grill with a detergent

texts:
The user manual of my current hot-stone grill (Severin brand) reads that the stone may be cleaned under running water only and that no detergent shall be used. However, this way it can't be trully cleaned. Previously with another hot-stone grill (Rotel brand) I used a common detergent and didn't experience any harm to the stone whatsoever.

Is there any particular (scientific) reason why common dishware detergents shall not be used for cleaning of hot-stone grill stone surfaces? Or is just manufacturer looking for some sort of excuses as precautionary matters?


texts: How should I secure an unused wire in my breaker panel?

texts:
I accidentally pulled 6-4 wiring to a machine that only needs 240 and no neutral. What to do with the white wire?

I read here that at the machine, I just cap the white wire.  When I go to connect the wires in the main breaker panel, do I still connect the white wire to the neutral bus, or do I cap it in the panel as well?


texts: Had sliding glass door installed and I think they used the wrong spray foam because the door is bowed and doesn't slide properly. Is it repairable or will I have to get a new door?


texts:
While testing my sprinkler system (rain bird) one of my zones would not shut off and I had to turn the water off to get it to stop. I turned on that zone manually via the solenoid and the container where the solenoid is started filling up with water. The zone shut off when I turned off the knob that you use to manually turn it on (at the solenoid). This leads me to assume that the solenoid is bad and needs to be replaced.

One other thing that threw me off is right beside where my water meter is I have this box pictured below. It doesn't seem to do anything but have two shutoff valves to the sprinkler system.  The two blue handles shut off the water but I am not sure what the stuff in between does. The reason I mention this is this box also filled up completely with water.  If I trace the sprinkler lines there are two solenoid boxes before the one with the issue and those were both dry so there doesn't seem to be leaks elsewhere.

My questions are:

1) Is the solenoid likely the issue with the water staying on and should I replace that?

2) Is the box pictured below doing anything except providing a cutoff from the water line to the sprinkler system (so I can shut off the sprinkler w/o shutting off my water)?

3) Does the bad solenoid causing the sprinkler zone to stay on explain why the box below filled up with water?


texts: Will a consumer UPS clean up power from a conventional genetator

texts:
I have a DeWalt DXGNR7000 generator with a bonded neutral. I’m okay with house wiring, the fine folks here on Stack helped me out with that.

However, I know that these types of gensets create 60hz sine wave power but I’m informed there is lot of noise and frequency variation... like a LOT. Like all over the place...

And I guess that’s okay for my LED light fixtures, and a microwave oven, and circular saws etc, but not so much for satellite receivers, TVs, computer etc.

So instead of buying a (much) more expensive and less powerful inverter genset, I thought about putting a consumer UPS backup, like APC with their AVR feature, in front of the sensitive stuff.

Good or bad idea?

Any guidance is, as always, very much appreciated!


texts: what's kind of bike hooks should I buy for this wall mount?

texts:
I moved in a new house and in the garage there is already a wall mount with parallel grooves, please see the first attached picture.

I know I can buy some certain hooks for this kind of wall that I can mount a bike on, because I saw it when I visited the house earlier(see the 2nd attached picture). However when I visited home depot or lowes I couldn't find something suiting this purpose - can anyone help me identify what kind of hooks I should buy that I can hook in this wall mount and hang my bike on?


texts: PVC pipe end cap fitting, with center hole and offset hole?

texts:
Is there such a thing as a PVC pipe reducer end cap fitting, which has a center hole and an offset hole?

The purpose of the center hole is to insert a small diameter straight PVC pipe through the center of the cap, so that the smaller pipe is projected inside the larger pipe.

(This smaller pipe is used to inject a gas or fluid into the larger pipe, using additional PVC fittings inside the larger pipe.)

The purpose of the offset hole is to provide a drain for the larger pipe, aligned with the edge of the larger pipe so it can be drained completely through the offset hole, into another PVC pipe.

So for example the large diameter PVC pipe would be 4" schedule 40, and this end cap would have a 1.5" center pipe hole without an inner stop-lip, thereby allowing a pipe to project through the cap, and a second 1.5" offset hole for a PVC drain pipe.

I know there are often special industry terms for certain objects, and I do not know what this might be called. Possibly such a thing might be available as a hot tub PVC plumbing component.

EDIT: Some mockup drawings in SketchUp

The outer PVC pipe diameter should be 4 inches, but I do not care specifically what the smaller pipe sizes are. I will work with whatever I can find.


texts: How can I find wide diameter clear tubes at a cheap price?

texts:
I am trying to build a series of tubes for my pet rat to run around the apartment in.  But I need for the tubes to be at least 3'' in diameter, preferably 4'' and I need them to be clear so I can find the rat when I need to. The pipes can be flexible or rigid, and I don't particularly care what material they are made out of so long as it is non-toxic.  Also, the tubes do not have to be perfectly clear.  As long as I can find her when I need to.

Thus far, the best thing I can find is this:

Any ideas?


texts: How to avoid water build-up in bathroom's passive ventilation shaft?

texts:
Our apartment building is 23 years old, and the bathroom has passive ventilation: basically there's a hole in the wall just under the ceiling, where warm moist air slowly escapes. It usually has a nice cover, but I've removed it in the attached photo.

It seems that the ventilation shaft ends just below the wall hole, and the bottom of this shaft slowly fills up with condensation water. Apparently the condensation adds more water than the amount that naturally evaporates. This is a net positive so eventually the water overflows the shaft bottom and trickles down the bathroom wall. That's how I discovered this.

I've just improvised a siphon using a few drinking straws and to my horror I extracted more than two liters of old water from that shaft. This must have been accumulating over the last several years. Obviously this is a construction fault.

Question:  How can I avoid this water build-up in the future?  Can I add an electric fan to the hole, to blow out the moist air before too much of it condensates in the shaft?

Left: the wall. Right: the shaft with water.


texts:
I ordered a new hinge and brake for the fridge/freezer a friend dropped.  The problem is the door hangs too low on the left side.

My thinking was that the bottom of the door got pushed out to the right because of the way the hinge warped, but looking closer it would appear the door itself is a bit dented.  Should it be ok to try to hammer/bend that out, or should I be ordering more parts before taking things apart to fix?


texts: How to stop water leaking along tile seam under a frameless shower door sweep?

texts:
I have a frameless glass bathroom shower and water leaks under it.  I believe the water is moving along a tile to tile seam (like subway tiles) and going under the sweep.  It is fairly new construction and I don't want to remove the tile and tilt it back toward the shower.  Can I use clear caulk and fill the seams?  Is there a better fix?  I'd really appreciate some advice.

I've update the question with a picture: (Thanks for the suggestion @JACK)


texts: Do I need to replace motor stator if windings are broken?

texts:
Broken coil windings

Sorry, first time poster, long time reader. I think pic was uploaded.  Do broken coppper windings on a stator motor necessarily mean it is a bad stator?  This is from a motor stator assembly on a Samsung front load washing machine (WF350ANP/X001). Thank you so much for help.  Don't want to spend $150 if not needed, but don't want to falsely assume the issue is something else.  Background info if helpful: Upon start up, the machine appears to attempt a wash load test by a few short "wiggles" then after a period of about 5 minutes of nothing, produces a 3E error code.  I believe my Hall Sensor or RPS is also bad (visibly has a nick in one probe) so I have that on order.  I may have created this breach in the windings myself as I left the motor assembly on the floor while researching (kid stepped on it?).


texts: I am going to put cedar tongue and groove on my soffit, I was wondering if I can just use a 1x6 as the fascia. Thanks in advance. My concern is that it will not last.


texts: Applying bird spike strips to deter squirrels?

texts:
I have some squirrel that love running on top of my roof that I'm trying to
get rid of.

I am considering using bird spike strips to deter squirrels from getting on my roof.  I was wondering if applying them on the bottom and sides of the gutters would work.  Has anyone tried doing this?

Context:
I used to have a tree that the squirrel used to get easy access to the roof and it must have hoarded stuff on the roof.  The squirrel is pretty determined since there is no tree branch within 20 feet and the roof is a 2nd story roof.


texts: Do you have to have (or does it help) to have a garbage disposal with a dish washer?

texts:
I have a in sink garbage disposal but rarely use it.

I just had to replace it because it burned out from a children's plastic spoon getting 'eaten' ... more than just seized there was smoke coming out of the unit.

So I have thought about just getting rid of it. But every house that I have lived in that has a dish washer also has had a in sink garbage disposal

I was wondering if they are needed \ recommended if you have dish washer?


texts: We're moving into a new place and have been told by the building's management that the top lock on our door is our own responsibility. It appears that the previous tenants had something in the top lock position and took it with them (or the building removed it after they moved out). I have pictures of what I am talking about, and I would be very grateful if anyone could tell me (a) what kind of lock used to be here? and (b) what other kinds of locks, if any, can we put on our door considering we don't want to have to put a hole in the door frame (see last picture).


texts:
This is the bed frame that I have build now, the part in red is something I have created but did not dare to attach it yet.

I have used Spruce wood for everything, and the long side of the frame is attached to the short side via dowels and two large wood screws on each side.

Now my question is about the load on the frame that I created (see the arrow pointing to the rectangular shaped object).

My feeling says that I need to add extra support to that frame, and that I need to add extra support between the three components as well to create a stable frame.
However, to gain trust in my schema I would like to calculate some stresses, or deflections that the beams will undergo due to the static load and dynamic load of me and my partner.

I have found some equations to calculate some part of the load, but I dont think this will capture all the stresses. Can somebody point me in the right direction?

PS: Thanks for the tips and the comments guys, I hope the question is now better suited for this forum.