texts: Adding hinges to steel box tube that is going to be powder coated - advice

texts:
So, I've designed a frame built of 3mm thick 5 x 5mm steel box tube, which will have inset wooden panels. This will eventually become a unit for an aquarium.

All good in practice but the front wooden panels inset in the frame are going to be doors.

Problem I have is how would I go about adding the hinges for the doors to the frame?

Suggestions I've had so far are:

1 - Weld the hinges to the frame...might be an issue when powder coated

2 - Add the hinge afterwards with self tapping screws...possible chipping of powder coat

Any other recommendations or come across similar scenarios?

Images attached of original design and the almost completed fabricated frame.


texts: How to mate two flat pieces of wood at a point about which both can rotate?

texts:
I apologize if this question has been asked or the answer is obvious. I am unfamiliar to the terminology so searching things up is a major difficulty.

I have two flat, long pieces of wood and I want to 'mate' their ends such that both can rotate about that point. I call it a 'rotating joint.' The two pieces of wood would be overlapping. Here is a video of what I am attempting to build:

https://fredericphilips.wordpress.com/projects/swarm-robots/hardware/gripper-design/

The 'joints' can be seen in the four areas, two on each arm.

I would appreciate help determining what components I need and how they come together.

After research, what I believe I need is a bolt, a bearing/bushing and a nut. I would drill a hole, insert the bearing, insert the bolt through the bearing, and tighten with a nut.


texts:
I Have installed  a motion sensor light at the front of my house. It was working ok but kept going lighting up all the time becuase of next doors bush, so decided to put an in line switch on the live side of the feed to the light so I could turn it off going to bed. However it now does not work at all even if I take the switch back out of the circuit reconnect it to the way it was before I started. Hence my question by doing what I did, putting switch on the live wire of supply, could this have caused damage to the sensor causing It to malfunction and if so why.
many thanks for any input


texts: Best tool & method for cutting steel tubes (table legs)?

texts:
I have a table that I want to cut the hollow steel legs down to coffee table height.

These are the table legs I have:

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70217973/

What's the best tool and method to do this simply? A hack saw? Some special bit for a drill?


texts: How do i install a wooden door frame to a brick frame wall?

texts: What are the process and steps to installing a wooden door frame to a brick frame wall?


texts: Entering a building with Liquidtight Flexible Non-Metallic PVC Conduit with a 90 degree fitting

texts: Do I have to transition to hard PVC 90 with a cover to enter the building - https://www.homedepot.com/p/Carlon-3-4-in-Gray-Schedule-40-and-80-PVC-Type-LB-Conduit-Body-E986E-CTN/100404084?  Or can I run the flex straight through the wall & into the panel, seal to siding/exterior EPS with silicone?  I have to run a 3/4" (12v controls) and 1-1/4" (220v) line for a generator about 20' away.  Or should I do it in 100% hard PVC pipe with expansion couplers on each end - expensive?


texts:
I would like to get some opinions from you folks of our kitchen refacing and new counter top install. We have had many issues with the project from week one. We went through an actual company in hopes to not end up where we have today. We were quoted 7 to 10 days for the complete project, beginning to end, we are now on week 6 of the project, it began on 9/9/19 and they just installed the last 2 doors and lazy susan door yesterday, 10/15/19. They mis-measured the lazy susan twice and the doors we were waiting on once as well. We have a very basic kitchen, L shaped, no island. I guess they hire subcontractors to come do the jobs, which is normal to me, not a problem. Well the one that was on our job showed up for the first few days then ghosted. We tried getting a hold of our project manager at their hq but she would never call us back and IF we were ever lucky enough to speak with her, she had an attitude and was not helpful in the least. I was also laughed at when I told them we were quoted 7 - 10 days for the project, saying that they would never say that and "these things take time". I have their company pamphlets confirming the original quoted timeline.
We called and asked for a new PM as well as for their inspector to come out and look at the job. Tier inspector told us the contractor did a really bad job and pointed out roughly 30, yes thirty, issues in his work. At this point the project was already going on 5 weeks. We wrote a list of our concerns and so did the inspector, then they sent 2 different guys out, "their best guys", to complete the job in one day.... well that ended up being 2 days and the lists were not gone through nor completed. We still have some open issues on the lists and these folks are looking for payment. There are also many issues with the counter top. First, they cut it into the wall. It was too long maybe and instead of taking it back to cut it down, they cut open the wall and put it in that way. It is a MESS!!!! They didn't even seal around it, they just left it open. The cabinet guys tried to fill it but it's ugly and sloppy. They also messed up the paint and damaged the wall in the process. Sorry this is so lengthy but it has been a looooong 6 weeks. Hopefully I can figure out how to upload these pictures to give you a visual but my question is, how should I go about the final payment with them? I am sure as hell not paying them the full price of $20,000 they quoted us. Any suggestions?


texts: How deep should liquidtight flex conduit be burried?

texts: How deep should liquidtight flex cable be burried for a 75 ft run for an outdoor circuit? I see pvc conduit is at 18 inches.


texts: PVC conduit into PVC box: Can I make it watertight when using a threaded fitting? Are sealing locknuts allowed?

texts:
I have some 2" PVC conduit coming out of the ground and into a PVC box where it enters with a terminal adapter and held in place with a locknut. I intended to use a sealing locknut to keep the box watertight, but came across this discussion which has me worried the locknuts won't be allowed. Any advice? My AHJ uses the 2014 NEC.

Does that linked discussion apply to my situation? What is the correct/typical way to connect PVC conduit to a box outside (or are glued fittings generally always used)?


texts: How should I repair a hole in an attached garage?

texts: I need to repair a hole in an attached garage.  When I looked in the hole there is yellow insulation but no vapour barrier.  the other side of the garage is a bathroom that is very cold .  Should there be insulation and then a vapour barrier and finally the drywall?


texts: WIll electric pressure washer work with low water pressure?

texts:
I live in a 5th floor of a building that doesn't have strong water pressure. I remember that many years ago a cleaning group was going to pressure-wash the exterior of the building, but couldn't because, supposedly, the water pressure wasn't strong enough. I wasn't there at the moment; a neighbor told me this.

So yesterday I saw a 1,450 PSI electric pressure washer for around $80, and I was considering buying one to clean the rooftop. But now I'm reconsidering.

So, my question is, does low water pressure actually affect the functionality of a pressure washer?

What my neighbor told never made sense to me. From my understanding, the purpose of a pressure washer is to work with low water pressure.

Thanks.


texts: Should I use wider boards or shift studs to clear plumbing?

texts:
I am looking to put a stud wall in my shower to house the valves and also a few niches, it needs to be a minimum of 150mm deep, so do I use standard 50mm x 100mm (2x4s) boards and offset the stud wall 50mm from the main wall or do I use a wider 150mm board?

I am covering the stud in concrete backer board so I could potentially bridge the gap with that if the wall is offset.

I also have another stud wall that will have a hanging vanity unit attached to it, will this need a double top plate?

Update: Hopefully the crude illustration I've added will help a bit (taken from a birds-eye view of the proposed stud):


texts: How to operate generator transfer switch?

texts: Our house came with a generator hookup already installed by a previous owner. How do I use it? Presumably I attach the generator to the 4-prong socket outside, and get it going, but what sequence of operations is necessary at the panel (see photo), inside? Presumably I first need to disconnect the house from the electric grid by throwing the main breaker. Then how do I know when the power outage is over and I no longer need to use the generator?


texts: Troubles replacing an old outlet with a GFCI outlet

texts:
I am trying to replace an old outlet with a GFCI outlet in a kitchen to meet requirements for a loan. The outlet is next to the sink and has an outlet and a light switch in the same box. It looks like the light may have been wired to run a light above the sink and to control the top outlet.  How do I wire the GFCI outlet into this?

Right now we can get the bottom outlet on the GFCI to work by hooking up a white and black wire to the line side of the outlet but are not sure how to hook up the switch. There is a ground wire hooked up to the GFCI outlet and the test and reset work properly with just the line wires connected. It also appears that another outlet further down the counter may have been hooked to this as that outlet isn't currently working. Any help would be great. We are trying to do this ourselves to save money before closing on the house.


texts: Does my furnace's air filter do anything at all?

texts:
Our house seems very dusty.  The tops of bookshelves, computer screens, etc seem to accumulate a thin film of dust just a few days after cleaning.  Certain other co-inhabitants of my house have allergies, and want me to do something about the dust.

So I figured, I'll start with the HVAC system and see what's up.  I removed the filter from my Weather King Air Handler (14AHJ11S01C01), and discovered that it uses a "permanent washable filter".  It had a sprinkling of dust, but not the thick cakes I've removed from other types of permanent filtration systems.  What alarmed me was the extremely loose weave of the thing:

I mean, look at this thing:

This looks like it would maybe intercept any stray birds and meteorites that find their way into my air ducts, but not much else.  Is this doing anything at all?  Am I missing a piece of the filter?

From what I've read most furnaces don't have enough force to push through something like a HEPA filter, but surely they could use something with a weave tighter than a pasta strainer, right?

I was thinking of just attaching a piece of thin foam to the filter, like this:

At least that might catch a bit more dust.  Will I burn my house down if I do this?


texts: Troubleshooting a breaker box - several breakers stopped working

texts:
Most of the outlets in my workshop stopped working last week. My 220V outlet, a dedicated outlet for a compressor, and the garage door are still working. The shop has a dedicated circuit box, which is a GE sub-panel from the main panel at the house.

I unscrewed the front panel and measured the voltages of the 2 buses using my multi-meter and found the right bus measures 120V, but the left one measures around 20V and bounces around. All the breakers connected to the left bus are the ones that stopped working. The box has it's own double pole main breaker rated at 100A.

Could it be that one half of that breaker is bad? What would be the most cost effective way to troubleshoot the problem? I would like to avoid buying all new breakers for the receptacles if that is not the problem.


texts:
Just looking to get someone's opinion on the legality or practicality of this circuit:

There was another question posted recently where someone was asking about the ability to switch a second light both independently and dependently of a three-way circuit. This was the first idea that came to mind, but I've never seen a circuit like this and could only imagine the headache trying to troubleshoot this if you stumbled upon it in the future. Basically a regular three-way circuit, but then connect a third switch in reverse with another source of power tapped from the common in.

Condition matrix

              | Circuit 2 Pos A | Circuit 2 Pos B
Circuit 1 ON  | L1 *, L2 *      | L1 *, L2 *
Circuit 1 OFF | L1 o, L2 o      | L1 *, L2 o

I do not believe it is against code directly, but is there something prohibiting this setup? (Neutrals at each switch box, but I ignored that for clarity in the picture.)


texts: Should drywall used on a ceiling be of a different weight/grade than drywall used on walls?

texts:
Should drywall used in a ceiling be of a different weight/grade than drywall used in walls?

We are demoing a closet this weekend, and will need to repair the remaining drywall in a few places.


texts: Replacing an on and off switch with a mechanical timer

texts: I have an outdoor light that is run by a regular wall switch.  I want to change this to a mechanical timer switch.  The mechanical timer switch has two ports for wires.  When I opened the wall switch I found three black wires: one in each of the push in ports and one under a side screw.  How do I wire in the mechanical switch that has two ports when I have three black wires attached to the old regular wall switch?


texts:
https://vimeo.com/326120553

I have a bubbling puddle of mud near my house. It's not my water or sewage lines, I already had the water company come check it out. It doesn't smell like natural gas. What else could it be?

Note that there are two patches, both around the base of the same tree.

There was some rainy weather yesterday, but this is only happening around the base of this one tree.


texts: Assessing water damage to wood beneath bathroom

texts: Some tiles are coming up from our bathroom floor. I haven’t yet taken off the thinset mortar to assess if there’s any damage but I went beneath the house and found a good bit of wet wood. How bad does this look from first glance?


texts:
I bought a used dual oven, which has 6 wires coming out of it.
Unfortunately, it didn't come with a manual, and even the online installation instructions aren't much help. (The manual, as well as the tag on the oven, only refer to "3-wire"...)

Model: Kitchen Aid YKEBS277WB-0
SN: XX4901044

The only manual I've found is here.

Pictures of the wires, and where they end up (including the tech sheet that was inside the oven) are available here.
I tried calling Kitchen Aid, but they were of no help ("oven is too old"...)

I hooked up red->L1, black->L2, white->neutral, green->ground, and the upper oven worked, but not the lower one. (I wasn't quite sure what to do with blue & yellow.)


texts: How can I figure out where squirrels are entering my attic?

texts:
Squirrels keep getting in my attic but I can't figure out where they're coming in. There may also be chipmunks, as I found a bunch of sunflower seed shells inside a lawn chair bag that was laying up in the attic. I can't figure out how they are getting in the attic. There is a vent above the kitchen that I was suspecting but when I checked it the flaps were closed.

How do I locate the entrance where the chipmunks/squirrels are getting into my attic?


texts: can I make a  P-trap for 2 inch PVC out of a 90 degree and a 2 45 degree the 2 45 degrees arranged in a s pattern


texts: NEMA 14 with integral JB -- how can I ground it to EMT?

texts:
There are two general styles of NEMA 14 receptacle in wide use -- one is the conventionally yoked style that is used with a separate junction box in flush mount applications, but can also be used in a suitable surface-mount j-box:

while the other is a surface-mount-only style that comes with a specially-fitted metal junction box with a non-standard hole pattern and conduit knockouts in the back and bottom:

In a case where the grounding conductor for the circuit is a conduit, the former type of receptacle can be grounded in any way possible for a regular duplex NEMA 5 -- either through the yoke if permitted by Code, or by way of a bonding jumper from the receptacle ground screw to the box.  However, the latter style of receptacle does not appear to have facilities in the box for a grounding jumper to be screwed to the box, and I am not sure if there is a "yoke" per se in that design that provides earthing continuity from the receptacle earth terminal to the box.  This leaves me with the question: short of pulling a redundant ground wire through the EMT, how can I ground an integral-box-type NEMA 14 to a run of EMT?  Or is the ground prong already set up to be electrically continuous to the backbox in such a receptacle design?


texts:
I just bought a new apartment, and purchased a new Bosch induction cooktop for the kitchen.
The cut in the counter top stone is the right size, but when I placed it inside I see that the bottom of the cooktop is very close to the drawer beneath it.
This doesn't cause a problem to open or close the drawer, but i was wondering if the bottom of the cooktop heats up, or can be bad/dangerous in any way because of being too close to the drawer.


texts: What is the best way to insulate cold water copper pipes exposed on a flat roof in California

texts: We live in Los Angeles and have a flat roof that our hot and cold water copper pipes run across and are all exposed.  The cold tap water, in the spring, summer, and fall is so hot during the day.  Currently there is only black foam insulation on it.  I am thinking there has to be something that will reflect the heat off of the cold water copper pipes and insulate it too.


texts: Sub panel supplied by two different lines from main panel

texts:
I looked but couldn't find this asked already.
I found a sub panel in the crawl space of my home.  It looks to supply an upstairs addition.
It has 2 different 14/2 cables going into it from the main panel, each on a 15 amp breaker.
Inside the sub panel are a 15 and 20 amp breaker, with the 20 amp connected to 12/2 running up to the addition and 14/2 on the 15 amp.
My best guess is this was done to get 20 amps up to the bathroom by "splitting" the current over the 2 lines supplying the sub panel.
Is this even legal?
I could probably replace the existing 14/2 going into the sub panel with 12/2, but I'm not sure that is an acceptable solution.


texts: What are the metal parts which are placed against circuit breaker switches used for? These look like hooks and the flat part are placed against the switch as if to block it from being flipped. In the photo these are used in the second and third rows of switches. According to the diagram (not shown), the switches are connected to high power appliances like the heater, dryer and stove.


texts: What size replacement fuse is required for this hot tub?

texts:
I recently had a power outage that blew one of our air conditioning fuses (which we were able to fix) and one of the fuses (out of two) in our spa equipment service control board. Next to both fuse slots it says 3 amps, but the fuse that blew had this written on it:

BUSS GMA
3·15A 125V
(it is about 19 or 20 mm long)

Does that mean its 3.15 amps, 3 amps, 15 amps? I thought it was supposed to be 3 amps since it clarifies that on the circuit board so I got a 3 amp 20 mm bussman fuse from Home Depot.

It came with two fuses and one blew like a firework so I don't want to put the other one in with the chance that there is a short circuit causing it. Any help would be appreciated.

Here are some pics
Original fuse- http://imgur.com/crx3jvi
Pics of the service panel circuit board--
http://imgur.com/a/7733C

Is there a short circuit or should I just try getting a 3.15 amp 125v fuse (instead of 3 amp 240 volt fuse)


texts: Can I solder galvanized steel to stainless steel?

texts:
I have several stainless steel plates and I want to solder galvanized steel tubes to these plates.

Is this possible?

I ask because I have a guy that does all my soldering work, but he generally solders regular or galvanized steel to regular or galvanized steel.

Would he be able to solder or braze stainless steel to galvanized steel the same way he does this regular work?


texts: Can a single 8" flex duct be split into a 5" flex and 7" flex?

texts:
Our house used to have a fur-down A/C unit that fed a series of rigid ducts made with duct board.  We'd like to replace a vent in our bathroom (5' x 11') with a 5" flex duct.  We'd like to replace a vent in our kitchen with a 7" flex duct.
Based on the research I've done, It seems we can take a single 8" flex duct off the output plenum and split it into a 5" flex and 7" flex.
Do all those sizes seem appropriate for the rooms?  Can I really split an 8" flex into a 5" flex and 7" flex?
I'm also wondering if 7" would be big enough for the kitchen so I'm considering going with a 8" flex.  So could I run a 10" flex and split it into a 5" flex and 8" flex?
Are there any issues with using a flex duct as a "trunk" line to the splitter?  Or would it be better to use a rigid duct to the splitter and then go with flex lines from there?


texts: How can I vent my kitchen exhaust through vinyl soffit?

texts:
My 1950s ranch had a loud, ineffective kitchen fan that I decided to fix up this weekend. Turns out that when a  previous owner had vinyl siding added, they simply put the vinyl over the vent.

I suspect this greatly lowered airflow and contributed to the lack of venting. But looking at modern options, I can't find any replacements for the 3 1/4"x10" ducting that was run out to under the eaves, only round ones. Will simply drilling more venting holes in the vinyl sheeting help?


texts: What is the easiest solution to add receptacle along an unfinished, exterior, insulated, basement wall?

texts:
I need to add a pair of receptacles along an unfinished, insulated, exterior basement wall. I want the easiest method possible. I have no plans to finish the basement. I need each receptacle to be on its own circuit breaker.
I do not want to remove the vapor barrier/insulation and drill through all the 1.5X2.5" studs. The floor joists run perpendicular to the wall.
Does this require the wire be run by conduit along the top of wall and then down studs to a box attached to face of stud ?
Or is there another way that would meet code ?


texts: How much HEAT is lost in the winter by a bathroom exhaust fan running ALL of the time?  Conversely, in the summer time how much COOL air is lost by the fan running continuously?  It seems to me this would be like leaving a window or door open!


texts: Why don't I have power after an outlet was shorted?

texts:
A wall plug shorted in the living room of my one bedroom duplex and now I have no lights in the duplex. The plugs in the living room have no power, three of the four plugs in the bedroom have no power, and the plug in the dining area has no power.

I checked all of the circuit breakers with my multimeter and they all seem good because power comes from all of them and then when I turn the circuit breakers off I lose power. None of the circuit breakers seen flimsy they seem all solid from off to on.

All of the GFCI plugs in the kitchen still have power coming to them.  The GFCI plug in the bathroom does not have power coming to it.  The only light that works in the duplex is the one in the closet in the bedroom.  What could be the problem?


texts: Goodman 080-4, propane... inducer fan runs non stop

texts:
The unit will go thru heat cycle when turning the power on. After the call to heat is met the inducer fan continues which prevents the ignition process upon the next call from the t- stat. It will show a 2 flash code intermittently, not every time however
I have replaced the pressure switch and the thermostat.During testing I have broken the contact pins on the face plate. Hoping to reattach the to the circuit board hopefully. Or buy another ... help


texts: How can I check my generator to see if its ok?

texts: I let a friend of mine use a 6500 watt generator that ran my house great, when he brought it back he said it was getting hot and stalling but could run 110 plug. He blew up lots of appliances, how can I make sure its ok to use in my home now?


texts: How can I level and secure retaining wall steps?

texts:
We have some retaining wall steps that are in dire need of repair. We would like to re-level some of them and re-adhere all of the cap stones so they no longer rock.

Is it possible to create a spacer between the cap stone and the retaining wall block to level the stairs instead of having to dig out the entire step? If so, what would be the best way to create the spacer?

It looks like a previous owner has already done this with some sort of mortar on some stairs. I was thinking after using mortar or a plastic shim as a spacer, then using some polymeric sand to level the step. But then how would I adhere the capstone?


texts: How can I avoid streaks from a paint sprayer?

texts:
I'm in the process of painting my kitchen cupboards. (I know, it's a sin to paint over wood, but it was quicker than stripping the stain). I used a foam roller for the cabinet and decided to spray the doors. Here's the gun I was using (neat little thing).

I was a bit surprised to see "light streaks" from the spray gun. See the image below.

Click for larger view.

Any ideas what is causing this? Any ideas on how to avoid it? I was just going to go over the face with a paint roller, but that kinda defeats the purpose of spraying.

Any help would be appreciated.


texts: Replacing polybutylene pipe to add a new outdoor spigot (freeze proof sillcock)

texts:
I need to replace the entire outdoor spigot (sillcock), the shutoff valve that goes with it (because it is old and leaking), and some polybutylene pipe in the process. I have included several photos for reference.

Do I need to replace the entire copper tee that the poly pipe is attached to (and solder a new one), or can I remove the poly connection to the copper tee and add PEX there, keeping the current copper tee (that is good shape)? If so, how do I remove the poly from the tee?

Lastly, can I add an additional PEX line to another spigot from here (I would attach another tee connection next to the current one, with PEX running to the sillcock to the right and PEX running to another sillcock to the far left.

Thank you!


texts: Should I apply waterproofer on the subfloor beneath a shower pan?

texts:
I'm going to be using the Kerdi shower pan and membrane to seal a steam shower. I understand the process of installing the membrane, deck and preparing the wall and ceiling substrate.

This question is specifically about the subfloor.

Do I need to apply a waterproofer such as Redgard to the subfloor ply before I apply the thinset to set the Kerdi shower pan?

The same answer, I presume, is applicable to a dry pack pan as well?


texts: The sill plate touching my foundation isn't laying flat, it's about 10 degrees tilted. How do I install a header below it?

texts:
I installed a window in my basement 2 years ago and in the time since I've realized that I fastened the header incorrectly. Oops. I have to take it apart anyways to re-do the trim and match the other windows better, so I want to just fix it all.

The problem was the sill plate, which should lay flat on top of the header. It is tilted outwards about 10 degrees.

I have 4 options:

1) Wedge the header under it and leave the sill plate to only contact at the corner

2) Wedge the header and then try and screw it to suck it back straight

3) Use the table saw to match the angle on the sill plate and cut the header

5) Use shims to ensure full contact.

I assume the sill plate shouldn't be slanted anyways. What might cause this, is this a bigger issue than I know? Should I also add concrete anchors to suck it back down to the concrete? And do I need to put that foam membrane stuff around my PT framing?

Here's a diagram:


texts: Is my thinking correct - If I measure from the wall to the bolt cap of my current toilet, which is 12", that means I have a 12" rough-in.


texts: Does our main air intake need an electrostatic filter if our furnace already has one?

texts: We have an electrostatic filter on our furnace right where in main air intake connects.  We recently had our ducts cleaned and they told us we also needed to have our main air intake cleaned (an extra charge) and we needed an electrostatic filter at the opening to the main air intake vent (also an extra charge).  Is this true?  Do we need a filter in both places?


texts: Can a cold air return be shared by two rooms?

texts: Can I use the same cold air return duct in a wall between two rooms? For example, the duct would run down the wall between the studs and then could I put the register at the bottom of the wall on both sides giving both rooms access to the same return duct?


texts: Fan running 24 x7 despite Thermostat set to Auto for Fan

texts:
I have moved into a new condo unit in Toronto and it seems my fancoil keeps running 24x7 despite the thermostat set to Auto for Fan. Even when the temperature is set to a temperature lower than the thermostat temperature on heat, the furnace doesn't run but the fan keeps running. Fan also keeps running when i take the thermostat off the wall. I'm not sure what to do. Is there a way for me to check inside the fan coil unit if the fan is set to manual override always on?
Attached are some pictures of my Honewell thermostat and my 4 pipe fan coil unit.


texts: Why’s my new outlet tripping the switch in the panel?

texts:
So I bought new outlets to replace the old ones in my house and everything was going fine until I reached the kitchen. The panel switch for this particular plug is split between two (a/b) (if that makes any difference).
When I put the new plug in, I can’t turn the switch in the panel on as it trips instantly. As soon as I put the old one back, it had no problem.
Why is this happening? I don’t think there’s any difference between the two of them other than the fact that this ones newer.
Any ideas?


texts: What's the cheapest temporary shower wall option?

texts:
I'm looking for a temporary solution that doesn't cost a lot of any money. I have basic construction skills (about the average home owner), so anything too complicated to install isn't a good option.

The shower has a tub. The required walls measure 60*30*67 (LwH) (67 inches from tub to ceiling, not floor to ceiling). The tub is 15 inches tall.

Again, I'm looking for the cheapest solution that's waterproof, I don't care how it looks.


texts: What should I do about nonmetallic sheathed cable that was wet?

texts:
The wire running to my dryer (240V) got wet from a leaking AC window unit directly above on second floor and tripped the breaker. I saw the ground wire paper was damp after removing the outlet cover and so I let it sit for a week. Tried breaker today but it tripped again. I removed the outlet and capped the wire ends but it still flips the breaker.

Leak issue was fixed last week so no additional moisture.

Am I doing any harm (or risk) just waiting for it to dry out and flipping the breaker back on every few days?


texts: How to reattach front door rain deflector?

texts:
The rain deflector from the bottom of our front door recently fell off when I trod on it by mistake.  The door and deflector are both wooden.  The deflector was stuck on, not screwed.  I'm not quite sure what the joining material I can see is: some kind of putty to hold it on I think, and white silicone sealant in a hidden channel near the top.

I tried bodging a fix using a glue gun (this is the transparent material in the pictures).  Once it was in place, I put a bead of glue along the top of the deflector, because I'm worried about water getting into the gap between the deflector and door, being held there and causing the wood to rot.  My bodge didn't last long, however: the deflector fell off again after a few weeks.

What's the best way to reattach the deflector?  I'm thinking about screwing it into place this time, and spreading some silicone sealant along the top portion (including the hidden channel) to stop water getting in the gap.  I have no experience with silicone sealant, though.  When that's complete, I guess I need to repaint it all, which the door needs anyway...


texts: Is it inadvisable to reuse PVC? (Sch-40 white stuff)

texts:
I have some salvaged PVC (Schedule 40) from a run in the irrigation system that I'm rebuilding which is now unused - I'm considering reusing it in the rebuild of the system. Is this foolish?

The salvaged section is SCH-40 pipe from Charlotte pipe, and has some ASTM info on it. I can post a picture if it will help. I could use this 'salvaged' pipe in either the primary part of the system (if acceptable), or in a side-bar to the primary system which is purely accessory, or not at all.

I'm guessing it's likely better to use fully-new pipe and connections in the work I'm doing now, as it should significantly reduce the likelihood of leaks in the new work. If this is the case, I'm happy to hear it, but I'd also like to know what the potential issues of re-using old PVC is, as there is a solitary long run that is non-essential where it would be useful to have a reduction in cost (as small as it may be). Plus it could always go to another project (like watering the garden, or something similar), if the risk is mostly to critical/annoying-to-fix situations like deeply buried irrigation.


texts: Is a header needed for this load bearing wall?

texts:
This is a smaller load-bearing wall that we want to create a kitchen passthrough in. The walls are 12' on the dining room side and 8' on the kitchen side. The house is a single-story with a concrete foundation and was built in the late 1970s.
The stacked 2x4s threw me. Should I place a header and the jack studs for the opening? Or can I roll with it like it is - without the header?


texts: What are the differences between GE arc-fault breaker models?

texts:
GE seems to make two variants of their arc-fault breakers for use in their residential panels:

THQL1115AF
THQL1115AF2

(also similar models for 20A which are THQL1120AF / THQL1120AF2).

I can't figure out what the differences between these two models are. The product info pages (linked above) seem to read almost identically, as does the packaging:

I don't have any physically at hand to inspect for some obvious difference.

My first impression was that the -AF breakers might be an older model than -AF2, but since they still seem to be sold that doesn't seem to be the case.


texts:
I have a 100+ year old house with wooden floors.

At the moment, access to the subfloor is difficult, involving a long 25 meter crawl under the deck.

I'd like to install a manhole in the floor. Is this difficult?


texts: Bathroom light has to be switched on twice to work

texts: We have a bathroom light and extractor fan both turned on by one pull cord, but the first time you try to turn it on, the light just flickers or doesn’t come on at all, but when you switch it off and then turn it back on, it comes on fine. We have replaced the bulb and tried a different type, but the issue remains and is consistent, so assuming something is alternating and there is a fault in one area, but not the other. Any ideas what could cause this?


texts: How to connecting addition frame to existing rim joist

texts:
We have an addition that we are adding to our house. We built a new foundation (J-shaped, see image below). Building the floor frame over the new foundation will be done with the standard sill plate and rim joist setup on the right side, but how we do connect the joists to the existing rim joists on the left? I see two options but not sure which is code compliant and easy to get approval from the building inspectors:

Use a joist hanger on each joist (lost of hand nailing!) to connect them to existing rim joist.
Build a standard frame with a new rim joist on both sides and nail the new rim joist to existing rim joist.

Structural details: the new area is 12 feet by 4 feet, pretty narrow. So we are using 2x6s for the joists.


texts: The pilot light won't ignite on my boiler -- what I should check?

texts:
We have just brought a new house and I can’t get the pilot light to ignite on the boiler, it is at least a few months since the boiler has been used.  Where to I start on tracking down the problem?

(It is an old UK system –pre electronic , the boiler heats up water that then heats the house)

The gas fire works, so we must have gas!

Update:

The controler is a Honeywell V4600C, I have check at the inlet pressure measure point and there is gas.   Sometimes I can see a flame for a very short time when I try to light the pilot light, then the flame goes out.


texts: I'm planning to remove a bathtub and replace it with a shower.  I'm planning to create the shower base myself, rather than buy a pre-made pan.  However, I won't be able to move the drain, since I'm on a slab.  So the new shower base will be the same dimensions as the tub, with the drain in the same location.  Is there any problem with setting up the shower this way?  If I put the shower drain on the end rather than in the middle, will it lead to any issues that I'm not expecting?


texts: Want to update insulation in knee walls. Pictures of the inside. I think it might be worth taking the old out and redoing it all, thoughts?

texts:
I purchased a house in the Metro Detroit area. 1943 built. Cape cod bungalow, pretty sure. Last winter, I had pretty bad ice dams and would like to re-insulate the knee walls before it gets too cold. I have one in the back and the front of the house. I've attached pictures of the roof / vents. I don't have an opportunity to add soffit vents with the gutters being right up against the house, but perhaps if we live here long enough, those smart vents or drip edge vents might be added.

So, without soffit vents, if I went up right against the inside of the house with insulation, that should be okay, as there's no air flow coming and I don't need to add baffles, correct? Additionally, the insulation as it exists is pretty old and I feel like pulling it all up, air sealing, and then putting new down might not be a bad idea. Please let me know what I'm incorrectly thinking about, and what might be the best way of preventing ice dams. I may do edge heating / coils and get a roof rake for the edges of the house.

https://imgur.com/a/3aWcoZI


texts: We now have two cars that are plug in, and we can't charge both at same time!!! Can we "split" a circuit?

texts:
The entire garage and one outdoor outlet are on the same 15amp breaker (110v) and it cannot handle that kind of load as each charger pulls about 11 amps. I am trying to guestimate the cost of adding an outlet, splitting a circuit (if that is even possible) or even going a step up and adding a 2 vehicle charging station at 220V.  Can this be done? Would it be outrageously expensive?

Our circuit panel is completely full, is that an issue?

Very new at this and trying to figure out what's feasible.


texts: How to secure 20 lb light fixture install?

texts: What is the simplest (easiest) method to properly secure the light fixture to a ceiling?  Fortunately, the electric box is already in place.  I believe the ceiling is drywall


texts: Should I remove my air conditioner for the winter?

texts:
I have an air conditioner that sits in the window. Due to restrictions placed by my apartment managers, I was unable to install any external support. Instead there are 2 L-brackets that keep the air conditioner mounted to the wood panel in front my window on the inside, and a piece at the top of the air conditioner rests against the bottom of the heavy window frame for support. Due to this improper install, I am afraid to remove the unit even with the help of another person.

This A/C unit does have a dehumidifier built in, and I have used it without problem when it rained outside before. I also like my apartment cold, and I typically keep my apartment at 40s-50s during the winter months. The A/C has a "fan" control that doesn't use the compressor, which I like to keep running as I don't have to buy a separate window fan.

However I have been told by someone else in my apartment that I should remove the A/C unit before winter really hits and it gets colder outside. I would like to keep it there based off the previous information I have mentioned. Is this necessary? Will anything negative come out of leaving it there?

For reference, I live in Portland, Oregon where it mainly rains during the winter. There can be some days where it snows, but this doesn't happen every year where I am.


texts:
We have a Kohler circa 1989 wall mount toilet; i.e., the seat and tank are both on an outside wall. It's also avocado green.

Is it possible to have the toilet refinished in another color? Pros? Cons?


texts: How do I make a new toilet tank on an old bowl flush properly?

texts:
Problem / symptoms: I've bought a new water tank (nothing fancy inside, just what I'd describe as "the usual, run-off-the-mill mechanism"*), but it doesn't flush properly, as it doesn't release enough water and it only ends up mixing the water in the toilet, endlessly diluting it (thus my humorous remark in the title - it's what I now call "my homeopathic toilet tank"). I've tried playing with the lever and float ball position, but that's obviously not it. The tank is not blocked, as it's brand new, and the water level when full is sufficient. If I hold the overflow tube up, it actually flushes nicely.

My question: I'd like to know which part of it needs adjustment in position (is there anything I could do to make the flush valve stay more open) to make it release water more rapidly and actually flush? The neck (overflow pipe) seems to rotate on its axis, but the valve stays more or less in the same position and rotating it a few turns in any direction didn't change anything. Should I try rotating the overflow pipe more, or all I'll achieve is merely unscrew it off its place?

* Cross section of the mechanism functionally equal to the toilet tank I bought.

Previous research: I've checked through already existing questions and answers, and all seem to be focused on either old tanks having use & wear related problems (for example: Toilet not always flushing fully, what could be wrong?), they "magically fixed themselves", or they have the exact opposite symptoms. Anyway, no answer there was really helpful, so I'm posting a new question.


texts: When using a Hand Saw (or Hack saw), Dust hides line

texts:
Whenever I start cutting a piece of wood with either a handsaw or hacksaw (i.e. manual saw), the dust covers the line I drew, thereby making following the line very difficult if not impossible.

I am also wearing a dust mask, so I can't blow the dust away (also to take a deep breath to blow the dust would cause me to inhale dust).

What are solutions to this? Cheap and expensive?


texts: How can I upgrade a sub-panel without upgrading the three-conductor supply?

texts:
I have a sub panel in my detached garage. I wanted to change the sub panel. I found that it is a 3 wire feed, neutral, and 2 hot, no ground. The panel is connected to the metal conduit coming in from the floor, but the conduit ends  when it reaches the basement in the house about 60’ away. It does not connect to the main panel. It doesn’t seem to be properly grounded.

How can I change the panel properly with out pulling a new 4 wire to the garage from the main?


texts: What should I look for when choosing faux tin ceiling tiles?

texts:
My fiancee really likes the look of the faux tin ceilings. We found some in Home Depot, but they are 20$ for each 18" x 24" pane. For a moderate sized room, this will be a LOT of money to do one ceiling! (I'm assuming they're so expensive because they are "thermoplastic" rated to be resistant to up to 200 degrees or something like that; I guess this is because they are also for use as splashguards behind the stove.)

So I figured I'd look online for other possibilities, but there are a LOT of different brands and suppliers. What should I look for (and stay away from) when choosing faux tin ceiling tiles?


texts: Replaced Blower Motor, but A/C won't stay on unless power button is held down

texts:
My HVAC has an electric furnace blower motor for both heating and cooling. I called a repair guy out who explained that the capacitor was good, I just needed a new motor because it had gone out. I opted not to pay the $700 for a new OEM motor and picked up one off Amazon for $100 and installed it myself. Installation seemed relatively straight forward, all the wires were the same, hooked it up to the control board pretty simply, etc.

I then flipped the switch and hit the power button. The control board blinked once and nothing happened. Tried it a couple times, always the same deal. It certainly appears the control board doesn't have power.

Then I tried holding down the power switch. After about 3-4 seconds, the blower came on and everything was good. Then I let go of the power switch and it immediately shut off.

Gave the system 5 minutes to reset, then tried it again... held the power down for a minute or two so my wife could verify that yes, cold air was blowing throughout the house and everything was good. Then I accidentally brushed my finger against the blower housing (Edit: I am not positive it was the blower housing... possible it was an interconnect, the capacitor or something else) and gave myself a hell of a shock, forcing me to let go of the power button and everything shut off again. Control board wasn't showing any errors (just a slow LED blinking which it says means that it's not heating), but again as soon as I let go of the power button, the control board LED goes off.

Anyone have any ideas? I'm incredibly concerned about why the outside of the blower housing would be electrified (Edit: On further reflection I'm not sure it was), but the motor did have a ground to the motor mount, which I reattached before attaching it to the blower.

There's no spark from the capacitor when I short it out before touching anything, so I'm wondering if it's charging correctly... but again, not sure what that would have to do with the power issues.

This is the power button I'm referring to:


texts: How can I reduce or eliminate flaking from a limestone basement?

texts:
I have a 1902 house that was built on a limestone foundation. In the basement, the limestone blocks flake a bit which gets to be somewhat annoying having to sweep/vacuum it up from time to time.

Are there any good solutions to seal/secure the face of the limestone blocks to reduce the flaking?

It seems the previous owners have painted in some places, but some reading tells me that is destined to fail, and in some places I can see the flaking areas have been painted. For areas that have been painted, is there any solution available for that?

I have not noticed any leaking problems, so I am only interested in keeping the flaking under control.


texts: Should I replace the window frame while installing replacement windows?

texts:
I will be considering replacing some of my windows in the future. Recently I had my house re-sided and had a chance to see how things were looking "under the surface" for much of the home. There were a few surprises with significant rot in plywood due to leaking around some of the windows, but I think that issue has been resolved.

One question that remains is how to deal with the windows, and what will be involved with their replacement.

Picture

Questions:

Looking at this picture I see rot in both the sill and the bottom part of the frame, is that correct?
Would be replacing the frame when the windows get replaced be a good idea? Is it necessary if going from one window type to another (awning vs double hung)?
What is involved with replacing a window frame? Is the siding effected?

Desired Replacement Windows:

Something that will not rot
Something that does not require paint
Double hung. Would consider an awning window again if I could lock it tightly shut. These windows do not have that feature and frequently gap ever-so-slightly open
Thermally efficient and well sealed (I live in area where heating is more important than cooling).

Edit:

This is how the windows look now:


texts: What could be causing low pressure in my new faucet, a Moen 87690SRS?

texts:
UPDATE: This ended up being a known issue with this model's diverter. They are sending a replacement part.

I've a newly installed Moen 87690SRS faucet whose pressure is really low compared to the old faucet.  The separate sprayer has a good amount of pressure. A new cartridge did not fix the lower pressure faucet problem.

What else should we try to do in order to increase the pressure?


texts: How can I connect multiple lights to a two prong timer?

texts: I have an outdoor timer with two prongs (ie no ground). The wall outlet itself has GFCI. I have a three pronged (ie with ground) 3-outlet adaptor that does not fit into the timer as the ground prong hits up against the plastic/rubber enclosure of the timer. See photo attached (at top is the timer to go into the GFCI outlet, middle is the adaptor to go into the timer and at bottom the two-pronged extension cord). How can I string two or three extension cords (with either three prongs or two prongs) from the timer using the adaptor? I have not been able to find similar adaptors but with two prongs (ie without the ground) at my local stores.


texts: Custom-making vertical downpour showerhead from copper pipe?

texts:
What are the necessary considerations for custom-making a showerhead? Specifically, what is the relationship between the number of holes and the water flow and such?

I'm about to begin a remodel project of my main floor bathroom. I'm on somewhat of a tight budget and I've already hit that without buying any fixtures so I'm looking for crafty alternatives to buying brand new kit. As part of the re-plumbing, i'll end tearing out about 20 feet of somewhat clean 3/4" rigid copper pipe. I was thinking of bending some of this into a tight coil and drilling holes, 1/16" or smaller, to turn it into a vertical downpour type showerhead. I have all the tools necessary for this kind of project.

If I use 1/16" holes, I would need to drill 256 of them to end up with almost exactly the same overall area as the cross-section of the 1/2" plumbing that is feeding the showerhead. Do I want fewer holes to increase the pressure? Or more holes?


texts: Will a Gledhill Boilermate 2000 work with a Honeywell Evohome thermostat?

texts:
Our flat uses a communal CHP system, with a Gledhill Boilermate 2000 in our flat (i.e. we don't have direct access to a gas boiler).

We're looking to set up a Honeywell Evohome system consisting of a smart thermostat and radiator TRVs. We were wondering if our Boilermate can work with this, or if it's a non-starter.

There's an optional ATF500DHW Hot Water Kit available from Honeywell too. Would that work with the Boilermate too?


texts: What is the proper glue to use to bond two pieces of plywood together as a substrate for formica?

texts: We are preparing a kitchen counter top for new formica.  The original plywood is still intact but is rough, so we will glue 3/8" plywood on top of it for a smooth durable surface.  What is the best glue to use to bond these two layers of plywood together, given they will be the substrate for the formica?


texts:
I am trying to replace the washer on this leaky faucet. There are no visible screws or removable caps anywhere on this faucet. I have already tried to pry the top part of the handle off and tried to to turn the top part CCW while holding the base still to no avail. I have also tried pulling really hard.

Does anyone have this same model or know something I don't? Any help is appreciated.


texts: Will 1/4" drywall with 2x4 studs hold a TV wall mount securely?

texts: I want to install a flat screen TV wall mount (full motion kind) into 1/4' drywall with 2x4 studs. There will be 4 attachment points, to studs 24" apart. Total weight of the wall mount and the TV will be 75 lbs. Is this a good idea?


texts: Should I replace my GFI outlet with a GFI breaker?

texts:
My bathroom, like most, has a GFI outlet. It trips ALL the time even thought nothing is plugged into any outlet. I know people say they go "bad" all the time but it seems silly how mine is set up. It will trip when I turn on the lights every month or so. When it does, the entire bathroom loses power instead of just that plug.

This set up seems to be the same for my office and all of my outside outlets. Both 20 amp circuits have a single GFI plug on a regular breaker and will kill power to the entire circuit. Is it safe to replace these plugs with a standard plug and use a GFI breaker on this circuit to prevent random trips?  Is my set up odd or am I just crazy thinking the GFI outlet should only kill power to that outlet?


texts:
I've read Replacing a bathroom fan and Where can I find a bathroom fan that will fit in a 5" cylindrical space?. I decided that I would replace my Ventra bath fan with an Air King. The Ventra unit is 8" in diameter, and the Air King is 8.5" x 9" (without exhausts). The problem that I'm having is that I can't find how the Ventra unit is mounted:

I'm able to wiggle it on the right side, but the left won't budge. My attic space is not accessible over this area, should I just cut the dry wall around the unit? Any other suggestions or advice is appreciated.

Also, the Air King unit has a grounding wire; does this need to be connected?


texts: I'm planning to buy and install a used heat pump/AC at some point in the near future (probably looking for sellers on Craigslist or similar), and want to know what I should look for to know if the equipment is in proper working order. Are there any common problems that can be detected by visual inspection of a system that's not put together? Any way to do a pressure/leak test before buying? And any considerations for what type of refrigerant to prefer (other than R-22 being expensive and less convenient to get)?


texts: What about venting a portable air condtioner into the cold air return of the furnace? Good idea or not? Trying not to go through a waal and no window access Thanks


texts: What could cause all the breakers on the left side of my panel box to trip?

texts:
I added a double pole breaker in my panel box for a dryer receptacle. When I finished, I noticed the refrigerator was out - and the microwave. Went back to the panel and noticed that ALL the breakers were tripped on the left side. Reset them and all is OK.

The breaker I had just added was on the right side. House is about 4 years old. I can't imagine I tripped a bunch of breakers just by simply reinstalling the panel box cover. Any ideas?


texts: why does kitchen faucet only work when dishwasher is running

texts: Kitchen faucet only works when the dishwasher is running. I tried cleaning the diswasher filter but made no difference. Any ideas?


texts: Turning 100A Main to subpanel of 200A new main

texts:
I have a 100A old-style circuit breaker main (~1970, 2 conductor & ground) in the basement.

I want to upgrade the circuits in the garage to allow for solar panels and PEV cars, so my thought was to install a new 200A service main outside the basement, turning the old main into a subpanel, and running a new 100-150A subpanel to the garage.

So the garage components, being new would need to conform to NEC 2017 code.

The question is about the old 100 main that would then become a subpanel.  Since it wouldn't conform to newer codes, would I need to replace / upgrade it as well to separate neutral and ground.  See attached picture below.  Neutral and grounds are together on the same bar, and a braided bare copper wire bonds the box to the neutral bar at the inbound conduit.  Also there is no copper grounding rod electrode outside at my house.

My gut tells me I have to upgrade this box to new code, but I thought I'd ask.

Thanks,
Brian

Edit.  Adding second picture of upper left focus.

All responses very helpful, hard to select just one.


texts: How to properly terminate dish washer / garbage disposal?

texts:
Introduction
I am renovating a house and had an electrician come in to update power, run new outlets, etc. I will be installing a garbage disposal that uses a switch (switch already installed) and a dishwasher.  The electrician left an open junction box with wire nuts on the connections for the garbage disposal and a set of 3 wires coming out of the wall for the dishwasher. Each are on their own circuit now.
How to properly connect?
I am capable of whatever method is needed but I want to know two things:

For the garbage disposal I can connect the wires via wire nut to the garbage disposal wires without a problem but do I leave the junction box open without a cover? That doesn't seem right.. How to I close it up properly?
For the dishwasher a similar question, I can connect the wires to the dishwasher via wire nuts too but how do I enclose the connection? Should I install a plug to the end or some other way?


texts: How can I permanently seal or cover a crack where a steam pipe enters the ceiling?

texts: We're looking for a solution to cover or fix a crack that keeps reappearing around a a steam pipe we have.  No matter how well we patch it and paint over it, it keeps coming back.  Can anyone recommend a modern cover or a way to solve this issue. I have included a close-up photo below showing the crack around pipe.


texts: Can't remove ice tray from GE french door fridge

texts:
I have a GE stainless french door fridge model GFSS6KKXSS. I can't get the ice maker tray to come out. It has a small release lever on the side, which I have used before when removing it. It seems to be frozen in there, or stuck on something.

I want to take it out because it was jammed and the auger wouldn't turn. I blew into the ice depensing hole with a hair dryer and got it to turn again. It dispense the ice, but I need to get it out to see if anything is broken. Disclaimer: Not a photo of my actual fridge - stock photo used.


texts: Lawnmower stopped working after the outlet it was plugged into bent

texts:
I was mowing the lawn with my electric corded lawnmower and went as far as I could with the cord. Unfortunately this put pressure on the outlet (which was already a little wobbly) causing it to partially bend out of the socket and the lawnmower suddenly stopped working. I tried plugging it in different outlets and it still does not work. I also made sure that the extension cord was not the problem by testing it and seeing that it works with other devices.

Based on this limited information, what do you think the problem may be? Did I fry the engine?


texts:
I have a pool area which was filled with dirt. Side wall are intact but there were three large holes done at the bottom. During heavy rain season i see there is a water logging in the pool area as water have no way to escape (in  the side).

This was discussed in detail in an earlier post Water logging in demolished pool area

Now i want to create a drainage solution to it. I have two options.

Approach #1) create a contour in the middle of pool something like below and put a perforated PVC pipe  along the drainage canal.

Approach  #2) Do grading and have 3  ground drains to collect water and use the solid PVC pipe.

Approach  #3) Use both ground drain and perforated pipe. i.e hybrid approach of #1 and #2

Which of the above are preferred in this situation? I am having compacted soil in the pool area so i believe water is not getting down to the bottom area of the pool for drainage. Pool area is roughly 30'X 15'


texts: How do I protect and insulate a ceiling built against the roof?

texts:
My upper floor used to be a large attic.  Sometime in the past the entire space was converted to living space: 2 bedrooms, 2 finished closets, and two unfinished storage "closets".

Much of the ceiling is built against the roof, and angles down towards the exterior walls.  The walls and ceiling are all lathe and plaster.  On the ceiling they simply nailed the lathes across the inside of the roofing members and then plastered over it.  There is no insulation, and no barrier between the roof shingles and the interior lathe and plaster.

The roof is composition shingle, and doesn't have solid sheathing underneath.

I'm going to remodel the walls and ceiling this summer.  I'll knock out the lathe and plaster and install drywall.

The roof will need to replaced within the next five years.  It will require a full tear-off and installation of new plywood sheathing.

OK, enough background.  Thanks for reading this far!

My questions:

What is standard practice when building a ceiling against the roof?
How will I protect my new drywall ceiling from being damaged when the roof is torn off?  Should I install plywood or OSB under (above) the drywall?  Or maybe just put off the remodel until the new roof is in place?
I want to put insulation between the roof and the ceiling. Can this be done when replacing the ceiling, or would it be best to wait and have it put in when the new roof sheathing is installed?


texts: How can you determine if an air compressor tank is safe?

texts:
I've recently learned that old air compressor tanks can catastrophically fail. I can't find anything about the average service life of a tank, but it appears the ones that do explode are typically fairly old (they appear to be around 40 years old).

What is the simplest way to test an air compressor tank? How frequently should this test be performed?

From what I understand, the only option is to hydrostatic test the tank to about double the working pressure. The options are to use a pressure washer (with water), a grease gun (which may be difficult to use water), or a hydraulic pump modified to use water, each of which require about $100 of equipment.


texts:
I asked this question on the Bicycles site:

DIY wooden bike rack — looking for plans

I'm planning to build this rack out of 2x4 pieces of wood. It'll live in my garage. I'm looking to make a rack similar to one of these, but simpler and, obviously, not made of metal:

(photo credit)

My question is, how can I join 2x4s so they'll be strong, particularly the ones that are horizontal? The stand won't support the weight of the bikes, but it will keep them upright. (Several of my bikes don't have kickstands.) I'd like to avoid mitering the joins, to make construction simpler, since I don't have a miter box. (We have a circ saw and a regular wood saw.)


texts: Is there any way to do an Ufer (concrete-encased) ground with a monolithic slab that has a vapor barrier?

texts:
If I understand correctly, when using a monolithic slab (where the footers and slab are poured as one piece), the vapor barrier is installed under the slab and the footers.
The NEC does not consider concrete that is over a vapor barrier to be in direct contact with the earth. ).
Are there any common practices or workarounds that are code compliant and used?
Note: I don't mean using a different grounding method, or skipping a vapor barrier. I'm asking if there's some clever way to get enough of the footer to contact the earth while still protecting the slab from moisture. Or something else along those lines.
NEC 250.52 (3)

Concrete-Encased Electrode. A concrete-encased electrode shall consist
of at least 20 ft of [...] One or more bare or zinc galvanized or other
electrically conductive coated steel reinforcing bars or rods of not
less than 13 mm (1/2 in.) in diameter, installed in one continuous 20
ft length, or if in multiple pieces connected together by the usual
steel tie wires, exothermic welding, welding, or other effective means
to create a 20 ft or greater length.
Metallic components shall be encased by at least 2 in of concrete and
shall be located horizontally within that portion of a concrete
foundation or footing that is in direct contact with the earth or
within vertical foundations or structural components or members that
are in direct contact with the earth. If multiple concrete-encased
electrodes are present at a building or structure, it shall be
permissible to bond only one into the grounding electrode system.
Informational Note: Concrete installed with insulation, vapor barriers,
films or similar items separating the concrete from the earth is not
considered to be in "direct contact" with the earth.


texts:
I'm trying to drill a 0.75" hole in a metal pole. I got a 0.75" drill bit from Home Depot (DEWALT 3/4 in. Black Oxide Reduced Shank Drill Bit) that I was told is appropriate for metal. I used a punch to create a pilot dent. I then tried to use the 0.75" bit but it kept on slipping. I did some research and it said that you could drill a pilot hole but that it shouldn't be more than 25% of the target size. As such I drilled a pilot hole and that seemed to help and I then made some progress with the 0.75" bit.

I've now got to the point where there's a lot of vibration in the bit and the hole that it's creating is larger than 0.75" on the outside. The extra size is not a problem - just stating a fact.

The problem is that after progressing through the metal I seem to be "stuck" at this point inasmuch as it's extremely difficult to get it to go further.

My question: Do I just continue to apply force and push on the drill to keep going or is there a technique that will make this easier.

(I'm wearing safety goggles, gloves etc.)


texts: What is this part on the receptacle of the stove called and what is it for?

texts:
We have an older Whirlpool electric stove.  (Model # RS6750XVN)  One of the burners isn't working and when I lifted the top off I found a different type of receptacle.  Three of the receptacles look like this:

The 4th broken receptacle looks like this:

What is the name and/or function of the part that the arrow is pointing to?  It looks like the yellow wires used to attach to it...will there be a problem is I buy a normal receptacle replacement kit, run the two wires to it, and skip that end part?  Thanks for the help!

Here are some more photos with the part detached:


texts: After my condo shuts off and turns on the main water, how can I avoid dirty water?

texts:
Every year my parents' condo in Ontario (Canada) shut off the building's water, just like the quotations below in the morning. They restore it in the late afternoon. ISSUE — after the building reactivates water, the water out of my parent's tap is brown and gritty. Parents must let this dirty water run for  AT LEAST 4 HOURS before the water is clean again.
How can they avoid this filthy water? If the building reactivates the water at 4 PM, what if they wait a few hours before turning their condo unit's taps back on?
Post #8

Every year in my apartment building in the City, they shut off the building water and clean the water tank on the roof. They get it completely free of dirt and sediment and everything else and flush it thoroughly before they refill it with water and reopen the connection to the building. For whatever reason, the shutting off of the water and turning the water back on stirs up sediment, and the water in the building turns a really gross Brown for about 6 hours, after which it gets lighter, and after which it goes back to its usual perfect clarity.

Post #2

When the water was turned off and back on, it probably stirred up some sediment in the lines. I think it will clear up after some more water is run through the pipes.


texts: What features should I look for in a full-house surge protector?

texts:
How does one select a surge protector for a typical home?

We get surges and slight drops in line voltage. We are the last pole on a small town electric provider, three miles from town. Surge protectors cost from $180 to thousands.

How do I determine what is good but not cheap and not more than I need?


texts: How to verify water-feed entry-point into 2nd floor?

texts:
BACKGROUND
A 2nd story living quarters is perched atop of a ground floor office.
There is high certainty based on history and observations that there is a slab leak: assume this is the case for this question.  It is desirable to find the water feed into the upstairs (entry point for a bypass).
PRECEDENT
There is a very similar second office / apartment configuration that has a copper pipe, that comes out of the slab, travels behind an office wall vertically and bridges and provides water to the 2nd floor:

The above photo is for the second office. The pipe in question is all copper. It was verified (by cutting the PVC pipe) that the small PVC pipe is the water-feed for a 'sister' location.
EFFORTS
A visual inspection was performed to find the water feed for said apartment: a copper pipe candidate is thought to be the the water-feed.

The goal is to confirm that it is the water feed without cutting the pipe.
QUESTIONS
What tests can be performed on said candidate copper pipe to confirm that it is the water feed?  Tests that are simple, easy, can be performed without elaborate tools (especially avoiding cutting) are appreciated.  Thank you


texts: How do I remove and reinstall baseboards (Skirting Board) without damaging them?

texts:
I need to temporarily remove the baseboards in a couple rooms. I am interested in some suggestions for removing the baseboards without damaging them so they can later be reinstalled. Suggestions may include

Helpful tools
Pitfalls
Removal techniques
Reinstallation techniques
Systems for keeping track of where the pieces go


texts:
I'm trying to replace an old light fixture in my bathroom with a new one but it is not working correctly. There are two switches, one for the light and one for a vent/light combo on the ceiling. Attached a picture of the outlet box. I did not take a picture of the configuration of the old fixture wire hook ups. I've tried every possible configuration for the new wires. Hooking it up normally (black to black, white to white), the light fixture will stay on when the power is turned on at the breaker and the switch does not turn it off. The configuration in the picture allows me to use the switch that should be just for the vent but seems to be on the same line because it works weakly. All other configurations do nothing.

Some other info that might be relevant is that I see red and white wires coming from both switches, but don't know how that comes in to play at the box.

Any suggestions?


texts: What size power supply do I need to connect two 5 meter LED strips?

texts:
I want to buy 2 of these 5 meter LED strips to make a 10 meter run.

What power supply do I need to have to avoid voltage drop? what controller do I need? How do I connect those 2 LED strips?


texts:
I got a used air compressor rated at 15A (120V). When plugging it in to either of two 15A circuits I have in my basement, it will work for 8-10 minutes, then the breaker will trip. You'd think the most common time to trip might be when the compressor motor cuts in, but it actually trips mid-way through the 2nd or 3rd cycle. To my ear, it sounds absolutely normal and then just quits when the breaker trips.

There is nothing else on the circuits in question. The breakers are clearly 15A. One of the circuits is only about 10'/3m (wire distance) from the panel. My clamp multimeter is terrible (updates very slowly), so I can't see transients very well, but the compressor does appear to draw around 14.5A when the motor is running. The breakers were installed before I bought this house, and have seen minimal use (previous occupant was a renter who had a small fridge plugged in to one circuit, and probably never used the other. The guy sure as hell never used a vacuum cleaner, anyway). Finally, I am not doing anything dumb like using an extension cord--the 6'/2m cord and NEMA 5-15 plug are clearly factory and in good condition. I've cleaned both the outlet and compressor plug, and ensured they make a good connection.

Do I need to run a new circuit and 20A breaker? It'd only be 10'/3m of 12AWG and there's space in the panel. Or do I need to look for a fault in the compressor? Better yet, is this a good time to convince my wife I need a better clamp meter?


texts: Ideas for covering vents to stop pests getting in?

texts:
We have a crawl space under our house and the wire mesh covering the vents is shredded. I want to keep the animals out and would like some ideas on the best way to do it.

I was planning to replace the wire mesh that is currently there with new mesh (1/8") but it is difficult to get access to the back of the vent from inside the crawl space. Also the old mesh is difficult to remove and that makes attaching new mesh hard.

There are some commercially available vents but none that seem to fit.

I had thought to create a wire mesh plug for each of the 3.75” x 5.25” holes (they are about 0.5” deep) but I am low on ideas for how to create a frame and attach it (I would like it to be replaceable for the next time the mesh is damaged).

Any ideas gratefully received.


texts: Why the huge difference in cost for Tankless vs Traditional Tank water heater installation?

texts:
I recently had my 50 gallon traditional tank natural gas water heater fail on me. It cracked and flooded my garage. After the cleanup I called out my go to plumbing company to come give me an estimate for a replacement. I had heard about tankless water heaters and thought since the equipment was around the same price (within a few hundred dollars) that I should consider it so I don't have this happen again.

After he arrived I was given a quote of 1036 for a 50 gallon traditional tank natural gas water heater. I asked for the price of a tankless and it was ballpark 3k to 4500 for the equivalent tankless water heater. He didn't really explain why the price was so much more other than large amounts of work regarding an exhaust? Can anyone explain why the price was so much higher?


texts: How does a diaphragm type bathroom fill valve stops water flow?

texts:
I'd would like to understand how this kind of fill valve does work:

(Source)

In this mechanism, the float (ballcock?) pushes on the indicated lever which in turn pushes the diaphragm to block the water flow.

(Source)

However I believe that contrary to traditional float mechanisms, water pressure then helps pushing on the diaphragm and maintain contact with its housing. This explains the relatively short lever.

The diaphragm itself has a small hole:

(Source)

What I'd like to understand is the course followed by water when the valve is open and closed, and how pressure is used to help maintaining the valve closed.

More: A view of the diaphragm (seal) in this video.


texts: Can I tile over Linoleum felt paper on a concrete slab?

texts: I have a contractor coming in to tile my home.  My floor is a post tension concrete slab, home is only 4 yrs old.  The contractor said they could just tile right over the linoleum, but after reading about the risks online, I decided to rip it up and they said they would just tile right over whatever material is left.  I can easily rip up the top layer of the linoleum, but the felt/paper layer adheres to the concrete 100%.  Should I be spending time/money/energy on getting all the felt paper up as well?  or is the contractor right that there will not be any issue?


texts: isolated grounds in branch circuits? How does this work with conduit?

texts:
I recently was told that grounds from different branch circuits in a box need to be isolated.  I'd really like to understand the purpose of this. It doesn't really seem like it would contribute to either function or safety.
This also seems like it would imply that metallic conduit, which must be grounded can only have one branch circuit, regardless of size.
Now I know the latter isn't true, because NEC 250.122(C) gives an example of doing just that.  Is there any way of explaining this discrepancy, or is this just one of those things I just have to accept at face value regardless of whether it makes sense.
NEC 250.122(C):

(C) Multiple Circuits. Where a single equipment grounding conductor is run with multiple circuits in the same raceway, cable, or cable tray, it shall be sized for the largest overcurrent device protecting conductors in the raceway, cable, or cable tray. Equipment grounding conductors installed in cable trays shall meet the minimum requirements of 392.10(B)(1)(c).


texts: Is it a problem that a pipe in basement slopes upwards slightly for 9 feet?

texts:
A plumber I hired to rough in new plumbing installed the 3 inch pipe in the basement.

The pipe slopes downward nicely at the required pitch as it leaves the house.

There is a small section (a 9 foot run) where the pipe actually slopes up very slightly as seen on a bubble level.

Is this sure to fail?

The plumber said everything will be fine.

Is there a chance everything is fine?

Thanks!


texts: Does corroded copper wiring have a reduced current capacity?

texts:
update for quick response:

I am fixing the attic outlet right now. The 2nd wire has the same darkish look see https://imageshack.com/a/img924/2614/9a4Xj4.jpg (click zoom to enlarge it). Notice it is only the left wire that is darkish while the right wire is ok. Previously the old owner may either have overloaded or short the wires because it's cut in the middle of the feeder at the slab so only the outlet is working and the rest are disconnected. Now if I can still use it.. should I sand paper it or would the darkish cooper still have full conduction when connecting an outlet to it?

original post

I found one of my wires going into one room has this corroded look (it's just example in the net similar to my actual wire). Was it caused by overcurrent? But overcurrent should burn the wires and not leave it intact, isn't it?

Since I can't insert new wires into 10 meters length to the room with many unknown bends. How many amperage in percentage can it still take compared to original one (it's AWG 10 with 60C rating of 30A)?  How many ampere before the insulation of the following totally break down?


texts: Philadelphia Code for Distance of Switch from sink for garbage disposal?

texts: How far from the garbage disposal should the switch be to meet code?


texts: How can I safely have 2x 7kw/32amp electrical vehicle chargers connected to my consumer unit? (UK)

texts:
We've ordered two electric vehicles, and we're entitled to two home charge points, as shown here:

https://www.britishgas.co.uk/energy-saving-products/electric-vehicles

The charge points are now 7kw/32amp (up from 3kw/16amp), so if we have two in use at the same time, that's 64amps!(?).

When I spoke to British Gas, they said 2x7kw chargers should be fine if we have "two 100amp isolators", and if we don't, this is something that could be done (at a price) and I should speak to an electrician.

Before I do, I want to make sure I understand exactly what's required.. By "two 100amp isolators" I presume he's referring to the things we have two of here marked "RCD Controlled Circuits" (both rated 80amp).

Totals for the two sides here are:

Left: 6+6+16+32 = 60amps
Right: 6+16+32+32 = 86amps

"Water Heater" presumably refers to the immersion heater that will hopefully never need to be used. We have no electric shower. Oven ("Cooker", 32amp) is electric though hobs are gas.

What's the best way we can connect two 32amp EV chargers here?


texts: How far does a basement egress window well need to stick out above ground?

texts:
Is there code on this? I am having an egress window well installed today and was surprised to see the window well sticking out 2 feet above ground (1 foot if you count all the new dirt they mounded up around it). I was surprised because in all my research, most of the wells seem to be closer to flush with the ground (very few images I see on Google image search seem to have the well set so far above ground). It is far more of an eye sore than I was expecting for the $4,000 price tag associated with the work and the initial pictures I was shown before signing a contract.

The installers said it is required to have it set above ground so that people do not fall in and that most people cover the wells with shrubs, but I do not recall reading this in any applicable building code and it seems like planting shrubs to cover up a fire escape seems like a generally bad idea.

Can anyone confirm whether what I am being told is correct with an applicable code reference (if one exists)? If it is not required, I definitely want the well set an appropriate depth (or a shorter well placed) as I am unhappy with its appearance and would prefer to not have to do my own decorative brick work to cover it up.

Here is a picture of the egress window well:


texts: How to remove mold from Styrofoam ceiling tiles?

texts:
I've recently noticed, that there are some sort of (stains) on a ceiling in a bathroom. The ceiling is covered with Styrofoam tiles of square shape. I took a closer look and it seems to me that it could be mold that developed on these tiles due to high humidity.

Are there any ways to remove that mold without removing the Styrofoam tiles?

Styrofoam - native language (пенопласт)


texts:
I've just built a TARDIS and I am about to wire up the lights for the windows, the sign boxes along the top, and the beacon light at the roof peak. I've bought and installed these three items:

LED rope (4 of these)
LED strip (1 of these)
Beacon light (1 of these)

My next step is to connect these all to a rechargeable 12-volt SLA battery, then connect that battery to a solar panel. I would like to avoid a power strip, though, so my question is:

Can I splice all these six wires together into one lead that then runs into the battery?


texts:
The very end of the fiber board strip, which you can't see behind the trim, has worn down--there's a hole in it--and water from rain gets into the garage there.
Everywhere else, the strip is fine so what can I do to properly fill in the hole in the strip?


texts: Identifying countertop material and removing mug rings

texts:
My countertop is a solid off-white material. Its finish is matte, not glossy, and because it has wood trim around the edge it's hard so get a side view - however, there is one point at which two pieces of the material are joined. It appears to be some sort of laminate or melamine. but I'm far from an expert here - these countertops were here when I bought the house.

I would like to know what material the countertops are made of, how heat resistant they are, and how to clean it. There is a place (which I've covered with a drying mat) where some mug rings have stained the countertop. My guess is that it's due to heat. I don't remember whether the rings were here when I came, or whether they appeared later - they have been there for years. Is it possible to fix this, and if so, how? So far the only recommendation I've read is to try carefully scrubbing with a magic eraser or melamine foam, but I want to make sure I know what I'm doing first.

[


texts: Is there hardware that lets a swinging cabinet door pull open a sliding shelf?

texts:
Under my kitchen sink, I'm installing a floor mounted sliding shelf, so that I can slide out the trash instead of reaching underneath.

The cabinet doors are swing-mounted, and I can't change this without changing the hardware (for instance, replacing the knob/pull with a pull bar), because it would mess up the finish. So I can't mount the door on the face of the slider, so that the door and shelf slide out as one unit.

I would like to make it so that when you swing open the cabinet door, some internal hardware pulls open the shelf, but I can't find any hardware that would do this. Is there such a thing?


texts: Changing swing check valve for a Double Check Valve Backflow Preventer

texts:
I have a bad swing check valve and was thinking of replacing with a 3/4 Double Check Valve Backflow Preventer Assembly. The utility pressure is 10 PSI and is hard water. Since my current check valve has failed in such a short time (2 years) and will cost me quite a bit to break the concrete driveway where it is currently located, I thought this would be better since it can be serviced without removing and O-rings are easily available.
Would pressure be diminished with a double check valve?
Would it work at all at such a low pressure?
Edit:
In the tech specs, the only thing I could find regarding pressure is the following:
The FEBCO Double Check Assembly Backflow Preventer consists of two independently operating, spring
loaded check valves. The pressure drop across the first check valve is approximately 1.0 PSIG with no flow.
The pressure drop across the second check valve is also 1.0 PSIG with no flow. A complete assembly
includes two shut-off valves and four test cocks.


texts: Will 2x6 cedar be ok for monkey bar rails?

texts:
I'm planning a build of a back yard jungle gym/mini ninja warrior obstacle course and I'm in a bit of a pickle.

On the one hand, I don't mind spending more for cedar and I prefer the look, however, the availability of dimensional cedar is quite limited.  Whereas PT lumber is easily available in multiple sizes.

One key consideration is whether an 8ft span of 2x6 cedar will hold up to being used as the side rails of a monkey bar since that is the largest board Home Depot and my local lumber yard carries.  I expect kids and adults to be using this structure.

I've reviewed span calculators, but I'm not sure if it's applicable to a point load like this where, for example, 200lbs could be hanging on two beams at a single point in the center.  I'm also not sure if 2x6 cedar is hard/strong enough for this purpose.

In another area of the structure, I will be hanging boards across it like this:

Will an 8ft 2x6 cedar board be sufficient to support an adult?


texts: What are the consequences of allowing paint to freeze?

texts: Insulating and heating my garage sounds like a pain. What are the consequences of simply allowing water-based latex paint to freeze in the winter? Is it ruined forever or does it just need tons of extra mixing in the spring?


texts: Can anyone tell me what type of woodworm this is, and what to use to kill it?

texts:
There's a video here of a woodworm beetle poking it's head out of a hole, that i filmed on my phone with a little macro lens.  I'd already treated the wood with this water-based woodworm killer, and and I think this guy was poisoned enough that he couldn't crawl out of the hole, and was just sort of slowly thrashing about.

This was in an oak shelf board.  I've found a couple more bodies poking half out of other holes, in that and other shelves.  More holes are appearing though so there's obviously still more of them.

Looking at this page, I think it might be the Common Furniture Beetle (I'm in the UK and this is a European species).  That's based on the little blobs at the end of its antennae, or whatever they are.

I still have three shelves with new woodworm holes occurring periodically.  I've taken them down and put them out the way in the utility room.

Can anyone a) confirm what this is and b) recommend a more powerful treatment, since the last one didn't completely work?


texts: Is it okay for wires at the C terminal to touch?

texts: I just purchased the Honeywell wifi thermostat but my existing thermostat does not have a C wire.  So the instructions given suggest using the G wire as the C wire and at the furnace to move the G wire to the C terminal.  The problem is that my C terminal already has 2 other wires there, is it okay to add another?  Is it okay for those wires to touch?  They also suggested to build a jumper using 18 gauge copper wire from the Y terminal to the G terminal.


texts: Do I need to do anything special when drilling a hole for a deadbolt in a 2 inch door?

texts:
I'm trying to install a deadbolt on our front door that currently only has a locking handle. All of the things I've read online are for doors that are up to 1 3/4 inches thick, but my door is 2 inches thick.

Will there be any difference besides possibly needing longer screws to get the two halves to meet?


texts: How should I replace door chime transformer at breaker panel?

texts:
I'm replacing a door chime transformer with a new 16v 30va transformer to accommodate a new Ring doorbell.  The existing transformer is attached in our circuit breaker panel through a knock out at the bottom of the panel.  This morning I shut off power to the breaker panel, removed the panel cover, and found that the old transformer has two red wires and no green/ground wire -- the new transformer has a white, black and green/ground.
I'm trying to figure out whether I need to attach the new transformer's green/ground within the breaker panel or can I cap it off.  I'm asking because the new ground wire is too short to reach the neutral bus higher up in the panel where I assume it should be attached.
If I do need to attach the new ground wire to the neutral bus, can I/should I extend it?  If so, can you tell me an acceptable way to extend -- e.g., can I use a standard wire nut or lever nut, or is there something more I need to do?  Any other suggestions as to what to do with that new ground wire?  The only other thing nearby the transformer location on the panel is a neighboring panel outlet which shares the circuit with this transformer.


texts:
I am having an addition built on my home with ~600 square foot basement underneath.  Because one of the basement foundation walls is very near (~1 foot) from the original home foundation, the concrete contractor is planning to leave the basement form on that outer wall (and cutting the top of the form off).  I believe this is because it is too difficult to get into that small space to disconnect all of the links that hold the forms together.  The original home's foundation is a slab and the forms are wood.
Is this acceptable/standard practice?  What other possible solutions are there?


texts:
We had an electrician install a light in our ceiling.  In the process he had to move the fitting about 10 centimeters which left a hole roughly three centimeters in diameter.

He tried to pug it using filler which is a disaster.

What's the best way for a hack like myself to plug this hole?


texts: How do I hang an OTS microwave without a cabinet above?

texts:
I dont have a cabinet above my stove. The stove is positioned between my cabinet and my wall.  I desperately need a microwave that has a fan because my small galley kitchen get so hot being there is no circulation. I found OTS microwaves but I dont have a cabinet above. How would I hang it?   Note: I will only have ONE stud to use on one side.

Note: photo below is of an idea I found online.


texts: How do I re-level and re-lay a brick pad with a french drain underneath?

texts:
I have a french drain that is under a brick pad just outside of my walk-out basement.  As you can see in the pic, the bricks have settled and some have even sunk, making the floor uneven.  I want to rip out all of the bricks, re-level and re-lay them.

Any suggestions on doing it right?

alt text http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/6761/photoyva.jpg


texts: crack in foundation wall, QUIKRETE Hydraulic Water-Stop Cement

texts:
I'm in the middle of repairing a crack in my 30+year foundation wall using QUIKRETE Hydraulic Water-Stop Cement.
It's been repaired before, I've been in the house for over 10 years, previous owner must of done the repair.
As you can see from the photos it's a big crack, I chiseled it so that it has inverted V shape, recommended by manufacture.
There is no way that I can repair this all in one shot, recommended by manufacture. They say that it might leak from the two or more joints of Hydraulic Water-Stop Cement.
Has one did a repair with this QUIKRETE Hydraulic Water-Stop Cement and had to mix 2 or more batches to finish the repair?


texts:
The set up:

I enclosed the part of the garage to make an office/man cave. I had a Mr. Slim installed to control the temperature. The space is 10' X 20'. No carpet. There are three desks, three chairs, a couch, an upright freezer, 7 computers, and a few guns. Your basic geek-ed out man cave. ;)

The issue:

There is an odd lingering smell.

The Smell:

It's a Sweet + foot smell. I don't know how else to describe it. It's not repulsive, but not great. It first hits you when you enter the room. My carpet cleaning friend said it's not something he has come across before.

I asked my wife to describe the smell. She said "Stale locker room with a hint of chocolate chip cookie."

What I have already done:

I fist suspected Mr. Slim. I checked the drainage line and found that is was not draining correctly. I ran a new pipe. Then let the humidifier run for a day and made sure there was a nice flow of water at the end of the pipe and no water in the collection tray. There isn't any bulging paint or warped baseboards under Mr. Slim.

I used a can of Evap Foam no rinse cleaner on the Mr. Slim coil. So I don't think Mr. Slim is the issue.

I found a Kenmore 85500 Air Purifier and have been letting it run with an new filter for about 2 weeks. The smell is less intense but still there.

I had all the same furniture in the old man cave and didn't have the smell.

The question:

Any other ideas on ridding my man cave of this smell?


texts:
I've got a pile of old bricks taken from when my chimney was deconstructed as it was an earthquake risk.

They look like this

I'd like to reuse them since they're fire bricks I assume, so I might be able to experiment with building a rocket stove.

So what's the best way of cleaning off all the mortar? Use a chisel? Or borrow a multitool with a diamond cutting head to remove the mortar?


texts: External Air Conditioner Condenser Capacitor replacement

texts:
I have a couple of questions about testing and replacing the capacitor on my home heat pump external condenser unit.
1. How can I reliably  test the capacitor (what tools do I need?)
2. What safety precautions do I need to take when handling the capacitor (aside from the obvious task of shutting off power to the interior blower and external units). This is a capacitor and it stores electrical current. I'm assuming I need to wait a period of time after I've killed power to the unit before handling it.


texts: What can I do about a dead Delta 62-043 table saw motor?

texts:
I bought a used Delta 62-043 table saw for $200 about a year ago. It sat in my shed for a while, and I just now turned it on to start a project.

There was some black smoke. I'm embarrassed; I thought it was the wood smoking, because it was a tough cut. But apparently it was the motor, because it just suddenly stopped dead, and won't turn back on.

Any ideas? The only replacement motor I can find is $600+ -- more than the original table saw. Is this fixable?


texts:
Last year we bought hose attachments for our toilets since we would be cloth diapering a new baby.

When performing the install to the toilet, I used a bunch of teflon tape (about 3 wraps on the threading) on the male end of the connection prior to installation. For the downstairs toilet, I had no problems, but the upstairs toilet developed a leak at the connection that was discovered late and caused a little bit of water damage. I don't recall any issues when screwing things back together other than it was an awkward angle (nothing was forced).

If it matters, the connection was metal to metal.

The leak wasn't present at the initial installation (or at least it wasn't obvious). I discovered it about 3 months afterwards when we saw some browning in the ceiling of the living room. Given it's the back of the toilet, the pitch of the floor in the bathroom, and the slow rate of the leak, it never flooded more than just a small 2 SF area behind the toilet.

I ended up removing the hose because we tended to use the downstairs one so much more regularly, but is there more I could practically have done beyond the teflon tape to improve the water seal?


texts: Size of insulated flex hose needed to install for bathroom exhaust?

texts: What size of insulated flex hose do I need to install for bathroom exhaust.  Fan is 110cm.  Length of hose in attic is approx 15-20 ft, going just about straight to the exit site.  Bathroom size is 100 sq ft.  There is a 5" one there now and we are replacing it.  Both fan entrance and fan exit to outside is 4".  We do not know why the builders did it this way.  House is 5 years old.


texts: Can an interior wall be built over an existing heat/air vent allowing air in both rooms

texts: I am looking to build an interior wall in my master bedroom to creat a walk in closet.  The best placement for the wall hits directly in the center of a current heat/air


texts: Remove the wall which am not sure is load bearing wall

texts:
I have removed a stair wall but not sure if it was a load bearing wall or not.

That’s a stair wall and the house is townhouse and on top floor the wall is not attached to the loft.

Added a picture and highlighted the joist which makes me concern with red.

Please advise to see if it’s load bearing wall and put a column under the block.

Also i have added 2*(2*4) timber under the joist above the wall.

Thanks


texts: What is the purpose of this valve in my garage

texts:
Can anyone tell me the purpose of this valve in my garage
In my previous home it was in the laundry room adjacent to The garage
Is it some kind of crossover valve  between hot and cold systems?


texts:
Without an isolation (or step down) transformer. Your 20 ampere circuit breaker can happily trip when oven hot wires touches ground by using proper hot, neutral and grounding wire sizes. No problem about it.

But when you add an isolation (or 220/110v step down) transformer. There is now the core size that can limit the current. So when you use small size transformer, and the wire touches ground in the oven (given proper wire sizes for all), the 20 ampere circuit breaker can no longer trip because the core limits the current, right?

What must then be the proper transformer size given 20 ampere circuit breaker. Does it mean I need to buy a 20 ampere 220v-110v transformer even if the oven is only 1 ampere just to make it trip?

Note I live in a country with only 220v output and let's say I need to use an important equipment that is rated only at 110v. I don't know the answer above so even if the answer is obvious. Please confirm it.