texts: Does PEX tubing need to be secured to attic joists?

texts: I am slowly replacing my pin-holed leaking galvanized plumbing, piece be piece with PEX and Sharkbite connectors.  The old galvanized is secured, in many places by both clamps and u-nails.  What is the best practice with PEX?


texts: Is a too-shallow foundation allowing excessive water into my dirt crawl space?

texts:
I live in a local minimum for my neighborhood, and in fact my house is built on the banks of a stormwater drainage ditch. Most of the rainwater from the road is collected by stormwater drains and fed directly into the ditch via a pipe, but the water that falls directly on our own and our neighbors' yards still has to make its way around (or through) our house to get to the ditch.

The house was built in 1920 and originally had a limestone wall foundation, parts of which have been replaced over the years - mostly with CMUs on a poured footer.

At the lowest end of the yard is the entrance to our crawl space. It appears that the foundation wall that runs along the slope (perpendicular to the ditch) was replaced with CMUs at some point, but it has another interesting feature - a large L-shaped concrete pour:

My guess is that they temporarily supported the house on the smaller pour+embedded deck block you see immediately to the right while they poured this footer. In fact when we bought the house there were still some posts standing on those blocks, though they were loose and no longer acting as support.

During the wetter months (winter/spring), this area is quite muddy (though no standing pools of water usually). My theory is that the footer is too shallow, so water is migrating under it and wetting the basement. The fact that there is a tree root growing through that space seems to give further credit to this theory.

As you can see, inside the crawl space the terrain follows the natural slope of the yard. But on the outside, a retaining wall made of railroad ties holds a large amount of soil up against the outside of the foundation, rather than letting the yard slope down naturally towards the ditch at the bottom:

My thought is that the retained soil on the outside acts as a sponge, and then slowly releases this moisture into the crawl space. Would making the footer deeper help keep the water out? If so, what is the best way to do this? My current plan is to reinstall the temporary supports, excavate the soil from around and under most of the footer, add a rebar grid (or cages) and build a plywood form, and then pour concrete. The hope is that the footer will support itself during this process with the "leg" at the lower end, and the unexcavated soil at the upper end.

Or should I simply remove the railroad ties and excavate the retained soil on the outside of the house, restoring the natural grade of the yard? I have considered replacing it with a deck on posts in this case.


texts: Convert concrete stairs to limestone stairs

texts:
I have a narrow concrete stair front door like so:

I want to make it larger and nicer like this

It doesn't need to be limestone but any outdoor stones/tiles is fine.

Some questions:

Can I make it "wider" by framing concrete on both side of the stairs now?
Then I would just put mortar and install tiles/stones on top of the concrete. Would there be any problem with that?
What is the thinner stone material for outdoor for this case?


texts: What determines which heat energy meter is mine in a duplex?

texts:
I am specifically referring to meters for heat/AC energy.

Our duplex has two meters, but when I went to submit our reading and create our account it said that the one with the lower reading was not the one attached to our bill.

I assume that the lower reading would be ours because

It is just me and my husband in our suite, the neighbors are a couple with a toddler.
The neighbors have an extra room to heat.
We don't let our heat 'run in the background'. To save money, we only turn it on when we feel physically too cold and we promptly turn it off when it reaches the set temperature.
Finally, we haven't ran our heat in almost a month, I can literally hear theirs click in each morning. Is there any chance they are being billed for our meter and we are getting theirs? They have been here for a few years, we have only been here for two months.


texts: Replace electric water heater with gas tankless (electrical connection)

texts: I want to replace my electric water heater with a gas tankless water heater. My current water heater like most electric hot water heaters takes 220 and the tankless gas water heater uses 120. The room I am installing in has no outlets. Can I use that 220 line and get a couple out 120 15 or 20a outlets out of it. Maybe with a sub panel type set up or if I can't do that if I can at least wire the new 120 water heater without running a new line. Thanks in advance.


texts: How to raise a wooden floor above a basement (old porch floor) 8 - 10" to the same height as the adjoining room

texts:
My current mud/laundry room was once an exterior porch (enclosed decades ago). I removed all the layers of flooring down to the original planks thinking I would refinish it or do tile or something. But then I started thinking what I really want is to raise the floor to the height of the kitchen floor, which you currently have to step up into from the mudroom by about 8" through a doorway.Then I can widen the doorway and basically "expand" the kitchen a bit.
I've seen a lot of how-tos for building a floor on top of a concrete slab to raise the height, but nothing that specifically mentioned raising a wooden floor....So is the correct way to do this to install rim joists around the room then install new joists, then subfloor, etc  Or, are there any other methods?
If the above method is the way to go - a few questions:

Should the joists run parallel to the existing joists in the original floor (length of the room)?
Should there be insulation between the raised floor and old porch floor? If so what kind is best (moisture is a factor from the basement--old cement floor, stone foundation, and the sump well/pump is below the mudroom. However there is some ventilation and we use a dehumidifier down there as well).
Should the rim joists be bolted into the studs? Or screwed? I saw one post that used 3 wood screws per stud, another that used bolts instead.
Would I just leave the existing drywall in place and install the rim joists over it?

More info: The mudroom sits above an unfinished basement with a stone foundation and a cement floor. There is an full bathroom (also added decades ago) on the second story above that matches the footprint of the mudroom. The room measures approx 6.5' x 19'.
The ceiling height of the mudroom matches the ceiling height of the kitchen, and there would be adequate ceiling height if the floor is raised. I would have to address the issue of the exterior door, (which opens onto a covered patio) because it would then be too low with the floor height change.


texts: How do I remove paint from a porous table top?

texts:
I bought an unfinished kitchen set and had previously painted it white.  We decided after a year that we wanted a bit of a different look.  So, we decided we wanted the contrast of a natural or stained table top while leaving the rest of the piece white.  I figured I'd just sand the top down and then decide on a stain color followed by 5 or 6 coats of polyurethane.

I've put some serious effort into sanding the table-top.  From a distance, it looks good.  But as you get close, you can see the white specs dotted throughout the table.

I figured just more sanding would do the trick.  After about another 40 minutes of sanding w/ an electric sander w/ 60 grit paper, the good majority of the dots are still there.  I guess i didn't figure that the wood was so porous.

The gentleman at my local hardware store pointed me toward a paint stripper called Zip Strip and said to scrape and steel wool after I apply that.

Before I crack open the bottle of the stripper, I wanted to see if there was anything I was missing.

Is this stripper combined with the scraping & steel wool going to be worth it?
Am I better off just continuing to sand or is that a lost cause?
Should I just refinish the top back to white and call it a day?

I'm sorry, but I don't know the exact species of wood.


texts: Underlayment for a roof valley? should I put underlayment?

texts:
Should I put underlayment on the entire valley and then put the ice/water shield over it?
Should I put the ice/water shield directly onto the wood of the osb valley then staple the underlayment within 6 inches of the center of the valley?

I've seen photos by GAF where it seems the ice/water shield is stuck on top of underlayment?

Which is best?

Many thanks


texts: Can I step down 220 V to 110 V for my whole apartment?

texts:
Our country's voltage setting is 220 V, but I have a bunch of devices that are rated 110V (surplus coffeemakers from Japan to the awesome Philips Hue smart bulbs).

So I was thinking of adding a 110 V source throughout my apartment. Would this be easy? Would it be costly?

I read somewhere that all I had to do to step down "cheaply" is ground one of the 2 LIVE wires, instead of hooking up a massive transformer for the lot.

Is this safe, logical, recommended?

What if I'm on the higher floors, and the building doesn't have "grounds" (our country doesn't use grounding, so 3 prong plugs need to be converted to 2 prong)?


texts: HVAC Fan set to ON position also turns on A/C unit

texts:
Outside A/C unit turns ON when Fan is switched to ON position.  This is a problem because when the thermostat calls for heat  it turns ON the Fan which also turns on the A/C unit.

The A/C unit is not a heat pump.

The System consists of a Honeywell 9000 Wifi thromostat, Traine XL1200 A/C unit, and Aprilaire 500 Humidifier.  All the wires are connected to like colors except the A/C unit which has a red and white wire from the outside unit connected to Yellow and White in the junction box where all the thermostat wires are connected together.   I checked the panel on the air handler, thermostat and humidifier and wires are connected as follows:

Red wire connects to R and Rc

Blue wire connects C

Yellow wire connects to Y

White wire connects to W

Green wire connects to G

The humidifier has 2 more wires connected to the solenoid valve and a jumper from R to H to tap the 24v supply from the air handler.

Where or how do I start to trouble shoot for a short?


texts: What is an oven anti-tip device and how do you install one?

texts: I'm trying to sell a home, and we're in the inspection / repair phase.  The buyers asked for me to install an anti-tip device for the oven in the kitchen, and I'm not even sure what that is.  Can someone explain it to me and tell me how to install it?


texts: Which way to put a parquette floor according to windows?

texts:
I have heard people saying that hardwood-floors should always be put alongside windows while others claim it should be put orthogonal to windows.

Which one is the better way now?


texts: Can I begin installing laminate flooring in a hallway?

texts: I am a new home buyer and I want to replace some carpeted areas with laminate. Especially where my dogs are already chewing at it. I can't afford to get all of the material at once. My question is since the area that is the worse is the hallway can I begin there and what is the recommended direction to go?


texts:
I have a basement that's pretty big and has wood paneling all around. My wife and I hate the paneling since it's dark and has grooves spaced throughout it as part of the texture. So naturally we're thinking about removing it and replacing it with a different material like drywall. The problem comes in that we've had cracks in the basement walls (we have a raised basement and the floor is ~4 ft below the ground) with some seepage. We've had those cracks repaired and everything is fine now. One nice thing about the wood paneling is that the panels are really easy to remove and hang back up which makes crack repair hassle free. Drywall that's been hung nicely will not share this quality.

Are there any other materials that someone can suggest for a wall? Something nice that I can paint white and remove easily if a new crack develops? I had someone suggest cement board but I wanted to get some other suggestions.


texts: Dropped ceiling for small area (6ft by 3ft)

texts:
I want to install a dropped ceiling in our small powder room for access to our heat pump.

The area is 6 by 3. Instead of having a main tee in the middle, I wondering if I can install the dropped ceiling by using the wall mount and cross tees. How would I go about that? Is there a way to secure the cross tees to the wall mount? Any advice is appreciated. Thanks!


texts: What parts of a circuit does an AFCI receptacle protect?

texts:
I'm assuming that it will protect against arcing in the appliance that is plugged into it.

Will the AFCI receptacle trip if an arc is detected in the wiring from the panel to the receptacle?

Will the AFCI receptacle protect items downstream or upstream in the branch?


texts: Is electrical tape enough to insulate contact that may be touching wall?

texts:
I have a 3-contact switch like this.

As you can see, the switch doesn't have an OFF position, it diverts the current either between middle and left, or middle and right contacts.

Had to attach it to a wall lamp that didn't have a switch, by drilling a hole in the base of the lamp:

I have therefore one contact that I am not going to use and where I don't want current to flow at all. I cut it off and rolled all over the switch body in the place with 2 layers of insulating tape. The remaining 2 contacts were rolled in a layer of insulating tape as well, after connected to incoming live (middle contact) and lamp live (left contact) wires respectively.

As I drilled the hole in the base of the lamp, it turned out that the side of the switch with the spare contact may be touching the drywall a bit.

The question:  since the current is supposedly trying to go from middle contact to the spare contact when lamp is turned off -- is it liable to cause problems such as heating up its insulation or similar -- simply by being live?

I am grateful and have upvoted all the three current answers, each of which provides relevant points for me. I feel that all three taken together answer the original question practically fully, but since I can only accept one, I gather I should accept the one, which most directly addresses the original question.


texts: Shower drain height for curbless tile shower

texts:
I want to do floor tiles for the shower and it must be curbless.
It is the basement and has concrete foundation.

Right now the drain I bought is sticking up 3" from the concrete floor:

This is the model I bought:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Oatey-Oatey-PVC-Shower-Drain-with-Square-4-3-16-in-Stainless-Steel-Strainer-423112/305248423

Oatey PVC Shower Drain with Square 4-3/16 in. Stainless Steel Strainer

So my question is: How to lower the drain height for curbless shower?

If the shower flooring has curb then it is flexible because I can raise the base. But in this case I don't want to raise the whole floor.

I am thinking of these options:

Break the concrete entirely around the drain and change a new drain that is lower.
Cut the top part of the drain pipe by 1.5" and also 1.5" of the drain piece. That will make the whole thing near flush to the concrete foundation. But the problem is (I faced in the past) that the pipe is in this shape:

  /   \

Meaning the top doesn't have same diameter from the diameter 1.5" away.
So in this case: How to join the 2 pieces together?

Also I am thinking that I have to carve off about 1.5" off around the shower base anyways, according to this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jD7RXFugbSE

If that is the case, look like this will be some concrete mess job. Then I mean leaning toward Option 1 above.

Thought?

UPDATE 1

I planned to get this drain kit

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DN6CFYF?pf_rd_p=183f5289-9dc0-416f-942e-e8f213ef368b&pf_rd_r=JAPWGGX9RR0R6231QEDN

https://www.amazon.com/Neodrain-2-Inch-Shower-Rubber-Installation/dp/B06XSQF1VR

Basically the setup will look like this

The kit itself will add at least 3" on top of the pipe. So to be safe I am thinking about pushing the drain pipe down 4".

Then I also need to grind and take out 3" of concrete in the shower base.

Does it sound about right? It is a messy job but could be done in one day with concrete tool rental from Home Improvement store...


texts:
I was cleaning my bathroom due to limestone being everywhere with a corded power drill (with a brush-like drill bit) and suddenly the lights began flickering when I was powering it on. I began to feel a minor electric shock when pressing the button. Since then whenever I plug in appliances and turn them on, the lights are flickering. Especially if it draws a lot of power like the drill mentioned.
The drill getting wet was most likely the cause of the problem as this was not occuring before. What happened to the circuit and is it easily fixable? I am throwing this drill out and have already ordered a new one.


texts: Disconnect electrical panel - Can arc occur at 400V?

texts: I'm planning at restructuring my electrical panel. Therefore I want to disconnect the whole panel  from the supply wires. The supply wires are 3*400V plus neutral and ground. What is the minimal distance between the supply wires which must be maintained to prevent arcing?


texts: What is this fastener attaching electrical box to concrete wall and how do I remove it?

texts:
I have a ranch house built in 1985 in Pennsylvania. The foundation is poured concrete. I want to replace one of the electrical boxes in the basement with a 2-gang.

What is the white plastic fastener seen in the photo (there are two). There is a shallow slot across the top of the metal pin in the center, but it doesn't appear to be deep enough to be a screw.

Should I try to unscrew it? Or just pry the box loose?


texts: Bathtub/showerhead leak, short water pipe

texts:
I bought a new home recently and found that the water in the bathroom tub/shower comes out of both the showerhead and tub spout (when the diverter is "off").

I removed the spout to see if there was anything clogged inside.  As I was removing it, I noticed that there was some caulk/glue on the base of the spout where it met the wall tiles.  Turns out the spout wasn't clogged, so I put it back on for now.  To my dismay, water now sprays out of the now-unsealed spout base when the shower is on.

I have a few questions:

1) It seems like the water output pipe coming from the wall is much shorter and looks different compared to the pictures I've seen online.  In all the pictures I've seen, the water pipe is a thin copper   My pipe extends approximately 1 inch from the wall (see pictures)  Is this normal?  And if not, what should I install to extend the pipe?

2) What is causing the initial problem of having water come out of both the showerhead and the spout? Will replacing the spout do the job?  Is the short water pipe a concern?

3) Do I need to put some sort of sealant/caulk around the spout base like it had before?

Thank you.


texts: 3-Way switch on single pole--convert to combination?

texts:
I have a 3-way switch (top and bottom of stairs) to control an overhead light. The whole landing area at the top doesn't have an outlet available anywhere, so my ex-father-in-law (a DIY type who has flipped some houses) confidently told me he could swap the top-of-stairs switch to a combo outlet that would have a switch for the light and an unswitched outlet.
His daughter and I split and the project sort of stayed half-finished--the switch at the bottom of the stairs stopped working, the top switch worked for the light but no power came through the outlet. I finally got around to hiring a pro, and he put it back the way it was (just the switches) and told me he couldn't put in an outlet there because it's a 3-way wired on a single pole, but that it would be possible to DIY it with a GFI outlet on the bottom/3-way on the top and keep the switch working while adding an outlet.
Does anyone have any detail on how this would be done? I'm decently handy but have only done much more straightforward electrical work. I'm not trying to burn my house down, but it would be REALLY useful to have an outlet available in that area of the upstairs.
EDIT:


texts: I originally thought so, but now I'm not so sure.  Thoughts?  It was located around HVAC vents.


texts: I plan to make a built-in bookshelf and want to paint it a glossy white (so washable), and obviously need to be somehow wear resistant. From an online search, it seems that the best is an oil-based paint (but takes a few weeks to cure + the odor), which is more resistant than any acrylic, latex paint.  It was also suggested 2 water based paint as being good alternatives: Target Coatings USL and Fuhr International 9100, but I can't find any dealer in the San Jose area. What paint brand/type are best for painting shelving (bookcases, wardrobes)?


texts: No voltage after changing light switches

texts: I turned the power off and replaced a few light switches... and when I turned the breaker back on, one of the switches on a circuit is not working. There are a few other switches on the same circuit that ARE working. I used a voltage tester with the power on and it's not detecting anything. I checked the house for GFIs that are tripped, but they all seem to be OK. Any idea what is going on here? It was a simple 2-wire Legrand switch and I connected the wires to the two brass screws (nothing to green screw). thank you.


texts: I have gas fireplace with a electric switch to turn it on or off. The fireplace will turn on from the electric switch but will not turn off. I replace the switch but I still have the problem. Any suggestions to what the problem is?


texts: I'm thinking of installing a spa at my house but the additional wiring for 220v is going to cost around $1k and I was wondering whether it's something I could attempt to do myself?


texts: Can I increase the efficiency of a refrigerator by replacing the door insulation?

texts: I am in the process repainting the refrigerator doors, and cleaning up the rust on the inside of the doors.  The question is, would I increase the efficiency of operation by replacing the original fiber insulation with polyurethan foam sheet insulation?  The door thickness 2 inches thick.


texts:
I have roof made by scheme from images. Both should be same, just different angle.
I have 20cm of space yet to fill. How can I calculate conductivity in W/m2K if i fill missing 20cm of space with 20cm of mineral wool or if i fill just 10cm and leave 10cm of air. I would like to know this because i want to know heat loss ratios between walls, roof and windows to rationally spend same amount of money to get best insulation for my house. Maybe ill leave this empty and buy better windows, or maybe take thicker insulation for walls. Notice that some insulation already exists, 12 cm of glass wool and 2 x 2.5cm of wood. My question is about remaining 20 cm of space.

[Update]
Several facts that matter here, this object is in Croatia, see temperature graph below.
It will serve for 4-seasonal living, insulation required to keep heating bill lover in winter and to prevent heating during summer when temperatures can be sometimes 35-40 Celsius.


texts: A/C Emergency Cut-off Cleaning and Maintenance

texts:
I found my thermostat not working. After googling for a solution, I found that I may need to check my emergency cut-off.

I know of a pipe that if tripped will turn-off the A/C, so I took the pipe cleaner did some plunging and attempted to clear it out. After doing so, the thermostat turned back on and my system started working again.

Did I do the right thing? What kind of maintenance could I do at home to avoid this cut-off?

I'm a novice at HVAC, I can identify only the heat pump and thermostat!

Included photo of pipe in question.


texts: How best to terminate two high efficiency systems

texts: I have a high efficiency gas furnace and a high-efficiency gas water heater. How best should I terminate intake and exhaust.?  Are termination kits available that would accommodate all four pipes?   Is it possible to join the two exhaust together and two intake pipes Together prior to exiting the wall in two single pipes?


texts: Turn off hot water without hot water valve

texts:
I have a leaky pipe on the hot water side that I'd like to fix. Following the pipes back to the water heater, I don't think there's a shutoff valve installed anywhere in the line, not even at the water heater outlet. At least, not one that is obvious for me to identify. How inconvenient!

I definitely have a shutoff valve on the cold supply inlet. What is the correct way to "turn off" the hot water so I'm not swimming when I disconnect the leaky pipe? The water heater is in the basement and the pipes in question are a few feet higher than the water heater.


texts:
When the installer fitted my floor standing boiler, he neatly, clipped the main 22mm feed to the wall.  The pipe in question enter the room at floor level and has several components (pressure reducer, pressure relief valve, manual fill valve) inserted (compression fittings) into its run.  At the top of the run, the feed pipe is bent through 90-degrees, with another non-return valve, before coupling to the boiler.  The overall run is probably close to 2.5 metres and is clipped in 6-places.
I now need to replace one of the inline components, and it looks like I will need to disassemble from the boiler backwards to get enough play in the pipework to remove the component.
Is this just a 'fact of life/suck it up' situation, or is there any coupling or technique that I can use when I re-assemble to make life easier in the future - something like a sliding coupling along the lines of a trombone slide maybe?
Thanks.


texts: Can a Dishwasher that automatically opens the door damage my kitchen cabinets?

texts:
Can a Dishwasher that automatically opens the door when finishing the cycle (to let steam out for better drying performance) cause damage to the kitchen cabinets?
I'm worried since it doesn't open the door entirely - just a small amount to create a hatch, can this cause condensation on the lower part of the worktop and damage the cabinets?


texts: When re-roofing and doing a tear-off do I have replace the roof deck with plywood?

texts: My home was build in 1920 and uses planks for the roof deck. I was planning on just removing the old asphalt shingles and installing new asphalt shingles. Makes sense to me; until a contractor friend told me it was code to install OSB or plywood over the old 8 inch planks. I don't see why this would be necessary if the planks are still in good shape?


texts:
I'm trying to wire a new single pole dimmer (two black wires, one ground) and single pole switch (no wires, just screws) for the fan in my bathroom. What I see coming into the box is three separate two-wire cables (black,white,ground).

Currently in the box, all the whites are tied together, and all the grounds are tied together to one lead. The previous set up was 2 switches: a switch/receptacle combo for the fan light and a single pole switch for the fan. Two of the black wires went into combo switch, and one went into the other switch. The combo switch had a white wire connected to the white wire nut.

Now that I'm taking the receptacle out of the equation, how do I wire my new setup? I assume each of my new switches gets a black wire and a ground wire, but what am I doing with these neutrals?

I'm sure I'm leaving out important info, so ask away. Thanks for your help and patience.


texts: What could cause a recessed light to come on when removing the neighboring bulb?

texts:
I just installed a row of five recessed lights in my basement. All of a sudden, I have one light that shuts off. When I remove the bulb next to it, it turns back on. This row is daisy chained on the same 15A circuit.

What is causing this and how do I fix it?


texts: Drilling in drywall, hit copper pipe with high pressure air?

texts:
I was drilling in my drywall to install a drywall screw, all of a sudden high-pressure air starts coming out, after awhile it stopped.

When I looked inside I could see copper pipe with the hole I just drilled.. What did I hit?  I'm thinking it has something to do with my A/C as there was no water, just high-pressure air.

How would I go about fixing something like this?


texts: How can I support a large aquarium built into a wall?

texts:
I have a wall that goes 3/4th of the way to the ceiling between my living room and dining room. I would like to put a fish tank in it, spanning the length of the wall.

I have the engineering skills to build the tank, but I don't know much about actually placing it in the house.

The tank will be 12x2x2 in size, so I'll need to cut a hole 12'x3' into the wall.

I'm concerned about two major things: I need the surface that the tank sits on to remain smooth to evenly distribute the weight, and the other is the weight.

This tank, once filled and assembled will likely weight close to 3500 pounds. What do I need to do to insure that there won't be any problems with the wall, floor, or anything else to support that much weight. The wall is on the first floor of the house, is not load bearing, and the foundation is a concrete slab.


texts: How can I safely get power strip to desk in center of room?

texts:
I can't even tell if this is a stupid question anymore.
I have a desk in the center of a 12′ × 13′ room, on which I would like to have a power strip to power a computer and other, less power-hungry devices. After my first, definitely stupid and dangerous idea (to run an extension cord under a rug), I started looking into the NEC and the UL White Book and the difference between "relocatable power taps" and "multioutlet assemblies" and now I feel like I have no idea what is safe.
Here's what I think I know:

Extension cords are not to be used as a replacement for permanent wiring. I want this setup to basically stay in place for the next one to five years, so extension cords seem to be out.
A power strip—erm, "relocatable power tap"—can maybe be used as permanent wiring if it contains a fuse or circuit breaker and if no tools are needed to remove it. But it still can't do things like go in walls (I'm a renter; I'm not looking to break through any walls anyway).
"Flexible cords" (which includes the cord of an RPT?) must not be attached to "building surfaces." (But does that prohibit attaching cords to walls/ceilings using hardware designed for this, like cable staples large enough not to put pressure on the cord, or ceiling hooks like what I see used with lamps sometimes? Neither of these methods require tools to remove; is that relevant?)
Power cords should not be covered because they are designed assuming they can be cooled in the open air. (But does that prohibit floor covers like this, or raceway sections like this?)

I should also note that my computer has a 1200W power supply, and while I've never actually measured it using nearly that much power, to have a margin of safety, I want to assume that it could basically start drawing 10A at any time. Therefore, whatever powers it should both be rated for that level of current (ideally the full 15A that the room's circuit can provide) and also be installed in such a way that resistance heating in the power cord isn't a fire hazard.
So it seems like I have three general approaches:

Run a power strip with a circuit breaker and a long power cord across the carpet up to my desk. Try not to trip on it. There is a virtue in simplicity, but hey, everyone trips sometimes.
Same as above, but cover it with something safely (i.e., by means that prevent tripping, damaging the cord, and up-to-15A currents causing anything to heat to an unsafe temperature). I'm not a huge fan of the floor cord protectors I've seen (they seem like they'll be obnoxious to move when vacuuming), but if it's the right thing to do, I'll do it.
Run a power strip with an even longer power cord (I'm looking at this one) up the nearest wall, across the (drywall) ceiling, and drop down onto the desk. Barring electrical issues, this is my favorite approach, but it leaves me with a lot of questions about whether there is a code-approved (or not technically code-approved but still assuredly safe) way to affix a power cord to walls and ceilings. The codes all seem to forbid this generally but things like that Wiremold raceway and ceiling hooks for lamp cords seem to indicate otherwise (and if those are safe, I don't see why appropriately-sized cable staples wouldn't be also). If the Wiremold raceway is the way to go, I also can't tell if there's a meaningful difference between just covering the power strip's existing cord with raceway versus doing a more extensive Wiremold installation, which seems to involve tapping into an outlet with a starter box, running a different kind of wire through the gateway, placing a receptacle... on the ceiling? And running the power strip down from the ceiling receptacle? Is that actually safer?

What should I do, and which of these various questions and concerns are actually safety issues versus misunderstandings or excessive pedantry?
(If relevant, I live in Connecticut, USA.)


texts:
Around the outside of the house, the concrete base is covered with a layer of styrofoam and a layer of this flexible stucco material. I'm not really sure what exactly is. This sheet looks like stucco with a plastic mesh through it (see images).

I'm trying to fix the damaged parts and I would like to use the same materials or something similar which would be very close to what it already is.

Front of the stucco layer:

Back of the stucco layer:

Undamaged wall:

Damaged wall:


texts: Hole drilling in a 6" by 12" solid wood beam

texts:
I have a buddy that has exposed ceilings in his wonderful house they just bought.  In this section of the house there are 6" wide by 12" wide solid wood beams that go from one side of room to the other, a span of about 20'. They are requesting to add 2 modest chandeliers and one ceiling fan to one beam.

What is the maximum hole I can drill vertically through this beam to extend circuitry through to an electrical fan support box?


texts: What is the most affordable means of storing 3,000+ gallons (11,000+ litre) of rain water?

texts: I'd like to setup some rainwater storage, collecting water from the rainy season, so use later on the garden. The hardware stores sell water storage containers, but to store 3000 gallons (11,000 litre) would require $5000 of containers. In prehistoric times, people just built a pond-like reservoir nearby my house, but I believe the water would just evaporate. Is there a cheaper alternative for storing water? I have a 50 ft by 50 ft (15 metre by 15 metre) area of land to use.


texts:
I have a concrete driveway that continues to the side of my house, with a double gate (a person gate, and a large vehicle gate).

The gates are very old and made only with 2x4 frames and standard hinges.  Needless to say, they are falling apart.  The person gate ripped off the 2x6 which is lagged into the house in the last wind storm.

I would like to replace both of these gates with lighter gate-frames.  My problem is that the vehicle gate is too wide for a standard gate-frame.  The vehicle gate is on the left in the mockup below.  It hinges on the corner post of the fence.

I keep struggling with how to rebuild this.  I would like to put a post 2 feet from the corner of the fence.  The existing dirt is too close and is on top of several sprinkler and drain lines.

What is the best way to end up with a sturdy post? I hesitate to go to all of the trouble of cutting out a section of concrete and putting in a 5x5/6x6 post.  I had another pole rot in between the two gates (which was put in before the side slab).

So my questions are:

Am I worrying too much about rotting? Is there a better option, such as a metal post?
Should I have two gates with no pole between?  Can I rely on the vehicle gate to be sturdy with a ground pin holding it's swinging end?


texts: I was told my sewage system was closed because of a dirty water sump (the sump is sealed). I now have my tubs and sinks gurgling when toilet flushed. How to repair? Thanks


texts:
I am building a porch... and I want to use 4x6 32 OC rather than 2x6 16 OC (with 2x6 T&G roofing which will be exposed underneath.)

I am struggling with how to connect the 4x6 to the 2x8 ledger.  I cant find a hanger from Simpson, and there must be a way to do this.  Any advice is appreciated!


texts: Cutting stud in load bearing wall to create vent opening for cooktop hood

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We are installing a wall mounted cooktop hood over a gas cooktop as part of our renos.

We have centered the cooktop along the kitchen wall but unfortunately that places the center line right in front of a stud (labeled #2 in the pictures) that is holding up an exterior wall. Shifting the cooktop position by 4-5 inches is problematic as it throws the cabinet configurations out of whack. We checked with the manufacturer of the hood and they advised that the vent should be 6" and of rigid material by code for gas cooktops. There is wiring running through the lower portion of these studs which also limits what we can do.

Please refer to the first picture below which shows the stud locations and the wiring.

We are considering an option where we cut the top part of the middle stud to allow us to create the vent opening for the hood. We then want to add framing members to provide support. This option is sketched in the second picture and shows the following:

cut top portion of the middle stud #2 above the wiring
insert 2x4s of same length as remainder of stud #2 but turned on their side behind and in front of wires on either side of stud #2. These are #7 and #8.
NOTE: there will be a bit of space between the front and back studs so the studs should not press against the wiring. We can also create a small notch in the stud around the wiring if the space in between the studs is limited
install a new 2x4 stud #4 horizontally to sit on top of the turned studs #7, 8 and stud #2 and nailed to stud #1 and stud #3
install new 2x4 studs #5, 6 that sit on stud #4 and support the top plate where the top part of stud #2 was cut
ideally studs #5, 6 are positioned such that the hood can hang directly off these two studs.

We would like feedback from the forum experts. We are located in Toronto, Canada. Is this an adequate way of providing support once the top portion of the middle stud is cut? If not is there an alternate approach you can suggest?


texts: Should I install an inline water heater for my bathroom?

texts:
It takes 3-4 minutes of the shower running before the hot water reaches my upstairs bathroom. I'd like to not have to waste all that water and time. My initial though was to install an inline water heater to supply my bathroom. Is this feasible?  Or are there other solutions?

EDIT:

I was thinking something like this:


texts: Can I replace just part of a 1x6 roof deck with OSB?

texts:
Redoing Roof, Roof Decking is 1x6 inch planks, and some OSB so the sheathing is mixed materials.

Is it ok to replace the lower half of the roof with 3/4 or 1/2 inch plywood and keep the top half 1x6s? I figure as long as the lower part of the roof stays lower than the top part it'd be fine, but I'd like to double check so I wouldn't have to re-do it if I am wrong.


texts: Ant infestation: do I need to replace siding/wall

texts:
Since buying my house a few years ago, I've been fighting a losing battle with ant infestations in my outer wall. It has recently reached a head, since we found a nest inside of an electrical outlet adjacent to that wall.

There are actually two types of infestations (carpenter ants in wood, small ants behind a brick facade), but I have the same questions for both of them.

Is it enough to kill the ants, or do I need to replace the wall material they were nesting in?
If I do have to replace the wall material, do I need to clear out the ants first, or is it better to avoid spreading poison given that I'll be hiring someone to pull out that material?

Here's some more info. I'm in the Atlanta area.

Carpenter ants: These are in one of my window frames and the frame around my garage door. In some cases, I can see the holes that they used. When I first moved in, I drove them off with a spray made from plant extracts. I removed vegetation that was anywhere near these nests. I did not attempt to repair/seal the wood they were in. It seemed to work for a couple of years, but now they are back. One of these colonies is now using my interior windowsill as a waste dump/cemetery, but otherwise I don't see them in the house. We called a pest control company a year ago, but they were worthless. They were not interested in inspecting the wall at all, and just put some poison around the house which did nothing to control the ants. This year I've used Combat insecticide gel (outside the window), and it seems to have brought their numbers down but not eliminated them.

Small ants: As I walk around my house I frequently will see one or two lines of ants marching into my wall (going up from the ground and disappearing under my siding). I do not see them inside the house, and it looks like they are carrying food into the wall, so I think they are nesting in the wall and foraging in the yard. This is worst where I have a brick facade (~3ft tall) instead of siding. I see them entering and leaving the bricks through multiple openings just a few feet apart. There are some medium-sized bushes near here (with about 1 ft clearance between the bush and the wall). These ants are not too interested in the Combat gel that I put out. On the interior side of this wall is where we found the nest in the electrical outlet. It smelled like mold. I applied some Terro bait in this area, and the ants were not very interested in that either.

So, is it enough to eliminate the colonies, or will a new colony just resettle the same part of the wall next year?


texts:
I'm scheming to reface my kitchen cabinets with sustainable lumber (looking for FSC certified or salvage) and trying to figure out what my options are. Our existing hinges aren't much different from these:

How can I replace a kitchen cabinet hinge with no visible screws?

Which means I really only need to bore the doors for hinges if I get plywood or doors that aren't yet bored.

So is it crazy for a relatively handy person with no woodshop to try to bore those holes at home? Is there a special drill bit for the project?


texts:
Broke the concrete in my basement to run new pipes for the basement bathroom. The plumber put sand under the pipes to support them at the correct angle. I asked him not to glue the vertical sections as I'd probably have to disassemble them to build the wall there.

My question is now... What type of cement do I use to fill it back in? Should I hammer drill into the sides of the cutout and put a few pieces of rebar in? Can I just fill it up with sand and level it?

Click for full size


texts:
I want to build a 4m x 5m raised platform for my kids fort.  It will be 2m high.  I have a few questions:

It is OK to attach the posts at the corners or will I need more in the middle?

What do I attach the frame to the posts with?

How far apart should I place the floor joists?

What do I attach the floor joists with?

With the floor boards do I need some space between them?

Thank you.  I probably will have more questions.


texts:
How can I fix this problem of the joint compound cracking on me, without starting all over?
I am using a Premixed Ready to use. What am I doing wrong?


texts:
I'm planning on rewiring the entire house, and since I'm not a fan of the electrical wires being behind the walls I was thinking about upgrading to conduit  on the interior walls in a fashionable way, then coating it with paint to make it look better.
The only problem I'm having is deciding which type of conduit to get because aluminum/galvanized is conductive, so  if there's a short circuit (thinking long term failures) it would shock anyone who touches the receptacle box and PVC conduit can melt if anything gets too hot and it more susceptible to damage
What would you choose to do and why ?


texts: I have prefinished bamboo floors in the kitchen and they are not in a good shape. I was wondering if i can sand them. Somebody told me that i can't send prefinished floors (oak or bamboo), somebody else said i can.


texts:
There is a timer switch in my garage which I can't figure out how to properly use.  What I know about it:

It controls my driveway lights
There are time tick marks around the circumference of the dial, and it rotates.
The dial is also a button (you can push it)
When it is switched to the ON position, the only way I can turn the lights on/off is to push in the dial.  Once I do that, the lights seem to stay on 24 hrs/day.  Pushing the dial button again is the only way I can turn the lights off.
There is an LED behind the small window above the OFF/ON switch.  It starts flashing when I switch from OFF to ON, and eventually becomes solid (non-flashing).

My objective is to program the driveway lights to turn on/off at specific times, but can't figure it out.  Does anyone know the logo in the center of the dial?  Maybe I can try finding instructions on the internet.


texts: Can tankless water heaters be mounted to the underside of joists in a crawlspace?

texts:
My single-story 1100 sqft home (1 bathroom + laundry + kitchen) currently has a gas 40gal tank water heater.  We're looking to renovate and remove the tank water heater.  It would be replaced with either 1 electric tankless or 3 point-of-use heaters.
We have a crawlspace of varying heights (mostly 3', I can sit up straight while underneath).   Is it okay to install the tankless on the underside of the floor joists?
Temps rarely drop below 50F here in Calif, if that matters.


texts: Cons of Not Refinishing Worn Wood Floor?

texts: I am moving into a house. The wood floors show signs of wear and tear. The varnish has worn away in places and the bare wood is showing.  But refinishing will cost $3,000 for some 1,100 sq.ft.  That is a lot of money for me right now.  To help me decide what to do, let me ask, what are the downsides of waiting a year or two before refinishing the floors?  (I can cover the floor with some inexpensive carpeting.)


texts: What is this radiator vent used for and how is it used?

texts:
My place has a steam heater.  On its right side, there is something similar to radiator vent

It has a pin movable anywhere in the middle slot which is about a half circle. I was wondering what it is used for, and how it is used? When the pin is on either of the two ends, what does it do?

Thanks.


texts: How to install new outdoor motion sensing light

texts:
I have a new home which does not have any sort of outdoor lights for now. I want to install motion sensing lights on 2 of the exterior walls. I got a quote from an electrical contractor but he is asking astronomical amount of money for running a PVC tube from an outdoor power port. I decided to do it on my own, but need some guidance as to how I can avoid the PVC pipe thing and wire it from internal walls and etc. Is there any guide I can use or anyone of you folks can guide me?

Let me know,
Thanks,
RV.


texts: Laying ceramic or porcelain tile over concrete covered with very thin black mastic

texts: With a 4" razor scrapper I have removed all but a very thin transparent layer of the black mastic. It is very smooth and there is no rough or poroused concrete exposed. Will thinset stick to the floor without first using some type of primer to help the thinset stick? If so what's it called and is there a better type of thinset to use?


texts: Why is there a drip after I replaced toilet innards?

texts:
I replaced the innards of my toilet with something like this, all went well. The toilet works, etc. It involves undoing the water pipe, replacing insides of toilet, then screwing the water pipe back together. I had no problems, but after finishing everything up I'm still getting a small drip from the pipe (underneath toilet base, near shut off valve).

The instructions say to only tighten the plastic pieces by hand, I've done that as much as I can. But there's still dripping from the piece that connects the toilet and the pipe.

Any tips? The instructions make it clear not to tighten with tools or use sealant. It did not drip before I unscrewed it and put it back, and there was no sealant. Do I just need to tighten it more?

Edit: Here's the pipe, it's not plastic sorry. The top black piece is new and came with the parts I bought, the bottom piece is old.


texts: Looking to Replace a 32 Watt T8 Fluorescent Bulb in an Office: What Are My Options?

texts:
I'm looking to replace a 32 Watt T8 fluorescent bulb in my home office.

I noticed that the old bulb was a Philips 32T8/COOL WHITE PLUS, while the replacement bulb that I picked up at Home Depot was a 32T8/COOL WHITE (not PLUS).

It seems like the COOL WHITE PLUS bulb was white, while the regular COOL WHITE is yellowish. [I prefer white.]

My Question:

  If I want to install the best lighting for readability, which bulb should I get?


texts:
I am a total newb to home electronics (electronics in general, actually) so I am posting here to get some ideas of what's really possible before I even try to contract an electrician.  Allow me to explain my problem.

I live in a home in the United States with a relatively small electrical breaker panel.  All of the outlets in my home are the standard 120V three-pronged outlets that have served me well until now.  Recently I have found the need to be using larger and larger amounts of power in my home office for computing, and the specialized computing equipment I need uses large amounts of electricity -- so much so that I'm using all of the available power at my home as it is currently set up (I've even tried relocating some of my equipment to other outlets in the house so that I can draw from other breakers  breakers in the house).  The equipment I'm using uses anywhere from 1100 - 1500 continuous watts of power (I essentially leave most of this equipment on for the better part of the day).  The power supply on each of my specialized computers (I have multiple remember) comes from two of these 850W EVGA power supplies (you can see the specifications here:  https://www.evga.com/products/specs/psu.aspx?pn=3dae584b-878a-4821-b8ee-ded42fe946a7).

I realize I can probably have a new panel purchased and wired, but I was wondering if there might be a way to do this another way.  Would it be possible to re-wire some of the receptacles so that they the I pull 240V from the panel and then convert them in the receptacle (or something similar) to 2 standard 120V outlets?  What I'm trying to do is essentially double the number of plugs I can use for this equipment.

Update:
The panel is a GE PowerMark Gold TLM1212CCU

Panel Picture 1
Panel Picture 2


texts: How should I run this conduit for security cameras across a flat roof?

texts:
I am putting in three new security cameras on a far corner of a building that already has cameras around all the other sides. The reason this corner was left for last is that it is the hardest to run - there is no way to run cable inside the building so the only way to install it will be a 65 foot run along the edges of the flat roof.

In the image below, the red line indicates the cable path and the yellow circle is the camera mounting location (for all three cameras, facing different directions).

As I see it (and as several installers and electricians have told me), I have three options:

Just run outdoor-rated cable without any other protection.
Run flexible non-metallic liquid-tight conduit all the way from one end to the other.
Run Schedule 40 PVC conduit on the roof, then switch to a short piece of liquid-tight for going over the (slightly raised) ornamental parapet and into the camera mounting boxes.

I mentioned the first option just for completeness. I really don't want to do it, even though it is the easiest and cheapest, because I'm worried about animal damage and about how to secure loose cables to the building. So it will have to use one of the two conduit types.

The primary issue is how to properly secure it to the building.

The first 30 feet of the run are alongside a taller part of the structure (which is also where the cable comes out from) so I can anchor either type of conduit to the wall. After that the roof has a short parapet (between 0.5 in tall at the left side of the picture and 4 in tall at the right, as the roof slopes to allow drainage) and the cables must run along the top of it or just inside it.

I think that a single run of liquid-tight all the way from end to end might be the easiest way to do it. However, I don't know how I would attach the liquid-tight to the roof. The entire roof was just redone, and I don't feel comfortable drilling all the holes in it that would be required to keep flexible conduit in place.

If I run Schedule 40 PVC, I can rely somewhat on the rigidity of the conduit to use fewer attachment points. There is another solid conduit already on the roof (not installed by me) that is not attached to any flat roof surface but is still solidly attached to the building in several vertical locations and has weathered many major storms over approximately the last 7 years. However, a run this length will probably require at least one expansion joint to deal with temperature changes and will require at least 10 conduit pieces and fittings to be glued together. Each additional one of those joints is another possible entry point for water in the future. I will also need to secure a junction box at the corner in order to transition to liquid-tight over the edge down to the camera mounting boxes on the wall.

It seems like there are so many downsides to both conduit methods that I should just run outdoor cable and not deal with the other options.

What is my best option for running this cable?


texts: Does the metal receptacle box for 6-30 NEMA need to be grounded?

texts:
I have a 240 VAC portable heater with a 6-30 NEMA-style plug.  I am finishing the 3rd floor of our house.  I installed a sub panel fed with a 50A service using 6 AWG THHN.  Installed a 30-amp 2-pole breaker in sub panel.  10/2 black and white to breaker poles, bare ground to ground bar inside sub panel.

Does the metal receptacle box need grounded?


texts: Easiest way to attach this HDX inline filter to replace my American Plumber WICA inline filter

texts:
I threw out this American Plimber inline filter:

[]
[]

It was over a decade old, and yes I can replace it, but I'd rather use this HDX one:

[
[

I have a torch and a hacksaw. I have plenty of slack in my copper line. I have the following collars and fittings:

[
[
[

Is the best thing to do just to saw off the plastic couplings and then soldier on the metal ones?


texts:
I have a large spot on my floors where an office chair has been rolling back and forth on for years. The spot is now a bit worn and the finish on the surface has faded over time. In the photo, bottom part is where the finish has faded and top right part has the original finish.

Is there an easy way to just refinish the faded part to make it look more similar to the original finish? If yes, what product would you recommend?

I'm a total newbie when it comes to flooring so looking for the easiest DIY method. Thank you!


texts:
I just finished our attic, and while central AC is part of the long-term plan, I need a temporary solution for this summer. The only window in the main room is in a dormer in the middle of room, which basically means it’s at the end of a short hallway (maybe about six feet long).

My understanding is that a window AC is vastly more effective, but I’m worried that setting it back like that will harm the effectiveness of the unit. Should I consider a free-standing unit instead? Or perhaps upgrade to a higher BTU rating? Or am I just overthinking it? Part of my concern is that if I buy something now, I won’t realize there’s a problem until summer really gets into gear and it’s too late to return things.

Any advice appreciated.

EDIT: Window is a standard single hung, so a regular window AC will fit just fine. Room is 330 sq ft (not including the dormer), which requires an 8K BTU AC according to this Energy Star chart. Aside from the obvious monetary consequences of getting more AC than I need (both in purchase price and energy usage), I've also been reading that too much AC can actually lead to a less comfortable environment so I'm really unsure which is the best way to go.


texts: Is there risk in getting a larger pressure tank for my well pump?

texts: My pump tank has a leak in it, and so needs to be replaced.  The current tank is a 36 gallon tank, similar to this one.   Is there any risk in upgrading to a 52 gallon tank, such as this one?  I would think the benefit would be that the pump would have to run less often, but I'd like to have clarification on that too.


texts: Can I use two 30amp breakers instead of one 60amp?

texts: I bought a heater (ecosmart11), it needs 60amp. In the building I live I can't change the wiring from 40 to 60 (I bought the place, tho). So my 60amp breaker is useless. But, I can put two 30amp breakers. If I "split" the cable and instead of black, red and green, I have 6 cables, and plug in each group on each breaker, with it works?


texts: What is the name of these irrigation parts

texts:
Both the grey part with compression rings, and the T and elbow (not shown) joints.
Along with solonoid valves, they are used to make up a manifold where the mains water is sent to different irrigation zones.


texts: How a concrete/brick storm drain is made?

texts:
This must be really simple, but I havent found any instructions and I'm unsure on how to proceed.

I need to make two storm drains (concrete boxes with grills on top and a pipe to direct rain water), from what I can imagine, I must lay a concrete slab, then lay the bricks, plaster the bricks with cement/sand/waterproof-additive. Is that it?

I feel like I'm missing something.


texts: Does the NEC allow EMT to act as ground?

texts:
I'm considering running EMT through my shop for outlets, etc.  Does the NEC allow me to use EMT as ground (i.e. no need for ground wire)?
A related question: I may run wire through the shop's attic to get to the other side.  This wire will not need conduit (NEC specifies wire must be protected if it is in a "high risk" area).  Can I transition from EMT to 12/2 wire inside the attic, then transition back to EMT on the other side?  I'm guessing I could use either a three-strand cable or just staple individual THHN wires along either the ceiling joists or rafters.


texts: Please help identify thing wired into my home alarm

texts:
Wired into my alarm panel per the enclosed photo is a small black-wrapped device wired to the 12V+, - & Earth.

What might this be for - voltage stabilisation, noise reduction, ...?

Grateful for your assistance before I take the often regrettable step of opening it up.


texts: What is this pipe called, and how does it work? (Round II)

texts:
OK, thanks for people's help on my last question, now I've confused myself again.

I came across this picture, similar to the last question, but I don't think it's a cleanout.  It looks like a vent to me.  I'm referring to the part in the red border but I've included the rest of the picture for reference.

Am I correct in saying this is a wet/dry vent to equalize the P-trap from the closet?  If so, I haven't seen many installations like this, why is it done this way?  (more specifically, I thought vents were usually downstream of the flow...?)

EDIT Well, I've answered the easy part of it - if it is indeed a vent, then anything after the P-trap in the closet is technically "downstream of the flow".


texts: Replacing ceiling fan/light combo with LED light only

texts:
Replacing an old ugly ceiling fan/light combo with LED light. Two issues.

Three wires come out of the ceiling - Red, Black, & White. LED light has only Black and white. Tried capping red white connecting black to black and white to white but the light did not come on. I tested this with the current light switch, not the one I want to replace it with - see below.

I also purchase an LED dimmer switch. Looks like the original fan/light had one switch for light and one for the fan. That was replaced sometime as the fan switch does not work but is still wired to the light switch. The fan I just took down had a pull chain to turn on the variable speed fan.

I'm now in over my head. What do I need to do?


texts: Can metal studs support a 64" plasma TV on a swiveling mount?

texts:
Alright, I need a sanity check here. I've been tasked with mounting a 64" plasma TV with an articulating mount onto a metal stud wall in the corporate boardroom. It's the quadruple-threat with no room for error.

The TV weighs 85lbs dead load. The mount, another 26lbs, allows it to be swiveled and repositioned up to about a foot from the wall. This allows it to be angled instead of hung like a picture frame.

I've done extensive research on TV mounting the last couple of days, and purchased some 3/4" plywood to anchor across 3 studs with 12 1/4" toggle bolts (4 per stud) and #14 screws to mount the TV bracket to the plywood. I've noticed a dearth of information on spec sheets when it comes to toggle bolt ratings on metal studs -- only drywall and masonry is provided. I don't know if this suggests that metal studs are a no-no or if they're some sort of in-between, though people seem to do it with success in mounting their big TVs.

The studding is 2.5" wide and 16" on centre. It's in a tower so it's not load bearing.

The plywood backing I got is 38x24 centered on the middle stud.

My concern is that the cantilevering action will cause the stud wall to fail and I don't want to be responsible for a Career Limiting Move™. Are my concerns justified?

If my concerns are justified can you suggest an method to effectively hang this?


texts: What could cause corrosion in a water heater?

texts: My water heater was replaced about 5 years ago.  Recently I discovered some corrosion on some of the pipes and valves connected to the heater.   Pictures are attached.  I have yet to inspect the anode rod but wondered if these pictures indicated a particular problem that required corrective actions or some maintenance tasks.  Any direction to help this situation would be appreciated.   Thanks!


texts:
I'm trying to replace the supply line and valve for my toilet but am having a hard time removing the coupling nut. I tried grabbing the fill valve and using a plier to remove the coupling nut but the nut kept moving along with the fill valve.

When I went to buy the supplies, I was told that these don't need to be changed unlike what my plumber told me. When I tried to put everything back, the coupling nut part wouldn't stop leaking. At this point, I think it's better if I just replace it. Any suggestion on how I could remove the coupling nut? Thank you!


texts: Sprinkler valves are surrounded by tree roots

texts:
I discovered that I have 3 valves that are wrapped around a gigantic tree root; see picture.  I noticed the dirt was moist.  And I know that at least 1 valve is bad.  Possibly 2 in this physical area.

I am getting a little worried that this is a job that may be require some advanced skills or a lot of man hours to fix.  I am probably going to call a professional.

What should I be looking to do here?  Reroute the lines? Cut the roots? Any tips or suggestions?

Part of the problem is that I'm finding it hard to find people that repair sprinklers.  A lot of companies tell me they only do new installations.  (North Texas area)


texts: Please find the attached diagram. Is this ELCB + MCB connection is correct for a single phase house ?


texts: Framing a knee wall in front of a half-height foundation wall with windows

texts:
I have a light basement with 3'6" foundation walls with windows framed above. The finished height of the window sill is 5" above the concrete sill.
I want to frame a knee wall in front of the foundation wall with a reclaimed wood ledge shelf capping the knee wall and foundation wall. I have 1/2" of spray foam on the concrete walls and sill and want the windows trimmed with 3.5" trim. If I cap/attache the framed knee wall to the sill plate framing with  2X lumber I will not have enough space for the full trim.
Can I use galvanized corner brackets to attached the top of the framed knee wall to the concrete foundation wall and then just cap with the 3/4" reclaimed wood or does code require that I use structural lumber to cap/join the framed knee wall to the foundation wall?
If I use metal brackets to secure the framed wall, how to I anchor the reclaimed wood to the sill plate framing?


texts:
I have a small workshop that I need to add an outlet for. There's a light switch 2 studs away that I'll use for power.

I have no plans to drywall this area of the workshop.

Is it ok (against any kind of code) to run romex across studs (instead of boring through)?


texts: How can I treat these green spots on my hot tub?

texts:
I have a hot tub that is built into my pool. The hot tub overflows into the pool for a sort of waterfall trickle effect. I've noticed recently these green spots starting to form :

What are they and how can I treat them? Are they an indication of something wrong with the water quality? I check it about every 3 weeks, and add chemicals as needed (usually requires PH down)


texts:
I have a new vanity I am installing in my guest bathroom.  The current drain height is the same height as a storage shelf below my sink and does not allow the vanity to sit flush against the wall.

Code says (i think) the weir at the exit of the p-trap must be continually downward sloping at 1/4" to 1/2" vertical height per 1' of horizontal run.  So this means that I cannot adjust the drain height downstream of the p-trap.  So my only other solution is to install a p-trap behind the wall and adjusting the drain height upstream to a new wall entrance height a couple inches higher.

Reasons why I think this might be a bad idea.

I've never seen it done before.
An inspector would have to knock down the wall to confirm there is a trap installed.  (could be fixed by replacing new hole in wall with access panel)
A leak at the trap would be undetectable and could cause a lot of damage. (but does this have any more risk of leaking than all the other pipes behind my wall?)

So, has anyone heard of this being done before?  Is it ok to install a p-trap behind a wall?  Am I over looking another option that is a simpler solution?  What would you do?  Thanks in advance!!

I have attached a couple of pictures.

The back end of the new vanity showing the shelf.

My wall showing the drain line with the horizontal run


texts: How to repair warped sliding door frame?

texts:
I've got a south-facing sliding door, the frame/track has warped stopping the screen from closing. I've seen replacement tracks, but the issue seems to be that the channel the track should ride in is too warped for a track to sit in cleanly. I was thinking about just trying to cut away some of the warped channel to get the track to lie down.

Anyone know of a way to repair this short of replacing the whole door frame? Any big drawbacks (other than appearance) to cutting away some of the warped portion just to get the track to lie down properly?

Overhead view:

Side View after cutting away part of warped piece, also bows upward:


texts:
We are wiring a Wortex motor.

One wire is black L1 and is called "common".

The second wire is grey  L2  and called "main".

The third wire is brown and called "auxiliary".

Which one is live, which one is neutral and which one is earth ?

How do you connect it to a plug ?


texts: Whole House Humidifier on All-in-One Heat Pump and Freezing Temps

texts:
How do I install a whole house humidifier on an all-in-one heat pump in an area where we have freezing temperatures during the time of year when you'd want to use a whole house humidifier.

An HVAC contractor pretty much told us it can't be done but it's hard for me to believe this problem is unique and unsolvable. I'd prefer not using some portable unit that sprays water mist into the air from a water reservoir that needs to be filled throughout the day.


texts: Replaced a dimmer switch but the dimmer doesn't work

texts: I replaced a broken dimmer switch where the dimming happened by positioning the switch in various places to one that has a small lever next to the switch. I turned the power back on and the light fixture works but the dimming does not. Any ideas how I can get that to work? Many thanks. Could it be the type of lightbulbs?


texts: Can you safely put a different size orifice on a gas stove burner?

texts: While converting a gas stove to lp, I dropped the 5,000btu orifice into the stove top. I can't lift the lid without voiding the warranty on this brand new stove. Can I safely put a 9,500btu orifice in it's place?


texts: How can I use toggle bolts with limited depth behind them?

texts:
I have a predicament, I am putting up a shelf into the wall.

The wall is plaster, and then hollow and then concrete. I have screws with toggle bolts on them.

The 2 inch screw with the toggle bolt was too short to get the toggle bolt inside the plaster to the hollow part.

The 3 inch screw with the toggle bolt is too long because it hits the concrete. But the toggle bolt will reach into the hollow part.

How do I approach this dilemma? Do I need to drill into the concrete somehow? I think my current drillbit is incorrect for doing this, but I'm not sure.

Insight appreciated


texts: How long will stored powder charges last?

texts:
I finished a basement well over a decade ago, and had leftover concrete nails and powder charges for my powder actuated nail gun.

I'm going to be driving a few nails into concrete for a tack strip, are these old charges likely to be safe and have the same power as new, or do powder charges degrade over time?

They have been stored in an outbuilding, so while protected from rain and pests, have been exposed to wide temperature extremes and varying humidity.


texts: Drywall taping, which way should the seam go?

texts: Does it matter which way the seam (or fold) in the tape goes when taping butt joints in drywall? I've read that the seam bulge should be the side touching the wall.


texts: Is there a minimum distance required between holes in the ceiling dry wall to prevent in cracks or weak in between areas?

texts: I am installing recessed lights to my living room. The problem is, there are ceiling speakers already placed where I want the lights to go. So I now have to put the lights close to the speakers as much as possible. Is there a minimum distance from one hole to another that I should keep in mind to prevent weakening of the integrity of the dry wall in-between the holes?


texts: safe distance for re-drilling nail holes

texts:
I drilled at wrong place inside the window frame when installing blinds, about 1/2 inch off, is it safe to drill a new hole 1/2 inch away from the old one?

edit:
Please see picture, it's another window in my home, all the window frames in my home are like this, I drilled the hole on the bottom of the top frame.

To be clearer, it's not nail hole, but screw hole, I already installed the bracket using screws, need to take them down. Do screw and nail make difference here?


texts: Should I install a vapour barrier if I'm using rigid foam insulation?

texts:
I'm re-insulating a room in my house from the inside.  I've read that polyisocyanurate (polyiso) rigid foam insulation is the best R-value, so I plan on using that.

Details:
The house was built in 1955 in Camrose, Alberta, Canada. And the previous wall was insulated with fibreglass batting with a type of tar paper as a barrier.  On top of that  (on the interior) was 2 sheets of plaster - pretty impermeable to air flow I'm guessing.

Question:
Do I still install vapour barrier?  I'm almost certain I should, but I've heard it could cause moisture trapping problems when using a faced insulation like polyiso.

Edit: I should mention that I'm planning on putting this insulation between the studs, not completely over the studs from the outside.  I'm not taking down the outside siding, I'm doing this all from the inside.

Edit Please note the posting time of this thread.  I asked this question in summer of 2012.  While I appreciate the enthusiasm, the question has been answered, so please refrain from answering again.


texts:
I live in a high-rise. This high-rise is right next to the highway, so there's a ton of noise.

I have double-paned "outside" windows, but then I have this removable inner-frame.

It uses these brackets to hold it in place:

With these brackets, I can "lift" the window and it slides right out.

The entire thing looks like this:


texts: How do I know if there is a hole underneath a bad patch job in my ceiling? I am just curious because I don't want a any leaks happening.


texts: Neutral and ground seperation at a sub-panel

texts:
Could someone explain to me why the neutral and ground bars are never bonded on a sub panel? It's my understanding that the reason they're separated is so that the current returning on the neutral doesn't cross over to the ground and return to the main panel. But if ground and neutral under normal circumstances don't shock you then why is it necessary to separate them in the sub-panel in the first place? Is it because there is the possibility of the current crossing over to the ground that a breaker might not register a spike in current and fail to trip?
Thanks for taking time to answer my questions.


texts: Using common swing brackets for use with 4- 4x4x8 posts and 1- 4x6x10 beam, at what angle do I cut the bottom of the 4x4 posts to sit flush on the ground?


texts: Why is my Kenmore 800 washer not completing the spin cycle?

texts: I have a Kenmore 800 washer, about three years old. When I start the load, and set it to the normal setting as usual, instead of the two second delay before it starts filling with water, it sounds like it's immediately going into a fill and agitate.   When the cycle has completed, including spin, the clothes are still soaking wet.  It helps if I set it to spin again, but they are still not getting as dried out as they should.  This started the same time that I noticed the whole cycle started funny.  What could this be?  Timer?  Pump??


texts: Why is my Nest thermostat not working with A/C?

texts:
I installed  Nest thermostat a few weeks ago, replacing an old Lux programmable thermostat (there was nothing wrong with it).  I connected 4 wires (R,W,Y and G) to the Nest.  But as soon as I'd connect the Y wire, the Nest would give me an E4 error saying there was no power on R.  I could only use the thermostat with the Y disconnected (so only heat, no AC).

When I tested the voltages between R and W, I get a healthy 26 volts at the thermostat and at the control board.  But on R and Y, I get 0 volts.   The AC works fine with my old Lux thermostat (I verified by re-installing it), however, I also connected the B (blue) and O (beige) wires in the Lux thermostat.  From what Nest tech support tells me, I don't need to use B since the Nest can grab power off of the R.

When I connect the Beige wire (connected to O on the control board) to the Y on the Nest, the fan goes on, but no AC.

My workaround for now is to turn on the AC from the Hunter thermostat upstairs (Zone 2) at the same time, so that both dampers are open and the cool air is distributed in both zones. Kind of a hack, at least it keeps the house cool!

So my question is: why is the R to Y voltage zero?  And if that indicates some kind of problem in the relay or control board or transformer or condenser, why does the old thermostat work fine?

I put together the following diagram to describe the configuration:

And here is a picture of the circuit diagram from the control board:

A picture of the control board:

The Nest with the beige wire  in Y1:

Which it happily accepts, and thinks that the AC is connected:

Update: I disconnected all the wires on the thermostat side of the control board and tested with my multimeter again.  Same result: R1 to W gives me 28 volts, and R1 to Y is 0 volts.

I just found a  technical bulletin for the EWC-ST-2E Control Panel  (seems similar to the EWC-ST-2D that I have).  Will try to do some more troubleshooting after reading this.


texts: How can I block off a doorway with studwork on a brick wall?

texts:
I'm blocking up a doorway in a brick wall. I've decided to block it up using a stud wall as that should be a bit easier than bricking it up.

I know that the bricks are 11cm depth plus approx 2cm plaster on either side so totaling around 15cm

The stud work would be 10cm depth plus approx 1cm plasterboard either side totaling around 12cm

How will I ensure that the stud work and plasterboard end up being the same thickness as the plastered brickwork?


texts:
We are having a bathroom tiled   but we're not quite happy with the result so far. The grout lines look uneven, the tile cuts aren't very clean and there's quite a lot of lippage and the walls are way off plumb.
I'm happy to give the trades person the benefit of the doubt for walls he hasn't prepared but two of them are his work from scratch.
Could someone please look at the pictures (it's quite hard to capture these things on photos) and give us a second opinion before we bring this up with the builder?

Full size pictures: https://photos.app.goo.gl/n42aAqbpmtZMaSU38


texts:
My Garage gets hot in the summer!
Outside temp might be 85 degrees Fahrenheit but in the garage it's over 110.
If I leave the door open about 8 inches temperature equals out.

Issues with leaving the door open:

Bugs and critters
Security
Remembering to close it

I've been looking at garage door vents.

Features:

Crank handles adjustable louvered vents (so I can close the vent in the winter)
Rodent / bug screen

This seems like a good way to keep the door closed and have my ventilation too.

Having the door open allows a lot more air flow than these two vents.
Anyone have experience with these? Do they work?


texts:
I would like to mount a punching bag on the ceiling as there are not really any good boxing gyms here in Madrid.

Key Facts

I am on the Ground Floor known as "Bajo" in Spanish
The weight on the boxing bag is 70LB
Here is the link "Link to all the images" of the first and second ceiling. I can take more on request.

You can see in the images all the ceilings and the metal mount.


texts: Suspending a chair lift swing from a single pole

texts:
My wife's family used to run a ski area and she has one of the original 2-seater chair lifts when they replaced it with a bigger lift.
I recently refinished it as a gift to her and we we wanted to mount it in our yard similar to the picture I've attached.
I have two questions, any resources around the best size of steel tubing?  It looks like the picture maybe uses 3-4 inch, but couldn't find any info on wall thickness.
Also how far to sink it in the ground and how much concrete to use.  The lift is about 8 feet and with about 2 foot ground clearance The post itself will be about 10 feet above ground and then offset a couple feet.
I have someone willing to do all the fabrication for me, I just need to figure out how many additional feet the post should be to be stable in the ground.


texts: Running non-metallic cable to an outdoor fixture

texts:
I understand that NM wire is not permitted to be used in wet or damp locations. That said, it seems generally permissible to run NM wire into the back of an outdoor box (such as a breaker panel). Unfortunately, I have a fixture that doesn't provide any back knockouts (and cutting my own is inadvisable here) so the only solution is to use the bottom entry provided.

To what extent can NM wire be run from inside an exterior wall through conduit outdoors to the intended fixture?

I have drawn some representations of three different cases below:

Case 1

In this case, I would have a simple elbow running into the bottom entry and into the exterior wall. The NM cable (in orange) would run from the hole in the wall through the elbow and into the fixture. This is the simplest option, but not exactly my preferred option.

Case 2

This is what I would prefer, though I somewhat doubt it is legal. In this case, the NM cable would enter an outdoor junction box (so I can also have another circuit providing a GFCI receptacle here), travel through a minimal conduit segment into the device, and terminate as before.

My guess is that the running on NM cable through the conduit is not legal for any length outdoors so I probably can't do it.

Case 3

I presume this to be the most likely legal solution. In this case, the NM terminates immediately, gets pigtailed into some THHN/THWN (indicated by the colored dots), and the clearly legal individual wires go through the conduit into the fixture.

While I am fairly certain of the legality of this solution, I still don't know what is considered acceptable when NM wire goes outside for short segments (such as to a breaker) and if it's required to be through a back knockout or any knockout.


texts: What is the best way to join toe kick boards?

texts:
We got out cabinets installed and the only thing missing are the toe kicks.
Sounds like something “simple” however, both of our runs are longer then a single toe kick board.
The board they provided is really thin, about 1/4".
I'm wondering how people join these together.
Since they are too thin it doesn’t look like a 45% cut - for overlapping - is an option.
Just having them side by side will leave a very noticeable line in between them specially because they are white.
Is there a magic to make it (almost) seamless?
Or... maybe the "very noticeable" joint was always there before in the old cabinets and I just never noticed it?
My other concern:
Is 1/4" too thin? Should this be used more like a skin for a thicker unfinished toe kick such as a 1/2 plywood board?


texts: How can I build shelves that are 66" wide?

texts:
I want to build a bookcase as part of a large built-in, and due to the geometry of the situation, it would be desirable to have one column of shelves be 66" wide. The problem is that even using hardwood boards, a shelf 66" will sag under the weight of heavy books.

So, the natural solution is to use a a steel flat or angle to reinforce the front edge of the shelf and then hide it somehow so it cannot be seen.

How can I do this?


texts: Trouble matching paint color - should I try again?

texts:
I need to touch up paint in a large room. I cut a chip out of the wall and brought it to a box store, which color-matched it. I didn't watch them match it so I don't know which method they used.

The color they produced looked right when they dabbed it on the paint chip in the store, but when I went back and put it on the walls, it clearly didn't match. It was not quite the same color and looks blotchy, even after drying fully. The problem was not the sheen, but the color.

My question is: Does matching paint colors sometimes just not work, and I need to give up and repaint the whole room? Or should I try going back to the store (or maybe try a different store) and ask them to match again? Is there anything else I can do at the store to help ensure they match accurately?


texts: Bare wire says 120 but drops tall 1 when hooked to outlet

texts:
120 hot to neutral/hot to ground. Hook it to outlet, hot to neutral reads 1 hot to ground 120. Tried two new outlets. Both do same. Moment connected voltage is lost. Moment wire out, back to normal.

I might also mention two sets of wires. Not sure where other goes. If hook hot to that neutral 90v. Hot to live neutral, 19.


texts: What is the procedure for replacing a new-build vinyl window with drywall returns?

texts:
I want to replace a round vinyl window that is the original in our 90's house. Want to replace with like size and shape. What are the steps to work out the R/O for this window, given I can't access it from the outside?  Do I just measure the diameter of the opening and add 1"?

The window is about 10' off the floor on the inside and about 40' above grade on the exterior. How do I get the old one out?  Do I have to pry out the trim on the exterior?  Or do I cut at it from the inside?  Thanks in advance.


texts: Furniture pads for furniture legs...always comes off, how to remedy this?

texts:
I don't want to scratch my wooden floors so I'm using adhesive felt pads (circular ones) for chair legs, sofa legs, etc.

HOWEVER, they all seem to start to slide off and eventually need to be replaced.

Is there a better way to apply them or to permanently attach them?

I can probably take a small nail and nail them to the bottom of the legs, but then I'm concerned that eventually the pads will wear down and the nail heads will scratch the floor.

Are there other products out there that are more permanent?  I've seen the plastic feet with a pin, but I would prefer something softer as I think that the plastic will scratch the floors.


texts: Can an IR thermometer be used to check wall insulation?

texts:
IR point thermometers have come down a lot in price. IR imaging cameras haven't.

Is there a reasonable approach to using the point thermometer to determine how well or poorly insulated my walls currently are, or should I spring for a "proper" evaluation? (Or try to get an imager at tolerable price through eBay?)

Yes, I know some folks have kluged frameworks with stepper motors to scan and area and build up an image out of individual points. If it came to that, I'd rather throw money at the problem.

(The last few times I had energy audits done, they said they'd check on this... and then didn't do so. Admittedly, having had the place air-sealed and the roof insulation deepened I'm already ahead of most of my neighbors, but I'm still willing to invest in improving it further if there's clear evidence that doing so would help.)


texts: Is this hole at the corner of the foundation major issue?

texts:
I am in the process of purchasing a home. I found the perfect home but of course, I found water stains in the basement walls (mostly close to the floor). I also noticed a small hole at the corner of the foundation, about 2 to 3 inches in diameterCan this be the cause of the water seepage in the basement ? How can it be fixed.

Thank you for the reply. I took a picture and tried to post but won't let me cause I don't have reputation.
The sump pump is on the opposite side of the house. The hole is close to another pipe.


texts: Breaker Tripping - Need advice on upgrade

texts:
I am in the processes of consolidating all of my home audio / networking equipment into a server rack I picked up recently. This will give me some flexibility of keeping it all together and make repairs / upgrades easier.

In this process, I have had to reset my 15amp breaker twice now (it tripped) due to the load the equipment is putting on it I am assuming.

These devices range from a home audio controller, amp, sub amps, Backup Power Supply, PC, etc.

Some rough numbers I came up with:

Switch 2.5 amp
Sub .118 amp x 4 = .472 amp
Amp 8.36 amp
PSU 2.72 amp
Total 14.052 amp

With just those few devices, I seem to be at 93% of the suggested 80% load.

While I am not quite done getting everything moved into the rack, its already pretty clear that I will need to run some dedicated circuits for this rack.

What recommendations would you have for this? Should I run two 15amp circuits just for this equipment and put the audio stuff on one and lower stuff on the other?

I will probably end up getting an electrician out to do it but wanting to get some feedback to know what to ask for.

Update:

This is everything I could find on this current circuit that had some type of power rating label:

Device  Power

Switch  100-240 v  2.5 amp
Sub Amp 120v  13w consumption
Sub Amp 120v  13w consumption
Sub Amp 120v  13w consumption
Controller  120v 70w consumption
Amp 120v 920w consumption
NVR 100v-240v
PSU 300 watts
Fan 110v
Fan 110v
Fan 110v
Fan 110v
Dell Tower  3.3 amp
Apple Airplay Express   0.2 amp
Modem   .75 amp
Router  2.5 amp
POE Injector    2.5 amp
Cat Switch  1.5 amp
Monitor 1.2 amp
Monitor 1.2 amp
Monitor 1.2 amp
Monitor .7a
TV  83 w consumption
Gramofon    1amp
Henge Dock (MacBook Pro)    127W 100-240V Power Supply
Scentsy Candle Warmer   25 watts
Digital Radio
Alarm System Panel
Lights
Outlets


texts: What type of window trim go on top of stucco and how?

texts:
My design drawing has a simple trim around window but my contractor did not ask me and applied stucco around the window. Now I can only add the trim on top of stucco. I want to make sure the trim is weather resistant and its application should not subject the stucco wall to leakage.

I would like to know what is the best material for window trim on stucco? Is HardiTrim (HZ10, 1" x 3.5") too heavy to be placed on stucco?


texts: I have caulking around the base of the shower and tub and it turned yellow. Is this normal? It was transparent to begin with.


texts:
Due to low water pressure and lots of water interruptions from our water supplier, we asked a 3rd party to install a water system. This is how the water system looks like based on my observation.

PROBLEMS:

After using this system for a few weeks, I noticed the following problems:

Low water pressure on the 2nd floor when pump is not plugged in. The reason is that there's not much difference between the storage tank outlet and the pipe responsible for delivering water in the 2nd floor.
When the water pressure from the supply is high, and the pump is not plugged in, the water flows okay (using the green line). The pressure is not high though, but enough to deliver water to the 2nd floor. The problem is the water from the supply can't fill the pressure tank (via blue line). I have no idea how water pump works, but should water flow through it when it's not running?
When both the storage tank is full and the pressure tank is also full (meaning it has reached the upper limit in the gauge), the pressure switch works well and turns off the pump. However, a slight drop in of pressure (say I just simply open a tap for a few seconds) in the pressure tank (the gauge reading drops down), the pump starts running again.

PROPOSED SOLUTIONS:

The following are the ideas that I thought would solve the problems above. I'm no expert when it comes to water system so I'm looking for your inputs and suggestions.
The following are the ideas that I thought would solve the problems above. I'm no expert when it comes to water system so I'm looking for your inputs and suggestions.

To solve problem 1, I'm thinking of inserting a small pressure tank (6 gal) between the storage tank outlet and the pipe responsible for delivering water in the 2nd floor (see broken-line orange box).
To avoid the pump running when the pressure from the supply is high, I'm thinking of putting another pipe that will connect the water supply to the pressure tank directly (see orange pipe).
I have no idea how to solve this one.

This system was installed 3 weeks ago so I'm assuming there's nothing that's been broken already since the day it's installed.


texts: Where can I find a replacement bathroom fan with this uncommon electrical plug?

texts:
I’m replacing my bathroom exhaust fan. I planned to do this myself and watched a few how-tos. It looked easy. You basically just plug the new one in. The thing is that our bathroom fan seems to have a different kind of electrical plug than what is common. In the how-tos I’ve watched all the fans have a “normal” two prong plug. Looks a lot like a lamp plug. However, my plug has 3 holes and looks like this:
This plug fits nicely into the similar looking “outlet” in the ceiling.
Where can I find a replacement fan with this type of plug? OR - is there a way to get a common two prong plug to work with my existing outlet?
Edit: I’ve now discovered this is called a molex connector!
Based on that info I found this similar post on a different stack exchange site: similar post


texts: Is there a low cost way of reducing humidity?

texts: I'm currently living in a very humid room and so am looking for a cheap way of getting rid of some of that humidity, without having to purchase an expensive dehumidifier. Are there any plants, objects, salts or whatever materials that can help achieving a more comfortable, less humid environment?


texts:
I have this corner bead peeling.

How do I fix it in place? Do I drill a hole and anchor it with a screw?

This is inside the garage by the way.


texts: What to best use to build an artificial wall in my house?

texts: trying to build a wall in my new rented house to separate one big room into two smaller ones. Any recommendations on what to use and on how to build this?


texts: Why does my washing machine trip the GFCI breaker?

texts: My Samsung washer WA52M7750AV/A4 occasionally pops the GFCI breaker. This a new home not quite a year old. The only item on the breaker is the washer.It always completes the wash cycle and the breaker pops maybe twice a month when I push power on to start another load. I think the breaker is to sensitive.. I have had this washer for about 5 months. The old washer never had this issue.. Thoughts and recommendations please..


texts:
I have a relatively new house and idiot me forgot to unscrew the hose from the back hose bib over the last winter. I finally got a plumber out to replace it but he just left it flopping around in the wall. I have pex plumbing in the house so what he did was put a pex to copper fitting and bent a soft copper tube at 90 degrees and fitted that to the silcock. The problem is that without it attached to the house there is no counter resistance when i turn the valve on the hose bib. The whole silcock twists and I am sure that is putting stress on the fittings.

I know I have to attach it to the house but I have natural stone decorative masonry and the plumber warned if i try to drill into it that i could crack the stone. This was why he wouldnt attach it to the house because he didnt want to be liable.

Are there any tips for how i can secure this to the house without cracking the stone? Is there something i can do when drilling to prevent this? Could i potentially use adhesive to the masonry to hold it in place?


texts: How to create a peephole in a door without a hole?

texts: the entrance door is without hole, but I would like to be with a peephole. How we can create this


texts: Should i use Acetone on the walls before painting?

texts: Can i use Acetone on my bedroom walls before painting with Latex satin? I washed walls in another room with soap and water, painted the walls. When i took off the frog tape 1 hour later, the paint came off with it. It was like the paint had turned to plastic. Help!


texts:
I'm wondering if there is an easy but reliable way to fix this slat under my mattress (see attached image). It's an Ikea bed.

Any suggestion? I was thinking of flat metal pieces screwed into the wood on each side like some kind of splint..


texts:
I got a quote from contractor to fix chimney leaking water during rain to ceiling. There is drywall damage to ceiling too as result.

What he is recommending is ripping off the roof 2 feet around the chimney and redo that to fix the leak. He thinks the leak has likely to do with flashing but just working with flashing from outside may not be enough or may not last.

So I am not sure if ripping of 2 feet around the chimney is the best way. My roof is around 5 years old. His estimate it about $3500.

What should I do? I feel like just leaking proofing the flashing might be enough?

He didn't climb up the roof, the observation were from ground. Thanks. This is in US, east coast.

Update

I went through the estimate closely and a lot if is going towards repair of the ceilings which is spread over two rooms. Due to dry-wall patching  in each room (multiple sq ft), he says the whole ceiling will need repainting to look same. The chimney leak part itself is $1300.

The estimate also includes ripping off the crown molding and reattaching.


texts: My old fridge broke down, and I am getting a new one but this one does not have a water/ice dispenser. I turned off the water line to my appartment to disconnect the old fridge, but before I can turn it back on I need to cap it somehow? Is there something I can use? Attached is the picture of what it looks like


texts: Why did my third coat of polyurethane finish "buckle"?

texts: I'm refinishing a table I built about 10 years ago.  I put 2 layers of gloss polyurethane down  and sanded between coats. All was fine at this point. I gave it another light sanding and put a third coat down.  An hour later I saw that the urethane had "buckled" in several dozen spots.  I've had to sand it back down, and am ready to go again.  But what caused this and how do I prevent it from happening again?


texts: Laminating hallway with opposing doorways - how to tackle the last piece/row having undercut the architrave & door frames?

texts:
I am planning on spending my bank holiday laminating the our hallway tomorrow. Although I have a fair amount of experience, I am in a bit of a quandary concerning how to lay the last row of laminate and in particular the last row that starts with the piece marked in RED in following figure. The problem I see is due to there being doorways exactly opposite one another in the layout of my house.

I have chosen to undercut the architraves & doorframes in the all the rooms I have tackled so far.

Laying the first piece into the undercut of the doorway is clearly a no-brainer, as will be the rest of the job running pieces along the hallway itself -- hopefully. The part that concerns me, is when I get to last row. I will cut the RED piece to size based on the proportions of the undercut of that particular doorway. As you can see from the figure, that piece of laminate is shaped like a T-section and I am worried that I will approach the end of the job and then not be able to fit that piece in, or at least not with a snug fit under the architrave.

Given this scenario, which I hope is conveyed clearly enough with my relatively poor diagram, does anyone have an tips, or otherwise some potential gotchas to point out? Perhaps there is a different layout of pieces that would work better in this scenario.

Thanks for taking the time to consider this problem.

How would you choose to lay the laminate in this case?


texts: running a gas line to a gas heater hide do I hide the gas line

texts: I need to run a gas line to a floor mounted gas heater but I cannot run it behind the wall. How do I hide the gas line?