texts: Attaching curtain rail to plasterboard/drywall over studwork

texts:
We've had some new uPVC windows fitted. The upstairs bay window presented some problems and, as a result, the "wall" above the window frame is now studwork with cement board on the external side and plasterboard on the internal side.

Before the work, the curtain rail (a cheap plastic one) was attached to what appeared to be a wooden section above the old window frame.

We're going to purchase a new curtain rail but I'm confused about whether I should be thinking about attaching the curtain rail brackets directly to the plasterboard or (as I've had suggested to me) attach some wooden batten to the plasterboard and then attach the curtain rail brackets to that.

I'm pretty naive when it comes to home improvements so if my question is unclear let me know and I'll edit for clarity.

I'm in the UK if that changes anything. The house itself was built in 1885 and is of brick and bungaroosh construction.


texts:
I’d like to increase the humidity levels in my old stone and brick house (~120 years) during the winter. Right now it’s about mid-20% and I’d like it to be 30% to 35%.

This house came with a HRV system system that I understand brings outdoor air into the house. Considering that it’s usually more than 50% RH outside, I am curious why running the system seems to dehumidify the house and make my problem worse rather than improve things. I understand that the water-carrying capacity of cold air is less than warm air, so why would bringing in 50% RH cold air into a warm space of 20% RH not increase the indoor RH? Is there something else possibly wrong that I should investigate?

Bonus details for those curious:

The house came with an evaporative flow-through bypass humidifier that pours about $25 to $60 of water down the drain each month while also not affecting the humidity. My current working strategy is run a large console humidifier next to a large return near the furnace – with this setup I can crank the house up to 40% RH easily but it requires filling up the water tanks every day or so, which isn’t sustainable while I’m away. Coming up with a better way using the HRV would be neat.


texts: How to properly vent attic in windy/snowy areas to avoid snow infiltration?

texts:
To ask the other part of question: How bad is it to have wet insulation? that didn't get asked... How do you deal with homes that are in high wind and snowy areas which are susceptible to snow infiltration?

To give some background. Some time after the house was first built (it is about 35 years old), the previous owner had some problems with "leaks" in the house due to snow infiltration through vents in the soffits. It would just pile up in the attic. Later it would get warm, melt and end up as a leak.

The previous owner solved this by closing off the soffits on one side of the house where the wind typically blows the hardest. There are still some vents on the other side.  After doing some reading, it seems that this might not be an optimal venting solution (possibly not even code), since a cross ventilation is desirable/required.

Some other notes:

Roofing was replaced after about 30 years. At that time there wasn't a sign anywhere of rot due to moisture buildup.
House is in NYS. So we get plenty of snow, cold, and wind (50mph isn't crazy).
In my time there, I have witness snow piling up in other places, such as coming in the little cracks around/under the garage door. Get a small snow pile inside in the morning.


texts:
Is it possible to run 240v lights on a 12v circuit using 12v bulbs?  I have 6 240v lights for the garden, and here in the UK, unless you are qualified electrician and use an armoured cable dug to a depth of 60cm, you can't use 240v.  However I am allowed to use a 12v circuit.

So the plan is to have a transformer from 240v to 12v, then run a cable to each light in series.  The lights will then have 12v bulbs like the one below:

http://www.lightinthebox.com/1pcs-8a-lighting-e26-e27-3w-15xsmd2835-270lm-2800-6500k-warm-white-cool-white-led-bulbs-ac-12-v_p2972722.html?currency=GBP&litb_from=paid_adwords_shopping&sku=221_3079

Will that work? What transformer will I need? There are so many, I can't work out which one. The transformer will be inside.


texts:
I have the following breaker box. GE Powermark Gold TLM1212RCU.

I need a 50 amp double pole breaker for a SPD Type 2 Surge Protector (EATON CHSPT2ULTRA). It says it needs to be mounted at the topmost where the feed lines enter.
What type of breaker should I look for?


texts: Can I eliminate a switch controlled receptacle, and use the switch to control a ceiling fan instead?

texts:
I'm planning on installing a new ceiling fan and was hoping to have a few questions answered before I dive into things. First some context:

The existing wall switch controls half of the outlet on the other side of the room. I'd like to convert this outlet to be always hot and use a dual switch for the fan something like this:

I opened up the outlets and this is what it looks like (I forgot to take a picture of the inside of the box, I can do that if it helps):

And this is what the switch looks like:

I crawled in the attic and it looks like the 12/3 romex from the switch to the outlet runs through there.

In order to set this up right, can I cut that romex line in the attic and attach it to a box for the ceiling fan? And then pull the excess line that is attached to the outlet and discard it?

In order to convert the outlet to be always hot, do I need to buy a new one? I'm assuming there isn't a way to replace the tab?


texts: What are the options for my window on my brick house?

texts:
I was hoping to get some guidance and am including a picture. I have a brick house that was built in 1913 and then gut rehabbed in 1998. They replaced all of the windows and redid everything in the house. Unfortunately on the front of the house the wood around the window has been rotting for years and I'd like to fix it up.

I was hoping to learn about the terminology involved here. Would this be called "window casing"? Is this a certain type of window design?

I would like to research this problem on the internet or perhaps call an expert but I'm not familiar with the terminology to even do basic research (what kind of expert would I even call for a quote? Window install company?).

Any idea why this rotted out? Does it just need to be replaced or did the construction company cheap out when they did the rehab?


texts: What is the life expectancy of a washing machine motor?

texts: My washing machine is 6 years old. I found what I think is a good deal on a motor (about $50). I was just wondering if it would be a good investment to have a spare motor around.


texts: How to fix cracks in hybrid gypsum/plaster ceiling?

texts:
I have a 1950's house with gypsum/plaster wallboard as described in this question: Is this plaster over gypsum wallboard?
I have a few cracks in one of the bedroom ceilings and would like to repair them myself if it's not an extreme amount of effort. It has at least one layer of paint on it that's probably as old as the house itself and also a sand texture. The cracks seem to be aligned perpendicular to the rafters in the attic.

I would like to understand options for how this could be repaired and also the process for doing so.

Do I need to use plaster instead of drywall mud over it since the base is plaster?
Do I need to scrape the sand texture off or can I go right over it?
Should I skim coat the entire ceiling or can I get away with doing it near the cracks and then adding more sand texture to help cover it up?

Edit: I want to share more pictures of the process. I took down the loose areas and drilled some holes for the plaster to lock into for extra adhesion. You might notice that every crack appears under a seam.


texts: Should a French drain be located near the water source or the foundation?

texts: Is it better to build your french drain at the at the base of the mound (an elevated leaching field) where the water comes down and toward the house or nearer the foundation you are trying to protect?


texts: Best Technique to Achieve Perfect Cut-Outs in a 2x4

texts:
I am building a ladder similar to the one pictured. I want to cut hand-hold holes like the ones in the image.

I am horrible with a jig-saw, and I don't think I could ever get them looking as nice as those below with a jig-saw.

How did this person achieve the exact same holes? What tool/technique is best to achieve this. I want it to look as clean/professional/consistent as possible.


texts: What to do about toilet overflow tube higher than allowed level on new fill valve?

texts:
I'm trying to replace the fill valve of a toilet that's missing some parts and I've run into a snag. I bought a Fluidmaster universal fill valve, and the instructions say that the top of the overflow tube should be at least an inch below a certain level on the new fill valve assembly. But the fill valve seems a bit short, and the overflow tube is higher than allowed. Here's a picture:

It's kind of hard to see because of the angle, but hopefully it's visible how the overflow tube is almost as high as the new fill valve, and certainly higher than the fill valve's "critical level" indicator.

I could cut an inch or two off the top of the tube, but then presumably the water level in the tank will be lower. This is a low-flow toilet so I'm worried that it simply might not flush properly if I let the water level fall. Should I cut the tube anyway and not worry about the lower water level?

If I should just cut the tube, what's the best way to do this? The space inside the tank is really awkward and none of my saws fit. I can get my PVC pipe cutter in there but the tube material is a bendy plastic so it just compresses when the blade hits it.


texts: Why aren't my in-ground lights receiving power?

texts:
I have in ground site lights at my facility. It is a HYDREL manufactured site light and I have six of them in the ground. Only 1 out of  6 of them light up. I've changed out the ballasts, bulb sockets and have the correct wattage. Unfortunately they are still not receiving power. I have checked the wiring at the base, and there's no power going through them either. I checked the breakers and contactors and it is reading power.
Is there anything I might have missed? I would appreciate any advice please


texts: Towel radiator T-piece points the wrong way?

texts:
I'm attempting to install an element in a towel radiator to convert it to dual fuel. However, when I screw in the T-piece, the T points to the front of the radiator, which would take some creative plumbing to route back to the inlet.
How do I make it point to the rear or side instead? Do I just need to add an extra washer so it won't tighten so far?


texts:
I removed old stick on tile from my bathroom and this is what my subfloor looks like.

All that white is the adhesive. From what I can tell so far there is no mold or rot. Is it work it to remove this old subfloor and replace it with a new one? Or should I just clean it up? I plan on putting simple square tiles down.

If I should clean it up, is there any hints or tips to clean a subfloor with this much adhesive and grime on it? Thank you!


texts:
My kitchen tap has a ball joint at the top, which has sprung a small but steady leak - water drizzles out when the tap is turned off.

I presume the problem is either down to a perished rubber seal inside or a build up of limescale - but to be sure I need to get into the tap to look, and I can't figure out how to remove it.

There is an object like a rivet at the top rear of the tap

But I have no idea if that is an actual rivet, or something I can remove. If it does come off, will it need a specialist tool and if so, what might that tool be?

If I do succeed, I will need the correct replacement parts to fix the tap. I don't suppose anyone knows what model it might be?


texts: What are the risk of floating a solid hardwood above grade floor using a clip system?

texts:
I have been mired in this rabbit hole of picking a flooring for my new condo. I cannot glue or nail into concrete so I either I double floor it with plywood then hardood or I float. I have been reading how solid wood floors cannot be floated as commandment. Then I stumble across this company Junckers that offers a clip system that allows floating of hardwood over concrete
Junckers Clip System.

I wondering how bad things can get if I ensure proper expansion spacing and humidity control of an above grade floor. I will have a moisture barrier down as well.

I wanted to get opinion of this particular scenario and if anyone had any experience working with the Junckers system.

Thanks in advance.


texts: How can I remove a MEPLA cabinet door hinge that has no exposed screws?

texts: Below is an image of the hinge I need to replace. Just can not figure out how to remove it from the door side?


texts: Tips on how to check if this guest house in ADU was built with permits?

texts:
I am about to buy a house in Santa Clara, CA county that has an ADU. As of today ADU has guest house and an operational garage.
Seller is convinced that 990 sqft guest house in the ADU was built legally together with the main house under the same permit. Hence seller is counting guest house square footage in legal livable area.
However, I called county assessor and he told me that total living area for the property is only 4,180 sqft. This number exactly matches the main house and nothing else. Assessor also told me that property has 1,976 sqft garage. He said that they receive information from building department and permits while possible get seldom lost.
So, seller agent sent me this permit back from 1985, which I believe was issued at the time main house was built. He claims that this permit proves that 990 sqft guest house is permitted, because

"residence" in "residence+att garage" in his opinion refers to guest house and not to the main home.
seller claims that bathroom in ADU shows up on blueprints. And there would not be sole bathroom without guesthouse.

However, I am still unconvinced that guest house was introduced under this permit, because:

"residence" on this permit could actually still refer to the main home.
assessor does not have any information about this guest house at all.
it feels strange that guest house was introduced together with the main house but assessor did not know anything about living area beyond the 4,180 sqft.
if guest house is permitted then on this permit I expected to see number ~990 sq ft. OR
if I would subtract garage size (1,976 sqft as per assessor) from what I believe is the total ADU size (2,683 sqft), then I am left with only 707 sqft. So how could 990 sqft guest house be squeezed in a 707 sqft area?

How can I make sure that guest house is permitted? Does this permit in any way prove whether guest house was built with permit?
Update #1: Saw blueprints and it clearly shows that what they call as "Guest house" is actually labeled as "Work shop". If my understanding is correct, then Workshop does not count towards "legal livable area", but yet they still included it.


texts: Identifying and fixing/removing odd bathtub drain stopper

texts:
I have a tub with a broken drain stopper consisting of metal rod(s) inside the drain assembly, below the in-tub drain connected up through the overflow. As best I can tell, it looks something like the following ASCII-art diagram:

                   |    |
            overflow __ |
     TUB           |  | |
                   |  | |
                   |  | |
  _____drain_______|  | |
     _________________| |
  _________________     |
                   |    |

but perhaps it's more like:

                   |    |
            overflow __ |
     TUB           |  | |
                   |  | |
                   |  | |
 ______drain_______|  | |
|    _________________| |
|     __________________|
|    |

It's non-operative and I have no idea how it was ever intended to operate, but it makes the tub drain very slowly. Any idea what it's called, and/or how to fix/remove enough of it so that it does not interfere with draining?


texts: Did I wire this dimmer switch correctly?

texts:
We just bought a house built in '74 and all the lights were on dimmers except for one in the hall by the bedrooms. I wanted to to put a dimmer in so my daughter can use it as a faux night light if she needs to get up in the middle of the night.

I opened the box up and it was crammed with wires and texture/paint:

I bought this guy:

And after some research I made the following connections:

Top Wire on old switch to new black wire.
Bottom Wire to red wire.
Unfurled the curved "ground?" wire in the back after confirming it was grounded and connected green to it
Capped off orange w/ white stripe by itself.

The light works just fine. On is on, off is off, the dimmer works. There's a split second delay when turning it on though, while its twin (same fixture, bulbs, and switch [though it's much older]) further down the hall turns on instantly. It's not really noticeable unless you look for it, but it's probably 1/10 of a second or so slower.

I've got the breaker off for now (we still haven't quite moved fully) - but I'm having second thoughts on my color coordination and such.


texts:
I have flat slab garage door that I want to insulate. I saw many videos online and they suggest using garage door insulation kits. However in all the videos I saw the garage doors has the groove that can hold/support the insulating sheet.

The problem I have is that my garage door is old flat/slab style which does not have groove that runs along the hinges horizontally.

Any suggestions on what I can use to insulate the door and how?


texts: Portable Air Conditioner Compressor Never Cycles On & Off - Is this normal?

texts:
I have a portable air conditioner in my bedroom set to 68 degrees. On cooler days it brings the room down to 68 and the compressor shuts off and it runs in fan only mode. Once the temp in the room goes back up, the compressor comes back on and gets the room back to 68 and shuts off and goes to fan only mode again.

When it is 100 degrees out it is unable to cool to 68. The compressor runs and runs and doesn't seem to cycle on and off. It is able to keep the room at 72 which is fine. I assume this is okay as it has been working great. But I thought the compressor had to take a break and cycle on and off to let coils evaporate or something? Is this normal for a portable AC unit compressor to never cycle on hot days?


texts: How to further troubleshoot a problem with my condensate pump?

texts:
During a recent trip to be basement I noticed that the floor was wet under my condensate pump. This pump collects the water from my water heater but it's powered through my boiler.
There was a lot of water in the condensate pump box. I poured a little bit more to trigger the pump and the pump didn't turn on.
I opened the pump, cleaned the water in the box and checked the floaters. The pump is old but everything seemed OK. Then I tested the outlet were the pump was connected, using a lamp I had in the basement (I verified the lamp was working in a different outlet). The lamp didn't work on this outlet. The boiler itself is working (heating went off the other day and I can see some of the green lights in the boiler, telling me it's powered)
At this point I don't know how to further troubleshoot my problem. I don't know if I need either a plumber or an electrician to service my boiler (which of the two is better suited for the job?) and tell me why that outlet is not working or if there is anything else I can try with the breaker panel to reset any GFCI outlets (I would hate to call a electrician so they just flip a switch).
I could replace the condensate pump (probably I will), but I think it is safe to assume that it doesn't get powered through the boiler's outlet.  How can I further troubleshoot my issue?


texts: Why am I getting 60V between the leads of my dryer and the ground?

texts: trouble shooting my dryer, i get 240 across the leads, and 120 from either lead to the neutral... but only 60 from either lead to the ground. is this normal?


texts:
I have a three-season sun porch off the back of the house. When the dog was younger and out there, he just chewed the heck out of the door frame. There's a framing piece, perpendicular to the face of the door, that has a gap where weatherstripping slots in, and that's been destroyed/chewed off to right about the door handle. From inside, you can see daylight between the door and frame. In winter, there's just cold air rushing in, and of course it looks terrible.
Is there an option besides completely replacing the door and frame with a new pre-hung door?
It's more a problem of stock/availability during Covid than cost, I just can't seem to find the same type of door in stock or shipped before spring. I've had to repair chewed interior door frames, but this seems like a bigger problem, or I'm just not seeing how to go about it.


texts: Can I tie in bathroom vents with turbine roof vents?

texts:
I want to vent my 2 bathroom fans into one of my roof
turbine vents.Can it be done and not pose a mold problem?


texts: I'm doing a new build and I'm interested in using the inexpensive LED lights that use an external driver box.  My question is about code - what's the way to mount the driver so it's acceptable to an inspector?


texts: Got a wifi thermostat.  Behind the old thermostat was a blue wire.  The other side of the blue wire in the equipment isn't plugged into anything.  I need to get the 24v common hooked up to this blue but don't know where it goes.  Any help is greatly appreciated.


texts:
I have two zones in my house with a damper system and want to move away from using my humidistat to control the solonoid valve on my humidifier and instead use my Nest thermostats.

My zone control panel has a spot for a humidifier control, but I'm not certain how it works so I never hooked it up. My only thought is that the W heat wire triggers it to turn on. Since the Nests measure humidity, they'll be more accurate anyway.

If I had only one Nest thermostat, a simple 24V relay would suffice, but I have 2. I want it so if either thermostat turns on the humidifier, then the humidifier turns on.

I don't know enough about electrical engineering to figure out a good solution to this problem.

Another idea is to buy another zone control panel and only hook up certain wires to fake it.


texts:
I live in a house built in 1981 that has 16 inch spaced floor joists.
In wanting to retile the bathroom I have discovered the plywood all around the toilet flange is junk,  it expands about 12 inches from flange.
It is dry, and so I am assuming the previous owners had a leak, re-tiled and moved on.    The wax ring under the toilet looked brand new.

Since the ply is so soft and flakey, I am trying to remove as much of the tile and backer board as I can and then come in with a rotary tool to cut out the rest so it is flush with the wall.
If the ply beneath the wall is bad I will attempt to replace that as well, but so far it looks ok.

My questions are as follows, because everyone appears to have an opinion that is in contrast to another.  Use short screws. NO! Use long nails.

The existing subfloor is 15/32 plywood.  I plan to use the same
thickness.  What length screw should I use to affix into the joists?
I have been told everything from 1 inch to 3 inches.  Would 1 ¾ inch
be sufficient?
Before I put down the subfloor or after, do I need to treat the ply with anything? Any water resistant coating or a vapor barrier?
Currently there is nothing.
When I take the next layer of plywood and put it down on to the subfloor should I use screws or nails? Again some advice is to use 1
inch nails every 6 inches.  Others advise use 1 ½ screws every 6
inches.   I have also been told to use liquid nails. While other
have said not to.
Spacing between wall and each piece of ply for both subfloor and secondary layer of ply ranges from 1/8 to 1/4 inch.   Any
suggestions?
When attaching backer board to plywood should I use nails or screws? What is a good length?

Maybe I am over thinking this, and maybe is just comes down to getting a sturdy piece of plywood, fix it down so it doesn’t squeak and move on.
But everyone has an opinion on nails vs. screws, length and spacing.

If you guys can provide some insight, advice, and opinions on the above situation I would be most grateful.

Thanks


texts: How to utilize Ethernet throughout my house

texts: My router/modem is located in the garage because that is where our Gigapower box is located but my office is all the way on the opposite side of the house and upstairs. Using WiFi is tedious because everyone in my house (two roommates and a child) also use WiFi for work/school. Should I be looking for any plugs in the wall or something that I can possibly connect an Ethernet cable to? I have a socket in the wall that says CAT5e+ but I’m pretty sure that is for house phones. TIA.


texts: ABS offset toilet flange dilemma. Suggestions to make my 11" rough-in into a 12" rough-in. USA

texts:
Recently I started a thread to get advice on how to move a flange for a toilet so that I can wind up with a 12" rough-in when I'm done. It's problematic since I can't really work with the ABS under the floor. It wasn't done properly and has the drain for the tub, the sink and the toilet all going into the same toilet drain. See photos below. To do it correctly would cost around $5K, according to a quote we got from a plumber recently.

To summarize from my previous thread I removed three layers of linoleum, two layers of fir planking and am now down to the bare joists. I cut away the flared portion of the flange and as you can see the hubs for both the ABS align with the hub of the offset flange. Meaning, they are both four inches in diameter. Also, now that so many layers of flooring has been removed I am wondering if I can shave off a bit of the hub from both the ABS drain pipe in the floor along with removing part of the hub from the offset flange to help bring it down lower. The hubs on both measure 1.5" in length. If I can remove an inch off of each hub to eliminate two inches and be left with just one inch to work with this would help a lot.

I thought I could buy some ABS piping that could fit inside both the flange hub and ABS hub in the floor. It would basically be a one inch ring connecting both hubs from the inside.

Once I put my 3/4" plywood over the joists, cement sheet rock and possibly a leveling compound followed by 1" hexagon porcelain tile I am confident that I can get the metal ring of the offset flange to sit flush against the new final height of the floor.

But I am wondering if my idea is bad one or if anyone can suggest better ideas. I really want to use the offset flange to not only give me about an extra inch from the back wall but also want to place it diagonally to allow an extra inch away from the side wall. It's a bit too close to the side wall. This is a 2" offset flange, by the way.

I've also included a very bad drawing to help provide a visual as far as getting my idea across without any confusion.

A summary with pics:

Here is a pic of the old flange in place:

After sawing off the flared portion of the flange I am left with this:

I am going to attempt to carefully grind away the rest of the flange that is bonded on the inside of the ABS in the floor to be able to re-bond the new ABS "ring" I will cut to size to connect the new offset flange in place.

Another angle where you can see all the the other ABS drain lines that connect to the toilet drain line:

^ This is why I simply can't just extend the horizontal portion of the ABS under the floor to give me a 12" rough-in. I' have to redo all the drain pipes that connect to one drain. It would be a real pain.

Setting my new offset 4x3 flange on top of the ABS hub in the floor. They are the same diameter:

My (very bad) drawing summarizing what I am trying to do:

After sawing away the old flared portion of the flange I can see that only about a half inch of ABS from the old flange made a permanent bond with the ABS drain pipe in the floor. So this is why I am wondering if I can make the hubs a half inch in length and create a "ring" with ABS to fit inside each one to make this work.

Hope to hear back and get some input, thanks!


texts: Just installed a new sconce. When I turn it on, I blow a fuse!!! Help?

texts: I moved to this house a year and a half ago and have replaced about 9  sconces so far with no problems. I replaced one tonight, and when I went to turn it on, I blew a fuse! Never happened before. I had to wait a whole hour to be able to reset it and the second I tried it again the lights went out again :( I think this might be the only sconce that has 2 switches to turn it on. I didn't change the switches though, only the light.  Help! I don't want to call an electrician like google suggests. They are extremely expensive and scarce around these parts!


texts: Straightening a bend copper tubing of an air conditioner filled with refrigerant

texts:
I have a bent copper-tubing of an air conditioner filled with refrigerant that I want to straighten (because I need make some space for mounting a curtain rail). Now, I'm fully aware that it is not recommended to bend/straighten a copper-tubing due to risk of:

Leak
Cooling inefficiency

Since, I really need to mount that rail. I was hoping that someone could see the attached images of the situation, and tell/guide whether

these bends are really severe to cause the risks
If so, what are my options to get this tubing straighten

Will being filled with refrigerant (higher inner pressure) would prevent potential kink?

Images description

Red circles: are the bends that I want to straighten.

Green arrow: shows the desired path of the tubing

Box: that the tubing runs into is a large PVC wire channel to get a cleaner look.

Image: 02


texts: GE Profile refrigerator model PSSS3RGXA SS not dispensing water or ice. Makes ice into bin

texts:
Side by side refrigerator is cold, freezes water, makes ice cubes and dumps them into the bin.  The green LEDs for door alarm, water and quick ice are on.  The LED for lock is not on.

Pressing the actuator paddle shuts down all the LEDs and no water or ice.  Holding it down the temperature settings for the refrig/freezer are displayed.  Releasing the actuator paddle the set temp settings remain on.  No water, ice, mechanical sounds at all.

Replaced the interface dispenser asm part WR55x10818 and apart from being silver colored, the same behavior occurs.  And no ice.

I can't imagine it's either the auger motor AND the dispenser solenoid since we have a problem with water and ice.

I can't imagine it's a water problem since we get ice in the bin around the auger and we've emptied it (fills up again nicely).

Are there any suggestions?


texts: How do I fix a ceiling fan that won't turn off?

texts:
I have a ceiling light/fan fixture in one of my rooms connected to a single electrical switch. There are two pullchains on the fixture, one that controls the light, the other controlling the fan. I'd expect the fan chain to switch it among fast, slow, and off. However, whenever the switch is on, the fan motor is running, and the chain just switches between fast and slow.

Is there something wrong with this fixture?

Is it just wired wrong, and should have two separate switches?


texts: Hubbell-raco receptacle and switch boxes

texts: Why doesn't Hubbell-Raco receptacle metal boxes (double gang, single gang, handy boxes--most of their boxes) do not have an 1/2" inch protrusion when affixing it to wood studs to rough in basement or new garages or adding a new room.  Then adding 1/2 inch drywall would fit perfectly. They have a brackets in some cases attached but it does protrude. For example Garvin boxes do have them. The only time that i would think you would have a double gang or 4x4 square box flush with the stud is if your adding mud or raised rings. Would appreciate any insights! Just curious.


texts:
After  a few months of installed my Home Depot round ceiling LED lamp started to act like its being possessed. After turning it On, it goes Off and On repeatedly. Sometimes after a few minutes it stays On. Lately it doesn't stay On.
Any ideas why this happen?
Thank you


texts: How do I slow down a pocket door when opening and closing?

texts: I had a pocket door installed in 2009 and the pocket door slides way too fast when opening and closing. I can't work out how to slow it down.


texts: Fixing small broken area at lock plate of interior door jamb

texts:
My bathroom door has a minor issue at the lock plate of the door jamb. The main issue was that the screw area got forced in and I screwed in a nearby area that eventually broke.  I dont want to change the entire jamb for it looks like a small issue. So I thought of sawing a few inches above and screw a new wood area.  Want to see if there are better ideas to fix this.

Update:
Hi anybody " Dont see any solutions ?
My current solution is to saw/chisel the strike place area completely - about 1/2 inch. Put new wood block secured with screw on the sides leaving the center area for the strike place screws. Not sure if this will work. Anybody has experience if this will work ?


texts: What should I do about soaked particle board under my kitchen sink?

texts:
I recently discovered I have a leaky garbage disposal (that i have yet to fix). I think it had been leaking for a while, and it has caused the particle board beneath the kitchen sink to sag. I have been catching the drip for a few days now, but it doesn't seem to be drying, and it still feels damp. It's starting to smell a bit like mildew too.

The question is two fold:

Do I need to replace the particle board? It's a corner sink, and I don't think I could replace it without taking the cabinet face off.
If I don't replace the particle board, what's the best way to dry that space and remove the smell.


texts: How do I create concrete or fiberglass outdoor seating that will last?

texts:
My husband and I have a design for outdoor seating we would like to create that is organic (curvy) in shape and surfaced in mosaic designs. Think of a dragon undulating in and out of the water, the part that appears above the water's surface would be something like what we want to create.

I have experience using chicken wire as an armature under plaster and I know this degrades with use - the bendy nature of the armature causes the plaster to break. I don't have experience with concrete but I suspect it would be likely to degrade in the same way. Is there a way to improve the plasticity of concrete? Is there a particularly good way to create an organic form, or should the seating be solid concrete?

Is fiberglass a better choice?


texts: How heavy is too heavy? mounting heavy window planter boxes

texts:
I want to mount some heavy planter boxes on an outside wall under windows.  The boxes are 52” wide and will go below nylon window frames that are a little more than 48” wide.  I have a frame house from the 80’s with L-1011 siding covered by Hardi Plank shingles on the exterior.  I made the planter boxes out of 5/4 pvc boards.  The boxes that I made are actually designed to allow us to put generic plastic planter boxes or pots inside these outer more ornamental shells.  The shell boxes are also designed to hold weight of plants and to not sag in the front.

When I say heavy, I figure that the interior planter boxes have about 2.8 cubic feet of volume.  If I filled this space with water, which is the worst case, they would weigh 174 lbs.  The boards used for the outside boxes aren’t light either.  I don’t know exactly, say 50 lbs. That’s over 220 lbs.  the interior boxes that will contain the plants are plastic and don’t weigh much.

My goal is low maintenance and to mount these boxes so that they won’t sag but also so to mount them so that they can be removed, and when removed ideally, not leave an unsightly hanging mechanism.

I want to use four 3/8” stainless mounting screws for each box.  These are the kind of screws with two sets of threads, a screw end to screw permanently into the stub and a bolt end that will go through the board on the back of the box and will be attached to the box with a large washer and a removable nut.   The back of the boxes won’t exactly be flush to the mounting wall, as the shingles are irregular.

My questions:

Will four mount points be enough for the weight?
Can I screw two of the mounting bolts through into the window’s king studs near the bottom of the window, and the two other two into the lower orphan studs or jack studs?  Will this be strong enough?   Am I liable to break my window trying to hold this using the king studs and jack studs?  Is 230 lbs a lot, too much maybe, for studs on an exterior wall?

What do you suggest? Thank you!


texts: Can I install a toilet flange in a shortened (sawed off) elbow fitting?

texts:
I'm putting a bathroom in my basement, and had a plumber come in and lay the PVC pipe after I cut out part of my floor.  After pouring new concrete, he came back in and said there was a problem with the pipe for my toilet and it was too high.  He said it must have shifted somehow (it did not -- it was like that from the beginning and my ignorance didn't know it was incorrect).

Short of breaking up the concrete and re-running the pipe, is there anything I can do to make this work properly?

Here's what it looks like.  You can see the collar of the elbow sticking a good two inches above the concrete.


texts: How to waterproof outdoor storage bench?

texts:
I want to build a bench like this that can open on top to storage stuffs inside

Source: http://myoutdoorplans.com/bench/storage-bench-plans/

I will use composite decking boards (extra got left over) to build the outside. BUT how do prevent water from getting inside? I could make the top cover using outdoor plywood and put composite deck on top but that would be too heavy for the top to open up. Is it possible to use paper / flashing thing to put in the inside?

Thanks.

UPDATE

So I guess I am thinking about using this membrane but only all small 2x8 section:

Source: http://www.hometips.com/diy-how-to/create-waterproof-dry-space-under-deck.html

But this is Trex RainEscape which could be expensive. Can I use flashing paper or some membrane for tile or roof instead?


texts: Should I add landscape rock before or after installing a fence around a dog pen?

texts:
I am making a 20'x15' dog pen area. The L-shaped fence will be against the house on each end. This is new construction, so I'm waiting on final grade.

Should I install the fence, leaving a 5" gap between the bottom rail and ground, then after the fence is done, bring in 3" of 1.5" rock? The fence manufacturer recommends 2" clearance between ground and bottom rail.

Or, should I bring in 3" of rock first, then install the fence?


texts: Correct wiring of 4-wire cooktop to 3-wire 240V supply

texts:
I have a new cooktop with 4 wires (see pic) - black, red, white and bare.  The 240V supply cable has black, white and bare.  I measured ~250V across the supply black & white (no load).

The instructions for the cooktop aren’t clear to me ( - shown below). They seem to indicate connecting white and bare (neural & ground), which doesn’t seem right.

My assumption is that in orange supply that black is live/hot, white is neutral and bare is ground.
Update: now wondering if perhaps white is the other hot leg and there is no neutral (would explain why I measure 240V between black & white supply cable)

What should I connect to what?

Thanks!


texts:
I need to mount my tv on a wall, or maybe just leave it on the stand, but the only wall that works has a baseboard heater on it.

I've seen other questions about TVs over fireplaces, but my TV is going to be at least 24" above the heater (the stuff in the entertainment center under it, though...).  Should I rig some sort of shelf just above the heater?  For when winter finally gets here.


texts: Suggestion for daylight high lumen bin-pin LED bulb

texts:
Here are some photos of the fixture.

I’ve been searching around for a GU24/bi-pin base daylight LED with more 1400 lumens.

Amazon and HomeDepot didn’t help much. I found quite a few bi-pin ones but none of them day light with more than 1100 lumens.

Can some help point me in the right direction?


texts: Why do my downstairs radiators run colder than upstairs?

texts:
Our combi boiler in the loft (less than 3 years old Vaillant EcoTec) is heating the upstairs radiators nicely, but the downstairs ones are lukewarm to cold.

I have opened all the radiator valves fully downstairs, and reduced the upstairs ones to try to increase pressure to downstairs. This worked for a few weeks, but again downstairs have become cool. Opening the upstairs ones fully makes the downstairs ones dead cold.

The pressure on the boiler reads 1.7 bar. Increasing it to 1.9 doesn't help and I don't want to go any higher. The thermostat is now set to 23°C and downstairs radiators still don't get beyond lukewarm. All the radiators have been bled, there is no air trapped.

One thing to note, and I don't know how related it is, but when we turn on any hot water tap, all the radiators get hot, even if the heating is off, even the downstairs ones!


texts: Getting rid of ozone and/or burning plastic smell left over from a dead box fan

texts:
Almost had a housefire a few weeks back. We left a Lasko box fan (that we use for white noise while sleeping) on during the day and when we went to go to bed there was a horrible burning smell coming from it and the motor was groaning and the blades were not turning. Clearly the motor died or botched somehow but since it was left on it was overheating (the fan was hot to the touch!) and spewing a burning plastic smell all over the house.

Obviously I threw the fan away, but weeks later the burning plastic smell remains. Health considerations aside, is there anything we can do to get rid of this smell? Leaving the windows open and running fans to air out the upstairs isn't really an option because we're heading into winter, the price of heating oil is high and its been in the low 40s consistently for the last week or so.


texts:
I have a concrete porch upfront which has 2 pillars supporting a roof.  The concrete is showing cracks and spalling.  To repair can I resurface this? A friend suggested tigercrete (concrete with fiberglass) after doing a really thorough cleaning/pressure wash.

If I do resurface it should I wrap the wooden 4x4 pillars in something to protect them?

Another alternative suggested is to lay wooden strips down and put in a composite deck over the concrete. I may have "just" enough height on my door to do this.

Any suggestions?  Not looking forward to jackhammering it out.


texts: Top element is drawing amps but no hot water drawing 19amp

texts: I have 240v at the water heater and drawing 19amp at the top element but no hot water after 1 hour


texts: Why does my sink supply shutoff valve spray water when I close it?

texts:
I am trying to shutoff the hot and cold water to the sink to replace the faucet. But the moment I slightly turn the valve to close, the water sprays all around the valve. When I open it, the splash of water stops, and there is no leaks.
I live in a condo, where there is only one main shutoff valve for every four units. what can I do without shutting off the main water supply.


texts: Should I be worried about radon while I live on the 9th floor?

texts: I've recently heard of this threat to our health and I'm trying to educate myself on how to best protect myself and my family from it. I've been living for the past few years in a rented apartment in an old 16 story building (50-60 years old) and I'm not planing on moving anytime soon, so I'd like to find out how pressing it is for me to spend money on radon testing. Any information on this matter is welcome, thank you for your time!


texts: Where to connect the red wire from ceiling to a Ceiling fan with remote?

texts:
What to do with red wire from ceiling/supply when hooking up ceiling fan with attached light and remote?
First time- I put the black wire from receiver output side (this side has wires that are black, white and blue) and black from fan to the red wire from ceiling supply in one wire nut.
Remote worked for fan temporarily. I turned off breaker and then stopped working for fan. The remote still worked to control the lights on fan.
Second time, I capped the red wire from the ceiling. Now, on the remote fan buttons(low, med, high speed) won’t turn on. However, the variable breeze button that’s for the fan makes the the lights flicker on the ceiling fan.
I have not checked yet to see if need to cap the red wire in the wall switch.
Any ideas what I did wrong or what to do?


texts: Need advice to prevent runoff water from going into neighbor's yard

texts: I'm looking for some advice on what I can do to prevent runoff water from going into my neighbor's yard. I am an auto detailer so I am constantly washing cars in my driveway. The neighbor also parks his truck and RV camper in the dirt section of the yard. Here is a picture so you can see what I am talking about. :-)


texts: Can rock salt be used for sewer maintenance?

texts: I have read that flushing a glass full of rock salt down your toilet every month is good practice if you have a cast iron sewer line. Reason being is that the salt will kill off any tree roots in the pipe and also prevent more roots from coming in and causing blockage. Is anyone currently doing this and if so how has it worked for you?


texts: My boiler's gas burner tube is catching fire, how do I fix this?

texts:
About 1 or 2 times a week I hear a roaring flame when my boiler tuns on.  I've check on it and it appears one of the boiler gas burner tubes is internally on fire (see video I took of it).

What is the flame able to flow back like this?
How do I fix this so the burner tube stops burning internally?


texts: Washing machine installation - unsure about current setup

texts:
Just moved into a new home and ordered a washing machine from Currys (I am UK based), I have booked installation with the delivery, but just want to make sure I have everything required before installation - Especially in regards to the hot/cold taps that seem to be missing!

I have attached a few photos that show where the previous owners had their washing machine installed - will the Currys guys need anything else for installation or are we all good? Besides the waste pipe, I can't make any sense of this setup (previously lived in a flat where the hot/cold taps were clearly labeled).

I assume C is for cold and H is for hot, but where are the actually taps? Where does the water supply come from? What is with that piece labelled "A.F.L W 3/4"?

New image:


texts: What are my options to repair a broken tab on a bus bar?

texts:
My A/C went out this week. The problem was a broken tab on a bus bar with cut power to one phase of the 220v circuit.

My HVAC guy was able to get me going again by swapping the A/C unit to the dryers breaker.

I spoke with a local company on the phone, they were advising that they'd likely have to replace the panel. My HVAC recommended an electrician but he was booked for weeks and/or didn't want the job.

What options should be on the table to repair this problem? Can just the bus bar be replaced? Replace enough breakers with tandem breakers (AKA cheaters) to free up the slots needed? Could I replace the disconnect for the A/C with a fused disconnect instead of replacing my main panel? Could I have a subpanel added?

Something that will further complicate this issue is that my home has AL wiring. Code may require AFCI breakers to be installed if they have to replace the panel.

The current panel is completely full. I need to find room for a double pole breaker. I have one good slot open and one broken open slot. I could free up two slots by adding a single cheater breaker. Put the cheater in the single good slot and free up two slots for a double pole.

The objective answer I'm looking for here is one that will enumerate my options and suggest what may be a showstopper or strong advantage to each option.


texts: Electric hot water heater, no hot water after main break in city

texts: Electric hot water heater is not working after a nearby city water main break. Switched circuit breaker off and on and also hit reset on the heater, but still nothing. Water comes out of hot faucets, but is cold.(it has been 18 hours)


texts: Energy saving box on an old whirlpool hot water heater

texts: There is an energy saving box on an old whirlpool hot water heater in an old house we purchased. I changed both elements out yesterday and it worked fine. Had hot water in about 2 hours. Now tonight the water is freezing cold and the box is blinking telling me the e!ements are bad. I think it's the box. Can it be removed and the hot water heater work fine?


texts: How do I hack cheap garden/solar lights to make a remote solar panel array?

texts:
I've got a shaded area leading up to my front door that I want to illuminate with solar lights, but alas, it's so shaded I can't seem to generate enough juice to charge the batteries. I know that companies sell lights with a remote solar panel, but it's a bit too pricey for me. I was thinking of building my own remote panel in the following way:

Buy a couple throwaway lights and remove their solar panels.
Connect the positives together and the negatives together and attach them to a piece of plastic to make my panel. Place the DIY solar panel in a non-shaded area.
Place additional lights where I want them in the walkway.
Run wire from the remote solar panel array to the first battery terminals of the  lights in the walkway.
Run wire from the first light battery terminal to the second, and continue until all panels are wired.

Am I missing anything? Is there a piece of equipment I'm overlooking?

What happens when a charge maxes out? Suppose battery #1 in the series maxes, is the energy then passed to battery #2? What happens when they all max out?

What sort of wire do I buy?

I'm a noob when it comes to electronics.


texts: Noise reduction of a hollow core door versus a french (glass panes) door

texts:
I'm planning to replace a door to our basement with a glass panes (french) door. Our current door is a simple builders' grade hollow core door. I'm planning to buy a cheap french door from a home improvement centre to replace it, to let some light into a basement stairwell.

My question is, how does sound blocking quality of a simple glass panes door compares to a one of hollow core door? I might scrap the whole project if glass is even worse than hollow core door...


texts: I am a little confused. I purchased shelf brackets in the exact size of the previous ones I had for this shelf. The new brackets however extend a bit further past the shelf itself ( not the depth going down ) but the width. Is this an issue? I plan to put hanging plants and could hide the extending piece of the bracket but is there a safety concern with this. I plan on putting very light items. I am just as to confused as to how they say they are the same size but aren't really.


texts: Regency gas Fireplace main burner is auto igniting and won't shut off until i turn off gas valve

texts:
I have regency C34 gas fireplace probably made around 2000. Unit has worked well but recently started itself and would not shut off until I shut the gas off. This has happen every time since when I relight the pilot light...it takes about 30 seconds and the main burner will ignite and not shut off until gas is turned off.
Each time after I turn off the gas value in about 5 seconds I can hear something open/close not sure what.
This unit has an thermostat remote control  and a receiver box which runs on batteries that has an off, remote or on switch. I have removed the batteries from the remote, from the receiver even at different times and after I light the pilot in about 30 seconds the main burner ignites as mentioned above. I have moved the switch on the receiver box to off and the unit will not shut off. Please let me know what the problem could be.

Mark


texts: Is this patch panel used for phone, security, or data?

texts:
I just moved into a townhouse. Each bedroom has a CAT5e panel on the wall. I've went up in the attic and I can see the blue ethernet cables running from each bedroom to a central location right above the utility closet, so I'm assuming that the cables I see coming into the utility closet panel are the ones that I see in the attic. Furthermore, whoever set up the panel in the utility closet labeled each wire with the corresponding room.

Here's my confusion: There's a patch panel in the utility closet, but it doesn't have any sort of plug-in for me to plug in my router. Furthermore, the box that the patch panel is installed in has a sticker on it that says "Honeywell security panel". And finally, the ethernet cables are all spliced together. Some have the blue and blue/white twisted pair spliced together with another cable from another room. Is that standard practice for using the ethernet for telephone?

The patch panel has 6 outbound panels and 1 panel labled "input", but the input panel is already used and has a cable going up and out of the box and into the wall. You guys think this has something to do with the security panel or is this just a weird ethernet installation? Seems to me that if they intended on this beign hooked up to a switch/router it would have a RJ-45 input port.


texts: Upper roof downspout emptying onto lower roof

texts:
I have an upper roof downspout emptying onto a lower roof. the downspout exit sits near the side of the lower roof, and water falls off the side before continuing down to fall into the lower roof gutter.

is it possible to install a gutter along the side? is the only solution a downspout extension to the lower gutter? how is the downspout extension secured? We prefer the gutter along the side but can it be attached to the existing lower roof gutter? not sure what type of gutter corner that would require. i don't think we can send the upper roof downspout straight down to the ground due to association rules.

we have two skylights so we can't move the upper roof downspout towards the center of the roof because of how much water is directed out from the upper roof. We want to avoid a leak in the Skylights.

]3


texts:
I have a closet in my kitchen that currently acts as our pantry.
It looks like any standard closet with two sliding doors and shelves on the interior.
It has a header above it for two sliding doors and the sides come in about 10 inches.

    _________________
    |               |
    |               |
    |__           __|  Top view
     ^             ^

I am wondering if it is feasible to cut out the header and side walls (where the ^ is) in order to maximize the space it takes up.  Then insert a set of cabinets up top, a counter in the middle and then a set of drawers and cabinets beneath the counter.

The house is a colonial built in 1981 and I would verify this closet has no load bearing purpose before I did anything.  We are identifying ways to improve storage and use in our kitchen and I am hoping this would be a feasible option.

Is this crazy town to consider this? Or a common overhaul?  What sort of issues might I face in doing something like this?


texts: Would mylar provide adequate insulation for an infrared sauna located outdoors?

texts: I'm planning to purchase a portable indoor infrared sauna to be located outdoors under my deck.  Although ambient temperatures in the SF Bay Area are fairly mild, I am concerned that it might take quite awhile for the sauna  to reach an optimum temperature of 130 deg F while using it during the winter months without adding some type of insulation. I've considered wrapping the exterior walls of the sauna with mylar space blankets and the roof with styrofoam or fiberglass insulation.  Since the deck above the sauna is watertight, there is no concern of moisture coming in contact with the roof insulation. Would appreciate any feedback as to whether mylar would provide adequate insulation!


texts:
I just found this in a pile of old tools, more or less related to plumbing.

The edges are sharp. The ridges do not have the same size on both sides.

Does anyone know what this is and what it is for?


texts: How to take the sandpaper off of a Makita palm sander

texts:
I need to know how to take the old sandpaper off a palm sander (Makita model B04553).
It is not mine so I am unsure, but there are four latches that I have lifted, thinking that it will loosen and slide out.

How do I get this paper off?


texts: Clogged sink drain after washing paint brush and roller

texts:
We are painting indoors and my son used the downstairs wash sinks to rinse our brushes and roller. He had hot running water and a bucket to let them soak in but when I went to do wash last night the sink was still almost 3/4 full of water (from about 3 hours earlier).
I am thinking more paint got in then he thought. He did rinse the roller brush directly in there and that was a bit of paint on it.
I used a plunger and ran hot water again. I even used some baking soda and vinegar.
About 4 hours later it was down to just an inch above the drain.
This is a rental so I would like to get this working again.
I wondered if there was anything else to dissolve the paint. I was not certain about plumber's helper or such.


texts: Do beam supporting posts need to line up from basement to roof

texts: Do beam supporting posts need to line up across multiple levels of a house? I have a steel beam holding up the main level of my house.  In line with that beam, on the main level is a load bearing wall I wish to remove.  All posts in drawing are existing.  I do not want to move the posts on either level.


texts:
I bought a GE stack up Washer/Dryer GTUN275EM1WW (now, apparently, discontinued) 3 years ago and today it stopped working:

The motor makes the whining noise but it does not agitate the drum during washing and does not rotate it during spinning.
The water is pumped in and out normally.

Local repairmen say "you bought junk, talk to GE" (over the phone).

GE can send a repairman in 5 days (Diagnostic Fee $108.95 Does Not Include Parts & Labor).

Any suggestions?

Is there a chance that it's something trivial (e.g., a belt fell off)?


texts: What size and type of wire do I need for a long run?

texts:
I'm a DJ and need to power five 20A amplifiers. Since the wall receptacles in most clubs and outdoor events to not have sufficient power to make them sound good. I need a 50 foot length and a 100 foot length for outside events.

What  is a good, safe and cost-effective wire to use? And what type of box should I use at the other end by my sound gear? Thanks.


texts: Is there any way I can guard this pipe from screws and nails?

texts:
I tried to take down a shelf yesterday and water started coming from the wall. Called a plumber and discovered this in my building's water main:

The pipe is big enough and close enough to the drywall that it probably looks just like a stud to a stud finder or similar.

Is there any way I can install some kind of nail guard in front of the pipe or otherwise standard way I can indicate to the next guy to not drill in this location?


texts: I purchased a pocket hole jig and it comes with screws. Are these special pocket hole screws? Is there a type of screw I should be using with pocket holes, or would any wood screw work just as well?


texts: What should I do with the extra wire when intalling a new remote for my ceiling fan?

texts: I am replacing a ceiling fan remote. the fan has 5 wires coming from it and the new receiver has 4 wires coming from it.  The old receiver had: fan out, common out, neutral in, live in and light out.  The new receiver has: line in, neutral in, light out and fan.  What do I do with the extra wire?


texts: Interior Designing ideas for small spaces like an apartment or a studio?

texts: I have moved into an apartment which is small and would like to remodel my living room with modern interior designs. Any ideas on what designs can make the room look vibrant and spacious...


texts: How should I troubleshoot a dishwasher that stops in the last minute of the cycle?

texts: I have an LG model # LDS5040ST dishwasher.  I found it displaying an nE error code the other day.  The code description on the LG site says it is thrown due to the vario motor locking.  Today I tore it down to look at the motor.  I found some trash and a chewed up toothpick in the sump by the motor impeller.  I cleaned it all up,  put it back together (because if  I have to order a new motor it won't get here until Mar. 5), and tried to run it.  I watched it run for the whole cycle.  It got to 001 left then it beeped and threw the nE error again.  But I heard the motor running.  What should my next steps in troubleshooting be?  Could it be a control panel issue?


texts:
I have a round junction box protruding from an exterior wall. It had a fixture on it with a circular cover, but I've replaced it with a fixture that has a rectangular box which I would guess is supposed to be tight to a wall (see photo).
The area where this is installed is covered, but there is free airflow into the junction box and I can see the wires if I poke my head back there.
Are there any risks to having this wiring exposed in this way?


texts: Is there a way to add an additional thermostat in an office building?

texts:
We work in an office building with individual offices and an outer office.  Our office windows face East (catching ALL the morning sun) causing the offices to become extremely warm.  The problem is the ONE office that sits adjacent to these other offices catching NO morning sun is the office where the thermostat is installed.

It can be 80 in the outer room and other offices however, it's not that warm in the office with the thermostat so the A/C won't turn on unless we manually force the temperature down.  If there was a thermostat in the outer office will could it recognize the temperature then work automatically keeping the outer office and other interior offices cool?

Hope this makes sense.

Thank you.


texts: How Do I Connect PVC Pipe to a Toilet Waste Pipe?

texts:
I'm renovating a bathroom. How do I connect a PVC pipe and toilet flange to the existing steel or cast iron waste pipe?

Should I use PVC/DWV foam core pipe?

(I think that the existing pipe is steel, but it might be cast iron.)

Pls see the lovely view of the existing toilet waste pipe below:

Is this the coupling I should use?


texts: Cheap wood-ish replacement for glass panel in door

texts:
This question is similar to another one already on SE but this one focuses on the task as a repair issue rather than as a remodeling one.

How can I cheaply and easily (I am a layperson) create a stable, opaque "replacement" for a broken glass pane in a(n inside) door?:

Apparently one of the doors in my flat is partially made of glass and someone (either the previous owner or the renovators-- the house management of course denies that it could be the renovators' fault) decided to simply paint over them in order to make them "unglass". The glass plate itself seems to be 2mm thick and the cutout in which the plate sits is about 2cm deep (measuring both sides).


texts: How can I locate the pump in a wet open-vented central heating system?

texts:
Lost: One Central Heating Pump. Reward offered (in reputation points ;)

I have a wet open-vented central heating system, and I've turned it on after six months to find the radiators aren't getting hot. We suspect the pump is clogged with sediment. The problem is, we can't find the pump. I've had a plumber round and we've searched around, even pulling up some floorboards near the hearth, but we can't find it.

Where should I look? Any tips for locating the pump?

The central heating boiler is upstairs, the control panel is downstairs, there are three radiators downstairs, and four upstairs.


texts: where is the pressure switch on a 3/4hp pump?

texts: The pressure in my 3/4hp pump reads 38 the pump runs 5 + minutes, shuts off,turns on and repeates itself.


texts: Is the wall in this blue print able to be removed? (Blueprint in Spanish.)

texts:
I am looking at a home to purchase in Queretaro, MX where I have been transferred for five years. There is a two year old home in a great location for the right price but the rooms are really small. We have no children so losing a bedroom wouldn't be bad. I was hoping to make a larger master bedroom by taking out the wall between the current Master and bedroom 1 the second floor. I put yellow dots on the wall to come out. I don't have time to contact a Mexico architect as this house should sell fast and I'm currently in the US. I would feel so much better knowing before I made an offer and paid earnest money.

The only things needed to be moved in the wall are a TV cable line. There is an electrical outlet in the wall for both rooms. This home is made of typical Mexico materials like steel frames and concrete. There is no wood joists or drywall. If I can't do this, my wife insists on taking our second choice of a house which means a commute for me. Any ideas?

Thank you!


texts: Help me test my electricity usage monitor?

texts:
I just got one of these; I love it and it seems accurate. But I would like to check its accuracy.
Can anyone think of an appliance with very predictable constant power consumption that I could use to test it?
If not, can anyone think of other ways to test it? I was thinking I could get a second one, and either test them side-by-side with similar appliances or plug one into the other and see how close they are. Or maybe I could hook it to a large appliance and compare the power use to the increase in power consumption on my main meter. Not sure....
Edit: h/t @Harper - Reinstate Monica maybe I can use this method: https://youtu.be/xCVnW_Ou470?t=107
Thanks!

Update: I tested my Kill-a-Watt with the following devices:
18W portable fan with single setting - Kill-a-Watt says 17.6
120V 8A portable drill, trigger all the way down running in the air - Kill-a-Watt says much less than 960
1500W electric kettle - Kill-a-Watt says 1487
The drill is the outlier. Based on the comments this seems normal for electric motors not encountering much resistance.


texts: Kitchen Light randomly goes out every ~10 minutes

texts:
For the past few weeks, we've noticed our kitchen track lighting randomly "goes out" every 10 or so minutes. It started out just "flickering" off for a few seconds before coming back on. Sometimes the lights will randomly go to ~1/4 the brightness for a minute or two before going back to full brightness.

Now, It's gotten to the point to where the lights go out completely for 1-2 minutes before coming back on.

I've noticed that nothing else on the kitchen circuit goes out with the lights either -so it must be related to the cheap track lighting.

Could the issue be the transformer for the lights? Model SL-728 If so (not so), what could I test to make sure or determine what the issue is?

Thanks so much!


texts: I am replacing kitchen tile with vinyl planks or engineered hardwood. After ripping out the backer board with tile, I am left with hundreds of screws, set every two inches in a rectangular grid. Is there an efficient removal technique?


texts: How can I prevent frost buildup on a concentric water heater intake?

texts:
I have a hot water tank with a concentric PVC vent that's both an intake and exhaust for the tank.
Whenever it's -30 celcius and below (I'm from Canada), the air intake on the concentric vent clogs up with frost, causing the hot water tank to stop working.  When this happens, I need to go outside to clear out the frost.
Does anyone have any tips with this problem?  I've heard some posts that people recommend insulating the pipe.  What kind of material would you recommend to insulate the vent to ensure it doesn't frost?


texts: Foundation for retaining wall on a hardcore base?

texts:
I'm looking to build a retaining wall 800mm (2.5ft) high and 225mm wide at the side of my house.

During the original construction groundworks, the ground around my house had to be raised up about 800mm for access purposes,100-200mm hardcore was used.

How deep into the hardcore do I need to go with my foundation and how deep does the concrete in the foundation need to be?


texts: Can I add a single pole switch to a 3 way switch with power?

texts: I have a box with 14-2 power, 14-3 communicator wires (run from another switch that is connected to lights), and a 14-2 cable fora ceiling fan. How do I wire the switches to operate independently in this box?


texts: What do you call the piece that holds a router bit's guide wheel in place?

texts: In the pic below, there's a black ring that holds the bearing guide wheel in place against the router bit.  I need another one of those so I can position the guide wheel higher up on the shank.  Knowing what that piece is called will give me something to actually search for.


texts:
I have an old (1950's), victorian esque, 2-story, uninsulated, lath and plaster house that I would like to add some insulation in order to at least curb the hot/cold of the Inland Empire here in California.

All the inside walls and ceilings are lath and plaster while the outside sheathing is wood slats. We do have crawl space into the area between the first floor and the second floor behind the roof (B & C in my diagram). The portion above the second floor rooms (A in my diagram) have an open access to the outside.

My plan is to put batt insulation on the roof portion of B & C and batt insulation on the ceiling portion of A. The roof beams look to be standard 2x4 with MDF (looks to be replaced less than 10 years ago). I can see some nails poking through the MDF where the shingles are attached.

The problem comes with insulating the portion between B-A and C-A.  How can I get a decent R value on that portion at a decent DIY price? I was thinking rigid-foam and placing a 2" first then sliding a 1.5" under it (which would press it into the nails rather than sliding a 3.5" up and scraping the nails). That would only give me about R-15.

Is there a better way to insulate such a small place with a higher R value? Also, what should I do for the vertical walls? The outside walls are just 3"-wide wood runners nailed to the frame. If I remove one of them, I am looking into the wall cavity. No house wrap or water barriers.


texts: How should I finish around this hole in my slab?

texts:
This hole in my basement has a roughed-in drain pipe for a bathtub (can't really see it, but I've verified it's there):

As you can see, it's about 12"x16". As I prepare to finish the basement, I'm not really sure how I ought to handle this hole. Should I just run the subfloor up to the edges of the hole and then leave it as-is? or should I do something to seal it once the plumbing is finished to keep critters/moisture/cold from coming out of it?


texts: Would missing check valve make it seem like heat is always on?

texts: We had an extra zone added to our hot water heating system.  The installer used a Taco 007-F5 circulator pump but did not install a check valve like the other zones have. I have verified the pump does turn on and off correctly but it feels like the heat is always on in that new zone.  Would this be because there is no check valve?


texts: 1880 Home with Ballon Framing - Roof Soffit Question

texts:
I have a 1880 house with balloon framing. On the 3rd top floor, the roof line extends beyond the top plates and there's a air gap at the end...I can right into my rain gutters from the inside and have had bird problems in the past.
What do I put here to block light or birds from coming in?


texts: What should I do with the airflow in a sealed off conditioned crawlspace

texts:
First and foremost thanks ahead of time for everyone's help :)
I am in the process of finishing my basement and had some questions/concerns about "what to do with the air" in my crawlspace. In my basement I have access to a conditioned crawlspace:

No venting to the outside
Cemented floor
Insulation (where insulation can be used)
Spray foam (where foam could be used)

I added a picture which shows a top level view of my basement.
(Note: the drywall is not up yet but will be as soon as I figure this out).
The idea is I want to drywall the opening to my crawlspace and have one door which acts as the only entry point.
The crawlspace is fully conditioned and has an HVAC duct running through it which feeds other areas in the home. My question is what do I do with the airflow in this crawlspace?

Do I add a small vent from my HVAC duct to supply air from the HVAC system to the crawlspace?
Should I add a dehumidifier to be safe?
Where I am putting my drywall up to block off the crawspace should I add vent holes or anything?
Does the crawlspace need a return?

Side notes:

My crawlspace is ~1500sqft
Its located in Virginia
It has a interior french drain/sump pump installed (if that makes any difference)

Thanks everyone - I am by no means a professional so apologies if my terminology is off or incorrect.


texts: Legionella and occasionally used tanked heaters

texts:
We have a 30 gal tanked heater and dual knob faucet (no anti scald).   We use it once a week.  It is on a hand crank 12 hour timer, set it, get 12hrs of hot water.

The thermostat is set low enough to not scald (110-120F) but a good temperature to grow legionella.  We do not want legionella.

Noting that tankless heaters can't grow legionella because their water is room tempersture most of the time... does the same apply to us?

Can legionella develop if the tank is room temperature 6 days out of 7?


texts: How do I fix my kitchen ceiling? I have the ceiling covering peeling off. It has exposed cracks where water has possibly come through from the tiles above. So, how do I fix my kitchen ceiling?


texts: Are 2x6 rafters adequate to carry a day bed in a pergola?

texts:
I'm working on my first big project, a 10x16 pergola. The long side includes three 6x6 posts 8 ft away from each other. There is another row of 3 posts 10 ft away parallel to those posts. All posts are set below the deck on concrete footers and deck posts. Posts are notched on top to receive 2x8 beams.
I have 2x6's running the 10 ft length underneath the beams to give some stability. My wife was wanting to hang a rather large swinging day bed from the pergola on the side where the grill is next to the fence. It will be about 5ft 6in wide and weigh about 75lbs. I would want to make sure 3 people will be safe on it just to be safe. So the overall load would be around 650-700 lbs. It would be attached at two different points across the length of the rafter above where the bench armrests would be. I can either make it hang from two ropes on one rafter or four ropes attached to two different rafters like the pictures I included, whatever is necessary. I was wondering what size rafters I would need to support that kind of weight if it's spanning 10 ft. I currently have 2x6's bought for the rafters but from what I read I will need something bigger.
I would prefer to avoid 2x8's just so the top doesn't get taller. Would 4x6's work as rafters? Thanks for the help. Pictures attached in link of ways I'm looking to attach the swing.

More photos


texts: How do I fix a minor scratch on a dyed aluminum anodized surface?

texts:
I have a home appliance with a green anodized aluminum case (like apple macbooks and older iPods). There is a minor scratch that is pretty easy to miss, but once I see it I can't unsee it.

My main issue is not discoloration but just to smooth out the area without damaging the rest. Sanding or polishing will certainly smooth it out, but I am worried about how it will affect the finish. Would a spot treatment pen for car scratches work on this? Is there some sort of product I can use to fill in the scratch with minimal change to the surrounding area?


texts:
I have stripped plaster from our dining room walls to reveal the brickwork in preparation for plasterboard and skimming. The room features one main exterior wall and an adjoining wall. Prior to removing the plaster, both had noticeable damp (though it was localised to the bottom corner of the wall, not along the walls length).

We have an osmosis wire running about 3 brick-course off the ground. However, this is the only room that is in direct contact with the ground soil. The floor is simply tiles onto compact soil. The osmosis wire works in the front room (which is above a cellar and thus not in direct contact with the soil), but it appears to fail in this corner. It is also the only wall with damp, all other interior walls, although also touching ground soil, remain dry enough.

Outside this exterior wall is a concrete path running down the side of the house. The house is a 2-up 2-down end terrace, approximately 1890s build. It has cavity walls, but the bottom of the cavity is likely filled with mortar rubble from degraded internal mortar pointing.

Most of the plaster that came off the walls was simply some form of thistle direct to the wall (not plasterboard/skim), but the lower half was plasterboard as this was renewed when the osmosis wire was installed. The plasterboard adhesive "dots" showed damp, presumably because of the moisture bridge they were creating.

I am about to re-plasterboard with polystyrene-backed plasterboard (only very thin, depth is an issue). I don't want to do this without first addressing the damp issue.

I am not a tradesman, but have growing DIY experience and understand a decent amount of the terminology. I'm also in the UK.

What solutions do I have available for damp proofing internally to stop damp attacking the plasterboard? I am open to all suggestions and will be researching to see if there is any plasterboard that is damp resistant.

I will be addressing the floor construction itself in a separate question if my internet searching doesn't yield many results.


texts: How to seal around metal gas pipe penetration through poured concrete above ground?

texts:
I have a gas pipe that comes through my poured concrete foundation about 12 inches off the ground:
It is not sealed around the pipe on the outside. The gap is definitely large enough for insects to get through, and maybe small mice so I want to seal it up.
Googling this, I see a lot of mixed info - some ppl are saying expanding foam or caulk are OK, others are saying you MUST have a special sleeve. However, the sleeve stuff seems to be specific to underground penetrations through the wall?
So, I'm wondering is it OK to put expanding foam or caulking around that? Should I do just one or the other? Or should I pump foam deeper into the hole as thermal/ air insulation, and then after that's hardened, caulk around the outside for water seal?  Or should I use some other product entirely?
Note that this is already in place, so something like a sleeve that needs to be put in place at the time the line is run is not an option.
Thanks.
Update: Based on the comments and suggested duplicate, I'll clarify that this pipe goes through a concrete tunnel at least 10 inches long. The suggested duplicate may be a solution, but if it is I need some clarification on whether I should be trying to get duct seal to completely fill that tunnel around the pipe. Or do I just seal the outside with duct seal? If the latter, then that means the rest of that tunnel is just empty. Does that matter?


texts: How can I remove the cylinder from a Bernzomatic QuickFire propane torch?

texts: This torch was discontinued by the manufacturer and the division that made it is no longer a part of the company, so current tech support has no knowledge of it. It takes a proprietary propane cylinder about the size of a coffee mug, which twists up into the base.  I cannot remove the cylinder after turning it CCW and pulling fairly hard on it.  Anyone know how to get it out?


texts: I have a layer of white paper or cardboard like material houses between the subfloor and a layer of wood on top. The stuff crumbles pretty easy. I do not intend to demo the floor or anything so my question is, will this potential asbestos be okay living there between wood floors or as I walk do I grind it up and move it about to the point where it will leak through cracks etc.  thanks.


texts: What is this called (adjustable angle pipe footplate)?

texts:
I'm constructing an EMT pipe tarp canopy frame. It will be a shed roof. One side will be pipe supported (low end) and the other side (high end) will be mounted to the top of my garage roof.

The plan for the garage-side was to use foot plates that have an adjustable angle on them so that they can be mounted flat on top of the roof, then have the pipe fitting adjusted vertically.

It would look like this:

...except that the connection between the plate and the pipe fitting would be an adjustable angle.

I have seen this before but have no idea what it's called so I can find them online to purchase.

Does anyone know what these are called?


texts: I have replaced the fan motor and the heating unit in a goodman electric furnace

texts: I need an easy wiring diagram for the motor and control board. where do the wires go from the board to the heating unit? I know the heat strip has a plug in but the old strip has a brown wire and the new strip doesn't where does that brown wire go? also the blower wires are confusing to me as I did not remove the motor and I don't know how the new motor is hooked up. I want to make sure I wired up these new units right as I don't want to blow his board with the sequencers and relays. This is a Goodman electric furnace two strip heat strip 9.5 kw. where can I find a schmatic or actual color wire video?


texts: Generator connected direct to an Unused Breaker

texts: I have a 30 amp generator and want to connect temporality to my breaker control box. I have cut off the main and am off the grid. I have a 60 amp range breaker that is unused as I switch to gas a few years ago. Can I tap into that breaker with my generator and selectively use the needed breakers to power lights home outlets etc. not to exceed the generators capacity? Thx for the feedback


texts:
I've seen buildings where plywood was used as both wall sheathing and siding. T-111 is commonly used this way, for example.

Would it work to do the same thing on a roof?

I assume it wouldn't last decades, but maybe its lifespan is enough for certain short-lived projects.

I guess seams would be difficult, so it may be limited to a single sheet, so only very small roofs.

I also suspect that a steeper slope might be important, so it sheds debris and water easily. And maybe facing the sun, so it dries out faster.

With all that in mind, maybe we're only talking about a small woodshed or a place to store tools. Still, it seems like it could be useful within all these constraints.

Would marine plywood make a difference?


texts: The hot burner light on my Kenmore glass top range stays on all the time, is it dangerous to leave this alone and not fix it?

texts: My Kenmore glasstop range hot burner light stays on all the time, is this dangerous?


texts:
I live in Ontario, Canada.  My place was wired pre 2011 code, so it doesn't have a neutral in (most of?) the switch boxes.  I would think that the easiest way to fix this is to run a neutral line from the light to the box.  My question is, is this to code?
Edit
I've used an endoscope, and I can see that all of the wires are separate within the conduit.


texts: Making sure only one of electric shower or instantaneous hot water heater can operate at once

texts: I'm completing the renovation of an annex. The annex shares the mains supply with the main house which has a single phase connection rated as max 90A. I'd like to fit an electric shower (9.8kW) and an instantaneous electric water heater (9.5kW) into the annex; giving a combined draw of ~80A. Clearly using any other power hungry device in either the annex or main house (eg kettle, oven etc) would then take me over 90A. I thought that a possible solution is to only allow the instantaneous water heater to draw power if the shower isn't operating. Is anyone aware of any product which would cut power to the water heater if the shower is in use so that the max draw would be reduced or any other cunning solution (other than ripping out the shower and water heater)


texts: How should I upgrade or combine sub-panels so I can add another one?

texts:
I'm building a poultry shed.  The building next to it has power going to it from the pole.  At the pole there are two breakers.  Then it goes into the old building where it looks like the two very old panels in there only have 120 coming from the pole each.
I put a panel in the new shed and buried 8-2, which I'm now thinking I may need to dig up and replace with #6.  The panel in the new shed is a six-spot 120/240 Homeline from Square D.
I have ran the hot to one bus and jumpered it to the other bus.  I have placed the neutral into the top bar and added a grounding bar attached directly to the panel.  I put in a grounding rod and ran a copper cable to the grounding bar in the panel.  I can go get pictures in a bit if needed.
My questions are these:
Am i wiring the panel in the new shed correctly considering the panel I'm coming from is only 120v?  The panel in the old building is probably from the 70's with the push button type breakers and no room available for another breaker.  The other leg of the 4 wire from the pole bypasses this breaker and goes to a breaker with a throw bar.  This just runs the lights in the old building.
Should/Do I need to replace the breaker panel in the old shed?  Should I combine both breaker boxes into a 240v panel?  There are 2 double pole breakers at the utility pole so I'm not sure if the 240 is separated there before going to the old shed.
The new shed has 5 outlets on 2 circuits and 2 lights on it's own circuit.  I'm seeing now that 8-2 only handles 40amps so I'm guessing I need to dig the 8-2 up and replace it with #6.
Do I need a main disconnect in the subpanel and if so how to I wire that in.
If pictures are needed I can get them this afternoon.
Thank you all for your time.
edited to add pics.


texts:
I encountered this apparently simple situation recently.

The issue is that it seems no matter how you wire it, you'll always end up with a black connected to white, which seems wrong.

How should this simple light fixture controlled by a switch be properly wired?


texts: Should furnace fan run when return and supply are 'backwards'?

texts:
Our furnace supply vents are in the middle of the house and the returns are on the outside - which I understand is 'backwards'.

When the furnace is running, plenty of hot air comes out, but seems to struggle to heat the outside areas of the house.

Between cycles when the fan is 'on', it seems to only blow cold air out the supply vents.

My question: Is it still efficient / worth running the fan in between cycles if they really make the house seem 'drafty', or should I leave them off?

House info:

We have 1200 SQFT single family cinder-block house with hardwood floors. We recently had the crawl space conditioned and 18" of blown fibreglass put in the attic (along with all leak sealing, etc.) Our furnace is a 85%(ish) efficiency Lennox gas / electric blower.

We have been keeping the house at 68F during the day and 62F at night, which is most comfortable when the temperature is 25F and over.

I've been running the furnace up to 70F when it's really cold (20F and below down to 5F during the day, 5F to -10F at night) in an effort to heat more of the house up a bit more.

Updates based on questions in comments:

the air is 'cool' but not 'cold' like it's coming from the outside - it feels like it's just pulling air the cold air from the vents that are sitting next to the walls that won't heat up
the furnace is in the crawlspace, and within the conditioned crawl space (which is a vapor barrier on the floor and an insulated vapor barrier on the crawlspace wall with the space between the floor joists and the crawlspace walls filled with spray-foam)
and I was told and have read that running the fan in between cycles keeps the warm air moving around the house - but I'm starting to doubt that's a good practice in my case...?


texts: I have a leak in my roof and damage to my ceiling. What type of company should I be looking at to repair it?

texts:
About a month ago, I cleaned out the gutters and removed moss from my roof. About a week later, I noticed a leak in kitchen (near the range hood/exhaust vent), and so I went up and sealed all the flashing, as I didn't see anything obvious with the roof. It's a composite roof (probably 15-20 years old at this point) with a fairly low grade. I was planning to do a more extensive check of the roof once the weather cleared.

However, events intervened. Unusually for Seattle, we have had some very hard rains in the past few weeks. I now have a bulging ceiling near the initial leak, so the leak is worse that I thought, and there is likely ceiling damage. It's moved past my ability to fix in a reasonable amount of time, as I usually go slowly on projects I haven't done before, so I need to hire someone.

What I am trying to figure out is who I should call? I want someone who can fix and/or replace the roof, but also replace any damaged sections of roof/ceiling/joists/etc.

I understand that a roofing company would be able to fix the roof, but I am more concerned about replacing any structural members (joists, venting, etc) and the ceiling. Do roofing companies generally handle that as well, or I am looking for something else?


texts: What kind of exterior wall insulation is this?

texts:
After some searching, I'm guessing it might be "encapsulated" insulation but I don't know. It's unmarked and, as you might see, it's it's tucked into the corner and bulging in the middle.

I assume that, despite the different type of insulation, it's still not right that they tucked it in like that.


texts: Why are 4 circuits connected to a single switch?

texts:
While working to switch a single switch out for a double (putting a fan and a light on separate switches), I came across an interesting condition -- to make this switch cold, I have to turn off four separate breakers. I'm at a loss to understand why anyone would do this, if there are any risks to keeping it as-is, and if there's anything to be aware of when splitting this into two switches. If anyone could shine some light on this, I'd be very appreciative!
I've drawn out the conditions as best as I can tell, but I haven't tested each individual wire on the patio switch.


texts:
I have a Samsung split air conditioner and the internal unit blows unevenly; I take off the lid that contains the filters and stops doing it. I remove the filters, reinstall the lid, and blows erratically again; so,is not a filters failure(clogged); anyway, I already cleaned them just in case. The air seems to come out stronger at the ends and almost nothing in the middle. Resume; turbine and filters are clean, with the lid blows erratically, without works ok.
Any Idea what can be happening?


texts: Heavy water stains on parging at bottom j channel seams

texts: I have a 1970s home with aluminum siding on the main floor and parging on the basement/foundation. Where they meet there's a J channel or similar, with one seam in the middle of the front of the house that appears to have old caulking on it. We reparged the front, and have discovered a lot of staining appearing to fan out and down from the seam. I am assuming that any water that is hitting the house on that side is collecting in that channel and draining out the seam. I am looking for suggestions on how to correct this. Obviously we don't want the water to get stuck in the channel, or end up in the home, but it would be much more ideal if it wasn't staining the parging.


texts: Can I replace this receptacle that has four wires connected to it?

texts:
I'm in the process of replacing all of the electrical outlets in our kitchen to match the color of a new backsplash. Three of them were straightforward. The fourth and fifth, however, were wired differently. Everything I've read talks about two wires plus a ground per outlet. The two remaining outlets, however, have two white, two black and a ground. They look like this.

My question is whether I should have any special concerns about patching them into, respectively, a) a basic outlet similar to the one picture above or b) a new outlet that also contains two USB charging ports. The latter uses wire nuts rather than the normal screw in type (see below).

I can easily wire the new basic outlet as the one it's replacing, pictured above. But I'm not sure if I should. Nor am I sure that I should wire three wires per wirenut for the second outlet pictured.

Anybody have any thoughts?


texts: Two appliances with connection cords sharing power outlet

texts:
I have my dishwasher and my garbage disposal fed from two separate electrical circuits but sharing the same power outlet under the sink. I broke off the tabs on the outlet and connected it to two cables/circuits. The garbage disposal is side is controlled by a switch while the dishwasher one is always on.

I was planning to use connection cords for both, which look like this:

but, because of the 90 deg angle, only one can be plugged in a conventional double outlet where each twin outlet is positioned the same way. At best, I can plug this and another plug which comes straight out of the cable and not at a right angle.

I am noticing that all connector cords come at a right angle and not straight, which would make them more convenient, and was wondering if there is a technical reason for it, as in maybe only one such cord should be plugged in a single box in the wall. Is there a way for me to somehow override the default configuration and plug this into a very short extension cord that plugs into the wall straight, or is that a code violation?

Alternatively, do they make double outlets where the twins are positioned opposite ways, which could support two of these plugs facing away from one another?


texts: Remove Fastener Nut for Kitchen Faucet (Rusted?)

texts:
Trying to remove my Kitchen Faucet. It's around 10 years old.

The last set is to remove the Nut that holds a brass plate to fasten the faucet to the kitchen counter.

The problem is, i think the nut that is hold that brass plate has corroded. The other problem is I have very little room to work with under the sink. Only like a 3-4 inch gap to try to loosen the nut.

Here are the images.


texts: replacing ceiling fan with standard light

texts:
I originally had a ceiling light with a smoke detector in the ceiling. After removing it, I discovered two black, two white, two red and one ground wire in a single box.

When I turn on the switch, only one set of black and white is live (tested with a voltage pen). The two red are always live.

I tried to wire the new light to the set of black and white that will go live when the switch is on but the new light will not turn on when the light bulb is attached. Can someone help me understand this setup? Thanks.


texts: Remove Popcorn Ceiling without Asbestos, what kind of specialist should I hire?

texts:
I want to remove Popcorn ceiling from 300 sq foot living room. The Ceiling does Not have asbestos, (I confirmed), and was built 1985. It will also be repainted with basic White Paint.
Who should I hire to conduct this?
a) Drywall Person
b) or General Painter?
Both Industries personnel when calling claim they can remove it. So wondering who would be ideal person, or does it matter?


texts: Trying to install Leviton smart switches replacing two older switches

texts:
Am I installing this correctly?

I'm trying to install two new Leviton smart switches. Had two neutrals tied off, so pig tailed them. Does first switch need be replaced as well? It's a Lutron dimmer.  Needless to say, the switches do not work.


texts: Can I put a window a/c through the wall?

texts: Does anyone know the difference between a window and a wall air conditioner? The window unit is much cheaper.  I see several units here that appear to be window units and through the wall...there is no "sleeve" on them. Thank you!


texts: What is the extra pipe going into my sump pump pit?

texts:
My sump pump has been going off about every 3 minutes in the last 2 days. I need to open the pit to see why it is doing that. I'm unable to open the lid as I see another big pipe going into it. Please see the picture below (click for full size):

1) Does anyone know what is that larger pipe on the right going into the hole? I know the smaller one takes the water outside.

2) Also, how can I open the lid with that larger pipe in there? Do I just slide it up? I don't want to damage it and this is the reason for this question.

3) Finally, does the power plug look fine or do I need like another adapter before plugging it into the outlet?


texts: I have a wall sconce in my room, which is attached to the wall with two expansion anchors (dowels). They look well-fixed, but, AFAIK, they are about 20 years old. Do you know, how long dowels last, and whether I should replace them because of their age?


texts: What kind of valve is this and how do I disconnect it?

texts:
So, I have a leaky faucet. I am in the process of disconnecting everything so that I can take the faucet out and inspect what's going on with the leaky faucet. However, when disconnecting the faucet, I encountered a t-valve that I don't recognize (picture below) and am not entirely sure how to disconnect the hose without damaging it. This is connected to the hot water, and to the dishwasher. I have disconnected the cold water without issue.

Both of these hoses run all the way into the faucet, there is no other section to disconnect them from.

My primary inclination would be to just yank, but I don't want to attempt that without first figuring out if it's a bad idea, or if I shouldn't be worrying about it since I might wind up having to replace all of the hoses anyhow.

Any ideas?

Mystery Valve


texts: Furnace relay - old one says 18 LRA, replacement says 48 LRA - Does it matter?

texts: forgive me if this is a newbie question. I am replacing a relay inside an electrical furnace/air handler. It is a relay model 90-293Q. The original one I have specifies it as "8 FLA, 18 LRA" but the replacement model (same model number) specifies it as "8 FLA, 48 LRA". I Googled around a bit but the best I could come up with is what it stands for (Locked Rotor Amps) without finding any info on whether or not having more LRA on a relay will matter. Any help appreciated. Thank you.