texts: Why does my new lamp hum while turned off?

texts: I just changed the ceiling lamp I had in my kitchen, from an ancient one (probably more than 20+ years old) to new and beautiful hanging one. I also switched from the old incandescent bulb to a CFL. Now  the problem is that the lamp has a very low hum when it is turned off - and the humming stops when i turn it on. The lamp isn't on a dimmer switch (which wouldn't explain why it hums while turned off anyway).


texts: Can I use a variable AC transformer to adjust the output of a radiant heater?

texts:
During the winter I use a radiant heater under my desk to supplement the house's furnace, something like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Tangkula-Adjustable-Thermostat-Overheating-Protection/dp/B07J5V76H6/ref=sr_1_40?dchild=1&keywords=radiant+heater&qid=1595091662&sr=8-40
It has a high and low setting (800/400 watts).  But often I want something less than low (200w? 300w?), and occasionally something in between high and low (600w?).  Is it safe to use a variable AC transformer for such control?  Note: The heater has an optional motor that swings the heating elements from left to right; I will NOT use that.
Assuming that it is safe to do so, would 10 amp be enough, and where's a good place to find a reliable and not-too-expensive ones?  Here is one example from amazon
https://www.amazon.com/YaeCCC-Transformer-Variable-Voltage-Regulator/dp/B078Z7GL9H/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=variable+voltage+transformer+10a&qid=1595092024&sr=8-3
There are many similar ones and I can't tell them apart.  And then there are ones like this
https://www.amazon.com/Electronic-Controller-Variable-Adjuster-Hydroponics/dp/B07T9BLJ7L/ref=sr_1_10?dchild=1&keywords=adjustable+AC+regulator&qid=1595092192&sr=8-10
and even
https://www.amazon.com/Yeeco-Regulator-Thermostat-Temperature-Controller/dp/B00MKU4W3Y/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=adjustable+AC+regulator&qid=1595092241&sr=8-3
What's the difference?
I will use these devices indoor and I'm not an electrician, so safety is my top concern.  With that in mind, I would like to not spend more than necessary for a $40 heater :-)
Many thanks for your help.  Please let me know if you need additional information.


texts: Are there any non-cosmetic differences among quartz countertops?

texts:
I'm planning to get a quartz countertop. One contractor told me that all brands of quartz are the same quality since they use the same patented process. Two other contractors told me there is a quality difference among brands. I've looked online and haven't found any definitive answer

Is there a quality difference in quartz from different companies, or are the differences only cosmetic? My highest priorities are durability and ease of care.


texts: Should my roofer have vented my insulated roof?

texts:
Shortly after buying a mid-century split-level in the Pacific Northwest I had the old torch-down flat roof replaced with a PVC membrane. As half of the top level has a vaulted ceiling without much room for additional insulation above it, 3 inches of ISO rigid foam insulation were added on top of the roof deck. The insulation was added on the half having a shallow attic as well as the vaulted half. On the side with the attic, the roofers cut through the insulation to install roof vents.
Let's suppose, for the sake of argument, that it was reasonable to place the insulation over both halves of the roof (as opposed to only placing it over the vaulted half and then, say, blowing in more insulation in the attic for less money per R-factor). Should the vents have been added?
At the time, I assumed the venting was a necessary compromise between energy conservation and humidity dissipation, much like the ventilation that's needed in sealed homes. But, upon further consideration, it seems like the right thing to have done would have been to block the soffit vents, leveraging the new insulation's ability to prevent condensation beneath the roof deck.


texts: When I flush my upstairs toilet, the downstairs toilet floods and then slowly drains. What's happening?

texts: Like my long title says, downstairs toilet is flooding after either of my upstairs one flush but then it slowly drains. It drains to where there is almost no water in the base, past the normal point. The downstairs' toilet's tank also has bubbles rise up from some black cylinder part. I am obviously not a plumbing expert and just looking for advice. A family member says we have to snake the toilet, is that what we should do?


texts: How much weight can a 3.5" deck screw hold before pulling out?

texts:
I have built a climbing wall in my daughter's bedroom room.  There is a portion on the structure that is completely horizontal on the ceiling, it is 36" × 36".  The framing consists of 2x4's.  I fastened them onto the sheetrock with 3.5" decks screws.   The deck screws go into the 1.5" stud through the 0.5" sheetrock and penatrate the ceilng joist 1.5"
I used a 3.5" screw every 4". How much weight can the screws hold before pulling out?


texts: Fuses blow and sparks appear when using my home's wiring circuits

texts:
I have recently had issues with different electrical appliances / light bulb / bathroom wiring packing up.

If you put 4 bulbs in different areas of the house, you can guarantee that 1 or 2 will blow off within the first 2 weeks. The surges are irregular and a pattern cannot be put on them.

The house is about 55 years old and a few of the cables are touching the floor, a sizzle and spark often happens when taking the plugs in and out.

We have a lot of sockets which are about 1cm off the floor and not more. The  fuse switch box is as per the image:

Would I need to do a complete rewiring of the house? Do I need to change the switch box? Or, what do I need to do to correct the current as-built issues?


texts: How can I prevent my dining table from tilting?

texts:
I am building a dining table similar to this one -

The problem, if you apply some pressure, the opposite ends lift up. In fact, that box underneath itself lifts up. One way is to add a big plate underneath the box. That will help. But with that the aesthetics completely changes.

Any alternate ideas?


texts:
With this recent blizzard we recently saw our ceiling lighting fixture leaking water (slow, about 1 drop every 5 minutes)

I got up in the attic and saw that some snow had been apparently blown into the attic through one of the vents. I removed about 2 handfuls of snow from on top of the insulation, but 2 of the pieces were still damp.  Should I remove them? Or will they dry up soon enough? Are there any problems with that?

Also, should I do something to seal up the electrical box from the attic?


texts: Is PVC Schedule 40 pipe safe to use in a potable water supply?

texts:
I have not had a problem for nine years and never noticed what my plumbing pipes used. My hot and cold water feed away from heater use "Bristol 1120 Schedule 40 PVC.  480 PSI 73 deg."
Is there strong evidence that I have been using this type of piping in danger to my family's heath. Should it be removed immediately?


texts: What primer should we use on a previously painted concrete wall?

texts: We are preparing to prime and paint over previously painted interior concrete walls. The walls have oil residue (from an oil furnace) that is embedded in the rough surface and we were unable to fully clean it off.  What primer should we use to create both a good bond for the topcoat and prevent bleed-through of the oil residue?


texts: How does wood paneling compare to drywall?

texts:
what does wood paneling do better or worse than drywall? For example

cost
ease of installation
ease of modification
maintenance
longevity
fire resistance
noise insulation
heat insulation
etc.


texts: How can I wire my bathroom light and fan?

texts: In the bathroom I am remodeling there is a fan in the ceiling and a light above the sink.  The light currently works on the switch shown in the box below.  The fan is not currently hooked up to power as the previous owners said the switch went bad.  Since the switch was already removed I am not sure how it was wired. The two white wires when I uncap the wire nut and take them apart the light in the bathroom no longer works.  The switch has two black wires going into it.  I suspect the red/white/black wires in the left part of the picture go to the fan.  I believe I need to jump power from the existing switch to the new switch but not 100% sure what to do.  Please help


texts: Is it acceptable to decrease the HP rating of a blank-face GFCI?

texts:
I have a 20 amp Blank Face GFCI rated at 1.5HP that is protecting two outdoor 15 amp receptacles. Could I use a 1hp blank face GFCI instead? Also, why wouldn't the electrician used a regular gfci instead?

Thanks


texts: How can I frame and hanging large prints?

texts: Hope this is relevant to this site.  I have a 41"x48" print of a satellite photo that I'm trying to hang on a wall without a frame.  It's about 40 years old, so I want something that will be gentle.  I was thinking of sandwiching it between two sheets of acrylic and using clip frames.  Can you get clip frames for something that big?  Is there a better way to go about doing this?


texts: subpanel ground requirement - attached vs unattached structure - what difference does it make?

texts: Subpanel in the garage is currently fed by 10-2 w/ground romex and is grounded both at the main panel via the ground wire and to the plumbing next to the subpanel (underground iron pipe).  I want to relocate the subpanel (still in the garage) and upgrade the feed to 100 amps.  I would like to just run a 4-wire feed back to the main panel and bond/ground it there.  The original construction was a detached garage but now there is structure connecting the house and garage.  Electrically speaking, I don't understand what difference it makes to safety ground attached vs detached.  That is, if I consider this to be an attached garage am I missing something since the original design was detached?


texts: Can an arcing switch damage the breaker or cause a fire?

texts: I live in a 1980s  mobile home with light switches and breakers as in the picture. If the switch is arcing or if the switch is held between on/off for a few seconds can this damage the breaker? The switch is a self contained type.


texts: Do I need to replace my pressure switch in my Goodman furnace?

texts:
We have a Goodman GKS9 Gas-Fired Warm Air Furnace. I've changed the air filter, cleaned the flame sensor, and checked the condensation pipes for clogs. They're clear. The behavior seems strange to me. If I bail out all the water from the condensation trap (stick in a paper towel, squeeze it out, repeat until the trap is empty) and then set the temperature to high (around 80), the furnace will keep running without any issue--EVEN AFTER the trap fills back up. However, if I stop it and try to turn it back on, it runs for about 4 minutes and then stops. The red light on the circuit board flashes 3 times. The manual says

Fault description: * Pressure switch circuit not closed. * Induced draft blower is operating

Possible Causes: * Pressure switch hose blocked pinched or connected improperly. * Blocked flue and/or inlet air pipe, blocked drain system, or weak induced draft blower. * Incorrect pressure switch setpoint or malfunctioning switch contacts * Loose or improperly connected wiring

Corrective Actions: * Inspect pressure switch hose. Repair, if necessary. * Inspect flue and/or inlet air piping for blockage, proper length, elbows and termination. Check drain system. Correct as necessary * Correct pressure switch setpoint or contact motion * Tighten or correct wiring connection.

Could it just be the pressure switch itself or is there a more likely explanation? It seems strange to me that it will keep running if I initially start it with an empty condensation trap and continue running even after the trap fills back up.


texts: Can I use a 120 volt 50/60 Hz. tool on a 230 volt 50 Hz. circuit?

texts:
I want to get the Dewalt DW660 cut out tool, it has been made for the north american market so it runs on 120 volts. It has the following specs:

  120V ~ 50/60 Hz
  5 Amps
  600 Watts

The voltage where I live is a 230V/50 Hz. Would it run with no issues or overheating if I use a proper step down transformer? I am planning on buying one with a max 1000 Watt power as I've read some threads that indicated that it should be at least 1.5 times the wattage of the device.


texts: Can I tap into this main gas line for my natural gas grill?

texts:
see below... This is my main gas line coming into my home(after the meter of course)

My question:

Can I replace the street elbow here with a T and use the extra output as the source my natural gas grill? Is it ok to tap into the main line? Should I look for any special fittings for this purpose? Anything else to look out for?


texts: Can I apply polyurethane to a new table?

texts: I'm buying a new kitchen table and dining room table, and I'm trying to keep them from getting scratched from regular use. Can I apply several coats of polyurethane to a brand new table top to make it scratch-proof?  Or will that ruin the finish?


texts: My washing machine stopped working. Should I replace, repair or call a technician?

texts:
I have a Whirlpool front-loading washing machine (not sure about the model at this moment - I'm slacking off at work right now ;P). A month ago the torque transmitting belt went off. I put it back on and used the machine couple of weeks. Next it fell off I used it perhaps for a week. Now it won't stay even one washing cycle.

The problem is, as far as I researched, ruined bearing or broken spider. I watched some movies on YouTube and figured out how a repair is to be conducted. The problem is that the whole machine has to be taken apart nearly to the last screw.

I am not asking how to repair the machine. My question is should I spend the time trying to fix it (I have some limited technical background, though nothing specific), should I call a technician and wait him to work, while I do nothing, or should I just scrap the old monster and go for a new one?


texts: What's the difference between BTU and CFM when comparing air conditioners?

texts:
I'm looking at GE in-window air conditioners. Based on research and room size I've determined a 10,000BTU unit will be best.

My next concern is the loudness of the machine.  This led me to two models.
The AED10AV and the AEM10AV.  There is only one major difference between the two.  The AED lists 230 CFM and the AEM lists 300 CFM.

My problem is understanding how CFM and BTU don't seemed to be linked.  Isn't cooling power (British Thermal Units) a function of the amount of air blown (Cubic Feet per Minute)?


texts: Brand New French Doors Installed By Contractor.. Leaks same day. Is this normal?

texts:
I am a new home owner and we had sliding doors for our patio doors that came with the home. Never had issues with water coming in until we just had a French door installed on our kitchen heading out to pool deck and living room area that leads out to pool deck as well. 1 is outswing /left handed (living room) and kitchen is outswing right handed.

We had a salesman talk to us about French doors and purchased everything from him which I guess he hired a contractor to do the install for us. Installation took about 2 days to complete and told us he had to cut the slab which would void our warranty from where they got the french doors.

On the same day that the French doors were finally finished/installed with door knobs everything looked fine with us until it started raining 5 hours after they completed.

Saw at the bottom of the glass little water was dripping down so we had to place a towel so that water won't damage our laminate floors.

We called the installer back and told them water was getting inside, he said it must be that the rain washed out the caulk and he will come the next to fix.

I got a little worried and checked forums about leaks from French doors to see if it maybe installer's fault or door defect. I took photos from our 2 french doors bottom & top.

I also noticed at the bottom and top of french door I can see small light coming in which small air can get out. Are these doors suppose to be air tight?  Is that little light showing normal?

[U][B]Could someone tell me if this is indeed a bad install job, or pretty normal on new installations or just door defect?[/B][/U]

Note. I don't believe this is a pre-hung French door cause the day before it got installed a truck came to deliver these big frames & door slab with door hinges already installed on them.

Here's the photos after day 1 when doors were completely installed/finished with doors closed.


texts: Extending internet signal to all outlets

texts:
My house is wired with two Cat5e cables: one terminated downstairs, one upstairs. Currently, only the downstairs outlet is receiving signal, with the modem being hooked up to it. I'd like to move the modem before the two cables, so I can have ethernet upstairs too without having to run a new cable. Seems pretty straight forward, but don't want to operate on assumptions and break something.
My internet point of entry is the outdoor device pictured below. The cable coming out of the board is going to a junction box right below where it's spliced directly into the downstairs Cat cable. The upstairs cable is also in this junction box, unterminated.
Am I correct to assume that I can can simply run a cable from the pictured device straight into the modem, then have the two house wires connected to the modem, or am I missing something?
Thanks in advance


texts: What do I do with the ground wire in a smoke detector install?

texts: The electrician ran 14/3 to a metal box.  There is no grounding post on the Kiddie i12010s smoke detector. Can I just cap the ground and call it done?  Doesn’t seem right but I’m not sure how to proceed.


texts: How should I insulate the walls in a stucco house?

texts: What is the best way to insulate a 1969 stucco home in the San Francisco Bay Area? I have added a lot of insulation in the attic area but the rooms and walls are cold. Any suggestions?


texts: powering a split phase 220v appliance from a single 220v phase

texts: I have a well water pump which works on 220v split phase and have a single phase 220v solar inverter. Can I just connect the hot wire with 220v to either wire and use the other wire as neutral?


texts: Drill a large circular depression into a wood surface

texts: I want to mount a Qi phone charger flush into my desk. So I need to put a circular hole into the desk that's about four inches across and a quarter-inch deep. What is the appropriate tool for this job?


texts: Can I extend an existing tile tub surround to create a shower surround?

texts: I have a bathroom that is tiled halfway up the wall with 50s teal tile and finished with a bullnose. Right now there is only a tub but I am planning to add a shower  and would like to tile farther up the wall. Right now there is drywall above the tile. Are there any recommendations on the best way to do this?


texts: How to and what tools do I use to cable between 3 floors at my house.

texts:
What tools do I need and what techniques do I use to to cable a cable (coax) between 3 floors.   Actually it's from my first floor of a two story home to the attic.

I have searched and searched and I can't find the answer.  I see flexible drill it extensions but nothing like a good 6 footer.

I want  to know from professionals what is used and any possible videos.  I am having problems because I think I have the wrong tools.  I keep loosing my drill bit extensions in the wall.


texts:
Presently disagreeing with a letting agent responsible for a property I recently moved out of over a large wall crack. This crack was there (albeit smaller) when we took residence, and it has become worse over the tenancy period.

So far as we know we've done nothing to exacerbate the issue, but the agent and their contractor is adamant this is our fault: "... the crack is not settlement related. Basically the area of wall is made up of two sheets of plaster board and at the join the plaster board has been broken through ..."

I'd be grateful of any experienced opinions you might have - I appreciate it's not so easy to tell from a picture, but any guidance or background you might have would be useful both for myself in this situation and I suspect to others who experience similar.


texts: How can I grind and smooth a concrete table top?

texts: Hey guys so I just welded up a table and now I am going to make a table top. So here is the problem. I welded the table up and looks square but is off about 2 degrees here and there from heat warpage. So I want to make a tabletop that is flush with the steel bar I have. Going for the modern look. I'm afraid that no matter how closely I measure the concrete will overhang in some spots. How hard will it be to grind down the sides of the table to match? Also is there a cheap way to smooth out the table top without having to spend a few hundred on wet sander and multiple special pads? I have a grinder and sander and different types of disks but no specialty concrete tools.


texts: I found mold on the underside of my plywood attic flooring. The attic has rollout fiberglass insulation with a paper vapor barrier in the attic joists with no rafter insulation. I have installed plywood flooring to allow for storage which might have caused the problem.  This problem is throughout the attic. I have noticed that Moisture is condensing on the underside of the floor when it is very cold in the attic. It appears that the vapor barrier is inadequate.  Looking for any thoughts and the best product to re-insulate with. FYI, I live in a cold area. Thanks much.


texts: Rewire switched bathroom receptacle to always be hot

texts: I currently have a light switch in my bathroom that controls the light and also the only outlet.  Can I remove the bypass the switch so the outlet stays hot or do I need to run a new line for the outlet?


texts: Attach rim joist to post supporting roof

texts:
I am going to build a small deck for a front porch to replace a concrete slab. The slab had a column that held up a post going to the roof above.

If I replace the slab with a deck, the corner post needs to go through the deck to support the roof overhang of the house above it. What are my options for accomplishing this? Should I have a post go all the way from a footer to the roof and then attach my deck to it somehow? What are the choices? Notching? What about making my footer come up high enough so that the rim joists of the deck can rest on it?  Another alternative might be to pour or build a column of concrete (with brick or stone on it) and then attach the deck to that somehow.

The picture shows the old column that I tore out. There is a temporary support in place now. The old column was hollow, made from 1x lumber. Should I go back with a solid 6x6 post?. That seems overkill, not to mention how heavy it would be to lift it up there.

Thanks for any and all ideas.


texts: Can I use a gap filler/expanding foam around HVAC vent?

texts:
Found some mouse turds in the cinder blocks that were knocked out for the hvac off the main basement wall and the side slab. Can I gap fill around this? The vent doesn't appear insulated... should I be worried about sealing it off from the basement temps? Second pic is the first floor and the distance the vent goes from the basement wall out to the end of the slap.

/Cheers


texts: How do I quickly remove a lot of wall tiles without damaging the wall?


texts: convert 220v range outlet to 110v standard

texts: converting old electric range to gas range, and need a standard 110V outlet - can I re-configure the existing 220V outlet and existing wiring, replacing only outlet and breaker in a legal (code compliant) manner?


texts: I have a 20 amp circuit going directly from the panel to the kitchen with 20 amp receptacles and subsequent 12 gauge wire. There are only 4 outlets on that circuit (one being a GFI). I am installing under-cabinet lights and lights above the sink, well within the total amperage and volts allowed for the 20 amp circuit. I will use the 12 gauge wire to power the 15amp single pole switches and go to the lights with 14 gauge wire. Can I connect the 14 gauge neutral to the 12 gauge already in the box or should I just run 12 gauge to the lights for the neutral and connect??.... thank you in advance for your input


texts: Can I add a single pole switch to an existing thee way switch with same power source

texts:
Hello and apologies for this newbie question.
I have a three way switch that controls recessed lights in an extension through a wall, one three way switch inside (basement) one three way switch outside (extension).
Outside (in the extension) I have a two gang box where the power source comes in and provides the power to the common and then the travellers for the three way switch inside (diagram explains it best):

What I'd like to do is to add a separate single pole switch together with the first three way in the attached diagram, that controls a separate set of recessed lights daisy chained with 2 wire Romex.
I've seen it done where the layout is three way switch to three way and then lights but this is slightly different.
For the life of me I can't figure out how to have my hot and neutral available to the single pole switch to control the second set of lights independently.
Again, sorry if this is too basic. Appreciate any help and guidance.

Edited:
Adding a bit of context:


texts:
In my bathroom is one small window, which handle is 3 m above ground. Underneath the window stands my washing machine, so after showering, to get the humidity out, I need to climb on the washing machine in order to open the window. That is somewhat annoying and I am afraid the top of the machine will break through someday.

So I did some research for products to open windows which are hard to reach because of the place they are build or for disabled people living in places which weren't constructed for somebody with a wheelchair, for example. I found these to website offering what I was looking for (sorry that both are in German, but I guess the pictures (1, 2) give enough information).

The window looks like this. 6 o'clock position of the handle is closed, 9 o'clock is open, I don't need the 12 o'clock position.

However with costs more than 60 €, I wondered if somebody had an idea on how to DIY build something that fits the purpose and is not expensive.


texts: How do LED light fixtures accomplish multi-spectral (switch-selectable) color temperature capability?

texts: This is more of a technology question perhaps - I was wondering how the LED light fixtures that feature switchable color temperature work.  Do they contain multiple sets of LED's that emit different color temperatures, or are there now LED's that can alter their color temperature based on some input or control signal?


texts: How can I seal the openings for the armrest of this chair nicely?

texts:
I have recently acquired a Steelcase Leap chair (https://www.steelcase.com/products/office-chairs/leap/)
but I do not have the arm rests. I don't want them in the first place because they would get in the way in my small home office.

However I did not expect to see two holes, one on each side. Apparently there is no cover comes with this unit.

The opening on the left hand side

The opening on the left hand side with the soft plastic outer cover of the shaft been removed

I have checked Steelcase website but they don't have this kind of parts.

Is there any good component/material I can purchase from a hardware store so I can use to seal the openings?


texts: the chain came off and when i put it back on it won't go around the bar

texts: The chain on a chainsaw I borrowed came off after I used it . I got in back on and it is tight but it will not go around the bar.It starts ok and the chain lock is not on.Why is this happening??


texts: Will I cause problem/cracks with jumping exercise in upper floor?

texts:
Every day I am doing my martial art practice in upper floor. It contains jumping and power movements which cause sounds downstairs.

Is there any problem for concrete by this continuous jerking practice. If so please advise alternate solution. I have no place to practice on the lower floor.


texts: Refrigerator freezer is building up ice on inside bottom floor

texts: We keep getting at least 2-3" of ice on the inside bottom floor of our refrigerator freezer.


texts:
I removed some kid stickers on the wall and it peeled off the paint.  Hoping to fix this myself but not sure on the best route to take. Attaching a picture of the damage, what are the exact steps I should follow here?
Based on initial research, I think the steps are:
(1) get spackle and spread over area with putty knife and wait for it to dry
(2) sand with 100? grit
(3) apply layer of paint (given it's just a few spots, is it ok to skip the primer?)
Any detailed guidance would be appreciated, first time at this.  Thank you!


texts: What can I use to tunnel under a walkway or driveway?

texts: I have seen Walkway Tunnel Kits being sold in the US, unfortunately I can't find a similar product in the UK.  Are there alternative products or methods, that can be used when a product like this is not available?


texts: How can I protect books in my study from rats/mice?

texts:
I've discovered that rats/mice are living in my home. At night they come into my study and chew any books they can find, so I had planned to exterminate them by
placing rat poison in the study. However, I'm worried that they could eat it and die in my study somewhere that I can't find them. What are the steps to take or alternative extermination methods?


texts:
Yurts are beautiful, charming, quirky, easy to build, portable, and cheap.

I bought a 30' yurt from Pacific Yurts. It includes the insulation kit.

Can I use it as a dwelling?


texts: It’s well known that a single zone ductless system has extremely high efficiency. I’ve seen advertisements for SEER 20 or SEER 30 systems. My question is what is the SEER rating for a multihead system. Can the larger condenser really cycle down to only output the BTU/hr needed for a smaller room while keeping the higher SEER? How does this then compare to say high velocity AC?


texts: what steps to take after removing a cable from a breaker box?

texts:
While building some shelves in my basement, I noticed an electrical cable than ran along a joist and dead-ended.  I tested it and discovered it didn't have power.  As the dead-end is not particularly far from the breaker box (~20 ft of cable), I'd like to remove it entirely just to be tidy.

I haven't yet removed the front panel of the break box to investigate because I wanted to do some reading first to make sure I feel comfortable doing so.  I see plenty of articles and videos on how to replace circuit breakers (though I don't believe I want to replace or even remove any existing breakers).

However, what I do not see in those articles is what I should do to the breaker box after removing the cable.  I assume I should replace the knock-out so that there isn't a hole in the side?  Is there a recommended way to do so?  Anything else I should do?  Apologies that this is likely a very simple question - I'm just not sure on the terminology of what I should be searching for.

In the photo below, the cable I wish to remove is in the second black hole from the bottom (just above the yellow cable).


texts: We have a sewer gas smell coming from the toilet. The smell is only present when the seat is up, hence it must be coming from inside the toilet bowl. There is a vent stack, and when other fixtures run -- the water level inside the toilet does not get sucked down so that leads me to believe venting is not the issue. The only thing I could think of is perhaps the bowl isn't filling with enough water to begin with? Any ideas? The bathroom has a washing machine, two sinks, and a bath-shower. Also, the vent stack is about 6 inches in diameter, possibly too large?


texts: What is this plumbing "temperature regulator" called, and how do I adjust it?

texts:
I was told the below restricts/governs how much hot water can make it to my tub/shower.  I'd like to know what it's called, and how I can adjust it to get hotter water.

I'm attempting to twist the "cap" (the beige-ish color) to the right, but am meeting more resistance than I would have expected (having no knowledge of how it works).  I'm afraid to attempt to turn too hard for fear that it is not what I'm supposed to adjust, and I could break/crack the pipe.

Or do I need to find an alan wrench or similar to adjust just the little silver deal at the top?


texts:
I'm doing kitchen renovation and want to remove a few walls. Those are on the first floor of a 2 story house(no basement).
I've opened a few of them and did my best to provide all the pictures.
I opened the ceiling and checked how joists run above those walls. Looks like they just run through them a few feet past the walls I'm considering to remove.
1&2 is a small closet. 3&4 is has only 1 wire inside which is going into the slab.
the niche between those walls was supposed to be a built in desk

Can I remove them (Wall 1,2,3,4) and make the back wall flush?
Should I reinforce those joists? For example I can do sistering with a plywood from both sides of them.

Edit:

Wall 1/2 Intersection with trusses:


texts: What to use as a spacer where deck joists overlap?

texts:
I have a long deck that must do sister joists on top of a beam. I was reading this thread Is deck joist sistering a sloppy repair? and look like it's better to use spacer in between.

Is it OK to use another treated lumber as spacer? I could just coat the lumber protection around that square 1x2 (?) piece. Or is there a designated metal spacer for such thing?

Update 1

This is what I am trying to do:


texts: How can I wire 2 dusk-to-dawn lights on one circuit so they work independently of each other?


texts: How do I connect the wires to this USB receptacle?

texts:
I am replacing a wall outlet with a Cooper Wiring USB outlet (TR7745).

The new outlet has 3 wires coming out of it--a black, a white, and a green.  Each one needs to be attached with a wire nut to the appropriate wires.  The trouble is that there are 5 wires (2 white, 2 black, a a ground).  My first try was using 1 of each and putting a wire nut on the extras, but nothing in the room works now.  What do I do with the extra black and white wires?


texts: Have a GFCI that trips when the ground and neutral are connected to the breaker and no phase wire

texts:
I have a 2 pole 20A GFCI.
When the neutral and the ground are connected the breaker trips with no phase conductors connected.


texts: "Local Amendments" to the NEC - What is meant by this term?

texts: I recently encountered the term "Local Amendments" in responses written by Tester101 and Ed Beal.  I would like to know what they meant by this.


texts:
So I have power going into junction box into attic 12g/20A.

It fed a light switch, the light switch was chained to microwave outlet.  Also in that junction box and connected to the light switch line was the light.

The line to the light switch and the line from light switch to microwave outlet were aluminum.  This setup has worked since I bought the house - I did run copper to junction about 3 years ago.

So microwave just doesn't work right all of a sudden a few days ago - it has symptoms of low voltage to the point where clock wasn't even functioning right.

I go up in attic and everything seems clean and tight.  [Note voltmeter is at a job and haven't had access to it so I will see what kind of power I am getting tonight hopefully]
Grounds are tied to metal box and each other, everything is under the purple AL rated caps.

I gave up troubleshooting so snipped aluminum line in half that ran from light switch to the microwave outlet and directly ran the microwave outlet to the junction box.  Boom everything working fine.

Two days later, exact same issue.  It almost sounds like something is loose at the outlet but have tried switching outlets and have triple checked all my connections.  Is there a chance that the AL wiring is having issues?  Any thoughts on what might be the cause?  I am going to run a copper line tonight for it but this will bug the crap out of me if I can't actually figure out the cause.  Going on 4-5 hours for one outlet definitely record for me.

Addendum:  Installed new outlet, hit it with voltmeter and was get 120V - very clean.  Microwave worked for 2 days - 20+ times.  Boom late last night, stops working.  Of course voltmeter at a job again...  Is there any reason my lights would work fine but microwave outlet not when they are both branched from same junction power other than a loose connection?  Starting to think that the AL wiring is faulty.


texts:
For a duplex I own in TN, an outdoor faucet came up from the ground a few feet from the brick wall of the house.  It probably froze, for the pipe in the crawl space has been capped off.  My tenant had no source for outside water.  SO, my former property manager ran a PVC pipe out thru one of the crawl space vents, and attached a metal faucet to it.  You can not imagine what I said when I saw this jury-rig.

What is the best installation for an outdoor faucet coming out of a crawl space?  What about freezing temperatures?  Thanks!


texts:
I have a Lutron DV-600P dimmer (single pole, controlling a chandelier with 4x 40W incandescent light bulbs). They flicker constantly. The bulbs and dimmer are not defective (tested replacements).

UPDATE: I just tested a NON-dimmer switch and the lights STILL flicker

The wiring is really strange on this.

black from dimmer <-> red from house
black from dimmer <-> blue from fan <-> blue from house from bottom <-> blue from house from top
black from fan <-> yellow from house

After some trial and error it doesn't seem like the blue wire from the bottom does anything. If I disconnect that one completely, everything still turns on (lights still flicker of course).

Please help me get these lights to stop flickering. Ideally I'd like to keep them on the dimmer but I'm fine with using a regular switch if necessary.

Fig 1. Wiring diagram

Fig 2. Bottom

Fig 3. Top


texts:
I recently grabbed a cheap (as in 70€) air cooler to chill a room (45m³).

Expectedly the inner workings of the cooler are quite basic, a pump circulates water from a reservoir through some kind of paper honeycomb structure in a waterfall-like manner. A ventilator sucks the hot air from the room through the honeycomb structure, where the air transfers its heat to the cold water.

The cooler neither has a connection to a water pipe, nor is there an outlet for outgoing air.

Right now I am using cold tab water (around 10°C), but the cooler is not very effective. Leaving it on for three hours in the closed room yielded no change in room temperature, the water only got slightly warmer.

My ideas to improve efficiency:

Add salt to water and cool it down to around 0°C
Replace paper honeycombs with aluminum structure
Replace current pump (Hmax = 0.75m, Qmax = 260l/h) with better one to enhance flow through honeycombs

What else could I try to boost the cooling power of my air cooler?


texts: Yellow staining on marble countertop by faucet handle

texts: We have a finished marble countertop that is exhibiting staining as pictured. This seems to be below the surface, as it still feels smooth. Any ideas on what is causing this, it has been growing over the past 4 months or so.


texts: Is it possible to use the 240V wiring for a dryer to also run a compressor?

texts:
We have a laundry room adjacent to the garage. The dryer uses 240V, I'm not sure what breaker (amperage wise) it uses, but I'm going to assume 50A (washer and dryer are near each other, they're probably on the same breaker).

My husband bought a compressor that requires 240V as well. It is located right across the wall from the laundry room. It is maybe 10 feet away from the dryer plug.

Would it be possible to reuse the wiring that was done for the dryer to run the compressor too? Of course the breaker would be replaced to a bigger value. Or is the wire gauge likely too high for this?

Running wiring from the panel (that is in the basement) to the garage is about $1000, so I'm just curious if there is a way to minimize the expense.

We aren't planning to do the wiring ourselves, but is it possible to even convince an electrician to do this? Or is this a terrible idea?

The house was built in 2002, so it probably has reasonable wire quality.


texts: I am going to be trying to power my currently in progress computer build with solar power. I'm not for sure what I should be looking for power wise. I have a 1000 watt power supply that apparently is 6.5 amps I think. I'm not for sure if I should find a 6 or 7 amp solar panel or if I should go for a combination of solar panels to get 1000 watts out of it and get some kind of transformer to take the amps down or volts so it won't blow up my hole system or overload it with power. If I am wrong on any of this please correct me.


texts: Wiring in a bath heater,vent, fan combo with power source coming from ceiling

texts:
I have 3 cables coming in from the ceiling, with one being the supply. At the switch box I have 2 cables with neither being hot. In the switch box I have a black/white and another set being black/white/color.

How do I wire in the connection at the fixture in order to have my 3 switches work for each individual function? Which one do I need to wire to be my common? My switch has a common and 3 terminals on the other side.


texts:
I was expanding a hole in what I think is drywall in between two closets. When I took the drill out I noticed some metal protruding and it looks like I went through a braided cable, but the metal looks pretty thick.

No idea if it's electrical or structural.

I attached some pictures please let me know (I took out the fuses before drilling and still have them out). Also in the picture the other side of the hole is NOT a cavity between two walls, rather it is the other side of the wall and is the other closet.

Thanks for any help!


texts: How do I bring 50 amp service to my detached garage?

texts: I would like to run 50 amp service to my garage.  The run is about 100 feet in total.  About 60 feet will be in the basement, 20 feet in conduit attached to bottom side of wooden deck floor joists, and the remainder in conduit buried.  Is this feasible? If so, what size and type wire do I use?  Does the wire running in basement need to be in conduit?  If so, what size & type?  When it goes outside, what size & type conduit do I use?  Please see diagram attached.  Thank you for your assistance.


texts: Can these connectors be used for a splice inside of a wall in order to fix a damaged wire? If you have a damaged wire inside a wall - not a box - will these type connectors meet code as a permanent splice to fix the wire in the wall?


texts: Safely/cheaply covering fiberglass insulation in unfinished basement

texts:
The title covers the gist of it.  The details:

We bought a new construction house in Central Illinois.  The basement is mostly finished with a family room, bedroom and bath, but there is an unfinished section for the (covered) sump pump and HVAC/water heater.  We have a 70-pint Frigidaire dehumidifier in there.  The outer walls of the unfinished basement have sprayfoam insulation along the very top (above the studs), then pink fiberglass insulation between studs on the external walls - just to the frost line about four feet down (builders did minimum code).

We want to put a couple of litter boxes in the unfinished basement, but one of our cats is fully capable of climbing exposed studs (he's named Monkey for a reason!), plus there are storage tubs they could jump on.

We want to inexpensively cover the fiberglass to protect the cats without risking moisture/mold issues.  We thought about using old bed sheets, but didn't know if that was safe.

I've read where people have used Tyvek (allows water vapor through, although I've seen disagreements on what side faces the insulation), fiberglass window screen or (too expensive for the area we need to cover) pegboard.

Thoughts?


texts:
I just installed two Lutron Caseta switches in a 2-gang switch box. When I opened the box, I was expecting to find a separate ground wire to each switch. However, what I found was a single ground wire that was looped over the green screw on switch #1 and then connected to the green screw on switch #2. This wire was tied into a bundle of ground wires from the loads and from the source that was tied together with a wire nut.
When I installed the new switches, I tied the green wire from new switch #2 to the end of the ground wire (with a wire nut), and I tied the green wire from new switch #1 into the bundle of ground wires that was pigtailed together.
Was this OK?
UPDATE: The ground wire bundle was actually connected with a butt splice wire nut, and the single wire coming out of the end was the long wire that went to the two switches. After I installed the new switches, I just tied the long wire and the two greens from the switches with a wire nut.
Based on @KH's comment I also realized the wire nut holding all the neutrals was too small, so I added a pigtail using the short yellow 14 AWG wire that came with the Lutron starter kit, moved one of the original neutrals into it, and added the two whites from the switches.
I'm pretty confident all of this was OK but feel free to comment. Here's a photo of the new setup:


texts: Peeling latex over oil, do I strip all layers of paint or just the top layer of latex?

texts:
I'm trying to clean up a painting mess where a friend's tenant painted latex over oil in a couple of rooms. The latex coat was applied maybe 18 months ago. This spring my friend (aka my attorney) asked me to fix the peeling paint in the kitchen and that was weeks of sanding/stripping. I found latex over oil, over wallpaper and glue,  layers of spackle and even ketchup stains in the wall. No prep at all just a mess. Eventually I got the paint surface to a reasonable state and put a zinsser oil primer down and then painted.

The bathroom was fine 6 months ago and now a peeling mess. Sanding and scraping have removed most of the loose paint, I've hit the wall with a belt sander and heat gun. Underneath there's glue, wallpaper, and maybe 4 coats of paint (yes lead is there I'm sure). But the top coat of latex is mostly gone.

My question is I have to assume there's damage to the paint underneath, right? I've no guarantee that prepping/painting on top will maintain since the latex has been tugging at the oil layers underneath? I'm assuming much of the underlying coats will need to come down?

Maybe the simplest thing is thin drywall on top of everything else. Any advice welcomed here.

My attorney is an awesome dude, takes me out to dinner often and fishing a dozen times a year. So very hard for me not to help when he asks.

TIA, Wolfy


texts: Can a twist tie be used as a jumper for HVAC?

texts:
I just moved into a new house and I'm putting in a new thermostat.

The old one had a little jumper wire between RC and RH, but my new thermostat has these two terminals spaced a few inches apart.

It's warm here and I don't have a way to get to the hardware store quickly...

Is it risky or dangerous to use a twist tie (like what you have on a bag of bread) as a jumper? Note that it can be stripped so only the leads are exposed metal and the plastic is still in the middle of the wire.


texts: Can I install a humidifier on a horizontal duct?

texts:
I have a Honeywell whole-house humidifier (HE360A1075). Can this be installed on the horizontal ducting here on the left? It feels like it's an aluminum box under the tape.

This is both gas heat and AC, over the winter heat only.

I can run water and drainage from the floor below, as there's a bathroom almost under this attic space. The space itself is insulated, so temp shouldn't be an issue.

My primary concern is whether this part of the ducting is sufficient to actually install on.

Secondary question - the AC drains out of the side of the house, from the drain piping seen here. Is it safe to drain out here? I assume not, as it would probably freeze over winter, something which wouldn't happen with AC as it only runs during the summer.


texts: OK to drive screws into bottom of vinyl window frame?

texts:
As I was cleaning the windows before winter, I noticed that a lot of the caulking outside has cracked and come away from the window sill. I also noticed that if I push down on the bottom of the frame, it moves up/down about 1/16 of an inch. Then I saw that there are two screw holes in the frame which the previous owner must've put in there. The windows aren't too old, they're typical cheapo department store windows.

The question: is it OK to drive screws into the bottom of the window frame to secure it in place? Will it warp in the summer? This isn't the only window to have such holes in the frame, and we haven't noticed any water damage in the past couple of years.


texts: Can paper tape be used with any type of plaster?

texts:
I'm preparing to plaster over a new plasterboard wall (drywall).  I plan to paper-tape the joints between plasterboard panels before the first coat of plaster.  (Some tapered joints and some joints where tapered meets butt)
I have 40-minute quick-set and Thistle multi-finish plaster (both come in bags / need mixing).  Can I use either to apply the paper tape or are there reasons to avoid one type of plaster?


texts: Will a dimmable LED allow me to shine a light similar in intensity to a candleflame?

texts:
I've become rather attached to the dimmable lights in my home, but I'm thinking about upgrading with dimmable LED bulbs as the incandescent ones are becoming less available.
I know that it will be a considerable investment of time and money (more-so time) to upgrade, so I wanted to ask if the hardware can do what I want.
Basically, I use my dimmer-switches to turn down the intensity of the lights in the bedroom and bathroom to somewhere near that of a single candleflame so that I can go about my business getting ready for bed and make night-time trips to the bathroom with minimal exposure to light.
I'm wondering if this is possible with dimmable LED bulbs without experiencing flickering or the like.


texts:
My ceiling light goes off itself after 10 mins or sometimes even after an hour, no loose connection from the ceiling fixture and the switch, nothing seems loose even breaker too. How can i find the problem and what is causing to shut off itself? 5 LED bulbs was working fine about 2 years and suddenly went wrong? need help, thanks

Actually I am helping with my friend's living room ceiling fixture; they did not put any extra load on same circuit and bulbs could be issue but I really want to know it could be switch problem too. The light goes off slowly with a couple of flickers before it goes off, and you can not turn back on right away, even if you try to turn it on. I can only turn it on 5-10 mins after going off. It could be a switch issue, maybe the switch is not passing the power to the fixture. The funny thing is that when I opened the fixture, I did not see any transformer on the fixture. I don't know where it gets overheated if there is no transformer.


texts: What is this orange yellow substance on my wooden studs inside walls?

texts: There's some kind of orange yellowish looking substance that forms into tiny bubbles (it looks sticky, but I haven't touched it). It seems to be on my floor joists and wall studs. The house is from the 1960s. Is this something to worry about? Termites?


texts: How would I go about painting exterior brick?

texts:
We have a house from the 1920's that someone decided to paint the brick white for whatever reason.  A later owner decided to cover that up by wrapping the entire house with siding and then painting the siding.  A series of mistakes indeed....

Anyhow, I want to remove the siding from the lower half of the house and leave the brick exposed.  I have no plans to leave just the faded white on there and wanted to see what some people thought of painting over it, maybe with a darker brown color.  I've seen a few houses in the area where this done and you can still see the natural texture of the brick but I'm not sure what type of paint they used.  Is this still a possibility?  How would I go about doing this?  My understanding is a want to allow the brick to breathe but I'm not sure how much it is able to do that now.  It seems like whatever it was painted with originally wasn't put on very thick.

Prime over the already painted brick first?
Elastomeric vs standard latex acrylic paint?
etc....


texts: Why is my hot water tank randomly emptying through the overflow pipe?

texts: The other night I woke up thinking it was raining really heavily. I looked out the window to see clear skies, so I popped outside to investigate. Along the side of our house I found a stream of water coming from our geyser (hot water tank) overflow pipe. It went on for about 20 minutes or so, which I can only imagine completely emptied the tank. This has happened before, but it happens only occasionally (maybe once every two or three months). When it happens though it will happen two or three days in a row. I don't think this is normal behavior for a geyser, and I'm sure it's causing higher power consumption. Why is my geyser doing this, and is it something that can be fixed?


texts: Is running an extension cord above a gutter safe?

texts: Saw a house yesterday where Christmas light installers ran an extension cord above the gutter - see the picture below. Is that safe? I ask since I keep imagining a gutter filling with snow and, generally speaking, seems like water and electricity don't mix.


texts: Can I use two layers of window film to create a narrow, convection-reducing gap?

texts:
This is a follow-up to this question. The official answerer A.I. Breveleri writes:

The ideal separation distance between film and glass is 1/2 inch. Even
1 inch is too thick as it allows the trapped air to circulate freely
within the gap. But at 1/2 inch, unless the plastic film is quite
tight, it will bow in and stick to the glass over at least part of the
window.

A similar question appears here.
I have windows of irregular depth and cannot achieve this uniform 1/2 inch gap. So I was wondering:

Could I use two layers of window film, separated by about 1/2 inch,
to get close to the ideal air gap?
Could I do the same as #1 and also stick a layer of bubble wrap in between those two layers? What would be the effect?

Thanks!


texts: Screw specification for ceiling electric box

texts:
Is there a standard size screw for electric boxes in ceilings?   Box is 25 years old and I am installing a new fan.

UPDATE: a fan was removed from these boxes, however, the contractor did not keep the screws


texts: How should I prepare a plywood subfloor for floating vinyl plank flooring?

texts:
The floor of my laundry room was three layers of hideous vinyl flooring of various vintages, a layer of 3/4" plywood underlayment (to match the height of the vinyl to surrounding hardwood flooring) and a subfloor of diagonal 1x6ish planks.

I removed the vinyl and replaced the rotting plywood. Now I'll cover the plywood with interlocking vinyl plank flooring of this type. The instructions are written for covering an existing flooring material, so they don't address preparation of the subfloor.

Although the vinyl planks are waterproof, it doesn't seem right to lay them on bare plywood, particularly in the laundry room. How should the plywood be prepared? I think I'll just paint with Kilz 2 and caulk gaps and seams.


texts:
In my new place, there's a semi-transparent grouting/glaze over the corners of my shower - and there's mold growing beneath them?

Is this normal? How can I fix it?


texts: How to tile over shower wall surround flange?

texts:
Background

I've been following this guide from Family Handyman on installing a fiberglass tub surround, and am to the point where I need to tile over the nailing flange. They say to put 1/4" tile backer over the flange to bring it out to the same depth as the 1/2" green board, as shown in this picture:

However I had to shim behind the surround, so the difference in depth between the green board and the flange varies from almost nothing to a little more than 1/4", which you might be able to discern in the below pictures:

The question

How do I fill the uneven gaps in depth between the flange and the green board? The 1/4" tile backer can fill the bigger gaps, but I'm not sure about the smaller ones.

Do you see anything else wrong with what I'm doing?


texts: Do mini fridges actually run on DC current that is converted from 110 V AC input? I would like to convert one to DC so I can use it in a camper van.


texts: Can you help some frustrated new home owners? Our 14 month old new home is leaking this brown liquid into our bathroom. This almost exclusively happens after a snowfall and it starts to melt. We get over 2 cups of the liquid shown in the attachments. I hope we can get to the bottom of this. enter image description here


texts: AFCI breaker trips when GFCI receptable's test button is pressed

texts: I have 2 bathrooms that have a total of 3 outlets from the same power source. When I press the test button on one of GFCI outlet, it will not only cut off its own power but it will also trip the AFCI breaker. Is this normal? It is rather inconvenient because I have to go to the main panel at night to reset it.


texts: Can I safely install a 90 amp main breaker in place of an existing 70 amp breaker feeding the panel?

texts: Existing panel with 70 amp double pole Stab Lok main breaker feeding the panel. Can this be replaced with a 90 amp Stab Lok double pole breaker as the main?


texts:
We live on a windy coast of North Sea. High wind is a norm here. One of the problems I face with the wind: it comes out from kitchen sink drainage pipe. If it is blowy outside, you can feel a draft coming from the drainage pipe.

I think the problem is because the drainage pipe finishes outside and does not make a sealed connection:

Because the drainage pipe is not sealed, the wind blows up the pipes and comes out from my sink drain. Making the kitchen colder (we have enough vents there already!)

Is there anything can be done to prevent this draft?

I'm thinking cover the drain hole (the one on the picture) with something, but could it not cause more problems?

UPD: Pipes under kitchen sink look like this:

Thin pipe on the first photo on the left is a waste from dishwasher.


texts: How do I run wires for a wall-mount flatscreen TV?

texts:
Like a lot of you, we have several wall-mounted LCD HDTVs in the house. The TVs have two wires -- power and HDMI -- running down the wall to the power outlet and cable box.

I've historically been too timid to try to run the wiring inside the drywall and too cheap to pay someone to do it... and I'm hoping diy.stackexchange.com can come to the rescue.

What is the easiest and least-destrictive way to run cables from behind the TV (about 4-6 feet high, depending) to the electrical junction boxes on the floor (usually about 3-4 inches high).

Solutions that are too hard/destructive for me:

Removing and then patching large swaths of drywall. I would like to keep any drywall holes to a size that can be repaired with a small drywall patch kit.
Installing an electrical junction box behind the TV. I'm not an electrician and this scares me. Also, it doesn't help with the HDMI table.

Is this possible for a novice DIYer, or do I need to call in a professional?


texts:
Changed time during day light saving time now it doesn’t appear.

Have to push clock button to tell time. Need to keep time showing.


texts: Do I need a neutral on the other end of a three-way switch?

texts:
I'm looking at adding a three-way switch to a room. I'll probably drop the hot and neutral into Box #1, but 12/2/2 (hot, 2x travelers and a neutral) is fairly esoteric cable (nobody locally sells it by the foot) and it's pricey.

I got to thinking about it some, and was wondering if I need a neutral in Box #2 at all if Box #1 is covered. If not, I can easily buy 12/3 and just call it good.


texts: Hanging a heavy object with the help of a plywood beam (due to a mismatch with studs)

texts:
Two studs in my wall are 24" apart, but the mirror I'd like to hang has hooks that are 32" apart.

I'm reluctant to use a hanging wire and shift the mirror a little to the left or to the right, simply because I do not have the confidence to knot the hanging wire around the hooks and be certain that it will not unravel after n months under the weight of a 50-lb mirror.

So the next idea I'm pursuing is to use 3/4" plywood, 32" wide and 3 to 4" high.

I would use 2.5" screws to attach the plywood to the wall where the studs are located (24") and I would use two bolts that are 32" apart on the plywood to hang the mirror on the plywood.

My question is: What kind of bolt should I use? Although 3/4" (maple) plywood should be plenty strong to carry 50lbs, I'm doubtful about using screws that would be in just the 3/4", and I'd much rather not rely on the wall (or else I'll go with butterflies and be done with it). And so I suspect that a bolt (inserted from the back, rather than a screw, inserted from the front) of the plywood and that gets a second head on the front side will do the trick. Would this work? What is the name for this sort of bolt?

Update

The nice thing about writing something down (to ask, for example) is that it makes one see obvious flaws in one's argument. After writing this question, I think that 3/4" plywood would just snap under the bending from the bolt. What I would need is a bolt that has an L-shape on one side, and two bolts going into the plywood. Experts, please help!


texts:
I have a shower faucet "mixet" temperature handle that I can't remove. I have have the screw out but the knob won't come off. How do I get it off with out breaking, or pulling apart the pipes?

If it were plastic I'd just break it off. But it's metal and costs like $25.


texts: Can I use a secondary thermostat as a timer for my air conditioning system?

texts:
I want to install a timer on a split air conditioning unit to accommodate my energy plan hours. Too many people change the thermostat.

Could another thermostat be used at the pump, controlling one of the 24 volt lines just as a timer?


texts: What can I do if my wood boiler keeps tripping the high limit switch?

texts: I just installed a outdoor wood boiler and added 2nd thermostat in house. When I start wood boiler the high limit switch gets hot and trips. The only way I can keep it going is to put a jumper wire in and bypass switch. But then fan runs all the time and gets to hot in house. Any ideas how to fix.


texts: How can I stop a stainless steel drinking water tank from leaking?

texts:
I have stainless steel drinking water tank that is leaking from the weldings (few pin holes).

What is the best way to stop these leaks, without draining the tank?
Welding could be option but I have no access to it.

Does some kind of adhesive exist that could be applied to wet surface?


texts: Newly Installed Bifold Doors Difficult To Initiate Closure When Fully Opened

texts:
I have recently changed out my 36 year old solid wood louvered bifold closet doors with new hollow, molded composite doors. These doors, when opened fully, tend to stick when using the knobs to initiate closure. I usually end up pushing on the panel with my hand to get it started. I NEVER had this problem with my old doors. I did see in another Q&A that someone advised the following:

  "Another problem is when the carpenter puts the knobs in the wrong place. They're often set right near the hinges. This makes the closing force all wrong, which results in premature wear and deformation of hardware. Ideally, the knobs will be in the center of the inner panel. This allows force to be applied in all necessary directions for both opening and closing action."

That feels like what my problem is - that the closing force is all wrong. However, the knobs are exactly where they were on my old doors. Could the difference in the weight of the doors have anything to do with it? Is there any way to fix this since the door hardware has already been installed?


texts: Is it within code to hang a pendant light independent of a junction box?

texts:
My new construction home has a 23.5' cathedral ceiling. The electricians roughed in a junction box that is slightly off-center with the room below. In order to fix this, and at the same time not move the current junction box, I'd like to stub up a pendant light through the drywall ceiling.  The pendant light would be dead center within the room below. However, it would also be 6 inches or so to the right of the current junction box.

Is it within code to stub up a pendant light through the drywall ceiling, and wire the pendant light ( in the attic space above ) to the roughed in jbox? The junction box is around 6" from where the pendant light needs to go.


texts:
Circuit breakers have to be attached to both sides of the electric panel in such a way that it balances the load. I would like to know if:

I should ensure left circuit breakers Amp is almost same as right panel breakers.
Should I balance based on usage? e.g., refrigerators are always working but ACs do not work in winters.
Do 2 pole breakers have to be evenly distributed as well?

Any ideas on the right way to arrange the breakers?


texts: How to fix leak from flat roof under lead flashing

texts:
I live in a terraced house, built 1935, with a relatively new roof. As the picture shows, there is a bay with a gabled roof over beside another bay with flat felt roof. I have water damage to the part of the wall just under where the roof valley meets the flat roof, so I suspect water is coming in under the lead where it joins to the flat roof. I haven't been up there yet, not too keen TBH, but the lead looks reasonably fresh, so I think my guess is right.
How should a watertight roof joint/transition be constructed?
I would prefer to do it (or have it done) the right way, rather than just having some silicon slathered on, and if I pay somebody, I'd like to have some idea about how it should be done.


texts:
Old flat in Melbourne, Australia. When i took out old fitting it had a red wire in joined to red out, a brown and a black one. One terminal had nothing. Have bought new fitting but it seems to be different. How do I know which one goes where?

Think I have done it!! Simple: Red into "L", Brown & Black - Live and Neutral.
Does that seem right?


texts: Trying to figure out if the front wall of this pantry cabinet is load bearing. We'd like to remove the front of the pantry and install cabinets here instead of the closet, but unsure if we can pull down the framing around the door. We have photos of the wall when it was just studs and a copy of the original floor plan.


texts:
We're looking at the effort and time for a bathroom renovation, and the biggest item on the list is replacing an old fiberglass tub insert/surround with a standing shower insert/surround.

Looking at the new inserts, I see that installation involves screwing the base and surrounds directly to exposed studs...so I'm guessing that's how the old tub is installed now.

The question is, what's the correct way to go about removing the old tub? I see no visible place to remove screws (clean sheet rock up to the tub and surround). Is it bust a bunch of holes and hope for the best? Is there a correct way of doing this that minimizes a.) damage to repair later and b.) time involved for the whole affair?


texts: What is the function of the metal mesh in the rubber grommet for the showerhead?

texts:
Our previous showerhead literally came apart in my hands, so I bought and installed a new one today.

The first grommet connecting the ball joint to the shower pipe has a metal mesh disc in the middle. I assume its purpose is to act as a filter for sediment before anything gets in the fancy shower head and hose. Is this, in fact, it's purpose?

I have a whole home filtration unit, is the mesh necessary in my case? Hypothetically, would removing the mesh increase the overall water pressure out of the shower head?


texts: Can I connect 12 gauge wire to 18 gauge wire for an outdoor light post and plug?

texts:
I am replacing a front yard light post that has a GFCI outlet attatched.
The old post has 12 gauge wire connected from the house thru the post and outlet to the the light.
The new post is prewired with 18 gauge wire and also includes a GFCI outlet.
Can I connect the old 12 gauge to the new prewired 18 gauge?
there is a 20 amp circuit breaker.
What is ETL?


texts: What can I do about a saddle valve that won't turn on?

texts:
First winter my mother is widowed, we can't get the humidifier on. Thought maybe the water to it is turned off. I'm on the phone with her and telling her to turn this saddle valve counter clockwise to turn it on.

It goes less than one turn and gets tough for her to turn. She can then go clockwise at least 2 turns with some ease.

Is counter clockwise correct to open it?

How many turns should be needed?

Should she hear water rushing, like when turning on a 1/2 pipe valve?

Is there harm in turning in clockwise?


texts: what is the name of this outside faucet?

texts: I want to replace the handle of this outside faucet but there is no replacement found in local hardware stores.  If I can get the name then I could try to find it online


texts:
BACKGROUND:
Doing a kitchen remodel on our own, trying to open up existing kitchen into formal dinning room. As soon as the non-load bearing wall is gone, I have this small issue as shown in the picture below...
The kitchen flooring on the right is the original subfloor with three sheets of 1/4" plywood glued and screwed down (what the heck?!?!) for the top sheet of linoleum. After tearing out the carpet in the formal dinning room, there is a 3/4" gap that gradually levels off.
QUESTION:
What is the best way of filling this rather large, un-level area? It spans about 4' x 13'. I foolishly already bought enough 3/4" OSB to cover the whole area, but now I'm second guessing myself! Seems like too big of a surface area to use leveling compound...
SIDENOTE:
I'm guessing some guys are probably going to say something about making sure the floor is properly supported, check my joists, etc. But I've been reassured there are no structural issues below.


texts: How should I wire toe kick lighting for bathroom vanity?

texts:
I'm remodeling my bathroom and have everything torn down to the studs.

I would like to add some LED lighting to the toe kick of the vanity that is controlled by a switch and I don't want any cords/cables to be visible.

My question is, what's the ideal way to wire this?

Should I install an outlet somewhere in the vanity then plug in the LEDs to it? Is there a solution where i just hardwire the LEDs? Since these are low voltage, is there some other solution?

I know there's a million ways to accomplish this, but wasn't sure if there was a standard way that was being preformed for new construction.


texts: Temporary floor fix - Ikea laminate on concrete and wooden boards

texts:
I've just bought my first home and have started the long-term and rather daunting task of getting it into a decent state. First on my list is the Kitchen floor. See photo below. I pulled up the smelly old lino, and the 10mm plywood below, to reveal floorboards that are mostly ok, but then completely rotten in places (where there's been a long standing leak). All the boards are a little damp underneath as the soil is too high (touching the beams) and so there's no ventilation, but they're not too bad (yet). Also, about 1/3rd is concrete - laid where I think there was a major leak in the past.

Long term I know that I'll want to completely replace the floor and will re-do the kitchen. But I wont have the money for a while.

In the meantime, I plan to let the damper bits air for a week or so, then lay a cheap laminate floor until we can do it properly.

Something like this: http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/20284903/
With this underlay: http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/00018076/

My immediate questions are (noting this is just a temporary, approx. 1 year solution):
- As the floorboards are reasonably sturdy (at least they are where we'll be walking), will there be any need for an extra (plywood?) layer between boards and the laminate?
-The concrete part of the floor is cracked and damaged. Any advice for what to do with this before laying a floor on top? It's currently at the same level as the floorboards.

Many thanks


texts: Where can I find a 90-degree elbow to connect to my ice maker water line?

texts:
I currently have an ice maker box in my kitchen that is connected to a 1/4" compression fitting to a braided stainless steel tube that goes to my refrigerator.  The problem is that this ice maker box connector comes straight out of the wall directly behind the refrigerator and the refrigerator can't be moved far enough towards the wall without destructively bending the stainless steel tubing.  I'm looking for a 90-degree elbow that can connect to the ice maker box that will allow the stainless steel tubing to go straight up or to the side, thus allowing the refrigerator to move another inch or two closer to the wall (still giving enough clearance per the manual).

Is there any such elbow I can purchase that will allow me to make this sharp turn off the ice maker box?  I have not been able to find anything at my local hardware store or on the internet.  Or is there an alternate option I have not been considering?

Edit: I originally said this was a 1/2" comp connector, but it is actually 1/4".  This is the exact part I currently have installed.

Edit2: Does anyone know the proper name of this type of fitting?  Every time I search for compression fittings online, I just get the copper tubing type of fitting, not the threaded 1/4" fitting that I really need.


texts: Existing home. Lived here for years. Breaker popped loud sound, help!

texts: Heard a loud pop, and the ac breaker popped. Ac man came out and said it's something with my box. Every time he flipped the breaker back on it would spark by the grounds and the breaker would pop back off. The screw that held the strip, all the grounds on that side run into, was loose and stripped. So I replaced the screw and it's solid now. Put everything back together and as soon as I  turned that breaker on, it sparks by the ground and behind the breaker its self. I can't afford a electrician after the ac man's bill. My kids are miserable with no air and truthfully, we all are. Can anyone give me an idea of what is wrong. We have live here years with no problem. Help!


texts: how to insulate attic that contains high-efficiency furnace?

texts: We have an older home with a separate high efficiency furnace for the second floor.  It sits on a floored area of the attic.  We have virtually no insulation and I've gotten various recommendations from contractors.  The concern is that the furnace need to be in a heated area.  Right now, without insulation, the attic is somewhat heated. One contractor suggests walling off the furnace area and insulating the rafters with foam to make a warmer area for the furnace.  But I'm concerned about blocking air circulation if we do this.  Is there a good solution?


texts:
I have a 2000w, 240 -> 120v transformer. It's a Bronson++ AVT 2000, with a continuous max wattage of 1200w, meaning if running for over 30 minutes it should be under 1200. I ran a 1500w blender on it for roughly 5 minutes at a time which I was told has a soft start on it to avoid initial power surges so I figured it would be fine to use with.

Whatever the case, the transformer doesn't turn on anymore. It has a fuse, and I checked the fuse for continuity and it seems ok. It came with replacement fuses, I threw in one of those and still no go. The transformer worked fine the last time I used it and then the next time it just wouldn't turn on. I have reason to believe the connection I was using it on at the time may not have been grounded properly.

So what happened? I thought transformers were pretty simple things and if something were to blow it would be the fuse. How would you debug what created the problem, and is it possible to fix them as an amateur or is it not worth the risk?


texts: Is it necessary to get a kitchen fire extinguisher if I have an ABC rated one already?

texts:
I'm trying to get fire extinguishers and I'm wondering whether I need to get a class K fire extinguisher if I already have an ABC fire extinguisher like this: http://www.amazon.com/Kidde-21005779-Fire-Extinguisher-160CI/dp/B000VBGG5Q

I've read somewhere that basically class K is more or less the same as class B but I want to see what the community says. :)


texts: How do I secure a steel rod inside a blind hole of a silumin part?

texts:
A part of my hacksaw responsible for keeping the blade tensioned broke apart.

One of the parts is a piece of silumin which has a blind hole 4 millimeters in diameter and about 15 millimeters deep. A steel rod with M4 threading was somehow inserted into that hole and now it fell out of the hole. The rod itself is perfectly intact. There're some jags inside the hole that look like remnants of threading, but they don't hold the rod in place anymore. I guess that was some badly done threading inside the hole and now it has been stripped off and the remnants won't hold the rod anymore.

I need some way to secure the rod inside that hole - something like gluing it in. When the hacksaw is assembled the blade pulls the rod out of that hole with significant force, so it should be secured firmly. Drilling the silumin piece is not an option - the hole must remain blind because the opposite end of the piece holds the blade.

What method could I use for securing a steel rod in a blind hole in a silumin part?


texts: Why doesn't my toilet flush completely outside summer months?

texts:
So my toilet only flushes down during the summer months. Yet during winter fall and spring it wont go down all the way. Can't figure out why. Tried a snake and every other means to unclog but I doubt its clogged.

I'm in Michigan. summers are usually 80 or a little higher. 50 60s in fall and spring. and as low as-1 in winter.


texts: Source of periodic buzzing noise in the walls

texts:
Just moved in to a new place and I've noticed during the quiet of the night when trying to sleep that there is this periodic electrical sounding buzz, sort of like the hum of my subwoofer if I leave it on with no audio input.

I've timed its frequency, and the sound persists for 1 min 25 seconds every time, and then switches off for about 1 min 15 seconds.

It isn't only at night either; it's just that noises of the day usually drown it out. It seems to persist all day.

Anyone had experience with something like this and could help me identify the source? I can't quite locate the exact source of it, but it sounds like it may be coming from the place above me.

Thanks!


texts: How can I remove the interior side of a Kwikset handle set with "interconnect"?

texts:
I just moved into this house that came with a handle set that includes some kind of interconnect plate on the inside that serves to unlock the deadbolt when the knob is turned.  I want to remove the entire interior side to put an August smartlock retrofit thing on the deadbolt part and install a regular door knob on the interior of the latch.

Here's what I'm working with:

The deadbolt and latch are not connected except by a strange plate assembly behind that face plate surrounding the interior knobs.  I can remove the screws of that face plate and pull it out at the top enough to rotate it about the lower knob, but can't seem to find any screws that hold that plate onto the door.  The lower knob doesn't seem to have any little screws for removing it either.  Is there a trick to removing the lower knob?  If I could do that, I would be able to see the entire interconnect plate, and I think I could figure out how to remove it from there.

Here you can see the interconnect plate.


texts:
The shutoff valve for my water main has cracked.

As part of replacing it, I'd like to also replace the corroded copper pipe connected to it.

What would be the best way to replace the valve and corroded pipe without damaging the connecting pipes? What type of pipe should I replace it with?

Edit: cleaned up the pipes with some wire brushes and sand paper, and they're actually copper pipes!

In addition, I finally got a good picture of the "crack" in the shutoff valve, and it almost looks like there used to be a screw or bolt there...


texts: Safety when modifying old electrical work

texts:
I have a relatively old house, built in the 1950s. I am slowly updating it to have smart switches etc., but the existing electrical wiring is fairly haphazard. Just yesterday I replaced a dimmer switch and found that the white wire pigtail in the box was in fact hooked up to hot, not neutral. Fortunately when I turned on the circuit it tripped the GFCI before doing any damage but I wonder if there's a better way to avoid this in the future.

Currently I just turn off the circuit at the breaker and verify there's nothing live in the box with a non-contact tester (and then an insulated screwdriver, just to be sure). Should I be pulling the wires out, switching the circuit back on, and then testing each wire individually with a multimeter (sometimes the nc tester gives false positives) before doing any work? And if I do find a wire incorrectly colored, is there a good way to label it as such?

Also, what would have happened if the switch I talked about above hadn't tripped the GFCI? When I turned the circuit back on, would the breaker immediately switch it off, or would there be a fire hazard?


texts: Ecobee 4 installation - No C constant 24V option on Furnace

texts:
Ecobee 4 installation help? Any handy people available?

I am looking to install an Ecobee 4 in my condo. There is an older HVAC system, Unilux LE600. The furnace itself does not have a C connector, only the standard G, R, W and Y. The same four wires go to the thermostat.

The Ecobee 4 requires a constant 24V at all time, which is the C. I need to find a way to create a constant 24V to the termostat.

Ecobee 4 includes the Optional Power Extender Kit. That would totally solve my problem however there is no C at the Furnace.

The Power Extender Kit essentially connects to the G, R, W and Y wires and creates a 5th wire to connect to a C, the constant 24V line.

I could buy a power adapter, but isn't there already 24V somewhere on the Transformer already? I would hate using any more hydro than necessary if I already have a source. R wire goes to the right hand side of the Transformer in this picture (Brown wire). There are the wires on the left hand side (2 dark blue), these go to two relays that are at the bottom of the picture.

Anyone handy here? I have a potential solution, but would prefer someone giving me a hand before I state what I think I want to do. (That way is probably better).

https://imgur.com/a/CCyQm

Others have tried in the building with no success... I'm thinking this can be done without the loss of fan control when not heating/cooling.  I'm thinking that some people in the building have had success just that they didn't tell the property manager (only when things didn't work).


texts:
I'm planning to buy and install a wall/murphy bed of some kind as part of a renovation of a weird little building in my backyard (former owner's sculpture studio). Because of this building's past, it's a bit strange inside - notably, the baseboards are a few inches deep and high. Imagine a normal room but with 4x4s stuck in all around the floor against the walls, if that makes sense.

I can't seem to find any information about how much clearance a wall bed normally needs in that back corner space - am I going to be able to just notch out the back of the cabinet and be good to go? Or will the bottom front of the cabinet crash into my giant baseboard when I try opening it up?

Thanks for any insight - I've never dealt with one of these things up close before, and I'm wary of paying thousands for something I can't modify to make work.


texts: Hi I have a huge gap between my air vent and to my wall and I can’t screw jt into the wall because there is brick there. Is there a way I can seal it and paint it... thanks


texts: Common kitchen/bathroom countertop devices that use 120V20A

texts:
I currently have a 110V20A GFCI outlet in my guest bathroom. It's the older type, with red and black buttons, and I'm planning to replace it with a new TR/WR GFCI receptacle as part of a general electrical maintenance and childproofing effort.

I cannot think of a single device that I have ever seen or owned that has a T-bladed plug for 20A draw, much less anything I would plug into a bathroom outlet. So, I currently see no reason to replace like-for-like, and as I have had some serious issues trying to plug things into 20A TR outlets (the shutter design is different in the ones I've seen, and requires not only that something be inserted on both sides, but that roughly equal pressure be applied to both sides) I'm leaning toward downgrading to 15A.

So, questions:

Can anyone think of anything you'd commonly find in your bathroom, that would plug into a countertop outlet and need 20A draw?
On the same note, are 15A GFCI outlets rated for 20A "pass-through", like normal 15A outlets are? "Pass-through" is particularly important for these, as they protect "downstream" devices, which could draw up to the full current rating of the entire circuit through the internal protection circuitry.
Lastly, I will probably at some point replace similar outlets in the kitchen (120V20A GFCI non-TR/WR). Same basic question; is there anything anyone can think of that would normally be found on a kitchen counter and would require 120V20A? Or when I replace these, should I just go for 15A for simplicity?


texts: How best to add sockets to a fused spur?

texts:
I have an existing spur running to a double socket in my study. It was added before I moved in and I have a mess of extension leads to power all the office appliances.

My plan is to replace the current socket with a fused spur connector and then add three surface mounted sockets in convenient locations around my desk. This should never exceed 13 amps. Appliances are laptop, monitor, small amplifier, printer, and some low power LEDs.

My builder tells me firstly that the fused connector is not necessary, but secondarily that to do it properly I have to make a ring back to the main circuit.

Is he right on those points? Is there anything wrong with my original plan?


texts: There is no water flow hot or cold in kitchen.  It works everywhere else in the house. The temperature has been between 0-20 in Northern VA.


texts: How do I determine what supplies to buy to insulate an attic?

texts:
I would like to add more insulation to an attic. What measurements and points do I need to look at to decide what materials to buy?

How do I determine if I need airflow baffles?

How do I determine how much insulation to purchase? Measure the area of the attic and then figure out the necessary thickness to get the desired R value?

What ancillary items should I plan for? Insulated attic access, critter-proofing, etc?

What tools or extras will make the job easier?

There is lots of information about why to insulate and how to install insulation, but not much on how to buy the right materials and only make one trip to the store and do the job right the first time.


texts: How can I extend a cable to move an outlet inside a kitchen island cabinet?

texts:
Due to remodeling, I need to move an outlet in my island. The current system is wired as follows: a 12/2 NM wire comes from the circuit breaker box to the first (non-moving) outlet, and a 12/2 wire runs from there to the second outlet. I can't just direct this wire to the new location because it is too short to reach. Also, there is not enough slack to pull the first outlet out to connect a new longer wire.

Therefore, my plan is to cut the wire from the circuit breaker and route it to a junction box. From there, I would run a longer wire to each of the outlets. I tried to verify this was to code, and came up with some questions (everywhere I look for the NEC tells me that copyright prohibits putting it up in its entirety, or what I found was so convoluted that I don't understand it exactly):

Lots of places have said or implied that you can't put a junction box in a cabinet, but others say that it just needs to be accessible, i.e., not behind a wall or cabinet. Can I put a jxn box on the back wall inside the cupboard where I store pots/pans?
Is AC cable required, or can I just use NM? Some sites have said AC is required, but i'm not sure why.
Is there a better plan?

Thanks.


texts: Do I need return air ducting to a new upstairs furnace?

texts:
I am ripping my entire house apart and will be making almost an entire wall out of windows and doors,(glass). I will be changing all of the floor plans, (walls), so at the moment I am adding HVAC to the upstairs. I want to install a furnace upstairs, along with an electrical sub-panel. I plan on making a separate "mechanical s" room for the furnace and electrical, which will be placed in the center of the existing chimney. I plan on installing exposed spiral ducting down the center of the upstairs vaulted ceiling.
Do I need to run  cold air return ducting back to this secondary furnace? Can I have a gap on the bottom of all doors, instead of running ducting?
Thank You


texts: Can I have dimmable LEDs in a corded lamp?

texts:
For a couple of bedside/reading lamps I want to use LEDs, but even the dimmest bulbs I've seen in the shops are about 250lm and still too bright for the purpose.

So I've come to consider a dimmer. The lamps are corded with the sockets well out of reach, so I'd like to install an inline dimmer on the cords like this one for example.

But I've been told you can't get trailing edge inline dimmers, so we're back to incandescent or halogen bulbs, which I'd rather avoid.

I've also seen LED bulbs with built in dimmers which can be operated by remote, but the only E14 type I've found is online and they look a bit shoddy.

So my question: What's a good solution for dimmable LEDs in a corded lamp?

Fitting is E14.

Edit: Seems you can get inline LED dimmers.


texts: At what wattage does a pond pump pose a danger to human life?

texts: I am building a pond, and notice that pond pumps are available in incremental wattages and GPH. I'd like to choose a wattage that is safe, so in the event their is some electrical problem, no children are hurt touching electrocuted water. Is there a point where the wattage level becomes dangerous? If I keep below a certain wattage amount, does it make for no risk of death?


texts: Does my new soil pipe need additional venting?

texts:
I'm moving my bathroom to the adjacent corner in my house, and would like to know if I need to vent my soil pipe with my planed system before it reaches the existing external soil stack. Going directly through the floor is not possible as drilling holes through the joist will weaken them. Also, I can not exit out the rear of the property.

So my plan was to allow my toilet to connect directly down into a manifold so sink and shower can connect too. From there the pipe will travel vertically for approx 2.4 meters, then to a couple of 45 elbows to bring the pipe work to horizontal and to offset no more than 200mm, then it would run for approximately 4.5 meter before connecting into the external stack.

Does this branch require venting from the bathroom end?

If so can it be done internally with some kind clever vent?

Cheers


texts:
I have a stone arch stuck to the wall above my wood burning stove. One of the stones has fallen off and I’m not sure how to repair it.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.

The stone that fell weights approx 15 lbs and is roughly 14x17x7/8”.

The stones seem to be attached to the wall with some kind of cement (some of it came loose or off when the stone came down but most of it is still there). The cement itself is about as think as the stone.

Under the cement on the wall seems to be a kind of metal arch that it’s adhered to.

Any suggestions how to put this stone back up?  Should I chisel down all the cement that was behind it and then use something to replace it and put the stone back up?  What should I use for the cement? When I put it up how do I keep it up there until it can stay on it’s own?  Sorry I’m unfamiliar with all of this and google searches weren’t finding the right info.

Thanks


texts: Gas Water Heater leaking water out of the temperature and pressure valve. Could the water pressure regulator contribute to the issue?

texts:
Edit...I do not have an expansion tank or pressure gauges.
The “leak” was water pouring from the valve due to pressure or temperature.  Lots of calcium build up on the “down” tube attached to the valve.
My water heater was draining water from the relief valve.  I turned off the pilot and the cold water.  It stopped.  there is calcium build up from a leakage.  I figure I need to replace the valve which easy enough.
I have also noticed loud noises when toilets are flushed and water is turned on. So now I figure that should be the water pressure regulator.
Would too high of water pressure cause the leaking in the water heater?


texts: How to Align vanity flush without creating a gap from baseboard?

texts:
We are installing this vanity and we are trying to figure out our best situation the legs are flush against the back of the vanity so the whole unit will be fat on the wall. But with the baseboard installed the vanity will sit off the wall leaving a good size gap along the back of the sink and the backsplash tile won’t fill that gap. What is the best solution for this?

You can see the gap that would happen.


texts: How can I replace a 4-wire manual thermostat with a programmable thermostat?

texts: I"m replacing a 4-wire manual baseboard thermostat with a programmable SBFT2W thermostat. After connecting the wires, there are two lead wires from the old stat that are still unconnected. They are apparently connecting the heater thermo to the heater that will be done by the new stat.  Should these two wires be connected? Any suggestions would be helpful before I blow this unit up.


texts:
I salvaged an squirrel cage blower from an old freestanding air conditioner that I'd like to repurpose as a vent fan. The issue is, I'm not familiar with how to wire up an AC motor. I'm more use to DC where there's red and black and Bob's your uncle.

Two questions. First, given the attached picture of the wiring diagram, how do I hook it up.

Second, the pile of junk I pulled it from is still on the side of the road. Are there any additional pieces, starters, capacitors, that I should go back and try to salvage along with it.

---edits---

Okay, I went back to the side of the road and managed to score the control board with the caps on it. My theory is that the big silver trash can looking one is for the honking compressor motor, and the smaller black one is for the blower motor. On the board, there's a big 30A relay that looks like it could handle a compressor sized motor, and the two smaller 10A relays that are labeled "FAN".

... Okay I was just about to ask if people agreed with me that the smaller black cap goes to the fan motor when I noticed that the motor plate has written on it 15uF/250V which exactly matches the rating of the small black cap. Mystery solved.

Now the question is what to do with the 60uF trash can cap? You know I have been troubled by squirrels on the bird feeder...


texts: How to best repair poorly fitted rubber ring around overflow of bathtub?

texts:
I flooded my downstairs neighbor and after doing some troubleshooting, I figured out why.  The overflow outlet on my tub was poorly fitted by the previous person touching it (I bought the condo like this.)  It's there, but is not a close fit at all.  The question that I have is how to best fix it?  Should I use a silicone caulk around the edges?

I wouls prefer to not have to rip out my tub.

I have a picture if anyone is interested.


texts: Is there hard-water deposits inside the pipes in my house?

texts: I have a fairly new home, built in 2007, in Arizona. I noticed today that most of the faucets in our house are starting to get hard water deposits on them where the water is coming out. It got me thinking, the pipes must have similar build-ups, and it can't be good for them. Is there hard-water deposits inside the pipes inside my homes, and if so, is there a fairly quick and easy way to clean the hard-water deposits from out of the pipes? Not the easy ones to get to, mind you, but the pipes in the walls and such. I'm pretty sure the pipes are all PVC, if it makes a difference.


texts: Can non-metallic cable go up a wall shaft for a furnace vent?

texts:
Pictured is the exhaust for a gas furnace, using a 3x12 double-wall insulated stovepipe.  It is running up a non-load-bearing 2x4 wall sheathed in drywall.   Which is apparently legal as far as thermal risk to the walls.

The hole is 14.5" wide, and that leaves spaces at the ends and corners of the oval pipe.  Someone chose this route to run some Romex, pictured.  Is it legal under NEC to be that close to the exhaust?

I need to run several more circuits there, and I would be inclined to fit an EMT conduit up that same route, either alongside of or replacing the Romex.   Is that legal that close to the exhaust?


texts: The shower water suddenly gets hotter, suddenly goes from 105 to 111F

texts:
This is not caused by a pressure drop as far as I can tell, flushing the toilet doesn't affect it and it happens with no other water usage. it can happen 10-15 minutes into a shower, not just at the start. I've replaced the cartridge and the shower head. The water heater and pressure valve coming into the house are new, the problem seemed to appear some months after they were installed.
I'm looking for any and all suggestions I even bought a shower head with a thermometer to track it.


texts: How can I make tiki torch holders from PVC pipe or equivalent?

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I have a plan to attach some short segments of PVC piping to a pool fence and use them as holders for tiki torches. These are the questions that I'm trying to find answers to:

Can you suggest something better than a (say) one foot piece of PVC piping as a tiki torch holder on a pool fence?
How would you attach the PVC piping to the pool fence? (I feel that cable ties might slip over time.)
Where is the best place to buy PVC piping in short segments or which shop will cut it for you?

(I'm located in Phoenix, AZ)