texts: How to drill a hole near a wire in a wall?

texts:
I am mounting a mirror in my hallway. I have plaster/lath walls and am planning on drilling a hole to insert a toggle bolt to hang the mirror on.

I marked the location and was ready to drill when I decided to use a non-contact voltage meter to see if any wires were in the area. It turns out there is wire going from a switch to an overhead light right though the area I'd like to drill my hole.

Obviously the first step is to flip the breaker, but I am not sure how I will know if I am damaging the wiring when I drill my hole. How do I drill the hole while knowing I'm maintaining the integrity of my electrical system?


texts: Is a tank-style water heater always under pressure?

texts:
Is a tank-style hot water heater always under pressure?

In other words, is the entire tank pressurized?

Is the pressure largely created by the force of the incoming cold water supply?


texts: GE Cooktop Model PP945 Hot Surface Indicator Stays on but One Heating Element Is not Working

texts: On my GE cooktop model PP945, there is one hot surface indicator light for each heating element. One of the lights stay on all the time but its associated heating element is no longer working. Does it indicate that the heating element is faulty now? Thank you in advance for any help.


texts:
For an indoor project that is likely to get bumped, knocked, etc. (e.g., door or window casing, cabinets, built-in bookshelves, etc.), should one expect that a good quality paint will resist chipping and peeling as about the same as a good quality stain sealed with a good quality polyurethane?

The specific circumstance we are evaluating is a kitchen island which has a cabinet base. The base is pine, and we're debating between either white paint, or white stain sealed with polyurethane.

However, it is highly probable that this item will be subject to a lot of bumps, knocks, and so forth. We're less concerned about the difference in appearance between the two finishes, and more interested in choosing the finish that will be the most durable, and the most resistant to chipping, peeling, and getting easily soiled.


texts: What do you think this odd layer under wall paper may be?

texts: I'm taking down wall paper in my 1920s house. The walls are plaster/lath. At some point, the room seems to have been skim coated, primed, and then wallpapered. The wall paper has come down fairly easily: pulled down a thin layer, wetted the paper layer underneath, and then pulled down that paper layer easily. Around the radiator, however, an under-layer pulled up as well. It seems to be made out of a sturdy paper like material, with perhaps fiber-glass embedded in it? There seems to have been a skim coat put over some parts of this layer. Any ideas on what I'm looking at and how to proceed? (The vertical line in the picture is a pencil line, not a seam)


texts: Why are light fixture wires allowed to be lighter gauge than house wiring on the same circuit?

texts: why do cables joining the wall sockets in a house need to be thicker than the cables joining the light fittings? I don't understand and I need to know before I buy it.


texts: Installing Ring Doorbell Pro -How to replace doorbell transformer with this setup or bypass?

texts:
I am in the market for a Ring doorbell and was  googling on how to find a doorbell transformer.  I believe I have found it - but it’s attached to the furnace switch.

The wires connected to the transformer are skinny and sticking out from the wall (a sign that this could be the doorbell transformer).  But to be  on the safe side I did the following tests:  Remove one wire from the transformer and test the existing doorbell  and the furnace - when I turned  ON the furnace switch the furnace light STILL turns on but when I pressed the doorbell button the doorbell stayed silent.  I put the wire back onto the transformer, and the doorbell was ringing again.

The transformer shows 5va- 10v so this is way underpowered - How do I replace this transformer with this setup? Or would the Ring bypass option work?


texts: Replacing electric tankless water heater

texts:
I'm replacing my broken seisco 28 using 2 - 60 amp circuits with a ecosmart 18 using 2 - 40 amp circuits.  Looks easy but can I use the existing circuits.
 I'd hire a professional but I live miles from the closest town.
Please help 2 retired female teachers get hot water.
Thank you


texts: Are foam brushes suitable for applying wood stain, or is a cloth necessary? Is "rubbing in" required?

texts:
Before staining a hardwood floor, I sampled the stain on a scrap to test the color.

The floor is oak, but the sample I had was birch.

The oil-based red mahagony stain appears far darker than I expected, and far darker than I recall the sample in the store looked (though I'm not doing a side-by-side comparison). Since oak is darker, I expect the final result to be even darker.

But I used a foam brush, not a cloth, to apply the stain. I find a foam brush a bit easier (and faster) to handle than cloth.

Do foam brushes soak up too much stain and inherently result in darker tones? Is a cloth really necessary to apply wood stains to produce the "official" tone?

A foam brush doesn't really allow for "working it in". You soak it and swipe. If you attempt to rub it in, the foam will shard quite quickly. By comparison, a cloth could handle rubbing. I can't quite appreciate whether rubbing will insert more stain inside the grain, or will spread the bit of stain on a larger surface. I'm wondering: is rubbing in the stain required?

Or might the issue be simply one of perception, and once an entire room has the tone it will no longer look quite as dark?


texts: I want to install a barn door across the opening to the master bathroom. There is no header and I don't mind there being an open area above the door for extra air flow. What is the best way to do this? Also the 2 walls are not perfectly square. They are off about +/- 1/2". Any thoughts?


texts: Want to add a WIFI thermostat, but no 'C' wire... only 2 wires to each thermo

texts:
i have a 5 zone radiant floor, oil fired heating system.  Each thermostat only has 2 wires running to it.  i have a TACO SR506 switching relay that receives the wires from each thermostat and controls the circulators and burner.  The TACO relay has a 24v transformer inside.  Can i attach a single wire to the COM terminal and run a wire to each thermostat that i want to upgrade?

UPDATE:  due to finished ceilings in the basement, i have no access to the thermostat wires and cannot snake a wire to the COM terminal on the transformer.  But a ground is ground, right, so i am wondering if i could simply run a wire to a nearby ground wire inside an outlet?!?!?  I tested this idea with a multimeter and i get 26V.  it seems like it will work... what do you think???


texts: How can I bring low voltage wire through foundation

texts:
My house currently has a wiring situation that has caused a leak and water damage. See the attached picture for locations.

I have a sprinkler timer in the utility room inside the house. The wires for the sprinkler valves in the backyard present no problem. The old valves in the front of the house, however go through a hole drilled through the foundation below grade and it looks like filled with caulk.

Low voltage wiring for the landscape lighting also goes through that same hole, and back out the back of the house in the utility room.

I hadn't thought much about this setup since I bought the house until we found water damage last week. Now I want to fix this situation the right way.

There is no electrical box on the front or sides of the house for a sprinkler timer or transformer. The wires have to get to the back of the house. Unfortunately the house is surrounded by concrete. I think this is why they decided going through the house is the best option.

What would be the best (including cost and ease) and right way to get those wires to where they need to go? Above grade conduit that's sealed? Tunneling under all the concrete? The width of the house is about 60 feet wide and the drawing is roughly to scale so that would be a lot of concrete to tunnel under.


texts: How can I monitor water usage for just my portion of a shared property?

texts: I live at a property of 4 bungalows. We are all on 1 water meter. We have all been told by the property owner that our monthly charge for water is going up because of higher use. My neighbors and I believe it to be the fault of one bungalow's occupant. Is there something on the market that we can attach to the main coming into our homes that will monitor how much we are using?


texts:
I'm aware that my exterior crawlspace vents are to be opened when it goes over 70F outside and closed when it goes below 40F.  However, what's the protocol for the crawlspace vent that goes into the attached, unheated garage?

This crawlspace vent is near the garage door, so it likely gets blasted with nice subzero air during the worst of the Winter.  Yet, the garage itself does not freeze internally within about 3-4 feet of the vent, and the garage interior air temperature stays above 40F overall even on the worse days we see (-15F for a week or so at a time is as bad as it really gets here).  I'm just not certain if I should close the vent to try to protect the water lines in the crawlspace from that cold garage air or if I should leave it open to allow humidity somewhere to go?


texts: For a bathroom pex plumbing should I go with trunk-branch or with a home run manifold plumbing layout?

texts:
Below is the layout of my bathroom and my starting point are the red/blue vertical copper pipes you see in the picture. The walls you see will be tiled so not sure how much sense would make to have a manifold somewhere.
I will need box behind the shower panel. I am considering running the trunk and lines low near the ground and the dry vent and the drains (green and yellow pipes) at the level of the inflexion point of the shower. I would like to install them up near the ceiling but I don't think that I have enough room behind the two vertical copper pipes (red and blue) to the right of the shower


texts: I am trying to fix a curtain rail in a dormer window.  The problem is that the internal wall is brick with lime mortar.  Many of the bricks are very poor quality and crumble when drilled.  Occasionally I do find a good brick but most of the time they crumble.  Is there a way to effectively fill the holes to give them strength.  I am planning to use a wooden batten on the wall and fix the curtain rail to that.


texts: Can I have an office in my basement without egress?

texts:
I'm looking to create an office space in my basement.  I live in a townhouse attached to 2 other units.  In the basement we currently have smalls windows near the ceiling.

From what I've read, it sounds like I need to add a second means of egress.  The only way into the basement right now is the main interior stairs.

The problem is that if I need to add a second means of egress, I need to go through the association.  I am pretty sure that they wont let me cut a hole in the foundation in order to add egress.

Are there any alternatives to adding egress?


texts: How to seal this crack in plywood subfloor?

texts: I'm suspecting that this crack is causing squeaky noises when the region holds weight. What's the best way to seal this?


texts: Is there such a thing as a smaller vent cap than the 4"

texts: I need a vent cap to fit without touching an adjacent vent pipe i.e.vent cap cover needs to be < 4 1/2 " ( possibly might work <5" ) to fit into opening to exhaust air outside from a bathroom.


texts: I cut a hole in a basement ceiling drywall and found an open duct at the end of the span between the joists (see photo).  I'm sure this isn't good for the efficiency of the hvac system.  What are the best practices to handle an open duct that is unused?  Or how should I close it up?


texts:
What is this wood joint called and how difficult is it to accomplish? What tools would I need beside a regular saw?

It would be with 2"x4" wood over 4"x4" wood.


texts: Are utility lights with an outlet recommended or are there good reasons not to use them?

texts:
This question is related to my other question where I am actually installing a light figure w/ outlet in a utility closet: What is the correct way to wire a utility light with an outlet?.

But while I was swapping out my broken fixture with the new one, I started to second guess myself for 2 reasons. First, I haven't actually seen these since I was a kid in the early '80s. Second, an actual licensed electrician installed the previous light...maybe there is reason he doesn't install them and why I haven't seen them in 30 years.

OR...should I not have gotten one with an outlet?


texts: How much vinegar and baking soda do i put down my vent to get rid of backed up sewage

texts: How much vinegar and baking soda should I use to unclog a sewer line? When I flush my toilet, it gurgles in the bathroom sink. Does this mean I have a backed up toilet or a backed up sewer line?


texts: How is ground path formed between EMT and painted metal boxes? Is the paint conductive?

texts: If metal pipe is attached to a painted metal box with a metal locknut how is the ground path achieved between the box and the pipe?  Is the paint conductive?  Or do we rely on the locknut to pierce the paint?  Surely the latter would be hit and miss.


texts: Retiling a tub surround, not sure how to shim it

texts:
I just ripped out the original tile and backer board on a secondary bathroom in my home and now it's time to put the new stuff up and I'm a bit stumped. The backer board was originally installed on top of the drywall which is causing a spacing problem. My tub is an old cast iron tub and it's 59 5/8" long. The opening stud to stud varies from  61" to 61 3/8".

I've checked out this question and answer and I'm trying to do what is illustrated in the first drawing, but my backer board would align behind the tub flange. On the faucet side, I could easily install shims/furring strips to properly align the backer board with the tub as the wall only extends 6" past the tub.

The other wall is the problem. Since there was drywall on top of the studs and then backer board on top of it, if I use shims there, I'll end up with my backerboard coming out on top of the drywall that continues down the rest of the wall. The original tile used bullnose trim tile where the backer board transitioned back to the drywall, but the new tile doesn't have that option. What should I do?


texts:
I'm not a carpenter, so forgive me if this is obvious. Also, I'm Brazilian so forgive my English.

I want to build a table with only 3 MDF plates, but I want the corners to have "45 degree grooves", like this:

Because it's a table, the top plate must be resistant to heavy load, so I came-up with this design:

I want to know if there is another design that has simpler cut, or some kind of steel screws, bolts or whatever steel parts, or some glue that allows me to simply cut the edges in 45 degrees, make some fixing holes and safely attach the top and wall plates together.

It's important to me that externally, both the side and corner cut lines be as thin as possible.

Please provide pictures or hyperlinks. If there is some sort of online manual to do these kind of things, I would appreciate!


texts: Light fixture holes don't align with junction box

texts: I bought a light fixture for my bathroom and noticed the screw holes on the fixture are in a N/S orientation, while the junction box is in an E/W orientation. I am able to rotate the existing bracket to accommodate the different orientation (the one that came with the fixture is too small), but I'm wondering if I should replace the current box with one that has a N/S orientation, or if I can screw holes through the drywall to hold the fixture. I did rotate the one piece of the bracket to go into a N/S orientation, so I could attach the fixture to that, but that part of the bracket doesn't screw into anything behind it. The fixture will go on the wall, not the ceiling.


texts: Load-Bearing Wall? Parallel to Joists, single story, but has attic supports

texts:
I've had multiple professionals look at this wall, and no one has been able to give me a clear answer (2 home inspectors, and 1 structural engineer). So I've come to the source of all truth, the Internet.

The diagram of what's happening appears to be simple, but as a not-structural-engineer, I can't tell where the load from the roof downward is being applied. Obviously, my long-term game plan here is to remove the wall.

See below - assume that the joists/rafters/collar ties continue regularly: (please let me know if there's more I can diagram)

The question(s):

Is the wall in question load-bearing?
If it is load-bearing, how do I go about calculating the lineal per foot load (e.g. "what size beam do I need for a 13' span")? I have precise measurements available & dead/live psf loads, but because the structural load seems difficult in this case I'm having a lot of trouble determining what size beam would be required for the expected load & span.

Please let me know what additional info I can provide - I have measurements & photos I can reference.


texts:
I have a second floor bedroom that is 10' wide by 16' long. The floor is 3/8  to 3/4 then back to 3/8 lower, then 1/4  to the bedroom door. How can I even the floor?   I can not raise the  new floor very much as it will end up too high at the door going into the hallway.  Can I cut the joists at the high point to level the floor? Can I do this to all of the joists?

I have been trying so many different things over the past 3 weeks and I'm very discouraged.

Somebody did tell me that I could use roofing singles to even the floor.  How would I go about doing this?


texts: My furnace will light one burner the first time for a few seconds then go out. The second time it will light maybe 3 burners for a few seconds, then go out then the blower will come on...I replaced the flame sensor but no help.


texts: Painting on drywall that has been stripped of wallpaper?

texts: We stripped wallpaper off our bathroom wall and found that the builder did not size up the wall first, he papered directly onto the drywall.  We have sanded the drywall best we could to try to smooth out the parts where the drywall paper came off with the wall paper.   I am trying to paint it with flat paint that has a primer in it.  First of all the color is a lot darker than what is in the can and secondly it won't adhere to the trim areas around the cabinets.  There appears to be some sort of spray on the wall.  They also caulked around all the cabinets.  Any advice?


texts: I am replacing the range in my kitchen with a free standing range.  The old range was a electric cook top with a separate wall oven. The old oven and stovetop were connected to a breaker box behind the cabinet which was connected to a junction box near the floor.  I removed the breaker and junction box and all wiring.  Now all I have coming through the floor is the main wiring. There are 3 wires:red, black and white, no ground.  Do I attach a 3 prong recepticle to this or does it have to be 4 prong?  There is no ground wire.  And get a 3 prong cord for my stove?  Will it be grounded?  Sometimes I would receive a slight shock from the stove if I touched the sink at the same time.  I was told that the stovetop was going bad.


texts: Would this fridge fit in this space with required clearance?

texts:
What is the best way to determine if a fridge of certain dimension will fit into a set space?

I have a inward kitchen cabinet space for a fridge which is 37" wide and 70.2" high. I figured it should have some margin, so in my mind the ideal dimension of a fridge should be around 34" wide, 69" tall, and 31" thick (but thickness isn't an issue).

However, after looking at the internet, I would like to get this fridge. Its dimension is 35.75" wide, 68.38" tall, and 33.75" thick. Does it look like it will fit in the space mentioned on paper? Is there another way to really be sure?


texts: Wires from meter to disconnect to junction to home

texts:
Maybe I am not explaining what I have here
There are 3/4 AWG WIRES leaving the meter and Running to a 100A disconnect
with a neutral bar no grounding wires in the box just 2 hot and 1 for the neutral
there are 3/4Awg wires running from there down the pole into a  junction box
there they are polaris spiced   4Awg to 6Awg for 1 hot same for the other hot and 4(4 for neutral
from there they run 30 ft. Underground to the 50 amp 4 terminal receptacle  and a  6/3 8/1 cord that is pigtailed into my service panel
the green is on the ground bar but is actually not really connected to anything just happened to be in the cord
my service panel has a 100amp main but no ground wires
there any ground  rods it has mixed neutral and ground wires on both bars that are bonded basically all I have is neutral bond to equipment grounds with no other path
My 2 bedroom 2 bath manufactured home is 1000 sq ft  is all electric
with a  60 amp  furnace  no gas service
that 50 amp receptical box and 50 amp cord would not be enough to supply my home nor do I think
are the 2 6awg hot feeder wires
The park owner has said he will repair this
What should actually be done
Sorry for the grammer and rambeling just trying to explain the situation
I have been trying to tell you the main disconnect breaker is feeding the wires going to the service panel in  My home
Both are 100Amp ma

List item

in breakers one is located at the meter and the other is in my house
There is definitely 100Amp  Feeding the WIRES leaving the outside disconnect they are 4/3 those wires  leave the disconnect box and run to a junction box at ground level of meter pole and splice into 6/2 4/1  those run underground and come to the 50amp rated receptacle box and from there the 50amp Rated cord that pigtailed into my house panel that feeds  a 100amp main breaker witch feed the panel
I have been trying to tell you is I basically have ls
100amp service feeding Spliced wires
2 4/6  for hot wires and 1 4/4 wire for neutral that 4/4  neutral goes into the receptical box and  where the wires are now going to the 6/3 8/1 cord that 8/1ground in the plug is in the cord but is not  going to anything in the receptical box as it only has 2 hot and 1 neutral coming into the 4wire receptacle
So are you following me
What I have is 100Amp service feeding the 6AWG wires And
4 AWG Neutral that spilts to a 8AWG neutral  So I have a 100amp service on 6 awg wire with no grodund
do you understand
So if you know what I mean what should be done to keep it safe
Sorry if my Grammer and sentences give you a hard time following message


texts: What is the minimum flow required for a pressure washer?

texts:
I would like to buy a Karcher pressure washer and connect it to a spring water
source, not city water.

I didn't measure the throughput yet, but it is less than city water for sure.

I would like to know what is the minimum input flow (liters/h ?) required for
a Karcher to work ?

Same question regarding water pressure: what would be the minimum required ?
Maybe it is not so relevant since the Karcher will pressurized it ;)
Moreover I don't know how to measure water pressure easily.

Any help would be appreciated :) Otherwise I can also try... And see how it
goes !


texts: What can I place under my sofa cushions to reduce sag?

texts: I am looking to use a piece of wood to lay under my sofa cushions because it sinks to much when you sit on it. I can't afford a new sofa so I was told I could use a piece of wood under the cushions. I need it to support a person 300 lbs- 400 lbs. They are disabled and do a lot of sitting.


texts: Why would a switched neutral situation only act up after years of use?

texts:
My front porch light fixture (it has a dusk sensor, fwiw) suddenly stopped working. After checking the voltages and finding I was getting 110 volts when the switch was in the on position and 84 volts when the switch was off, I assumed there was a switched neutral. After tracing it through, I found the problem at the switch. Everything is ok now.

As a novice, I am now wondering about the underlying theory behind all this.

1) Why would this fixture work fine for years and then suddenly decide that it's had enough?

2) If the voltage coming through was 110 when the switch was in the on position, why wouldn't the light turn on?


texts: Is there a min distance between spa disconnect panel and outdoor shower?

texts:
I want to put an outdoor shower between the edge of my house and the hot tub (there's about 4' of clearance). It'll just have a simple downward-facing showerhead. But my spa disconnect panel is on the house wall (far enough away to meet the 5' requirement), but would only be say 2-1/2' or 3' from the showerhead, horizontally, and maybe 1-2" lower vertically. I don't expect it'd get much water from the shower, but it's possible. Of course it's an outdoor panel so it also gets rained on, normally.

But wondering if there's some kind of code involved here, I didn't find anything about outdoor showers, and obviously I wouldn't put it directly "in" the "cone of expected water" :) but... anyone with code references or advice here?


texts: Which 240 volt circuits must (or should) have a neutral in new construction?

texts:
I wasn't able to find a complete list compiled online, so hopefully someone can help identify which 240 volt circuits are required by code to have 4 conductors run to them.

NEC 2014 applies here, but NEC 2017 will be adopted by my state in a few months.

This is my list, and best effort based on what I've been able to find:

Clothes Dryer - Neutral Required by code
Electric Range - Neutral Required by code
Well Pump - Not Required or useful
Air Handler w/ electric heat - Not Required or useful
AC Compressor - Not Required or useful
Hot Water Heater - Not Required or useful

Is this correct? Is there anything 240 besides a dryer and range that needs or would benefit from a neutral/ four conductor wire?


texts:
I've got an American Craftsman 70 series double hung window and I'm trying to remove the screen.  It is a full screen, and the only mechanisms on the screen are in the corners as shown in the picture below.

I've pushed, pulled, slid, and prodded but I can't get the screen out.  Anyone know how to take out the screen?


texts: Do I have an neutral wire? Could it be red?

texts:
I'm trying to install a smart switch over the current 3-way 3 gang switch. I can't tell if I have a neutral wire as there are 2 red wires. One of the red is twisted with one other white wire.
After ripping the old switch off and tried hook one of the red in L and one in N on the new switch, and the switch came alive, but the buttons on the switch couldn't turn on the light l, here's a picture of the old switch


texts: Negative Pressure relief duct work for home

texts:
We have an issue where smoke from the fireplace is getting sucked back in another unused flue into the basement.  After trial an error I discovered that it was being cause by negative pressure, I can fix it by opening a window in the basement 3 to 4 inches.  When the window is opening the draft stops coming into the unused flue.

I had an HVAC contractor come out and he gave us a solution to install a 6" fresh air pressure relief duct work with a barometric backdraft damper.  He proposed ducting this from the outside directly into the cold air return of the furnace.  He then said when we have a fire to turn on the fan to circulate air.

My question is when this relief valve opens and brings cold air directly into the cold air return and the furnace isn't running won't this just circulate cold air throughout the house?  Shouldn't it be brought thru some kind of heat exchanger first then dumped into the cold air?

I purposed this question to him and he suggested turning on the furnace fan when having a fire to circulate the warm air from the fire to mix with the cold air that the relief valve is letting in.  Just doesn't sound right to me that the heat form the fire is enough to counter act the cold midwest air.

Does this sound correct?  Quote of material below.

  Install 6" fresh air pressure relief duct work, Includes galvanized
  wall hood with screen, barometric backdraft damper, 6" pipe and
  fittings, R-8 insulation, materials and labor.


texts: How do I set my multimeter to test doorbell transformer

texts: I'm trying to troubleshoot a Ring doorbell that doesn't seem to be charging from the doorbell wires.  I wanted to use my admittedly cheap multimeter to check the voltage that the wires are getting.  My question is, how do I set it up?  The transformer says 16V / 10VA on it.  This is a picture of how I've set my multimeter.  Is this correct?


texts: I have a gap in my concrete window sill, what do I fill it with

texts: What is the correct product to fill this joint with? If I should use a cement based product I do have a can of water plug which I'd rather use than buy a 60 pound bag of something else.


texts: Running wire through built-in drywalled entertainment center

texts:
See the following picture for the entertainment center in question:

It was originally designed for 4x3 Standard Definition TVs to be placed in the bottom left alcove (partially hidden by the Corona--sorry, this was the best picture I could find for illustration).  As a result, all of the cable hookups are in that alcove instead of up on top.

I'm not concerned in particular with drilling a sufficiently-large hole through so that I can run power and coax/Ethernet.  I'm particularly interested in finding the correct pipe/tube that I can run through the hole, and then the necessary finishing parts that I can hook on each end to make it look like it was supposed to be there to begin with.

I'm planning on building a shelf to go in the lower left that will house a new surround sound receiver, xbox 1, and HTPC (the latter both pictured), so I'm considering something around 2 inches in diameter.  Thank you for any input you can provide!


texts: Certain light bulbs not working in fixture

texts:
I have recessed lighting in my eaves outside, 8 in front 4 in the back.  Most of them were blown and I bought 12 Great Value Led 8W (60W Equivalent) Daylight Color Frosted Light Bulbs to replace them all so they all match in brightness and color.
After replacing 7 of the front ones, the last one didn't work.  I tried 4 different bulbs, none of them worked in the socket.  The incandescent 25W that was there worked fine, and I had an older LED I snagged and that worked fine so I left it there.  I had all the lights on and from the road, the one bulb was noticeably a different color.  I could try to find a similar color and style bulb that is a different brand and try it.
What would cause this particular bulb to not work in this socket?  All of the fixtures appear to be identical, all on the same switch, and now all using less wattage than before using LEDs.  These bulbs are dimmable and the switch is a dimmer switch, which works fine with the alternate bulb put in.


texts: How to wire Two dimmers controlling a string of recessed light?

texts:
Refinishing my basement and have an open ceiling at the moment. I have hung 12 recessed lights and connected them in 3 groups (groups of 2, 6 and 4 lights) using 14/2.  I then ran 14/2 from the start of each group to the entrance to the room where I intend to have 3 separate dimmer switches, one for each group.  I also have the power source running to this switch location on 14/2.  I have run 3 sets of 14/3 wire between from this location to another location where I intend to have a 2nd set of dimmer switches further into the room.

I have only tried hooking up one set of lights to for testing purposes and can't get both dimmers to work. Tried using a diagram that was shown on here (http://www.buildmyowncabin.com/electrical/3-way-switch-diagram-7.pdf) but it did not work.  Could not even get lights to come on.
I also found a diagram that has power at one dimmer and the lights at the other but not both power and lights from the same dimmer and ran a temp power line to the 2nd dimmer but even though the likes worked from either switch the dimmers did not work.  http://www.do-it-yourself-help.com/3_way_switch_wiring.html ( the diagram with 2 dimmers)


texts: Is There a Toilet Plate Designed to Secure Traditional Floor Design to Back Wall

texts:
Is there a solution available which enables someone to secure a traditional floor mounted toilet bowl adequately to the wall behind it?
I would love a  commercially produced oversized toilet plate which is designed to be rigid enough to prevent movement and attaches to the back wall with a molded bracket or something.
I'm absolutely open to sell-fabrication of some wood or metal design which is either common or someone had to do it once a decade ago.
I know that the impulse for most people will be to address the reason why a floor mount is not an option, doing so to determine whether or not I failed to consider a more common alternative floor mount solution. To avoid the dissertation-sized post which would result if I felt compelled to justify this requirement with all the reasons each alternative floor mount solution would not be possible or adequate, I'm going to ask that for this scenerio that the following assumptions are absolute:

There are no workable options to adequately secure the base to the underlying floor
The use of a design-built wall mounted toilet will not work
The solution must use a modern design traditional floor mounted toilet base built to current plumbing standards and dimensions

If there are no solutions to choose from here, I'll eventually answer my own question and explain what I ended up designing, fabricating, installing, and how well the design worked.
Thanks


texts: Does the NEC allow a 14ga branch on a 12ga circuit?

texts:
Is it within the NEC to wire ceiling light fixtures with 14ga NM from a switch wired with 12ga NM, where the power originates at the switch and the ceiling fixture is a branch?

The breaker protecting the circuit is 20 amp.


texts: What type of knot would allow the length of the standing part of the rope to be adjusted?

texts:
Let's say I'm setting up a pole tent, and I want to be able to tie off the pole to the stake. I want to use a knot that will maintain the length of rope between the pole and the stake, but I may also want to adjust the length without completely retying the knot.

In this example image, the length A should be adjustable, without untying the rope from the stake or the pole.


texts: I need to install a lockbox in a refrigerator to keep a medicine locked up. What is the best way to do that?

texts:
I need to install a lockbox in my refrigerator to store a medicine.
It must not be attached to anything that can be easily removed.
What's the best way to do this


texts: will unmodified thinset stick to hardiboard?

texts:
Will unmodified thinset stick to hardiboard, I want to apply a schluter membrane to it?
I am making an shower


texts: In the majority of UK-based traditional boiler setups, what does the hot water thermostat look like?

texts:
I realise that this may be an impossible question, but I was wondering if somebody would be able to help.

For the majority of traditional boiler setups in the UK where hot water is stored in a tank, what does the thermostat connected to the tank to control the temperature of the hot water look like? I'm totally blind, and it appears that there are lots of things that look like taps connected to my tank but I haven't/wouldn't want to touch anything until I was 100% sure that it was the right control. I realise that this may not be easy to answer, but something to get me on the right track would be very much appreciated.


texts: HELP!! Why is my stove turning my lights and furnace back on when they go out?

texts: For the last few days whenever I have more than one or three lights on they go out(includes the furnace) and the only thing that turns them back on is my stove. What is this?!?!


texts: Ecobee Smart Thermostat- Using Room Sensor as primary control

texts:
This is ultimately a fairly simple question about the Ecobee3 thermostat and the wireless room sensor functionality, but I'll explain my situation first.

Twin home, 2 stories + finished below grade basement.

I'm looking at an Ecobee to replace our first floor thermostat.   Our HVAC is a forced air attic unit, so the 2nd floor is much warmer than the first floor and basement when the heat is on. (Cooling does fine since the cold air wants to move down naturally)  The basement has a gas fireplace (it operates on it's own thermostat-I'm NOT looking for Ecobee to control that) which when on heats the basement very well and even raises the 1st floor temperature decently.  Rather than spend the money on a true zoned HVAC system at the moment I'd like to try using the central heat to cover the 2nd floor and set the basement fireplace to a comfortable temperature and allow it to cycle on/off throughout the day, and also set the ecobee to run the fan occasionally to help pull the heated air from the basement to the first floor.

From reading it sounds like the Ecobee room sensors would allow me to turn the HVAC system control over to JUST a room sensor, rather than working alongside the main thermostat unit to average out the house.   So I would put the room sensor in an upstairs hallway and set the entire system based on what temperature I want up there. (the other ducts throughout the house will of course still get air when the unit runs to heat the 2nd floor, which is perfectly fine)

to my question---So in this Room-Sensor-only setup, what number does the main thermostat (1st floor) actually display?   The temperature of where the room sensor is located (2nd floor), or the actual temperature of the 1st floor?

I ask because I would prefer it to show the actual first floor temperature so I can gauge how well the fireplace is heating the rest of the house and determine if my fake zoning is working, and not becoming a horrible gas wasting mistake...


texts: What is causing the SUPER loud noise from my dryer

texts:
I have a maytag gas dryer. It is about 20 years old. Model number DG7500

It sounds like an jet engine taking off. I've noticed that it starts off quiet than builds up to a very lour roar.

I googled -> rollers are bad. Bought new rollers, bearings,idle wheel,etc (150 CAD can be returned if unopened).

Pull off the access panels, look at idle wheel and roller, they don't look much different than the new ones.

So, I put in some wet laundry, ran it to see if I could spot the cause of the noise (of course, if it is resonant noise this probably wouldn't work). It didn't really get super loud this time. All the rollers and the idle wheel spun.

So, before I open the packages and take everything apart I'd like to get your thoughts on whether or not this is the problem. Any ideas?

Photos of current rollers & idle wheel:

Click for larger view

UPDATE 1:

WD40'd the roller: no real change
fluff for 10 mins, loud but I think it is normal for this one
DRY for 10 mins: 3-4 minutes in gets super loud again. So heat is probably playing a factor in this
Describe the noise: not a whine. Very loud rumble.

UPDATE 2:
- After buying all the parts suggested (Roller x2, gliderx2, idle wheel and belt) I took the cover, bulkhead, and drum all off. The problem was a dryer sheet caught in the blower. Removed, cleaned and replaced the belt (old one was pretty close to its last days) and it's all good now. Thanks!


texts:
I'm looking for a flat PVC cap for 3" PVC pipe. I ordered a few 3" PVC DWV Schedule 30 Caps Amazon that were too small.

I've measured the 3" PVC pipe, and it appears the outer diameter is just over 3.5", so the cap's interior will need to be that size.

I've found some in the local hardware stores (Lowes, Home Depot...etc) that fit, but are rounded on the top. I need them to be flat. I know they exist, but can't figure out what they're called, or how to find them for sale anywhere (online or other).

Question:

What is the name of this PVC product and how/where can I find them for sale?


texts: How to fix deck board at edge not lined up with beam?

texts:
My near-ground level deck is quite large (20x16) at one side and its end is a one-step stair. But at the edge, one end is flush with the last deck board (Trex 5.5") but the other end is like 1" short, showing the below beam.

Flush side:

Short side:

This happens because over the number of boards, the gaps could be slightly different between each board and the bottom frame could have some off measurement.

My question is how to fix this? If the below beam showing like 3-4" then I can put on another board. In this case, it's only 1".

I am thinking of two options below so please let me know:

Option A:

Cut the last board by 1" along the length (on table saw). So the new width is 4.5" (Green bar). Then get another 16' long board and cut it so the new width is 3" (Purple bar) only instead of 5.5". The read line is the below beam lumber. Then on the side of the beam, I can install 1" fascia board. This way there will be 1-2" of overhang. If I follow this option, do I join the two new cut boards closely or do I leave gap in between them? They are no longer having groove at the gap. So I will screw on top instead of using Universal Trex Fasteners.

Option B:

Create custom build trim pieces. This is harder (Trex doesn't sell the 90 degree trim pieces for Enhance version). So basically I need to create an L-shape using 1x8 for the long side of the L and 1x2 for the short side. But on the short side of the L, I will have to cut it so that one end is exactly 2" while the other end is 1". Then I can slap this trim on and stain same color of the deck.

At this point, it's too late to move the stair below or change the frame. I have many more 16" Trex boards. So I am tempting to go with Option A.

What are your suggestions?


texts: What alternatives are there to a retaining wall?

texts:
The retaining wall surrounding my foundation on the street side of my residence has fallen and has been partially removed. The rest of it will need to come down, and I'm trying to find another option that's in my budget.

Someone suggested to get the soil leveled a little and plant sod. It's a slope-like area with my house sitting about 8ft away from where the wall was and close to the sidewalk that people walk on. Would it be safe to do that? I don't want to ruin the foundation to my house.


texts: Matt black vinyl fabric for upholstery, cleaning/sealing?

texts:
I have been doing some upholstery using a cloth-backed vinyl with a matt-black finish. It looks great... until the oils from your hands or hair touch it.

Is there a way to clean this type of fabric and/or seal it so that it doesn't mark so easily?

I was told to simply clean with warm soapy water and micro fibre cloth but it just leaves a bigger mark where it was cleaned.


texts: How do I fix these gaps where the socket plates don't cover?

texts:
Recently had this room plastered, then painted, and stupidly I only took the front off of the sockets instead of removing the full front socket.

This has caused a bit of an issue as the facings now don’t fit right on to the socket, I’ve accepted I’m going to have to deal with that for now.

What I do need fixed is the holes I can see behind a switch & one of the sockets. What is the best course of action here?


texts: Upstairs Story Not Cooling Despite Working AC?

texts:
My house has 2 zones for air conditioning (Upstairs & Downstairs) with 2 different air conditioning units.

We have Nest energy saving thermostats, which are great for keeping track of energy history, and I noticed that the downstairs AC is virtually never on, and the upstairs AC is on almost constantly.

This is mysterious to me because we clean our air filters constantly (Including the outdoor AC unit itself (Once per season). NOTE: I live in Suffolk County, New York

Observations:

0) There is cold air coming from the upstairs vents, although it isn't at a very high rate. There are vents downstairs that have far higher (Around 2x) air flow.

1) The thermostat can't reach its set point temperature. This situation lasts through the day (Check History for more on this):

with the upstairs temperature never reaching the set point, and always staying above it. (Note the 80 on the side is the current temperature)

2) The downstairs thermostat is in sync with the upstairs thermostat usually. (They are also both on at the same time) to minimise heat gain die to convection.

AC History:

Upstairs:

Downstairs:

Specifications:

Unfortunately, there are no records of the AC system that I could find, but I did manage to get this from the back label of the AC unit that is always on: C 249534. I don't think I can get more information without actually taking the panel off.

There is also some kind of machinery on the inside (I'm not entirely sure what it is):

Further Away: (The top panels say Ultra 80 & the bottom labels say Armstrong Air

There are also electro-static filters (Which according to my dad contain the only filters in the system, although he might be mistaken, I'm not sure)

Are there any obvious red flags with this set up? What is the most likely cause of failure given the set-up of the system? Are there any additional filters that I didn't know about that aren't being cleaned? Are additional specs required?


texts: Pulley/winch knot for holding up heavy punching bag

texts:
I currently have a heavy bag mount I built from 4x4 posts to hold up a 100lbs punching bag. It currently has a nice swivel bracket holding it up, which has been working great so far. The only problem here is that sometimes I need the extra space in the garage, and need to take the bag down.

Is there a safe hitch or knot I could use for mounting, hanging, and taking down the bag? I tried using a clove hitch to hold on to the bag, and then a trucker's hitch to raise the bag up into position, and some half-hitches to hold it in place. This doesn't work as well as I'd hoped, as the trucker's hitch sometimes loosens when I hit the bag really hard and send it swinging, so I'm trying to find a better alternative.

Is there a better set of knots/hitches I could use with some 750lbs type IV paracord, or some stronger rope that would fit into the mounting bracket's loop? This current system would be great if the hitch wasn't loosening and posing a safety risk, as it's a real pain to get up on a step ladder and do a one-armed military press of a 100lbs bag to mount it. I've nearly crushed my fingertips twice while doing this.

Thanks!


texts: Color matching: repaired white oak flooring turned out pink

texts:
I had someone replace a row and half of my white oak flooring. The original flooring was Owens white oak with bona natural finish. My repairer ordered the same wood, installed it, then did a natural finish and repaired wood colors came out very different. One them is now pink!

How can we go about color matching them? The original wood is a yellowish finish.

a) We tried a variety of stains on the pink but none come close.  all the stains have a reddish undertone where the original one is more yellowish.
b) These two turned didn't turn out pink, but the color still doesn't match

Any idea why the replaced wood would be pink if it's white oak?


texts: How do I connect a new light fixture that has two black and two white wires?

texts: I just took down a chain chandelier. In the ceiling I have one black, one white, and one bare ground wire. The new light fixture has 4 wires two black and two white. How would I wire the new fixture?


texts: How do I remove paint from a wood floor?

texts: I have a coat of non-transparent paint (not sure what type, it was painted about 20 years ago) on my floor. I'd like to see the wood grain. So I am trying to figure out a simple DIY way to remove the paint without damaging the wood. I've looked into this, but I have never done anything like this, so I am confused. Maybe somebody can suggest something?


texts: Can a doorbell transformer sit loose inside main panel?

texts: Can a low voltage transformer for a doorbell sit loose (not screwed to anything) inside the main panel or does it have to be affixed somehow? It came with holes but I'd need to drill holes in the panel to attach it, unless I can just wire it and sit it on the bottom of the panel.


texts:
I just power washed my deck because I need to restain.  In some places there is no stain and in some places the stain is still on.  The power washing did an excellent job removing dirt.

I have read posts that say to sand the deck and then the very next post would say not to sand.  I can provide pics if needed.  I will restain next weekend.

Thanks,
Misty


texts:
I removed some door hinges and plan to get the paint off. Once the paint is off I’m going to put them back up. The paint on hinges, wall and door have lead paint.

My question is did they paint over all the hinges and door knobs in the house because of lead paint?

If so is there something I should do to encapsulate or protect any friction or what not from the hinges attached to the wall and door?


texts:
I'm getting ready to lay down hardwood flooring in a bedroom that is the same as what was previously layed in the hallway outside of the bedroom.  There was carpeting in this bedroom before.

I layed the flooring in the hallway earlier and ended at the doorway of the bedroom with a piece I cut to meet where the carpet ended.

However, if I start a new row directly adjacent to this doorway piece in the bedroom, it gets offset by a small amount when I leave the required gap by the drywall.

And here is picture with what that gap would be when I'd line the piece up with the wall.

What's the best way to do this?  I can remove the piece in the doorway if I need to.  The other way I see is to cut the wall-side of each piece along the wall so that it lines up with the doorway piece.  I do have access to woodworking tools: tablesaw etc.


texts: Connecting a light-switch to turn thermostat on/off? (re: basement heat)

texts:
Is it possible to connect a simple light-switch to a thermostat?

I'd like to have a thermostat in my basement set to 72 degrees.  However, I want it completely turned off most of the time.  I was thinking about placing a light-switch at the top of the basement stairs, so when I think I'm going downstairs I can flip the switch to enable the thermostat and when I leave I can turn it off.

Is this possible?


texts: How to improve garage floor look and color?

texts:
Here is a image of my garage floor.

Hi-Res Link

This is after a professional high pressure water cleaning contractor that used degreaser and bicarb soda chemicals to try to rid the floor of oil stains, rust stains and general garage abuse stains.

I have a function planned where I have 2 days of prep time. What are my options on making this floor look the best possible?

People will be walking on it, a car will be driven in and out of it repeatedly.

Have considered painting. Dry time not enough and the job should be good enough for future use.

Have also considered lino using double sided tape.

Budget is a concern too.


texts:
What is this? (1972 house)
This was on the wall of a 1972 house.


texts: Different water temperature in different faucets

texts:
I have my bathrooms remodeled and the temperature of the water is different in one bathroom than the other.

Even within the same bathroom, the bathtub is cooler than the water coming out of the sink.

Why could this be?

Thank you very much


texts: How to cleanly remove a section of countertop

texts:
The counter in this kitchen has a section that is narrower than the main section due to having a door next to it.

Although the previous solution has impeccable taste, its just not my style. (see picture).

Is it possible to find purchase a counter top with custom specifications?

Additionally, is it possible to do a clean and professional looking job of cutting into the counter top one might find in a big box store and sealing the open edges created by cutting into it?

The "cut-out" meaning the section of the countertop that must be removed from the uniform countertops sold in big box stores to match the different width on one section of the countertop.


texts: Top-hang or traditional twin-slot shelves for books?

texts:
We want to hang bookshelves on a wall that's about 2.2m high by 3.8m wide. We are considering a twin-slot system, for example by Elfa. But even within that choice, there are options, specifically between a top-hang system vs traditional wall-mounted uprights.
In terms of geometry, we were thinking 7 shelves vertically and probably three 1.2m shelves (230mm deep) horizontally to fill 3600mm.
(One embarrassing problem: I can't quite figure out what the wall is made out of. It's an exterior wall of an old (late-19th C) UK home. It's certainly backed by brick, but isn't just masonry -- it sounds slightly hollow, but a stud-finder doesn't really see anything. There are a few screws with plastic anchors used as picture hangers from the previous owners already in the wall.)
The main question: would the top-hang system be sufficiently strong for bookshelves? It is certainly much easier to install than the traditional uprights which require 5 screws each and very precise alignment.
Any other hints/ideas for this problem?


texts: Is there any way to tell if these walls are load bearing from the blueprints?

texts: We want to remove the highlighted walls. Is there any way to tell from the blueprints if these walls are load-bearing?


texts: How do I increase the height of a sliding glass door lock?

texts:
I recently installed a dog door panel for my sliding patio glass door. The way the dog door was made I had to install it centered in the patio door channel vs flush with the sliding glass door.  This has created a problem that doesn't allow me to install the hinge that will lock the door closed. There is a good 1/2 inch difference in height.

I'd like to make a shim or something to raise the hinge placed on the dog panel to be flush with the sliding glass door. I'll need to be able to drill through the object to anchor it into the dog panel. I've never created something like this and I'd like to hear if anyone has some suggestions on how to proceed.


texts: I want to replace the roofing on an older shed style covered patio.  The patio was built 45 years ago (+/-).  The rafters are 2x8 with an odd spacing I've never seen before, alternating 21 inches OC,then 17 inches OC then 21 then 17, with blocking about 4'.  Was this a thing back then or is it a one off homeowner project?  The framing is still solid and I don't want to tear it down, just re-roof.  The roofing material is corrugated fiberglass panels only, they are original. If this was a thing, is there a roofing plan for how to start laying panels?  What width panels would I use?


texts: How can I run cable through perpendicular studs?

texts:
I have an electrical outlet powered by a cable that does through a stud. This is currently the first outlet in the series

I'm adding another outlet on a nearby wall that is perpendicular to the first and behind the stud. I think this will be the new outlet in the series

I've attempted a diagram to show this. I hope it makes sense

XX is the stud
The ----- are the existing cable
The = is the new outlet
The " is the existing outlet
The [] form the walls.

     [  ]
    =[  ]
     [  ]
[  ---XX---     ]
           "

Can I drill through the the stud at the existing point to create either a 3 way or 4 way hole so I can run the cable through to the new outlet?
Will this cause any structural issues?
If I cannot add a hole here, what's the best way for me to add the new outlet in?


texts: Want to purchase electric range unassembled

texts:
We have put in storm doors at front and rear entrances that have finished frames that narrow the doorway to under 26 inches.

A 30 inch free electric range is our pick for a new range.

Also we have heard of some appliance manufacturers that have special collapsed uninstalled range to homes, condos, etc with very small doors.

Anyone have name(s) of (a) manufacturer(s)?


texts: GE Profile Cooktop and element replacement

texts:
I have a GE Profile Cooktop model PP945. The right rear heating element is out. The right rear element is the small 1200W unit. I disassembled the unit and found the heating coil burned out (discolorization around the 10:00 position).

The unit has been in service for about 7 years. This is the first problem. The right rear element is used less frequently and has the fewest duty cycles. The other elements are used more frequently.

I don't know the cause of the failure. I'm not sure if I should replace the element alone, or the element and the sensor. Or maybe something else. (I believe the sensor is the bar running horizontally in the image).

What is the recommended course of action for this repair?


texts: Are glass textiles with PTFE coating used as vapor barriers for installation under the roof?

texts:
In construction in Central Europe are in use vapour barriers, in special cases more precise as vapour retarders. These enable the drying of building materials such as insulation, if moisture has coming in. On the other hand, these prevent as second barrier the penetration of water from the outside, such as dripping water by rain. The effect is analogeous to some outdoor clothing. A common installation in Central Europe is, from outside to inside: roof tiles - laths - air layer (2...4 cm) - vapor retarder - insulation.

Nowadays, predominantly is used for that polyethylene or polypropylene textile with a plastic coating. The problem is that the resistance of that plastics decreases with increasing temperature. The vapor barriers may decompose on the time.

There are materials available with a significantly higher stability such as glass fibers and PTFE. These materials are already used in building construction. But, to my knowledge, not as a vapor barrier.

My question is therefore: Are glass textiles with a slightly open-pore PTFE coating also used as vapor retarders in buildings?

If not, why not? Or what are other suitable alternatives?


texts: How and when to finish a Cedar or redwood fence?

texts:
My neighbor and I are putting up a fence between our properties. We will use either Cedar or Redwood.  The fence will have vertical boards on both sides bc we want both of the fence surfaces to look nice from our respective properties.

My question is should we finish/treat the fence AFTER it is installed or treat the wood before it is installed?

Also after it ages how do I treat the wood? Note: There will be faces that are 'hidden'... the back sides of the faces that we see from our properties.


texts:
Ok, once again thanks for the help with my last problem which stemmed from this the original problem.

Here it goes.

Half my garage doesn’t have power. Well let me rephrase. None of the outlets are working in half my garage. They set off the no touch volt meter. I checked them with a multi-meter and they are all reading zero.

I changed out the plugs on two outlets no luck. Although the last outlet before they stop is only working in one plug.

I believe they are on a different circuit maybe. If that’s what u call it. I believe instead of jumping from one to next where my owner stops has its own wires. I’m gonna draw up a sketch of garage and put in here.


texts: Using a Dutchman to completely fill a mortise lock hole

texts:
I came across a This Old House video that demonstrates how to fill a mortise lock with a Dutchman. The video patches one side of the door.

I want to patch both sides so I can drill it out and replace it with a modern door lever.
In the video, I believe they are repairing a previous patch so they can reinstall a mortise lock. Because I want to fill the cavity, should I simply cut each side deeper and at different sizes so the smaller insert uses the larger insert for glue backing?

What's the preferred method for completely filling the mortise with new wood?


texts: Soldered copper vs threaded copper at shower valve

texts: I am replacing a shower faucet. The previous install soldered the copper to the shower valve but I am considering using threaded copper in case I ever need to replace it. What are the pros and cons of each type of install?


texts:
Odor happens when adjacent bathroom toilet is flushed and is only smelled in adjacent laundry room???
Was really bad at Thanksgiving when we had about 14 extra people in our house for several days. Odor comes and goes.


texts: How do I remove this fitting on water heater T&P relief valve?

texts:
The fitting threaded into the T&P relief valve does not seem as though I can turn it counter-clockwise to remove it since it s joined to PVC pipe below by cement. In order to remove it, do I simply cut the PVC and later use a coupler to re-join the PVC to another PVC fitting attached to the new T&P relief valve?

Is there a way I can improve this connection for future replacements of the T&P relief valve?


texts: Why did I receive an electric shock from my microwave?

texts:
I was doing the washing up and the microwave is next to the place where I put the dishes and I went to put it down and my hand touched the side of the microwave and I got an electric shock for a bout 2-3 seconds (felt like vibrating in my hand). I checked the plug socket when I was feeling better and the switch was not on. how could this happen?

It was a double socket in the wall the microwave one was switched off and the other one was on.


texts:
We've an old house from 1890 and are replacing rotten and wood worm eaten beams and floors.

But, whilst doing this we've found that the internal walls have been built on top of planks of wood placed on top of the foundations ... this has also rotted, but has been so compressed from the weight of the walks and the upstairs flat that they don't look like they're going anywhere!

Is there some kind of treatment I can use that may strengthen the edges of these compressed planks to strengthen what's most exposed to stop any more deterioration and crumbling away?

I'll try and include a photo as an example.

Thanks,
Tim!

small section of wood supporting walls


texts: I need to splice several Romex wires in my house.  Can I use an electrical box the  size of a breaker box (empty)to bring several circuits in for splicing?  The box would be within a few feet of the breaker box and is needed because some of the old circuits as well as some new ones have to be joined.  This is on a remodel and about 1/3 of the wires are not being replaced, but need to be spliced with new wires.  The old Romex cables are of current code, just a bit too short to make it to the breaker box that is about 4' away


texts:
I have a no-longer-in-use brick chimney running from basement to attic (roof was closed over it), left over from earlier heating systems. The space alongside it is being used for plumbing and electrical, so it would probably be a pain to actually recover those few square feet... but it has me wondering:

How would one extract a brick chimney embedded in the middle of a house? Open up one of the adjacent walls and attack it with rotary hammer? And would the years of combustion residue -- gas and oil most recently, but I suspect there were one or more woodstoves originally -- be a significant health hazard, or just a mess?

(If I don't extract it, I'll probably want to cap it off to make sure it isn't breaking my air-sealing. Thoughts on an easy/cheap way to do that also welcome.)


texts: Drywall Painting: Do I need to keep priming here?

texts:
I am painting a room where the previous paint job was not very good.  You can see brush marks from a great distance, it got all over the trim, and the paint looked watered down (thanks builders).  It was an earthy portabello color and it was flat paint.  I am going to paint over it with Sherwin Williams Duration (Satin) in another earthy color (earthy green instead of brown).  I probably have enough for 2 coats.

First I tried to sand the walls but could not get them smooth, after about 5-6 hours of sanding I gave up and applied a coat of tinted Sherwin Williams multi-purpose latex primer.  I can see both the brush strokes left by the builders and new brush strokes and roller marks left by me.  Sanding it with low grain sponge isn't really helping the situation.  Also the single coat of primer can still show a hint of the previous paint in a few spaces.

My question is that if I apply my 2 coats of Duration over this primer job using proper painting techniques (I have been doing my research so I don't make the same mistakes I made with the primer again with the actual paint), will it likely cover up the mistakes?  What should I do here?


texts: My first home network Cat 5e, fiber 1 gig internet

texts:
Thank you for taking the time and reading this, I hope you can give me a green light on my plans here!?

I am getting fiber internet and wanted to set it up the following way. Please let me know if that works and feel free to suggest a different way.

Fiber comes to the detached garage.
cat 5e from the box to a 5 way 1gig switch (unmanaged)
  port 1 - to the house
  port 2 - (already have) apple airport express with audio for sound in the garage
  port 3,4,5, for potential IP cam/NVR

In the house
cat 5e from the garage to the router/wifi from Xfinity C3000A - should do a great job!?
to another 8way switch (unmanaged)
  port 1 - to the apple tv
  port 2 - mango console
  port 3 - upstairs with Time capsule/wifi if needed
  port 4-8 open for IP Cameras/other rooms if needed

Questions:

if I have the cable from the street to the garage with switch and then in the house much later the router/wifi that should still work, right? Since ethernet goes both ways??
In general, please let me know a better way if you got one.

Thank you so much in advance. I'll start working on this tomorrow.


texts:
I'm going to remove a berber carpet glued to a concrete slab and I'm not sure how to prepare the slab for a finished floor.

I'm renovating a room in a finished, walk out basement.  It's adjacent to another finished room and an unfinished mechanical room.  I took it down to the studs.

I'm in the Northeast US, Zone 6b and the house was built in 1980.  I don't know if there's a vapor barrier under the slab.  There is EPS foam board on the outside of the concrete basement walls.

I did some research and found a 10yr old article from Building Science Corp.  It describes 1" XPS insulation over a concrete slab and with a plywood floor on top.  They say it provides a warm, dry surface to install a finished floor.

They wrote another article in 2009 describing a method with a vapor barrier under the concrete slab.  The slab dries inward and a finished floor appears to be placed on top.

The interior framed wall has a 2x4 PT sill, the exterior wall has a 2x6 PT sill and both are fastened to the slab.  From the first article, the 2" thick insulated floor they described would come up over the bottom 2x4 of the interior and exterior framed walls.  I'm not sure that's a good idea but I don't know.

How should I prepare the floor for a carpet while keeping moisture out and the heat in?


texts: How to winterize window AC unit from inside?

texts: I have a bunch of AC units in my house that I can't remove during the summer. The windows are too high up for me to access from outside the house. What can I use to seal the window unit - including the "accordion" side pieces, to minimize how much cold air will get in?


texts: If my multimeter consistently reads 19.9 to 20 volts ac when testing outbound current on a 16V doorbell transformer, is that too much voltage? The reading at the switch-button (with switch removed) is the same.  The wires at the switch-button had been shorted together when we weren't home, and we returned to an electrical odor originating we think in the area where chime is located.  I am trying to determine where the damage is in the circuit. If 20 volts is within the norm on the transformer then probably my chime is broken. If 20 volts is too much, then my transformer probably needs replacing.


texts: Foul smell in bathroom, ONLY when air conditioning is NOT blowing/running

texts: There is a smell in an interior bathroom with no windows.  The tub is rarely used.  When I noticed the smell, I got on my hands and knees to sniff everywhere, stuck my head in the toilet tank, shoved my nose in the tub drain, put my head in the vanity, and so on.  Nothing smells up close, so I threw bleach down the sink, toilet and tub.  Since the tub hasn't been run since I last cleaned it about 3-4 months ago, I figured that was the culprit.  I ran hot water in the tub, cleaned it again for good measure, and thought the smell went away.  That was when I noticed that the smell goes away when the AC is running.  If there is no air being pumped in, the smell is there.  That allowed me to rule out a dead critter in the duct work.  Any ideas????  Thank you!!!


texts: Leaking tile shower at corner near glass door

texts: We bought our house in Fresno, CA new in 2004. After about 4-5 years we noticed the upstairs master shower was leaking as evidenced by damage to ceiling in room directly below it. We contacted the home builder for repair work (in California they warranty all new construction for 10 years by law). Their general maintenance crew did a shower pan test that showed the shower was leaking at the corner where the glass door meets the wall and door well. The glass door has a gutter that runs all the water that falls on the door to this corner. After inspecting the corner we noticed the grout line was cracked, likely from the new house settling. It was unclear if the pan was not installed correctly or if the leak was high enough to get around the pan. The home builder, in consult with the tile subcontractor, decided to clean the grout line and lay new grout. This was done and they then placed a hardy amount of silicone over the repair for good measure. Fast forward another 5 years and the problem has returned but much worse, now I am out of the warranty period and want to repair it myself. I am good at general construction and tile work but have never installed or repaired a shower pan. I removed the glass door framing to get at the grout line and found the silicone they applied during the fix had mostly pealed up and was covered with black mold on the underside. I used a razor blade to remove the old grout which was also dark gray in color and very “rubbery” in texture, no longer tan and hard like this grout usually is. I fear the mold grew up from under the tile and thru the grout line but have never seen that happen before? I’m considering several potential solutions: (1) regrout with high quality epoxy grout and call it good (!?), (2) fill the open grout line with silicone in hopes of a better more flexible seal over time, or (3) start tearing up tile to see see if pan is in good working order and go from there. Option three seems like best long term solution but am I getting in over my head? Thanks in advance for any help or suggestions.


texts: How to install sink waste line with limited room between garbage disposal with an AAV required

texts:
Issue
I'm trying to install the waste lines to attach my sink to the sewer line. This is complicated by my garbage disposal being directly in front of my wall hubs, forcing me to divert the lines around the disposal. I also need to leave enough room to attach an Air Admittance Valve.
I was hoping I could get some guidance on how to configure my waste lines so they're compliant with the IPC.
Setup
Relevant components:

Sink
Garbage disposal
2" hub**
1.5" hub**
Dishwasher

** 2" hub drains in 1.5" hub behind the wall

What I've Tried
I've dry-fit 2 configurations that seem plausible but I'm totally open to other ideas.
Configuration 1:
Fittings from P trap to 2" hub:

Long sweep (1.5")
Sanitary Tee (1.5", 1.5", 2")
1/8 Bend (2")

The AAV is attached to the top leg of the sanitary tee with 2 1/8 bends.
The dishwasher hose is inserted into a Wye, just below the counter top. The dishwasher line is connected to the 1.5" wall hub.

One issue with this configuration is I might not be able to get the P-trap high enough to maintain 1/4 in/ft
Configuration 2:
Fittings from P trap to 1.5" hub:

Long sweep (1.5")
Wye (1.5", 1.5", 1.5")
1/8 Bend (1.5")
Long sweep (1.5")

The AAV would be attached to the 2" sewer line above the sink level.
The dishwasher setup would be similar to configuration 1 except the flow merges with the garbage disposal with the wye.

I should be able to get the P-trap to an appropriate height for this one. I'm just not sure if it's code for me to attach the AAV to the 2" hub instead of closer to the trap. I'm also not totally sure about merging the dishwasher line with the garbage disposal but it seemed to be OK based on my interpretation of the IPC load requirements for 1.5" pipe.


texts:
I need some 16ft (5 meter) long 3 inch diameter ash poles that will be used for re-enactment pike shafts. They will eventually be tapered to 1.5 inches at one end.

For practical purposes however - mainly storage, transportation, cost and availability, a better option would be poles of half the length that can be joined together.

The join should be good enough to not cause an excessive bend when held horizontally, and not be too obvious if possible.

I can do basic to intermediate woodwork jobs so hopefully I’ll be able to do it, when I find out how!

What would be a good way to do this?


texts: Can I fully load multiple breakers (rooms) in my apartment?

texts:
I've got some very high-amperage devices (Bitcoin miners. ugh.) coming into my apartment; and although I'm going to pains to make sure I don't over-load any single room's breaker on the wall sockets … I'm wondering what the maximum amperage on the entire apartment (or, I suppose, the entire breaker panel?) is.

The wall-socket breakers for each of the three adjacent rooms I'm planning on loading (bathroom, spare bedroom, and living-room) are each 15A. Can I safely load each of those up to nearly 15A (so, a total load of 45A)? The breaker box has an inscription of “125A MLO”; what does that mean? Does that encode the maximum load of the breaker-box, or am I way off-base?

(Additionally: should I look for a particular brand of extension-cord, to ensure it can carry a full 14A over  feet? I don't want to cheap out, if it could set my apartment on fire. :P)


texts: Water dripping from basement ceiling during heavy rain

texts:
I would appreciate direction on investigating this water issue further:

I have had water dripping (from ceiling) during heavy rain , along inside wall of basement only on one side of the house. Fortunately, this is also not a chronic issue. It happened only during two spring/summer seasons in past 7 years.  Only after super heavy rain I saw this 3-5 times one year, and 1-2 time the next year spring. Dripping along the wall, stops after the heavy rain stops. For past two springs, it has been dry along that wall and now I am finishing the basement, so could use help on what preventive/investigative steps I could take before framing the inside wall. My plumber ruled out any water pipe leak. It is a 1950 cape in northeast, with poured concrete basement wall.

Visuals below:

The first image shows the stain on the wall from the ceiling, from water drippings. You can see the same basement window in the second image from an outside view. Since the basement ceiling is well over 18 inches above ground level, I ruled this out as collected ground water coming back in.

The second image is an outside view of the same basement window: The water dripping along inside wall is isolated to the right of this window, in this view.

The third image shows the full view of the outside wall, including the gutter & pipes on roof. I believe the gutters are fine, and water discharges about 21 feet away from the basement though a buried gutter extension. There is no other puddle or wet wall outside I could detect during rain.

I am suspecting the problem is some leakage around the flashing on the roof coming down alone inside of exterior wall, or some seepage along the cracks on the outdoor wood shingles.

Suggestions on other areas I could investigate, are very much appreciated. Right now I am think of calling a chimney professional to check flashings on the roof, as the next step to investigate.


texts: How do I wire my ceiling fan with two switches (one for lights the other for fan)?

texts:
So I am replacing my bedroom ceiling fan. I messed up and forgot to take a picture of the wiring. I know I screwed up, but now it is a learning opportunity. I am sure that electrical standards vary place to place I am in the United States specifically Michigan. Below is all the information I have.

The Ceiling Box:

So I have two sets of wires coming into the ceiling box. I tested them with a voltage tester. I also tested them flipping the switches. That had no effect. Not sure if that is normal or not.

One set has

White
Black - HOT
Ground

The other has

White
Black
Red
Copper

The Switches:

There are two separate light switches (they are not side-by-side as you'd expect, but are top and bottom and are about six inches or so apart. The top switch controls the fan and the bottom switch controls the lights.

The top has a set of wires coming into the switch box on the top and bottom:

Top of box:

White  --- Hooked to White on bottom AND to top of switch
Black  --- Hooked to bottom of switch.
Red    --- Hooked to Black on bottom
Copper --- Hooked to Copper from bottom

Bottom of box:

White  --- Hooked to White on top AND to top of switch
Black  --- Hooked to Red from top
Copper --- Hooked to Copper from top

The bottom switch has a set of wires coming in from the top that are:

Top of box:

White  --- Wired to bottom of switch
Black  --- Wired to top of switch
Copper --- Just in the box

The Fan:

The new fan has four wires and I know that the blue is the light:

White ---
Black ---
Blue  ---
Green --- Copper Ground Wire

The question is what wires from the ceiling box are hooked to what wires on the ceiling fan?


texts: How can I repair the structure of this floor?

texts:
I am working on a house that the concrete piers on the back side have tilted, and pulled the ledger board and header away from floor joists. this resulted in the floor joists dropping over about a 30 foot span.
so far we have fixed the water drainage issue causing the piers to tilt, we have raised the back side of the home and pulled the ledger and header back into position. the floor joists are now resting on the ledger board, but the joists lack around a half inch in certain spots from flushing up to the header.

the ledger is two 2x8 beams that have been nailed together, with the header being a 2x10 beam sitting on top of one of those ledger beams, like this (side view):

l         this is the header. this text is parallel to the floor joists.
ll        this is the ledger
lllll     this is the concrete pier

the people who built this home didn't use joist hangers; instead, they nailed ONE nail into the outside of the header going into the floor joists...

a couple of questions i need help with:

the ledger boards have separated in three spots from one another, up to 3/4 of an inch, probably due to our jacking and pulling in activities. Could I use bolts, and bolt them back together? Or should I sister another 2x8 along their length, and bolt all three together? this would add another 1.5 inches for the joists to rest on, so that seems like a better solution, but not sure. also by doing this, I am thinking maybe the extra board would apply pressure to the concrete piers and allow them to pull back to level.
Can I use joist hangers on the joists in the areas where it is still pulled away from the header board up to a half inch? There is not sag and the wood is all in good shape. Is there a problem with doing any of this?

I am not a carpenter by trade, my side is electrical, but I have framed out a few buildings in my time and I am very good with the tools needed.


texts: What trim material can be used around a 6" circular permanent hole in drywall?

texts:
I need to make a 6" circular hole in a wall that goes between a room and a walk-in closet for a portable air conditioning pipe.  It is in a basement and the pipe needs to be exposed spiral (like in a commercial application) because I don't have room for soffits (ceiling low + other space issues) and I want to be able to take it off for painting etc.  The framing is regular 2x4 studs.  So I would have a 6" hole on the room side sheet and one on the closet side.  I would prefer if it were not just a hole in drywall, however exactly cut, but if there was some sort of insert inside it that trims it nicely.

Any idea if there is a ready product like this or that can be ordered and, if not, how would I go about fabricating one?  Imagine a round window without the window glass part, just a hole trim.


texts:
Although I watched a few youtube videos to replace old facuet, but I still have no idea to deal with my case.

See the images.

From the bottom

And you can see the cold water and hot water connector are in the left and right. The middle one white plastic is for side spray.

I am not sure how to take off the set. Should I deal with the plastic one?
If I buy a new one, what should I buy?


texts:
I've an entryway with a 9 inch jamb.

I'm planning on buying a slab door and building a custom jamb.

Few questions :

What kind of wood is the best for exterior door jambs ?
How do I extend the threshold ? The one that comes with the door is made of aluminum.
Are there any potential issues I should watch out when building a custom jamb ?


texts: What type of pipe is this protruding through my floor?

texts:
Basically, we are renovating a house we have moved into and undoing countless bodge jobs. After removing the old system boiler hot water tank, we have found a large cap protruding out of the floor by about an inch. Once we remove the carpet from the bathroom (yep)I was wondering if there was anything I can do to either remove or conceal this lump of metal. I’m at a loss at identifying a seemingly random pipe that has been capped and I’m struggling to find ways to identify it.
It has a symbol with a circle inside of a diamond of that helps at all.


texts: Do I need to rip 1/4 of an inch off of my 2x8s to build box steps

texts:
I'm building box steps to go between the upper and lower portion of my deck. The total height difference from surface to surface is 24 inches. I'm planning to build the box out of 2x8s and use decking that is one inch thick.
To be even I need three steps of 8 inches per rise. Since the nominal height of the 2x8 is 7 and 1/4 inches, I would need to rip 1/4 inch off of the 2x8s. That is a lot of annoying finicky cutting that would be easy to get wrong or inconsistent.
Would I be okay not ripping the 2x8s and producing 2 steps that are 8 and 1/4 inches high, then one that is 7 and 1/2 inches high? Code says the max difference in steps should be no greater than 3/8ths, so I would be close...
Is there an alternative solution to ripping 2x8s that would serve me better?


texts:
As in this question about making box shelves, I am looking at making some shelves and need some help.  I've found this site describing how to make the shelves but need some pointers on what tools I need to be able to make the rabbet along the 2.5 meter shelf.

I was thinking of getting this router and these router bits with a rabbet bit but have some questions:

are these items up to the job?

if so, how would I change the size of the hole cut by the rabbet bit?

do I need any more items to be able to cut the rabbet?
do I need a work bench?

As you can see, I'm a complete novice so please assume I know nothing.  I don't really have a clue of what I'm doing, but I want to learn how to do this properly.

Any hints, tips or concrete pointers would be greatly appreciated.


texts: How do I wire up a saeco magic deluxe coffee grinder to be a standalone coffee grinder?

texts:
I would like to make a standalone coffee grinder by reusing the grinder in an old broken down Magic Deluxe Espresso machine. My electrical skills are pretty limited but I thought I'd find an appropriate dc adapter and solder up the wires to the grinder and maybe a add a switch. However I dont know how to determine the expected input of the grinder to choose the appropriate dc adapter. It is not printed on the side.

Can anyone tell me the voltage and amperage the grinder expects?


texts: How to change battery in garage door keypad?

texts:
One of the keys on the keypad for my garage door somehow got a key stuck temporarily and drained the battery.  That was easily fixed, but now I am trying to replace the battery. The pictogram seems pretty obvious as to what to do:

(for searchability it's a LiftMaster.  I don't know the exact model but it's one of 940CB, 976LM, and 376LM as these models apparently share this keypad.)
Just slide the bottom cover down and off and the battery will be underneath, right?  Except that try as I might I can't get the cover to budge! I have tried squeezing on the sides, pressing on the front, and even trying to wedge a flat head screwdriver on the slot on the sides and/or button while doing any of the above.  I have exerted all the force I dare to not break the plastic in the process!
There is no obvious issue like it being painted over, although the plastic kind of "feels" very slightly brittle, possible due to age.  It normally isn't directly exposed to the sun - it has a cover that flips up, although occasionally somebody forgets to put it back down.
How do I get the bottom cover off so I can change the battery?  Is there some kind of track on where to press or squeeze or something?


texts: Trying to identify who the manufacturer is of this window.  They have a (W) on the lock lever on the casement window


texts: I have had trouble running my furnace. It keeps cycling on and off when running. I had this valve set to open when running the furnace. But recently I closed it and it seemed to run longer without it shutting down. But I am worried it may cause damage if I do that. What does this valve do and is it ok to keep it closed or should it be open? Thank you for any help.


texts: Is DIY water softener feasible with my house layout?

texts:
I'm planning to finally deal with the hard water in my home. Before I get a plumber involved, I wanted to check if I could DIY the installation, so here I am.

The water main pipes and valves are exterior to the home adjacent to the garage. After that, the only pipes on the outside of the walls are on the opposite side of the garage as seen in the picture below when entering/exiting the water heater.

Am I able to turn off the main, cut into the inlet seen in the picture, redirect that to a water softener next to the water heater, and then feed the outlet of the water softener back into the water heater? Or am I stuck having to cut through drywall at a closer point to the main?

I'm also not sure what to do about draining the water softener because there's nothing nearby that could take it. There's no floor drain or egress from the garage. The closest thing would probably be the laundry drain lines behind the drywall near the attached picture.

Is it common to have to dig through walls to plumb for a water softener?


texts: How does one clean these filters after 6 months?

texts:
There's a great project on This Old House that uses 4x MERV 13 filters to purify the air on your house (even against covid-19 they say)
Question; When it has been running in your house for 6 months, how do you clean it out safely?


texts: Can I enclose my new boiler in a closet?

texts:
As part of a new residential boiler installation, two 6-inch ducts venting to the outside will be installed, one near the ceiling and one near the floor. They won't be attached to the boiler itself, as it's not the type of unit that takes direct venting. Just vents open to the room, but very close to the boiler and hot water heater.

The gas boiler and adjacent gas hot water heater are against one wall of a large space that is to be inside the thermal envelope of the house, but I think that lots of cold air will be entering through the new vents.

I want to build a closet around the furnace and water heater, and my question is: Should I seal it off and insulate it as much as possible, since it has it own source of outside air, or do I need a louvered door for some reason?

I'm pretty sure that with this amount of outside venting the right thing to do is to seal off the furnace. (There will be doors to allow access for maintenance.)


texts: Potential complications running data cables

texts:
I just got the idea to run cables through the walls to transmit data around the house. In particular, I was thinking of buying a few HDMI/RCA/Coax/Ethernet wall plates and installing them in a couple of different rooms so that we can, for example, plug in a blu-ray player in one room and have it output in another room. (Ideally, we'd be able to set up one room as the "hub" and use splitters to send the data to the other rooms, but one step at a time here)

Basically, the plate in one room should serve as an "input," while the plate in another room should serve as an "output." Of course the cables themselves don't care, but that would be the "rule" so to speak. In one room, you plug in something that makes a signal, but in the other room, you plug in something that uses that signal.

But with the device on the other end of the cable being in another room, it would be pretty easy to forget and accidentally hook up a blu-ray player to a PC, or a DVD player to a DVD player, or a TV to a TV.

So my question is, what happens in these cases:

HDMI out to HDMI out (eg blu-ray to blu-ray)
HDMI in to HDMI in (eg HDTV to HDTV)
RCA out to RCA out (eg DVD player to DVD player)
RCA in to RCA in (eg SDTV to SDTV)
Coax out to Coax out (eg VCR to VCR)
Coax in to Coax in (eg TV to TV)

Hopefully, in each of these cases, nothing bad happens (or nothing happens at all). But the older standards worry me a little bit. Would any of these situations result in damage to the devices, or are these standards "smart" enough to detect this kind of thing and react properly?

Sorry if this is more of an electronics question.

Thanks for any help.


texts: One outlet, two hots, one neutral, no power to the other outlets

texts:
Here it is my scenario:
All 120V outlets.
Several outlets and I don't know how they are wired between them.
Everything was working, but I decided to replace one outlet that was too old. This outlet was an old 2 prong outlet.
I opened this old 2 prong outlet, there were three wires connected to it.
After disconnecting the wires, used a voltage tester. Two are hot and one is neutral. Used a multimeter, and confirmed it reads 120V between each hot and neutral. There is no voltage between the two hots. Strange that one hot is painted the same color as the neutral (white) while the other hot is red. See picture, cables coming out in this order: hot white, hot red, neutral white.
I decided to simply put everything back in the same old 2 prong outlet just to simulate same installation. Installed the two hots on the same side and the neutral on the other side. I see that this old 2 prong outlet has no tabs separating the top and bottom outlets, that is, the two hots are now together. Unfortunately I did not take a picture of the original installation, but I guess there is no other way to install it, otherwise one of the hots would be connected to a neutral which is wrong.

The problem:
This outlet is working as it was before, however all other outlets in the apartment are not working.
The outlet box does not show any other wire that could have disconnected when I opened, everything looks good inside.

Any idea what caused the other outlets to stop working even though this one is working as before?

Thank you!


texts: Isn't supplying three phase power to regular retail customers UNSTABLE?

texts:
Some countries, outside the US, supply 3-Phase power direct to individual apartments (aka "flats") in highrise towers. [ Especially former UK colonies and the like, and also noted on this thread in some cases in US too: Why do I have three phase electricity? ].

Isn't this a very wrong thing to do from the point of view of stability of the grid supply, because the currents in the phases will be unbalanced, compared to running proper 3-phase equipment/loads which automatically balance the phases? After all, what is the individual apartment dweller supposed to do with each phase? All his/her appliances run on single phase. Balancing the phases would be nigh  impossible, precluding, of course, a wye-delta transformer for the whole apartment or house (let's ignore that possibility)!

Any thoughts?


texts: How do I wire a pull cord ceiling switch?

texts:
I'm replacing the bathroom extractor fan switch with a new one (the pull cord no longer works)

The new switch only has place for 4 wires - Neutral and Live (Supply and Feed) and the earth. I have 7 wires coming from the ceiling. 2 Blue, 2 Red and 2 Yellow (both with a red sleeve) and the earth wire.

Can I put the blue (N) together and the red (L) together? Where should the Yellow (red sleeve) wires go? In neutral or live (feed or supply)


texts: Connecting dishwasher to the waste disposal

texts: Can I connect my dishwasher drain directly to the waste disposal or do I have to connect the dishwasher drain to an air gap first?


texts: I have been having problems with partial power loss. one of the phases drops from 124 volts to 12 volts, sometimes for several minutes but also can last for an hour or more. I changed the main because it was old and wouldn't work right anyway. I am still having the same problems.


texts: What kind of lock is this, and how can I replace it?

texts:
This is the lock barrel from one of my window handles - the key jammed in it and when I pulled the key out, the barrel came with it. You can see on the photo where a small metal lug has snapped off, so presumably this was what was holding the barrel in the handle.

What is this type of lock barrel called, where can I buy a replacement in the UK, and how would I fit it when I get one?


texts: Help identify outdoor frost free faucet make & model

texts: My other outdoor frost-free faucet is a Mansfield 4000 series, but I have a difficult time trying to identify this other one.


texts: Notch rules or guidelines for steel studs (non-load bearing)

texts:
I'm trying to figure out what kind of notches (if any) are allowed in steel studs used for non-load bearing walls (for a finished room in a basement). IRC 2009 section 603 indicates that no notches are allowed in the flange or lips:

  R603.3.4 Cutting and notching. Flanges and lips of cold-formed steel studs and headers shall not be cut or notched.

However, that entire section appears to only address load bearing walls:

  R603.1.1 Applicability limits. The provisions of this section shall control the construction of exterior cold-formed steel wall framing and interior load-bearing cold-formed steel wall framing

Thus, I can't seem to find any rules or guidelines for non load-bearing walls (unless I am misinterpreting it). Does any such rule or guideline exist?


texts: How can I stop the icemaker on a GE fridge from overflowing water?

texts:
I have a French door stainless steel GE fridge made by Samsung. The water overflows or splashes out of the icemaker andd then freezes in the ice compartment under the bucket, making it impossible to get out without thawing it. This is an icemaker in the upper left corner of the refrigerator compartment. I  have leveled the unit and I have replaced the water solenoid valve because I thought it might be sticking on and letting in too much water.

Is there a time adjustment for how long to let the water run? Is it dependent on my water pressure? This fridge worked fine for a couple of years but then started doing this. Link to this model

I asked this question about it a little over a year ago:
Previous question


texts: How can I repair a big gash in my kitchen floor?

texts:
How can I repair this big gash in kitchen floor (I can see wood)

I was cleaning my kitchen floor, and moved the fridge out of the way. Problem is we have our microwave on it with a short cord. Microwave fell and left a big gash in the kitchen floor of our rental apartment. I was wondering what our options would be for repair?


texts: What qualifying questions should you ask a paving company before hiring them?

texts:
I need to hire a paving company to redo my driveway, and I want to make sure I qualify the scope of work they'll be performing.

I live in New England, so subject to freeze/thaw cycles. The driveway is single wide about 150' long, with approximately an 8-10 degree rise as it approaches the house, but flat with no natural grading for the majority of its length.

The original paving company that was used when the house was constructed did an insufficient job - thin asphalt (about 1.5") on top of soft sand, as such, it had already deteriorated by the time I purchased the house, and it was damaged heavily by fuel delivery trucks in the Spring.

What are qualifying questions to ask about the scope of work?


texts:
We found out after buying the house, when sanding the floors, that it’s uneven. We looked in basement to find out that there is wood pending between the joints.
Is this normal for house built in 1960?
We also noticed other cracks and nail pops all over the house, walls looking like it’s separated on ceiling ceiling and walls over the house. So disappointed for our first dream home.
What is that and is it normal we knew that the house had leaks but is was fixed by changing the roof.

What are those 2 small PCs between the joists?


texts: How can I insulate a basement wall that has 1x1 framing installed on it?

texts:
It is freezing in my basement so I decided to re-insulate my daughter's bedroom. I removed the old paneling walls to find that it wasn't insulated! There was a water barrier and a heat shield.  My problem now is winter is almost here and the framing is 1x1's. I don't have the money to redo the framing. Do I use rigid foam board cut to size to fit the holes and spray insulation around that and cover with water barrier?  Can I just spray insulation all over and cover with dry wall?

Please tell me there is something I can do, without having to take down the frame. I am taking about the outer wall and I live in Quebec Canada so it gets pretty cold.


texts: How can I repair a leak in my anti-siphon spigot?

texts:
My outside hose pressure relief valve leaks when the water is on. It comes out near the top of the valve where it connects to the facet.

I have been unable to remove it, the set screw is shot after 18 years, I can turn it about 3/4 of a turn and that is it.

Any secrets for a quick fix without having to replace the facet.