texts: Questions after a test-run grout replacement

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I have very little experience with this sort of thing, so after reading and watching you-tube videos I attempted a test patch - a 3 tile wide, 1.5 tile deep section (these are 12" floor tiles).  And now, I have questions…

Removing the old grout

I purchased a hand grout saw for the test patch. My grout lines are 1/4", so the saw is significantly narrower.  I tried to cover all areas but kept finding myself with tiny parallel ruts.  I finally resorted to running the saw at a slight angle.  This helped, and did not seem to be damaging the tile, but I never saw any recommendations to do this so I'm wondering if it was a bad idea?

I also wasn't sure how much of the old grout to remove.  I basically just got the dirty layer off.

For the whole big job I plan to use a Dremel;  there are two different types of blades for this, one that's basically a powered version of the hand saw and another that uses a bit that can be set to a particular depth. Is one more appropriate than the other for this job? And can I expect to have less trouble taking the old grout off evenly?

The grout

I have a feeling that my grout choice was too sophisticated for me. :)  I used TEC Power Grout RTU, which is a premixed sanded grout that doesn't need sealing.  It sounded perfect.  However, in reality it was very thick, nothing like the wet mud texture I saw in all those videos.  I got it spread but it required quite a bit of elbow grease and was very difficult to get smooth.

The original grout, at least according to the builder, was TEC sanded powder grout, which I would have to order from Lowes.  I had thought that using the premixed stuff would protect me against having mixed it incorrectly, but now I'm not so sure.

EDIT - I returned the grout I had bought (I have to give Lowe's credit for allowing this, since I had used some) and ordered a bag of the same brand and color of powdered grout that the builder says they used.  This should help with the amount of effort it took to get it spread.

The application

As I said, the grout fought me every step of the way.  It rolled up into balls, it stuck more firmly to the rubber float than to the floor, and was just generally aggravating.  However, I did finally get it to go where it belonged.  The exception was the edges, where the grout line met the wall or the cabinet.  It was impossible to move diagonally over the line in those places, which is essential to working with this stuff.  Is there a trick to getting the edges right?

The cleanup

This was the smoothest part of the process, but I did notice that by the time I got the tiles clean there were obvious places in the grout lines where it was not applied thickly enough. I don't know if this was an application failure that I didn't notice because of the covering of grout everywhere (even after scraping with the float at 90 degrees) or if I was actually wiping away some of the product.  Either way, I didn't know if it was ok to apply more with the surfaces wet, so I left it alone.

This was only a test, and I fully expected to have to remove this grout and replace it, so I have already succeeded no matter how it looks.  But I think I am going to have to get a different grout - the color was much whiter on the floor than in the tub or brochure, even though it's supposed to dry the same color, so we'll see.  Right now it is too white for the tiles.

EDIT - having changed the grout, I have one further question.  The grout I will be using is TEC AccuColor Sanded Grout.  Their website describes this as a "polymer-enhanced portland cement grout" but doesn't say anything one way or the other about whether it needs to be sealed as an additional step.  I think that the polymer-enhancement means it does not, but can anyone confirm that?

So - there's my tale, I'm hoping those with more experience than I can make some suggestions on how to make it go better the next time!


texts: Drafts pulled into house when furnace blower turns on

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This is my first winter in this rental home. Our furnace is in a utility closet that is accessible only from the outside of the home. The home is a rambler with a crawlspace and all of the ductwork to the vents is in the crawlspace (almost all the registers are on the floor). The "cold" air return is in the ceiling of the central hallway. I've never seen a return in a ceiling, but to each his own.

The mystery is that every time the furnace turns on, it pulls cold drafts from every imaginable crack or crevice in the house. For example, if you put your hand next to the door sill, then the moment the blower turns on, a strong draft of cold air starts coming in. This seems to be true in every room, including the utility closed where the furnace is located.

What is causing this low pressure vacuum and how can I fix it?


texts: I have 5 outlets in my kitchen. 3 are out. I reset the main breaker. Still no luck for the 3. Do I need to call an electrician?


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So this is a question that's been asked a lot, but reading individualized responses is creating confusion for me, not answers.  I have a detached garage with existing power, and I have added a few items to the circuit.  Because I don't know what the original design of the circuit was, I'd like to remove the additions and add my own dedicated circuits to operate what I need.

I will leave the 1/2 hp garage door opener, the single bare bulb light fixture (although I could remove this with no stress on me) and the two duplex receptacles on their original circuit.

I have only three empty slots in my main breaker box and will run 12/3 wire about 200 feet to my garage (unless suggested to do otherwise.)

What I'd like to power is:

6 four foot florescent light fixtures, two T8 bulbs each will be switching to LEDs as budget allows, on a switch near the entry door.
8 LED recessed lighting fixtures in the eaves of the garage, with one motion detecting flood light out front, dusk to dawn switched in the house and the garage.
8 receptacles that will be responsible for powering:
3 to 4 power tool rechargeable battery chargers that may or may not be used at the same time.  a 7" power saw, a 12" miter saw, a 10" table saw and eventually a light to medium duty MIG welder (110 v) and a 2.5 hp air compressor with intermittent auto start, a bench grinder, a shop vac, and assorted hand tools, grinders/drills/soldering irons/routers etc.

The power tools (with the exception of the chargers) won't be used at the same time, I only have 2 hands.  But I can envision using the big saw and having the compressor kick on. I obviously don't want to suddenly be working in the dark, or to burn my garage down.

What should I run from the main breaker box to the garage?  Should I install a sub panel?  What size breakers for each circuit?  All three circuits now, or two with future expansion?  How would you design the circuits to accomplish what I want to do?

I understand, ahead of time, that the absolute best way to do this would be to hire a reputable electrician, but I am a big time DIYer, and would like to learn as I go.  I also understand that I am only asking for advice from experienced folks, and am still responsible for making my own decisions, and facing any potential consequences....

To be more specific, I have a GE 200 amp main box on the outside of my house, say street west side.  The detached garage (attached by a breezeway roof overhang) is in the back yard east side.  I stepped it off and being pretty liberal came up with a 167 foot run.  The plan is (until advised otherwise) to run a conduit from the main box up to the attic, through the attic and the breezeway connector to the garage.  My local code prohibits aluminum wire, so suddenly my small project just became a major expenditure and overhaul.  The three empty slots in the main are randomly placed, I would have to relocate one double pole one position upwards to gain two adjacent slots for an additional double pole.  I researched and simply muddied my own waters.  Went looking for answers, and came back with more questions.

As you can see from this very, very rough sketch, burying the feeder wire is not an option.  The solid black line between the two buildings represents the breezeway which connects the two, and through which the existing wire is run, down from the attic to the first story ceiling and through the connecting run.  I priced some 2/2/2/4 for the feeder and holy COW, I think I need a copper mine of my own.

Anyway, those are the distance specs, with the same power tool toys as described above.  Still--any suggestions?


texts: What is the best way to add new stud framing above fireplace and tie it into existing framing?

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I've purchased a 55" TV and a pull-down mount to put over my fireplace so I can pull the TV down when in use and guests won't have to crane their necks. This is the overall layout of my fireplace and room (please forgive my amateur SketchUp mock):

Unfortunately, the drywall above the fireplace is attached directly to the brick with no studs in between. I understand that some mounts can be mounted to masonry, but with the additional force from the pull-down mount, I'm not comfortable with this solution (and neither is the manufacture).

So instead, I'm using this predicament as an opportunity to build a fireplace surround, and bump out the area above the fireplace with a new stud wall in front of the existing drywall. Sort of like this (sorry, SketchUp merged my studs together; the outer full-height studs are meant to be king studs with jack studs nailed to them, and a 2x4 "sill" connecting them on top of the jack stud):

The bottom of the king/jack studs will be hidden by the fireplace surround. There are studs on either side of the fireplace, which I was thinking I would attach the new king/jack studs to. I would drywall the area above the surround for a finished look.

Here are my concerns/questions I'm hoping you can help me out with:

Am I overthinking this? Should I just build a framed box like this and attach it to the studs on either side of the fireplace? Will this be strong enough for a pull down mount and TV, if my new framing is only attached to studs on either side with bolts?
How would I go about attaching a new stud wall adjacent to an existing stud wall, anyway? I have a stud behind the drywall, skinny side facing the drywall backing of course, then drywall, then a new stud oriented the same way... do I somehow run a bolt through all 7+" of material??
Do I need to cut away the drywall/ceiling to build this new stud wall, or can I attach it to the joists/studs through the drywall?

Thank you in advance for any help you can offer!


texts: Do I need to install a local ground point for a secondary consumer unit in my shed?

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I've just installed outdoor sockets on the side of my brick shed, where previously we just had a double socket inside the shed itself. The original socket in the shed is on a spur from the ring main for the downstairs sockets. This is hooked up to a breaker in the main consumer unit in our basement.

Instead of just splicing that spur into two for the shed socket and outdoor socket, I installed a secondary consumer unit in the socket's old location and ran the shed socket and outdoor socket from that, on separate breakers.

The new consumer unit has an external screw terminal for attaching a ground point. The manual mentions that it is an optional feature. I do have a clad copper water pipe going through my shed, to which I could potentially attach a grounding strap, but I'd rather avoid doing so if possible because it's not really near the consumer unit (it's about 4ft away) and the area around the pipe is currently inhabited by an annoyingly large and confident spider. I'm pretty sure she's been eating the others and I am not a fan.

Everything currently works. I've verified ground continuity all the way from the incoming feed to the outdoor sockets. I'm just not sure if I need the additional ground connection. Must I face the spider, or can I shy away from battle?


texts: Snake drain gun vs compressed gas drain gun vs liquid - which is better for what?

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I borrowed a powered snake style drain gun for some toilets and shower stalls, from an HVAC guy who said that liquid drain cleaners were next to useless. The short version is that the drain cleaner succeeded where the snake gun failed. After a while, I took a look online and saw some pneumatic drain guns powered by BB-gun style CO2 cartridges. Are any of these better than any other? If not, are any of these more appropriate to domestic drains?

Clearly I would prefer not to add liquid drain cleaner, containing god-knows-what-all, to the municipal water supply even though I know the manufacturer and the city say it's safe. The only thing I haven't tried yet is the pneumatic gun. Can it replace liquid drain cleaner?


texts: All fixtures (2 lights, 2 receptacles, 1 exhaust fan) blink, then turn off. Neither circuit breaker nor GFCI kick off. Wire = 12/2 w Ground.


texts: My 3 inch by 9 grade 316 stainless steel deck screws are breaking

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These are self-tapping screws, meaning that I don't have to drill a pilot hole, but I have broken 3 of them already and I think a pilot hole would help, or maybe a stronger screw.
It seems to break if there is a knothole in the wood or just a harder spot in the wood.
Can anyone recommend a strong stainless steel 3 inch screw that is self-tapping and strong? Would a #10 be better than a #9? Should I just pre-drill with a 1/8 inch drill bit?
I'm using an impact driver (Dewalt XR) and I use it on the middle setting (setting 2 where 3 is max and 1 is for light screwing).
Also, I have no clue about the best way to get the broken screw out (it's just a stub sticking out of the board). Any recommendations for getting the broken screw out?
Thanks!
David


texts: My chimney damper does not open. I bought the house last year so have never used it before. Any suggestions on how to get it unstuck? Note that the damper cable DOES move from one side to the other but it just does nothing to open the damper. Looking at it, I can't even tell how this is supposed to work.


texts: Should I get a condensing boiler or atmospheric boiler for cast iron radiator system

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I am looking to replace the boiler as part of a basement reno. The house was built in 1903 and has cast iron hot water radiators but we've done a fair amount of work to it, added insulation and have all new windows.
The current system is an old boiler from the 50s with hot a water tank. We have big old pipes in the basement which we are removing, which I've been told was because the system originally operated using gravity but has since had pumps added.
I have been given different opinions from different plumbers. One plumber thinks we should stick completely to the atmospheric system with hot water tank and would not put anything else. Another said we could using a wall hung condensing boiler with 4 zones, one for each floor including basement. This would be a little more expensive but means we could relocate the boiler away from the chimney because its side vented.
I'm not really worried about the cost, but want to choose the right setup for our house. Is there any reason to stick with the atmospheric over the higher efficiency condensing boiler?


texts: Can I use a two-pole single handle breaker for mwbc?

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I have a mwbc with two 20A breakers with their handles clipped for common trip.

Can I replace this ensemble with a single two-pole 20A breaker with just one handle?

New panel in CA.

I'm unsure whether the single handle will trip if the sum over both hot lines is 20A, versus the current setup will allow 20A on each hot line.

I suspect I can because if this were not a mwbc but 240v the breaker would tolerate 20A on each hot leg.


texts: I want to add a ceiling light in my garage which already has 3 light bulbs wired. The plastic box and light bulb fixture have no screw or other place for ground. My romex has hot, neutral and ground wires. Should I just tape the ground wire in my new box and let it float (ie. unconnected)?


texts: Is it possible to increase CRI of LED lights/strips by using different ones together?

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Several spectrometer-measurements of CRI of LEDs are available online such as for LED panels and for various LED bulbs and they show how the CRI value can hide serious issues with colour rendition. Reds and cyans are often the weakest colors (sometimes they are not lit at all, they would appear grey).

Would it be possible to couple a white LED bulb or strip with a properly dimmed red LED bulb/strip to compensate? Cyans would still be weak, but the issue is mostly with reds (and cyans are less common than reds in everyday life, think about skin, lips, blood, ...) and it could improve.


texts:
I'm trying to mount a TV in my basement. House was built in the 60's, and the basement used to be a bomb shelter, from what I've been told, but most of the cinderblock walls were taken out. I'm trying to mount my TV on the wall, and when I drill in, I drill through the drywall, before hitting a hard spot. With a wood drill bit, I can apply extra force, and it will force in, but soon after, I hit a hollow area. I can't get lag bolts to tighten, as they start to go in somewhat tight but eventually I start feeling a grinding sensation and they end up getting loose before they are fully in.

Am I drilling into old Cinder block? It doesn't feel like the hard area I'm drilling in is very thick... maybe 1/2-3/4 of an inch, which seems too thin to be a cinder block. TV is ~70 pounds, am I safe to mount it there? Should I use anchors? One side of the TV will be mounted into a standard wood stud, so will that likely provide enough support?


texts: How can I add a wedge to a U-haul ramp to avoid the step down from the truck bed?

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Sometimes, I use U-Haul trucks that have a loading ramp that comes out of a slot in the bed of the truck.

The problem is that because it is coming out of the slot, the ramp is about 2 inches below the bed of the truck, so when I use a dolly to move freight out of the truck, it drops down that 2" and jars the freight. Also, if one wheel drops before the other, it can actually unbalance the whole load and threaten to overturn the entire set of boxes. A few times I have almost had a stack of heavy boxes fall off the ramp because of this.

I would like to somehow construct a wedge (shown in green below) that would eliminate this 2" drop off from the bed of the truck. There are two main problems: (1) how to make the wedge itself, and (2) how to fasten it to the ramp securely so that it stays in place.

Note that I typically rent trucks only for a morning or for one day at most, so it has to be something easy to attach and detach from the ramp.


texts: Duct tape and painter's tape to cover baseboard heater

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I am having an issue of beetles and centipedes entering my apartment from under my baseboard (length of room) radiator via cracks in the foundation. Landlord is not able to send anyone out for a few days yet.

If I cover the vents with painter's tape and duct tape, and the heater accidentally kicks on (if temp drops too low, my thermostat does NOT have a switch, all I can do is turn the dial down to like 35 deg F), would it be dangerous? I.E., fumes?

Backstory is long but this is something I may need to do till an exterminator comes out later in the week and treats the patch of grass on the property.

My internet research has yielded ambiguous results.

Thanks all.


texts: What is the typical (N.American/ UK) cost difference between greenfield installation of hot water heating and warm air (HVAC) ducting?

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I am in a situation now where I am having to choose between hydronic heat distribution and forced warm air heating.

There are many factors to evaluate and this question is not about the plusses and minuses of forced air heating/cooling vs hot water pipes and radiators.

For a reasonable sized home for a family of four, well insulated to low energy loss (not passive), what  is the usual difference between the cost of the piping/radiators/installation (water) vs cost of ducting and venting (air)?

Are there differences in the types of duct? I notice some websites show rectangular ducts, some circular, sometime different materials it seems.

From what I have seen so far, the air ducting system looks like it could be much cheaper, as rectangular ducts can be run around the ceiling to avoid space loss, masked as beams, or installed in a suspended ceiling (which I might end up having anyway).

Any advice much appreciated!

UPDATE:
The system would not include A/C at this point but might be added in the future.
We are told warm air heating would make things dusty without filters, so some kind of dust protection would be good, though HEPA filters and anti-allergy not necessary.
Recuperation would be good.
Suspended ceilings would most likely be in place.
There would be 2 showers and one bath with possibly 2 showers in operation simultaneously. There would be a dishwasher and other appliances that might need hot water.
Energy source most likely mains gas with possibility of heat pumps.
Wood burner also an option.
Construction/recon here not of the best quality, will need to expect thermal bridges and mould build up.
Temperatures range from -30C to +40C around the year.
Low noise essential - eg: Bosch hydronic air handler, recuperation with heating, low noise fans etc


texts:
I bought this house a few years ago, built in 1926. Not long ago, what was a slight crack in the porch became much bigger when the concrete gave way. Now I have a serious safety situation and haven't let people on the porch since. This slab sits on block foundation in the front of the house. I have had a couple of 'contractors' give me some ideas on how to remedy the situation:

Cut around the perimeter, knock the existing concrete into the center, fill with gravel and pour a new top.
Fill will gravel and patch existing damage.
Jack up some beams from underneath to brace the existing slab and then patch.
Cut the perimeter, bust out the existing concrete, Dig some footers and put a decking material on top.

I am really not sure of the pros/cons of any of these, but I am looking for a cost effective solution. I need to sell this house soon (family is expanding) and definitely don't want to be turning buyers away before they even step in the door.


texts: Will an existing 10-3 w/ground electrical wire handle a 50 amp 220 volt welder?

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I am wondering if my current electric service wiring can handle a welder.  The welder documentation recommends a 50 amp breaker on a 220 v line.

Currently I have a 60 amp breaker on a 220 line going to a separate garage.  I presume this was installed by the electrician who wired the house 10 years ago but I am the third owner so this is not for certain.  The 10-3 w/ ground wiring (not in conduit) to the garage is approximately 60 feet long or less.  It doesn't seem right that this has a 60 amp breaker but I'm not familiar with 220 v lines.  On 110 v I believe this should be a 30 amp breaker max.

There are 2 unused 20 amp 110 v circuits in the garage.  I have two configurations that I can run after removing the unused circuits. One is to run another 40 feet to get to a double garage door and the other is to put a 220 outlet right by the current box which would be a bit restrictive.  I haven't found the nec code that specifies what size wire I need for a 220 v 50 amp draw.


texts: Moved here a few months ago and the heat pump is junk. It has a 100 amp breaker out of the main box. Thought about putting in a sub panel off of this breaker. Looked at the wire and it is a 3 wire (hot hot ground) and not a 4 wire (hot hot neutral ground). Not a pro sorry for the weird wording. Would I just connect the 2 hots to the sub and the ground to the bar and that's it or would this be a problem?


texts: Is it against code to have the thermostatic valve outside the wall?

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We're doing a bathroom renovation and I'd like to install a Grohe brand thermostatic valve instead of the "giant circle with a spout" typical in American bathrooms.

This product has anti-scalding features required by code (you control the temperature by adjusting the lever on the left). The lever on the right is for the diverter.
To install this, we'll rough-in two pipes, a hot and cold. This means that unlike installing a Moen valve, the valve will exist outside the wall.
Product data also has this:

Applicable Codes & Standards:
• Energy Policy Act of 1992
• ASME A112.18.1/CSA B125.1
• ICC/ANSI A117.1

Do you fellas think an inspector will have a problem with this? I'm in WA. Many thanks


texts: ecobee3 Installation - Thermostat Y Terminal (yellow) Wire Connects to C Terminal Board

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enter image description hereI'm attempting to install a new ecobee3 on an older Coleman Evcon gas furnace and AC HVAC system. The system is what I would consider typical residential as far as I can see. There is currently a Honeywell RTH2410B1001 programmable stat installed and (seemingly) functioning as expected. The wiring at the thermostat is the typical Y R G W wiring (actual wire colors also match the terminal label designation).

When I went to install the ecobee3 PEK module, I noticed that the yellow wire (the thermostat Y terminal) is connected directly to the HVAC control board C terminal, and the control board Y terminal is empty. The other wires (R, G, W) are as expected.

I'm not sure what to do at this point. I'm reluctant to simply follow ecobee's instructions (waiting for their support to call me back with with more information) for connecting the PEK module wires to the corresponding control board terminals, and then plugging in the stat wires to the terminal board on the PEK module based on the thermostat wiring (essentially ignoring the fact that Y -> C).  Also, I just don't understand how the AC compressor relay is energized and functions if the Y stat terminal is sent straight to common. (I found the splice up in the drop ceiling between Y and the AC compressor relay).

Any help anyone could provide would be much appreciated.


texts:
My patio covered with slate has sunk a little, as indicated by the bowed line on the left. The patio is up on the level indicated by the arrow in the image on the right.

My question is: if I were to have the slate reset, is it just going to start sinking again? It seems that because of its location, there is some erosion issue that would need to be addressed first. Or is this something that happens no matter what?


texts: Is a distribution panel necessary when pre-wiring for internet and cable TV?

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I am trying to pre-wire my house for internet and cable/satellite TV before finishing my basement. After researching, I got the idea to run CAT5e and RG6 wires from outdoor to the TV outlet.
One article was referring to a distribution panel to be put near the electric panel. Is this necessary and what does it do? And what should I be asking for in hardware shop?
Am not looking for high end home automation system, just DSL internet and Cable/Satellite TV. So that once I dry wall and finish the house, Service providers doesn't have to drill holes and run wires. Just hook it up at the outdoor and be done with it.
The suggested question doesn't answer my question. It talks about putting up conduit for additional wires in future. Am asking about the distribution panel for network cables.


texts: Is this a properly done aggregate courtyard

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A restoration company came out to repair our aggregate courtyard that they damaged while working on our home at their cost (which they should). We also had them extend the courtyard up to the front door because the original home had a different pea gravel finish from the courtyard and didn’t look right. The portion of the porch we had agreed to pay extra for them to do but haven't paid them yet and I question whether this whole project was done right.

The existing courtyard was ~20 years old so I don’t have the expectation that they could make it exactly match but this doesn’t even look close. Ideally I thought there would be more stones showing. When I asked one of the workers he said it was because they didn’t put on the retardier right away and that they had waiting 2 hours to spray it. He said the new stuff they used no one read the directions or used before and realized it needed to be added right after the courtyard was poured. They did cover the concrete with plastic after they were done and the temperature here in NM was in the 90s during the day.  I watched what they were doing off and on and it seemed like stuff I had read on how to do aggregate. They poured it, treated it with retarder, covered it with plastic and then the next day basically they tried to pressure washer the cream to see stones and it didn’t really come off. Nothing really came off. So then they were forced to use grinders, water and brooms for the next 4 days to even make some of the stones show. I am including some pictures. The one with two different types of aggregate is the existing and the new.

Since I don’t have any comparison of what a new one looked like or if anything these guys are telling me is accurate or true,  I wanted to see what people think and if some unbiased experts can weigh in. Thank you.


texts: Is it possible that this vent is connected to the toilet drain and not to the stack?

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In the picture below I was told that in fact the yellow segment that you see at the bottom of the grey vent in actually connected to the toilet drain and not to the soil stack as depicted
I have seen diagrams where there was no vent there. My intention is to cut out the pipe as indicated in the diagram by the red arrows and to rebuild as described by the diagram. I am planning to leave the yellow piece in the ground and cap it and use it as an alternate clean out


texts: Need to add a GFCI outlet to an existing furnace circuit

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I need to install a GFCI receptacle in my unfinished basement for the new power-vented hot water heater that I had installed. The plumber said I could use the existing furnace circuit. I mapped out the circuit but am unsure as to how I should wire this up. Can someone take a look at the attached drawing and tell me how the new receptacle should be wired? Ideally, the switch would in the middle of one of the two 12/2 runs at the top of the diagram, because this is what I have easiest access to. (It would be much more difficult for me to mess around with the junction box because it is in a cramped location. Thanks.

Note that the switch at the top right is the "Emergency furnace shut off" switch in the kitchen, and the switch on the bottom is the one that is attached to the side of the furnace.


texts: Can a 240V light fixture be used in the US with a 120V light bulb?

texts: The title is pretty much my entire question. If I order a 240V lamp from Europe that takes removable light bulbs, can I simply use a 120V light bulb? I understand that I would change the plug for a plug-in light, but this particular question is for a hard-wired lamp.


texts: Is a roofing delivery truck likely to crack my driveway slab?

texts: I am having shingles delivered. The truck weighs 62,000 lbs, will this crack my concrete slab driveway?  Also, they plan on a dump truck in the driveway to throw shingles from the roof. I am not sure what weight the dump truck is.


texts: Why is it good practice to remove sheathing from NM wire when going through conduit?

texts:
I've been discussing specifics of an electrical job with a licensed electrician and he mentioned that in my area, it's acceptable/recommended to feed 12 gauge NM wire through an outdoor conduit but that the PVC sheathing SHOULD be removed if the wiring is going to travel through more than 6 feet of conduit.

This doesn't make sense to me. How/why would that be better than keeping sheathing on through the conduit run? Condensation?


texts:
I have a new house, and the garage shares a wall with an interior wall... trying to hang a pull up bar on it, so I need to find the studs.  I took pictures of the house as it was being built, but all of the earliest ones show the garage wall covered in plywood.

On top of the plywood is a layer of drywall.  I tried using the Zircon i520 but it fails to pick up anything, except right around the tape joints.  My magnetic stud finder shows a couple of hits within 1/4" of each other at the same spot at the Zircon, so I drilled three test holes around the area and only managed to hit nothing.

Is there anything I can do to make this possible?  Strangely, I stuck a screwdriver in the hole that I had drilled and it went in 7" until the insulation started to make that difficult.  I thought that the studs were only 3.5" deep.


texts: How would you build a well cover for a dug well?

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The well is about 3 foot square, made out of cinder blocks.  The blocks stick up out of the ground about 1 foot. I want something simple and light to keep rain, dirt, animals out. The well is in heavy forested area.

The asphalt roofing material was disintegrated and now disposed of.  A tarp is over the well temporarily.  This well is not used for potable water.


texts: How much should replacing septic tank lids cost, and what is involved?

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My wife and I may be possibly buying a house with a septic tank.  We had it inspected and the report showed that the tank was in good condition however the "tank lids" would need to be replaced.

I'm going to call around to get prices for service however I was hoping to have a ballpark figure so I know what I would be getting myself into... can someone provide me with some estimated costs? Are we talking hundreds of dollars here? Thousands of dollars?

In addition, how complicated of a process is it to replace the lids?


texts: How do I handle baffles at the corners on a hip roof?

texts: What do the energy pros do here in the corner of a hip roof? I don't have enough room to install a baffle. I want to install insulation here, so I'm not sure if I would run into problems with moisture if I were to just block off the air space between roof and wall sheathing


texts:
I've got a metal ceiling light chandelier thing which takes 4*G9 bulbs.  I recently replaced the halogens with LEDs (specifically, http://ecotradeuk.co.uk/index.php/product/lumilife-5-watt-g9-led-bulb/)

The weird thing is, when the lights are switched off, the LEDs emit a very soft glow (but the Halogens didn't).  Does that mean something is wrong with my wiring?

I'm in the UK, and the light is serviced by 2 switches.  Also, if I turn off the main circuit breaker for the lighting, they do stop glowing.


texts: 240 volt outlet powered by two insulated wires and one bare ground wire

texts:
I have a 240v radial arm saw powered by a 240v outlet installed by a licensed electrician. This outlet is powered by 2 20 amp breakers ganged at the panel. The wire to the 240v outlet only has 3 wires. 2 are insulated (white and grey) and the third is a bare ground wire. There are 120v between each insulated wire and the bare ground wire. Can I add a 120v outlet by splicing it to
one of the insulated wires and the bare ground wire or is this unsafe because I actually need an insulated neutral wire plus the bare copper ground wire?


texts: How can I repair my two sloping concrete slabs?

texts:
I have a home I'm working on that has been in the family for a while. I have  two slabs ,one where the original home was built and another where it was added on.

The two slabs run the entire length of the backside of the home and butt up against each other. The add on section is level up until about the last 10 feet where it slops down (facing back) The original slab also have issues but it more of a hill and valley affect on the same 10 ft or so.

At the highest and lowest I would say there is at least 2" rise from the valley but it is a gradual rise.

Any ideas on a fix for something this bad?


texts: Bathroom exhaust fan turn on with light or independent switch

texts: I have two toggle switches, one for the bathroom light and one for the exhaust fan to operate independantly.  Each has it's own 14-2 wire run to it from the switch.  I want the fan to come on always with the light (which it does not now) but also keep the ability to turn on the fan and let it run longer with the lights off (use it independantly).  Is there some way to wire this or use 3-way switches to accomplish it as the kids do not always turn on the fan when showering...


texts:
I am running a line to the garage to replace the existing one.

The garage has two standard lights, two LED motion detector lights, 2 quad (4 places to plug in) electrical outlets, 4 double electrical outlets (2 places to plug in).  The garage is not insulated, nor heated and I run a Rigid table, Mastercraft mitre/radial arm saw, charge various batteries for yard equipment, and a quarter size beer fridge (warm months only).

I am installing a 20A breaker (two pole, I think it is rated 240V) on the main panel, running 12/3 awg (2 hots, I neutral, 1 ground) to the garage.  I do not run anything requiring 220/240v, nor do I want it.  I am installing a small panel in the garage with two 20A breakers in it.  This panel says 70A, it is a Homeline (CHOM24L70SCP).    Does this setup sound right?  Safe?


texts: Maytag Bravos Quiet Series dryer belt size

texts:
I need to replace the belt on my Maytag Bravos Quiet Series 300.
In my search it seems that the replacement belt is 92 1/4 inch length and 1/4 inch width.
This belt (I bought two that size from Lowes's) seem to be too short to fit over the tension and motor pullies.
I had previously purchased a kit to replace the rollers and belt.   I've looked back at that order and it lists the belt in the kit as 93.6L.  I am unable to find any similar belts for purchase.
Has anyone else had experience with changing belts on this model?


texts: Exhaust vents exiting outside next to each other

texts: Is there any code that requires exhaust vents specifically for bathroom, Kitchen hood, and clothes dryer to terminate ‘x’ distance apart? For instance, placing these three exhaust exits on the same exterior wall 2 inches apart.


texts: Troubleshooting bandsaw cutting at an angle (through aluminum)

texts:
I occasionally use (or abuse) a small tabletop band saw to rough cut aluminum plate. I generally having a lot of success and have been able to cut half inch thick plate without any problem using 6 to 10 tpi wood cutting blades.

This weekend I tried cutting some more aluminum and could not get the saw to cut a straight line. The saw wanted to cut at about a 20 degree angle off of straight and no matter how much I tried, I couldn't follow my line. I then tried a thinner (1/8 in.) piece of aluminum and didn't have any trouble at all. I went back to the half inch thick piece and again couldn't cut a straight line.

What would cause this? Is this a blade problem or a tension problem or what? I'm not a band saw expert, but I tried adjusting the saw with no luck. The guides all seem to be in the right place so I think the issue is something else.


texts: What can I do if my toilet bowl fills with water, but doesn't actually flush?

texts: Instead of actually flushing (or pushing) the water down the drain, it just fills with water and drains out over the course of a few minutes. Anything liquid will drain out but nothing else (not even toilet paper). I want to know if there is something in the back of the toilet that I can adjust, because it seems like it doesn't even try to flush anything away.


texts: Furnace wont produce heat. Thermostat is brand new. It Will work fine for a minute then heat come on go right back off. Can't find where filter goes house is old and vents are dirty I thought it's the filter but filter is new. Tired of feeling cold air instead of heat.


texts: We currently have a single pipe steam heat system. We've had a couple of plumbers in to give us estimates on recessing our exposed radiators. Neither of them seemed thrilled with the idea and one suggested steam baseboard. Does anyone have experience recessing steam radiators or using steam baseboard?


texts: I have side by side sinks in the kitchen. When one sink drains, it backs up into the other sink.  I have removed the trap and it is clean, however, the problem still exists. What am I overlooking? How can I correct this problem?


texts: Can I use a floor patch over this small area of slightly damaged subfloor?

texts:
I have this small corner of floor next to the tub in my bathroom where water got in at one point (very long ago it seems), so I’ve peeled back the VCT and vinyl floor layers to reveal that the top layer of the wooden subfloor had crumbled due to the water. There is a very solid base under that top layer.
How should I repair this?  Could I just patch it with something like this product?  I have done large areas of subfloor patching for a flooring installation so I know that for certain products there are very strict requirements for the condition of the subfloor for it to take the patch so I’m wondering if there’s something that works for this type of situation.
(This is a follow up of my previous post here)
Thanks!


texts: Is 8/3 stranded wire ok to power a 100amp subpanel?

texts:
I have an old 220 (8/3 stranded with grnd) line off the main box from a stove that I don't use anymore (we have gas now). I want to use it to install a subpanel in my attic. The subpanel is 100amp, 6 space (12 circuit, main lug, indoor). The old stove line is coming off a 40amp double pole breaker in the main box. The main box is 200 amp. I have an existing 3" PVC tube up to the attic which is 30' away (coaxial, romex). The attic has vaulted ceilings well over 6.5' and is currently temp controlled. I plan to run an additional floor AC unit (900 watt, 8amp) and 3 - 1000watt tank heaters. I want to make any changes to what is above mentioned to make sure I don't burn up. Help!

Ideally, the plan is to have 5 - 15a circuits (3 in use regularly, 1000watt heaters) and 1 - 20a circuit (AC 900watt, 8amp. As needed for backup to main system) at the subpanel. The other 2 circuits not mentioned would be used for small electronics. How many watts is each circuit capable of handling?

Edit -  Would using two smaller amp breakers in place of the 40 amp double pole reduce EVERYTHING in question, and enable me to use romex in the same tube with the rest? I would also switch to 1- 1000watt heater and 3- 300watt MAX. If so, would I not need the panel?


texts: How can I connect a portable dishwasher to laundry hookups?

texts:
I just moved into new duplex that has a decent sized laundry room. During my move I brought my portable compact dishwasher (very similar to this one). I don't have counter-top space to position the dishwasher near the sink since it requires the sink faucet hookup by default. I have some extra space in the laundry room and I'm considering splitting the water and drain hookups for the washing machine to accommodate the washing machine and dishwasher.

Is this something that would be possible without too much trouble? If so what would be the best way to go about making this type of modification?


texts: Insects coming from gap under baseboard radiator, seeking solution

texts:
I have a ground-level apartment in Metro Detroit, Michigan and am renting.

I have old-style baseboard radiator heat with a large opening that goes across the length of it, as shown in the photo.

Also, there is a small gap between the laminate flooring and the wall, presumably for expansion.

As the temps are warming, I am getting spiders, ants, and possibly click beetles (can't confirm for sure if that's where they are coming from but fairly certain).

Landlord isn't helping, they insist on bug traps which don't work for me.

Last summer I covered it up with tape, but I want to avoid that this time.

Is it possible to caulk that gap between the laminate floor and wall? Does caulk give enough for expansion?

I am completely ignorant when it comes to this kind of stuff. Any suggestions are welcome.

Thanks.


texts:
I've an aluminium shelf that's 150cm wide, it came with 8 of these 10x50 plastic plugs and 6x60 universal screws.

I've drilled into my masonry wall with a 60mm deep with a masonry bit and installed the shelves. Once there's enough load on them (I'm guessing around 70kg, plus the 20kg for the shelf itself) they couldn't bear the load and started slanting downwards.

Someone suggested drilling with a 8mm bit and using the same 10x50mm plugs to have a tighter fit but I'm really looking forward to hearing other suggestions.

Thanks!


texts: How to repair damaged outer insulation on non-metallic cable and BX?

texts:
While doing some work inside my basement ceiling I discovered a small tear in the outer insulation on a Romex cable, and similarly a cracked open BX cable (outer armor slightly unwound for one turn).
I'm the homeowner, and both of these are existing circuits.  In each case (Romex and BX) what is the best thing to do? What is the easiest thing to do that would be acceptable even if not best?
There is no damage to the inner wire insulation, paper, nylon strands, or other components of these cables.  Only the outer jacket.
I could

leave them alone
tape the romex or use a patch kit, and add staples on both sides of the patch
run them through junction boxes without cutting them, just put the damaged bit inside a box as is.  I'd have to modify the box to get the wire inside with strain relief and without cutting it
cut them and add junction boxes.  I'd have to cut them twice and add two boxes with. splice between and all this would be buried in the ceiling
rip it all out and run it again.  I could do this for one of them because it runs entirely in the basement ceiling.  This would be a full-day job.   The other one runs into a wall upstairs so it's not even an option.
I saw on another post there is an $8 Tyco splice kit for Romex (but not for BX).   Given the damage is limited to the outer plastic jacket, is that really any better than wrapping it (the Romex) and stapling it?
any other solutions?


texts: Dehumidifier has been working just fine until the last time I emptied it and replaced the catch bin.  Now the thing just keeps running but not dehumidifying.  The catch bin has no water in it. I cleaned the filter and replaced it.  I tried to change the setting to 45, but after a few seconds it just flips back to 60.


texts:
My girlfriend bought a cheap-but-chic watch (a Peugeot 705) that she likes a lot.  Unfortunately, the crystal wasn't glued in place very well, and she suddenly noticed that the hands and face were exposed.  We found the crystal, and I used my old standby: SuperGlue.  Bad, bad idea!

Take a fool's advice, by the way: you don't want to use CA glue in a visible/transparent setting where the vapor can't escape as it cures.  I didn't make the connection, but this is how they "raise" latent prints on all those police-procedural TV shows.  Basically, the inside of the crystal is now coated in an acrylic fog, with a partial thumbprint in the top right.  There's a fairly clear area in the center, through which I can see that the watch is still running and actually keeping good time.

So now I want to take the crystal back off so I can clean it... but since SuperGlue is fairly tough stuff, I'm having difficulties.  I used an X-Acto knife to scrape out the excess from the outside groove, and I've (sparingly) used acetone-based nail polish remover in that groove... but the crystal remains firmly in place.

The watch body is stainless steel, so it's fairly tough; the crystal is... uh, crystal?  I don't know, really.  Not acrylic, anyway.  My main concern is damaging the works and/or the face.

The watch itself probably cost $50 or less, so it's mostly pride on the line, not money...  that and domestic tranquility, which is priceless.


texts: How can I prevent pets from passing through an open window?

texts:
We live in a 6th floor and we have a huge sliding glass window that we like to open. The issue is that we have cats, so my concern is that if we leave the window open, one of the cats will jump out the window.

So, my question is: what can I purchase to cover the window when it's open so that we get the breeze and the cat doesn't jump through the open window?

I can't cover it with curtains (it'll stop the breeze), and I don't want to cover it with ugly shades.

The windows looks something like this:

Thanks.


texts: How can I determine the style, design, and manufacturer of this tile?

texts: We are extending our kitchen and need to match the backsplash tiles that the previous owner put in. Can someone please give me some information about these tiles? Style/Design/Manufacturer?


texts: Is there a better method for affixing UPVC floor trim to skirting, other than the adhesive tape provided?

texts:
Can anyone recommend a better method of affixing UPVC (e.g. Homelux) floor trims to skirting other than the adhesive tape provided?

Can you mechanically affix them or is it just down to adhesives?


texts: Timed Light that turns ON every 30 minutes, press button to turn off

texts:
I actually need this set up for my workplace, but I believe you folks here will have the answer.

We need a light to come on every 30 minutes to alert staff to check something routinely. Newer staff are prone to forget or wait too long, and so a light to indicate a certain time interval has passed will do a lot of good.

Imagine a red LED that comes on every 30 minutes, a person sees it, does their routine check, presses a button which then shuts off the light resets the 30 minute timer.

I've done a lot of looking and I don't seem to see anything online that would do this, so I figure I may have to wire something myself. Everything turns things off after a set interval, but not on.

Any help would be appreciated, what I would need to do this and how I'd need to set it up. If there is anything I could purchase that will do this out-of-box that would be ideal.

Thanks!


texts: How should my sconce light be connected?

texts: My wall has a black and a white wire. My sconce has a blue wire and a brown wire. What gets connected to what?


texts: Even when I turn off the manual valve to back yard sprinkler system few sprikler heads are showing small valter flow?

texts:
Even when I turn off the manual valve to back yard sprinkler system few sprinkler heads are showing small water flow.

Why is this?


texts: If I sand this bump down will the drywall start to fall?

texts:
There's obviously a piece added to the drywall like a replacement in the hallway.
I don't know how they placed it there but things were not done right all around the house.
We just want to sand it down then put texture and paint so that the line bump is not there but we are concerned that sanding it would cause the drywall replacement piece to fall down because it is on the ceiling.


texts: Can I use only one phase out of a triphasic cable?

texts:
Scenario

There is a three-phase cable popping out of the wall exactly where I need to put a light bulb.

Is it ok if I plug only two wires to the triphasic cable, (i.e. neutral and live 1) to achieve this?

Further questions

What consequences would this have (e.g. consumption?, stability?)

Context

At home I have identified two types of cables:

single phase cables (with their expected three wires inside).
three-phase cables (five wires inside).

The latter has two outputs, one in the kitchen for the stove/oven, while there is another cable in the toilet (most prob for the washing machine), which I don't use at all.


texts: Door is hard to close when windows are closed

texts:
I have a small room where the walls are cement. There are also 2 sliding windows. When all the windows are closed the room's door is hard to close. But when either window is open the door would even shut itself very easily.

What could be the reason? At first I thought the door was misaligned but realized that this isn't the case because it perfectly closes when a window is open.

The room is about 50 sqft. I live in the Philippines so our weather is almost always very hot.

I want the door to close like how it closes when a window is open, but without having a window open because the room is air-conditioned.

Thank you.


texts: Cutting out existing steel duct in bathroom vent

texts: I'm enlarging my bathroom vent. It's a brick wall and currently has a steel duct. I've chipped away brick but the lip of the existing steel duct is still there. I need to remove around 2 inches of it. Any suggestions best way to cut that off?


texts: Kenmore Elite Heavy Duty Quiet Pack 1 Dryer won't heat up

texts:
Model # 110 63032101. It runs and blows, but doesn't heat. I checked the coil and verified there is continuity. There are 2 other devices hooked up near the heating coil, but I don't know what they are. Probably a thermometer? I reseated their connections. I also vacuumed all the dust I could. Here are the photos.

Also, the belt seems to have suddenly grew 4 inches and is now loose. It is not broken. There are only 2 pulleys so I don't know how it was taught before.


texts: multiple frequencies grounded to same ground bus bar

texts: Does the NEC allow me to ground a 50hz and 60 hz load (two separate pieces of equipment) to the same ground bus bar in the main distribution panel?


texts:
I just finished up installing two new subpanels, which both feed branch circuits back into the exterior wall. The original subpanel had an NM clamp mounted with the clamp screws outside the box (conventional way). Unfortunately, that meant the hole in the wall had to be significantly larger, and since I have stucco walls, it also meant an easy way for water to get inside my walls because it would be nearly impossible to seal the hole. Additionally, it made it difficult to run new wires into the subpanel (and even if I could, I couldn't access the clamp to tighten it down over the new cables.

I've seen this question on NM cable clamp orientation, but for a subpanel, where I am not worried about the fill ratio and where access to the clamping screws is required, does it make sense to mount the NM clamps with the clamping screws on the inside?

I know that (according to the linked post), it's not necessarily "per manufacturer instructions," but putting the clamp on backward seems to be a better solution for this application.

Must an NM clamp be installed with the clamp on the outside for exterior wall applications?

It seems to be that the normal orientation makes sense when putting metal boxes on interior walls where the NM wire is simply running freely into the box and the box is recessed into the wall.


texts: What type of radiator/baseboard is this?

texts:
Hi,

My home was built in 1950 and has the following radiators throughout the 1st and 2nd floor.  The basement has water baseboard heating with a single copper fin line.  Lately I have been hearing a lot of banging noise in the walls/pipes and I’m trying to research and understand what kind of heating radiators are these (name of this type) and how do I maintain them.  I was unable to find anything online on these type.  I know with cast iron, there are options to drain the radiators when loud banging occurs but I’m not sure what I can do here.  My gas boiler service company technician has suggested replacing the air vents on top of each radiator.  The air vents do make a low to medium hissing sound.

Also, I should note my gas boiler had an issue a few months ago where the low water cut off did not stop the boiler from overfilling and that caused water to rise up and leak from the radiator air vents.  The low water cut off has been replaced and is working fine now, but I’m not sure if the banging in the walls has resulted from this incident.  Thank you for assistance.


texts: One Flickering LED Bulb On Switch with 4 Bulbs

texts:
I have a swiych with 4 overhead recessed lights on it. I recently replaced the switch with a ZOOZ Z-wave dimmer switch. It worked great. Nor problems except I had mismatched LED bulbs so they didn't dim evenly. I replaced them all with new EVEREADY Led Flood Light Bulbs, BR30, 65 Watts Equivalent (10W Led Bulb), 850 Lumen, 2700K Soft White Color, Dimmable, E26 Base Flood Lights for Recessed Cans, Energy Star and UL Certified.
They look great and dim very well with the new switch. BUT one of the bulbs was flickering every 30 seconds to a minute, randomly when at full brightness. It was only one of them so I replaced it with another of the exact same model. It's doing the same thing, which leads me to believe it's related to that particular socket. Interestingly, I did not have a problem with the old LED bulbs. I'm not sure how to troubleshoot this.


texts: What kind of treated wood thats is 1 1/2" thick x 6" or 12" wide will support roughly 300lbs per hoof.


texts:
I am living in a single room-appartment that has one window, a kitchen unit with no steam outlet/exhaust hood, and a bathroom with no windows but an (albeit small) ventilated outlet above the shower. Several spots inside my room display mold characteristics, which combined with the obvious ventilation problems of the appartment lead me to the assumption they are mold.

Here are some Pictures for reference:

In addition, part of my furniture and filing folders stored inside display white spots that spread above surfaces:

The majority of the appartment floor is covered by carpet on top of PVC flooring. The carpetting was done by the previous occupant, so I have no idea what the floor looks like underneath (not sure if I wanna take a peak).
From outside, the walls of this appartment building show dark spots on most appartments, which also makes me think that there is some problem with the building itself.

My Questions are:

1) Is this problem solveable by using home remedies and readily available treatments and wall paint, at least in the short term (1-2 years-ish)?

2) If so, how can I tackle it? If not, how and where do I get help?

More pictures can be provided if necessary.


texts:
I'm replacing a shed door.  Nothing fancy and I didn't want to spend a lot, so I didn't invest a lot on an exterior door.

Instead, I have a hollow core wood door blank to which I've applied two coats of primer and one coat (so far) of exterior flat paint.

While it's not a huge deal if the door only lasts a few years, I'd like to do whatever I can to prolong its life as much as possible.  What further treatment can I give the door to help extend its life?


texts: Inserting a Tee In 1" Pipe for an Air Compressor?

texts:
I have a copper pipe outside my house that is 1" in diameter (Measured 1.1 inches using a digital caliper) that feeds our house's sprinkler system.

My dad uses his commercial air compressor to clear the sprinkler lines of water for the winter so they don't freeze.

Unfortunately to do this he usually removes the glass pane from the basement window which takes forever. We came up with the idea to cut the copper pipe outside and solder a fitting to the part of the pipe outside.

My question is what kind of tee should I look for that unions 1"-1" copper pipe and leaves a cap-able (When not being used) inlet for the air compressor?

My initial thought was something like a 1" - 1" - 1/2" tee similar to (https://www.amazon.com/Libra-Supply-options-Fitting-Plumbing/dp/B01M1GAH5K/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?keywords=1+inch+copper+tee+reducer+ftp&qid=1554238142&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmr0), but I'm not sure about how this would union with an air compressor hose.


texts: How do fix a garage door opener that only briefly hums when activated?

texts:
I have a Lift Master garage door opener that is a quarter of a century old.  Several years ago, I serviced the motor by replacing a worn out cog that appears to be constructed from some plastic material; I was able to get a repair kit on Amazon.
Now, the same garage door opener is exhibiting this odd behavior.  When activated, it makes a brief electronic hum for only about one second.  I know that the trolley and chain and set up correctly.  I opened the dust-cover from the motor and noticed that the electronic hum comes from inside the motor somewhere, but there is no movement at all.  I suspect that perhaps there is a solenoid that has failed because none of the moving parts activate.
If it makes any difference, the garage door moves freely up and down with the pull-string in spite of the motor malfunctioning.
What can I check to try and diagnose the problem?


texts: Trying to find an air conditioner unit to fit a 20x16 whole in the wall pre-existing wall unit stopped working

texts: I have a wall air conditioner in my daughter's bedroom.  It has stopped working and needs to be replaced.  The problem is I cannot find any wall units online that have a 20" width.  I'm hoping someone knows where


texts: What is the purpose of the valve between these two pipes?

texts: I saw an interesting arrangement of pipes and valves in a house I visited. These are hot water pipes, the two vertical pipes connect to a radiator. What is the purpose of the valve between the two vertical pipes? I don't see how this could do anything useful, given the horizontal pipe that directly connects everything.


texts:
I would like to fix up my wood siding before primer and paint. Some areas are chipped, some areas have holes.

Deciding between outright auto bondo and DAP product

the Bondo suggestion came from one of the home depot reviews on their website against this product, one of the reviewers said it's basically the same product as Bondo, except you get more product with Bondo for less price:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Minwax-12-oz-High-Performance-Wood-Filler-21600/100376245

DAP product:

http://www.lowes.com/pd/DAP-Plastic-Wood-White-Solvent-Wood-Filler/4013493?cm_mmc=SCE_PLA--Paint--WallRepair-_-4013493:DAP&CAWELAID=&kpid=4013493&CAGPSPN=pla&store_code=102&k_clickID=1c87de18-4c0b-49c7-8c50-ba33a4d3f640

Can someone with experience give me thoughts or suggest a 3rd product?

Thanks ahead

PS -- I hope I'm not breaking any rules by trying to fit in a 2nd question, but please also advise if I should primer and then paint or can just use a paint with primer built in that they sell now-a-days.


texts: Tile pattern for shower base using large porcelain format

texts:
I am building 46x34 shower base using large format tile. I like it because it looks the same as the flooring. I building a curbless shower by the way.

However the plumber did not position the drain in the center so I came up with this tile pattern to offset the the larger width on the right side.

[![enter image description here][1]][1]

However it came out not that great looking.

Do you have any recommendation?

(In case you ask, I have waterproof liner behind the hardiebacker AND Redgard. The tiles have not been set yet. I just lay them into correct position for now).

Update

Here is the result. It looks “okay” unless you get 1-2 feet close to it

[1]: https://i.stack.imgur.com/8toKO.jpg


texts: Just endured hurricane Irma here in S. FL. FPL finally turned the power on (and off a couple times) after days of outage. Now, one section of my kitchen is out while rest of house is on! checked the associated fuse socket (Yes, I have old fashion fuse box) with multimeter and it's showing 100 V. Checked a couple others and sure enough, they show 120. I assume 100v is not enough to run my fridge and microwave as those are the key appliances that are off. The lights on that fuse are also completely OFF. Any help would be appreciated.


texts: Can I use this old ChannelMaster antenna wallplate with Digital Antenna?

texts: I just moved into this house and have 3 of these old ChannelMaster Antenna wallplate connectors. Pretty sure this is hooked up to the antenna in my attic. It is old and I am wondering if there is an easy way to use a digital antenna with it? I found these adaptors that allow you too hook up a coaxial cable. I currently use the Mohu Leaf as my TV antenna at the moment and I stick it to the wall.


texts: How can I find a sink that will fit where an old sink was?

texts:
We wish to rid ourselves of an 'American Standard Americast' kitchen sink and go with an over-the-counter sink.  We have a granite counter top that cannot be changed and therein lays an issue as the current opening is "set in stone."  The current sink, 'Americast' model number 7145, has become scarred and ugly in appearance even after being treated with a paint to recover its original look.
The sink has two unequally sized bowls; the left side being the 'deep end' and the right side being the 'shallow end.'  The current opening measures 29.5 inches wide, 18.5 inches on the 'deep side' height, 16 inches on the 'shallow side' height, with rounded corners, and the bend of the granite top centered at 21 inches in the transfer from shallow to deep.  There are four openings for the faucet, water control, soap, and spray attachments that are 2.25 inches back from the shallow-end edge.  Measuring from the left, the openings are at the 10.5, 14.625, 18.875, and 22.875 inch marks.
Question is "where do I find a replacement overmount sink without having to order a customized sink from a manufacturer?


texts: How do I mount a TV on 1 inch of plaster that is on top of fire-board?

texts: I am trying to mount a 47 inch LCD TV on a wall above a gas fireplace. My house was built in the 1940s, and some of the construction is a little out of my knowledge base. The wall above the fireplace is starting from facing to support, around 1 inch of plaster on top of around 4-6 inches of "fire-board" on top of cement. Drilling and mounting all the way back to the cement is not an option, as you may know because, bolts would be too long to be supportive. I have asked numerous people about this, and no one thinks I can do this. Any ideas?


texts: How to properly anchor wooden porch columns to concrete pad?

texts: I have a country style front porch that has non structural wooden columns that are anchored to the overhang and hang to the floor, a concrete pad.  To stop the columns from moving around the builders wedged a shaved 2x4 between the column and the concrete.  A railing is strung on the columns.  Depending on the temperature decides how sturdy the columns are held in place and if anyone puts any weight on the railing a column will swing around.  How can I fix this?


texts: What is this rotting wood 'ledge' around my house? Is replacing it something I can tackle? The outdoor trim too?

texts:
I  have this, for lack of a better word, 'ledge' around the west side of my house ( I'd call it a drip edge but I doubt that's it )
Background: This sun-room space over the once-garage was an addition to the house long before I moved in.  It is rotting in many places along with the trim around my back door,  Id' like to replace it.
Naively I would expect the process would be:

Tear out the old wood with putty knife (for caulking) and whatever else I can use to pry it out (cant see how it's even fastened in)
Replace with outdoor-rated, pressure-treated wood
Paint with exterior waterproof paint
Replace trim with trim Id find at the home center.

Questions/Issues:

What wood should I use, and what paint should I use.
Still investigating, but any suggestion how it should be fastened in there.
Biggest issue I see:  not sure how to get the exact size.  Would I have to plane boards to the right thickness?
Have never replaced door trim before, I see a lot of 'mouldings' and trims in different material. Any recommendations on the material? Type? or what you suggest.  Should I just use bondo or something instead?


texts: How can I extend the length of my furnace run time after burner shutdown?

texts: My new furnace has a control board with preset blower run times after thermostat satisfies.  Max setting is 180 seconds.  This is not enough to purge the latent heat in the heat exchanger.  I need another minute of run time. How do I get extra time?


texts: It sounds like water dripping when heat runs

texts:
We have a humidifier and I have shut that off but still hear the sound when the heat runs...anybody know any other possible solutions

It's is a carrier weather maker 8000vs energy efficient gas furnace... The noise sounds like it is coming from the vents upstairs the furnace is in the basement


texts: Cleaning "Builder's foam" off where it shouldn't be

texts:
I recently had my windows changed. The workers spilled what I only know as "Builder's Foam" on my wall (and floor, but I fixed that). I have worked with this material myself and I know from experience that cleaning it off is an effing mess - unless you manage to clean it before it starts setting/puffing up.

Question: What is the best way to clean Builder's Foam[1] off semi-sensitive surfaces? (example: Painted walls, wallpaper, hardwood floors)

The workers in question seems to have solved it with mechanical/abrasion of the wall and then repainting. I cleaned the floor with careful application of a razorblade and light brushing.

[1] If Builders Foam is not understandable to everyone: It is a liquid-ish insulation/setting material that is often used to either insulate places you can't really reach or as a fast way to insulate around a window while at the same time providing structural support. It is blue, and it slowly "puffs up" after you apply it, setting in a foam-like rigid space-filling... foam. I don't know it's proper name, bonus points for identifying it...


texts: Do the front end attachments from one lawn tractor brand work on another brand?

texts:
I'm torn between two different brands' garden tractors; one has a 3-stage snowblower and other has a 2-stage, but that latter brand also has a manual front-end scoop and the former does not.

Are these sorts of accessories generally interchangeable?


texts: 20A Circuit In Use Trips Unrelated 20A Breaker

texts:
I have a home built in 2010.
I installed some monorail lighting (150W) in my home office last year. When this light is on, it always trips the breaker for the Washer (when it's running). Not instantly, but within a minute or few.
The washer is on it's own 20A circuit. I drew power for my monorail lighting from the garage opener motor outlet (also 20A, three stall garage, each motor has its own outlet/circuit).
The odd thing, is that the 20A circuit the monorail/garage motor are on, does NOT trip. Never has.
The wiring method was all new. I bought 50 feet of 12AWG, pig-tailed the garage motor outlet and brought the line over to my office ceiling. Here I create a new ceiling outlet (for my monorail lighting) and a switch in the wall. Folded and fed the 12AWG down the wall to the new hole for the switch. Once through, I cut the loop (one for source, the other for destination). Wired the switch, then wired the ceiling fixture.
I have enclosed a picture of my electrical panel with the two circuits highlighted (blue is the lighting/garage motor, red is the washer).

My issue seems to be the same as this unresolved issue


texts: Interchangable compatablity of circuit breaker brands

texts:
I have an older General Electric panel that I need to install a 30-amp tandem circuit breaker to create
2 240 volt circuits.  The GE panel accepts TQL-AC, TQAL-AC, THQL-AC, THQA, TXQL, type breakers.  What brands are interchangable that would fit the GE panel.


texts: Would insulating a basement prevent it from passively cooling the house in the summer?

texts: I have an unfinished basement in Upstate NY in a large old house that helps in keeping the house cool in the summer. Would insulating it limit the cooling effect in summer?


texts: How can I be sure all the asbestos particles are gone?

texts: So we got rid of the popcorn ceiling that had asbestos. Now my wife is worried about the particles that might still be lingering in the air. How long until it settles down? Wet-mopping, HEPA vacuuming and opening the doors/windows will help? I sealed the vents. Should I still be worried about residue in the ductwork?


texts: How do you fireblock a huge cavity in the middle of a house?

texts:
Looking for an inventive way to fireblock in an unfinished part of a basement right under an upstairs tub (regular cast iron).
I won't bother with a picture because too much going on.   But the "hole" is a ~18"x18" square that includes the tub drain, part of the tub, and the interior wall it is attached to (guessing this is what got it dinged).
Underneath it... wow... main stack, every water run in the house, electrical, the main I beam... and under that is a walkin closet.   So there is (bottom to top) a walkin closet then a mess of stuff above it in a cavity then the hole to the tub.
Cannot really put anything on the adjoining walls due to the mess of pipes, almost zero wood to secure it (pipes are that close) and electrical...  This is the first time in 20+ years I have been flagged for a firestop in the middle of a house!
Suggestions, questions, creativity needed or I am going to have to build a big box and section of a ceiling to cover this area...
Let's complicate matter even more... the square I need to fireblock... it is basically out of reach.   No tool will get in between the pipes and there is a solid 2 feet of cavity - emptiness from bottom of pipes to the square.
Note: Was explicitly asked not to use spray foam by inspector.


texts: Is armoured/metallic BX cable required for exposed wire in basement ceiling?

texts:
[In Ontario, Canada]
I have a "furnace room" (it's a room that contains my furnace, and also washer / dryer, water softener and water heater). Recently I had the furnace replaced and the contractor used the armoured/metallic BX cable for wiring the switch for it:

I also have this wiring:

Exposed NM cable doesn't seem right, but it's at ceiling height (~8 ft), safe from flooding and out of the way, and it's been like that for as long as I can remember, without much issue.
Should that exposed NM cable be replaced with BX cable? I'm assuming it's not code, as the furnace contractors probably wouldn't have spent the extra time and money using BX for the furnace switch if it were. Searching online I didn't find anything conclusive about it.


texts: Should I use silicone or caulk between skirting board and vinyl tiles, cement and vinyl tiles?

texts:
Should I use silicone between vinyl tiles and wooden skirting?  I imagine yes since the skirting board may contract even though the tiles do not?

What about if there is no skirting i.e. vinyl and cement/brick, in this case do I use silicone, caulk or either is ok?

Thanks


texts:
My house has an attached garage similar to this:

The garage has rooms above it, not sure if that's worth mentioning but I'll note it. Out the back of the garage where the house would normally end, it extends out into a shed.
From a side view of the house it looks something like this:

The garage and shed have different cement floors (slabs? not sure if I'm using the right terminology there), there's a clear separation of them and they're different colors; for example, the garage is darker grey than the shed's floor.
Anyways, today I noticed for the first time (doesn't mean they haven't been there for awhile) some cracks in the floor of the shed:

The only other characteristics of cracks that I have is that they're fairly shallow.
Reading online, some cracks are OK, some cracks are warnings, cement cracking is inevitable, etc. Are these something I should be worried about?


texts: Size and kind of wire required to go from main panel to garage 400 ft away

texts: What kind and size wire do I need to run underground, from the main panel in the house to a garage 400 ft away, to get 60 AMPS (usable) at the sub panel in the garage?


texts: Can I safely chain lower rated receptacles from higher ones?

texts:
I have a NEMA 10-50 receptacle wired properly.
I have a device with a NEMA 6-15 plug.

I think that I cannot chain a new NEMA 6-15 outlet from the existing 50amp service.

Is a plug adapter the appropriate choice here?


texts: Why does my toilet's seal wear out so fast?

texts:
The toilet in our only bathroom seems to go through drain seal about once a year.  The flange on the drain line is old, and broken in several places, but we're able to keep everything firmly in-place none-the-less.  We've tried both regular wax seals, and ones with reinforcing, both of which seem to fail much faster than designed.

Are there any good tips/tricks to getting the seal to last longer (more like the 10 years others get)?


texts: Should anchors be used with screws going into framing?

texts:
I have just installed a bathroom vanity that came with screws and anchors.  However, I just screwed the screws directly into the drywall, which has 2x4 framing positioned exactly where the screws go.  I did not use the anchors.

I understand it may be a good idea to do use anchors to make the screw holes more reusable in case of taking the vanity off and putting it back on for painting, for example.  I was wondering if there are any other pros and cons for using anchors (e.g. code regulations).  Should I take my directly screwed in screws out, widen the holes with a drill, set the anchors in and reinstall?  I thought vanities and other forms of heavy load that gets hung come with screws with anchors because of the option to install into masonry, where you are more likely to do need anchors.


texts: Remove LDR (TL116) toilet fill valve part under cap to flush

texts: I'm trying to flush the top of the toilet fill valve. I've installed and it works great, levels correct, but after it stops flushing, the part under the cap leaks for a few minutes. I tried removing it like normal where you push down and turn counterclockwise, but it won't move. I took the cap off and pushed down and pulled up, won't move. I'm afraid of breaking it, so does anyone know "the easy way" to remove it? I couldn't find any info on this part.


texts: Besides insulation and air conditioning unit, what else is there to check if my A/C isn't keeping me cool?

texts:
I live in an apartment home where the indoor temperature has risen to above 80 degrees Fahrenheit daily for the past two months.  The outdoor temperature regularly reaches 100 degrees and the weather has been very dry.

I am sweating as I type this post.

I have been bugging my apartment manager for months now to fix the situation.

A while back, a technician came to my unit and pointed an infrared temperature sensor at my vents and it read out 60 degrees.  However, the air coming out doesn't feel that cool to me.
Two weeks ago, they installed a new A/C unit outside my unit.  This morning, a crew came to install new insulation.

I would think that it would cover everything, but the temperature is still 82 degrees at 21:50h.  I arrived home at about 18:00h and the temperature was 84 degrees.

I paid an almost $200 electric bill for my one bedroom apartment last month and I still sweat at home every day.  This is crazy!

Since the A/C unit and the insulation have been replaced, what is the next thing to be looking at to get the situation fixed?


texts: How do you add a chandelier to a ceiling fan?

texts: I found a gorgeous chandelier that I want to replace the light fixture on my fan with.  How do I do this?


texts: 40 to 50 Volts on Generator (Neutral to Earth) "Normal"?

texts:
We recently installed a new generator (Mosa GE6000SX) and during the troubleshooting process for something else, the electrician noticed that when the generator was running but disconnected with no load (just the meter), he observed 40-50 volts between the neutral and the earth (it is a 240 Volt AC single phase generator).

The electrician seemed to think it was a fault with the generator that should be rectified by the manufacturer.  However when I spoke with the supplier's technical support today, they informed me that a 40-50 volt reading between the neutral and the earth was "normal".

According to the manufacturer, it supports 110 V and 230 V modes.  In 230 V mode, the windings inside are connected in series, while in 110 V mode, they are connected in parallel.  As the generator offers split-phase 110 V, the earth is centre-tapped on the 110V windings. i.e. in 110 volt mode, it produces 110v with a centre tapped earth

Should I be concerned about this?

The generator ultimately powers an off-grid home when the renewable power system is low on battery and recharging (inverter bypass).

My understanding is that in a UK home, neutral should be tied to earth at the generation source, as safety features (such as the fuses in the plugs) don't operate on the neutral, so according to the electrician, this is a potentially unsafe configuration.


texts: Kitchen sink drain occasionally clogs at junction 40 feet downstream from disposal

texts:
It doesn't take all that much for the drain to get backed up. We do OK by letting virtually no food particles down the sink, but invariably it backs up now and again, particularly when we're hosting. The only way to unclog it seems to be to use an outdoor clean-out in conjunction with a ~50 foot snake.

The house was built in 1995 near Dallas, TX; the kitchen is on the first floor and there's no basement.

Are there any good options here? Could an endoscope reveal anything useful? If it is the wrong kind of junction and I wanted to attempt a repair, how would I even find where this particular junction is? (Presumably, I would need to bust up part of the foundation to repair it, which makes finding it trickier) Would it be easier to invest in some kind of super garbage disposal, e.g. one that shreds food particles more than just forcing them down the drain?


texts: Should I move all my window air conditioners to the upper floor for better efficiency?

texts:
1800 sqft + basement

On main floor
2 window air conditioners 19k btu combined

Upstairs
1 5k btu air condition

There are 3 bedrooms upstairs. Does it make sense to just put all the ac units upstairs and let the cold air drop down through the floor or to drill vent holes in the floor? Would this method actually cool the main floor or reduce humidity on the main floor? The stairway is pretty open so all hot air floats up here pretty quickly.


texts: How to get switched and constant power combo on an outlet

texts:
I have electricity coming into outlet box from two sources, one is coming via light switch and another one is coming from another outlet.

So I want the top of the twin outlet to be controlled by the switch and bottom of the outlet to be always on electricity.

The two power sources are actually on one breaker on the board, don't know if that info matters.

I read somewhere that I need to remove the break in pin of my outlet because the power to outlet is coming from two sources so each half of the outlet can receive power separately.

The thing is that I don't know how to remove or the break the connecting pin. Here is how my outlet looks like:

After long introduction let me repeat the question(s) :

1. How to remove or break the connecting pin on this outlet?

2. Am I doing something wrong at the moment, and I should be doing something else? (Like leaving the pin in place or something else)


texts: I am concerned because our new Samsung washing machine (front loading, stackable, stacked on the bottom) absolutely REEKS of chemicals; the closest I can think of is paint thinner. I expected a "new plastic" or "new machine" smell when we purchased a new set (having had them before) but this odor is overwhelming. I was on the floor in front of the machine to load it and when I opened it, the odor was strong enough to actually make me feel a little ill. Is this normal, something that will go away, or should I be worried about this? If it's normal, what's the most effective way to get rid of the odor? We are a week behind due to delivery issues and we're starting to run out of clothes....


texts: What's the best way to plug circular drywall holes left by electrician?

texts:
I'm having recessed lights installed and want to know the best method to plug the holes left by the electrician. I was thinking of something like paint stirring sticks and construction adhesive to secure to back of drywall. Then plugs could be glued or screwed to the wood. Or I could use screws to secure the wood plank. Is this ok? Better ideas?

In hindsight I should have asked the electrician if he uses a flex bit (he didn't) and if he uses a hole saw to cut the holes for the lights (he didn't).


texts: Adding remote to ceiling fan that is not on a switch but the light is

texts:
I am adding a remote control to my ceiling fan, but the wiring is puzzling. The fan is set up off of one line and does not go to a switch. You control it through the pull cord only. The light is wired to a wall switch as normal. Inside the ceiling fan box, the wiring that goes to the fan has the black/hot going to the fan and white/neutral is tied into the set of black/hots going to the light and the switch. That white/neutral has a piece of black e-tape placed on it like a sort of label. The black and white from the switch are both tied as normal to the ceiling fan light.  I'm trying to add the remote, so I've connected the black and white of the receiver to the black and white that go to the switch. The three lines coming out of the receiver go where they are supposed to: one each to the fan, the light and the neutral. All that brings me to the big question: I'm left with the black and white ends of the line that was originally connected directly to the fan as described above.  What to do with them? My first attempt was capping them both off, but nothing worked. I suspect I need to do something with the white/neutral labeled with e-tape that was previously tied into the black/hot lines. Any thoughts?

Update 9/27: The light and fan will both be controlled by the new remote receiver. Attached are pics showing the two sets of 14 gauge coming in. Blacks to black, and switch white to light’s white, but the ‘other’ white going to the switch/light black.


texts: Potential water damage issues with siding being in contact with patio

texts:
I bought a house last year and when I was buying it, I did not register the fact that on the back side of the house the siding is in contact with the ground/stone patio.

Because of the slope of the back yard, during rainfall about an inch of water pools where the patio and siding meet (the water drains quite quickly once it is done raining).  My questions are:

Is this not up to general code, and if not, what is code?
If not, what can I do to remedy the situation?
If I don't do anything about this for another year, what potential water damage issues (if any) will I be risking?


texts:
I have a single handle Koehler shower faucet. Recently the temperature regulation has started to malfunction. The shower is ice cold until you turn the knob to the very hottest setting. Once there the water turns to extreme hot. If you turn down the knob it remains the same hot temperature until it gets to the lowest level before turning off the flow of water. At that point the water goes back to ice cold and to get any heat in it you need to turn it all the way back to the top. I can get extreme cold and extreme hot but nothing in between.

The rest of the faucets in the condo behave normally so I think something has failed in this faucet directly. I am not sure if this is something I can fix myself or if I need a plumber to look into.


texts: Best way to support walls of existing wooden outbuilding

texts:
I have been digging out the floor of a wooden outbuilding on my property, to prepare for laying a new concrete floor. The walls of the building have been built on top of old railway sleepers that were laid on compacted earth. Removing the floor has exposed the old sleepers, which are now rotten and no longer usable as supports. My question is what is the best option for ensuring the wooden walls are properly supported?

The room is 5m by 3m and is joined to another building that sits on its own concrete floor. So jacking up the building to put new support in is not an option.
My first thought was to build an underpinning foundation wall using concrete blocks.
Location: Highlands of Scotland; the climate is cool and damp much of the year.


texts: Best way, if needed, to dehumidify storage room?

texts:
We are building a new garage with apt above and storage room at the back in Houston TX. It's replacing a small garage with back storage room which was very poorly constructed and had major moisture issues.

Trying to figure the best way to keep the new storage room dry. Initially thought of using a humidity sensing exhaust vent on the exterior wall but then realized it would just end up sucking in outside makeup air which might be even more humid than the exhausted air.

Can think of three possible solutions but looking for guidance/opinions.

Use a dehumidifier. Possible cons:

Would have to drain thru the wall since we would not be in the room every day.
Might not work during the couple of months that temps are in the 30-40s.
Takes up storage space.

Use thru wall AC unit. Possible cons:

More expensive.
Cooling vacant room.
Still have trouble during cooler months.

Run a AC duct down thru bedroom closet and thru garage ceiling to storage room.

Long duct run just for storage.
Additional cost and possible issues with general contractor due to changing plans.
Would need it's own return also wouldn't it?

Any other solutions? Is this even necessary? We're a bit paranoid as the previous storage had {and our house as well actually has} moisture issues.

We could just do nothing and see what the RH level is but then we'd be responsible for the whole install cost.  If we decide before I can probably get at least some of it covered in the original construction contract.

Thanks!


texts: How to access Honeywell wireless door/window sensor data?

texts:
I recently moved and our new home has several home security sensors, on most doors as well a motion sensor in the home. The sensors were part of an ADP security system which is not currently enabled.

I would like to access the sensor data so that I can make use of them outside of the ADP system. I assume they're still functioning (wireless, battery operated) despite the ADP system being offline. My end goal is to have the sensors report to some kind of receiver system of my own design so that I can make use of the information in a programatic way (I'm a software engineer by trade).

How do I access and/or receive the sensor information? They appear to be the Honeywell 5816 line of door/window sensors. Thanks!


texts: How to chain two recessed lights together?

texts:
Disclaimer: I am one of the most non-handy people on the planet, so forgive my total "newbie" question.

We are in the middle of a kitchen remodel. I need to install two housings for recessed lights and run them both off of one switch. The switch is already set up and I have a wire running to where the first light will be, but I am not sure how to chain the two lights together.

Here's a photograph of the wiring box. It has something called "Quick connectors".

Do I simply connect both wires (the wire from the switch and the wire to the second light) to the available holes in the quick connectors?

In case it makes a difference, I scanned the instructions.


texts: Unfinished basement electrical re-wiring, protecting cables on cinderblock, also corrosion concerns

texts:
My basement has old electrical wiring, looks like it was a replacement for some even older knob and tube (which they largely left in place of course). While they did wire up lighting somewhat, though far from optimal, they did nearly no outlets. They also did no proper light switching, so it's a sea of pull chain lamp holders, excluding a couple thoughtlessly placed light switches that control just one lamp holder.  There is one duplex receptacle and a dryer receptacle, that is it.

The basement walls are a mix of faced and unfaced concrete (possibly some cinder) blocks. They added a crawlspace, which was thankfully enclosed. The basement is not dry as it should be, so it has a running dehumidifier, and looks like a prior owner extended the house envelope into the basement. Like most everything done, that also was shoddy DIY.

I want to correct the entire basement electrical, get proper outlets for usage, the basement has a second room which I've been using for a workshop. As of now I'm only able to use my portable tools though, since only near the dryer is there that one badly overloaded duplex receptacle. There is also the main electrical panel, with a second small load center next to it, on the same wall as the clothes washer and dryer. The two panels, and the receptacles, are mounted on plywood. I'm assuming the plywood is just screwed directly to the wall.

I believe the DIY house envelope extension, and the dehumidifier, were attempts to control the moisture/corrosion problem in the basement. I do plan on doing that properly, sealing crawl space vents, replacing any badly corroded galvanized ductwork. My ceiling is just exposed joists (on 16), and at least they didn't break codes on stapling Romex.

What is the best practice way to run electrical lines from the exposed joist ceiling to place electrical receptacles and proper light switches on block walls? Always on plywood first?  Anything under the plywood to deal with potential wood rot? How should the wall lines be protected? I'm having the whole thing re-wired, so what is the proper way to do it?  Romex in something like a conduit? How would that be attached to the block wall?


texts:
I live in an 80-100 year old house (not sure of exact age...my great grandfather built it, and it has been passed down for a few generations).  He built it out of whatever was cheap at the time, so in many of the rooms we found things like newspaper used for insulation (which was actually kind of awesome).  We live in Ontario, Canada, so it can get pretty cold here.

I will soon be renovating the master bedroom.  Most of the rest of the house has already been renovated, this is the last remaining original room.  This room has seen some water damage from a leaking roof (since fixed), and drywall damage from age and clumsy people.

Once the weather is nicer, we plan to:

Gut the room
Install new electrical - replacing the old probably crumbling wiring and adding a new circuit for additional outlets (the wire for which is already run into the attic during a previous renovation).
Add ceiling lighting and wall switch
Replace/add new insulation
Re-drywall, paint, carpet, etc.

As luck would have it between my family and myself we have all the skills to do the drywall and electrical work.  The part we are unsure of is what kind of insulation we need, and how to put it in.

This view from outside shows where the master bedroom is.  The room itself is 12' x 12'.  There are attics on 2 walls and the ceiling, and one outside wall.

This room is freezing in winter!  I can feel the cold practically blowing through the walls.  This makes my wife unhappy, so must be fixed.

Since the drywall is broken on the outside facing wall, I can see what is already there:

This area is probably narrower than the rest of the wall, since it is right next to a window on the left.  The pink foam at the bottom is what I crammed in there temporarily and covered the hole with vapour barrier plastic.

I can access the attic to add insulation from above, or I can install it from below before drywalling the ceiling.

So, my questions are:

What kind of insulation do I need for the 3 walls and ceiling?  There are dozens of different kinds and ratings of insulation at the local building stores, and I have no idea what to pick.  I don't want to spend more than I need to, but I also don't want to freeze.
Do I need vapour barrier as well?
For the side attics, where do the insulation and vapour barrier go?  Inside the wall, or against the roof?  Which side does the vapour barrier go on?
 -


texts: Why doesn't my dimmer switch work after installing LED bulbs in my ceiling light?

texts: I have three pendants and a 5 bulb fixture over my table it has Antique Edison bulbs in the fixture with yellow tint I want brighter bulbs, I purchased LED equivalent bulbs and when I put two or more into the fixture the dimmer will not turn on or off the fixtures. Can someone help me to understand why? could it be the dimmer switch? we purchased house with the dimmer switches here, fixture works with the bulbs it came with even when I dim them.


texts: How long should I wait between grout application and sealant?

texts: I'm about to apply grout to a ceramic-covered part of my bathroom (single step up to the bath tub). I'm using a pre-mixed grout and want to apply Sealer's Choice Gold sealant. The grout should not be exposed to water for at least 7 days (according to instructions) after setting, but when can I apply the sealant?


texts: Why is my bath exhaust fan noisy only when installed in the ceiling box?

texts:
The house and fan are 45 years old. The fan in the guest bathroom sounded like a jet plane since we bought the house, but we finally decided enough was enough after some house guests complained. (Note: We really like these people. If you get unwelcome guests, do NOT fix your noisy fan!)

Took the fan out, plugged it into an outlet in the shop. Quiet, and I couldn't imagine a new one being quieter. Oiled the shaft anyway. Put it back. Jet plane again.

Why would the fan be so loud, but only when installed?


texts: Any experience installing wall-hung toilets?

texts:
My architect is recommending the Catalano Zero 55 Toilet:

I'm more a fan of Toto toilets. They have a wall-hung model called the Aquia, which is somewhat less graceful looking:

Does anybody have any experience with how these actually function?


texts: Should I set deck post footings deeply or use concrete footings?

texts: I am building a deck.  How about setting 6x6 p.t. posts down on a concrete footing at 4 feet deep (the frost line here) and fill with gravel and soil, and then let the posts run high for the railings?  This is instead of doing concrete piers and setting posts on them above ground. I may be doing posts like this near the house to avoid flashing needs there, so I could use the stiffness from the posts being done like a pole barn. Any issues with frost pulling on the sides of posts, or does it only push up at the bottom?