texts:
I would like to attach a clasp/latch to the side of my fridge/freezer, so that I can tell when it is closed at a glance, and to make closing it a concious effort.

The fridge is from some time in the 90s (maybe even 80s), and is 4th hand (I know its last 4 owners). I just want to squeeze a few more months/years out of it.

I initially attached it with hot-glue, but that came off when I forgot it was there and opened the latched door. I moved up to superglue, which has the same thing happen when my mother-in-law opened the door.

So next up would be to drill a hole and use pop-rivets to hold it inplace once and for all.
But I am not sure what is actually inside the fridge wall?
Is it safe to drill a hole in the side?
Will it damage the fridge/freezer -- assuming on don't penetrate the inner layer.

Does the same hold for the door?

My other option is to use 2 part epoxy resin / Araldite.
Though I would rather rivets.


texts: When doing electrical work, what do I use to check wires are safe?

texts:
If I am thinking of replacing a light switch, a light-fitting, a socket/outlet or doing other work with household wiring where there may be 120 Volts or 240 volts present ...

There is already a question on "what should I have done differently [to avoid electric shock]" which is mostly about procedures but ...

what types of tools are available for testing that wires are safe and, as an average householder, which type of tool should I buy to help avoid electrocution?


texts:
Usually I put canister of silica gel or strips of vapor corrosion inhibitor in my cupboard (that contains many metal repair tools) to absorb moisture so that I keep the rust at bay.

So, How do I know if the canister of silica gel or strips of vapor corrosion inhibitor have lose its effectiveness in absorb moisture? (so that I can replace them with new ones. or do they really last a lifetime?)


texts:
I have a lamp I want to connect to my wiring, but I can't figure out how the wires should be attached. Below you can see the only page in the instruction manual following the lamp which deals with this, as well as the lamp socket.
Can someone give me a pointer on how to attach the wires please?
My location is Norway, if it matters.

The wires go in here somehow?


texts: We have a nice sun tunnel in the kitchen soffited area that I would like to split off with a 90 t and add a 4' extension and an additional plate on a vertcial side of the soffit. I realize I am not going to get as much light as another unit but with the multiple roofing levels branching the existing tunnel sounds very attractive. Does anyone make a fitting or am I on my own to fabricate such a piece to attach my extension? Has anyone tried this?


texts: How do I install an electrical outlet on a live circuit?

texts:
In my dorm room closet, there is a junction box with a blank plate (no outlet). Inside there are three wirenuts (hot, neutral, ground).

I know it is generally unsafe to do any work on a live circuit, so I will see if I can set the circuit breaker. If I cannot, is there a safe(ish) way to perform this operation?


texts: I need to repaint a front bedroom.  Did I need to prime the sand colored walls first or may I go ahead and bright bright white over it.


texts: Why aren't vent stacks usually equipped with hats?

texts:
On just about every house I've seen here in the west (CA) the vent stacks are just a bare pipe sticking out of the roof. There is no hat on them. I understand that all the vent stack does is vent the house's sewage system so that water flows downward unimpeded by suction, and since it is directly attached to the sewage system, there is no obvious reason to place a hat on it; so what if rainwater falls into it?

This having been said, when wind blows over the top of a vent stack, good old Bernoulli creates somewhat of a vacuum, depending on the velocity of the wind. The stronger the wind, the stronger the vacuum. This vacuum can draw the water out of the bowl of a toilet, which in turn would allow sewer gasses to enter the home. On some extremely windy days, I've seen the toilet bowl almost empty of water, though it has never actually been drawn down to completely empty. I imagine it would take a pretty strong wind to completely empty the toilet bowl, but I wouldn't characterize that as being completely impossible.

I hat placed on top of a vent stack that shields the top from direct wind but leaves it otherwise open to the air would prevent the Bernoulli Effect. It would also prevent birds from setting up housekeeping on top of the vent stack. So, why aren't vent stack hats more common? (I'm assuming they are used in some places.)


texts: How to support column for the cat climbing tree

texts:
Looking for a way to give support for the falling ceiling in the cat climbing tree.
Currently there is a fast fix with what I had around, but that won't last for long.
I Would prefer some sort of jack instead of chopping a piece of wood until it fits correctly.
thanks.


texts:
I’d appreciate some advice on the tools I need to complete a task.

I bought an Ikea Kallax shelving unit (http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/30275861/) It came with two brackets, with a space for one screw per bracket to attach to the wall.

I need to secure it to a wall. The wall is solid – 99% sure it’s not plaster board. (My terraced house is from the 1930’s.) There is a gap between the wall and the unit because of a skirting board.

I’d like to secure it in as simple and safe a way as possible. Can you recommend the screws, plugs and drill bit I need?
Thank you for your help.


texts: Smell of urine and urine looking fluid from bathroom vanity

texts:
We renovated our bathroom and over several months  we have noticed a smell of urine which has grown stronger no matter how much I cleaned.  Hubby checked everywhere and all connections good.
I eventually narrowed down the smell to the bathroom vanity/sink (purchased from Costco).
I have a handheld steam cleaner and when I applied it where the sink met the countertop the smell worsened as a dark urine colored fluid and some debris came pouring out.   Almost exclusively at the front of the vanity.  It was foul!
I am repeating this steaming every week and get less fluid each time but the smell does build during the week.
What else can I do about it?


texts: Is it bad that my porcelain tiles were stored outside in the rain?

texts: I just picked up my porcelain floor tiles from the warehouse. They were stored outside in the rain for a week. They're still wet and being aired out now. But they smell of mold. Is this bad news?


texts: How to attach two pieces of carpets in a reliable way?

texts:
Since carpets here are sold in custom length, but only in fixed 4m width, one must do a bit of cut & attach here and there to cover the whole floor.

When it comes to attaching two pieces, what's the best way?

I tried common ducktape, but it did not really stick, and I likely need a durable solution so that the pieces do not move when we walk over them each day.


texts: Is it within code to leave unused romex wire within a stud cavity for future use?

texts:
I'm installing pendant lights, instead of wall sconces, for a bathroom vanity in a new construction home. However, I'd like to be able to have the option of adding the wall sconces and remove the pendant lights in the future.

Is it ok to leave unused romex wire in the stud cavity? This romex wire would be coiled up in the wall directly where the future wall sconces would be located. Doing this would make it easy to fish out the romex wire from behind the drywall. The romex wire would not be live until need be.


texts: Freezer not working; only makes quiet sound

texts:
An old (probably 30-50 years) chest freezer is not working. When plugged in it makes a constant, very quiet sound and does not change temperature.
How could I tell what's wrong with it?  Is it likely to be possible to repair it?
Some pics of the compressor compartment:


texts:
There is an engraving on the bulb: 6v? 120v
This is for a motion-activated floodlight and I want to replace it with an LED but I don't know what to look for that fits this socket.


texts:
I want to replace my mosaic tile shower floor. The shower pan is hot mopped. The wall tiles are set on a 3/4 inch mortar bed.

I imagine replacing the floor tile means replacing the hot mop, which means removing the bottom rows of tile and mortar bed. Is it possible to do any of this without gutting the whole bathroom? Is there a way to replace the tiles without damaging the hot mop at all?

Here is a photo of the floor.

 - Here is what's under the floor.

If possible, I would also like to replace the drain with a square one.

Thanks.


texts: Someone help me out here. I had 3 samples taken as labeled on the results. I'm finding it difficult to decipher the report from the lap.


texts:
I'm looking to build a reading nook under some stairs but there currently seems to be a support structure of some kind that I would like to remove. I've tried finding if this setup is part of code or just good practice but so far have been unable to find anything except for a mention related to very long exterior deck stairs.

The length of the stairs are just shy of 10 feet. Here is an image of the support structure under the stairs.

Here are a couple more shots of the stairs:

full shot of the underneath of the stairs
pic of the underneath part of the top of the stairs to try to show of it connects

At a minimum I would like to remove the cross bracing but if I can remove all of it (there are some boards that run to the back of the stairs at the bottom) I would like to so that the area is a little wider.

Is this something I can take down, either partially or completely?


texts: How to glue PVC wall tiles to old mastic?

texts:
There is a small section of poured concrete wall in the stairwell of our basement that had vinyl tiles glued to it with tar-like black mastic in the 1960s (already tested, neither contain asbestos).

I'd like to install Dumawall PVC wall panels over it.  Trying to remove the mastic is not a very enticing option.  Will Liquid Nails or something similar adhere to the old mastic?  Thought about priming it first with something like Zinsser Bulls Eye but fear that it won't adhere well or will chemically react with the mastic and create a gooey mess.

The Dumawall panels click together and will also be framed with an overlapping wood trim that will help hold things together but still require an adhesive.


texts: Gravel under vinyl fence post in clay soil?

texts: I'm putting up a 6ft vinyl privacy fence. The holes reach 42 inches (city mandates 36 inches). I was planning to put a couple inches of gravel in the bottom of the hole before filling with cement (per fence kit instructions), but I'm getting a bit confused now I'm thinking about it. The thing is, I've seen my holes in the clay soil hold water for days, so gravel at the bottom of the hole would just trap water with nowhere for it to go. Now, it's below the frost line so it shouldn't heave the post up, and it's a vinyl post so it shouldn't rot, but it's not doing any good either, so what's the point?


texts:
I currently have an 24ft intex Pool. I know it doesn't have to be bonded but while the yard is torn up I am thinking it may be a good idea to run the  bond wire now for when I upgrade the pool to a permanent one.

The problem is, I have a retaining wall on one side with a 24 inch tamped rock  base,  and about 6 to 8 inches of gravel behind the wall.

So this wall falls within 18 to 24 inches from the pool wall for where to put the halo copper wire.

Where should I put this wire?

The retaining wall blocks are  11inches deep. When i last measured, right behind the wall was 25 inches to the pool wall. And the 18 to 24inches rests over this wall area.


texts: Should I Insulate Between Floors to Reduce Noise?

texts:
We're in the process of turning our large unfinished attic into a bonus room and bathroom. Originally the attic floor contained the insulation that kept the house warm. Now we'll spray foam the underside of the roof and make sure the thermal barrier connects up the the exterior walls. Also, the new attic space has both a heating/cooling air supply and return. So I'm not worried about thermal issues.

I am concerned about noise issues. The bathroom and bonus room (which is where the TV, gaming systems, and rowdy teenagers will be) are directly above some bedrooms (including mine).

Will regular fiberglass insulation provide a good sound barrier? At what thickness? Or is this just a waste of money? Is there a better alternative?

Edit (More detailed info): The finished attic will have a padded, carpeted floor. 3/4" plywood subfloor on 2x8 joists. 1st floor ceilings are 1/2" drywall screwed to 3/4"(?) lathe-and-plaster.


texts: I got this claw foot shower kit from Home Depot. I can get everything connected except these two pieces which attach the base faucet to the pipe going up to the shower head. The shower pipe fits into the hole here but there is no way to secure and no pieces came with. Do I need a compression sleeve?  See pics for details.


texts: How do I repaint a bathroom that was originally painted with oil (possible lead) then latex?

texts: The home was originally constructed in 1955. Since I have no way of knowing when the original paint job was done on this bathroom, I cannot easily determine if the old oil-based paint contains lead or not. So what do you suggest when my goal is to remove the peeling latex as well as to prep the underlying oil-based painted surface for either latex or acrylic when there is a chance the old surface might contain lead? I want the safest and best method possible that I can do myself. without having to call in a Hazmat team.


texts:
Anyone know what this stuff is?

Had boards similar looking to these on our deck two months back, ripped the bad boards out, but the neighboring boards acquired the same ailment since then.  Ripped them out too (and anything with any sign of white stuff) and attempting to order copper-green wood treatment to paint underside -- would this be enough to stop this from happening? Does anyone know what this stuff is? Was told that it's mold and to just clean it off, but the affected boards broke very easily so I'm worried that it's some sort of nasty rot. Can mold weaken boards to this extent? Does it even matter what this is or is it just a question of getting rid of anything affected and reducing moisture in the area?
This is a fixer upper house and the deck has been very neglected for a number of years.  The deck lacked any sort of stain/seal and the gaps between the boards were so small they would disappear completely when it got wet.  We also had a VERY wet spring and summer.  Only about two weeks ago we cut the gaps. Couple of days ago stained it and redirected the gutters away from the area.  The entire deck is massive (probably 800 sq ft) and the remaining boards seem fine, so would really not want to rip the whole thing out.  Would this in addition to copper-green treatment on the underside be enough?


texts: My brother just bought a Fagor range for his kitchen. The range came pre-wired(less the plug) with a red, black and green wire. The range is 240v, 15 amp. The wiring instructions read: red is hot (240v),black is neutral and green ground. Which is how it would be wired in Europe. My question is how do I wire this here in the states? Thanks.


texts: What tool(s) are appropriate for cutting a door opening in shipping container?

texts:
I'm thinking about buying a shipping container to use it for storage/bike shed/workshop. I can get one from a retailer with an extra door, but this would be rather expensive. So now I'm investigating ways to do this myself. The first question is how to get the hole into the container wall.
What are possible tools with their pros and cons and approximate cost that are able to cut through the wall of a shipping container, for long (~2m) straight cuts?


texts: Getting rid of mold in areas you cannot reach

texts:
I used a home mold test kit (leftover from my previous question) to see if I had mold in my basement (where I sleep). Turns out a little bit of mold is growing in the petri dish. The mold looks to be greenish in color, almost a green-white. It also looks a bit fuzzy. I looked around and cannot find any source of it, so I figured I would clean all of the wood beams, insulation, and walls as well as run a dehumidifier and air purifier (with HEPA filter) to get rid of and prevent the mold. The biggest issue is that there is one part of the ceiling that is drywalled, and a part that isnt (the main cable line as well as water lines needed to be accessible)

I was considering just spraying some vinegar behind the drywalled section because I cannot reach behind there to scrub, nor can I see all that well to target specific sections should I see mold. I figured the vinegar would kill the mold even without scrubbing, and the dehumidifier would prevent the spores (which apparently cannot "die"?) from spawning new colonies.

Is this an effective plan? Or will the vinegar add moisture to the drywall/wood studs and actually feed the mold? Is there a more effective way to treat the mold and prevent it in the room?

PS: the room as only a small basement window and cannot be opened, so air flow is poor, so I am trying to avoid bleach/ammonia. Plus I heard they cannot penetrate porous surfaces anyway


texts: Minor Crawlspace Excavation: Need permits/structural engineer?

texts:
Background:

First house, built in the late 60s, bought in October 2014. Original house has crawlspace with combination cinder/concrete foundation. Master bedroom is an addition to the house with a basement underneath.

Problems:

1.) The house was sold to us with what sounds like an open pipe from the master bathroom addition leading straight into the crawl, instead of the sewer. We've been dumping sewage in our crawl for a couple months. Ew.

2.) The plumbing, ductwork, and joist support underneath the house is a cobbled-together mess. One of the joist supports fell, leading me to investigate the crawl, leading me to discover problem #1. I can't get down there to fix it, 'cause of the small amount of working room, and the poop.

Right now, I've got all vents open, and I'm running an industrial blower into the crawl 24/7 to try and dry it out. (Obviously, we are not using the offending plumbing right now.)

Solution:

I want to excavate a good 6" to 1',6" of dirt from down there, for two reasons: 1.) There is too much dirt (not enough space to work on the problematic plumbing, ductwork, and joist supports) and 2.) an unacceptable portion of that dirt is now poop.

I'm not talking about turning it into a basement or anything, just pulling out a bunch of dirt and possibly laying down some gravel instead, so I have a sanitary and sufficiently large area in which to address the other problems this old house has.

Do I need to pull permits or hire a structural engineer for something like this?


texts:
So we moved into an apartment recently. And all was good but the other day my boyfriend and I walked into our sons room and it smelled like rotten food. You can only smell it when you walk into the room but that's it. It wasn't like this when we first moved in. I cleaned his whole room to find nothing that could be causing this horrible smell.

Along with this smell he will not sleep through the night any longer. Also a few days before this started happening he would randomly start laughing in his sleep and talk to himself. He never did that anywhere else we lived.


texts: Roof Ridge Venting - When in 2012 did roof venting become required instead of standard roofing codes?

texts: In what month of 2012 did roof ridge vents become code, as opposed to standard roofing when roof ridge venting was not a requirement? I ask because I need to present as evidence to the BBB (Better Business Bureau).


texts:
Sorry in advance, this is all brand new to me. I am debating solar, but it is my understanding that if our panel bus rating is 100A or lower, we'll be limited to the size of the system we can have installed. But if it's 125A or higher, then we have a lot more options.

Since there is no main breaker switch, and the labels on the inside of the panel have worn off, I have no way to tell what our panel's bus rating is. Please help!


texts: I have to put pictures on a wall over my glass desk top.  It is 19" wide(front to back) 42 1/2 "long(left to right) and 3/16" thick and 40 1/2" between the inside edges of the supports left to right, and 11 3/4" front to back.  I weight 195 lbs.  Can I stand on this desk?


texts:
Whenever I use hangers I end up with something that looks wrong.

Hangers have two sets of screws. One, the "flat" screws, drive into the wood your hanging onto. The others, the "diagonals" drive into the wood you're hanging. Does that make sense? Do these have official names?

I install them by holding everything with one hand and then driving in one of the "flat" screws with my free hand. Then I switch and drive one in on the other flat side, so now it's not going anywhere.

The "problem" is that when I drive in the diagonal screws, the hangers pull in toward the studs. As the hanger is slightly wider than the studs, this causes the bottom of the hanger to bow out slightly, so it is no longer in contact with the bottom of the piece being hung.

Am I doing this wrong?


texts: Grounding Requirements for same structure subpanel

texts:
I understand that unless a 250.32(B) (NEC 2014) applies, a separate ground wire should run from the main to a subpanel where the service is in a separate structure.

Still confused however about NEC grounding requirements for the same structure. I am replacing a subpanel  and moving the location from the Kitchen to the garage, about 3 feet. The main is 200 amp (grounded and bonded) service and the subpanel 125 with a 3 wire #2 feeder between the two and EMT the entire way in the slab. All 11 EMT runs to the house, as well as the feeder were buried in the slab until an archeological dig to extricate and extend the EMT to the new subpanel. Each of the EMT runs and the feeder were attached to the wire mesh in the concrete by small wire (14 guage or less) within about 6 feet of the panel. I plan to replace this. Not sure if this was for grounding, or just to hold the EMT in place when the slab was poured.

Does the NEC require a separate grounding wire back to the main in this case and/or a separate ground rod by the subpanel?

If not, would a separate grounding rod at the subpanel be a good idea. Not anxious to try and run a separate ground back to the main.

Thank you in advance for any help.


texts: Well Pressure Tank from 35 PSI to 65 and back every 7 minutes

texts:
My well pressure tank (Well X Trol) kicks on, goes up to 65 PSI, then immediately starts dropping, and after about 7 minutes, hits 35 PSI and kicks back on again, pushing it back up to 65 PSI... and repeats.

There is no major leak in my house that I'm aware of, nothing was using water, no one had flushed the toilet recently...etc etc.

My GUESS is that it must be pushing the water back down into the well. I don't know how else it could lose that much pressure that fast.

I went outside and sat by the well, and after a few minutes, I heard a gurgling/bubbling/spurting sound. It was faint, but it sounded like air, not just flowing water.

Thoughts on what this could be, how that could be tested, and how it can be resolved if confirmed?


texts: How can I replace my main water shutoff valve?

texts:
I just recently purchased a house that was built in 1979 with galvanized plumbing. The water main just outside the house looks like this:

I'm planning to replace it, but I want to make sure it's done right. Disassembly isn't going to be that tough (cut the PVC, spin the tee off the stub), but when I put it back together, I want to make sure I have the right fittings in place.

My thoughts are to do the same thing, but I'm wondering if I should have at least one union in there somehow. I was considering having one between the stub and the tee, then one between the shutoff valve and the tee, but I have a feeling that may be overkill.

Any advice on this would be much appreciated.


texts: What size pipe should be used when converting from single to double Bathroom Sink?

texts: Our bathroom had an optional double sink in the main bathroom from when the house was built (before we lived in it). Based off of water temp alone I'm guessing that the toilet & sink are on the same set of lines. Water pressure doesn't change when the toilet is flushed but the sink does get significantly warmer while the toilet tank is refilling. I'd like to convert the single to a double sink. My question is what sized lines are needed to make sure that everything has the needed pressure? This is a newer construction house (early 2000's) with pretty good water pressure throughout.


texts: installing bathroom exhaust fan in drop ceiling

texts: What is the best way to install a bathroom exhaust fan in a short, dropped ceiling? From what I can tell without having removed anything, the tiles look to be at most 3 inches below the actual ceiling underneath. Are there fans which include a housing that can expand downward to fill the few inch void between the grill mounted on the tiles and the actual ceiling? If not, then I assume some type of duct work needs to be added? I have not yet purchased the fan.


texts: Should AC coolant pipes be mounted on the exterior?

texts:
Contractor recently installed a new AC unit and mounted the copper pipes running up the wall on the outside. This is in California, plenty of sunlight and hot days.

Besides looking unsightly, are there any safety or reliability concerns with this?

Would sunlight impact the efficiency? Rain will wear out the insulation and tape?

Is it worth pushing them to redo it and route the pipe from the inside of the wall?


texts: What does the lead content statement on my reducing valve actually mean?

texts:
I just had a pressure reducing valve (Watts LF 25AUB Z3) and expansion tank (Watts PLT-12) installed by a City of Ottawa (Ontario) contractor - these items both specify NSF-61 compliance, but also specify the disclaimer "The wetted surface of this product contacted by consumable water contains less than 0.25% of lead by weight."

My understanding is that there is no safe level of lead in drinking water and that it is usually measured in micrograms/L.

Does anyone know what the disclaimer actually means? And what is the maximum amount of lead expected to be leached into my water?

Thanks!


texts: What considerations should I make for a fire ring?

texts:
I'm trying to build a fire ring in my yard. My thought is that for the base I will get a run-of-the-mill fire pit insert (maybe something simple, like this). My plan is to dig a hole about half its height deep, place the insert, fill with sand and gravel (lava rock?) to ground level, and possibly place brick around the outside.

I would like to have the brick cemented in place, is there a particular form of mortar or concrete which would be well suited to higher temperatures?
If I do not put brick around the outside, what else should I do to make sure the insert does not move?
Will bricks make it easier to remove ash?


texts: How can I install 3 way switches that cut power to several 2 way switches?

texts:
I'm rewiring my unfinished basement.  It has two entrances - a cellar door to the outside and the normal staircase in the house.  Even though it is unfinished, the basement is kind of divided into different rooms.  I want each "room" to have its own light and light switch.  I also want to be able to kill all of the lights at once from the top of my stairs and also re-energize the whole circuit if I happen to walk in through the cellar door.  Please tell me whether the following plan is safe and workable:

I'll start with a fairly normal 3 way switch setup.  Picture one switch on the left, next switch in the middle, and the light on the right. This light is the one over my stairs, and it will work off of the 3 way switch like you would normally expect. Power from the breaker box can go into the middle switch or the light on the right - either way is easy enough.  Once that is all set up I splice a 2 + ground cable to the hot and neutral on the light and run it to the next light, except I wire that second light to its own 2 way switch.  From there I continue the circuit until I have 6 or 7 lights with each of them controlled by its own 2 pole switch.  If the kids leave 2 or 3 of those lights on, then instead of walking through the whole basement to turn them off, I can just flip the three way switch at the top of my stairs to kill the entire basement lighting circuit.  The next time someone enters the basement from either door, they hit the 3 way switch and all of the lights that the kids left on come on again (plus the stairway light turns on because the 3 way is the only switch connected to it). Of course, none of the lights in the basement would work unless that 3 way switch circuit is closed.

Is all of this safe and up to code?


texts: Shower drain clogs yearly after clearing - call plumber or DIY?

texts:
My shower drain clogs infrequently but regularly - about every year or so. The first year it happened, I used one of those 18" plastic drain "hooks" (and pulled out a fairly large hairball). It clogged again about a year later, so I got a 20' snake and ran it all the way through to the end, hoping there was a blockage farther down that I missed the first time. Another year later, and it's clogged again!

Should I just keep doing what I've been doing and expect to do this every year, or might a plumber be able to clear out the problem once and for all (or at least get me a few years before having to do it again)?

I don't know for sure, but my guess is that there's a bend or turn close to the shower that's catching hair and I'll just have to keep doing this, but if there's a more permanent solution, I'd love to know.


texts: How can I seal subfloor gaps before adding a substrate?

texts:
I installed a new subfloor sheathing in my second floor half bath. The edges are between 1/4 and 1/2 inch from the wall. In a few spots, the wall edges are not totally smooth do to poor removal of previous rotted subfloor and uneven blocking (jagged edge that was not cut or sanded smooth). Basically there are potentially access points for liquid materials to enter the void (don't know the technical term here, aka "the subfloor abyss")

What can I do to seal off this gap so I can pour some self leveling compound? Mildew resistant caulking? Wood filler? Mesh tape + some kind of compound?
Backerboard or DITRA for a floor tile substrate?

Thanks!


texts: I have an outlet in my bathroom that quit working.  Tester reads "open hot".  Outlet is at the end of a run and everything else seems to be working properly.  Tried replacing the GFCI, but still have the same problem.  Any ideas on the likely culprit?


texts: What could have caused the burnt electronics smell in my Kenmore washer and dryer?

texts:
I have a Kenmore washer and dryer (both electric) in a separate laundry room. We came home yesterday after being out, only to find a HORRIBLE smell in the laundry room. At first I thought of turpentine or some sot of paint thinner. Very harsh "ozone" sort of smell. At this point, having removed all containers from the room, I have narrowed down that the smell is that of a blown circuit. I used to smell something similar when I visited businesses that produced circuit boards and semi conductors.

Both units work
Possible heat loss on the dryer, but the clothes do dry. I've just had to put some back a little longer.

What happened here and what do I need to be concerned about now?


texts: See attached picture. I am not sure if the title is correct. The door bell button (the plastic cover area) broke. Can anyone tell where can I buy this exact doorbell?


texts: How do you trigger the HVAC with wiring only?

texts:
I have a HVAC that has the usually wiring C R G W Y
Pinouts

What wires do I need to connect to turn on Heating?

What wires do I need to connect to turn on the A/C?

Is there a risk of damaging any circuitry in doing this?

Is there a way of finding out what the HVAC current condition is, based only on the wiring voltages?(cooling and heating)


texts: Options for lubricating wires for conduit?

texts: I am trying to pull four #8 stranded wires through a flexible PVC conduit that is 25 feet long. I can get the wires just a few feet into the conduit before they bind. I know there is a commercially available wire lube, but I do not have any. Can I safely substitute another product like dish soap or something? Or would that just be a bad idea and I should just get the real deal?


texts: Can I hammer nails in this type of brick?

texts:
I want to hang some pictures on the wall. The wall is made of porotherm bricks similar to this one:

I have two options:

drill some holes with a masonry drill bit, insert some plastic dowels and a screw;
simply hammer a nail in.

I used the second approach on AAC walls. It was faster, easier, and cleaner. I would prefer the second approach now also, but I don't know how this kind of brick behaves.

Will the brick shatter? Will I have a hard time hammering the nail? Will the nail even stay in place? Anyone have experience with hammering a nail in this kind of material?


texts: Converting a switched outlet to always on, using switch for new ceiling fan

texts:
I am trying to install a new ceiling fan in a bedroom where there currently is no light fixture in the ceiling at all, and have that fan be controlled by an existing light switch in the room that,  right now, switches an outlet.  I want to remove that outlet from the switch, leave it always on like any standard receptacle,  and wire the light switch to the new ceiling fan.
The light switch has one black wire and one yellow wire.  The yellow connects to the outlet, and this is the ONLY wire connecting the switch to the outlet.  The black wire from the switch runs to a bundle of 3 black wires that are in the outlet junction box but NOT connected at all to the outlet.   The outlet only has two white wires in its back which run to other outlets in the room.  There are no black wires in the switched outlet.  Thus, only that single yellow wire that connects the switch to the outlet serves as the power.
Any thoughts????


texts: Suggestions For Waterproofing a Basement with Infrequent Seepage

texts:
After a particularly strong rainfall (every ~3 years), water seeps into my partially finished basement from small gaps in the intersection between the wall and floor.

The amount of water is significant.  Last time (a couple of weeks ago), it was about 6 gallons.

The floor and walls are poured concrete, with the wall having a coat of plaster.

The issue only occurs on one wall.

I've looked into a drainage / grading solution, and I don't think I can solve the problem there.  With these rainfalls, half of my backyard will be underwater, and a nearby intersection can get about 2 ft. of standing water.

The side of the house with the issue has good grading (by my assessment), 8 ft. gutter extensions, and is a side of the house that the roof doesn't slope onto.

Based on responses to other questions on this site (    How can I stop this water from entering my basement? and I have a basement floor with lots of moisture, can I paint or seal it to make it waterproof?), it seems that an ideal solution would be a foundation membrane, but I can't afford that, and the problem isn't severe enough to warrant that expense.

So, I'm wondering if using hydraulic cement in the wall-floor gaps would be enough to stop the water.

The gaps are small, so I believe I'd have to chisel out a larger gap to install the hydraulic cement properly.

I'd appreciate any thoughts on that idea or other suggestions.

If it makes any difference, my house does not have a sump pump.


texts: Why is there two sets of black and white wires connected together in my wall?

texts: Don't understand what this is, I was told it was probley a splice in the wires to extend wiring but I thought white had to be with white, black with black and ground to ground.....is this something that needs to be in a junction box ??


texts: Used a dremel to clean up a broken edge on a porcelain piece. The grinding wheel was pretty rough, what should I use to smooth it out? Also, any way to get it super smooth and polished like the rest of the item?


texts: Window casing upgrade to plastic/pvc/vinyl/aluminum

texts:
I Just had  two rooms added to the house, and I totally forgot to mention in the contract that I wanted the window casing  to be plastic.
(window frame? The internal part that encases the window basically)
The contractor installed a wood frame, and only agreed to paint it with a separate latex based paint for a bit of extra protection.
I am now looking for a way to do a bit more without too much effort - find a set of plastic or aluminum panels and glue them on top of the wood maybe.
Since I've never really done anything like this, I have questions:
Does this make sense at all?
What paneling (search terms are most welcome) would be thin enough to fit in there?
What type of glue?
If you know of alternative approaches, I'll be happy to hear about those too.
Thanks!


texts: Reducing air conditioner compressor vibration noise

texts:
I have a two year old Carrier air conditioner with an outdoor condenser.  The condenser sits on a plastic pad on the side of my house, and I have two--one for downstairs and one for upstairs.

Recently, the larger of the two (for upstairs) has been making an oscillating vibration noise--not too loud, but loud enough to be annoying when running.  If I place my hand on the top of the unit and press down with very little force, the noise stops.  Therefore, I deduce that this is a vibration problem with the metal grill that surrounds the condenser fins--maybe.

The unit was out of level, so I leveled the pad, and it sounds the same.  However, with the pad level, the unit itself is still out of level and wobbles if pushed.  It isn't bolted down to the pad, as I can easily move it around.  Is it not required to be bolted down?

I plan on doing the following.  Does it make sense:

Level the condenser on the pad, with rubber for shims.
Remove the top fan grid (with fan attached) to see if I can place some pieces of rubber where the top lays on the condenser fins.
Make sure all screws are tight.

Any other ideas?  (I'm a homeowner, not a professional.)  Thank you.


texts: old configuration had a switch at the end (two wire) wired to a light which had 12-3 (multiple lights).  I removed the light and want to wire the switch back in.  need configuration for connecting the 12-2 switch to 12-3 source.


texts:
I have a 5ft long porch swing I want to hang on an 8' wide porch. The rafters are set at 2', 4' and 6' so I can't bolt directly into them.
Is it safe to screw a 2x6' board across the rafters, screwing into every rafter, and then attach the porch swing hangers to that board?


texts: satellite water heater or recirculating pump?

texts:
I want to eliminate the long wait for hot water in my kitchen. I've ruled out a tankless unit there, so it's between a small storage-tank unit (6-12 gallons), or a recirculating pump (between the main 50 gallon conventional electric unit and the 20ft-distant kitchen).

Energy usage is my main concern, and that energy goes to one of three places: hot water used, hot water stranded in pipes after the faucet is turned off, and heat lost into the environment. Seems the first two are the similar for both the tank-style and the circulation pump. Heat loss is related to the surface area through which heat is lost (the tank surface area, or the surface area of the recirculation loop piping, since the pump essentially extends the surface area through which heat is lost), the temperature differential (hot water versus ambient), and the R-value (of the tank jacket, or of the piping). I wrote a little spreadsheet. For (both cases) a 60-degree temperature differential between the hot water and the ambient crawlspace, and R-8 insulation, a typical small tank has losses equal to about 22 watts, and a 20ft round-trip 1/2" pipe has a loss of about 12 watts. That's not much difference: less than $10/year at 10cents per kwh, or 100-200 pounds of carbon for typical electricity. Also, the pump uses some electricity - though of course it can be turned off a lot of the time with a timer, whereas even a turned-off tank heater is losing energy as the water cools off when the timer is off.

Also, the pump seems like more complexity, noise, and proneness to failure, and fairly similar in price.

Is my energy-efficiency analysis correct ?  Are there other factors to consider ?


texts: Securing wires while replacing European electric plug

texts:
I have bought a new plug to replace my old one but it has a design I did not see before, so I thought I would better ask what is the correct way of doing it.

So, I have a cord with insulation stripped from the wires. I expected to just loop these wires around the screws (how it is done in all other cases I have seen) and be done with it but the screws in my plug seem too tiny (wires stick out of it) and wires can come off after a stronger pull. Also, there are some holes on the inner part of prongs which might be used to secure the wires. Here is a pic:

So, my question is, how should I fasten the wires so that they would securely stay in place? Any ideas would be appreciated.


texts: How do I connect my kitchen sink sprayer

texts:
I just bought a house, and the first thing to break is the spray hose for my kitchen sink.  It was added recently, and I'm unable to find any brand listed to help me understand the parts, or even what is broken.

Click for full size image

My problem is that the quick-connect adapter doesn't actually hold the end of the hose.  It falls right out and water sprays into the cabinet under the sink.


texts: I have a 1200 square foot second floor apartment that is presently heated using a forced hot water radiator system. The system is called a Paloma "Paloma Pak" heating system. It is basically a tankless hot water heater that they used back in the 1980s to heat apartments. With today's technology, can I replace it with a standard tankless hot water heater for similar results? My biggest problem is I can't find anyone to service the unit. It has an 85% efficiency rating when I check, so I can get no assistance to pay for the replacement. I think the tankless hot water heater may be an option.


texts: Voltage based switch. Ceiling fan on dimmable lights

texts:
Excuse my ignorance in the subject, below i will try to explain what i have and what i am trying to achieve.

In my living room I have about 15 led dimmable recessed lights on a dimmable switch.

From my research installing a motor in a dimmable switch is the recipe for disaster. So I wont install a ceiling fan because having dimmable lights is more important to me. Unless there is some sort of switch based on voltage that I can install on the individual light. That way the fan will only turn on when the dimmer is all the way up. I read of a device called voltage comparator but I am not clear on how it solves my issue.

Putting the fan aside, it will also be nice if when i dim the lights down some of them turn off, and on the way up they turn on when a voltage is reached.

If anyone knows of anything that will be able to reach my goals please let me know. Otherwise if there is a flaw on what i am asking for let me know also so I can learn more about the subject


texts:
I'm making a stacked laundry bay and would like it to be as narrow as possible. Are there minimum spacing requirements for the sides of the stack? I would like 2" each side between the machines and the wall. Any reason to give it more?

I will have service panel entrances on each side of the bay to reach for every hookup so I won't need to get behind the stack from the up front once they are placed inside. And there will be no door to the bay, just a curtain hanging from the ceiling.


texts: Correct placement for 1,200 lb pizza oven on wooden box I built

texts:
I am not much of a DIY-er, but I decided I wanted to try and make a stand for a 1,200 lb pizza oven I wanted to buy. I built a box out of 4x4's, and wrapped it in 5/8" OSB.

The dimensions of the surface of the box are 48"x48", and the pizza oven is 40"x40". The problem I'm dealing with now is that if the pizza oven is centered on the surface, most of the 4x4 beams around the perimeter aren't directly under the oven, due to the 4" inset all the way around.

So given the design in the picture where there are two center vertical pillars in the back two rows, but not in the first row, I'm wondering if I need to either scoot the pizza oven all the way to the front, or else all the way to the back. Or will it work fine being centered? Maybe I am just being overly nervous, but I want this to last, and as I said, this is my first rodeo with framing.


texts: Do I have to replace this entire valve or can it be fixed?

texts:
My bathtub/shower faucet has been constantly dripping and I took it apart to try and get it repaired.

Here is what is on the inside:

I would rather, for obvious reasons, avoid having to take the valve out, but I am not sure how to proceed at this point.

1. is there a  way to repair this valve in place?

2. If not how do I go about getting this thing out?

A "good enough" fix to keep it from dripping temporarily would be fine, I plan to remodel this bathroom completely in the near-ish future.


texts:
I am remodeling my bathroom, and as I began to tackle the electric work, I discovered a couple things that were concerning:

The circuit that the bathroom (as well as adjacent bedroom and hallway) are on is controlled by a 20 amp breaker.  It's actually 2 20amp single pole breakers in the same spot.
The wiring that was in the bathroom, that I have since removed all the way back to where the wiring comes into the bathroom, was a mix of 12/2 and 14/2 wire. The wiring that comes into the room, and is the source of the electric for the room appears to be 14/2 (it's old wire with no ground wire and no labeling on sheath, but my wire strippers suggest it's 14/2).

Now I know you are supposed to use 12/2 on a 20 amp circuit, but I don't know the extent of what's on this circuit and what size wire is used throughout the length of this circuit. What should I do to remedy this? I still need to power the bathroom (a vent fan, vanity lights, GFCI). Can I simply switch the 20 amp breaker for 15amps at the box and then run 14/2 throughout rest of bathroom?


texts: Sharing kitchen hood and kitchen ventilation through one duct

texts: My kitchen currently does not have a kitchen hood, so I'm planning to install it. At the moment there is a ventilation duct, my idea is to connect the hood pipe to the ventilation pipe in the drop ceiling so I don't need ductwork on the exterior wall for the hood. Is this OK or there is the need for having two separate ducts?


texts: I put in the front panel of the cabinet upside down. The screws it uses are some kind of cam locks, but the locks are attached to the drawer face and were not put in by me. I've not really seen them used before and I can't find any help online. I need to know how to take it apart so I can fix it!


texts: How many receptacles can I place on a 20 ampere 120 volt breaker?

texts: How many receptacles can I place on a 20 amp breaker if it's a 120 volt circuit? How many on a 15 amp circuit? I'm trying some DIY on my bathroom and bedroom. Help would be appreciated.


texts: Do the abbreviations O, N, F mean anything on the electric meter terminals?

texts: I am trying to troubleshoot a dual-energy heating installation.  I found this diagram from the electrical company.  The terminals below the meter face are labeled O, N, F, 12, and VCA.  12 I think is 12 volts, VCA is alternating current.  These are in French so I'm guessing O, N and F are as well.  If it helps: two of these terminals should act like a thermostat and close the circuit at a certain temperature (not sure which two,that's what I'm trying to troubleshoot).  I'm not sure what the third one does.


texts: How do I wire a duplex outlet from a switch/outlet combo?

texts: The power comes first through a switch/outlet combo and I need to it take further down to a duplex outlet. The switch will control half the outlet and the other half will always be hot. This is intended to control a garbage disposal (On - Off) from the counter top while the dishwasher stays powered.


texts: What is the minimum amount of equipment required to "stub" for a whole house generator?

texts:
I'm doing my own electrical for a home I'm building, and am interested in having a whole house generator at some point in the future, but it isn't in the budget right now.

If I understand correctly, you need a transfer switch to go before the main panel, so if we wanted to add one later, we would need the power company to disconnect the service and redo the whole service entrance.

Is there anything I can do that doesn't cost too much right now, to make it easier to install a generator or transfer switch later?

The house will have a 200 AMP service.


texts: How to make pressure treated wood look old quickly

texts:
We are adding a porch onto our old tobacco barn and are using pressure treated lumber.

We started in July to prepare for my daughter's outdoor wedding in late October. I would like for the porch wood to look old like the barn.

I have seen a lot about making new wood look old by using a vinegar and rusty nail or steel wool solution, but no one ever discusses whether or not you can do this on fairly new treated lumber. It has been hot and dry since we began this project... can someone advise me on this?


texts: What could cause neutral wires in my service panel to read 120V?

texts: I have a 200 A service panel with 12 breakers. Seven of the breakers work fine.  There are 5 other lines that come in.  When I hook up the black wires to the breakers and turn them on I get a charged neutral wire. It is reading 120 V. What could be the problem?


texts:
I appear to be unable to get an even matt finish despite giving the plywood two coats and allowing for 24hrs to dry before applying another.

Problem is it appears to be blotchy in certain areas why?

The reason I choose this melamine paint was so I can wipe it down if I need to.


texts:
Trying to design proper support for a long bookshelf aquarium.  The aquarium is 72x12x12 approximately 44 gallons. Which equates to about 360lbs of water weight.  Since it will also contain rock/coral/sand etc... I figured I'd calculate a load of 700lbs to have a margin of safety.  The tank fabricator messed up and ran the drain lines out the back instead of the bottom which pushed me from my original shelf depth of 13-14" up to 17" which adds quite a bit of leverage I think.

The tank is going in an alcove that is 88" wide.  My plan was to run the shelf the full 88" and half the back and sides fastened to a cleat(1x4 pine).  I was also planning on edging the front with 1x4 pine to help stiffen it.  The shelf material itself was originally going to be Advantek subfloor OSB but I think I'll need to beef that up and laminate 1/2" or maybe 3/4" Plywood to it?

Next I was planning on adding 4 or 6 Everbuilt shelf brackets to support it along the wall at the studs.  The problem is I don't have much more clearance than for the 8" shelf brackets because the vertical portion for them is 12" which is pretty much all the room I have underneath the proposed shelf.  At 1200lbs a pair they can certainly handle the vertical load, but 9" of cantilever seems excessive.  The next size up bracket is 20"vertical 13" horizontal.  That would drop me down to 4" of cantilever but that is assuming I can manage to fit the longer bracket in.

Lastly I was planning on gluing a piece of oak trim on the front to cover the shelf edge, and cleat ends.  Essentially double edging the shelf.

I considered adding support to the underside of the shelf by gluing 1x4 pieces running on edge from the back to the front of the shelf(basically mini floor joists if you will).  Just not sure how to calculate there value and if it sufficient to allow me to use the shorter(12x8) brackets.

Any thoughts/suggestions on how to properly support this would be greatly appreciated.


texts:
Replacing my tub.

Below the tub is the PVC drain and it comes with a rubber gasket.

Then the tub-drain unit screws into the drain from inside the tub to make the connection.

I watched a video that said silicone was better than plumbers putty.

I've always used plumbers putty...Is silicone really better than plumbers putty?

I assume the silicone would never go on the PVC drain rubber gasket.

Do I still use Teflon tape on threads if using silicone?


texts: Should there be angled lines up my roof after new shingle installation?

texts: Newly installed architectural shingles show a angled line from top to bottom every 3-4 feet. Is this normal?


texts: Can a 4/0 al wire be used for the neutral conductor on 200amp service?

texts: Upgrading my house to 200 amp service. I can get a really good deal on some 4/0 al wire, so was wondering if there would be any reason I couldn't / shouldn't use 4/0 gauge for the neutral as well.


texts:
Like many items which have "trade sizes" it seems a little ambiguous what the length of a pipe nipple actually means.

For instance, if I see a 4" pipe nipple advertised, what portion of the object is the 4" a measurement of? Is it even a measurement at all? (like 2x4 is not really 2" by 4"...)

Looking at various shopping websites doesn't actually make this very clear. And unfortunately I don't have any examples on hand to examine. Even if I did, I'm not sure if this is an industry "standard" or not.


texts: How do you Connect Two Wall Heaters Two 20A breakers and One Thermostat?

texts:
I have Two 4000w Wall Heaters on Two 20A breakers and One Thermostat.
I actually blew up my new Mysa thermostat trying to upgrade from an old one.
What's the best way to work this problem?


texts: What is this bell-shaped, cast iron plumbing part?

texts: I have old galvanized steel plumbing. What exactly is this pictured part called and what's its function? This is cold water and leads to a faucet of a utility sink.


texts: Where is my gas shutoff valve for my stove or do I need to have one installed?

texts:
I am getting a gas stove delivered to replace my existing one. I am in a condominium unit, but I don't see a gas shutoff valve, there are ones for the water inside of my unit.
I thought it may be this brass nut piece sticking up in the middle, so I put some wd-40, but it doesn't seem to turn.
Should I try to turn it more or is there no shutoff valve here?
Thank you!


texts:
I have a Stihl chainsaw with the ROLLOMATIC E Standard 20" bar:

I picked up a Granberg Clip-N-Trim attachment, to help it go through brush:

The instructions say to bolt the comb to the bar. I see a circle in the bar about 6" from the end. Is it a knockout? Or a grease fitting?

Should I try to drill a hole through? I've heard that it's really hard, because the bars are made of hardened steel. Where would the hole go? I don't want to interfere with the nose sprocket, obviously. Or maybe I should find an alternate bar, just for this purpose.


texts: Recently my front and back door started shocking me when I touched it. Also I plugged my camper up to my homes outside outlet and the camper door would shock me too. We are always having light bulbs go out. What could be the problem?


texts: Leave extra wire in conduit for future expansion

texts:
Quick question that's come up when wiring a garage/workshop. I ran 3/4" conduit, and in one length I'm planning to run 3+1 10 AWG for a 240V/30A circuit, as well as 2+1 10 AWG for a 120V/20A circuit. I've intentionally oversized the 120V/20A circuit as I'd like the option of upgrading to a second 240V circuit in the future. If I ever did that, I'd obviously need an additional hot wire. I know that I could leave a pull string, but is there any issue with simply pulling an extra wire now, and leave the ends capped with wire nuts in the sub panel and a junction box?
Thanks.
EDIT for additional details:
It is EMT. And this is actually coming from a subpanel. I ran a 60A sub to my (attached) garage, and am now wiring these circuits from that sub. So it's actually a short run of wire, and leaving the extra wire is a negligible cost.


texts: turning shower off before turning water faucet off

texts: I had always been told to push shower knob down, directing the water back to the faucet, before pushing the water off. If you just push the water knob off, letting the shower knob fall on its own, is that hard on your shower equipment?


texts: How can I figure out why my circular saw has stopped working?

texts:
I have a Hitachi C 7SB2 circular saw that has very few hours on it, but is perhaps 10 years old. I cut a piece of wood, put saw down, then tried to cut a second piece, but the saw would not run. I checked the outlet for voltage, and it was fine. Checked the cord for continuity, which was also fine. Checked the switch by opening the case, and found that current is getting past the switch. I then bypassed the switch, but the saw still would not run. I removed the brushes and checked for voltage at the brush terminals, and found that it had 120 volts. Finally I opened the saw case to check for obvious damage to rotor or stator, though I did not remove the stator.

Is there any test that I can do with a multimeter, or other device to check further?

I don't see any electronics in the parts diagram.


texts: Can I enhance Wi-Fi with a parabolic reflector?

texts:
I have a decommissioned satellite dish antenna and I’d like to get a stronger signals from nearby Wi-Fi source.
I could mount an antenna at the focal point of the dish, as long as the router allowed external antenna.
Would this conflict with modern routers that have beam forming technology?
Anyone ever try this?


texts: Is it safe to convert a shunted tombstone lamp socket to a non-shunted socket by cutting the shunt?

texts:
I am looking into converting a T-8 fluorescent tube fixture to a direct-wire LED tube fixture. In addition to removing the actual ballast, I understand that the "tombstone" lamp sockets in an electrical ballast fluorescent fixture are shunted, but for a direct wire LED tube,
I should use non-shunted.

Based on the diagram in this vendor article:
https://blog.1000bulbs.com/home/shunted-vs-non-shunted-lampholders
it seems like it would be pretty easy to convert a shunted socket to a non-shunted socket with some wirecutters. Is this generally unsafe? And/or code-violating?


texts: How do I carry electrical power across a pond?

texts:
Suppose I need to run power to an outbuilding.  The line will run underground.  Between the supply and outbuilding is a long, wide pond.  Going around the pond isn't really feasible.

This is not a question about how to power equipment in a pond. Finding Code cites on this has been hard because Google is flooded with advice on powering loads that are in the pond, such as fountains or aerators.

I simply need to get across the pond.  The pond will have ducks, otters, beaver, fish and humans.

What are the Code legal methods to carry the wires across the pond, and how do I transition between that and the underground run?

I am unable to drain the pond.


texts: Is there anything that forbids an Article 409 industrial control panel within a dwelling unit?

texts: Can an "industrial control panel", complying with NEC Article 409 and constructed with UL 508 listed devices, be used to control loads in a dwelling unit/residential occupancy? It would rely on the fault protection of the upstream circuit instead of having breakers inside it (this is allowed for an Article 409 panel) and be located indoors, within a NEMA 1 enclosure with a dead front.


texts: (SOLVED) What is a whining, high pitch sound coming from my furnace when heat kicks in

texts: EDIT: SOLVED. IT WAS THE FLEX CONNECTOR. THANKS EVERYONE. My gas furnace makes a high-pitched whining sound when the burners turn on (when I can see fire). A repair man came and told me it may be that the “flex connector hose” that goes from the gas line to the furnace. He said the flex connector is 1/4 inch when the gas line is 1/2, creating a bottle neck, stifling the system from getting enough gas. Could that possibly lead to a high pitch noise that is always present when burners are on and on occasions can be heard anywhere in my small home?


texts: Can I use common vegetable oil (e.g. rapeseed/canola) for chain-and-bar lubrication in a chainsaw?

texts:
I have just acquired a small battery powered chainsaw (Makita DUC245), and would like to use an eco-friendly and skin-friendly chain oil if possible.
Lots of sources suggest the possibility of using vegetable-based oils, and I would like to do so.
I have one doubt though: should I use a chain-and-bar specific product that is based on vegetable oils (probably with additives), or can I use the regular, edible canola oil that is sold in supermarkets?

I appreciate both practical experiences as well as technical references.
Update: I live in subtropical climate that almost never goes below water-freezing temperatures.


texts: Find replacement decorative wood spindle for screen door

texts:
I have a wood screen door in the screened-in porch that is missing a decorative spindle. It came with the house, so I don't know the manufacturer. There are also no marking anywhere on it, and I've asked a few contractors about suggestions to no avail. I have yet to see any doors at the box scores, along with a local Harvey Industries store, and it seems modern doors are either fiberglass or metal. The door is fine and I'd like to find a replacement spindle or have one made, but I'm not sure where to look. I lack the woodworking skills and tools to "clone" myself, so I was asking here for suggestions.

Link to album with images of the door:

http://imgur.com/a/tmuMx


texts: How can I enlarge a hole in a brick wall without drilling?

texts:
I currently have a small hole in my brick wall that is bringing a cable for my satellite dish into my house.

I now want to install outdoor speakers in my backyard and I would like to feed the speaker wire through this hole, however it is too small.

I'd like to make the hole a bit larger without having to do any drilling to avoid damaging the existing cable. Is there a way to chip at the hole to make it larger that won't risk splitting the brick?


texts: Can sewage smell penetrate indoors because of inadequate venting?

texts:
I have a basement toilet that is connected to a 4" buried sewer pipe but its vent that goes three stories up to the roof is only 2". The toilet seems to have a permanent smell of urine which starts even very soon after I clean it with Ajax and before anyone has used it. I understand the toilet has its own P or S trapping module intended to prevent backflow of gases from the pipe but could it be that the vent inadequately forces air out and some of it is finding its way indoors through the 1-2 sec period of flushing?

This is a hypothesis and I have no other explanation. My other toilets that are right next to a different, 4" vent stack don't smell and it has nothing to do with the cleaning or sanitation treatment. Moreover, I have a sewer access point (for snaking and cleanouts) above the toilet behind the wall and when I open the plug, it has the same smell as what collects inside the bowl.


texts: Can I add an occupancy sensor to a 3-way circuit?

texts:
If I replace one switch in a 3-way circuit with an occupancy switch, would this cause the occupancy switch to work in reverse (or not at all) if the regular switch was toggled?

If so, would the best solution be to remove the second switch from the circuit, or just put two occupancy switches in? The switches are nearby enough that only one is necessary for proper operation.


texts: Can't find the release for this wiring harness connector

texts: I am unable to unlock any "tabs". The video text just says use a slot screwdriver to release the locking tabs. Any help is appreciated.


texts: Best way to move/extend wall-mounted outlets when finishing basement?

texts:
We're getting ready to finish our basement. The basement is already wired for electricity with wall-mounted metal outlet boxes.

However, the existing boxes will be way too shallow once the insulation and framing are put in. The existing box is 1.5" deep. We're planning to put in 2" XPS, and I'm told the chalk line for the top and bottom plates should be 4" in front of the insulation. So that would put the front edge of the framing 6" from the foundation wall. The guy at the hardware store suggested I use box extensions to bring the box out further. But the extensions are 1.5" so I would need to use three of them to bring the box out to 6". That seems a little awkward to me, and I have to do this with 8 outlets.

Are extensions the best way? Or can I instead remove the existing box and replace it with one that will mount to the frame stud? Should I use metal or plastic? Would I need to extend the conduit to reach the new box? Or should I just bite the bullet and call an electrician?

In any case I will also need to extend the wires, as there is not enough slack.


texts: Why do my breakers trip after the kitchen range shorted?

texts:
Recently, my electric range shorted out and caused the stove to malfunction. For some reason both the range and the oven are connected in one breaker(40 Amps). Because our house is very old all the wiring is messed up and definitely needs to be rewired, however that option is quite impossible in the moment.

The stove now killed one circuit of both lights and receptacles which will instantly die when you try to turn on the switch; no breakers ever tripped even when the range shorted.

The most confusing part is that when you turn on the stove or oven both the lights and receptacles would work normally, but not the stove or the oven, while being in two different circuit.


texts: Wiring up a shop with underground conduit

texts:
I am wiring  a 36' x45'shop that will store my RV and other equipment.  I have 200 amp service already in.  I want to put utilities in under the concrete pad before I have it poured.  I would like to run a couple of circuits under floor so I won't have to use some much wire.  I would like to run 6/3 & 12/2 romex inside 1 1/4" gray pvc.  One circuit will be for my RV, one for a welder, one for a electric range.  I'm wanting to add a 110 circuit at each of these locations is the reason for running 12/2 wire.  I have already bought the wire and pvc for this project.
I have had a circuit run under my deck with 6/3 romex inside a 1" pvc pipe that worked fine for years. Some say you can run romex in pvc, some say you can't.


texts:
We have a closet door knob that it very hard to turn.
I have tried taking it apart and using WD-40 but that is only good for about 3 weeks then it becomes hard again.
Is there other way I can get this to turn better?
Would a Carb and Choke Cleaner be better and sould it be the Aerosol Can type of the Chem Dip Parts Cleaner?


texts:
When I lived in France and the US, we can an electric boiler for hot water. It was "always on", probably with a thermostat.

Now I live in an area where most people have a power switch that they turn on 30 minutes before taking a shower, and shut down after their shower, to save energy.

At first I thought that was a good idea. But it got me thinking: does it really matter?

I have no test to backup the theory but, heating the entire water tank once a day, how does it compare to KEEPING it hot with a thermostat??


texts: How can I prevent a wooden door from expanding and binding when it rains?

texts:
When we have heavy driving rains it causes the front door to expand and we're unable to close or lock the door until it has dried out and contracted.  There is no veranda so the rain hits straight onto the front door.

How can I prevent this?


texts:
I have a new home construction and the home alarm system is being installed.  I would like recommendations on the placement of the System Box.  I'm thinking in a closet, and mounted on the wall up high near ceiling (10' Ceiling).  My thoughts are if a burglar was to attempt to tamper with the box it would be difficult to get to it that high.  Does anyone have any other suggestions or recommendations?

Thank you Miles


texts: can someone tell me why the switch circled in red is tripping the breaker? I was swapping them around. The other two seem to work fine. The far left is a fan timer (works), the middle is a simple switch (works), and the far right is a dimmer switch (not working).


texts: Should I use nails or screws for hanging drywall on the ceiling?

texts:
I'm replacing water-damaged drywall on my ceiling and was considering using screws. Other than cost, is there any other reason I should use nails instead?

Or am I too paranoid that nails won't have enough holding power? I'd prefer the cheapest option that's still going to be effective.


texts: What are the considerations for crawlspace encapsulation barriers / humidity control?

texts:
I live in a house that's half slab, half crawlspace.  The crawl is half basement.  Typical crawlspace/basement humidity readings are:

  80% RH @ 67°F
  85% RH @ 68°F
  78% RH @ 67°F

Where in the room above:

  67% RH @ 74°F
  65% RH @ 72°F
  66% RH @ 75°F

In places the crawl remains visibly damp even after months of dry weather,
however no water ponds.  A plastic sheet placed on the ground gets wet. The basement air is too damp for storage of goods (e.g. things start to smell musty).

What normal guidelines are there for acceptable crawl humidity?

An encapsulation company has given a bid of $5000 to put heavy plastic sheets on the dirt, to hold the moisture away from the air.  What are the potential pitfalls here (other than the $5000 hole in the pocket) for retrofit vapor barriers on old homes?

This particular home has no A/C, is in a mild Mediterranean climate, and sits on highly impermeable clay soil.  The foundation is from 1938.


texts: Installing a smart thermometer (ecobee4) can I move the wires around on the HVAC?

texts:
I want to install an ecobee4. I want to install it with the C wire so I do not need to use their kit. It seems to me that I should be able to just move the wires around on my hvac.

Here is a diagram of my thermostat and HVAC.
On the thermostat, the blue wire is just hanging out there.

Here is a page from the ecobee4 manual:

I want to make the left picture, Guide 1, work. Can I just move the wires around on my HVAC accordingly? Basically take the Blue off of the G post and put it on C.

Also, there is skinny red and white wire on the HVAC, I do not know where they go. Can I just leave them on the posts as-is or are they thermostat specific?

Here is one more pic just bc

More pictures.


texts: why does my ceiling fan change direction 2or3times before it finally stays in one direction?

texts: When I turn my ceiling fan on it will reverse direction several times until it settles into the correct direction.


texts: is cork underlayment on a concrete basement floor a workable proposition?

texts:
Next up in my basement finish process are the floors. We've decided to go with vinyl for the bathroom (and under-stairs closet), and carpet everywhere else.

I'm planning on putting in a 6mil plastic vapor barrier first, then gluing 1/4" cork underlayment on, and finally installing the flooring choices.

Is this a safe thing to do in the basement? For what it's worth, we've been here since new in 2008, and haven't ever seen any sort of water issues in the basement. The floor is bare concrete at the moment, with a few carpet remnants scattered around.

If this won't work, please provide alternate suggestions on how I can incorporate cork underlayment... something about its thermal properties is extremely appealing, and I can't think of another product that can do this at an equivalent cost.


texts: What temperatures are normal in this area of my furnace?

texts:
Please see the attached picture and pay attention to the "temperature dial" in the inset

With the current settings the gas burner cycles like this

-limit temperature 200F
-at that temperature the burner shuts off and the furnace is cooling off to around 150F in about 35 seconds
From there the burner starts again and it the temperature goes up in about 1min

The temperatures in the circled area are the highest in the area but stable. I am not sure how hot these should normally be. I just fixed a problem with the control module and in the process I think I played too much with the fan/load control switch. I am trying to guess if everything is back to normal


texts: How to fix a threaded toilet shutoff valve?

texts:
This valve is leaking from the area shown.

I tried unscrewing the valve but it wouldn't budge. The pipe it's connected to is 60 years old, so I need to be gentle.
What's the safest way to take it off?

Option B is to change the stem.
Most valves I've seen have a single nut that holds the stem in, but this one has two. Tightening the second nut shown by the arrow eliminated the leak but then the handle won't turn at all.

Which stem do I need to replace the one I have?


texts:
I'm framing up a basement, and one of the 2x4 studs I bought had these curious holes in them, presumably made by an insect.  The insect didn't appear to be still around, and the damage done to the stud is minor, so I'm not concerned about that.
Still, I wondered what this was, and if it's ever a problem.  None of the other studs have this problem.  Pictures below. For scale, The nail pictures is about an inch long, and fully fits in some of the holes.
[]


texts: Need Wiring diagram to Help Rewiring a Bedroom and Bathroom to prepare for smart home system

texts:
I need a wiring diagram to help with the re-wiring of a bedroom and bathroom. I will use 14/2 and 14/3 for all lights, then 12/2 and 12/3 for all outlets, ALL LIGHTS will be LED. The whole home will eventually be controlled by a smart system such as lutron radiora2 so I will be using smart switches etc.  Bedroom will have a ceiling fan with light combo on a 3 way switch with speed control and dimmer, I was thinking I would run power source 14/2 wire from main lug to switch A then run 2 pieces of 14/3 wire from switch A to Switch C which would be the end of the switch loop and from switch C then run a single 14/3 to the ceiling fan / light combo.  But from this point I need to get power to switch B and D which are for two separate closets which will have an LED light strip inside closet above door but I want the switch to control power to the light in each closet independently thus meaning that the ceiling fan light being on or off does not affect turning on or off the closet light. Question is what is the best way to wire this scenario.

Also

I would like to rewire the bathroom with a 2 gang box that would control a ceiling light with built in exhaust fan in center of bathroom, a recessed can light in shower stall, and a vanity light above sink. I was thinking one switch would control the shower light and exhaust fan seperately via a lutron one gang double switch then use the second gang to control the center ceiling light and vanity light both also independent via another lutron single gang double switc, thus having two switches controlling 3 separate lights and a exhaust fan all independently.  I also need to have a double gang GFCI near the sink for my wife and her hair dryer etc.  I actually have two bathrooms that are fairly close to each other and I am not sure if I can use one power source to feed the GFCI outlets used in both bathrooms or if each bathroom needs to be independent also not sure if I can run one 14/2 power source to control just the lights in both bathrooms since each bathroom is the same setup and the light will also be LED so not much of a draw.  As per code does all wiring for bathrooms need to be completely independent or can a bathroom share power from another bathroom. What would be the best way to wire this bathroom as shown in drawing attached.

Any and all help or drawings you could provide would be greatly appreciated. Thank you all in advance. I have attached drawings with notes for your information.

!wiring digram for bedroom lights]3


texts: What are my options for installing 240v receptacles in an attached garage?

texts:
My workshop (attached garage) is currently wired with 120V receptacles fed from the main panel in the house by #10/3 with ground (1 black, 1 red, 1 white, 1 ground) attached to a double-pole 30A breaker.

I'd like to power a 13A, 240V table saw, and need to install a 240V receptacle.  It would also be convenient to install a couple of "extension" receptacles around the perimeter so that I have of the option of changing my shop layout. I see two options, and would welcome advice.

Option 1:

Extend the existing wiring around the shop, using double-ganged boxes for a 120V receptacle on one side, and a 240V receptacle on the other side. The 240V receptacle would use both hots and the ground, and for the 120V side, I would draw from either hot leg to create a split receptacle.

Option 2:

Install a subpanel in the workshop, fed from the currently-installed 30A breaker in the main panel, and create separate circuits for 120V and 240V. Each circuit would receive its own breaker.

Questions:

Option 1 seems most straightforward. But is it correct or safe?
If choosing Option 2, what size breakers should I use for the 120V and 240V circuits?


texts:
Context: House in Edinburgh (Scotland) with standard UK 60cm x 60cm paving slabs (like these).
if I get a company in to clean and seal those, how long should I expect that to last?
The sales people would say 20 years (total guess) and I'd think "yeah, right",southern  knowing I have no ability to get them to remediate something after even a single year.  The slabs are in the back garden and change color towards black/green a year after power washing. They've been in place for 20 years or so.


texts: White Smoke coming out of Briggs and Stratton engine

texts:
The Issue:

I recently purchased a 9 kilowatt generator running on a 17hp Briggs and Stratton engine which ran pretty well when I first bought it except for a little white smoke.

I replaced the gasoline just to be safe as the owner had not run the generator for several years. The generator ran great after changing the gasoline. I don't remember seeing any white smoke either.

Then I replaced the oil and put cleaner in the carburetor (or what I thought was the carburetor). What I actually shot with carburetor cleaner was the fuel pump! After this, the generator would only turn on for at most 20 seconds then a ton of white smoke would shoot out and the generator would quickly die after that. Come to find out that a bunch of gas was spilling over into the oil section and I assume oil was also feeding back into the cylinder.

I then replaced the fuel pump, carburetor float and needle valve. I also replaced the gasoline-filled oil. Now the generator runs beautiful, except that now there is a steadily increasing amount of white smoke coming from the exhaust. It takes about 10 seconds for any white smoke to be visible and steadily more and more white smoke is visible until it looks like a fog machine by about 90 seconds. Once I turn off the engine, white smoke continues to steam from the exhaust for about another two minutes, steadily decreasing.

The Question:

There is no oil that I can see around the crankshaft or the gasket. The oil level is staying at the exact spot and is not too full. From what it smells like, I believe that oil is burning, but I do not have the experience to tell where it could be coming from. Anyone have any ideas of what could be causing the smoke?


texts:
I have concrete floor that has sunk about 1 1/2 IN from the center from  the sides walls some pare of it has vinyl on it . Do I have to remove the vinyl before ussing compound.How can I level this and what compound should I use . Thanks

Regards

Ali


texts: How can I deal with non square walls when installing a countertop with backsplash?

texts: I am converting the huge upstairs master suite in my house into a studio apartment.  I have built a kitchenette in one of the dormers.  Everything is coming along and looks great.  But when the counter was dry fitted into place, we realized the corners of the dormer were not square.  The counter is flush against the window but is 5/8" off the wall at each corner.  I had planned on installing a subway and mosaic tile back splash but don't know how to deal with the gap.  I love the way it has turned out but all the wind has been knocked out of my sails with this problem.


texts: Can I disconnect the sensor on my overhead door and still have the door work with an opener?

texts: Can I disconnect the floor sensor on my overhead door and still have it work with a remote and wall opener?


texts: I have an extremely old (over 60 years) wall box which has a center bolt/nipple for mounting a light fixture.  I want to install a universal cross bar that has a center hole (to go over the center bolt/nipple). There are no screw holes in any corner or side of the box, what can I attache/mount the universal cross bar to?


texts: How can I replace missing parapet wall "joint caps"?

texts:
My home has a fiberglass roof deck with parapet wall surrounding it. The parapet wall is covered in aluminum (at least I think its aluminum) that matches the vinyl siding and color of the fiberglass roof deck. There are distinct sections that cover the parapet, and at the seams - in most places - there are small ~3" wide covers. You can see one in the photo here:

When we bought the house, for some reason about 4 of these were missing. Which is very strange because we are in a row of 5 houses, all exactly the same, but only our house has these missing, and it's only on the very front wall. So they now look like this:

And here you can see both a missing one, and others that are in place:

How can I go about getting something to replace the missing caps? They seem to be aluminum (though I'm not 100% sure). A roofer told me to ask at a building supply store, but they were totally baffled. I can't seem to find anything like this online. In fact, I'm having trouble even figuring out what the call these things. I've found a handful of terms in my research, including:

Joint Cap
Cap Flashing
Cover Plate / Cover Strip
ERC Strip (no idea what that stands for)
Slip Expansion Cap
Slip Cleat
Drive Cleat Expansion Joint

But I don't know if any of these are the appropriate term for what I'm looking for, and I haven't been able to find anything that would work to replace these. I'm unable to find any markings on the siding or elsewhere to indicate who might possibly make these (I'm guessing something like that would be under the siding?). I'm at a complete loss on how to replace these things.

Does anyone have any idea how I might find something to replace these? I don't even care if the color doesn't match, because anything would look better than how it looks now.


texts: What type of UV-resistant (fade-resistant) paint is best for a rain barrel made of polyethylene? It will be in a greenhouse

texts:
What type of UV-resistant (fade-resistant) paint is best as the outer coating of a rain barrel? The barrel is made of polyethylene. It will sit in a greenhouse, so other than direct sunlight and slight temperature variations, it's relatively protected from other types of abuse.
I would like to use black paint to maximize solar-heat absorption.
Basically the paint needs to be durable, adhere well and won't crack or come off over time.


texts: Correct wiring of float switch into two pole contactor for well pump

texts:
I have a Mars 780 61347 two pole 30A contactor:

I am using this contactor to control a 220V well pump that fills a cistern.  I then have a float switch in the cistern which, when closed, should cause the well pump to kick on and fill the cistern.

I have a 30A 2P breaker in the box that feeds the bottom of the contactor.  The top of the contactor is wired to the pump.  If it matters, these wires are attached to the contactor using the screws and not the gold contacts that can be seen in the picture.

The contactor has two silver contacts on it that appear to be for energizing the coil, one on each side.  How do I wire the float switch into this setup?

Thanks in advance.

Float Switch

If it matters, the float switch I have is a SJE Pumpmaster:

http://www.sjerhombus.com/ses-controls-float-switches-details.php?ID=50&ID=49

The Rest of the Story

I wanted to respond to some of the comments for posterity's sake.

  If you don't know what "in series" means, you probably shouldn't be doing electrical work.

I understand what it means in general but was somewhat confused by this setup and how to apply "in series" to the current situation.

The reality was that I wasn't actually doing the work myself.  The guys who dug my well were installing all of this equipment.  I didn't always trust the work they were doing so I was asking them to explain things to me.  When the installer explained how he was going to wire the contactor, he told me he was only going to have one wire going to the coil and leave the other side without any wire connecting to it.  That seemed very wrong to me, but he said b/c it was 220, it would "just work."  I highly doubted that and posted here to confirm the correct way to wire it.

By the time he was finished, he realized he made a mistake and had it wired like @Tester101's diagram.

  Per Tester101's comment, why are you using a contactor at all? What
  type and size of well pump (submersible, jet pump) and is it currently
  hard-wired or plugged-in? Also, what is the model of the float switch
  you have? Hopefully it's a "PMU" model (pump-up), but they also have
  versions with and without plugs (which is why I ask). All of these
  will potentially dictate the best way to wire this up.

I'm using a contactor because the well installers said that is the way it should be done.  They explained that the float switch wiring was too small to run the pump's current through that wire.  It's a 3/4 HP submersible pump that they have wired using 10 gauge wire.  The float switch model is linked to above.


texts:
How serious a problem is it for an outlet's ground wire to be extended from an outlet that is part of a different circuit than the circuit providing the power and neutral wires?
I have an old fashioned fuse box - if a fuse blows for the circuit associated with the ground wire then does that mean that an outlet connected to that  ground wire is no longer grounded even though it will still be getting power since it is associated with a different circuit? That is the one potential problem I can see with this set up but just wondering if this is how it works, and/or if there are other problems associated w this set up.
Thanks!!


texts: Do I need one zone valve for each thermostat on a gas boiler?

texts: If you have a natural gas hot water baseboard heating system that has 5 thermostats that control the heat do you need 5 separate zone valves on boiler?


texts: How to find a Water Pressure Release Valve

texts: My water pressure is only about 25 PSI both inside and outside.  The water district told me they are supplying 115 PSI to the house and advised that my Pressure Release Valve (PRV) is probably broken.  The problem is, I can't find it.  It's supposed to be within 5 feet of my water meter, which is buried outside near the curb, about 20 feet from the house.  The water district can't help me find it.  It doesn't seem to be near the clean-out for my sewer lines.  Any suggestions how to find the valve?


texts: Was my pressure release valve installed backwards?

texts:
I realise that this may well be beyond the scope of an SE site, but I'll give it a go nonetheless.

We've recently had a leaky pressure release valve on our Megaflo hot water tank. We have no boiler as such, all hot water is generated by two immersion heaters (on/off peak).

We reported the leak to the building maintenance company (our flat is rented), and after significant scheduling issues which I won't go into here, the valve was replaced last night. The engineer (I use the term loosely) fitted the new valve, tested it by checking for leaks and manually turning the valve, and left.

I then went to run hot water, only to get nothing at all (not even cold water) from the hot side of any of our taps (we only have mixers, one in the kitchen, bathroom and bath/shower combo).

Called the out-of-hours support guys out, only to be told (by two separate engineers no less) that the valve had been fitted the wrong way around, but they cannot fix the problem (and that they're not technically qualified to even diagnose it officially) because they don't carry the UK G3 certificate to work on our type of boiler (unvented?).
My questions  are:

Is the valve the wrong way around?
Is the current setup dangerous in any way?

Photos of the plumbing layout as left by the engineer are below - I've numbered the pipes to give context across photos.

Click for full size image

I should point out that the crude line on the last photo is for context, the pipe curves behind the tank.


texts: Electrical tester says its hot but nothing is working

texts: I removed a section of wall not too long ago and did have to rewire some but everything was put back together and has been working for a couple months. The other day it seemed like the breaker popped except there were things on that circuit that were still working. I tested all the outlets with a tester and it says they are hot but when something is plugged in it doesn't work. For example the TV was plugged into one of these outlets and works fine when plugged in to another outlet but not to the original. When plugged into the original outlet the cord is "hot" according to the tester but still the TV doesnt work, what is going on?!!!!


texts: Is it OK to install an irrigation system in a half longitudinal sectioned drain pipe, under the slabs of a garden edge?

texts:
Here is the picture that is worth 1000 words
Since I am about to install the edging that you see in the backyard (area covered by the runs 1-4) I am considering installing the irrigation runs in a channel formed by cutting a drain pipe in half along the longitudinal axis and then install the slabs that make the edge on top. The actual shape of the path will be pure rectangular I gave up on the zig-zags you see in the picture
Do you see any issues raised by this design? The idea is to be able to reach the pipes easily without digging them out of the ground. This will add support to the slabs as well


texts: Is it possible to convert a junction box with 4 sets of wires into a standard duplex receptacle

texts:
I have very basic electrical knowledge and I'm struggling to know what to do.

I have recently bought a house and there is an electrical box that has been covered up. It is higher up on the wall so I'm guessing it was a light switch.

I've taken the cover off and below is what I'm dealing with. I've also attempted to draw out how it's all connected.

Is it possible to wire in a standard power receptacle/plug outlet to this?


texts: Possible to refinish hardwood floor without messing with quarter-round baseboard?

texts:
I am evaluating a quote to refinish my hardwood floors and stairs.

The contractor mentioned that they would not be removing the quarter-round below the base board and it would require touch up after the job is done. The alternative is to remove the quarter-round, and reinstall with caulk after finishing the floors. Based on the additional labor the cost of the work would be higher.

What are the relative advantages and disadvantages in regard to appearance, durability, and cost of removing/not removing quarter round?


texts: gravity fed central heating - how to refill with water

texts:
we recently had one of our radiators taken off the wall to replaster behind. When it was taken off, it leaked a lot of water due to a broken valve. The guy doing this work said our central heating was unusual as it was gravity fed. He replaced the valve but said when we want to put our heating on we should make sure there's water in the system first or the boiler will have nothing to work on and may break.

So my question is - how do I get water into the system in a gravity fed central heating system where one radiator has emptied itself? Thanks Claire


texts: How to stop paneling cracks around air vent

texts:
I bought an older home which has some wood paneling that I've been caulking, Spackling, and painting. I've recently had some issues however with an area of the paneling where it was cut to install an air duct. Before installing a new grill, I filled the existing cracks with Spackle and painted over them.
I have noticed that since we have switched from using the AC to using the heat, cracks are starting to open up like crazy. I'm assuming this is due to the lower moisture levels in the air when using the heater as opposed to the air conditioning.
Does anyone have any suggestions for how this could be fixed?


texts: Grounding help: steel studs, ENT, and NM + M boxes

texts:
I have a structural steel stud condo with 5/8 Fireguard Sheetrock wall. Ref the picture below - I am wondering about grounding requirement given the metal box + steel stud + ENT. There are three conductors in the ENT, (W, B, G; 12 gauge THHN). The outlet at bottom (green) is original with a grounding screw on the box. The NM 2-gang outlet box (blue) is for a light switch and receptacle. The switch will feed the metallic sconce box at top and another one.

Given that none of the metal boxes at Lowe’s seem to have grounding screws, I’m wondering what to do with the ground wire in the sconce boxes, or if I should switch those to NM. My difficulty is that this is a 1hr firewall and that 11gauge steel studs SUCK to work with.

Any and all advice appreciated. This is a short-term vacation rental on coastal Carolina.

Edit: this is the wiring I’m planning to follow - switch is a Lutron Caséta dimmer, and will be powering LED bulbs.


texts: Is there any advantage to pouring a thicker concrete slab for the basement?

texts:
I'm working on designing a new house and trying to determine how thick the basement slab should be. This home will have poured basement walls over the footings, so the basement slab isn't bearing the weight of the house walls.

The International Residential Code (IRC) 2012 which applies in my area states that:

  Concrete slab-on-ground floors shall [...] be a minimum 3.5 inches
  thick

I've found that most slabs are 3" to 4" thick, excluding the footings.

But I also know that the code is a minimum, and in some cases it makes sense to go beyond what code calls for. Is there any advantage to pouring a basement slab over 3.5" thick?


texts: Suitable work surface and tolerances for casting concrete countertops

texts:
I'm casting 2" thick concrete countertops using ¾" melamine forms/molds.  The largest piece is about 26" square and the longest is about 55" x 11".

I thought I'd make a large flat work surface for setting these forms for pouring and curing.  I purchased this nice flat 7-ply 4' x 8' sheet of ¾" plywood sheathing and some 2" x 4" studs to stiffen it up.  It will be set on heavy welded steel saw horses.

I've never cast concrete counters before and I have very tight tolerances for a slide-in style range and a farm sink.  As such, my templates are very accurate (within 1/16") and I'd like to cast as uniform 2" thickness as reasonably possible.  I plan on a concrete mix that is as stiff as possible without being crumbly.  Any pinholes or voids will be filled with slurry when I do the polishing.  My point in mentioning this is in regard to any slumping due to leveling issues.

My question is about acceptable tolerances for level and warpage of the work surface as it relates to this project.  After stiffening it with the studs, I'm seeing some unevenness on the order of ~¼" or so over the 8-foot length and ~⅛" variance over the 4-foot width.  Because of this variance, being flat/level depends on where 48" level is placed.  Should I just go find some straighter 2 x 4's?  Or am I just making myself nuts?  Is this close enough for the concrete to not slump out of level?  With all the careful measuring, templating, and mold-making, I don't want to spoil it all with a work surface that's out of whack.

I'm also open to other suggestions.  I thought about setting the forms on the garage floor.  It's flat, but it's sloping maybe ¼" or so per 4-foot towards the door.  I can move to the back where it's not sloping, but it's not perfectly level there either... plus I'm farther away from the door where concrete will be mixed outside.

I've even thought about shimming each mold off the floor or table individually, but don't know if the melamine is strong/stiff enough to not bulge in the middle where it's not laying flat.

EDIT:  I'm familiar with woodworking/carpentry.  I'm looking for answers from people with some experience casting concrete counters in melamine molds.

EDIT 2:  Not sure if it's overkill, but I ended up buying some high quality, super straight, 2" x 6" lumber and built a new framework for my plywood.  My table is now level/flat within 1/16".  What I built is probably overkill, however, I'm leaving this question open because I'd still like to hear from anyone experienced with making concrete countertops regarding such working tolerances.


texts: Proper way to route new wire through existing exterior wall

texts:
I plan on modifying a switch to control a set of new recessed lights instead of an outlet.  The switch is on an outside wall and I planned on routing the wiring up through the top plate, and between ceiling joists.  I expect there to be insulation in that wall (the kind with a paper face, fluffy inside, and stapled).

What's the proper way to route new Romex through an exterior wall containing insulation?

Does it go behind the insulation?  In front of?  Does it go through the insulation?