texts: Is triplex wire legal for running a sub-panel?

texts:
When I bought the house it had a section of triplex wire that ran to a 50A breaker with the remainder coiled in rafter space of the covered porch. (When I discovered this, the triplex was hot.  That breaker is currently off and taped off.)  I would like to put a sub panel in the garage, which shares the covered porch.

Can I use the existing triplex for this?

Edit:  Present wire consists of 1 aluminum uninsulated, and 2 insulated wires.  The insulated ones are marked CANADA I Wire 4 Aluminum 6 and some illegible stuff in orange.  I need to uncoil it to find a better copy.

My suspicion is "no"

Thinking about this, it's definitely a 'no'  The whole point is to get 220 for a new table saw.  Which means 4 conductor wire, not 3.

Failing that, what is the best way to use the existing triplex wire to get acceptable code wire from the rafter space to the main panel without taking apart the wall?

Cut the triplex off short of it's entry point into the house wall.
Tape/solder conventional wire to the triplex.
Shut off the power, disconnect the triplex from the breaker, undo the strain relieve, and try to worry it all back into the main panel box..

OR

Do the same operation but do the feed from the main panel end.

OR

Use the triplex to get someing more flexible through the route (fish tape? Rope?) and attach the new wire to it?


texts: Wood glue to reinforce screw holes in an oak frame?

texts:
This is for load-bearing bronze screws in an oak frame, carrying a heavy oak door.

Four of the screws were removed momentarily for maintenance work. Two of the screw holes may have been stripped slightly when the screws were around 3/4 of their length out of the frame.

A dowel would not be an option at this stage, because that would mean undoing some of the maintenance work. I was thinking of several options:

Just reuse the screw holes, even if some are partially stripped.
Apply wood glue alone to reinforce the inner surface of the screw holes.
The toothpick method. Put in a toothpick with wood glue into the screw holes, leave to dry partially, then reinsert wood screws.

I was unsure what this last method would do to the 3/4 of the threads that are still viable. Does it risk damaging the unstripped threads, or would it tighten and secure the threads in situ?

Which option would be best?


texts: Do i have to cut my vanity for my sink trap?

texts:
I happened to get a new vanity cabinet for a slight bathroom refresh and upon installing it I noticed that the vanity shelf is in the way of the trap.
Is there a way to buy a different p trap so I don't have to cut the vanity shelf, Or is it the best option at this point?
Do I have to cut this vanity cabinet shelf?


texts: What is the difference between EU and US radiators?

texts:
I have a single-zone hot water radiator system and I was looking to balance out differences in room temperatures without going so far as to install another zone at the boiler. While there are thermostatic radiator valves I could install to give a bit of control over individual radiators, I was looking at a more "intelligent" solution like the Honeywell Evohome, a Netatmo Valve, a Micropelt or a Tado. But none of the products seem to be available in the US, which suggests that there is a fundamental difference between US and EU hot water radiator systems, though I cannot find anything concrete.

Is there a difference between radiator systems other than connectors? Or could I theoretically import and install the devices (assuming no FCC issues)?


texts: Why am I seeing only 30v across a light?

texts:
I'm in the US. While repairing a light fitting I noticed that with the breaker on I was seeing only 30V AC, instead of the expected 120-ish. However, the now-repaired light fitting is working as expected. Why would I see only 30V?

Possibly relevant details:

I read the 30V unloaded -- i.e. my voltmeter probes across the two mains wires coming out of the ceiling, with no connection yet made to the fixture

That probably renders the remaining points irrelevant -- esp. 3 and 4 -- but here they are anyway;

The fixture is on the same circuit as our garage lights, as well as some lights in the main part of the house. (It's in our utility room, where our washer and dryer are.)
It's a common-or-garden T12 dual tube fluorescent deal, with ballast.†
It's dual-switched -- i.e. a switch at the door into the house, and one at the door into the garage.

thanks!

† For anyone who read the earlier question, I ended up just going back to a ballast set up this time.


texts: What is the most affordable equipment required for brazing?

texts:
I'd like to have an economical brazing torch for small jobs.  I've been reading that propane & air is the new acetylene or mapp for brazing.

This item on Grainger mentions propane/air as the fuel, but this is a little inconsistent with other sites' listings for the same item:

Also, I feel like the image is deceiving me as to the complexity of the product.  I don't understand how a few hoses and brass can amount to anything over $30.  This one is listed at almost $400!

Is this the minimum product/investment necessary for brazing?
Besides a tank of propane, is it the ONLY product that I need?
How is the compressed air supplied?
Are the threaded nubs on Acetylene, MAPP, Oxygen, and Propane all the same such that the hose fittings are interchangeable?  How about the regulators?
Does the standard grill-tank propane tank threaded nubs work or are smaller canisters required?


texts: Hanging faux wood blinds- screw broken. Is there a tough screw I can use for a wall stud?

texts:
Job= I was trying to hang up some new faux wood 2" slat blinds. It's a double sized window, so I bought 2 blinds. I needed to install 4 brackets, with 2  in the center. I predrilled the holes as the directions suggested, with a 1/16" drill bit.

Problem= When I tried to install one of the center brackets, I noticed that my screw had difficulty going in. I figured I had hit a stud in the wall. But I figured that my screw should be tough enough to handle it. It broke off while I was screwing it with my Phillips. I know that the answer should be just to move my bracket away from the stud, but the stud is right where the center of both of my blind ends meet.

Question= What kind of screw should I get that will be tough enough to go into the wood without breaking off? It needs to be a small screw, the kind of size that will fit in a blind bracket. (the directions didnt indicate to me what the size of the screw was). I just want to know what kind of screw to get. I have heard of titanium screws- are those especially tough and something I should consider? Or do they make screws especially for studs?

I will be going to Lowe's tomorrow. I didnt want to have to ask them because the last time I asked them a question they didnt know the answer, so I am asking everyone here. Thanks, Julie

Edit: I tried another screw 1 inch away from where the other screw broke, and that screw broke also. I am going to have to 1) Try to drill more deeply and see if that helps, 2) Buy special wood screws. I'll look for the  most expensive wood screws. 3) It might be a metal plate that I cant see. If that is the case, I will return the 2 blinds and purchase a double wide blind. Thanks everyone for your advice! I looking for a 1 1/4 inch screw.


texts:
I have a three-way switch where I would see a spark behind the switch every time I tapped it, so I wanted to replace the switch. Upon replacing the switch and wiring it all up as before, I now get a short (circuit breaker trips) whenever the switch is in the "on" position. If I take the switch out and connect the "hot" wire to one of the two travelers (or leave the 3-way in question off), the other 3-way switch in the circuit, and the light that they control works fine, but if I connect the "hot" to the other traveler, the breaker trips instantly.

Here's a diagram of the wiring in the box. I've only investigated this box; not the one housing the other 3-way switch, so that's not included. S1 is the switch in question; I don't believe S2 is related, but it's also in the box and shares some wires so I've included it. Circles represent where wires are coming into the box; squares are switches; and triangles are pigtails. Finally, both switches are grounded through the box; there are no ground wires in this diagram. Forgive my bad diagram, and if I've misused any words here; I'm new at this stuff!

Questions:

Does this wiring make sense?
How can I find the source of the short? I've inspected all the wires and everything appears to be sheathed correctly and not contacting any other wires or the box.
I haven't opened the other switch which shares control over the light. Is it possible the problem lies there?
Any other ideas, or anything else I should check?


texts: What is the exact name of this top pivot with plastic lip for old metal bifold doors? (see photos)

texts:
Question

I have a pair of old metal bifold doors in my house. Unfortunately, the plastic or nylon cap on the top pivot on one of the doors broke. So far I have not been able to find the correct replacement part or a suitable substitute. What is the precise name of this part, so that I can perform a better search and find the part I need?

Things I have tried

Visited Home Depot. They showed me all their bifold door hardware, but they don't have the right part. I showed the broken part and photos of the unbroken part, and the Home Depot staffer had not seen anything quite like it.
Tried a different top pivot from Home Depot. In fact, I bought two different types and tried to make them work, but either the metal pivot would not attach to my door, or the plastic cap would not stay in the track.
Searched the web. I cannot find the exact top pivot that came with my door or even a similar one that has a 1" cap with a lip.

Description of the part I need

The top pivot I need consists of a metal Phillips screw about 1-1/4" long and 3/16" wide that goes inside a plastic or nylon cap about 1" long with a lipped or beveled top. The lip is only slightly wider than the rest of the cap, which is only slightly wider than the metal screw. The purpose of the lip is to stay inside the guide track above the door. The plastic cap slides up and down as needed on the metal screw as the door opens and closes, which keeps the lipped cap inside the track. The screw fastens to a threaded hole on the top of the metal bifold door, so that the lipped cap sticks up from the door and rests in the track to guide the sliding end of the door. The bottom opening of the track is only slightly narrower than the track width, so there's not much allowance for using a different top pivot. Most modern top pivots seem to use a roller that is much wider than the metal part of the pivot, but I can't do that with this track.

Photos of the part I need

(Click a photo to view it in full size.)

My other bifold door has the part I need, and it looks like this:

The top pivot attaches to a threaded mount at the top of the door. The following photo shows that mount from the inside of the door looking up:

These photos show the broken top pivot that I need to replace. Notice that the metal screw is fine but the plastic or nylon cap's lip or bevel has broken off (and I no longer have it, so Super Glue isn't an option):


texts: Heat pump causing high humidity in house when in heating cycle

texts:
I have a heat pump system that is increasing the humidity in the house when it is in heating mode. So much so that when the heat pump comes on condensation starts to form on the windows.

It only affects the rooms where the heat pump is heating and even then it is not equal. For example, I have one zone that has two rooms. When the heat pump comes on the windows in one room fog up, but in the other room which is directly adjacent they do not, so the moisture might just be coming from one supply--not sure how that could happen.

How can I further diagnose and fix this problem?


texts: Would like to add a 14-30 outlet in my garage

texts:
I am looking to add a 14-30 outlet in my garage. My panel is right where I would add the outlet too.
Just trying to understand my own electrical panel a bit before I go further. Attached are the pictures of my panel and the GE spec sheet.
My understanding is:

Panel supports 200amp
I have 30,30,50 circuit breakers in my top section that is always hot.
My lower section can support max of 100amp breaker but is using a 60amp breaker right now

So I am thinking I could:

Change the 60 amp breaker to 80 or 90 amp breaker
Add a 240/30amp breaker to the lower section
Connect that to a 14-30 outlet

Things I am not sure of:

Can you add double pole breakers to the lower section?
I see a 27 poles maximum, is that in total or just for the lower section?
From the spec sheet, I see 8 poles on each side but on my actual panel, I think I only see 6 being used on each side? So there should still be 2 poles available on each side?

And lastly, I will definitely be getting a professional to do the work but wanted to understand what options I have before hand too. Thanks!


texts: I have a Whirlpool washer (wtw5000dw0) that stopped in the middle of a wash cycle. I think it stopped before the drain cycle so the washer is currently full of water. When I try pressing the button to restart the cycle, it either does nothing or sometimes the LED for 'sensing' will flash for hours without anything happening. I read somewhere else that the lid latch can wear out and cause the cycle to stop before the drain. I also read that it could be an electrical problem with a blown fuse or something. I'm just wondering if this is true and if it is worth trying to fix myself.


texts: Will 2" x 6" treated lumber warp if used like this?

texts:
I will be using 10-ft x 2" x 6" treated lumber for a rail. Will treated wood used as a rail warp?

Let me explain the application:

I have a 10-ft 2"x6" piece of treated wood that will be attached at each end (with screws) to two 4"x 6" steel bases anchored to concrete.

I assume that length-wise it won't warp since it's anchored at each end. Width-wise, the 4"x6" steel base will have (4) holes on each corner holding the piece of wood. My thought is that there's no way it will warp since all the area (width-wise) is held down by a screw.

This is the idea. Will there be any very noticeable warping in this case?


texts: Hot water only when multiple sources turned on

texts:
When one hot water source is turned on, the hot water is only lukewarm. But as soon as another source is simultaneously running, the water runs hot. For example, the kitchen sink runs cold, but if I run the hot water in the nearby bathroom sink both will be hot. Or, we have a downstairs shower with two shower heads: when only one is on the water is cold, but when both are on it's hot.
Can anyone suggest an explanation/remedy?! We have a storage water heater.


texts: How can I recreate this wall bed with a desk?

texts:
I am looking to recreate this design without spending almost 5K -

I found a very similar wall bed mechanism (between $340 and $750), depending what's provided, in Canada that can be shipped to me very inexpensively -

I would still would love to have the table that does't have to be folded and just turns into a shelf that slides under when the bed comes out - see video. This is the ideal functionality for me, as I live by myself, have a small apartment, work online from home and when I am home, I either sleep or work on the computer - I most definitely don't use them both at the same time. :)

So any ideas how to make that table portion that slides under the bed while keeping everything on the table still there would be appreciated. If I used a drop leaf table for example, it would be a real hassle to re-setup my workstation every morning. Metal? Wood? Hinges? It does not need to support the bed, as the wall bed mechanism that I found already has a support leg.

Much appreciated, pictures of a similar design would be great!


texts: I recently purchased a pneumatic micro die grinder and it came with pretty much no instructions and this piece with some clear plastic that screws inline.  I have no idea what this for.  What is it and when/how do I use it?


texts: Water sprays out between handle and hose

texts: Hey guys, I hope those who read this can help. Water has recently begun spraying out at the handle. I've tried tightening it, and no difference. I thought it was the handle, so I replaced it. The same issue happens with the new one. I thought it was the hose, so I replaced it. The same issue with the new one. I don't know what has changed in the past week for this to happen all of a sudden, but I am tired of getting drenched just watering the stupid plants. Thanks!


texts:
I have a 14-2 cable at the light switch in my room. White is my hot, black is my switch leg. At my light I have some older cloth braided sheathed wire. This also is a two wire nothing is labeled.
Assuming my cable from my switch splices in a box somewhere and then transitions to this cloth braided wire to my light, how was this light not running with a neutral? Could the neutral be picked up somewhere else maybe on a receptacle? The same two wires (cloth braided) at my light are the same two at my switch cable. I ran continuity and they for sure are the same two. To my understanding there was no neutral, correct? Trying to figure this out and it’s killing me cause i can’t find the box where the wires transition.


texts: Can I run a sink drain through the wall to connect back where it was before relocation?

texts:
I want to know if it is an option to run the drain along and within the wall where the new sink sits and back to where the old sink drain is.
Another option would be to connect to the drain of the sink (shown in   the left side of the image) that is in the kitchen adjacent to the same wall where the new sink is installed.
The shower heads will be located in the corner.
Here is the current layout.

and here is the new layout.


texts:
I need help trying to figure out how to remove this faucet handle. The handle went loose and you cant turn on the water, its rotates freely. I can unscrew that part of the handle but thats it. No idea how to remove the base to try to fix it. There are no visible screws.
Any suggestion will be greatly appreciated.


texts: I am replacing light fixtures in the bathroom from one fixture that was part of a medicine cabinet to 2 separate fixtures.  The fixtures have 3 connections - black, white and copper which I have connected. I connected the lights and they come on but do not go off when I turn the switch off. They only go off when I turn off the breaker.The switch has 3 connections - 3 black tied together, red, and 2 white tied together.  The black and red wires are connected to the switch and the white wires are capped together. There is also a red wire in the box for the light that is capped. How should it be wired so the switch controls the lights?


texts: How to determine (not estimate) starting amperage of a motor?

texts:
I want to buy an inverter-generator to run my Trane heating system in case of a power outage.  The Trane is on a 20 amp circuit. The sticker says it needs a minimum of a 15.2 amp circuit.

My question is, how do I determine (not estimate) the surge amperage of the 1 hp blower motor in my Trane heating system?

The inverter generators I have seen have max outputs of 2,000, 3,000, or 4,000 watts.  I am trying to figure out if any of these will run my heating system.  It seems the critical issue is the starting current of the 1 hp motor.

How might I go about measuring the starting current of my heating system?

Update: My HVAC 1 hp fan motor is constantly running- on low if not providing heat and on high if it is providing heat.  Based on that, it seems to me that I need to use the in-rush amperage, since the theoretical calculations are all not relevant to my situation. Thanks.


texts: I work in maintenance at a home for abused, neglected, etc children. We have 20 bathroom sinks (4 sinks per house with 5 houses) this facility was built 6 years ago. All the sinks use an under sink vent, not vented thru the roof. Recently some of the bathrooms have developed an odor which gets stronger the closer you get to the vent. Can these vents be cleaned out somehow or should I just replace them as odors arise?


texts: Is there something like a jubilee clip (hose clamp) that is extra long?

texts: One side of my raised flower bed has come away and I'd like to tie something around it, a bit like a belt, something more secure and weatherproof than rope.


texts: Oven won't light unless it's hot -- but it can clean!

texts:
I'm troubleshooting a problem with my oven, an electric ignition gas oven. It's an old model, Whirlpool SF375BEP N2. I'm in a financial bind and replacing it is not an option at the moment.

I noticed that, although it was not working, the broiler would turn on. This made me think the problem was with the ignitor, so I replaced that. At first it seemed to work fine -- the oven turned on when I tested it, and it could even run a cleaning cycle.

But after that it wouldn't turn on, and I had to scramble to improvise for Thanksgiving. After some experimentation I found that I could just light the broiler (at the top of the inside of the oven), and after a while I was able to turn the oven on and it worked normally. But after a while even the broiler wouldn't light. I found that the same trick worked if I set the oven to a self-cleaning cycle, where it would light just fine and eventually the oven could be turned on (though if I took too long it would get too hot to slide the oven lock back and I'd have to wait).

For as long as I've had the oven it has taken a while to light the stove. The range/burners light instantly, but the oven and broiler would take maybe 15-45 seconds to light. In researching to post this question I found Why is my gas stove taking 30+ seconds to light? which (although it concerned the rangetop rather than oven below it) seemed similar enough to my underlying situation that I wonder if my problem is similar: gas feed, regulator, etc. I don't know much about working with gas -- the most I've done is to install a water heater -- so I thought I should ask here before going too far, either on my own or with a professional. (In the latter case I'd want to be sure I had the problem figured out to avoid spending the cost of a replacement on repairs.)


texts:
I have an old chimney that an electrician used to run cable to the attic, and they protected them with small diameter metal conduit.  I have run several more cables.  I could run each in it's own tube, but I'd rather get one big (1.5" or 2") elbow and put them all inside, which I believe will be tidier.  The elbow would be open on both ends, just used as cladding in an unfinished basement.  Is this way of protecting the cables to code, or is there a better (safer, neater) way to protect these cables?

The total cable bundle will be 2x 14/2 and 3x 12/2.


texts: Can a 20A GFCI be added to beginning of a 20A circuit that serves (8) 15A receptacles & light fixtures?

texts:
There's a 20A circuit that passes right by a spot I need an additional outlet for a lamp/general use near laundry. Currently it serves about 8 devices, either single bulb light fixtures or 15A 3-prong receptacles. Because the receptacle I'd add on would be near laundry, it needs to be GFCI. It would be the only GFCI on the circuit from what I can tell.

Since the circuit is rated for 20A, and the wiring is 12/2, can I put a 20A GFCI in? On the other hand, since most of the receptacles the circuit serves are 15A, for all I know some past amatuers have 14/2 in some segments of the circuit, would I be better off installing a 15A GFCI if I don't intend to use it for anything intensive?


texts:
I have a 1993 model Craftsman (917.257560) mower. I was having problems with it last weekend when I was trying to get it out. Charged the battery, checked the carb and checked the starter. Everything looked fine. I bypassed the seat safety cause I thought that was the culprit. Put everything back together and it started and purred like a kitten. It was too late to start mowing so I put her up.

Yesterday I was going to mow so I started it up and went to engage the blades and it died. I think there is a safety switch of some sort at the end of the engage/disengage lever under the dash. That is a whole other problem cause I can't figure out how to take the dash off... please advise.


texts: Optimizing heating in a heat-pump + electric resistive system

texts:
Outside, I have a LENNOX 13hpx-036-230-17 compressor:

Inside, the air handler is a LENNOX CBX25UH-036-230-1:

The air handler lists 36,000 BTUH cooling capacity, with r410a at 450psi, cust part # 79w36.  I have electric backup heating.  (I believe two radiant coils because there are two large (30 and 60A) double pole breakers.)

I have a few questions as a homeowner to help protect the equipment, and run it as efficiently as possible:

Is there any minimum outdoor temperature for operating this unit as a heat-pump, below which damage is significantly more likely to occur?
Is there any minimum outdoor temperature for operating this unit as a heatpump, below which is it less than 100% efficient?

i.e. I know that radiant/resistive heating strips are 100% efficient at creating heat from electricity, and heat-pumps are something like 300-500% efficient because they move more heat from outside than they produce themselves.  I know that heat pump efficiency decreases as outdoor temperature drops.

Is there some sort of formula or table that shows the relation between temperature and efficiency?
Is the Heat-pump's heating capacity the same as the listed cooling capacity? (36kbtuh)  What is a good way to measure this if I want to monitor its proper operation over time?
When should I expect it to enter defrost mode?  (Is it based on a timer, temperature sensor, weight sensor, or something else?)
Do you recommend any sort of awning above the outside unit to keep snow and freezing precipitation off of it?  Or any shielding from nearby dryer exhausts?
Are the indoor fans in systems like these of negligible amperage, and simply thrown on to one of the electric heating element breakers?  Or is my fan likely the 30 A breaker and I have a single coil?

I would like to use my system as long as it will last, as efficiently as possible.

FOLLOWUP:

I got the original installer to come on site and help answer these questions.  They showed me how to deduce what coil package was installed:

They said that my unit will sense if it is too cold to run, and shut down on its own, but my climate basically never gets that cold.  Also, that my unit is always >100% efficient.  Even if there's no heat to pump from outside to inside, it will pump its own waste-heat inside.

They said my unit ships with a 90 minute defrost cycle, and they adjust it to 60 or 30 minutes.  I have bought and will be installing a 'demand defrost' system from Mike MacFarland/EnergyDocs:

This will radically reduce the number of times my system defrosts, extending its life, and reducing wasted energy.  The $135 cost should pay back in 2-4 years depending on how cold my winters are.

My installer also indicated it was common practice to put the fan on the smaller of the two breakers, as it is considered negligible power draw.

In my main panel, I have two double pole breakers for the furnace/air handler.  60A for stage 1 resistive heat, 30A for stage 2.  Then an additional 30A double pole for the compressor outside.


texts: what kind of sheet-metal screw do I need for wood to 1/8" steel?

texts:
I am trying to attach pieces of 2-by wood to the frame tubes of a conex shipping container.   The steel is about 1/8" thick.   I probably need screws at least 1/4" diameter to get the strength I need (100+ lbs shear).

Found this fairly comprehensive article about all the different types of sheet-metal screws:

http://www.fastenermart.com/understanding-tapping-screws.html

... and they say you need "thread cutting" (aka. "Type F") instead of "thread forming" for "thicker and harder" materials.

My question is: would 1/8" thick steel (I'm assume it's mild steel in a ubiquitous thing like a shipping container, and it wasn't that hard to drill through) be consider a "thicker" material, or will an ordinary #14 sheet-metal screw suffice ?

An ancillary question: If ordinary sheet-metal screw is unsuitable as I expect, will a "self drilling" type such as:

https://www.fmwfasteners.com/collections/hex-washer-head-self-drilling-screws-zinc-plated/products/14-14-x-2-1-2-hex-washer-head-self-drilling-screw-zinc-plated

... work ?   I would likely drill a pilot hole anyhow, and use these as thread-cutting type.   The self-drilling seems easier to find than thread-cutting.


texts: Adding washer and dishwasher to existing breaker. No Dryer. Unsure if it can handle

texts:
I currently have a 3 family where I am looking to install compact washing machine and a dishwasher for all 3 floors. It is an older building. Will be going with permits.

The first floor main panel is 40 amps with aluminium wire gauge 6 going to a sub panel. The subpanel has some room. It look like on the subpanel total amps is 290 when i add it all up.

Would I be able to upgrade the main panel from 40 to 50 amps and would it be able to handle an additonal washer and dishwasher. Currently the apartment has fridge, 2 AC, and lighing with two ceiling fans.

2nd and 3rd floor have a 50 amps main panel with alumin wire again the wire is 6 guage. Has additional spaces on subpanel. Has 1 fridge, 4 AC and 3 Ceiling fans and room lights.

I have attached pics of the first floor and second floor breaker.

Thanks for your help.

Pooja.


texts: What is the best tool/method for vine removal?

texts: i recently bought a 108 year old house with an ancient garage that has vines growing up the back of the entire structure.  the vines have started getting into the gutters and even inside the garage.  i want to rip them all down but i'm not sure of the best tools to make the job easier and what steps i can take to slow/stop their regrowth.


texts: Repairing water-damaged paint (possibly drywall)?

texts:
I have a first-floor wall that has some water damage in one of the corners. The cause was apparently a clogged gutter, which was spraying rain water directly onto the exterior of the wall. The clogged gutter is fixed but now I would like to repair the damaged interior paint.

My first idea was to simply remove the damaged paint, prime, and repaint with a color-matched paint color. However, I'm worried about whether more extensive work might be necessary, since I came upon some other threads that mentioned also replacing the drywall. (I'm a complete DIY novice, BTW.) Is this a case where I'd be fine with just repainting, or is there more to it than that?

Here's a picture of the damage. The house was built in 1994 but I believe the paint is relatively new...not entirely sure though. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.


texts: Water management and shed base for two sheds built against the houses on adjacent properties

texts:
This is a follow up for this question where I was asking for help on cutting in half and relocating a shed. The job is done and the result looks like this

I have take the shed out of there in order to build a proper base for it. (due to weather conditions I had to cut short my work last year). Now I would like to build a base using concrete slabs. As you can see in the picture my neighbor already has his shed in the same position.
Below is a schematic representation of the result with some relevant dimensions included

Question: what is the correct way to manage the rain water between these two sheds in such a way that nobody gets hurt. I have a gutter attached to the long side of my shed but my neighbor does not have one. I am plannig to ask him to attach one to his shed

The other issue here is this: I already dug a 5" base for my shed and I am going to add there gravel, slabs and a bed for slabs. Do I need to slope the subgrade (the soil) in order to make sure that the water moves away from the wall of my house?

Edit: I am contemplating a solution like this:

I will use concrete edging (long blocks 1.75"x2X35").The concrete edging will go below the subgrade level. The subgrade will be level. I need to focus on preventing lateral water infiltration. Above is the shed and I have a gutter so no need to worry about what comes from above. I need to worry above what comes for my neighbor if he refuses to add a gutter to his shed.
  Below the bottom of my 6" deep cement blocks everything is a fair game, the water can go equally toward my house or his house. I was afraid that by digging the base for my shed I am going to create an area where the water would collect if in excess because it will be gravel and sand.


texts: Have changed can lights to led, have some on motion sensors. The one on motion sensors stay very dim light after sensor turns them off is this a problem?


texts:
I have a Federal Pacific breaker box. I saw some posts indicating that such panels are of low quality. It sounds like I should replace everything; I will try to get going on that.

What would make one of the hot legs on the main breaker burn and get brittle? This is coming from meter glass to the panel. The other side of breaker that feeds the house looks good, no obvious damage.

Why didn't the breaker blow? Does it only protect the house side? The house is the only house being fed off the transformer. Could it have been lightning or a power surge from power lines?


texts: Can I connect to a separate neutral (white) wire for my switch/outlet combination?

texts:
I have a junction box in my garage with three light switches. They are all on separate circuits and controlled by separate circuit breakers. I replaced one of them with a switch/outlet combo.

All the neutral wires that come into the box are twisted together with a wire nut capping all of them together. Do I have to pigtail a single wire from the capped group of neutrals (none of them is connected to any of the other switches) or can I just select the neutral wire that is associated with the black hot wire that I have connected to the new multi switch/outlet?

Location: North Carolina, USA


texts:
Can anyone identify this furniture part? It's used in my Danish Modern style cabinet to hold the upper cabinet in place.

The middle brass part has female threads on both sides. The ends are screws.

I'm trying to find a source for them since my movers lost them, but without knowing the name it's hard to look call
 local furniture part stores to know if they have them.


texts: Connecting multiple hubs to a single Z-Wave device

texts:
First off, please forgive me if this is not the right Stack Exchange site for this. I figured this was the best option.

Is it possible to hook up multiple hubs/controllers to a single Z-Wave device? For example, if I have a GE Simon XT alarm system control panel that is Z-Wave compatible and paired with a Z-Wave light switch, could I also hook up a Wink Hub to that same light switch and control it from either one? Or better yet, could I tap into an existing motion sensor from my security system with a Wink Hub?


texts: Will an electronic air filter harm my furnace?

texts:
If I install a furnace-mounted, electronic air filter, like this one,

will it harm my furnace due to reduced air flow?  How will I know if it reduces air flow too much?


texts: I would like to run two new outdoor electric lines to two locations in my yard

texts:
One location is a 3 vehicle carport which I just need some lights, 2 ceiling fans and some receptacles. Nothing too fancy except it might be nice to be able to run a compressor in there for working on vehicles or woodworking things. The builder already put a 50 amp service on the side of the house anticipating this project. It's 75' from the house.

The other location is where there is a concrete pad from an old mobile home. I would like to put a 12 x 20 shed on that slab and use the building mostly for storage and maybe small stuff like running a drill and maybe a chop saw. Having a 6000 btu window AC would be a dream if possible. It's 75' in the attic and then 100' outdoors to the shed location.

Because of the mobile home having been there, I found the ground rod when I was doing irrigation, so I ran my trench to that location for the shed electric assuming it would be useful.

Please look at my drawing and photo. You can almost make out the concrete slab on the right in the photo.

I happen to have a 100' roll of 8/2 romex which I would love to be able to use in the attic portion of the shed electric project before transitioning to the UF cable outside.

Because it's heading into the hottest part of the year, I just want to put the UF cable in the ground until fall when the rest of the project will be completed. I did the trenching for this electric when doing the irrigation project.

Please advise me if I can do a 30 amp subpanel at the shed with the 8/2 in the attic and ? for the 100' from house to shed. House was built last year and I'm sure I have room in the main panel. What kind of UF cable to buy and lay in my trenches to the shed and to the carport.


texts: I have a single lever shower lever, turn counter clockwise to turn on water and further you go hotter the water gets. My problem is when i turn lever to far counter clockwise to get the water to hot the water shuts off.. if i turn back a little the water pressure is great but only luke warm water.


texts: Why do gas water heater exhausts have an air gap before the chimney?

texts:
Every conventional (i.e., non-direct-vent) gas water heater I have seen has a roughly 1" vertical gap between its exhaust port and the exhaust vent (or "chimney"). See photo below. What function does that gap serve?

How does the gap not pose a danger? I assume that we never want combustion byproducts potentially venting into indoor spaces. But if the chimney were to become blocked, or during any air pressure imbalance between the exterior and interior, this gap seems guaranteed to vent CO2 into the living space. (And if the burner is not functioning properly, the exhaust could include carbon monoxide.)


texts: Screwing into the underside of countertop - can it support a little weight?

texts:
We have a space with a wide countertop set up in a space that functions as a workbench. There are no cabinets underneath. Instead, you can pull up chairs to it. There are computers there and it functions as a workbench/desk.

We're replacing the computers, and the new model is a smaller form factor that I would like to hang from the bottom of the countertop. I'm concerned, though, about screwing into the underside of the countertop. The material looks like simple partical board underneath, and I'm worried that it may decide to crumble rather than anchor the screws well, which in turn would allow the computers to fall to the floor.

Am I worried over nothing, is there a specific product I should use to do this safely, or should I do something else?


texts: Can I use a 1/4 turn valve in place of multi turn valve for toilet?

texts:
Can a quarter turn valve like this...

be used in place of the traditional toilet valves like this?

I ask because I recently replace the later with the former and it makes this strange "hissing" noise every time the toilet fills up. I suspect it is due to the very small outlet hole inside the "top" of the 1/4 turn valve that literally sprays water into the braided tube that connects to the toilet. Any ideas?

(pictures from the respective HD web pages)


texts: How to convert exterior vented downdraft to range hood

texts: I currently have an electric cooktop with a downdraft that vents to the outside of the house. I will be converting it to a gas cooktop and would also like to get rid of the downdraft for a hood as I've always preferred not having a downdraft. With the exterior vent already in place but below the cooktop level what I'm wondering is, is it possible to use the same exterior vent and run the duct from the hood down through the wall to the vent?


texts: Is it possible (and if so how) to repair this hole in polystyrene coving? Is it normal "wear and tear" or does it indicate a problem?

texts:
Background: the room was converted from an integral garage to a dining room some time in the 1980s, the rest of the house dates from the 1960s. I have artex and textured plasterwork everywhere...
I've been doing some painting etc in this room and as part of the work I put masking tape on this polystyrene coving whilst painting the main part of the wall. Unfortunately I left the masking tape on longer than I should and it was on there a few weeks before being removed.
When I removed the tape, the surface of the coving has come away, leaving a gaping hole underneath!
The hole is currently about 3.5" in size, although I have felt around the sides of the flaking part, and it feels like more could flake off easily and make the hole bigger. It feels like there isn't much "substance" or "thickness" to the coving.
The continuous section of coving that it's part of, is about 18" in length.
Questions:

Is this a normal degradation of polystyrene coving or does it indicate an underlying problem? (I haven't had any other "symptoms")
Is it possible (and how) to go about repairing this, or do I need to remove and replace this section?

This is the hole as it looks currently:

This is what the inside looks like when I shine a light into it:

This is the stuff that "came out" of the hole when it disintegrated. I think it looks like just small pieces of polystyrene, but I've included it in case it indicates a problem of something else. (For some reason the bits look slightly green in the photo... they are actually white.)

For now I've "repaired" it by sticking more masking tape over, as I could feel air from the outside coming through the hole.


texts: Why are the lights in my 60 year old house flickering?

texts:
My lights will flicker throughout the house when I have a lot on.  Also, the ceiling fan will go (beep, beep BEEP beep) then reverse all by itself when the bathroom light is turned on down the hall.

This happens intermittently, day or evening, and especially if there has been rain.  We live near the coast.


texts: I live in FL and have a damp area on my slab in my living room in front of my front bay window which does not have a gutter.  As a result I have a musty smell in my house. I bought some UGL DRYLOK masonry waterproofer from Home Depot. Will this do the trick?


texts: Do I have one or two 24V transformers in HVAC control circuit

texts:
I have two old thermostats (one for heating, the other for cooling) that I would like to replace with a single Nest E unit. I have central air and gas heating.

Cooling thermostat has the following connections:
R (Rh and Rc are jumped) G and Y

Heating thermostat has these connections:
R (Rh and Rc are jumped) and W

Combining these two into a single unit like Nest E seems simple - Nest has G W Y and R connections, HOWEVER - there is only a single R connection and from these two thermostats I have two R wires.

My question is 1) Do I have two transformers and therefore I need a unit that can support two transformers with separate Rh and Rc connections? Is there any way for me to check if my HVAC system is running from a single or two transformers?  2) If I do have a single transformer (again, how to confirm this) - can I connect just one of the two red wires and cap the other one off?

Thanks for any advice!


texts: We have built a garage into our new build 4 story town house (garage and upper floor plans attached) which sits below the main house in its foot print. The floor above the garage is beam and block with a 50mm screed. What type of ventilation do we require for the garage? The two rear windows were due to be vents but we opted for closed windows so we could make more use of the garage space at the back. We will, im sure, due to building regs requirements need ventilation on this floor but what type of system would be suitable to remove the car fumes? The Floor space of the garage is 74m2. It's a UK build.


texts: what is burning smell off a new power strip?

texts: Got a new power strip, I detect a very faint burning smell kind of distinct when I stick my nose near it, 2 cm away. The smell is there whether it's connected or not, but amplifies when its working. I don't think that smell was there before and I've been using it for 2 weeks. The brand is Brennenstuhl, from Germany 3m long cable. It's like 20$, I connect desktop pc on it.


texts: Can a NEMA 6-15 Device be connected to a NEMA 6-20 receptacle?

texts:
I have a new -80 deep freezer that calls for NEMA 6-15R receptacle, but the old one it is replacing called for a NEMA 6-20.  I note that the plug actually seems to fit in the 6-20, but is there a reason that this would cause a problem?  The machine should only draw the lower amperage, so the fact that the outlet is overrated wouldn't be a problem?

Maybe I'm missing something.


texts: Can I replace a 48" glass sliding closet door with two 24" doors?

texts: Need to replace two broken 48 inch glass sliding doors with 48 inch panel sliding doors but unable to find 48 inch panel sliding closet doors. Possible to attach two 24 inch doors together?


texts: Galvanized Water Heater Straps be reused?

texts:
I've got a plumber telling me that galvanized water heater straps are one-time-use-only because they form fit to the water heater.

He's saying because the new water heater isn't exactly the same diameter as the old one, he has to use new straps.

Is he correct or just padding the bill?


texts: Proper way to install pavers that will be under an outdoor shower?

texts:
What is the proper way to install pavers that will be under an outdoor shower with a drain?

My situation:  I just bought a house that has a wonderful outdoor shower on the side of the paver patio.  6 month of use and Im seeing mold and the beginning of insects, discoloration from the soap, etc.  The pavers arent sealed or anything and I now know that didnt do anything special for the shower potion of pavers.  no plastic, sealant, anything.  Up till now, Ive been doing band-aid solutions and I want to fix the problem for longer than a month.

What can I do now to make sure I stop the pavers from getting WAY out of control?


texts: The existing power supply is a large diameter 3 wire line . My new shed has a 10/3 4 wire line coming out of the breaker box. How can i hook it up

texts: The existing supply is made up of 3 larger wires a white , black , and a green . The wires coming out of my new breaker box is a new 10/3 4 wire line a black , white , red , and a bare ground wire. On the existing I know the black and white wires both give the same reading on a voltmeter with the green being the ground.


texts: Should I install a plywood layer over concrete before I install laminate flooring?

texts:
I’m installing laminate flooring in my basement. I have watched a few videos - some people add the laminate on the concrete with a moisture barrier, but some add a plywood layer over the concrete and then a barrier before the laminate. What are the advantages of adding plywood?
I’m in Colorado and the basement gets really cold. Will the plywood help with keeping more warmth?
EDIT - the install instructions allow for installation over plywood or concrete


texts: washing machine set ( Australia ) connectors' position

texts:
I needed to replace the old with the new one.
http://www.bunnings.com.au/estilo-chrome-washing-machine-set_p5003030

My problem is that I didn't manage to screw it exactly tight for the connectors to a washing machine to be positioned strictly vertically down. So cold water connector looks rather up, hot down to the side. I must have done something wrong, but it seems too much tension is required to reach vertical down position. I should clarify that I screw the whole tap without disassembling on its parts.


texts: Our hot water heater is gas, and it only has low med. and high temperature settings. Which setting is the safest to use for our home?

texts: Our hot water tank is gas, and only has high, med, and low temperature settings. Which one is the safest setting for our single home?


texts: Providing additional support for door hinges with no stud behind

texts:
We are preparing our basement living area to be AirBnB-able, and for added peace of mind, we want to replace the thin, single-panel interior door between that area and the rest of our house with a solid-core 1 3/4" door with upgraded hardware. (The unit has a separate entrance and multiple windows, so meets emergency egress requirements without this door.)

Both for security and to support the 90-lb. weight of the solid core door, I want to use 3" screws that will penetrate the stud through both the hinges and the latch/deadbolt strike plates. The door jamb is quite a bit wider than the stud wall itself; the wall has been built up with additional layers of drywall and plywood, so there is no stud directly behind where the door will sit. See the diagram below (1 square = 1/4").

My thinking is to cut back the two layers of drywall (or drywall+plywood layers on the knob side) far enough to sister another 2x4 to the studs cross-wise, then drive the screws through the hinges/strike plates into that. This 2x4 would need to be trimmed to fit cleanly behind the casing (not shown in diagram), so would not be a full stud-size, but I'm hoping would provide enough strength as long as I attach it to the studs with multiple screws. (I was planning to use some GRK 4" structural screws since I have them already.)

I would also drive additional screws through the door frame into the studs, beneath the door stops (which I need to remove anyway to trim to accommodate the thicker door) to better secure the frame.

Does this seem like a reasonable solution? Is it overkill, and I should just rely on the frame itself both to hold the door and provide security? Or is there a better solution to provide the needed strength and security?


texts: Noiseproofing Bedroom with Green Glue: Should I do exterior walls and/or ceiling?

texts:
I would like to do some experimentation with soundproofing a bedroom using Green Glue, which is a noiseproofing compound intended to be sandwiched between sheets of drywall. The bedroom currently has painted drywall walls. I will be applying the Green Glue to the back of new 5/8" drywall, and screwing the new drywall to the existing drywall walls, creating a drywall and Green Glue sandwich.

My current plan is to at least do two interior walls that are up against noisier/higher traffic areas of the house. I'm wondering if doing those two walls will give me sufficient soundproofing to cut out a large amount of noise, or if I need to extend the soundproofing to the two following sections:

Ceiling - There is an attic above the ceiling, so I'm not worried about noise coming from directly above the room. What I am wondering about is sound leaking from other rooms through the attic/ceiling. Is it possible there will be a significant enough amount of sound leakage to where it would be louder than any sound still traveling through the walls or bedroom door (which will be a solid core door)?
Exterior Walls - From the research I've done, it looks like there may not be any benefit to soundproofing the exterior walls against sound from outside, unless I'm also investing in replacing the two large windows with soundproof windows. Is this a correct assumption? I'm also wondering if there is a possibility of significant sound leakage through the exterior wall from one of the adjacent rooms.

If it makes a difference, the main types of interior sounds I'm wanting to cut down on are TV, kids play, voices, etc. For exterior sounds, there's the neighbor's barking dog, and traffic.


texts: Space usage suggestions for oddly shaped room

texts:
Please see attached diagram, especially where the chair is situated.

The area is about 27 inches wide and 24 inches deep.

Other than having a hanging desk and using it as a small office nook as shown, how else the space can be utilized ?

Though I can close the area, but that will make window no longer centered


texts: New aluminum fence posts loose in Quiikrete

texts:
I installed an aluminum fence using 80 pound yellow back Quikrete and after about 12 hours some posts were loose. Now after closer to 18 hours they seem better. How long does it take before the fence posts are totally secure? I did not see specifics for this on the bag.
We mixed the concrete per the instructions and videos I saw. It was like thick lumpy oatmeal and formable and certainly not liquid. We used a tamping bar but I was not sure how much or little to tamp it down with either end of the bar. What is the best way to work the concrete once it is in the hole?


texts: Is cleaning out the main sewer line a regular scheduled maintenance item?

texts: I just had to have my main sewer line snaked, and the technician said it should be done once every 2 years.  Is this really the case, or was he just trying to insure he has job security?


texts: Vinyl Planks "click" when tapping on joint directly

texts:
I am in the process of putting Golden Arowana vinyl plank flooring in my basement.  I went around the room and the floor seemed to be level (or within tolerance of 3/16").  I am using an underlayment (Pergo Gold) along with a pad-attached plank.  The manufacturer of the plank states that adding an additional underlayment was optional but it doesn't void the warranty of the planks if one is added.
Before I started with putting down my first row I put together 4 boards (2 rows, joints staggered about 8") so that I could move it around the room and see if there were high or low spots I might have missed. If walk along the planks normally everything seems fine: I don't hear any popping, there aren't any peaks, etc.  However if I take my finger or toe and tap directly on the joint I can hear the tongue and groove making contact with each other, thus making a 'click' sound when I tap on it.  I pulled up a section of the underlayment and set the planks directly on the concrete and the sound was still present.
This is my first time putting down a vinyl plank floor so I am not sure if this sound is "normal" and the planks will firm up over time or if this is indicative of a problem with the concrete floor being to far out of level, if I have seated the joint incorrectly somehow, etc.
I have tried googling about this but most of the results that came up were about the sounds the floor makes when you walk on it. Is this sound normal or have is something wrong?
Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!
EDIT
This appears to be me just over thinking things.  I got about 6 rows laid down and everything sounds great.  Thanks for the feedback everyone!


texts: What sandpaper grit should I use between coats of varnish?

texts:
I have just varnished pine furniture and due to my complete beginner skills, I did not paint it correctly. (I went over my previous strokes after the varnish was tacky and it now has a rough finish.) I do understand now that the fibers swelling and standing out are also contributing to this roughness.

Please advise what sandpaper grit I should use before doing the 2nd coat and then what grit before 3rd coat.

Thank you


texts: Philips Hue dimmer switch detailed manual

texts:
I have bought a couple of Philips Hue white sets, including two dimmer switches, and started playing with them and various compatible apps. Normally, a dimmer indicates the command transfer by a green built-in LED. However, After some playing, I noticed that one of the dimmers occasionally shows a red light with the built-in LED. What does it mean? The Philips user manual only explains how to mount the dimmer to the wall.

P.S. Would be great if someone with high reputation could create a philips-hue tag.


texts: How can I test if a PVC irrigation pipe is in use?

texts:
While digging in the yard I came across 2 PVC pipes. I broke one of them. I then ran the irrigation and discovered that (luckily) the one that I broke is old and no longer in use. The other I don't know about.

How do I test or discover if that pipe is still used by the irrigation system or is also an old unused one. I know that one answer would be to also break that pipe and run the irrigation again. For obvious reasons I don't want to do that.


texts: Hvac damper types - which one is quietest

texts:
I'm trying to minimize noise in a lampwork shop exhaust system.  The system consists of a 1/2 hp squirrel cage type blower connected to the shop space with 8" round ducting.
I am installing a manually-adjustable damper on the suction side of the blower to regulate exhaust flow depending on how many stations are in use, and to reduce power consumption when the blower's full capacity is not needed, while minimizing acoustic noise created by the addition of the damper.
Is there a difference in the level of noise created by a butterfly damper versus a gate (guillotine) style damper?  Are there other important concerns regarding the use of the two types?
I do not need to create a full air seal with this damper, so this advantage of gate style dampers is not relevant.


texts:
I recently moved into a home where each room has a coaxial wall plate. My ISP provides internet through a cable modem, where unfortunately the cable input is in a non-ideal location. Next to that cable input from my ISP, there is a wall plate where I could connect the coax cable.

If I did that, would I be able to connect my cable modem from another room's wall plate? How could I go about testing the connections?

I unfortunately don't have access to the original owners and can't find out how they did it.


texts: Getting power to Nest Thermostat E from 24V AC transformer

texts: My baseboard hot water system lacks a C wire connecting the transformer at the boiler to the thermostats for any of the zones. I cannot readily run additional wiring between the transformer and the thermostats. Can I use a 24V transformer plugged into the nearby outlet to power the thermostats?


texts: What is best way to wire a ceiling receptacle in this situation?

texts: I was trying to rewire this garage door opener where in current situation it is not code compliant to where it is. The picture above shows where a porcelain light socket was  wired. I had hoped to use it for receptacle but the cover is too big for the box and the one that does fit is too recessed in ceiling. Behind the middle of box in picture is cross piece that is mounted between two ceiling joists. I had thought of keeping light and make another hole in ceiling for receptacle box. How close could the porcelain light fixture and receptacle be to each other to be code compliant? Using Led bulb in socket and both are on same circuit.


texts:
I'm attempting to reconnect an outdoor irrigation pump and I'm unsure which wires should connect to which terminals (labeled L1 and L2) in the pressure switch. The pump is a Myers HJ100S and the power is supplied by a 20A/250V three-prong plug with white, red, black, and bare copper wires.
Here is an image showing the setup. On my pump the connector on the left is labeled L1 and the one on the right is labeled L2.

I know where the grounding wire connects, but I'm not used to working with 240V. I believe that black and red are hot and white is neutral. Which wire(s) should be connected to each terminal?


texts: Very low water pressure in the 2nd floor shower but good pressure every where else

texts:
Here are the facts:

I have a 2 or 2.5 inch water pipe from the street and supposedly very high water pressure.
This is the master shower and is located on the second floor.
It was remodeled 11 years ago, we do not know how the pressure was before.
The water pressure for the kind of shower-head I had purchased was disappointing even at the time the work was just finished but acceptable.  The plumber said something about the restrictor in the shower head, I removed-it did not improve.  I let it be since the water pressure was acceptable.

-Over the years the water pressure got less and less, similarly the water temp was reduced noticeably.

However, the tub in the same bathroom has an incredible pressure and gets very hot.  Sink faucets work well.
Other showers in the house work well.
Brought in one plumber who took out the sensor valve and cleaned it.  It did not improve anything.
The second plumber took out the same valve and found some debris in the pipe leading into it.  And using the screws next to the sensor it increased the pressure of hot water.  What we noticed is that the hot water pressure coming out of the pipe (without any sensor involved) is considerably low compared to cold water pressure.
Although both pressure and temp are now better, both are below optimal.  My quesion is why, is it that the hot water going into the shower somehow is clogged up or is it that the plumber used the wrong diameter tubing in the rough work behind the shower wall?


texts: Remove ceiling fan/light combination replacing with a light and remove 1 of 2 switches that controlled the ceiling fan

texts:
I am replacing a ceiling fan/light kit combination with a light fixture. The ceiling fan is controlled by 2 switches; one for light on/off and one for the fan on/off + 3 speed control. My desired end result is 1 switch to control a new light (replacing that switch with a dimmer switch).

At the switch box:

Switch on the left (light control) has red/black/ground
Switch on the right (fan control) has 2 black wires; one was wired to the black lead on the switch (marked with blue tape in the picture) and the other to the red lead on the switch.

At the ceiling fan:

The wires are connected as what appears to be normal (no image attached):

Red to fan blue
White to fan white
Black to fan black
Ground to fan ground

Yes; both switches function as expected controlling the light on/off and fan on/off/speed.

Questions

What switch should be used for the new light? The previous fan light control or the previous fan speed control? Doesn't matter to me which one to remove; I plan to use a blank for that.
Based upon the response to question 1, what wires to use for connecting the new light (red to lights' black, white to lights' white OR black to lights' black, white to lights' white OR something else)?
Knowing that I want to remove the extra switch, do I just cap those unused wires off or do they need to be otherwise connected?

Thank you for helping me out!


texts:
I am looking to "close" a light switch that controls an outlet so the circuit is always on. What wires do I need to connect?

There are two black wires and one red wire connected to the switch, with two white wires tied together. Here is a pic of the switch:

Here is a pic of the outlet it controls:


texts: What could be causing this washer to rattle very loud sometimes?

texts:
I've read online that this could be due to the bearings being worn out on the washer, but before I go ordering a replacement part I'd like to get a 2nd opinion.  Does this look/sound like it's the bearings?  This ONLY happens during the wash cycle...

Here's the video/sample noise

It's very loud, but towards the end it shows what it really sounds like.

Here's an up close picture:

The sound you hear in the video is a rattling sound that is coming from the bottom of the washer.  Behind the silver box.


texts: Skill level required to install new windows

texts:
Given basic abilities of home and car repair (i.e. installing new sinks, canned lights, basic wood working, oil changes, etc) what is the relative complexity level to install new windows, in a standard single family home ?

Does it take years of practice to be done correctly and left to a professional...or can it be studied and applied ?


texts: Pergola on flat roof: Can it be done safely?

texts:
I want to put a pergola on my flat roof but am not sure if it's possible to construct one safely. My roof is a wide open flat surface built to be  enjoyed as a rooftop deck with tufflex deck layer. I want to attach the posts directly to the roof (that seems the most secure) but I don't think that is possible due to compromising the integrity of the roofing layer (I assume it would require redoing the entire roof to create brackets that would be more properly sealed from leaking). On the other hand I'm not sure how to calculate if concrete blocks are enough to prevent it from flying away which would be catastrophic as it would fall 3 stories. Unfortunately there is no structure I can attach it to other than the ~4ft walls around the roof that are capped with a metal sheet.

Has anyone done this or do you have ideas on if it can be done safely? I was originally planning to just attach the pergola to concrete blocks but I'm worried about gusts of wind and have no insight on if this is safe or what amount of weight is needed to secure it. For the pergola frame I plan to use bamboo due to its light weight and strength: my idea is that the center of mass would be much lower using bamboo vs a traditional hardwood or even an aluminum frame. It would also put less load on the roof itself, but I sacrifice potential stability as cedar pergolas are 5x the weight I believe.

The roof looks like this:

In summary, is it possible to construct a pergola on a flat roof safely given my constraints (roofing material, no obvious part of the house to attach it to, etc)?

Edit: The roofing material is actually tufflex

Edit2: Added a more representative picture due to commentary


texts: Protecting solar panels from kids who may throw stones to get monkeys off roof

texts:
I have read this question - Solar panels and hail and my question is similar. I have the possibility that neighboring kids may throw stones at my roof top solar panels to scare off monkeys which are a local pest.

What protection measures I can take as I do not think my insurance will cover that damage ?

I have been told  by my neighbor to use chicken wire. Will that reduce the output of solar panels ?

Chicken wire

UPDATE
Background - I stay in a rural area where monkeys are common. I also live in a hilly terrain and there are houses above and below me. So kids may accidentally throw a stone at a monkey when it is over my roof.


texts: Where to place the vapor barrier in a sunroom floor

texts:
I'm looking to insulate the floor of a sun room. The room is a converted screen porch (i.e. there is free airflow under the floor).
My plan was to crawl underneath, staple vapor barrier to the bottom of the joists, then nail exterior grade ply to the underside. Then after I tear up the deck boards I'd insert insulated batts before adding the plywood flood. I'm in Maryland.
My question is should the vapor barrier be on the inside or outside of the insulation?


texts: What type of water filter cartridge is right for drinking water in NYC

texts:
I moved to a new house and found a 10" big blue water filter installed under the kitchen sink, of the type that would normally be whole-house. The water tastes off and I am assuming that the cartridge needs replacing, since it looks pretty filthy and I am fairly sure it has not been changed in several years.

I found these instructions for changing the cartridge. However, there seem to be a hundred types of replacement cartridges. I tried to look at various DIY and plumbing sites, but I still have no idea what type of cartridge is appropriate for filtering New York City tap water, or even whether this is a bad idea and I should replace the whole thing with a standard under-sink filter. Pleated? String? How many microns? Etc. It's all Greek to me, so any advice is greatly appreciated.


texts: How can I reduce the amount of noise transferred through my exterior walls?

texts: My apartment building is near a mosque and as you may already know when the Moslems pray they like to use loudspeakers. And I mean LOUD. As I live in an apartment I am not allowed to make any changes to the outside facade. Our corner unit has windows in the bedrooms and it could get really noisy. We are expecting a baby soon and are trying to find a way to cancel this noise to ensure good sleep for the baby. What kind of solution can you suggest? Preferably one that wont involve a lot of construction and wont break the wallet. I attach a pic of one of the bedrooms with the blinds drawn.


texts: Sliding wooden patio door getting harder to open/close

texts:
We have a sliding wooden patio door that keeps getting harder and harder to close. I notice every now and then that when I do close it wood shavings fall from the top, and I can tell where they're getting shaved off in the door frame.

What can I do about this? Do I just need to manually shave the door frame a bit? It's kind of an older door so I'm not really sure what kind of maintenance I can do.


texts:
I have 3 12v LED under cabinet lights that I plan to install. The final install goal is to have the line power (120v) controlled by a pre-installed light switch (1-way) which currently operates 4 pot lights above my kitchen sink. This means one switch will control 3 LED lights and 4 pot lights. I haven't gotten that far though, has I have hit a bump in the road. I removed the AC adapter module board from the wall adapter, so that I can discretely install it in the junction box with the switch and soldered two leads onto the board for attaching to the switch. I then terminated the soldered leads to the switch L to the hot wire and N to the switched wire, before I had the chance to test the operation my LED light turned on right away, but my 4 pot lights were off, I flipped the switch and the LED shut off and the pot lights turned on. I then reversed my two soldered leads, but it didn't make a difference. I'm not sure if this is common for LED lights, or if it is maybe some sort of electrical component on the module board that somehow only conducts to the load when the line has no power, but that doesn't make sense because its meant to plug into a wall socket, which is always live.

Why is my LED on when switched off but off when switched on?


texts:
Trying to figure out the best way to cool an attached garage. The garage door is insulated and has weather stripping on the outside. There are no windows and the exterior is brick. We live in a humid climate, south Texas, humidity 80% in the morning and 60% at night. Newer construction, 2015.
Researched mini-splits but it's just too expensive, approx $4-5K.
Looking at portable units. Reading a lot of conflicting info on one or two hose systems and the best way to vent. There aren't many options when it comes to venting, there are no windows and the wife doesn't want holes cut through the brick. Can I vent either a one hose or two hose portable system into the attic? The attic is passively cooled.
.


texts: Is floor paint on concrete purely aesthetic or actually functional?

texts:
I have a large thatched barn recently (6 months) laid with a concrete floor to replace the original mud floor. The concrete was dusting badly, especially near where a table tennis table sits, so I have now treated it with two coats of diluted (1:5) pva.

My question is whether the addition of floor paint (at some considerable expense and effort) is going to serve any useful purpose or whether it is purely aesthetic. The surface is currently quite rough so I do not need to add any anti-slip coating. All I need is a durable surface that will not powder.


texts: Should I use Pressure Treated Wood in a basement?

texts:
Home inspector once told me my basement has a slightly high moisture reading.

No mold, dampness or musty smell.

I am building an entertainment built-in out of lumber and MDF.

Should I use pressure treated lumber where the wood will sit in contact with the concrete floor/foundation? The rest will be standard 2x4 lumber.


texts: Can I use Schedule 40 PVC to protect a grounding electrode conductor where exposed to physical damage?

texts:
Can I use Schedule 40 PVC to protect a 4 AWG grounding electrode conductor (wire from main panel to grounding electrode) where exposed to physical damage (a few feet between the panel and the ground rods)?

Per the section 250.64 of the 2014 NEC, it looks like I can use schedule 40 because it lists "rigid polyvinyl chloride conduit (PVC)" without specifying the schedule. In other sections of code, it is usually very specific about the use schedule 80 where wire is exposed to physical damage. Also, the inclusion of "cable armor" in section 250.64 as a means of protection from physical damage is a possible indicator that this section of code is relaxed since I otherwise understood cable armor to be prohibited for use where protection from physical damage is required (see heading "Question #3" in this answer).

Ideally, I would use EMT since I am most used to working with it when I need conduit or a raceway, however the additional requirements to bond metallic raceways at their termination for a grounding electrode conductor adds additional hassle/fittings that I would rather not deal with. Therefore, I am looking at the non-metallic conduit options and I am having a tougher time finding schedule 80 PVC in sizes less than 1 1/4" at local stores while schedule 40 PVC is plentiful in a variety of sizes.

  Below Quotation is from NFPA-70:2014; The 2014 National Electrical Code

  250.64 Grounding Electrode Conductor Installation.

  ...

  (B) Securing and Protection Against Physical Damage.
  Where exposed, a grounding electrode conductor or its enclosure
  shall be securely fastened to the surface on which it is
  carried. Grounding electrode conductors shall be permitted to
  be installed on or through framing members. A 4 AWG or
  larger copper or aluminum grounding electrode conductor
  shall be protected if exposed to physical damage. A 6 AWG
  grounding electrode conductor that is free from exposure to
  physical damage shall be permitted to be run along the surface
  of the building construction without metal covering or protection
  if it is securely fastened to the construction; otherwise, it
  shall be protected in rigid metal conduit RMC, intermediate
  metal conduit (IMC), rigid polyvinyl chloride conduit (PVC),
  reinforced thermosetting resin conduit (RTRC), electrical metallic
  tubing EMT, or cable armor. Grounding electrode conductors
  smaller than 6 AWG shall be protected in (RMC),
  IMC, PVC, RTRC, (EMT), or cable armor. Grounding electrode
  conductors and grounding electrode bonding jumpers
  shall not be required to comply with 300.5.


texts:
I found some material (pictures below) that I'm concerned might be asbestos, while demolishing the ceiling of a house in the UK which was built in the 1920's.

The material looks like concrete, but it has some brown hair-like material mixed in.


texts: Can I curve an L-shaped shower curtain rod myself?

texts: My hall bath has a partially enclosed tub.  I have researched an L-shaped shower curtain rod and know that they exist, however, I would like the longer part of the "L" to be curved to allow for more room in the tub when taking a shower.  Can I curve the longer portion myself successfully and easily without harming the curtain rod?


texts: Excessive Grease in Above Stove Microwave

texts:
This weekend the wife and I replaced an above the stove Microwave that was installed 10 years previous when the house was constructed.  It was supposed to vent to the outside.

Over the years I was not confident of the installation as grease would appear in small amounts on the vents of the Microwave.  When I took the old one down, I did not note the interface with the outside vent so I cannot comment on that.  However, there was a lot of grease on the inside, outside, and against the wall that was hidden by the unit.  I was a bit surprised that there was not some sort of fire.

As some of you well know, when installing such a unit, one may have to rotate the exhaust fans on a unit so the air blows out in the correct direction.  The old unit was in the correct direction.

The new unit included a damper, that we installed.  The old unit did not have one.

So my question is:  Is such build up normal over 10 years?  Should I conclude that the unit was not installed well and that lead to the build up?

As I said we installed the damper.  We also removed all of the old tape from the vent duct to where it would sit on the microwave.  My wife (smaller hands then mine) then added new layers of what I can only describe as aluminum foil tape to the interface.  She tested, by turning on the fan, that there was no leakage.

Should this prevent most of the build up problems?

For what it is worth, we do eat pretty healthy.  However, this house had 6 teenagers in it at one time and often saw dinners and breakfasts with over 20 people.  So even having bacon occasionally let to a lot of bacon cooked!


texts:
I am wiring a Sub Panel to an area near my 5th wheel approx. 100' distant.
I have read that I can terminate the circuits in two ways.

Sub Panel to a pedestal.
Sub Panel to an electrical receptacle secured to a post.

Is one way more prudent than the other?


texts: What information about a house is required to get a quote for a fire sprinkler retrofit?

texts: So, I have the crazy idea to give my grandparents what could be the ultimate Christmas present -- having their house (they own it outright) retrofit with fire sprinklers.  It's a single-story ranch with a one-car attached garage and full basement of about 1100ft^2 finished area, fed by municipal water -- so on the face of it, a retrofit appears feasible.  However, the house was built in 1947 -- so there are no blueprints for it.  What information, other than a reverse-engineered floorplan of the rooms of course, would the sprinkler contractor need for a quote on the retrofit?


texts: What is the right way to prevent twisting on a 8 foot gate that opens over a sloped surface?

texts:
I had an 8 foot gate installed recently. The rails are pressure treated 2x4 and there are 4 hinges attaching it to a post.
We put a spring loaded wheel on the end to hold it up (it opens over a slope so a regular wheel wouldnt work), but unfortunately that is causing the gate to twist a bit (see pictures).
I was thinking of either

attaching another spring wheel on the other side, or
installing a bolt latch to at least keep it straight while closed, or
adjusting the position somehow so that the wheel is closer to the center of gravity of the gate

Whats the right way to do this?


texts: What are my options to replace this window?

texts:
So, I've got these short 11x32 inch windows that are original to the house, there's five of them. They're metal, single pane, and have large gaps between the frame and window. I've tried going to the big box stores to have some custom ones made but the smallest size they can make is 12" tall. We really dislike the look of glass block and even then, they aren't optimally sized at 4", 6", 8", or 12". I had bought some plexiglass to glue to the window frame and then I was going to clean them up, paint them and add a bunch weatherstripping. But, I'm doubting that plan now. I should mention that I do care about looks since we are about to finish the basement.

Any ideas? Here's photo of the current windows.


texts: How to turn on other unit's heating on the boiler?

texts:
How to turn on other unit's heating on the water heating boiler without the thermostat?

The story goes like this: the tenant goes to trip, and I told her, we need to turn on your heating system as the water pipe may burst due to expansion and contraction during the winter. She reply "I couldn't hand you the key, but you can turn it on in the basement." and therefore the question.


texts:
I am trying to update a two prong receptacle to a three prong. In the receptacle box is what looks like NM cable but it appears pretty old and has a green colored sheathing.
Is this an acceptable “romex” alternative? I haven’t installed my three prong yet, but will install and check for ground/neutral/hot.
I am wondering if I should snake a new romex cable or if this will be ok for a general bedroom receptacle.


texts: How do you screw in double-ended screws?

texts:
I have a flat pack shelving unit to put together. It has double ended screws. According to the instructions you just screw them in using your hands. This is impossible: the pre-drilled holes seem way too small for the screws. I am unable to screw a nut on to tighten with a spanner as it is two normal screws stuck together not the usual version.

Suggestions, anyone?


texts: What is the standard height of a frameless shower door handle?

texts:
I'm having a frameless shower door installed and to me the handle height seems rather low, but it could be because I'm a tall person. The handle is centered at around 35" from the bottom of the door. Does that sound right?

Is it common to customize this height?


texts:
We had a new concrete driveway, sidewalk, and stoop installed in late November (it is now early January). The leaves were still falling around the time of the installation so I asked the contractor if we should be concerned about the leaves. He said they would blow them off if they fell on the concrete and the worst we might have is some discoloration. He said leaves in the concrete would not be a problem. Everything looked good after the pour and the contractor used a broom to create a non-slip surface. I did not see any leaves poking through the concrete.

We had our first freezing rain of the season recently and I applied a very limited amount of salt onto the worst of the ice patches. A couple of days later I looked at the concrete and noticed a couple of spots on the driveway and stoop where the concrete had flaked away. It may not be clear from the pictures, but where the concrete flaked away there is a leaf embedded in the concrete. I am not certain the the spots that are flaking are exactly where I put the salt. I am also not certain of when the spots started flaking. We are in the north-eastern United States and before the freezing rain we had a couple of weeks of temperatures at or below 10 degrees F.

So, I have a couple of questions...

I know salt is not good for concrete, but I have never seen it cause concrete to flake like this. Did the salt cause the damage, the recent cold, or was it the leaves in the concrete?

What should I do about the flaking spots? I will talk to the contractor but I wanted to do some research first. Are these flakes an indication of a poorly done job, are they something that can be "spot fixed," or should I just ignore them?


texts: Why does my computer have a ground fault only when a peripheral is attached?

texts:
I have a weird problem regarding grounding:

I have a computer, printer and a LCD screen connected to the electric outlet through a power strip. My computer is zapping me when I touch the body so I tried to touch with a tester the screws on the computer body and saw that the light was on. Then I touched the ground hole in the electric divider and saw that it was on as well.

I thought that it was problem with one of the peripherals so I removed each one of them but as long as one of them was connected the light was on in the ground hole. If I remove all of the appliances then the light in the tester is turned off. (Also, when I touch the ground hole directly in the outlet, it's off.).

Then i thought the outlet was the problem so I connected them to another outlet but still, same thing.

So i thought the power strip was the problem so I changed to three different ones but still the same thing.

The tester light is full on, not weak, and the computer is zapping me good (not very intense but every time I touch it and it's not very pleasant). What do you think is the problem ?


texts: How would I secure a pex shut off valve to the stud in the wall interior?

texts:
This 3/4 in. Brass PEX Barb x Barb Ball Valve will be my main shut off valve in my house. It will be in an interior wall behind a wall panel.

How can I secure this valve within the wall so it doesn't move around when the valve is turned on & off?


texts: Window air conditioner between living room and enclosed porch

texts:
It seems like the best place to install the 12,000 BTU air conditioner in our house is in a window in the living room. On the other side of that window is an enclosed porch, approx 27x7 feet. Because the windows jut out into the room, there would be about 4-5 feet between the end of the AC and a window. Here's a diagram of the house. The porch is the lower part and the red is where the AC will go

The online consensus seems to be that installing a window AC between two rooms like this is bad news but I'm wondering if it might be more useful in this situation since the porch has some airflow and the unit would be relatively close to a window. I have two main concerns: airflow and drainage.

Drainage seems relatively easy, as I could hook a hose up to the bottom of the unit and run the water right out a window.

Airflow seems the larger issue. Even though it's almost entirely windows, would the porch heat up so fast that it would ruin efficiency (and maybe the AC unit condenser)? And if that's the case, could I try to run a duct from the back of the AC to the window about four feet away? Would that make it feasible or should I just find another window?

Your thoughts? Thank you!


texts: Does a run of 1000 feet of CAT6 line need to be in conduit?

texts:
Our local fiber optic internet company wants an outrageous amount of money to run a line from the road 1000 feet back to our home, so we're doing it ourselves and then having a tech come hook us up.
We're in northern Minnesota - will we need to encase the line in something? Do they make pre-insulated CAT6?
What should we know going into this project?
We're completely off-grid, so there are no electrical lines.


texts: Why does shutting off cold water valve to the water heater shut down cold water in entire house?

texts:
I'm a new homeowner so maybe my understanding is off. My question is, why would turning off the cold water intake valve on the top of the heater turn off cold water to the entire house after about 12 hours?

I thought turning off the cold water intake would gradually shut off the hot water, not cold.

Context: We have an ancient (from 1989!) electric water heater in the basement of our townhouse that popped a leak and is going to be replaced, hopefully within a few days, hence me turning it off.

I turned the power off to our water heater and turned off the cold water intake last night; when I got up this morning, the sinks and the toilets were working fine (except for the hot water obviously) but a few hours later normal water flow to the cold water faucets and the toilets also stopped working (so no flushing!). When we turned the cold water valve to the water heater back on cold water was immediately restored.


texts: Why is my electric circuit breaker tripping?

texts: For the past 4 days our circuit breaker has tripped several times a day. On the box each fuse thing is labeled i.e. "Upstairs lights", "upstairs sockets" etc. Now normally if we have had a blown fuse on something, say my hairdryer, it has only tripped my bedroom, but this time it has tripped the whole breaker. None of the individual fuse things are switched off but the main dial is in the off position and you need to turn this to on for system to come back on.  I can't seem to see what's setting it off; I haven't found a pattern to when it goes.


texts: Shared Neutral for Hot and Line Side of AFCI Receptacle

texts:
Good Day

I am planning a MWBC. At the start of this circuit will be an AFCI Receptacle in a Hallway. This will then Branch to Hallway Lights in one direction, and Dimmer Lights & a second receptacle in the other.

It has been my experience that Dimmer Lights and AFCI receptacles do not mix when the Dimmer Lights are on the Load side of an AFCI. However, I want to have AFCI protection for the second Receptacle.

Rather than running two separate cables, (one Branched off the Line side of the AFCI for the Dimmer lights and one off the Load side for the Second Receptacle) could I run a single 14-3 cable? My intention would be to branch the Black wire off the Line side of the AFCI for the Hot side of the Dimmer Lights, branch the Red wire off the Load Wire for the Hot side of the Second Receptacle, and share the Neutral by pigtailing it onto both the Line and Load side of the AFCI Receptacle.

In short, will this cause problems? Thus far I haven't read anything in my code book or any of the manuals advising against it, but it is also a bit of an unusual idea.


texts: Pulling treads and risers back into position in a housed / closed stringer staircase

texts:
I recently moved into an 80+ year old house and am looking to fix up the main staircase. It seems to be the original (oak?) wood stair that is built using the closed / housed / mortised stringers that don't seem to be widely used any longer.
Most of the suggestions for fixing up these types of stairs that I find online suggest going in from behind and fixing/adding shims, extra fasteners and glue.
In my case the back of the stairscase is not accessible and is plastered and I'd rather not get into removing that as my first project in the house.
The problem is that over the years the treads and risers have shifted back from their mortised positions as seen here:

I tried pulling one tread forward and I can do it with a bit of work. However the riser behind it stays in place and the gap between the two widens:

I'd love to be able to pull them all back into position and fasten in place (thinking of using finishing nails here to fasten to stringers as well as treads to risers) before moving on to refinishing the wood. However, I am at a bit of a loss on how to pull the risers forward.
I think perhaps screwing something to them and using that to pull forward might work. However, given my lack of DIY experience I am not sure what might be appropriate.
Any suggestions for tools / process would be appreciated.


texts:
I believe the wiring in my apartment is bad. I plugged an appliance into an outlet near my kitchen and heard a click. I think the click was a GFCI outlet. I checked the breakers in my breaker box, and none of them were toggled. All of my breakers were in their on/enabled state.

There is a GFCI outlet in my kitchen that doesn't appear to be operating correctly. If I press the "test" or "reset" buttons, nothing happens. There is no power to this GFCI or any of the outlets in the vicinity of it. I cannot find a way to restore power to any of these outlets.

Does my apartment have bad wiring? What should I do about this?


texts:
I live in a place where we do not have completely dark nights in the summer.

This is how my room looks like (picture from the web, just example - Sliding doors with vertical blinds).

I'm looking for an easy solution. And I do know that sleeping masks exist, I just hate them.

Possible solutions in my understanding:

Tint attached directly to windows -  then I do not have control during the day.
Couple of blankets pinned in front of the blinds - looks ugly.
Get new curtains - hard to install (expensive?)


texts:
Dumb question, probably, but you guys have come through for us in the past...

Our house has a fireplace installed by the previous owner with two sliding knobs.  Our question is, what are these?

http://oi52.tinypic.com/dzj7ec.jpg

The top slider is probably the flue. If so, is convention that the in position is opening or closing the air to the chimney?

The center knob is obviously for opening the door.

Finally, what do you think the bottom right slide does? If you had to guess, what is the difference between the "in" position" and the "out" position?  We've played with it when the fire is working but we don't notice a difference.

There is some kind of electrical blower on the bottom which, when you plug it in, forces air out the vents on the bottom.  However, it doesn't seem like this slider on the lower right controls the air coming out of those vents, at least not obviously.

Any ideas from the world of Stack Exchange?


texts: Repairing a break in threaded water pipe joint buried in wall

texts:
First of all, I'm from Europe, so please forgive me if things I'm about to explain seem foreign to your part of the world.

Yesterday, I noticed that one of the two valves (the hot water one) under my bathroom sink was leaking very slightly. My first instinct (not so bright, as it turned out) was to attempt to slightly tighten it. That made the matter worse.

After closing off the main supply valve and taking the valve out, I saw that the joint in the wall had developed a break:

Mind you, this is not a dry wall - it's a brick and mortar wall, which means replacing this will be a mess. Because of unfortunate positioning of the joint, it would require removal of 4 tiles and a fair amount of demolishing to free up enough room around the joint and adjacent pipe. I'd desperately like to avoid this, but I'm afraid I probably won't be able to.

Still, I'm asking international DIY-ers here: is there a realistic way to seal this break without having to replace the whole joint?

The fitting in the wall is similar to one of these:


texts:
I bought an older apartment with wooden floor, so I have no idea what kind of wood is it, what protection was used for it and what actually is that dirt. I was trying to clean it with soap water.
Result of "cleaned" kitchen floor.

Something was cleanable (great)
Yellow arrows, I was dark spot which I cleaned but I still have this stains which looks like wet
Red arrows, I could not cleaned it at all. This mess seem to be inside of the wood

How can I clean the floor and not hurt it? I prefer solution without sanding.


texts: GX23-2 Lampholder removing wires without cutting

texts: An existing lamp holder has cracked and will not hold a lamp. How can I remove the existing broken lamp holder without cutting wires? The pictures are of one I can cannibalize.


texts: Can I glue a sleeve over a cracked dishwasher inlet line on my brand new garbage disposal unit?

texts:
The disposal is brand new and I can't return it even though it was damaged in shipping, as I'm well outside the return window. I believe the inlet is ABS plastic, as it's stamped with a small number 2.  The crack runs about as deep as the barbed end.

Can I just cut back the damaged area and weld/glue an ABS sleeve with a hose barb over the inlet?

My plumber was nervous about using it, but maybe he's being overly cautious.


texts: Why won't my Central Heating Boiler turn off with Nest thermostat installed?

texts:
I bought a second hand Nest Thermostat v1 (the European model with heatlink). I installed it and the Thermostat seems to work. The central heating boiler (Vaillant hrPRO CW3 VHR NL CW 3/3) seems to turn on but not off.

Even though it's in Dutch, this is the official manual of the boiler system. Maybe the schemes give some more insights to some people.

I disconnected the old thermostat wires from the "bus" +/- like shown below and connected it to 2/3 on the heatlink as shown on the second image.

After that I removed the old thermostat and connected the wires (t1/t2) on the heatlink to the Nest thermostat.

At first I used a cable between the heatlink and boiler that might have been not thick enough (phone cable) then the boiler showed a Vaillant F49 fault. But after I disabled everything again, used a thicker cable, and did a reset of the boiler, heatlink and Nest the error was gone.

Now it seems that when I enable the three devices. I can enable the boiler by turning the heat up on the Nest thermostat but it won't stop heating anymore when I turn the temperature down on the thermostat.

Did I connect something wrong? Or do I still have to change some wires in the boiler in order to get this to work properly?

Some extra info:

Also, what is the red wire between 3/4 doing in my boiler? Can I remove it? Was it necessary for the old thermostat to work?

Or, do I need to connect the Heatlink and boiler with 7,8 or 9 instead of the "bus +/-"? The manual seems to show something about a manual mode.


texts:
Why do all 3 pipes..the hot, the cold, and the over flow valve run hot water. I can tell by the touch. the overflow which I'm used to having a free flowing tube attached to a pan is connected to a pipe going through the next apartments water heater. and when he. uses water mine drains/fills up. I guess he did this to save himself money but its costing me a fortune
Also there is a knob in the lower part of the wall with just a handle...maybe should be the cold pipe wall entrance? Or is this sounding normal more like just a slipped / broken pipe that is supposed to bring the cold water down to lower chamber?


texts:
I know it's not NEC and far from the right thing to do.
I need 30 amps at the garage.
I already have two unused 12/2 cables (w/ground) running to the garage.
I was thinking to use one 12/2 cable, combine the black and white from one, put it on one phase and use another 12/2 wire, combine the black and white from that one, and put it on the other phase. The grounds of both would be tied to neutral.
In the garage I'd make a breakout box and attach each 12/2 to a wire of a 6/3.
Each 12/2 would be a hot, 120VAC of a leg of the 2 double circuit breaker.

I'd be pulling about 30 amps for an electric car charger.

Please give me all the reasons why NOT to do this, and that it's a bad idea.

12/2 - Black & White - Phase 1, 120VAC   > Black wire on 6/3

12/2 - Black & White - Phase 2, 120VAC   > Red wire on 6/3
Ground > White on 6/3

Grounds of each would be tied to neutral/ground.


texts: Can Liquid Backer Board be used under a floating LVP?

texts:
I'm preparing to install COREtec LVP over a 3/4 tongue-and-groove plywood sub-floor in my 1985 2nd floor condo, and there are several areas where I need to level the floor.
The installation instructions recommend Portland cement-based self-leveler and so I have been looking at the Henry product line. I've had the Liquid Backer Board recommended (Henry 542), since it doesn't require a metal lath for reinforcement but I'm having a hard time figuring out whether it's acceptable for an LVP underlayment.
The product description etc mentions ceramic, stone, wood and also laminate and engineered wood but I don't see anything about vinyl so I suspect it's not recommended. (I also remember reading somewhere that it was inappropriate for "resilient" flooring which I believe includes LVP).
Any insights are appreciated.


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Garage Heater

My 5000 W heater is wired to a double breaker (220V) 10 GA.black & white wires + grd.) feeding the heater (Dimplex). The heater element will generate only 140 degrees on the heater element surface tested by thermocouple meter lead.

Canadian Tech service says to use a SINGLE wire 220V feed?? The diagram clearly shows L1 & L2 along with ground.

1) is my wiring correct?
2) should I expect more heat from this 5000 W - 220V

Thanks for your advice