texts: Mounting long pipe as curtain rod from ceiling between exposed beams. What are these hex bolt sleeves used for existing pipes / better alternative?

texts:
I live in a loft space with exposed beams ~9ft apart and vaulted ceilings. I'm trying to cordon off part of the space with a divider curtain. I previously tried a tension rod which sagged too much due to the span length, so now I'm trying to figure out how to mount some sort of pipe between the beams that I can then put a curtain with 1.5" diameter grommets on. After many hours of combing the hardware store, I still can't find something that seems like it will solve my issue.

Floor flanges for pipe that I can find all seem to be threaded, so even if I could cut a pipe to the exact length between the beams, I would be losing the threading and thus unable to attach them on one end. I can't find any other option that would allow me to just go straight across between the beams (I'm all ears if there is one as this seems the ideal way to do it!), so my other option would be the ceiling. From the ceiling I need to come down around 12-14 inches to clear an exposed sprinkler pipe.

There are two issues I'm having here. While the thinner (~3") pieces of wood that run perpendicular to the beams might just barely be wide enough to attach a floor flange, two pieces of pipe and two elbows for a U shape, all except the very last one closest to the wall are at an angle due to the vaulted ceilings. Additionally, were I to go this route, I'm not sure what I need screw-wise to ensure the weight is accounted for. I used lag screws with a hex head for a projector mount once, but I'm not sure how long these ought to be and lag screws don't seem to be the correct width for the flange holes regardless.

The other option that appears to have been used for the existing sprinkler pipe seems to be sinking some sort of hex shaped sleeve with a threaded inside into the wood (no idea what this is called). Into that sleeve a long bolt comes down and on the end is a clamp with short bolts on each side that allow the bottom to come off so the pipe can be sandwiched between that and the part attached the the bolt. This would probably work except that I can't figure out what any of these pieces are, especially the thing that goes into the wood.

After stubbornly spending most of the day trying to accomplish what I initially thought would be a very straightforward task, I'm hoping someone can suggest a solution either by suggesting something I haven't thought of, or identifying the pieces I can't figure out since I'm presently pretty frustrated and stumped.

Many thanks!


texts: I have a chimney in my dining room that leaks or sweats. The chimney ends here because I can't find it in the basement. I am assuming that it was sealed at this location. The roof is new, and I also mortar the exposed bricks. I have also sealed around where the chimney and the roof meet, just in case. Now the portion of the chimney that's inside my house was covered with some type of fake plastic brick and painted. I also placed a chimney flue cover to see if that took care of the problem, but no results. Can it be that the material that was used to decorate it is causing the sweating?


texts: How to fill gap between garage floor and driveway

texts:
I have a concrete garage floor and a section of concrete driveway next to it. Over the years the driveway has settled a little bit and the gap between the two is probably close to an inch wide and several inches deep. At one point it looks like someone put rubber in it.

I'm looking to fill this gap with the proper material. What would that material be and how do I apply it?


texts: Which fence wood and paint/stain is this?

texts:
I was looking at this example

https://anchorfence.wordpress.com/2014/04/

Can cedar be prepared to look like it? Is it paint or stain? Because it looks so shiny and smooth.


texts: Why is part of my home electric going out?

texts:
At times my thermostat in another room, oven, clothes washer, dishwasher, and two outlets in the kitchen go out for no apparent reason.  The breakers don't trip.  The GFI receptacle doesnt trip.  We have a coffee pot plugged into one outlet, and humidifier plugged into the other.  An electrician was out when the power came back on and could not figure out why the power goes out.  He said he would have to see it when the power was out.

Could the problem be a result of a daisy chain?  One half of the receptacle do not work right.  How do I fix it if that is the problem?


texts: How to repair integrated window screens from a 1930s house?

texts:
I'm purchasing a house built in 1937. All the windows and fixtures are original.

A fair number of the windows have an integrated screen that pulls down from the top of the window. The tracks are attached to the window, and I believe there is a roller integrated in the frame. I'm not sure what they are called, but I've attached photos below. Not knowing what they are called makes finding information about them difficult.

Most of the screens are like the one in the picture, and pretty much toast, but the few that still have intact screens work well (or would with some grease/oil). What is this mechanism called? Can it be repaired? Can I add lubricant without breaking the frame?


texts: Sealing 2-ft square hole in cement beneath tub

texts:
We are having our bathroom in the basement redone. Having a tub installed and the installer cut a 2 ft wide hole in the floor beneath the tub. after the tub is installed I was told that they no longer fill in the 2x2 ft hole.
However the dirt shows moisture. Seems unclean and unwise.
What can I pour into the hole to seal it?
A gallon can of water based exterior polyacrylic?
I asked if I can pour in liquidity cement and they said that is no longer done.


texts:
I am re-plastering a wall in my kitchen after removing some damaged plaster. I am burying the electrical in BX cabling before plastering as allowed by NEC. However, NEC does say BX is not allowed in wet or Damp locations:

320.12 Uses Not Permitted.
Type AC cable shall not be used as follows:
(1) Where subject to physical damage
(2) In damp or wet locations
(3) In air voids of masonry block or tile walls where such walls are exposed or subject to excessive moisture or dampness
(4) Where exposed to corrosive fumes or vapors
(5) Embedded in plaster finish on brick or other masonry in damp or wet locations

NEC Damp Location:
"Locations protected from weather and not subject to saturation
with water or other liquids but subject to moderate degrees of
moisture. Examples of such locations include partially protected
locations under canopies, marquees, roofed open porches,
and like locations, and interior locations subject to moderated
degrees of moisture, such as some basements, some barns, and
some cold storage buildings."

NEC Wet Location:
"Installations underground or in concrete slabs or masonry in
direct contact with the earth; in locations subject to saturation
with water or other liquids, such as vehicle washing areas; and in
unprotected locations exposed to weather."

These definitions do not really help. Because the cable will be buried in the wall behind a sink does that count as damp and wet?


texts: How are sacrificial anodes electrically bonded to the water heater?

texts:
I was thinking about the sacrificial anode in my hot water heater.  It screws in via a hole on the top of the unit.

Every time I've made a threaded plumbing connection, I wrap Teflon around the threads before screwing it in.

It occurred to me that Teflon is not conductive.  So how does the anode bond to the case of the water heater?

Is it assumed that when tightening the Teflon will deform enough to let some metal touch?

Or does it use a parallel thread and seal on a gasket so as to not use teflon?

Or is it irrelevant and the anode works regardless of being bonded to the case and Earth ground?


texts:
I need a new furnace, and I have quotes from two companies, for three different brands of furnace, Carrier, Trane, and Lennox. Both companies have provided the model numbers of the units they would install.

I understand how to compare efficiencies, and some of the features, such as variable speed fans and dual stage burners. Each of the manufacturers offers basically the same models, such as 80% single stage, 95% single stage, 80% dual stage variable, 95% dual stage variable. Comparable models are are similar in price, within 5-8%.

How can I compare the models to determine which is the best fit for me?


texts:
I had a dripping faucet, so thought to replace the O-ring in it. I removed the stem very easily. And changed the O-ring to one looking similar. I install the stem back and tried turning on the water.
The problem now is that faucet handles are so tight that I cannot turn them and I cannot even remove the stem now. Everything seems to stuck, no matter how much pressure I apply to remove the stem. I have attached a photo for reference.
Any idea what is the problem.


texts: How to remove a nail from inside a kitchen exhaust fan shroud?

texts:
I am trying to remove an old (1950s) kitchen exhaust fan shroud.  I went into the attic thinking it was attached to the ceiling joists with mounting brackets but found no exposed fasteners whatsoever (not even on the other side of the joists).  When I looked inside the shroud from the kitchen I found two nails that I believe are solely responsible for its mounting, but in the confined space I am having a very difficult time removing one of them.

The nail is the further from the wall, so I'd have to be inside my cabinets and on top of my stove to get a good angle.  Plus it has a tiny head -- could be an old finishing nail.  Add in some sixty-year-old grease/dust and it becomes quite difficult.

My 12-inch prybar barely fits inside the shroud, and even so I don't get any leverage.  Due to the angle I can't get a great grip on the head with a needle-nose pliers but I keep trying since I can't think of anything else.

Is there anything else I can try?

Shroud:

Nail:


texts: Hot wire had burned through due to AC cranked on high. 15 amp Breaker did not trip.  I added a jumper to the hot and replaced the receptacle, matching the original installation.  When I tried to connect the hot jumper, it caught fire. Old house, wiring 40 years old. I will hire an electrician, but what is wrong?


texts: Is it practical to install a second water heater near my kitchen?

texts:
My bathroom and my kitchen are very far apart in my house.
The original water heater is in the bathroom.
Is it practical to install a second water heater (small) near the kitchen so that it runs (the second) only when the first heater is not in use.

Water heaters already have the first element in priority to the second element with a relay control priority.
I would like to  instal a second relay on the second element of the first water heater to feed power to  the second heater.

My breaker panel is already full, it would allow me not to add another breaker. In addition, it would save me a long length of cable.

I have found that my hot water usage in the bathroom is greatest in the morning, and in the kitchen, at night.

Would this change be legal in Canada?


texts: What do I do about re-seating this old flange?

texts:
Not a big DIY'er historically, getting into it..anyways, figured replacing this toilet would be straightforward but my house is from the 1950's...anyways, removed the toilet to find the following...in images.

https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B0PG6XBubJOKSDs

Also, there's dirt and roots in there? That's probably a terrible sign. Anywho, there's one solid thread in there to reattach the flange? What about the other 3?

This thing isn't even a pipe it seems like? Seems like it was made by hand?

Thanks for all of the help!


texts: I need 30 amps in a single room to run vegetable grow lighting. How to accomplish?

texts:
I have an 1800sf home with a 200amp service. I want to convert family room into an indoor vegetable growing room. The lighting (which will be on as much as 18hours/ day) will need 3.8amps each and for 6 lights total 22.8amps. There will be other items using an additional 2-5amps from time to time.
I would like to run a 30amp line to that room off of the breaker panel (the family room is only 12 feet from the box).
Can I install a 30amp breaker and run 10AWG wire to the room through conduit and get 120V for this lighting?
Thank you for your time!


texts: I live in a mobile home park. Just recently I turned on my garbage disposal and the crackling of electricity made me rush to turn it off. I noticed smoke down the hall in my laundry.....my dryer exhaust vent had caught fire. The smell of burning wire was extreme. Management said it was the wiring in my walls. Everytime I tried to turn something on it would cause my overhead lights to brighten than blow. I got scared and left. 11 days later they fixed the corroded neutral. My question is because of the excessive uncontrolled electricity flowing through my trailer are the existing wires damaged? Some appliances only partially blew while other's got fried. Why?


texts: Should cedar furring strips be used behind cedar siding in a sauna?

texts:
I'm converting a larger closet into a sauna. Cedar is the most commonly used wood for saunas due to longevity. Something like pine wouldn't last as long from what I've read.
Shouldn't the furring strips also be cedar? I see folks using pine furring strips.
The sauna is going to be 180 degrees+ and the vapor barrier would be UNDER the furring strips, thus the pine furring strips would be exposed to high temps and potentially a little moisture, which I assume would age them faster.
Shouldn't the goal for wood longevity also extend to the furring strips?
If not, why not and how long would pine furring strip last under those conditions?
Wall makeup: From the interior to the exterior:

Cedar T&G
Furring strips, which the cedar attaches to
Aluminum and/or radiant vapor barrier
Insulation


texts: Re-framing basement walls after flooding. Drain tile with no concrete?

texts:
Im getting ready to re-frame basement walls after basement flood (shocking images attached).

I'll be doing this for every wall portion that can possibly flood:

1) ridgid XPS foam insulation against side wall concrete
2) Pressure treated wood frame
3) cementboard  + stucco finish  (lime plaster) (instead of drywall+joint compound) -> as that survives standing water.

Now - as you can see from these pictures - house has drain tile around internal perimeter... and from what it looks like - existing rotten wall just sits on top of the pebbles....

Question - should I cover those pebbles with concrete prior to doing any framing?


texts: What's a good cheap sander to sand the ends of wooden blinds?

texts:
I need to sand down some wooden blinds because they are about a millimeter too wide for the old window frames they are going into.

I'm trying to figure out a cheap and easy way to sand down about 6 sets of these blinds.

Does anyone know of a good cheap sander I could buy to do this job?

Does anyone know the best way to do this?


texts: How can I repair the lower sash of a window

texts:
How do I find parts for a window, Been to several stores like Lowes, Home Depot, ace etc  I am looking for a part that looks like this. it's for holding
the lower sash of the window to stay up when open


texts: Can I connect the exhaust vent from my range hood to the existing ceiling exhaust fan vent?

texts:
I recently bought a condo that I discovered after the fact to have a "Recirculating Range Hood" over my gas stove. My smoke alarm consistently sounds off when I cook.

My HOA has denied multiple requests to install a exhaust system that will vent to my patio because I can't make a new hole in the stucco wall inside my partially enclosed patio.

I have a small room connected to my kitchen that has a ceiling exhaust fan that expels onto the patio. The gas dryer also has an independent exhaust line that vents to the patio as well.

Is there anything wrong with taking the ceiling exhaust in my laundry room and rerouting it about 10 feet to my kitchen to use as a range hood exhaust?


texts: I have a leaking drain in my kitchen sink

texts:
There are two washers that are constantly coming loose under my kitchen sink. I've tightened and retightened both of them with a pipe wrench, but they always come loose.

They don't seem to be stripped or rusted or anything like that, so I'm guessing that I can probably fix them pretty easily, but I have zero experience with plumbing.

I was thinking that some type of a glue or wax could work, and I found something through a Google search called pipe dope, but it's hard to tell if it would be the best thing to use in my case.

Just wanted to make it clear that I live in a rented apartment. Since our landlord is a guy in his 80's who owns this building, which is a two story duplex, I usually heat try to fix the small stuff without bothering him. He used to do all of the maintenence himself, but he can't any more. He'd have to call his repair guy, and this is such a small thing.

We've lived here for three years now, and I've never had trouble with the plumbing in the kitchen until recently. I don't know what sort of materials were used whenever this plumbing was installed.

Any tips are appreciated!

Thanks!


texts: How to patch standing seam metal roof after chimney removal

texts:
House has a standing seam metal roof with unexposed fasteners. 4 feet down from the peak (just one ridgeline on a rectangle house with a shallow pitch roof, roughly 30 years old) there is a chimney I will be removing to below the roof line and there will be a roughly 3'x6' opening leftover. Previous owners left me one 25' length of roofing panel and I'm hoping I can somehow cut it into pieces to fill in the hole once I put framing into it. Sounds like these roofs are crimped together so I'm doubting I'll be able to somehow slide the replacement piece under the old ones. Is there a way to fill in this hole in the roof that won't leak, without removing the whole roof? I don't care much about how it looks.

This is similar to Bringing unused chimney down below roof line? with the difference being that my chimney is not at the peak, though it is still surrounded by the roof.


texts: Placement of window AC in open living space

texts: I am struggling to find good advice on the placement of window AC units in an (half) open living space. The units are supposed to cover the green area, which is relatively open (total size 790 square foot). We are pretty much set on LGs dual inverter units with 9,500 BTU (450 sq ft, LG LW1019IVSM) or 14,000 BTU (800 sq ft, LG LW1517IVSM). My current thinking is to use two 9,500 BTU units. One in window 1 and one in window 3 or 5. Does that make sense? What are guidelines to cover a space like this?


texts:
Background: This is a new house, with a boiler system I'm not familiar with. Instead of zone valves, each zone has its own pump (4 zones). There is a fifth pump on the other side of the boiler. Not 100% sure on the controller, but it's a Taco 4 zone.

Problem: Some zones are getting heat without calling for it.
I could feel heat coming off the baseboards in the bedroom last night, and the room was extremely warm. The zone was indicating 72 at the thermostat, programmed to hold 66. Basement was 70, set to 66. Living room was 66, set to 66. Unsure on the 4th zone (didn't want to wake up the kiddo). Went down to boiler room, only the living room zone was calling for heat.

Where do I start with troubleshooting?

Edit: added diagram.
Each zone is using a circulation pump with an internal check valve. Possibly the check is bad? How to test that?

Additional issues identified: air vent is leaking and needs to be replaced. pressure tank reads 0 PSI and leaked water during read. Will try to recharge, but suspect bladder is shot.

Edit: Replaced air vent, so now I am free to start inspecting the zone circulation pumps. Also, the expansion tank actually has some pressure, but my pressure gauge can't read it. I thought it was leaking water, but it was just a few drips. I think it might be ok.


texts: Occupancy (motion) switch wiring question

texts:
I have a single-pole light switch that I want to replace with a motion-detecting occupancy light. It is a Leviton Motion Sensor, # IPS02.

When I removed the old switch, I noticed that the switch only had two black wires connected to it, plus the ground. When I hooked up the wires to the new switch, it didn't function. Do I just need to switch the wire locations on the new switch? Or am I missing something here...


texts: setting up a secondary panel with generator (Wire Guidance needed)

texts:
I am attempting to gather the supplies needed to setup a secondary panel for a backup generator.

The generator itself is a Westinghouse 7500 model that explicitly states that the neutral bonding has to be undone in order to use it with a transfer panel (due to having GFCI outlets in house).
I want to set up wiring for 4 gauge wire to cover my bases for future upgrade.

It will currently be a 30 amp system (eventually 60 amp).
The distance it's going to cover is about 60 feet from the transfer panel to the inlet box.
I would rather use thicker wire than thinner wire, better safe than sorry.

The issue I am running into is whether to use 4/4 SOOW cable or 4/3 SOOW cable to do the run. If neither are applicable, which would be best to use that is 4 AWG?
The inlet box itself is a 4 prong, NEMA L14-30p 30 amp since the generator itself is also 4 prong inlet. I have basic knowledge but this is something not to mess around with and will be going with an electrician, I just want to have all items available to reduce the chance of being overcharged (tends to happen in my area even with the pros around here).
This wire will run along a wall from the panel location outside to the back of the house to where the generator will be placed for security and safety.
Any help and insight will be greatly appreciated.


texts:
I just got a ceiling fan light cover (ceiling fan didn't have anything covering lights when moved in).

Here are all the parts:

The problem is the light cover is not stable at all:
https://youtu.be/mcO8tyKej58

How are you supposed to stabilize these things?


texts: How can I see if there’s motion in one room from another?

texts: I want to setup a motion sensor in a particular room and have a small LED or something turn on in another room. Is this even possible? Ideally battery powered and wireless.


texts:
I have a 27" iMac and a second 30" display, and since I'm fairly tall I need them raised off the desk by about 20cm / 8".

What is a good building material/design to build such a stand? I'm looking for a clean/simple look - probably timber painted black.

I'm fairly capable (my dad is a carpenter and I've worked as his off-sider from time to time) but not very experienced and want to keep the budget low.

It needs to be around 1200mm by 350mm and strong enough to hold 30kg/65lb securely.


texts: How to remove grating from bathroom sink

texts: How can I remove this grating from my bathroom sink so that I can unclog that drain?


texts: What advice would you offer somebody who is building a laundry chute for the first time?

texts:
I'm looking to build a laundry chute from our bedroom closet to the laundry room below. The positioning is such that the wall of our closet is shared with a storage closet in the loft above our garage. The floor of our closet is above the laundry room. I've figured out where I would need to cut to place the chute to where we'd want the laundry to fall.

What should I keep in mind when cutting into the wall (in the closet) and the ceiling (in the laundry room)? I'm seeking any general advice in renovation or anything specific to help.

Thank you.


texts:
I decided to replace the hinges on my doors recently. Unfortunately, I drilled the holes in the door a bit too far from the edge and when I try to open the door it hits the frame.

It seems to me I need a slightly longer "neck" on the hinge to open. Is there such a product? Also, where would you recommend purchasing it?

Thanks


texts: A few weeks ago, the door knob started to become loose with greyish wood/sand chunks falling out of the gap between the doorknob and the door. Currently thinking of getting a handyman in to have a look but just want some opinions on whether it’s still fixable and if it’s worth it. TIA


texts: I have some water stains on my ceiling as the picture shows below. I couldn't figure out if this is a roof leaking or the condensation in attic. Please help.


texts:
Hello and thank you for taking your time to review my situation.

I am having some questions regarding how I would go about mounting a bed and desk to a wall. My goal is to have them solely attached to the walls to give it the appearance it is "floating" off the ground. The furniture will consist of a "full"  (or "double") size bed and a desk both on a single corner, although they will be on separate walls. What can I do to ensure a secure structure that will support more than enough weight of myself and a partner (200kg max)?

If there is any more information I can provide or any other help you can give to me (building the bed frame the desk etc) would be much appreciated, although I am sure I can take my own time and find the knowledge myself.


texts: The front of my toilet is not closing the gap with a marble tile floor. I can't fix the floor. I used some shower membrane under (not visible) and some shims (visible). If I can stick a foam spray nozzle in between two shims, should I spray foam inside to form a shape that would reinforce the shimming?


texts: basement framing with metal Studs Best way to fasten them to the floor

texts:
I'm planning on framing my basement with metal stud (2-1/2" x 10' 25-Gauge Drywall Interior Metal Stud).  I have XPS foam 2" attached directly to the concrete wall.  I plan to leave a 1/2"-1" air gap between the stud and the XPS and the Stud.  I will use a sill sealer under the metal track.

I'm not sure of the best way to attach the bottom plate to the concrete floor.  I was debating on using tap con screws or a power actuated ramset.  Would the nail go through the metal stud ? My guess is the metal stud will stop the head of the nail.  I've seen the nails get shot 1/4 inch into lumber before.  I would prefer the ramset for speed.  Also I'm debating if I should also apply construction adhesive since I'm using the Sill sealer.  I would have to apply it to the bottom and top not sure if it would help out.


texts: How dangerous are these cracking tiles if they contain asbestos?

texts:
See attached image.  These tiles are in the common area of my apartment building.  As you can see, there is significant cracking.  My building was built in the 60's, I know that the 9-inch tiles in my apartment contain asbestos, and I suspect these 12-inch tiles in the common area also contain asbestos.  The dark area on the right side of the image is stain from where a rug normally is.

If these tiles contain asbestos, how dangerous at present are they with the state they are in?


texts:
My garage has a light connected to a switch and a garage door opener. The garage door opener was hard wired to a line coming out from the space between the porcelain light fixture and the ceiling. The opener was not connected to the switch.

The garage door opener died. I am having a new one installed.  The salesman told me I must have a ceiling plug installed before they will put in the opener.

I shut off the power, went up and opened up the fixture.  The guy that wired this up some 35 years ago had two lines going into the light box.  inside they were wired together and one set came out around the base of the porcelain fixture and into the garage door opener. It looked like a kluge but worked for 35 years.

I could not imagine why the lines were twisted together, since the light is connected to a switch but the opener is not.  but I needed to separate them so I could pull out the garage door opener set and connect them to a receptacle I installed in the ceiling as required by the installer.  I did so and the receptacle works fine. But the light does not light.

Now there are  four wires in the light box: black, red, white and ground.

None have power now.  I tested each pair with a multimeter with the switch in both positions.  Nothing.

Any ideas as to what might be up here?

Thanks in advance.


texts: How to wire two separate switches off one main 4-way switch

texts:
I have a room with 3 entryways (so 4-way circuit) but I would like to have the three entry switches activate two separate switched lights ...at the same time...but also individually addressable at those two switches.
E.g. Like a hotel room that has an “all-on” at the door but then the bedside lights can be turned off and on individually at each side of the bed without going to the door.
So five switches...three at the entries...two at the beds. Entries control both bed lights in tandem...bed switches control them individually and independently.
New construction, source can be at any junction, plenty of space for adequately sized boxes.
I know this can be done, but cannot visualize how.
Any help?
Edit: Yes, I’d like to be able to toggle the two bed switches on/off, independently, regardless of the state of the 3 wall switches.


texts: How do I drill holes in Aluminum / Aluminium sheet?

texts:
I have some aluminum / aluminium strips that are about 3 mm thick and about 20 mm wide.

I need to drill some holes in them. The holes will be 3.5 mm.

What type of drill bit do I need?  What speed should I run the drill; fast or medium or slowish?  Should I use a cutting compound or anything similar or just drill dry?


texts: Is it acceptable to not have access to the main water shutoff valve?

texts:
I recently learned that our 1970s townhouse doesn't have its own main water shutoff.  Instead, two contractors have access to a room with a water shutoff for the building (about a dozen units).

My neighbours seem to have lived with this fact.  The supply valves are old and difficult to close, or don't close entirely.  I find myself hesitating to do even basic repairs (faucets, toilets, etc.) in fear of something going wrong and not being able to turn off the water.

Am I being overly cautious?  Should I insist on having my own main water shutoff installed?  Should I have the contractor repair or replace all the supply valves instead?


texts: Can I infer the amperage rating of an electrical panel from the pump motor rating?

texts:
Replacing a sewage pump for a building
Existing panel is Challenger Electric J94
Company discontinued so unable to find amperage

I know the Voltage-Motor Horsepower rating information.

What is the amperage of the existing panel?

Looking to replace existing pump with a 3.8 Amp pump.


texts: How to find source of dripping drain pipe?

texts:
I have an older house (1920s) it's two stories, although the second story was probably the attic originally. I used to live in it, but now I rent it and live nearby.

There is a pipe that sticks out the side, and water drips out of it sometimes.  It's at about the height of the the floor/ceiling between the levels, and close to the upstairs bathroom. It's PVC or some other non-metal material.

I never really noticed it until this winter when water started coming out of it at a steady trickle sometimes. It seemed to be related to the rain. I don't know if this was happening before or not. I thought maybe there was a drain up there that drains out of this mystery pipe (The roof is steep and it has dormers and chimney, so it's hard to get a good look at all parts of it). However, during the last month or so it started to have more water come out - a few gallons a day or more.

How can I tell what the source of the water is from this pipe? The location makes it difficult to cut holes into the drywall from the inside. Is there any other option or do I need to get some sort of professional to figure it out? I'm not even sure who to call.


texts: I need to remove the base of the broken-off handle on the right in order to put in a new handle. The base does turn back and forth a little but seems to be only for the purpose of adjusting the location of the handle. I confirmed this by trying it on the left handle. Is anyone familiar with this kind of handle?


texts: Replacing a pull-chain fan with a smart fan

texts:
I realize there are many similar questions that have been asked, but none that I have found that apply to my situation. I'm trying to replace an old pull-chain fan with a new smart fan I purchased, and the wiring situation is boggling my mind.
First of all, in the ceiling, the old fan (with a light) was connected simply via a red wire and a white wire, with two pull chains to control either the fan and the light. But what's more is that above those two wires, there are 4 black wires that are all nutted together, three white wires that are all nutted together and two red wires that are nutted together. Disconnecting one of these wires at a time seems to turn off power to one other unrelated outlet in the room. My new ceiling fan, which has a black wire, blue wire, red wire and a green wire. It has a fan and a light as well.
The old light was controlled by one wall switch, which was actually in a double gang box with another switch that controlled a separate light in the adjacent hallway. Each of these switches have a cable with 2 red wires, 1 black wire and 1 white wire.  The two black wires and two white wires are nutted together, respectively, while one of the red wires is attached to the top of each switch and the other is attached to the bottom.  There is also one separate, very short red wire that connects to the top of each switch along with the other two red wires, joining them.
The switch for the new smart fan looks like this (attached). Any ideas?


texts: In what situation could a fish tape potentially touch live wires?

texts: I want to invest in a high-quality fish tape and I’m doing some research on them. One of the biggest selling points of many fiberglass fish tapes is that they are non-conductive, for safety. But when would a fish tape bump into a bare live wire?


texts: There is a small hole in my tub, measuring about half a centimeter at its longest dimension. It is not deep - only the white glossy finish of the tub is chipped off. What material do I use to fill in this hole such that it be waterproof?


texts: Are storm windows necessary for homes in mild climates?

texts:
I feel silly asking this but I'm curious. =) When are storm windows necessary and under what conditions? I live in California (US) and we hardly ever get snow or freezing temperatures where I'm at. In addition, the rainfall is relatively mild (hardly any thunderstorms).

Also, I've heard people mention removing screens.  Under what conditions is that necessary?


texts: Particle board desk top reinforcement - do i need it? how to do it?

texts:
I'm putting together a desktop for my pc working space and I'm on a tight budget. I ordered a particle board kitchen counter top, 38 mm thick (1.496"), which also will be laminated with HPL. The dimensions are 140 x 80 cm (55.118" x 31.496").  I'll be putting it together with 4 independent legs at the corners (no frame here). I'll put an LCD monitor on top of the desk with a new "wooden" raising stand under it (but a 2nd monitor might show up in some time) + additional accessories (keyboard, small speakers, a lamp, pen baskets etc.) + resting my forearms (at least half of them) on the top.

Now, do i have to reinforce it, so the middle won't sag or bend? People whom i ordered the top from told me it's thick enough and it shouldn't bend, but if it happens slightly in 2-3 years i should add a 5th leg in the middle. If i need to reinforce, how do i go about it? Should i screw some sort of a flat metal panel on the bottom to follow the long edge? An aluminum profile? Or maybe a wooden board would be enough? Wouldn't the metal reinforcement add to the overall weight?


texts: Garbage disposal drain is slightly higher than drain pipe

texts:
I bought an old house and this is the old kitchen drain setup:

Frankly I never "tested" it before I remodeled the kitchen completely. The old kitchen has drop-in sink and now mine is under-mount.

With the new kitchen, I found out the garbage disposal is only 1" above the drain (I used a shallower sink vs. deep sink previously):

Here is another view:

To connect (A) + (B) to (C), I am thinking of two options:

I need to find a new (D) so that P trap is lower a bit and I have to find a pipe with a short L shape at the end to connect to (C)
Find some "built-in T shape P trap like this:

I am not sure if such thing exists.

The question is: What piece or how do I even create the connection from sink + garbage disposal --> drain pipe outlet?

UPDATE 1

So I was able to figure out the right "configuration" for this:

I made (A) longer and cut a 90 degree elbow really short (B). But that required me to push down the plastic drain pipe at the wall a bit, like 3/4" or so.

The result is that the connection in green circle above ended up at an angle like so:

There was no leak at that point so I was OK but then there was a leak below BUT I tried to use a bit of plumber putty inside and the leak stopped:

I know plumber putty is not supposed to be used in this case but I had no other choice. I hope it lasts for awhile but please tell me if otherwise. The reason it was leaking is "probably" because the whole P trap was pushed down 3/4", causing the "lip" not getting flushed to the "mouth" of the P-trap. I was just guessing...


texts: Replacing a dimmer out of a 2 gang switch

texts:
My girlfriend bought an old apartment in NYC and we are trying to replace one of the dimmers with a standard switch. The 2 gang consist of the dimmer (Controls the living room lights) and a standard switch (Controls the kitchen light). A quick Google search told me the dimmer was causing flickering with the new led gu10 lights we bought from Ikea. We tried these lights elsewhere and they did not flicker.

When I went to open up the outlet it looked like there was only one power source split between the two? I am following mostly online guides and they all tell me to just attach either two black cables to the new switch or a red and black to it but it doesn't look like the case for my situation.

Is this out of my limited technical skills and we should call an electrician?

I have attached pictures below to show what I mean.

The switch I am trying to replace the dimmer with.


texts:
The door to our garage has an Ives Rota Closer.  In the past the door has always swung shut on its own, however today our daughter was pulling the door open (a bit too far I think) and now it suddenly seems to have lost its "pull" and the door no longer closes on its own.

There is no model number or other information on the closer except for the words "To adjust / Push up & turn" and an arrow pointing down to a short cylinder of some sort which comes out of the bottom and which is slotted for a negative screwdriver. But when I barely press up on it the cylinder goes all the way inside and only slowly comes out again.  There appears to be some kind of lubricant on it as well.  I have tried turning the cylinder with a screwdriver with and without pushing the cylinder up into the barrel but there is almost no resistance to turning and it doesn't seem to be doing anything.

I haven't been able to find any kind of manual for this device, but obviously wants to be adjusted, so what am I doing wrong in trying?

Here is a picture of the device:


texts: Since what year has it been required by code for bottom or sole wall plates be treated lumber?

texts:
My house was built in Southern California in 1963.  I've been having termite problems for years.  I had professionals do the full pest control job:  tent house, spot treatments, perimeter treatment.  Less than a year later, they are coming back going thru the drywall all over the house.
I don't think the tent job was effective.  Being close to the coast, the local weather is mild, so the summer days were not that hot (80's) when the tent was on.  I've heard they work best when the temperature is hottest.
I'm going to spot treat every stud with bayer foam as a preventative.  So I'm wondering if I should do the sole plate also.


texts: Should I replace ALL the fuses in plugs?

texts:
In certain countries (for example the UK), plugs have fuses in them.
In most cases, this is a stand 13 A fuse.

My question:

If I know that a device (to which the plug is attached) won't draw even a single Amp of power (or maybe 2amps but definitely less than 3):

Shall I replace the fuse inside the plug with a lesser one? for example: a 3 amp fuse.


texts: Is there a setup where I can leave the water on all summer?

texts:
I have an elderly person that is no longer able to walk the land to reach the faucet.  It's about 20' between the safe patio and the faucet.  She needs to turn on the faucet in order to hand water the garden (a task she enjoys so not thinking of using drip system).   My idea is to run a hose to the patio.  Then put a shut off valve there.  This means the hose and other equipment will need to be able to handle constant pressure for 3 months at a time in Texas.

Is there a hose and shut off that can handle this job?  My initial thought is a heavy duty hose and a brass shut off coupling.


texts: Inserting probe into pressurized water pipe

texts:
I need to insert a temperature probe into my pool piping. I am on the pressure side of the filter, so around 10-20 psi typically. My initial idea was to use a screw in plug in the existing 1/2" NPT side inlet tee, drill a hole and epoxy the probe in place. Assuming that worked, it would make it difficult to replace or inspect the probe. Also, the probe is 5mm diameter teflon, so gluing is challenging, requiring specialty adhesives that have no data about full-time submersion or resistance to swimming pool chemistry.
I know sticking probes into pipes is a pretty common requirement, so there must be existing solutions, but I don't know the name of the correct fitting. The closest thing I can find is a cable gland with NPT threads, and while I can find them rated IP68 (dustproof and waterproof to 3+ m) and 10 bar (145psi), I don't know if this is their intended use, i.e. permanent submersion and preventing water intrusion from what would normally be the "dry" side (the inside of an electrical enclosure). I'm fairly certain this would probably work, but I'd rather have a bit more confidence, and, if possible, use the correct fitting for the job.
My electrics are all in a NEMA rated outdoor enclosure with proper waterproof glands located several feet above the temperature probe, so I'm not concerned from that aspect. I just don't want a slow leak that gradually drains the pool.


texts: Should neutral and hot wire be tied together if not in use

texts: There was a fan attached, but I removed it because I don't need it. I'm not sure what to do with the wires, though. Should I tie the neutral and hot wires together or should I leave them as they are in the picture? Also, do I leave the ground wire just hanging there?


texts: Water flooding out of "Sink Erator/Dishwasher Air Gap

texts: I have a problem with waste water flooding up through the sink erator and all over the kitchen counter, each time the dishwasher is used.  I have taken to placing a rag about the erator and capping the whole thing with an upside down glass measuring cup to direct the water to flow only into the sink.  Is this a simple fix or should I consult a plumber??


texts:
Our old thermostat is working but I want to change to a new one (nest thermostat).  I have two exact HVAC unit at home.  I change one it works but when I change the second one it doesn't work because it can't detect power.

How do I fix this problem?  Where can it possibly go wrong?  Do I need to check my furnace?


texts: How do I tighten a loose kitchen faucet?

texts:
I have a kitchen faucet that is starting to move around in the hole cut in the counter top. I would like to figure out how to tighten it, but due to the location of drain pipes and the disposal I can't get my head back there. I can reach up, but I don't know what I am supposed to be doing.

I took a picture back there, but I am not really sure what I am supposed to do to tighten it.


texts: Will a GFCI-protected 15A circuit meet light power tool needs in a shed?

texts: I want to run electric from my house to shed, which is 23 feet from my house. I was going to run 12/2 wire from the outside gfci underground to the shed. I plan on having 2 lights and 4 outlets in the shed. The outside gfci breaker is 15amp. Will I run into any problems if I occasionally run a power tool with the shed lights on and possibly a stereo? I don’t have a workshop in my shed or anything. My only other option was to run a dedicated line to my electrical panel. If I did this, what amp breaker would I put in for the shed that’s compatible/suitable for 12/2 600 volt wire?


texts:
Thin and very straight fibers have been appearing in household dust, primarily in the room which I occupy. I suspect these fibers to be fiberglass. These fibers shine/glint back if illuminated with a strong light source and are of varying length (<1mm to 6-8mm). These fibers appear to be consistent  with a sample of fiberglass yanked from the attic. I noticed these fibers in the dust in my room about a month ago. A spot check of dust in other rooms shows similar fibers, though in a much smaller frequency.

A member of the household fell through the ceiling walkway above my room ~2.5 months ago, which pushed a lot of insulation through (and very probably dispersed it through the room). The process of fixing the hole also probably dispersed a bit of fiberglass insulation through the room. I suspect this to be the primary source of this contamination, but I can't be entirely sure.

I've cleaned the dust from the room thoroughly about twice a week (wiping down all surfaces with a wet microfiber cloth). The longer fibers seem to be appearing more rarely, but the smaller ones seem to still be appearing with some frequency.

I have a few related questions/concerns:

The particulate does not seem to be very dense in the dust, but it is noticable (especially in my room) with a flashlight. I spend a lot of time in my room for both work and leisure purposes; I typically sleep in my room, but have moved to sleeping in a different room in light of this issue. I haven't really noticed any changes in my respiratory patterns. I suspect this to be a health hazard in the long term; is this accurate?
Is this likely to be continued contamination from the ceiling incident, or is there another source of contamination (e.g. poorly-sealed lighting, poor/drafty attic entrance sealing)? There are 5 possible sources for contamination in my room which I can spot: 4 light fixtures and a central air vent. Light fixtures in the room are IC-rated, but I am not sure how hermetically sealed that means they are. I suspect the contamination is not through the vent, as these particles would then appear more frequently in the rest of the home as well.
What's the best "one and done" way of removing as much of this contamination as possible, assuming that the source of contamination is not still present (i.e., the particles were a one-time contamination from the walkway incident)? The room is carpeted (though we have long wanted to replace it with a hardwood/laminate). I have a HEPA air filter (a Winix C555, a relatively low-end model which has "multi-stage" filtering with a "true HEPA" filter) which I run fairly continuously on a low-medium setting (though I suspect that this may just be continuing to "juggle" the particles through the air). I can vacuum and dust the room more often as well, potentially daily.

Thank you in advance for reading my post, and for any advice or help you may provide.


texts:
We're having work done at our house, and things have gotten behind. It's now at a point at which they're wanting to put in the drywall and paint before the exterior wall has had any stucco work done (it's now just OSB screwed onto framing).

Is it ok to do drywall before the exterior has been completed? It feels like we're asking for leaks if we do it that way.


texts:
I have been told that a GFCI receptacle is a "circuit breaker" in the sense that it will trip under overload. Everything I know, have been told, and have read from experts to manufacturers says this is not the case.

So the question stands: Is a GFCI receptacle device a circuit breaker?


texts: Lots of security cameras but no DVR, what one do i get?

texts:
I recently purchased a 4 acre property, and the seller left all of his security cameras but took the dvrs.

There's at least 10 cameras. Some are newer models but there some that look to be from 4-5 years ago. I don't know much about setting up a security system, can I purchase a universal dvr to connect all the cameras? Or would it be cheaper to just buy my own cameras that come with a dvr?

Most of the cams have red/yellow ends on them so hopefully that will tell you what type they are. ?

I really would like to use the cams already here because there already mounted and wired throughout the property.

Any advice/help is very much appreciated,

Thank you!


texts: Please help me choose: single phase vs 3 phase HVAC compressor

texts:
My residence is supplied with single phase power. The previous owner installed a single phase to 3 phase converter to run a 12 ton compressor (Phase Perfect PT355).  I am getting rid of the 12 ton compressor and replacing it with 3 5-ton compressors.  I can buy these in single phase or 3 phase.

Correct me if I'm wrong but if I'm taking single phase power, converting it to 3 phase power, and then running compressor, I'm not gaining any efficiency.  Any increased efficiency of 3 phase compressor is going to be offset by the losses in converting from single to 3 phase.

The sticker on the converter reads: Input 240VAC, 50/60Hz, 1 phase 98A; Output 240VAC, 50/60Hz, 3 phase 55A. Also, the single phase compressors have a 10 year warranty, while the 3 phase units have a 5 year warranty.


texts:
I recently removed 2 studs from a wall and now I feel like it is not enough, so I intend to remove 3 more.

The house is 26' wide and 30' long, built in 1918.  It has a basement, main floor, and attic.

here is a 3D model made before I started removing studs.  The section of wall, from which I am removing studs, is right behind the brown sofa on the main floor:  https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=DPzGt7FHxGV.

There is a 6x6 beam in the basement running the length of the house, supporting the joists of the main floor.  It runs, roughly, down the middle of the house:

The wall, from which I am removing studs, runs right along on top of the beam, essentially dividing the main floor in half lengthwise.  Here are some current photos:

The joists of both the main floor and attic floor run widthwise, perpendicular to the wall I'm working on.  I assumed that the wall is load bearing, supporting the attic joists, however, when I removed the first two studs, the bottom plate was suspended not touching the sub floor.  Maybe the bottom plate was just bowed up in that place, though.

So, my question is:  What should I use for a beam?  It's going to be about 9'2-1/2".  I'd like to assume that the wall will be supporting the attic joists and that 4 or 5 people might be walking around up in the attic at some point.


texts: Where does this gasket go? Countertop dishwasher faucet adapter

texts: I have an SPT brand countertop dishwasher. I forgot to push the red drain button before disconnecting the hose from the faucet adapter. The water pressure blew off this black rubber gasket. I can’t seem to figure out where it needs to go in order to make a nice tight seal again that won’t soak my kitchen when I turn on the water!


texts: Issues with stacking shipping containers at odd angles?

texts:
We're interested in building a house out of intermodal shipping containers, probably the standard 40' x 8' x 8' ones.

I understand that (a) shipping containers were designed to be stacked on their corner castings with appropriate twistlock pins, and (b) their sides are important for the container's strength, but cannot support much themselves.

In particular, one maybe shouldn't stack them seven stories tall after you've cut nice big window in the sides, unless you've reinforced the windows properly.

I'm curious : What caveats apply to stacking containers diagonally?

I'm considering a two story design with a triangle of shipping containers that has a another triangle on top, almost like a star of David configuration, except there would be a gap between the containers on both levels.

In this design, the second story containers would rest not on the corner castings, but on the rails.  We'd cut only small windows in the bottom story, while cutting larger ones in the top story.


texts: I have a Ducane heat pump.  When running in AC Mode, the outdoor fan and compressor kick off just fine.  The blower fan seems to kick off as well, though it's not putting out very much air.  I can feel cool air blowing out of the vent but it's a small trickle, and it's not enough to keep the house very cool.  I've also noticed that the pipes are freezing over inside my outdoor unit (which I have been told is a side-effect of the blower fan not pulling its weight).  I've cycled the breakers and verified that the filter is clean / new, with no improvements.  One of the breakers on the box that controls the outside unit seems very flimsy, and it has been suggested that this should be changed as an electrical issue there may be preventing the blower fan from running in 'high' mode as is usually the case with AC.  Is there any merit to that suggestion (i.e. an issue with the breaker could be causing the fan to run slowly) or is there a more likely problem that would cause this type of symptom?  Any help / suggestions would be appreciated.


texts:
I have some damp in a bedroom which is because the wall outside needs re-pointing.

I will do this in the summer but what can I do as a temporary fix


texts: Window unit lets in lots of outdoor noise. How to insulate?

texts:
I just moved to NYC and I have a window unit like this:

The foldable frame around either side lets in a considerable amount of outside noise; it's just as if the window was open.  In fact, I'd swear it amplifies outdoor noise, perhaps through the AC unit itself.  Quite hard to get some sleep.
Is there a way to better insulate against the noise?


texts: How do I insulate a strip foundation from below?

texts:
While building a strip foundation (a concrete wall starting several feet below ground) I have to insulate it from moisture because otherwise moisture will get into the foundation and into the basement. Insulating the sides is relatively easy - once the wall is there I can glue some stuff like ruberoid onto the wall or paint it with resin.

What about the foundation wall bottom? I cannot paint the wall bottom or glue anything to the wall bottom before the wall is there and once the wall is there it's pressed hard onto the ground and I cannot do anything with its bottom. This is kind of chicken-and-egg problem.

How is moisture insulation done for the strip foundation bottom side?


texts: How can I troubleshoot a ceiling fan light kit Issue?

texts:
I have an issue with my ceiling fan light; the light is on, then eventually over time it starts flickering off and on, eventually over time shutting off.  I'll switch the light off, and then switch it back on, but no light.  After a little while, I can get the light back on.  Eventually it will start flickering again and shutoff.

While it's off, I tested the fan, and it works.  Seems to me this is a loose wire in the light kit?  Or maybe we need to replace the light kit altogether?


texts: How do I replace a leaky secondary water valve?

texts:
Outside I have a leaky secondary water valve that seems to overfill whenever my secondary water is turned off. I don't have the slightest clue of how to replace this and would rather learn how to do it myself instead of hiring a landscaper to do a few hours of work.

Can somebody recommend the best way for approaching this?


texts: How does a water-heater know when to turn on?

texts:
Now that it is getting colder, we have noticed that when we get home from work, our water is not that hot.  It was warm at best after a four-day trip.  The water heater is in an unheated basement, next to the furnace.  It's not freezing by any means.  After a shower or some dishes, it heats up fine and we have hot water.

It's a gas water heater.  My mental image of how it works is that the fire shuts off OK when the water heats the desired temp, but doesn't come back on until new cold water is introduced.  I would have guessed that it would be a normal thermostat.  If it is a thermostat, how do we set the temperature that the water heater that the fire come on at?

Or, can someone explain how this works in reality, and offer advice?


texts: Does water-proofing have structural benefits in cinder-block foundation?

texts:
We have a cinder block foundation in our 1920s home. When we moved in, the basement was somewhat damp with elevated humidity readings. We can see some efflorescence on the foundation walls, but no visible water. The surface of the wall is crumbling in a few places. There is no evidence of hydrostatic pressure from below the slab. Currently, we manage the humidity quite well with two small dehumidifiers (~45%).

Is there any structural benefit to applying any type of coating to the walls (e.g. hydraulic cement or epoxy), or would that only be for the purpose of water-proofing? Would it extend the lifespan of the foundation?


texts: options for new floor over concrete slab

texts:
I am in the middle of a basement renovation, roughly 1000 sq feet. The existing floor is some sort of vinyl sheet material over concrete slab. There is an existing floor drain in the current washing machine room. I am planning on moving the washer/dryer, and have cut the slab for the new drain line, but was not planning on removing enough of the slab to add a new sloped floor drain. I would like the room with the existing floor drain to end up with a level floor.

Some areas of the vinyl were in poor repair, delaminating, or cracking, some were in good condition. Initially I thought I would simply scrape up all the old vinyl sheet material and then use a self leveling concrete (SLC) to fill in the slope near the existing floor drain (not sure whether to cap or plug the pipe and seal it in, or just extend it so I have a drain w/ no slope toward it?).

However now that I have started scraping the vinyl, I am not so sure. Some areas came up pretty easy, but left quite a bit of adhesive and paper-like backing material. Other areas feel more like chipping concrete. I have tried boiling water, and this helps a little bit but I am still not able to scrap down to smooth, bare concrete in most places. I think doing the remaining floor might take weeks of labor.

I am not certain about what finished floor I might use yet. Likely tile in about 1/3 of the area and floating laminate in the rest.

Are there any other tricks for scraping up old vinyl and adhesives? (I am not too keen on solvents because I have heard they can soak into the slab and make it difficult to bond anything later, and I don't generally like working with chemicals if I can avoid it).
How much of the adhesive and paper backing do I need to remove? Everything down to bare concrete? Or will the SLC work over stubborn patches of paper/adhesive.
Is it possible or advisable to simply remove all the vinyl where it is poorly bonded and then pour SLC over the top of the rest of it? Would that be really expensive for 1000 sq feet?
Is there some completely different solution here that I have not thought of?


texts: Do I have to replace backerboard before tiling a floor?

texts: We recently pulled up the vinyl in our bathroom to discover that there is backerboard underneath. It is in good shape but has a thin layer of glue on parts. The surface is completely smooth. Can I install tile on this existing backerboard, or do I need to replace the backerboard?


texts: Do GFCI outlets require more than standard box volume?

texts:
I purchased 2 Carlin 2-gang old work box with max cubic in fill limit of 25. These are being installed in a garage so each receptacle is gfci. I have wired them in parallel so there is a pigtail in each box for ground , neutral, and hot and a respective conductor for each receptacle. I wanted each gfci to be independent of the other since there is a fridge on one and didn’t want that to trip from the other outlets so ended up applying this logic to all of them. However having installing them I realize the gfci are HUGE and take up the majority of the box. In fact having two gfci in one box with the three pigtails using ideal protwist nuts, one in coming nm 14/2 Romex cable supplying the load results in me having to use the screw in force of the outlets to push it in.
So my question does the gfci require any addition volume for box fill (based on nec AND/OR some unofficial electrician rule of thumb adjustment). I ask this because I am worried with the fact I needed to rely on the force of screwing in to actually get the receptacles and wires to go in the outlet box correctly (might sound dumb but this is the first time I’ve encountered that issue)


texts: How do I know if a new dryer will fit? Existing base/floor vent and nearby doorframe

texts:
Our existing washer and dryer need to go, but the space they occupy is a bit limited.
The main issue is depth - the existing washer and dryer are Frigidaire AES7000ES and ATF7000FS. In the current setup, with a bottom/base vent, the main shell extends ~28" from the wall (the door adds another 1")  Reading the docs for this dryer it seems that it's 27" deep not counting the door.
The primary problem with the dryer is the door to the room -- the dryer as situated is only 4" from the door frame (3" if you count the added depth of the door, but that's not all the way to the edge).

Nobody really sells equivalently sized appliances at this point -- they are either much smaller or larger.  I'm looking at LG replacements - for the dryer, the DLE3400W -- the specs say 30" deep.  That has me concerned for 2 reasons.  First, I can't find detailed measurements for this dryer, to know what they are measuring when they say 30".  Second, I can't find detailed placement of where the bottom vent is.  The existing vent tubing is in a fixed spot in the floor, which will affect the placement of the dryer and how far it might extend outward.  Or is there some flexibility when installing the base/bottom venting?
I feel stupid here.  I have this tight spot and don't want to find out after ordering and delivery that it's not going to work in the space.


texts: Running the coaxial cable through the wall from an ANTENNA NOT A CABLE BOX

texts:
The coaxial cable will be connected to an outside tv antenna, then run through the wall to the TV.  Do I need a cable box for the coaxial cable or the cable box just for cable tv?
This is a single story house and I want to run the coax through the wall closest to where I have  the TV.


texts: How do I finish this wood box extension I made, to match the drywall around it?

texts:
The previous owners put a ceiling fan box in such a place that the ceiling fan bracket and the drywall would have conflicted. I extended the electrical box lower, using a piece of 2"x8" that was cut to fit and a ceiling electrical box extender.

It's ready to finish/paint before I hang the fan.

What's the best way to make the wood match the surrounding drywall? Should I just prime and paint? Should I drywall tape the seams and mud with joint compound, then sand, prime, and paint?

I would like it to look nice, but also it is 10' off the ground so close up perfection is not important.


texts: Can I use interior oil-based primer on window glazing?

texts:
I'm re-glazing some windows with DAP '33'.  The instructions call for an oil-based paint or oil-based primer. I have a can of Sherwin-Williams oil-based interior primer. Will this work over the glazing?

I've read that exterior oil primers are more flexible. Will this be concern for priming the glazing?


texts: How to cover seams on a board & batten interior wall when calculations won't add up?

texts: We want to put board and batten on a feature wall in the living room.  We plan to cover the textured wall with some type of 4'x 8' board.  After doing multiple calculations we couldn't make the battens cover all the vertical seams without spacing the battens unevenly (not a look we want).  What is the best way to resolve this issue?


texts: What is the correct tool/method for digging out existing concrete holes for fence posts

texts:
My garden needs a new fence as well as two new fence posts. There is an existing concrete base along the boundary which is already securing three posts and has holes where two posts snapped in the wind at the base.

One of the holes is intact with all four sides:

The other hole appears to have one of its sides broken, you can't see it from the following picture, but there's no sign of it when poking into the ground at the base:

My question is two fold:

What tool/method should I use to dig out the old debris/wood from the snapped fence post? It's obviously a tight space and I suspect I need to work smarter not harder.
For the hole that has one side of the concrete missing - what could I do to sure up the hold? Should it be relatively easy to lay more concrete around it? Or is there some other method of securing it I haven't thought of?


texts: Should ceiling fan mounting screws thread into the box or the framing behind?

texts:
I was trying to install a ceiling fan in my new home. The home is prewired for ceiling fan install. It has the pancake box. However, the 2 screws that are going to hold the mounting bracket are not through a threaded screw hole. The screw appears to be fastened to the wood above the pancake box.
I saw many videos on how to install and in all of them, the screw that holds the mounting is through a threaded screw hole. In my case it is directly screwed to the stud above the pancake box.
Please see the pic attached. Is it okay to fasten the mounting bracket that way? Please see the picture attached and the screws are the black screws I am referring to.


texts: How to get stains completely out of carpet?

texts: So I have accumulated a disappointing amount of stains in my carpet (some of them even grease stains as I work with food) and I would like to know some sure fire ways to remove them with out ruining the carpet or moving the color around ect


texts: Need advice on connecting 100 amp sub-panel to 200 amp main panel

texts:
I currently have a 200 amp main panel that is full.  I'm planning on installing some equipment for a water well pump, water softner, etc. and it seems to make sense at this point to install a sub-panel for that equipment.

I've never had a problem doing minor electrical work around the house in the past. However, this job is bigger than I've ever done so I wanted to get some advice.

Some details:

Both panels are in the basement.  The wire will need to run both through the floor joists in some locations and then along a joist in another location.
I have an electric water heater.  Since the sub-panel will be installed in the same room as the water heater, I plan on removing the 2-pole 30 amp breaker for the water heater and using that slot for the breaker that will feed the sub-panel.
I'll need 70-80 feet of wire to run from the main panel to the new sub-panel.
Picture of current main panel attached.
Sub-panel breakers:

water heater: 2-pole 30 amp
jet pump: 20 amp
well pump: 2-pole 30 amp
cistern relay circuit: 15 amp
water treatment equipment: 20 amp

I can provide more details if needed, just not sure what someone would need to know.

Questions:

Does the sub-panel seem over loaded?  If so, I could keep the water-heater in the main panel and free up space in the panel another way.
I know I need four-strand wire to run to the sub-panel (2 hot, neutral, ground) but copper or aluminum and what gauge?
When I run the wire along the floor joist, does it need to be secured to the joist or can it just hang there and rest on the drop ceiling?  Seems like it should be secured to the joist with wire hanger or something.
What are the things about this project that I don't know that I don't know.  :)  These are the scary things IMO...i.e. the questions I don't know enough to ask.

Thanks in advance.  I'm happy to provide more details if you need them.

Edit #1:

Another question has come up: should I put a 100 amp breaker in the sub-panel to act as the "main" for the sub-panel?  Or is the 100 amp breaker in the main panel sufficient?


texts:
I am from the Caribbean and we have a lot of termites so OSB SIPs are not an option, my question is this, are steel SIPs Structural like OSB SIPs?

SIP = Structural Insulated panels.

EPS = Expanded Polystyrene

OSB = Oriented strand board

thanks!


texts: How do I troubleshoot noisy power lines for power-line networking?

texts: I have some power-line ethernet adaptors that worked great in my previous house.  At my new house, they can't get more than a few KB per second because there's too much noise in the line according to the device statistics.  How can I troubleshoot what's causing the noise, and what tools would I need?


texts: Rth5160d1003 New Thermostat wiring from Older 7 Wire Setup o & b wires?

texts:
I need help with wiring up the new thermostat. I have a Gas furnace heat with heat pump.  Goodman Units.  The old thermostat G=GREEN C=BLUE Y=YELLOW R=RED O=ORANGE b=BLACK E=WHITE.  The new thermostat has g,c,y.e,r but O/B is one terminal so Im unsure how to finish up.  The other options are w2/aux, k l/a,s,s u  See image of new thermostat setup. So does the Orange wire go to o/b and the black wire??

Here are the pictures you requested.  Appears black wire not used??

Thanks for all the help!!

Here is the final setup that I went with.  Forgot to take picture so just used graphic on new setup.


texts: Why would a GFCI receptacle causes my electric tools to run slow?

texts:
I recently had an outdoor GFCI receptacle installed, but it  causes my electric tools to run slow (hedge clippers, etc.).

Do I need to increase the amps rating, if so to what?


texts: Replace a motion-sensor/timer with simple single pole switch

texts:
I am trying to replace a motion-sensor that has a timer functionality to turn off the lights after 30 minutes. The motion sensor never worked when we moved into the house. I just want a simple single-pole switch.

I opened the box and see that the old timer-switch has three wires:
1. Red (Load)
2. Black (hot)
3. White (neutral)

I do have a green ground in the box that is open and not connected to anything.

The new switch has 3 screws - two brass and one green for ground.

What am I supposed to do? One of the brass will obviously be the black-hot wire. What happens to the red and white? Am I correct in assuming that neutral is not required for single-pole? That only red-load is connected to the brass screw? And that I don't connect the neutral coming from the wall?


texts: Can I use Rigid Foam Insulation instead of fiber insulation?

texts: I have a question: Can I use Rigid Foam Insulation on outside walls instead of fiber insulation from the inside of the house?


texts: Are there good reasons to install 120V 20 AMP receptacles "upside-down" instead of in conventional upside-up position?

texts:
In the US, most 15 and 20 AMP receptacles are installed with the hot and neutral on the top and the ground below.  However, sometimes they are installed the other way around, with the ground above.

I have heard vague explanations of safety given for this - eg, plugs are more secure in the upside-down position or a wire falling from above that lands on a ground is essentially harmless whereas landing across the hot and neutral results in an extremely dangerous short.

Do these explanations hold water?  Are there other reasons?  Is it just superstition?


texts:
I have a load of extra low voltage IKEA lamps, each with its own chunky plug-transformer.

I recently moved to a house with a 5amp lighting circuit with the small round-pin plug sockets, controlled by a light switch.

I don't really want to replace every 5a plug socket with 15a square pin variants (not least because I don't want to accidentally plug anything into them other than lamps).

Is there any way to adapt the ELV lamps to use the 5amp sockets?


texts: Should my ground-level package unit have a condensate drain trap?

texts:
I recently got a new package unit installed to replace the 30-year-old one that came with the house. It works MUCH better than the old one, which had a slow leak and iced up regularly.
I noticed that the condensate drain drips straight out onto the pad. Should there be a trap here?
The round hole on the left has a standard pipe fitting inside, and currently it is just dripping straight down.
How bad is it to leave it like this? This Bryant system has the coils positioned before the blower, so presumably the drain is under suction when the unit is running. Fortunately, it doesn't run all the time.


texts: How would I set the temperature of my water heater so that it is the most energy efficient?

texts:
We have a tankless water heater.

I want to set the temperature so that it is the most energy efficient. Should I set the temperature of the water so that it is just hot enough for taking a shower?

I figured that if it is set that way then when I take a shower all I have to do is to turn on the hot water and would not require any cold water to bring it down to a comfortable temperature.

Am I overlooking something here?

I guess our laundry washer would also have hot enough water.  The dishwasher should be fine too, yes?

Currently we have it set to 120 and it is hit enough. We still have to fix some cold water with it.


texts: Do I need external rendering to protect my brick wall?

texts: My kitchen has been built with bricks, but external rendering has not been placed. Now it has been 17 years but nothing has happened, but I want to know if I need to externally render the wall? Could anything have happened to the brick wall since the rainy whether?


texts: How can I raise the output temperature of my air conditioner for better comfort?

texts:
I think they put too much refrigerant because it's too cold at night; it is not comfortable. It's freezing cold even at 75 degrees.

What can I do? This is a newly installed ac and furnace.


texts: My arc fault has tripped the circuit affects two bed rooms I unplugged everything in both bed rooms the arc fault will not reset. I pulled all receptical and switches in both rooms checking for loose wires and any bare wires. Breakers still does not reset I replace with a new arc fault breaker the problem still exists I also Putin a standard breaker and both the bedrooms are powered I,m still trying find out what and where the problem is any recommendations


texts: Wiring GU10 Sockets: Cables are of same color - which one should be “live”?

texts:
Question:
How can I know which cable should be "live" and which one should be "neutral", or does it not matter? (GU10 socket).


texts: Is it safe to use an outdoor receptacle that isn't GFCI-protected?

texts: We have an outdoor receptacle, under an enclosure and with flaps that drop down over the plug area, but not GFCI. We would like to use it for a light sensor timer, with 3-outlet powerblock.  Is this safe or should we change out the receptacle?


texts: Tankless water heater and shutting off main water supply

texts:
I have a tankless water heater, love it! And it's not the issue.

I have a very leaky shower. I've been in my house for almost 20 years and for the first 10, I didn't mind the very slow drip since my cat loved to hop in and drink from the flow. She's gone now and the drip has become quite a significant leak, enough that I have watched my water bill climb over the last couple of months. I know the consumer amount hasn't increased as I live alone. And with working 60 hours a week, I am struggling to find the time to actually get a plumber in the house for the repair.

My question is, am I going to harm my tankless if I'm shutting the main off before I go to bed and before I leave for work. I hate the thought of wasting water when I can give it a temporary fix, and the utility bill as well. Thanks for any advice and answers.


texts: Two power sources in a single gang switch box

texts:
I'm in the process of upgrading a bunch of switches in my house to TP Link Kasa smart switches. I just opened a switch box and I don't understand the wire configuration in it, and was hoping to get some explanation about what's going on.

Here's what I see:

When I turned off the breaker switch that I thought was controlling the power to this switch, the switch did stop working as expected. But when I tested the terminals on my switch with a multimeter on AC voltage setting, I was surprised to see that the display showed me ~120V. I turned off the breaker switch for the adjacent room and redid the test, and this time the display showed me ~0V.

To test this further, I separated the three black cables to test them individually, and the results are as follows:

Black 1: 0.025V
Black 2: 1.608V
Black 3: 118.2V

Another interesting observation, after separating the black cables, the light switch in the adjacent room stopped working.

Any explanation about what's going on here would be much appreciated!


texts: Can someone explain this wiring configuration to me?

texts:
See my previous question for more detail on my household's bizarre wiring. Three of my bedrooms have dimmer switches connected to outlets and ceiling fans, which is electrically unsafe and just horrible practice, so I have been replacing the switches with toggle switches. The first bedroom only had two wires and a ground coming into the switch box, so it was an easy change. In the second bedroom, things are a bit more complicated, as you can see here.

This is probably hard to see, so let me describe it. There are two cables coming into the box, one from above and one from below. Both cables have white, red, and black wires, and a bare ground. The two grounds are wired together, as are the two white wires. Not pictured out of frame is the dimmer switch, which is connected across the black and red wires.

This is what is confusing to me. The black wires and the red wires from both cables are connected together as well, and the switch is connected across the black and red wires from both cables. I would imagine the wiring like this is set up so maybe the overhead lights and the fan can be controlled separately, which would definitely be nice to be able to do, but I can't figure out how that would work.

Let me state that again, all of the wires from the two cables are connected directly together. The switch connects two wires in the same cable. Can someone give me a sense of what might be going on here?

Edit: Doing some testing with my ohmmeter, the black wires are connected to the always on outlets, and the red wires are connected to the switched outlets and the lights in the ceiling fan. I separated out the red wire bundles, and the same wire (from the lower cable) connects to both the switched outlets and the lights in the ceiling fan. So I'm not even sure what the upper cable is for.


texts: Which communication bus systems for home automation?

texts: Many communication systems have been proposed for home automation (e.g., HVAC control, alarms, access control, light control, and entertainment), including 1-Wire and X10.  Which system is best suitable for a beginning home automation DIYer, especially in terms of the variety of low-cost devices available?


texts: Is there anyway to cosmetically repair a crack in a sink?

texts:
This is my bathroom sink. When we purchased the house we didn't notice the crack.

Short of replacing the porcelain basin, is there something that I can do to hide the crack and also potentially prevent the crack from getting larger?


texts: How can I tighten my shower head holder so that it doesn't slip and let the shower head drop out

texts: I'm struggling to fix a shower head holder that seems to have loosened so that it no longer reliably cradles the shower head when the shower is not in use. What tends to happen now is that the shower head drops out of the holder when the shower is turned off. It seems the sudden drop in pressure leads to the holder failing to support the weight of the shower head. I think it's a ratchet inside the holder (see image below), and when the shower is shut off instead of holding the shower head in place it slips all the way round (making a quick succession of clicks). I'd be really grateful for any advice on how to deal with this problem please. Have tried tightening the screw that holds the shower head together, but to no avail. Thanks! - Siôn


texts: 3 way switches controlling 2 lights simultaneously

texts: I have 2- 3 way switches. One at the top of the stairs near our outside door and one  at the bottom of the stairs. Both switches are controlling  lights at those locations simultaneously. I don't want the bottom switch to control the top light anymore. I want the top light to be controlled only by the switch at the top of the stairs. There is a  14/2  wire going from the top switch to the light fixture downstairs and then to the 3 way switch downstairs. There is also a 14/3 wire from the upstairs going to the 3 way downstairs. Problem is both switches are controlling both lights. I don't want the upstairs light controlled by the downstairs 3 way switch. How do I do that?


texts: I have a 1908 home with a clawfoot tub on the 2nd floor. It had some sort of lead box between the 1st floor rafters and under the permanent flooring that leaked. (A rat had chewed into it before I bought the home).  I want to replace it with a modern p trap but it is not accessable from down stairs, it would be enclosed below the flooring...can this be done OK?  There is no room between the bottom of the tub and top of the flooring, also cannot re-orient the tub so access can be made anywhere. I know it has to have been done in past...what is the answer?  thanxz, bob


texts: Is it necessary to use GFCI receptacle with AFCI/GFCI combo breaker?

texts: I was just reading about the dual GFCI and AFCI breakers. Is it then necessary to use a GFCI receptacle with these breakers, or is that redundant? Also, rather than just pushing a button in your bathroom to reset or test, do you need to go to your panel each time?


texts: Why does my mixer shower run intermittently cold?

texts:
I have a mixer shower and the water runs intermittently completely cold for approx 10 seconds approx every 2 mins. No other taps in my apartment do this. All my hot water comes from a combi boiler.
Any idea what the problem is and how I would fix it?
From reading on google I understand thermostatic mixers can have these problems, but I don't know how to tell if mine is thermostatic. The brand is Bristan. My model is old - but its something like this


texts: Identifying gauge of unmarked stranded wire

texts:
We're replacing our range and I want to confirm that the wire size is adequate. The existing wires are part of a cable which is not visible in the panel or outlet and the wires themselves appear to be unmarked.

Is there a reliable way to determine the size of the wire? I seem to recall that US wire gauge is the number of turns per inch – so for 8 gauge wire (16 KW range) would I expect a diameter of about 0.125" (1/8) or will it be different for stranded wire?


texts:
When I was installing a tankless water heater in a new location - I decided to replace my 1/2 copper with 3/4 pex as part of the project.  However, after turning on the water back on if more than one faucet open- regardless of hot or cold. It isn’t so bad shower still flows but 3 would be annoying.
Since it happens to all cold as well as hot water I am not blaming the water heater - it can handle up to 9GPM anyway(or 5.4GPM @ 60F rise).

So I think it might be one or more of three things:

The water meter  might narrow done to 1/2” - I noticed this after checking if the valve was opened all the way. It goes from the city 1” to 3/4 to the meter and back 3/4”. . Is that 1/2 (what looks like a union) going into and out of the meter?  Even though there is 3/4 copper afterwards.   Would that render the upsizing the pipe useless? Or cause the drop in water flow rate?
Too many elbows in the pex - I just finished repiping the gas line and I guess I had 90 degree elbows in my head.  The main cold line to the water heater has 6 elbows. Would that have an impact on water flow rate? Would a mostly solid line with bend supports make a noticeable difference?
3/4 pex inner diameter almost is the same as 1/2 copper. And when using couplings and those plastic elbows seems to even make the inner diameter smaller.  Are there pex fittings that do not affect the inner diameter? Maybe the plastic shark bites?
I did not set up up a manifold with home runs as I wasn’t planning on repiping all the copper. Should I set up a manifold with home runs to each outlet or at least close to the outlet. If so, the upstairs bathroom would be difficult.

Please let me know which if any of things above should be corrected. And if there is anything else I can do to increase the water flow rate when multiple outlets are opened.


texts: How do I cut bamboo flooring with only a hand miter saw and a circular saw available?

texts:
I am about to install some hardwood flooring, which calls for cutting a number of planks crosswise, very accurately. The best tool for this is a miter saw, but I only have a circular saw, and a hand saw with a miter box.

The wood is vertical strand bamboo, and the area is about 300sqft.

Is it feasible to use a hand saw for this project? I'm particularly concerned with chipping/shredding the edges. Also, I've read bamboo is rather hard to saw. :)

If hand-sawing is out, are there any miter box attachments for circular saws? Googling has only turned up websites of people building their own miter boxes.


texts: what kind of paint do i need in order to give this wall a fresh look? And also maybe fix that cut.


texts: How to remove soft close drawer slide (no levers)?

texts: This heavy duty drawer slide is from a kitchen cabinet and I can't figure out how to release it from the cupboard. I tried taking off the bottom screws, but it still won't come off. There must be a release mechanism, but I can't seem to find it.


texts: Hot tub heater not working and making noise

texts:
I'm working to fix a free hot tub that I got with a number of issues.

Now it seems that my heater is not working and also making a clicking noise. I am wondering what peoples thoughts are on what this could be? It's definitely coming from the heater area (not the motor) and I'm concerned it's arcing.

I imagine this could be a useful question for anyone trouble shooting an electric coiled water heater. The link to the video is below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xwyenfw0Co0&feature=youtu.be

Thanks so much stack exchange community


texts: Seeking suggestions for switch workaround

texts:
The '+' switch is not working and prevents increasing the oven temperature from 350 degrees.  If the two nodes at the end of the switch were bridged into another momentary switch, would that not solve the problem?
Suggestions are appreciated as are supporting diagrams and photos: thank you


texts:
I saw this bench on Pinterest, I want to research around for plans on how to build it but I'm not sure what style or type of bench it is. Does anyone know?

For convenience, below is the actual image.


texts: What is difference between BTU and MBH for house furnaces?

texts:
When selecting a new house furnace most calculators display results as BTUs (based on the square footage, number of levels, estimated temperature, etc). What's interesting is that most new furnaces are spec'ed at MBH.

What is the difference or correlation?


texts: Can I run copper wire to a subpanel via the crawl space without conduit?

texts: Can I run 3/0 copper se cable wire with the ground to a sub panel straight from the 200 amp breaker box to the 100 amp box through a crawl space without any conduit?


texts: Anyone know what faucet brand this is? Its a ball tub valve, appears pretty old

texts: I have  leaky tub faucet that's pretty old, went to big box and realized I had no idea what to get. Anyone know what brand/model this might be?


texts:
I noticed a leak coming from the valve between my main water supply and the pipe connected to washing machine's cold water intake. I looked online and saw 2 common solutions : tighten the packing nut , or replace the packing washer.

Now my problem is that I can't locate these parts on the valve I'm working with. I was able to remove the handle and expose what looks like the valve stem (based on a diagram I found online) , but the packing nut is what I'm having trouble finding.

You can see in the second picture where it's leaking from. The plastic cap is what the blue handle fits over, and is held in place by a screw.

I assumed the big nut right above the stem/screw (second picture) was the packing nut, but I can't seem to turn it at all, in either direction. I don't know if that indeed is the packing nut and it's simply stuck because of rust buildup or something, but I don't want to force it and break a soldered connection.

Can you guys help me figure out what I'm looking at here ?

Julien


texts: Should there be standing water in this part of my dishwasher?

texts:
I took out the filter of my whirlpool dishwasher to clean it. The filter and the well were coated with soft gunk, even tho I cleaned them about 2 months ago.  I noticed that the well that the filter sits in was full of water. (Photo 1 shows the well, Photo 2 gives some perspective, and Photo 3 is the label showing the model number, after much cleaning.)  Is water in the well normal or a symptom?  If a symptom, what should I do to get the dishwasher to drain it out?
Thank you.


texts: How to cap a copper water line to a fridge without turning off water valve

texts: I'm in kind of a difficult situation, I'm moving out of my old apartment and I need to get the fridge out but there is no water shutoff valve in any of the units in my complex. It's an older building and I have to request a water shutoff from the HOA 24 hours in advance because it shuts off the water for the whole floor. The problem is that because of Covid, I can't get a hold of maintenance and there is no one in the office. I've been trying to get this taken care of for months to no avail. Is there any way to stop the flow of water without shutting off the valve so I can cap the line and get the fridge out of here? Any help would be immensely appreciated, I'm a total noob when it comes to these things.


texts: Why do my kitchen cabinets' magnetic door catches keep breaking?

texts:
As per the title, my kitchen cabinets use those little magnetic door catch devices.

Where there is a small plate on the door, and a housed magnet mounted to the frame of the cabinet to hold the door closed - instead of spring loaded hinges.

My high-use doors keep breaking their magnets every year or so - generally the central pin holding the magnet captive gives way and the thing falls apart.

Not expensive to replace, but annoying...

Am I likely mounting them wrong to cause such an issue.  If they are too far back, then they do not engage at all and do not work.

If they are too far forward, the door looks ajar.


texts: Dining room light comes on when using an outlet

texts:
I have a free standing pantry with an outlet and a light switch on it.

light switch works just fine. The problem is when I use the outlet I.E. plug the vacuum or anything else into it and power it on, the light that is controlled by the switch comes on.

Any help would be appreciated.


texts: How close to beam edge can I put light fixture nails?

texts:
I removed a 10-15 lb light from my ceiling.

Beneath, the electrical box was at an odd angle:

So I pulled that off as well, which revealed this hole.

Those nail holes which were holding in the box and, therefore the light, look like they're pretty close to the edge of the beam. That makes me wonder:

Were they unsafe?
Is there a code specifying how far into a beam screws should go?


texts: What lubricant should I use for an outside garage door lock?

texts:
I recently asked what sort of lubricant I should use on locks.

I was wondering if the advice there (i.e. graphite powder) applied to an outside garage door handle lock?

The lock in question looks like this, and is outside, unsheltered.


texts: My 100 amp box/panel seems to have lost the third leg

texts: One leg reads 120 and the other power reads 16volts while the neutral reads zero. I'm not sure what the problem is.


texts: Replace Over the range microwave with hood

texts:
I currently have a ductless over the range microwave. It's too close to the range. The heat from the range is melting the microwave handle. I want to remove the microwave and cabinet and replace it with range hood. I've already ordered 30" 900CFM hood. Problem is that there is no duct work at the moment and I have not done duct work before but I can't imagine it being that hard.

My situation is that right behind the kitchen is my sunroom so I can't use that route. Right Above the cabinet is the attic. Should I vent it through the roof or the side wall? If I vent through the roof, the distance between the ceiling and the roof will probably be 2-3 feet. If I use the side wall, I would need use a 90" elbow and from the elbow, the wall will be about 10 ft away. Here is the picture maybe there is another way that I can't think of? The sidewall I'm talking about is to the right of this picture. My Ceiling height is about 8ft.


texts: I'm starting a project where I need to cut a 114mm diameter, 33mm deep hole into a piece of wood. My plan is to keep the circular piece, then to sand it. My question is, what would be the best piece of equipment to use in order to make a clean. straight cut?


texts: A plumber replaced my vacuum break after it was damaged by ice. My sprinkler system still doesn't work. What to do next?

texts:
Last week, I had a plumber come to my house because the vacuum break in my sprinkler system froze and broke.  This came as a surprise to me because we have always had the system properly winterise.

I had a service call from a plumber who said that the problem is that the shut-off valve upstream from the vacuum break leaked, allowing water to enter the winterised system so and then freeze.  He replaced the valve and the vacuum break and gave me a bill for 1030 USD for parts and labor.

After the service was done, we turned on the sprinkler system, and we saw that water gushed out of all the sprinkler heads regardless of the operation of the control panel.

The plumber said that he is not a sprinkler expert and the best thing to do would be to call a sprinkler service company for a service call.

Before I make another potentially very expensive service call, I wanted to ask here what I might do to try to fix the problem.

Again, the vacuum break is fixed, but once the water valves are opened, the water gushes from sprinkler heads all around the yard regardless of the control panel, even when the control panel is set to "OFF".


texts: What is the difference between swage fittings and compression fittings?

texts: I'm having problems with seeing the difference between these two types of fittings that are used to connect metal/plastic tubing. How can you spot the difference?


texts: Routing a light switch to the side of a cabinet

texts:
I'm installing some floor to ceiling cabinets and due to the existing configuration, a light switch will need to be moved to the side of the cabinet.

Before:

Ultimately, I would like it to look like this when the cab is installed.

What is the recommended way to route wiring from the original switch's electrical box to a new box on the cabinet.

I'm thinking I should do surface routing inside the cabinet into a box that I will install in side of the cabinet as I would dry wall.

My questions are..

For the box on the side of the cabinet, can it just be the cheap blue type new work 1U box. I notice those don't have a 1/2 inch round port for PVC tubing which I would use to route the cable to the switch. Furthermore, we will be accessing the inside of the cabinet, so I'm wondering if there is something neater / safer.

For the box in the wall that had the original switch - how do I cover that up and route cable out of it? I can figure out what type of cover to use that will let me make a connection in the box and route 1/2 inch pvc out.

Last - If there's a better option than 1/2" PVC to use as a cable conduit, I'm all ears.

Thanks!


texts:
Help to find out Hot/active, Neutral & Earth in this junction box in Australia, NSW
It got
Red- ?
Back-?
Green&Yellow - Earth.
It seems an old house & wiring with old color standards. Just need to identify which is active & which is Nuetral among Red & Black.


texts: Are top and bottom plates required for a furring strip wall?

texts:
I'm going to be framing out a wall in my basement by using 2x2 furring strips, attaching them with Tapcon screws to the masonry block so that I can hang the drywall onto and also give me a little room for foam insulation.

I can't use 2x4 because it would run into my vents and I don't want to add repositioning the vents to this project.

Since I’m just framing this to hang a few sheets of drywall, can I get away without having to use a top and bottom plate or is that asking for drywall cracks down the road?


texts: What is the principle behind lockshield valves?

texts: I've read that radiator lockshield valves are used to "balance" radiators so that they warm up at the same speed, but I don't quite understand the principle of how this works.  If the main thermostatic valve controls the water flow to control how fast the water enters the radiator to heat it, surely that controls the exit flow as a consequence?  How does having a second valve change the flow?  And if the second valve does change the flow, wouldn't that interfere with the main valve's flow control?