texts: How to supply power outside under soffit

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See photo in post. I want to install a camera and flood light under the roof soffit. The soffit area in the attic is very difficult to access. Also I want to be able to replace the camera easily since they can go bad. I want to be able to plug a new one in easily. I am getting power from a 15 amp junction box in the attic. In the attic I am using 14/2 with ground NM Romex grey color. The package says it’s for outdoor or indoor use, the grey wrapper is much stronger than the white wrapper.

I attached a male electric plug to one end of the Romex so it plugs into the outlet in the attic. I will run the Romex from the electrical box along the roof rafter trusses then go through the outside wall and vinyl siding near the top gable vent which is about 20 feet up from the ground. I will use Moldable Silicone Putty or Duct Seal Compound to seal the wire and hole.

My plan was to run the Romex down the drip edge of the roof line then under the soffit into a GFCI Outlet 15 Amp that is attached to the soffit the GFCI will be facing down . My question is do I need to follow the code. Do I need to protect the Romex once it comes out of the house and run it inside PVC Conduit? Can Romex go inside rigid PVC Conduit or should I use individual THWN wire? Do I have to use rigid PVC or can I use Liquidtight Flexible Non-Metallic PVC Conduit Cable?


texts: Cracks appearing on window and door frames (not the wall) all over a newly purchased home

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I've noticed thin cracks becoming visible on multiple door and window frames where the horizontal and vertical wood of the frames join (on the corners.)
It appears they were just painted over and they are all reappearing. I also noticed 2 of the doors have become harder to open/close in the last few weeks. Moved into the house in the summer and this began in the winter.
Could it be weather related?
We've discovered other evidence of shoddy work by the developers so I'm concerned this may be a sign of something much more serious.


texts:
I'm trying to install a new wireless thermostat but my old setup only uses 2 wires; one white and one red. On the side of my furnace there is this transformer mounted.

There are four cables on the other side of the transformer; white, black, blue and yellow.

The white cable going to the thermostat is tied in with the blue cable from the transformer.  Would I able to use any of the other cables from my transformer as my connection for the C wire?  Any help would or tips would be appreciated.  Let me know if you need any additional information.  Thank you


texts: How to patch a hole in stained wood (oak) so that the patch material matches the wood as close as possible?

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I drilled a 1/2" hole into a stained oak board and I want to fill it so that it's as minimally noticeable as possible.  Here are the three options I've found so far:

Wood putty.  This means I'd have to stain the wood putty after it's dry, but I have no idea how to go about matching the stain since I bought the wood already stained.
Insert a dowel into the hole, cut it off at the surface, sand, and stain.  Again, though, I don't know how to match the existin stain.
Mix saw dust from the wood I am patching with wood glue.  Other people have said this was successful.  It obviously wouldn't preserve the grain and would have to be stained again (provided that the hardened glue would allow for that).
Use a plug cutter to create a plug out of the same wood that I am filling.  I really like this idea, but I imagine this would be very difficult to pull off because I'd need to make sure I cut the plug perfectly level (ie, go straight down) so that the exposed surface of the plug is perfectly flush to the wood it's going into.  I asked this question and am still waiting on a solution.

Overall, I like the plug option the best, but getting it straight could be a problem.

Any other solutions for filling a hole such as this?


texts: How big of a Battery Backup or powerwall do i need to power 3 medical devices

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I have two CPAP's and one Oxygen concentrator.  I would like to power when the power goes out.  The sticker on the oxygen machine says 3.4 A.  The CPAP's are identical ,models and the stickers on the ac adapters claim 1 to 1.5 A apiece.  That's 408 w for the oxygen and 180 apiece for the CPAP's.  For a total of 768 W or 6.4 A.

My biggest concern is the surge capacity of the Oxygen machine as it has a compressor.  Everflow Q at 3 LPM.

Is it better to compare by their Kw or kwh or Ah ratings.  How big of a backup system do i need to power these 3 devices for a day week or month at 8 - 10 hours a night?

This is on part of this project.  I am considering a generator and solar to charge the batteries.  All the research i have done leads back to the batteries and size which means load and time.  So this part first.


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I have attached garage with room above it. It has three exterior facing wall. The wall sits on 3-4 ft concrete. I am seeing some water coming through one of the wall. On the other side of the wall there is a little area for plantation and I suspect that is where the water is coming from. This wall sits on concrete for about 7-8 foot and then it goes down to the floor of the garage.enter image description here[![enter image description here][2]][2]
I can see the rotten bottom plate in the interior side of the wall in the garage. My question is what is the best way to replace this rotten plate. Is this something a DIY can do or is it best left to professional?
I am attaching the pictures for reference. The area marked in red lines is the bottom plate I can see from poking through the drywall.


texts: I want to change my kitchen range from a drop-in to a stand alone type. I currently have a Kenmore drop-in. The width from counter top to counter top is about 29.5 inches. How extensive is the process to widen the cut-out to 30"? Would I need to install new cabinets or is there usually leeway to cut them back a little? Sorry if this is a silly question. I have never seen cabinets before they were installed.


texts: How to demo a partially structural chimney?

texts: Just bought a new home and would like to remove its chimney. It was originally built on the outside of the home and they built a carport up around it. It looks like it may have sprung a leak, so the top was removed and the rest remains. I would like to tear it down, but am worried the roof is partially supported by the chimney, as a hanging rafter/beam terminates into it. Should this be a concern to demoing?


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My church is trying to figure out how to move their soundboard to a different spot in the sanctuary.  All the existing wiring for the soundboard (mics, speaker wire, power controls, etc) come in through various conduits that run under the concrete slab of the sanctuary. In order to move the soundboard, we need to run conduit under the slab from the current soundboard location to the new location about 20ft away.

Our first thought was to cut a trench through the slab, put in the new conduit under the slab, then patch the slab.  However, this would require pulling up a bunch of carpet that is glued down to the slab.  It's likely that pulling it up would destroy it, so for that and other reasons it's possible that we would end up having to re-carpet the whole sanctuary at great expense for what should be a relatively small project.

So, here's my question - is there any equipment out there that would allow us to cut a hole in the slab at the new soundboard location, another at the old location, then bore a tunnel under the slab from the one location to the other for conduit without having to tear up everything in between?

I've done directional drilling outside under driveways and sidewalks back in the day when I did underground sprinkling, but that of course requires digging a long trench at one end to accommodate the shaft for the boring machine.  Obviously that kind of defeats the purpose of drilling when you are working inside of a building.


texts:
Recently noticed our screen door wouldn't shut on its own. If we don't pull it shut behind us it sits open a bit.

I checked to see what the door is "catching" on and it appears to be this area:

There are also scrapes on this area from the door.

Was thinking of getting some construction adhesive, squirting some in that gap in the frame, then trying to put pressure on that area to get it to reattach but not sure if there's a better fix.  Somewhat unrelated, on the other side of the door the closer has been coming out of the frame for quite some time.  We've mostly ignored this and chosen to never prop the door open to minimize the damage to this area, but figured I'd include here in case someone thinks it's relevant.


texts: Gas Combustion Air Duct Re-Route Considerations

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What are the safety/legal considerations for safely re-routing gas combustion ducts?
I have a two-story house with two gas combustion air ducts. The left duct serves a fireplace that is not in use and will be removed. The right duct serves both the water heater and furnace. I would like to remove the highlighted yellow sections and re-route the water heater + furnace exhaust duct to the left duct, and cap/kill the fireplace. The right duct is in the middle of a room on the second floor; the main intent is to remove the right duct that was in a removed wall to be completely removed. There is currently 24" between the 6" round ducts.
Section 304.11 of the 2015 Washington State Fuel Gas Code doesn't specify the required slope for horizontal runs, only:

Horizontal upper combustion air ducts shall not slope downward toward the source of combustion air.

Make/Model info

Furnace: Carrier 58STX070
Water Heater: Bradford White Hydro Jet 50 Gallon MI5036FBN 40000 BTU/hr


texts:
The other day I hit the button to open the door on my way out of the garage to grab something.  In my haste, I had forgotten that I had the door slide lock engaged still. As a result, before I could stop it, the opener trolley had ripped the bolts securing it's arm to the door straight out.

Is there any relatively simple way to fix this?  Some kind of plate I could put over and drive new holes through or something?  It's a metal door.

Update from comments:
It looks like it's metal over some kind of plastic/fiber.  I think @JACK's answer is still a good one.


texts: Does a continuously running furnace pilot light need a spark ignitor?

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I have a very old gas furnace with a continuously running pilot light.  The system has a spark ignitor that has recently gone bad but I'm wondering why the furnace ever had the ignitor installed if the pilot light is constantly on?  I assumed spark ignitors were only necessary for furnaces that didn't have a continuously running pilot light.
The picture does not have the pilot light running.


texts: Is it possible for a bathroom countertop to be held up by angle brackets

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We're remodeling the bathroom and want to get the countertop put in.  Instead of building a vanity cabinet, we want to have a floating countertop (quartz).

We found the piece we're interested in, and we were told it's about 200 pounds. They said that we must have the location for the slab to be placed ready when they come out.

I've looked at solutions, and it seems angle brackets are the way to go. We found some rated for 500 pounds, and can put four of them connected to the studs to hold up the countertop + sinks.  This would be surrounded on three of the four sides.

Questions:

Is this the correct route to go?
Do we have an alternatives that I should look at?
What's a good brand/product for angle brackets for this use?

Thanks!


texts: What is the mid-span (center of wood board) load bearing capacity of one 2”x12”x10’ setting on edge. I will be mounting a 1 ton chain hoist by a 2”x36” tow hook strap rated up to 3,300 lbs dead load weight capacity that will be wrapped around the center of the 2”x12”x10’.  I have viewed some beam calculations ratings showing maximum center load of 7,500 lbs. Can someone please help verify?  It is an existing Morton type of metal structure that has two 10’x10’ garage doors that I will attach the chain hoist to one of the 2”x12”x10’ headers.


texts: Switching electric boiler off for months -- any precautions?

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I have an electril 50-litre water heater (boiler) in an appartement that's going to be abandoned probably for several months. I thought about switching off the boiler's electric fuse to switch off the boiler and save money, since nobody is going to need the hot water.

Can I simply switch it off, and back on in several months, or should I do something more? Or I shouldn't do it at all?

A photo of the (I think) crucial parts of the boiler is attached:


texts: Window unit AC installation in narrow window

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My apartment has double hung windows, but they are quite narrow (~19.5 inches at the screen, 22 inches at the opening).  I'm currently using a portable air conditioner, but I'd really like to use a standard window fit model.

There are a variety of compact AC units available whose physical dimensions are smaller than the opening, but state they require a minimum window size larger than I have (23 inches, for say a unit that measures 18.5 inches at its widest point).  Can these units be made to fit, by say not installing the side panels? Anyone tried this and made it work?


texts: Will it harm 12VDC LED light strips if I supply them with 12VAC instead?

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I have strips of 12 volt DC LED's that can be cut into groups of three that I am using to light buildings on a model railroad and am happy with the results.  I can vary the voltage from about 6 to 12 depending on lighting needs for a specific building.  I was surprised to learn that all these strips also work using the same voltage but in AC.  Using AC to power these LED's would save me a lot of extra wiring.

Will running these LED's on AC harm them?


texts: My AC condenser is running when I turn heat on and it is not a heat pump, any advice?

texts: I am wondering why the AC unit would be running and blowing warm air outside when heat is on.


texts: How do I fix the stairs to the garage where the treads look like they are about to fall?

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I recently bought a house where the staircase running down into the garage has gaps between the treads and the edges.  They look as if they are about to fall.  It would make sense to me that this could happen if the right edge (the edge away from the wall) were loose... but that doesn't appear to be the case.  In the pictures you can see that some of the stairs have a space on the left, one has it on the right.

(click for full size)

How do I go about fixing this?


texts: Is it likely that this single skin brick wall can support a large kitchen cabinet?

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I would like to hang an 80cm x 80cm x 37cm cabinet on this single skin brick wall (where the ladders are currently hanging). The bricks are 10cm deep. The span of wall, each side of the pier, is ~300cm.

The cabinet weighs ~30kg, and would be attached to the wall with a steel hanging rail (with x4 6cm deep fixings).

Inside the cabinet I will store cleaning products, clothes, etc.

I have no concerns about the strength of the individual fixings, but I'm wondering if it's wise to attach heavy objects to such a large "skin" of single brick.

I cannot find any online resources for recommended maximum loads on this type of wall (or any wall, in fact).


texts: Should I run 240v for any supported appliances?

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I am having my main circuit breaker panel replaced (by a licensed electrician) and he told me I can run new circuits for him to hook up to the new panel. Is there any benefit to running 240v circuits for computers, network equipment, other devices that support it?

I would probably put a 120v outlet next to any 240v just for convenience (I was thinking on opposite sides of each stud.


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The wire is too short for me, and I want to extend it...

I'm thinking that the audio quality will lessen if I connect a different wire.

I don't know as well if where will I get or what wire will I use


texts: How to remove faucet on American standard with no screw or cap

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I can’t for the life of me find any screw or cap on this thing. It has been leaking like crazy and  I need to check and/or replace cartridge.
It is an American Standard, that’s all I know. Probably about ten years old. Can’t figure out the model or find the literature from purchase.
Any help? Please?


texts: Do n95 masks provide ANY protection against asbestos?

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I think you can read between the lines here. i had on a typical n95 mask while doing a little demo. I didn't have raised suspicions about there being asbestos in the walls, as i already researched my home's primary wall material prior and it's not prone to the stuff. But, after removing a few SF of board i noticed a different breed, and the label is "national gypsum company" "fireproof GYPSUM W..." label cuts off. It's the fireproof part that raised my red flag. I bagged what i took off, cleaned the area, and am sending a sample off to a lab for testing.

My throat was a bit dry after the work. don't know if i'm overthinking, but in googling around, pretty much the only thing people will tell you is to not use n95 for asbestos. Great and all, but my question is whether n95 provides ANY protection? Looking at the micron sizes of asbestos and the filter, it would seem it should filter them, so is it catching 95% and obviously for this hazardous material you want that extra 5% covered, or do these fibers penetrate n95 material?


texts: What to do about water in ceiling from leak?

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Some water leaked from my upstairs bathroom into the ceiling of a downstairs bathroom. I noticed it when I saw drips coming from my fan/lighting fixture. I would estimate the amount of water that leaked to be in the range of 1 - 2 gallons.
I had a contractor check for damages, and temperature and moisture scans show that there is moisture in the ceiling. See images below.
Unfortunately, the estimated cost for professional water mitigation services is over $1,600, and that is before reconstruction.
I know that it is possible to rent dehumidifiers, although I don't if those are useful in a situation like this. In short, I am wondering if there is a reasonable DIY way to address the leak damage and also whether I am inviting long-term problems if I attempt to go it alone rather than opening up the ceiling and replacing any affected materials.
Moisture sensor reading the day after the leak:

Temperature sensor reading the day after the leak:

Ceiling the day after the leak:


texts: Attaching washing machine hose to two closely-positioned valves

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In my new apartment, I have the following washing machine valves installed:

And this is how my hose attachment looks like:

The problem is that the hose cannot be attached to the right valve, because the two valves are very tightly positioned relatively to each other. This makes the hose impossible to fit in.

How can I get around this? Is there any metal, right-angle extension I could buy and extend the right valve with? Or maybe an extension to be used on the hose itself?


texts:
When we moved in we replaced all outlets with Tamper Resistant ones.
We had an outlet on the left side of room that was half controlled by a switch. We wanted both outlets controlled so we left the little tab. It worked fine for a month or so.
When we moved a dresser on the right side of the room we noticed an outlet had gotten forgotten so we replace it (it had not been controlled by the switch and was always hot.) As soon as it was replaced the outlet on left side of room stopped being controlled by the switch and is always hot.

How do we fix that?
Over time we have found other switches that control nothing and wonder if it is a similar situation.


texts:
I know hydraulic cement is designed to block the transmission of water, but does it also block water vapor to any appreciable degree that it is considered a vapor barrier at a certain depth/thickness (anywhere from "skim coat a foundation slab with it" to "cost not being a consideration, pour the full depth of the foundation slab with it")?

If not, is there another type of masonry formulation that can achieve a vapor barrier classification?


texts: How to maintain a Saniflo waste water macerator pump?

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A few years back, I installed a Saniflo pump to service a basement toilet + shower. Putting it in was a lot of fun, but I've always been worried about having it break. So every once in a while I try to descale the inside.

But what product to use?

In some countries, you can buy a branded product to clean these units. It's not sold in New Zealand where I live. When I asked the local rep, he said they've had good results with hydrochloric acid (well diluted). I've done this a few times, then noticed on a brochure that hydrochloric acid is the one thing they recommend you don't use as it can eat into the seals.

Would anyone happen to know what's in the official product, or be able to recommend a product that's an effective descaler but won't damage the seals (if that even exists)?


texts: Can I run a 60A sub-panel off of another 200A sub-panel?

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I would like to run a sub panel out to my garage to run an 80 gal (4hp) compressor. -- I have a 200 amp shut-off panel on the outside of my house which runs to a 200 amp breaker panel in the house. I was told to think of the outside box as the "main" panel and the one in the house as a "sub-panel."  So, I am essentially running a sub panel from a sub panel. - Any problems with that?

I'm thinking I'd do a 60 amp panel in the garage. The compressor would need a "dual 30A" breaker - correct? Can I still have another circuit in that panel for a 20A outlet and or a lighting circuit? Or would that require a larger sub-panel?

How many wires of what awg would I need to run from the house panel to the garage in each case?

In response to question - Total distance from indoor panel to garage panel is about 100 feet.

and, the plate on the motor says 230 volts --  16.5 amps....

I also use a welder very intermittently that "works" on a 20a circuit.

As I continue to browse on this subject...  I've learned that I can have four 6 awg wires in my 3/4" conduit...   Am I correct that I will need 2 hots, a neutral and a ground running to my sub panel? At just under 100 feet, will 6 awg suffice for a 60 amp sub panel? Then the question becomes, what circuits will I be able to run out of that sub panel? My compressor, plus what?


texts: Can I ask my contractor to redo a tile job I'm not happy with?

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Click on photo for full size

I had my bathroom renovated while I was away last week. I'm not happy with how the floor tile came out. I assumed the contractor would lay the tile out in a uniform way (yes I know-- ass-u-me).

The bathroom is pretty small- about 4 1/2 feet by 5 feet of total floor space (plus bathtub). I thought I could live with this-- but it is kind of driving me nuts.

Two questions--

is it fair to have him redo it?And how tough would it be to redo it.
I have a bunch of left over tile so I wouldn't need to buy much more.
How tough is it to rip the tile out and redo it. There are no
moldings or anything. The only thing which would need to be removed
aside from the tile is the toilet.
Ok three questions-- what do you think the cost of this should be (I
live in Manhattan).

just to be clear-- here is an updated photo when the job was completed. I wanted to make clear that the issue was not the white spots or grout-- the issue was how the pattern was not continuous and how the seams are shown between the sheets of tile.


texts:
I'm looking to replace my water heater. I currently have a 15 year old 40 gallon gas water heater, and it's time to go. I had several quotes from local plumbers, and choked at the prices. I'm going to go with a 50 gallon Rheem from Home Depot, and am going to do it myself, and I want to do it legally, to code, and inspected.

I have a good deal of experience with plumbing and electrical installation (copper pipe soldering, 110V and 220V electrical, etc), and want to do this the right way.

The heater sits in the basement on a concrete slab, in the utility room, which is near the floor drain. The current water heater does not have a pan, but I'm planning on installing one, and routing the output drain from the pan to the floor drain (with an air gap). I'm planning on doing the same with the relief valve off of the water heater, keeping the two drain lines separated, and running both to the floor drain (keeping that all important air gap between the end of the drain pipes and the floor drain opening).

Anyway, I've been looking through the county's website (I live in unincorporated Jefferson County, Colorado) and have requested an account to get a permit. The county directs me to the universal plumbing code. I was able to obtain a copy of it, and started reading through it, and it seems extremely vague. I'm not sure what codes I need to observe for installation of a replacement water heater.

One thing that I will be testing for is the in-flow water pressure for the house from the city. If that is too high (over 80 PSI), I'll need to install a pressure regulator, which, as I understand in my county is another permit. If I need to put the pressure regulator in, I'll need to also add an expansion chamber to the cold-water side of the water heater, as the additional pressure from heat expansion can no longer be relieved to the city, as it's now a closed system.

The cold water inlet to the existing water heater already has a shut-off ball valve that only cuts the water to the heater, which is one thing I've been reading about.

So, this leads to a few questions.

Where's a really good place to get a summary of the codes that I need to worry about (other than the universal plumbing code, which I can refer to for specific code details)?
What pitfalls should I expect while doing this myself?

Finally, I noticed that a lot of the new Rheem heaters at Home Depot are WiFi enabled. This sounds really cool on the surface. Does anyone have experience and can comment on them? What about the fact that the water heater has a 110V powered igniter instead of a pilot light?


texts: Is an exhaust fan required by code in a new basement half-bath?

texts: I am building a half bath in my basement.  Is an exhaust fan required by code?  Since there is no shower can it be vented into unfinished space?


texts: Is it possible to plug an AC into a kitchen stove hood exhaust?

texts:
I live in an apartment and need to install air conditioning to cool down one room (about 20 m2), from time to time (1-3 hours per sunny day, for a total of 3 or 4 months a year - typical European continental weather).

I cannot modify the external part of the building (by punching though a hole or modifying the window) so I was thinking about installing a single hose system and reusing the kitchen stove hood exhaust (just in case my English is incorrect: I am thinking about the hole in the wall to which one would normally attach the device which sucks in cooking odors).

Is this in principle a good idea?


texts: How can I remove the stopper from my sink?

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As you can see in the picture, in my infinite wisdom, I managed to block the kitchen sink with the stopper by placing it upside down in the sink, now I can't take the stopper out... Oops. Any suggestions on how I could take the stopper out, so I could use the sink again?

The stopper has a vertical wall running through its center roughly 1 cm tall, I was thinking I could pull the darn thing out by latching onto this surface with a grip of some kind. I couldnt do this with my fingers alone.


texts: Why does my 3-way dimmer circuit show low voltage on one traveler or the other?

texts:
I have a 3 way dimmer that was wired incorrectly, with you currently having to have the switches thrown in the correct order to get them to work. In trying to work this out, I have been able to determine which 2 wires are the Travelers by using the other switch to isolate them. My question/concern is that when one traveler wire shows 120v, the other traveler wire shows about 50v, and they swap when the other switch is thrown. Is this normal?

Thanks


texts: Adding sub panel, odd main panel configuration

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I am in the process of adding a sub panel to a detached garage and I have the proper gauge wire connected up to the sub panel (neutral and ground NOT bonded) with 3 conductors + ground running in conduit between the house and detached garage. I am just about to connect everything up to the main panel and after looking closer I noticed a few things that seem odd to me based on everything I've read:

I see what appears to be more than one neutral bar
One of the neutral bars doesn't appear to be connected to the service neutral?

Here is a picture of the main panel. It is a Westinghouse 200amp (B20 2040CT). You can see the neutral connecting to the bar on the left. The bar on the right does not appear to have anything connected to it yet I see neutral wires from the house connecting into it.

Here you can see the ground bar bonded to the case but no connection between the ground bar and the neutral bar (the neutral bar is isolated from the case)

Here is a closer view of the neutral bar on the right side of the case. This also appears to be isolated from the case and no connection to the ground bar or other neutral bar that I can tell?

Any help here would be greatly appreciated. I'm not completely sure what the best way to move forward is. I have a double pole 60 amp breaker that I'd like to put in the last remaining slots on the left to connect the sub panel to the main panel. Thank you!

Picture of the main panel diagram in case it's helpful

When I decided to hook up a continuity tester to the right side neutral bar, there is somehow a path between there and the left side neutral bar as well as the ground bar, service ground and some of the screws in the case. Is it possible that there's somehow a hidden connection between the left and right side bars?

It's still not clear to me whether the ground bar is bonded to the neutral bar but the continuity test seems to indicate so?

Left side neutral bar (top) with service neutral:

Left side neutral (a little lower down to show the rest of the bar)

Right side neutral bar (top):


texts: Did the previous painter neglect to prime?

texts: The paint on our house is peeling badly.  It's yellow paint over wood siding (clapboard).  When I scrape, I get pieces of paint that are yellow on both sides, and bare wood underneath.  Does that mean that the previous owner failed to use primer?


texts: Is there any problem building a wall under floor joists at mid span?

texts: I need to add a wall in a basement room.  The wall would be placed mid span going across 7 trusses.  Is there any problem placing a wall under a floor truss at mid span?  The truss was not designed knowing a wall would be added.


texts: PIR sensor Cracked on two of my outdoor lights and the other shattered. Allen & Roth from Lowes. No support at all

texts: Good Day, I have been trying to find a replacement for my 3 motion sensor light PIR lenses. But Have had no luck. I read about using the milk carton plastic and this seems to be the only option I have unless replacing all 3 at $70 each. Any ideas or solutions would be appreciated. Thank you


texts:
Rural USA.  We just had a gas furnace installed.  The new furnace has a 1-gang junction box with a switch and a fuse.

It's the 21st century, here, I swear. And not England.

The furnace circuit is tip-top. It's punched down into a modern service panel with perfectly typical 15A breaker, and if it needed something special, that really wouldn't be a problem.

So why does the furnace also need a fuse?


texts: How much cooling can I expect from a central air conditioner?

texts:
Yesterday's high was 106.0F, low of 79.2F, full sun all day.  AC set at 78F, indoor temperature reached about 85F.
Today's high was 105.4F, low of 81.1F, full sun all day, now about 102 at 7pm.  AC set at 78F all day, temperature climbed steadily through the day, and is now 89F.

Is it reasonable to expect an AC unit to maintain 78F in this weather?


texts:
I have acquired a chest for which the key was lost years ago. Since I don't want to destroy the lock or the chest, I try to find out what key I need. The chest and key are of german manufacturing as far as I know and as far as the previous owner told me, at worst 150 years old as his grandmother bought it new.

I took a few measurements:

Key shaft diameter ca. 9 mm
Key centering pin ca. 2 mm
Key bit length ca. 14 mm, biggest thickness ca. 9 mm
Lock is about 25 mm behind the brass plate

The brass plate seems fully ornamental - removing the screws did change nothing. It appears to me that the lock is mounted to the chest from the inside. It seems to follow some german standard that apparently is still used. Assuming there are no cuts in the key needed, what is the correct keyway numbering?


texts: I have two GFCIs, can I connect the second GFCI on the first GFCIs LOAD? I know I can connect them in parallel, but  I'm curious what this would do.


texts: The top grout line in the shower wall tile is about 2 inches. How can it be fixed?

texts: I just had my old bathtub/shower insert replaced with a tub insert and the walls tiled to the ceiling.  When it was "finished" the grout line from the ceiling to the top of the tile is about 2 inches.  I know this will not last, so my question is, now that I have paid for all of this, how can I go back behind them and make it right?


texts: Do I need to use an oil-based primer on old woodwork?

texts: I bought an old house. I have dark wood trim around the doors and windows. I'm pretty sure it was some kind of oil/glossy finish. The wood is pretty worn. I fixed and sanded. I got a primer that claims to work on everything.. it's latex. I did this before most of my research. I put 2 coats of the primer on because the dark wood was coming through. I have not painted yet, but the primer chips if I do a fingernail test. Question is.. Do I need to sand it off and then use an oil primer instead for it not to chip? Or Could I continue with the Latex paint and then just maybe put a clear finish over it to help with the chipping?


texts: Does the water resistant cement board installed overlapping/hiding the edge of a shower pan absorb water in time?

texts:
Here is what the manufacturer recommends for installing your shower base

I would like to go further with this and create a notch in the studs so I can push the shower base 1/2" closer to the wall (I need this and I also think that using furring strips as the manufacturer recommends is not the best solution -puts some pressure on the cement board AND ruins the vertical of the wall as the bottom side of the sheet is pushed toward the shower instead of sitting parallel with the wall at the base)
Here is what  would like to do. IN this case I might add some BlueSkin between the wood and the shower base
My question is this:, overt time, doesnt the cement board get wet and absorbs water in contact with the shower pan?  I know there will be sealant and there will be a slope in the shower pan

Update: I am not familiar with the best type of drywall or sheet that I can put there and I want to know if there is one that is absolutely guaranteed that won't absorb water.
From the comments and the answers I have received so far I take it that there is no such a thing and going with the lesser evil is the only option
Update2: this is related to this Question


texts:
I'm doing a Half-pipe / skate ramp. I have to drill holes in a stainless tube but I wasn't able to with HSS Drill tips last night (I've followed youtube video tutorials). The stainless tube is this one.

Today I'm thinking about picking new drill tips, but not sure if this will work ?

Can someone experienced give me some advice? I'm using a driller and I also have a screw driver.

The steps: Lubricate, do it slowly, etc.


texts: Need to hang mirror, AC detected from stud finder

texts:
I'm a rookie with any sort of home renovation / improvement.

My wife asked me to try and mount a mirror, its heavy, about 40 pounds.

The mirror has two d-rings on the back and a big warning not to use wires for hanging. The recommendation is "L" hook for wood / struts , or anchors for plaster.

One of the d-rings would be exactly centered over a stud, which i figured is good, except that the AC detector happens to go crazy over this point.  I scanned around this point, and about 4 inches above and below, the AC detector beeps / flashes loudly.  A little further away the AC light turns on, but doesn't beep.  A little more further away, there is no warning.

I figure there is a wire going through the stud?  Maybe there is a chance I hit it?

I'm not sure how to get around this problem.  I thought maybe move the d-rings up?  They are about 12 inches from the top of the frame.

Will appreciate suggestions, thanks


texts: Will caulking control joints in a slab reduce freeze damage?

texts:
Should control joints in exterior concrete slabs like this be sealed?

I look at the joint collecting debris and imagine that if the joint itself doesn't hold water, the debris will, and then freeze cycles will push on those joints, prematurely spalling and cracking the adjacent concrete.
(I do assume that the control joints have done their job and likely cracked extensively through the depth of the slab as the concrete cured.  But I don't imagine the now cracked slabs "floating" so easily that they can relieve freeze pressure coming from the joints themselves.)


texts: How can I safely extend my surge protector's cable?

texts:
Here is my situation, my office table doesn't have an outlet nearby, so I need a power strip with a long cable.
I want to use a surge protector for extra protection, and I have one from Brennenstuhl, but its cable  is not long enough. My first thought was to open it up and replace the cable, but it is soldered in places and I don't want to mess with that.
I am thinking however to cut the cable and extend it manually with a cable of my needed length.
Can I do that to a surge protector?
Another benefit will be that I can change the plug, so that it connects to the ground in the socket. I am in Denmark and the socket is type K while the surge protector now has type F.

If this would be a simple power cord I would do it without asking, but because it's a surge protector I think it's better to ask.
Right now my setup is two power cords one in another one.


texts: How can I connect a 120v outlet to an existing 6 gauge wire circuit?

texts: I have a wall mount oven/microwave that has a 50 amp breaker servicing it. The microwave was attached to and plugged into the oven. I removed both and only want to replace the microwave. However, I only have the 6 gauge wire stubbed into the cavity. How can I add a 120 outlet for the microwave using the 6 gauge wire?  Can I pigtail 14 gauge wire to the 6 gauge and run that to another box and put the outlet in that box?


texts:
My basement is long and mostly finished- There are three light switches at both ends,  I built a bedroom in the centre of the room, so I moved the lights and tried to put a new light switch for four of the light, now I can not get any of then to work. The wire has a red, black and white, but the switch only has two screws. Please help

One of the boxes this is the one  that works

light switches more photos to come

More of the basement lights and switches

More of the basement lights and switches

More of the basement lights and switches


texts: How to properly ventilate a finished basement?

texts:
I am trying to understand what is the proper way to ventilate a basement. I have a finished basement which if not ventilated starts to smell ..like a basement :-) and I don't like it.

If I run the AC fan continuously the problem diminishes but I get a slight smell upstairs (a raised bungallow, above the grade windows for basement)

What are the recommendations for properly ventilating the basement? The basement has an apartment with a kitchen and a bathroom that have their own ventilators. On top of that I have the chimney for the old furnace. I am thinking about using any of these to evacuate the smelly air and I hope that better air will be sucked from upstairs .... will this work?

Edit: I already bought a DeHumidifier. Last year I had some problems, acute problems I would say, strong smell. This year is much better. In winter the furnace did most of the job and the smell almost disappeared. The hygrometer measured around 35-40% RH at 21C. Now since the AC does not start  I am at 19-20C downstairs and 23C upstairs with 45-47 humidity downstairs and 41 upstairs.
If I run the DH constantly I can hardly squeeze any water from the air, looks like it is not very efficient. The DH has it own hygrometer, not really in sync with the other one that I have down there but they go up and down in sync. So the DH does not seem to solve the problem


texts: Can I regrade this gravel section of yard myself?

texts:
My home is at lower elevation from the street. Water runs down the asphalt driveway and there is a french drain in front of the garage. On one side of the driveway there is a gravel patch that is not graded away from the house. The water catches between the asphalt driveway and this gravel area and flows for the corner of the drain. Water pools at the blue circle while it enters the corner of the drain (indicated in red). See picture below.

I was wondering if I was crazy to want to try to regrade the gravel area myself. The section probably measures 10ft wide by 30ft long and there is a naturally lower elevation location right next to this gravel (forgive the debris in pic, just after a storm):

It seems like with some perseverance this would be a relatively easy task to accomplish? I am thinking I can pick and shovel the area to the appropriate grade, get some new gravel delivered and spread evenly.

What else am I missing?
I was reading online and lots of people were recommending some professional machines. But this area seems small enough to be manageable by hand?
I was also reading online that I might need specific soil or gravel mixtures?
What other advice would you give me?

Thank you!


texts: Can a dimmer switch be used in this circuit?

texts:
An existing circuit in a bath (in TX)  has the following diagram.
Can the 3-way light switch be replaced  by a dimmer switch (without changing the wiring)?
Does the other 3-way switch need replacement at the same time?
R is for Red, B for Black, W for White, G for Ground.
Edit: I have incorrectly labeled 3 as Line. It should be 2.


texts: Do I have to cover the entire floor while painting a ceiling, or can I simply cover the floor in the area I'm working?

texts:
I've decided to paint my studio, which is a 770 sq rectangular space.

I'm going to need to paint the ceiling as well as the walls. I'm going to paint the ceiling first then the walls.  I'm going to use a roller for the majority of the work.

Do I need to cover the entire floor before I start painting the ceiling, or can I move the painters cloth as I paint?

I don't want to buy 770 sq feet of painters cloth.


texts: How could one create a man sized cylinder be created with woodworking?

texts:
The goal is to create a cylinder shaped, ribbed shell with wood, and what Evers necessary to hold it together. Something like the following image:

The idea is that the internal area of the circles is empty space. each ring would be supported with with horizontal beams. But how would the circles be fabricated out of wood? Any tools, materials, methodologies, plausible suggestions etc would be the goal of answering this question.


texts:
I just bought a condo which is a three-level townhouse and was built in 1980.

I am adjacent to my neighbor and share a common wall. My neighbor, an older couple, smoke weed frequently and do not air their home.

The smoke gets to my side and it is gotten so bad that I have left my condo and live elsewhere. Are there any products out there like drywalls or sealer that could prevent the smoke from coming to my side? How effective are the options available? I am just thinking about redoing my walls by bricks, thicker dry walls, waterproofing, etc.


texts:
First off, I just want to start off by saying i'm a total novice when it comes to faucets. We've had the same bathroom faucets in our house for the last 30 years. And most of them are in terrible shape.

After researching for the last couple of days online. A couple of straight forward questions have constantly come across my mind.

Everything we have in our house is chromed. But I've noticed that chrome faucets are cheaper than Brushed Nickel and Bronze faucets. Why?
Do Chrome faucets simply get mass produced more than the others? Or are they more likely to deteriorate over time?
I've also noticed that there are faucets that sell for as little as $65-80 and others sell for $500! Are the materials being used really that different? What exactly determines this drastic range in price?

what types of faucets should I avoid no matter what? And Why?


texts: Fluorescent ballast has white/black wiring; home wiring has red/white; how do I match them up?

texts: Does white stay with white and red to black?


texts:
As @keshlam explained me in
Comparison of various home-automation systems?, it is not possible to get up-to-date NPOV comparison of various home automation systems.

What about a list of home-automation systems/protocols (maybe with basic parameters, such as wired/wireless, etc.)?


texts: How can I adjust the temperature of my hot water?

texts: I live in California and the winter has been a lot warmer than expected. I would like to decrease the water temperature in my home to try to save money and conserve energy. How do I do this?


texts: How can you attach those stair steps to cement blocks?

texts:
My wife asked me if these kind of stairs could be done in our new house:

The house I'm building is made of concrete blocks (which would be left unfinished in the first floor). Now, is there a safe way to affix the treads to the wall? I know cement blocks are tough, but they are also hollow, and we are talking about holding the whole weight of one or more people on the same step.


texts: Fanning outside air into basement apartment

texts:
I am refinishing my basement into a 1BR apartment and I happen to have an easy access to intake outside fresh air and fan it into the apartment. I was planning to have one of those standing AC units so I had put a 4" vent outlet on the outside of the bedroom, same as for a dryer. The plans changed so I went with central air but still have the outlet in the wall that could be used, with some degree of easy adaptation (to remove the flap that prevents inflow).

My question is, does it make sense to fan fresh air into a basement living space, of course controlled with a switch? Will it significantly improve the quality of air breathed inside? It would be like fan assisted ventilation.


texts:
I finally determined the source of the leak (How to start investigating the source of this leak in the bathroom), but now I am stuck with dealing with the water damage.

It turns out that the water was leaking from the left hand side of the tank, running down the back of the toilet to the baseboard, and then finding its way to the right where it was wicked up by the particleboard of the cabinet.

I removed the shoe molding from around the cabinet and found mold and water damage:

Do I need to replace the cabinet, or is there a less drastic solution?

Do I need to remove the shoe molding and baseboard to check for damage to the drywall behind the toilet?  The drywall sounds dry when I tap it, and the baseboard and shoe molding feel dry, but there are a lot of stains on the shoe molding and on the grout by the shoe molding.


texts: How to connect my electric Ikea cooking plate?

texts:
My old cooktop broke so I am currently trying to install a new electric ceramic hob (Ikea Barmhartig).

How can I make the proper connections? The back panel looks like this:

How do I open the circuit cover without breaking it, and then attach the wires? The wires look like this (I know the L1 L2 Neutral and Earth):

previous configuration:


texts:
I am renovating my basement in New York. I have 2" thick r10(5x2") Owen Corning rigid foam board insulation covering the wall and Roxul 3" comfort batt insulation between wood studs. My contractor didn't put vapor barrier as he originally promised. He has still not covered all the walls.

Do I need to install vapor barrier?


texts: Wired fire/smoke alarms not communicating with each other

texts:
After replacing the wired fire alarms in my house with new ones, when testing any of them, that one beeps but not the others.

Model is BRK First Alert 9120B6CP.

Each alarm came with three cables. Black and white for  power, and orange for sending the signal that should cause all of them to go off when one of them does.

I have verified they are all properly wired and that they all have power (green light is on for all).

Any ideas on what else to check or verify to have them all communicate?


texts:
Came home yesterday to find that the house was burning up and the thermostat had automatically switched itself to heat... in the summer! We didn't know what was going on, and assumed some sort of bizarre computer chip issue, so we turned it back to A/C on the usual temperature, and left it alone.

Went down to the basement today to find that there was water pouring out of the A/C unit. It was running at the time. We turned it off, and the water stopped. Checked the drainage line for the drip pan... it is clear and drains fine. So, I opened up the plenum to take a look at the coils. They are covered in ice, which I'm assuming is not usual.

We replace our filters regularly. Other than that, I don't know much else. Any idea what could explain all this?


texts: Suggestions to hold floating laminate floor from sliding on vapor barrier installed over concrete slab

texts:
I need suggestions for keeping a laminate floating floor in place during installation on a vapor barrier over concrete.  I was hoping to hear of good ideas to prevent this slip/slide effect on the vapor barrier.  Should I replace the vapor barrier and, if so, with what?  Is there a non-slip product available?  Any better tips/tricks of the trade?
Problem:
I can't keep the floating floor from sliding over the vapor barrier.  I can start the floor straight, but as soon as I start tapping the flooring together, the flooring pivots and slides and I lose my straight line resulting in a major shift over 40'.  I've tried placing spare boxes of flooring as well as had a 250 lbs person stand on it.
Background:
I am installing a floating laminate floor on top of a concrete slab in my basement.  The flooring is Pergo Outlast+ with built-in padding and barrier but since it is going on top of concrete it is recommended to put a > 6 mil vapor barrier underneath.  The vapor barrier is a black, vinyl, slick surface - snapping chalk lines doesn't work well.  I've been using a Bosch laser level instead but I fear I am trying to be "too precise" over the 40' span.   I have put down and pulled up this flooring twice as a result and I am at my wits end.  I ended up hiring someone who ended up botching it even worse (picture attached) and now I am back to doing it myself.


texts: When installing wood siding, do I need to leave a gap to accommodate expansion?

texts: I'm preparing to put up rhombus shaped wood siding on a shed. It's 148mm x 20mm. I'm concerned about expansion across the grain as the siding gets humid, wet, etc. What is the proper way to install this siding? If I don't leave any gap, how will it react upon expansion? Any recommendation on nails vs. screws?


texts:
I'd like to remove some old copper flashing to repair the rotting wood beneath it.  My plan was to de-solder the old flashing joint (I'd like to reuse the flashing when done).  So I bought a used copper hand iron and heated it for half an hour with a propane torch.  Before hand I cleaned the joint with steel wood and ruby fluid. I also cleaned the iron and with ruby fluid before and after heating it and tinned the iron.  But the hot iron didn't make a mark on the old solder.

Does anyone know how long I need to heat it to get it hot enough and how to tell when it's hot enough (glowing red?). Or is there another way to remove the flashing without destroying it?  I'm concerned that using an angle grinder would be too delicate a job and there are some places it probably wouldn't fit.


texts:
I don't  know much about electricity.

In my kitchen there are 3 GFCI receptacles. There was a kettle plugged into one and the microwave. The fridge was on the other.  Both outlets quit last night when I opened the fridge, but the breaker didn't trip.

The reset buttons won't do anything, the green light at the bottom of the receptacle is off (on these GFCIs the light is on when they have power).

Every other outlet on this circuit is working, including the other GFCIs.

Any ideas what happened here?

Should I replace the GFCI outlets?


texts: No water flow through zone of water boiler, all other zones working. How to get water flowing?

texts:
tl;dr - How can I get water flowing through one of my zones of a baseboard boiler heat system?
I have baseboard boiler heat with 10 zones (5 per boiler). One of the zones (unfortunately, it's our bedroom) is cold. I have vented the air using the 2nd floor vent valve. There was some air initially, but water now comes out.
I disassembled the zone value thinking that was the issue, but when I open it up with the valve fully removed (see picture), water flows initially and then stops. When I reconnect everything and open inlet and outlet valves water seems to flow in the reverse direction (i.e., the outlet pipe is warm and inlet pipe is cool (though not cold).
I've been troubleshooting for a few hours, but I'm stumped. Any suggestions?

Edit: Adding more pictures
Here's the system as I have it now:

Here's a picture of the (removed) valve system. It's a Honeywell 40004850 valve.

Edit #2: the saga continues
All valves for the problematic zone have been checked. I took apart the inlet valve (which was dirty but not clogged). My best guess now is that there is a lot of air in the lines preventing flow. This goes from basement to 2nd floor bedroom. They system's pressure if a bit high (>30 psi according to the pressure gauge), but I'm struggling to get the air out.
I've isolated that zone by closing the other 4 for that boiler hoping that I can get some movement of the air.


texts:
What is the best cap to use for a thru-wall bathroom exhaust fan install? The ducting is 4" smooth aluminum.
Winters here are brutal. I'm concerned about wind sucking the cap flaps open, letting in cold air. Thanks.


texts: Do these two coax amplifiers do the same thing?

texts:
In the picture below, the one on the left (black) is in use, while the one on the right (red label) is one I found that I'd like to use in another location (to amplify incoming internet signal), so trying to figure out if they do the same exact thing.

It would appear to me the red one has more amplification? (15db?), but are they doing the same thing - amplifying the signal input?

I'm thrown off because the red one says it's for VOIP. I'd like to use it for the same purpose of increasing cable internet signal strength coming into the house, but didn't know if they're functionally doing the same exact thing. Is the VOIP output on the red one the same thing as a normal output?


texts: Shower base and perimeter adhesive & grout

texts:
Just put in the shower floor tile with epoxy adhesive & have the perimeter tiles left to do (the very bottom tile against the shower floor tiles)

What Adhesive can I use for this? Is it ok to use thin-set tile mortar or should I use Epoxy?

2nd question ; What kind of grout should I be using for the shower floor?


texts: How can I repair the start button on my LG washing machine that is hard to press?

texts:
The start button on my LG washine machine WD14700RD is very hard to press, and getting worse.

I need to lean on it with my whole body weight in order for the program to start.

All the other buttons work fine, so I am guessing it's a problem with the contact point behind the start button.

Can I try to repair this myself? Should I just remove the top of the washing machine, then try to remove the control panel, and see if I can get behind the plastic start button?


texts: what is this load center amperage total?

texts:
Yesterday I took a picture but forgot to took the info plate for amperage rating on it.

My main question: Is there a way to calculate the total amperage that load center currently has?

Extra question: Can you also  calculate the amperage rating by looking at it also?

Thanks in advance.


texts: I have recently purchased a 220v 15 amp jointer ( 12/3 wire). The only 220v outlet that is nearby is my dryer.  The dryer is on a 30amp circuit with 10/3 wire.  Can I make an extension cord (say 10/3 wire) and run the jointer off the dryer outlet?


texts: Can I fill in or cover up the basement rough in that I don't need in a bathroom downstairs?


texts: What is this brown stain around heat vent?

texts:
What is this brown stain around the heat vent in a 1970's home that I recently acquired? Is it rust? This is on a lino floor. It doesn't have a significantly different texture from the surrounding linoleum. The lino doesn't seem any more brittle or damp or slimy where the stain is. It just seems to be discolored. Is it due to the heat? Is it benign? What is the best way to fix it?

It seems to have happened wherever there is a heat vent on lino. This is by far the worst case in the whole house. the others are much more subtle.


texts: Determine the purpose of a particular stack

texts:
I'm removing a sink that's draining to a 2" PVC stack. However, it appears that there might be another sink or shower connected to the same stack. (I live in a odd-ball house with 3 bedrooms and 14 sinks.) Is there a way of determining what else uses the same stack?

I was thinking of capping the stack and blowing a shopvac into the available opening and seeing which sink begins to gurgle. But maybe there's a better way to do it.


texts: How can I tell if an appliance is grounded?

texts:
We're doing some kitchen remodeling in our 100-year-old home and came across some very sketchy wiring hidden in the soffit. There is never any current running through the junction, and because there is only the white wire connected, we suspect that the two wires were spliced together during slapdash renovations earlier in order to ground an outlet/appliance somewhere.

We disconnected the junction and tested all the grounded outlets in the house (not many of 'em here) - nothing has changed, everything's still grounded. How can we test our appliances to see whether they're still grounded or not?


texts: Should I connect the white wire to the aux connection on my new thermostat?

texts: I changed my old thermostat to a honeywell rth3100c. I was instructed to attach the white wire to the aux. connection. I do not have a heat pump. all electric system. Is this correct and if so for heat do I set it to heat or aux heat? In the settings I chose electric furnace for both functions


texts: What are the grounding requirements for a panel fed from another panel?

texts:
I have a 60 amp subpanel in my garage and plan to add a second 30 amp subpanel to an out-building 130 ft away (fed from the 60 amp).  I Plan to run 6 AWG 4-wire from the 60 amp to the 30 amp in 1 1/2 in PVC buried 18 in.  My understanding is that I must keep the neutral & ground from the 30 amp separate from the 60 amp (e.g. the ground goes to a separate ground rod [or two] at the out-building and the neutral runs back to the main service entrance).  If I understand this correctly, I have a problem in that I do not have a means of getting the neutral from the new 30 amp back to the main service entrance.

Is my understanding regarding the ground & neutral correct?
If so, are there other options (current needs a return to source so I doubt it)?


texts: How to use the 2015 IRC Chapter 24, G2407.6.2 to determine combustion air?

texts:
The 2015 International Residential Code (IRC), Chapter 24 ("Fuel Gas"), Section G2407.6.2 allows for one permanent opening to be used to supply outdoor combustion air into a mechanical room for gas appliances. How is the area of opening calculated for a gas furnace and gas water heater with a total input of 140,000 Btu/h?

How do you check that the calculated area is "not less than the sum of the areas of all vent connectors in the space"?


texts: In what order should I perform these renovation tasks?

texts:
I've just bought a new house and I want to do a couple of improvements, I'm just not sure in what order should they be done. I'm kind of new to this stuff.

What I plan to do:

Painting the walls only (Plan to do this myself)
Installing    New blinds
Changing the carpets in the rooms
Professional Cleaning
Installing some down lights

EDIT:
 I plan to use roller blinds


texts: Raised area in plywood is a problem - please help

texts:
I posted here (Question on relative warp resistance of engineered wood ) to this forum and got help for a wood sheet based project.

My plywood sheet arrived about 5 days ago it is softwood and has a sort of veneer on either side.

There is an issue. There is a 2mm high (approx) raised area at one end, highest at the edge of the wood which comes down approx 30cm and is roughly 30cm in diameter if it was a circle.  (I know it sounds pedantic, but the wood is for a person with a severe spinal condition )

My guess is that the hump/raised area came about as a result of a clamp holding the wood in position, perhaps during storage and transport or cutting itself. The raised area/hump is at the rough centre of the edge.

I have not examined underneath the bed yet to see if the raised area has the mirror image shape missing as is upthrust from the top yet, but that would be tricky to do.

My experiences with mdf have not been enormous but it seemed to be flat, for sure and to not have raised areas like described.

My question:
-   Are such variances (ie 2mm humps not uncommon) part and parcel of using plywood?
-    If they are common am I right in guessing that mdf is less likely to have a non-uniform surface?

Many thanks in advance
gav


texts: I need some help on sizing a header. My house is 19ft wide about 24ft long  2story with a small loft attic. House was build in 1915 so its balloon framing. The wall I want to open up is 12ft long on the first floor . I want to open it up about 7ft maybe 8ft. the main girder that run almost under this wall is a 4x 9 3/4. My floor joist are 2x8. The wall on the second floor runs almost inline with this wall. There's no support wall in center of the attic. The roof runs down to the 2 outside walls of the house. I talked to someone a while back on another forum.  The person told me they were a engineer. They asked me a bunch of measurements and info on the rooms above this wall. There's a small 5x7 bathroom and a 10x10 bedroom and part of a hallway. The person I talked to came up with this   For a full 10' span I need a 3.5"x11.25" 2.0E LvL. If I do a 8' span I can go with a triple 2x12. My fist question is does this sound right? My second question is if I do a 8' span with a LvL can use something closer to 8" to recesses it into my floor joist? Thanks for any Help


texts: Can I drywall over an exterior vent in a converted garage?

texts:
Our double-car garage had one car space previously converted into a study by a previous owner. It's a bit ugly, but a very useful space, so I'm going to make it nicer by putting up drywall ontop of the single-brick external wall with some furring.

However, there are three ventilation bricks in the wall, evenly spaced, about 2 meters off the ground:

Do I need to worry about these? Can I put the drywall over the top of them, or do I need to do some sort of alternate ventilation?

I am debating whether I will put glass wool insulation behind the drywall - if I was to do this, how would this affect things?


texts: Where does the washer go when replacing this toilet seat?

texts: I am replacing the seat on a RAK Flora toilet . The replacement parts have a bolt, to go down thru the porcelain, then a plastic wing nut, metal washer and another plastic bit which just slides along the bolt. My question is, what order do I put those 3 onto the bolt? Should the washer go against the porcelain or between the 2 plastic bits?.


texts: Can I wire an extension into a Party line phone?

texts:
We have a 2 party line phone in a rural area in Canada.  But we are the only party.  Thus we get a cheaper rate and do not have to share.  Win!

However, we have only the old pulse phone with Distinctive Ring wired in.

I would like to split that so I can have a jack for a second modern (cordless even!) phone.

Questions:
1) Can I do this?  If so, how?

2) Will the distinctive ring work on modern phones?  I.e. Will they even ring?  Would be fine if the old rotary dial phone rang, we would know to pick up).


texts: The subpanels ground is not bonded to main panels neutral busbar

texts:
The main panel has a neutral and three ungrounded conductors entering it from the utility provider is also has a grounding rod the neutral and three conductors get transmitted from one location to the other location into a sub panel in the sub panel it has a neutral bus and a grounding bus the grounding bus is isolated and every possible way from the neutral bus is this bad.

I know a little bit about electricity and I didn't do this project I'm just wondering because I know and a main panel all the grounds and neutrals come together in the main bus, and when it goes to a sub panel the grounds and neutrals are isolated from the main panel out, and go to separate buses.

I'm just wondering if the main grounding bus in the side panel has to be bonded to the main neutral bus in the main panel with a wire or a grounding rod is sufficient.

I know if the ground is not probability bonded to a neutral it could probably store electricity in if someone touches it could deliver a fatal electrocution.

Note: I know electricity is not stored it just flow along it.
 But if it's a capacitor it will store electricity


texts:
This is a cement kitchen floor (about 300 sq ft). Removed cheap pergo flooring and discovered a layer of tiles from 1962. Had them tested and came back with a high composition of asbestos. Here are the pictures so you can see what i'm up against:

You can see I removed the one tile for testing. They all appear about as easy to remove. A paint scraper removed it fully intact fairly easily.

Here are the 3 options, and questions I have:

Go over it with ceramic Tile?
I'm concerned that ceramic tiles/grout will come up / crack. Would I reduce that risk if I use 16x16s? The original tiles in the middle of the floor seem to be pretty stable. But, then I was able to just slide a paint scraper under that corner one and it popped up. What if I put down a layer of ditra first? Or seal it with RedGuard? Think that would stabilize it enough? I'm doing a small test area in tile right now and checking stability. I'm not sure this is even a valid test?
Remove it / abate or not?
Note: My county allows me to throw away up to 1 cubic yard of material without a permit. I only want to go this route if it's going to be easy. Given how easily the tiles come up without breaking, do I even need to take all precautions (seal off room, use hazmat gear etc.)? Keeping in mind, we are living in this house right now with small children - safety is top priority! If I can remove every single tile without breaking it (confident I can), is it wise to abate it properly or is this overkill?
Other floor coverings?
This kitchen adjoins a 1962 hardwood floor in the rest of the house which we plan to refinish. So wood is going to look stupid up against it since it wont' match with adjoining wood. I've thought about going over it with cork. But that's not really in style anymore. I could use fake ceramic looking peal/stick... but this is a higher end house and I think that would cheapen it too much. Same problem with vinyl - cheap looking. What other options are there?


texts:
How do I refill a fire extinguisher in NYC.
I went to the fire department and they do not refill them.
I bought a new one but if the old one can be refilled, I would use it as a backup.


texts: Old box of fridge Arm and Hammer baking soda

texts: I have an old box of baking soda from the fridge. Now, a couple of home repair folks told me I can just dump it into my kitchen drain to keep the drain clear and deodorizer to get rid of it. Is this true? And if so, can someone tell me what the steps are to do it properly? I am a first time owner and don't know much to be honest. Thanks in advance for any guidance!


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We have a house built in 1995; I'm told it was built by a house builder as his own house.

All the bathroom outlets in the house aren't working.

Some are GFCI outlets and some are not.  The presence of non-GFCI outlets suggests to me that there must be another GFCI somewhere although the breaker box doesn't have any other GFCI breakers.

I checked the output side of every circuit breaker in the house and all are working.

All the outside outlets are working too.

At each outlet, I confirmed no voltage from line-to-ground and neutral-to-ground.

I have found that they're all connected together since I used an extension cord and confirmed a connection Line-to-Line and Neutral-to-Neutral between bathrooms at opposite ends of the house.

All this suggests to me that they are all controlled by a single GFCI; perhaps a GFCI breaker.

All the outlets having the GFCI feature are not tripped and also not receiving power.

Unfortunately:

the house isn't empty
the plans stored at the city don't include any wiring information
there is no known property inspection document which may have described a possibly now-hidden breaker box.
Garage has shelving throughout.
Basement has a renter.

Any guesses where to look or what special thing I should look for?  I have a background in electronics but so far, I haven't found what I need!

Thank you for any clues you can provide!


texts: How can I prepare an uneven beam to be wrapped with wood?

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We are doing a complete update of a 1975 home. The issue we can't figure out is in the living room. There is a drywall-wrapped beam at peak of vaulted ceiling that is 24' long. We want to wrap it with wood but have discovered it is inconsistent in every way possible... it sags in the middle (can't visually see it), the height varies, etc.

With being so long we can't build it first and install. But if we do it piece by piece on the beam nothing matches up because it isn't straight and equal across the beam. How do we do this???

We currently have 4x8 sheets of birch we were intending to cut and nail. Any suggestions would be so appreciated b/c we have brainstormed for weeks and searched all across the web and no ideas. Thanks!


texts: I want to run plumbing in the wall. there is some framing in the way. Can I cut it out?

texts: I am putting in a double sink vanity and took the drywall down to start the plumbing.  There is a three stud corner for a closet wall on the other side of the wall, as shown in the picture.  I want to connect the sink drains and vents together in the wall cavity.  I would like to drill holes through the studs and then cut out blocks from the stud oriented 90 degrees to the wall studs in the two places where I want to pass through the pipes (near floor and 6+ inches above vanity).  All walls are non load bearing.  Will this pass inspection?


texts:
This has probably been asked a million times. Had a new tub installed today. The tub straps will interfere with my Hardiebacker, which I had planned to run right down to the top of the tub flange.

So I am wondering the best way to handle it. Should I:

Hog-out the back of the Hardiebacker where it will hit the straps, so
that it rests squarely on top of the tub flange.
Add furring strips
to the studs.
Just place the HB on the straps and accept the slight
out-of-plumb condition. This is the situation before, albeit with
drywall

I guess I could sister-in some new studs, but that would entail drilling and re-running the ROMEX. Thanks for any advice.


texts: Proper way to connect joist to top plate?

texts:
What's the proper way to connect an element like this:

I was thinking hurricane ties but was wondering if there was a better connector.


texts: What can I use as a thread "tightener" compound for a free-running bolt?

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(I'm familiar with thread "locking" compounds, purple, blue, and red, but that's not what I'm looking for here.  They lock once and then upon breaking the joint, do nothing further.)

I'm looking for a way to tighten up a free spinning clean, easily threading bolt in a threaded hole.  Basically I want it to behave as if there is a locking fastener like a "nyloc nut" or an "interfering thread nut" etc.

Any thoughts?  The best idea I have right now is sugary syrup or something.

EDIT: to clarify with some examples

Example 1: I have a metal pen, with a threaded metal cap that screws on.  The cap screws on like butter, very nice and clean threads.  The problem is sometimes I find it has unscrewed in my pocket.  I would like the threaded connection to always feel like it has a slight interference fit.

Example 2: I have a folding pocketknife with a single small torx screw that adjusts the tension required to fold out the blade.  This screw loosens occasionally and then knife doesn't work properly.  Common wisdom is to use blue threadlocker and tighten the screw to the perfect torque.  However, I'd like to adjust it frequently without disassembling the whole thing and adding more threadlocker.


texts: Heat Pump Compressor not turning on in heat mode

texts:
UPDATE 29-MAY-2021:
So I have it working now, after playing around with some of the settings in both the Nest Thermostat and the Zone Control Panel. In the "Pro Setup" section of the Nest, I adjusted the "Heat Pump Orientation" to "B". On the Zone Control board, there is a dip switch you can set to 'O' or 'B' - From the instructions for the zone panel: "When using Heat Pump type thermostats this determines if the O or B terminal is wired to the W/OB terminal on each thermostat to determine if the call is for Heat (B) or Cool (O)."
Now that it's operating as expected, my thinking is:
On a call for cooling from the thermostat, the thermostats (through the zone panel) will energize Y (compressor) and O (reversing valve), along with G for fan.
On a call for heating from the thermostat, the thermostats will energize Y and the W1/B terminal, along with G for fan. The O terminal will not be energized.
I originally had the "Heat Pump Orientation" in the Nest  and zone panel set to 'O', thinking that the the O would be energized during a heat call.
I don't think I fully understand the logic here, so I'm going to keep this question open if someone can explain it?
Original Question:
I have a Goodman GSZC heat pump paired with an AVPTC air handler. My house is zone controlled with a ZoneFirst H32P control board. I have 3 nest thermostats for each of the zones.
On calls for cooling, everything works fine, outdoor compressor kicks on and blower in attic turns on, cold air is delivered to the house. However when I change to heating mode, the compressor outside does not kick in, and the blower just runs in constant fan mode.
Any suggestions on where to start for troubleshooting this?
Zone panel - W1/B terminal on HVAC output goes to O terminal on outdoor unit, all other wires go to air handler control board.

Nest wiring - Rh and W2/AUX go to oil fired boiler for hot water baseboard (dual fuel setup)

Outdoor unit wiring - O terminal connects directly to zone panel, all other wires go to air handler control board.


texts: Nice way to cover vent and drain after removing washer dryer

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We have moved out washer and dryer upstair. But the basement bathroom still has all the vent and drain holes.

What is the best way to cover or make things look nice (beside drywall over)?

UPDATE 1

I am thinking of these options:

Wrap aluminum foil around the air vent
Frame it out a bit and put 3-gang wall plate https://www.homedepot.com/p/Leviton-3-Gang-No-Device-Blank-Wallplate-Standard-Size-302-Stainless-Steel-Box-Mount-Stainless-Steel-84033-40/301693157


texts: Clicking sound from water heater after flushing toilet?

texts:
Sorry if this question has already been asked but I have a random question about my water heater to see if this is anything I need to be worried about.  To start off I live in an apartment complex and my water heater is in a locked utility closet.  I have noticed everytime I flush the toilet and make my way to the other end of the house I hear a "clicking" sound coming from the heater as the toilet fills back up with water.  That is the ONLY time I ever hear the sound is right after a flush and it stops right after the water stops filling the tank.  I have a gas heater and the sound is almost like a election lighter on the stove top when you turn on a gas burner.  However I do know the water heater has a pilot light and it is working just fine as I hear it ON (the gas burning sound) every once in a while.  Any ideas what might be causing the clicking sound?

UPDATE 2/28 - I just checked and the water in the tank is cold, both after sitting all day and right after a flush so I dont think it is hot water coming into the tank.  I'm kinda stumped right now but I am off on tuesday and going to make an appointment to see if the maintenance can do anything to fix it?? hopefully they can.


texts: Can dielectric grease be used in coax connections?

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I have two coax cables that need to splice together. I am using waterproof F-type connectors but I was wondering if a dielectric grease where the two screw in to each other would be harmful (signal issues, .etc.).

This is the product: https://www.homedepot.com/p/CRC-3-3-oz-Technician-Grade-Dielectric-Grease-05113/206843029


texts: Studs cut to fit the sewer pipe -- is it ok?

texts:
I removed the drywall in a kitchen and found that studs are cut through to fit the sewer pipes. Is it OK to keep them as is or should I do something?

I am thinking about installing the stud shoes.

Here's the picture how it looks like.

Upd.
The house was built in 1955. This is the exterior wall.

The plastic pipe extends to the right about 3 feet -- this a sewer for the washing machine in the adjacent bathroom.

Added more photos.
Also, I have no idea why the washer pipe is bent forward, there was an offset added to the wall to fit it. Can I make it straight to fit behind the wall?

Thanks!


texts:
I am replacing 2 old pendant lights over a kitchen island. The new fixtures only have 2 black wires- not labeled.
The first box coming out of the ceiling has two sets of wires (= 2 white wires and 2 black wires). The second box in the ceiling only has one set of wires (= 1 white wire and 1 black wire).
The first way I tried to install was one black/black, one black/white on the double wire box and capped the extra white and black separately, and black/black and black/white on the single wire box. This worked and the double fixture box turned on but the single wire box did not.
I then tried to pair up the extra black and white wire together and cap them. That tripped the breaker.
I also tried switching the two black fixture wires on each of them. Neither worked.
Please help!


texts: Is this a load-bearing wall between my house's entrance and dining room?

texts: I have recently bought a home in which there is a wall at right at the entrance of the foyer. Is there any way to tell if it is a load-bearing wall? I just want to get rid of it.


texts: I'm installing the green sheetrock (moisture-resistant) in my new bathroom. Is green mud and tape recommended or required also?


texts: How can I fix pooling water due to my fence?

texts:
I got my fence installed a few months ago on a down sloping part of my yard. I need to resolve the nagging issue I have of water pooling due to it not being able to get through the fence fast enough.
My neighbors say I should try using a circular saw to cut 1/4” off the bottom, but before I go hacking away at my brand new fence, I would like to know if there are possible any other ideas that might prevent this.
Flooding was NOT an issue before the fence was up. It just appears to be an issue now because the fence pickets essentially go into the dirt, like they were designed to do. Thanks!


texts:
I am installing an off-grid solar system to power some external buildings, but I want an automatic transfer switch so that outlets will be grid powered when the solar batteries are low.

Can I run a pair of 8 AWG wire to the transfer switch and then tie all grounds to the grounding rod of the solar system?

In the breaker box fed by the transfer switch, do I just use a grounding busbar or do I need to use a bonding strap as well.


texts: Bathroom GFCI trips when I plug into different outlet on separate breaker, but in same bathroom

texts: My GFCI in my bathroom trips when I plug anything into another standard outlet across the room. They are on separate breakers. If I turn off the breaker that powers the GFCI, the other outlet works fine. If I turn off the breaker that powers the outlet, I get 12 volts between hot and neutral.


texts:
I recently had my fireplace inspected and started using it again.

I went to clean the ash out and noted I had an ash dump door. This door appears to be stuck. I expect to be able to open it from the inside and just shovel the ashes down into the cleanout.

How do I correctly open the ash dump door? Just lever it open with a poker?

If the door is stuck how do I safely unstick it? OK to use normal techniques as long as I clean up well and let any flammable solvents evaporate before the next fire?

I am somewhat annoyed that the inspection didn't catch this, but thats another question.


texts: How can I determine if a light switch shorted out?

texts:
I have a light that's controlled by 2 switches. I rewired one of them recently. I tested it and it worked after I did so.

Now, the light isn't turning on anymore when I flip the switch. When I use the other switch, it doesn't do anything either.

I would change the bulb to check but, unfortunately, the base that the bulb screws into is loose. So, it's essentially impossible to change the bulb (and I can't repair it either). The bulb doesn't appear to be burned out.

I checked my new switch and everything appears to look right but I can't say for sure. Everything is also still getting voltage. Does this sound like it shorted out or an issue with the light itself?


texts: Ontario kitchen reno: does a gas range require a 240V 50A receptacle?

texts: I've been getting conflicting opinions from  electricians on this issue...  I'm doing a kitchen reno.  I have removed the existing electric wall oven and gas cooktop.  A new Gas Range (all gas, not dual-fuel) will be installed near where the old gas cooktop was, using the existing gas line.  The question is: Does Code require a 240V 50A range receptacle installed behind the gas range? It appears that for new construction the answer is yes for sure.  But some electricians believe that a renovated kitchen does not require this.  Also, I believe that an exception applies if the kitchen is in a multi-family dwelling.  (We have a tenant in our legal basement apartment.) Has anyone had experience with this?


texts: GCFI Outlet Trips with no load or downstream connections

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I have an outdoor outlet that stopped working (had a light on that showed it was tripped and wouldn't reset).

I bought a new one to replace it and hooked it up, but the new one also trips just after it is reset.

There's nothing plugged in and nothing downstream, so I'm not sure how this is possible.  The hot (black) is receiving power and it clicks in on reset.

Can something upstream cause the outlet to trip?

Update: Here's the problem:


texts: Does cabling between a mini-split indoor and outdoor unit need conduit?

texts:
I am installing a mini-split AC system where there are multiple indoor units connected to a single outdoor unit.  For each indoor unit, there is a separate 4-conductor cable that connects to the outdoor unit, and each cable is routed outside from a different location.

This is the condenser unit:
https://www.supplyhouse.com/LG-LMU24CHV-20000-BTU-Multi-F-Inverter-Heat-Pump-Outdoor-Unit

This is the cable I am using to connect the indoor units to the outdoor units:
https://www.genesis.resideo.com/all-products/comfort-hvac/mini-split/1070
-14/4 stranded, jacketed, rated for direct burial and sunlight resistant.  Type TC-ER-JP 600V

The outside condenser unit has a hole for attaching a conduit fitting for the indoor to outdoor cabling, but there is only one hole for multiple cable, from multiple sources.

Since the cabling I am using seems like it can be used for outdoor use, do I need to run the cables through a conduit, or can they be run as is?  Also, what is the best way to get multiple cables from multiple sources into the single hole in the condenser housing, and still ensure that the connection is waterproof?


texts: What structure is inside these stair walls between floors (for running wire)?

texts:
I am planning to run CAT6 from the basement to the attic through the first and second floor of my 1905 wood house (renovated some time in the last 20-30 years). Location is Seattle.

There's an existing structured media cutout on the second floor used for CAT3 phone that runs into the attic and off to various spots that I plan to hijack and use to pull new stuff once I get all the lines into the attic from the basement. Assuming they aren't stapled down.

The CAT3 comes into the house from the left exterior wall and (probably) runs up the wall into the attic and down into the cutout.

Aside from exterior walls, the only wall that is shared by all levels is the interior stairwell. My plan is to build out a cabinet under the basement stairs.

My question: what sort of structure will I find in the stair walls for this era of house (as best as one can reasonably predict)? I'm trying to understand what I have to drill through and what I will have to avoid.

Floor plans are mostly to scale, still a work in progress.

The first floor wall seems to be cantilevered on the basement wall (first sits offset left of basement by 4-5 inches).

Second floor

Basement wall

First floor wall

Second floor stair well


texts: Off grid Solar What panel to use to distribute power to 2 locations Butte County California

texts:
Panels, Batteries and Inverter are all in the shop.  Lighting, outlets, sprinkler system pump and well pump will be run off the sub panel in the garage.  House isn't here yet but will have a 200 amp panel though we will not use anywhere near that much electricity.

I am thinking (be worried) that there should be a junction type box that sends power to both locations.  Need power in the shop while waiting for the home and is a hundred foot run so feels wasteful to run the power to the house then back to the shop.

Need to get the permit in and my electrician is not responding.

Electrician got back to me, 200 amp panel in the shop. My well pump is a Grundfos SQF-11 made for alternative energy, so not a big draw. The fire sprinkler pump is a different animal all together.


texts: Should my sewage ejector be fully submerged before the float turns it on?

texts: I have a bathroom and wash machine in my basement. The water & sewage drains into a what looks like a 55 gal tank, it is then pumped up into the main sewer line from the home to the street main line.  Should my sump pump be completely under water before the float tells it to turn on?  Won't it short out?


texts: How can I make low ceilings appear taller?

texts: I am having my basement remodeled. The ceiling is about 6'6 recessed lighting has already been installed. I would like to know what I can do do make the ceiling appear taller.


texts: What caulk to use for basement leaks at cove joint where floor meets the wall? Polyurethane, silicone, or latex-based Drylok?

texts:
I noticed a small moist patch of the floor near a radon mitigation system. However, I suspect that it has little to do with the radon system but was due to failed caulking at the cove joint, as there seems to be dirt in a small segment of the caulking.
A recent heavy rain likely raised the water table so high that even though our sump pump worked properly, there was still a small amount of water seeping in.
Is my assessment right? If so, what is a good caulk chemistry to use?
There are suggestions such as
Quikrete polyurethane sealant,
silicone caulk,
latex-based Drylok waterproofer.
Updated: A picture of the sump pump. The sump pit is 19 inch in diameter and pretty deep, but the float makes the pump to operate only between a limited depth (as you can see from the water marks in the picture).


texts: How to size a header for 3 openings along (non load bearing?) wall

texts:
We are reconfiguring the doors/windows along an exterior wall under the gable end. The original house had several windows and a 6' slider on that wall, all utilizing flat 2x4 headers.

We are going to be replacing what's there with a 6x3' window, a 6' slider, and 3' picture window.

We had someone come in and reconfigure the house rafters, add the collar ties, and remove the ceiling joists. My question is, with the removal of the ceiling joists, are there any new considerations for that wall in regards to the headers/requirements? The house is basically a 30'x25' single open room.


texts: I have been trying to hang a living room light. There is ONLY a black (hot) wire coming from the box in the ceiling. The chandelier I'm trying to hang has a copper (ground) wire and TWO other wire (both wrapped brown). I'm used to have a black and white wire coming from the box in the ceiling and a black and white from the light fixture as well.


texts: LED light flickering in one socket but not others, and any other bulb works fine with the socket

texts:
I got a batch of LED bulbs which have been working well until now. Some of these are having an issue. Let me describe the issue. A bulb start to flicker after while and if I try it on another socket, it works just fine. So that makes me think it is the original socket. So I go ahead and try another bulb on the original socket and that bulbs works just fine as well.

So for some reason, the original bulb flickers on the original socket only - but both the bulb and socket seem to work with other socket and bulb. This has been happening with a few bulbs. What could the problem be? Could it be the base of the bulb s of bad quality so it creates some sort of reaction with the socket so those two cannot work well anymore. I have no idea and I am out of ideas.
PLEASE HELP! Thank you.


texts: Upgrading 30 amp to 50 amp for RV service

texts: I was wanting to know it it would be safe to replace a 30 amp double pole breaker with a 50 amp double pole breaker. The 30 amp currently feed a well pump and a barn. The barn and the pump piggy back off the 30 amp breaker. I want to abandon the barn feed and run 300 ft of 6/3 to my RV service panel and piggy back the pump off of that 50 amp double pole breaker. Can I do this?


texts: A plumber came to push my DWV pipe back so I could decreased my soffit/bulkhead. In the process, he cut a bit into one of my 2x8 ceiling joists. Not ideal. Wondering if I need to sister the whole joist, or if I can just glue/screw a sistered 2x8 for a 4 ft run or so.


texts: What could cause my bathroom exhaust fan to stop working?

texts:
I've got a Vent fan with heater in the bathroom, and recently the vent fan stopped working while the heater worked fine. Thinking this might be just a bad switch issues, I took the cover plate off the switch and found that the switch itself was working. When in on position there was no voltage reading across the terminals, and when off I got standard 120 reading from the common hot to the heater terminal. From the common hot to the vent fan terminal, I was getting a fluctuating reading from like 60 to 80 volts (and yes my meter was in the AC mode)

the heater has its own fan which still works.


texts: How can I lay moulding around this ceiling protrusion?

texts:
We are installing crown moulding in our kitchen.  The ceiling is horizontal so we haven't had much difficulty.  Except for this part:

That sloped part of the wall is the underside of the staircase going to the floor above.  How do we put moulding around that?

One idea would be to just put quarter round between the ceiling and the sloped part.  Quarter round is what was up there before.  That would at least cover the joint between the wall and the ceiling, but the sloped wall might stick out like a sore thumb.

Another would be to frame out the sloped wall so that it's vertical near the ceiling, then install crown moulding around it.  But that seems like it might be kind of bulky, and a lot of work.

Any other, better ideas?


texts: Can I use a 15w LED bulb in a fixture that says max 40w incandescent or 11w CFL?

texts: I picked up a light fixture at a reuse store and it says max 40w incandescent or 11w CFL. It doesn't say anything about LEDs. Thoughts?


texts: Ceiling Fan is very slow after 2 years operation

texts:
I have a ceiling fan which is working with very slow speed, even when the selector is set to the max (5 speed). What is the reason for that? Is the reason a damaged capacitor or any other reason?

I just removed the speed controller and connected to the direct power line. After that, the issue remains. I have basic electronic and electrical knowledge but I couldn't find the reason. I am guessing that the capacitor is bad. Please help.


texts: Question about outswing door on attached toolshed

texts:
I have a toolshed attached to my garage with an outswing door. The door appears to be screwed into the moulding instead of the stud. Is this typical for an outswing door (see photos)?

Photo album

I'd planned to install a deadbolt and some security hinges to make it slightly more difficult to break into. However, all that seems moot if the moulding could just be popped out with a prybar.

Granted it's not a security door or anything so someone could easily break through the door if they wanted to.

To summarize: Is this hung correctly? Can I install a deadbolt with it hung this way?


texts: Can I use a 50 amp GFCI breaker on 15 amp circuit?

texts:
I am in the process of changing my hottub over to wood heat. I have eliminated all controls and am running the pump directly from the panel on a double 15 amp breaker (240 volts). I have my existing spa pack 50 amp GFCI breaker. Can I still use it, or do I need a lower amperage breaker?

The 2 15 amp breakers are in the main panel. I am using 12 gauge wire from the panel to the pump. However, I have to add a GFCI before the pump.


texts: Feasibility (and cost) of swapping wires on circuit breaker panel

texts:
I'm going to be finishing the basement in my 28 year old house.  Currently the entire basement (~1700 sqft) is going through a single 15a breaker, which isn't ideal.  There's no room on the existing panel for additional breakers, but for some reason the (gas only) range is on a 50a circuit by itself.

My question - would it be fairly easy for an electrician to swap out the wires so that more current is available to the basement?  If it's feasible, any ideas on the ballpark cost I should expect?

Sorry if this isn't enough info - I stay away from plumbing & electricity work so I don't have much knowledge here.

Edits----------

The range only requires 15A per the specs.

Regarding the current main panel, I've added links to some pictures - it looks to me like it's a 150A panel, but if I'm counting right the total of the breakers on the branches is 315A (which is 15A over what is allowed right?)

https://photos.app.goo.gl/UCt6uBvDAgc4umGd7

https://photos.app.goo.gl/uh2zTgKQHJqi58rS8

https://photos.app.goo.gl/VJChF2CGiUME3jtJ6

I think the utility box is 200A, so could I just replace the main 150A breaker w/ a 200A breaker & then run 60A to a subpanel?


texts: Why won't my outdoor patio propane heater light?

texts:
No propane is coming out and we did replace the valve from the tank.

Any idea why it will not light?


texts:
Is there any reason not to use a prefab acrylic shower base with tile walls and a tile bench?  I get that tile walls and a prefab acrylic base are a common combo, but I don't see anyone adding a tile bench.

My thinking is we're remodeling both bathrooms in our house while living in it. We just finished the first one and just did the best things and spent the most time and money. We'd like this one to go quick and cheap. It's an odd sized space, so I'm still going to do a tile shower, but I'd like to avoid constructing the base. There's a place nearby selling acrylic  bases for only $25 which will beat both the cost and time of making a custom shower pan.

This is one of the only pictures I was able to find on the internet that looked like the combo I'm thinking of-- tile walls & bench with acrylic base (or maybe this is stone or something but you get the idea):