texts: Any fabrics that block visible light without blocking IR/Bluetooth?

texts:
I'm wondering what materials would block visible light (emitted from LEDs, for example) but would not impede IR signals or Bluetooth.

Context: I'd love to block all the blinky lights on my home theater setup without invalidating any of my remotes and PS4 controllers (or wifi devices). Ideally I'm looking for a fabric of some sort, but open to other suggestions.

I'm thinking it would be cute to install a pull curtain over the part of my shelving where I want to block the visible lights, thus why I'm inquiring after fabrics. If there's a glass or other material that might work, then I might consider a door of some sort.

Any help/insight would be appreciated. Note that I am aware of IR repeaters and am not interested in installing one. Plus my understanding is that it wouldn't help at all with my PS4 controllers.

EDIT: Many have suggested I just "tape" over the lights themselves. I really would prefer not to do this, as I find value in being able to see the lights easily when I need to debug an issue. For example, one piece of equipment is an HDMI switcher where the lights indicate which input source is currently selected; it doesn't switch automatically with the Apple TV I have connected to it, so I would need to see the lights to determine if I need to switch the input. I need to do this before consuming media, not during, thus why I'm interested in a fabric or a door that can conceal the lights temporarily. Another item in this space is my cable modem, so same deal: if my internet is acting wonky, I want to see those lights easily. But if my internet is fine, I don't want to see them while watching a movie or playing PS4.


texts: What kind of transformer to use for Japanese Refrigerator if to be used in the Philippines?

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I can't seem to upload the image of the specification o fthe refrigerator. The refrigerator is a Haier. It is now connected to a 500W, 60 cycle, 110v transformer. The freezer is working but the refrigerator section is not cooling. The lights are even working. I noticed that the refrigerator door is not sticking well but it should still cool a little but it has not.
The refrigerator is 50-60hz.
The thermal somthing consumption is 120/120W.
The electric motor something conaumption is 70/80W
Voltage is 100v.
Sorry I'm not that good with Japanese, I can't read all that is written in the specs.


texts: 1923 house with wood fireplace converted to gas problem

texts: Our house was built in 1923.  Prior owners converted from wood burning to gas.  We went to remodel the tile's around the fireplace and found a problem.  The original opening was much larger and not filled in, thus causing our main living room with cool or cold drafts.  Is there a proper way to fill in this area prior to redoing the tile with stone?  There is a mantel around fireplace that is one piece covering top and sides. Also, Is there an easy way to update the gas fireplace and adding a timer knob or remote for ease of use?


texts:
I recently completed replacing all outlets and switches in my house. In just about each room in the house one outlet had 3 black and 3 white wires going into it. The receptacles I purchased had room for max 2. You could side wire or backstab. I side wire as is recommended. For these outlets I created pigtails with the 3 existing wires and a 4th wire to go to the receptacle.
Yesterday, after replacing the last switch, I flipped on the power in the room and noticed half the receptacles were not working. These are all on the same circuit that the switch was on. I checked all the receptacles and there were no issues. However, the wirenut on the pigtail I created for one of the receptacles melted. I am stumped how this melted. I replaced the pigtail and all is working fine. But I don’t want this to happen again.
Can someone chime in with anything I did incorrectly?
Details:
Hot side melted,
15 amp circuit,
14 gauge wire,
15 amp receptacle,
Red wing twist wire nut used,
Electrical tape used at bottom of wire nut,
South wire 14 solid thhn black wire (used to receptacle)


texts: Why is a previously wet light fixture now getting dimmer?

texts: A leak resulted in the light fixture in the ceiling of my laundry room getting wet. Despite being dry now, the light gets noticeably dimmer each time it's turned on. I am trying to keep it off until I know what to do but I sometimes forget and turn it on out of habit. It's so dim now it's almost out. Can this fixture be saved or should it be replaced. The fixture takes 2 standard 25 watt bulbs. The house and its wiring are 15 years old.


texts: How do I get under shingles to replace the roof edge flashing?

texts:
I am rebuilding an eave on my house and have gotten to the part where I need to figure out how to install the flashing. The eave goes around a corner and the flashing covers a 4" space between the eave and the roof. Also, the flashing runs along the main part of the edge and extends about a 1". The existing flashing is sheet lead and dates to 1910. Unfortunately it has deteriorated and needs to be replaced.

The problem is that the old flashing is nailed to the roof under the shingles. How do I get under them to remove the old flashing and attach the new flashing?


texts: How can I replace laminate with polished concrete flooring?

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I'd like to investigate whether I can replace my first-level flooring - currently faux-wood laminate - with polished concrete. What do I need to know?

Is it even practical to put down polished concrete as 'old work'? How much margin around the edging is needed? i.e. Will I need to pull off the baseboards (or can I get away with just pulling up the trim over the hardwood edge), will kitchen cabinets need to be removed/replaced, etc.?
What are all the steps involved? Which, if any, are better done by a professional?
How to deal with the subfloor, and if the current subfloor is not suited, can it be modified to support concrete? I'm not yet 100% sure if there's a slab underneath.
Any other big questions I'm not asking?


texts: I am installing a GFCI in the first box of a two wire non-grounded circuit. The following box(es) have the line and feed wires spliced (pigtailed) before the receptacle so only two wires are attached to each receptacle. Am I correct in thinking that these wires should be separated at each receptacle and connected to the individual lines and feeds, otherwise the GFCI will not protect these?


texts: What type of bulbs dim to lowest setting?

texts:
I've got a Lutron "Plug-in lamp dimmer", Model PD-3PCL-WH, and tried several LED bulbs with it. They all said "fully dimmable" on the packaging.

It works, however seems like at most it dims to about 30-40% on lowest setting. A floor lamp in another room with regular incandescent bulbs and in-built dimmer goes down to "barely on" dimness.

Are all LED bulbs bad at dimming? Would other types of bulbs be better? Halogen? CFL? Good'ol incandescent?


texts: How to fasten one end of a rope to multiple points so as to distribute load equally?

texts:
I'd like to hang a cocoon-type hammock device from a few railings overhead. It hooks onto a single point and hangs vertically, as opposed to a traditional hammock that you'd see hung horizontally between two trees.

It has to support one person's weight, but none of the potential fixing points are strong enough individually. I'm looking for a way to distribute the load (as equally as possible) between multiple fixing points. I'm going down this road, because this is a rented space and I can't drill for more traditional high-load fixing points.

Off-hand diagram:


texts: Year old asphalt driveway is still soft - chairs make holes

texts: We had a new asphalt driveway installed nearly one year ago in New England. Today in 75 degree sunny weather we sat outside in plastic Adirondack chair for about 45 minutes. When we got up we noticed the chairs made big indents in the asphalt. Is this normal for a a year-old driveway?


texts: Fixing hole in ceiling for recessed light after water damage

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I recently had to deal with a little water damage from a leak in the second floor bathroom.  The ceiling appears to be dried out after a few days of pushing air through it and the only real water damage occured around the edge of a recessed can light fixture just like this one

The problem is that while removing that can light to get to the water the wet drywall around the hole crumbled away.  Now the hole is too big for the can light. The flange around the edge of the fixture that should press against the ceiling almost fits right through.

What is the right way to go about fixing this?  Cut away a larger square of drywall, replace it and re-cut the hole for the can light? Is there something easier that doesn't involve taking out more of the ceiling?

I know I could just get larger bezels and hide it but I'd rather not replace all the bezels in the room. Plus the light doesn't fit very securely any more.


texts: Problems with crossed hot & cold water lines on shower

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My contractor installed a brand new Grohe universal rough-in box, and a Grohe universal pressure balance rough-in valve with diverter. Right after the rough-in box was installed, and before everything else was done, we started experiencing low temperature of the water in the entire house. In addition, cold water will sometimes flow from the hot taps.

We first thought that it was a problem with the water heater and had it inspected. The water heater guy wrote that there is no problem with the water heater, but that hot and cold pipes were crossed somehow and that that needs to be fixed.

My contractor then went and closed the pass thru valve in the rough-in box and explained that the pressure of the cold water was so strong that the cold water was passing though this valve and making its way back into our hot water supply. Closing the valve seems to have resolved the problem with cold water coming out of the hot taps in the rest of the house.

However, when the shower installation was complete with pbv, diverter and the trim, I notice that the trim dial is switched: that cold water is coming from the hot water indicator, and vise versa. I also noticed a significant reduction in pressure of the main shower head in comparison to my original 20 year old shower head that was replaced. Furthermore, I see that if the trim handle is set to the limit of 'Cold', which displays as 'Hot', the water barely drips. On the other hand, if it is set all the way to 'Hot', which displays as 'Cold', there is strong pressure. This does not make sense to me, as I believe the cold water should have the strongest pressure.

So my questions are:

Does this mean that there is a cross connection between the hot and cold pipes?
If that is the case, what kind of problems will it cause?
Is my low pressure related to this crossover?
Should I make the contractor to open the walls and re-connect the pipes to the correct hot and cold connections, or it is ok to leave it as is and go with his suggestion of adjusting the cartridge and just changing the trim to point to the right way?


texts: Pulling cables (CAT5e) Vertically with Horizontal Studs in the Wall

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I want to pull two Ethernet cables from my attic down a 12’ wall into the living room behind the tv console. There are several horizontal studs in the wall preventing a straight drop. From the top, the lowest horizontal stud is 8’ down.

I’ve come across “flex” auger bits. My intent is to use a 74” long bit with a 54” extension to drill straight down from the attic. Is this the right method? Any alternatives? Anything “easier”?

Update:
I used a 1.25” auger drill. I made a 8” wide by 12” wide cutout in the drywall between the header and the fire stop. I drilled up thru the header and down thru the fire stop. Easy.
...The wrench in the mix. My stud sensor was giving some funny readings, but other checks concluded that there was another horizontal at about 4’ from the floor. I tried to make the same cut in the drywall. Turns out, there are 2 2x12s running horizontally(I assume to mount a tv to the wall) once I figured that out, I had to open up the fire stop hole to push the EMT conduit away from the 2x12s. I’ve got a little patching and painting left.


texts: off grid solar connecting mixed panels best options

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Recently I bought a 35 watt 12v solar panel, I have a small pond 5 watt panel that supposedly is 12v as well. I wanted to combine and use both of these panels for an off grid application.
I want to install these in parallel to keep the voltages the same, I know that I will lose some output wattage due to connecting/mixing panels of different amps.  My confusion comes in on how to connect them together, what is the best possible way.

Should I connect them together in parallel first then run one positive and negate wire to the controller?  Or should I run both panels, 2x positive and 2x negative wires to the controllers +  and - terminals?  Right now I’m looking at a PWM controller but I’m not sure how well this will handle what I’m trying to accomplish. Should I use a MPPT controller instead? I rad that its better to keep batteries that are not of the same specs separated, for example using two controllers since most controller only have one + and – terminal. I could plug the 5 watt into one controller and the 35 watt into the other then run the wires from both controllers to the 12v battery. This seems a little excessive for what am doing but im looking for a safe way to do this and get the most watt output possible.

Also have have these panels mounted on a fence post, the post is obviously in the ground, should I be grounding any of the other components ? Im assuming since the post is in the ground that its grounded and so I are the panels attached to it via a metal bracket?

One last thing, I know that panels have many voltage ratings and one is VOC, when I tested the 35 watt panel the VOC was 21 volts as stated in the panel, however the 5 watt was only about 10v, there is no specs sheet on this panel. I know they produce difference amps but is this VOC reading on the 5 watt normal?

My last question is where should the load plug into, I know the charge controllers have a load terminal, but if I want to plug in more then one load I read that I should be connecting directly to the battery, is this correct? I know I might need a bus terminal if this is the case.

I would appreciate any responses and thoughts to this, this is my 1st time doing something like this and I want to get it jut right.
Thanks, Paul


texts:
I'm looking for information on construction details and how to determine appropriate size for box joists sheathed with OSB (similar to this document that describes such joists sheathed with plywood, although preferably with tables for joists that need to take less load and/or have shorter spans than the ones described in that document, as I'm hoping to find a design that will fit in a 200mm vertical space).  Or more specifically: how can I determine the maximum loading and required construction details for a box joist/beam consisting of two faces of OSB joined with timber that will occupy 200mm of vertical space? (For the purposes of this project,
I do not require compliance with my local building code, but I do need to have some assurance that what I'm building will be safe, so as long as somebody's building code would cover it I'll be happy...)


texts: How can I make a smooth transition from granite to drywall?

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I had solid sheets of granite installed for shower.  Looks good except for the adjoining areas.

First shower does not run width of room - so there is a support wall for the right hand side of shower that run three feet.  Problem with this is the that the granite and hardieboard backing goes from running exactly even at the bottom to about 1/4 inch over at the top of the wall cap.

On the other side (wall side) they shimmed out the HB to make it plumb.  And the granite goes almost all the way to the edge of HB.  So I am wondering how to make a smooth transition from HB/granite to drywall without much wiggle room.

Please do not advise to call granite contractors... They basically said oops... and gave a major discount.  So they are done.


texts: Dehumidifier with multiple float switches

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I just bought a dehumidifier for my soon to be finished basement. Based on the basement layout I also got a condensate pump so I can pump up the water to drain it above the dehumidifier. The dehumidifier has wiring terminals for a normally closed float switch (which the condensate pump has built in) that will shut off the dehumidifier if there is a problem. I was hoping to put the whole setup in a condensate pan in case something goes wrong with the dehumidifier/drain (is this overkill?). The installation manual says:

  Install a condensate overflow safety switch (i.e. float switch) in the condensate pan, remove the factory installed jumper wire between the Float Switch terminals on the control and wire the float switch to the dehumidifier as shown in figure 10. Overflow safety switches on condensate pumps can be wired to the Float Switch terminals in a similar fashion.

Which to my naive reading sounds like they are suggesting putting the switches in parallel. Am I correct that since the switches are normally closed, they need to go in series?


texts:
Accidentally cut the bottom chord of truss. It happens on the corner of the stud and not fully cut through as picture showing. If I would like to fix it, which contractor should I contact? And would the repair make it even worse since there may need to use screws?
Great thanks.


texts:
When the inside tub rotates, there's a grinding sound.  When I turn the rotor assembly from the bottom of the washer, it also has a grinding sound. After I remove the rotor assembly and turn the tub, no grinding sound.  If I put the rotor assembly on the
Some of the side coils on the stator (the side that touches the side of the rotor) appear to be nicked or slightly broken/bent. I also see a few small bb's/bearings on the inside of the rotor assembly (in between some of the magnets and on the magnets).  I also received an LE error code when the machine was running.


texts: What is the easiest method to fish cable through the ceiling?

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I need to fish some speaker wire through my ceiling downstairs to the lower part of the adjacent exterior wall. To compound the problem, the ceiling joists run perpendicular to the direction I need to run the cable. I have a feeling I already know the answer to this, but is there any way other than cutting several holes in the ceiling to drill through the joists? The run is about 10 feet.

EDIT

The ceiling is a smooth drywall ceiling. The joists are I joists.


texts: I have been doing a lot of decorative concrete around my house, and I have yet to find a masking tape or caulking or anything that can hold the acid stain where I want it.  I finally found something that I think will work, it's a gel that makes the stain thicker and keeps it in place.  This way you can just paint it where you want it.  The problem is that it is not sold in the colors that I want.  So, does anyone know what I could add to an acid stain to make it thicker like that?


texts: Is it better to have acrylic window inserts than storm windows for soundproofing?

texts: We live on a busy street and would like to soundproof the windows facing the street. After some research, we've boiled down to either storm windows or acrylic glass. The latter is more expensive, but will the storm windows be enough to block the noise? If so, which storm windows would you recommend (what we found mostly have aluminum frames)?


texts: Can I connect ground to neutral in a 3 wire outlet?

texts: I have a 3 wire outlet with the entrances for hot, neutral and ground. But I know that the ground entrance is not really grounded, so in effect useless. Now, since the neutral is grounded, could I connect the ground entrance with the neutral therefore "grounding" the ground? What would be the problem with that?


texts:
I'm working on renovating my basement, but first am replacing all of my existing copper pipes with modern CPVC to eliminate the constant leak headache since we are on a well.

Last night I found this wire grounding that appears to be for my cable.

Would someone be able to answer a few questions for me?

Is this technically out of code?
Should this be done external to my home?
Since I am removing my copper water lines, what is the alternate replacement for this grounding wire?


texts: Why does the outlet work for a washer, but not a light fixture?

texts: Light fixture works in one room but when I plug it into the outlet in the laundry room it doesn't. The washer works when you plug it in to the same outlet.


texts: We recently purchased a home with a fully finished daylight basement. First winter here and all our bathroom pipes froze. They run along an exterior wall that has concrete exterior drywall and finished interior and nothing in between. I hired an insullation specialist who said to blow in cellulose but I have read that's a bad idea against concrete. We have to do something or pipes will continue to freeze. I have no construction skills myself so will have to hire out. I am looking for a fix that will stop the freezing without trickling water five months of the year and without mold growth. Any ideas?


texts: We had new hardwood floors installed in our house and the installer used wood filler. Now 6 months later the wood filler is popping up in areas he filled that were existing flooring that remained. The installer said flooring will shrink back to normal in the winter months is this correct?


texts: Alternative to backer rod and bond breaker tape for caulking

texts:
I'm caulking a number of vertical fillet joints.  I haven't used foam backer rod because (since the joint is vertical) it won't stay while I caulk.  Bond breaker tape has been annoying to place evenly over both sides of the length of the joint.

Can anyone suggest an alternative?  I was thinking of using a stick of wax and just running it along the joint.


texts: Ceiling Fan Installed now wall outlet does not work

texts:
I have installed a ceiling fan and it is working. The wall outlets however, are not.  The room has no light switch.
On the ceiling there were two black wires and two white wires (there is also a brown wire, that is unused). I am assuming they were set up in series.
When I used all of them and tried to connect the +/- for the fan, the fan did not work. When I disconnected both black and white wires and connected only one of them to the fan, all was fine there, but now the wall outlets have no power.
How can I resolve this??


texts: Can I run CAT6 FTP cables parallel to electrical cable in the same conduit?

texts: Can I run CAT6 FTP cables beside to electrical cable (220v 1 amp) in same PVC Trunking ?


texts: How can I improve my ventilation throughout my house?

texts:
I just bought my house and it stays rather cool.  However I've found while painting that the flow of air through the house is limited.  My vents are all on the base board/wall if you can imagine.  Not sure if it matters, however some of these vents have no ventilation in them at all.  In particular the bedrooms.  Don't get me wrong it's cool temperature wise throughout the house naturally.  I am generally concerned when it comes to winter.  I would like to improve this, how can I?

I also noticed that in some spots the vents were actually blocked, could this be to improve the flow?


texts: I would like to have the fan turn on and blow non-a/c.  I only see 2 wires coming from the thermostat.  In


texts: Which router would be more useful for kitchen cabinet work?

texts:
I will start my biggest project to date in a few months, and now I'm buying and studying the tools needed.

Which router is most useful in cabinet making? A plunge router or a laminate trimmer? Both of them can take 1/4" bits (I can't find larger bits around), and the price diference is not all that great, even though the laminate trimmer has half the power (around 550W for the laminate trimmer and 1100W for the plunge).

What I THINK I will be doing with it:

Cutting rabbets and dados for joinery
Trimming laminate (formica)
Chamfering edges
Smoothing edges


texts: Hardware recommendations for heavy beam mounted to wall

texts: I am forging 3 mantel brackets out of mild steel for a 99"x 9" x 4 1/2" old barn timber that weighs 90 lbs.  What type of hardware would you recommend to secure it to the studs?  Each bracket will have 2 holes on the vertical run to attach to the wall/stud and will be 1/4" thick.  I can get #20 (5/16 shank) pyramid head wood screws that are 2 1/2" long.  Or, should I go with a 3/8" to 1/2" lag bolt?  What would be an ideal length for these?


texts: My 240 volt outlet seems to be delivering 219 volts

texts:
I am seeking help with my confusion about where my problem lies and what to do next.

I had a home renovation and got new appliances and upgraded circuit box two plus years ago.  But not the "heavy up" with the power company for the power coming into my house. I was told it wasn't needed. I am not sure that is correct.  I have had problems with my oven and stove not heating up to proper temps.. or not holding the heat as needed.

Had the electronic works replaced twice.  The second time, the repair guy tested the outlet that powers the range.  Each "hot" delivers 120 but when both hots are tested together the voltage adds up only to 219 volts. Does that make sense? How can this be?

I was advised to call my electrician who had put in all the new wiring and new circuit box at renovation.  He charged me $$$$ to find again that 219 volts come into what should be 240 volt outlet.  He found then that 219 volts come into the main power circuit box... and the same at the outside of my house where the meter is.   A few weeks later he is now saying that no, it is 219 amps coming into the house and all is fine. I think he is double talking me. And I am still left with 219 volts coming out of the outlet that is supposed to deliver 240.

What should I do?  I called the power company and their report to me was inconclusive.. they can't tell me over the phone what they found beyond, "the power coming into your house is adequate."  what that means is not clear.  Should I have them return while I am home and they can explain what they found? Should I get another electrician in? Or something other course of action. Thanks for your thoughts on these issues.

To all responding- Thanks so much.   For clarification... when i wrote that each hot when separately test with multimeter measure at 120 but when measured together they measure not 240 (120 +120 should =240 total, yes?) but 219, all measurements where taken with multimeter sensors in the socket.... that is with oven unplugged.  We were testing  how much power is coming through the outlet. The oven repair guy said that only 219 is being delivered to what is an oven that is supposed to run on 240.  The thought is that the electronics can't keep up with the temperatures set for cooking.   also just so folk kow i think my electrician is not confused about volts vs amps. it is a language barrier... or he is trying to be cagey with me about what he thinks the problem is.   Also the prong is 4 prong.   and because the central panel box measures the same way with 219 volts, and the panel box outside with the meter reads 219 volts, I remain wondering if 100amps are being delivered to my house of the 200 amps that i think my house needs to run central air, appliances, etc.
Actually this goes back to me wondering what the heck kinda of amperage and voltage comes into my house... from the power company and why they can't tell me what that is... They won't tell me at leasat.


texts: What's better for fence posts - wood or metal tbar?

texts:
I have a nice post digger tool but my dad claims its cheaper and much easier to use metal bars. He has been using 3" (?) metal poles and pounding the ends into a sharp flat surface and then hammering them into the ground.

I have also seen pneumatic fence post drivers (such as http://www.rohrermfg.com/) which would make this work easy with t-bars.

In either case I would need to go 3' deep at least and I want to extend my existing fence, as well as support it (the previous owners did a terrible job and dug only a foot and a half down)

Is there any advantage to using wooden posts with concrete over the other methods?

Thanks


texts: Backwater Valve Access Sleeve Cap Broken... sewer gas smell?

texts:
Related to this question.

Summary: I have a sewer smell in my condo unit (top floor). Recently a smoke test was done and smoke was coming out, from what appears to be the division wall between my unit and the unit next to me (which also connects to the units below us because it is very close from where the electrical main cables run).

The plomber said it was the wax seal for the toilet that is on top of that area. That wax seal was replaced with no change in the smell.

However, since we made a hole below the toilet I feel a strong air current coming out the division wall. I believe this is a "chimney effect" - basically air from the basement is pushed up to the top of the building (my unit). I am pretty confident of that.

Today I decided to remove a tile that was on the floor in the basement (in the electrical room) and I found a backwater valve access sleeve. That access is maybe 15 inches away from the wall in which all electrical cables run.

That cap is basically completely loose, not only that, the edge of the pipe is all broken/cracked (see photos). For sure that wasn't sealed - if that releases smell, for sure it was leaking.

I just applied like a lot of silicone to it to seal it at least temporarily to see if that's the source of the smell.

My questions:

Is the backwater valve access cap supposed to be tight sealed? Can it release sewer smell?
Is there a risk because I glued (silicone) it to the pipe so it is sealed?


texts:
How would you shorten a pendant lamp's electrical cable? It's a USA home from the 1920s.

The question has been asked before, but wrapping an electrical cable around a metal caribeaner seems dangerous.


texts: Can my apartment's electricity harm my computer? Is there an easy way to test the electricity?

texts:
I live in a (rented, 1980 built) row townhouse in the USA with slightly suspect electricity:

A few of the outlets and light switches in the house (in various rooms) don't work at all.  (Even allowing for some switched outlets.)
My five year old desktop computer on the ground floor developed a bad power supply a few months after moving in.  (After a cross-country trip in a moving van, and it is an old computer.)
Plugging anything into one outlet on the ground floor often shorts out the rest of the stuff in the room.  (We avoid using this outlet!)
A 5-6 year old laptop's power adapter doesn't work on the ground floor, but does work upstairs.  (A newer laptop works both upstairs and downstairs, so it's possibly a bad power supply on the old laptop.)

Given that the computers in question are 5-6 years old, and we jostled them across the country moving, it's entirely possible that their time had/has come and they need to be replaced.  However, before I buy and plug in a new desktop (or keep using my other newish computer) with this potentially suspect power, am I right to be concerned about it?  Could the damage have been caused by the times we've shorted out the downstairs room?  Or maybe slowly over time by bad power?

If I had a multimeter or some other test device, could I test my outlets and/or electricity?  Do I need to call an electrician?  Should I just assume that my computer died of old age and replace it without worrying that the new one will meet a similar fate?


texts: How to attach metal knife rack to tile without ruining tile?

texts:
I'd like to attach a magnetic, metal knife rack to a tile back splash in the kitchen of my rental apartment. The tile is glazed white and the attachment points on the rack are small (about 0.9 sq in of metal). The rack weighs 2.5lb and with the knives and a margin for error, we're looking at about 5.25lbs total weight.

Lsat week I asked for guidance on choosing an adhesive, but that was roundly identified as a bad idea. Now I'm looking for alternatives. Since it's a rental, I'm not willing to break the tile (or risk breaking it).

Could I drill into the grout?
There are white formica wooden cabinets on either side, but I don't know how to drill into those in such a way that I could patch it later without being obvious.
Could I use a horizontal tension rod between the cabinets?
Could I use vertical tension rods between the sink and the cabinet above the sink?


texts: Whatr size aerator pump is needed for a 500 gallon aerobic system?

texts: Our septic system was here when we bought the house and it is unbranded. the aerator pump above ground needs to be replaced.  How do we determine what size pump for a 500 gallon capacity aerobic system?


texts: How can I prevent the fireplace smell when the A/C is on?

texts:
I get the ashy fireplace smell in the family room when the A/C is running.  I haven't had a fire burning in months.

I checked out this question, but it targets a recent fire and a cold air return.

It would seem that I'm getting negative pressure in the house when the A/C is running, being equalized through the fireplace.  I have a Buck Stove insert that was there when we bought the house.  Consequently, I don't have the standard flue closure mechanism.  It's more of a stepped closure to control airflow while the stove is burning.

Is there anything I can do to prevent the negative pressure that comes with running the A/C?


texts:
How do I find out what's wrong with a uPVC window where the handle turns but it doesn't open?

It seems like one of the hidden latches along the edge isn't undoing because one side of the window moves out a couple of mm when you lean on it but the other side doesn't. It's a horizontal window with the handle at the bottom.

The bottom left moves a bit, the bottom right doesn't:

Is it worth taking the glazing out and / or removing the handle, and how do you do it?


texts: How to protect the wires when the electrical box is mounted on a 2x4 stud?

texts: The interior 2x4 wall will have drywall on both sides. The light switch box has wires coming in/out are almost to the back of the stud. How do I protect them as they will not be 1 1/4 inch from the wall?


texts: I had an electrician come and add an outlet so that the washer could have a dedicated outlet. They added a second outlet (GFI) that trips both outlets when I run the heavy duty washer on a big load. The washer is a Maytag and is brand new-had them out to check it-and the repair man said this is common with this model. Can I simply pull out the new gfi and install a standard outlet? Washing machine is currently running on an extension cord without interruption . Thoughts?


texts: I have a oil-fueled boiler that provides steam heat in the winter and hot water all year. Should I have it inspected and serviced annually? If so, what should such a service entail?


texts: How to add small 220 Volt Heater from an existing 220V 30 Amp receptacle

texts: I recently upgraded my laundry room from an electric dryer to a gas dryer. The 30 amp circuit was left in place including the receptacle for for the dryer, which was very handy for the floor refinisher to just plug in to. Now that it is getting colder I would like to add a small electric baseboard heater and thermostat to keep the room warmer. I would like to tap the existing 30 amp circuit (my service box is full even if I didn't mind pulling the extra cable) for the heater, possibly by just running a 30 amp plug from the thermostat into the outlet.


texts: How to resolve a rusting uPVC window fixing torx screw?

texts:
The window in this property has been fitted with steel screws, all of which have rusted as the window is often open and inevitably moisture has reached the screw heads. My goal is to replace them all before the heads are corroded so much they cannot be removed in future. All the flat-head screws have been successfully replaced, but to the right of the frame you can see a single T30 torx screw head which is significantly corroded.

Should I:

A. Remove the T30 screw and simply screw in a corrosion resistant equivalent of the same dimensions?

or

B. Leave the screw where it is, but treat the screw head to prevent further corrosion?

My hesitation relates to what exactly the torx screw is screwed into, as I suspect some of these fixings come with a plug assembly that the screw may be screwed into and I don't want to remove the screw and find I cannot drive a new one in. A rusted screw head (with corrosion resisting compound on it) is probably better than no screw at all!


texts: What is the "wobble" adjustment on a jigsaw for?

texts:
Every jigsaw I've used had an adjustment knob with an illustration that looked like back-and-forth "wobble" in the blade.

What is this adjustment used for? I've always just set it as what I figured was "least wobble"


texts: My Mercury thermostat clicks on when I manipulate it but immediately shuts off

texts: My Mercury thermostat clicksks on/ off if I manipulate the dial by pushing in but then immediately shuts off. I checked housing it's ok but why would it not be turning my furnace on? It just immediately  shuts it off if I release any pressure


texts:
I’ve the following set of wires:

And this dual light switch:

The switch controls light and fan, how to connect it to those wires?

Update

The old witch was connected in the following manner:


texts: Can drip edge be affixed using adhesive?

texts: I need to replace my drip edge on a low pitch modified bitumen roof. The edge is about 13' long and I had to rip the old one cause it was deformed and not working right. Under it is a sheet of what looks like bitumen sheeting and under that 1x lumber (for roof sheathing before plywood) quite old and not always holding fasteners well cause of decay. I could try to drill pilot holes in both the flashing and roof but in case that doesn't hold too well, can I just glue it using something like Liquid Nails? The drip edge should be 3"x3"x13'.


texts:
The stairway in my mother's house has been unpainted for a while. I recently asked if she wanted help with it, and now I'm out of my depth.

There's a layer of old wallpaper that she and my brother started removing a while ago. It took forever and left a rough brown residue (first picture.)

Another area appears to have been plastered over at some point (second picture.)

There are areas where this wallpaper seems like it would be very difficult to get off, and other areas where it's crumbling off.

After some research online it seems as though scraping and sanding are definitely in order, but after that some sources suggesting using lining paper to cover minor bumps. Other sources have said that this isn't what lining paper is for. My questions are:

Am I on the right track? Is there a standard way to handle this?
What is lining paper and will it work to cover minor imperfections
before painting?


texts: Dual Purpose breaker (Eaton type BR Combination AFCI/GFCI) trips when starting blender or vacuum

texts: My brand new home has all available outlets protected by dual purpose circuit breakers EXCEPT for my bathrooms which are protected only by Eaton 15 amp Type BR Combination AFCI breakers.  My blender and vacuum (both are pretty high draw) work faultlessly when plugged into a bathroom outlet but I'm getting tired of using an extension cord. Using any other outlet trips a breaker (about 95% of the time) immediately when turning on the appliance.  Is there some kind of "dampening" device that I can plug in between the vacuum and outlet to stop the tripping? On the rare occasion when the breaker doesn't trip when turning on the appliance, it runs fine so I am guessing it has something to do with the inrush current.  Note that I have a dedicated 20 amp outlet protected by a Dual Purpose breaker but that works no better than the 15 amp breakers.  Also, I assume, I would be breaking code by changing out a Dual Purpose breaker with Combination Breaker. Any advise would be greatly appreciated.


texts: How can I keep a router aligned correctly while running it along the narrow edge of a board?

texts: How can I keep my router aligned correctly when using it with the base against the edge rather than the face of a board? Is there a jig or attachment I should use? Freehanding clearly doesn't cut it.


texts: Help translate terminology relating to flat roof construction

texts:
I just bought a house which had an extension done 12 years ago. I am about to do some work in this area and want to understand what has been done before. Below is a screen shot of the bits of the planning drawings relating to the flat roof construction.

What does this say? (it is hard to scribe something when you don't fully understand it )

EDIT:

2 LAYERS ASPHALT TO CP144

with SOLAR REFLECTIVE PAINT

on 70 mm pearldeck,

175x30 mm joists

on 400 mm centers

What is a pearldeck?
Is this a warm or cold roof?
Does this have sufficient insulation properties or would you recommend I add more?
If yes, can I do this internally without causing condensation issues?


texts: Is this HVAC condensing unit platform acceptable/stable enough?

texts:
Our contractor just installed a new A/C system and he built this platform outside our house for the new condensing unit.  It looks like it is a 4" concrete slab sitting on top of brick "legs".  Looks like he poured some sand under the bricks to help keep them from sinking into the earth.

I can't tell if this is acceptable or if I need to ask the contractor to make it more stable.

I did use a level and confirm that the platform and unit is level.  Having the bricks on the bottom seems like it would let any water runoff flow under the unit without getting blocked by the platform which is a good thing.

But we are worried that as time goes by some of the bricks will sink and it will start slanting or something.

I'm looking for honest opinions on whether this platform is reasonable.


texts: What is required to connect solar panels to my home without connecting to the grid?

texts:
My household has a base power consumption of approx. 200W-300W. I am considering if it was possible to get a reasonably sized solar panel to cover its needs when the sun is up, with a seamless transition to the grid for spikes / low light times.

As I am a complete newbie to solar energy, is a solution like the above feasible? What kind of device would I need to interface, let's say a 300W solar panel to the rest of my system? I am not interested in energy storage / delivery back to the grid, I am just after supplementing my current supply with a bit from the sun.


texts: How to repair a detached fiberglass bow rake

texts:
I have a fiberglass bow rake that has separated from its handle.

I inspected the 2 pieces but I cannot figure out how the head is attached to the handle. There appears to be some wood inside. But I'm not sure how it is used to attach the head and handle together. Is it something that I can repair? The following picture is taken after I removed some wood piece.


texts: Ceiling fan with light - electrical box has two cables, one with a red wire

texts:
I'm remodeling a room and someone decided to help me by taking down an existing ceiling fan with a light fixture.  However they didn't make note of how the wires were connected and I'm having trouble figuring it out.

The light was turned on by a switch on the wall and both the fan and light could be turned off and on by the pull-chains when the switch was on.  There is a 4-wire cable (black, red, white, ground) coming from the switch box and another 3-wire cable that I am not sure where it goes.

When they took the fixture down, they put wire nuts on the exposed wires - possibly reflecting the way they were connected (they don't remember)?  In the ceiling, the two neutral wires are nutted together, the two grounds are twisted together, the red from the switch and the black from the other cable are nutted together and the black from the switch is by itself.

The fixture has a neutral, power for the fan and power for the light.  There is also a ground which is connected to a screw in the side of the motor housing bracket on one end and the conduit for the wires going into the motor on the other end (I think it came from the manufacturer this way).

On the fixture, the fan and light power wires are twisted together.

The red wire goes into the top of the light switch (when the switch was up, it was on).

Does the fixture neutral wire get connected to the two other neutrals?  Do the fan and light power wires get connected to the red and black wires that are nutted together?  If yes, what happens to the single black wire?

Also, shouldn't the ground wires be connected to the light fixture?  They are twisted together but they were not connected to the ground on the fixture or the ceiling light box.

Thanks.


texts:
I have a set of hallway lights with two 3-Way switches. Currently the  power source enters at one switch, then the wiring traverses through each of the lights and then terminates at the other switch (see 1st image). What I want to do is change the switch at the end of the hallway to a motion sensor and make the other switch a master ON (in Off position the motion sensor would determine state of lights).

The motion sensor requires a neutral which does not exist in that box currently. I think the below diagram would work (2nd image), but not sure it would be compliant. Once concern is that it would be possible for the lights to receive power from both the normal switch and the  motion sensor switch at the same time. Would that be a problem? Thank you in advance!

EDIT: The reason I want to use the normal switch as a master ON is because there is a treadmill in that area and using it does not consistently trigger a motion sensor. I want the motion sensor for people walking in that area and the other switch to turn On indefinitely while using the treadmill.


texts:
I live in an old 50 + year old house and it still has the original circuit breakers. I am trying to search for one that died, but don't know the model or even if they make these anymore. If any electricians out there can help me out, I would greatly appreciate it.

I haven't removed it (Kinda' scared to do so and get shocked), but here's a pic.

Here's more pics on the Fuse Box.


texts: Where can I find load ratings for two-by lumber laid flat?

texts: How much load can a 2x4, 2x6, and 2x8 each hold is laying horizontally, yet turned on it's side? We have found numbers for wood turned upright, but it wasn't what we were looking for.


texts: Wiring an attic light and bathroom light to a 2 gang switch

texts:
I am trying to wire 2 separate lights to 2 separate switch in one 2 gang switch I'm certain that i've done everything correctly,

The attic light switch works fine, but the bathroom light switch only works when the attic switch is on???

Im sure its really simple but it wont work :@


texts:
I have a back concrete patio in pretty good shape.  Surrounding it on 2 sides are concrete pads (| is one pad and the other is -).  These two pads are about 1 foot a piece wide.  The X's are the brick pillars.

X
|
|
|
|
X---------------X--------------X

So I demo'ed brick and moved electric.  Now I am left with about a 1 inch base that seems pretty attached to concrete where the pillars where - they were about 1 foot by 1 foot.  This 1" base looks like a smooth concrete - it isn't mortar and is definitely different from the rough/normal concrete pad.  And there is a rebar anchor sticking out the middle hole.  Any ideas beyond demoing these two large concrete pads?  Do I have a chance of taking out these small (smooth) concrete pillar bottoms and flattening these things out?  And I am guess that I just hit the rebar with angle grinder and fill the middle if I can get the pillar bottoms out?


texts: Is it possible to control 3 light fixtures with 4 switches?

texts:
I have an idea how I would like to tackle some wiring I am about to do, but I am having trouble figuring out how to actually wire it all. I was hoping some of you could help me out.

Here's what I want:

I have 3 fixtures, Lights A, B and C.

I have 4 switches, Switches 1, 2, 3 and 4.

Switch 1 turns on/off lights A/B.

Switch 2 turns on/off lights A/B.

Switch 3 turns on/off light C.

Switch 4 turns on/off lights A/B/C.

Is this even possible to accomplish?


texts: I was told that I could find some angle brackets to secure the post to the beam. However, I'm finding nothing that doesn't require me to remove the set beam and start over. What is code? Is this going to be a custom / metal shop deal at this point? I'm fine with a black angle bracket that I can paint to match other hardware in this area of the house. Thoughts?


texts: Should I use staples or attachment for 6/2 cable?

texts:
I am installing 6/2 Romex cable. I have previously installed 10/2 cable, and have installed larger cable for a subpanel feed. For my 10/2 wire, I still use staples, although it is those strap versions designed for bigger cable. For subpanel feeds, I use single hole metal straps, the same as the existing panel feed.

I can't seem to find a staple rated higher than #10 wire. I guess I could put it under single hole straps, but it would fit loosely, those are not really designed for cable.

Whats the correct answer here?


texts: Is it ok to trim a header to make a door fit?

texts: I want to install a closet door under my stairway in my basement. The stairway is in the center of the basement and the main support beam is split. There is neither a support beam nor a header currently where i want to separate the 2x6 studs and install this door. There is only a double top plate over this approximately 4 foot span. I pieced together a header using osb and 2x10s. Now im realizing there is not enough space for both the header and the door. Since there was never a header there to begin with am i ok trimming the height of the header about 3 inches to make my door fit? Or does the door necessitate a full 2x10 header?


texts: Installing night-light switch on hot-neutral-ground circuit

texts:
I am attempting to add a light switch that has a night light in it to my workshop. I noticed that the switch box only has one neutral wire leading to it, and what appears to be a ground wire tied into the box.

The house was built in the 1950s, and the switch requires a neutral wire going from both the switch and the night light for both to work. Is there any easy way to accomplish this?


texts: How do I wire two separate 3-way circuits from the same power source?

texts:
I have a switch box that has two 3 ways to control two different sets of lights 1 set in the hallway and 1 set in the living room and both of these sets have their own 3 way switch located in different locations but connected by 14/3 wire the power and both sets of lights are brought into the same box all with 14/2 wire.

The problem is I believe I have the wires crossed as when I turn the lights off at either of the different 3-way locations I have no control at the original switch box where the power and lighting wire is located.

How do I supply power to both 3-way circuits from the single power source?


texts: Is the ground resistance meter indispensable when grounding your home?

texts:
I'm Brazilian and I need to ground my house, especially because of some expensive equipment I don't want to use without proper protection.

By "grounding my house" I mean: provide an alternative path for current to flow to, in case of an electrical discharge or if the neutral provided by the power company breaks, for example. Here all power outlets have a third terminal for that purpose, and it's done by driving metal rods into the ground and connecting those terminals to these rods.

The thing is, I live in as small town and all the electricians around seem not to care for appropriately measuring grounding systems appropriately, by using a ground resistance meter. None of them even had one, and when I expressed my concerns about it (even though I'm admittedly a layman) they all dismissed it as something unimportant.

One of them told me ground resistance meters are expensive and that he'd test using a multimeter. If the voltage between ground and phase was the same as the one between phase and neutral, then it was ok.

Other would said he'd test it with a lamp. If the ground and phase could turn the lamp on, the grounding was good.

The other one (one whom I briefly worked with and the one I trust the most) was the only one who had a different attitude. He first asked me what kind of load I'd have on my system, what I planned to have connected. Then he told me I should have a separate electrical system for each of my showers (or other potent devices), each with individual grounding, and then all the least potent equipment could be connected to the main system, with one grounding for them all. But he also said he didn't have a ground resistance meter, but he'd tackle that by having 'three rods 3 to 5 meters away from each other providing the grounding' and that it should suffice.

So I tried looking into some other info in the internet and everything seems conflicting. The one guy who made the most sense for me was an electrician who told it is indispensable to have a proper meter, but that if you're an electrician and don't have one, there are some tests that are somewhat reliable you could make to make sure the grounding is good.

Basically he said one should disconnect all equipment from the outlets in the house, then do the multimeter test I mentioned before. After that, if the voltages were the same between phase/ground and phase/neutral, he'd connect some potent equipment (he used a drill machine) to phase/neutral and measure the current with an amperimeter. After that he's do the same test while connecting it to the phase/ground and see if the current matches. If those matched, the grounding was good.

I'm now left wondering, I absolutely need good grounding in my house, but the way it seems, I will either have to buy the ground meter - and they're expensive, especially considering ill use it only once - myself or go for one those fishy 'solutions' above.

What are your thoughts on it?


texts: Toilet tank slow leak such that it runs for a few seconds periodically to refill

texts:
I've read through many of the q&a's here on the board and had already presumed my issue was a worn flapper. I ordered the replacement flapper from American Standard, adjusted as per their instructions (float placement), adjusted the chain so that there is some slack when the flapper is closed and figured I was all set. Well, not so.
The toilet is almost exactly 11 years old and this issue is a recent occurrence.
I put some beet juice in the tank (I didn't have food dye) and let it sit for half an hour. There was some tinging in the bowl. There is no sign of leakage on the outside of the tank whatsoever. I removed the new flapper, cleaned off the seat where the flapper sits and reinstalled. The issue remains.
Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.


texts: How do I replace this dimmer switch to a conventional switch?

texts:
I want to replace the dimmer switch in my kitchen with a conventional light switch. However I could use a little guidance.

I understand the two black wires are the hot wires, and the green is ground. I understand how to wire those into the regular switch, but in all the videos I have watch online no one ever seems to have the red (I believe it is the neutral wire). How do I go about wiring this?

The new light switch I have only has 3 screws.


texts: how to drain a single loop in one of my heating zones?

texts:
I have baseboard hot water heat.  In one of my heating zones, there are three "loops". (i.e. shortly after the supply leaves the zone valve, the pipes split in three directions.  These pipes then eventually join back together and return to the boiler.)  One of the three loops supplies just a single radiator in our mudroom.

Short story: I want to be able to shut off that loop most of the time but still have the ability to run water through it and heat it again if for some reason we decide we want to.

To this end, I put a ball valve on the supply to the mudroom and plan to put another on the return line before it joins with the other returns.  The mudroom return line already has a drain spigot and what I believe is a one-way valve (I'm not sure though - correct me if I'm wrong).

Here is a closer shot of what I think is the one-way valve on the return.  Water flows from left-to-right in both photos.  The tee connection on the right is where water returning from the mudroom meets up with the other returns.

After I put a ball valve to the right of the one-way valve, I will be able to isolate just the mudroom loop.

My question: If I turn both the supply and return valves to "off," how can I remove all of the water from the loop?  I don't want water in the line in case it freezes.

When I cut into the supply line to add a push-to-fit ball valve, I had a hose attached to the pictured drain spigot.  I expected the water to drain right out after I made the cut, but it wasn't a whole lot more than a trickle.  This surprised me, as I assumed air would flow in through the cut pipe to replace water running out the spigot.  When I blew into the supply (toward the radiator and toward the open spigot) I was able to push a good deal more water out.  However, I won't be able to blow into the supply line now that a ball valve has been inserted where it used to be cut open.

Thanks for any help or insights.

Long story: I live in Maine and have a woodstove which heats most of the zone very well.  However, heat from the stove does not reach the mudroom, and on cold nights I am afraid that the pipes in the mudroom might freeze (the zone rarely circulates when the stove is operating).  I know one solution would be to put the mudroom on its own zone, but that is more work than I can do right now.  My simple solution is just to cut out the loop that serves the mudroom, and I'd like to be able to include it back in relatively easily if possible.  Hence the ball valves instead of just capping the lines.  And yes, I know that I will need to purge air from the zone each time I either remove or add back in that loop.  I don't plan to do it often, I'd just like the ability to do so.


texts:
I'm looking to pour a 10'x14' 6" slab for a garden shed (roughly 2.5 yards of concrete). One bid would bring a concrete truck, one write get a bunch of quickrete bags (~120) and rent a mixer. The largest rental mixer would take about 8 batches to do this job. The plan is to use 6" remesh in the slab.

Would doing that many batches/partial pours cause any problems with the slab structure? What's the best way to do the partial pours - do an eighth of the area per batch, full thickness? Spread each batch thinly over as much as it will cover? Our just plop it in wherever?


texts: Door automatic closer - Can it be tightened?

texts:
This is used to automatically close my shelf doors.

What is its exact name so that I may google better for information.
More specifically, I have a similar one with a damper added on top which is getting slack and mis aligned, possibly because of rust (its right under the sink and frequently gets wet). Is it possible to make it last a little longer and tighten it or adjust it in anyway or would I need to just replace it?

Specifically this is the problem I am trying to fix

And this is the faulty hinge


texts: How do I best protect my hardwood floors from damage by moving chair legs

texts:
I have beautiful oak wood floors in my kitchen. Its looking wonderful since I finally found something great to clean it with.

The problem I have though is an ongoing one. I have wood kitchen chairs and the pad things don''t stay on very well. I use felt pads that won''t stay stuck to the bottoms of the chairs. I am constantly having to go to home depot and buy new pads and even then they don''t stay on very well. They slide around the bottom and leave sticky gooey mess on my wood floors (from the adhesive on the felt pads to stick to the chair.

I tired the kind of pads that you nail on and nailed them on all 6 of my chairs and they were leavig white marks on my floors so I had to spend an evening prying them off my chairs with pliers.

Why am I having such a hard time finding something to put on the bottom of my wood chairs that won''t scratch my wood floor?

I can't do a rug because with 4 kids I end of with lots of food on the floor!

What's you guys' suggestion to protect my floors?
Thank you!


texts: Does it matter how the chuck on a drill is set when it is stored?

texts: When I put away my drill for storage, should I be concerned about whether the chuck is fully open, fully closed, or somewhere in between?


texts: Plumbing. Compression fitting Shower valve to 3/4" threaded female. Ideas needed

texts:
Okay, dumb situtaion I got myself into. I'm living in Germany where the pipes for the shower in the wall are 3/4" female. Bought myself a nice shower from England a year ago and went to install and discovered the shower valve is expecting to be attached with a compression fitting over bare 15mm copper pipe. .... And there seems to be no such adapter here. (It would surpise me if there were such a thing).

So, after a great suggestion from the local hardware store I (or rather the missus) soldered up two adapters: 3/4" male on one end, 15mm copper pipe on the other.

The adapters worked great, until I noticed a trickle of water in the basement and realized what had happened. Looking at the wall, the adapter screws in clockwise, but (again looking at the wall) the nut (over the compression fitting) screws onto the shower valve counterclockwise.
Presumably in my effort to make sure that everything was nice and tight, I'd loosened the adapter going into the wall. The adapters we made are solid - the wife knows what she's doing.
(I've attached a sketch just in case my explanation isn't clear).

So right now I'm just looking for ideas:

Maybe there IS some special fitting for this situation?
Maybe using something like Loctite Threadlocker (the liquid stuff, not the teflon thread) so that I don't unscrew the adapter in the wall when I tighten the valve?
Maybe some other metal glue? (I'd like it not to be permanent, just in case I have to remove it someday)
Maybe simply using teflon tape/thread or - as they use a lot in Germany - hemp would give enough extra grip?
Maybe just not tightening so much?
Maybe something I've haven't thought of?

I'd really like to use this shower head. The manufacturer doesn't have a threaded version of the valve. I've searched high and low in the internet and haven't come across a solution - or anyone who had this problem - so I'd be open to any ideas.

Thanks a lot, Angus.

Edit: Forgot to say that the setup makes it next to impossible for me to get behind the valve to hold my adapter with a wrench while I tighten the nut on the valve.

Edit: The pipes in the wall are plastic (not sure the type here in Germany) with brass threaded ends.


texts: Identifying and sharpening carbide tipped planer blade

texts:
Below are photos of an electric (hand) planer blade that came with a used Makita power planer, model 1900B.

I believe the blades are carbide tipped, but am not certain. I could not search the model number and find anything conclusive, perhaps because these blades are old.

Are the blades carbide tipped? If so, can they be sharpened at home, or best sent to a professional?


texts: Wire Ceiling fan with two switched hots and ground but no common wire

texts: age description here][1]2Installing new ceiling fan with a remote. Pulled the old fan down and from the ceiling I have a black wire, a white wire wrapped in black electrical tape and a bare ground wire coming from ceiling. I have a single switch on one side of kitchen that controlled the light to old fan. On other side of kitchen I have a double switch, one controlled fan, the other the light. Not sure how to handle not having a neutral wire for the new fan. Any advice appreciated.


texts: How do I install a 2 gang low voltage bracket?

texts:
Purchased varying 1 gang and 2 gang low voltage screw-in type brackets as seen here.

Upon inspection they appeared to simply sit in the wall with the the screws being screwed into the side of the dry wall; however that seems incorrect as now having seen this image.

Confusion has surfaced as the end goal is to install this and since this is an existing installation my concern is that I might have purchased a bracket geared towards a new install.

So...how do I install these brackets in an exiting drywall installation without having to use a stud or should I use a different type of brackets?

If somebody wants to add a bracket tag and re-tag the question that would be great.

EDIT:

Looks like this is what I should have purchased; will await confirmation from the experts.


texts: How can I mount a screen window to an old porch?

texts:
Firstly, this is definitely a related question: How to install window screen without screen track
But the window from in that question is a bit different, and I don't quite see how the answer can be applied to my window.

I recently bought an older home (1920's) with a glass-windowed porch. These windows are not affixed with any sort of track; They are simply on hinges and swing inward.

They aren't great windows, but whatever, I don't intend to replace them anytime soon. Many bigger fish to fry and whatnot.
However, I do want to get some airflow through the porch, without pets escaping (or letting bugs in).

So far, I was planning to assemble and install a screen frame kit to each window like this one:
The big question here is, how can I mount this thing to my weird, simplistic, trackless porch frame? I don't care if the screen isn't generally able to be opened (apart from repair/cleaning of course). If I mount it into that inner area just outside of the red window (which seems best? It's a tad over 3/4" deep), I don't have any room for a bottom loop latch. Kinda seems like I need a "hacky" solution, which is probably fine, as long as it doesn't look terrible.


texts: Do I need a wood hardener for worn door hinge screw holes?

texts:
My house had a door removed by previous owners. The recesses in the jambs for hinges and catch were filled in with pieces of board (I don't know exactly what, but not solid timber), and painted over.

I've hung a door there, removing the filled parts and placing hinges in the original locations. After a few months the door has sagged, and I cannot tighten the screws in the top hinge - they just turn in place.

I was advised at my local home/hardware store that to fix this, I should spray some wood hardener into the screw holes, then when that has dried, fill with builder's bog and re-drill.

There's a similar problem described on this site, where the answer suggested gluing toothpicks into the hole, using longer screws, or drilling larger holes, gluing dowel in and re-drilling. These options sound easier.

So (finally) my question:

Do I only need to go down the wood hardener path if the frame is rotten? And if so, how can I tell if the frame is rotten? It doesn't seem to be rotten from looking at the visible surface - can it still be rotten inside? It's an internal door, and I have no other reason to suspect rotten wood.


texts: Wood frame door and window repair. Steps by step answers please. In Ecuador

texts:
These are the wood parts that have been very badly damaged by sun and water. How can i restore them to the natural color they had. Id like step by step information please. Also i am in Ecuador so some material might not available here. Thanks

http://imgur.com/a/blNMb


texts: I ran a screw through a wire at home, should I worry?

texts:
I was trying to fix a nail on my wall and it seems that I may have ran the nail into a wire. Pulling the nail back causes the lights in my room to go dark. I pushed it back in and my room seems fine, and, I plan on getting it fixed soon.
However, should I take any precautions before the time it actually gets fixed?  The nail I was using was about 5-7 cm.


texts: How do I wire my dishwasher and disposal back to my house wiring?

texts:
I lost the diagram I had when I took this circuit apart and I am having trouble trying to get it back together.  Disposal and dishwasher, each on a separate breaker.  Have 2 hots and a neutral coming up from basement.  Disposal has switch on wall and there are another two wires headed that direction.  When I turn either of the breakers on, both of the hots set off my non contact tester which is making it difficult for me to figure out which is supposed to be which.  No outlet involved, was all direct wired.

Orange and yellow on the left are the two headed towards the switch.  Black and yellow coming towards the camera are the 2 hot wires, white I assume is a neutral.  Romex on the right is dishwasher, coming in from the top is the disposal


texts: How to mount a white board on a wall without making holes in the wall?

texts:
I'm planning on buying a big white board to put on my bedroom wall. I don't want to commit to it though, so I don't want to nail it to the wall. Does anyone know of a non permanent solution to fix the board to the wall?

EDIT: Haven't bought the board yet, so I don't know the weight. Dimensions will probably be around 72" by 40"


texts: Does a dwang/blocking qualify as "protection" for non-finished walls?

texts:
The NEC stipulates that all wire running horizontally between studs must be protected.  My understanding is that wire that runs vertically down a stud can be stapled to the center of the stud and that is classified as "protected" (could be wrong though).  If I install a dwang or blocking between my studs (horizontally) and staple a cable to the bottom center of that blocking, does that too qualify as protected?
For clarity, this is for open, non-closed walls.


texts: I have an oil filled radiant heater that is several years old. I've tried it in multiple electrical outlets and the electrical cable on it gets hot close to the end that gets plugged in. It also feels like the cable is more pliable close to where it's getting hot. Is there anything I can do about this or is it a problem? I do use the heater everyday and I don't have much money to buy a new one at the moment so I'd prefer not to throw it out.


texts: How do I remove this shower handle so I can adjust the water temp?

texts:
I am trying to adjust water temp, but I have to get the handle off first. Pix included.
I removed the hex screw; tried to pull the handle off; didn't work.  Do I just need to pull harder or am I supposed to turn it? counter clockwise is the only direction it will go, which turns on the water.
Pix:
1-handle+

2-Delta showing Delta SA below the handle on the 'backplate'

3-Pat. #3674048 - verified Delta's

4-faucet+ says just SA on underside near a set screw; thing to close the drain says PRICE PFISTER.

I found a pic with the same handle 'Delta Faucet T13290' at Amazon; the rest is different from mine.
https://www.amazon.com/Faucet-T13290-Classic-Monitor-Shower/dp/B001AECGHA


texts: Can I use the knockouts right next to my ground bar, or does it permanently block them?  I'm wondering if I am allowed to run conductors across/over the ground bar and if I can put EMT connectors in these knockout holes.


texts: What's a good way to support a freestanding chimney?

texts:
I'm working on adding a woodstove to a yurt. The chimney will go out a sidewall and then head up. There is not a good way to brace the chimney to the yurt itself.

Here are some options I've read about, but don't know how to judge:

Use a pair of 4"x4" treated posts. Bed them in the ground in concrete. This is what the yurt manufacturer recommends:

Build a wooden frame to support the chimney. Pairs of 2"x6"s joined in L-shapes as the corner. Attached to a poured concrete footing w/ 2"x6" treated "sill plates". Could be covered with sheathing & siding.
Build a masonry column to support the chimney, like this:

Put a metal pole in the ground, strap the chimney to it. Not sure what kind of pole, or size. Here are some pictures of this:

Any other suggestions?


texts: Can I use a GFI main breaker in series with individual QO AFCI breakers?

texts: I'd like to install a subpanel using a 2-pole Square D QO GFCI breaker in the main panel and then installing individual QO CAFCI breakers in the subpanel where needed for the dual protection.  It seems more cost effective than buying 12 new dual GFCI/CAFCI breakers for each circuit.  Anybody try this?


texts: I need help in connecting my underwater pool light which uses 24/3 to a switch which suppies power with a 14/3 line. supply line black wire is hot. I have the white wires pigtailed together. not certain where the incoming red wire or the red wire to the light go. As well as where the black wire to the lilght goes.


texts: Use Doorbird D202 Doorbell to open/close Hormann Promatic Garage Door

texts:
I have a Doorbird D202 Doorbell and a Hormann Promatic Garage door. I want to use the Doorbird to Open the Garage Door

This is the connection I believe we need to connect the Doorbird to in the Hormann (Image 12):

This is what it says in regard to the Hormann Manual and Figure 12 above:

Would this connect to the Doorbirds "Conventional door opener button" wiring?

Here is the wiring instructions for the Doorbird:

Here is the spec sheet for the Doorbird:
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0066/8149/3559/files/manual_d20x_en_de.pdf
and
https://www.doorbird.com/downloads/datasheet_d202bb_en.pdf

Here is the spec sheet for the Hormann Garage Door
https://www.thegaragedoorcentre.co.uk/userfiles/downloads/Hormann%20Promatic%20P%20Fitting%20Instructions.pdf


texts: How do I bleed a very old radiator and identify whether my system is steam or hot water?

texts:
All radiators are heating except one, so I'm trying to bleed it. There doesn't seem to be an obvious bleed valve (unless it's that nondescript, frozen, simple bolt on the top front corner of the left end of the radiator). I'm trying to determine whether my system is steam or hot water. I have read/viewed multiple online articles and videos, but this all seems inconclusive to me.
It's a two-pipe setup, with the apparent inlet at the top of the left end (this pipe is warm) and a valve at the bottom of the right end (this valve and pipe are cool). Pipe at top would suggest hot water (right?), but a plumber once told me my system is steam. I take statements like this with a grain of salt, however, since a contractor also once told me my boiler runs on heating oil when I know full well it's natural gas. Furthermore, the internet seems to say that a steam system's radiators will have air vents halfway up on one end of each, yet mine do not; and the valve styles are mixed (some are cylindrical while others are globe-shaped).
Since the radiator characteristics have not definitively answered this question, I also looked at my boiler. Here the apparent lack of a sight-glass and the presence of an expansion tank seem to suggest that it is — or at least was — a hot-water system. But if this truly is HW, then where are my bleed valves? And why did the plumber who once did work on the system tell me it was steam?
I think the boiler was originally oil but was converted to NG, so maybe the radiator system was converted from HW to steam? The house was built in 1920 and the boiler is old as the hills. Any help untangling this mystery is very much appreciated.

EDIT TO ADD: Here are a few close-ups.

More pictures, January 23:


texts: Proper way to protect cables above surface-mounted electrical panel

texts:
What are the Code requirements for protecting wires going into the top of a surface mounted electrical panel?  Do the wires need to be in a conduit from the top of the panel into the ceiling above?  If not, do the wires need to be secured to the wall behind the panel with staples or some other support?  If so, at what length does securing the wires become necessary?

I installed a new surface-mounted electrical panel in my garage, and my inspector failed me for not having protected the wires going into the top of the panel.  The wires exit the top of the panel and into a 6" hole in the ceiling, which is about 16" above the top of the panel. The wires are secured at the top of the cabinet, but are otherwise not secured anywhere along the path to the hole in the ceiling.  All other installation details were deemed acceptable (height, access, keep-out requirements, etc.).  How should I adequately protect these wires?  The inspector suggested I could simply run 2x4s alongside the panel, but this seems kind of a wonky suggestion.

Not sure this is relevant, but this new panel is in a new location from the previous panel.  The previous panel was converted into a subpanel, and all its existing circuits were left in place (which incidentally have their wires running out of the top of the panel as well - equally "unprotected").  Only two additional new circuits run out of the top of my new panel.


texts: Where should the ground wire connect in a new sub-panel?

texts:
I have an old style service panel - the ground wire (from a rod in the ground) and the neutral wire (leading in from the pole) are both bonded to the box.  I want to install a sub-panel where I will be using a 120v and a 240v circuit.  I am planning on running a 10/3 line with a ground wire to the sub-panel from the service panel.

I will be attaching the neutral wire to the neutral bar which is not bonded to the box and will be sinking an additional ground rod then attaching the ground wire to a ground bar which is bonded to the box.  Where should I place the ground wire coming from the service panel, to the neutral bar or to the "new" ground bar?

Here's a shot of the subpanel (work in progress). 20 amp breaker on the left powers the A/C, 30 amp breaker on the right to power sauna and light.  Main lines from service panel not installed yet. #6 ground wire connects to newly installed ground rod below the subpanel.


texts:
I plan on installing three LED security lights to my home. I would like to have them turn on and off with a photocell. I am going to have a switch and then install the lights in parallel. I am not sure how to add the photocell.

I have also read that some photocell act like dimmers and I know that won't work with an LED. Is there a way to know if the photocell is a switch or a dimmer?


texts: replacing 20 amp breaker which is the test breaker

texts: I need to replace the 20 amp circuit breaker on my cutler hammer 200 amp breaker box. this happens to be the TEST breaker. what is the difference in the test breaker and a any other breaker  if I purchase one?


texts: Underground downspout extensions - Are pop up emitters needed?

texts:
To move rainwater further away from a foundation than the standard 2~3 foot above-ground downspout extensions, what are the underground options?

Example of standard downspout extension:

(Photo from carlsonexteriors.com)

When searching online, I see many examples of a downspout connecting to several yards/meters of flexible underground pipe which then raises to a "pop-up drain emitter". They open to allow water out, and close when the inside pressure drops, blocking water from entering from above.

Example of a pop-up drain emitter:

(Photo from kisseutopia.club)

Are these pop-up emitters necessary? Couldn't the underground pipe just have an open end with a grate?

I find the pop up emitters to be rather unsightly, especially next to a public sidewalk (which would be the maximum distance away from the foundation).


texts: Schlage single cylinder lockset won't release from the door

texts: I have a nosy homeowners association that enters anytime they want....my privacy is not respected. I have purchased an identical Schlage set, have removed all the screws I can, but the covers don't drop off. Any suggestions for removal without damaging the wooden door?


texts: How do I fit a drain gully when the drain pipe is very close to the surface?

texts:
I wish to lower some paving round my house, as it is too close to the DPC (damp-proof course).   However the drain pipe will not be very far under the new level of the new paving.   Therefore how can I fit a drain gully when the outlet pipe is only a few inches below the top of the gully?

(All the gullies I have seen has the pipe outlet near their bottoms, rather than near their tops.)

This is what I mean by a drain gully.

The is the problem.

The problem I have is that the current level of the drain pipe (in the ground) is about the same as the level I need the top of the Gully hopper to be.


texts: Appropriate level of protection for mortar at 0-4 degrees?

texts:
Its well known that mortar needs a temperature above about 4-5 degrees C to set properly.

Various websites state that protection, covering, or other tricks may be used for lower temperatures, but they are very nonspecific - none of them seem to have a table that says "at X temperature, these precautions are sufficient". I need a more specific answer, on the lines of "this will be good enough to ensure the mortar sets properly".

I'm laying a small amount of structural masonry. The masonry is 2 courses of dense concrete block on foundations (the foundations have already cured), and is outdoors. The mortar is 1:3 sulphate resisting cement to sharp sand, with 1:10 of sika-1 waterproofer in the water (there's an adjacent overflowing drain, I can't fix it so I'm doing what I can to keep it from permeating!).

Eventually the blocks will support a 1 storey external wall of a building, but that part will be done by bricklayers. I need to get some of the base blocks in early     to let me put a neighbour's fence back though :)

Here's a picture to give an idea:

I don't plan to use any other accelerants or additives, as they probably don't solve the basic problem and may provide false comfort, or not react well with the waterproofer. I'd rather rely on protection/warming only.

I have polythene sheet (DPM), hessian, and towels laying around. I also have some 3kW warm air blowers if needed, although that would mean setting up an enclosed shelter safe for electrical appliances around the block work, and a risk of over warming/drying, so I'd really prefer to avoid that.

Given temps around 0- 3 degrees (but not likely to be lower, maybe at worst -1 or -2 at night if very cold later on), what level of protection is appropriate to be sure the mortar sets nicely, and for how long should I use it?


texts: homax wall texture spray can won't work second time

texts:
I'm on my third can of spray texture, this time from Homax.  Each works the first time, I clear the nozzle before I store.... then nothing.
Are these one time use products? Or can I use them again for wall repairs (i.e., nail hole in the wall, etc.)

How do I clear the can? Now I have three different brands, all used once, and none working now.


texts: How can I prevent paint from a mission tile decorative roof from creating streaks on my home's stucco siding?

texts:
The front of my house has a small decorative Mission tile decorative roof. Three years ago, the tile was painted over and the house was re-stuccoed. There was a bit of running from the paint in the first two years after the work was done but last winter it started really running.
I don't know the kind of paint that was applied though I could possibly find out from the builders who did the work. I have found that it eventually does come off the white, unpainted stucco with oxygen bleach and light scrubbing.
Eventually I'd like to replace the tile but can't do that immediately. Is there something I can do to prevent the streaking? For example, is there a type of sealer or coating I could apply to the painted tile?


texts:
I'm trying to remove my cupboard drawers and my own efforts have failed, as have my Google searches.  Here are images of what the rail looks like:

The black plastic part has an arrow pointing towards the right (towards the back of the drawer).  I've tried everything I can think of to get the plastic to move, but it doesn't budge.  Note that I've tried prying on the plastic, but not super forcefully.

I've also tried other tactics, such as looking for levers, catches that can be pulled, screws that can be removed, etc.


texts:
I'm trying to fit an old cast iron fireplace in my Victorian house. So far, I have replaced the builder's arch with a concrete lintel (the floor level is apparently a few inches higher now than when the house was built, so I needed a few extra inches for the insert. I've also removed all rubble inside the chimney breast, including the original but now cracked quarry tiles that formed the base, so the back hearth is now down to bare (and slightly damp) earth.

See the attached pictures.

The front (constructional) hearth is 2-3 cm below the level of the floorboards. The back hearth is approximately 8 cm below floor level.

I'm planning to fit a 30mm thick slate slab on top of the constructional hearth, extending slightly onto the floorboards on either side. Then I'll need to raise the level of the back hearth to sit flush with the slate. So probably 10cm in all at the back.

Here's where I'm stuck. There's a 2cm gap all around between the constructional hearth and the floorboards (which had been filled with a quite crumbly mortar), plus a large chunk missing on the right side. Given these gaps, what's going to be the best way to raise the constructional hearth by the required 2-3 cm to reach the floorboards?

For the back hearth, should I use concrete (4:2:1) or just sharp sand and cement (4:1) to raise the level to sit flush with the slate? This surface will need to be strong enough for the fireback and some of the cast iron insert to sit on, and I'd like it to be smooth enough to brush ash from. Will this be able to withstand the heat from the fire grate burning logs and perhaps coal just above it?

Thanks for any advice you can offer on this one.

Cheers,

Matt


texts: How should I troubleshoot a refrigerator that is not cooling?

texts:
I am having an issue with an 3 month old Frigidaire refrigerator. Suddenly today, I noticed it was not cooling, there were no circuit breakers flipped and the unit was still running but just not blowing cold air.

The coils are clean the condenser is not super hot. The fan that circulates the air and the fan for the coils are both running. I believe the compressor is also running because it is warm to the touch.

One thing I can notice is that the coils are not really hot, and the copper wire coming out of the compressor is not cold (it is cool though).

My first thought was, is it stuck on defrost? But since the fans are running I don't think so. Then I thought maybe something is wrong with the overload or start capacitor, but since it appears that the compressor is running (since it is getting warm), I'm not sure if that logic is sound though.

Just a note I do not have a volt meter so I cannot test if the start or overload relay are working.

Thoughts on troubleshooting or should I just call a repair man?


texts:
I'm wiring the new workshop and want to use 3 way switches to control four outlets running across the ceiling for plug in lights.  Right now, each switch is functioning like a single pole, turning on/off the string of outlets rather than controlling the outlets as intended. Power comes into the first 3-way; Red traveler is continuous from first to second switch; black traveler runs from first switch, ties into each outlet, and ends at second switch common; white neutral comes from power and ties into each outlet; white wire is used as hot wire from last outlet to second switch.

Where did I make the mistake?  Thanks for the help.


texts: I have an older Trane XL1200 gas pack furnace/AC. I just tried to turn on the furnace and nothing happened. Looking at the control board the led code told me it was a pressure switch problem. The inducer fan was not turning (rusted stuck). I replaced the inducer fan and now the furnace will go through the start-up sequence (check  high limit switch, check flame rollout switch, turn on inducer fan, check pressure switch, turn on spark igniter, send voltage to gas valve) but it fails to light and goes into system lockout (no flame). I checked the voltage to the gas valve and it was 60V AC while the igniter was firing! The gas valve would click but the furnace would not fire. It should be 24V AC. To check the gas valve I disconnected the wiring from the valve and I connected 24V AC to it and it would click but I could not hear gas flowing or smell any gas. Do you think the gas valve is bad or the control board since it is supplying 60V AC to the valve?


texts:
Many questions here ask about how to fix a toilet that continues to run.

How do you PREVENT a running toilet from happening? Alternately, do mechanisms exist that stop it from running for more than some maximum time or volume, as a fallback?


texts: Spalling is occurring on the corner of the top of the first story. I'm curious as to how serious this is.


texts:
I need to replace some bent (30 year old) hinges on our kitchen cabinets, but I don’t know what to search for. I have looked in the big box stores and haven’t seen any that resemble the kind I need. I’m hoping that I can order some online, I just don’t know what search terms to use.
To be clear, I'm not asking for a particular brand recommendation, I'm asking for the type or style of hinge.


texts: Joining two pieces of curtain pole together

texts:
I bought this wooden curtain pole at Argos, the pole comes in two parts to be joined together using a joining screw. I sawed one of the parts at the wrong extremity (the one with the hole for the joining screw) and then I made a hole that was too large at the other extremity.

Is there a simple way to join these 2 poles together, perhaps using some metal piece or something?


texts: How can I wire a bathroom light switch which has an outlet, exhaust fan, and vanity light all from same junction box?

texts: Trying to wire the bathroom light switch, but vanity light will not come back on. There are two wires, black and red, plus a ground wire that wasn't hooked to anything originally just touching the side of the box. The black and red wires were stuck straight into the back of the switch that went out, not wrapped around the screws on the side. I am at a loss as to what to do. The red line has been dead until just recently when I got a second new switch to hook everything up to. The red wire is now currently hot after not having been so during my previous attempts.


texts: Please forgive the question if it has been asked before. I'm attempting to build 4 mason jar chandeliers for my daughter's wedding. Each chandelier will have 17 jars with bulbs. My question is what size wire should I use to wire the chandelier? Most evidence I've found says 18 gauge but I will be using an eleven watt bulb. Will the lower wattage bulb make a difference in the wire?


texts: Where do I need to drain the footing drain when I waterproof a basement from outside

texts:
I am planning to waterproof a basement. (please see the attached picture). I would like to know if the component labeled collector on my attached picture is needed. Since my lot is virtually flat I am wondering if I have to slope the yellow pipe and how much would I need to do it since that dictates how much deeper I have to dig
This is a finished basement and I don't think that I am getting a lot of water. I can smell something wet but it is on and off and only in specific areas. The wall has a crack under the right side basement window. I just wonder if I need to seal the crack and if I can just waterproof that area under the window and no French Drain at all or I do have to go for the entire wall.

The corner that is next to this window has some exterior efflorescence above the grade which I am told it is a sign of underground wall humidity. There is also a patio that seems to be level instead of being graded. This may be the cause for that increased humidity and for the water that collects in the left corned of the patio near the basement window that has the crack.
I was thinking that a surface French Drain might eliminate to problem but I suspect that the patio is in fact permeable to water and the clay soil might in fact be the one that drives the water to that corner
What would you recommend in this case? It has to be a DIY solution, we just bought the house and we can't afford to spend lots of money (tens of K) to fix this

For more pictures please see my other questions related to this topic posted in this forum


texts: Why does hot air vent outside when heater isn't on? I understand it venting hot air out when heater is on but I don't know why it vents air when heater isn't on.


texts:
I have a heat pump system with 5 wires on the thermostat where the yellow and white are tied together (and this system has been working fine for 2+ years).  Couple questions about this setup:

1)  Why are the white and yellow wires tied together?

2)  I'm trying to hook up a Nest (3rd gen).  Its terminals only take 1 wire. Support wasn't much help and told me that my current setup is wrong and the white/yellow wires should not be tied.  How do I switch to the Nest setup properly?

picture of old setup (which is working fine):

Thank you in advance for any help!


texts: Can I eliminate 1 switch from a 3-4-4-4-3 way configuration?

texts:
The 2 story foyer  light is controlled by 5 switches.  1 is a dimmer at bottom of stairs.   1 at top of stairs. And 1 switch at each of 3 doors entering lower foyer.
We want to hang a large mirror on one wall.  This would hang over top of a single gang switch.
The pictures below show the switch from the left and right side view.
I want to eliminate this switch and put a blank cover over it.

Is it a simple matter to do this?


texts: How can I secure an outwardly opening front door without damaging anything?

texts:
This is a rented house in Japan (single room).

It has an outwardly opening front door. The resident (a single woman) has fear of intruder breaking in. Also, damaging/modifying the door or the wall is not welcomed and makes thing complicated.

How can she reinforce her front door in this situation?

I recently heard her story and found this video SWATLOC-Introduction, it looks good, but I can't find actual buying information for the product.


texts:
I have started drilling holes in order to fish wire down from my attic to the garage.  Unfortunately this house doesn't allow me to have easy routes.  Where I currently have the hole through the floor is an ideal location but this comes out the ceiling relatively close to the Garage arm.

I basically need to know if this is ok or if I must find another location.  I plan on running all of this through conduit in the garage since its finished but I wasn't sure if there was a rule regarding how close conduit can be to other objects.


texts: How to install wood board & batten shutters on wood siding?

texts: Do I leave a gap between shutter and window trim? I know I predrill the holes, but not sure if it should be in the batten or each vertical board.


texts:
I am attempting to build a charging station for all of our electronics. I would like to set it up so for each device there is a light switch and an outlet for its power adapter.

If it is switched one way, it is straight power like it's plugged into the wall. If it is switched the other way, it will go into a timing circuit where it will only get power for 2 hours a day (to maintain charge when not in use).

I would I have a 'timed hot' (T.H.) and an 'always hot' (A.H.) supply line entering the circuit but I    am not sure where to go from here as far as the rest of the wiring.

Is this possible and if so, how?
Thank you so much!


texts: How to insulate slab that's been extended?

texts:
I bought a house built on a concrete slab on grade. It's an older house, so no part of the slab was insulated. At some point in the past, previous owners decided to pour concrete around the entire perimeter of the house, effectively increasing the size of the foundation slab so that it protrudes two or three feet out beyond the walls (this appears to have been done at least partially for termite control).

My problem concerns how to insulate the exterior of the slab. Obviously I would have to dig to expose the slab edge that I could insulate, but would this even be possible given that the slab has effectively been extended outwards? Even if I insulated the perimeter of the extended slab with foam boards or a 12" perlite-filled trench or something, the top of it (that you can walk around the house on) will still be exposed to the exterior temperature.

Should I just cover the exposed slab surface on the floor with polyiso (R-7) foam insulation boards instead? The final floor coverings will be mostly wood, with some tile and carpet.

The walls are already insulated to about R-10 or so.


texts:
What's the purpose of a bathroom fan with no outside venting? One of my bathrooms is set up this way. I'm about to redo the ceiling, and I'd like to replace the fan unit with something better looking, but confused why a fan would not vent to the outside?

Is it ok to replace with another no-vent unit? Should I look into other solutions?


texts:
I am planning to install ceramic tiles with a "Warmup" heating element beneath them. My first step is to install 1/4" insulation boards on the concrete floor using non-modified thin-set. The floor previously was covered with "peel and stick" tiles that were installed in the late 70s. When I removed the tiles, the glue residue is still evident (the cement floor is tacky when you walk on it). My questions are:
- must I remove the remaining adhesive from the floor. If so, how do I best do this?
- Is there a type of thin-set that will work well without removing the adhesive?


texts: What's this plastic thing along my sidewalk pavers?

texts: I just moved into a new house and am unable to close my gate because there is something nailed to the ground at the threshold that is sticking up too high for the gate the close. Any idea what this thing is? I'm trying to decide if I just remove it to allow the gate to close or if I need to keep it there and bury it a little deeper.


texts: we just moved into a house that has several Lennox air handlers.  one of them just stopped working.  the thermostat is on but no heat.  i checked the circuit breaker and it's fine.  the contacts on the wires within the air handler seem to be tight.  what else should i be looking for?