texts: Attaching Christmas lights to peak of roof

texts:
I'm trying to attach some christmas lights to the peaked section if this roof. The flat part is easy with gutter clips but I'm really struggling with the peak because I don't have access any higher than the flat section of roof, so I need to do it using a pole or something.

Any ideas gratefully received


texts: Installing 'TruStone' veneer, directly on painted drywall?

texts:
I stumbled onto a deal on TruStone SplitFace veneer (looks like stacked stones, glued together), and was hopeful to install them in the front entrance no higher than 5ft high. The surface is just regular drywall, painted in builder's beige!

I couldn't find any info on TruStone's website for recommended install method. These stones are rather heavy, I worry that the paper wouldn't cut it.

I can't find a definitive answer on "modified thinset only" vs. "wire lath w/scratch is enough" vs. the more pedantic "breather type sheathing membrane, plus wire lath plus scratch then using a Type S or Type N mortar" (e.g., http://www.canadianstone.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Natural-Stone-Installation-Guide_10-19-15_web.pdf)

I'm in Canada if that makes a difference.


texts: frigidaire freezer ffu14f5hwf not freezing

texts: Hello was hoping to get some help. My 4 year old freezer only gets down to 20 degrees. So ice and ice pops will not freeze. I changed the defrost thermostat . It was a used unit and when I opened the back I noticed the fan would not stop running and also the defrost thermostat was not connected to anything but itself. So whoever tried to repair it obviously didnt know what they where doing. Now with new thermostat installed I noticed the fan shuts off but temperature gets up to 30 degrees.


texts: Can't get furnace to run in FAN ONLY mode

texts:
I can't figure out why my furnace is not working in FAN ONLY mode. It works fine when calling for heat, but when Fan is set to ON and there is no call for heat (or heat is turned off) the fan does not respond.
The T-stat is a Honeywell Vision Pro 8000. It is set to Heat+Fan mode and wired according to the manual with R, W, and G wires (see photos). The furnace is a Goodman gas furnace. I can't find the exact model number but the attached photo shows a sticker inside the coverplate that lists a few model numbers (it must be one of those). It was installed in 2008 so I assume it's capable of running the fan only. Also attached is a photo of the T-stat wires connected to the R W and G contacts of the furnace control board. I have also verified there is continuity of the G wire at each end.
Any help is much appreciated!


texts: Help with Kanto mount, 55" tv, and 24" between studs

texts:
I want to mount my 55" tv (39.2 lbs) on a Kanto mount (https://web.archive.org/web/20170317095158/http://www.kantoliving.com/product/pdx680/) but the studs are spaced 24" apart. I've been doing some reading and from what I've gathered I'd have to use a 3/4" plywood to reinforce the gap and tv. Any suggestions on what I need?

Correction, the wall mount is the Kanto PDX650 (https://web.archive.org/web/20170418215212/http://kantoliving.com:80/product/pdx650 which is made for studs with 16") spacing not the PDX680. Sorry.


texts: Can a drywall ceiling support hanging a 20kg chandelier

texts: I want to know if a drywall ceiling support hanging a 20kg chandelier


texts: Are Quick Connect Shark Bite Connectors Safe to use with a Boiler?

texts:
I have a section of piping I want to clean up, and while out to buy some supplies to practice my pipe sweating I found out about Quick Connect Shark Bite connectors. I was told they work for both residential water and boiler applications but I wanted to know of examples or things to look out for.

My boiler operates between 120 °F and 160 °F @ 12 psi to 25 psi with the high temp cutoff at 190 °F.

In the winters it's become necessary to run the heat 24/7 for about a week at a time, so softening of the plastic seal because of heat is something I am concerned with.


texts: Bought some concrete last week and the bags are much harder than I would have expect. Have they gone bad?

texts:
Never really used much concrete before, but I bought a couple bags last week from Home Depot and I'm pretty sure they must have gotten at some point and partially cured, but just looking for some confirmation. The first bag I opened up, the corners were rock hard, and then I just opened a second bag and it's much the same. I can chip away at it with a chisel, but it's hardly like in videos online where they just cut the bag open and dump it in a wheelbarrow. Anyways, took a quick video of the second bag and posted it on YouTube and then at the end grabbed one of the corners from the first bag just to show what that looked that, probably easiest just to look at that be like yep, that's bad concrete.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwlsN2SFJE0&feature=youtu.be


texts: How should I deal with an unused water line that's dripping?

texts: For some reason an old refrigerator water line that has not been used for months started leaking. How can I fix it?


texts: Pergola : Can I use 4 - 6x6 post, with 2x10 beams sandwitching 6x6 post for 17ftx17ft

texts:
Planning to use 4 - 6x6 post, with 2x10 beams sandwitching 6x6 post for 17ftx17ft.

Using 2x6 rafter with 2x2 slats.

Has anyone created 17x17 pergola with 4 posts - any input and suggestion to achieve this is appreciated.


texts: Replace light switch with no ground wire in box

texts: I just bought a GE Z-Wave dimmer and the I went to install it I noticed that the previous switch did not have a ground wire attached to it. The new switch says that it requires a ground switch (and obviously I want to install the switch safely). Is there anything I can do to properly ground it?


texts: How many screws are used to mount a custom panel on Bosch 800 plus dishwashers?

texts: ... I only see 4 holes - two at the top, two near the middle (vertically). Is that it or are there additional locations?


texts:
Just moved into the new place and am trying to figure out how to open this window. It has the pole (second picture) nearby. No amount of searching leads to the right type of window? Any ideas? Do I need a different pole?

(Edit: here's a closeup of both sides of the pole: http://imgur.com/a/81bvq)


texts: have power at outlets and lights, with only hot connected from panel..,, whats going on?

texts:
I was replacing only the supply wiring running from Electrical box to a existing circuit in my kitchen, which starts at an wall outlet and branches to lights and other outlets.

I first connected the hot wire, with ground and neutral still not connected.. and just for testing purposes, I turned on power, and to my surprise, the lights turned on, and outlets have power, I cannot see why they should be on since I still have not even connected the neutral and the ground wire from the Electrical box to the circuit.. so I am confused as to what where there must be some kind of ground? or a short between ground and neutral?

So basically my kitchen has power at lights and outlets, but with only the black hot wire connected to the branch from the Electrical box. It has metal conduit/boxes.

Any help is appreciated.


texts: Hiw do I get the dome off of ceiling fan?

texts: How do I get this dome off to change the light bulbs? I've tried pulling the brackets, but nothing budges. The dome doesn't screw on/off either. Any help would be greatly appreciated!


texts: Why does my AC unit make the floor in the next room cold?

texts:
I live in a mobile home and when my central AC unit is running, the floor in the next room beside the unit, is very cold.

Any ideas why this is happening?


texts: Attractive way to hide screw heads in 8mm oak

texts:
I need to attach some oak trim (8mm x 60mm) to a recess in a plasterboard wall. The trim will affix to the metal c-stud on the verticals, and to wood noggins on the horizontal.

Since I'm fixing straight to the stud, I'll need to screw rather than glue & pin.

I'm trying to decide what to do about the screw holes. Ideas so far:

Countersink and plug with oak dowel (not ideal as the stock is only 8mm thick, so not much room to plug)
Countersink and use filler
Use some "attractive" screws (don't really want to use brass as the rest of the fixings will be brushed steel or chrome)

None of these seem like great options. Wondered if anyone had any better ideas!


texts: I am renting an old apartment that definitely wasn't wired by a professional. The other day the two light in my livingroom went out. My boyfriend is a industrial electrician, and he seems to be stumped. The switch appeared to be a 3 way, I can find 2 other switches that have the same wiring, but they have never worked. When we finally got around to exploring the junction box(where on of the lights is located) it turned into a mess. The current set up keeps the light on, but there is no power to the switch. Please help!


texts: Kitchen sink stopped up and draining into diswasher

texts: double sided kitchen sink, with disposal, stopped draining. We tried a plunger, but during the process we noticed our floor was flooded with water coming from the dishwasher which is in the island.  Used 25ft snake, found nothing. Over the last few days we have 3X used very high powered drain opening products, no success!  When we run water into the sink (either side) it drains into the dishwasher.  The dishwaher is not connected to the sink or disposal.  There is an air gap on the water drain pipe of the diswasher, which may have been installed when we put in the island 20+ yrs ago.  Please help.


texts:
Will you help me connect the remaining wires together so that the switches work correctly?

You can add extra wire if needed.

The important thing is to keep the switches the way they are.

In this situation, the white is acting as the hot and providing power to both switches via the pigtail.

Where does ceiling fan get neutral and ground?

The goal is for switch 1 to control the light fixture, and switch 2 to control the ceiling fan.

[


texts: Why are cabinets / shelves not built into more walls?

texts:
I'm planning to build in-wall shelving and cabinetry into some of my walls. I understand how to do that from videos I've seen.
After seeing how much more space they add and how useful they are, I am left wondering: why do more walls not have built-in cabinetry and shelving?
Is there some kind of structural reason for not doing this?


texts: Electrical - 50 amp abandoned wiring from hot tub connected to breaker (outside)

texts: I have 50 amp wiring sticking up in the deck from a hot tub that was removed.  The breaker is outside that it is connected to, how do I remove or terminate with a box and cover?


texts: Tile over Luan which is glued to a cement floor

texts:
Can tile be laid over luan that is glued to a cement floor?  WE are updating a second kitchen and bath.  pulled up the origianl vinyl sheet lino.  Luan is in excellent condition and glued tightly to the cement floor.

Can we time right over this.  We think it may be a nightmare to scrape all of the luan and glue off of the cement floor.  Will the luan react to the tile mud over time even if we use a good product like superflex?  I keep getting mixed answers on which way to go w/this.


texts: How to put up a very small barrier on concrete to stop water running past it

texts:
I have a concrete driveway that leads to the garage, with a very slight slope towards the garage.

When it really rains hard, the water comes down into the garage.

I don't want a very high barrier, just about an inch I guess would do.

What is the best way to do this please?

I will explore both good answers but cannot rebuild the driveway whilst I do have an appreciation for water and what it can do. This little wall will actually divert water from the garage wall to a channel that runs away from the property.


texts: Will 300W lights be too much for a 200W timer box?

texts: I have six 50 watt Hampton Bay outdoor flood lights hooked up to a 200W Hampton Bay controller. The lights total 300W. The lights work as of now, but do I need to be concerned about any part of the system failing? Is the controller in jeopardy of having any dangerous meltdowns or will the lights just run a little dimmer?


texts: How do I convert a LED PIR Light to a switched only light

texts:
I have a 10w LED PIR light with a faulty sensor. The light works fine on its own but only stays on for a few minutes when switched off and then back on again.
How do I convert this light to a switched on and off light only and do away with the faulty sensor?
There are 4 wires (2 brown and 2 black) coming from the PIR that are attached to the circuit board. Can send in a photo of the circuit board if that would help.
Thanks for any help.


texts: Total Possible Amperage of Sub-Breaker Box

texts:
I've been trying to find more information on how cheaters work but could never come to a definite decision on how many total amps they might pull.

Basically my question comes down to this:

In the image above, the sub unit is supplied with a max of 125 Amps. Does the two pole 20 Amp "cheater" supply a maximum of 20 Amps or 40 Amps?

a) If it supplies a maximum of 40 amps, then wouldn't that mean the total possible Amperage that it could try to pull would be 130 Amps, and thus could try to overdraw power, and would pop the main breaker?
b) If it supplies a maximum of 20 amps, could I safely swap out one of the 15 amp breakers for a 20 amp breaker, provided the cables used are 12 Gauge?


texts: Is it a problem if several load bearing studs aren't plumb?

texts:
To make a long story short, please check the picture that I took. There are 2 vertical load bearing studs are not parallel.  The contractor moved one of the studs to the left at the bottom.

Is that OK to be like that?  Or it will be a potential problem in the future?
Thanks in advance!


texts: What is the best type of paint to paint a shipping container?

texts: Looked for a better stack exchange forum to post this on but did not find one. Looking at buying a used shipping container. The guy who is delivering will paint it but he uses latex. I'm wondering what type of paint is best on a shipping container, and if you can paint that directly over the shipping container, or if you need to prime the entire thing first.


texts:
I have a few 8-9m lengths of 200x100 rectangular hollow section (5mm) and 150x150 equal angle (10mm) sitting outside. These are to be used to maintain the strength of a brick wall which is having openings cut in it. (The steel has been specified by an engineer and the engineer's design has been signed off by the local authority.)

I'd like to explore cutting this steel to length myself. I have a 100mm angle grinder and 80mm cut-off tool, both air powered, and a suitable compressor. I suspect both of these may be undersized for the steel I am working with.

I am willing to obtain tools and learn skills in order to do this, if it's reasonably practical.

What's the best way to cut 5mm and 10mm steel safely and in a reasonable period of time? Although the steel is currently sitting outside I am able to run an air line or electrical power to it easily.


texts: Possible wiring configurations for isolated dishwasher location (satisfying 2014 NEC)

texts:
The key wiring requirements in the 2014 NEC seem to assume dishwasher placement in a cabinet space adjacent to the kitchen sink. For example, the placement of the GFCI receptacle, for use with a cord-and-plug dishwasher installation, cannot be directly behind the dishwasher but must be in the adjacent cabinet 'bay'.

So my question is: what wiring/installation configurations are possible for a dishwasher location that does not have any adjacent cabinet spaces. In my case, the oven/range in on one side and the cabinets/counter terminate on the other side.
Sketch of isolated dishwasher bay:

I'm trying to satisfy 2014 NEC, specifically:

GFCI protection (readily accessible)
Disconnect (cord-and-plug or switched for hardwired installs)

Some things I've considered but have not come to any conclusion on:
 - I'm wondering of a switch (disconnect for a hardwired dishwasher install) would be kosher underneath the countertop overhang, but outside of any cabinetry enclosure. If not, perhaps in the back of the upper cabinetry?
 - Also, are there any aesthetically good wiring options that comply with 2014 NEC that would allow cord-and-plug installation with a GFCI outlet? I am not interested in passing the cord-and-plug through a hole in the dishwasher bay and into the visible kitchen space. And I can't think of an acceptable way to do more of the wiring in the basement floor joists, below the dishwasher.


texts: Can I run the cord for plugged ceiling lights through the attic?

texts: I purchased 2 hanging lights from Ikea and they are wired with plugs. I was wondering if I could run the cords with the plugs through the attic and down the wall to the plug. Will the wire get to hot in the summer and cause a fire?


texts: There was an old junction box in our family room with a metal cover over it. It looks like there was probably a wall sconce there at one point and I thought I’d install a new one. However, the wires inside are really confusing and I’m not sure how to proceed. There are two white wires capped together, two black wires and a white wire covered in black sharpie capped together, and a single black wire with black tape on it capped by itself. I am guessing this is some sort of 3 way switch wiring, but I’m not sure what to connect with the wires on the light fixture. Any ideas? See my picture for reference. Thank you


texts: Gas Range requires 120V 15A yet comes with a Nema 14-50 Plug

texts:
I have a new stove (gas range) that comes with a Nema 14-50 plug.  This range should only be using electricity for the igniters and clock. The manual requires:

  A 120 volt, 60 Hz., AC only, 15-amp fused, electrical circuit is required.

Question 1. It is my understanding a 14-50R should provide 240V at 50A.  Please explain why the stove would only call out 120V.

Question 2. Before I run an 8ga drop to a 50A breaker, is there a simpler way to solve this problem using an existing 120V 15A outlet?

Edited for anyone else that runs across this:
The above quote was from the Sears manual.  The Kitchen Aid manual states:

  This range is manufactured with the neutral terminal connected to the cabinet. Use a 3-wire, UL listed, 40- or 50-amp power supply cord (pigtail) (see the following Range Rating chart). If local codes do not permit ground through the neutral, use a 4-wire power supply cord rated at 250 volts, 40 or 50 amps and investigated for use with ranges.

Further investigation of the stove yields electrical and gas heating components.  This looks like a combination gas range that will end up requiring Nema 14-50.

** A caution from Harper below, "Also it is extremely wrong and dangerous to bond neutral to chassis/cabinet. There's an exception in Code which allows it for older homes with the obsolete NEMA 10 receptacles prewired, but it should not be used with NEMA 14 connections. Neutral and ground must be kept separate everywhere, except one specific place in the main panel."


texts: How should a replacement outlet be wired?

texts:
I have a non-GFI 15A kitchen electrical outlet that stopped working and I went to replace it, ground white and black where it should be, but dead.

I tested black wire and it reads 120. Is it possible it is daisy chained and needs to have both white and black attached on hot side separately?

I could have sworn, when I took old one out, each wire was connected to their respective side.

Please advise, thank you.


texts: Exhaust fan blower wheel is attached to the shaft of a 1/100 hp induction motor; I can see a ring thru’ the vanes; how to remove? How do I remove a blower wheel from a shaft that uses a slip ring?


texts: Weslock Double Locking Deadbolt Impossible to Remove from Door:

texts:
I have an old Weslock double-locking deadbolt which is dying a slow death.

After removing the outer mechanism, I attempted to remove the inner mechanism simply by tugging.

But I've pulled on it so hard that I'm afraid it's going to damage the door before it comes out.  What can I do to remove it?

Also: I cannot remove the plate on the side of the door either; I could just break it off but I am afraid I won't be able to remove the inner mechanism afterwards and will have destroyed the lock in the process, leaving the house unprotected.


texts: Can I remove the pump in my dishwasher to clean it?

texts: My GE GDWF400VWW is making a noise  like something stuck in the pump. Can I remove the pump and clean it out? Do you have a video that would help me visualise?


texts: Need suggestions about installing nest hello doorbell with no existing wires

texts:
I bought a nest hello doorbell and then just realized my existing doorbell is wireless... And also an interesting thing is inside the house, in addition to those wireless chimes plugged on outlet, there is also one relative "old-style" chime on the wall, but it is not functioning (at least when I ring existing doorbell only the wireless chime rings), I opened the cover and I do see wires coming in/out(attached pic), but no where I can find where they are going to...
I am looking for some ideas as to what is the best way to install the nest doorbell, couple of options I can think of:
option 1: drill a whole in door frame and wire the doorbell with a 24v transformer in house, I bought a 24v transfer earlier for different purpose but ended not using it.
option 2: figure out if I can leverage the existing chime box and wire power to the nest doorbell from there?
option 3: there is a security camera outside above the front door that is not working (I think), I am installing a wireless security camera anyway so I don't need it, so I am thinking to wire it to the doorbell to provide the power if it uses 24v AC.
Any suggestions are much appreciated!


texts: What could be causing my three way switch to malfunction?

texts:
Ok we recently moved in. There is a problem with our kitchen three way switch. I have not opened the box yet, but feel comfortable doing so, and working with a volt meter and what not.

Here is the problem. The switch that turns off the light HAS to turn it back on. Once on, either switch can now become the switch that turns off the light. That results in both toggles being down when the light is on, and of course the side that turns the light off winds up with its toggle UP.

I've put in a three way switch in the past. So I am familiar with the common terminal and the traveler terminals.

Before I attacked this, I wanted to see what you folks think.


texts: How to make layout batter boards for shed level without rotary laser?

texts:
I am trying to build a shed on a bit of a slope in my backyard. From what I understand, the best way to lay out the outline of the shed is with batter boards. I attempted to use a water level today with a 50' clear vinyl hose and food colored water.

I established a batter board at the highest corner approximately six inches off the ground and attempted to use the water level to gauge the proper height of the remaining batter boards. I also attempted to level (with a spirt level) each board when screwing them into the stakes at the height I determined with the water level. When I ran the strings to establish the corners, the outline was square but it was clearly not level. I used a line level in the center of each line to confirm they were not level.

Where did I go wrong in this process? Does it really matter if it is level as long as it is square and the proper dimensions? I plan on digging out the highest corner to match the grade of the lowest corner to make the shed level. Any general advice would be much appreciated as this is quite frustrating.

Picture of my attempt:


texts:
I have a kitchen faucet with a single handle separately on the side.
The sprayer flows fine but the faucet flows only at about 60% of the sprayer rate. I removed the airator but no change to the flow.
The faucet did flow a lot more before I installed a pressure reducer on the water main. Understandably that would lower the flow some but it lowered the flow much more at this faucet than others. Others seem to be flowing at full cross sectional area of the pipe. The
is one looks like 75%.
Any ideas what it could be causing this?
I had to replace the valves on my fridge water dispensor. Looked like the seals had been compressed by the high water pressure I had before. Could a similar thing be the cause in my kitchen faucet?
The handle connects to the faucet through a line and the sprayer connection comes off on the side of that line at the faucet connection. See attached image.

Image of the faucet I have.
Update:
So I pulled the handle appart and took out the cartridge. At the bottom of the handle assembly there are 3 holes and three other holes below them. These holes don't line up though. See image. Is that the way they are supposed to be? I need to look into if those can be aligned.


texts: have been noticing condensation on my window glass each morning, but when I open my heavy curtains, the condensation will disappear.  Never had this problem with my old windows.  Thank you.


texts: How can I control my furnace blower independently from the furnace itself?

texts:
I have an outdoor wood burner with a water jacket. It has an electric blower that needs to run to get the fire going hot enough to be clean burning. I have a 200 gallon storage tank, and plan to enlarge it to 1000 gallons. I pump water out of the tank to the wood burner, then the hotter water goes to the house and through an exchanger in my furnace. Then the cooled water goes back to the tank.

Is there a thermostat that will kick just the furnace blower on at say 68 and turn it off at 71 but still let the furnace light and work normally at a lower temp like 50?


texts: What is the most suitable material to use for baseboards in bathroom

texts:
I used particle board baseboards in our bathroom a few years ago, but found, even after prepping/painting them, they have swelled up with the moisture in the bathroom (more around the bath area).
I was in the store this weekend and see they make a "plastic" baseboard, but see some challenges with cutting around round corners and painting (adhesion).
Is there a right material to use for bathrooms?


texts: Honeywell C wire on a dual transformer system

texts:
Currently I have dual transformer system
From heat >> RH & W1
From cool >> Y1, Rc, G
Honeywell provides a C wire adapter and also mentioned turning an unused wire into a C-wire. I do have an unused wire from the cool side. Mentioned in the manual is all about joining the adapter OR if there is an extra wire to furnace. My furnace wire up to the thermostat is only 2 wires.
Is it possible to use the cool transformer for the extra wire? Since I do have 2 unused wires
Thanks!


texts: Adding a new light fixture to existing circuit without destroying the walls/ceiling

texts:
This may be a stupid question, but is there any way to add a light fixture at the top of the staircase without directly wiring it to the existing light fixture at the bottom of the staircase? There are 3 way switches at the top & bottom of the staircase, with the circuit's power coming in at the junction box for the switch at the bottom of the stairs. I don't want to destroy the ceiling/walls trying to figure out where the existing wiring is routed since the switches are on opposite walls in the staircase.

I attached a rudimentary diagram.


texts: Two showers with two different water temperatures

texts:
I have 2 showers upstairs in my colonial, one in each bedroom. However the hot water temperature coming out of one is significantly lower than that of the other. I had the cartridge replaced on the one with lower temperature.

Is there anything I can do to equalize the temperatures?


texts: I have an alarm mounted at home, which I don't use (it was installed by previous owners). The annoying feature is that it turns on after every power failure (i.e. when the power comes back - its rubbish enough not to have any internal power source). How can I disable it? The only thing I know about this unit is the name 9448 written on the main panel.


texts: What is this small faucet in the kitchen?

texts:
This kitchen has an extra faucet. It is smaller than the main faucet.

It appears to bypass both the water heater and water softener. It also appears to not have any aeration (no bubbles even when turned up to full stream)

There is a symbol that looks like a water drop crossed out. Also it appears to have a reservoir because after the faucet is in use for a while (e.g. a cooking pot full) the stream gets weaker and weaker, until it sits for a few hours to fill up again

What is it for and does it have a name? Since it seems to not be softened, how do the pipes leading to it not get corroded?

Location: Chicago, IL on a private well

Here's some pictures under the sink. Actually I don't see anything that resembles a reverse osmosis filter (the red thing is a garbage disposal). But the faucet is an exact match to some GE reverse osmosis faucets, so I guess the filter itself is somewhere else. Next to the sink are a dishwasher and cabinets and there is definitely no filter in them either.


texts: How to get the state callback from a relay switch

texts:
We have made an automation module with relay connecting the mains and the raspberry pi. We are maintaining the state for the switch on our server. We have the raspberry pi connected to the device over internet which can control the switch state. The problem we are facing is that when we turn on or turn off the switch from the physical switch on the main we are not able to get the state for the switch(whether on or off).... **is there any way to get the state from the physical switch to raspberry pi over relay**.

NOTE : I am a noob in electrical.


texts: What could be causing water to back up into my bathroom basin?

texts: out of the blue, water just started pumping out of my bathroom basin drain flowing over the counter top onto the floor - nothing had been turned - this is a highrise condo I'm on the 3rd floor - maintenance says there must be a clog in my pipe that connects to the building pipe but how could that much water all of a sudden come out of my drain ? I'm thinking the building pipe is clogged.


texts: What material should I use for a table tennis (ping-pong) table top

texts:
I would like to be able to convert our outside table into a table-tennis table for me and my children. The existing table is the right height (1" lower than standard table tennis table) and about the right size , just a bit shorter and thinner than the 9ft by 5ft size of a table tennis table, It is also slatted so not usable as a table tennis table on its own without a custom top.

So I simply want to create a top, I plan to create it as two separate parts split at the net of 4.5ft by 5ft so its fairly easy to remove. But what material should I use, and do I need to paint it to get a reasonable bounce. It doesn't need to be perfect but good enough so that  it seems like playing proper table tennis.

Its going to be outside, and although I can remove it Id rather be able to leave it on so some resilience to elements would be useful.

Im based in the UK


texts:
My contractor inadvertently painted my plywood subfloor with latex wall paint instead of the Zinsser BIN shellac based primer I bought for it to seal in dog odor.

Now what do I do? Should I just wait a few days for the latex to totally dry and then paint over it with the BIN shellac sealant? Will the BIN still seal well since it will be going over paint instead of into the pores of the wood?

Or must I strip the paint before applying the Zinsser BIN?


texts: So I'm getting my dirt basement encapsulated, and the contractor is installing an interior perimeter drain and sump pit/pump. They offer either a single good quality pump, a redundant system with just another pump, and a triple redundant system with a battery backup. I have no reason to believe that I'll seriously flood the basement, since water infiltration has been due to spring thaws and some relatively minor grading issues on one side (recently corrected)... is it worth springing for the double redundancy (~$400 extra) or triple redundancy (~$400 MORE)?


texts: Is it safe to use a former furnace flue to vent my dryer through the roof?

texts:
Our dryer is located in the center of our house.  The current vent situation has tubing that makes several bends between the dryer and the crawl space before hitting metal duct that takes it about 25' across the crawl space to exhaust under our deck.  There are several elbows in this run.
We have converted from gas heat to an electric air-to-air heat pump in recent years and have closed up exhaust flue from the old furnace that starts almost directly above where the dryer vent leaves the dryer and comes into the furnace area before going through the floor to the crawl space.  If I redirect the vent up to the flue and out the roof, we'll cut a lot off the distance the air has to travel and remove most of the elbows.
Is this a good idea?


texts:
This is a six year old house and I noticed that frame is rotting due to elements of nature.

Should I just paint over it? If not, how should I fix this?


texts: Can I connect wall sconces to an existing switched circuit?

texts:
My den has four outlets tied to one wall switch (top receptacle at each outlet). I am looking to install four sconces (two per wall on two walls) and was wondering if I can tie these into the existing switched outlets.

I am sure this CAN be done, but more wondering if it is OK to do. Will this violate code (Minnesota USA). Or should I run new cable and use a new switch?


texts: Running extension cord and Cat6a through wood closet shelf?

texts:
I'm in the process of installing a wireless router on a closet shelf, and I'd like to know the proper procedure for routing the extension cord and Cat6a cable. Per the picture below:

The extension cord will go into the top hole that goes through the
shelf
The Cat6a cable will go into the bottom hole that goes through the
wall

What needs to be done to make this code compliant? Also, the 2nd picture shows the bottom hole that goes through the wall where the Cat6a will be routed.


texts: Does it violate NEC to run an AC adapter's low-voltage output cable through a wall?

texts: I want to mount an IP camera in a room. The power outlet and Ethernet ports are near the floor and I want to mount the camera near the ceiling. I was thinking of cutting through the wall at the top and bottom and adding a recessed low voltage cable plate. I read that it is against code to run high voltage power wires through the wall, but the power wire I'm planning to run is an AC adapter on one end, lowering the actual wire voltage to a handful of volts. Is that allowed?


texts: Low Pressure From Shower Head Troubleshooting

texts:
The water pressure from the shower head in one of my bathrooms is extremely low. The pressure coming out of the faucet of the bath is low as well. It has not always had this low pressure, it has decreased over time.

All other water sources in the house are fine. What are some possible steps for me to take to troubleshoot this problem? What are some possible fixes?


texts: Can I reuse my sink during a kitchen renovation?

texts:
Sometime in the next few years, I'd like to redo my kitchen. But for now, I'd like to replace the beat-up double sink with a new, single sink and a garbage disposal.

If I replace the sink now, will my contractor be able to cut the sink out of the counter and reuse it when I eventually redo the kitchen? Or will I need to buy a brand-new sink if I do a renovation?


texts: Why is my new Legrand Radiant smart dimmer switch not dimming?

texts:
I need help figuring out why my new smart dimmer switch’s dimming function is not working. I followed the installation instructions from the manual exactly. I am replacing a regular light switch with the smart dimmer so I can dim my kitchen lights.
This dimmer is in a box with 2 other light switches: one switch controls the under-cabinet lighting and the other controls a hallway light.
I found the hot, load, and ground wires and connected those to the appropriate wires on the dimmer. This dimmer requires a white neutral wire. The old switch was not using a white wire. I found a bundle of white wires in the box all joined together and capped. I removed the wire cap and connected the white wire coming from the dimmer to the entire bundle of white wires and reinstalled the wire cap.
I then flipped the breaker back on and tested the switch. The lights turn on and off perfectly. However the dimmer function does not work at all. Thinking it may be the light bulbs, I swapped all four out with four other bulbs that I’m sure are dimmable because I tested them first in my dining room dimmable light fixture. Same problem. Dimming function does not work.
I’ve attached a few photos of the box configuration. From left to right, the switches are as follows:

New Legrand Radiant smart dimmer;
Hallway light;
Under-cabinet lights.

Why is the dimming function not working?
Box configuration

Back of new dimmer:

Instructions


texts: Is it safe to install a wire nut inside a base board heater?

texts: My baseboard heater has its junction box built into it, meaning there are wire nuts in a section of the heater.  However the ground has been broken off more interior / near the heating element.  I need to cause it to reach the junction box so I can ground it.  Is it safe to use a wire nut more inside the heater / nearer to the heating element?  I think wire nuts are rated to 105C and a baseboard heater shouldn't be getting nearly that hot.


texts: How to prevent an exterior automatic watering system from freezing

texts:
I'm looking for solutions on preventing automatic watering systems for horses from freezing.

The faucet is 150-200 feet away from where I'm building my horse's pasture. I live in New Jersey so I'm worried about hoses freezing in the winter. The tub/trough I will be using will be heated in the winter so I'm not too worried about that freezing. The distance is also too long to run the heated water hoses all the way out there. (the only ones I've seen are only about 60 feet long)

Is there anything I can do to prevent a hose from freezing or should I just dig a trench and put in one of those faucets that isn't supposed to freeze? If I go that route, is there a way to connect underground pipes to an existing faucet on the house? What type of piping should I use?


texts: Heating/cooling system recommendations for this small house?

texts:
I will soon build my first house and I need to choose what type of heating/cooling system I'll have installed. I know very little about this and I'm seeking recommendations, ideas, suggestions, etc.

The details: The house will be in the city limits of Asheville, NC. It will be a three story house with a basement foundation (I'm counting the basement as the bottom floor). The footprint of the house is approximately 24'x24' (I'm still working on the design/plans), and the top two floors will be approximately 1000sf. The main/first floor will be open, essentially one big room with kitchen/dining/living room/half bath, and the top floor will be two bedrooms and a full bath. The walkout basement will be finished as a den with storage area and full bath and sauna. The home site is very shady, under huge oak trees, so using passive solar is not really an option. In terms of my priorities the order is 1) simple/low maintenance, 2) efficient/low operation cost, 3) up front cost, and 4) "green".

I'm interested in heating using a wood stove because it's such a simple system (i.e. very few moving parts to break), it seems like a low maintenance way to go, and the wood stoves available now are very efficient. However I feel like I should have a wood stove as my back up heating system, even if I do use it most of the time, for resale value purposes (many folks don't want to bother with chopping wood, loading/cleaning the stove, etc.). Another aspect of a wood stove that's attractive to me is that I can still heat my home during a power outage. Around here wood is plentiful.

A geothermal heat pump is also interesting because of its high efficiency and because it also doubles as an AC system. It's also likely to be very attractive to buyers if I ever sell the house. However I'm concerned that a geothermal heat pump system is pretty complex (it's not likely that I could fix any part of it myself) and may require considerable maintenance, and it won't blow very warm air (I've slept under a heat pump vent/register in the winter and it felt like I was under an AC unit -- not pleasant).

Can you comment as to which HVAC options are appropriate for someone in my situation? I know there are numerous other alternative heating/cooling systems available that I've not yet considered, and the two mentioned above are probably on opposite ends of the spectrum.


texts: Can I use toggle bolts to install faux wood beams to the drywall in the ceiling?

texts:
Unfortunately the ceiling ceiling joists run in the wrong direction.
I was wondering if I can use toggle bolts to support ~50 pounds of faux wood beams on ceiling dry wall.

It would be about 4 toggle bolts across a 16.5 ft ceiling holding up ~50 pounds of weight.


texts: Can I hang shelves on painted walls without using penetrating fasteners?

texts:
I live in a 40 m2 apartment with 2 cats.

I was thinking maybe I can add shelves to the walls without drilling anything. Do you think that sticking shelves can whitsand the weight of a 6kg and 4 kg cats? Have you done that before? I want to go as high as 2 meters.


texts:
I had to replace my valve stem on my shower, it was an older style with the 3 knobs (hot, diverter, cold).  I have the valve stem out and replaced but trying to re-attach the Flange is for some reason overly difficult.

Now I believe it's due to the buildup of whatever is inside the Flange (image below) because I can't get it to attach to the valve stem even when it's not attached in the wall.

Before I purchase a new Flange, the issue seems to be the "threaded piece" inside the Flange... is there something else I can try to get this to work?

EDIT
I forgot to post also that my googling seems to show pieces that do not include the "threaded" part...for example this link

https://www.chicagofaucetshoppe.com/90-268-Plumbing-Fixtures-p/ger-0090268.htm


texts: Should I use thinset or silicone to reattach shower tiles?

texts: My tiled shower needs to be repaired only where the walls meet the floor. While preparing for this by taking out the old grout, two small pieces of floor tile came out. Each piece that came loose is a corner piece (triangles - 2" x 2" by 2" - other tiles are 4" x 4"). Do I need to use thinset or can I use the same silicone I'll be using for the rest of the project?


texts: Why are some of my trusses nailed to interior wall top plate?

texts:
I am hoping someone can answer why I have multiple trusses nailed into the top plate of a small interior wall in my home. In the first image, I have highlighted in red where the trusses actually touch, and are nailed into the top plate of the interior wall. I was under the impression that trusses should not even touch the interior wall. Can someone please explain? I do no believe this wall is load bearing, as the adjacent trusses in the living room would also need to be supported if support were needed.

In the second image, it is hard to see. But That is a picture in the attic of one of the trusses nailed into the top plate.


texts: Replacing a crawl space with concrete slab

texts:
I have a 1970 rental house that is prone to flooding the crawlspace approximately 1 week a year.

To clarify, the whole section of land, yard, and streets are under a foot or more of water, due to excessive new construction developments that all drain into this area of town. This is the only house that is affected.

So, there is nowhere for excess water to go during really heavy rains. Due to the crawlspace being flooded many times over the past 10 years, the floor joists are shot. The floors have sunk down approximately one inch and when you try and jack them up, the floor joists collapse.

I have several rentals and my son works with me. He thinks I should just donate the house to the city and walk away. I was wondering if it would be feasable to pour the crawl space full of concrete to eliminate the crawl space and turn it into a slab foundation.

This house is approximately 1500 sq. feet and in great shape other then the floors.


texts: Is there any way to change this light bulb? (no socket I guess)

texts:
My ceiling lamp died. Is there any way that I can change this light bulb?
The white wires are soldered into the ballast inside the box. The ballast also is wired to pins connect to the bulb. So I guess I have to change the whole thing, both bulb and the ballast?

Also how to disconnect the connector on the left?


texts: How to test an electrical switch to ensure the power is off

texts:
I used a voltmeter to test for power on my electrical switch and I was surprised by a blast of electricity.  You can see the damage in the picture.  Why did I get a reaction?  Did I test it incorrectly?  Or was it that I seemed to have touched the faceplate?

I want to be sure I can test these for voltage properly in the future and without frying my voltmeter wires, causing a fire or hurting myself.


texts: Service needed to add a tankless water heater

texts:
I am currently building a detached 250 sq feet studio in my backyard. The studio will have a tiny bathroom with a tankless water heater, a baseboard heater, and a few lights, a mini split (ac), of course a few plugs and switches. The electrical will come from the main box on our house. The current box is rated 150 Amps. We will get a service upgrade to 200 amps, a new 200 amp box and a sub panel of 100 amp. The sub panel will feed the studio.
Here are the specs if what will ge in the studio:
Tankless water heater, 60 amps, 240v
Baseboard heater 20 amps,
Mini split 20 amps, 220v
Lights, switches,
Potientially a ceiling fan

The question is, if i currently have 150amps, will the service upgrade to 200 amps with a 100 amp sub panel be sufficient to feed the right power the studio?

I appreciate your insights.


texts: What does the watt rating on stove top coil burners mean?

texts:
I've been searching high and low for standard replacement burners for this Amana electric stvove I have. The large coils are 8" and the small coils are 6". 4 turn and 3 turn respectively. I ordered a replacement kit on Amazon that claimed it was standard replacement for most makes and models, but I'm not so sure comparing the two.
The original 6" coils have this etched on the bracket:
3W6-212
1250W-240V
840W-208V
The new 6" coil have this
4W6-215
1500W-240V
1130W-208V
I have been searching all over trying to figure out what the difference in these numbers mean and if it's safe to plug in these new coils or not.
The first red flag was the element plugs being different colors. The 6" original coils are red and white and the new ones are blue and green. The 8" coils both match colors. The turn count and etching on the sides are different.
Also the new coils are +1 coil turns compared to the old ones.


texts: Timer device and Motion Sensor on same box?

texts:
New outdoor GFCI box installed from existing indoor receptacle, plus new LED motion sensor installed from GFCI box, plus plug-in timer device for patio lights. Will motion sensor timer and plug-in timer both work from this new box?

The plug-in timer is a Defiant model TM142DOLBD while the motion sensor is either a Heath/Zenith 5312 or 5318, not sure which.

The timer did go on at dusk but did not turn off in 2 hours as set. It stayed on until dusk. Since timer and motion sensor both have a timing feature, could they be incompatible when used on same receptacle or circuit?


texts:
I have Hoover washing machine. During my last wash cycle it suddenly stopped washing and gave me E03 error code.

The E03 error code on your Hoover washing machine means that the drum
isn't draining - normally this is caused by a blockage, and it only
takes a few minutes to fix

What I did later was completely clean the drain filter. (It was already clean when I pulled it out). One thing to mention that when I pulled out the hose to drain the water, it looked like limescale came out as well with the water.
So after the cleaning, I've put everything back together but the problem persists. You can check the video here on how it sounds when I put the drain mode:
https://youtu.be/mATUkTh_w8o
Any clues on what else I could try?


texts:
I got my new gas range installed and want to remove the 50 amp breaker for the electric range and replace it with a dual pole 20 amp one for a workshop in the basement.  I was going to cap off the electric range wire in the panel, but when I opened it up, I see (I think) 6 gauge aluminum (looks like aluminum and it says 6AL-3 on the cable).  So, I'm not sure I can get an appropriate wire nut for that.  So, instead, I'm thinking of just removing the cable and use that knockout for the new 12 gauge wire.  I'm pretty sure that cable clamp is too big for the 12 gauge, and my 3/8 trade size cable clamps won't fit inside that large knockout.  I think the diameter of the knockout is 1 1/8 inches, judging by the knockouts around that one.  I see there are reducing washers for things like this...

So, my question is, what size reducing washer do I need to get?  Obviously the outside diameter must be bigger than the knockout hole.  However, I don't know how they are "sized" (physical, or trade size like that 3/8 inch trade size clamp for 1/2 inch knockout) & I don't know how much larger the outside diameter of a reducing washer needs to be over the knockout hole.  Do I get a 1 inch one, a 1 1/4 inch, or what?  I'm assuming the size for the reduced hole is 1/2 inch (the physical diameter of the reduced knockout--for example, a 1 1/4 x 1/2 reducing washer).  The local big-box stores have a small selection, so I may need to order them, which means I may not have the luxury of being able to just measure them with a ruler before purchase.

Thanks,

Jim


texts: how to fit restrictor in toilet pan inlet

texts: How do I fit restrictor in toilet pan inlet when plumbing? Water is overflowing the pan and soaking the floor each time flush is pulled. Armitage advised to fit this restrictor.


texts: Are there timers to limit the hours a shower can be used?

texts: I have a autistic son who tends to sleep walk. I have found him a few times sound asleep in the bathtub with the shower running. I'm looking for some type of timer that limits the hours a shower can be used, like say between midnight and 5:30am.


texts: Can I tap into an exterior light in order to power a security camera?

texts:
I have an exterior light (shown below) that I was wondering if I could tap into, in order to power an outdoor IP cam.  I understand I would have to pull appart some cables and potentially purchase connectors, etc. but I am up for the challenge if it is possible.

Note:  The exterior light is on a switch controller from inside my house.  I would, of course, want the camera on at all times and NOT be controlled by this switch.

My camera:
http://www.amazon.com/Foscam-FI8904W-Outdoor-Wireless-Viewing/dp/B004KVKATQ

My house:


texts: What should I do with a powered switch that seemingly does nothing?

texts:
In my house, I fortunately have a well-labeled circuit breaker. There are a few rooms that could be better named, but it's fine.
As such, it's very easy to identify almost every switch and what it does and what breaker switch it's attached to.
Except for one light switch at the entry way of my house.
I turned it on and stuck a voltage tester next to it. I went through every single breaker switch, even the ones for other floors, and the voltage tester continued beeping. I skipped the doubles (washer, dryer, and HVAC), because I assume a light switch wouldn't be connected with a major appliance.
I've also tried plugging a light into various outlets and turning the wall switch off and on, but I don't see any change in the light.
The voltage tester only stopped beeping once I turned off power to the entire house. So as far as I can tell, this switch seems to do nothing.

Is there another method I can use to trace what this switch connects to?
What should I do with this switch?

Update: I have finally figured out where this mystery switch goes to: an outside outlet. I never even noticed it until y'all pointed it out so thank you! I still don't know which breaker it goes to, which is annoying but I've got at least half the mystery solved
Update 2: I have found it! Once I realized it went outside and was GFCI, I guessed that the cable was connected to the Basement GFCI circuit and that did it. Personally I would have labeled it "basement + outside gfci" or wired it to the first floor outlets or put it on a separate breaker but it's fine. I'm not bitter at all


texts:
We live in an apartment, and since a couple of months, my girlfriend suffer from all sort of lung/breath/throat problems. ( Multiple visits to the Doctors give the same result: she has nothing, might be allergy. But she also have been tested for allergies, and nothing to declare in that part )

Since a couple of weeks, I also start to have throat problem, and I'm someone that have a natural good heal, I'm almost never sick.

Even if we see nothing, and keep the place clean, I'm starting to think that there might be mildew or fungus in wall, roof, or anyplace that we can't inspect visually, and lead to a bad/toxic air.

How can we check if we have that kind of problem without opening the walls ?


texts:
Pretty common problem here but the posts I've seen are a little different. New Wi-Fi tstat, no C terminal at furnace but plenty of available wiring at both ends. Unlike others problems posted of unwiring and rewiring, couldn't I just take an available wire and combine it to my G connection at the terminal and then connect wire at tstat? If G controls the fan and I know there is power because I can turn on fan manually, is this the easiest fix?

Thanks


texts: How do I install this wall mount bathroom sink?

texts:
I'm replacing a sink that was on a vanity cabinet and hoping to do as little busting through the perfectly good tile as possible. I heard a rumor that I need to make very sure that the sink is adequately supported.  I'm more than happy to add legs. I bought this Glacier Bay sink second hand so I've got no manufacturer's nothing. Also, I've never done this before.

If I can't find studs am I basically screwed? Can I build my own legs if I'm reasonably skilled? How would I go about that?


texts: Should I replace bathroom OSB subfloor with plywood?

texts:
Before we begin, English is not my first language so my terms could be a bit wrong.

Considering I'm planning to install 1/4" concrete backer-board over the sub-floor before tiling it again, is OSB okay as a sub-floor or does it have to be plywood?

I'm in the process of remodeling our upstairs bathroom in a condo unit. What is there now is a 3/4" OSB sub-floor (over which tile was directly installed). Before we bought the condo, the toilet leaked and got shaky (and unusable, as it wanted to go through the floor; fortunately, there was a joist just underneath to support it); it's dry now but the OSB sub-floor around where the toilet was is completely rotten and has to be replaced.

I believe the original contractor who built the house did a sloppy job in there, 1st by installing OSB in the bathroom instead of using plywood and 2nd not putting any backer-board before installing the tiles and 3rd by the way the spread the thin-set under the tiles (the "curvy/old" way).


texts: One isolating valve on both loft tanks inputs?

texts:
Just after the mains stopcock under my kitchen sink there is a tee, one pipe to drinkable water+washing machine and the other to the loft cisterns. ( This is an open vented pumped S-plan system, standard here in UK )

I was wondering whether it is safe to add an isolating valve on the latter pipe, placing it right after the aforementioned tee ( I.E. under the kitchen sink ).

I am asking because I've read somewhere that the feed and expansion tank shouldn't have a valve on its input, but I couldn't find a consensus on that, online.

I am also suspicious because currently I have an isolating valve just before the bigger loft tank in the loft, not serving the FE tank. Which could be a hint that FE shouldn't have an input valve?


texts: Is there a revolving small flat file for a drill?

texts:
I would like to file down (just a bit) a metal tube's end to make it completely flat. See a drawing of it in another question of mine on this site Fix a faucet that has a groove . Taking that drawing as the case, I would like to file it from what in the drawing is the top, in order for that top to be flat instead of having that groove. In reality the groove is very small, but it's big enough to cause a bit of a drip to pass through it despite a rubber part closing it from the top.

I was thinking that if there is some revolving small flat file for a drill, something like the following drawing (the flat black part being reminiscent of sandpaper):

I could point the drill towards the tube and file the edge so that there will be no groove and the rubber part will close it hermetically. I can't get to the tube's edge from the side because it's surrounded by another tube which goes farther than its edge. But I can get to it from the top.

I remember seeing something like what I'm looking for but much bigger (and perhaps for wood) and I can't find any images of it now. I'm probably using the wrong keywords.

So does such a file exist, and if so, what is it called?

EDIT

Perhaps the rubber part that closes on the pipe is called a compression faucet valve cartridge.

I can't cut it off from the side. Unfortunately there is absolutely no access from the side.

As mentioned in a comment, the term seems to be a sanding disc. But at least so far, I can't find any narrow ones with a diameter of under an inch. Do those exist? I just remembered where I've seen them - at the dentist. Though I assume dentists' tools would be super expensive. I just need an attachment for a drill.

EDIT 2

Here's the best I could do (a cross section of what I have):

The dotted yellow line is what I need to file. Its diameter is a little under half an inch (around 1 cm). The green is the rubber part that's supposed to seal it.


texts: How long should I wait before painting new lumber?

texts:
I am building a fence. I just bought some treated 4x4s from the lumber yard and they are water logged from being out in the rain for an unknown amount of time.

The weather has been cool and wet for the past few weeks and I doubt we'll have a consistent period of warm sunny weather anytime soon. My plan is to prime and paint the fence posts in my garage before building the fence in a few weeks.

I'm wondering if I put the 4x4s in my garage to dry out, how long should I wait before I prime and paint them?


texts:
Here's an image of my hot water heater that's been knocking fairly hard. Does this give anyone an idea of what was done to this? It looks to me as if someone tried to remove the heating element, in the center, and water poured out, putting sediment down the side of it.

Would this mean someone tried to clean it out? Or replace the elements? Or what?


texts: How do you encapsulate vinyl asbestos tiles and black mastic in a home basement?

texts: My basement contains VAT and black mastic (where missing tiles used to be). I want to encapsulate the tiles and mastic and install a floating floor. Do I need to use a self-leveling product over the black mastic? What product can be used to seal the tiles? Thank you.


texts:
I shifted to my new flat recently.
I found that it's quite moist inside, due to new construction.

Any one have any idea how I can control humidity inside?
Not using any machines, but like Silica Gel Packets etc.


texts: What causes these chips in a cement brick wall, and how can I fix them?

texts:
I have found my exposed basement cement wall which is about 15 x 10 in size to have quite a few areas where there is a cracked chip ranging from approx 0.5" in diameter to 2" in diameter and a few millimeters deep.

On removing the chip I find that all of them have a brown powdered center

I also have something similar on the outside of my house. I looked online and could find no information on these. I'm not sure if this is something as a result of a pest problem or something structural

Any help would be appreciated.


texts: Removing the plate from an old 1950's schlage door knob

texts:
Somehow, I think this door knob would be easier to reassemble if the knob and plate (especially the plate) were removed.  Anyone know how to remove the knob?

I don't even really see a lever or pilot hole.  The one spot near the collar, I think could be some sort of weld.


texts: How much space do I need at the top of the stairs?

texts:
I'm in Pa and iI can't seem to find anything explaining this. I am building an addition and trying to save as much space as possible. My question is, if i have a half wall at the top of the floor and a 31in cleareance between the half wall and room wall down to first step leading to the basement, would that be okay? Would that first step down be required to be a landing?

Thanks.


texts: What options are available for improving the appearance of a concrete porch?

texts:
We have been looking to do something with our entrance patio flooring. We have some options to have it re-layered with concrete, but we would like something that is better looking and have considered tiling.
Is tiling a good option or are there other alternatives - we are worries about the "slip factor" with tiles, especially with snow/ice.
Is there a specific type of tile cement that must be used for outside?
I know this may be subjective, but just looking for ideas where some have had success.


texts: The wood in my bathroom is painted with a semi gloss white paint. I have to clean it often and after many cleanings, the paint in the areas cleaned most is sticky. I tried painting a fresh coat of paint on top-still sticky. I am not sure what to do. I tried sanding the paint in those areas and it just rolls off. If I paint with Bin and then a latex will that work?


texts: Should I replace or refinish cupped hardwood flooring?

texts:
A few months ago, I had an insidious leak from an upstairs bathroom that caused cupping in the wood floors downstairs. It took a couple weeks to recognize and identify the leak, but once I did I repaired it and ensured no more water was coming through.

Now I have a section of wood, approximately 6'x10' that has moderate cupping (it has had several months to dry out). It is right next to the kitchen and included the board that acted as a transition from the tile to the wood. I pulled that board because it was too badly damaged to save and to ensure there was no mold growth underneath (there was none).

My question is whether it is easier to sand and refinish just that section, pull the damaged boards and replace them, or refinish the whole dining room area (which connects to the living room with no transition in flooring). I've found pre-finished flooring at Home Depot that closely matches the floor, though I'm a little concerned it will look much newer.

I'd rather not refinish the whole downstairs if possible. What's the best option?


texts: new 4-wire GE single-wall oven jts5000snss going into grandfathered 3-wire wall junction

texts:
so now apparently this entire thread switches to: DO I HAVE THE CORRECT WIRENUT to connect aluminum to copper?
did call an electrician who was honest enough to tell me that he doesnt need to come out to re-wire the house because its grandfathered, i can just wrap the green and white together with the aluminum... even kind enough to warn me that i needed to make sure i have the correct wirenut since i have an aluminum... umm... ground? (or neutral?)...  photos show my old oven, which had a bare copper ground... the NEW oven has the green and white, no bare wires... i dont remember what color the wires are under the green and white insulation
no, nevermind, NOT solved
SOLVED: GREEN & WHITE FROM THE OVEN WENT TO THE BARE SILVER
BLACK WENT TO NEUTRAL BLACK (or so i THOUGHT!)
RED WENT TO HOT BLACK
OVEN WORKS
(but for how long... calling an electrician)
should i start a new post?
OUT from MY WALL: I have BLACK + BLACK + unsheathed SILVER/ALUMINIM-looking wires
OUT from MY OLD OVEN: RED + BLACK + WHITE + unsheathed COPPER
one of the WALL BLACK is connected to my old oven RED (that would be hot i hope)
the other WALL BLACK is connected to the old oven BLACK... that must be NEUTRAL??
the WALL SILVER is connected to the old oven WHITE AND COPPER
my NEW oven has a WHITE wire taped to a GREEN wire (NO BARE WIRE)... a RED wire... and a BLACK wire
my installation instructions combine several models and configurations, with one of them saying to remove the tape that binds the green and white wires... why the $#%& would they tape the two wires together... only to instruct us to separate them?? and arent the green and white going to get connected to the copper anyway??
i noticed that whats really going on is the instructions sometimes specify the house wiring or the oven, but not every time!!
im dyin over here


texts: What size Fitting do I need to attach to the T&P valve for my PVC pipe


texts: Everything in my house vents into the ceiling cavity. Should I change this?

texts:
After reading this question: Does a bathroom exhaust fan have to vent to the outside? I realised that the house I live in now, and everywhere else I have ever lived, everything just vents into the roof cavity, and the roof cavity has "whirly birds" on the roof to circulate fresh air through the roof cavity.

This includes two bathroom exhaust fans and the range hood in the kitchen.

I would say that the bathroom exhaust fans are original, or close to original, to the house, which is mid 1970's. This means that there's been 40 years of venting into the ceiling cavity. The rangehood is perhaps only 5-7 years old.

I'm no master builder, but I do not see any signs of mold or rotting in the ceiling at all, and when we purchased the property 3 years ago the building inspector explicitly stated that they found no moisture related damage in the roof space.

In the apartment that I used to own, we asked strata for permission to install an exhaust fan, and we were told we could do it on on the explicit rule that it only vented into the roof cavity, and did not exhaust outside (because that involved modifying common property). So until now, I never thought anything of it.

Is this something that I should spend money on changing?


texts: Installing a switch that requires a neutral connection in a double gang box with two single pole switches

texts:
I am trying to install a switch that will replace a standard single pole switch that is in a 2 gang box like this.

This is the documentation that I have on the device.  I tried wiring it but I must have had it wired wrong since it gave me an error when power was applied to it.


texts: What set of bits is compatible with a Bosch Uneo (SDS-Quick)?

texts:
I've tried searching for at least an hour, but I'm finding very few resources and the compatibility situation is very confusing and frustrating.  Most things seem to be compatible with SDS-Max/Plus, instead.

I'm wanting to buy a variety set of bits for a Bosch Uneo, which uses SDS-Quick.  I've not been able to find an adapter from SDS-Quick to a normal chuck, so unfortunately that limits my choices.

The only things that I'm sure are SDS-Quick compatible are here.  However, that's a very limited set of bits.  Is there really no variety set of 50-100 bits available?

I've tried looking through Amazon reviews, but there's a lot of conflicting reviews, and the product information is unhelpful.


texts:
I will shortly move into a new home in Abergavenny in Wales, which I have already asked my wife about extending. I am more curious at the moment, but the plan is to build the extension in the next year. I am looking at building either a conservatory or an orangery and can't really see the differences.

The company I linked to built my friend's conservatory last year and that is why I am using them as examples.

What is the difference between a conservatory and an orangery?


texts:
In relation to my previous question, Does a storm door help prevent heat loss?, where I learned that a storm door helps prevent energy loss, because of the air pocket between the two doors, now I am going to ask for guidance selecting a specific type of storm door.

My house was built in the 40's in upstate NY near the PA border.  The insulation isn't the greatest.  It would be silly to spend a lot of money getting the best possible R-value when the walls themselves don't insulate terribly well.

I'm just trying to make SOME improvement.

In that context, is it okay to select the cheapest storm door from a big box store?  That will give me the air pocket.

If not, what are the key features I should be looking for?

I would like to avoid replacing the door itself if possible, because it's already fitting well and I'm trying to minimize what I spend in this area.  But I have to do something because of the single pane glass in the existing door.  My kitchen is not fun to work in because of three problems.  (There's this single pane glass problem, plus drafty exhaust fan improperly installed, and improper windows above the sink, both of which I am working on in parallel.)  Of course, if I put in the storm door and solve the other two problems, and I'm still significantly colder in the kitchen than in the other rooms, then I guess I'll know I have to replace the door itself.


texts: Does this water heater pipe need repaired ASAP?

texts:
I am pushing my basement finishing project off for a couple of years, so I will not be moving the water heater in the near future. Is this corrosion bad enough that I need to have it repaired before I end up with a flood?

UPDATE:

I cleaned up the joint with a metal brush. It looks like the buildup of rust and scale has actually sealed the joint up. Here are photos. I am not sure if I should just let it be now.  I am scared that if I take the joint apart, the nipple will be damaged.


texts: My husband and sons built a wooden wall in our backyard to use as a ball wall for soccer and lacrosse.  Our boys bounce the ball off the wall to practice.  It is about 10X10 frame with plywood affixed on it.  It stands about 2 feet from our home which has siding on it.  When they practice the sound reverberates throughout our neighborhood.  I would like to stay on the good side of our neighbors.  How can we cut the noise of the ball hitting the wood down?


texts: Are butcher-block countertops appropriate for a very hot and humid climate?

texts:
I am thinking of ideas for furnishing a kitchen - my first home - and I am thinking of using a butcher-block top for my counter.

I have a few questions:

I live in Singapore where it is very hot and humid. Will the butcher-block top be subject to warping or is there any concerns I need to look out for?
Is the butcher-block top high-maintenance? I see that using a mineral oil on it will help keep it in good condition, but is regular cleaning just a matter of a damp cloth across the surface?


texts: Is there any reason to not tape this vent over?

texts:
I just want to make sure this wont hurt anything.

Right before I bought this house, it got a new AC and furnace but they did not replace much of the duct work. This vent is right above the AC unit and is the first vent the cold air passes. It was bleeding cold air into the basement so I covered it.


texts: Do I need a gravel pad beneath skids on my finished shed?

texts:
I'm getting a 14x14 finished shed built in Austin, TX. The builders are using 30-year pressure treated 4x4 skids, which they raise off the ground on 4" blocks. The area drains well. They claim that this provides enough protection from rot.
Another guy I talked to said that I should either raise it 12" or put a gravel pad underneath (which he'll do for a reasonable price).
Which plan is correct?


texts: What threading type is my ice maker shut off valve?

texts:
In my new apartment, I moved in to find the water dispenser in the fridge is not working. I quickly diagnosed the issue by moving the fridge away from the wall and finding that there is a water line coming out of the wall with a shut off valve at the end, but it is not connected to the fridge. A quick try convinced me that I cannot directly connect the free male end of the shutoff valve with the male end I found on the back of the fridge. The issue seemed pretty standard, as I found many online sellers selling an "ice-maker supply line" with female compression ends that seemed like they would do the job.

When this part arrived, I was able to connect it to the fridge with minimal trouble, but it would not connect to the shutoff valve no matter how hard I tried. Eventually, I discovered that even though the nut seems like it is the right female counterpart to the male threading on the free end of the shutoff valve and is almost a correct fit, it is not. In fact, the two sides of the shutoff valve are not equivalent, with the side connected to the water line coming from the wall being the correct counterpart to the female ends of the "ice-maker supply line" I ordered. So, it seems that I need to get an adapter to go between the two, but it would help to know what exactly I am looking for, since I can't take the shutoff valve with me to the hardware store. Can anyone help me identify the threading type I am looking for? What are the dimensions I need to measure to confirm the identification?


texts: How should I paint a door different colors on each side?

texts:
I want to paint a door different colors on each side.
How should I paint the edges?
Should I try a tapeline straight down the middle of the edge? Should I paint the edges the same color as the side opposite the stop?
Is there a common industry standard practice?


texts: How can I stop veggie garbage from coming out of my basement storm drain?

texts:
I keep getting onion and tomato peels coming out of my basement storm drain after doing any sizable cooking and putting it through the garbage disposal.  The kitchen is on the 1st floor, the drain is in front of the basement apartment door.  The 1.5" drain pipe from the kitchen travels some 5' horizontally, then drops down into the basement (where it says "vertical stack").  I know the diagram because I did the pipe work a few years ago.  The outdoor storm drain is 3", from the point where it meets the vertical stack coming from upstairs, it becomes 4".

It can be snaked out, I have done it several times.  But is there any way I can prevent this from happening in the future without digging out and rearranging my drain pipes?  Could it be cause by poor drainage downstream, which causes buildup in the pipe so the solid waste doesn't drain as fast and it floats up and through the outside drain?


texts: Is it normal to notice underneath the plastic barrier in crawlspace drops of water?

texts:
A radon barrier was placed using 6mil polyethylene sheets and sealed with silicon in at the seams. However, I do notice in certain spots a couple of drops of water underneath the sheet.

Is this okay? Will there be a mold damage or something and can it penetrate the barrier?
Shouldn't the moisture disappear over time?

In general I want to know if I should be worried.


texts: Do both legs in 220V have to be switched?

texts:
I posted this question but for some reason I can't get back into my account:

Is it up to code to do a parallel circut with 220V? Is there a limit to number of splices?

Most things I see with 220V have both hot legs going through the switch or relay, current "returns" through the switch.  Is it against code to wire one leg directly to the equipment and the other leg is switched as opposed to having both legs switched.  It seems useless and a waste of wire to switch both legs.

Basically http://i.imgur.com/vWFyuCu.jpg vs https://i.imgur.com/p00KTlB.png (minus the GFCI as I'm not allowed to have that)

As a bonus question.  I assume I need a "motor rated switch" as standard switches can weld due to the high startup current.  Is this one legal\safe?


texts: Spraying paint - respirator alternative?

texts: I am working on building several sets of shutters and the finish will be a low sheen acrylic enamel sprayed on. I tried an N95 mask I had but it did nothing for the vapors. I had a P100 with organic vapor cartridges respirator that I used previously for things like this but the rubber parts dried and cracked.  I have not been able to find a replacement respirator for use in spray painting due to current events.  Is there an alternative or should I be looking in places other than the usual home centers and online stores?


texts: What are some at-home options for pest control?

texts:
I am thinking about ditching my pest guy and going straight DIY.

Raid has released a new product called Raid Max Bug Barrier.

Lowe's also carries a number of DIY insect treatments. I figure the initial startup cost is high but long term is cheaper.

Has anyone else embarked on this before and what were the results? Suggestions?


texts:
Situation

I was running some new gas pipe and I notched one floor joist and drilled a hole in another. I have now learned that this is not appropriate. This was in the forbidden zone of the middle 1/3rd of the joist.

The joist is 7 inches tall and the notch is 1.5 inches tall. I think the wood is redwood. The span is roughly 100 inches. This is an old house, built in the '40s.

Here's a photo from the day I made the notch:

Here's a quick sketch of the situation:

I went back a few days later and took a close-up picture. There are some horizontal cracks. If you look very closely in the original photo, these cracks were pre-existing to some degree.

Here's a close-up of the cracks

This joist is close to the foundation (as you can see), and the notch is under a bedroom closet. I'm not sure if the closet wall is load-bearing.

Questions

I've heard that I can glue/screw a 2x4 to the bottom of this joist
to make it an upside down T shape. Will this restore enough tensile
strength?
Otherwise, does this need to be fully-sistered (with the
pipe relocated)?
How urgent is this repair?

Note that I've seen other questions about joist notching on this site. I believe my situation is sufficiently different to merit its own answer.


texts: Outdoor tiled countertop - plywood / cement backer board / both - will it be movable?

texts:
I'm building an outdoor 'workbench' for tabletop BBQing / pizza oven / gardening. The countertop will be tiled with 6mm thick, 165mm square porcelain tiles using a flexible exterior-suited adhesive.
Do I need to support this with 18mm plywood PLUS 12mm cement backer board (eg Hardiebacker 500), or would 12mm cement backer board over a wooden frame provide sufficient strength and rigidity on its own? Or should I just use the 18mm plywood?
In an ideal world, I would like to be able to - very occasionally - remove the countertop so that I can maintain the rest of the structure and move it to get to the areas behind and underneath (it's on a patio). Not frequently, but I'd like it to be possible. The countertop is 2.4m x 0.8m. My tiles weigh around 30kg. The plywood weighs 20kg. My assumption is that even if I fix the plywood over a baton structure, it would flex too much when lifted.
If I add 12mm concrete backer board this adds a further 10kg or so. Will an under-framed (2by1), edged, ply-cementboard-tiles structure be sufficiently rigid that the countertop can be carefully lifted and moved on its own? Would I be better off with just frame-edge-cementboard-tiles and skip the ply?
My ply is 18mm class 3, but not marine ply. I will seal it, especially the edges. I live in Scotland so we have -20C to +30C and a lot of rain. The tabletop BBQ / pizza oven will likely cause the highest temperatures.
The countertop will also have a one-tile-high splash-back. I can make this part of the countertop piece (adding weight, but also rigidity along that edge) or I can construct them as separate pieces and keep them unjoined.
The rest of the structure is conventional stud-work in 5by2 C16 timber, painted.
If I can skip the ply and lose the extra 20kg that would be great. And if there's no way it's going to be viable to remove the top without popping tiles, that would be useful to know.


texts:
Will using a deglosser then Kilz2 before painting be enough? (latex over oil based for indoor trim and doors)

Or is it absolutely necessary to sand and TSP? or oil based Kilz or bonding primer??

The guy at the paint counter said the primer already in my paint will be enough to paint over oil-based paint, but I think he is bonkers. If he's not crazy, please let me know because I'd love to save the work and money!


texts: How do I choose GFI plug end replacement?

texts: Would it be safe to replace a 16Amp GFI plug end (hair dryer) with a 15 Amp GFI plug end?


texts: What are the pros and cons of soffit vents vs. roof vents?

texts:
During my latest foray into the attic, I discovered that my bathroom exhaust fans vent directly into the attic. I'm worried about moisture buildup and I'm considering routing the exhaust to an external vent. How major of an issue is this, and which type of vent is best?

From my perspective, a soffit vent is going to be easier to do and doesn't have the potential to allow rain to leak into my attic. Is there any strong argument for a roof vent?

I found this article explaining a basic how-to of each procedure, but it doesn't give any pros/cons for each one.


texts: Is this electric furnace likely to be insulated with asbestos?

texts:
I inherited this electric furnace and I'd like to identify the material it's made from. I've not managed to find any record online, but the company itself no longer exists.

Given its vintage (90s at the very latest, possibly older if the digital control is a more recent addition), and purpose (insulating a very hot thing), something asbestos-based seems fairly likely, but I wouldn't know how to recognise it.

I realise this might not be the very best place to ask the question, but DIY is the only stack exchange site that mentions asbestos. Is it likely to be asbestos?


texts: LED & fluorescent bulbs blinking in a fixture - but I don't think it's the bulb. Advice?

texts:
Our apartment had a very ugly fluorescent light in the kitchen (not a fixture with a bulb - but a one piece circular fluorescent with a plastic diffuser cover over top). We replaced the fixture with an IKEA fixture that has three sockets and put in three 9W LED bulbs (also tried three 14W fluorescent bulbs).

After about a minute of being ON, one bulb starts to blink, and then two (but never three). I've tried different LED bulbs (IKEA brand and other brand) and the same two sockets blink. I've tried putting the bulbs that blink in the socket that doesn't blink, and they don't blink there. I even replaced the fixture with an identical one and have the same issue.

I don't think it's the bulbs.

The fixture is on a single switch in the kitchen (not a dimmer) and is wired with black/white (hot/neutral) and no ground.

The breaker is a 15A breaker and the only other lights I can find on the breaker are three can lights in the hallway that are currently on fluorescent bulbs.

We also tried removing the LED bulbs and using fluorescent bulbs in there and they don't even light up.

What might be the issue here? I've read a bad connection on the negative side - is this the likely culprit? Should I just replace this fixture with something that can take a higher wattage incandescent (the IKEA fixtures at rated at 10W per socket)?

MODS: Please don't mark this as a dupe of the question about lights blinking when being turned off. This is: turn ON lights, wait 1 minute, lights begin to blink. The dupe from the last question had nothing to do with this one.


texts: I am planning to replace the erratic aquastat in an oil-fired furnace. I was able to get the exact replacement model-L8124L. Does it require shutting off water to the tank and priming after the install? I am assuming the thermostat will have to make contact with the boiler water for sensing the temperature. Also is it a DIY- I am fairly good at electronic circuits and confident to replace the wires.


texts: What the purpose of a label on top of a capacitor?

texts: I notice that some HVAC capacitors have labels printed or sprayed on them like the black "negative circle" label on top of the capacitor in the picture. What is it supposed to indicate?


texts: Is a double 60 amp breaker really feeding 120 amps?

texts: My main breaker panel is feeding a panel in my basement. The main panel feed to the basement panel is 2 60amp breakers that have the thing across them so they trip together. My question is am I feeding 120amps to the basement panel or still only60 amps. My main breaker in the basement is a 100amp, how does that affect the double 60 amp feed to it?


texts:
My refrigerator door has developed a few little spots where rust has bubbled up and the paint has flaked off. Mostly under 5mm in diameter, but a couple along the edges and corners of the door are longer. It's an older model (GE TBX18, over 20 years old) but it's running fine and I'd like to fix these small cosmetic issues before they grow.

I found a few products for touching up white appliances. Whirlpool makes a paint, while Rust-Oleum has an epoxy. Neither one mentions what to do about rust before painting though. The spots are small and flush with the paint, which will make sanding difficult.

What is the recommended procedure for fixing very small rust spots on a refrigerator?


texts:
I'll say that this may be somewhat of a physics question.
On my GE Model # GX1S01R the intake hose (from the water supply) and the output hose (to sink water dispenser) are both at the top of the filter housing (I think is is called the sump housing). The filter sits loosely inside the housing. I always wondered if the water flowed in above the filter and out the other side. How do I know if it is actually being circulated through the filter? Yes, the old filter brown and the new one is white, but, is the water actually being drawn through the filter, or is the filter just sitting in a housing of tap water?


texts: No hot water until another faucet is turned on

texts:
I live in an apartment complex and each apartment has its own hot water heater. If I turn my kitchen sink on first, I get no hot water at all until another faucet in the bathroom is turned on.  Then when the bathroom runs hot the kitchen immediately goes to hot.  Vice Versa for the bathroom sink first and then the kitchen sink.

The property manager changed the mixing valve and still no results.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.


texts: Does the California plumbing code require a water line shutoff behind a refrigerator?

texts: Appliance store says I need a shutoff valve behind the refrigerator.  They want a valve box in the wall to attach their flexible water line.  The plumber put in flexible copper tubing with the shutoff valve under the sink.  Appliance store says that's against code. I live in California if that makes a difference.  The copper tubing is the smooth type.  The refrigerator is a LG French door.


texts: How do I maintain a newly laid oiled floor?

texts:
I just bought an Emperor Oak Oiled Floor. The salesman of the reseller said it has been oiled 7 times with Woca oil but advises another coat once laid.

Reading forums, opinion seems split:

  it's quite common (these days with so many products coming from China)
  the "oil" used on pre-finished boards is not really protecting against
  drips and spillages.  When we install boards like this, we either
  apply a wax-polish or one coat of HardWaxOil to create a better wear
  and tear layer.

  Why would you want to re-oil a pre-oiled floor straight after
  installation??  Use a suitable maintenance product 4 weeks after
  installation and then every 5 -6 months.

  Don't re-oil - use a proper maintenance product!

So:

What do you think?
Which one is best for me?
Should I be applying another coat of oil once laid?
Should this be a maintenance oil? Or a normal hardwax oil?
Should I use a floor soap first like "Osmo Wash and Care"?


texts:
Yes, I know I can go to the big box store and buy lumber. That is not the point of this question.

I have some boards that have the nail heads removed, leaving the nail flush with the surface of the board. The boards come from pallets where apparently they used a sawsall or cutoff blade to reconstruct the pallets several times:

Side view:

Close up view:

After prying them out, I see tiny wires around the outside (my guess is to actually prevent removal ... what are these nails called?):

https://diy.stackexchange.com/a/27821/81954 gives some hints on how to remove nails, but relies upon the head being somewhat close to the surface. But in this case, the heads are sheared or sawed off flush with the surface.

Since this is for shop use (not fine furniture), and I don't need to preserve the whole width of the board (but do want to preserve the length), I have been cutting a notch into the wood about 1/4" deep, and chiseling the wood out just enough to get a ViceGrip around the nail, and then slowly prying up the nail and ViceGrip with a long crowbar. I can subsequently rip off the edge of the what is left over of the board and reuse most of the board.

Here is a view of the result after I've pryed out the nail:

That works but is time consuming.

Is there a tool that would both dig into the wood and around the nail, and have enough gripping force (similer to what I can get with the ViceGrip) to allow me to then pry out the nail?  The "Nail Jack" style of tools are close but they don't have the toggle-bolt gripping action of a ViceGrip and lack a way to hammer the chisel edges into the wood deeply enough to grip the headless nail body.

How to remove these nails (no access to head)? seems like it would be applicable, but it is not.


texts: Projector mounting location to reduce noise

texts:
With my desired screen size, the placement of my desired projector (Optome HD141X) is right above my head (approx. 1m far as the seating is elevated in the room).

I am a projector novice and thus I am not sure how much noise can the projector generate in such short proximity. The specified noise is 26dB, however, I am not sure at which distance is this measured?

So to my main question - is it worth looking at another projector, most likely short-throw, that would be mounted closer to the screen and thus further from my seating location? (3m far away for the short throw).

I quite like the projector I found and the price seems reasonable but I have no idea what to expect in terms of noise, and I would be sitting quite close..


texts: Change circuit breaker for dual purpose fitting

texts: I have a power breaker fitted with a ducted outlet to exterior wiring. It is in white plastic, same size as twin socket, with push switches for on/off test/restart and neon light. I would like to change this for a similar unit with an integral switched plug socket for interior use to fit the same wall box. What do I need to ask for?


texts: Where is the "labyrinth plate" of a dishwasher?

texts:
I am trying to diagnose an intermittent error message with a Fisher & Paykel DW920 Dishwasher.
I found the diagnostics manual, and in the section on checking the operation of the wash pump it recommends that I "check labyrinth plate".

(Click to enlarge; see box in bottom right corner, second from right.)
I don't know what that is. I have been unable to find a description. The closest I have come is someone trying to sell me a replacement.
What is the role of a labyrinth plate, and where can I find it to make sure it is properly serving that role?


texts: Breaker, wire and disconnect size for an air conditioner

texts:
I need help with the wiring of an AC unit.  4 different Electrical contractors / electricians are suggesting 4 different Breaker, Disconnect and wire sizes.

Name Plate info:
Min. 16.7 circuit amps
Max fuse 25 amps
Max. circuit Breaker 25 amps
Short circuit current: 5kA rms. symmetrical, 230V


texts: How can I clear a blockage caused by the previous owner flushing grout down the toilet?

texts:
The previous owner of our house tiled the main bathroom before selling the house and flushed the grouting down the toilet.  This caused the pipes to become blocked.  We've had to break down some of the wall downstairs, cut open the pipes and try to remove the hardened grout, however, it seems that some of the grouting went below floor level and hardened there.

For the minute, we've closed the family bathroom until we decide how to fix it!

We are on a tight budget and not hugely experienced DIYers.


texts: What is the most reliable way to install transitions and molding for laminate flooring on concrete flooring?

texts:
Can you please tell me what is the most reliable way to install transition strips and molding for laminate flooring on concrete flooring?

Kind regards.


texts: How do I remove this tree that fell down? It is partially on the roof.


texts: Transferring Surge Circuit inside Metal Enclosure

texts:
I have transferred the PCB of the leviton surge protection inside a metal enclosure (to avoid burning the case if the MOV burns). But the problem is the inside is much cooler now with the opening and metal heat sinking properties. This is compared to the original sealed plastic enclosure.

So the thermal fuse would take longer to open, and the MOV burning even more? If it burns more, it can burn the wirings and short circuit them.

Therefore I think I must put insulation inside that can prevent heat from escaping.. or trap the heat. Do you know what material I should cover the inside of the metal so heat won't get outside (besides covering the hole of course)?

This is assuming the MOV transfer of heat to the thermal fuse is dependent on ambient temperature, what do you think ?


texts: Mixing Kentucky Blue Grass and Tall Fescue

texts:
Hello all I am renovating my backyard and about 85% of it has become pure dirt.
I am located in southern PA and began the process of planting grass seed.
I began by seeding the entire backyard with Kentucky Blue Grass... A few days later I came to the realization I probably should have used a tall fescue instead.
My question is:

can I reseed the entire backyard with Tall Fescue creating a mix of the two?


texts: How to fireproof steel beam in existing (45 year old) house

texts:
My living room ceilings were a mess, so I ordered new 2.4m x 1.2m panels and tore it the old stuff down a few hours ahead of delivery. What fun!
Not fun was finding that the steel beam in the ceiling/floor space has no fire proofing. I'm in the UK and there's regulations about this - steel beams must survive 30 mins of fire. Your insurance is invalidated without that. Who knows when this misdeed was committed, but I have to remedy it.
Pics:

There is loads of advice online about new builds and new home-improvement work that put in new beams. Nothing that I can find from UK-GOV about old/existing houses.  If there had been something there before, even it was shitty by today's standard, I would have been able to leave it in.
The beam is not exposed. If it was I could have used intumescent paint. I think I could do if it wasn't exposed, but it would still need 5cm expansion space before the regular plasterboard (drywall or sheetrock depending on your local language) layer, but it only a 15mm gap
Here's a guy who knows what he's doing - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGhHn6ULAJM (fast forward to 7m 30s) - putting on double-thickness of regular plasterboard. Is that to regulation? People ask him questions in the youtube comments but he does not answer them. I could do this, but it is very intricate.
There's also "Glasroc F MULTIBOARD" that's for fire proofing - this can be single layer, I think. Videos of people cutting that make it look consumer safe.  Three sides of this, then the regular plasterboard below that. Or Just the bottom in Glasroc - a whole 1.2m wide - instead of the regular plasterboard for that section of the ceiling?
More videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOhtCJzmMPM - a man using "GirdaGrips" (exposed beam)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_X9abfmZd-g - a lady strapping a plank to the underside of the beam. Her's is an exposed beam, but I could do the same for the underside of mine given the room between it and the level of the ceiling plasterboard

After I'm done do I need an official inspection?  Do I record my own video of my work for any purpose including if we were to sell the house?


texts: What are these clips on the wires in my junction box?

texts: Are these clips just for protection? or are they connectors for something?


texts: What should be cleaned or examined after an air conditioner drain pipe leak?

texts:
The other day, we found some water on the floor in our utility room. After some research and investigation, we discovered that the drain pipe from the central air unit was blocked. We were able to use a vacuum to unplug the drain line, and since then it has drained normally.

However in the meantime, we had some water on the floor, some in the blower compartment of the AC unit, and a lot of standing water in the condensation pan in the unit. We have had some bad experiences with water damage and mold in the past so I wanted to ask:

Do we need to be concerned about the water that leaked from the catch pan into the blower compartment?
Should we try to wash out/bleach the pan or anything? (It is very hard to get to!)
Should we have an HVAC tech come look at the unit/blower to check for damage?
Should we do anything special to prevent mold growth?
Is it worth it to have our ducts cleaned?