texts: Explosive Backup in Shower/Toilet in Small House & Clear Bubbles in Sink & Toilet of Main House

texts: I have small main house and smaller unattached house-like mother-in-law dwelling. Both houses have shower, toilet, sink. Yesterday in main house I noticed clear water bubbles in the sink and simultaneously in toilet that went on for maybe a minute or less. Odd, I thought. Then in other house, later that day, I discovered the drain/sewer had evidently backed up in an explosive way in shower and toilet. A mess. Can anyone tell me what's going on and what I should do? Should I expect more and worse to happen? I'm certain that the two occurrences (clear water bubbles in main house and dirty, explosive mess in smaller, detached house) must be connected. Never happened before in 10+ years we've lived here (Seattle). Really appreciate any help!!! Thanks.


texts:
I just recently installed a light switch. It's not a dimmer switch, so there's just an off and on. Now, the lights are constantly on! When I turn the light switch off, they dim slightly, and when I turn the light switch on, they brighten slightly. How might I have messed up installing the light switch that this happens? Could it be the switches fault?

Process I used to install light switch:

Remove old light switch. Wires going into old light switch are: bare copper wire attached to green lead, 2 black wires going into copper leads red wire going into black lead.
Connect new light switch. New setup is: bare copper wire attached to green wire labeled "ground" on switch, 1 black wire attached to black wire labeled "in" on switch, 1 black wire attached to red wire labeled "out" on switch, 1 red wire attached to white wire labeled "neutral" on switch.


texts: How can I build deck stairs flush with the end of the deck?

texts:
I have a deck design where I want stairs coming down perpendicular to the joist starting at the end of the joist.  You can see the picture as a generic not to scale drawing of what I mean.

I had an idea to have the end joist extend past the rim joist.  I then want to attach the stair stringer to the very end of the joist.  I am going to use USP's concealed stringer hanger.

Am I able to put a stair stringer like this, or is there a different/better way to get the stairs flush with the rim joist?


texts: How can I remove a porcelain sink from a granite counter?

texts:
I'd like to replace my kitchen sink.  It is a drop-in porcelain, mounted in a granite tile countertop.  It has been there almost 20 years.  The tile is in great shape and I would like to avoid damaging it.
I tried to cut away the silicone from the sink and slip a putty knife under there to loosen it, but I couldn't create any gap to get the knife in.  I also tried to use heat to loosen the silicone, and a mallet to jiggle the sink a bit from the bottom.  Nothing has worked.
Any advice on working the sink loose while avoiding tile damage?


texts: Can a triple stud be replaced with a thinner, stronger material?

texts:
We have a galley kitchen and our fridge takes up a lot of room when the door is open.  I'd like to recess it back into the wall using some empty space in the dining room directly behind it.
However when I opened the wall I discovered a triple stud that is load-bearing, supporting a floor joist that terminates directly above it.  Because of this termination point and that the triple stud is situated on the corner of the wall, I don't have room to slide it back.
Top view:
             X
      ^      |
    fridge   |
             |
             |
--X----X---XXX = = = = = = = > joist
  |
  |
  |           dining room
  X

Elevation from behind the fridge:
--+----+---+++
  |    |   |||
  |    |   |||
  |    |   |||
  |    |   |||
  |    |   |||
  |    |   |||
  |    |   |||
--+----+---+++

I could probably sister a new stud to the opposite side of the existing triple but that would also mean the wall would no longer be flush on the dining room side which I'd rather avoid.
It might be possible to rotate the triple studs with a new top/bottom plate, but the edges would overlap the load bearing wall underneath it and I'm not sure how that would work out.  Beefing up the wall next to the fridge (and its extension) also I don't think will work as there's no columns under the adjacent floor joists.
So I'm looking then to replace the triple stud altogether with a stronger material if possible.  Ideally I want this wall to get to with a cripple and header in place of the middle stud:
--+----+---- +
  |    |     I
  +----+-----+
  |          I
  |          I
  |          I
  |          I
  |          I
--+----+-----+

Is there a readily available material I can use in place of the triple stud that has similar load-bearing characteristics but only takes up the space of a double stud??
Note: this question is similar to Can I modify a load bearing triple stud? but as I don't think I can rotate the triple stud or transfer the load via a span over to adjacent columns, looking for alternative materials rather than seeking to modify a portion of the triple stud.


texts: Should I upgrade my electrical panel during a solar installation

texts:
I have a moderately sized electrical panel and over the course of the last 8 years have done a full house rewire, and installed heat pumps (and when I say 'I did X', I mean I wrote the check to the electrician). At the beginning the panel was relatively empty because the house was completely under-wired. Now, all the breaker slots are completely full, some with double breakers. Additionally, the system is set up with the mains wiring coming in through a 220v breaker instead of through the top bus bars, which seems weird to me.

Within the last year I put in the Sense energy monitor, which involves putting two inductive clamps over the mains feed. I was able to do it, but it was a really tight fit to get it in place. https://sense.com/installation

I'm about to have a solar install done, and they'll have an electrician in anyway doing the hookup. They're willing to upgrade me to a larger box for the cost of 1 days work of an electrician and his apprentice, $1200.

The solar company seems to think they can get the solar installed in my existing box, with no problems. However, I think this might be a good opportunity to get a larger box so I don't have to worry about it in the future.

I have several opinion questions.

Should I enlarge my box? In theory, I don't plan to add any more circuits to the house, but this sounds like a good opportunity to future proof. On the other hand, I don't want to throw $1200 at something if I don't have to.
Should I insist on the mains being moved to what I believe is the more standard top-center point directly on the bus bars?
Does $1200 and 1 day's work for 2 guys sound like a reasonable estimate for replacing the box in the Boston area? I'm not asking if someone could do it for $100 cheaper, but, just a basic call on whether this price seems reasonable?

Thanks

::edit::

Decided to pull the trigger and will be getting a contract amendment to the solar job to bundle the box upgrade. Thanks everyone.


texts: I had some minor work done and the electrician pointed out some upgrades that might be a good idea.  Essentially, the entire house could stand to be rewired--it was built in 1947.  I'm thinking of only doing the basement.  However, it is not really necessary.  It's just old wiring and some of the circuits supply more than one room.  For example, if I want to turn the electricity off in the basement for some reason, half of my kitchen will be without electricity as well.  It's inconvenient, but not necessarily dangerous.  My concern is, that if I have the basement rewired, that will lead to having to rewire the rest of the house.  I've lived with it this way for 11 years.  So, I'm wondering if I should just leave it, to avoid the possibility of then being obligated to do the rest of the house.  Any thoughts?


texts: Turn on one light, when another is turned off

texts:
I just bought a bathroom fan which needs a seperate wire to control the fan, light, nighlight and humidity control. Each one is designed to be wired to a separate switch, not an ideal design. I'm trying to find a way to control them without switching out to a bigger gang box. I hoped to add the light to my current light circuit, and somehow setup the nightlight to turn on/off inversely with the main lights. So when the main lights are on, the nightlight is off. Any ideas?

Sorry if this has been asked before. In searching I mainly found issues on poorly wired three way switches.


texts: How to mount meter base to cedar siding on old house

texts:
I'm in the process of rewiring my small 1910 home. The utility company has requested I move my meter to the front of the house. I plan on mounting my service panel on the inside of the house, directly behind the meter and connecting the two via a few inches of 2" schedule 80 PVC.

What's the best way to mount the meter base to the exterior of the house? Should I just screw it directly into the siding? Should I cut a rectangle out of the siding that is slightly larger than the meter and attach a plywood or PVC mounting block?

The house is old and has no sheathing under the siding (there appears to be horizontal shiplap under the siding with gaps between the boards). I'm in the rainy NW so waterproofing is a big concern. Below is a photo of the siding. It's not the meter's location but it gives an idea of what the house looks like.

Thanks!


texts: Placing stove in center of island or on an edge

texts:
I'm not entirely sure if this is the correct place to post this question since it does border somewhat on decorating, but I'm looking for a more inclusive answer rather then just 'does it look good'.

I'm having an island put in as part of a kitchen remodel. The island is going to be about 54 inches wide by 48 inches long with a 30 inch wide stove in it. Which leaves us a total 24 inches of counter space left over. I'm trying to decide if the stove should go in the middle or off to the side. Off to the side I think is more practical since i think it's more functional to have 2 feet of space on one side of the stove vs 1 foot of space on both sides.

Just wondering if anyone has any thoughts on this? I need to make a decision relatively soon - few days at most.

http://imgur.com/1wW0fDD here's a link to the current proposed layout

thanks


texts: Attaching treads to stringers when building deck stairs

texts: I have deck stairs with 2x10 treads attached to 2x10 stringers with 2x4 cleats. Should I also screw the treads in from outside the stringer? If so what fastener should I use.


texts: Is using a humidifier to make paint dry slower a good idea?

texts:
I'm using latex paint (or maybe acrylic -- Behr Premium Plus Ultra).

The humidity was pretty high today because of the weather. This seemed to make the paint I was using dry slower, which was nice, at least while I was applying it.

The humidity tomorrow is supposed to be much lower, but I thought I could run a humidifier in the room I'm painting while I'm painting to get the ease of slower drying paint, and then turn it off once I'm done painting so it can dry more quickly then.

This seems like an amazing idea to me, but I wonder if there's something I'm missing.


texts: Is there a wireless thermostat that will make relocating easier?

texts:
I've got a single zone which covers all three upstairs bedrooms in my home and the thermostat is located in the master bedroom.  We prefer it to be somewhat cooler at night, but the baby in the nursery would be better off with a warmer room. (We have a hydronic system with baseboard radiators, just heat no cooling.)

Moving it is doable since I have attic access, but it seems like an easier solution would be to use some kind of wireless system - the temperature sensor would go in the nursery while the "brains" would connect in the master bedroom in place of the existing thermostat.

I searched for such an animal on Amazon and didn't really come up with anything at a reasonable price.  Can anyone suggest a product that they've used?  If it's more than $100 I'll probably just physically relocate it... but it really seems like something like this should exist!


texts:
I have been working through the wiring in my house to add in gfci's in the appropriate locations and update outlets and switches.  I am familiar with usual three-way and four-way light set-ups and have had no trouble updating with most of the three-way and four-way wiring configurations.  The exception is an overhead-fluorescent light in my kitchen with four flourescent bulbs.

There are three switches for this one light, two of which are in the same box.  Two of the switches are three-way switches and the one sharing the box is only a two-way switch.  If the two-way is flipped off, flipping either of the three-way switches turns the light on (but only 2 of 4 fluorescent lights are turned on).  If the two-way is flipped on, 2 of the 4 lights are automatically on, and flipping either of the two switches turns the other two on.

I have not quite figured out the wiring connections between the three light switches, but is it possible that two of the four fluorescent lights are hooked up to the three way switches and the other two lights are only hooked up to the single two-way switch?  If so, is this set-up all up to code?  If not, any idea as to what is going on here?

Extra important info: There is a single wire going from the three way switch to the two-way switch and three wires hooked up to the two-way switch (one in back slot and two on side wire terminals).

Thanks ahead of time for any help!


texts:
I have two light switches that I would like to combine to one. See image. On the left is my existing setup, on the right is what I am thinking of doing (apologies, I never learned proper electrical diagramming). Both light switches are on the same circuit breaker.

What I gather from a similar question is that I can just cap one of the incoming wires, which I assume, is either A or C? This would mean that my idea (right diagram) is incorrect?

If that were the case, would I also cap the ground and white neutral wires from the same line?

EDIT: So I have since learned after testing the wires, that only A is hot. C was a separate light switch in another room, so it needed an uninterrupted line going to it. This still makes my diagram work.


texts: Need help roughing out DWV for new double sing location

texts:
I am trying to move a double sink vanity to the wall on the left where we closed in the closet door. This 1977 floor plan didn't make a lot of sense to us so we are doing a full remodel of the bathroom and closet in the MB. I have been researching all day and the one thing I can not figure out is if I can extend the drain that is already in the wall leading to the 3" waste line. I believe I can, and if so, do I need to add a vent to the extension or will the one that will be 6+ feet away be fine? I do not want to bust up concrete and move the waste line over as this would be too costly at the moment. Any help would be extremely appreciated!

What I know so far
Drain must be at 1/4" slope
My vent pipe is 1 1/2" and the sink drains are being upgraded to 2" diameter
My waste line is 2"
What I think:
Can't move drains more than 3'6" from 1 1/2" vent (If this is correct, I will need to add a vent but do I also need to add waste line under the slab? Or is it fine to keep it in line the way it is?)

Edit: Added a diagram for critiquing. I am pretty sure that some of it is incorrect and I need to get it finished ASAP. We are moving in soon and I want it to work properly and be up to code.


texts: What are the ramifications of using interior oil-based paint outdoors?

texts: I accidentally spray painted some gates for my deck with interior oil-based paint.  They had been previously painted and I was touching them up after about 7 years use.  I put 2 coats of the oil-based interior paint on them.  They are white.  I'm wondering what I should do.  Would it make any difference to put a coat of exterior paint on top?  Should I just put them outside and wait for them to wear out again?


texts: Subfloor: styrofoam insulation between sleepers or strapping on top of styrofoam?

texts:
I'm building bedrooms where a basement garage used to be.  The floor of the former garage is a concrete slab that I have resurfaced.  My plan is to install OSB subfloor and paint it for now, probably add carpet in the future.  Two options for how to install the subfloor have been recommended to me:

Lay down 2x4 studs as "sleepers" at 16" centers, and place 1" thick styrofoam insulation on the concrete in the gaps between studs.  Then add a plastic vapor barrier, then add 19/32 OSB subfloor on top.  I happen to have lots of 2x4 (and 2x6) pieces left over from framing, and lots of this 1" insulation left over from my renovation, so this would be more economical.
Lay down whole sheets of 3/4" styrofoam insulation, with 1x3 strapping on top at 16" centers, then plastic, then OSB subfloor.  I would have to buy all the materials.  3/4" styrofoam is an unusual thickness I might have to special order, but since I've already framed my doorways with the assumption that the subfloor would come up to 2 1/8", I can't use the 1" insulation.  My sense is that having styrofoam between the concrete and the wood might be beneficial in terms of insulation, though, which would be the advantage of this approach.

For context, the house is located in eastern Maine and we have at least three months of cold, hard, winter.  The question is: Is one of these options clearly better than the other?  Criteria include: insulation value, cost, and comfort/performance as a bedroom floor.


texts: Is torque important when drilling hole in ceramic tile?

texts: I want to drill a 2-3cm diameter hole in a ceramic tile. There are diamond-coated hole saw bits, and I read that a cordless drill is recommended if water is used for cooling. I own a 10.8V 30Nm torque drill, but there are more powerful 45 and 85Nm versions too. Is my drill OK for this, or should I invest in a more powerful one?


texts: How can I repair a Whirlpool top load washer that leaks during the spin cycles?

texts: From bottom middle front. Continues dripping water after it stops and the tub is empty. Totally saturates 3 thick large bath towels.


texts: Do I use the Siemens Type Q Breaker in ITE Blueline Loadcenter panel?

texts:
I'm looking for compatible breakers for my old ITE Blueline Loadcenter main panel.  I believe ITE was bought by Siemens.  Would the Siemens 100A 2 Pole 120/240V Type Q Breaker (https://www.homedepot.ca/product/siemens-100a-2-pole-120-240v-type-q-breaker/1000436969) be compatible for supplying 100A sub-panel?
Update:
I noticed one newer Siemens breaker in the panel! It's labelled type BL.  Can I assume all type BL breakers will be compatible with my ITE Blueline Loadcenter panel?
Update:
Photos added.
Photos:


texts: How to wire two loads when one depends on the other?

texts:
I have 2 loads connected in parallel, and one power source. Obviously, they both get current independent of one another. Each load have an on/off key connected with, in series.
My goal is to let load (say: A) get current, if and only if load B gets current. However, load B should get current regardless of what's happening at A.
Edit: Device B is a TV LED screen. Device A is a separate speaker that I may or may not use with the TV (which has its own built-in speaker). The TV is already connected to a multiplug (with 1 switch for all) along with a DVD player. I connect the speaker to a separate dedicated wall outlet, that has a (modifiable) switch to turn on current. The 2 wall outlets are connected in parallel. Sometimes when I disconnect the TV the speaker stays unintentionally on. Which brings us to my question, if I can modify the 2 outlets:
Layman asking: Is there a way of doing so, using only wires and "know-how" (no fancy electric equipment at my disposal), and how?
If not, what's the alternative?

Please support your answer with illustrations.


texts: Okay to remove light switch and cap wires?

texts:
I have a dimmer switch that’s currently controlling a set of ceiling lights. I’d like to install smart bulbs in those light fixtures, which don’t play well with the dimmer.

Since I want power to the bulbs always on (and will be controlled with an independent smart switch/remote), can I remove the dimmer, and join and cap the two wires currently going into the dimmer switch?

Is there anything unsafe about that?


texts: What are the code requirements for upgrading a residential service panel?

texts:
I am new to the forum and would appreciate all the help I can get! I live in the Salt Lake City, Utah area, and just bought a home that isn’t that old at all (mid 90’s). I was doing some investigating with the electrical panel and what circuits fed which rooms and by the looks of things it seems to be wired very strange to me.

Bedrooms wired to garage lights, a washing machine tied into an upstairs bedroom. It gets frustrating to turn of breakers and have unexpected power shut off where you weren’t expecting it to go off.

To ask a simple question in a long post, what are the codes/requirements for switching out my electrical panel to hold more breaker slots? It’s an older Square D panel that has 16 slots. I just want to make it cleaner and have circuits and branches going to dedicated areas instead of the botched remodel and crazy jungle I have now.

I don’t want to upgrade my power and don’t think I need to (maybe I’m wrong). My current panel is rated at 100 amps and just switched over to gas dryer and stove so I no longer am using the two 50 amp slots. Which freed up quite a bit of power draw.

Any suggestions on panels, code requirements, and feed back from anyone who had done a project like this before would be appreciated.


texts:
I have an early 80's oak vanity in the master bath. I think the sides and bottom of the drawers are some kind of particle board. Little pieces of wood pieces/dust are constantly present. I want to seal the drawers so they don't 'shed'. What is the best product to use for this? Thank you to anyone with an answer!

Mary


texts: How to repair wood furniture surface from chemical blemish?

texts:
I left a can of Raid insect spray on top of a piece of furniture and unbeknown to me there was some sort of chemical goo that dripped off the can overnight and it seemingly ate through the surface and lightened the finish.

So I'd like to know how to go about fixing this. I did a quick search and read something about using a stain marker and then following up by applying some lacquer but I want to make sure I do the right thing. I'd appreciate any constructive feedback.

Thanks!


texts: Should I have cavity wall insulation installed?

texts:
I have the option to get cavity wall insulation done for free in my home, but i'm not sure if its a good idea or not. I've heard people say it can cause issues with damp, its hard to get out if there's a problem etc.

What would people suggest?


texts: How can I safely cut small limestone bricks?

texts:
I have a number of long limestone bricks leftover after breaking down a large limestone planter. They're 2.5"x4", vary in length from 6" to 18", and some are mortared together. I'd like to cut them into 6" lengths and reuse them for a landscaping barrier. I already have a 10" jobsite table saw and a 7.25" worm drive circular saw.
Is my best bet to buy a segmented diamond blade for my circular saw and cut the bricks wet? Is it safe to use a 10" diamond blade on a table saw? (I haven't seen any mention of this online)


texts: What is causing my gas water heater to make a high pitched noise?

texts:
I woke up two mornings ago to water that was colder than usual, so.. I naturally went to check the water heater and the pilot was out, the pilot light has never went out in the 4 years- almost 5 I've owned it. I turned it back on and all was fine until that night, I noticed a high pitched squealing noise like pressure escaping a tiny hole.. I was pretty tired so I waited until the next morning to check it out. When I went back to finally find the source of the noise the next morning, I noticed it was louder than it was that night. I turned the pilot light off first thing, and the noise immediately stopped. As soon as I press the ignition to turn it back on the noise starts again and doesn't stop until the pilot is off.

I have no idea what could be causing it, is it normal ageing or is there a cause for concern? I've pretty much left it like that the past few days and the intensity of the sound hasn't changed but it's becoming annoying real fast.


texts: Do I need a breaker in main pannel for sub pannel?

texts: I have no breaker space in the main 200amp panel. I'd like to set a 100 amp sub panel with its own breaker. Can I connect the sub panel to the main entry lugs on the 200 amp panel?


texts: How to make switched outlet always hot but keep ceiling lights switched?

texts: I have a switched outlet in new home right behind the only logical loca for my tv/ entertainment center. It’s connected to a single light switch by front door that controls the living room recessed lighting. With this config, I can only watch TV when the (bright) ceiling lights are on. Is there a way to wire this outlet always hot but keep the lights switched w/out running more wire? Can’t find a hot lead to try a pigtail, as both black wires go dead when switch is off. The switch has a single loop (ground & neutral) & looks to be downstream. Check pics & please advise! Thanks!


texts: Where could the water leaching from the base of the drywall be coming from?

texts:
I am building a new home and have insulated the walls with 1" of foam and paper backed fiberglass insulation. After the contractor put up drywall he recommended plastering the ceilings and the walls for a better and harder finish. After this was completed and the plaster walls were dry enough, we started to paint.

During this time I noticed water leaching out from the bottom of the drywall. It was bad enough that it pooled and left brown water marks on the sub floor. The water shows up at different spots in the home for example, by the sliding glass doors, in the great room and master bedroom. All these areas are outside walls in a cold weather climate.(upstate New York) I have also noticed a lot of water on the interior of the windows especially while the ceramic tile was being laid and during the painting of the interior.

The house has vinyl siding, and has been wrapped with a blue Dow whole house wrap.


texts:
I am Greek so my English wont be perfect, forgive me.
I have this power strip with 3 "spots" for a year now.
I plugged in something today in one spot, then unplugged. Everything as usual. Ever since, I cant plug in anything else. I apply force, i wiggle, i followed other advice i found online, nothing!
What happened all of a sudden?


texts: Antique headboard and footbard with iron frame

texts: I have an antique headboard and footboard along with the one piece iron frame that attaches to it.  Problem is that when you attach the frame to the head and footboards, the "L" shape is upside down so there's no way to use slats or to secure the mattress in the bed. I can't turn the frame upside down because the holes in the frame and the bed wouldn't align properly (there's also a small nodule on the frame that fits into the head and footboards).  Any help/suggestions/advice will be greatly appreciated. I used this bed in a former home but that was over 30 years ago and I just can't remember how it was set up!


texts:
I have a drainage issue in my back yard that we've dealt with for years. I have a few ideas, yet I thought I'd post one to see if it will work first.

We live in a typical SoCal track home surrounded almost entirely by cement installed by the previous owner. There are a number of drainage issues on the property that are hard to remedy since there is so much cement. With careful planning these issues could have been avoided in the beginning, but now I'm having to deal with them. That and staying within a reasonable DIY budget makes this a real challenge.

We just had our patio cover rebuilt and don't want a previous issue returning when we get a major rain. The problem was the bottom of the wood columns sitting in a few inches of water long enough on and off over the years to get saturated and eventually split and rot, not to mention water and dirt rings left on the concrete after the water finally dries.

Our patio cover's cement has a brick border. The problem is where a small grass area meets that border as they slope toward each other leaving an area for water to sit sometimes for a day or two after a serious rain. That same area is where the patio cover's columns are. To install a drain that would go out to the street would never happen taking into account the huge amount of cement that would have to be cut to allow this. The distance and what's in between would just make it a nightmare. I don't mind a project that takes a few days, but I'll move before I need to put that much work in this.

I'm considering a two stage project, one, having a gutter installed at the rear of our house and divert that water into a rain barrel (or two if necessary). Since water will still be coming off the patio cover's roof and excess from the pool in the summer the second stage would be digging a 2 1/2' - 3' trench along the grass where it meets the brick border. Then either simply filling it to the top with stone or filling it with stone, less about 4" and installing a trench train and cover that would allow the water to percolate straight down into the stone. My question is how much water could this second project handle and will it percolate down fast enough? Could it actually handle all of the water and forget the gutter and barrel all together saving me money? Yes I know a rain barrel's a great idea, but even that area where it would sit is tight, let alone two.

Just as a note, the soil (under the 4" or so of top soil) we have here is more like sand and rocks, hardly soil in my book. In a flat normal area it would take water like a champ and drain very quickly, but the problem area I'm writing about above really puts it to test.

Also, the grass area is triangular, roughly 15' on each side.

Sorry about the long winded post, but I wasn't sure what details would be needed. Hope I've provided enough.

Thanks for any help or advise.


texts: Is it possible to fry a lamp's internal wiring if I put the wrong bulb in?

texts: I went to the hardware store pulled a bunch of LED bulbs off the shelf.  One of the bulbs found its way into the wrong box and had a significantly smaller screw base than your typical light bulb base.  Because I wasn't paying attention to this as I was putting in all the bulbs, I inadvertently attempted to put in the bulb with the smaller base which tripped a breaker, causing all my power to go out.  I switched all the breakers back on and my power came back, but now my light won't work.  Did I destroy the fixture forever or is there something that I am missing here?  It's wired up to a dimmer control if that is of any use here.


texts: What is the minimum thickness a new top layer of concrete should be when poured over an existing concrete walkway?

texts: Parts of a concrete walkway leading up to the front of the house have sunk down over the years. We want to add a layer of new concrete over the old concrete to raise it and make it more even.  What is the minimum thickness we can pour to not compromise the strength?


texts: Applying Spar urethane on awning type window jambs

texts:
Newly installed, Pine,(exterior vinyl clad) window sash piece was not factory finished. Do I apply Spar urethane to the jambs and sections that close against the frame? Information found online only dealt with "Not Painting Double Hung wood windows, so they move up and down, freely"
I've already sanded and stained any wood that risks exposure to elements, hopefully reaching all crevices. Factory booklet also only deals with double hung windows.
Thank you for any help!


texts: Natural gas range emits kerosene/propane burner odor

texts:
I have a natural gas range. The cooktop part seems to operate normally, with the flames blue. But recently, the oven has been emitting a smell that smells like those forced air portable propane heaters. Best way I can describe it. I know what unburned natural gas/mercaptan smells like, and it is not that.
When I look in there, it seems the flame from the burner is orange instead of blue, but I'm not sure if that's how it's always been or if that is normal.

I recently had to replace the igniter in this oven. This started after that replacement, but not right away. Could it be that the new igniter is not letting the gas valve open fully? Or is there something else I should look at?

The oven is a Hotpoint Model RGBS100DMWW.

UPDATE: I have noticed this smell now when the cooktop burners are on without the oven - at first I thought it was just the oven. The flames there are definitively normal, all blue and the normal length they always are. But I can smell the propane heater / kerosene like smell from those burners. Is it possible there is something contaminating the natural gas supply?

UPDATE 2: Turns out my oven flame was not orange. What I could see through the oven part was the orange glow of the igniter. The flames are perfectly blue, as I found a way to see them better through the bottom drawer. I think the answer regarding oil-based paints was correct here, whenever there was still a whiff of the varnish in the air, the oven would produce this smell. Now it has cleared out, and the oven smells normal again.


texts: How can I install a pre-hung door when soundboard has been installed?

texts:
Normally a 2x4 wall has a finished thickness of 4.5" (2x4 + 2x 1/2" drywall)

I have 1/2" soundboard under  one side of the drywall so my finished thickness is 5"

I know that I can custom-order pre-hung doors with this jamb size, but is there way to cleanly install a standard 4.5" jamb?

Should I install flush to one side, leaving the half inch and add a moulding to cover it?
Should I split the difference to 1/4-inch on both sides?


texts: Is a home inspection of lead worth the money or will it basically tell me what I already know?

texts:
We just purchased a house.  It was built in 1939. There are areas of the house, around the base of some molding, door corners, around some door frames, etc., where paint is chipping.

We didn't get the house inspected before we bought it because we just assumed that there is lead paint underneath.

We haven't moved in with our kids (5 and 3 years old) b/c we are renovating. I recently used a lead paint test stick on a wall under a big piece of peeling paint in the bathroom. It was positive for lead.

Now that got me thinking and possibly considering getting a professional to come it to do some XRF testing. Is it worth having it tested or is it adequate to just follow EPA RRP guidelines and recommendations...such as cleaning the house more often, wiping your shoes before coming in the house, eat a less fatty diet (less lead absorption), etc.


texts: Try to add more power outlets to garage! for more toys!

texts:
Just got myself a new table saw (13 amps- Delta 725T2). I'm thinking of rewiring the saw to 240V.
Also need a separate line for dust collection 20 amp should suffice. And another one for another tools.
In the future really want to dive into TIG welding and acquire a band saw. planer and jointer.
Please advise on the breakers to put in. The main panel is just behind the garage wall. Was thinking about using EMT as an option for more professional look.
I am pretty sure that I will not use two high amp tools at a time.
Really looking for advice from electricians on the breakers amperage that I need to install on the three lines.

High amps tools;
dust collection;
regular tools, charging stations for hand tools.

I have a 200 amp panel (505 amps in breakers already in it)
[


texts: How do I prevent my security cameras from being stolen?

texts:
I'm in a high theft area and I plan to set-up three IP cameras: two outdoor and one indoor. Stealing the cameras is lucrative if the thieves know what they are doing since:

They total around 10,000 PHP or around 180 USD.
The settings are very easy to reset for resale; just press the hole with a pin.
The SD card which stores the recording are housed inside the camera unit.

How do I prevent someone from just removing the camera?

I'm looking for a solution which:

Does not obstruct the camera view (if there's a way to cage the camera in such a way, that is good)
Keeps the camera maintainable; so no permanent welding.


texts: RO Drain Pipe Connected to Air Gap is leaking

texts:
I don't have space on my pipe to install the drain adapter. I have one sink, and that has a garbage disposal unit.

Under the garbage disposal unit, I only have P-Trap without much space on the pipe to put the drain adapter. I was told that one should not install this after P-Trap since it means that odor from the P-Trap gets into the filter.

One of the plumbers told me to install a three-pronged air gap and connect the drain pipe into that air-gap. But, for some reason, the connection is not working out, and it is leaking from there.

I am not sure what can be fixed. Can someone help?


texts:
I need to do an unusual molding of an outer corner which has plaster on one side and exposed brick on the other. I need to make the plaster side flush with the brick along the edge where it's now missing about 1/2". I can do it by using a 1x4 along the plaster edge as a mold and filling the gap with drywall mud but I'm afraid the mud will stick to the board and crumble when I take the mold off.

If I put aluminum flashing over the board before filling the gap with mud, will that prevent sticking?


texts: Check if metal junction box is "charged" from bad wiring

texts:
I was painting a joist in my basement and my roller bumped a junction box and sparks flew out.  I suspect that a hot wire is touching the box.  I was going to take apart the box and replace it with a plastic one that is bigger since a light fixture is there as well.

Can I just use a multimeter set it to V and press the positive and negative probe to the box itself?

thanks


texts: Can a refrigerator be connected to one of the load receptacles from a GFCI. Of late, GFCI is tripping very frequently. What is the solution for this. Would replacing the GFCI with a new one resolve this issue. My GFCI is pretty old like 20 years.


texts: Can I use construction adhesive alone to attach pressure-treated wall plate to concrete floor?

texts: Replacing walls in basement due to flooding.  Contractor installed sump and drain pipe around the inside of the cinder block wall.  I want to put in new wall, concerned that TapCon or other hammer/gun attachments will compromise the cement cover over that pipe.  Can I just use liquid nails?


texts:
I have 2 AC units and I’m installing Ecobee thermostats. The upstairs unit is on the main panel and I was able to turn it off and install the thermostat.

I turned off the main breaker and the downstairs unit continues to run so it’s obviously not on the main panel. Outside by the unit it is hooked up to a box from the Electric company that says shouldn’t be opened.

I’ve had the thermostat replaced on this unit before and I know they didn’t call the electric company to open this box.

Is there somewhere else this unit may be wired to or somewhere else it can be turned off?


texts: does "clear opening" on rafter loading tables mean horizontal projection?

texts:
I am looking at some tables of allowable roof loads for southern yellow pine: http://www.southernpine.com/app/uploads/AL_27-32L.pdf

Rafters are typically at an angle to horizontal.   I'm wondering if the figures for "clear opening" in the tables refer to the length of a rafter or beam between supports, or to the horizontal "projection" of that opening.

In other words, if my rafters are at a 30-degree angle to horizontal, and are 16ft long between supports, is my clear opening 16ft, or is it 16ft times the cosine of 30 degrees, or a little under 14ft ?


texts: Is plastering a job best left to the professionals?

texts:
We have moved into an older house which needs re-wiring - the plaster is also in poor condition so a fair amount of plastering is going to be required over the next few months.

We are trying to save cash and I'm generally a "have a go at most things myself" sort of person. From looking at videos on YouTube plastering doesn't seem too difficult, doesn't require any particularly expensive equipment, and if I make a mess of it I can either sand it down or re-do it.

That said, a couple of people have recommended to me that a good plasterer can get a lot done quickly for not too much money, and that if I get it wrong bad things can happen (like the plaster blowing in a few months time because I've not mixed it properly).  Is plastering a low-risk job that I can have a go at myself, or am I likely to waste time and cause myself problems later?

The house is brick masonry with a small lath and plaster internal wall (which contains several small holes).  The problems include several large-ish (1m x 1m) areas of blown plaster, cracks, screw holes and a generally poor old finish.


texts: Are railroad ties suitable for a retaining wall under tree canopy?

texts:
This video shows a sharp cliff near my house that leads down to a stream. The drop is about 20 feet. I would like to build a 4' high retaining wall right around where you see a stack of dead branches. We'll be about 10' away from the stream and about 6' up. The wall would be facing SW.

I have consulted with a contractor and he advised me that it's a bad idea to use treated railroad ties in an under a canopy of trees for fear of rot. However, I have a neighbor with a beautiful railroad ties retaining wall that's been there for 30 years and looks pristine. Furthermore, the lumber steps that you see are 75 years old and for 30 of those years were covered with leaves and overgrowth and the steps are still in passable shape.

What's your take on it? Am I safe using treated lumber to build a wall there?


texts: home electrical not working as it should

texts: I have a 115 volt 20 amp breaker but at the plug its only showing 79 volts what can the issue be? I changed the breaker and checked the voltage at the panel


texts: If metal expands when heated, how does heating a bolt loosen it?

texts: If you're having trouble removing a stuck bolt, common advice is to heat the bolt up.  But if metal expands when heated, wouldn't heating up the bolt just make it harder to remove? How does heating the bolt get it unstuck?


texts: Can't use in ground pool anymore, how do I maintain it?

texts: Health problems and up keep costs have led to the decision not to use in ground pool.  What do I need to do to keep the pool mosquito free while not having to pay the pool service company and the costs associated with running the pump and filter?


texts: How do I apply BNC connectors without breaking them?

texts: I have some RG-59 coax cable and I want to terminate it with BNC compression connectors.  I bought some compression connectors, and what I think is a pretty good quality compression tool — the Liberty CM-TOOL.  But every time I try one, it cracks the white plastic and bends the metal out around it.  I tried to show what I mean in this picture.  It sort of makes sense why the plastic cracking; the tool applies a great deal of force to that area.  So how is this supposed to work?


texts: We are looking at changing our sliding shower door. We have measured the space and it is 1155mm. All of the doors we can find appear to be 1100 or 1200 and even with the allowance don’t seem to include our size. Do we go big and try and fit in or small?


texts:
Here's one for the master electricians.

I just installed two new LED down lights and noticed this morning that when I turned them on they started flashing on-off at about a 1sec cycle.

When I installed them this was not the case, but I did notice that these lights (600 lumen) appeared to be rather dim... However this is my first set of LED down lights and so I wasn't sure if this was just their normal state of being.

The wiring is straight forward, I junctioned a 120v line that appears to feed power from the master bedroom to a spare. The junction runs to a SPST switch (non dimmable) and the runs from the switch to light #1 then to light #2 in series.

Now here is where it gets odd. I've discovered that if I turn off the lights in the master bedroom the new LED down lights flash! And if I leave the master bedroom lights on the LED down lights are steady but they are dim!

WTF!?

How do I get these new lights to start acting normal.


texts:
I have a heavy square mirror and a shoe bench. I would like to put the mirror on top of the bench, but  the mirror on top, but standing on its corner.

The mirror is too heavy to hang from the wall.
I can put a nail on the wall and attach the top corner of the mirror to it.
This will make the mirror not move sideways.

Now, for the corner of the mirror that would be resting on the shoe bench I would like to make something that lies between the mirror and the bench.
That it serves as extra support but also prevents the mirror and the bench from damaging each other. They are both made out of wood.

I am not sure what would be a good shape or material for such a stand.

I was surprised I didn't have much luck finding images in Google with a mirror standing on its corner. It seems a more uncommon setting than I thought.


texts: Old cellulose insulation holding heat during summer

texts: We have a house in Seattle that is 60 years old with 6-8" of blown in cellulose insulation in the attic with an inch of rock wool under that. There is basic ventilation in the attic. The trouble we are facing it seems the insulation is holding the summer heat during days over 80 degrees and in the evening the house is warmer than outside. Is it possible we need to replace the old insulation??


texts: We want to convert the garage into the living room. Our house has a crawl space under it. But the garage is a slab with cinder blocks around it. Water comes in through the garage door when it rains enough. Not sure if we just block the door entrance and fill it in with concrete if it will be enough to keep the water out? We will also be placing a man door there. But it will be on top of the cinder blocks. Or is there another way we should do this? We are also thinking about putting a drain system in front of where the door was to help.


texts: Why has my 10 year old ceiling fan suddenly started shocking me through the fan pull chain?

texts:
My fan has been working fine for ten years now and suddenly if I’m barefoot and touch the metal pull chain it lightly shocks me, but does not if I have shoes on.
Does this mean I need a new fan or is it some electrical issue in my ceiling?


texts:
I installed an island in our kitchen using two prebuilt 36" wide cabinet boxes from home depot. The cabinet's came with crummy drawer slides which I would like to upgrade; however, in my research I've discovered two potential problems. The first is that the drawers are very large and therefore will inevitably carry a lot of weight, so I'd ideally like to get heavy duty slides. The second is that the drawers are very wide. There is only ½" clearance on either side of the drawers for slides to fit into: I haven't been able to find slides which are rated for a lot of weight which are thinner than ¾". On top of that most of the side-mounted slides I have found on the internet specify that the max drawer width is 24". Will using such slides on a 36" wide drawer be a problem?

Are there specific slides I should look into that can handle a lot of weight and can fit with these cabinets? It seems like there are fewer dimensional restrictions with under-mounted slides but those can be expensive and don't seem to be as sturdy as the side-mounted style.

We only have two of these cabinets, so I don't mind spending a bit more for good-quality slides.


texts: Do I need to install the grounding clamp on a water softener if both input and output are PEX?

texts:
We are installing a Whirlpool water softener in a new home with PEX water lines.  The installation manual says to place the supplied ground clamp over both inlet and outlet water lines. As I mentioned they are PEX lines.

How does this ground or is the ground necessary if all lines are PEX?


texts: Remove tile, or not when changing from range vent to a microhood?

texts:
I have a tiled wall behind my electric range. Ceramic tile extends up to, but not behind, the existing Whirlpool non-vented range hood. I want to remove the range hood and replace it with a microhood. I don't intend to get into a major tile project--just upgrade to the microhood.

I know that it would be easier and quicker to install the mounting bracket by bolting through the existing tile, but it would leave the microhood sticking out by the thickness of the tile (just a thin, garden variety wall tile).

The alternative would be to remove the tiles where the back of the microhood will be so that the microhood would sit flush against the drywall. It would be a lot of work, with the possibility of tile damage.

Right now, I am inclined to just mount the microhood with the existing tile in place.

I would appreciate any comments regarding the pros and cons of either plan, please?


texts: Hot water issues in the apartment and plumbers are stumped?

texts:
We have a unit upstairs in a 4-plex. The other units don't have any issues, but hot water recently stopped working in this apartment. Rarely water might get hot or warm but goes cold again. When the plumbers came and we played around with the fixtures we found out that the sink in the bathroom would get hot if the shower was on. When we turned off the shower/tub water the sink lost heat. I believe it was the same with the kitchen sink, but I could not figure out when or how to get the shower hot. The plumbers were also dumbfounded but one thought something was wrong with the shower cartridge so we replaced the entire faucet set including the rough in valve. I'm not sure how that would effect the other fixtures, but regardless it did not help.

Also we noticed that the shower handle was installed backwards once again (part of the reason the plumber thought it was the cartridge) i.e. the valve is off when it is supposed to be hot and vice versa, but how could that be causing, or allowing the other fixtures to get hot water? Won't reversing the valve still mean that the other fixtures will still be dependent on that valve when they should be independent from it?

We've already called several of the best plumbers around, and no one seems to know what's going on. The possible explanations make sense individually but not together. The water heater can't be broken because there CAN be hot water. If something is wrong with the way things were piped, why would the problem only occur now after so many years? The fact that the sink gets hot when the shower is on is what I think confuses most people. I will try playing around with the temperature limiters, but I assume it will not help, because again, why would one fixture affect the other ones?

I hope someone can provide some sense or help us troubleshoot the problem. We've already spent quite a deal of time and money and our tenants are getting annoyed. Thanks!

UPDATE

We had changed the shower handle cartridge last year per a plumber's suggestion and it seemed to resolve the situation but apparently it didn't. Right now, for some strange reason, one fixture is still affecting what comes out of another fixture. For example, the sink will not dispense hot water until the shower hot water is turned on, and then the shower gets cold if the sink hot water is turned on. Like I said before, we had a few plumbers come already last year and they didn't seem to know what the issue was.

It looks like some of you responded with some insightful tips that sound more plausible. Since the building is old, could this be pipe related (the hot water is also yellow looking)? Or does is it more likely to be capacity related (not enough hot water for everyone trying to use it), which doesn't quite seem plausible since there IS hot water, it's just that for some reason one fixture is impacting another. Or could it something with some sensor, valve, or just has to do with the design of the plumbing? The last one doesn't seem likely as the other units don't seem to have this problem, and it wasn't reported before by previous tenants. Last thing is that this and the unit below both report that the water takes a long time to get hot and that sometimes the water gets cold suddenly, and may have to wait for it to become hot again.


texts: Breaker connection on common neutral situation

texts: There are 4 single pole breakers in the 220v  main panel and 2 white wires on the neutral bar (I am assuming it is a common neutral situation). Two breakers have a black wire and two have a red wire.  The black wires are on the same leg while the red wires are on the other leg. Is this correct?  Sporadically there is a circuit outage on only one circuit lasting from a few seconds to a couple of minutes.


texts: Max sill height for windows as an escape and rescue in a group R-3 occupancy?

texts: Don't have a IBC code book available, assuming it's answered in there. Google is giving me some confusing answers


texts: wiring lights and continuing the circuit to another light circuit

texts: I have 1 switch running the 1st 3 lights then the next switch runs 1 light.  I mocked this up with spare wire and it works, but is it OK to do it like this?


texts: Can I create a water proof barrier to keep my garage & home from flooding?

texts:
Every couple of years, the area where I live gets a huge storm.  The result being that the flood of water that collects in the streets overpowers my driveway and runs down to my garage.  I put in a large drain a few years  back (6 inches) which for a moderate rainfall works fine. There are still those storms where the water is coming too fast and the drain cannot handle it and the water backs up against my closed garage door.  This door is not a good barrier though as the water runs under the door and fills up my garage.  Once the water gets to be about two inches deep in the garage, it starts to seep into our finished basement. In the 11 years we've been in this house, it has happened about 6 times.

I would like to find a better way to block the water from getting into my garage, and ultimately my home.  Any ideas would be welcomed.  I am looking into a new garage door, but I'm not sure any garage door will totally block the water and keep it out of the garage.


texts: How do I stretch a replacement drain hose to fit over the existing pipe?

texts: The original drain hose needed to be replaced, but the new hose is the same size as the existing pipe.  What is the trick for "stretching" the hose over the pipe before reattaching the clamps?


texts: Are there any safety issues with this breaker box?

texts:
Please point out any safety issues with this breaker box in my shop.

Notes:

has its own service drop and weatherhead

the ground wire is in the center doubletapped and connected to a grounding rod outside

the orange 30amp has no ground  connected to the box because the outlet itself is grounded to its own Grounding rod as it is a single circuit for an RV

Criticize away I would like my shop to be safe.. not having any problems presently
Second area of interest.. the power is coming from a splice off the main service AFTER the meter but before the main panel for my house .. all three service cables are done in this manner which should mean that they are not connected at the main box and serve as their own service I believe.
Don't get me started on the main panel it is an ungrounded fuse box, but the main circuits have a similar breaker box and splice and drop due to a previous addition.. I've had no problems with it..
Let's start with the shop.. if I need an electrician I'll hire one I already had one come out and he didn't seem too concerned with the way it was but he is 71 and said they used to do this all the time.


texts: What type of rubber pipe is used for this particular installation of hydronic radiant in-floor heating, and is it reliable?

texts:
I'm looking at a home built in the 80's with hydronic radiant in-floor heating embedded in concrete slab.  I've never seen this type of hydronic tubing before.  I'm pretty sure that the attached photo shows the manifold where the copper piping from the boiler transitions to rubber in-floor tubing.  There were several sets of manifolds like this - each associated with a different part of the house.  I couldn't follow the copper pipes to be 100% sure that they are connected to the boiler.  The rubber is quite soft and stretchy.  I was wondering if anyone knew the manufacturer's name or the name of this type of system so I could research it.  Or if anyone has any first-hand experience regarding it's reliability, that would be great.
I am starting to find some references out there (but none testify as to it's reliability):

Possibly Entran or SolaRoll or Bio Energy

Possibly EPD or SolaRoll

Starting to look a lot like SolaRoll

more SolaRoll discussion

still more SolaRoll discussion

Still more

hints at reliability of SolaRoll
.


texts:
I'm looking at a terraced house on which I've found damp and discolouration up the wall, along and up to the ceiling above (to the loft). This is happening on the shared wall between the houses.
There's no upstairs plumbing so I'm hoping it's clogged gutters or something. If it was not this, what else could it be? If it was something more sinister how would I go about fixing it?

The discolouration at the moment is not bad. It's a yellow/off-white colour. But what are the implications? I assume it will only get worse.

Thanks in advance for any advice given.

I would add [damp] to the tags but this is my first time on the diy stack exchange site and I'm unable to make that tag with no reputation.


texts: How do I install cabinets on a floating hardwood floor?

texts:
We just purchased a bunch of cabinets for installation of a bar / kitchenette in the basement.  There are 4 wall cabinets and four base cabinets.  These are going to be installed on the existing hardwood floating floor, which are sitting on top  of a pad and then concrete.

The wall cabinets I can do, I have installed many in the past.  But what is the best way to install the base cabinets?  Since the floor is floating, I don't know if i should attach them through the floor to the concrete (thus locking the floating floor down i think).  Or should I just attach them to the wall and each other and let them float on on the floor?  Or perhaps attach to the wall and then glue to the floor with a construction adhesive?

Part of the layout is a peninsula, so two of the base cabinets will only be touching another cabinet and not the walls.  If these are not attached to the floor, it seems like these would have the potential to move if pushed or bumped.

I should also note that we will be installing a heavier counter-top, not sure yet if we will do granite, some other natural stone, or stamped concrete.  But that might come into play as the weight may hold it down.


texts: rubber seals in unheated shed over winter have broken down,

texts: I hooked up my hose for the first time this spring, intending to water some of my garden. The first nozzle was a wand style and was leaking horrendously at trigger area. I then switched to a gun style nozzle and it was leaking even worse, every orafice was spraying water. Both these items were stored in an unheated shed over the winter. Am I looking at a weird coincidence? I've never stored any of my hoses or nozzles indoors but the items in question were just purchased last summer. Has something changed in the rubber formulas they use these days?


texts: How do I fix laminate flooring that's begun to rise in the middle?

texts:
We have laminate flooring in our kitchen/lounge and over the winter (which are cold and damp here in New Zealand) the flooring has begun to rise up in a couple of places. It was fitted by the previous owner and it appeared that they had left enough gap around the edge for expansion, but it turns out they didn't. Is there a solution to fix this without having to take most of it up and shorten/reshape a lot of bits?

One option we've had suggested is to get a dehumidifier in there to take the moisture out, but that doesn't seem like a long-term fix!


texts: How should I clean remnants of a melted dish from the heating element of a dishwasher?

texts: The lid from a coffee cup spent a cycle melding with the circular heating element at the bottom of my dishwasher.  While it wasn't too hard to pull it off, there is still some plastic and rubber gasket adhered to the metal.  Googling this suggests scraping in some form or another with various kitchen tools, but as the element feels just like a non-stick frying pan I'm hesitant to go that route without further input.


texts: Regulations 2015 NEC regarding 12/24 volts DC, New DC wiring Light/+in my old." I'm Scared "

texts:
What might regulations would there be in the 2015 national residential electrical code regarding 12/24 volts dc in residence.

I want to install mostly lighting but also also all electronic devices using boosters and regulators per devices as needed.

I could only find out that 25 volts and lower are not regulated and higher voltages regulated diferant.

What scares me is the 2015 electrical code regulations Preventing DIY 24 volt system in my house. If around so much money just to ask a question here.

Can anyone help with this? Thank You, Jon.

Thank you all for commenting on my questions.

I've not been able to find rules regarding a 24 volt DC power systems for a residence in any year of  NEC books but I'm nut sure what to look for.

I just want to install a 24 VDC system to direct power LED Lighting and other devices.


texts: Extract air in bedroom with no other vent

texts:
I have purchased a MORI HR 150, which is an extractor vent. It has an "alternate flow" and "extract only" setting. I want to set it on extract only, which means it will take the air from inside and move it outside at a pace of 7 litres/second.

However, the bedroom has no other vent hole, so I am a little concerned that the air pressure will decrease as the vent just removed the air from the bedroom, with no entry point for new air, except for the space below the door.

Should I be concerned by that, from a health point of view?


texts: Will a breaker protect its circuit if there's a larger wire upstream?

texts:
I have a 15a breaker and 12g wire from the breaker.
If I add a 15a outlet to this circuit with 14g wire it should be ok since the 15a breaker should protect that wire.
But if the 12g wire at the breaker won't heat up as quickly as the 14g, how does the breaker see the overheat of the 14g wire?
I assume the 14g wire is then protected by the 15a outlet?


texts: Solar Charge Controller and grounding the battery

texts:
I am just getting my feet wet, so I have one 100 watt panel and a 12v marine battery.  I plan on running a small water pump to circulate water in a black hose to see if I can heat some water.
The manual talks about grounding.  Do I really need to ground this simple system of 1 panel, one battery and a charge controller?
Victron Energy SmartSolar MPPT 100/50
3.2 Grounding
● Battery grounding: the charger can be installed in a positive or
negative grounded system.
Note: apply a single ground connection (preferably close to the
battery) to prevent malfunctioning of the system.
● Chassis grounding: A separate earth path for the chassis
ground is permitted because it is isolated from the positive and
negative terminal.
● The USA National Electrical Code (NEC) requires the use of an
external ground fault protection device (GFPD). These MPPT
chargers do not have internal ground fault protection. The system
electrical negative
should be bonded through a GFPD to earth ground at one (and
only one) location.
● The charger must not be connected with grounded PV arrays
(one ground connection only)
Thank you for you help.


texts:
I have a dirt basement and replaced a bug-box sump in 5 gallon bucket setup, with a 1/3 HP submersible iron pump.  The new basin is about three feet deep - I drilled some holes in it, and added garden fabric around the outside and drainage stone around the unit.
My house is located on a river and the street has water problems in the basements.  Yesterday I monitored the system and the pump would kick on every 60-90 minutes...  I don't care about the pump running, I bought it to.
I question whether the depth of the basin is drawing too much water out of the ground.  Can that be problematic to my home e.g. the foundation?


texts: How can I fix a table top that I spilled air freshener on?

texts: I spilled air freshener on the top my dining table. It is a veneer top with urethane finish. The area is sticky to touch. How can I fix this?


texts:
I am wanting to turn this wall into a pony wall to open up my kitchen. It is directly under a truss. It contained a pocket door and there is no floor joist running under it or no other load bearing item in the basement under it. The top plate of the wall intersects the top plate of the exterior wall and is directly under the truss. The yellow circle is the truss and the red is the top plate of the interior wall interlcoking the exterior wall top plate.

What, if anything, can be done to safely remove the top plate of the wall? Can the 2x4 be cut flushed?


texts: Bond CSST to Water Pipe - Allowed in 2017 NEC 250.104(B)?

texts: I am looking to bond out CSST gas line which is in our crawl space of the house (dirt floor) and the copper water pipe is close by. I was wondering if CSST can be bonded to the copper water pipe in Arkansas. I read through the 2017 NEC, specifically focusing on 250.104; however, I could not figure out a clear answer. I know that in some states, you are allowed to bond to the water system but I am specifically looking for Arkansas. Arkansas adopted the 2017 NEC with amendments on 1 Jan 18. Thank you.


texts: Does a 4x8 sheet of 1/4'' pegboard need support across the middle of the board?

texts:
Simple question, I'm hanging some pegboard in my garage tonight after work, and am not sure if I can get away with just screwing the edges into 2x4 (I'm using thicker boards to accommodate a recessed outlet behind it that powers a lamp above it and power bar to the side) boarder, or if I need additional studs throughout the pegboard. If I do need additional studs, would one laterally mounted in the middle screwed into the existing wall studs be sufficient?

For reference, this will hold metal hand tools only, I store my power tools (drills, reciprocating saws, etc) in the cases they came in underneath the workbench.


texts: Stopping / braking rope in pulley system

texts:
I am trying to hang my aluminum canoe in my garage.  I previously purchased this canoe hoist, which was a piece of junk.

So I decided to build my own pulley system following the same layout as the above product using pulleys and rope with working weight limits > 1200lbs.

PROBLEM : I cannot find a way to brake the rope once I have had it hoisted.  I need to get it as close to the ceiling as possible and when I try to go that last 5 inches, I simply can't brake the rope long enough for me to tie it off.

QUESTION : Where can I get a brake on my pulley (like the amazon product) or is there some other clever way to brake the rope on my pulley system?

EDIT
I should clarify that I have a place to tie it off on the garage wall.  When I hoist the canoe, I must do it from a ladder because the canoe itself gets in the way of the rope on the pulley.  So I need a way to brake the rope while standing on the ladder and the brake needs to be near the pulley.  I have a hook that I tie it off on the ceiling too, but in the process of trying to tie it off the canoe slips a couple of inches, putting it in the way of my garage door.


texts: Smart switch - Confused about current wiring

texts:
I want to replace my current light switch with a TP Link HS220 (smart switch with dimmer), but I’m confused about current wiring.

I believe top wires go to the light and bottom is the source.

Am I right thinking top wires (black/red/white) are hot/load/neutral and bottom wires (black/white) are hot/load? If so, why is the top neutral pigtail with bottom load? Also, I don’t understand the pigtail and how the black is wired on the switch.

I have no idea when wiring was done, but house was built in 1970. I successfully installed others TP Link HS200 on the same floor.

Is it possible to install the TP Link HS220?


texts: Would this be a proper way to run drain line for basement sink?

texts:
On the other side of my mechanical room's wall, we are putting in a small powder room. The sink is going to be on the wall below the boiler valves, which is represented by my awesome graphic. I was hoping to just pop the drain through that wall and down to the current ABS drain line in the photo. The drain just services the boiler and the hot water tanks relief valve, so hopefully never used besides testing the valve. The slope is adequate from there going to my stack.

Would this be appropriate to do?
Should I have a little trap on the bottom of the vertical pipes coming down from my tank and boiler? I was once told I should, but these would be dry since those relief valves hopefully aren't releasing water often. So, would that do anything?


texts: what allows some cold water to enter house and some to enter water heater?

texts:
Informational question:
To supply hot and cold water to a house you:
1. split at the supply for hot and cold lines. Using a tee - you run one line to the house, and the other to the water heater.  My question: what prevents ALL the cold water from going into the water heater? How does a tee allow some to go into the house and some to go to the heater. Is there some other fitting at that conjunction? or
is it simply that the water heater fills up and only so much can go in?
Don't worry. I'm not planning to do any plumbing on my own. I just want to understand!


texts: Why did insulation and vapor barrier cause mold in my storage shed?

texts: I recently installed insulation in my garden shed and covered it with a plastic vapor barrier.  This was done in the summer when the weather was warm and sometime humid.  Shortly after I'd finished this installation I removed the plastic from the walls so I could install some electrical.  when I pulled down the insulation I found black mold.  My question is why would mold be present and why so fast?  I thought I insulated correctly.


texts: Is it acceptable to have a GFCI on a circuit that does not have a circuit breaker?

texts: I bought an existing home 2 years ago. It has 4 GFCI's on outdoor walls. 3 of the GFCI are on circuits controlled by circuit breakers in an electrical sub-panel panel. The fourth GFCI does not appear to be on any of the lines with circuit breakers. However, opening the two 50-amp breakers that feed the sub-panel shuts off the fourth GFCI. The fourth GFCI operates alone. There is no line connected to the load side of the fourth GFCI. Is this acceptable?


texts: Walls out of square, how to align base cabinet?

texts:
Hello all. In the process of remodeling a kitchen, and the corner where this standalone base cabinet is going is quite out of square, to the tune of about 1/2" gap at each end of the cabinet. Next to it will be a fridge. We're doing granite or solid surface countertop with a 3x6 subway tile backsplash.

Countertop/cabinet people, how should I square this cabinet up? Flush to the back wall, flush to the side wall, or split the difference?

My first instinct is to go flush to the side because it'll look better straight-on and the fridge will hide the 1" side gap and the countertop guy will just scribe the back of the countertop to the back wall. But would that throw off the fridge? I dunno. How would you do it?


texts:
Garage and (1) exterior outlet on porch & (1) exterior GFCI outlet in back of house are all on the same circuit breaker.
All circuit breakers in the panel are on.
All GFCI outlets in Kitchen have power.
The GFCI outlet in the back of the house, has power (working) but I replaced it with new one just to make sure it is ok. (Still working)
No downstream feed from GFCI to anything else (only white brown & copper in) so I assume the porch outlet & garage outlets that has no power must be upstream.
Do not know where else to look. Please help.


texts: Wiring two receptacles to an existing one

texts:
I have a 40 year old house. There is a receptacle in the garage that has two sets of wires coming into the box. One set is black, white and neutral. The other set is black, white, red and neutral.  If this receptacle is switched, I don’t know from where. I wanted to replace the receptacle but mixed up the wiring. I don’t need it to be switched.  How do I rewire the receptacle with both sets of wires?
I also wanted to use this receptacle to add two additional receptacles outside the garage.  When I rewired the receptacle, the circuit breaker trips right away. I found that another circuit breaker seems to be connected with it.  I am now having to switch circuit breaker 1 off and circuit breaker 2 on. If I want to use the receptacle I’m working on, I have to reverse the on/off between circuit breakers 1 and 2.
Could you please tell me how I should wire the original outlet and add the two outside outlet wiring


texts: Can I add grout to existing grout to raise the level?

texts: I grouted my bathroom floor a few days ago and was running out of grout and tried to spread it out to cover. As a result there are a couple low spots. Can I regrout over top of it?


texts: What is coming out of these water pipes?

texts:
I have been dealing with some hot water pressure issues.  See Should hot water pressure be reduced after hot water is used?

Today, hot water pressure reduced so much it was impossible to shower.

In that other Q/A, it was recommended that I purge the hot water heater.

Access to the hot water heater is not trivial, so I decided to run all the sink faucets on full-hot to see what would happen.

Pressure was very low, but water was flowing through all the faucets.

Then, suddenly, all the faucets started flowing at full throttle.

I took a look at the water coming out, and it looked like gobs of dirt were flowing out with the hot water.  But that seemed odd, as there are aerators on all the faucets.

After running for about 3 minutes, there was still large dark blobs coming out of the faucets.  There was no specific timing, but about 2-3 blobs roughly every 5 seconds.

I then put a stopper in one of the sinks and turned off the rest of the sinks.  The blobs continued to appear, but the sink filled with what looks like clean water.

After about 10 minutes of running the water, there were no more dark blobs.

What was I seeing?  I thought it was sediment from the water heater, but now I'm thinking that perhaps large air pockets look like dirt when passing through an aerator.  Or perhaps it's something else?

Bonus: What would have caused this issue?  (If it's best to have this "bonus" as a separate question, just let me know, and I'll create another one.)

UPDATE: I'm working on getting to the water heater to drain it, but I have some heavy equipment blocking access, so it's going to be an endeavor.  In the meantime, everything was working fine, until today.  Hot water pressure suddenly dropped again.  I don't have a non-regulated sink, so I ran 3 bathroom sink faucets on full-hot simultaneously, first plugging the sinks.  After about 30 seconds, I heard a loud CLUNK in the pipes, and then hot water started flowing freely.

It looked like black gunk was coming out of the faucets, but a visual inspection of the water (trapped in the sinks) and the sinks themselves shows no evidence of anything, not even a film.  I did see one tiny spec (less than 1 mm) of green metal (oxidized copper, perhaps), but that could just be from an aerator or the stopper.  I took off one of the aerators, and there was no evidence of anything.

The source of cold water is municipal water, not well water.


texts: How to insulate this portion of split AC Pipe?

texts:
I bought a new Hitachi split AC lately which isn't cooling as much I was expecting.

I checked for leaks/bad installation and found this.

(This is connection point of external pipe and pipe which came inside split)

As per what I have studied, it's important to insulate the big pipe at least.

I have two questions:

As this part is next to the split section aka inside a room, to what percentage can it affect cooling?
What should I use to insulate this joint? Would Aluminum Tape do? There are very limited options available here in India. I found this aluminum foil shielding tape on eBay. Would this do the job?


texts: I have 4 fluorescent fixtures in my garage and one was broken, so I replaced it. But now 2 of them will not turn on even though there is 120v going to each one. So, I replaced both of those and they still will not come on. What gives?


texts:
I'm installing a subpanel that is fed by 3 #1 conductors and a #4 ground (Al, XHHW-2, individual wires).  I would like to use a 2-piece clamp to secure to the subpanel and to protect the wires from the metal case.  However, my understanding (possibly wrong) is that individual wires cannot be clamped.  Is that true?
If that is true then how do I go about securing/protecting the wires as the enter the panel? We are still on NEC 2014.
Here is the original plan.  Run individual conductors from the main panel to subpanel.  The wires will be buried in 2" conduit.  This 2" conduit will come out of the ground into an LB box, which will feed the wires into my workshop wall (this wall will be closed off, so the wires will be protected, so no need for conduit inside the wall, right?).  The wires will then go into the panel.  Do these wires need protected/clamped together as they enter the panel, or do I need to put conduit in the wall?


texts: What do I need for new home electrical service?

texts:
I am bring new power into a new building site.  The power company requires that I install a meter pedestal with a disconnect.  I can do this myself or hire an electrician.

Since there is no live power until the meter pedestal is installed and the power company hooks it up, and since there is next to no wiring involved, I think I should be able to do this myself.

Basically it is setting a post, attaching the box, attaching a conduit in which the power company will run the incoming power and driving two ground rods.

The question is, I am supposed to have a disconnect.  Now the meter box has eight slots for breakers and has one 200 amp breaker installed all ready.  It seem to me the 200 amp breaker is the disconnect.  YES?


texts: Thermostat installed, but why also install a separate timer?

texts:
Our home is 8 years old. We always assumed the thermostat didn't work so we ignored it, but a plumber came to remove air bubbles from our radiant heating pipes and told my wife he thinks the thermostat does actually work.

It true then why did the builder put in a 24hr dial timer for the pump that pushes water through the radiant pipes? How would the thermostat even work in this situation?


texts: What is best place to place TV unit in the living room so that it will comfortable to the view?

texts: The image has two options for walls  marked as 1 and 2? I have 40 inch led 1080 p TV.


texts: Oil burner runs for at least one cycle then safety locks out

texts:
I have an older Slant Fin Liberty oil furnace that safeties out sometime around 4 hours. It seems to be intermittent because I have seen it do more than one cycle. The recent history on it is about a month ago I changed the electrodes, nozzle and filter. It was running fine until a couple of days ago. I noticed pressing the reset caused it to kick right back on and appear to run normally for several hours.  What should I look for to troubleshoot this? We did get oil delivered. Maybe something with the fuel?

UPDATE 1:

I noticed this morning when I reset it, it fired then quit. I could hear the electrodes zapping. I had to reset it an addtional time after it quit. I'll pull the filter and check the flow later this morning.

UPDATE 2:

Added a video to demonstrate what I am dealing with. Please watch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2T1W_llnz4


texts: How do I find the end of speaker wire in a finished wall?

texts:
I purchased a home with a media room that was prewired for surround sound. One end of the wires is in a low voltage single gang box, the other ends terminate somewhere in the corners of the room. There are some telltale plaster spots that have been painted over, but I would like to confirm the wire location before punching into the drywall.

What do you recommend for locating the wires? Infrared? Tone generator? Something else?


texts: Code requirements for moving 3 prong dryer outlet

texts:
I've read various posts here about the advantages of 4-prong over 3-prong, such as the dryer cabinet can become hot if there is an interrupt in the 3-prong neutral/ground. Examples:

Dryer Outlet - 4 prong to 3 prong

Converting a Samsung Dryer from a 4-prong cord to a 3-prong cord?

In the our utility closet/room of our house, I will be moving our 3-prong dryer receptacle that is on a non-GFCI 30amp breaker.  It supplies our 2007-ish 3 prong problem-free dryer.  Printed installation instructions: "Materials you will need ... dryer power cord kit (not provided with dryer) UL rated 120/240V, 30A with 3 or 4 prongs. Identify the plug type as per the house receptacle before purchasing line cord". It also contains: "NOTE: Since January 1, 1996, The National Electric Code requires that new construction utilize a 4 wire connection to an electric dryer."  And it gives details for 3 wire and 4 wire connections with specifics on the OEM ground strap.  It also says that a 4 wire connection "must be used for mobile home installation", which is not our situation.

Relocation plans are to use a junction box at the current location, then run 4-12 feet (depending on route) to a reinstall of the old receptacle.  What are the minimum code requirements in terms of 3-prong versus 4-prong?

Specifically, can I just extend as described, or ... does code require the entire circuit be redone to 4-prong?  or does it require the just the new work to be 4-prong?


texts: How to remove stubborn kitchen faucet mount nut?

texts:
I tried to remove my faucet from old kitchen sink but the nut is tighten so hard:

I am using channel lock on the nut to turn counterclock wise and I use my hand to hold on the faucet on the other side. It's just NOT moving even after spraying WD-40.

What are the tricks to unscrew this nut?


texts: Why install a hidden GFCI outlet controlling sink outlets, ceiling lights, vent fan, and floor heater?

texts:
In a recently remodeled bathroom, a electrician installed a GFCI outlet in a linen closet which controls two outlets near the sink, a floor heater, the ceiling lights, and the vent fan. Only the sink outlets are near water; the lights and fan are outside the shower.

Why wire the circuit this way? I'd like to change the sink outlets to GFCI and run the lights, fan, and floor heater in parallel, but I'm afraid that I'm missing something in the original design.


texts: Does the subpanel feeder need to match the main breaker size?

texts:
If the main breaker in the main panel is 100A.

And you have a subpanel with only light load, say 20A to 30A each breaker totally at most 70A simultaneous use of all breakers.

Do you need to use wire gauge sized for 100A (AWG 2 instead of just AWG 4)? I'm aware you can use the 90 degree table.

Rational is if the subpanel feeder wire is small for the main panel main breaker, it would heat up? But what if the load won't reach that amperage. Then you can use smaller feeder wire just enough for the main breaker in main panel to trip if there is a short, and not deal with overloading which won't happen in the subpanel because the load is sized for only 70A and AWG 4?

Or does the rule say the subpanel feeder wire need to match the main panel main breaker no matter how light the load in subpanel so need to use AWG 2?


texts: How to close this shut off valve for exterior faucet in the finished basement (1952)

texts: We bought this old house (1952) and have a finished basement. Both front and rear outdoor faucets have this shutoff, which we do not know how to operate. What kind of part be needed for shutting off the water? We tried various keys, but nothing fits on it. Markings are made by using the gas shut off key.


texts: NEC code requirements for exterior outlet

texts: Are there any code requirements with regard to the position of an electrical receptacle on an exterior wall?  Such as distance above the ground, distance from a corner, distance down from a roof overhang.  Just wondering, don't want to put this in and find out I have to move it.


texts: How to reduce temperature difference between the second floor and basement?

texts: I have one thermostat on the second floor and while it is achievable to get a desired temperature on the second floor, the basement is always cold.


texts: Is this neutral-ground bus bar configuration correct?

texts:
Looking inside the electrical panel in the house I bought, I was surprised to see the neutral bus bar crowded right up next to the ground bus bar, so much so that it seems the ground bus bar is virtually impossible to access in order to secure grounding wires to it.

Here's a photo:

The neutral bus is to the left of the ground bus, and it stands slightly forward of the ground bus. You'll notice that the neutral bar is loaded with double-taps - including both neutral and ground wires. I'm not even certain there are ground wires actually connected to the ground bus (it's pretty well hidden) - though as you can see in the lower right corner of the photo, the very thick service ground wire that connects the ground bus to the plumbing and grounding electrode.

Looking at this next photo - the handling of the ground wires pictured has me asking if this is wrong and needs to be corrected?

Here, ground wires terminate outside the panel box, though bonded to it.

As well, a couple ground wires inside the panel box are kind of twisted together, with at least two wires wrapping around a couple of others that are connected at the neutral bar.

I have more photos of the installation, but this being my very first post, I was limited to just two. The panel box is an old Murray Class CTL Load Center, Cat. No. LC 240 PS that may date back to the 70's, when the former owners bought this house. The only information I've been able to find about what it's original intended configuration was supposed to be is a diagram on the panel door that actually shows two vertical columns of screw heads/lugs (side-by-side) that appear to represent those bus bars, numbered like the breaker spaces.

Questions, questions! Were these bus bars installed correctly? How was/is someone supposed to access that ground bus with it being so tight against both the neutral bus and the inside of the panel box? Also, I mentioned the numbering of the bus bar lugs to correspond with the breakers numbering, and so I wonder does it really matter in what order neutrals and grounds are connected to their bus bars?


texts: What is this bracket or tool made from steel bar?

texts: What is this? A tool? Shelf hardware? Something else?


texts: Can I reduce the amount of noise created by metal shrinking after the fireplace is turned off?

texts: I have a regular US-style gas fireplace in my home. I've bought a thermostat to ensure it doesn't run 24/7 but encountered a problem: when turned off, the metal of the fireplace starts to shrink and make a characteristic cracking sound that is quite annoying, doubly so when you're trying to sleep. Is there anything I can do to reduce the amount of noise?


texts: Apron sink available for or able to fit a regular 30" base?

texts: Ordered a basic 30" base and now would like to have an apron sink. Is there one out there that will fit or is there a way one can be 'coaxed' to fit.


texts: Sump pump only turns on when I open the lid - working ok?

texts:
I noticed some damp patches and mold in our basement recently after some heavy rain so I opened the sump pump lid. When I opened the lid, the water level was at a very high level:

However, immediately after opening the lid, the pump turned on for about a minute and the water level dropped by about a foot and a half:

(The white pipe is the dehumidifier exhaust.)
I tried this a couple more times over the next day and the same thing happened. I asked two plumbers about this. The first said that the float on my sump pump is getting caught and only releases when I opens the lid. The second said the sump pump is working as it's supposed to and the float needs to be fully upside down before it turns on. They both said replacing the sump pump with a different model (both mentioned the Zoeller M57) would make it turn on at a lower water level. But the second cautioned this would mean the sump pump would run much more often.
My questions are:

Is the sump pump float working correctly?
Should I should replace the sump pump with the different model?

Thanks!


texts: Taking apart wood bed frame with no screws

texts: This bedframe seems to have a slot joint system but I can't seem to understand how to take it apart. There are two pegs I think will allow me to slide the side out but I'm not sure how to get the pegs out.


texts: Support for flagpole bracket on vinyl siding

texts:
My house is a 1960 Cape Cod, with hollow dutch lap vinyl siding over the original wood siding. I wanted to mount a 45-degree flagpole bracket to the side of the house to hold a 2.5x4 foot flag. To support this, I purchased a mounting block (specifically Builders Edge 130110008123 Surface Block) which conforms to the profile of the siding. I mounted the flagpole bracket against this block using 4 2.5" wood screws which penetrate the bracket, the block, the vinyl siding, the original wood siding, and I assume the plywood behind.
This works relatively well, however the screws loosen and work out over time. I have a few times over the past couple years needed to remove it, fill the screw holes with toothpicks+glue, and redrill. I think the problem is that I can't tighten the bracket completely, as is begins to crush the hollow vinyl siding (the profile of the mounting block helps this a bit but not completely.) This means there is some movement in the breeze (I try to take the flag down in heavy wind, but I'm not always home for it and moderate wind still moves it quite a bit.) One thing I tried was spraying some expanding foam behind the siding to add some support, but that didn't actually help much.
Has anyone had/solved this problem? One idea I had was opening the affected siding panel and putting some pieces of wood (furring strips?) inside the problematic bays. In my mind this would let me tighten the screws much better, as there would really be something to tighten against. It would also give the threads some more wood to hold onto, whereas before the threads in the void under the siding weren't doing anything. Is there a problem with this solution?


texts:
Would a "3-in-1" kit (SUPCO seems common) help, or should I be budgeting for a replacement refrigerator?

Maytag PTB1953GRW takes several attempts to start the compressor - 10sec buzz; 2min pause; 10sec buzz; 2min pause; ... up to four times until it starts - which it has so far. Condenser coils were not particularly dirty, but I cleaned them anyway to no effect; condenser fan runs fine and can be heard running while the startups are attempted.

Edit:

I did install one of the SUPCO units and the refrigerator seems to start reliably now. Time only will really tell. It may be running short of charge, though - I see corrosion around the brazed joints of the tubing - so I'm setting my pennies aside.

Many thanks for the support and comments.


texts:
My 3 prong 240v outlet shows 240v when measuring across red and black wires. However, when testing either hot to the third wire I get 0 volts. My understanding is it should be 120v.

What does this signify?

At the breaker box each wire going into the double breaker show 120v when testing from it to the neutral bar.


texts: Lights running without disconnect switch

texts: There is what looks like a disconnect before the meter for the outside lights, but it looks like it missing a switch? How are the lights running and how would we disconnect them for service?


texts: What's causing the sewage smell in my laundry room?

texts:
I noticed my laundry room has developed a strong sewage smell over the last two days. I suspect it may have to do with vent blockage, but I ran a garden hose to the vent in the roof last night and had my wife listen near the drain in the laundry room, and she reported hearing a slow trickle of water - so it's not completely blocked up.

I haven't washed anything particularly dirty that might put a lot of debris down the drain pipe recently.
The washer has been used regularly, so the drain pipe trap shouldn't be dry.
I'm on a septic system, if that matters. None of the other bathrooms or sinks in the house have any smell coming from them. I sniffed all the vent pipes while on the roof and could detect a faint level of the same laundry room smell coming from all of them, but I think that's normal.
I checked in the attic and discovered the vent pipe makes a 15-20 foot horizontal run before exiting vertically through the roof.
The slope on the horizontal run actually dips down and back up a few inches over its distance, but the issue just surfaced after living in the house for 7 years. I suppose it's possible it's acting as a trap for venting gas, but I don't know why it would start doing so spontaneously. (The water I ran down the vent from the roof before noticing the lack of proper slope could easily exacerbate this possibility, so I plan ensuring it's drained tonight.)

So my forward plan tonight is as follows:

Snake vent pipe.
Pour water down drain pipe to fill trap if it's empty.
Cut vent pipe in the attic and snake down into drain pipe from there.
Reroute attic vent pipe to have a minimum 1/8" per foot slope at all points.

Any other suggestions for remediation?


texts: Water stain in basement found during inspection in a house

texts: We are looking to buy a house and don't have much experience yet (lived in condo most of our lives). We had an inspection in the house that we are looking to buy and some stain was found in the basement on the floor (please see the image). Is this something we should be worried about? Any help is appreciated!


texts: I removed an oven I placed in my property 5 years ago so see this. what could have caused this? its worrying me that it could have possibly caused a fire.


texts: What circuit components should I use for a vacuum?

texts: So I'm constructing a dust extractor system for my workshop, and I need to figure out a circuit. I have 3D Printed a connector that connects two PVC Pipes, and has a hole for a wooden slab. I can insert the wooden slab (which has a large hole in it) to control whether or not the the pipe is open or closed. I'm thinking of creating a circuit that uses a limit switch  and a relay to control the power to the vacuum. I live in Australia and my volts and amps from an outlet is 230V and I believe 10 amps. Which limit switches and relays should I use to control my vacuum. And is there any suggestions to improve this circuit.


texts: I have an Englander PDVC pellet stove that came with my house when I bought it in the spring.  Never used it.  Currently its vented through the wall and comes straight through the exterior of the house a couple feet. The existing is getting rust but also leaves some soot on the exterior of the house/  What I want to do is go out about the same length but put an elbow to go up at a 90 about 3-4 feet and put some type of cap that will prevent rain from coming through it.  I am pretty handy but never really worked with HVAC duct work before.  What do I need to do this?


texts: What is the purpose of a ground in a GFCI outlet?

texts:
What is the purpose of a ground in a GFCI outlet since the GFCI is just measuring the current between HOT and Neutral?  Does it add any functionality or safety if it is grounded?
I've seen it suggested that a ground is not necessary, but I'd like an understanding of what capacity the ground would add (or not) to the GFCI.
(Somewhat relevant why not to connect ground to neutral)


texts:
The cover of my bathroom's tap always goes away. I find the system quite silly because you have to remove it to access the screw inside if necessary yet it's glued on it!

Anyway what solution/product could I use so that the cover stop going away all the time?