texts: Confused about strange wiring to Friedland No. 454 doorbell

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I recently bought a house that has an existing Friedland No. 454 doorbell chime with two buttons. According to my wife, both doorbells worked when we moved in but one stopped working within days. The other works perfectly. I'm not so sure the broken one ever worked...
The doorbell is the same as mentioned in this old question, including the mercury switch:
Purpose of mercury switch in old doorbell
But the wiring in this chime is completely different to that post and everything else I've found online.
The doorbell that works only rings the chime once (i.e. it's not connected as the "front" doorbell, which as I understand should ring the doorbell repeatedly thanks to the mercury switch).
I have checked the voltage between the two wires for the button that doesn't work - 14.5V. I tried connecting a new button and the light in it turned on, but pushing the button still does nothing.
Both buttons are connected to the same electrical circuit and transformer. If I turn off the fuse, the working button no longer does anything, and the previously mentioned voltage drops to 0.
If I push the working button and hold the button in, the transformer audibly works (faint buzzing). The same happens when I push the non-working button - which isn't strange as it's completing the circuit. Everything seems to be working, just no chime!
Everything I've found says that terminal 0 on this chime is used for both buttons (front being 0 and 1, back being 0 and 2), but absolutely nothing is connected to terminal 0 in my chime yet one works.

The blue and yellow wires come from the same white wire (you can just see them meeting in the picture). The yellow is not connected to anything (it looks like it's close to the green wires in the picture, but it's far away in the z axis).


texts: I'm going to start work on a basement bathroom.  I've got the drains already in.  Will insulate the walls with foam boards....the framing?   Wood or metal?   I'm thinking with a basement and the possibility of moisture I should just go with metal framing to be safe?


texts: Why does the plumbing for my whole house filter produce a buzzing/humming sound?

texts: Yesterday, We installed the AquaSana Whole house water filter system by a licensed plumber. After install, We are hearing buzzing/humming sound near the main water line pipes. (Red arrow pointing to where the sound appears.)


texts: How do I add a Leviton dimmer switch in this circuit?

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I'm trying to add in a dimmer switch where I have two 3 way switches and one 4 way. I've included a schematic of what I have.
How do I make this work? One difference is the 2 wire out of light to the 3 way switch.
This is how my switches are setup. The 2 wire feed to the switch is a little different but I expect this not to matter as it's just a jumper. The pictures are both the same switch 3.


texts: Replacing an old light switch with a new one. Trying to figure out correct wiring

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My old light switch did not have the common labeled and just had two brass screw connectors. Coming in the bottom of the box was a black, a white, and ground wire. The ground was connected to another ground and out the top not connected to the switch. The black was to the switch and the white to another white and put the top. Coming off the switch was a red that went out the top. Not sure which to connect to the common connector and which to the other. I also wrapped the ground wire around the ground screw.

Here is how I wired the new switch:

Coming into the bottom of the box was a black, a white, and ground.
The ground was wired to another ground coming in from the top of the box, the old switch was not grounded. The white coming in the bottom was connected to another white from the top (I assume straight to the light) the black was looped around one terminal and then connected to a black coming from the top of the box. Then there was a red wire coming from the top of the box on the second terminal on the switch.

This should be a better picture (sorry I’m on my phone and first time posting here). I went and got a single pole switch. Can o wrap the ground wire around the ground screw then up to the ground wire coming in the top?


texts: Any chance a studded wall is a supporting wall?

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I'm taking out a wall between two bedrooms to make it into one. This is a studded wall that was the back of the closet in one of the bedrooms and the wall in the other.

This is underneath a flat roof single story. This is the ground floor with a basement below and the flat roof above.

Is there any chance that these studs are supporting the roof?

The home is 40 ft long by 20 ft wide a rectangle in shape.

Thanks for any help!


texts:
My water heater stopped working in the past few days.  All water comes out cold.  The water heater makes no noise and is also cold to the touch.

I have tried cutting power to the water heater (see switch on outside of fusebox pic #6).  I have tried hitting the reset button on the water heater (see pic #3).  Neither of these actions resulted in any discernible effect (no noise, no hot water, etc...).

I suspect the issue may be w/ the fusebox which sends power to the water heater.

Under the assumption that the heater itself is not to blame, how do I troubleshoot this?  Can I do it w/ parts I pick up at home depot?


texts: Support header sizing for a large garage workbench

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I'm building a workbench for my garage that folds up against the wall. The workbench will be 13 feet wide and 3 feet deep. Both ends of the workbench will be supported directly. The back of the workbench will be supported by the hinges that connect it to the wall. I plan on using a support header to bear the weight of the front across the full 13 feet. I was thinking of using a double 2x6 header for this, but I'd like some validation that this will support the weight. I don't plan on having the workbench hold anything extremely heavy but it should easily be able to hold a 12" miter saw and a full project's worth of wood simultaneously. Any thoughts on how verify that my header will support this?

Update:
Per the suggestions from @Jack, here is what I've come up with:

It has the dual 2x6 header to support the 13 foot span. It uses a cleat beneath the hinge edge so that the loaded weight is supported by the wall instead of the hinges. The hinges (shown in blue) are placed underneath the 3/4" MDF bench top. This way the top is all smooth and the MDF can be replaced without dismantling the full bench. Please let me know if you see problems with this design. I'm thinking I'll use this hinge.


texts: Is it OK to stop the indoor blower during heat pump defrost on split-system heat pumps?

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The traditional North American split system heat pump (ignoring "dual fuel" systems for now) relies on a backup heat source to provide both makeup heat during low-temperature (below the system balance point) operation and, more importantly for this, outdoor unit defrost cycles.  This backup heat is typically supplied by heat strips, and generously sized ones at that, considering that during defrost, the backup heat must carry the entire house heating load.

However, as documented in this Mitsubishi application note and this government research paper, mini-split heat pumps stop or radically slow their indoor fan when defrosting to avoid filling the room with cold air, since they do not have a backup heat source to run during defrost cycles.  This has the downside that they are not actively heating during defrost, but even without that, they are able to provide heating in most climactic conditions using this defrost strategy and sensor-based defrost cycle triggering without aid from a standby heat source.

Is there a reason that one could not use a couple extra wires in the outdoor unit cable and an inexpensive fan relay to retrofit a split system heat pump with the ability to perform a "fan stop" defrost cycle instead of turning the standby (backup, emergency) heat on?  This seems like an obvious target for energy savings, given that emergency heat is far more power-hungry than heat-pump heat.  Furthermore, even without any energy-efficiency benefits, this would likely allow the backup heat to be significantly downsized in climates where it's not heavily relied upon, as now it only has to be sized to make up the heat pump's capacity deficit at the heating design (99%) outdoor air temperature, not the entire house heating load.  This can reduce electrical service sizes, and also position the system to be more easily handled by a backup generator.


texts: What is a "locus" when referring to house plumbing pipes?

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What is a "locus"? The term was used to describe how a wooden house is set up. They used "locus pipes".

Thanks for your help.


texts:
I recently bought a floor-unit AC (the kind that sits on the floor and has a hose that goes out the window). It worked for one night really well! The air coming out was cold and the hose felt hot to the touch.

I shut it off the next day when I went to work, and when I came back, the AC didn't work. It would blow air, but the air that came out the front was the same temperature as the ambient temperature, and the hose no longer felt hot. I can hear the compressor running but it doesn't seem to actually cool anymore.

I contacted the manufacturer and they said that it was due to the A/C being tilted on its side during transit. They are sending me a new one free of charge and I get to keep the old one! But if it was just tilted, is there any way I can tilt it back? Can I repair it? Should I take it to an A/C Repair shop? It seems like such a waste to just send it off to the recycling or use it as a floor fan.


texts: Do I use bushings, or something elese with metal clad romex through drywall penetration,

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I'm trying to run a new AC circuit to a bedroom above my unfinished garage.  I'm using metal clad romex ( flexible conduit ) to save time and make it easier to accomplish.  Access to the breaker panel is on the wall outside of my garage.  So what I'm doing is running the MC romex, exposed, across the top of my garage and then penetrating near the base of the wall in the second floor bedroom.  I consulted an electrician who told me that it's not against code to run the MC romex through the garage in this manner, so that's not the issue I'm concerned with.
What I am concerned with is where the mc romex goes through the penetration through the drywall from the unfinished garage.  I'm using this little breakout box as strain relief, but it doesn't seem right.  My understand is that by code I need to use a bushing to secure the mc romex in the knockout hole, but what about at the drywall penetration.
Is there a bushing I should be using there?
Should I not be running mc romex through the inside of the wall in the first place?
(There's just something about this that looks off).


texts: Inswing door over the rising pitch on a porch floor

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I'm getting ready to renovate my enclosed porch. It was originally open air and had a simple wood panel enclosure kit installed. I'm planning on demoing the walls and rebuilding 2x4 stud framing... Started looking for a new prehung entry door and realized I have a problem...
The porch floor is pitched as it was originally designed to shed rain water away from the house. The door opens in over the rising floor. The current door has a pretty tall sill plate and the bottom is still trimmed on an angle and a sweep installed.
Short of releveling the floor is there any way to install a prehung door to open over the  rising floor?
I can use an outswinging door as there are steps leading up to the door  with no landing on the outside.
I would assume adding a footer under the prehung sill plate may work but I'm concerned that it will create a tripping hazard stepping up to walk out the door and down the steps...
To be clear this is not an uneven sill question. The door opens over a rising floor.


texts: What is this disconnected cable with three wires in my outlet box?

texts: I found this mystery wire while changing out a plug In my home. It doesn't look like anything I've ever seen. I can't identify it by memory or google. I'm curious what it is commonly used for. Was it ever acceptable as house wiring in the United states?


texts: How can I cut copper water pipe to add a fitting?

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I am used to working with PVC and CPVC, but these are copper pipes that I am thinking about adding in a water cooler that needs a water line.  My question is, obviously I can't use the CPVC scissor like cutters to cut copper piping, so how would I cut the copper piping to add in a tee with 3 connections - one that goes up, one down to continue the flow as normal, and one that will come out that I can connect to the water cooler?

Thanks in advance all!


texts:
I'm having trouble identifying some insects I came across crawling around my foundation outdoors. This is in southwest Ontario.

On two sides of my house the foundation concrete is covered with a layer of plaster or stucco, not exactly sure what it it. It's bumpy in texture, and simply covers the foundation up to where the brick begins.

On one side of the house this stuff is cracking and peeling off of the concrete, in some cases taking a few mm of concrete with it.

I'm peeling it off where it is loose so moisture doesn't get stuck there, and while I'm doing this I notice the are lots of very fast, tiny insects, 1 or 2mm in length, impossible to see features, can't photograph them.

(Wolf spiders seem to love them, as they had a bonanza when I peeled some of the chunks away. )

I also have ant hills nearby, as this is by my patio and near the air conditioning unit, which makes a lot of moisture in the humid summer days.

These definitely aren't ants, way too small.

The only white insects I can think of are subterranean termites, but from what I can tell, they should be much larger than this (closer to 1/4", 4x the length or more), plus they should have visible mandibles. Although, I'm still worried they might be termites.

I'm planning on pulling off all of this stucco to rid myself of this moisture trap, but I'm still worried about the insects. Any ideas on what they might be?


texts: What can be done to fix a squeak in stairs?

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This might be better suited as a community wiki, what do you think?

My parents house has very squeaky stairs. The house is over 100 years old, so it's to be expected. What can be done to fix a squeak in stairs, and prevent new ones from cropping up?


texts: How to keep plastic concrete screw anchors from spinning?

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I keep on getting these concrete anchoring kits in floor safes that consist of a 1/2" plastic insert and lag screw. (see photo)
The instructions say to drill a 1/2" hole in the concrete, tap in the insert, and drive the screw in.  So I hammer-drill the hole deeper than the screw length, suck out the dust, tap in the insert, start driving the screw, and as soon as the threads of the screw engage the anchor ... the plastic anchor just spins in place.
(Then I have the irritating task of trying to pry the bolt and anchor out before going to buy proper concrete sleeve anchors.)
Is there a way to get these sorts of anchor sets to work in concrete holes?
Or should they just be avoided at these larger diameters?


texts: Should galvanized steel pipe be used as a tub spout?

texts: I have a 90 degree fitting coming down from my shower valve.  Also have a screw on tub spout trim.  Right now there is a 6" galvanized pipe that connects the 90 to the tub spout trim.  Is the galvanized steel the best practice for this (or even code)?  If galvanized steel is bad let me know how to fix it before I grout and caulk that area.


texts: Nest Thermostat E wiring with a C-wire adapter

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I wanted to get a Nest Thermostat E, but my current thermostat doesn't have a C wire. From what I read online, it's better to use a C wire, so I was considering adding a Venstar Acc0410 adapter.

However, when I looked at my wiring (I rent a host but got approval to install this), it didn't match what I expected.

The furnace has 5 wires:
Green in the G terminal
Red in the R terminal
White in the W terminal
Blue in the C terminal
Yellow in the Y terminal

This runs up and out, but then gets split in the rafters above the furnace.
Green goes to the G on the thermostat
Red goes to the R on the thermostat
White goes to the W on the thermostat
Blue goes to a white wire on the AC unit
Yellow is Unused(?!?)

So that's 3 to the thermostat (G,R,W), one to the AC.
The Thermostat also has another wire connected to Y going directly to a red wire on the AC.

It's weird to me that the C terminal on the furnace is going to the AC unit, and that the Y terminal is unused.

I could try to make the Vernstar adapter work, or I could run a new 5-wire from the thermostat, but I'd still have a weird situation with the C wire and that unused Yellow wire.

Could I, with a new 5-wire, connect the thermostat C wire to that unused yellow, and move it from the Y terminal to the C terminal on the furnace? Then connect everything else the same as it is now.

Here are some pictures I took:

Edit:
Here's a very rough drawing of what I'm thinking:


texts: Electric Dryer Leg A drops to 0V Leg B spikes at 240V when start pushed

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I am in the military and came back from a month overseas and my 3 prong electric dryer would not start.  I am an electronics technician (radios) so I am quite experiences with electronics and theory (although DC is my strength).

I checked all the routine no start issues, door switch, start switch and thermal resistor all have continuity when isolated. I checked voltages at the receptacle and on the distribution block of the dryer hot to hot-240V, neutral to hot A-118V, neutral to hot B-123V and nothing would happen when start was pressed.  I hit start and tried to spun the drum, nothing.  I ended up pulling the front panel completely off and removing the drum and checked that I have 118V on M4 of the motor switch. In order to check the motor I created a test cable from an extension cord and (cut the female end off and stripped the ends) and connected it to the dryer power distribution on the hot side that controls the motor (not the heater) and neutral then plugged it into a standard 120 wall outlet and the dryer started up like a champ so I knew the motor was good.  I then plugged the original cable back in and tried to start it and it didnt work.  I then opened the motor switch and the voltage all looked good.  I then manually shorted the relay for heating circuit on the motor switch and and the coil heated up.  I then ohmed out the timing switch and it was good.

I then opened the receptacle and put my multimeter probes on leg A and neutral, it read 118V and when I pressed the start button the it dropped to 0V and leg B was at 240V.  I thought it could be a open neutral (although I dont have much experience with neutrals being a DC guy but I am familiar with electronic theory) so I connected my multimeter between the common (ground) pin on the door switch and the bare neutral wire on the service panel and it read 1.3 ohms so there is neutral connectivity throughout the circuit (I also verified that all grounds had connectivity with the neutral in the service panel).

I am now at a loss as to where to go next.  I really don't have an idea of where to go next as every thing else in my apartment works as it should and I don't have the funds to hire an electrician or a repair man.  Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.


texts: What is the effect of differences in flow and return rates in a traditional gas central heating system?

texts: Would a smaller or lower differential in flow and return rates in a traditional gas boiler "Y" central heating system make the house take longer to heat up?  Is there any way to adjust these flow rates on a traditional gas fired boiler?


texts: I have several stains on my bathroom vanity tops that look like rust. I think they have been caused by things being left on sink tops for too long and water leaving marks around these objects. They seem permanent. I have tried several stain removers and none worked. Any suggestions?


texts: would installing a brass ball valve against direction of water flow affect it's volume?

texts: I have very little water pressure coming through both my bathroom faucets. I just noticed the valve off the water heater is installed backwards And there are no other valves that I can see in between this and the bathroom.


texts: is fire alarm system conduit color clearly identified on NFPA or UFC?

texts: Inspector says that I have to use red emt conduit for fire alarm system. I want to prove that it doesn't specified in any standarts.


texts: How to replace valve cartridge on Kohler DevonshireWidespread bathroom sink faucet

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The cold faucet is leaking, and I am trying to repair it by replacing the valve cartridge. However, for the love of god, I can't find a way to open the faucet so that I can replace the valve cartridge. I don't see a small opening anywhere and I can't seem to remove any top or tip of the faucet. I tried to unscrew the handle, but I am stuck afterwards. Any help would be much appreciated.

https://www.us.kohler.com/us/Devonshire-widespread-bathroom-sink-faucet-with-lever-handles/productDetail/sink-faucets/421739.htm


texts: Do you paint bare dry wall without skimming with mud?

texts: I've learned that it takes 3 coats...6" 8" and 12" skims the rest of bare dry wall. You end up skimming all bare dry wall. If you paint any bare dry wall don't it swell up and need sanding, mud and paint again? Isn't it: 6" knife for tape, 8" knife goes out from there, then 12" skims the rest of bare dry wall. ? With sanding in between.


texts: Should I Let my PT Fence Dry Before Installing

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I'm installing 300+ LF of fence in the next month or so and am getting ready to start ordering my materials.
My main question is should I dry out my PT lumber before installing, posts rails and pickets? I was considering laying it out in my garage with 2x1" spacers. I live in South Florida and it rains pretty much daily right now. Of course worried about checking and warping, kinda expecting a <.25" gap between pickets.
Thanks for the help!


texts: Why are two breakers connected across a third breaker?

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This is a 17 yr old double wide mobile home. Our plan is to use existing 240V wiring, kill one of the lines and connect the other to a new 20A breaker to make a 20A 120V for the gas range.
I've never noticed this before but I've never seen anything like it. Two 40A brekers, I assume a separated double pole, for the range straddles the 30A dryer breaker? It's obviously designed this way since there's a bracket hooking the two switches together. Any idea why, or any cautions for me? Thanks in advance!


texts:
So I have a flat roof that is was at some point a nice sun porch off of what is now an office. When we bought this house this summer we had the door to it replaced and in working in my office I cant help but think I'd rather work outside when I can.  I guess I'm curious about how to go about adding a railing to the roof itself.  The house is brick and I could attach brackets on the other side of the gutters and that would work but its going to look weird I'm not sure if I could add the railing directly to the roof but if I could I'd like to. Does anyone know how this is usually done?

** EDIT it is a concrete flat roof


texts: Boiler Won't Fire after adding Taco Relay 506-4 to Existing HW l8124a,c setup

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Boiler: Tranco (can't find model or other info anywhere on it)

Relay: Taco 506-4 (using Taco 007 calculator pumps)

Aquastat: Honeywell l8124a,c

I just finished installing two new zones and a new relay controller on my Tranco boiler and am now in the testing phase. When any thermostat calls for heat through the relay control the isolated end switch does it's job properly and closes the connection (as a dry contact). On the a'stat TT connections I measured that the connection is closed properly and the switch at the top (metal plate that clatters on and off- not sure on the name) closes correctly. At this point I would expect that B1/B2 would be energized and send some power down to my burner, but nothing is happening. I see a measly .05 volts on B1/B2 and even less on the burner contacts.

I know it's a possibility that my aquastat burner control is fried, but I'm hoping it's something more simple. The a'stat worked fine last winter and kicked off properly as expected.

Pics of the setup... Ignore the Hi/Low settings. I messed with them to see if the temp sensor was the issue.


texts: When do tankless water heaters need to be descaled?

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I had a Bosch tankless natural gas water heater that stopped working with C7 and EA error codes and the plumber indicated that the unit had failed due to water getting into the internals like the fan an circuit board.  The plumber said this was due to the tankless never having been descaled and that the unit should be descaled annually.

Under what situations should a tankless water heater be descaled? Does it depend upon how hard your water is?  Can you add some kind of filter before the intake to reduce the need for descaling?  If descaling should be done periodically, how can I determine the right frequency for my situation?


texts: My furnace blower will not turn on when on when in E-heat mode with auto fan

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I have an electric furnace Carrier model FB4ANF030. I enclosed the wiring diagram.

Issue:
The blower fan will not turn on automatically when the thermostat is set to "Emergency heat" and "Fan Auto".

Details:
Lately, when I set the thermostat to "Emergency heat" (so that the heat pump will not be used, the heat is then provided by the internal heat coils), and set the fan on "Auto", the blower motor will not turn on when the thermostat kicks in. If I set the fan to "On", the heater works. Moreover, if I manually start the blower and then set it back to "auto" once it has started, it will keep on blowing and shut off upon thermostat command normally. The blower will not, however, start by itself on the next cycle. This results in the house cooling down (of course). When I set the thermostat to "Heat", everything is normal. (I.E. both the heat pump and the blower kick in in auto mode when prompted by the thermostat.)

Help requested: This is where I need advice from someone who can read a furnace wiring diagram. I can't seem to figure out which component is at fault.

Thank you for your help!

Pierre


texts: How to replace refrigerator paneling with stainless?

texts:
I have wood paneling on the refrigerator (it was there when I moved in).  I'd like a stainless steel frig.  There is nothing wrong with the current frig.

Is it worth replacing the wood paneling with stainless steel paneling?  Is that even possible?


texts: I’ve been sanding down a wood piece from the 1800’s. I performed two lead tests that came up negative but I’m still worried. I did the test patch by sanding it down to the bare wood, then rubbing the tester tube over the edge of the stain and the bare wood. When did they start to use lead in paints, varnishes, and stains? Does it go back as far as the 1800’s? Do I need to worry?


texts: How to remove a single remote from liftwaster garage door opener

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I have a garage door with a red auto-learn button that is used by several people. I would like to remove a single programmed remote from the opener without deprogramming all the other remotes that are currently in use. Is there a way to deprogram a single remote? Can I reset the remote itself back to factory default?
When I search, all I can find is instructions on resetting the garage door opener itself by pressing and holding the learn button until all the programmed remotes are deprogrammed, but that requires everyone to reprogram their remotes. I would like to avoid this.
The remotes are GD-R12 three button Generics design to replace 973LM by liftmaster.


texts: My house was hit by lightning. What should I do?

texts:
A huge thunderstorm passed by the other night and lightning hit the condo building I live in. The fire department came out and inspected the attic, and removed the antenna that was hit.

Inside the condo unit, some of the outlets no longer seem to work, and the garage door opener lights up but will not open the door. The TV was fried despite being on a surge protector.

We have an electrician coming out to check a few of these things, but in general what things should I check after a lightning strike? Are there other things I should be aware of, or look to have fixed/replaced?


texts: Issue when adding a single pole switch next to a 3 way

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Hoping for some help here.  I have a 3 way dimmer switch running to a fan/light combo that I have jumped a single pole switch off of to power a new exterior light.  There are two 3 way switches on the fan/light combo and I have source power coming into the box which ran through the 3 way to the fan/light combo which I jumped off of.  I pigtailed the hot off the source and ran one to the 3 way and one to the single pole switch and tied together the neutrals.
The issues I am having are:
When the fan/light combo is off and the exterior light is on, one of the 4 lights on the fan is on with low power. Also, when I pull the chain and shut off the fan light, the exterior light goes off.
When both the fan/light combo and exterior light are on, all is good.
Both 3 way switches are wired correctly, though I haven’t been in the fan yet (hoping to fix without opening up the fan connections since the wife wants a new one and I can’t justify taking it down and putting the old one back up).
What is the issue here?  Issue with the 3 way dimmer, issue in the fan, the “source” is something different altogether?
From a comment:

So ironically, In digging further, it seems my source into the box has the line power on the white wire and neutral on the black wire. One thing I am confused about though ... it appears the hot travels up the fan/light and neutral connects to the common on the 3 way switch ... fan/light and 3 ways work as intended with the setup but that wiring doesn’t seem right. For the new light ... as long as I tie the neutral to the black source wire and the hot side to the white source wire, I should be good right?


texts: galvanic corrosion with anchor point on galvalume roofing

texts: I'm going to add some sort of anchor point, for attaching a safety rope, to my galvalume roof (some sort of shoulder eye bolt, but that is a different discussion).   My question, what metal is best for this bolt ?   Stainless is the obvious choice, but I gather it would have substantial galvanic corrosion.   Should I just use zinc-coated or galvanized ?  Or would it be better to use stainless, for best corrosion resistance of the eye bolt itself, and attempt to electrically isolate it from the galvalume panel that it penetrates, probably using the same silicon caulk I'd use to seal against water leaks ?


texts: Bending radius for NM cable through stud

texts:
From what I understand from the NEC, bending radius for an NM cable must be at least 5x the diameter of the cable bundle (“romex”).

But how do you calculate this in a real life scenario. Is the radius of the wire below too little? Enough?


texts: Why did city utility work require me to modify my faucet aerator?

texts:
The city utilities came to my neighborhood this week to replace a few fire hydrants. They had to shut off water to my home during this work. When the work was done, one of the water fixtures in my home no longer worked at all and one had drastically less water pressure. Both that had issues were at the highest elevation in my home(i.e. all basement fixtures worked fine)

I called the city and they sent someone out to look at it. All the worker claimed that he did was use a wrench and turn each faucet aerator a quarter turn or so. This seemed to completely resolve the issue.

Why did this happen and is it expected?

Here is one of the faucets that didn't work at all after the maintenance work:


texts: RCCB tripping while checking the current between neutral and ground

texts: Normally, when the panel is working, it means Residual Current Circuit Breaker (a type of GFCI) can be in the on stage, but while checking the current between neutral and ground the RCCB is getting tripped. Can anybody please explain why this happens?


texts: Connection for a 2 switch ceiling fan additional question

texts:
So I separate the 2 white wires and label the hot one black? How do I determine the hot white wire without a tester?

Thank you guys for your help!


texts: how do I change the lightbulb in a pendulum lamp?

texts: how do I change the lightbulb in a pendulum lamp like this shown in the image?


texts:
I have SMA - Sunny Island inverter, the one that is use in Off-Grid Solar PV System.

I am getting error because there is no Battery Temperature Sensor connected.

I have a plan on buying the dedicated Temperature Sensor for this inverter but for the mean time I want to create a substitute for this sensor because I am chasing the deadline.

This is the picture of their Battery Temperature Sensor

and this is where it must be connected

I don't know what's the circuit inside their Bat Temp Sensor but looking at the inverter where it is going to plug, it says that it has 4-pins, 2-pins for battery temperature and the remaining 2-pins is for battery current.

Do you have an idea on what their battery sensor diagram looks like?


texts:
We've recently moved into a new house and we've found that some of the doors are not closing properly. We had a locksmith in to change the locks and he mentioned that we needed to get a 'keep' for each door with the problem but I'm having trouble sourcing the replacements.
There are a couple of doors that don't need replacing and the keep in them looks like this:

Some candidates that I've found online are here:

Avocet Replacement Centre Latch Keep (58 mm)
Lockmaster Mila Master Upvc Door Centre Latch Keep Strike Plate (52 mm)

When I measure the screw centres on a working door, it looks to be 56 mm as shown here:

So I guess my questions are:

Am I measuring the screw centres correctly?
Does anyone know where I can source the above keep?
Is there some tolerance around the screw centres where it could work with a distance slightly more or less?


texts: Can I turn one set of twinkle lights into several by cutting the wire & adding new plugs?

texts: I am working on a project for wedding reception lighting and would like to make several chandeliers using Christmas tree twinkle lights but the strands I have are way too long for one single chandelier. Ideally, I'd like to cut each twinkle light strand into 3 equal parts and then add a new two-prong plug to the end of each. I may also have to splice additional wire to make the cord part long enough to reach an outlet. Seems simple enough to me - but maybe I'm crazy?  Before I attempt, I want to make sure #1) this is safe if done correctly, and 2) do you have any experience to lend so that I have a successful project? Thank you very much!


texts: Is there a way to easily split a wall register?

texts: I have a small powder room that doesn't have a register/vent so it gets a bit cold compared to the rest of the house. I could install a new duct line split off from the main but there is a wall/floor register right on the other side running in the wall cavity in a 2x4 wall. I'm wondering if I can just cut out the back of the rectangular duct and install a baffle to split the air to two registers and then fine tune with how open the registers are. Or is there a premade solution for this? I found some split return air ducts for equalizing are between rooms but not this specific setup


texts: Toilet leaks 4-6 months after wax ring replacement

texts:
We have a toilet in a spare bathroom which was added onto the house (converted from a pantry, we suspect) by the previous owners, and not really done very well.  In particular, the floor was probably just wood under tile (ie, no vapor barrier), though we haven't de-tiled to verify.  However, looking at the toilet's drain lets us see it.

The toilet leaks around the O-Ring about every four to six months; we've replaced it 5 or 6 times since we moved in (3 years ago).  We're getting a bit tired of doing that.  We suspect it is because we can't get the toilet to sit perfectly still - even with shims, the toilet still moves a small amount over time.

Short of replacing the floor, which we could do but would obviously be a rather large and expensive project, is there a better solution that will last longer?  We likely will replace the floor within about 2-3 years, but at the moment would prefer to put that off if there is a good solution (we have a couple of toddlers who are potty trained/potty training and losing access to the first floor bathroom for weeks would put a crimp in that).

I did see this question, and wonder if that is a possible solution.  How could I tell if the height of the flange is the problem?

Edit: My toilet is an American Standard Cadet 3, with the elongated bowl; here are the installation instructions.  It doesn't seem to require any particular height of the flange from the floor (which makes sense when I see the picture).  The bolts themselves are plenty high, I can screw them down with no problem.


texts: Running ethernet under ground to another building

texts: I'm trying to run ethernet cable about 250ft underground to the garage. It is going through a hard plastic/rubber tubing under the yard and into the garage. Is there anything I should know before doing this? UTP/STP? cat 5e/cat 6? If a location of where to buy decent cable is allowed, I would be interested in that as well.


texts:
I'm a college kid trying to sneak my boyfriend in my dorm window. The first section is the holder on the window, the second part is the end of the slider on the window. All I have to do is disconnect the slider. This looks definitely like a modification and is not integrated into the original piece.

Thank you :)


texts: How to turn off a light sensor LED light?

texts:
I've got a light on my condo building and I'd like to figure out how to turn it off. It's currently operated by an automatic light sensor (turns off when it gets dark).

I want to setup better lighting for parties/etc.

Do these white screws do anything? Is it possible to hire an electrician to replace this box with a switch system (when turned on uses light sensor, when off overrides to off).

I'll have to get / post a photo of the light (it's an outdoor LED floodlight).


texts: Can I plug a 15A snow thrower into a 15A receptacle?

texts:
I'm planning to buy a snow thrower with a 15A motor in it. I have an outside receptacle that's rated for 15A and so is the breaker in the electrical panel.

I'm wondering if this will work without problems, or should I take a slightly smaller motor rated for 13.5A?

I plan to run the snow blower off a 12 AWG extension cord (either 50 or 100 foot long).

I'm assuming the 15A of the motor would be the highest current it'd draw, so during start up, or am I wrong to assume this?


texts: Why is water still above elements after draining hot water tank?

texts:
Went to change "element" AFTER draining hot water tank using hose attached to drain nozzle at bottom of tank. Drained for almost an entire day.
When I went to unscrew and changed existing element (bottom) on electric tank WATER came out like tank was still full.

I'm concerned about all the water that got between outer tank & inner tank and how to "dry out".
I'm concerned about turning electricity back on.
I'm concerned that I got over 3 pots of water after all the time taken to drain.

At this point on what I should & should not do?


texts: What is the downside to installing faced fiberglass insulation in a dirt floor crawlspace vs non-faced?

texts: I have a vapor barrier on the dirt floor already.  The insulation will go in the floor joists above, paper side down.


texts: How can I install a ceiling fan with an extension kit that doesn't have a ground wire?

texts:
I bought a ceiling fan and it came equipped with the standard three wires sticking out of the motor. The instructions said the ground wire must be wired to the ground wire of the ceiling wire box. But there is no ceiling wire box, so I bought a fan extension kit to wire up to the fan and plug it into a wall outlet.

The extension, which I bought at Home Depot, was clearly marked "Ceiling Fan Swag Light Kit" but it came with NO ground wire, just the standard two-wire plug. Both the sales assistant and I looked everywhere for a ceiling fan extension kit that had the three wire ground arrangement, but none was available anywhere.

How can this be? How can ceiling fan extension kits be sold without a ground wire, when all ceiling fans, indeed most appliances today, require a ground wire connection? And is it possible to wire up the fan to an ungrounded extension so that the shock hazard is still eliminated?


texts: Dishwasher and garbage disposal wiring in same gang box

texts:
I am in the planning stages of renovating my kitchen.  I plan on wiring my garbage disposal under the sink and using one of those air switches to control it.  The wiring is not a problem.  However, to prevent excessive clutter I planned on pulling the circuit for the dishwasher into the same gang box I will mount under my sink.  I am not using the same circuit - each is wired independently.  But I just don't want the dishwasher line coming in through the back of the sink cabinet straight to the dishwasher, I would like to have some clean wiring down there.
So I planned on pulling the DW circuit into the same box where I am putting an outlet for the disposal.
Any issues with that, other than the standard calculations for box size?


texts: Adding a (stair/baby) gate without facing walls

texts:
This is a little hard to describe; I've added a diagram to (hopefully) make it easier to understand, but apologies if it doesn't make sense.

I'm looking to add a stair gate at the top of my stairs. The problem I'm having is that the wall on one side of the stairs finished much earlier than the other, and at the end of the top stair, there is only a wall on one side.

It seems that I have two options, either get a tall gate and install it where the walls are parallel, leaving one step to fall, or affix some sort of post to the shorter wall so that I can attach the gate to that. Neither seems particularly ideal and I'm not sure the second is really viable, but am I missing something quite obvious, or is there perhaps a known and advised way of solving this problem?

Any help would be very much appreciated!


texts: Kwikset lock, when depressing exterior thumb lever, Barrel will not detract all way


texts: What type of material is flexible but not too much, water proof, and can tolerate 80°C temperatures?

texts:
The idea is to build an electric pad with an non-coated heating wire (~1.3 Ohm/metter): the pad must be flexible under the bed sheet (like this one) but not too much (to prevent it being crumpled which would damage the heating wire and might create shortcuts that could dangerously increase the heat).

This tuto recommends using a PVC+fiberglass mosquito net, which is a good idea since it is flexible but can't be crumpled and on the same time does support relatively high temperature. But he used a coated wire (these wires are, for mysterious reason, not sold anymore). So it might be dangerous with on non-coated wired since mosquito net are not really waterproof and sweat/moisture might create interesting shortcuts...

Any idea of material(s)/fabric that would meet those criteria:

flexible but not too much.
non conductive (for electricity)
tolerate 80 or 100°C (~180F) heat
doesn't emit toxic particle in contact with heat. (It would be use under bed sheet...)
relatively cheap

ps: I was thinking to use the mosquito net buy insulating those wire using heat-schrink tubing but I'm not sure they could stand the 80°C heat from the wire, and about toxic emissions.

ps2: notice that it's not a safety related question, but a technical one (I'm looking for specific material).


texts: How to hide fasteners on a horizontal wood fence?

texts:
We’re about to build a horizontal wood fence, and I’d prefer not being able to see the fasteners on the face of each plank.

What’s the best way of achieving this?


texts: Replace Attic Fan Without Going on the Roof

texts:
I'm attempting to replace the motor of my attic fan. I've disconnected everything else, but I noticed after I removed the nuts on the support bars that I can't pull the fan and motor through the opening because the supports get in the way.

The supports appear to be attached with the kind of bolts that I'm not going to be able to remove without causing irreparable damage.

It's important that I remove the whole assembly as I need to measure the distance between the center of the fan and the motor to ensure when I put it back together, there aren't any collision issues.

The only other alternative I'm seeing is to go on the roof and remove the metal shell on top of the fan so that I can pull it out that way. Is this the normal means of removal or can this be safely removed another way?


texts:
Did I wire this correctly?

My understanding is that strapped wire (green/yellow) is ground, so I connected it to the middle. And blue/brown doesn't really matter which way they go, since for alternating current positive/negative doesn't really matter.

The flip side of the plug above

And the original stock plug that I'm replacing


texts: Thermostat turned off and furnace no longer works after doing some electrical work to a switch outlet

texts:
I was trying to install a smart switch to a double gang electrical box and unplugged wires. As I was working on the smart switch I had to disconnect everything. Much to my dismay, the switch was not able to be connected, but now my thermostat, which is a few feet away is not not powered on.

I go to the furnace, and see that the plug that it is plugged in to is also not working.

As I go back to the switch/gang box, I see that there is a cable with 4 wires, not the typical 3. The colors are red, black, white, and bare which are all disconnected and capped for safety for now.

There are two other wires with the regular 3 wire configuration (black, white and bare). I believe these two wires go to the porch light and the landing light circuitry, but at this point I'm not sure.

Any ideas? Can anyone tell me how I can wire this up just to get my furnace working again?

Can anyone tell me how I would re wire this thing just to get the furnace and thermostat working again?


texts: I read in other answers with similar photos that this is tar from insulation. The insulation is not that old (30 years). Is this burned cable or tar or something else?


texts: Slightly extending an opening in plywood

texts:
I'm trying to fit a slightly larger trash can into an opening in thick (about 1") plywood (see photo). Basically, I need to shave off some material in the corners to make the new can fit.

Question is, what is the right way to do it and what tools should be used? So far, I'm thinking about possibly using a hole saw. Or is there a better way?


texts: Is tungsten wattage different from regular wattage?

texts: I bought a new in-wall timer rated 20 Amps. and it says '1350 w Tungsten', so I'm wondering if there are watts which are measured different then other watts? In my calculation it should be 20 x 120 = 2400.


texts: Should I drill through the concrete garage wall to install a generator inlet switch inside?

texts:
I recently purchased a generator in the aftermath of the ice storms in the Northeast.  I'm quit handy with the electrical wiring in my house and have no issue installing the proper circuit for the 30-amp load.  My questions are more about running the cable to the inlet box.

My garage is connected to my basement (where the circuit breaker is), and my ideal inlet location is either right inside the garage door, or just outside.  The issue is that, in order for me to run the wires in there, it appears that I'll have to drill through concrete and install conduit (as the prior owner did with the existing garage wiring).  Thus brings about the two possibilities:

Do I spend the money, time and noise to rent a drill to bore a 1-inch conduit space through my concrete walls?
Do I install my inlet switch inside and run a longer 30-amp generator extension cord from outside to inside when the generator is running?

UPDATE

I'm reconsidering and thinking about renting a Hilti drill (or similar) from a local tool-rental shop or Lowes/Home Depot.  If I do that, I can run straight up from my breaker box to a conduit leading outside (next to the meters).  I can then either get a long-enough generator cord to reach from the garage up to the outlet, run conduit closer down to the garage, or move the generator up to the back porch in advance of pending issues.

Further opinions?

Thanks


texts:
I have a room which is getting too hot during winter and I want to disconnect the hot water baseboard in it from the heating system. Problem is that heating system is a loop and room is in the middle.
Do I have to open the wall and rewire the pipes behind it ?
Is there a less extensive solution ?
Could a zone valve help here?


texts: Can I install a backflow preventer for a frostless hydrant on well?

texts:
I notice when I turn my frostless hydrant off with the hose connected, it siphons most if not all water from the hose.  I am worried of potential plastic chemicals in the hose after it sits out in the sun leaching into my well water after the hydrant siphons the water all out - especially when I get around to installing drip irrigation systems.

Will a simple $5 plastic backflow preventer be all I need, or is there a certain product meant just for this?  I will potentially be drinking the same water that flows back in the well after the frostless hydrant is shut off - yes?


texts: How to mount load-bearing assembly meant to be installed into joists

texts:
I recently got the below ceiling-mounted pull-up bar that installs into joists with 3" lag bolts. Unfortunately, my joists run perpendicular to the direction that I want to install this bar, so I need to find a solution that will allow me to install the bar securely other than directly into joists.

I am hoping to avoid sistering in a couple 2x8 boards because that means cutting, patching, texturing, and painting drywall. Is there a poor man's solution that doesn't involve any of that?

I do have a 16" x 48" x 3/4" board that I could install along the joists and then install the pull-up bar into that. However, the instructions insist that the bar be installed into joists with the 3" lag bolts, but is that really necessary to bear the load of a 190-pound person?

Any creative solutions welcome.

Edit: I should add that, if I did use my 3/4" board solution, I would be able to drive two of the four screws into the joists because of the overlap of the edge (minus 3/4" of depth, of course), but the other two would be secured into the board itself.

Update: Not my best work, but it's installed and appears to hold my body weight so far.


texts: How to find houses on types of land with less risk of damage from earthquakes?

texts: If the general geographic location, i.e. city or metro area is fixed, what methods and data sources should I use to know what land areas in the region have less risk of damage to houses from earthquakes? Someone told me to avoid hilly areas but I thought that is too simplistic. Flat ground may have comparable risk of damages. How can I learn more about this?


texts: If a bathroom exhaust fan does not have a duct on the side of it but I do have venting present in attic to the outside is my bathroom fan vented?

texts: My current bathroom fan is ductless but a friend looked in my attic and said it is vented outside? Can a bathroom fan be venting outside if there is not a duct connected to the bathroom fan light?


texts: How to select the right submersible pump for my fields?

texts: The water level is 300 feet and horizontal delivery is 800 feet flat.  I want to use a rotary sprinkler for irrigation.  What horsepower (HP) recommendations do you have for the submersible pump?  And how many sprinklers would this pump be able to run?


texts: This microwave has a rotary knob which is used to manually set the cooking time, with a digital display.  Over time the knob has started to work very unreliably: some days one can rotate and set the cooking time as normal, other days rotation of the knob increments the time very very slowly or not at all. I have tried to access the knob and clean any mechanical contacts but it difficult to get at and I am not even sure if it is a mechanical issue.  I cant correlate the erratic behaviour of the timing knob with any other setting on the microwave.  Any ideas how to repair this?


texts:
I live in Canada and I just had my roof done on my house.

I recently went in my attic and found out that some part of the roof is missing plywood :(

In the following picture, there is no nails visible. Which means the shingles behind are not nailed in???

When the contractor did the estimate, he did notice places where the plywood was rotten and told me he would need to replace them. Well clearly he didn't. He just cut away the rotten plywood :(

Is that normal practice. Should I be worried or is this ok?

UPDATE:

So I did get in contact with the contractor. Apparently, this is where the old air vents were.

He tells me that there is a metal sheet between the shingles and the membrane.
He told me that the membrane that we can see in the pictures is to protect against humidity.

Is that a good practice when removing old air vents?

UPDATE 2:

Thanks for all the information, really appreciate the help.

Just to clarify, because I might have not been clear, the old vents were removed and new vents installed. I was made aware of that in the contract and the new vents are more powerfully, so for every 2 old vents removed, 1 new vent was installed. I believe this is ok.

I went back in the attic and took more photos

As for the proper amount of nailing, its really hard to tell. I'm no expert and I cant seem to see any kind of patterns with the nails. Here is a photo were I could sort of see a pattern.

UPDATE 3:

So first, I contacted the manufacturer of the shingles and explained the situation. They told me that the shingles installed over the metal sheet are NOT properly installed and that the shingles would NOT be covered under the High Wind Resistance Limited Warranty. They did suggest that I contact an inspector. The contractor that did the job was also certified with that manufacturer. So they will be looking into that.

I wrote to the RBQ, which is my province Code regulator, but did not get a reply yet.

I'm also trying to get in contact with my municipal urban department which, I have been told, can probably help me and tell me if this respects the code or not.

I was able to talk to another contractor in my region and he told me this is ok and that I shouldn't worry about it. We did have very strong wind recently and my roof did resist.

Still not sure what to make all of this.
Thanks for all the comments, really helps.


texts:
I have 3 G4 light sockets built into my kitchen cabinets, to provide downlights onto the counters.

The bulbs would always go out really quickly, but might start working again for a bit if i tapped the cupboard.

Today at the DIY shop i spotted some 1.8W 200 lumen LED G4 bulbs so i thought I'd give them a try.

I put two and tested the lights, which lit up happily. I then added the third and retested. The LEDs all started flickering. They flicker if 3 bulbs are installed, but are happy with 1 or 2.

It doesn't matter which socket is the empty one.

What's happening here? Is my wiring safe?


texts: upstairs furnace stopped working after connecting c-wires to both HVACs for ecobee 4 downstairs

texts:
My AC/heater for upstairs rooms used to work. But after connecting the c-wires to both HVACs in the attic it can no longer be started with the LED controller. I probably should have connected only one of the two c-wires, i.e., the one for the downstairs unit (which also controls the corridors upstairs), but thought it was safe to connect both. Is this wrong?

Ironically the downstairs AC/heater used to be difficult to start which motivated us buying the ecobee 4. Now the downstairs one works just fine but upstairs one stopped working.

Thanks a lot.
  Best,
  John

HVAC picture in attic
https://photos.app.goo.gl/Mo2K4P2S2VjtNcqBA

Edit: today I did some more detective work and here are some additional findings.

Installed with ecobee 4 downstairs zone 2 and kept the old Honeywell hz311 thermostat upstairs zone 1. Hooked the c wire for zone 2 on the furnace wire board in the attic. Originally hooked c wire for zone 1 as well but later removed without affecting the ecobee functionality downstairs. Air comes out from the upstairs vent occasionally for a split second (judged by a helium balloon) but for the most part no heating or air upstairs. Tried battery replacement without use. Multimeter suggests continuity between G/O and R wire, but no continuity between other pairs, including no continuity between R and Y.


texts: Do they still make attachments for this track lighting?

texts: . This light fixture is a track to which things attach. It came with spots; I've been asked to see if I can't 'shed more light,' so I'd like to go see if I can acquire alternative things. Can anyone help me identify the manufacturer and whether they still make/sell lamps that attach?


texts: wiring of occupancy switch in 3-way situation (odd-looking instructions)

texts:
I'm looking to replace one of the two switches (wired in a standard 3-way configuration) which control an overhead light in a utility room, with an occupancy sensor switch.  The room is small enough that the one sensor should provide adequate coverage.

I've purchased an Eaton Model #OS306U, and the wiring instructions look most peculiar to me.  The switch has 3 wires, black, red, and blue (plus ground); I'd expect one of the wires to be the "common", and the switch makes a connection between common and either the red or the blue wire, much like a standard mechanical 3-way switch.   But it's not wired like that at all.   Here is an image from the instructions, for my scenario:

Neutral is wired as normal.  The occupancy sensor turns the light on or off by making or breaking the connection between its black and red wires (and the black, being connected to hot, probably powers the logic as well).  Meanwhile, the blue wire goes back to the other mechanical switch; this switch either leaves the blue wire open, or shorts it to ground.  Apparently the mechanical switch needn't even be a 3-way switch, a single-pole one would be fine (despite the labeling in the drawing).

I can't quite figure out what's going on.


texts:
I am going to be starting a project in which I will be pouring my patio next to my home, it will be approx 10' x 50'  The home is on a concrete slab, no basement.  I have to two questions.

What is the appropriate slope to use to have water run away from the home and how do I get this slope in the patio slab?
From what I have read thus far, the concrete should not butt directly against the home's slab and a joint expander or something should be glued to the home and then the concrete poured against that.  My question is, how do I properly scree when there won't be a form board against the house on which that end of the scree board would typically rest? Just use a chalk line and go by that?  In addition, how do I scree such a large area, I hadn't planned on having any framing boards within' the patio, meaning it would be one large continuous concrete slab patio.  Or is that a mistake?
I guess I had more than two questions but...whadya gonna do?

Thank you.


texts: In a one-way dimmer, can C and L1 terminals be swapped?

texts:
In a one-way dimmer switch, does it matter which way round the C and L1 terminals are connected (both electrically and in terms of UK wiring regs)?

For context, I have a dimmer that's wired the opposite to what I'd expect and I'm trying to understand the implications.


texts: Can I use epoxy resin to fix cracks in potable water equipment?

texts:
Recently I've noticed some issues in my old countertop water distiller:

There were several cracks in the plastic top cover of the boiler. To fix it, I've tried some epoxy resin (brand name "Durepoxi") similar to Araldite. The reason was:

According to the manufacturer specifications, it can handle temperatures from -50°C to +150°C. Therefore it should handle the temperatures inside the boiler.
It is used very often to fix water pipes. Therefore, at first, it should not be toxic.

However, now that I've "fixed" the distiller, the water coming out from it is tasting awful. To remove this taste, I'm using ceramic + activated charcoal filter, which improves a lot this issue.
Questions

Is it safe to use epoxy resin in this case? Any health risk?
After the aforementioned filtration with ceramic and activated charcoal, is it safe to drink the water coming out from this distiller?
What would be a better approach to fix this distiller? High temperature silicone?


texts:
What is an appropriate distance between a finished floor and bottom of an interior door to make sure there is adequate HVAC air flow when door is closed.
Several sites say in order for there to be proper air flow the doors would need to be at least 1 1/4" off the floor (doesn't look right) and that the HVAC unit will not last as long if there is restricted air flow. The alternative is to put air returns in every room.


texts: I have 15k gallon pool with a 1.5hp pump,  1 skimmer and 1 drain. I have a Float valve assembly over the skimmer. If the skimmer is fully open does that mean there is no suction in the drain? I don't want suction in the drain. How does this work?


texts: Can I use three phase existing wiring for a single phase a/c unit?

texts: I am replacing an old 3 phase a/c unit with a new single phase a/c unit. Can I just use 2 of the three legs at existing unit disconnect to power the new single phase unit? Is that done by capping one wire or maybe removing one wire from breaker?


texts: What kind of screws in to pressure treated plywood?

texts:
I am making hurricane panels for my house using the technique described here.

The plywood I purchased is pressure treated. The sliding bolts are zinc, so I assume the screws that came with them are also zinc. Is this ok, or should I be using different screws and/or bolts?


texts: How can I determine why all the faucets are giving only warm water when turned to cold?

texts: When ever we turn on the cold faucet in any room in out house we only get luke warm water. I have heard that a faulty washing machine inlet valve can cause this. are there any ways to test that theory? Also any other suggestions to check? We do live in phx, but we should still be able to get semi cold water. Any help is appreciated


texts: What would be the ramifications of applying a semi-solid oil based stain on a virgin 4 yr old pressure treated pine deck?

texts:
We had our deck built of pressure-treated pine in 2009, and left it completely untreated up until a couple weeks ago. This is in south-eastern Minnesota.

So far, I've power-washed (and a week later, sanded with 80grit paper) railings, deck boards, steps, and pretty much every area that may come in purposeful contact with skin.

In the interests of time and effectiveness (aka, being lazy,) I did not wash the outer surfaces of the deck, specifically the railings and balusters (spindles). Only the surfaces that you would see when sitting / standing on the actual deck are brand-spanking clean. The unwashed areas are certainly old and weathered gray in color.

We picked up a few gallons of Cabot semi-solid oil-based stain and other sundry supplies today, and are planning on staining the entire deck tomorrow.

Here's my question: is staining the still-gray surfaces acceptable? I'm not worried as much about how great it will look as how long the stain will last and how decent it appears. I'm confident that the prepared surfaces will look pretty much perfect, and am probably worried that there's going to be too much of a differential between both types.

UPDATE, almost 2months later: We finally finished staining the monster. Getting stain in some of the hidden areas was a bit of a challenge, but in the interests of doing a good job, stuff had to be done. As before, the outer surfaces of spindles haven't been powerwashed, and I hope to post an update a couple of years from now, as far as status and longevity goes. Thanks, all!


texts: Why is my furnace blower coming on so early in the ignition process?

texts: Alright, I installed a new furnace a few months ago and have begun to notice an issue with the blowers. When the furnace first starts up, the exhaust blower should turn on to expel gas, then the flames are lit, then the main blower turns on. My issue is that the main and exhaust blower turn on at the same time. The house still gets heated and the furnace runs it's normal cycle, but I first get a blast of cold air. I haven't done anything to the circuits on the furnace. Could this be an issue with the thermostat calling for this to happen?


texts: How do I stop the toilet seat from continuously sliding to the right every time it is used?

texts: I don't know why the seat keeps moving. I slide it left and it moves to the right every time. Now I definitely see similar questions on here, but the people say they tighten it and it gets loose again. My problem is, I don't know what they're tightening and where to find it. Because I don't see any screws.


texts:
The subfloor in my home is 4" planks. The previous owner removed the hardwood, painted the flooring and left it that way (I have no idea why you would do that).

Regardless I want to put down tile.  Do I need a moisture barrier between the mortar and the flooring?

FYI, I have to use mortar. Adhesive isn't an option because I'm going to be using electric radiant heat.


texts: How can I remove stains from concrete (garage/driveway)?  The stains are most likely either oil, gasoline, or transmission fluid.


texts: What should be done with dirt from digging out sewer drain pipe?

texts:
I had a backed up sewer drain, and had to have it cleared. I also had it scoped and was told it was broken.

I have dug a 4'x4'x4' hole to get to it - and found out it was completely shattered. I am working on replacing that now.

My other issue is that I have a huge pile of pretty nasty dirt next to the hole. Surely this cannot be reused, so what do I do with it? I am also assuming it can't be treated and left out or just tossed.

I have not been able to find an answer online, so I thought I would try here. Any advice?


texts: How does central vacuum suction compare to regular vacuum?

texts:
We recently moved into a new home with central vac. The vacuum unit is in the garage, as is typically the case, and seems to be in good working condition. I cleaned the "bucket" underneath and made sure the grid inside is free of dirt/lint etc.

It seems to me the suction when actually using the central vac system is not quite as powerful when compared to a regular vacuum. I can understand that the system is much "bigger" i.e lots of air in the pipes and much longer distance for particles to travel.

Is it expected that the suction should not be as strong as regular vac or am I dealing with a blockage or perhaps under spec vac?


texts:
I have a west facing window that seems to be emanating a horrible body odor smell. I've isolated it to the window, since I can close the cellular shades and it limits the smell. Additionally, if I stick my nose into a crack between the shade and the window frame, the smell is particularly strong.

It's also stronger in the late afternoon when the sun is beating directly on the window.

I've tried cleaning the area thoroughly, but that didn't help.

What could be causing this? How can I fix it?


texts: Proper construction for load bearing header

texts: What is the proper header construction for a 16' span load bearing for a single story house?


texts: Basement shower tiled floor not sealed by builder what now

texts:
So I have recently had a tenant move out and have found water damage around the basement shower floor.  Looks like black mold so I started ripping it out.  Now I am at the point where I have found what looks like a undersized water barrier but not sure if I need to bust out the concrete or just remove the perimeter and pour over the entire thing... if I do need to remove the shower sub-floor what the best way to do so with out damaging the foundation. Also notice how it looks wet, yet it hasn't been used on 25 days.  There was a tiled corner chair I have since removed, thats what was in the corner.

Thanks for you help


texts: Any reason NOT to use fiberglass when replacing old aluminum screening

texts:
I have a screened porch, circa 1950 (on an 1869 house). The metal screening is directly tacked onto built-in frames, and the edges covered with thin molding.

It is sagging in places and riddled with small holes and numerous patches (some by me, some dating back decades). I would like to replace it all.

(Yes, I know the door itself needs much work.)

My inclination is to use fiberglass screening. It seems like it might be less prone to sagging and less prone to ripping. Is this so? Is there any reason to favor metal over fiberglass?

I am not concerned about historic accuracy on this project. And there are no pets or small children involved.


texts: Does the NEC allow for smaller than 15 amp / 14 gauge circuits?

texts:
While hooking up a series of LED ceiling lights, I was wondering if there is anything in the NEC that would prohibit circuits smaller than the standard 15A lighting circuit found in homes.

This 15A lighting circuit currently feeds 8 ceiling lamps, but I could wire up 20 of these 11W LED lamps and still only use 2 amps which would easily run on a 5A circuit and use 18 or maybe even 20 gauge wire.

I haven't seen any home wiring supplies for anything less than 15A, but I don't know if that's because there's no demand, or if 15A is the smallest lighting circuit allowed by the NEC.

Or is there some burgeoning low voltage, low power standard that is better suited to energy efficient lighting?


texts: How To Wire Humidistat and Humidifier - Honeywell

texts:
I am looking for advice on how to wire my new humidistat with my furance and humidifier. First, here are the components I'm working with:

Furnace: Carrier WeatherMaker Infinity (Model 58MVP100 14120)
Humidifier: Honeywell HE265B1005
Humidistat: HoneywellH6062

Background: Old humidistat (Honeywell H1008A) quit working so ordered this new one. The humidifier is a Bypass, with both humidistat and humidifier mounted on the Return side. Humidifier is hooked into COLD water line.
What I'd Like: Since humidifier is on Return side and hooked into cold, I'd want the humidifier to kick on when humidity reads low and there is a call for heat. (Feel free to let me know if you feel differently).
Where I am at in the setup: I do have the humidistat hooked up to constant 24V and the Outdoor Sensor hooked up and tested.
What I need help with:
My furnace does have a 24V HUM terminal which kicks on during call for heat, so I know I can use that, I just need to know how to hook it in. On my humidistat I have two U terminals for the humidifier, and I need to know how to hook those up to the furnace and humidifier solenoid. I will post some pictures. I know the bottom U humidistat terminal gets wired to one of the humidifier solenoid wires. The top U terminal is what I need help with....and then I need help with what wire to hook into the second humidifier solenoid wire. One note, my furnace does have the HUM 24V terminal, as well as a HUMR (HUM relay) terminal.


texts: well pump kicking on and off every few minutes

texts: my well pump kicks on every 5-10 minutes even with no water usage. It runs for a half a minute then shuts off.


texts: Do I need to replace cupped/curled plank sheathing in my wall?

texts:
We gutted the inside of an old unventilated bathroom, and found extensive mold throughout the drywall and insulation.

The exterior sheathing is old horizontal planking (probably dating back to the 50's or earlier).  While solid and free from rot, it is covered in mold and appears to have curled/cupped extensively, probably also due to extreme moisture and humidity problems.

Notice the curvature of the planks - this is not a log home!

We bleached and scrubbed the mold as much as possible, but it still seems to be causing allergy problems for some people. Also, we can't solve the cupping issue without taking down the layers of exterior siding.

Should we just bite the bullet, remove the siding, and replace the old plank sheathing with OSB or plywood? Or can we leave it the way it is?

Update: There are two layers of siding - the inner layer is some old asphalt paper/shingling, and the outer, newer layer is vinyl. There may be a thin layer of pink foam (house wrap?) under the vinyl on top of the asphalt. The vinyl appears to be in good shape and is not permitting any water intrusion from the outside. This is a single-floor room with a simple shed roof above us, which drains toward the wall in question. The sheathing boards appear to be about 1/2 - 3/4" in thickness.


texts: Attaching toilet flange through tile and uncoupling membrane

texts: I understand that the toilet flange should sit on the finished floor.  I've got porcelain tile on top of a Ditra uncoupling membrane for waterproofing. To attach the flange securely to the sub-floor, I would have to screw through both the tile and the waterproofing membrane, which would seem to defeat the purpose of the membrane.  Is there  another method for attaching the toilet flange when using an uncoupling/waterproofing membrane?


texts: How do I use existing cat5e wiring to distribute internet in my house?

texts:
Description

My current setup is I have a single router/modem combo in my living room connected through DSL. Internet is distributed through the house via WiFi.

The upstairs rooms have all been run with Cat5e cable from the cable box and terminated with 6pin connectors. Important to note that even though all the rooms have been run with Cat5e cables, I can only plug the modem/router into one of them to get internet. So something is already wrong.

Ive recently finished my basement and had the contractors run Cat5e cables from the new rooms to the current box in my utility room.

I would like to have each room to have 8 pin (RJ45?) connectors with internet. I would also like to have the router and modem in the utility room (unless convinced otherwise). The utility room is pretty centrally located in my house.

I am also hoping to be able to identify and name some of the things in the cable box to help me better understand what is happening.

Questions:

In the first picture, what is the white board(labelled A) called?
How do I trace cables?
Why do I have 7 cables going into the board if I only have 3 outlets upstairs?
Is there a reason other than material availability for why some of the cables are yellow and some are blue?
Can I just swap out the upstairs 6pin connectors with 8pin RJ45 connectors?
How do I hook everything up and distribute internet throughout the house?

1,2, and 3 are the cables run from the basement. 4 was existing and just tucked behind the cable box.

Thank you. Feel free to point me towards any helpful resources as well.


texts: My town house was flooded from my ceiling opening up leaking water, is it the poor caulking we used more than 5 years back?

texts:
I have a 1964 townhouse I reside in I love it; however, 3 years ago I felt drops in my kitchen shrugged, I'll see about that later rushing off to work.

Then 2 years ago, a bubble began to form in the corner ceiling. While using the restroom I looked down and really paid attention to the caulking coming up from around the tub and the toilet it looks moldy and torn up. I called to have someone come for a consultation to check it out.

He came scheduled me and then returned to fix the ceiling never the problem and it is leaking again this time forming a shape of a bloated person between the walls.


texts: Can you use PAR 38 LED floods in a kitchen where the receptacle says only use 30 PAR maximum?


texts:
Trying to install a WiFi thermostat. I have the unused blue wire which I believe is the common wire. It is unused both and the furnace level as well as on my current thermostat. However there is already a white wire in the COM: connection at the furnace. So I have no open terminal.

]2


texts:
I am seeking software I can use to better understand the thermal properties of my house. The main two consumptions of the house are water and heating. I'm interested in optimizing the heating.

Eventual goal would be each room has a motion detector, thermometer, and heat source, and good user interface. Walls are well insulated, doors seal tight, etc. But first I need to measure it, so I know where to begin.

Given some subset of internal and external temperatures, times when heat is on or off, location of furnace and vents, square feet of window, wall, and roof, insulation type, etc. there ought to be a good picture of what is going on. What tools exist to work with this?

I'd like to analyze a range of questions such as:

What will be the quantitative benefit of foam-filling my walls?
which doors to leave open/closed to minimize heat to unused rooms?


texts:
I'm building a remote button to flush a toilet and I need a temporary power switch - something that will run 120V for say 3 to 10 seconds....

I have googled extensively and have not found anything...anyone have a solution?

correction, power is 12v - motor I'm using is DC and I have a transformer.

Also, I found what I need: "timed delay relay".

The timed delay relay will power a motor that lifts the flush handle and then shuts off.  Like a piston crank shaft.

I will update with a DIY when/if I finish this.


texts: I am interested in removing a garage concrete slip (31"Wx8'4"Lx1.5"H) to accommodate a storm shelter (4'x8').  The slab is post tension.  The project entails a diamond blade set to cut at a height of 1.25", chipping away at the concrete, grinding to garage floor level.  Do you think this is a good solution?  Can the vibrations affect the post tension cable slab foundation.  The shelter weighs about 2,000 lbs and we have been informed that building up the concrete is not a good option because of bonding the new with the old.


texts: I have a switch on my bedroom wall that I believe is used to control the outlet on the same wall. However, the outlet has never worked, and the switch doesn't even seem to be connected to the wires in the wall correctly. How can I trace back the switch or outlet to the panel, or along the inside of the wall to verify that the relationship between switch and wall is even accurate in the first place. I would like to avoid removing the wall as much as possible.


texts: Can someone help me make sense of the wiring for these switches?

texts:
I'm trying to replace 3 light switches with new ones.  Normally this is straight forward, but when I took the plate off, I was stumped.  (Disclaimer: I'm not an electrician, I'm a recently divorced single woman who can't afford to hire one, and I'm just trying to do whatever I can to spruce up this old heap of a house I just bought.)

The left switch (L) is a single pole switch that used to control a ceiling fan, but now it controls a chandelier.  There seems to be 2 wires connected to each screw on this one (one looped around the screw and one in the quickconnect hole). One of the wires comes off the switch on the right.

The center switch (C) is a 3 pole switch that controls two recessed lights.  This one looks pretty straight forward.

The right switch (R) is a single pole switch that controls two recessed lights.  One of the wires on this switch loops around and then continues on to the L switch, but I'm not sure why.

None of these old switches have a green ground screw. There are no white wires going to any of them.  But when I look back in the box, there are lots of copper and white bundles.  I can't tell where they go.  Are any of these switches grounded?

I was gifted some Levitron 3 way switches and was told that even for the single pole switches, a 3 way can be used with no problem.  I was able to replace C without any issue because it was a 3 way switch already, but it also didn't have multiple wires going to the same screw. But I can't figure out how to make L and R work. Also, the wiring I have seems too thick to use the quick connect holes in these new switches.

This house was built in 82 or 83, I think, but the original owner had some work done (converted garage to a room, then added another garage, etc).  I have no idea if these 3 switches are original.


texts: I live in a block of apartments with 6 floors having a stairwell timer that lights all bulbs of the floors at once. I would like to make my bulb switch on independently from the timer so that I can install a motion sensor which would only light my bulb. When I opened the wall socket that is used to light the bulb (and the others) which is a push button switch similar to that used for doorbells, I found a red wire connected to one of the terminals which seems to have continuous electricity supply and two brown wires joined together and connected to the other terminal. The neutral is wired directly in the light bulb holder. I disconnected the two joined brown wires to run some tests and found out that one of these wires is connected to the bulb however, I cannot understand why this wire has electricity when there is no bulb in the holder. Can someone help me out on how to go about this please? thanks


texts:
We just moved into our new place. So many new things need to learn. Just like the problematic AC. My apologizes if I do not know the correct terminology for some of the parts. I will try my best though.

The air handler with evaporator was installed in a closet on the 2nd floor. The evaporator is at the bottom in the air handler unit. And there is a big hole on the floor plywood right underneath the air handler to let the return air come in.

So the problem we have is that if we run the A/C for about 1.5 to 2 hours, we can see water drips to the ceiling of the first floor. And there is a water mark on the ceiling. So I just drilled a hole and let the water run down to avoid further damage. And I also took a picture through the hole to see what is going on(the filter has been removed). I saw condensate forming on the bottom of the drain pan. I'm not sure if the coil sweating.

What I've found/tested are:

The main drain pan seems working okay. I can see it catches water and
let it go away through the pipe to the drain-line. But the pan is
dirty. And it seems not overflowed.
Looks like there is no backup drain pan so the condensate drops
directly on the ceiling.
The filter is a washable filter and has been cleaned.
Tried to put a dehumidifier in the closed but didn't help too much.

I'm not sure what I can do next to fix this problem permanently. I thought I should install a secondary pan and clean the coil regularly. Am I on the right path? If you get an idea, please let me know.


texts: Will it pass code if I put the Porch and Foyer (both receptacles and lights) on the same circuit?


texts:
I have a small 230v 650VA generator capable of producing generating 450w. I also have a deep freezer rated at 230v 110w running power. I feel the reason why the generator doesnt power the deep freezer is because of the huge startup wattage required by the freezer.
So I am considering using the generator to power a 12v 15amp battery charger which charges a 12v 40ah battery connected to a 1.5Kva inverter which powers the freezer.
My assumption is that the Inverter-battery combo will handle the startup surge which lasts a few seconds while generator-charger combo handles continous charging of the battery while the freezer runs.
My question to the house is will this work? Is it efficient? What other ways are there to optimise the set-up?

thanks


texts: Can’t get this light cover off & no brand name on it

texts: This fan was in the house we bought. No label so we don’t know the maker. Bulb burned out but try as we might we can’t get the globe off. Looks like halogen bulb if that helps. Had a remote but it never worked. Can’t find it to see if there is a maker listed. No idea where this was purchased. We are in Florida


texts: Is there a Grounding Electrode that can be buried less than 18"?

texts:
A house that is being constructed is being built on ground that is only 18" deep before it hits bedrock. The rebar can't be used as the grounding electrode because there is a vapor barrier below the concrete slab. There are no copper pipes to use either. We can't use plates or horizontal ground rods because those need to be at least 30" deep.

Is there a grounding method that would work for this case? Will drilling into the bedrock be acceptable? I've been looking through section 250 of the NEC and haven't found anything that could help.


texts: Why is the coiled white wire on a GFCI circuit breaker smaller than the branch circuit neutral?

texts:
I just recently installed a 50A two pole GFCI circuit breaker that was part of a 240VAC spa panel. For 50A I was using 6 AWG wires. When connecting up this type breaker you connect the two poles of the breaker to the two hot load connections and then the neutral wire of the load also connects to the "white" marked terminal of the two pole breaker. From the breaker there is a short coiled white wire that gets connected to the neutral bus bar in the electrical box.

I noticed that the coiled wire is decidedly smaller gauge that the #6 AWG wires I was using for the circuit connections. From a guess without measuring the size I would say it was 10 AWG.

So here is my question. This coiled wire will be asked to carry the neutral current from the load back to the neutral bus bar. Why is it not a wire normally rated for 50A?


texts: Minimum clearance between tree branches and overhead electrical (Indiana)

texts: What is Indiana code for minimum clearance between power lines overhead and tree branches? I was able to find some things talking about how high cables should be off the ground, but nothing about tree branch clearance, is this a standard?


texts: Secure dishwasher hoses under countertop with zip ties

texts:
Good Afternoon,
I need to tie the dishwasher hoses to the countertop underneath
I have decided to tie them with zip-ties in the event that I have to remove the dishwasher to access the plumbing (I just have to cut the zip ties, instead of unscrewing permanent brackets).
I am **thinking of  using cable staples (image below)  and inserting them underneath the countertop, and just looping the zip ties in them.
I am wondering  if anyone has any other better suggestions?


texts: Toilet bowl fills almost completely before flushing

texts:
When I flush my toilet, the bowl fills almost completely (but does not overflow) before the water finally empties out.  The bowl then refills to a normal level and stays there until I flush it again. All of the original contents of the bowl are flushed out, but it definitely requires much more water than expected to make that happen.

I'm wondering if the issue is with the toilet itself, or with the drain line. Replacing the toilet is simple and cheap enough, and that would be my first route. But I'm also wondering if the drain is partly blocked, causing water not to exit the toilet until a large volume has built up inside the bowl.

The house in question is a foreclosure and had been vacant for over a year, for what that's worth. It was apparently winterized prior to being abandoned (and they appear to have put antifreeze in the toilet bowl), but I have no guarantee that the winterization was done fully or properly.

Any thoughts?


texts: Why does my breaker keep tripping after power failures?

texts: I have a breaker that has only one outlet with two computers on it. It either trips when I plug the computers in or when the power comes back after a power out. It feels like it trips when the computer power supplies start charging their components after they have been discharged. It is a 16amp circuit on 240v and it is nowhere near its limit. Help!!


texts: Is this slot on a European style lock cylinder normal?

texts:
When trying to change the cylinder of my lock (European version), I discovered that it has what seems to be an extra "slot" along the external part:
It looks like it prevents standard cylinder to fit (this is a Heracles lock).
Is this normal? (I guess not)
Is this fixable? (so that I can use other cylinder)


texts:
first of all, I'm sorry if I'm posting in the wrong community. I looked for a stack community more related to my issue but couldn't find one.

Here's my issue: all the outlets on the 2nd story of my brother's house have the same problem. When a phone is charged through any of the outlets, the touch screen on the phone behaves erratically. Through some research online, I've found out that this is usually caused by noisy 3rd-party chargers, but this issue is present with genuine chargers as well. So I'm assuming it's the circuit behind the charger that is noisy. I tested the outlets with a wattmeter - both frequency and voltage are within normal ranges.

Any idea why a house circuit would be this noisy? And if there is a safe way to fix it without hiring an electrician? My brother hired an electrician recently to take a look but he couldn't figure it out. He's letting me live at his house rent-free for a bit so I'd really like to figure out what's going on to help him out.

Any suggestions are welcome!


texts: How to properly pipe a hydronic heating system

texts:
Background:
I am installing a hydronic radiant floor heating system myself and getting all the information required is a combination of many different websites. It doesn't seem like there is an all-in-one site for what is needed.
I have an existing tankless (on-demand) water heater as the hot water supply for the house. I am looking to use a heat exchanger off of that to warm the water. I have 3 zones: upstairs master suite (1 manifold/2 loops); downstairs bedroom (1 manifold/1 loop); main living (living room 1 manifold/2 loops, kitchen&bathroom 1 manifold/2 loops).
Question
I have created this diagram on how I am planning on hooking everything up. My question is everything in the correct location? Am I missing any components? The only thing I don't have in the diagram is the electrical wiring and the thermostats. Don't assume there is anything I am installing, but just didn't put in the diagram. Everything I know is on that diagram.


texts: Wiring a bathroom exhaust fan light and Outlet on one switch

texts: I'm having a problem trying to replace my bathroom switch....there are 9 separate wires coming out from the wall...1 red, 4 white, 4 black...there is an exhaust fan and then there is a light above the sink and then there is an outlet... I can't seem to figure out which wire's go together and which wires are supposed to have a pigtail in order to put 4 total wires on to the new Switch...can someone please help me???!!! Thank you.


texts: Can I drill a bathroom vent through what appears to be an exterior joist?

texts:
I'm trying to run a vent out from a basement bathroom shower. It's almost exactly in the middle of the lower floor. I can run relatively unobstructed through the space between the joists out to either the west or east wall, but each one appears to end in a joist (rim joist?) rather than just siding. Can I drill the vent through the rim joist, or do I need to find another route out?

Thanks!


texts: How to drill a minute hole on a wooden pendant without a drill?

texts:
I'm not a professional carpenter and I haven't worked much with wood before. I also lack proper tools.

I made a heart-shaped wooden pendant for my girlfriend with a paper knife and smoothed it out with some sandpaper. It's about 3.2cm long, 2.5cm wide and about 1cm tall, made with red sandalwood (which I believe is a type of hardwood). The base is flat with the edges smoothed off, but the top is more rounder as it goes to the sides. I now have planned to drill a small hole on the cleft and into the center of the pendant, into which I'm planning to screw in an eye bolt (something like this - http://goo.gl/UKjWUA). By doing that, the screw will be going against the grains.

Now my problem is, I don't have a drill. And I don't know how to make a hole in wood by other means on something as delicate as this. Plus I can't take chances, if you know what I mean.

I'd be very glad if anyone knows a solution to this, an alternate method to drill a wood in this pendant.


texts: How do I make where my carpet meets tile look nice?

texts: We've recently replaced our kitchen tiles. I'm happy with the results but have no idea what to do with the edge. How do I clean this edge up so that it looks more appealing?


texts: Replacing dimmer. Old dimmer has two black wires attached to two white wires in box. There are two black wires in box not attached to dimmer but wire-nutted together. Is it ok to wire the new dimmer switch the same way?


texts: What is the best way to remove pet odor from concrete?

texts: The concrete floor in my garage had been home to a large dog for several years.  There is a visible stain and strong smell in one area of the garage floor.  The concrete does not appear to be sealed or painted.  What is the best way to remove the odor?


texts:
Thanks for reading my question!

I'm trying to setup a storage area in my garage.  I have an RV garage which is 14.4 feet tall and no RV so right now it's useless space.  I'd like to make a room above that I can store things in.  Likely kids will be climbing around in there too so I want to make sure that it's not going to just fall apart on me.

The garage area is 14 feet wide from wall to wall and I'm thinking 12 feet from the back to where the area should stop.  I would put ledger boards (is that the right word?) all around the edge and attach joists with hangers.  Then put sheeting on top.

Here is my drawing:

So here are my questions:

Is 2x8 enough for this or should I use 2x10

If I can use the 2x8 it seems like it's less weight over all and I get 2 more inches (as my ceiling is only 14.4 feet when I divide that into 2 pieces every inch will count!)

Which way should the joists go?  (across the short or the long dimension)

If I use 14 foot they are longer but I'll be using 2 more and they secure to the walls.  If I span the 12 foot length the joists are shorter but will attach to the floating header (2 beams).

If I go the long distance from looking around I would want to put spacers in between the joists I believe.

Here is the layout of my garage.


texts: I started with Hardiebacker for the first time today for the wall of a shower, and was greatly impressed by the ease of the score-and-snap method for getting the large pieces I need.  However, I also require some thin strips of Hardibacker for a few places (e.g., 3.5 inches wide for the entrance on either side of the curb; 1.5 inches wide in a corner). In those cases there isn't a lot of board to provide much leverage to snap, so how can I make such thin strips reliably?


texts: Why do I have shiny patches where I touched up paint on my walls?

texts:
We recently had some remodeling done and the walls were all freshly painted with Behr Premium Plus Ultra Matte paint.  A lot of the walls got marked up from the workers still coming in and out, so I used the EXACT paint, from the SAME container that was used to paint the walls.

First I used the same roller that was used to initially paint the walls.  Every area I touched up has more of a sheen to it!!!  It's not noticeable when looking at it head on, but when you look from the side or in certain lighting, it's very noticeable.

Then I tried using the "dry brushing technique" and this made it even more shiny.  Am I going to have to TOTALLY repaint every wall that I touched up?  I'm so frustrated over this.  Home Depot was at a loss. Thanks for your help!!!


texts: I live in a rented house, and there is a lightswitch which is unconventionally not next to the door in one of the rooms. Is there a way to move the lightswitch so it's next to the door. I am currently thinking of something that plugs in between the bulb and light switch that can be turned on or off wirelessly from a switch that can be stuck to the wall. Does such a thing exists? Or would leaving the main light switch always on and having a [remote controlled] switch in the light fitting cause problems?


texts: Using a boulder wall as an 8' retaining wall (Dallas area)

texts:
I've got an 8' retaining wall, runs about 120' across the back of my property (faces my house). It's railroad ties and has about run its life.

I'm looking to replace with some kind of stone/block wall. Had contractors out for bids on using engineered block.

But I'm also wondering about what's called "Boulder walls". Basically, just stacking (with skill) large 1000+lb boulders in place, after digging out the ties, then backfilling with gravel, plus using a french drain along the top to drain off excess.

Is this something that's not advisable in this area, or would it be ridiculously expensive vs using block, so no one does it?


texts: In what orientation should this L-bracket be when hanging shelves?

texts:
I have a few L-brackets for hanging shelves. The brackets are asymmetric, where one L arm is longer than the other, just like a real "L" (similar to this).

Is there a preferred or recommended way for which arm, the longer or the shorter, goes on the wall and which under the shelf?