texts: After replacing a recirculating pump (and pressure regulator), shower won't run hot

texts:
We've just had a our pressure regulator replaced, and a new recirculating pump installed.  All 3 showers used to get hot water reasonably quickly (15-20 seconds).  Now the shower furthest from the water heater won't heat up unless a shower or hot faucet in another bathroom is run.  It just runs luke warm at best.  The hot faucet in a sink in the same bathroom is the same - just luke warm, but no problem with flow rate.

What is stopping hot water reaching the shower, unless another bathroom's hot water is on?  Doesn't sound like an air blockage, and it seems that water is still flowing in the shower through the hot pipe, because it gets colder when the temp control knob is turned to "cold".  Weird and annoying!


texts: What could be causing my air conditioner to make a humming sound?

texts:
I have an air conditioner that has an in-floor intake. When the heat pump turns on, there is a fairly loud humming that comes from the intake.  If I step in certain places around the intake the humming will go away until I move where I am standing. The ducting is in the crawl space under the house and actually where I step to make the humming goes away is in the opposite direction of where the ducting runs by a couple feet.

Does this mean that part of the ducting is loose under the house or something and I just need to find the spot and tighten it down?


texts: How do I rewire a switched receptacle and make it permanently hot

texts:
I have a light switch that controls the top half and bottom half of a nearby receptacle.  How do I disconnect this switch and make both halves of the receptacle permanently hot?  There are other receptacles on the same circuit located to the left and right of my switched receptacle.  The light switch and receptacle are wired as shown:

I am installing recessed lights and want to run that circuit to this switch location and replace the switch with a dimmer to control the recessed lights.


texts:
I need a jam/hex nut for the mic input for the below speaker. On the picture the connector have been pushed in because the nut is missing.

Question

It should be a 3/8-32 jam nut, but how can I verify this?
How do I measure the size of the current?


texts:
I have a sillcock with the vent oriented at about 8:00 (threads at 2:00). I cannot easily rotate the external parts of the sillcock. I would like the unit to be oriented with the vent and threads perpendicular to the ground to relieve bends in hoses connected.

Is there a solution other than resetting the entire apparatus?


texts:
I have a room with a NEMA 18-30R outlet, and I'm looking to install a 14A 120V air conditioner. I can trace this outlet back to the breaker, and I'm currently comparing two options:

Make a 18-30 to 5-15 adapter using a hot and neutral.
Rewire at the breaker and swap out the face plate.

I prefer option 1, but I'm concerned from both safety and code compliance standpoints. Is there an issue running an unbalanced load through a 30A 3-phase breaker? More informally, would this be considered shoddy compared to rewiring at the breaker?


texts: Is it possible to splice on to one of the hots of a base board heater for a plug?

texts:
So I was on a maintenance call for a building. A string of 3 plugs were off and it's a huge building and I couldn't locate the breaker after 2 hours searching. I went with the building owner inspecting every single panel and gfci plug to test if that was the issue. We couldn't locate the breaker or power source for those plugs. So I gave up looking for the breaker and did the following instead. There was a baseboard heater on a 20 amp circuit nearby.  I tapped off one of the hots from that circuit with a 12/2 wire rated for 20 amps. There is no neutral so I left one wire  capped off in that box. The other end I replaced with a 20 amp receptacle. I took off the hot wire I identified as  the home run wire going to the panel and replaced it with the hot wire I spliced from one of the hots of the baseboard. I  kept the neutral wire from the home run cable as I needed that neutral to complete the circuit. So now all the plugs work.

Just wondering if there is any fire issues or nuisance tripping this will cause down the line? It's been 2 months and the client hasn't called to complain.


texts: How close should I install J-Channel to a Roof

texts: I'm siding around a couple of Dormers.  When I install the J-Channel on the bottom of the sides of a dormer along the sloped roof How low should the J-Channel be?  Can It touch the shingles?  I'd have to nail the J-Channel about 1 inch up on the step flashing if it does touch.  Are other steps typically taken, other than the housewrap, to protect the wall of the dormer from water?


texts: Any idea what parts were replaced on my water softener?

texts:
I bought a Hague WaterMax 63BAQ used water softener about two years ago. I had a local plumber offer to install it in exchange for some computer work. Once it was installed for a day, it started making a clicking noise and the digital display would say 'Home Not Found'. I unplugged it and let it sit for a few years.

I'm not questioning the diagnosis - just very curious as to what parts it looks like were replaced. Does anyone know what these are?


texts:
Does the National Electrical Code weigh in on the subject of metallic versus nonmetallic in-use covers for outdoor outlets attached to a single family home? I've got an up-to-date copy of "Wiring Simplified" (based on the 2017 NEC) and can't find this topic addressed.

I have no electrical outlets on the exterior of my 1942 Cape Cod. I'm planning to hire an electrician to install three outlets. The plastic in-use covers are easy to find online and in stores but the metal ones are not so common. I can buy them on Amazon (made in USA by Greenfield) but before I pull the trigger I'd like to know whether there's some code-related or other practical reason to go for the plastic ones? Yes, the plastic ones are transparent, so you can see into them. But why do I care? If I'm using them I know what's in there -- a plug. And if I'm not using them I also know what's in there -- nothing. What am I missing here?

I've seen many of the plastic ones on buildings that are broken or seem discolored or just weathered. The plain white metal of the Greenfield covers appeals to me aesthetically and I'll never have to replace them. But if an electrician refuses to install them because they're not code compliant then there's no sense in buying them. I live in Wisconsin, by the way, in case that matters.


texts: How can I reduce a rough opening height 1-1/4"?

texts:
I'm building a new master bedroom closet.  The wife wants a specific 30x80" door which requires a rough-in of 32x82.  Unfortunately, the measurement from the top plate to the subfloor is 83 1/4".  I'm not sure how to handle this.  The jack studs for the rough-in would be 82" which would mean no top plate would fit (A 2x4 is 1.5" thick and I only have 1.25" available).

Do I just not put a top plate, make the jack stud 83 1/4" and just deal with the extra 1 1/4 at the top of the pre-hung casing?  Do I try to trim the 1.5" of the top plate down to 1.25" somehow?

Greg


texts: What thickness is most suitable for concrete countertops?

texts: If you had to choose between 2" and 2.5" thick concrete countertops, which would you opt for and why? Side note: I've heard that if you go bigger than 2" you need to start adding rebar, etc


texts: How can flood water come in through a toilet?

texts:
Video on Facebook

Fredrick Maryland is experiencing severe flooding and one home owner has flood water gushing in the house through the toilet. You can view the video from the Facebook link above. What I don’t understand is how water can come backwards up the toilet? Aren’t there traps and other things that create suction or a seal? I’m not a plumber but I thought the pipes were designed to prevent something like this.


texts:
I have eight 30x30cm mirrors that needed to be mounted side by side on a wall.
I tried different types of adhesives, but the result was not good, mainly because the wall is not smooth.
Are there any good ways to mount these mirrors on the wall?
I am thinking of using Unframed Bathroom Mirror kits, but these apply to one huge mirror.


texts: Using indoor-only Xmas lights -- in the outdoors, where they'll get wet

texts:
Imagine that you bought a few strings of incandescent Xmas lights.  They are rated for indoor use only.  The tag says not to use them outdoors.  They aren't any cheaper than the outdoor-rated lights sold in the same store; but you feel that the indoor-rated lights come in nicer colors.

You want to use them outdoors for about one every per year (in the fall).  They'll be used in a backyard hut.  They'll be attached to the roof of the hut, which is made of bamboo poles.  The roof is not watertight at all.  The lights will remain lit all night, every night.  They'll be plugged into a GFCI-protected outlet.

After the week is over, the lights will be stored away in a dry basement until the next year.

It can get chilly here in the fall -- it can dip to 5 °C (40 °F) at night.  It also rains sometimes.

Rain will fall on the lights, and they'll get wet.

What are the risks?
(Optional:)  If you like, also consider your favorite North American electrical code.  Either the US National Electrical Code or the Canadian Electrical Code.  Is it likely to be legal to take risks like this one?


texts: How to better isolate a floor with carpet?

texts:
I am going to put a carpet on a room. This room is on a ground floor and it's actualy cold (I can feel the cold on the ground).

Is there some material that I can put between the carpet and  the floor to provide better isolation?


texts: My push lawn mower will start when primed, then it dies unless I tip it backwards

texts: My Craftsman push mower will fire up fine after I prime it, but once that gas burns off, it dies unless I tip the mower backwards. I cleaned out the air filter and sprayed carb and choke cleaner throughout the carborator. Didn't fix the problem. Any thoughts?


texts: Water heater not staying hot more than 10mins

texts: I live in a one bedroom apt. Our water heater is not the normal 40gallon but a smaller 20gallon. When we moved in it was hot for at least 30-45 mins. Now it stays hot for less then 10. My maintance man came and "fixed" it which it only got hotter faster and then got cold. Obviously he only turned up the heat. What can I do besides continually bother them or just replace the damn thing myself? He told me yesterday that I'm using too much water, yet I think I've been using less.


texts:
I have a light switch connected to a split outlet (one always hot, other controlled by light switch) that appears not to work when the switch is grounded. To be clear, the switch no longer routes power, and the always hot half of the outlet remains working.
I came about this as I was replacing the outlets and switches in my livingroom. I first replaced the outlet as a split outlet, and confirmed that replacement was correct before moving on. Next I went to replace the switch.
The switch is single pole and has 2 wires coming in to it (one black one red). I am assuming the black is hot, and I believe the red goes to the split outlet (I saw a red wire there earlier). The first thing I noticed as odd is that there was a taped off green ground wire in the box.
I decided to untape and attach the ground wire to the switch. The switch does not work.
I unground the switch (but not yet screwed to the box) and the switch operated the outlet just fine.
I screw the switch into the box (I'm assuming it gets grounded by the box), and the switch no longer works.
Any guesses what might be going on?


texts: Is there a tool that will crimp close the end the ribs on a metal roofing panels?

texts: I saw a building that had the exposed bottom edge of the ribs in the metal roofing panels crimped closed so bugs couldn't craw or fly up them. It was very neat/professional looking as if it had been done at the factory, or at least with a tool designed specifically for that purpose.


texts: living in Maine, where temps can run minus zero for days on end, i feel that I need more than insulation to keep my PEX pipe running from my pressure tank to the main line underneath my mobile home from freezing. Regarding safety, are there special requirements or listings/certifications for heat tape to be used with PEX?


texts: How to test voltage on open wire with multimeter?

texts: If I have an open wire and a multimeter -- is there a way to check whether there is current and what voltage it is if the wire is not connected to anything, i.e. doesn't have another wire or an appliance to send the current to? Is there a common method whereby I can send the current to somewhere and then put the other probe of the multimeter there to simulate a circuit?


texts: I have a wood barrier that runs alongside my yard and holds back dirt from the driveway. The wood is starting to rot but is still doing OK. The wall has started to come apart in a few places. I would like to fortify the wall so that it lasts as long as possible before I have to call a professional to fix and replace it. What are the steps I should take? I have basic tools and some basic familiarity with home improvements. Thanks!


texts: How can I wire this old switch for a new one

texts:
Hi can anyone suggest how I would wire this switch please. Old one is the one in the wall and new switch is the diagram.
Many thanks


texts: Can a surface mount Spa Panel be recess mounted in drywall and 2x4 wall?

texts:
My city uses 2011 NEC.
I would like to install a 125 Amp rated Spa Panel as a subpanel directly below my 200 Amp main circuit breaker panel to be able to use two 50 Amp GFI circuits. I already have this Spa Panel with a breaker and would like to use it:
http://www.midwestelectric.com/products/spa-panels/spa-panels-0
My main circuit breaker panel is flush mounted in a drywalled 2x4 wall. The spa panel has an open knockout in the top that would align perfectly with a knockout in the bottom of my main panel. I would use a piece of straight conduit to connect the two panels.
My question is:
Can the spa panel be recessed/flush-mounted in the wall or is it required that it be surfaced mounted to the wall?
The reason I want it to be recessed/flush-mounted is so I can use a simple straight piece of conduit to connect the two panels. Surface mounting would require using flex conduit that would poke through the drywall. Also, the spa panel is hanging off the wall in a high traffic area vs. a clean out-of-the-way flush mount.
This is a picture of what I currently have that I'm not happy with. The conduit body at the bottom goes into the front of a junction box (does NEC allow that?) and the junction box has a piece of straight conduit up to the bottom of the main panel in the wall you can't see.

If surface mounting is required, I'll do something like this with flex conduit.


texts: French drain - emitter or other water dispersal method?

texts: I am building a french drain about 20 feet long that is only needed during very heavy storms, sloped correctly, that will terminate at the spot I want a few inches below the ground surface. Will the flowing pipe water be strong enough to make the short upward turn to utilize an emitter, or should I end the drain with some other method like a box, etc?


texts: How to Apply Decorative Exterior Trim When Trim Width Exceeds Side Casing

texts:
I have very old aluminum windows and am planning to replace them soon. My current window trim is nailed on over the siding but since I will be cutting back the siding to nail the window flange I figured I'd add inset trim. I understand how to do a rectangular trim properly but would like to add some craftsman touches as that would match my house better. Nothing fancy like cove trim, something more shaker style.

I have looked at a ton of videos, diagrams and explanations online of how to trim exterior windows and have one question I cannot get answered to my satisfaction. In places where the decorative trim extends past the rectangular profile of the flat window trim, what do you do? For example, the crown trim, cap, sill and bullnose may be wider than the side casing. Do you simply rabbet such trim so that where it extends past the sides of the flat trim it lays on top of the siding?

I'm sure this is a very basic question for anyone who has done a lot of windows installs. I'm sorry if it's already been asked and answered. I for the life of me could not come up with a way to formulate this question such that I could find a helpful response in google, youtube or on this site.


texts: Unthreaded holes for AC fan motor mounting screws?

texts:
My AC is not working.  It is a Trane AC (Model 2TTB0030A1000AA).  In the process of diagnosis I tried replacing the capacitor, and that did not help. I tested the fan blades and they no longer spin easily.  I purchased a new AC fan motor (the blades now spin effortlessly).

I have a problem trying to install it.  There are 4 holes where the motor should mount to the top grill of the AC.  The motor came with 4 fine-threaded bolts that presumably go into the holes.  The bolts do not have thread cutting tips and those holes are not threaded!  See attached photo.

Notice that the hole (where the sharpy mark is) is not threaded.  The bolt in the image holds the housing together.

EDIT
Below I added is the corresponding hole in the old motor (notice the whole is threaded).
END EDIT

Question :

Did I get a defective fan motor, or am I expected to tap these holes?


texts: What can I do about high pressure water noise?

texts: I have for many years had loud noise that sounds like high pressure water rushing through the pipes. This happens whenever water is turned on in our villa and the duplex next door. The pressure outside our home is 92psi and inside 88psi. Plumbers have tried to fix this problem many times but now the pressure is higher and the noise louder. This has become very distressing and we need help. We live in a retirement village and the manager has refused to try and fix the problem any more. Please help us.


texts: Dealing with tar on old railway sleepers

texts:
In my garden there is a wall that was been constructed from old wooden railway sleepers.  Several of these seem to be leaking tar which has then coated them, and in warm weather the tar becomes almost liquid and is easily transferred to clothing and skin.

Since I live in rented accommodation my options are obviously limited, but is there any treatment I could apply that would seal in the tar and prevent it from coming off the wood and onto my toddler?

(I have no idea what to tag this as, so please feel free to edit)


texts:
So I have a field stone foundation and recently had gutter put on the house. There are a couple spots were water has been getting in. Once those areas are dry I'd like to try and fill them in. I was planning on using type S mortar. Is there something else I should consider using since these holes are where the foundation wall meets the floor?

Thanks


texts: Does this swing cross beam installation plan make sense?

texts:
I'd appreciate a sanity check for this plan to create a swing set:

My porch has a 6x6 vertical support. I'd like to attach a 6x6 crossbeam facemounted on the porch's vertical support, going out horizontally about 20 feet to a separate A-frame support.

I'm planning to attach the crossbeam to the porch vertical support with an HH6 simpson strong-tie bracket and 10d 1 1/2 nails.

Does this seem like it would produce a stable swing set without damaging the porch vertical column? I checked the Simpson strong tie loads, and it looks like it's strong enough to support the beam and my whole family with more than a 2x safety factor.

Here's a diagram:

Thank you!


texts:
The previous owners of my house left us a bird/squirrel feeder that looks like this:

While the cedar shingle root is falling apart, the frame itself is fine and I would like to replace the roof (26" x 13" each side).

All I can find at the big box stores are 16" or 24" shingles in large lots, which isn't really useful. The shingles are way too long and the quantity is much too large.

I need suggestions on what to use as an alternative to standard cedar shingles.


texts: It looks like some form of insulation with a cardboard backing. The previous tenant in the apartment said he found a stack of this material in the basement and used it to insulate around a window ac unit. Its a two-story building in brooklyn. I'm living in the lower level which I'm told used to be the servant's quarters, so I believe the building is quite old. It looks like it has a had at least a couple renovations. Photo of the material:


texts: How can I drill through very hard porcelain tile?

texts:
I've read multiple instructions on mounting a shower rod in bathroom tile, however I've spent much longer than the internet suggests it should take to drill through my tile. I drilled for about 50 minutes on two holes that are not yet finished--one is about 60% through and the other is 80% through.

Is this normal? I have used both a masonry bit and a tile bit. I've tried low speed, high speed, wobbling it around, pushing hard, pushing soft, but at this rate it'll take almost two hours of drilling to do both sides.

Any thoughts on what I'm doing wrong?


texts: Alternatives to adjusting strikeplate height?

texts:
Before I go forward with a fix like this one, are there any alternatives to moving the strike plate when the amount of adjustment needed is minor (the door will latch if you lift up on it).   I believe the misalignment is caused by sagging as the sill plate that was replaced 3 years ago has dried out (the door was reset and worked perfectly at that time).

Can I place a small shim (perhaps 1/16") behind the lower hinge?   The door swings easily and doesn't move on its own right now, I'd like it to stay that way if possible.


texts:
I am thinking to replace the regular CFL bulb on a light fixture to a 'Smart Guardian 42-Watt Halogen A-19 Clear 6-Hour Cycle Timer Light Bulb', but because its called 'Halogen', I am little concerned about the heat that it could generate as the light figure has a glass cover dome. Any suggestions on this? I plan to be away from home while this light comes on and I dont want to take any chance. TIA.
--Shiva.


texts: Electrical outlet has two black hot wires but one neutral white wire?

texts:
I attempted to replace an electrical outlet that was not working.  My voltage tester indicated nothing was working.  A receptacle analyzer indicated nothing was working as well. but when opening it up, I was surprised to discover that the outlet was wired using two black wires and one white wire.  There was a bare ground as usual.  Surprisingly, I didn't see an additional white wire in the group of wires, so I got confused.  I wired it back up the same way it was just with a new outlet and it still didn't work.

Why would this wiring configuration be like this?  Was it a mistake?


texts: I have a stub-out for my bathroom which exits the wall at a 45 degree angle (roughly).   The trap used to be in a vanity, but it's now exposed.  Is there such a thing as an escutcheon that will fit at an angle?


texts: NEC Definition of "Maintained Spacing" for Wire in Free Air

texts:
This seems like a simple question, but I cannot seem to find the answer in the 2008 NEC.

There are references to "maintaining spacing" in many sections of the code such as the following:

  310.15.B.3.a

  (a) More Than Three Current-Carrying Conductors in a Raceway or Cable.
  Where the number of current-carrying conductors in a raceway or cable
  exceeds three, or where single conductors or multiconductor cables are
  installed without maintaining spacing for a continuous length longer
  than 600 mm (24 in.) and are not installed in raceways, the allowable
  ampacity of each conductor shall be reduced as shown in Table
  310.15(B)(3)(a). Each current-carrying conductor of a paralleled set of conductors shall be counted as a current-carrying conductor.

For the life of me, I cannot find what "proper spacing" is for two wires run in parallel in free air. At the moment, I am most interested in the answer for NM-type wiring, but it would be good to have a reference for all types of wiring if possible.

Here is an example from the NEC for multiconductors in cable trays where I am hoping someone knows of an equivalent section that defines proper maintained spacing for free-air:

  392.80.A.1.c

  (c) Where multiconductor cables are installed in a
  single layer in uncovered trays, with a maintained spacing
  of not less than one cable diameter between cables, the
  ampacity shall not exceed the allowable ambient
  temperature-corrected ampacities of multiconductor cables,
  with not more than three insulated conductors rated 0
  through 2000 volts in free air, in accordance with
  310.15(C).


texts:
We have a wall that has not been looked after at all. Rising damp caused peeling. Other places just peeled anyway. It probably wasn't repainted in at least a decade or more, maybe 2 decades.

So, we scrubbed and scraped it down with a wire brush and putty knife to remove loose and flaky paint. We will probably need to spray with a pressure sprayer too.

Not all the paint comes off or will. So we are left with areas that are still painted, areas that are bare plaster and areas that are a mix.

In addition, the plaster is mostly sand and is very friable.

What is the best option to penetrate and 'save' the plaster but to also overcoat where the paint still adheres?

I thought bonding liquid but apparently that will not penetrate well and really only bonds the top particles to each other but not to the layers below. Will plaster primer be ok over old paint like that? That should penetrate better I think especially if I thin it. Do I use water-based primer or solvent based?

Any other options?


texts: How can I prevent unpleasant smells and organisms in our water tank?

texts:
There is an 8000 liter water tank on top of my house which provides water for the house.

Bacteria, fungi, algae, etc. often start developing in the tank, giving unpleasant smells, etc.

The water is ground water that we pump up there with our own pump.

The tank is made of concrete and covered with a steel lid.

Nobody is drinking or cooking with the water. It's used for stuff like laundry, showers, washing dishes, etc.

What can I do to prevent these unpleasant qualities of the water? It's very hot here (like 40 celsius in the shade), and the water tank is in the baking sun.

My landlord is unlikely to want to make any large investments. Therefore, cheap solutions are a plus.

Edit: Several answers have suggested chlorination, and it seems like the best option. But I live in rural India and it's difficult to find chlorine here. Bleach, though is readily available. Does it seem suitable? I've asked this as a separate question on Chemistry SE.


texts: How to fix and redrill stucco/concrete to install a new bib?

texts:
Replacing a hose bib and the new holes don't match the old holes. The exterior is stucco over concrete. Also, it looks like initially they stucco'ed after the hose was installed. I think I would like the bib to go over the stucco.
Since the new mounting holes don't line up with the old holes, what product can I use to fill the holes currently occupied by the anchors I re-drill?


texts: Does shale rock call for a larger well diameter?

texts:
I recently bought a house in the western most Finger lakes, in between Hemlock, Honeoye and Canadice lakes. The house needs a new well.
I've gotten one quote so far -- $10,000 for the well and all the associated labor and supplies. It is for a 6 inch well at 140 feet. Another well driller I talked to said, because the area is mostly shale rock, I am going to need an 8 inch well. Is that true?
How does shale rock affect the diameter of a well I need? I have read online that shale can offer poor yields, which is what the other driller also suggested -- is that true as well? What kind of well do you think I should go for given my area is mostly shale?
Thanks!


texts: What does the "lip" of a toilet bowl mean?

texts:
This is a question inspired by the term as used at http://www.quora.com/Why-does-urine-have-a-tendency-to-collect-at-the-base-of-the-toilet and at http://www.wikihow.com/Clean-a-Toilet

I basically want to know what to call the part of the toilet that's under the bowl (but still to the side of it)


texts: Is it a bad idea to put a 60 A breaker in a 100 A panel?

texts:
I’m thinking about putting a tankless water heater into a shop with a 100 A feeder.  Based upon groundwater temperature where I am, the model I’ve selected runs on 240 V and requires:

a minimum 125 amp electrical panel for installation with (1) 60 amp double pole breaker connected to (1) set of #6 awg wire.

I suspect that the requirement/recommendation for a 125 A panel is simply so that you aren’t using more power than your service can supply in case the tankless heater is running at the same time as several other appliances that are using electricity, though I’m not an electrician. My questions are:
(1) Does the electrical code (I’m in Canada) specify the maximum breaker amperage for a given panel amperage.
(2) If the code doesn’t prohibit this setup, is it otherwise unwise to do so.
In case it matters, this tankless heater would only be used to supply a utility sink faucet primarily used for hand washing. There are some other relatively large current draws in the shop, but since I’m generally the only one working in it I don’t expect to be washing my hands and, say, welding at the same time.


texts: Can I varnish wooden worktops that have previously been oiled?

texts:
The previous owners of our house fitted wooden worktops in the kitchen. While these look nice, they need constant maintenance (re-oiling every three months) to stop water getting in - which we don't have the time to do to the standard I'd like, as it effectively means not using the kitchen for a week every time we do it (three sections of worktop, each needing multiple coats which, when working full time, we can only do one coat a day, especially in the colder weather when everything takes longer to dry).

Can I sand down the surface and varnish/lacquer it instead, in order to better protect it while reducing the maintenance liability? If so, what properties do I need to look for in the varnish?


texts: Sanding floors where radiators interfere

texts: We have radiant heat with approximately 8 " high metal radiators hanging off the lowest portion of some of the walls.  How would/could I use an edge sander?  Or do I just get as close as I can with the main sander and call it good enough?


texts: Is plunging a toilet without a plunger a good tip or a horrible idea?

texts:
Read this elsewhere and personally, I thought it was a bad bad bad idea, but I wanted to put this out there to see if I might be mistaken:

  I learned a quick tip from a handyman on how to create a plunger
  without using a plunger. take a bucket of water and pour it from
  approx waist high into the toilet. This forces the water down and
  simulates the same effect as a plunger.

What do you think?  Good tip?  Or potentially horrible one?


texts:
I have a wall that is smooth (ish) large wood panels.

Originally, they were stained a wood color.

That has been painted over for years now.

I now need to bring the surface to super-smooth, so will be putting up a thin coat of spackle.

Can I spackle on the paint directly, or need I prime first?
(The current paint is a light shade of latex based paint, probably 12 years old.)


texts: Can I split a 200v range circuit into two 110v circuits?

texts: I am doing a flip and there was a stove with 220 40A  and  I think 6 gage wire in the location where I'm putting an island.  I want to split off the 220 and run one hot to 3 110v outlets on the island and the other hot to an outlet for a microwave both using 14 gauge wire. Do you see a problem?


texts: Should a tenant be relocated while asbestos is removed from the ceiling?

texts:
I would really appreciate your advice, or if you are unable to give it can you please who can give me impartial advice. I own a property which a few weeks ago had a leak. The plumber cut one hole in the ceiling and then a larger one a week later. The building's insurers advised me today that the ceiling tested positive for asbestos.  My question is how safe was it for the plumber to do this for his own health.  Also, the tenant is pregnant, should I have any concerns about her safety --  a) if she was in the room when the plumber cut the ceiling, or b) now as she is living there.  The building's insurers advised me that they have to replace the ceiling rather than patch up the hole as this would put the workmen at risk, but they have not advised me that the tenant has to move out whilst they are removing the ceiling

I am concerned that they are not looking after the tenant's health.


texts: How to seal seams in a traditional Cedar wood dry sauna

texts:
I just built a new, indoor, traditional  dry sauna made with Cedar wood.

https://www.costco.com/almost-heaven-bluestone-3-person-steam-sauna.product.100485086.html

During assembly, some of the creases did not fit together perfectly, leaving me with very small ( < 1cm ) seams at two of the top corners. I suspect this may be preventing the sauna from heating to its advertised maximum of 180-200 degrees F.

The gaps are too small for shims. Maybe HVAC tape? I considered caulk but I'm not sure how "safe" that solution would be at high temperatures.

Any tips on sealing these?


texts: Rewiring house and replacing breaker panel. Wiring layout and breaker selections

texts:
I'm doing a major kitchen and bathroom remodel project and decided the old federal pacific breaker box needs to be replaced. Since I'll be rewiring the bath and kitchen, I figured it makes sense to plan to eventually rewire the entire house.

I made a spreadsheet with all of the current and future loads I may add to the house then sectioned them off into different branch circuits with the type of breaker that will protect them. Would someone mind taking a look at my planned-out wiring and let me know if it looks correct or if I'm missing something obvious? I hope to get some feedback about best practices for planning house circuits and what methods are needed to protect them, using NEC 2014 for reference (I live in Portland, OR).

Some additional information relating specifically to my project:

My house was built in 1956
Most of the wiring is NC fabric-coated wire. Some of it is romex
The old house panel is a 100A sub panel, fed by a 200A main panel in the detached garage
I plan to replace the house panel with a 16 or 20 slot 100A panel (is one or the other better?)
If there are any AFCI and GFCI combination requirements, the main breaker will be AFCI and any outlets on that branch will be GFCI outlets
I plan on driving in two new grounding rods at the sub panel and bond them to the water main (house is getting re plumbed with pex) and gas pipes
Does this sub panel need a grounding wire connected to the main panel in the garage?

Here is my spreadsheet:

based on feedback, here's an updated plan:

Updated!! v2


texts: Garage Door Won't Close, Reverts near bottom, Why?

texts:
Background:
Our doors are made out of wood. They are extremely heavy and around 30+ years old.

Recently we notice our 3rd garage door stopping near the bottom of the track when closing and reverting back up.

The only way to keep the garage from reverting back up everytime, is to manually guide the garage door from by hand and apply a bit of pressure so that it doesn't trigger the door to stop and reverse.

We don't have any sensors on our doors. One thing I did also notice is that our spring is completely rusted out.

Couple of videos of what's happening when it's opening and closing.

https://streamable.com/mv8yd

https://streamable.com/2xsf3


texts: Where can I find a replacement for a Sylvania F40CW/SS fluorescent tube?

texts:
I tried Home Depot, Batteries and Bulbs, Amazon, and just Googling it and I found nowhere that sells this kind of florescent bulb anymore:

4' Sylvania Super Saver Cool White F40CW/SS. Rapid Start 34W

I've found other Sylvania bulbs that are close, but none that are F40CW/SS.

Now I don't care about any of that Rapidstart Cool White stuff, I just want some light. Will another bulb of another wattage/style work?


texts:
I have a 2 water pump and a controller with a timer that need to be connected. The controller had two outlets for the pumps, and in the back has 3 terminals: HOT Neutral HOT.

But my 240 volt supply just has 2 hot cables but not neutral so how can I supply the neutral pole on the controller if I only have 2 hot lines?


texts: Replacing grounded outlets with grounded metal junction box

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Replacing several 3 prong outlets in my 1968 home.  Tried searching to find an answer but most questions seem geared towards replacing 2 prong outlets with 3 prong and don't apply here.

My wiring appears to be romex with a bare copper ground wire.  After removing the outlet covers and pulling the outlets (all 3 prong) out of their junction boxes, I've found that each has the hot and neutral wires connected to the outlet and the ground wire connected to the junction box.  Each outlet has a black screw in the bottom corner which I assume makes contact with the metal box and provides a ground path?

What is the correct way to replace these outlets? I assume I need to get some bare copper or green insulated wire and connect it to the outlet ground screw on one end and connect it to the metal Jbox via installing another screw above the "GR" label on the junction box in my photo?

Edit:
Attempting to summarize info in multiple answers.  It seems my options for properly wiring the new receptacles require me to update the grounding of the box shown in the left photo, where the ground conductors are currently tied around the cable clamp screw in the middle.  Google searches tell me that used to be an approved bonding method but is no longer allowed.

To properly ground the jbox and receptacle I can:
A) Terminate a pigtail on the box ground screw hole (will require a 10-32 green ground screw), terminate a pigtail on the receptacle ground screw and tie the 2 pigtails and 2 ground conductors together with a wire nut.

B) Terminate a longer pigtail on the box ground screw hole (will require a 10-32 green ground screw), connect it to the 2 ground conductors in the box with a Greenie wire nut and terminate the other end of the pigtail (which extends through the small hole of the Greenie) on the receptacle ground screw.

In either case do I also need to match my pigtail wire gauge to my 2 ground conductors coming into the box?


texts:
Have a decent neighbor, retired, squared away, likes things neat.  His back porch wood got rotten and he claims this is because the shade / humidity of the tree.  Can that be true?

The mildew was on the side closer to the tree, near the top, so I can see his perspective.
But it also turns out the porch was made of wood that was not pressure treated.
And the back porch is on the North, so there's maybe an hour in the morning when the sun is blocked.
He's getting the porch replaced next week, to building code.

The tree extends about 18" over his property, about three feet from his porch.

If I trim it back more it'll just be bare branches on his side. If I remove the tree (which I'm willing to do if it's right), our small yard will lose a lot of green cover.  We have other trees shading the back of our house and seem to do no damage.


texts: How should I prepare a plywood subfloor for vinyl sheet flooring?

texts: I'm planning on replacing the carpet in my dining room with a vinyl sheet flooring.  I know I need to get the carpet, padding and any staples/debris cleaned up before laying the vinyl, but do I need to do any other prep work on the plywood subfloor (ie. fill cracks between sheets of plywood, etc.)?


texts: New roofing job has split the tongue and groove boards that shingles are nailed to -- should I be worried?

texts: Our 1956 ranch style has tongue and groove boards on the roof that the new shingles are nailed to.  We did not notice ANY splitting on these boards with the old roof.  Now they are absolutely riddled with horizontal splits.  Should I be worried about this?  The contractor said we needed NO new wood, but the way these boards look now seems ominous to us--like the nails will pull out or something else will go wrong because the boards are so broken up.  Is this going to be a problem, or are we overly concerned?


texts: Can you use a router like a saw to cut wood?

texts:
Can one use a router to cut wood in a similar way that a jigsaw would cut wood? What are the upsides and downsides of using a router to cut wood?

It seems simple enough, but then again, I've never used either machine. I would think that you could just set the router to a deeper threshold than you usually would, in order to cut through the full depth of the piece. Or perhaps you could flip the piece over after routing one side and finish the cut by routing on the underside.

I ask because it's of course less costly to have one router than to have one router and one jigsaw, particularly for a sporadic user like myself.


texts: Old house has lots of 3/8 water line feeding faucets.  I want to replace the shutoffs under the sink but really hard to find 3/8 sweat valves.  I don't want to use compression on the copper line.   Can I use a reducer fitting to increase to 1/2 line then use a 1/2 sweat valve? Dont want to run all new 1/2 line up there.


texts: Proper Method of Beam to Colum for two story column?

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It's been many years since I built a deck, and never a two story one. Existing deck getting replaced, it's a two story, with the pitch of the house roof (1) extending a few inches past the face of the deck. Note I said a few inches.... What is the right way to mount a support column to a deck and to a header? won't work for me as it would put the deck past the drip line!
County will accept a rough-drawn sketch (sketchup) for a permit, when I called about this question, was informed they issue permits, if I need design, call an engineer! Any way, my question is about the rim joist to post connection. My knee-jerk reaction is the notch the post and use a single 2X6 (3). Or do I need a double header here (4), if so, doesn't notching a 6 by 6 post...3 inches...too much?
My second question is, what about when two rim-joists meet? I assume I meet them in the middle of the notch (5)?
Can't use existing deck as example, there's a reason why it needs replaced.


texts: Can using a washing machine as a water reservoir damage it?

texts:
Can using a washing machine as a water reservoir at full capacity during several days (during a severe water shortage) damage the machine? I mean, can the weight of the water during several days exert anough stress on the parts (bearings, suspension, seals, gaskets and the like) so as to damage them? .. or is it safe?

It is top-loading, and it's 10 Kg (22 pounds) capacity. I'm not sure how much water the drum holds without any laundry in it.


texts: Porch remodel with improved electrical service

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I recently remodeled a porch and upgraded the electrical for just a few floodlights and plugs, probably less than 1400 watts.  I ran a 10/2 with a ground to this remodel, off of a 30 amp breaker at the main.  The wire size had to do with distance from the main.  I then installed a small subpanel on the porch with one 15 amp breaker.   I used 14/2 with ground throughout this project, with 15 amp plugs.
Your thoughts


texts: I'd like to replace my 20 year old lavatory sinks but keep the countertop, and am having a tough time finding sinks that fit the latter. Can anyone suggest (mfr model or retailer?) oval undermount lavatory sinks that'd fit 18.25" x 15.25" cutout?


texts: Wiring Multiple Outlets, Switches Lights

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I'm adding in a few switches and outlets to a garage and I'm wondering how to wire them in. One outlet I want to be switched. Both outlets are GFCI as they are in a garage. I'm using 14/2 wire. I've attached a picture that shows the path I'd like to take for the wire from one device to the others from left to right.

Thanks


texts: Do I need to put a second layer of damp proof membrane under my laminate flooring?

texts:
I'm attempting to lay some laminate flooring over a level floor made of screed.

At the edges of the floor where it meets the wall I can see that under the screed it looks like the builder has already put down a damp proof membrane (DPM).

So if theres a DPM under the screed do I still need to put another layer of DPM over the screed before laying underlay and a new laminate floor?


texts: Should the hammer function "feel" different from normal drilling function on a hammer drill?

texts:
Just bought this hammer drill to drill in very hard concrete, which it was unable to do. What surprises me is that I feel absolutely no difference (vibration while holding it, sound it makes, drilling efficiency) between when I set the hammer function or the drilling function.

The switch to select between hammer and normal drilling is clumsy though.

Question: is it the case that hammer and drilling function should always feel obviously different when using it?


texts: Are these red lights on my Honeywell HZ432 why my bedroom isn't blowing in heat?

texts:
I just moved into a new multi-family house with central heat/AC and the 3rd floor bedroom doesn't seem to warm up very well.  When the thermostat is on, I don't feel hot air blowing in from the vents in that bedroom. The bathroom vent upstairs seems to blow lots of warm air and all the vents on the 1st floor apartment as well as the 2nd floor seem to work.

There are 2 thermostats per floor, with 2nd and 3rd floor being a single apartment duplex.

I looked at the setup in the basement and saw these red lights - does that mean the system is not working correctly? How can I diagnose?


texts: Mounting Quartz slab on drywall or cement

texts:
I am thinking of mounting a quartz slab (3/4" thick) that extends to the ceiling behind my 36" range top and range hood (chimney style).
I was wondering if it is secure enough to mount it on drywall, or should I use a cement board behind the quartz slab.
Below is a picture of approximately where I am mounting the quartz (vertical drywall).


texts: Is this plastic pipe connecting city water to the main line dangerous?

texts:
I bought a whole house water filter to hook up to the main water line. The plumber who came in said that he won't be able to install it because the pipe that comes from the ground hooked up to the copper pipe is plastic.

He says that this plastic is usually not used for that kind of water pressure for the main line and can burst at any time. If he starts cutting the pipe above it to hook up the water filter, there is a potential that the plastic could break/leak due to all the shaking etc. He has asked me to contact the builder/home inspector (as it shouldn't have passed the home inspection like that? ) and take care of this first.

Picture is below. The black color pipe is the one in question. Has anyone seen plastic pipes come up from the ground like that to the main line? Will it burst?

Update - new pics and details

Close up pictures on request. I looked the pipe closely. It is written 1 1/2" 0.1 / Plastic. (above the first ring at the bottom, you can see it in the second pic).
House is built in 1993.


texts: GFCI combination switch and outlet to fully switched protected outlet

texts: Before a single screw comes out of the wall, I need to be sure I understand this fully, and rather than type out everything, I made a diagram based on what I was able to dig up on forums. This is for a garbage disposal, the view inside gang is up near the sink, outlet 1 is about 5 feet away and outlet 2 is going to be the newly installed one underneath. Cable 1 is leaving the original box and going down to outlet 2 and cable 2 is leaving the new box and going back up to the original (for the switch) any help and corrections would be appreciated. I hope the diagram is clear enough. Any questions please ask.


texts: Fridge Leveling Issue (Kenmore Pro 79993)

texts:
I recently had a Kenmore Pro 79993 refrigerator installed. While my floor i level, the fridge itself appears not to be (the front is a little over 1/4 inch higher than the back). There are leveling legs in the front, but they can only raise it further.

According to the manual page 10 (emphasis mine):

  To avoid noise and vibration, the unit must be leveled and installed on a solidly constructed floor. [...] The front should be slightly higher than the rear to aid in door closing.

However, there is no indication of how much higher than front should be. I've done a bit more research with mixed results - some people (including friends) have mentioned that all fridges should be completely level otherwise the hinges might get messed up. Others have said that anywhere between 1/4" - 1/2" difference between front and back is acceptable.

It also seems like the only way to raise the back is with shims, making it seem like the manufacturer did intend for the front to be higher.

I'm just trying to make sure that the fridge has been installed correctly and that it won't be damaged due to being off level.


texts: In San Francisco, I’m building stairs with a top landing. How big should the landing be?

texts: In San Francisco, We’re planning to build exterior back stairs from the second floor going to ground floor (about 61” elevation which is about 7-8 steps).  With a 32” door opening outward toward the stairs, what dimensions should the landing be?  I imagine there needs to be clearance so the width of the door plus some.  I read in some places require the width of the door plus 18”.  What is the minimum in SF?  Or what SHOULD be the extra clearance be?


texts:
We just bought a house and while digging in the yard using a pick axe, I broke a pipe. Per my research, I need to put a joint there. The broken part is right next to the joint, so not sure how can I fix this.

The pipe probably takes the rainwater. Since its summer I think I'm ok for a couple of months.


texts: Can someone explain this Tandem Breaker Setup to me?

texts:
Question
I'm scratching my head trying to understand why my Sub Panel was set up using the tandem breaker configuration described (with picture) below.
There are 3 tandem breakers, with the top two on the top breaker slot and the 3rd breaker on the next slot down.  You can also see a cover where another tandem breaker for the second slot might normally be.  There's also what I believe is a "cheater bar" across the bottom two breakers tying them together.
Why are the bottom two tandem breakers tied together across two slots like this?  And, possibly worse, why is there another non-joined tandem breaker sharing the top slot. Best case this is some complicated scenario I just don't understand.  Worst case this is a problem and I need to re-wire my subpanel (which I might do anyways for sanity).
Background
I understand tandem breakers allow you to use the same breaker slot for multiple circuits (with caveats).  I also understand that you can tie multiple breaker slots together to control phasing or create a 220v circuit.
However I can't quite make sense of what's happening here.  There aren't any 220v circuits that I'm aware of and that'd be a problem anyways as these are 15A breakers, wouldn't it? I can see 4-5 separate circuits in my garage attic which are all tied to these two breakers.  Note the circuits aren't under heavy load: a few lights, 1 outlet and the garage door opener.  I haven't looked yet to see if all of these circuits go directly to the breaker or if there's a junction box hidden somewhere in my house.
Maybe I'll pull off my panel cover and discover some weirdness on my panel itself leading to this setup, but this configuration seems suspicious. And there's so much room on this panel. I don't understand why tandem breakers were even necessary.
It's also possible that the cheater bar is there purely to turn off all power to the garage if either breaker is tripped, maybe as a safety feature.
Any thoughts?
Thanks!


texts:
Sorry if this is posted in the wrong area.
Just a moment ago during a storm the top to my furnace flue blew off. Earliest someone can get out here to put it back on it Tomorrow.
How much damage will I be facing from the rain that will be going on all night? Furnace is located in the attic.


texts: Screws stuck inside of Anchors, with shelving unit in between.

texts: I drilled the anchors into the wall and used the screws they came with. The screws wouldn't drill all the way in to lay flat against the shelf, so I tried removing the screws from the anchors and the anchors came with them . Now the screws are stuck inside the anchors with the shelf in between them and I can't get them apart. Any tips?


texts: Installing an additional Kitchen Lighting circuit

texts:
I would like to install an additional Kitchen Light above a Breakfast Bar as a new circuit but would like to avoid lifting the floorboards on the floor above if possible as it is the bathroom and I would need to dismantle the sink unit and pan. Can I........

(1) Take the live feed to the new switch from an adjacent switch? The switch in question is a 2-way switch but I know that the feed to it is the 'live' feed and not the switch wire. And...

(2) Connect the neutral return from the new light to another light fitting that I can easily access, and am able to identify which is the neutral return and which is the switch wire feeding the light?

For info my Kitchen currently has a single pole switch operating 5 sunken ceiling lights; a 2-way switch operating another 5 sunken ceiling lights; a single pole switch feeding transformers operating under cabinet Halogen lighting and another single pole switch feeding a transformer operating LED plinth lighting.


texts: Tripping of generator GFCI 30amps breaker

texts:
I am trying to hook up my generator directly to the load center or control panel. To switch my supply from utility grid supply to my generator supply I'm using a double pole 30amp, 240v breaker. With the same load to my house, our grid supply is able to turn them on without any breakers tripping.
But, when I switch the mains of our grid supply off and turn the breaker of my generator supply on and turn on my loads , that's when my generator GFCI breaker trips.
I've tried to separate the main Neutral to ground bonding in my control panel to avoid double bounding and the GFCI breaker in my generator still trips when i turn on my breakers for the load.

Who ever wired up the switch board had the neutrals and the Earth mixed in the Neutral link and like wise in the Earth Link.
What could be the reason for the GFCI breaker in my generator to keep tripping once load is switched on.???


texts: Rookie question regarding studs in garage ceiling

texts:
Good afternoon,

Im trying to hang two hooks in my garage ceiling to hang a bicycle.  I used a magnetic stud finder and marked a bunch of points where it stuck.

To confirm, the studfinder is just picking up the screws correct?  How do I determine where the beams run to drill into?  Do the beams run up and down between the marking from the wall?  Is this where the beams run:

Here's a photo of where I marked what the studfinder found.  They're all roughly a foot apart, give or take an inch.  The idea was to drill into two of the spots and horizontally hang the bike.

Thank you


texts:
Quick question - my LG mini split manual says that I need a minimal of 10’ from the indoor unit to the branch box.  My question is do I include the 1-1.5’ piping that comes with the indoor evaporator? Or do I measure from flare to flare?  Seems to me I need 10 minus the length included so I just need to add 9 or so, but I heard otherwise elsewhere.
Thanks


texts: Dishwasher mid-cycle manual fill - possible?

texts:
I tried a serach but couldn't find a suitable answer, hoping someone here can help.
So, in short our dishwasher was put on last night without the water supply on, noticed it after maybe 5 minutes, so immediately turned it off.  Trying to resolve this, I've pushed some buttons, but can't change the cycle or select a new cycle, to start a fresh wash (with the water supply on this time!).
So, it's stuck mid-cycle, can I just put water in the front/main door and then leet it carry on with it's cycle?
It's an older model, about 12 years old and is a Diplomat ACA 9202, so not a very well known or expennsive brand.


texts: Where can I find a cheap diamond stone-cutting blade for my Dremel Multi-Max?

texts:
I'm getting ready to place laminate flooring in a room with a brick fireplace.  As per Mike's recommendation here, I'd like to use my Dremel Multi-Max tool to cut a space in the base of our brick mantle for the laminate boards to fit under (giving it a cleaner look). .

The only problem now is that the stone-cutting blades I've seen at Home Depot are a bit pricey ($25 - $35 for a single blade).  Is there anywhere I could find the blades for a cheaper price? Are there alternate blades I can use from different manufacturers? Or does it have to be made by Dremel?  I would assume that the connection type is proprietary in design and only dremel blades will fit on dremel tools.


texts: Extend underground rainwater drain pipe down hill

texts:
I need to extend an underground drain pipe.
The current pipe is underground a few inches and ends at the top of a hill that's a few feet tall.  The hill is angled at (perhaps) 35 degrees.
The current pipe is 4" PVC "teleduct".
My original plan was to take an adapter I'd already purchased to connect the teleduct to a more standard form of PVC, then use an angled coupling to route it down the hill, underground.
My neighbor (who is helping with the project; it is close to his property) suggested (1) reducing the diameter, as a small diameter is easier to bury, (2) using some kind of rubber or elastomeric connector with hose clamps (the kind with a threaded worm screw).  The pipe he bought is flexible PVC.
My question:  is his approach reasonable?
My concerns over his approach are (1) a compression connection won't last as long as a cemented PVC-to-PVC connection, (2) I see allusions online to "don't reduce the diameter in the direction of flow".
The advantage of his approach is the flexible pipe is easier to deal with (don't have to get angles exactly right).
Regarding my concerns, I'm not sure (1) is well founded, since online there are many reducing connections that are "underground rated".  Re (2), intuitively I'm not sure it really matters, as long as the smaller diameter is enough to handle the rainwater flow.  That said, it seems like he's thinking of making the connection to the existing pipe without angling down at first, which I think is a mistake because reducing the diameter on a near-horizontal pipe will mean water will get caught (and pool for some length) at the reduction.


texts: Under UK Building Codes are you allowed to add an additional stopcock?

texts:
I live in the UK and have recently moved into a new home. I've been told the stopcock is "under the floorboards in the dining area" (nothing more specific). I can't find any loose carpet that's easy to pull up.

To avoid any panic carpet pulling up in future, and to avoid tearing up the carpet now, is it possible to get someone to install a new stopcock somewhere more accessible? Is there some law/code dictating only one stopcock per property?

Another option could be to buy a key for our outside stopcock, but can anyone buy one?


texts: Porch construction: orientation of flooring boards (perpendicular or parallel to siding)

texts:
We are are planing to replace our 3rd floor porch and I have a question about the orientation of the boards. What is the purpose of the board that is parallel to the siding and perpendicular to all the other boards (marked in yellow on the picture). Is to ensure a proper seal to the siding? Is it required? I am mainly asking because it complicates construction.

Picture from below


texts: Ideas to hang five polycarbonate squares to ceiling

texts:
I have five plastic (polycarbonate) squares that I need to hang / attach them to the ceiling (concrete). They can touch the ceiling, or have little (maximum 2 inches) gap between the square and the ceiling.

They weight around 1.5 lbs / 600 grams each, and are 8x8x1.4 inches / 200x200x35 mm.

Not only they are polycarbonate, but they are smooth, so adhesives don't stick to it easily. Also, there is not a single hole that I could use as a support.

Picture a smooth polycarbonate square.

They are going to be hang / attached to the ceiling, so there is gravity pulling them downwards too.

Ideally, attach in a way that it is not very hard to remove and with no to little damage to the squares and ceiling.
I tried these foam adhesives, they fell after a few days unfortunately, mainly because they did not adhere to smooth polycarbonate.

Ideas of what I can do? I could attach something (a wire? piece of metal?) to the squares using silicone, and go from there. Has to be something aesthetically acceptable.

Any ideas appreciated!


texts: Gutter brackets screwed through shingles

texts:
I had a new roof and gutters installed last year, and while cleaning the gutters I noticed that while most of them are attached like the following picture

there are a few that are attached by screwing a bracket through the shingle, as in this picture:

Is this properly installed? It doesn't seem right to have anything exposed penetrating the shingle like this. If they're not, what should I do to remedy the situation?


texts: Why does my hot water heater flame and pilot go out?

texts: Why would Kenmore water heater it lights then burner comes on until tank is all hot but after that it won't light again and flame goes all the way out and then I have to manual light the pilot again?


texts:
Can I safely combine two 15 amp double pole circuits into a single 30 amp double pole circuit?

I am trying to make space in my 200 amp box to put a 40 amp double pole breaker to support a water heater upgrade.  The 200 amp box will support the added draw—whoever built this put a lot of small circuits in.


texts: How are integrated dishwasher's dimensions measured?

texts:
Sounds like a dumb question so please bear with me.

I have an old integrated dishwasher in my kitchen, bought by the previous owners of the property which I'm planning to replace. Its width measures 58.5cm and there is only a couple of millimetres gap either side within the kitchen units. I believe it's a whirlpool diplomat, but I don't know the model number without taking the door off or pulling it out from the units.

All the dishwashers I can find to buy are at least 59.5cm width. So I'm wondering:

a) do I have a very odd shaped dishwasher?
b) have dishwashers become wider the last few years?
c) are the stated dimensions not the true width? (doubtful unfortunately)

I don't want to order a new dishwasher only to find it won't fit in my kitchen without modifying the units.

Does anyone have an idea about this?


texts:
I am roughing in some plugs in my kitchen for when the workers come and hang the cabinets. I am getting cabinets with LV lights on the underside of them. The cabinet makers asked me to make sure I have my boxes out 5/8" past the drywall.

I am just wondering how I should go about this, since I am not sure how the workers hang the cabinets over top of my electrical boxes. Sticking the boxes out past my wood frame (5/8" + 1/2" for drywall) is quite far past the wood frame. Meaning I wouldn't be able to secure the box very well since the mounting holes for the box only go back about half the boxes depth.

I am using BX on wood frame (half the kitchen is steel studs and half is wood so I must use BX because some wires go between the steel studs and wood).

I can see two options. Perhaps there are better ones. My preferred method would be to use a 4x4 metal box, with a 1/2" mud ring. I understand how the drywallers go around a mud ring with a router, and it works great for them. Than I was wanted to wait till the cabinets were mounted and add a box extension for the 5/8". I am just unsure how the cabinet team will cut out my electrical box. Do they use a router? Or do they notch it out with a jigsaw based off where they measure it will be in there cabinet? I just don't want to leave them a rounded mud ring if they actually just need a squared off electrical box....

I could also get 1 1/8" mud rings I believe but they would be special order so I prefer not to.

Therefore the big question is, How do they cut out electrical outlets when hanging cabinets?

Thanks for your help.


texts: How to wire ceiling speakers where each pair of speakers has only two wires total

texts:
I bought a house which has 5 pairs of ceiling speakers (10 speakers total). The panel in the wall has 5 pairs of wires, (10 wires total). This is confusing to me, since I thought each speaker would require two wires for itself. When I try connecting my receiver to the panel, I find that a single pair (red/black) causes sound output in a PAIR of speakers. Does that mean I have to wire the whole house with mono sound? How are two speakers controlled by a single pair of wires? (Is there a splitter internally?)

Update:
I connected my home receiver to 3 pairs of speakers in "All Channel Stereo" mode, and things sound pretty good. I still don't understand how this is working though.


texts: What adapter do I need to connect Mr. Heater F273704 to a LP gas tank that has

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Not knowing that this is something I have to pay attention to I bought this hose
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B001CFWF5U/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
The right side of the hose is fine, the left side connector does not match the gas tank connector (my understanding is that the hose is POL make and the tank is Type 1 female)

but my propane tank takes this

What adapter or combination of adapters do I need to be able to connect my MR Heater heater to my 20 LB propane tank?


texts: Advisable to install a service check valve in front of a thermal expansion tank

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I am installing a thermal expansion tank and the maker (Watts) recommends installing a service check valve between the tank and the pipe.

While I understand the convenience factor of the SCV, my concern is that I would be introducing another potential point of failure into the system by adding a service check valve. Is it advisable to do this?


texts:
I find I get a sore back when I lean back, so I need a head rest. However I don't want to buy a new chair and bring it to the office.

How can I fit a head rest to an ordinary office high back chair?


texts: Is it OK in the UK for mains sockets to be mounted upside-down?

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This isn't about any work I'm doing, but just out of interest. I noticed that at my University, some standard mains power sockets at desk height had been mounted upside-down, because there was not enough space to plug in a plug and have room for the cable if they were mounted the right way up, since the desk was in the way.

Is this acceptable or did this violate some standards? I would check myself but it seems to be rather difficult to get a copy of them without paying money.


texts: Towel hook in bathroom ceramic tile grout

texts: I few years ago I installed tile on the wall of my bathroom. I needed a little hook for a hand towel in the tile, so I drilled two little holes into the grout in between two tiles and screwed the hook to there. Just recently, the screws just slid right out. How can I screw the hook back in? Could I just use bigger screws? Or could I get some sort of glue substance, and put it in there and then slide the screws back in and let it set? What do you recommend? Here's a photo:


texts: 120V on hot and neutral wires… just started happening

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So last week i was cutting down a small tree with an electric chain saw. I was in a tough spot and the chain saw stopped working. I couldn't find any breakers blown, so i switched to another outlet to get the job done. Our outside fridge stopped working (we noticed the next day) and our electric tooth brush stopped charging as well (noticed about a week later). So at this point we have three outlets not working, let's call these three outlets the Front, Back, and Bathroom outlets. So, I started to investigate. Here's what I've noticed:

For brevity, i'll use H as hot, N as neutral, and Gnd as ground.

Bathroom - H to N measures ~0V, Gnd to H measures 120V, Gnd to N reads 120V

The Front outlet and the Back outlet measure the same. Removing the outlet from the bathroom there are two sets a wires coming into the box. I'll call these the Incoming lines and the feed through lines. If i disconnect the feed through lines from the outlet I get the following

bathroom: incoming H to N: 94V, incoming Gnd to N: ~17V, Gnd to H: 120V, feed through Gnd to H and Gnd to N: 0V

Front outlet: 0V everywhere

back outlet: H to N: 94V, Gnd to N: ~17V, Gnd to H: 120V

The 17V from ground to neutral seems really high to me. and it seems like i'm loosing 10V or so between hot and neutral (120 minus 17 = 103 not 94). I tried plugging a lamp in to both the Back and Bathroom outlets at this point, and it wouldn't light up with either (tired with LED and incandescent bulb). a small fan wouldn't work in either of these either. I would have thought 94V would have been enough to start the fan or the incadescent bulb up at least.

If i flip the bathroom breaker, the back outlet (and the bathroom) go to 0V everywhere. It seems weird that these would be on the same breaker... but I don't trust this houses' electrical stuff to make sense from past experience. Below are some pictures to maybe help clarify somethings.

It should be noted that all the outlets were working about a week ago until the front outlet died from the chainsaw being used on it.I took a look through the attic trying to see any breaks or shorts... but it was hot and most things were covered in insulation, so I didn't really see much.

I flipped on/off all the breakers, but the bathroom breaker was the only thing to cause a change in the front or back outlets.

Any ideas what could case this, or where to look next? I'm a bit stumped at this point. I can flip more breakers on/off if needed. Thanks for any suggestions!

Edit: added back outlet image with the outlet pulled out.

Edit: added the back of the box picture for the bathroom outlet. Note, the feedthrough lines are pulled somewhat together on the left.


texts: Biscuit, dowel or simple braces for making unit top with inset lid and slim sides?

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I've had 5 pieces of iroko machined for creating a top to my DIY TV lift, complete with a lid for the TV to pop up through:

The dimensions are based on the pre-existing cabinet, and the lid size needed for the TV to rise up. I was originally taking my cue from this YouTube video wherein he joins his (very long) pieces with biscuits; however now I have my pieces I'm concerned that:

The two sides are too slim to really hold the whole thing together with any strength (as I imagine I could only use one biscuit on each side);
The boards may be relatively slim (20mm) and as such need small biscuits or dowels, compounding point 1.

Bearing in mind that a) I'm a total novice, and b) I don't own a biscuit-cutter, I was wondering whether a far easier solution might be to use one or two 'braces' (apologies if this is not the correct term) running on the underside of the lid, on either side, joining the front and back pieces and spanning the shorter side pieces. These would be hidden inside the unit once the lid is in place, so it shouldn't affect the look.

Although the top isn't structural, it should still be solid and sound, and most likely need to at least bear the weight of a graceless cat who will hurl his body at any piece of furniture like a sack of potatoes.

TL;DR Illustrations

Biscuits:

Braces:


texts: I have bought a narrow table made of strong wood.  Now I want to put a sink in it, and to make it shorter in length.  How should I do this?


texts: How to fix a Front door sticks out (from the inside slightly)

texts: I had a new front door (with frame) installed recently. The door seems to be sticking out (from the inside) in the upper left corner causing it not to seal tight against the weather stripping. Any ideas how to fix this? The door seems level as well.


texts: How to tidily restore a sandstone fireplace

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I would really appreciate some advice in regards to the best solution to restore a stone fireplace that was previously covered by plasterboard.

I am looking to fit a log burning stove into the hole, however I would like to restore as much of the old fireplace as possible.  The plasterboard has been applied so it protrudes the fireplace (see attached picture), can anyone recommend a tidy way to create a neat edge between the sandstone and plaster?

Any help would be greatly appreciated

Many thanks.

Iain


texts: Electrical Socket Doesn't Work for One Particular Appliance

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Under my sink is a working duplex electrical socket.  My disposal works regardless of which of the two sockets it is plugged in to.  The disposal has a grounded (3-prong) plug and this duplex socket is the only thing on that circuit breaker.

My paper shredder (which has a 2-pronged plug) works without hesitation when plugged in to other sockets but does not work at all when plugged in to this socket.  The shredder is almost new, but just to be sure I have adjusted the prongs on the shredder's plug to move them to the sides to make sure they make contact with the (brand new) socket.  I have tried switching out the duplex socket with a different new socket, I have tried reversing the white and black wires going into the socket, and I have tried working the shredder with the disposal plugged in and with it not plugged in.  Again, the shredder will work in every other socket in the room except when plugged in to this particular socket.  (Upon further experimentation, no 2-pronged plug devices work when plugged in to this socket.)

I have a multimeter but don't really know how to use it in case anyone needs me to use that to diagnose.  What am I missing?


texts: Can I move my washer and dryer within the laundry room?

texts: I want to move my washer and dryer 90 degrees to another wall in my laundry room.Should i have any concerns about moving the washer further from the drain pipe or the dryer further from the vent?


texts: Window Rot Repair and Replace Exterior Wall Beam Under Siding

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I'm hoping to get some suggestions about how to repair a double stud that runs vertically next to an exterior window. The window frame was covered with metal flashing so I didn't notice all the water that was seeping through until there was quite a bit of rot. The rot extended through the corners of the frame and the stool and apron.
I know I'll need to rebuild and repair this.
Also, I have a vinyl siding exterior but I've got hardboard siding underneath it. So, the water and rot went through the hardboard, through the sheathing rotted this double beam. So, now I'm left with an open exterior wall leading up to the window. Next to the window I still have the vinyl, hardboard, tar paper, osb and insulation.
I need to replace the rotted double stud next to the window as it is very weak and deteriorated 70% through. Do I need to replace the entire stud?
A local contractor said that he doesn't need to go all the way up but the entire bottom is rotted so I don't see how.  I think I can do the repairs myself but I'm unsure of the best path here.
If I do need to replace the entire thing, what is the easiest way to do that? Do I need to pry through the layers? Cut through them with a Sawzall?
Any suggestions are much appreciated.


texts: What kind of precautions should I undertake to use epoxy-based paints?

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I see on the market floor paints made from "1-part epoxy" or from "2-part epoxy". They are meant for concrete floors.

Epoxy is reputed to be very harmful if misused during construction. Anecdotes include that epoxy fumes, if inhaled over years and years, can form a solid lining inside a worker's trachea.

As a concrete floor covering (garage and basement), epoxy would likely be very hard wearing, but I'm wondering what kind of precautions are necessary to paint an epoxy-based product in one's basement (where ventilation is limited, at best). Are such products really meant for professionals who may go all the way to wearing an oxygen mask while working and the amateurs should stay away?


texts: How do I clean vinyl siding without a pressure washer?

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My vinyl siding is turning green from mildew and I have to clean it up this weekend.

I let a friend borrow my pressure washer at the beginning of the summer, and he's out of the country for awhile.  I'm working that angle to try and get it back.

I called for a rental and found that it's pretty expensive to rent one, even for a few hours.

Are there any products out there that can you can spray on and rinse with a hose?  These stains are 20+ feet up, so I'll bite the bullet on the tool rental before I get up there to scrub.

My dad recommended giving Jomax a try.  Any experience with this?


texts: Electrical Bonding of Service Panel After PEX Replacement of Galvanized Pipes

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My house was built in 1929 and has gone through many rounds of plumbing/electrical upgrades over the years. I am replacing the galvanized pipes with PEX and I'm confident that I have planned appropriately for the plumbing part but I'd appreciate help with the electrical part.

Existing situation: the galvanized is bonded to the stub of original water main into the house because the water main in was replaced with CPVC at some point. (I've marked connection between the galvanized and the stub in red in the photo). The 200amp service panel is also bonded to the galvanized pipe as well as a grounding electrode (see photos below). Both wires seem undersized for a 200 amp panel and based on the age of the wire to the galvanized pipes is probably a remnant of the old service panel.

My question: when I install the PEX do I need to run a new wire from the service panel to the old water main stub to create a secondary path to ground? Or was bonding the galvanized pipes to the service panel a secondary path to ground in case the pipes became energized? (I apologize if I am not using the right terminology, I'm trying my best)

Photos of bonding of pipes to old water main stub.

Photos of service panel bonding to pipes and service panel bonding to grounding conductor.


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We're putting in a shower and I had originally found a tutorial that showed to leave ~1/8 to ~1/4 gaps around the cement board and drywall surround that would be filled with caulk to prevent water migration to drywall, should it ever get wet (we're using redgard). However, as I look more, I've found more people than not saying there should be a taped and thinsetted transition between the two. The largest gaps I have are 1/8 on a vertical seam (sides), and 1/4 on a horizontal seam (top). My thought was to caulk the lines and use bullnose tiles either completely over the caulk, or stopping at the caulk. Is there an issue with this, or should I do a thinset and tape transition to the wall?

Vertical:

Horizontal:

Thanks,
James


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I'm about to by an oil heater. One of the properties of a heater is the area of the room that the heater can heat. Say 15 m^2 or 20 m^2.
The question is: what will be if I use the heater in a larger room? Will it just do it's best without heating the room to desired temperature or will it break somehow?


texts: Oven heating element receives power when off?

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I don't usually pay much attention to this when cleaning the oven, but the instructions for the cleaner say not to spray on the heating element. So today before cleaning, I decided to remove the heating element.

I guess that was a dumb idea, but the oven was off. When I was pulling out the element, it arced between the electrical connection and the oven frame. I turned off the circuit breaker and when I got back upstairs the element was hot.

Why is there still power going to the element when the oven is turned off? If this is a common design, it does not seem very idiot proof (as proven by me deciding to remove the element while it is plugged in).

To me it is like the difference between a properly wired light switch, where it is connected to the hot wire, vs improper, where it is on the neutral.


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I’m wanting to hang a couple things on my wall (small mirror, picture, light wall hanging etc) but the walls are brick, covered in plaster and paint so i cannot use 3M hooks - pulls the paint off, and hammering a nail straight in chipped the plaster off.
How do I go about putting up a small picture hook without chipping off the plaster and damaging the wall - so only a little hole is left ?


texts: What type of conduit do I need in under ground use?

texts: Do you need expansion joints in under ground burial of conduit and what type is acceptable?


texts: Could this crack in shower caulking be causing drywall damage to the subfloor?

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I just moved into a townhome (the shower itself installed at time of construction in 2011). I am concerned with cracking of the shower caulking with discoloration. I am going to rip out all the old caulking and replace it with 100% silicone caulk (edit: I think they actually may have put caulking over grout?), but I am curious what people think about what appears to be a bad tape job on the drywall on the floor below or if maybe the mark on the drywall could have been caused by water getting into the crack and seeping to the floor below.

I sprayed the crack to see if anything major was happening but the drywall appears to be the same and does not feel wet to the touch. The drywall just feels like the tape is loose (I'm not an expert at all, not even close). The shower is about 3 feet away from where the mark on the drywall is down below. Could the crack in the pictures have contributed to the drywall being the way it is? Can water travel 3 feet in between floors or would it have to be directly underneath. Any opinions on the drywall would be appreciated. Today I am going to the store to buy a fan and the proper tools to replace the caulking in the shower.

I am worried that from this crack in the caulking on the 2nd level shower has perhaps caused what I am seeing on the 1st level kitchen ceiling drywall.

Follow up

I don't know if my link was changed to embedded photos by an admin or if it just did it automatically but the best I can figure out right now is how to have imgur posts appear as a hyper link. I'm having difficulty figuring out how to just have an image appear in the post without a hyperlink. Apologies. The "Follow Up" hyperlink is the pictures after a brief time with a putty knife just to show a little more detail perhaps. Thanks for all the responses. I also appreciate the reputation points! It appears I need 15 to sign up, I really like this website and can't wait to sign up!


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have another issue with another outlet in this very improperly done house I just bought. During my slow replacing of all the wall outlets, I came across this new one which has me baffled on how to translate this to a standard outlet. Here's what I'm currently looking at and the new outlet I'm trying to get this all wire to... for simplicity, I have the outlet ports numbered and the three wires with letters. I'm assuming we all know what ground is, so we can ignore that since it's pretty simple.

Wires (A) - From what I can tell, wire set A goes to another outlet or continue the feed for that line of power.

Wires (B) - This is the power coming to this box (tested with a volt meter to 120v)

Wires (C) - This set goes to a Light switch that powers lights in that same room which ends there (does not continue from that switch). This switch controlled only the lights and not the outlet.

Now, the outlet that was there was busted and never worked, so I can't be 100% certain the switch didn't also control the outlet, but I figure that would be really weird to have a switch that controls an outlet AND recessed lighting. This used to be an office before we moved in. In my haste to get this quickly changed over to a new outlet I completely forgot to document how the old busted switch had them plugged in... but here's what I do know about the old switch:

The middle connector piece on one side was broken, so each outlet was separate.
Wire set A and B were pig tailed to the bottom half of the old outlet
ALL other wires were push plugged into the old outlet.

So, that all being said... here's what I've tried so far to no success.

I tried to pigtail all the blacks together and put them into screw #3 and all the whites pigtailed into screw #1... that tripped the circuit breaker when I turned the power back on. Bad idea. Tab between the two outlets was NOT broken.
I tried pigtailing A and B together with blacks into screw #3 and whites into #1. Tab between outlets is NOT broken. Power to both outlets, but of course no power to the light switch.
I tried pigtailing A and B together with blacks into screw #4 and whites into #2. I put C black into 3 and C white into 1. Tab between outlets IS broken. Power back on... I get power to the bottom outlet but no power to the top outlet and the light switch does not power on.

What am I missing here? Thanks for the read!


texts: How do I remove a stuck sink soap dispenser?

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I have a Blanco 440045 Alta soap dispenser that is broken. I want to
remove it from my sink.

Unfortunately the piece highlighted in the image is stuck due to years of moisture and cannot easily be unscrewed. It seems impossible to remove the dispenser unless this piece is unscrewed or I cut through the main body piece of the dispenser.

What is the name of this piece?
Is there a tool I can use to unscrew this? Unfortunately it is completely round so I don't think a basin or socket wrench will work.
Would a hack saw or oscillating tool be able to cut through the threaded main body piece (which should allow me to remove the dispenser)?

Thanks for your suggestions.


texts: I shorted a circuit, reset a breaker, now much of the house electricity only works if I turn on a wall AC unit

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I'm wondering if any of you could guess what might have happened. I live in an older 60s ranch with an older electrical system. I was cutting some shrubs this morning and hit a 3 strand wire that was just hanging out in the shrub that I'm assuming powered a irrigation pump (that's no longer there). Huge pop, flash of light, loppers slightly melted where I clamped down on the wire.

I came inside and the one breaker had tripped (the one labeled "Irrigation Pump"). I capped off the wires, put them in a junction box and buried them so hopefully the next guy won't do what I did.

None of the other circuits in the house had been tripped, but now several sections of my house have no power. There is a GFI outlet in the garage that had tripped, which I reset, but I can't figure out why many sections of the house no longer have power.

Any ideas what might have happened?

Many thanks.

Edit- I should mention one other anomaly. The overhead lights/fans in the bedrooms all work, but the wall circuits do not. Not sure if that means anything but just wanted to include it in case it is meaningful.

Edit 2- One new very odd detail. Our sunroom has a wall Heat/AC unit. If I turn that on, all the circuits in the house begin working again (though the AC unit doesn't sound like it normally does. It's very quiet like it's barely working at all and very little air blows out). Very strange


texts: Trying to identify these wires on a switch

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I think the black wires with the white and blue caps are the hot ones, and maybe the brown wire is ground or neutral?

I'm trying to replace it with whats in the second image but not sure what the SW1 wire is (pass through maybe)?


texts:
The drum spins fine during wash cycle. However, the agitator does not spin at all on my FEX831FS4 Frigidaire washer.

So, I removed the plastic agitator and inspected this rod on which the agitator goes on. The top of the rod can be spun freely by hand either direction.

Update to Jeff's answer

About solution #5. I believe the plastic agitator is fine. The teeth look square to me. Also the metal shaft does not appear to be spinning. I did experiment by putting a marker on shaft and it stayed in the same place. Here is a picture of agitator from the bottom:

About solution #2. I believe the belt is fine too. I recorded the belt spinning with high frame camera in both spin and agitate modes. The only difference I noticed was that the motor for each mode was spinning in the opposite directions.

Before getting to transmission I would like to rule out Solution #1. If I understand correctly then the drive block is the metal piece that sits between transmission shaft and plastic agitator. It somewhat wiggles up and down, but I noticed that if I turn drive block in either of directions then the thing drive block sits on (I assume transmission axle by peeking through the small gap?) turns together with it. Does this prove that drive block is fine too?

Does this confirm that the transmission is broken?


texts: I'd like to sand some wood planks on a rustic table to remove paint stains, but keep the rough wood structure (1-2 mm height difference). How can I do that?


texts: What would I use to fill a hole in a brick, so that I can re-drill a new hole that overlaps it?

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I'm replacing a sillcock in the backyard, which is mounted onto brick, and unfortunately the holes to anchor it are just slightly off and overlap.
I'd need to fill the old hole with something that can be re-drilled for the new anchors.
Would I use an epoxy, or some kind of mortar?
Experience appreciated.
Thanks!
EDIT: adding image to depict the situation


texts: Can I mount electrical panel on exterior of bedroom?

texts: I am reading that the meter cannot be mounted on exterior of bedroom wall but what about the panel? This corner of house is a straight shot from the pole which is where the meter and a disconnect will be mounted.


texts: Fluidmaster 400A fill valve: very slow toilet tank fill

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I installed a Fluidmaster 400A almost 10 years ago. There is excellent water flow into the overflow pipe, but the tank is taking longer and longer to fill after flushing--now almost 4 minutes.  Much water is thus being wasted going down the overflow pipe.  Everything else is working perfectly.  Do you recommend removing the valve cap assembly to try to flush out debris from the fill valve (I have instructions for that), or should I just buy a new 400A and replace the old unit?
 (I always have problems with leaks when I do replacements.)


texts:
I am trying to understand how to turn the heater on in our unit.
There is a thermostat on the living room wall that looks like this:

And there is a trapdoor below the heater in the wall looking like this (yes, it's upside down in the wall):

So far I have tried to turn on the [B] button, and turned the black know 1 to either "on" or "pilot" and pressed the button 2 but I'm not sure what to look out for to show whether or not I'm doing the right thing, and I'm also not trying to blow up the apartment or gas myself, so I turned everything back to "off" until I know what's what.


texts: Do I need to add a protective layer to insulation for wall heater?

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I am going to install a 4000 watt wall heater to an add on. It is the kind of wall heater that is seated in the wall. i also plan to install insulation in between my wall studs. there will be insulation above and below the wall heater. Is insulation flammable? and will/Should I put something on the two ends of insulation? some kind of foil or something?

Also just a quick question its a 240 volt heater. I have bought 10/2 wire for it. will that work? and what kind of breaker should i use?


texts: How to install vent cap over cement pipe?

texts: The picture attached is a cement vent pipe I found on the roof for water heater venting. Looks like the cap has been broken off, but I have no idea what was the original looks like. The diameter of the cement pipe is 4.75". The closest Lowes vent cap I found is either a 4in or a 6in Selkirk cap. But Im not sure if i get the 6 inch, are the screws going to penetrate the cement enough to get a good grip? I dont want it to be blown off in the future. What is the proper way to do this job?


texts: How do I extend shower cover plate without replacing a tile

texts:
I had my shower tiled and, unfortunately, the job was sub-par.
I am not wondering if this can be somehow fixed via workaround, without replacing my tile. Maybe some sort of cover plate extension?

Thank you


texts: 230 volts on receptacle box when it should be 120 volts

texts: In march 2017, my neutral wire at mast was almost broken probably by load of ice and wind or a branch falling on entry wires. The electrician did secure the neutral wire to the mast, and the neutral touches the mast part on the mast and part on the ceramic isolator. When I plugged the microwave oven, it exploded with burned scent. I did check the voltage at the receptacle, and it was 240 volts between the black and white, and 240 between ground and one of the 2 wires. Also, cannot open some lights in several rooms, and the fridge is working erratically, and stops for no reason.The range is working but no timer, neither lights. The range fan lights are lightly opened, and the motor fan does not work.The kitchen lights glow very dim or not at all.I had a fan heater in my water entry, and I did remove it to no avail. I also have a sewage pump still connected. Could it be a problem in the power transformer? or a short in the windage of the sewage pump? Also the entrance wires are touching a tree, and are slightly deviated at the point of touch.I will ask an electrician, but will appreciate your thoughts and reflexions.Heater boards seem to work properly.


texts: Can you use a section of 3/8" pipe in a 1/2" water pipe run?

texts: The water supply is for hooking up a washing machine.


texts: Any issue connecting neutral and ground of bluetooth light switch to ground (or neutral)?

texts: I'm installing a blue-tooth light switch that has live, bulb, neutral and ground. The light switch that's being replaced has 3 wires, black, white and exposed copper (I'm guessing that's neutral or ground). Should I just leave ground floating or join it with neutral when connecting it to the existing 3 wire set up?


texts: Why does my kitchen sink smell when the washing machine is running, and what can I do about it?

texts: I live in a flat, on the second floor. When we run the washing machine (which is connected to the kitchen sink's plumbing) it gurgles a lot and often produces a nasty smell. Why is this, and how can I fix it?


texts: Why is my kitchen LED lighting flickering

texts:
My kitchen light is blinking, is there a way to find out what is causing it and how do I fix it? Could the problem be with the dimmer?
See below images of LED array, LED driver and dimmer switch, and here's a short video of the LED blinking.

I'm a complete novice to LEDs and lighting, so a simplified answer would be great, thanks :)


texts: Installing an Ecobee3 - Add C Wire with PEK

texts:
I have another post with this question (Adding a C wire) but thought I'd clear up any confusion with this new post and I'm adding a diagram also. The diagram shows my current thermostat wiring and not the new Ecobee one.

I cannot add a new thermostat wire, which would be the best way, so I'm going to go with the Ecobee's PEK module.  Just wondering where in the line I should add it.

The manual says to add the PEK at the control board on the air handler but I have some wire nuts along the way that connect other things. So my options are:

Connect the PEK at the control board but then the EZ trap and condensate pump will go through the PEK wiring module at R. Also, the Y wire will have the AC white wire connected to the PEK.
Connect the PEK where the wire nuts are but I will have to connect the C wire from the PEK to the blue C wire, white Humidifier wire and red AC wire. Is that ok to do?

I'm thinking 2 is the better location for the PEK but let me know your thoughts.  Also, if I were to use a 24 volt transformer, could I just connect C at the thermostat to one of the screws on the transformer?  Or would I have to connect the other screw to something?

Thanks for any help.


texts:
Backstory: I'm considering replacing my current tank water heater with a tankless whole-house unit. The units I see generally require a 120-amp breaker circuit.

Currently, my panel has two ganged switches marked "50" supplying the water heater. My understanding was that the two breakers, each calibrated for 50 amps, are wired in parallel to produce a 100-amp circuit to the water heater. So, I probably need to have an electrician swap out that breaker for a slightly beefier one (and make sure the installed wiring can handle the extra power) as part of the upgrade.

But, when looking thrrough the electrical section, I saw ganged circuit breakers numbered with "60" on each switch labelled as a "60-amp breaker". This would imply to a relative layman like myself that the entire package will trip at 60 amps of draw. If that's true, I may need a second input panel just for the tankless, 'cause the full panel for my house is only rated 200A, which seems to be the average for a single-family home when looking at breaker boxes in that same aisle.

Can anyone unconfuse me here?


texts: I have a 4 bulb light fixture which suddenly just went out.  I checked and there was power to it. I changed all the bulbs in case one was bad and still nothing. So I purchased a new ballast and installed that.  Nothing.  There is power to the ballast and power in all the wiring going to the bulbs.  So I have no idea what to check for next!  Any ideas?


texts:
This is a question about finding a tool - I hope I'm in the right place? I have an old Singer Sewing machine, which had one of these springy steel rings around the base of the lamp, and I had to open it up and solder the wire inside. It was easy enough to get off, but how do I put it back?
The ring looks like the picture below - I have been looking for some kind of pliers, but they all seem to be meant for the kind of clip the has little eyelets. Is it possible to put back without special tools?


texts: What's the best way for a DIY granite counter top to be cut?  What tools do I need that will do the job without breaking the bank?