texts: What is a good way to humidify a (temporarily) vacant desert home?

texts: We are snowbirds spending winters in our home in Phoenix.  When we close it up for the summer we place several 5 gallon pails of water around to keep the humidity at about 35%.  Is there a reason why we couldn't install a whole house humidifier on the furnace and leave the fan on constant to humidify the house during the summer? Could we use the air conditioner drain line to draw off the excess water that the humidfier doesn't use?


texts: want to install new led lights but they have aluminum wires , can i join to copper wiring with merrits?

texts: can I use ordinary wiring merits to join aluminum and copper wire together to wire up led flush mount lights. Is there a product that will protect the joining of aluminum wiring and copper wiring ?


texts: Sand and finish old wood floors, just aesthetic?

texts: Consider a very old wood floor.  What are the reasons beyond purely aesthetic to sand and finish it?  In particular, does finish fills the small gaps between the wood pieces, thus isolating better the room?


texts: How can I attach a Pergola/lean-to to a pebble dash wall?

texts:
I am planning to install a Pergola/Lean-to to the back of my house, to use as a sheltered patio.  I have been watching numerous videos and have picked up some fabulous information, however, I'm a little bit concerned with regards to the wall plate.

My house is rendered with pebble dash (in good condition no cracks)
Now the thing I need assistance with, is how do I fix the wall plate to the pebble dash? I am in a housing association property, so chipping away at the pebble dash back to brick is out of the question. I would probably get into big trouble for this, but I suppose I can chisel the stones off to create an even surface. What bolts/screws etc. are best to use for fixing the wall plate?


texts:
In a basement bathroom, I installed three LED corn bulbs. They're the type sold on eBay direct from a manufacturer and have rows of LED's arranged in rows like a corn cob. I appreciate being able to buy these discounted energy saving bulbs, but they sometimes fail mysteriously. they're the same style, but from different manufacturers.

The three installed downstairs stopped shining brightly, and now glow only dimly when I turn on the power. After turning off the power, all three glow for a few seconds before fading out. The three outlets work fine for an incandescent bulb, so the outlet doesn't seem to be a problem. The basement switch is standard and not a dimmer dial or slide.

Has anyone else had corn bulbs break as a group like this? I'd like to install new ones, but don't want them to meet the same problem as these three.
My guesses:

glitchy switch transmitted partial voltage while being switched on too slowly
humidity from shower damaged inner circuits? Other LED's survived outdoors for years
recent wind storm downed power lines, voltage spike damaged LED's


texts: Can I apply grout over grout to change the color?

texts: We grouted tile on counter tops and glass tile backsplash last night and the grout looks white and it was supposed to be a tan color. Can I grout over it with a darker coloured grout?


texts: Trying to determine if a wall in my basement is load-bearing

texts: I want to expand my basement.  I removed the drywall from the this wall. Someone told me it is not load bearing but I want to be 110% sure.  The floor joists above the basement are running parallel to the wall in the pictures but there is another wall above this wall (first floor).  There is no wall directly above the first floor to 2nd floor, it is off by 3-4 feet.  Based on the pictures, can you tell me if this is a load bearing wall?  Thanks


texts: What could cause the water flow in house pipes to suddenly be altered?

texts: After 23 years of steady water flow when using toilets and all taps in our house, we noticed that in the last few weeks, whether it is in using the shower, or the toilet refilling, the water ebbs, then flows harder, then ebbs again, continuously. At first it was slight.  Now it has become more pronounced.  We are on a well, the pump was replaced a year ago, and our area is above its rainfall quota at this time. Does it sound like a problem with the pressure tank?


texts: How do I know if my wiring is aluminium or copper?

texts:
In this answer, Chris has mentioned that, before replacing a worn-out electric outlet, it is important to know whether the building has an aluminium or copper wiring. How can I get this information?

I live in a rented apartment, and the homeowner doesn't know.


texts: Adding Venstar Add-a-wire ACC0410 to HVAC with Nest Thermostat E

texts:
I purchased a Nest Thermostat E and found that I don't have C-wire. With the research, including adding venstar to HVAC and Youtube video by Venstar, I tried to add c-wire to my Nest Thermostat E with the Venstar Add-a-wire (ACC0410). However, I can't find exact match with my HVAC control board system. So, I hope that someone experienced with these can help me what to do.
As you see below, it is different from Venstar Youtube video setting. The video doesn't have lines from compressor but mine does. Could you please help me how to connect my Venstar ACC0410 to my control board and what to do with Nest Thermostat E setting?
First, here is my current HVAC control board setting as below.

And, here is my current setting with my Nest without C-wire:

The final implementation is summarized below.


texts: What should happen with plumbing ground connections when converting to Pex?

texts:
My house is being re-piped by replacing all of the copper with PEX starting at the water service entrance.  I'm on a well which is 150' from the house and the service line is CPVC. Currently, there is a ground connected to the copper cold water side of the water heater which connects to the neutral side of the main electrical service panel.  There is also a ground to a grounding rod at the service panel.

My question is what to do with the ground connected to the copper at the water heater?  I'm assuming it is only there to bond the copper in the house for safety and since all of the copper is being replaced with PEX it is no longer required.  The copper wasn't being used as a second ground because the water service to the house has always been plastic to the foundation.


texts: Just bought a house, 70 years old, want to upgrade 2 prong outlets

texts:
I've done some searching on this already and I think I know the answer. But I'd like to ask just to double check.

If i am not sure if the outlets are properly grounded, my best bet would be to replace the 2 prong outlets with GFCI outlets, correct? Actually, i suppose someone is going to say my best bet would be to first find out for sure if they are properly grounded or not :) Could someone suggest a relatively inexpensive tool for doing that?

If the boxes are correctly grounded, then I should be able to just replace the 2 prong outlets with regular 3 prong outlets, correct?

For right now, I mainly want to swap out a 2 prong outlet in the living room that the TV and the rest of the media/gaming stuff will be plugged in to. But there are 2 prong outlets scattered around the house that I'll probably also want to eventually replace.

I would be somewhat surprised if everything is correctly grounded since the wiring in the house is pretty old, it's all knob and tube wiring. Although the home inspector said it all looks like it's in pretty good shape. Eventually we'll have an electrician come in and replace all the wiring, but for now it's staying as is.


texts:
I have been looking for a replacement hinge for my bathroom cabinet to no avail.  I was hoping some smart people here would be able to suggest a hinge that will work for me based on the photos I attached.  If I need to take any additional pictures in order to help me solve this mystery, please let me know.  I have checked Home Depot and Lowe's and the hinge selection they have doesn't solve the issue.
1


texts: How to tighten threaded pipe in an existing assembly of pipes

texts: I have a brass pipe with threaded joints coming into the house from the street that has a leaking joint.  I can't see how it can be tightened without loosening the joint at the other end of the pipe.  Is the only solution to cut the pipe?  And then reattach the two halves with a sweated straight joint?


texts: What's a suitable sealant for the garden slabs in the picture?

texts:
What is the best type of sealant I should get to fill the cracks between the slabs in the picture below?

I think these are concrete slabs that I have in my garden, and not sandstone, but I'm not sure.


texts: How can I improve water volume with a half-inch supply?

texts:
I have a 1/2" pipe system in my house. The water pressure is very good if there is only 1 source of water open (bathroom faucet, kitchen faucet); but if there are 2 sources of water open then it is very low pressure/flow. Or if I flush the toilet and the other sink will have low flow.

Is there any way I can improve this? Thank you.


texts: 7 wires, 3 sources, switchable power in 2 wires - how to put it back?

texts:
I tried to mount a new lamp and it couldn't fit because of the ceiling rose so I took it out to see what can be done.

Turns out that there are 7 wires coming from 3 different sources, 2 hot wires, depending on how I turn the electricity on / off at the panel. I also lost power in few power sockets in that room so I assume that the outlet was chaining the electricity.

2 of the 3 sources have 2 wires in them, while the 3rd has 3 wires. The sources with 2 wires are the ones which have the hot wires. It's an old building so I assume there is no ground wire among them. As for their color, 4 of them are white and 3 black.

I don't know what other info would be neccesary. Let me know if you need to know something else.

PS: I used one of those electrical screwdrivers to check which one is hot.

EDIT: More images

Wires:

The rose


texts: How can I attach closet shelving supports where there are no studs,

texts:
I would like to put in some shelves similar to what is in this youtube video in a hallway closet.  The length of each shelf is around 42".

I planned on using the 2x2s for support per the video.  The only problem is that the back wall where the longer 2x2 would be supporting the shelf has no studs.  The drywall is directly against the cinderblock firewall between my unit and my neighbor's (I live in a condo).  I assume it is attached via construction adhesive because that is what was in my half bath as well.

My question - could I just screw the back 2x2 at each end to the studs in the side walls of the closet and maybe throw some construction adhesive between the 2x2 and the drywall for added support?

The side supports will be screwed into studs at each end and are approximately 12" in length.

Any advice is appreciated.


texts: How can I fix a faucet handle that is leaking?

texts: I have a kohler faucet and the faucet handle itself (the thing you turn) is leaking a bit when only that side (cold) is on. How can I diagnose and fix the problem?


texts: Is this too many items on a 20 AMP Breaker?

texts:
I live in a 2 bedroom 2 bath duplex, where we have issues with the lights flickering, often causing mini power surges and at times kicking a breaker.

One 20 ampere circuit supplies

3 receptacles in the living room.
3 receptacles in the dining room.
The lights and the ventilation fan in the kitchen.
1 receptacle in the hall.
3 receptacles in one bedroom.
2 receptacles in another bedroom
2 receptacles in the garage.
Front porch light.
Driveway light.

That's 14 receptacles, a few lights, and a ventilation fan.

Is this too much on one 20 ampere breaker?


texts: Automatically turn off power to home appliances power supply switches to backup generator

texts:
Scenario at my home: In my home, refrigerator, washing machine etc and other heavy duty appliances(16A current) and lights and fans are connected to the same power line. It was a mistake done during house construction and we realized it much later. Because of this I can't use a backup power supply like Inverter when grid power goes off as the inverter can't supply enough power to run refrigerator or washing machine.

I am looking at options to solve this problem. I want to use an inverter to just run lights/fan when grid power goes off. Refrigerator should not get power during this time.

I thought of getting it rewired so that light/fans and refrigerator are on different power lines. But this is difficult.

So I am looking at options. Any help is appreciated.


texts: Do you need to balance radiators in a sealed system

texts:
Considering the pro cans cons of moving form an open vented central heating & hot water system to a sealed pressurised system

One question I have do you still need to balance radiators in a sealed system or not ?


texts: Can I vent a portable air conditioner unit through a heat vent?

texts: I have an old house and don't have a window to open for the portable AC to vent to. Can I vent it out through a heat vent (my home has modern ventilation)?


texts: Electric Furnace, no AC, blower motor starts then slows after 1 second

texts:
I have an electric furnace 240V. The blower motor starts then slows and sounds like it is laboring after about one second. It does start at full speed, however. Does the same thing when in constant on setting. There is a solid state time delay relay (on delay is 1 second off delay is 45), a blower relay, transformer but no control or logic board. I've verified 240VAC on load side of breaker. I've tested the elements and sequencer and they test normal.  and I'm assuming the blower is ok as it starts at full speed then slows and it sounds labored while continuing to spin. Cycling power has no effect - starts full speed then slows. The timer relay is 24VAC. I'm unfamiliar with the characteristics so not sure what I'm looking for. I've narrowed it down, I think, to the timer relay, blower relay or, less likely, the transformer.

Any help would be appreciated.

Perry


texts: When sanding spindles how far should I go?

texts:
I have a number of spindles on my stairs which need to be repainted.

The current paint is thick and badly done.

How far should I be going when sanding?

So far I have all the thick paint sanded off, but I'm not sure if I should be going down to wood.


texts:
I have a closet in the master bedroom of my home that is on an exterior wall. Unfortunately there's no insulation on the back wall of the closet and so a lot of heat escapes. We keep the closet door closed and that helps. The closet is about 6 feet wide and there's drywall on all walls of the closet.

I was thinking about using a spray foam to try to remedy this. I wanted to drill large holes at the top between each pair of studs and drop a little tube via which I could deliver the foam insulation.

My question is, what kind of personal protection equipment is necessary here? I have goggles for sure. I have a cheap mask. Should I use more heavy duty respiratory protection? Also, do I need a protective suit over my clothes? I've seen this on YouTube.

As the foam is curing, I saw a YouTube video that described the reaction as exothermic. Is there ever a fire hazard with deployment of a foam?


texts: Is it possible to use a drill press as a milling machine with the proper bit?

texts: Assuming one has the proper bit - is there a good reason not to mill material (aluminum say) on a drill press by moving the material around?  Seemingly they do more or less the same (rotary motion)


texts:
I'm building a reclaimed wood wall to that'll be behind my entertainment center. Can someone please review what I've done with the electric and let me know if anything is unsafe or not up to code?

Is it okay that some of the romex sheathing is cut outside of the junction box (picture 1)?

I had to extend the original outlets and switches from the original wall a few inches to the surface of the new wall - is it okay to have wires going between the two junction boxes without any sheathing? (picture 2)?


texts: The 5 amp fuse on my AC/Heater control board blows when I put the setting to heat

texts:
The 5 amp fuse on my control board blows as soon as you ask for heat.  With a good fuse in the AC work fine and you can switch the fan from Auto to Fan on with no problem.

As soon as you request heat the fuse blows and when I try to run the fan to on nothing happens.

I read on-line to jump the W and R on the control board and see if the fuse would blow or if the heater would kick on so I did that.  The exhaust motor kicked on then the gas ignited and after a few minutes so did the fan and I had heat.

I assumed it was the low voltage wiring from the wall t-stat to the control board so I got new wire and ran up to the attic.  I even installed a new t-stat.  Exact same problem.  AC works fine but as soon a I switch to heat the fuse blows.  Any help would be appreciated.


texts: GFCI won't reset, charges neutral when wired up

texts: I have a single GFCI outlet on it's own circuit in a bathroom. When the breaker is on and outlet isn't wired, the hot has current (using a probe tester) and neutral and ground do not. When I hook up the GFCI and turn the breaker on, the hot and neutral have current, ground does not, but the GFCI won't reset and power devices plugged into it. I have tried 4 different GFCI outlets and know that at least two of them are functional as they work when hooked up to other wiring. There is nothing else on this circuit, and I don't have any idea what might be causing this. Please help!


texts: What is the difference between building sand and plaster sand

texts:
Recently I mixed a batch of mortar for building and was unsure if the hardware provided me with building sand or plaster sand..

What are the properties that differentiate the two?  and are there any scenarios where its fine to use them interchangeably?


texts: How can I remove a stuck bath stopper assembly?

texts:
The drain in our tub is slow and I'd like to snake it. I was planning on going through the overflow / drain stopper toggle plate:

But I can't remove the stopper and link from the overflow pipe. It seems stuck—there's maybe 1/2" of vertical travel and I can't pull it up any more. I've tried a moderate amount of force, but I don't want to break anything and be in a worse spot.
Is there some trick to this? Should I just pull hard? Or does it require disassembly from behind the wall?
EDIT: Sorry for not being more specific about the fixture: the tub does not have a pop-up stopper in the tub floor. The drain fixture is just a grate (can't get a snake through). I assume that the stopper is suspended in the overflow pipe, like Tester101's second image.
EDIT 2: After fiddling with the lever more I was still unable to get the stopper out. I'm also unable to close the drain plug.
However, somehow in my jiggling I must've loosened the clog, since the tub is now draining well. Oh well, problem solved, I guess! I don't take baths so am not concerned about not being able to close it.


texts: Can I apply full-sized brick to an interior wall if shared with a fireplace?

texts:
Similar to a previous post, I don't want to use veneer, I want to use real brick. The wall is in my living room and it includes a wood-burning fireplace. The existing wall has what seems like faux stone veneer (haven't demo'd to confirm), floor-to-ceiling and wall-to-wall.

Existing stone similar to this style (but mine is floor to ceiling wall to wall)
http://www.hotelpicodaurze.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Custom-Wall-Coverings.jpg

If full sized brick walls require proper concrete footings to support the massive amount of weight, then perhaps my existing concrete footings are sufficient since I have a chimney shared with that wall?  I assume the chimney was constructed at the same time as the house.


texts: How to trim a cut on a hollow core tabletop edge?

texts: I have a hollow core tabletop, which is too wide for where it will go. I'd like to cut it into two pieces. What is a good way to finish the cut edge? Or is it just easier not to bother and get a better fitting desk?


texts:
Upstairs, I have a 2-gang with 2 different circuits. This question relates only to the left side of that box. It appears to have 4 drops, /3 /2 /2 /3, with the 2 left neutrals and 2 right neutrals separately capped together. All 4 grounds are capped together, so pretty straightforward to this point.

Then I opened up the downstairs box, which I expected to be the remote side. But, rather than one /3 or a /3 and /2, there are two /3 /3, with both sets of red/black wired to the switch. I got a very faint tone downstairs from the upstairs 2-gang on the top red/black pair, but where would the bottom red/black pair connected to the switch be going? There is only one light controlled by these switches and there does not appear to be any visual indication on the switch itself as to what terminal is what other than some appear to be brass, while others appear to be copper.

Taking Harper's advice from a previous post, but in lieu of colored tape, I have opted for colored wire ties. I believe red-pink and black-pink are the travelers, black-yellow is line and the 2-gang is the main box. But, I am hoping someone can advise me as to what the could be going on in the downstairs box as the extra wires are concerning.
EDIT:
I believe my question, at this point, is how to bring the travelers to the remote switches.

Assuming that both holes on the traveler terminal can be used, connect both red-pink and black-pink, tie black together in the first remote box and connect red-pink there, and then use black-pink in the farthest remote box.
Connect just red-pink in the main box, and then both reds in the first remote box, and the single red in the far box.

#2 seems the simpler and more elegant method, but it assumes the terminal will bridge the two reds together in the first box. Will the signalling work with that setup?
EDIT: So, the suggestion to check the 3rd box was 100% correct, as I had the main box wrong. The 3rd box (front door) was actually the main and the upstairs box was a traveler w/ load. My final setup, in case it helps someone else or I've done something incredibly stupid is:
Neutrals and grounds all used normally...

Front door: main switch with line, traveler black changed to load, traveler red as traveler
Downstairs 1 gang: add-on switch, both red travelers as travler, tie black travelers together as load
Upstairs 2 gang: add-on switch, red traveler as traveler, tie black travelers as load

Edit:
The diagram at the bottom is my final setup. I got the wrong color wall plates, so I'll end up taking them apart again in the near future if you need  pictures of the boxes, but the summary from the second Edit should be accurate. For this set of switches, it all came down to the upstairs looking like it should be the main box because of the /3 /2 /2 /3, and for the right side of that box, it is the main. But the /2 on the left is out to the light, so I had to cap the black wires in that box and the other downstairs box together for the "load". The bottom 2 gang picture is of the last box I located near the front door which turned out to be the main. It had to be since both this circuit and the front porch light are wired from the same black line.


texts: Why is there a drain trap high on a wall above an air gap?

texts:
I realize this question is not about "home" improvement but as I had to deal with drain and vent lines recently, I was curious to note this installation at the Costco.

There is what it seems a condensate drain, with a P-trap and an air-gap at the bottom. Why the P-trap? What is the purpose, it should be AFTER the air gap otherwise I do not see how it helps anything:Note the P-trap on the top right corner

Detail of the drain on the base, see the airgap


texts: bathroom junction box has more wires than expected

texts:
I want to install a new light over the bathroom vanity. I removed the cover plate of the existing fixture. Looking at the instructions for installation I was expecting one black wire, one white wire and a ground wire. Instead I found the following:

I'm assuming I can attach the black wire from the new fixture to "1", the white wire from the new fixture to "2", and the ground wire from the fixture to the screw on the junction box at "3".

Am I correct?


texts: How do you identify settling cracks versus structural cracks (new build )

texts: In my new build house I've found roof to ground stucco crack on outside and at same location on inside (garage). There's a crack from top through the mortar, then straight through two blocks, then down joint in the wall.


texts: Can fluorescent recessed lighting with four wires be converted to a two wire incandescent socket?

texts: I have ceiling lights in the kitchen that are fluorescent recessed can lighting with four wires, can they be converted to a two wire incandescent socket?


texts: Small pergola -- 4x4 posts okay? 8" or 12" footings? etc

texts:
We are planning a small narrow "pergola". Actually it is a weird combination structure. My husband wants a pull-up bar, I want it to be a landscape feature that looks nice, and it will be alongside/part of a new fenced veggie garden. So we're talking 3 paired 12' 4x4s (8-9' aboveground) connected by pipes (the pull-up bars), but topped with typical shaped pergola-style side and cross beams for looks and climbing edibles. One side will serve as part of the garden fence as well. As a landscape feature it will feel like an "allee" or tunnel, at 4' wide and 16' long.
Since it's detached and small, I have gathered I don't need a permit (SD County). But I looked at their pergola guidelines and they call for 6x6 min posts and 12" concrete footers. We were hoping to do 4x4 posts in 8" concrete. Too wimpy? Or is 6x6 and 12" overkill? (possibly for fire issues, not huge for us here)

After reading here and elsewhere my plan was:

-- Treat ends of (non PT) posts with Coppercoat just past level of concrete footing.

-- [Include bolts in posts to grab concrete?]

-- Dig [8" or 12"?] holes, pour 6" gravel, push posts in 2"

-- Using tube, pour concrete, shaping top for water runoff (level, brace of course)

-- When dry, caulk edge of wood/concrete interface

-- [Add post collar?]

-- Add top beams, fence stringers, etc.

-- paint everything, covering coppercoat too.

I should add being San Diego we get no frost heave -- no frost at all for us! -- and little rain. But clayey soil.

Thanks for your kindness if you can address any of my questions:

-- Are 4x4 posts enough? or 6x6?

-- Are 8" footings enough? or 12"?

-- Are bolts in the posts in the concrete really helpful?

-- If we're using concrete, can we cheat on the 1/3 rule and have 3' in-ground and 9' above-ground?

-- Why doesn't a post-collar hold water against the wood? Because of the glue? Are they really worth it, or overkill?

Thank you folks!


texts: I have a CAT5e cable with only 3 pairs (6 wires working) and need to do POE over it

texts:
I have a cat5e cable that has 1 pair (orange / stripped orange) damaged -- it's a 100 foot line and the damage is like 40 feet in behind a wall [repairing it is not an option].
I need to power a unifi AP over this line. I am OK with 100mbps speeds.
How should I wire this up cable up to the rj45 jack?
I have a netgear POE switch for the power.
Thanks!


texts: Convert drop ceiling to drywall but with plumbing access

texts:
My basement bathroom has drop ceiling currently and it's rather a large area with all plumbing there (from top 2 bathroom):

It is almost 3x5 feet area.

If I cover most with drywall and have access panel, how large of an access panel is needed?

OR should I have multiple access panel?
What is the right way to do this to hide the obvious access panel to make it somehow "flushed" to the ceiling?

I rather NOT put the drop ceiling there again.

Thanks.


texts: Hoping you can help me out here, I mixed latex paint with Portland cement and 24 hours later they're sorta spongy. Definitely softer than I was expecting. Any idea what dry/cure time is gonna look like? These are pretty thick, 2 1/2-3"


texts: Is it OK to use old (30+ years) heating oil in my central heating furnace?

texts:
I found old steel jerrycans holding ~50 gallons (~200 liters) of heating oil. They were stored in a place where temperature can go below -5°C.

Is it safe to use it for heating?

If so, should I mix one can at a time into the main tank (in order to maximize the dilution of the "bad" oil into the "good" one), or should I pour everything in my nearly-empty tank (to avoid wasting one full tank of "good" oil) ?

Should I filter this and how?

Thank you very much!


texts: Where to find Adapter for E-11 or E-14 to E-26 light socket

texts:
I used to be able to by 200W Halogens for standard fixtures locally.  These were great for my porchlight (which could take the heat), because they lit my entire yard without me having to install more lights or replace the fixture.

I haven't been able to find 200W Halogens lately for standard (E-26) fixtures, but I have found them for both E11 and E14.  Is there an adapter which can be used to adapt these to a standard socket?  Is there anything (other than the heat) which I should worry about in using the E11 or E14 this way?


texts: Freezer gets too warm at times on adaptive defrost

texts:
I have a brand new GE GTS model, Garage ready, 21.9 cu ft refrigerator freezer-Freezer on top.
The unit works fine for a few days and then, every 3rd or 4th day, the freezer will go from -6 F
to +50 degrees F. This is during the adaptive defrost cycle. The refrigerator section stays within
normal range. GE has replaced the Heater Defrost unit in the freezer, and the main board twice.
But the problem still exists. Tonight the freezer went from -6 degrees F to 55 degrees F.
Any thoughts as to the problem??


texts: Are 8-Zone Wiring Centers Compatible With Smart Thermostats?

texts:
I'm looking at various wiring centers for gas boiler heating and I'm wondering if they're compatible with the major smart thermostats, such as Nest, Hive, and Honeywell.

Wiring Centers:

Reliance: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Reliance-Zone-Wiring-Centre-Underfloor/dp/B00HNNBUQK
Heatmiser: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Heatmiser-UH8-230v-Wiring-Centre/dp/B01N9H4YHV
Waterline: https://www.amazon.co.uk/CONTROLLER-UNDERFLOOR-HEATING-8-ZONES/
Salus: https://www.amazon.co.uk/KL08NSB-Wiring-Underfloor-Heating-Communication/dp/B07KSYBGCT

I'm wondering if these wiring centers only work with the specific thermostats of the manufacturer, or are they "universal" and they can work with other thermostats. I haven't been able to verify this. Does anybody know the answer?

Follow-up: if they are, then how does the thermostat control all 8 zones? Any reference materials out there?

Update:

Manufacturer product info (as best as I could find them):

Reliance: N/A
Heatmiser: https://www.heatmiser.com/en/central-wiring-centres/
Waterline: N/A
Salus: https://salus-controls.com/files/KL08NSB-QG-EN-v001.pdf


texts: Does my sump pump evacuate water slowly due to a perforated pail?

texts: Is it possible to have a sump pump without an inlet (input) pipe? Is this normal? I am told my house has a sump without an inlet, but instead many small holes in the container that allow water to penetrate the pit (sump).  The discharge works in a regular way.  The sump motor is always running during heavy rain or snow.  I am wondering does the lack of inlet pipe (drain pipe) cause excess water into the pit?  What exactly would be the approximate area around the pit allowing water to flow in without an inlet?


texts: Does flooring need to be done before built-in wardrobes?

texts: I am just preparing to purchase a house that needs renovations done. If we can afford both we would like to redo the flooring to timber and also have built-in wardrobes installed. If we cannot do both we are considering just doing the wardrobes first and then flooring one or two years later. Is it possible to do it in that order? Or would we need to have the flooring done first and then the wardrobes installed on top of them?


texts: Is it allowed to connect 14 awg ground wire to 12 awg ground

texts: I have a 20 amp circuit and a 15 amp circuit coming together in a 2-gang box. I have to connect all the ground wires together. Is it ok that I am connecting 14 gauge wire to 12 gauge wire for the ground connections?


texts: Where can I find the U-factor (U-value) for a Pella window?

texts:
I am trying to compare the Pella windows sold by the Pella sales person with the Pella windows sold at the big box stores (Lowe's, Home Depot).  I have found a spec sheet with this information for Lowe's.  I found a spec sheet for Pella Pella but it doesn't have a U-value.

Example 1: it brags about the U-factor and offers a footnote that says, "Based
on comparing product quotes and published STC/OITC and U-Factor ratings of leading national wood window and
patio door brands."

Example 2: No mention.

For the 250 series I found a U value at Lowes of 0.27 here (click on "specifications").


texts: How long and tall does a shower wall need to be to protect against overspray?

texts:
We're designing a curbless shower right now and would like it to be doorless.  The design would have the showerhead on the West wall, and the entry along the East side of the North wall.  This general sketch should help:

----------
|                     |
|S           D        |
|                     |
-----------------------

S = Shower Head

D = Drain

The East and West walls are 34" and the South wall is 67".  The North wall is currently the one we're not sure what to do with.

How long does the North wall need to be?  If there is no code for this, then what length should it be to properly protect the rest of the bathroom from overspray?  Related, does it need to run up to the ceiling or can it be just a few inches above the shower head for a more open feel?

Additional Info

In case anyone is curious or it's relevant...

Our main concern is that we would like to add a bench along the East wall (or possibly a corner bench), but need to make sure the entry opening is big enough that it is not uncomfortably blocked by the bench.  So we are attempting to minimize the length of the North wall.

The interior of the shower will be tiled floor to ceiling.  Remainder of the bathroom will be paint over greenboard.  The shower will be a curbless entry, preferably without a curtain.  We've already accounted for sloping the floor to the drain.

I don't mind a small amount of water spraying the first foot or so out of the shower entry, as long as we're not talking about a puddle.


texts:
Working on a plan for installing pavers for a small patio and drive way (sand over compacted gravel).  Found local source for really cheap masonry bricks (bricks with voids).  What issues would I run into down the line if I used these as patio and/or driveway pavers?

I think that they may not hold up to the load for a driveway, but they may work for the patio.  Any thoughts on this would be appreciated. I can't find anything on this online, which makes me think this is a dumb idea.


texts: Should I bond neutral in sub panel- there is no electrical ground

texts: I have a question about my sub panel that I'm installing in a shed in the back yard. I'm using a 3 wire feed from the main panel to the sub panel (H-H-N). ...because I'm using the 3 wire feed, I'm going to be putting in two ground rods no less than six feet apart with a continuous 6 gauge wire connecting the rods to the ground bar in the sub panel. I know that you're not normally supposed to bond the neutral bar in a sub panel, but is that because you normally have a ground wire in your feeder? Should I bond the neutral bar in this case because I don't have a ground wire feeder? Or should I still keep it un-bonded?


texts: Installing engineered hardwood to exposed edges

texts:
I'm about to begin removing carpet and installing some engineered wood floors in one of the rooms of my house.  The only thing I'm unsure of at the moment is how the boards should be installed for areas where they will be tight against an edge and not covered by baseboard trim.

In this particular room there are 4 instances of this: the bottom of a step, the edge of the floor, in front of french doors, and around stone slabs at the fireplace.


texts:
I'm attempting to install a new sump pump in my basement after having a few minor flooding incidents and addressing as much of the external causes as possible (gutters, etc). The pump is only used for dewatering the foundation soil; nothing else drains into it.

I live in Rochester NY, which does allow connecting sump pumps to sanitary lines, which is probably the most reasonable option. I could entertain discharging to the outside, but there's not much avenue for that, given the geography and how little land there is around my house.

The sump is located 2 feet to the right in the below picture; discharge tube isn't connected yet. Bottom of the discharge has a standard check valve.

I was wondering what is the correct way to tie the sump discharge into to the sewer stack, pictured below:

Question 1: What would be the easiest place to tie in?

I was thinking of tying into the 2-inch pipe on the left of the picture using a 45 degree wye pointing to the right, given that it has the most pipe to work with and is probably the cleanest to work with. I would run the discharge pipe up the wall on the right, angle it on top of the sill you see at the top of the picture, behind the existing iron-cast pipe, and down next to the 2-inch pipe on the left.

Question 2: Do I need any sort of p-trap? The discharge line has a check valve at the bottom of it, so there should always be a significant amount of water (10 feet) in the discharge riser to prevent sewer gas leaking back.

Question 3: Does the horizontal run of the pipe need to be sloped?

Question 4: Do I need an air admittance valve at the top of the discharge? The large pipe at the top-right of the photo has an air admittance valve about 10 feet off the floor, and I believe the pipe I'm tying into has an AAV, 2 floors up.

Question 5: How much height do I need off of the wye from the 2-inch before I go horizontal? I was planning on cutting into the pipe in the middle just for convenience.


texts: How can we dry out a soaked water heater (and restore a novice plumber's dignity)?

texts:
Suppose a novice plumber -- a completely hypothetical novice plumber -- removed the top heating element in their electric water heater before the tank had sufficiently drained, resulting in about a gallon of water spurting out not only into the basement, but also down the inside of the device, soaking into the insulation to the extent that the foam around the lower heating element and thermostat squishes and dribbles forth when squeezed. (Suppose said hypothetical novice plumber is not a complete fool -- the power to the water heater was cut off before the mishap and remains so now.)
Suppose this imaginary person would like to stop taking bucket baths in a precarious blend of stove-boiled water, liquid ice from the tap, and shame, and return to the glorious steamy showers they took for granted as little as a week ago. Suppose this imaginary person shares this home with others, and that a 12-year romantic relationship hangs in the balance.
Even a rookie can see the potential risk in wiring everything back up and flipping the breaker while there is enough moisture in the insulation to irrigate a small orchard. Suppose a fan has been blowing on the heating element/thermometer access points for 48 hours. Suppose that a dehumidifier has been running constantly, and that even a hair dryer has been employed from time to time. What else would you advise our protagonist do to dry out the obstreperous water heater? How much more time must elapse? How dry is dry enough?


texts: Should I caulk the baseboards to sheet vinyl floor in a basement bathroom?

texts: I'm planning to install sheet vinyl first and then install the baseboards directly on top. Would it be a good idea to put a bead of caulk there to keep water from getting in between? This is a basement bathroom.


texts: Is it legal to install 3 prong outlet without ground in the State of Georgia?

texts:
I just found out the apartment that I am renting have 3 prong outlets without being grounded. Is this legal in GA?

/update

Attached photo

/update2

I just tested the bottom-center ground terminal and top-right terminal. My DMM reads 86VAC instead of 124VAC. So it looks like the ground is indeed connected, but there is a leak somewhere. My building technician came and said I dont' have to worry about it because the 3rd prong is just there to add extra support for extra heavy power cords and refused to talk to me more on this issue.


texts:
In my house, can I upgrade a 30 amp breaker to a 40 amp breaker in my main breaker panel, if I ran the right gauge wire (8-gauge I think )? I have a 100 amp panel...

Don't have any any slots available in the panel but I have a 240v 30amp not doing anything. That I can use in the basement if were able to upgrade to a 240v 40amp breaker and just run new wire in the basement


texts:
I feel like the window mechanism is a bit tight and is starting to rust slowly, is there any lubricant/maintenance that is needed to take care of this?

Thanks!


texts: How do I improve hot water pressure from a gas combination boiler?

texts:
I have a gas combination boiler (no hot water tank). The hot water pressure isn't very good though - the showers and hot taps come out with maybe half the pressure when compared to the cold straight from the mains.

Given that the mains pressure is good what is the best way to get more of that pressure through to the hot water?

My boiler is a 6 year old Ferroli F24 - would a new boiler make a significant improvement? Given the expense I'd rather only do that if it both the only way and guaranteed to make an improvement.


texts: Does replacing an electrical junction box require the wiring to be brought up to code?

texts:
I live in Sparks, Nevada and the 2011 National Electrical Code applies to me.

I am installing a new bathroom fan on a separate circuit from the existing bathroom circuit. I want to change the existing light switch's 1-gang junction box to 2-gang to accommodate the new fan switch. However, the existing wiring on the old switch is not up to code (the wires are not long enough to extend 3" outside the box and the sheathing does not extend 1/4" into the box).

Will the inspector require me to bring the existing wiring (which I am not modifying, just putting in a new box in the same place) up to code to add my new switch?


texts: I applied one coat on wooden planks using special paint for wood. Can I use regular paint for the second coat?

texts:
The regular paint I'm talking about is: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Johnstones-304133-Coat-Matt-Emulsion/dp/B005Q7BOD4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1489323024&sr=8-1&keywords=one+coat+paint.
The wooden parts I'm painting looks like this:


texts: How to fix a levelled flooring to a sloped flooring

texts: I currently have a large open air terrace that has been tiled without a slope for the drain.  When the contractors layed the concrete flooring they did not add a slope to allow for drainage and tiled on top of the concrete floor.  How do I rectify this to allow for a slope to where the water needs to drain.  Currently water is gathering when it rains and does not drain.


texts: What do you call a widget that holds the side of a curtain against a wall?

texts:
I moved into a house and found these handy widgets screwed into a bedroom wall.  These widgets each consist of a hook-shaped piece of metal with a small clip that fastens a window curtain to the hook.  These are very handy for keeping light from shining around the curtain while I'm napping.

This is completely separate from the rod that the curtain hangs from.  They are at about breast height.

I wanted to buy some more of these, but I don't know what to ask for at the hardware store and it's tricky to describe it.


texts: Problem Using Wall Anchors for Curtain Rod

texts: I'm trying to hang curtains for a floor-to-ceiling window by using drywall anchors to hold up the curtain rod. However, the plastic screw gets stuck about halfway anywhere I attempt to drill. When I attempt to push the plastic screw further in while drilling, it just expands the hole outward rather than becoming flush with the wall. How can I do this correctly so as to install the curtain rod?


texts:
Do 3-way switches exist that don't "stick" in UP / DOWN position?  Is there a name for this concept that would help me search for products?

"Momentary Toggle" looks like the interaction I want, but those don't match standard 3-way switch lighting. (looks like they only make contact temporarily, vs. toggling full contact on/off with each press)

Core issue is that I don't like having a house full of light switches where UP = ON, DOWN = OFF, then a couple 3-way switches that stick in random up/down positions reversed from normal ON/OFF.  Ideally I'd like a rocker switch that rests in the neutral position, with UP or DOWN both toggling the light's state before springing back to the neutral position.

It seems this would be easy to create mechanically.  It's just swapping a toggle switch for a push-button toggle between the two switch states.  Why can't I find something that seems so simple and obvious?


texts: Should I be concerned with the condition of the bearing end for this lintel?

texts:
Having stripped back the wallpaper in our living room in preparation for a re-skim of plaster, we have discovered a door which we didn't know existed, right next to the door into the living room from the hallway. I believe the living room was originally two separate smaller rooms, with a wall where the red line runs on the drawing (this also makes sense based on the different plaster types in the room). The door which has been "hidden" is the southernmost door.

There is a concrete lintel running above the two doors (green on drawing) which is bearing on the wall shown in blue to the north, and the wall shown in purple to the south.

It is the purple wall which concerns me. It is only 1 brick deep/wide (100 mm, which I'm pretty sure used to be all that was required. I know now that it is 150 mm minimum in the UK) but the wall itself isn't in great shape, with mortar missing from between a lot of the brickwork (it seems that this was intentionally removed and bits of wood shoved in to make it easier to install the door frame).

Should I be concerned with the condition of this wall, or am I getting all worked up over nothing? I do have a builder I know coming around to have a look at it, but I know for a fact he is short on work so may just try and sell me remedial work regardless.


texts: What's the most economical way to remove a wood stove?

texts:
I just bought a new house and my insurance company is upset that I have a wood stove in the dining area.  They insist that it be 3 feet from all walls and a foot and a half above the floor.  Alternatively I could just remove the thing.

I don't have a budget to have a contractor come out and remove the stove for me, so I was thinking about removing it myself and capping off the round hole in the ceiling where the pipe is.  I'm fairly ignorant on the actual terms/lingo used in this kind of project, so my googling has been futile.  What would I need to purchase to cover this hole?  Can someone point me to a page that sells this product?  Is there any harm in leaving the chimney in there or should I eventually get it removed and have the roof patched?


texts: Garage door down, will not open and no access inside

texts: I have a garage door that started to act up by not closing completely, I ignored it (bad move on my part).  It has now closed and will not open, I have tried the emergency release cable and it is now disengaged, still will not open. I can hear the motor running when I try the remote.  I do not have a door into the garage and the windows are super small and high (I am 68 years old and not agile).  Is there any way to force the door open ??  It also does not have a handle on the outside of the door making it difficult to get a grip on the door.  Do I just have to trash the door and buy a new one?  Any answers are appreciated.


texts: How much work would be required to repair this roof?

texts:
I'm looking to buy a new house that needs a lot of work doing (almost a complete renovation job, rewiring, plumbing, damp proofing etc). On the last visit I went up into the loft to see what work needed doing, and if the roof needed replacing or if repairs were possible instead.

I've uploaded pictures here... http://imgur.com/a/QFvqg which will hopefully give you an idea of what state it's in currently.

I know there's obviously a poor work gone on here in the past, but I'm just wondering if it's repairable without getting a whole new roof, and how big of a job this would be.

Other information that might be of use:

1) Slight sag in the roof where all 4 colours meet (on the diagram in my pictures) above 'bedroom 1'.

2) I don't have pictures of the area above 'bedroom 2' due to access and safety concerns! So that to be ignored (if possible).

3) I notice there's a bow and split in the larger beam. Is it possible to secure this with a metal plate instead of replacing?

Let me know if any other information is needed and I'll add it as soon as possible.


texts:
I have a home built in the 1880s.

Trying to get it ready for winter my problem is three windows that are rotting out in the basement walls.  This is a field stone and rubble foundation with old dry mortar surrounding the casements.

My question is what would be the most inexpensive way to go?  I'm a totally disabled war veteran and this also has to be something I can attempt to do as money for the windows and the labor I am sure are beyond my reach.


texts:
Four months ago I moved into a house built about 10-11 years ago. With our first water bill, billed semi-monthly, we were billed a usage of 3750 gallons. Our next bill showed a usage of 9100 gallons. I raised the flag to the utility and they sent a tech. No one was home and the tech said there was no leak indicated at the meter.

It is just my wife and I. We've evaluated the "usual suspects." We haven't had overnight guests. We don't water the lawn. And we don't wash our cars at the house. I then thought I should turn off the supply to the only external bib, just in case I had been the victim of theft.

A few days later I realized I didn't release the trapped water. I went out back, turned on the water and: Nothing. No trapped water, bone dry. Now, I live in the Mid-Atlantic and it hasn't been unseasonably hot but it hasn't been particularly cold either. So I wonder if the water had dripped out/evaporated OR someone had attempted to turn on the water with the source turned off.

My question, then is two-fold:
1) What other reasons could be causing that increase in water usage?
2) Could the trapped water have escaped without turning it on?

Thanks in advance.


texts: Possible to use trim with routed out channel to hide 12/2 or 12/3 wire instead of using Wiremold?

texts:
I plan to add some lighting in positions on the ceiling that doesn't have nearby wire available.
The there is no free space between the ceiling/roof in which to run a wire (there's the wood, then solid foam block insulation, then weather barrier, then the shingles). So, I would need to run wire (12/2 or 12/3) to that location somehow. I'm aware of Wiremold, but that wouldn't look very good with the style and material of the ceiling itself.
Is it possible, instead, to run the wire through a 0.5" channel routed out of a 1x1" piece of wood and affix that wood to the ceiling? I read through California electrical code (I'm in San Bernardino County, California), but didn't see anything specific around this (unless I missed it, or interpreted it incorrectly).
Thanks in advance.


texts: New mini split ac on existing Spa disconnect

texts:
I'm installing the mini split and wiring it to the disconnect they had for a spa which is now long gone.

They wired a 110 gfci off the disconnect which I'm not touching.

Coming in from the main panel is a 3 wire line, black, red and neutral.

The neutral is connected together at the neutral bar in the box, the ground for the GFCI is connected to a screw to the box.  My mini split only asks for 2 hot wires and a ground.  Should the ground go to the neutral?  Picture of the box attached.

The yellow on the left is the new wiring, the black on the left is the gfci and the right is the line in.


texts:
My old 100 year old detached one-car garage is falling apart and I need a new one built from new foundation and electrical to driveway and roof....but I haven't a clue as to how to find an outfit that knows how to do this and is willing to do it without taking me to the cleaners.

Do I look for a "builder" (aren't they just interested in working on developments)?
Do I look for a contractor? (aren't they just interested in installing cabinets and windows?)
Do I look for a handyman? (won't he/she just want to paint my dining room?)

Any (useful) direction would help!


texts:
I saw a highly curved parabolic mirror that I had never seen before in a hotel I visited recently.

It was on an arm in the bathroom and unfortunately I didn't think to take a picture at the time.

It looked very similar to this and gave very high magnification:

The curve of the mirror was very prominent, so much so that it almost looked like the capital "U" character here, but not quite parallel of course.

What are these class of mirrors called? I would imagine that they have a different name because I can't find them anywhere.


texts: What's the difference between three phase 240 V and standard household 240 V?

texts: I don't understand the difference between household 240 and 3 phase 240. Isn't household 240 just two 120 phases, making 240V two-phase? If so, wouldn't three phase just be 360v? How, then, is there 240 and 480v three phase? Does each conductor carry the full voltage?


texts: How to prevent wall-mounted TV above fireplace from getting hot?

texts:
The place I just moved in to has a wall-mounted TV above the fireplace. However, I'm not sure how the previous residents dealt with the fact that the bottom of the TV gets very hot. Maybe the TV (which they left) is capable of handling the heat? I'm considering adding a shelf to block the heat, but I'm not sure if this is a good idea. Here's one from IKEA that I considered: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70221461/ but it's made of glass, so it might be dangerous. Another possibility is one made of wood. Any suggestions?

I see this has been asked before but the answers do not seem satisfactory:

Here is a picture of my wall-mounted TV:


texts: Transparent screw-on 6" cap for PVC pipe

texts:
I got a backwater valve installed in my basement. The water table was high, so I could not use a backwater valve with a see-through cover; I had to use a valve that is typically used for outside installations. I can access the valve for maintenance through a 6" wide PVC pipe (see picture).

With the see-through backwater valve, one can easily see if there is a backflow situation. There are also some alarms that can be used to warn of backflow situation. However, with the current setup I can't see if there is a backflow situation without opening the 6" cap. This could be a bad idea if sewage starts spilling out of the open pipe. So I am thinking that it would be great if the cap was transparent. I couldn't find such a cap googling around. Is there such a thing as a transparent 6" screw on cap?

What tool does one use to open & close these caps anyway? It is a 2" counter sunk square.

Also, since it seems that off the shelf alarms don't exist for these 6" cap, I was thinking of making my own with an off-the-shelf water alarm combined with the cap. I would have to drill some hole(s) through the cap (transparent or not) and feed the wire through. The plate would go inside the pipe and the alarm outside. How would I seal the hole around the wire? It would have to be airtight, and strong enough to resist a backflow pushing up against it.


texts: What would be the best way to reduce low frequency noise coming from neighbour above in apartment

texts:
I live in an apartment (hopefully that doesn't disqualify from me posting here) and my neighbour once every week or so decides to stay up until about 2am watching TV all night. Normally, this doesn't bother me, but the bass sound from the Television can be heard in my apartment which is below his.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to mitigate the effects of the bass sound effectively? My building is wooden structure and people have hardwood floors in the living room where TV's are watched. Moreover, I recently redid the hardwood floors in my apartment and I was told by the contractor that there was no acoustic padding underneath the existing floors, which he says is highly recommended against in such a high density building. I ended up paying extra for the acoustic padding for my floor, but short of doing this in my neighbour's apartment is there something I can do to my ceiling, for example, to improve this?


texts: Gas fireplace won't run/turns off when fan switch is in the ON position

texts:
So I have a gas fireplace that originally didn't have a fan installed. And this issue occurs whether or not the fan is connected or not.

The issue is that whenever the fan switch is placed in the on position the flame will go out if the fireplace is on, or not be able to light if it was off before.

I'm assuming it has something to do with the electric pilot, since when the fan switch is in the ON position, I can't hear the click sound that my electric pilot does. However I thought my electric pilot was battery powered (by 2 D batteries) so I don't understand why the switch would cause issues.

Also this fireplace runs on propane not NG.


texts: How do you install a floating floor on stairs?

texts:
I purchased a vinyl plank flooring to put in my basement and replace the old carpet down there. I would like to put this flooring on the stairs - but it is a floating floor. How can I keep it in place?

My ideas:

Purchase stair nose and secure that, then float the rest.
Use
adhesive on the plank (not sure if this will work, or bleed, or have
other unintended effects)


texts:
I always find myself holding a pan with one inch of leftover mud when I need to stop and come back later. Once I just left my taping knives in the pan. Big mistake. When I came back 4 hours later in the afternoon, both of my new knives were rusted over. Now I try to wipe the knives clean before I call it a day, but what should I do with leftover mud? I thought I could add a bit water and mix well to make it last longer, but so far the result has been disappointing. I always come back to a pan of crusty compound. Even if I then add more water to revive the mud, I get a lumpy and unusable result.

What do people do with leftover mud when they need to call it a day? Dump it? I did that a couple of times. It takes a lot of time and paper towels to get the mud out of the pan and give the pan a rough scrub. It seems a hassle and a waste especially when I plan on coming back to the project in a couple hours.


texts: Circular saw blade position: corded vs battery

texts:
From admittedly fairly limited research I noticed that all corded circular saws have blade on the right of the handle, whereas battery operated ones have the blade on the left. What is the reasoning behind that?
Ok, so in light of the comments: somehow, all the saws I came by so far follow this pattern, this is why I asked. Let me ask this then: why are blades on different sides then?
I guess the last edit makes this question a duplicate of this: Why does a cordless circular saw have the blade on the left?


texts: How best to drill pilot holes through hardened steel exterior door frame?

texts:
I'm trying to drill pilot holes through my exterior door frame in order to install a weather seal.

I purchased a few new cobalt drill bits labeled for hardened steel.

However, each new bit was only able to drill one pilot hole before losing its ability to drill holes.

After two bits, I tried applying some oil to a third new bit to keep it from overheating, and while that worked in keeping the bit cool, it still was only able to successfully drill one pilot hole. After the initial hole, the bits stopped working and could no long drill through the steel.

Any thoughts?


texts: Install a water tank without losing main pressure

texts:
In my zone, there is a really good water pressure. The problem is that when there is a power outage, the pressure gets really bad to the point that there is no water in the house.

To solve this, my neighbor installed a water tank on top of his house. This made his water pressure to go down to the point that you need to get close to the wall to use the shower (on the second floor).

Is there a way to install a water tank without losing water pressure?

Something came to my mind but I'm not really sure that this would work or if there is going to be complications in the future.

The check valve could be something like this one i found in amazon.

I think that this would yield the same pressure (or close) as without the water tank, but when there is a power outage, it will start using the water from the water tank.

Is this feasible? It seems logic to me, but I don't know much about this so I might be over looking something really basic :).
Will the check valve decrease the pressure?

If not, what are my alternatives for my scenario? I want to have a good pressure and won't mind to have low pressure (but water in the house) when there is a power outage.


texts: How to shorten or replace this cabinet door?

texts:
I disassembled the cabinet over my fridge and shortened it to fit a taller fridge. It turned out well, about 4 inches shorter than before. But I'm at a loss about what to do with the two doors. I figured it would be easy to get them shortened, but it hasn't been.

Cabinet contractors I've contacted around me mostly only work with one brand and only want to do big jobs. I'm not ready to replace all of the doors right now.

One handyman said he could get it done but eventually gave up and returned them to me.

I've searched the other cabinets and can't find the manufacturer sticker, so I don't know who makes them. The sticker is probably painted over. Otherwise I'd just order a replacement.

I might be able to do it myself if I go to a shared woodshop with a router, but I'm afraid of messing them up, so I'd prefer to have them shortened professionally.

How would you go about shortening or replacing these two doors?

Are there vendors online who could do this kind of custom job and I could ship them the doors?


texts: Which thermal circuit breaker should I buy?

texts:
I live in a small house in Argentina where we use 220 volts. I have a thermal circuit breaker that do squeak noises when the iron starts or the fridge starts. I adjusted the four screws of the breaker but I saw it was broken. When I adjust one of the screw, it separate the plastic thermal circuit breaker. I would like to know why I have to adjust the screws periodically.
 I want to replace the circuit breaker because this breakage: what features should has the new one?


texts: We have recently had a garden building built in our garden by a bespoke company.  However the roof has no gradient at all so we have standing water when it rains.  Is this ok?


texts: Does dark exterior paint hold and transfer more heat to an uninsulated house?

texts:
We are picking exterior paint colors for our stucco house. The interior walls are plaster and there isn’t insulation in the walls.

I want to stay away from dark colors because I think it will make our house hotter(we live in Southern California where it is sunny most of the year).

Is my concern valid?

If I insulate my walls, will I be able to choose dark colors?


texts: How do i replace the battery in this smoke detector? It wont stop beeping

texts: Its been beeping for ages and im sick of it, ive tried sliding as it says to but ive had no luck...


texts:
Need handrail for level difference (600 mm) in a walkway area? this question has to do with safety, please also tell me what is the maximum acceptable step without hand rail.

I live in Qatar


texts: After recently moving into a home (built in the mid 90's and apparently went through a remodel at some point), the guest bathroom tub started leaking. I noticed the leak in the room on the opposite side of the wall of the bathtub drain. I cut away the drywall to figure out where the leak was coming from and determined it is coming from two places. Where the drain meets the gasket due to an incorrect / not aligned drain line with the bottom of the tub, but the main leak which is causing slight flooding is from where the T meets the concrete. The water is coming from the bottom of the T, and because it is right up against the concrete I really don't have any pipe to cut away and replace. I'm thinking I need to remove bathtub, break away some concrete, and complete redo the plumbing. Any advice? Picture is attached.


texts: Identification of unique DIY floating shelf bracket

texts:
I'm trying to recreate these shelves. Does anyone know what these steel brackets are called? Or have any ideas how to do this in a different way?

https://stillfried.com/products/das-kleine-b-b-87


texts: Replacing recessed medicine cabinet, uneven frame?

texts:
I'm replacing a recessed medicine cabinet, which is slightly taller than the previous one and does not fit into the existing hole. I need to reduce the height of the existing frame by a quarter inch (at its largest, hole isn't perfectly even).

What tool(s) should I use to do this? Is the safest thing to just sand the bottom?


texts: Do attic vents or rafter baffles need to be as wide as the rafter bay?

texts: What happens if the attic vents or rafter baffles don't cover the entire opening between the rafters and one or two inches of wood is left exposed?


texts: Is "unstructural plywood" suitable for shelving carrying a microwave oven?

texts:
I want to put up a shelf for a microwave, which I guess weighs around 10 kg.

In the UK plywood is marketed as either "structural" or "unstructural".  Is "unstructural" a good choice for this application, or should I use structural plywood?

The microwave is I'd say typical microwave size in the UK: about 48 cm side by 36 cm deep.  The shelf will be the size of the microwave.  I'm guessing I'd use 18 mm thick ply, but I imagine that might depend on the type of ply.

The shelf will be supported by two metal brackets (which have bracing struts that form a triangle).  The brackets will be positioned at or within a cm or two from the location of the feet on which the microwave stands, so as to minimize the bending moment on the shelf.


texts: What size of posts do I need for an 8' by 10' woodshed?

texts: I need to build a simple fire wood storage shed with roof, size of shed 8 x 10 ft.. I will use some concrete blocks for footing, and 2x8 for framing. My question is what size of posts I should consider for such shed, 4x4 or 6x6?


texts: How can I use a 120v generator to power both legs of my electrical panel?

texts:
I was recently gifted a Champion brand, 3550 watt, 120 v generator.  I had intended on hooking it up to my electrical panel via generator plug inlet box and interlock kit, but after doing some research I've come to realize I've got a complex problem.
In theory, I could rig something up to jumper the single hot into two separate hots and power both legs of my panel.  But, I have several MWBCs in my house, and my understanding is that would create a situation where I am overloading the shared neutral because the generator is only producing a single phase of 120v power.  Is this correct?
What are my options, other than trying to exchange or sell for a 240 v generator?
Thanks!


texts: How to respond when something floods inside home

texts: The dishwasher flooded and I didn't know what to do. I guess the first step in dealing with a flood is cutting off the source of water, right? I opened up the dishwasher door which caused it to shut off the water. How do you clean up the water? We didn't have many tools handy, we had a small mop which was insufficient but found using the dust broom to sweep the water out of the house worked alright, though now the water carried with it a bunch of garbage which collected at our door step. Are there any tools that are worthwhile to buy encase of a flood like this?


texts: What is the fire resistance on a corrugated iron wall?

texts:
I have a timber stud frame extension with external corrugated iron cladding.  Can anyone give me any information about the fire resistance?  The construction is :
- Corrugated iron (pe-painted about 1mm thick -)
- battens
- building paper
- OSB (weather-proof chip board)
- 150mm timber frame with Celotex insulation between stud work.
- vapour barrier
- 2 sheets of 12.5mm fire retardant plaster board
Thanks
Stephen


texts: Frigidaire Refrigerator water dispenser water flow too strong

texts: Frigidaire Refrigerator model FRS6LR5EM8 water dispenser water flow too strong! most online items refer to low or no water pleasure. I am not sure if replacing the water inlet valve will correct this issue.


texts:
I'm building a simple, inexpensive workbench for my basement. The legs and underpinnings are in, and the plywood portion of the tabletop is on. I've got three 1X12s of whitewood that I need to secure to the plywood so it won't have bouncy "pockets" between the boards and the ply. My question is: screws, glue, bolts, some combination? The ply is 19/32", so screws won't have much to grab, but it might be enough.

Any thoughts?


texts: How to clean oxidized stainless steel Espresso maker?

texts: I left my Bialetti coffee maker too long on my inductive stove. It got red hot for a moment and has now a nicely oxidized base. Is it possible or advisable to clean it so that it looks new?


texts: Why do space heaters make the air smell like that?

texts:
My parents live in a country house and they've got a bunch of space heaters of various designs. Some of them are:

Heating coil and a fan (hot air blower)
Oil-filled battery
Flat electric battery (no liquids inside)
Infrared lamp

Only the infrared type doesn't make the air smell weird (or at least not as much as the other types). Others noticeably make the air smell like it's burnt or something. And they're all not new, so they've had enough time to work through whatever extra factory residue was on them originally.

I've spent some time enjoying the heat from campfires, fireplaces, hot evening breezes near large bodies of water, and a nervous couple minutes near a clearly faulty heater which was about to short out and give off a thick cloud of smoke. Those are all smells distinctly different from that.

Why are (properly functioning) heaters making the air smell weird? What's in that smell?


texts: What material to use to close a too wide wire tunnel?

texts:
During the cold days I noticed a little draft coming from the light switch next to my house door. Removing the switch revealed that the tunnel for the cables was widened to fit the cables for the electric strike control right next to it. The hole measures about 1/2" in diameter.

Is there a preferred way of closing this? By default I would either use the silicone caulk I have still around or get some expanding foam. As I am no electrician I do not know how accessible one should keep those wires. (Silicone caulk would be easier to remove as foam as far as my experience goes.)

Here's a picture


texts: Unfasten unfamiliar springs that fix an old mirror to its frame

texts:
I have obtained an old mirror that needs restoration. Its design suggests to me it may be from the 1950s and there is a French-language label on the back side, so maybe its provenance is French as well. (It is almost certainly European.) There are four metals springs at the back corners that fix the mirror (its wooden back side) into the metal frame.

I am wondering this: How can I remove (or unfasten those springs) in such a way that I can temporarily remove the mirror from its frame, clean the (rusty) springs, and put everything back together again? For instance, are such springs kept in their fixation holes also by spring forces and could I pull them out there without damaging the hole?


texts: What is this plastic tubing and why would water be dripping from it?

texts:
I heard dripping in my furnace room and found this thin plastic tubing coming from under the overhead insulation.
It is dripping slowly but steadily, and appears to be clean water, I.E. No smell or discoloration.
Thoughts, Before I go tearing it apart?


texts: I recently bought a house in norwood, oh and I was adding a new light fixture. Upon cutting a hole to fish the wires thru, I stumbled upon a circular metal piece that is covering about 45% of a stud. I was wondering if anyone could shed some light on this object. the house was built in the 1940's, and the plaster was/is in bad shape. I can email a picture. but cant upload it to computer.


texts: how should i wire up this 2-way z-wave switch?

texts:
I want to replace the 2-way switch on the left with a z-wave dimmer switch.

Currently this box has a 2-way Dimmer on the left, and a 3-way switch on the right.  As noted, all of the neutrals(marked W and are White) are currently wired together in a single bundle.

When I replace the 2-way dimmer, which uses a neutral, what is the correct way to wire up the neutrals?

Thanks for any help!


texts: How to fix a toilet that flushes too hard?

texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  How do I make our toilet flush less vigorously?

When I flush my toilet, the pressure is such that it actually splashes up quite a bit.  (It's kinda gross.)

How do I fix this?


texts: Removing a Schlage door knob with stripped screw heads

texts:
I made the mistake of trying to remove a Schlage lockset with a regular screw driver too many times.  (The knob makes it impossible for an ordinary driver to seat properly on the Phillips screw head.  So every time I touch it, the screw heads get worse.)  Now I've stripped both screws.

I installed the door knob in the main entry two years ago, and it gets a lot of use.  I originally attached the screws with threadlock because I was so fed up with re-tightening them every few months.  I was expecting them to be a bit stiff.  But since I was the one who put the thing together, I thought I could just carefully back it out.  It got it off once, but not any more.

So I wised up (a bit) and bought a $3 offset screwdriver, but the screw heads are too worn.  The offset driver just slips out of the heads no matter how tight I grip it, and I've cut both hands trying to hold it steady.

I tried setting up a screw extractor, but the knob prevents me from drilling through the center of the screw.  I also tried tapping the handle-end of a flat head screwdriver, with the flat head tip placed on the axis, to try and get some counterclockwise rotation, but the threadlock seems to prevent any movement.

Unfortunately I may have to completely destroy the lockset to get the thing off, which seems like a complete waste, but I'm running out of ideas.  Is there anything else I can do that might remove it, without losing any more blood?


texts: Mobile welding - need a specific generator?

texts: Do welding units, such as a Multimatic 220 AC/DC (PDF spec sheet), need a specific generator to power it? For example, does that unit require the Miller Bobcat 260 (PDF spec sheet)? Or can cheaper generators be used?


texts: is there maximum of live wires allowed in one conduit

texts:
I have a light switch panel that has multiple switches to control different lights for a big area. The panel is located not in the most comfortable place, therefore I am planning to move 6 switches to different location around 5 meters away from original panel.

My plan is to use 3/4" EMT to put all the wire inside.
I would use the same 12AWG wire as it is in the original panel.
EMT will be connected to 6 metal cases with the switches I'm going to move.
EMT conduit will be connected to the ground bar in the breaker box (it is next to the original panel)

In the end there will be 6 live wires going towards the new switches and 6 back to the original panel from where wires are distributed in the walls of the building. Light fixtures are all LED with maximum of 150w load per switch.

My question is, is there any safety concern? For example can that many wires in one place overheat or create dangerous magnetic fields, or conduit grounding is not enough?

Thank you in advance for all the answers :)


texts: Kitchen BackSplash - Truing Up Walls for TIle

texts:
Aspiring contractor and DIY'er here. So I'm learning a lot along my journey and trying to soak in as much knowledge as I can. Live and learn!

So I'm working on a kitchen that has some fairly wavy walls, and trying to set myself up for success on some old framing. I've decided not to tile all the way to the ceiling, but would like to throw in a wrap around (3 wall ~ 30" high) subway tile backsplash on these walls. My back wall needs some amended electrical work and there's a large bow in the middle preventing a flush scribe for my counter tops so I plan to rip out the sheet rock the span/height of the tile only and truing up the studs for a flat substrate on this bowed out wall.

The thing is, these other two walls run into a window and door jamb and only have mild fluctuations say maybe 1/4" or less over the span of the wall, so I'd like to entertain building out the wall or filling in gaps before tiling. Only thing is, I can't seem to find any definitive resources on floating mortar/adhesive out there, seems to be a old school/"feel" skill. But I'm curious as to what my options might be, and have a few questions for the pros, if you'd all be so kind. For reference, this is subway tile going over primed w/paint sheetrock:

1) I absolutely know that the proper and ultimately easier way to tackle this is to completely plumb/level the framing, which will be done on one wall, but the other two are simply not an option. Given that these waves/variances in the wall range from about 1/4" (MAX) and below, I'd like to try and build out the wall with some type of compound in these spots. Does it make more sense to build out the wall in certain areas, and then tile adhesive over that? Or is it simply enough to go fat on the tile adhesive and fill things in as I go, back buttering and spot tiling?

My plan ultimately with these wavy walls is to make a grid with marks both up and down before hand, so as to have many visualized areas for low spots and dips that could use some filling in. I've heard of various compounds to build out the wall, but would also require a more glue-ish mastic type of tile adhesive. What do you all think? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Much thanks in advance.


texts: I have a passive UHF antenna, with a 1:2 splitter close to it, short run for tv1 is about 5 meters, long run for tv2 is about 15. I have 4 digital channels on my grid, and tv2 does not receive enough signal on one of them. Question is can it be improved with an inline amp(passive)?


texts: How do I change a bulb from my recessed lighting fixture?

texts:
A light bulb went out in my storage room and to my surprise its socket and peripheral looks quite complex and all bolted into one piece, meaning I couldn't find screws which I can loose to open it.

Anyway it looks like the pictures below.

Can anyone tell me how I can open this thing and change the bulb inside?

Update: I changed the bulb, it is as easy as, changing a bulb. :)

Thanks to all answers and comments, you guys are awesome!


texts: Schlage passage lockset, unable to remove either handle

texts:
I have what I believe is a Schlage passage lock-set that I am unable to uninstall.
I tried the sharp pin in the hole trick (actually I used a small drift pin). I am attaching pictures. Please notice there are 2 holes in each lever. I applied the drift pin to all 4 holes, even while turning the handle. Nothing works.
I called the Schlage company and spoke to a friendly and polite man. I sent him pictures of the lock and he replied with a totally useless canned installation instruction (So much for the manufacturer being the expert).
Any ideas on  how to remove this doorknob would be apriciated. (If not my next trick will be a Sawzall).
[![Inside view<img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/hkp23.jpg" alt="
" />.


texts: Should I seal this floor or should I just put down vapor barrier before tiling?

texts:
I had some water compromise a vanity, leading to its removal. There was a void in the floor where it was originally tiled around, so the entire floor will be retiled.

Upon demolition, I noticed some mold under the old vapor barrier. Having some kilz remaining from another job, I’m considering sealing the floor before putting down the first layer. Is this a good idea or a bad one?

I have already thoroughly sprayed the floor and mold with bleach to kill it.

Pictures for reference, the white area was sealed when I removed the vanity...


texts: What to do about subfloor covering sole plates?

texts: My basement already has framing and insulation around the outside walls, along with a few outlets in them. If I were to do 3/4" OSB over 1" XPS for a subfloor the sole plates of those outer walls would be completely covered. Would there be any way to make this configuration work short of tearing out and rebuilding the outside walls?


texts: How to best to install vinyl floor around the base of banister?

texts:
I am planning to install a vinyl floor in a large portion of the main floor of my home. What baffles me is how to best install the vinyl when it covers the floor around the large banisters going upstairs. Currently, the tired and damaged wood floor goes right up against the wood banister. I understand that vinyl floor requires an expansion gap.

Should I under cut and slide the vinyl under?
Should I leave an expansion gap and use quarter round?
Should I use several small and precisely cut shoe molding?

Design notes:

Honey oak banister will be painted white
Carpet will be installed on the stairs


texts: Mineral spirits not drying out of hardwood floor before finishing

texts:
I just finished sanding and cleaning up the floors in my living room and dining room and the last step I did was to clean the whole floor with mineral spirits before applying the polyurethane.  I realized as I was using the mineral spirits that I accidentally bought the biodegradeable kind that is white in appearance.  It has been about 12 hours and most of the floor has dried out, but there are still patches where the mineral spirits is still leaving the wood looking wet.

Has any one else encountered this?  Can I apply the polyurethane now even though there are some spots where it hasn't completely dried yet?  Is this because it is the white biodegradable kind?

Any insights would be appreciated!


texts: How to make a ~90 mm diameter 50 cm forearm roller as cheaply as possible?

texts:
I want to make a 90±5mm diameter forearm roller.
It is a cylinder about 50 cm long. If it is a heavy material on its own, ideal. If it is not a heavy material, it must be possible to attach a string to its middle so that weights can be hung on the string and the string can be rolled up by turning the rod.
I want to make this for as cheap as possible. I already explored using plastic duct piping (downpipe) for a smaller size, 68mm, and it was pretty cheap, £4.70 for 2.5m of it which I sawed down to size and drilled a hole through. I bet cheaper options might have existed.
I can't find cheap 90mm straight pipes online, so looking for help or other options.


texts: How can I connect a N6-30 plug from a L14-30 receptacle?

texts: I want to connect a water heater to my generator. The generator has a NEMA L14-30 receptacle but the heater has a N6-30 plug. Is there an extension cord available for this?


texts:
I have a Rinnai RL94 tankless water heater. Today something went wrong and now I have no more hot water.

The machine is not showing any kind of error code like it has in the past when things went wrong, it's still on and (from appearances) seems to be working correctly.  I have gas (gas stove works), and I have (cold) water.

What could be causing my lack of hot water?


texts: Protecting multiple outlets with one GFCI; is it possible with this wiring scheme?

texts: I have a family-room circuit with 5 outlets and a one-year-old who thinks it's funny to try to stick things in them. So I thought it would be a good idea to add GFCI protection (and tamper resistance). I know that in theory you only need one GFCI box to protect the whole circuit, the trick is to determine which receptacle is farthest upstream and replace that one, making sure you get line vs. load correct. So my plan was this: take all five boxes out of the wall, disconnect and separate the wires, flip the breaker back on, and walk around with my non-contact voltage tester looking to see which black wire still has voltage on it, implying it is the most upstream. Well, it turned out that when I did this, every single black wire at every single outlet still had voltage. I'm sure this wasn't a false positive because none of the white wires triggered the tester. I take this to mean that there is one main wire that circles the perimeter beneath the floor, and right below each outlet there must be a junction box with a separate wire going up to the receptacle. Is my reasoning correct, both regarding how to find the first receptacle and what it means that the technique didn't work? If so, does it imply that I can't protect this circuit by replacing a single receptacle, and would need to either install a new outlet farther upstream or use a GFCI breaker instead?


texts: Is it possible that work done to the basement slab can affect ground water flow to the sump pit? We recently had a toilet moved in our basement and since then our sump pit has been bone dry. The house was built in 2013 and we have lived here for two years. The reason I am concerned is that we live at the bottom of a hill and our pit usually has a constant flow (outside of winter time) of water and the pump runs every 4-8 minutes depending on rain and what not. Our neighbors along the base of the hill all have discharge from their outlets. Is this something I should be concerned with or are there other factors at play?


texts:
In my home the dryer vent is set up to vent out into an enclosed back porch. The problem is that all sorts of lint (and heat) get pumped out into that enclosed area and makes a mess.

Directly above the dryer there is a ventilation pipe that goes to the roof (also connected to the vent in the bathroom) that I could easily re-route the dryer vent into.

A couple of questions about this:

Is it a generally accepted practice to vent a dryer up through the roof, or does a dryer vent have to generally be at a level or downward slope?
Is it okay to use the same vent line as the bathroom or am I asking for trouble?
Is there a recommend maximum distance for venting a dryer that I am going to exceed going from the first floor of a home to the roof?


texts:
Any idea how to remove the plug encircled below in this picture? This plug is connected to a wire that goes through the ceiling.
Basically I've already taken the screws mounted to the lamp and now the lamp is hanging to the ceiling. I don't wanna break anything and I am stuck on what to do next.
The model is an Omni LWCL-20WDL circular lamp.


texts: Can I use a same brush for primer and paint

texts: I have a question. Should I use different brushes for primer and paint? Or, is it ok to use a same brush? I tried to find the answer on the Internet but couldn't ....


texts: How should I finish and protect outdoor wooden steps?

texts:
My house has a wooden staircase leading up to the front door.  It gets a lot of traffic and is uncovered, so its exposed to New England winters.  This means snow, ice, ice-melt, sand, shoveling, etc..  Not to mention sun in the summer time.  The previous owners had stained them, but thats pretty much worn away (was that way when I bought the place).

What is the best way to finish and protect them?


texts: Is insulating the back of a PTAC unit for winter a good idea?

texts:
The winter heat in my apartment is supplied by old PTAC (Packaged Terminal Air Conditioner) units, using resistance heat (it's too cold for the heat pump to work). A lot of cold outside air leaks through the insides of these units. I was wondering whether putting insulation on the exterior side of each PTAC unit, so that the whole unit is completely insulated from the outside, is a good idea.

Obviously, I'd remove that rear insulation when the cooling function is needed in the summer.

My goal is to reduce heating bills.

EDIT (additional information):

Manufacturer: Islandaire
Model: EZ09HBRSC1A1XXY

I've tried to find the manual online but I couldn't (probably the model is too old), here's the closest I could find:
https://islandaire.com/pdf/units/EZSeries42manual.pdf


texts: Can I connect a second keyless light fixture and control both from one pull-chain?

texts: I have an existing light with power from a junction box operated by a pull chain. Can I add a new light and have it operated by the existing pull chain. Would like to have both lights turn on at the same time.


texts:
So noticed my floor is unlevel in a new construction house. It is only sinking at the 2x4. Is in lake county Indiana.

I look in the basement and see at the subfloor seam it did not hit the joist so they nailed an extra 2x4 in.  Is this against code? How should it be fixed?


texts: Are the connections in the pictures below an attempt at stealing power for another apartment

texts: I need help indentifying if the connections here are stealing power from one apt. for use in another.suspect


texts: How to remove tight screws from wall plug?

texts:
I have concrete wall (plastered), 8 mm holes, plastic wall plugs, intact Philips head screws, and a bracket outside.
Accidentally I screwed the screws too tight. They stuck at one point, and won't loosen with the same force. I cannot apply enough force with Philips screwdrivers.
Not even with a ratchet wrench (because the head simply pushes the bit backward when turning, and it slips out).
Can not use pliers to pull the screw because I can not prop the tool against the wall (can only prop it against the bracket, which is on top).
I tried to use a wedge under the bracket, to strain the bracket and the screws outward. So far, the plaster on the wall would break and collapse.
I can grab the higher screw with pliers but can not even grab the lower screw, both screws are stuck.
Can anyone provide some advice?


texts: Mitigating an out of plumb foundation wall

texts:
My wife and I bought a house (built in 1985, Atlanta GA suburbs) with a fully finished basement that recently had a hot water heater leak that ruined the laminate floor.  This disaster actually was helpful because after pulling up the floor, we had several days of rain which revealed some water infiltration through the block wall that we wouldn't have seen if the flooring hadn't been removed.  We have been in touch with a basement waterproofing company and are working with them on that issue.

The previous owner had mentioned that she had an insurance claim due to freezing pipes that flooded the basement.  She also mentioned that the insurance company's contractor had installed some steel beams behind two of the walls.  None of this could be seen however, since the basement was fully finished.  Now that the floor and baseboard is gone, I was curious so I cut open a stud cavity to a height of about 4 feet and had a look.  There are indeed steel posts (4"square) as you can see in this picture:

The posts are 8 ft or so apart and you can see in the image that pressure treated 2x4 material has been cut and positioned as shimming between the presumably plumb post and the out of plumb concrete block wall.  This post has a shim that starts out about 1-1/2" thick and tapers down to 1/8" (guess) which over the 8ft of the wall works out to about a 0.8 degree angle.

The posts are bolted into the slab and the block wall via welded L brackets.  I suspect that they tie into the framing above as well but I could not see that far.

My question is whether or not this is a common method of mitigating a leaning foundation wall and if not, what can be done to correct the problem.


texts: Mysterious 40v multimeter reading on AC appliance chassis (US 120v)

texts:
I'm an electronics guy but my specialty is DC stuff, I know very little about AC wiring, so forgive my naivete...

I have an old 16mm slide projector I found in my grandparents house. The original AC cable was all frayed, so I opened it up and spliced in the new one, capping and taping everything and being very careful to make sure that there were no internal exposed wires that might contact the chassis. The only components inside are the projector bulb and an AC motor, and of course the switch.

There was no ground wire initially (and I replaced it with nonground two-conductor line). When I turn on the unit, I could touch it just fine (i know, i know, should always have had it grounded first), but when I double checked with my multimeter sticking one probe into either AC outlet side (hot or neutral) and touching the chassis or switch with the other probe, I'm getting a consistent voltage of about 20-40 AC and DC (don't have an oscilloscope to differentiate).  Never felt a shock, and haven't tried checking the amperage yet (as I don't know how to check it in series...unless I do the same way?) Anyhow, wondering if anyone can comment on what this spurious voltage is, why it didn't shock and kill me, and how to make this thing absolutely safe...

Thanks all!


texts: I have mocked up a bathroom remodel waste line. It is the white pvc in the image. The toilet is 93" away from the stack and is the most downstream fixture. I think I did everything right but I'm still not sure that I don't need to include another vent. Would someone kindly give me a second opinion?


texts:
Last fall, I noticed my first floor kitchen had a leak that dripped down through the lighting fixture. This happened during a pretty strong rainfall. There is a bathroom above it but it had not been used in a few days. This then happened two more times, both again during rainstorms. No leaks all winter.

I want to get it looked at before it happens again. Should I call a roofer or a plumber?


texts:
Last night after I took a shower, I heard water still running and I saw that it was leaking from the bottom of the heater. I shut off the hot water and it still wouldn't stop, so I turned the water off for the whole house.

What should I do now?


texts: Looking for advice on sprinkler system anti-siphon valve placement

texts:
I'm looking to install my own sprinkler system in my backyard and I'd love some advice. Here is a picture of what I'm trying to do, a picture of a water valve (to be replaced by a T and a shut off valve) attached to my basement (house sits above this 8 ft) that would connect to a zoned controlled system: https://imgur.com/a/IUP4uZt

I'm planning on having 4 in-line zones powered by a Battery-Operated Controller in an irrigation box. 1 zone is flat with the space. 2 zones will have to make a journey 8 ft straight up to get to the side yards which are higher on the hill. The last zone goes into the backyard over 100ft, but 30 ft down various terraced areas.

Where would I need to put anti-siphon valves, if at all? Could I get away with a regular anti-siphon valve instead or would the pressure mess it up? Seems like the latter is true since I have water going above the source. Or do I need fancier vacuum breakers? Any tips about this setup? It will be mostly PVC and breakout to Drip to water garden, trees, flowers.

EDIT: Here is a layout of the zones https://imgur.com/a/tShK8lw


texts: Lights are flickering on and off after accidentally bumping into light switch

texts: During the night, I accidentally bumped into my light switch, jamming it in towards itself. Now, the lights in my room will sometimes flicker on and off very quickly when after turning on the lights. My mother, who has no experience with electrical work, wants to unscrew the light switch cover and see what's going wrong. Is this safe? I'm suggesting that we call an electrician, but she wants to inspect it herself first.


texts: How can I patch 1"- 2" gaps between coved plaster ceilings and new sheetrock walls?

texts:
We had to replace some old lath/plaster walls with new sheetrock.  We left the coved portion of the plastered ceiling in place, but where the sheetrock meets the coved ceiling there is a 1" - 2" gap (we left the lath in place in this gap). We have read that using a fiberglass product for these gaps is not recommended (cracks can easily develop).  Paper tape is not wide enough.  How do we properly repair these gaps?

Disclaimer:  We aren't professionals...but want to do a good job.


texts: How can I widen a wall to match the width of the beam it supports?

texts: My steel beams are 4-1/4” wide. If I run my framing under the beam with 2x4 framing, I’ll end up with a 3/4 overhang on one side of the wall. How do I make up this gap? Just use furring strips or is there another method?


texts:
I am in energy Zone 4 and have a stick frame home on an EPS ICF foundation built in 2007. The rim board is currently just insulated with batting and it is a little drafty and I a little worried that there is no moisture barrier between the basement air and the rim board (basement air-fiberglass bat-rim board-Tyvek). I am considering putting in 2" of spray foam to seal the rim board. However, my reading indicates that unless the outside sheathing is properly sealed to the foundation this can create more problems than it solves. In my case, there is no seal (no tape, no caulk) where the sheathing meets the ICF. The builder seems to have just run the Tyvek down below grade over the ICF moisture barrier. So there are two questions:

Should one seal sheathing to ICF from the outside?
How? There are plenty of videos of people effortlessly sealing sheathing to concrete walls, but I have not seen any of people sealing sheathing to EPS ICF. What products do you use?


texts: Do plugged in chargers always use up energy?

texts: I always make sure that all chargers with no device attached (mostly laptop and phone chargers) are unplugged so that they don't use up electricity. I guess it used to be a reasonable approach. I was wondering if it sill holds with modern devices. In other words: do plugged in chargers use up electricity even without any device attached?