texts: Can gas company determine that the gas was shut off at the meter (without sending to inspect)?

texts: For example, let’s say the homeowner thought they smelt a gas leak inside the home, so the homeowner shuts off the gas at the meter. Would the gas company have a way to know that the gas was shut off at the meter and possibly send someone to inspect?


texts: Is it safe to mix LEDs and incandescents in a chandelier?

texts:
I've been having an issue for a while now where my chandelier light fixture installed with six Cree 60W LED replacement bulbs flickers when I raise my traditional dimmer to max brightness.  As I understand it, the reason for this flickering is because the Cree bulbs can not handle the high current induced by the dimmer. My budget is pretty small right now and I would like to avoid buying $25 led dimmers (since I have several fixtures with traditional dimmers that would need replacing).

So, one possible solution I was thinking of was to simply use one or two incandescent light bulbs in place of the LEDs to increase the resistance of the circuit and hopefully end the flickering issue.  My only concern with doing this is whether it will damage the LED bulbs in any serious way (I'm okay with any funny colors that may result).

Thanks.


texts: How do I stop an LED Troffer flickering problem?

texts: I am replacing 30 fluorescent troffer fixtures in my building with LED fixtures: Lithonia Lighting GTL Series Recessed Troffer LED. These fixtures have led strips, no bulbs. Using a standard switch, no dimmers. Dedicated breaker, no other devices in circuit. Wiring lights in series. Testing after each light added. First light test works normally. Added second light, still normal. After adding third light, all three lights flash on and off randomly, every 5 to 10 seconds. After adding fourth, fifth  and sixth lights, all lights flash on and off randomly, but at a faster rate, every 2 to 4 seconds.


texts: Ceiling fan wiring w/ 3 black, 3 white, 1 red, and 2 bare copper wires

texts:
I’m trying to wire a new ceiling fan in a house built in the 1920s.

From the ceiling there are:
3 black wires
3 white wires
1 red wire
2 bare copper wires

From the fixture there are:
1 black wire
1 white wire
1 blue wire
1 green/yellow wire

There is also a green/yellow wire from the mounting bracket. Any help would be appreciated.


texts: Septic tank pumped 6 months ago, filter cleaned 2 weeks ago, toilet backing up again. Plumbing or septic problem?

texts: I have a septic tank that was pumped out 6 months ago.  The toilets started backing up and one was leaking from the base.  I had plumber out, they snaked line to septic tank but said the tank needed to be pumped.  Septic company looked at it, said it did not that, contents were clean water, that filter was just clogged.  They cleaned filter, snaked line again.  Two weeks later the toilet is backing up again and only drains slowly or possibly with help from plunger.  Is this a septic problem or a plumbing problem?  What is the next step to trying to fix it?


texts: Should an irrigation manifold/valve box be situated in the yard (centipede) or landscaping (pine straw)?

texts:
In fixing a broken irrigation system, the manifold and all valves have been disconnected and will be relocated in at least some way. The previous setup used round access portals and was neglected for years. At least one of the portals was less than one foot away from the root-center of a bush. All of the portals were located in poorly-maintained pine-straw-based landscaping, and one of the portals was completely covered over with dirt, grass over the dirt, and pine straw over the grass, such that it wasn't discovered until a larger excavation was in process to look for a completely separate component.

In the interest of improving an already-being-repaired system, there is consideration to replace the three round access portals with a single rectangular access box. This box would be near the previous location, but could be in the pine straw, or be moved to the centipede-based lawn. If moved into the lawn, it could be anywhere from one to five feet from the landscape edging, although there is a driveway at a distance of eight feet from the likely point where the edging will be. (Edging also up for potential shifting one way or the other.)

In the interest of following best practices (via the only link found this far in the subject, which is unclear on this particular point), should the box be in the pine-straw-based landscaping, or in the centipede-grass lawn? (If there are notable pros or cons to either, please share for the sake of us unfamiliar with this subject...)


texts: Filling in holes in a wooden porch frame made by bees

texts:
I have a question on filling in holes on the post of my sunroom.
left image: sunroom and a hole on the red box.
right image: a hole (on the red box).
The hole is about a half depth of the post.
Would you mind letting me know how to fill out the hole?
There are some holes which were made by bees. Maybe, carpenter bees.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks.


texts: awkward driveway curve has cars nearly colliding with house, how to mitigate?

texts:
Bellow is an arial photo and a road-side photo of my new house.

As you can see the driveway is an awkward curve especially when backing out of the car port to the side of the garage - you have to do a slight "double S curve" to avoid the house and a parked car/truck. Worse yet, it come dangerously close to the house! [more info about the vehicle and parking at the end of this post]

I'm sure that after a few weeks of practice it will become second nature to navigate it in reverse, but for guests and for those rough mornings without coffee, I'm worried that a car could graze the edge of the house and cause damage to the car and the house.

So I'm wondering what my options are. What would you do? Thanks!

[edit] here's some more info for those interested: I drive a truck and the lady drives a car. She will park in the car port as shown, and I will park my truck in the driveway. The outbuilding is actually a workshop with a wooden floor and cellar underneath it, not a garage, so no parking in there. The car is a compact Toyota, the "truck" is not a truck at all but a Jeep Cherokee so not too large either (I only wrote truck because that's whats parked there now but I'm selling it soon. It's a short bed full-size '83 chevy)


texts: Is caulk sufficient to seal around my new bathtub?

texts:
I installed a new tub which does not have a flange.

Before I put up Duraboard what product, if any, should be used to seal the space outside of the tub's edge (garden/jacuzzi type of bathtub edge). The tub is set on the floor and has 2X4's used for leveling under its edges (alcove type of install).

Once Duraboard is put up there will be open space past the tub's edge.

After tile is put up then only the line of caulk would be preventing water from getting inside the wall.
Is caulk enough, or what other sealant should I apply to close that gap?


texts: Protecting engineered hardwood from water

texts:
My wife and I are in the midst of attempting to install engineered hardwood in our home, for better or worse.  We are floating it on QuietWalk underlayment.  It is the click/lock kind with about a 2mm wear layer.  Some water was spilled, and was cleaned up immediately, but some evidently penetrated a board and the veneer started peeling/wrinkling.  Are there any products that can be used in the board seams to help prevent water seeping down the cracks?  Or any other protective products to help prevent water damage on engineered hardwood?

Strangely enough (for me at least), other pieces (scraps) were left out on our porch and got rained on a lot.  These pieces still look fine.


texts: What could cause dripping noises when I turn on my central heating?

texts: When I put my central heating on and I sit in my living room there sounds to be something dripping coming from my ceiling.  The drip sound can be slow then speed up a little, then it stops only to start again.  I cannot see any evidence of water on my ceiling but the noise of the drip worries me therefore I turn my heating off and the drip stops.  Is this something to worry about?  Can it be easily fixed as I would like to get rid of the drip sound?


texts: Is this an s-trap and can I vent it in the cabinet?

texts:
I created the attached trap for my bath vanity. the extra inverted U was necessary to avoid an obstacle.

it seems it is still an S trap. Can I make a small hole on the top and add a pipe, effectively venting it?


texts: Is it possible to transmit a decoder's UI over Wifi instead of using an HDMI cable?

texts:
I have a problem that I don't really know how to solve (I mean, I know how to solve it in an ugly way but I'd prefer a cool one :))

Premise: I'm using Unitymedia, a German Internet, TV and phone (the last two over internet) provider. They sent me the Horizon HD[1], a big box which does everything. Data connection is made over a cable, specifically this[2] one.

I only have one internet plug, which is downstairs. For space reasons, I want to have the TV upstairs. But this means that:

I have to buy a 20mt data cable, for connecting the plug to the Horizon HD which will be upstairs. (Ugly solution)
I have to...what? :-)

I was thinking about connecting the data plug to the Horizon HD downstairs and then plug into the decoder an HDMI-WiFi (like a miracast or something similar) stick. Do you think it is possible to transmit the decoder UI over WiFi? Or am I forced to connect the HDMI cable to the TV?
sub-problem: how can I change channels if the TV is upstairs and the decoder downstairs? :-(
I connect the data plug downstairs to a small WiFi router, then I'd connect the Horizon HD to this WiFi router. Again, do you think it is possible?
please, tell me what you would do :-)

[1] https://i.ytimg.com/vi/_08_I38TOu8/maxresdefault.jpg

[2] http://www.antennenland.net/bilder/produkte/gross/Horizon-Kabel-Cabelcon-10m.jpg


texts:
My upstairs bathroom has a bathtub with no light over it, worse yet, we use a privacy curtain diminishing the light even further. This is a pain, especially when shaving and is generally unpleasant.

What kind of lights can I install, and can a light be placed over a bathtub for illumination?

I was considering also considering installing a bathroom fan, and I'm aware that some of them have lights on them, but everyone I've talked to about this has said that the fan should not be placed directly over the tub (I suppose due to winter drafts?).

What's the best way to light the tub, and what specs should I look for either in lighting or in a humidity extractor?

Bathtub picture with curtain:


texts: New ecobee3 lite, have heat but no cool option

texts:
I recently installed a new ecobee3 lite. When I completed the setup process, I found that there was no option to enable cooling. My original setup had both heat and cool options. I believe the option is missing because I connected the Y wire to C, which is what my schematic suggested. Right now, I have:
R wire -> ecobee Rc and Rh via jumper
W wire -> ecobee W terminal
G wire -> ecobee G terminal
Y wire -> ecobee C terminal
Is there any way I can get the option to enable cool back? There are 2 extra unused wires that run from the thermostat to the HVAC system in the below diagram. I was thinking about using one of them and connecting it to the BRN wire between the transformer and the left COM port, and wiring the Y wire to the ecobee Y port, would that work?
The photos are my old thermostat, new ecobee, and my HVAC system diagram.
The last picture is the wiring. The top left contains the connections to the thermostat, and the wires running downward on the left are the contractor seen in the system diagram connected to Y.

ecobee wiring


texts: How should an unused knob and tube run be terminated?

texts:
What are the safe and compliant options for terminating an unused knob and tube branch? In this instance, insulation will be applied, so the fixtures and receptacles previously on this circuit have been wired to a completely separate circuit of Romex. This is on a third floor, far away from the panel.
I had an electrician complete this work, but I’m not very confident in the mess of wires he left in the attic. What type of termination should I be looking for in order to feel comfortable proceeding with insulation?
Wires in cavity between roof and 3rd floor ceiling:

A wire nut can be seen in the open air


texts:
I have installed two LED pots in parallel, controlled by SPST switch. The lights are from Amazon (China?), the 14/2 wire and 200a Siemens panel are from Home Depot. The 15a breaker came with the panel.

I wired the lights by pushing the 14/2 wires into the supplied "auto-crimp" connectors.
I wired the switch(es) by adding 6" leads to all four poles. Both grounds were connected to the box and I used a marette to connect the ground from the switch.
Neutral / white was connected with a marette between switch, panel-wire and load-wire.
The panel-hot wire was connected to the bottom pole with a marette, and the load-hot wire was connected to the top pole with a marette.

If I turn the breaker on while the switch is OFF, the breaker immediately trips. If I turn the breaker on while the switch is ON, the lights turn on and everything looks good. As soon as I turn the switch off, the breaker trips. I changed out the switch, and the behaviour is consistent.

I have never seen this sort of behaviour. Where should I start looking?


texts: How to connect sink, dishwasher and washing machine with single water supply?

texts:
I am mounting kitchen and in my new apartment I found this kind of water supply tap. I am not sure how I can connect it with all three sink, dishwasher and washing machine.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks :-)


texts: Where can I download the U.S. NEC at no cost?

texts: Is there a website where I can access the complete and most recently updated version of the United States NEC for free?


texts: Using ceiling hook with no joist or anchor/toggle? Is it ok to do for string lights? What hook to use?

texts:
I've been trying to figure out whether or not it's safe to use regular hooks in the ceiling without a toggle or joist or other reinforcement for lightweight applications. I would imagine there would  only be maybe 3 pounds of force on it. I just don't want to drill big holes in the ceiling.
Everywhere I look it says to hang things from the ceiling you need to have the hook in the joist, or you have to use anchors but it says for around 10 pounds and over. I'm just using them for string lights though. I'd really prefer to have something non-invasive that won't scar the ceiling if I decide to remove them. I was thinking I could just use standard drywall hooks.
Each one needs to support just the weight of 2 or 3 strands or string lights that drape from the wall to the center of the ceiling.
Are there any particular sizes I should look for, threads, or specific types of hooks or whatnot or should any small ceiling hook work?
Everywhere I search, people are trying to use their hooks for heavier applications like big light fixtures, plants, etc. so I wasn't sure if it was ok for small light things. Also I have attached the string lights in question. Little heavier than Christmas lights but not by much.
The entire 100 foot string weighs 12 pounds and will be across 13 hooks.
Link to the lights I am using.


texts: How do I uninstall a receptacle when the wires are stuck?

texts:
I just installed a receptacle in my basement and I realized I need to reinstall it someplace else.  The leads are inserted into the holes behind the receptacle and I can't get them out!

The instructions "push to release" are printed on the back of the receptacle with arrows pointing towards slots next to the holes were the leads go in.  I'm not sure what or how to push here.  I tried inserting the end of a paper clip, which worked once, but almost accidentally.  I can't find anything in that slot that disengages the wire.  Clearly it's something easy that I'm overlooking, but what?

EDIT: Thanks for all the answers.  It took me several days before I got back to this project, but the eyeglass screwdriver was what I had on hand and it worked pretty well.  The key for me was to push in the part of the slot closer to the edge (rather than the interior) of the receptacle.


texts:
I have a Corian countertop that has seen many years of wear and tear.  I'd like to sand and polish it however the instructions that came with the countertop recommend Hope's Countertop Polish as the final step.

My challenge is that it appears that the Hope's products are not available for sale in Canada.  I have checked with all the major home improvement stores around me and it seems that nobody has ever heard of anything for polishing Corian.  Everything they have is either for granite or 'natural stone' only which I don't think will work on a Corian countertop.

Is there something else I can use to polish my countertop?  Ideally something that's available in Canada would be excellent.


texts:
I am in the planning stages of building a new 4300 sqft home for my family. I am working to build out how much it will cost to run all the supply lines for my plumbing (contracting out the drains). The one thing I am not certain is how to estimate the length of 1/2" plex I will be needing. I am planning on using a Manabloc manifold for distribution and have the following plumbing connections

5 Lavatory Sinks
1 Kitchen Sink
1 Washing Machine
1 Laundry Sink
4 Baths (shower or tub)
1 Garage sink

(Cold Only)

3 Toilets
2 Hose Bibs
1 Ice maker

For a grand total of 13 hot connections and 19 cold connections. Mechanics closet is centrally located in the basement so no super long runs from one end of the house to the other.

Any advice on how to estimate my total length needed?


texts: Concerns with installing 4" Dryer Booster Fan into 7" duct

texts:
Our new-to-us home was built in 1850, so there's been a lot of oddball things done to it's guts over time. One of these is the dryer vent duct work that looks to have been installed sometime in the 1970's with an in-duct booster fan that died who-knows-how-long-ago and was alarmingly full of lint when we opened things up recently. The fan was very clearly meant for other kinds of ducting, not dryers. The duct that runs through the house to the outside is 7" in diameter. But of course dryer vents are only 4", so there's a huge adapter (a reducer installed backwards) that extends from the wall to allow the 4" vent to connect to the wall and the 7" duct.

Going forward, here's the question: can we install a 4" dryer duct fan into the 7" duct?  Logically, it seems like it might not function well to use a fan designed for a smaller diameter in a larger duct. It's not a long run of 7" duct; only about 4 feet to the outside of the house, but the weird configuration of the laundry room means more angled duct work from the dryer itself to the wall port before reaching the fan. I don't want to install a product not designed for the purpose (ie using a regular HVAC booster fan instead of one built for a dryer, like was done before) but am having trouble finding anything built for dryers that is anything but 4"!


texts: What are the connectors for black irrigation hose called?

texts: I’m fixing my irrigation and there are some cracks that I need to cut out and reconnect them. I have these connections already but being new to irrigation, I’m not sure what to call them. See the attached images for a zoom in and a zoomed out with red highlight.


texts: Which grade of PVC piping do I need in order to sustain a 1,000Pa vacuum?

texts: I'm rigging a proof of concept DIY machine, in which the internal pressure will need to be at most 1/50th of atmospheric pressure. For a safety margin, I want the machine to withstand 1/100th atmospheric pressure (or about 1,000 pascals). What grade of PVC piping do I need in order to prevent implosion? Or, is PVC piping, not the best suited for the job? I don't have access to a laboratory, so things I can pick up at a store would be ideal. Many thanks.


texts:
Can AWG 6 be used in the middle of a 20a AWG 12 circuit? Would this affect the performance of a 20 Amp Single-Pole CAFCI Circuit Breaker?

I have an existing, never used, buried, 6-3 Romex NM-B W/G wire leading from (but not connected to) a Square D 100 amp load center approx. 100 ft. to an outside structure with an AWG 12 curcuit used for lighting and one GFCI outlet. All of the outside fixtures are water proof.

I would join the AWG 12 on each end to the AWG 12, in a junction box using split bolts?


texts: Correct torque settings for Polaris connectors

texts: I am connecting 6 awg aluminum wires and 10 awg copper wires with a Polaris connector for my new cooktop.  What are the correct torque settings?


texts: Where can I get NM cable clamps for a metal box?

texts:
Doing old work with 12 AWG cable makes finding large enough boxes tricky. I have seen some appealing metal boxes, but I am wiring using NM cable (Romex), which needs cable clamps where it enters a metal box. I can't find these anywhere!

Some metal boxes come with them, but those are generally single-gang boxes of less than 17 cu.in., which is not enough for me. Several different attempts at searching Home Depot and Lowes' sites turned up plenty of conduit clamps (the ones like a strap with a U in it where you screw down the flat part with the conduit under the U), but no, zero, absolutely none of the two-part NM cable clamps with locknut on the inside that I needed. I found a couple huge ones (1-1/2 in, 2 in) from Halex, but none fitting the 1/2-in knockouts that are all I need.

Is there some secret place where all the cool kids buy their workaday electrical supplies that I should know about? Some magic name that I need to use to look it up? I just need bog-standard utilitarian cable clamps, not 200 options for decorator cover plates, but the latter is what the Web seems to want to sell me.

Alternatively, is there some other legit way I could protect NM cable entering a metal box that would avoid the need for this amazingly hard-to-find part?


texts: How to reduce noise from trash chute door closing?

texts:
I live in an apartment and unfortunately I live in a room right next to the trash chute room. I hear this loud clicking noise multiple times a day, including sometimes at night and it's starting to get really annoying. I know this can be solved very easily. But I have no idea how to fix this myself.

I uploaded some images on what the door looks like.

Click any photo for full size


texts: Can I replace the LED in this bathroom light fixture?

texts:
I'm remodeling a bathroom and have a light fixture where one of the 3 lights is dimmer than the others.  After taking off the glass -- I'm seeing the bulb pictured below.  It looks like its secured by 2 screws on either side.

Is this bulb REPLACEABLE or do I need to replace the entire light
fixture?
Does anyone recognize what TYPE of bulb that is?


texts: How should I fix an electric shower pull cord that doesn't work anymore?

texts: The red light on my pull cord electric shower no longer comes on, hence it doesn't work. However, there was a brief period yesterday where it worked suggesting it's an electric fault and can be fixed? There's a great article explaining how electric showers work and if someone could at least point me in the right direction that would be great.


texts: Best method up to code to project an existing electrical outlet to a interior media built in cabinet face 3 1/2" farther out

texts: I am constructing a media built in and due to the framing one of the interior walls of the cabinet will lay across an existing electrical outlet and will be 3-1/2 inches out from the existing wall.  I was wondering what the best method would be to do this to meet code. I am considering installing a new second box (attached to the frame of the built in) outward from the first box that is flush with the existing wall, and using small extension wires and wire nuts to relocate the outlet flush with the interior of the media built in cabinet. Would this meet code? Is there a better or simpler way?


texts: Can I connect the ground pin of the wall socket to neutral?

texts:
I have leaking currents issues in my apartment. There are some appliances in the apartment that don't have a problem with a wall socket that doesn't have a ground; like, TV, mobile charger, laptop charger, water heater, clothes washer, electric oven and router.

But there are other appliances that have a problem and need grounding to get rid of these leaking currents in the apartment which are; the PC rig power supply and my dish washer, but what is the reason of getting electric shock in my apartment ! I don't know.

The dish washer most the time shock me when I touch its internal metal surface, and my PC power supply is under the stress of leaking currents all the time ! Every time I touch the edges of the case I get an electric shock.

I thought the power supply is faulty, and I bought a new one and the same problem ! Then I learned that power supply need the ground but why exactly, I don't know.

======================================================================

Now it come to the configuration of electrical installation in my country. We now in modern cities, have 3-ph, star connection to the main panel of each apartment. Between each phase is 391V and any phase with neutral is 220V.

I think the neutral is also connected to the earth because in the main panel there's a big black wire that's going down with the 3-ph cables too. But I'm not sure if it's really going to a REAL ground of the building.

========================================================================

OK guys I have some new stuff I found inside the apartment :)

Today I did a trick that my colleagues told me to do.

Which is to connect the power strip and measure the voltages between L-GND and N-GND, and the results are interesting !

Without a power strip, that if I connect the DMM to the wall outlet directly then I won't find any voltages between L-GND and N-GND. But when I connect the power strip I find that L-GND gives 103V and N-GND 85V !! Why that ??

There are the photos I took this evening.

I did 2 tests with the DMM. 1 is using only one DMM probe and the other is floating 2 using both DMM probes.

First floating test:

This is live because it gives 23V

This is of course is neutral

Voltage from L-GND and N-GND on the power strip:

This should be L-GND because it's higher voltage of 103V

This is N-GND

This is the power strip from inside:


texts: What could cause a shower to give warm water for a few seconds, then only cold water?

texts:
The house has four bedrooms. The 40 gallon gas water heater is about 60 feet from this
shower. The house is a one story house in flat terrain. I have already changed the mixing faucet for the shower, using a new Moen faucet. It does the same, the problem was not solved. The house has hot water everywhere (kitchen, dishwasher, washer, and in all the fixtures of the other three bathrooms). In the last bathroom (65 feet from the water heater) there is hot water in the sink, but no hot water in the shower. What can cause this problem?

I already have spent a lot of money on several plumbers that just could not make it work.
I desperately need your help, please, any thoughts? If you need more information please request it.

Update: I discover that when the water is running cold from the hot water at the max., if I open the cold water in sink of the same farthest bathroom, the water in the shower start coming warm, for a minute or so then it continues cold. Does this give a hint to diagnosing the problem?


texts: The power is out in both of my bath rooms I checked.The breaker box nothing was  flipped. The lights won't turn on in either bath room an the outlet's don't have power. But I have power in the rest of the house I don't have power to GFCI in the kitchen I opened it up an checked it with the voltage reader I have  there no power to either of the GFCI top set of wires the one in the bath room or the kitchen but I do have power to the bottom set of wires


texts: Concerned About Possible Lead Paint in Basement of Old Home

texts:
We live in a house that is approx 100 years old. I believe we have lead paint in our house on the basement walls (we have not tested is but it is my assumption). There are areas where the paint is cracked & in rough shape due to moisture coming in. Our plan it to seal the basement walls this coming year to eliminate some of the moisture. I would want to try to encapsulate the paint down there when we finish sealing it.

My concern is the damaged paint that is down there in the meantime if it does have lead content. We are never in the basement (it is not finished) but the basement does have our furnace & the heating/central air ducts run along the ceiling into the house. Is this something to be immediately concerned about?  We are not creating any dust since there is zero traffic down there. The basement is shut off from the rest of the house & the access is from a door that is closed & basically in a closet. Thanks for the advice!


texts: how operate ceiling fan with no reverse switch, without remote

texts:
Trying to install a Minka ceiling fan/light (in buddy's condo).   The ceiling box has three-wire circuit (white, black, red) and there are two wall switches connected. But the fan has no reverse switch, so apparently they require you to use it with the remote.   But the receiver for the remote will not fit into the ceiling box (it is a condo building, framed with metal studs, and the box is smaller than fan boxes I'm used to seeing in wood-frame houses).   Does anyone know of a fan wall switch that includes a reverse function ?   I've searched Minka's accessories and I don't believe they sell one.

To clarify: there are 3 wires (plus ground) coming into the fan ceiling box: white, black, red; two wall switches activate the black and red wires.  I need to connect those 3 wires directly to the wires from the fan itself: white (neutral), black (fan power), blue (light power).   But this provides no way to reverse the fan.

Only other options I see are: put remote receiver in the wall switch box (where the two switches are located), which seems dumb; return the fans for ones with reverse switch; only operate the fans in blow-downwards mode; replace the ceiling box (not even sure how that'd be done in a metal-framed building).


texts: I have a honeywell 2 wire thermostat (old) that has 2 wires R W that seem to be wired directly to the furnace (blower/burner??) but I  also have a control board with no wires attached to it. I tried wiring my ecobee to it but no power was received. DO I need to jumper something for power to the control board... remove the wires from furnace and connect to control board????


texts: How do I troubleshoot my pool filtration system?

texts: What are the basics for Diagnanimous Earth Pool Maintenance?  This is all new to me. Everything was working fine until today when I noticed that I'm not getting any pressure rating on the filtration system.  Jets are not working either. I have tried back flushing, but it does not seem to help.  The pressure gauge works as when back flushing it changes but once I close the system it goes back to 0.  I was told it should be between 20 - 25 for the jets to work properly.  Of course pool is cloudy and looking dirty due to filter not working correctly. Does anyone have any suggestions?


texts: How to skim (plaster) a tight corner under stairs?

texts:
I need to skim an area of wall below some stairs. There's a tight corner where the boards below the upstairs stairs meet a length of trim:

Annoyingly, this is pretty much at eye level for anyone going down the lower set of stairs so I want to get a reasonable looking finish. (I'm using board finish on plasterboard.)

Any tips for getting into tight corners like this?


texts: Is there a high temperature glue that I can use on a cook top?

texts:
We have a 1 year old Frigidaire gas range (This model or a near sibling, purchased from Lowes).  The burner grates appear to be painted cast-iron, while the surface below them is a polished and painted metal of some sort.  To protect the lower surface from damage, the grates have several tiny feet.  I'm not sure if the feet are rubber or plastic; they have a texture which is kinda half-way between.

One of these feet has now fallen out.  It has a quarter-inch diameter rod piece, which fits into a hole in the cast-iron.  It doesn't look like anything broke (no residue from tabs on the back end of the foot) but it now freely comes out and won't stay.  So, I'm looking for ways to re-attach the foot.  I'm thinking maybe some form of high-heat industrial glue, which will bond to cast-iron and plastic.  Food safe would probably be a plus; not that it's in contact with food but if the glue gave off fumes when exposed to heat that would be bad.  Are there any glues which meet all these requirements?

UPDATE

I finally managed to talk to Frigidaire about this, and thought I'd update with the info they gave me in case anyone wants it in the future.

They do sell an adhesive for this; it's terribly expensive.  Also, these rubber feet things are not covered by warranty, which may explain why not many other people discuss this; it's a part that's expected to fail, and people just ignore it.  Personally, I kinda like my stove top level and un-scratched.

Similar to @Steven, they recommended a high-heat glue.  When I asked about heat requirements, they suggested shopping in automotive supply stores for glues suitable for car engines.  So I'm off to see how those compare.


texts: Can I change the socket of a light fixture by simply cutting the old one off and re-wiring?

texts:
I currently have a wall light fixture that is only for small bulbs (I believe they are E14's):

Currently, Philips Hue does not manufacturer bulbs of this type. As a result, I am wondering how I can go about changing the socket size in order to get this light running Philips Hue bulbs. I'm specifically wondering if its as easy as cutting the old socket off and replacing with something like this:

Are there any compatibility issues to consider? Given the wattage is different, I presume only the necessary amount of electricity will flow to the bulb? (i.e. there is no risk of the bulb receiving too much electricity).

Aside from ensuring the power is off, matching up the wires correctly and using marettes, any other recommendations or advice?

Thanks,
Chris


texts: How high to raise water heater above floor?

texts: I saw a water heater stand at Home Depot but it's about 15" high. That's a bit too high for my basement. Can I just make one with 2x4 and plywood that's only 4" tall, basically just enough to be able to drain water off the drain tray? Or does the code require it be higher?


texts: Should something be placed between engineered hardwood and a cement slab?

texts:
Just installed engineered hardwood floors on the lower level of our home. We have a cement slab. My question is the floors are very very hard.

When installing the floors, should have been a pad placed on cement before installing hardwood?


texts: How do I stick a plastic clock hand to a metal spindle?

texts:
I'm trying to stick a very delicate plastic second hand, salvaged from a clock, to the metal spindle of a stepper motor.
I have tried a couple of types of epoxy, pictured (and left for the entire cure time, not just the set time) but it did not hold. I can't really apply any pressure at all to the bond. I'm scared to use superglue as it's too liquid and I'm afraid it'll get into the motor and ruin it.


texts: Fixing sub-optimal Tempstar furnace vent installation but can't find part numbers

texts:
I have a Tempstar N9MSE0601714A furnace with 2" PCV vent pipes (that mate to 2.5" pipes).  Whoever installed it didn't fallow the installation manual and I'm also reducing the number of angles in the ducts so need to replace anyway.
Installation is supposed to have Furnace Duct Connector installed on both inlet and outlet and a strain relief adapter on the outlet.  But this is how it's installed:

I've verified the locations of the in and out are fine but the connections to the cover are functional but sketchy.
From this doc, page 38, fig 41 and 43:

I've found the plastic bracket and gasket and a parts list here but can't find the part number for the rubber adapter circled above.  I'm assuming the one I do have is damaged since they jammed it into the hole in the cover instead of sitting atop the adapter plate.
What is the OEM part number for the rubber bushing/connector/adapter circled above?


texts: Could power fluctuations have killed my refrigerator?

texts:
Bought a house (built in 1937) recently.

When the clothes washer runs (particularly, when it agitates), lights in the house flicker.

I've read in numerous places online that this is possibly due to a loose neutral somewhere.

Would that kind of power flicker kill my fridge?  The freezer keeps cold, but not the fridge, and I'm almost certain it's due to the control board dying.  My impression is that poor power stability can kill control boards in appliances (I'm pretty sure it happened in our previous house, to a fridge).

I'm asking because I want to know if I need to get the flickering fixed before I get the fridge fixed.


texts: Water line runs 600 feet from meter to gate of property?

texts: Would there be a benefit if I have a 1" meter that is 600 feet away from property to up size the pipe from  1" to  1 1/2" pipe?


texts: NM-B Romex going through conduit raceway to external breaker box. Not code compliant?

texts:
I recently noticed one connection in my breaker box where 12/2 Romex exits the house in a conduit and enters the breaker box.  The breaker box is on the external wall of the house. I thought this was considered a wet location and therefore running Romex through conduit is prohibited.
Just wanted to make sure that this violates code.  I am going to have to rewire this before I have the inspector come in for another job I am doing right now.
Here is a picture of the breaker box - Look for yellow cable popping out from bottom right corner.

Picture of conduit attached to the breaker box

Picture of the electrical box where conduit terminates (both inside and outside of the box)


texts: Attaching second layer of drywall -- is there something I can do to ensure it doesn't ruin the base drywall if I have to remove it eventually?

texts:
I'm new to DIYing, so please excuse me if something here sounds off.
I'm planning on a DIY vertical slat accent wall in our bedroom in our rental apartment.
Since nailing slats directly into the wall is going to ruin the wall if and when I'm moving out and have to remove them, I thought a better way might be to build the slats over separate drywall panels and then attach those to the wall, so that the base drywall doesn't get mangled by a billion nails. The hope is that doing that might make it easy to remove it later, panel by panel, keeping the original drywall relatively unscathed.
Knowing that the paneled drywall is eventually going to have to come off the base wall, is there something I can do upon installation I could do to minimize damage during the process of eventual removal? Any tips at all on how to do this / what fasteners to consider etc would be amazing. Also would be glad to know if there's a better way to do this that keeps the base wall as unscathed as possible when I remove the paneled drywall.
Super sorry if this is rudimentary, and incredibly grateful for any support/advice!


texts: What could be the source of an intermittent, unlocatable rotten egg smell?

texts:
This has happened a few times since I moved into my current house about a year ago; every once in a while, I'll get a faint, brief whiff of rotten egg smell that I am unable to locate. Then, after a few minutes it will be gone and not be smelled again for months.

Today it happened again so I went around sniffing everything to try my best to find the source, trying all the typical emitters. I turned on the hot water and sniffed all the faucets; nothing. I sniffed the sink bowls and the toilets; nothing. I sniffed all the gas appliances as well as the walls where the gas lines drop down from the attic; nothing. And then it was gone again.

Am I going crazy from hydrogen sulfide poisoning? What are some other potential sources I might have missed? Is this the precursor to some gas or plumbing problem that's about to become really really expensive?


texts: How does a person know if sheet vinyl is glue down or not my daughter  bought it at a surplus store to save money it fells cushioned and is1/8th to3/16th inch thick


texts:
NM is interior Romex; UF is similar but is rated for outdoor and direct burial. Randomly checking Home Depot prices there seems to be an anomaly on 100' 12/3; UF is less than half the price of NM.  Obviously the best answer is "shop at a real electrical supply", but nevermind that.

What keeps a person from simply using UF everywhere they would use NM? Is UF prohibited in any particular applications that NM is allowed?  Does UF have a more restrictive thermal rating?  Anything like that?


texts: Wiring Leviton Smart 3-way Switch when Load Line Goes to the Fixture

texts:
I'm converting my home to use all Leviton smart dimmers (DH6HD-1BZ) and LED lights. All has gone well so far with neutral being accessible from most switches.
However I've come across an old-school 3-way with load going to the fixture not the switch box, please see the following diagram:

Switch box A looks exactly as is shown in the diagram. Switch box B however is a larger box with other switches where neutral is present.
I know I need neutral in switch box A as well, but I've heard there is some possible trickery where I can bring neutral over to box A from box B.
So my questions are two fold:

Is it possible to bring neutral over to box A from box B, perhaps utilizing one of the travellers? Can I just use ground as the neutral for switch A (I know this is faux pas, but should be possible right?)?
If it's possible to get neutral to box A, I don't entirely grok how the dimmer and it's remote switch should be wired in the first place. The wiring diagram provided with the switch (see below) isn't this type of 3-way configuration so I'm kind of stumped here as well.

Thanks for your time!

(where: 1=line/load, 2=neutral, 3=ground, 4=first traveller, 5=second traveller)


texts: Outlet to conduit junction recommendations

texts:
I've got a recessed outlet box on the outside of my house. To be more specific the outlet (when removing the weatherproof cover assembly) is flush with the stucco. I need to decommission this as an outlet and run conduit along the wall around 6ft to the left of it.

I was thinking of using this:

and simply putting a right angle flex line attachment into one of the threads and carry along.

Example (forget the 10awg): https://www.lowes.com/pd/Southwire-6-ft-10-Gauge-3-Conductor-Non-metallic-Liquidtight-A-C-Whip/3616544

I found this: Adapting an outside wall outlet to suface mount conduit?

But I'm not sure that is a good approach considering the leakage potential.

Thoughts or better methods would be appreciated? Is what I plan to do a good option?


texts: What is the difference between a "handle tie" and "common trip" in circuit breakers?

texts:
This image shows a quad-breaker with handle ties.
Image borrowed from this DIY question
One of the comments noted that despite the "handle ties", this is not a "common trip" breaker. I, in my ignorance, previously assumed that a trip on one of the tied breakers would have forced the tied mate to trip as well and that this would, therefore, also be a "common trip". It seems I was wrong.
What is the difference between a "handle tie" and a "common trip"? For bonus points, when should each be used?
As was pointed out in an answer on that original question, this quad-breaker is labeled

ALL POLES HAVENO COMMON TRIP

Does this mean that "common trip" is internal to the breaker and can only be identified by reading the labeling, while "handle tie" is the external plastic/metal piece that physically ties the handles together? If so, does that mean (theoretically) that one could have a common trip breaker without a handle tie?


texts: Installing a new Ceiling Fan with strange existing wiring

texts: I'm trying to install a ceiling fan with light kit after removing a 35+ year old light fixture and I'm really confused because there are 6 wires (3 black and 3 white) in total coming out of the box and the stripped copper wire is screwed into the box. 2 of the blacks and one of the whites are capped together, 2 of the whites are capped off together and one if the blacks is capped off alone. When I researched the wiring solution, there was none specific to a ceiling fan install, so I used a fixture install solution as follows: "The straight answer is the two whites together go to the white, or neutral, of the fixture. The single black goes to the black, or hot, of the fixture. Leave the other splice alone, just fold it back in the box." The only thing I did differently was combined the ceiling blue & black wires and capped it to the single black wire from the box. Unfortunately, the ceiling fan did not turn on at all. HELP!


texts:
A small section of canvas fabric connects the duct coming out of my furnace to the rest of the house. I noticed that there's quite a large rip in this fabric.

 Would it be best to use standard foil tape to repair the rip, even though it'd be adhering to fabric and not metal? Is there another, better option?


texts: Should I be concerned about foundation seepage and what to do about it?

texts:
We recently bought a 20 yr old home next to a lake in NC.. within a couple thousand feet.  It doesn't rain incredibly often here but we've noticed when it does rain it pours 2-3 times the amount we received when we lived 20 minutes from the lake.  I've gone down in the crawlspace during and after a rain and notice water seeping through the foundation wall.  There is no french drain system installed inside or outside the foundation wall and all of the downspouts just have those little kick plates right where they meet the ground.

Last weekend I installed a sump pump with seep basin in the lowest spot just to keep water from standing, and to prevent it from ever building up enough to reach the equipment down there (water heater, air handlers, etc) .. which from the mud lines I saw it looks like its done before.  When I installed the sump basin I ran rock channels out off of every connection point so it wouldn't be terribly difficult to add an interior french drain down the road.

The land around the house is very sandy and there is a hard clay bed 3-4ft down.  The house has been in these conditions for 20yrs and shows no signs of uneven settling, no cracks in any walls nor foundation, so I'm wondering how much I should worry about the water.  I would at least like to tile all of the downspouts away from the house but given there is a downspout at every corner of the house (and some in the middle) and the way the house sets on the property I would have to tile pretty much all the way around the house to reach the a discharge point.  I feel like if I'm going to dig all the way around the house I might as well install a french drain while I'm at it but part of me thinks most/all of the water issues I have could be solved just by getting the downspout water away from the foundation.  Or should I maybe tile the downspouts away and install a french drain inside the foundation?  Or.. not worry about it at all?


texts: What is the best way to trim edges off of hardwood floor where wall was removed?

texts:
I have removed a wall from a closet that was backed up against another closet to make it a walk in. I would like to run hardwood perpendicular to the current pattern in the gap where the wall was.

I will need to trim the uneven ends on the existing flooring to get a clean finish, what is the best way to to this? I was thinking a circular saw...
Also how can I clean the black off the existing floor after trimming?
Is this even a good idea? Thanks for the feedback.


texts: Why are these electrical outlets interconnected?

texts:
I need to replace a dual electrical outlet and fix some melted insulation/exposed wires inside. I found that the two sockets are wired like this:

Coming out of the wall I have dedicated wiring for each socket, but for some reason the sockets are also connected to each other (ground to ground, etc). Why the "extra" wiring? Should I keep it?
Edit: these are Type F outlets in Germany.


texts: What can I use as caulk that a cat won't destroy?

texts:
I'm looking for an alternative solution to caulk/silicone sealant for bathrooms and windows because basically my cat takes it upon herself to pull at and rip out the silicone from window frames, and last night, around the bath. Regardless of how good it's done, even a professional level job, she'll somehow manage to claw at it enough to get a frayed edge, then just pull at it again and again until she gets it out. (I'm only including this to say it doesn't really matter how neat a job I do with the silicone, she'll do it regardless)
I tried using adhesive tape, but I'm not a big fan of the finish, and the adhesive isn't brilliant, it's started to come away. I saw that this epoxy resin has been mentioned as an alternative, but I would want to know if anyone has used it and if it's strong/resilient enough that it couldn't just be clawed at and broken away, because then I'd worry she'll eat it and get sick/die
Is there any decent alternatives to silicone caulk that people would recommend?


texts: Do I need to paint exterior fiberglass porch columns?

texts: The vendor said I needed to prime and paint them. If I like the bare colour of them as they are now, I'm hoping I can just keep it as-is. Is there a reason that I would need to prime and paint them? Will the elements, or something else, damage them if I dont?


texts: Ideas to hide pipe between bathtub and drain

texts:
not sure if it's the right forum for my question, but I'll give it a shot. I'm about to start a quick and cheap renovation of my Bathroom (basically putting some finish on top of the walls and floor without knocking down the existing tiles first).

I have this bathtub shown in the picture in my Bathroom, and someone decided that the Drain should be in the middle of the Room, with a pipe leading from the bathtub over the floor and down the drain.

If I were to redo the flooring, I'd raise it, move the drain and change the bathtub for a shower, but it's not an option.

My question is if anyone has any idea on how to hide this ugly drain pipe (and perhaps the metal vents as well) without moving the bathtub, moving the drain or raising the floor.

All ideas are welcome, though some of them may not be accomplishable due to details I have forgot here. Thanks!


texts: Can I cover an electrical box with tile?

texts: I had 5 outlets moved to under my cabinets. The Electrician put a junction box over the old outlets. I now need to install backsplash. Can the tile guy cover the box with the backsplash?


texts: Possible application to backboard in shower

texts:
I had a mild mold issue and as I tore the bottom of the window frame (in the middle of the back shower wall) I found more and more damp wood. Noticing there was plywood instead of cement board. I tore out the plywood and then the rusted out metal panels behind that to uncover the wall boards; which are were used on the walls throughout the house where plaster and metal mesh (chicken wire) were applied over it (not in the shower though).

So my question is, from the picture those back boards are damp looking but they are in good condition, is there something I should apply to them before covering then with cement board?


texts: Should I spread lime in my crawlspace before laying moisture barrier?

texts:
The crawlspace is currently just earth. I'm going to be raking it, laying moisture barrier and then taping to seal.

Should I spread lime onto the earth before laying the barrier?


texts: How can I repair this broken bathroom tap?

texts:
So we had a bathroom tap that looks pretty much like this:

the red lines I drew are where the tap has a kind of screw joint that separates the head from the side hot/cold taps. The problem is the head of the tap (everything above the red lines) has fallen off!  :( We can't screw it back, the screw joints seems eroded/rusty/useless. And the metal head of the tap is really heavy so it doesn't stay put long even if we try. Is there any home-made material or gluey thing that has the strength to hold the tap's head back on the bottom screw without actually blocking up the water flow?


texts: First wooden slide drawer of plan chest stuck close

texts:
Any suggestions appreciated
I have a planchest with wooden sliding drawers and the top drawer of it is stuck close.
I managed to open it about the 15cm by two of us pulling it out with a lot of force but we didn’t manage to pull it out further.
The drawer is empty.
If I got it out all the way I can sand it down a bit which would solve the issue.
Thankful for any help!


texts: Do I have to remove flux residue after soldering?

texts: I noticed those green stuff on a 2 weeks soldered copper joint, as I have read it comes from excess flux. So I would like to know if I have to always wipe off the joint after soldering? And if so then how should it be done? Just a damp cloth? Is there any flux without acid? Or maybe its not from flux at all? There are no leaks at or around the joint.


texts: What is required to move a washer/dryer from one room to another?

texts: How hard is it to move washer/dryer from an upstairs room to the basement? What hookups would we need, etc?


texts: Electric Baseboard Heater Thermostat Replacement

texts:
My house is mostly steam heat, but prior owners put on a small addition and also  turned an upstairs closet into a bathroom. These new rooms have electric baseboard heat.
Heaters work fine, but thermostats are crummy. Especially in the bathroom. It only functions as an on off switch at the moment so I want to replace that one.
I'm handy enough not to kill myself swapping it out, but not well enough informed to pick out a replacement.
The bathroom is heated by a single heater with a label indicating:

750W @208VAC
1000W @240VAC

The existing Thermostat has a label indicating:

125/250/277 VAC
22A Double pole

Attached are pictures of the the spec label on the heater (the bathroom only has one of the smaller baseboard units) and the existing thermostat.
I cant find these exact specs in a replacement thermostat. Specifically I'm finding sats rated for 240v, 3600W, and 15A So my question is: Can I use any line volt stat rated for greater than or equal to 1000W and 240V or are there other considerations? For a single 1000W heater, the existing 22A stat seems overkill, no?


texts: Using Attic/Loft Space Above Garage for Storage - Adding a Subfloor

texts:
I have a 2-car garage that is not cooled or heated. Above the garage is an attic/loft space. The attic has beams (they are large beams, not 2-by-4s) that are spaced 16 inches apart. The beams have pink fiber insulation in-between them. The insulation has a vapor barrier on the underside. I did a lot of research online and think my questions will apply to a number of people. I couldn't find a single source that answered all of my questions.

1) Before I add a plywood subfloor do I need to add an additional vapor barrier (the insulation already has one)?

2) I watched a Georgia Pacific instructional video on YouTube and they said to leave 1/8 of an inch in-between the 4x8 plywood boards, I thought you were supposed to butt them up against one another?

3) Will 1/2 inch thick plywood work in my situation?

4) What kind of screws should I use? Will 1 inch decking screws work?

5) Should I lay the plywood perpendicular to the beams?


texts: LED lights with a dim light in open circuit

texts:
I was installing new LED lamps on my kitchen, which seemed to be functioning well. After turning off the lights, the newly installed lamps still had a dim light, that kept itself for quite long.

I've measured around 60VAC on the OFF switch for these lamps and 110VAC for the OFF switch attached to another lamp.

After lots of head scratching, I've tried to plug just one leg of the LED lamp into a plug hole, result on the picture below.

Why does this happen? How can I prevent it? Does it take a toll on my electrical bill?


texts: Is it hazardous to leave a hole in the wall for a week or two?

texts:
Yesterday in a fit of manliness I accidentally punched a hole in the wall of my bedroom. I will eventually get some putty to fill in the hole but I'm concerned about the fibrous dust that may be in the air/on the walls. For a relatively small/fist sized hole is it safe to leave it exposed for a week or two? (I've simply taped over it with a swiffer duster cloth). Also I noticed my throat is slightly irritated post-wallpunch; is it possible that's due to the dust?

Come to think of it, I don't suppose it helps matters that I did pushups beside the wall after I hit it.


texts: What do you call the rubber strip attached to cupboard door?

texts:
My bathroom has a white cabinet, where one of the doors has an adhesive rubber strip running down the inside of the door.

This is so when both doors are closed, you cant see a big black gap in the space where the door edges meet.

I need to replace one of them, as it has shattered, but Ive no idea what to search for? Do these little babies have a name?


texts: I just cleaned my GE softener tank and put in 3 bags of salt pellets and added 3 gallons of water. Next morning I take a look and saw a lot of foammy water and a brownish mix. No salt pellets visible. Water almost to the top of tank  this right?


texts: Clarifying separation of ethernet cables from cables running power (underground)

texts:
I have seen a few questions regarding how close ethernet cables can be to power cables without a significant impact on the data. For example:

Can I run CAT5/6 cables parallel to electrical cables?

Is "don't mix data and power cables" and "don't loop power cables" still valid nowadays?

It seems that the short answer is basically that they should be separated generously.

However in my case I will be running them in "separate conduits", which  will be ordinary PEX tubing (underground). Furthermore, the power in this case will be a weak (high gauge) extension cord. The application is that I am running these cables to some security cameras which are 500-600ft distance away, and I don't think the cameras draw a lot of power. At least, it wouldn't be as much as present in the main line from the street.

The first question I linked has a comment which cites a standard:

  800.133(A)(2) states that Communications wires and cables shall be  separated by at least 50mm (2 in.) from conductors of any electrical
  light, power, Class 1 non-power-limited fire alarm or medium-power
  network-powered broadband communications circuits. Exceptions are if
  separate raceways or conduit are used for separating the
  communications cables/wires from the power conductors.

Does this mean, in my case I can just put them in different PEX tubes and not worry about how close they are- they can be right next to each other? There will be no loops, just a straight run  (with a few curves).

It matters to me in this case because it would affect the width of the trench I am to dig.

I wonder if my question is more appropriate for some kind of electronics forum but I appreciate any guidance.

Thanks


texts: How to repair damaged lining paper for painting?

texts:
I've stripped some old wallpaper in order to paint the walls and discovered painted lining paper beneath. I'm happy to paint over this paper as it's mainly in good condition (and I don't want to deal with whatever the plaster is like below). However it has numerous holes from old fittings (up to about 20mm) and some tears and scuffing where the surface of the paper is exposing the fluffy innards of the paper.

Other than stripping the paper and plastering the wall, what's the recommended approach for repairing the papered surface well enough for painting?


texts: How wide does a 6x6 concrete post footing need to be using an elevated post base anchor?

texts:
I'm building a pergola over a paver patio. The pergola will dimension 11'x 11.5' on center of post with 6x6 posts (4 posts), tied together with sandwiched 2x12 beams. I've laid out footer locations and am about to dig for 8" sonotube forms. The footings will be set 2.5" below finished grade and I'll use Simpson Strong Tie Elevated Post Base anchors (EPB66) so that I can lay pavers on top of the footing, with the pergola post resting on the anchor base at the finished grade of the patio. My question is weather or not an 8" dia. footing is truly sufficient. The Strong Tie spec notes a minimum 4" offset from center of anchor pin to edge of concrete, so it would seem that 8" diameter footings would meet the spec. The footings will be close to the edge of a surrounding retaining wall, so I'd like to avoid a larger diameter that would require augering closer to the wall.

(FYI - This is in Central Ohio, so the footers will be 3' deep, heavy clay soils. Occasional heavy snow in winter. I plan to trellis vining plants up and over).

Note: There was a similar question addressed on this forum a year or so ago and an answer suggested using 12" footers, but my situation may be slightly different due to use of the elevated anchor.
How wide does a 6x6 concrete post footing needs to be?


texts:
I'm replacing and old Rittenhouse doorbell transformer as part of a smart doorbell upgrade.  My problem is that the screw spacing of the cover (of which the transformer is embedded) doesn't seem to match any modern-day cover spacing.

The transformer is part of a 4" door cover; there's several joined circuits inside the box so I really don't want to have to replace the box itself.  But I can't find a cover that meets these screw holes - they are 7/8" from the opposite sides and 3/8" from the top/bottom (in the pic they are the upper right slot and the bottom left hole).  A standard 4" box cover does not line up with these holes at all.

EDIT:

The diagonal hole-to-hole measurement is 4 1/4".  Also note, my goal here is a plate with a 1/2" knockout to mount the new transformer.  I've got an existing 4" plate (that I could drill out, I presume) if that's the best way.

Any thoughts on what might work here?  Is this spacing called something else that I'm not searching for correctly?


texts: Do I need ledger board when expand deck?

texts:
I have a deck like below and I want to expand the direction where the arrow shows (sorry for an ugly photo).

Do I need to put a ledger board right on the trim joist, or can I just hang the new joists right on the same trim joist?


texts: What hardware do I need to have a wireless light switch in UK/Ireland?

texts:
Builders are converting my attic at the moment and stupidly, the electrician only installed the light switch for the attic at the bottom of the stairwell so there's no actual light switch in the room.

It's too late to rewire as the new floor has been installed and the walls finished so my only real option is to have a wireless light switch in the room with some sort of receiver in the stairwell. And optionally the wired light switch in the stairwell could be replaced with another wireless light switch as I still need the lights to be operated from both the room and the stairwell.

I'm brand agnostic but what exactly do I need?

There seems to be lots of hardware available to automate absolutely everything in the house but I'd like a simple recommendation for setting up a remote controlled light switch (with two way control)!

And are there any potential wiring complications with installing the receiver?


texts: Garbage disposal not turning on with on/off switch. Water in sink draining in dishwasher.

texts: My garbage disposal is not coming on and water from the sink is draining in the dishwasher. Do I need an electrician?


texts: Can I use 14/2 cable for a light switch loop?

texts: Can I use 14/2 wire to feed switch leg on 1 light? The light will be on separate breaker.It is just a can light with 60 watt bulb.


texts: Why does the water level in floor drain fluctuate when the toilet is flushed?

texts: Level of water rises in floor drain a bit  and then goes back down when basement toilet  is flushed. Would this be normal. Thanks


texts:
This past weekend I recently had to fix the flooring of my family cottage. In a heavy-traffic side entryway, the plyboard floor was bending when you walked over it.

We opened up the floor to see what the issue was. The ends of the crossbeams in that section were rotted right through (6 in total). We had to cut them back to a another beam where they were not rotten and replace them.

While we were replacing them I had a look in the crawlspace and noticed significant moisture specifically under the washroom section (e.g. crossbeams sweating and dripping). Not sure why it's just that specific section, but the entryway to the washroom suffers the same issue when you walk over the flooring (bending) so we will most likely have to replace that part as well.

I'm wondering what can be done to fix the humidity issue. The cottage has small crawlspace vents all around. My father used to open them up every year and close them in the winter until a contractor told him not to a couple years back.

I have read a lot of articles and also some questions on this site about closing off the crawlspace vents and putting up vapor barrier on the dirt floor even on the walls up to the floor boards. Some people say that this is the best solution, others say that it is location and climate specific and may also be a bit overkill.

I was wondering if there were some knowledgeable people out there that can shine some light on a possible solution.

To give some context the cottage is located on the Bruce Peninsula, Ontario, Canada. Cold winters, hot summers, lots of insects/pests. The concrete foundation goes a couple feet above and below ground level with a dirt floor crawlspace. Cottage is probably over 40 years old with the crawlspace vents being open in Spring/Summer.


texts: Mysterious Metal Plate on Basement Ceiling?

texts:
There is a metal plate on the top of my basement's celing.

It is attached to the HVAC ducts, but doesn't appear to be a duct itself.

I'm interested in using the stud it is attached to hang an LED strip light that requires stud access.

Can I drill a pilot hole through the sheet metal to attach it to the joist? What is the purpose of the sheet metal?


texts: My wife and I moved into our new house today. I plugged my phone charger in tonight and the outlet sparked and my breaker tripped. I then plugged a different charger in and it didn't trip. I went to a different outlet (on the same circuit) and plugged the charger I suspected to be faulty in and it worked fine. I'm fairly electrically literate and this has me stumped. Any ideas?


texts: How can I remove this floor transition, and what should it be replaced with once I lay LVP?

texts:
I'm planning to replace a linoleum floor with LVP.  The transition strip/threshold matches the wood floor, but since the LVP is a few mm thicker than the linoleum, I don't think it'll fit once I lay the new floor.
My questions are:

How do I remove this transition strip without damaging the wood, so I can get a better idea of what I'm working with?

Once the LVP is put down, what should I replace it with?  The only thing I can think of is to cut it back to the middle of the door jamb, and then add another low-profile threshold strip on top of it to cover the junction with the LVP.


texts: Is there a safe way to splice multiple lamp fixtures on the same cord?

texts:
I'd like to hang a string of paper lanterns.

One web site sells a lamp cord spliced for multiple bulb sockets:

http://www.paperlanternstore.com/bldosocokitf.html

It looks like SPT-2 lamp cord, spliced with an insulated terminal block.

Is it safe to use terminal blocks as a splice outside of a junction box?
Is it safe to hang the weight of the light fixture on this lamp cord & splice?


texts: Why doesn't my 3-way light circuit work in some configurations?

texts:
I  updated some wiring in my garage. I added two 3 way switches. If there is a switch in the down position when the lights are off, I cannot flip my other switch to turn the lights on and vice versa. But, if the switches are up, the lights are on, then I can use a switch to continue to turn them off and on.I don’t know what the problem is, I believe I hooked all of the wires up correctly. Here is an explanation of my wiring.

Please note I am hooking up two 14–2 wires and two 14–3 wires.
 From the power source, I hooked the common black wire to the common black wire that connects to my black screw on my light switch. From that light switch both my red and white wires are connected to the white and red wires that run to my other light switch.  My black wire from that switch runs to the black hot wire that connects to my light fixture. From the light fixture, my white wire runs back to the white wire that comes from the power source. And then I have all my ground wires Pigtailed together.

I believe that is the correct way of wiring this set of wires according to what I have read and seen pictures of. I even swapped out the three-way switch That was not connected to the main power source. Does anybody have any ideas? Thank you for your time.


texts: Limits to load connections for AFCI/GFCI Outlet

texts:
I am remodeling my basement.  I will have 4 separate electrical circuits.

20A Circuit to Bathroom
20A Circuit to Laundry room
15A Circuit for left side outlets / lights
15A Circuit for right side outlets / lights

Each of the 15A circuits runs are 40+ feet long, with 5 outlets and 2 overhead lights.

The question is - Can I use an AFCI/GFCI outlet at the first outlet and run the remaining outlets/lights from the AFCI/GFCI load output.  I was told that there is a limit to the total wire length from the load.  The instruction for the outlet does not address this issue.  (see link below)

Leviton Dual Function AFCI/GFCI http://www.leviton.com/OA_HTML/ProductDetail.jsp?partnumber=AGTR1-W&section=76663&minisite=10251


texts:
A typical interior door is about 30" wide. Double doors (eg. French doors) could make that wider, up to maybe 60". But I'd like to build a sliding wall section, perhaps 90-120" wide in place of an interior wall.

I imagine something like a sliding glass door (some people call them "sliders"), but made of some typical interior wall material like paneling or sheetrock (maybe even insulated to reduce sound transmission when the wall section is shut) instead of glass.

I think the critical design element must be the sliding tracks that I would probably not be able to build myself. But I would guess that once I have the tracks, I could build myself a wall section to fasten to the tracks and accomplish the goal that way. I'm sure that using lighter materials for the moveable section of the wall would be important. Does anyone know of a sliding wall track product like this?

And any suggestions on the best way to implement this idea using typical wood building materials?


texts: Is raceway wiring allowed in a bathroom?

texts:
I need to re-wire my bathroom (I live in Oregon, USA), and for various reasons, it would be much easier to install raceway than to try and get everything wired through the walls/ceiling. Is raceway wiring in a bathroom allowed?

The raceway would only be about 10' length total, running from a double wall switch about 6' up to the ceiling and then down to a light and then another 3' over to a through-the-wall exhaust fan.

The electrical outlet will be GFCI, 20amp, on a totally different circuit running inside the wall. So that's not an issue.


texts: how can I remove broken spigot from garden hose end?

texts: I had a leak where my two way connector was attached to my garden hose so I tightened it up.  When I turned the water on, the male end of the two way broke off inside the female end of the garden hose.  I was wondering how I would go about getting it out, as I do not want to replace the hose.


texts: Is it possible to rekey an Andersen exterior door with Kwikset SmartKey?

texts:
I want to use the Kevo lock on my front door and have my back doors have the same physical key (even though they clearly will not have electronic keying).

To do this, I need to replace the cylinder on my Andersen doors with something that is compatible with Kwikset SmartKey -- either a SmartKey cylinder if possible, for "higher" security, or a standard Kwikset cylinder that the SmartKey locks can learn.

I can't find any information on what cores, etc, are compatible with Andersen doors or where to source them.


texts:
I've recently replaced the trim in my bathtub/shower, including the drain trim. The neighbor below me (I'm in a condo) has said my bathtub seems to leak onto his ceiling now. Since I suspect there's hardly a way to cause a leak by just replacing the shower valve trim (correct me if I'm wrong), I'm curious if I installed the drain trim incorrectly.
Following online tutorials, I removed the old one and cleaned the area up, then put plumbers putty in a ring around the top of the threads of the new one, and screwed it in as tight as I could.

The darker colored putty on the bottom threads is likely from the old drain. Did I not put enough putty on all the threads? Or is that old putty causing an issue? Could it be the O ring in the actual drain?


texts: I'm replacing a vanity light and there are 2 back wires 1 is hot and 1 white neutral wire. Also, the ground wire attached to the old light was connected to the hot wire.


texts: How do you insulate with XPS around interior basement windows?

texts:
I'm using 2" XPS to insulate my interior basement walls.
How do I work around windows?
Do I cut it flush with the concrete opening?
Do I spray expanding foam to seal the XPS against the concrete around the opening?
Should I spray expanding foam in the gap between the concrete and the window?

I'm having a hard time finding any resources for this question across the web so any advice on this issue is helpful.


texts: I have two roof drains, can I seal one of them?

texts:
My house has a flat roof and leaks, mostly directly underneath the drains.

I've had problems with leaking around the drains since I've owned the house, mostly dripping, but over time it's turned into gallons of water.

Last year I installed a foam membrane which is basically indestructible and totally leak-proof, but I'm still leaking. (the new roof stopped an unrelated leak in a different part of the house).

I think I've narrowed the leak down to the drain in the upper left of the picture. I think the leak is below the roof membrane, but above the roof decking (it's very hard to tell). The drain has a small bit of chicken wire rolled up in it to keep out debris.

My question is, why do I have two drains so close to each other (they're about 18 inches apart), and is there a reason that I couldn't just seal off the one that I think is leaking? Both drains appear to drain into different pipes, one of which (upper left) has a toilet pipe connected to it in the basement.

The house was built in 1928. Based on the technology level of the drain on the lower-right, I presume it was installed sometime after the house was built (?), or at least someone upgraded it, without upgrading the other one.


texts:
I need a new kitchen backsplash. Would like something cheap, easy to cut and install, preferably white or transparent and possibly a single large piece.

I believe that PET might be a good material for it: I could find some nice transparent sheets of PET 3x2 meters big for like 60$. I couldn't find much about it on the internet though.

Would PET be a good material for a kitchen backsplash? Any hints?


texts: How do I keep nails from pulling up on my hardwood floors?

texts:
I'm in a 100 year old house and I believe the floors are original. They don't seem to be tongue and groove, but just flat boards nailed into the subfloor with finishing nails.

Periodically, the nails start to inch themselves up. We hammer then down but they just come up again. This happens all over the house.

Is there a way to secure them more permanently? Replacing them with different nails? Coating them in some kind of adhesive?


texts: Can I level floorboards with metal or rubber washers?

texts:
I am levelling some floorboards, with a view to painting them afterward and having a wooden floor. Previously there was a lot of scrap wood shims under there. Because these are only thin cheap wood many have been split when the nail passed through so I don't think I can reuse them.

As I am replacing the nails with screws, I had the idea of using rubber, plastic or metal washers for the levelling (if I can find a big bag of thick ones), so I can stack 1, 2 or 3. Rubber might even help make the boards quieter.

Is this a stupid idea or does anyone have a tried & tested way of doing levelling?


texts: Add storage to hidden attic space above garage?

texts:
I recently discovered that I have an unfinished attic in a guest bedroom on the second floor of my house, above the garage. The overall area is behind the closet in the bedroom and is approximately 10x20' wide. It has 2x6 joists spaced 16" on center.

I was hoping to put some 2x4s across the joists and add some plywood across to make a floor and use this space for storage. However, I don't know how much weight I could safely store up there. There is even a electrical switch and bulb in the area suggesting that may have been intended to function as a storage space?

Would an attic like this support mild to moderate storage weight if a floor was added? Are there any safety issues or other general concerns I should have? Any advice would be much appreciated

Here are the pictures of the attic: Unfinished Attic Space - 10'x20'


texts:
I was replacing a halogen spot light bulb earlier on and I spotted fair amount of charing on one of the upstairs floor beams which was very close to the light fixture. Damage can be seen in the picture. Upon further inspection I found 4 other light fixtures caused similar damages to the beams and insulation around them.
How can I make the fixtures safe? Changing halogen lights to led would reduce to amount of heat they produce but would that be enough? Moving them all could be a hard job since some of them is in awkward spots under tiled floors etc.

These are the current type of bulb and fixtures


texts: The existing switch box is too narrow for my switch

texts:
I am replacing a dimmer with an LED compatible dimmer. I have two problems.

1) I can't find an LED dimmer narrow enough. The Lutron dimmer that I bought is 1 3/4" wide. The box is a little less than 2 inches wide and the box tabs are very close to the screws on the dimmer.

2) Whoever installed this old work box didn't secure the romex.

I see two possible solutions:

1) Find a narrower dimmer. Use a press-on plastic clamp to secure the romex.

2) Replace the box with a slightly wider non-conductive box with a built-in clamp.

My primary question: how difficult is it to remove this box? I think that it is held in by the tabs, so if I bend them out the box should come out. What about the tabs, will they come out easily? I don't want this simple project to spiral out of control.

Any other suggestions?

This is the box I am considering:

https://www.amazon.com/Madison-Electric-Products-MSB22-Adjustable/dp/B00H8NUVM4

Edit: Resolution: Reused the metal box. Used a dimmer with wires instead of screws. Still a tight fit. Added a clamp to secure the romex (had to take the box out to add the clamp, thx to Jack for the tips). Labeled the wires (white was line, black was load/lamp :( ). Used a clip to ground the box (wasn't grounded before).


texts: I am trying to put together a TV Stand with 3 legs- 2 of which are supported via  18 inch metal rods within plastic tubes, screwed into the base. The depth of the hole in one of these is too shallow so the rod is easily loosened- rendering it useless. How can I increase the depth of the threads in this (aluminium) hole; or increase the rigidity of the rod?


texts: Why won't the hotplate light on my stove turn off even though the hotplates are turned off.  Is there an electrical fault.  I have tried turning the power off and on but the light still comes on.


texts: How do I clean mold off my bathroom ceiling?

texts:
So I live in an apartment and there are black spots all over my bathroom ceiling. I assume it's mold. I've kind of avoided dealing with it because it's on the ceiling which makes it harder to clean. However, inspections are coming up so I gotta deal with it.

Anyone have any suggestions?


texts: How do I remove the dome of this light fixture?

texts: How do I go about removing the dome to replace the lights. I found online that similar light fixtures, one of the 3 "fingers" have a spring. But on mine, that doesn't seem to be the case. I tried, quite forcefully, pushing it in multiple directions, even at different angles. Nothing I've tried seems to work. I have no idea what brand light fixture these are, though Maxim do have similar looking ones.


texts: New shower valve not working - tried multiple cartridges!

texts:
I recently installed a Moen posi-temp valve for a shower (shower only, no tub) renovation.
I have tried 4 different cartridges and they all don't work properly.

First one - had terrible pressure and temperature didn't change
Second one - same thing
Third one (off brand moen cartridge) - the temperature changed but the pressure would only be hard for about 10 seconds when turned all the way to hot.
Fourth one - better pressure, but not full pressure, and the temperature only gets to warm and then I can't turn it back to cold. It stays same temperture no matter how I turn it.

Without the cartridge, I tested the hot and cold water lines and both pour out of the opening. The pressure and temperature in the rest of the house faucets and upstairs shower works as it should.
I'm starting to wonder if I need a different shower valve.
FYI. The shower previously had a valve that I pulled the handle out to turn on.
Any suggestions would be amazing.


texts: Conduit fill size when using multiple cables of different sizes

texts:
I have a main panel in my garage and I would like to install a subpanel in my basement.  My plan is to run a 60A circuit to the subpanel (using 6/3 NM) as well as 2x 12/3 NM homeruns; one to feed 2 cirucits of lights and a second that would not be connected to my main panel yet, but would be available for convenience if I later wanted to add 2 more circuits in the basement.  I was planning to use Schedule 40 PVC (inspector told me this would be fine), and the total run of conduit within the garage to the junction box in the basement will be approx 40' in length.

What size of PVC conduit would I need to satisfy conduit fill requirements?  Would I be able to use smaller conduit sizes if I stripped the sheathing from the 14/3 and 12/3 cables?

In my research, I've come across this post (What type of wire for subpanel in attached garage?), and it seems that my cross-sectional areas would be:

6/3     650 mils    0.3316625
12/3    347 mils    0.094521
12/3    347 mils    0.094521

Resulting in a total area of

0.3316625 + 0.094521 + 0.094521 = 0.5207045.

In this post (How do I determine the fill rating of a conduit?), there's a table in NEC 2014 Chapter 9 Table 4 for PVC Schedule 40 indicating Over 2 wires requires 40% fill area; so it seems like 1 1/4" PVC would allow for .581" size, granting enough size for the .521" area that I believe I would have wih those 3 cables.   Am I deriving this correctly?

Thanks for the help!


texts: Should in increase wire size for a well sub-panel?

texts:
A friend wants me to help add a electrical socket in his well house.  The house is OLD, and was not wired to code (rural, multiple additions over many decades).  The well is about 100yds from his house, and the power to the well is supplied with #12/2 w/ground, protected by a 30AMP 2-pole breaker. (Not what I'd run, for sure. I have no idea as to the motor size/draw, but he's not had any problems with the breaker flipping, over many years. Surprise!)

He wants to have an outlet he can plug a 100W bulb into, to keep the well from freezing. I suggested running his supply line into a small box, and putting a new breaker in the box for the well, and another, 15AMP, for a GFCI outlet.  I know this is not code acceptable, but he wants it done, and can't afford to pay to have it done right.

Is there any reason to go up in wire size from the box to the well/outlet?  I can't see any point, but....


texts: Convert SE panel from two 100 amp breakers to a single 200 amp breaker

texts:
I'm installing a 200 amp automatic transfer switch but my main service entrance is a combo meter box that breaks out into two 100 amp since there are two subpanels downstream. I'm thinking of combining the hots from both of these breakers using a couple of Morris Products 97643 Multi-Cable Connectors to feed the ATS.

After the ATS I will go back to a dual 100 amp panel to feed the existing subpanels. I'm wondering if there is a better way other than upgrading the combo meter box?
Here is an image of the main combo panel:


texts: Is it OK if the house's roof makes noise

texts:
I moved from Europe to the USA(OH). I noticed a couple of things that worry me. Every house in the US that I entered makes cracking or squeaking noise. I never experienced this in Europe buildings.
I just need reassurance this is normal and safe. I'm not trying to judge or say something is better or worse.

Last night we had high winds and the whole house was making this noise. The roof is made of wooden rafters.
Something like this:

or

The wooden beams look much thinner compared to the ones used in Europe, see img below:

The house will end up looking something like this:

I actuallly lived in a house that looked similar to this one below:

I never experienced this house making any noise, wasn't even able to hear the wind outside.

My question is: Is it normal that the houses constantly make cracking noises when temperature changes or winds are present. Is there anything I can do to fix this issue? Is it safe and can these wooden framed houses withstand high winds, tornados? Especially the roof? The funny thing is that the house I live in now is pretty old(1945) the only thing that is between the roof studs and second floor is drywall. If a tornado rips the roof the drywall would fly away like paper. The house doesn't have a basement so I can't hide anywhere. Why there is no more demand from the public to build houses that don't make cracking and squeaking noise?


texts: How much load can a (wood) board support, if it is supported only at the ends?

texts:
How much load can a board support, if it is supported only at the ends?

At the moment my specific problem is hanging a tire swing between two trees, and depending on which trees I choose they could be 10, 12, or 14 feet apart (center to center).  If I securely attach a 2x4 to the trees and hang the swing from the middle, would it be at risk of breaking from 2 children playing on it (so I'd guess around 300lbs max with them bouncing and jumping onto it)

But my bigger question is the general case: how do you calculate (or where do you look up) what kind of loads can be supported by the wood in question?  (other examples would be a 1x10 shelf with supports 24" apart, or 1/2" plywood on a 2' x 4' frame).  I'm not an engineer (well, software, but that doesn't count here), but I can do simple math (linear algebra, trig, calculus) and have a basic understanding of physics.


texts: How do I install this flush-mount ceiling light?

texts:
I bought a new flush-mount ceiling light and am having a tough time figuring out how to get it installed. The instructions that came with it are completely useless.

Here are all of the pieces that came with it (except for the glass dome).

And here is what remains of the existing light fixture where I will be installing the light:

I know how to connect all of the wiring, but can't for the life of me figure out the easiest way to mount the fixture to the ceiling.  Can I use the existing bracket that is currently installed, or am I going to have to use the new bracket that came with this fixture? Either way, can someone help walk me through what screws should go where?


texts: How can I make a diffuser for a 22 X 30 skylight shaft?

texts: I need to make a diffuser to an existing 22 x 30 skylight shaft. A flush mount of some kind would be my first choice. My goal is to keep heated air from going into the shaft instead of the bathroom.


texts: How to transition laminate flooring to this prefab threshold?

texts:
I know I should leave a gap around all edges of free-floating laminate flooring, but I'm not sure how to do that in front of this door.  What should I use to cover the gap?

This is an outswing exterior door.  It's one of those prefabs where the door is already hung in the frame and they just screw the whole thing into the opening.  The interior edge of the threshold has a groove in it that looks like I could press in a weather strip or something.  Is there a type of transition molding made for this?


texts: Trying to find 5.5" surface mount doorbell button

texts:
I really like my doorbell and the plastic push button is broken thus not working. It came with the home when we bought the house from the builder. Now it's hard to find builder materials. It's 5.5" height and 1.2" width. Kinda antique brass gold type finish. I did lots of googling but not able to find. Picture is attached if anyone can help me find this price. I appreciate it.

Thanks


texts: What is the standard 120V light bulb screw base in the US?

texts: I know that standard incandescent bulbs in the US use Edison screw bases, but I'm not sure which designation / number is the one which is used for prolific non-candelabra 120 volt fixtures.


texts: My neighbors landscaper has totally mutilated the cleanout plug between our yards that connect to each other. Can I use a brass plug in the ABS pipe, or should I use ABS to ABS. (4" pipe) whatever I use will be a flush plug.


texts: Shower works fine for 5-10 mins then water becomes scalding hot

texts:
I hop in the shower set it to the desired temp; all is fine for 10 mins or so.  Next I hear a drop in water pressure followed by scalding hot water.  I turn the shower head away from me to avoid getting burned.  A couple mins later it returns to the temp I originally set!
What is causing this and how do I fix it?


texts: 160mm pvc pipe running through a deep concrete pour - will it crush?

texts:
I have am unusual situation. I had to use 160mm pvc pipe to create a wide duct for services connections that must pass about 500-660mm deep through a new footing that's about to be poured. The pipe is already laid, and the trench cut, and neither can be moved. On the verge of pouring, an issue was raised about the risk of the pipe crushing.

The pipe is standard UK orange "polypipe" style drainage pipe. It does NOT have to remain waterproof - it's being used to create a 160mm duct through a footing. Once the pour hardens, the idea is that loose service conduits can be threaded through it. (The large diameter is because one of the pipes is a water pipe with a large plastic valve, and if it ever needs to be replaced, a 110mm duct might be too tight, whereas a 160mm duct will have ample loose space so it won't get stuck or catch on anything.) The pipe was new but die to adverse circumstances was laid 16 months ago and  has been exposed somewhat to the outside environment for a year; I can't be sure if this has actually affected its strength; it seems in good condition and has mostly been shielded from the sun due to the trench itself.

The concrete being poured will be a deep trench about 300mm wide, and the pipe runs horizontally across the width. When poured, the pipe will be submerged by about 500 mm at the top and about 660 mm at the bottom. It's completely surrounded on all sides by the concrete, and doesn't rest on anything. It  passes out of the trench and into the surrounding soil, via two circular holes on both sides of the formwork. The pipe is currently air filled and runs a couple of metres about 700mm below ground before surfacing and terminating. The pour is standard dense concrete (reckon 2400kg/m^3 or similar) and will be slowly poured, so there's no dynamic force, just hydrostatic pressure on the tip/bottom/sides of the horizontal cylindrical pipe.

My question is, suddenly, a concern that the pipe isn't internally braced  or anything. Will it be crushed by the concrete? I know a cylinder will generally resist pressure well, but there's also a differential between the top and bottom.

If crushing is a risk, what can I do to mitigate it? It would be tricky but not impossible, for example, to:

Sand fill: Fill it with dry "kiln" sand before the pour, then vacuum the sand out after it's set.  A lot depends how much a sand fill will compact before resisting.
Water fill: I could also fill it with water, cap the open end, and brace the cap, so that the water resists the pressure and braces it internally, rather than just being forced out of the open end as the pipe crushes it (if that were going to happen). But water doesn't resist movement like sand does - I suspect it could be squeezed out through a joint by the external concrete pressure, rather than staying in situ to resist it. Instinctively apprehensive about this one, due to risk of water being squeezed out.
Expanding foam fill: Possibly not practical, as, due to pipe layout, it would be hard/very hard to hack the foam out (even if it was expanded into a plastic bag or something, so it didn't stick to the inside of the pipe). But otherwise ideal for resistance purposes.
Encase in boxing: I could also entirely encase it in 50x170mm profile timber "boxing" sealed at both sides to the formwork, so it doesn't experience the pressure at all. That should also be pretty easy. But if the boxing leaks, or cracks along its length, the pipe will be at greater risk.

Best of all would be if I don't have to worry about it, or there is an easier "fix" than any of these.

The pour is due in a couple of days. How can I address this?

(NB,  I've checked similar questions - they generally refer to a pvc pipe run in shallow concrete. Nothing specific about crushing risk and a comparatively large bore in a deep pour)


texts: How to remove wasp nest and let them leave

texts: I find that there are some wasps flying around my house, and even built their honeycomb near the roof or soffit vent.  Are there any methods to remove them or let these wasps leave? Thanks.


texts: use 2 pole circuit breaker for both basement light and plug

texts: I am doing my basement partitions from scratch and i am doing also the electrical wiring. I have check in the electrical panel board and they have put 2 pole breaker in the plug in the basement. Can i use it other for my lights in the basement?


texts: Should I use mastic or thinset for ceramic tile backsplash in kitchen?

texts:
I am about to install a tile backsplash in our kitchen, using these tiles, in 2" x 4" "mosaic" sheets.

When I tiled my bathroom I used thinset (unmodified on the floor and modified on the wall/shower) and I read a lot of info that said not to use mastic in a wet area.  But this current project is around the kitchen counters and stove, not really a "wet area".

I do have a little bit of modified thinset left from the last project, but I will need to buy more (or I could buy mastic instead).


texts: What are the best practices for taping a window for hurricane protection?

texts:
When working with glass windows that have no hurricane protection, I understand it is advisable to tape windows to prevent them from blowing into too many pieces.

What are the best practices for doing this, assuming no other options exist?

Do you tape them on the inside or the outside (I would assume the inside to prevent removal from elements, but also dependent on the durability of the tape)?

What's a good pattern to tape (I again assume an 'X' layout)?

What's a good tape to use (I'd guess packing tape or duct tape; masking/painter's tape only on the inside)?


texts:
To be clear. I have a 3 phase outlet, that a commercial oven is plugged into,
and want to make another. Can I run wire from the existing plug/outlet and make a new plug/outlet from it. With the ability to use both appliances at the same time


texts: What causes a glass block to crack? Does it cause any structural damage?

texts: I just found that there is a crack in one of my glass blocks. I noticed that it seems to have water inside. What is the likely cause of this, and how can I repair it?  Should I be worried about structural damage?


texts: How to keep dirt away from wood on shed?

texts:
I have a small (1 car garage) shed:

There is dirt along the side of it, and it seems to have rotted some of the boards in the bottom left corner of the above picture.

Front view: (the dirt had run-off onto the sidewalk, hence the front board is rotted as well. I recently uncovered the sidewalk and that is when I noticed the rotted part.)

Corner view:

So questions:

1) Do I need to do anything about this? Presumably rot is bad... but what actually happens if I just leave it alone?

2) How would I go about replacing the impacted boards? Do I have to replace the whole thing? Or try to cut it and only replace the bottom piece?

3) Do I/how do I prevent the dirt from sitting right against the wood so that this doesn't happen again?


texts: Tricking Oven to ignore intermittent door latch fault

texts:
I have a Kitchenaid Superba oven/range that gives an intermittent door latch fault, which then shuts off the oven completely in all modes (convection, conduction, etc.).  Unfortunately a replacement door latch mechanism is no longer available.  Is there a way to fool the circuit board into thinking the latch is fine (perhaps bypassing the latch and wiring in resistors?).  I don't need latch functionality.  Thanks.

Model: KGST307HBS6

I have added stock images of the latch, per the helpful comment to investigate the lock mechanism.


texts: Best style of toilet when there's a long run to the drain line

texts:
Is there a style of toilet that does better when there is a long (mostly horizontal) run from the toilet to the vertical drain line?  It seems to clog every few months (I think there might be a corner or two in there, in addition to the long run).

As I read up on pressure-assisted toilets, they seem like a good solution except for the noise, and this is for my house, so I'm not thrilled about having any incredibly loud flush.