texts: What is the function of this valve marked VB in my central heating

texts:
I've been trying to track down why one of my radiators in a newly acquired house has no flow. After finding that one side of the radiator is blocked off, further investigation located a motorised valve labeled central heating VB valve at a junction box.

The junction box seems to connect live/neutral and a switch pair (two cables), 4 wires to the valve. The valve is across the flow to a single radiator (probably). With the valve open, the radiator works. There is no obvious thermostat in the affected room (just a wireless remote and TRVs). Further investigation uncovered a flow control valve (just a normal radiator valve I think) between this motorised valve and the radiator. It's all in trunking/behind units so hard to see well.

I traced the cables back to this comedy junction box (included for your entertainment, not because I think it will help in the diagnosis). One set of cables is un-connected here, explaining the lack of action, there are 2 more mechanised valves here for the DHW circuit.

This isn't something I've come across before in the UK, and I'm trying to work out what I expect to find on the other end of this wiring. Most likely the valve motor has failed - and maybe leaving it set on manual will work for the winter, but what behaviour should I be expecting? This is a sealed system.

I'm assuming that VB stands for vacuum breaker - I might be wrong here since I only found the term in a list of abbreviations.

If it's not a vacuum breaker, maybe it is an anti-siphon device. This radiator is the closest (downstairs) to the DHW cylinder, on a vertical spur.


texts:
I was repairing/replacing a set of switches. Two brass metal parts fell out. I don't know what they are or where they came from. I don't know if they are essential or not.

Does anyone recognize them?


texts:
just wondering why I would have 170V to ground on my home run at a light box when at the breaker it reads 118V to ground.  What is the reason for this voltage spike?

thx


texts: how to safely remove granite counter top

texts:
is it possible to re-use granite countertop when i am replacing cabinets in my kitchen? or is there a high chance of breaking it?

Thanks


texts: Can you add a separate switch (different light) to a 4 way switch?

texts: Can I add a circuit (new Light separate from existing) to a 4-way switch set up?  I  used what I thought was hot from a switch and the new light only works when certain switches are activated. The 4-way light can be on or off and the new circuit may work or may not.  I think I connected it to a traveler.


texts: Reparing a water damaged drywall & doorframe

texts:
I had a water leak from the toilet cistern. The bathroom is tiled and no signs of the leak showed there, however the wall in the bedroom on the other side of the bathroom became wet. Unfortunately this was near a corner cupboard and I didn't notice the leak for a while. The wall ended up showing signs of mould.

The leak is now fixed and the wall dried. As part of my investigations I actually ended up drilling two holes in the wall to try and identify the source of the water.

How can I repair the damage to the wall and doorframe round the cupboard? I'm concerned there may be more hidden damage 'inside' the wall...

Picture attached

I'd like to assess if this is something I can attempt on my own or need to get a professional in - and if so, what skillset said professional would need.
Can the doorframe be repaired, or does it need to be replaced. Can you replace only part of a doorframe? Should I also look at replacing the Skirting board? Knowing the drywall has had this damage, should I replace or would simply patching it be adequate


texts:
I have a leaking roof that I am having professionally replaced.  I had originally thought the water damage was minimal and isolated to a specific area, until a bad storm last week caused water to pour in from other areas of the house.  I plan to remove the drywall and insulation from areas that I know were affected by the leak.  I'm concerned that there may already be a mold problem, or one could develop due to the moisture.

How can I find all of the places that mold may be, or may be likely to grow after replacing my leaking roof?


texts: What's the key to sawing straight by hand?

texts:
Whenever I saw by hand I end up with edges that aren't straight. This includes both the long edge and short edge, or horizontally and vertically.

What is the key to sawing straight by hand?

Update 1

I've had the same wonky results with a crosscut saw, coping saw, and backsaw.


texts: Our home was built in the mid 60's. I am trying to install a new fan/light assembly. Currently there are two brown wires and one red wire coming out of the ceiling box. At the very back of the box, I see two black wires that are joined together; however, because there is no white wire, I do not know were to connect the white wire from the new fan.


texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  How can I remove a really stuck screw?

I have to return my license plates to DMV by Friday (they expire!), and am finding it next-to-impossible to get them off my car! First I tried unscrewing them with a solid/thick flathead and neither screw would budge (there's two; 1 on each side of the license plate):

So early this morning I practically emptied a small can of WD-40 on the screws, both of them, on the front of each screw (and around them). Additionally, I pried back the license plate away from the car, and sprayed WD-40 on the back-side of the plate, around the area where the screws might be rusting/welding onto the car underneath the plate. I let it sit there soaking in the WD-40 spray for about 40 minutes, which according to the instructions, is more than enough time for it to take full action.

These screws will not budge! Either of them!

I am junking this old car, so I'm not too concerned about hurting its exterior, but I'm at a total loss as to how to get these screws off.  I have a hacksaw, but the width ("curf"?) of its blade is too thick to fit between the bulky head of the screw and the license plate (preventing me from being able to cut the head off). Not to mention I don't think I could use it anyways, because the license plate area is recessed 3 - 4 inches inward from the rest of the car's exterior, and I don't think I could fit my hacksaw into the recess.

Any ideas?


texts: Is this drywall cracking a structural problem?

texts:
I have a multifloor condo, with garage first floor, living space second floor, bedrooms third floor. At the corner stairs from second floor to first floor, the drywall is cracking (and seems to be increasing in size and width over the last year).
Is this indicative of a structural problem needing serious attention? What causes this type of cracking at this junction in the condo?
The HOA has reviewed the photos and wants to repair the drywall, but I'm concerned of the possibility of overlooking a more serious issue.
What are the most likely causes and prognoses?
July 2020

March 2021 (0.5mm - 1mm wider)


texts:
How do you remove a wire from a push-in fitting when there is no release opening?

Note: “What could cause two of my receptacles to stop working?” is my post.

Note: My home is a 1980 manufactured home. It had junk plumbing (I have replaced the plumbing) and it has a junk electrical system.

I wanted to practice on an old receptacle by replacing the receptacle with an up-to-date receptacle that has screw terminals. When I looked at the old receptacle I saw that it had push-in fittings, but no release openings to remove the wires (two white, two black) from the push-in fittings.

So, how do I remove the wires?

I see four ways:

Cut the wires. I would cut the wires as close to the push-in fitting as possible.
By using brute force pull the wires from the fitting. Is this even possible?
Use a Dermal rotary tool to cut-up the receptacle being careful to not harm the wires. I see no reason to save the junk receptacle.
Some other method.

Any help you can give me with this problem would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.


texts: Can I combine elements in my three-phase oven and feed them from separate mains?

texts: I have a oven with 9 elements of 660 watts each element. Therefore total wattage just under 6KW. It is wired 3 phase. I do not have a 3 phase supply. Can I wire three elements together i.e. 1980 Watts X 3 and feed them each with a separate domestic 13 amp ring main?


texts:
I've starting insulating the roof and that got me looking at the "old" hole where a (useless) chimney used to be. That chimney got removed for a solar panel setup.

As I'm insulating, this needs to be closed off from the weather entirely. I just have no idea on how to approach this.

What can you see (in order top to bottom) in the picture:

red roof tile (they did a shit job "closing" the hole left by the removed chimney) - will be writing them to come fix that as it just lets air in
some sort of mashed wood, possibly plywood (on top of which are horizontal strips of wood as braces for tiles)
80's roof insulation
mashed wood sheets

The brighter yellow is a filler foam that was around the chimney.

The new-looking wood bit is a small piece of plywood they (didn't) cover the whole hole with (and I now can't get to due to solar installation on top of it).

Can I fix this from the inside to be isolated from the weather? How to do so?

Sizes are in centimeters
Apologies for names of things, no idea what the names are of something like "mashed wood sheet" in English
Also no idea if this would be the place to ask, but StackExchange doesn't seem to have another site for this, didn't think the wood-working one was a good fit


texts: Why is my 1997 Hot Springs Sovereign hot tub not heating?

texts:
I am currently having some issues with my Hot Springs Sovereign hot tub. Well, actually just one issue, it is cold.

Some more information on the tub. I am sorry to say, it has not been maintained too well. The tub belongs to my roommate and he got it used about 1.5 years ago and we have been learning proper maintenance as we go. The filters were old and hadn't been replaced or cleaned in some time. I am worried that this might be an issue.

This has been going on for some time now. I first noticed that there were no more bubbles (ozone) coming out of the central drain, and the tub was warm, not hot. The first thing I did was replace the thermistors. Upon replacing both thermistors, I didn't notice anything. I then suspected an airlock so I ran a hose down the central filter and that pushed a lot of air out of the central drain and appeared to restart the tub. Unfortunately, I had installed one of the thermistors without a silicon o-ring and it was leaking a little. When I tried to tighten the thermistor in order to stop the leak, I ended up stripping the damn thing and had to drain the tub and order another one.

After I installed a replacement thermistor and refilled the tub (by running a hose into the main area and not through the central filter intake.. oops) the tub was not still not heating. I then tried to flush out any air lock with a hose again, but no bubbles came out this time. I then suspected that the circulation pump was not working optimally, although it hummed to the touch. I just replaced the circ pump a few days ago with no change.

The heating element was replaced within last year and the light is lit up on the circuit board.

I suspect that the issue is somehow tied to the water not circulating properly but I am not sure what to do next to further diagnose or fix it. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I will probably try some of that spa cleanse stuff next to see if I can clean out the pipes.

UPDATE: I tested the power to the heater with a volt meter and it read 122V (the tub is running off 110V so within normal range). It is a no fault heating element.

UPDATE #2: A repairman came out and "fixed" the tub by hitting the reset button on the outlet... This was something I had done quite a few times, so I don't think it really addressed the initial issue. Sure enough, the tub stopped heating about a week ago. Both the heater and circ pump hum to the touch, but I dont feel any water coming out of the central drain.


texts: How can I install a curtain rod on a drywall?

texts:
Originally I though this would be an easy process, however where I used to live all the houses are pure concrete, therefore something like this used to be relatively simple. My question is how can I attach a rod to a drywall?. I realize this questions might sound really ignorant, but please bear with me, I've never done anything with a drywall, I am currently living in the U.S., and my house like pretty much every other house here has drywalls.

It seems to me that if I just do it in the Drywall it will surely fall down, as it is not strong enough, my intuition tells me that behind the drywall there has to be some wood frame where presumably people attach the rods?. I do not have blue prints for my house, what would be a good way to know where I should install this rod?.

As a note the previous owner had curtain rods installed, but he removed them. So it is clear to me that this is possible, I just have no idea how.

This is a 2000 house that I just bought if that is relevant. Wood frame, brick veneer on the outside and drywall on the inside.

Any help, or perhaps good tutorials on how to do this, or what I need to buy would be really appreciated.


texts: choices besides UF-B wet damp location not inside conduit

texts:
I have a situation where 2" PVC provides a conduit from basement to attic via outside of the house.  As such if that classifies as a wet or damp location and NM-B wire cannot be used in that section of conduit, then what choice is there currently other than UF-B ?

Just one run needed for 240 volt 3-wire (red/black/neutral/ground) either 12 gauge or 10-gauge, currently on 20 amp breaker, do not foresee need to ever go above 30 amp need, this is for AC air handler in attic.

The conduit is 2", and wish to keep the ends of conduit open so runs of RG-6 coax or CAT-6 cabling can be done to reach attic then down to second floor rooms.  Only the one run of 12/3 or 10/3 is needed from basement up to attic through exterior 2" conduit to reach AC air handler in attic.  Only possible space issue is at one 2" LB conduit body.

From exit of top of load center to entrance of 2" conduit in basement ceiling the wire would not be in conduit.  And in attic from conduit exit to Jbox on AC unit wire would not be in conduit


texts:
I am trying to install a new wifi stat. The wiring seems to all be there but apparently not connected correctly. So far I have tried using the green wire from the furnace, the blue and the white from the air handler, each as the C wire, all without luck (doesn't turn on when power is restored at breaker).

Behind the old stat, the upper cable goes to the air handler while the lower cable goes to the furnace. The white, brown, and blue wires in the upper cable were unused in the old stat while the lower cable's green wire was also unused.

In the air handler (a trane twe048c140c0), the brown and blue wires are unused. Do I need to connect either to one of the existing wire nuts?

I'm not sure why the furnace isn't providing 24V either, but possibly because the relay switch is bad? The furnace works fine otherwise.

Here is an image album displaying all wiring that leads to the stat from the air handler and furnace:
https://imgur.com/a/uecMa

Thanks.

EDIT: Solved. There were two white wires hidden in the loops. None of the three spare wires running to the air handler were connected. Connected blue and stat powers on.


texts: How can I level a part of a concrete floor in preparation for installing a washing machine?

texts:
Whoever installed the existing washing machine in the basement was unable to extend one of the legs long enough to adjust for the slope in the concrete floor.

So they took a piece of wood and stuck it under that corner. The washing machine is level all right, but 1- it's very ugly, and, more importantly 2- the piece of wood could slide out during some spin cycle and then the machine would fall and then wobble like crazy.

The old washing machine is about to go, and a new one is coming in. I'd like to avoid the hack and make the adjustment needed to level the washing machine minimal.

To do that I'm thinking of applying a bit of concrete floor leveling compound. The idea is this: First position some (old/disposable) planks of wood around the area of the washing machine. Keep the planks in place with some tape. Apply the compound to the sealed area (that's the footprint of the washing machine). After the compound sets, remove the planks of wood. Now the new washing machine has a nice little square to sit on that's reasonably level.

Is this a reasonable solution?
Can you think of a better way?


texts: How do I check if the plastic tube that comes out of the water pump of my furnace/AC does not leak?

texts:
I have a water pump similar with this one

In this question I am asking bout what is marked with #3 in the picture.
In my case that pipe goes to the ceiling ..partially open in the furnace room and from there through the finished ceiling it traverses a hallway and I am not sure if it joins the drain of my bathroom downstairs or the drain of my sink or bathube upstairs, they are all represented in the picture.

I need to verify the integrity of this pipe. How can I do it?

Edit: the drain tube was installed about 30 years ago when the old furnace was installed (an Olsen, first models of condensing furnaces)

Edit2: looking closer I discovered that there is a pipe that brings water to my humidifier (old an and not in use anymore. Most probably the tube for the pump follows this pipe to the source of water. The worst part is that I also discovered that just above the furnace the tube diameter it reduced by coupling the initial tube with a smaller diameter tube which is the one that actually goes through the floor joists, have no idea where. So now it is out of question to use fishtape to see where this tube goes.


texts: Help with awkward transition strip between tile and carpet

texts:
I would like to replace carpet in a hallway with tile.   The carpet extends into multiple living spaces.  I can do all the transition strips except for one that has me flummoxed.
The transition strip must somehow navigate the base of a wrought iron railing system and the top of a stairwell.
Here are some pictures:

Here's a diagram:

Any suggestions?  Thanks!


texts: I need to remove this deadbolt but it's not coming off

texts:
I'm removing an old Kwikset deadbolt circa 1995 I got the handle set part out but this deadbolt has some type of protective casing and the front is not coming off nor the back.

Here's the back side.


texts: Can I swap the positions of the toilet and bath tub?

texts: We do not like where the toilet and bath tub are now located in the master bathroom. Can I place the toilet where the bath tub drain is now, and install a new bath tub where the toilet currently is? This would also enable us to enlarge the small stand up shower.


texts: How can I remove this ceiling light glass?

texts:
I cannot manage to get this light off. I've tried twisting, pushing, pulling, and a combination of those and nothing has worked. It moves about a centimeter in each direction but won't loosen any further.

Any suggestions?


texts: How to fix sink disposal leaking problem?

texts:
Since yesterday my sink disposal has kept leaking. I took a video. Please advise how to fix it. Thanks

Video


texts: dehumidifier setting and humidity setting(April air unit) What is appropriate?

texts: I can't find the right setting for the upstairs vs. the basement for the humidifier on my furnace. I have the dehumidifier in basement on 50%.


texts: Why is the sump pump inlet draining directly onto the float?  Won't this prevent it from rising most of the time?


texts: Tips and tricks to installing cabinet doors and mounting hinges

texts: What are some tips to installing cabinet doors and hinges so that they are positioned correctly and look good? I've been to some showrooms (IKEA) where the doors look slightly crooked or they don't look perfectly symmetrical or the gap between left/right cabinet doors amongst the cabinets in the kitchen are not the same.


texts: How can I prevent this concrete block wall from falling over?

texts:
I have a concrete wall that separates my backyard with my neighbor’s. It has been there for decades (at the very least 30 years). I have a slope of about 30 degrees and have noticed that the wall is slowly falling over to my side. The rain gutter that my neighbor placed adjacent to my fence is helping in eroding the soil underneath the wall. It can be seen where the soil is slightly green.

I would like to know what I can do on my side to keep it from falling completely over. Already my next door neighbor’s wall fell years ago. I was thinking of maybe something I can do and not having to go to the other side.

One idea in my head was digging a trench and sticking concrete block with rebar and filling with cement. Sort of like a step wall or something, but not sure if it would hold. Please forgive my ignorance; I am a noob with this stuff. Any DIY suggestions would be greatly appreciated

More Pics


texts: Gas Dryer suddenly trips any GFCI Outlet immediately upon being plugged in, but works fine in non GFCI

texts:
I have a Maytag Centennial gas clothes dryer in my laundry room. It is connected to a non-gfci outlet which is downstream of another outlet with built in gfci. It has been connected like this and working fine since I bought the house two months ago, and presumably has always been connected to this outlet for the 15 years that house has existed.

Tonight we discovered the GFCI outlet tripped and wouldn't stay reset and upon further investigation determined that without the dryer plugged in, everything worked ok but as soon as the dryer was plugged in (even though not turned on), the gfci immediately tripped. If I connect the dryer (via an extension cord), to a GFCI outlet in my kitchen (different circuit), it also trips that one, but if I connect it to a non-GFCI outlet it doesn't trip the breaker and runs fine.

My research on line has brought up posts saying the gas dryers should not be plugged into GFCI outlets at all as they may spuriously trip them, but this dryer has been working in this configuration for 15 years, so I'm guessing something has recently gone wrong with it in the past two days since we used it last.

My question is whether I should be looking into getting a non-gfci outlet installed for the dryer or if I should be looking to get the dryer repaired, and if so is there anything I should look for in the dryer myself rather than call service.


texts: How can I attach an under-sink water filtration system to the water line?

texts:
I recently bought an under-the-sink drinking water filter, a model from GE, and I got stuck trying to hook it up to the cold water line.

The package came with a simple plastic tee that had a 1/2 inch MIP, a 1/2 inch FIP, and a 1/4 inch connection for the tubing that goes to the filter. My trouble is that I don't have any 1/2 inch connections after the shut-off valve -- the connections there are 3/8 inch compression connections (I'm slowly learning the difference between the various fitting types).

I've been trying to find fittings that would let me adapt the plastic fitting that came with the filter for my situation, something like the following:

shut-off -> 3/8 fem comp x 1/2 mip -> plastic tee -> 1/2 tip x 3/8 male comp -> water line to existing fixture

But I can't seem to find anything like a 3/8" female compression to 1/2" MIP adapter. It also seems like having more joints in a plumbing system might cause problems, so using the fewest fittings possible sounds like a good idea.

Is there a better way to do this? Some way of avoiding the included plastic tee?

So, to restate my problem, how can I accomplish the following:

shut-off, 3/8" m comp -> 3/8" f comp x 3/8" m comp -> 3/8" f comp fixture line
                                  |
                                  v
                         1/4" quick connect tube


texts:
Any idea what these spots might be? They're isolated to just one spots on my ceiling. My ductwork is right above this area.

Thanks!


texts: Why all daisy chained gfci circuits in house randomly trip? Stand alone gfci no problem

texts: All of the gfci outlets in the house are daisy chained and they all have the same problem. They will trip randomly more than one time a day, actually it has gotten worse recently and it is several times a day for all gfci circuits.  There is not one set of circumstance that cause them to trip.  Plugging something in will cause it to trip.  Other times nothing is plugged into any of the plugs on the circuit and I hear the pop when it trips.  Could they have used the wrong amperage 15 instead of 20?  I haven’t tested this yet, but it seems like they don’t trip when something is plugged in and being used. One stand alone gfci for the wate3r softener doesn’t trip.


texts: The contractor I hired to tile my basement bathroom dumped a bunch if grout sand down the drain. it is clogged solid now that the plumbers came back to do their water test.  we have been trying to get it out by chipping when it was soft yesterday and then dumped muriatic acid down and left it overnight. Nothing seems to have happened and I'm afraid we don't know how deep the clog goes.  The trap is completely inaccessible.  Please does anyone have any ideas?


texts: How do I properly mount hardware to a wall covered in AirStone?

texts:
I have made a wooden magnetic knife holder which uses keyhole eyelets to enable mounting to a wall.  In my previous house my kitchen backsplash was covered in tile so I drilled a hole and inserted a plastic anchor, inserted a screw and hung the holder.

My new kitchen has AirStone or something very similar, an artificial stone veneer.  My understanding is that these veneers are not designed to support weight as they are purely decorative.  Because the eyelets on the knife holder are 20 inches wide (my bad, should have made them 18) I cannot anchor into studs.  What kind of anchor should I use to ensure it's deep enough to leverage the drywall behind the veneer?  Or should I use some other mounting technique?


texts: LED Strip Power Supply needs to be unplugged/replugged to work

texts:
I bought a color changing LED light kit for my basement and found out it wasn't long enough so I bought another. I connected them together with an LED amplifier and it seemed to work perfectly. Except when I came back the next day to turn them on again, they didn't work. I found that I needed to unplug the PS and re-plug it and viola, the lights worked again. This happens every time now when I want to turn them on. I've replaced the PS with a spare and it's the same results. I'll mention that disconnecting the PS from the LED controller does not fix it, it has to be unplugged from the outlet to fix it. Anyone know where I might be going wrong?

Here is my PS

And my LED controller

And amplifier

Here are some links to the components I used:

AMP PS

AMP

Splitter


texts: convert single wire connectors to 9 wire

texts: I want to install a ceiling fan light into an existing ceiling fan? The new light has 2 single wire connectors wires to plug in to the ceiling fan which has a 9 wire plug in connector. how to convert ?


texts:
There are a couple of holes in my brick and mortar that I'd like to fill.

Will this work for the mortar ?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000H5SDH0

What could I use to fill the holes ?


texts:
Bottomline, I think I've made a huge mistake.

I was drilling through studs in a load bearing wall to pass a cable. This is on a doubled-up stud going perpendicular into a joist. Definitely load bearing.

There was not a whole lot of space to position my drill perpendicularly and in my frustration trying to get this done I foolishly angled the drill bit to make the hole. (I really wasn't thinking and what I had done dawned on me afterwards)

My fear is that I got really close to the edge of the second stud as my drill bit was so angled and that this could be potentially unsafe.

Is there any thing I can fill the hole with like Liquid Nails which will harden and return the studs to good?

Edit: Note the drawing is not to scale, It's a 3/8 hole - it doesn't look that bad in person. I tend to be paranoid about these things.


texts:
So my adult kids started working on the kitchen-they were planning to remove a wall that runs perpendicular to the peak (along the cross-joists, so we thought it wasn't a supporting wall).

After removing the drywall it looks to us like it might be a supporting wall.

In the picture you can see the kitchen wall we were thinking of removing along the right, and the exterior wall in front. (to the very right you can see the edge of a door frame; we'd removed the actual door a while ago and turned it into an archway to get more room, since it was a pocket door, making the framing around it about 6 feet wide and we preferred to have the opening).

So, do we need a structural engineer?  It looks like there's a beam running parallel to the main beam, about 2 feet from the edge of the house and in the picture, about a foot closer to the exterior wall than the vertical plumbing pipe -- is this normal?  It looks like we need to support it, my son suggests a pillar just under it where the wall framework is currently and then removing the rest of the framework of the kitchen wall.

I'm just nervous my kids are going to do something to completely destroy my house or create a situation that's going to cost me way more than I can affort.  Restless kids in quarantine's great for Lowes', but not my nerves!

Other side of kitchen:

Closer view of support


texts: Are there drawbacks to using solar panels as a roof without asphalt shingles underneath?

texts: If you're working with a new construction or a very old roof in need of full replacement, why not forego asphalt shingles altogether when installing solar panels on the roof?  It seems like a waste to stack panels on top of new shingles.


texts: Stamped concrete possibly put solvent sealer over water based sealer. What to do now?

texts:
Long story short, I had a stamped concrete patio poured 2yrs ago this May. The contractor stamped it too late so some areas had some crumbling. It looked fine for the first year, but over the first winter, some areas started to break away. I was pretty busy with project last summer and didn't want to reseal the patio until I was done. I ended up finishing up most of the projects and laying sod around October. So essentially I ran out of time, to do probably one of the easier jobs.

With the cold weather approaching I paid one of the workers who tar'd my driveway to come back and spray wet look solvent sealer over the patio to fill the cracks, and protect it from the winter and do any further damage. It was 60 degrees that day. He came back the next day when I was at work and it was high 30's low 40's and did it. So I am not sure if it looks milky/cloudy because it was done in the cold weather, or because the original sealer was water based...

I would like to fix it this summer, and looking over how to remove the sealer, there are different methods for solvent vs water based. So now I am not sure what the original sealer was.

What is the best approach for stripping the sealer off?

Pictures:

What it shouod have looked like, and did after first applied:


texts: How can I prevent makeup air vents from exhausting conditioned air?

texts:
The utility room has two 8-10 inch ducts running to it from the exterior of the home.  There are also three fireplaces in the home, and we have noticed that occasionally the house smells like smoke, despite the flues being closed. Sometimes while starting a fire, the down draft is so strong that the room fills with smoke.

I also believe that when the conditions are right outside, that air drafts down the fireplaces and air from the utility room exits the house via the ducts.

I have checked the ducts and at times there is not cold air coming into the utility room at all even while the gas furnaces are operating, which seems to confirm to me that these ducts are acting bi-directionally at times.

Is there a way to have these ducts perform in one direction only?  Providing outside air to the utility room and prohibiting the air flow from reversing?

Thanks in advance!


texts: Should I turn off my electric water heater when the water is off?

texts:
Our municipality turned off our water today and I was curious if I should turn off my water heater.
A similar question was asked (Should a gas water heater be shut down if the water main has to be turned off?) but since it's specific to gas water heaters I didn't know if it would be applicable. Thanks!


texts: What is this type of traditional adjustable shelf support called?

texts:
I saw these on a bookcase in a shop today, but don’t know what they are called.

Also is there an easy way to make them, or can they be bought “off the shelf”


texts: Wall oven microwave combo wired incorrectly. How should I go about discovering what was damaged?

texts:
I have a KitchenAid wall oven microwave combo unit. After having some cabinets redone the oven was reinstalled but was wired incorrectly. The 240V circuit going to the oven is only 3 wire (so  two hot and one neutral/ground), but the oven wiring is 4 wire. The oven neutral was connected to one of the hot wires (it had been Sharpied black but that had worn off), both oven hots (black and red) were connected to the other hot wire, and the oven ground was connected to the ground wire.
When the breaker was flipped, the oven started making a buzzing sound and we could smell something burning. I'm assuming the neutral for the 120V circuitry being connected to a hot was not good for said circuitry. I'm also assuming the two 120V circuits making up the 240V circuit being in phase was not good either.
I rewired the oven to have the red and black wires each connected to a hot, and the neutral and ground wires both connected to the circuit ground/neutral. At this point, no buzzing sound but also nothing on the control panel.
I replaced a decent sized fuse that was accessible from a side panel on the oven that sounded like it had been spent when I shook it, but that didn't fix anything.
How can I fix this? Where should I start testing to try and determine what part(s) were compromised?


texts: Furnace not turning on, and can anyone identify these sensors?

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My home has a gas furnace with electronic ignition (intermittent pilot).  Sometimes it doesn't want to start up, even with the thermostat turned up, and it indicating heat should be on.  The fan-only mode works fine, as does the A/C.

Yesterday I shut off power to they system and opened the side panel where the gas valve, burner and ignition system live.  I noticed these three sensors all wired in series (see photo below).  The "upward" facing sensor had a lot of dust on it, so I brushed it off.  I then turned on power to the system and it started right up.  I thought that was the culprit until this morning when again the furnace would not come on.  So I repeated the sensor cleaning, but this time I used a bit of isopropyl alcohol to gently clean the face of each sensor, and again the furnace kicked on as soon as I restored power.  But I'm still not convinced that the sensor cleaning was the trick; maybe it was just having it powered off for 5-10 minutes did some sort of system reset, and this problem may come back.

So, can anyone identify these sensors, and what is their purpose?  Maybe one of them is faulty?  And better yet, can anyone give me any other troubleshooting ideas if the problem does indeed come back.

Update:
Thanks to all who have contributed.  As Ed Beal, JPhi1618 and others mentioned, the sensors are snap sensors, designed to "snap" when the temperature reaches a certain point, which opens up a safety circuit and likely shuts off the system.  I was able to push one in, then use the little red tab to push it back out (reset).  Must be some sort of bi-metallic thing.

And as I suspected (and others have eluded to), these sensors are not the problem.  The non-start-up problem has happened again, but I wasn't home so I instructed my wife to cycle power so she could get the house warm.  Next time it happens though I will hopefully be home so I can look for a blinking LED on the control board (which I found last night in an adjacent box).  I will also try to clean off the flame sensors too since they are reasonably accessible.  If/when I solve this I will report back so others can learn, and accept an answer if applicable.

Update 2:
Woke up this morning to the heater not starting up again.  The access panel has a small plastic window which allowed me to see the control board, and the flashing LED.  A troubleshooting sticker on the panel told me the pattern of the flashing LED indicated "pressure switch closed" (it must be opened in order to startup, therefore likely got stuck in the closed pos after the previous cycle).  Googling shows this to be a common issue, and solved by either cleaning out the pneumatic lines that attach to the sensor, cleaning out the sensor itself (gently!), or else replacing the sensor since it is likely bad.  I'm just happy it is not the control board or something like that.  Thanks again to all who replied, and I hope this update helps others (also, here's a good video of diagnosing this problem)


texts: Covering a ductwork bulkhead with pine board

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I would like to make a wood beam with pine board to cover a ductwork bulkhead in the upper corner of the kitchen.

Is it possible to do this or do I have to leave it the way it is?


texts: Crown molding planning in a simple room -- all inside miters

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I'm putting up crown molding in a simple square room, so everything is an inside miter and I wanted to cope the joints. I was thinking, "Great, this is going to be easy, I'll just have butt joints on one end and copes on the other, all the way around." But then it hit me that for the first piece I put up, there won't be a butt joint for that cope to hit up against. Do I put up a small temporary piece of molding for that first piece to go up against so I know the length is correct? Is butt-to-cope all the way around the room the best way to do it?

I wanted to cope the inside miters because I know it's more forgiving for non-45 degree corners.

This seems like an easy thing to figure out, but any help is appreciated getting me started.


texts:
Have to replace a 55uf MFD 440 Volt VAC (model 97F9042). Is it OK to, at least temporarily, replace it with a 45uf 440V one (model ITAN PRO TRCF45)?
(Some specific details of my situation. It's not clear that the capacitor is the only issue. It's just obvious that it's broken. I could order one from Amazon and it'll be here in two weeks. I could have a local HVAC company come and fix it and it'll cost me $300. So if the above solution can last me 2 weeks without further damage to the system, I'll be happy to go with it while I wait for the part from Amazon.)


texts: I purchased a 1.6 commode that was made after the year 2000. The tank busted. I have another tank I found at a salvage store. Actually the whole commode. I removed the tank and wanted to put it on this one.. Will this work? I put it on the bowel and it leaked but I think it was just the seal. It was old. If I replace the seal with this fix the leak..Every thing seemed to line up ok...


texts: So I purchased a 2 bedroom/2 bathroom condo in Arizona not too long ago. It was built in 1984. I recently took a good look at my load center and I see there is no main breaker installed. The label on the door of the box says it is a 125amp service. Wouldn't a main breaker be required or is that a local building code issue?


texts: What can I use to hold an iron rod Torchiere lamp section to the pre-wired lower iron rod threaded bolt that won't tighten securely?

texts: I purchased a pre-wired Torchiere floor lamp that attaches together in sections of hollow iron rods that each have a smooth end and a threaded bolt on the other end. On one of the iron rods the thread on the bolt does not have a sharp edge - like the others - which is preventing the bolt from 'cutting' a thread into the connecting hollow iron rod end when I thread it into the opening. I was already issued a refund by seller who said to just "keep the lamp." My mom loves the lamp so, if possible, I want to try to salvage it. I tried turning it as far as it will turn and then taped a small plastic collar with foam around the rod to hold it in place. But the halo torchiere light makes it top heavy and it is not secure. Is there a collar or something I can use to secure the torchiere section to the lower iron rod since I'm unable to screw the 'threaded bolt" into the rod to tighten securely?


texts: Other than gypsum, what else can be put over exposed insulation? Code wont allow for exposed paper. If not tyvek than what specific product can be used? The company that installed my insulation, which failed final inspection won't return calls.  I was told nonwoven flame retardant sheet.  Anyone have specific product that meets that?


texts: Why does this load bearing stud not extend all the way to the floor?

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In the center of the below picture, I recently had a cable installer come out and they drilled a 1" hole (effectively cutting the stud) right through the middle of the stud with the electrical box on it! Since this is a load bearing wall, I'm trying to figure ways to repair that stud.

I can see that there is a sistered stud on the left of the damaged stud, but it doesn't extend all the way to the floor. What is the purpose of this stud? Can I fix the damaged stud by mending the sistered stud to extend all the way to the floor?


texts: Why does my framing nailer ocasionally leak from around the trigger?

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I have a Hitachi NR90AC5 framing nailer that still functions correctly, but some air leaks from around the trigger. Sometimes, after firing a few nails, it doesn't leak air anymore. Then later after more nails are fired, it goes back to leaking again. The performance of the gun is unaffected, but I'm concerned something may be wearing out.

It hasn't been used that heavily and I oil it every day.

What part needs replaced to make it stop occasionally leaking from the trigger?


texts: Is it safe to cut a bit into a "Double Header(?)" over a closet door that supports ceiling beams?

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So, I a closet with a lot of wood over the door area. I was hoping to make a small window over the door area for a projector.

It currently looks like this from the outside.

Here are the beams seen from the inside of the closet.

Here's what I'm trying to accomplish.

To do this, I'd need to remove a 6" x 7" chunk from the two back-to-back beams (6" in from the bottom, and a 7" horizontal cut).

The beams I want to cut support beams that go across the ceiling. There's a floor above where I'd be cutting.

If there are more things I need to factor in, lemme know and I'll post more info.


texts:
I am installing a new breaker for my AC unit.
My Ac unit says 20A max
My emergency shut off near the AC unit says 60A

So what size breaker should i use ?


texts: Is it safe to change wind blowing direction of a William Wall Mounted Heater?

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I have a old William Wall Mounted Heater, as shown in pictures. (I took the bottom casing off)

I'd like to change the direction hot air blow out, so I used a plier to make those wind blades upward instead of bending downward, because too much hot air makes some buckling in my vinyl flooring. The pilot is located on the bottom section.

Is it safe for me to do that? I'd like to be very careful when handling a gas-powered wall mounted heater. Thanks for any advice.


texts: What is the grommet called for a pipe clamp?

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I bought a pipe clamp and after it arrived I found it does not tightly fit the pipe because I think it is supposed to be used with a grommet.

The problem is that to find a grommet to fit this thing, I need to know what it is called. What is the name of the item I need here?

(Note that it is NOT an electrical grommet. Electrical grommets that fit into a hole in sheet metal are totally different.)


texts: Does laminate flooring need an independent vapor barrier on concrete?

texts: House is on a slab.   Installer and one flooring company says the laminate I am considering has underlayment attached and I don't need vapor barrier.   Another installer/flooring company advises it is very much necessary to prevent future problems with buckling laminate and or mold/mildew.   Who's correct.


texts: Do I need a ground for a 2-wire BX cable to a stove?

texts: I am installing a new electric stove in a 20 year old condo. The existing BX cable has only 2 wires and both are hot legs. Do I need a ground wire or can I use the BX armor as the ground??


texts: QO Main Service Panel - Ground lug question - CT resident

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I have a fairly new QO main svc panel (QO142M200PCAFVP) which is being used as a service panel (bonded, not a sub-panel). The green screw (top right) bonds the panel appropriately.
The main 3 connectors are identified (120v/120v/neutral).  There is a smaller lug next to the neutral lug which I don't see being utilized anywhere, marked in green "???" in my picture. It can take a 4GA or maybe slightly bigger wire.
What is the official role of that lug, and can I throw my outside ground wire (attached to an 8ft ground rod) on it?
Thank you very much for the explanation below, "ThreePhaseEel"!
The resulting service panel wiring is in the second picture.


texts: Matching pegged hardwood flooring or another way?

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Our 1979 ranch home has some 3/4" pegged hardwood flooring in the den area. We are getting ready to renovate this room and we think our first step will be to take out the dated built-in "hutch" and bookcases along one wall in this room.  Unfortunately, when they were built they were built directly on the underlayment (particleboard!) and the hardwood flooring was installed around them - ugh!

I have installed several hundred square feet of 3/4" oak flooring in the rest of the house and the instructions from Mohawk explicitly said not to install on particleboard, so I ripped it all out and put down 3/4 plywood (it was carpet throughout rest of house).  My wife insists we keep the flooring in this room so I can't get away with the same process here.

My questions:

1) I guess if it has been here 41 years the hardwood floor is ok on top of the particleboard after all?

2) How do I match this flooring for the small area that will be exposed once the hutch & bookcases are removed?  I'm thinking the existing flooring will have to be sanded down to bare wood (Ugggghhh, really do not want to do this), install similar as possible unfinished flooring, stain everything and polyurethane it all.  Is there a better way? I am not even sure if this is red or white oak but I am guessing the pegs are walnut?

Cheers


texts: Code requirements for lights mounted horizontally?

texts: I have a couple of lights in the basement that are mounted "naked" and horizontally.  Just would like to know if there is any restriction on doing that, e.g. height of the fixture?


texts: I have a number of sagging drawers due to broken rear brackets on sliding drawers. Can anyone help me find replacement brackets (pictured below)?

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I have reversed some that have broken on the bottom to the other side, which is a temporary fix.  These brackets are not flush with the back wood panel but fit over a 1" x 1/2" strip.

Any help with locating these would be awesome.  I need at least 4 sets.

Thanks.


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My AC unit is working just fine and shuts down at/below set temperature.  However, the AC fan keeps running all the time even in auto mode.  The only way I can shut down the AC fan is to power-down my HVAC system, wait for some time and then power it back again.  What could be the problem?

Furnace Model: 58MVB100-F-10120
AC Model:   24ANA748A0030020 or 24ANA748A00300

I would appreciate any recommendations on what diagnostics I should perform in order to identify root-cause and fix it.


texts:
Has anyone used this:  Stanley Drywall Hole Cutter

There are no reviews for it and I can't seem to find any on the web. I like the fact that it has two saws, though since I've never used a cutter like this, I wouldn't have anything to compare it to.

Anyone recommend another cutter?


texts: AFCI trips when adjacent breaker is switched on

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I added 2 separate circuits to a small space on the first floor.
Both circuits were AFCI/GFI protected in the breaker panel.
Both circuit home runs ran to one junction box before splitting.
1st circuit was 20A single gang outlet, nothing else.
2nd circuit was 15A for direct wired radiant heater (line thermostat controlled) that would draw max 6A.
All grounds were connected in the junction box.
After consultation with the heater/thermostat company I learned that AFCI/GFI breaker cannot be used with the thermostat.  It requires a conventional breaker.
Conventional 15A breaker installed for the 2nd circuit.
Problem
circuit 1 trips immediately when circuit 2 breaker is switched on.
Circuit 1 does not trip with circuit 2 breaker off and vice versa.  (Btw before switching from AFCI to conventional style 2nd breaker only worked if 1st breaker off and vice versa)
Heater (2nd circuit) works fine as long as other breaker is off.
Outlet (1st circuit) works fine as long as other breaker is off.
Eaton breaker panel and Eaton br115 and Eaton All-in-one 20A breakers.
I’m open to all suggestions to resolve.
Thanks very much


texts: I decided to put a GFCI outlet in my kitchen. It's an old house and only had 2 duplex outlets in the kitchen. I wired the GFCI making sure I used the correct wire terminals. I left the other terminals taped until I was done. The outlet works fine. Since I only had 2 duplex outlets I decided to add a couple outlets to the GFCI so they would be protected. The second outlet only the bottom half of the duplex outlet worked. And the 3rd had no power at all. The checked the wiring, then decided to use a different duplex outlet in case the other was bad. I got the same result. Only the bottom half of the duplex outlet works and still nothing on the third, while the GFCI still works correctly. What would cause only half the outlet to work? The strange part is the half that doesn't work is the half that the wiring coming from the GFCI.


texts: do I need to fill with spackle or can I paint directly

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I have the corner of my wall chipped a little

Do I need to fill this with spackle or can I paint directly?

Also, will spackle absorb moisture and cause problems this way?

This is in the bathroom.

(I tried to fill in with spackle but it fell out. It turned out to be super hard to fill in because it's on the corner).

So again, my questions are:

Can I touch up with paint directly?
Does spackle in the bathroom cause problems due to absorbing moisture?

Thanks


texts: How to sister joists to level a floor when they've already been sistered to level the ceiling below?

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We are remodeling a second-floor bathroom. The floor dips, and my plan was to sister the joists to level the floor.
This is an old house, built in 1920. The previous owner redid the kitchen. The bathroom we are remodeling is above the kitchen.
I started pulling out the tub last weekend, allowing me to see into the floor and I noticed that the joists are already sistered , presumably to level the ceiling of the kitchen below. So I'm not sure whether I can even level the floor via sistering.
Should I get/cut narrower boards and rest them on top of the existing sisters or sister again on the other side of the joists? Or is there something entirely different I should do to level the floor?
Supplement
Given questions in the comments about why there's such a severe dip, I am attaching a photo of a sistered joist under the kitchen floor showing a split joist, which I assume is the same reason the bathroom floor has a 1-2" dip.

Also, I tipped the old tub on its side, which allowed me to share pics of these joists:


texts: Why does my 2 bulb fixture have 40 volts going to it when a bulb is removed?

texts: When second bulb is removed in the fixture in the off position, the remaining bulb lights dim (fixture switch still off) and the socket that is bulb less reads 40 volts, when replacing the bulb both lights go off. 3way seems to work fine with 2 bulbs in. Any help would be appreciated.


texts: How to finish bathroom vanity junction with the floor?

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Hello Internet DIYers!

I'm in the process of remodelling our bathroom. The floor is done and I have installed the vanity (I screwed it to the studs in the wall). The vanity side walls arrive nicely to the walls.

However, I had to shim the front-bottom to get to that point, so there is a small gap between the floor and the base of the vanity (~2 mm). The shims are not yet glued.

What's the generally accepted way to 'finish' this spot? I've thought about a couple but they won't look nice:

Quarter round (There are none of these anywhere else in the condo, so I'd try to avoid it.)
Caulk (I think it would be hard to find the proper colour.)
Leaving it like that (The best approach I've thought about, but I'd like the shims not to be visible.)

Would there be a way to make the shims not visible and finish it with transparent caulk? (Or just making the shims not visible and not putting anything else..!?)

Thanks!

P.S. I've added a picture to illustrate.


texts: Should I switch from propane to electric heat?

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After a downright frightening heating bill, I am thinking of switching to electric heat. I want this to be as little impact to the house as possible. I currently live in a 1100 sq ft manufactured home (mobile home... its a trailer) with a bedroom on each of the polls and a massive kitchen and living room area. My plan is:

A small space heater per bedroom
A baseboard heater for the kitchen livingroom area

My home has 100A line coming in with a 60A main breaker. The electrical is already heavily separated and my panel has enough room for two more 15A breakers. I do not have ready access to a 230V line. (I know enough not to do any work here myself)

Is there anything that I need to know before committing to this? Does anyone have any similar stories that can help me with this?

P.S. It may be worth noting that I currently pay $5.10/gal (!!) for propane and $0.08/kwh for electric. The current system is forced hot air.

UPDATE: I have equipped the main rooms with electric, oil-filled heaters. During the day they keep the house warm enough and at night our bedrooms are fine (the living room and kitchen suffer but I'm the only one who wakes up early enough to notice so moot point).


texts: This dish washing machine piece seems to be leaking (in red). My mom wants to change the dishwasher but I want to try and replace it if it isn't to complicated (hoping the leak doesn't come from somewhere else). Do any of you know how this piece is called?


texts: How to extend short wires into new panel?

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I replaced the panel yesterday, and as I was removing the old panel, the hot and ground wires from a damaged cable broke off. I stripped the hot and that looks good above the damage. The neutral seems to have the insulation scorched only.

So now I'm looking to extend the cable into the new panel because I only have about one inch of wire (hot and ground) inside the panel. I'm looking at a metal box, located above the panel on the inside of the wall (see picture pls). The picture shows an open knockout hole. This is where the box will attach.

Optionally, I can move the brown cable to the empty knockout and put the box closer to the stud. I think a regular 1 gang metal box may fit there. I'm wondering if I can use a conduit box? instead of the 1 gang box. The conduit box looks smaller/narrower. Either box would be fitted to a 1/2 in nipple and threaded to the panel (and the box). Then the cable would come into the box from the top with a wire clamp. I'll add an foot or so of cable to extend it into the panel and make the connections.

I will be fixing the dry wall so no access will be possible in the future, unless I cut the drywall again. So I want the cable connection to be rock solid. I would rather solder the wires before adding the wire nuts, probably a no-no? Any better options? Thanks


texts: Will pipe insulation stop condensation on an HVAC drain line?

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ISSUE

A sweaty condensation drain line is dripping and causing mold in a ceiling panel:

The condensation drain pipe is lengthy and spans two rooms:

QUESTION

Is insulating the pipe an effective means to counter this drip / mold problem? If you have successfully solved this problem please state this in your response and include details / context.  Thank you


texts:
I recently replaced the wax ring on my toilet because it was always getting clogged and most recently it overflowed to the tune of at least 4 shop vac basins worth of water. It spread into the hallway and it's brand new carpet.
So after replacement, bolt down, and water hook up I turned the water back on to the toilet. The valve for this is behind the toilet near the floor. It too was recently replaced this time by a professional. Anyway it started making that scary loud noise like the pipes are shaking somewhere. So I turned it off then back on then off on off on until I found the maximum  spot to run the water before it makes the noise. Now the water is barely dripping into the toilets tank. It takes forever to fill. Also I noticed that I can turn the valve up more if I run the water from the sink in the same bathroom at the same time and this seems to quite the noise. of course this is a temp fix until I hear from one of you guys.
Everything in the tank is new and the noise happens when I open the valve. But it stops if I turn on the water from the sink in the same bathroom rm.


texts:
As a fresh DIY-er (just moved into my own house), I've purchased a digital clamp multimeter.
Learned the hard way that in order to utilize the clamp to measure current, the supply line needs to be split.
I'd rather build a line splitter instead of settling for a product. The clamp has a 20A limit - research indicates a 12/2 wire with an equally rated male-female power plug should suffice.
Has anyone created a line splitter before - Any precautions/best practices? Thanks


texts:
I have hit an obstacle in my quest to replace my light fixture. The current electrical box in the ceiling is a very old type as shown in the picture I attached.

How does one go about removing this? I have searched high and low, even looking for older products and their manuals but no luck as this box seems to be ancient. The screws don't seem to come off? No matter how much I try they seem to be stuck on purpose. There is also what looks like a brace holding the box.

I appreciate everyone's time!


texts: Can I install 120v and 240v receptacles behind the same two-pole breaker?

texts:
I have installed a number of receptacles around my woodworking shop, all NEMA 5-20R duplex receptacles with separate feeds to their top and bottom halves, and a shared neutral and ground. These are all behind a single common-trip two-pole 20A breaker (GCFI), using 12-3/wg Romex to "daisy chain" from one duplex receptacle to the next (two hots from alternate legs, neutral, and ground).
I now find myself needing a 20A 240V receptacle in one of these locations. I am not worried about overloading, as no other tools will ever be operating on the circuit when this one is in use.
Can I replace one of these duplex NEMA 5-20R with a single NEMA 6-20R (alternating hots plus ground), and if so, does the neutral-to-neutral to continue the chain count as a "splice" in my box-fill calculations?
I think that the common-trip breaker exempts me from the "only line-to-neutral" requirement (2020 NEC 210.4.C), and cannot seem to find any other restrictions about mixing line-to-line (240V) and line-to-neutral (120V) receptacles.


texts: Can a kitchen faucet be installed by someone with no experience?

texts: I bought a pull out kitchen faucet online. Can this be installed by someone (me) with no experience?


texts: Can I use a 4x6 as a top plate for a stud wall?

texts: The beam on the front and back walls of a shed and will be extending out to support the roof overhanging the sides of the shed.  So instead of using a typical 2x4 top plate for the walls and putting the beam on the top of that, can I just nail the studs into the 4x6 beam?


texts:
I bought an LED light bulb on eBay, which unfortunately is too big for the lamp i want to put it in. If I would remove the glass bulb however, it would fit. My question is, does the lamp actually need the glass bulb, like a normal lightbulb does? Or is it there just for asthetic or maybe safety reasons?

The product in question is this one:

http://m.ebay.de/itm/3W-4W-5W-E14-E27-LED-Birne-Gluehbirne-Lampe-Leuchtmittel-Milch-Klar-Kerzen-Kugel-/331509865665?varId=540677165602&txnId=1163527699014


texts: Do I need to support a section of a load bearing wall?

texts:
In the bathroom, I discovered the double sole plate of a short wall are rotted out. The wall length is 2 feet long and its the wall the door closes on.  The entire wall including the door is just over 5'.  The rotted plate is about 18" of the 2' section.

The studs on the plate are either rotted or starting so I plan to cut 6" past the affected area and add new studs and sisters.

The studs are perpendicular to the above ceiling joists. Naturally, I'm assuming they're load bearing, though I'm not positive. An adjacent double sole plate (parallel to the ceiling joists) is not load bearing.
My question is regardless if the wall is load bearing or not, do I need to support the wall/ceiling?  It's only 18" of a 5' wall. I'd rather "ask now" than "should've asked".

The house is 67 years old, cape cod style with crawl space eaves sitting above the wall in question.


texts: can two fixtures share one vent at a connection?

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I'm trying to figure out how to best plumb the drains for a toilet and tub.

The toilet is going to be 3" drain and go direction to the main vertical stack. The tub is 2" and is going to connect to the 3".

My question is if both the toilet and tub drains can share one vent stack at (or right next to, depending on fittings) where the two connect?

Here's a top-down schematic. The "X" is where I was thinking one vertical vent could go up inside the wall.

                   Toilet (3" drain)
                   +--+
                   |  |
                   |  |
                   |  |
                   |  |
       +-----------+  +-------------------------------+
                   |  |
   Vent?           |  +--------------+         (wall)
     +-----------> | X  -----------+ |
                   |   /           | |
       +-----------+  +------------+ +---------------+
                   |  |            | |
                   |  |            | |
                   |  |            | |
                   |  |            | |
                   |  |            | |
        To main +  |  |            | |
        drain   |  |  |            +-+
                |  |  |           Tub (2" drain)
                |  |  |
                |  |  |
                v  |  |
                   |  |

Will one vertical vent in that spot work code-wise? Or do I need to give each fixture it's on vertical vent that ties together higher up in the wall?

To clarify scale, the toilet will be about 2' from that shared wall, and the tub drain about the same (just on the other side).


texts: How to make a 12" deep wall cabinet face be 15" from existing wall

texts: I'm remodeling my kitchen. First major remodel. I have purchased 12" deep unfinished stock cabinets. I would like to make the face of the 30x30x12 wall cabinet that will be above the stove/oven be 15" from the wall so I can add crown molding to all the wall cabinets later on. Is this possible by attaching a couple 2x4's  flat against the wall to the existing studs and attaching the cabinet to those?


texts: Can I put an AFCI receptacle on a branch circuit that shares a neutral with another branch circuit?

texts:
So, I have a Square D QO panel that had one of the original AFCI breakers go bad, and in the process of researching how to fix that, I learned a bit about this whole AFCI thing and how newer code requires it in virtually all living areas.  After replacing the bad breaker (test button never worked), this means that only my bedrooms have AFCI protection via two breakers.  I began to look at my living room setup and discovered that it's on a two-pole breaker (15A), with the second pole shared by the main hallway and bathroom lighting circuit, w/ both branch circuits sharing the neutral wire.

Some more digging turns up that Square D (now owned by Schneider-Electric) does not make a two-pole AFCI breaker for QO panels, citing limited demand for two-pole AFCI for shared neutral circuits (pg 6)†.  So I looked up an AFCI receptacle, which are pretty new overall, and found the AFTR1-W by Leviton.  If I were to get and install such a receptacle as the first living room receptacle downstream of the living room breaker, will that provide AFCI protection for all downstream receptacles?  And will the neutral wire going through the the living room circuit cause the AFCI receptacle to trip if I flipped on the hallway or bathroom lights?

If so, that will cover about 98% of my living room outlets.  Oddly enough, it appears that the builders pigtailed somewhere after the living room breaker, but before the first receptacle, and used that pigtail to power a GFCI receptacle by my front door that grants GFCI protection to the receptacle outside on the front of the house.  I can test this, because if I plug a GFCI tester into the first downstream socket, I can't trip the nearby GFCI receptacle, so they have to be in parallel somehow.

I don't think that if I put the AFCI receptacle in that I'll be able to cover that GFCI receptacle as well, unless I find the pigtail in the wall and wire it to be on the load side of the AFCI receptacle somehow.  But that's only assuming the shared neutral doesn't prohibit me from even using the AFCI receptacle.  Also doesn't look like they make a combination AFCI and GFCI receptacle device, either.

† Also, Schneider-Electric has this to say about shared neutrals in residential wiring, too.


texts: I have a bathroom in the basement, last night my son flushed the toilet and there was a huge rumbling in the pipes... turned the water off and back on slowly and no more rumbling... however, since then there is no cold water in the sink and the toilet tank does not refill... the rest of the house is fine... I tried opening the cold and blocking the spout and opening the hot... water went into the toilet tank but then stopped as soon as I turned off the hot... is there something else I can try??


texts: Is it OK to mount outdoor electrical outlet box to deck trim board?

texts:
I see most places have outdoor outlet either standing by itself (via post or something hard) or mounted to wall. If I run my wiring under the deck and when it comes out, can I mount it on the side of my deck (trim board)? Or is there regulation requiring the outlet to be NOT touching the deck?

p.s. I am using outdoor rating stuffs like box and cover. PVC is used too.


texts: How to deaden the noise that bounces from cinderblock wall in backyard?

texts:
I have a very large backyard surrounded by a tall cinderblock wall.  Not only is it HOT in the summer (NM summers) but the noise that bounces around is bad.  Someone walking on the sidewalk next to my home can hear our conversations.  Help?  A coyote fence?  bushes? what can help absorb the noise?

The wall separates two levels.  The top level next to the wall is not irrigated nor maintained.  I leave it to wildlife vegetation and birds.  There are several xeriscaped plants but I have no intention to create a garden of any kind.

About 5 feet below the upper level is the main level where we enjoy the outdoors 8 months out of the year.  I garden and plant flowers and allow my pets to enjoy the outdoors. Again, the wall is hot and noise bounces around.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.  I am looking for inexpensive fixes that I can do myself.


texts: How can I remove a parking block from my garage?

texts:
So, builders have this thing, for some reason, of installing cement parking blocks a few feet in front of the hot water heater in the garage. I've lived at plenty of places without those and managed to not drive through the water heater into the wall. Maybe I'm just abnormal like that.. (I did check the code [USA - Florida] and didn't see any requirements for this block)

Anyway, this thing is in the garage. The garage is an enclosed, attached garage with a door that goes into the house. This parking block is in the way of a project I'd like to do.

I shined a light down the holes in the parking block and did not see any rebar stakes. I poured water down the holes where the rebar should be but it didn't drain out from under the block, so I imagine the thing is cemented or sealed to the floor.

The floor is concrete as well. How would I go about trying to remove this thing without damaging the garage floor under it? I thought maybe a sledge hammer and a hammer drill, but I don't know if this is a good idea. Maybe a saw? Maybe the attaching material can be dealt with another way? I don't know, but I figured I'd ask..


texts: How can I determine what is in my water?

texts:
My question is, how can I determine exactly what these "floaties" are that I see in my drinking water?  I know that I sound crazy and more than a little obsessive-compulsive....my wife tells me this all the time.

For a while, we had a Brita water pitcher that had a replaceable filter in it, and it works great except that bits of the charcoal would always fall into the reservoir (even after following instructions on how to clean it out after replacing it with a brand new filter, etc).  We never had "floaties", other than the little grains of charcoal, which still drove me crazy (to the point that I would dump the water or use it for something else, clean out the reservoir, and fill it up again...).

Whenever I get water from the tap in a glass, I raise it up to the light to see what's in it.  Normally there are a bunch of air bubbles, which is fine.  But after letting the cup sit on the counter (covered with saran wrap to stop dust from falling in, etc), I've checked it again and have seen little "floaties".

We rent our home, and the refrigerator has a filtered water system (where you can replace a cylindrical water filter located inside the refrigerator).  The water tap for this is on the inner part of the refrigerator door (as opposed to on the outside...first time I've ever seen this).  Checking the water in the same manner as I do with the tap, holding it up to the light and inspecting it, results in little "floaties" in there also.

I live in Southern Arizona, USA, so we have a lot of sediment buildup in our water.  Using vinegar or "Lime Away" type products to remove buildup around faucets is a normal thing done every couple of months.

However, the filter that is in the refrigerator, even when replaced, still has "floaties" in the water, which leads me to believe that it may either be sediment, or something living in between the dispenser head and the filter itself.

I like to think of myself as a "manly man" - I like to get dirty, romp around, and have a good time.  But for some reason (a mental one, I'm sure), I cannot drink water that has "floaties" in it.  And if I can't/don't check for "floaties", I feel like there's something in the back of my throat that makes me want to sick up.

So anyway...any DIY way to find out what these floaties are?  I'm sure that it'll be cheaper than a shrink or a separate filtration solution...


texts: What can I use to lubricate electrical contacts?

texts:
I've been replacing lots of 2 pin MR-16 halogen bulbs and have been having a very difficult time inserting them into the sockets.  I've also lost few pins removing the old bulbs.

Is there anything I can use to lubricate the pins and socket to make this easier?  I've read about people using everything from WD40, Vaseline, lithium grease and Silone grease.


texts:
Im passing 2 circuits and a ground from LB to junction for backyard  outside circuits. So two neutral, two hot, and one ground 10 awg.

The LB box screw fell into the vertical pvc conduit last minute, and I have a few feet of wire pulled out of LB. I tried getting it but cannot. I would rather not pull the wire anymore to not damage it.  I was thinking of just splitting the wire at the junction box to continue my run to the breaker box.

How many splices can a junction box contain? This is a 4 inch box.


texts: What might have caused these cracks on a load bearing post in the basement?

texts:
The photo is of the top of the only post in a basement room about 27'x18'. I presume it is a load bearing post.  The cracks seem new (i.e., no dust or cobwebs and I have not noticed them before).  How might I go about deciding if this is a serious matter?  The house is located in Atlanta.

Update: The post is about 7" in diameter. If I grab it with both hands, I can shake it side to side about 1/8" without exerting much force.  I presume it is just a facade and the actual bearing post is inside.  I do not see a way to remove the facade without destroying it.  Suggestions?


texts: Will 1x4's and 1x6's be enough for an aquarium stand?

texts:
I'm building an aquarium stand, with only wood and screws. I'm only equipped with a miter saw, a drill, and some hand powered saws and a leveler- this will be my first woodworking project. The goal is to have a stand that will hold a 35-40 gallon aquarium that will weigh at most 500lbs. But I am hoping this stand could hold 900-1000 lbs. (If I were to sell this, it's footprint is able to hold 75-gallon aquarium)

On the interior corners, it will have a 2x4 that spans top to bottom (30in) that the other pieces will screw into. I can use 2x4's and 2x6's for the other lengths as well, but I was hoping to use 1-inch thick common board to keep the weight of the stand down.

The finished product would have 1/4in plywood on all sides and 1/2 on the top. I was also planning on adding two handles on each end (drilled into the internal 2x4) for ease of transport.

...

So here are the bulk of my concerns.

Would using 2x4's and 2x6's instead of 1x4's and 1x6's be a better choice ultimately?

Would this design be able to take lateral pressure?

What alterations should I make to make it safe for 1000lbs?

Will the center piece (The one drawn in dashes) on the face and back be of any benefit? Or can it be left out entirely?

Should I use 1/2inch plywood on all sides instead?

The footprint of my aquarium is smaller than the stand, so it's edges won't be lined up with the frame, is that still safe?
Aquarium is 36x15in and stand is 38x20in

The picture isn't entirely to scale, but it's close enough to get the point across.

Edit
Updated Design - Forgot to add the two "joists" to the top and bottom.


texts: Consequences of gutter water collecting in corrugated drain pipe

texts:
This is a follow-up question to Sloping ditch for corrugated pipe
The water coming down the gutter drain has a nominal velocity and will collect and transfer to an 80 ft run of corrugated pipe (to be installed).  Assuming that the pipe is perfectly level until the very end where it slopes downward into the 25 ft section (see photo in link).

Will a siphon effect 'pull' the water along the 80 ft run into the 25 ft section?
What is the penalty / consequence if water is not completely eliminated from the pipe and sits in the pipe until the next rainfall?

Assume a Florida venue: freezing is not a concern.
I realize that a nominal slope is the key to forcing the water naturally from the drain to its target destination, however, the question is posed to understanding the worst-case dynamics.  Unfortunately, I think there is only 10 of depth available for the 80 foot run.  As much as I like the idea of a column of water pressure pushing the water through the 80 foot run, I think that would require a watertight seal, which is not long-term reliable.


texts:
when changing a defective fan I found out that because only 2 wire
cables were used, they have used the ground as the third wire to supply
the light. Is this legal and safe? This is in a condo in Florida


texts: I have an induction cooktop in my island powered by a 40 amp circuit, can I spur off this to install two outlets on the side of the island?

texts:
I have an induction cooktop on my island powered by a 40 amp circuit, can I spur off this to install two outlets on the side of the island?

This is the only circuit going to the island. Will I have to install a breaker?


texts: Can I connect a dishwasher and an outdoor outlet on the same circuit?

texts:
I bought a "fixer upper" and I'm remolding the kitchen.

The previous "hack & wack" investor added a dishwasher but to power the DW they installed an outlet box and powered that box by cutting the power cable to the outside outlet and left that outlet unconnected.

My question is it ok or a bad idea to power that outside outlet by "tapping" back into the DW box?

Thanks,
Mitch


texts:
I had my house renovated about 5 years ago and was told at the time that I have high water pressure and may need a pressure limiting valve. Fast forward to now and have one tap (5 years old) that has worn out and whose top literally flies off when the tap is opened too fast. My now 5 year old hot water service overflow value has worn out and is now leaking constantly.

Are these signs that the water pressure is too high. Turning the taps on always gives a lot of water, the shower is never affected by other taps.

Before I replace the tap and HWS value, i'd like to know if I should be installing a pressure limiting valve first.

How do you (or a plumber) test for high water pressure? What should it be?

BTW: none of the pipes knock if that helps.


texts: How should I connect a chandelier from France?

texts: I purchased a chandelier from France. The 3 wires are blue, yellow and brown, rather than the standard black, white, and ground.  How should I connect them?


texts: Is this Coleman Recessed Heater Model #69 gas or electric?

texts: Is the Coleman Recessed Heater Model# 69 gas or electric?


texts:
I've replaced both limit switches on my Comfortmaker furnace plus the control board. Blower continues to run and the unit will still heat my home. Component changeouts did not make a difference in it's operation. I was thinking that the problem might be in the transformer, but since I am getting heat when called for from the main thermostat, I'm thinking that isn't the source of the problem. Thermostat fan control is set on Auto. All of a sudden, the blower motor would not stop running though it continues to heat the home.
Furnace motor capacitor looks good.
I disconnecting wiring at thermostat but blower continued to run. Wiring at transformer looks good... no fraying or burnt or discolored wiring.
You still think it could be the thermostat?


texts: What is happening when my A/C operates in "dehumidify" mode?

texts:
I have a new Carrier Infinity system. Even though there is only one (evaporator) coil in the plenum (no reheat coil), it can operate in a dehumidify mode. In normal "cooling" mode, the fan runs at its highest speed, just as you would expect, in order to prevent the evaporator from icing up. From what I could find in the technical manual the installer left behind, it seems that in dehumidify mode, the fan intentionally runs at a slower speed. I've often noticed the compressor running with the fan running at a low speed, and if I look at the thermostat, it indeed shows that it is "dehumidifying". I've also noticed sometimes the fan running at high speed without the compressor running.

My question is:

If the fan is supposed to be running at high speed to avoid icing, why would the system be intentionally set up to run the fan slower? Doesn't that risk icing? Is it an acceptable consequence of trying to get as much moisture as possible to condense out onto the coils? What exactly is the system trying to do and what is likely happening when it is in its dehumidify mode?


texts: Is it the control board or is it the induction fan?

texts:
I've got an older Goodman (GME80905CXAB) that doesn't seem to heat. Blower motor turns on just fine for cool but not at all when there's a call for heat. I can confirm ~120 volts are going into the board from the transformer but I'm getting nothing for voltage from the board to the induction fan. Getting ~27 volts from the thermostat.
Seems like an issue with continuity but I'm not an electrician!
Is this likely to be an issue with the board?


texts:
I have about 30 ml of leftover Sulfuric acid. There is a similar thread on this board suggesting ways to dispose of it. They involve adding baking soda after adding the sulfuric acid to water. However, the MSDS sheet for sulfuric acid contains the following statement which scares me:
"A violent exothermic reaction occurs with water."

Any suggestions please.


texts: How should I build an exterior door landing pad?

texts: I've got a building with several exterior doors (all opening inward).  The slab and walk-up is about 18+" from the ground.  Code requires that I have a 36"x36" landing pad outside each exterior door.  What's the best way to build this?  Should I build a form and use concrete or something out of wood?  Can I use existing CMU blocks?  What would be the easiest and least expensive way to be in compliance with code?


texts: How would I go about adding more receptacles to a garage?

texts:
Looking for help in trying to get more electrical outlets installed in my woefully under-receptacled garage. I have one GFCI 20A outlet at the door going into the garage, one single ceiling outlet for the garage door opener, and one single outlet on the opposite wall that is powering my sprinkler system. I don't like the Clark Griswold approach I've got now at my workbench-an extension cord from the GFCI that connects to a power strip to handle all of my tool needs. I would rather wire outlets properly. My question is how many standard outlets can be strung in series from the GFCI? The outlet hasn't tripped with as many as 8 items running simultaneously (mostly LED bench lights mind you), so I was thinking of installing two 4-outlet boxes or perhaps a switch at my bench to power these outlets. Would these be simply run in a chain from the GFCI to each outlet (or switch)? Are the number of outlets added simply dependent on the load? Any advice would be appreciated.

I would rather do something even more efficient like adding a new circuit or two to the panel, but that may be outside of my skill set. Any tips you can provide will be appreciated.


texts: I am adding another windows to a sunroom. This will go under the left corner window on the landing (see picture). So of course I will take out the left and right jack studs and cut the middle stud down. I'm wondering if I can get away with cutting only the first left and right king studs to make a stronger window header. For the windows on the right they use two 2x6's of the same length for the header. Can I leave the first 2x6 as it is and then put in a longer one below it to span the cut king studs?


texts: How to replace a line voltage thermostat with a low voltage one?

texts:
I have one of those round mechanical knob thermostats (line voltage). I would like to replace it with a wireless thermostat which is controllable from an Android phone. It seems those thermostats are based on 24v voltage.

What are my options to be able to use a wireless thermostat?


texts: Central curtain rod support is ripping out

texts:
I used zinc drywall anchors to install a curtain rod. The area doesn't have studs. Given the length of the rod, there are three hangers: left, center and right. I noticed that the center hanger is damaging the drywall (it appears to be cracking under load: .

Questions:
Is the drywall at the center hanger too damaged to remove the anchors and replace them with toggle bolts?
Is it easy/recommended to remove the anchors and replace them with toggle bolts on the left/right sides as the drywall their doesn't exhibit cracking.
Is there a way to strengthen the drywall at the cracked area?


texts: I have an older home built circa 1977 and one of the bedroom doors now will not stay closed.  Meaning, if I go to close it, the door does not lay flat against the frame, and the door tongue will not go into the grove of the door so it can be latched.  The door is not bowed, nor is the frame broken or cracked.  What is causing the door not to close flushly and how do I remedy?


texts: How do I turn my top-heavy headboard into a freestanding headboard?

texts:
I've DIYed an upholstered, king-sized headboard (5'x6'10"), but after trying to bolt it to the bed frame, I've realized that the bed frame is much too light to prevent the headboard from toppling over. What's worse is that there's an electric baseboard heater running the length of the wall (where the head of the bed is), and wall mounts are not an option (apartment living, yay). While there's plenty of room at the foot of the bed, I'd rather not have the bed in the middle of the room.

I'm guessing the best thing to do is to add some counter-weights to ensure that the headboard can stand on its own without being bound to anything. Unfortunately, I don't know what the ideal counter-weights are, nor do I want to build something that would be difficult to transport in the event we have to move. What would be the best course of action?


texts:
I'm been looking for 45 minutes and everywhere I look there's answering going every which way but up, so I'm wondering if I want to run 12/2 wire above ground inside of conduit or pvc pipe, from the main breaker panel under the house to the small building, the building leaks in a few spots also once the conduit would stop from entering the 2nd small building ... I'm lost on which wire to choose to use in 1 in conduit, this would be 12/2 gauge wire, ? Nm-b, uf, uf-b, thhn, thwn... can someone shed some light on this subject for me please

Also if nm-b wire is used in pvc and it got wet somehow wouldn't the breaker trip or the gfci before any fire or spark


texts:
I've got a lot of rust coming out when I run the shower or fill the tub.

I've taken the valve apart as far as I feel comfortable taking it.  Can someone help identify what type of valve this is? (See photo)

It's a diverter type for tub/shower.


texts: Can a hand drill drill 1/4"-1/2" holes into 1" thick aluminum?

texts:
I'm making some baseplates in my home for a custom camera system and I'll need to be drilling many holes into plates of aluminum. I'm planning to use 6061 aluminum and need to drill holes anywhere from 1/4" to 1/2". And later will be tapping them.

Is a handheld drill capable of drilling these holes into aluminum up to 1" thick?


texts: Should I install a second septic tank or add a long run for an outbuilding?

texts:
We have a barn in which we want to install a flush toilet (for human use).   It is 53' from the home's septic tank.
Would it be better to install a septic tank near the barn to service the toilet and then run plumbing to the home's septic tank?  If so, would we plumb to the drain lines after the home's septic tank or to lines leading to the home's septic tank.
If it matters, the barn is higher than the home's septic tank by approximately 70".  Our frostline is 1'.   We are in the foothills surrounding Tucson AZ and it makes nationwide news when it freezes here.


texts: How do I repair a minor scratch in wall tile?

texts:
I've just discovered a few of the brand new ceramic wall tiles in my bathroom have a faint scratch. It's certainly not deep or wide as I can just barely feel it tug if I pull my fingernails across it perpendicular to its direction. Its color is, however, light gray and hence a bit too visible against the off-white tile for my liking.

Taking the tile out is sadly out of the question, as it was professionally installed just a few months ago (long story short: I'm now quite certain the tiles were scratched upon installation, but I guess I don't deserve any better when not noticing upon job completion inspection) and my removing it would probably disturb the wet-zone membrane behind it.

So, are there any tips for what I can do to repair it? So far I've tried rubbing it with polishing leather, and I've tried to locate an enamel repair paint, but I can't find a color close enough to the shade in question.

Edit: I say the tile is in a location that's wet-zone rated. While this means I don't want to disturb the membrane, the tile is in fact rather far from any actual source of water, and any fix doesn't have to handle anything beyond the occasional light cleaning.

Here's a horrible mobile phone picture that probably doesn't help at all:


texts: How do I use hidden deck fasteners without compromising the integrity of the flashing?

texts: I am using hidden deck fasteners which screw in to the joist and then hold the board via a notch in the side of the board, pretty standard I think.  This fastener will sit on the ledger to hold the first board (closest to the house), but to do this it will need to screw through the flashing which sits on top of the ledger.  Can I just put some silicon caulk over and around the screw to prevent water from getting in there, or am I doing something completely wrong?


texts: I have been trying to wire this to a motion sensor switch, but after turn back on the power, the sensor is blinking, but the lights won’t turn on.


texts: Can I install attic ladder perpendicular to joists?

texts: I only have one area in old house on the 3rd floor where I can put a pull down attic ladder. That is a narrow hallway but the ladder would need to be installed perpendicular to joists. It is an old house 1899. I have some photos of attic if that will help to answer my question. There is insulation but you can see the joists under there running perpendicular to way I need ladder. I would have to cut 3 joists. Can I safely do this?


texts: How to fit jam extensions to this window?

texts:
New double casement windows came from manufacturer bowed inwards at the center mullion so that window has an a very, very slight "V" shape when viewed from above.

The windows need jam extensions made so that they are flush with the adjoining drywall surface and must fit flush to existing jam, but the inward bow of the window near the center prevents the jam extension from making contact all the way across for the top and bottom extension pieces.

This means I can't make a jam extension with a flat surface fit the jam without a gap at one end (it rocks near the center).  I've tried sanding down this area (see pic) but it is a tedious and I am not getting anywhere, and I am not sure this is the best way to do this.  Feels like it would be better and easier to make the jam extension fit the jam but have no idea how to sand/plane/cut the extension surface to fit the jam.  How would I do this? Is there a way to trace the jam surface onto a new piece so that I can cut it similar to scribing a bookcase to a wall?..I don't know how to do this if so!

!

!


texts: How can I know if my boiler is supported by Nest 3rd Gen thermostat?

texts:
Here are the pics

How do I know if my hot water boiler is compatible with Nests domestic hot water control


texts: What is this copper-looking wire on my light fixture?

texts:
I had an electrician install two hanging pendants over a kitchen island. The install went well and the pendants work fine.

However, after the install I've had an opportunity to look at the fixtures up close, I can't understand what this wire is. The light fixture hangs with a chain and has a typical-sized black cord which I assume is the main power for the pendant. However, there's a copper-colored wire which hangs along down with the chain and the black cord, which doesn't seem normal to me.

Any idea on what this is? I'd like to remove it, but I want to be sure what it is and if it's important first.

Here is a closeup of the copper-colored wire:

And here is a view of the full pendant:


texts: Do you use a twist-on wire connector to connect a "neutral in" and "common" wire?

texts: I'm upgrading the receiver on a remote-controlled ceiling fan unit (which also controls the ceiling lights in that room). The wiring diagram changed from the old model to the new -- most importantly, the white common wire not connects to the white neutral-in wire. Would I do that with a simple twist-on wire connector, or is there a better way to do this?


texts:
Say I someday want to have a large estate, but for right now I just want to build the living room, kitchen, one bathroom, etc. and next year add another bedroom, library, etc. either adjoining or above the current build and more the next year and so on.

I know I should make sure I run utilities for what I want the house to be eventually. But how should I leave everything in the walls and ceilings that I know are eventually going to be opened? How should I leave the electrical/plumbing/HVAC and what kind of insulation should I use...? Any other considerations?


texts: How to hang very heavy (marble, granite, quartz, etc.) shelves on drywall and studs?

texts: I am planning a kitchen remodel and I have been looking into hanging some kind of stone-ish shelves on one wall. Surprisingly, I'm having a hard time finding much information on the feasibility of this idea. I know that these shelves will be very heavy, but I wonder if it is possible to anchor them to studs through the drywall, or if I will need to do something more difficult to ensure that the shelves are stable. Does anyone have any experience with this?


texts: How important is it to use 4x12 vs 4x8 sheets of drywall?

texts:
We are going to be starting drywall hanging in 2 weeks, which is the final part of my GC's contract. We are separately hiring another contractor for mudding and painting. My GC has informed me that he intends to use all 4x8 drywall panels to save cost and reduce the weight of the boards. Since he's not doing the mudding, the creation of extra butt joints isn't his problem. He's telling me the cost of a change order to "upgrade" to 4x12 sheets of drywall is $5K.

My mudding contractor is saying he won't charge extra for the extra butt joints introduced by using 4x8s, but he is saying that the final product simply won't be as smooth.

Do you think it's worth it to pay the extra $5K (or maybe we can negotiate down) to get the 4x12s? How noticeable will the extra seams be? Should we be worried about cracks or other major issues caused by using 4x8s?

Our drywall is primarily 1/2", with some areas 5/8" for fireproofing or sound proofing.


texts:
I have a requirement for a 2-gang intermediate light switch (specifically, only one of the gangs needs to be intermediate - the other can be 1 or 2 way).

There seems to be very few of these available, and those that are available are either extortionately expensive or look pretty poor. Also, almost all of the house is fitted with the same switch at the moment, so I really want to try and keep the consistency throughout the house.

The manufacturer I have been using for all my switches/sockets (MK) do make a 1-gang intermediate switch.

What I intend to try is;

purchase the 1-gang intermediate switch and a 2-gang 2-way switch
remove the module from the intermediate switch and from one of the gangs on the 2-gang switch
install the intermediate module on one of the gangs on the 2-gang switch

I know that technically this will work - my question is has anyone managed to do it without destroying the switch?


texts: Resistor/Synthetic Load for Caseta Lamp Dimmer

texts:
I have a Lutron Caseta Plug-In Lamp Dimmer with a cheap LED light strip plugged into it. It strobes every 10 seconds or so when the dimmer is off. I believe this is due to the "minimum load" problem.

I believe the solution is to add a resistor or some sort of synthetic load. Is there something off the shelf I can use? Most of the bypass/synthetic loads/etc are all for hard wired switches. I'm hoping there's something I can plug in betwen the lamp and the dimmer.

UPDATE: To answer Harper's questions:

it's not extendable
it looks like it's two wires down the strip. I think it's cutable
See the attached picture:

Thanks!


texts: Addressing a shower pan that was not sloped properly

texts:
My tile contractor did not properly slope my shower floor and left a lot of 2"X2" shower floor tiles with numerous lippage spots. I took out all the tile but still have some thinset stuck to the floor.
If I am able to remove all the thinset with out tearing out all the deck mud, do you think it would be alright to just patch and fill areas in the deck mud?
Or should I take out all the deck mud and start all over?
I also had to dig down to the vinyl liner around the drain because my tile contractor installed the vinyl liner over the drain flange and the locking coupling.  I was able to remove the locking coupling and install it over the vinyl liner. I think I can back fill this area with gravel and deck mud, but not sure if this is a good idea.


texts: Motion sensor ground connection won’t work?

texts:
Bought a Leviton IPS02 motion sensor light control. When I wire it as per photo, which is as per instructions, it turns on once when I turn breaker on. Then turns off after timer runs out, the. Doesn’t turn on again. LED flashes when on for first use but does not flash ever again. I’ve exchanged for a new one. Exact same thing happened. I live in a brand new building so assume the ground is working.
There are 3 lots of cables in the box which isn’t on many of the tutorials etc I have watched or read. Maybe I’m doing something wrong?
[![enter image description here][1]][1]
[1]: https://i.stack.imgur.com/ewAJP.jpg![enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/8NgsI.jpg)