texts: What is the maximum number of average sized people that can stand in a standard upstairs bedroom of 12' x12'?

texts:
Of course there are many different types of construction, but assume average since generally buildings have standard compliance codes and construction companies will do at least the minimum required. Of course, standards can vary across cities and across states and boundaries, but this post is not intended to receive a precise answer but rather something general.

Assume that a house or building is built to code of generally average residential requirements. Nothing extremely strong and nothing unreasonably weak, just an average room in an average residential building built to code, upstairs.

Moreover, people themselves vary a lot in weight so just assume an average human weight of 150 lbs.

A 300 pound refrigerator which is 33" x 36" = 36 pounds per square foot. This is obviously not a problem for any upstairs and there are also other things in the same kitchen including multiple humans, stove, cabinets, even washer and dryer are often in the kitchen and these are all no problem.

Extrapolating even this 36 lbs per square foot to a 12' x 12' room which is 144 sq ft, that is a weight of 5,184 lbs and may not be close to the limit, and this is exactly equivalent per sq ft to a standard 300lb fridge.

5,184 lbs is the equivalent of 34.56 humans weighing an average of 150 lbs each.

It is my guess that there is not enough square footage for enough humans to even stand in any normal sized room to come anywhere close to the weight limit for any room, even if you packed people in so tightly that you couldn't fit a piece of paper in between any two people. Maybe even if you also stacked the two high, which is more than can fit since with a rough average 5'5 height (averaging male and female), you cannot stack people two-high in a standard room which will be usually between 7 and 10 feet tall.

I wonder if you can even possibly fit enough people in a standard sized room in any way possible to come anywhere close to the weight limit for a standard room built to code.

I actually found a calculator online, it is on the Hilton website for Hilton hotels: https://hiltonworldwide.hilton.com/en/hotels/groups/popup_space_calculator.jhtml

In that calculator, if I put a room size of 144 (assuming sq ft), it returns a total number of people recommended as 12 people. Of course, a hotel is going to realize people are generally going to be a little crazy and do a lot more, so I am sure their estimate is quite a bit lower than the actual possible amount.

Their low estimate may also take into account fire regulations, of which aren't relevant to the question as to the maximum number of people that a room (of 144 sqft) will actually hold.

I found another site which said that the building code weight limit for residential homes on the west coast used to be 40 lbs per sq ft. This is the building code, which means that it is not the full limit, and that it was deemed relatively safe.

At 40 lbs per square foot which is pretty safe but not at the total limit, this would be 144 sqft * 40 lbs/sqft = 5,760 lbs, which would be 38.4 people averaging 150 lbs each.

So, based on the former code in that area of 40 lbs, nearly 40 people in a 12' x 12' room is not even the maximum number of people.

According to that post the new code is 30 lbs/sqft, which it is possible that the contractors use lesser materials than in the past to save money. In that case, a newer building with a code of 30lbs per sqft, even if the contractor did exactly to code and not a pound more, in that case it is 144 x 30 = 4,320 lbs / 150lb ppl = 28.8, so about 30 people.


texts:
I took off a bathtub wall spout fitting the other day and was surprised to find that the feed pipe that goes along the inside of the faucet piece was way shorter than I was expecting.  This really spoiled my day as I was hoping in the not too distant future to replace the entirety of the tub and surround with one of those one-piece inserts, specifically so that I would not have to pull out the tub, redo the walls, etc etc.  (edit: this is just an example.  The question remains even if I wanted only to keep everything the same and just replace the tub spout, which, unsurprisingly, is not as secure as it ought to be.)

Are their any elegant ways to lengthen the pipe?  It doesn't look like a sleeve fitting would be possible.  But that means I have to open up the wall...and then, presumably, find a way to replace just that pipe, without having to rebuild the entire fitting it connects to.  Which doesn't feel possible.

What techniques have others used?


texts: Do I need to cut under door jambs when installing laminate flooring?

texts: I'm planning on laminating the floor. On the photo attached, where you see a passage between the room and ensuite bathroom. So, do I have to cut the underneath of the doorjamb with a rotary tool or something so that laminate plank goes under it? I've marked in red the jamb spot.


texts:
I have a white, black, red and bare cooper wires coming from ceiling. The fan I bought has a remote and the remote sensor is already installed/attached to the mounting hardware.

The remote sensor has a white wire and a red wire coming out of it and a bundled wire that is blue, black and white and has a cap to plug into the same bundling on the motor; the motor also has a green wire grounded to it.

Any idea which words to connect to the ceiling from my electrical box? I attached the white to white and black from ceiling to red in remote sensor and nothing worked.

I took a picture as well and will try to post.


texts: Is it possible (/advisable) to install foreign plug sockets in your home?

texts:
When travelling in developing countries I've found a lot of hotels have plug sockets that allow for plugs from a variety of different countries to be used without adapters. Basically something like this:

In developed countries however I've never came across a place that uses this sort of thing. Its always left up to guests to use their own adapters.

I've been wondering, is there a particular reason for this?  Is it possible for me to install this sort of thing in my home or are there some dangers?

Of course using US or Japanese 120v appliances in a 240v country is generally inadvisable (and vice-versa) but between two different European countries is getting the plug to fit truly the only worry?

Its particularly appealing to me in my UK house as my partner comes from elsewhere in Europe so we regularly get guests from overseas. It seems it would be a nice convenience to put some of these in the guest room.


texts: Low Sloped Asphalt Shingle Roof Remediation

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The operative word here is remediation. This isn't a new install, so I'm looking at how to strategically work with what I've got.

The previous owner put a new shingle roof on my garage about 4 years ago, but the problem is that the roof wasn't sloped enough for shingles. Most of the water runs off OK, but some does get through the shingles toward the back. I'm trying to find a good solution that ultimately just needs to prevent this leaking. I'm mostly concerned about cost and hassle. For right now I just have a tarp over the shingles. I'd like to avoid removing the shingles if possible. At this point I'm looking at the following options...

A.) Any solution that would allow me to "patch" or seal the problematic  area of shingles, making them less permeable where the pitch is so low that water gets through?

B.) A solution along the lines of removing existing shingles, adding improved waterproofing underpayment, and re-installing existing shingles.

C.) Any overlaying solution that would allow me to avoid ripping off the shingles. For instance, maybe metal or polycarbonate over shingles.

D.) If no good options between A, B, and C, then I'm looking at my material and method options for all out re-roofing. In particular, considering cost, difficulty, one-man-job or not, continuous or piecemeal install, rental equipment, etc.

I'm looking for a good DIY path forward, including any overlooked options and/or particular insights from someone fixing a similar problem.

Bonus: Any alternative uses for relatively new shingles if they're removed?


texts: Isolation relay for Ecobee smart thermostat: NC or NO?

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I've been looking for "isolation relays" to install an Ecobee 3 smart thermostat on my 2-wire T/T furnace (replacing a Honeywell round thermostat). I know I want to use the 24VAC transformer/relay method (option 2) detailed on the Ecobee site, but I can't seem to find any details on the isolation relay required. Looking at the pictures, the relay is a SPST relay (see image), but it has two sets of contacts, one for NC and one for NO setups. I'd like to know what the proper default is for this situation.

My instincts say NO (I assume closing the loop tells the furnace to turn on), but I won't have a chance to check the setup (2 hours away) for a month. Would a SPST-NO relay like this be appropriate, or am I going down the wrong path?


texts:
How should I attach glass panes for use as shower walls in place of tile?

I want to build an all glass shower, including glass panel back walls (see picture at top of page here: http://grayglassblog.com/backpainted-glass-shower-walls/) I am having great difficulty finding how they should be attached to the wall and what material should be behind them.

For example, should drywall vs. concrete board behind? Should they attach simply with silicone or would thin-set mortar provide better adhesion? I tend to doubt mortar, as glass is flat and does not have the ridges like the back of tile does.

The closest I've come to an answer is how this is used in kitchen back-splashes, where they say having j-channel around the outside and some silicone on the back, spaced in circles is more than adequate. This seems to also be the case with thick plastic shower panels, just not sure if the same silicone 'circles' technique will be effective.

It sounds like I want 'colored' not 'painted' glass in this case.


texts: How to make a cut-out on an acrylic sheet?

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What is the right tool and method to make a small rectangular cut-out (about 9"x5") on an clear acrylic sheet (0.093" thick)?

I want to use the sheet as a kind of kitchen back splash protector behind the stove. The sealing on the new tumbled marble back splash is no match for the greasy/smokey cooking that my family does.

The cut-out is for light switches and outlets.

I used a plastic cutter from Home Depot to cut the large sheet (36" x 72") into the overall shape that I want, and it took a very long time (I was probably not doing it right). So I hope there's a better tool/way to make the cut-out.


texts: Suggestions on how to fill gaps at all of my windows

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My boyfriend and I live in a ground floor apartment with windows that leak cold air horribly! So far we’ve tried to add several different kinds of weather stripping to help but  I don’t think it’s done much. (I can’t find the best way to explain so that it’s not super confusing because I don’t know anything about windows or their specific parts.)
The top can slide down to be opened or, the bottom can slide up to open. There are drafts of cold air coming in at the ‘side tracks of the windows where the window slides up and down. This is how every window is and some of them have very small foam blocks in the channels (I’m assuming to stop the drafts) but honestly they don’t do anything.
I’m posting photos - the ‘side track’ part that I’m talking about it circled. (Please ignore the dirt) When you close the window, you can feel A LOT of cold air right here.
Is this normal??
Anyone know of any fixes?
I'm looking for a solution that fills or covers the gap as opposed to using a film over the entire window. Please let me know if you have any ideas for this as well as any ideas for a better way of explaining this lol !


texts: HEPA Vacuums for Lead Renovate, Repair, and Paint

texts:
We are starting to clean out an old house that we purchased.

It's a 1939 house so there's probably lead underneath the painted surface.
I plan on doing some RRP (renovate, repair, and paint) on my own. And according to the EPA recommendations, we should use a vacuum with a HEPA filter

Is it adequate and safe enough to get a normal shop vacuum and buy HEPA filters for it OR do I have to buy a special HEPA shop vaccum for ~$250 - $300.  Also, is a household vacuum with HEPA filters another alternative?

At the end of the day, I want to get the right protection for me and for my kids when I'm cleaning up.


texts: How much will a damper clamp increase my energy costs?

texts:
I'm considering installing gas logs. I have the option of vented or ventless. I'm leaning towards vented, since these are mainly for aesthetics, I have a working chimney, and my wife is sensitive to the smells of ventless logs. However, I'm concerned about running gas logs and forgetting to open the damper. Carbon monoxide!

I understand that there are devices called damper clamps, which will force my damper to always be open far enough to be safe. Obviously, though, this will open my house to the outside air. Is it possible to quantify how much effect this will have?

Also, as a bonus question, can things (insect, birds, bats, reindeer, what have you) get into my house through an open damper?


texts: AC Blower cycles off and on after 60 seconds?

texts: I have an older Goodman central air unit. Furnace ran fantastic all winter. Fired up Ac, now the blower runs for 60 seconds and shuts off. Repeatedly. The compressor outside never shuts off. There is nothing freezing and it happens immediately,  as soon as I turn it on.  If I go back to furnace it runs just fine again. What should i be looking at to determine the cause?


texts: Where does my C wire go in this splice connection?

texts:
I'm looking to install the Ecobee3 Lite thermostat. My current thermostat has a blue C wire running to it, so my understanding is the PEK doesn't help because that is used if you have no C wire.

On my furnace side, the C wire is unused, so I'm trying to figure out where I need to connect it because I do not have a typical control board that everything conveniently plugs into.

Wires not held in my hand are what is coming from the thermostat with the C wire wrapped around the other wires.

The wire being held (I'm assuming it goes out to the AC unit) connects a small white wire to the yellow wire of the thermostat. It then connects a small red wire from the AC to a larger brown wire that goes into the unit.

Based on the schematic, the Brown wire is listed as connecting to the C wire going into the unit, so does that mean I can have the C wire from the thermostat, the R wire from the AC and the brown wire connected in the same cap? Would this give me the power I need to go to my thermostat?

Here's a picture of what everything goes into. I saw on another post that the C wire can also connect to the ground wire?


texts: I did a bad job pouring a cement walkway, how can I fix it?

texts:
I poured three 4'x4' slabs to make a walkway beside my house. The first two look alright but the third one is a half inch lower than the one next to it and slopes up at the open end where I want to pour six more slabs. Of course I wanted my slabs to slope down the walkway but my third slab slopes back the wrong way.

Is there something I can use to fill this half inch and get it to slope the right way, or at least make it somewhat level?


texts: Type of Wood able to be Curved around Line Bent Acrylic

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This is for a DT GCSE Coursework Project, not Home Improvement, but same sort of thing.

I'm designing an iPhone Dock, and on the inside there is going to be a piece of ('gently') line bent acrylic in order to hold the speakers, wires and stuff (basically like a roll cage in a car but also for holding stuff). What is a type of wood that'd look good, and I would be able to put around it (wrap around), as I haven't seen any wooden iPhone docks before and I think if done well it would look really good?

I can upload a diagram if you need, but I hope this is well enough explained


texts:
One of our ceiling fan bulbs recently went out, and I can't for the life of me find a replacement for it.

By my best approximations, size is 3.65" H x 1.3" W, and 11-12mm at the base. The engraving says, "GE 120V 29W CHINA G50". The G50 part really throws me off.

This is the closest I can find, but I'm not certain it's correct.


texts: Does a sub-panel require its own local main breaker?

texts:
When one goes to install an electrical subpanel is it required to install a "main" breaker in the subpanel to shut off all the circuits in the panel?

Or is it sufficient to just have the feeding breaker from the main panel be the shutoff for the subpanel?


texts: How do I convert fluorescent cans to LED?

texts:
I have these very strange 6 inch recessed lighting "cans" in my kitchen, that it hate. I pulled them apart thinking a could simply wire a new fixture, but I'm stymied.  I purchased a Halo LED retrofit, but it seems to assume I have a standard bulb socket.  Also, even if I just wired it to my existing can, I have two black wires and two white wires in each can.  The new fixture only has one of each.  What can I do here?  I would sure appreciate some advice.

Thanks,
Laura


texts: Attached is the picture of circa 1987 dead bolt lock from the back after removing the back plate. Could not find manufacturer name but seems like Kwikset based on key types. The front of the lock would not come out even with pry bar. How to remove the lock for re-keying?c


texts: Can I repair a chip in my cast iron tub's enamel finish on the sidewall?

texts:
I don't know if it's acrylic or porcelain or ? You can see it's painted over, chipped, and down to the metal base. It's actually on the corner. The only thing I've found is a self-leveling liquid for horizontal flat chips, which won't work here. Can it be repaired, how can it be repaired, or am I better off buying a new tub?

Thanks for your help!


texts:
I live in a two bedroom condominium in Southern California. I have a 55" Sony LCD TV in one of the bedrooms that keeps coming on for no apparent reason. It hapens once or twice a month. I've tried to close the blinds (the bedroom has a window), hide the remote control, disconnect the LAN cable (WiFi is off), use an extension and plug the TV in the living room, add/remove power strip, etc. and I still have the problem. I replaced the electrical panel and all breaker a few months ago to install a NEMA 14-50 outlet in the garage to charge my EV and I thought maybe the TV will not turn on anymore ... but it does. The only thing left from the old circuits is a GFCI outlet in the batroom.

Why didn't I send the Sony TV in for "repair" while in warrantty: I had a Phillips plasma TV before the Sony that also acted up in that bedroom. I send that one in for repairs and after a month I got it back and the minute I plugged it in showed the problem. So I'm not convinced the problem is with the TVs. The Sony TV is now out of warranty anyway.

What else can I try to rule out the problem is not in the condominium electrical system?


texts: How can I run light to light first, then switch, then continue the run to more circuits?

texts:
I have a circuit that I'd like continue after a switch  like this:

Outlet → Outlet → Light → Switch (CONTINUE) → Outlet → Outlet → Outlet → Outlet → Outlet

How can I continue the run with the switch as a junction?


texts: Can drywall with ripped paper be repaired?

texts: I damaged some drywall when doing demo in a bathroom.   Some of the paint peeled back and exposed the paper, which ripped off of the drywall.   Can I do a thin coat and sand?  please help, already have enough drywall to replace!


texts: 100 AMP garage sub-panel from 200 AMP house

texts:
I've checked a number of the other questions but not finding the specific answer I need.

I'm wiring a 100 AMP garage sub-panel from a 200 AMP main in my house. I plan to install a 100 AMP circuit breaker in the house panel. The run to the garage, lug to lug is ~65' and I have to bury the cable to meet code and am going to put it in Sched 40 conduit.

I'm thinking I can use 1/0-1/0-1/0-4 AL but since it needs to go underground am confused about SER vs MHF and hoping I can find a solution that doesn't require changing cable to go from underground outside to inside the house and garage. The NEC chart isn't particularly helpful to me.

Also, what is my option for copper instead?


texts: Should I use a timer or motion sensor in my hot water recirculation system?

texts:
I want to get a hot water recirculation line added to a house. plumber is proposing a timer to turn on/off the pump.

I'm thinking a motion sensor method would be better. are these even common and how do most people install them in terms of where to put sensor(s). this is for a single story 2 bath house. would it be best to have a sensor in each bathroom as well as kitchen?


texts: What size diameter PVC pipe can fit into a reducer labled 2 1/2" to 2"?

texts:
This may sound like a stupid question (I'm new to plumbing terms), but for something like this. What diameter PVC pipe can fit into this?

For example, does this mean the diameter of the coupling itself is 2 1/2" and therefor can snuggly fit a 2 1/8" diameter pvc in it?

Or does this mean a 2 1/2" diameter PVC pipe can fit in it?


texts: Putting siding on a shed, what risks are there in using LP Smartside 38 series on 24 inch studs instead of the recommended 16 inch?

texts: LP Smartside has two thicknesses, the 76 (7/16) and the 38 (3/8). Instructions say that 76 can be installed on 24 inch studs while 38 needs 16 inch studs. Obviously there is a difference in price. Im just building a barn that won't be insulated. What problems (if any) might arise when using 3/8 Smartside on 24 inch studs instead of 16 inch studs?


texts: What can I use to build temporary walls in an unfinished basement?

texts:
We have an unfinished basement in central Minnesota. The home was built in 2008, and the builder thought it fit to include XPS insulation covering all of the vertical concrete foundation. So far so good, and we're planning on finishing the basement sometime in the near future (a year or two).

But in the immediate future, we need to host a birthday party for our 3-year old daughter and her friends, and the basement's vast empty spaces look like a natural fit.

Here's the question: What can I use to temporarily cover the mechanicals (furnace, water heater, softener, sump pump, etc.) and have it look like some sort of wall? Doesn't have to be super-good-looking, but should hold up to a kid or two trying to break through. We aren't sure how rowdy her guests will be, and want to make sure nobody gets hurt.

We don't have any available materials at the moment, but I'm certainly willing to go buy whatever it takes to get this done. Funds are certainly a constraint, but I don't suppose something like this will cost a whole lot of money.

I did consider cloth sheeting, but that's probably only if there's no other option left.


texts: Power 240 v ac light from two power sources

texts: I have existing led lighting in my garage 240 v ac which operates from a pull switch. My garage door opener provides a facility to power a light with 240 v ac as well. What if any additional circuitry, if any, would I need to add if I connect the garage door opener to the same light to cover the situation where both supplied power at the same time?


texts: What is this red powder under my carpets?

texts:
I bought an apartment and under the old carpets in one room there is this red powder. It is tiny granules, like sand.
Here is a gallery of images of the red powder.

I'm very worried now that I heard that some illegal drugs (like meth) can leave red residue.

Can anyone tell me if this does look like illegal drug or other dangerous residue?

I'm getting it tested but I would like to know if it's even safe to be in the apartment in the meantime.

There is not a strong odor to the apartment, it just smells like the previous tenant smoked cigarettes. There is a faint yellow sticky residue on the walls which looks like nicotine stains.


texts: Code compliance - how do I pass EMT conduit through an interior wall?

texts: I live in Fairfax, Virginia.  I need to know how to pass 1/2 inch EMT conduit through an interior wall while complying with code.  In more detail, I have a subpanel in an attached garage.  From that subpanel, I plan on adding three circuits -- two circuits for outlets inside the garage, and one circuit for an outdoor outlet.  All are being done with surface mounted outlets and surface mounted 1/2 inch EMT conduit, using THHN wire.  For the outdoor outlet, I plan on running the EMT conduit to the back wall of the garage, and then through the garage back wall into an adjoining storage closet.  After another about six feet of EMT conduit in the closet, I will transition the THHN wire to a short length (couple inches) of outdoor Romex in an interior junction box before penetrating the exterior wall to mount the exterior outlet.  The storage closet has doors that open only to outside of the house, it is not a closet inside the house.  What are my options to pass the conduit through that interior wall?


texts: Technique to level a patio for concrete and tiling

texts:
I currently have a large patio which has brick paving. unfortunately the paving has started to sink in spots and gathers rain water.

I will be removing the brick and laying a slab of concrete, in preparation to place floor tiles on the patio.

Please advise how I could prepare the site so that i know that the cement slab has the correct slope (to drain water).. The only thing I can think of is to use string and a spirit level.

Is this the common practice, or are there better ways to define your slope and angles of the slab?


texts: What could be causing my bedroom to be so cold, and how can I make it warmer?

texts:
I live in a two story townhouse with a basement. This summer, they replaced the furnace and air conditioning unit. Last winter I put 3M film over the windows to help with drafts and it worked great, I was warm and comfy all year.

This year I did the same and my room is always cold and the heat is set to the same temperature. I figured a new furnace would heat better. My bedroom is on the 2nd floor and the furnace is in the basement. That is 2 floors away. Heat rises. In the summer the upstairs is a lot warmer than the ground level living floor. Now in the winter it's the opposite, the upstairs is colder. I don't get it.

Is there a way to keep my bed room warmer without turning the heat way up or adding supplemental heat with a plug in heater?


texts: A/C blower stays on all the time but heat and cold work when thermostat sends signal; how to fix?

texts:
There are 2 hot lines (white wire that goes to heating contact & Blue wire that goes to furnace limit switch & both of those are hooked on same side as wire coming from main power wires) that make it run.

I can pull the other 4 wires off, and those 2 still have it running when thermostat has everything off. The A/C unit is a Westinghouse packaged air conditioner (meaning all of the A/C components are in the outside unit).

How can I fix this?


texts:
I have a small issue with my TV signal.

My TV signal strength is always 80%
But my TV signal quality dips for a few seconds about 3-5 times an hour.
It generally dips from 100% to 60%.

What would cause this?


texts:
I am trying to fit add on, enclosed blinds (like these) to the rear door of my new home. I have not been able to find a set of blinds that fit appropriately and I am not sure why. I've returned 2 sets so far.

Is this a non-standard door?
Using the measurements below where can I purchase blinds that actually fit?
Is there a type of enclosed blind that has the narrow clearance I need to fit it with the door hardware?
Are there other, equally effective solutions for putting privacy blinds on this door?

I want to avoid blinds that slap against the door when it is opened and closed.

Window Frame Measurements:

Inside frame

Vertical: 63 in. (approx)
Horizontal: 21 in. (approx)

Outside frame

Vertical: 66 in.
Horizontal: 23 3/4 in.

Distance to hardware from frame

Door handle: 1/2 in (approx)
Deadbolt: 3/4 in (approx)

Pictures:

Full door frame:

Inside vertical measurement:

Inside horizontal measurement:

Outside vertical measurement:

Outside horizontal measurement:

Handle to frame measurement:

Deadbolt to frame measurement:


texts: Best solution to install a sense monitor in crowded electrical panel?

texts:
I am trying to install a sense device in my electric panel to track my electricity usage. More information here. However, my panel is full, and I am trying to make it work without getting a new panel altogether.
I have sketched out two options, before installing the sense, a section of my electric panel looks like:

First solution is to "piggyback" on an existing double breaker:

Second solution is to install a new quad breaker to group Bedroom1,2 and garage door there and have the sense use the old breaker that was used by the garage door:

My understanding is that solution 1 potentially does not meet the code, and solution 2 is fine but involves buying a new breaker. A better but significantly costlier solution would be to install a new electric panel. Is my analysis correct?


texts: my circulator pump isn't working properly with my boiler system, trying to narrow down problem. I've read you can test the aquastat with a multimeter (which I have but have never used). The reason I am making this post is because all the things I have read refer to a TT or a #1 and #2 to test, but I don't see any of those labels on mine. On the aquastat itself I have labels R,B,W (and W is unused), where the wires lead to I have Y,G,C,R. Can anyone help walk me through this? Thanks


texts: Are you supposed to leave the pigtail lead on an GCFI / AFCI breaker curled up?

texts:
Here's an example of the kind of breaker I'm thinking of:

They come with the lead neatly curled up. Is this curl meant to be maintained for some reason once the breaker in installed? Or is it just a convenient way to store the wire for packaging purposes?
Assuming you don't need the curl, then I guess it would be correct (or at least, acceptable) to straighten it out and route it neatly in the panel box the same as you would any other wire?

Note - as far as this question goes, I'm not asking about the actual electrical details of where the wire gets attached, just about this curling issue.


texts: Fixing an inwall toilet constantly flowing

texts:
I have a Schwab inwall toilet. Water keeps flowing heavily after flushing.

I took everything out of the wall and found that the reason is because the ?hammer doesn't come back up again, therefore the ?float never thinks that it is full.

The reason it doesn't come up is because the plastic is 'squeaking' where the red circle is in my image.

What I really want to know is whether I have to replace that bit or if there is a way I can loosen it a bit. And if I do have to replace, then which part and what is it called.

Thank you!


texts:
We have taken ownership of my wife's late father's apartment which was built maybe 30 years ago. The workmanship is non existent, and tiles are held in place by adhesive tape, there's electrical conduit on the surface, and water pipes also on the surface. Someone even destroyed the bulkhead above to replace the hot water cylinder for the shower 2 years ago.  The major redeeming features of this apartment is that it's the only building with base isolation in the city，it's very central, and that was designed by my wife's father.

I want to renovate clearly, so is it even possible to retile in situ, or do I need to strip it down to the original concrete shell? And how do I hide all the pipe and electrical work?


texts: What is a reasonable air-conditioning schedule to prevent humidity issues?

texts:
In North Florida (Jacksonville), is there an effective temperature cooling profile to ensure to avoid issues associated with excessive humidity?   Assume that I can tolerate any level of heat.   Damp-rid is deployed in closets and under sinks.

If I am out of town for a month, I would like to be able to apply a rule of thumb so that the Florida humidity does not create problems, and at the same time I would like to avoid wasting energy.

The current cooling schedule includes:

If you have experience programming thermostats to manage humidity, please state this in your response: lessons learned are appreciated.  Thank you


texts: Is water vapour on light switch a fire hazard?

texts:
If I spray a 70% alcohol mist onto a regular household light switch, is that a fire hazard?
I assume not since the red and black wires would both need to be exposed and close together... But assuming there was a short circuit, would the alcohol/water just heat up and evaporate instantly without causing any real damage?

Or am I mistaken? Thanks


texts:
I plan to install my service drop/meter/main disconnect panel on a post 200' from my cabin, which will have a 100 amp sub panel mounted on the exterior. I am having trouble finding 4 conductor service entry cable rated for underground use (will be running it through schedule 40 conduit).

Would 4/0-4/0-4/0-2/0 aluminum mobile home feeder service entry cable be suitable? The cable is rated for direct burial or in conduit (USE), and the conductor size is more than enough, but the word "mobile home" is giving me pause.


texts: Can built in bookcases be installed on carpet

texts:
My living room is carpeted.  I'd like to install a built-in bookcase/media center along one wall.  Should I cut out the carpet and install the bookcases directly on the slab, or is it safe to install them over the existing carpet?  At some point we'd like to replace the carpet with laminate, but this is probably a few years down the road.

If I do need to remove the carpet, what can I do to ensure that it cleanly fits in with the bookcase after I'm done?


texts: Installing Dri-core floor panel after framing. Do the panels still need the 1/4in spacing?

texts:
I assume the spacing is to keep the lumber off of the cement walls. I used rigid foam panels on all exterior walls already. Any reason not to butt the panels all the way up to the framing?
Also.
People recommend not putting dricore down first and framing on top in case there is a water issue. If that is a concern then wouldn't it make sense to install floor panels before drywall? Either way the dricore would be damaged but the drywall might be ok depend on the water depth.


texts: What could be causing there to be no power at my ceiling fixture?

texts:
I installed a replacement chandelier, heard a pop which tripped breaker, and reset the breaker, but the chandelier would not work. That breaker is shared by can lighting (which has its own dimmer switch) and the chandelier (which has its own dimmer switch also). The can lighting works but the chandelier does not work.

When I installed the new chandelier and was screwing it up in the wall, I must have crimped the main wiring coming down from the ceiling. I saw a small black mark on the protective sheath on the wiring. I pulled the wiring down from the ceiling and cut the wiring to where the black mark and corresponding crimp was. I reinstalled the chandelier but nothing worked. I tested the voltage with a voltage meter and did not read any voltage when the breaker was on and the dimmer switch was on. I reinstalled the old chandelier which works fine and also another light fixture but none of them would work when connected (breaker was on and dimmer switch was on).

Is the problem that the chandelier wire to the breaker is loose or the main wire coming down from the ceiling is faulty (even after I cut the wire above the crimp)? The dimmer switch tested ok after an ohms test.


texts: Can I use 2x4s to extend studs so I can mount my TV?

texts:
I need to mount my 55" TV to the left of the studs. Can I do this simply by running a couple 2x4s off the studs, and then connecting the mount to the 2x4s? While I imagine this can be done for lighter items, I want to make sure it will work with the heavy mount + TV.

Here's an image of what I'm talking about. The black rectangles are the studs, the tan ones are the 2x4s, and the red dots are where the bolts for the mount will go into the 2x4s.


texts: My fan assisted oven trips when it's pre heated

texts:
My oven has been working fine since we moved in 2 years ago. I must add it was the last occupiers oven so not sure on age or how long it's been here.
    It kept tripping the electric every time it was turned on, today I changed the heating element and now it gets to a pre heated temp and then trips. Any tips would be much abliged thanks in advance.


texts: Do I need a plywood base to install granite countertops?

texts:
I will have the following run of cabinets (which will be screwed together and to the back wall) and will install a 20mm (3/4") thick granite countertop over it (with sink and cooktop range).

I've seem people saying that a plywood backer is important, and some other people saying that it is more trouble than it is worth and the cabinets provide enought support as it its. The maximum space between to cabinet walls is about 90cm (3 ft).


texts: Leveling subfloor joists – plane joists or remove support from below

texts:
I’m leveling joists in a bathroom floor in preparation for a new subfloor and tile. The bathroom is on the 1st floor with a full height basement below. Two of the joists have a 1/4 inch high spot and I see that they are resting on a door frame header in the basement below where the high spot is. I attached a diagram and a couple of pictures.
Is the right approach to trim the header on the door below which is pushing these joists up or to just plane the high spots on the joists.
If I trim the door header below, do I need to gradually lower the temporary support I would add to do the trimming over time or can I do it in one shot? Also, how much time would it take for the now less supported joists to settle to its final shape/location? Thanks.
-Mark


texts:
edit: apparently the powerline adapter tripped an AFCI receptacle. Resetting this solved the problem.

I plugged in a a pair of powerline networking adapters (TP-LINK TL-PA4010KIT AV500 Nano Powerline Adapter Starter Kit, up to 500Mbps). They seemed to connect no problem (the lights came on, never got a connection working...). Then I realized that the UPS powering a computer on the same outlet as one of the powerline adapters started beeping as it lost power. The powerline adapter seemed to be making a noise and was a bit warm. I immediately unplugged the adapter and then plugged the UPS into another nearby (working) outlet.

I figured this would be easy as flipping a breaking that tripped. However, surprisingly all the breakers were good. For good measure I flipped them back and forth anyways. Still no luck. I even checked the voltage across all the breakers. I've got a sub-panel and I made sure those breakers didn't trip either.

The only thing "special" about the outlet that failed is that it was added in a recent remodel (last year), the house was built in 1972. The adjacent outlet that I moved the UPS too is working perfectly and on a different circuit. The breaker box is Zinsco :( Can't really see replacing it right now so no need to tell me how terrible it is.

All in all, my master bathroom lights, the three new outlets added in the recent remodel, the master bedroom closet lights, crawlspace lights and half of the master bedroom lights aren't working. The master bath fan and outlets appear to be on a different circuit.

I replaced the outlet that the powerline adapter was plugged into and no change. Other than a Lutron Nova ELV dimmer all the other things on the circuit are simple outlets and dimmers.

I checked the power going to many of the non-functioning outlets and switches and there was no live wires in any of time.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Did I do something wrong?


texts: Is it necessary to replace plastic covering pink insulation in bedroom exterior wall?

texts:
I'm doing a little project where I'm fishing some CAT6 cables from a 3rd floor bedroom to a second floor office. Because of the layout, I had to first fish the wire along an outside-facing wall before fishing it down inside the second floor wall separating the office and the second bedroom.

In order to do this I've had to cut some small holes in my drywall in order to position my flex drill bit and drill through the studs. Since this is an outside facing wall, there are patches of pink insulation between each stud, and there is also a sheet of plastic covering the insulation and the studs (based on my research, this would be a vapor barrier, or a moisture barrier, I think? I still can't tell the difference between the two).

My question is this : as I was cutting the holes in the drywall, I also cut through the plastic covering the insulation. When I'm done fishing all my wires and it's time to patch everything up, is it important to replace the plastic that was originally covering the insulation? And if the answer is yes, what's the best way to do this? The holes I cut out are approximately 4" x 6"

The best answer I could find was that in a basement, it's necessary to have to have a vapor / moisture barrier to conform to building code. But I couldn't find any information about bedrooms.

I live in Calgary (Alberta) if that matters.


texts: Help with unclogging the kitchen sink using a plunger

texts:
I tried to unclog my kitchen sink using a plunger, but it's not work, probably because the dishwasher is draining to the same pipe; see the Y-connector in the photo below.

I want to cap off the connection where the black hose is connecting to, but I don't know the size.

By the way, the nuts at the P-trap were tightened when I was using the plunger.  I also using a 1/4" 25-foot-long plumbing snake to try to clear the clog but had no luck.


texts: Is the ventilation in my utility closet a construction mistake?

texts:
With colder weather here in Northern Colorado (down to 22° F) my Goodman 90% efficiency furnace (GKS90453BX) came on for the first time in the (ca. 2005) home that I recently moved into.

The furnace was blowing only very slightly warm air. I checked the filter and it is fine.

However, I did notice that the closet containing my gas furnace and gas water heater was very, very cold. Upon further inspection, I noticed two 4" vent pipes that terminate in the ceiling on one end and to the exterior of the home on the other end. (See photos.)

Are these possibly artifacts from an optional 80% efficiency install? Can I close them off? The closet doors are bi-fold with a gap at the bottom, so I imagine there would be enough fresh air supply, but that is what I want to double check. Thanks!

UPDATE: I found the manual for the 40,000 BTU Water heater. It included the following instructions regarding combustion air availability. Provided I don't have a "tight construction" it appears that I can add combustion air via two additional 10" x 4" openings in the closet doors to communicate with the sufficiently volumetric adjacent inside air space.

  Confined Spaces
  Confined spaces are spaces defined as having less than
  50 feet³ (1.41 m³) of space per 1,000 BTU (.29kw) per hour of input.

  Unconfined Spaces
  In unconfined spaces in buildings, infiltration may
  be adequate to provide air for combustion, ventilation and dilution of
  flue gases. However, in buildings of tight construction (for example,
  weather stripping, heavily insulated, caulked, vapor barrier, etc.),
  additional air may need to be provided using the methods described
  above under CONFINED SPACES: All Air From Outdoors or SPECIALLY
  ENGINEERED INSTALLATIONS.

  All Air From Inside the Building: The
  confined space shall be provided with two permanent openings
  communicating directly with an additional room(s) of sufficient volume
  so that the combined volume of all spaces meets the criteria for an
  unconfined space. The total input of all gas utilization equipment
  installed in the combined space shall be considered in making this
  determination. Each opening shall have a minimum free area of 1 inch²
  (6.45 cm²) per 1000 BTU (.29 kw) per hour of the total input rating of
  all gas utilization equipment in the confined space, but not less than
  100 square inches (645 cm²). One opening shall be within 12 inches (31
  cm) of the top and one within 12 inches (31 cm) of the bottom of the
  enclosure.

  All Air From Outdoors: The confined space shall be provided
  with two permanent openings, one commencing within 12 inches (31 cm)
  of the top and one commencing within 12 inches (31 cm) from the bottom
  of the enclosure. The openings shall communicate directly, or by
  ducts, with the outdoors or spaces (crawl or attic) that freely
  communicate with the outdoors.

  When directly communicating with the outdoors, each opening shall have a minimum free area of 1 inch² (6.45 cm²) per 4000 BTU (1.2 kw)
  per hour of total input rating of all equipment in the enclosure.
  When communicating with the outdoors through vertical ducts, each opening shall have a minimum free area of 1 inch² (6.45 cm²) per 4000
  BTU (1.2 kw) per hour of total input rating of all equipment in the
  enclosure.
  When communicating with the outdoors through horizontal ducts, each opening shall have a minimum free area of 1 inch² (6.45 cm²) per 2000
  BTU (.6 kw) per hour of total input rating of all equipment in the
  enclosure.
  When ducts are used, they shall be of the same cross-sectional area as the free area of the openings to which they connect. The minimum
  dimension of rectangular air ducts shall be not less than 3 inches
  (7.5 cm).


texts: How should I insulate and block moisture inside rim joists where foamboard doens't fit?

texts:
My question is around the use of foamboards in finished basements to serve as a vapor retarder and to reduce condensation.

I've already fastened foam boards against all the concrete walls, taping the seams, and also cutting pieces for the sill boxes.

But what do you do on the sides of the house that don't have sill boxes (see picture below)?  Currently the foam boards end as high as I could go, but its impossible to get behind that joist.  There is actually fiberglass stuffed behind it but it would be hard to pull out.  Should I put foam boards against the face of that last visible joist?  Caulk the gaps?  Any help would be appreciated.


texts: Does bare drywall need to be primed before painting?

texts: Is it necessary to prime bare drywall before painting?  And do we need to prime existing textured, painted walls before we mud over them?


texts: Damaged Microwave? Plate with metal ring placed inside for 5 seconds

texts:
I was attempting to warm up some food recently and completely didn't notice that there was a small/thin ring of metal running around a plate I own.

So I put the plate in the microwave to warm up food for 30 seconds and during 5 seconds of warmup, I saw a few sparks.

I quickly stopped the microwave, opened the door and took the plate out.

I have 2 related questions:

Has my microwave been rendered useless because of this?
If microwave is not broken, will any future food warmed up in it be toxic because of the sparks?


texts: How to install a 4 wire outlet to a 3 wire junction box

texts: I have a black, white, green, and bare copper wire in my fixture but only a black,white, and bare copper wire in the junction box. The instructions tht came with the fixture say tht I should put the green wire as well as the copper wire from the fixture together and then attach those to the bare copper wire in the junction box however that is not working. I have also tried attaching the 3 wire combination to the green screw or "GND" screw attached to the junction box but tht has not worked either. What do I do?


texts: Is a 200 amp service adequate for two RVs?

texts:
I'm running a service to an RV that’s about 300 feet from the sub panel that I’m going to install off of the main panel in the barn.
I plan on having two RV spots about twenty feet from each other with each having its own electrical (pedestal) for them to get their power from.
Would one 200 amp service be enough to carry both RVs? And would #8 AWG be enough or would  it be better to run #1/0?
What would be best? Remember it’s 300’ from the existing supply panel.


texts: Why does my ice maker make a knocking sound and not produce ice?

texts:
My ice maker is making knocking noises every few hours and rarely produces ice. Every now and then (once a month or so) it actually starts making ice and the noises stop for a day.

It's a GE french door with bottom freezer.

Any ideas on why it knocks and how to permanently fix this?

Edit: I checked the water intake. It's getting water and the pump sounds fine. Sounds like the knocking noise is coming from inside where the ice is made. Gonna try the defrost scenario Mike Powell suggests.


texts:
I need to find my doorbell transformer in order to change it for a more powerfull one (ring pro doorbell). I have opened the chime and i can see the transformer wire going in my basement, i did follow it using a tone device and it goes inside of a finished room... I have no idea after if it goes back up or in the attic. Attic is hardly accessible, in summer it's worse. It is hard to follow after that even with the tone because all cables related to that breaker will ring too. I have check inside the light fixtures, can it be in the light switch? Also, my chime says : "use with transformer 16V 10VA", i must change the chime too since my new one is 16V 30VA?

Update :

I have looked inside and outside of the electrical panel. I have also a utility room with the ceiling not finished and i cannot see anywhere my cable so it is getting transformed somewhere before. I have seen a transformer and some of them can be attached to the outside of a switch box/electrical box. The basement got a suspended ceiling so i can just cut the wire near a electrical box and wire the new transformer there but it would trigger me to know there is a dead cable with electricity somewhere. Also, does the chime can handle the new transformer? Even if the VA is higher?

Update :

I ended up cutting the cable near an outlet in the basement drop-ceiling. I wired the new transformer and it is working. My quest following the cables always ended up going into a finished ceiling so i could not find the old transformer. I don't like that but one day i will find the old one and remove it, i will use an endoscope camera with a led light to help me. Thanks everyone.


texts:
3-way switchI have a 2 gang box in wall. There were two 3-way switches installed. Removed one of those switches but kept the wires intact and capped off properly and power runs thru them to keep circuit for other switches in the room. 2nd  3-way switch still being used for another area not related to the removed 3-way. Wiring for existing 3-way completely separate from removed 3-way switch.

I want to install a single pole switch in same gang box where the 1st 3-way witch was located if possible to activate my fireplace log set which requires 110 volts. Is it possible to tap into the existing electricity from the 3-way switch to power up the new single pole switch for the fireplace?


texts: My mini fridge has full power, but I come home after a couple of days to find that the compressor has shut off and everything has defrosted and the fridge isn't cold anymore.  I can turn the knob and in about 15 minutes it's back to ice cold.  Does anyone know whey this keeps happening? I don't want to just toss it if it's something I can easily correct.


texts: I’m not sure bout the bug or the mold looking stuff the board is dry and so was the wall behind it but it’s def dark enough there. Any thoughts would be great


texts: How *environmentally* durable are pet-resistant screens?

texts:
I've got some damaged wire screens on our porch, and since I have two dogs I've been replacing them with pet-resistant screens made from what appears to be a nylon mesh coated with plastic/rubber.

So far, they seem to work great. They are physically quite durable due to the fact that they stretch some when the dogs jump on them, and this little bit of give keeps them from easily getting holes punched in them.

However, rubbers and plastics can be prone to photodegradation, and my porch screens are in direct sunlight for most of the day. Does anyone have any experience/knowledge of how durable pet-resistant screens are from an environmental standpoint? How long can I typically expect them to last before they start to break down due to the elements (mainly sun)?


texts: Filling gap beneath hardwood floor (between floorboard and foundation)

texts:
There's a sizeable gap between the edge of hardwood flooring and the foundation by this fireplace:

You can see that the wooden base the strip of floor was nailed too ends about inch early:

As a result, many of the nails in the strip were justing stick out into space and the board is one bad step away from cracking in half. My first impulse is to cut shove a 2x1 in the gap so the board won't hang over the edge. Is there any reason not to do this? Is there a special kind of wood I'd want to use to avoid termite / other problems in the future?


texts: The side wire screws on my power terminal won't tighten?

texts:
I'm trying to add a second plug off of this one. I've done this dozens of times (yes, it's got plenty of space on the circuit). I prefer the side screw method. I loosened the screws, which were tightened down all the way, and they refuse to catch and go back in.

This is a brand new plug with the test/reset switch. What on earth am I doing wrong? Have I broken the connectors forever? Even the ground is failing to tighten. I wasn't particularly rough or anything, though they were pretty tight before I opened them up. Thanks in advance.

(yes, I realize the input wires are using the port metbod. It's a pain to pull them out, so I'm planning on leaving them.)


texts: Top course of cedar shingle on a lean-to roof

texts:
If the apex of the lean-to roof extends beyond the tall wall 6 to 12 inches, what does the topmost course of cedar shingles look like, up at the highest point on the roof?
Is there flashing that partly covers that course and then bends around to wrap the decking and then turns downward 90-degrees to act as a drip-edge?


texts: Is a wood shed with 12mm walls worth it?

texts:
I have a plot of land in Spain where the winter is a bit windy and the summer is quite hot. I was about to buy a container for storing my junk, however due to its price and the infrastructure it requires, I decided to leave it to next year and use a small wood shed meanwhile.

There are many sheds which are cheap but their wall thickness is 12mm. Is this acceptable? How long will it last? I've seen many reviews but none of them are clear in regards to this topic.


texts: How to re-attach kitchen cabinet laminate?

texts: In two different Formica-covered bottom cabinets in my house, the Formica is not perfectly attached to the wooden-base cabinets. The edges of the Formica have become unattached to the wooden cabinet. Our handyman re-glued the Formica in these two places, but the new glue did not stick. What can now be done to solve this problem of unattached Formica? These cabinets are 25 years old.


texts: Questions about base under paver stones for a patio

texts:
I am building a patio with paver stones, roughly 20x16. I am building it on rocky clay in New England. I have dug out my soil and plan to put geotextile fabric over the clay before I lay my crushed stone and dust. I have a few questions and am grateful for any guidance:

Is the fact that clay is rocky going to cause any problems? I have removed as many rocks as I can but it is impossible to remove them all.
Can the depth of my crushed stone base fluctuate so long as it is always at least 4" deep? After excavating and removing stones the soil bed is not a consistent depth- some areas have space for 4" of crushed stone but some areas could go as high as 8" or maybe even 12" of crushed stone. Is this ok? Does it matter if the soil bed is not perfectly even so long as it is compacted, has geotextile fabric over it, and the crushed stone is lever after installation?
My last questions are about drainage. The patio will slope down 4" away from the house over 16 feet, which I believe is a good slope?
Lastly, the water will drain right towards my detached garage (an old 2-horse carriage house that isn't nearly as nice as that may sound), which has a concrete slab floor and no foundation. There will be about 12" between the end of the patio and the garage. My plan is to dig a canal here to collect the water and move to another part of the yard to drain. Is this a good idea or am I asking for trouble having the canal so close to the garage? The setup of my yard makes it nearly impossible to have it drain in any other direction.

Thanks for reading this and many thanks for any feedback!


texts: How can I eliminate moisture dripping from my ceilings?

texts: I have a 30 yr old bungalow.  Last year we replaced every door and window in our house to make it more energy efficient.  Our main heating source is an air-tight wood fireplace which runs all day every day.  Our back up heat source is electric radiant in the ceilings which we keep around 12°C to keep our electric bill down.  We have no furnace or duct work in our house.  We are having problems with moisture forming and dripping from our ceilings on colder winter days.  How can we fix this problem?


texts: Changing electric plug fixtures outside plate that was painted over and pulled off - nothing fits

texts: I have a house built in 1960. I'm changing some electric plugs. Not the problem exactly. While I was ill some friends painted some of the rooms and painted over the plate rather than taking it off. I'm having problems finding outlets and plates that fit. The ones I find are two small. And a couple of plates were ripped off the wall. Big problem for me. I am a woman without a lot of extra money but if I know where to buy what I need, I'm good to go. And I have fixtures I need to get off the wall that have been painted over. I need a way to get them off without ripping part of the dry wall.


texts: How can I determine the maximum wattage that I can hook up to a breaker?

texts: All of my heating is on one breaker, 240V on a double pole breaker, each marked 20A (it's a small condo). I wonder how I can determine the maximum wattage I can hook up to that breaker.


texts:
Just noticed a brown stain on my dinning room ceiling. It's almost directly above a cast iron radiator on the second floor. I know the water in the system gets iron deposits which must be why it's brown. The heating system was running when I noticed the stain and checked the upstairs radiator. The ceiling and radiator were bone dry. I'm guessing the leak is at the union. Any idea on what the least invasive way to figure this out is?

I would guess I need to take the value off then the pipe connected to the elbow. If I'm lucky the problem will be there, right? If the problem is on the other side of the union, what then? Thank you, greatly.


texts: A minimal regimen to remove the last bits of oil paint after applying stripper?

texts:
What is the best way to remove the last bits of softened paint in the panel crevices after applying paint stripper, shown above at right?

I'm stripping 100+ years of paint (including lead paint) from wood doors, jambs and portals.

I've applied multiple passes of Dumond SmartStrip; each time I've covered the surface with either Dumond's paint stripping paper or plastic wrap, similar to the technique mentioned here, and waiting a full 18 hours before using a plastic putty knife to scrape off the liquified paint.  Interestingly, in my half-and-half tests (below, second image from right) between Dumond paper and regular plastic wrap, the plastic wrap consistently worked a bit better, helping the stripper to soften and remove more paint.

Here's a sequence of four such passes on a door:

I've been using paint prep TSP-replacement cleaners, but it's not that effective on the paint while discoloring the wood, as shown below on this jamb:

As shown in the right-most photo, the cleaner is removing the 100 year old finish under the layers of paint.

I'm worried that the cleaner is actually discoloring the wood, rather than leaving a neutral bare surface that I could sand and stain.

Does anyone have any suggestions for a minimal regimen to remove the last bits of paint and stripper?  This is oil-based paint with lead, so water cleanup doesn't do much.

Am I right to be worried that the wood will be damaged by Krud Cutter / Goof Off / et cetera, or can I use those solvents to scour the surface and then restain without a sign of a struggle?


texts:
I was looking to run some cabling behind my baseboards, but ran into trouble trying to get the baseboards off the wall.  As best as I can tell, the contractor put the baseboards in, then laid the tile up to it, flush.  As a result, it seems some of the baseboard is below the level of the tile.  Obviously its hard to pull back the baseboards with a prybar if there's tile in the way.

Is this common practice?  My intuition was that the baseboards were typically installed after the flooring was finished, rather than before.
Any advice on how to get the baseboards up?


texts:
Have a bathtub that is abotu 12 yrs old, with a shower and the bottom of the tub seems to have a spot where the enamel is wearing off.  Never seen this happen before.  Probably because I was so poor growing up we didnt have a shower, only a tub LOL
Below is a shot of my tub.  The finish is coming off the drain fixtures also, but my main question is regarding the enamel.
Has anyone done a restoration like whats shown in this video?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3U6YseqHoE


texts:
By not working I mean even when installed in the simplest configuration, it does some sort of low power pulsating. It will cycle between charging and not charging a USB device every half second or so.

By simplest configuration I mean hot to hot, neutral to neutral, ground to ground.

I am using this USB wall outlet: http://www.legrand.ca/adorne/select/outlets/arusbw4.aspx#res [PDF]

I also have a night light in a wall outlet connected to the same circuit and while the phone charging connects and disconnects, the nightlight fluctuates a low illumination automatically becoming brighter, dimming, and becoming brighter again, etc.

What is wrong with this configuration or is it the USB unit causing problems?


texts: Insulation foam inside PVC sleeve for silcock

texts:
I just installed an outdoor silcock outside my basement. To avoid direct contact with the brick in the hole I drilled in a foot thick brick wall, I put a 1-1/4" PVC pipe and then the silcock inside it (it also makes it easy to replace and service).

Should I put insulation foam inside the PVC pipe between it and the silcock? Right side of the picture (inside part), see the red arrow.


texts: How can I extend a floating floor that was previously terminated at a wall?

texts:
We have had an extension on our house and have bought the same laminate flooring that already exists and flows through the hallway, dining room and living room. We now have a new, 5x6m kitchen/diner extension (open plan to living room with existing laminate) which we want the same laminate to flow through into.

Obviously the existing laminate is cut off to where the wall used to be - now an archway - and we want to extend the laminate but DO NOT want a join/T-Mould.

Our builders have insisted we'd have to take up the entire floor in all three existing rooms, but does anyone know any tricks to just take up the cut-off bits? There must be some way of doing it!

It's a homebase click together laminate floor.


texts: how do I fix a ceiling fan light that won't light, but the fan works?

texts: the fan works, but the light won't work even though all contact tested positive for AC current I tested two ways,a 250V voltage tester that I used to test all 4 wires and I made a125V 2-pole flat plug to test the pull chain and sockets connection


texts: I want to convert a non functioning gas post light mantel to a 12 volt lamp fixture

texts:
I am installing 12v landscape lights for a walkway and would like to add a non working gas lamp to the system.
Has anyone ever retrofitted a post lamp to a 12 volt light?

Are there any 12v led lights on the market?
Thanks for your help


texts: light bulb burns out immediately or within 3-4 seconds

texts:
I have 4 can lights operated by one switch.
The light bulb went out.
When I replaced it the new one, it went out immediately.
This happened three times.
I changed the can fixture and the same thing happened??
The other three lights still are good.


texts:
just stumbled onto this site and crossing my fingers that someone will be able to help.

My problem is the tripping of an AFCI every 3/5 weeks when a 2nd TV is turned on. Sometimes soon afterwards, other times 10/30 minutes later. Besides the two flat screen TVs (one in family room & one in master bedroom) my laptop seems to be another common dominator as problem doesn’t seem to happen if laptop is either unplugged or not in use.
On first trip after measuring load and ruling that out, the electrician rewired all switches and outlets from backstabs to screw connections. Problem continued and we had the one circuit split into two.

However that didn't fix the problem either and I believe laptop is the trigger (even though since this started I have replaced both, the power cord and laptop itself). Family room AFCI still  tripped upon occasion when family room TV was on and laptop was plugged in but bedroom TV was off. After that happened I ran a cord to plug laptop into bedroom circuit and now the bedroom’s AFCI trips every now and then.

Questions:
1) does code (I live in Orange county FL) require the family room to be on a  AFCI?
2) Is there a “filter” that would block any possible electrical surge or whatever the laptop could be creating?
3) Any other thoughts?


texts: How to calculate altitude and inclination of a roof in order to not affect sun going to the garden

texts:
My house is located in Buenos Aires, Argentina
It is facing SW. The front has 8,66 meters.
At 3.30 PM March 21, the sun seems to be at 45º of my property.
I want to revive garden where the SUV (car) currently is, and for that I need the sun, so I will be placing the roof covering the SUV (and the SUV also) in the left side of the property. The garden's current roof will be removed.
What I want to know is: At what altitude, and at what inclination it would be most beneficial to my garden.
I'm planning to either leave the roof left side (where it touches my neighbor's property) open or adding windows to close it but let the sunlight pass. The roof will be made of better materials, like this:

I don't want my pine tree to receive a lot more less light and die
House photos


texts: What is the name hard plastic material that you find on bathroom cupboards?

texts:
Can someone tell me what the coating/covering is that you find on cabinets in a bathroom. It is a bit like vinyl or some sort of hard plastic. I was thinking vinyl but the coating seems harder and more like a plastic. I am building some cabinets and would like to use a similar finish.
Here is an example


texts: Dryer & Stove share breakers in 1972 apt

texts:
Question1: Why would one hot from the stove be wired into the dryer breaker and one hot from the dryer be wired into the stove breaker? Each has a separate neutral and both are grounded with their individual FMC metal flex conduits to the subpanel (no separate grounding wire).
Question2: Why is the dryer wired into a 40Amp breaker?
I opened up the 125Amp subpanel in apartment. I was shocked to see that one hot, black, from the stove, into the 50Amp breaker, but  the other hot, red, ran into the 40Amp dryer breaker! The dryer had one hot, black, running into the 40Amp dryer breaker and its other hot, red, running into the 50Amp stove breaker! The dryer outlet is 30Amp and the stove outlet is 50Amp. The dryer is listed as 30Amp requirement.
Any advice would be helpful on any portion of this,
Thank you!


texts: I want to convert my entry door to a smart lock, but I haven't found any that are compatible with a jimmy proof deadlock. I've attached an image of my deadlock, and I was hoping someone could point me in the right direction to a mod I could install onto it or replace this portion with? I'd like to keep the key portion the same if possible, and if not, I would just like to keep the deadlock style. Anyone know of any options I might have? I don't want to drill holes into the door, so the simpler the method the better.


texts:
I hired an electrician replace my old 6 fuse subpanel with breakers at an existing newer subpanel. I thought I’d get wires running from each circuit to a new breaker, but all he did was wire the six circuits to the old 10 gauge feeder he disconnected from the main (3 on the red and 3 on the black) and then run the feeder to a new junction box where he ran two 12 gauge lines to 2 new 20 amp breakers on the newer subpanel. He says this meets code.

The 6 circuits are the doorbell and 5 knob and tube serving 4 rooms and a bathroom. 11 total outlets, 11 lights, 4 smoke detectors, 1 bathroom fan. Am I right that there should be 6 new breakers, 15 A for the lights and 20A for the outlets?


texts: Why does my shower head drip when the tub faucet is on?

texts:
I just installed a new tub fixture set:

There are two controls - one for temperature and one for volume.  The large handle is volume.

When the diverter valve is engaged the shower sprays properly and no water comes from the spout:

But if I disengage the diverter and run the water at full pressure, the spout flows but there is still a slow shower from the shower head:

However, if I reduce volume enough:

(note the angle of the volume control)
the shower stops dripping:

Is something wrong with my installation, or am I right in suspecting that I simply have too much water pressure in my house?

I've checked all the plumbing from behind (the wall behind the tub is open) - there are no leaks.


texts: What is a suitable/recommended cable for OpenTherm?

texts:
I have the Nest HeatLink connected to the boiler via OpenTherm. I need to move the HeatLink due to wireless connection problems with the thermostat.

The Wikipedia page for OpenTherm states that I can use a cable up to 50m with 2x5 ohm resistance. Not sure how to translate that into a specific decision for a type of cable.

Does anyone have more information on what would be a good cable for this application?


texts: Utility of new smartphone-based thermal cameras in identifying cold spots in the home

texts:
Winter is coming up, and for those of us in the Midwest, that means that winterizing needs to be done. I'm moving into a house built in 1956 that may have some cold spots around doors, windows, and vents; my girlfriend's duplex could probably use a good evaluation as well. I have heard that you can now either rent thermal cameras from a rental supply company or Home Depot, or buy one for Android and iOS devices.

I've heard of people using the rental cameras to identify cold spots throughout a home. Looking at Home Depot's prices, it's a $150 deposit and either $53 for the four-hour minimum, or $75 for the full day. This gets you the FLIR i7, which is a professional-grade unit retailing for about $2,000 online. Obviously, it'd be better to rent than buy in that situation (at least, if you ever want to make your money back in energy savings in the home), but this is not exactly a practical option in some scenarios. In the state where I live (Missouri), they're only available in Kansas City or St. Louis, and my girlfriend lives in Columbia, about an hour and a half to two hours away from either of these cities. I have so far been unable to find a rental supply company in town that offers this sort of equipment (though let me know if you know of one), so that makes the four-hour rental impractical and reduces the value of the one day rental quite a bit.

I've been looking around and noticed that consumer-grade thermal imaging cameras are finally available as an accessory to iOS and Android devices, with prices ranging between $149 and $249. This is more expensive than the $75 for sure (provided you get the deposit back), but would allow for more thorough use in investigating cold spots in my new home and my girlfriend's duplex. My question is, are these cameras (like the FLIR One and Seek Compact) up to the task? Obviously, they had to reduce some capability of the sensors to get the price to something consumers could afford.

Has anyone tried these thermal imaging cameras for hunting cold spots? How did it go?


texts: Building computer desk with Solid core door (Help please)

texts:
if you're reading this I thank you for taking the time!

I am a beginner at this type of stuff but I know how to use saws and make cuts.

To cut to the chase, I am trying to build a nice and sturdy computer desk.
I bought a Birch, solid core door slab fresh from a lumber store. 80in by 36in and it is 1 and 7/8 thick. ( this thing is really heavy)

I am planning to use 4x4's for the legs, roughly 30 inches tall. But I do not know what or how to build a good strong sturdy support system underneath that can handle the load of the door slab plus 3, 32 inch monitors. Any advice, links to designs, or anything you can give me will be very much appreciated!

I am in the process of sanding and staining the door in the mean time.


texts: I'm thinking of upgrading to a 200 amp service

texts:
I have a 60 amp main breaker with the following breakers in the panel.

One 50 amp for range
One 30 amp for water heater
One 30 amp breaker for clothes dryer
Eight 20 amp breakers for appliances
Five 15 amp for lights.

What size panel do I need?  And does the eletric company have to change the street line, or just the meter?


texts: Help with Garbage Disposal install and high drain pipe

texts: The drain pipe for my sink sits pretty high, and then the sink-bowels holes are pretty close to each other.  Below is the best my friend and I could do to make this work, and I just realized we need to baffle T to keep the pressure of the disposal from spurting out to the other bowl.  Question is, have you ever seen this High of a p-trap and it will actually work?  With water, works fine but I am afraid of using the disposal because of the low-p trap and high drain pipe for the waster to travel that high to make its way out.  I live in a condo, so cannot change anything behind the wall.  Any ideas or recommendations of how I can best make this work properly?  Much appreciated.


texts: Old electrical - changing out light fixture

texts: Our house was built in 1961 and I’m trying to change a light. I’ve replaced 10 or so already but this one has me stumped. There are 3 incoming sets of wires from 3 sides of the box. The whites are bundled together and 2 of the blacks are together. One black wire has a paint mark on it and was screwed to the light fixture. The fixture had a pull chain but worked off of a switch. There are also copper grounds from each side that continue across the box to one side together and disappear under the drywall. How do I wire this to a new fixture so the the old switch will work? Or should I change the switch too?


texts: I have a freestanding wooden shelving unit I want to secure to the studs on the wall as they're leaning forward. However, I'd only be able to secure 1 side since the studs measure ~23" apart whereas the shelving unit is 26.5" apart. What can I do to properly secure both sides onto the studs?


texts: What is the best way to relocate the vertical drain and the vent from where they are near the outer wall for this bathroom?

texts:
So in the picture you have the upper bathroom and the bottom bathroom
I am not sure which one by code goes through the roof, the drain (purple vertical pipe) or the vent (grey pipe)
Right now I am renovating the basement bathroom but the plan is to do the same with the main floor bathroom. On that floor the tub has the supply pipes and the drain in the middle of the room. I would like to later relocate those on the outer wall so the pipes running across the upper bathroom floor will have to move along the outer wall
You can probably figure out what is under the floor in the basement.
The street is south of the picture
There is no framing behind the toilet sit, just insulation and drywall so there is a niche there where I could hide these vertical pipes if there is a way to reroute them that way
Here is where I need help and suggestions. What is the best way to run
these pipes at their upper and bottom side (I can conceal eventual
elbows above the floor at the bottom and below the floor at the top in
some low profiles enclosures)

More details in this thread What is the best strategy for this layout if I want/need to remove copper plumbing and move to PEX? (two bathrooms connected by the same supply pipes) in this one
Here I am asking about the effective way to do it? what fitting to use and where to place cleaning outlets etc etc Not a plumber sorry if I am not using the best terms for this

At the bottom of these two pipes there is PVC in the floor for the drain
It looks like this

Here is a schematic diagram
1,4-toilets
3,5 sinks
2,6 bath tubs/showers

I am assuming the vent connects to the drain in two points located above the highest P trap on


texts: Should I be concerned about this rusted support post in a new house?

texts:
I’m under contract for a newly built home and noticed a rusty support post in the basement.  There are some other small issues with the home too but this one has me concerned. It’s just under a year old, never lived in.
Is this a serious red flag?


texts: I installed a new gfci identically as the one I removed.  The green light is on, but it isn't working.  I hit the reset button, still nothing.  I hit the test button, but it doesn't budge.  Please help


texts:
Upon opening up the ceiling of the garage to install a fold-up attic ladder, I saw boards going from the gable beans to the attic floor beams.  See picture below.

This is the first time I have seen this. The house was constructed in 1958.  Do these boards take the place of cross beams?  If not, what purpose do they serve?


texts: What is the purpose of the tube connecting to the overflow pipe in my toilet tank?

texts:
My dual flush toilet was leaking; this is what the connections looked like before I "fixed" it:

Notice the ivory-yellow  hose is connected to the blue-plastic fitting on the overflow tube.

In response to my asking my brother how to stop the leak, he told me to remove the hose from the blue-plastic fitting, and let its flow go into the tank. To my amazement this worked; it stopped leaking. But I wonder what the hose is supposed to do there, and what was the effect of our disconnecting it from its original fitting? And, by the way, I have found that if we just plug or pinch the hose, don't let water run out of the hose, everything works well. So what is the role of this hose?


texts: How do I stop my in-cabinet lights from falling out?

texts:
I bought a house three months ago and I'm slowly getting around to different projects. We have beautiful halogen in-cabinet lights above our kitchen sink but the light fixtures seem to fall out every three weeks. I haven't gotten around to pushing the last batch in just yet.

There are many that have fallen out and are dangling:

And a couple that are burnt out. I'll swap the bulbs out tonight.

What can I do to keep these from falling out? I don't see a way to secure them more effectively. Should I buy pieces of cork to wedge in there? I want to be able to get them down when it's time to change the bulb however.

Edit A few more pictures:

Light from the side - there are small plastic "tension" clips that don't seem to be doing their job anymore:

From the rear:

Light from the front (a bit dark)

There is a significant gap between the top of the hole that the lights are mounted in and the bottom of the cabinet above. I can't directly attach the bulb to the cabinet above.

I am also concerned about using any form of adhesive as these are halogen lights and they get quite hot...


texts:
I'm looking for a recommendation on the best course to update our hot water heating system.Some background: When we moved into our upstate NY, 2200 sq. ft. home five years ago, the home was heated exclusively by Weil-McClain 68 Boiler using heating oil. We have since updated most of the home to minisplit heat pumps. The boiler is now used to heat a small family room in the basement (but only when we have guests) and our hot water. We do not have a hot water tank.
We now use about 400 gallons of oil/year.

The problem is that a) I don't feel like using oil is efficient (but could be wrong) and b) when bathing or showering, the hot water doesn't stay very hot for long.

My question is: What would be the best way to heat our hot water moving forward? I have included a picture of the boiler's current space if that's helpful.

Boiler Information


texts: How can I keep leftover drywall mud from drying out in the box?

texts:
I'm not quite sure how much drywall mud I'll be using for my upcoming project so I'm planning to buy a box of it. Assuming that I have some left over, is there a technique for not wasting it? Will it last for awhile if I make sure to tie up the bag again and close the box lid? Or should I assume that it'll only last for a short time after I initially open the box.

Also, what's the shelf life for drywall mud? Should I only buy as much as I think I need? Or if I found a good deal, will it keep for awhile (for use with other projects later)?

-M


texts: Any problem with installing two identical circuit breakers in series?

texts:
Suppose I want to reduce risk of a circuit breaker malfunctioning and failing to disconnect a shorted circuit.

What if I install two identical breakers sequentially (one after another) so that if one of them fails the other one steps in and disconnects the circuit? Is there any problem with such installation?


texts: I have a large mirror that's glued to the wall so I can't remove it. It already has a 1 gang outlet in it but I'd like to expand it to a 2 gang box. How would I expand the hole on a vertical mirror that also has drywall behind it?


texts:
I'm in the process of removing an old bathtub/shower and replacing it with a walk-in shower.  The problem is that a 1 1/2" drain pipe that was once covered by the tub is now eating into where my new shower floor/walls will be.  I'd like to redirect it through the bottom plate of the wall, but the wall is flush with a floor joist that's already been notched and strapped.  For some reason there's also already an unoccupied notch in the bottom plate.

Here are some pictures:

What are my options?


texts: Where should I expect to find the trap for my in-wall washing machine drain?

texts: I am trying to renovate an older home. The washing machine was installed in the master bedroom closet. The drain runs down inside the wall. I would like to move the machine to the lower level. My question is how far from the drain is the trap located. I can't find a trap in the present set up.


texts: Should I remove baseboards prior to installing laminate or wood floors?

texts:
I recently bought around 650sft of laminate floors, to replace around 570sft of carpeted floors in our MN home. These will go in on the main floor, right above an unfinished basement.

I'm planning on installing these myself in the next 3 or 4 weeks, and am in the process of getting my act together (I strongly believe that planning is more critical than the actual execution of a project).

Being paranoid about doing an excellent job, I'm debating whether to remove and re-install the existing baseboard molding, or leave the baseboard in place and install quarter-round (or shoe, depending on what looks better) molding after the laminate is laid.

The laminate floor (with its attached pad) is about as tall as the carpet is now, and adjusting for an 1/8" gap in the vertical dimension, the baseboard will stay at the same height.

So, which is better?

Don't touch the baseboard, install laminate 1/4" from the baseboard and use quarter-round to cover the gap?
Remove baseboard, install laminate, and put the baseboard back.

I'm not averse to doing extra work to make sure this looks as professional as possible.


texts: Is it better to waterproof a basement from the outside or the inside?  I've heard different things about this. We have a home built in the 40's on a cinder-block foundation. One side of the house is inaccessible without removing our driveway.


texts: How do I replace a non-standard (oversize) closet doors?

texts:
It's a 70s home and the master bedroom has a wonderfully large closet with a very heavy double-panel sliding door.  Beside the obvious drawback that we can't both use it at the same time (opening one side means the other side is blocked by both panels), it's ugly and heavy.

Any research into replacement doors reveals that nobody has made closets with doors that style in a few decades.  I'd appreciate any ideas or pointers toward alternate door solutions.

(sorry about my lack of terminology, I'll be happy to clear up any missing/ambiguous info if necessary)

~edit~  To clear up, the width is the problem:  It's an 81 inch opening, outside of the track for the sliding panels.  Height is 96" (to the ceiling).


texts: How to unscrew this vacuum cleaner's motor axis?

texts: How can I unscrew the central axis from my vacuum cleaner's motor. It appears it is sealed with some sort of green substance and it doesn't move at all. I already tried dissolving it with acetone and WD-40 and had no luck. Thank you.


texts: Why would you use copper over CPVC or PEX?

texts: Are there any advantages to using copper rather than CPVC or PEX?


texts: How can I open my garage door from the outside with a dead opener?

texts: This morning I found myself locked out of my garage. My interior wall opener isn't working and neither is the remote. The light on the interior pad is out, suggesting a loss of power. Unfortunately, my fuse box is inside the garage, and I I have no way of entering unless I can disable the opener and manually open the door. How in the world can I do that?


texts: What could be causing dampness in a bathroom wall?

texts:
The bottom section of the wall (other side is bathroom and a closet) has the following appearance - after prying out the planks that decorate the floor/wall interface.

The wall (in a high rise) does not appear to be wet a foot above from the floor and looks like an internal leakage, any help would be much appreciated.

Thank you so so much!


texts: Sub base for slabbed area with cabin on it

texts:
I'm looking at slabbing an area of my garden and then sticking a cabin on top.

I have a large amount of old slabs and some other rubble/hardcore. If i smash up all the old slabs, will this be a suitable sub base for the slabs?

Thanks


texts: What is the proper way to connect a 4" dryer exhaust to a 6" PVC wall exhaust?

texts:
Our dryer exhausts through a 4" opening, but the wall exhaust we will connect to is 6". The previous owners left an elbow / reducer, but it's beat up and basically falls out of the 6" PVC exhaust. Should we put it back in and use foil tape as a seal?  Or what would be the best way to connect it?

It's a very short distance between the dryer and wall exhaust, maybe one foot. Hopefully that helps.


texts: Is wiring laying alongside an attic access opening a code violation or safety concern?

texts: I have a new house nearing completion in Manning, South Carolina, with all non-metallic jacket wire.  However, the scuttle holes for two retractable stairs and attic lift had wires blocking access until I pointed it out, so the electrical sub just pulled the wires drum-tight to the edge of the opening.  This means it's always the first thing you step on going up, and likely what someone will snag their foot on for a 15-foot free-fall to the concrete floor on the way down.  This includes the primary service to the house with a pair of jacketed 4-4-4 cables for the 400-amp service under your feet in the first step into the attic.  The entire attic storage space is completely covered with a massive web of 8-3 and 12-2 wire where subs have slid the walkway and storage area OSB under the wires, meaning that the only place to walk or store anything is on top of the wiring.  Because of the size of the larger wires, it becomes a fall hazard if the floor is raised to clear them due to the increased step height of the top step to the attic floor.  I just don't see how this could possibly meet any electrical or fire safety code.  Nothing in the house was immune to this level of incompetency from the ground, up.  Any ideas?


texts:
I'm having huge issues finding a replacement thermocouple for my Kenmore 153332421 boiler. It seems that Sears is the only place to get them. I ordered one a couple of days ago but after receiving the package I noticed they shipped thermopile. Both parts seem to have the same number. I've been checking the manual but there is no mention of thermocouple. Any idea if thermopile serves as both parts in this model?

Thanks


texts: NEMA 14-50 outlet installation - uninsulated ground ok to use?

texts: Purchased a new house that is pre-wired for electric car charging with 4 wires: red, black, white, and 1 uninsulated wire (see picture). I'm trying to install a NEMA 14-50 outlet (for a Tesla) and its pretty straight forward, but hesitant to install the uninsulated ground to the outlet. Is ok to use the uninsulated ground? If not, what would be the alternative?


texts: Can a drywall screwdriver be used as a regular power screwdriver?

texts:
I will be buying (or renting) a drywall screwdriver, I want to save a bit and have a tool that can be used for woodworking later, can it be used? Is it too low torque (I guess it is about 7 Nm) for driving screws on wood or steel?

I usually don't need to drive lag bolts or bigger screws, but I want a driver for general woodworking and I don't want to make final tighten by hand.

PS: I can find some other drywall screwdrivers that are about 13 Nm in torque, but they are kind of a chinese generic brand.


texts: Is this insulation supposed to be there?

texts:
I was adding some insulation foam into our fireplace as a way of stopping drafts from the chimney. It's obvious that it's installed so we won't ever have it there when a fire is lit (we have not yet used the fireplace since buying the house, though we have had it inspected and swept).

However, when installing it, I discovered that between the fireplace facia and fireplace itself around the edge of the opening into our lounge is stuffed some fibreglass insulation. It looked from what I could see that it was somewhat loose and I wondered if it too should be removed before lighting a fire in that fireplace? I can't be sure but I could see that it would certainly get very hot there and may even come into contact with the flames. Is this normal or should I remove this insulation?


texts: How much power do I need to soft solder small piping?

texts:
I'm thinking about a few hobby projects and the tools I might need for them. Specifically I'm thinking about getting a butane soldering torch that can also be equipped with tips for electronics works. The Seller gives the power as 130 W, max. temp when using tips 580°C, the free flame is presumably hotter.

Is 130 W enough to soft solder small pipes and fittings, I'm thinking up to DN32 (1 1/4") at most? Or should I discard the idea to have one tool for electronics and piping work, and go for different tools?

To be clear, I'm talking about soft soldering, using lead free solder for potable water applications - likely melting ranges are between 220°C and 250°C.

This is the product I was thinking about.


texts: New washing machine seal rubbing, new spider arm?

texts:
I just got a new seal for my washing machine off ebay. After I installed it, it ran a few times successfully, but then started rubbing when it is on the high spin speeds. I am wondering if maybe the spider arm or dampers are gone too? The two springs at the top seem fine.
If I put a little dish soap where the drum was rubbing against the seal it seems to run ok for a while.
The washing machine is an idesit iwme126, the washing machine is intregrated and came with the house so unsure of the history of the machine. The old seal was very mouldy which is why I replaced it. Any other info required let me know. I could attach a video of it running if that would help?
How can I diagnose if the spider arm needs replacing?


texts: How to install GFCI combo switch and outlet with only 2 wires

texts:
I had a combo GFCI outlet and switch that went bad in my bathroom. The outlet worked even if the light wasn’t on. I bought a new GFCI combo switch and outlet. I had  several  electricians come to install. No one has been able to get both to work, only the light worked, not the outlet. I had another electrician come out yesterday and he did some moving of wires and now the light does not turn off at all.

This has been an ongoing problem for the past 3 years. I was looking while he was working on it and he said there should be more wires, not only a black and white. I don’t know what else to do. I have an old house that has old wiring. Looking for some suggestions  and help.

Here is a picture of the original on the right and the new combo outlet and switch, no one knows what the wires on the back are for


texts:
For context, I'm no professional but I'm comfortable figuring things out with advice/instructions. I'm planning on building an L-shaped desk for my kids. I've already selected the important materials, but I have some questions on assembly. First, here are the pieces I am using (I will put pictures at the end of the post).

3 Pottery Barn cabinets/pedestals (link)

All three are 16" wide x 20" deep x 29" high

2 butcher block slabs (link) and (link)

One is 74" x 25" x 1.5"
The other is 98" x 25" x 1.5"

Here is a diagram of how I plan to configure these pieces:

Here are my questions. I'm super excited to receive any advice you are willing to offer, but assume if you suggest something I will need a good reference (e.g. if you suggest a ledger board and you know of a good reference, can you point me to it or tips?). Again, I'm no pro.

Obviously the longer butcher block needs something to support it on the side with no cabinet. I suppose I could add a couple pipe legs? What is my best bet for getting something the exact right height as the other cabinet? See my wall desk question below, maybe that is my best bet?
On the longer butcher block, I'm going to have some weight there including a computer and heavy hutch. What should I do to support this length? I want to stay away from legs in the front of the desk.
On the shorter butcher block, will the two cabinets be enough to support the butcher block?
I assumed I would make this a wall desk, but I suppose it doesn't have to be. It might help with supporting the desk at the back (especially on the 98" piece). I've seen there are options such as adding a ledger board on the wall. Pros/cons of making this a wall desk?
How should I attach the two pieces of butcher block?
How should I attach the cabinets to the butcher block?
Obviously the cabinet depth is 5" shorter than the depth of the butcher block. I'd like to have the front of the cabinets flush with the front of the desk. Therefore, I'll have a 5" gap at the back. Aesthetically, do you think this will be an issue? Any suggestions on how to address this?

Here are pictures of the pedestals I am using:

Thank you in advance for your time and help!


texts: What accessories, aside from faucets, fit into sink faucet holes?

texts: I'm going to replace an existing 3-hole faucet with a single hole faucet in my kitchen sink.  I plan on installing a soap dispenser into one of the other holes, but that will still leave me with one empty hole.  Aside from faucets what accessories are available that fit into faucet holes?


texts: Should a washer go on nut side, or the bolt side?

texts: Often I take something apart and when I go to reassemble it, I don't remember which side the washer was on.  When there's only one washer, does it generally go on the nut side (pressed up against the nut) or the bolt side (pressed up against the bolt)?


texts: Can I paint my floor in two stages with epoxy?

texts:
We just redid our basement floor and I am considering epoxy paint (with texture flakes) for the floor.  I prefer not to move everything out again for this process, so I'm considering moving everything left, paint, then everything right and finishing.  Of course, I will wait for it to cure.

Question is, can I do half the floor and come back after curing and to the rest without making a big mess of the transition line?  Will there be any adhesion issue at the line? And as a bonus - how best to do the transition line?


texts: What type of gas generator to run a dump pump, fridge, and 3 small appliances

texts:
I need backup power to:
 - continuously run a sump pump for 4-5 hours
 - continuously run A fridge
 - as needed run small appliances like coffee maker, electronics


texts: Should I use natural decking oil on a dark wooden deck?

texts:
I have some decking with a fairly dark looking wood (please see photo), although it hasn't been cleaned yet so may be lighter than it appears.

I need to clean and oil this deck and I already have some Ronseal Ultimate Protection Decking Oil in Natural colour which someone gave me. Here's a link to the product: https://www.ronseal.com/for-garden/decking/decking-oil/ultimate-protection-decking-oil/

I prefer the darker look of decking, but could also do with saving a bit of money.

Given that the decking appears to be a little dark, can you describe what it's likely to turn out like with the natural colour oil?

I'm worried it will come out looking strange, because the decking colour and oil aren't compatible. Would that be the case?

Thank you in advance!


texts: How can I find a stud from the exterior to mount service mast?

texts:
I'm changing the location of the electrical service mast on my house.  Is there an easy way(s) or a trick of the trade to find a stud from the exterior of the house so my lag bolts that will hold the mast brackets will hit framing and not just rough siding?

Right now, my house is sided with vinyl over 1" of styrofoam, cedar clapboard and 1x6 board siding.

I have access to the interior side of the wall, too, but I'm having difficulty translating the stud location to the exterior.