texts:
I recently bought a house that has a subpanel in the garage served by a 50 amp circuit from the main breaker.  The breaker has 4 wires coming in: red, black, green, white.  Currently, the subpanel feeds a 30 amp and a 20 amp circuit  Each served be a 3-wire connection where the third wire goes to green for one, white for the other.

I want to rewire to install a NEMA 14-50 with a single 50 amp breaker in lieu of the 20 amp service (bottom right exit), and leave the second circuit unused. That would require a 4 wire connection, do I just use green and white?  What about the second circuit?  Disconnect it?  Leave it in place?

I'm looking to connect an EV (Model 3) that draws under 45 amps.  Based on the cerrowire application chart, 8 AWG would be sufficient? => https://www.cerrowire.com/products/resources/tables-calculators/applications-charts/

Did I forget to ask anything else I should?


texts: I have a new shallow bathroom sink that has no overflow. I put in a bar-sink drain cover (to prevent anyone from closing the drain), and the water doesn't flow down the drain. It just stands there, until I run my finger back and forth over the holes in the drain cover. There is a vent pipe on the main drain pipe. Is there an easy solution to this? Would a drain pipe vent solve the problem?


texts: Light Fixture screw won't hold glass cover

texts:
I had to change some lights on a living room light fixture a few weeks ago and got the cover off with no issue and changed the bulbs. The issue occurred when I tried to put the cover back on, the central thread came off somehow and I can't get it to screw back in.

I dug around in it today (after turning the breaker off), taking off both screws either side of the central hole but was unable to remove the fixture entirely. I'm assuming the nut that holds the central screw is just loose somewhere up there, but I'm not sure since I wasn't the person who originally installed the fixture.

What steps am I looking at to get this fixed?

Thanks!


texts: An electrician put a double 60 amp breaker in place of two 15 amp breakers

texts: A remodel was done in the kitchen, and now half the house is on the same two 60 amp breakers. When too many items get turned on, the lights flicker and sparks fly but the breaker do not kick off. I have never seen this done during 42 years in construction in homes. What is the solution?


texts: What is the best covering for a redwood deck to keep the wood's character?

texts:
I am installing a new 2000 sqft deck, in an urban home. It will get intense sun, need low maintenance. The builder wants to cover all 6 sides of each board. Is this realistic or even cost effective versus a good stain and regular upkeep and maintenance?

What is the best covering? I would like to keep something resembling redwood.


texts: Is it worth DIY remove old tiles or just put new tiles on old tiles in Kitchen?

texts:
In video removing old tiles does not seem to be that hard. However, can things go wrong when doing so? What type of damage can occur if the tiles does not come off and we apply too much pressure?

Is it really better to just stick new old on top of old ones?


texts:
I need to affix my steel stringers to a concrete beam. Since the beam was poorly executed, it is not plumb.

On this piece I will weld some 5 mm thick plate on the backing, that will have holes for bolting in the concrete

I think that I will have to shim almost 12 mm on the top and 3 mm on the bottom.

What is the best way to so it?


texts: Recess can light conversion to hanging light

texts: I have a standard recessed can in my entryway ceiling. I bought a can conversion kit so I could hang a chandelier I brought back from Morocco. When I took the light kit out of the can, there is a black and yellow wire. I connected them to the chandelier (which is just a split transparent wire to a bulb) but it doesn’t seem to work. The switch is just a standard on-off switch (no dimmer). I want to make sure I’m connecting the wires correctly. Is just the black hot? Do I connect both chandelier wires to it and just cap the yellow? Thanks for any help!


texts: Is a tablespoon of vinegar and a cloth adequate to clean tiles with compiled soap, dirt residue?

texts:
What is a good product that can effectively clean tiles without damaging them?
The type of tiles are floor tiles I think are ceramic based on this and are not shiny.
I would like to clean them of residues of soap and dust.
I have tried to clean them with water and a tablespoon of vinegar and rub with a cloth but seems to require quite an effort and may be there is a better way.


texts: Replacing receptacles - why are white and black wires crossed?

texts:
I am in the process of replacing all receptacles and wall plates in my home. Most of the receptacles are pretty straight forward to replace as they have only one black and one white wire (and ground).
Now, I am running into a couple receptacles that have two black and two white wires (and ground). Sometimes the white and black wires are coming from the same corner of the receptacle, sometimes they are crossed.

How should I re-wire them?

Should I also cross them in the replacement receptacle?

What is the reason behind cross wiring (if that is the right term to use)?

Per request, I added the sides of the receptacle:


texts: How can I repair kitchen counters that are disintegrating?

texts: We have a pretty standard 90s style laminate kitchen counter top.  There are cabinets and a dishwasher underneath, and the counter overhangs them by about a half inch.  The bottom of the overhang is not covered by laminate and has exposed stuff that looks like particle board.  Some of this is right over the dishwasher vent, and the steam is getting soaked up and the counter is starting to disintegrate.  It also soaks up random drips off the counter top edge.  We tried scraping off loose material and then covering the exposed area with white duct tape (see photo), but it didn't stick very well.  Any advice on how we could fix this?


texts: Utility Knife Blade Tool that is a "Block"

texts:
Is there any kind of tool that is a "block" (imagine a sanding block) that accepts utility-knife blades?

Imagine cutting a piece of rigid foam.
And instead of using a straight pencil mark or (blue) snap line, and trying to follow the line with a utility knife.....

You could secure a straight edge (or a level with a bigger edge) 2" from the line, and the "block" would "ride" against the level/straight edge...and the blade being in the center of the block (but 2 inches from the edge) would cut a perfectly straight line.

Whenever I use a utility knife and the straight-edge/level, I still get a little wobbling.


texts: Re-wiring an old Slater 3 way switch with new Leviton

texts:
I have an old Slater 20a switch with 3 screws (no ground). The wires to it are one black, one red, and one white (which was spliced to an orange wire at the end for some reason).
It is a 3 way switch that works the utility room light and another switch works it from the other side of the room.
The positions are (looking at switch from the front) black bottom right, red bottom left, white top right.
The new switch has 4 screws (plus ground of course) - black on bottom and copper on top.
Where should I put these 3 wires on the new switch?
First pic of the front of switch, Orange is white.
Second pic of the back of switch


texts: Can I split a single nonmetallic cable to multiple lights?

texts:
I have a ceiling fan which gets a single nonmetallic cable feed from a wall switch. I want to replace the ceiling fan with 8 light sockets mounted on the ceiling.

120 volts, 12 gauge wire, 16 amp limit.

8 15-watt LEDs = 1 amp

In the ceiling box, I want to split 1 nonmetallic cable in into 8 nonmetallic cable out. Each out nonmetallic cable will be secured to the outside of the ceiling going to light sockets with switches, screwed to the drywall. So each socket can be individually turned off.

I could do the lights in parallel which would be easier, if there is a type of light socket that still passes the power along while the bulb is switched off.

Is this an allowable thing to install?

Is running power cable exposed inside of a home room allowed? Or is there a type of cable used for exposed areas?
How do I split the romex in an organized, easily handled way? Or is there a type of light socket like I described above?


texts:
In 1960, the builder poured a 6 foot foundation to build my parents' home. He then decided to lengthen the home by adding a 4 foot foundation to extend the living room and kitchen area (now under a 4 foot sand crawl space). He left an opening the size of a window between the cellar foundation and the added 4 foot foundation. One can use a step ladder and step on the platform and look at the sand and mud where this added foundation lies.

Then the builder attached a garage to that extension which sits on a slab.  Now we are getting water seeping into the bottom of the 4 foot foundation at the back of the house situated next to the garage. The area (crawl space) has mud puddles when it rains and some of this water flows down onto the cellar floor. The gutter in the back has long extensions to draw off the water; the gutters seem to not leak; a new cement walkway replaced a cement cracked walkway in this area of the back of the house.   I also noticed a stream of water traveling down the perimeter of the cement walkway on the side of the garage which is the side of the house.


texts: How to build a CMU wall to specific size?

texts: My current design for a garage is 24' by 24'. There are 2 garage doors on the front 9' in width, with 1 1/2" on each side to install them into. This leaves 66" for the front facing CMU wall, which is split into three sections of 22" each. These sections are thus slightly shorter than a standard CMU, mortar joint, and a half sized CMU (23 5/8"). How are situations like this handled? Do masons cut down a solid 6" by 8" by 8" to size?


texts: Is a vapor barrier necessary beneath blown in cellulose insulation in a garage ceiling in a cold climate?

texts: Is it necessary to put any kind of vapor barrier beneath blown in cellulose insulation in an attached garage?  The ceiling is sheetrocked, but that's it.  It's a cold, dry climate (north half of Minnesota), but lots of heat and moisture will come from vehicles parked beneath; thus, I imagine a fair amount of ice would develop over the course of the winter.  But...I'm not sure how much ice, or if it's anything to worry about.


texts:
Have concrete slabs heated with an HTP boiler. 4 manifolds (2 supply, 2 return w/shutoffs). Had a loss of pressure and low water pressure error on boiler. I have isolated the leaks off the manifolds. Yeah, more than one. They are running city water through this to heat the concrete at a car wash in the hand bays. No no.

Question: Is there anyway to fix those leaks? They're running underground through hose...looks half inch. Thx


texts: Am I having trouble finding studs because my walls are lath and plaster?

texts:
I picked a TV mount from Ikea. The TV itself is being mounted to some paneling which in turn is mounted to set of wooden draws. In addition, it gives you hardware to mount the panels to the walls. It's not really meant to support any weight, just to keep it from swaying back and forth. So I picked up a cheap stud sensor (Zircon E30) but I'm not having very good luck with it. As soon as I start sliding it, it usually just starts indicating an error. Occasionally it tells me there's a stud, but on subsequent passes the results are far from exact. Right now I think I have an idea of where two studs are but it's a very rough guess.

I'm wondering if this is because this model is junk, or could I have lath and plaster walls? I'm pretty sure the walls are not drywall, just judging from the way they have crumbled when I tried to put a screw in them previously. Usually the paper coating on plaster doesn't allow it to crumble like that. Plus drywall usually seems to crumble more into a fine powder and this crumbles more into sand or little pebbles.

So does anyone know if there's a way I can tell if the walls are lath and plaster? Or does anyone know if this stud finder is no good? They do make a slightly more expensive model which is supposed to work better with lath and plaster walls. I just don't want to go and spend the money buying if it I don't really need it. Plus I'll probably wind up using it this one time and never see it again.

Any suggestions? I did try knocking on the walls and trying to hear a difference, but that wasn't really working for me.

edit: I just wanted to let people know I used this sensor: http://zircon.com/products/metal_m40.html and it seemed to work pretty well. So if you have lath and plaster walls, might want to give that one a try.


texts: How do I size this wall to make tiles look right?

texts:
I am expanding my entryway by building a new half-wall, and then I will be tiling (which I have never done before). What I'm looking for is some advice on the best way to size the wall so that the tiles look right.

Here are a couple views:

(In case it's unreadable, the width of the closet is 48.5", and the distance between closet and front door is 76").

The entry to this space should be minimum 32" and max 36".

I'd like the wall to be minimum 76", and 92" (which is half-way on the wall beside the closet)

What size should I make these two dimensions, so that the tile will work out the best way?

I am open to suggestions on what tile size to use as well. The bit I don't know is if you have a 12"x12" tile, how do you figure out how much room they'll actually take up once they're down? (is a 12" tile really 12" or is it slightly smaller to allow room for grout?)

UPDATE:

So part way though this project, our casual browsing for a new house ended up with us making an offer and me having 2 days to finish this so we could put our house up for sale. I ended up going with Allure vinyl plank tiles simply for speed of install (I was done in about 2 hours).

I put the framed wall 84.5" (7' 1/2") away (in the direction parallel with the door) to leave space for 7 tiles + 1/2" drywall, and it's about 78" long (in the direction perpendicular to the door) based mostly on aesthetics and making an unobtrusive transition. I positioned the tile so the center of the center tile in the perpendicular direction was centered with the wall, and there's an approximately equal amount of partial tile along both edges up to the new entry, and I didn't worry about what happened inside the closet (it happened to work out to only require less than 1/2" cut from the tile).

Here's the final product (sorry, it's from the MLS listing and not the greatest resolution):

(Side note: We ended up having two offers on this house and had the sale finalized in less than 48 hours after listing, so I guess this turned out okay)


texts: Does NEC allow for recessed lighting to be placed in a vertical wall?

texts:
I am about to start running electrical in my bathroom remodel and I am considering options for lighting.  I have a wall on one side that has 5.75" of space (this was for recessed shelving in an adjacent room. My wife has the neat idea of using recessed lights in this space so that they would act like a flush wall sconce.  I like the idea, but i can not find any information on anyone doing this, or if a new construction light housing can be mounted vertically.

Does anyone know if this idea would pass NEC code? Also would a recessed light housing be solid enough to be placed vertically on wall studs rather than horizontally on joists?


texts: Why does my latch not retract when I push or swing the door shut, but will retract when the knob/lever is used?

texts: This just started today. I have to turn the knob in order for the latch to retract. Before, I could just push to door shut and the latch would retract when it hit the plate on the door frame. But now it just hits hard against it. Other than that, the door knob works perfect.


texts: How to fill / seal in-slab hvac ductwork?

texts:
My house is built on a slab. Within the slab are "channels" which act as ducts for the HVAC system.

I assume it is partially lined with metal but based on photos from an HVAC-cleaner, it's hard to tell how far that metal goes from the registers.

Long term, I plan on re-routing all of my HVAC outside of this slab ductwork as it is extremely dirty, probably contaminated with all kinds of mold and insects, and essentially a big mess. This house was built over 60 years ago.

In the mean-time, I am about to re-do a single room's floor. It is currently concrete (carpet had been ripped up) but is going to be replaced by porcelain tile. This specific room is really close to the furnace (with a direct wall-vent a previous owner "cut in") so I am not concerned about its temperature.

I want to fill in, or otherwise seal off, the slab-duct and register in this room so I can tile over it. Long term, I want to do quit using all of my in-slab ducts.

Can I simply seal off the duct at this register? Or do I need to fill the entire duct in the slab in this room? What material (concrete/cement? specific type?) should I use in either case?

Thanks!


texts: What should I consider when removing part of the second floor to make higher ceilings?

texts: I live in an old (120 - 150 yr old) house with very low ceilings. I am considering ways to make the house feel more open and one option is to remove part of the ceiling and floor joists of the second floor above the living room to give it a tall vaulted ceiling and turning the remainder of the second floor into a loft. Given the age of the house I believe it is balloon constructed. This is something early in the planning stages and am looking for advice on if this is doable and what are some concerns or problems this could create.


texts: What can I do to solve the moisture problem in my bathroom?

texts:
My bathroom walls are done in concrete not drywall. I installed a ceiling fan. After showering, the walls are covered with moisture.

What can I do to eliminate the moisture?


texts: Refrigerator Water Dispenser Tripping GFCI

texts: The refrigerator is on a dedicated circuit / socket --- not a GFCI. However, in the last week, when using the water dispenser on the fridge, the GFCI has tripped simultaneously. There are no appliances on the GFCI that I am aware of.


texts: Dimmer switch doesn't turn light on unless other 3-way switch is also on

texts: I purchased the three way Lutron dimmer switch at a big box store as well (I just read the question about the upside down switch problem); mine dims the light well. IF the other switch to the light is turned on, I can turn the power on/off from the dimmer switch; but if the other switch is not in the ON position, the light does not turn on using the dimmer switch.  Please help.


texts: Should I get an internal or external tankless natural gas water heater for Norfolk Virgina?

texts:
My house already has natural gas but the existing water heater is an electric tanked version located in the wooden laundry room addition on a brick home. December, January and February are marginal for freezing:

https://www.usclimatedata.com/climate/norfolk/virginia/united-states/usva0557

This is a two story home with a shower upstairs and downstairs.

Should I get an indoor tankless, outdoor tankless or an indoor tanked?

Should I try to support both showers from one unit or get two smaller units, one for upstairs and one for downstairs?

Tanks.


texts: How can I safely connect cable in a service panel?

texts: I'm planning to install a 240v 30 amp circuit breaker in the open slots on the bottom left hand side of the panel. I need to punch a hole at the top of the box as the 10/3 NM will be going into the attic. How do I safely punch a hole in the knockout and run the 10/3 NM cable without touching the live main cables? Can I use a punchout on the top right side instead and wind it down the right side then over to the left, then up to the breaker?


texts: advice for cantilever on temporary, free-standing wood structure

texts:
My daughter wants a piñata at her 6th birthday party. Unfortunately our back yard has no convenient tree limbs or other ways to hang the piñata, so I want to DIY something to hang it from.  I'd prefer to avoid driving posts into the ground, so want something freestanding.

I have lots of extra 2x4s in the basement I can use to build it, but I'm not sure about the shape and size of the structure needed.

What's an easy structure to build that won't fall over when a kid whacks the piñata, but also provides lots of room underneath the pinata for kids to whack the thing and dive for the loot afterwards without hurting themselves on a misplaced chunk of knotty pine?

To make it easy for kids to walk up and whack the piñata, and to avoid injuries when the kids scramble for the loot when the thing breaks, I am assuming that the most important design requirement is that the piñata hanger has to cantilever out over a large empty space.

This led to this idea:

Assuming the long pieces are 5-6 feet long, will this design be reasonably stable?  Any suggestions about proportions/bracing, etc?  Is there a better design that's about as easy to build?


texts: What are these bathroom mirror lamp holders called?

texts:
I have two mirrors in different bathroom that looked like this:

Now one of them looks like this:

Now the problem is these sockets are old and loose and i would like to replace them and "fix" them in one place but i can't seem to find the holder with the screws that put the socket in one place, i searched online and physical stores and i can't find anything like it.

Help is appreciated.

EDIT: More pictures as requested, they are at least 20 years old, i don't know the brand, i can't see any imprints either...


texts: How can I know if my HVAC is taking air from outside?

texts:
I am currently affected by the US West smoke, so I bought some good filters for my furnace. I also bought extra filters and taped them in my ceilings where the air from the HVAC comes, for some extra filtering. I heard that I'm supposed to put my HVAC system to "fan on" (not heating nor cooling) so the air keeps passing through the filter and its quality improves. On the other hand, I also heard that if my system has "external air intake" I should turn it off completely.
The problem is that I don't know how to verify if I have external air intake. I watched some youtube videos and couldn't find anything similar to what I saw there. I looked for on/off switches everywhere and couldn't find any, except for one described below.
I took a picture of my furnace. I am not sure, but it seems to me the air flows in the direction of the arrow I painted in the picture, because the filters are right below the arrow and dust is on the up side. I also drew a black circle on the right side of the picture. There is a hole in the cover and it says "open" and "close", but given the size of that tube and where it is attached, I am not sure whether it is for external air intake or whether it is to fully close the heating system.
I should also note that all this is inside the garage, and the garage now has a much stronger smoke smell than the rest of my house, so I'm not sure if it my system is also taking air from my garage (instead of air from outside).
And a last detail, the filters don't really rightly fit my system, so air definitely goes through the side forming a path of least resistance. That is why I also taped some filters inside my house where the air comes.
What would be your guesses? Where should I be looking for things?
Thanks in advance.


texts:
I'm having a bit of a mysterious problem. A couple of weeks ago I've replaced a dimmer switch in the upstairs bathroom. Of course while working on that I shut off the electricity for that part of the house. Since turning it back on we've been hearing this thumping sound which seems to be coming from the ceiling. The sound is extremely frequent: I've timed it and it's exactly every 2 minutes and 53 seconds.

At first I didn't link it to that dimmer job, because I thought it was water related (like water hammer). But after a couple of days of being annoyed with the sound I've decided to turn the electricity back off (same circuit breaker) and suddenly the sound stopped.

I did notice in the garage where the water comes in that the pressure was too high so I've already adjusted the pressure regulator lowering the pressure, but the problem persists.

I've also bled the water pipes using this info here: http://www.factsfacts.com/MyHomeRepair/PipeNoises.htm

Quote:

  Turn off the water to the house at the entry. Find the lowest faucet
  in your house--often this is an outdoor garden hose faucet--open this
  faucet and then open a few of the indoor faucets at high locations
  such as upstairs or at a wet bar and let the low faucet drain for 5
  minutes or until it stops dripping, whichever takes longer. Close all
  the faucets and turn the main back on.

I suspect it has something to do with the fire sprinkler system. When I turn on the circuit breaker switch in the box I do hear water running, or so it seems. The only thing I can think of would be the sprinkler system.

Does anyone have an idea or pointer of what this could be? At this point I'm not even sure if I should call a plumber or an electrician.

Edit
I've tried to record the sound with my phone, because it's hard to describe. Unfortunately the quality of the recording isn't great - the mic of the phone is unable to capture the full frequency spectrum. It sounds a lot louder and deeper in real life and I can actually feel some vibration in the floor when it happens. It sounds mostly like the sound of impact, what I would imagine a poltergeist to sound like.
Here's the recording, you can hear the sound @ 0:18

Sound recording

Edit 2
As suggested by Tester101 here's a list of items on the circuit:
 - Two wallsockets in the master bathroom (not being used right now)

Possibly the control unit of the alarm system, but I'm unsure. It's inside of walk-in closet in the master bathroom.(1)
The light and fan in the downstairs bathroom
Light in the garage
The wall sockets in the living room, only some game consoles, a projector and a soundbar are connected to that

(1) The alarm system looks like it's not functional, but it does say something about smoke detection on the main unit so I'm thinking it might control the sprinkler system as well. We've only been living here since a year and we've never bothered to look at the alarm system since it looks dead.


texts: Garages and Gas Water Heater Vapor Elevation

texts: I just had a Rheem gas hot water heater installed in my garage. They put it on the floor and said that it doesn't have to be elevated as per code. Were they full of crap?


texts:
I have a small little alcove in my wall which is perfect for a bookshelf and started stud hunting. I followed along either side of an outlet with a strong magnet until I found a screw and then moved up vertically until I marked them all. I checked around either side of this stud but failed to locate any more screws.

I don't know anything about drywall. Does it seem plausible there are no other studs to be had here?

I've attached a photo of the wall with the screws I narked with tape.

Update:

I went over it a bit more and hugged closer to the wall to find two more studs. They are 11" apart (left side) and 28" apart (right side). Does this seem right?

Update:

One of the comments helped me think more about why the studs are placed as they are. There is an air vent that passes directly through the center of the wall and the center stud is to the left of it.


texts: How can I loosen a faucet cartridge that is stuck due to limescale buildup?

texts: The cartridge faucet in my bathroom has developed a pretty steady dripping so I decided to give it a shot and replace it. I managed to remove the handle, but the screw ring that keeps the cartridge in place is stuck - I guess it's probably because of the limescale build up inside the faucet. (No limescale is visible on the top of the screw ring but I'm pretty sure it's the limescale). Is there any trick to loosen the screw ring a bit without having to remove the entire faucet and dipping it in limescale remover?


texts:
I own a Tesla Model 3 and am seriously considering getting a tow-hitch for it. In the EU it is rated to tow up to 2,000lbs, so if I was to tow things on a trailer, the trailer being lightest weight would be ideal.

Can someone advise if there is already plans out to build your own out of super lightweight, but strong, materials to maximise the possible weight of the actually towed items?

-OR-

Can someone advise what the lightest weight trailer is to purchase?


texts: Is a rotary hammer with an impact energy of 2.7J suitable for household projects?

texts:
How can I find if an impact energy of 2.7 J is enough for chiseling concrete slab ?
I am thinking about purchasing a Bosch GBH 240, which has an impact energy of 2.7J.
Please let me know if this rotary hammer has enough impact energy for chiseling an 10 cm concrete slab ?

I need this rotary hammer for jobs around the house, for example chiseling an 10cm concrete slab which has an area of about 0.25 sq meters, for drilling holes into concrete walls (6 to 12 mm diameter holes) and other things like that. I am in an renovation process in my house.


texts: Replacing a dimmer with an ELV (electronic low voltage) dimmer

texts:
I can not figure what wires in my box should go to the yellow load.
All wires except the double red to the black on the current switch are ringing hot (with current).
Also the green ground was not connected when I pulled out existing dimmer.


texts: Should I use faced or unfaced insulation in a utility room area?

texts:
I'm trying to keep my unconditioned utility room from being so darn cold and hot during the year, and to keep the condensation line from freezing during the winter.

I figured insulating the area would be beneficial, but my county inspector made a remark during an unrelated project, a room renovation inspection, stating that faced insulation while up to code, is a bad idea because of the flammable cardboard backing.

If that's true, can I use my surplus room wrap I purchased in bulk for another project in the utility room?


texts: How do I estimate the energy consumption of a ductless mini-split A/C unit?

texts:
I'm designing a "solar RV" built from a cargo trailer with PV panels mounted on the roof. Currently, I'm listing the expected electrical loads so I can size the solar system and battery bank appropriately.

The largest load will be a ductless mini-split air conditioner, likely a Mitsubishi 6,000 BTU, 33.1 SEER unit. It's the smallest on the market, but it should be plenty since the RV will only be ~110-130 square feet. I expect to use it frequently on shore power, but I'd like to be able to run it at least part-time while off-grid.

I've searched extensively for real-world energy usage reports from people who own that model (or similar), but haven't found any, so the next step is to estimate based on the available specs. Wikipedia describes how to calculate energy consumption based on BTU, SEER, and hourly usage, but the latter confuses me - at least in terms of how it applies to mini-splits.

My understanding is that many inverter compressor models (including the Mitsubishi) are constantly running, and modulate the compressor load as needed to maintain the desired temperature.

Does that mean I'd simply calculate energy consumption based on 24 hours/day (a 100% duty cycle)? So:

6,000 BTU / 33.1 SEER * 24 hours/day = 4.35 kWh/day

Or, is it more complicated than that? It would seem so, as that would be equivalent to a unit with 1/3 the efficiency operating for 1/3 the time, which seems fairly typical in the real world:

6,000 BTU / 11 SEER * 8 hours/day = 4.36 kWh/day

Surely the mini-split must use significantly less power than such a unit?


texts: quick release clamps for fixing a standing desk to wall

texts:
I just installed an IKEA SKARSTA. In the top position it wobbles a lot when I type, sufficiently to be annoying to unusable. My quick solution was to add 1 bracket at each end and screw them on to the wall.
But now I have a standing desk that's no longer adjustable. I was thinking of some kind of hold down clams that I could lock/unlock when the desk is up (it will have 2 positions). Something like:

Simple schematic, top view

Can anyone suggest a type of clamp that would work in this case ? The goal would be to force the desk against the wall.
PS: The wobble comes from the extending mechanism, there is a lot of play between the fixed and mobile part of the extending legs, and I went to the IKEA and the show room model has the same issue. There is no fixing it.


texts: What should I do if one of the screws for a TV mount breaks?

texts:
My wife & I spent a fair amount of time setting up a VideoSecu heavy articulating wall mount in a position & height that we liked.

Problem is, the top-left lag screw (5/16" thick, 3" long) broke in half once it got all the way in the stud (1.5" wide).

The rest of the screws were already tightened. What is the best way to proceed?

As far as I can tell, my options are:

Screw extraction, then use a larger lag screw. This seems iffy since 1.5" of the screw is lodged deep in the wall (drywall around 1" thick, it broke off beyond that depth).
Leave old screw, drill new lag screw in a different direction (in this case unfortunately it would have to be UP at an angle, but the rest of the mount looks pretty damn sturdy so mostly worried about stud integrity).
Move everything - take out the 3 existing other lag screws, move entire TV mount installation up/down. In this case I'm worried about the stud also losing integrity by removing the 3 very large lags nearby (& since we'd be screwing the new installation in nearby, ~3" up/down).
Move mount to entirely new stud location. This is likely not possible as there aren't any other studs in the house that will fit the TV near our living room.
Abandon project after removing installation.

Obviously #5 is the worst solution. My current thinking is #2 since it's the path of least resistance but I don't know how worried I should be about it vs. the other options. Or perhaps there is another idea I haven't thought of?

Wall mount weight: ~50lbs. TV weight: 60lbs.

All help veryyy appreciated!! We are totally stuck!

Results

At Grant's suggestion, we screwed in a new 5/16", 3" long lag screw next to the existing broken off one. So far so good, can hold the very large TV.

One interesting thing to note - regardless of how much I piloted, the screw was still very hard to get in. Perhaps the stud was tough, but I still needed to use an open socket wrench with a fair amount of torque to get the last 1" in. Drywall surrounding this is a mess, but intact so is still providing adequate support to the stud & mount.

I will update this thread in a month or so, or if there are any problems in the meantime.

Update, Oct. 2015: No issues to report.


texts: My septic works fine, but I have wet spots

texts: So, I have had 2 septic companies inspect our septic system.  One pumped all the water out of the lines and dropped a camera in.  Everything is working perfectly.  We have saturation on our lawn.  So, we still have wet spots near the last leach line of the septic system.  Not sure if it is always grey water or just water from the lawn....it only smells once in a while.  When it is dry and doesn't rain,usually in the summer,  it dries up and no wet spot.  An irrigation company told me a French drain around the perimeter of my back yard would NOT help the issue I have.  Any ideas what I should do?


texts: Outlet that i want to move. 2 cables in the box. Neutrals from each cable attached but only one hot attached

texts: Want to be sure if the second hot isn't attached then there is no power going downstream. I was pretty sure that the outlet was at the end of the line so I was surprised to find the second cable in the box. The outlet is farthest away from the panel on that circuit.


texts:
I need to join two round metal shafts in such a way as to effectively transfer torque between them. I'm not able to add very much external linkage, just a coupling cuff around the joint to force them to stay aligned.

So I need to be able to cut a "key" and "lock" into the 2 ends so that the torque will be transferred from one to the other without trying to twist the joint apart.

Is there a standard way of doing this? I have fairly minimal metal working hand tools so simplicity of the joint is more important than effectiveness.

My current thinking is to use a "halving joint" like this:

A "mortise-and-tenon" will be more effective but I think will be far too difficult to prepare:

Is there a method that can be easily cut and also provide a strong interface?


texts: Hot wire splits into two neutrals that take different routes back to panel; is this legit?

texts:
I discovered this in the course of replacing an old ungrounded receptacle with a GFCI. I connected a run of lights controlled by three-way switches (two switches) to the load side. Afterwards, as soon as I flipped either switch, the GFCI would trip. It turns out that one of the lights in the run has its neutral routed back through the GFCI, but the other one is spliced to neutrals from other lights on the same circuit that are controlled by a different switch (diagram below). This gives two different routes back to the junction box upstream of the GFCI, which naturally makes it unhappy.

So first, is it ok to have a hot wire send part of its current back through a different neutral like this? If so, probably the simplest thing for me to do is just move the lights off the load side of the GFCI. If it's not ok, how should the wiring be changed?

Super-high-tech diagram. I used blue for the neutrals since the paper is white:


texts: How can I remove the screw from a double demountable hinge?

texts:
I am replacing the double demountable hinges on my cabinets. Most of them are a breeze, but two of the narrow cabinets don't have the cutouts; instead, they just removed the plate and screw from the hinge, kind of making it single-demountable. They then just used a wood screw to attach the hinge directly into the cabinet.

However, I can't figure out how to actually get the screw out of the cabinet-side plate of the hinge. Here's a new hinge looks like just sitting on the counter (even though it kind of looks like it's attached to it):

It looks to me like there's some kind of nut/lockring on it, but when I try pliers and a screwdriver to loosen it, it just strips the metal of the nut/lockring away. The lockring turns along with the screw, no matter how hard I grip the lockring.

Does anyone have an idea how to get this screw out?

Also, in case it helps, the hinge is Amerock BP8700-G10


texts:
I have a Samsung HW-S60T soundbar. It has a DC 19V input. I'd like to install it in the kitchen on top of the cupboards. But there are no power outlets up there.
Rather than doing a bunch of drilling, making holes everywhere, I noticed that there is a gap between cupboards large enough to fit a USB-C cable. Elsewhere I see that a USB-C to 19V DC adapter exists:
https://www.amazon.ca/Cablecc-Adapter-Emulator-Trigger-4-01-3mm/dp/B07W5M54PV
So the question is whether it is safe to use a 3-part system of USB-C cable with adapters on either end to power this device.
The headache with the drilling is that I need to make a hole big enough for a 3-prong plug because that's what comes with the Samsung AC/DC adapter.


texts:
I pulled up about 8 roof tiles from the valley to the middle of the roof to work on the batten underneath.  However, when I went to replace the tiles, which I did by replacing the last one I removed first, I could not get it to set properly in the groove - it sticks up slightly where it should interlock with the adjacent tile, especially towards the bottom.  It is not a lot, maybe 1/4" but it is noticeable and I think it's going to allow water under the tile if it rains much.  I tried playing with the tile moving this way and that and couldn't figure out how to make it lay completely flat.  I was able to replace the remaining tiles, and while the second tile sticks up slightly too it is less (maybe half what the first one sticks up by) and by the third tile they all lay flat properly.

The second tile is obviously sticking up because the first tile is in the way, but I can't see anything in the way of the first tile.  How can I reset the first tile so that it lays flat?

Update: Here are a couple pictures, I noticed after taking the picture that the tile diagonally above and away from the first tile I put back is also sticking up a bit.


texts:
We just had our kitchen remodeled, and 5 new electrical lines were installed:

Line/circuit 1: Room lights and hood

Line/circuit 2: 1st 1/2 of the outlets + 1st GFCI outlet

Line/circuit 3: 2nd 1/2 of the outlets + 2nd GFCI outlet

When we turn the hood on along with the room lights, it trips the breaker to line/circuit 1, even though only 4.7 of the 15 amps is being used.  The GFCI outlets also sometimes trip even though they are on separate circuits.

When we turn the hood on without the room lights, it works fine and uses only 0.7 of the 15 amps.

When we plug the hood into the GFCI outlets (Line/circuit 2), it trips circuit 2 AND circuit 1, even though it is not longer connected to circuit 1.

Any ideas?  Crossed circuits?  Problem with the hood?  Other ideas/recommendations?

Thank you!


texts: Out Building Circuit and Hot Tub Wire Run?

texts:
I have separate garage building that is fed by a 240v 50A circuit run through 1" schedule 40 to a sub panel in the garage. We are installing a hot tub off the main house but it will be located near where the garage feed exits the basement. The hot tub will be fed by 240v 60A circuits that run to the GFCI disconnect near the tub. Am I correct that I can run 6, #6 conductors (THHN) through 1" sch 40? Is it permitted to run both circuits to a junction box outside the main house through one conduit, then separate them to their respective destinations? Or should I run each completely separately of the other from the main panel?

Thanks


texts:
At my home I have this timer and I am not sure how to use it. Model seems to be TM8IM-24. I have found a company that sells it but cannot find instructions.

Does anyone knows how to use it or where I can find instructions?


texts: We have 2 water meters on our property; one for the main house and another for the guest house. We sometimes experience a drop in pressure if we use both showers plus any other fixtures at the same time in the main house. We only use the guest house periodically (when we have visitors) and there's only a .75 bath and a kitchen sink so it always has very strong water pressure. QUESTION: Can we T into the 1/2 line in the guest house and run a line over and T in to the the main house to boost pressure? Would we see any meaningful change by doing so? The expense would be mostly in the cost of the 8 or so ft of copper plus fittings.  Thanks a bunch for your response.


texts: Are all rectangular outlets, switches, and plates the same dimensions and interchangeable?

texts:
Do I need to make sure my switches, plates, and outlets are from the same manufacturer or can I mix and match? I'm referring to the rectangular decora-style and wasn't sure if there'd be slight differences in size between brands.

Some examples:

Leviton Decora switch
Cooper Wiring wall plate
Emerson fan control
Lutron outlet

Are these all the same dimensions?


texts: My ex came in the house, unplugged the garage door opener and jammed the doorknob of the door into the garage. How do i get the garage door open

texts: My ex came into the house and disabled the garage door.   How do I get it open from the outside


texts: How do I mount a ceiling fan to this fan box?

texts:
I want to put up some ceiling fans in my house. There are already some fan boxes in the ceiling that were covered with blanking plates (if there were fans there before, I assume the previous owners took them when they moved).

It looks like this kind of box would have originally come with some screws, which I don't have:

http://www.alliedmoulded.com/media/686348/9373-FR.jpg

Here is a drawing where the embossed text can be seen more easily. http://www.alliedmoulded.com/media/941565/9373-FR.pdf

So my questions are:

Is this box intended to have the fan supported with screws going through the two notches in the sides, so that the fan is supported by the joist behind it instead of by the box itself?
The text on the box says "Use #12-14 x 1-1/2 long screws". Can I just buy these screws and use them to mount a ceiling fan to this box? Or would there have been anything special about the original screws?


texts: Thermal Expansion and Contraction in Two Story Townhome

texts:
I live in California in the city of Chatsworth to be exact. I live in a two story Townhome and for the most part when I sleep in my bedroom it's very quiet. Occasionally there will be nights sometimes two nights back to back that there will be loud pop and cracking noises from three to four areas. From the attic above mainly and the wood floor below. Mainly from the same areas. At first I thought it may have been a copper pipe but I have ruled out all pipes. I'm trying to study the historical weather in my city to see what causes it but I can't figure it out.

I have an attic above with two standard exhaust vents and a little bit of insulation laid out on the bottom of the attic directly above the bedroom walls.

I want to mention that when the noise occurs it's pretty much runs all throughout the night and up until noon. I have also ruled out any animals like squirrels and rodents.

Please help with any ideas to help minimize this problem.


texts: How should I seal a shower base that is leaking?

texts:
I have a shower stall with a cement-like slab base.  The shower base is ancient and has developed some cracks.  The top surface has some sort of sealant which has worn away, with the result that water can leak down into the slab.

I don't see water damage in the ceiling of the room below, but am worried nonetheless.  I tried to re-seal the slab with some garage floor "epoxy" paint, but after 6 months that surface has bubbled and cracked.  I'm not sure why it bubbled, as I did a pretty thorough job of roughing the surface for it to seal to.  As the bubble was in the same place as the original crack, perhaps there is some relation?

Is there a better material to use to seal such a surface?


texts: Electric furnace doesn't perform a cool down stage

texts:
When my electric furnace shuts down the fan also shuts down at the exact same time. I was told that it should run for a bit afterward to cool off the coils. Doing some research it looks like this is part of most, if not all furnaces. Is there setting that can be done to troubleshoot/resolve this? Possibly an adjustment somewhere?

Furnace is Central Electric, Model EB23B


texts: Are clogs in the AC condensate drain common in Florida?

texts:
I have a two year old central A/C unit.  Every 2/3 months the unit shuts off.

I called the rep/maintenance company and they have given me the following response:

The cause of the issue is algae building up within the drainage line
This is due to the climate in Florida
This is extremely common, and in fact comprises the majority of their service calls

Their solution is to:

Shop vac the drainage line
Pour bleach down the line

I have asked co-workers, family members in state, and a friend who's father has been in A/C for a few decades in the south an no one else has heard of this / has this issue.

This was most definitely not explained during the purchase of the new unit.

Does anyone know if this normal?  Am I getting hosed?


texts: Semi-finished basement, water-resistant "baseboards"?

texts:
I'm planning on applying foam-panel insulation over my basement's concrete wall. I'm told a fire barrier is required over that, either plasterboard or decently-thick plywood.

I've been considering making the bottom few inches a separate piece, so it can easily be replaced if we get a Water Event. Simpler than having to cut it free and might reduce wicking upward.

My question is, is there something else I could consider using as this "baseboard" which would have the needed fire rating and be likely to pass inspection but be inherently waterproof? Obvious thought would be to build up a few inches of of brick or concrete inner wall... but I'm sure someone out there has a better answer.

Or should I just put in french drains and trust the sump pump?


texts: Is there a problem with concrete patio that's next to the house and poured above the house's foundation?

texts: We're currently installing a patio. The contractor has laid it out in a way where the patio will be against siding, and will be above the foundation.  You can see on the picture below the dirt base for the patio, and how close it is to an electrical box, a water tap, and the red line / plain pencil line against the siding.  I'm not in love with this -- but is it just me?  Is this generally accepted concrete practice?  Thank you for any input!


texts: Is there a special name in the US for round/hollow neoprene door seals like these?

texts:
I know I run the risk of posting a "shopping" question, but I don't know of any other place to go for this.

I am looking to create a custom door gasket to do around a new soundproof door I made.  I find strips like what you see below when I search for things like "neoprene door gasket" and "round neoprene" and what have you, but I only seem to be able to locate these items on overseas websites like China and the UK.  Are neoprene rubber door seals not popular in the US or does they carry a different name?  I'd love to be able to run down to my local Menard's, Home Depot, or Lowe's and pick up some of this stuff, but it seems like it simply doesn't exist here.

What are some terms I could search for to locate these door seal strips in the US?

I especially like the first P-shaped one:


texts:
This is not strictly a home improvement question but I'm trying to learn more about household electricity. I couldn't find a better place online to pose this question.

Lets say I'm bonded to a pc power supply which in turn is earthed through a connection to a grounded outlet. If the pc power supply is powered off, am I still at risk of electrocution and if so, why?


texts: What are the steps to drain and refill zone for zone valve replacement?

texts:
I have a hot water baseboard (hydronic) heating system, gas boiler.  Please refer to diagram of my system below.  Ball valves 1 & 2 are supply.  Ball valve 3 is return.  Zone valves are on supply, circulator pump is on return.
I searched the internet and found a video that covers this, but his system was different than mine.  From the information I have gleaned, the steps to drain & repair valve are:

Turn supply off
Turn return off
Open hose bibb to drain pressure/water
Change valve

My questions:  I have two ball valves for supply (1 & 2).  Do I need to turn both off?  The zone valves are normally closed--I will need to open one, or all after step 2, right?  Do I need to open all, or just the one I'm replacing?  Also, he didn't open up the bleeder screw on the registers.  Wouldn't you need to so air can come into the system to replace the water?
Steps to refill after valve change:

Turn supply on
Open supply valve(s)
Open hose bibb to drain water to purge.  Note, may take 10 gallons.  If water doesn't flow, open and close pressure reducing valve quickly--make sure pressure doesn't get too high.  I don't understand this last part--maybe because he's trying to increase pressure to overcome air in the line?
After no more bubbles in water, close hose bibb.
Open return valve
Close zone valve(s)

My questions:  He mentioned monitoring the pressure to make sure it doesn't get too high.  What the heck are ya gonna do if it does--run?  :)


texts: How can I adhere tile to a painted wall?

texts: How do I get tiles to adhere to a wall which was painted with kitchen latex paint?  Paint has proved to be impossible to remove.  Was thinking of applying Zinsser Gardz to seal over as some of the paint is lifting slightly.  Would appreciate some advice.


texts: How to ensure that water heater is mostly on or mostly off?

texts:
My friend just rented an appartment (in the UK), and during the inventory the janitor showed her the programmable water heater, and said it was configured to turn on for a few hours during the day.

However, due to (1) extremely high energy bills, and (2) apparent contradiction w.r.t. the instructions, we suspect the janitor may have inversed the program, leaving the water heater on for almost the entire day. I cannot convince myself either way, so I'd like some advice about it.

Here's what the panel currently looks like:

And here's the instructions, printed and glued to the back of the panel door (the relevant part is the lower half):

These instructions seem to contradict what the janitor said: the example says "the  jumpers are pushed in from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m." in the picture, which would indicate that the actual heater is on during most of the day (and night), the opposite of what the janitor said. However, since he seems to be working for the residence for several years, such a mistake is very unlikely. But then why do the instructions seem to indicate the opposite?

Note: there is no easy way to physically confirm if the heater is on or off at a given moment: there are no LEDs on the panel nor on the heater itself, and there is no discernible noise during the transition. The energy meter is outside and due to other appliances (e.g. refrigerator, towel rail, ventilation, etc.) you can't easily isolate the energy consumption.


texts: Where to get anti slip treads for walkways?

texts: I've tried looking for the following in HomeDepot, Amazon and various online supply stores but can't seem to find this exact product. I have seen this used as pedestrian walkway dividers in streets and in airports/schools. Attached is a picture.


texts:
I have a two story 1916 foursquare home in Ohio with spacious attic and basement. Before I purchased it, the HVAC system was redone by installing two independent furnaces/blowers (one in the attic and one in the basement). Although there have been no serious problems yet, I would like to (i) improve energy efficiency by enlarging the thermal envelope to include the attic furnace inside conditioned space (ii) avoid snowmelt/ice damming by better insulating the roof from the furnace.

So I would like to add insulation right below the roof plane, but am unsure what the best choice of materials/installation might be. The roof is basically square with hips on all 4 sides/corners, with largish dormers at front and rear. It has soffit vents around the entire perimeter, and a ridge vent running from dormer to dormer (I added all this ventilation during a roof rebuild - hopefully this was the right move).

The first option seems to be spraying foam in between all the rafters (after adding baffles/channels to preserve the cold air flow from the soffit to the ridge). Another option might be to "build down" from the rafters, by fixing SIP panels directly beneath them and preserve the whole volume of the rafter bay for ventilation. With the dormers and hips, this could require some precision work - probably harder than spray foam.

Any suggestions or additional options I missed? I would like to (eventually) finish the attic space, if that steers the choice any. Probably not going to DIY, just want to educate myself on choices/prices before approaching a contractor. If memory serves, the roof was approximately 30-35 squares of shingles, just to ballpark the area requirement.


texts: Where can I get unusual dowel/shelf bracket sizes?

texts:
I need to put up shelves inside a custom shelving unit. However, the original toggles that held up the shelves were lost in a move. I was thinking dowels but I've been told that the originals were between 3/8" and 6/15". Is there a place where I can find inter-size, graduated or custom dowels?
I've been to all the mainstream hardware stores and checked Amazon too. Anywhere else I should look?


texts: My hillside house's outside walls are made of fireproof rastra and there is an occasional possibility of wildfire in the area.  There is a crawlspace with dirt floor.  We would like to build under the house in a corner where we have 6 feet plus vertical clearance to make a fireproof storage for valuables, not permanent storage but just during fire season.  Would cinder blocks work?  What about floor and ceiling?


texts:
The design for a retaining wall calls for pressure treated 8 x 8 posts, 6 feet on center and 6 feet below grade, with 6 x 8 pressure treated walls 4 feet in height. The retaining walls are a 26 foot x 40 foot rectangle for a sand filter septic system.

Can 2 x 6's, stacked flat be substituted for the 6 x 8's? Would they provide the same structural strength? It would be the same dimensions, but the 2 x 6's would be substantially less expensive and easier to maneuver.


texts: Electric Hot Water Heater flaky thermostat

texts:
I have been experiencing some isssues with hot water not lasting long enough with our "new" hot water heater.  I had to replace it last May, and took the opportunity to increase the tank size, with the idea that we could squeeze more hot water from it.  However, despite some tinkering and twinking with the temperature settings, we've been getting seemingly less hot water from the tank than our old one.  And yes, there's not a crazy difference in a 40 and 50 gal tank, nor should we realistically expect a crazy amount of water from only a 50 gallon heater, but we should realize some improvement.  Simply put, what was working before was upgraded to something that should work better, but actually is worse.
I decided to tear into it with the multimeter, testing to see if maybe one of the elements was faulty, or if a thermostat was bad.  Not quite definitive on the results, but my suspicion is that the upper thermostat is sticking just enough that its inconsistently sharing time with the lower.
I've added a video of me demonstrating the issue & going through the testing.  Starting out, the "call for heat" should come from the lower thermostat, which is why you'll hear the beep of my multimeter.  Then I switch the terminal so that the upper should be calling for heat, but not seeing consistent results as I adjust the temperature selector; Demonstration Video
I did post an issue with my newly installed system a few months back, here in which the breaker was going bad and causing voltage drops. Theory: The voltage drops affected the thermostat.
I'm thinking I'll just spend the $20 and change out the thermostat.  But am I mistaken in what I think the issue is?


texts: Is #10 wire correct for my mini-split system on a disconnect?

texts: I have a disconnect box that is on a 50 amp breaker connected to a disconnect box using 6 AWG. In order to connect my mini split system to the disconnect do I use 10 AWG wire based on the information on the label?


texts: Torque delivered by a hand ratchet with 1/2" socket

texts: How much (maximum) torque can a normal 150 lbs. man deliver manually with a hand-ratchet wrench (say 8" ratchet arm and a 1/2" socket) assuming no rust-resistance, direct/easy access etc?


texts: Ikea 5x5 Kallax disassembly (cross dowels)

texts:
I want to disassemble my 5x5 Kallax, due to me moving.
My Problem is, that there are dowels going vertically through 3 panels.
See the manual Manual page 13 and onwards for a graphic description.

How would one try to disassemble the core of a shelf like this?
Pulling the vertical dowels out, or carefully using a rubber hammer?
What solution has the best chances to not damage the boards and not breaking a dowel?


texts: Bathroom faucet handles no screw or cap to remove. Help

texts: I need to stop this faucet from leaking. I can't get the handle off. There's no set screw and no cap. I've tried prying it and pulling straight up. Anyone that can help please tell me.


texts:
I have an old thermostat with only 2 wires connected to my Weil-McLain CGA Series 2 boiler.
I would like to replace it with a Nest thermostat.
I need to add a C-Wire in order for it to work. Luckily, the cable coming from my thermostat already has a 3rd wire that I can use. I just need to find where to connect the C wire on the boiler side.
In attached picture, blue pen drawing shows existing wirings.
The Low Water Cut Off has 4 wires, and one is already connected to the C Common terminal.
Can I just connect my thermostat’s C wire to the same terminal? (Green pen in drawing)
Thanks!

Aquastat is I believe Honeywell L4006E1067.
Low Water Cut Off is GuardDog LB-24E.
Orange and blue nuts connectors in picture connect all the above limits + thermostat in series to the thermostat connector on boiler.
All other limits and external devices are mounted per manual diagram.


texts: Can't sump basin be shut so it can't overflow?

texts: I have the typical Sump Pump setup with a 1HP pump and what seems to be drainage tile leading into the basin. Works fine 99% of the time but in a very big and long storm the pump isn't enough and the basin overflows into the basement. What I don't understand is why this kind of setup has to be an "open system", meaning it may overflows. Why can't we have a "closed shut" system, like in an ejector pump? So in case of excess pressure, the water would be just pushed along the pipes to outside the house instead of flooding my basement? Ideas? Thanks


texts: How can I seal around this pipe on my roof?

texts: I have a PVC furnace exhaust pipe coming out through my roof. Unfortunately, the guy who installed it used the wrong size flange. So instead of the rubber rising upwards against the pipe, it is sunken downwards, and water puddles in the depression and eventually drips inside. I tried using roof sealant caulk, but it didn't do the job. Is there some kind of thick, sticky sealant that I could drop in there to solve the leak?


texts: Does this flange seem like it needs replacing?

texts:
We just purchased a house that's about 30 years old. On the first floor a water mark developed on the ceiling, so I've been debugging the upstairs plumbing. My kids' bathroom toilet had some moisture around the base, but I have a seven year old son with imperfect aim so it's hard to know where the source is.

I took up the toilet intending to replace the wax seal. I was hoping the flange would be either obviously ok or obviously in need of replacement; instead I can't tell. As you can see from the picture, a blue coating is clearly chipped and deteriorating. But that doesn't seem crucial to me, and the part under has no visible signs of deterioration.

Am I ok not replacing the flange?

EDIT: I should also say that the bolt on the side where the blue is most deteriorated wiggles quite a bit. Is that a sign that the flange is cracked?


texts: Hot disconnected/ Neutral still connected OK?

texts: I am replacing a range hood with a microwave. The hood was hardwired in. I ran a new 20A circuit from the panel for the microwave. The existing hood wiring is tied into the kitchen ceiling light. There were 5 wires tied together in this box. I found and disconnected the hot wire, but don't know how to ID the neutral wire running to the hood. Can I leave it connected and just cap the hood wiring off since the hot wire isn't connected?


texts: Sistering joists supported by concrete block on each side

texts:
I am going to start a kitchen remodel on a mid 40's home that is constructed with concrete block on all exterior and filled concrete block center wall up to the second floor.  Floor joists span approx 13' (on each side of the center solid wall, and supported by the concrete blocks with notches out of the blocks.

I know I do not need the sister joists to span the entire length, BUT if I wanted them to span the entire length should I make the notch larger in the concrete block in order to fit the sister joist?  OR do I only span the length needed to help with deflection of the floor.

Existing joists are 2x10 but are actually much older than the house as they were re-purposed in the 40s from a farm house.

What are your thoughts?


texts: How to repair the leg of a computer chair

texts:
I have an office computer chair whose leg broke, there is a huge crack along the plastic, and it bends, but its still attached. I tried using hot glue and duct tape, but it breaks apart again because of the down force twisting the plastic and sheering it.

Any idea how to fix this?


texts: We have a light switch in the kitchen that is wired to the central ac?

texts: We bought our house 2 years ago and thought this was just an unused switch, it doesn't turn anything on that we can see.  Then the other day my husband was putting up a ceiling fan in the kitchen and opened up the cover.  It says for AC only.  Does anyone know why this is there or what the function might be?  It does not turn on the AC, we have a programmable thermostat that controls it.  Thank you!


texts: Where should I connect my modem in this ethernet junction box?

texts:
I am trying to figure out where I would attach the Ethernet cable from my modem to distribute to rest of the house. I'm assuming the blue is the data cable and white is phone but there are two sets of white with one set having 4 wires (phone?) and one set to the left having 8 wires (data?) But why 2 data cables?

I think I would run a cable from the modem to the bottom junction box where it is labeled "from source"??? Not sure how to connect it without tools. Does it require a special tool?


texts: Have new roof with exposed nail heads at ridge.  Roofer's fix was to cut tiny squares of shingle and goop/glue to top of nail heads.  Need inputs from roofers; what is the proper way to fix the exposed nail heads?  Any code number for this?  Also, have they stopped using drip edge?


texts: Any recommendations on joists for weight bearing?

texts: I am building a room (14 x 25) in my barn. I intend to stack hay on the top of the ceiling of this room. The estimated weight of the hay is 24,000 pounds. The joists will run the 14' length. What thickness of lumber (example 2 x 6) should I use and what should the spacing be?


texts: Repair the overflow drain under a Corian sink where the tube and box has come unglued

texts:
My bathroom has a Corian sink that uses a tube for the overflow drain.   Unlike most overflow drains, this one is not molded into the sink itself.  The sink is 20 years old.   The box at the end of the tube appears to have been glued onto the under side of the sink, but now the glue is old and it has come off.

Should I remove the glue from the old box, or buy a new box?   I can remove the box from the tube, it is just held there with friction and some ridges.   Do they sell the boxes?   If not, how should I remove the old glue?

When re-attaching it, what adhesive should I use?   I'm thinking of using clear silicone.  Is that a good choice?


texts:
Does anyone have a Southwire lineman's 9 inch side cutting plier? Is it supposed to have that much of a gap or do I have a bad set of pliers?
This is how big the gap is when it is closed completely.


texts: Cant remove brackets on underside of bathroom sink

texts: I can’t figure out how to remove (or even turn) these brackets.  Has anyone seen them or know how to work with these?  I’ve done a lot of searching and can’t find anything.


texts:
Background: I am a regular DIYer just starting out. My question is regarding the ground wire while installing a chandelier. I have just moved to a new location in Ontario, Canada. The house was built in 1999.

This is a picture of the previous installation of the fixture onto the junction box.

Observation: The ground coming out of the previous fixture was connected to the green nut on the bracket. However, in the pic above, the ground from the supply is visible in the junction box but isn't connected to the green nut.

I installed the chandelier the same way. It works.

Concerns:

Is it safe to assume that the installation is safely grounded because the fixture ground wire is connected to the green nut on the bracket which in turn is connected to a grounded junction box?
If the junction box is indeed grounded, is it normal for the ground wire to be visible in such a manner?
If the junction box isn't grounded, should I pull down that ground, connect it to the fixture's ground and then connect an external copper piece to the other 2 grounds and finally the external ground to the green nut? Research indicates that the green nut has place for just 1 wire.

Thanks for reading.


texts: Is it ok that my hanging ceiling lamp isn't grounded?

texts:
I have a ceiling lamp that needs to hang about 12 inches below due to slanted ceiling.  I bought a canopy that covers up the box and extended the hot & neutral wires to the lamp itself using a regular lamp wire.  However, the ground wire isn't connected. Is that OK?

A little more explanation about how it is hung.  The lamp has a metal case, which is hung via 5 steel wires, attaching to a zinc-plated link, which is attached to the chandelier mounting kit.  The mounting kit is attached to the metal gang box, for which I had the ground wire connected.  Come to think of it, any electric short would have come through this path....?


texts:
I have a question about how filling a bathtub would work with a tankless system. Due to my panels load/capacity I'm looking at the RHEEM RTEX-11 with a Flow Rate: up to 2.68 GPM.

I'm worried about filling my tub as it's quite large, but don't understand what happens when GPM is low.

I only have 1/2 Pipe in my house for one thing, not sure the PSI but it's low.
If the GPM is low, and I crank the tub to 100% Hot, will it just be a slow hot water pour or will the GPM basically match my homes pressure and the water won't be warm/hot as it's not spending enough time in the tank?
I don't mind if it takes longer to fill my tub, just want it to be hot.
It just occurred to me that slower fill means more heat will dissipate before filling, but the entire stream will be hot. As it stands, my tank is only about 3/4's my tub and then it fills the rest with cold water. I expect the two would be about the same, if that's how it worked, but I'm not sure if the stream would be hot with low gpm.


texts: Can I install a sink sprayer with a faucet not designed to support one?

texts: Is there a way to connect a sink sprayer to a Moen faucet that doesn't have an outlet to accommodate a sprayer? Is there some kind of in line adapter I can use or do I need to buy a whole new faucet?


texts: Are my new thermostats compatible with my system?

texts:
My two old Lux Pro PSP511LC are dying (LCD going out on both!) so I got two new thermostats from a friend he didn't need we both thought I could use. They are the Orbit Clear Comfort 83521 thermostat. My heating system (no cooling) is simple: Oil burner furnace in the basement and radiation with two thermostats, one on each floor, of the house. There are two zones or circuits (not sure about the terminology), one for each floor, and the current Lux Pro's are wired exactly the same on each floor and works fine. I contacted Orbit and they said that since I have two floors/zones the Orbit won't work. I didn't really understand why but they said it's a "single stage" thermostat, but it looks like my current Lux Pro thermostats are exactly the same in this regard and works totally independent of each other. If someone could clarify this for me it would be great.I could go and get new Lux Pro's, but since I got the Orbits given to me it would be good if I could put them to use.

The Lux Pro Thermostat here: Lux Pro PSP511LC

The Orbit thermostat here: Orbit 83521


texts: How to put carpet over hardwood in apartment, inexpensively, and removable without nails or screws?

texts:
My apartment has hardwood. Some people may like this, and it's fine for the kitchen and dining room. But for the bedrooms and living room I want carpet, which has both benefits of noise reduction and because I prefer to walk on carpet with my bare feet, not cold hardwood. I also like how carpet makes the apartment feel warm and cozy; complete hardwood has a cold vibe.

I will put an area rug in the dining room which I already have. But an area rug is far too expensive for the bedrooms and living room, plus I want a solid color (not patterns like area rugs have), so I plan to simply get some carpet by the rolls which is much cheaper.

However, I need to know how to install this in a temporary fashion that does zero damage to the hardwood, and it also needs to be as inexpensive as possible.

What I want to do is have a way to install and stretch the carpet as if it was installed, but in a way that does Zero damage to the hardwood even if it is on for years. Because it is an apartment, and I cannot damage the hardwood.

I did hours of research but am still coming up empty. Hope you can help, thanks.


texts: Some months after I turned this saddle valve off I turned it back on. It leaked with increasing flow until it was completely turned on. Then it stopped.  Is this ok? Is it normal?  Or would I be wise to replace/repair the valve.


texts: Help w/ Countertop Dishwasher Connection/Adapter

texts:
I have a countertop dishwasher that needs to be hooked into my faucet, but the major obstacle is that my faucet is a pull-out spray head. I can pop the bottom of the spray head off to reveal the aerator underneath and I've purchased an adapter to try to connect the faucet aerator to the to dishwasher water intake, but the adapter doesn't fit into faucet aerator and I've been struggling to figure out the sizing to find a smaller version. Any guidance on parts, sizing, and assembly for a viable connection would be much appreciated.
But more generally it would be great to have more advice about the best way to solve this problem generally. I read this blog post with one suggestion, but it just seems to janky too be practical. Any other suggestions?
Countertop Dishwasher:

Pull-Out Spray Head Faucet:

The pull down head with the black top taken off:

The other side of the black top that screws into the head plus a washer that sits in between:

Water Connection into Dishwasher:

Aerator that came with Dishwasher:

Adapter in Dishwasher Hookup (15/16"-27 outside threads + 55/64"-27 inside threads):


texts: Can I connect a shared neutral to my Wemo smart light switch?

texts: Both switches depicted in the diagram are controlled by the same breaker.  The other two switches in the box which aren't labeled are controlled by two other breakers.  Since I only want to replace one of the switches with a Wemo light switch, can the Wemo share the neutral wire as the second switch that I am leaving in place?  Currently the neutral wires are going straight up to the lights bypassing the switch, so I wasn't sure.


texts: Why won't my new ceiling light turn off?

texts:
I just replaced a ceiling fan/light combination for a fluorescent light. I noted that the new light only had connectors for white and black wires but not one for the red wire that is coming out of the ceiling box. I attached the white and black wire and left the red wire in the ceiling box. When I turned on the power the light worked immediately but will not turn off.

Can someone tell me what to do?


texts: Rules for wiring and conduits on basement ceiling with or without drop ceiling?

texts:
We're doing work on a small home with 1 main floor and a basement below that, and during some work (maintenance on plumbing, HVAC ducts, and wiring) we've removed a bunch of the drop ceiling from part of our basement. As we consider removing all of the drop ceiling, I wonder if that changes the rules for all the wiring and whatnot hung up there. The basement is in three parts:

Utility room, which is unfinished and has a bare concrete floor and exposed joists and subflooring as a ceiling;
'Basement', which is partially finished with painted concrete floor, painted drywall, and a suspension frame drop ceiling;
Garage, which is unfinished like the utility room and has a door to the backyard. In parts of the garage, plywood boards and 2x4s have been thrown up to the joists/subflooring in various places to serve as a drop ceiling.

We're considering complete removal of the suspension frame drop ceiling from the basement area, mainly for aesthetic purposes. We like a rustic, functional look, and at over 100yrs strong, it's nice to be able to easily see the joists and subflooring to admire its health or identify problems earlier. The drop ceiling does have other benefits (some insulation, perhaps?) so we're not sure we'll remove it yet .

I ask this question in considering what needs to be done to properly uninstall the drop ceiling. Right now just bits and pieces are removed for maintenance accessibility. I certainly need to clean out a lot of cob webs, but are there changes in how wiring, plumbing pipes, or HVAC ducts need to be routed with vs. without a drop ceiling?

Also, I suspect the wiring there is currently not up to code. Does removal of the drop-ceiling require that we fix all of that any more or less than if we left the drop ceiling as is? For example, there are many segments of disconnected NM, K&T, and coax cables running parallel and at angles across the joists, above the drop ceiling. There are some connected cables which run perpendicular to the joists, stapled or hanging on an angled nail at intersections with joists and dangling between the drop ceiling and the subflooring in between joists.


texts:
Have two questions and have attached a picture for each. Thank you in advance.

Is this ok to pull wire under stairs ?. I can't pull through ceiling joists because 2 joists completely blocking my way due to duck work.

In the 2nd picture, I have a pole between two studs in one of the side of the stair's . I am running wire behind the pole ( between studs), and the wire will in direct contact with dry wall.

Is it ok to wire like this and will this pass inspection ?
I don't think its specific to local city.
Please assist and thank you in advance.
Thanks


texts: Are lumber prices now high enough that building with brick/concrete is more price efficient in the US?

texts:
I’m looking at purchasing a piece of land and building my own home within Washington state. Traditionally, single family homes around here are built with lumber rather than brick or concrete due to the costs involved.
But given the surging prices on lumber in the past year, is this really the case anymore? How can I estimate the end-to-end cost of each material given purchase, labor and long term maintenance costs?


texts: Steel beam with masonry brick sitting on top of it on an elevated deck

texts: I have a steel deck structure that has brickwork sitting on the support beam. There is a gap between the beam and the masonry that cracks over time. I have painted the exposed steel, but wanted to know if I should seal the gap and if so what is the best type of caulk to use.


texts: Low voltage track lighting flashing at low frequency

texts:
I have two sets of track lighting on the same switch, and one of the tracks flashes at a low frequency at seemingly random times. Video of the behavior.

Some relevant details:

The two tracks are on different transformers. The transformer on the issue track has a 150W max. It is an electronic transformer.
The track with the issue has 2 50W halogen bulbs, but exhibits same behavior with 3 50W bulbs.
It doesn't appear to be related to high load from my condo unit, i.e. even if the AC / heat, washer / dryer, dishwasher, etc are all off, it can still happen.
The lights are on a 3-way switch with a dimmer, but I swapped out the dimmer for a regular switch and it exhibited the same behavior.
The voltage on the track when it's doing this oscillates between 0 and 1.5V. Normal output should be 11.5, but I'm reading closer to 10.5 during normal operation.

Any ideas?


texts: Can gas water heater thermostat temperatures drift?

texts: I have a gas water heater about 15 years old, I flush it about once a year. The water seemed too hot ( measured 135 F at a faucet) , it had not been that hot before. There are about 10 temperature marks on the control[ It was on #4 , I moved it to #2 . Good temp, then 110 F. Wife thought it too cool so I set to #3 ; temp now 120 F. That was a week ago , today it is definitely cool ( not measured but about 100 F). I turned it back to #4 ; the burner came on and the water is now warm. I never had the temperature drift in a water heater before , Can this happen? The heater is a generic ( "State") from plumbing supply chain , not a big box store. There is no "bumping" to indicate stuff in the tank bottom.


texts: Upper Floor Window Condensation Issues - HRV?

texts:
We live in a 2 level home with basement in central washington.  The winters average 20-36 degrees Fahrenheit with humidity levels of 70-99%.  Summers are fairly warm to hot with lower RH.
Our issue is condensation on our vinyl double pane windows upstairs.  All of the windows upstairs have condensation and subsequent mold buildup which is becoming concerning to us.  The issue does not happen downstairs where we have a wood stove.  The humidity downstairs is usually 30% and upstairs is 50-60%.
We have vent fans in the bathrooms, and also heat with central furnace most nights when the stove burns out.  The air return for the furnace is on the main level (between the basement and upper level), and there is no return on the upper level.
It seems to be an above average tight house built in 1997 but we haven't done any air tests on it to know for sure.
My question is:  What would be a good option to mitigate some of this excess moisture on the upper level?  The windows are fine, not excellent but not interested in replacing those.  We just need to decrease the humidity on the whole upper level.
From my research, it seems like a HRV air exchanger may be the best option.  I could install in the attic and duct to each room to get some air exchange.  We do out best to limit moisture producing things, I think its just a catchment for the moisture in our house in general.
Thoughts?  Whole house dehumidifier?  ERV?  HRV?  Something different entirely?
Thanks!


texts:
Bought a new (old) place and our inspector pointed out beams/posts that need framing/structural straps in the crawlspace. Ballpark estimate I got from a foundation contractor (site unseen) was a $3,500 minimum, as he said they would have to put new posts in place with new structural straps.

Based on this photo, does it seem necessary? I can add these myself without replacing the posts, right? Obviously, correct installation for earthquake retrofit protection is the priority, but it seems overkill to pay to replace all the posts.


texts: Can disconnected knob-and-tube wiring be left in place?

texts: The house I recently bought (over 100 years old) has had almost all of its wiring replaced with a new elctrical board. However, in two cases the new wiring has been connected to existing knob-and-tube wiring in a junction box, with the ground wire not connected. So the knob-and-tube wiring is still in place, fed by new wires coming from the panel. Can I just disconnect the knob-and-tube wiring, leave it where it is, and bypass it with new wiring? If I can leave the disconnnected knob-and-tube wiring, do I have to label it somehow?


texts:
Here is the floorplan of our master bedroom:

Being a 1940s house, the closet [lower left] is woefully small at 3' x 2'. I'm thinking about a way to expand it. The obvious answer is to build it out along the length of the left wall, but there are some considerations:

The room dimensions are fixed - the notches in the corners match the
exterior walls.
The existing closet framing/walls cannot be altered - the room has the original wood floors, so the walls [also originaly plaster] have to remain in place as the floors don't extend underneath.
There is a retrofitted 10" x 4" duct along the left wall. It's not possible to move it, BUT I could extend to route somewhere else
Along the top kickout (the wall labeled 1' 3 1/4"), there is an electical outlet. There are no outlets on the left wall or in the existing closet. This can be tied into for closet lighting
All doors and windows have 4x1 trim around them (I drew these on the plan, though they're tough to see) (along top wall and right wall)
It would be nice (but not neccessary) to allow for some kind of built-in desk/vanity in the room, potentially along this wall.

So my initial thought was to remove the existing closet door and trim on the right side, and build a straight wall across the room (the dotted line). However, you can see that this comes too close to the front window. With the depth of framing and drywall, it would be too much. The minimum closet depth is 24". Shifting this wall back to 24" would allow it to clear the window just slightly, but would require patching over the existing door opening.

My alternate plan would be to build the wall out approximately to the end of the vent, then build a 45 degree wall to the kickout vertex. Im worried that this will be an obvious hack/retrofit.

Thoughts?


texts:
I've just installed a new (1 way, ceiling pull cord) switch in my bathroom since the old one broke. When I came to change it, it was not wired the way I expected with the live into the COM terminal and the 'neutral' into the L1 terminal (it had a black wire into the COM and red into L1 (old UK wiring colours)). I decided to copy this wiring on the new switch despite the standard being red to COM and black to L1.

My main question is, does it even matter if it's wrong (and has been wrong on the old switch for years)? Intuitively on a single switch it doesn't seem like it should matter.


texts: How do I treat / maintain IKEA Platta wood patio tiles?

texts:
Over a year ago we put a good sized set of IKEA Platta deck tiles on our patio. After exposure to the elements, they are now dis-coloring and becoming a bit 'rough'.

What exactly do I need to do to get them back into shape?


texts: I am wanting to install 4 receptacles that are controlled by a switch.  I am running 12/2 wire lights are (4) 4 ft led lights this is all that will be plugged into the receptacles. The breaker box is at back of shop so wire will run from back of shop to front door where light switch will be. Using 12/2 wire can this be done or would I have to run aditional wire.


texts: Can a septic dispersal field be too big?

texts:
When designing a septic dispersal field (via sub-surface dripline), can it be harmful for the field to be much larger than required?  E.g. not getting enough wastewater through to keep the drippers clear.

Our current (failed after 7 years) field was sized based on generous water usage, and double the actual house occupancy, and I'm wondering if this could be a factor in the failure.


texts: What sort of Power consumption should I be able to get down to when turning everything off

texts:
My electricity consumption is higher than I would expect.
I have an old-school turn-y dial meter, so I can measure the power consumption of the house at any given time.
I tried going round and turning everything off.

All the lights, obviously.
All computers and other charging items.
All sockets.
All appliances. (incl. e.g. fridge and oven off at the socket)
Boiler controls (actually heating is gas, but I guess there's pumping and clocks, etc.)

Now I wouldn't expect to actually get to zero - I'd expect there to be some trivial things that don't have switches (things like hard-wired thermostat controls, or a door bell, etc. etc. etc.), but I'd expect to be able to get damn close. 5s of Watts, maybe?
The lowest I could get was around 0.17kW. Which seems much higher than I would expect?
How low would you expect to be able to get your power consumption if you could turn everything off at the plug?

House details:

UK, London.
3 bed, 2 story house.
Early 1950's construction.
Gas heating


texts: What dual function CAFCI+GFCI breaker fits an older Murray Breaker Box?

texts:
I have a LC240PC Murray breaker box (probably around year 1995).
I found what I believe is the breaker I'm looking for here:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Murray-20-Amp-AFCI-GFCI-Dual-Function-Circuit-Breaker-MP120DFP/205488021
But that one is discontinued and it says the replacement is this:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Siemens-20-Amp-1-Pole-Dual-Function-CAFCI-GFCI-Plug-On-Neutral-Circuit-Breaker-Q120DFNP/312276201
However, the correct one (first link) has a pigtail to plug into the neutral bar, and the replacement one (second link) does not (it says it is for "Plug On load centers".  I believe that my box is not the Plug-On style, so I would need the pigtail.
Is there a different replacement breaker (Dual function CAFCI+GFCI)that is still an active product that has the pigtail?


texts: HVAC Wiring: Any reasons for one zone to be wired different from others?

texts:
In the course of attempting to add a C wire for some new wi-fi thermostats I noticed something odd about the existing wiring on my system. My system has four zones: Hot Water, Main, Guest, and Master. The hot water, main, and guest are wired as one would expect. But the Master zone is different from all the rest. See diagram:

My inclination is to rewire the Master Zone circuit to match the others. But before I do so I wanted to make sure there isn't some reason foreign to me for doing it this way.

Thanks in advance!

Oliver


texts: What are some ways to wire rear speakers in a home theater system?

texts:
I have two rear speakers, that I never use, since I don't have a good way (yet) to wire them.
I have a hardwood floor. And the side of the room that is nearest to the TV+Audio source is open. So I don't have a wall to run the cable next to it.


texts: Refrigerator intermittently making loud clicks with compressor banging and shaking

texts:
Facts:

9 year old Whirlpool refrigerator has been operating quietly for 9 years. Refrigerator has two doors and is top-freezer/bottom-refrigerator configuration.
About 3 months ago, it would intermittently - like a few times a day - start making a loud click. That was new.
Then about 2 months ago, the compressor, a Panasonic DG51C69RAU6, started vibrating violently for about 15 seconds at a time, intermittently (a few times a day). It's very loud, like someone striking a cymbal.
This violent banging lasts for 15 seconds, and almost always ends with that new loud click, and the compressor falls silent. I'd say maybe 20 percent of the time, the banging episode ends on its own, without a click. But then a click typically sounds 30-90 seconds after the episode.
The click also happens when the fridge is quiet (as I noted in the 2nd bullet), but it almost always happens when the compressor starts banging violently, and ends that episode.
I have freezer and refrigerator thermometers which show the temperatures are in the correct range.

Any ideas what would cause this?


texts: Can I install a main water shutoff up higher?

texts:
Why is it that the main water shut off to a home, is always installed down low?
Can I install it higher, like hip high?

example:

Water line coming in apx. 3'' through wall.
Install elbow going up.
Install 4 feet of pipe going up.
and finally main shut off.


texts: What are the differences between wood and composite shoe molding?

texts:
I'm about to install shoe molding all over my house. I'm deciding between composite (I think it's PVC) and wood. They are quite similar in price. How do these 2 materials compare in terms of:

durability
paintability
cutability
prone to splitting by nails
anything else I'm overlooking


texts: How can I install the drain for my reverse osmosis water filter?

texts:
I have purchased a Whirpool Reverse Osmosis Water Filter which installs under the sink. I am trying to install it and have run into an issue with the drain: the revers osmosis filter has a red tube which needs to be connected to the drain of the sink, so that the waste water from the RO system can be disposed of. The RO filter kit comes with an adaptor to install the drain, and the manual says that for a double-barrel sink (which is what I have, the drain should be installed as follows:

However, I don't have enough room to install the drain adapter in the location they indicate (I have added a freehand circle for clarity). Here is an actual picture from under my sink:

The inset in the bottom right shows the drain adapter (on perfect proportion to the rest of the image). As seen in the indicated areas, the drain adapter, if installed under the right sink, is too tall and I will be unable to connect the right sink's drain to the P-trap.

How else can I install the drain for my reverse osmosis water filter? Can I somehow hook it up to the drain from the dishwasher? What is the cheapest and easiest way to install this RO filter without hiring a plumber?

EDIT: To clarify, I want to do this in a non-destructive way if possible. I.E. no cutting the existing pipes :-) I need to be able to remove the filter and restore the plumbing back the way it was if I move out.


texts: Replacing Anode rod, which conductive pipe dope should I use?

texts:
I am looking into replacing anode rod on my water heater. One of the biggest emphasis during this procedure is ensuring that after replacement anode rod remains in contact with tank - threads when rod is screwed in should remain in contact... this ensures conductivity so that anode rod can do it's job.

However, I can't find which pipe dope I should use for this job. I've called Rheem (water heater manufacturer) and they recommend just wrapping teflon tape - hoping that tape will break when I screw anode rod in. Since teflon could isolate rod and break conductivity I would prefer to use some conductive pipe dope instead (this is what professional plumber suggested).

Unfortunately I can't seem to find pipe dope that's conductive. I've spoke to few employees in local Home Depot and they have no idea if certain pipe dopes are conductive or not. So, can you recommend a brand of pipe dope that is used for jobs like this?


texts: We got new floors installed and made the error of not requesting new baseboard, re-using the existing baseboard, and having stained shoe molding (instead of white painted). Since re-doing the floor is ridiculous, we would at least like to paint the shoe molding to match the baseboard, since that will look better. The current shoe molding is stained brown and has satin poly. What is the best way to go about painting over this? Oil-based or shellac primer, then top coat? Any tricks on how to tape to avoid paint on the wood floor?


texts: Replacing halogen with LED - will existing transformer work?

texts:
I currently have 5 x 20W halogen bulbs attached to two AC 12V rails, and an AC transformer (105VA).

I'd like to replace existing five bulbs with five LEDs, e.g. these: 7.5W (update: 12V AC) (Equivalent halogen 43W).

My initial understanding (also supported by this question) was that the required power for such setup would be 7.5W * 5 = 37.5W, and therefore the existing transformer would work fine. However, the seller's website has this manual which basically states that in my calculations I need to use equivalent halogen power (i.e. 43W) rather than 7.5W. That would mean that the existing transformer wouldn't be sufficient.

I struggle to understand why equivalent halogen power should be used here instead of simply the bulb's power. Can anyone advise on this please?


texts: What's the best way to lay out sheathing around a doorway?

texts:
Does it matter how you sheath around an exterior door? I think it would be stronger to break the sheathing over the door than at the corners, but I'm not sure.

The wall is not load-bearing. Studs are 24" O.C.

The wall is framed like this:

Option 1:

Option 2:

Option 3:

This last one may require some extra cripples at the ends of the header, as a nailing surface.

For extra credit, describe how to sheath around windows, too. (The main difference is that there's sheathing under a window, which a door does not have.


texts:
I have purchased a new property and the property has flooring which I think is wood. the floor has a scratch which can be seen in the link below. It's hard to describe the scratch but it's like a really thin top layer of the surface has been peeled away, almost like when skin is grazed on tarmac

How I would I go about fixing this and more importantly how do I identify the type of flooring. Thanks


texts:
I've used a drum sander and an edging sander to sand a floor. This has left the perimeter of the room a little different from the rest.
What's the best way to blend both the regions ?
I used 36,60,80 and 120 grits with the drum and a 60 grit on the edger.


texts: I have a 3 inch pvc drain pipe i have to move 4 inches that is embedded in concrete.  I have hammered out the concrete and now im ready to cut into the line and put a T coupling in for a toilet.  My question is, how do you install the t coupling in the concrete?  I can easily glue it in on one side, but since the other end of the 3 inch pipe is in concrete as well, how do I draw the two pipes together to seal the the gap?


texts: Fixing wall with constant moisture over the years

texts:
I live in Mexico where most of the houses are made by brick and cement. Over the years we have had moisture in the walls as shown in the images below.

As you can see, it looks like if the wall is falling apart. Even in some parts of the walls with this problem, we don't even have pipelines where it could be a potential water leaking. We have checked and we don't have any of those.

We have hired several masons to fix it and we have bought a lot of different chemicals and very powerful acids that eat the cement of the wall in order to kill the moisture but we have not succeeded, yet.

My dad told me that long time ago people used to put big chunks of charcoal in vases that sucked all the moisture from the wall but it seems that is a very old way to do it and the house would not look pretty with vases all over the house.

Is there a way or method you know in how to fix this for a long period of time?


texts: Is it worthwhile to fill minor cracks and holes in mortar?

texts:
There are a number of small cracks and holes in the exterior on my 10-year-old brick house. These are very small and do not in any way appear structural. They are much much smaller than the weep holes, just large enough that ants and other small insects can fit through.

Should I spend the time to repair them, or would that be overkill at this point for something that is currently a non-issue? Obviously the insect issue seems pointless as a reason to do anything, since the weep holes provide much easier access.