texts: rigid foam board in basement with exterior guard overkill?

texts:
I'm finishing a basement and have 8 foot and half concrete walls that I will be placing a stud wall in front of. I've scoured the net only to find a large number of opinions. My basement wall has an exterior guard done by superseal which provides this dimpled plastics that goes around the entire basement foundation and slab. My basement has been ultra dry, the saran wrap test yielded no moisture. Books stored down there look new.

So my question is, which method should I use for my foundation walls?

A) based on the Mike Holmes approach I should be using 2" XPS rigid foam board with tuck tape and then spray sealed for the vapor barrier followed by stud wall with no plastic vapor barrier. Bottom plate is treated.

B) gap between concrete wall and stud wall, stud wall with treated bottom plate, insulated with Roxul mineral rock insulation and then plastic vapor barrier.

Going the XPS rigid way is quite a lot more and I'm not sure it would provide more value.


texts:
In the bathroom of our new house, the grout between our tiles in the shower room seem to have occasional "bubbles" or gaps and I'm concerned that it might allow water in, especially since this is inside the cubicle and the shower blasts water right onto this area. The are dozens of these little holes all over the tiled area, but I've taken a photo and highlighted just a few as an example:

I'm guessing that this is a result of poor workmanship, but can this easily be repaired without re-grouting the whole wall, or am I worrying about nothing?


texts:
One of the many things I loathe about our kitchen cabinets is that although they're stained to a mahogany tone dark brown, the undersides of the uppers (which are visible from our kitchen table) are rough birch plywood. I had the bright idea to use some imitation gold leaf that I've had forever to beautify my breakfast vista. I turns out I should possibly have done more research or at least read the instructions on the size, because I made a mess of it. On the upside, you can only see it if you're sitting at the kitchen table. It has a nice glow, though, and I'm slowly figuring out how to salvage it.

But: the size is a mix of linseed, tung, mineral spirits and petroleum distillate. What should I use to clean my brush off? Can I bag the brush so I can keep using it for a few days or is that dangerous?


texts: How do I remove the connector covers on thermostat wires?

texts: How do i go about removing the plastic tabs without damaging or cutting the wires? We live in a down stairs apartment and get no heat cause they control it and all I have to do is remove these tabs so I can control the heat, it gets to cold down here for my 10 month old son.


texts: Correct Breaker for older Murray panel (wider slot)

texts:
While reorganizing an older Murray panel (Brooklyn era) and replacing a few older breakers with the current MP style I found they do not fit over the tabs on positions 9, 13 and 17.

The tab width on these are approx 3/4-7/8". I also noticed some burrs and some copper looking marks at the ends, is this normal and safe to use with the correct breaker.

Thanks In advance to all.


texts: There are bare copper wires in the light box?

texts: I opened the light switches and electrical outlets on the walls before the painting job and found in the metal casing boxes there were two bare copper wires attached on the same screw, they were laid across and touched each other.   Will this cause fire?  I presume they are ground wires but why do they need to touch? The house is 60 years old.


texts:
I have an old oil boiler with 4 zones, individual zone pumps. I'm trying to track heat usage on a per-zone basis. Would it be possible to simply track how often each zone pump runs and apply their percentage of the total run time to the total energy used?

For example, the run time percentages might be:
Zone A - 20%
Zone B - 25%
Zone C - 30%
Zone D - 25%

Could I assume that Zone C used 30% of the energy?

The boiler is non-modulating.

This method is predicated on the zone controller only running one zone pump at a time. Is that typical?

update 3/9/20
Each zone corresponds to an apartment - that's why I'm trying to track energy usage. Given that there are tenants involved, I want a sure-fire way to track energy usage. I am aware of "BTU meters" that use flow and delta t measurements but was wondering if some simple logic a la RUBS could be used instead of expensive sensors.


texts: Can I reuse cold water copper pipes for hot water?

texts:
I have a segment of copper pipe for supplying cold water to my gas heater currently.  It runs inside a wall so I don't want to replace it.  Now I need to change the piping and want to reuse that segment so that the water inside it runs in the reverse direction and it is SUPPLYING HOT WATER to the tap from the heater.

My issue is that can cold water copper pipes be reused for hot water?  What is the difference between cold and hot water pipes?


texts: How do I prevent masking tape on paintwork from pulling off paint?

texts:
When painting, I often use masking tape, however, when I pull it off paintwork it sometimes pulls off some of the paint with it.  Is there a way to prevent this?

EDIT:

A few people have said: "make sure you take the tape of after painting".  But this was happening as I was putting the tape on (to get it straight, I had to remove it and re-apply in a couple of places - which is where I noticed the paint coming off).


texts: How can I install an electrical plug without a stud nearby?

texts: I need to place an electrical outlet where there is no stud. Where can I find outlets to do this?


texts: Wood finish to handle high temperatures (not turn cloudy)

texts:
I'm building a mobile bench top for my home brewing system.  The system will be all electric powered by heating elements actually in the kettles (think hot water heating elements).  When this type of system is built it is not uncommon to just set the vessels on top of a wood surface.  I'm only giving this info up front so you know that any heat involved is being transferred from the vessel itself, not exterior burners.

I'm planning to use 3/4 ply as a substrate, then some leftover unfinished 3/4 hardwood flooring (oak, likely) to cover the surface.  Many simply use dimension lumber for the top, then leave it unfinished but I'd like to make it a bit more attractive.

Two of the vessels will reach a max of 170*, and one will be in the 205-210* range, and I'd guess 95% of that temp will transfer to the wood surface.  From what I've read, Urethane varnish is the most durable, Spar Urethane seems to be what is commonly found.  I think anything oil based will be better than something water based.

Does anyone know of a finish that will work in these conditions without going cloudy after some heat?  I don't need much for color, I just want to protect the wood from moisture and preserve it.  This bench will spend it's life in the garage as well so UV isn't really a concern. If the answer is simply "no", I guess I can leave it unfinished, but I'd like to do something.  Even linseed oil if nothing else.


texts: Insulating ducts in unfinished basement?

texts:
Hi I am looking to insulate circular metal air ducts in my basement because the air reaching some of the farther rooms (from furnace) on the second floor of my home is comparatively much cooler.

I was planning on wrapping r12 blanket pink fibreglass insulation I bought it in a 40ft roll.

However I am wondering if I can use this since it does not have the shiny reflective coating on the outside of the insulation that normal duct wrap insulation has. I do not know what that reflective coating is for or if it is even necessary.

In addition I have read that insulating the air ducts will actually trap heat into the insulation(remove from air) if not wrapped at a proper CLEARANCE, is this true or can I wrap the insulation right up against the metal ducts?


texts: What glass for an interior, mainly glass, wall?

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We would like to install a small interior wall (say 3m long) with a wooden door. We want to make it out of large wooden beams with glass between them (there is already one such wall in the house, and we want to copy it).

What thickness glass should we use? We will certainly take toughened glass, so that if the kids do decide to dive through it it will either not break, or at least not break into large shards. But what thickness should we be using? Obviously the thicker the more expensive!

Here is the kind of thing we are aiming for, though the individual panes could be smaller: (this is not our house!)


texts: In my laundry room, I've got asbestos floor tile. (The house was built in 1967.) The tile is laid on the concrete slab. Is it possible to lay ceramic penny tile over the asbestos tile if I put down cement backerboard first? I'd like to avoid pulling up the asbestos tile.


texts: How do I fix incorrect attic insulation?

texts: I have loose fill attic insulation. It seems to have been moved around and become compact. Is it just as easy as getting in there with a broom and 'fluffing' it up and moving it around, or do I need to just buy some new fill? Do I remove the old fill first if so?


texts:
In our bedroom with have a low but quite deep (~180cm) niche under. The ceiling there is so low (max 140cm) that to search and take things out from there you need to kneel down. We keep there many  small and bigs things: boxes, bags, Christmas tree decorations, old posters, jackets, etc.

How can we arrange it so that:

finding the right thing is easy
getting the thing requires little effort
it's good for storing both small and big things?

Options we considered so far included hooks and trolleys with shelves and baskets. What other options do we have?


texts:
I'm new to this kind of DIY stuff and I need help with the wiring of this light switch.
The old light switch (left picture) has L1, L2, Common in both sides.
On the new switch (right picture), it has an L1^1, L1, L2^1.
As you can see, the old switch has 3 wires, and 1 bridging(?) wire.
I've highlighted which is the off side and on side on the old one, but I can't figure out where to put these wires properly on the new switch.
Any and all help will be greatly appreciated!! Thank you


texts: Why are my ceiling fan light bulbs burning out quickly?

texts:
My ceiling fan light bulbs burnout frequently. From what I can tell the fan is mounted well and does not oscillate more than I would expect it to. I use GE multi-use soft white 40 watt intermediate light bulbs which are marketed for use in ceiling fans. Unfortunately, my local Home Depot does not carry any other bulb brands in this size. That said with the bulbs burning out so frequently it seems more likely to be another issue unrelated to the bulb themselves, but I am open to suggestions of others to try. What could be causing the bulbs to burnout frequently?

YouTube video of my ceiling fan running on high.


texts: I want to put up a door in a spare room that is already 82" in height. If I want to put the door to one side of the wall are studs necessary on that side of the wall or can I nail the prehung door right to the wall? Or am I better off centering the door and install studs on both sides?


texts: Should I keep downspout extenders installed during the winter?

texts:
Should downspout extenders be kept installed during winter? For some reason, I think they facilitate ice formation to creep up the spout?

When I say downspout extenders, I mean these


texts: Which trade(s) should I hire for structural repairs?

texts:
I need some structural repairs done to the floor joists of my house. Which trade should I contact for quotes?

I was initially thinking about getting a structural engineer involved directly since I know they will likely be involved to engineer a solution, but then I would need to hire someone else to actually do the work. If I want one-stop shopping is my only option a general contractor? Is there another trade that could come in and just replace/sister all of the impacted joists without requiring involvement from a structural engineer to do any additional design?

Note on Structure Requiring Repair:

The house is  a  single story ranch with CMU foundation (full basement) and gable roof.
As part of unpermitted work, a previous owner bored 1/2" holes within 2" of the bottom of about 15 to 20 2"x10"x~16' floor joists for NM wiring.
I am doing a permitted remodel and realize I need to get this corrected to ensure structural integrity of my home (and also to pass my own framing and electrical rough-in inspections for anyone who says "why are you worried about a few little holes?"). I would go ahead and sister all the joists myself, but I've got more than enough on my plate right now with the rest of the remodel.


texts: My patio lights are on a dimmer switch.  Recently when I press the switch the lights go on and then switch off immediately and stay off.  I can press the switch on and off several times and nothing happens.  If I hold the switch down the lights flicker but if I let go they switch off.  Please help


texts: Any advice on unthreading old Brass pipe? The brass pipe is in the back with the spigot attached.


texts: What could cause water hammer after changing a valve cartridge?

texts:
I fixed my delta 1400 series shower faucet the other day by replacing the valve cartridge with a non-delta brand.

Everything went well, until I turned it on, now the shower pipe is hammering.  The tub pipe is fine, no hammering at all.

Any ideal as to why this would happen?  I replace the one in the master bath and had no issues at all (I think I used delta brand for that one).

My understanding is that the cause of the hammering is an increase in water pressure in the pipe.  The only thing that changed was the new cartridge.  Could the after market one be the cause?


texts: Getting plumbing on the other side of support beams

texts:
Had some 2nd-story plumbing start to fail in my 1950's home, so I had the brilliant idea to re-do a "mud-job" bathroom.  It included removing a non-load bearing wall from the adjacent bedroom's closet to add square footage. In spite of how arduous the concrete removal was, everything was going well until I got all of the subfloor up to see there is a support beam standing in the way of where my old plumbing was and where I would like to get to.
Pictured you will see the old plumbing coming up from the stack, my closet flange, air vent, and drain pipes that used to run to the tub + sink.  Yes, I am aware that one joist (among others) looks terrible and luckily I am in a position to replace or sister all the joists so that will be happening.
My issue lies in the support beam headers.  In the other picture you'll see a red circle which is where I would like the closet flange to go, but I'm not sure any layout would allow for me to actually put one there. According to my county inspector, I can notch those or even bore holes with the same rule of thumb as joists, but I'm not sure I feel comfortable or safe doing so.
I can't go under, as my kitchen ceiling begins.  Their cabinets go ceiling high, so a soffit isn't even an option.
The other option I see is where the blue circle is. Basically, still push the closet flange back but up to about where the beam starts and head off that joist where it would be going.  I'd end up packing out the wall and building a chase in the room for just the toilet. Maybe even have enough room to keep a small closet on the other side.
Still, that would be disappointing and I'd lose some of the space I was hoping to gain. Are there options for getting me on the other side of those support beams?


texts:
Given a 12V, 100A battery with a 1000w inverter, how many amps would a generic standard european 220V, 500W appliance draw per hour from the battery itself?

I know wattage equals volts times amps, but in this system I'm wondering which of the volts I should use in my calculations. Will it draw 2.27(500/220) Amps or maybe 41(500/12) from the battery itself, or would it use some sort of a different, not so conspicuous formula?

( I'm trying to calculate how many off the grid hours I would get with such a setup, so getting this calculation can allow me to calculate based on real appliances that I plan on using, and maybe switch to a 24V battery/inverter system for thinner wires, but these are just details until I know how the math itself works.)


texts: How to get up deck boards with rusted screws, want to plane and reuse the boards so the screws have to come out

texts:
a slight spin on other questions.  I have a deck that is coming out with painted wood and rusted screws.  1 out of 10 comes out OK, the others break off.  Since I am going to be re-using the wood, and most likely planing the wood, have to get the metal out.
The only idea I have is to use a small hole bit to encircle the metal and then plug the hole with a dowel.  Thinking there might be a easier idea out there.


texts: Can I use the ground wire as a neutral for an outlet?

texts:
I had a bulb light outlet, and I decided to convert it to power outlet.
Now when I took the bulb light off, I discovered that there is only two wires in the wall, brown and yellow green, so I assume it's "line" and "ground"... no neutral.
Now when I connected it to power outlet, it didn't work... until I took the yellow-green wire and connected it to where the neutral wire is supposed to go, and now the outlet started to work... I was able to connect electric appliances to it.

So... is it normal that use "ground" wire as "neutral"? Is it dangerous?

I'm in Europe. Thank you.


texts: How important is the weather stripping on the inside of a Velux skylight?

texts:
I just had the inside of the wooden frames around my Velux skylights painted. The painter did a good job, but I think when he was removing the masking tape from the skylight's frame, he pulled off a little weather stripping as well:

Looking at the rest of the light, this stripping runs all the way around, but is somewhat loosely coupled with the surrounding wooden frame, which makes me think that its main purpose is something other than waterproofing. Most likely its a draft and heat loss barrier, in which case, it's probably not a big deal if a little of it is damaged. Can anyone tell me what purpose this stripping serves and if I should be concerned by the damage to it?


texts:
I want to install an occupancy sensor, preferably something simple that I can just plug into the wall socket, like one of those:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Westek-Plug-In-Motion-Activated-Control-MLC4BC/203675444
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Westek-4-in-1-Wireless-Motion-Sensor-Dusk-to-Dawn-Light-Control-White-MLC18BC/310550582
But I want it to turn off the socket when motion is detected (how I would use it: noisy air filtration is automatically turned off when I enter the kitchen, and couple similar uses). All the models I've found are designed for light control, and can only turn the socket on when motion is detected, and don't provide way to do the opposite. What's the easiest solution to do this?
Is there any ready solution, either stand-alone, or maybe in-wall socket type?
I can't find anything and started to think about following, but would like to avoid it and use off-the-shelf solution if possible:

get one of those above, disassemble and see if I can change wiring to do what I want,
buy a smart sensor and smart socket, automate with IFTTT,
build DYI one.


texts: Why is sanding required between layers of lacquer paint?

texts:
Some context for the question in the title:
After years of fixing stuff around the house, I've developed a chronic form of sinusitis - the minimal amount of dust is enough to set me off. I do use a serious protection mask when working, but even the dust that remains in the air or the settles on the mask/face will affect me.

So I'm figuring out ways to do dust-free DIY.

Next up in the TODO list are a couple of wooden doors and window frames. I would like to give them a new layer of primer + lacquer on top of old (yellowish) but good state lacquer.

The product instructions insist on sanding after the primer and between layer of lacquer.

Why is that necessary? and what would be the consequences of not doing so?
Are there any alternatives?


texts:
If i use one ground wire for two outlets, will my equipment get damaged?

Here is what I want to do:

If my air conditioner sends voltage through the ground wire shared with the outlet powering my computer, would my computer short out and or get damaged?


texts: I have a lamp that has a label on it saying that it's a 3-way.  However, with a 3-way bulb in it I only get on/off just like it's a regular 1-way lamp.  Wondering if the label is wrong on the lamp (bought it new, so I know it wasn't repaired) or if maybe it's broken somehow.  Can I visually tell from the socket if it really is a 3-way or a mislabeled 1-way?


texts: Add Electrical Socket to a light circuit

texts:
I have a garage in the building where I live, is equipped just of light, so switch to power on and off and the bulb at the ceiling, i don’t have any power point to plug any simple tools like drill, or car polisher or glue gun, vacuum cleaner..so I was thinking to install the electric socket to the wall running the wires from the ceiling bulb..I tried to do that, but the colors of the light circuit are different of the wires I wanna plug to the socket..I have a red and white wire plug together to the bulb, then I have a black one and a white one, the wires I bought for the socket are red,black and yellow/green (i’m Sure is the earth)..any help or any suggestion how to plug them in the right way? I’m located in Sydney so the colour code may be different.
Thanks for your help in advance.


texts: Air testing for new plumbing in addition?

texts:
I have inspection in a few days for my new plumbing (3" SCH 40), 1 1/2" Drain lines. Inspector told me I am responsible for the test plugs, air guage and the whole set up. Im looking to set this up the best way. Any recommendations?

I have my floor flange to the toilet installed and my 3" connected and it runs across to pick up the 1 1/2" drains then goes outside my wall. So I'll need to plug the 1 1/2" drains which I picked up the test caps, they (Lowes) told me to glue them in for the air test then just cut the pipe off near the end to get rid of the test cap since it is glued in.

Also, any opinions, suggestions for my 1/2" cpvc water feed lines. How do they get tested? Air or just water supply fed to them?

Thank you in advance to any answers. Appreciate it.


texts:
I have an old house (~130 years) that has a hydronic baseboard system installed. The heating system is improperly plumbed: the 1st floor thermostat controls half the heating on the first floor and half the heating on the second. The second floor thermostat controls the other half of both floors.

I'd like to fix it.

The current system seems to use diverter-tees. More importantly, not all of the piping running to the baseboards are the same size. I didn't measure exactly, but I think most of it is 3/4", and some is 1/2".

Can I simply cut out the existing system and connect all the baseboards together in series? Will the different pipe sizes cause significant issue?

My rough plan is to split the floors into two loops each, so that I don't end up with cold water at one end up of the loop.


texts: GFCI - should my neutral and ground have continuity?

texts:
I have a thing I'm doing.. I won't go into detail, but I have a thing that is a yellow solid core copper cable with a hot, neutral and bare ground. one end is connected to a plug I wired (I'm using the cable thingy as a makeshift cord because I don't have an actual cord). The other end is wired to the LINE of a GFCI.

Just to make sure I had no short circuits before I was to install my thingy, I checked continuity between the Hot, Neutral and Ground terminals on the GFCI to make sure there were no shorts in my wiring. When I touched the HOT and NEUTRAL prongs, they had continuity. (my continuity tester is really just an ohmmeter). So did HOT and GROUND. I undid the plug and looked for shorts, and there were none. I put it back together and now I see that only the NEUTRAL and GROUND have continuity.

Is this a break in my cable shorting the two or is it a faulty GFCI?

No, this is not connected to the wall yet. This is an isolated circuit I was testing for continuity.

Please help - I don't want this to end up shorting the HOT and NEUTRAL again and start a fire.

EDIT: I was stupid in the plug and put the wires overlapping. The thing that clamps down ended up pushing insulation away and shorted the wires. I am not going to make that mistake again.


texts: What's the (current) process for getting Arrow locks fitted by USPS?

texts:
I'm not sure this question is at all appropriate for DIY.stackexchange, but it seemed the best fit so if it's not appropriate here it's probably not appropriate anywhere. Perhaps this is a question I should just ask the USPS directly, but I wanted to first try to collect some third-party experience with the process.
Brief background
We have a 9-unit apartment building with USPS-approved mailboxes mounted in the secured entry lobby. To deliver mail, a copy of the building front door key has been provided to our regular mail carrier. Problem is, that doesn't help at all if a different USPS employee needs to deliver mail. (Say, dropping off a Priority or Express package, or even just someone else covering our regular guy's route when he's out sick or on vacation.) Without that One Key we've provided to the USPS (really, one specific individual employee), the mail can't get in.
My (possible) plan
I've already ruled out "more keys for the USPS!" as an option for solving this — that way lies madness. Fortunately, there's already an existing (and much better) solution, which I've seen employed at other residential locations: An exterior box, sometimes called a "key keeper", mounted outside the front door and containing the door key on a chain. When fitted with a standard USPS "Arrow lock", any postal carrier can open the box, then use the key stored inside to unlock the door and enter the building.
You can buy the actual boxes from many sources (here's one version from usmailsupply.com), but as one might expect they come without the lock installed.
What's next?
So my question becomes, before I consider ordering one of these: How do you go about getting the actual lock installed? Is it a service provided by the USPS directly? How does one even go about making an install request? Are there fees involved?
While it's easy to find the hardware for sale (sans lock), my not-inconsiderable web skills have failed to find any information whatsoever about the process of getting the box outfitted with a lock. I'd have thought there would be a form and/or documentation somewhere on the USPS site, but all I've come up with is an almost-suspicious lack of any information whatsoever.
I know that USPS policy has been shifting towards centralized delivery in recent years, so that they no longer have to visit individual addresses in order to deliver mail. And perhaps part of that shift is phasing out installs of Arrow locks on individual building entries and mailboxes. But we don't have centralized delivery here, and if the carrier is willing to carry a copy of our building key... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯


texts: Is there something like a screw-on screw clamp on a hinge?

texts:
I need to fix a wooden board (colored blue in my sketches) to a doorframe (which does not contain a door; colored grey in my sketches). I must not damage the doorframe, and the connection must not be permanent, the board is attached and removed daily.

Usually, I would just use a few screw clamps, but since the board covers the whole doorframe, there is no way to apply pressure from both sides of the doorframe.

Now I imagine something (colored green in my sketches) like a screw clamp where one side is bolted or screwed to the wooden board, so it pulls the board against the doorframe.

However, it would be neat if that screwed-on screw clamp had a hinge, so it can rotate to lie flat against the wooden board when not in use.

Is there something I can use for that, or does anyone have another solution for my problem?


texts:
We are in the wiring phase of our house and there is a wall that there is a high probability that at some point in the future we'd like to wall mount a TV on. With not knowing what TV that will be or when, we aren't sure where to locate the plug.

The wall is an interior wall on the first floor with living space above and concrete below. I will have conduit to that stud bay in the wall, so I could pull my own cable when the time comes, but ideally the electrical would already be there.

As I see it, I have three options:

No electrical, pull cable through conduit and locate outlet at correct height when the time comes.
Guess at the TV height and position the outlet there (5'?)
Install a regular outlet near floor and use that as a junction to a new TV outlet above when mounting the TV.

I was hoping the electrician could just leave wire in the wall to get sheetrocked over with no box and leave it unconnected at the panel, but I'm not sure that's allowed. The wire would have to be stapled to the stud which would make it hard to use as well.

I'm leaning towards option 3 as the house construction and room location would make pulling a new wire a pain, even with the conduit.

Are there any better options for hiding future use electrical?


texts: What fixture would give the best light in this high-ceiling room?

texts:
My high-ceiling living room has only 3 plug-in lamps, but there are two live, switched electrical boxes on the wall, a few feet apart, just above top of the bookcase in the photo below.
The easiest place to put fixed light fixtures is on the wall immediately over the bookcase.
What type of light fixture might provide the best light for the room, if put on the wall above the bookcase?  (By best, I mean general light throughout the room.)


texts: Problem with warped jack stud while converting from door frame to drywalled rough opening

texts:
I am working on converting what used to be a swing closet door to drywalled opening and later putting on a bi-fold door. When I removed the door frame and casing I noticed that one of the jack studs is warped so if I just put the drywall on it, it will be uneven as well.

Would you guys recommend trying to replace the jack stud and what if the stud that the jack stud is attached to is uneven as well ?  Or is there a way to put the drywall i a way that it ignores the slope in the stud - the difference between the two farthest points is roughly 3/8 inch?

Thanks !


texts: Is there any code requirements determining how close a ceiling fan can be to a pendant light?

texts: Is there any code requirement on how close to a pendant light a ceiling fan blade can be? This is Oregon, which is based on  2018 IRC and 2020 NEC code.


texts: Do the 2 individual 120v legs coming from meter into main panel have to be connected to specific terminals on the main shutoff breaker?

texts: The old SEU wiring in my box has a black and red cable, but I have also seen newer SEU service cable where both 120v legs were black.


texts: Could a loose ground wire cause an AFCI breaker to trip every 3-4 days?

texts:
I have a circuit connected to an AFCI breaker circuit breaker, which is running into our upstairs bonus room as well as upstairs guest room area.  I changed out an outlet in one of the boxes, and suddenly we get a trip in our breaker every so often.  The trip stops happening if I disconnect the rest of the outlets in that same sequence, but of course that's not acceptable since the rest of the outlets include those in the guest room.

I'm guessing it's a poorly connected ground wire. When I changed the outlet out I used a Greenie to twist the two ground lines, followed by another small ground line peeking out of the end. I then wrapped that around the ground screw in the outlet.  I think maybe I'm not nutting in the two grounds correctly, but is that a common cause of a tripped breaker: a poorly connected ground?  If so, is that a newer feature on an AFCI breaker?


texts: I have a Harbor Breeze ceiling fan and lights. I can't find bulbs that work

texts:
I have a 52 inch/132 cm edenton, Model#L2AP, Item #0154637.

It says use 4 40 Watt A candelabra base bulbs. I could only find A15 and lights are not working. Can anyone please help me? Do l need specific bulbs? I never had issues like this with anything in my life? Thanks SO much! Georgia


texts: What is this part near the entry point to my irrigation system

texts: Here is the overall view of the valve access box:  The valve is turned off because the pipe directly after the valve has come loose from the valve. I'd like to repair this, but I'm not sure what the grey/brown piece just below the valve is:  Here are a few more shots of the side and the cap on the part that sticks down:


texts: Why does Tesla recommend such a small gauge wire for their chargers compared to this chart I found online?

texts:
We are looking to install two NEMA 14-50 outlets for our kids to charge their electric cars, and I'm confused about wire choice.  I thought I understood the correct wire to use, but then ran across a Tesla document that said something completely different than I was expecting.
Tesla has published installation instructions here that recommends 6 AWG for up to 150 feet.  Here is a screenshot:

However, when I search online for AWG charts, I find many results that all agree with each other, such as this one from here:

Using these charts to spec out a 150 ft circuit, even allowing for a 10% voltage drop, I see that I need at least 1 gauge wire for 50 amps.  If I want a 3% voltage drop (which I assume an electric car would need), then I should be using 4/0 at least.  According to this chart, 6 gauge wire would only be sufficient out to 15 ft for 50 amps (or 50 ft if we allow for 10% voltage drop); neither of which is close to the 150 feet suggested by Tesla.
Given the clash between my internet-educated understanding, and Tesla's official publications probably written by electrical engineers, I have a feeling that the incorrect party might just be me.  How is my understanding incorrect, and what gauge wire is actually needed for a 50 amp 14-50 outlet?


texts: What do I need to supply electricity to my shed 150' from my house?

texts: I have a newly constructed shed that I want to run service to.  My current panel is full and already has a 100amp sub-panel tied to it.  The sub panel is not full.  I want to run 100 amp service to the new building but am not sure of the size of the wire due to the distance.  I've read some of the codes, but I'm overloaded with information.  I've been told I could use a tandem 100 amp breaker from the main to run the second panel - and this is where my confusion starts.  If I run 3 3 3 5, at 18" depth, is this sufficient?  I've already purchased 1" conduit (plastic) for the burial, but after what I've read, don't think it's big enough.  What do I want to run in the new building?  Nothing heavy, probably 1/2 dozen plugs, overhead lights and enough to run a compressor (110) and a welder I haven't acquired yet - but have looked at 225V.  Additionally, there will be an old table saw that I'll want to run periodically.  Any insight would be appreciated.  Or can I just run 10/3 from the house to the building new panel?


texts: What is the typical dishwasher/disposer electrical connection?

texts:
I need to provide power to a instant hot water dispenser that I recently installed myself in our circa 1950 home.  I'm about to have my dishwasher replaced and am wondering what the typical electrical connection is provided behind dishwashers so I can be prepared with the right parts when the dishwasher installers arrive.

I attempted sliding the dishwasher out myself to check, but it seems that I probably need to at minimum remove the copper hot water pipe, which is more of a project than I'd like.  Is there typically a standard dual outlet behind the dishwasher?


texts:
A question about insulation of a basement.

First, the house is built near Montreal, Québec, Canada.
Climate, cold in winter and hot and humid in summer.
To give an idea, -30 C to the coldest in winter, and + 30 C maximum in summer.

The wall of my basement is constructed as follows:

The concrete wall is underground for 2/3 (2/3 of the bottom ... of
course!). A membrane was installed on the outside and a drain
installed to correct water infiltration.
Inside, a 1.5 inch air space was left between the concrete wall and the
wooden wall.
The interior wall of 3 1/2 inches is made of wood insulated with rock
wool (Roxul).
A plastic air barrier was sealed on the wall, so inside.

I suspect that the air space is harmful: possible convection and condensation.
Can you find me serious links, supported by science explaining why this is bad, if that is? What is the risk of this construction?

Now what can I do, do I have to do with this wall?

(sorry for my english... google translate help me a little bit!)


texts: The question is really in the title. I replaced a standard outlet with an iDevices Smart Outlet (not GFCI, but same concept). The original outlet was in a 4"x 2 something handybox. When I swap it out for an outlet that takes up more physical volume on the inside of the box, do I need to recalculate the volume of the box to ensure there is actually enough room?  The only reason I ask is that I had to really move wires around inside the box to get this much deeper device to actually fit.


texts:
I'm trying to install a heat exhaust vent on the side of the drywall in the basement, see pic. The issue is that the the register is too small for the boot. This is normal if the exhaust is in the floor but not so great on the side of the wall.
The question is how to attach the boot to the register to avoid air leaks... Basically to do it right.


texts: Dishwasher shows a drain problem - diagnosis

texts:
I have a Bosch SHEM63W55N model and it intermittently ends a cycle with E22 error code. The literal reading of the code is:
An E22 error code indicates that the dishwasher filter is blocked. The filter is the area where food particles get caught and it needs to be cleaned regularly. Remove the filter to make sure it is not clogged.
But the filter is not clogged.
Symptoms and what I've tried:

The error is always at the end of the cycle
There is some standing water (about 2-3 inch), but it's in the drain compartment below the filter mesh.
I removed the pump cover and checked with fingers for debris and possible blockage. I couldn't feel any, and the pump was rotating freely.
I removed the drain hose from the drainage spigot and the water was draining well into a bucket, so it's probably not a blocked drain hose.
The dishwasher is 1.5 years old, installed by me, and was working fine until 1 month ago.

What could be the culprit?


texts: What could cause flashing LED lights when other LED lights in a different room are turned on?

texts:
I have the same problem and I'm pretty certain it's NOT related to bad switches - let me explain.

We have LUTRON switches through the house. All was fine. We then had a minor 2nd floor renovation creating my wife's walk-in closet. LED's were installed in the closet. In the kitchen on the 1st floor which never had any issues, we always had LED's. We started noticing the lights in the kitchen would go on/off with 1/2 second intervals - couldn't figure it out. The renovation occurred during the summer so we didn't connect the lighting issue with the renovation because, being in a northern climate, it was bright and the lights weren't needed. We then realized in the winter that whenever the lights in the walk-in came on, that's when the on/off occurred. I would add that its NOT a flicker - definite on/off; I would also note that the walk-in switch is a sensor switch.

We were just living with it.
Then we created a media closet - I screwed in LED bulb - then all of a sudden the LED pot lights in the adjoining hall started to do the same thing! Off/on. I switched the media closet light back to incandescent and the problem ceased. I would add that the media closet switch is also LUTRON sensor.

Q: Any thoughts? We have a few sensor switches as well as regular touch switches and LED for all pot lights though some fixtures are regular halogen/incandescent.


texts: Should I use vapor barrier for a framed floor over a slab?

texts:
What to do about the vapor barrier?
I am currently using a formerly unheated basement room as home office. The room is not properly insulated and rather hard to keep warm. I am thinking about installing a nicer floor and insulating it to make the climate more pleasant. The floor is currently bare concrete and I assume there is no vapor barrier under the slab. About 50% of the room is below the ground. We live in the Arctic, so the temperature ranges from about -35C to 25C, and it is mostly considerably colder on the outside than inside.
I don't have much experience and am on a very tight budget.
The initial idea was to lay out PE foil as vapor barrier, build a wooden grid (60cm wide) to fill with glass or rock wool and to install wooden planks on top to walk on.
I am very unsure about the materials and vapor barrier thoug.
According to previous replies, I would end up with trapped water under my foil without channels to escape if the foil was placed directly on the concrete. As I can not build a pit, that makes me consider to ditch the vapor barrier altogether, to allow some ventilation, but that seems to eventually soak my materials.
I am not primarily concerned about the materials as in bent wooden floor planks after a few years. I am mainly concerned about mold, I don’t want to make the room a few degrees warmer but trade it for smell or an unhealthy environment.
I have attached an artistic masterpiece (sorry!) of what I mean and hope that someone might have a pointer what you would do.
I am still lost and would appreciate any help, I am also open to different materials!


texts:
I have this pump (12v dc dual 150psi diaphragm pump). As you can see it has a built in pressure switch which I have disconnected because it does not pump water at all if it is connected - it turns on but no water is pumped. When I disconnect the switch as shown here, it pumps fine. So what might cause this?

Secondly I have this pressure accumulator tank (50 psi working pressure), from what I can see, I connected the outlet of the pump to one end of the T and one end goes into the tank but the last end of the T has no water pressure at all. Should I use the valve the bottom of the tank to let some air out for it to start working?


texts: Is one large whole house fan better than two smaller ones?

texts:
I'm having an addition put on my house and I'm considering the "Quiet Cool" line of  whole house fans.  The fans are quite expensive and price wise two small fans are almost the same price as one larger fan.

My question - would two small fans (of say 750 CFM) be better be better than one large fan (of 1500 CFM)? Is there any benefit to having two fans in different locations of the house?

More Info:
The house is about 2,000 square feet split over two floors.  I have a low threshhold for noise


texts: What are the must-have features for a Hackspace/Makerspace horizontal metal bandsaw?

texts:
I asked a similar question here where I got some useful advice for selecting bandsaws in general.  From the advice received I was able to select a few potentially interesting vertical woodcutting bandsaws.

This question is more specifically about what to consider when buying a Horizontal bandsaw for cutting metal stock, tubing, etc.

I assume there is some amount of overlap in the dimensions to consider such as:

  Variable speed for multiple materials
  Adjustable blade guides
  Throat capacity

What are other dimensions to consider?

Are there any features that are clearly must-haves?

Because this tool will be used in a Hackspace/Makerspace it will be used by many different people on a wide variety of projects and probably with a wide variety of materials.  It is also quite possible it'll be used for several hours a day (this is still unknown).

Our budget is roughly in the £1,000 to £3,000 range.  Any advice would be appreciated.


texts: Do I need license to do electrical work in any residential home?

texts: I have 4 years apprenticeship, work on my own for 7 years in Africa, and Europe. I have also attended Montgomery college, so I have a total of 32 years in the electrical field. Do I need license before do work any residential homes?


texts: Does a swing-slide frameless glass door mechanism exist?

texts:
I would like to have glass around my square-ish shower (90cm × 100cm) in bathroom corner. It should only consist of two pieces:

the fixed wall (100cm wide)
door (90cm)

But instead of swinging doors opening inwards/outwards I'd like doors to swing-slide open inwards.

Looking from top down doors would open this way:

Benefits of such door mechanism:

easy shower access - door never in the way
water dripping off the doors goes inside shower
full width door without any wall side fixed glass

I would like to know if anyone has seen this kind of mechanism. I know how such mechanism should work but I don't know whether it's possible to buy it anywhere. I expect doors to be top hung (6mm toughened glass would weight somewhere around 30kg) with a slide running at the top side on the wall for the doors to open correctly. The main problem there may be is the weight of glass but I suppose it could be done without additional bottom support.

Would I have to contract someone to create such mech for me or is it possible to buy it anywhere? Or maybe somebody has already seen such product somewhere?


texts: how to measure CFM in digital animometer

texts: dear friends how to measure CFM in digital anemometer and tell how its calculated in both practical and theoretical


texts: If the iron levels in our home's water are too high, how do we adjust them?

texts:
Although I haven't tested the actual water quality in our house, we often get orange colored stains in toilets and around drains where water has evaporated - which I would assume are from high iron levels.

If a water quality test were to confirm this assumption, how would I fix the problem?
Would this be an inexpensive fix or a major expense? A quick fix or major renovation?


texts: Faucet connected incorrectly, hot to cold , cold to hot. No water comes out

texts:
I hooked up new kitchen faucet incorrectly, hot to cold, cold to hot. It worked fine for 2 months.
Today i had low water pressure and within a hour no water, hot or cold.  I switched my hot to hot, cold to cold. Still no water at all now, .
I'm guessing  something apparently went bad from not hooking up the right way, hot to hot cold to cold?
Do I need a another new faucet or can I replace something in this faucet?.


texts: Securing brick, rock or pavers on artificial turf

texts:
I want to build a backyard putting green. The company I am going to buy the turf from (Garden-mark) says to lay the artificial grass over prepped ground as if laying pavers and secure the turf with spikes.
I would like to add rocks or paver edges (for the golf ball and addition hold down for the turf) and obstacles (like a tunnel), something like this:

How would I secure the rock or pavers to each other?  To the turf?


texts: Purchasing agent to air entrain concrete

texts:
I would like to mix up a few cubic feet of air entrained structural concrete so I can repair some water damage to an exterior wall on my New England home. (Recommended by a local professional mason to prevent further damage.)
Unfortunately none of the big hardware stores seem to carry Quikrete Q-Max Pro any more, and none of the other mixes mention air entraining.
Is there a commercial product or effective home-made substance I can add to a concrete mix to entrain air during the mixing?


texts: Why do I have a vent stack if none of my fixtures are vented?

texts:
As far as I can tell, none of my plumbing fixtures are vented. I have a double-sink in the kitchen, but no vent pipe. My washroom (photo here) similarly has an s-trap. Same thing on my washing machine and drain basin (photo).

I can see a large black pipe poking out of my roof, just about where the drain lines are going into the floor. So I assume I have a main vent stack, but what does it do in my case? Why do I have a main vent stack if none of my fixtures are vented?

If it helps to identify typical construction methods, my house is about 80 years old and located in Toronto, Canada.


texts:
I have checked Wikipedia to compare electricity in the UK vs Slovakia, see:

Country         PlugType    PlugStandard    Residential voltage Frequency   Comments
Slovakia        C, E        STN 34 4516                 230 V       50 Hz
United Kingdom  G[44]       BS 1363                 230 V[45]       50 Hz   Bathrooms may have shaver sockets

We can see the Frequency and the Voltage are the same. Obviously, I will not be using plugs as they are different.

Question: are the UK switches fully compatible with Slovakia?

More detail: the wiring is not in place yet, property is new built. I am planning to use dimmer switches for LED lights. The reason to use the UK products, they are surprisingly cheaper and have more varieties to choose from.

I have contacted the UK switch providers, and they keep saying there will be no warranty as they are not designed for EU. I am suspecting they are just playing safe not because products are not compatible.

I have also contacted Slovakia and the UK electricians, and cannot get a final answer, some say it is OK, some say it is not.

Any insight, suggestions?


texts: How do I clean ballpoint pen marks from an LED TV screen?

texts:
My kid was playing with a pen and she drew a few lines on the TV screen. I tried to remove it with water just after it happened, but it didn't work.

Now the lines have been on the TV for a few days, so how can I clean it?


texts: How to fix an "open ground" on a receptacle that seems grounded?

texts:
In the master bedroom on one wall there are two receptacle that when tested shows “open ground”, I have replaced the receptacle on both (with new tamperproof receptacles) and while doing that checked to ensure there was a “ground” wire connected from the receptacle to the box (see image below). One thing to note – the room is aluminum wiring (but so are most of the house and no other receptacles have this issue).

At this point I am not sure what could be causing it, any suggestions?
Thanks,


texts: How should I connect the left light switch?

texts:
I am replacing three smart light switches in the following wire box with new smart light switches that don't need the neutral wire:

The wire box has 4 sets of cables for only 3 light switches and I forgot to take a picture of how they were connected before. I remember that the two left white wires were connected together though.
I was able to connect the two right switches and they worked correctly, but the way I connected the left one fried when I turned it on.
How should I be connecting the left one correctly?


texts: 3 wire service to panel... neutral and ground wires on the same bar?

texts: I'm getting two conflicting reports and was wondering if anyone can help me. I was told that on the distribution panel, grounded conductors (neutral) and ground wires need to be separated in the distribution panel. The point of disconnect is at the meter and the neutral and ground wires, apparently, have to be separated downstream of the point of disconnect for proper grounding system. Is this true? I got a second opinion and was told that on a 3 wire service to panel, neutral and ground wires are allowed to be terminated on the same bar. Any help would be really appreciated. Thank you all!!


texts: Is rust inside a black iron natural gas pipe normal?

texts:
I was doing some repair on a tiny leak in one of my natural gas pipes, and noticed that inside the pipe was a small amount of rust.  When I took the pipe off, when I turned it upside down a small amount of rust came out.  I could see a thin layer of rust coating the pipe in at least a few parts.
It wasn't large enough to concern me, but it made me wonder why this happened.  Do these pipes rust from the inside out, and eventually need replacement?
I'm also not completely sure how these pipes could rust inside them.  The pipes themselves should always have methane in them and no oxygen or water.  There was zero rust on the outside.
The house itself was built in 1924.  I'm not sure when gas was put in, but this was a gas pipe in the laundry room feeding the dryer, so it might be as old as 60-70 years.


texts: Methodology to create black and white wall mural?

texts: I recently stumbled upon a wall mural (I believe that's what it's called anyway), that I found after researching some desks. I would very much like to emulate this style of wall mural found behind the desk and computer. Could anyone tell me the best way I might go about re-creating this sort of effect?


texts: Installing a relay to control duct fans!

texts:
I want to install a 24v/110 relay to control the two duct fans that I installed in my ducts. The idea is that the fans will come on when the blower comes on. To test this, I ran an 18/2 thermostat wire, and connected the red wire to the G thermostat terminal(green terminal) in the furnace and the white wire to the C/Common terminal(blue terminal)in the furnace. On the other side of the relay(the load side) I connected a box fan. The problem I’m having is that the box fan runs when the igniter turns on and turns off when the igniter turns off. It does not stay on with the blower being on to cool the furnace and to push the hot air out to the vents. Any suggestions? Thanks!!
PS: The box fan seems to stay on in the fan-only and AC mode, but not in heat mode.


texts: MBWC using two twin breakers with middle handles tied

texts:
My question is whether overload protection will work for the two handle tied circuits described below:

Four separate circuits are involved.  These are in a residence, feeding outlets and lights, including some GFCI's.
Two twin 15 amp breakers, with the red and black of a 14/3 wire to the middle two, and the black of two 14/2 wires to the "outside" two.

1 - circuit 1, black wire from a 14/2
2 - circuit 2, black wire from the 14/3
3 - circuit 3, red wire from the same 14/3
4 - circuit 4, black wire from a different 14/2

Circuits 2 and 3 are handle tied with a screw through the holes in the switches.

Circuits 1 and 4 are normal, so these should be ok.
Circuits 2 and 3 are on separate busses, so there is 240V between them, which means the neutral should not become overloaded.  This is ok.
When shutting off 2 and 3 for maintenance, both circuits will be shut off together, avoiding a surprise hot neutral.  This is ok.

My question is whether the overload protection will work correctly in this configuration?

If it will work correctly, I understand that both circuits 2 and 3 will shut off together, which is fine.

I reviewed several similar questions but didn't see this exact situation described.

Thank you for your thoughts.

Chuck


texts: 50AMP GFCI to Double Pole Switch with 6AWG

texts:
I will be preparing the electrical for a new hot tub installation. I have a sub-panel inside the house in the basement literally 2-3 feet from the panel. That panel also contains a 40AMP GFCI wired to a digital timer inside the house to a double-pole switch and outlet which turns the pool motor on and off that was installed by an electrician.

I would like to do the same thing with the hot tub so that I can keep the 50AMP GFCI breaker in the sub-panel out of the elements, then connect that to a turn-off switch outside which would then feed the hot tub. What I am confused on is the AMP rating for the switch. Do I need to purchase a 50AMP double pole switch (ex: https://bit.ly/2lwNOey)? The pool motor is using 12-3AWG out of the timer to a 30AMP double pole switch making the connection to the switch easy. If I run 6AWG from the 50AMP GFCI breaker to a switch, I am not sure how that could be connected. Can it be less gauge wire? Do I use crimped on connectors?

Any help/input would be appreciated.


texts: What are my insulation options around a shower?

texts:
I'm remodeling my bathroom and shower and I'll be replacing the insulation on the external wall. This wall is the "back" of the shower (opposite from where the water supply lines are). With this in mind, I should be able to just choose some insulation and then plop it in when I have the wall torn down.

The main question and concern I have is about vapor barrier. I will be using cement board with a liquid topical membrane (like Redgard) for waterproofing the shower which means I'm not supposed to put a vapor barrier on the back side of the wall because it is bad to trap moisture. How does this affect insulating? Am I safe to nix the vapor barrier around the shower? What should I do for the rest of the bathroom?

I'm not too concerned with price so if there are other options besides batting insulation (such as foam, etc...) that would solve my problem, I'm willing to hear those ideas as well.


texts: Can I place a slide-in gas range up against plywood sheathing?

texts:
I'll be putting a slide-in gas range up against a knee wall.  However, I planned on bracing the knee wall with 3/4" plywood sheathing from the bottom plate up 30", where it would be completely covered by cabinets.  This sounded like a good idea until I thought about the range up against the plywood.  Can I do this? If not, what would be the appropriate way to put sheathing on the wall?

Plan B was to use 1/2" plywood and 3/8" drywall (or cement board?) over top of.  The existing wall covering is about 7/8" thick but varies a bit.  Looks to be 3/8" sheetrock from the 40's with a good 1/2" of plaster on top.


texts: How to install a thermostat for electric heat?

texts:
I have a 240v electric heat in my house. I’m trying to switch my thermostat from an old Mears to a new Mysa smart thermostat. I have six wires coming from the gang box. 1 set is to the heater( load) and 2 sets are hot( lines). How can I connect my wiring to the new thermostat? I have a double 20A breaker.
Tech support is telling me to connect my 2 black line wires together and run them to L1. Seems like a disaster to me. Any thoughts? The new thermostat has Load, L1, L2.


texts: How much weight can a 2 inch screw in a wood stud hold?

texts: I am building some industrial style shelving for my office. Basically I need to know how much weight can one 2 inch screw in a stud hold? This will answer my question. Thanks.


texts: Alternative ways to insulate a shallow slab foundation?

texts:
I would like to turn a shed on a shallow slab foundation into a living space for a family member. Insulating the roof and walls seems straight forward enough, but the floor and foundation are tricky.

I considered insulating the foundation by digging around and inserting insulation, but one side of the foundation is blocked by a recently added patio and is not accessible. I was wondering what alternatives I may have to frost protecting and insulating this floor/foundation?


texts: Can I shut off the water supply by unplugging the water softener?

texts: I have to replace one of the O-Rings in a leaky faucet, and would have to shut off the water valve to said faucet. However, the faucets in my place don't have individual shut off valves, and there is only one main valve. I am hesitant in shutting off the main valve, because it has been known to leak in the past upon re-opening. I have a water softener installed that is fed from the pipe from the main valve, the water softener then feeds the hot water tank and breaks off to feed the rest of the cold water in the house. If I was to shut off the water softener(unplug it) without changing it in bypass mode, would this turn off the cold water supply to the rest of my house?


texts: Advice please to clear shower drain. I have used bicarbonate soda and vinegar which didn’t help. Then I bought a snake auger but when I take chrome cover off shower drain, all I cannot see any sign of the hole leading to pipe work and I’ve tried feeling for it with flexible wire. If I look under the shower I can see where drain pipe goes off the trap but no entry hole when I try from shower tray.  I wondered if there was a hair trap which should lift out but plastic fitting seems to be secured into shower tray. I’ve tried turning it but no movement at all. I’d be grateful for any tips. I’d post photo but not sure how to add them.


texts:
I was using my toaster this morning, when it suddenly stopped working. I assumed the device itself had gone wrong, but then I noticed my cooker, on the opposite wall, had also stopped. The toaster proved to be functional when plugged into a different socket.

So I've got a broken plug socket and a broken cooker, on opposite sides of the kitchen. The cooker, I presume is wired into a hard fuse point. There are a lot of these in my kitchen, and I have no idea which is connected to what.

There's nothing off or blown on the fuse board. I assumed the problem was a blown fuse inside one of those hard points. But three of them have lights on - so are presumably still functional - and I changed the fuse on the other three. Still no luck.

I'm confused as to what could have gone wrong to cause two appliances on opposite sides of the kitchen to stop working. If it's not a fuse, what else can I look at to locate a fault?


texts: Thermostatic Valve in Shower Not Adjusting Water Temperature

texts:
Ever since I moved into this house I have not been able to adjust the water temperature in the shower (luckily it was at a decent setting) and I am trying to figure out if it is a bad cartridge or potentially something else. It is a thermostatic valve, one handle that you turn that only changes (or supposed to change) the temperature while another handle adjusts the water flow.
I have pictures of the valve/cartridge below, I tried manually adjusting it with the screws on the right and left side of the valve but when I moved the hot screw closed to a good spot the water started making a whining noise so I had to back it out some more. Clearly this shouldn't be the proper way to adjust the temp since I have a knob that is supposed to do that.
I am completely ignorant when it comes to this aspect of plumbing and it appears that cartridges are a bit more expensive than a standard sink cartridge so I'd rather get some guidance before just trying something out.


texts: Can I wire a 120v 20A outlet with #8 wire

texts:
I am installing an outlet on the front of my house to charge my Kea Niro. The current charger I am using requires a 120v 20A circuit.  In the future I expect to get a charger that will require a 240v 50A circuit.

Can I run #8 wires thru the conduit for the 240v 50A circuit but cap the RED wire and just hook the BLACK to a 20A Breaker and on the other end install a 20A recepticle in a box large enough for the future bigger outlet?  Then when I upgrade I can install the 50 A double breaker and the proper 50A outlet.  Does all of this make sense and seem proper?


texts: Are there any new and/or innovative quality countertop products on the market?

texts:
Are there any new and/or innovative quality countertop products on the market that are easier to work with and not as heavy as quartz? For example, something like NSF certified "richlite" which is a  paper composite material that's extremely durable, robust and lightweight. Those types of characteristics but also look good too.
subsequent to this question being "closed", which I disagree with, I found "Dekton" at home depot and got a sample. This is the type of material I am thinking of (new and light), but so far they only sell it through installers, at least at HD. It's called an "ultracompact surface" and comes as thin as 5/16" (8mm). I have a 3"x3"x5/16" sample and it has the look and feel somewhat of quartz. I couldn't scratch it with my razor knife. You can read reviews. It has pros and cons, but I like it. It's concrete based and seems very tough.


texts: Is it economically reasonable to cool the roof by water evaporation

texts:
I want to estimate the outcome before going into hassle of installing the sprinklers/mist emitters.

I have a place on the last floor, you can call it an attic, directly under a flat roof which is metal, insulated underneath with 15 cm of glass wool. 160 square meters of roof that is.

Most of the year temperatures in Kiev are below 28 °C, and I have decent ventilation, so the temperature inside is not more than 1 degree hotter than outside with full occupancy of 50 people.
But those few hours in few days when the temperature rises above 30 °C is a problem for me.

Online calculators tell me that the heat is coming in mostly from sun radiation through windows and roof, and I need 19kW of cooling power to compensate for it.

I want to avoid installing air conditioning both because of up-front cost of more than 1000$, and operating cost of electricity to tun it.

The numbers below are in hryvnas, exchange rate is roughly 20 hryvnas per 1 US dollar.
Ballpark calculation is very promising: with a cost of water supply at around 10 ₴/cubic meters, evaporation heat cost of water would be 0.02 ₴/kWh, which is 2 orders of magnitude less than cost of electricity which is around 2 ₴/kWh.
Estimated water usage would be 100 liters/hour, which is reasonable.

The question is -- how much of that cooling power would work for me cooling my space through 15 cm of glass wool between my ceiling and roof surface. That is versus cooling ambient air just above the roof.
 And how much water can I expect to evaporate on 160 sq.meters of roof at 30 °C, humidity rarely rises above 40% at such temperatures in Kiev.

Good answers to related questions:
Is a roof sprinker a good idea?
Would putting a sprinkler on my roof help cool my home?


texts:
I am in the process of adding some plywood decking to the floor of part of my attic, which is built from webbing-style trusses.   In the picture below, the cross-brace marked with yellow arrows is a real thorn in my side, impeding travel from one area to another.  How can I know if it is structurally required, or just a remnant of temporary bracing before the attic/roof was complete?  Those exact same trusses are cross-braced at least 4 other ways, not counting the roof sheathing, or the 1x4 furring strips I installed below my flooring.

I'm worried that the green splotches of spray-paint are in someway meaning 'permanent cross-brace is needed here'.  :(

(Please ignore the shoddily draped phone & cat5 wires, and the not-yet-nailed-down plywood flooring-- this is a work in progress.)

[EDITS: Added second picture for Bryce, and 3rd & 4th pictures for shirlock homes.]

Outside view of garage, showing roof-line, truss orientations, and brace orientation.
Note that all of the trusses in the house run in this same orientation, regardless of what the roof-line is doing.

View of garage ceiling, showing brace position relative to trusses.


texts: Connecting a Washing Machine with Aquastop

texts:
We've just moved into a new flat and bought a new washing machine. The provided cable isn't long enough to fit to the water outlet.

I bought an extension cable, along the lines of this:
https://www.bunnings.com.au/kinetic-1000mm-flexible-water-connector_p4750083

But I'm not certain if these needs to go before or after the Aquastop. The Aquastop is the electric variety but there is no additional cable to the maschine.


texts: Can a occupancy sensor switch and a timer switch be installed in the same three way circuit?

texts:
I have a car port which has 8 flood lamps installed in the ceiling. I have recently installed an occupancy sensor switch similar to this Lutron Maestro MS-OPS5MH-WH:

http://www.lowes.com/pd_365253-539-MS-OPS5MH-WH___?productId=3531524&pl=1&Ntt=motion+sensor+switch+three+way

It required using a jumper cable at the other end of the switch. Previously, three cables ran to that switch, but the motion sensor docs instructed to combine two of those with a short "jumper" cable it provided with a wire nut, and then run that jumper and the last pre-existing wire to the switch...effectively leaving just two wires connected to the switch.

The intent was to have the occupancy sensor switch the lights on only at night to prevent car break-ins. The switch has a built-in ambient light detector which is supposed to prevent it from operating by day, but it doesn't work well at all, perhaps from the shade provided by the car port cover.

So, I thought I'd try a timer switch on the other side, so I could set the switch to only operate during night hours. I purchased the Intermatic ST01 (http://www.intermatic.com/en/products/timers/inwalltimers/electronic_timers/st01_series). However, this switch requires a similar configuration on the remote end (using a jumper wire to wire the two of the three cables, together, etc).

Is is possible to use these switches in combination? If so, how should one wire this? And if not, could you explain in layman's terms what the jumper wire does and why it's impossible to use two switches which require the jumper wires together?

Thanks!


texts: How to level depressed region in plywood subfloor for laminate?

texts:
In my bedroom, the plywood subfloor has a depressed region near the middle (roughly (roughly 10ft x 10ft). The depression is about 1/2 inch on average, and up to 3/4 in a small area. I want to put down laminate flooring, but am not sure what's the best way to level the depression. I read about leveling compound, but read it may be cheaper to patch with plywood pieces. Could I use 1/4" thick plywood pieces for this? If so, are there additional steps besides nailing it down?

Forgot to mention, this is a second floor condo unit.


texts:
My new place has scratches on large areas of the floor, mainly around the entrance and the patio door.
The floor is also chipped in some places, not necessarily where the scratches are.

Can I just put carpets on the floor if I don't want to sand it? Thank you.


texts: Replacing light switch with dimmer switch... white wire?

texts: On a three gang switch, I'm replacing a single pole light switch with an electronic dimmer and a second single pole light switch with a WeMo switch.  The third switch is getting replaced with a similar switch.  The current configuration into each "old" switch is black, black(red) & ground.  There are 4 white wires from the wall not attached to any of the three switches but grouped together.  Both the dimmer and the WeMo switch ask for a neutral white wire.  My question is "can I group all white wires together (from dimmer and from WeMo with the 4 white wires from wall) or do I need to identify the white wire specific to the WeMo switch and the white wire specific to the dimmer switch instead?" In other words, instead of 6 white wires together (WeMo, dimmer and 4 from wall), would it be 3 separate white wire connections (WeMo white with white from wall, dimmer white with white from wall, and the rest of the whites grouped together).  All three light switches are on the same circuit, by the way.


texts: What's the best tool for cutting holes into duct work?

texts: I've cut a few supply and cold air returns into my main branches and it's been a PITA. Need to cut another 6" hole for a return, it's just standard rectangle ductwork, probably 14" wide x 10" high.


texts:
Most sprinkler systems I see have the red capsule, a glass ampule filled with red-dyed alcohol. When it heats, the capsule bursts and the plunger, pressurized by the water, slides forward, opening the sprinkler. My concern about these systems is that many of them have automatic overpressure pumps that if one capsule breaks, then it triggers an overpressure, breaking all the capsules. So, for example, if a sprinkler goes off in one hotel room, usually all the sprinklers on the entire floor will activate.

I was talking to a building owner about this and he said that it is not the case for his building. In his building the sprinklers do not have capsules, but have two arched metal strips. When they are heated they expand, opening the valve. According to him this only happens for the affected sprinkler; the others do not open automatically.

Is this true, that the metal-strip sprinklers are single activation only?


texts: What could be causing cracks in the drywall of a newly renovated home?

texts: We bought an older home and completely renovated it about 18 months ago. Now I am starting to see small cracks in the drywall in the ceiling and walls. What could be causing this?


texts: how do I attach 2 wires to one terminal screw on an outlet or light switch?

texts:
I'm in the USA.  I often need to attach 2 wires to 1 screw terminal -- for instance on a switch... or on a single outlet... or a duplex outlet that I've split.

What are my options to do that?


texts: I have 2 wire going into R, how should i connect to nest?

texts:
I'm installing a Nest thermostat:

How do i connect the blue and red wire? Nest tech said i have two transformer.. do i split them into RH, and Rc?


texts: Do toggle bolts have to be perpendicular to the floor?

texts: Recently I installed floating shelves on my drywall using toggle bolts. I noticed some websites mention that toggle bolts need to open up in a way that is perpendicular to the floor. When I installed them I didn’t pay attention and I’m wondering does it matter if my toggle bolts were installed with the wings being parallel to the floor?


texts: Additional exhaust vents needed for whole house fan

texts: I need ~8-10 sq ft of additional exhaust vents to accommodate a new 7600 cfm whole house fan.  Uncertain if add'l soffit vents needed for adequate ventilation flow through attic.  Planning to install 3 dormer vents near ridge.  Two screened gable vents (2 ft x 1 ft) installed when house was built.


texts: Can manually throwing the dryer circuit breaker cause it to burn out?

texts:
What can cause the dryer circuit breaker to heat up to the point that the plastic at the connection melts?

Can manually throwing the breaker cause this? My wife has suffered through two house fires and throws the dryer and stove breaker when she leaves home.


texts: Should concrete footers be separated from a concrete slab?

texts:
I am going to build a pavilion over a concrete slab and I am wondering what would be the best way to set up the footings.  I was planning on using steel column bases set in 12 inch sonotubes.  There will also be a concrete slab under the pavilion.

I am exploring three options.
The first option would be to first pour the footings (12 inch sonotube, 4 ft deep) at the final height of the slab. Expansion joint material would be placed around the footings before the slab (4 inch thick) is poured around them so they are independent of each other.
The second option would be to bury the sonotubes (4 ft deep) and pour the concrete for the tubes and the slab (4 inch thick) at the same time with no separation.
The third option would be to pour a thicker slab (5 to 6 inches thick) with no footings and set in the steel column bases when the slab is poured.
The second and third options would require less work but to me it seems like the first option would yield the best result.


texts: Outlets are dead, but electricity is coming into the box

texts:
I have three outlets in the bedroom that are not working. No breakers are tripped(all have been shut off and turned back on, just to see if something has been tripped someplace). No GFCI are involved.

I took the cover off an outlet and used a tester. I have electricity coming to the outlet off the hot (black) wire, but the ground I had to use to get the tester to light was the ground wire off the green screw. I looked at each dead outlet and they all test the same way. The white wire or screw on the side of the receptacle would do nothing to light my tester.

These are the only outlets not working in the house.


texts: How do you reinforce round deck footings?

texts:
I'm building a covered deck on some weak soil (clay/sandy clay). I'm going to use 24" round footings that I was planning on reinforcing with a bunch of left over rebar. How can I effectively reinforce my footings? My though was to just  cut a few lengths and tie them together using wire in an tic tac toe grid. Is there a better way to do it?

I've dug my holes 5ft deep and prep'd the ground by laying fabric in the bottom, then pouring in gravel and road crush and tamping it all down.


texts:
I have an old 42" diameter round marble table top which I would like to restore. It is very dull and has deep scratches. On some of the edges, tiny chunks have come off.

I would like to know if this is something I can do myself with a drill and a flat backing plate for circular sanding?


texts: T&P relief valve's probe size issue - can I use a shorter exposed probe to replace a long one

texts: Please check the below picture, can I use a longer neck of T&P valve which has shorter exposed probe compare with my old to replace it?


texts: what's the difference between "silicone sealant" and "mastic/MS-polymer sealant"

texts:
MS polymer (or "mastic") look like silicone. It also comes in a tube, looks the same when it's liquid. Here are the difference I found with silicone caulk:

it's looks a bit less flexible when cured (looks like hard rubbery plastic).
it's more expensive (3x) but it doesn't dry at all like silicone (I sealed it with the provided cap, and used it several (very hot) weeks later without any problem).
It's much more pleasant to use:
it's odorless (no solvent, it cures with [water from the] air)
it doesn't stick on fingers like silicone (wiping the finger with tissue is enough to get rid of it).
it takes much more time to cure (depending of the quantity you use, you can easily work with it during 10-30 minutes: for several cm3 I was wondering if it'll ever cure).
I have seen on this video that unlike silicone, mastic has a non-staining property: it doesn't contain "oil", which could trap some dust and dirty its support.

But what are the other differences? Do both contain silicone? For what would you use one, but not the other?

(Chemistry based answers are also welcomed: I hesitated to post it in the stack chemistry)


texts: Three dead power outlets, no tripped breakers

texts:
A few days ago I was using a multimeter to check for current to the thermostat on my garage refrigerator. I wasn't thinking and did something wrong (wrong HOT, I believe) and power to the refrigerator died. Believing I'd tripped the circuit breaker, I checked the panel but there were no tripped breakers. The multimeter shows no current to the outlet. The refrigerator functions when plugged into a different outlet (via extension cord so it's not an actual workaround).

I've tested all other outlets in the house and there is one that appears like it could be on the same circuit (given proximity and common sense, an unsafe criterion for sure), but there is also an outdoor outlet that is not functional. I can follow the circuit from that outlet for a bit and it does not seem to be on the same circuit (though who knows if that's true or not). I've also reset all breakers in the panel and no change. Additionally, I've walked through the house and tested/reset all GFCI outlets that I could find.

At any rate, it seems like these three outlets could be on the same circuit and that I somehow shorted it when I tested incorrectly. What can/should I do to trace and resolve this?


texts: Can't remove twist-style / turn-style / knob cap on overflow drain in tub

texts:
I have an American Standard brand tub with jets. Its drain has a pop-up stopper, and the stopper is controlled not by a lever, but by one of these twist-style knobs, placed over the overflow drain. I removed the screw holding the cap in place (see the right-hand picture), but no matter what I do, I can't pull the cap off:

I've looked around inside as best I could to see if there's some other mechanism holding it in place, but I don't see anything. I don't think this thing has been removed in 15 years. I've tried turning it this way and that, pushing it in and out in case there's some kind of special release. I've tried knocking it with a hammer to loosen things up or try to break up deposits. I've tried vinegar, and then WD-40. I've tried using big screwdrivers as levers between the cap and the plate behind it. Nothing, refuses to come off.
There's another question here from someone with a similar problem, but in their case, they couldn't get the screw out, and the problem wasn't answered anyway:
How to remove turn-style tub overflow cover?
Anyone have any ideas? Or does this need to be sawed off? Can a plumber handle this?
EDIT #1: here's a closer look at the area where the cap meets the stem--nice and gross:


texts: What can I do to avoid tripping over HVAC drain line?

texts: The drain tubes for the Furnace and AC run about 10 feet across the laundry room to the drain in the middle of the floor. Unfortunately this is a fairly high-traffic zone (seven people living in the house) and it is a bit of a tripping hazard. Does anyone have suggestions for different lines or something I could put around the line to avoid tripping?


texts: Mop disintegrates when used on coarse stone floor - any good alternatives?

texts:
We have some natural stone tile which is pretty coarse. This is actually a very pretty (IMO) natural texture but it is a little hard to clean. Vacuuming is fine but like most hard surfaces also needs some wet cleaning from time to time.
Regular mops we've tried tend to fall apart and leave bits behind on this surface. Sponge or cloth string types. Maybe there is something we haven't tried or thought of... or maybe there is a certain type of cleaner or something other than mopping that would help?
Just to be clear, I'm not asking for advise on leveling the floor or smoothing it, since that's not something we perceive as a problem itself.


texts: Wiring confusion with 3-way switches that control 2 lights

texts:
I have no issue troubleshooting 3-way switches but this is an odd one. At some point a handyman replaced switches and messed up a 3-way switch setup. However it's 2 lights and 2 switches:
- light A and switch A at top of stairs
- light B and switch B at bottom of stairs
I want both switches to control both lights simultaneously. However, the way it is now:
- switch A controls both lights fine
- switch B only turns on/off light A, has no effect on light B

Switch A has 3 regular leads: red end which is connected to one traveller terminal, white end which is connected to the other traveller terminal, black wire connected to the black screw but then continues to another switch for an outside light so this appears to be the hot. Then there is an additional end of another black wire. This extra black wire controls light B and seems to be the key to the problem. If I touch it to the hot wire, then light B turns on as expected, if I attach it to either traveller screw, then light B turns on and off with switch A. I'm just not sure what I can do to make light B also turn on and off with switch B.

I've most combinations and nothing seems to get both lights working with both switches. Maybe I'm missing a white wire to light B in the mix somehow?

Thanks for any troubleshooting tips you may be able to provide.


texts: Looking for studs in thick plasterboard to attach 12" kitchen cabinet

texts:
I have the Ikea 12" kitchen cabinet. It is standalone (between sink that's separately attached and stove). It is a pullout, so I need to attach it to wall.

I cannot find the studs in that wall at all. I have the Franklin sensor that just shows that theres something there for 80% of the space behind the cabinet, and it varies as i move it up and down.

When I use a strong magnet (type that can hold a hammer) - it stick to a small horizontal part above the cabinet but does not feel anything below it (so not a stud).

2 part question:

1 - how can I find a stud (I dragged the franklin sensor and magnet across that whole wall and not getting anything reliable)

2 - potentially it is a concrete wall or somehow solid? (it's between my apartment and neighbors). The building was build in 1930s, can I use on of the screw in anchors regardless of whether its a stud or not? and would it be safe to use? I don't foresee us putting anything extremely heavy into the kitchen cabinet, but I expect there will be pots and dishes.


texts: How to shape the zone a radar motion sensor detects?

texts:
The light in my bathroom is controlled by a radar motion sensor. The idea was that radar based sensors can be hidden inside the lamp itself and thus be invisible (so no sensor, no switch, only the lamp is visible). Unfortunately, since it's a small bathroom and some of its walls are made of plaster, the radar sensor detects movement in the corridor as well, turning the light on every time somebody walks by.

Could the radar motion sensor's detection zone be shaped somehow? As the sensor is located on the ceiling, narrowing the detection cone would do the trick. Unfortunately, the device itself only offers control over the light duration, maximum darkness level when it still activates and the sensor's sensitivity (setting this to a low value helps a bit, but is inconvenient because you have to do an elaborate hand dance to turn the light back on again on longer toilet sessions... and it still sometimes detects people in the corridor).

I tried making a cone out of aluminum kitchen foil, but it didn't seem to work at all. Any other ideas?


texts: How should I route my dryer exhaust pipe?

texts:
My existing dryer vent run enters the crawlspace behind the dryer and exits through a vent that is part of one of the normal crawlspace vents. Since the house sits on a slight slope, the crawlspace on that side of the house is very short - when I am in the crawlspace there I cannot turn over. This means that the vent is only a few inches off the ground.

I was told by a contractor who cleaned out our air ducts that this was a fire hazard as leaves could accumulate and warm air exiting the vent could cause a fire. He also noted the vent in the crawlspace was a flexible type and that was bad (I understand and agree).

First question - is it really critical to move the vent so it is more than a few inches above the ground? If not, I will replace the flexible dryer vent with the 4" galvanized tube and call it good.

Assuming that I need to move the vent, I don't think I have any good options due to the length of the required run. As you can see from my diagram below, the dryer is not against an exterior wall and there is a door between it and the nearest exterior wall. The furnace is to the right of the dryer and that prevents me easily running the vent to the front of the house. Moving the dryer is not practical because I'd have to run electricity to the new spot, and unless I also ran plumbing I'd have the dryer and washer in different locations.

I considered running a vent through the roof but I understand that is not advisable due to the height of a vertical run.

It looks like my best option is to go over the door to the left of the washer and then out through that exterior wall. The total length of that run would be about 18 feet, plus two 90 degree bends, plus two ~ 30 degree bends, which by my calculations, works out to about 33 feet of effective length. This does include an 8 1/2 foot vertical run. Is this acceptable?

If that is acceptable, then I will need to exit the exterior wall (aluminum siding), at l east 12 inches below the eaves. Any guidance on how to do this? All the online guides I see have it going through the rim joist, which won't work for me b/c the water heater is in the way.


texts: Hot water and cold water switched in shower

texts: I recently bought a house and in the master bathroom the hot and cold water seem to be reversed.  When I turn the dial left, the hot water comes out first with very little pressure.  As you continue to turn the dial left, the water pressure goes up but with it comes cold water.   I've read you can turn the valve 180 degrees, but I'm not sure if my shower fits that method.  Took a photo with the dial off.  Any help is appreciated. Thank you,


texts:
I have an electricity inspection box inside the house.  What I'd like to do is build a small wooden cabinet to enclose it (it is flush to the wall).  I've measured up and bought five pieces of wood:
. 2 x 45mm x 15mm x 700mm
. 2 x 45mm x 15mm x 800mm
. 1 x 15mm x 700mm x 800mm

My intention is to surround it with the thin pieces and use the fifth piece as a door.  However, the thin piece have already started to warp (I've had the wood for around a month).  Is there any way to prevent this, or does anyone have any tips for doing a similar thing?


texts: Plumbing drain to connect to main sewer outlet

texts:
I'm in the process of adding an outdoor toilet and sink to the rear of my house and would like to connect the drain to the main sewer line at the back of the house.

Below is a photo of the existing setup to which I would like to connect the additional drain.

Where would you recommend making the connection? My main concern is backflow into the drain that I'm going to add.


texts: How do I take door hinges that have a pivot ending with two flat cylinders apart?

texts:
I found a door with a pair of hinges that look like most ordinary door hinges but don't let the door to be taken off the doorpost. They seem to have a pivot that passes through the whole height of a hinge and has thick flat cylinders on each end - each has diameter of about 8 millimeters and height of about 3 millimeters.

I decided those were nuts that could be unscrewed and tried to grab them with pliers and turn counter-clockwise, but they don't seem to react, I only scratched them.

Detaching those hinges from both the door and the doorpost is not an option - I need to take them apart to apply graphite grease to them.

How do I take those hinges apart?


texts: How long can a concrete pool stay without the water?

texts:
After draining the pool, how long can it stay empty. In other words, how much time do I have to work on it, before it is not safe?

I heard opinions that concrete pools can't stay long without the water due to a risk that groundwaters with "pop it out" or/and will change the pressure and it may crack.


texts:
I have been working with a ceiling fan for the last few days and I feel utterly defeated.

The fan in question is the Clarkston 2 44in. LED.

I went into the previous light fixture and disassembled it. Here's where I found it odd. There were 4 wires, 2 feeding into 2 individual light bulb fixtures. 1 black and 1 white feeding into each. Cut those 4 wires to completely pull the fixture off and then stripped them a little bit.

The fan I'm working with has 3 wires. 1 white, 1 black, and 1 blue.

My initial thought was to connect the 2 black wires to the 1 black and 1 blue from the fan together with a pigtail. Combine those 4 and then the 2 whites to the 1 from the fan in a separate pigtail.

So 2 black wires on 1 black and 1 blue. 2 whites to the 1 white. I didn't use any of the ground wires. Nothing seems to have worked.

Asked my father who does some electric work at work but he couldn't figure it out either as it is not his specialty. He recommended I turn the switch on and touch some of the bare wires to see if anything turns on. Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

And help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.


texts: Cutting some cedar and overworking my Dewalt 10" portable table saw and it slowed down and then shut off. I let it cool for hours, cleaned it of dust and debris, tried another outlet and it has not come back on. It is a 2015 model and doesn't have a reset button or switch on the motor. Did I blow the motor? Do I have to purchase a $110 motor from DeWalt? Is there a way to check for a guy that knows squat?


texts: Can a cracked toilet be permanently repaired?

texts:
So I broke the entire corner (top to bottom) off of the tank on my toilet.  The toilet was inherited by me in house, which was a foreclosure.  It is a one-piece that is valued at $1450.      I was able to purchase the exact same toilet in the two-piece version for $300.  Would I be able to repair the broken toilet to use in another bathroom?

I am wondering if some sort of marine or aquarium glue would work to waterproof, then maybe strip the glaze off and sand the patch smooth, then buy a kit to re-glaze?  Is this possible?


texts: Specific tiling for washing machine closet?

texts:
I am planing to install a washing machine in a closet. There is currently a fitted carpet in this ca. 2 m² closet.
To avert consequences a plausible leak/overflow, I want to replace the fitted carpet with tiling.

I am concerned about both the mechanical stress to the tiling and the noise (both for us and my downstairs neighbours) generated by the vibration of the washing machine.

Is there something specific I can/should do before or during the tiling (knowing I will install a washing machine on it)?

(One restriction is the choice of the tiles themselves, as I plan to use the remainder of another project.)

Note: I have never done any tiling before, nor am a specifically experienced DIYer — so please excuse the probably naive question. (Nonetheless, I believe I haven't two left feet nor half a brain only, so I should be able to get through the tiling.)


texts: Can I apply polyurethane to my hardwood floors one room at a time?

texts: I have hardwood floors on almost all of my floors.  Most rooms have large (5') openings with no doors or thresholds.  When I start applying the polyurethane, is there anyway to do one room at a time or do I have to get the furniture out of the dining room, living room, office, and front hall and seal all floors at the same time?  I don't have any place to move all the furniture too, even if I stacked it vertically in the kitchen and porch.


texts: Should I choose cordless hammer drill for home improvement? I'm a green bird for it

texts:
I'm planning to do home remodeling all by myself and now I'm preparing for all the necessary tools.
When considering cordless hammer drill, I'm at a lost. I found that the cordless hammer drill was never a best seller in Europe. Its sales were very low. Is there any special reason for this? Is it because the European buildings' material speacial and hammer drill not fit for it? Please help


texts: How can I convert wall lights to under-shelf lighting?

texts:
I have a home office, which currently has a couple of wall lights (controlled by switches on the wall, so part of the normal lighting circuit).

I'd like to install some wall-supported shelving, and the lights are in the way. I'd also quite like to have some lighting (possibly LED strips) under the lowest shelf to light the desk.

It seems to me that I should be able to just extend the wiring from the wall lights down the wall, and connect the under-desk lighting that way, so that it continues to be operated from the wall switches.

My question is: what's the correct way of going about this? I expect the light fittings will just have some wire coming out of the wall - should I install a backbox and some sort of front panel (with a socket, or just a fuse?) Should I angle-grind a channel in the wall and extend the wire, and if so how should I terminate it then? Or can I just chocbox the wire outside the wall and fill it in a bit?


texts: How to set stepping stones in steep, loose hillside

texts:
My lot is carved out of a steep hillside.  Behind the house there is a very steep slope (30-45 degrees).  The soil (at least for a large part of it) was entirely removed and replaced during the construction of my foundation.  The topmost layer is several inches of loose topsoil covered with chipped wood.

I would like to set stones of some kind in the hillside to make it easier to navigate.  What's the easiest way to do this?  I'd like to avoid having to dig out several feet with a post hole digger and pour concrete for each one (although it's the Pacific Northwest, so I wouldn't have to go that deep).  Ideally there would be some product I could drive into the ground like a T post and then top with a step.


texts: Installing single receptacle for motor loads and not gfci protect

texts: What about installing a single receptacle in the location like garage door openers, sump pumps, disposal, ect...? If hey are dedicated circuits do they still need to be GFCI protected?


texts: Is green board or cement board required on shower/tub walls in massachusetts?


texts: Small blobs of tar on a (5 year old) flat tar and gravel roof

texts:
I have noticed several cluster of small blobs of tar on my flat tar and gravel roof which was renovated 5 years ago.
I tried to remove one blob (here is a video) and it seemed to be full with no cavities inside it.
Are these something of concern? Should I put extra gravel on top of these?
I appreciate opinions! Thanks!
Close up view

Further view


texts: how do I remove copper stain coming from plumbing?

texts:
I have that blue stain in my bathtub

The stain comes from my plumbing, which probably contains copper that rusted
and creates that stain.

I tried to remove it with bleacher but to no avail.

Do you have any ideas on how I can remove copper stains like this one, please?

Thanks