texts: What is this tiny plastic insert in my sliding window sash?

texts:
With the recent cold weather, I've been trying to best insulate my house and keep it warm while not using too much energy. While applying weather stripping to my windows, I noticed that some of the windows have these tiny plastic inserts between the sliding window sash and the frame. See photo. I can move them a bit if I poke at them but they appear to move fairly smoothly with the window when opening an closing.

I see them at all four corners of the windows that have them and my BEST GUESS is that they are used to ensure the rubber weather stripping is pressing as tightly to the frame as possible and making a proper seal.
My question is what are these tiny inserts called, where can I get them? I have several of my windows that don't have them (presumably fallen out/gone missing) and I have noticed those windows don't sit as tightly into the frame as the others. I've looked up every variation of "plastic" + "insert" + "sliding" + "window" that I can think of and haven't gotten anywhere. Poked around my local big box store's window section and didn't find anything.
Appreciate any help!


texts: How to check if light is "Power Through Fixture"?

texts:
This is related to my other question here.

I just learned of the "power through fixture" concept and it seems that WeMo dimmer switch isn't compatible with it.

I want to believe that what I have in my apartment is NOT power through fixture. But is there any way for me to check if it is?


texts: Water heater boiler has nasty red sludge leaking out of it

texts:
My water heater wasn’t performing as expected today while attempting to draw a 2nd bath. So I went to look and the rusty water leak seemed somewhat prominent, so I’ve gone ahead and opened up the unit.

There is also the secondary problem of the UI on this unit seems almost designed to be anti-layperson so I’ve been having trouble using the panel. None of the icons make sense, etc.
Before I shut it off just now, the temp was pretty low, 123 degrees.
This is potentially an urgent (edit: Maybe not super urgent) problem because the heating in the house runs off of the hot water from this unit.
More detail: This is the 2nd winter weathered by the system. House was built during the fall before last. Nobody lived here last winter though.
There had been a situation 2 months back, where we almost ran out of gas due to a billing mishap and they didn't deliver gas for a month. So in the time between the LP pressure being lowered and then filled back up something may have gone awry. I noticed the day that the tanks were filled, the flue exhaust pipe was making a lot of water sloshing noise. That was strange because this is supposed to be an air exhaust pipe. That obviously stopped eventually, as I reckon it wouldn't take long for hot air to evaporate that water away, but I do wonder how so much water could have gotten up there.
So anyway, I think the red stuff is maybe this thing known as "central heating sludge".
I do not yet know how many radiators (if that's what theyre called -- the things that are responsible for transferring the warmth from hot water into air delivered to vents) there are. It seems like only this part of the unit with the rust sludge here is the only place I've seen so far to have buildup. I think I will need to turn this thing back on soon so we don't freeze overnight... (edit: I turned it back on and it seems to work ok for now for heating the house. But it doesn't seem to handle the requirements of drawing a bath well so its operation appears degraded. I just wonder why because surely making a bath is less of a strain on it than heating the house?? I think since the bath spout is pretty high flow it's possible that heating that flow rate to a sufficient temperature is beyond its rating. I could measure the flow rate and calculate a BTU number and compare this. Will do that tomorrow)
Hoping someone can shed light on the function of this part, and in particular what procedures may be necessary to perform to ensure it doesnt happen again. There should be a way to filter these contaminants out of the working fluid. Where is the rust coming from? what parts is this material being corroded away from? What potential damage might those cause?


texts:
Original water tank is one meter above ground and one meter in ground where the suction pipe is located. It fills with float valve approx. 80cm above ground. A new tank has been added sitting on the ground and is 2.5m tall. They both fill from a common 1 1/2” pipe. Above ground tank is manual shut off.
When lower tank needs water, manual shut off is opened and water siphons from new tank to old (water inlet/outlet enters new tank to 8” above floor). Water siphoning stops when new water tank level is the same as inlet into original tank.

How to automatically overcome the siphon level to keep putting water into lower (original) tank to the level of inlet/outlet pipe in new above ground tank?


texts: Can I put a shower pan where tile USED to be?

texts: I pulled up the tile in my bathroom. Water was underneath and had rotted the wood nearby. Now I have a concrete pan underneath where the tile used to be that slopes toward the drain. Can I put a shower pan over this concrete pan? If so, do I need to extend the shower drain?


texts: Why does a gas water heater use more power (kW) than an electric water heater

texts:
So I am considering instant water heater systems, in Indonesia.

Here electricity is typically low amperage (household supplies start at 450W, then 1100W, then 2200W), and there's a strong incentive to avoid high power consumption appliances (because you may also need a generator to back it up, as the power is unreliable)

I was recently in Malaysia and tried a power shower (http://www.midea.com/my/consumer/kitchen_bathroom/instant_water_heater/201505/t20150525_180326.shtml) in a hotel, which was 3800W. This, as mentioned is more than the entire electricity capacity of most houses in Indonesia. It gave a pretty good shower.

Now here in Indonesia they sell electric and gas heaters.

One common model is a Paloma 5 litre (I think this means 5 litre/minute flow rate) gas heater.

According to Paloma's website:

https://palomaglobal.com/product/waterheater/index.html

the flow rate is based on 25C heating above input (so here, with 20C input, you'd get 5 l/minute of 45C water)

They say a kitchen tap is 4l/minute, and a shower 8-10l/minute. So the 5l is only sufficient for a kitchen tap, not for a shower.

According to these data:

https://palomaglobal.com/product/waterheater/lineup.html

the 5l water heater has a gas consumption of 10.5 kW. That's more than double the 3800 W of electricity that I used to shower with in Malaysia.

So what is the explanation:

some difference between x,000W of water heating capacity between gas and electricity
my 3800W shower actually wasn't very powerful, I just got used to terrible low water pressure in Indonesia and it seemed good in comparison
some difference between the way the shower pumps water and a simple water heater which then obviously requires a separate shower?
something else?


texts:
I've seen conflicting advice on how to winterize a chainsaw.  One group says to run it dry, until there's no fuel left.  The other group says to add StaBil to the fuel and run the engine to coat the insides.

The two main concerns seem to be preventing the carburetor flaps (or whatever they are) from drying out and to keep any remaining fuel from getting sticky and coating the inside of the engine.

So I'm not sure what to do!  What are your thoughts?


texts: Sub flooring requirements for 2 X 1 rectangle tile

texts:
I am about to take on a flooring project and I have never done this before.  The previous owner did a DIY flooring job and it's horrible.  Cracked tiles and chipping grout everywhere.  So as I have been told....easy to pull up.

The problem I face is the sub flooring or lack of any solid surface...hence the cracked tiles.

The original tile was laid straight on to the original 1968/1969 builder sub floor.  The best way to describe this floor is 1" thick / 2" wide diagonal wood with 1/4" gaps.  So if I pull and ceiling tile downstairs I get and face full of mortar that has crept through the gaps.  Like I said.....horrible.

So my question is do I lay 3/4" tongue and groove sub flooring followed by 1/4" back board?  3/4" sheets screwed to joists? or just every 6 inches in to my 1x2 planks?

If I do anything asked above I will have a 1 to 1-1/2" threshold difference from the old hardwood to new floor.  Kind of a toe stubbing nightmare lurking.

It doesn't have a noticeable bounce.   The area is a kitchen so maybe the cabinetry is helping?


texts: Help with lights flickering at weird regular interval

texts:
Lights flicker for ~17 seconds at 1 flash/sec, then normal for ~23 seconds. This cycle repeats itself continuously.

The video starts with the 23 second "normal" period, followed by 17 seconds of flickering, and shows 2 cycles. May need to turn screen brightness up, but if you watch closely the flashes are evident.

Context about my home's electrical system:

video is of ceiling light
flickering is not isolated to a single circuit. Occurs in bedroom
circuit, bathroom circuit, kitchen circuit (fridge light),
outside garage light, and floor lamps plugged into outlets
1950's house, copper wiring, no ground on most circuits except for
kitchen. Location is in Indiana, USA
In Jan 2018, recently after purchasing house, I:

installed GFCI outlets at the head of each circuit to conform with NEC code for having 3-prong (grounded) outlets on wiring with no ground.
replaced all other normal receptacles and switches
replaced all lights with LEDs
flickering phenomenon only started about 4 months ago, well after I made above changes

I have a single dimmer switch for kitchen ceiling light, which is LED. Both dimmer switch and LED claim compatibility with dimming functionality. Oddly enough, this light doesn't flicker, at least not strongly enough that I can perceive it
100 amp service

Things I've tried already:

Had utility company replace connections to weather-head due to
imbalance on legs of main coming into panel. Flickering was occurring
before this, and this did not solve.
Asked utility company if transformer was sized appropriately/working correctly. Technician said yes, but also didn't climb pole to inspect transformer.
Inspected breakers on all circuits. Replaced some that I thought
could have poor connection, but flickering continued.
Inspected panel for any loose connections at bus bar, tightened a few, but found nothing suspect

I'm fairly handy, an engineer, and confident in my ability to troubleshoot without getting myself electrocuted, but I'm out of ideas. Any thoughts?

Link to video

Panel model info:


texts: We just repiped out 45 yrs old house with PEX and the whole process was very smooth and I’m glad we did this. I knew the water pressure would change going from 90 psi water pressure to I don’t know what but I feel like I’m taking a shower in slow motion now, but what I can’t figure out is why it takes what seems to be five minutes to get anywhere close to hot water. I turned the water heater up a little. I know it takes a long time to fill a pitcher of water so I figure that is the same with the water heater tank. Also, there’s about two feet of space between the walls bathroom opposite of kitchen and the kitchen faucet will sometimes have hot water seriously hot water coming out of the cold water setting.??? Any idea of what might be happening with this? Appreciate any suggestions for what it if anything I need to do here.


texts: Can solder be used instead of quick disconnect terminals?

texts:
Current state:

Original:

I am repairing a cordless kettle's base plate whose the power cord was cut. The new wires need to be connected to the contact pins in the base. Originally, quick disconnect terminals were used with two crimped sections, one on the wires and another on the insulation, all covered with heat shrink.
Is there any safety concern with soldering wires directly instead of using crimp terminals?
I don't have the same type of quick disconnect terminals or the required crimp tool. The options I can think of are:

Buy general purpose quick disconnect terminals which can be crimped with a regular crimp tool. The insulation is probably not rated for 105C like the power cord, though I don't think the base of the kettle should be reaching such temperatures.

Try to reuse the old quick disconnect terminals by uncrimping the wires and then soldering the new wires into the terminals, and using heat shrink over the whole thing to approximate the original assembly.

Solder the new wires directly onto the terminals and cover with heat shrink.

The power cord is 16 AWG and rated for 105C and 300V.
Option 3 would be the easiest for me and require no new purchases. Option 2 would take the most effort and time, but require no shopping trip. Option 1 would look the best, but I don't know if the insulation used is suitable in this case. I would think it should be passable, but... what are your thoughts?


texts:
I live in Los Angeles and have 2 units on my property. I use the front one as my office. I had the floors done years ago and thought I would get tile and have a subfloor of cement put in so that I would have a lot of thermal mass to keep it from getting hot. Sadly, I think it's worse than it was before. The main window that points south got changed too to Low E and it heats up early. Some light comes in from east facing windows but not much. The house has a garage underneath.

Here are next steps I am considering:

insulate the floor: there are beams in the garage, so if I filled them with bats then closed them, that would make a total area that would be VERY deep and should be very high R value
take other measures to prevent sun in the east-facing windows (like time-controlled electric shades)
start keeping the garage closed (though it's open now if you go in it even on a hot day it's not really hot as it has one foot thick walls on all sides and is built into a hill)
put in a solar-powered roof deck attic fan (should have done this a long time ago)

BTW, the roof is a composite and has solar panels on it which I thought would also lower heat buildup.


texts: Basement Bathroom Plumbing - Rough in Backwater Valve

texts:
I am trying to figure out how in the world to frame this basement bathroom.  As you can see from the image, there is a backwater valve that would end up right in the middle of the room.  I know that code requires access to this valve and most basement rough ins have this much closer to the sump pump or other mechanical area, not in the middle of the bathroom.

Any ideas for how I would be able to run walls for the bathroom?  I was planning to go off the pole and section off the room, but I dont know what to do since there will be a valve right next to the toilet.

What am I missing or am I looking at this all wrong?

Thanks for any help or answers you can provide!

Advice? Do I need to jackhammer the floor to move the BWV closer to the sump pump?


texts: How to remove broken shutter fasteners from brick?

texts:
I need to replace vinyl shutters on my brick-front home. I will replace the existing ones with identical sized new ones that will use the same drilled holes.

The problem I had before was that when I took off the old shutters the old Shutter-lok fasteners often broke off with nothing to grab on to. At ground level I had been able to drill them out by pressing with all my body weight while drilling. I will not be able to do this for the higher ones since I have to be on a ladder.

Is there a effective tool I can use to extract these plastic fasteners from the pre-drilled holes in the brick without applying significant force? Is there better ways than drilling?


texts: 40 amp Pool heater hooked up to 60 amp outdoor Spa Box

texts:
I purchased a Siemens electric panel for a spa with a 60 amp breaker. Is there any danger in hooking up my 40 Amp pool water heater to it?

2nd Question...The Panel comes with 4 slots, can i use the 60 amp GFCI Breaker in the house and use regular non GFCI 40 amp + 15 amp Breakers in the box (15 amp Breaker is for the pool pump)


texts: Can I use an electric plane to to smoothen large boards/planks?

texts:
I'm working as carpenter with a lot of recycled wood which I plane on a circular saw (Bosch GTS 10 XC) from both sides (in both senses) which has an acceptable result, but is never perfectly straight because the rip fence isn't perfectly rectangular (isn't made for this task). And I'm limited in terms of board/plank width of 2 times the maximal cutting depth, i.e. 2x 7.9 cm for my saw. Even if I manage to remove less than the diameter of the saw blade, the work is slow with a fine blade or the resulting surface rough with a blade with less teeth.

Therefore I thought of investing in an electric plane in average price range (200 to 300 €), but therefore I need to know whether I can plane boards/planks with a width of a multiple of the electric plane's working width, e.g. whether I can plane a board/plank with 25cm width with an electic plane with 8cm working width so that the result is equally plane to the result of a jointer which would plane the piece in one run.


texts: Comparison of dual function breakers brands

texts:
This is a follow up to this breaker and panel selection question.

Apparently, there are gfci  failures, and differences between outlet and breaker protection. In particular, gfci breakers are not required to have the same (as much) functionality as gfci outlets.

So! Is there any documented comparison, between the different brands (Siemens, Eaton, Schneider,...), of  the quality/implemented functionality of arc, ground, and dual function, fault breakers? I have not seen any, but...


texts: Are these toilet bolts installed properly?

texts:
I had my bathroom renovated and had a new toilet installed. I noticed the white caps on the toilet screws were not secure---- looked like the contractor tried to secure them with some sort of caulking. I was not confident that they would stick and I had a grave concern because my daughter likes to pull them off anyway. So I took them off and cleaned up the goop which was used to secure them.

I didn't know if i was being overcritical but it seemed like the caps might have been hiding shoddy work. I attached some photos. Notice the washer (I don't recall seeing them on old insulation). Also it looks like the screw was broken off after it was screwed in. (it's sharp)-- again another issue for my daughter.

Couple of questions-
1. Is there custom hardware to attach toilet to floor?
2. What should keep these caps or is there an assumption that you won't have two year olds to pull them out.


texts: I have a small room (about 260 sq ft) with a tall ceiling (about 13 feet tall). It's very hard to heat that room up because the heat goes up and doesn't want to heat the lower part where the people are. If I install a suspended ceiling, how much would that help?


texts: Why is the water pressure so high from my overhead water tank?

texts:
We have recently rented a house and it has normal taps fitte, and a normal
overhead water tank, but the water pressure is very high. The water comes out
with so much pressure, that if I am trying to rinse anything it makes
water spray everywhere. What could be the reason?

Its a normal plastic 500 lt overhead tank, and it doesn't have a cap to close its top.  It is not sealed and pressurized. There are no pressure regulators, and there is no water heater in the system. It's just a fill and use kind of tank.

For water flow, a 1.5 in. pipe is fitted to its bottom. There is a check valve, and its turned full open. The tank is fitted on the 2nd floor (25ft above ground level). We fill the tank with bore \ well water with the help of an electric pump. When we open any tap, water pressure is very high.

What could be the reason?


texts: Pre-made rain cap for plumbing vent? (Preventing rust-through of galvanized pipe in the walls)

texts:
Are pre-made rain caps made for plumbing waste vents?

My house was built 1938 with galvanized DWV pipes which have a series of elbows before reaching the roof. All such elbows retain a certain amount of rain or dew water.  I quite incidentally discovered one elbow is paper thin at the bottom:

The run is more or less sloped.
See also:
Covering / Cap over DWV vent pipe
This is 1.5 inch pipe.


texts: Why can't you install a GFCI in a box that has more than 4 wires (not including ground)?

texts:
I installed a GFCI receptacle yesterday, the instructions were saying that if you see more than 4 wires in the box (excluding the ground) call an electrician.

In my case everything you see to the right of the brown dotted line was connected to one box (4x4)


texts:
I have a mini fridge, and I noticed that it had two pieces of black putty tape on the refrigerant lines. What is the purpose of these?
They're much thicker than standard tape and the best way to describe them is as a putty with a strip of cellophane backing.
My best guess is that they're intended to seal some hole in the line or reinforce a weak weld or something, but that doesn't sound very safe since R600a is the flammable compound isobutane.


texts: Can I drain the main sink in a double sink (with a small disposal side) into the disposal, to prevent clogs from building up from food waste?

texts:
The main sink keeps clogging up--I'll use a plunger, Liquid Plumber, and/or a snake to clean it out and get it running nicely, and then it'll clog again within a week or so.

To solve this, I'm wanting to set up something that I knew my parents had when I was a kid: the main sink drained through the disposal, so that whenever the main sink clogged, running the disposal cleared it.

How do I drain the main sink through the disposal?


texts:
I have 6 inter-connected smoke alarms and one of them won't stop beeping. I replaced 4 of these alarms.

The 2 I haven't replaced were newer ones installed by the previous owner in 2008. I have replaced the batteries on both these and one of them won't stop beeping.


texts: Can you sister floor joists with smaller boards?

texts:
Does adding a sister that is smaller than the original joist actually increase strength at all? If so, does it need to be sistered at the bottom (so both beams touch the sill) or does it still add strength if sistered to be flush on the top?

To extend the question, does a sistered joist that doesn't go the full span add strength?


texts: What is the viewing window for on this tape measure?

texts: Can someone please explain me the significance of the window in this measuring tape? I am unable to understand its application.


texts: We recently purchased this house and it has hardwood in the entryway but the rest of the room is carpet. We don't want to spend money on hardwood floor and want to put laminate. Do you'll think the transition from hardwood to laminate will look hideous? Or should I remove the hardwood? Has anyone done this before?


texts: Can we apply Formica directly to bare drywall?

texts: Can Formica be applied directly to bare drywall? If it can, which adhesive is best to use?  We want to apply it to the walls around a toilet in an unfinished basement setting.


texts: Arc fault circuit with voltage bleed to neutral

texts: I have 83 volts hot to neutral 120 volts hot to ground and 26 volts neutral to ground on an existing arc fault breaker circuit.


texts: Thermocouple keep burning out, is it our gas valve?

texts: Thermocouple keeps burning out. Looking at 1 or 2  within 2 week period ! Tried different brands, the pilot will only stay lit for 3 minutes then automatically shuts down.


texts: Why do pigtails not count towards box volume capacity

texts:
I would like to know why pigtails are not included in the volume count for outlet receptacle boxes.
I recently upgraded to a two way outlet and had a total of four 14/2 wires coming into the box and stay under four wires per wire nut I used pigtails. This ended up leading to quite a few pigtails in the box but based on NEC codes I’ve seen people quote on here pigtails aren’t added to the count and I don’t understand why. It definitely can crowd the box!
Edit 1/8/2020 9:51pm: For example my situation is as follows:
I’m looking at new handbook and maybe getting confused. I thought the point of this was to ensure there was enough space ( conductors to space ratio) for heat related issues. In my case , The outlet box is 38 cubic inches. I have 3 14/2 wires going in and 1 14/3 wire going in. I have two receptacle outlets for it. I wired the outlets in parallel instead of daisy chain (I created daisy chain to limit to a max of four wires in a wire nut). In total I have 6 black, 7 white , 1 red, and 7 ground. I had a total of 7 ideas protwist wire nuts used. So what does that put me at for total volume then?


texts:
When removing drywall we noticed old wallpaper or painted plaster underneath and behind an old door frame we took down. When looking at the designs we noticed white fibers and are worried it might be asbestos.
Please tell me I’m being paranoid and it’s just horse or animal hair. Our home was built in 1898.


texts: Should I connect the ground in the outlet for the dryer and the panel?

texts:
the ground wire for the dryer is not connected at the panel, or at the outlet.
Is this correct or do, or do I need to land the ground wire at the panel and land ground wire to the actual dryer plug wall plug?


texts: Do you include the concrete that squeezes out under the frame as part of the depth of the concrete driveway?

texts: We had professional concrete contractors pour a new driveway.  We asked for five inches depth.  When I measured at the side of the driveway I found concrete had squeezed out under the frame.  Do you measure the squeezed out portion as part of the driveway depth?  Please help!


texts: Tried to screw through the ceramic or even Grout. Would not penetrate with a pretty decent drill.


texts: What should I do about water dripping into my smoke detector from the attic after a heavy rain?

texts:
I live in the Midwest of the United States, and we not-too-rarely get a large amount of rain coming down at one time both in the spring and sometimes in the fall. Last night was no different (aside from random earthquakes..) than usual, but after I went to bed, my smoke alarm went off. I quickly determined that there was in fact no fire, so I went to take the smoke alarm off of its mounting and when I removed it, I found that there was a decent amount of water in the smoke detector. If I had to guess I'd say about 50 mL. So not a huge amount, but enough to set it off.

I left it off for a time, and did not notice any more water coming from the opening in the ceiling (which is a recess where the detector and power wiring sits, not fully open to the attic (just where the wires come in, as far as I know. I didn't examine it terribly closely), even though it was still raining fairly hard (though not nearly as hard as it had been).

This morning, I went to have a look around the attic to see if I could see anywhere it was leaking (it is still misting outside, but not raining any longer), but I was unable to detect any wet spots in the roof.

What should my next step be? The roof (and indeed the house) is 1 year old, so I would hope that it hasn't sprung a leak, but I can't think of how else water would have gotten into the smoke detector. I also suspect paying someone to go and try to find a leak is going to be fairly expensive as well.

The detector itself appears to be working. If I test it, and it functions, should I still replace it because of potential water damage?

Update

Here is a picture of the socket in question, and there is indeed cool air coming from it. I'm not totally convinced it is just condensation, elsewise this would have happened last year during the winter, I would think, but am unsure.


texts: We have a portable air conditioner that we used pretty heavily over the weekend. When I woke up this morning, it has leaked water all over the living room floor. Any ideas of why? Thanks!


texts: Suspending many lightweight acoustic panels from a plaster ceiling

texts:
I have a collection of fairly lightweight acoustic panels that I want to suspend from a plaster ceiling (see mockup images below). My question: What is the best way to attach them?
Here’s the shape of the problem:

10 large panels @ 1.75 kg / 3.84 lbs each, 21 in wide at the narrowest
18 small panels @ 0.62 kg / 1.37 lbs each, 10.5 in wide at the narrowest
Panels should be suspended ~2 in below the ceiling, so adhesives are not an option.
The precise arrangement and small size of the panels means I can’t make them all hit joists.
I expect I’ll want to suspend each panel at three separate points so I can level it. My thought is to use neodymium magnets at the end of long bolts/screws to allow fine position adjustments. That means that:

I’m drilling 3*(10+18) = 84 holes in the ceiling here.
Each individual hole carries a weight of no more than 0.6 kg / 1.3 lbs.

It’s an old house, so the ceiling is lath & plaster, not drywall. Things I’m wondering:

Given the low weight here, are toggle bolts really necessary? Or can I get away with screws of some kind, hoping that most of the screws at least hit some lath?
Alternatively, is there some kind of tiltable swivel mount I could use to level them, and thus need to position only one in the center of each hexagon instead of three at the edges?
Other suggestions to keep this project manageable?


texts: How do I reattach a shelf to the wall when it ripped out of the wall?

texts:
I had attached a shelf to my wall using the hardware that came with the shelf, but then it came crashing down in the middle of the night and all of my stuff came down with it.

The hardware came from Home Depot, I don't remember the name, but there are two pieces, one is pictured below. They were rated for 30 pounds IIRC, and I only had 8 board games and 10 small books of sheet music on the shelf - I don't think I overloaded it.

I drilled holes in the wall, hammered in the plastic bits, and drove the screws into the plastic bits. There are wooden studs where they were placed.

Did I install the shelf wrong, or did I put too much weight on it?
When I put the shelf back up, should I use a different method? longer screws? do I need to get new plastic thingies?


texts: Ceramic ring installed wrong and now jammed

texts: Maids took a globe off and instead of putting the ring inside the globe and screwing on they put on top and have managed to jam it up inside. I have tried needle nose pliers and started to unscrew the socket for the light bulb but was leery of getting it back to together. Can I break it with something? It is really strong. Any advice? Pics attached


texts: My kids playroom door got beat up, and we managed to pull the screws out of the jamb.  Tips to fix it?  I've heard drill out + dowel + redrill, anything else?


texts: Refrigerator trips One GFI, but not Another GFI

texts: I've had refrigerator plugged into a GFI for over a year in the garage. Recently it's tripped the GFI, so I thought the


texts: Outward opening bedroom door without a lock

texts: I rent a room in a private home and cannot change the doorknob, but I would like to be able to secure my room from others staying in the home. Is there a way to secure an outward opening interior door that does not have a lock?


texts:
I am getting a hot tub soon and need to pre wire it myself. This is my first house so I’m still learning all the electrical stuff.
When I was in the process of building, I requested the builder to put in a 240V connection in the backyard. It’s on its own breaker in the main panel in the garage (picture below). My question is, do I need to buy a sub panel box outside?
I already have a small box out there with the wires needed (pic below). If I do need a sub panel, what do I go with? The main breaker is 60 amps but the hot tub requires 50. I know I can either wire straight from the box provided if my main breaker is GFCI or sub panel with a GFCI switch. If I have to go with the latter what do I need? Thanks in advance.


texts: Hardwood or softwood for paneling a workshop wall?

texts:
I'm planning to insulate and panel the walls of an unfinished garage workshop, and would like to use wooden boards instead of sheetrock or other alternatives.  I'm thinking 4" wide boards, 1/2" thick, of various lengths in horizontal rows, maybe a mix of species or different stains for appearance.  My question is: what kinds of wood are most suitable?

Because this is a garage and not a living room, my main concerns are practical, not about appearance.  I want to avoid wood that is likely to crack or warp with the seasons.  (I am in Maine and the seasonal changes in climate are pretty dramatic.)  Ease of installation, durability, strength, any insulating properties, could also be good to know.  I'm not too concerned about the differences in appearance.

Cost is not a major concern, because I intend to cut the trees and saw them into boards myself.  For softwoods I have access to pine, spruce, and fir in abundance, maybe some cedar or hemlock.  For hardwoods, I'd probably use less-valuable species like beech, birch, popple, ash, soft maple, apple, etc.  We do have oak and hard maple in our woods, but my intuition is that these furniture-grade woods should be saved for more worthy applications.


texts: I live in an older duplex. I just recently attempted to clean out the dryer vent/duct for the downstairs unit and failed because I could not find where my dryer vent is outside. Is it possible that my dryer vent and the upstairs dryer vents are connected to the same outdoor vent?


texts: How to accurately measure CFM with Digital Anemometer and Duct

texts:
We bought a digital anemometer to check the CFM of various fans we have on hand. My husband designed and 3D Printed this duct that securely mounts fans on to the anemometer for accurate readings, which seems to work great.

The unit we have takes an input of FT² and automatically converts that to CFM, but we don't know how to determine the surface area in FT² of this duct design, given the cone shape, fins and solid center area.

We tried using Pi x R ^ 2 with Radius from the small fan side, and again with Radius from the large anemometer side, but this isn't quite correct. We're using a high end 6 CFM fan as a baseline, and readings are roughly 2.5 CFM off depending on which end we measure the radius of.

Any advice on how to properly find the surface area of this would be great. We tried loading the STL file in CAD software like Fusion 360, but it measure the design, not the channels for airflow.


texts: Are there devices to find pipes in walls?

texts:
I just moved into a new apartment and have no idea what's in the walls. This makes me somewhat afraid that I might hit a water pipe or so when drilling into the wall.

Is there some kind of tool that I can use to check whether a spot is safe to drill into?


texts: Washer Drain pipe too high - suggestions?

texts:
First post on this site, long time Stack Exchange consumer for tech stuff, didn't realize there was a Home Improvement section!

I've got a GE washing machine that periodically will spray water out of the drain standpipe.  The drain situation is pretty bad, the house came like this.  It's way too high, the connection point (the 4 way fitting) is 6 feet off the ground and the open standpipe itself is not even 12" long.  Not sure why it's been working OK at all, but it only seems to overflow occasionally.  A couple more data points:

I know that the standpipe is supposed to be 18" at least, but I'm not sure how much taller I could make it given the clearance to the (low) basement ceiling
The manual for the washing machine actually says that it can pump up to 8 feet high

I just am sitting here scratching my head, trying to figure out what my options are.  I suppose I could get a drain pump, and feed the washer into that, and then pump that out.  I'd prefer to not have to do that (more complexity, electricity usage, etc).  But do I have any other options?

Thanks so much.


texts:
The other day I noticed the pump motor for the pop-ups on our pool was louder than usual.  There wasn't anything I could attribute this to such as the motor overheating, and the onset wasn't gradual - one day it was quiet and the next it was loud.

The motor hasn't run very long in this state, I shut it off and have only run in a couple times for about 5 minutes at a time to test some things.  For instance, it appears to still have full power, as when it runs it is still driving the pop-ups and the force of water coming out appears to be about the same.  And it doesn't seem to be overheating, at least not when running it for just a few minutes. (I can hold my hand on it and it feels hot but not uncomfortable.)

I did a bit of research and found a couple of things which possibly could be going wrong here.  One is that the could be something that got stuck in the impeller, and the noise I am hearing is the impeller grinding against it.  The other is that the bearings are going bad.  The noise the motor is making seems like it could be either one: it sounds kind of like a constant metal rattle of moderately high pitch. I had tried listening closely to both the motor itself and the impeller housing, and haven't been able to isolate one or the other as where the excess sound is coming from.

I have tried a quick taking off the impeller housing (it's got a hand tightened screw that holds a metal clamp in place) but both sides of the motor housing are bolted to other things which prevent the housing from separating until they are all removed.


texts: How to put drywall over garage uneven concrete wall?

texts:
I would like to make my garage wall a bit "smoother". And now I think about using drywall to cover the bare concrete. However the concrete is very uneven with at least 1 inch of concrete sticking out like in the corner below

(Sorry this pic turned side way)

The wall has several "lines" with metal wires sticking out. I could cut the wires but it will be hard to "sand" or cut the concrete.

What are your suggestion? Or should I "frame" 2x2 or something like that with plywood on the outside then?


texts:
Last year I had an infestation of carpenter ants, so I contacted a pest control company and paid for a year's worth of service. Now, exactly a week after the contract expired, I'm seeing them come back.

I'm planning on taking care of it myself this year, since the chemicals cost less than a month's worth of service from the pest control company.

I know that the two most common ways of treating for carpenter ants are:

1.) Boric acid bait

2.) Fipronil spray

Is either one of these treatments more effective than the other, and/or is the combination of these treatments more effective than either on its own?


texts: Can I have my water spigot at/attached on the same post (6x6 or 6x8) as my meter/panel combo and RV panel? Meter/panel on one side, RV panel on opposite side and an auto drain frost proof hydrants on the one side not used.


texts: Extending power from 3 way switch with power coming into the fixture

texts:
I have a dining room light on a 3 way switch that also extends power into the hallway from the first switch. All the wires have been removed and now I'm lost. Trick is, there is a 14-2 power supply to the fixture, then a 14-3 from the fixture to the 1st light switch. This is where the power is suppose to branch power into the hallway (and other rooms/porch) while also continuing to the 2nd 3 way switch (which is a dead end switch).
Is there suppose to be a 4 way switch at the first 3 way switch location? I'm able to get the 3 way switches to work alone, the hallway (along with basement hallway, another room and porch lights) alone or both with the issue of only one switch working the dining room light.
I've looked online for this situation with power coming into the fixture on a 14-2 and leaving on a 14-3 without any luck.
P.S. Sorry about the sloppy drawing.


texts: How do I turn off the power to my programable thermostat?

texts: I am installing a new programable thermostat.  In trying to cut power to the old one I have tried a couple of things but not sure I have done enough to cut all power.  One, I shut off the furnace breaker.  Two, there is a switch in the attic on the furnace.  I have turned it off as well.  My problem is that the digital read out and back light are still on on the unit.


texts: Use cement blocks for egress window well surrounding

texts:
I need to make an egress window and the depth below grade is 24".

However, most egress window wells at home improvement stores are 20" in height and I need to buy 2 of them which made the cost double.

I am thinking about using cement blocks to make the well like so

It may cost me only $200 vs $800.

My questions:
1. Is this allow by code (in general)? I am in Washington State

How to prevent water leakage inside the well? Basically do I need to seal it (like bathroom)?

Thanks.


texts: What is this black/brown chunky sludge in my sink?

texts: I woke up this morning to a foul-smelling, black/brown gunk that had appeared in my bathroom sink overnight or the previous day.  It doesn't look like a slimy mold like many questions seem to be, instead it is chunky and seems to have dried up.  There might be food bits in it, which makes me think I might have a backup somewhere from the kitchen sink, but that's nowhere near this one.


texts:
will using a ventilation system with an heat exchanger give me the same quality air indoors as outdoors?

is using a proper ventilation system equivalent to having all your windows open without any heat loss in terms of the air quality (namely the freshness/crispness of air)


texts: Two switches, one turns both lights on, the other just one of them

texts:
I have two separate lights in a room. And two separate switches (actually one switch and one motion sensor). I want one switch to turn both lights on, and one switch to turn just one of the lights on.

As a truth table:

Switch 1   Switch 2   Light A   Light B
0          0          0         0
1          0          1         1
0          1          1         0
1          1          1         1

My trouble is: Since Switch 1 has to turn on both lights, the "inputs" of both lights have to be connected. So if Switch 2 the sends power to Light A, Light B will also turn on since they are connected.

Is there an easy way to do this?


texts: Which router bit should I use to recess a door hinge using a template

texts:
I've just made my 1st template and used it to rout out a set of hinges . I was very surprised to learn that the usual approach was to use a guide bush and a straight 2 fluted bit. This involved attempting to make the template 1.65mm larger all around the template to accomodate the offset between the 16mm guide bush diameter and the 12.7mm width of the cutter. (16-12.7)/2 = 1.65mm.
   But- after researching I was getting the impression that some may be using a special router bit possibly a template profiler with top bearing (on the shank) and mortising ability. I can't find any definitive information on this and am wandering if I'm getting confused with using this bit to actually make the template or to recess the hinge following the template.
    If I can make my next template exactly the same size as the hinge then that would seem to me a lot easier and much less likely attract error.
    So - can anyone confirm whether the second method is possible and exactly which type of bit I should use?


texts: Can a GFCI combo and a switch be independently connected to a light and a fan using 14/3 wire?

texts: The box on the left in the diagram is a dimmer switch and the box on the right is a GFCI combo switch. The ground wiring is absent from the diagram. How can this wiring be completed to connect the fan and light independently?


texts: Have a sound studio in the backyard, and the Electric utility just cut down numerous trees that buffered the sound from an adjacent highway. Is there a relatively inexpensive way to block sound from the highway along a 200' chain link fenced property line?


texts: How can I have door latch hardware at different heights on each side?

texts: Has anybody ever figured out a way to have a door handle at a different height inside and outside of a door and work the same latch. I have a door coming down steps I would like to have the handle higher but still have the other side match the handle height in the rooms. I've been playing around with ideas of mortising the side of the door so I can attach the 2 handles with flat bar stock and then fitting a piece back in. Just curious what anyone thinks or if anyone has ever done something like this.


texts: What type of breakers is this and how should they be switched back on?

texts:
My friend is taking care of my 25 year old home in British Columbia (Canada) and all breakers were switched off when I went away, except for the Main at the bottom and the garage one for him to be able to activate the garage door to access the garden tools. Now he needs to turn some heaters on in the house to keep the temperature inside above 10C as the weather is cooling down, but most breakers seem to be set up by set of four, with a top-bottom tandem (linked by a metal plate) and a middle tandem (linked by a small bar).
The pic shows the panel configuration after he switched some breakers ON, but I wonder if there are any rules when selectively switching some of these linked breakers ON and OFF? Anything to be careful about? I am concerned with fire hazard as there is nobody in there to detect a problem (short circuit, etc.).
Thanks


texts: Does a heavy drop-in fireclay kitchen sink need mounting clips for installation?

texts: The sink I bought didn't come with mounting clips. It weighs 75 pounds. Is 100% silicone on the drop in lip enough to secure it in place?


texts: Why does my microwave trip my AFCI only when it's mostly empty?

texts:
I live in a recently redone home and I'm having a very odd electrical issue.  My microwave is intermittently tripping a combination arc fault breaker only when it is mostly empty, e.g. one slice of pizza.  When the microwave is fuller, it works fine.  The breaker does not seem to be the problem: I've moved the microwave to a different circuit and had the same results.  I have a new Panasonic Inverter microwave; my old microwave exhibited this same problem.  No other appliance in this home has caused any trips.

Breakers involved are Siemens QAF2 CAFCI.

Any ideas?


texts: System to charge 24V lead-acid battery from a 12V lead-acid battery

texts:
Our garage has no mains connection, but it does have a 12V leisure battery charged from a solar panel, connected to an inverter to produce 240V AC. That mainly gets used for charging a mobility scooter that's kept in the garage overnight, and the mobility scooter runs off a 24V battery.

The current setup – converting the nominal 12V DC to 240V AC then back to (approximately) 24V DC to charge the scooter battery – seems grossly inefficient to me. It seems like it should be possible to set up a charging system that converts from 12V DC straight to 24V DC. But I'm utterly failing to find a sensible way to achieve that. What would I need to charge the 24V battery from the 12V one without converting to AC as an intermediate step? Or is it just A Bad Idea for some reason I haven't spotted?

Ideally I'd like the 24V system to be some sort of intelligent charging system, i.e. adjusting the charging voltage and current according to the battery voltage. I'd also vastly prefer to not need to rewire the scooter batteries from the 24V series layout to a 12V parallel layout.


texts: Do I need to replace the old cabinet floor under my sink if there is nice hardwood flooring below?  Hate to hide the beautiful hardwood.


texts: Is there any way to either 'break in' or live with tamper resistant outlets?

texts:
I've read of many people have trouble with TR outlets, mostly plugging into them.

What mechanisms are there for either breaking them in, or otherwise living with them when you don't have Little People underfoot?


texts: Why won't my AC system turn off after I flipped the breaker?

texts:
We've got a central cooling air conditioner that was installed in 1984 with a thermostat from that same year. We are replacing the thermostat with a new programmable one (which has a 100% compatibility guarantee).

Following the instructions from Home Depot I located the circuit breakers for the unit and switched them off (the circuit breakers on the panel inside the house, not the main ones for the entire house). Nothing happened. The AC unit is still running and blowing cold air.

Am I missing something here or could the breakers be broken? Or worse, could the unit be installed improperly? Feel free to point out the obvious.  :-)

More info if it matters: We have a Trane central air unit with a heater pump and an emergency electric heater. We are in Central Florida


texts: What are these devices mounted on old fashioned domestic electric trunking?

texts:
Location: India

Estimated date-range for installation of the objects under enquiry 1920 - 1960

Just what the title states. The trunking exhibits several boards with similar thingummibob mounted upon them. What are these things (name)? What purpose do they serve?


texts: How to select a water pump for water feature

texts:
Let me preface this with I know nothing about plumbing so what I'm trying to do may not be practical or even possible. So here's to hoping.

I am trying to design an indoor water feature that will function similar to a trickling waterfall and I'm hoping we can figure out what type and size pump I should use and the size of the reservoir required to prevent stressing the pump. Right now everything is just modeled in sketchup so its very easy to change the dimensions if necessary.

I'm looking to pump the water up approximately 3ft and the width of the top of the fall is ~1.5ft. I only want it to trickle so the depth of the water coming out at the top will be negligible (I assume) if a number is required lets just say 1/8th in.

Another concern I have is the noise. Since it will be indoors and the point of the feature is to provide ambient water noise, having a loud pump isn't ideal. Another assumption I'm making is that a submersible pump would be quieter than an inline pump but I freely admin I have no basis for that opinion.

Lastly, regarding the reservoir. I don't have a ton of room to hide a huge tank so I'm hoping I can get away with something like a gallon. The current model has about 5in of height clearance but that can be increased by another 2-3 inches if necessary.

Hopefully all of this information is clear. Please let me know if you have any questions and thanks in advance for any advice.


texts:
I purchased a new induction cooktop only to find the old cooktop is has some strange wiring. The house was built in 1980 but the cooktop that came with it was much more modern. The wire powering it has to thick black cables, and then like 10 thin bare silver wires. The existing range had the ground hooked up to a bundle of 3 of the thin bare wires.

I cannot find any reference to this kind of wiring online. For now I've wired up the new cooktop the same way and it works but makes me nervous. Can anyone explain what the existing wiring is without a neutral or single ground? And is it safe, or how urgent is it I get a new wire run?


texts: Mouse coming through gap around gas pipe

texts:
I found some mouse droppings in a cabinet yesterday, I'm not very handy but best I can tell is the following -

There is a weep hole outside, which is maybe 1 centimeter wide wide, and it seems the mouse came through there, then crawled up to the pipe and squeezed through the gap around the pipe and eventually got into the cabinets.  There are some holes for plumbing in the cabinets, where it has easy access to get in.

I put a very small amount of foam on the gap last night, and it looks like the mouse pushed it out, I found a few droppings again in the cabinet this morning.

What is a correct and safe way to close the gap around the gas pipe?


texts: What wire gauge do I need for a 100 Amp subpanel at the end of a 60' wire run?

texts:
I am adding an attached garage to my house.  I'm going to be putting in a 100 Amp subpanel which is about 60 feet away and run through the basement joists.

What gauge wire do you recommend for either aluminum and copper?  Also, do you recommend one or the other?


texts: Is it okay to install a sediment filter backward in a reverse osmosis system?

texts:
I just had my reverse osmosis system serviced. The technician said that the sediment filter had some problem in passing water. The water pressure was low in the correct (or marked) water flow direction. He tried to clean it and then placed it back in the reverse direction. He said that it is okay to have it in reverse direction as it will serve it purpose, but looking at the videos of whats inside a sediment filter, I think this is not the right way.

Can some please tell if this is okay or should I get it reverted?


texts: Inspector said something was required in the hole that was punched out to run the romex through. (hole can not be left with just romex)  anyone know what I need to buy?


texts: Can I use separate 14 gauge outlet taps on 12 gauge circuits?

texts: If with a duplex outlet you break off the "connector bracket" (Leviton Corp term--I always called it the duplex tab) next to the screw terminals it will separate it into 2 single outlets and using 2 sets of 14ga pigtails that should comply with code as stated.  That way neither 14ga tap should exceed load specs.  With the exception of the creativity of the human mind to intentionally overload it.


texts:
I am building a pole barn about 200 feet from my house.  I would like to run 90amp or so 240VAC to a subpanel, as well as ~400VDC from solar panels, and a pull or perhaps two of Cat5e ethernet cable.
The 240VAC will go to a subpanel in the pole barn, and will be 4 conductor (L1, L2, N and G). The subpanel will also be tied to a ground rod at the pole barn.
The 400VDC will likely be 3 pair, and will go from solar panels to inverters at the house, which tie into an existing grid connected solar system.
The ethernet will have two runs, mostly for redundancy.  I only need one.  I have considered running more, but a better solution might be to put a POE switch in the barn, and use POE to run cameras.
Each group of lines would run in their own conduit.  I will try to keep the ethernet conduit away from the others in the trench.
I am considering using aluminum wire for the 240VAC and the solar, for cost.  I would probably want to try to go with copper for the solar, since it would frequently cycle between maximum power and no power more often than the 240VAC.
Is 10" suitable separation for the Cat5e? Any other suggestions?


texts: Multiple circuits in the same conduit to outbuildings

texts:
We currently have a single 15 amp circuit feeding the pool filter, then the pool shed and then the gazebo. We recently buried a new conduit from the house to the location of the pool filter receptacle.

I know that I can't have more than one circuit feeding an outbuilding, but can I feed the outdoor receptacle for the pool filter, the pool shed and the gazebo as three separate circuits? And can the wires for the three circuits travel together in the same conduit? I would need to dig another very short conduit from the pool filter location into the shed.

If the circuit for the gazebo traveled through the pool shed but wasn't connected to anything inside the structure would that be ok?


texts: Bathroom exhust fan ducting - size, length & CFM

texts:
Still trying to solve my problem of bathroom vent fans that aren't vented anywhere...

Was considering running out the gable, but that's 25' away, plus another 10-15' of duct and a couple of elbows to move from the outside edge of the attic into the center (and up so that I can slope the duct towards the exhust port?)

Trying to figure out if that's a good idea or bad.

Ran across this great answer...
How much vent fan throughput do I need for my bathroom?

Which as I read it, basically says...the longer the duct, the higher CFM needed.  So given my 480 cu. ft. bathroom and estimated equivalent duct length I'd probably need a 70-90cfm fan.

But searching the web also lead me to IRC table M1506.2 Duct Length, which I understand to say that a higher CFM also needs a larger duct.

So I think I'd need to use 6" duct, rather the then 4".

Am I missing something?  Confused as to why the answer above seems to penalize 6" (flex) duct when the IRC seems to indicate 6" is a requirement.


texts: Small part of filler in furnace is stuck. Can I still insert a new filter?

texts: Bottom of furnace filter stuck can I still put new one in


texts:
I have a 1 1/2 inch standpipe coming off of a 2 inch drain pipe in my basement. The only thing before the stand pipe is the kitchen sink. And after the standpipe is a pipe coming down from the washing machine. But there is no p trap for the washer, only a running trap a few feet down the line from where the washer drain comes down.

But there is a wye with a service 45 going into a trap and an air gap on top for the water softener.
Now the only problem I’m having is I notice some bubbles coming out of the air gap vent. Could it be that the washing machine is draining too fast for that in-line tubing trap to handle?

I have a quick little sketch since I’m having trouble getting a full picture of everything. It seems to work fine when the water softener is backwashing or anything else is draining.

Just wanted a second opinion.


texts: Which is better: UPS or Voltage stablizer in terms of power fluctuations

texts: I am renovating my showroom and, already having a old voltage stablizer, my question is which is better: UPS or voltage stablizer, in terms of voltage fluctuations?


texts: Upstairs wooden floor, covered in glue after removing tiles. Advice?

texts: For some reason, my mother-in-law had awful wood effect floor tiles nailed and glued onto the floor boards in her bedroom (she has passed away and we have inherrited the house). 3/4 of the room is glued, 1/4 isnt, and that was the bit i took up first. Getting the rest off with a hammer will take ages, and we will be left with lumpy glue everywhere. My electrician told me he would rip the floor up completely and start again as its tongue and groove, so you cant even flip the boards over. Any advice would be very welcome! Thanks in advance.


texts: What is the best way to repair a cracked bathtub?

texts: Close examination of the floor of my bathtub has revealed a long, thin crack in the bathtub itself.  The bathtub is one of the common plastic-feeling variety (though I am not sure if it is actually a plastic.)  What is the best way to patch this crack?


texts: Distance between edge of concrete for anchor bolts?

texts:
In residential construction, placing anchor (j bolts) for the sill plate, I have always read that it's best to stay towards the outside edge of the foundation and face the J portion towards the interior of the home.  For an 8" thick concrete wall, I have always used ~3" in from the edge.  This allowed a 2x6 plate to have the anchor be about 1/4" off center of the board.

Wondering how you guys do it, and if there is a better way.  I always try to get the concrete guys to provide 10" instead of 8" bolts, and they are typically 5/8" diameter.

Also - Do you actually preset the anchor bolts in blocks of wood or rebar cages, so that the hook part of the J slips under the top horizontal rebar?


texts: What is required to enclose and finish my basement stairs?

texts:
I am finishing my basement, including enclosing the stairs: new treads, adding risers, drywalling in the sides. My question concerns structural requirements for the stairs.

Photos below for reference. (Apolgies for the junk on and under the stairs.)

Currently, the stringers are nailed to the joists at the top. The bottom of the stringers just sits on the concrete basement floor.

Other than at the top, the stringers are only attached indirectly:

a.  On each side, about mid-way down the stairs is a 2x4 nailed into the joist at the top and into the concrete at the bottom. There is another 2x4 running horizontally between the two vertical 2x4s; it is nailed into the two vertical 2x4s and the underside of the stringers.

b. On each side, at the bottom of the stairs, is a 2x4 about 4' tall that serves effectively as a newel post for the handrail. The stringers are nailed into these 2x4s and the 2x4s are nailed into the concrete.

The stairway seems perfectly sturdy. My plan is to, basically, replace the 2x4s on each side of the stairway with a wall: Top plate, bottom plate and 2x4 studs. Then, I'll nail the studs to the stringers in the same way they are currently attached.

My only concern is that once I start messing with the stairway, the inspectors will require some major changes to bring it up to code (assuming it's not up to code right now for an inhabited room). (Note: I've looked through the applicable code--IRBC 2012--and cannot find anything on point.)

So, all that background for my question: Is it required that stringers be anchored to the floor at the bottom? Assuming so, will it be adequate to nail the stringers to the 2x4 studs of my new walls or will I need to anchor them some other way?

I'll appreciate any other thoughts you might have.

Thanks,

AEP


texts: Can I use packing popcorn (peanuts) instead of gravel for filling a french drain?

texts:
I'm digging a 2 feet deep french drain a few feet away from the house.  I'm wondering if instead of gravel I could surround the 4" perforated pipe with packing popcorn (or peanuts, or whatever they are called).  I'll be backfilling 1 foot with dirt on top.

What leads me to believe that this can work is the existence of this product:

https://www.ndspro.com/ezdrain

I know that gravel works.  The question is: is the popcorn really a good idea or am I going to see problems in the future.


texts: How to rehang vertical blinds on a damaged bay ceiling?

texts: My vertical blind has lost two of its four brackets. It was fixed to the ceiling of my bay window and the plugs and screws have pulled away. Is it possible to fill and replug in the same place and what products would you say would help make a successful repair.


texts:
I'm current planning a rooftop terrace which should include a small outdoor kitchen.

I would like to know if it's possible to use the existing plumbing roof vent to connect the kitchen drain? Should I rather use the roof drain pipe ?

Thanks for your help.
Crak


texts: recently ripped out the old oil furnace that was proving to be more trouble than its worth to fix ; and went and got a 30K BTU heater, BUT its only warming up one side of the house, I plan on getting another to put on the other side but my question is will both of those be able to run alright off of my 100LB tank? and If so any rough estimate of how long?


texts: Round outdoor junction (not flush) to square

texts: I have seen square to round adapters for junction boxes but not round to square.  I have an outdoor mounted round junction box with a light that's mounted on the wall not in it.  I want to convert it to a square so I can put a square light backed light in instead.  Is there a converter?  I'd rather not rip it out and put more holes in the stucco plus the wires are coming in from conduit from the side so it's more of a pain.


texts:
I am replacing the exhaust fan in my bathroom, however it seems like there is an extra white wire on the fan. The wires came with “quick connectors” - do I remove these and tie the whites together?

I was assuming:

Green > Ground
Black > Black
Blue > Red ?
White > White

Thanks!


texts: How can I remove dried latex paint from a bathtub and tub drain?

texts:
My 16 year old daughter decided to paint her bathroom this summer without telling us. To her credit she painted and cleaned up everything relatively well. But, apparently she cleaned everything in her tub, and just left it there without telling us anything. It's been a week now, and I just found out.

1) There is paint all over the bottom of the tub ... what is the best way to clean this up without damaging / scratching the fiberglass tub?
2) The drain is clogged. What is the best way to de-clog it?

Thanks!


texts: Can I safely create another 120V outlet using the fourth neutral wire from a 4 wire 240V line?

texts: I recently just ran a 4 conductor 240 volt line out to my shed. I chose to run the extra conductor just in case, but I do not currently need it for my application. My question is, can I add a 120V receptacle using the extra neutral line as long as I tap into the same ground as the 240V is using, or possibly another grounded outlet in the room? If not, then how do appliances make use of the fourth neutral to power clocks and things safely?


texts: Connection for C wire on Mastertrol Mark V zone control panel

texts:
I have spent hours searching the web for information on this 20+ year old zone control panel, which supports 3 zones of Heat and A/C.

The thermostat I'm replacing (on Zone 3) connects to T4/T5/T6 as W, R, Y respectively (the wire colors do not match because it's sharing a cable with Zone 2, which go the matching colors).   I need a C (Common) wire to supply power to the thermostat, and found 24VAC across M2 and T5  (M1/M2 are the power leads to the zone damper, and seem to be connected internally to "1" and "2", the 24VAC supply.

However, when I connect the C terminal on the thermostat to the M2 connection, there is a click from some of the zone relays and the transformer hums as if it's overloaded.  I removed power after a few seconds and disconnected the wire (now hanging off to the right of the picture).

I've disconnected the wire from the C terminal at the thermostat, and measure 24VAC across it and the Rh terminal on the 'stat, so I don't believe the issue is in the wiring.

The thermostat is a Filtrete 3M50; I've read that it draws less than .1 Amp, so I don't think this should be enough to put the system over some maximum current draw.

I'm looking for ideas on how to troubleshoot this.


texts: Hi the previous owners of my mobile home left a garden hose attached to the outside and i cannot get it off. It turns but isn't coming off


texts: approximate strength of poured reinforced concrete slab

texts: We would like to back a truck over a garage floor recently poured. The slab is 6 inches thick with 1/2 inch rebar in a 2 foot grid throughout. The concrete is a 6.5 sack mix and has cured 60 days. The garage floor has no walls erected. Our intent is to pour a walk around three sides of the slab and they are only about 40 percent reachable to pour from the truck without using a wheel borrow to place  the concrete. The concrete company estimates their loaded truck will weigh about 37,000 pounds. Two sets of dual wheels in rear and one set of single wheels in the front. Any suggestions will be appreciated. The concrete is poured over a soil surface compacted to 95 percent minimum compaction. No voids, no rock.


texts: What kind of connector do I need to connect our outside tap

texts:
We have just moved into a new house and we have an outside tap thats not connected. There is a flexible pipe coming into the house from the outsite tap and a valve under the sink but how/what connector do I need to connect them together?

Many thanks


texts: How can one whole group of outlets stop working, but the wires to one plug on one outlet are still hot?

texts:
I have a bank — circuit? — of outlets in the kitchen that have stopped working. One of these outlets is a GFCI but it is not tripped. The breakers for all the kitchen outlets have not tripped but I tried resetting them anyway. I took the outlets apart and tested to see if the outlets themselves were bad or if they weren't getting power. One of the outlets, the GFCI, has two wires leading into it that show they have power. The other two wires show they have no power.

How can two of these wires have power and two of them not? How do I know what is broken and how to fix it? Should I simply call an electrician?

Updated details:

The GFCI outlet, I just discovered, was the victim of water leaking across it while we were recently on vacation for thanksgiving. I suspect that has something to do with it.

There are three total outlets. One on the outside of the counter (the snack bar part of the counter) and two on the kitchen side, flanking the sink. To the left of the sink is the GFCI, and it is "upstream" from the other two outlets. Both plugs on the other two outlets are dead. On the GFCI outlet, both plugs are dead but upon taking the outlet out of the wall there is one combination of black /white wire that will produce a light on the 110VAC indicator with my voltmeter. I did not keep close enough track when removing the wires unfortunately so I don't know if this "hot combination" were paired on a single outlet or if they were one wire from either outlet. I'm not 100% sure if it's always this way, but the back panel of my GFCI plug says that the black wires are hot wires and the white wires are simply "white".


texts: 5/16 pex to 1/4 to 1/2 for ice maker outlet box

texts: I currently have a 5/16 pex line running from my reverse osmosis filter under my sink to my refrigerator under the floor through the basement and up to a little opening in the wall behind the refrigerator.  This has worked nicely for the past year that I've owned the house, but now I'm getting a new fridge and plan to install an ice maker outlet box in the wall.  It has a 1/2 inch push connector, so my question is if it will be fine to couple the 5/16 line to a 5/16-1/4 reducer and then connect the 1/4 to a 1/4-1/2 reducer that will push into the ice maker outlet box.  It's not very practical for me to try to run a new line for a variety of reason, so I want to leave that 5/16 in place if possible.


texts:
I have two skylights on my roof that I think are original to the house which was built in the 1970s.
There were some signs of water leakage on the wood around the inside on the skylight that the home inspector pointed out to us. We brought these up issues to the sellers who said there had been a leak in the past and that they had been repaired.
We have owned the house for two years and have been through two winters of snow on the roof and many pouring rainstorms and have never seen a leak.
The other day we got over 24 inches of snow in a single storm (which is more than we have ever had). When it began to thaw I saw a minor but consistent leak coming from the ceiling a few feet below the skylight. By the next day it had stopped and we have not seen any leaks since. The snow all melted off and we have already been through another “normal” snow and a heavy rain downpour that lasted for two days. No leaks.
My takeaway from this is that the weight of the extreme amounts of snow opened something up enough for water to get it but that once the weight was relieved the issue abated.
We had a roofer take a look at the issue and he said he could repair the seals as long as we didn't hold him responsible for future issues or we could replace the skylights. I would rather not spend the money to replace them if a repair is all that is needed and I am certainly ok with not holding him responsible.
So, all this background is to ask the question, given that I have experienced no leaks before or since this big snowfall, is it a reasonable decision to just have him repair the issue or is this a clear sign that something more significant will inevitably develop and it would be irresponsible to not take care of it now by fully replacing them.


texts:
I noticed that a metal porch railing looks swollen with rust.  Do I need to cut that piece out and have someone weld a repair or is it ok to leave as is?  Should I put rust stop on it?  Since it’s hollow should I seal the gaps in the cap above to prevent water getting in or does it need the ventilation to let it dry out?

Here’s what it looks like from underneath
And see that water is separating the porch ceiling underneath


texts: How to Deactivate Baseboard Heaters on Active Circuit

texts:
My home has a circuit for several electric baseboard heaters.

I removed two of the baseboard heaters because I got a new gas stove for heating. I also removed the thermostat connected to these baseboard heaters. All of the resulting exposed hot and neutral wire ends were trimmed and tightly capped with twist-on wire caps as shown:

I have the circuit turned off at the breaker panel but in the bathroom, a separate small heater with its own thermostat is on the same circuit. I would like to keep that one working.

My question is: what is the best way to deal with the existing wires so ultimately the bathroom heater can stay working also?


texts: Should particle board treads be removed before finishing my stairs?

texts:
The. Builder installed temporary stairs of particle board.
Should we remove these prior to installing the
Permanent stairs and risers?


texts: Shower niche in 2x4 wall with drywall back, can I waterproof back of drywall with redguard+fabric?

texts:
I'm trying to maximize the depth of the shower niche I am building and would like to know if I can leave just the back side of the niche which is the brown side of drywall.
The walls of the shower will be covered in wonderboard and I'll frame of the sides of the niche with 2x4s and wonderboard but instead of adding a piece in the back do you think I could get away with it going directly to drywall?
To waterproof I'll be applying redgard with laticrete membrane fabric over seems and could cover up the back wall with overlapping layers of the fabric as a paint on the redgard in addition to the seams in the corner.
Would caulking the corners between the drywall 2x4 connection be a good idea too with a product like kerdi-fix?


texts: How should I stick acoustic foams on the walls?

texts:
I am a trained opera singer. I just moved into a single family house. I had a concern about the noise because the neighbors were not far away and I usually practice in the evening after work. Luckily, they cannot hear me from the inside, but they can from the sidewalks and driveways. When I placed my keyboard in the walk-in closet of the master bedroom and practiced, I could tell the significant reduction of the noise even in the sidewalks and driveways. With the acoustic foams covering all four walls of the walk-in closet, I believe I can make it practically noise-free.

Now, I do not want to apply the adhesive directly on my walls. There has to be something in between my walls and the acoustic foams. I think that foam boards can be a viable option. Just staple them on the walls and apply adhesive on it to stick the acoustic foams. When it is the time to sell the house, I can take the staples off to convert it back from a practice room to a walk-in closet.

What do you guys think? Do I have any other options better than foam boards?


texts:
I have a circuit that's starting to reach its limits and there's an outlet (on that circuit) mounted to the stud almost directly below the circuit breaker. My goal is to create a dedicated circuit for the outlet below the breaker panel and I thought I had a simple solution to my problem, but it turns out one line goes into the outlet and two lines come out of it. My original assumption was that only a single line came out of the outlet box and I originally planned to simply move that line directly to the breaker, but when I determined there are actually two lines coming out of the box, my plan fell apart.
What are my options? The only one I can think of is to create three individual circuits, but that's not really what I would like to do because one of the lines runs to an electric blower that probably draws no more than five amps (if even).
Just to recap, I want to move the outlet below the breaker to a dedicated circuit and I would like the two lines running out of the outlet box to stay on the original circuit. Is there any good way to accomplish this?


texts: Access 2nd-story burst hydronic pipe through ceiling or floor?

texts:
We had a freeze which caused one or more bursts in our hydronic heating system pipes. We know that there is one burst in a radiator, but there may be others, according to the contractors. If there is a burst where the pipe goes under the hardwood floor, would the HVAC contractors likely access the pipe by cutting through the floor, or through the ceiling of the story below?

We ask so we can best prepare the house for the HVAC contractor visit. We'd like to be able put things on the floor above the pipes, but will keep the area below them clear.

(I did try to ask the HVAC service company, but was unable to speak to an actual contractor.)


texts: Wiring a Z-Wave 3-way auxiliary with neutral from other switch? (w/ diagrams!)

texts:
I found my question difficult to phrase, so I mocked the wiring diagram up in Photoshop.
I have a 3-way switch setup like so:

I am going to upgrade this to a Z-Wave enabled pair of 3-way switches with dimming, but both switches would require a neutral to function. Easy for switch #1, but since switch #2 is on a switch loop, it doesn't have a neutral available from the 12-3 I ran to it.

However, it is in a receptacle which has power for a different 3-way switch (to a different light) that is further along on the same circuit. What I want to know is, is it ok for me to draw power for the neutral from the line that feeds switch #3 (proposed wires illustrated in purple below)?

It SEEMS to me like that may be ok as it is just connecting to the same conductor at different places, but I would rather be safe than sorry and ask more knowledgeable folk before buying the product and just wiring it up.


texts:
We have a sewage pump in our basement. We didn’t install it but inherited it with the purchase of the house. I believe the basement was updated in 2014 with a bathroom, hence the sewage pump. The last few weeks it’s been making a noise when no water has been flushed/drained at all in the house. It’s not constant and only lasts about 4-6 seconds but I don’t understand why it would be doing this. Any ideas?
I don’t have a lot of knowledge on sewage pumps, so any insight is helpful!
Thanks.


texts: Can I raise a sagging shed roof by winching the walls back into place?

texts:
TL;DR

Can I fix the sag by slowly jacking up the ridge, simultaneously tightening some steel cables attached to the top of each wall?

Measuring between the top of the wall and the top of the ridge, I see about a 3.75" dip in the middle.

Details

I have a 16x12 shed - the Home Depot variety - that came with the house when we moved in 4 years ago. I'm guessing the shed is about 10 years old.

The roof is sagging a few inches in the middle:

Also notice the eaves are bowed upward in the middle. To me, this indicates that, as the ridge 2x4 has sagged, the bottoms of the joists have pushed outward. Thus, the wall acts as a sort of fulcrum, and the part of the rafter that goes past the wall, supporting the eaves, gets lifted.

It also looks like the walls have bowed outward just a bit:

(Please no comments about the horrible attempt at adding a soffit vent. It's getting replaced.)

And, here's a shot of what the inside looks like:

Note that the long, newish 2x4s in the picture are not attached to anything - I just set them up there temporarily to get them out of the way. I intended to use them as joists, which are sorely lacking in this structure.

So, my thought was this, which may be completely insane as it's cobbled together from a little physics and engineering background, Internet "research," and a working knowledge of what's available at the local Home Depot and Tractor Supply.

Attach braided steel cable along the short span (perpendicular to the roof ridge), between bottoms of the rafters, about every other rafter (which are on 24" centers, unlike the 16" walls. (Might be better to attach to the top of the wall?)
Support the center of the ridge with a 4x4 and a floorjack, probably tying the 4x4 to something to keep it from falling on me when it inevitably slips off of the jack.
in small increments, jack the ridge,
tighten the turnbuckles to bring the walls in and the rafters up
rinse, repeat until the sag is gone, or at least far less severe.
add more joists and rafter ties (which are also completely absent, except for one that is attached way too high to provide much structural benefit.)

Am I way off base here? If so, suggestions on alternate approaches?


texts: How to install Light Fixtures - no ground in the ceiling box

texts:
I am trying to install a lighting fixture that I bought from Ikea.  The ceiling box has one black, one white, one blue, and one yellow lines (as in the photo below).  But, I cannot find a ground line in the box.   Can anyone explain how I can connect the ground line in the lighting fixture?  Also, I would like to use a switch to turn on and off the lighting, but I'm not sure which hot wire I should use. I guess it may be blue or yellow.

Thank you!


texts: Do I need anything more than drylok in my basement?

texts:
I'm trying to finish a room in the basement. The plan was to frame some studs, hang drywall, the usual procedure when building a room. The thing is, it might be out of budget to buy everything I need for that while keeping everything moisture free. The studs, the insulation, the vappr barriers, flooring, etc.

My question is: could I not just drylok the cement walls and floor? Insulation and heat loss isnt really a big problem for me. I could just drylok the walls so it looks painted and put a rug down for a simple room right?

I should also add that there haven't been any moisture problems in the past. I just don't want to create any new mold problems.


texts: Help understanding how to remove faucet with perpendicular pipe sticking out

texts:
My mom's kitchen sink is very old and the faucets were leaking so I tried to help her replace them.

I am not sure where to proceed from here. I believe that the attachment nut cannot be removed because it would not fit over the part of the pipe that is sticking out perpendicular to the rest (I do not know what it is called). I'm also very concerned that the faucets are too old and there is too much rust for the nut to be removed. How should I move forward with this?

This is the top of the sink, I have no idea what model the faucets are but my mom said that she believes they're Pfister.


texts:
I'm about to start framing my carport to convert it into a garage. I'm unsure of the best way to deal with framing around these strong tie brackets.
What I imagine I'll need to do is cut a notch out of the top plate so it can go around the bracket without and be flush with the horizontal beam.
What is the best way to frame around my existing structural brackets?
or
Suggestions for alternatives?


texts: Can I use any DIY hubs with Lutron Caseta?

texts: I'm interested in the Lutron Caseta (or frankly any other wifi compatible dimmer switch that works with LEDs). But I'm NOT interested in adding YAPH (Yet Another Proprietary Hub) to my already overloaded network. I already run a server or two on my network full time. So I would love to be able to "emulate" the hub from my server. Anyone done this or heard about others doing this?


texts: Can I rewire an audio amplifier with a round pin plug to fit sockets in living room made for lamps?

texts:
Basically I just bought a home theatre system but our living room has 2 round pin 5amp plugs that are locaed where I would like the amp and rear speakers. Can I wire a round pin 5 amp plug onto the amp and use the round pin sockets? Or does an adapter exist that I could use? (UK)

Amplifier details below.

TA-SA500WR/TA-SA600WR:
POWER OUTPUT (reference)
Surround L/Surround R:
200 W (per channel at 6 ohms, 1 kHz)
TA-SA700WR:
POWER OUTPUT (reference)
Surround L/Surround R:
 100 W (per channel at 6 ohms, 1 kHz)
Rated impedance
6 
Communication system
Wireless sound Specification version
3.0
Frequency band
Europe, Oceania, Africa*, India, Middle
East*, Thailand, and Russia models:
5.2 GHz, 5.8 GHz
Singapore and Taiwan models:
5.8 GHz
China model: 5.2 GHz
* 5.2 GHz or 5.8 GHz may not be
available in some countries/regions.
Modulation method
DSSS
Power requirements
220 V – 240 V AC, 50/60 Hz


texts: Trying to secure a 100lbs floor mirror so it doesn't tilt over. is it possible to do this without a stud?

texts: This wall is not shared by another tenant directly next door but does have a unit above me.  I cannot find a stud.  i have used a magnet stud finder.  I have nailed a 2.5" nail into the wall in 1 inch increments. AND even though the rest of the house is sheetrock, and i saw studs when we were remodeling, i cannot find anything on this wall.  the other side of the wall is exterior and perhaps there is a large space between the wall.  What can i do??? I have so many holes in the wall now and i cannot place the mirror anywhere else.  is there something that is very strong that would work if the mirror were to start falling over.  I live in an earthquake zone and i do not feel comfortable having a piece of furniture just leaning against the wall unsecured.  super frustrated.  Please help.


texts: How to resolve a drainage issue with aerator lower than the original outlet

texts:
I have an issue with the drainage of a new kitchen sink I installed.

The old sink outlet was higher up (it was a more shallow sink) and more to the right. The same aerator was attached and the outlet had a p-trap which was connected to the outlet in "A". All worked well.
I installed a deeper sink with the same aerator, but the outlet was lower than the original outlet, so I connected it to dishwasher outlet at "E". Hose "C" comes from the dishwasher to the top of "B" which also has a Y at the top for venting (I think).
Now if we dispose food, it gets clogged at "F" and to clear it, I need to clock the top of the vent and plunger it. This used to happen frequently, until we stopped putting waste in the aerator.
"D" is a 90 degree turn and "E" is a T junction, although it it not a hard angle.

I went to Home Depot and spoke to the plumbing guys and they said I should run a straight line from the aerator to the join in "E" (bypass "D") and the 9- degree turn was slowing the momentum of the output and not creating enough force to push through the bend in "F".
I'm looking for more experienced opinion as to what other solutions there may be, if there are any. I had thought of putting a p-trap back on and running it through into the wall, but I'm not excited about cutting the backing and wall.
Any ideas and suggestions will be appreciated.


texts:
I just moved to a new construction house. I brought my four-prong dryer cord along from my previous house and it matches up perfectly. But when I try to plug it in, it goes in about half way and will not go in any further. I checked the breaker and it was tripped off. I reset it but that didn't help. What am I doing wrong?

It appears the east and west sockets are preventing the plug from getting all the way in. There is a small slit in each about halfway in but it does not seem wide enough to accommodate the prongs. Could that be a defect in the outlet?


texts: How do I level a 2x4 on a concrete basement floor with an irregular surface?

texts: The original 2x4 that rested on the floor was removed in one piece with approx. 7" of the vertical studs attached to it.  The sides of the studs rest against a concrete block wall.  The removal was done to allow access to the cold joint for the application of a waterproofing material whose surface is varied and uneven.  Now I'd like to install a new 2x4, hopefully with closely matching 7" studs attached to it to be sistered in, since all the original studs were partly rotted from flooding.  I can't drill down into the concrete floor because it would disturb the waterproofing, but need something to serve as "shims."  I'm concerned about using construction adhesive of some kind since I think I need more time to do the fitting even if I check everything first.


texts:
My neighbor's elevated deck is supported by 2 6x6 posts connected by 2 2x10 boards. The posts are notched so that the 2 boards are sitting side by side in the notch and are bolted to the post (L shaped notch at the top of the post).

I had someone give me an estimate for replacing my deck and he also said that they'll notch the posts so that they weight is not carried only on the bolts.

To me that sounds wrong. Isn't that weakening the posts?

I'm thinking of building the deck myself and I was going to have the boards run on both sides of the posts, held by bolts and nuts. Maybe a metal plate of some sort to re-enforce? Something like those plate you see on steel bridges?

Any suggestions?


texts: Reducing moisture from semi-finished basement concrete floor

texts:
I'm looking for advice for a good way to reduce moisture seepage through my basement concrete floor.

My research has turned up several promising approaches:

Surface-only treatments

Specialty paints
Normal paints with an epoxy additive mixed in just before use

Penetrating treatments (using various kinds of chemicals)
Accept the current level of moisture transmission, and just keep a dehumidifier going.

Within those categories listed above, I'm seeing a lot of mixed reviews regarding the products available on the market at HomeDepot, online, etc.

Note: Someone posted a very similar question back in 2011, but there doesn't seem to be a consensus among the replies.  I'm hoping the passage of time brings new options or clarity.

Background:

I'm finishing part of my house's basement, which has a concrete floor.  As best I can tell, there's a fair amount of moisture coming into the basement through that floor, particularly when the water table is high.  My current focus is on one basement room (about 400 sq ft.) that's used as a den.

Some sections of that floor have a layer of battleship-gray paint that feels (to my untrained hands) latex-based.  But that paint is in pretty bad shape, and only covers about 20% of the floor.

The middle 80% of the room was covered by commercial-grade carpet, and it seems to grew mildew/mold pretty often.  Underneath that carpet, the concrete is mostly mottled black, with a line-pattern that suggests it was once tiled.  I'm guessing that the black stuff is residue from whatever held the tiles to the concrete.

I'm not looking for a solution to prevent ingress of high-pressure water.
 I used to get occasional flooding in the basement from cracks in the walls, but I now have an internal (under-concrete) drainage system feeding into a sump well. I'm also not concerned about high-pressure water from the water table; there's good evidence that my two sump wells keep that under control.

I intend to put a new area rug over most of the floor, but I first want to minimize the risk of problems form moisture seeping up through that concrete.  Unfortunately my research turned up lots of options, and I'm confused about which is the best for my situation.

Considerations:

Here's what I do/don't care about:

Near the walls of the room, there will be places where the new carpet does not cover the floor.  I don't care much about how those parts look, but whatever paint / sealant / etc. I use should survive the occasional trauma of having furniture dragged over it.
I'd like to avoid using muriatic / HCl acid to prep the floor, because I'm not geared up for using it safely.
I definitely want to avoid using a chemical paint stripper like the kind sold by RustOleum.  I tried it in one section, and the downsides far outweighed the upsides.
I don't want to spend lots of time / effort mechanically cleaning the floor (with a belt sander, etc.) But if it had to be either that or the chemicals listed above, I'd go for the mechanical approach.
I'd rather spend $300 for a 10-year solution than $600 for a 20-year solution.


texts: How can I troubleshoot faulty carbon monoxide and fire alarms that give false positives?

texts:
This is kind of an odd one. Recently, my alarms have been going off. It started a couple weeks ago where my neighbor said the carbon monoxide alarm was going off for 10-15 minutes then stopped. Last Saturday, it seemed like only one of the carbon monoxide alarms was going off, so I changed the battery and everything was fine. Last night, everything started going off, carbon monoxide and fire alarms. I unplugged all the carbon monoxide alarms in the house ( excluding the one in the basement above the boiler ).

I checked the manufacture date, January 2015. They were probably installed by the fire department when I bought the house last year.

How can I debug this? I was planning on trying to clean them and change all the batteries. I can't imagine they need to be replaced they're still too new.


texts: Ryobi circular saw motor runs, blade doesn’t

texts: Ryobi CSB142LZ - Used a fair amount.  Recently used it and made a lot of noise.   It seemed like the spindle lock was partially engaged.  Now, the spindle lock does nothing, ie, doesn’t prevent the blade from turning.  The motor runs, but the blade does not spin.  It is like the motor shaft is disconnected. Bought a new saw, but wondered if this is worth fixing.


texts: How do I unclog outside water drainage pipe?

texts:
Can anyone help me identify the type of grate overlaying this pipe, inform me of the proper tools to open it, and the follow-up to clear it properly and thoroughly? Clearly this pipe must be unclogged. Heavy Rainwater routinely threatens to flood into the basement and soak the carpet.

How do I begin?

Seeing as a picture is worth 1000 words:


texts: Does a GE TM3215CCU Accept GE Thin Breakers?

texts:
Hello,

I am needing to install a 240V outlet for a welder in my home garage. Unfortunately, my home's breaker panel is full and I need to make room for a 30A 2-pole breaker for said welder.

I have a TM3215CCU panel installed in the basement of my home. From the documentation GE provides, all I can determine about this panel is the following:

T
GE Indentification

M
Main Breaker

32
Maximum of 32 1" spaces

15
150 Amps (total max current of panel)

C
Combination surface/flash

CU
Copper Bus

The only helpful information regarding specific breaker criteria that comes from parsing this model number is the fact that there are a maximum of 32 1" breaker spaces.

My question is: How many 1/2" GE THQP Thin style breakers will this panel accept? I need to install 4 thin breakers total in order to make 2 x 120V slots available for the 2-pole 30A breaker for the welder.


texts: What are the key criteria to consider when purchasing new locks and deadbolts?

texts:
On twitter, the cofounder of GDGT Ryan Block comments:

  Surprisingly difficult to find a list of expert-recommended consumer locks, padlocks, etc. Lots on defeating security, but few suggestions.

So I'm curious, what are the key criteria to consider when considering purchasing a new consumer grade lock or padlock, deadbolt and the like. Some examples of things that might be important are "look at the lock and see if it shows structure XYZ, which is a prime sign that the lock can be "bumped" ..." or perhaps "consumer padlocks should have ABC feature, because it signifies ...".


texts: How should I cut non standard angles, shapes and miters?

texts:
I want to make a doll house for my daughter.

I want to copy a "lighthouse" dollhouse I saw in a glass case.

It is half a decagon (5 sides) in shape.  Open at the back for play.  It is about 3 feet tall.

It is slightly smaller at the top (10" wide) then at the base (11" wide).

I am a junior woodworker.  I have a table saw.

Questions:

1. How can I measure and layout a half decagon on plywood?
2. How can I determine what angle to cut the vertical sides so they are nice mitered corners?
3. As the sides rise from bottom to top they will have to be cut so that they somehow fold in towards the top since the top is smaller than the base.  How can I determine that angle?


texts: What is the best order of operations for painting a newly renovated space?

texts:
I'm just about ready to paint my basement project and wanted to get the opinion of the community on what would be the best method of approach for my situation. I'll be using a HVLP spray system and my original thought was to prime everything first (ceilings, walls, trim, casings, doors), then do the ceiling, followed by the trim (in place) and doors, ending with rolling my walls so that touchups are easier down the road.
Any painters out there have some insight? Picture of an example wall below.


texts: How to mix a resurfacer/leveler with sand and cement?

texts:
Disclaimer: No, I can't buy ready made surface leveler, because in Brazil this doesn't exist.

I need to use a resurface a dry pack levelling that my previous contractor made a lousy job (porous surface here and there and a few cracks, but it seem well adhered). He is not answering my calls and I'm not calling anyone else to fix something this small.

Everytime I mixed sand and cement I always got a headache on getting the right mix or the right type of sand (in Brazil there are at least 4 different types of sand: coarse, medium, fine, and washed, most from river beds).

What would be a good recipe for a resurfacer, also, I should use bonding agent, right?


texts: How to fix this dent/crack/chip at the edge of the door of laminated wardrobe?

texts:
I  accidentally caused a chip/crack in my student accommodations wardrobe which I would like to repair rather than paying my accommodation for the whole wardrobe.
I would like to fix it.
Can anyone   suggest how this can be repaired? (painted/sprayed/self adhesive paper of similar color?)
I have attached the picture of the damage.

Added Photos


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I've made do with hand tools for everything including the rare plywood job for several years now and I want to buy a good circular saw. I will not use it very often, but when I do it will be for serious work like plywood sheets or stair treads.

Is there any specific features or brands I should look for? I want a relatively lightweight saw (probably means a sidewinder) but powerful enough to cut hardwood and possibly sheet metal easily. I would also prefer one where things like blade depth are easy to adjust.
PS I'm left-handed if that makes a difference.


texts: What is the neatest way to run power to Somfy motorized window blinds?

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I have several Somfy RTS motorized window blinds installed. Right now they just have electric cables attached to them that could be tacked to the wall, but I'd rather have the cabling completely hidden. What is the best way to achieve this?

Could their power cabling be run through the wall and connected to the nearest power outlet, behind the scenes? I'd rather not have the power plug visible at all.

Here are a couple of photos of the setup: