texts:
I plan on replacing my my home HVAC condenser fan motor, as well as the compressor contactor, and the capacitor.

The current condenser fan motor is a TradePro TP-C16-1SP2 which requires a 10 μF run capacitor, per the label:

The replacement condenser fan motor will be a Rheem/Protech 51-100999-03 which requires a 3 μF /370 VAC capacitor, per the label:

Both fan motors are rated at 1075 RPM and 1/6 HP.

The compressor is a Copeland ZR32KA-PFV-130 scroll compressor which requires a 50 μF/370 VAC run capacitor, per the label:

Currently, the only capacitor I found when I removed the cover on the A/C unit outside was a Titan Pro TOC10 10 μF/370 VAC run capacitor. I believe this is what is known as a single capacitor rather than dual capacitor.

It seems as though this is the proper capacitor to run the TradePro condenser fan motor. However, I don't see a capacitor for the compressor.

Here is an image of the schematic for the compressor and condensor assembly:

What capacitor should I use for the new condenser fan motor and compressor combination?

Edit: Okay, so I think I neglected to identify the start capacitor which I believe is pictured here:

If that is the start capacitor, then the wiring appears to be normal, and I can just get a start capacitor that matches the specs for the compressor (and of course, a run capacitor for the condenser motor).


texts: Should I use self leveling concrete to repair settlement cracked concrete slabs?

texts:
I have a concrete slab in the breezeway of my house that has several settlement cracks in it.

Can I use self-leveling concrete to repair this?


texts: Baseboard Heater-Trying to identify brand

texts: Need help in identifying brand of baseboard heater.  One is 8 1/2" tall and other is 10" tall.


texts:
I have an upright vacuum cleaner with rotating brushes at the intake. What rotates them is a belt that is rotated by a small rotating divot-looking thing.

The belt is always falling off of that divot.

The divot used to be silver/steel-colored, but is now brassy. I suspect, therefore, that it got smoothed out by use, and the smoothness is making the belt slide off of it. Does that seem reasonable? Can anyone suggest another explanation?

But what I really seek is a remedy to the belt-sliding-off-the-divot situation. (If the problem is smoothness of the divot, then perhaps a way to roughen it up.)


texts: Ground-level Free-Standing Deck Frame (Feedback Requested)

texts:
I would like to ask for your feedback on the deck frame illustrated in the image below. It is a ground-level, free-standing deck.

All your feedback is highly appreciated!

Iteration 1

[Edit]
**

Iteration 2

**


texts: Does the protected device connect to top, or bottom of the MCB?

texts:
Just what the title states. The house, located in India, uses old-fangled kitkat fuses. The typical domestic supply here in this part of the world is 250V AC at 50cps. I am in the middle of replacing the fuses with Miniature Circuit Breakers.

MCB appear to receive the line wire from the top connector, the bottom connector being the protected device/s. Is this universal/standard? Does the protected device connect to the top, or bottom of the MCB?


texts:
My exterior camera system uses this particular cover to hide wired on the siding. We're changing the cameras over to a more modern type (And some of the cameras are defective over their > 15 year use)

What is it, and can I purchase it at home depot or similar stores?

Pictured at the base of the camera:


texts:
Several employees complain about how well sound travels down the hallways in a newly constructed, two story office building.

The hallways form a 60' x 30' figure-8:

stairs
v     60'
=-+----+----+
= |    |    | 30'
= +----+----+

The walls and ceiling are drywall. The floor is 1' tiles.

  The printer 60' feet away sounds like it's right outside my office.
  I can clearly hear conversations on the other corner of the building.
  I could hear you talking downstairs from the far end of the building.
  Anyone walking down the hallway sounds like they are right outside my door.
  Everyone can hear the water cooler chats.

What would be the most cost-effective methods to reduce the hallway noise?

We are considering decorative acoustic tiles and rug runners. If this is a cost-effective solution, how do we determine how much of the walls and floors to cover?


texts: OK to run wire beneath / along track lighting?

texts:
I have a standard light fixture that is controlled by a pull-string on the fixture itself. What I'd like to do is replace the fixture with track lighting and install a wall switch to control it. The fixture is powered by knob and tube, so there's no ground wire back to the box.

Starting the track at the power source, what I'd like is for the switch to be on the wall at the other end of the track (about 8 feet away).

My question is, instead of running the wire up in the ceiling (thus having to drill through multiple joists and patch a bunch of drywall holes), can I run the wire either underneath the installed track or alongside it?

I can't decide if this is a brilliant idea, a terrible one, or somewhere in between.


texts: How to install 2x10 joists of slightly different sizes?

texts: We are trying to install the joist hangers and the joists, but the 2x10s are slightly different sizes. The problem is that some of the boards are 9.25" and some are 9.5" and some in between. So if all the joists are hung at the same level, then the top of the boards are all at different levels, which would lead to a bumpy deck. How is this best handled?


texts: How deep should posts be set for an 8 foot privacy fence?

texts: I am planning to build an 8 foot fence and will use galvanized post due to high moisture in the area. Looking for some advice regarding the depth of the post. These are 10 foot post so I was planning to place them 2- 2 1/2 feet deep and secure with up to 100 pounds of concrete mix. The post will be 6 feet apart and I will use 2x4x12 stringers. Due to the lumber shortage I will have to use 1x6x8 PT pine pickets instead of cypress. There is 125 feet to build. Any ideas on the depth to place the posts? Thanks


texts:
I bought some new foundation vents that attach with tension screws instead of mortar.  I chiseled out my old vent and with the new vent in place, there is a large gap. How do you recommend I fill the remaining gap to prevent rodent intrusion?  I was thinking about adding a small brick with some mortar on one side to fill the 1.5" gap. I was hoping to not need mortar for installation.

Link to the vents: http://www.lowes.com/pd_17140-228-RABL_0__?productId=3593660&Ntt=foundation+vent&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Dfoundation%2Bvent&facetInfo=

Click for full size image


texts:
Should I (electrically) ground my TV antenna?

I've heard both: "you must always ground your antenna" and "you don't need to".

I haven't grounded it (at all) yet.

Under what circumstances is it useful or necessary?

I imagine a TV antenna could theoretically be struck by lightning, but I don't know if that's the only reason to ground.

My home is single storey. All 4 of my neighbours within 50m or so have taller antennas. Some have trees twice that tall. A few houses down, there are double storey homes too. My street is lower than surrounding streets and is in a low lying area (does this remove all chance of lightning strikes to my home?).

Grounding is not required by law (where I live).

In my case, would grounding it simply increase the (unlikely) possibility of a lightning strike?


texts: Drain pan getting water from bottom of evaporator leak?

texts:
I have a typical "split system", with the evaporator/furnace unit in the attic and compressor on the outside.  The evaporator has two drain lines.  The primary drains to a bathroom sink trap and the secondary drains to the outside.  I noticed water dripping from the outside drain.  Since this is a newly installed unit I thought something wasnt right.  Sure enough the primary line had some crud in it.  Clished it out with a hose and it drains.
However, I was still seeing water in the pan and dripping from the outside drain.  While in the attic, I noticed water dripping from the bottom of the unit.  Is this normal or should all drainage be going through the pipe and into the primary drain line?  See arrow in photo, this is where I was seeing dripping from - and into the pan just below.


texts: How can I create a movable insulated wall?

texts:
I have a storage area which I need a sectioned. The smaller section will be cooled to 35-40 degrees with the help of our air conditioner and an attached Coolbot system.

I want have the option of maximizing this larger storage area, while having an adjustable and insulated accordion door to enclose the cordoned off area when we have the need to keep the area at 35-40 degrees.

We therefore  don't want to permanently wall this area off.  Please offer some options for this project that I can present to our contractor.


texts:
I'm installing some vinyl plank flooring. In one spot where a transition piece is going to go, there is a small hole that will expand under the vinyl. The transition piece is going to be installed with Liquid Nails or J.B. Weld.

Can I just fill in the hole with Liquid Nails/JB Weld or do I need to apply some type of patch first?


texts: Can a low voltage light switch be located in a closet as opposed to outside the closet?

texts:
Okay you guys I have next question.  And like all good questions this one begins with a story.

I was reading the post about a nick in a wire and read a couple of you mention that light switch in a closet is not to code.  What's up with that?  Why not?    When I open a closet and it seems dark, I always reach for the nearest wall which is INSIDE the closet, find no switch, get frustrated, close closet door, find switch, flip switch, re-open closet door, stare blankly because after all that I forgotten what I was in there for.

My logic would tend to install a switch in a closet.

I have plans to install closet lighting in my wife's closet.  I was considering LED source.  The future is LED, and the fixtures are starting to get really good.  Not only is the installation and fit and finish nice, but the design of the lights.

So here's the question;  What if the fixture is low voltage?  Can I locate a low voltage light switch in a closet?  My source is 12v.  I would like to locate the transformer in the attic and run low voltage down to the switch and the the lighting fixture.  Would this scenario be up to code?  would it be safe?  ( I sleep perfectly soundly knowing my work is SAFE even if I know it doesn't meed code. )   I would probably use 14/2 romex to wire this all up.  I was planning to indicate with a label that this is 12v.  Is there code for labeling low voltage stuff?  ( I would probably write '12V' on white E tape somewhere on the wire )

Does the tranny need to be in an enclosure?  Or can I screw it to a joist?  I know that I have to put a J box next to the tranny for all the connections.

What do you guys think?


texts: What is the junction that connects conduit to a structure called?

texts:
Drawing plans and writing a BOM and looking for what that part is called. I brought pictures!

I don't know the proper term for that part.


texts: Electrical outlet Tests good but not good

texts: There is an outlet in my place that tests ok but when I plug in anything, it doesn't power up.  The tester I'm using is a three light tester.Actually, I've used two testers.  Both of them indicate the it is correct.  What gives??? Anyone have an idea?


texts:
Background

So I live in Michigan (which of course affects code) and I have a bunch of two prong outlets in a house that I own. If I want to convert these to be 3 prong outlets is it still up to code to replace them with GFCI's with a label "No Equipment Grounding"? The outlets I am referring to are just in bedrooms so not by a source of water like the bathroom / kitchen.

Will the outlet still pass the outlet checker tool?

I know the tool is checking for a ground and probably still won't find one with just the GFCI there but I guess it isn't necessarily a requirement to pass that tool is it?

So if just using a GFCI is not sufficient, recently all of my copper pipes were replaced with PEX; however, the main line coming into the house to the internal water meter is still copper. Can I join all of the grounds to this? Seems like the perfect ground as it goes deep into the earth and then out to the city.


texts: What would be the best temporary adhesive to stick a shower head holder onto a ceramic tile wall?

texts:
I recently broke the shower bracket and can't get a replacement since it's out of stock everywhere. I bought a suction cup shower head holder as a temporary fix but that won't stay on the wall so I was thinking of gluing it until I can afford to get the whole shower rail replaced.

What would be the best (but temporary) adhesive to stick a shower head holder onto the wall? I was thinking hot melt from a glue gun since that can be removed fairly easily but I'm worried the humidity and steam from the shower would weaken the bond.


texts: Water won't drain completely from my bath sink

texts: I live in an apartment, my bath sink won't drain completely. The drain isn't slow it just never drains completely.  The standing water becomes slimy if not cleaned every day.   I think there must be some design flaw in the sink itself.  I'm also concerned that the slimy water is a health issue.


texts:
We recently had a leak under our slab foundation and ended up going with rerouting the plumbing through our attic. After it was done, we have noticed that there is now a distinct odor (of the PEX pipes) from the water in our home (That wasn't there before). Will this go away eventually?
Also, we are not in a freeze zone by any means (South Carolina). But the new water lines in the attic are on top of the insulation and we have noticed that the cold water is also warmer than usual. Would insulating the cold water lines help with this? Should I worry about the new lines degenerating over time?
Thanks in advance.


texts: How to get rid of cooking smell in small apartment?

texts:
I live in a small studio apartment. It doesn't have Air conditioner, and apartment window have really small opening. I keep that open always. Recently I have starting cooking at home ( its been 2months ).  I must say every time I come home after work I can smell that.

How can I totally get rid of cooking smell?  I heard about diffuser and soy candles.  Does that work for you?  Some says diffuser is not good for health.

What do you use to keep your apartment smell good?


texts: What factors are important when selecting a rotary tool?

texts:
I'm fairly new to the DIY scene, so to say that my working knowledge of any power tool is minimal is an understatement!

I'm currently embarking on a DIY project that requires cutting acrylic boards, pvc pipes, and various other items. I've been shopping around for rotary tools but I've come across varying types with different rpms/speeds/etc, and I'm seeing a lot of negative reviews about the lack of power in the tool. I'm wondering what's the minimum rpm necessary to cut through 0.4mm acrylic board? What about wood?

Also, I'd like to invest in a rotary tool that is durable without breaking the bank. (Feel free to recommend any other tools, if a rotary tool is wrong for the job)


texts: How can I determine why my lights flicker when the A/C is running?

texts: My lights considerably flicker whenever a large load comes on in the house and it has been this way since we renovated five years ago. I am attempting to troubleshoot this now and have already probably waited longer than I should have. I did some reading and ultimately removed the cover of the main panel and tested across the two hot wires at the main panel. All circuits were active. The reading I received was 245 +/- 2V, meaning average of 245V but fluctuated between 243V and 247V. I then had my wife turn our whole-house air conditioning unit on and voltage dropped to 237 +/- 1V while AC was running. Is this a normal voltage drop when a large appliance is turned on or is this indicative of an issue?


texts:
So we are fully gutted in our duplex and we realized that the middle wall of the building (load bearing) is set on railroad ties that apparently lay on dirt. We noticed this when trying to assess why the floors were slanted toward the middle of the building. I would like to remove that wall, remove the railroad ties, pour a footer and then replace wall with either posts or a new wall. I want to explain my plan and see if anyone spots any problems with it.
We are planning to build temporary walls on both sides of basement between 36 and 40” away from middle wall. These walls will be 2x6 studs 16 o.c with a 2x8 or 2x10 bottom plate to help disperse weight (floor is dirt) we will then remove the middle wall and footer ties, dig down approx 18” and pour a new solid footer 18” deep 18” wide by the length of the house (42’)
Is there any justice to pouring a footing under our temp walls?
My only concern is while digging for the new footer we start to underpin the temp walls, that is why we are going 36” off the wall to hopefully avoid that.
The home is balloon framed with a stick built gable roof that sits on the outside walls so I believe there is no roof load on the middle wall, only floor loads.


texts: How can I hide or dress up a large wall of debris?

texts:
We have a large "debris wall," made up of stumps, tree trunks, and other leftovers from when our lot was cleared, to one side of our driveway.  We considered having it removed, but it provides a privacy barrier between us and our neighbor.  If we removed it, that would leave a wide open area.

You can see, in the photo, part of the edge of the driveway in the lower left and again in the upper left, as it goes over a rise going to the house.  There isn't much room between the debris wall and the driveway.  You can also see part of the house.  We worked hard on the house design and on the yard near the house to create the feeling, when you drive up, that you're entering a story book setting.

It would be nice to find a way to hide, dress up, camouflage, or otherwise make this easier on the eyes.  We considered ivy, but that can spread and get out of control easily (on both our side and our neighbor's side).  If we plant trees or bushes, they'd have to go at least 20' high and block the view during the winter as well as the summer.

Last summer a lot of pokeweed grew up on part of the wall and, while it's a weed, it's not ugly and helps hide the debris.  But during the winter, when it dies out, while it's still easier to look at than the debris, it doesn't seem to want to grow on the end you can see in the photo.

We'd like to hide it but make it look natural or at least interesting and not out of place with the mood we're creating for the house and yard.  I wouldn't be opposed to building something, but that would be expensive and a lot of work if I just built some kind of wall along the 70' or so of this mess.

Edit: This debris wall is at least 15' tall, maybe 20' in some places, from 50-70' long and maybe 30' or more wide.  It's also not fully stable.  While everything seems to have settled, there is no way I'd climb on it to reach the top or so I can spread or shovel anything on it.


texts: Ground wire seems to pass through light switch

texts:
I am trying to install a Kasa smart switch and ran into what looks like a ground wire that just passes through the switch(see image below). This switch is one of two that control a single bank of lights.

Is this in fact the ground wire?
What style of wiring is this?(do I need more information to be able to tell?)
Is this bad practice to pass a wire through this way?

Going to probably let an electrician sort this for me since I’m out of my depths, but want to know more.


texts: Can a wood-router be used to cut a shallow groove in concrete?

texts:
My house walls are primarily made of poured concrete.  To run wire through the walls I need to cut a groove in the concrete then plaster over.
Is it possible to use a bit that can cut (slowly) a groove through the concrete?


texts: Any thoughts on how to remove this faucet / handle

texts: Hoping to find some help here as I am at a loss.  Does anyone have any thoughts on how to remove this fixture.  There are no brand marks and I don't know who installed it.  The handles don't have any set screws so I can't seem to get them off and when I grab the neck piece I can't seem to get it to unscrew.


texts: I am upgrading our kitchen and have found some damage to the subfloor from previous water leaks. These leaks were fixed long ago and there is no moisture in the subfloor or surrounding wood. We ripped out the subfloor up to the exterior wall (pictured) (there is also a window here) but it looks like there might be some damage past this point. I am wondering if I need to remove the subfloor underneath the window or if this will suffice. I have sprayed with mold treatment and have checked the 2x4 in the window frame which does not seem soft (with the screwdriver test). Am I being too meticulous and this looks fine? Please let me know what you think. Thanks


texts: My Hydro Air Heat started spraying hot water from some kind of vent or valve or nipple

texts:
My system looks exactly like this.  I believe it's called Hydro Air Heat.  See that thing with the green rectangle around it.  It started spraying hot water from that nipple on top (indicated by the green arrow).

First of all what is that thing called and what is it's function?  Does anyone know that make and model (in case I need to replace it)?

I turned off the heat, closed an intake valve and it eventually stopped spraying hot water.  Then I tightened that nipple all the way down and turned everything back on.  It's no longer leaking and I believe I have heat.  However I don't know if that thing is supposed to be tightened all the way like I have it.  Have I locked air in in some way I shouldn't have?  Have I ruined some kind of pressure controlling apparatus?  Or was I supposed to tighten that nipple all the way for normal operation?


texts: Can I use lag bolts when mounting heavy shelf units through 2 layer drywall?

texts:
First time posting here, as I haven't been able to find this specific question answered anywhere.

I'm a novice and halfway through a garage storage project, and just discovered that I have double-layer drywall, 1.25 inches of gypsum from surface-to-stud.  The wall-mounted shelf units I designed (now on their 3rd redesign) are 48" wide and heavy, built mostly with 2" x 10"s. I want them to be solid enough to support a few hundred lbs each.  The shelves are structurally solid, but I'm concerned about mounting them.

I planned to use 3/8" x 4" lag bolts to mount the cleats through the drywall into the stud.  4" bolt - 1.5" cleat - 0.5" (assumed)drywall would leave 2" threaded into the stud.  I'm concerned now that with the lag bolts basically unsupported through 1.25" of drywall between the cleat and the stud, the bolts may fail under enough weight.  I've researched shear-strength for lag bolts, but does that strength rating take into account an unsupported section in the middle of the bolt?

The wall is framed with standard 16" spacing between studs, and the house was built in 2006.  The highest shelf will be 70" off the ground, and the garage ceiling is 14' high.  I'm hesitant to use lag bolts any thicker than 3/8" for the sake of not chewing through a third of the width of the studs.


texts: Will birds in my loft affect me selling my house?

texts:
I hope this is the correct S.E for this question, if not, please direct me to the best one.

I have got birds in my loft, I went up and saw one earlier today. Normally, that isn't a problem, I would wait until it moves on, then go ahead and block up the place they got in. However, I am in the process of selling my house. It is on the market and has had interest already. I know if we sell it, a survey will have to be done. If they find the bird in the loft, will they fail the survey and make the sale fall through? As far as I know, I am not allowed to actually get rid of the bird until it moves, at any rate, I am unsure of the species.

If it helps, I am in the UK


texts: Can I feed two circuits from one breaker?

texts: I'm running out of slots in my old electrical panel. All of my breakers have a single wire plugged in. Can I free one up by feeding my doorbell low voltage converter into the same circuit breaker that I use for my ceiling lights?


texts: What material can I use as a temporary window pane?

texts:
I may have a renter moving into a condo in a couple of weeks. I already ordered a full window replacement for the bedroom. Since a pane of glass (3' x 4') is missing, I'm thinking to put on a plastic or glass like material just for a couple of weeks instead of wasting $150 for a real pane of glass and throw it away after two weeks. Of course this will happen with the tenant's consent.

Is there material like that? Where can I buy it?


texts:
Are there square/ rectangle/ U openable/ open panel conduits that have one side panel that can be opened & closed?

Will be doing a up / down cable/ pull for current/ future optic Fiber etc. so the rest of its journey is hidden under false ceiling frame (shown in pic).
It's largely Outer Wall to Center of Condo thing as ISPs dangle fibers externally (yes, welcome to Asia)
I am sharing a picture of this from my Phone shortly so that it becomes clear

Color Code for Items in Diagram/ Picture:

Green: Pull Boxes (Since they recommend replacing Conduit bends with Pull boxes)

One above False Ceiling Panel
One somewhere below the Desk (Between Floor & Desk Height)

Yellow Thick: Direction of Cable

Above: Inner Wall towards further indoors
Below: Outer Wall to Inside of Wall

Pink: 2 Possible wall locations for Conduit with Panel

Required Solution:

I'd like to place such a U - square/ rectangle Conduit that has an open-able panel in one of the Walls in the Corner.

Update to Question: Please update answers as required

I'd want it not be Surface mounted on the wall but
Recessed / concealed into the wall with only Removeable Panel / related parts at Surface. Pref 1.25 / 1.5"
Hence the point of the question.
Someone may cry why do you want/ need. Please do not bother.
I am trying to future proof against certain stuff that's been experienced before.

Are there such items and what are they called?

This is not a shopping question, but trying to figure out what items can be used to fulfill the need for the required application scenario.


texts: How do I remove the back lip from paving stones?

texts:
I purchased a bunch of these paving stones in order to make a fire pit.  I laid out the fire pit and it worked okay, except if you'll notice on the description of the stones it says "Back lip assists with alignment for easy installation".  Well, I guess the back lip may be helpful for certain situations, but it only seemed to hinder my efforts to lay these stones out in a circle with three layers of stones.  The back lip is about an inch at the back bottom of the stone that is raised out about a half inch from the rest of the surface.

The paving stones in question

Am I using the lip incorrectly?  Is there a way to lay these stones out in a circle where the lip actually helps?  Or, what is the best way to get rid of these lips (I have 27 stones total).  I tried to chip away at one of them with the back of a hammer and while it did work, it took a ton of effort and time.


texts: How can I fit a trap on a sink bowl that's directly above the vertical drain pipe?

texts:
I am just replacing an old double bowl sink at a rental unit .  I put a new granite countertop in and now have a single bowl coming down the bottom .  The sink and pipe going to the ground is just about directly underneath each other maybe a half inch off .

I'm having a real hard time fitting the swivel on with the P-trap .  No matter how close I push it is just not enough to get there .  I did read that we can use a rubber coupling and maybe have that work ?


texts:
Ground wire is disconnected in the back yard. I’ve dug around about the length of the exposed wire, but for the life of me I cannot find the ground rod.
Any tips on how to locate it or should I just install a new one?


texts: Do I need to close the windows and doors in the entire house when doing a radon test?

texts:
I'm trying to perform a home radon test, the first step in the instructions for the Pro-Lab Radon Gas Detector Kit read that I need to close all the windows and doors for 12 hours before hand.

Do I need to close the windows and doors in the entire house when doing a radon test, or just the ones in the basement and the door to the basement?

Also the door to the garage that leads to the basement doesn't close (no steps everything is on the same level).  But I can keep the garage door closed, will this effect the result?


texts: Should pegboard be part of the workbench or attached to the wall behind the workbench?

texts: Is it better to buy a workbench with the pegboard back included or to buy an inexpensive workbench and install the pegboard back on the wall?


texts: Is it wise (or even code-compliant) to cut an access panel for my bathtub drain?

texts:
I am installing a replacement bathtub.  I've decided that I need to slightly lengthen my overflow pipe, and it would be kind of nice to be able to inspect that area well for leaks, before I put up the replacement wallboard and tile.

The other side of the wall behind the bathtub plumbing is a towel closet. I was considering the idea of cutting a square access panel in the sheetrock, at approximately where I've marked the picture with a red rectangle.

Are there any building code regulations I should be concerned with?  And is this generally a good/bad idea?  Are there best practices?

This is in the southern U.S.


texts:
I'm working on adding a smart thermostat, and as many older setups have it, my current thermostat doesn't have a 'C' wire.

However, if I pull the wires further out from the wall, the feed from my A/C air handler has 'extra' wires.

I would guess the blue colored wire may be C, but I'm not sure, and I'm not sure it even has power. I would like to check that it has 24+V, but I'm rusty on my electrical diagnostics. With my multi-meter (set on stun, I mean Volts) would I use Red to the blue wire and Black/common to ... some other wire? If so, which one?

Update:
I added an image of the wiring at the air handler. I noticed that the white and blue wires are disconnected there. If I knew where I needed to, I could connect the blue wire.

If the white wire was connected, the Ecobee I'm connecting has an adapter that would make it work without the C.

This image is of the existing thermostat bracket.

The air handler, C-wire disconnected


texts: Stripping paint from old fireplace last step - any advice to achieve clean finish?

texts:
As you can tell from the photos below, there is still yet some paint residue, like a foggy layer on top of the brick. We're not sure what the best way to get this off  or if this is about as good as we can get it. Looking for adivce like maybe some other chemical or a way to polish the extra mile. Any advice or recommendations?
PS: We used "Multi-Strip" from Home Depot to remove the other layers. Have used steel brush, scraper, and water and sponges.


texts:
We just rented a condo and our A/C cannot keep up so it will run almost constantly. It can't even keep the temperature constant, it will creep up into the 80s even while running.

I measured the temperature coming out of the registers and it's between 55 and 60 degrees so I think its doing a good enough job cooling. I verified that the blower motor is on its highest speed but without taking the unit apart I can't find out what the horsepower is on the motor.

So my question is, should I ask my landlord to try to put in a bigger blower motor? Or what is the right solution?  Also, is there any temporary fix I can do like adding fans on the return air vents to force air in?

Edit:
Outdoor temperature was 92 with 50% humidity.  The filter was just replaced and the coils were just cleaned. We have a big west facing arched window that I feel might be part of the problem. We also have lofted ceilings in all the rooms (2br2ba)


texts: Hand build wood transition strip two different height floors

texts: I have seen several posts about transition strips but not the answers I needed. I have two different heights but same flooring. Is there a way to build a wood transition strip that can be stained. Looking for ideas.


texts: How to get broken screw out of wall anchor

texts:
I am putting up a single shelf on a wall with some antique redwood interior paneling, so my goal is to keep the walls as in best condition as possible with minimal additional drilling done (if any).

I put in all 4 anchors for the mounts loosely tightening the screws until I had everything in place. Then I went to fully tighten the screws - due to the layout I'm doing the tightening by hand. So far when I went to make the screws tight two of the heads broken completely off.

Now I have the main body of the screw about 1/8" into the anchor and am unsure the best way to get it out.

I tried drilling it, but I didn't seem to make much progress.

I've looked up alternative methods, but I'm at a lost as to what the best route would be... primarily due to 2 things: (1) how deep the rest of nail is and (2) my hope to keep the anchors there without drilling in all new ones.

Update:

Picture of anchor used (drywall anchors, so not the best ones for the job here).


texts: I have a large crack where the fireplace hearth meets the chimney. I’m curious if this is a foundational problem, and if it needs to be repaired by a pro, or if I should just use a sealant repair product.


texts: How do I remove a stuck faucet/tap cover?

texts:
I've been fixing leaking faucets in a bathroom. There are total six faucets in a bathroom,
two made into a bathroom basin, two made into the wall in the shower tube
and the last two are on the wall on top of the mop sink.

I have fixed the leaks with basin's faucets but was unable to do it with other four faucets because
have failed to remove the faucet covers.

They seems to be stuck. To get a better grip I wrapped some duct tape around the chrome covers and then used
the spanner - but to no avail. Tried the strap wrench - no luck too.

I thought it could be the silicon sealant that glued the covers to the wall - but after I have removed most of the sealant
(used the sealant remover to soften the sealant and then putty knife) it has not not changed the situation at all
as the cover is still stubornly refusing to unscrew.

Any ideas how can I get these covers off? Can you recomend some special tools? I was thinking about
a type of a pipe wrench for cone shaped pipe (as the cover is shaped as a cone)?


texts: Need to develop an angled Spacer to go in between the Garage Floor and Car Lift post pads

texts:
I need to fabricate/develop an angled spacer.

13 inch wide by 10 inch long, by 3/4 inch to 1 3/8 inch thick.
This spacer is needed to go under two of the posts of a hobbyist car lift in my garage.

The garage floor is angled by the door where two of the four corner posts will go.
These two rear posts need to be on a flat surface and at the same level as the two front posts.
Each post pad will need to handle approximately 2000 pounds.
I was thinking of building a 4-sided mold where the column pads would be on the angled concrete and pouring some type of epoxy, resin, or cement into the mold.
Which the metal plate from car lift posts would sit on.


texts: How should I handle cracked grout in my two bathrooms?

texts:
Both bathrooms have cracked grout where the tile meets the tub. They were done by a contractor 2.5 years ago. The second picture shows a crack going away from the tub between tiles.

This bathroom has hairline cracks.

This bathroom cracks thicker than a hairline.

Should I just put new grout over the cracks and press it in the cracks? Should I grind out the grout entirely and start fresh? Are there any special patch up products? I have never worked with grout before and I am clueless as to the best strategy.


texts: Integrating hard-wired smoke detectors with fire sprinkler waterflow sensing

texts:
If you are in a house with interconnected smoke detectors (hardwired or hardwired/battery combo), can you interconnect them with the waterflow switch for a home fire sprinkler system, or do you need to upgrade to a full fire alarm control panel at this point?

(It seems that since most (all?) hardwired smoke detectors use 9V on their interconnect line (as per this and this) relative to the neutral to activate the interconnect circuit, one could make a very simple interconnect setup using a 9V battery, a 9V wall-wart adapter, and a couple of garden-variety Schottky diode rectifiers to provide a 9V supply to the waterflow switch; but would such a contraption violate the fire alarm or fire sprinkler codes?)


texts: I’m a new home owner. I noticed that insulation on my suction pipe was cracking. I wasn’t sure what insulation to use rubber or foam. I decided to use rubber, was I wrong?


texts: do 18" perfections and 18" tapersawn shakes have the same recommended maximum exposure

texts:
What is the maximum recommended exposure (roof pitch 4 in 12) for 18 inch "perfections" versus 18-inch tapersawn shakes? Are they the same or different?

Does the recommended exposure also vary by butt thickness?


texts: Do all wires on basement walls have to be in conduit?

texts: I need to know if, when a basement is unfinished and an outlet is on the wall, is it required to put all wires in conduit?


texts:
i had 4 Par38 75W bulbs on track.
replaced them with 4 led 13W bulbs.
all work but last one .
i tested bulb on another fixture works  fine.?
when i put old "incandescent" bulb in last one all works fine
the track is on dimmer and all bulbs dim except when led is in  last fixture
is there limit of led on track?
thanks


texts:
I'm looking to upgrade the thermostats in my apartment to ones which I can control programmatically over WiFi.

I opened up one of the old thermostats and discovered I have the classic "C-wire" problem.

Digging around behind the wall I discovered two twisted pairs coming out of the same jacket as the other thermostat wires (blue and white, brown and white).

Hoping to identify the C wire I busted out the oscilloscope and measured the voltage from the R wire to each of the four unused wires.

In all cases the voltage was 36V pk/pk and 17V RMS. Neither of these values is the 24V I was expecting for the C wire.

Is my measurement methodology incorrect? Are these the expected results? Can I purchase and install smart thermostats using any of these three links as the C wire? If not C wires, what are these?

Unfortunately I do not have access to the furnace end of the wiring.


texts: Recently installed a new electric water heater with an expansion tank.   Water coming into the house is 52 psi, the line that runs to outside faucet is the same pressure but the faucet in the sink after my water heater is at 140 psi and the pressure release valve has a small constant drain and I have am at a lost as to what is causing this.


texts: Is "hissing" sound from a water main a good indication that water is in use?

texts:
I recently received a notification from my water department that they suspect I have a leak somewhere in my house.  Apparently, the meter outside has a mechanism that goes off if water has been running for 24-continuous hours.

As a test, I tried turning off all water in the house and checking the meter.  Then, approximately 20-30 minutes later, I checked the meter again and compared numbers.  Sure enough, I had gone through 1/3 of a gallon.

Now comes the fun part -- finding the leak.  I've checked:

Water supply valves and spouts.
Toilets (placing dye tablets in toilet tanks)
Major appliances (refrigerator, dish washer, clothes washer, etc)

The only thing I found was a extremely small leak in the toilet water supply valve. I'm in the process of replacing the valve but I'm skeptical this is it.

When I periodically check my water meter, it looks like I'm leaking approximately 1 gallon an hour.

One thing seems odd: when I stand close to the water main line as it enters the house, I hear a faint hissing sound.

So my question is this:  Is a faint "hissing" sound from a water inlet pipe a good indication that water is in use?  Can I trace that sound to the source? Or is this a red herring and could be caused by something else?


texts: Main Line into House 1" OD Copper, what fitting

texts:
The main line coming into my house is 7/8 inch copper, .99 OD. I can't find any 7/8 fittings other than a reducer to 3/4. Seems like a 1 inch fitting would be to big, whats on there now is tight fitting as you'd expect from any matching size pipe/fitting. The main shutoff valve needs to be replaced and I don't want to torque it as much as it would take to remove the current one. Currently it has a 7/8 to 1.25 FIP, 1.25 to 1 hex nipple, 1 inch regular port valve. Pretty sure the valve is the original 40 yr old.
Edit: Title updated


texts: Closing severe gap along baseboard and floors

texts: We have very unleveled floors along this wall that wood paneling is going up on. The wall is about 10ft long and there is almost a half inch difference in the height of the floor. The baseboard was cutdown to maintain a level top for the panel to start to go up on. Is there a way to put the shoe on to hide the big difference in height of the baseboards? You can see in the photo that it is obvious that the shoe is higher on the baseboard on the right compared to the left. We will eventually have the same issue when we run trim along the top panel that ends into our ceiling too. Thoughts?


texts: What could cause my tankless water heater to make a knocking sound?

texts:
I recently replaced my water heater with a tankless unit (Rheem). After installation I noticed that whenever I turned on the hot water; or when my central heating unit would turn on, the tankless unit would make 3-4 loud knocking/popping sounds. I asked the plumber who installed it and he said "no idea" [gee thanks pal].

Today I replaced the gas pressure regulator thinking that might be it. The old one was rated for 100k BTU/hr while the heater needs 180k BUT/hr [you'd think the plumber would have done this]. The new regulator is rated for 200k BTU/hr, but the water heater is still making those sounds!

I don't want to open up the unit because I really would have no idea what I could do. Does it have to do with the water line? If so, why does my central heating unit make the water heater start knocking? Does this sound familiar to anyone?

EDIT: Here is a recording of the water heater after the faucet has been turned on.


texts:
I have an interesting situation where I am in a studio that is approximately 300 sq. ft., and should require ~9,000 BTU/h (3/4 ton) heating/cooling capacity. There are three rooms--A bedroom (~11x8), a living room/kitchen (~13x13), and a bathroom (~7x4). No current HVAC system currently exists, and I only really have access to the ceiling. Currently no insulation exists, but I plan on adding some (>R15 in walls, >R40 in attic). Also, this is in California, where I expect the normal temperatures to be between 0°C and 30°C.

My current problem is in finding a solution that provides heating and cooling to all three rooms. I was hoping to use a mini-split system, but I need it to operate on 120V and it would need to have a horizontally ducted interior unit to provide for all three rooms. Unfortunately, the only systems with horizontally ducted interior units seem to run on 208/240V and they seem to cost twice as much as an equivalent wall-mounted interior unit system.

An alternative I considered was putting in a system with a wall mounted interior unit and adding some duct work to actively ventilate the other two rooms. I'm not quite sure how to tie this into the thermostat for the mini-split, though.

Lastly, I looked at central heat pumps, but those all seem to be excessively sized for my conditions and would require duct work be added, which may not be a problem. On the side of the studio where the external unit would be, there is a closet that shares a wall with each of the three rooms, so a ducted solution could be placed inside the closet, or just above it, minimizing the duct work needed.

I'm really wondering what type of system would be best for my studio. I am looking to spend

Thanks!


texts: 2 gang boxes installed side-by-side; How do I fix this?

texts:
Recently I took a wall plate off a 4 switch box to paint the wall.  When I did this, I found that the wall plate was being held on by paint alone.

It appears that 4 light switches were installed in 2 adjacent double gang boxes.  There is a stud on the left side of box 1 and a stud on the right side of box 2.

To get things stabilized and provide a way to attach the wall plate, I installed 2 mud rings (shown in the picture).

However, I quickly realized that the 4 device wall plate will not cover this now that they are seated properly.  I tried initially to fix this by cutting a standard 2 device plate and positioning it next to a standard plate:

Q1: Is it possible to replace the 2 gang boxes with a single 4 gang box?  I'm hesitant to go down this path because my instincts tell me that there is a reason why someone did it like this.

Q2: One other idea I had was to combine some of the switches.  Three of the switches control recessed lighting in the room and we rarely turn on one without the others.  So, I'm considering combining those 3 into a single switch.  I read a few other similar questions but I'm not entirely sure if I can do this.  Outside of verifying the switch can handle the load, what other things do I need to consider?  Would it be simpler/easier to do this rather than replacing the whole thing with a 4 gang box?

Thank you for any help you can provide!


texts:
I recently posted a similar question, but the design has changed, so here's the new question.

I have two 4-ft x 4" x 4" wood posts, and each post has two screw eyes. There's 12 feet of distance between each post. I would like to recreate the design in the image, but I want it to be tight, not sagging. I'd use a 3/4" rope with no stretch.

How can I tighten this rope so that it's taut? Once it's tight, I'd Like to use a knot to secure it (I'd rather use a knot than a crimp sleeve).

Since this more decorative, I can pull and then tighten, but I prefer using something that can make it even tighter.


texts: Concerns about replacing a worn out light switch

texts:
Our home is about 3 years old.  New construction.  New parts.  The main lights in the kitchen are a 4-way circuit (3 switches, + lights).  Since we primarily come into the room from one side, one switch sees most of the use.  All in all, it's probably the most popular switch in the house.

As a recent development, sometimes flipping that switch doesn't turn on the lights.  Yes, the switch flips, properly and completely.  If we wiggle it, the lights will come on, and so far stay on.  Sometimes there will be brief bits of arcing sound come from inside the switch, either when we flip it, or when we're wiggling it to get the lights to work.

So I'm thinking I need to replace the switch.  If nothing else, the arcing seems very NOT SAFE.  And this is where I run into some concerns...

First, I've been around lots of light switches in my life.  I've never seen a switch fail.  Certainly not in 3 years.  So I want to know why this happened, and how to prevent it.  Is it a cheap switch (seems unlikely, considering the attitude and work quality of the electricians)?  Is it a random fault, and just something I need to shrug off?  Is the circuit overloaded slightly (10 bulbs), or is there some other situational thing I should check?

Next, is this likely to happen to other switches?  This seems more likely if the concept of "cheap switches" is valid somehow, but should I anticipate spending the next 10 years replacing all our switches in the order of frequency of use?  And more particularly, should I replace the other switches for this fixture now?

Finally, is there something I should be looking for (or avoiding) when shopping for a replacement switch?  Honestly, I didn't think "light switch" was something that came in significant quality grades.  It feels a bit like asking for models of hammers appropriate for hitting things.  But, now I worry.  I don't like arcing in my walls, and want my switches to last.  So, how do I avoid doing this again in 3 years?


texts: Cold water not flowing to certain areas in the house

texts:
The water main busted and after it was repaired we no longer have cold water in the front bathroom, the back bathrooms toilet or shower but still have cold water through out the rest of the house.

No chance in frozen pipes as it's summer in Texas.
We have blown air through the pipes to check for blockage, some buildup came out but did not fix the issue.

Why would only some areas not have cold water flow when the fixture next to it does?
What else do we need to be looking for to fix?


texts: Safe to plug a travel adapter into a power strip?

texts:
I've got a dual voltage (110/220V) lamp that has a European plug and want to plug it into a North American outlet that has a power strip plugged into it. So I will have to use a plug adapter (not voltage converter) to just change the plug from Euro to North American. I know in general this is obviously safe but is it okay that it will be going through a power strip? So it will be:
Grounded North American wall out --> Grounded Power strip ---> Grounded EU to NA Travel Adapter --> UNgrounded Electronic item with EU plug
Is that too many layers of things where it can be a problem safety wise?
Thanks for any help.


texts: Wiring up modern ceiling rose in old house

texts:
I am in the process of replacing an old light fitting, however I'm stuck because the old fitting has a completely different circuit to the new one.

From basic research, I believe the new ceiling rose is on a loop system. The old one simply had a single junction box with the live, earth, and neutral wires going in. (Pictures linked below).

My question is, how do I wire up the new ceiling rose? I've looked at the diagrams of the loop circuits and they seem to have lots more wires involved than I appear to have coming out the ceiling.

If it is possible to get this wired up properly, I'd really appreciate some simple instructions of which wires to put where!

I will link to pictures (apologies I cannot upload multiple on here) of how the old light was wired, what wires are coming out the ceiling, and what the new circuit looks like.

https://imgur.com/a/yCcpTvC

Many thanks in advance!


texts: Is a soundproof stud wall made of 38 x 63mm CLS strong enough?

texts:
I'm building two stud walls joining at a right angle to create a small room in the corner of a larger room. The timber I'm using is 63x38mm (2 1/2" by 1 1/2" - actual measurement) CLS. One wall is 2.4 m long, the other wall with the door is 1.8m long.

Now looking at the soundproofing solution I have in mind I wonder if these studs will be strong enough to support the wall. Can anyone advise on the strength of such a structure with 40 or 50cm centres? The walls are not loadbearing.

Heaviest case, the wall layering will be: Soundboard | Stud wall (40cm centres) | Soundboard | Rubber panels on which are suspended: | Soundboard | Soundboard

An alternative layering would be | Soundboard | Stud wall (50cm centres) | Rubber panels on which are suspended: | Soundboard | Soundboard

The soundboard is heavy sound resistant plasterboard which weighs 28kg for 2.4m by 1.2m.

The rubber panels weigh 15kg for 1m by 1m


texts: New Smoke Detectors continually alarm when connected

texts: I am replacing four old Firex FX-1020 with one  Firex P12040 and three Firex i4618ac. When I connect each one the alarm sounds immediately. I have verified my wire connections are correct   Not sure why this is occurring any help would be appreciated. Thanks


texts: Increasing the capacity of an electric baseboard thermostat

texts: The electric baseboard heat in my living room has a mechanical thermostat (bimetallic strip) that occasionally gets stuck in the "on" position.  I'd like to replace it with a solid-state thermostat, but the current thermostat is rated 22-amps, 240-volts, single-pole, and I haven't been able to find a solid-state replacement rated above 15 amps.  Is there some way to boost the capacity of one of these thermostats so it can handle the full load?


texts: Home automation depending on who entered the home

texts:
I am looking for a way to automate some stuff in my household depending on who entered home. The only way I can think of implementing this is by checking which device connected to the WiFi.

For example when I come home I want the water heater to start while when my girlfriend comes home she wants the oven to start preheating.

Now I want a way to recognize which device connected to the WiFi (maybe get the MAC address which is unique?) and from there send different commands to different appliances.

Now I am aware that this will start as soon as I park my car given that my garage is in range of the router but this is ok.

My question is, how would I implement such a service?


texts: Should we use carpet tape or tack strips?

texts: We want to install commercial carpet in a basement that currently has damaged linoleum/vinyl tiles over concrete. Can we use carpet tape around the parameter or do we need to install tack strips? We plan to install padding underneath the carpet.


texts:
I've got some Ikea Vilmar chairs that have a sort of swivel base and thin legs, and I'm trying to put some felt pads on the chair, but no matter what I try, I can't get them to stay on. They'll come off once someone moves the chair rather quickly since the legs tend to wobble.

Any suggestions? Would supergluing it on help at all?


texts: What trade should I hire to vent a microwave through my roof?

texts: Putting in a new kitchen and I cant vent microwave vent directly outside because roof eave in way Need to go up thru roof What subtrade can I use to vent a microwave thru attic


texts: Could a 130 volt bulb have overloaded a lamp specifying 120v bulbs?

texts:
I had a floor lamp burst into fire from one of the lights. I don't think it was the lightbulb - it seemed like it was the wiring, but honestly I'm not sure. I was checking now to see if perhaps the wrong light bulb was in the lamp. I saw that although the lamp requires a 120 volt bulb I think the bulb in there was 130 volt. Could this have caused the problem?
The pictures show where the fire was. I was able to turn the lamp off right away, but when it was burning it was like a torch coming out of there. If there were curtains nearby, they almost certainly would have caught.

.


texts: Why is there an extra plastic container in my toilet tank?

texts: I recently bought an older house, and the toilet tank is leaking.  In exploring the issue and googling around for toilet repair, I saw no mention of one of the parts that is in my toilet tank.  Within the tank, there is a smaller plastic container that surrounds the flush valve.  It seems to restrict the amount of water that ends up being used per flush, so perhaps it was added to reduce water consumption?  What is this thing, and how does its presence affect my approach toward replacing the different pieces of the toilet?


texts: Are the electrician's holes in my framing a structural concern?

texts:
The electrician for my basement finish went a little overboard on the framing in this particular spot. Both to gain access to the wall where the new subpanel was put in and to route the wiring. I'm wondering if this is going to be okay or do I need to seek out somebody to repair it? If it does need repair, what is the correct way to go about fixing this?

At least he put in a drill plate...


texts:
I installed a new switch for a new ceiling fan. For power, I pigtailed the 3 wire cable to my new switch from an existing light switch.

My problem is with the newly installed ground cable.

The 2 existing ground cables are screwed to the metal box at the back, each on their own screw.

What do I do with the 3rd (new) ground cable?

When I connected to either screw at the back of the box (where the other grounds are connected) the breaker pops. If I leave it unconnected the breaker is fine and newly installed switch works the fan.


texts: Should I be able to run some 1.5" PVC chase conduits from attic to basement next to a cold air return?

texts:
I have a new home I just moved in to and rather than having them put this stuff in ahead of time (silly me) I'm now trying to do it now.

Here is my situation...
I live in a 2 story home with a finished basement.  One portion of the basement is unfinished.

I'm wanting to run some future-proof low-voltage conduit from attic to basement (unfinished area) where I have a Structured Media Enclosure mounted.

The only straight shot from attic to basement (that I can see) is the cold air return which has an grate on each floor in roughly the same place.

My question is... given "common" building practices...
Could I theorhetically fish a straight pvc pipe along one side (exterior) of the cold air return all the way to the utility room in the basement?

Here are some bad photos taken from a bad video that I took while the home was in pre-drywall phases...

UPDATE 1/30/2013
I feel as if this space is no longer feasible for the "future-proofing" conduit runs I've been envisioning.
I've decided to go a different route using an interior wall on the main floor that's ceiling bumps into a WIC in the 2nd floor.  Depending on the place it pops up in, I'm going to run 4-5 smaller PVC conduits within that wall, and up to the WIC, then up to the attic.  This should give me precisely what I'm looking for in regards to future-proofing.

Also, attached are some pictures of a very closely built home to mine in pre-drywall stages that I am now using as a guide to determine where walls meet and which ones I MAY be able to use to run this type of conduit.


texts:
I've seen some furniture (beds, tables, media units) that are made of wood but sit on glass legs. See this bed with glass legs.

The glass legs are usually rectangular and appears to be double thickness, fitted vertically.

I was wondered about making something similar and slotting a piece of glass into the bottom of a wooden frame sounds relatively easy

But I would like some advice on the type of glass to use. I presume double thickness is best and toughened glass.

Wondered if anyone had any experience of using glass in this way?

Thanks.


texts:
I have started to build a farmhouse table and now facing an issue in the build. The Storage Area i have built is rocking and i believe one of the legs as shown in the attached picture is a slight 1 - 2 mm above the ground and guess this is causing the wobble.

Any Suggestions on how do i rectify this and improve the build as I am new woodworker and this is my first project.

Note : I have glued the Aprons that connect my two legs and i found the wobble only after that and i am using pocket holes for jointery.

Please find the plan and my build images as shown in the picture below.
1. Plan of My Desk
2. Image of the Leg which is slightly higher from the ground
3. Straight View of the storage area
4. Top View of the storage area
 ]3

enter image description here

enter image description here


texts: What type of paint should be used to paint a brick fireplace?

texts:
The brick color is hideous. Additionally there are some missing bricks that will be replaced first and would be hard to match.

Is there a particular type of paint that should be used on brick?


texts: Are water heater elements like light bulbs in that they either work or do not work?

texts:
A relative indicates that the volume of hot water delivered has declined significantly and is becoming problematic when showering.   They claim the water heater thermostat set-point was upped from 120 to 140 degrees F, to increase the amount of heat delivered per volume of water and counter the issue, however, the issue persists.

Are heater elements like light bulbs in that they either work or do not work?  Heater has 2 electric elements.

Any diagnostics or questions are appreciated. Especially simple tests that can confirm a bad thermostat or heating element.  Thank you


texts:
I am trying to install a bathroom exhaust fan but I am not seeing a real good way to get outside.  The first picture below shows my ideal spot for the fan represented by the new work box. If I were to run the along the joist and put a hole on the other side of the insulation you see that would put the vent directly under the bay that leads out onto my patio.
Looking at the second picture, to get out from under the bay I would need to mount the inside the ceiling above the tub. The biggest problem with that is that are water lines running along that joist that I would have to navigate around.
Looking at the third picture shows my ideal placement for the vent: to the left of the water line that runs out onto my patio.  I am trying to avoid boxing out an area to run the vent but I know that I can't run a 4" exhaust pipe through the joist.
Does anyone see any other options here?  Could I run a rigid pipe out under the bay, put a 90 on it, and then run another length to get out from under the bay?  Is there something else I could do?


texts: I am going to regrout the tile in the bath/shower area.  What is the easiest way to remove the old grout?


texts: How do i stop office chair sound when leaning back?

texts: I have an office chair, which has a leaning mechanism that can be tightend and loosend as per requirement. But the problem is, whenever i lean backwards, and then come forward, the mechanism makes a krrrrr sound in the forward journey. I found out the sound comes from the cylindrical box type thing. Any ideas how can i get rid of this annoying sound? I don't see a way to open it either.


texts:
I'm planning on building a wooden carport with a lean-to, single slope roof for one car.
The approximate dimensions 3.5 meters or 11.5 feet wide x 5 meter or 16.5 feet long.
The question is, if I could do something like this:
x_____x
| <-  |
x <-  |
| <-  |
x_____x

In words:
3 posts on the left, 2 posts on the right. The arrow indicates the lean-to downwards direction.
I figured this roof configuration would partially relief the right hand structure where there are 2 posts only, relying more on the left hand side where there are 3 posts.
Unfortunately I'm also constrained when it comes to the lean-to roof pitch (around 20 degrees).
I should also mention I live in a region where it snows in the winter but it not really windy.
Is it reasonable to build such a structure taking under consideration the extra strain added by the winter snow?
What would be recommended wooden beam sections to stay on the safe side?
Thanks!
Juan


texts: Installing Baseboard Moulding with Brad Nailer

texts:
I am wanting to install my newly purchased wooden baseboard molding by using a Brad Nailer. I went to the Home Improvement store and bought what I thought was the correct tool. Turns out that the Brad Nailer I purchased requires an air compressor with it to work.

Long story short, I have done a bit of research and it seems like most people recommend using a pin/Brad nailer that can shoot 2" nails. I am wondering if it is a good idea to go ahead and return the brad nailer and get a cordless brad nailer instead. The problem is, these nail guns are insanely expensive so I want to make sure I am getting a tool that I can get my money back out of.

I know that you can use some of these nail guns to do other things as well like doors and crown molding etc.. My wife and I just purchased our first home and it is a very old home(90 years). We intend to remodel the entire house and we are about 30% of the way done. Is it worth the money to spend a couple hundred bucks on a finish/brad/nail gun, or should I find a way to borrow one/ rent one?

EDIT:

If there are any other recommendations for the installation of the baseboards, please go ahead and give some pointers. This is my first time installing them so I have only seen a video of someone doing it and so it would be nice to get some other input on the process.


texts:
When not running any warm water, and having my tap about half open, the cold water pulsates a bit. The stream moves forwards and backwards about half a centimeter. I'm assuming the pressure fluctuates.

When showering (thermostatic tap) I also hear that the water pressure fluctuates.

What could cause this, and how do I fix it?


texts: Is this gray fibrous substance above my ceiling tile made of asbestos?

texts: This is above my ceiling tile.  Is it asbestos?


texts: Can you cut open a plastic junction box and just lay splices inside?

texts: This doesn't look like it should fly to me, but the "electrician" hired by the seller of this property is arguing that this is an acceptable way to put an open splice into an box. I know this shouldn't be allowed, but is there phrasing in the code to support this being unacceptable? Their contractor is saying it just needs to be in a box, and if he staples it down within 8" it is fine. He "repaired about 20 open splices this way. You can see how he just modified the boxes and placed the open splices into them as they were before and just left them all over the attic like this. What kind of tradesman takes this little pride in their work?


texts: What should I look for when shopping for a kitchen faucet water filter?

texts:
I'm looking for a kitchen faucet water filter that I can install, and found several online.  My main goal is to have easy access to clean water in my apartment, and to also have a method of filling 5 gallon bottles to replace my Sparkletts delivery service.

When looking for a kitchen water filtration system, what are the main things that one should look for?  I'm also looking for one that has a large tank to support a 5-gallon fill up.


texts: I am installing new ceiling fans and noticed this red wire had some exposed copper. Can I just wrap it with a cable cable repair/electrical sealant pad or do I need to have the entire wiring replaced? See image below.


texts: We have tried twisting both ways, pulling etc. No screws visiable. Sorry for awful photo, it's pitch black in the bathroom now!


texts: Now, my current range hood exhaust fan motor has 3 wires coming from the harness, a red wire, a white wire and a black wire. The NEW motor only has 2 black wires coming off of it- how do I hook it up?


texts: What are some ways to remove hardened thinset from drain pipes?

texts: We have a drain trap in a floor that is clogged with thinset and/or cement grout. The pipes are almost impossible to reach so replacement is a last option.


texts: double wired circuits and grounds and neutrals sharing the same bus bar. Is it OK?

texts:
double wired circuits and grounds and neutrals sharing the same bus bar, is it OK to wire like this? Sorry I am not a professional in this field.
2 red and 2 black coming from main panel.


texts: What are these marks on the Romex wire in the wall?

texts:
I was replacing some damaged siding and decided to replace the old dirty insulation at the same time.  After pulling out the insulation I noticed that the Romex running to two outlets had some brown sticky stuff on it.  Any ideas what it is and why it's there?  I'm including a picture of one of the the wires.

Went back and found a piece of the old insulation and took a picture.  It looks like tar paper on the inside.  That's probably it.  Thank you.


texts: Why does my shower only get hot when the sink faucet is on?

texts:
Had this problem for a while.  Delta, single handle, shower.  Sometimes showers are hot.  Sometimes luke warm to cool.  To fix the luke warm shower we have found that turning the hot side of the sink (same bathroom) on causes the shower to get steamy hot (good).  It doesn't take a lot of sink flow, just a little does the trick.  Turn the sink off and we go back to luke warm shower water.

To make the mystery even more interesting is that the hot water side of the sink comes out cold while the shower is on.  Both faucets (sink and shower) are fed from the same hot water line.  How is cold water being introduced to the hot side of the sink.

Changed out the shower cartridge, as well as the sink cartridges within the last six months.  This did not fix the problem.


texts:
Can an LED bulb be used with a retarded on motion detector? Incandescent bulbs come on slowly with this type of detector to extend the lamp life.

These are externally mounted on an electrical box to control the fixture. I replace a couple every year on this house. It's an ocean front house and there are a lot surges because of weather.
The ones I've bought the last couple of years don't snap on instantly but act though turned on with a rheostat. Before I blow a 1000 bucks on LEDs I would like to know if an LED would work with this type of motion detector.
They also have a dusk on feature where the incandescent lamps are partly on. How are they affected with that feature.
My experience is as a Navy Construction Electrician mostly with power generation and distribution and telephone exchanges. Telecom and data cabling systemsand business telephone equipment is my civilian business


texts:
This shows what my wiring looks like in the living room and garage. I had a Honeywell Thermostat that I want to replace with an Ecobee 3, is it possible to use the C terminal for this?

The red wire broke when I popped the Honeywell from the wall. There is also a blue wire that is unused on both ends.


texts: How do I connect this saw's motor to 220 volts?

texts: I finally found a motor for an old DeWalt radial arm saw but I don't understand the diagrams on the motor plate. I want to run it at 220 volts but without terminals I'm not sure about which wires go to my hot leads.


texts: How should I fill gaps in wooden skirting board etc?

texts:
I got this product to fill deep holes. It is a general purpose filler which states:

This is a non-shrink, ready mixed mortar made with natural hydraulic lime, siliceous and calcareous sand (0-0.6mm) and additives. Suitable for repairing or restoring cement renders, lime plasters and refurbishment work on composite backgrounds.

Can I get away with using it to fill gaps in wooden skirting board or might it introduce problems?  I just need it to hold for a year or so. It would be for small holes in the skirting board as well as in between the board and wall. Just to block small lines of air flow that are coming up.


texts: Could condensation happen on unused heating pipe?

texts: So I used a furnace in the old days and now I switched to heating AC. But the old pipes and radiators are still in place. I just discovered that in the corner of the room the lower pipe is very cold and there is water on it and directly under it, in little pools... Could it be condensate or is the pipe leaking? Anyway, while the heating AC is good, the air obviously won't heat the floor that much, so it's around 18C, while the air in top layers is 24C. The room on the other side of the wall (where the pipe comes from) is not heated by any means as we don't use it. What can I do to the pipe to prevent it accumulating the condensation? Wrap it in a towel? :] Discharge all the water from the pipes?


texts: Help me figure out my wood shed foundation!

texts:
I recently bought a house that already had a (~2 year old) 12ft * 10ft shed in the backyard. Currently the shed just sits on some gravel. I plan on turning the shed into a 2 room sauna/changing room and want to secure it on a more permanent, level foundation. After much thought and research, I think the best approach would be a concrete pier/sonotube foundation. Seems simple enough... but I have a bunch of questions that perhaps someone could help with:

How many and how far apart should the piers be spaced? The shed is currently sitting on 5 4x4 runners running the long way. Am I correct in the assumption that I should have piers supporting each runner? If the shed is 12 feet long - how many rows of 5 piers would I need?

From inside the shed it appears that the floor is slightly sagging on the left side (you can kind of see it in the photo as well). Should I expect that to level out once it's properly supported on piers?

I'm in PA, so I understand that the piers must go below the frost line - however, do I need to pour footings under the piers as well or will a shallow bed of gravel suffice?


texts: heat pump/air conditioning wiring to thermostat

texts:
We decided to change the thermostat of our heat pump/air conditionnning unit.
First 3 images are the old unit. The first 3 wires(1 and 2 picture) yellow red orange were not connected to anything, just hanging in the wall. the 4 image is the new thermostat. Now the problem I have is that my system doesn't cool only hot air comes out.If I put back the old thermostat everything works fine. reason why I believe the problem is my wiring?

1 and 2 are robertshaw 10-529 temperature sensor/
3 is old york thermostat/
and 4 is the new thermostat honeywell rth 8500


texts: How do you pry apart pieces stuck together by cam screws?

texts:
I have already removed the cam lock (the round piece that locks it in place).

What I am left with is two pieces of wood that are attached by the cam screw. Simple hand pulling has not pulled them apart

What is the best way to pry them apart?


texts: How do I calculate the size of the downspout I need for a gutter?

texts:
From what I've read, a 2x3 rectangular downspout is meant to drain 600 square feet of roof. But surely that depends on the rainfall intensity, doesn't it?

600 square feet of roof in Idaho is going to be a hell of a lot different than 600 square feet of roof in Hawaii.

I have 385 square feet of roof which will be handled by 25 linear feet of 5" K-style gutter, in an area that receives a maximum rainfall intensity of 6 inches / hour over a 5 minute period [chart]. Will a single 2x3 downspout be sufficient? If not, will I have to upgrade to 6" gutters in order to accommodate a larger 3x4 downspout, or will a 3x4 downspout still fit on a 5" K-style gutter?


texts: Could a power outlet be ruining hair straighteners?

texts:
I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask this. We've gone through 3 hair straighteners in the past 2 months. 3 different models, 2 different brands.

The outlet is a normal outlet (No GFI) and one of the straighteners had a GFI plug.

Other things like hair dryers and curling irons seem to be working fine, and holding up.

I find it hard to believe that we've just happened to find 3 faulty products. What should I be testing for to see if the outlet could be causing the problem?

Voltage on the outlet is right around 124v


texts: How do I stick paper on the wall in a stylish manner?

texts:
I want to stick some papers on my room wall, some paintings and notes ..

but looking for a way that it looks fashion.

Any ideas about that?


texts: Should basement staircase door have a passage or privacy knob?

texts:
I am replacing a door knob on first level that opens to staircase to the basement. Should this door have a passage or privacy knob?
Thanks!


texts: Can a toilet paper holder be mounted to the side of an MDF bath vanity?

texts:
I have a one-arm Delta toilet paper holder that I want to mount to the side of our daughter's bathroom vanity which is made of MDF.

The vanity side is 3/4 inch thick. I am not sure if MDF is sturdy enough for the holder, and if I need to add an extra support (small block of wood) OR use anchors.


texts: How should I connect two lighting switches in a double-gang box?

texts:
For my current project I am attempting to install a single pole dimmer switch alongside a 3 pole dimmer switch. The single pole controls a set of sconces on the wall while the 3 controls the ceiling lights and travels to other things. I am not sure how to go about it though with so many cables in the box. In the photo below, you will see 5 cables in the box.

top of the box
- (left) hot coming from breaker
- (right) going to high hats in ceiling

bottom of the box (in no specific order because not certain)
- go out to a switch which controls deck lights
- laundry room switch controlling ceiling lights
- garage ceiling lights
-- i know these because these items do not work when wiring is undone and power turned on from breaker.

As you can see below too, I've gone ahead and made sure all ground connections were made.

let me know if any other information is necessary for proper guidance.


texts: The carpet outside the bathroom has two wet spots, as though water is seeping up from slab foundation. Cannot find any pipes leaking in bathroom, the spots are randomly positioned, about a foot into the bedroom. The carpet is soaking wet in these spots, but nowhere else. There has been no heavy rain lately. Home built in 1984, southern CA. Who do I call to look into this??


texts: What could cause my showers hot water to not work well after water main work?

texts:
We had some work done on the mains cold water feed into the house. At first everything worked just fine but after about a day when the top floor shower is now switched on there's a rapid banging noise (I believe the term is 'hammering') and reduced hot water flow. Switching the cold water on, just a bit, in the basin next to the shower stops the banging but the hot water flow doesn't increase. The hot water flow from the tap in the basin (and every other tap in the house) is excellent.

What would cause this? Is it trapped air? Is the pressure too high for the shower?

Update: It turns out that a little piece of plastic had worked it's way up to the shower and got trapped in the hot/cold water mixer. Took a plumber about 1 minute to pop the cap off, clear out the mixer and put it all back together. Sorted!


texts:
I am considering purchasing a smart light switch, and I am looking for help to determine whether I have a neutral wire?

My switch box has a bundle of white wires tied off in the back of the box, which looks like the neutrals. However, I also see another white wire going into one of the switches, which left me a bit confused on whether they are actually neutrals?

Here is an image of the switch box. Thanks in advance for any help!


texts: How can I replace my light fixture with a ceiling fan?

texts: I have a new ceiling fan. I removed the old light fixture. The ceiling fan suggests connecting black wire to black, blue to blue, white to white, green to green. Makes sense.  When I removed my ceiling light, there are two black wires and two white (The light had a thin copper wire attached to a screw - I assume that was the ground).   Can you please help me figure out which wire is which?


texts: Wiring Options for 14/3 NM-B Cable and Two Single Pole 15 Amp Circuit Breakers

texts:
A 14/3 NM-B cable is run from the main breaker panel. The black wire is connected to one 15 amp single pole circuit breaker and the red wire is connected to a second adjacent 15 amp single pole circuit breaker. Are any of the following acceptable according to the National Electric Code? If so, do the handles of the two circuit breakers need to be tied together using a handle tie approved by the manufacturer of the circuit breakers?

Single duplex receptacle in a one-gang electrical box

Black wire to the top brass screw terminal
Red wire to the bottom brass screw terminal
White wire to one of the silver screw terminals
Ground wire to the green screw terminal
Tab connecting the two brass terminals broken
Tab connecting the two silver terminals intact

Two duplex receptacles in a two-gang electrical box

Black wire to the top brass screw terminal of the first duplex receptacle
Red wire to the top brass screw terminal of the second duplex receptacle
White wire to the top silver screw terminal of the first receptacle
Separate insulated white wire from the bottom silver screw terminal of the first receptacle to the top silver screw terminal of the second receptacle
Ground wire pigtailed to the green screw terminal of both receptacles
Tab connecting the two brass terminals intact on both receptacles
Tab connecting the two silver terminals intact on both receptacles

Two duplex receptacles in a two-gang electrical box

Black wire to the top brass screw terminal of the first duplex receptacle
Red wire to the top brass screw terminal of the second duplex receptacle
White wire pigtailed to the top silver screw terminals of both receptacles
Ground wire pigtailed to the green screw terminal of both receptacles
Tab connecting the two brass terminals intact on both receptacles
Tab connecting the two silver terminals intact on both receptacles

Please reference and/or quote the National Electrical Code.

Reason for question: I recently assumed responsibility for maintenance in a small office building that was constructed in the late 1990s or early 2000s. While adding a new outlet, I noticed that the existing panel makes extensive use of 14/3 NM-B cable where the black wire is connected to one 15 amp single pole breaker, the red wire is connected to a second 15 amp single pole breaker, and the handles of the two breakers are not tied together. Based on other issues I have found, I have a suspicion that the wiring is not compliant with the current National Electrical Code.


texts:
Why does the Hartell Reservoir style pump require no venting, while the Little Giant Drainosaur does? See links below for more info on pumps

Hartell Pump

Little Giant

I am having a hard time getting a sloped connection from my utility sink pump in the basement to the outdoors, so I am looking for other solutions. All advice is welcome. Little Giant specifically says no AAV valves.


texts: How should I eliminate gaps in wood-grain miter joints?

texts:
I just installed some Cap-A-Tread vinyl stair treads. Basically, these are 5/8" thick MDF boards that wrap around existing treads and give them a new "look" because of a thin vinyl layer. The vinyl is a wood pattern that matches my floors.

The steps have an exposed side, and the Cap-A-Tread have mitered "returns" to deal with this. However, the miters aren't great, and there are decent-sized gaps on the outside corners. With crown molding, this isn't a problem as it's usually all white so a combination of caulk and paint could effectively hide any gaps. With dark wood grain, I don't really have this option.

What's the best way to hide the gap of a mediocre miter on wood-look vinyl?


texts: Ground/outlet tester shows bad ground for entire house after switching single outlet

texts:
I just changed out a receptacle.  Prior to changing I tested the original receptacle with a ground & outlet tester.  It showed everything to be wired correctly (green light).  After installing the new receptacle every single outlet in the house shows bad ground.  I removed the outlet, checked the grounding-wires pigtail; everything looked good.
I checked voltages as well: neutral-to-hot showed 110 for both outlets, ground-to-hot showed 110 for both outlets, neutral-to-ground showed 0V.
My guess is the tester is bad; does that make sense or am I missing something else?  Is there anything else to check at this point?


texts: Solution for A/C Condensate Drain Line when it is not possible to drain it elsewhere?

texts:
I have a split A/C system in a room that runs on low 24 hours a day during Summer that unfortunately cannot be connected to any drain or pipe and which therefore requires a bucket to be used to collect the condensate from the condensate drain line in the exterior unit that sits on my balcony in my apartment building.  I have not yet been able to solve this issue.

This is quite frustrating as the bucket has to be emptied every single day (once a day), so I'm looking for a better solution.

Without going into details, connecting the condensation drain line to any drain of any kind, drain line, drainage hole, ground, etc. is not an option, so I need an outside-the-box solution.

The bucket is already quite large and gets quite heavy at the end of the day when it's full, so maybe something that makes the water evaporate faster than normal so that I don't have to empty the water so often?

The A/C Condensate Drain Line seems to empty about 3 Gallons / 12 L per 24 hour period.

Potential solutions:

Humidifier

Are there outdoor-friendly humidifiers that could get rid of 3 Gallons/ 12 L per day?  The tank would not have to hold that much as the drain line would just drip the water constantly into the tank.
CONSIDERATIONS: Would I need to use more than 1 humidifier and serialize them?  Can a humidifier handle being on for 24 hours a day for 4 months straight?  Can a humidifier handle the elements (e.g. could rain affect the circuitry or create any electrical issues)?

Plant/Grass garden

My balcony has 37sqft / 3.4 m2 of area to play with but only 1 hour of direct sunlight (although plenty of indirect sunlight) per day, could I create a garden of plants/grass to absorb the water?
-CONSIDERATIONS:  How much garden would I need?  Which plants could meet this criteria?  Could the balcony handle the weight of soil + plants + water?

Any other outside-the-box solutions?

Would any of the solutions listed above work?  If so, what specific details would I need to make it work?  Are there any other solutions?


texts: How do I stop mold growth on greenboard behind my shower wall?

texts:
We have greenboard behind our shower wall.  There are signs of mold growth on it.

Can it be cleaned up with a bleach solution and then painted with RedGard?


texts:
The metal below was a banding strap in its former life.  It is magnetic but slightly rusted at spots, so probably galvanized steel?

On the left you can see that I have started to shape the metal.  However, this is not going as easily as I had hoped.

How can I shape the metal (using hand tools) to more closely resemble the bracket below?

Specifically, I need help forming the loop.  I believe I can handle the rest.

BTW, this will be for holding tools to my garage wall, so I hope the question is appropriate here!

Edit:// Also wanted to say that the end result does not need to be so refined as the example I provided.  I will be satisfied with something resembling a capital Omega.

Edit #2:// I have been shaping this over a pipe to get the shape on the left.  Should I try using a smaller pipe to bend over?  I thought I should use something larger, but now I am thinking probably not...


texts: US-Michigan—Subpanel install—Can I use PVC conduit and THHN in-wall to go from disconnecting means to panel inside the garage?

texts:
Hello— I'm installing a 100 amp sub panel in my detached garage.  The panel that I have does not have a disconnect breaker on it, and I'd prefer to locate it away from the point of entry in the garage for convenience.  So I have a 100amp outdoor disconnect (basically a 100amp breaker in a box, listed as "service equipment")  My intent is to run conduit from the house to the garage, terminate it in the disconnect, (I think a disconnecting means is required where it enters the garage) then run to the panel elsewhere in the garage.

My question is, can I use PVC conduit in-wall with THHN to go from the disconnect to the panel?  Is there another way that I should do it?  Using SE cable in wall and attic seems like a minefield, so I figured conduit might be best, but I'm not sure. If the conduit is surrounded by insulation, do I need to derate the wire inside it?  If I use conduit, do I need to use Sch 80?

Any thoughts or caveats greatly appreciated!


texts: Is there any difference in performance or endurance of nickel vs chrome plated screwdrivers? Some companies offer both and the former (nickel) is cheaper for the same blade (& handle).


texts: Have a furnace, compressor ok, can I install a heat pump?

texts: Every contractor you talk to says that you cannot replace one without the other. My compressor is a 16 SEER Carrier and it's like 6 years old. I should not have gotten a gas furnace, should have gotten a heat pump system as I have solar. My question is can I just get rid of the gas furnace myself and install a heat pump? talked to 2 or 3 contractors and they all say no you have to replace the compressor at the same time.


texts: What does the 10 flash signal indicate on my garage door opener?

texts: My garage door opener will not close , I get the 10 flashing light signal. I have eliminated the sensors as the culprit by releasing the the door by pulling the red rope and when i push the button to engage the opener it works properly and even stops when i block the sensors. When i hook the door back up it trips and will not close and sends the 10 flashing lights. The door moves freely and there are no bad rollers. Why am i experiencing this ?


texts: Older Moen Bathroom Faucet -- How to remove?

texts: I'm trying to release the sink faucet and handles. The lower part of each handle unscrews and gives me about 1/8" above the sink itself, but I don't see any hidden screws underneath. How do I remove these?


texts: What could be causing my kitchen drawers to be sliding out?

texts:
Two out of the four kitchen drawers are sliding open after about 20 seconds of staying closed. I managed to fix one by tightening the screws, but one continues to misbehave. I compared the ones that stay closed and the one that still won't, and there does not seem to be much difference. All the screws are tight and the tracks are clean and level.

How can I diagnose what's wrong?

Here are some photos of the one that won't stay closed (the angle on the camera is off on the second one):


texts: Would board and batten walls require drywall taping?

texts:
I have a room that has some wood paneling in it that we are going to have to replace, as it is old and has a missing section that is hidden by a cabinet we want to remove. I am considering doing either normal drywall or doing floor-to-ceiling board and batten walls for some extra style. For board and batten, I seemingly have two choices for the bottom layer: drywall, or paneling/plywood. I don't want MDF paneling, and HDF or wood paneling runs pretty expensive, as does plywood that's attractive enough. Therefore, even if I do choose to do board and batten I would like to stick with drywall.

My question would be if I do drywall WITH board and batten, would it still be necessary to tape the seams if I have 1 x 4 boards over them? Is still necessary for structural integrity?


texts: "Laminate hardwood" vs. "Engeneered hardwood" flooring

texts:
I am buying a brand new house. And today I had a conversation with the builder about the hardwood in it. He told me that the floor in the house was a "Laminate Hardwood 5'' hand scraped".

I googled this but could not find anything like that. I was always get redirected to the "Engineered hardwood" websites ? What is the difference between the "Laminate hardwood" and   "Engineered hardwood" floor ? Are they the same ? I know this is not just a simple laminate . It looks like hard        wood, but it has a really flat texture and feel

I am really confused. Please help me understand the difference if any

Here is the picture I took

Thanks


texts: How to measure and cut oddly shaped tile

texts: I really like this tile my wife found, but I'm concerned about installation.  I've tiled a good amount, but always rectangular tiles.  How would one cut an odd shaped tile like this?  Would I need to trace the tile on wood and cut it out to make a sort of jig that I could then use to run along the fence?  That's the only thing I can think of.  Any advice would be welcome. It would be for a bathroom floor, if that matters at all.


texts:
I have an Intex swimming pool and there is a minor leak at the outlet/strainer grid as petroleum jelly was not applied during installation.
The obvious solution is to drain, rectify and re-fill, but this is difficult as it equates to about 1,000 gallons of water into my garden which is likely to affect the foundations which would be a disaster!
I'm hoping to find a method that can be done now - something like wrapping ptfe tape around the fitting - as a temporary measure.
Any suggestions would be welcome.

Please bear in mind, I know the long-term answer is to drain and repair.
Thanks in advance


texts: How to connect a 4-wire range from this panel?

texts:
I am trying to connect a new 4-wire range in a new location in my house. When I removed the old cover I see 3-wires connected 1) red 2) black, and 3) green.

If I understand correctly, red and black are 110v each, and green is ground. I picture a rod in the ground for green. Neutral in another hand, I picture it as a wire taking back electrons to the station.
Now when I open the panel - I noticed that the neutral (white) and the ground (green) are connected to the same bar on both sides of the panel.

So my questions are as follows:
-- Why are white and copper (ground) come from the same bar?
-- How do I use this setup to connect a 4-wire system?
Side note: My new range allows for a 3-wire setup - maybe all is possible with my house.


texts:
We have a tile surround shower that has a fascia covering that is attached between the bottom edge of the tile and the bathtub using tub/shower/tile caulk.
The caulk is marked for use in wet locations,  so i expected it would resist mold and mildew growth.   But as you can see from the picture it is nasty.
I would like to to this fascia and caulk off one last time (3rd time around by now,  over the course of 10 years) and replace it with something that won't be so tough to maintain.
What should i use instead?


texts: Should there be insulation inside a light fixture?

texts:
I recently moved into a new home, and I was replacing a light bulb when I found this after removing the glass cover.
Now, I don't know much about codes and regulations, and I'm new to working on my own home, but this screams "fire hazard" to me, so I want more input before I install a bulb and continue to use this. Is this okay to have insulation next to something that gets hot? Why is/isn't it?


texts: i have a 220v well pump is it ac or dc that i should set my tester on when it goes out

texts: I have a 220 well pump that has stopped working .  I bought a digital multi tester to check it but I don't know if I need to check ac or DC


texts: My new pool pump has a high PSI and bubbles are in the water. How can I repair it?

texts:
I recently had someone resurface my pool. During the resurfacing, they noted that the skimmer was not holding pressure per their test (long story short, these guys weren't 100% reliable and wanted a 3rd party's opinion).

After filling up the pool, the old pool pump (discontinued model) wouldn't prime. I installed a Hayward Super Pump and attached CPVC/PVC valves around it. Initially, it was observed that the PSI gauge would shoot and float to around 30 PSI and there were some bubbles coming out of the jets. The skimmer seemed to have an extremely small amount of suction alongside the pool jets to the point where it was unnoticeable to most. Water was still flowing through the pump though.

I've already run an in-scent test around the outer piping to identify if any air was being leaked into the pool without anything being obvious. I also shut off multiple paths via the diverters to see if anything caused the pressure to stabilize. Sometimes there were minor 5 PSI fluctuations. For the most part, the PSI remained at 25-30.

My biggest fear is that I have an underground piping leak causing air to get into the system. My theory is there's a leak between the pool suction and the pool pump.

Any guidance to an assisted answer or anything I can try would be helpful. I did already try to blow out the lines with a shop vacuum to check if there was any debris blocking the water flow. It seems that the air went through the pipes just find and shot the water up wherever appropriate.


texts: Electrical Outlet arc burned the wire. Do I need to replace the entire line?

texts:
Wife notice an odd smell (sort of like chlorine)  coming near an outlet last night. I immediately shut off the breaker and took off the covers to investigate. The last homeowners put in one of these outlets with the USB – A ports in them. It seems that one of the neutral wires slipped away from the screw and started arcing with the hot line above it, melting the plastic.
We got lucky that we caught it. My plan was to clip out any wire with the damage to the insulation, and properly secure the wires in a GFI outlet (its in the kitchen and wasn’t done properly to begin with.  My question is whether I need to worry about damage in the rest of the romex line? Not sure if an issue like this means I should replace the entire line or not.
Also it seemed a little odd to me that this outlet has the Hot and the neutral are so close together. On most AC applications it seems that there is some distance between the lines, which could prevent a little slip like this from causing a major problem. Is this common in other places that I just might not be familiar with?


texts: What exactly is pitch in terms of nuts and bolts?

texts:
Today I needed a nut and washer to hold my bike tire. I had one nut already which I was able to lock on there with a 15mm socket & ratchet. So I figured this meant that the nut must be a 15mm and a 15mm washer, if that makes sense? I only had one nut and washer so I took a trip to the hardware store today and I go hunting for that nut & washer. Soon I am overwhelmed with new terminology there were metrics and hex and some other stuff I figured I needed a 15mm so the metric section must be it. I go hunting there but nothing is labeled with mm it's all +1.50 pitch or M8 I don't know what any of that means or how it relates to the 15mm diameter nut & washer. Essentially I couldn't find the right one, an employee showed me what he said was the 15mm nut & washer was but it was way too big so I knew I'd have to go back to do more research. Please explain what pitch means for mm I am very confused here. And if a 15mm socket can lock the nut onto the bike does that mean the nut would have to also be a 15mm nut & the washer?

Thank you