texts: How to hook up C wire to Crown air handler

texts:
Sorry for the newbie question, but I would like to hook up a C wire so that I can get a Nest, Ecobee, etc.  My current thermostat is just a regular battery operated Honeywell and looking at the current thermostat wire, I have the extra blue/brown wires available, but they aren't being used and not connected to anything.  I looked at the control board at the handler and there already is a wire on the C terminal going to the air conditioner condenser outside.

In the picture below - the top red (R), white (W), green (G), yellow (Y) and the unconnected brown/blue wires are going back to the thermostat .  The middle white (C) and red (YR) wires go to the condenser.

I assume I need to connect the blue wire from the thermostat to the C, but what do I do with the existing white wire that is already connected?   Can both of the wires go on that terminal?

I also attached the wiring diagram for my air handler


texts: I have 120v when measuring between true ground and the screw on my outlet plate

texts:
In the process of going to add some low voltage landscape lights to an existing low voltage transformer I found out that when I touched the metal base of the transformer I got a bit of a shock. I originally figured it was something shorted in the transformer box itself but as I traced it out further to where it was connected to the outside 120v outlet that if I put my meter leads on the metal part of the outlet box and the other end directly into the ground ( the dirt) I read 120v. Kept backing up and found the same thing on 2 other patio outlets thats on the same circuit.

Im in the low voltage business so I know how to use a meter and have some knowledge of electricity but I cant figure out how I have the 120v between the metal outlet box and earth, and again, this means sticking one lead directly into the dirt near the box.

Any thoughts or advise very much appreciated.


texts: So I'm replacing a ceiling fixture and my new fixture has a ground wire but the old one didn't. My outlet box has two places where wires come in - one with a black, white, and bare and the other with a black, red, white and bare. The bare wires are both attached to screws to the outlet box - I'm suspecting that these are my ground wires, but if they are I have no idea how to attach the ground wire for my fixture, both because the existing wires are so short and there are two ground wires in the outlet box but only one on the fixture. I've added a (not great) photo of my outlet box in case that helps. The fixture's mounting bracket does have a green ground screw on it as well.


texts: What are these extra black wires connected to my doorbell chime?

texts:
I attempted to install a new SimpliSafe video doorbell, and after everything was connected I found that the doorbell chime inside produced a disturbing humming sound. I contacted SimpliSafe, who sent me their Doorbell Chime Connector device.  This basically acts as an electrical bypass and has helped other customers who experienced doorbell buzzing after installation.

For me, however, after installing the Chime Connector, the doorbell chime still hums / buzzes. It only stops when I take the doorbell off of its mount outside the house, which tells me that the humming is resulting from the unit drawing power.

I believe part of the problem could be that the electrical wiring near my doorbell chime doesn't completely match the diagram shown in the Doorbell Chime Connector instructions. The instructions only refer to wires coming out of the wall for the Front and Trans wires, both of which we are told to connect to the Chime Connector. However, the wires near my doorbell chime also include 2 old-looking black wires with scraggly copper fibers coming out of them. Prior to installing the SimpliSafe Doorbell Chime Connector, these old black wires were also wired to the Front and Trans terminals just like the red and yellow wires that are normally there.

Does anyone have any experience with this? What are these old black wires? What should I do with them?

Here are 2 pictures of the doorbell chime and wires along with the SimpliSafe Doorbell Chime Connector, followed by a short video of the doorbell chime making the humming sound:

Video:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Sa8j9McGjoH4p9N_geZfV-cloPzOPLia

Thanks!
- Jason


texts: Could our electric baseboard heaters be causing soot damage in our kitchen?

texts:
We have electric baseboard heat that's about 30-35 years old. Each room has its own unit. We normally keep each unit on 60-62 °F. We only use 3 units: kitchen, living room, and master bedroom.

Last week, during the cold snap, we turn it up to 70 °F in the kitchen, we had a cold morning. Later that night I went into the kitchen and the curtains, the walls and ceiling were covered in soot.

We live in a 55 and older community; we own the unit, but they do the maintenance. When I called them, the first guy found 5 little gnats under the unit cover and said they burned and made the smoke though he wasn't sure. Two days later, the head of maintenance came looked and said he'd get back to me. He called on Friday saying it was a candle.

In the meantime I washed the 1 wall and part of the ceiling but by Friday night it was back. It's in my cabinets, all over the tile floors, that now tracked on to the rug. The ceiling in all these room also has soot. I washed the windows in these rooms because they were also full of soot. My curtains are ruined, they hung over the heater, just to the bottom of the trim of the window. Cutting this short: it's all over, on the door to the closets. We have just lived here a year, so everything is new cabinets and paint.

On Monday I'm calling the manager of the complex. We are breathing this in. By the way the room I do burn a candle is the 1st bath, that ceiling is clean, and the only time I burn a candle in the kitchen is when I'm cooking.

What I'm looking for is proof that the elements in these heaters are burned out, and need to be replaced. Any info a professional can give me on the matter I would appreciate.

We are in a mess: all I do is wash everything down in my kitchen. I don't know how it's in my cabinets. An opinion from an expert would be deeply appreciated. They are trying at all cost to put this on me, so I have to hire an electrical contractor, and buy new elements or heaters.


texts: What is the maximum 12/2 wire length from a 20A breaker to a baseboard heater?

texts: What is the maximum distance from a 220V/20amp circuit breaker to an 2000 watt electric baseboard heater using 12/2? At what distance would it require 10/2?


texts: Is IPS threading compatible with NPT threading?

texts:
I've attached two links to the fittings I'm looking to purchase online.  But I don't know if they will work together.

Chrome Plated Brass Pipe Fitting, Coupling , 1/2" NPT Female

and

Moen 116651 6-Inch Straight Shower Arm, Chrome


texts: Installing Outlet for Welder; Possible Dual Use for RV

texts:
I'm doing some electrical upgrades to my garage/workshop with upstairs apartment; I'm going to be replacing its 1960s-vintage subpanel which is fed by #4 wire from a 200 amp service entrance panel (on the house, about a 40 foot wire run).

While out shopping for a bench grinder (1970s Craftsman; I'll take 50 years old, a little rust, but Made in USA over brand-new cheap Chinese crap any day) I found that the seller had an old Miller welding machine which he was willing to let go for a reasonable price. It looks to be in decent condition but the power cord is deteriorated and will have to be replaced prior to use. I'll need to install a suitable outlet for it...nameplate specs are 230 volt, single phase, 37 amps. The plug currently on the machine is a NEMA 10-50P.

I'd rather not do any welding actually inside the garage, with perhaps rare exceptions. I was thinking of installing the new outlet on the outside of the garage, at the driveway, just 2 or 3 feet from the subpanel I'm replacing. I don't currently own an RV, but it strikes me that it would be ideal to install a receptacle which could be used either for the welder or for an RV.

Suggestions? (Also, suggestions for "tuning up" and safety checking the old Miller welder prior to first use are welcomed as well.)


texts: Can puck LEDs be used for recessed lighting in above bed soffit

texts:
There is currently a soffit in the bedroom that sits above the headboard of the bed.

The soffit is rather large, dropping down around 15 inches from the actual ceiling, and has three recessed lights. The lights are old, large, probably CFLs.

I'm looking to have the soffit raised so that its height goes from 15 inches to something more like 6 inches or maybe 4 inches and placing smaller recessed lights in as well.

I keep leaning towards LED pucks, but they appear to always be categorized for cabinets rather than soffits or ceiling.

For example, this item https://www.homedepot.com/p/Commercial-Electric-5-Light-LED-White-AC-Puck-Light-Kit-21325KIT-WH/206996745 , says the thickness of the cabinet (and this is sheetrock not cabinet I'm working with) must not exceed 0.2 inches.

That seems rather thin for sheetrock, maybe not for cabinets and makes me think I'm looking for the wrong product.

What is the proper recessed lighting to use for a small soffit? Are LED pucks not intended for this?


texts: Water Shut off Valve not turning back on

texts:
My condo unit's main cold water shutoff valve is not turning back on.
Our building had some water maintenance yesterday and the we turned off both hot and cold water shutoff valves inside our unit. After the maintenance was done, hot water shutoff valve turned on with ease. The cold water shutoff valve is not moving. It seems stuck in that position.
In the picture, the smaller valve is for hot water, the larger one is for cold water.
What is causing this issue and how can we fix this?


texts: Installing pendant lights - no junction box available/feasible

texts:
In laws are coming into town and are seeing our house for the first time. As you can imagine my honey-do list is a mile long! We just finished up painting our entire upstairs (about 1000 sq ft) and now are on to the final details. One of which is replacing an old florescent light above our sink to pendant lights. Here is my issue. (see attached kindergarten picture from MS paint)

Above our sink there is a piece of 1/4" plywood that matches our cabinets and underneath that there is about a 3/4" gap before reaching the soffit (which is closed in on the bottom). So I it seems I am unable to install a junction box into the soffit nor get reinforcement above the plywood. I have no idea what the best course of action is. Please help!


texts: Why is half of my house without power with no flipped breakers?

texts:
The master bedroom and middle bedroom of my 3 bedroom mobile home is without power. None of the breakers have flipped. I even changed the breaker that controls that part of the house and my ceiling fan in my living room. Still nothing in those listed bedrooms, but the ceiling fan is working fine and I'm getting 115 VAC to the breaker. I was thinking it could be a short to one of the plugs in the middle room. It was working fine earlier in the morning. I went into the middle room to turn on an electric heater and everything went dark. I changed the plug and still nothing.

What should I do now?


texts: what kind of electrical boxes and fashioning methods are best for metal framing?

texts: What kind of electrical boxes and fastening methods are best for metal studs?  Are there special boxes that are best to use?


texts: Cutting insulation of speaker wire without damaging inner wires

texts:
I bought some speaker wire and an adjustable auto-stripper. I don't remember the gauge of the wire, but I wanna say it's 16ga. It's got a pretty sturdy plastic outer insulation and the speaker wires are twisted inside.

The outer wire is too thick for my auto-stripper and I'm afraid of damaging the wires inside when I'm trying to strip it. So, my plan has been to cut the outer layer by using just a dumb little craft scissors, because that's the only scissors I have right now, but it's obviously slow going. I've been cutting down the wire, being careful not to nick the speaker wires inside and then cut the insulation once I've exposed enough of the inner wires to strip them/fit them in my banana plugs.

My question is this: Is there some kind of specialty scissors I can get that is effective at cutting the outside insulation while also not really damaging the inner wires? Is there a recommended type of scissor, like a small but blunt nose, so I can fit it inside the outer insulation but not cut the inner wire?


texts: Wood Floor Panel moved out of place and can’t move back, please help!

texts: I was walking up the stairs and when I reached the top step my foot slid forward and wiped out. When I looked up, I saw that a panel had slightly moved, but when I tried to move the panel back into place it wouldn’t budge. How do I fix this?!? Please help!


texts: Does there exist backwater valves for sink drains?

texts:
I have what I think is a standard plumbing set up in my kitchen, with the laundry machine and dishwasher drains merging with the sink evacuation drain. There have been instances of water backing up. To prevent flooding of the kitchen I'm looking to fit the drain with a backwater valve. The specifications on the drain are: Tubular F 409 PP 1 1/2 tubular. Does there exist such backwater valves for this specification?
UPDATE #1:
Water is backing up due to a common drain problem. When that happens, it doesn't get fixed immediately. In the interim, one needs a fix
UPDATE #2:
I just spoke with a plumber who said it's trivial to install a check valve.


texts: Can I move a kitchen waste vent? If so what is allowed?

texts:
I an adding a large opening between my kitchen and living room just above countertop level, but realized the sink vent is there.

I want to move it ~30" away. See photos. My plan would be to use two street 1/16 elbows to get the 2" ABS into the wall, then run it through the wall vertically.

Is this allowed? Anything I'm missing?


texts:
I have a step down out the back door of my house and the first step down is way too far, about nine and a half inches.

It's concrete.

What is the best way to make it taller?


texts: How do I wire mutilple sections of lights with 3 way switches to same power source?

texts: I want to wire  four separate sections of lights for my basement from the same breaker.  Three sections will be wired to 3 way switches, and one is a single pole. The previous set up was wired from the panel, to the lights and then to a 3 way switch.  Maintaining this set up, I have wired Section 1 successfully  (14/2 to the lights, 14/3 between lights, 14/2 to switchA and 14/3 to switch B. For the second 3 way switch section, I have 14/3 running ( but not yet connected ) between the 2 switches, and 14/2 from the second switch to the light fixtures and between fixtures. The 3rd 3 way section  was already wired and has a 3 way wire coming into the switch box from a switch at the top of the stairs, and a 14/2 going out to the light fixture. I have not yet wired the single pole section.   How do I connect the other two 3 way switches and the single pole to the power source?


texts: Sparks observed when electrical outlet is turned off

texts:
I have engaged an electrician to rewire my electrical cables and outlets. I observed that when I switch off my electrical appliances, there is some sparks coming out.

Is this behaviour normal? Did the electrician make an mistake?


texts: Can anyone help me identify this old audio cable?

texts:
I have this old Bang & Olufsen vinyl record player, with a old connector for the speakers. Do anyone know what type of connector this is? And if there exist some converters?

Looks like DMX, but it can't be that?

Would love to get this to work again.


texts: how do I switch on the water supply to my dishwasher?

texts: I don't know how to turn on the water supply to our dishwasher. There is a blue tap on the pipe which I am not able to move. I am afraid to break something if I use too much force


texts: shower head has running water when off but another faucet is turned on

texts: The shower in our first floor bathroom will flow water out of it when the bath tub faucet on the second floor is running or the washing machine on the second floor is filling. The water is cold. This shower doesn't drip or leak unless one of the two mentioned fixtures are running.


texts: Can I install an L-Bracket at an angle to match the direction of the load (for a Hammock)?

texts:
I am wanting to hang a hammock on my deck from two large wood pillars (similar to those on a pergola, though these are permanent).  I cannot simply install hooks as I also need the hooks to stick out at least 6" and ideally 8-10"to keep the hammock away from a hand rail.
So my plan is to install an L bracket that would run perpendicular to the hammock ends, placing the hammock away from the pillars (and away from the fence).  But the force would then be down and pulling inside towards the hammock.  Should I install the L-bracket on a slight angle so that it resists downwards as well as inward load?  Other ideas?


texts: What are the basic differences between a mesh and regular/iron pool fence?

texts: I'm about to move into a house and need to fence the pool before I move the family in. In searching the web I find that pool fences seem to fall into two categories: mesh or iron. What are the differences between these two types of fences?


texts: Is it possible to hang a bicycle from floating shelf bolts?

texts:
The requirement is to hang a bike on 1" dowel mounted on floating shelf bolts. The bolts will go into studs and their length is 2.5". The bike weighs 60lb and will be 10" away from the wall. I think this isn't going to work; it'll just fall. Anyone have any experience of this?

It's basically this product https://www.amazon.co.uk/ZWEIRAD-Sticks-Copenhagen-various-Natural/dp/B01C34NZAM but a DIY version, with bigger screws.


texts:
My mini split had filled the drip pan and was not draining properly. When the wall was painted some of the paint had gotten onto the mini split and it seems like it had created a channel so that when it overflows the water would travel between the wall and the paint. You can see from the picture it traveled a pretty good distance.

Now that the leak has been fixed I was wondering how do I repair the damaged paint? Do I need to remove it and repaint the wall?


texts: What recessed shower light cover is this?

texts:
We have a recessed shower light fixture and the cover is melted (thank you previous owners...). But I can't figure out what this thing is called or where I can get a replacement.

I've attached a few photos of the cover and the housing.


texts: How would you repair this broken sprinkler irrigation PVC pipe?

texts:
Please see the photo. We had a (plastic!) stake hit this (red circle). There doesn't appear to be any leaking from the red circle. Unfortunately, there is quite a bit of spray from the bottom of the elbow joint (the Yellow Arrows indicate the direction of the spray). If you click the photo you can actually see part of the crack on the bottom of the elbow joint.
EDIT: As oriented in the picture, the bottom two pipes (with the T and the straight through) are NOT AFFECTED, as far as I can tell.
I'm at a loss as to how to repair this. Any ideas?


texts:
Recently my dishwasher (DW) required service which meant pulling it out from under the granite counter top. The DW was secured to the counter top with two metal tabs which were glued to the counter top. The DW is operational again but I am searching for the type of glue that was used. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

Edit:

The epoxy product I ended up using is called Loctite Epoxy Five Minute Instant Mix. Before applying it, I used sand paper to remove the old epoxy. Then I simply applied the epoxy to the metal tabs, slid the dishwasher back into place with the door open, and clamped the metal tabs to the counter top. The next morning, I removed the clamps and verified the epoxy was rock solid. Rock on!


texts: Fill hole in slab beneath tub to reduce radon?

texts: We recently discovered that our downstairs bathtub has a large hole in the slab beneath it where the tub drain and a few other pipes go into the dirt.  We had a radon mitigation system put in a few years ago to deal with elevated levels, but our monitors show that it still gets up to around 3-4 pCi/L in the winter. (Current 7 day average is 3.78 pCi/L). Granted, that's (barely) below the EPA's recommended "action" level, but I work from home and my office is in the basement, so ... (cough, cough) ;) We're thinking that that hole in the slab is potentially how a lot of the radon is still getting in, and wondering if it would be worth it to somehow fill it in and seal it, and if so, how.   Thoughts?


texts: Can I safely power a three-prong electrical device from a light socket?

texts:
I have a covered lampholder (light socket) outside my house that I want to use to temporarily power a plug-in string of indoor/outdoor lights. Using CFLs, the total wattage of the string of lights will be lower than the rated wattage (100 W) of the lampholder.

The string of lights uses a grounded (three-prong) plug. Is there a way to safely power this using the lampholder?

I can't find any lampholder-to-outlet adapters that give you a grounded outlet. Are there any?
Would it be safe to use a two-prong lampholder-to-outlet adapter with a two- to three-prong grounding adapter? Is there anything I can do to make it safer? Keep in mind that this is outdoors, under small cover.


texts: Will a C16 deck joist (about 2" by 5") span 3m (about 15 feet)?

texts:
I'd like to add a decking to my garden, dimensions are 5m width x 3m depth.
Am planning to have 3m joists laid vertically (about 50cm apart) and 5m decking boards horizontally
As the soil is not very stable I was wondering whether about 10 C16 joists (2 inches x 5 inches), with bearers on both ends (3m apart), would work, could anyone confirm?

Thanks


texts:
I have an outdoor outlet about 60' from my house.  It is properly wired using an underground cable with ground.  It is in a plastic box with plastic conduit protecting the stub-up.  Recently a tree near by it was hit by lightning and one of the paths to ground was back into the house, which did a lot of damage.  I have since replaced the ground fault outlet, which was destroyed by the lightning.

My question is whether it would be beneficial or not to drive a grounding rod at the outlet and tie the outlet to both the ground wire from the house and the local ground rod.


texts: For Subflooring, what is the distance needed between screws?

texts: I have 3/8 inch particle board which I am screwing and gluing down to 5/8 plywood.  How close together should the screws be?


texts: How should I accommodate thinner replacement deck boards?

texts:
I have a deck on the house that is currently nominal 2x4 of various species. (the previous owners had no taste). I want to replace the surface with Ipe wood. It comes as nominal 5/4 x 6 which is a better look IMO.  The problem is how to make up for the smaller dimension?

Seriously, is ripping a bunch of 1/2 inch strips the professional way to go?
Would you paint the strips to keep moisture out?
I suppose I could use some of the PT that we pull up to make this shim, right?

A few edits to address the questions in the comments.

Yes i want the good wood called Ipe.
no the concern is not the stability of the floor, the joists are 24" or less
the concern is how it looks / behaves under the threshold of the slider doors and where the siding meets the deck.
yes I have been formatting the paragraph to look / read better, but it just keeps clumping it all together.   uurgh...

A couple things the past few days....

2x Ipe is cost prohibitive, double the cost of the 5/4 Ipe.  However Ipe is the way to go. Therefore we're thinking of putting a 1/2 inch shim on joists or putting a 'sister' joist that is 1/2 inch proud.  We need the decking level to be the same after the thinner board.  If there were a gap or even a filler bit under the doors and siding it would look like a mistake.  There are 12 doors that meet the decking.

One pro suggested rubber flashing to help hold the 1/2" shim in place and bonus shed the water.  Explain again why you wouldn't do this?  How else to support doors?


texts: Friendly light bulbs, I want them to turn on slowly

texts: I want that the light bulbs in my house turn on slowly, just like when you use an impedance control, but with a simple switch, is that possible?


texts:
I am replacing some 15A 14/2 outlets.  All went fine except the last.  I think the box is not large enough.

(3) 14/2 coming into the box; one is the live the other two go to other outlets
All grounds in a wire nut, single ground going to outlet ground.
2 of the hot from the outgoing are connected via wire nut, single hot going into the push pin connector
hot from the live in the other push pin
the 3 neutrals are in the two push pins and the screw connector (no wire nut used)

How do I count this?  I'm pretty sure the 3x2x2.5 box is not enough.


texts: Should I cut air space in my basement foam board insulation?

texts:
I intend to finish a part of my basement following this guideline from Fine Homebuilding and Building Science. In this configuration, the foam board completely contacts the concrete. My conern is that should a small water leakage event occur, such as a washing machine or a water tank leak, the water will have nowhere to go and gradually seep through the foam and eventually lead to the entire floor needing to be replaced.

I've noted some products on the market make a point in having air space in their floor contact area, for example AmDry, DriCore RPlus and ThermalDry. See sample photo below.

I'm thinking it would not be too hard to use a table saw and dado blade to cut channels in the back of the panels. I was thinking I would cut half inch deep, quarter inch wide, on a 4 inch grid.

The down side is that this will decrease the PSI capacity of the foam. I was thinking I might have to increase the thickness of the plywood over the foam. I'm not sure if this effort would even be worth it without the water-proof layer that the commercial products offer - however, I assume anything is better than nothing. I'm not sure if this will weaken the insulation and cause it to crack along all these lines.


texts: Can I use a 6 foot long table as the base for a stand up desk?

texts:
I am looking to create my own cheap stand up desk.  My current idea is to take one of the cheap $40 6 foot tables where the legs fold up and buy 4 plastic crates to put on the corners of the desk which will hold a piece of wood the same size as the desk or a little larger.

Is this a good design? One of my concerns is there is no center support on these tables that have folding legs, all in all I don't think the top porting of the desk would ever have more than 100 lbs on it at a time (although I have no idea how much the wood itself would weigh)

Another related question, how can you determine a good relative stand up height to your own body height?

Update, some great suggestions so far, however I want to keep the project to under $100


texts: Sanding Screens vs Sandpaper for Cedar Deck sanding

texts:
I am sanding my cedar deck.

The deck has been stained and in places it is worn away leaving bare cedar that has weathered and turned silver.

I have the sander for the weekend,  ( 12x18 ) inches and the only sheets I can find that size are sanding screens - 80 grit.

Will it work like 80 grit sandpaper and sand through the stain like sandpaper ?


texts: How large of a hole can I fill with putty in cedar siding?

texts: I have cedar siding and I've noticed some smaller holes.  I've taken a chisel and verified that the hole is properly cleaned.  There was some decayed wood, but I'm down to the hard stuff.  Here's my question:  how big does a hole have to get before I have to trade out the outdoor-rated wood putty for an actual piece of wood?  Dime? Quarter? Silver Dollar?


texts: What is this black cylinder on the side of my electrical junction box?

texts: This junction box houses electrical wiring to a light fixture in a closet. The light no longer works and i'm wondering if this black thing is a possible cause.


texts: How do you keep from dropping grout all over when tiling?

texts:
Finished tiling a tub surround today.  Wife helped me clean up the grout...

My mix is like a creamy peanut butter.  I read the directions.  I use a float and drywall knife to apply.  I buy the good stuff...

So I am coming out right now.  I have more drops than a b-52.  Literally 10-20% of my grout hits the deck.

I am not a bad tiler.  My jobs look great and last.  But I think I am about as messy as can be.

What is the normal amount of grout to drop?

Do other people have this same problem?  (mention if you are a pro or DIYer)

How do you keep this from happening?  I want tips/technique/whatever you have.


texts:
On the recommendation of a gutter installer I hired a roofer to install torch down over the front porch awning. The gutter installer pointed out that the person who did the awning didn't do it right because they put the shingles under the drip edge instead of on top of it.  The awning is relatively flat and had a much cheaper grade of roofing than the main roof.

I hired a roofer to install torch.  The agreement I had with the roofer was that there would be 3/4" overhang all the way around the porch awning, which has a 56' square foot surface.  Upon completion, I noticed that he shorted the overhang on one side and one side has no overhang at all.  Is this a problem?

Additionally one of the corners doesn't appear to have been heated up enough and it is loose, and not making contract with the metal drip edge.  This is in the same area where there is no overhang.  The roofer said he detected a soft spot while working on the roof, but made no mention of it until after it was completed.  After pointing out the soft spot, I took a chisel and determined there was dry rot about 1/2" through the top of one of the rafters and adjacent plywood.  Additionally a fascia board in the corner was completely rotted out and will need to be replaced.  The roofer recommended I use wood filler to fill in the fascia board, even though there was nothing left of it.  And I wonder why the roofer didn't mention and repair the rot before boarding over. I assume the fascia needs to be redone, but what about the rafter with 1/2" of rot at the top, and the adjacent area that rot.  I scraped some of the dry rot out and decided to let it sit for a few days to dry out until I can figure out what to do about all this.  The torch down was applied over the existing shingle material.  A drip edge was installed over that, and another layer of torch was applied over the drip edge, but about 1/2 of one side has no overhang.  The bottom side of the awning appears to have sufficient overhang.

I need additional information.  I don't know what you mean by scab out 2".  Are you referring to scabbing out 2" on the rafter?  Or 2" in adjacent plywood?  Or 2" on the opposite side of the rafter?  Does the torch need to come off?  Also, I had made a mistake and the torch was applied over compound 90 in a two layer approach:  one layer under the drip edge, and one layer above the drip edge.


texts: What do I need to do to restore a wooden entry door?

texts:
I'm going to give it a try rather then buying a new door.

I have a wooden door (veneer on both sides) with some decorative mouldings. My plan is to use a heat gun to get as much paint off as possible and then go around with an orbital sander using 80, 120 and 220 grit sandpaper.

On the bottom, the door is weathered and some of the wood is chipped or has started to flake under the paint. I think I need to use some kind of filler but I would like to know what kind because I want it to hold.

Also, one of the biggest issues with restoring it myself is that I don't like seeing brush marks in the paint. So, I plan to paint the door using a sprayer.  I do have the equipment for painting cars. Can I spray the door with the same spray gun? What kind of primer and paint do I need to use on the wood to make sure it holds well and lasts for a long time?

Any other advice on stripping, sanding and filling the paint will be appreciated.

Note: If it makes a difference, I'm also going to get all new hardware.


texts:
I'm building a new deck and got my plans approved for the city. In order to reduce the point load from a beam meeting on the corner of the house, the inspector asked that I use a double ledger board and move the footing closer to the foundation. How do I attach a double ledger? Do I attach one with galvanized lag screws to the rim joist, and then attach the other ledger to that, or should I just put galvanized lag screws through both ledgers at once into the rim joist? Also, Menards and Home Depot sell mostly "galvanized 1/2" lag screws", but the code calls for "hot dipped galvanized". Can someone explain the difference? Are the galvanized they're selling at the hardware stores really hot dipped galvanized and they're just shortening the name, or is it something else?

Thanks!


texts: two grounds already wired together in outlet box

texts:
I'm trying to install a wall light to a fixture that simply had a bare bulb. In the box, the two black (ground?) are already wired together. Do I attach the ground from the new light to the two grounds already bound together so all three blacks/grounds are connected to each other?
Thanks!


texts: Breaker sometimes trips when Microwave turned on

texts: Is there a power strip circuit breaker I can use to stop having to go to the basement when the microwave sometimes trips the circuit breaker?


texts: attach decorative terracotta disk to outside of house

texts: I have a couple of exterior terracotta disks that I’d like to attach to the outside of my house. How can I go about doing so? They have no real fixing holes on the back as you can see in the picture.


texts: We are trying to replace a 20A 250V single outlet that was installed in 1975. We have tried replacing it with a 15A 120V double outlet. When checking our completed work, the outlet tester read that the wires were reversed. We changed the wiring, and the outlet tester still read that the wires were reversed.


texts: Why won't the lower agitator on my washing machine spin?

texts:
I have a Whirlpool top load washing machine. I recently replaced the dogs on the agitator which was very easy. The top agitator works like it is supposed to, but the bottom doesn't move. It's like it's locked down.

What would cause this? Do I have to replace it or can I save it?


texts: single handle faucet one valve doesn't work

texts:
I was troubleshooting my single handle faucet for some issue, and found out that one of the valve doesn't do anything. Let say:

I shut both valve off, no water；
I shut left valve off, right valve on, I got both cold and hot water;
I shut right valve off, left valve on, I got no water.

I don't understand why is this happening, shouldn't one valve control cold water and the other control hot water. And leave either on will result water coming in? I tested it both sinks in my bathroom and kitchen, same problem.


texts: Gas Fireplace with inconsistent ignition and maintenance of flame

texts:
New to gas fireplaces.

I have a 3yo Heat& Glo Everest vented gas fireplace with handheld starter. Have always had trouble getting it to ignite but once it ignited in the past, the flame held for as long as I wanted it on.

In the last month, have had a very difficult time just getting it to ignite(minimum 5-10 times a session and then when it finally would ignite, the flame would die out after 1-2 minutes. Would go thru 3-5 of the above cycles and then the flame would hold and be good for as many hours as I wanted it on.

Additional information:  the pilot sparks on ignition followed by a good blue/some red flame that seems to extend over and heat up the thermocouple and thermopile. I see no obvious debris on the these structures. The hood of the pilot tube appears intact. I see no wind effect on the igniting flame. There is also a thermistor.

Was thinking it was a thermocouple/pile problem but was confused as to why once I got a “good” cycle it stayed on.

Would welcome any insights.


texts: I am replacing a 3-way switch that controlled two lights in a bathroom. There is only one switch, but controls two lights. The old switch worked fine. But now when I replaced it, in one switch position one light is on one light is off. In the other switch position, the lights switch so the other is on and the one that was on is now off. I tried a different 3 way switch just in case it was a bad switch. I also tried switching the red and white wires just in case I messed something up but the same thing happens. Any ideas? Thanks in advance!


texts: How to mount a pull-up bar to drywall on resilient channels?

texts: I'm trying to mount a pull up bar on a drywall. The wall is shared with another unit though,so there are resilient channels behind the wall, and so the studs are offset from the dry wall sheet. What's the best way to securely mount things into the studs without breaking the dry wall?


texts: Two Water Heaters - One off affecting the other?

texts:
We recently moved into a property with 2 water heaters installed. These were installed less than 3 years ago, so they are relatively new. Now, in an effort to conserve electricity (we are just 3 people in the house), I switched off one completely.
We then noticed that the other (functional) water heater's pilot was going off every other day, causing no hot water. We then switched both heaters on 2 days ago, and the problem hasn't reoccurred...

We had a technician come over today, and he said it could be a problem with the thermocouple. But when I mentioned that one of them was switched off, when the problem occurred, he evaluated the plumbing, said that both feed into the same water line, and that that could be the problem causing the pilot on the functioning heater to switch off.

My question is - Does the operation of one water heater affect the other in a setting described above? Of course, I will evaluate whether the problem reoccurs with both heaters being on over the next few days.


texts: Screw placement to tighten and eliminate squeaks and popping

texts: I am installing some pre made,stick on adhesive carpeted stair tread covers and want to run some screws in before to tighten up and eliminate some squeaks and popping from the top since I have no access to underside....but I cant find a single screw or nail head to use as a guide for were to run screws in....I can figure out were for the front screws that will go into the riser....but on the sides and back edge is were I need a suggestion? I dont wanna just start runnin screws in and guessing,cause if the screw doesnt grab anything underneath its pointless? I appreciate any advice.


texts: Continue to use hardwired smoke detectors?

texts:
I am going to replace all the old hardwired smoke detectors in my house.

In my research I have found some of the features available include 10-year batteries and dual sensor types (photoelectric & ionization) .

However the 10 year battery doesn't seem to be available in a hardwired detector.

Would it make sense to switch to the 10 year battery model, which means not using the pre-existing wiring in my house? Even with a hardwired system there are batteries to replace annually, so moving to the long life battery would be nice. But I feel like it might be silly to ignore the hardwired setup that I already have.


texts: Gap between foundations is a bug entry point?

texts:
Main Problem
Camel crickets are getting inside house and the entry point appears to be a gap between foundations.
Background
Occasionally, we see camel (spider) crickets in the bathroom of our addition. An exterminator identified a potential entry point as a ground level hole where the foundation of the house and the foundation of the addition meet. This appears promising because this is only 3 feet from the bathroom where we normally see the crickets.
We have found camel crickets in other places of the house but finding and patching small holes in crawl space vents appears to be limiting their access. Now we are seeing them in only the addition.
The Foundations
The addition was added about 25 years ago and the house is 50 years old. The house foundation goes at least a few feet down. We do not have a basement but the floor of the lowest level is a little below ground level. The addition's foundation is higher than the main house.
We live on a hill with the ground rising behind the house.
The Hole
The hole is at ground level where the original foundation and the addition's foundation meet. It is about 3" wide and 3" tall and very deep (maybe length of the addition). If I send a endoscope in the hole, I can see the flat vertical face of the original foundation (on the left), dirt and large rocks below, and a rough concert surface that looks like the bottom of the additions foundation above. To the right, the top and bottom of the hole taper off together.
Possible Solution: Patch the Hole
I would like to patch/fill/seal this hole. But it is at ground level where the foundations meet, the surfaces are all very rough, and I am not what is safe for the foundation.
I have scheduled some contractors to come out and look at this but I know nothing about foundations so they could tell me just about anything and are likely not to explain things nearly as well as SE.
Questions
Is it typical for there to be a gap underneath the edge where one foundation meets another?  Is it a problem?
How can I fill/seal this void to keep critters out? Is it safe for the foundation?
Suggestions for troubleshooting this would be welcomed too.
Update
Spoke with contractor who does foundation repair and he will be looking at it on 8/29/2016. Over the phone, he said that the open space under the addition's foundation could have been caused by the settling of dirt. He also proposed packing additional dirt in to make up for the settling.
Diagram of Layout

Exterior wall with hole at bottom

Close up of hole in exterior wall


texts: Can I put three NM 12 awg wires into a breaker box knockout?

texts: I am running out of knockout on my breaker box and most of my knockouts have 2 NM wires going into them. Can I put 3 NM wires in one knockout? Are there restrictions to how many NM wires or size that can go into a main panel knockout?


texts: Is it ok to replace all 2-prong receptacles with GFCI ones without identifying head of circuit?

texts:
I'm replacing a few 2-prong receptacles with GFCI ones in an old house. My understanding is that ideally we should identify head of circuit and only replace the head receptacle with GFCI one, while replacing downstream 2-prong receptacles with regular GFCI ones.
However since it is an old house and I might not be able to identify all head circuit correctly. I'm wondering if is it ok to replace all 2-prong receptacles with GFCI ones, is there any downside besides higher cost on GFCI receptacles?


texts: Is it possible to wire switch outlet combo on switch loop?

texts: I wanted to replace a single pole switch in a two gang box with a switch/outlet combo so the switch and outlet work independently (or the outlet is always hot). One single pole switch (switch #1) in the box seems to be on a switch loop powering an outside light as both the hot and neutral are wired to the switch. Switch #1 is connected to another single pole switch (Switch #2) that powers a separate outdoor light. There are only two incoming 12/2 lines that both have black, white and ground wires. The second incoming 12/2 has the white wire attached to switch #2 and the black wire does not terminate at all and is just curled up in the back of the box. I do not believe I can wire the switch/outlet combo (please comment) but I am now wondering if this is an unsafe wiring of these two switches. The lights these switches operate work independently now. See attached pic.


texts: We used our electric stove to heat up our home. We turned all 4 top burners on and the oven. We left the oven door open. It stayed on about 45 minutes. Well, i turned everything off for about 2 minutes. When i went back to cook, the digital clock and oven went out. Top burners still work. What happened?


texts:
I'm building Adirondack chairs out of cedar that I'll use on my front porch. I want to keep the natural cedar color, but also protect them from the elements and prevent them from getting gray and rough.

I was thinking about doing a coat of clear Thompson's WaterSeal Waterproofing Wood Protector on the cedar boards. Do I need to do anything else like polyurethane or something?


texts: RUST! are items more rust prone in an free standing shed than in my garage?

texts:
my garage is not heated or cooled but it seems tools dont rust there as much as in my free standing shed.  why is that.

can i simply cover outdoor metal items with a tarp to inhibit large % of rust by not allowing moisture to settle on them at night?


texts:
My air conditioner unit outside keeps on turning off and the fan in the house keeps on running.

When I switch the circuit breaker off, then on the outside unit works again.

Do you know what might be going on?


texts:
I need a completely waterproof wrap because I am installing some materials that are very sensitive to moisture and need to be completely dry.

Tyvek, for example, is breathable, so it cannot be used since it will let water vapor through (I assume).

Is there a wrap that is totally water proof?


texts: How to glue wood to smooth exterior concrete?

texts:
I am planning to put treated wood sleepers (2x4s) over a concrete patio and attach deck boards to the sleepers. This is an exterior area which gets plenty of sun but we're in a wet climate also. I think the wood will dry OK but the concrete will retain moisture.
I will mechanically attach the wood sleepers - but I am also thinking of using adhesive in order to reduce any "bounce" and provide extra holding power.
The concrete surface is in great condition but is very smooth. (So smooth that when wet it almost feels like walking on icy pavement!)
It sounds like polyurethane construction adhesive would be a good choice - is this correct?
Do I need any type of surface preparation - like a primer - before using the adhesive?

FYI - I am planning to use stainless fasteners because I don't trust "coated" for the long haul since they will be in moist (if not wet) concrete all the time. This is one reason to also use adhesive, because the fasteners are a little bit pricey.


texts: Why is it so difficult to put a circuit breaker in?  I push the plastic part in but the steel contact does not go in. I broke a single 20 amp...any tricks?  My panel is a FPE.


texts: Overflooding because the tons of rain? or is the WELL- PUMP broken?

texts:
About two weeks ago, I noticed there is water slowly coming up from around the well-pump pit and puddling around the well-pump.

Here are some facts:

We've been having a lot of rain in the past month, 6 weeks.
The water table is kind of low in our area.
Our sump pump runs every 5 minutes - I timed it.
The well-pump is on the lower middle of a sloped backyard and when I step anywhere within 5 feet, even uphill from the well pump, the yard is wet.
The water pressure was fine until a couple days ago. Before; the shower can be running while using the any sink and there will be no difference in the water pressure. Now If any two faucets are in use, the pressure drops by half.

My thought is that with all this rain, the water table is so high that the water is flooding up around the lower end of the yard where the WELL is located. That will also explain why the sump pump is going off every 5 minutes.

My question is: Am I right in thinking the rain is causing the water table to overflow? or is there a problem with the well-pump?

I just don't want to call the well-pump company to charge me $100 just to tell everything is alright and just wait until the water table goes down.


texts: What's the acceptable bend in a typical faucet flex pipe?

texts:
I installed new faucets and used the standard flexible lines for the water connections. I purchased 12 inch lines since the distance between the faucet and the valve is slightly less than 12, but when I installed them, the shorter distance caused a fairly tight bend in the middle and where the mesh meets the connector:

There doesn't seem to be any problems.. yet, but I am concerned about long term wear from having it in this configuration. For this reason, I was going to replace the 12 inch lines for the longest available so I can make a loop, like this:

I wasn't sure, however, if this configuration is actually better since I don't know what kind of bend these things can handle in a practical scenario and whether it is better to have the bend in the pipe, or at the connector. When searching online, most of the information I found simply recommended doing a custom bent steel line if the distance or angle is awkward, but I would rather just take the simpler approach if possible.

Does my first configuration have too much bend in the pipe, and if so, is the looped configuration a better alternative?

Thanks in advance!


texts: Problem controlling propane free-standing stove with a millivolt thermostat

texts: Heat only millivolt non-programmable thermostat stops turning propane stove on after 20 years. Stove turns on/off just fine using manual switch in back of stove. So I assume thermostat bad and replace with another millivolt unit. New unit turns stove on just fine, stove runs fine, reaches temperature, then turns off. Now thermostat will not turn stove on no matter what. Manufacturer says it is bad, I get replacement and it does exactly same thing. Turns stove on once, turns it off, then nothing. Checking thermostats, they are operating fine and closing circuit even after thermostat fails to start stove. Wires are just fine, thermostat about 30' from stove, stove operates as it should with manual switch. Checked all connections and tightened. Shorting the two wires -- usually -- turns stove on but not always. When thermostat won't start stove, shorting wires will not start stove. Stove manual switch works just fine and is closing same circuit in stove?? Obviously something weird, probably has to do with the millivolt generator (pilot light always works fine - no problem) or the thermocouple. Stove dealer scratching head. Anyone have a solution or idea as to what it could be? Maybe millivolt generator putting out too low voltage? I haven't measured that but thermostat turning stove on and off once and then not anymore after that would not make sense. Thanks for any suggestions.


texts: door frame 1 inch smaller on each side of door opening

texts:
I had a custom wood door installed, but the door frame of this door was made 1 inch two small on each side of the door opening. The contractor used some wood screws to keep the door frame aligned with the door opening. Now in between the cap of the frame and the door opening they used foam so seal the gaps in the inch difference .

After the wood trim was installed around the door frame, there are now gaps between the trim and sheet rock, inside, and outside I have 1/4" gap around the door opening, a stucco trim that is around wood door, placed on top of brick. Also the wood door is an arch door and I have a big gap between the trim and sheet rock, see pic .

How do I correct this gap? Or does the door maker need to redo the door frame? He claims it was the guy you made my house fault, I need help with how to fix this problem


texts:
I was looking at a desk lamp at ikea. The lamp specified "max 13 watts". The lamp is a standard screw type socket, not any sort of special CFL PL socket.

I looked at another desk lamp online, and it said "requires a 13 watt bulb".

What characteristic of these lamps restrict them to a certain watt bulb?

What would happen if I put in a 23 watt bulb? Would it possibly be unsafe? Would the 23 watt bulb not shine at its optimal brightness?


texts: How can I repair this damaged air compressor?

texts:
I have an 8 Gal CH air compressor (HM700099AV). Purchased about 3 years ago. Used for a few months, then stored behind other items in a shed and never drained until a year later. At that same time, the bottom twist valve (underneath the tank in the center - it's an upright tank) broke off at the stem. I used another smaller tank since then but want to try and fix the 8 Gal tank now. Air leaks out the hole in the bottom of the tank now where a broken valve was.

The bottom twist valve broke off and I think a thin rod about 12-15" long came out. I don't recall as it was a couple years ago and I had 5 kids running around that day. I put the tank aside again, but am taking a shot at it today.
 It was about $160 new and worked great when it was cared for properly.

If a rod did come out, what parts do I need to fix it?
Is it possible that this not worth it to repair?


texts:
The previous owner re-tiled the master bath floor. There are two places that look unfinished. The first is where the floor tile meets the bath tub tile:

And the second is where the tile meets the cabinets:

How do we finish these two interfaces?


texts: Installing Motion Sensor Security Light Over My Garage

texts:
I want to find a power source for a sensor light over my garage. The closest options I see are a dual wall outlet that is being used for a fluorescent light and my garage door opener and a circular fixture in my garage that has a regular light bulb in it. Is there any way I can tap into either of those as a power source? My knowledge of household wiring is very limited. As a last resort I can get to the fuse panel in the garage but I'd rather not cut power to the entire house to install the wiring.

Thanks for your help!

The question was posed if I wanted a switch to the lights. Only if it's necessary. Let me ADD that I have a dual-breaker that has heavy gauge wire that is labeled "hot tub". This house no longer has a hot tub. So can I pull the dual breaker out and put in a single breaker and run 14ga wire to that for my power? I have a picture of my breaker panel.
http://s63.photobucket.com/user/Marinersfan/media/16999109_10154636253728192_659036662628526


texts:
We are  building a pergola-swing with two 6x6 posts as the main supports. The posts are to be set in a 12" diameter sonotube footing, 36" deep. I am unsure as to how much concrete to buy being that there is only about a 3" gap around after the post is in.
I have calculated the volume of the cylinder (4071.5 cubic in.) as well as that of the post(1089cubic in.)
I took the volume of the cylinder and subtracted the volume of the post to get a volume of 2982.5 cubic in
Than I determined that a 50lb bag of concrete is 648 cubic inches. (.375x1728=648)
2982.5cu in/648cu in=4.6--> 5
Based off my calculations shown above, I figure I would need 5 bags per post x 2 posts for a total of 10.
Just looking for someone to look over my work and verify it for me.
Thanks,
-Nick


texts:
New here, please go easy on me:)
I have a few outlets that we’ve never used because furniture was in the way.  Just started moving stuff around and I’ve come to realize that 2 outlets just don’t work, with known working items.
Tested with volt meter and I get:
0 across A&B
120 across A&C
120 across B&C
I get completely opposite readings at a known working outlet.  Is this a case of just replacing the outlets or tracing a bad wire in the wall?  There are 3 outlets on this breaker and only 1 of them is working.


texts:
Florida home: I'm wanting to relocate my washer and dryer to the garage. It is a gas dryer.

Question: Do I need to elevate both units off the garage floor? ( It is post 2003.)


texts: How to attach steel cable to threaded rod

texts:
I am trying to get an industrial look to a desk unit that has threaded rods (M20) at the corners, using steel cables. I want to get an 'X' using the cables, but not sure how to attach the cable end to steel rod. The picture below is a mock setup of what I'm trying to do.

I'm wondering what I can use in place of the eye hook shown in the image. I've thought about pipe clamps, u-clamps etc, but they wont have an eyelet to thread the cable. The other option then is to drill the eye hook onto the wood itself, but I'm trying to avoid that, and use only the steel rods as originating points for the cable. The entire setup is for an aesthetic value.

Thanks!


texts: What is causing this stain on my driveway?

texts: I just finished sealing my asphalt driveway yesterday morning. Temps have been in the mid 90's and humid, and there's been no rain. As of this question, it's been about 36 hours since I sealed the driveway. I'm starting to see multiple stains like the picture below coming through the sealant. I think they were there before, but I thought they were just where the asphalt had worn more excessively. I'm not really concerned about looks. What is this and should I be concerned about it?


texts: What type of insect is this in my pantry?

texts:
Found hundreds of these in the pantry. What is this?

More pictures here. They are really small.


texts:
I need to relocate a thermostat and have the additional wire needed but I am not sure of the ideal way to "join" the cable sections.

Will using wire nuts and zip tie be good enough?


texts: Am I required to have a doorknob lock on my exterior door?

texts:
I have both a deadbolt and a doorknob lock on my door (actually, all three of my doors). I've noticed that this is a consistent pattern at most houses and apartments that I've visited in my area (I live near Boston MA).

I never use my doorknob lock and would like to remove it. I have actually been locked out of my house accidentally before when a visitor locks the doorknob without my knowledge. I would like to prevent this.

Is having a doorknob like such as this a code requirement? How would I figure that out?


texts: Concrete floor "too thin" for bolt and sleeve anchor

texts:
In our 100-year-old co-op building in NYC, I'm replacing a failed door stop with a heavier one to prevent our (very) hefty entrance door from smashing the doorway's marble.

The door stop is intended to be bolted into the floor with a sleeve anchor very similar to this one and a 5/8" pre-drilled hole.

Unfortunately, as I drilled through the tile/concrete with a hammer drill, I discovered that the floor only extends maybe 2" down, after which it seems to be loose fill/sand. If I try to use the sleeve anchor in this hole, it looks like the "expansion" part of the sleeve will be expanding into thin air, or at best only partially in the concrete floor.

What should I do? I'm considering somehow inserting as much concrete as possible into the hole, letting it cure, then drilling and continuing as before. Unfortunately I only have this 5/8" hole for access and I'm not experienced with concrete—I'm not sure if it will be thin enough for me to get enough down there before it sets.

Clarification: this is the ground floor entry way from the street, elevated maybe 3-4’ from ground level and accessed by four steps from the sidewalk.

I guess this isn’t “the” slab of the building, but just something odd used for the entry way floor. There is no access underneath the floor.

And as to the oddness of the whole thing, hey, 1913 construction in NYC? Not sure.


texts: Lawn Mower Headlights-only one headlight running

texts:
I am in process of installing some led headlights on a ztr mower. The wiring diagram for headlights is below. The left headlight(which is actually my right headlight because of location of switch) lights up fine. However, the other headlight(left in my case-one nearest switch) will not light up. I had a few questions.
1. It seems to me that I am having an issue with  terminals not being crimped right/connected snug or possibility that their is issue with led bulbs being damaged. I did drop one of the lights a few inches from off the ground by accident,but I am not sure which it was.The lights are enclosed in metal frame. Is there any other areas I need to look at for causing the problem?

In the instructions, they call a particular terminal a y connector. Isnt that same as female bullet connector?
When I did turn lights on, I could hear a very low sounding humming sound. What may be causing this?


texts: preventing pipes on an outside wall from freezing

texts:
I remodeled my cabin to a four season home. My pipes have frozen twice. I removed casing because I was planning to install heat tape. I noticed my builder had not put any installation behind the pipes. I do have styrofoam covers on the pipes, but that is it. It is a Northern exposure wall and the wind comes right at it. The heat tape I have seen is not  recommended for use inside of a wall. I am wondering if I insulated the wall behind the pipes, and purchased better insulating material for the pipes if this would suffice. Would cutting 1 inch holes into the casing allow warm room air to enter into the casing? Lastly, a friend recommended stainless steel heatape. Does anybody know anything about
  this, and where I can purchase it? what about heat eleents that go inside the pipe such as 1" BRASS NPT SCREW PLUG HEATER 60 - 86 WSI for instance


texts: How to Seal leaks on an air compressor system

texts:
My air compressor machine is leaking at its clamped joint area where the red plastic tubing is connected to a metal joint.

I see products on the market meant to seal leaks such as teflon tape and pro-dope pipe thread sealant, but it seems like both of these are only for use with piping that is threaded. This piping is not threaded and is just held together by the clamped joint, is there any other products on the market that anyone would recommend? Or would one of those other products also work in this situation??

Thanks


texts: Proper use of a side inlet elbow in bathroom DWV situation

texts:
I'm renovating a 2nd floor bathroom in a 95 year old house. I'm not changing the layout much except for replacing the existing standard toilet with a wall toilet and slightly changing the location of the tub drain (different size tub). Because the cast iron pipe is 95 years old, I figured it would be best to replace it now while everything is opened up. I'm replacing everything down to where the cast iron tees into the horizontal sewer line in the slab in my basement.

Although the layout is not changed much, I don't think the current configuration of cast iron meets code (I'm in New York State). The tub drain has a horizontal vent below flood line of the tub, and it ties into the toilet drain between the toilet and the toilet's horizontal wet vent (wet vent is lav drain). Basically I'm going to change the tub vent so it's vertical, in the wall directly behind the tub, and will tie the tub drain into the main drain line downstream of the toilet drain. The wacky thing about my drain situation is that the vertical drain line runs down an interior wall to the basement, that is in the middle of my bathroom floor, as opposed to a wall that runs continuously between both floors. The toilet's horizontal wet vent is then extended to an offset wall where it extends up to the lav trap arm and then venting up and out the roof.

OK - with all of that background out of the way, my primary question is: Can I use a side inlet elbow (3"x3"x2") where the drain turns into the vertical to head down the wall to the basement? The 2" inlet would serve the tub drain, and the 3" inlet would serve the toilet drain and horizontal wet vent (lav). I've attached an isometric drawing (my first one, so hopefully it makes sense) to describe my plan.


texts: Double gang box. One switched, three hot. Is a shared neutral OK?

texts:
I want to install a double gang box with one outlet switched and the other three always hot.
The way I was thinking of doing it was like this.

-Both neutrals would be connected as normal
-One of the receptacles hot side bridge would be clipped.
-the hot feed connects to the bridged receptacle and one of the two on the "un-bridged" receptacle.
-The feed is ran to a switch box and returned where it is wired to the final receptacle.

My experience with shard neutrals is less than good so I am wary about using them. This doesn't seem like it should cause a problem but I'm worried about getting feedback voltage from the neutral line.

Will this work?


texts:
I have a sump pit in my basement with a pipe that comes from the drain tile. The drain tile does not see day light anywhere, it's all near the footings of the foundation.

I can feel a strong flow of air coming from the pipe. Where would that be coming from? Is that normal?

Here's a picture. The top of the picture is the exterior wall of the house, the pipe is coming in from the drain tile.


texts: How can I fill and flatten unneeded hinge mortices for painting?

texts: I have removed a bathroom door and installed a sliding barn door on the other side of the wall.  The door frame in the bathroom now has the open sores of where the three hinges came off.  The house was built in 2004 and all the door frames are mdf/cardboard.  The door frame is painted with high-gloss paint.  What's the best way to fill this in to protect it from moisture and smooth it over?


texts: Is it possible for the black wire to be hot but to create reverse polarity in a GFCI?

texts:
Is it possible for a black wire to be hot, but to cause reverse polarity in a GFCI when it's connected to the brass screw?

A no-contact voltage tester shows that the black wire is hot. The white wire and ground wires do not trigger the voltage tester at all.

Yet, when I connect the black wire to the brass screw on a new GFCI receptacle, and the white wire to the silver screw, and the ground wire to green, the polarity is reversed. The no-contact tester shows that the large slot on the receptacle is hot, while the small slot does not trigger the tester.

I've tested with multiple GFCIs, so it's not a case of a bad receptacle.

Likewise, putting a different, LED contact tester across the white wire and ground wire will cause the tester to light up. Putting it across the black wire and ground wire does nothing.

How is this possible?


texts: Putting together a shed on a slight slope

texts: I'm hoping to put together a shed that's on a slight slope. It will sit on top of asphalt. What should I use to make sure the floor is level? Some 2x4's? Should I bolt the 2x4's to the asphalt before putting the shed on top? I am totally new at all things DIY. Thank you!


texts:
I’m changing light switches to decora from toggle.

I have 4 switches to one light fixture where 4 of the 3 switches have 5 wires and the 4th switch has 3.

1: 2 red 2 black 1 ground
2: 2 red 2 black 1 ground
3: 2 red 2 white 1 ground
4: 1 red 2 black 1 ground

If a 5 way requires 2 4 way switches and 2 3 way switches - which gets 4 way switch? What do I do with the extra wire on the switch were I put a 3 way decora?


texts: I have a cast iron toilet flange that sits about .4 inch above a 3/4" plywood subfloor. It feels very solid, but it is not anchored to anything. There are two empty holes in the flange for attaching to the floor, at 11 o'clock and 4 o'clock positions. The plywood underneath the flange is water damaged and brittle but still fairly strong. I plan to install 1/4" cement board and tile. Should I bring the cement board under the flange and screw down my two holes all the way to the brittle plywood? There's not enough room to get the tile under there too. Could I use the Superior Tool super ring replacement flange, or the Oatey galvanized wood floor support? Thanks!


texts: insulating an exterior rowhouse wall with windows

texts: New owners of a row home going through it one room at a time...  We decided to tackle the master/front facing bedroom first.  It has wood paneling (70/80ish) and I am pretty sure the walls behind are plaster on brick on the exterior wall.  thinking to either do foam panels or put up studs and batting - then drywall on top of either one.  This is what I am looking to do on the exterior/façade wall, but I am concerned about the two window.... Since I am adding a few inches to the wall the windows will be a few inches deeper.  Do I need to reinstall the windows within a deeper frame?


texts: Assessing the cause of freezer coils icing up

texts:
We have a 6 year old Frigidaire upright freezer (around 17 cu ft).  It suddenly stopped cooling, even though the compressor was running, and it was producing puddles of water on the floor.  I thought it might be just icing up, so I unplugged it for a day and eventually, the dripping stopped.  I plugged it back in and it appears to be working normally.

I'm aware that low refrigerant can cause it to ice up.  However, it's a totally sealed system, with no connections for testing or refill.  Which leaves a number of expensive possibilities if there's still a problem:

Fill it up again with food and possibly lose another batch of food.
Get it serviced, which would run about half the cost of a new one.
Replace it.

So my question is about trying to determine whether there is still a problem.

Is it usual or typical for a freezer in normal working condition to build up ice on the coils over time from house humidity, or does that happen only if there's a problem, like low refrigerant?

I kept it at the maximum cooling setting, which produced a temperature of below minus 10 degrees, which is colder than a normal freezer setting.  Could this have contributed to its icing up?
If the problem is low refrigerant, best case is that there was always a minute leak and it took 6 years to lose enough to cause this problem.  However, that means even if the rate of continual loss is tiny, it's already at a low point, so it would be expected to ice up again.

If the refrigerant is low enough to cause icing, how fast does that occur?  For example, If I just run it empty for awhile to see if it ices up again, what order of magnitude of time would be a reasonable confirmation that it's OK (days, weeks)?  Or is that too variable to be a useful test?
Is there anything else that can be checked without specialized refrigeration testing and repair equipment that would indicate whether the system is not running normally?


texts:
Recently I installed some 15A GFCI outlets in my basement to make using power tools more convenient, but quickly had problems with them tripping on my miter saw. This seemed extra odd since my miter saw doesn't even have a ground wire.

I found lots of help online about how to test these and table saws with ohm meters to look for shorts, but none of those explained my problem, especially once I realized I had been using it for years on an outlet that was also GFCI protected. I figured I should post my solution now that I figured it out.


texts: How can I supply 240v power to my home with 120v generators?

texts: I want to hook up two 3kw inverter generators together to power my house in case of power loss. They only have 120V not 240V.  How can I make this work while supplying power to all circuits 120V & 240V?


texts: Can I hook up the Glas WiFi Thermostat with oil furnace in basement and central ac in attic

texts: I have an oil furnace in my basement with only 3 wires for the thermostat only 2 being used. I just installed central air in my house but air handler is in the attic with 5 wires for the thermostat 4 being used. my question is I bought the Glass WiFi Thermostat can I hook both systems up to it or do I need to have 2 separate thermostats


texts: What is recommended method for mounting chandelier canopy that has 2 screws?

texts:
I want to mount a chandelier canopy like this one to the ceiling.

You'll notice the hole on the left and the hole on the right.

The way this assumingly is supposed to work is that you have the bracket which is screwed to the electrical box as shown:

And once that bracket is screwed to the electrical box, you take the screws that came with the canopy and hang them down through the slots as follows:

Then I assumed that you push the canopy up to the bracket, with the screws that are pointing down going through the two holes on the canopy:

and as seen from the other side:

And then finally you screw these nice little trim pieces - little caps - onto the screw ends to finish it off.

The problem is that in any bracket the screws that hang down into the holes in the canopy are free floating in the slots.  So when I press the canopy onto the screws and try to screw on the caps there is nothing to hold the screws in place and I can never get the caps on.

I must be doing this wrong?


texts: Can drywall tape be applied after mud has dried?

texts: My son put one layer of mud on the drywall joints without placing tape. Can I still place the drywall tape after the mud has dried?


texts:
I just moved into a condo and on the top floor there is a skylight window. The room gets pretty hot during the day, I have friends coming in town this weekend and I would like a cheap and quick fix to reduce the heat coming from the skylight. If I had more time I would order shades. I will do that in the future but I do not have enough time now. The inside mount of the window is about 30 x 53 inches (W x H).

By looking around, so far the main option I have found is to buy some landscaping fabric and pin it (or nail it) there. This is cheap, I can easily get the material and, importantly, it is temporary as the fabric is easy to remove at the end of the week-end. The nail holes, if needed, can be patched up and so that is not a big issue either. Obviously there will be no light coming into the room but we have lamps and my friends will mainly use the room to sleep at night.

Does this make sense? Any alternative suggestions?

Thanks in advance.


texts: AC Plugs, different types of plugs/receptacles

texts:
(pardon if this question is a little elementary for this site...)

I have done a variety of Google searches trying to get to the 'right' answer(s) here, part of the problem is I'm not even sure of the terminology involved.

I have several strands of Christmas lights. Some sets came with what are actually two strands of different types (C7 bulbs and Icicles) wire tied together.

Both strands have two-prong male and female connectors at each end. The female connectors are designed in such a way that a male three prong connector will not fit into the plug, the physical design blocks the grounding prong.

One strand has "like sized" prongs/slots (I'll call this Type A) and the other size has unlike sized prongs/slots (Type B). I have attempted to lay out my lights so that I have a couple of 'those strands' together, then connected to a couple of single strands, then I want to add in a couple more of the doubled strands...but alas I only have a single 'Type A' female end, and can not presently find (at Home Despot or Blowe's) an adapter that suits the situation.

Should I be able to find such an adapter?
( I would also like to know...)
 1. If there is a 'better way' I should like to hear it.
 2. If not will creating one (grinding the oversize prong to fit) pose a safety risk?
 3. What are the 'correct names' for the various adapters described?


texts: How can I get this asbestos sheet removed?

texts:
So I have just learned that the sheet embedded in the wall (see picture) is asbestos. We're going to get a new room made adjacent to this wall, and I need to get this sheet removed?

Unfortunately, there is no regulation related to asbestos in my country, and most people don't realize just how dangerous it can be. But I'm afraid that if I ask the contractor to get it removed, they'll break it, which will lead to spreading very harmful particles everywhere. What should I do?


texts: I have to reset switch in basement if I don't turn off space heater when I use the blow dryer

texts: My husband says I have too much plugged into my side of the bedroom- 1) lamp  2) laptop  3) cell charger  4) a blow dryer. All are plugged into a Phillips box that plugs into an outlet.  I am no Thomas Edison ( or Nikola Tesla) but I think the only thing that really pulls the power is the blow dryer, followed by the lamp.  My guess is that the laptop or cell charger don't use much power.?  If I forget to unplug a space heater across the room in winter when I use the blowdryer all bets are off and have to unplug everything, go to the basement and reset the breaker.  I want to call an electrician and get (I GUESS) another breaker switch for the bedroom so that I can run two "power pullers" (heater, vacuum cleaner, blow dryer. etc) at the same time.  Is this really expensive? * What can I expect to pay?*  The house is 6 years old- 3 bedrooms 2 baths on a basement.  In Georgia, not Manhattan. Would I just say "I need a second breaker for the bedroom" ??"... Yall?..  Thanks!


texts: I feel like I should rewire my older trailer home , I don't even know where to start

texts: I rent a older 2 bedroom 1 bath trailer home. This is my first home , it me and my daughter's . I have lived here for a few months shy of a year . The tenants before me lived her 12 years and I am almost positive they always fixed everything themselves . I bought a new GFI circuit because my kitchen lights and 2 living room outlets would turnoff randomly and for days. I have gone through 15 - 25 packs of light bulbs . If I even barley tap a light fixture they blow. I Bought a new hanging light fixture for my dining room ,it takes 6 smaller bulbs . I blew 6 trying to put them in. My dad had to do whatever to make it work . I am now being given the option to buy. I am a young first time home owner . I feel a safety concern with the wiring in my home . Where do I start ? What do I look for ? If I buy I want all new light fixtures but don't want to go through an it her 200.00 in bulbs.  Any advice is appreciated .


texts:
My upstairs hallway lights are controlled by a four-way switch circuit.  There are three switches to control two dome lights. One switch at the bottom of the stairs, one at the top and one at the end of the hallway.

When we moved in a year ago any switch would turn the lights on or off without issue.  Recently the switches don't seem to work.  Then randomly the lights will turn on.  One time my wife noted that when she flipped a switch the lights flickered but remained off.  I think it is a loose connection of a bad switch, but I am not sure how I diagnose the root of the problem.


texts: Messy tile/wood floor transition (PICTURES)

texts:
I'm troubleshooting this transition between a new level floor on the right and an uneven tile (the tile in the front of the picture is about 1/2" higher than the tile in the back of the picture) floor on the left of the picture. I've had one contractor suggest floor leveler but I'd like to keep the new floor flat and not spread the problem into the new room.

Another contractor suggested putting in new tile to between the existing tile and new wood to make up the unevenness.

The width of the space between the tile and the edge of the new plywood floor is about 4 inches.

Any tips or ideas?

One idea I had was a thick grout joint between the two and coloring it somehow to be the color of the wood. Or a really thick T-mold that is a bit flexible. Neither of these ideal but this situation is less than ideal to begin with.

Thanks in advance for your comments.


texts: How can I correct my wiring to eliminate sequential GFCI outlets?

texts:
UPDATED QUESTION
Thanks all, this is extremely helpful and interesting. I've since uninstalled the outlets and have written up a new diagram to see what you guys think.
(1) I'm removing the 2nd GFCI now that I know it's redundant and replacing with a regular outlet (marked GFCI protected)
(2) No longer daisy chaining. I will splice off A/C line. {Note, A/C is the only item on the load side}

OLD QUESTION
I just intercepted an outdoor circuit going to a mini-split 115v AC unit with 2x 125v GFCI outlets. It's a junction box with 2 other circuits in there.
Problem
Once wired, both outlets function (outlet tester confirms "correct wiring"), and the AC unit runs. Between 20-90 minutes later, the 2nd GFCI (closest to the load) pops.
Notes

5 ground wires are connected via a red wing. One was previously hanging out but this was fixed
Outlet box is covered and weather proof
Nothing is currently plugged into outlets (theoretically only thing running on circuit is AC unit)
Both outlets pop on occasion but usually the one on the load side
The breaker popped once

Photo of line attached.


texts: Extend radial circuit with new socket - diagram

texts:
Similar to this question (Can I use Wago connectors to extend a ring main?)

I am planning on using Wago connectors & boxes to add a new socket, however I don't know if my circuit is a ring main or radial circuit.
It's on a 20A mcb and 2.5mm twin & earth cabling.
This breaker is marked as "Upstairs sockets" and there are just 3 sockets upstairs.

Does it make a difference if I am extending and provided I'm not extending off a spur? (I will be extending from the cable in the ceiling, not from another socket)

Plagiarising the diagram from the linked question, am I correct with this being the circuit in a radial (very similar to if it is ring in linked question)

Existing Circuit:

                         +---------+
     L                   |         |
    +--------------------+  |   |  +-----------+
    |                    | - - - - |           |
    |                    |         |           |
+---+---------+          +---------+           |
|             |                                |
|  Consumer   |                                |
|  Unit       |                                |
|             |                                |
|             |                                |
+---+---------+          +---------+           |
                         |         |           |
                         +  |   |  +-----------+
                         | - - - - |
                         |         |
                         +---------+

New Circuit:

                         +---------+           +-----------+
     L                   |         |           |           |
    +--------------------+  |   |  +-----------+  Wagobox  +--------+
    |                    | - - - - |           +-----------+        |
    |                    |         |                           +----+----+
+---+---------+          +---------+                           |         |
|             |                                                |  |   |  |
|  Consumer   |                                                | - - - - |
|  Unit       |                                                |         |
|             |                                                +----+----+
|             |                                                     |
+---+---------+          +---------+           +-----------+        |
                         |         |           |           |        |
                         +  |   |  +-----------+  Wagobox  +--------+
                         | - - - - |           +-----------+
                         |         |
                         +---------+

So if it's a ring circuit the only difference is that there is a cable going back to the consumer unit from the last socket?

Thanks


texts: How do I replace a broken halogen bulb in the recessed light in my bathroom?

texts:
First, some pictures:

.

I can replace the bulbs in the rest of my apartment just fine but the ones in the bathroom have a special enclosure around them that I don't know how to open. The only logical place to open the enclosure seems to be the chrome ring at the bottom but I've had no success trying to pull and/or twist it.


texts: What is a GFI outlet used for, and where should I install them?

texts: What purpose does a GFI serve?  Where should they be used?


texts: Trenching and running power to detached garage about 135 feet away

texts:
Location: Wisconsin

I am having the electric company transition my wiring from overhead to underground, upgrade my service (it might only be 60amp right now) to 200amp, having another company replace my panel with a new one (200amp), and installing a pedestal to make it solar ready if I ever choose to go that route.

The pricing on that portion of it seemed pretty fair but they also estimated the power to the detached garage and it's way too high in my opinion. Much higher than I would have imagined. They were estimating $25 per foot for (hand?)trenching and running wire (total of $3375) and then a few hundred more for some basic light switch installs, etc. This seemed rather expensive to me.

The house is roughly 135 feet away from the garage. I will only add a couple outlets (or an outlet strip), light switch, and some lighting. I expect this to basically be a 20amp circuit.

According to this voltage calculator, it would recommend this for copper:

  1 conductors per phase utilizing a #6 Copper conductor will limit the voltage drop to 1.99% or less when supplying 20.0 amps for 135 feet on a 120 volt system.

and this for aluminum

  1 conductors per phase utilizing a #4 Aluminum conductor will limit the voltage drop to 2.06% or less when supplying 20.0 amps for 135 feet on a 120 volt system.

I'm assuming those are both THHN, whatever that means. I'm not sure I am looking at the proper wires from HomeDepot but I assume the difference will be negligible and it would cost me a few hundred dollars for the wire itself. Then to rent a trencher it would only cost about $100. Then to do the wiring it would mostly just cost me time.

Is this something I could do myself? Am I missing some aspect of this that would make it harder than it really is? What wiring should I be looking at? Does it make sense to use conduit here or can I get away with in-ground wiring?


texts: How freely should a central A/C condenser fan spin?

texts:
Last year my home's central air condenser fan motor stopped working. When I noticed the house wasn't cooling down I went outside to investigate and found there was a humming sound coming from the unit, but the fan wasn't turning.

After researching the problem online, I found the capacitor may be bad and causing the problem. The capacitor wasn't blown, but I replaced it anyways. The problem still existed; Fan won't spin and a humming sound is coming from the unit.

So, I inferred that the motor must be bad. Yesterday I unbolted the fan from the unit to try and spin the blades by hand. To my surprise, it spun. It spun 3 to 5 rotations with a medium amount of force (the same force it would take to bounce a basketball 8 feet in the air). I expected the motor to be stuck and not spin at all, so now I'm second guessing myself.

My question is: How freely should it spin? I've read in numerous places that the blade should spin "freely", but I'm not sure what that means. Should it spin around 50 times with a medium amount of force? If I was holding it up in the air, should a 15mph breeze spin the blades like a pinwheel? Or is the 3-5 rotations freely?


texts: uk wall socket switching off and back on again

texts:
I've got an extension lead coming off of a socket that powers a washing machine and a dryer. Sometimes, possibly when they're both on at the same time, the power to the extension goes off. What's weird is that a few minutes later the power comes back again, so nothing's tripped. This socket lives on a spur that comes directly off of the main fuse board. Everything is fine when plugged into a different socket.

Any ideas what's up? Thanks


texts:
From what to what do you measure when knowing what size pre-hung exterior door will fit?

For what I think should be the standard 36"x80", the contractor through the orange store came back with entry unit size to order = 37.5" x 81.5".

So with the guy at the store saying i gotta go by what they say will fit there's no door size that is specifically 37-1/2 x 81-1/2.

the exterior of the house is sided, it's a one level ranch.  looking from the outside the door is a left hand in swing.  On the exterior to the left of door the wall juts out 90° so the rough opening can't really be opened up on that side or shouldn't.  But on the right side there's plenty of room to work with, as well as about a foot above the door to roof soffit which is flashing not siding.


texts: Possible to remove truss and add collar ties?

texts:
I am doing a pretty significant garage renovation and had a couple questions.

I was originally going to just replace the loft (the original wasn't supported on top the stud wall on side which always bothered me), but I've decided to do without the loft and just open up the garage a bit. I had a couple of friends come by with building experience and they've suggested removing the trusses from the garage and just doubling up on the collar ties.

The garage is about 10.5' wide by 26' long. Here are some photos:

This is the old loft, I apologize for the mess and wires in the photo

Here is the garage with no loft, you can see the truss(es) in the photos that I am thinking of removing:

What do you guys think about putting collar ties on every rafter and doubling them up and then removing the truss?

I built a 10'x16' shed with the 13' walls in my backyard and I didn't use any trusses, but my garage is a little bigger so I am not sure if it would negatively affect the structural integrity.

Also, since removing the old loft, the left side (not connected to home) garage stud wall lost a little support, should I add extra support for that in some way?

I made the actual questions bold.

Thanks!


texts: How can I remove this strange bath vanity light?

texts:
I want to change   the lighting above our bathroom vanity but i perplexed with the existing   strange fixture. (see Image below)
I am at a loss how to remove it.  I do not see any type of markings or model number.
Any help would be appreciated


texts: Exterior door mounting plate - replacing door hardware

texts: I am trying to replace the hardware on my front door to install a smart lock. The issue that has arisen is that the old hardware left a large discoloration on the door. The new hardware does not cover the discoloration (it is separate pieces rather than 1 solid piece like the old one). Is there some sort of thin mounting plate with holes in the proper spots that I could use to cover the discoloration before installing the new hardware? I searched online but couldn't find anything for this purpose. The size is 2.5"x18".


texts: 84' wall leans 5",17' out. Pulling to plumb, + columns, save wall?

texts:
84' wall leans 5",17' out. Pulling to plumb, add columns, save wall?

(https://i.stack.imgur.com/JvnVY.jpg)


texts: Where to connect thermostat C wire to Weil-McLain HE2 series 1 boiler

texts: I have a Weil-McLain HE2 series 1 boiler and am attempting to attach a Honeywell RTH6500 wifi thermostat to the main floor. The house has 4 zones and therefor 4 separate thermostats. The main floor thermostat has an extra (green wire) in addition to a red and white at the thermostat. There is only heat, no AC, fueled by propane. I attached the thermostat on the main floor and with the Cwire attached to the neutral side of the external transformer, the thermostat powers up, but cycles off and on when calling for heat. There is an additional transformer inside the boiler unit with a pink and brown wire. Where should I attach the C wire at the boiler?


texts: Why are recently repaired drywall joints in my ceiling bulging?

texts:
I recently redid my ceilings and had somebody come out and do the finishing. Used furring straps to level out the ceiling and then hung the drywall. It has been about 2 weeks now and insulation is all done inside, primed and painted. However, in several places I’m starting to notice bulges on what are clearly joints.

They are not soft and the ceiling does not budge when pressed with some effort. They are not visible except for when natural light enters the room and unfortunately the ceilings are 8’ so the light hits it just right.
Can I sand, prime and paint? Or do I need to cut into the seam a bit, tape and feather first?


texts: replace fireplace switch with nest thermostat

texts:
I have a fireplace wired up to a switch (simple off/on), and I want to throw a Nest thermostat on there.

It has a black and white wire coming out of the wall. I think the white goes to the W1 and the black goes to the RH?

I may have to run a common wire as well I read.

But is there any risk replacing the switch? Do I have my hook up correct?


texts: Is it necessary to shut off the water supply to a radiator in order to replace a radiator valve?

texts:
There are barely any instructions in the manual. Do I need more than a spanner to do replacement?

Is it necessary to shut off the water supply to the radiator in order to replace the radiator valve?


texts: Can I bury a bare ground connecting rod?

texts: We just ripped out an old rotting deck at our house, this exposed the wire that connects the electrical panel to the grounding rods.  There is a PVC pipe encasing the wire from the panel to ground level.  Can I just dig a trench and burry this wire?  If so does it need to be a particular depth?


texts:
I've had a contractor doing work at my house for months now. All the while, they had drywall waiting to install, leaning against a wall.

Now the drywall has an obvious bend to it due to being stored in such a way. Should I tell them to get new drywall, or will it mount fully flat?


texts:
I stained a piece of wood for the first time today. What happens if I re-apply the stain? Does the stain darken, or does nothing happen? If it matters, it is a Sherwood BAC Wiping Chestnut stain.

Also, I noticed if I heaped a good amount of stain on the wood, the stain looked darker. After I immediately wiped it with a rag, the stain returned to a lighter color. What if I did not wipe it with a rag, and the stain dried like that (with a thick layer)? Would the stain turn out darker?


texts: Can a large hole be reliably drilled in a table _by hand_?

texts:
The Ikea Fixa 5-piece hole saw set can be used to drill a hole in a tabletop. I intend to use the smallest in this set. The table is too big and even though the monitor arm is quite long, it is not usable when attached at the perimeter of the table.

Ikea claims through a picture that one can drill such a hole by hand.

(0)  I only need the smallest in this set. What is this actually called at a hardware store? (In my experience it's better to buy just what one needs and in a higher quality, than to accumulate a set—sets are invaribly of lower build quality.)
(1) Is it actually realistic for an amateur (with steady enough hands, but who uses a drill only once in a blue moon) to expect to lower a drill and the FIXA attachment, and get a clean hole? Is a drill arm lowered by machine (whatever these are called) necessary to get a clean job done?
(2) If I drill the hole by hand, can I expect to get a clean enough cylinder from the table so that a few months/years down the road when/if I no longer care for the monitor arm, I could reattach the cylinder with a bit of glue and recover a decent enough tabletop? It's understood that there is no way to make the result look like the original, but putting the cylinder back would be much nicer than fitting a piece of plastic cover right in the middle of the desk.

My main question is (1) above. If you can also comment on (0) and (2), please do.

Update

I'm guessing that the "key advice" under this answer applies. One must first practice on a scrap tabletop.


texts: What should I do about water appearing in drain tile in my basement?

texts: I purchased this older home about 7 months ago and having issues with basement getting wet. One area has an old clay tile coming up out of the concrete about 2 inches and goes nowhere but it will fill with clear water and seep out onto the floor. I have not been able to find the other end. I did run a commercial snake through it about 25 feet until it bogged down. I have a small transfer pump I use to draw the water outside and it will pump almost all day. This happens after a rain. Where could this water be coming from? Thanks Mark


texts: What is expectation for plumber doing finishing work in bathroom?

texts:
Last year I worked out a fair price with my plumber to do all the rough-in plumbing for our basement build out that included rough in plumbing work to pass rough-in inspection and it included a return trip to do the finishing work before the final inspection.

I assumed this meant I would provide the fixtures/faucets/valves etc and he would install and hook it all up. When we spoke on the phone, he made it seem like he was expecting me to install all of the faucets and handles and he was simply going to be connecting their pipes to the bottom of the already in-place faucets/handles.

Is this the normal expectation, or should I be leaning on him to install the faucets and handles as well?


texts: Wiring Check-Over (Should be an easy answer)

texts:
Asking for a pretty easy check-in with a wiring change. This is pretty basic, but I'd rather ask the dumb questions and be sure.
I want to move my fridge from one part of the kitchen to another. In the attached diagram, the top is my current kitchen setup up. The bottom is what I want to do, with RED BOXES around the changes I'd be making.
I need to move the fridge from the current position in the middle of the circuit to the beginning of it. The only issue is that line from under the floor doesn't have enough slack to splice in a new receptacle about 4 feet up. The only solution I see is to:

cut the line where it comes up from the floor
add a wall junction box at the new split
run new wire up to a new receptacle
run new line BACK DOWN to the new wall junction box
continue the circuit as it is currently
replace the current fridge outlet with a pass through junction box with wire caps

Are there any issues with moving my fridge receptacle in this way?
Thanks


texts: What is this clunking noise in my water pipe?

texts:
Earlier today, I noticed a strange, repetitive clunking noise from the vicinity of my water heater.  After some investigation, it seems to come from the cold water supply to the water heater.

Here's what I've found:

turning on a faucet quiets the noise temporarily.  After shutting off the faucet, it stays quiet for a bit, then the noise comes back.
turning off the cold water supply to the heater stops the noise (and the water)
the noise occurs while no water is being used in the house.
the noise repeatedly clunks about once a second.

Any ideas what this might be?  Is it something that needs fixing, or can it be safely ignored?