texts:
In the realm of second homeowner woes, I had a P-Trap assembly under the bathroom sink. It was a straight connection to the pipe connected to the main sewer line. (least I think that was the case). It was not vented and it worked just fine. But after dealing with a clog the corroded bottom of the P-Trap (which was made of chrome plated metal) broke and left a 1/2 inch long hole in it.

Suffice it to say, I had to replace the entire assembly. As with most projects, more pieces needs replacing. I replaced the sink flange and tail pipe and the P-Trap now made of plastic.

As you can see in the image above that I used the original back plastic pipe leading down the wall.

When water drains now it backs up and eventually gurgles. Also when it backs up it leaks where the tail pipe and the P-Trap meet. My research tells me this is because this assembly is not properly vented. Is this true?

I ask only because the former assembly did not have venting problems. Is it possible that the former parts were venting through bad seals?

When does an under the sink P-Trap assembly need venting?


texts: Dried expanding foam on floorboards, how can I remove it?

texts:
The girlfriend and I bought  an old house and the floorboards are in brilliant condition so we've decided to sand them, stain them, and varnish them.

As soon as we took up the carpets we noticed expanding foam everywhere. The problem we now have is that around the edges of the two rooms and hallway we want to sand this stuff is stuck on there. I'm guessing it's been on there for a few years at least. I don't want to run the sander over these areas incase the foam is hiding some screws or something that will ruin the machine, so I want to find out how I can remove the foam from the boards so I can then sand them?


texts: Tankless Recirculation Loop as Hydronic Radiant Heating

texts:
While researching ways to heat a small bathroom (28sq. ft. total), I came across a post that someone put some narrow piping above a bathroom subfloor and cemented it in under the tiling. They were using a tankless recirculation loop as a form of hydronic radiant floor heating.

I'm actually installing a tankless, though I planned to do so without a recirculation loop. I also planned to put electric radiant heating in the non-shower parts of the bathroom (~15W/sq. ft.). The post got me thinking about whether a recirculation pump really helps at all, whether it can be used for radiant heating like that, and how quickly it will heat the floor, especially compared to the electric heating. I'm thinking I might go with radiant in the whole bathroom, only under the shower where there's no electric, or nowhere.

For reference, I'm putting the radiant heating in because I don't expect the mini-split to adequately handle the bathroom. The shower is probably 10ft. of plumbing from the tankless, and the farthest faucet is maybe 25ft.


texts: pump running little water going into tank

texts: My well pump is running but water sounds like it is trickling into the tank.  I have primed the pump and that appears to be fine.  In fact,after running the pump for a little bit, when I go to remove the prime plug, there is pressure built up although my gauge does't show any (might have a bad gauge).  The pump constantly runs and I have the system shut off right after the tank.  We ran the pump about 15 minutes last night with the valve shut off right after the pump and it just continued to run.  That should be enough time to fill and pressure the tank and what small amount of pipe there is.  Other than a hole in the pipe coming from the well, I am trying to figure out if there is something else I can do above ground to see if that is the problem.


texts: If water level is rising on its own on oil heating unit instead of going down, could I have a leak? Or something worse?

texts: If water level is rising instead of lowering on oil heater unit, is there a leak? Could something worse happen. Oil man had to drain water to lower water, and said to watch it to make sure it doesn't rise again. Any answers much appreciated ☺


texts: Should washer hoses be replaced regularly or only as necessary?

texts:
I caught an episode of "This Old House" a couple weeks back and it was mentioned that washing machine hoses should be replaced every couple of years.  I'd never heard this and don't know of anyone that does that.

I always thought they were an inspect & repair as necessary item.

Obviously the goal is to minimize risk of leakage, with there being increased risk of breakage/leakage as they age.  Although, there's also risk of sudden failure with new ones that might be internally defective while looking fine on the outside (hasn't happened to me on my washer, but did on my car, with a 2 week old hose bursting while I was idling in a parking lot).

Facts?  Industry best practices?  Opinions?  :-)


texts: Connect Ecobee3 thermostat - no c wire but c terminal occupied

texts:
I am trying to install a new Ecobee3 wi-fi thermostat to replace my old mercury thermostat. When I pull off old thermostat there are only 4 wires (red, white, yellow, green and a blue tied around). When I look at my furnace there are same 4 wires, plus two additional red and white wires (white is occupying com 24v and red is on Y terminal). Those two wires appear to be running outside to my A/C unit. I do have power extender kit that Ecobee supplies, but unsure which wire goes where or how to fix easily since there is no C wire running to thermostat.
thanks for your help.]2


texts: Why don't I see water being pumped outside when my sump pump runs?

texts:
My sump pail has been dry for almost 2 months now if not 3. But we had a rain storm last week and 2 days now i heard it kick in here and there. problem is, I went outside and I don't see any water being discharged from the outside drain when the sump pump is kicking on. Is this normal? and if it is, what is making the sump pup kick on if the pit is dry? I though water builds up in the pit which make the floater in the sump pump rise then the pump kicks on?

Help please...
much appreciated.


texts: Does code require the gas line to be replaced when replacing a furnace?

texts:
I replaced my 45 year old (still working) original furnace with an American Standard furnace about 5 1/2 years ago. Now I have a gas leak; the Nicor technician sealed a connection in the gas pipe connected to the furnace. He noticed the original gas line was being used & was crooked & could not thread properly, causing the gas leak.

Should old gas lines be replaced w/new installation? Is that "code"?


texts: Can I connect an indoor timer to lights split to 3 circuit breakers?

texts:
Currently the lights in the store turn on from 3 separate  circuit breakers, I have to flip each circuit breaker to turn on each light zone. I would like to connect an indoor timer that will turn on all the lights from all 3 breakers at once.

How do I connect it?


texts: LED Bulbs won't fit my garage door opener

texts:
These are the last bulbs in the house that I have not been able to change over to LED.

You might be thinking to yourself, they only turn on for 1 minute, what is the big deal. I've started to notice if both bulbs are plugged in and you run the opener too many times, the opener starts to over heat. No bulbs, and the opener keeps going like the energizer bunny.

I've tried almost every single LED bulb that I've been able to get my hands. And the hole is designed for only this type of bulb unfortunately.

Any Suggestions?

The plate where the bulbs sit is not screwed in, it's welded into the opener. I thought about making the hole bigger, but worry about damaging the opener.


texts: Fluorescent light requires twist to start

texts:
I have a fluorescent light in my bathroom. It used to work fine, but then had issues with it not turning on. I replaced the tube, but it hasn't fixed the issue.

I can get the light to come on if I twist the tube a little bit. After twisting it takes a second but the light then flickers and works. I've taken off the cover and now just twist the light each time, but this isn't a sustainable solution.

Any suggestions on what is wrong and how to fix it?


texts: Could these foundation defects cause problems?

texts:
Attached are the pictures of newly constructed basement wall. I wonder if these defects are going to be a problem in the future? Outside of the walls have water proofing, but I wonder if these defects will lead to problems with water leakage or structural issues.

Picture 1 - Honeycombing type effect - both side of door opening.
Picture 2 - line across the middle of the wall.
picture 3 - line across under the window and in the corner.
picture 4 - line in across the middle area

Are those type defects normal in the concrete walls?


texts: What are the factors in determining the cost of a septic system and what can I do to decrease it?

texts: One of the biggest topics around building or homesteading in the country is the potential cost of a septic. Fundamentally I understand why good septic design is important for health and safety. i've heard that septic systems can cost from $4000 to $30,000 depending on the design. I'm about to get a property perc tested, and I want to know what factors will inform if the system will be expensive or cheap. I'm assuming if the water table is to high, I would have to add fill, and if it perks to fast, I have to dig deeper. But why the huge range? Is there any way I can do prep work ( excavation, filling etc. ) prior to the install? I'm planning on build a rather small house ( 1000 square feet or so ) so I don't really need a huge sytem.


texts:
Hi all I am needing help.  Wires to fan box 1 white , 1 red, 1 black and 1 ground.
The new fan has
Pair - white & black
Pair - white & red
Pair - white & blue
1 ground [see pic)


texts:
I have a 20 year old A/C unit in my house here in Texas. Two weeks ago, the unit stopped cooling. A/C company couldn't come out until the next day and the house got pretty miserable. When the tech arrived early the next day he measured temps in the return plenum at 78, and supply plenum at 76. Obviously air was not being cooled. His diagnosis was that the evaporator coil was broken and needed to be replaced and that we should probably replace the whole system as well given the age.
Then we went outside to the condenser and he measured the R-22 levels. The readings were 58/196 (those numbers mean nothing to me, but he said it was pretty low) and the temperature in the system was 33 degrees, instead of 40 like it should be. He hooked everything back up and gave us quotes for $7200-$8600 to get a whole new system.
However, after hooking everything back up, the A/C began cooling just like it had before. My suspicion is that the line was either frozen (given the very close to freezing temperatures) or something else was preventing freon from moving through the system, and his measuring the levels caused it to start working again.
We obviously have an R-22 system, and the cost of adding R-22 is very expensive now, but it seems the rest of the system is still working fine (I just replaced a blower motor myself 2-3 months ago). I'd hate to dump $7k in a system that might have a year or more left in it before something really goes wrong. Would adding additional R-22 cause the temperature in the freon line to increase, and potentially prevent this from happening again for the short term? Would it be better to bite the bullet and just replace everything now?
Edit: After listening to the advice here, I added 2lbs of R-22 to the system. Unfortunately, everything stopped working again 8 days later and we couldn't get it to start cooling again after 36hours of turning it off and back on. We had to go ahead and replace the whole system. My assumption is that we had two problems: the R-22 was low, and the evaporator coil had gone bad and the initial problem was that the coil just hadn't completely died when the first service call happened.


texts:
This coving is all around my house, but some needs repair and I can't match it.
It's a "C" profile with a lip at the bottom. I thought perhaps the lip was a separate picture rail or something, but it is all one moulded piece (plaster).

Does this profile have a name? I am based in the UK.


texts: How can I prevent animals from eating my wooden swingset?

texts:
I have a Rainbow swingset made of a Chinese wood called Cunninghamia.  The squirrels and deer in my backyard have begun to chew the wood relentlessly.  Is there anything I can do to prevent them from doing this?

I've been told that ROPEL (animal repellent spray) might work, but I'm afraid it might damage the wood.


texts: Single Handle Kitchen Faucet doesnt fully reset after spraying

texts:
My facuet normally works like this: when you spray, then turn it off, it goes back to the normal flow when you turn it back on. The problem is, when I turn it back on, it's half spray and half normal.
I don't know the specific terms to be able to search for videos on fixing this problem. Everyone is mostly concerned with water not flowing at all. Any help is appreciated!
This is the faucet: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Glacier-Bay-Dylan-Single-Handle-Pull-Down-Kitchen-Faucet-with-TurboSpray-and-FastMount-in-Stainless-Steel-HD67496-1008D2/305188341
Manufacturer: Glacier Bay
Model number: HD67496-1008D2


texts: Trouble fitting plumbing under new vanity

texts:
I am trying to install a new vanity and have run into some trouble trying to fit the plumbing needed under the sink because:

The vanity is small
The plumbing goes directly into the floor
All the pipes are really tight together limiting the amount of space for PVC
The PVC drain pipe leading into the floor is not straight up-and-down (it's crooked)
The sink drain and drain pipe are located weirdly with respect to each other.

The following is my attempt at the plumbing, but I believe that the distance from the p-trap's union and the elbow is not up to code. Also, to get the old (crooked) drain pipe to line up with new piece of PVC, I cut the drain pipe at an angle which I assume is probably not the correct solution to the problem. Finally, the sink is now gurgling or gulping when water flow is strong and it wasn't before.

How can I improve my current design and could my current design have caused the gurgling/gulping?

Note: There is a vent that goes from the crawl-space below the bathroom to the outside. I am assuming that the sink is connecting to that. Also, I have not checked if it is clogged but it was working fine before I removed the old vanity so I am making the assumption that it is still working.

EDIT: Here's a picture of the setup before I removed the old vanity. Please note that I had already removed the sink so the sink drain is not there


texts:
I need to replace this part, but I do not know what it is called (see picture). It serves to limit the range of motion of an aluminum frame glass door. It is exposed when the door is open. When closed, it folds on top of the door and is completely hidden.

What is it, and where can I find one?


texts: How to get rid of smell after wood stain applied?

texts:
I recently stained some homemade wooden buttons for my wife. The buttons were bade from poplar wooden dowels sliced to 2-3mm thickness. Some quick light sanding was done to each button. I then used some Varathane Classic Penetrating Wood Stain.

The stain seemed to take rather nicely, but now I have the problem of the smell. My wife says they smell like gasoline. Since they are going to be used on clothing items, they can't smell. So, I then took a heat gun to them to try to dry them out a bit more. That seemed to help some. I don't have any other ideas, other than wait for the smell to go away. Can I apply a finish coating or something to seal in the smell? Any suggestions?

Edit/Update: I placed them out on the back porch in the sun to try to get them to fully dry. Hopefully the smell will go away soon.


texts: How can I determine if my outlets can easily be grounded?

texts:
I'm not sure what to do here. I just moved into a building and my outlets are all 2 prong outlets. Here is what I know of for sure:

All the outlets are 2 prong outlets
The bathroom outlet has the red/black reset/test switch. I'm guessing that means that the building is grounded?
The building is off of power lines (not underground)

My fear is blowing my electronics. I am not sure what to do here to properly protect my electronics. I'm hoping that my outlets are grounded-ready or the such, but how can I know? What do I do here?


texts: Do they make 1.5/1.5/2 combo wye (and is that what I need)

texts:
Looking to add a bar sink.  There is already an existing DWV stack that I believe is dedicated for this (based on location and model homes, etc).  This is a diagram of what I'm working with and the fittings I was planning on using (0 is the sink where the P-trap will go horizontal to the back wall)

90 degree long sweep along the horizontal plane
45 degree elbow
45 degree elbow
1.5"/1.5"/1.5" sanitary tee
90 degree 1.5" vent elbow
1.5"/1.5"/1.5" sanitary tee
2"(bottom)/1.5"/1.5" combo wye

Does this look right?  Is there such thing as #7? (seems like most of the combo wye I've found are 2" top bottom).  If not, what would be the best way to go from the 2" at #7 to the 1.5" at #6?

Also, if I install a P-trap with a union coupling at #0, that would allow me to take the P-trap off.  Would that be sufficient as far as a cleanout is concerned?  I'd like to avoid putting a cleanout cover in the wall if at all possible.


texts: I am wondering if it is possible to install a built in cistern next to the toilet. Please see the image attached - the idea is to have a cistern in the short dividing wall next to the toilet bowl. Cistern would be installed in the right angle to the toilet. I am not worried about the gravity drop, as the wall could be slightly taller than what is on the image attached.


texts:
have a new furnace for several yrs. now and i no longer have a humidifier. finally getting around to removing humidifier controller.
Question:  there are 2 wires, 1 red, 1 white, attached to the humidifier controller on the wall. can i cut the wire & shove it back into the wall since it's impossible for it to be attached to a non-existent humidifier and furnace?
or, should i wrap the wire in elec. tape, cap & then put wire back into wall?


texts: how do I measure the glass on a patio door (glass replacement)

texts: to replace the glass on my patio door, how do I measure the glass for the contractors, do I measure just the glass portion of the door or do I measure the outside frame of the door?


texts: tar joint between garage wall and asphalt

texts:
There's a kind of a gap between the asphalt and the garage which causes moisture to accumulate there.

I'd like to seal that gap by making a tar joint:

https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/p.sealant-asphalt-black-300ml.1000409856.html?autoSuggest=pip[

How should I proceed with this? Is it a complex job? Do I first need to clean the gap as much as possible? What do I need to watch out for? And so on.

Thanks in advance for your kind help.


texts: Should I install hardwood flooring or cabinets first?

texts: I am installing 3/4 hardwood oak nailed down to plywood sub-flooring. If hardwood flooring is installed first, wouldn't buckling of the floor be a issue since hardwood expands and contracts?


texts: Can a plastic fridge shelf be definitively repaired?

texts:
I have a fridge with a plastic shelf which first cracked, then finally split. Being short of cash and a replacement seemingly being not terribly easy to find, I thought I would see if it repairable.

To attempt repair of the complex crack, I have used PVC cement (intended for repairing plastic pipework, I think) liberally on the facing edges and in layers over the joint. This has provided sufficient strength for the shelf to support its own weight if held from either side.

Short of putting it back in the fridge with items on it (and potentially re-splitting the shelf!), will PVC cement be sufficient to return this to active shelf duty? I had thought of drilling and plating across the split; but I'm not sure how this plastic would take to drilling, especially relatively close to where it has split already.


texts: Does it matter whether a bedroom door swings in or out of the room?

texts:
I am looking to install french doors to help brighten the room just outside of a basement bedroom I am currently planning (egress window added and all per building codes). All the other existing bedrooms in my house have doors which swing into the room. However, having the french doors swing out of the bedroom into a larger main room (not a hallway) makes the most sense to me for this bedroom since swinging into the bedroom would make me have to place the light switch further away from the door to keep the doors from obstructing access to the switch.

Also, when I think about it, it seems like every bedroom of every house I can remember has in-swing doors. But then, almost all of the bedrooms I remember also come off of a hallway of some sort where an door that swings into the hall would be an obstruction.

I primarily want to know if I would be breaking convention or some aspect of code/saftey which I have otherwise missed to install a door which swings out of a bedroom. One benefit I can think of for having in-swing doors is that an obstruction in front of the door wouldn't prevent someone inside the bedroom from opening the door.


texts: new mini CFLs don't seem to fit/work in fixtures?

texts:
In our bathroom we have a 6 light bar over the sink, it has 6 standard edison style screw in sockets in brass plated cups, and no shades, just bare bulbs. It's very similar to this light.

Not long ago we replaced the bulbs in it with globe CFL bulbs, very similar to these. Two of the six bulbs don't seem to screw in far enough to make contact with the center post because the balast part of the bulb hits the cup around the socket. The other four bulbs are able to screw in all the way, but even with the internal temperature of the house at 75 degrees, they start up VERY slowly, as if they were out side in the sub zero temps, like 10 to 20 minutes before they feel like they're at full illumination. (to be honest, my outside CFLs start up faster, even in the dead of winter.) Sometimes, I even have to tap the bulb to get it going.

So two questions:

Would it be a worth while idea to try to get the sockets farther out in the cups? Based on the construction of the OTHER light bar in the house, I believe the sockets are mounted on threaded hollow rod, so I think if I pull the fixture down I can basically disassemble those cups and reassemble them with the sockets farther out. (or more likely the nut on the other side of the rod moved farther from the socket.) But there's no other light in there, and I can't really have that room out of action for long periods of time... so if there's no point trying to fix these then I'll probably want to find a new fixture, and have the paint and such ready to clean up the wall if I'm just going to need to replace the entire fixture.
Is there something about these bulbs and being mounted with the threads to the side? There's nothing on the box talking about what orientation the bulbs should be mounted in. I have seen other CFLs with a disclaimer that they need to be mounted with the balast at the bottom, but that seemed to be an exception on the really big ones (>200w).


texts:
I know how to remove the sashes from an old-style counterweighted window. But some of the windows in my house appear to have spring cylinders to assist them instead, and they travel in a plastic track rather than just the frame, stops, and parting bead. If anyone's familiar with these and knows how to dismount/remount these sashes, they really could use reglazing before winter...

View at top of sash showing cylinder housing lift assist spring. Note no obvious release points.
!

View with inner dash lifted, showing track acting as parting stop.

Best guess I've got is unscrew inner stops, remove screws holding track, remove screws holding springs, and take track/spring/sashes out together (at least on one side). Feels like there should be an easier answer. But I may be spoiled by modern tilt-outs


texts: Plz help me, connect a common wire for smart thermostat in furnace

texts:
I bought a 3rd generation Nest. It doesn’t turn on after I hooked it up. I did research saying I need a common wire as power supply.

I have closely look all the wires in my system and drew a diagram. Can someone take a look see if my solution going to work? There is a spare wire in place already, it’s just not connected on either end(in thermostat and in the furnace)

There are two common wires inside the furnace, one return itself, the other connects to the condenser (this is the one I am thinking connect to the thermostat).


texts:
I have laid a concrete slab for the first time. I bought a general purpose, ready mix tub of concrete and followed the instructions (add 400ml water to 5kg of concrete mix)
The end result is disappointing
As you can see, it's patchy and not smooth.
I read and watched countless videos and articles and so I am confused if this the result of my screeding effort
Arrogance would make me think the mix was too stoney.
Ignorance would make me think it wasn't wet enough (or wasn't mixed but I made sure there was no dry concrete)
Common sense would suggest it's my fault and a lack of technique
What would cause concrete to be patchy like this


texts: 36 year old no frost refrigerator has stopped heating. Is it worth tracking problem and fixing or is replacement the most economical option?


texts: Duration of charge held by High Voltage Components

texts: How long can a High Voltage Capacitor in a Electric Oven hold a charge after the oven has been unplugged?


texts: Is this Romex ruined? Cut a hole on in-wall romex

texts:
Long story short: I accidentally cut this Romex that is located in a wall and carries the load for two receptacles.

Is this Romex ruined? Is it now a fire hazard? Do I have to call an electrician in to rewire the entire line (nooooooo)?

Thank you for any help you can give me!

IMAGE:


texts: How can I route an unknown amount of wires through an outside wall?

texts:
I'd love to figure out the best way to make a reusable junction through an outside wall for routing cables through it.  (Specifically, ham-radio coax cables).  It would be fairly simple if I was going to only do one, but I'd like to implement something that would let me add or remove cables over time.  All the junction boxes I've found seem to not be straight pass-throughs though and have a hard back.  I'd like to find one with a semi-sealable rubber flap that would let me poke new cables through it.  I'd mount it high up on the ceiling under an eve to prevent most of the water issues, along with drip loops on the wires, but I suspect the real reason most people (and code?) don't do this is for rodents?

Or is my best option to do it once and make connectors to and from the outside with a fixed panel and multiple junction boxes vertically aligned with each other (one above the other, and one facing outward and one inward)?


texts: How do I go about installing a subpanel on wood paneling that's mounted to a concrete wall?

texts:
I've been reading, researching, watching, and preparing to install a sub-panel (which I'll be having a licensed electrician inspect and sign off on before going live) and I think I know how to go about doing it, but I have great respect for this very dangerous work and always make sure I know what I'm doing before I do it.

I'm not sure the significance of my situation here, but it is different enough from most information I've found across the interwebz that I wanted to ask about this specifically.  I'm in VA btw, and VA still uses NEC 2011.

Here's what I think I know: Panels can't be mounted directly against a wall in a damp location (basements can be considered damp); the ground and neutral are bonded in the main box but MUST be isolated from each other in a sub-panel; the actual box of the sub-panel should be bonded to the ground bar; if a panel is installed in the same structure as the main breaker, it does not need it's own grounding rods (but if it's a detached structure, 2 copper grounding rods 6' apart are required); if a panel is installed in the same structure, it does not require it's own main breaker (and if it is in a detached structure, a separate breaker to power down the sub-panel is required); for 80 AMP panel, 3 Gauge NM-B, or 4 Gauge copper THHN is required (this is the size that I'm planning).

And here's how I'm thinking this should be done (packchures for reference below):

The wood paneling is secured to "studs" that are nailed to the concrete with masonry nails.  Between the "studs" (I'm not sure if they can actually be considered studs so, quotes) is Styrofoam insulation.  And since Styrofoam catches fire if you just look at it the wrong way, that worries me just a little.  I'm not sure how secure the "studs" are so I figured it would be best to simply go right through them, and into the concrete with some masonry screws to secure the plywood to the wall.  I'm thinking 4 screws on each side.  Then mount the sub panel onto the plywood, and run metal or plastic (not sure if it matters) conduit out the top of the sub-panel, 90 degree it to the left, then 90 degree it down and then one more 90 degree to go left again towards the side of the main breaker box.  There are two 2 x 4s on either side of the breaker box, and I am guessing it would be okay to just drill through it as needed to install the conduit into one of the punch outs.  Where I do this will depend on where an appropriate size punch out is, but I'm hoping to do it near the bottom of the box since there's no clutter there.

Once all the hardware is mounted and ran, I'd then pull whatever wire I'm using (probably THHN, would be best?) and connect the two hots to either bars, and then neutral to the bar that's floating and the ground to the grounding bar (I believe I might have to buy one).  Some of the videos that I've watched mentioned a green grounding screw that might be on the bar one would use as a neutral bar and that it needs to be removed (I think it bonds the bar to the box).  And then I simply put whatever breakers I want/need in the sub-panel and run that wire as needed (which won't be far, this panel is just for the room that it's in).

I feel like I'm either doing something wrong, forgetting something, or maybe doing something harder than it needs to be.  But my goals are to do this safe, and up to code.  So please advise on what I'm looking at and what I'm planning so that the electrician will only have to come once!

Thanks!


texts: Should the bit in my impact driver have free play?

texts: I bought a cheap impact driver and I noticed that the bit is moving inside the chuck, like back and forth. Is this normal, like part of the hammer mechanism, or should the bit stay fixed?


texts:
I'd like to test if my hot tub was connected to ground.

The hot tub is underground and its electrical panel is not easily accessible. I'm trying to figure things out without access to the hot tub's panel.

The hot tub is 240V single-phase (TT earthing system) and is connected to a 10mA GFCI in my house's main panel. I have verified this connection and it's definitely taking current from the GFCI.

What I don't know is if the guy that installed it wired the ground properly. I tried taking a multimeter to test for continuity between the house's ground and the hot tub water, but it didn't show anything. If I test for voltage between a phase and the hot tub water, I get 240V.

Is the hot tub water itself not supposed to be grounded?

Any other test I could perform or that I could ask a licensed electrician to perform?

The GFCI never tripped so far, so maybe no valid reason for concern. Just trying to make sure as there are 2-year-olds using the hot tub.


texts: How do I make a Liquid-level-indicator for an overhead sintex water tank

texts:
I have a 5000 ltr overhead tank atop a 20 meter tower.  I wish to make a liquid level indicator, mechanical type, which would indicate to me the liquid level therein the tank, as the tank is made of opaque material.  The indication to be at the foot of the water tower or
closer outside my kitchen window for viewing convenience from within my house.


texts: The 2 overhead lights in my garage are controlled by LIGHTED 3way switches. The wiring has been in place and operating properly for years. Recently, ONE of the lights has been going off and on at various times for various length of time. Only 1 light has been effected, the other has been fine. I've made the following changes in this order: replaced the bulb, replace the light fixture and replaced the switch closests to the problem light. I have not been able to correct the problem. Could the 2nd swicth be the problem? What causes switches to suddenly fail? Any help would be appreciated!


texts: How to install Kitchen Cabinets on a Drywall?

texts:
I have 2 Kitchen cabinets, each 50 CM on 80 CM, they weigh about 10 KG (maybe more? not sure).
I wanted to hang them on the wall but just discovered it's a drywall, and seems pretty thin.
It is a 120 CM wide niche that I have in my kitchen (like an inward gap),
on the left side there's a concrete wall, but on the right once again drywall.
I've heard something about a Rail that might support them (attaching it to the concrete), but I'm not sure how relevant it is when the other side is also drywall.
Any ideas?
These cabinets are suppose to be above a Sink, so I can't think of many alternatives for them, ideas in that direction would help as well.


texts: Is the gray insulance material asbestos?

texts:
This is a furnace room.

Is the gray insulation material (on the wall and above the pipes) asbestos?


texts: How to Sync Booster Fan with Furnace Fan

texts:
I own an old house. Some of the rooms in the house that are too far away from the furnace are not getting enough air, the airflow is too weak. I tried to close as many of the other ones as possible, but the airflow is still too weak. I am going to be installing a booster fan. Not sure which one yet, because I have a rectangular duct. Once I install the fan I don't want it to be on all the time. I want to only turn it on when the furnace fan is working. My furnace fan is always in Auto mode. What's the best way to do this?

It has been suggested to me to use a pressure sensor and put it
in the duct somewhere near a furnace. This way, no need to wire into the furnace.
Should I just find the pins that connect to the
actual fan inside the furnace?
Are there pins on the control board of my furnace that I can use for this purpose?

I spent a few hours searching, but I can't find any actual solutions to my problem. Seems like such a common thing.


texts: Do studs in wooden buildings eventually get replaced as they lose their structural capacity?

texts:
I'm living in a 30 years old building made of wood - an ordinary apartment complex in Seattle. As I was drilling a hole into a stud, a thought occurred to me - over the years, these studs have probably seen hundreds if not thousands of things drilled into them - shelves, cabinets, lighting fixtures, mirrors, exercise equipment, etc. Eventually, the studs should become so full of holes that they would become useless for further drilling and potentially threaten the structural integrity of the building. Studs might also lose their structural capacity over the years naturally, as nothing lasts forever.
So do buildings ever reach a point where studs have to be replaced? If so, how does it work? Or do these kinds of buildings simply get demolished rather than undertaking such a complex project? I've tried Googling this question in many different variations, but couldn't find anything specific.


texts: Where can I find fireproof caulk backer?

texts:
A while back I asked this question and got a lot of great responses.

I've been able to locate fireblock caulk, but one thing I didn't think of is the backer. I need some kind of fireblock/fireproof caulk backer for the gap in my fireplace's molding. The only caulk backer at Home Depot I've found is the polyethelyne backer. Something like this.

All of this stuff explicitly says to not expose it to heat, and that it's highly flamable, but I need something that will be fireproof.

What should I be using for caulk backer in an area highly sensitive to heat?


texts: Integrating existing Hydronic Radiant with new Hybrid (dual fuel) Heat Pump (forced hot air)

texts:
I have an existing simple Hydronic baseboard radiant forced hot water heating system running off of an Oil Boiler.  I am adding a duel fuel (hybrid) heat pump to the house.

Here's what I want:

When it's mild outside, (say ODT is more than 40 degrees F), run the forced hot air system in heat pump mode.
When the ODT trips below 40F, turn off heat pump and run OIL system instead (second stage heat).
When the temp diff. on the thermostat hits a +3 differential, and ODT is below 40, run both OIL and gas furnace (forced hot air), if ODT is above 40, run heat pump instead of gas furnace.
If older OIL boiler system goes down, I'd like to be able to manually activate Emergency mode and trigger the forced hot air system manually, and it should be able to decide whether to run gas or heat pump based on ODT.

How to accomplish this?


texts: Charging Irrigation System, Can I Do This Myself?

texts:
Every spring some company comes out and "charges" our sprinkler system. Can someone explain what this is and whether or not this is something I can do?

It basically seems like they come out, turn on the water to the system, run each zone, and check if all the heads are operational.

What am I missing?


texts: I have noticed there is approx. 12mm of water left inside my dishwasher after the cycle is complete. Have check the filters and they are all clean and clear. Any suggestions as to what the problem is?


texts: How do I remove multiple layers of paint from wooden entrance ledge?

texts:
Here's a picture:

If I recall correctly I have already tried a chemical stripper years ago and it didn't work. What would be the easiest way to remove the layers of paint all the way down to bare wood?

An angle grinder? Sheet sander? Random orbital sander? Rotary tool like dremel?

I have a cheapo rotary tool but I doubt it can do the job. I can buy either an angle grinder, a sheet sander or a random orbital sander....or any other one tool that can do the job.

Do I need to sand the wood after the paint has been removed? Can this be done with the same tool I will use to remove the paint? (for example, by changing disks/bit/sandpaper).


texts: How do I install a water line for a refrigerator in a galley kitchen?

texts:
My sink is on one side of my galley kitchen and the fridge is on the other. The living room doorway is between the water line to the sink and the fridge.  The house sits on a slab so there is no basement.

Can I run a line over the doorway?


texts: Why am I getting a lot of condensation in new shed?

texts:
I just got a new shed built with concrete blocks and a metal roof last month and thing is dripping with condensation from the roof. There is absolutely no insulation in the shed.

How would I get rid of this, insulate the metal roof with spray foam or the normal kind? Plaster the inside and outside of the shed?


texts: Can you split washer/dryer and share with standard 3 prong

texts:
I’m not great with all of the proper terminology here. We have what appears to be a 30amp plug for out washer/dryer combo. I want to mount and hang out dyson vacuum charging station in the same space as the washer/dryer to have it out of the way.
Is it safe to get a splitter, plugging one portion into the washer/dryer and a converter into the other, with the dyson plugged into that
Will I provide too much power to the dyson and too little to the washer/dryer?


texts: Cover join between carpet and lino flooring

texts:
Some months ago, we replaced our floating wooden flooring with lino planks.
Previously, where the wooden flooring met our carpets, we had some sort of “cover strip” which was like a thin strip of hard plastic covering the join.
There’s a small height difference between our new flooring and the carpet, maybe 2-3mm and using the same sort of strips would mean it sits on an angle pointing up - easy to catch your toes when walking out of the room from the carpeted side.
I’ve heard a few names for it, but I’m not really sure what it’s called, but I’m looking for something to help cover the join. What would you recommend?
Images of join:


texts: Excavating Under a Concrete Foundation Slab?

texts:
I have a small ?30' x 12'? addition. on a cement slab. I think the slab is 4 inches and was reinforced with some steel. Could this cement foundation be the roof for a root cellar?

Other than the edges of this foundation, it does not have to hold up anything but foot traffic. The building on top is a very minimal, one story board and baton single room, build up against an existing structure on one of its long sides.


texts: Installing an "In-Wall" Light Timer, But it calls for"Load", "Hot", and "Neutral"

texts:
I am installing a new wall light switch timer, but in addition to my ground, Hot, and Neutral wires that are currently running to the old switch, this new one requires a "Load" wire too.   I tried wiring the neutral and load together, and it "Kind-of" works, but the four light fixtures now flash, this is with LED lamps in each socket.

Any ideas or suggestions for the Load wire, or the flashing lamps?


texts: What is this strange metal door and frame 12 feet up the outside wall?

texts:
Any ideas on what the strange metal door and frame is in the photos?
It's about 12 feet up on an outside wall.
I'm hoping it's the source of a leak (the door is ajar), but I have no idea what it could be.


texts: How to know if there is damp or mold behind wall?

texts:
I previously had housing use a product to seal over a damp wall.  How do I know the wall is ok on the inside?

It may also be the case that the damp has dried on the inside so in this case, again, how can I test of the inside of the wall is ok?

Thanks.


texts: Why won't the arbor lock engage on my Ryobi circular saw?

texts: As I was putting the saw blade on my new Ryobi Circular saw my finger slipped off of the blade lock button while tightening and now I cannot get the blade lock to engage again. What would be the fix for this?


texts: Can I use a single 3-conductor cable to rewire a switch in the US?

texts: In replacing old knob and tube wiring to a light switch, is there any safety or code reason (United States) to not use a single 3-conductor cable for the two hot wires?


texts: Can a grounding conductor from equipment terminate in a metal box grounded via EMT?

texts:
I have EMT leading to a metal junction box, and from that box goes plastic liquid tight to some equipment. Currently I have a ground conductor running all the way back to the panel, but I'm wondering if it's enough to terminate that ground at the metal junction box (so that the EMT back to the panel forms the remainder of the equipment ground).

Related question: how do I properly bond the 10 ga grounding conductor in the liquid tight to the metal box? Crimp a ring terminal on it?


texts:
Above is a picture of the wall adjoining the bottom of the staircase leading to the basement.
I am finishing my basement (in the process of flooring/molding etc.). I intend to use baseboard, then quarter round after the flooring. The builder has left the portion of drywall as in picture.
What are my options to finish this so I can paint/apply baseboard, etc.?


texts: Can I use a paint pad to apply floor varnish?

texts: I went looking in the shop for a lambswool pad to apply floor lacquer, but they didn't have one, so I bought an Anza paint pad. Can I use this to coat a floor? Should I try to find a proper lambswool applicatyor, or just stick to brushes? I'm using Junkers 625 lacquer.


texts:
I will be making a staircase frame like the one below, but just now it strikes me that it will weigh about 200 kg (around 400 lb) and one end need to be lift 3.5 m off the ground.

How can I lift it to the correct spot to screw it in the concrete beam? Every contraption that I thought about doesn't seem like it is going to work (some are hard to move around, others are hard to lift, etc).

Some pictures from the site:


texts: Max distance for 2x8 pergola rafter span

texts:
Building pergola with two rows of 3 posts. I'd have 2x10 beams mounted on the posts supporting the 2x8 rafters, but I'm curious how far apart I can push my rows of beams. Ideally I would love to have them 13' apart with the rafters cantilevered 18" on either end but I'm worried I will have sag.

I should note that I am planning on having 2x2 slats on top of rafters spaced every 12". Also, will be using PT lumber.
Thanks


texts: transition between hardwood plank and molding on stairs

texts: I just got hardwood stairs installed. [The installer left a gap between the end of the hardwood plank and the molding and filled it with putty—and it looks terrible.][3]  What can I do to cover that gap? I hate it.


texts:
Is there a standard mask to protect the lungs when cutting Hardie board?  While specifics masks suggestions are appreciated, I am trying to understand how to avoid sub-standard masks and avoiding injury.
For additional context see Can I use this blade to cut Hardyboard?


texts: How to add a 'c' wire common wire to this system

texts:
I have a galaxy cast iron gas boiler and i'm trying to determine where to attach the 'c' wire on the furnace for my new wifi thermostat.  The cable is an 18/5 but is only using 2 of 5 wires currently.  Based on other threads i've read it sounds like i can use one of the available wires for a 'c'.

I have attached a photo of where the thermostat wire connects to the furnace (A).

I'm not that familiar with thermostat wiring and i've tried to label the picture based on what is see on the furnace.  (TH or TR)

thermostat Rh = TH2
thermostat W1 = TH1 (White Wire)


texts: How Can I install a 4inch ceiling fan in a 3 inch hole?

texts:
I’ve circled the ceiling mount holes in blue and the fan mount holes in yellow.
As you can see, the fan mount holes are wider apart than the ceiling’s holes.

Also I’ve tried drilling into the ceiling. Drilling into the ceiling just leaves a hole and the screws fall right out.

The fan is a “fanimation” fan. My house was built in the 80s

Note: in this photo I had the “adjustable flaps” of my universal cross bar on backwards. I needed to turn them around so they were “slidable”


texts: brand new toilet installed by plumber won't drain

texts: Ok,  I have read many questions and answers to this question, but none of them are what mine is doing.  Buckets of water poured down don't go down, holes aren't clogged, all the guts in toilet work fine. I have logged it--sometimes I get 1 or 2 flushes that actually work, there has been a time I actually got 30 flushes. Sinks, tub, shower, other toilet all drain & work correctly with no bubbling, stink, etc. This toilet will fill to almost overflowing, then takes an hour to drain (no solids, minimal toilet paper). We have snaked with 3' and nothing. Only me here, no children or anything dropped in. A toilet is a simple fixture--people question its a defective toilet?! Venting? Pipe was cut in attic thinking vent issue and still nothing. Here's the plumbing: in crawl there is a 90 degree into a 45 degree, a 4' run with a 1/16" per foot slope (supposed to be 1/4" slope per foot), vent is 12' away from toilet before going upwards then reduced to 1 1/2" pvc, then 7-8' up in ceiling with six 90 degree elbows, about 12-15' run in attic and goes back to 2" pvc to meet an existing toilet, both vented out same pipe. Toilet is American Standard. Help?!


texts: How soon can we stain a freshly-sanded deck after it got drenched in the rain?

texts:
My family and I are refinishing our deck.  We live in area with wild weather so, even though it called for a week of sun, immediately after finishing sanding our deck (to a very beautiful  underneath) it got drenched from rain.  It took 5 people 3 days of sanding to finish it.  Please, please don't tell me we have to do it again.  I have read many things about wood pores and finish that won't stick.

Is this rain going to affect anything? Or can we let it dry for a day or so and proceed with staining?


texts: What options are available to cover a gap in a stone countertop left when a slightly smaller stovetop was installed?

texts:
We installed a new drop-in stainles steel stovetop into a hole in our stone countertop.  This has left a 1/4" to 1/2" gap in the rear, since it's not quite as deep as the old stovetop was.
What options are there to make this hole look better?  It's not really very visible, so it doesn't have to look perfect, but something better than a gap would be nice.


texts: How can I stop cracking/squeaking sounds while leveling this floor?

texts:
I am reconditioning a wooden floor; I pulled up the carpet and am repairing, levelling and then painting the so-so boards I found. I already tried replacing the nails with screws but found that the boards are pretty noisy. Not so much squeaky as cracking sounds if you know what I mean.

There's a lot of wood added to the original joists because the house is very old - both alongside the joists and as 'noggings' (been looking at this guide). It's cheap ply and I think this is causing it.

As I have to level it anyway I can put some material between the two layers (there was a load of scrap wood slivers there currently). I read you can use cardboard or plastic too. As I want to maximise the quietness I had the brainwave of using a layer of thick carpet underfelt - not the foamy stuff but wool or felt.

What do you think of this idea and does anyone know the best material for levelling to reduce noise?


texts: Is insulation blockinng airflow of my vented soffit?

texts: I have insulation shoved in front of my vented soffit's should the insulation Be there It was already there when we moved I didn't think much of an till I started doing some research after I blew in more insulation and I blew it all the way to the decking should I pull this  installation out or leave it in?


texts:
In a townhouse where my second floor sags in all kinds of directions - do i need to have it checked out/fixed, and by whom?
Rough estimates:
Age: 34 years old
Width of unit: 21ft
Second floor held up by a clear span of open web trusses, believe to be about 24” on center spacing. Not sure of truss depth.
There is a wall that runs perpendicular down most of the length of the unit (and thus also perpendicular to the trusses) that is about 8 ft from one side. In other words, space is split 8 and 13 for 21 total.
13 ft side is a bedroom, 8 ft side is bath and walk in closet.
Floor sags towards this wall in the middle from both sides.
Sagging very noticeable in the bathroom; there is a vanity along one wall where when i put a 4ft level at the toekick, i have to raise it about 1 3/8” to get the level to be level. The floor also has a curve to it, by which i mean there is a gap between the floor and level.
Similar in closet, where i installed a closet system that hangs on a rail, with vertical panels that go to the floor. The panels at the end wall are on the floor, but the panels at the wall in the middle are 1 1/4” off the floor.
Possibly related, but i feel like other areas of the house are sagging also; i have a window in this bedroom that starts about 2ft from the end wall and is 6 ft wide. The window looks level but the window sill is sloped down in the direction of the middle wall.


texts: Replacing MC panel with separate meter and service panel

texts:
I have a Siemens MC30 meter combo panel.  I need to separate the meter from the service panel to allow a whole house generator transfer switch between the two. The only way I know to attack this is to

install a new, separate meter
turn off electrical service
replace the service panel
install the transfer switch
pass the inspection
restore service, which may well involve running new underground service cables.

Does anybody have any ideas which avoid moving the service entry location to the meter (and avoiding rerunning connectors to the transformer pad) and minimizing the down time?


texts: 220v 30amp circuit, tool needs 220v 20amp service

texts: I have existing 220v 30amp circuit not being used. I’m installing 2hp motor on table saw that requires 220v 20amp service. Can I use the 30amp circuit?


texts: Last night I made a vertical silicone bead Roughly 1.8m long. I used a fugi tool.  The bead has a 10cm section that looks lumpy in the Centre. Now it has been curing for 12hours. Can I cut this section out a reapply a layer?.


texts: How safe is it to keep and use a mildly corroded hot water valve?

texts:
We have a bathroom faucet (a couple years old), and the hot water side began to drip from the faucet (i.e. it was as though we were unable to shut off the faucet completely). Until I had a chance to replace the cartridge, I turned off the valve for the hot water under the sink. The valves look mildly corroded (photo below), and when I turned it off it did feel slightly stuck at first to start turning it, but after that point it turned fine, and it shut off with no problem.
Now, before repairing the faucet and ultimately turning the valve back on, the question has come up of whether turning it back on could end up being a problem, out of concern for us doing a non-emergency repair possibly then necessitating an emergency plumber visit: That is, since it is corroded, might turning the valve back on, or on and off at different points in the repair job, cause the valve itself to leak? How concerned should we be of a risk for such a leak in this sort of situation? And would the concern be for a large leak or a small one and only if it’s in the on or off position or always?


texts: Should an optical cable inside a house be run in conduit?

texts:
I am hoping to run a fibre optic cable from the office/study to the "server" room where I'll have my NAS. The idea is to use a 10 Gbit/s connection.
We are building and are currently framing. Should I run conduit and put the fibre in it, or is it fine just to staple the fibre optic cable (with wire staples of course)?
I doubt it'll need replacing, but who knows.


texts: Hot Water Heater leaks through drainage spigot after flushing

texts:
I flushed my hot water heater several months ago. Ever since, it has leaked through the drainage spigot.

I've tried to tighten it to a point where it looks like it stops, but it starts again soon after.

Is this something that is easily replaced, or any actions I can take to stop it from leaking?

Update

I was able to drain the heater, and remove the drain plug. It has a washer that had worn out. I just replaced the entire plug with a new one.

Thank you everyone for the assistance.


texts:
I have a 2 story garage with the rear being cinder/concrete block walls.
I just noticed this crack.  Havnt lived here that long so not sure how long its been there
Is this something to be concerned about?


texts:
This is the scenario. Two floor house. The bathrooms' outlets in the second floor have no power. I checked the outlet and there is not a loose wire. I checked the breakers and reset them and electricity is flowing to each branch from the breaker box. I also checked all GfCI outlets in the kitchen and they are all working.
The insulation in the attic is 18 inches making difficult to trace the wire. I do not know where is getting disconnected or loose. Have you dealt with something like this before?


texts: Running Oven and Oven Fan is turning off while running without tripping the circuit breaker

texts:
Recently when running in conjunction with my microwave was causing my oven to "turn off" (this also impacted by oven fan AND one of my bathroom switches which is on the other side of my kitchen/oven.
This is was not impacting the other associated switches and lights which are on the same breaker so I moved the microwave to a different circuit/breaker but this oven turning off is still happening.
Any help with this issue would be appreciated.
I will try to run some troubleshooting to see what trigger this set of circuits to turn off so hopefully will have a better update but again any insight would be helpful.
Thank you!


texts: Australia: Does this show a neutral wire?

texts:
New to home automation but based on initial research I’ve worked out that I need to determine whether the new flat is wired with a neutral wire to determine what options are available..
(Note this is in Australia...).

I’ve removed one of the wall panels and take the picture attached hoping someone would be able to give me an initial view!

Cheers,


texts:
Getting ready to tape my HardieBacker 1/2" cement boards.  Some instructions say to apply the the self-adhesive fiberglass tape (FibaTape in my case) to the boards, and go over it with thinset.

Others say to apply the thinset, and embed the tape into the thinset.

Does it matter?


texts: I replaced a light switch installed at the bottom of the basement steps with one that has a dimmer. When I opened the junction box i saw there are two Romex wires coming in. One is connected to the switch at the top of the stairs which makes sense as this is a three way switch. I don’t know what the other one is connected to. The copper is connected to the ground, but the black and white wires are exposed and not connected to anything. Is this some kind of standard practice I’m not aware of or should I disconnect the ground and cap off the wire? I’m assuming the mystery wire is not live. I’m picking up a voltage meter tomorrow to confirm. Even if it’s not live, I feel uneasy having exposed random wires in the box. Any advice or input would be greatly appreciated.


texts: I have a dimmer switch, need to change to regular for a ceiling fan. From the picture, I think the black wire is my "neutral," and the green is obviously ground. The red wire to the upper right is labeled for use with a three-way switch and not attached (which this circuit is not). My confusion is that there is a red and a black coming out of the wall, wound together and connected to a single red going to the dimmer switch. Do I install both red and black to my regular switch as "hot? (with the other black as neutral?")


texts: Basement sliding glass window (Pella) - how to remove the pane opposite of the sash

texts:
I just installed a Pella basement sliding glass window in my house. It went well, but I have a question. How do you remove the non-sash pane? I Googled this like crazy but the only things that come up are how to remove the sash, which is super easy but not what I need to know.

What if the non-sash pane breaks? I can't imagine that one would have to remove the entire window and replace it. At least I hope not.

Also, what is the non-sash window pane area/thing called?


texts: What is simplest strategy to map circuits to breakers in the panel?

texts:
My breaker box is very poorly labeled and I want to figure out which circuits may have overloaded (or close to it) and which could reasonably handle a little more.

In the past I have just tried flipping one of the breakers and then running around the house flipping switches and trying receptacles.  Surely there is a better way?

If there is a reasonably priced tool that would make this a lot easier I would consider it.


texts: 4yr old heat pump doesn't label 24v C wire

texts: I'm used to the gas furnaces, and I still want to swap out this 4 year old heat pump, but it would be too expensive. I recently bought a smart thermostat to try and help with the utility bills, but it requires a "C" or common wire. The thermostat did include a "C wire adapter" but it assumes that it is being used installed in a gas furnace with a control board. While looking at the system I noticed that it doesn't specify/label the 24v side or the 110/220 side. And as I REALLY do not want to experience another 220 flash. Can someone point me in the right direction?


texts: How can I seal a mouse hole with a refrigerator water line running through it?

texts: I've traced my mouse problems back to a large hole in the wall behind my fridge.  The problem is, there's a line running through it--I assume it's the water line, as there is a black power cord plugging the fridge into the wall elsewhere.  How can I seal this hole without messing with the water line?  I have "Great Stuff" gaps and cracks sealant spray--will that work?  Pictures attached of hole.  Thanks in advance for any and all advice!


texts: How should I attach the cable of a cable-supported shelf?

texts:
I'm planning to build a shelf in the garage, 22" deep and about 16' long. The back edge and one side will be supported by wall cleats, with 2x3s under the other edges. I'd like to support the front edge using steel cable from eye bolts in the shelf to eye bolts in the ceiling (truss framed) spaced every four feet other than the edge against the wall. (I like the idea of using cables because I think they'll create less obstruction when getting bins on or off the shelf.)

This shelf will hold about 16 of the large plastic totes, and I'd assume they'll be pretty full and heavy. I want to make this nice and sturdy, but I don't really have any sense of what size bolts and cable would be reasonable. I also want to make sure I'm not compromising the roof trusses with whatever I'm screwing into them or bolting through them. Any suggestions on sizes or attachment methods?


texts: Best DIY all-rounder cutting tool for straight edges? Multi tool?

texts:
I'm a Newbie at DIY. About to buy my first set of (hopefully) good "all-rounder", versatile "staple" tools for my very first tool box.

Have seen a multi tool, but are they really suitable for cutting accurate, straight lines?

can you find attachments that allow you to cut wood accurately, with a guide, using a blade?

Dremle seems to have a "Straight Edge Guide" that does allow for a drill bit to cut guided straight and even circular cuts but the drill bit seems to leave the edge looking somewhat rough on the edges.

Jobs I want to use it for include:

Cutting the materials to build a stud wall (mainly wood batons, perhaps plasterboard)
Cutting wood to build my own shelves and up-cycle furniture
Possibly chase a wall (although I have heard that the multi tool might not be up to it)

Any thoughts or suggestions?


texts: How to manually drain a free standing water tank (washing machine) into bucket(s)?

texts:
Since our washing machine's filter was clogged, I had to drain it manually via emergency drain.

As the emergency drain is a very short (about 1 inch) and thin tube located about 1 inch from the floor, and I don't have any low wide receptacles, I had to use tilted cooking pan.

That worked, but it held only a small amount of water before I had to tip pan into bucket, due to the drain located so low. So I had to spend quite some time tipping every half a minute or so.

This made me think, what would be a not very convoluted way to drain straight into a bucket, whose walls are much higher than the 1 inch above floor, where drain is located?

Of course, in addition to the drain location, the drain pipe itself is very short so I would need some connection to a larger tube in order to even reach any bucket (or just about anything beside the pan held right at the machine).

Since the drain is just a rubber tube without any connector at the end, I figured I could try getting a slightly larger diameter tube and use some waterproof duct tape, after sliding it over the drain. But that is already a bit convoluted since the drain pipe is so short.

That still doesn't answer the question how to drain from lower to a higher location. I thought I could buy one of those small pumps that can be used with an electric drill. Would that be a good way to do it?

Edit: the machine is  standing in a place which can't really be accessed from sides or back, and moving it is also a major hassle, as the top is quite near staircase bottom, so can't even tip it much (as suggested by some web advice).


texts: Gronding requirements for standby generator

texts:
I'm installing a standby generator for my son's new home build and have questions about grounding, bonding the genset.

We are installing a Kohler RXT 200 amp transfer switch between the meter base and the main panel servicing the home. The generator is Kohler 14RESAL genset.   I've asked a question about this subject one other time and comments were made about the relative wisdom of switching the entire house to the generator.  That's water under the bridge at this point, so lets focus on the grounding question I have.

My question regards bonding the neutral to the ground at the getset. There is a label saying the ground and neutral are bonded and there is a jumper on the connections factory installed.  The transfer switch doesn't switch the grounded neutral conductor, so from what I understand, the generator isn't a "separately derived system"...so no GECs needed at the generator.

I planned on running 2 hots a neutral and a ground to the genset, but now I'm unsure.  My instincts say disconnect the bonding jumper and connect the neutral to L0 (unfortunately labeled), the hots to L1 and L2 and the ground to GRND.   See pictures.

Comments?


texts:
I have a dimmer where the output goes to a junction box in the attic and from the junction box it goes to a light fixture.  I want to replace the light fixture in question with 2 pendent lights in different locations.

The question is: Is it better to have the junction box have two outputs so each pendent light fixture only has one wire or is it better to run one wire from the junction box to the first pendent light and in that pendent's box will be a splice to the other light?

option 1:

       -------pendent light
J-----<
       -------pendent light

option 2:

                                first pendent light in same box
J------first pendent light box <
                                --------second pendent light


texts: Should the brushes be this bright on my vacuum cleaner's motor?

texts:
I have a vacuum cleaner that sometimes slows down while in use. If I turn it off and turn it back on again it usually solves the problem.

I took the debris chamber and the filter off, so I can see the vacuum cleaner motor running directly beneath a plastic screen. The arcs coming from the brushes of the motor are extremely bright. Is this normal or does this indicate a problem with the motor?


texts: Replacing cast iron pipe and adding new toilet

texts:
I'm planning to add new toilet/shower/sink downstairs. I have one existing on the 2nd floor and right under I'd like to add the new one.

The new one is on the concrete slab, so no basement underneath which makes the work more difficult.

The iron cast pipe goes along the wall and I'm planning to cut it and replace it with PVC all the way up to the existing toilet, plus I will add the new toilet to it.

My question is, since the second toilet is going to be on the concrete slab, is this going to work if it's on the same level as the connection will be? Or does the connection needs to be below the toilet drain. If so, how much below it needs to be so the flushing and draining works properly. Thanks

Do I really have to do the 2nd option and cut out the concrete or 1st option would be ok if I use saniflo, pump. Do I still need to tilt the drain down from sink and shower if the pump used?


texts: Are the resin beads inside old water softeners flammable?

texts:
Our old water softener just broke and released all the resin beads into our hot water heater. I've been draining it but a significant amount of beads went into the drain pan under the hot water heater. I was a bit concerned that if these were flammable, that it would be a hazard to run the how water heater.

-- EDIT

I took them outside and tried to light them. They did blacken after a while and let off a nasty fume, but the stack did not continue to light after the flame was removed. I would still recommend testing your own if anyone else reads this answer with a similar conscern


texts: Should I fill in 15-20 nail holes in my roof underlayment? If so, how?

texts:
I goofed right off the bat when installing shingles for my garden office roof.  I forgot to trim the rake of the first shingle in the starter strip.  The net result is that it wasn't aligned properly.

(Thankfully?) I caught this pretty early and removed the improperly installed starter row.  I still have about 15-20 holes left in the underlayment (which is 30# asphalt felt).

Should I fill these in? Or just proceed with putting a new starter strip over it?

The holes are only near the edge in the starter strip. The rest of the roof is fine.


texts: Why is my roof leaking when it isn't raining?

texts:
I've just moved house last week and today have noticed a drip in my dining room. What's odd is that it isn't raining - in fact, today is the first warm day of the year.
The "water" is a brown colour, but doesn't seem to have an odor. Moreover, I'm also noticing drips from the roof line on the outside of this part of the house.
It's a single story extension without plumbing, so I don't think it's a leaky pipe. The gutters are bone dry and there's no standing water on the (flat, leaded) roof.
What could be causing this? And how would I solve it?


texts: Ceiling fan electrical box swap. Conduit making issues

texts:
I had a basic light fixture mounted in my garage ceiling. I'm putting a ceiling fan in its place. After removing fixture, there's a square box with 3 conduit connections. I undid the connections and cut ceiling around box. I used a hammer and pry bar to get the box out. It was nailed to the joist.

I thought I was home free until I looked at the new ceiling fan box with the adjustable bar. Box only has two knockouts. I went online and it seems that all these boxes either have one or two knockouts.

What do you suggest? I want to make sure the box I put in is up to code, whatever that is. Thanks.

-Frank


texts: Why do I measure voltage on a breaker that's off?

texts:
My breaker #1 (115VAC) is connected to my dishwasher.  My breaker #2 (115VAC) is connected to my garbage disposal.

Why do I get 38.5VAC on the dishwasher line, even when breaker #1 is off?  When breaker #2 (Garbage Disposal) is also off, I get 0 VAC on dishwasher.  Why?


texts: Do I need to seal the concrete tub when building a swimming pool?

texts:
We are building our own house with a small indoor concrete pool. These are the tiles we will be finishing the inside of the pool with.

How and with what do we need to waterproof the concrete with before applying tiles? There is so much contradictory info out there as to what and if anything is needed.

Advice much appreciated.


texts:
[Edited from original version apparently read into a cell phone's voice reco.]

I am trying to wire a dimmer switch into an existing light switch that was in the box before. It had three wires connected to it:

a white wire which was labeled line negative on the old switch [NEUTRAL]
a black wire that was labeled line positive on the old switch [ALWAYS HOT]
in a red wire that is presumably the power wire To the light the light. [SWITCHED HOT]

The dimmer switch has a ground wire, a red wire, a black wire,  and a striped red wire. According to the instructions on the dimmer the black wire should be connected to power; the red wire should go out to the light; the striped red wire should just be capped; and the ground should go to the ground.

What confuses me in the situation is that the white wire coming out of the wall doesn’t actually attach to anything.  Is this correct? Do modern dimmers not need a negative [NEUTRAL] return?


texts: Unplugging vs running an empty refrigerator

texts:
We have a community Pea Patch that has 2 older refrigerators that are empty 5 days a week and used to store produce on 2 of those days.  Does it take less energy to leave them running for those 5 days, and is it better for the refrigerator, than to uplug it for that time? I think they should be unplugged, but the person in charge doesn't.

If we were to fill them with jugs of water on the empty days, it would need to be re-cooled after the two days of use.


texts: Cast iron sewer pipe leak? Or something else? Shower pan?

texts:
We have a concrete slab and it’s soaked. Water has been coming up through the grout of our ceramic tile. This may have been something that happened over time and we only noticed now. We had a few plumbers inspect with a camera and we got different opinions. I’m hoping someone here might be able to help.

1) We have confirmed there’s no water line break as the meter doesn’t move when we are not using water.

2) Plumber #1 sent in a camera and thinks there’s an offset at the joint of the drain pipe. He is convinced that that is the source of the leak.

The sewer line is 4 feet down the slab.

3) Plumber #2 says he didn’t see any problem there other than some build up. He also pointed out that it would take a lot of water pressure and fighting gravity for it to come up this way.

4) We don’t have any clogs whatsoever.

Thoughts? Is it possible to have a slow leak at the joint, say, over years, for all that water to build up, without other symptoms like a clogged drain?

One other suspicion I have is a possible leak from our shower. But all our walls/baseboards are dry and we never noticed water on our flooring. I don’t know how it would be possible for the shower water to only go down to our foundation and spread under our flooring versus floating out from the top of our tiles?


texts: How would I go about wiring a new light fixture where there are more wires than expected?

texts:
There was a cap in the middle of the ceiling in my living room that I had always assumed was hiding an old light fixture or something.  There is a also a light switch that doesn't do anything in the room.  The room has no other lights except a stand light my kids love to knock over so I looked under the cap to see if I could install a new light.

Here is what I found:

And a few more pics

Why are there three sets of wires?  I can guess one is from the light switch and one is from the breaker.  What is the other one?  And how would I go about wiring a new light fixture to this?  Or do i back away slowly and pretend I never removed the cap.


texts: How can I remove a single cracked floor tile?

texts: How can I remove a single damaged floor tile without damaging the surrounding tiles? Is there anything that will help the replacement tile from cracking in the same way?


texts:
My bathroom sink faucet has seized up and needs replacement. It should be a simple swap of a new cartridge.
But I can't figure out the brand! The faucet is likely 20 years old and may be as old as 40 years. The sink itself is labeled Kohler. The ribbed spline on top has 16 ridges.    Yet the exposed cartridge does not look like the common Kohler cartridge type... especially the ribbed top with the two sections. There's no label or printing on the stem.

Any ideas what cartridge this uses? Thanks!


texts: New light has standard white, black and green wire. In the ceiling there are (2) red wires only.  How do I wire it properly?


texts: How to remove old single-hole kitchen faucet

texts:
I'm replacing my old kitchen faucet. Disconnecting the supply lines is no problem, but then I get stuck loosening the faucet from the deck. The lines go through a metal C-shaped washer-like thing, and I'm not sure what's holding it fast. I'm also not sure what to do with the gray plastic piece between the C-shaped piece and the sink.

Photos:


texts: Carrier Weathermaker 8000 AC not stopping

texts: I have a Carrier Weathermaker 8000 that is a furnace but also controls the AC from outside and the blower and everything int the house.  I was told by last HVAC gentleman that the AC wouldn't turn off without turning the "Cut-off" switch off to the whole system, otherwise the AC continues to run without stopping.  I actually rode it out like this for two years, testing out electric heat and yes my electric bills soared, but I finally bought the correct ICM replacement motherboard as he said I would need to correct the issue.  I have put in the new motherboard, connected everything right as best I could and ... its doing the same thing.  I can actually get the heater to turn on (no gas hooked back up yet) but the AC is running too!  I would appreciate any help!! THanks!! ZEE


texts: Main Breaker Panel or Main Lug Panel for Sub-panel in Attached-Detached Garage

texts:
I am installing a ~100-amp sub-panel in my "attached-detached" garage (an "attached-detached" garage is a detached garage that shares a continuous roof with the home). The sub-panel will be fed by my main 150-amp service panel.

I currently am only planning on having three 20-amp circuits in my garage but would like to buy a sub-panel that can accommodate more in case I expand in the future.

Does my sub-panel require a main breaker panel or a main lug panel? I have read various reports on NEC code (225.31) requiring a means of disconnect for sub-panels that are on a separate building from the main service panel but I'm confused with the exception for sub-panels with only 6 breakers (225.33)? Since my sub-panel will only have 3 breakers but may have more than 6 slots for breakers what kind of panel do I need?


texts:
I removed my trash compactor and I want to use that space as cabinet. I want to install cabinet door. But before I do that, I need to attach top and bottom face frames where red lines are in picture.

How can I join new pieces of face frames with existing verical piece ? Can I use wood glue ?

enter image description here


texts: Proper installation of a supply line escutcheon

texts:
I have built 4 houses and finished 3 rehabs including the plumbing without figuring out how to properly install the supply line escutcheons.
I think sticking it to the wall with putty is tacky, no pun intended, and part of the pipe between the escutcheon/flange and the cutoff valve still show.
How do you install the escutcheon snugly and avoid showing any of the ugly pex pipe?


texts: Ceiling fan and light on separate three way switches, code compliant?

texts:
I am in a new-to-me house built in the 1970s.
We are on the 2014 NEC.

I have two long living rooms, one with the ceiling fan improperly wired, and one without a fan at all.

I would like to have in each room one ceiling fan with the fan and light controls separate. This is a common request and easy to find plans for. What I would like to do in addition is to have three way switches for both the fan and light. Imagine a long room with the fan in the middle and at each end a two gang box with one switch for fan and one for the light. This is not easy to find plans for.

I have drawn up a simple plan as to how to do this like simple 3-way switch wiring but don't know if this is acceptable.

Most of the things I have read to this point state that this is not OK as when only the fan or only the light is in use, some current would be flowing through the neutral wires in each cable between the three way switches, which is not allowed.

I am wondering if this wiring setup is compliant with the 2014 NEC.  If not, I ask why not, and what would be an appropriate way of wiring this.

The current source cable is at a wall switch box but could be moved to the ceiling fan box if necessary.


texts: Washbasin Tap not working properly and no water pressure. Refer images

texts: just shifted to a house and after moving in got to know about the tap situation. The house owner hasn't shown up since ages as per current roommates. Kindly view the image and suggest a solution to the low water pressure situation. I have clicked a picture of the section where water outlet is and another showing the water pressure.


texts: Heating mystery following replacement windows

texts:
I have a very mysterious situation that's got me completely baffled. I can't imagine how it's even possible so I'd like some suggestions on what could possibly be going on.

Background

My house is a two-story, wood frame colonial built in 1967. It has a walk up attic that's well insulated. There is a door on the attic stairwell that's kept closed when not in use. The attic has soffit vents and a roof ridge vent. No fans or anything of that nature.

Heat is provided by hot water through baseboard radiators. The furnace is just a few years old and is inspected and cleaned annually. It's a single zone with the thermostat on the first floor.

The Mystery

A couple of years ago we replaced all the windows using double-pane windows with low E-glass and all the usual energy compliance ratings. Being much more energy efficient and tighter sealing than the original windows, we expected at least a slightly warmer house, and that's perhaps true on the first floor, but bizarrely the second floor is now noticeably cooler than the first.

How is this possible? Heat rises and since there's no forced air circulation, I don't think it's possible that heat could be moving downward. We've lived here for 30 years, so there's no question this is a new phenomenon. There are no drafts we can feel, none of the windows leak, and nothing else about the house has changed.

I can't even think of an explanation that fits the laws of physics. Any ideas?

Bonus question: What to do about it?


texts: How to remove handle from faucet without screw

texts:
There is no brand name or any other mark on the faucet. I didn't find any set screws. When the plug on the top is removed, I can see the top of the stem. The handle is not attached to the bell part.
Can anybody suggest how to remove the handle so I have access to the leaking stem.


texts: Dust proofing unfinished basement concrete floor

texts:
My basement is unfinished and has a French drain. The bare cement floor is dusty and it tracks footprints all over my hardwood floors. I want to stop the dust from forming.

I have tried to find this dust proofer at Home Depot but no luck. They don't carry it. Neither does Lowes.

http://www.rustoleum.com/product-catalog/industrial-brands/concrete-saver/water-based-floor-coatings/5500-system-acrylic-dustproofer-floor-sealer

They suggested I use a water proof sealer. This seems strange because my floors don't seem wet or moist. Doing some research, some sites suggest a concrete sealer like this one from Behr.

http://m.behr.com/h5/mobile/en_US/product_details?page_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.behr.com%2Fconsumer%2Fproducts%2Ffloor-coatings-sealers-and-prep%2Fbehr-premium-wet-look-sealer-985

I'm a new home owner and this all new and confusing to me. Do I need to wet proof? A sealer? Or do I need to special order a dust proofer?

I plan to sweep, shop vac, and soap and water wash prior to application. Anything else I need to do?


texts: Do I need a moisture barrier when insulating a metal roof with compressed Styrofoam?

texts:
I have a cabin with a metal roof and plywood underlay and want to use compressed Styrofoam to insulate between the rafters.

Do I need a moisture barrier and how would I install this?


texts: when better replace carpet in the basement

texts:
Does it really matter when to replace a carpet in basement, summer or fall/winter? The basement isn't really damp, but probably there are some other arguments/reasons to consider a certain season for such work?

Thanks.


texts: What precautions should I take when burning pine firewood?

texts: I've heard that burning pine in your fireplace can cause creosote to build up in the chimney.  If I get my chimney swept at the beginning of the season should i be safe to burn pine for the rest of the winter?  Are there any other precautions I should take before/while doing this?


texts: Basement bottom plate has no vapour barrier, should I replace it?

texts:
I bought a new house last August and now I'm in the process of developing the basement.

A few walls were already in when I bought the house, the walls under the staircase. You can clearly see they were put in first, with a plastic vapour barrier under it, and then concrete floor was poured around it.

But the builder has also furred the concrete walls. I have a townhouse so the front and back outside walls are insulated and have a vapour barrier.

But the 2 party wall are just framed, but I don't see that there is any plastic under the bottom plate, between the concrete and the wood. The wood looks like regular framing, not pressure treated. They are nailed to the concrete.

I am a bit worried that the outside walls also don't have a vapour barrier between the concrete and the bottom plate.

Should I be worried?


texts:
This is a picture of the box and a ceiling of my bedroom. It looks to me like a ceiling fan box but I just wanted someone else to give their opinion.
Is this a ceiling fan box?


texts: What is the white paneling under the vinyl on my house, and how can I fix it?

texts:
On the back of my house, the section between the vinyl siding and the ground is covered with some sort of white, textured material. What exactly is it? Is it stucco?

Secondly, what would be the best way to fix that gash in it that came from trimming along there with a string trimmer?


texts: Problem with my Mendota Seabrook Model D-30 Direct Vent Gas Insert

texts:
I have a Mendota Seabrook Model D-30 Gas Fireplace that  keeps shutting off, sometimes after 1 minutes other times after 10 minutes. It has been running fine for about 9 years, but then started having problems this year.
First, it was the pilot light that gave me a hard time. The pilot flame kept shutting off, but once it was on, I was able to turn the heat on, and it stayed on.
After that, the main burner started shutting off after  few minutes of operation. I can hear the solenoid clicking when the burner flame dies.
I tried a bunch of things, like cleaning the thermocouple, the thermopile, vacuuming the silt, cleaning the head with a straw, etc...for no avail.
Any ideas?


texts:
My gas stove’s igniter never stops, the spark even starts before turning the knob, so I had to unplug.
This is not igniter won’t stop when burner is lit, igniter just starts when I plug the code.


texts: Would using a grounded extension cord negate the effects of a ground prong missing from device?

texts:
Specifically:

I have a PA System with the ground wire missing.  It has shocked me in the past and I'd like to use it.  Short of a repair (which is coming), would using a grounded extension cord from the wall to the plug on the PA negate the shocking safety hazard that the ungrounded PA presents?


texts: Door lock and unlock based on authorized user proximity

texts:
I want to install an electronic lock on my office/workshop that only a specific individual(s) can unlock. I want it to lock every time the door is closed and the room is empty but I do not want to have to use a key or pin code every time I open it.

So I am thinking of designing a system that detects close proximity to the door for authorized users, and unlocks it. Allowing authorized users to walk up and open the door. The system would also need to know when an authorized user was actually in the room, and keep the door unlocked until they leave. This should be manageable with motion sensors and computer terminal usage (registering that someone is using the computer equals someone is in the room).

What kind of solution would be necessary to accomplish this?


texts: What kind of bolt is this? (securing the garage door opener rail to the wall face)

texts:
It was used to secure the wall mounting bracket of the garage door opener's tee rail to the concrete wall of the house above the center of the garage door opening. The bolt was inside an expanding sleeve. The tapered head was inside the wall with the threaded side sticking out, for the bracket to go over and be secured by the nut.

Probably in place for half a century, over the years it got increasingly loose, wiggling around a lot but still difficult to remove due to the expanded sleeve. Lately, I noticed problems with the garage door opener and chain vibrating a lot and managed to pull out the loose bolt this time. Now I'd like to know:

What is this bolt called? (in case I should get a replacement)
How is it to be secured? (to prevent the garage door opener from damaging itself or the from chain popping out of place, the latter of which has happened a few times recently.)

Is a hole drilled in concrete, and the bolt and sleeve inserted, which then expands as it is tightened? Or should they be stuck in concrete when wet and allowed to cure?

The latter seems like it might not allow the expanding functionality of the sleeve to work. Since there isn't concrete residue on the bolt and sleeve, I'm guessing the former approach was used?

Also, I'm thinking there should be more than one bolt, but that's for another question...

Click images to expand.

Some close-ups, showing the main over-enlarged hole and three other unused shallow holes. Note also that due to the loose bolt, the mounting plate rocked vertically and created a wedge shaped indentation in the concrete, allowing/causing even more rocking.


texts: Get adhesive off if 12x12 peel & stick tiles? I used adhesive along with the peel & stick floor tiles. How do I get adhesive off the top of the tiles

texts: Need to get adhesive off of 12x12 peel & stick tiles? I used adhesive along with the peel & stick floor tiles. How do I get adhesive off the top of the tiles? I have adhesive all over my new peel & stick tiles. I don't want to ruin them.


texts: How much wattage to choose for LED light when replacing flourescent light with LED?

texts:
Suppose I have a circular 22W flourescent light at home and I want to replace it with LED of similar brightness. How much wattage should this LED have? Any rule of thumb as guidance?

The salesman at the LED shop recommended me to replace 22W flourescent light with 22W LED. Can there be any energy saving if the wattage is the same?


texts: I have a house with no wall heater, and would like to install one.  What criteria should I use to help me determine the best place for the heater?  Is it better, for instance, to be on an inside wall?  Would it be better to have it beside the door of a room I want to get some of the heat, or on an adjacent wall, to "direct" the heat toward the door?


texts: Hanging up large whiteboard in rental property

texts:
My roomates and I got a large whiteboard for studying. It measures 1800 x 900 mm and has a stainless steel border and backing. At a guess, it's easily 20 kg, and we've currently got a rather ad-hoc and precarious setup, as you can see.

We'd really appreciate any ideas on how to hang or support it at eye level.
Edit: I should’ve clarified, because this is a rental property, we can't drill into the walls!
Double Edit: We’ll have to check with our landlord before drilling, but drilling and then puttying might be an option.
Cheers!


texts:
tldr: Video of problem -|- Flat image of stud
We have an old standard tankless bowl with a back inlet spud that started leaking and the original rubber on the spud has dissolved. Similar to the situation discussed here. I bought a replacement back spud from the plumbing supply. Now, when I try to reinstall the spud I notice:

Old and new spuds are the same size but the rubber when expanded doesn't create a tight fit against the bowl
I don't have room to use a long piece of metal inside the spud (I tried holding the inside with my fingers while hand tightening the plate.
Further tightening does not push the rubber further against the toilet opening
Same install problem with the old spud as well

So, I figure I am missing some steps in how to create an air-tight connection for the back spud. Would be great if there are any tips on how to do this the right way.
New Spud for Standard toilet (circa 1950's) on the back:


texts: electrical work: create "future boxes" - is this to NEC code?

texts: I would like to run cable for an in-wall heater but not actually connect to the heater right now, I just want to get the cable run and connected to the sub-panel (along with all the other cables that we are running). That way, I don't have to bring in the electrician again later on. So can I run cable from a sub-panel to a junction box and put wire nuts on the three wires and leave the junction box accessible - covered by a box cover but not covered with dry wall? The work will be in a room that we will be renovating in the next couple of months. Does NEC allow this kind of thing?


texts: Safely hang a mirror that does not have hooks

texts:
I would like to safely secure a mirror to the drywall. The mirror itself is pretty light (probably under 5kg), the weight is not an issue. However, its back surface does not have any hooks or anything that can be used to secure it. I was going to use a string and some nails, but I am not sure it will work, the wooden part is really thin. Any ideas? Perhaps, some adhesive tape?

UPDATE

Thanks everyone for your answers. All of them are great, it's hard (perhaps, impossible) to pick the best one. Because the mirror is light, I decided to use a wire and small eye bolts attached to the sides of my mirror.


texts: Can you paint directly over feathered plaster/plasterweld?

texts:
I have been doing a lot of plaster patching on my old 1920s era house. The basic approach here is the holes were filled with blueboard, then we used 2 coat base and finish plaster (USG diamond). I painted the edges of the old surface with Plasterweld so we could feather the patch out over the old wall to blend it. Now at most of the transitions there is a mix of plaster and Plasterweld. What I can't seem to find from the manufacturer is if I need to do anything to the Plasterweld surface before painting? I could try to scrape it, sand it, prime it or just paint it. What is the correct approach?

Here you can see the feathering and the pink plasterweld. I was conservative and gave myself plenty of room to feather.


texts: Floating 2-Stringer open stairs: construction technique for suspending treads

texts:
I am in the process of starting a new home build.  I am doing some of the work and I am contracting out a lot of the work.

There are two staircases in the plans.  Both are double stringer, no center stringer, open stairs.  One is against a wall, and one is completely open on both sides.

I was thinking of using a set (2) LVL stringers 2x10" laminated together for each of the floating stringers, and a single LVL 2x10" screwed to the wall on the one that has a wall on one side.

For treads I have have Poplar 54" wide 1" thick pieces.  I want to laminate 4 of these tread boards together to create a 4" thick tread for each step.  (10 1/2" deep).  Besides strength, the 4" treads is to achieve less than a 4" gap between treads for code.

The stringers would have the treads in between them (not the treads sitting on the stringers).  And the stringers would be bolted to the lower floor and the upper joist.

I was thinking of using 2 6" or 7" long 1/2" bolts on each side for each tread.  Ie, drill a pair of counter sunk holes on each stringer (counter sunk on each side so a washer and nut would fit on the other side of the stringer).   Each bolt would protrude about 2.75" -- 3.75" into the center of the stair and the tread would have holes to slide over these bolts sticking out.  (The hole on each tread would have some sort of material or spray foam added before sticking the bolt in to try and minimize any "play" that could lead to squeaking once completed).

My question is if this is a reasonable way to go about this and if 2.75" -- 3.75" is enough bolt holding up each tread.

(Image shows about a 2x8" stringer -- would be enlarged to 2x10" so the tread is not sticking out the back.  Also ignore the railing -- just a stand-in put in by the architect).


texts:
I have an existing vinyl floor and I bought some peel and stick vinyl planks to lay over it.

My existing floor has "texture" to it. By that, I mean that it has shape. Its basically imitating tiles, and therefore, where the grout should be, it is slightly lower, something like a millimetter or less. Does that justify applying some sort of leveler, or can I just apply the primer to the floor and put the tiles down?

Here is a picture:


texts: I have a drain hose that came with my new dishwasher but it's not long enough to reach the disposal. I've tried contacting Samsung themselves and they only have the 6' one that's too short. What are my options for getting a longer hose? My model number is DW80K7050US


texts: Should I extend a drain vent that terminates in my attic?

texts: Recently I removed an old water heater stovepipe coming through my roof, because we moved our water heater. Right next to it was my plumbing vent pipe that I thought was associated with venting for the water heater, so I cut it off below the roof and patched my roof. So now my plumbing vent pipe terminates in my attic, in a little corner to be exact. How bad is this? I did it a week and a half ago and I never noticed any bad smells.


texts: What type of cleaner should be used to remove "hand sludge" from a varnished wood railing?

texts:
You know what I'm talking about, right? That dark grey sludge that builds up on hand rails over the years? I inherited a case of sludgy hand-rails when I bought my first house and I'd like to clean them.

I've tried using lemon oil-based polish and lots of scrubbing. It helps to an extent, but only on lightly trafficked parts of the rails.

Can anyone recommend a cleaner that will help dissolve this junk but not harm (and preferably protect) the varnished wood?


texts: today I installed a new Kohler Wellworth and new supply line. There’s a leak at the locknut where it meets the porcelain. I used a piece of cloth to make sure the leak is here and not the new supply line. When I was tightening the supply line (by hand and I’m not all that strong), I heard a loud snap and the tubing from the fill valve to the overflow had popped off. I can’t seem to get that back on, and I’m wondering what to do about the leak at the locknut. I don’t have the right wrench to tighten it but it feels tight when I try it with my hand. Do I have to replace the whole fill valve?


texts: How do I fix a door that's sticking closed?

texts:
I have a few doors in my house that tend to stick when you try to open them. A few of these I was able to fix by tightening loose screws or repairing stripped screw-holes, which got the hinge plates to sit flush against the frame.

However, there are still a few doors that stick. I've noticed all of them have a larger gap on the hinge side than the latch side, as seen in the photo below:

(Click for larger image)

In all cases, I have confirmed that the hinge plates are flush and properly secured to the frame and the door. I have also noticed there is space between the hinge plates.

How do I go about fixing this?