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Before I get down to details I just wannna say that we are in UK and unable to go anywhere else as of financial issues.

We've been living and renting a bottom floor flat for 4 years and it's been total nightmare. We been doing fine. Its just that the mould has gotten best of us. Before I list the rooms with problems just want to note that the house is quite old and way it was built was poorly done when looking from outside brick work. Apparently flat above us have same problem but instead the owner wishes not to fix it as it requires money and time. We also know that the roof has a leaking but we are unsure if it is the cause of it. Another thing to note that inner walls of our flat are perfectly fine but it's the outwalls that anything touch are the big problems.

For better understanding of our situation I'll list rooms and the conditions that they are in.

My dad bedroom is worst one of them all. there are 3 outer walls that are damp and have mould at bottom of them. We've tried everything to get it fixed such as Bleach or allowing some air to flow through.
My bedroom has 2 outer walls and 2 inner walls. The 2 outer walls are fairly wet sometimes but show no signs of mould.
Living room/ lounge has 2 out walls that are wet also.
Kitchen is unsure but there has been signs of mould on things such as dining chairs.

I read a post on this site about people suggesting to get anti-mould paint and some sort of spray to stop it or keep it at bay. Knowing this is great because I didn't know there was such a thing, but problem is still there as it catches onto things and just destroys it. Today I wanted to listen to music but when I open the case my headphone with leather padding were covered in mould. I understand it is bad for our health but having no where to go or if we did it would be a struggle.


texts: Covering lead-painted wood paneling with seamless transition to drywall (1/8'')

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After removing old wainscoting we discovered a second layer of wood paneling that is between 22'' and 36'' high (depending on location) and slightly set back from the drywall above. The drywall protrudes about 1/8''. The second layer of wood paneling is lead-painted. See picture below.
One option would be to tear everything out and install sheetrock but it's a mess with the lead-paint etc.
So here is my question: What material in 1/8'' thickness can I use to cover the wood paneling and have an almost seamless transition between the drywall and the bottom of the wall after mudding and painting. The goal is that everything just looks like a normal sheetrock or plaster wall. Sheetrock is only available in 1/4'' so it's not an option. Would 1/8'' hardboard work? 1/8'' plywood? Any alternatives?
Thanks!


texts: What is this flexible hose under my bathroom sink for?

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In the 2nd floor bathroom (sink, toilet, tub), I noticed a flexible hose coming into the sink drain. It's below the counter, above the trap, very similar to a dishwasher draining into a disposal. There are no other plumbing fixtures in the second floor, and from what I can see the flexible hose connects to standard pvc pipe at the wall behind the cabinet. I don't know where it goes after that.

I do not see this on any other sink drains in the house. Is it for venting? Or something else?


texts: Classy way to hide unused low voltage cut outs or should I just drywall over and paint?

texts:
In a home I recently purchased, there are a lot of cut outs for low voltage in places I do not plan to use. The wiring is there in some cases, but I don't plan to use many of these locations. They are currently covered with blank wall plates.

When I had some electrical work, the Electrician said for the low voltage I could just take photos, mark where they are and then sheet rock / spackle / paint over them and there wouldn't be a problem since they are not active. He said I could do the same with the electrical in weir places, but recommended I do not because it could make electrical system troubleshooting harder in the future if you don't know its there.

I wanted to know if there was a technique to cover these in a a nicer way, but still keep them more accessible. E.g., I cut out a piece of drywall and paint it, and then use some type of material around the frame and it will look nice? I can just pop it out later if needed?

Or, should I just take good notes and pictures and cover these up since I don't plan to use them in the next 5 - 10 years. Shouldn't be an issue to cut our drywall some point in the future, right?

Examples:


texts: How do I remove a rust stain from my granite counter top?

texts: My wife had a towel holder on our granite bathroon counter top.  It left a rust stain on the counter.  What can I use to remove?


texts: Can the gravel used under my pool be used patio stone?

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We bought our first house recently and have dove head first into renovations and landscaping. One thing that is really bugging us is the state of our back yard. We sold our above-ground pool and destroyed the MASSIVE deck (took up about 60% of the yard) that the previous owners had installed. You can imagine how much sand and dirt is visible...

We are planning to install a much smaller deck and a stone patio next to it. We are trying to keep costs down and are wondering if the gravel used underneath the pool (now gone) is suitable to be used under a stone patio.

I am referring to the technique in this image:

So the 6" of class V gravel would, in our case, be the gravel from underneath the pool.

The gravel under the pool is kind of a mix of gravel and sort-of-clay. It seems to allow water to pool if it rains really heavily. It seems very solid and almost hardened into a weak concrete. I have to whack it quite hard with a spade to get it to break apart. That is one thing that has me doubting this idea.

If anyone has any experience with this i appreciate the guidance!

Thanks!


texts: "Phantom" touches on capacitive buttons on new refrigerator LCD panel every ten minutes

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The timing is random and varies from 10 minutes to 2 hours between "phantom touches" on the touch buttons on refrigerator panel.
The touches activate the functions, like turning on the dispenser light or trying to set an alarm.
We had a similar thing happen previously with an electric cooker with a touch panel - but it stopped when we didn't run an exercise machine on the same circuit - but we've gotten rid of the exercise machine and the "phantom" touches are now happening on the refrigerator.
Do we have a serious problem here?
Thanks!


texts: How to increase the height of a wooden cabinet?

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I am a complete and utter novice when it comes to woodwork (this is in fact my first ever project) so there may be an obvious solution to this, but:

I'm building a TV lift cabinet. I started with the shell of an old oak & hardboard unit. I stripped everything out (shelves, screws & nails, drawers, plinth) and added a lot of pine and MDF to drastically strengthen it and support the TV lift mechanism. This all works, but the TV lift needs another ~100mm of clearance at the top.

I was going to use the same sturdy pine I've been using for supports (47mm x 100mm), however I'm not confident that I could do a decent mitre join to get a perfect 90° (and I'm not sure how to join mitre joins either), and they're too thick to do a dovetail join. They also need to be reasonably sturdy; although they're not structural, they do need to support a 20mm hardwood top (either sapele, walnut or oak).

I'm also not sure how best to attach this wooden rectangle (assuming that's the best solution) to my 'structural top' - this is a sheet of 19mm MDF with a hole cut into the middle for the TV to pop up through. For reference:

I've debated using wood screws up from underneath (although this will be tricky in a couple of spots), and/or glue, but I've not had much luck with No More Nails, and as I said it does need to support a hardwood top (with will be 1240mm x 480mm).

Any suggestions would be gratefully received - I've been winging it thus far.


texts: Is it safe to flush newspaper down the toilet?

texts:
Recently an Australian newspaper printed several blank pages to help readers who may have run out of toilet paper.

Would it be safe to flush pieces of newspaper down the toilet?


texts:
There are two 2"x12"x8' stringers attached to studs in the garage with 1/2"x2-1/2" lag screws in order to mount a squat rack.

Is there any concern that I could compromise the integrity of the garage by removing removing the stringers?


texts: I have a dimmer that turns on and off in 2 locations,. Want to get rid of dimmers.  How do you make the dimmer a 3 way?  I have 2 black wires.  I want to know where I put the 2 black wires on my new switch. Thanks


texts:
I am having a problem with a tube fluorescent light that turns on and works fine for a while then shuts off. Sometimes if I turn off the switch and wait a few minutes, it will come back on when turning the switch on.  It always turns on after being off for several hours.  This is the first I have had troubles with the light fixture since getting our house 5 years ago.  It seems like a new fixture (i.e. made in the last 10-15 years).

I doubt the bulbs are the problem as they both work fine when it is on.  Looking at this link and this other question I think the problem is either the inductive ballast or the preheat/starter.  I am not actually sure if the light is a preheat or rapid-start fixture, my guess is rapid-start.  This would mean I should replace the ballast right?  These seem to be 15-40$ at Home Depot, is that the best place to go?  I assume taking the old one into the store and matching it is the best option right?

Do you have other recommendations?


texts: Flexible Nonmetallic Conduit inside wall?

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I’m finishing up wiring a sub panel in an outbuilding. There is an underground run of PVC conduit with THWN, which comes up to an LB on the exterior wall. On the inside I used flexible conduit so I could have a tight bend that comes up to the breaker box. Is this code? I can’t find anything in the NEC about this specific instance. I’ve attached a photo for reference.

I’m in the US (Florida).

Edit:

The outbuilding is an office/man cave for me. I’m going to finish it with drywall. Currently there are 5 total circuits planned, each 120V: lights, a split A/C (20A max), and some 120V outlets. I don’t plan on ever having any heavy equipment out here, so there aren’t any 220s.

The feeder size is 6/6/6/8 (60A max). I’ll have a 60A double-pole breaker in my main panel and a corresponding double-pole 60A in this panel which will act as a main breaker/disconnnect. I know 60A is massive overkill. It’s a 120foot run and I wanted things to be as efficient as possible in terms of voltage drops.

That still leaves me with 1 open slot that I can’t really think of what to do with. I chose a smaller panel because I didn’t want to stare at a huge panel all day, and I just couldn’t think of any additional needs. Even the outlets could have really been consolidated into 2 circuits instead of 3, but I wanted the isolation for the computers/servers.

I hope I didn’t miscalculate. Am I able to use 2 of the slots in this panel for a double-pole “main breaker”, or do I need a box with a special slot for that?

Edit 2:

Here’s a photo of the bend and panel label. It’s fairly tight, but I don’t think it’s deforming the tube like it mentions in 350.24. I can measure the radius if that helps.


texts: Should I modify the end trusses to accomodate a gable vent?

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I am currently building a detached, single car garage and getting ready to sheath the roof. I had originally specified a ridge vent but am strongly considering switching to a gable vent. I have some reasons for making this choice which I'm not looking to discuss here.

My question is, if I install gable vents, will I need to modify my end trusses? These are the end truss plans:

Left as-is, the gable vent would be partially blocked by web ST2, which is untreated lumber. I'm not concerned about the limit to airflow, rather the fact that this web would be partially exposed to the elements.

If I do modify the truss, I assume this would be similar to window framing?

Twin 2x6 header
Twin 2x4 bottom plate/sill
King and jack studs left and right
Cripple studs centered above and below

Some details of the project:

12' by 20' detached, single story, single car garage
I am not insulating at this time but plan to later on
I'm in Wisconsin, USA -- hot humid summers, cold wet winters
Trusses are factory made
Gable ends will have a 1' overhang


texts:
We recently upgraded our dining room light fixture, which now has 8 light bulb sockets. In turn, the wife wanted to add a dimmer to the circuit to control the lighting. The light is control by a 3-way circuit; one switch is stand alone on one wall and the other switch is in a box with another switch that controls the kitchen lighting in the other room.

Yesterday, I removed the existing 3-way standalone switch and replaced it with a Lutron Diva dimmer switch for 3-way circuit. I replaced the current bulbs with 60W ecosmart dimmable bulbs. The switches worked correctly; however, when the light was on you could noticeably hear humming coming from the existing switch for the 3-way.

My next step was to move the dimmer switch instead to the other location next to the kitchen light switch to see if that did anything for the humming. I reinstalled the existing 3-way paddle switch in the single location and then installed the dimmer at the two switch location. Wiring looked standard and easy to wire up. Turned out breaker to have it pop and burn up the dimmer switch completely. My only thought at that point was did I have the travelers on opposite locations between the two switches? It didn't make sense that it would pop though. I removed the dimmer, obviously, and reinstalled the existing switch back. Everything worked again like it was supposed to and you did not hear any buzzing coming from the switches. I am a bit puzzled as I installed the same dimmer for the stairwell light and I don't get any buzzing from the existing switches or dimmer.

I went back today and bought a new dimmer switch and 40W bulbs this time to see if that would make any difference. Any feedback from anyone on this?


texts: How are washing machine intake valve solenoids controlled?

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This is something I got curious about in the course of diagnosing this issue.
Our washing machine has a couple of electronically controlled valves on its intake (I believe they're called "solenoid valves").  Based on observing the flow of water into the block above the detergent/conditioner drawer, they each appear to be able to function in two modes:

A "full bore" mode, where water gushes into the machine and shoots into the channels above the drawer and from there down into its compartments.
A "trickle" mode, where the valve is presumably partially open and the flow is much less.  It seems to be deliberately restricted so that the flow falls down at back of the drawer, bypassing the detergent/conditioner compartments.

Each valve seems to be used in both modes at some point in the longer machine programmes.  Typically both are opened fully simultaneously to fill for the final rinse.
When I first saw the "trickle" being used, I initially assumed the valves must be sticking, but it's used with exactly the same timings each cycle and seems to be quite intentional.
My questions are:

What voltage do these things typically operate at?

How is the valve's flow-rate controlled, given they seem to be capable of more variation than simply on/off?  Is it via the voltage level, or the polarity, or something else?  (There are only 2 wires going to each solenoid).

Googling around finds me a lot of replacement parts for sale, but I cannot find any concrete specifications for any of them which would actually answer the above!
Here's a picture (the machine is an AEG L69480VFL, but the parts for most machines look so similar I'm guessing they all operate in a similar manner).

Update: I found an image on a spare parts site of what I am pretty sure is the same valve.  I think that makes it clear what the voltage is: AC mains level.  Although, if it is AC, that makes it more mysterious how each valve seems to be able to support two different flow levels though.  (Will definitely now take this one to Elec.Eng SE, as suggested in comments below).

Update: In response to a comment on an answer below...
The pattern of valve operation on the machine's shortest wash cycle is (left/right as looking at the machine from the front):

Fully open left hand (green topped) valve.  Water flows to right hand side of the plastic block above the drawer, which squirts it leftwards to the channels above the detergent compartment.

Apparently partially open right hand (brown topped) valve (or if it's not the valve partially opening, something else is acting to restrict the flow to less than it can be).  Water has insufficient pressure to get into the channels above the conditioner compartment (I think this is "by design") and drops down at the back of the drawer to fill the machine.  However with our low water pressure there are repeated fill timeouts.  And with the restricted flow this stage is insufficient to activate a 0.5l/minute flow-activated pump.

Fully open right hand (brown topped) valve.  Water has sufficient pressure to get into the channels above the conditioner compartment and flush/syphon the conditioner into the machine.  I am virtually certain the transition to this stage is under control of the machine: it happens with the same timing, and the machine does some rotations then a drain between the two fills; it's clearly not a stuck valve just deciding to fully open after a while.

Fully open both valves for final rinse fill.

On longer cycles, the left hand green topped valve also seems to used in partially open "trickle mode" at one point but I forget exactly when in the cycle; possibly it was used as an initial stage to wet/"pre-wash" the load before using the full flow which would draw in detergent.


texts:
I'm interested in home automation and the Internet of Things and what options presently exist in the relatively cutting-edge field.

I would like to know if it is possible to use something like a central home computer (equivalent to ECUs in vehicles) that is connected to the internet and which can, for example, flip power switches without the need that the switch itself has a CPU and modem to connect to the internet directly, like the Nest thermostat does (which makes it bigger, more complicated and expensive). In order to do that, the electric (Romex) NM cable that is normally 14/2 NM (hot, neutral, and ground), that connects the switch, would also need to have data wires or cable to correspond with the computer, which, I'm guessing should be close to or better yet integrated in the main electrical panel.

The above paragraph is something between a fantasy guess and an educated hypothesis. I'm asking if what I described exists or is on its way or am I missing how the whole thing should work.


texts: Adding FAN feature to oil furnace from thermostat

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2 questions

First, will I damage my oil furnace if I manually turn the fan on and then the thermostat calls for heat?  In normal operation the fan turns on from a temperature switch inside the air handler above the furnace burner (honeywell Tyle L498).  My concern is if the fan is running, then the thermostat calls for heat, the oil burner will have trouble firing and then heating up because the fan is already running.

If doing this won't damage furnace.

Second question is can I just wire the "G" and "Rc" terminals on thermostat to an ice cube relay (24v ac in to relay).  Then wire the ice cube relays 120v contacts in between the the 120v line in side screw and "fan on" screw on the honeywell L498 fan controller?


texts: What's the best way to keep humidity down in crawl space?

texts: I have a nominally dry crawl space that is around 22' square and about 4' tall with a concrete floor. It has no indication of leaks and is dry, but too moist during the hot Maryland summers to keep anything that is not durable in there. It has the air vents from the HVAC for the room above running through it. What is the best way (if possible) to keep the humidity low enough in summer to keep tools/card board boxes/ anything less durable in there during the humid Maryland summers? My initial thought was to add a vent or two down there and keep them closed in the winter and opened slightly in the summer. Any thoughts/insight would be greatly appreciated.


texts: My attic unit already has a wire connected to C, can I still connect a wifi thermostat?

texts: I have an extra wire I can use for the C wire on both ends but in my attic the main unit has a wire already attached to the C spot and going away from the unit to something else. Can I attach two wires to the c terminal?


texts:
The flooring for a rental is to be replaced.  Durability can be measured:
https://www.carpetcaptain.com/laminate-floor-guide/ac-rating/
What are the other features should be considered when selecting and why?


texts: Sizing a window AC for bedroom, but with extenuating circumstances

texts:
I'm looking to install a window AC in my son's bedroom, which is about 120 sq ft.  The guides that I'm reading suggest a 5000 BTU unit due to the size.  However we live in the high desert where the summer temperature gets > 100 degrees (F) at times during the summer.  Also he has several reptile terrariums in his room that require lamps which also heat up his room.  In this case would using a 6000 BTU AC unit be more appropriate?
My 180 sq ft. home office/spare bedroom is in the room next to his.  I use a 6000 BTU unit and it chills this room no problem.  So thinking of getting the a simular sized unit, but don't want to oversize if that's going to cause problems.
Thanks in advance for the advice.


texts: Mounting a heavy (21 Kg) fan on a shed wall

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I want to mount an industrial fan in my shed.

Because of its dimensions, the only option seems to fix it on a wood beam that run around the shed near the top (see the red square on the picture):

I'm not sure of the type of wood, but the same type of beam is used for holding the roof so I guess it should support the weight (its section size is 95mm x 45mm).

My questions are:

Will the beam be strong enough to support the 21 Kg fan (I guess it should, but I'd appreciate a more qualified answer)
What should I use to fix the fan (the metal plate provided features two 14mm holes; see picture bellow)

EDIT: Here is what I'll do after taking advantage of the great advises I received:

Note that I moved the fan to the left since the first draft; That's where I wanted it in the first place but because of the vertical placement constraint there wasn't enough ceiling clearance.

Feel free to make remarks if I missed something important (I'll try to find a 3/4 inches plywood board for the vertical support).


texts: Is vinyl click-plank flooring appropriate for 3-season rooms in cold climates?

texts: Has anyone had experience with floating click-vinyl plank flooring in a 3-season sunroom? My room has south west exposure. The floor is insulated with vapor barrier and is well supported. My main concern is the extreme cold in winter and heat in summer.


texts: What is the best way to bridge a huge gap between hardwood and tile?

texts:
I removed a load bearing wall between a small kitchen and tiny dining room. My problem is that I have a giant gap to fill in where the old wall was. The house was built in 1950 and sits above a crawl space. As depicted there is no underlayment where the original oak flooring is installed. The original framing was all "true 2x4" so new lumber doesn't quite do the trick.
The tiled area is about 3/8 higher than the wood and after filling the gap it will need a reducing transition installed. I do have 6" accent tile to cover the gap once the 1"deep x 4.5 wide gap has been filled in. The wood floor was resurfaced 4 years ago and the ends are all different lengths adjoining the gap.
I do have a table saw buried in the garage behind everything and no I couldn't cut a straight line with a circular saw if my life depended on it. At the moment the ends are not finished but merely four 2x4s stacked upright screwed together supporting the beam. I have a preexisting passageway 30" wide at one end that I intend to cover over with the trim tile so it is consistent over the length of the opening.  Additional photos would have simplified my explanation but I was only able to upload 1 photo.
For a temporary measure I used a 1x4 to prevent turned ankles but now that the kitchen portion is tiled I need to come up with a permanent fix to level it out with the kitchen. I've got 21 linear feet to cover.
I've considered plywood + hardy backer + mortar / Masonite and fill to tile level with Quickcrete using foam rope against the hardwood side.


texts:
I cemented my mailbox to hold it steady but the cement cracked and now it is wobbly.  Does anyone know why that happened?  I probably need to dig the concrete out and replace it with new concrete and gravel. I didn't put in gravel the first time. But,of course,I am looking for an easier way.
I need to shore it up. Any ideas?


texts:
Say I want to hang a shelf to the ceiling:  Given that points A,B,C,D are fixed on the ceiling, and points a,b,c,d are fixed connection points on the shelf.

1) Is it possible to control pan and tilt (yaw and pitch) of the shelf by the lengths of the ropes Aa,Bb,Cc,Dd ?

2) If possible, what's the best tool to model/calculate it?

3) If already modeled, how can I check if the shelf is stable against lateral forces.


texts:
I have an HD antenna mounted to a storage shed, not even as high as the house roof. It's close to where the electrical service enters the house. There's no ground rod in sight. (House built in 1971.) However, electrical is underground, and there's a metal conduit from the meter into the ground.

I'm guessing (!) that the conduit is grounded. My thinking is that, since it goes underground and constitutes a ground itself, it must (by code) be connected to the main ground.

I could pay an electrician a few hundred dollars (or, in my experience, much more) to provide a ground to the antenna, or I could just ground it to the conduit, which has a very handy clamp where it's attached to the brick wall.

Probably 90% of home antenna installations aren't grounded at all, but I thought I'd make an attempt to do it right.

Above grounding would also apply to the ground block which will be attached to the outside wall, near where the coax enters the house.


texts: why my dimmer in the kithen also dims lights in another room

texts: I have two lights in one room that are turned on with a dimmer switch in that room. I also have a light in the kitchen that is turned on with a dimmer switch in that room. My problem is the dimmer switch in the kitchen also turns on and dims the lights in the other room. The other room was an add on and wired to the existing wiring from the kitchen. How can I make the dimmer in the kitchen work only for the kitchen, while the dimmer in the other room works only those two lights?


texts: spraypainting - is it hazardous to spray paint metal in your bedroom?

texts:
I have a 9 foot metal baseboard heater that I spray painted with some cheap enamel spray paint by color place. It says non toxic when dry, and that it can be used for interior and exterior.

It has a strong odor and according to the SDS, ~460g/l VOC content. I've already put on 5 coats but I regret it.

This is essentially cheap spray paint on metal, if and when it fully dries is it ok to sleep right next to it?

This is in the humid climate of Ohio but there are two windows in this small room which I will try to keep open as much as possible.


texts: Can I vent plumbing in an old house to the crawl space?

texts: I have an old farmhouse with a bathroom vanity, laundry room, and kitchen sink/dishwasher draining into a single septic run. There aren’t any vents installed in the system with only a crawl space under the two rooms. Is there a way to add a vent in the crawl space or without running it up through the walls or ceiling?


texts: Is it common to tile behind an OTR microwave?

texts:
I have an over the range (OTR) microwave, and am about to tile a new back splash. I'm not sure which way to go:

Tile behind the microwave and then install the microwave
Install the microwave first and then tile up to the bottom of it

If I do the later I'm concerned that the additional ~7/16th of an inch lip of the tile will lock the microwave in place.

Anyone have experience with this particular scenario that can shed some light on the correct route?


texts: Why did my leaking pool light trip the circuit breaker, but not the GFCI?

texts:
This is, I am sure, an extremely naive question.   I hope that's okay (and I hope it can be answered at a level I'll understand).

The background: My swimming pool has underwater light fixtures, on GFCI circuits.  I recently replaced the bulb in one of these fixtures, reassembled the fixture incorrectly, and re-installed it.  About 48 hours  later the circuit breaker (the one inside the house, in the breaker box, not the GFCI) tripped.  I removed the fixture, which was full of water, realized my mistake, reassembled it correctly, re-installed it, and it's now been fine for several weeks.

Question 1:  In my naivete, I'd have thought that the water in the fixture would trip the GFCI immediately, so that the circuit breaker in the house would never have tripped.  But the circuit breaker in the house did trip.    So was my expectation wrong, or does this mean my GFCI is not  working?

Question 2:  After I re-installed the fixture and flipped the breaker back on, the lights worked, even though I never reset the GFCI.  Is that evidence that the GFCI is not working?

Question 3:  In pondering Questions 1 and 2, I was led to wonder how I would ever know if my GFCI is not working.   Removing the underwater fixtures once a month to hit the test button is not terribly practical.  Is there another way to test this?


texts: Builder used same brand for lights and fan in 3 different places

texts:
The builder who built my house and a few other houses near me had put in a hampton bay brand light and fan in my master room, my family room, and my neighbors family room.  It is not necessarily the exact same model but it is from the hampton bay family brand.  The remotes are almost identical.

Whenever I use the remote for one of the rooms it turns on / off the fan / lights in the other rooms..including my neighbors.  The other day we were sleeping with a dim light and a fan running.  Suddenly the light was increased freaking us out!  When we turned it off the same thing happened.  This went off and on for like 5 minutes.  The next morning the neighbor called us and mentioned it had happened to her.  Come to find out she was turning hers on and during that same time she was turning ours on as well.  Me turning ours off turned hers off as well...

Same issue with my family room fan and light.  When I turn it on upstairs in my master bedroom it also turns it on in our family room.  Its not a huge issue because the actual light switch has to be turned on to activate whether the fan / light can be controlled via the remote or not.

I just hate it since it causes issues with my other room and my neighbor.  What can I do ?


texts: How do I test a GFCI circuit breaker (without pushing the "test" button)?

texts:
I want to test if my oven can trip the GFCI. The leakage current should not be a problem but I worry about the GFCI would trip at high frequency. So I bought three circuit breaker and tested oven on them individually. They all didn't trip.
But I just realize that my lab has a circuit breaker too. Will the circuit breaker on another circuit breaker impacts my results?
The oven is a commercial oven. I am not familiar with how commercial kitchen do this. Do you think I should buy some portable GFCI and receptacle GFCI to test as well?


texts: Possible to buy this switch for my lawn mower?

texts:
My corded electric lawn mower stopped working today.  I'm pretty sure it is the switch pictured below since I can read voltage before the switch but not after.

My lawn mower is old enough that I can't find replacement parts online (it is a Homelite UT13118).

Is the switch from the lawn mower a more generally available switch such that I might be able to buy one?  Would be nice to be able to fix the lawn mower instead of trashing it.


texts: Recommendations for staining a deck that lives in the sun all year long?

texts:
I live in Colorado and have a new deck. It is hot as hell here in the summer and my deck has direct sunlight all summer.

I've been looking for a type of stain that will work well in desert like conditions. I have been warned to stay away from big box stores; even from the products that reputable companies might offer there.

What type of stain will hold up to harsh sunlight conditions? Should I be looking for another type of product, like a sealer? I just don't want it to end up looking blotchy or start to flake off.


texts:
My sister's garage gets very cold and very hot as it is not currently insulated. She has the heating/ac unit in there as well as a deep freezer. The attic space directly above the garage has no insulation and the exterior wall is just cinderblock with plaster on the outside of house. All other walls are just cinderblock with a bedroom on the other side with regular drywall.

This racks up the electricity bill as both the ac/heater and freezer needs to compensate for the large temperature difference. Also the garage walls that are part of the interior of house are not insulated, so that breaks the buildings insulation envelope further.

We want to replace her current garage door with an insulated one. We also will be adding insulation to the attic space. So my questions are:

What types of insulated garage doors are available on the market, pros/cons?
How would we insulate the cinderblock exterior wall?
How would we insulate the cinderblock interior walls?


texts: How to fasten one pipe to another under sink

texts: See attached picture. I have a pipe that is inserted into an expanded pipe. Problem is, sometimes the expanded pipe slips down, spraying water everywhere. How would I go about keeping the expanded pipe held up?


texts: How to run Ethernet cable along a brick wall?

texts:
I want to run an Ethernet wire from the living room where my TV and router are to the basement where my office is. The problem is that when I lifted the drop ceiling in the basement, I saw that the drywall is attached directly to the brick wall (actually looks like concrete blocks) that I share with my neighbor.
The wall to the right is where the cable hookup is and that goes down to the basement as well.
Is there a way to run the cable along that brick wall or should I drop the Ethernet cable in the cable hookup box?

Edit:This is interior wall


texts: How should I run Cat5e cable between rafters?

texts: I've got cathedral ceilings with no attic space and 2x8 rafters.  There is no space to run wiring without going through the rafters.  At the moment I've got my eaves open for an unrelated problem and thought this would be a good opportunity to run some CAT5e that I want to get from one end of the house to the other.  I don't want to negatively impact the structural integrity of the rafters.  Is it safe to drill into the rafters?  I've read that drilling in rafters ought to be done in the center of the beam, but wanted to get an opinion from someone who is experienced and familiar with building code.


texts: Electric water heater stopped working when I adjusted the thermostat

texts:
I have a Craftsmaster 40 gallon electric water heater that is approximately 13 years old. Once it got cold outside and we started taking more hot showers, I felt like we were prematurely running out of hot water. So, I finally decided to raise the temperature on the heater yesterday afternoon.

When I woke up this morning, the hot water was barely lukewarm. I thought maybe I had adjusted the temperature in the wrong direction, but I checked the potentiometer on the tank and it was indeed at a higher setting. Neither the reset button nor the breaker at the circuit panel appears to have been tripped.

Is it possible that when I adjusted the temperature up on an already old heater, I caused a surge or something that damaged the control circuitry? If so, is it possible to repair it or should I just replace the heater at this point?


texts:
I have to replace a nut on an old sliding door that dates back at least 50 years. The nut fits a 7/16 spanner, but that's all I know about it. Unfortunately I can't take the nut off and take it to my local hardware shop because the door is in continual use and would have to be wedged in place when I take the nut off. So I have to try and work out what the thread is so I can buy a replacement nut.

From Googling it seems that if a 7/16 spanner fits the nut is (probably?) either 3/16 Whitworth or 1/4 BSF. And I can probably estimate the bolt diameter to enough accuracy to tell the difference.

My question is: does the above make sense. If I hold a ruler up to the bolt and it looks nearer to 1/4" than 3/16" do I just go out and buy a 1/4" BSF nut? Or a 3/16" Whitworth nut if the bolt looks nearer to 3/16" than 1/4"?

Not that buying the wrong nut will bankrupt me, but it's a long drive (through the snow!) to the hardware shop :-)


texts: What kind of flooring for crawl space that is easy to move on?

texts:
what kind of flooring/mat/pad may be used on a section of the floor as a base for storing items and is also slippery enough to be able to glide/push/pull items on top of it?
Edits:
Crawl space floor is concrete, but not flat or level and slopes as one end is taller than the other.
The lowest height of the space is about 32” from floor to bottom of floor truss. Tallest height about 40”.
Open to both permanent and temporary solutions.
Part of the goal is to have the items off the concrete, the other part ease of moving it around in a constrained space.
Items would most likely be boxed or bagged, so a surface that would allow cardboard boxes, plastic bins, or sturdy plastic bags to be moved easily would be great. To put it another way, it’s much harder to lift and carry something standing on my knees, so the ability to push or pull an item easily, without damaging it on the uneven concrete, is desired


texts:
I have an in-wall heater with this label attached:

How come it has 4 different currents/wattages listed? Which one applies?


texts: Upgrade from outlet/switch combo to GFCI + outlet

texts:
In a bath in my house I currently have a very old (likely original 1949) outlet/switch combo.  The outlet is hot, not dependent on the switch being on.  The switch controls vanity lights.  I would like to replace the outlet/switch combo with a GFCI outlet and a separate switch for the vanity lights (and so also move from one a one gang box to a two ganb box).

My question -- without knowing exactly how this is wired (have not tore it apart), is this likely to be an option?  Will it only work if there is two wires feeding the current outlet/switch?  Assuming there is only one wire, does anyone have a diagram on how this would be wired?  If it cannot be done, is there GFCI/switch combos?

As a footnote...the wiring in the house is original as well, on the list of things to get done, but just not in the budget for a few years.  It is non grounded 2 wire.

Thanks!


texts: What brand name faucet does this logo belong to?

texts:
I am trying to replace the ceramic disc stem cartridge for this faucet.
Can anyone name who this logo belong to?


texts:
Two lavatories in our house have American Standard Cadet centerset faucets, model 8115F.

Both show the same issue: the setscrews holding the handle to the cartridge loosen.
The setscrew and threads look undamaged, and feel correct: the hex key seats solidly in the screw, the screw threads nicely into the cartridge arm, and the screw tightens as I expect without any sense (in my hand) that the threads are damaged. Still, a month or two later, the handle is slightly loose. The pattern repeats. The faucets feel and operate correctly.
Is a  drop of removable threadlocker (Permatex Orange or Locktite Blue, for example) called for here? Something else? Trying to wrap the setscrew threads in dental floss would be challenging.
Any other ideas?


texts: Will I be able to use the Unifix tool to repair a floating floor that was glued on the edges?

texts:
Our engineered floating floor was installed by a contractor who glued the edges. We now have some damaged boards in the center of the kitchen that I would like to replace.
 I have seen the Unifix tool online and it looks pretty easy to use, but I don't know if the boards will separate since they have been glued.
 Does anybody have any experience with this?


texts: Best way to make wiring to outbuilding legal

texts:
I'm fixing some wiring in an older house and I believe the wiring to the outbuilding is not legal.  I would like to correct it if possible, but will bring in a professional if necessary.

The current wiring is set up with 10-2 plus ground coming from a 30A breaker on the electrical box.  It runs up the weather head where it is spliced to 6 gauge stranded overhead style wire with 2 blacks and a braided, unshielded ground.  At the garage, it comes into the box and the unshielded ground is attached to the neutral bar, the hot is connected to the hot side of the box with a jumper to what should be the second leg of 240.  The second black wire which is actually the neutral at the house is capped and the ground for the garage is an earth ground at the garage.  Ground and neutral are not bonded at the box at least.

The handyman doing work on the house said to just throw a 240V 30A breaker into the house's box, disconnect the neutral (that is currently capped at the garage's box) and connect that wire to the new breaker then make the necessary fixes on the box in the garage.  Assuming I mark the white wire to indicate it is hot, the garage would now have 2 legs of hot with neutral from the house along with earth ground at the garage.  Would this be a legal fix?

Edit to add requested photos:

Wiring in outbuilding box showing the capped neutral

This shows how the 10-2 is attached to the outside wire


texts: What's the meaning of "expansive trim package"?

texts: When I read a house description, there is this line "Features include: expansive trim package, granite, tile, hardwoods, french doors". Can anyone help me on "expansive trim package", what is it?


texts:
I recently had carpet and asbestos tile tested and removed from my basement, and now am left with concrete covered with black mastic (non-asbestos per testing).  I would like to cover the floor with floating planks, and was wondering if the mastic must be removed first.
The concrete is reasonably level with some pitting, and does not appear to be sealed.  There is an "All-dry" water mitigation system in place around the edge of the concrete directing any moisture towards the outside of the foundation, so the concrete is unlikely to see much moisture.
My understanding is that floating planks over concrete is usually 3 layers:

6 mil vapor barrier
Underlayment
Floating planks

Provided the concrete does not need leveling, will I have problems if I install these layers directly without removing the mastic?


texts: The sidewalk going around my house was poured very close to the edge of the basement window. The slab has sunk and water no pools against the house in that area. If we get a torrential rainfall, the water will pool up and over the wind ledge and then starts to seep through the old window onto the window sill in the basement. The sill is only about 1.5" up from the sidewalk. Any thoughts on how to stop the water from flowing through the screen? I know the simple answer would be to fix the grade of the cement, but right now I can't find a company that can help for various reasons. So I am trying to at least find a solution to the window ledge until I can find a long-term solution. Any help please!


texts:
I am building a home in the houston area. nearly 3000 sq. ft. 1 story house, so a pretty big slab.

I am noticing now while walking through the home during the electrical wiring stage that the slab has hairline cracks (probably 1/8") in nearly every room of the home.

Seems like they originate from the edges of the slab or at holes where the plumbing is.

I know that shrinkage is normal, but these cracks run the whole length of the slab and ive found them in all areas of the house. Ive walked through a lot of homes and havnt seen this before but maybe i just wasnt looking close enough.

Do you think this is a structural problem, not structural and just sloppy, or normal concrete laying and ive just never noticed it before.

I am having a home inspector come out for phase 2 to check before the insulation and sheetrock is set, but i guess its too late to do anything about the foundation. I should have had a phase 1 inspection...

I really appreciate any advice. Thank you.


texts: How much gravel to remove to plant grass?

texts: I'm removing tiny (1cm) landscaping gravel from my backyard in hopes of putting down topsoil and then grass seed.  I'm having a hard time getting all the pebbles up.  I'm going to be adding, at minimum, 6 in of topsoil.  Is it ill advised for me to just remove everything that isn't embedded in the dirt and just add the soil on top?


texts: How do I prevent my fence gate from binding against the post?

texts:
My gate was binding against the post along the top drip rail. I figured the gate was a little too wide at that spot so I trimmed it a little shorter.

Shorty after the gate started binding at a couple other spots. I presume the "keep trimming the everything until it stops binding" method is not the right way to fix my gate.

How can I adjust the gate so it doesn't strike the post when closing?


texts: Sump pump running constantly - water coming in FROM discharge pipe

texts: I recently had the misfortune of a flooded basement due to a failed sump pump. While putting in the new pump, I noticed that there was a substantial amount of water coming into the sump pit FROM the sump discharge pipe, i.e. the place where water should be going OUT. In fact, were it not for the check valve in place it would've been near impossible to put in the new pump due to the amount of water coming in. I'm guessing this isn't normal by any means and why the old pump kept running every few minutes and eventually died (although it did last for 7 years.) What could be causing this constant backflow?


texts:
we recently had a new unit installed and I think it is a little oversized.  It does push out more CFM‘s then the way the ductwork was designed.  I have a room that I recently added that I would like to run a branch to.  I can run a 6” from the plenum and another 6” from a trunk supplying the living room which has too much airflow right now. The reason why I think it has too much airflow is because the thermostat is in that room in the unit cycles on and off a lot. Plus the air is really pushing out.  After making the holes in the ductwork the airflow is still sufficient.

My question is can I take these two 6 inch runs and combined them into an 8x6x6 wye so I can run an 8 inch into the new room.  The new room has west facing windows so it is going to need more than a six-inch.  By combining them into an 8 inch will I lose pressure since I’m going from a smaller flex to a bigger flex?  Thank you


texts: Ice maker control arm front slot location?

texts:
Bottom freezer ice maker control is not attached in the front. Experienced repairman knows where the slot is for reattaching. For those that do not have that experience he suggests removing the entire ice maker. Not going to happen here.

How far from the top is the whole? How far from the right is the hole?

Amana Refrigerator Repair - The Ice Maker Arm Is Not Attached - ARB2257CW Video


texts: Do I use dirt or gravel to fill around a cement form for a fence post?

texts:
Background:
I know you're not supposed to dig a really wide hole for a fence post hole. But the previous owner of my home did not know that. He or she dug a really wide hole, filled it with a bunch of pavers and other junk, and poured a really big piece of concrete.

The fence post broke last month and I'm finally getting around to fixing it. So I dug out all the concrete and am using a tube to make it a little more manageable.

Question: What do I fill around the cylinder form? Dirt or gravel? I'm afraid that if I use dirt, it won't be compact enough and won't offer enough support. Or maybe I should use sand or something. I don't know.

Note: I was able to get about 8 inches deeper than the previous owner into really solid ground, so the form is stuck in there very tightly. Also, this will be for a metal fence post.


texts: Is a grounded/neutral wire (not grounding wire) required to be run to a subpanel that will supply only 240V (2-pole) devices?

texts:
I'm installing a subpanel that will supply only 240V 2-pole devices. I'm positive I never will need the capability to run 120V (1-pole) devices. Am I required to run a neutral wire to the subpanel? Please don't provide answers that recommend I do it "either way" for future-proofing. I only want to know what is code-required.

The code for feeders talks a bunch about the required size of feeder grounded wire, but as far as I've seen it never comes right out and states that it is required to provide a grounded wire. I am of course providing a grounding wire.


texts: How do I mount the new work electrical boxes with the nail-in flange?

texts:
I have to install several electrical boxes for outlets, switches, and fixtures before installing some drywall.  The boxes I have look like this:

The distance between the front of the mounting flange and the front of the box is about 7/16", but of course I'm going to use 1/2" drywall.  So two questions:

The box will end up sunken into the wall by 1/16" or so...will that matter?
The flange itself is about 1/16" thick...will this make a bump or other problem under the drywall?

The place where these boxes are going is just wide enough for a 2-gang box to fit (I need to use some 2-gang boxes too, have ones like in the pic with the same mounting flange), so this kind of box is going to make things a lot easier than using the kind with the two nails since there's no way I could get a hammer in there to drive the nails.  I could drive screws through the sides of the boxes into the studs, but I always find it hard to keep the boxes at the proper depth when I do that.


texts: Why are some of the boards in my hardwood floors disintegrating?

texts:
Some of the boards in my hardwood floors (1949) are disintegrating.

Can anyone tell me what gives? And how I might go about stopping it?


texts: Should I spray down the shower with a diluted bleach solution after using it?

texts:
I have a tile shower in the basement that is not very well ventilated.  My mother-in-law suggested a spray bottle of 1/2 bleach, 1/2 water, and spraying it around the surfaces of the shower after using it to help prevent mold.

Is mother-in-law always right?  Is this a good idea?


texts: Name of metal tube for water shutoff access

texts:
I had a leak in my yard and when I dug up the mud to figure out the problem, I found that somebody had buried the pipe/riser(?) for accessing the shutoff valve right on top of my water line.  I was further actually quite surprised to find the shutoff buried there in the first place because there was no indication that the shutoff valve even existed.

My question is what do you call the metal tube that you would open up and run the curb key down in order to shut off the water?  It reminds me of a round irrigation control box, but none of the things that I have googled have turned up what I found buried.  It has a pentagonal bolt on top to keep joe schmo from opening the tube and I would like to get a new one that is slightly shorter than the one I unburied because the buried one would stick about 3 inches out of my yard.


texts: Two vents in utility room, one to AC one directly to attic where hot moist air comes from?

texts:
I have a question about my AC system/attic/laundry room.
This is a new house built in 2019. Been living here for a year. I Noticed the laundry room has always been humid and figured it was because of the dryer. After finding mildew around a bedroom register, I decided to investigate the other ones.
This is the "second grille" in the laundry room

As soon as you get near it you can feel warm, moist air coming down into the room. Taking off the grill reveals this, which is just a tube right into the attic. You can see part of a truss up there in the picture. Once I took the grille off, the warm air "pours" into the room even quicker and it is very humid air.

This is what the vent looks like as it comes into the attic. I didn't take this picture.. I found it on the internet. It's the exact same though.

And just to be sure, here is the actual AC vent in the same room, on the other side of the room. It has no mildew under it, but it does sweat insistently:

So what I originally thought was just humidity from the dryer is FOR CERTAIN coming from the attic. If I leave the doors to the laundry room close, it gets pretty mucky in there, even if the dryer/washer has not been running for more than a day.
Shouldn't warm air be going UP into the attic? Where would I even begin looking to get to the bottom of why warm/moist air is coming into the house from this one single vent?


texts: How do I clean the intake filter for my washing mashine?

texts:
I have the Novamatic WA 1268.3 Aqua Stop washing machine, and there is a fault that says I have to clean the filter in the pipe that brings water to the machine because the machine is apparently not getting enough water.

However, the ring around that filter is not like the book says it is.

This is what I have:

And this is what the book depicts:

How do I open this copper ring around the pipe ending to clean the filter inside?

The filter inside:


texts: Can I overtigthen the screws on my pool's skimmer basket

texts:
I have an in ground pool which has been losing water too fast recently (about an inch a day). The water level will drop until it is below the skimmer basket, and then it's a more reasonable loss rate (closer to an inch a week).

After poking around online for ideas we found the suggestion to tighten the screws that hold the basket to see if that would help (cheaper than calling the pool company and easy to do). I found the to be quite loose, and hand tightened them a half-turn to a full turn, but not as far as I am able to turn them. It has helped, but the pool it still loses water at about 1/4 inch a day.

How tight should those screws be? Is there a risk that I'll over tighten them and damage the liner or require some other more expensive repair.


texts: Why would a new switch come with aluminum wires?

texts:
I just bought a dimmer switch from Lowe's, and it came with aluminum connection wires (I believe). Our house wiring is copper. I understand that connecting aluminum to copper isn't recommended, and requires some special connectors in order to be safe. I also have read that aluminum wiring in general isn't recommended anymore (for the last several decades).

So I'm trying to understand, why would Lutron sell dimmer switches with aluminum connecting wires, when most houses today have copper wiring, and connecting copper to aluminum causes special issues? The instructions that came with the dimmer say nothing about the copper-aluminum issue; they just say to use the (not special) wire nuts that came with the switch.

Similarly, this seemingly reputable article from FamilyHandyman.com shows a dimmer switch with apparently aluminum wiring, being connected directly to copper wiring, with no caveats. Strangely, it cautions "Also, if you have aluminum [house] wiring, don’t mess with it! Call in a licensed pro who is certified to work with it." They caution the user about aluminum house wiring, but show no concern about the wiring from the dimmer, which looks like aluminum.

So that makes me wonder ... are these wires on the dimmer actually not aluminum, even though it looks like it? Here's a photo I took:

I searched online for information on identifying wire, but what I found didn't really answer my question. Some articles online mentioned tinned copper, that looks like aluminum; but (a) it sounds like tinned copper hasn't been used since the 1960's or so; and (b) I see no sign of copper on the end of the wire (though I didn't try cutting it).

So to sum it up: If these wires are aluminum, why do Lutron and FamilyHandyman.com not say anything about connecting them to copper? If they're not aluminum, what are they, and how can I tell?


texts: To install a 60 amp panel in a shed from my house panel

texts: I want to rum 125ft of wire through my attic then go to conduit for 20 ft to mt shed. What size and type wire do I need.


texts: How do I wire half hot receptacle to 2 switches?

texts:
I am trying to wire a half hot receptacle to 2 switches on opposite walls. One switch is already wired and working with the receptacle using 14/3 cable. The single pole switch has hot (black wire) on top, red on bottom, and neutral (white) married to other neutrals in the wall box. I have a 14/3 from opposite wall already wired into the same wall box.
How do I correctly wire in the wall box and to the opposite wall switch so that it can toggle receptacle on/off, with the power source at the original wall box? I tried it by pigtailing reds, neutrals, and black at the wall box. At the opposite wall switch I wired black on top, red on bottom and capped the neutral. This didn't work, as the switches work independently of one another but will not toggle each other on/off.


texts: Is this electricity box near shower dangerous?

texts:
I'm remodeling bathroom, and rewiring, but I don't understand much about electricity in bathroom. In the picture you see a white plate on wall covering some kind of conduit or circuitry that leads wires from outside to lights and plugs inside the bathroom. Looks dangerous to me so asked electricians and they said it's fine to have electricity in bathroom. Is this correct?

I've researched and seems in some countries you can't have electricity or outlets in bathroom, but I plan to add two outlets near sink with power coming from this "junction box" thing or whatever it's called.


texts: Can wires go under the supply wires in my panel?

texts:
The only available knockout big enough for my #1 wires is on the right side of the panel.  The new breaker (double pole 100A) needs to go on the left side of the panel.  Can I cross my #1 wires under the service wires as pictured?
Another option is to shuffle breakers around, but I'd rather avoid all that splicing in the box.


texts: I want remove the header to install floor to ceiling closet doors for our master bedroom. In the attic above the header three boards sit and run to the roof (see picture). Are these boards structural?


texts: Convert Double Gang Switched Half Hot Outlets to Always Hot w/USB

texts:
Our bedroom has two double outlets.  One outlet of each four is controlled by a single wall switch (in this switch it's the bottom left).  The other three outlets are always hot.  See wiring diagram.

I'd like to convert one of the double gang boxes (as pictured) to be always hot and use two Leviton USB receptacles. That's assuming I can fit both USB receptacles in I would do that, but I may be forced to just use one as they are large (deep).

Questions:  (1)  In order to keep the other outlet switched do I need to cap the red wires together or do I cap them individually? (2) How do I piggy back the USB outlets together?

If it makes things easier all around I could also just convert all four outlets to always on.  In that case I would want to cap off the switch and cover it.

Thank you!


texts: Right way to add standard receptacle to this GFCI circuit

texts:
I've read Can I add a standard receptacle on a GFCI circuit and have a similar situation in that I need to add a receptacle to an existing GFCI circuit, but when I pulled the existing GFCI plug from the wall, it looks substantially different than the version described there.

What I have looks like this, with connections on both sides:

I suspect they're chained to a receptacle at the second vanity in this bathroom, but unfortunately it's across the room from where I need the new outlet to be (which is right underneath this one). What's the correct way to make this happen, short of calling in an electrician?

Thanks!


texts: Safe/professional way to transport lumber with just a roof rack

texts:
I'm doing some home improvement, and have the necessary skills, tools, etc, for the job. There is one thing I'm lacking: a large pickup truck for transporting lumber. A buddy of mine used to have one, but he had to trade it in for an SUV to get the kids to/from school, sports, etc.
I have a fairly large SUV, and can buy an aftermarket cross-bar roof rack. I've tied down some mid-sized items in the past while camping, but I'm a bit concerned about how I'm going to transfer a few large items from Home Depot:

A 5/8" thick x 4' wide x 8' long MDF particle board.
16 2x4's, each at 6' long.

I think I'll have to do two trips. The planned setup is documented below (pardon the obscene number of pictures), and I plan to essentially run web ratchet straps (with band protectors where it comes in contact with the wood) to hold down the load to the cross-bars, and then an extra 20' web ratchet strap along the length of the load to act as a fail-safe. I'll have to drive maybe 20 minutes at highway speeds, and am concerned, especially in the case of the MDF board, of the payload catching too much wind drag and being pulled off the roof (ie: acting as a big parachute).
Does the setup below look sound? I'm not comfortable enough with my knot-tying skills to go with a hitch in place of the web ratchets, unless there are some dead easy knots I could use in place of the ratchets. I do not want to pose any risk at all to other drivers, so if I need to invest in additional hardware to secure the lumber, that's fine with me.
Also, if I can find a working approach for the lumber project above, I also need to transport a glass door plus frame about 400km at highway speeds, and was wondering if it would be viable to fix it down to a large piece of plywood similar to what I'm doing above.
Thank you for your help!

My Car

My Car with roof rack with cross-bars installed

My car with 4'x8' MDF board on the roof rack

4 web ratchet straps in a pair of X formations to hold down the board to the cross-bars

A pair of 20' web ratchets used as a fail-safe, in case the board slides to the rear of the vehicle

Second trip, 16 2"x4"x6' boards on my roof rack

3 ratchets for holding the bundle together, 4 in X patterns to secure it to the cross-bars, and a 20' ratchet along the length of the bundle as a fail-safe

Update
I'm getting a pair of stainless steel tow hooks installed on my vehicle tomorrow. The current little hook on the rear of my vehicle doesn't have a large opening, and the one on the front is a joke, as it just screws on, so it's easy to steal. The new ones will be bolted on the vehicle without the bolts being exposed.
I'll continue using my roof rack with the advised ratchet configuration to secure them (ie: the pen-and-paper plus elastic example in the accepted answer), and using a large 27' ratchet wrapped around the length of the load, and secured to the rear and front tow hooks (with thick protectors where it touches the car chassis) to keep the front of the planks from flapping upwards and either snapping off or acting as a parachute. Plus, it gives some extra security in case the friction from the other ratchets isn't enough. Thanks everyone!


texts: Where do you get scrap wire for making pigtail connections e.g. when wiring a switch?

texts:
I’m learning some basic electrical in order to wire some smart switches and I’ll have to make some pigtail connections. Where are the best places to get scrap wire for this?
Should I just pick up 25ft of cable so I can pull out some white and black wires, or should one get wire spools of THHN wire? It’s not clear to me what’s the right kind of wires to use.


texts: I live on the coast of North Carolina. The house was build in the 1986. I had mold under the house and places inside. I had a crew to get rid the mold in the house and replace the insulation and plastic under the house. The crawl space was sealed and a dehumidifier was installed under the house. I now have cracks between the ceiling and the walls. The laminate flooring seems to be separating. What might be causing this?


texts: How can I air seal around a brick chimney with a metal flue liner?

texts:
We have a 1954 brick chimney that has a metal liner inside and is only used by the natural gas hot water tank. It's had fiberglass right up against if for guessing 20+ years.

I'm air sealing the attic, it comes right up and through the attic with a couple inches gap between the framing and the brick.

I've read online about using sheet metal and high temperature caulk to close this air gap, and to keep all insulation away except (some say) rock wool.

Is this really necessary and/or required in my situation? This isn't a wood burning chimney, it only exhausts 1 50 gallon hot water tank through a metal flue inside the brick.

I'd like to just put rigid foam and stick it in place with Great Stuff and then insulate right up to the chimney. Most of my google searches have led me to info on insulating between the metal flue and the chimney, that's not what I'm looking for.


texts: How can I add a circuit breaker when there are no openings available in the neutral bus bar?

texts: I'm trying to add a 20 amp circuit breaker into my existing main panel. The main panel has one vacant slot to put the breaker, but the neutral and ground bars have no more vacant slots. My question is this -- can I hook up the new neutral and ground wires to an existing slots? Meaning if the slots are already being used by another breaker, can I also hook up my new neutral and ground wires into these slots since there are no more available slots? I also see that the neutral and ground wires are all mixed up on the two bars. I'm saying that neutral wires and ground wires are not hooked up seperately from the two bars. I guess they're okay if done in the main panel.


texts: How do I force a defrost cycle on my refrigerator?

texts:
My Kenmore 596.51679100 side by side fridge is tripping the dedicated GFCI circuit in my garage that it's plugged into and I suspect it's the defrost heater but I need to test this. As far as I can tell this model has no timer, but a thermostat and a control board. How can I force a defrost cycle to run?
Edit: This is in a garage, so all outlets are, by code, GFCI protected.


texts: Why is the sand in my cement mixes so thirsty?

texts:
In making up cement-based mixtures, I always start with a water:cement ratio of 0.42:1, which is the optimal ratio. But whenever I make a mix that has a substantial quantity of sand in it (e.g. for mortar, or a self-consolidating pourable thing) the sand seems to gobble up all the water and turn the mixture into a gritty, unworkable paste. I always need to add a substantial amount more water to make it workable, which I know weakens the mix.

I've tried commercially-packaged masonry sand, sieved sand from my backyard, and the texturing sand I had in an old package of paint texture. Same diff, though it was worst with the paint texture stuff, which was very fine and dry.

I tried adding a commercial PCE superplasticizer (0.5% by weight) but it didn't seem to make any difference at all.

I don't have an electric mixer, so I have to do the mixing by hand. Could my technique be the problem?

Also I live in the desert so everything here is just naturally dry all the time; could it be that most people's sand has more moisture in it?


texts: How can I repair this detached kitchen sink pipe?

texts:
I noticed one of the two kitchen sinks is leaking--that's not really the right word.  It's more like pouring.  When I pour something down that drain it's like I might as well have just dumped whatever it was straight into the cabinet beneath the sink.

I took a look at it and it seems as though the pipe connected to the drain just got detached somehow.  (The house is pretty old, I guess.)  I'm not sure about the best way to fix it, especially since it looks like the part of the nut may have broken off.


texts: How to determine if a ceiling fan has a DC motor?

texts:
This question asks how to find ceiling fans that don't audibly hum:

Do any ultra quiet ceiling fans that have no motor hum exist?

It is something that annoys me too. I can't stand the hum a lot of ceiling fan motors make. Our current house has many Hampton Bay fans that hum like crazy.

Over time I want to upgrade these and the answers to the above mentioned question point out that a big part of the hum is due to how AC motors work and that finding fans with DC motors would be a good thing.

How does one do that? Are there particular brands that use DC motors? Or do you just have to look at the box and hope it's in the spec's some where? Is it safe to say that, in general, DC fans would hum a lot less than AC fans? Do more expensive fans tend to use DC motors or is cost not really an indication?


texts: Can I wall-mount a TV when there is an air gap between the drywall and the wooden stud?

texts:
I'm mounting a 38lb TV (with a ~10lb mounting bracket).

I located a stud, but the drywall floats an inch above it, plus the drywall itself is another 1/2 inch. So a couple 3-inch screws (and not a micron longer or they'll protude into my nice old neighbor's kitchen!) is required.

Pretending the drywall won't hold any weight, that means the 3-inch screws will be half-in and half-out of the wood. With a TV hanging off the end of them.

Recipe for disaster?

+++++++++++++++++++

So, three days hence, here's what I did: instead of using the living room wall I share with my neighbor, I used the living wall room that I share with my own hall closet (which wasn't my original choice due to window/sun glare).

I now have several 6" bolts going through the drywall, plaster & lathe, and studs in the closet, with big-ass washers for a little extra "spread". The Cheetah mount is wide & flat enough that it isnt pulling into or denting the drywall, and amazingly there is ZERO glare/reflection coming off the window.

Thanks everyone for your help, you gave me the info, perspectives, vocabulary and confidence to tackle this problem intelligently. :)


texts: What are the legalities associated with mounting splicing wire connectors?

texts:
There are some situations, such as those involving large junction or pull boxes that serve as central takeoff points for many-plexed homeruns or homerun banks, enclosures that form central splice points for control wiring, or situations where a panel cabinet is converted to a junction/pull box, where there are so many similar wires and splices that using free-floating wire splices edges towards the verge of no longer being "neat and workmanlike" to the standards of NEC 110.12.

While these sorts of problems are commonly encountered in the industrial controls world, the solution they use over there (namely, terminal blocks or terminal strips, whether they be of the NEMA style sometimes sold in hardware stores or of the IEC/DIN style used more commonly in industry) is not applicable for field mains wiring, as terminal blocks are only available in the form of UL recognized components (to UL 1059, Category Code XCFR2).
Furthermore, UL listed power distribution blocks (to UL 1953, Category Code QPQS), while legal in this application, have several drawbacks: they are large and relatively expensive relative to normal connecting means for 14-10AWG wires, while the available configurations are not conducive to single-sided tapping and splicing or to connecting large numbers of similarly-sized wires.

As it turns out, though, there is such a thing as a mountable splicing wire connector: ILSCO (NIMBUS PBTM aka PBTD-M) and NSi/Polaris (Polaris IPLM(D)) make mechanical screw-type connectors that have mounting holes for bolting to a chassis or enclosure, and, more importantly, Wago makes DIN rail carriers for their 221 and 222 series splicing connectors (the 221-500/221-510 and 222-500, respectively).  This appears to be all well and good, as the underlying splicing connectors are all UL listed (to either 486A-B for the mechanical screw splices/taps, or 486C for the lever-type splicing connectors), until you stop and check the definition of "splicing wire connector" found in UL 486A-B-C and ZMVV.GuideInfo:

  Splicing wire connectors establish a connection between two or more conductors by means of mechanical pressure and are not intended to be permanently mounted. They are floating, such as a twist-on connector in an outlet box.

So, does the act of permanently mounting a splicing wire connector to an enclosure using a manufacturer identified mounting facility void the listing of the connector, putting me back where I started?  Or does this situation simply mean the AHJ must make their own determination of acceptability, instead of being able to say "that's listed, so you're good?"  What applications are these mountable splicing connectors even intended for, if they cannot be used in applications where a UL listing is required?


texts:
Last winter, I had serious dry and wet rot issues in the basement. The reason seemed to be that the wall was not watertight. This has been corrected and repair works were carried out by professionals (changing the ceiling of the basement/floor of the ground level and finishings).

A few months later, it seems dry rot is coming back:

I'd like to prevent it from spreading, and I see three possibilities, but need help to make up my mind:

Installing a fan to take air from the basement outside; can take moisture out, but I'm afraid it only removes the air which is the center of the room, not the air close to the dry-rot.
Installing a heater in the basement, but I'm afraid the heat helps the rot spreading out.
Installing a dehumidifier with a pump, but it's hard to reach a outlet pipe because there is no basement under the kitchen.

I have read quite a lot about this but professionals do not seem to agree on the solutions. What solution would you recommend? At this point, getting rid of the mold matters more than the cost.

This is the average temperature/rain in the location of the property, which is in the UK a few miles away from the sea:


texts: Changing a 4 wire electrical cord to a 3 wire electrical cord for a range in a 1905 home

texts:
I purchased a stove 3 years ago that blew because the stove was hooked up as 3 wire plug and the wall outlet was 4 wire.  The technician to that diagnosed the problem, said because of the age of the house, 1905, the stove and wall plug should be both 3 wire. I purchased a new stove, 3 wire and need to change my wall outlet from 4 wire to 3 wire.  My question is what do I do with the ground.

      old plug on top new plug on bottom


texts: Can I use a 1 1/2 vent for a toilet (3" drain) in CA (not a went vent, no other fixtures on it)?

texts: Most of the info I have on code implies this would be OK, but one item I have says that a 1 1/2 vent can only serve 8 "non-WC" fixture units.


texts: Is there harm in using my mini-splits in conjunction with my hot-water baseboard heat?

texts:
My new house has a natural gas boiler with three zones of radiant baseboard heat (one per floor). It also has a mini-split system (again one head per floor). The mini-split was advertised as air conditioning, but I realize that it's actually a proper heat pump. My situation is somewhat similar to Mini-split vs gas boiler for heating, although I think my numbers are a bit different — my last gas and electric bills were $1.20/therm and $0.22/kWh (both excluding fixed charges).

It's my understanding that there's probably a cost-savings cutoff in favor of the mini-split when we're just keeping the chill away and the exterior temp is above 60°F. And there's a better-for-the-world emissions cutoff somewhere below that — maybe as low as 45°F (and which will only get better as my state switches to more renewable sources for electricity.)

But of course there's a complication. As the lone answer to the other question suggests, the radiant baseboard heat is hard to beat for comfort. But in this house

the first floor mini-split head is in the kitchen which, because of the layout, only has a small section of baseboard radiator and so gets kind of cold;
the second floor mini-split is a in a guest room which we only use rarely, and the other rooms are bedrooms which don't have their doors open all the them; and
the third floor mini-split is in my home office.

So, all of this together comes to the question. On the second floor, I'll probably just use the radiant heat, because it heats the bedrooms which are in use. But on the top floor, when it's above 50° or so outside, I'm thinking of leaving the radiant heat set to 60° and running the mini split in my office (when I'm there) to keep the heat up to 68°. The baseboard thermostat isn't next to the mini-split, so it might turn on if the other rooms on that floor dip below 60°. On the first floor, I'm thinking to primarily use the radiant heat, but if we're in the kitchen and it's chilly, also running the mini-split to warm up that room.

Are there any perils in running the system this way? It seems optimal for comfort and might also increase energy efficiency.


texts: I need a cutting board for my leather project. The ones you can buy at the hobby store are ridiculously expensive the bigger board is the more insane goes the price. I dont believe the material of which these boards are made contributes to their prices so much (it is comparable to sheet steel, come on). So I think there must be a cheaper alternative to those cutting boards. If there is one, what is it?


texts:
The power company turned off power due to late payment.

The power is now on. Lights, tv, etc work.

What's not working is the water pump, dryer, ac/heater.

Called the power company and their side is good.

So here is what I have done so far:

Checked the inside house breakers, none tripped or bad.
Went outside of house to breakers for ac/heater and ones for water pump. None are tripped or bad.

That leaves the 100amp box/breaker just after the meter box. I have 110v and 99v coming from each leg thru the 100a breaker, checked between legs for amps and i get 20a+-. I should be getting 220-240a, right? So maybe the 100a breaker has a bad leg?

Next I checked the 100a breaker where the meter box wires screw into the 100a breaker. Now here is where I'm a little confused. I checked for the volts from meter wires and the ground wire from meterbox. One leg is 120v(good), the other leg reads 0v(no power?). The eletric company says all is fine on their side. Am I testing wrong?


texts: What does it take (and how) to build on a 'land conservation' parcel?

texts:
I came across a post on Craigslist that was selling x acres of land. It was titled as a Land Conservation.
What does that mean exactly as far as what can and cannot be built on it?

If it is possible to build a home on it, who pays for laying down the utility lines to a residence in a secluded rural area?

I am interested in Massachusetts in particular but is it the same for all states?


texts: Has anyone here ever rented a trencher? What was your experience?

texts:
I need to dig a 2 feet deep trench, about 100 feet long.

Has anyone used one of these trenchers?  The first one in particular?

http://rentalsunlimited.com/catalog/trenchers/trenchers.html

What was your experience?

Any alternatives?  Does Home Depot or any other US national chain offer something similar?

Edit: The trench is for a french drain system.  My soil is mostly clay underneath.  I should also mention that I may be going trough roots of a big old tree that was recently cut.


texts: Should I be concerned that my sump pail is regularly half full?

texts:
We moved into a 1960 split-level house in central New Jersey about a year and a half ago and since then I've noticed we seem to have a high water table.  In the sump pit the water level is always about 12" to 18" below the surface of basement floor (always more than half full).  We do have some minor moisture issues seeping through the first few inches of the cinder block walls near the floor (French drain around the perimeter of basement but no weep holes).

The houses on our block do sit at a higher elevation than the rest of the surrounding area and all our back yards have a modest slope downward away from the homes.  There is a sizeable tributary a few blocks from our house, but given our elevation relative to that and the rest of the neighborhood, I don't see how that could be a factor.  Yesterday I talked to my neighbor next door (same style house and age) who said he does not have a high water table and his sump pit is usually empty.  The house on the other side is vacant so I can't get info there.

Is this normal?  Something to be concerned about?  Trying to do my homework now and get an understanding as we'll likely want to properly finish the basement in another 3-4 years.


texts: I recently got my drain tile replaced by professionals. They poured new concrete over the new drain tile. The thing that struck me as odd was that the weep holes are partially to fully above the level of the new concrete. I was under the assumption that weep holes were supposed to be drilled just above the footing to allow water to drain into the drain tile. After weep holes are drilled, it is then covered up with gravel, then the fresh concrete. Am I just speaking out of ignorance, or am I correct? Are weep holes supposed to sit above the floor level? If so, it looks terrible.


texts: Will surface scuffs be a long-term issue in a new concrete walkway?

texts:
I'm probably being paranoid but would like to get some expert opinions as this is my first time dealing with concrete.
I had a concrete path laid in the garden, around 80-100mm thick.
It was laid and then about 12 hours later when it had hardened the top layer got scratched by machinery in a few patches roughly the size of a beer mat each, taking the top 2-3mm off the surface. It was then it started to rain for a few hours.
So now when I look at the surface I have the nice cured layer top layer, but in the scratched patches it's a bit rougher looking and the material feels a bit looser.
My question is, will these scratched areas develop into a problem as the material feels a bit looser on them compared to the cured surface ?
Is there any product I could apply to them to re-seal them, one that is preferable invisible to not draw attention ?
Or am I just overthinking the whole thing, and is this part of the natural wear and tear ?
This is just a functional side path, nothing pretty about the finish.
Thanks in advance


texts: Will soldering a cast brass finial to 38mm brass handrail tube discolor either metal?

texts:
I am looking at soldering a cast brass finial to 38 mm brass handrail tube because the fit is too loose for using grubs-crews.
Can anyone tell me if a decorators-style propane torch be hot enough for this, and will the heat discolor the metal permanently?
I am used to soldering copper tube joints as big as this, but not heavy gauge and not brass.


texts: I am putting new 100 amp service to my garage. Do I use only 100 amp meter socket or can I use  a 125 amp


texts: My doorbell chime is partially broken; is this a wiring problem or a problem with the chime mechanism?

texts:
I have a Heath-Zenith SL-2796 doorbell.  It's wired to a front and rear door buttons.  Pressing the front door button should make it go "ding-dong" and pressing the rear door button should make it go "dong".

A few months after it was installed, it began to fail.  Now, one of the chimes never sounds.

When the front door button is pressed, it does "clunk-dong".  When I hold down the front door button, it goes "clunk-buzz" and then goes "dong" when I release the button.  The buzz sounds electrical.
When the rear door button is pressed, it still causes a "ding", as expected, i.e. the same tone as the first part of the front door sound.
So, the "ding" works for the rear door, while only the "dong" works for the front door.

The voltage of the doorbell circuit is 19V.

I asked my wife to watch the movement of the plungers when I pressed the front door button.  She said that one of the plungers never moves.

Is this caused by a problem in the wiring of the house, or something inside the doorbell chime module?  Should I just replace the doorbell chime module?


texts: I would like to have advices about my old home.It is old ,when it rains a lot because it is near the sea,the last floor (the floor that it is on the ground ,I dont know the exactly word ) ,it has water. Everytime it rains a lot,I am in the position to get out this water by hand. I haven't the money to cover it now the floor  so that  it will not get water when it rains. What I can use or in low price that will stop the water or to absorb  it somehow.


texts: My house is circa 1910 and I dont really know how old the wiring is in it.  I am trying to swap a 3 way light switch with a 3 way dimmer (Lutron CL Dimmer). I killed the power and pulled the switch out. I expected 4 wires and I only saw 3.  One was green and it looked like the other two were black.  Does anyone know how to connect my 4 wire dimmer to the 3 wires?  I expect the green is the ground, are the other two the travelers?


texts: breakers on main panel trip after adding a sub panel

texts:
I've just added a subpannel 100amp with Gauge 6 wires to the main panel so that the new subpanel will feed a sauna 25amp + a hot tub 30amp. The sauna is already connected with gauge 8 wires 240V, it works fine. The hot tub is not yet connected.

However, shortly after the sauna is connected i notice that several existing breakers on the main panel would jump from time to time, even if the appliances are not running. I am in an area where electricians are rare to find. Please shed some light

i believe that they are non-GFCI/AFCI type, just regular type D. The one that often trips after i added the subpanel is the dryer, after resetting, it would stay on for maybe 10 mins before tripping again, regardless if the sauna is running or not.


texts: Can I use a Honeywell thermocouple in a State water heater?

texts:
I have a State water heater that's around 13 years old. About a month ago, the pilot light went out randomly and I was able to relight it with no problems. A couple of days ago, the light went out again but I was not able to ignite it again using the built-in igniter. After some research, it seems like the likely culprit could be the thermocouple. The model number of the heater is GS650UBRT100.

I found the parts catalog and was able to find the original part through Sears PartsDirect (http://www.searspartsdirect.com/part-number/9000056015/0042/153.html). However, if I order it now, it probably won't arrive for another week.

The Home Depot has a generic thermocouple by Honeywell, and I was wondering if I can use that instead: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Honeywell-24-in-Universal-Gas-Thermocouple-CQ100A1013/202216463

The manual refers to my water heater's part as a thermopile, but the parts catalog says it's a thermocouple, so I'm confused as to what it actually is, and if it's interchangeable. Would I be ok with getting the generic thermocouple for my specific water heater? It says it's for 30mV systems, but I can't find the specification for my specific model.

This is the heater's manual: http://www.statewaterheaters.com/lit/im/res-gas/186221-004.pdf
And the parts catalog: http://www.statewaterheaters.com/lit/partslist/res-gas/186298-000.pdf

Also, what are the chances the problem is caused by another part, such as the pilot assembly kit or the igniter? Should I start with replacing the thermocouple and go from there?

On an unrelated note, I've attached a picture of my water heater. I noticed that there's a pipe on the very right with the valve closed. What is this pipe, and why is the valve closed? Thank you in advance.


texts: Wrong wiring color used for 240V appliance (white/black instead of red/black)

texts:
We had the electrical system in our house upgraded as part of a remodel. While investigating an electrical issue, I noticed that our AC unit (which is rated 240 volt / 25 amp) appears to be wired with the wrong color wiring: it uses white/black wiring instead of red/black wiring. I'm certain it's 240V because I measured between the white/black terminals within the breaker box, and the label on the AC unit also says it's a 240V appliance.

How egregious is it to wire a 240V appliance using white/black wiring? Should I ask the electrician to redo this piece of wiring? (The gauge of the wire seems to be correct -- 10AWG -- given that it's a 25 amp appliance.)


texts: Why are two outlets on one circuit suddenly reading 16V?

texts:
I have two 110V outlets that suddenly only have 16 volts. Both are in the same wall, about 6' apart. The breaker has not tripped. Other outlets on the same circuit work fine. They are only about 10 years old and no work was being done.

Why the sudden drop in voltage?


texts: Why douuble pole switch must be used for water heater?

texts:
I read from some notes stating that 1 way double-pole switch must be used for fixed heating appliance where heating element can be touched.
What is the rational behind that?


texts: Ceiling fan and lights not working after bulb pop

texts:
We have a modern Hampton Bay ceiling fan and light fixture. Recently, when I turned the lights on I heard a bulb pop and the whole thing went dead, lights and all.

I believe the capacitor in the photo is the culprit. I know I can probably replace it, but is there a chance I could bypass it and wirenut the red and white wire together?  I checked the breakers, they weren't tripped.


texts: I currently have 6 can lights in my kitchen. I would like to convert one of them to a pendant light. I know there are kits to do that but my question pertains to how to get the pendant light to go on and off separately from the remaining can lights? I would rather not tear out drywall to add a new line if possible. Also, the can lights are currently run by two different switches (at each end of the room, which may complicate matters. Thanks for any advice!


texts: Getting 36 volts on light circuit when switch is off

texts: I have a new addition on house and am having an electrical issue. On one light/ceiling fan circuit....I get 120v when switch is on....36 volts when switch is off. I’ve checked for bad/leaky switch. I’ve double checked wiring for reversed neutral/hot (powering neutral leg). I’ve checked for scuffed scratched wires or potential shorts. I’m at a loss.  What am I missing here.


texts: Front-loading GE washer makes loud noise

texts:
I have about two and half years old GE GFWR4800FWW (GFWR4800F0FWW specifically) front-loading washer. It has started making very loud noise during spin, and also when I turn the drum slowly by hand it seems something is pulled upward along with the drum little ways until gravity pulls it back down, creating a rattling sound, almost as if a chain would slide down on the outer surface of the drum. I've opened the back of the washer, and external to the plastic tub everything seems to be (at least visually) in order (shocks, suspension, etc.), so the problem seems to be inside the tub.

The next step would be to open the tub, which I haven't yet decided whether I want to attempt it myself. Based on the symptoms, I'm wondering how big bill I'm looking at in parts (and labor if I call someone to look at it), assuming something that could be tightened hasn't just come loose.

Thanks for any insights!


texts:
The caulking in my shower was starting to grow some mould so I have removed it and discovered the grout in the corners of the shower where two walls meet or where floor meets wall are in bad shape or entirely missing.

I am also a bit concerned by the fact that there doesn't appear to be anything immediately behind this grout in the corner. This was originally installed by the builder and the home is only 10 years old and it is a reputable builder. I haven't had any known leaks from this shower. I think I can see some concrete backer board against the wall but I'm not even sure what to apply the grout to at this point. Any advice on whether this appears normal or how to go about re-grouting would be appreciated.

I'm also looking for tips on how to remove grout along the tile between the floor and wall without damaging the wall tile.


texts: Can I increase the size of my breakers without modifying the wiring?

texts:
I have 10 amp breakers.  When turning on several lights or running several things the breaker trips.

Can I change them to 15amp?  Is that higher or going wrong way?

Read about wire sizes, how is gauge identified?


texts: House wired with Cat5e, but no central access?

texts:
In every room of my home, there is an outlet with three connections: coax, Cat5e RJ45, and an RJ11 for phones. I unscrewed the outlet and noticed that all of the wires seem to be heading up towards the attic.

I did a very brief check of my attic (just took a peek from the ladder), but all I could see were valleys and mountains of insulation. If the wires end here, I would have to literally go hunting for them under the insulation. Why would the wires terminate here? Is this common?

I've searched all over my house, but there is no central point where the ethernet cords lead to.

I'm guessing the wires end somewhere in the attic, but I can't fathom why the master builders would lead them all up here and then stop. Is it common for a prewired home to leave it up to the owner to further wire them to a central location closet?


texts: What are the pros/cons of installing glass doors over a whirlpool tub?

texts:
I'm building a new bathroom and I have a whirlpool tub. I really like the tile behind it, and I would like the look and the feel of being able to see through wall to wall. However, I'm worried about 2 specific things, and whatever other issues you guys may be able to inform me of. First, comfort of trying to relax in a whirlpool tub with a metal guide right there. Is that going to be annoying?

Second - I'm worried about the vibrations of the air jets somehow effecting the glass.

Anything else I'm missing in weighing this decision?


texts: Garage door needs a push or pull to start opening/closing

texts:
I have some 20+ year old garage door openers, and one works great, the other will sometimes open/close fine.

Sometimes when I hit the switch there is a click and a buzz like the motor is trying to lift, but the door does not move.  If I hit the switch again it stops.  If I go over to the door and pull it up about an inch (or pull it down, if it's open) the motor "catches" and it goes up/down just fine.

Is there a slack adjustment of some sort I can look at, or is the motor bad?  I replaced the capacitor on the door that is not working about 6 months ago, and have replaced the springs and safety cables on both doors at about the same time.

Any ideas?


texts: Grounding 3 wires to electrical box with 2 ground screws

texts:
I've installed a metal electrical box. There are 3 cables coming into the box. The standard box only has 2 ground screws. My inspector said I am supposed to have 1 single ground per screw...

So, how am I supposed to ground 3 cables then?


texts:
(https://i.stack.imgur.com/XpDWG.jpg)

Installed 6inch can.   2 junction boxes. Left 1 set of 12/3 .Righthand 1 set of 12/2.   Dual 3way switches.  Wires seem fine and switches seem fine except side plastic between black/red wires is cracked.

Hooked up white of light to righthand white in the 14/2.
Hooked up black of light to black of both 14/3 and 14/2.
Hooked up red (switch hot?) To black of light.

Light is constant on, but both switches do not operate on or off functions at all.


texts:
Was reading this post:
Are cheap electric brad nail guns worth it for fixing mouldings?

I'm in the middle of fixing up an older home.  I have an air compressor with a couple air powered brad-nailers (Porter Cable) and I've been quite happy with this setup.

As part of the on-going remodel, I've been hanging prehung doors using 6D nails and a hammer.  I inevitably have missed and marked up the wood on occassion.  Doors are Oak 6-panel doors and I've been staining them so I spend a lot of time counter sinking the nails with a nail punch.  I've learned to use shims under the hammer in case I miss but beyond that it's slow work and since I'm a one man show, I sometimes need a 3rd hand to hold stuff in place where as with a framing nailer seems it would alleviate some of the tricky balancing act.

On top of this, I plan to build a shed this summer.

My point is that I think I have enough work to justify a framing nailer.  Cost is not too much of a concern.

I would like mobility in the form of a cordless nailer but I wonder if cordless has the same power of compressed air variety?  And of the cordless, there seems to be a couple versions: Compressed Air Canister and Battery Powered.

I really am leaning toward a compressed air one because there may be long stretches of no use and batteries, like ones in my cordless drill, tend to need replacing if you don't use them very long.  So I don't plan on selling the gun when I'm done and would like to have it for other projects that come and go beyond what I have on my plate now.

What do the experts recommend.  Will be using to frame doors (6D nails), framing, and building workbench and various wood structures in the future.

Also, 2nd question, do framing nailers generally allow for different size nails?  Can I, for example, shoot 6D and smaller (not as small as a brad) nails with same gun?

Please educate me on this topic.


texts: running a non-potable exterior water line

texts:
I need to run a water line for gardening to a roof deck from the ground level (up 2 floors). I have a courtyard tap, and a brick wall I can run something along the outside of. My thought was to use a splitter on the existing tap, and then run a PVC pipe up the wall and to my deck, anchoring it to the wall.

This isn't for drinking water, it's just for plants on a deck. Any reason not to do it this way? I was just going to get some masonry screws and clamps for the PVC and attach it straight to the brick. Does that create any long-term issues for the brick?