texts: Existing GFCI outlet wiring to a new switch

texts:
I want to relocate a GFCI outlet in my kitchen that is currently below my top cabinets to above the cabinets so I can plug in an LED rope light and illuminate above the cabinets. With that being said I wanted to connect a switch to the outlet so I can turn the light off and on.

When I took of the face plate for the outlet I noticed there are 2 sources of power (see pictures). There are two hot wires (black) and each are on their own brass screws. Then same thing for the neutrals but on the silver screws.

So do I have to install a 4 outlet box and put a power source to each of the outlets and then wire the switch to one of the outlets? Or can I put the two black wires together and put it on one brass screw and same for the neutrals?

Then is it a good idea to use a dimmer switch?


texts:
I  have 3 feeder wires coming up underground from the meter and main disconnect. They tie in to a 50amp receptacle box and a 6 AWG cord With 8Awg ground all in one. That cord goes into my electrical panel where the grounds and neutrals are mixed and bonded.
As far as I know the green ground connects to the RV type receptacle box and goes nowhere except that it came with the cord. There is no ground at the meter or disconnect.
The house has no grounding system, as I can not locate as much as a grounded water pipe.
I can install 2 ground rods or maybe the ground wire to the water pipes was disconnected or cut.
The 3 wire feeders leave the disconnect in conduit and I see no conduit coming out, just three wires. Perhaps the conduit is below the ground somewhere. It is a 30 foot run with 6AWG wire.
What I need to know is: what Would be the best way to waterproof the connections and get them into my panel, not just replacing the RV type of box and 50 amp cord that lays on the ground with just loose wires running into it?
That is why it was damaged in the first place  when the sewer backed up and corroded the receptacle and cord.
It was fine for years, but what are my options?
The disconnect is 100 Amp, as is my service panel. The home was installed in 1978.
Can I just put conduit over the wires that come out of the ground and use a weather tight box. Should I replace the whole cord or just cut it and replace the plug end.
Where should I install the grounds at. The meter disconnect or at my home.
I think someone changed out the main panel as it is tag as being a sub panel with a main disconnect outside  not a service  entrance.
I just checked the furnace it is 55amp minimum the water heater is 30Amp with a electric range and dryer and lights and receptacles also A 220a/c and 2 120A/C s in the summer time.
I would not want to use a 50Amp power cord would i
Would I be able to use the 100Amp service disconnect and 100amp panel  I believe the  service entry cables are6/2 4/0 with no ground in sight  no grounding rods nothing.  I rent the lot but own the home
Would I or the landlord be responsible for the upgrade in lima,ohio. Should I upgrade to a 150amp panel with a 200amp disconnect outside how do I calculate the loads in the home to figure out what I need
The flood and the over current has burned one side of the 50 Amp cord completely out
I don't know what year the home was installed on this lot or if it was inspected as it is not even properly set up on it's foundation piers  it's just one mess after another.
Thanks guys for your patience


texts: What flux should I use for copper that will be used for food prep?

texts:
I need to solder some copper tubing that will be used in food preparation.  I have of course silver/lead-free solder, but I understand that I might need/want water soluble flux or another type of food-grade flux.

How do I ensure that I can sweat these tubes and not contaminate the fluid with flux?

I would like to use a food-quality flux
I would like to be able to clean the flux

On another web site I saw someone mention acid-washing or acid cleaning.

What should I be doing to ensure my fluid is contaminant-free?


texts: Want to add lights to existing outlets - beginning of circuit or end?

texts:
thanks in advance for help

Question is this.  I have romex running from the panel to a set of 6 outlets.  If I want to add lights and a switch, can I simply add them FROM the first outlet?  Details below..

Now my girlfriend decides she wants a set of three small lights in front of where the tv will go for a nice ambiance.   My question is this - The FIRST outlet in the circuit is down near the right wall by the tv and then they daisy chain around half of the room.  I want to add a switch and three small lights.  Can I add a third set of wires(romex) running from the FIRST outlet in the circuit to the switch I will put in and then to the three small lights above? Or do I have to do it from the last outlet?  My thought was, I could simply add a third romex cable to the first outlet(two there already, one for power in, and one that daisys to the next outlet)....and connect the first outlet to the switch, and then the switch to the first light, then to the second, then to the third... etc....


texts:
I am planning a 12'x24' shop. For the 24' walls I had planned on framing them as two separate 12' sections, vertically sheathing them on the ground and then raising them. I would ensure that the studs were 16" o.c. from one end (so basically one extra stud in the middle). I would make sure the double top plate would not break anywhere near the middle of the wall.

With a 12' wall there would be exactly 3 sheets of vertical sheathing per section. Even though the double top plate would join the two section together, it seems like the wall would be much stronger if the sheathing covered and joined the two sections of walls together. On the other hand, it means I won't be able to do all of the sheathing on the ground and I would either have to rip the sheathing or apply it horizontally.

What are the requirement for framing and sheathing a long load-bearing wall in sections?

This question is similar to the following, except the major difference of it being a load bearing wall.

Framing Long Walls and Where to split long wals


texts: Prime/paint drywall ceiling in bathroom around ceiling light

texts:
I'm installing a ceiling in a shower where the contractors left it unfinished. From reading, it sounds like drywall as a shower ceiling can be fine if it's properly primed and painted. Here's my question, though-- the ceiling has a hole cut in it for a light, and that hole obviously has an exposed drywall edge that won't be sealed with the primer or paint. Is that OK, or do I have to somehow get the primer and paint inside the edge of that hole?
Thanks!


texts: What type of primer to use on stucco wall?

texts:
So our stucco comes up about 3 feet off the ground and then the siding takes over. We had our deck removed and installed a nice new patio. I would like to do something with the stucco wall because it's dirty from years of neglect. We don't have any issues with water getting into the basement but I wouldn't mind making it waterproof (if possible).

Can I use Drylok? And what about painting it a beige color, white would get too dirty.


texts: Ecobee 4 - C Wire Connected but no power

texts: I have an extremely old HVAC system (Goodman Janitrol Model GMNT060-3) and had a previous WiFi thermostat connected with a C Wire. I am now upgrading to a ecobee4 and cannot get any power to the thermostat. Any ideas?


texts:
Problem:
I didn't do my research before running a 200ft 12/2UF-B W/G  cable from my breaker to my shed branching off to my pergola in between. I saw that 12ga was for 20amps and then run with it without thinking about distance and voltage drop.  Well, i haven't powered it up yet but after coming across a calculator online it seems that i may have a problem on my hands.

My solution:
My solution will be to re-run from J-Box which is in-between shed and breaker panel using 6/2 wire and then from there branch off to the receptacles in pergola and shed with already buried 12/2 wires. My only concern is still the distance.  Will i be okay with this self-proposed solution?  From B to C there is barely any digging.  I just have to pop one of the deck boards up, drill holes through the studs to the end of the pergola, come out of the pergola, dig 18" for roughly 3ft,bore an inch hole into the concrete above and then go through the attic space and drop off the wall to the breaker panel.  From B to A however, i will have to trench another 75feet to get into the shed.


texts: I have a Peerless boiler and today woke up to it not heating the water. The water definitely feels like it is circulating through the pipes, but the water temp isn't getting over 60 degrees. We had it serviced about a year and a half ago and the tech had send, I believe at least, that the burner was getting old. I believe that this was an easy repair if that is my issue. What can I check myself and how do I check it before I have a tech come out and look at it?


texts: Question about foundation and door of my house

texts:
I am recently ready to buy a house from a friend. house looks ok. but after foundation engineer checking. he told me front left side of the house is around 6 inches higher than other parts of the house. in that room, the door is hard to open and close. he said foundation did not need immediate repair but he could not tell me what gonna happen in the future. i took some pictures of that room and share here. see if anyone and give me idea what i can do. or how much chance i may need repair foundation in the future. house was built 2007. i am in mississippi, here the yazoo clay frequently made house foundation problems.

[


texts: What cement board can I use for an outdoor bbq?

texts:
So I've built a metal frame that is going to be used as my outdoor bbq. I am ready to install siding on it and I was told to use HardiBacker.

I googled it and apparently it isn't for use outdoors. What is a good cement board or other material that I can use as the sidings for my bbq?

It is on the edge of a patio and lawn so the sprinklers WILL get it wet about every other day. I am open to other suggestions


texts: How can I add a ceiling light fixture to my apartment?

texts:
My apartments (in the San Francisco Bay Area, California) are so depressingly dark because I have no ceiling-mounted light fixtures. I just have standing lamps (with 5 ultra-bright bulbs). Where I come from (United Kingdom, and ethnic origin of India) ceiling lighting fixtures are always installed.

I guess installing ceiling lighting (fluorescent tube light would be fantastic) is too expensive. What is the next best substitute? Or if ceiling lighting installation in rented apartments is possible, who do I speak to to try getting them installed?


texts: Can I change a 4 prong wiring to a 3 prong on a washer/dryer combo? Would it be the same procedure as it would be if it was just a 240 volt dryer?


texts: Our one and only bathroom sink is draining slowly and it's driving me a little crazy.  I have watched a number of videos on how to correct the issue and tried them all.  I have cleaned the "P" trap and snaked the sink pipes and vent (to a about 3 or 4 feet.  I didn't want to force the snake.  I will be trying to go in further today).  I also cleaned out the overflow.  I have found no obstructions.  The water in the sink just seems to start backing up as soon as the water from the tap hits the water in the "P" trap.  Am I missing something obvious. As I said I am going to try and snake into the pipes again today and try and get around corners that are obstructing the snake.  If anyone has any thoughts please let me know.  I really don't want to spend a lot of money for a plumber on something that should be simple to remedy.


texts: How safe are electric faucet water heater?

texts:
I would like to buy one of those electric faucet water heaters for my parents.
But I'm very concerned about if they are even safe to use and some questions came into my mind:

how is the internal wiring shielded from the water?

how dangerous would it be if the cables which goes to the heating element get in contact with the water?

why are they (as far as I know) only available in China and not at my local hardware store in Germany?

(maybe off topic but is it even legal to install/use them, also regarding to insurance?)


texts: My basement toilet and shower will not drain after it rains

texts:
I just had a bathroom put in my basement. It's been working fine but yesterday we had a lot of rain and now the toilet won't flush and the shower will not drain.

It is a septic system and the other toilets and sinks have no affect of the basement bathroom.  Every other sink, toilet and bathtub in the house drains just fine.  Any ideas?


texts: Is 18-gauge wire sold as lamp cord sufficient for replacing the cord on a vintage toaster marked 6 amps?

texts:
I like my vintage toaster, but want to replace the cord.  I'd like to match the current cord, which is brown and cloth-wrapped.  Many lighting supply websites sell "parallel rayon-covered" cord that is 18-gauge 2-wire, but I haven't found a source of cord labeled for small appliances.  Will the lamp cord be sufficient?  The serial number plate on the toaster says
110-120V.-6A-NO.K-


texts: Retrofit a ceiling light with RGB LED tape/lights?

texts:
I have a ceiling fixture in the kitchen that I like and can't find a replacement electronic ballast (Tospo TP120-1/26UPL 26W). A replacement fixture has been hard to find and stupid expensive. I realized many of the newer LED ceiling lights are basically just LED tapes.

Since I was going to also run RGB LED tape throughout the kitchen, I thought it might be nice to also control the overhead light. Could run the tape in a square spiral - should give off more light than what was there before. Most of the LED tapes I've seen on Amazon though have a power supply / transformer.

Do they make ones that don't need a transformer?
And if so, what would that be called?
The CFL bulb that was in the fixture would get plenty hot, guessing I shouldn't have to worry about heat off the LEDs but also interesting in any opinions here too.


texts: Should I leave gap between my house's slab and a new one I'm laying outside in the garden?

texts:
I'm planning an outdoor kitchen.

This will be a simple brick sided bench about 3 metres long and maybe 800 mm deep.

I'm going to build it on a slab to support the weight and ensure a level surface.

As one end of the bench will butt onto the side of my house, I was wondering if there are reasons for or against leaving a gap between the new slab and the house's one.

I would like to not have a gap in the brickwork so as not to leave sanctuary for spiders and other creatures (I live in Australia).


texts: Neutral and ground wires for ceiling fan wall control

texts:
I am replacing a light fixture with a Craftmade ceiling fan (https://www.amazon.com/Craftmade-TMPH44W5-Tempo-Ceiling-Remote/dp/B01D679HMA), operated by a wired remote control

I'm installing their wall remote control unit where the light fixture switch used to be. As per their diagram, I'm connecting the two black wires on the wall control unit to the two black wires in the box (one going to power supply, one to the fan).

Questions:

What to do with the two white neutral wires in the box (one from power supply and one leading to the fan) - do I connect them to each other or terminate both?
It appears that neither the outlet box in the ceiling nor the switch box are grounded (there is no third wire and nothing behind the box except wood and drywall, it's a pre-war building). If that's the case, should i still connect the ground wires from the fan motor and the wall unit to the boxes or would that actually make it even less safe?

Thank you in advance!


texts:
I can almost pull out my door handle. There is a loose ring as well.

And since a picture is worth a thousand words:

More details:

There are four screws on the inside of the door, they are all firmly in place.
There are no screws on the outside of the door.
This is the main entrance door to my apartment. Rotating the knob just visible on the top of the first picture can lock the handle.
On the outside, there is a key hole to unlock the door. The key hole appears align directly with the rotating knob on the inside.
On the outside, there is also a push thingy. Pushing it down has the same effect as rotating the handle on the inside. This thingy is not loose.

I have absolutely zero knowledge and experience on door handles and locks. I do have some basic tools like a few screwdrivers, a small wrench, a hammer etc.

Questions:

What type of handle / lock is this (so I can research it further)?
It is realistic that a person like me (with no previous experience) can fix it? I am afraid I won't be able to put everything together once I disassemble the thing. Should I call a locksmith?
If so, how?


texts: Is there an advantage to using EMT over Plastic Flexible Conduit for Low Voltage runs?

texts:
I am planning a structured wiring project. As AV wiring is always changing, I think it would be pertinent to run the low voltage wire in conduit. While discussing the idea with a friend (and hardware store salesmen), he told me that in his personal project he installed all the low voltage in standard EMT.

To me, this seems like a bit of overkill. Working with EMT in a crawlspace doesn't seem fun, and for pulling AV cable, it seems like the sharp bends might actually be harder to work with. Then again, "smurf tube" has ribbing inside that could also cause snags.

So, is there any advantage to using EMT instead of flexible conduit (Carlon, smurf tube, etc) for running low voltage structured wiring runs?


texts: Isolation valves on tankless heater: is this setup ok?

texts:
I had a tankless water heater installed with isolation valves.  The setup that I got is a little different from what I normally see, and I'd like to make sure that this is a good solution and I'd like to ask a few questions about descaling with this setup.  There are two shutoff valves, one each on hot and cold lines.  However, there are no drain valves on these valves, all they do is shutoff water with no way to attach lines for descaling.  Instead, flexible hose is used to attach from these lines to the tankless heater.  Here is an image of the attachments from the lines to the hose:

Then, the hose attaches to the heater as shown:

The hose is marked as stainless steel water heater hose, 3/4" FIP.

My questions are:

Is this setup an ok installation?
To descale with this setup, I assume that I just close the valves, unscrew the hose, and re-attach it to a pump to run descaling solution through.  Is this so?  Is it better to unscrew the hose at its attachment to the lines or at its attachment to the heater?  When I re-attach the hose, should I put anything on the threads such as pipe dope?  Will there be any problem long term with repeatedly unscrewing and rescrewing the hose every time I descale it?


texts: Can I use my wet-vac to shampoo my carpets?

texts:
I have an old Rainbow brand dry/wet vacuum that my mom got at a yard sale, similar to this model. My family grew up with this kind of vacuum at home, and it was useful not only for typical carpet sweeping, but also for cleaning up wet messes.

This type of vacuum has a water-filled basin in the bottom to catch whatever gets sucked up.

My question is, can I use a cleaning solution plus this vacuum to shampoo my carpets similar to a Rug Doctor?

EDIT:
More information: I'm hoping to clean our apartment's carpet of the dirt build-up from in front of where our couch was before we re-arranged the living room. There is a noticeably darker strip where our feet would sit. I don't think there are any tough stains that need extreme heat to break up, just dirt and a few water-soluble spills here and there.

Our apartment is tiny and only has three carpeted rooms, and only the living room gets regular shoe traffic, so it's the only room I'm thinking of doing this in.


texts: Can I repair a broken overhead door opener drive gear?

texts:
The garage door motor has snapped on the gear. When the garage is activated, the motor spins but the gear doesn't turn and so neither does the chain attached to the garage.

Can I keep the garage door opener and attach a new gear by taking apart the opener?


texts: fireplace gas pipe coming from the floor of the box

texts: I have a fireplace t bar coming up through the bottom of my fireplace, I am trying to install a gas log however they are telling me this pipe needs to come through the side wall, is this possible? Talked to a plumber he won't touch it


texts: Is Nest 3rd Gen Thermostat compatible as a replacement for Honeywell TH3110D1008

texts:
I have an Ultra-Zone EWC-ST-2E controller unit for my gas AC unit at home (heating and cooling).
It is set for two zones. Where the first zone has to be on (heating or cooling) in order to enable to operation of the second zone.

Both zones have Honeywell TH3110D1008 thermostats with the following pins: W, Y, G, O Rc, R, B, C

The first zone has the following wires in: W, Y, G, O, R, B
The second zone has the following wires: W, Y, G, O, Rc

Is a Nest 3rd generation thermostat compatible with this setup/system?

Below are images of the main AC controller diagram and snapshot, as well as wiring of both zones.

Lastly, can anyone also explain what are the different wires for/meaning?

Here are more pictures of a pump or so that sits on teh floor next to the heaitng/cooling unit:

Here is a picture of the inside of the heating/cooling unit:

The bottom part has this controller unit:


texts: What to use to install a simple drop ceiling for home theater

texts:
Instead of drilling the concrete ceiling multiple times to support a motorized projector screen, a projector, and some lights (either strips, or some panels for decoration), I was thinking about creating a drop ceiling.
The benefit is that I can change layout of the items just by replacing the drop ceiling panel, leaving the original ceiling intact. The wires could also be hidden at the top (between the original ceiling and the drop ceiling panel).
I was thinking about four holes, one in each corner, with brackets that would support the drop ceiling. Note this is supported only by the ceiling, like an island, there will be no support from the walls.
The size of this drop ceiling I need to cover these items installed is 70 x 70 inches, an opening (distance from ceiling to drop ceiling) of about 4 inches (this opening height can be different if needed). The items would weight about 16 pounds (7 kgs) total (not super heavy).
Questions related to this:

What to use for this drop ceiling? My initial thought would be a wood board painted. Are there other materials I should consider? I believe the lightest, but rigid enough to support the items, is best.
What to use for the supporting brackets? Are they available to be purchased individually?

It seems to me this is something I can do myself, just need the support and install the board/panel, and then install the items (projector, lights) to the board.


texts: Can I put road salt into toilet/sink trap to prevent it from freezing?

texts:
I have been advised, that I can put salt into a trap to prevent the water from freezing in building I do not use much during tough part of the winter. I know I need to remove all water from pipes where possible, but I would like to avoid manually sucking the water from traps, especially from toilets.
My questions:

can I use road salt, or is it safer to use the salt used for human consumtion? In other words - is something wrong in road salt that could damage the pipes?

what is correct dosage of road salt (for sink, toilet) if I do expect about -20 degress celsius as the lowest outdoor temperature possible (small building).


texts: Could you explain this ceiling light wiring?

texts: I'm changing an old pendant light into a ceiling light, but I have some difficulty in understanding the current wiring. It is controlled by 2 switches. I've checked typical rose wiring diagram, but it couldn't explain what the current wiring is.


texts: Is underground electrical cable underwater capable?

texts:
Is electrical cable that is rated for installation underground, also capable of being laid underwater? Through a stream or across a pond?

Also, please make sure to mention if it is possibly but not ideal, or a just as good as/superior solution.


texts: What is the trade term for the thing that connects the top of a load center panel to 2" EMT conduit?

texts:
What is the trade name for the "adapter" for the top conduit hole that is covered at the top of this picture that would allow you to connect 2" EMT conduit?
It needs to be rain tight (3R).

(The picture is an Eaton NEMA 3R BRP20B200R)


texts: How to Open Housing to Replace Light Bulb?

texts: I need to replace a light bulb, the problem is I have no idea how to open the housing as it has no screws or anything visible where I could open it from. Here is a photo, any idea how I could open it?


texts: How to Reduce the Size or Bridge the Gap of a Vinyl Floor Expansion Gap

texts:
Our new vinyl floor in our bathroom required a 3/8" gap next to all vertical surfaces for room to expand. Ours ended up being a bit larger than that and we are trying to find out what we can do to reduce the gap (or bridge it) without redoing the floor. We want to use rubber trim like the one below, but it won't cover the gap.

We placed the rubber trim in and for the most part the gaps don't show. Where they do show we filled the holes with a gray silicone. It's not the ideal solution but it works and isn't noticeable.


texts: Can a toilet fill valve be properly installed entirely under the water line?

texts: Most instructions I've found online and in books say that a toilet fill valve will have a Critical Level marker on it indicating that the top of the overflow tube should be 1" below it.  In one of my toilets I have a fill valve which is entirely submerged in the water, thus definitely not 1" above the outflow tube.  Is it possible that this is a correct installation or are there no exceptions to this rule?  There is a "Hoov-R-Line" brand name on the device but I can't find any documentation online.


texts: I am looking to install a water softener for my home. The main line into the home is 2 inch which branches off to 1 inch eventually for hot and cold water and then to the fixtures. My question is, if I get a 1 inch water softener installed at the main line, how much pressure loss am i going to see? The softened water would now go  back into a 2 inch pipe which will again get distributed to 1 inch pipes.


texts: Preventing further water damage to hardboard siding

texts:
Area is US Pacific NW (Portland, OR)

My recently purchased home (built 1972) has clapboard siding made of (I've been told) Masonite, probably 10-15 years old. When it was installed the painters painted under the butt edges only where it was easy to get to, i.e. knee high and above, and did not paint under the bottom two courses. This has resulted in some water damage over the years.

See below for pictures.

I'm not in a position to replace the siding or do major repairs, but would like to prevent or at least slow down further damage by sealing the unprotected butt edges.

I am considering applying a clear paintable silicone caulk to the underside of the butt edges on the lower two courses, and any other butt edges that are incompletely painted.  Would this work, or should I be doing something different?

Wide shot of the siding

Butt edge about 6' up.  It is mostly painted but even this one could use some sealing

Bottom course, this is the worst of it.

Bottom course with less swelling/damage.


texts: How to safely connect EU (220-240v) induction cooktop in the USA

texts: Is it possible to safely connect European made (for European market) Bosch Induction 2 burner cooktop, 3700w, 220-240v, 50/60Hz in the USA? Cooktop connection diagram comes in 3 wires: brown, blue and green/yellow. Is it safe to connect brown (EU) to black (US), blue (EU) to red (US) and green/yellow (EU) to green (US) or is there a better/safer way to wire it?


texts: Will using Redgard over a cement shower pan cause a mold sandwich if there are weep holes underneath?

texts:
I recently installed a cement shower pan but I had to use two pvc shower pan liners because of the size of the shower. I used the specified pvc cement to "weld" the two liners together at the seam. However, I'm not entirely convinced this will be 100% waterproof at the seams. Unfortunately I completely forgot to test the shower pan liner after I installed it and I already poured the rest of the deck mud on top to the final height.

So my question is, can I use Redgard over the shower pan at this point (over the top deck mud layer) to make sure I won't have any leaks? I already saw a few questions about this on here and they mentioned a "mold sandwich" due to the cement not being able to drain any liquids if there is a leak in the first layer. However, I don't see this as an issue since the drain has weep holes at the pvc liner.


texts: Coax directly to box vs. through face plate?

texts:
I am running new coax to reroute it so it doesn't run across my family room. I am curious what is the purpose of using a coax jack face plate instead of using a face plate with a flexible opening to just run the original cable directly to the box from the antenna? Something like this...

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Commercial-Electric-Flexible-Opening-Cable-Wall-Plate-White-5028-WH/206456258

I would think the less connections in the line the stronger signal? Thanks for clarifying this!


texts: How do I change the time on a Potterton EP 3000 clock?

texts: I turned the power off and when I turned it back on again, the clock of my Potterton EP3000 was reset, and now the heating comes on at the wrong time. I dont have a manual for it, so I was wondering if anyone could tell me how to change the time on the clock. I've searched the internet for hours and haven't found anything specific to the EP3000.


texts: What should I do about a pin hole leak in pvc water pipe?

texts: I have tried JB Weld products, epoxy, water epoxy, and water tape.  I do not want to replace the pipe--just fix it for now. The pipe is a cold water supply.


texts: How many "zones" should my underfloor heating system have?

texts:
We're putting underfloor heating in our new apartment. On top will be a wooden floor for most of the apartment, stone/tiles in bathrooms and probably also in part of kitchen.

The constructor said that three zones would be enough:

Red zone (office and dining room)
Yellow zone (entrance, kitchen and large bathroom
Green zone (bedrooms, hallway and small bathroom)

Is this a fair and sufficient distribution of zones?


texts:
I have an outlet near a kitchen sink that, as part of a reno, would like to convert to GFCI, and tap into to power a dishwasher.
The existing box has a 12/3 line coming in, and I fished and added 12/2 for the dishwasher. The 12/3 line appears to be a dedicated circuit on a double breaker.
How would I connect the line's black and red, both hot, to the GFCI Outlet.


texts: What type of tool do I need to remove this screw?

texts:
As the title says. I need to remove this type of screw, but don't know what tool to use.

Does anyone know where can I get the screwdriver for this?


texts:
Every once in a while I have a breaker trip when I'm not home.

I have a series of computers running cpu intensive programs and sometimes alt coins which can also be hogs :-). At times there is a huge surge in power consumption and the breakers trip.

Right now the system goes from

the computer's power supply unit to a
wemo which in turn is connected to an
outlet which goes directly to the circuit breaker.

A Belkin Wemo is a device that can be accessed remotely and can be used to turn an outlet on or off. My wemos are connected to a laptop which allows me to turn on  devices remotely.

Every once in a while the circuit breaker trips and I have to wait until I get home to flip things back on. Usually this doesn't matter but if I'm away for a few days it does.

I'm looking for a solution.

I'm thinking about a "something" that would be tripped if there is a surge and I can use a wemo to flip back on. The wemo would be on another circuit.

Computer (PSU) -----> "something"
                           |
                           |
                          wemo

If there is a surge the "something" trips (not the circuit breaker).
I'll have a wemo pinging this "something." If there is no response for x seconds then the wemo shuts it off and turns it back on, effectively resetting the "something."


texts: How to get an Ikea screw mount out of a piece of wood?

texts: I was assembling an Alex desk that I got from Ikea today and I misread the instructions and misarranged a screw mount.


texts: How to put telephone plate back to the wall

texts:
I have this telephone plate in the kitchen and the backsplash tile is brand new.

I don't remember how it looks like before. There were only two wires coming out.

Now I don't want to cut the tile and insert a box. How to actually mount this back into the wall (now tile backsplash)? There is no way to screw in the plate. I am thinking about just superglue into tile somehow. Any advise?

Thanks


texts: How do you remove dry grout on tile. We have tried everything from vinegar to tile cleaner, but nothing is working. Any suggestions?


texts: Old or new water damage on roof interior

texts:
I’ve been in this (100-year old) house 3 years, and this area of the roof has always had marks of past water damage. I looked at it more closely today as we’ve been having a lot of melting and freezing lately (minnesota) and am not sure if it’s getting worse.

Any tips on detecting if there is new water damage here? The wood feels cool to the touch, and hard to feel if it’s damp vs just cool.


texts: How can I seal the large gap around my fireplace in a way that is safe and prevents air inflows?

texts:
I've got a spot by a fireplace that lets cold air in. Unfortunately its right where the metal of the fireplace meets the wooden framing/molding of the fireplace on the inside. This seems like something I should be able to take care of. Its a rather sizable gap (maybe 3/4 of an inch). I didn't think I could caulk such a large gap. I wanted to use some kind of spray insulation such as "Great Stuff", but the label indicates that its flamable (not to mention highly toxic and needs to be covered).

What should I do to cover this gap and prevent air flow in a way that's safe and effective?

With regards to sealing outside

Unfortunately I can't seal the outside without great expense. My home energy auditor has said that its likely that the area surrounding the fireplace is not insulated. He has told me that it would be expensive to gain access to the gap between each stud and blow in insulation.

He suggested sealing the crack on the inside as the most cost effective way to improve the comfort in this room. When he came and used his IR camera, the spot on the floor next to this gap was in the 30's in temperature.

There's a gap between black slate(?) of fireplace and white wooden fireplace frame.


texts: Escutcheon plate doesn't cover hole in tiled shower wall

texts:
I just installed a new shower system and the new escutcheon plate is a little smaller than the old one, leaving a small gap at the bottom of the wall.
It's not terribly noticeable, so I'm not too concerned about it looking bad.
Any ideas on the easiest way to seal this up?


texts: What's a low depth floor joist solution for 2nd floor with 4x4 floor joists?

texts:
My goal is to meet the code requirement for the strength of the floors on a 2nd story for a remodel.
I am remodeling a house where the floor joists supporting the 2nd floor are nominal 4x4 (3.5" x 3.5"). My problem is that by adding lumber of the correct depth (presumably 2x8) the ceiling height will be too low for taste, and potentially for code. The current ceiling height measured to the joist is 7' 10". My goal is to keep the current ceiling height by using aluminum or other metal as low depth joists to strengthen the floor (fitting into the current 3.5" depth).
I'm not an engineer, but I think my problem is that I'm exceeding L/360 deflection limit. Here's the scenario:
The 2nd floor area is a 23' x 20' rectangle (rounding up to the nearest foot). The floor joists run along the 23' length toward the center of the home, and they sit on top of a wall and beam combo with a 3.5" bearing. The joists run to 10' 6" on one side then sit on the wall/beam, and they run 12' 5" on the other side before they lap over the wall/beam. The 4x4 joists are placed at 13" on center. Very odd. Apparently, the 2nd story addition happened in the 70's and survived the 89 earthquake in Oakland CA.
What are your suggestions for keeping the current floor depth, but strengthening the floors so as to reduce deflection specifically, but more generally to meet code requirements for floor strength?
I was thinking of inserting some 3.5" x3.5" aluminum joists alongside the 4x4 lumber to increase strength and reduce deflection.


texts:
I am going to be updating electrical outlets in my house, so today I checked them all with the 3 lamp tester.  Only a few are properly grounded and others not.  One outlet is showing strange behavior.

If washer is connected to the lower outlet, the upper shows proper grounding (lamps 2 & 3 are ON).  But if I disconnect the washer and check again, only 2nd lamp is ON indicating no proper grounding.  Is connecting the washer doing something funny with both receptacles?

Update:

When the washer is connected to a GFCI outlet, it runs uninterrupted without tripping that outlet. I have tested that the GFCI outlet is working as expected (the reset test).
I tested the original non-GFCI outlet in my question with a second 3 prong equipment (a grain mill) and now the receptacle tester illuminates only the middle lamp (i.e. no grounding) as expected.

So it looks like there is definitely some grounding fault with the washer but that doesn't stop it from working either on GFCI or non-GFCI outlets.

Update 2:

It looks like my GFCI receptacle may be wired incorrectly. I can't get it to trip with gfci receptacle tester. In stead, when I press the tester switch, it lights up first and last lamps indicating that neutral and hot are reversed.  I will post another update when I open up the outlet to check.


texts: My home inspector called this a split bus panel and that it should be replaced eventually. Looking at split bus examples, I don't think it is. Was he just confused by the 200Amp double pole braker? Should I have this updated?


texts: I have a chain saw (one of the ones for pruning trees) and the chain popped off.  I went to put it back on but one of the teeth is damaged on the part that slides along the arm of the chain saw.  It looks like it is only this single tooth that is causing the chain not to slide into the arm.  Is there anything I can do to repair the chain or am I going to have to buy a new one?


texts: How should transitions from inside to outside be handled when running a circuit?

texts:
I'm planning a 220v circuit from a subpanel in my garage to an outdoor A/C disconnect for a mini split install. The cable would up run from the panel into the attic, across the garage along a running board, and down into the wall cavity on the appropriate wall. At some point the cable needs to exit the wall cavity into the disconnect.
But I'm unsure of what the common practice is for getting this wire from inside to outside.
Ideally, I wouldn't have to transition to conduit at all, and could just feed the cable in through a cable clamp on one of the knockouts on the back side of the A/C disconnect. However, given the box will be mounted on siding, I'm not sure how easy it will be to get the box flush enough that water intrusion isn't of at least some concern. And, even in this case, I'm not sure what the right way to go into that box is.
So maybe it would make more sense to transition from the wall cavity into flexible water tight conduit and then into the disconnect. Or maybe the solution is to run the entire circuit in conduit from panel to outside?
To try to figure out how this might be handled in a professional install, I checked out my existing A/C unit. There is a 10-2 (w/ground) UF cable which runs from my main panel in the basement, through the joists in the crawlspace, and exits the house here:

Here's the outdoors side, where it connects to the disconnect (which is right out of view at the top of the picture):

It doesn't look like whoever did this install did anything particularly special when exiting the house - there's just a hole, and although I can't see the inside end of that flex conduit, I'd bet that the cable is just "stuck in there".
In general - what's the best practice for making the transition from cable in the stud cavity to that outdoor A/C disconnect box? Should I transition into conduit somehow? Should I feed the cable into the back of the box and caulk it well? Or should I stop overthinking it and just shove the wire into some flex conduit like the people who built my house apparently did? This work will eventually have to pass an inspection as it requires a permit in my jurisdiction.


texts: Why is my new Altura 68" fan so slow moving on high speed?

texts: This is the 2nd fan that I purchased and it moves slow for such a large fan. Do smaller fans run faster? My 1st fan was a Harbor Breeze Saratoga 60" that had an air flow of 7344 CFMs on high speed. I returned it thinking something was wrong with the interior of the fan. Next, I connected Hampton Bay Altura 68" that has an air flow of 8,435 CFM, and to see it run the same speed as my previous fan is dumbfounding. What is wrong with the speed? It's connected to direct current. I have a dimmer switch in the kitchen but didn't connect the wires to it. Please help!


texts: What is the technical name of these water outlet cover plates? They are found below my sink. The hole in the wall is  bigger than the size of the water outlet so I suppose the purpose of these covers is to cover the hole. I want to buy replacements, but can't find them anywhere.


texts: Can I use romex in my unfinished, detached garage or should I use MC?

texts:
I bought my house with an unfinished detached garage.  I will never finish the walls.  The previous owner has junction boxes with romex coming out of them and going to the fixtures.  I've only seen MC or MC Lite used like this.

Is this legal (area dependent, I know) or even safe?  SHould I replace the romex with MC or MC Lite?

Thanks,
Evan


texts: So can I replace a 15single pole breaker with a 30amp single pole breaker with a 10gauge wire to an outlet even though im not going to use that much power? only for lighting building a grow room


texts:
I just moved in into a rented house. Suddenly, usually a few minutes after being turned of, a light bulb goes and flash once.

They're fluorescent and LED lights that flashes once after a random time period (I didn't see any regularity).

It happened at least once on every light.

Any ideas on why it's flashing?


texts: What speaker wire should I use to extend the length?

texts:
I bought the Sony HT-IV300 home theatre system 3 years back.

Specifications ( Impedance levels are mentioned)

For the front speakers, just used the default surrounding speaker wires ( impedance of front = surrounding = 3 ohm), so no worries about them.

I would like to install the surrounding(rear) speakers of 3-ohm impedance on the walls. The wires are concealed.  So, I need to buy the wires to extend up to 30 feet for each speaker.

Online references/readings lead to confusion as everyone stands on their own standard.

Can you guys help me to buy the right wire with right AWG and with a wire gauge chart for distances vs ohm ?
Shall I simply buy 14 gauge wire without thinking too much technical?
As the wires are concealed, should i think of oxygen free copper wires?

Am i really thinking too much?


texts: I want to insulate the ceiling of my garage, to make the family room above it warmer. The problem is that the garage has a finished ceiling (no exposed beams), so how to I affix the insulation to the ceiling? It doesn't need to be pretty. Thanks.


texts: How can I hang a poster on a metallic surface?

texts:
I want to put a poster on the sliding door of my closet, but the doors are metallic, so I can't really punch holes in them.

Also, it goes behind the other door when it slides, so the system holding it cannot be much thicker than the poster itself or the other door won't be able to slide in front of it.

Ideally, it needs to be held as flat as possible and with as little spacing between the poster and the door, as sagging could cause the poster to be torn when the other door slides back and forth in front of the poster.


texts:
I have been replacing some light fixture recently and haven't seen any info on connecting grounds wire together with a wire nut when a)one has been grounded to the green screw on the plate and the other one to the box already. Since there was excess on both grounds, I tied them together with a wire nut as a I am a little paranoid that things can come undone on that loosey goosey green screw that doesn't remain still very often and I might need the length in the future, so I chose not to snip. Is this a little overkill or could this make things worse.

thanks,

on the pic the supply ground is attached to the box (cant really see it)


texts: layman terms: Lengths of not more than 6 feet from an outlet

texts:
Below is an amendment to my village electrical code.

Can someone please help me understand what #2 below means?  Does this mean we can not daisy change can lights using BX?  Can we use use junction boxes to tie it all together, or can we only install can lights using BX when we tie into a wall outlet using 6' or less BX?

I am wondering if I need to hard pipe it all.

Article 333, Armored cable (BX), shall be deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following:
 “Armored cable (BX) is not allowed except for the following installations:

Lengths of not more than 2 feet at terminals where flexibility is necessary and installation is approved by the code official.
Lengths of not more than 6 feet from an outlet for connections within an accessible ceiling to lighting fixtures or equipment.”


texts:
I had the back half acre of my lot cleared of brush and saplings.  There was an old shed that the previous owners left to rot.  It had fallen to the ground and there is now a lot of broken glass and small pieces of debris all over the ground.
Along with the debris, there's a lot mulch type of material.
I want to eventually plant grass.
What is the most efficient way to clean this up?
Is there maybe some sort of big rake that I can pull across the lot?


texts: Can the floor framing in my 1930s bathroom support my tub and shower?

texts:
I've stripped my 2nd floor bathroom to the studs and joists, installed new plumbing and electricity, and moved a few things around. The tub I'm putting in is acrylic, and weighs less than the cast iron tub I removed. But it holds 25 gallons more water. I'm also installing a glass shower enclosure with a tiled shower pan. And that should add about 200lbs. to the floor as well.

My joists span at least 10' but not more than 12'. They are 16" apart, except for the one parallel to a load-bearing wall, which is 24" away, originally designed like that to make room for the waste plumbing of the 1930s.  My question is: what kind of weight can I expect this thing to support? My real concern is the tub. It weighs in at only 105 lbs. But full of up to 60 gallons of water, it could weigh as much as 585 lbs. Do you think the floor can handle it?

I should also add that instead of using 1/4" cement board on the floors, I've poured self-leveling cement. At six bags, it adds at least another 360 lbs. to the floor.


texts: Replace weatherstripping on old Anderson casement windows

texts:
The weatherstripping is damaged or missing on my Anderson casement windows. Not sure of the exact age but they are original and the house was built between 1969-74.

Due to their age, I found replacement parts on a 3rd party website.  They sell the original hard plastic weatherstrip.  http://www.windowparts.com/mobile/Category.aspx?id=221

Should I use the original weatherstrip or would a newer, bulb style weatherstrip a) fit the window and b) make a better seal?


texts: Replacing gas range - OLD gas valve won’t turn off

texts: We’re replacing our gas range. The gas guy told us it was super easy to just shut off the valve and unhook the old one, hook up the new one. But this valve is apparently freaking old! It won’t budge. It almost seems like it’s locked in place, but it doesn’t have a tightening nut like other valves. There’s a hole in the opposite side of the valve, which I took a picture of above. I can’t find anything on YouTube or google that looks like this thing! Please help! So frustrated.


texts: Is it unsafe that these outdoor switches are on a lighting circuit?

texts:
I am in the process of replacing these two outdoor switches with one double gang unit. Reason being that between the two existing units I can see non-weatherproof wiring connecting them together. (Not visible in the image). Plus it's pretty ugly.

On further inspection I've found that the power to these switches is the ceiling lighting circuit from the floor below. It's looped out of the building at ceiling level, then through the switch on the right and back into the building again.
The switches power an outdoor security light (linear halogen type) and two outdoor heaters. (We don't actually use the heaters, but suppose we did). The lighting circuit itself powers a dozen or so LED spotlights.
My question is firstly whether this is legal in the United Kingdom and secondly whether it is a sane or normal thing to do?
Should this wiring be fixed (by a professional of course) or am I good to just replace with double gang switch as planned?


texts: Cracked Cleanout Cover - What to replace it with?

texts: The rusty cast iron drain cleanout in my basement is cracked and I can't seem to find a matching piece at Lowes/Home Depot. The cover is about 5" wide. What would be the best thing I can use to seal this off?


texts: i have a  sunroom, summer time sunroom can be hot over>100 F degree, laminate or vinyl planks which one is better and can tolerated hot weather?


texts: How do I get the bulb holder off of the wire?

texts: There are no screws. I've tried pulling and there's no budging! No obvious signs of anywhere I can put a screwdriver to pop it off. Even if I cut the wires and try to re-wire it, I'm still not sure the actual holder will come apart... Help!


texts: What shape/bends should a bathroom sink drain pipe have to generally comply with US code and avoid clogs?

texts:
Santa Cruz, CA, USA

I think this question might be related to Under bathroom sink piping (exposed) but my question is more general so I decided to post it separately.

I'm in the middle of a bathroom remodel and getting ready to buy/build/connect parts for a sink drain assembly. Things are in the early stages so I don't have precise measurements of the vanity yet.  What I'm wanting to know is:

Generally speaking, what should the recommended shape of drain pipe be?
If a "P" trap is recommended, where should it be located in relation to the height drain outlet on the wall?
Aside from a "P" trap, is there any other specific drain pieces that are recommended?

Here's a picture of the wall (outlet pipe is a 1.5 inch iron pipe).


texts: How can I protect the soleplate when framing basement walls?

texts:
I plan on finishing my basement and I have a specific question about framing the walls and protecting the soleplate.

I plan on framing and setting up the walls BEFORE laying the subfloor, but that means I need to protect the soleplate from moisture. I plan on sealing the entire basement (thankfully it's fairly new and there are no cracks in the floor), but when I anchor the soleplate to the floor, it will obviously break this seal and potentially allow moisture to seep up around the fastener.

Should I do any of the following?

Put caulk/glue under the soleplate where I know I'll be anchoring it
Use washers or some other inorganic spacer to elevate the soleplate off of the concrete
Use a pressure treated soleplate

I would rather not lay dricore first and then frame on top of it as that makes the dricore much harder to remove if there is ever a flooding issue. I'd also prefer the walls to be more stable than if they were anchored to dricore subflooring.


texts:
A bathroom floor's grout is to be whitened.  A Google search listed all sort of remedies including bleach, vinegar, peroxide, commercial solutions.

I would like to avoid having to use a brush and apply a solution with a mop or similar.  If you have experience excellent success with a particular solution, I'd appreciate hearing from you and any lessons-learned.  Thank you


texts: HVAC fan turned off by itself with associated burning smell

texts:
I'm in the PNW and we're dealing with lots of wildfire smoke. Accordingly, I've been running the fan on the HVAC nearly continuously for the last 4 days so that air will go through my electronic filter attached to the system. Last night, I woke up to go to the bathroom and on my way there noticed a faint burning smell coming from the return air vents in the ceiling. I also noticed that even though my Google Nest expected the fan to still be running, it was not blowing air out of the registers.
I turned off the fan and left it off for the rest of the night. This morning, the fan (by itself) or the AC (with the fan) seems to be working correctly. What might have happened here, is it a concern, and is there anything I should do in response?
Edit: Added a picture of the register below the unit I blocked to help with discussion in comments.


texts: Temporary Fix for Leaky Sink Gasket Washer - Putty?

texts:
all. I have a kitchen sink gasket that is leaking small drips between the rubber gasket/washer and the screw ring. It looks like the glue between the pieces and somewhere along the cardboard ring is coming apart.

Is there a way to re-glue or seal the pieces together and stop the leak without having to take things apart? Maybe like a putty or sealable tape that someone can recommend?


texts:
I have a bathroom with a bathtub, toilet, and sink that are all very, very slow to drain. When water drains out of the toilet, it backs up into the tub, and vice-versa.

Here's what the setup looks like.

        Sink   Toilet   Tub
----------+------+----+--+
 < Flow of water <    |
                  Clean out

To the right of the tub there is nothing.

Here's what I've tried:

I had someone (not a professional) auger the clean out and remove some solids (looked like food from the garbage disposal and soap scum).
He removed the toilet, took a hose, and sprayed water into the drain and the water went through the drain pipes no problem. After he put the toilet back on, the problem seemed to be a little better, but still noticeably slow.
Putting some enzymatic stuff in there over the course of a couple weeks
Putting Liquid Plumber down the tub drain and sink
Putting bleach down the tub drain and sink

What else can I do (short of calling a plumber) to troubleshoot this?


texts: Is it safe to use “PushFit” fitting on gas pipes?

texts:
There are many makes of pushfit pipe fittings that make it a lot easer to join pipes, incluing copper pipes, e,g:

John Guest Speedfit
Cuprofit®- copper push fit
Hepworth-HEP20

Are they safe to use on gas?


texts: How do I fix a leak at a decommissioned saddle-valve?

texts:
Water is dripping, about a drop every other second, out of the end of this thing.

what is it?
why is it dripping?
can I fix it myself?


texts: Just installed a new light near an existing one but one stays on, any help?

texts:
I installed a new light fixture near another using the power that comes from the switch (spliced into) and put a box in and took the power off that to my other light which was off that switch to begin with. What happens is I turn the power back on and one light is always on while the other is off, if I throw the switch it shuts other light off and turns other on.

Can someone tell me how to fix or give a diagram please. I have black white and ground. Thanks for any help.


texts:
I am in market to replace my simple A/C control unit with one that integrates with home my z-wave based home automation system. However, before I make the splash and buy a compatible thermostat, I would like to figure out how to actually get it connected.

My current thermostat consists of two parts - a remote control and a wall unit.

I was expecting to find something like this when opening up the unit:

RH - This wire comes from the 24VAC transformer on the heating system.
RC - This wire comes from the 24VAC transformer on the air-conditioning system.
W - This wire comes from the relay that turns on the heating system.
Y - This wire comes from the relay that turns on the cooling system.
G - This wire comes from the relay that turns on the fan.

However, not only the terminal in the A/C unit are marked differently (Gd, Gn, Bk, Bn, P, Y, O, R) but none of them are connected used, instead a single cable is connected to the unit. (see image).

My assumption is that the cable is simply somehow simplifying the connection but is this a standard? Will I be able to use a generic controller with this system?

The manufacturer is Airwell, the remote control says RC-5 on its body. I am not sure what the main unit model is but I can get on a roof if it helps. The air is guided to individual rooms via air ducts near ceiling and there is one big vent in the middle of the flat taking back to the A/C unit.


texts: How can I tell if a contractor is trying to scam me by charging more after starting a job?

texts: I have a remodeling project for about $2,500 and I have already signed the contract. When the contractor was making a new door on the wall he found a wire inside the wall. Now he is asking for an extra $600 to remove the wire; otherwise he cannot continue the project. We orally agreed before that I would pay him an extra $300 for hidden wires. But now he says he needs to charge $600 instead of $300 because the wall is solid. I have no problems paying him $600 but I do not want to be ripped off. I also do not want to terminate the contract and leave a hole on my wall. Is $600 a reasonable number? What are my options?


texts:
Drained tank to clean out. 2 drain pipes located outside wall keep dripping water. Pressure Release valve and drain valve not leaking.
What could be causing leaking to the outside drains?


texts: Toilet and given vertical soil stack and no wall space behind

texts:
I'm planning out a new second floor bathroom in a historic home and I'm not finding many examples.

The best placement for the soil stack is to come up directly under the toilet. The best place for the vent to the roof is about 16" away (horizontally). I also need to run to the shower and sink off in the opposite direction (they have their own vents).

It seems to me the solution here is to branch a 3x3x3 (or 2?) wye off the vertical soil stack for the vent, and then to run a 3x3x2 sanitary tee above that to the shower drain.  I have attached a rough drawing the layout.

Does this all seem about correct? My jurisdiction follows IPC.


texts:
I think I know the calculation for this gang box, but I want to double check.  Specifically, does the light count as a "yoke"?  This is a 15A circuit.
Per my other question (Calculate electrical box volume needed) I see:

3 14/2 coming into the box (count: 6)
4 grounds (count: 1)
No clamps in the box

So that is 7 x 2in (14/2 awg) = 14.
But is the light a yoke?  If so, that is +2 which means 9x2in for 18 needed.
I measured the round box and it is 4" by 2 1/4" (2 1/8" is all I could see in the nec tables) so that would allow for 21.5.
https://images.homedepot-static.com/catalog/pdfImages/48/489b5f43-b7c6-4046-aac8-0f28e57df2d9.pdf
Sound about right?  I am splicing in an outlet off this circuit and it would save me from putting up another gang box before the light.


texts: Which way do you run hardwood flooring to make the room look bigger?

texts: Our living room is 15 wide by 16 long, which way should we run the hardwood to make the room look bigger?  I don't know if the colors matter but just in case it does,  the walls are a beige color and the hardwood is a chocolate brown color.


texts: We had our new washing machine recently installed and I noticed tonight that it looks like the men who did the installation basically inserted whatever length of drain hose was available into the stack pipe (I’m not sure how far down it goes but I know it is more than 4 inches).  Is this definitely going to be a problem in the future or will it most likely be ok as it is?


texts: Should the tester start flickering when I touch my chandelier's top wiring cover?

texts:
(First time quiestion here, so correct me if something's wrong)

I recently installed a lamp on the ceiling (a metallic chandelier). Two wires connected to the ceiling (one phase and one "zero"). The grounding is connected to the top metallic part  of the chandelier (the cover for the wiring). So everything is pretty much ok - the thing works as expected, all 5 lamps work and give light.

The problem: when I touch that top metallic part (the wiring cover) of the chandelier with a tester it starts flickering (a have this "pencil"-looking model of a tester). So basically some voltage there on that thing, but it is not stable - the led in the tester turns on and off at random. It is also not some temporary thing - I tried holding the tester there for longer times and it does not stop.

So the question is - should it be this way? Did I do something wrong? I mean there is not much to connect there - two wires in the ceiling (no grounding) and two wires in the chandelier. Help, please.

UPDATE

Ok, I just returned from the apartment. And I am getting a bit suspicious - the tester I got lights up even when close to pretty much any wire (the wires I tried were all isolated). The LED inside it does not go full-power though - it is quite dim when testing those wires. So, basically, it is getting some phantoms there. So again - I am starting to think that the tester I have is not going to help to find out anything. And I still do not have a volt meter so it will be a trip to the hardware store for me.

Just in case - I get no readings whatsoever with lights off. And I double-checked the neutral - it does not touch anything. In any case - I think I need a proper tester before proceeding.

UPDATE 2
Problem was solved. I was a bit (or a lot) stupid and got the wrong tester. I tried it out with a simple wire and got a reading (as indicated in the previous update). And then I got a normal tester that did not get any readings on any parts of the chandelier. I also tried it out with the phase wire coming out of the ceiling and it did light up (that way I ensured that the tester works). So again - thanks for your answers, guys. They really helped a lot.


texts: Are our cracked roofing tiles dangerous?

texts:
We had some felt replaced on our roof a couple of months ago. After the job had been done I went up the scaffolding and took a look at the outside of the roof. See photos at the bottom of this post. I noticed some cracked tiles which I photographed but didn't think much of it.
Just a couple of days ago someone came to clean our gutters, and upon completion they told me that our cracked tiles are dangerous and we should get the roof replaced urgently.
Are they really dangerous? Or is this just a cosmetic problem?


texts: Is this ground attached to the wrong water pipe?

texts:
I recently noticed that I have ground wires attached to metal water pipes in my home, as shown in the following image.

The area marked A is where the water service enters the home with that blue handled valve being the main shut off.

The area marked B shows two exposed wires (assumed grounds) that are secured to the pipe which is the water heater's outgoing pipe.

Am I incorrect in thinking that the grounds should be secured to the other pipe, the one that brings water service into the home?


texts: Gravel and Cement Use for Chain Link Fence

texts:
I've seen different recommendations online so I'm looking for some clarification. I'm building a 4' tall chain link fence.

1) Do the terminal and line posts need 4" of base gravel in the post holes? I understand the need to do this for wood posts so they don't rot, but I don't know the reasoning for the galvanized steel posts. Some sources say you need the gravel.

2) Do the line posts need cement? I know the terminal posts need it, and most sources state that the line posts should have it too, but I've seen it both ways.

3) The fence I'm installing is replacing an old rotted wood fence. The previous owner had soil against the wood fence in some spots, which created a 6" drop from one side of the fence, to the other. Should I flatten this area, or should I just install the fence in the same spot as the old one? See drawing below for clarification.


texts: So I'm trying to build a garden pond but I don't have any power. Is it possible to have a pond that doesn't require a pump for circulation? I do plan on having fish and so plants


texts: Where can I find replacement handles for windows from 1956?

texts: I have 22 windows in my old house and they all need new handles/openers before I can move out in one month.  Can only find a name in a scroll font on the inside of the pane, but I cannot read it. Does anyone know who used an old scroll font for putting in the name of the company who built the window? Gotta then find the handles.


texts:
I have replaced a bathroom outlet with a GFCI. The first outlet from the circuit breaker is the bathroom outlet.

The circuit then goes to a switched light outdoors, a switched light to a hallway, then to 3-way switches for kitchen ceiling lights.  When I power on the circuit the bathroom outlet, the outside light, and the hallway light all work correctly.

When I turn on the kitchen lights from either switch, the GFI trips.  The power into the GFCI outlet is connected to the LINE, the output is connected to the LOAD side.

Is it possible to have the 3-way switches for the kitchen lights work properly with this GFCI receptacle?

Thanks


texts: How to overwinter a roof during construction?

texts:
I am building a new detached garage, and the forecast this weekend is just warm enough that I plan to get my trusses and roof sheathing up.

My sheathing is 5/8" plywood (not OSB). It's a single car garage, 12' by 20'.

However, the weather won't be above 40F / 4C until the spring, so I won't be able to shingle for some time.

How should I protect the bare roof sheathing to best survive the winter?

I am in Wisconsin, USA, so expecting lots of wind, snow, and frigid cold.

These are the options I am thinking of - are there better alternatives?

Install tar paper underlayment and ice dam only
Install underlayment / ice dam and spread a tarp or plastic over the whole thing
Tarp over the bare sheathing


texts:
for a jukebox restoration project (changing T12 lamps to T8 by replacing lamp + ballast, the juke uses one ballast and starter per lamp), I am looking for the correct starter of the TL lamp.

The juke states that it uses FS5 and FS2 starters, the lamps are currently F20T12 and F4T5.

Would I be correct in assuming that these both can be replaced with the newer S10 starter by philips ?
https://www.amazon.de/dp/B00BFT1RC0/ref=zg_bs_10388864031_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=CZDKH5B6TX3JA17JQYEM


texts: I have a antique dining table with pedestal type legs on each end. The table has no support piece across the length because it also has leaves and a drop leaf on each end. how can I stabilize this table? it rocks back and forth while you eat if anyone leans on it.


texts: How do I install a single-pole switch w/ pilot light?

texts:
I am trying to replace a very old one-way switch with a pilot light (light comes on when the switch is on). The original switch was extremely old, and used quick-install terminals ONLY. Even worse, whoever installed it shoved both hots into one port, and both neutrals into another port. None of them were labelled, and there were no colored screws to go by.

The new switch is a Leviton 5618-2w.

I shut off the power, cut the old wires, put on some wire nuts, and have ID'd which romex is the line and which is the load. Two romex cables come into the box, so I have 2 neutrals (white), 2 hots (Black), and 2 grounds (bare copper).

The switch I am trying to install has 3 terminals as shown below, excluding the ground.

Now the issue I'm running into is the wiring diagram doesn't make any sense to me. I have attached it below.

What would make the most sense is that the silver terminal would take both neutrals, and the brass would take the load side hot/black wire. Then the common port (WTF do they call it common in this instance? Common is only used for 3 way switches I thought) would take the hot line cable. I did this, but the pilot light would not shut off, and the light in our attic wouldn't come on, so that is wrong.

When you forego the neutrals by splicing them together and leave the silver terminal disconnected, the light in the attic works, but the pilot light does not work. So, that isn't right either.

I then tried to wire both hots to the same terminal, and both neutrals to the silver terminal (as was done on the original) and when I turned it on it killed the breaker. At this point I am lost, so any advice would really be helpful. I was hoping to get this done before I lose daylight since there's no way to get another light in the room and I don't want to work by maglight :) Sadly Leviton's tech support line is open craptastic hours so calling them isn't possible.


texts: Why does lint come into our bathroom when the dryer is running

texts: Why does dryer lint come into my bathroom through the air vent?  Is there a leak in the dryer vent pipe?  We just got our dryer vent cleaned.


texts: Is there a recessed floor box for a water supply?

texts:
You know how they have those floor boxes that set in concrete with a  flush cover, and when you open it there's electrical outlets inside, but when closed it's flat like the floor and not in the way? (like this)

Do they make something like that for water? Something that can go in the floor of the garage or utility room with a metal cover on top that can get walked on but not tripped over... but if you want a hose, you can flip the cover up and screw a hose into it?

I'm fairly certain I've seen something like this in a commercial setting before, but have no idea what it's called, and Google is returning garbage as usual. Do they make these? What are they called?


texts: Valid number of Cat 6 + Coax cables for pipe conduit?

texts:
Here's some old wiring done in my absence as my parents could only monitor so much.

Hate the use of Skinnier version on Flexi Pipe that won't allow any movement or pull once initial install is done. Crappy.
(Hidden behind the black pipe)

2 Cat 6 + 1 Coax

It comes out over here at one of these pipes. I forget which one (we traced it w physical push pull)

Conduit Pipe is 3/4 or 1 inch. Need to check in morning.

Now I saw a link on SE which showed 5 cables inside a 3/4 inch conduit.
How many CAT6 cables can fit in 3/4 conduit?   + 2nd Answer shows Chart with different variations.

This old school electrician guy is helping me out so we trying to figure out & have some debates.

He is saying there's no way we can add a 3rd Cat 6 given the thick Coax we have.
Now I'm wondering if this was due to the flexible piping being the cause of his thought.

If we were to avoid flexible Pipe and do the following;

Only straight Runs
only use pull/ junction boxes or none at hidden turn locations (concealed above ceiling)
Use straight or 135 degree angle at 1-2 places through a wall (if at all we have to do that) will try to avoid.

What kind of Cat 6 + Coax additions/ increases could we do to the existing bunch?

Or do we for for 1" or a Second Conduit to add more.  Thoughts?

Assume new conduit and flexible piping drama / flaws be eliminated.


texts: Fluorescent light wont work after replacing starter and bulb

texts: I have 2 single bulb fluorescent lights that do not turn on after replacing the bulb and starter.  What else could be preventing the light from turning on?  ANy advice on what should I check? Thanks


texts: Where did all the 80 gallon water heaters go?

texts:
My 20 year old State brand 80 gallon electric water heater is going bad finally.
I went to the big box store and found they no longer carry a 80 gallon standard type water heater. The plumbing supply house said they are no longer making old style heater over 55 gallon, something about government pushing for more energy efficient ways to heat water.

What happened to them?


texts:
I'm planning to buy crystal chandelier that weigh 200lb. We will be replacing existing chandelier in the two storied foyer (height 18 feet). Current chandelier is installed using electric metal box on 2x6 inch lumber installed between the joists. I have good access to attic and joists are 2x6 inch and spaced 16" apart. There is no other load on the joists (than the roof). Chandelier installation braces sold in stores and online are at the most rated for 150lb capacity. Questions i have:
1) Can I hang 200lb chandelier safely on 2x6 inch joists without causing damage to the joists (by overloading them) or to ceiling (because of joist deflection)?
2) what type of hardware available for installing heavy chandelier - any link appreciated.
3) seems like standard method of installing chandelier using electric box using screws may not be appropriate for 200lb chandelier - what technique should one employ to install heavy chandelier?
4) Is this something a DIYer can do it (i installed one chandelier in dining area) or are there more structural issues that I need to tackle?

Thanks in advance.


texts: J Channel Looks Wrongly Installed And How To Fix (Water Leak)

texts:
I recently moved homes. I am getting a pretty bad leak above a window. I assumed it was the flashing, but before I even got that far I noticed the J Channel looks very wrong (to my amateur eyes).

There is a large gap in this image taken from above. First of all, I wanted to get confirmation this is incorrect. Secondly, if so, what is the best solution?

I checked a few other windows and now I am pretty sure all 20+ of my windows have this gap in the J Channel.

Edit: Below is a picture of the window under the siding. Would the flashing be under the black stuff? Or does this mean there is no flashing? If none, does anyone have a go-to how-to video or it is easy to DIY?

Edit 2: I used a water bottle to dump a few liters of water over the J channel. No leak. I decided to go up to the next weak point, a bathroom vent. I poured 1 liter of water all around it and it leaked! I freed the piece of siding under the vent (see pictures below). The water seems to be going behind the black stuff.

Is there a quick fix to prevent further leakage?
What is a good permanent solution?


texts: Any issue with using 16 gauge speaker wire for powering LED light strips?

texts:
I have a roll of this speaker wire, if I'm powering regular 12v and/or 24v LED light strips, (non-RGB, only has 2 wires), is there any issue using it? It's a thicker gauge than the normal wiring used.

I’m thinking the farthest run might be 30 feet or so from the power supply.

Any issues with this in regards to voltage drop or resistances?


texts: What is this blue build-up on my pipes, and is it an issue?

texts:
I've looked around the intertubez, and think this MIGHT be galvanic corrosion, but there was NO sign of it when we bought our 1930's house 5 years ago. The Taco pump WAS replaced 3 years ago (that's when I learned about airlocks, too!)... the old one had no "corrosion" issues, the new one clearly does. Did the plumber miss a step in terms of separating the connecting surfaces with something? I recently replaced the pump servicing the upstairs rooms (again, user error, based on faulty instructions), and the piping on either side of the new pump appears to be starting to corrode as well.

The auto-pressure valve on the cold water inlet to the heating system has never been touched, so why it's doing the same thing is beyond me at this point.

IS this corrosion, and if so, how can it be prevented/cleaned up?

[


texts: Much higher energy use, maybe due to an old electrical heater?

texts:
We had an 100% increase of power consumption last and this year.

It is mostly the night-tariff, which we now consume 27'000 kWh
The day-tariff is only around 2'500 kWh.

First we thought this may be due to our new computers, but then the day tariff would need to be high too.

So the only reason could be the electrical heater and water boiler.
Both of which are the same for at least the last 10 years, so it kinda doesn't make sense that it went up so much.

So my thought was, could it be that this year for example one rod in the electrical heater corroded which lead to higher resistance => More power draw?

Or do you have any other explanation?

Thanks!


texts: Mounting articulating Arm for TV (43”) to wall with metal studs

texts: I’d like to mount an articulating arm for my 43” TV in my basement, however have metal studs unfortunately. The mount is made for a single stud install. Luckily I have access to the back side of the wall, and could work from there. Could I install a wood stud next to the metal stud and mount that way? Or would a large piece of plywood between the studs behind the drywall be a better approach with some toggle clamps holding it in place? I don’t really want plywood on the outside of the wall if possible. Thanks for the help!


texts: LED downlights working in conjunction with bathroom fan

texts:
There are 3 led downlights and an extractor fan wired with a bathroom fan isolator and separate light switch. The light switch also, when on, provides the live connection to the fan isolator switch, ensuring the fan is not left on permanently when the lights are switched off.(3rd wire provides timer circuit for fan to run on).
Lights are full brightness when fan is off but dim when the fan runs. I am assuming this is due to the led lamps/drivers being starved of current. They are both fed from the same lighting circuit. Previous arrangement was a filament lamp in single fitting so I assume effects would be less.


texts: Why is there water dripping from my ceiling AC vents?

texts:
I have a one story house with hot water heat. The house also has forced air AC ducts running from the attached garage, in the attic, down into the living room, bedrooms, and kitchen. At certain times throughout the winter, water will drip from those vents. I believe it is from condensation forming in the ducts, and dripping down into the house.

If this is the reason, how do I resolve this?


texts: I'm installing a mini-split system in my shop, but realize I’ll probably need to move the outdoor unit in 6-12 months. Does it make sense to try to add a pair of valves to each line to allow them to be detached without losing refrigerant? Is that even possible?


texts:
I am building a shelf similar to the one here, but mine is going to be against a dark wall. I think it would look nice if I could paint the wood white, but still allow the texture to show through. (I will be using a plank instead of plywood.)

Is white "stain" available for this?
Is it just a whitewash that I need?
Will a lighter or darker piece of wood give better results?


texts: There was a leak in our utility shed area about 8' x 6'. The construction of the shed is plywood with stucco covering. The handyman that repaired the rotten wood installed plywood over the rotten wood between the 2x4 inside the shed, and caulked all the seams on the plywood walls and under the roof. Is this an acceptable way to repair the problem? Will the mold and mildew go away, or will the 2x4's continue to rot?


texts: What might be causing leaks in my roof and ceiling?

texts:
We had a new roof put onto our kitchen extension because water marks were appearing on the ceiling.  For a year, this seemed to stop any further water coming through.  in the past week or so more water has been coming through and has actually caused rips in the paper covering the ceiling and also you can see a grid of where the water seems to be running down the joists - quite extensive and worrying especially with more rain to come.

We are trying to get hold of the roof people as it is under guarantee, but I think we need to address the potential problems being caused with wet joists as this seems to be getting worse each day with more wet patches and more worryingly is now going underneath one of the upstairs bedrooms.

Does anyone know what I should have looked at in the first instance?  I don't think the roofers do internal stuff so may not be much help.  I feel I will need to call someone else out and quickly as I don't want some serious damage to occur - I've not had to deal with this kind of issue before.

Thanks


texts: We have already laid baseboard in both rooms but when we got to where they meet, two different levels. Is there a way to put maybe a sloping piece so they meet? What should I do? The flooring has about a half inch difference.   Also one side is at a corner and the other is just at a straight wall


texts: Is there any legitimate reason to have a direct vent between utility room and attic?

texts:
I've been doing some sealing and insulating in my attic, and discovered a purpose built vent directly from the utility room into the attic space.  See most of these photos

The house is in a townhome/condo; it is second floor over the garages, so I don't have a basement.  The utility room (furnace, water heater, laundry) opens directly into the kitchen.  Two registers in the utility room open directly into into the wall space, the top of which space had a vent pipe attached to keep the loose insulation out.

Does this make any sense at all?  If it does have a purpose, is there a better way to accomplish it than a hole in my ceiling?


texts: How can I get rid of gnarly roots in an outdoor French drain without hiring/renting a roto rooter

texts:
I have a natural spring on my property. Without proper drainage, my backyard quickly turns into a mud pit.

The pipes we put in filled within two years as you can see from the photo below. I have since learned how to correctly put in a French drain (so no need to inform me of that) and have replaced the bottom hundred feet of pipe.

But the first 25 feet or so of the drain is under about 3 feet of dirt and I do not want to dig it up, at least until summer comes and things dry up. So for the time being I was wondering what the cheapest, easiest, best solution is to removed roots from the pipe.

If I shove my arm up the pipe and spread my fingers out and grab around the entire ball of roots, it is fairly easy to pull them out. But if I just grab from the center (if that makes sense) the roots will just break and come out in small chunks.

I was thinking of maybe making a homemade roto rooter, but had no idea of where to start... It would also work a lot better if my homemade device could grab the entire diameter of the pipe and pull the roots out that way.

Thank you for your ideas and comments :)


texts: Found a buried ~2 in ABS pipe near my foundation, what could it be used for?

texts:
I was digging a hole to plant a new tree near my home and while digging I found a 2 inches (or 1 1/2 - I didn't measure it) ABS pipe (the same you use for a sink drain in a bathroom) buried about 2-3 inches deep and about 1 foot away from the foundation. I don't know where it comes from or where it goes. It's on the side of the house, between my house and the neighbor house.

I was wondering what could it be.

Some more infos:

House was built in 1970, but I don't know when this pipe was installed (bought the house last year)
Region is Québec, Canada
House has a basement so the floor of my basement is about 7 or 8 feet below that pipe


texts: Hot water running out, already replaced both heating elements and both thermostats

texts: Our hot water runs out during one not-too-long shower.  By the end of the shower, I have the cold water completely off and the hot water coming out is only lukewarm.  My husband already replaced both heating elements and both thermostats.  What else could be causing this?


texts: Should I install a damper above my return air duct for better upstairs cooling?

texts:
I have a finished basement, ground floor, and upstairs. The ground floor and basement cool nicely with the AC. The upstairs doesn't cool very well.

The returns are really just holes in the drywall- there are no ducts behind them. The ground floor has a 30"x6" return vent. The upstairs has that plus 2 15"x7" return vents. I checked last night and there does seem to be decent movement of air into the big upstairs return (one or both of the other two seemed significantly weaker).

My primary question is if it makes sense to block air behind the wall above the upstairs ducts? I'm thinking of using expanding spray foam. My reasoning is it would help seal the inside and create better suction.

I'm open to other ideas too. Since I moved in 4 years ago, I've:

had the attic insulated
had the ducts cleaned and sealed
put supply register boosters on 2 upstairs bedrooms
increased the HVAC blower fan speed


texts: How do I open this flush ceiling light to change the bulb?

texts:
I am trying to open this flush ceiling light fixture to change a burned out bulb, but I can't figure out how to open it for the life of me.

It looks like this:

I am not sure what the brand or model of the light fixture is, but I was able to find a similar light fixture on this website (http://www.galaxy-lighting.com/item.aspx?item=24826), but there are only minimal installation instructions!

So far, I have tried unscrewing the screws around the base and then twisting counter-clockwise, pulling straight down, and wiggling it around. I tried using (what I thought was) some considerable force in all these actions, but it won't expose the light bulbs inside. At this point, I'm afraid of breaking it if I use too much strength.

Does anyone have any experience with this type of ceiling light fixture?

Update: I was able to take off the cover. It required a counter-clockwise twist after removing the screws. I had tried that, but it required a lot more force than I was comfortable using. It had guides along the glass cover to tighten the glass piece to the metal base, kind of like a lid on a jar. I think that after 6 years or so, it must have settled tightly into place, and when I was able to finally get it to twist, I actually ended up breaking the glass cover because it jerked open. I wasn't wearing gloves, but thankfully I didn't cut myself.

While I was at it, I changed the other ceiling light in my hallway and was able to take it off without too much trouble after "wiggling" the cover for a little bit before twisting it off. It also jerked out of place, but it didn't break. I took a picture of the cover, in case it helps someone else in the future.


texts: Basement floor is damp and the top of my foundation is cracking after air sealing the attic?

texts: Two months after having my attic professionally air sealed and insulated, the basement floor became damp and the top of the foundation started to show signs of horizontal cracking.  Humidity levels in the living space are also high.  The house is a one story ranch with a brick veneer.  A gas hot water heater and dryer vent were also added to basement.


texts: How do weather conditions affect pouring a concrete foundation?

texts:
I'd like to understand how weather conditions affect pouring a concrete foundation.

Are there concerns about pouring a foundation during cold, snowy, rainy, or otherwise inclement weather?  Is it safe to do so, and can it affect the longevity of the concrete?  Are there other considerations?  Extra cost?

What precautions should I request in a contract to ensure the foundation is poured effectively?  Are there tests that can be performed prior to pouring and/or temperature limits that should be maintained?


texts:
I live in a dorm and my ceiling lamp died, i wanted to know how to remove this cover?
it is attached flush to the ceiling, i tried rotating it both ways and also tried pulling it, but it wont come off.
I noticed that its feels a bit springy when I pull it, but I fear i will break it if i pull it too hard.
can anyone help me??


texts: Overtightened tank bolts and caused cracks. What are my options?

texts:
In my case, the tank is intact, but the bolt hole in the base cracked off. The bowl itself is fully intact and water-tight. This is the bolt that holds the tank down to the base, not the bolt that holds the base down to the floor.

Do I have any options other than replacement? I was considering epoxy, but I'm not sure how long something like that would last.


texts:
We are considering adding a deck to the top of our flat roof detached garage, if the necessary work involved is reasonable.  The garage is 20' deep x 28' wide separated into 3 bays, the widest of which is 12'.

The current framing on the two interior walls is a conventional double top plate on top of 2x4 studs 16" oc, supporting 2x6 joists.  The exterior walls however have a 1x8 ribbon/ledger let in to support the joists. Presumably this was done to support the parapet, and could end up being convenient if we can attach railing to.

Is the ribbon sufficient to support the live deck loads?  Based on the span, I think 2x8 joists would be enough, and these could be fit by notching the ends to rest on the existing ribbon and top plate.

If the ribbon isn't enough, are there any straightforward ways of retrofitting a stronger wall system?


texts: How can I install drawer slides so that they line up and work properly?

texts:
I've got some drawer slides I want to use in some garage cabinets:

How can I make sure I install them accurately so that the drawer fits nicely and lines up right where I want it? If someone could provide a clear, complete tutorial it would be a big help to me and lots of other people.


texts:
I would like to install my xpole in my apartment but I am unable to find the stud in the ceiling.  According to my stud finder the entire ceiling is metal.  Can anyone help?  I am in a 24 story concrete highrise.

Thanks so much!!


texts: Barcode how many outlets can you put on a 14-2 Wire


texts: Practical advice needed on house with no earth/ground

texts:
I've just bought a 4th floor apartment in an old (1820) building in Spain. Neither my apartment, nor the building as a whole, has any earth circuit.

I'm looking for practical, technical advice on what steps I can take to minimise risks of injury or equipment damage caused by this arrangement. Longer term, can anybody suggest what installing a building ground circuit would entail? My apartment backs onto a small service courtyard (called a "patio" here), so for example, it's relatively easy for me to run a cable to ground level.

update...

The service input goes to an old Siemens schutzschalter which is labelled as 30mA. The output of the Siemens goes to a single 20A circuit breaker which then feeds all of the lights and sockets in the apartment.

Pressing the Test button on the Siemens has no effect, so I'm guessing that's not giving me a whole bunch of protection. Since it's wired directly to the supply, it will take time to organise the electricity company to intervene. Therefore, is it reasonable for me to add a second RCB (https://www.bricodepot.es/productos/electricidad/proteccion-electrica/proteccion-modular/diferencial-bipolar), alongside the breaker to provide the RCB protection? There is ample space in the consumer unit for it.

I should also explain that the whole apartment is scheduled for renovation, including rewiring. Thus I'm looking for what I can do quickly to address any safety issues for the interim.

Existing

mains ===> Siemens ===> 20a breaker ====> lights and sockets

Proposed

  mains ===> Siemens ===> New RCB ===> 20a breaker ====> lights and
  sockets


texts: Is it possible to install pocket doors in the cavity of an external wall?

texts: Is it possible to install pocket doors in the cavity of an external wall, it will be an internal door as it's between a room and a conservatory. The cavity does have foam in it though.


texts: Hanging drywall on taller than 8-foot walls

texts:
I have a concrete slab porch that was made into a family room by the previous owner. They used paneling on the walls and I'm going to remove that paneling and replace it with drywall. The top of the wall has wood trim all the way around. That wood is damaged to some extent and I'm thinking of just removing it all. However, that would make the total height for the walls 8ft 8inches. So how should I hang the drywall?
If I take 4x8 sheets, mounted horizontally, I would have 8 inches uncovered. Where should that 8 inches be? Should I mount one drywall sheet at the top and one at the bottom and patch the 8 inches in-between? Put the 8-inch section at the top? At the bottom?


texts: Hello: I am a diy and am relocating a gas fireplace. It backs on an outside wall with one floor joist parallel to the wall under the fireplace. The joist is 2x10 x25ft. Beneath is a wall on an concrete basement floor that crosses at 18ft, 2x4 with no header but shimmed at the top( its a finished basement so it’s hard to see what is what) The base of the fireplace is centred on the 25ft span and is 20 x 77 inches. A lot of the construction is fastened to the wall with 4 inch screws to the 12ft peak. So far it weighs about 700lbs but I have yet to apply a stacked stone floor  to ceiling finish. How much further in weight can I go? Should I build a concrete footing beneath in the basement?


texts: Used 12/2WG NMB wire for internal recessed LED lights, is that bad?

texts:
I had some 12/2WG NMB wire left over and decided to use it rather than buying some 14/2 in order to wire some indoor recessed internal LED lights.

Other than the fact that it was a pain to work with, is it bad to use a wider wire than required?

Unfortunately, I'm only thinking about it now after the fact, I think I should be OK, but I am super paranoid about electrical.


texts: HVAC not quite reaching the loft/attic floor of my apartment in an old home

texts:
Hoping someone might have a solution for this problem. I've got an HVAC guy coming in a few days, but it's always good to have some other opinions, and to have some people who can help me come up with some questions I can ask the guy when he comes out :)
I've just moved into the upper floors of an older home. The "main" floor of my apartment (technically the 2nd floor) is mostly open concept, save for the bathroom and bedroom. There's a staircase to the loft area that's also open (no doors), but is small (low, vaulted ceiling, have to duck or lean to the side while climbing the stairs).
At some point, my landlord had redone the majority of the inside of the house, opening things up, etc. I BELIEVE she also added HVAC at this point,  though there IS an old iron vent or two in the floor on the main floor, so I'm not sure what those would've been used for. She did, however, run a vent duct up to the loft area.
The problem:
It doesn't seem to be doing much, as there's not as much cold air coming out of it as some of the other vents, and the room is still unusably hot (27-30C / 81-86F).
From crawling through the crawlspace, I can see that the vent up there uses flexible (and insulated) ductwork, goes to where the roof meets the floor of the attic at the back of the house, then travels down the wall of the main floor and connects with the vent in the bathroom. This bathroom vent provides adequate cooling though - it's just not reaching the top floor.
I'm fortunate enough that the landlord is extremely great and understanding regarding this issue, and for previous tenants, she had bought a portable air conditioner for that loft area. UNfortunately, the unit is very very loud (Too annoying to keep in what I want to be either a bedroom or office, especially with the echoey nature of the room), needs to be vented through a window (meaning running a vent tube up the only usable wall in the space), and just generally doesn't work that well. All 3 of these make using it pretty pointless.
She's open to suggestions, and seems willing to put some money into fixing it, though I'm not sure how much. Here's the space:

Wherein grey floors and yellow walls represent the space I'm cooling, blue floors represent the crawlspace, and the red line represents the duct tube / vent in the bathroom on the main floor. The darker yellow wall is the one the vent is connected to in the loft.
Here's a photo of the space / vent in question, and of the outside:

What are my options here?

Possibly some sort of duct booster / fan to help draw up some of the air that's reaching the bathroom?
Possibly adding a return vent? I'm not sure how complicated that is, but having access to the crawlspace might make it easier. But come to think of it, I don't remember seeing any return vents (as I know them, at least)... is a return-less HVAC system something that exists?
Adding a ceiling fan. Though I'm not sure if there's enough head room to do that, nor is there wiring for a ceiling light. Though maybe that could be installed? Thoughts?
Getting a split A/C system. Though there'd still be the problem with noise, and there's no good place to install the outside portion.
Is there an A/C system I could keep in the crawlspace (reduced noise) that would be able to vent air through the roof with one hose, and vent cold air into the room through the existing hole with another?

I'm not sure what else. Any suggestions? You can see in the photos of the back of the house, there are some pipes / vents in the roof, but I can't seem to figure out what they're connected to.