texts: have busted cast iron drainage (services kitchen sink, dishwasher and bar sink.  Have located area that is broken in wall behind bar sink but and not able to remove/replace pipe myself as the break is in the area that immediately goes under slab/foundation of house.  Anyone have ANY suggestions?


texts: Three-way switch problem, potentially faulty

texts:
I have a fairly specific question related to three-way switches. While I understand in principal how they work and how to wire them (I think anyway), my specific wiring is not generating the expected results. Here is the current wiring:

----------       Switch 1:       Switch 2:               ---------
| Power  |---B---Common          Common------W---X---B---| Light |
| source |---W   Traveler----B---Traveler            W---|       |
----------   |   Traveler----R---Traveler            |   ---------
             |                                       |
             ----------------X------------------------

Legend:
B = Black wire
W = White wire
R = Red wire
X = Splice/wire nut

The expected result is that both switches can independently control the light. The observed result is that one switch overrides the other (the overriding switch must be on for the light to be on, and, if it is on, the other switch will cause the light to flicker when toggled, but will not actually turn it off).

Given the above, am I doing something wrong or could one or both of my switches be faulty? (They are brand new, but at this point I'm having difficulty finding another explanation.) Thanks!


texts: Cupric chloride on pressure relief valve of gas water heater

texts:
I found more cupric chloride on my pressure relief valve after back from a 2 weeks vacation, should I worry about it? And, what should I do before turn on the gas water heater?

It used to has some cupric chloride before, but not that much. It may already gain more cupric chloride but I didn't notice it before.

Thanks


texts:
I've got a problem with some recessed lighting.

We have 8 recessed lights on a circuit that is controlled by a timer so we can leave them on/off for set periods.  Five lights are indoors and three are outdoors, under an extended overhang.  When we moved into this location, one of the three outside lights did not work.  This one is positioned on the right.  After we were here a year, all of the old floodlight bulbs were replaced with LED bulbs.  Some time in the year after that, the light in the center stopped working as well.  Currently, only the leftmost exterior light works and all of the interior lights work.  There is no attic access to this area.  All of the bulbs have been tested and work fine elsewhere.  Never had a breaker trip.  Tested the sockets of the two nonworking bulbs with my voltage indicator and it agreed with the bulbs - no power.

The boxes for these lights are all mounted right beside them up in the fiberglass filled hellhole of an overhang but I can't see them or see how to get them loose.  I've managed to get a horrible picture or dozen with my phone - enough to see that the wiring looks to be in good shape and that any connections must be actually in the boxes (never know with these really old buildings).

Where's my best bet for trying to solve this and get the lights working?  I've put away a lot of the more pressing projects and I'd like to get these back in commission before the long dark of winter.


texts: Switching off dimmable LED flashes then switches back on

texts:
I tried to swap out a 70W 240V incandescent bulb with a dimmable 8.8W 220-240V LED. The switch is a dimmer switch, which probably has an old leading edge driver (the building is old).

This mostly worked fine; the bulb switches on to full brightness and can be dimmed (though not especially dim). However after leaving the bulb on for some time, it refused to switch off. The bulb would dim down to almost off, strobe at about 2-3Hz at low brightness for a couple of seconds, then switch back on to full brightness. After trying a few times, I have swapped it back to the old bulb.

On another circuit with the same type of dimmer, I swapped out a cluster of 3× 50W incandescent bulbs for 3× 4.7W dimmable LEDs with no (apparent) problems.

The dimmer switch is an unusual type which I haven't been able to find online:

The black dot in the middle seems to be a rolling ball (the rest is immobile). It functions such that tapping acts as an on/off switch, while "swiping" a finger up or down changes the brightness. Even before trying an LED it sometimes behaved oddly (e.g. gradually switching on then immediately gradually switching off with no further interaction).

From what I have read, it seems that the new bulb is probably below the minimum wattage for the dimmer, but I'm trying to understand why it switches back to full brightness.

Will I need to get the dimmers replaced to make this work? Would a slightly higher wattage LED work fine?


texts: Replacing an Apartment Light Fixture that has a Built-In Switch

texts:
I am hoping to replace a vanity light in my bathroom over my sink and I have already gone ahead and ordered a light fixture. However, I realized I may have made a mistake in choosing the new one...

The current light is a cheap, small fluorescent fixture with a built-in switch. It is not connected to a wall switch. The new light does not have a built-in switch. So now I'm concerned that the new light will simply be on permanently with no way to turn it off. This is an apartment I rent, so I can't really tear the wall apart to do rewiring.

Interestingly, though the current light functions independently, sometimes it doesn't turn on until I flick the room lights. Then it immediately comes to life! So it must be connected to the light switch somehow even though that switch doesn't control it otherwise.

So I guess this is really two questions in one.

First: What are my options of replacing an "independent" light with a "dependent" one? I read somewhere that there is a switch you can add to a fixture to use it independently, but I'm not sure how that works.

Second: Should I be concerned about the wiring, if I sometimes have to jumpstart the vanity light by flicking the room switch?

Thanks!

Oh! Also, the current fixture isn't even rated for damp areas and this bathroom had no exhaust, so it's a hazard as is.


texts: Removing switch that turns on / off the outlet

texts: I have an outlet which gives electricity only when corresponding wall switch is on. I need to remove the wall switch because I need to put a cabinet on it's place. How do I make the outlet permanently "on"? Is it enough to just connect together Live and Neutral wire in the switch, then remove the switch? In other words, would it make a short circuit? :)


texts: Using Quietrock drywall AND Rockwool Sound Insulation?

texts:
How much additional noise reduction can I get by combining Rockwool sound insulation with QuietRock drywall? Or does one render the other moot?
I'm looking to add some noise reduction to an unfinished garage workshop with a goal of lessening the noise from my power tools. Those were the two products I came across that seem to be readily available for DIYers.
I've realized sound proofing is a complex topic and there are a ton of variables to consider (stud spacing, doors, windows, sealing, etc. etc. etc). My goal is to make incremental improvements towards noise reduction and to disturb my neighbors less whilst enjoying my woodworking hobby more.
Thanks!


texts: Double Glazed Window - missing plastic corner frame insert

texts:
Is there any way I can track down this missing piece? It goes at the bottom corner of the window; on the side where the windows meet each other.
It fell out of one of my windows. I don't know what the brand of the window is - but there appears to be a Superman like S logo on the rubber.
I'm in Portugal; but any thoughts on what key words to google most welcome; so far I'm not getting any leads.

Thanks


texts: Why won't my recessed lights illuminate when they have power?

texts: I recently installed 7 recessed can lights in my basement that are powered by 3 way light switches.  After I hooked up the power to the 2 switches the first light in the series will illuminate but the others will not.  I have tested each light fixture and they all have power coming into them.  I have tried to change out the LED lights I bought at Home Depot and they still will not work (I moved the same lights to another location and they work just fine). Any suggestions on why the other lights will not illuminate?  Thanks


texts:
I am running a wire 300+ feet. I'll need to place a transformer every 100 feet that would maintain voltage/current, therefore I wouldn't get any drop so that I can maintain 110vac 20 amp. Which transformer should I use?

Edit: I'm powering a shed.


texts: I have replaced both PRV and expansion tank and still have an issue with water pressure when one or more taps are used.  Any ideas for my next step.


texts: Gas combi boiler raditator flushing to clear dirt

texts:
When I flushed my radiator, I have noticed that there is lots of sludge in the water.

In order to remove the sludge from the heating system, I would like to

Turn off the Worcester gas boiler
Open the pressure valve of the boiler so that water flows into the system
Open the radiator drain valve to let the water flow until it is clear of sludge

Please suggest if there will be any issue in the above process of draining the water continuously while pressuring the system through the boiler.

I have searched online and couldn't find anyone doing this method of flushing and wondering if it will cause any problem to the boiler.


texts: How can I Fix a broken plastic screw hole

texts:
One side of a plastic screw hole completely broke so the screw cannot screw on, is a way I can repair it?
I cannot add another hole because it’s on a electronic keyboard


texts: Can I replace / recreate a tri-fold garage door with three fiberglass flush doors?

texts:
My garage has three wooden doors that cover the opening.  The middle one's hinges are attached to the right door.  The left and the right doors' hinges are attached to the walls.  This way you could open only the middle door or two doors or all three doors to fully open it.

I know this is an odd setup but I actually kinda like it.

The garage is small and barely fits one car.  I don't use it for a garage but rather to store my tools and use it as a workshop.

The question:

The doors need to be replaced.  I looked at standard garage doors but didn't like them very much.  I'm going in and out of the garage pretty often, especially these days when I'm renovating.  I'm a bike commuter so get in and out with my bike at least twice a day.

I'm toying with the idea of redoing it the same way (with three doors) but use three modern fiberglass flush doors or maybe even doors with half windows.

Would this work?  Or it a bad idea?


texts: Installing a whole house water filtration

texts:
I am planning to install a Whole House Water Filtration/Softening system. I was able to locate the manifold and find the main line coming into my house. A plumber provided me a loop using 3/4 inch PEX. Am I correct that should use 1 inch connections to the filtration system?
The White Pex is my main and the Blue (to the house). The plumber basically made another manifold. I'm on a concrete slab. My plan is to transition from this PEX to PVC. I plan to cover this section with a piece of plywood. Thanks for any advice!


texts: Can I heat one room and cool another with an in-wall AC?

texts:
I work in a bakery. It gets warm in the summer, but not warm enough for bread to rise without extra heat. We have a 'proofer room' where the bread sits while the dough rises. The room is heated by two baseboard heaters, and another space heater. It's approximately 10 feet by 10 feet.  Also, we run a humidifier in the room.

I know that resistive heat is not the most economical way to heat a room, especially as warm as we need it. The electric bill agrees with me.
We'd like the proofer room warmer, but the rest of the bakery cooler, if possible.
Running a space heater in the summer feels foolish.

It seems like a perfect solution to place a through-the-wall type air conditioner (not the window type) in the wall between the rest of the bakery and the proofer room, to push the heat (and humidity) from the bakery into the proofer room. If I understand correctly, this would heat the room more efficiently than a space heater, with the added benefit of cooling the rest of the bakery at the same time.

One problem that I've already considered is that the temperature controls on the AC would be on the "cool" side of the AC. To prevent the room from overheating, I could plug the AC into a thermostat outlet outside the proofer, with a temperature probe inside the proofer. The outlet would shut the AC off once the proofer got to the desired temperature. I'd have to get an AC with a mechanical on/off switch that would run when the outlet turned it on, without having to push buttons.

I can't find any examples of someone doing this. Is this a good idea, or am I missing something?

We would hire the work out to someone else to do, so don't worry about my qualifications as an electrician etc.


texts: Framing around depressed area of floor: a good plan?

texts:
I'm installing a grandfather clock in my house. Problem: my first floor ceiling is 88" high, and the clock is 94" high. I can't modify the clock, so I'll have to modify my house.

The solution is fairly simple: lower a small area of the floor by 7".

The existing floor is 13/16" x 2 1/2" red oak boards on plank subflooring. The outside blue rectangle shows the edge of the area to be cut and rebuilt (26" x 15"); the inside blue rectangle shows the final footprint of the clock. I've figured out the joists (I'll have to cut a joist and add a doubled header) and the rest of the framing. My final problem is how to finish the edge of the hole.

I'll be cutting the existing flooring in-place, as it would be a can of worms to pull any of it up and then replace it. That means the edges won't be perfect, so I can't just butt new framing boards against the old without leaving ugly gaps. I'd also like to properly define the edge of the hole so that things don't always roll into it. So, I'm thinking to do the equivalent of an overlapping stair nose.

I couldn't find the exact molding I'd need, so I'm planning to cut it from 1" oak stair treads which have a rounded edge and are 12" wide. I'll cut 3" boards from the rounded edge and then shape them further with table saw and sander. There will be a 1/2" x 3/16" tab on the edge of the board to cover the edge of the existing flooring. I'm also thinking to stain the new oak boards to match the cherry wood of the clock; sides of the depression will be 1x pine painted trim white, and the bottom will be the remaining oak tread material finished with polyurethane.

Does this sound like a good plan? Any concerns about that 3/16" thick tab being overly fragile?

EDIT: This question is NOT asking whether it's worth modifying my house to fit this clock. Even if that wasn't clear to me, it would be too opinion-based for this site. Just presume that there's a really good reason for me to do so.

EDIT2: There are good reasons why I'm going into the floor rather than into the ceiling. First, it won't look as good; the focus of the clock is the top, and that will be hidden from view, or at least in a dark nook in the ceiling. Second, I can't tip the clock into place; it must be vertical when the mechanism is installed. That means that there must be room to slide the top case forward and off the clock while it is in place, which means the plaster hole will be substantial. Add the joist modifications and the hole gets even bigger. Final problem: it's a swirl-textured ceiling, so the repairs would be obvious unless I replaced the whole ceiling.


texts: What is this welding tool I found in my attic?

texts: I believe this is used with welders because i found it inside a welding helmet.... Could somebody tell me what this is exactly?


texts: Filling 1.5 inches wide gaps between newly fitted metal door frame surround and brick wall

texts: I had a wooden back door removed and replaced with a metal door following burglary twice. The workmen have left an inch gap between the wall  and the door frame both internally and externally. What is the best material that can be used to fill this gap all around the frame? Can someone help please?


texts:
We have just finished building a house and we have some small stains on a stainless steel door handle.

I was wondering what was the best way to remove them? Unfortunately I'm not sure what's caused them. They appear as small "smudges" along the handle.


texts: Wire ceiling fan switch with remote control to always on

texts:
How can I wire the switch of a remote controlled ceiling fan to always on so it can only be controlled with the remote.
I basically want to have a smart RF controller (BOND) be able to control the light and fan, but also have a smart dimmer switch trigger commands on BOND to control the same.


texts: OK to use fallen branch in garden without treatment?

texts:
Recently a large branch fell off of one of our trees (a gum tree, ie hard wood). The branch is about thigh thick and parts of it would make a good garden-bed liner or similar as it is quite straight and uniformly thick. However, as it came fresh off the tree, it's obviously completely untreated.

I wonder if it is a good idea to use the branch in the garden as it is, or if this is a pest risk, especially regarding white ants (termites). If it needs to be treated can it easily be done / is it worth the effort or should I just get rid of it?


texts: I put new carb, fuel line, filter and plug and it is still not running right.  The model is 125v.  Listen to the video.  It sounds like it is missing.https://youtu.be/JOWy6WD3uWY


texts: Replacement draft inducer motor stopped working after 3 months

texts:
My Goodman GMNT060-3 furnace stopped turning on in October. The tech diagnosed a bad draft inducer motor, because the fan wouldn't spin freely and made a grinding noise when turned by hand. I replaced the motor myself with a new one from eBay - a FASCO Inducer Motor 77-161-000. It worked well for a couple of months, but recently it started making rattling noises while the fan was spinning.

Today, the furnace stopped turning on altogether. I pulled out the 3-month-old draft inducer motor and turned the fan by hand. It feels just like the old motor's fan did - not spinning freely at all. I replaced the motor and got the furnace started again by manually turning the fan, but obviously that's a short-term fix.

What could cause a draft motor to go from like-new operation to dead within a few months? Could the eBay motor have been a dud? Or is something else wrong?


texts: Should I test the water in my house for contamination?

texts: I live in a house that was built in the 1930's. I'm paranoid that the old pipes for hot and cold water(for the kitchen, shower, etc..) are contaminating the water. Is this something I should be worried about? What is the best way to test the water that flows through the pipes in my house?


texts: Is a leak in my sink drain caused by a connection that's too high?

texts:
I've read thru some threads about garbage disposals + p-traps, and would appreciate some help. My P-trap leaks once a year (at Christmas!)
I bought a condo 2-years ago, last year p-trap started leaking when using the dishwasher. The plumber recommended a higher disposal or a shallower sink (to raise the disposal). Instead, we did a quick fix by switching out p-trap and everything was fine.
One-year later and the same issue crops up. This time, I want to fix it properly. The plumber came on the site, and it seems that height of disposal is not an issue. It's slightly higher than the drain.
It seems like I can just get rid of the extra piece of pipe, where there is extra coupling that will fail.
Thoughts?


texts: Bathroom ventilation system with electric fan

texts:
tl;dr Why am I prohibited from using electric fan in natural / gravitational ventilation system, if there is an additional 2,5 meter long horizontal pipe between ventilated bathroom and the wall?

Two years ago I have purchased a flat and ordered team to perform general renovation works that included setting up inner walls and building additional electric, water, ventilation etc. installation (initially flat had only external walls and very basic installation and was not ready to move in).
As a part of these works, an additional, inner bathroom (no windows) was added. It was equipped with nearly 2,5 meter long horizontal pipe that goes through pantry room and connects that bathroom with vertical ventilation pipe in wall.

Ventilation system's exit was equipped with electric fan on bathroom side (here fan is removed):

Few days ago, I have received a written request to remove electric fan with the explanation that:
(all cites are my translations from foreign language; please forgive me for any mistakes in wording)

Natural ventilation system is all that is needed for ventilation like that. Flats in houses having natural / gravitational ventilation system are not allowed to have electric fans anywhere within ventilation system.

I have contacted person responsible two years ago for renovation works and the designer of above pictured horizontal pipe and I have got following explanation:

Natural ventilation system works by itself (and shouldn't be supported by electric fans) only if vertical ventilation pipe is placed in any wall that is part of the room being ventilated and exit of ventilation system is attached directly to that vertical ventilation pipe.
In your case there's a 2,5 meter long horizontal pipe that connects ventilation system's exit in your bathroom with vertical ventilation pipe. Electric fan is used in this case to push air that is being removed from the bathroom through that horizontal pipe to actual ventilation system's exit in your main wall. From that point it is ventilated out naturally.
If we remove electric fan in this case, there's a risk that odour will remain in bathroom and the room itself will be poorly ventilated / won't be ventilated at all.

I won't deny that I am a complete newbie to ventilation systems, so I have absolutely no idea which of these statements is correct or closer to true. Can anyone help here?


texts: Can I wire my entire music studio on a single circuit?

texts:
I'm building a small music studio on our property and I'm looking for some advice on the electrical end of things. The building is almost 130 ft. away from a proposed sub panel, and another 70 ft. away from the the main panel of our 48v solar system. I'm hoping to do this on one circuit after the sub panel (130ft. away)

The known items for load will be two 450w speakers, one 200w speaker, a 60w amp, 40w analog mixer, 6 10w LED lights, 60w computer charger.. some other chargers/peripheral devices, etc. that I can't account for yet.

Here's the plan so far. I'm wondering if I can run this all on one circuit by branching off in a few spots to the lights (in pink).


texts: Refrigerator ice maker not working known/unknowns

texts:
Whirlpool refrigerator with ice maker and door dispenser. The refrigerator makes ice, but the dispenser is not working. I took the front assembly off and confirmed that the switch is good with a multimeter.

This leaves me with:

The motor is bad
or the circuit board is bad

Is there any other mechanism that could be involved that I am not aware of?


texts: Why is my electric water heater making an intermittent groaning noise?

texts:
My 8 year old electric water heater started to make a strange rattling noise a couple of weeks ago. The noise happens at random and lasts for only a few minutes. Short bursts of noise about a minute apart and stops after about 6 rattling bursts. The noise sounds like a loud groan. I heard this sound about 2 weeks ago for the first time and I've only heard it about 4 times since.We have plenty of hot, clean and soft water. My tank is a RHEEM 40 Gallon.
Is my tank failing?


texts: Shorten bolt with a sleeve of some sort?

texts:
I have a reverse osmosis kit, and the faucet has a really long bolt which you use to attach it to your countertop. I can't get a tool up there to tighten it because the sink basin is in the way. I wonder if there is something like a sleeve I can put over the bolt so that the tightening nut sits much lower. Then I can get at it more easily with a tool. Does this thing have a name?

Thanks


texts: Installing treads and risers to existing stair runs

texts:
I wish to replace existing treads and risers on stair runs that were built by a
builder who believed in cutting corners any way he could.  There are stringers.  The treads and risers consist of 6" veneered plywood on each side of the step butting against the stringers.  The space between the plywood sections was left open for carpet, which presently exists.  Before I begin I need to know the best way to remove the plywood sections so that I may install solid oak treads and risers.


texts: What is proper ratio of sand to portland cement to use for repairing a 30 yr old stone wall

texts:
I have a 30 year  old  stone 12" high stone  wall that needs to be patched up.

There are small voids where stone has fallen out.

My question is what is the ratio of portland cement to sand used to set the new stones in the wall?

Is the ratio different for the mix used for the mortar between the
stones on the facade of the wall?
Thanks for your help


texts: What is the best way to install a shower curtain when one wall is sloped

texts: I have a converted attic bedroom with a bathroom.  I want to install a curtain rod, but one side of the rod has to connect to a sloped wall (the roof). What would be the best way to install a rod in this scenario?


texts: Fireplace horizontal vent cover is leaking

texts: My fireplace horizontal vent is allowing rain to flood in to my walls. Possibly the homebuilder in 1996 put the cover on wrong. It only covers the sides. There is a screen equivalent to chicken wire covering the top. But this will not stop the rain water from flooding into my walls. In the summer I do put plywood with bungee cords over the top and bottom and attach it to the cover. Due to this being a gas fireplace that will not work for winter when the fireplace is running. Thank you for any help or guidance you can give.


texts: My daughter asked a plumbing/central heating company for a general service on their gas system/boiler. They have a 7 week old baby and wanted to make sure the boiler  wasn't giving any fumes off. Just as a precaution. They moved into the house inheriting the lead pipes. The guy who came noticed lead pipes and immediately cut off the gas supply, he said by law. They have no water/heating. He is charging them £600 to replace pipes and also he noticed a vent problem on the roof. Not a big job. Should he have cut the gas off and left them vulnerable and as they now feel cornered to have the work carried out by that company. Seems wrong to me. Any help please ?


texts: galvanized or stainless turnbuckles for exterior wire rope fence?

texts:
I'm working on a wire rope fence that looks like this. The difference is that we live fairly close to the ocean, which means lots of salty air.

I've bought 1/8" galvanized steel with plastic coating and stainless screw eyes attached to the posts. What's missing are the turnbuckles.

Ideally, I would like to buy stainless turnbuckles. The issue is that they don't sell them locally, and amazon is the only store that ships to my country and has a good selection of rather inexpensive stainless turnbuckles, like these.

On the other hand, I can find good galvanized steel turnbuckles like these anywhere. Those are the two options.

It seems that the galvanized steel turnbuckles are stronger. The problem is that I don't know how long they'll last being so close to the ocean. I can buy the stainless steel turnbuckles, but most of the ones sold in amazon say "light duty" and are being sold by questionable sellers.

Would it be a mistake to buy galvanized steel? Just to give you an idea of how bad the corrosion here is: I bought these pliers, and they had shallow rust spots one week later.


texts: Installing a GFCI Outlet with two neutral wires

texts:
I'm trying to install a GFCI outlet, but the outlet being replaced used two neutrals, one hot, and a ground wire. I've only seen instructions on how to wire either only the LINE side (with one hot, one neutral) or the LINE and the LOAD (two of each). Do I need to join the two neutrals and connect them to the LINE side?

If it helps, here is a sketch of the full configuration:


texts: Advice for repairing shaped glass cabinet doors

texts:
Background:
I am upcycling a glass display cabinet and have found one of the doors has glass that was broken/cracked so I decided to investigate removing all of the glass from this door and think about how I can replace it.
Here are some photos of the door that has no issues, to give you an idea:

Full front of cabinet door
Closer up view of the more detailed area of the front
Reverse side of this detailed area including how it is affixed to the glass
Detailed view of the glass/wood interface

When I chiselled away the dark material that helped affix the glass to the wood it revealed that each of the sections of glass were in fact separate and not one curved sheet as I had initially thought (see image below for profile shape.

I also found, with the fixing agent removed, I could see that the glass was being separated be thin splines of wood (I have saved these) that fit into grooves in the facia struts (as can be seen below).

Same view as image 4 above, this time with the brown fixing agent & spline removed (and painted of course)
image of the thin wooden splines
Area with the spline placed back in place as example

Advice required
So basically, I am wanting to either add glass back to the newly painted door to almost restore the orignal pattern with shaped pieces of glass, or I am wanting to alter the design of both doors to match such as a simple centre divider with 2 pieces of glass.
What would be the best way to go about the first of these options? I ask for the first only as I can imagine the second will be relatively simple to achieve.
Follow up questions would be things such as:

What would be the best glass for this? The original was pretty thin but not too delicate
How would one go about shaping/cutting the glass accurately?
Should the splines be replaced? If so - with what?
How would one go about affixing the glass to these splines? I have seen wood putty can reproduce the original 'look'.

As always, many thanks in advance to the wisdom can impart on me :-)


texts: Should I add a vapor barrier in this situation?

texts: I'm finishing my basement. I am wondering about the north wall which is a 2x6 stud wall (walkout basement). I removed the fiberglass insulation an put 2 layers of 3/4" rigid insulation (sealed edges with silicone)... each has a R4. I will then put the fiberglass back. I am wondering about putting the plastic vapor barrier back. I don't khow how permeable the rigid insulation is and I don't want to trap moisture in the wall. It was -10 below last night and I didn't have any condensation on the rigid insulation. ( I haven't put back the fiberglass yet).The rigid insulation sealed up all the leaking seams and eliminated all the drafts.


texts: How can I tap an unused well for outdoor watering?

texts:
I own the lot next to our house. We had a well drilled, thinking we would build there. Plans changed and now it just sits. The plan now is to plant about 100 trees. Is there a way to tap that well for a year-round outdoor water source?
Can you set up a pump/ outdoor spigot without a pressure tank?
There is no structure there of any kind but I can get electric to the site.

Update:
The newly dug well is 250' but there is actually an old hand dug well with an old hand pump on it. I don't know it's depth but obviously will be shallow. I do know that it takes 18 pumps on the handle and you have water. Maybe that would be the more appropriate for this application. I was hoping to keep this simple and the concrete vault isn't simple. We do have a tractor with a back hoe though, so that makes it all easier.


texts: What portable light dimmer to use for cieling lights?

texts: I'm throwing a party and I can't go and change all of the light switches because the house is already finished. But I want to be able to dim the lights; is there a portable light dimmer that will work on ceiling lights without me having to go and re-due the electrical work?


texts: I recently bought a house. In the dinning room, the previous owners added a gfci outlet connected to a gfci breaker. What might they have used this for? I can’t seem to find any relevant case. Location is Lafayette, IN.


texts: Can I have four 120V circuits on a Quadplex breaker?

texts:
I am in the process of renovating my kitchen. My house finished construction in 1969 and has Murray branded circuit breaker panel with Murray breakers (not sure if panel and breakers are original). To my understanding, almost all the breakers in the panel are Quadplex, with the exception of a regular 240V breaker of the AC that I had installed when I moved in.
Can a Quadplex breaker be used for 4 separate 120V circuits? I ask because I know that it can be used for 2 240V circuits. If it can, do I have to use MWBC on the two 240V, or can I make four individual circuits from the breaker?
Thanks!


texts:
My home's door has been replaced with a heavier fire door, however it's super stiff now and requires a lot of strength to open. I think the door itself is quite heavy, but I also think that the 'stiffness' it's given by the hinges.
We also have an auto-mechanism but that doesn't seem to be affecting this.

Is there a way I can regulate the hinges and make this door less difficult to open? I'm not an expert whatsover so please explain in an easy way :)


texts: Are two smaller septic tanks equivalent to one large tank?

texts:
Related: How often do septic tanks typically need to be pumped?

Our home has two 800 gallon tanks next to each other, from the previous plumbers drawing it looks like they are connected.

I was looking at http://www.nesc.wvu.edu/pdf/WW/publications/pipline/PL_FA95.pdf

And they say 1500 gallons for 2 people should be pumped every 9.1 years.  Should I use that guide for my combined tank size or should I follow whatever is closer to 800 gallons?


texts: Are non-metallic in-use covers acceptable according to NEC 2011?

texts:
Our village goes by the NEC 2011 (they have not updated to current code). Can you use non metallic in-use in Cook County, Illinois, or do i have to use the metal ones?

I looked at 2011 NEC 409.9 A. However when I spoke to the village building inspector he said I could. Hard to reach our electrical inspector and hopefully someone will know.


texts:
I have a covered patio area attached to my house, it is approximately 28ft long x 14 feet wide, and slopes in the short direction. This roof meets the house about 2ft below the eaves of the main house roof, and is 3-tab asphalt shingles over plywood (assuming 1/2"). The roof framing is 2x6, 16" OC. Due to a lack of general maintenance, plus the age of this roofing, there are numerous leaks all over. The pitch of the roof is pretty shallow, it only drops about 2 to 2.5ft over 14ft slope.

As a patio, this doesn't really matter, but I'd like to use the area as a workshop and don't want anything to get leaked on. Because it's difficult to figure out where the leaks are, and I don't want to find more leaks "the hard way", I'm looking for a repair solution that I can apply to the entire roof surface that will last for 2 to 4 years until I can replace the workshop with a larger / separate structure.

I'm not a roofer by any means, but I'm a competent DIYer so I'd entertain anything that doesn't require me to buy a bunch of additional tools.


texts:
I have an old staircase with winders, so if I want 32 inches between handrail and nose of stairs, I'm going to have to cut some angles.

If the overall run of the handrails is going to be about 180 inches, and I'm cutting a 17 degree miter about 40 inches from the top, how would you securely join the two pieces?  Options I've considered:

wood glue and finishing nails.  I've done this for the returns, but one doesn't expect a lot of load on the returns, right?
some kind of rail bolt, like this one
dowels, though I'm nervous about getting close alignment on a mitered join.


texts:
My guest bedroom has an extra shallow closet (15 inches deep).  This is too narrow for a hanger, so clothes hung on the rod end up being angled, rubbing against the back wall and the door, etc.

What can I do with this thing?  It needs to remain a closet, but I need an alternate method to hang clothes.  I've thought about trying to rotate the rod.  Perhaps I could hang two rods somehow so they go from front-to-back rather than from side-to-side?  But, how could I support the door-side end?  Well, I could hang it from the shelf somehow.  The shelf is fairly sturdy.  Any ideas on how to mount such a rod?  Or other ideas on how to refurb the closet?


texts: Can blue (lightweight) drywall compound be used for all coats?

texts:
I had a guy come in to do some drywall taping today and I had a bag of 20 min hot mud and a bucket of each green (regular) and blue (lightweight) joint compound.  I always though that the green should be used for the first two coats cause it is stronger and blue for the final coat cause it is easier to sand.

Once the dude finished the bag of hot mud, he went straight for the blue to do a little bit of first coating that was left at the end of the day.  I asked him why not use the green and he said they were the same.  I was not really sure in my assumption stated above and was tired at the end of the day to argue and also I wanted to trust his experience so I just let him do a couple of panels and a joint with the blue.

Who is correct, me or him?
If I am right and he is wrong, why could have led him to fail at differentiating?
If I am wrong and if they are indeed the same, why would they even have two different products (by the same brand)?


texts: Why isn't water coming out of a radiator in my freshly pressurized system?

texts:
I live in an old Victorian with three stories, plus a basement and an attic. I tried to bleed the radiators in preparation for turning the heat on, but was unable to get any water out of the radiators on the third floor. I raised the water pressure on the boiler, which is in the basement, to 22 psi and got a ton of air and (very dirty) water out of eight of the ten radiators on the third floor.

The other two, however, did not release any water OR air. ??? Other internet forums suggest that they might have blocked valves? Something about sludge? I don't know what that means or how to fix it, and all the information I found was about radiator systems in Europe, and I suspect they might be different.

I came across weird things on two other radiators, too. One on the first floor spurted water out of the bleed valve as well as the spout it's supposed to come out of. The resident of that room reported the radiator was cold all last winter, but I got water out of it right away.

One on the second floor doesn't appear to have a bleed valve at all? There's a metal thing sticking out where the bleed valve should be, and it looks sort of like a longer version of the piece that actually gets loosened and tightened in the valves on the other radiators. I couldn't budge it, however, with a key or a pliers.

Any ideas on what could be wrong with these four radiators? How can I diagnose and fix the problems?


texts: What tools to cut square post hole in composite decking board?

texts:
I need to cut 9 holes in potentially 9 pieces of decking board (composite). I am thinking about using this method:

Drill a big hole ~1.5" using hole saw bit (for the door knob) in the middle
Drill 4 holes at 4 corners of the square
Then either (a) use a short blade reciprocating saw (so it won't shake) OR (b) use "Gyros 82-20715 Saw Blade w/Mandrel Set, Coarse-Teeth 3/4" Diameter" but hook to my drill gun (wired and wireless).

The problem with 3(b) is that the blade is not big enough to cut through 1" deck at once but this method has more control. I hate my reciprocating saw because it's big, heavy and shaking too much.

What are the common methods for this type of job?


texts: How should I install hardwood flooring around spindles?

texts: I have oak steps that we installed up to a living room that is carpeted.  How do I install hardwood floors and deal with the spindles on the floor?  My husband made adjustments when he did the stairs (because of the angle, etc) but we are unsure how to tackle the hardwood install on the rest of the spindles across the floor when we remove the carpet..


texts:
My internal water shut off for the house has stopped working. So I'm using the one just outside my house on the street to cut water to my house.
Thing is that one is faulty too, it doesn't fully stop the water to my house.

Am I allowed to use the external water board tap?

If I tell them it needs replacing, they'll know I've been using it, so could they assume I've damaged it, or replace it with a locked cover?


texts: I have a small rotting spot at the bottom of my back door and it's almost to the point where I could put my finger through it.  I don't have the cash to replace the door right now, but what would you suggest I patch it with before painting it?  I have seen interior/exterior wood filler by Elmer's and others.  Someone suggested Bondo like the kind used in auto body shops.  Any prep steps you suggest as well?


texts: Can the breaker on a sub-panel be rated for more amps than the main breaker?

texts:
Got a new spa I want to replace old 40amp sub with a 50 amp sub GFCI ( the only one available ) it is on a dedicated 40 amp from the main. Maybe a stupid question but can my main be less than my sub?

A little more info.

Spa only requires 30amp because it is much smaller than the previous spa, and I never had trouble with the breaker. I just wanted to add in the GFI for safety reasons, because it wasn't required 10-15 years ago when original was installed.  it was city inspected when I originally put it in, so wire size, type, conduit are all to "code"


texts: Is my treehouse platform structurally sound?

texts:
I'm working on my first treehouse as an adult  I've built plenty out of scraps as a kid, but nothing of this magnitude. I'm mostly concerned about the structural integrity of the platform with this post. I'll layout my general plan, post some pictures, and ask some pointed questions at the end.
I'm planning an 8x12ft platform where 8x8ft is enclosed with a roof and 4x8ft is a deck with railings. Right now this is built around 2 trees that have a diameter of ~12in and sit ~5.5ft apart. I'm using two long 1/2in stainless steel tubes/bolts that go completely through the trees to hold the main beams. The beams essentially rest on the bolts and sandwich the two trees. On top of those beams the floor joists rest perpendicular. All wood is pressure treated.
Pictures of where I'm at (click to enlarge):

Questions:

As you might be able to see, everything is currently built using 2x6in boards. I think the floor joists will be fine; I'm not dry walling or installing a fridge  That said, I'm second guessing the beams. Should I double up the 2x6in beams or swap them for 2x8s or even 2x10s? I'm leaning towards doubling up the 2x6s since they're sitting on top of the bolts and I have the full 6in of vertical support.
Obviously I need to add some knee braces. My initial plan was to run 2 up on the outside of each tree parallel to the joists for a total of 4. However, I'm thinking maybe I should shift those 4 to the inside of the trees and then run 4 more out to each corner for a total of 8. Thoughts?
Last question, am I missing anything else obvious?


texts: Why is my bathroom fan buzzing and humming when I first turn it on?

texts:
It is strange, the bathroom fan is buzzing and humming when I first turn it on. After a few minutes, it starts up normally.

Why is it doing this?


texts:
A decision must be made to determine whether to replace gutter fascia.  I am replacing a faulty / questionable soffit install:

I am at a decision-point: if the fascia is to be replaced, now is the time to do so before any more soffit work.
The photos below show replacing the soffits with radial pieces.  It also shows removal of the old gutter sections. Gutters were removed exposing the aluminum facia:

The remaining gutter in the left of the photo was installed 12 months ago and will be retained.
QUESTIONS
There are a few small nail holes that could be filled in with sealant.  If there is no damage to the wood under the fascia:
What are the reasons to replace the exposed aluminum fascia?
How do I test said reason to determine if replacement of the section is necessary?

I intend to add gutters soon, however, I need to understand why I would want to replace the existing fascia, so I can develop a "litmus" test to decide whether or not to replace.


texts: Can I wire a transformer to an outlet cord rather than hard wiring into hvac system. Adding a GPS to air handler and it requires its own transforme. Any suggestions??


texts: Cracks in a newly constrcuted basement wall?

texts:
Pic 1 shows the newly constructed basement (Just 4 days) wall and It can clearly seen the crack across the wall (Not sure whether its crack or not but looks like) due to pouring concrete.  I wonder this is going to be a  major problem and caused to seepage water in to the basement.  I can see similar crack in another location  as shown in the picture 2. I would appreciate advice and comment on this.

Thanks


texts: How can baseboards be attached to a plaster-on-masonry wall?

texts: The walls on the sides and back of my fireplace are plaster on masonry. How can I attach baseboards to these walls? I tried bonding with HMA but eventually that just peels the paint off.


texts: What terminal to use on AC for C wire / nest dual transformer install

texts:
So i purchased a nest gen 3 and proceeded to install it. This is on a dual transformer system, separate boiler and AC system. The good news was i had a unused G wire on the Heat side that I was going to use to supply constant voltage. I wire everything up turn on the Nest and get E79 error. I checked between C/Rh at the thermostat and around 26 volts. I call up Nest and they tell me that when you have the heat and ac connected to thermostat on a dual transformer system, the nest wants to see power from the AC side. The problem is the AC thermostat wire coming for the air handler only has 3 wires, G/R/Y - in my case the Y is white wire.

Nest tells me i can jump/group the Rc to C on the AC transformer, thats what i understood, or run and new wire and connect to the C wire on the AC transformer.

I have added pictures of my system, the wire will the R/G/Y is going to the thermostat, can I just take the R wire and jump it to the C, basically wire nut a small piece of wire from the R bundle to the Common? If so which one is the common, the blue???

If i run new wire that has an extra wire for the common, where on the transformer/air handler to i connect to. The brown wires look like they go to the compressor. I would basically connect everything as it currently is but where would of tap/connect the new C wire to? Directly to the Transformer where the blue wire is? or could i wire nut the new C wire to the blue/white bundle that is currently wire nutted? Again Im assuming that the blue is the Common.

I guess i can always run a voltmeter from the Rc to the blue to see if i get constant 24 volts.

If someone can point me in the right direction i would really a appreciate it.

Thanks, Paul


texts: Shall I keep windows and blinds open during hot summer days?

texts:
On a summer day with at 36 degrees Celsius, in a room with no air conditioner but only a ceiling fan, and with windows facing north and east, which of the following can I do to make the room feel less hot:

open or close windows

pull down or up the blinds on the windows

I guess that both heat and some wind (although not cool air) can come in through the windows.
Thanks.


texts: Tightening a shower handle with no visible screws

texts:
We have a loose shower handle shown in the picture. There's a handle on either side of the glass door and we can see a threaded (3/16"?) rod inside. (The threaded part does not show on the picture.) However, there's no way to get to it. We can't find any way to disassemble the handle.

Any suggestions?


texts:
So my problem with this has nothing to do with the electronics - it's strictly a physical one.

The problem I'm having is that whoever wired my existing doorbell left about 1" of wire, with no give, and no ability to push anything back into the house, making the provided wire extenders useless.

Can I cut the wire connector from the wire extenders, strip the wire, solder it to the existing wire, and wrap heat shrink around the whole thing? Is there any danger to that?

I'd welcome any other suggestions that didn't involve soldering.

EDIT: I ended up going with clamp on forked terminators and an offset screwdriver to manage the angle. It works, but I wish nothing but pain on whoever set this up in the first place.


texts:
I’m installing a monoflow  loop.
How do I install a thermostatic valve on a baseboard heater? The loop will return in the baseboard.


texts: What is the difference between a main panel and a sub-panel?

texts: I have a main breaker box that feeds a panel in my basement. This basement panel then feeds a panel in my backyard garage. The panel in the backyard has neutral and ground wires mixed on the 2 bus bars. I have always thought the basement panel and backyard panel were sub panels to the main breaker box. The backyard garage panel does have it's own grounding stake just outside the building. Does this make it then a main panel and not a subpanel even though it is fed from a sub-panel in the basement. Just trying to understand what all constitutes the designation of main panel and sub-panel.


texts:
I stupidly flushed some cat litter a couple times yesterday( 2-3 flushes so i didnt do it all at once and clog it). I now realize i should not have done this as it causes major problems. Im in an apartment.

The toilet seems to be flushing and filling back up fine, but once the bowl fills back up with water and once it stops running i notice the water recedes about 2 inches or so. I even noticed when the neighbor flushed there toilet more got sucked out of mine a bit. I am assuming it is just cloged and thats what i need to fix?

Any tips or suggestions or has this happened to someone else?


texts: How to determine if a 20 amp breaker can be upgraded to 30 amp

texts:
I recently purchased my first home and the breaker the electric clothes dryer is connected to is 20 amp.  I was told it should be 30 amp by a home inspector but foolishly did not have the seller correct it.  If I run the dryer on its highest heat setting it will trip the breaker so I would like to swap out the 20 for a 30.  How can I tell if the wiring and such is adequate for 30 amps?

Location: North-eastern U.S.


texts: How to insulate around kitchen cabinet cut outs for outlet and propane line access?

texts: New home, builder cut out kitchen cabinet holes for electric outlet and propane line to gas cooktop. Toe kick heating vents below kitchen cabinets now blow warm air out through these cut outs. Any suggested solutions? Thanks.


texts:
I'm just experiencing an issue with water tank in our 20-30 old years old house (Czech rep. for location reference). I have studied type of expansions on Internet for (few hours) + visited shop with toilets and I was unable to find same model/type of output ventil (unsure about name) from the tank.

Photo: http://imgur.com/a/2Tzsu

There is pipe coming from the bottom hole, whene You pull the string, it will take the top of tube and put it under the water surface/level.

How I imagine it: http://imgur.com/a/xvBG3

The leak itself goes from water tank to the toilet (through its normal path).

Questions: Have You seen anyone this system somewhere? Where the leak might come from? Could You provide "name" or "brand" for this type of tank to find spare parts?

Thanks in advance.


texts: My bathroom light is connected to the same switch that runs my exhaust fan.  The switch doesn't go all the way up without an extra bit of a push and then sometimes when the switch is completely off the fan will continue to run long after it has been programmed to. Once it ran all night. Tonight I went back in to the bathroom having left something, and the fan was still running as it normally woul but as soon as In opened the door the bathroom light blinked like someone had touched the switch which I didn't have a chance to.


texts: How do I stop the dripping noise from my gutters?

texts:
It has just recently started raining where I live, and I am new to this house. When the rain ceases and the water is dripping from the gutters through the drain, I can hear the dripping from inside the house. It is REALLY loud and is driving me crazy. The gutter drains are right outside my bedroom and the living room, so getting away from these areas is not an option.

Is there a way to get rid of (or greatly reduce) the dripping noise?


texts: Cannot adjust dropbolt on bifold doors which is catching

texts:
I have a patio door made of up two aluminium tri-folding doors which meet in the middle. One side has a normal 5 point locking system operated by a normal door handle and key. The other side has a hidden lever (only accessible when the main door is unlocked and set ajar.

The hidden lever (as seen in photo, as silver coloured) operates two bolts, one up and one down, to lock it in position.

The problem is when I operate this lever, it moves fine and the top bolt moves down sufficiently to release door at top. But at the bottom, the bolt does not move up enough to clear the metal lip on the ground.

So, I need to adjust this bolt to move it up. I keep saying bolt, but its more like a 80cm steel rod which goes from the hidden level down to the ground.

Basically, I can't access this bolt. Its hidden inside. I've taken off the lock faceplates and even attempted to remove the glass, so get access to the steel rod/bolt, but I can't access it.

The patio doors are 5 years old, so quite modern.

Maybe another way to ask is, how would someone actually fit the rod/bolt in the first place and perform adjustments?


texts: Is it OK to use 1/4" concrete backer board over 1/2" plywood as a bathroom subfloor?

texts:
I just bought a house built in 1978 and I'm planning on putting tile in the bathrooms (currently linoleum).

The fixtures are removed and the flooring under the linoleum is particle board.  I think its 3/4".  It has a couple weak spots (one over a vent and the other around the toilet that was leaking).

I was planning on pulling this up and replacing with plywood and concrete backer board.  However, my question is, can I put 1/4" backer board over 1/2" plywood, so that the level of the floor is pretty close to where it was before and not have a large transition between the rooms?

-edit to add-
1 bathroom is along an outside wall of the house.
1 bathroom is in the middle of the house with a support beam running along one wall (beam runs the whole length of the house).
Bathrooms share a wall in between them (total span of 10ft from outside wall to middle support beam of the house).
Both bathrooms are on the 2nd floor.
both bathrooms are above another heated/insulated room.
16in joist spacing.
I don't know how big the joists are because I haven't removed the existing subfloor yet.
We will most likely be installing ceramic tile.

My main goal here is to create the smallest transition as possible between the bathroom flooring and the carpet (installed on the same particle board) outside the bathroom.

If there are other options outside plywood + backer board that would be available, I am 100% willing to listen to them.


texts: Exposed Romex cable on garage ceiling without conduit protection

texts: I am working on an old house.  The garage ceiling (attic floor) has exposed beams (ie. it doesn't have sheetrock on the underside that provides for a finished ceiling).  The power to the garage door opener and to the outlets on the other side of the garage go through a romex that is stapled to one of the beams.  It goes into an outlet for the garage opener to connect to and then continues to the other side of the garage and hides inside the wall.  Do I need to insert that romex inside a conduit sleeve?  Or, is it okay being "exposed" like that?  The ceiling is about 8.5 ft height so it is not within reach for a typical person.  Also, the outlet box is nailed to the beam and has a typical cover but it is also "exposed".  It is a metal box  but it is grounded.


texts: How should I use intumescents when passing pex through fire wall?

texts:
I'd like to bring pex lines into my garage for a utility sink and washer. They will pass through a fire wall with type x drywall.

How should I properly penetrate this wall for pex? Should I get an intumescent collar for each individual pipe in its own penetration? Should I make a larger hole with a single collar and share it?

I'm in a single family residence when attached garage; living space above and beside the garage.


texts: Who to contact to identify source of and address excessive humidity in house?

texts: My house, a 1947 cape in Massachusetts, is always much more humid that outside, in all seasons.  Even when running the dehumidifier, one in the basement, and one on each of the two main levels, it rarely falls below 50%, even when outside is only in the teens or 20s.  I've had a few outbreaks of mold, when I failed to run the dehumidifier regularly.  This is an issue that is too big for me to address.  So, I'd like to bring in an expert to assess and address the situation.  Yet, I haven't been able to find one.  Who should I call in a situation like this?  Thanks!


texts: I would like to make a 10' x 16' shed using concrete blocks for the base. Should I put sand or cement under the blocks?


texts: Can I add a second thermostat in my basement for more control?

texts: I would like to install a second thermostat on the lower floor of my home. My thinking is that when we have guest staying on the lower floor I could turn the upper floor thermostat off and the lower on and the heater would respond to the temperature on the lower level. Would this arrangement work?


texts: What is causing a ticking noise in my electrical outlets?

texts: Several electrical outlets in two rooms started making a ticking sound last fall. I checked the receptacles and tightened the wires on two of them and replaced two of the receptacles. The circuit breakers to the rooms don't trip and the outlets still work without affecting the devices plugged into them. Also, the ticking increases when the furnace turns off and it repeats only a few times after that until the furnace, again, turns off. I did have a master electrician check the outlets, but he found nothing. My neighbor, who is a journeyman, told me it could be a sign of a breaker going bad -  he also told me to get a different electrician. Any suggestions?


texts: Can an electrical breaker panel be mounted on an exterior wall?

texts: Can an electrical breaker panel be inserted on an exterior wall, inside the house, or is it required that it is on an interior wall, inside the house?


texts: We live in Spokane, WA, a high-desert climate.  We don't need a programmable thermostat, but we do need one to keep an constant ambient temperature range. This may mean A/C during the day, and heat at night.  We have a heat pump.  What feature on a thermostat would allow us to automatically switch between heating and cooling?


texts: How do I clean dripped paint from a wood floor?

texts:
I've painted the skirting boards in this room and the paint has dripped on to a pretty fresh stained and varnished floor.

How can I get these paint marks off the floor without damaging the new stain or varnish?


texts:
I'm running speaker wire from the 2 corners of this room. But one of the corners is way too tight for me to grab the fished wire. And the Fiberglass Wire Pull Rods i'm using are too stiff to bend from with in the room toward me while i'm in the attic.

I've tried to attach a fairly strong magnet to attach to the rod that's coming from the ceiling, but it quickly loses it's hold after a few light tugs.

Any suggestions?


texts: Old house ceiling has unused brown wire, what is it for?

texts:
I'm a member of a sister site to this one so I thought I would ask this here.

I'm replacing my ceiling fan the kitchen of my old house and coming out of the ceiling was white , black and brown wires.

The old fan wasn't using the brown wire and it was just hanging there with the end cut off so no bare wire was sticking out.

There is no ground as I was expecting a green wire for that.

What would the brown wire be for and is it safe to hang there? I know just because it was done that way doesn't mean its safe or the right way.

Thank you


texts: Would it make sense to put 2 pinch clamps on every PEX fitting as an insurance against leaks?

texts:
When installing PEX tubing would there be any benefit in putting 2 pinch clamps over each nipple instead of 1 to prevent leaks? I am not concerned about the cost, as I bought more than 2x the clamps I need as a wholesale lot at a huge discount.

Background:

I will be installing Vitasalus whole house filtration system in my parents house after using the same system in my house for a couple of years. My install has been done by a plumber who used copper rings and initially about every other connection leaked, then all but one stopped. The remaining one leaks ever so slightly as to not warrant a call. This time I am doing work myself and using SS clamps.


texts: Can you break a black iron fitting by overtightening?

texts:
I recently did some plumbing work in my house which involved using threaded (NPT) black iron fittings in the 1" and 2" sizes.

At the outset I was concerned that I could overtighten them and crack the female side. But in a few cases I had to really torque down to get the right orientation and had no problems. To get an appropriate number of threads turned in (based on what I've read) they really required a lot of force! In the 2" size it was extremely tough using 18" wrenches to do the last 1/4 turn or so.

In contrast a few copper NPT/sweat adapters definitely seemed malleable and I held off more on those.

In all cases I checked threads, wire brushed, etc. so the fittings should have gone together without impediment.

Is breaking a black iron fitting actually possible / likely? Assume you are using an appropriate sized wrench and don't have superhuman strength.

Note - in my specific situation I used teflon tape coated with Rectorseal for these joints. (Using both was based on advice from lengthy internet "research". This might have been "belt and suspenders" but has worked perfectly.)

But this question is meant to be more broad then just that specific case, so feel free to answer considering different joint preparations if that is appropriate! Thanks


texts: Contractor wants to "derate" my subpanel

texts:
We're going through the planning phases of installing a pair of Tesla Powerwall units for our house.

We got this via the project contact from their engineering group.

  Both Tesla Powerwalls are going on the 200A subpanel that is being
  fed by a 200A breaker.  Without derating, you can only add 40A of
  generation (whether it is a battery or PV).  The continuous amps of
  the two powerwalls is 60A, which exceeds that.  By derating to 175A,
  you are allowed 65a of generation.  So, 60A (Tesla) < 65A (max
  allowed).

Can someone explain to me how going from a 200A panel to a 175A panel facilitates this? Isn't "more, better"? By going from a 200A down to a 175A, is this what opens up the capacity for the extra 20A that the batteries need to provide (by providing (200A - 175A) 25A)? How does that work?

Note, we already have a 7.5Kw PV system installed (I honestly don't know if its through this panel or not, the breakers are in the other, main, panel outside).

Mind, I don't question the engineers. If it has to be done, I guess it has to be done.

I just don't understand it what is going on here, and what the longer term impacts this has.

Overall we have a 400A setup in the house. I guess it's via two panels (since this one is a 200A subpanel of the other one).

Any insight appreciated.


texts: What 110V breaker to use to supply a 220V supply to a 100A sub-panel

texts: I have a shed that is wired for the following : two 110V lights, 2 110V outlets + a 220V outlet for a Welder (60A). I am trying to figure out what size breakers to use to supply power. I will be coming off the panel that supplies power to my house. Under the meter panel there are 4 110V spades for breakers, one is being used, a breaker that supplies power to my instant hot water tank leaving three available spots for breakers. The panel also contains breakers to the main panel to the house, I see a breaker that says 200A, so I guess the house is supplied with a 200A power supply?


texts:
How do I find ways to prevent my trash cans from being tipped over by squirrels that try to chew over through the trash can lids? The bleach dries up.

I'd ideally like trash cans with auto-latching/auto-locking mechanisms that also act as rollers.

https://goo.gl/photos/FnWjB5UhHSoZ1KKo8


texts: Repainting buildings' exterior, but with a different color

texts: Is there an advantage to repaint the exterior of a home the same color?  What considerations need be made to pick a very different color?  We have 13 buildings in a condominium that are painted brownish tan.  There is movement here to repaint all buildings grey instead of the original color.  Would we incur more expense to do this?


texts:
After things thawed out in Texas, I found that my kitchen sink will not drain.  In checking the p-trap, I found the inside plumbing corroded and replaced all of it from sink drains (double sink) to stub-out.  I have run a snake through the stub-out and down to what seems to be the right angle under the slab.  I can not get past that, but there is nothing getting caught on the snake.  I just can't get it to turn another corner.
I dug up outside, removing a concrete step for access.  I have actually run a garden hose in about 10 feet downstream, and have another access hole 20 feet beyond, where I can see water running freely.  I have tried putting boiling hot water in the sink and plunging.  I sucked out a bit of grit and slime, but not much.  I need an idea on how I can go upstream from the Y shaped access hole.  Water left in the sink will drain overnight, with no sign that there is a leak.  I.e., it must be seeping slowly through the pipe.


texts: Why is there no water pressure after turning main off then back on?

texts:
Came home after work to a water leak, a coupling had corroded and come apart on the hot water line.  Turned water main off and repaired the leak but when I turned the water back on I had no hot or cold water pressure anywhere.

Replaced the main gate valve, for a few minutes I could hear air in the lines and get a tiny trickle from each faucet but after about 20 minutes I'm back to no water pressure at all.  Weird part is the toilet tank still fills up, just takes a few hours to do so.  At this point I'm willing to try anything, any ideas what the problem could be?


texts: Is there a dust-free alternative to gravel for an indoor Petanque Court?

texts:
We are considering constructing a Pétanque court in our office.

The typical finished playing surface is sand, gravel, small pebbles or sometimes shell.

We need a dust-free material so that when people step in and out of the court, they don't track dust around the office.

The material will be challenged by metal boules that are lobbed around the surface as part of the game, and players walking around the surface.

What are some alternative materials (or coated materials) that have similar properties to sand or gravel, but that are dust-free?


texts:
I have a rather old freezer\refrigerator unit in my house. Its cooling works perfectly, however ever since a few weeks ago, once every few hours when what I assume is the compressor starts operating, in addition to the normal static noise it makes, every few minutes it also makes one of the two following weird sounds: the first is a relatively soft sound of a liquid flowing through a tube, and the second is a very loud sound similar to a vibrating wind instrument. both sounds last for an average of 10 seconds at a time, and are coming from the upper part of the unit (the back of the freezer).

I am looking for ideas on what might cause these noises, the second one especially, and if it is possible for me to fix this without investing in new expensive parts.
(just to clarify, the unit does not have an ice maker)


texts: Why should an electric heater not be daisy-chained?

texts:
I bought an electric heater such as this one:

The manual mentions this part:

  The heater should not be connected to adapters or an outlet multiplier.

  The heating device should not be placed below an outlet power socket.

I translated it from Portuguese:

  A escalfeta não deve ser ligada a adaptadores ou fichas triplas.

  O aparelho de aquecimento não deve ser colocado por baixo de uma tomada de
  corrente de posto fixo.

This was probably automatically translated itself since two expressions have no definite meaning ("adaptador" and "tomada de corrente de posto fixo").

I imagine that the first recommendation refers to the practice of "daisy-chaining" outlet multipliers to one another. I have been using it on an extension cord with a multiplier connected to a power outlet. It has been working fine. I'm not sure about the second recommendation.

What do the recommendations mean, and why?

Update with details on volts, amperes, and watts

The power strip (made in Germany) says 3680 W, 16 A, 250 V~. Appliances currently connected are:

the electric heater mentioned above: 230 V, 50 Hz, 70 W
an upright heater:  220-240V, 50 Hz, 2000 W
a laptop: Input 100-240 V~, 1A, Output 14.85V, 3.05A
a USB charger: Input 100-240V, 50-60 Hz, Output 5V, 0.5A
a monitor: Input 100-240V, 0.7A, 50-60Hz, Output 14V, 2.14A
a desktop with a C13 connector: 10A, 250 V~

It seems to me that, for the first recommendation, I should be fine to use all of these at the same time, except for the desktop and the upright heater which both take over 2000 W. Is that correct?


texts: What is the difference between these air ducts?

texts:
I'm fitting a portable AC into my workshop to take the edge off summer temperatures.  For convenience, to make sure it works before bashing a hole in a brick wall, and to confirm it will help, I am temporarily piping the outlet to a pre-existing soffit vent.

The AC unit has some 150mm (6 inch) hose built in, but its odd.  The twist is "left hand thread" and that's how it twists onto the unit.   This hose is also quite stiff, and clicks between "expanded" and "compressed"  Seems to be made of a stiff white plastic.

I can buy "right hand thread" hose but the wire support doesn't connect to the unit because the thread is backward.  This hose comes in two materials, an aluminium (aluminum) foil with quite wide thread spacing, and a soft PVC plastic that is very floppy.

Diameter is not an issue, its the material and the twist that are different.

The air temperature of the exhaust is around 35 degrees C according to my IR gauge.  So I wonder if the PVC plastic is up to this.

I see there are insulated ducts available too.

What ducting do I need for my portable AC?  Looking for some names or keywords.

The existing pipe is absolutely a spiral hose.  It has a positive click feel, like a bendy straw (but those aren't spiral)


texts: How can I install modern locksets on these interior doors?

texts:
I've recently bought my first house which I'm very excited about, got into the decorating phase and decided to replace the door handles - some of which were damaged - with nice new ones. Being a definite rookie when it comes to DIY, I was pretty much unaware of the problem I'm having was even a thing, so I apologise if I've made mistake 101 in this situation.

The problem I have is that the old hole that has been cut into the door through which the old door handle fitted is too near the edge of the door for the new mechanisms, which basically means the old mechanism was 4.5cm deep, and the new handles are (approx) 6cm deep. I've since been told that the barrel for a door knob rather than a door handle needs to be longer so that you don't hit your fingers when opening them.

I am primarily looking for advice on the best way to solve this, and if there is anything I definitely shouldn't do.

The suggestions I have received from friends and family so far have been options between

Use the old latch mechanism - however some of them are damaged, and
the bathroom doors had a secondary locking mechanism, so these doors have 2
holes.
Drill further into the existing hole as deep as this one needs
to go (parallel to the door), fill the existing hole (perpendicular to the door), and then drill into it where the new hole needs to go as normal

or alternatively do not fill in the perpendicular hole, and use the door knob itself to cover where the old hole was

Completely fill this hole in, and start from a new position - I
hadn't even realised since just now that the hole is not central to
the middle section of the door

Personally my option was to fill in the perpendicular holes with some 1" wood, and effectively start from there.


texts: How do I install a range anti-tip kit into hardwood floor on concrete?

texts:
I'm preparing to install an anti-tip kit for an electric range. It's a piece of shaped metal designed to be bolted to the floor with two screws or bolts. The floor is hardwood (probably engineered) and we believe it's concrete underneath.

The instructions say to talk to your qualified floor installer...

Do I just get two masonry anchors, drill the hole through the wood and then the concrete and screw in or?

If it's relevant, this is a Kitchenaid anti-tip kit.


texts:
If a roll is 6′ wide with a total area of 84 square yards, what is the length?
The answer says 126 ft.
I keep getting 42
The explanation says:
"86 sq yd x 9 sq ft/sq yd = 756 sq ft"
756 sq ft ÷ 6 ft = 126 ft.
I still don't get the explanation. What the exact steps to solve the problem? Could the answer be wrong?


texts:
ISSUE

Tenant is very clean and I do not believe it is a hygiene \ cleanliness issue.  Apartment is 12 y.o.  Renter reports a strong urine odor eminating from the toilet and the a strong bleaching will temporarily help the problem.  A brief visual inspection revealed no obvious problems?

What is the most likely sources of the odor and how can this be corrected?  If you have successfully faced and corrected this problem please state this in a response along with lesson-learned.  Thank you

Update

Toilet is caulked to the floor and the plan is to leave it in place and recaulk to see if that resolves the problem.  Toilet is on the second floor.

A correct assessment of the root cause of the issue is very important: I would like to get it done right the first time and avoid re-work.  I would speculate that the seal is the problem, however, I hate to take everything apart to replace the seal only to find that the assessment is incorrect / incomplete. Any guidance to diagnose and arrive at the correct assessment is highly appreciated.

Update: caulking the toilet to the floor did not resolve the issue


texts:
My Bosch WAS32783SN washing machine that is 7 years old, and often I get Error F-23, which according to this list is

  F23 is flood protection in base of machine activated. Pull machine forward onto a towel, pivot if 45 degrees forward onto the front feet (ie lift back feet of the floor about a foot) If water runs out from under the machine this will prove this. You will find that the machine will probably work ok now, but you will have to trace the leak of it will reoccur. likely causes are tear in door seal, leaky inlet valve, blocked dispenser inlet or as simple as something was caught in door on previous cycle allowing water to run down the front of the unit and into the base.

which could be the case, as tilting it does fix the problem and a bit of water is coming out.

Question

So the big question is, how can I figure out where the leak is coming from?


texts: What should I have my dehumidifier set at to dry out my basement?

texts: I have a 1600 sq ft home. The wellmate sprung a leak last Sat and soaked the basement. Im running fans down there and just got a 40 pint dehumidifier per the service guy. What setting should I set it. I have central air. I don't want basement to mold. I had it at 50 just put it on 45.


texts: How to add electrical fixtures to (custom) furniture?

texts:
Having electrical outlets, USB charging ports, night lights, etc would be nice to have on some pieces of furniture, like side tables. Several receptacle manufacturers make combination fixtures with USB and power, for instance, or power plus a night light.

I've thought about nailing an electrical box to a (hidden) portion of the table and putting one of those receptacles in it, but what things do I need to consider doing this? Is it as simple as it sounds,  and then just fashioning some kind of plug out of 12/2 or 14/2 wire? Does the answer change if the box is concealed (though still accessible) vs it being completely visible?


texts: Wall Mounted Light Fixture Mounting Plate

texts:
I'm prepping for drywall and will need to install a wall-mounted fixture, but the bolts that go through the mounting plate to attach the fixture are lined up with where the plate attaches to the box.  Since this is wall mounted, those bolts need to be horizontal so that the fixture is straight on the wall.

It has been suggested that I can get a different mounting bar (not sure what it would look like) but I don't understand how that would make a difference since the fixture bolts going through the plate would likely still hit the section where the plate attaches to the box.

It seems as though the holes in the box need to be in a different location (anywhere besides where they are now).

Thanks


texts: I need to make a music room in my house. I have to soundproof it so no noise can leave it (i dont care if noise enters). I'm also on a budget. The only non electric instruments I have are saxophones and a trumpet. So if you guys have any tips to prevent others from hearing those instruments. Please let me know. This is also my first home project. Thanks!


texts: Convert bathroom exhaust fan/light combo to light only with 3 way switches

texts: I have a Nutone exhaust fan/light fixture in my bathroom. The fan and light are each controlled by their own 2 pole switch, one is inside the bathroom and one is outside. I want to replace the combination fixture with a light only fixture. I would like to replace the switches with 3 poles so the light can be controlled from inside or outside the bathroom. Is there a way to wire this using the existing 2 conductor Romex? All conductors currently come into the junction box in the ceiling.


texts: I am trying to separate the light and fan to two separate switches. I took the black wires apart and tried each one separate. One did nothing, and the other turned on both. I’m assuming this means I would have to run a new wire, but wanted another opinion. Thanks


texts: Fireplace main burner not lighting . .. .pilot is fine

texts: I have a very similar problem with my Napoleon HD40 fireplace to what another user had posted on.  My fireplace is using a Dexen 6K module and 6003 3v valve.  The pilot ignites fine using the wall switch with either the transformer or 3v battery pack.  However the main burner never lights up.  I can also bypass the wall switch at the fireplace by shorting the SW1 contacts together . . . giving me the same result.  The voltage from TP -> TH/TP is about 480mv after the pilot has been on for a minute or so. If I pull the TH wire from the valve there is no change.  So I'm unsure if a) the ignition module isn't sending the TH wire what it needs or b) if the valve itself is defective.  How can I tell?  What reading should I have at TH on the valve?


texts: My hardware store sells both MAPP and propane torches.  The MAPP torches claim to burn hotter.  I was curious how much, so I took a look online.  By this table, propane burns in air at 1967 C, while MAPP burns at 2010 C.  I don't think this is a great enough difference to really matter in most applications.  What am I missing, here?


texts: Should my a/c have some sort of a drip pan (photo)

texts:
I've got water (condensation) dripping from this "radiator" in my a/c.
It's slanted so MOST of the condensation drips along the radiator and into a drip pan.
I'm wondering if I just need to clean it (it looks a bit dirty) or it should have something parallel to that radiator to catch the condensation and direct it to the drip pan.
I took this photo with the vertical edge ...vertical.
So that radiator, on the left, is slanted as it looks in the photo.


texts: Should a neutral wire ever be connected to the neutral for the power meter?

texts: I was not working with this circuit breaker box but I was interested to see what was going on with only 3 breakers for the entire apartment.  I found a neutral from the apartment going into the neutral with the power meter.  Is this safe and to code? What else is wrong with this picture?


texts:
I recently moved into a new home and it has a home alarm system installed. The system appears to be inactive, there's a keypad on the wall downstairs and a larger control unit upstairs - neither of them have lights on their display or make any sounds. There's also a number of motion sensors on various walls throughout the house (see example image) and an alarm siren on the front of the house.

The cabling to the motion sensors appear to be CAT 5 or 6.

I want to remove all these components as I'm investing in a wireless system, plus it will tidy the house a little!

I recently had an electrician upgrade my fuse box and I asked him to have a quick look, he confirmed that the power isn't coming from the fuse box, and that it's probably wired into one of the wall sockets? He looked at the upstairs control unit and could see mains power going to it, but he hadn't time to trace it's origin.

I have little or no knowledge of electric or power, bearing that in mind I have a few questions;

can I safely remove all these components myself or should I pay a professional?
can I simply cut / snip the leads connected to the motion sensors or is there a dangerous current?

Any advice appreciated.


texts: How to determine polarity on cloth covered wires?

texts:
I am wiring a ceiling fixture. There are three cables in the ceiling box. Only one of the cables has power. This cable powers the others that go on to power switches to ceiling fixtures in two separate rooms. I have found the live wire in the one cable and separated it from the neutral. I would like to know how to determine polarity of the other wires. This house was built in 1922 and on this circuit the cables and wires are cloth covered. I have used a "klein voltage tester" to determine the hot wire. In order to connect the others, how do I determine polarity? Virginia, USA
Thanks!


texts:
I have been finding black ants in random rooms in my house.  On walls and/or floors.

I called exterminators and they want >$350, which I can't afford right now.
They claim they are going to lay bait and then ants will take it back it to the colony to kill them.

Is there an acceptable DIY way to stop them from coming in to the house without using those cheap hardware store traps?

What checmicals can a homeowner use?


texts: Standard duty cycle of fridge compressor?

texts:
I have a refrigerator which has compressor duty cycle of about 50% percent.

It’s set on 2 out of 5 which is the highest setting. It basically works for 12-13 minutes and then it’s of for about 16 minutes, and then cycle repeats.

Is this OK value?

Quoting Targeting Refrigerators for Repair or Replacement:

  One can begin by recognizing two very common characteristics of most refrigerators.
  Over a broad range of models and vintages, the operating characteristics of properly operating
  refrigerators under reasonable temperature conditions appear the same. A refrigerator turns on,
  runs for a while, turns off and is off for a while. It then turns on again and the cycle repeats. A
  typical,steady-state cycle is about 40 minutes with the duty cycle, or per cent running time, being
  about 50 percent for standard temperature differences between the food compartment of the
  refrigerator and the room in which the refrigerator is placed.
   In other words, a typical, properly
  operating refrigerator runs about 20 minutes and is off 20 minutes.


texts:
I am installing a sewage ejector pit and pump in basement, hole is dug and I piped the inlet pvc for the toilet and sink. I did not have time to backfill or concrete.

The next morning I woke up to find after a night of rain the basin floating in groundwater. The septic tank is right next to my sump pump.

If I backfill and concrete the sewage basin and pump in, will the excessive ground water be a problem later?


texts:
I wanted to run electric into my mudroom for a ceiling light and a exterior light. Unfortunately the walls were all painted wood paneling so while doing that I figured I would switch to drywall because I had to rip half the stuff down anyway. Plus it looked like garbage. Unfortunately after handing the drywall I noticed the door jamb and window case extends a extra 1/4 out from the wall. Novice mistake of course seeing as this was my first time flying solo.

Is there a way in which I can make up this difference when I go to hang moulding or am I going to have to pull down these walls and put up strapping underneath to make up the difference and rehang the drywall?


texts: Refrigerator Side Wall Hole Closure - Need suggestions

texts:
In my side by side door refrigerator, there is a hole in the side wall on the right compartment that is intended for letting controllable amount of air from the lleft / freezer side of the refrigerator.. But we feel that the freezer air is doing more bad than good and want to close off that hole. The sliding control provided as can be seen from the pictures is not providing a good amount of insulation from cold. Can any one please suggest a good insulation component that can be used for closing off the hole in the side wall? I was not sure putty would be a right tool for the job or thermacol or something else. Please advise.

Refrigerator Side Wall Hole Pictures


texts: Electrical wiring stapled to subfloor/joists beneath baseboard

texts:
My 1920s rowhouse has likely had a lot of not permitted, and not up to code, work done on it in the past. Last night I pulled off the baseboard in the dining room, which is one of the few rooms with multiple 3-prong electrical outlets. The baseboard was covering a sizable gap between where the floor (both the 3/4" hardwood and subfloor) and lathe and plaster walls meet. In spots I can see the wall studs and floor joists. This was not that surprising to me.

What surprised me was that the romex electrical cable was run in this gap and stapled to whatever was available (studs, joists, and subfloor) there was no conduit or anything else to protect the cable from nails/screws, although nailing into the area would be hard.

Is this to code in the US? Was it ever to code in the US? How ridiculously unsafe is it?

Can I continue with my plan to rip up the hardwood floor and replace it with an engineered floor, or do I need to address the wiring first?


texts: Remove a scratch from powder coated mailbox

texts:
I have an ugly scratch on my mailbox. According to the manufacture, it has a powder coat. Here is a picture I am enclosing,

It is rather unsightly, what can I use to fix this?


texts: I have building that is on a 20 amp breaker along with outside lighting

texts: I bought my house almost two years ago and there is a building off to the side that is on the same circuit as an older security light on the side of my house and the breaker is a 20 amp, the breaker tripped a few time now i can not turn it on now. can i put a 30 amp breaker in place of the 20 amp?


texts: Do cold air return vents also supply combustion air?

texts:
I’m wondering if the cold air return vents located inside certain rooms of the house are also the intakes for furnace combustion air.

In other words, are those the vents that feed fresh air into the furnace to the filter to the be warmed up and blown back into the house, or is there also another intake somewhere that combines together?


texts:
This house is in need of a lot of work. The biggest problem I have right now is the basement flooding. Had new gutters put in in the past month which helped a little but my biggest issue now is where past owners must have patch up the windows in the basement with some more concrete.

As you can see in the pictures, the water comes in throughout the cracks from where they placed the block of concrete to the foundation. There are two of these patches on the same wall in the basement. There is no French drain or anything going around the house. So my question is, what would be the best way to take care of this for the long run and not just a temporary fix?


texts:
I have a flat with a cold water tank in the loft space, which feeds into an indirect (coil) heated cylinder in my airing cupboard. Hot water pressure has never been great, but acceptable.

A couple of days ago, the pressure dropped to an extremely low head, whereby hot water barely works at all and quickly drops off to almost nothing.

I have checked that the tank in the loft is still refilling - it is, so there should be enough pressure from that to push the water round.

I have now shut off the inlet to the cylinder and drained it, but I'm not really sure what to look for. My current thinking is that there's a blockage somewhere, but I'm not sure how I would locate it.

My flat is in a hard water area, so this could be the result of a gradual limescale build up, but then the problems started very suddenly which makes me think this us unlikely.

Any help would be welcome.


texts:
I have been subject to mild electric shocks in my bathroom for years. It's probably a good time to figure out the problem (I'm still here), so I have check the voltage across the shower valve and the drain (drain is cast iron throughout house.) When the meter is set to ac, it reads 24 volts. When set to dc, it read either +11 or -11 depending on lead used. I then shut off the main breaker, and disconnected the cable line from the house. (We have no hard wired telephone line in the house - it was disconnected at the pole) I unplugged the only ups system in the house. Voltages remain the same! I check it other locations in the house - and even tried a copper pipe to a screw driver pushed into the earth - and found the same issue.
The main panel is grounded the the copper piping and a ground rod that appears to be driven horizontally through the foundation wall about 6 feet below grade. Any ideas?
Chris


texts: Im building a large play area 370sqft. In the bottom I put tarp. I put small holes in key drainage spots. I'm thinking I should put a layer of pea stone on top of the tarp for better drainage then put the sand on top of the stones but it will cost a lot more. Is this necessary?


texts: How to safely route a wide groove in 2x2?

texts:
I would like to create a groove 3/4" wide and 1" deep in a piece of red oak 2x2, approximately 5" long (it is being sized to slip over a 1x2). I have a 1/2" router bit, and have successfully created a 1/2" wide, 1" deep groove in the piece; when I attempted to widen the groove with a second pass, the piece shot off of the router table.

What is the best way to enlarge the groove to the desired width?

I have tagged this question with "circular-saw" because it is the other possibly-relevant tool I have available.


texts: Should I use DF (AFCI + GFCI) breaker for circuit sharing bathroom lights?

texts:
I have a bathroom which shares a lighting circuit with other living areas. In California this is required to be AFCI protected, but not required to be GFCI protected (receptacles are on a separate dedicated circuit and GFCI protected)
However, with light switches in close proximity to sinks and showers what is considered best practice?
Should I replace my AFCI lighting breaker with a DF breaker offering both protections?
(Square D QO)
The switches and receptacles are grounded. These switches are in a plastic box with a plastic face plate.


texts:
I removed a piece of door hardware I'd screwed into the metal firedoor we have on the front of the house. Now, I have two holes in the door. The only advice I've found is this guy who seems to default to "buy this product I'm suggesting". I'm mainly looking for something cosmetic, but I also want to make the door as safe as possible. The hole is only on one side of the door, the inside.

One of the other methods he mentioned was to simply put a screw in and either grind it down or just paint it over. Would that work?


texts: Brackets For Temporarily Connecting Wooden Frames Together?

texts:
I am creating a DIY light box for product photography and it will likely be large. So I was thinking about creating the sides so that they can be connected together to form the box and then disconnected so that they are single pieces and could be stacked under the bed.

Can anyone recommend a bracket or hinge to buy or method that would allow me to do this?

Thanks


texts: Trane air handler twe036c140a0 create “c” wire

texts:
Trane Air Handler twe036c140a0 Create "C" Wire
Can someone please tell me the best way to Create a "C" Wire for a Honeywell WiFi thermostat (model rth9585wf).


texts: How to size an earth continuity conductor?

texts:
For the line wires, I just check the maximum load current and select a conductor from the manufacturer datasheet that can support that maximum current.

What about the earth continuity conductor though, how is it sized?


texts: What can I use to lubricate a new kitchen faucet no longer turns?

texts:
I installed a new kitchen faucet about 6 months ago.  However, it no longer turns/swivels at the base.  My non-expert inspection of the problem seems to suggest that the point-of-swivel has a build up of hard water or other kind of water-deposit.  I believe the ring inside the unit is plastic.

I'm not at home at the moment, but from off the top of my head I believe this is the unit we purchased.

We did not use the horizontal base at the bottom, as we didn't have any soap--dispenser holes to cover (new granite counter tops).

Any idea on how to loosen this thing up?  Right now it takes 2 hands to turn, and usually results in turning the whole unit instead of swiveling on the joint.  My first inclination was to use WD-40 but I wasn't sure how that would work on plastic (seems like it could be damaging)


texts: Ground Water or Well Water? How do I tell?

texts:
Problem:
I have a puddle at the bottom of a tree and shrub covered slope that will not dry.

Situation:
My wellhead is above and in-line (i.e. approimately the same distince from the house) with this puddle.  My well depth is 55 feet (16 meters) while my neighbor's in 18 ft (5.5m). This leads me to believe in a high water table.
The puddle is about 20-25 horizontal feet (6-7.5m) away from the well.  Near the wellhead, maybe 2 feet, (.6 meter) is a faucet with a hose bib.
I do not notice the pump running without the occupants using water.
Even when the rest of the yard is dry and solid, this area is wet and spongy.

How can I tell if this puddle is due to ground water or a leaky water pipe?


texts: Most bang for buck approach to insulating home

texts:
My home is a bit over 100 years old, wood frame aluminum siding house, that was not very well kept up by the previous (30+ year) owner.  We've lived in it for two years, and are looking to improve the insulation in the home both to reduce heating costs and reduce in-home variation of temperature.

We have three bedrooms on the second floor and living space on the first floor.  Modern windows (2-pane).  We're in the upper midwest, so very cold for 4 months or so.  2 story, single family home.  Brand new very high efficiency furnace with ductwork that goes up the middle of the house to the attic and back down into the bedrooms, and two-zone (each floor separately) controls.

Last winter we rolled one layer of fiberglass insulation in the attic (it prior had blown-in junk that was basically useless), and that seemed to improve things some, but it's still quite cold in much of the house even when the thermostat thinks it's 70.  The walls are definitely cold, so we assume there is little to no insulation between the aluminum siding and the (mostly) plaster walls, and the couple of times we've had to dig into the plaster (for wiring) we haven't seen any evidence of any sort of insulation.

What is the next low-hanging fruit in terms of providing the most bang for the buck?  We've considered foam in the walls, but that seems very expensive for the R-values we would get.  We could just insulate the second floor walls, but we're unsure if the cold first floor would make it too ineffective.  We're also not sure if we could realistically foam the whole floor without doing a huge amount of re-drywalling/re-plastering.  Would it be easier/cheaper to go at it from the siding side instead (and would that work)?


texts: Will using a flood guard on cellar drain cause excess storm water to go to upper floors?

texts:
Just recently has storm backwater flood my basement through the 2 floor drains.  A few weeks ago when my neighbor was draining his backyard pool I noticed remnants of slight flooding, but last night during the storm it flooded the entire basement by 2" with water gushing up through the storm drain.  It eventually started draining again after about 15 minutes and the water flowed back into the drains.
Now I'm trying to avoid a repeat - can I install the one-way floor drain flood guards as protection?  If so, will the water escape through the rest of my drainage system and flood upper floor drains?  Or, will the water just "find its level" and stay low blocked off and isolated?  Should I get a check valve at the source connected to the sewer?
How do I know if the overflow was from the roof water coming down or from the city sewer main?