texts: What is the best position for a French drain between a wall and a patio?

texts:
Below is the layout of my patio and the context

The patio settled and now moisture collects at the base of the wall causing efflorescence on it and small cracks in the cement coating at the base of the wall. These creack seem to be always wet ...

As you can see there is a raised deck on the patio and the main problem with this is that the excavation needed for a french drain will reach the base of the 4x4s that support the deck platform.
The french drain will be installed under the patio like in the picture below and after that the pavers will be reset

At this point I have two choices:
1) dig along the wall and stop when I reach the first 4x4
2) dig 2 feet away from the wall and go all the way under deck to the garage

Which solution would you recommend?

The area between the deck and the garage has no water problems
For a full size picture click here


texts: What is this stake in my yard and can I remove it?

texts:
My child has been swinging in our front yard (NC, US) and worn away the grass, revealing this metallic stake (* See photo, note the acorn top for scale*):
I gently tried to pull it up, but it is lodged in pretty well, and I don't want to damage city property it could indicate a gas line or something important. I don't think it is a ground rod (it seems to be stainless steel).
As it is right under her swing I'd like to remove it as it is a safety hazard, but I think I probably shouldn't.


texts: What is recommended to install hardwood floor on slab in Tampa, FL?

texts:
Am building a new home in Tampa, FL and considering engineered hardwood floors throughout except baths and utility. The builder does provide the option but they seem quite expensive. I'm thinking about letting the builder put in the base vinyl/carpet then putting in hardwood later.

In addition to the flooring, what other materials or underlayment would be needed?  How long should the house settle?

Most important - is engineered hardwood really a bad idea on slab in FL???
I'd really like wood flooring but will stay with tile if wood may only last 15 years.  I've researched the topic but it seems the question of putting wood over slab is "bad" for northern states with wide temperature variations.

-Edit-
Air conditioning will be on keeping the house 78 - 80 degrees F. that is our comfort zone  :)    Of course there are super nice dryer days in winter when A/C isn't needed.


texts: Help Splitting 2 Three Way Switches To 2 Lights On 1 Circuit

texts:
In my basement I have 2 light switches and 2 ceiling lights (located in the hallway and laundry room). Presently both switches control both lights simultaneously, as in if the hall light is on the laundry room light is on also, and the lights can be turned off and on from either the hallway or laundry room. I'm trying to replace the old ceiling light in the laundry room with a motion-activated light, but that would require separating the lights so the hallway switch can no longer control the laundry room light (as the motion-activated light needs constant power). I'm usually pretty decent with replacing switches and outlets but I see so many wires that don't make sense it's confused the hell out of me. I gave up trying to figure it out and hooked up the new light the same way as the old light (I thought) but now none of my lights work -_-

I've attached pictures. if anyone could give me some advice, I'd appreciate it!


texts: Unbearable rattling from one of my YORK furnaces

texts:
i have a pair of YORK furnaces installed in my basement. Once a while one of them starts making unbearable rattling noise - maybe once every couple weeks, and the noise lasted, i don't know, hours?

I looked for the source of noise and found it's from this little guy - see below

Model: VCMA-15ULS

Little Giant Pump Company, Oklahoma City, OK

My apology that I couldn't provide more info as I don't know too much about furnace. Could it be the weather being hot so that the furnace is overloaded?
However any advice is appreciated.


texts: How do I replace a worn isolation valve which is partially recessed into a tiled wall?

texts:
The outer screw on an isolation valve in our bathroom has been worn away:

We believe it needs to be replaced. The valve itself is partially recessed into the bathroom's tiled wall:

We have a few questions:

Is there a way to use the isolation valve effectively in its current state (i.e. without having to replace it)?
If we do need to replace it, is there a way to do it without causing damaging to the surrounding tiles? (I believe I have the skill to replace the valve itself, but probably not to deal with the related tile work.)
Approximately how much should we expect to pay a professional for the replacement / clean-up job (UK)?


texts: My sump pump is not kicking on and has water standing.  The water also seems to have oil in it.  Don't know what that is from but I don't want it to flood my basement.  What should I do?


texts: Adding recessed lights to existing ceiling fan connection

texts:
I replaced an old ceiling fan in my sons room that had a light fixture and dimmer switch.  The new ceiling fan only operates with a remote that it came with.  No pull strings for the light or fan.  I also want to add a couple of recessed lights so he gets more light as the fan light fixture does not give off much light.

Currently I have a armored electrical cable in the ceiling with Red/Black/White.  The new ceiling fan remote receiver has red/white cable on one side and on the other, blue, black, white.  I ran romex cable to the recessed cans and attached them together matching the white/black/and bare.  I have the cable for the recessed lights in the same ceiling hole for the the fan ready.  How do I make the connection so that the recessed lights work with a dimmer switch and the fan and fan light work with the remote it came with?  We will used the recessed lighting and fan 99% of the time, and rarely use the fan light.

In the switch box, I see the armored red joined with the black from the electrical panel run.  The armored black is by itself currently as I took off the old dimmer switch.   And the armored white is joined with the other white from the electrical panel run.

This is a picture of my switch box. The black/red/white on the right side are the armored cable to ceiling fan.


texts: What can I do if my washing machine inlet hoses are not compatible with the plumbing?

texts:
I purchased a fully automatic washing machine and little did I realize that it requires special plumbing to fit inlet hoses to water source. All I have got in my house are the taps to which it can be connected.I thought that I would be able to connect hose to tap when I operate washing machine and then remove it. But looks like this plan will not work.

I want to know if I can use inlet hose of semi-automatic washing machine (which doesn't require permanent fitting) with automatic washing machine?

The hose connector looks like:


texts: Can I use double-sided carpet tape to stick throw rugs to a carpet pad?

texts:
I'm a software engineer pretending to be a handyman, so bear with me. I'd like to know if double-sided carpet tape will work as I expect. Here is more context. I have an unfinished attic with a plywood floor:

In this half of this attic I want to put high pile plush green carpet. I found these 6' x 5' IKEA carpets which look great and are cheap. My plan is to buy 14 of them and tile them across the floor like so (my photoshop job is not to scale, it will take 14 to completely cover the area):

The back of these carpets does not have any padding. It's woven, see here:

So I'm planning to buy a couple roles of this foam carpet padding and simply lay it out on the ground. I was not planning to staple it down. Then I'll tile the 14 IKEA carpets on top and at all the seams I'd use this double sided tape to connect the edges of carpet together and stick them to the carpet padding.

Will this tape work as I expect? http://www.homedepot.com/p/Roberts-Indoor-Outdoor-3-in-x-15-ft-Double-Sided-Carpet-Tape-Roll-50-605-12/100645279

Does my overall plan sound sane? I'm sure there are a couple things I'm oblivious to which will make this not work as I hope so I appreciate any advice or suggestions!


texts:
This year, being a beginner in handyman skills I decided to replace the deck boards and railings of my deck. When I bought the home about 1.5 years ago the professional who checked the house for me told me that the underlying structure is in good shape.

So, I started the demolition couple of days ago. One thing that's concerning me is after I removed the deck boards, I see the cracks on top of the joists especially where the previous screws went in with older deck boards. Rest of the joist looks good to me.

Now, do I replace the whole joist or can I do anything else to strengthen the structure ?

Note: My house is 17 years old. I'm assuming the current deck is at least 15 years old.


texts: Lennox G12D2E-55C-6 with a Johnson Control G779LHA-1 ignition control and Mercury Thermostat

texts:
I am looking to replace the mercury thermostat with a Lux Kono thermostat simply to have the ability to run the fan only and circulate the air. I believe this thermostat does that periodically. I'm in the San Francisco bay area and the call for heat is shorter than the need to circulate the air.

The furnace has a panel contact switch so it doesn't run if the panel is off. It has a Johnson Control G779 Universal Intermittent Pilot Control unit. The wiring diagrams are intelligible but it's not connecting for me because I can't trace the physical wires for the thermostat. I can't seem to understand where the thermostat wires are going and the disconnect switch transformer has two red wires bunched up into the wall. I want to run a new 18/8 thermostat wire from the furnace. I've been looking at replacing the furnace and water heater but can't afford it for a couple years.

I'd greatly appreciate any assistance.


texts: In particular, I'm trying to insulate my loft. I'm not keen on the idea of taking a naked flame up there!


texts: How do I go about making 1" and 2" thick "boards" for concrete furniture?

texts:
I have designed a cement feeder for hogs, for my hobby sized farm. It is generally based around a professional one we already had.

I have planned on different parts of it being 2 inch, 1.5 inch, and 1 inch, depending on how accessible the part is to the animals. Most of these parts will be board shaped and about 4 feet long, but there's also a box part with open top and bottom.

But I am out of my depth for choosing the materials.

There are different types of cement, and (I assume) different sizes of reinforcing rod.
Also, there is the question of adding filler gravel or not. I think in general that adding gravel would be bad for the thin 1 inch stuff, but would work alright in the 2 inch at least.

Questions:

Are there specific types of cement you want to stay away from, or use specifically for delicate cement "furniture"?
What size of rod do you use for thin cement boards?
Is gravel filler something you do not want in thin cement?

Note: I am planning on pouring this cement myself in custom built frames.


texts: Can I install a dimmer switch on a 2 way circuit?

texts:
I have a 6 lights controlled by 2 normal switches (2 Way Circuit). I want to replace one of the normal switches with a dimmer switch.

Is this possible?


texts: How can I remedy a septic system that is sometimes below the surrounding water level?

texts:
We have a septic tank.  About two years ago, after a hurricane, we had additional drain lines placed because of excessive water.  Well, we had another hurricane and the tank was pumped.  We were told we needed another drain field so we paid for another one.

We have been having lots of rain after the hurricane and the ground is saturated.  When it rains, water sits on top of the tank.  One of toilets do not flush and the other one is flushing slow.  Once the sun comes out and it dries up, both toilets flushed.  I am so aggravated because I don't know what to do!!!


texts: Is my main feed the correct size for my panel?

texts:
I have a Cutler Hammer CH30E 150 Amp panel. It is fed from a 150 main disconnect mounted on the wall next to my meter can. The wire sizes are 2#2/0 AL THW & #1/0 AL THW NEUT & #6 CU GND buried in a 2" PVC pipe. My house was built in 1981.

Checking my wire ampacity chart, I'm seeing that 2/0 Al is good for 135 Amps. Should my feed have been 3/0 AL?

PS. I would have never checked this before joining this site.


texts:
I have never worked with wood before, and this is going to be my first DIY wood project. I did a significant amount of research, but still have questions as I don't want to damage a piece of furniture I am working on.

I have an old solid wood  coffee table. It has scratches and black rings, so I decided to refinish it. In my understanding, the workflow is as follows:

Strip off the old finish
Remove the residue using a stripping pad soaked in mineral spirits.
Bleach the top to get rid of the black rings.
Sand the table.
Apply a pre-stain conditioner
Stain
Apply a finish. Sand after each coat.

My questions are as follows:

Is my understanding correct?
Which steps are optional?
Would you recommend to sand manually or use an orbital sander?
What type of finish should I apply if I want to preserve the matte look of the table?

I appreciate your help and apologize if some of questions sound silly.


texts: Capping off electrical outlet in a series

texts: After successfully capping off an electrical outlet, I turned the breaker back on and the adjacent outlet works fine but the next outlet and light switch in the series will not work. Why is that? What did I do wrong?


texts: how to patch hole in interior chimney wall

texts:
I was recently removing plaster from the interior wall of my chimney and discovered a huge hole that had been patched by some drywall.

The chimney is still used to vent my furnace and water heater, but there are no active fireplaces anymore. I would like to patch this hole with brick. My currently plan is to take out the top and bottom bricks so that the hole becomes rectangular and then fill it with new bricks. Something like this:

Is this the correct way to approach this problem? Is there a simpler way to solve this while still filling the hole with brick? Are there tools and techniques for getting grout into the bricks like this?


texts:
Where are the wires I have, I am confuse to where the red from the ceiling goes, nothing in the manuals talk about a red wire.

Right now we have 1 switch controlling the light, and 1 controlling the fan.
We want just one switch controlling both so we can just use the remote for function.

From ceiling: Red, Black, White

From fan: Black, White, Green/Yellow, Blue

From remote module: Yellow, Blue, Black, White


texts: Are there any differences in the quality of products sold at contractor's supply store vs. big box hardware stores?

texts:
We are in the early stages of building a new house & went shopping for lighting fixtures yesterday. We get an allowance from the builder which we know will be used up very quickly after visiting their standard supplier. We also had a lot of trouble finding fixtures that we really liked (especially ceiling fans).

Later, we went to Home Depot and found quite a few fixtures that we liked, in most cases we liked them better than what we'd seen at the lighting supply store. And the prices were much lower.

We can take the lighting allowance the builder gives us and get it applied as a credit on the final price of the house (or put the money into other upgrades) if we purchase everything on our own and deliver it when they tell us to. If we can do this and save money on the fixtures, that's great. But I worry that the Home Depot (or Lowe's) brands may be of significantly lesser quality, and in 2 years we'll find ourselves having to replace a number of them.

Generally speaking, is there a significant enough difference in the quality of the products offered at each of these stores to warrant the significant (2X, in some cases) price difference?


texts: Should I use solid concrete or cement block for an egress window well?

texts:
I am having some contractors build a window well for an egress window at my house. I have the option of doing solid concrete walls for the window well, or cement blocks (which he said he will fill with cement anyways). The concrete walls are significantly more expensive (about 1k more) so I am thinking of just going with concrete blocks, but are there significant reasons why I should choose the concrete walls instead and suck up the extra cost?

Also, do people typically put some type of drainage system in the bottom of the egress window well (sump pump or otherwise)? Is it necessary?


texts:
I have a GFCI that does not trip with the plug tester. I tried troubleshooting the issue. I looked in a junction box, and found all the neutral wires coming from the subpanel were all connected at the junction box.

Should I disconnect that neutral from the rest, so that the outlets have a separate neutral? When I try tripping the GFCI with the tester, the neutral light only on the tester goes out but does not trip the GFCI. Also I tried to short the outlet out by touching ground to neutral, and the 15 amp breaker did not trip.


texts:
I was patching my wall for the first time and forgot to put fiberglass drywall tape on first. I've only done one coat of joint compound so far.

Can I still put my drywall tape on the seams or is it too late?


texts: Can I move the posts under the beam in my basement?

texts:
I have a parallam PSL in my unfinished basement and am wanting to move the support pillars for finishing purposes. The parallam is currently supported at the end by wood posts and 2 steel pillars in the center (7.5' in from the end with a 9' gap in the center). Can I add another pillar and shift them around to create a 9' gap from one end to the first steel pillar, and the other 2 pillars at closer distances? I can't find documentation on the product and don't know how to calculate loading

Edit: Looking at the basement structural plans, there is a long footing run underneath where the poles are and where i plan to move them. I've spoken to the engineer who designed the basement and said as long as the pole is on that run of footing, I should be fine. The long footing was poured because it's a load bearing run and poles were there to give me an option of either a load bearing stud wall OR just the poles. I even have pictures of the footing pour prior to basement floor pour to confirm it exists.


texts: How to replace cartridge for this tub valve?

texts: I need to replace the hot water cartridge on my jacuzzi tub.  This is all I have access to -- I can't get to the other side.  I can't tell how to disassemble this valve to get the cartridge out... any ideas?  I can't figure out the manufacturer either since there are no markings.  Thanks!


texts: What is the best way to install insulation batts in an attic?

texts:
As far as we can tell, the attic is laid out like so - first is the 2nd floor ceiling, then whatever material is right above that, then the attic joists, then there is plywood nailed to the joists, creating a storage area in the attic.  There are a couple of cut throughs in the plywood for recessed lights in the bedroom upstairs, and from what I can tell, there is a minimal amount of insulation between the joists (between the plywood decking and the ceiling of the 2nd floor.  It is definitely not completely filled with insulation, there is also a large amount of air space between the joists.  I would estimate the joists maybe being about 6 inches high.

Is it effective to roll out batts on top of the plywood?  I was most likely going to go for R-19 batts, and do it in two layers, at right angles to each other.  Will this help, or is there a more effective way to do this that does not involve taking out all the plywood?


texts: Could a "missing phase" result in damage to electrical household equipment=

texts:
This question is related to a previous question of mine about what seemed to be a voltage drop after a night of heavy snowfall.

A couple of weeks ago, heavy snowfall resulted in what appeared to be a voltage drop in my house. I am no expert (so excuse my probable lack of correct use of terms), but I believe one out of three electrical phases was dead / missing (that's what my electrician tells me). Looking at my fuse box I could see that it reported ~115v and not ~230v as it should. This caused a variety of "interesting" results on our electrical equipment.

One piece of equipment which just acted in a not normal fashion was our heat pump. When I woke up the morning, the heat pump did not run (but it's lights were on indicating power).

After the power came back, and ever since, the heat pump has acted somewhat strange. It reports errors and simply just works irregularly (runs for some time, suddenly stops, goes through defrost cycle even though there are 5C - 10C degrees outside). I contacted a service company which told me that one or two of the heat pump PCB's most likely had been damaged and most likely needed to be replaced.

Is it plausible that the recent incident have caused damage to our heat pump, but only to some extent? Or is this simply a coincidence which is a result of "wear and tear"?

How can a reduced amount of power able to result in damage to a heat pump which results in irregular behavior? We are after all talking about reduced voltage, and not increased voltage.


texts: What is the most important aspect of plumbing door frame

texts: When installing the rough framing for a door frame, what is the most critical thing to get right?  Since lumber is rarely a perfect, uniform, straight piece of wood, there are going to be all sorts of variances.  Compromises will have to be made, so I'm wondering what would be the most important thing to get right - plumb the jack and King, make sure the king and jack are flush on the face, that the rough opening is of a certain width, etc)


texts: Why doesn't current return via the grounding conductor when it's connected in the panel?

texts: Since the neutral wire and ground wire are connected in the main fuse box then why doesn't some of the returning electricity flow through the ground wire to earth?


texts: Is a dryer connection with the G and W connected at the plug safe?

texts: I have a dryer plug ,4 prong that is looped from ground to neutral .is this safe?


texts: How can I remove 3-way switch to leave single pole switch on the lighting circuit?

texts:
I would like to install a Leviton Decora Smart DW6HD in a 3-way scenario. One switch is a simple on/off while the switch being replaced is a dimming switch but do not think that matters. I tried installing the new switch but after much frustration read that the DW6HD does not support standard 3-way switch and must be used with a DD00R-L. I do not care to purchase a second smart-switch for the same room. I would like to eliminate the second switch so the 6W6HD may be wired as a single pole. I have found a number of articles explaining how to do this but my scenario seems to be a little different. At each box there are two white wires capped together, two black and a red wire connected to each switch. Thoughts on how to handle this?

Switch A to be replaced:

Two White capped together
Ground
Red to Red
Red/White to Black
Black to Black

Switch B to be removed:

Two White capped together
Ground
Red
Black
Black

New switch to replace Switch A


texts: Why are "Attefallshus" (Attefall houses) in Sweden not allowed to be on a land without a big house already on it?

texts:
Since 2014, house owners are allowed to have this kind of "mini house" built on their property. It's treated as a "real house", with its own address and somebody can live there and everything. However, you aren't allowed to skip the "big house" and only put an Attefallshus (or two of them, or three) on an empty plot of land.
This is extremely frustrating to me, since I cannot afford any of these insanely overpriced houses, but I would on the other hand be able to (just barely) afford an Attefallshus on an empty square of grass. It would be enough for me to live inside alone, albeit somewhat claustrophobic. Still, it sure beats being homeless.
Why do they force me to buy an impossibly expensive "real" house of a much larger size and to then have this as an "extra" home? Why can't I just buy a cheap plot of land and have the Attefallshus delivered/installed on it, and live like that, with no "main" house? What possible reason could there be for them disallowing this? I really don't understand their reasoning. They explicitly disallow it, but don't explain why.
I would've asked this in the "Sweden" Stack category, but there is no such thing. Maybe there's a similar law in the USA or something, or you could maybe give an educated guess.
If you are curious what they look like, this is an example of one (bunch of photos): https://www.bjurfors.se/sv/tillsalu/stockholm/stockholm/alvsjo-herrangen/noaks-vag-3d/#bilder


texts:
I'm trying to install a ceiling light. I found a convent place to put a on/off switch. There is a receptacle at the bottom of where I would like to add the on/off switch for the light.

So what I found is that the receptacle has source coming from the attic. There used to be an extra room there and previous own removed some walls due to which there is a junction box located in the attic which feeds the receptacle.

Red arrow is the wire coming from the attic. Wall on the Second picture is the wall I will also be installing the switch. I'm trying to understand how I should wire the switch and the ceiling light. Should I tap into the junction box? I want the receptacle to be live all the time and do not want to control it via the switch.

Second wire at the junction box is powering the attic light.


texts:
I have just purchased a home which I will be renovating prior to moving in. The house was built in 1950 and has cinder block ex/interior walls. I have an area going into the hallway which attaches to an addition which is 2x4 wood framed walls. The stick framing is flush with the block wall. The previous owner adhered plain wood paneling directly to the block wall and, of course, nailed the paneling to the wood section.

Is it OK to adhere x" drywall to the interior block wall? There are no signs of complications with the original install. The owner was an anal architect; he dated the install 1987.

The other side of the wall is in the kitchen which I plan to mount 1 or 2x furring strips to accommodate electrical/gas in the wall. This wall will consist of a range, hood, and cabinetry.

If it is not recommended, can anyone suggest a thin covering for the wood framed area so I can texture to match the adjoining section?


texts: My home theater setup specifically warrants a 25 feet HDMI cable. I have a Sony Bravia 55" LED TV 3D + 240Hz refresh rate, alongside a XBox One, Comcast digital cable and Blu Ray player. I went to BestBuy and they were trying to sell me an 8 meters (26.2 feet) AudioQuest HDMI cable that costs $299 and an 8 meters AudioQuest optical audio cable for $99. Their justification was that the quality deteriorates as the length of the HDMI cable increases and the AudioQuest cables have silver that provides excellent conductivity of audio and video signals. But when I took a look online (Amazon), I saw a rather large selection of HDMI cables that were significantly cheaper (under $25) and pretty good reviews. Technical specs-wise, they did not seem all that different or inferior to the AudioQuest cables. So I am very confused. Is there any particular criteria that I should use to form my decision? I want the best bang for the buck and at the same time, I want cables that provide the necessary quality and are reasonably future-proof, although the latter expectation is not crucial.


texts: If you look at picture below, the cold water line is on the right. I am having a very slow leak beneath the metal nut at the bottom and the metal threads that come out from cold water supply. It does not drip, it is a very slow leak that could be described as oozing very very slowly. I have attempted to tighten and it won’t budge. I really don’t want to take it off unless absolutely necessary. Are there any suggestions or any products, I could use to stop this leak? I had thought of using pipe sealant, but I don’t know if that is an option here.


texts: How many jack poles should I use when opening a doorway through a load bearing wall?

texts:
I'm opening a 6-foot wide opening in a 19-foot section of load bearing wall between two rooms on the main level of two-level-with-basement home.  I'll be installing a built-up 4x10 header (using (2) 2x10 boards) with the requisite jack/cripple studs.

My question is how many jack poles I should use to shore up the upper floor's floor joists while I'm installing the header?


texts: Is there a PVC piping primer/cement alternative for a non-plumbing project?

texts:
I'd like to construct a case out of PVC schedule-40 bits and pieces.  The case is for a rifle-cleaning rod that I want to keep from getting bent/scraped.  I'll need to connect schedule-40 pipe to caps/adapters/plugs/etc.

Is there something else I can use for the cement other than the traditional PVC primer and cement?

I'm too cheap to want to spend $15 on a can of each, as I'm unlikely to use them again in the future.  I'm hoping that I could use super glue or epoxy or something common, as I don't need this contraption to hold up under water pressure.


texts: Natural ways to keep the ceiling cool during summer

texts:
I live in the single floor independent house in South India with the ceiling exposed to sun.  In summer it gets really hot.

I am not an expert but was wondering if there is a traditional/natural way of cooling the ceiling. Sometimes, inside the house, we feel like living inside the furnace.

Would be glad if you have some ideas in natural cooling techniques.


texts: Installing in-wall speakers in an exterior basement wall

texts:
I've been debating installing in-wall speakers on an exterior basement wall for a home cinema, and I see problems with every solution.

Naive approach

Cut out a section down to the concrete and simply install the speaker.

The problem with this, is because I live in a cold climate the vapor barrier is on the inside of the wall, and would be cut and compromised along each place.

Vapor barrier box

The next idea was to install a vapor barrier box, allowing me to preserve the vapor barrier, and still install the speaker.

The problem with this, is that in wall speakers are expecting a wall cavity to serve as a loudspeaker enclosure (and can actually benefit from existing insulation in the wall using it to absorb the unwanted waves within the cavity). I expect it would compromise the speakers quality enough to not be worth the effort of installing.

Has anyone else solved this problem already? Or is the idea of in-wall speakers just not feasible on exterior walls?


texts: I cleaned wood paneling with water and then with a magic eraser.   I rinsed the walls really well and the cloths were clean after rinsing & wiping the walls.  I primed walls with KILZ and now there is a stain showing through.   What should I do?


texts: Fixing vintage glass doorknobs with loose glass to brass connection

texts:
I have a number of 1930's glass doorknobs which are loose, not at the set screw, but between the glass knob and the brass holder.   Nearly every knob in the entire house has the same problem. They all have a steel thread, a solid brass compression member, and a glass (or perhaps lead crystal) knob.

I know I can purchase reproductions, but can I save these?  Here's a photo:

The one on the left rattles but is usable. The one on the right is to illustrate the construction and show a prior owner's repair (the dent is a hammer mark).  That one had cracked glass, got looser and looser with time, until the glass broke off completely.


texts: Painting over bright color with Kilz and single-coat of one-coat paint: overkill? Underkill?

texts:
We are expecting to close on a new house Friday, and my out-of-state father-in-law will be there for the weekend only to help us paint a couple of bedrooms.  The rooms are bright colors now, and we want to replace the bright colors with a light gray on the wall and a white on the wainscoting.  We intend to use a coat of Kilz primer, and he is recommending we use an expensive one-coat paint (Behr Marquee) on top of it.  Will a single coat probably suffice?  Is it overkill to use an expensive paint+primer on top of a primer?

We will be painting with semi-gloss, and I believe that is what is on the walls already.


texts: What is this electrical fixture above a natural gas fired forced air furnace?

texts:
While visiting my mother-in-law, we wanted to get the smoke detector situation in her house up to par (this is in Massachusetts, we're from Europe, though). She has a natural gas fired forced air furnace in her basement; it blows warm air directly into various rooms instead of using radiators.
Above the furnace, we found the following fixture:

(Sorry for the overexposure, the lighting situation is not quite optimal there.)
To me, it looks a bit like the eviscerated remains of a smoke detector. What throws me off, though, is that it has two wire conduits leading to it: the bx conduit leads to a small box attached to the furnace, the smooth conduit leads directly to the breaker box. I'm used to smoke detectors running on an independent 9V battery, with no conduits. I'm also sure it's not just a broken light fixture, given the text on it says it's an "alarm". (The text also refers to detailed instructions on the inside of the base of the alarm, but the base is nowhere to be found.)
What is is thing and what would need to be done to repair it?


texts: How important is soffit ventilation with tiled roofs?

texts:
While attempting to install a security camera in the soffit of my bungalow home, I noticed that there is wood paneling beneath (above) the soffit. The soffits are aluminum, and it looks as though there are breathable soffit panels every 12' or so. The wood appears to be solid, I assume where the breathable panels are there is a gap in the wood.

EDIT: My brick bungalow is approx. 1100sq/ft, My roof pitch is 8/12. Just before the peak on one side there are 4 roof vents, evenly spaced. In addition, there are gable vents close to the top of the brick at either side of the house.

My roof tiles appear to be in good condition, but I am concerned that I do not have enough ventilation intake. Is it still recommended to have wood above soffits? Am I risking damage to my roofing tiles by leaving this for a couple of years, or is it recommended to deal with this asap (if ventialtion is indeed inadequate)?


texts: What's the difference between Rust-oleum and Rust-oleum Professional?

texts:
I have been doing some painting lately and I am buying all of my supplies from Home Depot.  I have noticed two dominant paints there: RustOleum Professional which comes in an aluminum can that has some info painted on it, and then the normal RustOleum which comes in aluminum cans that have a label over them.

The Professional series cost more - is there a reason, or just marketing?


texts:
Truss roof....timber frame house. The attic space has braces all over the place on the webbing. Are these from the construction of the roof? And are they necessary? Can a small section be cut and re-braced above to make access to the other side of the roof?
https://youtu.be/EuxiOBlvoMU
![enter image description here]


texts: Trying to install a dimmer switch for my light attached to my ceiling fan

texts:
thanks in advance for the help!

I am attempting to install a dimmer switch to solely operate the light on my ceiling fan light fixture. I have read that installing a dimmer for the fan is dangerous, however I have been told that having the dimmer only control the light, not the fan and the light, is okay. Correct me if I've been told wrong!

Before I attempted to install the dimmer, there was one switch on the wall that controlled the light and the fan was operated by the pull cord attached to the fixture. This is what I continue to achieve after I have installed the dimmer switch for the light. In the switch box there were 2 black wires, 1 red wire, and the ground wire. On the switch, the black wires were attached to 2 brass screws, the ground wire attached to a blackish-green colored screw, and the red wire was inserted into a small whole in the back of the switch labeled a "push wire".

On the dimmer switch that I bought, there is a ground wire, a red wire, a black wire (and a red/white striped wire, which the instructions said to cap as it could be used for 3 way switch, which I don't think I need for this job.)

I have left the red/white striped wire capped, as instructed. My ground wires are connected. And the 2 black wires from my wall are connected to the black and red wires on the dimmer switch box. And I have capped the red wire from the wall. This combination controls the light appropriately, however the fan is not working at all.

From this combination, I have deduced that the red wire controls the fan. Is the "push wire" hole on the original switch just a constant source of power and is not operated by the switch?

When I had red to red connected, with the 2 black wires from the wall connected to the black wire on the dimmer,  the dimmer switch controlled the fan motor and the light did not even turn on. When I capped one or the other black wires from the wall, the dimmer still controlled the fan motor, or the whole fixture did not work, if I am remembering correctly.

So my question is, is there a way to wire the dimmer switch to have it solely operate the light and have the fan be controlled by the pull cord with the dimmer switch that I have already purchased? Do I need to buy a different type of dimmer switch? Or should I scrap the idea of having ambiance in my living room from my ceiling and invest in some lamps?!

The dimmer switch that I bought is a Lutron C-L Dimmer.

Lastly, I've also noticed a buzzing sound when the light is on. Is there a way to fix this? FYI, I've been keeping the light off to avoid something bad (fire) happening.

Thank you all for the help and suggestions!


texts: Can I install insulation over the HVAC duct work and plywood?

texts:
Currently there is R19 faced insulation installed between the floor joists.  I am adding R30 unfaced perpendicular to the currently installed R19.  I have two questions:

1) There is an HVAC unit in the attic.  Can I cover the duct work (which is already insulated with foil insulation) with the unfaced R30?  My concern would be potential condensation in the summer time with the air conditioner running.

2)  In some areas of the attic, there is plywood that is nailed down to the floor joists.  But, there is the R19 faced underneath it.  Can I just add the unfaced R30 on top of the plywood?


texts: we are replacing a 15yo Amtrol 82 gal retension tank (leaks)with a 42gal fiberglass tank with similar openings not an actual retention tank asnone available in our area.    Installed it with tthe same fittings as before.  Pressured it both ways ie 2/3 full 2lbs pressure just under the upper cut off,,,,  or 28lbs pressure in the empty tank, then fill.  we use 30-50.  the water for the pump comes from about 50ft beyond the pump and probably 20 or so ft. above it.  .its a 2500 gallon storage tank.  the water from the pump goes to our house, chicken yard, etc. which are all above the pump and retention tank at least  5-10 ft.  whether we pressurized air on top of water or air below the water,  using water starts pumping the air out and soon the retention tank waterlogs and the pump cycles.  this never happened with our 82gal tank unless we actually ran out of water and had to restart the pump.  so.....  why does the pressurized air pump out of the 42gallon tank?     This is the opposite problem posed at the top of this blog....  thanks!


texts: Mini Fridge thermostat turns on/off doesn't cool

texts: I have a Magic Chef Mini Fridge 2 door from Home Depot (HVDR430SE) that doesn't cool. It has no evaporator or condenser fan because it is a sealed unit. The thermostat clicks on, starting the compressor and turning it off also stops the compressor but nothing cools. Is the fridge worth fixing. It's new but I can't return it.


texts:
I am planning a movable kitchen island and want to hide the casters.
I am planning to use these stepdown casters.
These caster allow the legs to be lowered down in a stationary position, and when needed lifted up to move the island.
Are there any products available which will hide inside the legs of the kitchen island ?


texts: Would unplugging help melt ice build up in freezer with warm refrigerator?

texts:
I have a GE Refrigerator Bottom Freezer that is 13 years old. My refrigerator stopped working but the freezer seemed to still be very cold, though ice cream was not as hard. A guy from the Appliance Dr told me my compressor was bad. My fan in refrigerator was not working either.

I moved everything out, but was still able to use the the freezer as refrigerator. Water stayed ice cold but was not freezing. Then I went away for five days and everything in freezer started freezing everything again. The freezer continued to work fine, but refrigerator still did not work. Water in bottles I had became solid. This made me think the Compressor could not be bad.

I was told by a second appliance company that it was NOT my compressor but rather my evaporator fan motor that needed replacement. I was told this repair would cost $325. I did not want to pay $325 so I unplugged the refrigerator, took the doors off and put it in the garage to dispose. The next morning I noticed a substantial amount of water in the bottom of the Bottom Freezer. I am now wondering if the problem was actually a simple build up of ice and that both appliance people were wrong.

Is it normal for a lot of water to show up at the bottom of of a Bottom Type freezer if it is unplugged? In hindsight I probably should have unplugged for a day before I gave up. I can not plug it again as I don't have electricity in the garage and have take it apart so it probably isn't worth assembling it back, but wanted to get a perspective if this happens again. THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR INPUT.


texts: Can I run a cable straight into a junction box?

texts: I have a junction box like the one shown in the picture below. Do I just run the cable straight in or do I have to use some conduit/coating? I am thinking that maybe if I run the cable straight in the cable insulation might be damaged from the pressure of the hole.


texts: Should there be a cap next to my furnace ac drain?

texts: In the picture below, the left side has a good amount of airflow while the ac/blower is running. The tube on the right is the drain that the condensation flows out of to the floor. Should there be a cap on the left opening? Seems odd as there is so much air coming out of there.


texts:
What I got: old Sears hyddopeumatic water tank, just bought a new Drummond 1 horse owner pump, the pump was set at 30/50 psi. But the pump will not shut off after even the pressure gauge reads at 55 or close to 60. (The tank has a cap on the air tap into the tank?)

Please note, the outlet of the rank has a shut off valve so no water was released into the house pipe. No leaks finding either.

Run a few times and saw the water enter into pressure gauge screen.


texts: Need Comment on How my House Was converted from 120vac to 240vac

texts:
This is an As-built drawing of how my home was converted from 120vac to 240vac
The house now has the Neutral moved in the house and used as L2 power source
Each circuit had the neutral moved from the Neutral bar and attached to a breaker on the L2 side.  Now the circuit has L1 and L2 load making 240vac.
Ground wire is connected to the outlets and lights so we have to be careful not to get between the Ground and L1 or L2 load wire.  It has been working for 15 years now.

Note we are not in USA and in an isolated area with no inspection and rules.
Just wanting to check, knowing the safety concern with the ground and possibility of electrical shock what other concerns might be known.


texts: What length of posts do I need to get a deck 5 feet above ground level?

texts:
I've read that deck posts have to 4ft underground to get past the frost line. With a 6' x6 [ed: not sure if this mean to refer to 6x6" or something else?] which means you only have 2ft above ground.

What if the deck needs to be in the air 5ft  -- would I have to get 10ft post?


texts: Need to run designated lines for electric washer and dryer

texts: I live in Pennsylvania. I need to run one line for an electric dryer and another line for an electric washer. Can you please tell me what wire type (or size) to use and what amp size to use in the breaker box, which is a GE that has spare spaces in it? The run is planned to be a surface run in conduit over to the appliances, in a basement.


texts: How to connect different HVAC components each with a blower

texts:
If there are multiple HVAC components, each has its own blower; for example:

Furnace/heater with blower : for heating
Air handler with blower : for cooling and dehumidifying, and (optional and if the device supports) heating with electrical heater add-in or reversed heat pump mode (when temperature is not very low).
Whole home dehumidifier with blower : for dehumidifying under low temperature when air handler can't be run or the temperature will be lowered. Or when the air handler can't dehumidify to the expected level.
Whole home humidifier with blower (there seems to be no such product available) : humidifying during cold dry winter
Balanced heat/energy recovering ventilation and air filter with dual blowers : for indoor air quality and energy efficiency

What is the recommended way to use these components together? Can all the components be connected in series? What is the order?

If they are connected in series, should all the blowers always work together (or the blower downstream that is not working could be driven like a wind electric generator and the CFM will be decreased?) and should their specs and working status be always matched?

The ideal picture is all the components except for the ventilator doesn't have its own blower, and all the components without blower are connected in series downstream the fresh air from outside. But existing products all have built-in blowers, then how to use them together?


texts: hanging long shelves on a mobile home wall

texts: I live in a 1988 Fleetwood manatee mobile home. I'm trying to hang long shelves 8ft long x 12inches, every anchor that I have tried to put in comes out. So how do I add this shelves on my old mobile home walls?


texts: How to remove this type of shower handle?

texts: I'm replacing the FRP board and I wanted to replace the handles while I'm at it. I'm not sure how to get the piece shown disconnected. The outer piece spins freely. Do I need to some how twist the inside part?


texts: GFCI outlet trips from any heating element

texts: I have two GFCI outlets in my kitchen one each side of the sink.  Each outlet then has three outlets after it which when the GFCI trips interrupt their connection as well. I feel this is pretty normal but I did not wire it. No work has been done in this room in quite awhile like years. Just this past week my vacuum sealer started tripping the GFCI when it’s pluged into any outlet down stream. It trips when the heating element turns on. Then last night my instapot tripped it. The instapot has read off that outlet for the two years we have had it. In that same series of outlets we have our toaster oven plugged in and it has never tripped it. I am baffled at what the issue could be. Is it possible that the gfci has an issue and needs replaced or do I have some kind of bigger issue and how do I test to see what my issue is.


texts: Should I spray texture on my drywall repair?

texts:
I'm in the final stages of repairing three holes in my apartment and have just finished sanding down the mud. There is a slight texture on the walls so I picked up some 'orange peel' texture spray but after poking around on DIY, I've seen some answers that recommend just rolling on the paint to match the texture.

What does it all come down to in making this decision?
As a secondary question, at what point do I prime?


texts: Is there a UK equivalent to a BC Dry Chemical Extinguisher?

texts:
I realise that in the USA, you can buy a dry chemical fire extinguisher rated for class B (flammable liquids) and class C (electrical) fires. Here in the UK, class B is the same, but class C is flammable gases.

I have one of these which I bought from Argos a while back, along with a fire blanket. What would be the equivalent of a BC dry chemical fire extinguisher from the USA, in the UK?


texts: no hot water in a single handed shower with low pressure

texts:
since summer is over i've started using the hot water again and now it has low water pressure, low enough to not being able to start the gas water heater.
oddly, the sink faucet of the same bathroom has good pressure and can easily have hot water.
i've notice that we have very hard water, but i replaced the shower head and the problem persists.
i live in a three year old one store house with two bathrooms.


texts: Repairing a circuit when the break is unknown and inaccesible.

texts:
Background: 100+ year old house with lots of really janky, messed up stuff. Some novice before me has been monkeying around, so don't assume that the current wiring is sane, safe, legal, modern etc.

I am experiencing a phenomenon where outlets and lights are failing. There does not seem to be any rhyme or reason- the outlets downstairs, the lights upstairs and several rooms in the basement all failed together and another went out last night, all for no apparent reason. We had an electrician look at it but he could not find fault in any accessible light switch, socket, outlet and exposed box and he pretty much just gave up. Of course, we checked the breakers. Unfortunately, the breakers are not mapped, so there's a mystery there as well.

The best answer that we can come up with is that either from old age or shoddy craftsmanship (or both) some wiring has broken somewhere within the walls or attic of the house. Short of tearing into the walls to get the wiring, is there any way to locate this break?


texts: Hold down flaps of plastic sheets on exterior shed

texts:
I have a new wood shed for storing firewood. One problem is that rain and snow can blow into the shed and get the wood wet, so I am thinking of hanging some thick plastic sheeting over the front of the shed to protect from water. The problem is how to secure the flaps.
One obvious strategy is to use hook and eye. You install eyes in the plastic and put hooks in the bottom of the shed and the eyes are put on the hooks to hold the sheet down. The problem is that to put eyes in the plastic properly I would need either or grommet punch or I would have to fool around with a peening hammer, which could get messy.
So, I am looking for alternatives.


texts:
I have 4 zones... The following lights are on the HZ432:

Heat 1 - red
Heat 2 - red
Heat 3 - no light
Zone 1 - yellow
Zone 2 - red
Zone 3 - red
Zone 4 - red

I have heat in 3 zones, but not in one of the zones....no blowing from the vents

We have 2 TRANE XV 80 Units - one is on and the other has no activity
What do these lights mean?


texts: In a multi-zone mini-split setup, how do you heat heat rooms without an evaporator?

texts:
I recently asked for recommendations for multi-zone heating in a small home (intended for college students).  The responses overwhelmingly recommended multi-zone mini split systems.  I fully agree, my question here is about how to implement this.  If you disagree, please direct comments to the thread below.

Efficient whole house heating on a budget. Electric baseboard?.

Here is the situation.  I've plugged the home into a few online calculators which estimate heating and cooling load requirements between 30,000 and 32,000 BTU's.  Obviously these calculators are making the assumption of free airflow.  The rough layout of the house is something like this

              Floor 1                     Floor2

          -/ -------------            ----------------
          |  |           |            |              |
          |       LR     |            |      BR2     |
          |  |___________|            |_/ ___________|
          |Ξ |           |            |Ξ  |    BR3   |
          |Ξ \    BR1    |            |Ξ  /__________|
          |Ξ |___________|            |Ξ  /   BATH   |
          |Ξ         | BR|            |Ξ  |__________|
          |          /___|            |/ _|          |
          |     KIT      |            |      BR4     |
          |              /            |              |
          |______________|            |______________|

There is a basement as well, open.  As long as I can keep it above 50 to protect the pipes, I'm not too concerned.

The smallest evaporator I have seen for these systems is 9000BTU.  Way to large for a bedroom, but four of them is also borderline too large for the entire home.  Unless of course, I can get proper airflow.  One of the things I have considered is a series of vents between various rooms, such as between BR3 and the bathroom or BR4 and the kitchen.  Something else I considered is open transom's above all the doors.

Any thoughts or better ideas?  I worry about the rear of the first floor not getting enough heat.  I guess a 5 zone system is an option as well.


texts: I live in northern Wisconsin and am getting mold on my ceiling in my 900 sq ft. garage. The garage is a dry walled and has r19 in walls with plastic barrier over the insulation between the dry wall and insulation. Same goes for the ceiling has drywall , plastic barrier then r40 blown in over top. I am getting mold on the ceiling only every now and then where do you think my problem is ocuring from.


texts: How do I fill holes around a light switch?

texts:
I have a light switch where the plaster board around the edges of the face plate have broken away.

I was thinking of using some kind of filler like Polycell to fill the holes but I'm not really sure how I would go about it.  Is it simply a case of mixing the filler quite thick and applying to the holes?

I don't know if this is relevant but the back plate behind the light switch isn't attached to the wall in anyway. The back plate seems to be stay in place by screwing in the light switch.


texts:
Regarding this question: What exactly is doorskin?

Mine is not a duplicate because the one above does not fully answer my question, exactly how can I find this product or something similar?

I'm trying to make templates for countertops and all online references mention using strips of doorskin.  They even go so far to say that it can be found at any hardware store or home center.  I live near Chicago and cannot locate anything called "doorskin" at Ace, Home Depot, Lowes, or Menards.  They also do not sell any plywood thinner than ¼".  Nor ⅛" luan, nor single-ply plywood, or anything else like that.  One answer mentions Lowes, but I cannot find anything called "doorskin" at Lowes online or in their stores.

I found 5 mm thick hardboard in 4x8 sheets at Home Depot, but that is far too hard/dense and way too thick.  The whole point of doorskin for countertop templates is that it's cheap and thin; cheap enough to throw away when done and thin enough to cut with heavy scissors or utility knife.

If the experts are correct and this product can be obtained from a chain home center, then why is this not listed online as a SKU on any of their websites?

I'm looking for help with how I can find "doorskin", or a suggestion for a reasonably priced substitute (not cardboard since it would be too flimsy for accuracy).

EDIT:  Not necessarily looking for shopping advice, but advice that will help me locate this product.

What else might this be called?  So far, keywords such as "doorskin" or "⅛ luan" have yielded nothing productive.  (Google search results for "doorskin" are cluttered with car doors!)  Does a brand name come to mind for this?
What kind of material could be used in place of this to make a suitable counter-top template?

EDIT:

This will do.  Cheap and in stock locally at Menards.

¼" x 4' x 8' Sanded Utility Plywood
(Actual Size .185" x 48" x 95-7/8")
Menards® SKU: 1252006

⅛" would have been even better, but it's special order.


texts: "Open Neutral" only when load applied- my tester is confusing me

texts:
I have a 20amp circuit with a 20amp GFI and 4 more 15amp outlets after it.  With nothing plugged in, they all indicate (on my 3-light tester) they are wired correctly.  As soon as 1 thing is plugged in anywhere they all indicate an open neutral, including the starting GFI.

I have replaced the GFI, then the breaker with no change, I have inspected the line from the box to the GFI but no loose wiring.  This circuit had been working fine using an 1100w microwave on the second outlet, occasionally using other small kitchen appliances here and the GFI.

The only thing new is we started running a clothing washer on the fourth outlet.  It ran fine for a good month or so before this issue started, and it is running off a similar circiut just fine.  So not sure if it is related or not.  At a loss what to do, was going to pull breaker again to inspect connection and possibly replace again.  Need suggestions.


texts: What is the minimum required distance from a shower to an electrical outlet?

texts: In Fairfax County Virginia, what is the minimum distance that an outlet must be from a shower in the bathroom?  Does the minimum distance change if it is GFI outlet?


texts:
This may be a bit off the beaten path, but these were recently found by a previous coworker at a jobsite from a building that was built in the 1920's in the Midwest United States. They exactly fit an electrical junction box and were found in a service closet.

Any ideas what these may be?


texts: Why is the flow from overhead tank merely a trickle?


texts: 30 Year old faucet cartridge replacement

texts:
I have a leaky 2 handle bathroom faucet with the following cartridge below.
What brand is that cartridge/faucet (1st question), and is that so antiquated and old that I should replace the entire faucet (2nd question)? (It does not look like a design I've worked with previously.)
2nd question is more to, "oh no that's a terrible design and you shouldn't bother fixing that type of faucet," etc.. No need to effort replacing if this is not advisable.


texts: Distribution of circuits for two bathrooms

texts:
I currently have two bathrooms serviced by one circuit.  Each bathroom has lights, a single GFCI counter-top receptacle, and one bathroom has in-floor resistance heating.  I will be adding in-floor heating to the other bathroom.  As I understand it, code requires a two circuits for two bathrooms, but allows two configurations:  1) all lights on one circuit (but not shared with any lights outside the bathrooms. and the other circuit serving the outlets for both.  2) one circuit for each bathroom.

I prefer to keep lights on a separate circuit from the receptacles, since 14 gage wire is easier to run and I am forced to do some some long, difficult runs (vaulted ceilings, solid log home), Also If a breaker trips, it's nice if the lights stay on.  But I also think putting both bath receptacles on the same circuit increases the chance of nuisance tripping (two hair dryers at the same time > 20A?).  I'd like to put the bathroom lights on a bedroom light circuit and give each bath receptacle it's own circuit, but this appears to violate NEC.

I'm curious what the rationale for these rules are.  I'm also interested in the pros and cons of each configuration.  Also would like some input on whether or not the heaters should go on the receptacle or light circuit for config #1.  I would prefer putting them on a dedicated circuit, but unfortunately that is not an option.  The heater load fits easily in the 20A available.


texts:
We live in South East Texas (Houston)and we have very high temperatures during summer here. We have had a patio constructed by an independent contractor. He  has finished the patio work but is not showing up for the paint work.

He used pressure treated lumber for columns/posts.

Roof type is Hip Roof with OSB sheeting  and shingles on top.

Questions:

What kind of paint should I use to protect it from weather, water and mainly from rotting over time.  (I see lot of options in HomeDepot, such as this one,  and i am not sure which one to choose).
Couple of columns are in the ground, how do I protect them?


texts: Utilizing existing light switch for new GFCI outlet

texts:
We are updating our master bathroom. Currently, we have a GFCI outlet which we are not going to change and a double light switch which controls a ceiling light and a light bar on the wall above the mirror.  We will no longer use the light bar above the mirror but only the ceiling fixture. That will free up a light switch which we like to use for a second GFCI outlet. Is this possible to do. If so, what would the wiring scheme look like?
We looked at GFCI outlets today and noticed that they have 2 silver screws and 2 brass screws for wires....do we use all four screws?
Many thanks to all.


texts: Can i run an AC/DC adapter cable behind a wall?

texts:
Edit 3: Verdict: It's possible to run the first part behind the wall because it's written "FT1" on the cable. Thanks A LOT to this community!
I want to mount 2 monitors on a wall and hide the cables behind it... but I read online that you cannot run power cords behind walls. The thing is that it has 2 parts: a power cord and a separate power adapter (like in the photo).
I was wondering if it was safe to only run the cable connected to the monitor behind the wall... and then connect the "brick" adapter and the power cord outside the wall?
Thanks for your help!
Edit 1: I'm from Canada. I bought the monitor at Best Buy Canada, but it looks like the cables were made in China.
Edit 2: I'm not sure what is the AC or DC part so I added more photos to answer your comments. Note that the last photo showing the power adapter is not the exact model that I have. I found it on Google but it looks the same. Again, thanks A LOT for your help it's very appreciated! :)


texts: Is it okay to connect a round supply duct directly to an air handler?

texts:
I removed all of my existing duct work that was designed as a radial system with a sheet metal rectangular plenum with very long flex runs poorly attached. I am replacing my system with all round sheet metal duct as an extended plenum design.  Assuming proper duct sizing calculations, I am wondering if it is reasonable to attach a flat piece of sheet metal to the air handler to make the connection to the round duct instead of installing a new sheet metal rectangular plenum first to connect the supply round sheet metal duct.

Resources: Duct System Design Considerations

Manual: Model: chpf3636b6ca

This picture illustrates what the end result would look like: A round duct directly connected to a rectangular air handler.  This picture is not of my existing system.


texts: What type of bulb fits in this slot type?

texts:
We have this light fixture outside and the the bulb has always been missing.

It has two side slots and twists into place once fully inserted.

My Google searching and hardware store searches have come up empty.

What is this bulb and how can I replace it?


texts: How can I run a new light circuit from a GFCI outlet?

texts:
Okay, I would need to know how to put in a 120volt pull switch light fixture in my pantry closet. I do have a GFI outlet that is near my pantry and pretty much the closest power source.
(See photo)
I'm seeing a black(hot) white (neutral) green(ground) and I see a RED wire from one of the bundles in the box. Then I see 2 other bundle wiring sets that looks like is pigtailed going to the other parts of the house? From what I could tell, the GFI is interconnected with other outlets around my living space- in other words when I pushed reset all the other outlets near me turned off. Though I am not at all familiar with red wiring?
Could I have someone here tell me or draw me a diagram of how I would wire my light fixture to this GFI please?
I know the  VERY basics of electrical work, so the better detail you can describe for me the better it is for me to understand


texts:
I am doing some plumbing in a country where p-traps for showers are not readily available. The local option is not viable for me, and ordering p-traps online would take some time. Is there any reason you can think of that I couldn't make my own trap out of some 90 degree elbows provided I follow the 2" min, 4" max guidelines on trap wier depths?

Thanks


texts: Electric Bidet Toilet seat started tripping GFCI

texts: I have an electric bidet toilet seat that plugs into the GFCI outlet in my bathroom. After about 6 months it started tripping the GFCI instantly upon being plugged in.  Does this mean the toilet seat has an electrical problem?  If the toilet seat works on a non-GFCI outlet would it be safe to use one?  I am afraid of electrified water being shot at my rectum. Would the normal ground wire be enough to prevent any  danger?


texts: Can chain link fence rail be used as electrical conduit?

texts: I just removed a chain link fence and had the idea to reuse the rail pipe as underground electrical conduit. I already have part of a trench dug and was planning to buy some conduit, but if I could reuse this metal pipe, then I could save some money. The pipe outside diameter is 1.25 inches and inside diameter is 1 inch. I assume that you can get fittings for this size pipe. Is there anything in the electrical codes that would prevent me from reusing this chain link fence rail pipe as underground electrical conduit?


texts:
I have 2 wall switches in an electrical box, 1 controls the ceiling fan, and I cannot find out what the other one does.

I've tested everything in the room. It does not control the light in the fan, the fan speed, or the wall outlet nearest the wall switch, or any other wall outlet in the room. The house is 12 years old and I'm the original owner. I've never used this switch before.

I have no other issues like this or any other in the house so it would be extremely unusual for this to be an issue where the builder made a mistake.

Now I need this switch. What can I do?


texts: Grounding a 2 gang metal box in a wet area

texts: In my pool area, I have a metal box that has 2 switches (spa air and pool light). Each switch has a green screw and the box itself has 2 green screws. There is also ground coming into the box. How are the grounding connections to be made. The box is suitable for wet locations. No connections have been made yet. Thanks in advance...


texts: Can you run a 15 amp light circuit off of a 20 amp outlet

texts: Need an extra light in the garage, but separately switched. Any reason why I couldn't add a pigtail from the outlet and connect the light and switch with 14 gauge using an inline 15 amp fuse inside the box? The led bulb probably wouldn't use more than 1 amp. It seems like a silly application of code that it requires a separate 15 amp service considering the alternative is simply plug the exact same light into the outlet.


texts:
I understand that ”flush mount“ lighting means the fixture hugs the ceiling.

What does ”semi-flush mount“ lighting mean? For example, this.


texts: Is there an easier way to remove a double layer of drywall on the ceiling?

texts:
I'm pulling down the ceiling and am having difficulty pulling down the drywall because it is 2 layers thick. I'm using a hammer and a wrecking bar but it is going a lot more slowly than I'd hoped. Is there a technique or tool I could be using to get this done more quickly?

There is nothing above the double-layer of drywall, just the floorboards from the apartment above ours. I won't be able to get access from there though.


texts: Leveling a sinking 1st floor addition that is about 4' off the ground

texts:
First time home buyer looking for good advice about possibly raising a sunken 2 room addition ourselves. Wood frame, the sill is in good shape no rotting.

No warping or "cupping" of the rooms.  The floors are flat, just sloping toward the backyard about 2".

The joists run parallel to the house rather than perpendicular.

Seems like they never footed these two rooms properly when they added them, as the exterior edge is resting on cinder blocks placed into the soil.

How many footing do I need to dig?
What size Sona tube should I use?
Do I need to dig new footings underneath the rooms, close to the original foundation or just the outer edges near the yard?
One of the rooms has a drop ceiling and one is a screened in porch, do I need to remove these before jacking up?
One room has a laundry hookup on the interior wall, should that be OK?
There is an interior window on the dividing wall above that middle support, will that be OK?


texts: $400 electric bill traced to heater - what could be wrong with it?

texts:
Back in December/January, we got a real shocker; a $400+ electric bill. I thought there must be a billing error, so I went out to the meter, and found that not only was the number probably right, we'd used another 1000kW/h since the reading (which was about a week and a half prior). This is for a modest 1600 sqft 1.5-story house; WAY outta line. My next thought was a leech; someone hooking to our service unbeknownst to us. We turned off all the lights, computers, etc etc, leaving the service panel on, and... wait, now it's down to a crawl. OK, so it's something in the house. My wife and I were talking by cell phone, when suddenly I see the dial start its whizzing again. I asked what turned on, and she said, "well, the HVAC started a few seconds ago". Bingo. It's an all-electric home, so we have an electric heater, and when it's running the full system (not just the vent fan), it's really drawing some juice.

The heater is not original to the house (at least, it's a Lennox with logos and branding far newer than the Sears-Kenmore HWH which IS original). I can't tell you it's exact age at this moment. We replaced the filter; no change in electrical use. We REMOVED the filter; no change. We also noticed that despite the massive power draw, the system was not producing very warm air (though it is blowing pretty well). It seemed fine in October/November, but then, we had a relatively mild winter until mid-December. Whatever this is, it is NOT normal; we've had 1000+ sqft apartments and townhomes that we could heat very comfortably in the winter with $150 bills. An extra 500 sqft of house should NOT be costing $300 more to heat. As a reference, through the summer months in this home (including the hottest monthly average for August, ever), which generally produce much bigger bills than winter, we kept this same house around 75* and paid about $220/mo.

We have a home warranty agreement that would cover a fault in the HVAC unit itself, and MAY also cover wiring slipups. We picked a name of an HVAC company out of a city publication for new home owners, so we're not sure just how good they'll be. Knowing what I know right now, what would I expect to hear these guys say? My primary expectation is a short in the heating element or in the switching circuitry within the unit. If they say it's normal I'll be telling them to shove their normal up their [censored]; we've had the HVAC system off since we found the problem, using our fireplace instead, and after living in a house averaging 60*, our latest bill (including the week after the prior billing cycle) was still $250. Whatever it is, it is NOT normal.

EDIT FROM COMMENTS: It is a simple forced-air system with an electric heating element. The breaker marked for the heater is 220V 70A. That means that the max available wattage is 15.4kW. Running 24/7 at its max rated power for 30 days, the system would cost $1020... So maybe, just maybe, there's nothing wrong with it.

EDIT 2: The warranty repair guy showed up yesterday. When my wife showed him the heater unit we had, he knew exactly what she was going to say next; apparently this particular unit is infamous for its inefficiency. Nevertheless, he did a check of the system, and found that one of the 3 heating elements was disconnected. That was putting more voltage onto the other two coils, and decreased the effectiveness of the whole system, meaning we were using the same amount of power to do less work for a longer period of time. After reattaching the element, the house heated up to the thermostat setting quickly and we're noticing it's not running nearly as much. However, we should still be expecting $250-$300 bills for months that hover around freezing.


texts:
I have an old YORK ac unit still running R22 and have recently cleaned the entire unit inside and out. As I took apart the unit, one of the 4 corner supporting outside vents was rusted completely and basically fell off when I was sweeping around the unit....bottom of unit is all rusted and replacement with a new corner piece probably wouldn't work.... what are some diy ideas to remedy?
I have the unit back together and all seems good with only 3 sides supporting the fan and top piece. Has anyone dealt with this before?
TIA


texts: Refrigerator trips new AFCI/GFCI circuit breakers

texts: Remodeled kitchen and electrician had to install new AFCI/GFCI Seimens circuit breakers to comply with code. Now my 8 yr old Samsung 24 cu ft refrigerator trips the c/b every 12 minutes to as long as 4 days. Tried space heater on circuit and no problem. Plugged refrigerator into other AFCI/GFCI and they also trip but not as often. Refrigerator works fine on dining room non-GFCI circuit. Have spoken to appliance repair and Samsung service people and all say waste of time to come out and check refrigerator. They all say refrigerators should not be on GFCI. Spoke to city elect inspector and he said, sorry but code is code. Seems to be a catch-22 here.


texts: I have bought a smart outlet which has only three wires (Green, White, Black), however, the wiring available in my condo has four wires. I would appreciate it if you could help me in properly setting up the outlet.


texts:
I may just be paranoid so I don't want to call out an exterminator, or buy a bunch of stuff I don't need.

How to I tell if I have termites?
Are there preventative measures I should take even if I don't have them?
If I do have them can I kill them myself or do I need to hire and exterminator?


texts:
I currently have a hallway with two light fixtures, both of which are controlled by the 3 same light switches in different spots in the house. I want to  replace one of the light fixtures with a small ceiling fan and decouple the light switches so one switch controls the fan and the other two continue to control the existing light fix.
How would I go about changing 1 3-way lighting circuit to 2 separate circuits for lighting (with 3-way switching) and a fan?


texts: How can I remove an anti vandal tap head?

texts:
I have almost identical problem this one except that it's a shower tap...

How can I remove stuck anti-vandal rings in tap head?

The drama is that the shower won't turn off all the way as the washer needs to be replaced, however I can't replace it without first getting the tap head off.

Are there any other suggestions other than those in the other thread?

I've got a tap head spanner but it just slips when I try to use it.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.


texts: I put 2 stroke oil in my 4 stroke mower. Is that what is causing it to smoke? I have emptied it but there'll still be traces of it in the engine. Can I still refill with the right oil and use the mower? Or what else causes smoke?


texts: Can an 18 inch duct be replaced by 4 smaller ducts?

texts:
We have a return air duct that is 18 inches in diameter that had to be soffited. Not a big deal except it is taking up closet space in what is otherwise a very small closet for a kids bedroom.

Can this 18" duct be "adapted" into 4 of those 8" oval ducts that fit inside a 2x4 wall and then tied into the main return air line to the furnace? How would I figure out if it would provide the same airflow/cfm requirements as the single 18" duct?


texts: How do I build a square window frame in an off-square opening?

texts:
The original windows in the bedrooms in my old house were huge, far too big for the size of the rooms.  At some point a previous owner replaced them with much smaller windows, building a frame to hold them in the original opening.

I'm planning to replace those windows with something in between which will mean building a new frame.  In at least once case, I would like to use the original framing at the side of the window.  However, due to settling and some warping of the original house frame, the openings are not perfectly square.  I would like to build the frame in advance so that when the time comes, I can just take out the existing windows, cut out the existing frame, put in the new frame and attach the windows.

Beyond careful measuring twice and cutting once, what do I need to do to ensure that the new frame will fit in the opening and be square so that the window installation will go smoothly?


texts: Can I use a jumper from existing light switch to get power to 5 new lights?

texts: I want to add 5 ceiling can lights. Can i use a jumper wire to jump from existing light switch to get power to new switch for can lights?


texts:
My old thermostat is a carrier t-stat and has a jumper wire between o/w2* and L

I am upgrading to a honeywell wifi t-stat, should I install the same jumper wire on the new thermostat?

I have an outdoor heatpump system carrier tech2000ss
The furnace is a carrier weathermaker 9200

Picture of old thermostat:

New thermostat:


texts:
I live in the UK but have a few US appliances in my possession which I would like to use here in the UK. To avoid having to rewire all the plugs, I bought a transformer to step down the voltage from 230V to 110V. The outlet is set to receive a European plug, so I bought a Schuko adapter to accept US configured plugs. However, when I plugged it into the transformer, it did not work.
The transformer, I believe, is fine. I will check my appliances further, but I can't decide if the fault is with the adapter, which I only just bought. Does anyone have any thoughts? The transformer can receive a 3 prong plug, but as far as I know, European plugs only have 2 prongs.
The transformer nameplate

Transformer specs

Transformer receptacle

Adapter interface


texts: How to prepare a wall with drywall for painting after wallpaper removal

texts: I have removed wallpaper on drywall. It only took 10 minutes to remove, however, the wall was primed as instructed to make removal easier.  I am now trying to remove paste residue and am damaging the wall while doing so.  Those areas are rough. There is a product called Gardz that you place on the wall to hold in the paste. Will this do the trick.  I am also thinking of having two walls skim coated before painting. The other two walls are horse hair plaster and will be skim coated.  Any thoughts on this?


texts: Is it acceptable to use a cut edge against a tapered edge at a drywall joint?

texts:
I have one 26" wide by 39" long panel left to put up and I stupidly miscalculated my drywall amounts, and I don't have any one piece big enough to cover the whole area. This piece would hit a tapered seam at the top, a wall of the left, and a door jamb on the right, and the floor sill at bottom. Rather than buying a whole new sheet of drywall, Im thinking about just putting in the longest 26" wide piece I have with a tapered edge on top (about 26 x 25) and then putting in one more scrap piece to take it to the bottom. The scrap piece would be butt jointed horizontally to the piece above.

Question, how hard would it be to hide the butt seam? Could I file down the vertical studs a bit to try and create a recess between my 26x25 and my scrap piece? I wouldn't have a ton of room to feather out the mud to the bottom, not sure if the baseboard will help hide the hump.


texts: Why is my boiler intermittently shutting off?

texts:
I have a Burnham boiler model pvg8ani-gs.
It shuts off for no obvious reason. It might run for 1 minute or 30 seconds and then might stay running.
I have replaced the board and it still has the same problem. No faults so up it goes 1 7 8 then goes to self check 17.
Any ideas what could be causing the problem?
I want to replace the wire harness next but can't find it...


texts: Will replacing windows significantly reduce solar heat gain in summer?

texts:
A friend of mine is remodeling his 1980s house and was asking advice about keeping it cooler in the summer.   The house currently has the original double pane windows, many of which have "popped" and are clouded. The house is east facing and gets tons of morning and early afternoon sun. It gets really hot during the day in the summer.   It doesn't currently have any A/C. It's heating system is a wood stove and old fashioned baseboard heat.   He's thinking about a mini-split system for heating and cooling, but I'm worried that it will be expensive to run the A/C unless he deals with the solar radiation heating the house.
One thing I suggested was to close off some of the upper windows in the prow, insulate and drywall over the openings. That would change the look, but might help control the solar radiation.
Another consideration is how much additional insulation could be expected with replacing the windows? How much difference could that make?  Again, they are double pane, but now about 35 years old.


texts:
I came across this tool called "concretors' nippers"

I guess they are for some operations with concrete reinforcement, but can't find any details.

What operations is this tool for specifically? Where do I find more info?


texts: GFCI Outlet in Bathroom, Lights not working

texts: I completely lost power only in bathroom, so I reset the GFCI and then I turned on the light switch. As soon as I flipped the light switch up the lights flashed on then off and the GFCI outlet made a clicking sound. Reset GFCI again and the outlet has power but as soon as I flip up the light switch the outlet loses power. So, the outlet retains power until I flip light switch, lights don't work at all except for when it flashes on/off when I reset GFCI and flip up the light switch. I reset everything on breaker still no luck. Can anyone help?


texts: To finish installing a new light switch I had to buy some 14 AWG wire to pigtail from the neutral wires to the terminal on the switch because the switch I have requires neutral but the one I’m replacing did not. When i got home from Lowe’s I realized the wire I bought is stranded. Is this ok to use?


texts: If a living quarter is built in a basement, is 5/8 drywall required on that ceiling?

texts: I am constructing a home where the owner is having a complete living quarter installed in the basement for an older relative. Just needed to see if it required 5/8 drywall on ceiling. Also, wondering if the door going from basement steps to upper living area requires a fire rated door.


texts:
I have a 10 x 10 bedroom.  One single pole switch, four 15 amp outlets sitting on a 20 amp circuit breaker.  Each of the four outlets (typical double receptacles) -- 1, 2, 2, 3 and 4 are "hot" i.e. the single pole with has no effect.  Outlet 1 has a red wire.  Outlets 2, 3 and 4 are wired with white and black...no red wires.

If I want to have Outlet 2's top receptacle be operated by the pole switch do I simply break/remove the black terminals connector plate (not sure proper term) between the black terminals and it will work in on/off mode with the switch ?

Thank you in advance for taking this "newbie" question.

Ross


texts: How do I remove the stationary panel of a swinging patio door for painting?

texts: I'm working on painting some exterior doors.  I'd like to remove them to properly prep and paint.  The door on the left is not a problem, I'll simply take it off the hinges.  However, the door on the right is fixed.  Is there something obvious that I should be looking for that would allow me to remove that door?   Any insight on how to approach this would be appreciated.


texts: Can I replace 1 volt lights with 2 volt lights?

texts:
The 1 volt LED lights in my range hood are going out and very dim, almost like a night light. Cheap hood. I cannot find replacement bulbs for these because the bulb cannot be removed.  The whole kit would need to be replaced.

IKEA has spotlights for under the counter that would probably fit in the same space.  I would like to buy the IKEA lights, cut off the connectors and replace with the connectors from the hood lights so that I can just plug them into the hood in place of the old lights without having to add a transformer.

The problem is that the IKEA lights are 2 volt, not 1 volt like the hood lights.   Will this even work?   Will the lights just be dimmer or would the transformer overwork itself?


texts: AC service disconnect keeps blowing fuses

texts:
About 1-3 times per summer the same fuse blows in my AC service disconnect. Always the one on the left. The fuses are 30A and on the panel there are two 30A breakers.  The fuse blows typically on a very hot day when the AC runs for quite a while. My guess is that there's just a bit more resistance on that side due to age ( or loose wire or evil spirits?) and that causes the fuse to fail. The breakers never trip.

Given that upstream there are 30A breakers the disconnect fuses don't seem particularly necessary (also the panel is ~5 feet from the disconnect). Is there any reason I shouldn't replace the disconnect with a non-fused model?

Does it even make sense that the disconnect itself could be the culprit, or should I be hunting other issues?


texts:
The screen door hit the jam this morning and taking a look I see the lower hinge has pulled out. It's held into the aluminium frame using what appear to be sheet metal screws, and I don't think there's anything behind them on the door side. Here's an image, I'm not sure it's very clear:

If you can make that out, you can see the hinge has pulled away. You'll also note that the current location of the screws is not the originals, so this happened in the past and the previous owner simply made new holes in the middle of the hinge.

I don't think putting another set of screws in another set of holes is the solution, does anyone have other suggestions? Is there some sort of tiny toggle bolt that would work?


texts: All electrical outlets are working well except one

texts:
This house has a GFCI "Downstream?" circuit.  I see two outlets, each in the showerroom, labeled "GFCI Protected" but I do not see any outlet with a reset button or any red light anywhere in the house.

All outlets are working perfect except one.  The nonfunctional receptacle looks like it is the end of the circuit because when I unscrewed it and opened it it only had two wires attached to itself.

I thought the receptacle itself was the problem, and I swapped it with another receptacle in the basement which was not in use, but even after swapping, the one in the basement continues to work flawlessly but the one upstairs continues to be nonfunctional

What can I do at this point?


texts: Ways to build a gate that butts up against neighbors property/house

texts:
Here's a picture of the my driveway. I live in the house on the right.

The left side is my neighbors house.
I want to build a gate where I've outlined the picture in red.

(Note: my neighbor has a similar driveway on the left side of his house and he built a similar gate and he attached part of the gate to his neighbor's house!)

What are my options for putting the posts for the gate?

Hinge side post:
(1) attach the hinge side post to my neighbor's exterior wall
(2) put the post into a hole in my driveway

Latch side post:
(1) attach to my wall
(2) out post into hole in driveway.

What are the pros/cons of each?
What is sturdier?
What is cheaper?


texts:
A door handle on my Bosch washing machine is broken and I am trying to replace it. I have bought a replacement handle, but swapping the two is not as easy as I hoped it would be.

It consists of 2 parts, small one (part A) that goes through the hole in the door frame and the handle itself. I am able to fit it with the broken handle, because the part of the handle that the metal pin goes into is broken therefore I am able to move it enough to put the small part though the square plastic bit in it. Top metal pin I don't have, and I hope handle would still be functional without it.

What I tried to do with the new handle is:

put the bottom metal pin into the handle (pin slides out of the frame easily)
put the small plastic hook into the door frame (part A)
put the handle (with the pin) into the frame
connect the small part (A) with the handle (put the back hook into the handle)

Part A

Frame with the pin in, with no part A nor handle

Part A in the frame, marked spot is what goes into the handle hole

Part A in the handle, you can see where the handle is broken at the bottom so the pin does not stay in place

Is the 1 - 4 method above correct?

Do I maybe need to take the whole door frame apart to fix the handle?


texts: How can I transition between rooms when refinishing hardwood floors?

texts:
I'm planning to rent a sander and refinish the ugly floor that is the darker floor in the photo. I'm also planning to pull up the carpet which has nice hardwood under it in good shape (no refinishing needed).

So how do I transition between one room that is being refinished and another that is not? I want to make sure there isn't an abrupt line from one room to the next where the new polyurethane ends and the existing floor starts. As you can see in the photo whoever did the floor previously didn't know either. I have this issue several places int he house where one room needs a new coat of polyurethane and the other does not. Some of the doorways between rooms are double wide so I'd rather not add a threshold strip if there is away to nicely transition the refinishing. any ideas how to go between rooms like this?


texts: What factors should I experiment with to improve the performance of a DIY solar hot water system?

texts:
Background:
Late in the summer last year I finally commissioned a DIY solar hot water pre-heat project. Very simple, drain back, open (vented) tank, PEX coil for a heat exchanger,
PEX plumbing throughout, panel is about 10x12' with re-purposed aluminium "staple up" radiant floor transfer plates. Anyway, long story short, the performance has been disappointing, bottom line is that the storage tank temperature has never really exceeded 25°C. On the other hand, despite being in an unheated crawlspace in Halifax, over the winter it never was below 15°C, either, so its better than nothing (better then the cost of the pump, I haven't calculated). I suspected the solar controller, or rather, its analogue probes, of being a problem, and finally got around to installing a bunch of digital probes and flow meter (raspberry pi).

After a day of monitoring, its clear the flow is right at 15 l/min. I just now repaired some more wiring, and will update tomorrow with some sample temperature of the panel, tank, and return water.


texts: We built a two story garage with attic trusses. The space has windows on the West and East end. We would like to insulate and finish the space. Would insulation and finishing make the area cool enough to use during the summer? We have a metal roof with a ridge vent and are located in Northern Wisconsin.


texts: How to switch an HDMI cable through and existing wall (hole)?

texts: This is my challenge: I have a 60" 4K UHD TV, Home Theatre System, 4k Blu-ray player, and cable box. The guy who installed them ran all cables through the wall. I need to switch one of the HDMI cables because it is not 4K compatible. Unfortunately,  it goes from the surround system (output) through a hole in the wall, to another hole to the TV (input). I tried to tape them together. But as I pull the cable, it does not move easily, as if it were fastened down.


texts: How to join 2 telephone wires to pull through wall

texts:
I need to replace my old telephone (4 pairs) with a new one probably 10 pair cable. The path already contains some other wires too and looks like no new cable can be inserted. My question is how I can connect 2 wires i.e. the old and new one so that while pushing form one side joint stays there.

As there are multiple corners inside the wall path which some are 90 degree and some even more, so I need to join in a way which is solid as well thin.


texts: Lutron dimmer w/companion in existing Carter 3-way

texts:
I’m pretty sure I have a carter 3-way switch setup. Each box has a hot wire and I haven’t been able to wire this up successfully, either the breaker blows, the light is always on with no dimming functionality or no light at all. One box has K&T and the other is newer wiring (I live in a 1900s home).
I guess my question is are dimmers w/companions compatible with a carter setup?


texts:
We've moved into a new home and fitted some metal switches, weirdly on the downstairs set of lights when you run your finger along the face or touch your ear to the socket there is a small buzz.
However, this doesn't happen on the upstairs sockets.
Having looked there is an earth to the backbox and then an earth from that to the earth terminal of the switch, even with all those in the buzzing still occurs?


texts: How should I install a partition wall perpendicular to a finished exterior wall?

texts:
I wish to install a partition wall with a header made of 2x8s (7 feet long). The header will run perpendicular to ceiling joists. I know the no-nonsense approach is to cut channels in the ceiling drywall and exterior wall drywall to anchor the header and end stud. Unless I am extremely lucky I will have to install some blocking between exterior wall studs to anchor the end wall stud (implies opening a couple spots to install blocking and repairing vapour barrier and drywall).
Is the opening of existing drywall overkill?


texts: How to hang modern fixture over old square recessed box?

texts: I purchased a home built in 1958 and a few rooms have these square recessed light boxes. I would like to hang a larger diameter modern flush-mount fixture over them, but I'm not sure what the way to do that is. Should I remove the box completely and then mount a ceiling electrical box like this in its place? I'm worried there will be a large hole in the ceiling to have to fill. Thanks!


texts: I need a C wire connection for my new Glas thermostat

texts: I have 3 wires(red,white,and green) going to my thermostat. I’m replacing my old thermostat with a new one the requires a C wire connection. The 3 wires goes to my Honeywell aquastat. The white goes to TV, the red goes to T, and the green doesn’t go anywhere. But I do have a Z connector. Can I use the green wire as a C wire and connect to the Z? Any ideas


texts: Starting to build up my tools collection, is 110v preferable over 240v?

texts:
I am just starting out on my first major project this weekend and I am looking at getting some new tools. I've had experience using plenty of 240v power tools, but now that I am looking at getting my own I don't know if to go for 110v or 240v.

The tools I am planning on getting to start with are

Mitre Saw
Plunge Router

Both of these 110 and 240v variations (I'll likely get Makita) are priced the same from Screwfix (UK hardware store), so price is irrelevant.

I've seen some articles and forums talk about the supposed positives (safer or more powerful) and negatives (less powerful, carrying around a transformer) of both power levels, but nowhere that offers any conclusive advice.

I am purely a DIY person at the moment (i.e. this isn't my job) but I might consider this as an option in the future. That said, if there are any legitimate reasons for a job to get one over the other I still think these apply (if it is to reduce risk on site I think that applies just as much to DIYers)

For me carrying round a transformer for 110v is a non-issue - it's just part of what you have to do (and the price for a single transformer is also not an issue).

So

Does 240V offer better performance over 110V
Is 110V considerably safer in worst case?
If One is "no" and Two is "yes" then why would anyone get 240v?


texts:
Seeing plastic debris stuck in our shower faucet valve second time in a week. Caused it to not close completely and leak. First picture shows the white plastic crumpled and stuck in the valve (like a foot thru a door that prevents it from closing completely).

The second picture shows the stiff plastic debris unfolded with a quarter for scale.

What is the likely source of this? What's a good way to isolate this if possible?

Additional data points:

We had a new Rheem water heater installed last year after our 1993 water heater leaked last year. I see some talks about '93 - '96 dip tubes being made of plastic that tend to disintegrate; but even after a year??
This is in the San Diego, Carmel Del Mar area and happened on the first shower from the house water mains, so I'll check with the city too.
The plastic is medium hard - kinda like a hard plastic bag (but not like hard molded plastic)


texts:
I have an ecobee thermostat I'm trying to hook up, but I can't figure the wiring out. We have fuel-oil boiler and an AC, with the oil boiler using radiant water pipes (as well as heating our water for the tap) and the AC hooked up to a regular HVAC type of whole house fan. There is no c wire, so I was trying to, on the AC HVAC fan, jump G to Y and then hook the old G wire up to C. But when I looked at the house fan, I saw this:

Am I not looking in the right place, or is there something non-standard going on here? For reference, this is the wiring for the thermostat:

The wiring for the thermostat is G, W, Y, R, and Rc with no C (and the thermostat doesn't work if you take out the batteries, so I know the C wire isn't there). What should I be doing, here? Thanks!


texts: Can I use a car jack for a broken bed leg?

texts:
I have a steel bed and one of the legs is broken. I think the bed leg would require welding but then I got an idea, why not use one of these jack stands: 2 Piece Pair 3 Ton Heavy Duty Adjustable Jack Stand instead?

My question is, would this jack stand meet the requirements? Or would it cause any issues such as creaking or wobbliness? The base of my bed is around 10.5 inches above the floor. Would the jack stand fit the height of the bed?