texts: Junction box with screws 2 3/4" apart, but fixture needs 3 1/2"

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I recently bought a new fixture for my back patio light.  (Just replacing an old halogen motion-detector light with a new LED motion-detector light.)

Unfortunately, the mounting bracket for the new light has screw holes which are 3 1/2" apart, while the existing junction box has screw holes which are 2 3/4" apart.  (And I can't use the old mounting bracket with the new light, because the way it attaches to the light is completely different.)

First off, is it the new light which is unusual for expecting 3 1/2", or is it the house that's unusual for having 2 3/4" holes?

How does one normally solve this problem?

Is it possible to buy a light fixture that works with 2 3/4" mounting holes?  Unfortunately, none of the fixtures I can find online or in the store say what distance of mounting holes they expect... it isn't until you open the box that it says what it's expecting.

Update: In the end, I didn't have enough confidence to DIY this, so I called an electrician.  I'm not sure how he solved the problem, but he solved it.


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When looking at allowable load tables from Simpson for their joist hangers, why are there different numbers for different cases, even though the force is in the same direction?

For example, the LUS24 hanger with SD screws and douglas-fir/southern pine says something like this:

        Uplift (160)    Floor (100) Snow (115)  Roof (125)
LUS24   495             870         1000        1085

I can understand how the uplift load would be different from the floor load (the force is acting in the opposite direction: upward), but why list the snow and roof load and why are they different (the force for all three is acting in the same direction: downward)?


texts: How can I connect a faucet adapter to a non-standard faucet without leaks?

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I have a brand new countertop dishwasher with a faucet adapter that connects the faucet with a hose going into the dishwasher. Both my faucet and the faucet adapter are double threaded (inside and outside) but the sizes of the threads on my faucet are not compatible.

I have gone to Home Depot and tried various size adapters, which seem to come in the sizes 3/4,55/64, and 15/16 inch (increasing order). My sink is between a 55/64 and a 15/16, and the faucet adapter is 15/16 inch.

So given that a direct fit isn't possible, what is the best way to make the connection? I have tried thread seal tape  but I can't get a fit tight enough. Will super glue help, or is there something better to make the connection? (I'll need to remove the adapter when I move out.)


texts: How to wire multiple switches and how to know when to use single or doubl

texts: I have a box with three sets of #14 cable black white ground on 2 sets and black red white and ground on the other why would one turn on and the other off at the same time?I can't use both lights at the same time the wire go to a receptacle and 2 lights


texts: Do I need to treat the ends of PT lumber?

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I'm going to be building a retaining box for a gravel pad using 6x6's - 0.16 lb./cu. ft. MCA pressure treated lumber. The dimensions of the box matched up with available lengths at the lumber yard, so I'm not going to have to cut any of the pieces that I've ordered. Any ends that will be below grade are going to be up against clay soil.

Do I still need to dip/paint the ends with wood preservative, or will the PT chemicals alone be sufficient to prevent rot?


texts: Why are both wires white and black hot at the outlet, light switch and even at light in the ceiling. I replaced the outlets and switches and lights

texts: Why are both wires white and black hot at the outlet, and light switch and even at the light in the ceiling


texts: When filling a hole with loose earth, should there be extra?

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I just want to know if what I'm being told is right, or am i getting bamboozled.

Following modifications to my house, I was left with a 8' x 8' x 6' hole on the side of my house.

Thing is they filled the hole, but added maybe half a feet extra on top (where we wanted it to be flush with the ground, to do a patio on top)

He then told us to just watet it down for hours at a time every few days, and it should fit in over a few weeks.

Is that right or did he just put us some extra dirt on top that we are gonna have to get to the city dump?


texts: What should I do with abandoned cinder blocks?

texts:
I recently moved to my first home (with a modest yard). The previous owners left behind about 20 cinder blocks. I'd like to build something constructive with them in lieu of discarding them. Any suggestions?

I was thinking about a BBQ smoker. Is that possible with cinder blocks?

Any ideas or useful links will be much appreciated.


texts: What to do to prevent/get-rid of snakes?

texts:
This morning we found a snake in our front yard, this is the first time in 5-6 years that we've ever seen one in our yard. The next door neighbor did sell his home to someone who is rebuilding it. So it could be related to the fact the next door house was demolished, or who knows, maybe some genius kid forgot to close his snake's cage.

What to do in this kind of situation? Do you just kill it and hope for the best that there aren't others? Call a special spraying service?

For all I know there could be layer eggs in the area.


texts: Bathroom fan and clothes dryer share an exhaust duct

texts: My dryer which is located in our garage and our downstairs bathroom vents are connected.  When the dryer is running warm air is moving to the outside, but also some of the air is coming back into the bathroom.  This leaves our bathroom wet with moisture from the heat unless we turn on the bathroom fan every time the dryer is running.  Is there some type of draft blocker which could slide into the vent in the bathroom which would prevent the air from coming in but allow the air out when the bathroom fan is running.  The vent in the bathroom is 3" in diameter.  I appreciate any feedback.  Thank you.


texts: How do I paint over marble chip plaster?

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I've moved into my new home, which has a marble chip plaster wall:

Source

Is it possible to paint over a wall like this, and how would I do that? I've been told that it requires special treatment, but not what kind exactly.


texts: How do I replace and insert what kind of missing pin - bolt in a home fused disconnect box?

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Power from Hydro (the electric company) runs into this disconnect box then continues to the meter. I'm looking for help as to what I should use to replace the missing bolt or pin that connects the on/off lever clip? Am I correct that current doesn't run through the clip area?

An electrician wants 150 bucks for what looks like a 2 minute job. Hydro is putting the squeeze on me to get this done as they are sticking me with a smart meter.


texts: Does voltage in my PC's case indicate a circuit grounding problem?

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Today I was on my computer, and I wanted to plug in an external battery powered speaker to my PC's front audio jack using an AUX cable.

I noticed as soon as I plugged it in the familiar burning smell when something like a capacitor or resistor burns out, so I immediately unplugged everything and noticed that the AUX cable was very hot. After I had a poke around inside my computer, I couldn't really see anything that looked damaged. After I had a go turning it on again, the audio still worked (through the rear jack) so it looks like it didn't blow the sound part of my motherboard.

However, after doing some more investigating, I noticed I could feel a slight tingle on my computer case when touching the case and what I think is a grounded point in my house (touching the shielding of a coax cable coming out of my wall). After making sure my PC was plugged into a grounded socket, I still felt this sensation. Even weirder, when I unplugged the case, I still felt the sensation when touching the grounded point.

Could this mean there is something wrong with my ground and it always has some potential running through it?


texts:
Tore the walls off and found the chimney looking like this:

It's seen a lot of leaking as you can see from the streaks.  The exterior portion was rebuilt last year.  That horizontal crack running across the middle goes all the way around on all 4 sides.

The house is ~70 years old.  The attic got finished some time later.  Late 60s based on the wallpaper.  You can see some kids used to play up there before the chimney got walled up.  The chimney only sees natural gas exhaust now but I think there used to be an oil furnace.
Is the crack something to be worried about?  Any reason they covered the whole thing with mortar other than to hide problems?  The visible portion in the basement is exposed brick.


texts: Is negative pressure bad and how to fix?

texts: I have a one story house and I think there is a negative pressure problem. If the central a/c is on and I close the hallway door the hallway heats up like an oven. This hallway leads to all the bedrooms; there is a return air vent in the ceiling and a door in the ceiling to the attic. Obviously the heat is unpleasant but is there a bigger issue with having negative pressure like this in part of your house? What can I do to fix? There is a 2nd return air in a room on the opposite side of the house - the door to this room is usually kept open.


texts:
I have a home that is 2 years old.   I found the ground settling under the concrete slab for my paver patio in one corner.  About 2-3 inches gap  that goes deep in.     It hasn’t sunk or cracked.   It’s being held up because concrete slab is pinned to the foundation on 2 sides of the rectangle shape patio.

What is the best way to fill the gap and with what materials?


texts:
Half of my house does not have any electricity even thou nothing has been plugged it to the outlets on that side of the house. What can I do to fix it.
Thank You
Terro


texts: Why is it unwise to use a Drain King to unclog a toilet?

texts:
On its website, Consumer Reports has posted a review and comparison of drain-cleaning products (PDF).  The article is about ten years old, but it's free even for non-subscribers.

Out of all the products they tested, the Drain King VIP1 kit is one of their favorites.  They say that it's worth keeping the kit on hand.  It's very powerful.  It uses water pressure (from an indoor or outdoor faucet) to clear drain clogs.

The product is not perfect, but is still useful. (The manufacturer warns: "Drain King should be inserted past any potential areas where water might vent out. If not possible, simply close or plug potential vents.")

Where I live, one of the toilets is clogged.

The manufacturer of the Drain King kit writes: "We do not recommend using a Drain King to unclog a toilet". Why not?


texts:
I have started to paint my new home in matt as i prefer the none reflective surface compared to silk.

My Grandfather has said i should always paint walls with silk, but my outlaws say matt is just as good.

What are the actual differences other than the look of the paint?


texts:
We are currently having our bathroom done and the builders are saying that the sink cannot be central to the wall because there is a stud in the way. They have fitted the pipe work down the side of the stud meaning that the sink is 50mm off centre. The wall is not load-bearing.
Is it possible to cut into the stud to fit the pipe work and then support it horizontally with a bar, or another way that this could be done so that the ocd part of my brain doesn’t go mad?
Thanks in advance.


texts: Do push-to-connect (Sharkbite) couplings allow for any thermal expansion?

texts:
I was reading the installation instructions for hot water (hydronic) baseboard heating sections. It says to consider using a special coupling between long sections of baseboard to allow for thermal expansion of the pipe:

So obviously they are recommending a specific product of their own, and maybe there are alternates from other manufacturers.
But my first thought was whether using a push to connect fitting for this joint would offer any benefit? Some of them are plastic, others metal, but all seem to allow for more flex than a soldered joint would. Since I assume the reason to allow for thermal expansion is mainly to reduce noise, I wonder if the PTC fitting would do the job or at least be better than a soldered joint in terms of noise reduction?


texts: Water pump that will not block water in case of power loss

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I have in my house installed a water mist fire protection system. Currently it is connected directly to the main water system, which is of lower pressure than the nozzles are designed for.

I would like to add a pump and an expansion/pressure tank to increase the pressure.

My question is what kind of water pump can I use for this? It is an absolutely requirement that it will not significantly reduce the pressure or amount of water flowing through it in case of missing electricity. How well will centrifugal pumps let water flow through without power?

A battery backed solution that turns on/off a bypass path in case of power loss might be acceptable, but my initial thought is that this is added complexity and something that could fail so I think I would prefer not to have that.

Since the normal use case will be that the pump starts once to fill the tank and then never start again, power consumption and efficiency are of no relevance.


texts: How to check how much water my dishwasher is using?

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My landlord is getting $700 water bills per month and nobody knows why. About 4 people use this water and it is about 55 thousand gallons per month.

I'd like to check how much water the dishwasher is using.  It sometimes sounds like a waterfall inside of it. I'm not sure it always sounded like this.

How can I examine a dishwasher for how much water it uses during its operation? What tool can I use and where can I apply it? Or is there a better plan to make?


texts: What part is faulty when a pneumatic nail gun does not leak any air, is not jammed, but does not fire?

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I have a Porter Cable DA250C (15ga angle finishing nailer).

Worked fine yesterday until it just stopped. The gun does nothing at all when the trigger is depressed. It is not jammed. The piston is oiled and I can move it smoothly with my finger.

All the troubleshooting guides and other people posting online about nail guns always mention air leaking from somewhere. But, in my case, there is no air leaking at all. It just acts like it is not plugged in. But there is definitely air going in, it just does nothing when the trigger is pulled. There is no sound and nothing moves.

I took it apart, but nothing looks visibly damaged. Any idea which part may be faulty? Is there a test I can try to determine the problem?


texts: How can I hang a custom lamp from the ceiling by its cord?

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I have purchased a lamp shade, which I would like to hang from the ceiling on a cord of specific color (in this case orange). I have had a previous lamp, which included the cord, which I replaced and hang without problem, looks like this:

The lamp shade I have now though, I bought in glassware shop and it didn't include the cord or other fixtures for hanging, it was just a plain glass item. So I went to local hardware store and bought the bulb socket. It fits like this:

However, the problem is, that the bulb socket does not have the wire attached by a screw, but is instead inserted in small holes on top of the item, similar to the item described in this DIY question. So the only thing that holds the lamp hanging is the wire inserted. And the weight of the glass lampshade is too much to hold the wire in the sockets and it comes out sooner or later, crashing the lamp to the floor.

I wanted to buy bulb socket with wire terminals, but turns out the "insert and click wire in place" bulb sockets are the only ones being sold in any nearby hardware shops. Probably some EU regulations or standartizations or whatnot.

When the shop assistant heard about my problem he said I should purchase additional item, called "lamp hanger set". I have it now, but I really don't understand how am I supposed to use it in my case, as it seems not to add any safety or fixing bulb socket to the wire.
Here are all the items:

You can screw the tube #5 into thingie #8, making it look like this:

and then you can screw the other end of the tube into top of bulb socket #1, and drag the wire through the tube... ok, so what? How is it supposed to help unless you havee some hook from which to hang the lamp right under ceiling, instead of hanging it low like in the first picture?


texts: How to replace recessed halogen light from an eyeball fixture?

texts:
I have a fused halogen bulb in this eyeball fixture. It's fairly resistant to twisting and pulling. The previous tenants managed to damage a similar fixture in another room, and I don't want to end up the same.

How do I safely replace this bulb?

I'm also thinking about replacing all the halogens here with LEDs. Do I need anything other than LED bulbs that fit in the same socket? I remember seeing something about mains adapters for the LEDs. Are these necessary?


texts: can cylindrical and mortise locks be keyed alike?

texts: I am about to buy a patio door and a side entry door. They are from different manufacturers; both come without handle trim (no lever, rosette, etc) but with locksets - one cylindrical and one mortise. I would like to use the same key to open both - can a locksmith re-key them to be alike? If so, would both have to be re-keyed or is it possible to re-key one to match the other?


texts: Custom device mounted in electrical receptacle box?

texts: I designed a PCB which matches the dimensions of a receptacle box (the blue ones, just gonna call it the box). It is meant to mount next to an outlet in a double gang box and has a relay controlled by an esp to control the outlets. The components face into the box, and an led faces out, but is flush with the out-side of the board. I'm wondering the legality (code-wise) of installing a custom device like this into an electrical box. All it's doing is breaking or making the live connection to the outlet, but for now the design necessitates soldering the Live wire directly to the board, which I'm pretty sure I don't wanna do. If it had proper screw terminals for Live would that be ok? I'm having trouble finding information on this, maybe my Google-fu is off.


texts:
I’m looking to add a 30 amp double pole back feed breaker to my home electrical for emergency backup via a portable generator. My current system has a 6 throw panel off the meter powering all of the big ticket items (dryer, ac, range) that I would not want to power with a generator as well as a 100amp breaker powering a sub panel inside my garage with all of the normal branch circuits for the home.
I want to isolate the sub panel in an emergency and back feed just that sub panel with the generator when needed. Current sub panel is a main lug type Eaton ch 125 amp 32 space panel (Eaton AC-5641 / panel board C2233). So currently no main to isolate the panel with an interlock.
So question is which is the best way to go about this? Can I convert/ add a main breaker to my existing sub panel (ie, is the panel convertible to a main breaker type to use as a cutoff from utility line) and use a standard interlock kit, or can I add a 100amp breaker to “back feed” the panel from the utility service and interlock that with my emergency generator breaker? Or any other suggestions?
Goal is to minimize work (not pull meter and/or rewire an entire panel if unnecessary; but want to do this to code without cutting corners. Thanks.


texts:
I hired contractors and they recommended using tremclad semi gloss to repaint my stairs but unfortunately it's leaving a really ugly look. They are saying it's because there's urethane on the spindles, which is why we can see all the imperfections.

I've asked the team to give me time to do some research as I'm not satisfied with the result of tremclad on the spindles. I would like to get white spindles with a smooth finish and not see any of the old orange.

May I ask what steps should we be taking, I did not see any sanding was done. Should we sand everything and prime and then paint? Not quite sure what to do, any assistance would be greatly appreciated


texts: Pool chemical balance - 0 FC and High CH, CYA

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I have a 15,500 gallon inground plaster pool. I recently purchased the taylor 2006 kit. Doing the tests, this is what i got.

FC 0 (the reason for the 0 chlorine is, we recently purchased the house and prev owners didn't seem to have added any chlorine during the 3 weeks period. Only trichlor jumbo tabs were used as i could tell from the floater and trichlor bucket that we left behind.)
CC 0
PH 7.5
Total Alk 180
CH (using the taylor 2006 kit, at 10ml, it took 22 drops). So 22x25 = 550
CYA (it's way below the 100 mark on the test tube) It's on the 1 1/2ml mark on back of the tube which i would say more like 300 cya. I can't tell exact measurement since tube is not labeled below the 100 mark.

I added half gallon (10% liquid chlorine) but i still can't read any chlorine on the kit. I'm guessing it's because of high CYA.
Water look clear. No signs of cloudiness or algea.
What do you suggest i do at this point. How come the water still looks good even though no chlorine in water and high CH. What do i adjust first at this point and how do i get free chlorine up to it's proper level 3-4ppm.


texts: Are transition strips necessary in doorway for same level tile to tile?

texts: I removed the carpet in a room and now I am installing wood like ceramic tile. There is existing 12" by 12" ceramic tile in the hallway. Both Tiles are the same level. The wood-like is light brown and the existing ceramic in the hallway is beige.  Should I put a transition strip in the doorway or just join both tiles at the doorway where the carpet used to end.


texts:
Does anyone know what brand is this screw?
I thought it might have good performance on hard wood, and want to buy some but don't know what brand it is.
Here are the pictures of the screw.


texts: The faucet assembly in my bathroom is loose and shakes when I turn on and turn off the faucet. Any idea on how this faucet works and can be tightened?  See pictures of the top and underside.


texts: I have a Frigidaire side by side unit that is just around 2 years old. Yesterday evening we noticed the freezer side was cold but the food was thawing. Took everything out and put in a chest freezer. Today we checked for dust on coils, ice froze on interior components, door seal problems....everything seemed fine. The compressor seems to be constantly kicking on and off and sounds alot louder than usual, but the fridge is working just fine....still maintaining it's temperature and cold as usual. I was thinking if the compressor was the problem we would be experiencing fridge problems, too? I also keep reading that the fridge gets it's cold air from the freezer so if the freezer isn't working then the fridge won't run properly either, but that's not the case here. Suggestions on what the problem may be?


texts:
We are reconstructing an old house. Step1 is getting a fairly airtight envelope and a lot of insulation installed.

We have the designs and a heat load analysis, saying at peak delta (minimum -17C external temp, 20C internal) there will be a total heat loss of 6kW including ventilation.

The MHRV unit has an integrated air heater and recirculating air route but our design does not allow for large warm air heating duct work, so we don't think that we could get more than 1kW or 2kW from that.

To supplement it we were offered underfloor radiant, but the price is astronomical here and we don't like it much. We much prefer the minisplit ductless feel of heating and cooling.

We are looking at supplementing the heating with Mitsubishi hyperheat, and we would really like to know if we can get away with heads in the main rooms and upstairs hallway, or would every small room need its own head? My thinking is I could get away with an 8kW heat pump and 4 heads. One in each main area, while MHRV recirculating routes would cover bedroom thermal losses. Each bedroom has a heat load of only 400 watts. Bathrooms have radiator ladders.

Is this viable or am I looking at an indoor multisplit unit per room?,


texts:
My personal information has been stolen and used to commit fraud a couple of times... vigillence has allowed me to not get hit too badly but it's becomming a real chore, consuming lots of my time. Last time (this week), it seems that my wife's phone was cloned and used to access our banking info.

With surveillance equipment and techniques being used by criminals, what are some things that I can do to protect my privacy and information in the home? For example, a bit of cold war tech used the vibrations in incandescent light bulbs from to eavesdrop on conversation with a telescope; also, special microphones could be attached to copper pipes and wires with the same result, not to mention hidden cameras and computer viruses. I don't have any incandescent bulbs or copper pipes... but the fact is, that technology is making home invasion and espionage an activity performed from across the street with some regularity (as evidenced by the slew of commercials for credit protection on TV).

Obviously, internet security and credit card alerts and such are not home improvements... this question is asking for ways to (help) secure the home with respect to spying.


texts: What can I do about circuit boards on a new range hood that stopped working in a week or more?

texts:
I had my under cabinet wall hood replaced by a hood with chimney. Within a week, the circuit board died. The company sent a replacement hood. The rehab guy didn't replace the hood; just used the new circuit board - which died. A new board was send and the replacement hood was installed using that; lastly longer, about a month then died. The wiring going to the hood was checked, etc. My previous hood, a better one (Dacor) worked fine. The range hood vendor said they have exceeded their obligation and can do no more.

Any ideas?


texts: Submersible Well Pump Quits Under High Demand

texts:
Our well is about 70 - 80 feet deep and has a 19 year old 1/2 HP Gould submersible pump feeding our pressure tank. Under normal household usage (washing, showering, etc) we do not see any problems however on high demand such as watering the lawn, adding to the swim pool, the system will run well for a while then stop with no flow. If I then turn off the power to the pump, wait 5 minutes or so and turn the power back on, the system will run again but  will shut down again if I do not lessen the demand.
Several handymen have suggested ".....a pump problem" but it seems to me like the water in the well simply can not keep up with the high flow demand rate.
My questions: 1. Does this really sound like a pump problem 2. Are there other things to look at or test to determine what is really causing this high demand problem.


texts:
I've got wallpaper that was put up in the 70s. Trying to get it off the wall is proving impossible.  Have used all the home remedies and removers you can get st the store to no avail.  May try the steamer, but doubt it will get this stuff off

Any suggestions?


texts: I bought a headboard that I'd like to just stain darker without going through the whole stripping/sanding process. Is there a product or method that is best for this?


texts:
I've been getting U.S. appliances sent to E.U. where the voltage is doubled. I'm using autotransformers so they can work, but this isn't ideal. I do this to save money. EU retailers add their percentage on top of a lot of superior US made products, which means they add percentages on top of shipping + import taxes. Purchasing a $600 product from the U.S. can easily end up being over $1.2k here and you end up paying for shipping twice.

Anyways, I've noticed some appliances also have EU versions, which look exactly the same and weigh the same, but they clearly have different insides.

What I'm wondering is, is it feasible to modify these tools so they are naturally 220-40v? For a 2000w autotransformer so I can use a compound miter saw, these autotransformers weigh quite a bit and are massive. But when the manufacturer makes a U.S. version and an E.U. version, obviously what they are doing is not adding a whole massive auto transformer to the device. What would need to be done to convert 120v device to 240v?


texts: How can I repair a toilet that is leaking at the base?

texts: Flushing the toilet causes a small amount of water to leak out from under the base of the toilet on one side. Stops after 2-3 seconds. Also noticed there is a higher pitch dripping of water which sounds like it is coming from the top part of the toilet. Lastly, the base of the toilet is slightly loose due to one of the bolts attaching it to the floor coming loose. How bad does this sound? I'm concerned this could cause some rotting to the floor (upstairs) - obviously needs to be fixed but do I really need a plumber or can I unscrew the toilet and fix this myself? I know zilch about plumbing.


texts: Do water hammer arresters need their packing nuts adjusted?

texts:
To begin with, I'm not even sure that what I'm looking at is a packing nut, but it looks like it would operate similarly to one in shower/bathtub valves. I'm adding a ProFlo water hammer arrester (arrestor?) to my dishwasher's supply line and it looks like there's a bolt inside that can be turned with an Allen wrench. I can't find any documentation on the part that mentions this adjustment.

I'm worried that if this is a bolt that puts pressure on a packing nut, then installing the arrester without tightening it could let water get into the piston mechanism and render it ineffective. But if I tighten it too much, it could keep the piston from moving quickly enough, which would also render it ineffective.

Is this meant to be adjusted?


texts: Can you branch off another water line source rather than a main line

texts:
finishing my laundry room in my basement and originally I just had a 1/2 hot and cold water line running to my laundry and I'm not adding a utility sink to my laundry room which will be in front of my washer.

Is it ok if I have my main line run to my utility sink into a wye then to my washer, compared to running the main line to washer and branching off extra pipe to my utility sink?


texts: Can a maxitrol function as a cut-off valve?

texts: All the natural gas plumbing in my home was replaced a year ago.  I recently tried to find the gas cutoffs for my stove top and oven (separate appliances) but all I found was maxitrols.  Can maxitrols substitute for cutoff valves?  Thank you.


texts: How can you tell if it's safe to hang weight from the ceiling?

texts: I live in Canada and my house is made of wood. I'd like to mount gymnastics rings to my ceiling. I weigh roughly 90kg and I know you're suppose to find joists and attach weight there, but I don't want to pull my ceiling down. Is there a way to test or tell if my ceiling will take my weight? Especially since it's dynamic as I will likely be swinging.


texts: How do I prevent flood waters from entering my house?

texts:
I live in a city where every time a heavy downpour lasts for more than 15 minutes there is flooding everywhere. When the water in the street have no more place to go, it then enters my driveway/patio. When it is around one foot deep, the water plus minute sewage seeps in under the door. Is there something I can put under the door to prevent the water from seeping in? I put towels or socks under the door but once they are saturated with water, I have to start mopping the water that seeps in. Last night after more than an hour of heavy downpour, I had to mop up 4 buckets of water that came inside the house.

If anyone has any ideas on how to solve my problem I would be very grateful. This is the second flooding this week. With the approaching year end, we are expecting more heavy rains. We thought of buying a pump to drain the water but the problem is there is nowhere for the pumped water to go. The earth here is saturated already and will no longer soak in water that is why we have the whole area around the house cemented and tiled. I hope I have given complete details to my problem.


texts: Moved to a new apartment, got a "furnished" kitchen. How do I fix this kitchen sink and tap connection?


texts: Help getting a consistent stain across different types of wood

texts:
I'm working on a project with a few different types of wood and I'm struggling to get a consistent stain across them. They're all pine, but the troublesome piece is plywood.

I'm using minwax pre-stain and minwax wood finish, both oil-based, and I'm not doing additional sanding beforehand -- not sure if any of those are factors. I've also been leaving the stain on the same amount of time for all the pieces (~10 minutes).

Any advice on getting a more consistent look?

After one coat:

After two coats:


texts: Flaking in kitchen ceiling - will plaster patch work?

texts: Need some advice. We acquired an older property a few years back that had a kitchen ceiling with water damage from the past, just past a foot wide. (Culprit was apparently a lack of/damaged caulking in the bathtub/shower above, which was remedied). The damaged part of the ceiling was patched over but we never regarded it as a great looking job. Still, since more extensive remodelling is in the future when we have the budget for it we decided to sit tight with this stuff for now. However, after this highly humid summer we began to notice a flaking off from the so-called repaired area. No sign of "coffee-stains" suggesting a new active leak. Flaking pretty much stopped on a daily basis with the end of summer weather but every time we do something on the stove requiring boiling and an increase in kitchen humidity we see a few more flakes fall. I think the previous owner's patch involved a compound where the water in the compound didn't dry fast enough and led to a slow break down. I was thinking of a redo using actual plaster/plaster of paris in conjunction with primer and sealer. Am I headed the right way?


texts: How do you calculate the horizontal force created by a load hanging from hinges with a hinged bend (as in a hangar door)?

texts:
I am trying to calculate the horizontal force created by a raised hangar door, but for the purpose of this question, we can consider the horizontal force of a 2x4 stud that is connected as shown in the illustration below.
The 2x4 is cut in half and connected with a hinge at the top and a hinge at the middle, and then is supported vertically with a cable (which in the door will pull the door up and down). Not pictured is a track which the 2x4 or door will be connected to that keeps the "bottom" of the door in alignment with the opening.
What I am trying to determine is the method to find the lateral force that is created, or in other words, how much force will the door put on the track when it is open?
I have intentionally not included weights or lengths or angles because I'm looking for a general solution.


texts: Is the Y terminal on a furnace the same a the Y/Y2 terminal

texts:
Probably a simple question, but as the title says, on the furnace side, is the Y/Y2 terminal the same as a Y terminal?
My furnace has Y1 and Y/Y2 terminals. The Honeywell thermosate says to jump the Y terminal to the G terminal on the furnace side as part of the procedure to setup the common wire for the thermostat.
So in my case, since I don’t have the specific Y terminal, would I use the Y/Y2 terminal?
Thanks


texts: How can I tell if a breaker uses both phases/legs

texts:
Good day.
I hooked up Sense monitor by adding a 240v breaker to my panel (bottom 2 slots on one leg). Problem is Sense has detected that my breaker is sitting on two slots that occupy the same phase/leg of the panel.
How can I tell of there is 2 slots in the electrical panel that will occupy both phase/legs so that Sense will work properly? From reading I suspect Sense monitor power needs to be connected to both phases/legs.
Panel:

Stab-lok CAT NO. BE 116-32
MAINS 125 AMP.MAX.
120/240 VOLTS A.C.
1 Phase 3 Wire
Y24-863A


texts:
So, long story short: An Halogen (MR16/GU5.3) light in my bathroom went out and I replaced it with an led light (from Wilko UK, 3 pack). I know nothing of electrics, but thought heck, I should be able to change a light bulb, right?

A couple of weeks go by and the Led goes out, too. I still had 2 bulbs in the "3pack" I bought, maybe this one was just dodgy? Replaced with new Led. 2 weeks later, same thing happens.

I'm wondering if, based on the supplied images, anyone could guide me in terms of what bulb to buy (Halogen or Led!), so I can stop wasting money buying the wrong bulbs.

First picture shows the old bulb (top of my hand) and the new led I bought (bottom).

Second picture shows the transformer.

Did I buy the wrong bulbs or is my issue somewhere else?


texts: Can I install laminate flooring over a toilet drain that has been eliminated?

texts: I had a toilet in my basement that I don't want anymore.  Whats the best way to seal it off and be able to install laminate floor over the top?


texts: O-ring, flat washer and beveled washer - are they interchangeable? What's the difference?

texts:
I could not find a replacement water hose in the local hardware store. So I ended up fixing the old hose by replacing what appeared to be chewed flat o-washer with a brand new O-ring. I picked O-ring because the hardware store did not have flat O-washer with big enough inner diameter.

The hose is not leaking anymore with the O-ring. However, now I am wondering - when one should use beveled O-washer, flat O-washer or O-ring? Can the wrong choice lead to a leak further down the path?


texts: compressor running constantly but ice not dropping

texts: the compressor on our refrigerator freezer quit running so we replaced the relay. now the compressor has been running for over 21 hours. the ice maker has made ice but has not dropped the ice. what is the problem?


texts: What is causing the loud screeching noise when my A/C shuts off?

texts:
When my A/C turns off after a few minutes it makes a screeching sound that lasts about 20 seconds. You can hear it about two houses down it is so loud. My unit has a heat pump, and is about 5 years old.

I have had four HVAC people look at it and no one can figure it out. Two of them said they had never heard anything like it. I had the reversing valve changed about two weeks ago and the noise stopped for two weeks and now it is back.

Other than the noise, the A/C works great. What could be causing the noise?


texts: Garage surface conduit feed an outdoor outlet

texts: I have an attached drywalled garage w/ a subpanel that feeds several outlets in the garage.  All wiring is in surface mount PVC conduit using THHN wiring, and all are serviced via GFCI breakers.  I want to install an outdoor outlet / in-use box on a wall about 10' from where one of the outlets is.  What is the code requirement for getting from a surface mount box inside the garage to a box mounted outside?  Can I just run conduit & THHN wiring from the existing surface box to a conduit body that punches into the wall, and run THHN wiring from out of the conduit body and into the outdoor box?  This would mean there would be a small length where the THHN wiring was "exposed" ( in the wall between the conduit body and the box).  Is this OK, or is there a better way?


texts: Preventing a sink strainer from leaking?

texts:
I've had issues with my kitchen sink's strainers and I've replaced them both, but I'm still having some problems with one of them.  I did what I think is fairly normal procedure: undo the piping + basket nut, pop out the basket, clean everything well, wrap plumber's putty underneath the basket, press down, reassemble nut and piping under the sink and then peel away the excess putty on top.  It (seems) to have worked fine for one side, but not the other; it still has a slow drip, almost like condensation, when the sink is filled with water.

I've pulled it apart and replaced the putty and gasket a couple of times now, but still can't seem to get this one to work.  I've run hot water down the tap and managed to move the nut a tiny bit more, although if I tighten it much more then I'm worried that the nut will crack or I'll squeeze the gasket out.  There's no play in the sink strainer itself.  When I was tightening it down it did twist maybe 15 degrees as I was tightening it, but afterward I kept water in it for around 30 minutes with no issues.  That was about a month ago, and the water just started to start to drip.

I haven't seen any more putty leak out of the sink since, and there's no play in the sink strainer if I try to wiggle it a bit.  One thing I did notice with this side is that it seemed like the hole might have been a hair bigger than the otherside; I had more plumber's putty on the bottom with this one.  Although I would have thought that with a good plumber's putty seal and really tight gasket that I should be fine.

Any suggestions?  This doesn't seem like rocket science but I'm starting to get a little frustrated.


texts:
I had one of those bowl sinks fitted about a year ago, by a proper bathroom fitter (through Wickes). It was This One
I was cleaning it the other day and I took the overflow cover off and found that the water level is right up just below the hole.
Is that normal?
Edit - attaching second image. I'm guessing the marked bit is where the overflow might attach?


texts: residential plywood roof deck: does the long edge have to rest on a purlin?

texts:
When a 4x8 sheet of 15/32 plywood is laid lengthwise on 1x4 lath (the lath is running perpendicular to the rafters) is it permissible for the long edge of the plywood sheet not to be supported by lath directly below the edge?  Is there an allowable amount of overhang?

Here is a cross-section of what I mean, where XXXXXX is the 4' edge of the plywood sheet and [p] is a purlin:

                                    |????|
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
[p]       [p]        [p]         [p]          [p]
                                         ^

If overhang is allowed, what is the maximum length of the overhanging plywood section marked with the question marks, where where is no purlin directly beneath the long edge?

If overhang is not allowed, additional lath would have to be added below the long edge of the sheet as a fastening surface, at the location marked by ^.

P.S. I've found an APA document (Bulletin P300C) on the subject of decking over lath; it shows the addition of lath to support the edge. "Panel edges should not be cantilevered". Here's a screen cap of the relevant drawing (the document requires a login/registration and cannot be accessed via a URL):


texts: How can I check the refrigerant level in my air conditioner?

texts:
What kind of device do I need to check the refrigerant level in my home AC?

Can I buy something like Mountain MTN8205 R134a Brass Manifold Gauge Set With Couplers?

Please suggest if I am on the wrong path.


texts: What is the best way to close gaps between a chimney and roof from the inside?

texts:
From my attic I can see gaps to the outdoors along the outside corners of the chimney.  Primarily this is a problem with both wasps and bats squeezing themselves into the attic.  Also, a recent rainstorm with lots of wind leaked water into the house although most rains, even heavy ones, are not leaking in.

Climbing on the outside of the house is a non-starter for me, and I'd like to see what I can come up with that I can do myself without hiring someone.

What options do I have to spray up in there that will be both:

water resistant
safe/legal to have against a chimney?   (likely to be legal in USA - I don't expect absolute confirmation on that point)

I'm hoping that there's some sort of spray foam that will fit the bill but most of what I'm seeing are interior foams meant to retard fire between walls and floors.


texts:
I live in a semi-detached house in the UK (built in 1946). Until recently, one of the the upstairs bathroom's walls was the outside wall of the house (the side wall).  The toilet is connected to an elbow, which goes through the outside wall and then connects to a vertical main waste pipe that then goes into the ground and opens underground into the sewage system.

The house was extended to the side a couple of years ago, so that on the other side of the bathroom there's now a bedroom and below that bedroom is a garage on the ground floor. The waste pipe from the toilet has been left as is and the piping near the floor in the bedroom (connection of the elbow to the main pipe) was boxed in. Similarly, the vertical pipe in the garage has been boxed in. Now it's all behind plasterboard/plaster/paint.

A few days ago I noticed a wet stain/patch on the ceiling in my garage spreading onto the wall.  I had a plumber come in to help me trace the source of the leak - and this was traced to this connection of the toilet waste pipe (elbow to the vertical one).  The connection itself is just around (or maybe an inch above) the floor level in the bedroom, boxed in. The leak is very tiny and the water is only seeping in when the toilet is flushed repeatedly.  Flushing 2-3 times in a row results in a couple of drops of water appearing on the connection.  The plumber indicated that the wet stain/patch must have been the result of months of not years of this leak.

To repair it properly, I'd need to take the joint apart and at a minimum replace the rubber seal - or possibly replace the elbow and/or the main pipe.  The problem with this solution is that it would require lifting the wooden floor in the bedroom as well as taking off all the boxing in the garage. Then there's a high chance of other wastewater pipe connections (e.g. from the bath tab or the downstairs washroom) main waste pipe being disturbed and requiring some work to fix. All of this is expensive and also inconvenient, as the upstairs bedroom is occupied.

What option do I have for a quick/simple repair that I can do now?  A colleague suggested that he fixed something similar with a special epoxy by essentially gluing the connection.

I can get to the actual connection relatively easily, for example to apply the epoxy, but taking it apart would be a nightmare. Both the elbow and the main waste pipe are plastic.

Here are the pictures showing the leak stain, the vertical pipe (taken through a small cut whole in the ceiling), the sketch of where the elbow is, and the leaking connection. The last ones were taken with a pin-hole camera, as it was the only way to get to it to photograph it. Unfortunately there's no better photo of the connection point. There are a couple of such leak points around the connection.


texts: Antique Cast Iron Sink Wall Mounting Support and Weight Issues?

texts:
I have an existing stud assembly where a pedestal sink basin was bolted to the wall.  I'm looking to replace it with the (future restored) sink in the photo, but I want to ensure its weight is supported.

Do standard stud/bolt supports work for a sink like this since there are no legs or a pedestal, or is further wall reinforcement needed?

I will definitely be using an iron bracket to attach it.

Thanks in advance.


texts:
I have some rubber window seals that with age have become a bit hard and shiny, which is reducing their effectiveness. I can't replace these seals, so I would like to know -

Is there anything I can apply to the seals, so that they might regain some of their 'rubberiness'?


texts: Can I plug a washing machine requiring a 15A breaker into a 20A outlet?

texts:
I am removing an old Asko washer that plugs into single outlet 20 amp box.

The new Samsung washer requires "AC 120 V / 60 Hz / 15 AMP fuse or circuit breaker."

Can I safely replace the 20 amp receptacle with a 15 amp configuration receptacle?


texts:
When I place GFCI breaker into panel and turn the power on, there is no power that I can measure on the hot leg. I measure it between white wire (neutral) and the hot leg. Yes, the pigtail white wire is connected to neutral. Tried 3 different GFCI, none of them worked. Regular one has power and measures around 130V. Disconnected everything from panel, took all breakers (3) out and just tested old breaker, and they used 2 more that I bought. Same result.

Background: This is a sub-panel by the pool, that is connected to main panel in the garage via 6AWG wires to a double pole 50 amp breaker. Wires are all in conduit, connections glued. About 30 feet is underground. There are 4 wires, green, white, red, black, rated underground. This has worked without any issues for 2 years, no changes, no digging, no drilling nothing. Just one day, double pole breaker outputs no electricity. I tried resetting it several times, and sometimes it stays engaged, sometimes it does not. Testing works, pressing test button reset is (when it initially stays up). Single pole GFCI breaker will not even stay engaged. I measured voltage between hot legs and neutral at the entrance to subpanel, both have power, 130V.

I disconnected green (ground) and white (neutral) and measured resistance and it shows 0 Ohms. Does this mean that there is short between white and green? Is there a way to confirm this?

UPDATE
Well, I feel stupid now, and I apologize to all of you who wasted your time trying to help me. So, here is what happened, my daughter tripped the GFCI breaker in the panel manually, she thought it was a light switch. So, after spending some time yesterday disconnecting everything it dawned on me that in my foolishness I never put the breaker all the way down to reset it. Bahhhh, live and learn. Mind you that I built the whole pool, wiring, plumbing, deck .. everything with my own 2 hands, and then I waste 4 hours of my life on something so stupid.


texts: Should I insulate metal duct work in basement?

texts:
I have a balloon frame house with an unfinished basement.  The air handler and furnace are in the basement too.  Last fall, we had the duct work removed because it was wrapped in asbestos tape that was deteriorating.  We DIYed the replacement just like the previous, except I used some online tools to make some airflow calculations and made one of the returns bigger.  100% of the duct work is metal box or round pipe, and every seam from the plenum to each register boot is well sealed with mastic.

We did not insulate anything, because the laundry and a couple work benches and a video game area are down there, and we decided some radiant heat from the ducts would be nice, but I have since read that we should have insulated the supply ducts to help control condensation.  Also, I learned that insulating ducts is required in an unconditioned space, and I think my unfinished basement with no HVAC registers meets this definition.

This is going to be our first cooling season with the new work, though we haven't noticed any condensation yet, so...

Does code require to insulate the supply ducts in this space?  If so, how does one insulate big square trunk duct? (All the tutorials/materials I see are for 6" round)

Could we turn this into a "conditioned space" simply by adding a register in the unfinished basement?


texts: Is there any way to figure out if your outdoor faucet is frost free?

texts:
I just bought a house last spring, and now is time to clean up outside for winter.

Thing is, I don't know if my outdoor faucet is frostfree or not.

Is there a reliable way to tell if a faucet is frostfree?

Here is my faucet


texts:
I have a 10 x 10 slab (4 inches thick) that is already in my back yard in the corner. I bought a kit to build a 10 x 10 shed on it, and then realized that would put it right up to my fence. So my thought is to essentially extend the size of the slab to a 11 x 11. This should give me enough space around it.

Since I have not really tried to attach new concrete to existing concrete before, what is the best method for this. Two of the four walls of the shed will be resting on the new portion of concrete I pour, so I want to make sure they do not pull apart over time.

Any suggestions?


texts: How can I determine if metal parts are stainless steel?

texts:
I want to mount a plexiglass logo-plate on my home-office main door, but I had to buy these standoffs.

I bought them on Amazon where the claim was they were stainless steel (inoxidizable).
I have suspect they sent me the worst quality iron. Of course, on Amazon listing these things were particularly shiny, but now these look particularly opaque.
One thing I noticed is that the standoffs smell, and the smell is left on my fingers after I stroke the devices.
Question is: is there a simple homebrew way to tell iron from inox steel?
So far I have tried to search around and found that I might try to induce rust quickly by using HCl and then leave the piece in sea water outdoors. After a week, rust should appear.
I don't have HCl at home at the moment and I want to be sure before getting to buy it.


texts: How do you remove a dummy knob with a screw that seems to spin and spin?

texts:
I recently purchased my first home and wanted to replace all of the door knobs to make it feel more like my place, rather than just some place I was renting again.  Anyway, all of the privacy locking knobs, closet knobs, and even the deadbolts on exterior doors were pretty easy for a novice like me to remove and replace.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of closets in this condo and therefore there are a lot of dummy knobs that need replacing.  I thought these would be the easiest to do, but I was hit by a curve ball:

The dummy knobs that came with the condo seem to have an extra screw - beyond the two that you can unscrew from the front.  This third one goes from the back of the door, through a washer, then through a hole in the door and into the knob.   I tried to unscrew it, but can't seem to get anywhere. It just sits and spins.  This leads me to believe there is some kind of nut on the inside of the handle, but I have no idea how to access this nut (or really, if I'm even on the right track).

Am I missing something?


texts:
Should I use sandpaper to clean the rust from the tools (e.g. Needle-nose pliers), or can I soak them in vinegar or lemon juice?

Would I be better off just buying new tools (which can be an expensive choice for expensive tools)?


texts: Low-voltage LED light strip through wall to outlet - Allowed?

texts:
I am installing some cabinets in my basement media room. I'd like to use a Philips Hue Lightstrip for accent lighting. The other side of the wall on which the cabinets are mounted is unfinished - it's a utility room, bare studs, easily accessed by a standard door. There is an existing outlet on the unfinished side of the wall.
Is it permissible to pass the power cord for the light strip through a port in the wall to the outlet in the other room? I'd like to conceal everything except the light strip itself.
Generally, I understand what the NEC says about running cords through walls - don't! There's some grey areas here I'm unsure about.

The Hue Light transformer (plug) lists an output voltage of 24V, the same as "low voltage" wiring for items like doorbells and thermostats, which run through walls all the time. It's unclear to me how NEC applies to low voltage.
This isn't a substitute for "permanent wiring". It's a lamp with a plug. The plug even says "portable luminaire" right on it, which is a specifically listed exemption in NEC 400.
This also doesn't seem any different to me than a microwave or dishwasher with a cord running through a cabinet, which has been in every house I have ever owned.
The cord isn't fished in a wall packed full of insulation, which is obviously dangerous. The cord runs through the wall perpendicular, meaning it's only "in the wall" for the 1/2 inch thickness of the wall, and is free and visible in a room on the other side.
I'm not clear what danger is presented by the plug being in another room. I have a router plugged into the other outlet of the receptacle right now. I can't see it from outside the room, either, but I'm not worried about it.

Beyond a potential code violation which is easily rectified in about 5 minutes by unplugging and removing the light strip, is there a true danger here I am not recognizing? I don't see any more danger than presented by anything else currently plugged in the utility room.
EDIT: I get there are horrible things people could do passing a cord through a wall, which is why the rules exist. What I don't understand is how this particular situation is any different than a cord behind a bookcase, or through a cable grommet on a desk top?


texts:
I have a ceiling light/fan controlled by remote only - no light switch or pull cables. Now the remote receiver is broken and the company doesn't make the replacement part anymore.
So in buying a new ceiling fan, do I have to buy one powered by remote? Or will a light switch need to be installed if I want one controlled by light switch? Is there a chance my current fan receiver is bypassing the light switch that should control it?
I'm in the dark here. DIY beginner.
Thanks everyone


texts: Where to locate p trap and venting in complicated washing machine installation? See sketch

texts:
I would like to add a washing machine (and dryer) to my split-level home so that I can rent out the basement below (which already has its own washer/dryer). I don't have the experience to do it myself, but I'd like help deciding if my preferred location for the washer is feasible before seeking help.

I would like to run the drain pipe from the washer up into the ceiling of the level below, then down into the wall of the kitchen below and into the drain. Is this feasible? If so, can the p trap and venting be located as per the sketch or must they be located closer to the washer?

It would be very difficult to vent the piping near the washer as there is no existing plumbing there and there is another floor above. It is my understanding that the p trap should not be more than 5 feet from the venting, so I suspect it would not work to locate the p trap by the washer. Furthermore, doing this would increase the height the water needs to travel before dropping into the ceiling to a total of at least 60", which my research indicates is possible, but not ideal.

Can anyone confirm or deny the feasibility of the layout in my sketch and/or offer other suggestions?

UPDATE
Thanks for the helpful information thus far.   I understand I have two problems:

The discharge water is too high above the machine.
The vent stack is too far from the machine.

We haven't bought the washer yet so using a front loader on a 3' pedestal is a possibility.  I guess this would solve problem #1.  Problem #2 however, may make this setup unfeasible.  The only solution to this might be venting out the exterior wall, which is adjacent to the washer.  I understand that this isn't ideal but could it work if the vent stack exits through the wall at a 45 degree angle?


texts: Very high flow in new replacement refrigerator water filter

texts: No leaks or anything like that but the water really flies out when filling a glass. Used to be much slower. Is there any chance that water is bypassing the new filter? Water seems clear and tastes ok but I can fill a 16 oz glass of water in about 5 seconds...could it just be a high flow filter? It is rated at .8 gals per minute.


texts:
Is it advisable to run a snow blower on a non-GFCI receptacle?

After all, while using the machine I will always be wearing mittens and boots. Would these not provide sufficient safety?


texts: Which type of electrical protector is better for the appliances? surge or over/under voltage protection?

texts:
I decided to buy an electrical protector for the appliances in our kitchen. There are two options and I'm confused and cannot decide which one is better for me and which problems can harm devices more easily. As we are new in the neighborhood, I haven't had any electrical problems until now and this is just for prevention.

Our appliances are:

A 2100 W washing machine
A 810 W bread maker
A 650 W rice cooker
A 1000 W food processor

These are the options that I can buy:

A multi-outlet solution with built-in surge protection. Most famous brands are of this type.
A solution with voltage protection that disconnects the power when voltage becomes < 170 V or > 270 V.
Buy both! and connect them in series and absolutely it's more expensive and I don't know if it's worth it.


texts: Under Nec 2011, I need neutral to every switch box; can I just use 2 14/2's instead of paying extra for 14-2-2?

texts: I have two deadend 3way switches planned for the box (on the same breaker). I have 14/3 for each one going on, but then learned of the new rule about needing neutral at every box. I thought to replace one of the 14/3's with 2 14/2's. 3 ways are a bit confusing and this new rule about makes my head spin trying to understand all the outdated diagrams on the net.  Now that I have asked the question, it sort of seems obvious I can do this, but you never know.  thanks


texts: Add manual light switch to Genie Garage door opener

texts:
Currently, my genie Is550a garage door opener functions as intended, opening and closing my single garage door by pressing the single button (similar to a doorbell) activator.

Upon opening the door, the lights in the garage door unit remain lit for several minutes, but eventually turn off and cannot be turned back on without pressing the activator again to close the door.

I would like the ability to control the light contained within the unit manually, to be able to turn them on without having to open or close the door. With this unit, is it possible to wire in an additional light switch to manually control this?


texts: What could cause water to leak from the top of the fridge?

texts: It appears that once a day, there is some water streaming from the top of the fridge (on the inside). I collect about a small cup of water nearly every day that comes out from roughly the same spot (it then turns into ice if I don't pour it out fast enough). The fridge seems to work "fine" otherwise. This seems to have started when I made the temperature in the fridge (Kenmore) a bit colder. What could be the cause of it?


texts: Aluminum window trim: what is it called and where to look for it?

texts:
I am building a wall in my condo. To place the stud as close to the window frame as possible, I had to cut through the rectangular enclosure (that houses a power cable) made of plywood and covered by 1/16" aluminum.

This aluminum trim/shield was glued into the flooring so I had to use force to remove it. I twisted it in the process. I would like to buy it new but I am not sure what it's called and where to look for it. Any ideas?

I also need something very similar to finish off (or cap) the wall (both the stud and the sheet rock) where it meets the window.


texts: Is it ok to hang a ceiling fan from an Iberville Octagonal Box 1-1/2 Inch AC90 Steel Stud?

texts:
Iberville Octagonal Box 1-1/2 Inch AC90 Steel Stud
I'm trying to figure if I can mount a 30lb fan (as per specification full installed weight) to this box?
We are in a townhouse condo and don't think we have access to attic. I did find the label on the box and it's exactly the box in the pic. The two screws on the box that would be used for fan mount would take 8-32 machine screws. I am thinking of using them with hex nuts for extra protection.
But is this box ok for mounting the fan? Or if not, how do we switch it, as not sure how to get in attic.
Also it has two pipes of wiring coming into it with bigger nuts to hold the pipe. It seems pretty stable if it try to move by hand.
Same is available in home depot : link


texts: How can I block or fill out a letterbox hole in my door?

texts:
I have a letterbox in my front door that is never used, so I would like to remove it and fill the hole, preferably so it doesn't look like there was ever one there.

Or insert something that fills the hole, like a steel plate or wood block.

Does a solution for this exact problem exist?


texts: Repair basement stud walls after french drain

texts:
I had a french drain / water management system in my basement to deal with leaky walls, and as part of the installation the contractor had to cut in around my foundation.  To give themselves room to jackhammer, they cut the bottom 6-8" off of the walls all the way around one side of the basement.

Now I'm left with 3 non-load bearing walls that are essentially just hanging from the ceiling.  I'd like repair the walls, but I'm looking for some advice.  I was looking to put down a new pressure treated 2x4 across the floor, then add 2x4 to extend the studs down to the floor again.

Frankly, I was pretty surprised by the whole thing, so I'm happy to hear suggestions how to fix this mess.  Attached is a picture in case I'm not clear.


texts:
I’m replacing my old shower arm but it stuck and won’t move not even a bit.
The picture is my old adjustable shower arm remnants(female) attach to the pipe(male) coming out of the wall.
I tried heating then unscrew, WD-40, lime a way and pipe wrench but nothing worked so far.
WD-40 was so hard to spray in the thread also...i don’t think it was going into thread that much.
Before calling plumber, is there anything I could do?

Thank you,


texts: Am I doing something wrong with this sanding job?

texts:
I'm trying to finish a finishing job on a dresser; I abandoned the project (long story) a while ago after getting a few drawers done, and I've since lost the exact instructions I was following. After putting the polyurethane on the third drawer, I realized I must have used two coats of stain on the first drawers, so I sanded the thing with 60-grit sandpaper to get rid of the polyurethane and start over with the staining.
Thing is, while most of the drawer is looking fine and ready to be stained again, the shorter edges, which have a nice sloped curve to them (see images), look seriously scratched up, as if I were sanding against the grain or something. I always sand along the length of the drawer (which is rather tricky on the short edges), so I'm at something of a loss as to what's going on, especially as the longer edges (which are also sloped) look fine.
Here's what I'm talking about:

I doubt I'll care that much once it's all done, but it seems worth knowing: Is there something subtle about sanding edges like these that it looks like I'm missing?


texts: Sealing/resurfacing exterior concrete retaining wall

texts: I have a 3 ft concrete retaining wall that runs across our backyard. It collects a lot of black mildew with white spots. Is there a sealant or other surfacing material that I can use to help keep clean? I live near Vancouver, BC.


texts: Wiring hanging pool table light into outlet plug?

texts:
I'm moving into a new apartment soon and getting a pool table. I will obviously need to hang a light fixture from the ceiling above the table. Normally these fixtures are supposed to be hard-wired in the ceiling but because I am renting the apartment I'm not going to mess with any of the existing wiring inside the ceiling for obvious reasons.

The fixture I bought is this one:
https://www.amazon.com/72-Pool-Table-Light-Billiard/dp/B00P3CBSPQ/ref=sr_1_3?s=lamps-light&ie=UTF8&qid=1468530116&sr=1-3&refinements=p_4%3AIszy+Billiards

It has a wire coming out of it with the standard black/hot, white/neutral, green/ground three wires inside. My plan is to splice this wire into a wire I would purchase and then splice that wire into a switch then male grounded plug and just plug it into an outlet. This way I can just keep it plugged in all the time and use a wall-mounted switch to turn it on and off.

Here is a basic diagram of what I am planning on doing (ignore the fact I don't show the neutral wire):

I would also like to know what kind of wire I should use to connect all of this? The fixture powers 4x 60watt light bulbs.

I'm assuming this would work fine / be safe but wanted to check with people who know what they're doing first... I'm savvy enough to put all of this together so I really just need to know it will be safe or not.


texts: New bathroom double vanity. One sink runs the other backs up and drains slow

texts: So when I run either sink for a minute the other fills and they both drain slow. Is it the trap height and/or a clog in the old line or something else. Noob here n looking for help. Thanks


texts: Is it correct for air to flow into home from under an addition?

texts:
I have seen multiple houses sitting on concrete basements or slabs where additions were added on to the house in the 1970s-80s and air flows directly from under the addition to inside the house. The additions are not on concrete slabs, they appear to be just on piles with a crawlspace between the floor of the addition and the dirt below. Air then seems to get sucked from the crawlspace into the house when the furnace runs.
Is this the correct way to do an addition? Would it be better to pour a concrete slab under the addition which is connected to the concrete slab the rest of the house sits on, and build on that? Would that eliminate this air flow?
There is high radon around here and it always concerned me that the air sucked in from under the addition probably results in much higher radon levels inside the house.


texts: Drain making dripping sound after sink drains. No leaks

texts:
Does anyone have an idea why after I turn off the water in my newly installed vanity, it begins making a dripping noise for approximately 5-15 seconds.
It's only a few drips honestly but none of the other drains in my home make this noise. I did the install and just want to make sure that it isn't a symptom of a greater issue, like the P-Trap siphoning out the residual water.
Drain was installed with the foam gasket included, considered plumber's putty.
There are no leaks visible in the P-Trap or the drain assembly. No smell of sewer gas. This shouldn't be driving me nuts but it is.
Parts:
P-Trap
https://www.homedepot.ca/product/os-b-plastic-1-1-2-p-trap-with-1-1-4-reducing-washer/1000120436
Tailpiece extension
https://www.homedepot.ca/product/os-b-brass-1-1-4-x-6-chrome-extension-tube-slip-joint-connect/1000120361
Drain
https://www.homedepot.ca/product/os-b-brass-lavatory-drain-with-clicker-closure-brushed-nickel/1000800313
Vanity
https://www.ovedecors.com/us/cliff-30-white.html


texts: Can I use epoxy grout on tiled shower and bathroom floors?

texts:
I'm considering white grout for bathroom shower walls (the floor will be covered with a shower tub). Wanting to avoid problems with graying, mold and mildew in the shower and sink back-splash area, I thought I could grout those two areas with epoxy grout.

Is white epoxy grout a good idea for shower?

Another, more unlikely idea is to grout the floor tiles with white epoxy grout. I fear that the traffic and usage will discolor it anyway. Can you give some advice on that?


texts: How to clean vinyl floor tile not cleaned in 25 years

texts:
I have vinyl tiles on my kitchen floor that have not been really cleaned for some 25 years.

Scrubbing with regular soap using a hand-held, floor scrub brush has basically no effect. (I tried Simple Green, also vinegar.)

After rubbing part of one tile with "Goof-Off" (a nasty solvent) for 5-10 minutes, it looked quite clean.

I do not want to spent the time or use the amount of solvent that would be needed to clean the rest of the tiles that way.

Any suggestions? (I am willing to rent equipment, if needed.)


texts: What should I consider when choosing a pocket door system?

texts: I am considering installing a few pocket doors in our “inner hallway”, these will be behind built-in bookshelf’s.   Ideally I wish to reuse our heaver weight 1930 doors, as they match the rest of the home.


texts: What are these thing in my fridge and how to get ride of them?

texts:
I found these bugs and i dont know how to get ride of them or what they are.

First time it was near the eggs, cleaned everything. But 3 weekd after i found them again. Dont know what to do.

If this is not the proper stackexchange site for this post feel free to move it. Sorry


texts:
I have a mid-2000s Dremel 400XPR that I've used over the years for a variety of projects. A couple days ago I tried to use it and found that it doesn't power on. I read through the manual, tried a few different (working) outlets but still nothing.

Is it worth replacing the carbon brushes or is that unlikely to fix it?

Photos at: https://imgur.com/a/qpqKOj4


texts: Unfinished basement - options for exposed concrete wall in finished room

texts:
We're purchasing a home with a large, unfinished basement having a poured concrete foundation and walls. This home is in Minnesota, so there's a seasonal consideration with temperature and moisture. Is it possible to finish a room while still leaving the raw concrete exposed on one wall? I will be building out a basement office and other rooms, and I love the look of the raw concrete (think: industrial office space) and I think it would make an awesome backdrop for my work area. Open to any ideas here.
Related, it seems like the foundation wall should be around 10" thick? Is there any issue mounting into it with hardware, say to mount a television or monitor?


texts: How can I safely cut the cable on a broken garage door?

texts:
Late last summer, a tree fell on our garage. The garage being made of corrugated aluminum, it was pretty well crumpled. Before winter hit, we were able to get everything off the frame but the garage door, and now I'm wondering how to get that off safely.

Here's what I'm facing:

The garage door is a fairly typical roll-up door with a torsion spring.
The cable on one side of the door snapped when the garage was crumpled, but the other appears to be intact.
Because of the state of the frame, I can't roll the door up, or really move it in any way.

I want to finish tearing down the garage, but I don't want to do anything stupid or dangerous. Is there a safe way for me to cut the intact cable?


texts: How do I seal a basement cinder block wall behind a shower?

texts:
My wife and I have a basement bathroom that I gutted: back in 1980 someone decided to put tile directly on drywall and not properly seal anything, with the obvious moldy result. So I ripped it down to studs and concrete.

My question is about the shower area. This is in the northern U.S. for code purposes.

The wall with the window is obviously an exterior wall. The wall on the left is an interior divider wall. The space on the right will be framed out with cement board and tile on it.

What is the proper way to seal the cinder block walls considering this is a shower? We were going to put on two coats of Drylok, but this does not actually seal anything. If we put cement board and furring strips on top of the cinder blocks, do we even need to seal it? We are not completely sure if we want to spent the time, effort and money on tiling the whole thing, so I would appreciate advice both for the tile route as well as bare cinder block walls. At the very least though we will be building a base including a lip around all three walls and the open area so water does not go wandering out of the shower.

My wife is convinced we need to paint with Drylok and then epoxy floor paint (but on the walls). Is this a good idea?


texts: Underlayment (vapor, moisture and sound abatement) under marble tile floors

texts: Do you use an underlayment (vapor, moisture and sound abatement) on top of concrete subfloors and under marble tile flooring? Ultimately the marble will not be installed using traditional mudding methods. The marble tile will be glued to (possibly) the top of the underlayment. My condo building states that I must have an underlayment however, all of the products I'm researching do not say anything about or refer to marble tile flooring, only hardwood and laminate flooring.


texts:
I'm using 12/2 direct burial cable to get power to my shed. When using the conduit to bring it up from the ground to the breaker box, where does one start to strip the cable? Would it be from where it enters the conduit (that would be buried), or just before it exits the conduit ( inside the breaker box)?
My understanding is you are not allowed to run direct burial through conduit.


texts:
I'm having decking installed and the boards currently slope towards the house. The underneath of the decking is soil and there is no gutter alongside the house to funnel the water to the drain.

Is something I should bring up with the builder? It is early stages of the build. Only the supporting frame and 4 boards have been placed.

Apologies if this has been asked before, but the builder is due back tomorrow and I'm hoping for a quick answer so I can discuss with him.

UPDATE 1:

In the picture above you can see:

(A) Is resting on top of the paving stones and it appears that this is
causing the slope towards the house. See D.
(B) If A was to drop to be
flush with B, then the decking area would be level and the slope
towards the house would be gone.
(C) This post, as with the other
post, are not in concrete. They are about 2-3 inches into soil and
are held again A with a single nail.
(D) This shows the direction of
the slope towards the house.

You will also notice that the whole area rests on soil.


texts: Looking for a way to secure round rods in a T configuration

texts:
Looking for a good way to tightly connect two round rods in a T configuration.
I figured something like a T-clamp would be the obvious solution and easy to buy, but I have searched rather extensively and the closest thing I've found online is This, and from the measurements quoted it appears way too big.
In my application the vertical part is a 3/8" diameter steel rod, and the horizontal crossbar is a 7/8" diameter wood handle (to twist the rod). The rod is already inserted into a hole in the handle, but after many years the handle is now slipping, hence the need for a fix.
Can anyone suggest a reasonably simple means to secure the handle so it won't slip? I know I've seen T-clamps in pictures somewhere, but if they aren't as commonly available as I thought, I may need something different.
The local Home Depot has told me on the phone that they don't have anything like this.
Thanks.


texts:
This is probably elementary to most, but I've never done it.  I'm putting down a 12' sheet of formica on my workbench.

I've watched videos, read instructions, etc... It seems pretty simple, they all say wait until both surfaces are dry to the touch (takes 15-20 minutes).  place your sticks, rope, or whatever.  Start in the middle and work your way out bonding the laminate to the substrate.

Is this is simple as it sounds, it should not stick to your fingers at all (or anything for that matter) before you bring both surfaces together?

It just seems very counter intuitive, but it is contact "cement", not glue, so I'll buy it.  My dad has done this before, and we are in a debate... he tends to stick with what is very intuitive, so he puts the surfaces together while they are still sticky.  It is kind of hard to debate though, because I've only read about it, and he has actually done it. :)

So, can someone elaborate on this simple process... also, is there a window of time in which it can be applied after it is "dry to the touch" before it will no longer be effective?  If you DID wait too long, is there anyway to fix it, or do you just apply more contact cement?

Thanks.


texts:
Is it OK to solvent weld PVC to CPVC? I have a Schedule 40 PVC line outside a building and need to transition to CTS CPVC for indoor plumbing (because code). I'm wondering both from a practical (will the 'dissimilar plastics' actually fuse) and legal (does UPC allow it) perspectives.

Spears and Lasco both have an IPS x CTS transition bushing (made of CPVC), I can't tell if it's only intended for going between CTS CPVC to (uncommon) Sch 40 CPVC or also perhaps for what I'm trying to do.

Of course another option is a threaded joint using MPT + FPT adapters, but since it's going to be buried I'd prefer a solvent joint.


texts: water company replaced meter now very low water pressure!

texts: I recently came home from work to find the water company digging up my front yard.  Apparently they were putting in a new meter? An hour or so after they left i turned my kitchen sink on and water came sputtering out- I'm assuming there was air mixed in the water. I turned it off and on again the water was dirty then cloudy for a few hours but had very little pressure!! We used to have amazing pressure. I cleaned all the filter screens on every faucet in the house-they had dirt and debris caked in them-water pressure is a little better but nowhere close to what it was. Replaced the shower heads and have had a plumber come 4 times because water company of course is saying its not their fault or problem!?! Still terribly low pressure.  IT takes 20 mins to fill the bath tub and taking a shower is almost torture there's so little water pressure!! Now my washing machine sounds like there's dirt or sand inside it and shut itself down mid load and won't work!! What do we do? is this the water company's fault? Plumber cannot get to whatever is clogging or causing the problem. Please help


texts: How much continuous power can a 30 A 240 V outlet handle?

texts:
My question is pretty simple. I've seen several forums suggest that you should have the max power on any outlet be 80% of what the circuit is rated for (so for example, if you have a 15 A 120 V outlet, then you shouldn't use more than 80% x 15 A x 120 V = 1440 watts).

Is this really the case? I ask because in my situation, I have a 240 volt outlet running on a 30 ampere dedicated circuit where I want to run some equipment continuously. I am certain that there will be no other equipment running on that circuit. Given this, should I expect to only run 80% x 30 A x 240 V = 5,760 watts on that circuit, or may I use the full 7,200 watts continuously?


texts: How can I drill a hole in a small stick of wood?

texts:
I need to make a few arrow shafts hollow, they're about 1/2" thick.

Example:

There would have to be enough space in the middle to put iron wire in it (the thickness of an old coat hanger)


texts: Should I be concerned about rusty nails just inside an outer wall?

texts:
Last year I nailed down the linoleum in my pantry with small brads because it was curling badly. This year during spring cleaning I noticed that the nails on the edge near the outer wall of the house are rusty. Does this mean a significant amount of water is seeping in from outside and I have to find and plug leaks or is this normal moisture?

Relevant information:
The house is a Queen Anne (frame). The floor of the pantry is just above where the wood structure meets the cinder block foundation.


texts: How do I determine rough opening sizes for common closet door sizes?

texts: At the hardware store I see bifold closet doors listed in sizes like 36x80, 48x80, 72x80. I'm not sure if these are nominal sizes or exactly which parts they're measuring from. How would I determine the correct size of rough opening to create for one of these standard sizes?


texts: How can I prevent water from puddling on a shower ledge?

texts: I'm about to paint/re-caulk the walls above a fiberglass shower.  There's a ledge that I'd just as soon eliminate by putting in something to slope and prevent water from puddling in the corner (shown in photo).  What can I use to fill the void?


texts: I have a 12-2 wire connected to a 20amp breaker.  This wire is currently not in use and capped off in a junction box in my attic.  I'd like to bring this wire back into service to install two new outlets in two rooms below the attic.  The outlets will be used for light/medium duty (plug-in light fixtures, a computer) and do not need to be 20amp receptacles.  Can I add two new 14-2 lines into this junction box with the 12-2 wire and then use 15amp receptacles?  Thanks for any advice.


texts:
I have some old baby blue wall tile in a house I purchased a couple of years ago.  During the home inspection, the inspector noted the cracks as a possible area of improvement.  I've been keeping an eye on the tile over the years, and I noticed several more cracks showing up.

I've been watching for water damage (from the access panel) and I can't see any.  So how big of a deal are cracks in wall tile?  What are the possible consequences if left untreated?

I would replace the tiles, but I don't have any spares from the previous home owner (and they're ugly anyhow).  I'm trying to estimate how much time I have before a bathroom remodel is going to be on my home improvement list.


texts: What should I wash my walls with prior to using "peel and stick" tiles except TSP?

texts: I am installing peel and stick tiles as a backsplash.  I would like to know what to wash the walls with before installing.  The walls were painted eight years ago.


texts: Frigidaire refrigerator: no ice produced, and no water dispensed. What would cause this besides the 3-way water valve?

texts:
FFHS2311LBSA side-by-side fridge with water dispenser.  Water is not dispensed, and no ice is produced.  Common wisdom says the water valve assembly (3 valves, 3 solenoids) is the most likely culprit but I measure ~400 ohms across each coil.  In addition, when the water dispenser paddle is depressed, I get 120V across one of the solenoids.

I assume the water runs from the main valve to the filter, then back to the valve assembly, where either the dispenser or icemaker pulls a solenoid to deliver water.  This would mean that the main solenoid would have to energize AND also one of the other valves to deliver water. I never see 120v across the main solenoid (when I depress the dispenser paddle).

I could replace the water valve assembly as a shotgun guess but my gut is telling me it's something else. If I'm right about how the valves work, how does the water dispenser send 120V to both the main and the dispenser solenoids? And why would it send 120v to only one of them?

thanks for any help!


texts: 240v 4wire power supply 30 amp breaker,240v 3wire air compressor switch

texts: 240v power supply has 4 wires red black white ground. my 240v air compressor only has 3 wires white, black,and ground. how do I connect it?


texts: Wiring a GE smart switch in a box with 2 light switches sharing a neutral wire and switches sharing a hot wire on same circuit

texts: Two switches in the box control 2 separate exterior light switches. I am attempting to replace one of the exterior light switches with a GE smart switch. I have three pairs of wires going to the two exterior light switches. All 3 whites wires from the 3 pairs are wire nutted together. The switch I am attempting to replace with GE smart one has a black wire on top of the switch and a black wire on the bottom running over to the bottom connector on adjacent switch that controls a different outside light. There is a 3 way switch in the box also with a neutral but it is on a separate circuit. Need possible solutions on how to wire the GE smart switch. I don't care if the smart switch controls both exterior lights but that would be a plus! Thanks


texts: replacing double switch old cable colours

texts:
I'm having trouble replacing an old dimmer switch with a normal on/off double switch.
One switch is for the ceiling light and the other is for two wall lights inside the living room, the cabling is 3 wires red, yellow, blue and an earth is connected to the back box.
I thought that I could just rewire into the new switch as it is in the old but the terminal connections are different on the new switch.
There is nothing written on the old connections to help.

Am I right in thinking, on the new switch as you look at the terminals, I put red wire from the wall into the furthest right terminal, the blue from wall into next furthest right terminal, the yellow into either of the remaining terminals and the red loop wire into both Comm terminals?.

Thanks in advance.

Pete


texts: Why does my desk lamp(LED) seems to flicker very fast when capturing through camera lens?

texts:
Does led work this way?
I have tested two LED light bulbs by capturing them through phone's camera(Galaxy Note 8)and both seems to flicker/flash very fast.
Is this a problem with my table desk lamps? Why is it not cosntant light?
It is direct current desk lamp


texts: Pulling 8 Gauge Wire, 1/2" Inch Conduit, for 150 Feet Difficulty?

texts:
I've got a house in Chicago, which in Chicago residential construction is piped in 1/2" conduit.
I'm finishing up a remodel and still have the rough garage.  The plan (back in September before it was cold), was to re-mud the garage, clean up the tape, paint, and then epoxy.
It's cold now, so... I have free reign to make some more holes and then patch and and finish in the spring.
I want to add a 10,000 watt, electric heater to the garage (no, the central vac is 120V too....).

I have experience pulling 12 gauge with a nylon fishtape 20' feet in mostly clear conduit for small house runs.  I've never tried a really long run from the panel (which I'm guessing is like 100 to 120 feet).
Ideally in this run, I would just put in a double pole breaker and pull 8 gauge from the panel all the way to a box in the garage and then add on an outlet + whip somewhere in the garage to finish up the run.
Theoretically that sounds great, but looking at the initial runs out of my panel, they are SUPER STUFFED.  Intuitively, it seems like the pipe is too full (no idea on the code requirements for maximum conductors in 1/2 inch conduit).
I have also thought of branching of the 8 gauge as a new conduit run in my basement until I can find the last box that is not as full of wires and then trying to pull to the garage from there.
From someone with experience, would I better off just avoiding the main run (I think in Chicago we call those "home runs") and struggling to pull 8 gauge through there?
It's a huge pain because I don't have experience bending conduit, but if the alternative is wasting 3 hours trying to pull two huge 8 gauge wires through a hopeless scenario I'm can learn to bend some 45s' and offsets.


texts: What is the rule of thumb for built up beams with splices

texts:
The attached spec would lead me to derive that I could build a beam out of many splices as long as the spliced member is overlapped by a non splice by 9" and nailed 4.5" out from the splice on each side.
I've always done built up beams from full length members.  Do people generally just slap them together with scrap?


texts: Will craftsman trim saw make straight cuts in 2x4?

texts:
I recently found a Craftsman Circular Cordless Saw 900.112650 in a closet that I bought many years ago and never used.

Will this cordless saw make straight cuts in 2x4" treated wood?

I still have to buy the batteries (I cant find them), but I don't want to spend money on the batteries unless I know it will make clean, straight cuts on 2x4 wood.


texts: Will removing the insulation from an unfinished basement cause it to be a lot colder?

texts:
We live in upstate NY and the house has an unfinished basement.   It's waterproofed with cinder block walls and a concrete floor. There is no framing, no drywall.  However someone put up this hanging batting insulation with a white vapor barrier over it and it is just nailed to the cinder blocks.  It's awful looking so we really want to take it down.  We can't afford to frame it and insulate it properly since it's just for storage and laundry.
So my question is:
-If I take off this current insulation is the basement going to be a lot colder?  Is it a bad idea to get rid of it even if it hideous?  If so is there a cheap idea for insulating without framing?


texts: well pressure switch in barn, pressure tank in house

texts: My well control setup is in the unheated barn. I tried to keep the pump room heated for a few years but am tired of replacing pressure tanks that freeze up over the winter due to electricity being lost.  I'm wondering what would be wrong with keeping the pressure switch where it's at (easier to drain in fall) and putting the pressure/bladder tank in the house. What do you think?


texts: Removing or modifying bridges between truss or joists to make way for ducting

texts:
I want to run ducting for a kitchen extractor through the ground-floor ceiling of a two story building in order to get it to an external wall. The ducting would be running in the same direction as the ceiling truss/joists (or are they floor joists if there's another level above?), however in addition to the joists and truss, there are bridges joining them every couple of meters. (I say joists and truss because there are joists through most of the ceiling, but then open web truss in the vicinity of the kitchen, needed to allow for plumbing from a bathroom above.)

The red arrow in this image shows the desired direction of ducting travel, and the bridge that is blocking it. (Photos taken through ceiling light cutouts, so this is the best look at it I can get without removing ceiling drywall.)

The truss/joist height is 280mm, and the ducting diameter is 200mm. That doesn't leave much room for anything to remain of the bridges.

My question: I'm assuming this is something I'll need to consult a structural engineer about, but generally speaking, how necessary are these bridges? Could they be removed, or replaced with something that would leave room for duct? Although with only 80mm available height remaining with the duct installed, maybe it'd need to be steel rather than wood?


texts: How can I stop a draft from an attic hatch lid?

texts: During the colder months there is a cold draft at the bottom of the stairs and I had a new drop down loft hatch installed 18 months ago as I was convinced that was the cause. It had become warped. But the draft remains with all windows shut! The loft is fully insulated and I have put rubber insulating tape around the edges although there is a small gap in places where it has warped very slightly but I can't feel a draft. There is no heating on the landing. Is there anything flat I could stick over the loft hatch joins as a seal?


texts: Repairing a cracked Terrazzo shower base

texts:
The terrazzo shower base in my 10-year-old house cracked. As shown in the attached pictures, the crack, though very thin, goes all the way through, and I've had a slow leak in the (unfinished) basement room below when the shower is on.

From what I've read online, there's no way to truly repair it - the whole base has to be replaced. On the other hand, if I can get a few more years out of the shower by sealing the crack, I'd be pretty happy with that. Because the shower is over an unfinished basement room, it doesn't seem like a big deal if it does start leaking a little again - I can pretty easily check on it every once in a while.

Is there any risk to simply sealing the crack, other than the likelihood of the leak eventually coming back?

What would be the best material to seal such a hairline crack with? I've seen suggestions for polyurethane and epoxy. (I'm leaning towards a clear epoxy, but could use advice on pros and cons from someone with more experience.)


texts: How can I protect a hardwood floor from a rolling office chair?

texts:
My wife's office has solid hickory hardwood floors, and I'd like to protect the floor from her rolling office chair.  What can be done to protect the floor?

Should I even be concerned about the chair damaging the floor?


texts: Can't figure out where leak is coming from

texts: When we moved into our new house I saw a faint water spot on the ceiling and made a note to keep an eye on it. Couple of days ago the water spot appeared more noticeable and wet to the touch. Today I opened up the ceiling, but everything is completely dry. In the attached photos the water spot is directly below the elbow connecting to the sewer line, the u-trap is connected to the toilet. I flushed the toilet above couple of times, even let the water run through without collecting in the tank - no apparent leaks. Any ideas what might cause this water and spot and what else should I try? I should note that there is a 2x4 to the left of the pipe that touches the ceiling and water spot continues there as well, may be I should open up ceiling there as well? Thanks for your help.


texts: What kind of paint and texture is this? And how do you patch this area?


texts:
I have 2 30 amp breakers on a circuit that only has a 30 amp
receptacle for my dryer. Can I tie into this circuit to hard wire a 30 amp 7500 watt garage heater?


texts: Can I use the glass from a gas fireplace insert on wood fireplace?

texts:
Can I use the glass from a gas fireplace insert and convert it into a glass door for a wood burning fireplace?

I visited Europe and observed that they had huge fireplaces with glass screens going up and down to load logs on the fire blew me away. All I see here are ugly metal boxes with tiny doors with tiny glass panels.

Is the glass from gas inserts resistant enough for high temperature from wood fire?


texts: How to route pipes through an already tiled wall?

texts:
I would like to add a heated towel rail to my central heating system. There is a radiator on the other side of the stud wall I'd like to put the towel rail on so would like to feed some piping through the wall then install the towel rail on the other side.
The wall is tiled. Is the easiest option going to be to remove the tiles or is there a clever way to drill a pipe hole in situ.

Thanks


texts: I do not have enough in my pail to finish my project. Can I add another brand of primer to it that I have on hand?


texts: Using left over pergo boards instead of 2x4 to mount a peg board

texts:
I have a set of leftover pergo boards that I want to use as backing for putting up a 8’x4’ peg board. The wall I want to mount them on is concrete.

Would pergo boards arranged as in the pic behind the pegboard hold up the load instead of a set of 2x4s?  I plan to use concrete screws and will ensure that mounting is good.

Is pergo better or worse than 2x4s in taking load?
Appreciate any advice on this
thanks in advance,

Andy


texts:
We have a "Tsong LED Panel":

Model: SRPL60X120-60WH
Type: 4014 - 4000K
Input DC27-42V/1350mA - 60W

With the LED driver:

Model: SR60-01N-042V1350
Input Voltage: 200-240VAC 50/60Hz
Input Current: 380mA Max
Power Factor: Ø 0.9
Output Voltage: 27-42VDC (Max 49VDC)
Output Current: 1350mA
Maximum Output Power: 54 watts

And I also have a HUE compatible LED driver of 12-36V (Constant Voltage).

But I feel that it's incompatible with the panel and driver; as the panel expects Constant Current, I feel it will burn out.

I also believe that a 230VAC wall dimmer will just 'mess up' instead of actually dimming; as the driver is 'constant current' changing the input voltage wouldn't have effect.

Does anyone know how to dim such LED panel, preferably with a HUE compatible dimmer (or 230VAC wall dimmer)?