texts: Can this drain pipe be moved back closer to the exterior wall

texts:
The attached picture might show better, but I want to get as much room as I can and based on the current rough ins, it looks like the pipe comes out at an angle from the wall. Does it make sense to dig up the concrete and make a more vertical path?
I'd like the framing to be more straight.

Here's the proposed layout (the left layout, ignore the other two). Basically I want a stand up shower on the left, toilet in the middle, and sink on the right. The drain going into the ground for the sink is what's throwing me off.

Added a new picture of wider angle.


texts:
Is there a cost effective way of sifting stone in a driveway?

I have a 2,500 sq ft section of parking area next to my driveway.

It is composed of 3 ft of sand covered with about 6 inches of crushed limestone rock.

Over the years the ants, weather, and weeds have caused the stone and sand too turn and mix. I need a method or piece of equipment to sift out the stone and bring it back to the top.

I don't want to simply dump more stone on top because I don't want to raise the overall height.


texts: Heater will not shut off when it reaches desired temperature

texts:
I am just noticing this running the heat. If I set the thermostat to 70 it will run and run and the temperature reads 70 but the unit does not shut off. If I turn it up to 72 and then when it reaches 72 bump the setting down to 70 it will shut off.  It is super cold here for Florida but I don't remember noticing this with the AC on.

I have had my unit serviced in the summer and had the pistons cleaned out and haven't had any issues since.
Thanks
AB


texts: If mold is pushing cracking through paint, does it mean its inside the wall?

texts:
Image is not real but a rough idea of whats happening.  As you can see the paint is cracking because mold is growing behind it and pushing out.  If the mold was coming from the room I imagine it would be on the surface.
Since it is developing as a lump and pushing the paint out does it mean the mold is growing from inside the wall?
Thanks.
I have added an image where the mold was.  Mold was here and pushed/cracked the paint out.  It has now occurred to me the wall seems to have paint, followed by paper(as you can see) and the wall underneath isnt hard- its quite soft and knocky.  The mold has been cleaned off. from the pic are you able to tell if this is just a surface issue?  There is another crack further down but it was making me so sick I couldn't get close enough to take a pic.


texts: Why am I reading non-standard voltages on my house wiring?

texts: I have a quick query regarding household wiring .When I connected the Green wire with red wire , the Fluke multimeter read 177 V ac, green and black wire read 44 V ac . The electric supply that comes in is 220V ac. Can someone please help me understand what does 177 and 44 V ac mean here ?


texts: Can I replace 4" fiberglass batts with thicker ones in my attic?

texts:
We live in an early 1970s ranch style house. Single story. Attic formed by 2x4 trusses on 24 inch centers. The insulation is R13 batt laid on top of the ceiling drywall but this has been removed in some areas such as over the kitchen by a prior owner.

I am planning to replace the batts room by room with R30 or thicker batts. Is there any problem with doing so? The insulation will be higher than the 2 x 4 and there would be a small gap between batts due to the trusses.

Could I also lay additional unfaced batts perpendicular to the batts in the truss bays over the R30 batts? There would be some compression.

I did some searching in the forum and did not see a set of similar questions although What's the best way to insulate an attic with 2x4 joists? is close.

Loose fill would work over the bedroom and kitchen areas, but the living room has a cathedral ceiling so batts would seem to be the best choice there.


texts: I am trying to install an Ecobee 3 thermostat to replace the upstairs one I have now but the 3rd wire isn't connected to anything on either end. I added the basement thermostat just to complete the wiring but I won't be changing that one. Can I connect the 3rd wire to the C terminal on the external transformer (top left)?


texts: I have a big crack in door and I need to fix it, it's about 10cm long and a little deep but not to the point where it's to the other side of door.


texts: How do I source/eliminate the sour, spicey, musty odour in our living room?

texts:
We have a bad smell in our living room that is much worse in the morning when we open the door, presumably because it has been shut in overnight. The smell never seems to travel to the adjacent hall and there are no other adjoining rooms except two bedrooms above (smell free). We have no chimney and it is a 70's house so not hugely old. The room is wall to wall 80/20 wool carpet that we had fitted when we moved in about 9 months ago.

We did not smell this before the carpets but we were busy painting and glossing which are pretty strong odours and the room was well ventilated for this reason. We had the same carpet and underlay put in our bedroom and we have never had a bad smell here. We have only ever had very minor spills in this room that have always been cleaned up immediately. It does not smell like a decaying animal to me, and I have been good at detecting "presents" from previous cats. I cannot detect the exact source or area by sniffing but it doesn't seem to be our furniture.


texts:
Right now the question is how to run power to the pump.

I have an outdoor fountain about 10 to 15 feet away from an outdoor outlet. In between the outlet and the fountain is a brick patio.

The thing is a mosquito breeding ground, so I added some mosquito dunks and want to add a water pump to cycle the water (the fountain has two levels - bottom level sits in the ground).

At first I thought about just plugging an extension cord to the pump, but I'm concerned about exposing the connection to the elements. Some people told me to just wrap the connection to the pump with duct/electrical tape. Not sure about that...

So, how should I get power to the pump without spending money on getting an electrician to run power underground to an outdoor outlet next to the fountain?


texts: Can I plug my new LG-LW2217IVSM A/C nema 6-15P into a 6-20R with a 20A-240V CB?

texts: The user manual says to use a nema 6-15R with a 15A two pole Circuit breaker(240V). But my existing setup is a nema 6-20R with a 20A two pole CB(240V). I realize a 6-15P plug will fit into a 6-20R receptacle but I am worried about over-loading the new A/C. Does anyone know if this new A/C has built in "Overcurrent protection"? Also this A/C is the new "Dual inverter technology". This unit draws 10.5/11.6 amps.I read the NEC article Table 210.21(B)(2) that says the maximum load on a given circuit is 80% of the receptacle rating and circuit rating. The maximum load on a 20A OCPD is 16A. Is this OK to do? I don't want to damage my A/C or house?LG-LW2217IVSM       ]3


texts:
I have some problem with my shower, the control of cold and hot water doesnt work. My guess is that the cartridge of the valve needs to be replaced. The problem is that I dont know the brand for the faucet.

I have the photo attached (the upper handle is the one that controls volume, the lower handle is the one that controls the temperature. ), any suggestion is really appreciated.

Thanks in advance.


texts: 3-way switch to control 2 fans independently

texts:
I have a room where I need 2 ventilation fans.  One will be a regular bathroom fan, the other a much smaller fan powered through a timer in an outlet.  Both will be vented through the same duct to the outside and I don't want them both running at the same time.  Thinking of using a 3-way switch: up to turn on the bathroom fan, down to power an outlet. The outlet will be powered most of the time and only disconnected while the bathroom fan is on.
Not a typical scenario so wondering if there are any problems (code or otherwise) I could run into with that configuration.
Thx


texts: Shouldn't a Kitchen be sealed off from cockroaches? Would a new Kitchen eliminate the problem?

texts:
I have cockroaches problem in Kitchen in my apartment and the only opening to drainage there is obviously the kitchen sink but it doesn't look like they are coming from there (they are found on Kitchen floor).
But shouldn't an apartment be otherwise totally sealed to outside world or water? This is on 2nd floor. So where does these cockroaches lives, probably not in the drainage right in this case right?
The cabinets are fairly old and I suspect there are holes somewhere. I treated the apartment extensively couple of times but problem has not gone away.
So just to understand the problem, say if I redo all my cabinets, pull them off, make sure there are no holes in walls etc and put brand new cabinets, will this likely eliminate the cockroaches?
My theory is that the cockroaches could either live in drainage or outside drainage. I suspect the later is the case in my apartment. Shall such measures potentially eliminate the hidden living spaces in the kitchen?
From my experience at least, I have generally seen cockroaches in older houses perhaps for that reason. Has anyone had cockroaches problem in new constructions?
So could this be a valid motivation to redo the Kitchen as well which is kind of old?


texts: I left a pound of ice to melt in my shower. Two hours later my downstairs neighbor reported a leak from their shower light fixture

texts:
Our 4-unit building has identically laid out apartments with a guest shower.  I was clearing some ice from a broken freezer, and left about a pound or less of ice near the drain of the shower to melt away.

Two hours or so later, our downstairs neighbor reported that there was a very small but 'steady stream' of water coming out of theirlight fixture, which looks exactly like this. Since the incident, their light fixture hasn't functioned.

Could the melting ice water have caused a permanent leak to have developed?  In the past, we have taken very very long showers in this shower with no hint of a leak, but hadn't used this bathroom in a week leading up to this incident.


texts: Should I paint the back side of vertical shiplap cedar siding

texts:
I'm preparing to replace T-111 siding on my unheated detached garage with vertical cedar shiplap siding to match our house.   I'm pretty sure the siding on the house (now 35 years old and showing it) is unpainted on the back, but a contractor who recently replaced some of the siding while replacing windows primed the back side (as well as the front).   Should I do the same on the garage install?

Would the answer be any different for any future siding replaced on the house?


texts: Elegant method of punching a hole through a wall to run cables?

texts: What is a clean method of running cables from one side of a wall to the other side, in a typical residential house? On one side of the wall will be a computer tower, and on the other side will the the user interface devices (monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers, etc). Cables will be rarely added or removed, so it doesn't need to be convenient but must be possible.


texts: How could i remove this hardly accessible nut?

texts:
I want to replace my toilet seat. But i can't really access this nut with any wrench. You can see that there's no way to get to it sideways, so my only thought was to go directly from the bottom using combination pliers. But this long screw makes it impossible to twist the nut more than 1/8th of a turn.
Could you give me some advice on this?


texts:
I am replacing a tiny 6 circuit subpabel in my detached garage with a larger panel and have been trying to find some info on this but haven't been able to locate anything in NEC or other threads. My plan is to add some thick furring strips (2x4 on edge) or scab some 2x8s to the current 2x4 framing, mount the panel "flush" and then drywall around the new 2x8 "pop out" for the box, kind of getting the best of flush and surface mount.
Is this code compliant?
This would solve a few issues for me:

the weird 12" stud spacing there so most modern panels don't fit,
provide around 7" of "stud" to give more room to run the feeders, which were brought in via a 2" pvc pipe by the original installer/electrician since I am having trouble finding anything to reduce that down to a managable size within a 2x4 wall
allow me to keep several existing NM circuits that are behind the drywall andrun those through the top of the box behind the drywall
*Finally, I could use EMT straight out the side of the box for new outlets ran with THHN.

Any references to NEC you guys know of that allow/prohibit anything about this or something obvious I am overlooking with this idea? I am good on the building code and framing part, just can't find anything in NEC to make me think it's either permitted or allowed.


texts: How can I reattach a ceramic towel bar end bracket to a ceramic tile wall?

texts:
the hanging frame on the wall of bath room was broken. If I want to fix myself, what are the tools/materials I should buy and what are the procedures?

As shown in the first figure, looks I need to use some materials that can attach the support to the wall. As shown in the second figure, the support on the left was good while the right one was broken, which need to be fixed. Any suggestions are highly appreciated.


texts:
A heatpump is used to cool a home in Florida.  A relative noticed that the temperature was 90 degrees and that the evaporator (see photo) was sweating.  She thinks she heard a piece of ice fall break off inside the evaporator.  The unit was installed in 2016.

What causes a heatpump to freeze when used in cooling mode?

Poor airflow from a dirty airfilter?
Low freon pressure?

The power to the heatpump has been disconnected to ensure that any ice melts.

Is the most likely culprit the AC filter?  Any diagnostic instructions are  appreciated.


texts: What is this, and I can pump my dehumidifier water into it?

texts:
We got a dehumidifier with a water pump recently and I'm just now looking for a place to drain the water.  What about using this p trap in the middle of this pic:

I believe that brown rubber hose is an overflow pump from another appliance (I'm forgetting what, off hand).  Is there any reason I wouldn't want to set up a dehumidifier to pump about 2 gallons of water a day into that pipe?


texts: How can I tell if soda blasting was really done?

texts:
We're restoring a fire-damaged house and hired a subcontractor to do smoke remediation, after we'd stripped the house down to the studs.

The contractor was supposed to soda-blast all surfaces, clean, and then apply smoke seal.

The contractor claims to have finished the job, but the smoke seal has been applied right over: cobwebs, bits of stray insulation, loose dirt, and even wasps' nests!

This suggests that the blasting was not done but, of course, the contractor swears that it was.

Is there any way to tell for sure? (Maybe they just missed a few -- okay a lot of spots.)

Typical problems with the smoke seal (click on images for a larger view):


texts:
I want to add a USB socket to the bathroom but when I was checking it said that I could only add a shaver-supply unit.
Since I was adding these to use with my shavers/toothbrush and they are low voltage sockets, I was wondering if it counted or is it that the standards have not caught up to what we have out there yet?


texts: as you can see there’s a weird crack on the outer wall and I don’t know how this happened the crack is also on the other side of the inner wall any thoughts what’s causing this (https://i.stack.imgur.com/FWlfU.png)


texts: Reusing Old Gold Course Screws on a New Project

texts:
Learning from guys who had no power tools but were craftsman in the day my
learning experience was not to re use nails or screws for many reasons.

Got into a huge argument with a College Grad who says,
that because technology has gotten so much better screws and nails
today will last much longer than the old.

Over the years have seen heads snapping off new screws
the build up heat and deformation of both nails and screws.
Plus it also depends on the material being used.

Is there an article or code anywhere where I might settle this once and for all.


texts:
Hoping someone can help...

I recently had some plaster work done throughout my house. Skimming on the walls and new board on the ceiling.

Annoyingly, the chap has plastered around the light fittings to the point where they won't come undone. They are officially now part of my ceiling!

Any ideas of how I can fix this without destroying the ceiling?

Cheers


texts: Can I branch a 20A heating circuit to add a new outlet?

texts: I need a 20 amp outlet in a 2nd storey room.  I currently have 20 amp wire up there to a thermostat (for in ceiling thermal heat).  Can I run a wire from the thermostat to my new outlet?


texts: How do I cleanly install speaker wire in a mobile home?

texts:
I have a decent amount of experience with all sorts of wiring in houses and offices. However all of my experience relates to buildings which have attics or dropped ceilings.

I now am installing speakers on the deck of a double wide mobile home. I want to conceal the speaker wire the best I can. In a typical house I would run the wire to the attic and drop it though the soffit right at the speaker. However, with no attic in the mobile home I am not confident on the best approach. Is it possible to run the speaker wire through the exterior wall from under the house to the top part of the wall where the speaker will be hung? Are there any other approaches I should consider?


texts: WE have frost forming on the underside of the roof decking and on the nails there seems to have adequate insulation R-30 proper vents and ridge vent


texts: Downstairs exhaust fan venting into upstairs?

texts: I recently purchased a bi-level home with two full baths. The inspection didn't include ductwork, but it seems to me that the downstairs bathroom is somehow venting into the rest of the house. There is a very large vent in our upstairs hallway, and when someone is going #2 downstairs, the smell upstairs becomes pretty strong as long as the exhaust fan is left on. It seems to be coming directly from the hallway vent. It's very unpleasant and definitely something we want to fix. The exhaust fan downstairs is very old and very noisy -- is it possible that simply replacing the fan might solve this problem?


texts: How do I build a basement that does not leak when I have a high water level?

texts: How do I insure a basement will not leak when the site has a high water level?


texts:
Where does my primary stack vent go? Does it have to be at the end of the run? I have a pretty simple plumbing system. From the highest point to where the drain enters the house (lowest) I have

Tub, then bathroom sink, toilet, kitchen sink, laundry, exit to sewer.

I'd like to put my main stack as the vent on the bathroom sink. Is that ok even though tub is higher up on the run?

My code says:

  Vent connection at base. Every vent stack shall connect to the base of the drainage stack. The vent stack shall connect at or below the lowest horizontal branch. Where the vent stack connects to the building drain, the connection shall be located downstream of the drainage stack and within a distance of 10 times the diameter of the drainage stack.


texts: How to remove metal pipe stuck in ground that is filled with concrete at bottom

texts: I have a metal pipe sticking out the ground that an old tv antenna was attached to many years ago. How should I go about cutting it off where it doesn't show show up above ground? Pipe is around 4 inches wide, maybe 1/4-1/2 inch thick and filled with concrete up above being level with ground.


texts: Why does my Thermo Pride oil furnace need constant restarts?

texts:
We have a Thermo Pride oil furnace that requires frequent restarts to run. We just purchased the house and had the annual service/safety check completed as it was neglected for several years. When the issue started two weeks ago it would run several days after being reset but today it will only run for about 5 minutes.

Any idea why the need for the constant re-starts/resets?


texts: what failure can cause a new fridge *fan* to run all the time?

texts:
We recently bought a "beverage center fridge": http://imgur.com/a/rI8Gt

It is brand new. It has been running for a week. It is nice and cold and the condensor seems to be operating as normal: on and off (it is not constantly on). However, the fans under the unit that blow across the condensor never shut off and they are loud. My kitchen sounds like a wind tunnel. My understanding is that these fans should only be on when the condensor turns on.

So my question is, what can cause this failure? This is brand new (no dust or dirtiness), and the condensor is operating on/off as normal, so I didn't think it was the thermostat. So what part can be broken that triggers these fans to be on all the time?

I could live with the noise of these fans if they were on a small portion of the time when the condensor is on, however I'm returning it if this is "by design".

EDIT: model: https://www.wayfair.com/Maxx-Ice-3-Cu.-Ft.-Indoor-Refrigerator-MAXX1010.html

Manual: https://www.dropbox.com/s/ps7on4qvs1dnz1u/73491f5e-38d0-4412-9a89-32b7ad05d5d1.pdf?dl=0

The manual has a wiring diagram but I'm not an electrician and don't know what to make of it. Here's a pic of that diagram: http://imgur.com/a/V9yTE


texts: Why is my washing machine making this insanely loud noise during spin?

texts:
So the machine works fine and even spins fine too until the last bit of the spin cycle when it gets crazy loud (seriously - it's like a jackhammer)!

I uploaded a video - https://youtu.be/IsumwnjEqO8 (starts at second 25) - hoping someone can give me some ideas.

FWIW I did a little research and someone mentioned the counterweight - I don't see any damage to the counterweight and it seems to be attached quite tight too.


texts: How do I insulate exterior basement wall?

texts: Working from scratch with a bare wall. What do I do? 3 hardware stores have told me 3 different things. We have very cold winters here. Looking for cheapest and highest R value. contractor next door says 2 layers ridged R5, overlapping and taped...2x4s...then gypsum board. He says I don't need a vapor barrier.


texts: How can I remove brush marks from a wall painted with metallic paint?

texts: I recently painted my kitchen wall with a metallic paint. I love the paint and the look it gives my wall, except I have brush marks in it. This wall was a new sheet rocked wall that was mudded and sanded. I made sure the wall was smooth before I painted. It suggested that I used a roller with a nap for smooth surface and I did, but I had to use a paint brush on the top of the wall by the trim. When it dried I seen bad brush marks, so I let it dry for 2 days and then sanded it lightly and it seemed as if it was all smooth again. I painted it again but this time I used a small roller after the first coat I still seen brush marks, so I waited a few days and painted it again. It has been 2 weeks and I still have brush marks. I was looking online for a way to fix this, and I found a site that said I should sand it lightly with 120 paper and then prime the wall before I paint it.


texts: Was it correct to connect all the ground wires for my new outlets?

texts:
I have a new home built this year. Made a workbench in the basement. There are no outlets in this half of the basement.
I mounted a metal outlet bar on the front of the bench, wired house wire (3 wire) to bar black to black, white to white and ground to ground. Ran wire to ceiling light which was a plastic box and plastic light bulb fixture. when I took apart the black was to black, white was to white, 3 wires each my wire the house wire and the light fixture wire.
Here's the part I'm confused on. The ground from the house was capped off and not connected. I connected the ground from my wiring from the plug bar to that ground and all worked fine but as an amateur I wasn't sure it was correct and safe so I took it apart. Was this correct?


texts: How many CAT6 cables can fit in 3/4 conduit?

texts:
I was planning to get 3/4" conduit (Carlon ENT/Smurftube) to run network cables through the house.

Just how many CAT6 cables can safely fit into 3/4" conduit?


texts: How do I find out what is under this ceiling cover for hanging a Charleston/Joshua Swing?

texts:
First time poster here,

I'm the second homeowner, the original homeowner has reported this is an addition, that they only had a deck. The company that built it is no longer in business. The County Inspectors office doesn't have record of anything older than 6 years they say. I have no blue prints of the home, or this addition. Any suggestions on what I should look into next?

My goal is to hang a Charleston/Joshua Swing that is ultimately a twin bed swing. My husband brought up a good point about if the structure can handle the weight of a cedar swing + 2 adults + 2 dogs (we are unsure of the swing weight, as I haven't purchased yet because I can't just return this thing, so we are estimating 1000lbs total as a safe bet, hung from 4 points).

We have looked at having a structural engineer come out and look at this, but they've said we are looking at $450 minimum, PLUS, them talking down the bead board, causing who knows how much damage or cost to repair.

Summary of questions:

Where else could I look for information on what is hiding behind this bead board?
What dimension boards are most often used to construct the support of screened porches like this?
How can I find out what this structure can handle without having to go through the structural engineer/deconstruction process?
If I assume it's simply 2x4s under there, how do I calculate what I can get away with hanging from that?

Any additional suggestions/ideas are gladly welcomed! Thanks


texts: How many staples to fasten 6/3 cable to studs?

texts:
I installed a 14-50 outlet in my garage with NM-B 6/3 cable and now I'm ready to patch up the holes in the drywall and I was wondering if I should fasten the cable to the studs. I looked at NEC 300.19 and table 300.19(A). The cable goes from the breaker panel (2nd story) to the garage (1st floor) like this: 6 ft from the breaker panel to the floor, 1 foot between the floor joist to the top plate garage wall, then 8 ft (thru a fire block) to the outlet below. If I read the NEC right, I only need one staple below the top plate and another between the breaker panel and the floor. Am'I right?

Thanks


texts:
We have a second home that we use approximately 1 week/month year-round, and more in the summer.   When we purchased the home in 2019, it was tested at 9pCi/L, and a remediation system was installed before closing, with subsequent testing at 1.4pCi/L.
I'm wondering if there's a point to running the system full-time, when we are only there part time (and especially now when our normal schedule isn't likely to happen for an extra month or two).  When we are not there, this system is the major energy consumer in the house, at approximately 2.5-3 kWh/day.   I have the ability to programmatically turn the system off and on, and I'm thinking I could either run it part-time (say 6h/day) or not at all, turning it on full-time several days or even a week before our anticipated arrival.   Given that the un-remediated readings were modest, it seems the risk doing this should be low.

Will having the system on, then off possibly create higher levels than previously existed (for example, because the continuous suction
has created new pathways for it)?
Would running the system on a daily cycle be more effective by sweeping whatever is seeping out of the group up more regularly?


texts: Half my house losing power, HVAC the key factor

texts:
For the past couple of weeks I have been losing power occasionally to half my house. My central AC goes out, half my kitchen, living room and my kids' rooms. There are no tripped breakers though.

I have noticed that when the AC finally turns back on, so does everything else. It will be that for a while, then all of a sudden everything goes off again. Once I get the air conditioning running, everything powers up again. My house is only 13 years old and have never had this problem.

What is the likely cause of the issue, and what can I do to fix it?


texts:
I currently have a basic GEWISS GW20560 switch connected to my blinds. I'd like to replace it with an automatic timer. My issue is I can't find the electrical diagram for the switch, to work out the mapping of wires.
Currently the wires are:

The timer wires are:

What is the mapping from GEWISS wires to timer wires?
Thanks!


texts: I'm trying to get more amperage to my pool panel outside to install a heat pump. I have the right breaker to install and the 6 gauge wire to pull through. My question is do I just have to do the hot wires (red and black) or do I also have to pull a new  6 gauge neutral and ground wire? (white and green)Currently everything is 10 gauge wire.


texts: Proper way to repair old plasterboard walls?

texts:
my basic question is: what is the proper material and method for repairing defects on the walls in my old house?  To give context, I am in Virginia, United States and the house is a concrete block construction Cape Cod style built in 1946, and I believe the walls in question are all original.
My first issue is identification - I'm not even sure "plasterboard" is the correct terminology for what these walls are made of.  They are definitely not modern drywall / gypsum board, they are more dense. I don't suspect they are lathe and plaster, but instead some kind of sheet material that seems close to "cement board", with a plaster coat on it. The best clue I have is where there are penetrations through the walls, at outlets and light switches:

So what is this really called?  I would be willing to drill some exploratory holes (perhaps in a closet) if that helps identify, but currently there are no larger openings or exposed areas. I feel like proper identification will help me track down better resources on this, but for the moment I'm a little lost on what it actually is.
The second and ultimate question is what's the proper material and method for surface repairs on this type of wall?  I have built and repaired plenty of drywall before, but am not sure what's appropriate for this type of wall.  Is it a problem to use drywall joint compound?  That would be the first obvious choice, but I'm wondering if that's detrimental for some reason, like over the long haul it will not adhere properly.  Or should I be using some kind of plaster mix?
The types of defects I want to fix are places with some cracking, previous screw/nail holes (from hanging things, some of which were obviously patched with drywall compound by someone previously with little care for detail), and a couple spots where the surface layer is broken off:


texts: Can one of the (two or more) required 20A circuits for kitchen receptacles also serve a Dishwasher? (California Code)

texts:
Does the California Electrical Code allow one of the two required 20A circuits powering the wall / floor receptacles to also power a dishwasher?
Bonus question: If not, and the dishwasher requires its own circuit, may that circuit also power the gargabe disposal?
Please cite code sections if you can.  My hunch is that the answer is 'no', based on this:

210.52 B.1
In the kitchen, pantry, breakfast room, dining room, or similar area of a dwelling unit,
the two or more 20-ampere small-appliance branch circuits
required by 210.11(C)(1) shall serve all wall and floor receptacle outlets covered by 210.52(A), all countertop outlets
covered by 210.52(C), and receptacle outlets for refrigeration equipment.

and

210.52 B.2
No Other Outlets. The two or more small-appliance branch
circuits specified in 210.52(B)(1) shall have no other outlets.
Exception No. 1: A receptacle installed solely for the electrical supply to and support of an electrical clock in any of
the rooms specified in 210.52(B)(1).
Exception No. 2: Receptacles installed to provide power for
supplemental equipment and lighting on gas-fired ranges,
ovens, or counter-mounted cooking units.

thanks
tom


texts: Does the rubber washer on an outdoor conduit whip go inside the box or outside?

texts:
I'm replacing the power whip to a well pump. It's unclear which side the rubber washer goes on to create a water tight seal with the disconnect box.

Is it:

Whip -> Washer -> Hole in Box -> Nut (rubber washer outside box)

Or:

Whip -> Hole in Box -> Washer -> Nut (rubber washer inside box)


texts: Running electric cable on top of foundation wall

texts:
I have a house built around 1960 (USA, midwest) where several of the electric cables from the breaker box are laying on the top of almost the entire length of one side of the foundation wall, held in place to the sole plate by the occasional staple or bracket. Can I do that, too?

Right now there are two or three 14/2 cables laying up there but room for one more.


texts: Shocked while main panel breaker was off

texts:
Yesterday I pulled a new wire to an existing breaker in our electric panel. Obvious first step was to turn off the main breaker, which I verified with a non-contact voltage tester (confirmed working before turning off the main breaker, and again after turning the power back on).

While trying to remove the old earth wire from the main panel, my elbow touched a wall and I got shocked.

How is this possible? House was built in 1991, and the main panel is a Nova Line built by Westinghouse. Main breaker is shielded off in its own part, no live wires exposed.


texts: How easy is it to fit a garage door opener?

texts:
My wife is desperate to have a garage door opener, and she's found this kit at B&Q. Can anyone advise on how easy/straightforward these things are to install? It'll be me (and most likely my Dad) installing it, and I think between us we're reasonably capable, but I haven't done anything of this kind of scale before, and I imagine if it comes down and whacks my wife's new car it'll be my fault...

Also, regarding the electrics is it something I need an electrician to come and wire up for me? I have two fluorescent tubes in the garage ceiling, but I'm guessing if I run a spur from them down to the GDO, we'll need to leave the lights on all the time? (I'm in the UK if that makes a difference)


texts: Tamped Gravel on fence posts and Frost Line?

texts:
I am looking to install a fence as a DIY project. I live in the midwest where the frost line is recorded at 40 inches. I was going to dig my fence post holes 42 inches, and back-fill with tamped crush rock. I am using dog eared picketing and was going to stick it together. So I figured 4x4x8 ft posts should be suitable putting 1/3 of it in the ground sitting on tamped rock the rest of the way down. It got me thinking though, if water can get in and seep through the crush rock, will I have to worry about frost raising the post? Or is it only in the soil where heaving is a problem. Otherwise I will opt for the 10ft posts but was planning on 8ft ones to save a little money.

Thanks!

BTW, what type of rock is normally used for fence posts? All I read is to use crushed angular rock.. Is this the same as crushed limestone?


texts: Repairing a notched rafter in a truss roof

texts:
I had a guy install a whirlybird-type vent in my roof.. those non-powered turbine types.  Upon cutting the hole to install the vent, he accidentally cut a notch in the rafter:

).

There are two notches in the rafter (one on each side of the circle he cut, 15 inches apart).  I'm looking for advice on how to reinforce it.  I'm thinking of putting a nail plate like this, spanning each notch:

)

Should I put nail plates on both sides of the 2x4 (sandwich the 2x4 between two nail plates.. meaning 4 nail plates in total.. two for each notch)?  Or would you recommend a different approach entirely?

Edit:

If you're interested in more detail. The 2x4 is the er.. 'top chord' as defined in the attached pic.  I've circled the region that was notched.  It doesn't support anything other than the roof.. single story house.. about 32 foot span (i.e., the 'clear span' in the pic is 32 foot).  Sounds like a nail plate is a dumb idea, I'll scrap it.  I'll either sister a board to it or just leave it alone.  If the added detail changes anyone's thinking on either of those tacts, please let me know.

.


texts:
I have a 1950s house that has narrow wall boxes, they are about 1-7/8" wide inside, not 2". The boxes are metal, with a metal conduit, in this case there's no ground wire but the conduit is grounded (some others have ground wires).
I'd like to replace some outlets with USB power outlets (Leviton T5632), but they're wider than a regular outlet, about 46 mm or 1-13/16"

The USB outlet fits but scrapes on both sides of the wall box when it's pushed in, which makes me wonder about clearance to the screws.
The screws are recessed and there are plastic shoulders that prevent them getting too close to the walls of the box. When they're tight there' 1/8" clearance.

This isn't so much about inventing some protection that would appear to do the job - plastic sheets with the correct dielectric strength and creepage distance, etc. That might work but could also go wrong later.
My question is whether it's normal or allowed by code that the plastic stand-offs rest against the metal wall of the box? Are they designed for that, and safe when doing that?


texts:
How to run cables in drywall?
It is unlike a masonry wall with built-in conduits, isn't?
How is it done?
Thanks in advanced.


texts:
I currently have a 3-way switch setup which is made up of two 3-way switches to control a hallway light. Due to oversight, an additional (4-way) light switch is much desired in the middle of the hallway.

The cost of opening up the wall and rewiring the 3-way circuit to accommodate a new 4-way switch is prohibitive.

The wiring is new and all the switches have neutral. I am wondering if there exists a wireless switch (looks like a wall switch but without wires behind) that can be used to toggle another 3-way switch over wireless such that I can have a 4-way setup.

I have looked at several products. Many of the so called "wireless 3-way switch set" is really a wireless controlled single pole switch that turns existing single switch into 3-way.

Here is an example of such "fake" 3-way:
https://www.amazon.com/SK-8-Wireless-Anywhere-Lighting-Control/dp/B0052ROEB2

Does it exists a set similar to above but replaces a 3-way switch?


texts: What is the "application tape" mentioned in the EasyHeat installation instructions?

texts: The instructions that came with my "EasyHeat" water pipe freeze tape say to install it with "application tape" or good quality electrical tape.  I have electrical tape, so plan to use that, but have never heard of "application tape".  What is it, and what is it used for (other than installing freeze tape, that is)?


texts:
We have owned the house for 5 years and not had any water pressure issues.

The pressure gauge on the pipe to the pressure tank has been rusted since we bought the house. The pressure tank is blue and roughly 4 ft tall.
The pressure gauge reads 24 psi. The label on the pressure tank states that it has been pre-charged for 30 psi.
The pressure gauge reading does not change at all when we turn on faucets, flush toilets or run the washing machine.
Am I correct in guessing that the pressure gauge is stuck or broken and needs to be replaced?

What should a typical pressure gauge reading be? And how much should it go up and down upon water usage. What factors affect pressure gauge reading?
The pump goes on and off as expected when faucets are turned on and off.

The water pressure is pretty good except when we flush 2 toilets at the same time and turn on a faucet when the toilet reservoirs are refilling, the faucet pressure is very low. This drop in water pressure has just recently presented itself.
How do I determine how much water draw is supported by the well & pump?

I don't seem to have any documentation on the well & pump. Is this something that is filed with the town? Where could I get a record of this?

Thanks, V.


texts:
I installed a new fan. Since I will be controlling the fan and light from the unit itself, I changed the existing fan controller on the wall to a 15/20 amp on/off switch.
Going to the wall controller from the house were two black wires and I put those on the two gold connections of the on/off switch.
The fan is wired:
1 black from house, 1 bl. Fr.fan, 1 bl.fr. light and 1 bluefr. fan.
1 White from House, 1 We. Fr.fan, 1 wh. Fr. Light.
1 green from mounting bracket, 1 Gr. Fr. Fan, 1 copper fr. house
What did I wire wrong? This is how the instructions said to do it.

To clarify...3 black and 1 blue together, 3 white together and 2 green and 1 copper together.


texts: Is It Okay to Put Dryer Vent Behind Drywall When Finishing Basement

texts:
I am planning out a major basement finishing project and would like to seek some guidance on a dryer vent question. I plan on having my dryer vent behind my framed drywall, allowing for 6" of space for the vent between the concrete wall and the framed wall. The vent is five inches. Would this be okay to do?

Thanks!


texts: 200 amp panel with 3 wire service connected to outside disconnect

texts: If the main panel is fed with a 3 wire service and a generator transfer switch with a service disconnect was added - would it be considered a sub panel?


texts:
I am planning to lay a blue stone tiled terrace at the back of my house that needs to run in a slope away from 2 joining walls.  The diagram might explain this better.

How can I mark out this sloping gradient so they terrace slopes away from both walls. Also what is a recommended gradient for such a terrace to ensure rain runs off?


texts: What size timber beams do we need to span our ceiling/floor system?

texts: We are building a hand hewn old oak log home (yes pioneer style not kit log).  We want exposed solid timber beams in the ceiling of the main floor.  We are having oak sawn into 2x6 tongue & groove ceiling/floor for on top of these beams.  Our roof load will not rest on this floor system, its weight will be on the log walls. There will be bedrooms above so weight load will just be living space. One room will have a 16ft open span, one 12 ft, the kicker will be the 20x20 open living room.  We were thinking these beams would need to be on 30inch centers.  Our question is what species of wood and what size beams?  We can saw our own pine, oak, poplar.


texts: Can I use composite wood to make ground-contact retaining stairs?

texts:
Hills get cut using the following procedure:

When earth is cut deeply enough, stairs get formed.These stairs, which have front walls and back walls, need to be braced. The obvious choice for a brace is pressure treated wood with rebar running through it and into the earth.

Can composite wood, the wood used for decking, also be used for a brace?


texts: What could cause a heat pumps line sets to be the same temperature when running?

texts:
The symptom I'm dealing with is that the heat pump system isn't cooling as much as it should.  Tested it today, was about 79°F inside and outside; system was blowing air at about 73°F.

Outdoor unit seems to start up and run fine.  Air handler is pulling air pretty good.  The line sets were about the same temperature when the system was running.  Weird thing (I think) is that the liquid line seem to cool for a little bit when the system started up and again after I turned it off.  But when it was running for a while, the line sets were about the same temperature.

The compressor doesn't sound the greatest when it starts up and shuts down, but that could be my imagination.  The diagnostic LEDs on the outdoor unit indicated the system was running normally.

Any ideas?


texts: How do I seal seams between bricks on a patio without using sand?

texts:
I have a patio that's made of bricks with fine sand filling the gaps. This is turning out to be a maintenance hassle. Every time the kid or dog gets mud or crud on the patio I hose it off and manage to blow more and more sand out of the cracks.

Is there a way to seal the seams between the bricks or use something more sticky than sand... like a fine grout? I like the look just fine, but it appears that I'm going to be spending a lot more time than I desire on maintenance of my patio.


texts:
The phone box is located inside my house. It had listed on it there were 3 phone lines in the box .

Since I moved in never had a home phone . Just went to get Internet service needing a phone line . Checked out my phone jacks in the house there is no dial tone . I looked inside the box . There are 6 jacks inside the box . Wires on several of them . Line 1 has several  RED and Green wires on the terminal . Others have BLACK and Yellow.

I will attach pictures of the mess in the box .

Shouldn't I have dial tone on one of those lines. If I only have a single line how do I rewire the box .


texts: Where should smoke detectors be located?

texts: In the past, you might have a smoke detector on every floor outside of a bedroom. Now you see a separate smoke detector in each bedroom. Should there also be a detector outside of the bedrooms? What about in or near the kitchen, garage, and utility rooms? How close should the smoke detector be placed to adjacent walls?


texts:
I recently purchased a house that failed inspection because of some oversized breakers. Of course, I had the seller get the circuit breaker fixed before finalizing the purchase, but I feel it is important for me to understand some basics around my circuit breaker. Mostly around 15 amp and 20 amp breakers and their correct cabling requirements. And also double pole vs tandem single pole vs "normal/regular" single pole.

So far this is what I've gathered from all the reading I've done:

A 20 amp circuit requires 12 gauge cabling, and can support a 20 amp outlet or 15 amp outlet (as long as there is more than one outlet)
A 15 amp circuit can use 14 or 12 gauge cabling, and can only support a 15 amp outlet
A double pole circuit takes up 2 spots on the circuit breaker for a total of 240v. Amperage may vary depending on the specific circuit you put in and the required cable gauge will be affected as well
A single pole tandem circuit can go into a circuit breaker only where the circuit breaker designates spots for it.
A single pole (normal/regular) circuit can go in spots designated for them

Questions

Can a single pole (normal/regular) circuit breaker be used in spots designated for tandem? Almost like backward compatible; the circuit breaker can accept normal/regular or tandem. You typically use normal/regular until you need to upgrade to tandem?
What does it mean that the circuit breaker was oversized?
I probably frustrated you calling it a normal/regular circuit, what is it actually called?
Are there are other general rules I should know?

Please correct me on anything that I think I am correct on, but actually was not correct. Also, I know one of my circuits at the bottom are flipped, I will be looking into that soon.


texts:
I have to replace the main beam in a deck at my house. The deck is 10 x 23 and the beam is 6 feet from the wall with the other side of the deck supported from the wall. The deck joists are sistered to the floor joists with lag bolts (about 3 feet of sistered joist section). As per the above there is 4 feet of cantilevered joist going past the beam and 5 feet of cantilevered beam that connects to another beam.

The beam span is 18' and the original beam is a 13.5 x 6.75 glulam. It failed due to dry-wood termites and water causing the laminated sections to separate right over the column connector. I think that a previous owner may have had a plant right over the beam where it joins the column and when watered steady stream of water ended up on the corner of the beam. It never sagged in the center. The deck is ~35 years old and was built with the house. For good measure I am also replacing the posts, joists (many are pretty rotten) and deck boards (which where still there after 35 years so very rotten).

Anyways this size (13.5 x 6.75) while available and not terribly expensive (~$400) would be very hard to get into position to lift into place (lifting wouldn't be that hard). The issue is that the back of the house is situated over a very steep hill (practically a cliff) and not accessible by heavy equipment.

A few alternatives I am considering.

Making a built up beam using 3 2x14's and a 3x14 (13.25 x 7) how would I calculate if this is equivalent to the 13.5 x 6.75.
Adding an extra post (the soil is very hard but I could hit bedrock or a huge boulder within 24" or so).

I am mainly am looking for input on number 1 above.


texts: Removing silicone caulk from wall for painting?

texts:
I made a big mistake.

Before painting my sun room, I wanted to prep the walls and surfaces for paint (the sun room is three walls made up of cement blocks and windows, and the fourth wall is the old house exterior). So I cleaned them and all that, and the last thing I did was fill in the gaps between the cement blocks and the windows and the siding and window door frame and all that .. with some caulk. So I grabbed a tube of silicone caulk laying around. Didn't think much about it..

It wasn't until AFTER squeezing out and spreading an entire tube of silicone caulk onto the surfaces that about I was about to paint, that I thought to look at the instructions and make sure it's paintable.

Not paintable! Big mistake!

I quickly grabbed a roll of paper towels and tried to wipe it away. I was able to wipe much of it away, but not all of course. I went to the store and bought some paintable caulk and a nylon brush drill-attachment. I first used the drill attachment, together with a painter's 5-in-1 tool, to attack and left-over silicon caulk. It worked pretty well! But it didn't get all of it of course.

Then I used the new tube of paintable caulk (acrylic latex iirc) and applied it everywhere the silicone caulk was. This should do the trick, I thought..

So I began painting. I'm using a latex paint from Shermwin-Williams, very expensive. (A bright, bold yellow called Cheerful Yellow, if you must know. The old paint color was a drab pink, so very different).

Wherever I tried to wipe away the latex caulk, it left a residue on the old painted surface that the new paint will not adhere to! It just slides right off, it's very bizarre.

So, how can I remove the silicone caulk residue? Mind you that the walls now have one coat of expensive paint on them so I would not like to splash paint thinner all over the walls if possible.

Use the nylon brush drill attachment some more? This seemed to work pretty well, maybe I just try it some more and this time it will be very obvious where the spots are that I missed
wipe with alcohol?
steel wool?
caulk remover chemicals?
a combination of these things?

THANKS!

TL/DR: How do I remove silicone caulk residue on the surface that I need to paint?


texts:
We viewed a home that had steel I Beams. 2 of them were end to end over a support beam but were not spliced, they were only attached to the top of the pillar via 2 bolts per beam.
Very similar to this but steel rather than wood: https://www.familyhandyman.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/FH17ONO_582_20_001.jpg?resize=768,768
There was one odd thing I noticed in which it appeared that the beams were coming apart a forming some what of a V gap directly over the support beam.
Is this cause for concern? It seems like the beams could've been "spliced" together to keep them horizontally aligned.
I only raise this issue because the floor directly above was bowing in this exact spot directly over the support beam on the 1st floor, as was the 2nd story. The 2nd story also had a door which did not close straight in the frame because of the bowing of the floor.
Worried that maybe the V shape is expanding and soon the far ends of both beams may be sinking.


texts: Needle valve connection to plastic tubing

texts:
I tried to connect the needle valve to plastic tubing, but the tube slides out if I pull on it. More over the metal no longer fits over the tube because it has already been tightened.

Since one side no longer fits I tightened the other side to stop the water for now but for sure this will not hold. What is the right way to go about this?


texts:
I’m trying to remove this old tub faucet. There is what looks to be a set screw, but it’s either been stripped or is super corroded. What are my options here? I can’t seem to fit an Allen key down there.
Picture attached.


texts: I have this window at home. I feel unsafe as I do not know the latch mechanism. Can someone explain how to shut this window?


texts: Diagonal brace left in the basement by builder. Can I remove it? Replace it?

texts:
I have a diagonal brace running across an interior wall in the basement, and it even goes partially into the floor concrete. Is this meant to be permanent, or was it supposed to be removed during construction?

I want to finish the basement and put drywall there, but this obviously gets in the way. What are my options for dealing with it?

(Click images for larger views.)

Nail locations. 3 nails into the beam at the top, 2 elsewhere:


texts: How do I safely paint the walls and ceiling in this high ceiling staircase?

texts:
I need to paint the walls and ceiling in this staircase. The ceiling is flat, and does not slope down with the stairs. That means that the ceiling at the bottom of the stairs is very high.

The walls and ceiling will be a different colour, so I need to be able to use a paintbrush to "cut in" under the coving.

How do I safely paint this?

I am in the UK (in case anyone wants to recommend a tool hire company).

P.S. The test colours on the wall are not the colours I'm using.


texts: How should I connect a three-wire transformer in a panel with no neutral bus?

texts:
I am installing a three wire 16v transformer. My 1960 20 circuit breaker box has only two connections, hot & ground.

What to do with white neutral wire?


texts: Inside the garage the ceiling sheetrock appears fine no sagging but in the attic, on one of the pieces the sheetrock has dropped for the joist and exposed 2/3's of about 6 nails.  There is no popped nail heads on the sheetrock inside the garage.  Can I just brace the sheetrock and screw the sheetrock to the joist?  Do I need to remove the sheetrock section and attach a new sheet?


texts: Is it ok to boost finished attic kneewall insulation with rigid foam board over the batts?

texts:
Have a finished attic with fiberglass batts (poorly) installed between the kneewall studs--the batts are faced and the facing is on the inside. I want to put an airtight, taped layer of rigid foamboard over the walls. Probably R-10.
Will this create problems with regards to vapor or condensation? I am concerned that since there is facing on the inside, adding the foam would create a second moisture barrier on the outside, thus trapping the moisture.
It would be fairly easy for me to flip all of the batts around so that the facing is on the outside. Should I flip them, or will that just create another, smaller, space for moisture to be trapped?


texts: I am trying to find a good match for some 1930 bricks (North West England).  Any ideals on makes and model of bricks that will match well.


texts: How to make Ariston Hotpoint FMG 863 SK washing machine to use more water

texts:
Due to EU and US regulations, latest models of washing machines are really eco-friendly and use much less water thant their previous models. The problem is, this has to be countered by increasing the time to run the programs in order to keep the washing results good. Regular 60 C degree cotton program can take anything from three hours up to four. Often these models have also 1 hour fast wash, but the results are far from good if your clothes are even slightly more dirtier than your regular one day worn shirt. Some times it would just be really convinient to load the machine half full of water, run the fast program and still get good washing results.

There is a video on YouTube on how to hack Samsung Front Loader to use more water: https://youtu.be/2gYXdfg9TFg

Can I apply this information to hack my Ariston Hotpoint or are there any general tips some one can provide to make latest models of washing mascines to use more water?


texts: What is the cause for new swamp cooler's fan stopping after 15 seconds

texts:
I had a brand new Breezair LXH 170 installed last week.  Four days later, it is failing.  The fan starts, then about 15 seconds in, it stops.  While I await service, does anyone have insight into what might cause such behavior?

I can't now find it but I thought I previously read something about variable speed electric motors having something like a start mode and a run mode and that sometimes an issue arises where once it attempts to switch to normal running, it fails.  Did I imagine that?


texts: What are the downsides of using plasterboard for a (short) HVAC duct?

texts: I need to run a 2 foot extension from a metal HVAC duct. The extension will go through a wall.  What are the downsides of framing this extension with plasterboard rather than sheet metal?


texts: Should I remove old thinset to install backsplash in kitchen?

texts:
I've recently had new kitchen cabinets installed in my kietchen. I'd like to install a new backsplash as well, the old one has been removed as shown in the picture below:

My question is - should i sand off or further remove the thinset in order to properly install a new backsplash, or is the old dried thinset still OK to leave on there without issue?


texts:
Recently a dimmer for my basement light was burned. It created a lot of smell so I took it out and threw it away immediately and I don't remember how it was wired.

Now I want to replace it with a simple switch. This is easy if there are two sets of wires, one supply and one going to the light. But mine is very weird.

I see 3 wires at that box, 1 black, 1 white, and 1 bare copper. My electrical test pen makes noise when it touches the black and bare copper, but not white. There is 110V between black and white, and none between black and bare copper or between white and bare copper.

Is is normal ? How do I wire the new simple switch?

Thank you very much.

Update: It was working before the dimmer died. That is the only switch. Today I took out the lights ( that switch controls 2 lights ). Suddenly there is no voltage between the black and white anymore. The electrical pen beeps when it touches any of the wires, even at the black wire at the light. Is it normal ?

Thanks.


texts: What is the easiest way to measure an irregular floor space?

texts:
I would like to order a comfort mat for the floor of a small kitchen. The company can make it to order but I have to provide exact dimensions. This is harder that it sounds though as the floor space is best described as an irregular pentagon with 2 non-right angles.
What tools or methods could be used to easily and accurately measure the surface so that I can provide an accurate sketch to the manufacturer? I haven't used a protractor since high-school but I don't see how that could be used to measure a wall angle.


texts:
An old knob on my bedroom door fails to retract to its normal position. I opened the lock in an attempt a repair it and discovered two loose springs.

I suspect that the loose springs aided a third spring to lift the door knob back to its natural position. Because the two springs have become loose the third spring is not able to retract the knob on its own.

I don't know how to reattach the loose springs. Does any know have experience with this type of mechanism?


texts: Is using a globe valve on a water supply line a bad idea?

texts:
Our rented house has an individual plastic water tank to which the colony supplies water from their tanks regularly. The main water pipe fixed to the tank that comes from the colony had a ball valve (PP-R type) which was failed recently.

As these pipes are of PPR, it is hard to get an expert plumber to fix things. Because of that reason my plumber replaced the ball valve with a Globe Valve that lets us replace "washer set" instead of the entire valve if failed in future.

Thought it was a good suggestion, but now I heard  that using gate and globe valves to the main water supply is not a good idea. Also, while turning it off, the pipe above it shakes (not a big problem as it is PP-R).

Could anybody tell me if these issues worth worrying? Is it really not a good idea to use a Globe valve there?


texts: What's the difference between a NM clamp connector and a FMC clamp connector?

texts:
Is there a functional difference between these two connectors?

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Halex-3-8-in-Non-Metallic-NM-Twin-Screw-Cable-Clamp-Connectors-5-Pack-20511/100133208?MERCH=REC-_-NavPLPHorizontal1_rr--NA--100133208-_-N

https://www.homedepot.com/p/3-8-in-Flexible-Metal-Conduit-FMC-Combination-Clamp-Connector-5-Pack-20570/100186543?MERCH=REC-_-NavPLPHorizontal1_rr--NA--100186543-_-N

If you used the NM one on FMC condiut, what would happen?

It will work fine, no problem doing it
It will work fine, but inspectors would get mad
It won't work/is bad/dangerous for some reason
other? haha


texts: what is the environmentally safe way to remove & prevent moss from growing on the roof?

texts:
I live in the pacific northwest and all rain water goes directly to the lake near our house. So I don't want to use some harsh chemicals to remove moss from the roof. Are there any environmentally safe ways to remove moss and keep the roof dry and prevent moss from growing?

EDIT: The roofing material is asphalt shingles.


texts:
In the kitchen of an apartment I've just moved in there's a vertical pipe running floor to ceiling, not connected to any radiator nearby. It gets hot, so I assume it is a part of steam heating system. There's a vent on the pipe that emits very loud hissing time after time, especially at night.

I'd like to stop this noise. Can I just plug the hole in it or remove it altogether?

As far as I understand, such vents serve to let the air and excessive steam out from radiators which only have one pipe connection. The pipe in question obviously has two connected ends (going to the floor and to the ceiling), so a vent on this pipe looks superfluous. But I never encountered steam heating before, so I'm being extra careful.

Vents on other radiators in the apartment hiss seldom and reasonably softly, and the radiators are hot; I suppose these function correctly.


texts: Why does my new smart dimmer have an extra wire?

texts: my single pole dimmer has a hot (black), white (neutral) and green ground. The new dimmer appears to require a hot, neutral, ground and load.... why, don't get it?


texts: Why are there ovens with control panel toward the back?

texts:
I often see ovens with their control panel behind the elements, mostly in US American settings, like in the picture below.

Where I live, the controls are always in front of the appliance. It seems unnecessarily dangerous to me that one has to reach over the pots or pans on the stove to regulate the heat.

Is there some historic or technical reason to this?


texts: Can a concrete porch be poured against a stone wall?

texts:
I am installing concretes porches in the front and rear of my home to replace wooden decks.  The front exterior wall is stone and the new porch would extend up over the stone wall at the bottom.  Should the stone be removed to have a straight edge flush against wall, or is it ok to pour against the stone wall (bedding them into the porch)?

What would you recommend as the process for both?


texts:
This is the plan of the house I'm living in, and I'm thinking of making some changes. The measurements are in cm. The construction brick, circa 1980. It has only ground and first floor.

Before I'll go forward and talk with a construction team, I'm curious to know if I can continue planning considering the following two questions:

A) theoretically is possible to remove the wall marked with green?
B) is it possible to move the door from blue rectangle position to the orange one?


texts: Would a radiant barrier help stop this heat transfer?

texts:
Using my nifty thermal camera, I discovered that my furnace closet's combustion air duct (visible in this question) is getting really hot when the attic heats up, and then (being sheet metal) it radiates that heat into the furnace closet.

When this duct gets hot, it radiates heat into a drywalled, uninsulated stud wall and heats up the adjacent room:

I am already planning to insulate the wall cavity, but it also seems like if there's any place where a radiant barrier might work, it would be here: the duct is hot, but not actually touching the drywall surface that it is heating up. Does this sound sensible? Should I also cover the drywall with a radiant barrier to reduce the amount of heat it's absorbing in the first place?


texts:
not sure if I can get help with this but wanted to present my issue.

I've been installing smart light switches throughout the house and have had no issues.
Ran into a unique light switch this evening where one of the three black wires is wrapped around the side screw.

Now after some research I know it's connected to the bathroom fan as well as the bathroom light.

Does anyone know the proper way to wire this into my new light switch which has

LIVE
LOAD IN
GROUND
NEUTRAL

I know where ground and neutral go, copper and white wires.
I know two of the black wires go into live and load, but I'm not sure what I do with the wire wrapped around the side screw shown in the attached image.


texts: How do I find the proper wires for service drop?

texts:
I have 125 amp service, and bought two #1 AWG black-colored wires for the electrician to use in his replacement. I couldn't find a white wire that size, or bare copper. Neither at Lowes nor Home Depot.

In my search, I found somewhere that said you don't necessarily have to buy the same size conductor for the neutral wire. That the neutral wire has to be at least 70% the size of the hot wire.

Is this true? And if it is, what size in AWG would this be? And does the wire have to be insulated?

My state follows NEC.


texts: Max amperage for “neutral tie strap” in daisy chained Siemens panel

texts:
200 amp service.
We have a service disconnect upstream of our main panel, which effectively means our neutrals and grounds are still isolated in our main panel (as one does when setting up a sub panel).
As such our Siemens panel has two neutral bars connected with a “neutral tie strap” (insulated copper bar that connects both neutral busbars.
Question is: when setting up a second “daisy chained” subpanel (125amp), where should that neutral (2awg) connect on the main panel’s neutral busbars?
Is that copper “neutral tie strap” rated to handle a situation where excessive current on a left neutral bar travels through it to the mains neutral on the right busbar (and back upstream to the service disconnect)?
Image for reference. Our panel has the green bonding screw removed.


texts: It is current -5° F. Is this much condensation normal?

texts: I noticed there is a lot of frozen condensation on the inside of my windows. It is -5° F outside right now. Should i be worried?


texts: Can I install a nest thermostat on a 2-wire boiler (with unmarked wires)?

texts:
Our house has an old boiler, and the thermostat isn't working. I'd like to replace it with a Nest thermostat. But, when I took the cover off to check which wires it had, I only see two wires (red and white) and they aren't marked. I checked the Nest compatibility guide, but it asks me to identify the wires, and I have no idea which ones they are.

Here's 3 pictures of the thermostat:

Can anyone tell me how I can figure out which wires they are? Could I install a Nest E thermostat on this?


texts: How long should it take to a 1.5 tons AC to cool down a 2000sqf house from 80F to 77F?

texts:
I know that it might depend on a lot of things like:
-how air tight is the house
-how old it is (insulation, windows etc)
-what windows are installed -BTW I have casement window
-outdoor temp (currently 86F)

Please just give me a rough estimate or ask me more questions to narrow down the posibilities
The house is more like 1900 sqf actually and downstairs is colder... 75F

Here are the settings that I received from HomeDepot at my request
This is a Trane XR16-018 (not sure about the last three digits)


texts: septic pump trips new gfci on dedicated circut

texts:
Its 2/5/20118 now and my septic pump on a brand new gfci trips the gfci---the new float switch does not by itself trip the gfci--the pump by it self or in combo with the flooat switch does trip--I checked continuity black to ground no white to ground no black to white--YEA shows continuity--I find that curious!

I checked all 4 of my new gfci (o0nly one dedicated on a single circuit to the sump pump) and they are all working fine--except when I plug the pump in to the dedicated gfci on a single breaker/ciRcuit----any suggestions?


texts:
How do I connect 3 black wires, 1 red wire, and 1 piggy-tailed white. I can connect the hot black for the light but I can't get the switch to turn on or off, and I've tried all kinds of combinations trying to connect the red.
How do I post a photo?


texts: How can I wire an array of ceiling lights for easy reconfigurability?

texts:
I want to put in 16 new recessed lights (roughly a 4x4 grid), and I want to control them with two panels (one on each entrance to the room) of switches.  But since we are constantly rearranging the furniture, I don't know which groups of lights I want to control with each switch, as it is subject to change.

How can I wire this up in such a way that I can (relatively) easily reconfigure which switches control which lights?


texts: I need a 'female' 120V AC Plug / socket for a wall plate?

texts:
I cannot find what I am looking for anywhere, I don't even know what to search.

Something that would be the child of these two, if they had one.

I realize you can buy a kit that includes this piece, but I don't need the whole kit. I don't want to spend $50 on it when I only need may be $1.50 in parts.

I need to run power up to a socket at the top of the wall.

What is the name of what I am looking for, does one exist already? Thank you!


texts: Can water-based paint be applied to a concrete countertop?

texts:
I recently cast a concrete countertop using melamine moulds. Overall, I'm happy with the cast slab but the colour turned out different than what I was aiming for. I was using white cement, aiming for a white-ish finish but the sand I used caused more discoloration than I expected so it ended up looking brown-ish.
I'm thinking of trying to make it much darker now and am going to try and make it a black colour. Can I use a water-based paint and let it soak into the concrete before sealing it?


texts: How to Connect to Ground Wire Passing Through Electrical Box

texts:
I am changing light fixtures and noticed that the end of the ground wire is not accessible from inside the electrical box.  The ground wire simply passes through the box.  I've gently tugged on the ground and it seems secured to something.  There is only one 14-2 cable coming into the box and only the ground wire leaving it.
What is the best way to access the ground wire to properly ground my light?


texts: Best and easiest way to seal insulation above concrete pour in unfinished areas of basements?

texts:
One of the things my crew is doing is trying to quickly make unfinished areas in basements look nicer and easier to clean.
We usually stuff all outer joist walls with roxul to insulate and while this is effective it looks awful.
It isn't easy to hide this either because often the joists are a good 2-3" above the concrete that the insulation is sitting on.
So we either install plywood strips then a strip of 2x4 on the bottom to cover the gap or more common adding a 2x to the joist then a strip of plywood past or to the wall.
Goals here:

Looks nice.
Keeps insulation from falling or dirt/debris.
Wind break - not expecting an air seal at all.
Can easily be moved if home owner needs to run pipe/wire (we usually have 2-3 screws per 6' strip)

So is there a better way of doing this?


texts: How to track down source of water ingress

texts:
I live in the UK in a house built in the 1930s. It has solid walls made of brick in a bond pattern with no cavity.
The living room has a major problem with damp blooming on the inside wall, centred around the chimney breast but spreading to the sides. This diagram shows the affected area in both plan and inside layout.
The wall is a plain gable except for the 2 windows shown.
There is a room above, but there is no sign of damp in there, not even at floor level. The "epicentre" of the damp appears to be around where the red X appears in my drawing. The "1 metre climb" limit would suggest that his is not rising damp.

I first noticed the problem about 10 years ago after refurbishing the room. It became clear that the previous owner had clad the chimney breast with a battens and plywood to
cover-up this problem.
There is no plumbing in the area that could be leaking, this is definitely ingress.
Being a gable, there is no gutter which could be leaking.
I've tried a cowl on the top of the chimney - this did not help, so it seems unlikely that the water is entering via the chimney.
The brickwork is rendered outside and there are no major cracks in it. The wall was re-painted about 5 years ago and appeared to be perfect at that time, but it has subsequently begun to flake and crack in certain places. There was no improvement when it was freshly painted.
Experts have looked and have no suggestion as to where this is coming from. Literally, to the point where damp specialists are not prepared to try investigating because they have no confidence in finding it.
What techniques can I use to track down the source of this water?


texts: I have an existing deck that have posts extending from footers under the deck and all the way through for railings. The posts only go up 30” above the deck and I need to add 6” to add new railings. I saw a post about this but they added 12”. Is there a joint that would hold the 6” piece? Can I join it with 3” or is that not sturdy enough to support the top half of the New railing?


texts: Trouble with diy wiring in basement room with afci and ceiling fan

texts:
So... I as a self/ Google taught electrician have wired in a room I have made in my basement with the following issues.

The ceiling fan trips the afci breaker every time. It is fine with a normal breaker, trips with the afci; the guts are exposed to the fan and I have tried re- splicing the hot wires a hundred times to get better contact. The fan is also on one single light switch, no red wire.
An unused treadmill is tripping the breaker on one of my outlets. The treadmill is fine on a properly wired in outlet, and I believe it's fine on a normal non afci breaker.
I believe a power strip is also tripping the afci.


texts: Prime joint compound before latex paint?

texts:
I'm painting a room that had previously been wallpapered.  The walls are veneer plaster coated, so the paper was easy to remove and clean the plaster.
However there are patches for wiring, dings and other artifacts of sloppy plastering that I've covered with regular joint compound.

As I start painting (latex) I find that unless I'm really quick and wet across the compound, it starts to come up and ruin the finish.

Should I be spray priming?   What do others do about this issue?


texts: A/C Runs non-stop and shuts down without reaching desired temp

texts: I have had a repair man out 4 times and he says he can't find anything wrong with the unit. I cannot even feel air coming out of the diffusers unless I climb on a chair and put my hand right next to them. The A/C runs non-stop when it's hot. It will run for 5-6 hours and shut off while the temp in the house is 79 and the thermostat is set at 74. What could be causing this? We have had coolant added. The a/c man says the coils are clean. I can feel air being drawn into the unit at the intake.


texts: Should I sharpen or replace my table saw blade?

texts: I got my table saw second hand several years ago.  It came with a general purpose blade which has served me well without cleaning or sharpening until recently.  I made what I now realize is a mistake in trying to rip some primed lumber.  The blade now binds and the saw stalls, even after cleaning it carefully.  Did I ruin the blade?  I can't really complain if the time has come to replace it.  Are sharpening services economical?  I can buy a new blade for $10-30 and I imagine sharpening isn't cheap.


texts:
How do I move the plumbing to the left about a foot? The picture shows the main pipe originally was moved to the right about a foot but now I need to move it to the left. I would like it lined up with where the pipe originally was.

Also, the vanity only has one hole for the sink and my other one has 3 holes for the sink, so how do I prepare the lines for one whole ?


texts: How should I wire a switch/outlet combo to a split outlet if the feed is at the split outlet?

texts:
What if my incoming source starts at the outlet I want to split (always on for the dishwasher, switched for the garbage disposal) and not in the switch/outlet combo? How would I wire that?
I read this and looked at the diagram on your site:

If you want to have power always on to a box that is downstream of a switch, you'll need to use 3-conductor cable between the switch and split the hot side of the outlet.
At the outlet, break off the tab on the hot side only between the top and bottom outlet. Wire the red conductor to one of the hot screws, the black conductor to the other one, and then the white to the other side of the outlet.
At the switch/outlet, you'll need to wire the incoming black wire to one of the hot screws, and the outgoing black wire (to the 3 condutor cable) to the other hot screw. The outgoing red wire (the one controlled by the switch) goes on the neutral side of the switch, and the incoming white wire gets wire-nutted together to the neutral side of the outlet along with the outgoing white wire (from the 3 conductor cable)
Be sure to ground all outlets and switches as well.

I think its image #6?


texts: Is it ok having a ground wiring loose in the light fixture?

texts: There is a ground wire coming from the box and is attached to the green screw (grounded). There is also a ground wire coming out of the light fixture loose and not connected to anything. Is this ok?


texts: Is my bedroom wired as a multi-wire branch circuit or in tandem?

texts: In my bedroom (14 gauge copper wiring-15 amp breakers) It takes two circuit breakers to shut it off including the switch. Is this tandem or MWBC and if possible could you explain the difference? Just trying to understand the difference.


texts: My tv screen goes black and back on when i open the door

texts: I moved into a house and i noticed that whenever anyone opens the outside door my tv screen goes black and back on couple times. I have laptop connected to tv. Nothing else is affected but the tv. Bought new tv after a while and still same problem. Checked the door but it is just regular door. No alarms or doorbells connected. Anyone has any thoughts?


texts: Shock treating a home, or rooms with ozone

texts:
I have an older home, complete with a damp basement and some musty smells around the house. We're in the process of renovating but that will probably take a while for us to get around to ripping out carpet, and finding all of the surprises.

After some quick research, I picked up this ozone generator for around $120.  It's rated at 7,000 mg/h, which is higher than a bunch of other generators I found.  It also had raving reviews so I figured for the price it was a good buy.

My question is, how long would you have to let this run in the average room (250 sqft.) in order to remove airborn pollutants/smells?


texts: Drywall over plaster with furring strips

texts:
So I just removed staple on ceiling tiles from my curling to find they were done on top of plaster, my questions are:

1) is there any fear in any case of the drywall adding to much weight to the ceiling? This house was built in 1908.

2) when installing the drywall do I attach along the furs or along the studs or  where the fur overlaps the studs? The old tile where 12x12 so the furs are 1 ft spread if that makes any difference.


texts: How can I determine what is wrong with my lighting circuit?

texts:
I have a situation where I have a circuit which includes;

Front outside door lights,
Hall lights
Closet light
2 ceiling recessed lights

They all go dead, then a few days later work again. I checked the breakers, and nothing has set it off. Went to each outlet and switch to check for good connections, all good. Tested with a light tester I got a positive test when touching a lead wire, but had to touch box to get it to light and am getting 120 volts from volt meter. Do I have an open circuit and if so how can I pinpoint it with a volt meter?


texts: How to finish jagged edge of kitchen subway tile?

texts:
Did our own backsplash tiling in the kitchen, and didn't realize until we were finished that the cap/trim/edging goes UNDER the tile. Not on top.

So now we've got an ugly looking edge to the tile (our cuts weren't very clean — we assumed we would cover them after). Pics attached.
Ideas for how we can hide this?

DIY hacks and/or product names/ideas are welcome!


texts: Are there any caveats or benefits to TPI hacksaw blades?

texts:
Is there any benefit to variable TPI hacksaw blades where there the TPI varies from one end to the other?
I only see potential caveats:

it might cause problems or how inconvenient it is to have only a few inches of the same TPI on a
blade
the quality and ease of cut with full strokes
how severe issues are when cutting thin stock and you run into the coarse TPI section of the blade

One vendor's website claims:

... Tri-Cut Hacksaw Blades ... have a unique design with 3 teeth sizes on 1 blade. They feature 32 teeth/inch up front for quick starts, 24 teeth/inch in the middle and 18 teeth/inch on the end for fast and smooth conventional cutting. These hacksaw blades are ideal for general-purpose cutting.


texts: Wiring single circuit GFCI circuit breaker where a duplex GFCI breaker is shown in wiring diagram

texts: I am wiring a hot tub.  The spa subpanel I purchased (Eaton) came with a 50 amp duplex GFCI breaker which is what many spas use.  I bought a used Hot Springs Spa and found instead of a single 240 volt feed their wiring diagram shows both a 20 amp split phase 120 V configuration, utilizing a neutral as well as a 30 amp GFCI which feeds the heater, no neutral just ground.  I replaced the 50 amp GFCI with a 30 amp GFCI and have no problems.  The potential problem comes with the inability to install an addition 20 amp duplex GFCI breaker in the panel. I can and have connected single 20 amp GFCI breakers where L1 and neutral feed one circuit and L2 and a neutral feed the second circuit.  There is only one neutral connection to the spa controller.  A duplex ckt bkr has one neutral pigtail and one neutral load connector.  My configuration has two each pigtails and neutral load connectors.  The only way I see to wire this is to jumper the two neutral load connections together with the neutral wire feeding the spa.  I also have connected both pigtails to the subpanel neutral bus.  My question is whether there is something electrically different about a duplex breaker and two single breakers (both GFCI).  I notice when I press the test button on either breaker they both trip, so I think it is functioning properly.  Each 120 V circuit feeds two different loads; circ pump and a jet pump, so at least in spirit I don't think they require a common trip handle.  I have already spent too much money on breakers and if this configuration will work I would like to use it, otherwise I will have to buy a panel that will let me use two tandem GFCI breakers and of course a tandem GFCI breaker at at additional cost of nearly $200.  I would appreciate your inputs.  If you have experience with the Hot Spring permanently wired 240 V spas, please mention that in your reply.


texts: Bad floating vinyl plank installation.How to fix half inch strip

texts: My mother passed away and we had a professional floor installation (supposedly). I went through most of the key points of the installation for the warranty. I did not tell him he needed to measure the width of the room and figure out if the first row needed to be cut lengthwise. We ended up with less than a half inch strip along the wall to maybe an half inch through the kitchen doorway. He glued it in place. I don't know if it's glued to the floor or just the adjacent plank. He apparently told my sister this was fine. I'm concerned that being in a doorway area it won't stay in place. I think he's responsible to fix it even if he has to take out the whole floor. Also he didn't mix the boards properly and there is a large patch of lighter boards in the dining room. What should we do? Is there a way to strip/cut the first row, slide the installation over and insert a wider row where the strip is?


texts: How can I darken a bedroom yet let air in as much as possible?

texts:
Of course one could use a vent but this is not feasible for me. Is there a low-tech solution, like some kind of a specific curtain?
I could also cover my window with an opaque board, letting some space but this lowers dramatically the quality of the air (mainly CO2 wise).


texts: What is a "wet edge" and how do I maintain one?

texts:
I'm about to polyurethane my floors, and all the instructions I've come across (including the ones on the can) say to "maintain a wet edge".
What is a wet edge and how can I maintain it?


texts:
We recently adopted a pup and are still getting to understand his separation anxiety triggers.

Recently, he gouged the door frame pretty severely. I am hoping I can fix this myself, since this is a rental.

Does this look like something that can be repaired by woodfiller/epoxy/bondo. If so, what would you recommend? If not, am I better off looking at replacing the trim?

He did quite a number on it, but luckily the damage is almost entirely to the trim. I'm asking, because most other DIY resources related to this seem to be focused on much more minor damage.


texts:
This is my furnace board. I don't see anything with a C terminal. Are there any connections on this board that I can use as a "C" terminal?

Below is the thermostat I'm trying to hook up. This is how it was wired at my old house.

Is this wiring correct?

Furnace Board R to Thermostat 24RH
Furnace Board terminal between R and W to Thermostat 24V Com
Furnace Board W to Thermostat W1
Furnace Board Y to Thermostat Y1
Furnace Board G to Thermostat G


texts: What processes do I need to carry out before repainting my wall?

texts:
I’m thinking about redecorating my bedroom. It’s not very big, it’s surface area is 25.5m squared roughly.

The walls in my room are currently painted and are sort of textured as they have little bumps all over it. I want to get rid of this so I can have a smooth finish before repainting it, but I’m not entirely sure what I should do.

After carrying out some research, I found that I can apply a joint compound by carrying out the necessary steps to get rid of the bumps and apparently I can paint on top of it to if I apply a primer after. The only thing is, my walls are quite hollow and according to my sources, that means my plaster is blown.

I guess I have a few questions:

Will plaster do the same think as a joint compound in the sense that it’ll smoothen out my wall and cover the bumps? If yes, how do I prepare my already painted wall for it + Can I paint on top of it?
Will a joint compound make my walls less hollow in the way that plaster would?
Is it a bad idea to apply a joint compound to my wall (to remove bumps), then apply plaster (to make my walls less hollow), and then paint them?
What tools/equipment do I actually need to plaster/apply joint compound to my wall?
What products do I need and what processes do I need to go through in order to do everything I need to do before repainting?

If you couldn’t tell, I’m not very experienced in the building and house decor industry. However, hiring someone is not an option and I want this to be a personal project of mine and I simply can’t afford it.


texts: 40v oscillating on line when light switch off

texts: I was reinstalling a light fixture and it bit me.  I measured the voltage from its hot to neutral and it kept oscillating between 0 and 40V .  It was not phantom voltage I checked.  The light switch (dimmer) feeding this line was off, and there is nothing between the lights and the switch.  What could possibly be going on here and is it dangerous?


texts: Double oven lost all power including accessories

texts: New double oven is 4wire and manual allowed neutral and ground together for a 3 wire connection. Previous oven was installed using the same method. However the oven no longer turns on, including the lights. Wires were tested and are still “hot” I replaced the breaker (yes both are 40s). Connections are sound. I’m curious if issue can be the subpanel, which is fed with 3 wires and has the ground and neutrals bonded. I’ve read this can be an issue but also read it’s not an issue if the incoming line is 3 wire. Thoughts on possible causes?


texts: What do you call conventional wood staining that doesn't result in a glazed effect?

texts:
I am shopping around for a new kitchen, which I want to have finished in stained wood. What seems to be quite popular these days is "glazing" which seems intended to highlight any texture, relief, milling, etc. in the wood surface, darkening grooves etc., often imparting a sort of antique look, but this is not the effect I want.

My question is: is there a specific term to describe the absence of this glaze effect - a stain finish which only brings out the natural grain of the wood, but otherwise gives a uniform coloring to the wood, regardless of how the wood surface is cut, milled, etc.?


texts: Generator wiring into Automatic Transfer Switch – wire gauge

texts:
I will be wiring a Generac 24kW Generator, connecting into a 200A Generac Automatic Transfer Switch.   This Transfer Switch’s output is then powering a 200Amp service panel.  The Generator’s max output is 100A (24kW @ 240V), and it also has a 100 Amp main line breaker on the Generator itself.
When wiring (3-wire) to the generator, can I to wire for 100A (e.g. 00 aluminum wire)?  Or do I have to wire for 200A (e.g. 0000 aluminum wire)?  There is a tremendous difference in price and effort.  It will be about 80 ft from transfer switch to generator (about 2/3 inside and about 1/3 buried outside in pvc conduit)
The maximum that can actually travel down that wire is 100 amps of current (even though it’s connected to a 200A transfer switch & 200A panel).  If 101 amps are called for, the 100A breaker on the generator will flip to prevent generator overload.  So is 00 aluminum allowed in this situation?


texts: How do you remove/replace a plumbing fitting that is threaded on both sides when they can’t rotate?

texts:
I feel like a bit of an idiot for asking this question because it seems like there must be a simple answer to this, but I can’t quite figure out what it is.
Let’s say I have a check valve that is threaded on both ends.

And let’s say I’m using some copper press fittings to attach it to copper pipe.

So I screw those fittings onto the ends of the check valve, then press the fittings onto the pipes to finish the connections.
Check valves don’t last forever, though, and at some point it might break and need to be replaced. The fittings don’t rotate so you can’t unthread them from the check valve, and the check valve can’t rotate because loosening one end tightens the other end.
I could cut the pipes where they enter the fittings and toss it all out, but now I’ve lost pipe so a new check valve and fittings won’t be long enough to press back onto the pipe ends. So I guess now I need to cut the pipes back further and introduce more fittings and pipe to get the pipe back to the original length?
Is that the only way to replace a threaded part in this scenario? Or is there some other part/fitting or way of doing this that’s better?
Thanks!


texts:
We have a couple holes in our basement floor that I assume drain to the sewer, but they're not covered. A guy installing our water heater recommended covering them so we don't get sewer gas or something. We stuffed plastic bags partially down them for now, but wondering what a more long term solution would be.  Is it acceptable to fill them with concrete?  Are they there from a heater or something from a long time ago or do they stool serve a purpose? (The house was constructed in 1920.)

http://imgur.com/JfxjIOh

We want to at least level the floor, but do we need to leave this open?

We're in northern Minnesota if that matters.


texts: Convert Light Switch to Light Switch + Outlet Combination

texts: I have a serious lack of outlets in my garage and that is a problem for a beginner carpenter.  I have a light switch by my workbench and was curious if I could change it to a combination outlet + switch?


texts: I replaced a Fluidmaster in a toilet, and I suspect the fill valve was slightly loose because, after about 12 hours there was a small puddle in the bathroom and the ceiling below was damp. I turned off the water and dried everything, but I'm not sure where to go from here. Can I just spackle and repaint the affected portion of ceiling, or does the drywall need to be removed? Will a one-time incident like this likely cause significant water damage?


texts: I am trying to change outside light fixture and identified the ground and neutral wires from the fixture are connected to ground wire from the home. The neutral wire was not used at all. I try to connect neutral from new fixture to neutral from home and ground to ground and hot to hot wires and the new fixture did not work. If I connect neutral form the fixture to ground wire from home it is working. So, is it OK to connect  neutral and ground form the fixture to ground wire from home ? Does it cause any problem in future?


texts: Is a bleeder-valve to let air into the water line necessary when the plumber put in a frost-free valve? Should a bleeder-valve leak if kept open?

texts:
My computer updated when I was responding to great response I got from those kind enough to help and I lost everything. I'm starting over again. Sorry. A bleeder-valve to let air into water line was placed under second-floor vanity in bathroom to feed the 16 inch frost-free facet in the garage. We could not find the valve to use garden hose and builder told us it was under the vanity, but did not explain to us that there was a bleeder. We opened the valve, watered new law, next day the bottom floor was flooded out with extensive damage. The plumber had the frost-free valve shut, which is good, but the bleeder-valve open, so I estimate that the water backed up all the way to our upstairs vanity and leaked water? Questions:
Should a bleeder-valve leak?
Do you even need a bleeder valve if there is a frost-free facet installed?
Should a second-floor bathroom even be used to feed an outdoor facet?
Should a bleeder-valve be installed horizontal instead of vertical? Ours is vertically installed and on a 45 degree upward slope.
Also, I would like to add that the plumber connected to the water supply to the upstairs bathroom with 60 psi of pressure coming from the pressure tank in the downstairs utility room. Wouldn't 60 psi be sufficient enough to drain water from the line without a bleeder-valve anyway? And, would the 60 psi cause the bleeder valve to leak or malfunction?
One more issue: The sewage coming from our house goes through a 4 inch PVC pipe, through the utility room wall, and out to the septic system. Against the utility room wall, about three feet off the floor, is a plug? If the sewage was to back-up in our tank and we were to open the plug, the sewage would come into the house. Wouldn't it be better to have a shut-off valve instead of a plug--then you could close the valve and get the septic tank pumped-out. And, wouldn't it be better still, to have a shut-off valve mechanism outside of the house rather than on the inside?
I would like to thank all responders in advance. Your input is greatly appreciated.


texts: How many amps does it take to power 2 AC's, a freezer, a refrigerator, 2 TV's, and a computer?

texts: I'm making my garage into a living place and I put in a 50 amp line from my house to the garage. The garage has its own fuse box but I want to have an upstairs living area and a downstairs man-cave. I want to plug in a freezer, refrigerator and a couple of AC's and of course upstairs would have a TV and a computer. Am I going to have enough amps or am I going to be blowing the fuse box often?


texts: Can air in pipes cause a faucet to catastrophically fail?

texts: For about two weeks, I have been hearing a vibration and loud noise very time I turn on the kitchen faucet, mostly on the hot water side. If I turn to cold water it stops but periodicly when running between hot and cold, the noise returns. I reported it to my building mainenance and when that person came up to check, at that time that he turned the water on it did not make that sound and he said its probably a washer, which I said it can't be, there is air in the pipes. Several days later I was washing dishes and the faucet just blew up and erupted in my hands, completely coming apart and shooting water out like a geyser.  I would like to know if this is a common problems in a kitchen faucets.  I feel like the cause could be by some pressure build up inside the wall pipes.


texts: Crack in ceiling along where it meets exterior wall. Possible causes, should i be worried?

texts: I live in a victorian end terrace. The ceiling where it meets the exterior wall has cracked over time. It is in the same area where there was some subsidence due to cracked drain but repaired some time ago. What could be the causes and should be worried?


texts:
Sorry, I didnt know how to add a picture to a reply. Would this fail inspection? I originally purchased a pulling elbow without a cover. Then, per Harper's suggestion, I went out and got a pulling elbow with a cover?

Is there a way in reply to add a picture.


texts: Main breaker outside as disconnect. Do i need a main breaker inside too?

texts: I have a 125 amp main disconnect outside. I have an old fp panel inside back to back. Can i get a lug panel inside or do i need a main breaker inside too to comply w 2014 nec?