texts: Time Frame For Dealing With Flooded Carpet

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I hope this question is appropriate to this Stack.

My elderly mother lives alone in a townhouse with a basement, since my father passed about six months ago.  This morning, the basement experienced mild flooding with unusual circumstances.  Let me describe the basement as best I can, then the extent of the flooding, then ask the question.

The Basement

The basement is perhaps 800-1000 square feet, wall to wall carpet of the sort one puts in the basement of a townhouse-- rugged, durable, not exactly for show.  Three areas are not carpeted: a workshop area my father used, the furnace and boiler closet, and a utility closet.  The former of those two areas had sump pumps installed.

Of importance later is this:  My father was a packrat and the basement is filled with bookshelves, tool shelves, tool racks, and just outright waist-high piles of full cardboard boxes.  And I do mean filled.  There are foot paths one can navigate with care.

Per answer below I will try to describe the conditions more precisely:

The carpet is slightly under ten years old, newly installed by previous owners to motivate the sale
Basement was largely unused and most of the carpet has been covered by boxes.  I don't know if that means it is clean because the boxes protected it, or dirty because the boxes have pressed into it.
Climate appropriate to far Chicago suburbs, fifteen miles from the lake, 250 feet higher elevation from the lake.  Central air keeps the ground floor at 72 in the summer, perhaps a bit chillier than that in the basement, and no excessive moisture or other leaks observed in all that time.

The Flooding

The flooding was not severe.  The pumps functioned mostly as expected, but at least at one point they were overwhelmed, and my mother (with hearing problems) did not hear the pumps or the moisture alert until hours later.  Most of the water was confined to the truly unfinished areas with the sump pumps, and by the time I arrived it has mostly receded.

At least some of it has gotten under the carpet, however.  Visibly this extends only a short distance into the carpeted area.  I have since mopped and wet-vac'd up everything I could, and placed two residential sized floor blowers to start drying things out.  (I considered cutting a hole in the carpet and running the exhaust of a wet-vac under the carpet, but the amount of stuff sitting on the floor would just pin the carpet down and impede airflow.)

Some hours later, though, I can see some of the cardboard boxes on the floor well outside (what I thought was) the affected area wicking up moisture into themselves.  I am not quite sure what's going on here but I conjecture the carpet acted like a sponge or a wick, and distributed moisture horizontally which I did not perceive, and the weight of the (let's be honest) junk is pressing it out.  I'm not sure that makes sense.

The Question(s)

How long do we have to deal with this situation before mold and other associated problems set in?  Surely not months, but weeks?  Days?  Hours?

It is not physically possible for me, my mother, or any reasonable fraction of family and friends to clear out that basement in short order.  It cannot be done.  A day long junk removal contract is the only way to deal with this in the short term.

A mild confounding factor is that my mother and I have been willing to let older relatives of my father's generation slowly (s-l-o-w-l-y) pick over the tools and other objects they want.  I can and will drop the hammer and set a deadline on this if necessary, but I do not know what level of speed is required here.  I also do not want to see a $2,000 problem (expected cost of removal service) to snowball into a $20,000 nightmare because we were trying to be nice to family members.

In addition to that I will take any advice that seems relevant.  But the time frame is the biggest unknown that I have right now.


texts: What type of screws/anchors to fasten a closer to a steel door

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What are some proper screws or anchors to use for affixing something to a steel walk-in door?
The example for this question will be attaching an automatic closer to an exterior steel door. The door is a typical residential steel walk-in door, which is "hollow" (foam core) and made of a rather thin-gauge of steel: 24 gauge = 1/40" = 0.0209 inch = 0.53 mm.
Here's a cutaway-view of an example steel door:

(Image from provia.com)
The steel being so thin creates a problem. The door closer in question came with machine screws and tells the installer to use a 12-24 tap, which I found odd. Maybe they expect a thicker gauge of steel? I used my tap and the screws stayed in for a few months, but someone tried pulling the door closed faster than the closer allowed  and the resistance from the closer caused the top screw holes to blow-out. The bottom ones are nearly ruined as well.

I would use anchors of some sort, but I can't seem to find any that are made to work on such an incredibly thin surface. Most anchors I see have a minimum thickness of 1/8 inch, and even then I would question them:

(Image from yindigoarya.com)

The only anchors I see that claim to be for "hollow-doors" are this type, but they seem to be made for hollow wood doors commonly used for closets and such. They don't seem right for this job:

(Image from homedepot.com)
Maybe they just don't make anchors for this type of thing?
I was thinking I could use "thicker" threaded screws like wood screws. I'm not sure how much that will help here. I worry it will just blow out the hole again and leave a larger hole behind. Plus, a rather thick wood screw would be needed since the holes are already wide.
What's a safe way to fasten this closer to reduce the risk of blowing out the holes even worse?


texts: Identifying Replacement Parts for My Bathtub

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I need to identify what parts I need to buy to replace this.
We can't even shower its completly stripped


texts: Can new construction recessed lights be installed in inaccessible ceilings?

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In California, does code allow me to install recessed lights in a ceiling which which be inaccessible once closed up? (Such as between floors)

I have seen it done many times but I was thinking that the can contains a junction box, but that box will be inaccessible once finished. Doesn't that create a code issue with an inaccessible junction?

Is there a specific code exception which allows it in this case? Or am I thinking about it incorrectly?


texts: Is it possible to run an Antminer S9 on a 250v NEMA 10-30?

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I am in the process of starting a crypto mining farm. Eventually I will be getting upgraded outlets, but for now I am working with NEMA 10-30 dryer outlets that were installed back in the early 90s.

I probed the outlet and got the following voltages:
LINE1 to NEUTRAL: 125V
LINE2 to NEUTRAL: 125V
LINE1 to LINE2: 250V

The specification on the power supply I want to use on this outlet specifies 100-240V AC with no mention of split phase.
https://shop.bitmain.com/productDetail.htm?pid=00020170920224132179WEIOvhXx06D6

My first question: I am assuming that the appliance will not care whether the power is supplied in single phase or split phase. I am also assuming that the appliance will not mind getting 250v instead of the rated 230v since it is within 10% of spec. However it seems a little on the high side, with only 3V to spare. Am I correct in these assumptions?

My second question is regarding the lack of a grounding conductor. It concerned me at first, however as far as I can tell the appliance is wired for single phase. Am I correct in my assertion that since it is wired this way, all current would be carried between LINE1 and LINE2 and that in this use case, the neutral could actually be considered a grounding conductor since it does not carry current? As opposed to when operating my dryer, it uses 125v from LINE1 to the NEUTRAL for the lights and timing mechanism, which would cause the neutral to cease being a grounding conductor. There is nothing else on the line, only one 10-30 outlet on a double pole breaker.

My last question is a more of a curiosity. In addition to the above measured voltages, I was reading about 4.5V AC between the neutral and LINE1 or LINE2 with the breaker OFF. Does this mean some other appliance is leaking current back into the breaker or something else?

All measurements taken with a Fluke 87.

My end goal is to have the highest level of safety for both myself and to protect the equipment. However it will be up to a month before I can get modern outlets installed so I would loose quite a bit of profit during that time span as my equipment is arriving before then.

I have an AS in EET so I feel pretty confident this is going to work but I came here for a second opinion as well as so future miners in my situation may find an answer to this.

Any help/tips/you're going to blow your miner up comments are welcome.


texts: Why do I have voltage on a plumbing ground strap, and is it dangerous?

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We have been having problems with the lights in our basement for awhile now (few weeks), sometimes they will work, other times they just won't turn on.

Today I noticed a thin metal piece in the basement closet and I accidentally broke it off. I am pretty sure it was already breaking/loose because it snapped very easily. It was leading to the water pipe (where the main shutoff is) and just ends there with a metal loop and screw holding it in place. Or at least it was.

Immediately after it started to spark, because it swung and made contact with the piece it broke off of. The lights also started flickering. I managed to get it to stop sparking. But when I went upstairs to get a flashlight, the lights upstairs started flickering and the heat/ac unit had no power. Few mins later the bulbs started going out. I use fluorescents.

I'm freaking out a little bit now, turned off the power to the whole house. I originally was going to try to re-secure the metal tube but its not seeming like that will be enough. I'm hoping to call an electrician in the morning, how dangerous is this problem? Can I try to switch on just the heat and fridge? Plus who knows if I can get someone here tomorrow...

The house is about 30yrs old, with both copper and aluminum wiring.

Update:
thanks for all the answers, thankfully was able to get electrician here the next morning, my fiance was mad that there was stuff in that closet. Neither one of us knew that wire was for electricity. He fixed it, it was a grounding wire, apparently also there was corrosion on the outside of the house next to the meter.

So not safe to put anything near the grounding wire now that it's fixed? I wasn't home to ask the electrical myself. If not, I'm surprised there are shelves in the closet..?? It's about 4x2 feet, small shelves about 1x2 on each side, with the pipe and grounding wire in the middle. Alive and well, no fires phew. Furnace transponder blew though, which supposedly will be expensive to fix, circuit didn't blow :(


texts: Damaged wire inside fireplace insert, New construction

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Due to a previous house fire am I being to pick about exposed wire isolation due to staple?
First off, the county inspector came out on July 29, 2020 an failed the inspection with five items.  One item being fire place not wired and installed!
The next  day we get a call from GC to unlock house for inspector to come back to check fix items. Around eleven o’clock we get a text from GC saying it had passed but  no one from the inspectors office came back out. They passed it off of pictures the GC had sent earlier that morning.
Should I be concerned with this being inside the fireplace cavity where if can be exposed to excess heat?
What would be the proper way to fix this issue?


texts: Ceiling light hole in Switzerland? How to fit a chandelier or other heavier light into Swiss ceiling?

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I have moved to a new apartment in Switzerland and it has these holes for the lights in the ceiling.
I cannot drill the ceiling as I am renting and any kind of modifications will have to be undone.
For now, as a temporary solution, I have hooked the sockets on the cables and screwed in the bulbs and there isn't enough weight, so it just hangs from wires, not elegant but it works as a temporary solution.

(click to enlarge pictures)
However, in the near future, I plan to get proper lamps, and those will weigh more, so hanging them from cables is not an option, and I am not quite sure what sort of lights I can fit into these holes or how to do it, or where even to start (my first flat in Switzerland).
Does this kind of hole have a standard name so I could google more information myself?
Is there a standard mechanism that can be hooked into these to fit any kind of light or am limited in my choices?
How to fit a chandelier or other heavier lamp into Swiss ceiling hole fitting?


texts: Shading windows from outside (awnings, shutters, etc) to keep house from overheating in summer

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The back of my house faces west, and during July and August, the sun hits it directly in the afternoon through evening.  On a warm day, this can cause the house to heat up quite a bit, so I'm making it a project to minimize the heat.  One thing I'm looking at is being able to shade the windows from the sun.  My neighbor uses awnings, but I'm not a big fan of the designs I've seen.  I'm also considering shutters (as I saw on all buildings during a recent trip to Italy), but I'm not sure I'll find anything that suits the house.  I'm also considering some simple roll-down blinds, maybe even something that I only attach during the warmest days.

My question is what are the design considerations I need to take into account for making sure I'm coming up with a solution that minimizes heat? Is anything that blocks/reflects the sun from the window enough?  Are there other things to consider?

[Postscript: I'm also using landscaping to cut down on the heat, but it's going to take a while for some of the trees to grow into effective blocks.]

Update:  Just came across this article, which doesn't go into a lot of depth, but does give a good overview of several options.


texts: Is it okay that my Sony TV power cord replacement has a slot for a third prong that the original doesn't?

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I have a Sony TV that has OEM cable on the left. I want to replace it with a longer cable on the right.  The new cable fits into the TV's slot but would not have the third prong.
Is this safe to do? Does the third prong of the new cable interact in any way with the other two? What are these cables called?


texts: How to tell if lightly clogged shower drain has a venting problem?

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I have a shower drain that was snaked a few months ago and has started having a very light back up again. After maybe 5 seconds of unenthusiastic plunger work, it clears up just fine. But come back an hour later, run the water again, and it backs up again - even if no one has actually used the shower.

Draino and the like haven't resolved anything. We snaked a second shower at the same time, but haven't had a problem with it since then. No other drains seem to back up. We also got an external drain cover to capture more hair, etc after the snaking to try to keep the clogs down so I would hope it's not more hair.

So it's making me think maybe something with the waste line for this shower? Are there some ways to test this? If that is the problem, is there anything to be done without getting into the walls?


texts: Computer screen turns off when I use a random electric switch or plug a device in my house

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First of all I am in Greece, which has the EU 230V AC power network.

I have a computer screen connected to a hub which in turn goes to a power outlet in a room in my house. When I press a light switch or plug another device to any other outlet, the screen turns off and on, once. This doesn't always happen, but it happens often enough to worry me.

I connected the screen to another outlet and I managed to reproduce the problem. I measured the voltage and current output of the outlet that the hub draws and it is varies between 240-250 Volts, 1 A.

Any ideas why I am having this problem? It seems to me like it momentarily loses power. What is it causing it. Is this a problem with my house's power cables?


texts: Is it ok to place a window AC unit in front of the window instead of hanging outside?

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I just put a window AC unit on a table in front of a window instead of hanging out of the window. The back is flush with where the screen would be so the heat is pumping outside.. but the side vents that are normally outside the house are in the house. Is there an issue with this? The AC unit is just about 1 inch too big to fit fully out the window...but the back is flush with the frame.

Thanks

Kelly


texts:
I stupidly started ripping down a damaged ceiling tile with the idea of replacing it with a new one. Someone mentioned that ceiling tiles sometimes contain asbestos.

The house is from the 30's however the ceiling tiles appear to be added on after the fact to cover a damaged plaster ceiling.

I had already tested the plaster in a different room and it had come back negative.

Any thoughts?


texts: How to add a plug socket in a specific scenario

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Not sure if there are any UK electricians on here, or how similar the electrical industry is to the American system, but here it goes...

I recently moved into a flat in London. A combination of being inquisitive and being too broke to pay for an electrician has prompted me to try and install a new plug socket (outlet?) within a wall in a cupboard. The person inducting me into the new flat pointed to a plate with no interface (just a flat plastic panel with screws) and said "if you want to add a socket in this utility cupboard, that would be the place to do it".

Here is a quick illustration I did of what he was pointing at:

The plate without an interface was the one he pointed at, but the ventilator switch becomes part of the story.

So I went about unscrewing the plate and taking a look at what is underneath it. I thought it might be a simple case of buying a socket to replace the blank plate, and fixing some obvious wires to it.

What I saw when I opened the plate was a load of grey cables connected to a connecting strip on one end, and a flex cable connected to the other end. Some of those grey cables are coming from above, and some (on removing the ventilator plate) I can see are going into the ventilator switch.

The white flex cable travels north up the wall - and I presume it is the ventilator - but it has a fourth flex core (black) going into the connecting strip. On close inspection of the setup, it all got a bit confusing.

I have drawn a very accurate illustration of the setup (note all the wires are going exactly where they are going in real life). I decided to illustrate it (rather than take a picture) because a photograph cannot describe the complex setup. Note that blue is neutral, brown is live and yellow is earth. I have no idea what the black cable on the 5-core flex is; or what it is doing.

Can anyone make sense of this setup? Where would be the best place to put a plug socket (outlet) and would I need to reconfigure anything to do so?

Any help would be super appreciated. Thanks in advance.


texts: How big should the gap at the bottom of an interior door be?

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My contractor just hung our fancy dancy un-painted solid wood door slabs in my 100 year old house with solid hardwood floors throughout. There is an approximately 1.5" gap at the bottom of the doors. I think it is too big and think a 1/4"-1/2" gap would accommodate any unevenness in our floors and allow us to use area rugs. Is there a standard size for the gap at the bottom of the door? If it is in fact too big, how do we fix it?

This was part of a major renovation that involved replacing all the trim and repairing damaged plaster. The areas around the doors were stripped down to the studs and headers, but the hardwood floors were left in place. There is no sort of threshold on the floor between the rooms as the hardwood floors run throughout the house.


texts: I have two, 6 year old Overhead garage door openers. On about 5 occasions in the last couple of months, I have discovered one side has opened on its own. When this has happened, neither of the manual switches will function, but the RF openers will operate the door in either direction. I have checked the Safety Beam for obstructions and found none. Any ideas? I am thinking along the lines of an intermittent short in the circuit board of the opener but would welcome any thoughts or ideas.


texts:
I am installing a outdoor shower on the exterior wall of my house to go with my new pool deck. I have a built-in grill that has an enclosed cabinet underneath.

I have a way to run a hot water and cold water line for the shower, but I would like to run this line through one exterior wall into a cabinet area for my grill and then out the perpendicular exterior wall to the shower (see image it'll be clearer).

My question is this: that water line will probably be only six inches from the grill and the grill obviously gets hot.  I'm thinking CPVC will not work because it would melt, but would copper work?   Should I do some sort of insulation to try and block the heat and if so what?

Oh and for clarity - obviously I could just run the pipe alongside the entire exterior of the wall around the corner, but my wife would prefer it be "hidden" if possible hence the question.

Thanks in advance!


texts: How can I inspect and repair a roof with moss and other greenery on it?

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I have a pantry on my house, its attached to the kitchen but has its own slated roof and an outside wall. I have has issues with it getting damp, I have replaced the outside door as that was leaky, re-pointed the wall as it was in poor condition, now I want to check the roof.

There are patches of moss and other bits of weeds, I can't imagine they are supposed to be there, but I'm not sure what to do to get rid of them. How do I check for issues with the roof, and can I do anything about it myself if I find issues, or should I get someone in?


texts: I live in NJ. Do I need a p-trap and vent on a washer drain line not going directly to the stack?

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Here is my situation.  As it sits now, my washer drains directly into the slop sink right next to it.

I live in a split level and I am moving the washer & Dryer up one half level about 6 feet in height from the original location on the basement level up to the ground floor level.  My plan is to set up a PVC drain standpipe for the Washer to travel to the first elbow underneath the washer utilizing the correct sloping and traveling 4 feet across and through the wall into the basement to the second elbow.  From there it would be using the correct sloping again and traveling 9 ft to a 3rd elbow and then a foot and a half back into the slop sink.

I am not tapping this into the stack, so do I still need a p-trap, and also a vent?


texts: I am building a new home and the question of where the thermostat for the upstairs should go has risen. It was originally wired to be place in my daughter's bedroom but I had requested that it be moved to the hallway at the top of the stairs.  The home is approx. 4300 sq ft with about 700 sq ft being a mother'n'law suite.  So there is one thermostat downstairs in the family room, one in the inlaw suite and one upstairs.  There is 2 ac units and we are on a dual zone system.  The supervisor of the job said that it would be fine to move it and the inspector I hired to go through pre dry wall orientation said it should be in one of the upstairs bedrooms.  There are 2 bedrooms/ each with their own baths, a small laundry room and a storage closet upstairs.  Not sure where the best location for the thermostat is?


texts: How to insert a panel in a tray to avoid touching edge and leaking: Aprilaire 600M humidifier?

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When the panel was leaning against the tray, water leaked onto the tray edge (and then the floor) - see How to troubleshoot a leak in an Aprilaire humidifier? or the first photo below.
When I put in a shim, the leak stopped. (See second photo below.)
I do not see a method for inserting the panel in the tray so it does not touch the edge.
What am I missing?
UPDATE
I found an Aprilaire video. There is not such technique. Perhaps my tray has warped.
https://vimeo.com/115587899

Thanks.


texts: Is there a non-specialty paint that can be used on microwave interior?

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The interior of my older low-end microwave, where the rotating tray rollers contact, has worn through the original finish and become rusty.

There are specific microwave refinishing paints available, but they are costly enough to make getting a new microwave of similar quality a competitive option.

I want to repaint my current unit to make cleaning up spills and splatter easier.

I am considering standard 'rust paint' or generic 'appliance paint', but am concerned about possible fumes generated while cooking if the "incorrect" paint is used.

What type of paint is the 'microwave paint', and are there other more generally available paint types that could be safely used on a microwave interior?


texts: How can I replace a missing IKEA drawer slide?

texts:
I am missing one part of the drawer runner on one of my pieces of ikea furniture. It's the leftmost one in this picture, the part of the runner that attaches to the drawer itself:

Are drawer runners standardized to a degree that I can find a matching replacement part that wasn't specifically made for this piece of IKEA furniture? Or should I remove both parts of the runner from that one side of the drawer and replace with a new runner?


texts: is it worth upgrading from 14 AWG to 12 AWG

texts: I am looking to replace all the OLD 14/2 wiring in my "new to me" house with 12/2 wiring do you believe this is over kill?


texts: Is this a sign of my roof trusses sagging?

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There have been cracking/snapping sounds coming from my ceiling. I can't see disturbance with the cornices. However, when I go up into my roof, I found that these hitches (which perpendicularly connnect the bottom cord of the roof trusses to the top cord of the internal walls [non-load bearing]) have their nails all the way down the bottom of the slot. I read that they are meant to freely move vertically, and at the time of construction the nails are near the top of the slots, indicating there is meant to be some space between the roof trusses and the internal walls (which now has been reduced.)
This is a two storey house. Below these internal walls, on the ground floor, it is an open space. A carpenter told me it should be ok becase there should be a metal beam between the ground and second floor. HOwever, I do not remember there being a metal beam at the time of construction, just the timber I-beams. Additionally, the floor has dipped/sagged at the door way of these internal walls on the second floor, and whenever I walk near them there is the cracking/snapping sounds, especially first thing in the morning.
I think that the roof is sagging onto the internal walls and pushing the floor down. What do you think? And if so, can you point me to where I can find out how to rectify the situation as non-invasively as possible?


texts: plusses/minuses of a modern pellet boiler system?

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I know someone who is considering one of the Okofen (or equivalent) pellet-fuel systems to replace his house's dying oil-fired boiler. (He's keeping the existing Forced Hot Water baseboard system to distribute the heat.)

Looking at this, it appears that pellet systems are now sufficiently self feeding and self cleaning to address some of my own concerns, which were based on not having seen pellet stoves used for anything much larger than a workshop.

I'd like to see some comments from folks who have such a system on what is good, bad, unexpected, or just plain different about it compared to the usual alternative fuels of oil and gas.


texts:
I want to turn my garage into a bit of a woodworking shop (I am an amateur at best) so I want to put things on the wall such as tools and other things that must be stored there.

My garage has very rough bricks that i've never seen before (Pictured). Do I need to clad these to get a good fastening or can I drill straight into the wall?

If I do need/decide to clad the wall, how should I do it? Are there damp issues to consider?

Edit with some background: The garage is completely detached so on the other side of the wall is fresh air. The garage wall may be multiple bricks thick, i'm not sure. The garage is completely unheated currently so it's literally just a brick box. I live in the northern UK so could experience temperatures between something like -10 and 30 celsius.


texts: I have a home that has a leak or runs during heavy wind and rain.  Nobody can find where it leaks.  What can I use on the bathroom ceiling to keep the moisture from coming through and causing mold?


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I just had a new roof installed and it looks decent enough. They replaced my metal ventilation  with some plastic vents, which is fine, but I'm not sure if it was enough. I had a two layers of asphalt shingles before. It was a pretty thick roof.

Sometimes when I wake up in the morning, there is a very clear line of moisture that exists over the house, but not the garage. (it could be vice-versa, but I'm pretty sure it's over the house) This was not the way I remember it before.

Now he's mumbling something about insulation, but none of that has changed. What should I do to verify that the proper amount of ventilation or types of vents were used? Is this even my problem at all?


texts: How do I fix a sewer snake cable that has kinked inside the spooler cage?

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I had to snake out my sewer this weekend and rented a large sewer snake from the hardware store. When I hit the problem area the cutting tip on the end of the cable apparently got stuck and I didn't realize it in time. The snake model I rented has a foot switch and I kept my foot down, turning the spooler too long, trying to cut through the problem area. I have to admit I heard a couple of clanks inside the cage where the spooled cable is and that should have warned me, but being a newbie at this I thought it was just the sound of the cable vibrating from the work I was doing in the drain. Next thing I know I've got cable inside the cage all wrapped up around itself in several twisted loops. The cable wouldn't come out any further because it was blocking its own way.

My question is, how in the world do you get this unstuck? I went down to the hardware store, asked them. The know-it-all guy there said it would come unstuck, I just had to twist it back the opposite way. Well, I tried doing that, but that is spring steel cable we're talking about. The more you twist, it just wants to unwind all the harder. I stretched the exposed cable out straight, clamped some vice grips close up to where it exits the cage (which I blocked from turning with a screwdriver jammed in sideways) and tried twisting out the cable manually. That only worked to beat me up a bit when it got away from me and unwound my futile efforts. I tried running the machine in reverse and letting the vice grips brace themselves against a cinder block. The motor has enough torque to drive completely over the block, vice grips and me. I tried clamping one end of the cable in a bench vice, but this just made things worse by causing extra kinks in the cable outside the cage. All the while, my sewer is still backed up and we had a birthday party fastly approaching. I ended up calling in the real plumber and he got the drain flowing again. I still have to take the snake back in on Monday morning to avoid another $50 rental charge.

A related question would be, how do you get the kinks out of this type of cable, except I figured that one out by clamping the cable just below the middle of each kink in said bench vise and then wrestling the snake in the opposite direction of the bend. It straightened up pretty nice.

Sorry, my phone(camera) isn't working so I don't have pictures of this little "adventure" to share.


texts: Hide fiberglass insulation in ceiling next to stone wall

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I'm pretty inexperienced to say the least, so bear with me.

In my basement, the previous owners stuffed a bit of the pink insulation between the wall and ceiling but left it exposed.  I don't particularly want to install a proper ceiling down here since it's not living space, but I would like to cover up that insulation so it's not trying to fall down. Plus we'd like to use some of the space for gym equipment, and breathing that in seems less than ideal.

The difficult part (for me) is that the wall is a stone wall, so it's uneven.  What's the process for putting something up to hide and hold that insulation, but still fitting it as much to that wall as possible?


texts: Anyone know what this 4 inch pipe on the outside of my house could be?

texts: Does anyone know what this 4 inch pipe on the outside of my house could be for? It has a concrete base around it. We are installing an egress window that is next to this and wondering if this pipe is functional for something else.


texts: What Automatic Transfer Switch can switch between parallel sources without a priority setting so as to run a well pump from either of two homes?

texts:
We have two homes sharing a single well.  The other homeowner and I want to change our water system so that we each have our own Pressure Tank and we can each run the well pump with power from our own home.  Currently, my electricity and pressure tank, is supplying water to both  homes.  Our homes are 500' apart, and each home is about 300' from the pressure tank.

I'm looking for an Automatic transfer switch that will send power to the well pump from the Pressure switch of either of our Pressure Tanks.  Do any of you know of an Automatic Transfer Switch that will work for this purpose.  Our pump circuit is 20 Amp, 240 Volt.   It draws only 1600 watts when on.  We are using 10/3 wire with ground because of long wire runs.  300' runs from either his or my circuit Panels to the pressure tanks (Installed in a shed on our mutual property line).  It is another 250' from our shared Pressure tank shed to the shared well.

For the last two years the well pump has been metered.  We know that the pump typically only uses about $5/month worth of electricity.  We plan to also meter the water mainline to each of our homes. Since the cost for electricity to run the well is currently low, our main concern is giving my neighbor independent control over his water source.


texts:
I have three hot wires connected together. They are held together by electrical tape and a wire nut. The tape goes around the bare copper and then the nut goes on top of the tape. Then there's more tape on the nut.

Previously, I had done it just by putting a wire nut on first and then using tape as extra security. However, when we pressed on the nut, something apparently shorted as lights started flickering.

I could twist the wires and then put a nut on but I have a hard time gripping the wires with my hands (they move while I'm trying to twist it which results in failure).


texts: Does code require that you use only breaker brands explicitly listed on the breaker box, or are "compatible" breakers compliant?

texts:
To be clear, there's another version of this question of, "If some random off-brand breaker fits, is it acceptable?" We already know the answer is no to that.

As an example, the Westinghouse breaker panel lists 2 acceptable breaker brands: 1) Westinghouse, 2) Bryant.

Eaton states in it's description / specs, that it is listed as a compatible breaker to Westinghouse brand.

The question here is that if a breaker brand, like Eaton, formally states that it's compatible with Westinghouse, then is it ok to substitute breaker brands not explicitly listed (on the breaker panel) as acceptable?


texts: new electrical outlets and switch pop breaker

texts: We have a house from the 1960s with armored cable and metal boxes.  I was trying to replace the outlets and a switch in the kitchen so they weren't almond/painted but the new outlets and switch keep causing the breaker to pop. I put the old one back and everything works fine again.  Is there something I am missing on old vs new outlets


texts:
I have replaced some windows and bad trims. The new windows have different sizes so now I ran into few challenges.

If I put small pieces of siding to patch that area in red circle, (1) how do I "seal" in between the siding, and best with nice cosmetic fix? Another option is to replace the entire right side of the new window (but then I need to buy more sidings).

There were lots of places like below photos where the siding does not meet the trim completely. Some are 1/4" wide. (2) Do I just caulk it? What type of caulk is best for such gap?

The original trims oddly placed on top of siding as below. I need to cut back the sidings a bit and put new trims. (3) But do I need to wrap the corner with waterproof wrap or something? There are some water damage visible inside.


texts:
If I use primer on a rusty hinge, can I paint it and get away without sanding it first?

Photo:


texts: Do 240V receptacle use the same connectors as 120V receptacles for the same amperage?

texts: I feel like I'm missing something obvious. I know different plug styles are used based on a circuit's amperage (in the US) but is the same style of plug used for both 110V and 220V outlets of the same amperage?


texts: 1 inch brass union continues to leak with proper pressure and pipe dope.  Is the union bad?  How do I check?


texts: What is the life expectancy / MTBF of a 60 gal. water heater?

texts:
Specs:

Capacity: 60 gal.
Power: 4500W
Voltage: 240V
Warranty: 6 years


texts: Resurface exposed aggregate concrete patio

texts:
Is it possible to resurface an exposed aggregate concrete patio? My current patio surface is about 20 years old, and the aggregate has deteriorated a bit and is pretty ugly looking and painful to walk on. Here's a picture:

http://i.imgur.com/xgNSNgS.jpg

Resurfacing seems like a good solution, but I'm unsure of how well an overlay would bond to the aggregate stone. Is there a product that might work?


texts: Circuit breaker panel voltage drops when a load is added

texts:
I have a 240 volt 225 amp sub-panel. Both lines attached to the bus bar have 120v.

When I turn on any breaker connected to one of the bus bars, the voltage drops to 80-108v. If I remove the load and then turn on the breaker, I have 120v.

All breakers on the other bus bar when turned on do not affect the voltage. It remains at 120v.

Any idea what the issue is, as it doesn't seem to be the wire, the panel or the breakers.


texts: Have waste pipes passing through basement level to well. Want to set up a small apt at basement level so want to both hide the pipe and especially to create barrier to have it soundproof.


texts: DIY Bathroom Reno. How many panels to remove? How much wall to demo?

texts:
Background: Home built in 1962

Started demolition to the guest bathroom and gutted the tub, tile, and backboard. I would like to know how much of the drywall/cement board should I remove past the tub line?


texts: How can I create circuit diagrams and what program should I use?

texts:
Circuit diagrams are very handy. On this site, they can really help illustrate the problem or solution (see here). They can help you visualize what needs to be changed when doing work on your house, and they keep a record of how your house is wired up.

How can I easily create these diagrams, especially if I want a digital copy of them? What simple (hopefully free) programs do people use?


texts:
I'm installing a new acrylic shower pan and the drain pipe is off an inch from where the new pan needs it to be. I don't have a ton of room to make adjustments here. I want to use a mechanical seal drain instead of a solvent weld drain so that there's not as much stress for this DIYer to set the pan perfectly on the first try. So that rules out an offset drain. Are there any fittings I could use to create the inch offset I need here?
I thought about two 22.5 degree elbows, but that takes up too much height. My only other thought would be to replace the trap to adjust the angle, but off to the right (in the pic) are a lot of other fittings that all tie into the main, and it seems like that would be a way more complicated route.
The drain pipe is 2".


texts: What's the best caulk type for exterior stucco to wood window trim?

texts:
I have cracked caulk that is sealing window trim to a stucco wall. What type of caulk should I use to replace the old, deteriorated caulk?

Ideally, the caulk would be paintable.


texts: How to calculate the maximum safe load on a horizontal wooden beam?

texts:
I am thinking of constructing a wooden bed/desk/roof/shed/ship/bridge/rocket

How can I calculate the maximum load a rectangular horizontal wooden beam of dimensions L x H x W can safely support if the beam is adequately supported at both ends?

assuming worst case - load concentrated at center
for commonly available types of wood (e.g. Spruce)


texts:
I have mold/mould in the caulk/grout of my tub. Before I go about re-caulking it, I want to try killing it.
I've seen sources say to use vinegar or bleach but are these sources correct? I've also seen sources state that some mold will not be killed by bleach (they will be bleached instead).
What is the proper way?


texts: MY air conditioner's compressor keeps turning off before the desired temperature of the room is reached. I was told I could disable that feature by getting rid of the thermistor. Is this a safe alternative or is the unit broken?


texts:
We got a very nice and large piece of wool, and it would be perfect to use as a separation curtain in our small gardenhouse.

Somebody (not an expert, and not from experience) told us that somehow wool is not adapted for a garden house, it would absorb ambient water and get moldy.

I could also not find online clear explanation of the properties of wool as a curtain, and the related precaution for usage.

Our garden house is dry (no water leak inside) we are using it to sleep in summer, we are hoping to use the wool curtain to be able to also sleep warm in autumn/spring without blowing up the electricity bill. It has a small kitchen and a shower, aeration is also very good. In winter it freeze at temperature -5 C to -15 C (East of Germany)

Is it ok to use wool curtain is a garden house, what would then be the recommendations/ instructions you would give for the usage?


texts: Gravity grille not opening when bathroom fan is on

texts:
I have a question about airflow with a bathroom fan, in this case a Ventaxia VASF100T with a front cover, duct through the wall and a gravity grille on the outside.

It seems quite inefficient at clearing steam, and I am wondering if the exterior vents are just stopping air from moving outside? What I am referring to is called a "gravity grille" I would have expected the flaps to open when the fan is on but I have checked and they do not move at all.
How can air be pulled outside if there is something blocking it? Maybe the air is just recirculating..


texts: I just purchased a Leviton Combination Switch and Outlet and I wish to have the switch actually control that outlet.  I wired it to the switch end without breaking any of the tabs, and the outlet is understandably hot all the time.  Must I change the wiring configuration and remove the break off tabs?


texts: Suggestions for fixing bottom of concrete step

texts:
Part of the bottom of the side of my concrete step is crumbling away and I'm looking for advice on a reasonably quick and easy fix as I'm worried critters will get in there (if they aren't already).  My current (and potentially misguided idea) is potentially making some forms, mixing up some concrete and pushing it into the gap with the forms.

Any suggestions/help with this would be much appreciated :).


texts: installing a 360 rotating wood panel from the ceiling

texts: I want to install something similar to this image - I need to know what the hardware used is to support the wood hanging from the ceiling and in place on the floor still allowing for 360 rotation


texts:
I am in the process of purchasing a home and this was reported in the inspection report. The side of the house showed long cracked lines of the wall "with deformation". Would anyone be able to tell if this is serious? The seller does not want to fix it on their own, and agree to give us $2,000 (which I think is not enough to cover the cost to repair this).

I was wondering about how much would this cost from a professional?


texts: Garage Wall Question- Insulation and vapour barrier?

texts:
We live in Vancouver, BC, Canada. We are redoing the wall that separates our house from the garage. The wall is built with 2 by 6's and has been insulated with Roxul R20 thermal batt insulation. On the house side of the wall (inside) we have the vapour barrier. What should we be putting on the outside (garage side) of the wall? Do we put that black tar paper as if it is a true exterior wall and then put 5/8" drywall? Or vapour barrier then drywall? Or just drywall?

Thanks for your help!


texts:
I'm running a dryer vent through the floor close to a water pipe and am wondering if in very cold weather the dryer vent would get cold enough from outside air (with only the plastic cover on the outside keeping out cold air) that there might be a chance of the space under the floor getting so cold that the water pipe could freeze.

The water pipes are only about 8 inches from the outside wall.


texts: Is it ok for my doors rough opening to not be square if I'm installing a prehung door?

texts: I have a door rough opening and it isn't square but the sides are level and the top is almost level. I am installing a prehung door and it fits inside the rough opening but it doesn't have an even gap all the way around. Will this be functional and code-compliant after I shim it in?


texts:
I have a layer of old, crumbly and very sticky vinyl tiles that I need to remove to bring the old tile back (see picture). What is the best way of removing these?

Bonus question: How do I get the adhesive off the floor underneath?


texts: What material should I use to hold a live lamp piece in place?

texts:
I am repairing a lamp whose plastic rotary knob has degraded and broken (as seen on the right of the photo below).  The knob originally moved a small metal pin, which conducted the electricity for the lamp (the pin is visible in the center of the image on the left, and the top of the image on the right).

Now that the knob is broken, it can't hold the pin in place.  This has happened before and I've just glued the plastic back together, but now I'd like a longer term solution.  Since I can't find a replacement for the plastic knob, I have inserted a cord switch into the wire instead, which works just fine.  But to make this solution work, I need to keep the metal pin in place and in the on position.

Here are some options I've considered:

Solder (risking damage to the plastic bulb fitting)
Non-conductive putty (couldn't find something that fit the bill)
Glue
Cardboard
Rubber band

I've seen some posts online that suggest glue, cardboard, or rubber bands would work for low voltages (the latter two would be used to wedge the pin in place).  But I don't know if 120 volts counts as "low voltage" for this purpose.  So I'd appreciate any advice on whether one of these solutions or another one I haven't thought of would be most appropriate.


texts: Total Amperage and Electical Box Availability

texts:
Good Afternoon Everyone,

I have a few question about amperage sizing. I am looking to install a tankless water heater in our home because its a small home and the current tank water heater is placed right next to the kitchen and upgrading to a tankless water heater would allow the addition of a very much needed pantry to the already small kitchen. Well in preparation to the project I wanted to make sure I had the amperage availability to do so and thus the research started and I have a few questions I couldn't find answers to.

One post a read (I cannot find the link) said that modern houses can have a "dual pole" incoming electrical service, so the home actually can have double total available amperage than what is listed. I think the poster was either misleading in his explanation or I am not using the right search terms to find more information on this. Is this a possibility?

I did information gathering and found the rated amperage of all of the major devices in the home and they totaled 176.8 AMPs which is about 88% of the total 200 AMPS my home is currently rated for. Is the AMPs listed in the the maximum amount the devices can pull (such as when the device is first turned on) or is this the average running amperage?

The tankless water heater I want to get is the ECOSMART ECO 24, which has an amperage draw of 100 AMPS.


texts: Curb water shut off access pipe too high

texts: After removing a tree, the grade on the front of my property changed, exposing the water cut off access pipe (not sure what it's actually called). How should I go about cutting it down. Is it a DIY project? Or do I have to engage the water company?


texts: Energy Saver on new A/C doesn't work well

texts: I just got a GE AEW12AM window a/c and the energy saver mode doesn't work that well.  I'm used to the in-wall a/c that usually run for a few minutes then turn off for ten.  This GE unit seems to turn off once it gets 2 degrees below the set temperature and comes back on when it gets to 2 degrees above your specified temp. So the a/c will run for a while until it gets to the temp, but then it turns off for at least 30-60 minutes even though it starts getting kinda hot.  Part of the problem I think is that the thermostat in the a/c gets varying temperatures.  How can I fix this?


texts: How do I replace a bulb in this bathroom light/fan?

texts: Can figure out how to open it.alt text http://img715.imageshack.us/img715/2743/img4094s.jpg Maybe somebody has a similar one.


texts: What type of flooring will match my existing Brazilian Cherry engineered flooring?

texts: I cannot find these engineered wood pieces for the 9'*5" gap in my living room that I need to fill. Since the ones out of the box would anyways be much lighter than what I have on the floor already, can I substitute with a different type of wooden floor planks?


texts:
My goal is to turn on an electric generator remotely. I have a SMS (text message) controlled circuit board that has 7 relays. I can control each relay independently.  I want to send a text to essentially turn this generator that has a keyed, electric starter on it.

So, the first text should close a relay that allows energy to flow (ie. key in 'run' position). Second text will close a relay that initiates the starter for a few seconds (ie key to the 'start' position). The last text would interrupt the energy flow (ie key in off position) to stop the generator.

My question is: What wires do I need to use to allow energy flow ('run') and what wires to I need to use to initiate the starter ('start')? I have looked at the physical wiring and also the diagram but cannot figure it out. Before I do something that may harm things, I thought I'd post.

Below is the wiring diagram:


texts: I'm painting my lanai floor and it has been painted last year but changing the color. Did one area and let it dry 24hr. and I can scratch it off/ I used the paint Home Depot sold me for concrete. What is going on???


texts: How can I repair a ceiling fan that hums, but doesn't turn?

texts:
The ceiling fan/light has power. The lights work, but the fan doesn't turn even though it hums.

Why is this, and how can I fix it?


texts:
I recently bought a Chinese remote control switch using radio frequency, it's great but has a problem (note I am a newbie), I have a light switch receiving a hot wire only and giving it to the light bulb, the remote control switch has a live and neutral wiring and whenever I try connecting only live wires the remote won't work, what makes it a problem is that I believe the neutral wires are joined inside the wall or hidden in some way.
So my question is Can I wire the remote control switch without the neutral wires, note that I tried joining the neutral wires together of course it did not work so the circuit is opened.

link to the remote control switch

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/R1B1-1-Way-Port-200V-240V-Light-Digital-Wireless-Wall-Remote-Control-Switch/32266711710.html

Thanks in advance.


texts: Mounting 65” tv on panel construction wall with metal studs 24” on center

texts: The wall is Sheetrock over styrofoam panel no clearance under Sheetrock. Is there a way to mount this without opening the wall. Reading has indicated steel studs do not hold screws well


texts: Transparent stain on refinished windows requiring filler?

texts:
I'm having some old wooden windows restored. They currently have a dark stain with (the remains of) a transparent finish, and in an ideal world I'd want to stay with that. However the wood is in bad shape in some areas and will end up with some filler to patch decayed areas.

Is a transparent stain and finish going to look terrible? I'm not expecting perfection, but I don't want them to look like crap. Do I just need to bite the bullet and accept either paint or an opaque stain? Can anyone point me to some pictures? (I've tried googling for images but have not had much luck.)


texts: Stain, poly, cut… What order should I use when installing window trim?

texts:
This is my first carpentry project where 'looks matter'… I recently installed a new window in my living room, and it's now time to trim out the interior. The other windows in the house have simple stained pine as moulding, so I will attempt to do the same for this window.

Obviously I will need to stain and polyurethane the trim, cut it to size, affix it to the wall, and fill the nail holes with wood putty. What I'm not sure about is what would be the best order to do these tasks. What would you recommend?

Some orders I've considered are:

Stain → Poly → Cut → Install → Putty
Stain → Cut → Install → Putty → Poly
Cut → Install → Stain → Putty → Poly


texts: Can I shut off the cold water supply to an oil furnace while away on vacation?

texts: I have a hot water baseboard oil fired system. I am going away for a while and would like to shut off the cold supply to all the house in case of a water leak. If I leave the furnace on to heat the house, will shutting off the cold water supply to the furnace be a problem?


texts: What is the 2-inch layer of masonry under my bathroom tile?

texts: My house is 1 story, but I have a basement so all the floors on the main level are "upstairs" and have a wooden subfloor. I ripped out the vanity in a bathroom I'm working on and starting taking out the tile. I had a bit of trouble because the vanity had to be lifted almost 2" to come out which I thought was odd. It looks like there is some type of poured in "concrete" like material above the wooden subfloor and the tile. Any idea what this is? Can I just pour in more where the vanity was to level it out?


texts: Water coming into garage from outside when it rains, no basement

texts: When it rains hard, water comes into the garage floor, from the outside garden. The floor in the garage gets totally wet. I do not know what to do. Does anyone have experience on this matter?


texts: Accidentally Used Topping Compound for Taping Drywall Joint. What To Do?

texts:
I made a rookie mistake and accidentally used Topping Compound when I taped my newly-hung drywall.

To be clear: I used topping on the joint and then embedded the tape into it.

What should my next step(s) be?

Can I use all-purpose to go over the tape to help with adhesion? Or, should I just continue on and use Topping for 2nd and 3rd coats?


texts: I've been working on installing a sliding "barn" door. Unfortunately, I hung the door too low by about 1/4 inch because the directions that came with the hardware to do so are incorrect. As a point of pride I contacted the company to try understand how I had screwed this up; they confirmed via email with new directions that the hardware measurements in directions were incorrect. Never-the-less this doesn't help me as I have already install the railing and don't want to drill new holes (the railing goes into bare wood so the old holes would not be easy to cover up and would be unsightly). Therefore, I think I'm left with two options. 1) trim the door down or 2) sand the region of the floor where the door makes contact. 1) seems like the obvious answer, but will break the symmetry of the door and bothers my aesthetics. 2) would require sanding a 2 inch x 1.5 inch section of the wood floor (near the wall) down 1/8 - 1/4 inch and then refinishing that section of the floor. The house is old so the floor slopes away from that point and the spacing isn't an issue anywhere else. My question is if this is feasible and/or a reasonable approach and if there are any potential issues with doing this?


texts: Potential Home Grounding Issue - Illinois

texts:
I recently bought a new manufactured home.  There are instances where people have touched the front door and received an electric shock.  Using a non-contact voltage detector, I confirmed that there is detectable voltage present. Using my meter, I see 72V from the frame to ground.

I have an outside meter on a pole, a disconnect box underneath it, and have wiring in sch 80 electrical pvc conduit running under my house feeding up into the breaker box.

Click for larger view

I asked a friend to come and look, and he suggested that I needed a ground wire from the outside disconnect to the inside breaker box.  I have a grounding rod connected to the outside disconnect and 3 wires running through the conduit (2 hot, 1 neutral) into the house.  There is also a bare copper wire running from the grounding bar in the breaker box that is lugged to the frame under the house.

My first thought was that a screw in the door facing had nicked a wire.  After removing every screw, that does not appear to be the cause.  Likewise, the problem seem intermittant and isn't experienced on other doors in the house.

Do I need a grounding wire from between the breaker box and the outside disconnect?  If so, would I achieve the same thing by running a ground wire from the breaker box to a different grounding rod since it will be ridiculuously hard to try and feed an extra wire back through the conduit now?


texts: Can I use ratchet straps to lift a dolly into a truck bed?

texts: I may be moving a 200lb appliance without help.  I have some 1" width strap ratchets rated at 500lb from home depot (4pack).  Could I stand in the bed and ratchet up the dolly backwards? Anyone done something like this and tips?  I also have some 1000lb pulleys available.


texts:
I have a ~18 month old refrigerator (a Whirlpool, french doors, similar to this model).  About two months ago we found that the freezer had largely thawed (as in, all of the food in it was thawed, ice cream melting out of the tub, ice packs not solid), and the refrigerator was over temp by several degrees; at the time the fridge was ~43-44 degrees in the morning at first check (before it was opened at all), eventually it hit more like 47-48.  The back of the freezer (behind the drawers) had significant amounts of visible ice, but the vents didn't seem blocked, though it seems like they must have been if there was a lot of ice along the freezer wall but nothing else frozen...

We called a repairperson, and he came and suggested that the thermistat that controled the defrost cycle was the issue.  After fully defrosting the fridge/freezer (leaving it unplugged for two days), he replaced it, and it worked fine for ~2 months.  I say okay, because the refrigerated section never really was as cold as we wanted; we set it to 34, and that let it get to 38 to 39, which was close (we prefer 37).

About two weeks ago, we found the freezer thawed again with ice on the back and the fridge at 41.  I emptied the freezer but took no other action; after three to four days, the freezer was able to hold temperature again and the refrigerator back to 39.  This held for about two weeks; yesterday it was again thawed and 41 in the refrigerator, though.

Does it sound like there are still defrost cycle issues here (and the main board needs replacing and/or another new thermostat), or is there something else going on here?  Are there any steps I can take before calling for service again?

I will note that I've been a bit concerned about the placement of the fridge in terms of ability to release heat - it's nearly fully enclosed by cabinet on one side, back wall on one side, and a thin cabinet-matching wood board on the third side, plus on top more cabinet-matching trim.  There's a few inches clearance in each direction but that's it.  The repairman didn't have any objections to the setup and thought it was fine, but I'm wondering if we need to figure out some way to get it some more air?  Or is this no longer really a problem with modern refrigerators?  Does this sort of problem match this type of cause?


texts: Hard-wiring my Temporary power pole to my job site

texts:
Wife and I purchased an unfinished house just before covid. The majority of work remaining is unlicensed and cosmetic (doors, trim, paint, floors etc.), which I can do myself. In the last 2 months we've had numerous break in attempts at the job site. I've added window bars and security doors, but was hoping to light the property up to further discourage trespassing and future break in attempts. The job site currently only has a temporary/construction pole for power. I understand the logistics/mechanics of wiring, so my question is:
Can a licensed electrician legally hard-wire power from the temp pole to the house to feed flood and porch lights?


texts: I have a range that I am hooking up, there is a red wire, black wire, copper wire and a white wire, I am asking if the white wire is a common wire or is it ground?


texts: Replacing two magnetic ballasts with starters with one electronic ballast that runs two bulbs. Can I leave the starters in place or should I replace the bulb sockets?


texts: Is it possible to install flush mount floor vents in a laminate wood floor?

texts: My laminate flooring doesn't come with floor vents so I may have to find some and stain them.  I was told I need to get the drop in floor vents that sit above the flooring, but is there an easy way to get flush mount floor vents with 8mm thick laminate flooring?


texts: A three-way light switch allows the light to be controlled from two locations. How does this work?


texts: Is it ok to use pneumatic tools underwater

texts: I have a concrete that is stuck underwater. The concrete piece is too heavy. I think that I could break it into small pieces with my pneumatic impact drill.


texts:
Long story short AC stopped working went to investigate found issue to be pressure switch

(presumably, not sure if switch is high or low side) push to reset switch seems fine (image shows continuity)

and I am getting proper "activation" voltage (shown here https://imgur.com/FmU7BGb) (not sure what the correct term is), contactor activates fine if I hook it up directly.

Is it a pressure issue? has the switch failed?
What should I do, can I bypass that switch temporarily (so half my house isn't 90°)? Is it even possible to replace such a switch without removing all of the refrigerant?
Edit: I seem to get voltage through the switch but when I connect the other end to the contactor it drops off. In other words the switch seems to be high resistance and not completely cut off, this leads me to believe the switch is faulty


texts: Installing railing pickets using dowel pins

texts:
I am building porch railing, and I'm considering using dowels to attach the pickets so that no nailing is required.

For 2x2 pickets:

What size dowel stock should I use?
How long should each dowel pin be?
How tight should they fit into the hole?
Should I glue the dowel pins at all?

Also, dowel stock is available in oak and pine. Oak costs twice as much, but is it going to do significantly better in an outdoor application? I am pre-priming and painting every piece of lumber.


texts: My contractor included "re-tank" toilet in work that he said he had completed in a list of works to be carried out, but we are still having leaking. What does re-tank mean and how do I know that its been done. I think maybe it hasn't!


texts: Removing Ceiling Fan with two switches - with a light fixture. Can I make one switch an outlet?

texts:
Technically I don’t need any switches since I’m using smart bulbs, but is there a way I can make one of the switches an outlet?  The ceiling fan wires are Ground, Red, White and Black.
I’ll have to open the switch box to take a photo, but no there was no outlet before. There are three switches. 1 that was for the fan, 1 that was for the light and 1 that is for an outlet. The one for the outlet is working fine, and is being left alone. Currently I’ve hooked the light’s white to the house red wire and the lights black to house black and I can get the lights to work with the switch. I’m hoping I can replace the other switch with an outlet.


texts: Would adding new basement windows jeopardize the integrity of the foundation?

texts:
We are finishing our basement and would like to install 4 new hopper windows onto the front side of the house.  My question is what is the largest reasonably sized window that can be cut from the concrete without degrading the integrity of the house, assuming that 4 windows are being added to the front of the house, one under each first floor window (new basement windows would be no wider than the existing 1st floor windows).

When we laid out approximately where the windows would go (underneath each of the 1st floor windows) and used the width of the existing hopper windows we have (32"), they all span 2 joists.  Reducing the width of the window results in only 1 of the 3 spanning 2 joists.

An idea I came across is the possibility of adding something like a steel angle bar that could be inserted to replace the wood sill and overlap onto the concrete by 8 to 10 inches.  The steel angle bar of beam would support the joists and everything above them and the concrete would support the angle bar/beam.

Any thoughts on this idea or any other suggestions so that we do not compromise the structural integrity of the house, but maximize the window size.


texts:
I have rat traps in my attic and I catch a rat every few months.

Answers on rat/mice problems - such this one How can I get rid of a mouse in my house? - always include the suggestion to track down how they are getting in. Any suggestions for how to go about doing that? Finding a tiny hole in a large attic seems like a daunting problem to me.


texts: HVAC blower often (but not always) gets stuck ON.

texts:
I have a mid 1970’s G&S furnace.   The blower often (but not always) gets stuck in the on mode even when heat isn’t being called for.

The only way to stop it is to unplug the unit. Re-connecting even after several hours does not fix the problem.

It does, however, rarely stop in its own.

I tried removing the thermostat (Honeywell T5) from the wall and it kept running.

The filter was recently changed.

Any ideas?


texts: Can I connect the R and C wires directly to the HVAC transformer?

texts:
I have a Rheem furnace and a Ecobee3 smart thermostat. I'm having a problem where the Ecobee3 randomly loses power and reboots. I've traced this back to the control board (IFC) inside the HVAC unit. I don't know exactly what is causing the power to cut out, but my guess is that it is some type of kill switch built into the unit. Regardless of the reason the power is cutting out, I want to see if I can first fix my Ecobee3 issue.

To fix the Ecobee3 issue, can I remove the R and C wires from the IFC and wire them directly into the transformer inside the HVAC unit?

EDIT: Here is the wiring diagram image.

Also, the IFC model number is 1012-925A and the HVAC unit is a Rheem Classic 90 Plus. I don't know the if the number on the wiring diagram is the model number, but that number is 90-24007-03.

EDIT 2: I pulled two different switches. One of the limits for the burners (first image) and one for the pressure switches (second image). When the burner switch was open, the thermostat lost power. When the second was open, the thermostat didn't lose power.

It looks like the HVAC system or the IFC is opening one of the limits, which is cutting power to the board. This must be how it prevents the house for exploding. :)

I don't think it is normal that the HVAC/IFC is killing power multiple times per day, but it sounds like it might be time to have someone take apart the whole system and see why that is happening.


texts: Why is my brand new PEX clear tubing turning green near the water heater?

texts:
I just moved into my house with brand new PEX (uponor) plumbing.  I used clear for the hot and cold instead of red and blue, because I bought everything myself and I thought it would prevent wasting too much.  I installed the PEX tubing myself after buying a new Milwaukee tool.  This was my first PEX DIY project, but I have a fair bit of experience with lots of remodeling trades.

Anyway, we have been using the plumbing for about 6 weeks.  I just noticed that the hot water tubing right near the water heater (commonly abbreviated as HWH) now has a green hue for about 12-24" past the heater.  The water itself is not stinky or green - although I do notice a slightly different smell than with my old copper plumbing.  There is about 3 feet of SS flex and copper between the water heater and the PEX.  Our County inspector approved everything.  The water heater is electric and it is about 5 years old, purchased from someone on craigslist.  The water heater was empty when I moved it into the house, but I didn't try to clean it with anything.

So, what is causing the PEX tubing to turn green?  Should I make the water heater hotter?  I don't think it is above 120F, but I haven't measured it.  Should I figure out how to inject bleach into the system every once in a while?

Edit: added picture.  It turned out better than I expected.


texts: Can I add a light fixture to an existing circuit but with its own switch?

texts: I have a ceiling fixture in middle of kitchen. Would like to install light over sink. Can I use the wiring in the existing light to wire the light over the sink and have a separate switch for each light? I don't want both lights to come on when I flip the switch for the ceiling light.


texts: Hiding Ugly HVAC Outdoor Venting and Intake

texts:
I have 3 HVAC pipes coming out of my house, by my entrance that are eye sores.  One set (intake/exhaust) is for my furnace and the largest one is an exhaust for my hot water tank.  They are directly beside my side entrance and I need a solution to hide them.

I would like to build a vented wooden box to place plants on top to cover the pipes, but I understand that the pipes need a certain clearance to vent and take in fresh air.  Is it possible to build a box with 1 inch slats or is that not enough?  Any suggestions would be appreciated.  I have attached a picture of the pipes, along with a rough idea of the flower box.


texts: How do I stop my driveway from flooding?

texts:
I purchased this home recently and when it rained, this happened. This is as soon as I step out onto my driveway. Would sand bags help in this case? I would love to fix it in the most cost effective way possible.

Driveway pictures


texts: How can I clean powder of dry paint on carpet?

texts:
I removed old paint from the wall with a steamer. Now I have a lot of this old paint in the form of powder or very small pieces all over my carpet.

It's OK because I plan to replace this carpet soon, however in the meantime I'd like to make it relatively clean.

Is there a way to remove this dry paint from the carpet without using a professional vacuum cleaner?


texts: Can I use metal brackets to install a wood fence across an existing concrete driveway?

texts:
We want to install a wood fence on top of a 4", 3000 psi wire meshed concrete driveway.  I want to hold the 4" posts up using base plates that are made of approximately 1/4" or thicker steel. The square base plate I thought would be about 10" X 10". And a welded on socket for the post to go into would be about 10 inches tall. A horizontal bolt would hold the post in place in the socket. I will anchor the plates to the concrete with 1/2" or larger bolts.

Does this set up sound ok? Will it eventually cause the fence to wobble side to side in the sockets? Would it possibly break the concrete out even though no posts will be near any edge. Do the base brackets sound ok?


texts: Electric Panel / Breaker Size for Nano Brewery 2bbl Brewing Kettle

texts: I have a 2bbl (make 60 gallons of beer) Brewing Kettle in my Nano Brewery.  It uses 2 4500w and 1 3000w Water Heater Elements to bring the wort to a boil.     Once to wort reaches boiling the 2 4500w elements are switched off and the 3000w has enough power to keep it at boiling.  This kettle has been in storage for many years and the original information about the electrical connections has been lost.Is a 60 amp GFCI Breaker / Panel enough to run this?   What size wire should be used within this setup.  Thanks in advance for any answers to this.


texts: What are the requirements for a bathtub or steam shower in a bedroom?

texts:
We live in a suburb of Minneapolis. Our master bedroom has a decent amount of unused space. My wife really wants a steam shower. Rather than remodeling an existing bathroom, I've started thinking about adding the steam shower to our bedroom.

Steam showers are enclosed and well-sealed to keep the steam from escaping until you get out. Many of them also seem to be more-or-less freestanding, and don't need to be fixed to the floor/walls to the same degree as a normal shower/tub.

Bathrooms of course have special code requirements around ventilation, electrical, etc.

I'm wondering what kinds of things we would need to think about in order to plan this project. For example, at its simplest could the steam shower just be installed in a corner of the bedroom? Or does it need to be walled off with its own door/HVAC/etc?


texts: Do you know any switches which turns on/off based on day light?

texts:
I am looking for having some sensor based switches which will turn on/off the lights based on the light conditions during the day (i.e. turn on when there is less light and turn off when there is more light)

Also, is there a way to connect this switch with multiple light source?

Please let me know.


texts:
We have outdoor carpet on my covered patio that we want to remove. The problem is that the glue holding the carpet down is orange and very ugly.

ow can I remove this glue safely without injuring my animals (cats, dogs, desert tortoise).

I have a 2700 PSI pressure washer, will that do it? If not, what should I use to remove the glue so we can expose the concrete?


texts: Do I need to have receptacles that I added tested before selling my home?

texts:
In my house in Cambridgeshire England I added 2 sockets to front room and bedroom the sockets was added into the ring main. This was done 10 years ago.

Now that I am selling my house, do I need to get the sockets checked or get and electrical test done? Do I need to notify the buyers of this?


texts: Latex paint to magnet non-toxic adhesive

texts:
I'm looking for a non-toxic adhesive for a baby's room that would glue a relatively lightweight magnetic strip to painted wood.
I'm fixing some blackout window blinds that use a magnet to attach a side rail that blocks some light. The magnet originally came with some 2-sided tape adhesive on it  but it has since lost its adhesion. (I think due to the cold weather)
I would normally just use a construction adhesive but I'm worried about fumes, etc.


texts: Home AC Filter Location and Half Inch Sizes

texts:
Our home AC system allows us to put a filter either in the ceiling intake or directly under the air handler intake.  I feel the ceiling intake may be better because more debris will be trapped before it gets into the air return duct work. Is a filter at the ceiling intake or the air handler intake location better?
We have been using an 18x30 filter in our ceiling intake, but the filters keep getting bent and sucked into the intake. The actual intake hole measures 18x30 and the filters are 17.5x29.5 and they just don’t fit very snug. We seem to remember when we originally moved into the house it had a filter that was 18.5 x 30.5, but that does not seem to be a standard filter size. Is 18.5 x 30.5 a standard size?
I was thinking get a cheap cut-to-fit "blue" filter to catch the large debris at the ceiling intake to solve our size issue and use a better quality filter at the air handler intake to catch the smaller particles. Is this double filtering too much air flow restriction?


texts: What do I do if some of my smoke alarms ac power doesn't work?

texts: I have 5 smoke detectors in my home, 2 of them have the green ac power light on and are interconnected. Those 2 are on opposite sides of my home from each other but I have 3 on 1 side but those don't seem to have ac power and when the alarm goes off it doesn't interconnect with the rest. I made sure connection was plugged in properly but only 2 have the green light on


texts: What is the most effective way to get rid of silverfish?

texts:
I recently moved to an apartment near the ocean and the air is more humid/moist than any of my previous homes. I've noticed that at night a few silverfish always come out in my bathroom (linoleum floors) and when I try to catch them, the would often escape through the crack between the wall and the floor.

I did some research and found that diatamaceous earth is a non-toxic material that helps with the control of these little guys. I bought some and laid down this fine dust along the floor boards of my bathroom. However, this didn't do that much to control the silverfish.

I recently found a couple of babies inside a framed print! I've also seen some on the carpet in the apartment (I might see more, but the carpet camouflages them a bit!).

What is the best way to control these pests short of fumigating the whole place?

(n.b. I have a cat and a newborn in the apartment)


texts: Can you just put drywall up in a basement without providing electrical outlets?

texts:
I would like to add 2 by 4 framing and drywall in the basement to insulate and partition into a workout area and a closet. I plan to only use overhead lighting and not put in any electrical outlets on the framed drywall. Instead, electrical boxes will be mounted externally to provide electricity to exercise equipment where needed. The area will be carpeted.
Question is whether it is necessary to install builtin electrical outlets to drywall partitions in a basement (like every 10' or something like that).


texts: How to properly install irrigation system/garden faucet

texts:
I want to install an above ground irrigation system for our flowers (large flower farm).  The part I am having trouble with is how to properly connect to the main water supply without having backflow.  I would like to have a setup like below (I will add a blowout to prevent pipe freezing).

The pipe that goes underground will tee off, one end going to a garden faucet, and the other end to the irrigation lines.  The pipe will travel 100-150 feet underground and eventually end up 5 feet higher than its starting point.  This means it will be above the faucet at its end point.  I am unsure what type of backflow prevention I would need, and where I should put it.  I figure I need something in the mainline before the tee in the picture, but am not sure what.  I read that RPZ is "the best" but am worried about potential flooding.
Also, I live in Maryland and am on Well Water.


texts: Home Electrical AC Wiring Layout & Estimation Questions

texts:
I'm in the late planning stages of my retirement home, which I will be building in the rural Philippines. While I have no experience in construction, it's one of my 'bucket list' projects and I am determined to learn enough to at least supervise its proper construction.

I am now working on designing the layout for the AC wiring and have some questions for which I would be grateful for some expert guidance.

Specifically I'm thinking of running the wiring for the ac sockets in conduit, which will be embedded in the poured concrete floor slab. However, I plan to use a junction box to feed some of the sockets. Is it ok to embed these junction boxes? Would plastic junction boxes be ok to use?

Also, I have seen these convenient looking quick 'snap' wire connectors which can interconnect between 2-4,5 wires together. Are these reliable?

Lastly, in learning about wiring wall switches and lights it seems that the live/phase wire is mainly used to interconnect and power everything. The neutral and ground wires seem to connect the lights back to the DP. This being a reasonably accurate understanding(?), is there a general rule of thumb that can be used to estimate how much of each type/colour of wire to buy. For example, for a given length of live/phase brown colour wire purchased, one should buy 60% of that same length for the neutral (Blue colour) and ground (Y-G) wires?

Any experienced guidance would be much appreciated. Th


texts: Installing an electrical outlet in my attic?

texts: So before it snows and gets colder outside I would like to install an electrical outlet in my attic. I'm gonna hook up a light to it. In my attic there is some wire running along the beams, could I splice it and add a junction box and then hook up a the electrical outlet to it? Thanks in advance.


texts: How to position pocket hole jig based on wood thickness

texts:
I have a very basic pocket hole jig without clamp or guide:

How far from the end of the piece of wood being drilled should this be positioned, and how can I calculate the required screw length?


texts: How to make a 8 inch hole through a brick wall for venting

texts:
I am planning on Installing a Vent hood the manufacturer recommends 8 inch duct work.

I am looking for options to make this hole.

1) Diamond hole saw.
I couldn't find a diamond hole saw in 8 inch.

2) Core Drill
 But I will get a clean hole. My question is how do I measure the thickness of exterior wall. I have brick which is about three inches. I measure the wall thickness near my garage with brick it comes to around 10 inches. Is this correct ?


texts: What size breaker and wire do I need for a 220 volt circuit to an electric fireplace and an electric heater?

texts: I want to run a 220 volt circuit from panel to an electric fireplace (12 amps)  and an electric heater (15 amps).  What size breaker should I use and what size wire?


texts: Can I move the main electrical panel to the unattached garage?

texts:
My main electrical service runs overhead from a pole behind my unattached garage, to the back of the house.  There is also an underground conduit from the house to the garage supplying a sub panel there.  Because I've had tree limbs pull this line down in a storm, and because the overhead wires are in the way of some home improvement projects, I've been considering having the lines buried.  I'm wondering if I have another option.  Can I have things rewired so the garage panel becomes the main panel supplying the panel in the house?  This would allow a very short overhead connection from the pole to the garage.

Thank you for any feedback.


texts: How do I grout a marble and metal linear mosaic tile backsplash

texts: I am installing a marble and aluminum back splash in my kitchen.  I have read that the marble should be sealed prior to and after grouting. I found a sealer suitable for marble, but it says to avoid contact with metal and other surfaces.  Does the marble have to be sealed prior to grouting?  Is there a sealer suitable for the aluminum?


texts: How to cleanly remove pleated blinds from thermopane windows?

texts:
I have some pleated blinds stuck to the thermopane window frames of my apartment. It's the kind that sticks to the frame, you don't need to drill holes (this is it: https://www.amazon.co.uk/IKEA-SCHOTTIS-Pleated-blind-90x190/dp/B00RK4U1DK).

I tried to remove one but the material just detached itself from the glue and the frame, with the glue being stuck on the window frame.

How can I safely remove the blinds from the window? By safely I mean not using some toxic or intense smelling substance and not damaging the window frame?


texts: Are there any load meters available for my main electric panel?

texts:
I have a 200A main coming into the house (Bryant-type panel, which is basically GE now) and was wondering if there is a digital/analog load meter that could be hooked up? I have a clamp meter now, to test circuits, and know that Reliant makes these for 30A/50A generator feeds, but is there a good one that I could use on the main?

I've seen some pictures of digital/lcd in a 2gang box, connected via metal conduit, and put it above the panel, but wasn't sure if there is a good brand or page with instructions on these. I assume that it was just a digital/analog meter and they run the clamp through the conduit, attaching around one side of the main.


texts: What's the difference between commercial and residential tankless water heaters?

texts:
I'm trying to figure out the difference between two tankless water heaters, produced by the same manufacturer, one a "Commercial" and another a "Residential". The commercial one is allowed to be used for space heating applications, the residential one is not.

Within the manual, the specs for the residential heater indicate that it does not get as hot as the commercial heater, but everything else seems the same.

If I am fine with the lower temperatures, does anyone know why I cannot use the residential heater for a bit of space heating?

REU-V2520FFU - Residential

REU-V2520FFUC - Commercial


texts:
I am based in Canada.  I am planning to install an electrical outlet above a gas fireplace in which to mount a TV.   I plan to fish 14/2 NMD90 to that outlet which means the cable will be routed directly above the gas fireplace and radiating heat inside the finished wall cavity.  The cable has a temperature rating of 90 degrees.  The circuit would be 15 amp circuit breaker.

I have dropped a thermometer into the wall cavity at the approximate cable location to measure the ambient temperature after fireplace running for 2 hours.  It is averaging 36 degrees.

From googling; I am learning that if the ambient temperature is above 30 degrees Celsius, I must derate the cable ampacity using ambient temperature table.

Using the CEC and NEC tables; I have concluded the following but hoping someone can validate my work and understanding to advise if I have factored this correctly.

Romex 14/2 NMD90 rated for 90 degrees

CEC table shows 90 degree 14 gauge cable as capable of carrying 35 amps at 30 degrees Celsius ambient temperature.  (with a caveat that circuit breaker cannot exceed 15 amps).

NEC table shows that a 36-40 degree ambient temperature when using a 90 degree rated cable should be derated at .91 of its ampacity.

So, 35 amps x .91 = 31.85 amps (albeit 14 gauge must be restricted to 15 amp circuit breaker).   I would assume based on this, that it would be safe to install the 14/2 NMD90 as planned?


texts: How can I mount heavy stuff on wooden studs?

texts:
I want to replace my kitchen cabinets (shoddy DIY stuff, very rough) with some nice floating shelves.

I tried to find information on how to mount heavy stuff to wooden studs but all I found were information for what fasteners to use when mounting heavy stuff into drywall.

What kind of fasteners do I need to use if I want to mount something that will be bearing heavy loads into a wooden stud?


texts: Why energy saving bulb flashes when the switch is off?

texts:
I have a energy saving spiral light bulb in my kitchen. In exactly every 27 seconds, the first segment of the bulb faintly flashes when the switch is off. And not once, repeatedly every 27 seconds. This weird situation occurs for more than half and a year. What can be causing these flashes? How can I prevent it if it spends energy or has safety risks?

PS: A new spiral bulb does the same thing. And the bulb doesn't flash when I remove from socket.


texts:
My house has forced air HVAC. When I finished the basement, I used a closed cell foam insulation that worked very well. The basement will get only 8 degrees cooler than the first floor during a time when it's zero F overnight. Now that my family is spending more time down there, they are asking for a bit warmer.

This is the duct I want to tap into, 10-1/2" high, 24" wide measured over the drywall. There are 2x4s wrapped around the duct to hold the drywall. I'd like to put 2 vents on it. This leads to my questions.

All the metal duct pieces I see at Home Depot assume a connection to a round duct, and in fact, this is how this huge box ultimately feeds the floor above it. This seems to tell me that what I'm about to do isn't really ideal. So, right here, I'll ask for an alternate suggestion.
But if I'm willing to risk having that room above give up some air flow, what's the best method to physically produce the vent holes here?

The second choice to add a few degrees would be a baseboard mounted electric heater. This is what I use in a room over the garage where the airflow was ok, but it was too big a fight against the garage being not insulated, so the whole floor was freezing. At least here, we're just talking less than 10 degrees to warm up. And it's only during the freezing cold snaps.

Last, in the summer the basement is as cool as the first floor, even on hottest days.

Update - that side? Metal beam. Instead, I put a ceiling vent 12x8" on the underside. 24 hours later, the room is 5F cooler than 1st floor, from the 10F it was prior. Yes, it's a trunk to feed vents on the first floor, but the loss isn't noticeable. My next step is to pop one more 12x8 and see what difference is left. A space heater can be usedfor a few degrees delta, but 10 was just too much.


texts: Ceramic Stain: Removal (from hot water tank)

texts:
I was adjusting the hot water tank this afternoon and draining the tank just as part of maintenance since it hadn't been done in who knows how long.  The tank looks fairly new (no more than 5 years old) (I'm renting this house).

Plus, on a side note, our hot water upstairs has been VERY poor.

Overall, my hot water issues were fixed after adjusting the hot water thermostat, but while removing the water hose from the drain valve, some water spewed out of the house due to the pressure.  Not that much water hit the ceramic type, and I was able to wipe it up pretty fast.

My issue is this, after this happened, I noticed on one tile there is a fairly large stain.  The tile is a white beigeish color.  The stain is almost a grayish stain that you can really tell due to the tile color.

Does anyone know what this stain could be from (why did water stain my tile) and what is the best way to get rid of the stain, besides replacing the tile?


texts:
I am presently renovating a house that has a 4" difference from the middle to the one side due to the subsidence.

It is a semi-detached duplex, with 3 floors including the basement. The worst is the basement and the 1st floor (4" difference). Now the foundation is no longer subsiding because some stakes are driven to the ground. Now I am going to level the floors and ceilings.

I was told the proper approach was to first remove the floor and subfloor, then find the highest joist and draw a level line around the wall at this point. A this point I would have two options:

Drill holes little bigger than the bolts and sister new joists with old ones with bolts and nuts.

or

Use construction adhesive to glue the new joists to the old ones.

I have no idea which one is better or maybe neither of them works. I'd like y'all's input. Thanks!


texts: Should water heater thermostats be set to the same temperature?

texts:
Should the top and bottom water heater thermostats be set to the same temperature?

I did a quick google search and saw all kinds of differing opinions.  for instance, this guy seems like he knows what he's doing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCDvHIcPreo&t=2m09s

and he said the top thermostat should be set to a higher temperature than the low one, but other places I've read said they should be at the same temperature.

my water heater's old, if that makes a difference.  I didn't see a date, but the energy sticker had some reference to 1994.  sorry I don't have more info; the thing's wedged back in a tight closet and hard to get to.


texts: How do I install uninsulated halogen can lights?

texts: I have some halogen can lights that just have a metal shell around them. The instructions say something like they need 3 inches of clearance. What is the best way to install these lights?


texts: Ground Wires in a Multi Ganged Switch Box

texts: I went to install a Lurton  3-way motion sensor lightswitch in a three gang switch box. One of the other switches is a 3-way & the other is a 1-way for the porch light. I found all neutral wires tied together with a wire nut, BUT, all of the ground wires were also tied together with no connection to any of the switches. They are all inside a plastic switch box so none of the switches appeared to be grounded. The single switch box that contains the 3-way motion sensor switch was wired the same way. I can understand the neutral wires connected but each switch SHOULD be individually grounded. I connected each switch in the 3 gang switch box to aground wire (all switches on the same circuit) and now I’m reading 60 VAC on the ground wire of the 3-way Switch that’s connected to the motion sensor 3-way switch installed in the single switch box. That’s not good. Should I retie all of the ground wires and use pigtails to ground each switch?


texts: Can I use quarter-turn ball valves with compression fittings or threads for my water shutoff valves?

texts:
I've got gate valves (I think that's what they're called) for all of my water shutoff valves. It's a pain to close them, and they don't quite close all the way anyway, so I was thinking of replacing them with quarter-turn ball valves.

I have no experience soldering / sweating pipes, so would like to use compression fitting valves or threaded valves (with threaded-to-compression adapters to connect to existing copper). Is there anything wrong with this approach? Would it be acceptable for any water shutoff in the house - main, water heater, sinks, dishwasher, toilets?


texts:
I want to do something like this photo but I don't know how to attach the one-step platform thing:

I circled two areas that should be attached by nails (assuming 16d Common Nail). But the photo shows they are not attached on the right side.

My question is: how to property attach the lower stair like this case? Or should I just submerge it into concrete in some part?


texts: Why did Home Depot (.ca) try to sell me "Door Swings" with my fridge? What are they?

texts:
I was eyeing up delivery charges etc for a french door fridge I was buying, and homedepot.ca at that point informed me I should buy "door swings" (optional).

What are "doorswings"?  I found this page with zero information
https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/p.doorswings.1000116332.html

In this example I selected a $6000 fridge, and they want to nickel and dime me for another $25 for hardware to attach the doors?!

I ended up buying the fridge at lowes.ca, and neither they nor bestbuy had any warnings about 'doorswings'.

Please tell me I didn't just buy a $2000 fridge that doesn't include a way to attach the doors!


texts: e have a small cabin on a lake that as mainly used for weekends. Now that we have retired we have been living here full time. Our kitchen sink goes from under the sink, out the wall and into a gray water catchment. There is no vent and it empties very slowly. I have a 2 sided sink and it will come up on both sides when it drains. My husband say that since it goes out from the sink and straight out the wall and straight down that it doesn't need a vent. I say that when it goes out the wall their sound be a vent on that pipe so the water runs faster and doesn't back up into the other side o the sink too.Couldn't we put a connector on the pipe outside of the wall that has 2 openings? One or the pipe going down and one for a vent line?


texts: What does the residue of masking and duct tape smell like?

texts:
I laid some vinyl and went around the perimieter of my whole room with yellow masking tape and duct tape.  Under the vinyl there are floorboards which have laminate the back of which seem to gas noticeable formaldehyde. I know there was also some damp under the floorboards which is no longer getting moisture.

Anyway today I removed the duct tape and masking tape and it has expected a formaldehyde type green smell like if that makes any sense.  I’m trying to figure out if the smell was is from damp, laminate or duct tape or masking tape residue.

Can you tell me what the residue of the two tapes smell like? I’m working on Cleaning up the residue but it doesn’t seem like an easy task.  Meantime I want to know what this smell is as I’d like to get rid of it and know where to focus my efforts.

Thanks


texts: I'm replacing a regular light switch with a new dimmer switch. When I pulled out the switch, there was a red and black wire that were slotted into the top of the switch, and then a thicker black wire slotted into the bottom.  And the grounding wire.  The new dimmer switch has a green and white wire - I know the green wire is the grounding wire but don't know which of the black and red wire from the outlet is the neutral and which is hot.  Also, on the side of the dimmer switch are spots for Load and Line. So I have 3 wires to connect to the white (neutral) wire, the Load and the Line on the dimmer...


texts: What can I use to lubricate CAT6 cables while installing them?

texts:
I am about to run some network wires inside the wall at home. I had already done so but apparently too much pressure on them while pulling caused one of the pairs to go bad and therefore prevent gigabit speeds.

I am going to replace them so I was wondering what options do I have to make the pulling easier? I have been told soap (yes soap) could be used to pull AC cables but I am afraid it could damage the network cables? Would (sex) lube be any better?

Any thoughts on this?

Edit: Thanks everyone for the input! I just pulled some new wires, used dish soap and got someone to push from the other side and everything went really smooth!