texts:
I have 4 recessed lights in my kitchen, all of them G24 CFL sockets. The lights currently in them are very warm colored. They came with, when we bought the home.

I would like to replace them with soft white LED and preferably dimmable. However It is very hard (impossible) to find the dimmabe LED with G24 base.

How do I get rid of these G24 fixtures or convert them to a normal bulb fixture ?
Is it possible to DIY or I need a electrician ?


texts: Recurring banging in water pipes, cured by draining system

texts:
When I turn off the cold taps in my house there is a loud banging noise from behind the wall in the downstairs bathroom (which is where the cold water supply enters the house).  This started happening some months ago now and I can't think of anything that happened plumbing-wise just before it started.

Anyway, I found that I can temporarily fix this 'water hammer' by turning off the water supply where it comes into the house and then draining the cold water system by running all the downstairs taps.  When they run dry I turn the water back on at the main stop-tap and the banging noise is gone!

After a few days the banging starts to happen again - quietly at first but growing to the loud banging again after about a week.

What could this be?

EDITS:

My guess is that this has been caused by some bracket (or similar) that was holding a pipe behind a wooden wall coming loose.  I'd much rather fix the cause and to install an arrestor in an appropriate place I'd have to mess with the wall anyway I think.

The only thing I can remember happening around the time this began was some very windy weather.  When I heard the first bangs one night I assumed it might have been something banging in the neighbour's garage, which shares a wall with my bathroom.


texts: How can I install T molding on concrete subflooring?

texts:
I'm at the point where I want to install some T molding for the transition from our main room to the bedrooms.  I just took a look at the directions and they only show screwing the track into the subflooring.  Right now I only have the moisture barrier down above the concrete subflooring, so I dont think I can just screw it down.  I guess I was thinking I could glue it down, but this would require me to cut into the moisture barrier, which I'm not sure is a good idea either.  I'm wondering how I should do this?

Update - Added picture of T molding pieces if that helps.


texts:
I have a set of drawers (custom made) that have draw runners which are attached to the bottom of each drawer on both sides. Unfortunately, the small plastic wheels on part that attaches to the housing has cracked on two of the three drawers (and on the same side, bizarrely). Neither drawer is overloaded nor even very heavy--a few kilos of weight max.

I can't see a way to replace just the wheels as they the part they fit onto wouldn't allow such a thing to be replaced and the only way to remove them would be to break them anyway! I was wondering if there was any way to repair these plastic wheels without replacing the entire mechanism, as this would be time consuming.

If the only way to repair the sliders is to completely replace them, are there any you can recommend that should be able to handle weight and daily usage?

Each drawer is approximately 20cm high, 1m wide and 50cm deep.

Update:

I can only upload one photo, so here's the plastic wheel which had snapped in half. I've tried repairing it with super glue, but this is all that's left of it!

Update (solution):

I have now replaced the runners with new ones that can take a load of up to 45Kg and they feel much smoother than the old ones ever did. Although I tried to re-use the old screws, I had to use the new screws provided to ensure that they were flush. Turns out that some of the old screws were not flush with the runners and this caused some rubbing on the wheels at the back of the drawers. They were pretty weak when I replaced them, but I was able to hear where the rubbing was happening and have rectified that problem. I also had to adjust the position as I think the first set of drawers that broke ended up resting on the next one which caused that one to break. I now have an even gap between the drawers and with a bit more care, hopefully they will last a lot longer!


texts: How do I run ethernet, speaker wire, and coax through a wall into a crawlspace?

texts:
I would like to run three low-voltage cables from my entertainment center through an old plaster wall, down (1-3 feet) through the sill plate, and into the crawlspace.

The cables are Ethernet, coaxial-something (for a roof mounted UHF/VHF TV antenna which we haven't installed yet) and speaker wire.

Will this gang box will be too crowded? Is there an easy way to give me more space inside the gang box, or to deal with the thick coaxial cable?

I might want to run additional wires into this box later, such as phone cable for our DSL connection, or maybe an HDMI connection to another room (but this is a fantasy). Since I have existing wires in the box, will routing new cables through this box and through be a problem?

I have a raised crawlspace (4 feet high or more). I need to get the cables from behind the wall into the crawlspace. It looks like many people drill a hole through the sill plate and then route the cables through the hole. Is this recommended, or does it cause any structural issues? I would be drilling the hole from the crawlspace up into the wall. From the room above, I would then need to cut a hole through the plaster. Is there a way to make these two holes line up?

I'm looking at the following products to make my life easier.

Use some Leviton Quickport wall plates and snap in connectors.
Use an low-voltage old-work gang box. I'm a little concerned about moisture coming in from the crawl space. Is this a problem?


texts:
I recently noticed that our outside wall has a wet looking spot around the faucet.

I tried looking in the wall at the pipe (from the unfinished basement), but

I couldn’t see very far because the hole is small (maybe could see an inch into the wall) and
I couldn’t see any condensation from what I could see.

Is there anyway to easily diagnose if there is a leak? There is a little bit of clearance around the pipe hole, but not much.


texts: Leaky anti-siphon valve on exterior faucets

texts:
I have a number of exterior faucets, all the same model and 12 years old.  All of them  produce a stream of water from the anti-siphon valve when the faucet is in use (definitely coming from under the plastic anti-siphon cap, and only while in use).

My previous houses were older and the spigots lacked anti-siphon valves, so I'm unfamiliar with them.  I don't know, for example, whether this is just characteristic of these devices, since all of them do it and have done it since I bought the house.  But it wastes a ton of water and makes a mess.

The plastic anti-siphon cap turns freely but doesn't unscrew.  If it is something repairable, it isn't obvious how it comes apart.  Given that the cap is plastic that has baked in the sun for 12 years, it's likely brittle.  So I'm hesitant to just pry it off to see what's inside, especially if the behavior is normal and/or it's not a repairable item.

So my questions:

Is this leakage normal or typical?  If so, there's no sense messing with it.
Is it repairable?  (And if it's not cost-effective for a plumber, my own time is free.)
If it is repairable, what is the level of complexity and required knowledge and specialized tools (is it a job intended for any homeowner, an experienced DIYer, or can it involve complications best left to a plumber)?
Are the parts standard items available at any big hardware chain?

Some images in case anybody is familiar with this particular model:


texts: Why won't my shower's temperature handle let the water get hot enough?

texts: Whenever I go to take a shower, I have to turn the handle to the absolute hottest setting just to avoid freezing. I know the hot water works in my house, so that's not the issue. It just seems like I should be able to make the water hotter if I could just turn the handle more. Is there a way to accomplish this easily?


texts: Existing light fixture is connected to 2 white wires, black wires are capped

texts:
I started to replace a light fixture in a closet and discovered that although 2 wires (each containing a black, white, and ground wire) come into the box, only the white wires are connected to the fixture (one on each side).  Black and ground wires are connected separately, but not attached to the fixture.  See picture.
The light is controlled by a single switch.  How can the light work (it does if the switch is turned on) without a black wire?


texts: How to fix this heavy shelving unit to solid supporting wall?

texts: Can someone please advise on the best fixings to use. I want this shelving unit to be hung to a solid brick wall like a kitchen cupboard. It weighs approximately 20kg. The back is longer than under the draws so difficult to fit a bracket at the bottom.


texts: How much does it cost to move a furnace from the attic down to the first floor?

texts: I have a one story slab home and when I moved in two years ago I had to replace the whole unit. I wasn't even thinking about having them put the unit on the first floor. There is a closet(which is a hall closet) that is right by where I have the wall vent for my air run. I was wondering if I could use that hall closet for the furnace and what else I would have to have done to make it possible to have the furnace on the first floor.


texts: Which nut/washer combination to join timber to timber (joist to rafter)

texts:
I am fitting some new joists in my roof and will be bolting the new joists to the existing rafters. Both joists and rafters are 47mm thick.

After some advice from a friend (which may of course be incorrect!) I plan on using M12 x 110 hex bolts and timber connectors in-between:

My problem is I am unsure which combination of nut & washer to use. Some possibilities:

split ring washer with standard hex nut

flat washer with nyloc nut

Which is best?


texts: What are these "split thread" screws for?

texts:
I've found a screw like this.
It doesn't have a whole thread, it's threaded both near the tip and near the head but not in the middle.

What's the purpose of this?

Furthermore the thread is partially serrated, why?


texts: Well pump runs constantly; Pressure tank doesn't fill

texts:
I have a well and pressure tank (Well-X-Trol WX-250).  Upon troubleshooting low water pressure in our home, I discovered that our pressure tank is never filling and our well pump is running constantly.

The pressure gauge at the front of the WX-250 normally shows a constant 27 PSI. This drops to 0 when the power is turned off to the pump, and drops to 10-15 when a faucet is turned on inside the house.
Initially the air pressure inside the WX-250 was around 10 PSI. I increased this to the recommended 38 PSI but it seems to not have had an impact.
I'm sure water isn't going into the pressure tank.  When I turn off the power to the pump and open the valve from the tank, no water comes out.

Is my problem with the well pump or with the pressure tank?  Could I have a blockage in the pipe that connects to the pressure tank?


texts: What should I do with wires that are too large for back-stab terminals on a receptacles?

texts: I am replacing all my electicial outlets and only one has wires that are too big to put into the back of the new outlet. Any suggestions?


texts: Why would a power surge kill my dishwasher, and another surge bring it back to life?

texts:
This one is strange.  My house seems to have electrical issues - we used to burn out lots of light bulbs way too frequently, some of the outlets can't be used, and blackouts kill my appliances.  Last year, a blackout killed the compressor of my fridge.

About a week ago, we had a blackout and my dishwasher became unresponsive - no lights turning on, no cycles starting.  I cycled every breaker but nothing fixed the dishwasher, and I had given up.  Yesterday we had another blackout and somehow the dishwasher came right back to life.

Blackouts are actually pretty rare, but we've had a lot of heavy rain recently so I don't think the house is causing them.  However:

What are some reasons that my house might be so unprotected that it kills appliances like this?
How is it possible that the dishwasher is up and running again?


texts: Can I run an antenna ground conductor along the dirt?

texts:
I have a chimney mounted antenna and mast that I need to ground. It is about 20-30ft horizontally to the existing electrical service entrance ground rod, so I was planning on running a conductor down the chimney and across the dirt to this existing rod.
What is an appropriate conductor to use that I can "lightly bury" in the dirt next to the house? Or do I need to run the conductor across the exterior wall only?


texts:
I'm trying to replace an old standard receptacle with a new GFCI receptacle as well as a switch to a set of lights next to it. The switch should not control the receptacle (outlets should have power regardless of switch).

Currently, the GFCI receptacle works when the switch is off. However, once I flip the switch, the receptacle trips and the lights do not power on. There are two cords coming into the electrical box.

Each cord has three wires that are black, white, and green (Cord A's green is mostly non-insulated). I'll refer to Cord A as the one of the left and Cord B as the one on the right.

Note that Cord A's black wire is stripped in the center and then continues to the GFCI receptacle. This is how it always has been.

I have been connecting the center-stripped black wire from Cord A and the end-stripped black wire from Cord B to the single pole light switch. I have tried grounding Cord A's green both with the switch and the receptacle. Same result either way.

For the receptacle, the end of Cord A's center-stripped black wire and Cord A's white wire are connected as line. Cord B's white wire is connected as load. Note that there is no other black wire to connect with load. I have tried swapping the white wires, but then the receptacle doesn't work at all.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!


texts: Can I add insulation to the top of my oven range (under the drip pans)

texts:
The surface (top) of my 1982 Kenmore continuous cleaning oven gets very hot while baking; hot enough to melt plastic bags, etc.
Can I add a layer of oven wrap insulation to the top of the oven, under the lid?
The drawback will be that the insulation will get dirty from drippings, etc that drop down from above.


texts: Use sheets of 4'x8' 3/4" plywood as top hung sliding doors on shed?

texts: I'm thinking of replacing hinged doors with 4ft wide top hung painted panels as sliders. In northern Ohio. Is there a 4x8 sheet type that is stable enough to not warp? Would ACX or marine grade suffice, or maybe a siding material? Would steel or aluminum u-channel fastened to the long sides provide enough reinforcement?


texts: I was looking at this question which mentions smart switches.  What are they?  What are there uses?


texts: Should I replace carpet over ancient linoleum that might contain asbestos?

texts:
One of my smaller hallways is carpeted, for no highly obvious reason. That carpet is on its last legs, and I'd prefer a wood floor anyway.

Taking a peek under the carpet, it looks like the surface is flooring squares... which, given the age of the house, are almost certainly asbestos linoleum.

I didn't see any obvious fraying of the linoleum. But I still hesitate to tamper with it, even just to take up the carpet and put down hardwood over it.

Is there a good way to approach this? Or should I just treat it as a hazmat and call my favorite contractor?

(The most important skill in DIY is how to recognize when you're in over your head. Preferably before you need rescuing.)

EDIT: Took another look, and it's the same linoleum as the bathroom floor next to it. So either there's no problem, or I have a larger problem.

EDIT 2: Contractor looked at it.

"In that pattern, I'm guessing 1970's. Asbestos is not likely, but not impossible either in the tile or in the adhesive. Typical installation was adhesive, tar paper (as a water seal), more adhesive and the tile.

"The best way to remove these tiles is to use a heat gun to soften the adhesive and lift them up gently with a flat scraper. Homeowners are allowed to DIY even if you suspect asbestos, and if you're careful it shouldn't be a problem... but that still leaves you with the question of whether the adhesive residue will be a hazard.

"I'd suggest taking up one tile and some of the adhesive, putting each in a ziplock bag, and asking the local lab to test both. That'll cost you about $50 total, and you'll know how careful you have to be with the rest. After all, you might be lucky enough that there's a decent hardwood floor under there."

(I doubt the hardwood floor, but one can always hope.)

So: I have a Plan Of Action, and it's probably less of a problem than I feared. That's about what I expected, but... "Better to ask, and be thought a fool, than to not ask and remove all doubt."

Thanks for the sanity check, folks.


texts:
Question:
What size H Beams are needed?
Background:
I’m building a deck over our walkout basement.  The basement is only 7’ tall, so the deck beams need to be as short as possible with the fewest amount of support posts (hence the steel beams).  Additionally, I’d like the steel H beams (2 total) to span 20’ between 2 support posts, with an overall beam length of 24’ (extending 2’ past each post).  The 2 support beams will be parallel and spaced 10’ apart.  On top of the beams will be 2x10x14 joists spaced 16” on center (with a 2’ cantilever on each side of the steel beams), so overall the deck is 14’ x 24’.  I’m looking for the deck to hold a minimum of 50 pounds per sqft.


texts: Kitchen appliance setup specifically the fridge and oven

texts:
I saw a question similar to this but it was specific to energy consumption. My question is that our current kitchen setup has the oven next to the freezer side of our fridge. I’ve seen this setup in other kitchens too.
We’re looking to upgrade the fridge and the oven. Will the heat from the oven affect the freezer side of the fridge enough that I should look at separating the two?
As you can see the oven is older than old and the fridge is old. When we first installed the fridge 5 years ago the ice maker worked. Now it doesn’t and any ice we put in the ice bay freezes in to a block if we cook a lot. When it was first installed the ice was fine. I’m worried the oven heat wore down the fridge faster than normal.


texts:
I'm preparing to dismantle a conservatory without breaking stuff, and I can't figure out how to take the doors off. Yes, I did put it up, but that was years ago, and I've forgotten. It must be simple - I did after all manage to put them there; so how do I take them off?
I've attached some pictures; there is a small screw on one side - that's for horizontal adjustment - and two on the top that I'm entirely sure about. The one near the frame comes out easily and doesn't really seem to have a purpose, the other one is very hard to turn and there is a small screw on the side of the hinge, that seems to be for locking it in place, but losening it doesn't make the top screw want to move. I'm worried about forcing it, so what is the secret here?

Two picures of the Philips screws. They are unfortunately not accessible, because the gap is too small:

Edit
I have tried out @FreeMan's suggestion, but as it turns out, the top-screw that appears to be the hinge-pin is not; instead it adjusts the position of the door as in this illustration:


texts: what is the best way to restore teak outdoor furniture?

texts:
What is the best way to restore outdoor teak furniture to the original or better looking color?  Teak is so beautiful when it has not been weathered.  But after a few years in the rain and sun, it just turns grey and gets very rough.  The wood is still in very good shape, not damaged at all, just weathered in color and texture.  You can see in the second picture on the base of the table, the original color as it is not exposed to the elements.

I suppose the best thing to do is sand it all down, and then apply teak oil to it.  But that would be very time consuming to sand between each piece of wood for the style we have.  Do you think power washing it would give it a light sand?  What about staining it to just get it to a nice color, even if it is not the natural color?  Anything other than this ugly grey would be good.

Basically, I am trying to balance the time and energy it would take with what it will take to make it look a little better.  Any other options to make it look and feel a little better?

In hind sight, i would never buy teak again.  We spent all this money to have basically maintenance free composite decking, and now we have to deal with!

UPDATE: After the answer below and some other research, I have come to the realization that short of a good sanding, you can't get it back to the original color.  Rather than restoring it to the original looks, could we stain (and then seal it) to a dark color to make it look better?  Would I just use a typical deck stain, or something special for harder woods?


texts: How much pulling force will this plug withstand in gypsum bricks?

texts:
I have these plugs that I mounted on a 70 mm (2.5”) thick gypsum brick wall.

The goal is to mount a rail for hanging coats. I have the sizes and I can calculate the required pull-weight, but I don't know how much the plugs can withstand before being pulled out of the wall (the force applied is axial to the plug).

The plugs are 31 mm (1.25”) long, diameter 5 mm (3/16”) (the same of the hole I made). I used a screw 40 mm (1.5”) long with diameter 3,5 mm (1/8” or #6) as recommended by the manufacturer ("3-4 mm").
The hole was well cleaned from the dust before applying the plug.

How much pulling force can these plug withstand? should I use longer plugs and screws? like 50 mm (2”) long, same 5 mm (3/16”) diameter.

The plugs: TOX. In the PDF (page 3 and 4) I see various materials, but I don't know which one is equivalent to gypsum bricks.

The geometry. As you can see, the lower plugs (there are multiple ones) act as the fulcrum of a lever, resulting in a pulling force applied to the upper plugs. This is why I need to know only the force to pull out the plugs, not the force parallel to the wall.


texts: How do I connect a dryer with a four prong plug to a three prong socket?

texts: I've just moved house and my clothes dryer has a four prong plug but on the wall there's a three prong socket. Do adapters exist for this? Or do I need to get a new cord for my dryer? Or is there another solution?


texts: is it possible to do a 3 way switch if power source is in the second switch?

texts:
In my research on how to install a 3 way switch, i've seen different ways on how to install the wires but i haven't found the schema that would help me in my situation.

Here's a screenshot of my installation.

The background in green is my current installation
The background in yellow is what i want to add
i have access to the wires of my current installation. I can change if i need to

Is there a way to install a 3 way switch like in the schema above by leaving the power source where it is? If yes, a detailed explanation would be welcome!


texts: Roofing choice for outdoor sandbox cover

texts:
I built an outdoor sandbox for the kids that's about 4' x 5' but haven't had the time to put a real roof on it yet. To keep the rain (and the poo of roaming cats) out, we have thus far been using a piece of plastic sheeting held down with a bunch of bricks on the edges, but we have to go out and empty a giant puddle of water from the middle of it after each rainstorm so obviously that's a temporary solution.

I would like to build an extremely simple and inexpensive lid/roof for the box that will last at least a few years. Shingles seem like overkill, but all of the ideas online that don't use shingles seem like they're going to fail as soon as they get wet (ie this guy who just painted an OSB sheet).

What would be a good material for roofing? Can I just tar some plywood? Would painting OSB actually work long-term?


texts: Pocket Door Slow Close: Super smooth when closing, but hard to open

texts:
I replaced an old school pocket door track with one of these tracks.
It's really smooth when it closes, but it's a bit tough to open (tough enough that the wife has complained about it already). You need a directed effort to open it.
Is there a common approach to reducing the tension with these slow close features? Move slow close further back away so it only partly engages? Reduce spring tension in some way?


texts:
Epoxy anchor is essentially a metal alloy rod set onto epoxy. A hole is drilled and cleaned, then epoxy is put into the hole and the rod is inserted into the hole and left until epoxy sets.

Using epoxy anchors looks not that convenient - they require thorough cleaning of the hole, thorough preparation of epoxy, plus if I need to only set a couple of them I'll have to either clean the epoxy applicator or throw away its nose.

Why would I use epoxy anchors instead of usual expansion (metal or plastic) anchors? In which scenarios around a house are they preferable?


texts: What is the proper, safe, and effective way to apply diatomaceous earth?

texts:
We are looking at using diatomaceous earth against bed bugs.

However, we're having trouble finding any reliable information on how to use it properly.

Our questions are:

how should it be applied?
is it effective against bed bugs?  How long does it take to kill them?
where should it be put?  Everywhere, or only in specific locations?
how much should be applied?
how often does it have to be reapplied, and does it have to be vacuumed up?
after it's been applied, will a fan or wind disturb it and blow it into the air?
is it safe to apply it on the outside of a bed (i.e. the sides of the mattress or on the sheets) and leave it there while sleeping?
is it effective when wet?  when the air is humid?


texts: Cleaning a dryer vent with a sharp elbow

texts:
Curious if there is a good solution for cleaning a dryer vent that has two sharp elbows in it, one next to the other. There is a 90 degree bend as soon as the vent enters the wall and another 90 degree bend about a foot below it as it moves towards the back of the house.

I've tried using the "Lint Eater" product (by Gardus) and a power drill, but the two bends in the vent together are too sharp for the the rods to make the turn. It seems that the only option is to come in from the outside but I'm afraid of hurting the vent hood. Damaging the hood it would only make the problem worse if an animal decides to move in. Hoping there is some other alternative.


texts: Would it be a bad idea to use two air filters?

texts:
The filter in our central air/heat is directly under the unit and very difficult to replace filters. Even though we use 3 month filters, we replace them monthly due to pet hair/dander. It's a pain to replace them and pretty costly to replace them so frequently.

I was wondering if it would restrict air flow too much if I were to use cheap fiber filters in the return air vent to catch the big stuff and the better pleated filter in the unit for the fine stuff so I don't have to replace the more expensive ones as often?


texts: Fishing wire through exterior wall -- what problems am I likely to encounter?

texts:
I've figured out how to get Ethernet run from the basement up into my attic. I thought that would be the hard part, but that looks relatively tame.

Now the next challenge is going to be fishing wire down an exterior wall to where I need the jack to be. I know I'm going to have to deal with insulation, but I've also heard of firestops--horizontal wood boards between the wall studs. Is my 1986 built home likely to have these? Are these common? What other issues might I encounter wiring an exterior wall?


texts: How to install a insulation meter in panel

texts: I want to install a fix insulation meter in a main switch board . There is lot of motors in the switch board . If there is a requirement of taking insulation we check all the motors one by one. Plz some one provide connection diagram of installation of the insulation meter.


texts: KNX PROS & CONS about using same device for sensor&actuator and impact on electrical design

texts:
Is there any recommendation to take into account about using devices that joins the sensor and the actuator instead of placing all the actuators in the electrical control panel? What are the pros and the cons?

In a new home unfamiliar building, is there any guideline to follow about this? I understand that in some cases you can save on electrical/bus wiring, but I have no idea when it could be better.

I'm talking about KNX devices. You can have a sensor (push button) that triggers an actuator that detects the sensor signal and opens/closes the lights. In this case the sensor (or interface) is placed in one room and the actuator it could be placed into the electrical control panel. These are 2 different devices. However, there are devices that have the sensor (or the interface) and the actuator. In this last case, it's placed on the room and the bus and electrical wiring differs from the first use case.


texts: How to determine if my gas fireplace can burn wood safely?

texts:
I would like to know if my gas fireplace can burn wood within it safely. It is built into the wall, made of stone, and does not have any metal within it (apart from the pipe leading gas into the firebox). You can see the metal key and valve for starting the gas, and there is no ignition switch, so I light the fire by hand. The logs in the fireplace are decorative. It leads into a chimney.
I noticed here, which seems to have a similar setup, that it seems like a gas log fireplace, but I don't understand where to burn any wood (and it would seem unsafe to burn wood near the gas pipe). Would the gas line need to be capped?

Thank you!


texts: Crystalline waterproofing instead of a moisture barrier for basement

texts:
A room in my basement sometimes gets some water in through the basement wall and through the footing-wall joint. All the contractors who have looked at it propose a moisture barrier on the inside of the walls, with a drain under the floor and a sump pump. That solution would involve removing the sheetrock and the studs from the walls for the moisture barrier installation.

I have recently learned about the crystalline waterproofing compounds, and I wonder if I could use that instead. It seems like a much more lightweight solution: you apply the compound on the inside of the concrete wall, and it penetrates and seals any micro cracks in the concrete. Any reason why I shouldn't do this?


texts: Shower is too cold, despite cartridge setting

texts:
I have a single handle shower in my basement that is too cold in the winter. I only need a small adjustment, but I don't know if it's even possible.

The "hot water stop" appears to be already set to max. The following image is from the manual:

My current setting is all the way counter-clockwise. I tried turning it clockwise for science, and it makes it colder.

What is the most proper solution, given standard plumbing technique and so on?

1) I see that there are screw-valve things to either side of the handle base. They both appear to be turned fully counter-clockwise (There is strong resistance in that direction). Someone implied that it's okay to try tightening that. Tightening the cold water screw three half turns appears to have warmed the shower some (hard to say because it varies with weather and such). Regardless, shouldn't this be unnecessary? I wonder if something else is not working properly?

2) Turn up the water heater, which is at factory default. Note that I don't feel this should be necessary, as water coming from the upstairs shower is warm enough, and the sinks can get way too hot. Plus I worry about the dishwasher etching my dishes.

3) Something else?

There are no valves outside the shower that could restrict the water in, (hot or cold) besides the main cold and water heater input valve. The water goes from the basement utility room, to behind the shower, then split off to the bathroom sink and end there.

Both pipes to the bathroom, when unused for houses, feel about room temp. They don't rest against any surfaces that would cool them down.

I have city water. The plumbing is of unknown age. The house is from the early 60's. The pipes are all copper. There is about 25ft of pipe from where it enters the house to the water heater tank. Then another 20ft to the back of the shower, the last 10 feet or so are 1/2".

UPDATE:
The shower handle, going from "Off" position to "Hot" appears to ramp-up in a non-uniform matter. So as I start turning it, it goes to something like 20% warm, 40%, 60%, but then goes back down to 40%, then 60%, 80%, 100%.  It does this regardless of the screw-valve's being fully opened or not.
Is this a faulty cartridge, or something else? ...And would that be the cause of the shower not getting warm enough without restricting the cold valve?


texts:
So I just bought a house and discovered the upstairs was what felt like 5-10 degrees difference from the main level. I'll try and add pictures of the insulation below. It seems well done but for some reason it's still very hot up there. I'm an hour away from Canada located in the far north of Minnesota so my climate zone is very cold. Not only do I worry about the heat in the summer right now but I'm also worried about it's performance this winter. It seems like it has adequate insulation, R-39 on the attic floor and around the 20 mark for the knee walls if not more. It has a ridge and soffit vents however the soffit vents seem small to me? There are quite a few of them however.

So I think the issue lies in either poor ventilation or poor air sealing, maybe both. The other issue could be that there's only 2 AC vents in the entire upstairs. One in each bedroom and no return vents anywhere (the upstairs consists of a large master suite, a walk in closet, and one smaller bedroom).

What do you think the problem is?

I want to check to see if they smothered the soffit vents or didn't allow for ventilation on the slanted part of the knee wall. I also want to seal the power outlets, switches, etc with spray foam. Should it be fire rated foam? The next thing to look at is air sealing but I would hate to have to tear into a wall insulation job done so well and have to redo horizontal fiberglass like that.

And yes I know I have to fix that pipe venting into the attic.

(EDIT)
Okay so I climbed into what little attic I have access too and found that the soffit vents are not working as it's clogged by insulation. Under the Fiberglass is dense pack cellulose, quite a few inches of it, well above the joists. In the addition they did put air channels to the ridge vents but the only supply with the soffits clogged is a small gable vent. In the older part of the house, the room with the pipe in the picture there's no ventilation to speak of. Soffits most likely clogged I didn't climb all the way to it. There's nothing connecting this space to the mini attic above, where the ridge vents are.


texts: Is there such a thing as an actual 60W draw LED or CFL bulb?

texts:
CFL and LED lightbulbs are sold as being "40/60/100 watt equivalent". They're designed and sold as replacements for a certain wattage of incandescent lamp.

I have some fixtures where I want a very bright bulb. Since CFLs and LEDs can get more light out of less wattage it seems to me that an actual 40W draw CFL or LED that would be significantly brighter than a 40W incandescent.

Does such a super-CFL or super-LED lamp exist?


texts: Installing New T8 Ballast; need wiring diagram

texts:
I am installing a New T8 Single tube ballast to replace an older ballast.
The new ballast has one black wire, one white wire, two blue and one red.
The old ballast has two wires coming and going from bulb mounts. How should I wire the new ballast?


texts: Replacing a ceiling fan (with a pull chain light) with a 6 bulb chandelier

texts: Once connected the lights will not turn on or off with the wall switch. In fact, the chandelier stays on regardless. Please help.


texts: Is there some kind of product that will protect curtains from the effects of prolonged sunlight?

texts:
I've installed some un-backed curtains and have been told that after a few years they may start to disintegrate from being exposed to hundreds of hours of sunlight.

Does anyone know of a product, like UV sprays, that will help protect against this?


texts: I have water seeping into my basement where the mortar has eroded. Is there some sort of waterproofing I can put on before the new mortar, or is there a type of mortar that is waterproof? Any info would be greatly appreciated.


texts: What could be causing the bizarre whistling sound that is coming from the pipes around the en suite and main bath?

texts: The sound changes frequency in a regular pattern, and almost sounds electronic, like an old radio with a bad antenna. We can only hear it in these two bathrooms, and it occurs whether or not the water is running. There is another bathroom right below, but we cannot hear the noise there.


texts: How do I patch a hole in the slab under a kitchen island?

texts:
This is one step further than How do I remove musty smell in coat closet?.

There was a sewage backflow under my kitchen island :( I fixed that problem, but now there's a musty smell in one of the island's drawers.

I removed the built-in stove so I can see the sewage and the subfloor, broke one slab and removed 2 buckets of sand beneath the subfloor around the sewage pipe where the dampness had been. I've now been airing it for a week (I also put a small heater there).

NOW: do I just put new sand, and put the stove back in? Or would you also cover the subfloor hole with a thin layer of cement?

Or is there something else that you would try?


texts: How Can I Reduce "Splashiness" in the Kitchen Faucet?

texts:
I'm renting a home and the kitchen faucet causes a lot of splashing.  The first thing I did was un-screw the little piece on the end to check the aerator, and there wasn't one.  So I went to the hardware store and bought what I thought was right, just a little aerator screen to insert into the un-screwed piece.

But that didn't seem to make a difference.  The stream coming out of the faucet doesn't seem very aerated (still looks pretty laminar) and it still splashes a lot.

Is there something else I can try?  Every faucet I've ever used has been pretty well aerated, so I'm not really sure what to do here.


texts: Is there a sealant I can use on concrete grouting with concrete pipes?

texts:
The driveway at our new house crosses over a creek, which requires 3 concrete culverts, about 16' long and 30" in diameter.  The culverts are each made of two pipes with a joint in the middle.  Without going into details, a lot of care was taken in construction, including gravel under the culverts and more.  However, the pipes settled, so the joints have lowered a bit.  I talked with the county engineers and the designer and everyone felt the best solution was to grout the cracks this created in the pipes.

I still have a small amount of water leaking from the pipes.  (I suspect there are microfissures between the grouting and the culverts, since we've tried tracing the leaks without success, even with tracer dye.)  We've worked out how to handle the drainage.  I would like to find a sealant I can use on these joints where the grouting has been done and see if it's possible to stop the leaking with some kind of sealant.

There are a few factors to take into account:

This is in a creek, so any sealant will be under running water all the time.  (I found one product at a chain store, but under the Q&A for the product, the makers said it shouldn't be under water all the time.)
This is in an area officially designated as wetlands.  I can dam up a pipe and pump it dry before and while working on it.  I can keep it blocked for a few days after if I need time for any sealant to set.
Since this is in the wetlands, and feeds into a local lake, I need to be sure that after any sealant is dry, I won't have any issue with chemicals being washed downstream from the work where it can kill fish or crawfish or anything else.  Of course, I also have to make sure it doesn't put anything into the water supply that is bad and can be traced back to me.
While the normal flow through the pipes is not too heavy, the structure is designed to easily withstand a 100 year flood and when we have storms, the flow increases significantly.


texts: Trim Cuts along staircase with angled wall

texts:
I'm trying to run baseboard, chair rail, and faux wainscoting up a staircase and I don't know how to make my miter cut on the angled wall partway up the staircase.
I've tried setting the miter to 30 degrees and the bevel to 22.5 degrees, but that's not working correctly.
Do I need a transition piece?
Or, what angles should the saw be set to?


texts: This shower valve doesn't seem to have a set screw and i need to take it off

texts: Someone lowered our shower heat a couple years back for an older family member. I've tried taking it off but its like there's no set screw at all. It's a delta series 1400. There are no other openings but the one in the photo.


texts: How do I rewire 2 different switches controlling 2 different lights so that each switch is a 3-way switch controlling both lights?

texts:
Current situation: I have two regular switches (SW1 & SW2) and two ceiling lights (L1 & L2) in a long hallway, and each switch controls one of the lights. So SW1 controls L1, and SW2 controls L2.

Desired situation: I would like to rewire so that I can control both lights L1 & L2 with either SW1 or SW2.

Is this possible?

Thanks


texts: how to install pre-finished hardwood floors?

texts:
I have pulled up the carpet in my bedroom and got down to the plywood subfloor.

Do I have to prepare the plywood or lay anything down prior to placing the lengths of 3/4" oak flooring down (and nailing it of course)?

I want to make 100% sure the floor will not make noise at all, because this is a problem in other areas of the house. Since i am redoing the floors I want them perfectly quiet.


texts: Cannot remove door knob -- totally inaccessible!

texts:
My laundry room door knob locked up yesterday and the door can't be opened. A thorough search revealed no screws, latches or any discernible way to remove the knob. I got the door knob off with pliers and can now see that the screws are on the other side. I've tried pounding them out with a screwdriver and hammer, but no luck.

Any way to remove the knob, trip the latch, or unscrew the screws from the opposite side?

Thanks for any advice!


texts:
I’m stumped. This Moen faucet has a ring that seems to be held by two screws. Both screws are rusted in and I stripped the screw head trying to get it out with my drill. I tried cutting into the ring but I can’t get through the whole thing under the sink.
Any ideas how to get this off?


texts: I'm not sure this is the right place to be asking this but I'll give it a try. I have this bit of hardware from a pair of helping hands that I'd like to find more of. I'd describe it as a rod fastener of some sort. Not having any luck with those search terms however. Perhaps someone here has the proper name. Thanks in advance.


texts: I am trying to fix discolored and rotting lower sashes on my natural pine windows.  The wood has turned green.  I am using a wood petrifier to firm up the wood.  How do I paint/varnish that lower sash to match the rest of the natural lightly yellowed pine sash once the petrifying is done?


texts: Would this solution work with my dehumidifier?

texts:
I have a shed built with concrete blocks and a metal roof, terrible condensation in it and every time I go in, I see water on the walls and floor as well as drips on the metal roof. The shed is not insulated, but will be early next year.

I bought a dehumidifier to take some moisture out of the shed, but it only ever takes a tiny amount. So my question is, If I put a portable radiator into the shed and left it on for about 6 hours and the dehumidifier, would the dehumidifier work better?


texts: Water leak from water hose or pump - OK to tip machine on side?

texts:
My LG WM3987HW (a front loading washer dryer combo) has developed a leak -- water comes out when the machine is pumping out the waste water. I've removed the top and back panels and can see the area that's getting wet. However, this doesn't seem accessible.

Does anyone know if its safe to tip a washer dryer like this on its side -- this would provide access to the pump and hoses from the bottom.


texts: How can I drill to an exact depth with a hand drill?

texts:
I'm drilling holes in 4"x4"s in order to put magnets in them. The magnets are 1/8" deep and I'd like to install them to be flush with the surface of the wood. All I have is a Ryobi cordless drill and my bit set.

How can I drill only to a certain depth into the wood? Using a drill press would be great, but I don't have the money or the space to house one at this time.


texts: Best way to cover main water supply valve into house

texts: What is the best way to cover exterior pvc pipe where shutoff valve is that leads into a house? I was thinking about down the line when it will be time to winterize.


texts: How to attach a doorbell transformer to a plastic junction box?

texts:
My son's doorbell isn't working, I'm not getting any voltage, and I traced the wiring to the transformer located in the basement behind a finished ceiling used for a light fixture. I would like to relocate the new transformer in a nearby unfinished part of the basement. (How did they attach the transformer to the back or side of that blue plastic outlet box?)

I found a couple of 1-gang outlets but they are in blue plastic boxes.

My new transformer is the type with a screw on connector for attaching to one of the holes in a junction box but I don't see any way of doing that to this type of box. Is there a trick to this? Or do I need to install a different box next to it and run power there?


texts:
I want to purchase a DIY wireless home security system.
For the moment, I do not want to pay a home monitoring service and prefer to be informed of my alarm status via the Internet (WiFi and cellular) and text messages.

The main entrance to the house is a steel gate. Not sure if a sensor exists for this type of entrance. I have 3 solid wood doors, 1 aluminum door with window, many aluminum horizontal louver style windows and a couple of glass horizontal louver style windows.

Also, I have an indoor cat.

I wanted some input on what types of alarm systems and sensors you guys recommend for this setup to work and I can install.


texts: Can a freestanding bathtub drain be damaged by regular use?

texts:
I recently moved out of a house with a freestanding bathtub. During our tenancy there, the floor developed cracks which I reported and 2 months before we left, we would find water on the floor every time my wife or the kids took a bath, so we stopped using the bathroom.

Now that we've left, the landlord has brought in the plumber (the same people who installed the tub) and they are saying that the tub drain was damaged due to excessive wear.  I'm trying to figure out what kind of wear would cause a tub drain to leak and if this is a normal thing for freestanding bathtubs or not?  We have a family of 4 (minus the baby) and the wife and boys were the only ones to really use the tub.

The drain is in the center of the tub so you have to sit on it whenever you take a bath. Additionally, the tub is on a raised platform above a slab.


texts: GFCI breaker trips, but GFCI outlet does not?

texts:
Little background before I ask question. I pulled a lines from main panel to outside subpanel, some 130 ft away. Put double pole regular breaker in the main panel (60A). In the sub panel I placed on 15A double pole GFCI breaker and one regular 15A sinle pole breaker. Single pole breaker line feeds to GFCI outlet. That outlet never trips, I can test it, I can reset it, I can put load on it, and no problem. I even tested it with outlet tester. No problems. Now if I turn on other double pole breaker, it trips immediately. If I leave that twisted wire from the breaker connected to the white bus, but disconnect white wire from my breaker, my breaker naturally does not trip. I measure voltage and it shows 282V between the poles on the breaker, and 141 between each of the poles and white bus. Then I thought, maybe the breaker is bad. So I took out double pole, and installed single pole GFCI breker, and same story with that one too. It immediately trips when I plug in white wire.

What else can I try and what could be the issue. I don't think that wire is damaged as pulling it was very smooth, and it is #6 AWG wire, and most of the wire is above ground.

Any ideas? How can I trouble shoot it further?


texts:
I'm trying to install a motion detector in a circuit with 4 halogen spot bulbs and no other switches. There used to be a regular switch before, so I know the spot bulbs work. When I pass in front of the motion detector, I can hear the click from the relay but the lights don't go on.

Below is picture of the wiring, these are the same wires that were connected to the old regular switch.

I tried to switch the black and the gray wire but then there was no click from the relay nor did the lights go on.
Did I make a mistake with the wiring or is my motion detector broken?

EDIT: picture of the old wiring with the regular switch (works fine):
since I can only post 2 links; the gray wire goes in a hole at the top, there
are no symbols on the top and there is only one hole.


texts: Will my floor support our bathroom remodel?

texts:
We recently decided to remodel our upstairs bathroom (5 x 11 ft) and I have a lot of concerns about the amount of weight that will be added. I have had a contractor check it out and he says it should be fine, but I am still a little worried. I realize it is hard to give a definite answer based on the information I can provide, but I am more curious if I need to seek a second opinion.

Basically we will be adding around 1,100 lbs of stone tile to the back, sides, and top of the area around the bathtub. My rough estimates of the total weight when the tub is full of water and an adult is in it comes to around 900 lbs. Combined, that is approximately 2,000 lbs in the small area around the bathtub. Based on some research, the typical home is constructed (US) to support 40 lbs/ft. Using this value brings the total weight limit of the entire bathroom to around 2,200 lbs. So unless I am missing something, I feel as though this too close for comfort.

The bathtub is against an outside wall, as shown in the photo below. Also attached is a photo of the joists directly below the tub - note the black pipe where the drain comes down.


texts: Help identifying possible dual pot light plug

texts:
In my kitchen, I have a number of ceiling lights that take MR16 bulbs. However, I noticed that the plugs seem to also accept another kind of bulb as well. At first, I thought these other sockets were for GU10's, but the spacing in this plug is actually wider than the two GU10 prongs.
The main reason I'm wondering is because it would be great if a larger, brighter bulb could go here as the kitchen is a bit too dim.
Picture below:


texts: How do you seal fasteners, seams, and pipe holes in DensShield

texts: I'm reading through the DensShield installation instructions and all I see is "flexible silicon" to be used to seal the fasteners and seams.  This seems extremely prone to failure after 10 to 20 years.  Am I missing something?


texts:
I installed two outdoor garage lights using 14/2 MC Armorlite Cable. The lights are only 8.8 watts and have day/night sensors. I connected the wiring to a garage door opener dedicated 20 amp circuit on the ceiling. This circuit has one duplex 20 amp receptacle for the garage door opener plug. The new outdoor lights 14/2 wires are fed into that box. I now realize that the wiring is not correct. I should have used 12/2 wiring. Upon advice from a friend/electrician I replaced the 20 amp breaker with a 15 amp breaker and replaced the 20 amp receptacle with a 15 amp receptacle. Is this allowed? For safety, should I replace the wiring from the outdoor lights to the garage door receptacle with 12/2 wire?
Thank you for your advice.


texts: Where to put whole house sediment filters

texts:
I have a 1 horsepower water pump and 42 gallon pressure tank connected to the water company and house. Where am I supposed to insert the 3 pcs of 20" slim filters shown below. Should it before the pump, between the pump and pressure tank, or after the  pressure tank? Here is the problem of each.
If I insert it before the pump. What if the filters clog from rusts (there are many rusts and sediments in my metal pipe at house). Then the pump can suffer cavitations causing destruction of the impeller.
If I insert it between pump and tank, it can produce high discharge cavitation too if filter clogs and this can destroy the pump impeller.
If i put it after the tank. This can produce pressure loss defeating the purpose of the pressure tank.
Where is whole house sediment filters usually placed?


texts: How to Fill Gap Between Steel Beam and Concrete Pillar?

texts: I have a Concrete Foundation Pillar that is 5/8th of an inch too short. What filler materials are appropriate when a steel I Beam will be resting on it? Can I use mortar, or is steel more appropriate?


texts:
In redoing the house I'm working on (to live in) I've finally gotten to the point to start Plumbing. The house has not had running water in at least a couple of years.

I was going to replace the rusted valve when I find out that it's plastic entering the hours, but more confusing is the wire that is going into the ground with it.

The wire was semi buried which is why I didn't notice it at first and it was cut sometime during the past month or so thus I don't have a complete grip on its termination point inside the house. There is one wire entering the old electric panel that was just chilling though, and literally not connected to anything.

Additionally at the road side there is copper on my side of the meter location.

This section of house was added on most likely around 1993 and my guess is that the house used to have copper plumbing which they switched underground somewhere to plastic during that addition. The wire then might be a ground wire to the copper.

I don't know what type of plastic it is, reading Is this plastic pipe connecting city water to the main line dangerous? the only writing I saw on it was a couple extremely faded blue letters.

Finally the whole thing is poured in concrete with a corrugated plastic tube around the pipe and wire.

I am curious on if I can move forward with putting a valve on and pressuring the system or need to take the time to get a professional opinion or actually dig the whole thing up. Also interested if there are any other ideas for the wire?


texts: The gas company technician has turned gas off to the gas meter because he detected .4 volts coming off the gas pipe leading to our furnace.  The meter was disconnected when he tested the pipe.  He stuck a screw driver in the soil to use as a ground and then put the multi meters red lead on the pipe to show .4 volts.  However, when tested at the furnace using its ground there is no voltage at all on his multimeter.  Any ideas on what the discrepancy is caused by? I have done my own tests at multiple different properties and consistently get .3-.6 volts on gas meters using a Fluke 117.  So, is this normal?


texts: I am trying to figure out what's the best way to get electricity from my garage to the garden. In the garage, I have the normal 230 V outlets/lamps, and the power gets there via 1.5 or 2.5 mm^2 (still need to check) 3-wire (line, neutral, ground) cable. I was planning to connect another cable to it, lay it in the garden and connect to the lamps/water-proof outlets there. In the shop, I've discovered the dedicated cables for the outdoor use. But they also have a 4-wire cable. I wonder what the purpose of this cable may be. In the photo below I show it next to the normal 3-wire cable.


texts:
I have a ComfortMaker combination furnace/AC for the back part of my house. The furnace kicks in, but never heats up. No errors are reported.  Started troubleshooting and took a peek at the pressure switch.

When disconnected, it's properly open (OL).  When it's running and the inducer motor has kicked in, the circuit closes, but it reads all over the place, constantly resampling, usually well over 1kΩ (and often as high as 20kΩ).

I've not been able to determine what a good read would be, though I'd expect it to be significantly lower than this (somewhat close to 0?).  I understand that the switch "not working" usually means it's doing it's job rather than it being faulty, but with that sort of constantly changing reading, and being so high, is it safe to assume that the switch is probably shot?

I don't have a manometer, and I suppose my inducer could just be incredibly faulty or somehow the negative pressure from the airflow is...  I guess wavering?  Occam's points at the switch, but HVAC isn't my area of expertise.


texts: Leaky windows: How to know where the leak is?

texts:
Our rented apartment has double pane windows in PVC frames. They are of good quality, I think. However, during the current weather (lots of rain and heavy winds), two windows let in some water. It seems to be coming from the bottom of the frame. How do I figure out where the water is actually going through?

On the outside there are these little inlets -- I guess for allowing air exchange and letting humidity out? I have actually no idea. The inlets are tiny: about 2cm x 1cm and have a little rain cover.

Could the water be getting in through this? Can a carpenter/window maker repair this?


texts: How to install hydronic radiant heat over concrete slab

texts:
I'm trying to figure out the most ideal way to install hydronic radiant heat in my basement over the existing concrete slab. I've looked at several products for heat distribution, like Warmboard, before settling on this: http://radiantengineering.com/tfinu

I'm trying to figure out the ideal way to install it with the minimal loss of height. I was provided a sample of the aluminum fin and its height measured to just under 3/4". In their brochures and pictures, the fins are shown attached downward but I'm thinking it may be better to face them upward. I'm also planning to go with an engineered hardwood floor atop.

My current best guess to the ideal way of doing this is to first start with a 6 mil poly sheet as a vapor barrier. Next, get ~1/2" OSB boards and cut 1/4" dado grooves 8" OC where the fins will be placed and make a floating subfloor out of it. Next, I'd cut the same kind of 1/2" OSB into sections just under 8" in width and place them in between the groves. This should provide enough height for the fins to fit in. Finally, I'll use 1" screws (still figuring out that part) to fasten the fins to the two layers of OSB. I've attached a quick and dirty picture to illustrate what I mean (screws are not to scale).

I'm hoping someone could chime and provide some feedback to this approach. Or am I totally missing something really obvious here? I don't want to lay the PEX down and pour concrete over it because that goes into a whole other topic about thermal mass and heat loss.

Thanks


texts: electrical - preparing smoke detectors for rough inspection

texts: To get past the rough inspection, should I have the wiring for smoke detectors just pulled through the ceiling box (and stripped, pigtailed etc) or should I have the mounting bracket (for the detector) also installed?


texts: relocating weird angled pipes for bathroom sink

texts: I recently wanted to upgrade my bathroom vanity and the new one has drawers, so my pipes need to come straight out from under my sink.  The drawn image is what my old vanity looks like with the original pipes coming out.  How hard do yall think it would be to change it from this weird angle out of the corner of the wall to moving it right under the sink? I'm also very new to this, I have had to replace old pipes, but never relocating anything.  The spare bathroom has the same issue.


texts: How long should I wait before using my electric oven after using WD-40 on the element mounting screws?

texts:
I had some rusted mounting screws that were holding the heating element in my electric oven. I sprayed them with WD-40 and got the element replacement put in. I have wiped the area down.

How long before I can use my oven would you suggest?


texts: XPS polystyrene foam board insulation & Spar Urethane

texts: Will xps polystyrene foam board insulation react with wood that is coated with spar urethane? Will the foam board melt?


texts: How can I add a "C" wire to my thermostat?

texts: So, the spiffy new wi-fi thermostats want power on the C wire from thermostat, but the old thermostat doesn't have a C wire at it.  What's the easiest way to add the C wire/24 volt to the thermostat location?


texts: I have a  particle board subfloor with a crawlspace underneath, I need suggestions for any kind of flooring (except carpet) that will be durable for a 83 pound German shepherd.


texts:
I have a stripped screw in my door handle. I tried drilling it to hopefully get a better grip but ended up messing it up further. I believe that i have drilled deep enough to the point where the shank is exposed.

Are there any other ways to remove the screw? Thank you


texts: Outside lamp has ground, no ground, no metal box.

texts: 2 outside lamps on wooden frame surrounding by front door. They only have a black and white wire coming out through the wood. Should I just go back and buy a fixture with no ground wire. If I attach the metal cross bracket directly to the wooden post and hook the ground wire to that, is that safe or not.


texts: How do I bleed a noisy radiant heat system?

texts:
I have a gas fueled (converted from oil just a few years ago) boiler in my basement with an integrated tank-less water heating system for the showers/taps/etc. The output is three zones as shown in the picture below. Only zones one and two ever get used. Zone 3 maybe twice a winters gets turned on. Not shown in either picture is a drain spigot.

To describe what is happening here:
The water supply comes from outside and splits. Half goes directly into the tank-less water heater part of the boiler and the other half move through the PRV and mixes in the air scoop with the return pipe from all three heating zones. There is one pipe and throughout the house the zones all drain into it. This enters the heating part of the boiler. One the left side of the boiler the water moves through a circulator (not shown) and then is split for each of the three zone valves. Each line after the zoning motor has a shutoff valve and a spigot.

Last year (late winter) I noticed my hot water heating pipes sounded like a river was flowing through them and efficiency was reduced. I had a plumber come out and he bled the system and recharged the expansion tank (hadn't been done since I bought the house three years ago). He also replaced the bleed valve on top of the air scoop. Unfortunately the baseboard radiators do not have any bleed valves (project for next summer).

This past weekend I was installing an ecobee and was shutting off the boiler periodically to do some wiring etc but now the pipes sound like a river again.

What could be causing the reintroduction of air into the system?
How do I bleed my system?

UPDATE: I went down to check the expansion tank and on a lark loosened the bleeder valve cap a little more (it wasn't previously tightened down) and I got a huge spurt of air. Maybe making it a little more loose will help the system.


texts: 3 way switch and gfci replacement in a 1959 home

texts:
I bought a home a few years back and have recently started upgrading some of its older 2 prong outlets with the nicer and safer GFCI outlets and some of the older switches with newer ones as well.
My problem comes when I replaced all of our living room outlets with GFCI. I used a voltmeter to make 100% sure the line load sides were all correct and proper.
Then I made it to a three way switch - simple enough I figured just copy wire for wire from one old switch to the new switch and so I did but when I hit the switch to test it, it immediately tripped the GFCI circuits I installed. Thinking it was something I did, I retraced all the wires, referred to the voltmeter to check and recheck everything and it all says it should work fine but when I reset the GFCI it still immediately pop when I turn the power on. The light does come on but only for a split second.

These two switches appear to both be powered from the same hot wire running in a line with some of the GFCI outlets I installed. One goes to a light outside my front door and one is the three way switch going into the dining room the other switch I located near my back door.

After more investigation pulling the light from the ceiling I realize there are eight (8) wires in this fixture - 4 black and 4 white - no other colors. After fiddling around I realized that at this junction, if I disconnect certain wires controls the light in my kitchen and the outside light as well at the (known dining room 3 way light).
I am at a total loss as to what to do next. I need to figure out step by step the proper way I should go about it or should I just bite the bullet and hire an expert at this?


texts: How can I determine if a contractor has a valid license?

texts: Is there a website that you can check to see if a contractor is licensed and is valid?  Is it a state by state thing, or is their a national database as well?


texts: Can I install an electrical outlet on furnace closet wall?

texts: I'm remodeling my unfinished basement.  I'm building  a closet to enclose the gas furnace and water heater.  Can I install an electrical outlet on one of the walls?  This would be facing outward toward the living space?  I've tried to find this in the codes and came up empty.  There's plenty of information about the outlets required for services to the furnace.  As well as, wiring distances from the exhausts.  The wall clearances to the furnace are good.  But nothing about a separate electrical branch and outlet in the same space as the gas appliance.


texts:
I'm in the process of buying a newly built house and today the builder had work done on the sewer. When I saw the house I couldn't believe that they placed the 3-4" high 'Candy Cane' smack dab in the middle of the front yard. This completely ruins the appearance of the house and I just don't know what to do about it.

If I cover it up with a bush, fake wishing well, or something of that nature then it won't look right since it's in the middle/center of the front yard. If it were off to the side then I think that would potentially work but it's not.

The only thing I can think of is repiping it somewhere else or maybe cutting it down myself (regardless of what any regulations say). If I cut it down and it snows I'll just shovel around it. Is this a big job for a plumber or someone to come out and repipe it to a more discrete location? I'm wondering if I should complain to the builder and have him fix it before it's completely my responsibility.

Here is a picture of it, however I should have taken it at a different angle so you could see my house and the pipe in comparison (the picture only shows my neighbors house).


texts: Sofa Upholstery: What's the name of this back cushion technique and how is it done?

texts:
I'm re-upholstering my couch and trying to make synthetic-leather back cushions like this:

I'm specifically referring to the horizontal line where the fabric turns-in on itself, creating some "billowing" texture.

What is the name of the technique or method for breaking up the back cushions in this way?  I'd like to know the common name for the technique so I can properly research it.  My couch just has big pillows (no texture) for back cushions now so I can't reverse engineer.

I stumbled upon the term "tufting", and thought it was a variation on that, but all I could find about tufting was for making stuff like this:

...which is not what I want.

How is this done?  Is the front sewed to the back of the cushion, like a "linear tuft"?

I was also thinking one could cut the front fabric of the cushion in an arc, then turn-in the edges of the cut and sew it.

But I'm looking for the industry standard way to get this design.

NOTE: When I find a name for the technique I will update the question title to reflect it.


texts: A while back I asked a question in a thread (The top A/C drain in my attic is leaking. Why?), and I wanted to know how to apply drain cleaner to the bottom drain on my A/C system. Could someone answer my question?


texts: Type of valve to use on PVC misting system

texts:
I am making a misting system for my back patio that consists of 1/2" pvc and connectors that have the misting nozzle drilled. I am putting a nozzle every 2 feet and going about 30 feet down my patio cover

I plan on using a sprinkler water supply hard out that is currently capped off. Next to my other sprinkler valves and running 3/4" PVC to the patio and then convert to 1/2"after I run vertically about 8ft with the 3/4" pvc.  The distance from patio to valve is about 14ft horizontally.

At the end of the 1/2" run, I am just going to cap the pvc.

My question is, what kind of valve should I use since this is a long run of pvc and it has height, meaning lots of backflow/pressure.  I was thinking of just using a common sprinkler anti-siphon valve, but would the entire contents of the pvc exit the valve when I turn it off?  My pool top off uses a gate valve with no backflow and it has a little water hammer effect on start and stop, but works fine. The exit is below the valve though.

I was hoping to use a sprinkler valve with a solenoid so I could eventually hook it up to my sprinkler controller and digitally control the misters.  Eventually I would get the IP controller and be able to do it from my phone, but I want to make sure I handle all that water above the valve correctly.

Any assistance is appreciated.


texts: Indoor sliding doors now stick at the top after replacing rollers

texts: I have sliding doors for a wardrobe, and i replaced the roller-wheels.  Now they stick at the top, its as if they are too close together. I replaced the wheels in the same spot on the door, but they are slightly different brackets for the wheels, so I'm not sure if its just a matter of me trying to find the "sweet spot" to screw the wheel-bracket, or if its something else I should be looking at.


texts: Is this wall load bearing based on the attached blueprints?

texts:
I would like to remove a wall in my walk-out basement but I don't know how to interpret this architectural blueprint.  Based on this blueprint, is the wall bearing load or not?  I have highlighted the wall in question in the pictures below.

Click for larger view

Click for larger view


texts: Why does my electrical panel have a separate insert?

texts:
I changed out a bad circuit breaker for the first time today. When I went to remove the (Siemens) front plate, I noticed that the metal surrounding the circuit breakers is a different piece from the main plate (that the door attaches to) and has two screws that are different from the rest of the screws holding the door in.

It's not this one, but the design is similar:

I thought, "Hey, great, they've designed it so that I can just take out the center panel without having to remove the whole face and door!" Except, as shown above, the separate insert is behind the front plate. Removing those screws does nothing useful (it's still caught on the breakers protruding through the slots). I had to remove the entire plate and door to change the breaker.

What is the purpose of having the plate & door separate from the center panel? Why is one detachable from the other?


texts: What DIY tests are available for the quality of stainless steel?

texts: How can I test a stainless steel product such as a sink to see if it is truly 18g?


texts: How should I frame a small void in my floor system to support subfloor?

texts:
After tearing out the old subfloor in my half bathroom (due to water damage) I am replacing it with 3/4 in (2 cm) plywood.  One side overhangs from the last joist about 9 in (22 cm) to the wall, and 11.5 in (29 cm) to the next joist.  I plan to tile the floor with ceramics, so I need to brace that side somehow.

My plan was to attach three or four 11.5-inch 2x4s perpendicular to the joists and screw the plywood into those via 3-inch deck screws.  My father also had a couple ideas:

Cut a couple 4x4s and set them on the concrete below pillar-wise (unfastened), and screw the plywood into them
Set a 2x10 on the concrete parallel to the joists, then screw the plywood into it -- this would require more of that black stuff underneath to raise it up to the other joists' level

If it's not obvious, neither of us are carpenters.  I already have the 2x4s cut, but is my method unsatisfactory?

EDIT: Here are the three ideas in picture form (my idea, then my father's ideas):


texts: preventing water from entering my no-step entry

texts:
My entry is a no step entry that was poorly conceived by the previous owners. Here are my issues:
- Entry door is inset into my home, behind my foundation wall.
- I live on a slope, with a circle drive, so in heavy rains, the drive acts as a funnel for pushing water right in my front door.
- The walkway outside of the house is barely sloped away, so in heavy rains it struggles to direct water away from the home.
- Previous owners carved out 2-3 inches of the 2x8x12 16oc joists to lay a brick entry  in the space between the door and exterior wall of the house.
- water damage has severely compromised what remains of the joists.

What I've done so far:
- I have done landscaping and installed a french drain which is tied into a new drain grate on my walkway(past doormat in pic) to prevent most of the water from making it to the house. I have not had water enter my house since, but haven't had a truly powerful thunderstorm yet, either.

Advice needed:
- Should I remove the joists, flooring, bricks (between door and exterior wall), and install new joists and flooring? If so, how should I handle that section between the door and the ext. wall (approx 3'x4')? I could use the same basic concept, but substitute real bricks for tile bricks set in concrete, but I'm not sure if that is adequately water-resistant.
OR
- Should I leave the existing brickwork, sister 9' joists to the old ones, and build a load bearing wall in the basement to support the shorter joists?
OR
- I'm open to ideas.


texts: What should I do when a (house's main) sewer backs up? How can I make it not back up, or at least stop it from backing up more once it has already started backing up?


texts: Jenn Air dishwasher not circulating water properly

texts: Model JDB4000AWS dishwasher fills and cycles ok but the water does not circulate as it should and dishes are not clean. I removed and cleaned all of the interior parts down to the food chopper blade at the bottom and put it back together but it still doesn't work. I ran the field service test by pressing "Heavy Wash" 5 times and then start and that came back ok.


texts: Securing hose bib to uneven cinder block wall

texts:
Here is my exterior hose bibb:

Also from the inside:

The valve stem is so old it crumbled when I tried to replace the washer, so I need to replace the whole thing.  Notice the pipe was originally installed by drilling through the cinder block foundation instead of the wall.  The siding hangs out over the foundation, so the bibb can't be flush against the cinder blocks.  Also notice the unevenness of the cinder blocks outside.

Inside, the hose bib is attached to a sharkbite tee fitting (that part is my fault).  You can see it in the foreground of the photo.  Although there's no leak, the whole thing swivels around its axis, which is a little disconcerting.

I live in the mid-atlantic region of the US, so freezing pipes can be an issue.  I was thinking about

replacing the hose bib with an exterior freezeproof sillcock valve,
inside, attaching a board to the cinder block with tapcons, covering the big hole, and a hose bibb anchor to that
outside, fashioning some kind of spacer to secure the flange away from the cinder blocks.

Number 3 is the step I'm still wondering about.  Using the anchor inside would mean that I won't have to attach the spacer extra securely to the cinder block outside.  But how do I go about fashioning anything that will fit that kind of surface?  And how weatherproof should I make the spacer, considering it's fitting underneath aluminum siding?  Any advice here would be appreciated.


texts:
It seems like well drilling comes down to them showing up and charging you for time and potentially materials. If they drill a dry well, you pay for that. I live in a rural area and am looking at putting a well onto an unimproved lot. My state keeps track of all wells drilled, so I think the depth will be between 400' and 600' feet. There are three different drillers that have done these wells in my area.

How should I pick between the three? What types of questions should I ask, is there anything I should make sure is in place? I'm worried that I'm just writing an open check once the drillers are onsite.


texts: How to open up the overflow drain cover of a massage bathtub?

texts:
Our massage bathtub was installed by the previous owner.
I want to snake bathtub through the overflow drain to unclog the drain. But its cover is kind of unique. I couldn't find any instruction online.

Can anyone kindly shed some light on this? Thanks.


texts: Where to start looking for problems with my fujitsu split system inverter?

texts:
I have a split system with 36,000 btu capacity, split over three indoor head units.
For the first 5 years worked flawlessly quickly generating tons of heat and cold from startup.
Since the end of last summer, it can take 20-30 minutes for the head units to start doing anything and when they do, it never blows that cold or hot air, just mildly cool or warm.

I had a hvac guy come out and he said the temperature difference between the high and low pressure lines by the compressor were 20 degrees apart which he says is good (I have no idea) nevertheless it doesn't blow cold or hot air. I think I need a new hvac guy.

But until I find one, can this simply be a refrigerant leak and it needs to be charged and the leak plugged? Or is there something simpler I can look for?


texts: Can I split an electrical load across smaller wires for a bridged connection?

texts:
I have 4 terminals on my appliance, L1 L1 and L2 L2.  I have 2 incoming wires on a 220v circuit, 8AWG, 40 amps. Can I use a wire nut and connect each 8 AWG wire to 2 12 AWG wires and connect each 12 AWG wire to one of the terminals?  In this case, each 12AWG wire would be carrying 20amps, correct?

I'm asking because these terminals are too small for 8AWG.

Edit: L1 is supposed to be bridged with L1, and L2 with L2.
Also, the only place I am getting measuring any resistance between the terminals is the 2nd L1 and L2 (15MΩ and slowly climbing):  https://diy.stackexchange.com/a/164011/59766


texts: Why do some free-standing ice makers need floor drains?

texts:
I am about to begin a bar installation project. I need an ice maker. There appear to be two kinds of free standing ice makers - those that do and do not require drains.

Why does one type need a drain?

Are there other differences between these two types?

Are there any definitive advantages of one type over the other?

Is there standard placement for floor drains, or do I need to purchase and have the specific unit on hand before the plumber places the drain?


texts: Is there a way to make my own chalkboard paint without using unsanded grout?

texts:
I'm trying to create my own chalkboard paint (where I'm from, we don't seem to have any stores that sell chalkboard paint, nor unsanded grout in the entire city) and I see all the DIY posts out there saying you need "unsanded" grout. I'd like to avoid trial and error because the grout isn't as cheap as I thought it would be so my question is:

Is there a way to create chalkboard paint without using unsanded grout?


texts:
I have some exterior concrete stairs that were finished poorly.  The treads are back-sloped and pools sit consistently on the treads in the fall/winter.
I am having the tread surfaces ground down so the water can drain.  The exposed smooth aggregate surface now becomes a slip hazard instead of the ice that would have formed in the puddles.
What product would work to coat concrete in an exterior application that would hold up over time?  or is there something else I could do to make the concrete surface non-slick once it has been ground down?
I suppose I could look at installing metal or rubber grip strips. Ideas?


texts: What wire should be used for modern thermostat

texts:
I may (or may not) be pulling new wires to support current-generation thermostats.... Upgrading the thermostats themselves seems a good time to upgrade the wire too, though I think I could get by on what's already there (which looks like old telco four-conductor, or something similar).

But since I'm not sure I trust the local home center to give me the right cables. I've seen anything from three conductors (four with AC. five if forced-air rather than hydronic so the fan can be switched separately) to more-than-I-wanted-to-count. I suspect the latter is serious overkill for residential...

So: What's standard these days for a gas/radiators system which may have minisplit AC added someday? Or does the minisplit have its own thermostats?


texts: Programmable light switch failing or acting oddly?

texts:
We have a Honeywell programmable light switch at the front door.  The light switch can be programmed for days of the week; it's set to go on at 5pm, off at 7am, every day.
The other day the light fails.  I try turning the light on and off. That doesn't work.  I assume it's the bulb, so I replace it.  Doesn't work.  I try another known bulb: no go.  Doesn't work.
So then I'm thinking the switch itself is bad.  But there are three weird things:

When I'm screwing in the new bulbs, the bulbs flicker on for just a split second as they're going in.  This isn't a matter of position or angle or anything.  They just flick on and then off.
In the same way, the switch itself has a little on/off button.  And when I try to reset it by turning it off and on, the light bulb flickers, just for a second.
The programmable switch works with a little LCD display on it -- like on a Casio watch.  And the display is now always off - regardless of whether there's a bulb installed.  I think there's some way with these kinds of switches that the switch needs a completed circuit through the bulb in order to power the switch display (or something like that), but I definitely don't understand how that works.

All of this is to say: Am I still right to assume the switch itself is bad?  Or could it be the socket up there on the ceiling?  Obviously, the socket issue, since it's inside an outside fixture, is more of a pain in the neck.
Thanks in advance!
OK.  Added a picture of how it was wired. I believe this to be original 1920s knob and tube wiring.  Wondering what options I have for a switch replacement in this case, either with a programmable or even a smart/wifi outlet.


texts: How do I determine the rough-in width and height of a window?

texts:
I am thinking about replacing a set of double-hung windows with a single picture window.

To get it quoted and order the window, I need to determine the rough-in dimensions of the space. How do I do that?


texts: What is the use of this valve and split in a reverse osmosis water filtration system?

texts: What is the use of this IMG 1: valve and IMG 2: split (splits into the dishwasher) in a reverse osmosis water filtration system?


texts: Compatible gas control valve for water heater

texts:
I have a reliance 640GORT 300 (approx 6 years old) water heater with a Honeywell WV88040B1042 gas control valve. The pilot light and status light on the gas control valve are off and I have followed the lighting instructions to no avail.

I had someone come out and recommend replacing the control valve, but I am wondering if there is a non-digital control valve that would be compatible with the existing water heater.

Also, if anyone has a suggestion as to another possible problem I'd be happy to hear it.  Still trying to decide whether to repair or get a new water heater.


texts: Help connecting cat5e cables for home networking

texts:
I'm renting an older house that was renovated a few years ago, and I'm hoping to utilize the cat5 wiring in the house for networking.

Here's the setup:

internet --> coax --> modem --> wireless router --> wireless devices
                                                --> ethernet output --> RJ45 wall jack
.... in another room....
RJ45 wall jack --> PC

For now, I'm just trying to connect the RJ45 jack connected to the router to the RJ45 jack connected to my PC.  In theory I think this just means I need to splice the correct two cables together at our network "closet".  Here's what the "closet" looks like:

(Yes, they are just stapled to a piece of plywood in the basement.)  The yellow wires are cat5e, but appeared to be wired into some sort of phone jack block, with an RJ11 socket on the side.

Can any networking experts tell me:

What is the beige box?
What happens if I disconnect the yellow wires from the beige box?  We're not using the landlines at all, though a phone in the kitchen is wired to the doorbell and an intercom system.
What's the best way to splice the ends of the yellow wires together?  Will it just work as one continuous wire if I do so?  (Total cable length is definitely less than 50m, this is a small house.)

Thanks so much for your help!


texts: What is the best adhesive to repair broken towel bracket?

texts: The metal bracket that holds the towel bar rods in place fell and broke in two pieces (exactly where they are joined together). It was a clean break and just needs to be glued together. Any recommendations on what to use on a metal towel bar?


texts: Why have separate Long and Short Flush buttons on a toilet if they both do the same thing?

texts:
In my house, I have two buttons that I can use to flush my toilet. These buttons are labeled "Short Flush" and "Long Flush".

When pressing either of these and instantly letting go, the flush time is the same for either button. Even if I hold the button down until the sistern has completely emptied, the time it takes to re-fill it is the same no matter which button I press. Is there a logical reason for this? I can't figure out why separate buttons exist that do the same things - unless they actually both hit the same flush or similar (I'm not too confident in how these systems work)!


texts: I found these 2x4 LED troffers at a big box store. I'd like to surface mount them on my basement ceiling. I have low ceilings and they are only a half inch thick. They would be perfect. Can you think of an appropriate u-shaped bracket, corner bracket, or rail I could mount to the ceiling and then slide these into? They weigh about 3kg/7lbs.


texts: How can I install a faucet bidet if my faucet doesn't have a removable aerator?

texts: I really want to install Aquaus Handheld Bidet for Faucet in my bathroom, but I have one of those faucets that have inner temper-free aerators. It is not like ordinary screwing type aerators. I have attached a picture that resembles what I have. Is there anything that I can do about this apart from replacing my faucet, such as some kind of converter?


texts: With no load on a circuit, I measure approx 15volts

texts: I picked off 120v from an outlet (parallel) to power a dual switch that inturn will switch on a light and the other to switch on a bathrom fan using a 3/12 with grnd.  The circuit is connected through the dual switch by providing the black "hot" wire to the "com" terminal of the dual switch.  The other side of one switch will go to the light (wht) and the other side of the second switch will go to the fan (red) and all the grounds and nuetrals are continuously connected respectively.  The open wires are waiting to be connected to their respective fixture.  With my multimeter on the open wires I turn the switch on and I get 120volts but when I turn the switch off I get a 15volt reading.  Is this normal because I am reading through a switch that doesn't have a load on it?


texts: How should I pretreat this wall for an additional layer of cement?

texts:
I want to fix a damaged wall, and make it flush with a wall above it, which is about an inch more narrow. To do this, I was thinking of putting a layer of a cement-sand mixture on top of the existing wall.

Parts of the wall have some form of white plastering on them. I can't tell what kind (I'm a complete amateur) but it seems to be pretty solid (nothing comes off when scratching it) and water-resistant.

I realize this can't be answered accurately without more detailed info on the plastering which I can't provide, but could you hazard a guess from this (bad) photo how the areas with the white plastering should be pre-treated?

Would I need a deep-penetrating primer (I have some of that), or do I need to remove the plastering in any case? If so - how would you remove it?

Is there a mechanical trick for making a layer of cement stick on a wall with an unknown surface?


texts:
Background: New construction, 2x6 load bearing wall that will contain insulation, installing individual cooktop modules in the kitchen and the run from the breaker box is 40'. There are 4 cooktop modules (these are Miele combisets if you are curious what I mean by cooktop modules) each requiring 240V and a 15A circuit. I am a little confused by 334.80 and 310.15 of NEC code. My County does not impose additional requirements other than the NEC.

My plan: I would like to run (4) 14/2 cables from the breaker box to the cooktop destination using the neutral wire as a second hot wire (black-striping them at the ends).

Question: what is the correct way to route the cables from the breaker box to the cooktop(s)? All 4 in 1-inch stud holes? Two cables each in two 3/4" stud holes? Each cable in its own 1/2" stud hole throughout the 2x6 studs? Also, given that these cables will be carrying 240v, if I combine cables in stud holes, will they be derated and would it be smart to switch to using 12/2 wire instead of the 14/2?


texts: Toilet flushes ok, but then to fill tank, shut off valve has to be turned off and then back on. Why?


texts: Good, affordable pathway materials for sidewalk with tree root problems

texts:
I recently moved into my first home. Unfortunately, the concrete slab pathway leading from the town sidewalk to the front door is buckling from the roots of an enormous pine tree that grows near it.

What's an inexpensive and durable material to replace this sidewalk with, and how can I prevent future root growth from ruining the new pathway?

I had a landscaper take a look at the pathway, and he recommended bluestone on a bed of crushed stone. The idea is that if the roots grow in the future, you can simply lift the bluestone, level out the crushed stone and then replace the bluestone.

However, this was insanely expensive, and I worry that the bluestone will be super slippery in rainy weather.

Are there other solutions?


texts:
Could anyone in the UK give me an idea what this pipe might be? It's sticking out of the ground about 0.5m from the back wall of my house. It seems to be capped off with a wired-shut cap or something. I'm hoping it's not gas - but I'm not sure.

The problem is that I've come to lay a new lawn where a flower bed was and found it, and it sticks up well past the level of the new lawn! :(


texts: How to prevent half wall (drywall, steel studs) from wobbling

texts:
I want to make a half wall beside a staircase (on the edge of the upper floor). One end will be attached to a concrete column, but the other will be (so far) unsuported. Something like the picture below:

What is the best way to ensure that It stays put and strong? If nothing else I will make a square tubing post (100x100mm, 1.5mm thick) from floor to ceiling and attach the drywall to it.

Any other ideas?

EDIT: No wood studs in Brazil, actually it is very hard to get good construction lumber around (most aren't dry, and pressure treated is rare and expensive as hell).


texts: Removing old paint from brick wall of house

texts:
My house has peeling dated wall paint.  I'd like it to be taken off and then some re-pointing as necessary.
I am not the best DIY person but might attempt at least part on my own, like removing old paint, but likely to have to get someone in.
Can I ask for advice on options to safely remove the paint?
Many thanks
Colin


texts:
DIYer here. I noticed that (only) one of the truss plates popped off where the rafters meet at the peak of the roof. Thus, a single set of rafters and the supporting beam are misligned and no longer connected.
- whats the probable reason this happened?
- If this is the only instance of the issue, is the solution simple enough? (remove old plate, re-align, hammer in new plates on both sides?

thanks.


texts: How can I combine lightbulbs of different types and specifications to accurately simulate medium-intensity daylight in a domestic setting?

texts:
As doctors we are trying to frame some domestic-level recommendations to simulate medium intensity daylight indoors for patients in bed without proper access to actual sunlight. This is also an important need for us personally since our house lacks natural light during many parts of the day and almost everyone agrees that sunlight is the best light. I am currently using an 85w CFL and find it lacks the proper color sense of sunlight, since such bulbs with 6500k color temperature emphasise the 'blue' end of the spectrum. This creates a 'cold' ambiance which is rather disturbing.  I would appreciate a more natural and balanced color scheme, but 'warm white' bulbs are far too yellow to serve that purpose, so I am considering a combination of white CFL and warm white incandescent bulbs in a 80:20 proportion of light intensity to supply the 'red' end of the spectrum that is lacking with just the CFL.

Practical considerations:

In order to provide both ends of the visual spectrum as also uv rays and infrared, I was thinking of installing one 85 watt spiral CFL side by side with one 100 watt incandescent bulb in a pair of simple open fixtures controlled by a single switch. The color temperature of the CFL is 6500k and it is supposed to output 5000 lumens of light, while the incandescent bulb is 2700k and outputs 1500lm. Voltage = 220v and current = 5amp. Are there any technical or electrical factors that counsel against this arrangement? If anybody has tried something similar, I would like your inputs. All suggested improvements on this setup are most welcome.

Background:

Since regular intermittent exposure to real or simulated sunlight is beneficial for various health purposes including sleep rhythm, mood and vitamin D3 synthesis, our aim is to design a composite artificial light that is near as possible to daylight in visual effect, as also electromagnetic content such as visible spectrum, infrared and uv rays, without possessing the extreme intensity of powerful sunlight or the technological complexity of professional arena/street/stage lighting.

Commonly available domestic lightbulbs including fluorescent tubes, incandescent lamps, CFL and LED would be used in appropriate combinations for this purpose.

Although a color temperature around 5000k is said to be in the 'natural daylight' range, such lights are not readily obtained here in India, where the commonly available options are 3000k ('warm white', an outright yellow light) 4000k (labelled 'neutral white', but really a less-yellow shade of gold) and 6500k ('cool daylight', which appears very artificial and very white). In my personal experience, each of these color temperatures has its own distinctive 'color cast' and each by itself doesn't really simulate the visual effect of a neutral sunlight which has no color cast and basically contains all color temperatures in a graded proportion - a full spectrum lighting.

Although complex machines can indeed simulate sunlight, they are beyond the scope of our project. However, each type of ordinary domestic lamp does represent some important characteristic of an ideal sunlight. For example, compact fluorescent lights produce ultraviolet rays and regular incandescent bulbs provide infrared (heat), while LED can give a strong semi-directional glare: moreover, at least 3 color temperature variants are commonly available. In fact such lamps are actually being combined in multiple ways to stimulate and support plant growth indoors in the form of full-spectrum grow lights.

That's what leads me to seek the advice of the home improvement experts here: what is the best way to combine various household bulbs in appropriate proportions of color temperature and light output to create an accurate simulation of medium intensity neutral daylight?


texts: what causes the red light to continue blinking even resetting my gfci outlet

texts: what causes the red light to blink, after resetting the GFCI outlet?  is it faulty, I can't seem to get it to stay green.  help


texts:
Afternoon,

We currently have a gas range cook top with electric oven underneath that is hooked up to a 40 amp breaker via 8/3 romex wire. We are replacing this with an all gas range/oven that only requires 120 volts/15 amp breaker. My question is can I use the existing 8/3 wire by splicing 12/2 via one junction box at the service panel end and another box in an accessible spot just before the new oven, capping off the red wire at both ends? I'd then replace the 40 amp breaker with a 15 amp and connect 12/2, then connect the other spliced 12/2 into a new receptacle for the oven.

My original plan was just to attach fishing wire to the existing 8/3, pull out the 8/3 from the service panel, then attach 12/2 to the fishing wire and fish that through to the service panel. I will go this route if I have to but it involves several cuts into drywall, undoing bulkheads and acoustic tiles, etc.