texts: How close can speaker wire be to a recessed light before heat is a concern?

texts:
I'm currently building a home and have plans to install in-ceiling speakers in my family room when the house is finished. The package that the builder offers is obnoxiously expensive and I can't do it before the walls go up. The benefit though is that I can take copious pictures before the walls go up to help me out.

So I know which joist bay I want to install the speakers in. Unfortunately there is a recessed light there. There's definitely more than enough space to put the wires there, I'm just a little worried about the heat generated from the light and it damaging the speaker wire or worse. I just had a phase 2/framing inspection on Friday and I asked the inspector how close speaker wire can get to the light and he said pretty close.

I just wanted to double check that. Any thoughts?


texts: How wide to trench foundation slab for new plumbing?

texts:
What is a good rule of thumb for how wide to cut the trench when adding new drain/waste/vent plumbing to a foundation?

Here is a made up example rule similar to what I am hoping to find:

Start with 2x the width of the pipe and
add 1” for every 6” you need to dig down

I ask because I would like to rent a concrete saw for just a day to cut the outline for the trench to create a nice clean edge and then do the jackhammering/digging on days afterward and I’d rather not have to rent the concrete saw again (or chisel and leave a jagged edge) if I find I didn’t cut wide enough.


texts: Replace existing swamp cooler thermostat with smart thermostat - any special differences between the two thermostat types in this application?

texts:
Has anyone replaced their swamp / evaporative cooler's existing thermostat with a smart WiFi-connected thermostat like Nest or Ecobee?

I want to know if there are any differences in connection or operation I should be aware of. I do not need to install relays, switches or other parts.

Thanks.


texts: Can negative pressure in a PEX plumbing system cause or contribute to leaks?

texts: Generally, when draining one's plumbing system all the faucets (or at least the ones at the ends of the manifolds or loop) should be opened so that all the water drains from the system and as the water drains, the space left behind is filled with air. If you neglect to do this, some negative pressure is created within the system.When PEX tubing is used, the tubes are pressed into fittings at the fixtures. To my knowledge, no crimping of the fittings are required. I've wondered if a negative pressure can, in some cases, cause the PEX tubing to loosen from those fittings, which in turn may lead to leaks at some point in the future that may not be noticed until severe damage and/or mold buildup is noticed.Edit: Let's assume that the system in question has fittings that do not require crimping, if only because those that do would, presumably, be less prone to leakage.


texts: what is the easiest way too clean adhesive residue from glass?

texts: Stickers have left residue on some windows and old glass jars. I have typically used acetone to clean the residue but is there a better / easier way?


texts: Solution to put down a window sill crack to prevent mold

texts: I have a couple windows where there is a space below the window that goes into the wall (see bottom of picture). There was mold and condensation all around the area, so I'm guessing there's mold down in there as well. Is there something I can put in there to kill/prevent mold before sealing that space?


texts:
I live in a slab home that has a partial brick front in central NC. After a particularly bad bout of rain (hurricane), I discovered about a week later that some of the engineered hardwood floor in the foyer had what looks like water damage.

What should I look for in terms of potential avenues of water getting into the house? Could it be from the brick facing? Cracks in the slab?

Thank you!


texts: Can an electric water heater and electric air handler/furnace be installed in the same closet?

texts:
I'm working on designing a small cabin that is slab on grade with no garage and I need to place the air handler (with electric furnace) and the electric water heater somewhere. There are all sorts of codes about gas units since they use combustion, and require venting, etc. But I haven't been able to get a clear answer on what the requirements of such a utility closet would be, often with conflicting information in online searches.

I'm thinking it would be most economical to build one utility closet for the electric water heater and electric air handler/furnace and put them in there together if permitted. I know you can't do that for gas, but with both appliances electric...? Does anyone know if this is allowed? The code is IRC 2012 with no local modifications.


texts: Fencing yard and then cementing Area - What to do first?

texts: I live in Midwest in a townhouse. Having problems with new neighbors dogs crapping in yard.  Planning to surround yard with 5ft chainlink fence and also cementing the encased area to use as patio with in-ground drain. There won't be any soil area left.  In which order should these two tasks be done?  Which contractors do i need, masonry or fencing company or both? The downspout is in the ground.  Is there a way to tie a drainage system from cement pad into downspout? Area measures about 5x7ft.


texts: Can I move heating vents below a window from the wall to the sill?

texts:
I'm thinking about repositioning the heating vent from the front wall of the windows sill to the top of the sill. Under the sill, I have hot water radiators to provide the heat.
How will this affect the heating flow and the overall room temperature?
Should I expect less, the same amount or even a better flow since the flow may be going more directly into the room?


texts: Can I Combine Two Three-Way Switches and Add Outlet?

texts: I have two three-way switches that I would like to combine into a two combination three-way switch and add an outlet. Is there anything wrong with doing this? I am thinking of wiring them both to the combination switch and then tapping off of that to add an outlet. Please let me know if more info is needed.


texts: How to fix damage to my fence door's latch?

texts:
I have a wooden fence door with a metal latch. As shown in the below picture, something happened recently that caused the metal latch piece (and some of the attached wood) to separate from the fence door.

I want to fix this because the separation makes latching the door difficult. What is the best way to repair this? Might applying wood glue, along with using a large clamp or vice to push the separating wood back into position, repair this?


texts:
I am running about 20 feet of 8 AWG 4 wires through 3/4 inch PVC piping for a electrical power generator (transfer switch to L14-30 outlet). Wanted to know, codes aside, if it is fine to use white instead of grey PVC. The are both schedule 40, but the white is half the cost locally. I'll be running along side the corner of the wall and roof of the inner side of my garage.

I understand that white is specifically for plumbing and grey is specifically for electrical, but want to put aside the codes for the sake of argument.


texts: Asbestos paper-like material on sides of cold air return

texts:
I am currently entertaining thoughts of furnishing my basement. I was wondering if this paper-like paste on the sides of the entire cold air return duct is going to pose a problem as far as health risks. There is also on other small area around a heating duct where this same material is located on an wide and flat elbow-like piece that goes right up to and through the floor and connected to the exhaust chimney (about a 3 ft by 2 ft area covered with this plaster, paper-like stuff).

I was wondering if I could seal/encapsulate these areas then carefully drywall around the cold air return. This house was build in 1947 and I think i am somewhat lucky and very thankful I'm not dealing with even more areas covered with asbestos. Do you guys think I should just have the cold air return removed along with the other area or can I seal it up somehow?

None of these areas look very disturbed other than an area on a beam where my parents had to have some asbestos professionally removed because before they replaced the furnace 15 yrs ago. Wish they would have removed at least this elbow piece. I sorta remember my dad being pissed that they wouldn't replace the furnace until it was removed. They should have removed this elbow piece also.


texts: Millenco Lockmaster Mantis 3 lock - extra part after rebuilding

texts:
tl;dr - where does the horseshoe-shaped bit at the bottom of the picture go?
Long version
I've been trying to refurbish the locking mechanism (gearbox?) for my street door after it got so stiff the key broke in the lock.
I've removed the 5 point locking strip from the door and taken the gearbox off of the strip, and I managed to get the broken key out with pliers. I've now dismantled the gearbox in the hope I could just add some grease and put it all back together again, but it kind of fell apart when I took the screws out and I've been trying to do the resulting jigsaw puzzle for a couple of hours.
I'm pretty sure got most of the parts back in the right place, but there's inevitably a small part left over that I've got no idea what to do with :-(. I'm hoping someone can point me in the right direction...
See the image below for the current state of the lock - I think it's a Millenco Lockmaster Mantis 3 - see https://www.amazon.co.uk/Millenco-Lockmaster-Backset-Spindle-Mantis/dp/B01B516QYG.
The piece I can't find a home for is the horseshoe-shaped part at the bottom of the picture. I think it goes at the bottom end of the lock somewhere, but that's not definite...
Any help appreciated with either working out where it goes, or finding a teardown guide / reference image for the lock as I've had no luck finding either of those myself.


texts: Is "servo-drive" a generic term when applied to kitchen cabinets/drawers?

texts:
I'm translating a Russian text about a high-tech kitchen, and one sentence goes like this:

  The cabinets are equipped with servo drives and will open at a light touch.

The original text says literally "equipped with electrical motors", but I came across the term "servo-drive". Is this term generic, or is there a more widely used generic term for this?

I would avoid a licensed term in favor of a more generic, common one.


texts: I have a TV, DVD player, and satellite receiver box on one breaker and it suddenly tripped.  I went to the panel and tried to reset the breaker and it trips immediately.  Then I unplugged everything and it still trips instantly.  It's a 20 amp circuit, so I don't think it's overloaded.  Does anyone know why this could happen?  Should I be concerned?


texts: How can I hook up a second light when the first lacks enough power?

texts: I added a light to my shower. I ran wiring from new light to an existing single switch intending to add a second switch, but the existing switch only has one set of wires coming directly from an existing light which has power, so by trying to hook up both lights run very dim. So i believe i am wiring it in series, the light must be in between power source. My question is there anyway to wire second switch without having to run a new line.


texts: Should doors over carpeting be hung higher than those over hard floors?

texts:
A joiner recently hung doors in my house but 2 x bedroom doors where the carpet will be fitted hang higher than the surrounding doors.
The timber frames are also about 1.5 inches higher.
After the doors have the framing around them and the carpet is fitted will I even notice this?
I am currently worried my house is going to look ridiculous


texts: Water pressure became a problem - city water

texts:
Old house, 1948, city water.
I have regulator on main set to 50psi

We had a problem when washer runs it's impossible to take shower. But recently (last 3 month or so) it became worse. If you take shower and someone flushes toilet water flow in a shower almost goes to the 0.

I have central filter system, so I replaced filters at first, no help.
Then I opened bypass valve (on filter which I have to temporary reroute cold when changing filter) - same thing.

Then I adjusted regulator to 70 psi. Now I get more pressure but once something else uses water - it drops. It almost feels like "not enough volume" if that is correct term.

It's not specific to any of the faucets, not specific to hot or cold. It almost feels like not enough "path through" for more than one recipient.

I ask neighbor and his pressure seem to be OK. He said maybe in a morning when people run sprinklers he would see lower pressures. But other than that - OK

When measuring and all recipient shut - 70psi
When opening kitchen faucet - pressure drops to 40psi
When washer filling up - pressure drops to 20psi

Any suggestions on what that should mean? Bad regulator? When washer running I can hear "hiss" where main comes in to house, so definitely some restriction going on.


texts: Is a PTHP an HVAC option for a super or well insulated structure?

texts:
Is a Packaged Terminal Heat Pump a good  HVAC system for a structure that is super insulated or passively insulated assuming the unit is sized and fitted to meet the needs of the structure.

There is not really much mentioned about PTHP and very well insulated buildings. Every publication out there dealing with well insulated structures seems to be all mini split ductless or small duct high velocity hvac systems. Are PTHPs worth considering in place of the other just mentioned options? Below is a potential list of advantages and disadvantages that I came up with for considering a PTHP system, it seems to have some pretty good advantages. Why are we not seeing more of these in well insulated building projects, am I missing something, sans the larger whole in the wall I would think these units would work well where a mini split wall unit would go?

Advantages

more reasonable pricing than ductless split systems
Usually offer inlet fresh air vent, that could be worked into a low cost fresh air vent with a exhaust vent wired into the fan thermostat circuit.
Ususally offer standard 24VAC thermostat control, perfect for smart home integration.
Reasonably efficient depending on which models selected with a range of 10-13 EER.
Usually has back up electrical resistance heat as a 2nd stage heat option for colder climates
Available in under 1 TON sizes as small as 7000 BTUs

Disadvantages

Potential an issue since it will require a large about 43" x 16" hole to be placed in the wall, not sure if this would be a massive air / thermal transfer leak surface area even if a air tight seal is accomplished around the unit
Usually do not have a dedicated de-humidification / dry  mode like many mini ductless systems do
Is not a efficient as mini ductless systems


texts: Can I safely disconnect this television outlet?

texts:
I have what appears to be an old tv antenna outlet connection in our bedroom. This outlet has since been replaced (elsewhere in the room) by coaxial cable.

I would like to disconnect this cable and cover with a solid wallplate, however, want to make sure there are no hazards to leaving the wires in place in the box.


texts: What is the proper method to prepare drywall for painting?

texts: I have a 25 y.o apartment with paint that peels off in large sheets.   If I repaint it, I would like to understand why it is peeling so as to avoid future peeling. Maybe there is a diagnostic to identify root cause?


texts:
I would like my A/C to self turn on at 8pm, that is before I get home and have the ability to cut off power automatically. I have Sonoff basic devices doing this with my lawn lights, pool, etc. I have a 1 Channel Inching /Self-Locking WiFi Wireless Switch 5V 12V that's been sitting here unused:

I connected it to 1 zone of my sprinkler system and it worked as expected - when the sprinkler controller turned on that zone I could turn on/off the Sonoff WIFI switch which then turned on/off that zone but for so long, then off. I thought it's summer, turn the HVAC selector to AC, find the power line, cut it, insert them in this low voltage Sonoff, and I can turn on/off AC on my phone or just use a set timer. The thermostat is a Honeywell RTH110B here is installation manual. Sonoff device is powered by cellphone charger or 12vc dc connectors.


texts: I'm replacing an old doorbell transformer. After removing the junction box, I have 3 exposed black wires. I have the new transformer with the typical White, Black, Green wiring, but I don't know which wires - if any - to connect the green. I added a photo. Any help would be appreciated.


texts: How to attach a security camera to an existing box?

texts:
Our house was wired for security cameras, when we moved in, and I'm now getting around to install the cameras on some of the corners.

However, the cameras and the separate mounts on sale today all seem to expect a three-hole mount of 2" in diameter.

What I have on the corners of my house -- with the camera-cables inside -- are 4" boxes with 4 screw-holes (although each box itself is attached to the wall with only two screws).

How should I proceed with the installations?

Unscrew and replace the existing boxes with something specifically designed for today's cameras? What are they called -- how do I find them?
Find some sort of mounting adapter
for sale? I spent an hour on Amazon already and couldn't find anything -- any hints?
Make an adapter by drilling the necessary openings in
the cover-plates of the existing boxes? Seems easiest, but I worry about security of the result -- though the cover is metal, it may bend and warp with time under the weight of the camera and wind-pressure.


texts: How to add door trim where there isn't enough room?

texts:
I'm adding molding to my living room, but have one entryway where there isn't enough room on the side to add the full width of the pilaster.

What are my options?  I do plan on having a 5" base molding, a 2" chair rail, and a 3" crown, if that affects what might look good.


texts: What to use to harden up a gravel driveway

texts:
I have a gravel driveway uphill. I put new 1/2" rock gravel in last fall because of washout. I also spread concrete and sprayed it, but it didn't take. I have a 05 Harley Davidson Road King custom that I can't get up or down the driveway without almost dumping it.

Can I put anything on it to harden it up enough to get my bike up and down? It's too long to cement or asphalt it.


texts: I want to connect rain shower head - how should I disconnect this plug?

texts:
I had a renovation of my bathroom done recently by a contractor. Only thing he left not done was installing rain shower head (as it was still in transit from the e-store). He left me with this plug in water outlet - can I safely unscrew it and screw my rain shower in? Should I isolate it somehow so that water won't drip under the tiles? I am a total newbie when it comes to any home-improvement related things, I tried googling it but didn't find definite answer. Thank you for patience and being understanding :)

My rain shower ending


texts: Multiple outlets stopped working after wall-mounting TV

texts:
I recently noticed that an outlet in the garage, a bathroom (GFCI), an outside outlet, and the irrigation system no longer work.  I also recently upgraded the TV in the living room and installed a new wall mount for it (drilling four holes to do so).  I do not notice any tripped circuit breakers.  The bathroom GFCI outlet can't be reset (the button depresses, but then clicks back out, maybe because there's no current to it).
First, is it possible that installing the wall mount could've hit a cable that would power all of these different places?
How would I go about diagnosing this?
~~~~~~~ Update ~~~~~~

Going off of @jay613's advice of not over thinking things, and his suggested test, I did get current to the bathroom GFCI (which is further away from the panel than the spot I drilled holes for the mount).  I didn't know how to safely test after that point with the meter though.  Just guessing the path by things that weren't working after that point, the next outlet was an outside one.
After Unplugging a timer that was plugged into the outside outlet (not sure what it powers), I was able to reset the GFCI outlet in the bathroom, and the outlets in other parts of the house now work.  I now believe that possibly the TV mount was coincidental timing, and either the outside outlet failed or the timer that was plugged into it failed (probably more likely)
Thank you very much for the help and insights. Very appreciated!


texts: Ceiling Light Installation: Junction Box or SLIM Led Driver Differences

texts:
What are the advantages/disadvantages between using a Junction Box Ceiling Light Installation or a Slim LED Driver box installation?
My ceiling has space to incorporate either option.
I am wondering what the best option is, is the industry going towards more LED Driver box ?
The Slim LEDs come with their own junction box.
Examples:
LED Round Color Select-able Flat Panel Recessed Trim
Ultra Slim 6 in. Canless Color Selectable CCT Integrated LED Recessed Light Trim Downlight 900 Lumens Dimmable
Slim LED with Driver Box:
Installation Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4fHshRd3g0

Junction box Install

searching to understand comparison, vs. for new house


texts: Why are baseboard miters not straight even after tuning saw?

texts: I'm installing baseboard for the first time and I keep noticing when doing 45° cuts the top is sticking out a fraction more than the bottom, see picture. I'm using a dewalt 716 miter saw and have used multiple tools to test and the saw in tuned in properly but still am having this issue.


texts: Can I use this copper wire to add a ground to an ungrounded outlet?

texts:
I would like to add a ground to an ungrounded outlet so that I can use a surge protector with some electronics.
How do you add a separate ground back to panel on 2 wire ungrounded outlet?

The copper wire in the picture below runs across the joists in my basement from the water supply entry back to the electrical panel (It is definitely wired into the panel, no cuts along the path). This ground wire is about 10Ft from the outlet I want to ground. Can I use a split nut like the one pictured below to clamp a bare 12AWG ground wire to the existing ground?


texts: Is is possible to retrofit a wood-burning stove into an existing gas central heating system?

texts:
Our house has gas-fired central heating, but fuel costs in the winter are very high (it get's very cold here!).  I've been toying with the idea of a wood burning stove.

I'm wondering whether, rather than just a stand alone stove, I can incorporate the stove into the piped heating system, to supplement the heat provided by the gas boiler?

If this is possible, how complicated is it?  From a plumbing point of view, is it enough that there are radiator pipes in the room which the stove will occupy?

This is an area I really have no experience in, so forgive me if it sounds stupid :)


texts: How can I clean water stains off my shower stall?

texts: It is all glass (transparent) but has become translucent because of salt stains (slightly hard water). What is the best way to clean without using harsh chemicals? My toddler is allergic to harsh chemicals like Ammonia.


texts: Can I plug an air conditioner and a chest freezer into the same outlet?

texts:
I have a Gibson/Frigidaire through the wall AC unit plugged into a dedicated 3-prong outlet in my a room of my apartment. I'd like to put a chest freezer in my office for homebrewed beer. Is it safe to put a splitter on this outlet and plug both the AC and freezer into it? Or do I need to use separate outlets or have another outlet installed?

The AC unit is a GAH085Q1T, 8000 BTU 115v 8.0 amp.

The freezer I'm looking at getting is a GE 5 cu. ft. model., which would be running through a digital thermostat controller. Because of the thermostat, it won't be running all the time, as the thermostat will turn it on/off to maintain the desired temp of about 45°F, which is higher than the highest temp you can set the freezer at.


texts: Is it safe to mount a pull-up bar on an exterior stucco wall?

texts:
I live in a house built in the mid-60s.  I bought a wall mounted pull-up bar (this: https://www.titan.fitness/strength/strength-accessories/pull-up-bars/titan-wall-mounted-pull-up-chin-up-bar/400510.html), with the intention of mounting it on an exterior wall (there are no indoor walls - including the garage - with a high enough ceiling to be able to do muscle-ups).

However, right as I was about to drill, a thought occurred to me: is this is a bad idea? Will drilling into the stucco "break" some kind of weather seal, & exposing my house to mold, mildew, etc?

I'm in Los Angeles, so we don't get that much rain, but the concern still applies.

Edit: I'd be mounting it on the studs behind the stucco, obviously. My concern just had to do with "breaking the seal" of the stucco or not.


texts: Can I add a second light fixture to a 3 way switch?

texts:
COMPLETE ELECTRICAL NOOB HERE
I have a light at the bottom of my stairs with a 3 way switch at the top and bottom. I want to know if I can just run some wiring off of the switch at the top of the stairs to a second light bulb?
I have attached some pictures showing the switch at the top of the stairs. Can I just run two wires off of this switch to a light bulb (may not even put the light bulb in a casing...would that be okay?)?
I've also attached a picture of the wire I have. I think it is 14 gauge.
Any additional information you can provide me would be greatly appreciated. I hope this isn't too much work.
Can I just run a wire from the existing bulb/light fixture to the top of the stairs, like the picture below?


texts: What is the purpose of these ducts in HVAC/laundry room ceiling?

texts:
Attached picture (1st pic)  is ceiling of 2nd floor condominium laundry room, there is HVAC and water heater also in the room. Due to recent water damage ceiling was removed. I have question about flexible ducts shown by yellow and red dots in the picture.
1st picture is laundry room, 2nd picture is adjacent bathroom.
In laundry room, One end of the duct with yellow dotted line is connected with solid vent which goes down the wall on left side and opens in vent near the floor (not in the picture)
One end of the duct with red dotted line opens in ceiling vent as you can see in the picture.
Blue arrow shows HVAC plenum, you can tell that these ducts are not connected to it.
Both of these ducts go toward the adjacent bathroom ceiling (2nd picture).
In the bathroom ceiling, both of these flex ducts are connected to solid metal ducts which goes further to the right towards my  walk in closet, which is end of my unit (Walk in closet has outside wall of building).
Both duct opens outside the building like shown in 3rd picture.
I just don't understand purpose of these vents. When my HVAC turns on, I don't feel any air coming out of vent in the wall (for yellow duct) and vent in the ceiling (for red duct).
Can someone tell me what are these ducts for ?


texts: Attic remodel with roof ventilation issues

texts:
We are wanting to convert our attic space into living space. The challenge is that the rafters are 2x8 and the boards are on two-foot centers.

The last time we had the roof replaced, they added a ridge vent to improve air flow and we have soffit vents. We can't buy insulation to fit the space and if we do, it blocks any air flow after we install sheet rock to the ceiling. We are not sure what to do.

We want maximum insulation but adequate air flow.

I can add pics later if it lets me.

Thoughts?


texts: Water entering into fireplace during rain

texts:
I recently observed water is coming in the fireplace during the rain. Although it is about  a drop per second or so, it is can easily fill up a small pan during a stormy and rainy day.

I don't think this is normal. I have a flue cap at the top of my chimney. Is this normal behavior?

Also what can the possible causes of it be?


texts: Will shutting off water to house hurt a water softener?

texts: Will shutting off the water supply to the house hurt a water softner?


texts: How can I safely work around power lines?

texts:
I have to do some painting and repair work on the outside of the house near the incoming power line. The repair is pulling off molding and replacing it as well as painting the surrounding area.

I am going to get a fiberglass ladder to work around the area but is that enough? I will be so close that I am bound to touch it and it scares the crap out of me.

What else should I do to get this work done and still be alive to enjoy it after?


texts: Meaning of SA mean in "GFI - SA" electrical panel labeling?

texts: I noticed a couple of the handwritten labels on my electrical panel are listed as "GFI - SA". I am curious as to what the "SA" indication means. Note, there are also a few other "GFI"-marked labels on my panel without the "SA" moniker. So the "SA" indication is obviously meant to differentiate between them.


texts: Can a countertop microwave oven be placed under the counter on a shelf?

texts: I want to know if a countertop microwave can be placed on a shelf under the counter.  If so what is the code required clearance for floor to bottom of microwave distance?  I live in California.


texts:
I have a large paved area that I would like to replace with lawn. My plan is to use some of the pavers as a border.

They're plain concrete pavers (450x450mm) that look like this except about 20 years old:

I was thinking about painting them a nice cream colour.

Has anyone ever done anything like this?

Will the colour fade or chip?

Is there anything I should know about painting ground cover?


texts: Well Pressure Greater than 100 psi to pressure tank

texts: My signature 2000 pressure tank has a collapsed bladder and the pump runs with all water usage. Two days ago the pressure suddenly increased a lot and now the pressure switch gauge is pegged @ 100psi (normally 60)and the pressure switch isn't cutting in with any water usage. It's like there is no need for the tank.  I'm worried about the tank itself being at or OVER 100psi. Any ideas?


texts: How to disassemble a pop-up trip lever drain in tub?

texts:
My tub has a pop-up trip lever drain like this:

My tub is clogged; the water drains but very slowly. I tried to use an auger to clean it out but can't get past the spring.

How do I disassemble the pop-up trip lever drain so I can remove the clog?


texts:
Hope everyone is safe and well.

My house came with this old bathroom exhaust fan.  The fan works but I feel it is not strong enough for the bathroom as my mirror and bathroom become foggy during a shower.  This fan comes with a light and I have three switches - one activates the fan, the other activates the light, and the third one doesn’t appear to do anything.  I would like to replace this fan with something new and higher CFM, with a light, however, I do not want to replace the housing of the fan.  There is no attic above the fan (flat roof above it) and hence it will be a challenge for me to replace the housing and ensure the venting is properly connected.  Ideally I’m looking to replace the fan motor and light fixture.  I have emailed Broan to see if they have a newer model of the fan I have and they have confirmed that they do not make this model anymore.  I have searched in Home Depot but couldn’t find one.  Any recommendations for me? Can you please help me find a fan that will fit into this housing that I can easily replace.


texts: How to calculate water pressure coming out of a shut-off valve without manometre?

texts: I just tested, without any other sink or appliance with water running, my valve loads exactly 1 litre of water per 5 seconds in a bucket, how many bars is this? Is this a correct way of testing?


texts: I have a drain made of PVC pipe on my back porch.  The PVC pipe sticks up from the concrete about an inch or so.  What is the best way to cut the pipe down so that it will be level with the concrete?  What tools do I need?


texts: How can I stiffen the subfloor of an upstairs bathroom?

texts:
I have been doing polished concrete throughout my house.  My wife loves it more than I thought she would and now wants me to do it upstairs.  I am afraid that the subfloor flexes too much, which wasn't a problem on the slab.

I don't want to put down anything too thick over it or the profile will be too much against the adjacent carpet.  What is the thinnest way to stiffen the floor?  I am going to use lathe so I don't really care about the cement board.  I just want to get the flex out.


texts: Why do my upstairs toilets run randomly?

texts:
Two upstairs toilets will run randomly.  If I run water in the sink briefly it stops, then often the adjacent bathroom will start to run.  Same thing happens when I run water in the sink there.

The upstairs / second story is an addition to a ranch house done roughly 10 years ago.  Have a well, not city supplied water.


texts: What is the maintenance schedule for a concrete driveway?

texts: I have a concrete driveway that I'd like to keep looking good, and in good working order. What needs to be done to maintain the driveway, and how often should it be done?


texts: No water comes out of the toilet's refill tube

texts:
I just took apart the valve inside of my toilet to fix a crack in the floater. It's a Fluidmaster 300:

When I put the thing back together and turn the water back on, no water comes out of the refill tube. Instead, it squirts out of the top of the red cap where the black floater connects.

Underneath that red cap is a rubber diaphram, which i've pulled out and inspected. It's in good shape. it has a little nipple in the middle where a tiny stream of water can come out, and water is coming out of that, but not the refill tube. Anyone know what's going on here?

Edit: I found a little pin in the bottom of the toilet. Is this supposed to go in the nipple of the seal? Looking at the valve, I can't even understand how the arm raising could possibly shut anything off! I feel like I just discovered a glitch in the matrix or something.


texts: Any way to correct stain bleed after the fact?

texts: I applied a very dark stain (actually calligraphy ink) to a sanded but otherwise untreated piece of plywood, and the stain has bled well past the edges of the design. (I had tested the stain on another piece of plywood first, and while that one did bleed, it was marginal, less than 1mm, and something I could live with.) What might I do to rescue this piece?


texts: How would you plug this old weeping drain hole, in a brick/concrete retaining wall

texts:
This little sunken porch area stays dry, mostly.  There's what looks like an old relief drain in the wall that lets water in.  Its kinda dirty in there, and very uneven.  Is there any hope in sealing such a thing from the front, and if so what type of product would be worth a shot?

The soils are clay in the area.


texts:
My house has a air conditioner,I am not sure I should call it furnace or air conditioner. it works as a air conditioner in summer but work as a heater in winter.

Today I found the condensing unit (the part outside the house) actually doesn't spin during heating process, so I am thinking about if we need to add some plastic to protect snow/rain into it.

But I am not sure weather the heating process need the condensing unit air or not.Should I just cover a plastic bag onto condensing unit in winter?


texts: Halogen bulb goes on and off when a dimmer switch is activated

texts: I have just fitted a halogen wall lamp in a hallway running from 2 switch points, one by the front door and one in the kitchen. Both switches are dimmers, the type that you depress and hold down to dim the bulb. When you turn either dimmer switch on the halogen bulb goes on and off continuously whilst you are holding the dimmer switch on. When you release/depress the dimmer switch the bulb stays off. I have also tried the lamp with a dimmer halogen and the same thing happens. Before I replace the dimmer switches altogether with standard on/off switches is there anything else I can try? Is there anyone who can explain what is happening? Please!


texts: I have some tile in my kitchen that has fallen off (unglued I suppose). See pictures below. How do I fix this?  Recommendations for a novice DIYer?


texts: Samsung induction slide in oven makes whining and whistling noise

texts: My Samsung induction stove/oven that is only 1.5 years old started making a whining and whistling noise when on Bake. I think it's a fan, but this noise wasn't there before. What can it be and is it dangerous not to fix it right away and keep using it? Thank you!


texts: My light switch trips the breaker when its placed into the box

texts: I have a box that contains 3 light switches.  I replaced the old switches with new ones simply for cosmetic reasons.  The old panel worked perfectly fine.  When I install the new switches everything is fine.  However, when I compress them all into the box and make everything nice and tidy, it trips the breaker.  Is something rubbing in there?  Does the proximity have something to do with my problem?


texts: Is there a problem with a media enclosure box in a laundry room?

texts:
Looked at a home where the media enclosure box is in the laundry room. Is that ok?
Particularly, I’m unsure if there’s an issue about moisture being near wiring.


texts: How do you know when and where it is safe to drill into a wall?

texts:
Lots of home projects involve cutting or drilling through walls (everything from nails, screws, or hooks to mount things to cutting through drywall and drilling through studs to run wire).

In general, how do you know what's safe to break through and what isn't? In other words, when can you just start drilling through a wall and when do you need to be worried about hitting electrical lines, plumbing, etc.


texts: Last night power in living room went out. Flipped all breakers and bought a gk7 voltage detector. Outlets and breakers show hot but nothing plugged up comes on...?


texts:
The blower on my HVAC runs sometimes when it should be off.  It does not run all of the time.

The furnace is in the attic and  the abnormal running seems to be related to the attic temperature.

Observations:

When the attic is not hot, all functions work properly,  the blower is on when it should be on and off when it should be off.

With a hot attic (109 F), the blower was running with the thermostat in HEAT mode, fan in AUTO, and the set point 5 degrees below room temperature.
The blower continued to run when I switched the thermostat to OFF mode.  The blower shut off overnight.

With a hot attic , the blower was running with the thermostat in COOL mode, fan in AUTO, and the set point 15 degrees above room temperature.  The blower shut off overnight.

Question:

Is this normal behavior?  If not, how do I determine what is causing the blower to run when it should be off?

Equipment - Installed 1981

General Electric natural gas furnace model BLH080E936G0

General Electric 5-wire thermostat model AY28X092   3AAT50A2B55I

Honeywell high limit and fan motor control  L4064E 1223
Settings: high limit 205 F, Fan ON 120 F, Fan OFF 82 F

@ThreePhaseEel Wiring Diagram


texts: Do I run screws through the "tops" or through the "bottoms" of the corrugated steel in roofing?

texts:
Suppose I want to cover a roof with corrugated steel sheets. Imagine a sheet laying on the roof. It will have "tops" - zones that are further from the roof surface and "bottoms" - zones that are closer to the roof surface (the line is the sheet cross-section, the roof is below the line, the outdoors is above the line):

I need to decide where I run the screws that will hold the sheet.

In case it was roofing slate I'd definitely run them through the "tops" ("B" on the drawing) because when it rains water will run along the "bottom" and into any hole it finds there.

However seems like the typical approach with corrugated steel is to run the screws through the "bottom" ("A" on the drawing) which puzzles me a lot.

Which do I choose - A or B - in case of corrugated steel and why?


texts: Why do I have saw out the bar the electric box hangs on to replace it with a fan rated bar and box?

texts:
I had a ceiling light and it had a metal bar and a electrical box. The home is not that old but The electrical box was not ceiling fan compatible so I removed the box. Now the bar is solid I could hang off the thing and it would not move and believe me holding me is more weight than the ceiling fan. To install the ceiling fan with the bar and electric box that is ceiling fan approved I have to saw out the existing bar and put a new one in. My question is why do I have to do that?? Isn't there some electrical box that I can buy that will work for the ceiling fan and the existing ceiling light bar??? If there isn't there should be But please tell me there is cause I don't want to saw the existing metal bar in pieces.

Thanks


texts: Remove a light switch to an outlet - knob and tube

texts:
I have an outlet with a light switch that currently controls it.  What I would like to do is remove the switch so the outlet is always hot.  I considered just removing the switch and connecting the two wires, but it's knob and tube and changing anything makes me nervous.

Is this safe to do?


texts:
Continuing my basement shop brainstorming...

As I said in another question, the good news is that I've got a 30-amp 240V circuit more or less in the right place and available, and easily accessible for its entire length.

The questionable news is that it's a 3-wire circuit -- no safety ground. It's in conduit, but I never like trusting the continuity thereof.

So: How insane would it be to run a new safety ground outside the existing conduit?

... Or should I just scrap the old run and redo it as NMC/Romex?

... Or should I put a GFCI in the new secondary box on principle (probably!), in which case safety ground is mostly moot? I've used that solution for several outlets that had the same problem..


texts:
I'm helping a friend install a sink in a workshop that was added onto his house.
A previous owner installed a water line and a drain by boring through what appears to be the rim joist of the original house into the workshop but they did not vent it. I am reusing the holes they bored and want to vent the drain properly. My original plan was to install an AAV in the wall above the drain but after removing some of the stucco, it appears there is a stud directly above the drain pipe. The stud cavity to the right does not have enough room to fit the AAV box I picked out. I opened the stud cavity to the left and found that the drain goes through the end of the rim joist and has a sizeable amount of sill plate and framing above it. I am worried about notching/drilling through this part of the framing to accommodate a vent pipe.

What should I do? As far as I can tell, my options are:

Notch/drill through the sill plate and remaining part of the rim
joist to install the vent pipe/AAV + box in the left stud cavity.
Install the AAV in front of the wall. Is this even legal?
Install the AAV in
the crawlspace behind the wall. This would almost certainly be at a
height below the P-trap its venting and several feet away. Would this still be effective?

Do I have any other options?


texts: How can I attach plywood window covers without damaging the trim or shingles?

texts:
I have an oceanfront cottage and have "boarded up" the ocean-facing windows each winter before closing up for the season.

In the past I just used wood big enough to totally cover the window and frame, and would just use wood screws to fasten it directly to the cedar shingle siding.

This obviously leaves holes from the screws. This summer we just re-did the cedar shakes and window trim, and put new paint on the whole thing. It looks great now.

My question is - what is the best way to board up my windows so as to inflict the least damage to the trim/shngles/paint?  Open to any suggestions that won't break the bank.


texts:
K.I.S.S. Keep it simple stupid. Please remember this when responding because I have very little knowledge of home electrical, mechanic by trade.

My House has a 200amp service panel

House panel runs to a 100amp service panel roughly 100' from the home. Has 2 breakers in it and it is primary used to just control 4 lights on the outside of the property.

New Garage is 76' from the 100amp service panel. I am planning on burying the line to the new garage. I will be running a 4 overhead led shop lights, installing 6-8 electrical outlets (accessibility) and a single 220V hook up.

What wire type/size should I use for the run from the panel to the garage? #4 copper, 6-3 UF-B, or something different? I am purchasing the wiring from Menards (like a home depot / lowes). For the wiring inside of the garage to the outlets, 12-2 UF-B?????

Any and all help is greatly appreciated. Thank you


texts:
I'm doing a bathroom remodel and want to tile the entire bathroom (not just the bath/wet area) floor to ceiling.

My contractor used concrete board in the bath area (which sounds good), but used blueboard in the non-bath area. He says the blueboard should be good enough for tiling from floor to ceiling, even with heavy porcelain tile. Is this true? Would you recommend just using concrete board throughout?


texts:
Moved into an apartment that has MR16 bulbs on the ceiling. A total of 7.
Replaced them with 5W Leds and it started flickering.
If I use one halogen and 6 LEDs, it doesn't flicker and works fine.
The lights have a dimmer switch but i don't want to use it or I keep it on full brightness only. The LEDs are non dimmable.
Please advise how to correct the problem.

Should i search for a daylight halogen and use that in one socket to avoid the flickering.
Should I call the electrician and disconnect the dimmer?
Any other solution


texts: Why isn't my Lennox G26Q3/4-100-6 furnace firing up?

texts:
I replaced the batteries, does not click when it calls for heat in the thermostat.  fan blows but no heat.  I took off inspection door, held the safety switch in, a blue light is blinking constantly, what is the cause of this, possible igniter bad or thermostat bad?

The fan for the combustion chamber is running, while two blue lights blink fast.


texts: Are surface mount deadbolt latch door lock inherently unsafe?

texts:
I want to install a digital lock on my front door. It is surface mounted and its latch-catch is attached to the jambs by just 2 screws.

My house is in a gated community, so o don't expect anyone kicking the door anytime soon, but I'm afraid that just the regular opening and closing and checking if the door is locked might loosen the screws or even end up damaging the whole catch.


texts: What type of concrete foundation do you pour for sand?

texts:
I have a piece of beach front land that is sand (sometimes wet), what kind of foundation do you pour for a home constructed on sand?

What kind of considerations do you take in if its water front and could get wet?

I cannot find any info on this at all, anywhere... so if anyone has an example codes page I'd also love to look at it so I can know what to ask for here.

Cheers


texts: Where a new drywall meets an already finished/plastered/painted ceiling or wall (at a corner) is it good enough to simply apply a cost of plaster all the way to the corner or is it necessary to use paper-tape and jointing compound across to the adjacent surface (Eg to avoid cracks)?


texts: Recessed Lighting in the garage - Fire Rated Products

texts:
I have an unfinished 2-story detached garage (20x24). First story is the garage and the second story is a studio like apartment. I am considering using recessed lighting on the first floor. I understand that the ceiling is a fire barrier to protect the occupants on the second floor. One sheet of Type X 5/8" is rated for 1 hour and two sheets of Type X 5/8 is rated for two hours.
Any penetrations though the ceiling degrades the ability of the fire-barrier (ceiling) to be effective. I searched for Fire-Rated Recess Light Housing and found Cooper Industries Halo (H750FR2ICAT). So I go to Womack Electrical Supply (WES) Website to order one. It says: "Your Price $240.00 each". That does not seem right.
Anyone know of any reputable resellers  willing to sell to a Por-DIYer like me? HomeDepot / Lowes do not appear to carry any product like this in my area. And I prefer to do business with local shops when I can.
Side Question: Do the resellers like WES even want to do business with the likes of me (Pro-DIY).

Revised base on "Lee Sam's" Answer:
Area = Pi * r(2).
Area (6" hole) = 28.27 sq inches
Ceiling Area = 20 ft x 20 ft = 400 sq ft
4 * 144 sq in / 28.27 = 20 each 6" holes.
I suspect I will only need 12-16 each 6" holes for recessed lights.
After further thought, I still would want to install light fire-rated recessed lighting housing or some other method. My kids might be sleeping in the second floor one night.
I am also evaluating creating a recessed channel between the i-Joist within the gypsum board to install lighting.
I liked recessed lighting in a garage with 8 foot ceiling because I want to avoid the glare and I want to keep from hitting a light fixture with a 2x4, plywood, pole, etc. If I had 10 foot ceilings, I would just mount the lights on the ceiling.

Revised: July 21, 2020
Garage lighting needs/requirements/brainstorming.

General Lighting: Soft Lighting (3500K-4000K color range) will automatically turn on with enough light so that the family can get into and out of the car safely, move around the garage, etc. The general lighting would would be on a motion/sound sensor and turn off automatically after 20-30 minutes. (I found a brand/model used in my office at work).

Note: When the garage door opens, I don't want there to be so much glaring light flooding out of the garage that it looks like an alien invasion (like "Close encounters of the Third Kind").

Party Lighting: More Soft (3500K-4000K color range) lighting that General Lighting for a birthday party, family gathering, covered space for BBQ, etc. I would clear out and clean the garage for this type of event. Setup of food tables, etc.

Work/Task lighting: This would be a third set of lighting that I can turn on as needed for working on the car, small wood working projects, kids school projects, etc. The color of this type of lighting would be in 4000K-5500K range. Unsure about the amount of Lumens (or how bright) needed.

Cooper Lighting Solutions - Halo - Fire Rated Recess light Housing - H750FR2ICAT
Website: http://www.cooperindustries.com/content/public/en/lighting/products/recessed_general_purpose_downlighting/fire-rated/_1066527.html


texts: Repairing cracks in plasterboard ceiling - ok to tape over paint?

texts:
I have cracks all around the edges of the plasterboard sheets in the ceilings throughout the house.  The cracks are pretty wide - about 1mm.  The ceilings are plasterboard with a skim coat and emulsion over the top, and the scrim tape is hessian (1950s house).  I'm about to redecorate and want to sort the cracks out first.
It seems I need to tape (e.g. FibaTape) and use jointing compound.  My question is whether it is ok to tape and fill over the paintwork or whether I will need to sand the paint off first?


texts:
Does the quality of fill dirt matter?
For example, in my application, I need to fill an area where I'm planning to have a gravel patio. I picked up a yard of dirt from a local supply place and, upon coming come, I discovered that contained a few broken cinder blocks and is full of sod, and generally looks to me more like soil that dirt. I expect dirt to look more like clay than soil.
In any case, will this potentially cause problems if I use it to try to raise the level for the patio?


texts: Why is water being consumed when my shutoff valve is closed?

texts:
I have a shutoff valve in the crawlspace that operates just the four outside hose faucets.  Heard the water rushing last year and sure enough the water meter at the road was reflecting water usage when we weren't using anything in the house.

I replaced the existing shutoff valve and it will shutoff the water to those outside faucets, but if I open it up the water is still rushing somewhere and the water meter shows usage.  I have been everywhere in the crawlspace, inside the house, and the attic but can find no water coming out anywhere.  The outside faucets will show a normal flow of water when I turn each on individually if I open up the valve, but no leaks to be found.

Any ideas?  Do I need a different shutoff valve (I am using a standard one with the red circular shutoff handle)?  Any thoughts would be appreciated.  I let it go until now since we weren't here for months, in case you were wondering.


texts: What to pay attention when putting flooring in the attic

texts:
I have a cold attic meaning the insulation is on the bottom. I would like to put flooring here so that I can use this area as storage without abusing it.

What do I need to pay attention for this job?

There is already some kind of (a bit worn out) protection wrapping the insulation. Do I need to put anything else?
I prefer screws over nails just because it is faster. Is it the right choice or can screws snap off over time if the house is moving slightly?
Do I need to leave any space between the timber pieces in case they expand?

Right now it is winter in Sweden and this is how my attic looks!


texts:
I'm trying to figure out the best plan to replace the failed insulation in my attic.  It's a 1.5 story house so it's really a combination floor/attic (see attached diagram).

The original insulation was faced batts stapled between the 2x4 trusses along the roof (gray in diagram).  However this has almost entirely failed and was crumpled up on the floor.  The attic has a wood floor with blown in insulation below it.

I could just replace the old batts and leave things in the same configuration, but I was told there could be moisture issues caused by doing that.  Also complicating things is the fact that one side of the house doesn't have eves or eve vents and there is no ridge vent.  There is one gable vent.

I'm wondering if it would be better to attach batts to the vertical 'interior' walls of the attic and lay others out covering the attic decking.  It would eliminate any usable storage space (not that big of a deal) but seems to be the best option for ventilation.

The other issue is dealing with insulating the gap between the roof and the ceiling of the living space which for the most part is un-insulated.  It's only about 2" so I can't really insulate it without blocking all ventilation.  Plus I'd probably have to rent an insulation blower just to fill those spaces.


texts: recessed light only works with halogen bulb?

texts:
My husband and I just moved into a new home and have found that we have two different types of recessed light fixtures. One of types only works with a specific type of halogen flood light bulbs and multiple attempts to buy new bulbs have not resulted in finding a new bulb that will work in the fixture.

The label inside the fixture says " Use only PAR-30 Reflector type lamps 75 watts maximum".  The bulb that works says PEC PAR38 FL 130V 90W and appears to be halogen with a large brass base.  We haven't been able to find replacement bulbs that work in this fixture.  Does anyone have any advice on how to figure out what bulbs will work in this fixture?

We'd really appreciate any help.  Thanks.


texts: AC Condenser Fan Won't Spin and Overheats But Can Be Kickstarted

texts:
Symptoms: AC kicks on, but blows warm air

Found issues: AC kicks on and AC condenser appears to turn on (makes noise), but the fan won't spin. A few seconds later, the condenser fan motor overheats (almost too hot to touch), then the reset switch is flipped. If I kickstart the fan, it'll run, but the motor will eventually overheat under 15 minutes and also flips the reset switch.

Other details: AC condenser fan spins by hand (long screw driver) fairly freely.

From what it looks like, it's either the condenser motor and/or the capacitor. My question is how do I properly diagnose which it is?


texts:
We would like to have wooden windows in our newly bought apartment which we are renovating at the moment. The apartment is old and we feel that alu-windows does not fit the "soul" of the apartment.

The constructor (and every local we ask) tells us that it is a bad idea with wooden framed windows as the temperature variation during a day vary a lot (this winter we've seen it vary from -4C to +18C within 24 hour, in summer we reach 42C degree some days).

Now, the constructor says that wooden-alu windows neither does not fit in this area because of the climate - what could the reason be behind his statement?


texts:
I have an Outdoor Water Faucet right under the deck which is very hard to reach. So far I have connect a 50ft water hose there permanently but I always shut off from the faucet because it's leaking water a bit at the connection and I don't want to winter freeze to crack the connection.

I need to redo this system. My plan is to have: (1) drip irrigation system and (2) a new faucet somewhere outside the deck.

I have a few questions:

The current faucet is copper. What is the best way to connect something permanently to it and have a 2-way spliter?
Which material should I choose to run a new external faucet outside the deck? I try to avoid removing the old faucet (may involve breaking the wall?!). I am thinking if there is some PVC that one end can screw in the faucet and the other end would connect to a new faucet? But PVC can't connect to metal faucet, right?
What kind of drip irrigation is best for summer and winter (sometime freezing in Pacific Northwest)? I was thinking of doing this http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/how-to/overview/0,,1088902,00.html

Thanks.


texts: Power equipment for removing compacted gravel?

texts:
I have a gravel driveway in my front yard that I want to remove to put a garden bed. The gravel is large (1/2" to 1" dia.) and very compacted, so it is nearly impossible to remove by hand.

I want to rent some small power equipment to do the task, but I'm not sure if a skid loader, excavator, or something else is the right tool for the job. Opinions?


texts: Does my wood stove pipe have to be chrome to be safe to use?

texts:
I'm currently renting a house that has a wood stove, and figured that as it's used as a rental property, the stove would be safe to use. However a friend of mine today was telling me that if the chimney is not chrome plated both inside and out that it could be uninsulated and be unsafe to use. The stack outside is chrome plated, the inside looks to just be cast iron, as the attached picture shows.

Can anyone advise if he's right, or if I can safely start firing up the stove ASAP.


texts: Adding a ceiling fan single switch in a box with 3 way switch in older house

texts:
Sometimes I love our house and sometimes I don't..and many times I don't when I am trying to do some electrical because it is not at all straight-forward.

House was built in 1943, has older silver colored braided insulated wire with 2 wires in it, 1 black and 1 white.

I have done a bunch of work on electrical, replacing when I am able and it is needed, and running new circuits. A couple of summers ago I installed a new 40 panel box. Everything is working well.

So I am trying to add a ceiling fan to our living room. I ran a new 12/2 wire from fan to a newly converted (single to double) box on the wall. The other switch in the box is a 3 way switch that actually switches an outlet on and off and has 1 partner switch on opposite wall.

First issue: For whatever reason, some of the old wire is reversed and some is not. What I mean is, where normally black is hot and white is neutral this particular 3 way switch is indicating white as the hot and black being neutral. Well, let me take a step back. The switch I am referring to has 3 wires connected, a white to the top brass screw, and black to the bottom dark screw, and then a red on the other brass screw. When using a non-contact, I am getting white reading as hot and nothing on the black unless the switch is in the opposite position (in which case both white and black are reading as hot). When I disconnect completely from switch, only the white hits as hot.

So, the fan that I am adding is going to go on a single pole switch so how exactly should I approach connecting this? I know there are a couple of ways. I was thinking of just connecting the black coming from the fan (which is hot for the fan) to the switch and then connecting a single length of wire as a jumper between the hot on this switch and the 3-way switch. Is this proper?

Finally, I have no idea what to do with the neutral coming from the fan in this situation. Which wire do I need to connect this to? I know it is the neutral and am unsure how to handle this situation when connecting to 3 way switch.

Here is a diagram:


texts:
I am trying to install the drain pan for the washer. I found the pipe to fit in the drain pipe underneath the tile.(when I put 3/4 inch pipe inside the pipe underneath the tile, it goes few inches down and stops)
I pour the water to see the water goes away. I have a question. All water I pour supposed to go away in the pipe underneath the tile? Or some amount of water will still stay in the pipe because the pipe underneath the tile is connected to another pipe as ‘U’ shape or something?
I spent few days to figure out how to connect the washer pan drain and the pipe underneath the tile. Now I am stuck in another issue because I don’t know the pipe underneath the tile can drain water or not.


texts:
Hello I’m curious about possible causes for the following scenario:

I have two lights on a three-way switch and they flicker every once in a while.

Tonight they started flickering quite violently (worse than I have ever seen before). I recently replaced the switches (not because I suspected they were problematic, but just to change the color), but the lights flickered prior to replacing these switches.

Normally I would suspect the cause of this to be lose wiring on the three way switch, but when I flip the relevant circuit off and on the problem seems to go away. This is especially odd as these are the only lights that flicker and there are quite a few lights on this circuit. This is in the newer part of our house which has modern Romex wiring.

Any ideas what may cause this behavior given the above circumstances?


texts: Clean or replace water inlet assembly on LG dishwasher

texts: I broke the drain hose of my LG dishwasher (LDS-4821-st) right as the garbage disposal inlet, so I moved the dishwasher out to install a new drain hose assembly. I found the water inlet assembly to have what looks to me mold or something gross in it. I see several videos online on how to remove and replace, but I don’t see anything about cleaning the inside. Can these clear plastic boxes be opened easily, so I can clean it? Or am I just better off replacing?


texts: Is it safe to use an extension ladder in the garage?

texts: I had a line of insulation decide it no longer wanted to stay attached to the garage rafters.  Bought some fresh (and better) stuff.  Went to put it up, but my standard stepladder is coming up short (literally).  I've got a nice extension ladder, but am unsure if it's safe to use that against the 2x6 beams across the garage?  Height may not be enough (how much below the pivot point do you need to stay?) and also concerned about side load on the beam.


texts: In-cabinet power outlets flush with wall or cabinet?

texts:
I have a couple of power outlets in my cabinets, one for a built-in microwave, the other for a countertop light. Should they be (1) flush with  the wall and have the opening in the cabinet cut out bigger so that a face plate can be installed resting on the wall or (2) flush with the cabinet, using an electrical box extension, so that the face plate rests on the cabinet?

The advantage of (1) is that it spares using box extensions but of (2) it preserves more of the structurally important horizontal boards in the back of the cabinet on the top and bottom but the advantage and it also looks more elegant.


texts:
this is my first time posting a question to a forum like this.

Electrician added a breaker and ran a line to an outlet that had power from a different circuit but had a short in it that could not be located. Is this safe?

Here is the whole story...

Plugged a vacuum in and it started and then went off right away. Also, lost power to 2 other outlets and lights in another room and hallway. On the same breaker there is the bathroom plug with GFI, light fixture and fan all working as expected including the GFI. The breaker was not tripped but I did flip all the breakers off and on a couple times to be sure. I reset all GFI in the house. I removed and replaced the original outlet that caused outage, then replaced another and before replacing the 3rd I used a non-contact meter to see that the wire to the outlet was not getting power. At this point I decided it was time to call an electrician.

I found the electrician on Angies list - they had an A rating and many positive reviews. They gave me the pricing and told me they start with an hour and that is usually enough time to find and fix the problem but if not that they would be able to give me an estimate for the work required, time and price. They came out the next day, the electrician and his apprentice. They looked at all the outlets with no contact meter, pulled out a few of the plugs on the circuit for this breaker to check for loose connections, took a couple of the lights that were out down and checked connections, traced lines in the crawlspace and attic and were unable to find the break in the connection.

After an hour and a half they had not found the cause of the outage but had found a melted connection on the GFI and had removed it. They told me that they could stop there and not charge me for the time - only the GFI replacement or they could keep going but would need to charge me the hourly rate. I said keep going. They looked for another 2 hours in the attic and crawlspace and were unable to find the break in connection. Said there was a line running down into a wall that didn't seem to have any outlets near it and that maybe there was a hidden junction box (even though I said I don't remember one from the complete gut down to studs that I performed 3 years earlier).

At this point the electrician said that he could not find the problem and that the only thing he could do was to put in a new breaker and run a new line to the original outlet (which only had one hot one neutral running to it).  Since there were unable to find the break they were not able to disconnect the line that should have been powering it. But when I do find it the hidden junction box or loose connection (I told them I was going to be remodeling the kitchen in the next month) to cap it off. Basically they added another breaker to feed power to the outlets that lost power.

He told me 4 times before leaving to make sure that the smoke alarms worked.

After some more research I think that what he did is very unsafe so I turned the new breaker off. Is what he did safe? Can I leave it like this?

After they left I realized they never checked the bathroom light fixture - and that it is about where they said there was a line going down the wall and I had replaced a lightbulb around the same time the issue started (although I am not sure exactly when the power went out only noticed after vacuum incident). I am going to check it out the bathroom light fixture tomorrow but if that is not the problem what should I do. And if it is the problem should I cap off the extra wires here or should I fix connection and then disconnect the new line added?


texts: Low pressure after water main pipe replacement

texts:
I have well water and the main pipe bringing the water from the well into the house had  leak. The pipe was replaced with a new pipe about a month ago.

Since then, the water pressure has been dropping gradually. The well guy came in yesterday and he told me that it was the filter in the line that got clogged up with debris.  I replaced the filter again - I had put a new filter after the pipe was replaced-- and pressure is better that after the pipe replacement, but not as good as before. The well guy mentioned that if the problem persists after replacing the filter, it might be the tank might gone bad and it needs to be replaced. He looked at the tank which is 4 year old and there is no leaks, no rust, no scratches, nor any signs that would indicate a bad tank.

My question is: Considering the tank looks in good condition, how does the reservoir tank affect the pressure into the house?

I am by no means a plumber, but other than having leaks, I don't understand the role the tank plays on the water pressure flowing through the pipe. Or is the well guy trying to pull a fast one?


texts: The steps in the picture below are too long lengthwise for me to be able to park full sized pickup truck very easily. The steps touch the corner of the truck when parked under there. I was wondering if I could cut the steps from left side(so open cut end would be against wall) to shorten the length across of steps without sacrificing its ability to support weight as it did before. I wouldn’t need to cut off much if I did, for it probably would be less than a foot cut off.  Would angle grinder be best choice to do it with?


texts: Trying to find correct bolt for ceiling fan electrical box

texts:
I'm really struggling trying to find the correct bolt for this electrical box for a ceiling fan. After taking the old ceiling fan out, I found 2 mismatched bolts that the previous person had used. One looked like a 10-32 that had been stripped at the end and was bent and the other was some type of sheet metal screw. I wanted to replace both of them with the correct bolts but after multiple trips to the hardware store I'm out of luck and out of ideas, as are the people at the stores I've asked (well one person told me to replace the whole box but that seems drastic).
So far I've tried 8-32, 10-32, 10-24 and M5.80. The 10-24 seemed the closest but won't turn once I thread it into the 2nd hole. I've circled in red below the 2 holes the bolt has to pass through. They are aligned, just the angle I took the picture makes them look bent. House is in the USA and was built in 1999 if this information is of any help. Much appreciation if anyone can tell me what the type of bolt it is please.
Thanks.


texts: Add more Polyurethane to recently refinished hardwood flooring?

texts:
Back in February 2016 I refinished my own hardwood floors.  I had a couple guys come in at the end and do the staining and polyurethane because I was spent...

We have a few areas of high traffic in the house that I think need some more polyurethane to protect the floors.  They also seem to scratch rather easily.

What is the best approach to only adding poly?  Keep in mind that I have 1200 sqft of hardwood and there is no way I can do all of it at this time so it will just the kitchen and main corridor maybe 500 sqft.

My plan is just to hit the floor with a fine grit screening pad on a flooring buffer.  Then sweep, lightly mop and apply the same poly used previously.  I think it will blend nicely since it is low sheen satin.


texts: Is it possible to reduce a 1" thick board to 1"/N boards?

texts:
I have some project plans. Most of the project calls for using 1/2" parts. I bought 1" thick wood, which actually only ends up being 7/8" when I measure it (I have heard this is normal).

Anyway, there are some parts of the plan that call for 1/4" wood. Is it reasonable to further cut my 7/8" inch thick board to at least get two 1/4" thick boards out of them (with planing). Is this done? Is this safe? If it is done, how do you do it?

I figure maybe with the band saw and a really big jig that keeps the board perpendicular to the band saw base I could split the 7/8" down to 2 3/8", and then plane each of them down to 1/4". This seems theoretically doable, but I want to know if the theoretical translates into the the reasonable.


texts: Drain pipe valve under garbage disposal for compost

texts:
I have this idea but I don't know if such thing exists. Basically I want to build a switching / valve mechanism that connects to garbage disposal output so that I can flip it to and point the grinded waste to either a bucket down below the sink or directly to the drain pipe.
My pipe is just PVC. Is there such a switch/value product other to do the split?


texts: Do I need to level subfloor with a 1/8" step before installing hardwood flooring?

texts:
I removed the carpet from the second floor and I noticed that I had termite issues. After replacing the bad plywood subfloor with a new one and I've noticed that it's slightly thicker than the old one. The new one is 3/4" and it's less than 1/4" thicker than the old one, do I need to level it? I'm planning to get hardwood floors nailed down. Also, would the old subfloor, 5/8", be enough for hardwood flooring?

Thank You!


texts: Will a water heater use more or less power overall if equipped with larger or smaller heating elements?

texts: For electric water heaters that can be obtained with various different options for the size and power draw of their heating elements, will larger elements use more power overall? For example, let's say an electric water heater can be configured with elements that draw 3 kW or 4.5 kW, with the 4.5 kW model delivering a greater first-hour yield. But will the 4.5 kW model use more power in the aggregate? Or will it use around the same overall amount of power as the 3 kW model, but simply deliver its heat faster so as to lower its runtime?


texts:
Recently had a new furnace/ac/ductwork installed in our home. The furnace/air handler are located in the attic on the second floor of the home. A drain line is run from the unit to the utility room on the first floor where it feeds into a floor drain.

About a month after the system was turned on I noticed that the drain line (clear plastic flex tubing) was not draining properly. This tubing runs through a joist bay between my first and second floors (currently open due to renovation) in order to get from the attic on one side of the house to the utility room on the other side. The tubing is not run at a pitch so the water is pooling and not draining.

I asked the HVAC installer if that was a problem and he said it wasn't. I assume it IS a problem, is that correct? If the line were to be adjusted to run at a pitch, would that solve the problem? Or should it be draining currently due to negative pressure?

Thanks!


texts: How to wire 4 nm into 2 separate light switches and 2 lights?

texts:
I removed a light fixture, box and octagon to install an led recessed light that doesn't require a jbox. There were 12 wires crammed in there and when removing the box the tags I had to keep track came off (r.i.p. my DIY soul...)
I can't seem to figure out how to add the light fixture to this mix of wires and keep the switch for it working.
If I wire the black wires from nm1, nm3, nm4 and the neutrals from the same, the light in room 2 functions properly with its switch. How do I add the light fixture and nm2 into this and keep it's switch functional?
I assume nm4 is to the panel because of its older sheathing and also because wiring just nm1 and nm3 didn't complete the circuit. Nm1 and nm2 together didn't yield anything either.
edit 1


texts: My new apartment has an older gas stove--I'm guessing its from the 70s? All the markings are gone. Anyway, on the stove top there are two hot spots where the pilot lights are underneath. It's hot to the point where you cant hold your hand there for more than a second or so. The pilot lights are not huge, I'm estimating a half inch tall, but there is zero insulation. There is just a thin metal piece in between the stove top and the pilot. I'm assuming standards were a little more lax 50 or so years ago. It seems like a fire hazard to me. What do you guys think?


texts: What should I do if the pressure is too high in a home water pressure increasing system?

texts:
Hi I have two well x trols and a large water storage tank. This system was put in before I bought the house 2 years ago and it it supposed to increase the water pressure in the home. The problem is the ball cock valve broke and the large water tank started overflowing. Then I noticed the pressure gauge on the water pump showing over 100 PSI. is the water from the mains coming in at too high a pressure? What do I do?

I am including some pictures to show the situation. I dont know the flow of water. I do see a pressure valve between the storage tank and the pressure pump.


texts: Is it possible to create a better temperature controlling system?

texts:
I have a two story 2.5k sq ft house with a varying degree of temperature throughout the house. The main problem is that the air coming out of vents are very weak if almost nil. Only the living room that's closest to the unit in the garage has full strong air and the rest of first floor and the whole second floor has almost no air coming out. A while ago, we had a minor work done on the duct going from the unit to the wall (to the house). He took off all the insulation padding and sealed the ducts with some kind of putty (I could be wrong I don't know too much about house stuff). I didn't notice much change then and two summers have passed.

I think it's really time for me to do something cuz one month my elec. bill came out to $500. But I don't know where to start or who to call to consult.

Can I reduct throughout with a narrower duct for easier(?) installation?
I think there's definitely a leak somewhere because one side of a wall is cold whenever I have the a/c unit on. Hopefully that has each room with stronger air flow.

Then, I want to control each floor separately because temperature difference is too big to just do so with 1 thermostat. I read somewhere that if I wanna do multizone I need to install baffle to direct each flow to each zone.
If I can do that much then maybe I can finally install z-wave thermostat with z-wave controlled vents to control temperature down to each room.
Is my approach too far fetched? unrealistic? expensive?
Sorry for the long messy explanation. Please help.


texts:
I'm building a deck over a walkout basement.  I want to put a concrete patio below.  Can I dig the footers (3 total) to depth of 30" below the frost line and then do a monolithic pore of the concrete for footers and slab?  I plan to use simpson post base over the footer location imbedded in the concrete.  The other option is to use the concrete tubes and do the footers/concrete piers first and then poor the slab around, but trying to save time.

Thanks


texts: I have a box that has 2  3-way switches.  One goes to control the basement lights.  The other one controls a light outside the basement.  There is also a 3-way switch outside the basement that controls that light.  The switch for the basement lights works fine, but the other 2 switches no matter what configuration I have tried I can't even get the light outside the basement to light. I have a diagram below.  The dots next to the switches is what I believe is the correct setup, but it does nothing.  Here is the weird thing.  If I take a wire from the red connection on Switch A to the red connection on Switch B then I can turn the light on and off from switch B.  I know that isn't right because then the lights to the basement don't work correctly from other switches for the basement lights.  Switch B & C never worked correctly, at one point if you switched it on from C you had to turn it off from C.  Any help is appreciated.


texts: How to uninstall this fancy bathroom faucet?

texts:
I have this faucet that is leaking right at the top.

The top of the faucet looks like this

Can someone please help me on:

How do I remove this?
Do I have to replace the entire faucet or can this be repaired or replaced independently?
Help me understand how to remove that ring on top, if indeed that is what needs to be unscrewed as it seems to have a layer of glue sealing it to the sink.


texts: Adhesive for cableways on internal brick

texts:
I have a television mounted (professionally) on an interior masonry brick wall, above my fireplace.  I also have cableways (cord-concealers) running on the surface of the brick wall, approximately five feet vertical (up) and two feet horizontal (over).

The cableway is rectangular, about 1.5" on the wider side, very similar to what is shown in the link below.

The amount of cabling inside the cableway is not excessive-- only two HDMI and a power cord-- but that cableway will not stay attached to the wall for love or money.  The adhesive on the cableway itself is not sufficient.  I've been applying ever-increasing amounts of mounting putty, to no avail.  The cableway stays stuck for a few hours, but rarely more than a day before the upper part starts peeling away.

What is a good adhesive (i.e., I am not looking to drill any more holes in my fireplace than are already there) to firmly bond plastic cableway to masonry brick in this situation?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07F26FZS5/ref=sspa_dk_detail_4?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B07F26FZS5&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=f52e26da-1287-4616-824b-efc564ff75a4&pf_rd_r=51JBG5WSSEXF1J846XEH&pd_rd_wg=eBYbU&pf_rd_s=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_t=40701&pd_rd_w=qknDu&pf_rd_i=desktop-dp-sims&pd_rd_r=043417c4-d9b9-11e8-8a27-e7c97784a407


texts: Do we need to waterproof cement floor in the garden to prevent water from accumulating under the soil?

texts:
So we have this one corner in our back yard that we want to turn into a small garden. Here is a photo:

We plan to put soil in that corner, more or less at the height of the white paint.

There is a wall there between our garden and the neighbor's garden, and the wall of our house. We have waterproofed these walls (that is what that white layer is), but are worried that if we don't waterproof the cement floor itself, wet soil will still sit there and water will creep up the walls somehow or otherwise cause problems. To alleviate we plan to put a layer of sand and gravel at the bottom but we just really don't want to uproot things a couple years down the road and/or damage the walls.

Should we waterproof that bottom part as well?


texts: I have a wall across from the doorways of a bedroom and "office."  It reflects light into the bedroom which bothers people trying to sleep with the other door open.  What would be a good way to reduce the light reflection?  Ideally we could keep both the doors open to hear each other if needed and also for airflow and pet traffic.  Also light in the office is needed for hobby work so simply turning the light off isn't always the best solution, either.  Preferably some kind of wall hanging would be what I'm thinking of.


texts: Can Simpson Strong-Tie H1Z hurricane clips be installed on the inside of a wall?

texts: Can the H1Z (diamond shaped) hurricane clips be installed on the inside of a wall's plate or do they have to be on the outside?


texts: Putting TV cables inside a plasterboard wall cavity - Is my plan reasonable?

texts:
I'm mounting my tv on the wall at the weekend and want all the cables hidden in the wall but easily accessible. I've found these backplates that I'm looking to use:

The plan is to cut out a section of plasterboard next to the wooden stud, attach a new stud section for the cables to fall down in to as the wall contains insulation material which would make it hard to run cables through, put one of these plates at the top and bottom, then put a new bit of plasterboard there, screw it on to the new stud and the existing one and plaster over it.

I've drawn up in AutoCAD before and after - legend:

Green: Plasterboard
Blue: Stud
Red: TV
Purple: VESA Mount
Grey: Backboxes (I'll have to cut a section out of the bottom/top of the backbox to allow the cables through)

Before:

After:

The only difficulties I see are:
- Screwing the new stud pieces in to place, half under the existing plasterboard.
- There may be a noggin across at some point, which I'll have to cut and attach to my new stud.


texts: How can I safely get rid of fire ant mounds in my backyard?

texts:
I've got around 8-10 fire ant mounds in my backyard, and a puppy that has recently discovered a love for digging in them. We haven't let her out in the backyard unsupervised for the past week since the weather started warming up and the ants are now active.

I tried using Spectracide Fire Ant Killer Mound Destroyer a few days ago. It kind of worked. I followed the directions to the letter, and waited for the ensuing ant apocalypse. As of today when I checked on the ant mounds most of the ants were dead, but there were a few dozen survivors milling around when I poked a stick in half the mounds. The Spectracide claims to kill the entire colony and the queen in 24 hours. :/ Does anyone have a better product to recommend, or another method of killing them? I'd prefer something that's relatively pet-safe, since the ultimate goal is to let our dog roam free in the fenced backyard.

This is somewhat related to How can I get rid of ants in an environmently friendly way?, but I'm not too concerned about environmentally friendly. Just something that won't be hazardous to pets a week or so after it's applied.


texts: We just had a new marble tile backsplash installed, and are now trying to put the outlet faceplates back on.  However, because the tile is blocking the screw hole, we can't screw the outlet covers back on (the faceplates have screws on the top and bottom, not the middle, because they are ground, etc...) Any suggestions aside from trying to drill into our new marble backsplash?  (The snap one ones don't work either, as the mounting plate requires screws on the top and bottom)


texts: Which type of vertical window shades are the most durable?

texts:
I am looking into purchasing vertical window shades.  I hear vinyl will warp with heat, but I also hear fabric isn't as durable as vinyl. Not sure why fabric is much more expensive than vinyl though.

Which is more durable in the long term, Vinyl or fabric?


texts:
I'm a math student, and I just entered grad school. I have a studio apartment, and there's one bigger-sized wall with no windows. I'd like to put a large whiteboard or chalkboard on it.

Where would you recommend I shop for such a thing? I have bought one for a previous apartment on Amazon, but perhaps it would be better/cheaper to avoid all the shipping hassle.

Once I have one, whom should I get to install it? (I have no experience with installing such things correctly, and I've just moved to a new city, so I don't really know anyone.)


texts: Wire sizing for built in oven and microwave

texts: What size wires do I need for 240 single phase 40A 2P breaker?


texts: How to Snub Voltage Spike Created by Appliance?

texts: I have a dehumidifier in my basement that creates a voltage spike when it comes on.  That voltage spike wreaks havoc with a bunch of other devices on the circuit.  Outfitting the other devices with surge suppressors is not practical.  Is there an alternative solution, such as some device I could connect the dehumidifier into so that the voltage spike it creates does not propagate to the rest of the branch circuit?


texts: Is there a more environmentally-friendly alternative to using oil to heat a house with oil heating installed?

texts:
I currently live in a house (in the UK) which is too remote to be connected to the mains gas supply, with an oil tank which is used for central heating. This is obviously not great for the environment, in terms of the carbon dioxide emissions produced. I had two questions related to this:

Is there an alternative fuel that can be used in the oil tank, without adapting the existing system, that would be more environmentally friendly than standard heating oil?
Alternatively, what adaptations or replacements, large or small, could potentially be made to the existing system to improve how environmentally friendly it is?

Cost is a slight issue, but I'd like to see what all the options are before determining what's worth doing.


texts: Stop water pooling on a shower pocket shelf?

texts: I have just moved into a new place and the walk in shower has a great, but flat, pocket shelf cut into the back wall. However the water pools after every shower which requires me to pick up all the bottles and wipe it down. Very annoying. What would be the best way to stop this? Can you put in a gradient to the base of it easily? Any ideas would be very gratefully received!


texts: Can I wire 3 lights to one switch as illustrated by this mock up diagram?

texts:
I'm looking at lighting a kitchen in a wood cabin and to try and make the wiring (which will sit on the outside of the ceiling) as neat as possible, I'm wondering if I can wire 3 separate lights in the fashion I've illustrated below (taking an illustration that was done for 2 lights and trying to add a third, but not in a daisy chain fashion).

Illustration/diagram:

Any help is appreciated, thanks.


texts: Door, space separator options with limited frame space?

texts:
I want to separate a big room into a working room and open kitchen space.

The problem in separating the space is to find proper door -- the problem is that it is very hard to get a door frame to a frame of window and balcony door:

The window-door frame is about 7-9cm and limited by the valve of water-based heater.
Consider also this option where finding door mechanisms would be even more important:

where you may want to use consistent style and mechanisms in both doors, not two separate door designs like the picture.
What are options to separate a space with limited frame space?


texts: Basement framing and insulation question

texts: In our basement we have two different framing setups that support our joists.  Please see photos to help explain, but 2 of the walls have plate on the concrete foundation and 2 have for lack of a better term a small wall then the plate with joists on it.  Any clue why this was done other that to save money?  Also the small wall is insulated with fiberglass batting and covered with plastic.  This seems to be leading to moisture and potentially mold issues.  Any ideas what the plastic is there for?  What is the best way to insulate this space, rigid foam board, spray insulation?


texts: How to verify that resistive load thermostat is dead

texts:
I have an electric heater, connected to a resistive load thermostat (240V). Yesterday we found the thermostat apparently totally dead (display off, etc). I've checked the breaker, of course. (There is no battery in this type of thermostat.)
The thermostat is wired like this:

I have a decent multimeter. How can I verify that this is indeed a problem with the thermostat and not possibly with something else (ex. power supply, wiring to heater, or the heater itself). If it's relevant, the heater is a simple convection electric heater with no controls.
Thank you!
UPDATE: Finally, it turns out that the (certified!) electrician completely botched the wiring the heater itself. When I opened up that junction, the wire just popped right out. I connected it properly and securely, and the problem appears to be resolved.


texts: Should I seal a brick chimney breast on party wall

texts:
I have exposed a brick chimney breast in a late Victorian (1885) terraced house in the north of England.

I've cleaned the bricks up and am really happy with how it looks. I've started looking into sealing the bricks to prevent dust, but I see a lot of conflicting information, with some saying that brick of that age shouldn't be sealed because it will cause moisture to move through the mortar instead of the brick, while others seem to think it's absolutely fine.

The chimney breast is in a party wall, so not external.

Should I seal this brick? I want a matt finish and I'm happy if the bricks darken slightly.


texts: Large 16'×24' "He-Shed" Foundation Needs Fixing

texts:
I have a one year old 16×24 shed, 2×8×16 treated floor joists, 2×6 trusses, 2×4 stud walls, box soffits with vents, barn side panels, trim boards, shingled roof, gutters and downspouts, insulation, 3/drywall, electricity, windows, swinging doors. There is a concrete ramp and sidewalk. It is built on 15 deck blocks & large river gravel. So any carpenter-builder is looking back thinking huh! Yeah 15 deck blocks. This is a beautiful HE SHED and I'm worried about future problems, sinking, shifting, cracking you name it. It's heavy and I don't know if It can be lifted. Moving isn't an option.
What can I do to fix this before it becomes a "save this emergency"?
My scheme to fix is cut the floor to expose the ground, DIG, set piers, replace cut ply & recover floor with extra layer 1/2in plywood. At least 6 or 7 piers.
Any thoughts?
Would there be an easier alternative?


texts: Dimmer switch gets very warm - almost hot

texts:
I recently had a Z-wave dimmer switch installed. It is working fine and controls the recessed lighting in my family room. The lights are six 65-watt BR40 bulbs.

When the cover was off the switch (we were painting) I noticed that the outside of the switch (the metal tabs and screw) get very, very warm, almost hot to the touch.

Is that normal?
Additionally, if I replaced the bulbs with LED bulbs, which would use a lot less wattage, would that reduce the current going through the switch and make it not heat up as much?

Thank you for the help.


texts: Should I run cable through an always damp crawl space or a dry soffit in the living area?

texts:
You guys are one of the best electrical help web-communities, so thanks for your
time and efforts!

I am advising some homeowners who need to rewire their first floor on Long Beach Island, NJ after hurricane Sandy flooded the place. The house has a few complications. Wires need to be run along brick walls with no wire cavities inside framing to get to their destinations. In the past wires were routed through the crawl space which is a very damp space with an almost always wet rock floor and very little room to work. Electrical work was done poorly with unnecessary junction boxes. Everything metal had rust. That can all be fixed more easily because the subfloor is removed and the floor joists are exposed. Wires can be run along joist and over running boards with no junctions in the crawl space. There is no consensus in my research about using THWN wire for damp locations or just the regular Romex in a damp crawl space. My feeling was to put in the THWN for wet locations in all runs under the floor through the crawl space and up to the outlet boxes they feed since no one can complain about THWN being in parts of the run. There is a question in my mind whether the Romex feeding the crawl space THWN wire should not also be THWN since its paper wrapped grounding wire would be vulnerable to any water that climbed up the THWN wire running in the crawl space into the junction where the Romex feed the THWN.

The homeowners are worried about running any wires in the crawl space and wanted a way to keep all runs in the upper living area. The two complications are the brick walls running the length of the house and the fact that a very nice wood ceiling not so easily messed with is the only thing not ruined, plus it is a good idea not to drill holes through the main support beams in the ceiling/upper floor of this 100+ year old house. I suggested building a little soffit along the brick wall where they have a piece of wood trim anyway. The soffit will run the wires and be the trim. I cannot speak with confidence about the aesthetic result, but it should be fine if its done well. My electrical concern is the fire code parameters of the soffit for the wiring. The soffit will run three 12/2 wires and maybe one 14/2. The soffit will have an exterior measurement of 4 by 4" and the interior about 3 by 3". It will be made of wood that can either be painted of maybe left to stain. So it won't necessarily have drywall around it. They wanted the front to be removable--to unscrew so that if another flood damages the outlets the wires running to them can be removed and rerun more easily.

Does a soffit with three 12/2 wires and a 14/2 wire need to be of a certain cubic size that would be larger than the size I am suggesting (3 by 3 inches interior space)?

Does the soffit need to be dry-walled with the edges dry-walled to meed the fire blocking standards or can a wood soffit with seams where the edges meet satisfy the fire code burn rate for where wires are run?

Is there a preference to run wires in a soffit above verse a problematically wet crawl space difficult to get to and work in? And what sort of wire should be run? THWN?


texts: How to make a 6 inch hole through a brick wall for venting

texts:
I'd like to vent my range hood out through an exterior brick wall. How would I go about making a 6 inch hole for the vent?

I'd guess I'd use a masonry chisel to chip out the mortar and then pull out a couple bricks on the interior and exterior layers of the wall. Is this the best tool/approach to use?
Do I need to be concerned about the load of the bricks above the hole?
How would I make the hole round rather than square?
Any other considerations?


texts: Outdoor faucet leaks when hose is attached

texts:
I'm trying to fix this leaky outdoor faucet that came with a house I just moved into. It's a Woodford Freezeless Wall Faucet, Model 14:

http://www.woodfordmfg.com/woodford/Wall_Faucet_Pages/Model-14.html

It seems to be in decent shape. If there is no hose connected, the water turns on and off as expected and there are no signs of leaks. When I attach a hose, the faucet leaks.

Water flows through the hose as it should, but there is also a decent amount of water spraying out around the handle of the faucet. It seems to be spraying out around the gap between part 6 and 2 in the exploded parts drawing towards the bottom of the product link above.

Does anyone know what would be causing this? I was about to take it apart to try and see what the issue was. I removed the handle, but found it extremely difficult to loosen part number 3. I figured I would ask some experts here first.