texts: Crooked light switches in loose electrical box needs fixing

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I recently replaced 2 rocker switches in an existing electrical box and they are both crooked (inward) and look like garbage. They also don't feel that nice as they are indented and not flush, so honestly they don't function all that great either. It's a problem specific to this electrical switch outlet box. I've tried every adjustment I can think of, but nothing has worked. I tried:

Making sure the copper wiring attached wasn't pulling the switch to 1 side
Making sure the screws mounting the switch were tight but not over-tightened
Checked both switches to make sure tabs were flat and not bent

I did notice the electrical box is loose in the wall and torqued a bit and not flush with the wall. The system of tightening the switches which pulls on the drywall and should pull the box forward isn't quite working well either. The drywall starts to press in and almost get destroyed before the electrical box pulls flush. The box is the type mounted with nails on the top and bottom (I can see them and a little rusted). I can move the box around say 1/4 to 1/2" with my fingers.
I would guess that people that do this type of work as a trade have specific practices on the 'right' way to fix this and something that doesn't break code. Here are the things I'm guessing might fix it:

Add some type of shim behind the light switch flanges to help make the mount truly flush as maybe the drywall is soft and from the pictures a bit worn away
Use spacers like washers behind the switch to pull it out and more flush (I'm not sure if that's a bad practice or against code)
Call a drywall and electrical contractor to cut open the drywall, remove and replace with a new electrical box, and repair the drywall (I really hope not as that's expensive, but if that's the only way to fix, then that's what will have to be done).
Some other proper way to fix I haven't considered

How can I get these switches to mount flush and protrude correctly from the light switch cover please?
EDIT: The 1st picture shows the torqued switches fully tightened and installed. The 2nd picture was taken after I had loosed the screws on the switches. I probably should have used a different picture or clarified. That picture is to show the drywall to electrical box condition for helping show the bare parts. When fully installed those switch mount screws are fully tightened and pressed on the drywall.


texts: Ok to have junction box hidden behind recessed lighting?

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The ballast went out on one of my recessed ceiling fluorescents. I'd like to replace all 3 of the fluorescents with remodel Halo cans then put in some LED retrofits.

The existing wiring isn't long enough to reach the junction box on the replacement Halo can, so I'd need to extend it with a few more feet of NM-B. (the existing NM-B terminates at the transformer box where it's wire-nutted to the transformers, but the new Halo housing has the junction box for the wiring on a bracket a foot or so from the can).

I'd like to put a  metal handy box up in the ceiling to act as a junction box for the wiring extension. I can secure it to Halo can frame in place of the transformer box (which is itself a junction box, the house wiring comes in to that box with wire nuts joining it to each of the transformers). The transformer bracket acts as a cover for this box so I can't just use it as-is as a junction box.

I know that junction boxes are supposed to be "accessible", but does hiding it behind a Halo light count as "accessible"?

(Note that this question seems to be a duplicate of Is a junction box “accessible” if it is mounted behind/above a recessed light housing?, but the answer on that question said to use the built-in Halo fixture junction box, so it didn't really answer the question about whether or not it's ok to put the junction box there)


texts:
Looking to remove the closet and wall in this restroom. Already had a structural engineer look at it before I removed the drywall. He only checked the studs with a Franklin stud sensor and didn't go into the attic. He assured me it would be OK to remove the walls, but he only took about 5 seconds to determine this with his stud sensor. Is it really that fast? I'm still unsure after removing the drywall and wanted a second opinion before I remove studs. Here are pics...

Here is another picture from the restroom


texts: How to reattach brick to the top of a fireplace

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I have a custom-made outdoor fireplace where the sides and top are lined with firebrick. One of the bricks on the "ceiling" has come out, and I'd like to just reattach it somehow. The ceiling if flat at about a 20 degree angle to horizontal. I tried using heavy-duty construction adhesive on the top and mortar on the sides, but it didn't last a day.

As a fallback, I might just use a long piece of angle-bracket to hold the brick in place. The bricks are not visible or easily reachable from outside so I'm not worried about it getting touched, but I'd prefer to just reattach the brick if possible.

What's the best adhesive to use on brick that's exposed to winter cold air and extreme heat?


texts:
Is there a standard for installing sheet rock in garages that are attached to homes. The builder told me that they don't finish sheet rock in garages the same as inside homes. My home is a new build.
Sheet rock in garage is a mess.


texts: How to read the nameplate of an air conditioner?

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What's the difference between the two currents (The 25A and the 11.2A)?
Which one is used to calculate the cross-section area of the supply cable?

What is the Cooling Rated Input?
Is it used to calculate the cross-section area of the supply cable?

The Cooling Rated Current = 2415W / 220V = 10.97A. But in fact, It's higher than that. Is that because of the apparent power (the power factor)?

If I used the equation: P = V * I * Power Factor, The power factor = 0.98.

I think the power factor of an air conditioner is lower than that!!


texts: This is my natural gas hot water heating boiler flame.   It lights up initially with a fair bit of orange flame, and after 10 seconds or so settles into what's pictured.  I believe it mostly looks as it should, but there are several parts of the flame burning orange.  How bad is this?  I know I should clean it, which I'll do in the spring.  This doesn't need immediate attention does it?   I have a CO detector nearby, reading 0 all the time.


texts: Adding a vanity light to a switched knob and tube ceiling light

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I shut off the main breaker, disconnected an ancient light fixture, taped new wire to the existing knob and tube and pulled it all up into my attic. Next I pigtailed from the K&T to two new (WBG) wires and ran one to the new vanity light, the other to where the ancient fixture had been. I connected white to white and black to black on the new fixtures. After turning the power back on, only the vanity light lights up. My non contact tester tells me when the switch is off, neither fixture has power and when the switch is on, both fixtures have power.

Aside from not rewiring my entire home, what have I done wrong?


texts: I cannot remove stopper & rocker-arm assembly completely from bathtub drain

texts: Despite the position of the overflow lever, I cannot remove the articulating assembly entirely. In the past if I messed with it enough it would slide out. What am I doing wrong this time?  Obviously I'm trying to plunge a slow draining tub again...


texts: Cut already-installed trim / quarter round to mount bracket

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I need to make two 2" gaps in already-install trim / quarter round to install mounting brackets for blinds.

How best to make these cuts?

Refer to red boxes in this photo:

This is an inside tight install of blinds where the depth of the window sill (just above the two red boxes) is too shallow by 1/4"-1/2" for the mounting bracket, required minimum depth is 3/4", and at that would leave the bracket and blinds protruding beyond flush. I want to install as deep as practical to match the two other windows (not shown) where the inside tight install has blinds just flush with edge of sill.

I can't do an outside install of blinds due to ceiling bulkhead on right, and for aesthetic consistency with the other two windows (not shown).


texts: Connecting 14 AWG to 12 AWG for oven operation

texts: I have a new wall oven to install.  Both old and new oven are 30Amp units.  Old wiring from local oven junction box is 14 AWG (pig tail - 6ft).  New oven is 12 AWG, 3ft pig tail (will not reach junction box and is hardwired into new oven controls).  I want to put a 30 Amp plug/receptacle in the oven space to connect the two pig tails.  Can I connect both 14 gauge and 12 gauge wires through the receptacle (14g) and a plug (12g - new oven)?  The 12 AWG oven ground will be connected to the 14 AWG ground old oven wire directly. Ok?


texts: How do I repair deck sloping on one side of the house?

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I'm in Jonesboro, GA. My deck is about 3 ft off the ground. I have a crawl space.  The deck is leaning/sloping down from the house on the left side.  I looked at many youtube videos and found the issue to be the ledge board does not have lag bolts. It is screwed in.  The next thing is see is the rim joist on both side(front and ledger board)do not have a metal rim joist faster. The builder cut the bottom 1/2 in corner of the 2x8 and nailed a 2x2 trim along/underneath that cut out.  Results and ironically enough no rim joist is pulling away from the ledger or the front deck. I hope pictures clarify this explanation.

From what I've read and researched I would need to jack up the deck on the left side then put lag screws (Ledgerlok). Sounds straight forward but

Do I need to remove the nails from the ledger board .....with a saw?.
Can I use my heavy duty car hydraulic jack to raise the deck (2 or more)?


texts: I need to re[place the ceiling vent cover but the screw holes of the new cover Do Not line up. One screw goes into the existing hole but the other screw only will go into the drywall and then it hits the metal. Can I drill a new hole and if so what am I drilling into? The Metal Chase? Is that OK?


texts: Does power distribution within a house need individual neutral lines from the circuit breakers?

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My house has "star connections" (from the central circuit breaker panel box)
for the neutral lines to power different rooms, as is normal.
There is no GFCI to worry about.
Would any problem be created if I shorted all of the house's outlets' neutral
points together externally (e.g., in a ring which would make the current star
ineffective)?
This same question can be posed for the outlets' ground points.  In the end, I'm
trying to understand if there would be any downside to wiring a house from the
beginning with star connections only for the hot lines, using a ground ring
plus a thick neutral ring around the house, but I know that no one does this - Why?
One potential problem I see is that a few rooms might gang up to push neutral
current through part of the neutral ring, so let me assume the ring cable is
thick enough to handle all ganged currents.


texts: How deep should I encase electrical wire in concrete slab

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I need to run electrical in concrete slab indoors, I am planning to use 1/2 flexible PVC conduit. It is a residential slab indoors.
How deep should I bury it?
Is there any code station the depth?


texts: What finish should I use for concrete on stairs?

texts:
I want to remove the carpets on the stairs in my duplex. it is a concrete staircase.
I think I would need to repair it and then I want to coat it and leave it bare.
what would be a good coat to use? Paint? epoxy?
I do not want it to be slippery and if possible I want to allow the concrete to absorb heat during the day in winter when the sun shines on it so that at night it can release the heat.


texts: What size are the pipe fittings on the feed line side of a sink feed?

texts: Trying to figure out what size the feed lines ( and the dish washer T ) are under my kitchen sink. I measured the OD of the metal mesh and it looks around 1.2 inch, but I'm not sure if these are standard.


texts: How to remove copper pipe that is inside an exterior wall?

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This pipe twisted and severed when I was trying to unsrew an old outdoor faucet. It's about 1.5" (4 cm) deep in the exterior hole. I can grip the pipe with needle-nose pliers, but I can't move it.

How would I go about removing the pipe, ideally leaving the pipe fitting into which I would screw a new outdoor faucet?
The exterior siding is vinyl over insulation. On the interior side is a finished room with drywall. If it is necessary to cut into one of these sides, I'm curious which would be recommended (I think I'm leaning interior).
I am comfortable with basically every handyman task except plumbing; but in this case, because this pipe has a dedicated shut-off valve, I figure it's worth giving a shot. However, I also don't have many plumbing-specific tools. If soldering is necessary, I will call in a professional.
Update: I cut a hole in the interior wall to take a look, and the pipe is soldered. Other houses in the neighborhood, built in the same year, have threaded fittings, but alas. I taped over both holes and called a professional to take care of the rest.
I will come back and describe the plumber's solution for completeness.


texts: Boiler Vaillant ecotec 831 R1 plate heat exchanger compability

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I have a Vaillant ecotec 831 R1 boiler with original plate heat exchanger(hot tap water). My heat exchanger got damaged and I would like to replace it.

On ebay I have found a there is a bigger(more plates) plate heat exchanger that is used in Vaillant ecotec 837 R1. I would like to use it.

Do you know is plate exchanger of Vaillant ecotec 837 R1 is compatible to my Vaillant ecotec 831 R1?


texts: Does resilient channel change the orientation that drywall is mounted?

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I'm contemplating installing resilient channel and in the ceiling, my understanding is that drywall is hung perpendicular to the floor joists above. When resilient channel is installed, it runs perpendicular too, so then does the drywall get re-oriented to be perpendicular to the channel (and thus parallel to the joists)?

This video: https://youtu.be/-IfYuNnRLgU?t=3m35s

Suggests that the drywall is still run oriented the way it would be if it were just hung to the joists, so it runs down the channel, but I feel like I read somewhere that it's supposed to be run crossing the channel. This would actually be a benefit for me, because in that ("new") orientation, single sheets would fit across the room.

When looking at installation instructions for the channel, the "example" pictures conveniently include a square piece of drywall.


texts:
I want to install a wall mount mini-split a/c (115v20amp).  The panel is 50+ feet away and routing a new (12/2) line will be extremely difficult.  However, when the house was built an extra 14/3 line was installed for future basement finishing.

Can I use it with a 20amp breaker if I tie line 1 (red) and 2 (black) together, and use it as 12/2?  ... or is this just wishful thinking!


texts: Need help removing KitchenAid range's control panel

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I have a kerc700LBL0 KitchenAid electric range (glass top).  The oven temperature on the display gets pretty dim.  From what I've read online, it's the control board (capacitors).  I'm having trouble getting the control panel (the glass touch panel) off so I can get to the electronics underneath (the control board).  I removed three screws and the front now lifts up a bit, but something in the back is holding it.  It could be some clips, or maybe screws, or maybe I just need to pull harder (don't know).  I called KitchenAid and they couldn't tell me.  Anyone know how this comes off?

This is a a similar model (to show you where the control panel is:

This is a the control panel:

Here is a parts diagram that doesn't show any screws in the back, but I'm not sure how much I can trust it.

One website said this model is made by Whirlpool, but I haven't confirmed it (nor do I have any further information like model number(s)).

Thanks!


texts:
I'm having trouble matching this drywall texture:

Would appreciate help on this.

Thanks!


texts: How to calculate steel beam and posts size to replace existing wood beam in terrace

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I have a covered terrace that extends 10' out (West) from the house towards the yard/pool and has a width/span of 32'.

The current beam is made up of (2) 2x6 in wood placed side-by-side functioning as the beam. It is currently supported by (4) 4x4 wood posts which are rotting away. The beam supports (17) 2x6 joists. The joist spacing is 24" O.C. for all except the last two on the North side of the terrace which are 20.5" O.C. and the last joist which is 15" O.C. The joists are holding the usual 4x8 plywood sheets for the shingle roof.

I would like to replace the existing wood beam and posts with steel. However I would like to use only two posts on each far end (probably a foot or so in from the end of the beam on each side). This way there would be no posts blocking the view.

My concerns are due to the span and weight. I want to avoid any sagging of the beam in the middle. I also want to make sure the structure supports the weight and wind uplift (in a hurricane zone).

How do I calculate the correct steel beam and posts sizes and footings needed for my purpose?

[Photo 1] Standing on North end facing South:

[Photo 2] Standing on South end facing North:


texts: I'm in trouble, I put this mark on an antique cupboard by putting a lot cup on it, is there anything I can try to make it go away?


texts: How to repair holes in wall and properly mount a clothes pole?

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We just moved into our house and tried hanging up my wife's winter clothes. Once we had both sides of the racks filled up the whole thing fell down. We had a handy man come out, and we figured out there isn't a stud where the middle bracket is. He tried to repair the piece to wall (originally supported with 15+ nails) however it would not support it. He was able to get it up back up with two silver anchors that you can see in the picture stating not to hang heavy stuff anymore.
Today we tried  just hanging up lighter clothes today (athletic wear) and the anchors came out of the wall. I am frustrated now because we want to hang up our cloths on the top racks because of the ample amount of space, but we are unable to do so due to the fear of it collapsing. Does anyone know of a way to possibly fix this?


texts: My grandfather called them "order clerk pliers" but can't find that name anywhere on the internet. The brand is Sargent but I can't find anything else about them. The "bolt cutter" like snip at the top is very powerful I've used them for cutting metal fencing, wires, all kinds of stuff.


texts: Rebuilding an exterior deck is it better to use screws or nails?

texts: I have a deck that is old and falling apart so it is time to replace it.  To replace the deck boards I plan to remove existing, measure boards, cut new board and put the same size and board back into place.  The deck hasn't been replaced in twenty years and it currently has nails.  Many tutorials and research show using screws.  After a search under the deck tag I didnt see any questions on why screws would be better then nails other than I would imagine over times nails could back out.  So why are screws better for deck boards then nails?  Is there a particular screw other than a normal wood screw that would be good for decks?


texts: How can I remove adhesive/glue from bricks?

texts:
My wife and I bought our home 2 years ago and we recently had water damage in our basement. After getting a sump pump and drain installed, we decided to redo the basement which includes a fireplace. The previous owners of our property decided that it would be cool to cover their fireplace with mirrors (I don't recommend doing this). I was able to remove the mirrors but the bricks are left with adhesive/glue residue.
What is the best way to remove adhesive from bricks? I tried a few different chemical solutions that yielded no results.
I was able to scrape off some of the glue with a putty knife but the brick is left with 'light' spots and the wall would look like a dalmatian (light spots at random intervals). Is it better to sand down the entire fireplace so that the color is consistent? What's the best way to sand brick?


texts:
Currently my kitchen vent/stack pipe joins with another stack and I need to move them to allow a window to be installed.
Can I just redirect them to the right hand corner then up that corner stud, under soffit for reconnect or existing roof vent[![enter image description here][1]][1]?
[1]: https://i.stack.imgur.com/GQQ91.jpg![enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/DsTNh.jpg)


texts: I am trying to purchase a condo in a three-story building. The condo is located at the third floor. During the home inspection, I would like to know what are the issues that I should pay attention to. Are there any specific items need to be carefully examined for a condo? What are the difference between inspecting a condo and inspecting a single family house? Thank you very much.


texts: My upstairs toilet is leaking into the ceiling downstairs only when the water supply is turned on. One company came out and cut a hole in the ceiling and said it is not the water pipe. Another company came out pulled the toilet and changed the ring. The toilet is still leaking. It is a slow drip like a drop every 20-30 minutes. What could cause this?


texts: How can I make my garbage disposal outlet work for other electric devices?

texts: I want to install the charging station for a battery-powered "Dirt Devil" vacuum cleaner under the kitchen sink. There's an outlet there which the garbage disposal plugs into, so I thought I would just add an outlet multiplier and plug them both in. But when I plugged my drill directly into the outlet to test this idea, the drill didn't work. Is the garbage disposal outlet (USA) not compatible with standard electric devices? Is there something simple I can do to make this work?


texts: Connecting 3 wire timer to 2 wire circuit

texts:
I went to replace an old mechanical timer for a bathroom extraction fan with a more up to date timer. The new single pole timer has a ground of course (no more mention of that), a black hot, a white neutral and a red load. All good, but when I took out the old timer, the wiring in the box simply had a black and a white wire terminating at the old timer.
Can I connect neutral, white from timer to white house wire and then both black hot and red load from the timer to black house wire?


texts: How can I know if a self-designed structure I build will be structurally sound?

texts:
I've recently begun designing and building structural updates to my house. For example, I've built some shelving units and a cabinet space. Everything has gone well so far, but I'm about to tackle something more significant, a self-designed backyard shed, and I want to be sure that it is structurally sound.

The design will have non-traditional elements, such that copying an existing design would not be straight-forward and could not be relied on.

Is there a software tool or online resource that can help an average DIY'er calculate the load capacity for different structures using different materials? For example, if I use a 2 by 4 here it will be able to hold X weight, versus using a 1 by 3 can hold Y weight.

Or maybe there's are rules like 2 x 4 braced every 2 feet can hold 200 pounds. If this is the case is there a book or website that can provide me with guidance like this?


texts: I changed the outlets and the switches for looks in two rooms. I copied same wiring same position from old to the new outlet, or light switch. Figures, not that hard. Tested - everything, outlets good but the light switch stopped controlling the outlet (the one job it has). So I try with the switch of the wires (red and orange) nothing happens. I switch the wires around (red and orange). The light switch doesn’t work. Then I decide to check my outlet so I open it and decide to change the red and pink on that figuring it might fix the switch, there is a white one looped but I don’t touch that). I try the light switch, still not working, outlet tests “open ground”.  I switch back the outlet red and pink  to original position and then I change the switch ones and the switch doesn’t work and the outlet is still showing “open ground. I then assume since the only ones are those two between the connected outlets and switches in the room, I decide to switch the what in our inspection tested as reversed hot/neg ... to make it amongst the switch an “open ground” testing one, however, this ones wires are all sorts of colors but red and orange. Images attached. Waiting for ideas and questions. Please help me fix this.


texts: If neutral carries current back to the breaker panel, why doesn't it need to be connected to a switch?

texts:
I've got some limited field experience as an electrical helper, but no real classroom experience yet. (saving up for school)

I am of the understanding that the neutral wire carries electricity back to a breaker panel.

I generally wire switches, as instructed, as follows:

However, this doesn't make sense to me because if the switch is in the off position, how does the power return to the breaker panel? I assume it can't be flowing through the neutral because the path to the device is interrupted by the switch, thus the circuit is not complete.

Does it flow, instead, through the ground? I've been told that the ground should never have current unless there is a severe fault, at which point there is a problem that needs fixing.

Isn't the ground the only way the electricity would return to the breaker panel in the above wiring scheme?


texts: How can I remotely monitor a GFCI receptacle?

texts:
How can a sump pump in a crawl space only accessible by crawling down a hole in a closet have its GFCI protected outlet monitored from the living room?

I am imagining the best way to run the pump is to run a dedicated 20 amp circuit to the pump outlet and put in a GFCI breaker. The breaker could be reset up in the utility room. If the pump is plugged into a GFCI receptacle in the crawl space the homeowners would have no idea it tripped and would have to crawl under the house to check on it and rest it.

The problem of checking on the GFCI is a little easier if they only have to look in their breaker box.

But I would like to be able to have some sort of indication in the living space so that they could see more easily that the GFCI had tripped. The crawl space is on an island and it is a busy pump.

I imagined putting a light in the living room in a box like a switch would be installed. The light would get its power fed through the outlet the pump was running on. If the GFCI tripped off and the outlet lost power, and the pump went off so would the light. What is the best light device of this nature that could serve this purpose? Is there a better way to deal with this sump pump?


texts: What are these metal ducts/tubes going into the attic used for?

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We live in a house that is approx. 1200 sq ft. and was most likely gutted and 'refactored' by the previous owner. In our laundry room, they built a 'closet' around the water heater and our HVAC unit. In this 'closet', there are two metal tubes or ducts that are circular in shape, about 8 inches in diameter, and almost four feet long. You can shine a flashlight up through it and see the wood at the top of the house.

I have a few questions about these:
What could they be (or have been) for?
Would these be causing efficiency problems?
Should they be removed and the holes filled in?


texts: What danger/code violation is oversized breakers?

texts:
I just got the results of a home inspection where they claim there is mismatched breakers and wires in my electrical panel.  Specifically, the range (40A breaker) and heat pump (50A).  He claims the wires are 30A.

Assuming this is true, is this a code violation (Nebraska)?  Or a safety issue?

-edit- adding more info here for future readers so they don't have to read all the comments.

The heat pump had been replaced within the last 2 years.  I called the company who installed it and they claim the heat pump installed only pulls 27A max but they would send an electrician out to swap the breaker that they missed.  When the electrician came, he discovered that the 2nd over-sized breaker was not for the range (range was on a 50A wire with 50A breaker) but instead it was on an unused circuit that lead to the newly installed furnace (capped inside the furnace housing, just there for "future expansion").  Both breakers ended up getting swapped for free.


texts: Hi, I would be grateful to receive advice on my proposed way of adding a socket from bath 1 to bath 2 by tapping on bath 2's existing socket (i plan to tie the new set of wires in with socket A's wires in its L,N & E grooves and run along d existing cable channels to the other side of the wall n attach a new socket). Am I right to do it this way? Are there anything else I should take note? I planned to install a IP66 socket.


texts: Should I tape/support drywall seam next to cabinet?

texts:
I'm replacing the dry wall in our kitchen and then adding a tile backsplash. What is best practice in terms of taping the seam that is right up against the cabinet base/top?

Should I add horizontal nailers for support behind the drywall? ( I can do this in some cases but in others there is plumbing and or ducts work in the way.)

Basically I'm getting conflicting feedback on whether or not I need a horizontal nailer. On reddit, I hear yes, but this guy uses nothing.


texts: What type of equipment do I need to complete this audio setup?

texts: I am trying to figure out how to setup audio and TV in a new home. I've got my TV in the family room. I want to buy a surround sound system for that room. I'm guessing i need 5.1 channel speakers for that. I also have 4 rooms in the house that have 2 speakers mounted in the ceiling. The wires for those speakers come out to where the TV is in my family room. What kind of receiver/amplifier do I need to power the TV 5.1 speakers and the speakers throughout the house? I'd like to be able to have the TV on and be listening to something else like the radio in the other rooms. Just need to know what to buy to hook it all up.


texts: What type of cable should I bury for a small utility shed?

texts: I'm putting a 8x16 utility shed in my back yard. It will be 100 ft from the service panel.  I want to run the supply line under ground. There will be one 4ft fluorescent light and two 120V receptacles. Which kind of wire would be best for this application?


texts: Is there mold in my apartment bathroom? What is causing the unpleasant smell there?

texts:
I moved into my first apartment in August. The apartment is a 3rd floor 2 bedroom apartment and it’s great except one persistent issue that has gotten worse over the last few months.
The master bedroom’s bathroom hasn’t been used in weeks because of a strong smell whose origin seems to be very difficult to locate. The best I can describe it is as a urine smell but slightly different maybe like urine and mildew or something like that. It’s kind of a bitter smell, if that makes sense.
The smell is also present around the air conditioner closet and from outside the apartment on the wall that faces the bathroom. I also noticed a black grime on the vinyl panel on that wall. (Hence my mold fears)
I called maintenance but they essentially said: "This room doesn’t really smell any different than any other room in the house."
I’ve cleaned the bathroom and found the smell to go away for a brief couple of hours and then return harsher.
I’m posting here because the only thing I can think to do other than keep calling maintenance (which I plan to do) is to ask others if they’ve had a similar experience. I want my apartment to be complete.
My only guess as to what it is would be mildew or mold, but I cannot find anything in the bathroom itself. Could it be mold in the walls? How do I go about solving this issue?


texts: Replacement or repair to the wheels of Sliding doors?

texts:
I am trying to find replacements or find some DIY solution to replace the wheels, the original parts are manufactured by Komandor. I am unable to fin replacements in local stores. The width of the sliding wheel mechanism is about 4cm for one door.

Where can I find replacements or DIY solution to the wheels of the sliding doors?


texts: Any advantages on making paver stones vs laying a cement bed and cutting the joints?

texts:
I have a patio area (about 50m^2) that I want a paved with "paver stones" 45x45cm made out of cement and sand. I have to make my own pavers because they don't seel pavers this size around here.

My idea is something like that:

I need to make around 250 pavers. I will be using 4 sets of forms and filling them, removing the forms, filling again, until I make about 20 pavers per day (so about 15 days of work).

The pavers would be laid on a sand bed and the joints will be 1-1.5 cm filled with sand.

This will be a lot of work. So I was thinking of an alternative, laying a concrete bed and cutting the joints with a marble saw like the one below. Can I cut the joints to be 1,5 cm wide? Are there any advantages to the paver idea (besides the easier maintenance if I need to remove some stones).


texts: How do I loosen latex paint to remove it?

texts: I have a wall with (a very rubbery) latex paint topcoat over a painted surface on drywall that it is only marginally adhering to. Trying to sand or even rub on it removes it slowly and not very efficiently. I'm afraid to paint over it, so I want to remove it. Is there any mild chemical or other process that will loosen it enough to remove it, so we can patch, re-prime, and repaint over it?


texts: Why would you use copper electrical conduit?

texts:
This is not "home" improvement per se, but it fits the spirit of this stack exchange. While waiting for my train I was peeking into a ceiling that had all of its slats removed for some kind of installation. I noticed there was a lot of new electrical conduit being laid which was made of copper. This struck me as really odd because this stuff is usually laid as aluminum or some kind of steel; copper is really expensive, it's not rust proof, nor is it electrically or thermally insulating, so I'm not understanding the choice in a more expensive material. The only answer I can possibly come up with it's better for its environment (moisture, against concrete; something re: anodization)

Here's an extremely professional photograph of the aforementioned:

Why would this be done?


texts: What could be causing an earthing fault in a specific socket?

texts:
When I connect a device to one specific plug socket, I get a current in the device body. When I connect the device to any other plug in my house, then the device is normal, i.e no current in the device body.

To rule out device fault, I connected different appliances to the suspected faulty plug. All the appliances got a current in their body, but were normal with the other plug points in the house.

I renewed the socket with a new one to rule out socket fault, but the problem persists.

What could be causing this, and how do I fix it?


texts:
We have to renovate an apartment on a low floor in a busy area and an expert advised us to install an air purifier system.

He said that these tools are beyond the relief they are entitled to air conditioning systems and the costs would be similar. According to him the air purifying systems tends to lower the temperature of 3/4 degrees also removing moisture.

Given that at present we have no air conditioning system but we thought of making the preparation, do you think a system of this type could help to save on air conditioning?

The engine of the system will be located outside the apartment on the balcony, and inside there will be the tubes and a mouth in each room. By now we have no decive on the model of the system, it was just a proposal


texts: How to make a Bevel Lap Splice joint, for connecting a portable floor?

texts:
I'm new to woodworking, and I've read that I could potentially create this joint using a table saw, jointer, or even a circular saw - but I do not want to rent/purchase one and find out that I can't.

Here is what it looks like / description:

  Bevel lap splice joint The bevel lap is a variation of the half-lap in
  which the cheeks of the opposing members are cut at an angle of 5 to
  10 degrees, sloping back away from the end of the member, so that some
  resistance to tension is introduced. This helps to prevent the members
  from being pulled apart.

I will be making floor panels that will hook together using this joint, and can easily be picked back up and stored.


texts: We have a 4-plex that started on fire. The sheetrock in a couple of units was saved. To lock in the smoke odor, we were told we need to use a shellac primer. However, we would like to texture the walls. Should I apply the shellac first, then texture, prime, and paint or can I texture the walls first, shellac, then paint? Any suggestions are appreciated.


texts: Can a butcher block countertop be rounded with a router?

texts: Looking to build a custom workstation and I wanted to use something thick as my top so I thought about using a butcher block countertop from a chain store, along with an inexpensive router bit set to round the edges.  Would this work?


texts: Tap keeps dripping even after reseating - broken?

texts:
I've replaced the washer in the tap and used a reseating tool, but when I feel with my finger there's what appears to be a "notch" in the area the tap washer would be pressing down on. Picture is attached.

Is this tap effectively broken? I'm wondering whether I should just replace it rather than continuing to try and repair what is a pretty old tap.


texts: What's the best way to create a wood elbow?

texts:
I want to make a curved rod out of wood.

I basically want to create the wooden version of this metal rod:

Here's another similar rod:

I conducted some searches online, and it doesn't seem that wood elbows can be purchased anywhere. This means that I have to make them myself.

Note: I have no experience with woodworking and DIY projects like this in general.

At first, I was thinking that I would have to take my dowel rod and physically bend the rod to achieve the curve. Soaking the whole rod in water for a while might loosen the wood to the point where it would be somewhat pliable. Alternatively, I could bring the dowel to a local woodworker who owns a steam box. Another option I found was to even use one's microwave as a wood steamer. No matter which method I chose to soften the wood, I would then clamp the rod around a curved jig, so that the wood would dry into an elbow and hold its shape. Here is an example of this jig:

Upon some more thought, however, I think that bending a dowel is not the easiest path. The bend would be a pretty sharp bend. I'm worried that I might split the wood; a dowel rod is much thicker than plywood.

I then realized that I could fasten a rectangular block of wood to the end of the dowel, and then remove material in order to achieve the curve.

I am not skilled in graphic design, but here is a rough diagram I made in Photoshop to depict this method:

In the above image:

The solid black bars represent the two dowel rods (one on each side).
The yellow box represents the block of wood.
The yellow curve with black outline represents the desired curve.

What is the best way to go about creating this yellow curve? Specifically: How should I fasten the wood block to the ends of the two dowels? How should I remove the yellow material to create a smooth curve?

Assume that I have zero tools. But, I am willing to purchase whatever is necessary to create the curve. (Within reason, of course; please keep everything under $1000.)

I think that there is probably more than one way to approach this. Most likely, I have no experience with the tools that I'll need to use, so I think that the best method is one that is the least difficult for a beginner, while still achieving a nice result.

Oh, and it's entirely possible that I am thinking about this in the wrong way, and that my above diagram is not the most practical path to create an elbow out of wood. I am not wedded to my idea, so if you have a better one, I am on board.


texts: How do I sweat pipes in an enclosed area?

texts:
I need to repair a leak in the plumbing behind my shower.  There is an access panel, and enough room for myself and my torch, but not much else.

How do I apply the flame to the fittings (for the final installation) without burning down my house?  It seems that no matter how I direct the flame, it's hitting something that burns (drywall, wood, myself, etc).


texts: How do we properly insulate a loft ceiling with 2" by 4" without loosing space?

texts: We have recently started a home improvement project that involved completely redoing all of our vaulted ceilings. We have a loft area that was about 6 foot in height at the peak. When we did the demo we found that they only used 2"x4" for the roof trusses, and being in NY we cannot get the right r value with out lowering the ceiling and loosing the loft. Any suggestions?


texts: Can I recoat my floor's matte finish with a satin sheen product?

texts: I had my floors refinished in a water based Matte sheen.  They have no life.  Can I add a coat of satin to at least give them a little shine?


texts: Can I have two storeys in a 16 foot space?

texts:
I'm in the process of closing on a house that has an unusually large crawlspace underneath the structure. The house is built on a relatively steep hillside and the frame of the house extends to the bottom of the hill below, giving an enclosed crawlspace.

Here's a diagram (with apologies for my MSPaint skills):

The crawlspace has approximately 4.9m (16.2 feet) of space between the concrete floor and the bottom of the timber frame supporting the ground floor. There are no stilts or other support structures in the main part of the crawlspace though there are in the other half.

Here's a photo on the inside:

I would like to have this basement finished by adding an internal staircase from the ground floor down to this area. I would like to split this space into two floors. I understand that each floor must have at least 7 feet of headroom, and I assume you'd want a foot of space between the two floors and plus another foot to account for space from the ceiling below the ground floor and the bottom floor's carpeting. That's 7+7+1+1 == 16 feet. So far so good, right?

During the house inspection, I asked the inspector how possible it would be to do the conversion and he said it would be impossible as you need at least 10 feet per floor, so the house is 4 feet too short to convert the crawlspace into two floors. He was also pessimistic about installing rooms (such as a toilet room or a small bedroom) on the area currently covered in black tarp. He said that converting the main area of the crawlspace (with the flat floor) is definitely possible, but I'd probably only be able to have a smaller area (with a 5 or 6-foot high ceiling, maybe) underneath the finished room suitable only as a storage area.

With references to suitable building regs and whatnot, is my inspector correct in saying I can only have 1 fully-finished floor, or can I still have two finished floors/storeys in the space?

This is in King County, WA. If that helps.


texts: What Size Heat Shrink Tubing for Splicing Lamp Wire (SPT-2 18-2 AWG)?

texts: I am splicing some lamp cables.  The cable is SPT-2 18-2 lamp wire.  First I will be using some vinyl insulated butt splices rated for 22-18 AWG and 600v to make the connection.  Then, I want to cover the splices with heat shrink tubing.  I'm having a hard time finding definitive results on what size tubing to use, though I am inferring from various sources that it's probably 3/4" polyolefin tubing that I need.  Can anyone confirm or deny this, or otherwise make a suggestion?


texts: If my new faucet hoses don't fit on the shutoff valve should I replace the valve or use an adapter?

texts: I'm replacing my kitchen faucet and the new faucet has 3/8" fittings on the hot/cold hoses, but the shutoff valves have 1/2" openings. Would it be better to replace the shutoff valves, or find an adapter like this?


texts:
I have a frameless cabinet hinge like this that I bought for a closet-like piece I am building. However, I quickly realized there was a problem; the hinge is designed so that the door lays flat in front of the frame, while in my design the door sits flush within the frame. I was on the verge of giving up and trying to find new hinges when I thought that maybe I could just flip around the hinges, install the cabinet frame piece on the door and the door piece on the cabinet frame, this way that the hinge will effectively place the door flush with the frame. I know that this is not typically done, but can anyone see a possible problem with this?

Basically I want to flip around an overlay hinge to get an inset hinge.


texts: How do i connect multiple ground wires? There are 3 green and 1 bare wire on my light fixture

texts: Fixture has 3 hanging lights, each light has 1 green, 1 white and 1 black wire.  There is also a bare copper wire on the base of the new fixture. How do i properly attach the green ground wires and the bare wire?


texts: Garage door only closes if you hold the button down even with the safety sensors disconnected

texts: Garage door will not close without holding down the wall button. Only the wall button will close it. Neither wireless remotes work. I have disconnected the safety devises and still have the same issue.


texts: 60 amp single phase sub-panal from 3phase panel without Neutral

texts:
ThreePhaseEel has asked me a couple of questions. First, I want to thank him for the answer.

As to the color of the 3 phase wires from the pole, all are green. I don't see any white either. The high leg is the first wire from left in the box that is 208v. The second and third are 120v. So I think instead of A-B-C I have B-A-C. In the box the color of Bus bar C has been painted red but the voltage of this bar is 120. The voltages that you are showing are correct. What I don't understand, is where the white wire from the pole is. Although I see the white wire has entered the adjacent breaker box from the pole.

What should I do when I don’t see white neutral coming from pole to 3 phase panel?

Is it possible there is only one neutral for both single and 3 phase panels?

Can I use the neutral in single phase to connect to the single-phase 60-amp panel that is from 3 phase panel?

How can you distinguish #6 PE from XLPE?

What is this balancing issue warning that some people are talking about when you want to install a single phase sub-panel of a 3 phase panel?

Is it OK to have 60 amp breaker as feeder and as main sub-panel?

Which one will trip first if there is a short?

Finally a question about conduit. Can I use two 1.5” 90 degree elbows (like S shape) connected to each other?


texts: Can I drill a small hole in a concrete beam?

texts:
I need to pass a bipolar electrical cable through a concrete beam (30cm high, 15 cm wide) (12x6 inches). The hole would need to be about 1cm (3/8").

Is it safe to drill through it? There is no wall below it and one of its columns is "upside down" (see sketch below).

Edit: I did some further research and found some regulations regarding holes and openings on reinforced concrete beams. There is no need of additional reinforcement if the following is observed:

hole in the traction zone of the beam.
diameter limited to 12cm or 1/3 of beam height
distance from supports equal to 2 beam heights

So in my case I would have to have the hole around 60 cm from the column in the bottom portion of the beam, and the diameter is below the threshold (around 1-2 cm). Is that right??


texts: I found a old unused (20+ yrs old) septic tank/field in an area that I want to build apon, what am I suppose to do &/or who am I suppose to contact? thanks, Caneadea


texts: Will using portable heaters in the attic during heavy snow help melt it?

texts:
If I use garage-type heaters in the attic during the winter, will this help
keep snow and ice off the roof?


texts:
I'd like to put my weather station into the polystyrene hermetic case but my concerns are around whether it is going to survive in the sun, heat and frost. The vendor says it is not intended to be used in such conditions and this is probably where I should finish with PS case but I have some of those and want to spend no extra money.

Currently I am testing such case for a week or so and it seems it can stand being frozen to ~-18 deg C., then getting heated to room temperature, wet and then frozen again and again. No cracks, no deformations. What do you think?


texts: Does this exist - 'screwdriver gun' with cartridge to automatically load new screws?

texts:
I'm looking to do some really repetitive assembly that involves screw-driving a ton of M2 screws over and over again into threaded holes to put two plastic pieces together.

Because it's a high volume job, I want to find the right tool. I thought it would be so awesome if there was a one handed electric screwdriver of some sort that would dispense the M2 screw as I hold the button, then once it's in the threaded hole/fully dispensed a new one pops out of the gun, and I can move onto the next hole, etc.

Found some related stuff for nails obviously, which is good for woodworking but not exactly my application:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Woodworking-decoration-chain-with-screw-gun-professional-automatic-screw-driver-decorating-tools-220V-780W-1PC/32832683890.html

Could anyone confirm if what I'm looking for exists, and point me to some example products? Also down to modify similar existing tools to suit my application if need be. Thanks!


texts: Providing personnel shock protection, AFCI VS GFCI

texts: House built in 1960's, upgraded to 200A service with new panel in 2009. Original wiring (2 wire w/not ground) and  wall plugs are without ground prong provision and were not replaced. Want to provide personnel shock protection, but GFCI's trip immediately. AFCI's don't trip. If I install all AFCI's, will they provide any personnel shock protection (as well as fire protection)? Will a dual AFCI/CFCI have the same tripping problem?


texts: How to remove hoses that are clamped to a water manifold in a hot-tub

texts:
I have a hot tub and a hose of the water manifold cracked off (see below on the second hose from the left that is separated from the manifold, but a part of the manifold is broken off inside).

Since the manifold is broken, I need to replace it. To do this I'll need to remove all the hoses. As you can see below in the red circle there are clamps holding the hoses on. However, the clamps aren't the issue. When removing these clamps, the hoses are still stuck to the manifold.

Any advice on how to remove the hoses (plus the broken part inside the loose hose) from this manifold would be greatly appreciated.

I thought maybe I could try cutting the hoses (not sure whith what), but was worried that they would no longer be long enough.


texts: Caulking vinyl siding inside jchannel / post?

texts:
Found I have some yellow jackets trying to get behind my siding in the j-channel/post at the end of the siding. Can I caulk up and down the entire length of the channel where the siding ends to close that gap off?

Not my picture but I would caulk along green. Yellow jackets trying to get into a gap similar to red.


texts: What is a good temporary seal for 1-2 inch gap between window pane and door frame?

texts:
I am a lodger in a large old house. My landlady, who is in her 60s, asked me to draft proof the rear door in the kitchen.
There is a large gap between the top of the panel of double glazing in the door and the door frame. Duct tape was used as a fix, but that’s peeling away. (See photo.)
Is there a simple method to fill in this gap that will last a few months?
Ideally, something that is non-destructive so it can be removed for when the door gets fixed properly, but rain and wind proof.
The draft from the kitchen goes though all of the lower floor, making the entire floor cold.
Thanks.


texts:
I have an old shelf with doors supported on piano (klavir) hinges, which are rusty and crooked. Most of the screws on the hinge are barely holding on, so for now I am ruling out the option to replace or repair the hinge.

I already have a hinge hole cutter, which was last used some years ago with reasonable success. It looks to me that plugging a pair of "normal" (Euro) hinges would be great if possible.

My question: is it possible, and if so what should I be watchful for?


texts: I have a brand new goodman furnace and tryed to turn it on and it stays on for a minute then turns off and it is blinking 4 flashings lights i read the manuel but really does not tell me much and i also tryed to r4eset it but no luck on that either any advise we do not have a tect in our small town


texts: Does a ceiling fan have to have a wall switch

texts: I have a three gang wall plate with switches. One switch controls a receptacle in the living room, for a lamp. There is no room to add a fourth switch to control a ceiling fan. I'd like to add a ceiling fan with an integrated light but direct wire it back to the electric panel, and just use the pull cords to control the light and fan. Is that against any fire/electrical codes?


texts: How can I disassemble and install an old Schlage door knob?

texts: I have an old brass Schlage unkeyed door knob/latch set. I would like to install it in a door, but can't figure out how to take it apart. The rosettes thread on, but I can't figure out how to get a knob off. There are 2 small holes on both knob shafts. I have already tried pushing something into the holes and pulling/turning the knobs.


texts: Are these breakers single-pole or double-pole?

texts: I'm installing a Sense energy monitor and it needs a 2-pole, 240V breaker. I know I can piggyback off an existing 2-pole breaker, but am I correct that all of these are single-pole?


texts: Can I calculate beam size if I know length, and weight support requirements?

texts:
I am interested in hanging a heavy-bag/swing/aerial yoga bands -  but am concerned about hanging from a strong enough beam.
I have tried to read lots about deflections of different material based on span (using span tables) but I am missing some fundamental information that I'm hoping you lot can help me with.

The ceiling rafters are too thin (2x4), and are comprised of a variety joints - I'd prefer not even mess with those. So instead, my thought is to attach 2x6 to the walls, and use joist hangers to support a new set of beams for this project - I just don't know the size of beam that would be needed.

Knowing that I need to span 10', and expect to have a live load (the weight will be swinging) on a single point on the beam, I need to determine the required size to support 200 lbs. Or let's get nutty, say 400 lbs (I assume we can just adjust this variable in the formula once someone helps me understand the formula).

I have read tons of threads that all basically say the same thing - "Go use this calculator!"
http://www.awc.org/codes-standards/calculators-software/spancalc
The problem is I don't understand the values it wants enough to complete this. The calculator wants me to pick a size & length, which defeats my needs. I know my length, and weight requirements, but not size of the board. (example 2x6, 2x8, 2 - 2x6's bolted together)

I get that the more material that's there, the stronger it will be - but is knowing the info I have enough to use a calculation to determine necessary size?

I'm being recommended 15 other 'similar questions' that I can't seem to piece together an answer for myself, so maybe I need more information before I can determine this, but I'm not clear what other variables those would be based on the information I have read thus far.

Does such an equation exist?
Example: Live Load * Distance in inches = X lb/in, where there's then a table of what wood supports by the lb/in that, I can find what would work?


texts: What bit should I use to drill a two inch hole in a solid concrete wall?

texts: I am planning to install a 1.5-inch conduit through a poured concrete wall. I am planning on drilling a two-inch hole to accommodate the size of the conduit body. I have been searching up and down, but I don't know what drill bit to use. Bi-metal? Diamond? Carbide?


texts: Can I install a NEMA 14-30 outlet to 100 amp panel

texts:
I received a pricey estimate for a NEMA 14-50 installation because I apparently need an automatic transfer switch. Now I think I will go with a NEMA 14-30 DIY install instead. I am just wondering if my breaker will be able to handle the load without any issues. Also, the electrician said my home currently has an 88 amp load, and the addition of a 14-50 would raise that to about 112 amps. What would a 14-30 raise it to?

I plan on using this outlet mainly at night to charge my EV. I want to use 10 AWG Romex SIMpull NMD90 (10/3), routed from my breaker in the basement to my garage.

Edit: @Harper @machavity Sorry for the late response, the system wasn’t letting me for some reason. I don’t know how to do a load calculation myself (haven’t understood how to do it properly based on whaf I’ve searched online) so I’ve just mentioned what my electrician said. I have an Eaton breaker. Here are some pics: https://imgur.com/gallery/KYHLdjO

The major appliances that I can think of are: fridge, dryer, washer, air conditioner (only during summer), heater (fall/winter), furnace.


texts:
I have a 1969 Cape Cod 2,300 square feet, brick and vinyl sided home with cathedral ceilings that I want to update insulation in. I have the original R-7 fiberglass in the walls and R-12 in the ceiling. The roof has soffit and gable vents. There is only a 4 inch access in the ceiling from the attic.

Filling this with insulation would block the venting from the soffit to the gable vents. I had some companies offer to blow cellulose in the space and make it a warm roof. Other companies said not to block airflow because it would cause problems with the roof. The house is 50 feet across the back. There is a lake view so the first story has three large sliding doors and a wide chimney. There is less than 6 linear feet of wall to insulate.

All the bedrooms are upstairs and on the back wall and again have very little wall due to the chimney, French doors and large windows. I got a quote for about $2000 for retro foam in the side walls and front of the house. They said it would make a big difference stopping airflow in the walls because the side of the house took a lot of wind from the lake.

Another company would not give me an estimate because they said due to the large amount of windows and doors and because the ceiling was under insulated, retro foaming the walls would not make a noticeable difference. I have replaced all the doors and windows in the house and installed a high efficiency furnace. I live in Michigan with cold winters and warm summers.

Is it worth insulating whatever I can?

Update

The ceiling is built to the trusses. I went up into the peak and realized that there are cross braces so there is no way to insulate the ceiling over the bedrooms without removing the roof or tearing out the plaster ceiling. So the question is: will I notice a difference in comfort putting retro foam in the walls if the roof is only about R-12.  I realize that it will take many years of energy savings to make up the $2000.


texts: Why doesn't my doorbell have power at the button?

texts:
I tried to install a wired doorbell which has a camera. I did some  online research and learned that it requires a transformer and I checked that a transformer is already there by the breaker panel. I started with installing the chime. I switched off the line to doorbell and installed chime. I switched on the power to doorbell from breaker panel and chime sounded “ding-dong” so I assume that I successfully installed the chime.
I then switched off the main power supply to doorbell again and went outside to install new wired doorbell with camera from SimpliSafe. After its installation, I turned on the power button from the breaker panel but this bell doesn’t ring and the bell switch is not receiving power.
I checked with multimeter that there was no power on the outside wire that goes with the doorbell switch despite the power switch for doorbell was on in breaker panel. However, the chime receives enough power.
Is it normal that the chime bell rings when doorbell switch is turned on from breaker panel?
Do you think that my assumption is right that the outside wire is faulted or has no power coming to it and it requires rewiring?
I might have done a wrong installation as well so please advice.
Thanks


texts: Frigidaire FEX831FS4 washer dripping water after fixing agitator. How to find and fix leak?

texts:
The washer was not leaking any water before I fixed the agitator. Now agitator works fine, but some water drips on top of transmission.

So I am backtracking the work I did to understand what is causing the water leak. Here is what I remember:

Since washer was rusty, I was not able to separate the washer outer tub from the transmissions's shaft on which the agitator goes on. So I gave up and took upper half of transmission with the outer tub to a welder to fix it. See picture to understand how far I was able to disassemble washer:

I also partially pulled off the drive block (or maybe even whole inner shaft with drive block) and was not quite able to get it back to the original position. See this picture:

Here is a diagram of my FEX831FS4 washing machine:

The questions I have are:

Since I did not separate transmission from outer tub, then is it likely that part #16 (the tub seal) is actually fine? Perhaps I pried something a little too deep with screwdriver? Could it be that all the gunk collected these years was preventing the leak from happening? Maybe I can just refill it with gasket maker in place where I pried with screwdriver?
Is it possible that the water comes down through the agitator shaft through the gap that I introduced by forcing up the drive block?
Just wondering, would something like ATP-205 rejuvenate seals if they were damaged? That liquid kinda work for gaskets in car. Though toxicity and getting dirty clothes because of that fluid is another concern why I would prefer to double check with folks that have experience fixing appliances.

This is old washer and I want to extend its life a little bit before getting a new one on Black Friday sale.


texts: I have a building that will be powering 4 shop lights and 4 outlets. Things that are plugged in are air conditioner 110v 5000btu, radio, occasionally air compressor, other power tools(nothing big), and smaller things. I went to ace to get supplies and ask what I needed and was told I need a 30 amp sub panel ran to the shed with 10-2 or 10-3 wire ran from the main breaker panel (house). I was given a 15amp and two 20 amp breakers for the sub panel, 15 to power the lights, one of the 20’s for all the outlets, and the other 20 for the air conditioner. Does all this sound correct? I need to know if it is then do I need to wire strictly all the outlets (besides the one powering the AC) to the 20amp breaker and all the lights to the 15amp breaker? And the last 20amp breaker to the AC alone? Thanks in advance.


texts: Plumber connected shower and toilet drain weirdly, now toilet backs up into shower

texts:
My plumber attached my shower area drain and the WC (water closet, i.e. toilet) drain through a single pipe and installed a P-trap at shower drain. The level of the P-trap is such that when we flush the WC some of its water runs into the shower area drain P-trap and it starts emitting a foul smell in the bathroom.

I believe he has installed these drains with a T-joint instead of a Y-joint and level of pipe is not correct as water runs backwards to the shower drain.

Is there any solution to it without damaging the bathroom tiles and floor?


texts: How can I remove scratches in polyurethane?

texts:
My husband and I have been building a farm table and we are oh-so-close to being done, but we are having issues in the final coats of polyurethane on the top. Here's a rundown:

We stained the wood with gel stain and put three coats of Minwax polyurethane on top. I used steel wool between coats and it looked pretty good, except we noticed brush marks in about three different spots. I think the brush didn't have a wet tip and the poly dragged or something... the rest of it looked great.

We used steel wool again and did another coat of poly, this time with a sponge. When it dried it left these weird spots, so we put on another coat with a sponge... even more weird spots. (they almost looked like water marks?)

This time we took 220 grit sandpaper and sanded the entire top of the table (with our hands... we didn't do enough research to learn that we should have used a sanding block... we're total newbies!) and put on a coat with the brush again. The coat itself looks great! But we can see scratches from the sandpaper under the poly :(

I've seen mixed advice online about how we should proceed.... do we need to sand down to get rid of the scratches (and probably sand out all of the stain and start over), or will using steel wool again and applying more coats of poly get rid of the scratches? I so do not want to sand down completely and start over, especially when we are this close to being done. But I also want our table to have a beautiful finish. Please help!


texts: Would it make sense to peel off paint from peeling bathtub

texts:
The paint in our tub has been developing air pockets under it for a while, and this morning a big chunk ripped off.

As far as I can see, the layer underneath is undamaged except for the stains. Might it make sense to strip off the rest of the paint and live with the stains until I have the time and money for a better repair?

For those wondering how such a big chunk came off, last night I took off the non-slip mat which was suction-cupped to the tub and scrubbed the tub (non-abrasive cleaner, but rubbing pretty hard). This morning I stepped in for a shower, and the area where the mat had been detached.


texts: What do I need to know about LED strip lighting?

texts:
I've read a ton of various posts about different aspects of LED lamps, strips, comparisons with fluorescent and incandescent lamps, and I decided that I want to install LED strips to light my room. Strips seem to give off the most natural light of all options, are relatively cheap, come in different colors, can have variable lengths and don't take up much space. But there were several aspects which I'm still confused about.

Brightness of each strip is different. I'm planning on using a dimmer anyway, but how do I find and measure maximum desirable brightness level for my room? (my current lighting situation is a mess, so I wouldn't try and match it)
Uneven light comes off of an unfiltered LED strip, because diodes are placed in a dotted line. Common recommendation is to use light diffusing filter, which scatters the light enough to make it even. Although these filters take away up to ~30% of total brightness (measured with luxometer). What kind of filter should I get?
Positioning seems to be very important. People say placing a strip parallel to a surface can absorb up to a third of total brightness. At what angle should I install a strip in different locations?
Light spectrum is often unusual, especially with cheap low quality strips. I still don't know how to tell HQ from LQ LEDs. My local store doesn't have many and they're all generic types.
Dimmers have to be of certain types to work with LED strips. Very often I see recommendation to get dimmer amplifiers. Aren't there any dimmers that work fine without additional expenses?
"White" color is a vague definition. How do I easily select the color temperature that's right for me? Do I have to buy different strips and compare them on site? Or is there an easier way?
SMD ~~~ codes are still a mystery to me. Some say it only determines the dimensions of a single LED unit and its relative socket on a conductor strip, others say it also affects light spectrum and overall strip lifespan. Does it matter?
Noise from power supplies seems to be a common problem indoors. People recommend to use waterproof models, which are somewhat airtight, and it helps reduce the noise. Others recommend to install regular power supplies in a waterproofed power box. The former appears to be more expensive, and the latter takes up more space. Radicals recommend placing power supplies in a far location, connecting to the strips with long wires, but that creates some safety concerns. How do I make sure there is no noise and it's still safe?
IP class determines how much protection LED strip has. Does it affect installation, use and light in any way?

That's a lot to consider about lighting. If I missed something important, please let me know.


texts: Could someone check this wiring diagram for outlets/switch?

texts:
Renovating the garage and replacing the lights with ceiling outlets and eventually plug in LED lights. I'm going to install a single smart switch to control these lights from one end of the room and put a remote on the other end of the room. The source for the outlets is a sub panel that I installed (which passed inspection!). Because the source would most conveniently enter an outlet in the middle of the room, the wiring wasn't as straight forward as I originally anticipated. I drew it out and it makes sense, but just wanted to verify here before I start doing things. Apologies for the crappy image, hope it makes sense. The gist of it is I'll need 14-3 for the outlets leading to the switch, but 14-2 from the source to the outlet and the remaining outlets running away from the switch. Does this look right?

Edit: thanks for the answers / comments thus far, but no one has actually answered the question yet. I think this diagram will work, but just wanted confirmation from someone with more knowledge to confirm.


texts: How do I replace a GFCI receptacle in my bathroom?

texts:
we're remodeling our bathroom and were simply looking to switch out 20 year old light almond outlets and light switches for white.  While I thought this would be easy I've run into a problem with the outlet by the sink.  I'm no electrician, but I do have a physics degree so I can understand diagrams and the basic way electricity works yet now I can fully appreciate how difficult it can be.

The box used to be a 15 amp 120V  60Hz GFCI and a 15 amp 125V non GFCI outlet.  From the store I bought two 20 amp 125v 60Hz GFCI outlets, and I have two 15 amp 125V non GFCI outlets hoping this would be all I needed to get this puzzle figured out (and I heard you needed 20 amp for the bathroom for hairdryers and
such).

Coming into the box (It seems very old, it is metal while the others were more of a blue plastic) are 1 white, 1 black and 1 red wire, then a ground wire.  I've tried to connect just the black and white to the line in the GFCI, then I tried red to hot and that didn't work either.  I was hoping to get the GFCI to work itself before trying any LOAD options for the second outlet. Which, according to code does it have to be another GFCI, or just connected through the GFCI so it offered protection for both?  I'd eventually like to have two connections from this box like there were before, but I also want to keep things  within code (I'm not sure it was before) so while it may take some dry wall fun,  I could convert it to a single box if allowed/only way it will work.

Also from reading some problems, others have had a problem with the breaker being the wrong type?  I looked at the switch and it has a 15 on it (since other switches have 20s on them, I'm assuming this is for the amps) so is it against code to just purchase 15 amp GCFI rather than having to do some wiring I haven't  the slightest idea how to do, or is the 20 amp simply recommended? I don't remember ever having a problem with it before.


texts: Is there a reason not to connect the ground wire to a chandelier?

texts:
So, I am replacing the insides of a chandelier, but now I dont understand why the person who installed it would leave the ground wire hanging without being connected. I can see a ground wire taped away in the ceiling and I am wondering if there is a actually a reason for it not being connected. Or was the person who did it just incompetent?

The reason I am working on the chandelier is because it has been blowing out bulbs quite a lot recently, which I believe was caused by the state of the sockets - really old and rusted.


texts: How can I dry out our attic and prevent mold?

texts: What is the best way to dry out our attic. While putting away Christmas deco I noticed black mold on the ceiling. We don't have the money to pay a professional to get rid of it. And with the cold weather it isn't drying. We stopped using the bathroom vent which put the moisture in the attic in the first place. I just need some info on how to get it completely dry before we start to get rid of the mold. The bathroom vent is now going blowing outside..this is a big mess no leaks from the roof just from the moisture from the fan.


texts: How to remove behind the wall faucet cartridge

texts:
I have a leaking hot water in a bathroom faucet where main body of the faucet is behind the tile.
I tried to remove the cartridge, but cant unscrew it, it's too tight.
Also tried to spray some WD-40 around the cartridge.
I'm turning it counter clock wise using valve wrench, is it the right way to remove it or I need to do something else?


texts: How can I rearrange this plumbing to drain correctly?

texts:
So here's some plumbing in my house (not done by me):

This was before I sealed everything up behind drywall. The drain is actually used for a Cat Genie, our laundry is in another room.

Now we're having an issue where the drain is not draining quickly enough, sending gross water from the fancy flushing litter box onto the floor.

I've got an endoscopic camera down to the wet trap and didn't see anything amiss, but before I tear into the drywall, I was hoping someone could tell me -- does this plumbing job look acceptable? Do you think my problem is here or downstream?

The venting you see is into the wall -- this is on the first floor, getting a vent all the way to the roof in this 80 year old house would be a Herculean task.

Any pointers appreciated -- I do ok with electrical, but other than decent skills with PVC, plumbing isn't my area of expertise.


texts: How to attach single step for deck where deck rim joist is not low enough to overlap step rim board

texts:
Similar to this question.  I am trying to attach a single step to a deck located adjacent to a patio, a setup which looks like this:

I'm trying to figure out how to secure the step effectively.  Here are a few sub-optimal things I've considered:

(Important Notes:  There is very little space to fit a driver underneath the deck from behind; I cannot fit myself under there, so I would be doing it blindly at an awkward angle toward myself from the outside of the deck.  The deck structural lumber only very slightly overlaps the step structural lumber vertically -- if at all -- not enough to accurately fasten with a screw through the back.) :

Customize a Z-shaped bracket and fasten from behind to the deck structural lumber and through the deck fascia into the step structural lumber.  This would be exceedingly difficult due to the access limitations mentioned above.
Screw through the deck fascia to the step joist from behind.  Fascia is not meant to be structural, but possibly combined with other methods it could work fine.  This would be slightly easier to accomplish than #1.
Attach the step structural lumber to multiple pavers with L-shaped brackets using a masonry drill bit and masonry screws.  This is not ideal by itself due to the potential for lifting or moving the pavers, but with enough pavers (which are "glued" together with polymeric sand) and in combination with #2 this might work.

I'm not thrilled about any of these options.  Can anyone please offer some sound advice?


texts: EMI / RFI filters for reducing dimmer-switch noise (what is available, where to install)

texts:
I don't have many light-dimmers in my house right now, but I'm doing some renovation, adding recessed lights in some areas that I have temporary open access to the floor joist areas and circuit runs, and I'm noticing some radio-unfriendly behavior in the first dimmer I've installed.

I've been looking on digikey for "power line filter modules" and yes they have hundreds of them.  They are all, I believe, designed to be installed in appliances and devices of all sorts, inside their respective housing, enclosure or cabinet, and wired on the power-input side of the device.  This is presumably to prevent wide-spectrum electrical noise from traveling back from the device to the branch circuit and hence causing the entire circuit to act as a broadcast antenna.

Most of these filters range from $15 to $30, come in a variety of inductance and current ratings, are all housed in a metal can with mounting tabs, have connection options such as spade tabs, screw terminals or posts, or wire leads.

So my first observation is that none of these is what I would consider to be mountable as infrastructure devices that you might locate in an inaccessible place, such as you would a junction box, even if the device is electrically "safe" from a durability / longevity point of view.  So if I wanted to use one of these on the input side of a dimmer control for a dimmer controlling say 4 lights, and potentially also put one on the output side (?) I think I'd want to mount them inside a junction box, which is not difficult.  Even if these devices have MTBF ratings in the hundreds of thousands of hours, I do wonder about the really long-term installation of these devices in areas that would be somewhat difficult to reach years from now (behind walls, under floors, etc).

So besides where on a circuit these filters should or could go to achieve maximal EMI/RFI filtering effect, I was wondering if anyone else has used these particular devices for this purpose.

Or am I overlooking purpose-built infrastructure-mountable or load-center panel-box mountable products that are easily obtainable, reasonably priced and equally effective?


texts:
We added a sunroom back in the 2009 and the breaker panel was full so  the electrician installed a tandem breaker.
I am looking at the diagram for our breaker box, and wondering if he installed the breaker in the slot marked 3 in the diagram, or whether he installed it in the slot marked 5-6 in the diagram. Please see the attached pictures.
The reason that I am asking is that I intend to install a couple of additional tandem breakers, but I want to understand the numbering scheme.
Thanks!


texts: Motion sensing light triggered by fan on the same circuit

texts: I have an inexpensive motion sensing light on the outside of my house, which is on the same circuit as a 120V thermostatically controlled duct fan that pulls warm house air into the space (it's an arctic entryway / mudroom).  Whenever the fan clicks off, the motion sensing light turns on as though it detected motion.  I don't have any other circuits available in the space, so I'm wondering what my options are for cleaning up the power, or if a more expensive motion sensor is going to be more able to handle the electrical conditions.


texts: How can I install a ceiling fan that needs a 4" box where I only have a 3" box?

texts:
As part of a home renovation project I discarded my old ceiling fan and have bought a new one. When installing the new one the electrician tells me that I have a 3" junction box and that I'll need a 4" junction box to install the fan. Now, this is a Manhattan high rise and getting to make any changes to the concrete ceiling would be impossible (to replace the 3" junction with a 4" junction).

Can someone advise me of a workaround or perhaps a fan that will work with a 3" junction box?


texts: How to wire a GFCI duplex outlet with a garbage disposal switch & combo outlet on load?

texts:
We moved into a new house last week. I was greeted with a faulty garbage disposal switch in the kitchen. The switch works intermittently depending on how hard it's pressed.

The second issue was the GFCI duplex receptacle on the right of the switch, was not working at all. A reset did nothing.

So I figured I'd replace the GFCI duplex with a new one from the hardware store. After installing that, the new GFCI would not turn on either, despite 120v power to the line terminals (as tested with my meter).

So I disconnected the load wires (pictured on the bottom), and the GFCI started working. The garbage switch continued to work (albeit just as flakey as before). Obviously the downstream receptacle (on the left) that was connected to load (on the right), wont work if it's disconnected.

So I'm wondering should I just replace the switch combo and wire it the same? Or maybe the thing is not wired correctly to begin with. Unfortunately I'm unable to ask anyone about what occurred here.

For reference this is a 2-gang box with 4 wires coming in (actually 5 if you include the ground on the left).

As they say though, a picture is worth a thousand words :) Any help would be great!

(http://i.imgur.com/udwbzjV.jpg)


texts: How to improve the look of skirting board in tenement flat?

texts:
The flat I’ve moved into has some nice period features, however the skirting boards are a bit of a mess:

There are globules of paint and many other imperfections on the surface of the skirting boards
Certain boards have some ‘divots’ taken out of them
There are varying sized gaps between the skirting boards and wooden floorboards.

For example:

I’d like to tackle these issues myself without replacing the skirting boards. I’ve purchased a stick of pine moulding which looks like it might solve the gap issue, but want to rectify the others as well. See:

As someone relatively new to DIY, does any have one pointers as to the best overall approach to sorting skirting in this condition?


texts:
I am going to be building a Treehouse soon, and am researching the best and most cost effective means to do so.  I am good on the platform and beams (using Treehouse Attachment Bolts), and am going to use 45 degree knee braces for additional stability.

They make some great Knee Brace Attachment brackets, but man are they pricey. Almost $100 each, and we'll need four of them.  Also mentioned at this tree house guide.  When reading some books, and other online resources, I see mention of braces that are more like Joist Hangers.  But rather than having numerous nail holes like traditional joist hangers, they are supports by a single lag screw.  They are referred to in these resources as "Framing Connectors" or "Hold Down" brackets.  Does anyone know the real name for these, or where to find them?  Asides from having some fabricated myself, anyone know where to find these?

Like this:

As seen here:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Building-A-Treehouse/?lang=pt

I also saw these in the popular tree house book by black and decker:


texts: Floor moisture issue, discoloration. What could be the cause?

texts:
We've been experiencing an issue across the floor on one half section of the house where there are discoloration spots across the floor. Moisture meter reads high- anywhere from 40-80% on spots with discoloration and 8-20% on rest of floor. Floor sits on concrete slab. The material of floor is Engineered Wood.
What baffles us is there's no plumbing underneath floor- all plumbing is above ceiling. Even irrigation drains run around the house, i.e. on sides parallel to house not directly under floor. There's no buckling of floor/seams or uneven ness.
So I'm looking for some help to find out what could be causing this issue. Any help is appreciated.
See pics (sorry for reflection from sun).


texts: How to identify Direct Return vs Reverse Return Pipe

texts: Is there an easy way to tell if a hydronic heating system has direct return pipe or reverse return pipe?


texts: Does a (non-splitting) cable splitter degrade the signal?

texts:
I have cable and cable internet in my new apartment.  The cable comes in to the water-heater closet from the roof and comes out an outlet in the wall of the closet, but there is a 4-way splitter in use before the cable gets to the outlet.  It's not used to split the signal at all; the other three output connectors are empty.

Since I added cable internet service (and used a 2-way splitter after the outlet), my tv cable signal is a little fuzzy on some channels; and I was wondering if the cable splitter in the closet is to blame.  Could I buy a simple connector to replace the 4-way splitter and see an improvement; or would it be the same, since the splitter isn't actually splitting the signal?


texts: How to do a 45 degree corner on a privacy fence?

texts:
I'm building a privacy fence. How would a professional handle a 135 degree corner?
The complication I think I'll have is attaching the stringers to the front facing side of the posts. On one side the stringers will be flat against the post and on the other side there'll be a 45 degree gap. How do professionals handle this?

A solution I saw somewhere was to use two posts for the corner but I'm not sure if thats the best solution.

Heres a sketch of what I'm looking at:


texts: What material should I use for painted window jamb extensions?

texts: Beginning stages of starting to add window jambs to my basement. Question for those of you familiar...what material have you all found typically works best? MDF? Pine? Poplar? These jambs will more than likely be painted and not stained. Also, is it recommended to leave a small gap between the jamb and the actual window? Is this an area that is then filled with caulk? Silicone? Thanks!


texts:
I have 4000lbs of fasteners that I want to put on a rolling "flat". I have tons of pine 2x6. The dimensions would be 3'x8'. The platform is 3/4" plywood.
I have four wheels that can handle that capacity (one in each corner).
Would anyone please offer suggestions on framing this?
How many planks to run lengthwise (8') to support such weight?


texts: Proper order of operations for re-doing windows, stucco, and footing insulation

texts:
I have three big projects coming up:

Replacing all the windows and a sliding glass door
Adding 2 inches of rigid foam insulation to the exterior and re-stucco-ing
Adding rigid foam insulation against the footings

Since these three projects each interact with elements of the other two, I'm unsure of which one to do first.

I'm worried that if I have a bunch of guys put in new windows first, for example, when I go to increase the effective thickness of the wall by about 2 inches due to the foam insulation, I'll run into problems with window flashing. But if I do the wall project first, how am I going to handle the existing windows? If I add footing insulation first, I need to flash it properly against the old stucco that I'm planning to remove or cover up anyway...

Are these three things that should be done all at the same time?


texts: Can I run my furnace in fan-only mode without a G wire?

texts: The house I bought has a programmable Honeywell furnace.  It only has a 2 wires connected to it - a black wire and a white wire.  The heating system is working fine, except that when the heater is not engaged and I turn the fan switch to ON the fan does not come on. It will only come on when the furnace is on. This must because a G wire is not hooked up.  Would I have to run a wire from the furnace to the thermostat to do this?


texts: Water heater builds up excessive pressure only when reheating the tank. What's going on?

texts:
The pressure release valve on my water heater will trip predictably after a significant amount of hot water has been used (e.g. dishwasher, laundry, long shower) releasing 16 oz or less of water.  It only happens if a sizable quantity of hot water is used and the water heater as to heat up cold water, if the tank is sitting idle full of hot water it won't happen.

I've noticed that after using a lot of hot water, if you wait about 10-15 minutes then turn on the hot water there's almost an explosive blast of pressure as the water heater is heating cold water.  Letting a faucet drip hot water usually prevents the pressure release valve from going off.

It's an electric water heater over 6 years old with a cold water expansion vessel.  The temperature is set to about 110 and I've been slowly ratcheting it down to see if it affects this pressure build up, it doesn't.

What's going on?


texts: Why is a broken LCD tv causing the electrical circuit to go out without tripping a breaker?

texts:
I live in a new apartment (about two years old), and have lived there for about two months without any electrical issues. I have an older 40 inch  1080p LCD tv (about 7-8 years old) in our bedroom (the bedroom is on the same electrical circuit as our bathroom). The other day, I went to turn on the tv and the picture was out. I just assumed the bulb or something finally went, but I know this can be caused by other issues.
In going to troubleshoot, I unplugged the tv and plugged it back in (it's plugged in directly into an outlet, along with an Amazon Firestick), as soon as I did this, the rest of the power on the same circuit went out (lights wouldn't turn on in bedroom/bathroom, no other outlet was supplying power, and the outlet in question also stopped providing power as well.) What's weird is that this didn't trip the breaker.
The apartment maintenance came and said it's because the tv was pulling too much power, so simply unplugging it brought power back to the the circuit. I tried the tv on other outlets and it didn't cause this issue (the tv bulb is still seemingly dead, but power on the tv works), and other electronics on the same outlet didn't cause this issue either. I also had like maybe one other small device on the same circuit at the time so I can't imagine it would be overloaded. I have little to no electrical knowledge (clearly), but I didn't think a device could somehow cut power to the rest of the circuit without tripping a breaker, especially an LCD tv, malfunctioning or not.
I'm beginning to wonder now too if the tv issue was a result of something electrical (a chicken or the egg scenario I suppose). there were no power surges or anything else unusual occurring ahead of time. I guess I'm just trying to feel out if this sounds like a normal occurrence, because I'd hate to buy a new tv and have it turn out that the electrical circuit is the cause of the original tv going out, and have the same thing happen again.
Thanks in advance for an electrical knowledge or insight.


texts: Seeking advice on installation of Pressure Balancing Valve and Tempering mixing valve

texts:
By code I need to install a pressure balancing valve and a tempering mixing valve.
Where and how would I install them?
Which one should go first and which one second?
I've open my wall to install a new bear claw bathtub and I'm being told by my the city inspector that I need the two valves. He said they can also be install outside the wall. I guess meaning I close the wall up and then install them before the bathtub.
The claw bathtub has two outlets for cold and hot and the faucet we have is a goose neck with the two handles (three if you count the shower.)
I'm not sure how to install the two pressure balancing valve and tempering mixing valve.
Advice?


texts: What should I expect when removing a chimney?

texts:
Our brick chimney is leaning away from our house.  The breast is in the living room, pretty much flush with the wall.  The backside starts in the attached garage, goes through its roof and up past the second floor house roof.

We are thinking of removing it to below the garage roofline so we don't have to deal with the living room at this time.  We also have a metal roof very much like this but not as steep:

The chimney basically goes through the peak of the garage roof, although not quite centered.

I expect we'll need a roofer and someone else to patch the vinyl siding (there is none where the chimney used to be against the house.

What kinds of things should I expect?   Cost (understood to be very general), approach (hopefully not throwing the bricks down the chimney), damage to roof besides closing the hole, or anything else to watch out is what I'm after.


texts: No hot water from kitchen faucet yet there is still water flow through hot water valve

texts:
We recently replaced the kitchen faucet. In the process of change we shut off the water to the house at the street level because the hot water valve under the sink would not turn off completely. The cold water Valve under the sink shut off fine.
We got the faucet installed, turned on all valves under sink as well as at the street and test. No leaks and no hot water. We tested that the hot water valve is clear by turning off cold water valve under sink. Run water, wait. No hot water. Water is running through the hot water valve it’s just cold.  Any suggestions?


texts: How do I adjust the gap on interior French doors?

texts:
I reversed the doors to my bedroom (they're small "french" doors I guess but they don't have glass or open to the outside like normal french doors) so they open out instead of in (the room is small despite the big door opening).
After reversing the door swing and hanging the new door, the gap between the doors is different at the top than at bottom. I know that means something isn't level but I checked it with my four foot level before I attached the door frame and everything was fine.
Any tips to hanging interior doors? It looks so easy on TV!


texts: Is there a way to store drywall vertically on its side?

texts: I am going to have a surplus of 8 sheets of 5/8" 4x8 drywall (4 type-x, 4 QuietRock 525) until my next soundproofing job this Summer.  I have been storing 8 sheets at a time stacked flat on my upstairs guest room floor, but I don't want to store the remainder up there until Summer.  If I could store it vertically up against the wall wrapped in plastic in my garage, that'd be great.  Any ideas on this?


texts: How to connect single-phase appliance to 240v feed?

texts:
I had a licensed electrician install this circuit with NEMA 14-30 receptacle before I knew which specific appliance would be used on the circuit.  I now have the appliance with a 14-30 plug, but it warns:

  This  is  a  single-phase  device.  Do  not  connect  all  three
  phases of a 3-phase feed !!!    You may use any two phases of a three-
  phase wye-transformer feed.  The center-point of the three phases
  (usually  used as Neutral) must be grounded somewhere in the system. A
  Neutral  connection is not required by the LCS.  Only Line 1, Line 2,
  and Ground  are required.

Is this panel and receptacle properly wired for this single-phase appliance?


texts: What should I use for an interior door threshold if the clearance is only 1/2”?

texts: I just had hardwood floors installed in my office and I need to install a threshold to cover where the hallway carpet and hardwood join. The challenge is, the clearance is only 1/2” under the door (a little more toward the outer edges of the door.) It’s a metal door so trimming the door isn’t an option. I’d like something that looks professional, not a protective tape etc. What are my options? THANKS!


texts: What annual maintenance does a dishwasher require?

texts:
The house we moved into has a dishwasher, and I am wondering if there are any annual maintenance procedures for it.  In googling, all that I came up with was making sure the spinning propellers are cleaned every now and again and wash it with vinegar occasionally to remove any mildew smells.

This one is probably at least 10 years old and we do not have a manual and the label to identify the make model was probably removed years ago so I do not have any identifying tags to specifically research the brand.

Should I pull it out from the counter, or look for a filter to clear, or do I need to oil any parts occasionally aside from the door hinge which I already did?

Or is it best just leave it alone.


texts:
I need to paint several interior doors  How can I do this easily.  Most doors are in carpeted rooms.

Also, do you paint the bottom/top surface too for non-humid rooms?


texts: I have a deck supported by 6x6s. Two of which seem to be developing some sizable cracks. Should I be concerned? Can I repair / reinforce the posts?


texts: Primed wood and painted with white paint but looks yellow. Why and how to fix?

texts:
I have a new door that was installed a year ago. The frame is raw wood and I didn't paint it until recently. The wood is basically untreated. It hasn't been exposed to water much because it is under a shallow roof.

I primed it one time then painted it with a water based white paint the next day. As I was painting I noticed that there was a yellow tint on painted wood. (The paint is actually a year old too).

When the paint dried the yellowing was very noticeable.

Why did this happen? Was it the wood or the year old paint?

How do I rectify?  I primed it again today and the yellowing is mostly gone. I can see a slight hint of it. I will probably prime another coat tomorrow.

Should I buy new white paint?

This is photo of the frame before priming and painting.

This is it after painting, discovering that it is yellowish and then priming again!
I can still tell that it is on the yellow side. You can see it compared to the white door.


texts: What could be causing cable signal to be lost?

texts: One tv stopped working while all the others in the house work.  Comcast guy claims the cable in my wall behind my fireplace went bad.  They told me that before and were wrong.  How can I check if there is no signal from the cable?  He has another cable unsightly running across the fireplace.