texts: Need to identify wires coming from external AC Unit

texts:
idiot DIY'er here :P. I recently installed a smart thermostat and long story short; I removed the two wires from my furnace's board for the external air conditioning unit in the process. I was going to put them back today, but found that the Y and C wires that are coming from it are not standard colors, so I am absolutely unsure which is which. I tried to look up some information on which is which before just connecting them and I found a few stack exchange postings on which to connect where, but no concrete "this goes there" info.

I have a few pictures of the connector from the outside unit with the corresponding wires which i am trying to identify and I think that the combination that I am looking at is as follows (connector->low voltage wire):

Y wire = Yellow/Orange->White
C wire = Black->Red

Can someone just confirm that I am correct with this based on the pictures posted?


texts: wrong coloured lead used on replacement window

texts: I recently had a window replaced with lead square design on the surface of the glass.  The existing windows are silver leaded, but the installer decided to put a dark lead, almost black on the window.  It looks ridiculous and I wondered if there is anyway I can rub the lead to take off the top surface and bring it back to the silver colour, which I'm sure is underneath. Your help would be greatly appreciated.


texts: Do you need primer between layers of paint?

texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  How do I prepare an already painted wall for new paint?

I tend to always use primer when painting...be it bare drywall or applying a new color.

But do I always need to use primer when doing the latter? Specifically, when applying paint on top of paint, should I always have a layer of primer?


texts: How do I take apart this shower control?

texts:
Our shower mixer is leaking (dripping from shower head and from the mixer when running) so I want to take it apart to replace the seals

However I can’t get the white cap off to expose, I hope, a screw or bolt holding it all together.

Am I going about this the wrong way? Is the thread left or right handed, if threaded at all? Should i just take the back plate off first?

The white handle sticking out on the right-hand side, which turns on the water by rotating anti-clockwise, can be unscrewed from the centre shaft. So I'm thinking of cutting the silicone around the back plate to see if that can be pulled off; the size of the hole in the back plate would just go over the "tap" handle on the front.

Any help would be most appreciated.


texts:
I have an indoor arena equipped with 14 water lines & stations for watering the indoor arena floor to keep dust down.
The water lines are 1 inch black pipe.  There are 6 sprinklers per truss.  Each water line runs off separate stations that are programmed to run at various intervals.  The span is 72 feet and each line has drain valves for blowing them out when winter comes.
The sprinklers are 1/2 male threaded impulse sprinklers that are hanging down 1 ft from lines.  I know these things are not really designed to run upside down but they do a really decent job of covering the arena floor evenly.
The problem is as each station shuts off the 72 feet of line drains out each sprinkler head until the line is empty.  This leaves puddles of water that can be problematic with footing for the horses.
Does anyone know of a valve that I could install on each drop that would shut off without electricity to prevent this draining action from occurring?


texts: Nearly New Northern MN Slab In-Floor Heat Home Needs New Water Line

texts:
Built in 2010, I moved in to my 3-bedroom, 2 bath home in Jan. 2011.  The house has radiant in-floor heat (natural gas) and sits on a slab.  This past late fall the City notified me of an unusually high use of water.  A plumber broke down all the valves and added shut-offs.  He narrowed the leak to the master bedroom bath.  Once that room was shut down - the problem was solved - at least for the water bill.

We know the leak is somewhere between the master bathroom (tub/shower combo, toilet and sink) and the furnace room - each to the opposite end of the house from one another.

Some have suggested the only fix is to re-route the water lines in to the unheated attic using a trough, insulation and heat tape.  I have already had one frost quake that broke the concrete and caused a shift in my house.  I just think water lines in an attic in Minnesota is a huge disaster waiting to happen.

What else could I do to get my master bath back in working order? I just want to get my master bathroom up and running again.  I am not sure how this can be done?

PS: Insurance will not cover unless leak was located and proved not to be a break caused by earth movement. Legal action is not an option in this case.


texts: Why don't I see more progress when sanding my stair treads?

texts:
Doing some DIY around the house, any suggestions would greatly help.
I want to refinish my indoor steps and railing(sand and repaint)
When i am trying to sand the steps its very hard to sand it, although i am applying pressure i dont see it sanding (no dust/powder).Basically nothing is happening. Sanding paper i am using is Grit 80.
Any ideas what i am doing wrong or what is missing?
Thanks in advance.


texts:
I have some deep toned stain smudge over semigloss white. Should I just

paint white semigloss over it, or
Prime regular white primer, then paint, or
Prime gray primer, then paint?

Or something fourth?


texts: How to enforce wooden shelf with steel strip

texts:
I'm making a shelf that'll be 1 meter wide and 2.2 meters long. It's going to be simply supported by wire attached in four corners (with necessary 10 cm space from attachment point to the shelve's edge).
I'm making it out of 18mm OSB board.
Obviously I need to reinforce the board, otherwise it would sag too much on 2m span.

I want to keep the thickness of the shelf to the minimum.
My idea is to sandwich the board between steel strips 40*4 mm. (Thus steel strips would act as universal beam's flanges, maximizing second moment of inertia constrained by overall width).
The 4 strips will run along 2m edge through wire attachment points.

My questions are:

Does it make any sense? Would it hold 50 kg total load with reasonable sag less than 1cm?
(4mm thickness of the strips are taken from what's available on the market here. I'll not be bothered by the bulge that the strip will make on the surface of the board.)
Should top strip be of the same width as the bottom one? Can I drop top strip altogether?
What's the best way of attaching strips to the board? Screw both strips to the board/rivet top strip to the bottom through the board/ making threads in the strip for the bolt?


texts: Is there such a thing as hardwired/powered keyless door locks?

texts: I've seen an explosion on the market of keyless door locks, keyless dead bolts, and so on. Schlage sells a bunch. From the looks of it, most of them are powered either by a 9V battery or some number of AA batteries. Since there's always an actual key slot, you can rest assured that you can still get in even if the battery dies. But what I'm wondering is if there are any keyless locks that don't require a battery? I'm not sure if such a unit exists in the first place. For something like that to even be possible, you'd likely have to run some power wires through the door frame somehow. I am not sure if that is even possible to do, or if any such unit exists. Are they all battery-powered, or is it possible to have a hardwired keyless lock?


texts: No power in one room (circuit), breaker not tripping

texts: I have one room with no electricity, flipping the breaker has no effect, and using a multi-meter to test the breaker, says there's 120 volts coming out, so its not the electrical panel. I used a receptacle tester, and I was getting a hot/ground reverse and hot/neutral on one socket, so I replaced all the outlets, found in two locations there was a white connected to black, so I connected those to the correct colors. After that I kept getting hot/ground reversed so I disconnected the wiring to an old ceiling fan and it's switch. This corrected the hot/ground reversed and I'am getting a correct reading on all sockets, but I still have fluctuating voltage when testing hot to neutral of 1-10 volts on the outlets. When testing hot to ground however, I get a full 120 volts.


texts:
I was planning to use foil faced 2" polyiso plus an air gap, plus 5 1/2 rock wool, to get 13+3+23, or r39.

But this is all between the rafters below the roof deck, and the polyiso is impermeable.  If any water gets into the roof assembly it will have no way to dry out.  I was willing to say there won't be any water, until a severe thunderstorm last night.  The house is 100 years old, and the wall above this roof is cedar lap siding, and when I checked after the storm there was dampness at the ledger in one spot.

So I'm reluctant to stick the impermeable foam under the roof deck.  But with permeable foam, 2" foam + 5 1/2 rock wool is 10+23=33.

How should I get code required r38?

(There is some kind of insulation board on top of the roof, which is a new modified bitumen roof.  But those boards were only 3/4" thick and I don't know what they were.  I hired some guys to do the roof, and there were done communication problems.)


texts:
Putting a light fixture up but there is no ground wire on it, there is a ground comeing from box in celling , how would I hook this up

Peterborough Ontario Canada


texts: What is the best way to excavate the ground for a ground-level deck?

texts:
I am building a ground level deck. We have a bilevel, so our house is on a slab at the ground floor (no basement). There is about a 15° grade away from the back door to the yard.

I have all the lumber, but i think that I need to drop earth in front of the back door to give enough room for the joists and subsequent decking that will be placed on top.

How much earth should I move? What is the most cost effective way to do it while  not requiring too much labor? The deck is roughly 200sq ft with a depth of about 12 feet.

Thanks!


texts: Can i install a water pump to an overhead tank having a single piping system?

texts: i have an overhead tank on my roof where it is filled and drained by single pipe system. but the pressure is too low at the different outlets (kitchen, bathroom, toilet). i want to connect a pump in this system. is it feasible?


texts: 20 amp circuit breaker trips after a few minutes or sometimes hours later

texts:
The 20 amp circuit breaker that controls my man cave, my rear patio lights including a lampost, and some outlets in my back yard started tripping about two weeks ago.  Currently the lights and outlets in backyard are not in use and have not been since late October.

As early as yesterday, I unplugged, and put all light switches in the off position that is controlled by that breaker.  The breaker held for about 7 hours before tripping late last night.

The outlets and lampost in back yard are all new.  They were installed last May when I had some work done on my back yard.  Never was there any problem after installation up until 2 weeks ago.  We live in NY and did have a major Blizzard about 3 weeks ago as well as freezing temp over the last week or so.  I checked the outlets and all are dry and wiring is all intact.

Any other suggestions??  Quite stressful not being able to use my man cave and the thought of all the $$$ it may take to correct!


texts: Well pump runs 15 seconds then off for 105 seconds until pressure is full.

texts: Well is 165 feet deep according to county records. Well pump is approximately 100 feet deep (string and plumb bob so it's approximate at best). New pressure switch 40/60. Tank drained and aired up to 38 lbs. We have had no problems over the 4 years owning this home until now. The pump, when using water hoses out side, has begun "short cycling" (?). On a consistent basis it runs for 15 seconds then turns off for 105 seconds. I've metered the wires in, at the well casing, and the demand power stays at 240 until the pressure is satisfied. The pump will continually run for 15 seconds and off for 105 seconds until the switch turns off. We have not noticed any issues with just the in house use. It's only since the I opened the outside lines this summer. One problem I did see, there is are two wire nuts about 18 inches down inside the well casing. While metering the voltage and timing the cycles, for a few hours, one of these lines shorted against the case a few times causing a loud pop and tripping the 220 breaker.  I have yet been able to figure out how to get down in there to properly repair them.  This has been an incredible system, any advice would be greatly appreciated.


texts: Is my furnace fresh air intake correctly installed at my apartment?

texts:
I have a furnace with an uncovered air intake. I cant imagine it is pulling very much fresh air in through the duct because it is uncovered. I am wondering, is this correct? I believe there should be some grill covering this. Should I cover the outside panel so that most air is being pulled through the duct?
Outside:

Intake:

Duct work:

Overview:


texts: Can I lay down solid wood planks on top of my basement concrete floor?

texts:
I live in Oakville, Ontario and have a detached home with an unfinished basement with concrete floor. I would like to put hardwood flooring in part of the basement. Instead of tongue and groove floors, can I lay down mortar and then solid wood planks (1 in. thickness, 8 ft. length) on top of the concrete to get the hardwood flooring?

What do I need to be aware of / careful about? Any tips / suggestions (moisture control, securing, home resale value) would be greatly appreciated.


texts: while checking out all receptacles in our home two bathrooms show the hot side bright as normal while the neutral side is dimly lit as well as the ground light is dimly lit.  Also checked with a multimeter and voltage reads 66v from black to ground and same voltage white to ground. 115v black to white. Any suggestions as to the cause?


texts: Can I install a 150A breaker if the the outdoor MCCB is 100 A?

texts:
I have a villa, which is 375m2. On the boundary wall of the villa I have a molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) rated for 100A. I need to install a main distribution panel (MDP) inside the villa. The demand load is 75.5A.

Can I install a 150A circuit breaker as the main breaker in the MDP?


texts:
I am resurfacing my deck and have applied for a county permit to do the work (therefore it will be inspected).  I have a protrusion at my house to support a chimney.  The size of the protrusion is approximately 2' x 6'.  The "Typical Deck Details" document states the following (Page 8):

My current joist structure which I had intended on keeping for the large part is the following:

The county detail does not show any supporting joists between the compound joist and the edge of the decking and indicates that the decking overhand must not be greater than 6".  On both sides of my structure, the distance between the compund joist and the edge of the deck is greater than 6" (7" on one side and 8.3" on the other).  This seems to be out of spec and would require me to alter the frame to support the county detail.  However, my current deck included two smaller joists which run from the ledger board to the two-ply header.  Do these smaller joists make my current deck framework code compliant.

I realize that the document is titled "Typical deck details" and therefore may not show all the options and instead focus on brevity.

Thanks for any feedback.

For completeness, a kind of poor image of the left side of the protrusion structure from below is shown as follows:


texts: Do I need to replace the anti-siphon valve?

texts: We had a hard freeze and even though my faucets were covered, I think the anti-siphon valve may be damaged. The faucet itself seems to be ok, I dont see any leaks. When I turn on the faucet, water streams from the holes in the valve, does this mean I need to replace the valve? Is this difficult to replace?


texts:
I bought these 4x4 simpson ez bases and I inserted a 4x4 pt wood post. Now it's so snug that I can't remove it from the base.

I tried wd40 but that didn't help. I even tried hammering it from the bottom Of the base to push it out, but it didn't even move.

What else can I do?


texts:
This question has been hunting me for years.

In domestic AC you a Line and a Neutral.
Usually there are best practices to make sure that you set loads in the proper way (ie.: when you have a switch and a light bulb, you don't want the line to go directly to the bulb).

Now, in some countries of the world, the power outlets, and the respective plugs don't have a guide to force one way. Basically you can insert the plug in both ways.

What are the downstream consequences of having insert the plug in the wrong way? Isn't that bad since you are polarizing the appliance in the opposite way (ie.: assume I have a bad side table lamp, now all of a sudden I have the line that goes directly into the bulb).

Thinking about more sophisticated electronics (like converter, led drivers, etc) this is equivalent to exposing them to constant tension (and consequentially to all the spike of the tension in the house) which, imho, is not a great thing for longevity of some of the components.

Thoughts?


texts: How can I prevent an above-ground pool underlayment from failing due to erosion at one location?

texts:
I have had an above ground pool since 2008. The pool was installed professionally.
I have had to replace the liner 3 times, professionally installed as well.
We have talked with the pool installer, he recommends sand. I really want to try something else. The sand appears to erode at the same location, causing liner failure.

This will be the last attempt, so we are hoping to create a highly stable surface. The current underlayment is pool sand. However, the liners are continually failing. Current liner is 25 mil thick. I am planning to purchase a 30 mil thick vinyl liner in a week or so. I have read a great deal online about synthetic foam boards/pads. Would you be able to provide some specific guidance? (thickness, etc)

I have also read about gunite. Any suggestions on this? We live in southwestern Pennsylvania.

We do not have grass or weeds near the pool.


texts: Does my bathroom addition require breaking the concrete?

texts:
I'm planning on calling a plumber to give me an estimate on my bathroom addition. There is no basement, it is on the first floor on a concrete slab.
I already have a bathroom on the 2-nd floor right above. The cast iron vent pipe is going down  through the existing bathroom and I'd like to connect the new toilet, sink to it. I'm also hoping for a shower too but if the breaking concrete will be required I might opt out.

Is breaking the concrete inevitable? I was hoping maybe the horizontal toilet could still be able to be attached at the bottom. Not sure about the shower as the piping will require a slope.


texts: My breaker remains on OFF and instantly returns to OFF when reset

texts: I was replacing a light switch in my basement. I switched the breaker for "Basement Lights" OFF, then replaced the faulty light switch. Then the breaker would not stay switched ON, and went instantly back to OFF. The light switch is now completely disconnected and the breaker still won't stay ON.


texts: Does my hot water tank have a bad element?

texts:
I have an electric hot water tank.  Recently I've been noticing that the supply of hot water has gone down drastically.  It will only be really hot for a couple minutes, warm for another 10 minutes, then cold.  I thought I'd check the temperature settings and when I opened the panels on the tank, I noticed that the inside of the upper panel is nice and clean, but the lower panel is very dirty with some kind of residue or corrosion.  The insulation looks like it's been scorched, and the thermostat and element access are covered with a kind of blackish residue.  This leads me to think that maybe the lower element has failed.

This the upper thermostat and the inside of the panel (fairly clean):

This is the lower thermostat & panel (burned insulation and residue):


texts: Thermostat has two wires going into C terminal

texts:
Trying to help my dad install his new Nest thermostat - for some reason his thermostat has two wires going into the C terminal.  I've searched and cannot find any other question about a setup like this.

I'm wondering what kind of system may have caused this?

My thought is to abandon the C wires altogether and just install the Nest without them, since apparently it's not required.


texts: Rim joists sitting on top of notched post

texts:
My older deck doesn’t have a beam. Instead, the rim joist is attached to the 4x4 posts, most of which are notched and serve as both support for the rim joist and continue up as   railing posts.
I noticed on one post, the rim joist ends on top of the post and abuts a second span of joist. It seems like there isn’t much of the joist actually sitting on the post  and I was wondering what should be done to ensure the rim joist can’t pull away and fall off the post.
Both joists are currently nailed to the post and I just screwed two structural screws through the joists and post.
Here’s a picture


texts:
I dislike drilling holes, as it irreversibly damages the wall. Therefore I am very careful not to make too much of them. And in the cases I think it is unavoidable, I like to make as tiny a hole as possible. However, I'm not sure which minimal diameter is needed to withstand the force the screw applies on the plug an the wall.

How can I know the optimal size of the plug for a particular purpose? Which factors do I need to take into account?


texts:
This is the drain and vent for a pair of kitchen sinks, one directly above the other (2 separate apartments). (The larger pipe to the far right is a roof drain that doesn't join until underground.) Under some unknown set of circumstances, the lower sink gurgles loudly. (The upstairs unit does have a retrofitted dishwasher.)

How should I go about troubleshooting? Thanks in advance for any suggestions!


texts: Water draining into floor drain from inside the drain

texts:
I have a floor drain that is making running water noises. I looked in and saw that there was a stream of water pouring into it from about 6-12 inches down into the drain, from an outlet on the side. There are no toilets flushing, dishwashers running, or any other water source that could cause this.

I do have a sump pump but from what I have read those do not empty into floor drains, they empty outside. It has been raining a little bit, but as of right now it is not and probably hasn't been for a couple hours.

It's not backing up into the basement but I am a new homeowner and do not have any point of reference for what this is  and whether I need to be concerned or call a plumber. I have done some googling but haven't found anything there. I also have a general home repair book I looked through but nothing seemed to apply here.

I believe this water has been running for at least a day now, but I haven't been going into the basement lately and don't know exactly how long. As far as I know it's constant.

Where is this water coming from?


texts: We are making an offer on a home with textured walls.  Unfortunately, the owner has many, many pictures/decorations hanging. Can we ask that the walls be repaired as part of the offer?  Repair looks like a very big deal to me.


texts: What size wire and conduit do I need to run to a subpanel in a garage?

texts: I have a 100 amp sub in garage fed by a 50 amp from main house panel. What size wire guage is needed and what size conduit? can it be PVC? I'm in Sonoma county Ca.


texts: How can I extract a broken off 1/2 inch threaded galvanized pipe?

texts: Looking for options on removing a 1/2 inch threaded galvanized pipe broken off with about a third of an inch of it still inside the hole.


texts: How do I find the angles for baseboard on an outside stair stringer?

texts:
I'm installing baseboard on the outside of a staircase in my home. The staircase doesn't have an open stringer, and the height of my baseboard has created a really interesting angle at the bottom of the stairs where the floor meets the first riser.

This cut has completely broken my brain. Any insight on how I can find the angles to wrap this around would be really appreciated!


texts: Anyone have any idea what cable is this?

texts:
This is apparently a network cable of some sort which I couldn't figure out what it is. Here is the damaged end:

And here is the other end:

It was chopped off accidentally by the contractor and he wasn't sure what is it exactly. Anyone is aware of such cable and how do I reconnect it back? Appreciate it. I tried asking in the network section. Someone suspect that it's a telephone cable?


texts: I just bought a new house that was built three months ago. I unfortunately flushed something big down the toilet and had to take the toilet apart, turn it upside down, and fish it out. When I was finished I simply placed the toilet back and bolted it down. Well now my father is telling me you have to replace the bees wax every time you take the toilet off. Is that true? I can't imagine you have to replace the wax if its only three months old.


texts:
I'd like to attach a 1 1/8" thick table made of beech to a metal frame.

The metal frame normally attaches to a particle board top through 3/8" holes. An outer piece of plastic is first inserted into the particle board through the hole in the frame, and a thin plastic pin exerts pressure to create a lock.

How can I attach a metal frame with pre-drilled 3/8" holes to a hardwood table top? I'd like not to drill matching 3/8" holes in the wood, and use hardware to do the coupling instead. Just using wood screws with a flange will require that I rely on tightening to keep the top from sliding sideways.

Update

Potential Solutions:

Use a wood screw and a washer. To avoid sliding the screws must then be tightened hard, perhaps more than the wood can handle for long.
Drill a 3/8" hole and use the same plug-and-pin technique. The large hole is needed to secure a frame to particle board, but it's an unsavoury solution for real wood because it introduces an unnecessary weakness.
Use a wood screw, a washer, and some kind of jacket. The cylindrical jacket would be 3/8" on the outside, exactly the same depth (height) as the frame, and have a hole that matches the wood screw. What is such a jacket called at the hardware store?
Thanks to WoodAirGrille's thoughts, "all I need" is to drill a hole through a wood plug, but that's beyond my ability.


texts: Why would the stove and broiler work, but not the oven?

texts: I have a little 20" wide Holiday Propane Oven (Don't know the model number). Right now the oven is the only thing that is not working. The stove top, and broiler work, but the oven doesn't heat up. When I turn the oven on there is no smell. I tried turning the knob to broiler, and the flames kick on so from there, I tried turning it back to the oven temps, but it shuts off after about 30 seconds. Any help fixing this is appreciated. These things are expensive to buy new.


texts: DWV fittings: when to use a sweep instead of an elbow

texts: PVC DWV fittings have a 'tight' elbow and a 'sweep' elbow. Is one for vent and the other for drain/waste? In general, is there a handbook that describes these fittings and explains why you would use one over the other?


texts: How can I remove a burn mark on finished wood without replacing the piece entirely?

texts:
Our new home has a wooden bathroom vanity with an obvious blackened burn mark on it below the mirror, perhaps from a candle burning too close for too long. What are some ways I can remove the mark? I though about sanding it down but it may look bad, any other options?

The vanity is wood lined with a tri-mirror set up in the center, the burn mark is along the bottom edge.


texts: What should I look for when buying a frameless mirror?

texts: What should I look for when buying a frameless, full length mirror to mount on a bedroom wall?  It will be mounted close to a light switch (not that I think that matters).  I understand that mirrors come in all kinds of thickness.  Would 5mm suffice for this purpose and is there anything else I should consider before purchasing?


texts: Vertical adjustment slider for VESA mount?

texts:
I'm looking for something I'm sure must exist but simply cannot find to improve the ergonomics of both my workspace and my TV wallmount. Essentially, I need to be able to quickly and easily adjust the vertical position of both the VESA wall-mounted TV and the VESA articulated arm mounted monitor. Not necessarily together.

For my monitor I could buy an insanely expensive replacement arm with vertical adjustment. I'm not kidding when I say insanely expensive, though, and they're often not good for the weight of a decent quality 24"+ monitor anywya. An arm is not appealing for the TV even if I could find one capable of holding a 32" TV without breaking, because they're big, ugly, and can't be mounted flush with the wall.

The Question:

Does anyone here know of a VESA-mount-to-VESA-mount slider adapter, something that'd let me vertically adjust the position of my monitor and TV without having to mount and demount? I've been searching around and haven't found anything like it in ergonomics stores, DIY/home stores, electronics stores, etc.

Think, rotated 90 degrees to the vertical:

 _____     <--- VESA plate to mount TV/monitor on
   |
   ------------------------
   |    SLIDING RAIL      |
   ------------------------
              |
           _______     <-- VESA plate to connect to wall / monitor arm

If nobody knows of anything like it off the shelf: Any idea what'd be involved in creating one? I can source or make VESA mounting plates, both male and female, quite easily. The challenge would be finding a rail that would stand up to the load and one that could ideally be balanced with a gas lift, spring, or whatever to suspend the display at the selected height while allowing easy adjustment.

Most display arms with vertical adjustment seem to use some kind of internal friction brake within the rail, combined with a spring to offset the weight of the display so it's as easy to move up as down. Any ideas whether this might be a practical approach for DIY, or whether I'm better off with something like a small locking gas lift?

For that matter, is it even possible to get small gas lifts - ones sized for devices not chairs and people?

I'm wondering if server rack mounting rails can be adapted for the job, combined with a weight-balancing spring and a friction brake. Ideas?

Sorry if this is OT; I wasn't really sure where the best SE site to ask it would be.


texts: Can I connect all of my LED strips to a single power supply?

texts: Im working on a project with LED light strips, and want to connect them all to a sd controller. The lights are ws2812b 60 LED/meter, and have 20 meters of it. It calls for 14.4w per meter @ 3 amps per meter. Can I hook all these strips to one power supply of 400W 80A?


texts: When a nut has a built in rubber washer, does the rubber side have to go on the inside as it is almost impossible to get it started?


texts: I have a baseboard hot water system and a separate gas furnace with heat and AC. Thus far, they have been on two separate thermostats. Is there a way to put them on one thermostat or is there a thermostat brand/model that is built for this?


texts: Why am I measuring low voltage when I connect this fluorescent fixture to an existing circuit?

texts:
My bathroom has two switches: one [was] connected to two overhead can lights (with CFLs), and one [was] connected to a fluorescent wall sconce (one of those ugly circular plastic things that I can't seem to find on Google). To make room for a ceiling fan in the switch bay and since there is no need for two switches for three lights, I created a single circuit to run all the lights.

Trouble is, the lights won't turn on. The voltage across the circuit is measuring something like 24V. When I bypass the fluorescent sconce, the overhead lights work and the voltage across the circuit measures an appropriate 115V (good enough).

Can wall fluorescents (there are two external ballasts within the sconce; it takes two of these bulbs) be wired into a main overhead circuit? I see in this related question that there's something about them needing to be wired in parallel, rather than in series, but the response is a little hazy to me. If they need to wired in parallel, can they be run on the same circuit? I'd also be happy to replace this ugly little sconce.


texts: What is this burnt cement floor treatment called?

texts:
In Brazil we have a floor finish named Burnt Cement (that doesn't involve burning). Here is a description of the process

In summary, you use a mix of cement and pigment (sometimes marble powder too) sprinkled over fresh concrete floor (1 part cement and 3 parts sand), and then use a steel float to spread it. It can simply color, or have a stained effect.

What is this called in English?

Also, how can I properly execute this technique?

EDIT: From what I discovered, I think that is called dry-shake. In US people seem to buy a ready made compound to use, where in Brazil we mix cement and pigment (sometimes marble or limestone powder too) to make the same effect. If that is correct, I need to find some instructions on how to execute this (a video showing the effect would be even better).


texts:
I have a transfer switch that connects one of the line sides directly to the main electric meter breaker. The load side of the transfer switch goes to the interior in cement main service panel.

Due to space limitations and distance, I'm thinking of using polaris connectors for the 2 pole lines and neutral from the transfer switch load side (which also goes into the home) to mount a sub panel for a few extra circuits.

The main electric meter breaker, double pole double throw transfer switch, and interior main service panel are 125 Amps. The main cables from the meter are 2 AWG. The ground and neutral are bounded together on the main meter electrical panel.

Would this setup be ok to add a 125 Amp Subpanel on the load side of the transfer switch? I'm concerned with the neutrals in this setup.


texts: Handling basement water infiltration behind bulkhead

texts:
My house has two different kinds of foundation, The older part is brick-over-fieldstone. The newer part, dug a bit deeper, is poured concrete.

When that extension was added, they added a cinder-block (and dome poured concrete?) bulkhead to support what was retained of the old back wall, seen below with some cabinets sitting on top of it:

As you can see in the next picture, they retained most of the original (loadbearing) foundation wall, just bracing the lower portion. (The wall behind the cabinets is brick; the opening for pipes is looking at the back of thr right-hand cabinet.)

M question is at the far end of the bulkhead where it meets the new poured-concrete foundation wall. Apparently these were construcred as separate units, and there's a thin gap between them:

And the bottom of this crack (sorry, no pic) is my main water infiltration points, when the ground-water level gets high enough. (The major floods in 2010, for example.)

So: What's the right way to seal this? Just try to stuff hydraulic cement into the crack? Caulking? Expanding foam? Something else?

Or would that endanger the brick foundation behind it? (Note that I've never seen any sign of leakage there, so I suspect the additional foot or two of depth in the new section is what puts it below the high-water line.)


texts: How do I clean an oxidized steel terminal before attaching a wire to it?

texts:
I have to replace wiring in a power meter box in an apartment building. There're four really beefy wires running vertically through the whole building and each wire has a short stripped segment inside the meter box and a steel connector is attached to the stripped part. Each connector consists of two plates aligned in parallel and the wire is placed between them and as the plates are connected with screws they are forced onto the wire and have electrical contact with the wire.

Each plate also has extra holes with threading and I have to attach branch wires that go to the actual load to the connector by warping a ring on the branch wire end and attaching that ring to the hole on the connector with a screw.

The problem is the connectors surface is of recognizable almost black color that steel parts get when they are exposed to mild humid air for long time - looks like result of oxidation treatment. I suppose this is not very good for electrical contact and I have to clean the connector surface where a wire will touch it.

How do I clean a steel connector surface? Do I just use fine sandpaper or do I need anything else?


texts: Nail Gun for Framing and installing subfloor

texts:
I'm looking to buy a nail gun because I have a lot of framing and probably 90+ sheets of subfloor to install this summer

1) I would use 16d coated sinkers for the studs and 8d nails for the flooring, what sizes are typically used for these two tasks with a nail gun?

2) Are there guns that can do both? Can I get 1 gun to do both + roofing + hardwood installation?  I'll probably hand nail some or all of this if I must, but I'd like to avoid hammering 20,000 nails this summer :D  I already did 2,100 this fall.


texts: How to install dryer ducting inside existing wall?

texts:
I'm thinking about installing a recessed dryer box like this.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Dundas-Jafine-Recessed-Dryer-Vent-Box-DRB4XZW/202449693

Apparently with 4" studs you have to compress the vent into an oval shape inside the wall.  Then I assume you have to cut the framing at the top of the wall so the pipe can pass through.

My questions are:

How do I modify the framing at the top of the wall where I sever the
2x4?  I assuming something should be done to brace the section that
was cut out.
If I'm doing this on an existing wall, would I be better off just
opening the entire section of sheet rock between the studs?  I do have a
lot of work to do with sheet rock and this wouldn't add much more to
it.
Has anyone tried this as new or old construction? Should I just keep the vent external to the wall?

Thanks!


texts: Shade sail/fabric covering with sealed/flush edges?

texts:
I know the typical shade sail shape is bowed on the edges because of tension, etc. but is it possible to get a completely square shade sail? And also to have that shade sail be completely sealed/flushed on two edges against a structure?

There are already places to attach the shade sail/fabric solution.

From the picture below, I would like it flush/sealed against side A and B, and then angled down from A to C. All corners have a place to attach the sail/fabric.

Is there any solution that I can implement in this area?


texts: How should I reinforce this slide from my deck?

texts:
I recently bought a house that has an attached deck in fairly poor shape, so I will be replacing it in the next year or so. Until then, my children want to play on a spiral slide that is attached to the deck, but it wobbles quite a bit as they move around on it.
I want to replace the two 2x4 posts at the bottom exit, which should improve stability a little; but it seems some kind of post or pole supporting the second turn would help also and be fairly easy to bury and then attach to the bolts that hold the slide together.
What's a cost-effective way to do this? I searched for spiral slide supports from playground equipment suppliers but couldn't find anything that looks like it would work here.


texts: Code requirements for the proximity of Power outlets to wash machine water outlets?

texts: In a laundry room (in the USA) - is there a code in the NFPA - NEC for minimum distance the Dryer and Washer Electrical outlets must be placed from the washer water pipes ?


texts: What is this plastic twist in the back of my washing machine?

texts:
I was poking around in the back of my Inglis washing machine and notice this plastic piece jutting out. It was pretty firm, with the steel back panel plate wedged into the plastic piece's sockets.
I twisted the plastic so that the back panel plate was released, but when I twist it back, it's simply not as tight as before. I'm worried I broke something
Did I? And anyway, what is this piece?


texts: Trying to place an outlet plate flat to the wall

texts:
My wife bought a wall switch/outlet plate, and I immediately realized that normal plates are convex, a bit of gap for the screws holding the outlets to the electrical box.
I am thinking I can leave the screws off, and instead bend back the metal tabs at the top and bottom of the switches, burying them in plaster. That's probably not ideal, and I'd like to know the right way to do this. Just screwing the new plate on shows an ugly gap to the wall.

Edit - below shows the tabs I plan to bend. The middle hole normally holds the screw that goes to the electrical box. The seller was no help. Strange they make stuff like this. This November will be 28 years (we've been married) my wife hasn't been happy, I doubt this will change anything.

Responding to request for another image. This is the back of the plate, the front is mirror. The back is smooth, i.e. flat. Which begs the question - Doesn't the designer see that wall plates have a bit of space for the screws?


texts: How can I remove a mark from a freshly painted wood cupboard?

texts:
While carrying a cupboard door to reinstall, my husband accidentally scratched a gray line on the door with his belt buckle. We were using "Advance"-brand paint.

How can I get this off without ruining the fresh paint?


texts: Problems with common lead bad connection at meter

texts:
I live in a home that had a bad common lead connection, and this caused rotating blackouts throughout the house, and there were a couple of surge protectors that were overloaded - one blackened and produced a volume of smoke, in a room 15 feet from the load center.

After we had an electrician look at it, his determination was the problem was a bad common connection in the box out by the meter - the end of the cable was severely corroded, covered in green crust, and the insulation showed signs of burn damage as the cable had apparently overheated.

NOTE: I failed to state that he replaced the bus box and spliced a foot and a half of the common cable to fix that problem.

Now we have one side of the house that seems to trip the breaker on a regular basis, but it always resets and is fine until there are four or five lights or appliances (a combination of three or four rooms) on simultaneously. Shouldn't you be able to have every light in the house on and not trip off a breaker, effectively shutting down that side of the house?

This has not happened before the bad common incident, since then, it is always the same breaker that trips. Only one breaker and it never did this in the five years we've lived here before that problem. I think this is telling me two things, one - that the breaker may have been weakened by the drop-outs and surges during the bad common problem, and the wiring in this house is not correct for code. My biggest concern isn't the breaker itself, but I am wondering if this is dangerous. Am I going to wake up some night to find the place on fire? Can I just replace that one breaker and be OK, or will I have to get an electrician to rewire the house? I am really worried this will be beyond my means to repair. Help!


texts: I installed my cedar fence 2 months ago. Can I stain it next year?

texts:
This is a knotty cedar board fence. I did not have enough time to stain it this year. On top of that I plan to redo my deck next year in April-May. I would  like to give the same stain.

Is it too late to stain the fence next year? What problems could I have? Am I going to see a sensible difference between the two, fence and deck? They are not exactly next to each other, the fence is at the front, the deck is on the side, you can see the fence from the deck but not the other way around, when you look at the house from the street you see the fence but you can not see the deck (hidden behind the garage)


texts: I'm trying to install a new outdoor with a outlet on the post...but the electrical coming from the house that powers it does not h ave ground...is the lamp post grounded enough just being in the ground? Or do I need to pull new wire?


texts: Cover & sound-suppression for doorbell transformer in utility closet

texts:
This transformer is installed in the utility closet of a 1970's condo.

Notice the wad of cut paper sheets pinched between transformer and the wall plate. This is an attempt at halting a low-tone humming caused by the transformer. Is there a better way to avoid this annoying hum?
And should a transformer be exposed in the open like this? If this is proper, are there covers available to hide the ugly and protect the wires?


texts: Safely felling elevated wooden structure?

texts:
How would you go about safely and quickly removing a wooden structure on four legs with a chainsaw, such as an elevated hunting blind? Here you can see a few examples of such structures.

My idea was to bring the entire thing down by cutting one leg at a time, but I'm thinking this might be unpredictable, particularly if the structure starts twisting as it falls. A second option is to actually enter the structure and work from the top, removing bits to bring the total weight down to a safe level. Does anyone have experience with this?

Before anyone asks, the removal is legal and will be supervised by the police. The person operating the chainsaw (myself) has a sawyer's licence, but I've only worked with trees up to now.


texts: Can I get away with 12" round supply and return for 2 ton?

texts: replacing two package AC heat pumps that are 20+ years old, going to convert it to a split system with an air handler inside an insulated closet style box on the outside of the house.  Ducts are in the attic with very limited space, then come outside the attic and down the side of the house inside this boxed in structure I will expand a little and put the upflow air handlers in.  I was shocked to pull the 2.5 ton heat pump and find it connected 12 inch round metal pipes wrapped in insulation.   So can I get by with the 12 inch pipes till I can figure what to do?  I will be running them in 2 ton mode. Later I would look to come back and redo the duct work.  Its in south western NC so not super cold or hot.  I just cannot redo the duct work at this time and need to get the heatpump installed and working.


texts: Why does one switch only work when another is on?

texts: I'm trying to wire up a living room light on a new switch. Prior owners ran wire from panel to outside lights first then back inside to the electrical box that contains the single pole switch. So I have tried to connect the neutral only to the new switch and tap into the hot wire from my outside switch. Doing this makes the new switch only work when my outside lights are on. Do I need a different switch? or is there anything else I can do?


texts: Seem to have a voltage problem after reconnecting meter box - how to troubleshoot?

texts:
I replaced the wire from the meter box up to the service connection because it was damaged last winter when a tree pulled the wire from the house - although the service man said it was still sound the outside casing was ripped in a few places and should be replace someday. (since we were having the house sided I thought that would be a good time to do it)
Had a disconnect put up a new wire. But now the light seem to flicker more when the water pump comes on and when we start the microwave after a few seconds it sounds like it drops in power.
I tried not to tighten the lugs too much - said 50lb torque and did that - the clamps didn't look dirty but I also didn't clean them - where should I start. - will cost to have another disconnect.


texts: When my new furnace was installed, the vent was put outside the house next to landscaping bushes.  It has killed one of my bushes. It used to be vented up to my roof and out.  Can I move this outside vent to the roof vent?


texts: Proper thickness for concrete "flagstones"

texts:
I've seen some videos showing how to make "flagstones" out of concrete. The general process is to create a moulding on the ground (usually the grass is dug out so the dirt is exposed), using some sort of flexible strip of plastic or vinyl. Then, concrete is poured into this mold. In most of the examples I've seen, the stones look to be no more than 2 inches thick, but they can be 2-3 feet across.
I've been thinking of doing this to make a patio (though I'd probably put a layer of gravel below the concrete), but I'm concerned that these stones might be too thin and crack after not much use. Also, we get freezing weather in the winter, and I'm concerned that thin stones might crack in the cold weather.
How thick should these concrete "flagstones" be to ensure they don't crack?
( one example of the technique I'm referring to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNaVzbwuATI )


texts: How to connect a detached garage and house electrical panel at the meter?

texts: The meter is in between my house and the garage.  Can I connect the service conductors from both panels to the same lugs at the meter?  Do I handle both panels grounding and neutral bars as 'mains'?  There is no conductor running from the garage to the house.


texts: How can I insulate my attic in southern California?

texts:
I live in Southern California (San Bernardino county), and I'd like to add insulation in my attic.

cathedral ceiling; 1/2 of entire roof has no attic space how do i insulate this space? the other 1/2 traditional attic space (bedrooms above this space) except there are no soffit or ventilation at the fascia, the only ventilation is at the gables (2) at each end of the house and 1 power attic fan. the only insulation i have in the attic is blown insulation about 15 inches high, how do properly insulate this attic space


texts: How to install 3-speed switch for ceiling fan

texts:
I have a bedroom with a ceiling fan.

Right now, the wall switch only controls the light (on/off, no dimmer). The only way to change the speed of the fan is by the pull chain. So if you want to change the fan speed in the middle of the night, you either have to get lucky and find the chain in the dark, or turn on the light.

I bought a Legrand brand wall switch that has a 3-speed fan control built in. I wired it up according to the directions. But the switch still only controls the light and the 3-speed slider (very poorly) tries to act as a dimmer for the light.

How do I get the 3-speed switch to control the speed of the fan? I'm worried that there isn't the correct wiring going to the fan.


texts: How can I test the maximum current an outlet will provide?

texts:
I want to know how much power is still available on a circuit.
I went to the electric supply store but they could not locate the device I described...
I want to plug a device into an outlet and slowly increase the draw until the breaker pops so I know how many more things I can plug into the outlet.


texts: Securely attaching a 4-ft 4"x4" lumber to concrete?

texts: How can I attach/bolt a 4 ft treated 4x4 to concrete so it stands up securely?


texts: How can I convert a 220v lighting circuit to 110v?

texts: My electrician wired a single bulb light fixture with 220vac instead of 110vac.There are two 110 vac wires and the Ground.How can i reduce this to 110vac at the fixture?


texts:
As we redo our kitchen we have an existing outlet that will end up in a "void" of about 2 feet behind a cabinet.  Specifically we are putting our new cabinets about 2 feet from the existing wall.  There is an outlet and I am thinking of just leaving it where it is located.  But when everything is completed that space (what I am calling a void) will no longer be reachable.  So, this will not be a box behind a wall but will be tough to reach (would have to pull out refrigerator, cut through space in side to get into the void).

Just validating whether this is an issue.  Thoughts how to resolve if it is.  The wire is too short to run further out unless I use the splice fitting that I have seen at Home Depot (this might work to put the outlet in a more convenient accessible location).  The wire goes into an area that I cannot, easily, access so removing the circuit back to the other room is not an option (although I will check if I can find the outlet from which this was connected).


texts: How to get rid of 4-5cu yards of topsoil/sod/dirt

texts:
I'm going to be digging up the top 6-8 inches of an 18 square yard plot (41"x48') of lawn grass (easement strip between sidewalk and road).  The 3-4cuyd volume will probably load as 4-5cuyd. There is no place on the property to place it.  It needs to go.  It has a high clay content.

I could make 8-10 15mi round trips to a business that will take it for $20 per pickup truck load, which would be a lot of extra brute somethingoranother. I like digging with a shovel, but not the hauling and unloading etc.

What are the options to avoid pickup trucking it away myself, but still claim to be king of the neighborhood el cheapos??

It's easy access. Are there tiny excavators that could it, with that and the hauling for essentially the same price as getting hauled?


texts: For a multi-stage system, which stage is for what fan speed?

texts: With a multi-stage system, which of the two stages spins the fan faster? Which is the default and which is triggered when the temperature is further away from the specified value?


texts: Does wifi have any effect on one's health?

texts: Does wifi have any effect on health in home?


texts: Will installing an OSB floor in the attic create moisture problems?

texts:
I installed some new OSB flooring in my attic. The area it covers is about 160 sq. ft. The total area of the attic is about 750 sq. ft. There is just blown fiberglass up there, and there is no vapor barrier between the fiberglass and the drywall, or between the fiberglass and the OSB flooring I installed.

Will I have problems with moisture collecting under the flooring I installed? If so, what would you suggest to prevent that from happening?


texts:
We would like to expand our kitchen into a family room, but the floors are not even, nor are they of the same material. We want to remove part of the wall between the rooms and install tile in both. The wall is not load-bearing, so that is not a problem.
The floor in the family room is concrete with carpet, and is sunk 1-1/2" below the kitchen, which is vinyl over a crawl space. The house was built in the 1920s.

What would be the best way to raise the concrete floor? I have thought about concrete overlay, or using pressure-treated furring strips and tongue-and-groove sub-floor.

The family room was originally the back porch of the house, which was enclosed quite a while ago.


texts:
I’ve moved into a new place that was built end of last year and have been hearing ticking noises (upstairs only) throughout the day at random times. Heating or cooling is switched off. I’ve uploaded two short clips to hopefully illustrate the issue. The issue seem to happen the most during the day, but - not as loud - has also recently started happening early in the morning (1am - 3am) which has woken me up a couple of times.

Does anyone know where this might be coming from and how to fix it?

[1] https://youtu.be/k1C-IIxmIug

[2] https://youtu.be/q0maBMKaUk4


texts: What are the white paint on concrete floor?

texts: I moved in a apartment building built around 1992. It currently have carpet for the flooring that installed by the builder. I am thinking to lay ceramic tiles in living room so I removed carpet. What I found underneath is concrete subfloor with some kind of white paint on it. I am not sure why the builder paint the subfloor before carpeting it? Most likely what is this white paint, is it some kind of primer? Can I use thin set on it directly, or should I use a paint stripper to remove it?


texts: Is it worth refilling these fire extinguishers or should I just throw out?

texts:
please help me decide what to do with these old fire extinguishers - are they worth re-filling
thank you


texts: What is the name of the metal strip that goes over a step

texts:
Between 2 rooms, there is a small single step, the step being only about 1-2 inches tall. Over this step is a piece of metal, bent in half. Mine has come undone, and has ended up broken but I've just found the same thing in another house. It looks like this:

Does this have a name? My own research gets me close with terms like "floor edge step trim" but most results I see have for flat pieces of metal, where I assume I'm after a "corner shaped" thing...!


texts: I put up a fence with swinging out gate on downhill driveway. I have a gap between the gate and 4x4. How do i fix gap? I tried cutting 2x4 in a traced pattern of gap.


texts: What are the differences between an expansion tank and a pressure sensor?

texts:
We have a red expansion tank in our building. We have so many problems with this tank. Every 3 months we have to change the tanks tube because the tube is perforated every 3 months.

Now an expert (hopefully) suggests to change the expansion tank with a pressure sensor. He said that this type of sensors is better than the expansion tank.

Now, which one is better and what is the difference between them?


texts: What year did the NEC (US) require all new construction switches and outlets to have ground screws?

texts: I just opened up the garbage disposal switch in my condo built in 1977 in the US. I believe this is the original switch, and therefore I will be replacing it right away with a new switch that has a ground screw. And of course, I will connect the grounding wire (see photo) to the ground screw. I consider it odd that the building has grounding wire, but that the switch has no ground screw. I have already replaced four light switches that had no ground screw in my condo.This is what begs the question.


texts: Is it safe to do a three-way splice in a single gang junction box?

texts:
I'm splitting a room by adding a wall into it, and I would like to put receptacles into the new wall. I'm trying to do this making as few holes in the existing walls as possible, so I'm wondering if the following layout is safe.

The main change is replacing a single gang rheostat switch with a junction box like this, covered by a wall plate like this that would split the source into three cables going downstream. The junction box will be behind where a door opens, which is why I need to move the switch, and I'm not too concerned about the look of it.
The combination switch would be single gang as well since it is going into a narrow space (an area of wall between a door frame and a chimney).
I have done some reading, but I'm new to electrical work and just wanted to make sure this basic idea is safe / see if there's a more sensible way to do it.
I plan on using 12/2 Romex with ground cable, which I think is what is used in the rest of the circuit. All walls are drywall.


texts: Could I safely use a dimmer switch on an air filter fan?

texts:
I bought a small HEPA air filter fan that was advertised as being a quiet model. But it's not quiet enough for me. I bought another "quiet" fan, but the new one is also too loud for my liking.

Could just I buy one of those extension cords with a dimmer switch (designed for use with room lamps), plug in my air filter, and safely use the dimmer to control the fan speed (and therefore volume) of the air filter?

Safety is my priority. I don't want to start an electrical fire. If it's not safe, I'll buy a different fan.


texts: How should I reduce humidity in my storage shed?

texts:
I'm based in Scotland and have a 40 foot by 10 foot tongue and groove shed that is used to store clothes for my business. It sits slightly above ground on a wooden base. I have added a metal roof on top of the existing wooden one. Inside I have put in a false floor and I've also screwed plywood over joists on ceiling.
On the  walls all around I’ve firstly left an air gap of 2 inches before fitting in foam insulation sheets then stapled VC moisture barrier silver backed foil to joists  before screwing plywood onto the joists and lastly used sealant to seal every little gap.
The problem is that in winter it is freezing and summer stifling hot
And after a few years now I’m starting to smell a stale dampness and worried that it will transmit to my clothes stock.
So my question is should I heat or dehumidify put in air vents or all


texts: Water heater overflow outside drain pipe

texts: My water heater's overflow outside drain pipe has been running hot water out of it non-stop.  I turned the inflow water valve to the water heater off and the water stopped running.  But what is causing this water to flow out like that?


texts: Wood Species to replace small bed frame piece

texts:
Our bed has a piece that's at most 1 inch by 1 inch by about 6 inches. It's permanently screwed to the headboard and then the side rail gets screwed into it.

On one side it's cracked. I want to pick a wood that will resist cracking. I will predrill first of course. Something available at a big box store.

Suggestions, or am I trying to over think this?


texts: What is the best way to fix a crack in an acrylic bathtub?

texts:
I have a crack in the bottom of my bathtub. I had 2 different people come out to give me an estimate on repairs. They are about the same price but different methods.

The first wants to cut out the crack and fix with fiberglass, then resurface the entire bottom of the tub.

The second wants to drill holes and inject foam along the entire bottom of the tub, then sand and seal the crack with Bondo.

Which one is the best fix?


texts: Need help on wiring on these kind of outlet

texts:
I live in the philippines, and i'm no electrician.

but I have some ideas about wiring.

I want to know how these 2 separate outlets should be wired correctly on one power source(only 2 wires).

They are called 2-gang universal outlet, there are 2 kinds of it that I have, as shown in the image.


texts: How to choose fabric and gravel for retaining wall

texts: I want to build a 15ft long retaining wall which is located at the bottom of a slope, surrounded with springs, against the fence. In searching for materials I have no idea which fabric I should choose among so many types, and what gravel is for.


texts: Should I continue to remove the cement board, or just remove the tiles?

texts:
I'm in the middle of replacing the tile in my bathroom and started to take off the backer board but now I'm wondering if I should've just cleaned off the top of the boards and reused it. The backer board is nailed to the floor over thin set.

Both processes seem like a pain. Would you continue to take off the cement board or patch a 4'x6' area with new cement board and then scrape off the old tile's thin set on the rest of the surface?


texts: What does the panel release button do on this hinge?

texts: I've just spent some time fighting with the hinge in the image below and finally worked out how it works. There is one part of it that's still a mystery and in the documentation it's called the Panel Release Button. It's the button marked with an R just above and to the right of the Horizontal Adjustment Screw. Anybody know what this does?


texts: Do I really need to stud nail all my crown molding?

texts: Searching through google about stud nailing crown molding, I found this page about whether or not it is necessary to hit the studs. Can anyone confirm that it can be done without worrying about the studs? I'd prefer not to mark up my wall with stud locations and it seems like quite a bit of extra work.


texts: Fitting a dishwasher into integrated cabinets

texts:
I want to fit a dishwasher into the kitchen of my new house. There is an ideal place for it next to the washing machine, however as the washing machine is integrated, it looks like it's attached to the side of the cabinet - which means I can't remove the cabinet to replace it with the dishwasher, as then neither appliance would have anything to attach to!

Any suggestions? Can you get dishwashers that are narrow enough to fit between the sides of the cabinet (so 55-56cm instead of 58-59 to allow for the thickness of the sides - the current cabinet is 60cm wide)? We're happy to have a freestanding one instead of an integrated one, but still need to support the washing machine somehow...

I'm in the UK if that makes any difference.


texts:
I recently opening up a bathroom wall to install framing and moving plumbing for a new hanging vanity. I unexpectedly discovered that the wall was actually many layers of walls on top of eachother. Because the bathroom is so narrow, I would like to reclaim as much of this new space as possible.

However, the current tile floor has larger gaps away from the wall at certain positions, like it was installed around or later cut away from some bathroom vanity that no longer exists. The gap is about 1/2" to 1" further from the wall than the uncut sections.

I'm looking for recommendations on how I can fill this gap that does not require placing tile. Most of these areas will be under the new vanity, or back behind a toilet, so it doesn't need to look perfect. Would something like a narrow strip of PVC board of the right thickness, with the joint filled with caulk be reasonable?


texts: How can I remove this stuck nut on my riding mower?

texts:
I am attempting to repair a shattered housing mandrel on my Husqvarna riding mower. I have it largely disassembled however I am facing a common problem: a stuck nut on a piece that is moving. The only leverage I can get is with the tool on the nut and the blade below. I have done some reading and seen suggestions on heating the nut but I do not have an acetylene torch handy so I'm looking for good advise. I am familiar with some of the more obvious techniques; such as whats proposed here: How to loosen a nut when bolt and nut move together?

Any advise?


texts: Safe to use 220V electric clothes dryer when building has been bridged down to 110V?

texts:
We live in a building with 220V service with primarily 110V outlets but a few specialty ones at 220V.

Earlier this week electrical service in half the building across all three apartments went out.  The utility company came out on an emergency basis and restored power by bridging one of the 110V wires onto the faulty one.

Now the lights are back on but the 220V outlets are presumably only offering 110V.  It is safe to run a 220V electric dryer on an outlet that now offers 110V of power?

I called the manufacturer of the dryer (Samsung) and all they knew how to do was look up stuff in the manual, which was not helpful.  The emergency service technician (not a electrician) was not certain either.  I called an electrician and he didn't seem certain either, but recommended against it to be on the safe side.

From the research I have done it seems like the concern might be that the motor might burn out possibly and that definitely the heating element would not get as hot so it might take a lot longer for a load to dry.  I can live with the latter but not the former.  Additionally are there any safety issues to consider?

I tried the dryer for a moment and the panel lit up and the drum spun as expected.  Did not test to see if it got hot.

Repair service is a scheduled for a week away and the laundry is piling up!  Even when they attempt repair they are counting on running a new wire through the underground conduit which I already suspect is not sound so they may have to dig which will surely take longer.


texts: Are intermediate vertical supports necessary for horizontal fence rails?

texts:
We are putting up a fence with horizontal wooden pickets on posts spaced 6 ft apart.
I have seen some fences with 2x2 vertical supports going up the middle of the pickets to help support the boards from warping or bowing. The difference, though, is that the fencing I've seen were 8 foot sections, not the 6 foot sections I'm doing.
Does anyone have any thoughts on these vertical supports and if it is worth the few extra boards and time?


texts: Why do anti-mold products avoid stating it kills mold?

texts:
I've noticed almost all products for treating mold/mildew say something like "mold stain remover", rather than indicating they can actually kill the mold/mildew.

I'm wondering, are these products generally reliable?  I imagine the product is intended to kill mold/mildew, but they have to avoid stating this specifically to avoid litigation for damages.

Or are they misleading shams that do nothing more than remove stain without actually doing anything to treat the mold?

I am avoiding naming specific products, since it seems a pretty common pattern in these products.  I would imagine there's a broad reason for this pattern in how they describe their product.

Usually if I evaluate an off brand medicine, I would look at the active ingredient and do some searching on that ingredient to determine its efficacy, and that clears up any doubts about what it actually does.


texts: Steps for annual maintenance on a fuel oil furnace?

texts:
We have fuel oil and this year I'd like to try and maintenance the furnace myself:

By "maintenance" I mean "clean it up so that it runs well throughout the winter." Just a basic tuneup and cleaning. Maybe some small parts replacements if they're not in great shape, etc. Not sure where to start or what the steps involved would be. Any ideas where I could dig in?


texts: Our vinyl floor install will need to be redone -- will new vinyl need to be used, or can the existing vinyl be reused?

texts:
I had a company (whose name will not be mentioned unless they refuse to fix the job) install a new vinyl floor. I'll spare all the ugly details except the one that's relevant to this question which is the fact that a few parts of the vinyl don't appear to have been glued to the floor. In one spot, there is an area measuring at about two feet in diameter where the floor is lifted up like a bubble and can be pressed down. It doesn't do this across the entire floor which tells me that the adhesive application was effective beneath most of the floor.

It's obvious that the vinyl is going to have to be torn up so that adhesive can be properly applied to areas where the application was faulty. First off, won't tearing the vinyl from the adhesive damage or misshape the vinyl? Won't applying additional adhesive potentially cause the floor to be lumpy and uneven in spots?

I am asking in the event that this company tells me they will just pull up the existing vinyl to apply new adhesive instead of redoing the entire floor (underlayment, adhesive, and vinyl). I just want to be prepared with a few counter-arguments should they try to get cheap with with me.


texts: My house copper lines are 3/4 in and my new water heater accepts 1/2 copper in a compression connection. Is there any issue with adding a 3/4 to 1/2 reducer before and after the heater?


texts: Does the application of a new layer of lacquer dissolve pinhole bubbles?

texts:
I am brushing on lacquering to 50 small walnut plates.   My first coats were a bit of a learning curve and I had produced some small bubbles.  My understanding is that new coats of lacquer will dissolve into the previous coats fixing small imperfections.  After my 2nd coat of Watco's clear finish dried for 2 hours (as label recommended), I applied my 3rd and anticipated final coat.  No new bubbles, but the previous ones are still present.  Isn't lacquer re-coats supposed to dissolve/remove pinhole bubbles?

Should I.....
    1. Sand with 400 grit and apply another coat
    2. Rub out and see if its enough
    3. Apply a bit of lacquer thinner +/- lacquer and re-coat.


texts:
So I have a Recessed Retrofit Downlight in the shower that began flickering and now is mostly dark, although sometimes it will go on. I removed it and here are the parts:

Recessed Retrofit Downlight Model DLS02-06A27D1E-WH-F1

This is the part that seems to hold the bulb and is flush against the ceiling when installed. It's held in by two springs.

The other part I can see is:

Dimmable Constant Current LED Driver Model JW03-013-D-047-I-N

This has a black and white wire attached to an orange female plastic thing that clips into a male plastic thing in the ceiling, and another set of wires that looks like it must run into the bulb itself.

My question is what part of this do I need to replace? Can I just go to Lowe's and pick out the part?

Thanks in advance.

UPDATE: I got impatient and went to Lowe's with the fixture. The lighting guy there said the problem was the ballast (I didn't even know there was such a thing for LED) and that replacing the fixture was the right play. It cost about $13, and I reinstalled it and everything is fine now.


texts: Speed Queen washing machine making loud popping noise during agitation

texts: I have a 2013 Speed Queen top load agitator washing that has started to make a loud popping sound during the agitation cycle only.  The washer fills fine, agitates normally, drains and spins on all cycles, it just started making this load popping/clunking noise off and on with the agitation cycle about 1 week ago.  Model # is AWN432SP111TW01.


texts: Fixing metal grille on a wooden radiator enclosure

texts:
My kids tend to be rough when playing in the living room and have banged up the metal mesh grille on our wooden radiator enclosure.

Does anyone have any tricks to bang out the dents? Or will it be easier to replace the metal mesh?

It looks something like this

found on this site.


texts: How do I add a light fixture to an existing 3 way circuit?

texts: Existing basement with 2 simple pull chain light fixtures. We want to add 1 more on the end of the room where the junction box for the circuit is. Can someone provide me a sketch?


texts:
The sub panel in my shed(about 75ft run from main panel)is very outdated and gfci breakers aren't available for it so I want to update the panel as gfci are required for pool equipment.
The panel has 220v and currently has 2 tandem 15amp breakers powering 4 outlets and 3 lights and one double pole 20amp breaker powering the pool pump. Their used to be a pool heater but since has been removed. The supply from the main panel for this sub panel is on a 50 amp double pole breaker. Their is not a bare copper grounding wire ran to the sub panel either and I would like to add one

My questions:
Will a 60 amp subpanel be sufficient? If so will the 50 amp double pole breaker in the main panel need to be changed?
Would it be nearly impossible to run a bare 10ga ground wire through the existing pvc conduit that is run underground?


texts: cheap hot water tank failure after 3 1/2 years - expected, luck, installation problem, acid water, pressure cycle?

texts:
This "6 year" hot water heater failed after 3.5 years - is it bad luck (eg normal for the $429 box store 40 gal DHW heaters and how they make money off what I expect is a pro-rated warranty?), poor water and/or pressure environment for the heater, or possibly an installation issue?

The failure is a pinhole leak about 1/2 way up the tank (I could hear a hissing when the tank has water pressure.)  After turning off the cold water supply, hissing stopped, but upon turning back on the leak became worse, even when supply was turned off, requiring immediate draining of the tank

Some facts about the water and system:

Well-pump with cold water pressure tank - which takes care of thermal expansion.  However, the pressure switch is likely operating in the 20-40psi range.  Could this pressure cycling, 100-500 times per day, weaken the tank?  (100 times per day is probably normal, but in the summer could approach 500 times per day due to use of garden hoses.)
The well water is rather acidic, but a solution pump raises the pH to the low 6s.  The water is naturally soft enough, with no other conditioning.
Never observed any excessive discoloration of the hot water.
The shower is over the heater, and on occasion, there is some air in the lines - don't recall if it was hot or cold.  Interestingly, this hasn't been happening for the past ~1 year.
A sand filter was NOT used water supply for most of the duration.  Possibly a fair amount of sand went into the tank - based on the amount of sand in the tank of a nearby toilet.
The previous two hot-water tanks had also been replaced prior to warranty expiration (under the previous owner), but the last one failed (3.5 years) due to internal gas leak instead of water.  (I prefer the internal water leak failure than as gas leak on New Years Eve!)

Facts about the installation:

Connections : Flue, plugged into grounded AC outlet, gas supply, hot and cold dielectric w/flexible water pipes, tanks metal feet rest directly on the concrete floor

The water pipe connections are via dielectric fittings at the tank, with ~18&24" flexible hot watcher hose kit to the copper pipes.  I'll put photos up.
Cold water pipe has nearby electrical earth ground connection, but the tank itself has no direct connection (except possibly the flexible hoses and AC plug ground)
After 3.5 years there was some corrosion on the hot water side, and the fittings can't be removed from the tank.
Previous tank was ~4' on resting on concrete blocks so I replaced with a tall (~5') and modified the plumbing using the flexible hoses instead of direct copper connection
Never checked the anode rod, maybe I should?

With 50 degree well water in the summer, everyone would be happy if the next one lasted longer.


texts: How can I get wood filler to match the adjacent wood when staining a floor?

texts:
I am trying to finish a wooden floor (pine), colouring it with stain. After that it shall be oiled.

The process for usual painting with paints has usually been that you sand it,  then apply filler, then sand again, then paint, then varnish.

Now in this case I tried to do the same process, except with stain and oil, but it turns out that when I apply stain , it will create large blotches of different tone, where it is overlaid on filler. Obviously one should remove filler as much as possible during the second sanding, however, as it is virtually invisible after drying, it is hard to judge when it is removed enough.

It is quite ok if the filler will create different tone in the gaps between the floorboards, but there are patches of it smeared a across half the board width every now and then.

Is there anything I can do beside trying to remove as much filler as possible during the process?


texts:
I have a new brick wall but large areas are becoming covered in white salty deposits; I want these removed - how can I do it?

Update

Thanks Niall. Just out of interest, can acid do damage to bricks? These are rustic, textured and quite expensive bricks.


texts: How do I fit a joist in this small space?

texts:
This is a follow on question from here:

Floor joists connection to eaves

Since this question, I have been told I need 8" joists for my span and I have exposed my eaves area to see what space I've got.

Not much.  From the face of the brick (internally) to touching the felt going out, just over 3".  From the inner face of the brick to touching the felt going up, just over 3".  I basically have a triangular space with 3" depth and height.

From what I can guess, this doesn't seem like enough space to try and fit an 8" joist into.  If  I cut the joist to fit that gap I believe I simply wouldn't have enough material in play to resist shearing stresses.

What I am after is something like a reverse joist hanger.  Hangers hook onto a receiving entity and hold the joist in a cup.

What I need is something like a joist splice as shown here:

http://www.joist-repair.co.uk/

But that instead of connecting two joists, simply connects on the end of a joist and extends outwards.  I've drawn what I'd like to try and find:

My theory being that a steel bracket occupying the small space will have much better strength than the joist with little material.  So basically, it's some form of extension bracket.

Is there any such device or other way to solve this issue without affecting changes to the eaves area of the roof?


texts: How to remove moisture from kitchen air?

texts:
Our new home has a kitchen in a corner without a vent-out channel.

As far as I understand, standard kitchen hoods can't condensate and collect water from the air they process.

What can be an alternative to dry the air during cooking?


texts: What are these light marks on my new (unfinished) oak counter tops?

texts:
I have some solid oak counter tops that I've cut and fitted, and now I'm ready to start finishing them.  Right out of the box I noticed some lighter colored, reflective blemishes around the top.  They appear randomly across the tops and do not span across multiple boards when they occur.

The tops come "finished" (smooth to maybe 60 grit, with one coat of oil treatment).  I plan on sanding them and finishing with 4 coats of Waterlox.

I started with a piece of scrap hoping the marks would go away with sanding, but they haven't yet.  Right side is sanded 100/120/150, left side is factory.  You can see the marks on the 2nd plank from the right and on the plank center frame.

They reflect light differently from the rest of the board.  Note from this angle you can barely see them.

Close up of the mark that has some sanding

Close up of the other mark with the finish from the factory

Will the Waterlox mask or exacerbate these marks? Should I keep sanding? Or should I give up and accept them?  I was already strategeic with my cuts and minimized how many and how visible they will be in the kitchen.

Thanks.


texts: Wood burning stove pipe through the ceiling and roof

texts: I have a 16 x 22 cottage in Minnesota. Bought a small wood burner. Only one place inside to put the small wood burner. But, it is directly beneath a horizontal stud/joist of the truss. Would have to cut 14 inches of it out for square support box. Is there a way to block it in or not. Will I compromise the truss completely? Again, small cottage 16 ft wide and 2x4 run across the width. 24 in on centers in the ceiling. Bob


texts: Kenmore Electric Stovetop 790 coils not getting red hot

texts:
Can someone tell me how to troubleshoot why on the highest setting the electric coils are getting hot, but not RED hot? The oven is the same. It takes forever to preheat to 350 (~1hr+). I recently did a kitchen remodel and we moved the 240v plug to maybe a foot down the wall. Ever since the move, my electric stovetop does not work the same. I'm not sure if the guys who did the rewiring did it wrong or if there is a problem with the wires inside the stovetop itself.
I am watching this video, is there any other resource out there that I can use to figure out this problem?


texts: Convert a ceiling fan controlled by two switches to a remote control

texts:
I would like to convert a ceiling fan with light from 2 switches (one for the light and one for the fan) to a single remote control. Is there a best practice or do I just pick a line and cap off one at the ceiling fan box? Is there anyway to keep both the fan and light on separate switches and have them both remote control as well?

Thanks


texts: Shower valve: connecting 1/2 inch pipe to 1 inch shower valve (threaded)

texts:
first off, there are images attached for best description of the problem. The setup is: The 1/2 inch copper pipe connects to a threaded joint on the shower valve (1 inch), easy, right? Except when I try to replace/rebuild this assembly (it is leaking at the joint, see picture), I cut it out and take it to HD/Menards: they say they don't know how to replace it or what the connecting bit really is. It seems like some random threaded part that was soldered on top of the pipe.

I can't solder, is there a way to rebuild this joint using pex or sharkbites or something else? Or I can only solder electronics, I doubt it's the same-never tried it.

EDIT: the manufacturer seems to be selling a very similar/ updated version of this at https://www.pioneerind.com/product/three-handle-tub-shower-set-2/#0868-Z, but the installation guide is not clear on how to connect the 1/2 inch supply lines.

Thanks a lot!


texts: Will my roof framing support an array of flat solar panels?

texts:
I want to install 23 305w panels on my roof.  It's a flat roof constructed with 2x8 beams spaced at 24".  There is no snow load to consider and we get occasional wind and rain storms a few times per year.

Is this structure sufficient to support a solar array?  I can space each panel a few feet apart.  Each panel weighs 41lb with a psf of under 2.5.


texts: How can I protect my underground sprinkler PVC pipe from tree roots?

texts:
This is a follow up to a previous problem I had here: PVC Pipe for sprinkler system broken in multiple places

Does anyone have any suggestions how I can install underground PVC pipe and protect it from Tree roots.

A few suggestions I've thought of are these.

Inserting a 3/4-inch PVC pipe inside of a 2 inch PVC pipe for short distance (10-20 feet). if a tree trunk or root pushes into the pipe and breaks the 2 inch PVC, that should give the 3/4 inch pipe that's inside some protection.
Placing small rocks under, and on the sides, and finally above the pipe. To give it another layer of protection.

Anyone have any other suggestions or think my 2 solutions are bad ones? I'm open ears.


texts: Wiring bath lights that have two power sources

texts: I have a vanity light. Power comes into the light. A wire runs to the switch. I am planning on installing a bath fan that has fan/light/nightlight. The existing switch is mounted in a 1 gang box in beadboard. I would like to avoid cutting in a 2 gang box. I also have a 12-2wg romex unused running from the panel to the attic where the fan is going. I have a 1 gang stacked switch for fan/light/nightlight. I would like to just run a switch leg to the same box and switch both lights on this switch. Does the two power sources make this immpossible? Last resort, can I use the same swich with one light/the other light/ fan and eliminate the nightlight?


texts: How to properly ground new three way switches being installed?

texts:
I am replacing two existing 3 way switches.  The existing ones did not have a ground attached.  The electrical box is plastic.  There are ground wires in the back of box that are twisted and crimped together.  I am guessing I need to add a pig tail to each of the new switches and connect to existing ground wires.  I am trying to figure out the proper way to do this.
Any help would be appreciated.
I think I will have the same issue on a row(4) of light switches.
V/R,
Kevin


texts: Ceiling fan light dims up and down continuously

texts: I have a 13 year old hunter ceiling fan with a remote that dims the lights and turns them on and off. The fan works fine but the light just started to dim up and down continuously on its own. Anyone else have a similar issue. How’d you fix it?


texts: I had three cracked floor tiles in the shower and just removed them thinking I'd just simply replace and grout.  However, after removing I noticed a lot of moisture and as you can see from the picture, there is a crack underneath exactly where the tiles were cracked.  The shower hasn't been used for two days and if I dry this area it becomes saturated again within minutes, with water seeping up through this crack.  Do I need to keep going down further?  I don't believe the liner is torn as I have no leaks below.  The home is 7 yrs old.


texts: Can I replace a single breaker with a double in the space above where broken tab is

texts: I have a broken tab on a panel board. Can I replace a single with a double breaker?


texts: Can I place the MUA vent directly beneath the range?

texts:
In California, I'd like to upgrade my range hood and may require make up air.

I've seen these installed in the toe kicks of kitchen cabinets. Would it be acceptable to install registers directly beneath the range itself?


texts: What heights can electrical wiring be fished through wall studs?

texts:
I want to install some closet rod supports for a double rod closet. My studs appear to be spaced every 16". The rod supports need to be drilled into the studs at heights of 42" and 84". The house is a ranch, this is being done on the ground floor.

The other side of the wall is a laundry room with washer and dryer outlets. I'm worried that the electrical for the laundry may be fished through the studs, and that when I drill into the studs for the rod supports, I might hit the electrical wires.

Is there any way to check how the wires are arranged behind the wall, besides tearing the wall down? Some extra info:

I'm in New York. The wall dividing the closet and laundry room used to be an exterior wall - the room with the closet is an extension from 2009.

Thanks, picture attached.


texts: Do I need special tools to run speaker wire vertically from about light switch heigh to the floor? No fireblocks.

texts:
I have some speakers I hope to run wires for from not much higher than switch height for my 7.1 system. I'm thinking I might be able to just drill a hole and use a coat hanger to get it started then push it down. I haven't done this work but my stud finder doesn't seem to indicate any blockage and there is a light switch panel in that area so I was thinking it might not be too bad.

The wall is a framed drywall wall against a concrete wall in a finished basement.

Do I need an expensive wire puller or will this approach work.


texts: Is it safe to screw #14 screws into the bottom of Center Support Beam?

texts: Making an 8' clothing rack in the basement.  I don't want to weaken the center support beam which is made up of 3 2x10".  Would it be safe to secure the pipe flange with 2 1/2" #14 screws into the bottom of the beam?   Thanks in advance..


texts: Do vinyl planks need an expansion joint between rooms?

texts: I'm installing about 1,000 square feet of Trafficmaster Allure Ultra vinyl plank flooring. The instructions say to leave a 1/8" perimeter gap but do not say anything about an expansion gap at a certain maximum run length or between rooms. My installation area is roughly L shaped and the long runs will be on the order of 40 - 45 feet. Is it really safe to not put a transition between the rooms as the instructions seem to suggest? I can find almost no info searching. My understanding is that the vinyl doesn't really expand or contract but the house may, so the perimeter is what really matters. However it still makes me nervous.


texts: How can I patch a leak in my sprinkler system manifold?

texts: I found a couple tiny leaks in my sprinkler system manifold (see red circles in picture); While I already plan to have the manifold replaced, is there some way I can temporarily patch the leaks?


texts: 20 amp breaker with 12 gauge and 14 gauge wire

texts:
I am looking at replacing a couple of old, porcelain style single bulb fixtures in my basement with some 4 lamp fluorescent fixtures.  I am actually running new wire to the fluorescent fixtures from a 100amp sub panel in the basement, and not reusing then existing wiring that goes to the current light.

As I was taking the porcelain fixture down I discovered that there is 14 gauge wire going to it - ok.  There are 3 such fixtures in the basement.  There are also other things on this same breaker upstairs in the main living part of the house - 3 or 4 outlets that are on 12 gauge wire.  The breaker is a 20 amp breaker for all of these.  Is this ok to mix 14 & gauge wire like this?  If not, why did they do it?


texts: How do I clean a 96-gallon automated trash can?

texts: The town provides us one of those automated trash collection 96-gallon trash cans.  Ours really stinks... you do not want to be down wind from it in the summer.  I have been avoiding cleaning it for more than a year now, but I figure with the cooler weather, it is a good time to tackle the job.  What is the easiest/best way for me to clean it right now (I really do not want to climb inside)?  And once I clean it how can I prevent it from getting this bad again... any regular maintenance or tips/tricks I should be using?


texts: How can I remove odor that causes throat irritation and headache?

texts:
I had some work done on my house in January. In particular: A painter painted the walls, then another person glazed the window frames and finally another one clean the marble floor ..

Now I absolutely can't stay in the house because I get an irritating odor to my throat and an headache after 15 minutes.

I think someone used a nocive polish or someother product.

So I repainted the wall with an ultra ecologic paint. But the problem still exists.

Does anyone know how to "clean" the air?

Please don't tell me "open the window" .. they are open night and day :(!

PS: fortunately, this is a second home I don't use at the moment...

EDIT: i found this : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volatile_organic_compound
I think products used were out-law level of VOC.

Now, how to remove VOC?


texts:
I set an 9"x 8' creosote post in a 2' deep hole that is about 30" wide. I know the hole should be deeper but too much rock below that depth. I dumped 80 lb of Quick Crete in and added 2 gallons of water. It was still soft after 4 hours. I removed one of the three braces to see if it was tight. Big mistake. I wobbled the post when removing the brace and the pressure loosened the post slightly.

8 hrs later the cement has finally hardened but the post still wobbles slightly--about 1/2 inch at the top. How can I make it solid? I still have about a foot of hole left so should I just add another bag of QuickCrete? I could easily drive some three or four 8" nails in the crack between post and hole to firm it up before adding the QuickCrete. I may hang a gate on it so it needs to be solid. Any ideas?


texts: How can I prevent my AC condensate pipe from making my soil soggy?

texts:
I live in a Townhouse in NC, in a community under a HOA management.  I've been doing some improvements on my patio.  One of them that I couldn't find a solution is what to do with the condensed water from the AC draining.  My AC is installed in the attic.  2 drain lines come from it.  One is the main one which ends on my patio , the other line has an end on the soffit area of my roof (The secondary / auxiliary line coming from the dripping pan in the attic).
The main line, specially in summers where I use AC a lot, creates a soggy area on my lawn, so wet that even the guys from the HOA landscape company have had hard time trying to mow there.

Since I live in a Townhouse, and no way to redirect the water beyond my property line, I've read several workarounds to solve this problem:

Some suggests to connect indirectly to sewer system like this post:
Connecting condensate pump to sewer

Other suggests a mini drain well with gravel:
How do I eliminate stagnant water caused by central A/C draining outside?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLNb1caVupo

In my Case, I would like that mini drain well option, however, my concerning is the heavy clay soil I have.  After just a few inches of topsoil, I see underneath just pure Clay.  I guess that's the reason why water is ponding and creating that soggy area (see pic), specially in summers.  If I create that dry well with gravel, what are the chances that the rate of water absorption of the clay underneath and around the dry well underground will be faster than the rate of water saturation of the dry well itself (being continuously and daily watered by the AC condensation line) before starting to pond water around again?  I've read that a 2 Tons AC can create between 10 - 20 gallons of condensed water per day in summers.  Is there a minimum size and depth for this dry well on a heavy clay soil to be effective, or is this solution not worth it on a clay soil?


texts: How do I find the valves on a toilet with hidden pipes?

texts:
I just came back from holiday to find that water was pouring constantly through my dual-flush toilet, as though it's on permanent flush. A little tinkering revealed the shut off valve is broken - so no matter where the float is, the cistern continues to fill.

Apparently this apparatus is called the Bottom Inlet Valve and isn't too difficult to replace.

Anyway, the toilet is also supposed to apparently have a shut off valve, as this is standard on all modern toilets. Even if I can't do the work myself, it would be useful to shut this off when not in use to stop the noise and waste water.

The problem with all of this is that all the internal plumbing on the toilet is concealed. There's not even any visible screws to put in the toilet seat. Nor is there any panels to remove that I can see to get at the pipes.

There are just two screws, just above floor level, one of either side of the toilet. I have removed these, but nothing has come lose or started to shift. I Can't see anything that would just "come away" - the whole bowl of the toilet looks like a solid block of porcelain.

How do I get to the pipework on my toilet, to see if there's an turn-off valve or find where the bottom inlet valve screws in to the cistern?

EDIT: Some pictures of the cistern mechanism and the outside of the toilet. I'm not just interested in isolating the water. I need to find the inlet pipe itself, so I can disconnect the faulty valve.


texts: Water Heater Exhaust - how to connect the 3 inch hood to four inch exhaust pipe

texts:
I'm working on this gas water heater with 3" hood almost attached to an elbow that reduces from a 4" exhaust flue. This was only attached by a lot of aluminum tape. The problem is that the ends of both sides are exactly the same size. What parts do I need to do this properly?

Here is a picture of the current situation


texts: Are surge protector power strips designed for long-term, mounted use?

texts: Some of these units look yellowed and half-baked. In apartment electrical rooms I see many old surge protector power strips attached to the wall holding various small transformers and plugs for camera or intercom equipment. Many are 20 or more years old. Are they designed for long term use, essentially permanently attached? The transformers hide much of the receptacle openings. What can I tell the building owner so that these units are not fire bombs in disguise?


texts: Where can I purchase a block of aluminium?

texts:
I'm need a 5" x 5" x 1" block of aluminium.  Is this something I can buy online and are there different types of aluminum to consider? Will I have to buy a bigger piece and cut the aluminum down to my specific size?

I need a solid base that I can tap with hole to mount into a DIY slider dolly.