texts: Is it safe to run servers in a room that contains a boiler? [fire safety]

texts:
My landlord says I can use the garage in our house for an office.
The garage contains a gas combi boiler.
Is it safe to setup servers in this garage?
If not, is there any way to make it safe?
I'm worried about the fire safety aspect of it, I don't want to blow up my flatmates.


texts: Is it work making a small bedroom smaller by installing built in booksheves?

texts: I have a 100 square foot or so bedroom in my townhouse that is my guest room/library/yoga room.  I really want to add built in booksheves around the window, essentially reducing the room size by about 8 1/2 sq ft.  Is this going to be a probolem when selling in 4-5 years or so?  I personally feel it will help by creating more storage and reducing the need for much other furniture in the room but I dont know if I am in the minority or not.  Opinions?  (PS, all of the bedrooms are small, I believe one is around the size this would end up being, so I dont think that the smaller footprint would look out of place)


texts: What type of quick disconnects for 18ga to 12ga low voltage wire connections?

texts:
I'm powering an 18ga 24V DC submersible pump for a water fountain in the yard using a 110V AC to 24V DC power supply (18 ga).  I'm planning to use 12ga stranded low voltage wire (max.30V) from the power supply to the pump (approx. distance 70ft).  Looking for compatible quick disconnects for 18ga to 12ga at both the power supply location and the pump location.

I purchased the following disconnects but since the connections to the pump will be exposed to the elements, not sure if they will adequately protect against moisture. Wondering if I should look into military grade disconnects to be safe?


texts: Wiring in switch which turns on half outlet with no neutral

texts:
I have a weird situation with the wiring in a switch box. I am adding a ceiling fan to the room and would like to replace the existing switch which powers an outlet with a double switch. One that powers the half outlet and one that powers the ceiling fan.

The problem is I don't think there is a neutral in the box. There are two Romex 14/2 wires coming into the box. The 2 blacks are nutted together and pigtailed to one screw and the two white wires are joined together to the other screw. I know that this current setup switches on one of the outlets in the room and then electricity passes on to power the outlets in the next room.

I am not able to figure out the wiring that needs to be made to power the fan. Here are the pics of the switch I would like to use.


texts:
I’m considering on buying a Xiaomi smart wall switch but I had to consider the neutral or no neutral switch which led to me opening my wall switch to check. Which got me even confused...

May I know how do I determine which wires are which (live, neutral, earth) and why are there 2 wires connected together?


texts: I want to put a 4’X8’ platform in my garage to hoist stuff up

texts: I’d like to frame up a 4’X8’ hole in the ceiling of my garage.  Rafters above are 2x6 on 24” centers.  So I’d have to cut through 4 of them to do it.  Obviously I would have to make a really sturdy frame.  Is this even possible or reasonable?


texts: Can I install a sprinkler system timer underground?

texts:
I have a 4-zone sprinkler system. I had a construction crew at my house, and it appears they cut 1 of the 5 wires before pouring new concrete on top. Therefore, only 3 of the 4 sprinkler zones work.

Short of tearing out lots of concrete to find the cut wire, I cannot repair the wire. I tried letting 2 zones share one wire, but I don't have enough water pressure to support 2 zones at the same time.

The only thing I can think of is that I might be able to install the timer outside, underground in the box with the solenoid valves. I have a few questions...

Is this a feasible idea? If so, how should I do it?

Are there any companies that make  waterproof, underground timers
specifically for this purpose? If not, can I use a "regular" timer
that I put in a box?
Where do I convert from 110V to low voltage? In the house or in the
box?  The four good wires are typical sprinkler wires (18 gauge?).
Can this handle 110 AC electricity? Or should I use be using the
"black box" to convert to low-voltage before using the sprinkler
wire.

Timer   |  ------------------ 1 cut wire ---------------- | underground box
in house | ================= 4 good wires =============== | with valves


texts: How to stop fridge water line without stopping everything else?

texts:
So.  My old fridge finally went and I will be getting a new one delivered.  The company that I am buying the new fridge from is going to haul away my old one.  I noticed that I don't have any type of "shut off" behind my fridge for the water line.  When I checked my basement, I noticed that there is a single shutoff for my entire bathroom + fridge water line.

My problem is, in order to haul away my old fridge, it has to be disconnected, thus disconnecting it from the water line and, in turn, putting my bathroom out of commission.  Is there an easy way to remedy this (I googled around and saw mention of a non-piercing saddle value that can be used?) or should I just deal with having all the water off during disconnect, haul away and re-installation?

Below is a picture of my current situation.

I went to the hardware store and they gave me this.  They said it was a bit overkill but it would work.  Do you guys agree?


texts: Activating a door bell inside apartment after motion sensor outside detects movement

texts: Does anyone know what is the best way to connect a doorbell switch to a 3-way motion sensor switch that currently turns on lights in an entryway?


texts:
I have a single story ranch and am doing a reno by myself as a long-term project.
Originally, the home was a small cabin and later it was expanded with addition.

The wall that I need to remove supports roof trusses which were originally part of the original cabin's roof. Left and right walls sit on the concrete perimeter foundation wall.

The span is 19ft and I am thinking about using 3x12" LVLs for this purpose (http://www.menards.com/main/storeitem.html?iid=1444438525506). I would love if someone could help me to determine if this is sufficient and I am interested in math, not in advice to hire an engineer.


texts: How can i fix sweating Duct work in my unconditioned garage?

texts: I had a water stain appear in my garage right near where the main AC trunk comes up the center of the house.  Of course at the time I did not know this I thought i had a leaking pipe.  After I opened up the ceiling I found that it was a duct that was leaking.  The insulation was completely soaked.  I took off the insulation and the duct was rusting away.  I guess this has been a problem since I bough the house.  The builder said its because they did not spray foam around the joints where the duct cuts through the joints.  I took down the dry wall to inspect the rest of the ducts and looks like there are several places where they did not tape it well and there are small gaps where hot air can get to the duct.  What should I do to fix this?  The insulation is R8.3 fiberglass.  Should I take all that out and wrap the duct in a better type of insulation?  The rust did not eat through the duct so I hope I don't have to replace any of it.  Any guidance you could provide on the best course of action would be greatly appreciated.  The house is out of warranty and my insurance considers this a maintenance issue so I am on my own to pay for this fix.enter image description here


texts: Using spade lugs to terminate wires under screw posts

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I was wondering if it would be advantageous (electrically) and acceptable (code-wise) to use spade lugs as wire terminations under receptacles with screw posts. Instead of using a typical side-wire connection, which is often difficult with stranded wire, such as 8AWG to a weatherproof metal box, can the wire be terminated with a spade lug, sized for the wire, then the lug screwed down instead?

I imagine something like this:


texts: How to check the type of installed insulated glazing

texts:
In the Netherlands, insulated glass is rated by a standardized rating system, classifying it into 3 categories by the u-value:

HR : U value between 2.0 and 1.7
HR+ : U value between 1.6 and 1.3
HR++ : U value less than 1.2

The price difference between these types of insulated glass is quite large. After the glass has been installed, is there any simple way to measure the U value or otherwise check the type? I guess it would be quite easy for a swindling contractor to sell HR++ and install HR without it ever being noticed?


texts:
I have overhead wire providing my two phase electric service.  The line from the pole appears to be relatively new and the splice connectors appear to be in good condition as well.

However, there is little to no slack to provide a drip loop and the two conductor wires appear to be rubbing against each other.  Even worse it seems, the cable jackets all seem to be cracking and splitting after the splices (but before the meter).

Who is responsible for this section of the drop? The property owner or the utility company?

Obviously this needs immediate attention and I appreciate your help on this in advance!


texts:
I looked at a few answers before I wrote this, but none seemed to apply appropriately.  The two I saw related to switched wiring for a plug and a light, but I am replacing a switch.
I took off an indoor switch connected to two outdoor lights.  The switch had 2 backstabbed black wires and one white wire attached to a screw on the side.  After further investigation, there were 4 cables coming into the box, each with a white, black, and ground.  All the white wires were gathered under a nut.  Two black wires were in a nut with the white wire attached to my switch.  And the two remaining black wires were the backstabbed black wires.
My black wires do not fit in the push in the back part of my new switch, plus it seems those are unreliable.  How do I get this connected back with my new switch?


texts: What is the stainless steel baseboard in a walk-in cooler/freezer?

texts:
Trying to identify this base molding that I want to match in a walk-in cooler at a supermarket.  It is missing from a few sections of the cooler and needs to be installed.

Is this anything special, part of the walk-in assembly kit, or just a piece of stainless steel that someone cut to place at the base to pass inspection?!


texts: What is the best way to cut receptacle holes when hanging drywall?

texts:
I will be installing drywall in a 10x10 room this weekend, walls only. I'm planning to use the longer sheets so there is only a single horizontal seam on each wall and install the top sheet first, flush against the existing ceiling.

My question is, what is the best/easiest (not usually the same thing) way to cut holes for the receptacles as I'm hanging the bottom panels of drywall? I'm considering a few options, but what is the best for someone new to this for a good result? One option is to just hang the drywall and use old-work boxes for the receptacles. I don't like to use old work for new work as it doesn't seem as secure. Personal preference. In the past, I've nailed up the boxes and then tried to cut the holes by measuring from the sides several times and then cutting out the holes before putting up the board over the boxes. That never seems to come out in the exact right spot that I don't have a gap around the box. Lastly, I've installed the boxes and then used a saw or rotary tool to cut it out with the drywall loosely fastened into place. This always seems to damage the wiring and still leaves a gap around the box where I cut.

So, which of these methods are mostly likely to work with practice or is there a super slick method that I haven't even thought to try?


texts: What is the appropriate wire gauge for 30A DC?

texts: If my project uses 30A DC, what wire gauge should I be using?


texts: How can I make MDF more resistant panels?

texts:
I have fallen in love with textured MDF panels used to make walls.

Oh boy that's beautiful. But raw, it's almost impossibly fragile. The question is :  How can I make it harder, stonger to go through the life?  Should I give it 2 primer coats and paint? mix something in the primer? I have NO idea, and am a little worried.


texts: best type of bulb in glass ceiling fixture

texts: what is the safest type of bulb to use in a glass ceiling enclosure, now that the 60w incondecents are no more ?   Would it be Halogen, CFL or LED ?


texts: How to connect grounding wire to gas pipe for 2017 NEC 250.104(B)

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I'm trying to interpret and apply the 2017 NEC bonding requirements from 250.104(B) to my existing home gas line. I've read this related question to determine I should use #6 AWG wire, but I'm unsure of how to exactly connect the wire to my gas pipe where it enters my home.

2017 NEC Bonding Requirement - 250.104(B)
If installed in or attached to a building or structure, a metal piping system(s), including gas piping, that is likely to become energized shall be bonded to any of the following:
(1) Equipment grounding conductor for the circuit that is likely to energize the piping system
(2) Service equipment enclosure
(3) Grounded conductor at the service
(4) Grounding electrode conductor, if of sufficient size
(5) One or more grounding electrodes used, if the grounding electrode conductor or bonding jumper to the grounding electrode is of sufficient size
The bonding conductor(s) or jumper(s) shall be sized in accordance with Table 250.122, and equipment grounding conductors shall be sized in accordance with Table 250.122 using the rating of the circuit that is likely to energize the piping system(s). The point of attachment of the bonding jumper(s) shall be accessible.

Question
What is an acceptable means of "bonding" the grounding wire to the gas pipe per code?
For example, code probably wouldn't approve the use of duct tape. Is some sort of clamp OK? If so, what kind and material? Or do I need to solder the wire to the pipe? Seems dangerous with a gas pipe, so guessing the answer is no, but let me know.
Edits based on comments

2017 NEC is enforced in my city. I've updated the code pasted above accordingly.
My gas pipe is black steel.
Updated wire size per Ed Beal's guidance.


texts: I just polyurethane 700 sq ft. of hardwood flooring

texts: I waited 48 hours for the floor to cure, got on it with knee pads and left impressions. Some slid and wrinkled. How do I repair these spots. I have about 7 of them.


texts: What is the dynamic head capacity of this pump?

texts:
I am looking to buy a condensate pump that can push water 20' away ( I need to circumvent the fact that I can't slope a drain through the ceiling so I need the pump to push 8' up and then another 10' horizontally through a 3/8" pcv pipe
Specs here: https://littlegiant.com/media/131855/995125_VCMA-20-Series_08-12.pdf
The documentation is poor but a very good review on Amazon is saying the following
The pump’s manual, which is for all models in the VCMA series, is annoyingly vague about certain things, and one of those is the maximum pumping distance and height. The manual I have says the -15 sub-series has a “15 foot shut off”, whatever that means; my guess is that it cannot pump higher than 15 feet, but I don’t know of that is correct. Elsewhere in the same manual, it says, “Route outlet (discharge) tubing or piping from pump straight up as high as necessary. Do not extend higher than 75% of the total dynamic head capacity of the pump.” Nowhere in the manual does it say what the number is. Nowhere on the actual pump does it say how high it can be relied on to operate properly. Suffice it to say that pumping from a basement floor level up to the ceiling, or even up to a sink or drain on the next floor up seems to be within this pump’s capacity. The manual DOES recommend against using a discharge hose or pipe larger than 3/8” ID; apparently use of a wider discharge can result in excessive reverse flow as the pump is shutting off, and maybe the check valve cannot deal with that. It is strongly recommended that the discharge hose/pipe be installed such that it does bend back down near the end, so it should be routed to go up at least a few inches higher than its eventual discharge into a drain.


texts:
I am losing my mind trying to figure out what type of service I need to send to a remote office I built in the yard. I have worked as an electrician's assistant so I have experience in perfomring the work but never really planned jobs.

I am trying to figure out what gauge wire I need as well as how many amps to run out there. I will have lights, computer, amp, tv, and wall AC unit out there. Basically a bunch of electronics and lights. The only big draw would be the AC.

Should I be looking at 100 AMP service or is that overkill? Until this point I have been looking at running 100AMP with 1 AWG wire. I have 100 foot run under the house and 100 foot run underground (200 feet total). Any suggestions would be great.

Thank you!


texts: Change a NEMA 6-15 plug to fit an NEMA 14-50 receptacle

texts: I have a 240 volt dust collector with an NEMA 6-15 plug.  I want to plug it into an NEMA 14-50 receptacle.  The 6-15 has three leads, while the 14-50 has a fourth (neutral). Can I change the plug and if so how do I wire it?


texts: How to identify the wires on the dimmer to convert it to Conventional on/off switch

texts:
I have a dimmer switch that I need to convert to a conventional on/off switch. I have checked this link for guidance already: How do I replace this dimmer switch to a conventional switch?

It seems like I will need a 3-way switch do replace this. I am having very hard time understanding the wiring and how to connect this to a 3-way switch.

This is what I have:

Green from dimmer -> connected to 3 white wires in the outlet box
One black -> connected to one black in the outlet box
Other black -> connected to two black wires in the outlet box

I had an electrician convert a similar dimmer switch to a conventional on/off switch in the past and this is what he did.

Basically, in this he has done this:

One black going to the bottom hole
Second black going to the bottom screw
Third black going to the top hole
Nothing on the top screw

Can someone please help me make sense of this and help me with:

Confirm the switch type I need
The circuit and connections needed

Solution Pics (solution provided by Ed and Carl in the comments):

Wire Connection (I did not use the pigtail connection, in the lower screw with 2 wires together, although that is what everybody is recommending):

This is the WRONG way of attaching the wires (although it works). This causes fire hazard and should be avoided.

The good way is to use the hole at the back. Note this uses backstabs which is not recommended. Check the update after the pic for a better way.

Update (8th Sept 2019) - Better way:
I followed Harper's suggestion to avoid backstabs as there are considered risky. I instead ended up using a Pigtail connection to connect the live wires as he recommended in the comments below.

I also added a copper wire to create a ground connection with the back of the electrical box. I could see copper wire connected to the screws in the back of the box. I added the copper wire for ground to these screws.

Below are the detailed steps on how I did the pigtail connection.

Pigtail connection Step 1: I took a black wire from another electrical wire and stripped it on two ends.

Pigtail connection Step 2: I connected the two live wires coming in with this new wire and twisted the three wires using a plier. Then I used a wire nut and twisted it on. Give a good tug and ensure that the wires don't come out of the wire nut and have a good grip inside.

Pigtail connection Step 3: I used electrical tape over the wire nut to enhance the security and twisted the other end to ready to put it on the switch screw.

Pigtail connection Step 4: Finally I tucked the wires in the electrical box and screwed the switch onto the box.


texts:
Good morning,

I'm currently working on a crew installing 18" RCP storm sewer and our company is back filling the trench with uncompacted #8 stone. I've mentioned the fact that there will be future settling without compaction. What is the percentage of compaction for #8 stone on placement without compaction? Thanks for your time.

Tim


texts: How can I build a wall mounted adjustable height desk?

texts:
There has already been some excellent discussion here and elsewhere about adjustable height desks, but I think I'll bring a bit of a new twist to the question.

I want to rebuild a bedroom into an office. I intend on placing in-wall bookshelves around the entire room, excluding where the windows are. Here I'd like to use the window frame as "runners" of a sort for an adjustable height desk. I'm thinking of using a pulley system to make all of this happen.

I've included a graphic with front and side views of how I imagine this might look, but it isn't entirely clear that the pulley system I'm envisioning would be triangular...but in any case, I'm open to other suggestions as well.

My main concern is the ability to adjust the height significantly (e.g. a few feet) and for the underside to be sufficiently clear to use my folding recumbent bike should I so desire...or perhaps even a treadmill.


texts: Worried this Gypsum Wallboard/Drywall could contain asbestos? Anyone know what this is?

texts: Has anyone dealt with the FIREPROOF Gypsum Wallboard from the National Gypsum Company? Here are the pics: Wallboard Pics


texts:
I am thinking about closing the hole that you see on the picture below using wood. The metal sheet will be screwed onto the wood "frame" that I would be building. Is it safe to use wood? The stove pipe never gets too hot, I can touch it with my bare hands but I'm still a little bit concerned.

The wood won't touch the pipe, only the metal sheet will.


texts: Dewalt circular saw, motor works but blade doesn’t turn

texts: Dewalt DCS570 7 1/4” 20 volt cordless circular saw. I was cutting 3/16” panels and after a few cuts the blade quit turning yet the motor still works fine. I pulled the blade off and everything looked in order but when I put the blade back on I noticed I could easily turn the blade by hand. It didn’t spin smoothly but sounded like a stripped gear would sound. I hoping to get some hints as to what to look for and where, before I open the case. The blade lock works and the motor runs and sounds fine.


texts: I'm buying a house.  It's an old house.  I had to put in a GFCI breaker for the bathroom.  It trips as soon as I switch it on.  If I disconnect the neutral it doesn't trip.  It is three wire coming out of panel but two wire at the light/receptacle in bathroom.


texts: Can anyone identify this old wiring in my walls?

texts:
In several of the rooms of the house I moved into last year (built 1973, USA), there are blank wall plates. I've removed a few to investigate and found somehting similar to the below pictures each time: a loop of what appears to be thick brown electrical cable, accompanied by a foot or so of thin 2-conductor black cable that is either insulated with rubber or a very flexible plastic, and covered in orange muck.

I've given the large loop a god tug and it doesn't appear to be an off-cut tucked back up into the wall. If it is, it's jammed in there pretty good.

Neither appears to carry any voltage according to a NCV tester, and it doesn't resemble the mains wiring in any of the live outlets or switches (which is all white plastic NMC and generally a bit thinner than the thick brown wire here).

I'm not intending to do anything with it at this point, just curious as to what it is/was.


texts: Toilet water valve tightened to OFF position but water keeps filling up tank

texts:
Last night at about 1am, I heard running water that sounded similar to a washing machine filling up with water.  I ran into my bathroom and saw water overflowing from the toilet tank (not bowl).  I immediately shut off the water valve behind the toilet and took off the toilet lid.  The fill valve had completely broken off at the base!  I flushed the toilet to try to empty the tank, but the water was still coming up to the tank even though the stop valve was turned off; I could also still hear water loudly flowing through to the tank. The only way I could get the water to stop was to turn off the main cold water valve to the entire condo.

I have not done much toilet repair at all, but am
I correct in thinking that the issue here is the stop valve?  I initially thought it was a surge in water pressure, but now I am wondering if something simply failed in the valve, which caused the surge in pressure which broke off the full valve?  The fact that I can't fully turn off water to the tank by using the stop valve alone seems to be an indication of the main problem.

Another possibly unrelated problem (or maybe related??) is when I turn off the main cold water to the condo, my shower hot water trickles out.  A friend told me it could be a mixing valve issue, but up until today, we haven't had much problem with hot/warm water in our shower.  Others in my building have had mixing valve issues.

I am in a condo that is about 10 years old so I know I am going to have to start replacing things!  Just would like to know what and to see if I can do it myself.


texts: New water heater sometimes cold, sometimes hot

texts: I have a new electric water heater (a week old). It does not operate correctly.  It took nearly 24 hours initially before there was any hot water. Then we had hot water for maybe half a day. Then cold again. Hot again the next day for a few hours.  Yesterday it was hot all day. Everyone got a shower. The dishes where caught up, then last night it was cold again, and is still cold this mornimg. What could possibly be wrong? I can't figure this one out.


texts: Traveller Wire Showing 40V When There Should Be None

texts:
I have installed a pair of 3-way switches in an incandescent lighting application (lights are not installed). After installation I used my handy voltage detector and found there was "voltage" present in any switch configuration at the light rough-in. The grounds are terminated in each box and at the main panel.

Troubleshooting:
1) disconnected wiring from switches and checked continuity. Switches check out fine.

2) wires still disconnected from the traveller pair, but 120V applied to the common terminal. Switch operates as expected. In the off-position, 120V is on T1 (arbitrary name for one of the traveller terminals), and 0V is on T2. Switch to on-position, and 0V is on T1 and 120V on T2 (measurement from traveller terminal to ground).

3) connect travellers and line voltage to one switch, other end of travellers left open (capped each off).

In the switch off-position:
Common Terminal to ground = 120V (great)
T1 to ground = 120V (great)
T2 to ground = 40V (opposite of great)

In the switch on-position:
Common Terminal to ground = 120V (great)
T1 to ground = 38V (not great)
T2 to ground = 120V (great)

When switch #2 was in the circuit it's common terminal connected to the light rough-in was 40V.

What to do? There is no access to inspect the run of 14/3, as the Drywaller came in and did his thing. Would a pinch in the cable cause this "inductive coupling"? Any thoughts on this would help greatly. Thank you


texts: What can be done about this unattractive dryer vent?

texts:
The house I bought has dryer vent that runs from the dryer into the ceiling. Besides being an eyesore it is also loose/flimsy.

I'm redoing the laundry room and would like to make this more attractive. So far I've thought about enclosing vent in drywall.  I'd appreciate any ideas. As a side note, I think it must vent through the roof because I can't find any air movement around the house while the dryer is running.


texts: Ceiling-fan switch no longer turns off fan

texts:
I've been installing new outlets and switches in a condo my wife and I recently bought.The old ones were fine, but the wrong color. I've been replacing like for like, swapping the older Leviton beige switches for newer white ones. I've replaced single pole switches with single poles, 3-ways with 3-ways, and 4-ways with 4-ways. And I've tried in all cases to connect the existing wires in each box to the same terminals on each new switch. (I'm an extreme novice when it comes to electrical work.) The problem I'm having is with a 3-gang switch group in the family room. The right-hand dial is a rheostat control for the chandelier in the room... Pushing it in turns it on and off and spinning it varies the brightness. It's working OK (probably because I didn't touch it; I just substituted the existing beige knob for the white one in the photo...; - ) The middle switch is SUPPOSED to turn the ceiling fan on/off, and it did before I changed the switch. Now the ceiling fan is on all the time; toggling the switch does nothing. The only way I can now turn the fan off is either flipping the breaker which controls the circuit the fan is on or standing on a chair and pulling on the fan's chain. (It's a fan-only ceiling fan; there is no light fixture on it.) The left switch also turns the chandelier on/off. I don't think it did this before I messed with these switches; I'm guessing it was just linked to a switched outlet, but I haven't gotten that far yet.

When I pulled the left & middle switches out of the box, installed the new switches and reconnected the wires, I obviously miswired something because that's when the fan stayed on constantly (and when - I think but am not positive - the left switch also started turning the chandelier off/on. Note that both switches are single-pole and each is connected to three wires. The middle switch (the one which used to control the fan but now does nothing) has 1 red & 2 black wires and the left switch has 3 black wires. Any help/suggestions sincerely appreciated. I have several good photos I could attach but this forum apparently doesn't provide a mechanism for inserting/attaching photos, at least I couldn't immediately find a way to do it.


texts: How to get a flat-head nail out of a piece of wood?

texts:
I have a 1/4” (~6 mm) nail that someone put in a wooden bed frame that is 1/2” (12 mm) thick.
The wood is hard (not soft) and the nail is flush with the wood in some parts, actually digging into the wood in other parts.

How does one get this nail out without damaging the wood too much?

The only thing I can think of is to “chisel” around the nail head until I can expose it enough to pull it out.

UPDATE: The nail has to come out so I can put a screw in to hold the bed frame together.


texts: Bathroom 3 in 1 switches in seperate locations

texts:
Intent: To have heater/exhaust/light unit installed with the light switch separate from the heater/exhaust.
Why? I have a light/exhaust on one switch (next to door), but would like a 3 in 1. The current wiring is in solid cement, so can't be changed. Some new wire can be run through conduit from an existing power outlet, but this outlet is in a corner, making fumbling for a light switch very tricky.
A second light has been suggested, but it sounds very inelegant.
I imagine this would require the unit to be rewired?
More Edit:
Here is the picture of the fusebox/switchboard (I hope this is what ThreePhaseEel meant...)

The light circuit seems to be 8 amps across the apartment, and then 16 amps for each room with wall outlets, and another 16amps for the stove, although one of the fuses is labelled 32 amps...?
The current light switch

A switch that would be used.

This is the hole from the current one - you can see a power point there - it plugged in just like a toaster.
I don't have the intended unit at hand (IXL tastic Prime, or something similar), and have struggled to find pictures of the inside, but have found a wiring schematic:-

EDIT:
Yes, yes this is going to have to involve conduit - I'm more interested in the rewiring of the unit itself - which after looking around may involve opening up the unit, and using some 12/2 to one wall with two switches and 12/1 to the other.
The light wire (12/1) would go to the the ceiling which has an apartment wide lighting circuit, and the heater would run of the room specific circuit
Even just writing this question is helping me figure things out - much thanks. No, I'm not a sparky, but the ones I'm speaking with aren't suggesting rewiring a unit.


texts:
I am installing a dryer vent (using rigid aluminum vent). The vent will be running along the same path as a 1.5" ABS pipe (which is used as drain vent, so no water flows through it).

Would it be a problem if the dryer vent touches the ABS pipe?


texts: Do I need to cut the bottom row of tiles for a shower wall to keep them level?

texts:
I'm confused how to begin tiling and adjusting the first row.
Do I need to grind all the tiles from 2,3 to the end so they can be leveled with number one?
Or if I raised number 1ittle bit to level with number 2 will be easier but then I will have a little bit bigger gap from the tub side?
Please also notice that number one also need to be ground from the right side (as it's like this without a spacer)
The spacers used is 1/16".


texts: Follow-up to 12/18/20 Question about Feeding 2-Gang Receptacle Boxes with MC 12/4

texts:
Good day, folks.  I have a follow-up question related to my other post (yesterday) regarding MC 12/4 with a blue wire:  <https://diy.stackexchange.com/questions/211590/new-circuit-help-please-feeding-2-gang receptacle-boxes-with-mc-12-4>

... after having read something in an another 15-month-old thread here in the forum: Should I use pigtails for pass-through split outlet connections?
... given it seems that it could be applicable to my situation.  In my case, each receptacle box will receive power from two independent circuits.  I have already installed two independent 1-pole Eaton CH type 120V-20A breakers (matched to my box), which is one breaker for each circuit.  So after reading this thread below, do I need to use a 2-pole breaker instead?  Or am I good with the two independent breakers?  My preference is to keep them as individual circuits so the breakers don’t risk “not” tripping under an overcurrent situation on just one leg of the 2-pole breaker.  I’d really appreciate your explaining where this is in the code and how to interpret what I have vs. what Harper wrote about if they’re indeed different.

**Harper - Reinstate Monica wrote:**
> **Breakers**
This is not a multi-wire branch circuit. This is two independent circuits on a single "yoke". Because of this, the two independent circuits must be handle-tied.
A handle-tie must come from the manufacturer of your breakers; you can't use a nail. While you're there, make sure your breakers are correct for your panel because there's no point buying a handle-tie for an alien breaker. If they are the same manufactuerer (Bryant=Cutler Hammer=Eaton), you are all set. Otherwise, they are probably wrong but ask.
Handle-ties are annoyingly difficult to find, and overpriced for being a bit of plastic.  As such, some of us recommend using a 2-pole breaker instead - they are very easy to find for modernish panels, and they cost the same as 2 singles without having to pay for a handle-tie also.
The only difference is common trip (both shut off if one is overloaded): a 2-pole breaker guarantees this, a handle-tie does not guarantee it. For this purpose, we only need tied handles to assure common maintenance shutoff.
Is this applicable to me? Or can I leave two independent breakers being sure to clearly label the receptacle boxes?
Again, many thanks for your time and support!   Happy Holidays!
Rich


texts:
I'm moving from France to Canada. I recently had to rewire a lamp that had a bad socket. It was surprising to me how simple it was to just buy a new cable with a switch, feed it through the lamp's body, reconnect it to the new socket, and end up with effectively a new lamp with a longer cable. So now that we're moving, we've got these four lamps that we love and I'm wondering, can't I just buy new cables with switches, rewire those other lamps and start using North American lightbulbs (they now have 220V LEDs) or would the sockets have to change as well?

Thanks for any advice!!


texts:
My garbage disposal is busted and my wife wanted to be rid of it anyways.  It's hard-wired and, after some trial and error, I found it is on the same circuit as a GFCI above the sink.  (Not the same circuit as the dishwasher).

AFAIK I have two options here regarding the GD romex:

1) Use wire nuts, electrical tape, and a blank electrical box to cap the live wires.  Probably nail it into the kitchen cabinet.  That would allow a future homeowner to wire a new GD if they wanted.

2) Pull the GFCI outlet and see if the GD romex is just extending off the GFCI.  If so, remove and pull the romex completely out.

Advice?  I'm a relatively novice DIYer, I've capped a few blank boxes but I don't want to make my house's wiring even more funhouse than it is.


texts: How should I go about removing a ceiling mounted downrod light?

texts:
The light fixture in question is mounted quite high up. I've removed the drum lamp shade, bulbs, and bottom plate of the lamp to show the structure depicted in the following imgur album:

https://imgur.com/a/7UxNLQP

The questions I have are:

Is it feasible for me to remove this myself without contracting an electrician?
Is it likely that I can at the very least remove the downrod or a portion of it without needing to access the ceiling?
Does it seem right that I need to cut off the wires at the bottom and disentangle them to access the nut inside the lightbulb casing and unscrew the bottom?

Appreciate any advice.


texts: What could be causing the humming sound in my hot water radiator?

texts:
The cold weather is here and yet again I have the same problem: humming radiators.

I have done a lot of web searching and forum reading and not found any solution.

The system is an oil burning furnace which heats a two-story house with a single zone by hot water. There is a circulator pump. Sometimes when the system is running a medium-pitched hum occurs which seems to be coming from several of the upstairs radiators, but it is hard to tell because it is a very ethereal hum.

It has nothing to do with air in the radiators. I have bled them and it makes no difference.

One thing is that the hum is much more noticeable since some work was done on the radiator a couple of years ago. I think all they did was replace the oil pump (not the circulator).

How can I figure what is causing the hum and fix it.


texts: How to wire two light bulb sockets inside a ceiling fixture?

texts:
I purchased a flush-mount ceiling light with 2 light bulbs.  The wiring is a simple 1 black, 1 white, and 1 ground to the ceiling box, but there were also wires connecting one bulb to the other.  During installation, I mistakenly pulled on the wires connecting the two light sockets.  I looked at the bases to the two light bulbs and there is no place for the bent wires to connect to the other socket (Should there be a screw?).

What do I do to fix the light fixture before installing it to the ceiling box?  Do I need to purchase a new light socket with attachments for holding the wires from the other light socket?


texts: Split AC installation: Need for a Vacuum Pump & Nitrogen cylinder

texts:
I bought a new Split AC (1 ton, LG made) and the company sent home a technician to install the unit. The guy arrived and took measurements and I quizzed  him a bit about his kit and strangely it doesn't seem to include either a vacuum pump nor a Nitrogen Cylinder.

From what little I know, I thought these two items are essential to commissioning the AC. Am I wrong in assuming this?

Or is there any reasonable way to connect the Indoor and Outdoor units and start things up using the refrigerant provided alone without using a vacuum pump (for evacuation) nor a N2 cylinder (for pressurized leak testing)?

He hasn't started the actual connections yet and I just wanted to be sure the guy knows what he is doing.


texts: Draining irrigation system for the winter

texts:
What's the best way to drain an outdoor irrigation system, which includes sprinklers and drip irrigation?

I've drained them as well as I could by opening a faucet in the basement (a few feet below the level of the sprinklers) that was put there for that purpose. A gallon or two dripped out, but it seems like there might still be some water standing in the system. I've heard of the concept of flushing the system out with air pressure. Is this necessary or just silly? I'm in the Northeast US where it's guaranteed to freeze for days at a time.


texts: Is fast setting concrete heavier than regular concrete?

texts:
I used the fast setting concrete to hold an umbrella clothes line inside a five gallon bucket, but someone told me that the fast setting concrete wasn't as heavy as regular concrete.

If regular concrete is heavier than fast setting concrete, then which type of concrete is the heaviest?

Thanks,
Sean


texts: Ecologoic sealing "natural" stone floor indoors (impregnation)

texts:
I just finished to lay out natural stone tiles and was about to put on a chemical sealer I brought along with the stones (see this French product site, sorry, I can't find an english page), when I found a site where people where discussing ecologic alternatives (Futura sciences).

Their conclusions and tests have shown that a "hard-oil", which is normally used for wooden parquet (90% fir tree oil, 10% thinner), has given the best sealing effect, but it changed (darkened) the original color. The other  alternative was Savon noir (Black soap). Lesser sealing effect, but preserves color better.

What is your experience with natural sealers for stone floors? Ideally I'd use an ecologic one, but if the chemical has much better performance and preserves my floor better (thus gives them a longer life) I will rethink.


texts: What should I use to fill drilled concrete holes that are not used anymore?

texts:
Just wanted to do some home repairs and found lots of old drilled holes.

I've used putty to cover them up but it occurred to me that there would be air gaps for the holes as the putty cover over them only.

I went searching around online and there has been no definite answer.

I've saw selleys no more gap and was wondering if it was a good choice to push this sealant into the concrete or perhaps those adhesives sold in a caulking gun would be a good choice.

I am afraid that next time i'll re-drill the holes at the same place and it would crumble.

I've saw this question but from where I am, they do not sell them.


texts:
I have a GE chest freezer FCM11PHBWW.  It simply stopped working after having been moved to a new house.  It was not dropped or not turned on end.  It was simple moved.  It was then plugged into a live circuit and was dead.  I have tried other outlets, have traced all wires for continuity.  The compressor checks out OK with the meter.  I replaced the OPL and PTC since they were cheap. The only thing left was the thermostat and it is OK too.  The ONLY thing left is the LED ‘on’ light.

As far as schematics go I understand straight lines and can see what they connect to. Not a lot beyond that.

So this LED light does not have continuity. Inside it has an LED lamp and a resistor. It can’t get the freaking thing apart for fear of breaking it although I may have to.  A replacement one costs about $30.00!  That seems a bit exorbitant for little green light.  My thought is “to cost that much this thing must be pretty damn important”.  Could it be my problem?


texts: Is it possible to vent two exhaust fans through a single wall penetration?

texts:
I have two bathroom exhaust fans that need to be vented out of the house, but I'd like to do it using a single wall penetration.  Is there a code compliant, safe way to do this?

Both bathrooms are on the same level of the house.
There is no guarantee that both fans will be the same type, size, power, etc.
Each fan runs independently of the other.
Pipe runs will be different lengths from fan to exit point.
Fans are on separate electrical circuits.


texts:
I recently bought a new office chair. It smells strongly of whatever chemicals it was treated with in the factory it was made in. I tend to get allergic reactions to unwashed clothes, and I believe that whatever the chair was treated with has been triggering my allergies.

What can I do to remove whatever chemical residue it has? I've had it for about two weeks so far and it doesn't seem to be much better than it was when I got it. Googling, most of what I saw was advice on how to spot-treat stains, which doesn't help me here.


texts: Correcting over-amped wiring... fire hazard?

texts:
Trying to determine if I have a hazard I need to resolve...

I recently moved into a home where previous home owner did lots of dumb stuff.  One thing I found was that in order to get more stuff wired to a generator transfer switch with limited breaker spots, he disconnected one line from the breaker and then inside the home bridged the two runs so those previously separated runs would draw off the same breaker on the transfer switch.  Of course, his 15amp breaker there probably kept tripping as he had half the first floor now wired to it and so he dropped in a 20 amp breaker for that massive 14 gauge run.  Ug.

I noticed the problem and have put a 15 amp breaker back in place... but not until we had tripped the 20amp breaker at least once ourselves.  He surely had done the same many times before as he had 12amps worth of just incandescent canned lighting on there that I replaced with LED and still managed to trip with regular load on the other 20+ outlets on the combined run.

I also know exactly where he did the bridge and will be re-splitting the overloaded run.  While I believe I  have now achieved proper pairings to code (15amp breaker for 14 gauge runs), I’m wondering if I should be concerned about any damage caused to the lines during the period of over-ampped usage.

I did have one issue with a single can fixture that was on its own spur off that run that wasn’t consistently getting power on the supply line to the switch.  I disconnected that single supply line from the outlet it branches from and rewired that single light switch to a different nearby run (that outlet was working just fine even while there were supply issues to the switch so I feel I’ve isolated and mitigated that issue).  It seems unlikely to be related to the overloading issue given it would have only ever had 75-100 watts max load on it.  It seems more likely that any damage of overloading nature would be closer to the root of the branching run where the load would have actually been 20amps.  But I’ve not noticed any other supply issues and I can’t reasonable inspect the cables as it’s all behind finished wall.

My question - if I’m not experiencing any other issues, is there any more to be done?  What is the likelihood I have any sort of fire hazard in the walls from previous overloading?   Aside from very costly rewiring of that entire run, is there anything I can/should do to reduce risk of fire? Was wondering if using an arc-fault breaker would do anything? What do others suggest?


texts: Pulling out a broken spring wire from an electrical conduit

texts:
I want to install an fiberoptic drop cable in a 1/2" conduit with an existing phone line. The other side of the conduit is approximately 20m away in the utility duct of my apartment.
Found a broken spring wire in the opening inside the apartment and I'm unable to pull it out with pliers.
Two electricians have given up pulling it out. Appreciate any new ideas.


texts:
I am purchasing a log cabin built in 1915 with an entry door that appears to be 2x6 boards assembled together. It does have three lights, so I expect it was professionally made, not a homemade item. My inspector mentioned I could disassemble and replace the one damaged board, he thinks I should keep it because it has character that a new door would not match.
How difficult will this task be?


texts: How many lights do I need for my basement?

texts: Basement is 550 sq ft.  11x50 with a 7 ft ceiling.  Am planning on using recessed LEDs since the ceiling is already completed.


texts: How to stack and store old pressure treated fence boards

texts:
I acquired some used pressure treated 1x10 fence boards from a privacy fence teardown.  Some of the boards do show some wood beetle signs where they were in contact with the ground.  However, they are in much better shape than the boards on my ~20 yr. old fence so I'd like to save them as replacement boards to patch my fence.

Is there a way to stack and store these boards (for years, probably) without further rot?

I've currently got them leaning against a fence individually, to dry out.  I have a shed, but I don't know if that would be good or bad for long term storage -- would it allow insect damage because of lack of airflow?  I thought about covering with plastic, but again unsure because of the state of the boards.

Most of the references I can find (e.g. http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/usda/ah188/chapter10.pdf) only talk about new lumber, not lumber that has been exposed to conditions.


texts:
I just moved into a studio that someone is renting out. They just finished putting in a new kitchen, including a new fridge and stove. However, today is my first day here and I have already noticed a problem. First, the fridge is not cold enough. I have the settings turned all the way up, but there is hardly enough of a diference from room temp. On top of that, when I tried to cook, the stove does not heat up all of the way. I tried all the burners on high,but I still was not able to bring water to a boil or fry my food. Yeah, it heats up, but hardly.

It seems as if things turn on and they work, but not to the level that they should, especially with being brand new. What could be causing it?


texts: Is there anything wrong with using a PC power cord for a miter saw?

texts: I just bought a used miter saw that needs a new power cord.  I found this one but $25 for a cord seems a bit steep.  That "official" cord is 16AWG with two wires.  I also found this one when I searched for 16AWG power cord.  Is there a reason I couldn't just cut the PC connector side off and wire it up to the saw?


texts:
The drywall guy installed drywall around a washer box and a gas box that is recessed into the wall.

The edges around the recessed boxes are not straight.

How does one go about fixing this so it looks nice?


texts: Exterior wall framing - Safe to remove 2x4 that was part of soffit/bulkhead?

texts:
I've removed all the soffits in my kitchen, however, there is one 2x4 that I have left until I could consult someone more knowledgeable.  I'm thinking the 2x4 was there just to hang the drywall underneath, however, it seems to run along the bottom of 2x10's that make up my exterior wall (sill?) that supports the floor joists of my 2nd floor. The house is a 2-story, brick home built in 1940.

I'm thinking the 2x4's that run up the wall should be toenailed into a single 2x4 that runs the bottom of those 2x10's but I can't see without taking out some more drywall.  Is it possible that this stud is structural in any way?  Thanks.


texts:
I have a light switch in a weird place in my house. I'd like to remove the light switch itself and just wire it permanently on and cover it with a flat faceplate. I'd ideally like to actually leave it there for future owners of the house. I have the blank faceplate

Here's the tools I have. I think I have everything I need. The question is, aside from shutting off the power I am lost at what do I do to turn the switch permanently on.

Tools for Reference:

Edit: behind the light switch images:

So there's 3 wires behind the switch.

Edit 2: I was wrong about where the wires connected:

EDIT
Completed JOB:


texts:
I’m pretty new to home DIY and had to replace a few outlets this weekend. On the last one the ground wire snapped as soon as I unscrewed the old outlet. It looks like the wire was clamped to the other ground wires and that’s where it broke. What is the best way to fix my ground connection?
Edit: clearer picture added


texts: Removing pole and concrete base from yard

texts:
I debated between putting this question here or on SE Gardening and Landscape, but I think this question will be a better fit for this site... Let me know if I need to move it.

So I'm now leading into my third summer at this rental home in North Carolina and I've been think about what I can do to make mowing my lawn a bit easier. I'm currently using a push mower for about a third of an acre because I don't have a garage or a shed -- more like a utility closet to store my mower.

One thing that's always bugged me about the backyard is this roughly 3 foot tall metal pole sticking out of the middle of the yard. I've tried digging under it to see how deep it goes and there seems to be at least 6-10 inches of a concrete base below ground level.  The only thing stopping me from going even deeper and really trying to remove it is that I have no idea what it actually is doing there.  There also seems to be a small landscaping stone on one side of it.

So my question is, can anyone figure out what the purpose of this may have been?  Additionally, will I end up running into any electrical or gas lines if I try to dig this thing out?

Side away from the house

Nob or nobs on side facing the house

Top down view

Some clipped off line?


texts: Can I use a vapor barrier paint instead of polyethylene sheets to encapsulate my crawlspace?

texts:
I was looking into "encapsulating" my crawlspace by some manner or other.  From what I can tell the way to do this involves (primary) some thick poly (.15  or more) along the the soil and up the walls.  The poly is then sealed to the walls.

Currently my crawlspace is vented.

Whilst I was doing my research I stumbled upon a  vapor barrier paint.  Would this paint be a suitable substitute for a poly barrier?  Or should I not even worry about that and just use a poly barrier?

--Update
My crawlspace floor is dirt and is almost entirely below grade.


texts:
I'd like to retrofit our shower with a rain head by attaching a Kohler K-76331-CP diverter to where the current shower head comes out of the wall, then having one of the diverter's connections go to a regular shower head, and the other connection to the rain shower head.  The diverter connection that I'd like to use for the rain shower has male threads labelled G1/2B.

Normally this connection would point downward and have a hand-held shower hose attached to it.  What I'd like to do instead is have that connection point upward and attach a rigid 15-in pipe to it (e.g., a 15-inch nipple) to feed the rain head.  I called Kohler, and they said that there's no problem pointing the connection upward.  But I'm not sure how to join that G1/2B output to a rigid NPT pipe.

Is there a coupling I can use, or is there some other method of doing this--for example, a 15-in pipe that would have a G1/2B female connection on one end and an NPT male connection on the other end?


texts: My garage light has started to (after the sensor has been triggered )it works o.k. But as it is due to go off it just dims very low but stays on any advice on problem would be very much appreciated.


texts:
I have an older gas stove in my kitchen. On the left of it is a wood shelf but on the right and behind it are drywall panels. The gap between back of stove and back wall is around 5 inches. The problem I have is that when the oven is turned on it also heats the back drywall to the point where it becomes bendable.
I went to the local Home Depot, looked at some of the stoves and talked to a salesman there about the heating situation. He told me that the newer stoves are build better so that the heat does not go in the back but comes through air ducks out of the front of the stove (I did see the air ducts).
My question is, how do I go about double checking this before I actually spend 400 dollars on a new stove. I probably wont be able to return it if I still have the same reason, but even if I can, I will have to have them put the old stove back in and there is going to cost more $$$.
I do want to believe that newer stoves insulate the hear better, but how should I go about double checking this before making a purchase?

As far as increasing the gap between the stove and the back wall, it is the last resort, because I do not want to stove sticking out in front of the side shelves


texts:
I have just recently purchased a business that has a large house on the property built in the 20's. Over time due to settling and likely some botched repairs the floor on the second floors slopes pretty badly.

Long story short, I have torn up the carpet and old hardwood which has left me with just the beams. The room slopes drastically from the outside in which is about 3 inches over a span of about 10 feet which is very noticeable. I can not shim up the low side because that will leave a 3 inch step into the room of which the ceilings and doorways are already incredibly low.

I know cutting beams should always be avoided but I was wondering if it would be alright to cut the beams on the tall side (2x8 beams) down roughly 2 inches and then sister new 2x6 beams to them to allow leveling as well as more support?


texts: Tile on a bathroom shower ceiling or just mildew-resistant paint in a dry climate?

texts:
Location is Colorado Springs, where we have a fairly dry climate but are not immune to mildew. We are remodeling, turning the old shower into a linen closet and the old bathtub area (a long jacuzzi tub) into a shower. We did have mildew of tiles and painted areas in the old shower.

The old/new bathroom is enclosed. The ventilation is via a new attic fan that will be very close overhead to the new shower.

What benefit can we reasonably expect from tiling the shower ceiling vs. just using mildew-resistant paint? We believe that tiling the shower ceiling is at least $1,000. We are willing to pay it if it's reasonable to expect real benefits.

Update from the husband

We are considering tiling the shower ceiling to reduce the instances of mold or mildew high on the walls as well as on the ceiling. Even though we have a dry climate in Colorado, long, hot showers can cause severe moisture problems, even affecting the woodwork, despite good ventilation.
To Tim B's comment: The ‘attic fan’ is an-appropriately-sized 150 cfm fan at the entrance to the new shower. It has a 6” insulated vent pipe, and will exit through the roof by the end of next month (all of this is an in-process project). To your excellent point, the old fan did vent into the attic, a practice that used to be acceptable, for some strange reason.
To Jimmy Fix-it's comment: You are exactly right: $1000 is ridiculous, which is what brought this subject up. The shower will be approximately 45” x 96” (based on the width of our bathroom on that side; that drives the cost of the tile). The shower wall tile is rectified porcelain 12” x 24” in a Carrera Marble look, and is nice, but expensive. Instead of repeating that in the ceiling, at the current price, we are considering smaller, and less-expensive 12” x 12” inch white porcelain tiles at ¼ the price.
In addition, the ceiling is where the much more expensive, epoxy-based grout is most important, because of its mold/mildew resistance. That was another key part of the $1k.
The biggest issue is neutralizing the mildew/mold impact of lengthy, hot-water showers.

(Note from the wife: He's not shower-shaming. He wants to make me happy and have confidence in the best solution. We do realize that wipe-downs after showers are key.)

Some interesting links about tiling … almost all are in favor of it, but some suggest less expensive—and maybe smaller—white tile. Note that others prefer larger.

http://www.conestogatile.com/tips-and-trends/should-i-tile-my-shower-ceiling/
https://www.houzz.com/discussions/228606/should-the-ceiling-of-a-shower-be-tiled
https://www.houzz.com/discussions/4545946/help-should-i-tile-the-shower-ceiling-or-not
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?126243-Tiling-ceiling-above-shower-Pros-and-Cons

Interesting link about mold on grout

http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2282369/tiling-ceiling-in-shower-is-it-over-kill
http://floorelf.com/how-to-install-tile-on-a-shower-ceiling

And how to avoid paying $75 a bag for thinset

https://www.bobvila.com/posts/96018-ceramic-tile-on-bathroom-ceiling?page=1#.Wc7ckWiPJaQ


texts: How can I mount cabinetry to metal furring strips with shallow depth?

texts:
I'm trying to mount IKEA Besta cabinets and a 55" tv to my condo wall.  The drywall is 1/2" and is attached to a concrete wall with 1" depth metal drywall furring strips spaced 24" apart.

I was thinking about using toggle bolts or spring toggles through the furring but there isn't enough space for them to open up (concrete wall in the way).

Are there any tricks to get this to work without opening the wall and adding support lumber?  (I'm assuming the toggle bolts would be strong enough to hold the cabinets) Any suggestions?


texts: please help me to understand these circuit tester light-up patterns

texts:
I am using an inexpensive VAC/DC Sperry 80-500 circuit tester and a detector that tells me which circuit breaker in the panel controls the outlet. House (northeastern USA) was built in the 1940s.

An old wire with two conductors comes up from the basement and terminates at a two-prong outlet in the foyer; a wire with two conductors comes down from a light switch on the wall that controls the light in the foyer ceiling. That wire is also attached to the two-prong outlet.

I plug the line-tracer into the outlet, its red indicator light lights up, and then I go down to the basement. The device makes a rapid buzz at breaker #34 in the box. I flip the breaker OFF and come back upstairs to find that the red indicator light of the tracer plugged into the outlet is now OFF, as expected.

But the foyer ceiling lamp is still ON.

I detach the four wires from the outlet and the ceiling light goes OFF.

We now have these four bare wires down at the baseboard in the foyer:

      from ceiling light switch
       xxxx
       xxxx
       xxxx
       |  |
       C  D

A  B
|  |
xxxx
xxxx
xxxx
from basement

With the circuit breaker in the basement still flipped to OFF, and now using the circuit tester:

A + B  =  no light on the tester
C + D  =  no light on the tester

A + C   = faint light on the tester
A + D   = bright light on the tester

B + C   = faint light on the tester
B + D   = faint light on the tester

Does this mean that there is electricity flowing through the wire that comes from the ceiling light switch?


texts: Connecting braided water connector with 1/2" female connection to 3/4" male tub inlet

texts:
I'm currently using a 3/4" x 1/2" bell reducer and 1/2" nipple to connect my tub faucet's inlet flare (I think that's the right word?), but no matter what I do, I'm getting leaks on both ends of the reducer. Per the picture, I'm using PTFE tape.

Is there a way I can directly connect the braided connector to the inlet flare? The faucet also came with a riser nut with a washer inside which I'm currently not using.


texts: How to secure bookcase to drywall right over concrete without drilling concrete?

texts:
I got some tall bookcases and want to set them up against a wall in a condo.
The wall is shared with my neighbor and as such it seems to be a half inch drywall right over a concrete wall, so I don't have space to secure toggle bolts or other drywall anchors.

Technically I'm not allowed to alter the common concrete wall so I want to avoid drilling into the concrete to secure it that way (no hammer drill or masonry bits anyways).

As per this picture the book case will fit on the right under the bulkhead, is there anything I can do with that?


texts: Can I modernize old sliding doors with new frames

texts:
Can I reuse the glass in an old aluminium sliding door and put them into a new modern frame.

Thanks.


texts: Leaking laundry faucet, seems too well attached to pipe to come off

texts:
The hot water valve for our washer started leaking after we turned it back on after replacing our washer. It probably hadn't been shut in years. If I keep it shut the leak stops, but if it's open there's a ever slight drip right at the stem.

I have done some work with regular faucets before, but this one is different as it doesn't appear to be screwed on? There's exposed threads but the faucet doesn't appear to be screwed to those. I've also heard of a packing nut that I could tighten, but from the look of it most of the apparatus seems pretty stuck in place.


texts:
Is there a difference between Low-e Glass And Argon Gas?

My boss is trying to convince me that they are one in the same, despite my repeated attempts to differentiate the two for him. At this point, I need help to prove it to him that there is an extreme difference.


texts: 240V on all 120v outlets and ceilings lights

texts:
In a remote studio have a Sub-Pannel with Multimeter readings.
With No Circuit Breakers In Place
(L1 to N 120v)
(L2 to N 120v)
(L1 to G 120v)
(L2 to G 120v)
(L1 to L2 240v)
(N to G 0v)
slim type circuit breakers
(4 singles are for 120v)
(2 doubles are for 240v) dryer and air conditioner
with all circuit breakers ON I found (L1 to N 240v)(L1 to G 240v) while the other L2 drops to 0v
if i cutoff a certain breaker i find the problem to become vice versa (L2 to N 240v)(L2 to G 240v) L1 drops to 0v
My regular wall outlets show HOT to Neutral 240v
This problem raised out of the blue. All circuits had normal readings prior to 1 day ago and have not changed in 5 years.
Had another electrician observe situation and was also stumped with no idea.


texts: Boiler Zone issue after thermostat install

texts:
I just bought a new to me house, built in 1970. I replaced the old mercury thermostats with new programable digital ones. They worked great for the first 12 hours. Kept and read temps like it was set. Called for heat when needed. Then yesterday the middle floor just kept heating up. Thermostat is set at 60 but is reading 79 and heat is still coming from the radiators. I checked the zone and it does open and close manually with no issues.

Any ideas?

Update: So the thermostat will open send power to the zone valve to open, but the valve does not close. The zone valve is a White Rodgers 1311-102.

Update 2: So I just replaced the zone valve. It will open the valve, but not close it. All the wires are the same as upstairs, but the middle level will not close it. New ideas!!!


texts:
Are there any good fall protection options when working on an extension ladder?
 I need to fix some siding near the top of my 2 story house. I have thought about using something like a roof anchor, only screwed/nailed horizontally to a stud near the top of the side of the house, and then tie on to it with a safety lanyard/harness. This doesn't seem to be commonly done though. And I don't know if it would be strong enough. Most people seem to climb ladders with no fall protection and hope for the best.


texts: What do I do about a toilet flange that is too high?

texts: I just had the floors in my bathroom replaced and now the flange is too high.  When I put the toilet on top, the front touches the floor, but the back does not.  The flange and piping are PVC, and the floor is concrete with vinyl on top.  I'm not sure how to approach this problem.  There are many solutions for a flange that is too short but not for one that is too tall.


texts: I've just moved into a new flat, and in the corridor and bathroom, we have these lights as shown in the picture, and they shine with a slight flicker (which I assume is a mains 50Hz). It's very fast, and you can only really tell if you look at the light, but it is still quite annoying. Is there anything that can be done about it, apart from taking them out? (I'm in a rented place so that's not really an option.)


texts: Loosen the base swivel of a Delta faucet

texts: This Delta faucet is supposed to swivel on the joint (I believe) at the base of the faucet. However the joint seems to be too stiff and it's caused the base of the unit to detach from the counter and now the whole unit swivels. How do I loosen this joint so that it can swivel freely? (Before I tighten the whole unit back on the counter.)


texts: LG Electric Range - Infinite switch burning up repeatedly, burner staying on high no matter what the setting

texts:
I have an LG smooth-top Electric range, LDE4413ST, that keeps burning up infinite switches on the Right Front burner, which is a "dual element" burner.  This burner also operates at high power only,  this behavior seems to start when the switch burns up.

Here's what i've tried:
- Tested  continuity on the wiring harness (seems fine, could not find a short)
- Tried  a replacement cooktop heating element (it operated at high power all the time, because the switch was bad and I didn't know it yet)
- Took out the replacement cooktop heating element and put the old one back in
- Replaced the infinite switch since it was burned/scorched at the P1 terminal (replacing this worked for a few days, then stopped with scorch marks at the P1/Ls terminal.  When this happens there is continuity between this terminal and 2/H2, which I understand is not supposed to happen)
- Checking the cooktop heating element resistance on the original burner (was fine)

The range is an LG LDE4413ST. It is the right-front burner that is having this problem.

Everything else works on this range.

Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated!


texts: How can I remove a plastic cupholder glued to the wood frame of a large mirror? I don't want to damage the frame or mirror

texts: How can I remove a plastic cupholder glued to the wood frame of a large mirror?The mirror is on our bathroom wall above the sink. I don't want to damage the frame or mirror. The cupholder is stuck on quite tightly and there does not appear to be any nails involved. Please Help!


texts:
I have this setup (see attached photo, and sorry for my poor drawing skills) and whenever I screw in the light bulb (or flip the switch with the light bulb in), the GFCI trips. Without the bulbs, no tripping.
What did I do wrong and how do I fix it?

Thanks very much in advance!


texts: Do I need a vent fan in an interior laundry room?

texts:
I am renovating a few rooms including an existing laundry room. It currently has one exterior window and another openable window onto an existing mudroom (which also has exterior windows).

After the renovation, the laundry will lose the exterior window as an existing bathroom is extended. The interior window into the mudroom will survive.

Does the Uniform Building Code require that a room with no exterior windows have an exhaust vent fan? Does the existence of the interior openable window into a room with exterior windows have a bearing on that? (I do realize that local regulations may vary from the Uniform Code, but my jurisdiction generally follows those regs.)

[I know there is a related question here, but I have no air conditioning and I am wondering about the additional interior window.]


texts: Should I install external basement insulation that does not extend above ground?

texts:
Question : Is there a way to calculate energy savings for external, 2inch insulation on basement walls that does not extend above the soil surface, leaving the top couple feet of foundation wall exposed to air.

Background:
I am having my basement foundation walls waterproofed externally.  The contractor is offering to provide external insulation for what seems like a reasonable price, and according so some research, there are some advantages to doing this externally if you have the opportunity.  Some sources also suggest that the payoff is rather quick, 2~5 years (but did not state what assumptions were behind that).

The hesitation comes from the fact that what is under discussion is cutting the foam board short of the top of the soil.  Basically if we wanted it to go all the way up (as would be ideal) I'd need a different contractor to tie into the siding and protect the exposed insulation.  Currently there is about 2.5ft of exposed block below the start of the siding, which is the norm for this neighborhood.  I do know that a large part of the value of the insulation comes from the top few feet below the soil and the part exposed to the air.

I do not plan on finishing my basement in the near term or trying to keep it the same temperature as the rest of the house.  House is small (850sq foot bungalo), in lower Michigan.


texts: How to install a proper deck ledger AFTER the fact?

texts:
We just purchased a house that has a roughly 10X20 deck on the back. It's relatively low to the ground (maybe 1-3 feet high).

The house is cedar lap siding.

The problem is that the deck was built improperly. It was attached to the house directly over the siding, so no proper ledger board, flashing or gap.

What to do? Is there a way to fix this without dismantling the entire deck?

My thoughts:

pull out the floor boards closes to the house a foot or two out.
jack/shim up the house-side joists from underneath.
cut each joist away from the house a few inches.
remove siding, flash, and install proper ledger.
use deck spacers to the install a new 'hanging ledger (is that a term?) to connect to the new shortened joists with new hangers.

Seems doable, all except the tight quarters I'd be working in.

Has anyone done this? Tips/suggestions?

Another option I was considering as more of a short-term option:

remove just one row of floor boards
create new flashing from siding above the connection to the house, wrapping it over whatever type of ledger is below it.

That would basically be just using larger flashing. Might look kind of ugly, but would obviously be  a lot less labor.


texts: I am trying to build a non-load bearing wall parallel to the I-joist in my basement.  I know that I need to add bracing to span the gap between the wall and the joist, but I am slightly confused as to where to nail it.  Most places had suggested to face nail through the I-joist and then toe nail the brace to the rim joist.  But this is not level.  This is what I was thinking of doing.  Does this make sense?  Can I use screws on the the rim boards instead of nails?


texts: Can I have 30 75-watt lights in a 15-amp circuit breaker and 230 volts?

texts:
The voltage here in the Philippines is 230 volts. I searched for the calculation of the capacity of a circuit breaker. So I found out that 15-amp breaker at 230 volts can handle 15x230x.80 percent = 2760 watts. Now, 2760 watts/75 watts = 36.8 lights. So, if I understand correctly, I can install 30 lights in a 15-amp breaker. However, I don't want to miss something, is this calculation correct? Also, will it be fine if I will turn on all 30 lights at the same time?

EDIT
We will use #14 thick wire. Is this also correct?

Thanks!


texts:
My daughter is painting the exterior of her house. The walls are rendered and were painted some 15 years ago. She used a Karcher pressure cleaner to clean the walls and there is no paint flaking.

To repaint, should she use a white sealer paint (primer) first? Then check the wall for any imperfections and fill them if she finds any? After that, she would do the first coat of final colour and wait a day. Then, finally, she'd apply the second final colour coat.

Would this be correct?


texts: Metal flashing for covered porch wall cap (other options) - some exposure to 8 months of rain

texts:
I have a covered porch with two structural columns embedded in the guard wall.  They have welded metal flanged which even if not already embedded in finishings (cedar soffit / guard wall) would not allow a seamless collar to be installed.
The siding for the house is standing seam metal and the siding guy capped the wall as shown.  I am not sure what other options he had but the seam details are out of character for the finish level of the house.
What other options are there for this detail?  Someone suggested forming a concrete cap and pouring in place.  I think this option would be too bulky and quite difficult to do.  The other thought I had was to get something made out of a thick gauge of steel and welded and ground on site to match the two column penetrations.  I'd still be left with whatever clearance between the columns and the cap penetration but at least the surface seam details could be done nicely.
In terms of budget I am thinking it would be nice to get it under $3000.  Recommendations for material, other ideas?


texts: When to use inox (stainless steel) screws in an anchor as opposed to using galvanized/normal screw?

texts:
Is it only when there is a possibility of humidity? Are inox screws better for withstanding some weights, are they tougher or just their water handling is better? I see there are different types of Inox too, like A2, A4, supposedly better for handling water.

I am assuming that for home use and weight holding, it might not matter, but what I am asking is in theory; which screw would handle weight better, and if I compare inox to other normal screws, what should I go for and why?

Also is A4 Inox worth the price?


texts: Which Component Is Broken in the Refrigerator

texts: My freezer and refrigerator are too warm and I want to know why so I can fix it or at least not be swindled by a repairman. The fans work. The evaporator obviously does make the air colder given the ice shown in the picture. I melted the ice with water now the ice is returning. There is a strange smell faintly like burnt rubber in the freezer. Manually activating the defrost timer turns off the fans. If there is any other necessary diagnostic information necessary please let me know. Which component is broken in my refrigeration unit?


texts: What is/are the proper method and tools for drilling into masonry?

texts:
Related to this question, The blinds project has gone pretty smooth up until this point. It seems that some walls have plaster or masonry behind them. Probably not a big deal, but I've snapped a couple of quality drill bits in the process.

Thus, I ask: What should I do to fasten the rest of these to the wall? I have seen some suggestions online about using molly anchors, but I'm not sure if that's the right approach, or even which molly anchor is appropriate.


texts:
Is there something like a water-proof Amphenol-style plug connector for an exterior 12/2 120V power connection?

I have pool pumps hardwired through grey "Sealproof" flex conduit.  I need to remove them seasonally, and I'd rather have a tail on the pump with some sort of watertight power coupler than have to remove the covers of each pump and (un)screw each wire to/from its terminal.


texts: How to check if cabinets are wood or laminate

texts:
When i move in to my new home i will more than likely need to do touching up in the kitchen.

How can i find if the cupboard doors are made from wood or laminated MDF?


texts: Why did my main circuit breaker trip before the branch circuit breaker?

texts: As per my knowledge, the overload current will trip a circuit breaker and will burn the fuse of any fused switch. How come when my main breaker failed (because of the steamer I reckon because it happens every time we use it) the fuse of the switch that held steamer socket + the ELCB didn't trip (It jumped directly to the MCB)?


texts: Is my plan for adding a sub-panel correct?

texts: We have a 100 amp main panel, range and dryer are gas. Neutral and ground wires on same bar. I put in a 60 amp breaker and ran 10/3 to shed in pvc pipe. Bought a 125 amp panel for shed/workshop with a separate ground bar. Red and black go to main breaker, neutral and ground go to separate bars with a ground wire. Does this sound good?


texts: Who do I call to approve minor interior structural changes to my house?

texts:
I want to knock down an interior wall in my house and make a dropped ceiling flush with the remainder of the room. It should be a fairly straightforward home improvement project that I am quite sure I can handle, however I would like to be totally certain and get a structural engineer to sign off. I would of course pay for his or her time.

Is it common for people to do? Who do I actually call? I don't think I should call a contractor because I want to do the work myself, but I want to make sure that what I plan to do is above board.


texts: Best insulation system below a wood floor exposed to nature

texts:
This area to be insulated is just past the wood deck. You can see chicken wire holding up the old batt insulation that is been torn down by various creatures!  The floor is supported by joists laying across the stone piers.

Considering spray foam but interested in something modular.


texts: Is there a problem with this service neutral?

texts: I've been having issues with lights flickering and unbalanced voltage on either leg and after some research it seems like it's a bad neutral somewhere. These are the service wires coming into the electrical panel. Could the browning(not sure if that's oxidation) affect the connection or would it be something farther down the line on the power companies side?


texts:
I am adding an outdoor floodlight and when I opened the motion sensor box for the existing lights, I found the neutral wire feeding the light was not connected in the box.  I think this neutral should be connected with the other neutrals in the same box, but I wanted to make sure that is correct before rewiring it.  When I checked the light fixture itself, there are several neutrals wired together in that box.  Should I join the light neutral with the other neutrals in this box?

Note: There were several other issues with this box also that I fixed (box not grounded, not outdoor rated box, no cable clamp etc.).


texts:
I've recently found what appears to be an old sump well on my property. It's been buried by dirt and debris, but once that was cleared I now have a 22.5" diameter hole in the concrete that appears to be ~30" deep — which is why I'm assuming it's a sump well. We definitely get a lot of water on this side in the rainy seasons, but since owning the home we've found another approach to solving for excess water on this side.

Anyone have any suggestions on what to do with the hole? It's an odd size, so getting a cover is proving near impossible. Should I just fill it with concrete and move along?


texts: Is there a simple way to make these rough sawn, exposed joists level and flat?

texts:
I am renovating the kitchen in my 100+ year old American Four Square home. I was unfortunately not able to salvage the original longleaf pine flooring, so it has all been pulled up. I'm left with original rough sawn 2x8 joists (spanning about 13'). The problem I am facing is that none of the joists are in the same plane, even at the ends where they are sitting on the foundation (one end) and a support wall (other end).

Luckily, there is a cinder block wall near the middle of the span running perpendicular to the joists. The most obvious thing to do is shim under that to get the middle sag out of each joist. But since none of the joists are in the  same plane at the ends, this job isn't as simple as that. I'm not quite sure how to tackle this problem. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

Here are some pics of the room. Notice that there is one point in the foundation wall where the joists are resting on a wood header and they notched the end of a few joists halfway up. If you have any idea how to address that, that would be great, too.

EDIT - Finished Job

Thanks for all the advise. I decided to go with the shimming approach, which was a bit tricky because the joist are quite wavy (up and down). I created custom shims by scribing a pattern on to a level 2x4 and cutting on the scribe line with a jig saw.

If I would have had fewer mechanicals in the joist bay, sistering would have probably been faster and easier. Ripping 14' with a jig saw is time consuming and I still had to use additional shims when my scribe wasn't accurate enough. I used Advantech subfloor adhesive to set the shims in place, then used a variety of screws to secure each shim. In some places I needed to use 3" screws because my shim was about 1.5" tall!

If you haven't used Advantech subfloor or adhesive before, I highly recommend it.

Sistering probably would have been necessary if I wasn't lucky enough to have a block wall mid way under the joists to act as a girder. The original joists would have needed the extra strength from a glued and screwed sister without the block wall.

Here is what it looks like with the shims installed:


texts: Can I work on resetting pavers on my patio after a heavy rain?

texts:
This is about a pavers patio. If you are curious about the whole context please see my other questions.

Last night it rained a lot. I have some problems due to water collecting near the wall of my house from the patio. I am planning to reset the stones in some areas and to install a french drain between my house and the patio.

Is it OK to work on the above after such a heavy rain? There is more rain to come and I want to stop this madness with the water pooling near the wall when it rains heavily.


texts: Combining two water inlets into one. Does increase pressure

texts: There are two water pipes with same diameter and same water pressure. If we combine both pipes to get single output. Does it increase water pressure on final output or the pressure will be same. What happens if water pressure on both pipes are different.


texts:
Background:
I live in Minneapolis. I am finishing my basement and in doing so will be adding a sub-panel. I am finishing up the details for the rough-in inspection (pre-panel install).

I was under the impression that everything should be ready for the receptacles, switches, and lights to be added. Meaning, for example, receptacles, and lights in series should be pigtailed but the actual outlets and lights shouldn't be connected.

I have multiple junction boxes as well to split a circuit to multiple lines. Given the above I would assume that I should make all connections. However, my father is adamant that they should be measured to length, cut off and labeled, but left disconnected.

Perhaps my google-fu is just terrible, but I can't find an answer either way.

Should all connections be made in a junction box for the rough-in inspection or should they be left to hang?


texts: Converting Tandem circuit with shared neutral to GFCI

texts:
My exterior outlet/garage outlets are part of a 15a tandem switch currently that's not GFCI. Looks like this:

One of the hots runs the string of outlets I want to protect, then there's a hot from the other part of the tandem switch, and a single neutral split between them. I don't think I can use a single GFCI 15A circuit and just switch the single circuit over.

Closest thing I can find is this:

But that's two pole, not one pole (and I can tell the difference in the picture, but honestly don't understand quite the difference). My panel takes QO breakers...

Any help much appreciated!

UPDATED IMAGES INSIDE THE PANEL

Just so people understand the context this is a new house I moved into. I didn’t ignore rules, I’m just trying to fix an issue that was there before, and do it safely. Your input is very helpful.

The top left of the panel is input to the sub-panel. The panel came with the two breakers on the left, and the breaker all the way on the right. Coming into the box were essentially three sets of wires through one metal conduit, with each set having a piece of electrical tape around them. There’s a black, red, and white bundled together, and another black red and white bundled together (14g). The two black wires go to one breaker, with the white neutral above it, and the two red wires go to the next breaker, one neutral above it. The 3rd set is a pair of black and white 12g wires that go to the 20A rightmost circuit. Then there are two circuits in the middle that have the visible square D symbol that I added. The first one on the left is the GFCI 15A circuit, not hooked up to anything but the neutral and turned off, the failed addition, and a 20A circuit hooked up to a 12g pair of black/white wires that goes out to topmost right position in the sub panel to an outdoor GFCI outlet I added (the only things I added to this panel).

Curious to know if this changes anything. Thanks for your thorough thoughts!


texts:
I have a large room with a corner that goes close to 3" below level.  Rather than dumping bag after bag of SLC, it seems like maybe I should use a regular mortar or concrete to get it up to near level then use SLC to finish off what my hack concrete job will probably look like?
As the dip nears level, what's the minimum thickness I should go if mortar or concrete is advisable?


texts: Sizing Electric Baseboard Heat (Supplemental)

texts:
I have a 635 square foot finished basement insulated with closed-cell spray foam on the concrete.  The climate here is zone 5A (Central NJ).

I want to add supplemental heating via electric baseboards and I'm not sure how many feet of them I need.

I read that a typical rule of thumb is to take the square feet * 10 to get the number of watts you need and then divide by 250 watts/foot to get the number of feet.  (So talking 25.4 feet here).

But I believe this calculation is if you are only heating with electric baseboards.  I'm looking to use these to supplement my forced air system.
I have extended the forced air heating/cooling system into the basement by adding two registers and two returns, but I have only one zone for the whole house.

In the winter, when the forced air heat is running, the basement is 69/70 degrees, which is perfectly fine.  When it shuts off for an hour or so, the basement drops to like 65/66.  During the summer, the basement is 65/66 consistently (this is after I insulated the a/c ducts in the ceiling).

So I only really need to bump things up a few extra degrees to keep my kids from complaining.

(I would consider zoning the house into 2-3 zones.  I think that would fix the basement issue in the winter.  But during the summer, since I couldn't run heat and a/c at the same time, I'd be in the same position where its 3-4 degrees too cold.)


texts: Contractor scratched, gouged, and pitted my new hardwood floors

texts:
The contractor that installed my beautiful new hardwood floors then scratched, gouged, and pitted them when dragging our new kitchen cabinetry across them.  He's trying to tell me that those dings are, "normal".  My brand new floor is scratched to heck!

The guys that he had install the cabinetry didn't use any blankets.

What are my options?


texts: wiring switch and plug to flourescent fixture

texts: I'm having a problem wiring a plug and a pull switch to a fluorescent fixture. The switch wiring is the problem. If I connect the hot lead to the ballast and plug  and the common to the ballast and plug  I blow the breaker. If I do not connect the common on the switch the switch will not work. My ohm meter shows the switch is good.


texts: How to deliver hot water from bathroom to kitchen

texts:
My appartment (and all my neighbours as well) doesn't have hot water. So I recently purchased electric boiler (80L) and placed it in the bathroom. Now I'm planing to deliver the hot water from the bathroom to the kitchen. What kind of pipes I need? Do I need them insulated? I'm planning to run them near the floor.

I have very limited budget and I don't have any plumber friends that I can ask for advice.

I don't live in the US, if that helps :)


texts: Tie lighting on Knob and Tube to a low voltage (12v) system?

texts:
I have an old stone 18th C. Pennsylvania farm house.  In several rooms, wall sconces were installed when the house was first electrified - with knob & tube wiring. The knob and tube wired to old outlets are being rewired with romex to handle modern heavier loads.  But for the sconces, I wanted to explore the possibility of connecting the knob & tube wiring from a low voltage 12v source.

Questions:

I imagine 12 volt is safer than 120 volt.  I have read here elsewhere that NFPA70 (National Electic Code) does not exclude use of knob & tube, but that some insurance companies will not insure a house with active knob & tube.  I wonder how an insurance underwriter would react to the use of old knob & tube for 12v lighting only?
Would a 12v system work with K&T wiring? And old sconces?


texts:
Background:

I live in upstate New York, just outside of Ithaca. My wife and I have recently purchased a home at a steal because of an existing relationship with the previous owner. So the fact that I have to put a decent amount of work into the house is no surprise. Now I'm going to have professional assistance and input on the situation, I would just like to get a wide array of input on the situation.

Specifics:

Pardon any gaps in terminology. The house was built roughly 50 years ago. It is a pier/beam foundation with cement footers going down past frost line at roughly ~6-7ft apart (I failed to measure this). On the footers rests 6x6 treated upright piers. These piers are notched for the floor assembly to be attached. The back exterior wall spans roughly 30ft.

Problem:

There was a porch (poorly) built and attached to the house. From what I can tell the porch seemed to funnel water in one spot back to the house (Palm to forehead). The only reason I noticed was because I found a sag in the floor. So I ripped the porch down so I could take a closer look and it seems that the pier that is closes to that "water" zone was damaged beyond repair, and thus took with it a portion of the floor structure.

Proposed Solution:

I'd like to once by one replace the 6x6 piers with CMU block piers, reinforced with rebar, and filled with concrete. Hopefully elminating any future water damage (there is the possibility of slight flooding in the area). I've also got to replace at least part of the sill beam structure do to water damage. I plan to laminate (3)2x10 together to form a good a solid sill beam. I'm then going to probably sister the few floor joists that got damaged. The damage goes probably 1-2ft up the joist, so play on sistering to at least 8ft to ensure stability.

Questions:

Do you see any issues with using the CMU block method I propose for
the piers?
Do I necessary need treated lumber for the sill? It will be sitting
on the cement piers which I know would require it to treated, but it
will have a termite shield, and probably a piece of either steel or
plywood before the beam. I ask because I keep reading that treated
lumber tends to twist & crack over time, and I really would like to
avoid the loss of structural integrity if I can.
I assume from all the codes I've been reading that the floor joists
don't need to be treated as they're definitely more than 18" off the
ground.


texts: Can I build an anti-fatigue standing mat myself?

texts:
I thought about buying a anti-fatigue mat for healthier prolonged standing but unfortunately the price tag is quite high and they are not available in my country, so I would have to pay for additional shipping costs. I’m wondering what material these mats are made of and whether I could simply buy the raw material for a cheaper price. They appear to be made from high density polyurethane foam. I don’t need surface structure to prevent slipping, by the way.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/product/B00EJ9PVFM
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005UA2WO2


texts:
I'm in the middle of replacing a faucet in our house's bathroom. I found copper lines coming off of our shutoff valves and am not sure what to do with them. I bought replacement flexible lines (Similar to https://www.homedepot.com/p/Homewerks-Worldwide-Universal-Connector-Kit-x-20-in-Faucet-Supply-Line-Braided-Stainless-Steel-7223-20-38-5/203082359) to replace them, but the copper lines don't seem to want to move. I'm uncertain if they're soldered or not, as they were held in place by nuts before I removed them. I don't want to damage the shutoff valve though. What is the typical procedure for replacing such lines? Are they just held in place by pressure and can be remove by applying force? I noticed that the lines at the top of the sink leak water when a small pressure is applied to them, but they do not come out easily.

Shutoff Valve:

Top of Sink:


texts: How to attach light with two ground wires to fixture with one ground wire?

texts:
I'm trying to replace a ceiling light and I'm unsure of all the connections to make because the light has 4 wires coming from it, but the ceiling only has 3.
The ceiling light has black, white, green and bare wires:

The mounting plate that came with the light has a green colored screw, that I believe is some sort of ground screw:

Finally, there are 3 wires from the ceiling: white, black, and a bare one. Here's a crudely drawn diagram from MS Paint:

My assumption is that I should make the following connections:

Black wire from light to black wire in ceiling
White wire from light to white wire in ceiling
Green wire from light to bare wire in ceiling
Bare wire from light wrapped around green screw in mounting plate.

Am I correct?
I'm a complete noob with this stuff, but I want to be safe when it comes to electricity. I'm in the USA, if it's relevant.


texts: How can I get a broken bolt out of the bathtub overflow drain?

texts:
I am in quite a pickle with my bathtub overflow drain. What I thought would be an easy leak fix quickly turned into a nightmare when one of the bolts for the drain cover snapped off.

So far I've tried drill bits (regular and left-handed) but I cannot bite into the bolt to get a hole for an extractor. My next thought is trying to remove the pipe from below, but I'm not sure how hard that would be, or if I could just end up causing more damage. Any suggestions?

Here's the drain with the broken bolt:

And here's what's accessible from below:


texts: Cold water from tank not getting through to stand alone bath

texts: We have a stand alone bath & shower and when first plumbed in worked fine. 2 years on and the hot still comes through every time but the cold (if not left coming out of tap when turned off) fails to come through. When this happens you have to run other taps around the upstairs to bring the water in the bath to come through. Weird as the water for the bath comes from cold water tank in roof with hot coming from cylinder (both supplies in 3/4" copper). After about 10-20mins the cold water starts to come through the bath / shower............Does anyone have any ideas?