texts: One of two Nest Thermostats won't run Fan Only, fan runs with heat though

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We've got two Nest Learning Thermostats (3rd Gen) running two separate heating and cooling units in an office. They both work fine for heating and cooling, with one exception: one unit will not turn on the fan only. The fan comes on as normal for both AC (probably, too cold to test) and heat, but if set to run Fan Only nothing happens.

I'm confused because it seems like the unit is able to run the fan if heating just fine. Both thermostats are wired up exactly the same. Not the initially recommended configuration but one Nest support recommended during the initial setup that has proven effective.

I'm not 100% sure that both heating/cooling units are the same. They were wired up the same with identical old thermostats before we installed the Nests, but the hardware is up on the roof where I've not been yet. Never tested Fan Only before switching to Nest, so troubleshooting scenarios are unclean!
Wondering if anyone has any ideas to isolate the issue. The only thing I can think of to start is to try switching the Nests but I don't guess that will help as the controller seems an unlikely source of the problem.


texts: Is a raised floor viable and safe in a basement bathroom?

texts: A contractor wants to build a raised floor for my bathroom basement that he is building for me instead of breaking the concrete. The plumbing would be underneath the floor. Is this a viable and safe alternative to breaking concrete? Or does he just want to keep the costs down for himself?


texts: Identifying a Manual Gas Shutoff Valve for Water Heater

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I've been reviewing some instructions before flushing my water heater - and one of the first instructions is to shut off the gas valve to the appliance.

The trouble is, I'm just not certain enough to proceed. Is what I'm looking at is the shutoff valve mentioned in the instructions on the heater? How can I tell?

In case it isn't clear from my little collage below. The valve is located prior to the on the only pipeline leading to the "gas in" location on the honeywell thermostat whose manual I've found, here.


texts: At a wall socket, is using thin wires at ground pin dangerous?

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I paid a hardware shop owner to modify my wall light switch to socket for my washing machine in bathroom. The power in my area right now is 3 phase 220V AC.
At first it is a switch.

Then we modified it to a switch with socket like this.

He connected the two power pin between wall and socket with original thick wire from wall. But when connecting ground, thick wire ran out,so he cut and use the several wires from my electrical brake of my broken electrical scooter. But, it is probably a DC 3.6,5, or 12 V wire, or at worst case it may just be a signal wire not supposed to transmit power. Isn't it dangerous even he used several wires in parallel? Although he kept promising it is safe, I am not sure. According to my deduction, ground is used when something goes wrong like close circuit, insulation failure, electrical shock, thunder, or releasing accumulated statistic electricity. Does it  mean normally it is safe and works fine, and indeed my washing machine works fine, but dangerous at unexpected condition? If needed, I can take and post the picture tonight if it helps.
Furthermore,
I paid another hardware shop owner to fix it yesterday. I found acturally ground and neutral wires are small and parallel. Not only ground as I remember before.
This is the installation after fix. Extension power wire is 2.5mm of copper the same as wire inside wall, and the wire to light is smaller maybe 2.0 or 1.5mm

Before fix, the parallel small wire is like this. Insulation is about 1mm and copper is about 0.5mm.


texts: What is this circuit board and how to I replace it?

texts:
I have two under counter lights in my kitchen which stopped working at the same time. I assumed some kind of fuse needed changing, and on opening the little box connecting them to the mains I found the following.

I presume this is where my problem is, but what is it? And what do I ask for to get a new one that works?


texts: How to attach ledger board to under-roof siding?

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I want to attach a ledger board, over the existing wood siding. Something similar to this, but immediately underneath the roof

How do I determine where I need to drill the holes to attach it to the siding - basically, how do I find the joists?

An additional complication is that there is just a small distance between the roof and window edge

Are there any drilling recommendations, to avoid hitting wires or whatnot?


texts: Pipes were frozen-cold water coming from hot

texts: Our hot water pipe was frozen in our garage. We got it thawed out and for fifteen seconds there was a burst of hot water now it is only cold water. Could it be that the water is still cold from the ice and it will get hot as the ice is fully melted and my hot water tank catches up or what could be the issue?


texts: Combining multiple electrical runs into a single wire

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I have a warehouse-type space with 14' ceilings, and am updating the electrical for my workshop. Right now, I've got four workbenches that I move and reconfigure depending on what I'm working on for a particular project. Each workbench has 20A of power (each one has one of those 4' multi-outlet power strips), which I'm currently supplying via extension cords from nearby outlets.

In a perfect world, I want to get these cable runs off the floor and use a ceiling drop to distribute power. At the moment, I've got 4 lines running to a box in the ceiling, and was about to hardwire some 25' entension cords (with strain relief, of course) for the drops. However, short of zip-tying a mess of cords or wires together, is there any way to combine these four separate circuits into a single cable, then breaking them out into four separate curcuits again at the bottom? It'd be awesome if I could just wire four 12/3 runs into a 2 or 3 gauge cable, then magically redirect the electrons to one of four 12/3 edison outlets at the other end. But I don't suspect that exists. :)


texts: How can I make a 240 volt 4 wire to 3 wire extension/adapter cord?

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I have an existing 240 outlet wired into the wall of my shop. It's there to run a phase converter that I use about 2 hours a week. I want to use this circuit to run a 240 window air conditioner when the phase converter is off.

The air conditioner arrived today and has only 3 conductors on the power cord. I looked up the configuration and determined that it's a 240v 15 amp set up.

I want to make a short extension cord, about 6 ft, to connect the 3 conductor plug from the AC to the 4 conductor 240v wall receptacle. The wall side would be an 4 conductor plug that fits the receptacle. The AC side would be a 3 conductor receptacle that fits the end of the AC power cord. So my extension cord would only be 3 conductor (no ground) going into the 4 conductor wall receptacle.

I've spent enough time around electricians to know how to connect wires and such safely. Just not sure if omitting the ground will work. The manufacturer of the AC apparently thinks so or they would not have made it with only 3 conductors.


texts: How to fix stripped screw holes in drywall? (Without using drywall anchors)

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Where drywall anchors can't be used (for example, where only the screw holes themselves are visible through holes in a panel covering the drywall).

I've seen questions covering stripped screw holes in wood, metal or plaster, but nothing specific to drywall. Does the wood glue and toothpick method work here, or is another method recommended?


texts: Washer drain pipe flush against outside wall

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I am looking for a way to fix an every winter, problem with the drain pipe from our washer.

We live in Alaska and we have a 1960's built ranch with no basement but crawl space under entire house (no outlets). The drain pipe from our washer is flush against the outer concrete block wall. So every time it drops below freezing for more than a day it causes the water in the U part of the drain pipe to freeze solid.

We asked a plumber but when he looked at it he said there is no way to get anything between the pipe and outer because there is absolutely no space (which is true). Is there any alternate way to keep this section from freezing? My husband would appreciate something that didn't involve an extension cord and a hair dryer.

Help!


texts:
I'm trying to install my dishwhasher and I'm at the point where I need to install the drain hose.
However, the pipe is obstructed by this plug:

I guess this is the right pipe (please confirm).
I tried to remove it with pliers and screwdriver with hammer without any success.
How may I remove it?
Thanks.

Edit: Here's another picture:


texts: Tiny star like dots appearing in the varnish

texts: I am trying to high gloss varnih the Oak bed to my old Chevy truck, I removed the bed from the truck sanded it back to wood, the bed is only 4 years old, starting with 80 grit then 120 the 240 and finally wire wool I then hoovered it and wipe down with thinners and let dry,I then varnished the planks in the morning and left them until the next morning to apply the next coats I am now on the 4th coat, I notice these tiny star light dots in the varnish the dots are about the size of a pin head or smaller and you can see them reflecting in the light like stars, the planks are smooth if you run your hands over them, I think it might be tiny dust particles but I can see how as its being varnished in our spare room, anyone have any idears what this might be.


texts: Do I attach kitchen cabinets when installed overtop of a hardwood floor?

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I have heard about installing cabinets directly on top of a hardwood floor.

How do you secure the cabinets? How do you secure an island? Do you screw directly into the hardwood?


texts: What material to use to clog previously cut central heating pipes

texts: I used to have a central heating system which was never in use for years, because it couldn't be connected to central pipe inside other building. Last winter I finally dropped water from it and cut all pipes. Now there is heating season coming, and some of pipes need to be clogged in order to prevent water coming from lower floors. What material (plaster, sylicone etc) is most appropriate for this?


texts: Can I fill the void behind the shelves in a tub surround with polyurethane spray foam for added strength?

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My wife and I plan on putting up a tub surround.

I have researched a bunch of these and on a few of the reviews I have read that the shelves are flimsy.

The surround she likes (therefore the one we are going with) will probably be this one.

I was wondering could I fill the void in the back of the shelves with great stuff for added strength?

This would firm up the shelves without adding undo weight.

Would the expanding great stuff push to much and possibly crack the shelf void?


texts:
SOLVED. It was secret door number 3. In this case, a GFI outlet two floors down in the basement adjacent to the fuse panel. Having only been in the house a couple months I never even noticed it or thought of it as playing a key role in a bathroom fan/light  two floors up.
Our Broan fan and light combo in the bathroom no longer work -- both fan and light are non-functional.  I noticed that the GFI plug wasn't working.  Upon pressing test/reset I heard it buzzing and it smelled like something burned inside of it. As a result I removed the outlet and replaced it.
Once the GFI was replaced it now functions correctly, but fan and light combo overhead are still not working.  Is it possible that the fan AND the light stop working at the same time.
Anything else worth checking?
Model number is 678g/2678F-A
Wires didnt look damaged, but that was just visual inspection.
I took the cover off to get model number and see that the fan and light plug in like a normal outlet. No voltage from those outlets and the light works when plugged into another outlet. So, seems the issue exists between the switch and the hard wiring of the fixture perhaps.
Wiring was just as on old switch.


texts: can I cut in / blend old brick extension

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Our house was extended some time before we moved in and it has left a straight line of mortar running down the front and back of the building went instead of cutting out the half bricks that wrap around they have just fixed cut bricks.

I'm assuming this was just a lazy developer rushing the job..

It's it possible for me to work my way up and cut out every other brick and fit a new to join the two buildings back together?

The brick work all lines up correctly between old and new so the replacements should be perfect.

If I'm mistaken and this is actually standard practice could I perhaps cut out around a third of the half bricks depth and re-face them with a slice?


texts: Garage sensors: connect 2 pairs of reverse sensors for added safety?

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I have one pair of functioning door sensors at kid level that work fine.
I want to add another pair of sensors higher up (height of my truck bumper) so that the garage won’t close if my car is sticking out. Of course I want to have two so that the kid level ones are working.
Would it work to add a second pair and if so, how? Just connect the two sensors on the left to each other in series and the two on the right in series?


texts: How to stop this small roof from leaking?

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We have water stains in the ceiling drywall underneath this small section of roof.

I suspect it's due to the loose metal that's on top of the shingles.  The fasteners on the top of the metal are all sealed still, but the metal literally lifts up by hand.

In the image, a gap on the left side is clearly visible.  I suspect the water is entering through the nail holes, but I'm not 100% sure.

How do I properly fix this?  Is there a certain "maintenance" required with this metal piece?


texts: Installing cardboard deflectors (baffles) in attic

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Goal

I need to install 75 cardboard deflectors (baffles) in my attic. I need to do this so that the cellulose does not go into my soffits.

Current Setup

I brought myself up three sheets of 2x10 plywood planks that I will setup for me to lay on. The attic  currently contains insulation batts with an R 5.9 value. It is quite low and that is why I'm going to fill my attic up with 14 inches of cellulose.

I have a head lamp and some staples to help with the insulation.

Problem

My issue is I am not sure if I should remove the existing pink insulation in order for me to staple the baffle and then put it back to its place... Or can I just set my cardboard flush / on top of the existing batt and staple it to the attic joist so that it is a flush fit?

Also, there doesn't seem to be much room at all, how in hell do I get in there and install the baffle? I'll be laying on my stomach of course, but it seems that my head will be blocking my body from being able to play around in there.

Any suggestions?


texts: Carpet padding with bi-fold closet doors?

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I am in the process of my first ever DIY carpet installation, in a room that has bi-fold doors for the closet.  During tear-out of the previous carpet, I wasn't observant enough to notice if the floor underneath the lower hinge brackets had carpet underlay installed, or not.  While installing my new carpet underlay, I did add in some small pieces there... but now I'm worried that if I proceed this way, that once I have the carpet down over that pad, the lower hinge brackets won't line up with the original screw holes in the door jamb.  (As it stands right now, if I test-fit the hinge brackets directly over the padding, I must press down on them a little to get the original holes to line up.  But, my new pad is thicker than the previous one.)

Do the areas pictured usually have small wedges of carpet underlay pad placed in them, like I've done in the picture below?


texts: To much attic exhaust venting? Help check my math

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So I just had my roof done and wanted ridge vents. The roofer used VentSure® 4-Foot Strip Heat & Moisture Ridge Vents. I am trying however to check my math on my balance, and thing I have way to much exhaust venting.

The roofer used about 35 linear feet of ridge vents (the whole ridge). I have about 966 square feet of attic floor. And I have 40 soffit panels with a single strip of lanced holed venting, the area of the perforation is 24 by 5 inches roughly.

Now I know I have way more venting than I need (966/300 = 3.22 sq/ft), but I am worried about my balance.

By my calculations I have Free Net Area in the ridge of 700 sq inches (4.9 sq/ft). Using OC's 20 sq/in NFA per linear foot (20 x 35). Ridge Vent Stats

I could not find the exact NFA for my under eave soffit vents but I used the following logic to estimate. I have one strip of 24 " x 5" of lanced holes per soffit panel. So that is 120 sq inces of perforation area (or .83 sq ft). Looking at a similar product that is perforated all over I found it had a NFA of 5.87 sq in/sq ft. So I figured each of my soffit vents gave me a NFA of 4.5 sq inches (5.87 x .83). I have 40 soffit panels (with rafter channels so no blockage), so that should equate to 180 square inches of intake (1.25 sq/ft). So while I have enough total venting 6.15 sq ft... I have a ratio of 20% Intake to 80% exhaust.

Or are my calculations way off?
How big of an issue is this?

I will say that because of the roof layout, one side of my house has 30 soffit vents and the other side has a length of 11 of them. The wind usually will hit the 30 soffit side first.


texts: Will wall anchors work when screwed into a stud?

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I'm installing some Lack floating shelves from IKEA. I have two holes into the drywall with anchors (the metal kind with large threads), and one hole into the stud.

The problem is, I got confused and screwed a wall anchor into the wooden stud. I was pre-drilling holes for the anchors, so there's also a hole (larger than the screw) in the stud. The anchors say they are fine to use with wood, but what do you guys think? Do I need to back these out and start over, or will these hold my shelves like this? I am expecting the shelves to hold 20–30 lbs.


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This morning, whenever I tried to turn on my bathroom light, it would flicker, then die. From what I understand, the most likely culprit here is a loose connection somewhere.
When I took my switch out of the wall, I noticed that the ground wire was not connected to anything. I thought I'd reattach the wire by looping it clockwise under one of the screws coming out of the side, but I'm... less sure about that now that I'm getting a good look at things - I think those are used to secure the black cable and create contact.

When I took it off, the ground wire was just kinda chillin in the box, not really connected to anything. The box is covered in paint (or maybe just primer?), but even still, it doesn't feel like metal, so I don't understand how anything would be grounded.

The white neutral cables are all kinda tied together. The two black hot cables on the right side are connected via a nut, and the resulting cable out of that is what feeds the switch. The cable on the left is what heads up to the light in the bathroom (the light switch is outside the door - don't ask).
Once I get the flickering fixed, is it safe to put it all back in there with the ground wire just kinda... hangin' out? I don't see any way to attach it to this switch.


texts: Are furring strips over insulation in concrete basement strong enough to hold some shelves and a tv?

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I plan to mount a 55" TV to my basement's wall with some floating shelves on both sides.  Looking at pictures from my house's construction, I can see that furring strips were nailed over the insulation into the concrete (?).

Is this strong enough to hold a TV, shelves and maybe even a floating TV stand?


texts: How do you secure solid blocking in joists without staggering them?

texts: I have some construction being done and the plan is to install blocking in the I-joists which I presume will consist of solid blocks of wood about 16 x 11 x 1.5 placed inbetween each joist in a row. Apparently they have a method of installing it so that the blocks are in a perfect row, not staggered, but if so, how could they be nailed in since each block will obscure the nailing point through the web of the joist for its neighbor?


texts: Is galvanized pipe safe for use as a bathroom faucet?

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Since the Food and Drug Association (FDA) has approved the use of galvanized steel for food preparation and conveyance for all applications with the exception of foods that have a high acid content, such as tomatoes, oranges, limes, and other fruits. The acid content in these foods will attack the zinc coating and cause accelerated corrosion.
Is there any reason not to use galvanized pipe?
I am re-imaging an old antique buffet into a bathroom vanity. I am using a galvanized bucket for the sink and want to use silver pipe for the faucet, with old fashioned ceramic hot and cold knobs. This will be used daily for washing and teeth brushing. What I need know is will this be safe for human use? Copper will be used underneath the sink area, but I want silver/galvanized for the faucet.
Pic is what I would like to use, I just need to know if it's chemically safe. Thank You.


texts: Should I use caulk or grout between the edge of a tiled bathroom floor and the walls?

texts: I just tiled my bathroom floor. What should I put between the tiles and the walls, silicone or grout?


texts: Height of gang boxes for entertainment center

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Wall mounted televisions are supposed to be at a comfortable viewing height when sitting down, according to most television and wall mount manufacturers (standard -- 42"). Now I'm working on new construction and the electrical contractors installed wiring boxes 5' off the floor. It's ugly as hell, and mounted visibly ABOVE the 55" flat screen.
My question: Why would they mount boxes 5' off the floor when they should be only 3' or 4' off the floor? Is there an NEC code that justifies this or is it some convention?
NOTE: Realizing wall-mounted TVs are set at different heights, especially in bedrooms, a higher height could make sense, but 4' mounts would cover all bases better, I think, so it's still confusing.


texts: Is this likely to be asbestos in the ceiling above my bathroom?

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The ceiling fan in my bathroom is playing up, so I removed it.

Looking inside the roof above the hole I saw the following:

It looked like a big clump of dust so I grabbed it and it felt quite soft.  I am probably being paranoid but is there any chance this could be asbestos?  I know soft asbestos is used as insulation but would I find it so close to the plasterboard like that?

The house was built in 1964 (in Australia).


texts: My break wall on the lake has a 8” high by 2’ wide void under a corner and is leaking into my retaining wall chamber. It is under the water line. How can I fill this hole?


texts: One section of my outdoor fireplace  cracked ....the ledge all around the chimney. You can dig the mortar out with your finger it's like brown sugar it was built last summer.


texts: Are 9kg bricks too heavy to build an arch

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I am having a go at making a pizza oven. I know very little about DIY and as such, this project is more about the experience (not the final result!).
I purchased some fire bricks but I did not expect each brick to weigh 9 kg!!
I've laid the bricks on the floor to get an idea of dimensions of the oven and to get the shape right! I've even created an wooden arch so I can 'mount' the bricks onto the arch, cement the bricks together, remove the wooden arch and hopefully will be left with a standing arch!

My concern is, will a heat resistant mortar like this be strong enough to keep this structure this way, or are 9kg bricks not meant to be built up this way? Each brick is 5cm high, 23cm wide and 19cm deep


texts: I am in the middle of a bathroom remodel.  At this point the final configuration will likely be determined by the drains and vents required for a free standing tub, toilet and sink.  The existing constraints include log walls which cannot have any plumbing, a single internal wall which holds the vent stack that continues through the roof, maintaining entry and exit points for existing 3 inch line. I also plan to use the internal wall for the tub filler.  All other plumbing will be in the existing crawl space which will require putting p traps for both the tub and the sink below the sub-floor (I know not allowed).  The previous pedestal sink had the p trap below the sub-floor and we never had any problems.  The entire crawl space is accessible.  Please look at my design and provide any recommendations.  The biggest challenge is venting each fixture. The tool I am using seems to think it is ok to run horizontal vents to the stack.  I'm sure this is not optimal.  Also the tool refuses to run a vent to the sink. Our kitchen sink has an Air Admittance Valve which works well so I guess we could do the same but would prefer vent to the stack if possible. We are on a very tight budget so we hope to DYI all of the remodel including the plumbing.


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How much weight can a drywall support on both sides if everything is hung on the 2x4s (not on the drywall sheet)?
This drywall doesn't go all the way up to the ceiling. It separates the kitchen from the family room. It already holds cabinetry and china on the kitchen side and I want to mount a 77" TV and a wall-mount electric fireplace on the family room side. This drywall connects to two lateral drywalls and to the kitchen backwall which is made of block, making a square (the kitchen space).


texts: Can my second floor support a marble bathtub?

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I have a marble bathtub that weights around 2400lbs which I have calculated is about 42 cubic feet; capacity of  314 gallons of water (@8.3lbs=2600lbs).
The total weight of the bathtub with water and two people would be about 5300 lbs.  The tub is approximately 20.10 square feet.  The load per square foot is approx 259-264PSF.
The floor is concrete. The joists are 3x8x14 and they are sistered (doubled along their length) as well as with perpendicular supports in between (2x4s). The tub would sit on approximately 4 of these sistered joists (it has a width of approx 3ft).
I am unfamiliar with calculating the PSF supported by the beams.
Is this sufficient support for the bathtub?


texts: Draft Inducer Takes a Long Time to Start

texts: When I turn the thermostat up I hear the draft inducer relay click, but the inducer motor doesn't start immediately like it used to. There's quite a lag time before I hear the draft inducer fan start up, but it will after a while. The motor is a shaded pole, so apparently no faulty capacitor to cause this. My concern is that since the thermostat has kicked the relay, current to a non-turning motor might cause a fire. Any ideas on the cause???


texts:
I am an DIYer and replaced bathroom light fixtures 3 years ago.  Was using halogen and incandescent bulbs, but decided to switch entire house to LED.  I admit that I purchased these bulbs from the dollar store and that may be part of the problem.  Four of the nine bulbs have burned out after a few months. However, I just bought a new batch of bulbs from Home Depot, but do not want to install them if there could be another issue.  It is in a bathroom and there are 3 fixtures chained together with 3 bulbs apiece.  I believe the wiring is all correct or the fixtures would not have worked for 3 years?  Right?  The only other thing to note is that the switch itself is one of those lit ones that you see at night. That was also causing a problem with the LED bulbs glowing at night because they were picking up the current from the switch. Did some internet searching to solve that one. I changed the last bulb in the series to a different type of LED and the glow disappeared.

Do you feel it is the bulbs, switch.  Or, possibly the wiring?


texts: Nest 3rd gen thermostat N72 Error Does not detect Power from Rh wire

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I just hooked my Nest 3rd gen thermostat to my split heating/cooling system with a Common wire coming from the air handler in my ceiling. On my old stat I didnt use a common because it was battery powered. With everything hooked up my AC/fan is running fine but my heat won't kick on. I noticed that the Rh port shows "Power" greyed out and get a N72 error.
In my research it looks like this may be a common problem with split systems. Some people are still able to run their heat even with the error but for me I can't get the heat to run. Is this a wiring issue? Does the Heat have to somehow connect to the C wire from the AC?


texts: What could cause radon levels to be higher on the 3rd floor than the 1st and 2nd?

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Details:  It's a 3 story building.  Each apartment has its own HVAC system.  There is no shared ventilation system.  The foundation is a slab.  The radon levels on all three floors were measured simultaneously.  The first floor was 7.3 pCi/L.  The 2nd floor was 6.7, and the 3rd was 9.2.  Each measurement was in the same horizontal place, near the center of the building.  It was done when the weather was cold enough to be sure all windows were likely to be closed.

Other tests have had similar results, but were not done as rigorously.  E.g., not simultaneously, not in the same part of the building, etc.  The results vary a lot with the weather and probably other factors.  But it doesn't seem logical that the 3rd floor should ever have higher levels than the other two floors.

4/12/2016 ETA:

Tester101 asked if there is a radon mitigation system in place.  How would I find out?  What does a radon mitigation system look like in a 3 story building?  In other words, even if I saw one, how would I recognize it?  Can I recognize it by something coming out on the roof?  What would that look like?  What would the difference be between that and ordinary vents such as drain vents?

Is it likely that a radon mitigation system could be malfunctioning and dumping radon onto the 3rd floor?

I read somewhere that people don't have to worry about radon on 3rd floors and higher because by the time it gets that high its levels are drastically reduced.  But that contradicts another answer to this question, which implied it would be normal for the levels to be higher depending on ventilation etc.

I also read somewhere that if the levels aren't lower on higher floors, the radon could be from building materials instead of coming up from the ground.  How could I tell if that's a factor here?


texts:
While doing some work in my bathroom, one thing led to another and paint started peeling. I found that under many layers of paint was some wallpaper so it seemed natural to pull...

I started peeling it off like crazy, in huge pieces before I realized that what was left behind was not so nice: drywall with its paper peeled off.

It looks like part of the drywall's paper has come off, leaving a rough, fuzzy, roughish surface (that's about 1ft2).

Question: how do I fix this? I might be able to scrape/sand it down smooth enough to paint...maybe.

Another option is to hang some wallpaper.

I do not want to go down to the studs and hang new drywall.

UPDATE:

I said I didn't want to go down to the studs...but that's what I ended up doing. It was not as hard as I expected but did add a lot of time and cost to the project. I couldn't have done it without YouTube :).


texts: Can I use hollow wall anchors in a lath and plaster wall?

texts:
I have a stable enough lath and plaster wall, which I would like to put a box framed picture on.

Usually with a box frame picture on to a plaster board or dry wall, or even a brick or stone wall, I'd drill two holes, put a baton in, and that would be the hanging point of the picture.

I have a proper (hasn't been touched in 100 years) lath and plaster wall. Thin wooden strips running horizontally, which then has plaster squished over it. If I put a wall anchor (such as this one) will this crack the plaster around the hole as it pushes the wings out?

I could find the vertical stud, but there will only be one (if that) in the middle of the short wall I've got, so will only give me one mounting point.


texts: How to match this wall texture? Maybe it's orange oeel

texts: How can I match the texture in the photo?


texts:
I have a small hole (2" x 1") in my drywall. The problem is that it is very close to a work box, so the smallest patch I can find it 4" x 4".

What can I do to patch this hole?


texts: Concrete vs suspended floor over vapor barrier

texts:
Our house has a sizable crawl space large enough to use as storage. The space has no slab covering it, but due to radon issues, it does have a vapor barrier to maintain a suction for the radon mitigation unit and to keep radon from seeping into the basement.

In order to use the space for storage, we'll need to put down a floor in order to protect the vapor barrier. Would it be best to poor a concert slab to cover the barrier? Or could we attach brackets to the walls, run joists above the ground and barrier, and just build a wooden floor above that?


texts:
I have an electric dryer (30A, 240V) that made a "pop" sound the other day and tripped the breaker. When I reset the breaker and turned the dryer back on, I saw arcing behind the dryer. Upon investigation, it seems to be coming from the plug contacts with the dryer.

Question: how do I repair this? Do I just need a new dryer plug? Do I also need to replace the contacts on the dryer?


texts: Fixed Double pane window temporary repair

texts: Shattered the exterior side of a fixed double pane window. Is it possible to remove the remaining pieces of the broken pane without the interior side falling out? Every glass company around is booked for at least a month and I’m looking for a temporary fix until I can get a new unit installed.


texts: How can I safely leave my air compressor on at all times?

texts:
I have a small 1HP air compressor - Rolair JC10 Plus 2.5 Gal.
It would be very convenient to leave it plugged into AC power at all times so that any time I use it, if I bleed it down it will kick in and re-compress itself, etc.
However, this worries me - what if there is a break in the (copper) air lines or a failure of the socket or ... a serious leak.  If that were the case, the compressor could just run forever, or cycle very frequently.
At the very least this is bad for the compressor - at worst, a fire hazard.
Right now, I leave it plugged in but turned off.  This means that if I run out of air I have to walk around the building and turn it back on to re-compress.
An easy solution would be to wire in a high voltage switch at the point of use and make the outlet a switched outlet ... and then leave the compressor power set to on.  HOWEVER, there are TWO points of use (air outlets) so that gets weird and hard to wire.
So my hope is that there is a plug-in relay with a remote control that I can plug between the compressor and the outlet.  So, no wiring involved - just a device between the compressor and the 20amp outlet - and I have two or three remotes that I can place anywhere I like and turn the power on.
Does that device exist ?  Can I size a device purely on the 20amp power outlet or do I need to compute the horsepower of the compressor ?
Is there a simple way to do this that I am unaware of ?
Thank you.


texts: 1 room in the house upstairs remains 11 degrees cooler than the remaining rooms.  I don't even know where to start with this issue.  The thermostat is on the opposite side of the house.  But there is a room even further away than the problem room that doesn't get quite this cold.  The problem is the worst at night.  How can I even out the temperatures?


texts: how to plug a 3 phases oven from the panel

texts:
I’m moving to an apartment and would like to plug in an oven, the agent told me it was 1 phase condo but when I look at the panel it seems to be 3 phases.

Is it 1 or 3 phases?
If 3 phases can I use a 3 phases oven?
Will new wiring be needed from the panel to the plug?

Here are pictures of the panel:


texts:
NEW EDIT #2, SEE BELOW:

Kitchen sink drips from the tap, stops when I turn off hot water shut-off underneath, so I assume the problem is the hot water faucet. I think I know how to repair a faucet with a screw (unscrew to access cartridge and replace it), but when I pried the "H" cap off this one and the metal disk under the "H", there was no screw underneath...just a hole (see photos).

There appears to be nothing obvious inside to unscrew. So, how do I proceed to fix this faucet?

Thanks!

EDIT #2: I give up on removing it from above--I am going to try to remove this from underneath the sink. I'm attaching new photos of what that looks like, and asking for guidance. As you can see, this has been dripping down and rusted out the washer. Do I definitely need a basin wrench to do this, or can I use a socket wrench? What happens when I get this disconnected from underneath?

Whole sink underneath, showing faulty hot water on right:

Hot water underneath, close-up:


texts: what is the proper connection method for wire to wire connection for outdoor ground bonding

texts:
I'm putting an above ground pool in the backyard and code requires that I bury a #8 gauge wire 4-6" all around the perimeter. Then it is to be attached to the metal pool frame at 4 equidistant points.  I'm unsure of what type of connection I should use to close the ring of wire around the pool, and again what type to use to attach the feeder wires that go from the frame to the buried wire ring.
I looked at direct burial rated split bolts, and wire clamps that seem made for connecting to pipe or grounding rods.  I've been searching forums for advice but so far I haven't figured it out.
Thank you


texts: What Alternatives are there to Toilet Wax Rings?

texts:
I've got a toilet to set, on a flush but rough and older metal flange.

What alternatives are there to toilet wax rings?  I've tried two over time, each subsequently became destroyed when the toilet needed to be snaked.


texts:
There is a window in my back side of the house. i wanted to keep open the window of the backside just to keep the house warm. but there is a public bathroom in the backside and i feel very bad smell most of the time.

Is there anyway that i can prevent bad smell coming into my house. wil it be working if i cover the window with a cloth which we used to make Face masking ?

or else is there any other way ?


texts: Outlet box has voltage when a device is plugged in on another circuit

texts:
Our house was built in 1964 and I wanted to replace some of the electrical outlets. However, there's something bothering me.

When I turn off the circuit for an outlet, my low range non-contact voltage tester picks something up on the metal outlet box. After some testing, there's a few outlets that have this issue. What's strange is that the beeping on the tester increases in frequency in some situations. For example:

I plug in something in another outlet on another circuit.
I turn on or off or dim lights on another circuit.

I don't have a proper tool to measure the voltage. I'm considering a multi-meter, but I am getting into uncomfortable territory.

An outlet tester indicated that all outlets are wired correctly, except for two that had an open ground. I was able to correct one (the original copper wire broke) but the other one looked fine. I am not sure if this could be related. I will be hiring an electrician, but I'm looking to understand whether or not it is normal for the metal box to have some amount of voltage.

Additional Information: We did identify two receptacles that are "hot/neutral reversed". They were originally unnoticed because they were both upside-down. I am not sure if this could contribute to anything. We'll be hiring an electrician in a few weeks and I'll update the question once I have a response.


texts: pilot light does not stay on on gas burner after vacation

texts:
I was on a one month vacation but had kept the gas heater in normal mode (not vacation mode). Today I find my gas pilot light off. The cover was open for all this long. I tried to light it, but once I take my hand off the depressed pilot switch after 60 seconds, the light goes off. Tried it a few times. This is the first time ever I tried to light the pilot. Please check the photos and please let me know if the settings were correct.

I understand I might need to replace the thermostat. But before that I would like to clean it or bend it to see if it works. Which part do I clean on bend ? Photo here.

Thank you for reading.


texts: Extend/splice 12/2 romex along concrete finished wall

texts:
I would like to extend some wiring for a counter outlet that is running behind a refrigerator, which currently encased in a metal "cable concealer" raceway. Note: wiring is in a raceway because most of the walls in my apartment are solid concrete - which is the main problem I'm facing.

The wires need to be extended to move the raceway and its outlet up about 1.5 ft so I can under-mount a low profile outlet below the cabinet instead of having a large box+outlet jutting out from the (concrete) wall. (Also I'm tiling a backsplash and the outlet+raceway are unsightly).

Are there any possible methods to extend this wiring on the finished concrete wall without a face mounted junction box sticking out? Ideally I would run a whole new length of wiring, but I'm not sure where the closest junction is located (wiring disappears within a false wall). Thanks!


texts: Detached Garage Subpanel to House Main Panel

texts:
Can I connect a 60 amp (8 space) subpanel from a detached garage to the house main panel that is also 60 amp? The house panel has 4 spaces available unused.
The subpanel underground wiring is 4 wires (2 hot, 1 neutral, 1 ground) within 1 1/2" schedule 80 PVC and buried 30" below grade with a distance of 40 feet from detached garage to the house.
The house is small (775 SF).
The detached garage is 24'x24' (576 SF) two car size.


texts: What is the grounding requirement one a second sub panel in a steel building

texts:
I currently have a 125A sub panel in my steel shop ran from my house 200A service panel.  Existing shop sub panel is grounded from house panel to isolated ground bus and also is grounded to shop ground rod and bonded to shop frame.
Going to be running #8 to new panel 40 ft away for a welder and convenience outlets.  New panel is bonded to building frame so is it required to run a grounding conductor to new sub and is a ground rod required?


texts: Electric Hot Water Heater-Draining or Not after 8 months of non-use

texts:
In a vacation home, we installed a new electric hot water heater last year. The vacation home was not used for about 8 months. The breaker to the hot water heater has been off and the main water shut-off valve (into the house) was turned off.

Different acquaintances have different opinions on whether to drain some of the hot water heater before turning on the main water valve as we return to the vacation home.

What will be best to extend the life of the hot water heater? Any other reason to do or not do the draining?
And, if draining, what would the proper order/steps in the process be?

Thank you.


texts: When is it necessary to paint a wooden fascia (barge) board?

texts:
Context: a Florida roof and gutter is to be replaced, however the fascia wood was rotten and replaced.  The plan is to be covered by aluminum fascia and has a drip edge.

When does it make sense to paint the wood boards?
Does it make sense to paint if Aluminum fascia is to be nailed to the board?

The goal is to have the building ready for the gutter craftsman.


texts: Low pressure in shower of tub/shower combo

texts:
I have a tub shower combo where the tub and the shower have separate taps but I believe share the same water lines.

The tub part has tons of pressure but the shower has hardly any.

I've recently fixed the cold water tap on the shower, it was leaking and needed new o rings, this restored a little bit of pressure.

Would a new shower head help?  Could it just be a gravity issue?


texts: Do they make halogen torchiere-type standing lamps anymore? I can't seem to find them anywhere, while 5-10 years ago they were quite common. The amount of light they throw off was so superior even to big incandescent lamps, not to mention wimpy CFLs. And they had a nice dimmer type operation.


texts: How can I fill small holes in drywall without painting?

texts:
I am taking down several items hung on our walls; this will leave about two dozen holes ranging from small nail holes to anchor holes about 3/8" in diameter. I am looking for a way to fill these holes that will look reasonable without painting – we have no matching paint, the walls have other imperfections, and the space is destined for a full paint job sometime in the not too distant future anyway.

It's a finished living space and the walls are drywall painted off-white. The point is to avoid attention-grabbing holes and have a finish and color match that's reasonable but by no means perfect (i.e., if it's noticeable from a foot or two away, that's fine, but noticeable from across the room is bad).


texts: Reattach carpet to one wall - looking for advice/suggestions

texts:
First off, some pictures of the carpet I am looking to re-stretch:

I recently finished remodeling a bathroom, and in the process moved a wall, so in the adjacent room we pulled up the carpet along that one wall. Now that we're done, I need to re-stretch and attach the carpet.

I had a quote from a company to re-stretch the carpet but I am also curious what sort of time/frustration it might take for me to try it myself. I'm fairly handy. I can get some tools from Harbor Freight (I know, I know) for fairly cheap, but wondering if this is a job that's just worth having a professional do. If I do it myself, I might save some money but if it's going to take me several hours, it may not be worth it. So, my questions are:

Can this be done using only a knee kicker, or would I need a stretcher too?
Is it possible to get the carpet taut without weird loose spots given that it's only one wall
Any advice on tooling, tack strips, etc. would be appreciated

Looking for any advice, experiences, anything. I have a tentative appointment for the carpet company to come tomorrow afternoon so hopefully can cancel and save some money. Thanks!


texts:
I've good experience with Arduino, but always with digital electronics and low-power loads. I'd like to automate my ceiling fan using an IR remote control but I've no experience with controlling AC other than using a simple relay to switch things. The arduino/IR part is clear.

I've a ceiling fan with a rotating knob controller. Without the cover it looks like this:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/gqzwcqx98kyf5ij/2014-08-10%2014.39.57.jpg

How should I control it? I don't mind having only one speed so the quick solution is using a relay. Is there anythink like a "digitally controlled rotary knob" so I can also choose speed? As far as I understand this should be nothing else than a variable resistor, but I do not know anything about controlling AC loads.


texts: Fernco coupling to join ABS drain pipes under basement?

texts:
I tapped into a 2" ABS pipe that runs underneath my concrete basement floor, and presently joined it using a Fernco coupling allegedly rated for underground use. (Unclear if this can be used indoors though? I was surprised the shielded ones I saw in stock at Home Depot didn't appear to be rated for underground use).

I had my rough-in inspected, though the inspector didn't say anything about it, and was mostly concerned that it wasn't leaking (it's not, and it's been there for about a year). But there's a bit of space between the pipes (perhaps 1/2") and I'm concerned they could come out of alignment (and I think you can see already the alignment is not quite perfect, though it was previously a continuous pipe; I could definitely force an alignment to make a rigid connection). The earthquake risk here is pretty minimal, climate zone 2, dirt is super rocky, some box elder trees in the yard not particularly close but with spreading root systems.

Is this the main risk, that the pipes settle/shift sufficiently divergently to sever the connection? (And this risk is non-trivial?)
Should I redo it so the pipes meet perfectly (no 1/2" gap)? (I would probably have to remove more of the concrete floor and replace that section of pipe to the right of the joint)
More generally, what's the best thing I can do to improve and/or bomb-proof this junction (without tearing up the entire floor :)? Would a shielded coupler be a good upgrade?

Wye visible on the left to accommodate the drain I added; before I cut in, the ABS pipe was continuous. The entire length of pipe is underground below the concrete floor.


texts: Can I use another brand of LED driver with IKEA lighting?

texts:
I'm planning on getting IKEA OMLOPP lighting. However, since I would need multiple Ansluta transformers and they are quite expensive, I was wondering if its possible to use a regular LED driver instead.

The specs say it outputs 24VDC (constant voltage). Should I just get a constant-voltage 24VDC LED Driver then?


texts: When installing a split receptacle in a kitchen, where the top and bottom are each their own circuit, is there any way you can use an MWBC, or is your only option to run two normal circuits with two separate neutral wires? I can't think of any code-compliant way to do an MWBC here that wouldn't require a double-pole DFCI breaker, which to my knowledge doesn't exist for any type of panel. In the past, this was easy since AFCI wasn't required in kitchens, and double-pole GFCI breakers do exist. Also, if this is impossible now, is it also impossible now to install NEMA 6-15 or 6-20 receptacles in kitchens? Because I don't think 240V GFCI receptacles exist, and without them, wouldn't you need a double-pole DFCI for that too?


texts: What diameter PVC conduit should I bury under my front yard?

texts:
I'd like to run two 20A circuits to the other side of my front yard. I'll be using 12AWG THWN conductors, over a length of about 20 feet through PVC conduit buried at a depth of 18 inches.

What diameter conduit is appropriate for my application?


texts:
My living room area power is apparently controlled by 1 switch.

When on it powers all outlets and a light above the tv. Also, the switch has to be on in order for  outdoor light to function and  for 3 way stair lights to work.

I've taken the switches off and am currently staring at wires. There is ONE hot wire (bottom center), 2 ground, 4 load/travelers. One of the load wires had the wire covering cut off so that it was on BOTH gangs. The left switch only worked if the right switch was on. I tried to draw out a diagram to show what was done.

How do I get the outlets to work on their own?

[![Wire From Gang 1 to

2]3]3[]4


texts: Red wire in light fixture, no red wire in junction box

texts: I just bought a pair of motion activated lights for the side of my garage.  Standard connection turns on the light that triggered with motion. In order to have one light triggered, both lights turn on, the diagram shows  I need to connect the red wire of light one to the red wire of light 2.   The problem is, while the light has red wire, there is no red wire in the junction box.  Could I connect it to the hot  Black wire to have it work the same?  Thank you for you answer.


texts: Why didn't homeowners get electrocuted when appliances were grounded through the neutral?

texts: I read that appliance at certain times in the U.S. (for example stoves) were grounded through the neutral wire.  Since the neutral wire carries current does this means the case of the stove itself is carrying current.  Why didn't homeowners get electrocuted with such a setup? Is it because as long as the neutral is connected/grounded properly the current is going to "chose" to take that path (least resistance) instead of the homeowner (much resistance)?


texts:
There was moldy caulk around the tub drain. I intended to take it out, clean the drain area, reapply any teflon tape, and re-caulk the area. When I started to turn the drain counterclockwise the top piece popped off.

It appears to be a drain cover. Here's the drain underneath.

We've cleaned the cover and the top of the drain... now I'm trying to figure out how to put this back on. I was going to apply some plumber's putty to the underside of the cover and stick it on... does that sound like enough adhesion? Should I re-add caulk around the cover once it's back down? Since the cover sits up higher than the drain below there's water that pools around the cover (hence the moldy caulk I was removing) so I'm leaning towards not adding more.


texts: Is the electrical setup of my (rental) house safe?

texts:
I’ve recently moved into a partially refurbished rental house in Nottinghamshire, England. I’m mostly just wanting to check that it’s generally safe.
The meter is a new (smart) meter, installed in 2018:

The fuse box is not new, and looks like this:

The labels are from my own experimentation. My first concern would be the mixture of circuit breakers and fuses. The circuit breakers are for the electrically heated shower and the downstairs lights. The “B6” breaker has this on the back:

And the “B32” has this:

The second concern is that the circuit breakers prevent the fuse box cover from fitting over the fuses.
An image of the whole setup:

And closeups of the armoured boxes:


texts:
I live in a 1300sqft apartment that I rent, and due to the layout do not really use part of the really large living room. To address this and create a separate space, I'd like to have some sort of visual separation of about 6-7 feet wide.
I've considered buying furniture, such as shelving units or whatever. The problem with that approach is that I'd own yet MORE furniture (where I live, 99% of the rental market comes furnished and having my own furniture is a nuisance), plus I don't really have a need for any storage space.
So my thoughts now are that I want to build a wall of some sort. Tile floor to 9-ft plywood ceiling, at a 90-degree angle to an existing wall. No crown molding, but there is skirting. Building a frame and sticking drywall to it won't be a big issue. However, how do I 'attach' the wall to the existing surfaces without damaging those surfaces and still have it look tidy and like it belongs.


texts:
I have a new vent fan, but no instructions.  The old van had a light and fan, and I have two wall switches for it.  The new fan has a light and fan as well.

In my ceiling I have a black, white, red, and ground.

The new fan has a black, a white, a white and blue (both labeled 'light'), and a neutral.

Any suggestions on how to set this up?  Thank you,


texts: Number of devices supported by one outlet

texts:
How can I calculate how many devices I can plug in one outlet?

I am living in Europe and have 220V outlets.

Do I have to check the devices' volts or watts or something else entirely?


texts: Can you sand drywall to get rid of cigarette smoke?

texts: We are living in a house that was remodeled after purchasing from heavy smokers. Our source tell us that they used to smoke packs of cigarettes a day. Then, it was purchased and remodeled. 5 years later we moved in, and you can still smell something, specially when is humid our rainy outside. My whole thought is that they probably painted on top of the tar and maybe they didn't wipe the walls or wash before painting. could that be the issue? I know it sounds crazy, but could we sand all the walls to get rid of the old paint/tar? and then prime and kills/ paint again? Thank you for your time.


texts:
I would like to replace my bed with a hammock. Without buying a stand I would like to know how to suspend it in the air. How exactly do I affix the ends of the hammock to the wall so it won't fall off, or damage the wall.

I would primarily use the hammock for sleeping, but I would like to have friends sleep over as well. How would this change the affixing method?


texts:
So I've read many diy ways to prevent the draft of an used fireplace. Mine is not in a working condition and I don't know if the previous owner of my home had ever used it. It's very very cold. I've had the house 18 years and I just want to block out the cold. I don't know about damper or the terms. Any suggestions are welcome. I read one idea with insulation but how and what kind I'm stumped
 Help


texts: Why do well pumps need 240V when the wattage is not that high?

texts:
I want to be able to power my well pump from a battery when the power goes out, but I am learning that well pumps are heavy duty, running at 240V high voltage, even though mine is only 3/4 hp, which is about 560W, which is much less than a microwave oven, which sits on my counter and runs off 120V house current.
What else is going on here besides wattage/horsepower than determines why a well pump needs the higher voltage?


texts:
Need some advice on an electrical issue I'm having in my new condo.

My bathroom has a GFCI receptacle (similar to this one). I noticed one morning that the LED indicator was out, so I figured something tripped it. I had a hair dryer plugged in, so maybe it shorted out. No biggie, I'll just hit the reset button... but nothing happened. It would not reset! To make things worse the bathroom light and fan were also off. Not sure if it's common to wire these to the GFCI?

So next I went to check the breaker to see if something was tripped, but nothing was. Interestingly there was no specific breaker for the bathroom, so I went flicking breakers one by one. Eventually I discovered that the GFCI was on a "general wall plug" circuit. I toggled this breaker and the GFCI turned back on, along with the light and fan. Great problem solved. Well not exactly. Here's when things get a bit strange.

When turning on the bathroom light, I noticed some heavy flickering. A few minutes later the GFCI triggered. Light went off. Great. To made things worse the hard-wired fire alarm started chirping (indicates loss of power). So apparently now the fire alarm is also wired on the same circuit.

Anyways, I knew the drill now. Press the reset button, toggle the breaker, everything works. Alarm stops chirping.

Later in the evening I had the kitchen (recessed) lighting on, and I went to turn on the living room free-standing light. Guess what? GFCI trips and this light as well as the kitchen lighting went off, and the fire alarm starts chirping.

One more thing to note is that when the GFCI is "working", pressing test works (only bathroom light and fan are disrupted, not any other lights/sockets or fire alarm), and I am able to reset it just fine. It's only when it trips itself there are issues and I can't reset it without toggle the breaker.

So what is going on here? Why does the test button have a different downstream impact over it's "failure" state? Should replacing the GFCI solve the issue?

Any feedback is appreciated!


texts: Surge protection(Kinda) with a power bar

texts:
Apologies in advance if this is the wrong SE to post this in, but Electrical Enginnering Stack Exchange didn't look like the proper place, based on what was 'on topic' over there.

Anyway, I have a power bar in my room, similar to the one pictured below, that has some sensitive electronics plugged into it. During thunder storms and the like, I turn the bar off using the little switch, and leave it plugged in, as accessing the plug is a little bit of a chore.

My question is, will turning the bar off at the switch prevent anything plugged into it from receiving a killing blow from a surge, should the power lines to the house get struck with lightning?


texts: Question about putting in outlet w/ three sets of wire

texts:
I purchased a home recently and am looking to replace an electric range with a gas one. Currently, there is a 240v outlet for the electric range but not a 120 for the gas, so I am looking to remedy that. There is an electrical receptacle immediately behind where the range sits that isn't currently being used, so I want to put an outlet there.

I took off the wall cover and I am a bit confused by what I am seeing (picture attached). I have a bit of DIY experience with putting in outlets and switches, but nothing very complicated and I want to be sure that I do this right.

There are three sets of wire coming from different holes in the receptacle; two of them have only hot and neutral wires and the third appears to have hot, neutral and two grounds. All three sets of wires have been twisted together with their corresponding wires and capped off. Can you advise me on how to wire this in correctly?

Thank you for your time, I appreciate the help.


texts: First time testing old motion sensor outdoor light, with new LED bulbs, light flickers at constant fast hz, why?

texts:
What could cause a motion sensor to blink at a steady frequency when it is turned on?

We've had an outdoor motions sensor flood light that hasn't worked, we presume because the bulbs died. After much delay and various electrical works on our house, we finally took the existing bulbs out, got replacements, and installed both of them. Testing it out now, we find the light flickering at a constant, relatively fast frequency! Before changing the bulbs it did not turn on at all. When switching it off, it turns off, and when switching it on it begins flickering almost every time we've tested it. The flickering is very steady and rapid, which makes me think it is not a loose wire anywhere but rather some more 'stable' or steady problem.

I've tested the different settings on the motion sensor and they didn't change or stop the flickering in any orderly way, though the flickering did in one case not start until it saw motion, and in another seemingly random case the flickering was slower and then got faster.

We've had electrical work done on the house, including on the circuit we think this light was on. We were never 100% sure which circuit the light was on because when testing circuits we presumed the bulbs were just dead and they're high up so we hadn't replaced them, but based on location of the light and other wiring we know of, we're pretty confident which it's on. So far there's no other signs of electrical issues in the house.

Here's a photo of the back label of the motion sensor light:

And a photo of the settings/options on the bottom of the motions sensor:

And the new bulbs we replaced the old ones with:

Here's a video of the lights being turned on and blinking: https://vimeo.com/user88849293/review/286817079/b741e8c936

How can we fix this? What would next troubleshooting steps be?


texts:
I installed several GFCI’s throughout the house to bring things up to code.    After installation I tested each one per the instructions and indications are they’re all working properly.  I then decided to use my Commercial Electric brand plug-in circuit tester as a final check and all but one GFCI tested as it should.  The one at the kitchen counter, however, trips as soon as the tester is plugged in, but it doesn’t trip when appliances are plugged in, they all work properly.  That particular GFCI loads two (2) other outlets downstream so I disconnected them and ran the test at the GFCI by itself and sure enough, it tripped again.  I can plug things into the outlet and they all work fine but plugging the tester in trips it every time.  It seems strange that the tester works in all other outlets throughout the house but that one.  I even switched GFCI’s thinking maybe it’s a faulty unit but the same thing happens with either GFCI.   I verified that the incoming power source (white-black-ground) are properly connected to the LINE terminals on the GFCI.

Right now I’m continuing to use the outlet as I have for the 30 years that I’ve lived here (home built in 1986).  It’s just perplexing as to why my tester works properly in all outlets of the house except that one.


texts:
I moved into a home that was poorly taken care of by the homeowner before.  It dawned on me today that I've never replaced the HVAC filter (I guess I'm bad at taking care of the house too :) ) in the year that I've lived here.  The thought came up since I was wondering how dust accumulates so quickly in my house.  So I went to look for the filter at my air handler unit in the basement.  I couldn't find any obvious location that looked like it accepted an air filter except this hatch below the air handler unit:

The hatch, when closed, looks like this:

I also tried taking off some of the panels on the air handler itself, but they're mainly full of the heat exchanger coils and other sundry items; I didn't see a filter.

However, there's nothing inside.  Did the previous owner just not put a filter in at all, or should I look elsewhere?  My return air registers are all the small rectangular kind, not the large squarish kind.

If it is where the filter goes, how would I go about figuring out the size of the filter?  Do I just measure the depth and the width of the opening?


texts: How do I replace switch/outlet to GFCI/switch combination?

texts:
I am having a problem switching a switch/outlet combo to a GFCI/switch combo. The GFCI switch provides power to a bathroom fan and light that are not protected.

I have wired the GFCI/switch as shown in the photo and when I test the GFCI using the test/reset buttons, the GFCI works properly. When I test the outlet with Gardner Bender tester, I receive a "correct" indicator. However, when I press the Gardner Bender test button, I receive "hot/new rev" indication and the GFCI outlet does not trip. Suggestions?


texts: Why did the water pressure in my bathtub change but shower is fine?

texts:
First, to describe my tub/shower it is a one handle, one spout type setup where you pull up on the knob to direct the water flow to the shower (typical setup).

Recently I noticed that when I go to fill my bathtub the water pressure is significantly less than it used to be and it takes much longer to fill the tub.  The hot water is also not as hot as it used to be when I turn it completely to the hot side.  However, the shower does not seem to lack in hot water (it feels like it gets hotter than the bathtub) and the water pressure does not seem to have changed either.  Granted the shower always had excellent water pressure so I am not sure if it just went from really strong to just strong.

About a year ago I replaced the spout because the knob to direct the water to the shower wasn't working (when I moved into the house).  Also, I don't think there is a leak because I have gone to the meter when I did not have any water running and it did not move.

I am not really sure where to even start here, any ideas?


texts:
I am trying to install (2) Lutron Caseta Wireless Switches to replace two legacy light switches. This is my first attempt at replacing a light switch. When looking inside, I am a bit confused on the wiring configuration:
-Why are there four white wires that are just joined together? Do they serve a purpose?
-Why is only one switch grounded?
-Why is there a connection from one switch direct to the other (capped with a yellow connector in this image)


texts: Big hole in front of mailbox from mail truck how can I fill it?

texts: So we bought our home last July, we never noticed that right in front of the mailbox which is an area with a big patch of dirt and grass is where the mail truck swoops in and delivers the mail, we have tried to refill the hole from the tires with dirt, then with rocks, but each time the tires dig in so much that it's worse now, especially when it rains, two huge puddles.  It's now two holes from the tire going in and then out. We are happy and appreciative that we get our mail in a timely fashion but how can we best get that hole to be a flat surface? maybe more dirt? like a hill? help!


texts:
Does anyone out there have experience with watering wood?
Specifically a new piece of red oak furniture. I want to open the grain to get better color absorption/penetration with stain.


texts: Old Carrier Furnace, 3-Wire Pilot Assembly, Electrode Sparks Continually While it Runs

texts:
Our 29 year-old Carrier furnace relies on a 3-wire pilot with an intermittent spark igniter. It sparks probably around 30 times before the gas valve opens and the furnace fires up. That's a lot of sparking, and surely not good in and of itself, but the real problem is, it just keeps on sparking continually throughout the cycle, up until exactly the moment when the blower stops.

I would estimate it sparks twice per second throughout the cycle duration, roughly twice as frequent as the sparking that happens prior to the blower coming on.

Please note this furnace does not have a flame sensing rod. This is the bimetal type. Any suggestions on troubleshooting are appreciated.


texts: Jack and Jill bathroom light sensing door locks

texts:
I have an interior Jack and Jill bathroom that is connected to two bedrooms. I'm trying to solve the problem of someone locking the other door when using the bathroom and then forgetting to unlock it before leaving.

Trying to come up with a solution, I thought of synchronizing the two locks via a light sensor. Light on, both doors lock. Light off, both doors unlock. Unfortunately, I'm unable to find a lock to achieve this.

Does a lock like this exist? What would be another viable solution to this problem?


texts: Exhaust fumes seeping into our 4th floor apartment at night through bathroom and shower vents/fans

texts:
This is our second fall/winter in our 4th floor apartment, and we've noticed that whenever the weather becomes cool, exhaust fumes which seem to come from the garage in the basement of the apartment building, seep into our apartment through the bathroom vent/fan and the shower vent/fan (both are separate rooms). My eyes burn in the middle of the night and I feel dizzy - in the morning our small child tells us that she has a headache and/or a stomachache.
When I get up in the middle of the night, I can smell this awful exhaust fume smell in both the bathrooms, and I have to turn and leave both fans on the whole night and morning to help just a little. Our landlady refuses to acknowledge this issue, and we're currently living in Europe, so I wouldn't know where to complain to. How can we fix this so we don't feel sick every day?!

Follow up from what appears to be the OP:

Thank you all for the info. I pasted most of your replies in an email I sent for her last night to help further clarify the situation. Unfortunately, since there was a mold problem we noticed when moving in, and she had to take care of it, she is reluctant to do much else - I think she believes I'm a hypochondriac and that I'm too sensitive!

We live in Salzburg, and I've been to the doctor many times (for myself and my child) and they dismiss the complaints about headaches, stomachaches and nausea - and never address it! Our pediatrician said it must be the "change of weather/climate" we are experiencing from having moved to Salzburg!

We are somewhat financially limited, as rent is high in Salzburg and vacant apts are scarce! Believe me, I'm freaking out about this and I can't sleep anymore...I don't know what to do - it's just one thing after another... first the mold, then a chain-smoking neighbor who would smoke all night and the stench would seep into our house (our landlady said there is nothing we can do about it), and now this (which has been going on for who knows how long!!). I purchased a CO detector today and put it in the bathroom (ELRO RM355). I'm worried that if, as some of you say, this doesn't pick it up - I will have no proof. I've been apartment hunting for 8 months now and am exhausted.

Could it be that being on the top floor of the building is the issue? As in, all odors, smoke and gases rise to the top?! I try to take my child outdoors as much as I can, and at night I run the fans and try to open the windows - but it's getting colder.

Just wanted to add that smell gets real bad in the middle of the night - it does smell like car exhaust fumes, but I don't think we have any neighbors running their cars in the garage at 3 am.

Also, if I do seal the vents with saran wrap, will it cause mold?
The CO detector hasn't picked anything up yet...


texts: Air conditioner locating c wire on old unit

texts: Hi guys I'm trying to figure out I'm using a dual heat and cool thermostat so i decided to get myself a smart thermostat and want to connect both thermostats into 1 but I'm having trouble location the c wire to power my thermostat. As you can tell the white thermostat and red thermostat wires aren't attached to anything.


texts:
Wanting to remove this closet that is by my front door. Nervous that the wall that is parallel to the door is wall bearing. First time renovating.

[![enter image description here][1]][1]

[1]: https://i.stack.imgur.com/HdXz4.jpg


texts: How to clean this oil spill stain from driveway if council cant help?

texts:
I am not sure whether this is Engine Oil, Diesel or Transmission Fluid because I was not here when this happened. What i certainly know is that it was a Diesel tractor that caused it.

Council won't help with the clean up and that stain just won't go away with Water. What can I do to clean it myself?

Its an Asphalt Road


texts: Adding exhaust fan to existing single light switch

texts: I have added an exhaust fan in bathroom to an existing single light switch that operates one light.  I'd like the switch to turn the light and the fan on together.  The existing switch has one feed of 14-2.  I ran a second new 14-2 from the switch box to the new fan and hooked up to the switch.  When switch was on, the light came on but not the fan.  When the switch was off the light went off but the fan came on.  I'm wondering if I should have run my new wire from the light's wiring to the fan instead of from the light switch?


texts: When insulating with closed-cell Spray Foam, what ERV and HVAC resizing considerations should I bear in mind?

texts:
I am building a 2800 sqft, two-story brick home in Austin, TX.  I have heard many good things about the benefits of insulating with closed-cell Spray Polyurethane Foam (ccSPF)1, and have requested that the builder use 2" of ccSPF in exterior walls instead of fiberglass batts.  I am seriously considering asking them to completely seal the house by putting ccSPF above the sheetrock in the 2nd floor ceiling (and then blow fiberglass insulation on top of that).

At this point, I am in unfamiliar territory; I understand that houses with strong vapor barriers must have some form of air-exchange system to remove carbon-monoxide and other harmful by-products of household living.  I have read that the best way to do this is with an ERV system.

With such substantial changes to the design of the house, I want to make sure there isn't anything else I'm missing.  A few questions come to mind...

Q1. The spec house model (engineered for fiberglass batts) comes with a 14-seer A/C system.  With whole-house ccSPF foam and an efficient ERV system, it seems that I should reduce the size of the A/C; if so, how should I go about estimating the impact of these changes on the size of the A/C myself?  I would rather not depend on the builder to re-size the system; so far, the only people they will let me talk to are in sales and their purchasing department.
Q2. Does anyone have experience with ERV systems?  If so, can you share what kind of maintenance issues you had to deal with?  How do I reliably test that it is functioning properly five years from now?  What model are you using?
Q3. ccSPF is very sticky; I'm concerned about what I will have to do if I need to replace some sheetrock down the road.  Is there something I can do proactively to make it easier?

In addition to being a fantastic thermal insulator, 2" of ccSPF effectively acts as an insect / vapor barrier, it is an amazing sound insulator, and also insulates against radiant heat transfer.


texts:
I want to put a 2' border around my driveway of colored and stamped concrete.  I have gotten bids that almost $3,000.  I have called the concrete company and asked how much 5 yards of colored concrete would be and it is $650.  I really can't see spending more than $200 on the forms and release agent, and I think I can pour it myself with maybe one other person.

So, questions:

Can I rent the stamps?
How many people do you think I will need to pour and stamp 5 yards before it hardens too much?


texts:
So winter in Chicagoland is well upon us, and the snow at the top of the house is melting and we have a leak. The house entry point (well, the one we can see) is at the top of the jamb, between the screen/storm door and the entry door. It leaked enough that storm door was frozen shut.

As I see it, I have a roof leak. But it's winter and slippery, and will be quite some time before I can get someone to address that portion of it.

My question here is: How do I deal with the leak now?

The dripping water is affecting the operation of the door, and the water leaks out under the storm door and then coats my landing with ice. I need to do something for it, but caulking the leak area seems to me to just divert the water somewhere else within my walls. Is there any decent solution besides a bucket underneath 'til spring?


texts: How can I modify this dryer vent cap to keep lint from getting trapped?

texts:
As mentioned in this question I installed this dryer vent cap on my roof

As you can see, there is a gap between the flashing and the cap, presumably to let water out if it gets in.  This is installed on a 12-12 pitch roof.

I found out the hard way that it's getting clogged by dryer lint, therefore blocking any water that gets trapped inside.  I contacted the retailer and their suggestion was installing an inline lint trap as well.  This isn't an ideal solution for me, as my options are to put it in the attic space (where I'll forget to clean it out) or cut an access door in the laundry closet wall and install it where the duct heads towards the roof.

I'm interested in any suggestions to modify the cap itself to decrease the chance of lint getting trapped.


texts: How much weight is safe to hang from a 1/2 inch thick maple board mounted to the wall?

texts:
I have a wall mounted metal barbell holder that holds up to three barbells.  The holder has pre-drilled holes 10 inches apart (two on each end).  To mount this to a wall, I will have to attach a stringer that I can drive into the 16 inch studs between it, and then attach the metal holder to that stringer.  I bought a 3/4" maple board to act as the stringer, and will attach it with lag screws into the studs.
My question is, what is the best way to attach the metal holder to the maple board?
I bought one inch lag screws, and I also bought nuts and bolts.  However, I want it flush to the wall, and using nuts and bolts will necessitate drilling holes on the back of the board to recess the nuts.  At that point, the .75" maple board will only be .5" thick where the bolts pass through.
Will the board support the metal holder and three barbells (20lbs + 45lbsx 3 =155 lbs)??
Whats the best way to do this?


texts: Is it a problem to have PEX manifold outlets adapted from 1/2 to 3/4?

texts:
A contractor has installed my 3/4 inlet, 1/2 outlet manifold using 3/4 tubing on the outlets. He used a few inches of 1/2 pex to connect the outlet tubes to the manifold.

This seems odd, but I’m not sure what the impact will be. Will this be noticeable?


texts: Fixing porch-supporting pier that settled because of bad drainage

texts:
I've got a wraparound porch on the house. It's supported by a half dozen 28" x 30" x 24" concrete piers (plus other sized concrete piers elsewhere) along the front of the house. They're all floating on the ground at the top of a fairly steep slope, pushed back 6-7' or so from the edge. Everything is in good condition. Not seeing any cracks, etc.

However, the ground under the corner pier has eroded because of a bad drainage problem -- poorly directed downspout (fix in progress) -- and the front edge of the block isn't supported anymore. It's starting to settle and causing the post to move. The porch has a bit of a bounce to it now in that corner, but I don't think it's moved any.

The angle is a bit exaggerated in the picture.

(Note: lattice is not attached to post)

I would like to remove the one concrete block and replace it by digging out a proper footing and putting in a longer post. I'm envisioning something along the lines of a 3-4 foot sonotube sitting on a 6" footer (bit of a WAG on that).

The ground is rocky clay and it would be on a bit of a slope.

Is this the right sort of solution or am I just just going to introduce more problems in the long run?


texts:
I would like to dig some 6-12 inch diameter dry wells (any diameter in that range will work). The holes need to be at least 6 feet deep to reach the permeable layer of the soil. However, the equipment the local rental agency has will only dig 4-foot deep holes.

What is the right equipment to dig 6-foot holes?

The soil is clay with some sand. There are no rocks. It digs very easy.


texts: Adding new 240v 30 amp outlet by tapping into existing NEMA 10-30 outlet box

texts:
Here's the situation: House was built in the 1980s. My laundry room has an existing NEMA 10-30 outlet that is not being used since we have a gas dryer. I am thinking about getting an electric car so I'll need a place to charge it in the garage which is located just outside the laundry room door which is just adjacent to this unused 10-30 outlet. My thought was maybe I could junction off of this outlet and run a 10 gauge Romex to the garage wall for a new outlet to plug in the car.

I was hoping to not have to run all new cable from the breaker box because that is in the basement. The breaker for this circuit a 2-pole 30 amp breaker. Since I may some day want to use this laundry room outlet if we were to get an electric dryer, I was thinking it would be nice to keep that installed as an outlet and just run new wires from that to the garage. I wasn't sure if that was acceptable and if I did this would it mean that I'd only be able to use one outlet at a time. The car can be set to pull 24 amps for the 30 amp circuit. (80% of 30 amps) As I said I don't need the outlet now but if some day I wanted to use it would this be a problem for the circuit?

My other thought is to just move the NEMA 10-30 outlet (or install a new NEMA 14-30) to the garage and use the existing outlet box as a junction box to tie-in the new cables. Then close the laundry room box up with a blank faceplate so it won't be usable anymore. I would then use the newly installed garage outlet for the car charging.

I appreciate any advice you can offer for this situation. I've relocated 120 volt outlets before for various reasons but I've never done this for a 240 so I wasn't sure if that makes a difference. I'll likely get an electrician to do the work either way but just thought I'd get some advice here on what is possible.

Thanks for the responses this has been helpful. I was not aware that the code requires EV chargers to be on a dedicated circuit so that was good to learn. Here's a few pictures I was finally able to take of the outlet wiring. I'll probably just get an electrician to add a dedicated 50 amp circuit to the garage instead and leave this one as is.


texts: Removing IKEA "Vikarn" shower-curtain rod

texts: I need to remove my IKEA "Vikarn" shower-curtain rod. The screws are covered by a piece which is shown on page 10 of the assembly instructions. This piece clicks on, as shown, but how can I get it off?  Neither twisting nor pulling seems to do the trick, and I've forgotten what the inside of the piece looks like.


texts: How to grout in order to minimize uneven tile spacing?

texts:
I have tiled my shower wall with hexagonal tiles & subway tiles.

I am about to grout both walls BUT because the hexagonal tiles don't space out evenly, I am afraid white grout would show the uneven spacing imperfections too much.

Would it look weird with the subway tiles with white grout ?

What color grout should I use for the dark tiles to minimize uneven spacing ?


texts: Accidental plumbing leak. How bad is this? What should I have my contractor do?

texts:
I'm remodeling my 2nd floor bathroom and we are in the demolition phase. My contractor's plumber accidentally turned the main water on without checking the bathroom hot/cold lines. They were not capped. Water flooded into the floor  and started spilling out of the ceiling light fixtures on the 1st floor. I would say the water was on for about 60 seconds full blast. It appears there is water coming out of multiple places on the first floor.

Video

The above video was taken about 5 minutes after the water had been turned off. I have another video showing the leak right as it happened and it shows much more water flow.

I'm assuming we should take down the drywall in any wet areas to let it dry. The plumber said it wasn't a big deal and it will dry on its own. What should I do? How bad is this?


texts: What's a better option: Half Rounded or k-style gutters?

texts: I've been going back and forth about gutters, what size, style and cover I should buy. I recently saw rounded gutters and loved the look. But are they better?


texts:
I have an older furnace and a brand new natural gas instant water heater that I installed. I only start this way because the furnace had one thing break last year, so I'm not sure if things on it are just starting to break or if the new water heater is causing issues.

This last winter the draft inducer pressure switch started tripping randomly. It's hard to tell exactly when it's tripping, but going into the crawl space and pushing in the sensor's reset button fixes it every time. This furnace vents into a chimney vent which also is the vent for the water heater (comes in about 4-5 ft higher than the furnace vent). I'm wondering if this water heater might vent at higher pressure and be tripping the furnace sensor.

Thanks!


texts: Removing post in center of two-car garage (20ft span)

texts:
I have a two-story house with a two-car garage under two bedrooms. The two bedrooms have a non-load bearing wall between them and the garage has a 6x10 beam underneath with a supporting post.
I want to take out the post, by bracing or sandwiching the existing beam with LVLs on either side using through-bolts and end posts. The span is including supporting end-posts 247".
how many LVLs do I need and what height of LVLS? Can I use one 1.75" x 11.75" on either side or do I need more?


texts: How to prepare vertical brick surface so Portland cement based mixtures (concrete, mortar) will adhere properly?

texts:
I have a sub grade vertical stack of perforated brick (foundation) which I need to coat in a thick layer of mortar or concrete in order to fill gaps, creating a flat surface for subsequent painting/hydro isolation.
Besides cleaning the brick, what else should I do to prepare them as a substrate?


texts: I was not able to get a smooth finish on a shower pan, how can I smooth it out?

texts:
I am in the midst of a custom shower project. I am building a shower pan using the "traditional method" which is a concrete pre-slope, then a PVC membrane, then a top mortar bed, and finally tile.

The top mortar bed on my shower pan dried today. Turns out I really am not good at smoothing concrete. I can't lay tile on this. The slope is fine, but there are some dips and humps and a few divots in the pan. The curb is OK but there are a few uneven spots that I need to deal with.

I've been relying on Floor Elf's website and e-book. The author does a good job describing the right way to do the job. However he is an experienced tile man and I think has glossed over some details that I think I need.

How can I smooth this out?

If I have to redo the top bed I will, but I would like to avoid that entirely. I hesitate to use more bedding mortar as I found that difficult to work with the first time. I feel like I need a 'wetter' mortar. Can I use floor levelling compound? Can I use thinset to fill the low spots in then more thinset to stick the tile?

My technique sucks. How can I improve and get a smooth finish?

How can I maintain the multi-direction slope from the four walls to the offset drain? Sloping along one plane isn't too hard but maintaining a slope along two planes has proven tricky.

How can I lay out a smooth frame or reference line for mortar work?


texts: What should I do about standing water in my tiled shower?

texts: I have standing water in my tiled shower. The side of my house sank a bit causing the floor to be uneven. The guy I use for home repairs is out of the country for a couple of months. Can I wait until he comes back to get it fixed or do I need to get it done ASAP?


texts: How should I waterproof a concrete roof?

texts: We have a 28y/o Medical Clinic in a remote area of Haiti.  The roof is concrete and has one coat of DryLoc on it which is lifting off in many areas.  The roof is 136' X 35' with a very slight pitch to each side.  We plan to mount PV Panels on it after resealing. How should I waterproof this roof? The leaks are very minor.


texts: In Victoria Australia planning documents what do these number mean

texts:
I see a lot of four digit number on planning documents that appear to have something to do with the land survey. They seem to be some kind of coordinates with the first two digits that increase in a westerly direction and the two after the decimal point increasing in a southerly direction.
Is there any way to find out what these mean and how they are calculated?


texts:
I'm looking to setup an option for long-term power outages. Our house was built in the 70s and the circuit layout is nowhere near logical enough to be able to say "these 3 circuits need emergency power". Instead, I'd like to run a standalone circuit with about 8 receptacles on it (4 for critical appliances, 4 for lights/chargers).
By standalone, I mean it won't be connected to the grid or breaker box in any way. It would connect to the 8 receptacle boxes, and have a cord in the garage that I could plug into an inverter connected to our Leaf. If I need emergency power, I connect the inverter and move the required plugs from their normal receptacle to the emergency receptacle.
I know this probably isn't a code-approved setup, but is this a horrible idea for some reason I'm not thinking of? I plan to turn off the main breaker whenever this is in use just to be absolutely sure there's no chance of backfeeding the grid, but this would be very hard to do since the entire circuit is separate.


texts: what sort of cable should I use to add extra tv outlets

texts:
So I need to split the cable coming down from the aerial into 3 outlets. What's the best way of doing this?

I was thinking of using a 4-way splitter:

Would this be the best way with minimal signal loss. If worst comes to worst what booster unit do you recommend? ideally I prefer if I don't have to get onto the roof. We don't have the proper kit for it.


texts: What is the appropriate fitting to connect an armored cable to this stand-alone receptacle product?

texts:
I have a pre-existing #6-3 armored cable (without a separate ground conductor), as shown here:

I am replacing the range this was connected to, and would like to provide a 4-wire connection via a 14-50R by using the steel armor cladding as ground (as discussed in Can I use the metal cladding of a cable as ground for this range installation?).
For easy installation of the receptacle, I am hoping to use this product, which has a metal back with a 1 3/8" punchout. The receptacle product comes with a strain relief clamp, but I'm unsure whether it's appropriate for making a ground connection to armored cable. Is this clamp OK to use? If not, what is the right sort of clamp to use in this situation? I've included some photos of the clamp:


texts: What is this cylinder looking thing in the drain line?

texts: The house is 1950. There is a round cylinder in the drain line with a cap. under the floor is where it is located. What is this called and can I get it out of the drain system?


texts: How to remove bottom portion of kitchen faucet

texts:
Trying to replace kitchen faucet due to leaks. Was able to remove the top faucet portion, but the connecting piece to the bottom of the faucet does not appear to want to come off. I took off the screws from the 2 screw holes seen below.
It appears the brass piece may be attached to the rusted piece ?
Should I use a hammer and a flathead to pry the brass piece off ?

Would someone be able to point me in the right direction ?


texts: Electrical: How do I connect copper ground wire to metal wire passing through switch box?

texts:
I'm replacing a light switch with a smart home keypad (Insteon KeypadLinc).

The wall receptacle has three conduits coming into it, each of which has three wires coming out: one in a black plastic sheath (line/load), one in a white plastic sheath (neutral), and one that is bare metal (which I think is ground). Here's what that looks like:

The switch I'm installing has four wires that need to be hooked up: line, load, neutral and ground. For ground, it has a bare copper wire. (You can see it in the middle of the photo.)

I was able to hook up line, load and neutral just fine by using twist-on wire nuts to connect them to the right places, but I'm not sure what to do about the ground. The bare metal wires coming out of the conduits that feed into the receptacle exit through a hole in the top of the receptacle and continue their journey onwards to somewhere else, so they don't have an "end" that I can stick a twist-on wire nut on. How do I connect the end of my copper ground wire from the switch to one of those grounded metal wires?

As you can see, what I've done for now is I've made a little loop at the end of the copper wire and looped it around one of the metal wires. This "works", in the sense that my multimeter tells me that there's 120V between line and the copper ground wire, but obviously it's an awful connection and I need to do something better.

How do I connect these?

P.S. I don't think this is relevant, but here's what I've worked out all the wires coming into the box do:

Conduit #1: line from power source, neutral, ground
Conduit #2: load to ceiling fan, neutral, ground
Conduit #3: load to next thing in the circuit (maybe an outlet?), neutral, ground


texts: Using new lumber in an old wall with larger lumber dimensions

texts:
I am trying to widen the doorway to a room in a house that was build in 1905. the framing is 16 on center, however the lumber is wider than a standard 2x4. by about a 1/2 inch. (the actual dimensions of the wood are 2x4).

I can position the jackstuds so that they are flush with the wall of the room, but that would leave a gap on the other side.

How should I handle this? Should I rip a 2x6 to fit?

EDIT: the wall is load bearing


texts: Can I split an existing sub-panel feed to feed a 2nd sub-panel?

texts:
I currently have a subpanel that is fed from my main panel with 6ga wire on a 50 amp circuit breaker. Is it OK for me to add in a junction box and split the subpanel feed so that I can feed a spa panel with a 50 amp GFCI circuit breaker?
In short, the 50 amp circuit coming from the main panel would feed a already full sub panel and a 50 amp gfci spa panel.
Thanks in advance.


texts: Is this water heater drain configuration safe?

texts:
I've just replaced my water heater and for the first time my house has a water heater drain pan. The washing machine waste line is nearby and I'd like to connect the water heater drain pan to this line before the trap. The proposed addition is shown in black:

The only pitfall I can think of is that if there's a blockage downstream of the tee, the washing machine water can back up into the black pipe instead of having to build all the way to the top of the green pipe.

Keeping in mind that the picture is not to scale, how can I determine what distances are safe for this configuration? If the trap were ten feet below floor level, would this be considered safe? Are there other issues I'm not considering?

The alternative involves a 12' run to a sump pit. This would crowd my crawlspace with a long, low drain line and might interfere with a future radon mitigation system connected to the sump pit. Please suggest another alternative if you have one.


texts: Can I add a receptacle from a bath fan switch box?

texts:
I hope this is simple. I want to add a GFCI receptacle on the wall of my bathroom behind a medicine cabinet. The closest electrical is a switch for my bathroom fan.  Even though we have just one switch, it seems it was wired for separate control, because we have 12/3 wire coming into the switch box. Neutral is capped and red/black are attached to the switch.

Can I tap into this for the GFCI receptacle? I had trouble finding a matching diagram even though I know this is a common configuration (12/2 into fan then 12/3 to switch). How does the circuit work right now before I make changes? I will likely retrofit the bath fan soon and would like to have separate control.


texts: Cause of my roof leaking? (Victorian house with photos)

texts:
I was putting some stuff in the loft of my Victorian house (UK) and found the roof was dripping wet on the inside and it is wet pretty much everywhere, not just in one area.
I have looked at the roof on both sides and don't see anything obvious.
I was looking for a slate that was out of place but couldn't see anything. Even if there was a dislodged slate that wouldn't explain why it's wet everywhere.
Any ideas what could be the cause?
Below are some photos from today but it was much worse a few days ago and there were small puddles on any of the plastic bags up there.
Front

Back

Inside loft

2

Inside loft video
Video inside loft