texts: How to add C wire to a very old 2-wire Lennox G16 Gas Furnace?

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I recently bought a Sensi Thermostat with Wifi to replace my vintage one. I thought it would work with my 2-wire heat only system because it has batteries , but found out that using the Wifi feature with batteries only with drain them in only a couple days. After searching forums and looking at the Sensi website, I will need to add a C wire.

I read that I can repurpose the fan wire (G) as a C wire by connecting it to the C terminal in the circuit board. I looked at the thermostat wire and found the fan wire (G) unused and stuffed into the wall. However, my system is so old that it doesn't have a circuit board, only a mess of wire nuts.

Where I should connect the C wire to on my old system?


texts: What is the best way to clean a 300 gallon Water tank that was storing Canola Oil?

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i'm not sure if this is the best place to ask this question, if not please let me know a better place. I just purchased a very cheap 300 gallon water tank. It was cheap due to the fact that they stored Canola oil in it, and didn't clean it. They recommended a de-greaser along with a high powered water sprayer. Before I try it, I wanted to see if anyone had any advice on cleaning it, if a de-greaser is the best route, how much I need to use, or any other advice.

Also, my mom said if I don't get all the Canola oil out, it never spoils and it wouldn't kill us to drink if there was a disaster and we HAD to drink it to survive. Is this true? Thanks in advance.

Edit: We will be storing water in it as emergency water, and it is plastic, i'll attach a picture.


texts: Toilet flange spacers and closet horn seal

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This seems like a silly question but there's some toilet flange spacer kits that include rubber gaskets and I'm wondering if the top gasket needs to contact the toilet on the outside of the closet horn. I would think that it needs to as you wouldn't want any sewer gas leaking out.

The kit I have is below. The very limited directions suggest you don't need to use wax. And by wax I'm assuming that meens a wax ring.

My settup only uses one spacer sandwiched between two gaskets and placed on the toilet flange. Currently there is slightly less than 1/4" gap between the top of the gasket and the surface of the toilet.

Adding a second spacer causes the back of the toilet to lift up off the floor slightly.

It seems that a normal wax ring will get compressed too much and will extrude into the drainage pipe causing an obstruction.

How do I rectify this gap?

Different extension kit?
Larger wax ring?
Remove gasket and add wax ring?

Also, if I remove the rubber gaskets and just use the spacer, do I need to use some sort of sealant between the toilet flange and spacer? If so, what should I use?

Silicone sealant?
Wax?
Plumber's putty?


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I have five LED bulbs outdoors near the Twin Cities in Minnesota, all of the same brand (Feit 800 lumens, if that matters), which have been installed somewhere around mid-summer 2013. We don't have dimmers, just a bog-standard on/off switch.

Four of them work perfectly fine, but the fifth doesn't. It glows dim, while all the others burn brightly. There haven't been any circuit, wiring, switching or other changes; the only thing I can think of is that we're springing out of a reasonably cold winter.

This bulb used to work well, too, similar to the others. And it's now consistently dim.

This is in a slightly-difficult-to-get-to spot, hence the question instead of pulling out ladders and playing with different bulbs / configurations.

Is there anything that could contribute to this issue?


texts: Confused about humidity levels in basement - a math problem

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I can't work out the math on this one.
I have a basement. The size is about 10,000 cubic feet (about 35 by 32 by 9). I bought a dehumidifier that says the humidity is  70 %. I want to get this below 50 %. The temperature in the basement is about 70 degrees (Fahrenheit). Now, here is where I may be doing something wrong.
at 70 degrees 100 % each cubic foot of air should contain about 0.0011 lb of water. I get that from here
https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/maximum-moisture-content-air-d_1403.html
So at 70 % there should be about 0.00077 lbs of water per cubic foot. At 10,000 cubic feet this would be 7.7 lbs of water in the air in the basement. Since I started running the dehumidifier yesterday, the humidity has dropped to 65% (so not a lot). In that time (so about 24 hours), the dehumidifier has produced about 5 gallons of water. But five gallons of water has a weight of 42 lbs.
And that is what I don't understand. If there is only 7.7 lb of water in the air, how can the dehumidifier take out 42 pounds of water and only lower the humidity by 5%?
The basement is sealed of pretty good. There is a crawl space covered in plastic. It doesn't smell bad and I was a bit surprised with the 70% humidity. I thought it was less. The numbers above are very rounded, but 7.7 lbs is nowhere near 42 lbs.


texts: Electrical shower no water pressure after turning off the mains supply

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Hi I am hoping someone can help me - I turned my water supply off and replaced two ballcocks - one for heating and one on my main tank - drained all water out of the system - turned supply back on water flowed perfect. I have 2 electrical shower both off the mains water supply. One shower works as expected - however my second one doesnt work in fact there is not water supply getting to it at all and doesnt work.

Any suggestions would be appreciated


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Both my neighbor and I have a fence, parallel to each other, at the back of our houses, with little space between them. My fence needs repair. What is the best way going forward?

Some posts are leaning and the runner is broken in a couple of spots. A partial repair is possible but probably won't look nice.

Does it make sense for me to come into my property by a foot and leave that space between the two fences? Perhaps adding a gate so that I can go between the fences and do periodic clean up of brush etc.

There is a power line about fence, and ATT line crossing the fence underground and mostly at least two feet away.

Fence is about 90 feet by 8 feet. What is a reasonable replacement cost?


texts:
I'm migrating my smoke alarms from the main panel to a generator-backed-up subpanel so I'll have fire protection during a power outage. I'm simultaneously replacing the old smoke detectors.

I read that smoke detectors should be on an AFCI protected circuit, but the instruction manuals for both my Kidde Firex Smoke Alarm and my Kidde Firex Heat Alarm say:

  The appropriate power source is 120 Volt AC Single Phase supplied from a non-switchable circuit which is not protected by a ground fault interrupter.

My Siemens Combination Type Arc-Fault Circuit Interrupter breaker says

  Detects line-to-neutral, line-to-ground and series arcs!

Does that mean it's a "ground-fault interrupter" so I shouldn't use it with the alarms?


texts: What do the letters mean in sandpaper grading?

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I have a set of sandpapers that has the following papers:

 60 AN
100 GB
120 DN
180 FB

All have the marking S/C/W/P paper T9 C Closed. These are all paper sheets. I know that the number is the grain size.

What do the other markings mean?

Especially the 100 GB. I've noticed that it behaves somewhat different to its grit size compared to the others. I am guessing that the G means its the thickest paper? The backside looks different compared to others.


texts: I have a flat roof for my 1100 sqft home which I expect to replace or recover in a couple years.  I'm considering whether I should mount an outdoor gfci electrical outlet, just coming straight up like this.   Besides christmas lights, what other uses might I need it for?  Good idea, bad idea?


texts: Can I convert a radiator to radiant floor heating in a room?

texts: I am purchasing a new home, and designing some renovations to several rooms.  The house has a gas boiler and radiators throughout the house.  For the kitchen and upstairs bathroom, I will be putting in tile flooring.  To save space, I am wondering if installing PEX tubing for radiant floor heating using the supply and return from the radiator is a possibility.  Can this be simply installed in place of a radiator, or does the entire radiant floor heating system (thermostats, control modules, etc.) need to be installed as well?


texts: Removing residual thinset and slight highspots in subfloor before another layer of plywood underlayerment

texts: Removed tile from a plywood subfloor and there is a very small ammount of uneven thinset residue like 1/16" in spots randomly scattered. Not worried about the level as it appear flat but worried when I screw the 3/8" underlayment down over the top before tiling that I'll get some crunch noise over time. I have a random orbital and angle grinder, its a small bathroom. Should I just hit it with some 80 grit or get one of the diamond head angle grinder discs. Seems like they may be overkill and I might make it more unlevel. Or is there a product I can apply before the underlayment? Not sure about self leveler poured between the layers cracking after screwing through. Other have suggested rosin paper 1 or 2 layers


texts:
I am trying to mount our new 60 inch TV onto a wall.  The studs behind the drywall in the particular area are horizontal and there is too much space in between to mount into the studs.  I cut 2x8s and secured them into the studs vertically in front of the drywall. Will this be okay to hold the weight of the TV (50lbs) and the full motion swivel mount (20lbs)?

Any suggestions?

Thanks!


texts: Need suggestions regarding installation of a hand shower with an old style water mixer.

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I would like to keep the current water mixer as it is, and install the hand shower without getting into the hassle of destroying the wall. I am looking for an aesthetic approach to it.

I have to implement this in twenty two bathrooms. Can somebody suggest a solution to this?


texts: Toilet hisses after flush, is it normal?

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This might sound stupid but I've just changed the diaphragm in the toilet as it was hissing and not filling for a long time.

The toilet flushes great and only takes about 20-30 seconds to fill now, but at the end it makes a quick hiss sound.

I'm assuming this is probably the valve closing fast and that's the sound of the water flowing through but I just wanted to double check that there isn't something else wrong.

Is this normal?


texts: How can I convert two recessed lights on a single pole switch to two separate lights with light controls?

texts: I have a bedroom with two recessed can lights operating from one wall switch. I would like to add a ceiling fan/light to one of the outlets and convert the other to a track light with its own light switch control. What are the wiring connections I need to make to convert this into 2 separate lights with light controls?


texts: I have installed a 200 Amp meter upgraded from the old 60 amp and then installed a 200 disconnect with a breaker type switch inside then feeding 200 amp main panel.  My question is do I bond neutral and ground together in the disconnect then run a separate ground to the panel and keep neutrals separate in that panel box and treat it like a sub panel or leave them unbonded in the disconnect and bond them in the panel?


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I have a black colored copper sink and thanks to lye that I poured to fix a slow drain, there has been a discoloration .

How do I paint it back again?


texts: Where do I connect the ground wire in the disconnect?

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I had to put a disconnect after my meter, and run 4 cables to my main box. I had to remove the bonding screw in the main box, and separate the white and ground wires onto their own bars.

The 2 hot wires connect on the disconnect breaker, the neutrals connect on the side of the disconnect breaker.

What do I connect the stranded ground wire to, from the main box into the disconnect box? To the neutral? To the box? To a ground rod?  I know where it goes in the main, but not in the disconnect.


texts: Wall mounting to 300 (w) x 200 (h) VESA specifications

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I'm trying to mount my new LG C7 which has VESA 300 (w) x 200 (h).

I purchased this wall mount which clearly states it is compatible with said VESA mount.

https://www.invisiontvbrackets.com/invisionr-tv-wall-bracket-mount-double-arm-tilt-swivel-24-55-hdtv-dl

However I cannot find any arrangement of the arms in which I can achieve this. I can get the width but not the height, or the height but not the width - never both.

Am I missing something blindingly obvious here?

The diagram attached will help someone cleverer than I figure this out hopefully.


texts: Kitchen sink: what is the difference between left and right section?

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My kitchen sink consists of two parts. Each of these parts has its own drain (marked A and B on the picture below). Each of them has also an own stopper (C) / stainer (D).

Why are the drains different and what are their purpose?
Similarly, how are the stainer/stoper used?

P.S. I moved from Russia to the US relatively recently and many aspects of life differ a lot. That's definitely not the last question about how are the things done here.


texts: We are looking at a house and the overall layout has a lot of the half walls we are looking to get rid of. The posts going up are the only thing I think are going to be load bearing. But I am not positive, it could be just the look they had back then. Any have thoughts on the potential of getting rid of that whole center closet, posts, fake arches area?


texts: Can not work out what material the interior of my walls are made of

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I am trying to work out what the inner walls of my house are made out of. I want to attach some shelves but have no clue what anchor to use.

I've attached a photo of the area around a light switch, it looks like breeze block ? ( I have a faint memory of someone telling me that it was many years ago but can't remember for sure ).

In some places, although not around this light switch for example, tapping the wall sounds very hollow.

It's an old barn conversion from the mid 20th century, if that helps!

Cheers in advance !


texts: Code requirement for depth of Counter Flashing and material sealant?

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Okay, I've got a recently-installed standing-seam metal roof. The roofers ground out the brick in my chimney to install counter-flashing. Recently there was a big leak around the area of the chimney. We had 2.1 inches of rain the night it leaked.

Now, the roofers came out to inspect the cricket, and they think it's the chimney. I've had two masons (one more scheduled) come out and look at it. Both said the old mortar is fine, but it would be a good idea to tuck-point and seal the chimney anyway, and the cap could use some work. Neither seemed to think the chimney was letting in that much water.

The second of the two masons was very concerned about how the roofers installed the counter flashing. To him it looked like they only got about 1/4" of the metal under the top brick, and filled it in with mud. He say's this needs to be much deeper, and using a high grade polyurethane instead.

My question is, is there anything in the International Building Code about installing counterflashing in masonry? I've done some looking, but haven't turned up anything official. Though every source I've seen recommends a minimum of 3/4".

Depending on how far I get with the roofers and masons, I may end up just re-doing the flashing myself.


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I have been googling this for a few hours now and I really can't find a direct answer. This is a stupid question to validate my logic, however I like firm answers instead of assuming.

I need a countersink bit to install my cabinets. The size of the counter sink is:

DEWALT DW2569 Style#10 Countersink with 3/16-Inch Drill Bit

Knowing it is a size 10 and 3/16in drill, should I buy the same size screw 10#? I assume this to be correct.

Or, is it best to use a size #8 countersink with a size #10 screw?

This is the desired result:

http://www.rockler.com/how-to/difference-countersink-counterbore-screw-holes-usage/

Part 2 - Installing Wall Cabinets, start at 2:56


texts: How to add a C wire to an old Lennox attic furnace GS810-105N

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I bought a smart thermostat for my house in hopes of cutting some bills a little. I read up on them, I thought, thoroughly and figured I could handle the task. However, upon climbing up in the attic and pulling the cover, I discovered my unit does not have a labeled terminal panel and the wiring diagram is long gone.

I was hoping for some help with this as $300 is a lot to have sit on the shelf for 6 more months until I mister up the courage to climb back into the attic and stare at the unit confused for an hour again.

Like I said the wiring diagram was not included and there is no terminal board, just a mess of wire nuts but I did track them the best I could and made the list below. I'm not a professional so please excuse my ignorance when it comes to the industry vocabulary. I tried to pick up what I could from other forum posts but none of them were close enough for me to be sure of correlation.

From thermostat:
Red:  ties to yellow wire with silver stripes that goes into silver box with coil thing (possibly internal tranformer? Is half way in the metal box and has two wires going into what almost resembles a roll of paper with two wires coming out inside the box)
Yellow: ties into red wire from transformer I believe?
Green: ties into post 5 on terminal bay
White: ties into wire from blower controller and blue wire that looks like it goes to the gas control

Other wires: white from transformer goes to terminal 4, second wire from terminal 4 ties to big blue wire from limit controller and silver box with paper coil (internal transformer?)

EDIT: while there are 5 wires at the moment (blue is not in use) I will be relocating the thermostat to the wall across the hall once I'm done renovating so I bought a roll of 18/5 to replace it with so I have all the wires I need at hand.

I'm trying to add an image but not having much luck so may try to in the comments to see if something is just hung up. In the image the red circled but is what I'm calling the internal tranformer, the blue is the terminal board and the yellow is the blower controller


texts: Identifying manufacturer (brand) of toilet from a photograph

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Can anyone identify the manufacturer of the toilet from the following photograph? It is the original toilet installed by KB Home in 2007.

I am guessing it is made by American Standard. Is that correct?

Reason I ask is because I don’t have access to the toilet for a few weeks, and I’d like to browse for a few parts for it in the meantime. I’m guessing it is American Standard because it’s commonly used by home builders, and it does look similar to images I found of American Standard toilets on the manufacturer’s website as well as Google Images.


texts: Can caulk or similar be used to create invisible transition between floating wood flooring and vinyl floor tiling - the floor under the tiling has been built up to match level of floating wood floor) Thanks for any advice.


texts: Inserting bulb into fixture causes circuit breaker to blow,

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I'm installing two new bathroom light fixtures. First one went in fine. Second one will blow the wall receptacle based circuit breaker the moment I screw in the bulb (in fact three different bulbs tried).

So for clarity both fixture circuits run through this wall receptacle based circuit breaker. It has a little green light to indicate it is "on". I measured the new fixture and found 115-120v on the light socket. So with no bulb in I can turn on the fixture and measure the voltage, but screwing in the bulb (three different bulbs, which then work fine in the first fixture) causes it to trip. This happen if the first fixture is turned off or if it is turned on. Help?

I thought if I had a short I would never be able to measure the voltage at the socket, or that it would trip when I turned on the switch without a bulb. Doesn't trip.

I thought maybe something wrong with fixture, so returned it and got another, same problem.

This one has got me.

Wall socket

So I opened up the box and found that the light fixture (and switch) is wired to the line connections on the GFCI, and the true "hot" wires are wired to the load connectors on the GFCI. In the following diagram just reverse the labels for Load and Line on the GFCI.

UPDATED:

I opened up the switch and outlet under fixture number 1. Here I see the HOT lines going to a standard outlet and switch. These lines are then fed through the back of the wall over to the box under fixture number 2, where as I said earlier they go to the LOAD on the GFCI and my problem fixture (#2) is wired to the LINE terminals.

So my assumption is that due to this Fixture #1 never really had GFCI protection(?) Not sure I understand why it turned off when the GFCI tripped.

Can I fix the fixture #2 problem by just switching the incorrect(?) Load and Line terminal wires? and shouldn't this also mean my fixture #1is also now GFCI protected?

Thanks


texts: Shower head pipe recessed: what do I need?

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I'm nearing completion of a bathroom remodel and just need to install the fixtures. I have not had to install a brand new shower head before and am unsure of what I need to complete this project.

The pipe for the shower head is recessed into the wall, about flush with the inside of the wall.

What do I need in order to extend this pipe so I can attach my shower head? Thank you


texts: Blower motor lost RPMs after reversal of fan direction

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My air handler requires a clock wise rotation of the fan motor. After installing a new motor I found it was set in the counter clockwise position. I changed the wires (switched inline connection on fan wiring) for a clockwise rotation and found a great reduction of RPMs compared to those of the counter clockwise rotation. Why would the RPMs drop and how would you resolve the problem and regain the lost RPMs?

The wiring diagram isn't available but the 1/4 hp motor is reversible: yellow connected to brown with orange to purple being clockwise and yellow connected to purple with orange to brown producing counter clockwise rotation. Yellow is the common and is connected to power with a choice of Black wire for Hi speed; Blue wire for Med speed or Red wire for Slow speed. Counter clockwise rotation results in Hi speed yet clockwise (using Black Hi speed wire) seems to be no more than Slow speed. The capacitor connects with 2 brown wires, one having a white stripe and is rated 5.0 mdf 440/370 vac/b; it was purchased with the new/replacement motor. Unknowingly this motor ran for 4 or 5 months in the counter clockwise (wrong) direction. This was discovered while exploring the cause of the evaporator coil freezing-due to improper fan rotation. Thanks for your interest!!


texts: How to protect soil up against new wood fence base

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Landscaping the back yard in our new house, the landscaper brought up the dirt level.  But now the dirt level is so high soil is up against our fence covering 6-8" of it vertically all around the yard.  I'm worried about moisture damage over time.  The fence is redwood, and while it's pre-treated, that's a lot of dirt sitting up against it.

Should I pull the dirt away from the fence and either put plastic or river/pebble rocks in the gap so the soil touches one of these instead of the fence directly?

Thanks!


texts: How do I determine which is my common C wire?

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I am trying to install a Nest Thermostat and I need some help locating which of the wires would be the common "C" wire. I have traced all the wires going from the thermostat, condensate removal pump, ac compressor, and furnace. Below are some pictures of what I am seeing and working with. I was able to also make a wiring diagram that I know is correct to how my furnace is currently hooked up, but I just can't seem to see which one would be the "C" wire. The only wire coming out from the control board from "C" goes to the compressor. So unless I am wrong, if I follow the path of the electricity, would my potential common wire be the Y?
My thought process.

"C" travels to the compressor on the red wire
Returns from the compressor to "Y1"
Travels to the Condensate Removal Pump from "Y1" on the white wire
Returns from Condensate Removal Pump on the red wire to the Wire Nut connection
Travels from Wire Nut connection on the yellow wire to "Y" on the thermostat.

Doesn't that technically make my Y the 24v common?
I tried testing the thermostat with a voltmeter for 24v by connecting to the red and testing all the wires one by one but they all gave about 26 volts.
What am I doing wrong? I appreciate any help I can get.


texts: Will roof work done by unlicensed volunteers pass code?

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I go to a church in Chicago that needs a new roof for one of their facilities. For my own home, I can sign a Certificate of Responsibility where it is my job to insure that all the work is up to code, etc. However, as a private citizen who would volunteer for this; I'm not bonded, licensed or insured in anything.

Will any work done by unlicensed volunteers pass code? Is it even OK for a group of volunteers to do roof work on a church? Do I have to be, or need a licensed contractor on site, to do roofs? Since the church is a public building, do different rules apply? Do I have to follow commercial code here?

I'd appreciate any suggestions towards something I may have missed, things that I might 'get away with' or be eligible for, because it is a church.


texts: Rocket thrust washing machine drain hose

texts: Washing machine drain hose discharge pressure has increased, causing the hose to blast out of the drain and flooding the basement.  What would cause the pressure to increase?


texts:
Doing a condo kitchen remodel in Los Angeles, CA. I have a licensed GC and electrician, but I'm keeping close tabs on permits, inspections etc.

Electric inspection flagged I need to add 2 more circuits, and also cited  93.210.12(A) LAMC:

  All 120-volt, single phase 15 and 20 ampere branch circuits supplying
  outlets in dwelling unit kitchens, family rooms, living rooms,
  parlors, libraries, dens, bedrooms, sunrooms, recreation rooms,
  closets, hallways, laundry areas, or similar rooms or areas shall be
  protected by a listed arc-fault circuit interrupter, combination type
  installed to provide protection of the branch circuit.

Do I need to update ALL those circuits to AFCI? The GC insists that he checked with two electricians, and to satisfy the inspection correction notice only the kitchen circuits need AFCI's.
My panel (below) is totally full (not to mention that CAFCI's don't come in tandem), so I need to swap it with a bigger one... Do you know if the work can be done under the kitchen remodel express electrical permit? Or I should brace for extra permit costs?
Any further ramifications I'm missing? By swapping the panel, am I opening a new pandora box of electrical code-compliance?


texts: How can I fix a large gap between wall and countertop caused by bowed walls?

texts: We live in an old house with plaster walls. We recently installed a new counter top and discovered that our walls are bowed and curvy.  There is approximately a 3/4 inch gap on either side of the bow. What is the best way to shave the counter top to fit more snugly to the wall? It's too large of a gap to caulk, and a tile back splash wouldn't be sufficient.


texts: How do I knock out only the correct sized knock-out with Carlon A238 ENT boxes?

texts:
Carlon A238 plastic boxes have three ring knockouts for 1/2", 3/4", and 1" conduit fittings. When trying to knock out for 1/2", the 3/4" breaks out as well.

How do I prevent this, or if it's already happened, fix the now over-sized hole?


texts: How to repair separated rails and stiles on solid wood doors

texts:
I'm refinishing solid pine wood doors in my home, the doors are original from 1940 when the home was built. After stripping multiple layers of paint, I found a few panels separated on some doors (just 2 out of 10 doors total). Here's one about 3/16" thick. Before staining/sealing, is there a simple way to fix this to avoid separation in the future? I live in N.Y., so I'm concerned about seasonal temp changes.

UPDATE, side photos showing joint gap


texts: Can i use my old electric water heater electrical supply wire to power new outlets?

texts:
I removed an electric hot water heater and replaced it with a gas unit.
Can I use the 10 gauge 30 amp line to install 3 outside outlets and how to do it.


texts:
I noticed that there is significant heat loss at my bathtub drain.  If I put my hand above the bathtub drain, I feel an icy draft.
The plumbing is directly under the bathroom, in an unfinished basement.
Here's what I have thought of so far:

Put a stopper in the bathtub when not bathing

Put foam sleeves around the pipes in the basement

Perhaps something in the plumbing arrangement in the basement needs to be re-done in some way

Any thoughts?
P.S. I chose "energy efficiency" as a tag because I couldn't find "heat loss."

Update: I nosed around downstairs while the hot water was running in the bathtub, so I could be sure I was looking at the correct pipe.  There is a U a little below where the pipe comes out of the bathtub.  Then there's a straight stretch of approximately 6 feet.  Then there's a T and the upper part goes up and out of the house.  That portion feels very cold.  So apparently I feel a cold draft at the bathtub drain because cold air from outside is coming in through that pipe!  Is that unorthodox?

Second update: Can I use "dryer vent seal"?  I found a type that is sold at the DIY stores and also a homemade one.

Third update: I read about the "AAV" but wasn't sure if I was on the right track.
Then I read about what might be my situation:
https://www.houselogic.com/organize-maintain/home-maintenance-tips/biggest-air-leak-home/

Crawl under your bathroom to look at the drain assembly from underneath.

Patch the hole with pieces of foam board that’s cut to fit around the pipes. Screw them in place.

Then seal any gaps with spray foam insulation ($8 per can).


texts: Is fumigated barn wood safe for indoor use?

texts:
I have purchased a repurposed piece of barn wood (a beam). It was kiln-dried and fumigated by the company that sold it to me. I mentioned the beam to a friend who is experienced with wood work and living in Europe. He said if the wood was fumigated, it was no longer safe for indoor use and a health hazard. I contacted the seller to see what chemicals were used to fumigate the wood but don't know if I will get that information.

I love the beam and will keep it no matter what, but is it safe to use indoors? How can I find that out? What if I cant get an information about the chemicals used, is there any ways to have it tested?


texts:
There are some holes in between these walls:

What are some proper (and inexpensive) ways to cover them up such that:

they can't be seen
crawlies are not able to get in


texts: Lateral force on posts resting on concrete deck blocks

texts:
I am building a floating deck that is not attached to the house and is 2ft in height. The 4x4 posts are inserted into and resting on top of a concrete decking block. The post is just sitting inside the space provided in the block. In my area, Nevada, this is the only type of concrete deck block they sell. I have seen others where you can attach and secure the post to the block but no luck in my area.
First question, what is stopping any lateral force from pushing the deck over?
FYI, I have over engineered the base of the deck and it is solid. However, as you might guess, because the posts are not secured into the block in any way, I can actually lift the deck up and out of the blocks.
Could this be an issue (lifting the deck out of the blocks) and if so how could I correct it? (without tearing down and starting over)
A few points that might be raised:

I did not want to dig holes for a concrete footer under each post. (Bad back, lots of work and I have seen many other decks built this way.)
My assumption is that the fact that these blocks are manufactured this way, without a way to secure the post to the block, they can be used for this purpose.
I do not live in a high wind, tornado or hurricane area.

Thanks


texts: What should I know before hiring an electrician for a 3-phase commercial service pull?

texts:
I am renting a small warehouse which currently has single phase power.  All of the machines I use require three phase power.  I called the electric company and asked about a new installation of three phase power, but it was incredibly expensive.  The building next door does have three phase power and they have offered to provide service from their transformer bank.

Upon calling the electric company, I was told that the wire had to be buried and it must be copper, not aluminum for three phase commercial service.  I looked at Lowes' website and I have no idea what cable is needed.  Here are the specifics for my project:

Distance: About 200-250' from my breaker box to the remote 3 phase connection
Power Needs: I have a 40Hp screw air compressor and run a few smaller
machines that have 5 - 10hp electric motors.  In addition to this, I
test other machines in order to sell them, and they can have motors
up to 100 or 120hp.  I can avoid running multiple motors at the same
time, if needed.  Also, I have an electric pressure washer with two 2.5 HP electric motors and an electric water heater.  Its electric plate states 20kw as total electric needs.
Conductor: Must be copper per electric company
Location: Must be buried, in a conduit
Line Voltage: I have no idea what voltage comes off of the powerline at 3 phase.
Machine Voltage: Some machines I have say 480 Volts, others say 240 Volts and, I believe, some say 208 Volts.  I can't remember on the last one, but I know 480 and 240 are used on some.

Can you recommend what size of cable I need to specify for this distance and power usage?  Also, how many amps should the 3 phase breaker box I specify be rated at, and what else should I know before signing on the dotted line?  I will hire an electrician to install the box, but I am trying to educate myself on the matter before spending any money.


texts: How to find what code is in my area for insulation in an unfinished basement?

texts:
I just purchased a house that was built and finished this year.

My house is backed up to a hill, and the foundation walls get shorter from the front of house (8 feet) to the back (a little over 2.5 feet), with above ground windows. There is foil type installation around the wooden wall areas and a white blanket around cement areas about halfway down the wall from start of foundation at top. The back area where the foundation is only 2.5 ft tall there is no white blanket installation.  Just the foil type covering with pink installation around the above ground area and around windows.

Should there be insulation around the cement for this shallow area too? I live in Illinois, an hour from Chicago.

Picture:

http://imageshack.com/a/img921/6905/cOYkpX.jpg


texts: I am getting ready to build a house and the state code is 100 ft of leach field per bedroom.  Due to the size of the lot I am limited to where I can place the house due to the leach field length code.  I was told by a neighbor that I could stack the leach field lines.  I have not been able to find any specific information on that stacking suggestion. Is something like this even a feasible option?


texts: What can I burn in fireplace to minimize smoke

texts: I had my fireplace checked and was told that the flue is too small for the fireplace (historic home, botched renovation by prior owner).  As a result, a normal fire sends smoke billowing into the room.  I'd still like to use the fireplace for appearance rather than heat.  Is there anything I can burn that will minimize the smoke?  I know I could get an electric insert but I'm interested in other options first.


texts: Force Furnace Blower to Run on Separate Schedule to Circulate Air

texts:
Appreciate any and all insights you might provide. I could tamper with this until I figured it out but I'm hoping that your collective expertise will save me some time and keep me safe! I've got an OH3 ThermoPride oil furnace with a blower motor. I'm include photos of the wiring harness on the blower and the wiring schematic. My current thermostat only has R & W wires to turn on the furnace which triggers the blower to run. Cold spots are a real issue especially in bedrooms and I'd love to force the blower to run on a regular schedule that I can control/set with an app. My plan is to have a separate wifi connected thermostat in the utility room that I can control with a scheduling app.
3 Core Questions

how do I wire that thermostat to the blower terminal strip? Do I just add a piggyback onto the C terminal on the blower where the white wire coming from the red primary thermostat wire (per the schematic)?
am I correct that it's not a problem if both tstats call for the blower to run at the same time?
any recommendations of a programmable switch or tstat that I could use to control only the blower?

Thanks so much.
Wiring Schematic

Blower Wiring Harness

Here's what the relay looks like. You can barely make out the C (upper screw terminal) and G (lower terminal).


texts: How to remove a sliding screen door wheel

texts: I'm trying to remove one of the sliding screen door wheels.  It seems to one of those that is U shaped.   I've looked at various videos and usually you can use a needle nose pliers and it'll come out.   Funny thing is that there is a plastic piece inside that won't allow me to pull forward. It seems that I can only push in which will not remove it.   Question is.... is there a way to remove the wheel correctly?


texts: How can I live in a large house and not have high utility bills?

texts: I would like to buy a five bedroom house in Illinois, mainly because I love the property. I wish the house was smaller, because I would be the only one living there. My plan would be to live in only a small portion of it, but how could the utility bills be low? It would need to be weatherized, but is there a way to heat just a small portion of the house without the pipes bursting in the winter?


texts: Is cork an effective solution to reverberation problems?

texts:
I own a small English language academy in Spain. After a rebuild last summer I find that problems with reverberation persist. This is at its worst when less people are present but I'm looking for a permanent once and for all solution that hopefully doesn't involve sticking ugly panels or carpets to the walls.

I am thinking about putting down an 8 mm thick, glue down tiled cork floor. Also 8 mm cork panels on the walls, perhaps a 150cm strip around three walls of the classrooms' circumference. This hopefully would cut reverberation to 0.5 seconds or less.

Does anyone have experience of such an undertaking with regard to reverberation?


texts:
Remodeling the bathroom. I want to put in a pocket door, centered, in a 60" opening.  Is there a split door product available, that will work similar in principle to draw drapes?

To put the door in as planned, right now, the door opening is in the corner.  I don't like it: at all. The contractor did not want to move electrical wiring to make room for the door on the side of  'opening' that had room to make the pocket door go where I wanted it.


texts:
I'm doing research on what I want for my irrigation system and I have the following two questions:

The City of Denver requires that the PVB be 12" from the wall as documented here. What's the reasoning behind this?

I'd like to get something like a stop and waste ball valve installed for winterization. However, the supply comes out of the crawl space and is only about 2' below grade. The crawl space it would come out of is insulated and sealed so I don't want the S&W valve in the crawl space. But if I install the S&W outside, isn't it still prone to freeze damage thus making it completely obsolete? If so, what's the right way to go about getting this setup?


texts: Can I use my old service panel as a sub-panel when I install a new one?

texts: The main panel in my building is 100 feet from the where the feed wire comes in from the outside meter. Can I install a new 200 amp panel where the feed line comes in and use the existing wire to feed the old panel and change it to a sub panel?


texts: Should frameless glass shower door hinges be screwed into the wall at an angle?

texts:
I recently had shower glass & door installed - but the shower door hinges have their screws (ones that go into the tile wall) are screwed in at an angle, so they do not sit flush against the hinge.

All the screws are this way except the center one, I am wondering if this is normal?
I asked the guy who installed it, he said it is purposefully done that way so that it would be able to withstand the weight of the glass door.
Some details of the project:

This is a torn down to the studs kind of project
There are double studs behind the tile where the hinges are
The door is a 90 degree door

Any of you know if this is normal?


texts: Is it allowed for a wire to go directly into a wall from PVC conduit (with some connector)? Or do I need to install a junction box?

texts:
I need to install a permanent wiring from a receptacle on the ceiling of finished garage to outside of garage (for motion-sensor flood light). The wire will not be below 9 feet level.
Do I need to use conduit in the first place?
Assuming yes - I'm planning to extend an outlet, replace with GFCI and then run the wire through PVC conduit attached to the ceiling. Second question - can I run wire directly through the wall from PVC conduit? Or do I need to connect it to a junction box (and then from junction box to run wire through the wall)?


texts: Best tool to cut out back of kitchen sink cabinet?

texts: There are 100% mice under my kitchen sink. I need to rip out the cabinet part to see whether and how I can patch it up to keep them out. I'm digging in from outside beyond the foundation, too, but that is another story. What tool do I need to cut the back of the undercabinet under my sink? I don't want to remove plumbing or countertop or even sidewalls and doors, but the floor of the cabinet may have to go if they are under it. I feel like a circular saw would be too unwieldy and large, and I want something the size of a sander. Thank you. Tool illiterate.


texts: How do low power draw devices not cause problems?

texts:
Recently, a home owner tied a hot wire directly to a neutral and asked about it on this site. Fortunately, his unfortunate mistake did not result in anyone being injured. As an answers point out, usually a device drawing current reduces the load on the wires and prevents them from heating up.

However, this got me thinking... how to green and low power draw devices, such as a led bulb or cell phone charger draw enough current to prevent this from happening?

Are they less efficient than I imagine? Or need more current than I am thinking?

15 Amps is a lot of current, and it does not seem to me that connecting a low power-draw device would be radically different than connecting a hot and neutral wire directly.

Why did directly connecting the hot and neutral wires in the linked question draw enough current to trip the breaker?


texts:
I have a thread cone like this

which I need to load into net needle.

The issue is after I have pulled some thread from the cone, the thread becomes too curly and tangled, it tries to wrap around it self. Is there any easier way to straighten the thread?


texts: How can I make these bath valves easier to use?

texts:
I'm looking for a way to make the valves in the pictures below easier for my mother to use. She has a bad case of arthritis in here hands, so this was suggested by a nurse.

I would really prefer any ideas that don't require opening up the walls and replacing any plumbing. Do I have any options outside of that?

I was thinking of changing the handles. I also thought about removing the valve stems and replacing them with something, but I'm not sure if this is a real option.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.


texts: I have no power in my attic and there are not any tripped breakers of GFCI in the house

texts:
In my Attic I a have  an outlet, junction box that goes to Two ceiling Fans that are not working and a pull string mounted light.I used a voltage tester one all three(outlet, junction box, and light) there is no power to any of them.
Can any one help troubleshoot for me?


texts: I got 109 on one leg and 140 on the other. Have tried to run only one leg but voltage remains the same. The main box is 120 at each leg


texts: Is it cost effective to close some heating vents?

texts:
I have a central natural gas forced-air furnace in a small (1500 sq. ft.) home. I have an unfinished main room downstairs and a room for storage upstairs that's not being used as a bedroom.

Is it cost effective to close the heating vents in these rooms? I'm fairly confident about the unfinished basement room, but not so much the upstairs room. The reason being that there's a return air vent in the storage room: the door stays closed and the return air vent isn't getting anything to return.

Edit:

Upstairs there are a total of six rooms: kitchen, living room, bathroom, and three bedrooms. Each of these rooms has a vent. Each bedroom and the hallway connecting them have return-air vents. The thermostat is located in the hallway.


texts: I had a leaky kitchen faucet so I got a new Moen 87557 from Homedepot. I was able to install everything up until I was ready to connect the faucet to the water outlet. The old faucet had a 3/4" (I think) and new one has 1/2" inlet and my water outlet has a pipeline which doesnt fit into the new Kitchen faucet intake. Am very much a rookie, so please help me with suggestions on what can be done about this? PLease find attached the photos.


texts: Summerhouse door hinge repair/replacement

texts:
My wife and I recently purchased a house that came with a summerhouse in the back garden. It's brilliant having it there, very useful and I have started working on the internals (installing a bar and making it a place for gatherings once lockdown is over!)

I want to now focus on the externals. Specifically the door and window. The window won't open due to the top dropping, and the doors do not shut correctly due to dropping too. Fortunately, I can still lock it! The hinges are not in great condition, but they are ones I haven't seen before so I'm not sure how to fix them or replace them.

The hinges look like this:

Here is a closer look at how the hinges connect to the door and door frame:

This is a front view of the doors, showing how they have dropped (and thus do not close)

And finally, the window uses the same hinges as seen here:

I' like to eventually replace the doors when I have the money, but for now I'd like to repair or replace the hinges just to get the windows and doors functioning properly again.

If anyone can let me know how to do this as I have never see these hinges before and can't see how I would get to them as there is no visible plate where they screw into the frame.

If more pictures or information is required, please let me know.


texts: Can I use the tabs to chain 15A outlets on a 20A circuit?

texts:
When wiring 15A-rated outlet receptacles on a 20A circuit, is it acceptable to use the tabs & screws to chain the circuit from one outlet to the next?

My instinct to overengineer says to use pigtails to pass the power to the next outlet and wire the receptacle, but this takes up more space in the box. So is the tab on a 15A outlet sufficient for handling a 20A load though a series of outlets? if so, why?


texts: Is there a way to difinitively determine if a tub is leaking? My tub has a small crack in it but I thought it was cosmetic. Earlier today after my son took a bath i noticed a drip in the basement a few feet from where the tub sits. I pulled the tile an it kinda looks like it might have just been from him splashing etc but I want to make sure before I finish the floor


texts: Why didn't reducing my water pressure regulator affect the outside spigot pressure?

texts: My water pressure reading from outside water faucet reads 110-120. I reduced on my water pressure regulator and can feel inside the water pressure is decreased but the readings outside remain the same. Possible reasons? Water pressure in the house feels to low now and can’t imagine it’s in the range I get outside on the readings.


texts: How to install a grab bar in a tiled shower

texts: I would like to install a grab bar in my tiled shower.  Do I need to find a stud or will wall anchors be enough?


texts: What is the preparation before painting oil over waterborne alkyd paint?

texts: We painted some cabinets with a single coat of a waterborne alkyd product, but now want to paint them over with a straight oil finish (for our own reasons).  What is the preparation for doing this to insure a proper bond?


texts:
Can someone please tell me what is going on in my house. Almost all he rooms are starting to form these raised bulges lines from wall to wall on the ceiling.  They are raised and don't move when pushed on. I'm at a loss.

12-14-19 update
So the raised lines on the ceiling only seem to be getting worse.  Protruding more than before.  Every ceiling on the first floor has them now. Second floor ceilings don't show any as far as I can tell.  Not sure what is causing it.  I had my roof replaced and some roof ventilation installed when we bought the house last year.  Only seems to be getting worse as time goes on.


texts: Is it possible to install a bathroom fan, vanity power plugs, LED lights, a small towel dryer and a smart toilet on just 2 circuits?

texts:
I have this small toilet and I am surprised that it requires its own circuit
https://www.ovedecors.com/en/stan-toilet.html
    POWER OUTLET REQUIREMENT
This  product  must  be  plugged  into  a  working  GFCI  power  outlet  to  avoid  potential  damages  on  the  electronic
component during electrical surges. The power outlet must have a dedicated minimum 1800W capacity for the
smart toilet.

I currently have a GFCI power outlet that is used for the vanity
It needs to be relocated but the current position would allow me to split and reach both the new position and the smart toilet
The other circuit supports LED lights and the fun,
Not sure where to place the small towel dryer (probably on the lights/fun circuit??
Would these work ? Both are 15 AMP circuits


texts: Changing a 240v plug with 4 wires to 240v plug 3 wires

texts:
I have a outlet that is 240V with 4 wires.  I want to change it to 3 wires, I am assuming the black is also a hot wire. With the volt meter I get 220V touching the two red wires and 110V when i touch the black to ground.

I want to change the plug to a 3 wire and I am not sure what to do with the black wire, can i just put a wire nut on it and push in the box?? Any help would greatly be appreciated. I don't need another shocking experience


texts: Should the neutral for a GFCI be separate from other neutrals?

texts:
What I found at the sub panel in the garage was an old Murray 120/240 being fed from the main with a 12/2 or 10/2 (dont remember) bx. At each phase I get 120 from phase to neutral. It has 2 double pole 15 amp breakers, which they used for 4 circuits. One for a swimming pool filter (8 amp) ,and a few light fixtures (keeping in mind that the filter is on a timer so it's not constant). Second side of the two pole is feeding a refrigerator, but the other breaker has two other separate circuits. One serving a GFCI, and two outlets. The final pole is feeding two other outlets.

What concerns me is that they went with three circuits into a junction, and in that junction all the neutrals are together (one being for a GFCI). Shouldn't the circuit feeding the GFCI's neutral be separated, as if to be a dedicated circuit? In the subpanel they are all in individual on the neutral bar.

Another thing is that they had to jump the phases to get the other half of the panel to work. I just never seen a circuit wired that way, or the phases jumped.


texts:
I'm about to wire for a 7500 KW Generac generator which is something my nephew has already done.  In his case the system was wired by an electrician using a double pole 50amp breaker at the panel and 100amp wire.  The system worked flawlessly.  Then years later, in an attempt to upgrade the system, he called upon a second electrician that rewired using double pole 30amp breakers and 30amp wire sighting that the Generac was only providing 30amps and that the way the system was wired was overkill.  Made sense at the time but when the first emergency took place, and the generator put to use, it surged and blew its breaker, while the fridge and fish tank pump made unnerving sounds, while lights would flicker and wall switches failed to work?  He has since rewired to original and things are back to working fine.

My electrician is on the same page as my nephews second electrician, and who am I to argue with a professional, but I fear the same results if I wire using the 30amp logic.

Can anyone tell me why the 50amp breaker/100amp wire works while the 30amp solution fails???  Are the watts unavailable to the house due to circuit size?

Kind Regards, Bewildered


texts: How can I drill a hole 8 ft deep through hard sandstone with a rotary hammer?

texts:
At my property I would like to get a 1-2" hole 8 ft deep. The only problem is, I start hitting rock (hard sandstone) about a foot deep.

Is there some kind of shank extension for a rotary hammer that I can use to get down there? I have ground rods in a trench, and they're okay, but I really would like to see if I can get one to 8 ft.


texts: What's the mechanism to maintain this shelf stable

texts:
I want to know what's the mechanism to maintain this shelf stable even when they tilt the wall-bed:

I would like to build something similar myself (not for a bed though).

I researched about gimbal + shelves but I didn't have luck.

Can someone point me in the right direction? Does this mechanism have a name? What are the physics laws that make it possible?

Note: GIF is from the video of the Oslo Bed from resourcefurniture.com


texts: What is this weird splotchy dust growing under my table?

texts:
I store a little swivel desk stool underneath my ping-pong table in the basement and I noticed one day that the cloth on the chair looked like it had round water stains. I then folded the table sides up and witnessed a constellation of dust on the underside (on both sides).

Photos:

I took several paper towels and cleaned it off. After cleaning, a faint imprint remains. It kind of has the consistency of spider webs. The dust invariably grows back in a few weeks.

I am simply curious as to what this is, because I've never seen dust in clusters like this (as opposed to a thin, uniform layer). I hope it is not mold or fungus. The room is relatively clean and I can't find this dust anywhere else in the room or under other tables. Why the ping-pong table?


texts:
[In the UK] I need to replace the condensate pump in my basement (for pumping condensate from the boiler), and the current one is simply wired up to a standard 13A plug, but reading the instructions on the new pump (a direct replacement, same make+model), it specifically says not to do this:

"The unit should be connected to a fully earthed electrical supply. All wiring must conform to BS7671, 1992 requirements for electrical installations. The SANICONDENS® Eco/Basic requires a 220/240V single phase AC 50 Hz supply (UK specification). Do not connect SANICONDENS® Eco/Basic to a conventional plug and socket. It must be wired into a fused, unswitched, fixed wiring connector fitted with a 5 amp fuse. SANICONDENS® Eco/Basic has an Earth wire.

The wires in the mains lead are coloured in accordance with the following code:

Brown – Live
Blue – Neutral
Green/Yellow – Earth"

[Cue stupid question] Why can't I use a normal wall plug but with a 5A fuse? What benefit is there for the connection to be unswitched for what is a fairly simple pump? Obviously I want things to be in reg's, so just trying to work out if I need to call out an electrician, just don't want to be embarrassed if he wires up a plug :)

Thanks all for any help


texts:
I have a 50-inch tv weighing in at 15kg/33lbs, that I want to mount to a drywall. Ideally, I would like to be able to use a mount that can flip the tv out at a 90 degree angle. I have not been able to find the studs in the wall. I found a very helpful and informative video here. It calls for 'snap toggle bolts'.

So here is the challenge - I live in Bangkok, Thailand. And none of the hardware stores I've visited had ever seen the pictures and video I showed them of snap toggle bolts. They came back with some suggestions, the sturdiest of which I took a photo of.

However, nobody could tell me how much weight these anchors would properly support. And of course I don't want to risk part of the wall plus my new tv coming down!

Ideally, I hope somebody recognises these things and can tell me if they'll suffice. But that might be a stretch. Instead, perhaps somebody can give me some pointers in terms of what to look for, how to judge different solutions for suitability, etc. and I'll just continue my search.

Much appreciate your help.


texts: determining floor type for dealing with squeaks

texts:
Just received my anti-squeak kit in the mail. The instructions for using the joist-finding screw are different for "hardwood floors"...

...each plank in a hardwood floor has nails in it... you need to drive the anti-squeak screws down into the plank that is visibly moving or where the noise is coming from, not necessarily into the joist.
On plywood, or chipboard floors, the nails are drive into the joist to hold the floor down. Over time, the nails loosen... On this type of floor we use the Joist Finder, find the joist, and fasten the floor to the joist.

...and "softwood floors".
Question: based on the attached photo of my flooring (it's a multi-apartment 3-storey building in North America, constructed in the 1980s) will I have more luck eliminating the squeaks by driving the screws into the joist or directly into the area that squeaks?


texts:
I have 12 gauge wire to a 20amp circuit going around a bedroom.   Then I have a fixture with 18 G9 LED bulbs on a chandelier.  Do I just wire all hot leads to the hot 12 gauge and wire all the whites together which puts all the LEDs in parallel?  I mean, I don't see draw on any wire going high at all unless I put them in parallel I guess.  Thoughts?

I'm hoping this is the right gauge in the chandelier since it's from China and they don't typically follow code and only go for cheap.


texts: Is occasional puddling of water in an unfinished basement a problem that needs to be addressed?

texts:
In a early 20th century New England home of wood frame construction and foundation of fieldstone and brick with some CMU, we get some puddling of water in a few areas of the unfinished basement floor after a strong rain. The "slab" is not a modern, thick, floated concrete affair, but almost a skim coat of some kind of grout or cement over dirt (related question: what's this floor made of?). The water appears to be coming up through this basement floor. We also get some seepage through the foundation walls, and there's some dark discoloration of some of the bricks.

pooling water

seepage through foundation wall

some discolored bricks?

We're in an urban setting with tight property lines (only feet between structures) and no natural grade to move the surface water away from the foundation. The downspout situation on the property is not very good. We think that the cure for the problem would be connecting the roof leaders (downspouts) to an underground drywell/recharger system to move the stormwater away from the foundation, but this would be a fairly pricey endeavor.

UPDATE: I should have been more clear about the downspout situation. All are intact and in good shape, and well sealed. The problem is that the buildings are so close together here that there's no way to extend the downspouts in such a way that they would dump more than a couple feet away from a foundation wall. If I extend the downspouts away from this basement, they shoot into another basement. There's also very little permeable surface on the property (mostly paved). This is why we think hard piping to a big drywell would be required, lest our problem become our neighbors problem.

If the occupants are not bothered by the occasional wet basement (used only for storage), would it be OK to leave the situation the way it is? Need we be concerned about other problems that this dampness and occasional flooding could cause?


texts: How can I make a long wall perfectly level?

texts:
I am installing a short stone wall, made from these bricks.
The wall is not tall, about 2.5' (0.8 m), but it is about 140' (45 m) in length. The wall needs to be strong to withstand flash floods, which can dump 1' (30 cm) of water in the back yard in as little as 15 minutes.
I carved out a trench in which to place the first row of bricks. I've filled the trench with water to get a level.
----       ------
   \       /
    ------- <-- 6 inches (15 cm) wide

The trench is 2 inches (5 cm) deep at the low spot of land, but the wall goes up a slight incline, and there the trench is 14 inches (35 cm) deep.
----       ------
   |       | <--- It can be much deeper up higher on the hill
   |~~~~~~~| <-- I can pour in water to get a level, but no idea how to use that to place the bricks level
   \       /
    ------- <-- Still 6 inches (15 cm) wide here

How can I get this wall to be perfectly level, within 1/4" (5 mm) of accuracy from the one end of the wall to the other?
I can fill the trench with water, to get a level line. Is there some kind of concrete mix I can pour into the water that will easily give a level the whole length of the trench?
I considered just adding gravel to the trench, and eyeing if it is up to the water level, but the act of adding gravel will change the height of the water itself, so I don't know if that is a viable plan.


texts: making converted attic into full height (roof tear off)

texts:
Bought a house 5 years ago. Brick construction, single story with full basement (concrete walls). The attic was converted to living space (with permit) before I bought it, but it has 43-inch knee walls and only 6 ft headroom for about 8 feet of width. Virtually no closet space

the fact it was converted with permit presumably means that the foundations are strong enough to support true second floor. Was going to dormer it entire length, but exterior material costs are only about $5K more to replace roof and build 8 foot walls all round. So it seems like a no-brainer. I built my own 22 x 24ft garage with truss roof (had to register as GC to get permits), so it's pretty much same thing but 40-foot long and 12 feet higher :-)

Anyway, I know the architect/structural engineer will provide all this detail, but that's gonna take some time, so would like to get an idea sooner about 2 things I'm puzzled about.

The trusses need to be 24-inch on center. When i built garage I put extra studs under truss locations to carry load to slab. I'm not opening up first floor walls, so should I just space trusses at 16-inch so they are over the studs?
Normally, in 2-story framing, the floor joists for 2nd floor are square at the ends like diagram below. But as my roof goes all the way to the floor level on second floor (and it's 12/12 pitch), the joists are cut at 45-degrees.

So how would I support the new 2nd floor walls?

Can I just put blocking between the joists that gives me a continuous area (except the 45-degree cutout) for the new bottom plate

Can  cut a 90-degree notch wide enough for a 2x4 bottom plate?

Can I offset the new studs by to be next to the joist?. Or can I bring the 2nd floor wall in a little? (load would be cantilevered). Have 3/5 inches to make up

Thanks
Mark


texts:
Can I piggyback the power to two water heaters using the same breaker by just doing a junction box and running power to each water heater? Or do I need to run seperate line from the circuit box to the second water heater on its own breaker?

I have a 40 gallon water heater now I'm going to connect another identical 40 gallon water heater to it. Was wondering if I could just piggyback from the line that is giving power now or would I have to run its own line from the breaker box? Not worried about code, worried about safety. –


texts:
I'm surprised this hasn't come up before but I did a search here and didn't find anything, so here goes.
I need to power a dozen 12VDC LED deck post lights, each drawing 1.6 watts.  I want to place the transformer in a basement utility room where I have an outlet and run 20' of 12/2 stranded wire to the first light.  From there, the rest of the lights are spaced out along 160' of the same wire.  I know I need a transformer capable of providing at least 19.2 watts (12 lights x 1.6 watts) but I've seen some references to 300 watt transformers because of the wire length regardless of the number of lights.  How do you calculate the current draw of the lights plus the resistance of the wire to determine the required transformer size?


texts: How should I finish a shower stall at an outside corner?

texts:
I'm replacing a shower stall in an alcove with a plastic modular unit. The old unit ended a few inches inside the stall, while the new unit extends right to the edge of the alcove.  On one corner, the shower surround flange is nearly touching (the back of) the drywall on the other wall.
The surround flange itself is about 1 3/8". There's also about 2" high of exposed stud at the bottom where the shower pan is.

How should I fill in the space on the surround at this corner?  I was considering either trying to fit in a small strip of drywall, or filling it in with setting-type compound. I'd then put plastic corner bead on top. I might need to pre-drill some holes in the surround flange in order to attach the bead.


texts:
I have a bathroom where water-resistant drywall was put up around and over the tub. Is it okay to put tile over the drywall around the tub or shower?

If not, what can I do to be able to put tile?


texts: Does decking board orientation really matter?

texts:
I've been told that decking boards should always be installed "bark side up" so that the boards crown (and shed water) as they age rather than cup  (and collect water).  But then I've also heard that it should be done the other way around.  And I've also heard that it just doesn't matter one way or the other - just put the "nicest" side up.

So, which way is best, or doesn't it matter at all?


texts:
I have a 3/4" gap between my garage back door (see image. blueish color is outside evening light).
Looking for a good way to cover this gap with two goals in mind:

Stop rodents from coming in
Help as much as possible to keep heat from escaping

The door is a simple wooden door. The floor is cement.
I know there are some thick rubber bands that can be used. Are there any better solutions?


texts: How to remove mold from cloth upholstery

texts: My coach is covered in black mold, Google search shows various suggestions including vinegar, bleach, hydrogen peroxide, rubbing alcohol. Which is the most effective proven method to remove mold without damaging my coach. The covering of the coach can be detached and washed.


texts: Should I unplug the timer on the water heater when shutting off water to the house?

texts: If I shut the water off to the house, do I need to unplug the timer on the water heater?


texts: How long can a freshly sanded deck wait before sealing without do overs?

texts:
I just had a composite covered deck installed with wood railings.  Part will be screened and rest open.  The contractor is ready to frame for screened portion and advised me to stain before he frames.

I'm using Cabot Australian Oil. Instructions state avg. min temp should be 50 for 48 hrs before applying.  The avg. temp now is 34 & I've already sanded rails, rafters, & steps.  It wont warm up for another 2 months to the 50 degree requirement.

How long can I wait without resanding for stain?  Or will I need to resand?  What do I do?


texts: Adding two outlets to a new basement kitchen. What is the Ontario electrical code requirement?

texts: I'm building my basement and has a small kitchen (7 x 7 feet). I'm adding two outlets at above counter top level (counter top is not their yet). Should this be in a dedicated 20amp circuit or can it be part of another 15 amp circuit? What is the best and recommended practice?


texts: How to straighten a sagging wooden house?

texts:
I realize that this question is probably the least DIY-type of question one could imagine, certainly for an amateur.

I'm for now simply curious about what options exist. This is an old wooden house, which is sagging some in the middle on all floors.

The cheap way to fix this appears to be simply putting down new flooring to straighten the floor without fixing the root cause.

However, is it possible to correct the root cause, as in straighten the whole house itself?

What is such a procedure called, and what heavy tools and machinery (if any) does it involve? What skills are required?

It would be useful to at least have read a little bit about this when discussing options with builders.


texts: NEC 422.16(B)(2) Built-in Dishwashers and Trash Compactors Requirement

texts:
According to the titled part of NEC, "(4)Receptacles shall be located to protect against physical damage to the flexible cord."

I have installed a dishwasher recently, but the plugged to a receptacle newly installed right next to a base cabinet. I know the receptacle is usually under sinks, and in that situation, we may be able to say that the cabinet is protecting the cord from damage. Is my situation violate the code since technically the code is exposed to a traffic area. See the picture below. Thank you for your advice.


texts: How can I determine which MERV filters would be best for my air handler?

texts: I have a Carrier 3.5 ton, 1/2HP air handler (Model Number:fc4bnf042).  I have been using MERV 13 a/c filters for a few years now because my son has allergies.  I recently discovered that the higher MERV filters can cause resistance that can strain the blower.  Does anyone know if there is a simple way of determining whether I am OK with the MERV 13?


texts: What is causing discoloration on my bronze-finished lockset?

texts: We bought a bronze finished lockset about five years ago, and now a lot of it is ashy looking and green in some places.  It looks a little worse every year.  It's on an exterior door facing west.  Would it be the sun causing such discoloration?  If so, what's a good finish for an exterior door lockset?


texts: Where should I put the Google Nest smoke alarm in this room?

texts:
I have a large open plan kitchen dining and living area with a high vaulted ceiling. The ceiling meets two separate one-sided peaks in two places on the wall.
I'd like to put a single Google Nest Protect in the room. Where should it go? The instructions say 90 cm vertical from the peak but doesn't say whether it's ok to place it under a second lower peak.
See photo:


texts: A-frame swing set max length of 4x4 beams

texts:
I am building an a-frame swing set for my kids using a 4x6 and 4x4 beams. We are using pre-built brackets to attach everything.

What I am wondering is, is there a max length that the 4x4 can safely be? I want the swing to be as high as possible for the kids, but don't want to compromise safety.


texts: I'm getting ready to finish my basement and one of the rooms is already roughed in. However, the stud walls are 1/2 (give or take) away from the concrete. My plan was to insulate with fiberglass but after  reading found you should put XPS foam board as a vapor barrier/insulator. Do I HAVE to rip all of the framing out or is there a way to salvage what's been done?


texts: I mostly hear about this happening for roads on very hot days, but I'm wondering what about the heat causes the concrete to heave? Is there any concerns for foundations/garage floors/drive way heaving for the same reason? If so, what can I do to protect them?


texts:
Our roof has a peculiar first row of shingles. In most places the first row extended beyond the L-Shaped metal holder by about 5/8". But in some other places it is almost flush with the metal piece. (And in these places we noticed deterioration of fascia boards.)

If this is an error, what is a corrective step?


texts: How can I find out which ethernet cable goes where?

texts: I moved in to a house where I have a bunch of cables in the basement that go god knows where. Is there a way to find out the destination and purpose of all of them?


texts: GFCI trips when flipping light switch in another room

texts: I just replaced an old outlet in the bathroom with a new GFCI outlet.  Works fine in the bathroom when plugging in a hair dryer.  However, when I try to turn on the hallway light, the GFCI trips and the hallway light is no longer usable.  Any suggestions on the cause or how to fix this issue would be appreciated.  Thank you.


texts: I have an open neutral on all electrical circuits

texts: I have an open neutral on all circuits in my house. Everything is working fine. how do I fix this situation?


texts: Which is least likely to crack due to high traffic, large or small tile?

texts:
Consider a kitchen on pier-beam flooring with two doors allowing traffic to flow through it.
The floor is 10x10 feet. I plan to tile and would like to minimize risk of cracking. Which size tile would be least likely to crack tile or grout, small tiles(2-4 inch sq) or large tiles (1x1ft)?


texts: Add slope to existing flat porch/balcony

texts:
I have a patio attached to my house (like in the image below)

As you can see, it is covered and over my garage. Although it is covered, it still gets rain and snow on it and, unfortunately, the top decking material is just painted OSB and it is seriously rotting. Under the OSB is good flat framing. I am going to rip out the OSB and I want to add a waterproof deck top, but understand that if I do that, I need to add slop.

My main question is this: how do I add slope to the existing frame?
(I am assuming that there is none).

Some bonus questions:

How would I check if there is slope already? It doesn't appear that
there is slope to the eye. Would it show up on a long level?
Any suggestions on waterproofing material?


texts:
Can anyone tell me how to remove these faucet handles?  I have removed the allen screws and removed the faucet handles.  But then I assumed the cones under the handles woudl screw off, but I cannot get them to budge.  Is there a trick to this?

I do not know the make/model.  I have attached a picture above that shows the hot and cold faucet after I removed the handles.  How do I proceed from here?


texts: Is it worth it to replace the stock blade of a miter saw?

texts: I have heard that the stock blades that come with miter saws are "crap" and that you should replace the blade. I recently bought a normal consumer grade 10" miter saw (a Dewalt DW713) which I plan to use for cabinetry. Should I replace the blade or just go ahead and use the stock blade?


texts: How can I build a fence next to existing neighboring fences?

texts:
I would like to fence in my back yard.  Nothing super fancy, just a black metal fence like you see everywhere.  I got some quotes from some contractors and they wanted $6k+ (!!) to build the fence.  I was shocked at the estimate prices given that my neighbors on both sides have already built fences, so I'd only have to do the back of my lot plus a little on the sides with a gate on one side (see dotted red lines below).

How hard would this be to do myself? I don't want/need to run a fence along the sides, so how would I go about integrating with my neighbor's fences?  I didn't think it was possible to set the end posts right next to their fence as it would disrupt their fences, though I can't tie into their fences as they aren't mine (and presumably aren't on my property).

Also, what is the best way to match up the fences, given the height disparity?


texts:
I've never had a radiator before, all central air for me, but I'm living in an apartment that has them now. All of the radiators in my apartment have been hissing, and pouring out steam from the "valve" on the side. I'm not sure what the "valve" is or even if it's a valve, but it seems to relieve pressure and it's not always on when the radiator is so I'm guessing there is an 'on' and 'off' position. Here is a a wikipedia picture of one that has the same type of "valve":

My questions are as follows:

Should it be hissing? (it's really loud)
Is there anything I can do to make it quieter?
If there isn't, would an unorthodox solution, such as putting something that allows air through over the "valve" be safe? I've used a wet sponge for short periods when it really annoys me.


texts: Where can I find a replacement sash for my double-hung window?

texts:
I have a broken inner pane on the lower sash and would like to find a replacement sash. I am having trouble identifying the manufacturer.

I am guessing it is a 26 inch square window since it measures 25 1/4 wide by 26 3/8 tall.

Here are the markings on the window:

  PAT (VA), SPEC NFRC, SERIES VWDH, MST 3856,PAT M 490, NFRC 100-200, and PAT-M-040.

I can post photos if that's needed. Can you help?


texts: Cutting off the tips of roof sheathing cap and metal screws so they don't show?

texts:
I am replacing a flat carport roof with PBR metal sheets over 5/8" inch plywood sheathing with underlayment. I know 1/2 inch is strong enough, but I was thinking more of the nailing.  Anyway... it's installed.
I plan to install Tyvek 200 underlayment using 3/4" cap nails, and 1-1/2" cap nails where the joists are.
For the PBR I have the same, 1-1/2" metal to wood screws for the joists, and 3/4 for the metal to metal ribs, so I don't see any protrusions there unless I don't hit a joist which is possible.
Since it's a carport, of course when you look up at the bottom, you will see any screws protruding out.  There will be quite a few.  I guess I could live with them if I had to but I don't really want to.
Question:  Is it OK to cut off (either with my cutters or rotary tool) the tips of any protruding screws or nails?  Will it hurt the "holding power?"
FYI i am in Los Angeles.  We don't get hurricanes etc.  I looked at the high wind history for the last 20 years and it never got above 35 MPH.


texts: What are these lines on the ceiling from?

texts:
I'm looking at buying a house and I noticed it has lines on the ceiling in one of the rooms:

It looks like the white lines are where the rafters are, and there seems to be some kind of stain occurring between them. What causes this and is it a cause for concern?


texts: How can I remove a closet shelf & keep it intact?

texts: How do I remove a closet shelf that is flush against the closet wall with just a brace in the middle? The brace is not a problem, but the shelf looks like it's glued in. It has a 2 X 1(maybe) X 72 (closet length). And two small braces on each end about 2 ft in length X maybe 1" wide.


texts: Can I replace my ungrounded / two prong outlets, or should I have a professional do this type of a thing?

texts:
They're all two prong except a select few in the kitchen. Is this a project I could take on with NO electrical experience other than minor soldering, or is this something I should not attempt?

Question two (should I make a new "Question"?): How would I go about doing this?


texts: How to construct a door header without enough height?

texts:
Is it possible to construct an exterior door header over a 6' opening without enough space for a 10" header?
One of the previous home owners installed this addition over an existing patio. Constructing a wall with a 6' sliding glass door parallel with roof joist above. With the pitch of the roof, the low end of the roof joist leaves only 4" of height above the door frame.
The framing of the door is incorrect, but I want to know if it is possible to even frame a door this size given such little roof for the header.
Is the only solution to install a narrower door, requiring a smaller header?
If you're looking at the image, we also would like to extend the wall to the left, eliminating the single door and the 3'x3' area for the door to swing. This would allow us to shift the door over to the left to free up a little more room for the header


texts:
The electrical room in the basement of the condo building I live (3 floors + basement, top floor has a mezzanine, 8 units total, in Montreal, Canada) has walls not finished. See photos.

There are gaps in the corners that weren't finished, so basically free air flows into the walls. I wonder if this has a function, or it was just laziness from the builder to save time.

Are these openings something that we can fill with silicone and be done with? Any recommendations on how to proceed?

More information:

My concern with these gaps is that due chimney effect the air flows to my unit (top floor). I have to keep on top of other units so they periodically fill the P traps that dry (especially the emergency one, next to the hot water tank, that one is never used). BTW: I do not discard that there is a crack in the vent system, but again, the smell goes up, from within the walls. I already got two different companies checking for mold, and a plumber who wants to do a smoke test, but the condo association just doesn't smell anything (according to them). So I am left with no options.

I'd like to minimize the flow of air.


texts: Convert 2 adjacent double gang box to 4 gang box; what are these extra wires?

texts:
I'm attempting to convert 2 adjacent double gang boxes into a single 4 gang box (see my first question about this here: 2 gang boxes installed side-by-side; How do I fix this?).

When I removed the switches, I found gray wires that are not connected to any of the light switches in the both boxes (see picture below with orange arrows pointing at the wires in question).

How do I figure out what these wires are for?  They look like they are just going through the box itself (i.e., you can trace one coming in from the top left and going out on the bottom right).

Is it OK to simply cut them so I can take the boxes out and then twist them back together with a connector once I have the 4 gang box installed?

Thank you for any help you can provide!


texts: Selecting the correct lighting transformer

texts:
This is related to a separate question I posted here: LED chandelier lights permanently dim.
I have an LED chandelier that it appears that I need to replace my transformer in as per the comments in my above post. I have almost zero electrical knowledge, at least in any practical sense, so I'm not sure how to interpret the numbers on my existing transformer in order to select a new transformer. Also, I'm not sure where the best place to get a new transformer might be. I'll start with Amazon.com but if anyone has suggestions it would be appreciated.
Here is a picture of the existing transformer.

Also, there is a copper wire coming from both the lighting fixture as well as the wiring coming from my ceiling. I understand that this is the ground wire. They were not connected when I pulled the light off. Is this a problem? Must they be connected? My understanding is that they would connect via the mounting plate.
Update
Considering this transformer. It shows not quite 12v on the output and it also shows 5amp. Is that a problem?

This looks like another alternative (my understanding is since this is 60w @ 12v that means it is 5amp, right?)

Both of these also say "For use with halogen lights only". I'm running LEDs, but does it matter since the output is "right"?


texts: Is the black wire always hot on a three-way switch?

texts:
What is the best way to find out which color wire goes to which color screw? Does the white wire go to the silver screw sometimes, and sometimes to black?
I have a three way switch which has a green screw and a black screw and three brass I don't know which one is which.


texts:
I recently moved from Southern California to the Pacific Northwest, just outside of Seattle. I rented a house and have been living in it for ~3 months.
Just earlier today, in the seldom-entered guest bedroom, I noticed some white fuzzy substance under the bed.  I've never seen anything like this in any home in which I've previously lived.
Does this look like mold? The carpet does feel somewhat damp though it's not outright wet.


texts: How to level bathroom plywood subfloor before tiling?

texts:
In a bathroom remodeling project, I noticed the newly installed plywood sub-floor is flat but not level, which may cause issues when installing the shower and the sink cabinet (water evacuation and shower door and cabinet not properly aligned with the walls).

Now, Internet tells me I should level my floor with self-leveling compound (after having caulked plywood joints and applied a coat of primer). Also, Internet tells me that putting backer-board over that (when settled) will cause it to break when I'll add the screws to fix it to the sub-floor. And Internet also tells me I could self-level the sub-floor and NOT use backer-board.

I'm confused.

What is the proper way to level my sub-floor before installing my tiles?


texts: Filling and recreating toilet bolts in concrete

texts: The two bolt holes for my toilet are crumbling and I need to fill it in and make new ones. What's the best way to do it so it won't shift?


texts:
There’s a strange mechanical whirr coming from the building next door. It buzzes every four minutes.

Listen here: https://clyp.it/3qwn1qhc

We keep the windows open in our bedroom during the winter so this is been wreaking havoc on our sleep.

More info: we’re on the fifth floor and just above the roof of the building next door which has a laundromat below and a sports bar on the second floor. Also, the sports bar was closed for awhile and recently reopened after renovations.


texts: How can I remove polyurethane while it is still wet?

texts: I applied a coat of Polyshades on top of a cabinet I am refinishing. It looks HORRIBLE! I'm trying to be patient but I have other things to do and don't want to wait a day or two to remove the Polyshades.  Can I remove it while it is still wet and tacky using paint stripper?  I imagine if possible, it will be quite messy but I don't care about that.  I just don't want to cause any damage to the wood.


texts:
I moved to a newly renovated house, re-built from foundation 2 years ago. Electrical is all new. I have a 20 AMP breaker with 14/2 romex that is connected to the dishwasher. I want to add a garbage disposal to the circuit. To accomplish this, I need to add an outlet to the circuit since the dishwasher is hardwired. I plan to wire both dishwasher and garbage disposal to separate plug cords and plug them into the outlet on the circuit.

From what I know, 14/2 is against code and not recommended on a 20 AMP breaker. In my situation, rather than redoing the wiring, should I replace the 20A breaker with 15A?

From what I read online, dishwashers are okay on a 15A breaker. Just not sure if I "need" to switch if the wire is 14/2 or if I can leave as-is.

Planning to add 15A outlet by the way. Let me know if I need a 20A outlet on 20A breaker with 14/2 romex.


texts: Notch more than 25% deep on a load bearing wall stud. Help!

texts:
I hired someone (so much regret) to mount a tv for me and they notched the studs of the load bearing wall for the cabling. I don't have a picture of the notch but I have a picture of the mounting and the dry wall before it went up. http://imgur.com/a/ACe96

On the last picture you can see putty on the left hand side and that is where the notch is. This notch is on 4 studs that are together side by side. Studs are 5.5 inches deep. The notch is uneven, 2 inches max depth and 1 and 3/8 inches minimum depth.

This is a newly constructed multiunit building in Bay Area, CA. That tv was mounted on a second floor of a wall that starts on the first and goes to the 3rd floor. There is a bedroom right above the living room where the wall is.

What do I do?


texts: How can I set up a timer for my motorized blinds?

texts:
My room has a window with motorized shades, which can be brought up or down using a switch that's in the same enclosure as the light switches in the room.

I want to set it up so I could program the shades to be open now, but close automatically at 5:00 AM.

How can I do that? What do I have to buy and connect?


texts:
How difficult is it to cut a big (flange) hole in brittle marble tile?
I am just asking this question here because, even though I will not be laying my tiles myself, my tile setter is currently overseas and inaccessible yet I am designing the floor tile pattern.

I am using 12" marble tile for the floor. My dilemma is whether to design the pattern so that I have two tiles with cut out semicircles meet around the flange or to have one whole tile with a full circle inside of it go all the way encircling the flange.

I would prefer to be able to do the latter (single tile with a large hole), however, given the material and size, I am not sure if that is possible. I think that the former is certainly possible but from the aesthetic perspective, I would like my pattern to involve one large tile around the flange.

I have heard that marble is really brittle and making fancy cuts is hard.


texts: Attempting to build possibly temporary walls in finished basement to construct a bedroom in a currently large open area.It appears I can tie into ceiling joists, however the floor is ceramic tile and I dont want to pull it up or put holes in it. One idea I saw was to use sill tape to get the bottom plate to stay in place. Construction adhesive would be more or less permanent. Any other suggestions??  It will be 2 walls connected by an angled wall 2'(also new), with a door on one side.  Thanks


texts:
Just purchased a new house and found a great surprise, a 500-gallon propane tank buried in the backyard. Not sure how old it is, but it is holding gas, a gas contractor came out and checked and it still has gas. The previous owner was using it for the pool heater, but they switched to electrical, now it is unused.
We want to install a gas cooktop, we are remodeling our kitchen and our GC and the same gas contractor said that we should run a line from the cooktop to the outside of the house and said we could use copper. So my GC installed this 1/2 inch type L flexible copper from the cooktop area to the wall outside, (in the floor) wrapped it in a 1" electrical PVC pipe so it has long 90" elbows, and installed new tile on top.
We called a plumber this morning and he came out and said that we should have used a rigid pipe, and that he will not go near the flexible pipe. He also suggested that instead of running a line from the existing tank, to just had a new 100 gallon tank and place it near the kitchen wall and use a flare connector to hook it up.
Any recommendations on what I should do here?
Do i need redo the floor? Please say nooo


texts: I need to put an adapter onto a ball valve at the end of a supply line.  Do I need to shut the water off to the whole line?


texts: Safely possible? Back feed generator through existing 3 wire OR convert to 50A RV service

texts:
First time question asker, here. I have read several threads on this site, which is a great resource. I am still unsure if what I'd like to do is safely possible, so here I am asking about my specific situation.
I have a dead pool heater (electric heat pump) that I'm not going to replace. It is serviced with 8/2 wire (white, black, and bare ground) and already has a 50A two pole breaker on the main panel. The service on the back of the house is a great location for me to convert the circuit for either of the following uses, both of which would be better than having an unused circuit.
Option 1. Install a twist lock inlet (L14-20P) so that I can backfeed the panel via a 5,000 watt generator for occasional use. I would use an interlock kit to do this correctly. My question is, as the generator has a 4 prong outlet (L14-20R), is it possible to safely connect to the 3 wire? What to do with the ground and neutral? My generator has a floating neutral. The neutral vs ground - and where that all occurs - is what makes my head spin.
Option 2. Install a 50A RV service, which would also be for occasional, short-term use. Same question, since the NEMA 14-50R is designed for 4 wire (X,Y,neutral, and ground,) can I safely make this work with the 3 wire?
Other details that might matter. There is a manual disconnect box in line for the heat pump that I could either keep or remove. I am in FL.
Any help is appreciated. Thanks!


texts: Is it normal for pressure-treated lumber to warp?

texts: I recently bought some pressure treated yellow pine for building some window boxes. After building them, I sealed them with a product that would protect the wood for 3-4 years, according to the can. After building them, they sat outside under a covered porch for about a week until I installed and filled them. When I did, I noticed that the boards are pulling the screws out of the wood. The boards were straight when I bought them but have now begun to curve. Should I have purchased a different type of wood? What could be causing this? The damage is so bad, the boxes may not last the season.


texts: Will the 3-4-5 method work for making a table support?

texts:
Instead of making a table support leg drop down vertically to the floor I wanted to make an angle (45 deg) support.

If I measure "A" from the floor to the table top and measure from wall to the end of table top...

Can I assume that "C" will correctly fit with a 45 deg angle at both ends?

NOTE: I could not get my graphic to make a 45, but I meant a 45 deg cut at both ends of "C".


texts:
I need to get a water preasssure booster for my two story home and would like to know what should I look for. I know a specific brand can't be named, so I'm looking in specifications I should look for the pump, like minimum gpm, horsepower, etc...

My water utility sometimes feeds water to my home at less than 10 PSI. Way too low to take a shower upstairs. Their response is basically to get a cistern and water pump, cause sometimes the water is cut off completely.

For now, I'm trying to get a water pump booster to connect my 1/2 inch water pipe. I don't intend to run it all the time since electricity costs are pretty high here and only need it when showering late at night when the pressure is at its lowest. I already have a check valve at the mains so water doesn't go back out. I intend to get a water cistern later on, but for now I'd like to get a booster pump.


texts: Help with bathroom timer and light switch install

texts:
I’m fairly new to doing my own electrical so be gentle if this is a simple question.

I’m trying to install a fan button timer along with a new rocker switch for my bathroom. In the image below the left side is the light and the right is the fan switch currently. How do I go about installing the two new switches that have the usual black/white/green? I’ve done simple single switches and dimmers before but have yet to run across one where the two are tied together like so.

If any additional info is needed, let me know and I can get it to you.

Thanks!


texts: Best location to install floor door stop

texts: What distance from the hinge is the best spot to install door stop?


texts: Moen faucet cartridges repeatedly fail with torn seals

texts:
My tub/shower faucet had a slow leak a few weeks ago, so I chose to replace the cartridge (after removing the old one and looking at it, it's a Moen 1225). This solved the problem. However, I had a plumber come out to fix something unrelated in my house a few days ago (water meter connection plumbing). After this, for which he had to shut the main water off to the house, the tub where I replaced the cartridge was now "sticking" open. I could open the faucet, but it was difficult to close. I decided to open it up and take a look again.

Lo and behold, there was a piece of rubber stuck in the opening. I removed the cartridge and purchased a new one (because now the rubber seals around the opening were ripped). The guy at the hardware store told me this could be because there was old pieces remaining in the faucet.

So, I cleaned out the pipes by running the water and visually inspecting to make sure there wasn't anything in the faucet and installed the new one. The faucet worked fine for about 24 hours, after which, I encountered the same problem.

Thinking this was my fault again, I removed the "new new" cartridge, purchased a new one, cleaned out the faucet fairly gently with a wire brush, and installed a third one.

The problem is back. I removed the cartridge this morning, and now I'm at a bit of a loss as to what to do. It doesn't appear like there is anything really wrong with the cartridge, aside from some tearing of the black seals around the end. The faucet appears fine, and running the water without the cartridge in it doesn't produce any debris that's in the pipes.

Each time I replace the cartridge, when I remove the existing one, it comes out with tears on the rubber seals around the end of the cartridge. I'm not sure what's tearing these seals (it could be just the force of me trying to remove it, since they have a tendency to get stuck, but I don't think so... I'm not using much force).

Any thoughts on what I might be doing incorrectly? I'd rather avoid replacing the faucet itself, as I don't have access behind the faucet (although I could make a hole if necessary in the drywall behind it), and the bathroom is tile. Even worse, the input piping appears to be right up against a stud or some other piece of wood that doesn't allow me to easily access it. :( There isn't even a shutoff for the faucet at the point of access.

I'm hoping I'm just doing something incorrect with my installation of the cartridge, because, aside from the slow leak, this wasn't a problem prior to my original "fix". Is it possible there is still a bunch of debris hidden somewhere in the pipe? (The second time I removed the cartridge, it did appear to be "missing" some of the black rubber around the end. I'm not sure where it went).