texts: Specs for reinstalling 10+ year old composite decking

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Our deck:

Light colored decking on left was scrubbed yesterday with a stiff natural bristle brush.

We'd like to reduce the regular buildup of moss/algae and associated slipperiness of the 10+ year old composite decking, possibly a Trex product.  It's situated on north side of our 2 story home in NW Oregon.  We're not concerned with any warranty issues.

I'm looking for reinstallation advice regarding:

1) gap

2) relief chamfer

3) fasteners

4) tar paper caps on joists

I've no experience with this stuff, but plenty of traditional carpentry experience.

The 14'x26' deck, 14" high, was built by/for the previous homeowner between 2000 and 2007.  The decking measures 5-1/8" to 5-3/16" wide and 15/16th thick.  The decking is installed over conventional pressure-treated framing.  The decking seems structurally sound, is not sagging, buckling or flaking.

For other aims, I've already pulled up about 1/3rd of the decking. It's ready to go back down. Pulling up the remaining will be very easy.

What gaps should I maintain for the aged decking? Currently (year-round) there are no appreciable end gaps or edge gaps. Not sure if it was installed that way or if has swelled over the years. The lack of gap is very nice, but the minimal joints pack with dirt/debris.  We think this leads to extended puddling and extra moss/algae growth.

To further aid debris clearing, I'm thinking of relieving the bottom of the gaps by chamfering all edges as in the picture. Any comments?

What fasteners are recommended?  The decking is fastened by special screws and nail-gun nails, one each at every joist.  I removed some of the decking 3 years ago and just laid them back in place without any fasteners.  They seem fine that way, so I'm not sure I'd need any fasteners at all, let alone screws.

Should I cap the tops of the joists with tarpaper?  Whenever I've built decks in the past (pressure treated framing, Midwest and New England) I've always capped the joists.  The tarpaper relaxes into a type of drip cap. Lumberyards carried narrow rolls for just this purpose.  This deck doesn't have any.  When backing out the screws, 2/3 to 3/4 strip-out in the PT joists.  Their threads are rusted off.  I threw them away.  The photo shows the 10% that retained their threads.

Any other comments recommendations welcome.


texts: How do I connect my replacement 3-way switches?

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I was wanting to replace an older light switch in my place. It's part of a pair of switches that turn on/off a the same light. One at the top of the stairs, and one at the bottom. After doing some research it looked like i needed a 3 way switch. So i bought 2 of them.

Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures at the moment so i'll try to describe what I have.

So at the top of the stairway I was able to replace it easily. There were only 2 cables(This is a house built in 1954, so there's no ground).

When I went for the bottom switch, there were a lot more wires. There were 6 wires coming in, 2 black, 2 red, and 2 white. 4 of those wires, 2 red, and two white, were attached to the light switch. Also, the light switch had no labels on it as to what was plugged in where, and all screws were bronze-ish in color. And the two black were together with a wire connector.

When I went to replace the switch with the new one, but it only had 3 screws. One black, and two gold.

What would be the proper way to attach the wires to this light switch? I can get some pictures and post them later tonight if it will help.

This is the socket


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I have a concrete block wall with dot and dab plasterboard. I am looking to attach a wall to wall floating desk to it. I appreciate a number of questions relating to floating desks have been asked previously and I have read through these but still have some questions.

A picture of the intended design below:

The desk will be utilised for two sets of keyboards and mice only. The monitors are wall mounted and the rest is located elsewhere. That said, I think it is important that it can take the weight of an individual sitting on the edge of it - as people do!

I appear to have three choices of how to mount the floating desk.

1) The first is to run wooden battens around the three sides of the desk and effectively rest it in place. This appears to be the weakest option as with the desk being over 2m wide, it is likely to sag. Also, it seems unlikely to sufficiently take the weight of someone resting themselves on it.

2) To use L shaped brackets such as these. I am assuming these can be attached directly to the concrete block walls using expanding sleeve anchors but I have concerns as to whether they will simply pull out. I am also unclear on whether there is a solution that would enable me to attach these directly over the plasterboard (as there is a gap between the plasterboard and the concrete block, so I imagine some kind of spacer would be needed) or whether I'd need to remove the plasterboard then apply directly to the concrete block.

3) To use a bracket that is side mounted onto wooden studs. To achieve this, I would need to build a half height stud wall and attach this to the concrete block work. These brackets would then be attached to the stud work, then new plasterboard applied to the studs. If this is the preferred route, how would I effectively ensure the stud work was attached sufficiently securely to the concrete block work so it did not simply pull away?

Any suggestions or input on my options appreciated! Thanks.


texts: Why do I get hot water from the cold side of the faucets

texts: I get steaming hot water downstream of any faucet being used. How can this happen?


texts: What type of pen do I need for my rabbit?

texts: I have a simple question. I need a "fence" for for home-use, to put in safe my small pet (bunny) when I'm not at home. I would let him go free in his room but I want to protect him (and furnishings :P) so I am thinking to buy a small (plastic?) fences.


texts: Why would a GFCI trip on refrigerator circuit?

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My refrigerator is tripping the GFCI on the socket into which it is plugged.  Searching about this topic seems to indicate that this is a reasonably common complaint.  However, I can't find any concrete information about general causes or potential solutions other than suggestions to replace everything and hope for the best; this seems unsatisfying.

This is a new fridge and all new electrical work by licensed professionals.  I believe that the electrical is installed correctly and grounded, and that there is no damage to the fridge. I believe this is a dedicated circuit from the breaker panel to the outlet for the fridge. Nothing else is on this circuit and nothing else is plugged into the other socket. Low humidity. Kitchen installation. No water, no ice-maker. This has never happened before, but now it trips the GFCI immediately after reset.

I've done the following things:

Reset the GFCI, then re-plugged the fridge; GFCI tripped again.
Plugged other things (alone) into the fridge's GFCI outlet: they work fine and GFCI does not trip.
Plugged refrigerator into other GFCI-protected outlet with nothing else on it; this GFCI outlet also tripped.
Plugged refrigerator into other non-GFCI outlet; works and doesn't trip the breaker.
Tested the socket wiring (using 3-lamp receptacle tester) -- it's correct.
Measured resistance between prongs on the refrigerator's electrical cord; ~300 kOhms between hot and neutral; no continuity to ground from either.  This all seems reasonable.

EDIT: per comment below, I should also note that I called the service line for the manufacturer: they said only that, if the appliance works when plugged into a non-GFCI outlet, that there's nothing more they can do.

To me, this seems to suggest the fridge is broken -- but it's brand new!  Why would my fridge be tripping the GFCI? Is this to be expected for a refrigerator? Should I just plug it into non-GFCI and ignore it "like any normal person"? ;-)

Several other questions on this site suggest solutions for other GFCI issues, but I don't see any about refrigerators and GFCI.  This answer seems to suggest that refrigerators shouldn't be on GFCI in the first place.  However, my electrician said it's now code to have refrigerator's on GFCI (at least locally), but there seems to be disagreement about The Rules.

Other discussions quickly devolve to inaccurate and imprecise citing of NEC, or straying from erudite matters:

This one that suggests it's common for older refrigerators;
This one that suggests certain components of the fridge that could be causing it.

Other topics about humidity, garages, other stuff, wiring, etc. don't seem to apply here.


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I have purchased a high quality surge protector of a known brand in my country featuring six outlets. However, when I plug the adapter of my laptop into it or the surge protector or plug the surge protector into the wall after I have plugged in the adapter of my laptop to it, I usually get a pop sound and a spark. In addition to that I have noticed that I get occasional electric shocks from the metal casing of my laptop when I have it plugged in this particular surge protector outlet and the adapter makes a humming noise when the laptop goes idle. What may be the reason behind this strange problem?

By the way I have two of these surge protectors and the electrical shock is still persisting even though I have replaced the surge protector with a normal power strip. How can I understand if it is related with the particular model of the brand or the particular product I am using(manufacturing defect)?I would also like to mention that this situation is pertinent to my home in Ankara (I also have a family home in Istanbul and none of the described issues occur there). Thus I suspect the grounding of the wall outlets. I also noticed a decrease in the life of the battery of my notebook after I have moved into this house.


texts: How to design supply plumbing for 3-way valve

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I'm putting in a three-way diverter valve that will supply a rain shower handheld shower or both, similar to this post:
Building new shower, how can I control the flow of water to two different shower heads?
Or similar to this product (referenced in above post):
https://www.signaturehardware.com/three-way-in-wall-shower-diverter-lever-handle.html
Is it as simple as plumbing a 1/2" supply to the three-way diverter? Or is there something else I should do to ensure good water pressure/supply when both are in use?
For example, should I get one that has a 3/4" inlet? Or would it be better to just use two totally separate shower fixtures and plumb them with a plumbing loop?
We have very good water pressure in the house an the house is supplied with 3/4" from the city. We're using PEX. I'm a novice at plumbing and I understand enough to plumb a simple bathroom, but this seems advanced and I don't know anything about what problems could arise. I think the problems I should be concerned about are low pressure and water hammer. This is a new bathroom in an old house so it's a remodel but also completely new construction.
Thanks for your help!


texts: Can I add an additional three way circuit to a three way circuit wired as diagram

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Need some help if this scenario is possible. Can I add an additional independent three way circuit to an existing three way circuit wired as picture?

How will be the basic circuit layout to make it work using the same source of power, run an extra 14/4 wire to the second three way circuit? Or can I do it adding only 14/2 wire or wires?

Diagram:


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I had water going into toilet that would not cut off, changed the fill valve but still happens. When Shut off valve is OFF it still allows trickle of water into toilet back and then dribbles out the the overflow, with the shut off valve off takes about an hour. I guess I need to change the shut off but a friend said I could loosen the handle screw turn it back a bit and then re tighten so it could SHUT OFF more ??? IDK, I am afraid if I loosen anything I will have a flood since that little ball (if there is one) might fall out. I had to have the valve in the exterior faucet replace last month since it would not turn off completely either. I really hate to call the plumber back for something so simple. Maybe they are just worn out? House was built in 1986, I originally had those grey plastic pipes but they were converted to copper 20 twenty years ago ( at least I Hope they were all changed) Thanks in advance for any advice.


texts: Is it possible to smooth over these drywall imperfections?

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I'm having a contractor do renovations in my kitchen, and we are converting a wall into a half wall with countertop.  He just started doing the drywall, and from my inexperienced eye it looks like he is doing a terrible job. I've got some pictures below, and I'd appreciate feedback if this can be finished properly or if I should insist that he redo it.

Here there are large gaps between the existing drywall and new drywall.  The surface of the existing drywall is also torn off.

This is the ceiling and there is a large gap around the light fixture.

Another example of gaps between drywall pieces and the switch box.


texts:
Let's play "good idea; bad idea"

I have a lot of glossy trim to degloss before painting. I have two bottles of "liquid Sandpaper" and a spray nozzle from a different product (which I have flushed with water).

As a faster way to apply the deglooser, can I use the sprayer before wiping the surface?


texts: Does cutting into a joist too close to the top ruin it?

texts:
A "carpenter" did this to a big double joist in my house (top floor), I was under the impression that one does not cut a hole this close to the edge of a joist, especially not one this big! Should I be worried about this joist and how would I go about repairing it?

The cut is about 1.2 meters from the wall


texts: Outside electrical outlet doesn't work after pressure washing

texts: My outside outlet has a flap but son pressure washed house using it. Now will not work I think he had it gotten wet. If I replace outlet would that work?


texts: I changed out our kitchen faucet over the weekend and after getting everything hooked up, I'm only getting hot water. Our cold water valve's handle broke off a while back so I just use the screw to open and close the valve. I've unscrewed it all the way and even used pliers to turn the white part but I'm still not getting anything. I'm guessing it's the valve that needs replaced but I'm not sure what to do. Do I just unscrew the valve? Does it screw out of the white cap with text on it or is that part of the valve? I don't ever do projects like this so sorry if I'm not describing it very well.


texts: Apartment Circuit breaker flips randomly

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I'm not sure how to diagnose or fix this issue.

I have seen it happen when nothing is on, when a few things are on, and when the heater is on. It does not appear to matter what the electrical consumption is in the room.

I live in a pretty modern apartment (the circuit board cannot be more than a couple years old). I haven't had any lights blow out or any other electrical issues nor do the lights flicker.

The board is just a bunch of switches. I talked to my landlord but I cannot recreate the issue. It happens maybe every 20-40 days.

I've seen posts like: Why does my circuit breaker keep tripping? but in these cases it appears it just keeps tripping. Mine does so randomly with a large amount of time in between.

I do not have a water heater or any other large power drains in my apartment nor do any other room's circuits trip.


texts: Should door jamb be lifted off subfloor or touching?

texts: Simple question:  when installing a custom made door jamb, should it be sitting directly on top of the subfloor or be lifted up a little (like drywall is lifted 1/2", for example)?


texts: How can I make a mixer shower more powerful?

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The Mira mixer shower has variable temperate settings from 1 (cold) through 10 (hot), plus the extra bit for hot water only.

I normally shower at 3 and was thinking there must be a way to let more cold water through at setting 7 or so which would mean a far more powerful shower - since setting it to cold water only is very powerful as it's the hot water supply that's weaker.


texts: Dishwasher won't stop filling with hot water

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I have a Kitchenaid dishwasher (model: KUDE40FXSS5)

Our kitchen faucet and drain frozen a couple of days ago. The dishwasher ran that night, without taking in any water. I ran a space heater, etc. and got the water from the faucet running again. But, the dishwasher now constantly runs hot water from the ‘water inlet opening’ (as the manual for the dishwasher calls it).

The searches I’ve done seem to indicate that the water inlet valve is damaged, and needs to be replaced. But, I wanted to post and see if anyone had an alternative suggestion before I get someone out to replace the valve. One other note. The hot water runs into the dishwasher whether the dishwasher is powered on, or off.

I've posted 3 photos of the dishwasher (exterior, wide shot interior and close up interior, with a red arrow marking the water inlet opening) Thanks in advance for any thoughts, or advice!

best
Walt


texts:
I plan on doing a full gut/rebuild on our bathroom this spring, and one of the things I plan on is his/hers shower heads. Problem is, one of these will need to be on the exterior wall of the house to accomplish this. Since I'm ripping the entire bathroom out, I planned on insulating all of the walls with kraft-face insulation for noise reduction, then putting the plumbing on top of it. Floor to ceiling tile will be installed on all the walls. The shower will be a tub with tile surround, not fiberglass.

Would insulation be sufficient to keep the pipes located on the exterior wall from freezing in winter? I'm located in the Midwest, Saint Louis specifically.


texts: What are the pros and cons of cast iron vs. porcelain covered steel bathtubs?  I'm wanting a free standing bathtub but do not want the fiberglass or acrylic type that are common now.


texts: Help identify this sink faucet please and thank you...


texts:
I have a 3-way light switch in my hallway with 2 light bulbs. I canceled one of the bulbs (I don't necessarily need 2 lights) and install an LED light on the other. Now, when I'm turning off the the light from the switch, LED light doesn't turn off completely, there is still a very weak light (definitely noticeable in dark) coming from it. Initially I thought there's a problem in one of the switches, I took both of them out and connected the hot cables by hand to check the issue and it was still there.
Here's a diagram of my setup:

When I don't connect any cables in first switch (S1), I don't measure any current in any of the cables in switch 2 (S2). If I connect the live cable to S1-A, then I measure normal current in S2-A, but also weak current in S2-B and S2-C although the ends of those cables are naked and not touching each other.
When I connect replace the LED lamp with a CFL bulb, it's not effected from the weak current, i.e. when I turn it off, there's no light coming (unlike the LED, where a weak light is still emitted).
So my questions are:

Is the weak current in S2-B and S2-C are ghost current and what's the cause of it?
Could it be dangerous if I continue using CFL bulb (ignoring the weak current)?
How can I fix it?


texts: Converting an outdoor light socket into a light socket and outlet

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I've just moved into a new apartment on the top floor of an old home. It's got a balcony / porch area big enough to put some seating out on, and the whole place is surrounded by tall trees. What I'd love to do is run a string of lights around the porch, possibly out into one of the trees and back.

The problem is that there are no outdoor electrical outlets. Expected, being so it's a much older home. There IS a bare light bulb mounted to the wall, however.

I'm wondering if it would be possible to retrofit this with a socket-to-outlet adapter (possibly one that still allows me to screw a light bulb in), while still keeping it safe from the weather (both rain and snow).

Here's what we're dealing with:

I'm not sure if I'll be able to switch out the holder, because as I understand it, that would require turning the power off, yeah? And the breaker would be in the downstairs tenants' apartment. I could always ask them, but I'm also very cautious of doing rewiring with heavy voltages like this.

What are my options?


texts:
I have a gu10 spotlight that needs a new bulb. But, i cant get the bulb to drop down far enough to grab the small rose thats its inserted into so I can twist it free.

Should I yank the cable in the hope that if its snagged it will come free, or is there another way?


texts: What's the correct term for a steam radiator valve pipe with tapered threads?

texts:
In changing the air valves on antique steam radiator, I bought two different brands which both have machine-like straight threads, whereas the old ones reveal themselves to be tapered.

The new will not screw in. Assuming this is a mismatch and not a lost ability to screw, what is the plumbing terminology needed to shop for these devices?


texts: How to turn this switched duplex receptacle into half-hot

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I'm trying to take a switched duplex outlet and make it half-switched. I turned off the breaker and pulled the receptacle out and this is what I found. When tested with a voltage pen tester everything inside the circuit was off except for the black wires in the back that run through the box.

I'm assuming what I need to do is:
1) first find the breaker that the black wire is on and shut it off.
2) break the tab on the side with the red connector with some pliers
3) run a new wire from the nut holding the red wires together at the back of the box to the other terminal on the red side of the outlet

Does this make sense? I'm a little confused why there is already two neutrals coming off this box and why the black wire wasn't off when I switched the breaker.

Any help would be appreciated.


texts:
A friend of mine sent me a link to a "garage door tune up service".

I've never heard of getting a garage door tuned up... but I've never owned a house before either. A couple weeks ago I had trouble with the door getting stuck and one of the "wheels" was stuck out of the groove, and another kept slipping out. Once I got them back in place and gave them a couple good whacks with a mallet it seemed to be fine though.

So is there any point to something like this, or is it just an excuse for them to come out and upsell me on a bunch of other crap?


texts: What is the proper way to solder two different gauge stranded wires?

texts: How does one properly solder a 10 AWG copper stranded wire with an 18 AWG copper stranded wire. There are plenty of tutorials on how to solder same gauge wire, but what is the recommended way to solder wires that are significantly different AWG?


texts: Should I COMPRESS fiberglass OR use foam insulation?

texts:
I have a room made of hollowed concrete blocks that I framed by mounting 2x4s, wide side against the wall. This gives me a 1.5in depth cavity to fill with insulation.

Should I use an r19 fiberglass insulation and compress it down from 6" to 1.5"? Or should I use a 1" foam board (r5)? I know compressing insulation lowers the r value. I'd like to get the r value as high as possible (recommended is r13 in Florida)


texts: Is 14.2 acceptable for an electric baseboard?

texts: I wanted to add a new electric baseboard heater, 1500 w in series with an old 2500 w baseboard. As I stared the work l noticed the wire used is a 14.2 wire. Is this a problem. Must I rewire everything?


texts: How should I anchor a hand railing to sandstone steps?

texts:
I've got three exterior steps made of natural sandstone. They are 6 ft wide, and 10" thick. I need to anchor a metal handrailing to them. The railing has two feet: 1/4" metal plates with 3/8" holes drilled 10" apart.

I original thought of using cammed anchors for rock climbing, but I'm worried that the force of the cam will crack my stone steps. I then thought of drilling out a hole, filling it with epoxy, and then putting some 3/8" threaded stock into the hole and letting it dry. This would provide studs on which to bolt the stairs.

If epoxy is the way to go, is there a specific product that is recommended?

How is this usually done?


texts:
The picture is how the wires are arranged in the ceiling and on the wall switch.
My ceiling fan currently works by pulling the chain on it directly, but the wall switch doesn't work under any circumstances. I've tested the wall switch wires with a multimeter and there is indeed 120 volts running through them. The ceiling fan itself is connected to the black wire, and the light is supposed to connect to the grey wire, but when I tried it the light doesn't work. When I connect the light to the black power wire as well from the ceiling, then both the fan and light works, and that is how its currently set up. I'm guessing the grey light wire protruding from the ceiling is the same as the single red wire in the wall switch box? Then how should the wall switch wires be arranged so that the grey ceiling wire works?

Originally the wall switch wires were connected to a 3-way switch. The top black and bottom white wires were screwed together in a wire nut; the bottom black, top white, and top red wires were connected to the 3 way switch as well as the ground brown. I turned the switch and nothing happens, but there is voltage running through the wires. No voltage through the red wires though.

If anyone can shed some light I'd appreciate it. Thanks!


texts:
Have a 10 yr old Four Winds, KeyWest model spa, with a Balboa GS300 control board.  Spa was working great until one day the pump just made a loud, constant hum.

Bought new AquaFlo 230v pump and installed.  Bled air to ensure no airlock, but when powering up spa, pump does not start.  Control panel shows no error, but during Priming period, pressing the jets button just make the relay click, but motor wont start.  Power at pump is correct.

Any Ideas???


texts: I have a light in my garage and I am trying to add two new recessed lights. Currently the light has power running directly to it as well as the switch wires. When I tried to wire it. The new lights got power but could not be controlled by the switch. They wouldnt turn off. I am stuck and could really use some help.


texts: Wondering if I could hardwire just the negative wire of oven plug directly to the negative wire of the oven. The positive and neutral are connected to the terminal block. The negative connection of the terminal block has been burnt off and is no longer part of the ovens terminal. Would it be safe to leave the positive and neutral wired through the terminal block and hardwire the negatives together? Using electrical tape to make sure none of the negative wiring is exposed.


texts: What should I do about nails that are protruding through the soffit?

texts: Had new roof put on, but when I came home the nails had come through the soffit and split the wood and protrude.  Roofer wants to clip off nail, and wood putty the wood.  I don't think this is a good long term solution.  Should I stand my ground and require new soffits?


texts: Will I have a code problem attaching a 1.5" grease interceptor to a 4" drain pipe?

texts:
I want to install a grease interceptor in my house. The problem is that it will not fit under the sink, so I plan to put it in the basement.

The problem is that the sink, laundry and dishwasher all drain into a 4" drain that goes into the basement. I want to put the interceptor in line with this drain, which would mean I would have a 4" pipe connected to the 1.5" interceptor inlet, and then the 1.5" interceptor outlet would connect again to the 4" drain and go on to the rest of the sewer.

Will I have a code problem doing this?


texts: 2 wires going into one terminal on a single pole switch?

texts: I am very much a newbie when it comes to this stuff. I have to replace a broken light switch. When I took it apart, this is what the wiring looked like- one wire backwired and one using the side screw. What does this mean? Can i rewire it the same way with a new switch? Thank you in advance.


texts:
I messed up and wired the white wires to my single pole switch, joining the black.  Obviously the Black should be on the switch and the white joined

When I turn the breaker on the light stays on.  However, the circuit should be broken with the light switch to ground off.  Will an AC light still work with the hot direct wired, or does this mean it's grounding somewhere else?

The wire from the switch to the ceiling light is old wiring that goes through the ceiling.  I was hoping to just reuse the wire from the switch to the light, and ignore the other 3 that come into the ceiling box. Those other should be disconnected since we did a remodel upstairs, removed a bunch of wires, and I ran all new home runs for the rooms up there.

I've run a new wire from the breaker, to a junction box, and then to this switch. So that's pretty straight forward.  I'm just concerned about fixing the switch to be connected to black instead, but having the wire still short somewhere else.  I was under the impression the light would turn off when I flipped the switch, you could just shock yourself while changing the light bulb.


texts:
In our kitchen, the tile grout has gotten a little dirty.  It isn't bad, but you can definitely tell that certain spots are changing their color a little bit.

Is there a way to do a very deep clean on the grout (bleach it?) and then seal it so that in the future this isn't an issue?

Thank you in advance!


texts: How can I disable or remove a ceiling fan wall switch?

texts:
My ceiling fan is controlled by a remote, however the wall switch has to be turned on.  How can I remove this wall switch and have the fan hot all the time.

The switch has two set of wires going to it. One for the fan toggle (off and on) and one for the light toggle (off and on).

If I remove the switch and connect these two sets of wires together will that do the trick.. keep the fan hot all the time and not have to worry weather the wall switch has been turned off or on.


texts: How can I replace the seat on my wall-mounted toilet

texts:
My toilet seat is broken, so I've had to find a replacement. As it turns out, I need to get inside the bowl to fasten the screws that keep the seat steady.
I also need to get inside there to get the old seat-holders loose.
Because there is no visible access port, I'm getting worried that I need to remove the whole toilet just so I can attach the stupid seat. There is a small hole on the side of the toilet a little close to where the screw goes but it's pretty small. I can't find a brand name aside from "plus", but the flushing mechanism is marked "tece".


texts: Pests infestation in bathroom - identification and termination

texts:
Roughly every night, these strange pests are crawling all over our master bathroom, mainly close to the ceiling. By morning time they're usually gone or I find some of their bodies scattered on the floor.
I've already hired an exterminator which has sprayed the exterior of the house and inside our bathroom, but they're still here. Also tried spraying along the walls with ortho home defense insect killer. I have only seen them in the master bathroom.
Can anyone identify these? Our home is very clean. What are they looking for, and how do I stop them from coming in?
We live in Irvine, CA


texts: How do I remove spots from my new ceramic tiles?

texts:
I just laid dark brown ceramic tile in my kitchen. After grouting and cleaning I still have spots and round circles (from the cleaning bucket's bottom) on the floor. I have tried soap and water and scrubbing each tile with a soft scouring sponge, but the spots and circles are still there.

How do I remove these marks?


texts:
I am priming some walls which have two different paints exposed. The previous painter did not remove the coax cover plate when painting, and that older paint is causing problems for the primer. I'm using kilz2 latex primer.

Any ideas on a cause and a solution?


texts: What type of screw/bolt has expandable wings behind the wall surface?

texts: Do you know what type of screw and bolt this is? Do you know the best way to unscrew it? It attaches my CCTV camera to the ceiling plaster (dry wall).


texts: How much water do water softeners waste?

texts:
I'm considering buying a water softener, but I heard that they waste a lot of water, and I don't really want my water bill to skyrocket.

I haven't been able to find any clear indication of how much water water softeners waste.  They generally have specifications that state the amount of water used for regeneration, but I don't know how often regeneration happens.

How can I tell by the specifications of a given water softener how much water it will waste?


texts: How to remove rusted remains of kitchen sink tailpiece?

texts:
While taking out an rusted tailpeice it broke and you can see what was left in the pvc pipe.

How can I remove the rest of the tailpiece?

Update: Also how would I know which tailpiece size to replace it with.

Update: I ended up cutting just below the T-connection thing. Installed new PVC including the new PVC tailpiece. Before I put all that back though I realized I probably would never have that much space under the sink and replaced the faucet and supply tubes.

Last question, should I replace that curled up supply tube on the left with a shorter one to put less stress on the tap?

Thanks again everyone!


texts: TWO ORIGINAL SWITCHES - ONE three-way and one single cant figure out wiring for SAFE UPGRADE

texts:
(I'll attach photos and a diagram)
I read through other posts on switch upgrades and learned a lot - thank you!
My switch upgrade seems similar, but slightly unique and I can't figure out correct wiring for the upgrade.

My single car garage has a main light (controlled by a three-way switch) -- and a single, smaller light  over the door into the house. Both switches are next to the door into the house and those are the switches I would like to upgrade to Lutron Dimmer switches (TGCL-153P).

Turned off breaker for the garage at panel. Removed switch wall-plate and unscrewed & pulled out switches.
I have three Cables coming into the box.

The three-way switch on the left controls main light.
Single switch on the right controls small light.

Trying to figure out what is going on in the box and which cable is my Line-In & my Load-Out...

I can see the two switches are daisy-chained together with the short black connecting wire going from the black (line in) terminal on the single switch to the common/dark screw on the three-way switch.

Can anyone help me sort this out?
Is my Line-In coming from cable #3 and powering the three-way switch first and then jumping power to the single switch?
Or is my Line-In the center Cable #2, powering the single switch first, jumping power to the three-way switch? Is Cable #1 just travelers - carrying switched power to the fixture?
...and if so, why is the White neutral in cable #1 tied to the Red in the center Cable #2?

Greatly appreciate any feedback and explanation/education and any suggestions for determining what wiring would be best on the new switches.

I am hesitant to just transfer over this set-up to the new switches without understanding it... or learning if there a better way?

Thanks again for any help.

enter image description here

updated diagram 7pm

updated diagram 7pm[EDITED MONDAY 05/25/2020 Updated DIAGRAM]
Thanks to @Harper - Reinstate Monica and @JACK, I have edited my diagram of what I currently have so that I can better understand how the wiring is set up.
I'm attaching the updated diagram - it includes the wiring that I see in/out of the two light-fixture boxes.

Each Light Fixture has a (2-wire + Ground) cable coming in and the (3-wire + Ground) cable going to the switches.

I think @Harper - Reinstate Monica said either Cable #2 or Cable #3 is bringing the hot feed, from before the the light fixture box, (and through the light fixture box) on it's black wire.

So, if I assume for a moment that the power is coming in (on 2-wire Cable "B") through the small fixture and down to the switch on Cable #3, I can trace the path of the black feed, and I see it comes in to the dark/common screw on the three-way switch, it daisy chains to get power to the single-pole switch, then continues out the other Cable (#2) and runs up through the main overhead light fixture box and continues downstream on 2-wire Cable "A" to power something else on the circuit (like a receptacle)...

So, the small light-fixture gets it's switched-hot from the red wire in Cable #3 and the Main Light-fixture gets it's switched hot from the red wire in Cable #2?
Is this a correct diagram and summary??

Lastly, if I have the diagram correct,
If I simply transfer over the wires to my new switches, do I just follow the same wiring pattern?
And, with regard to the three-way switch and single-pole switch -- rather than daisy chain, would it be wise to join the black wire from Cable #2 and Black wire from Cable #3 in a wire-nut and pigtail down to each switch?

Thanks again for checking my work and sorting out my understanding of this.

(updated diagram 7pm)


texts: What is the right way to mount a support column to a deck and to a header?

texts:
Situation: I have an existing deck with a roof overhang. I'm in the process of planning a rebuild and need to detail how the columns will A: attach to the existing roof and B: to the deck. I can find a ton of information about how to build a deck, but very little about columns.

Details: The columns that are/were (one just fell off) currently in place do not appear to be structural. Referring to the diagram I included, an example column can be seen on the right hand side. The narrower top portion is partially solid, and the bottom part is completely hollow. The existing columns are toenailed into the header, and the bottom parts are nailed into the deck frame. Presently the deck has no footers to speak of, but I plan to add some, and place the columns on the deck above the corner posts.


texts: Can I use Wago connectors to extend a ring main?

texts: I need to extend a 32Amp ring-main. Can I use Wago connectors to tap and extend the existing ring?


texts: I had a new roof built with all new facia board and painted. My issue is just about every year the paint peels down to the wood on all of the facia board. I scrape and clean and paint and it still happens. The facia board is a hangover from the house and not against the home itself. The roof is new with new drip ends . What do I do???


texts: Can a tankless water heater outlet pressure be increased without a second heater?

texts:
My father-in-law has a five-bedroomed house with three bathrooms, two of which are in use. The household is gravity-fed with a cold water tank on the roof, and a gas-fired tankless water heater on the uppermost of three floors.

It is only possible for one shower or tap (faucet) to be used at a time without reducing pressure. If the kitchen sink is used (hot) then the shower can reduce to a trickle.

I have read that a second heater, connected in parallel, would permit a higher outlet pressure at the temperature of a single heater, but my father-in-law is suggesting the installation of a pump at some point in the system to permit more than one hot water fixture to be used at the same time.

Is this possible, and can anyone with experience offer some advice on the general setup?

N.B. the house is in Mexico, so specific product recommendations may or may not be helpful.


texts:
I live in a pretty old house that has only 2 prong outlets on the floor where my router is. I have bad WifI in my room, two floors up so I bought This Powerline Adapter However, the Adapter is 3 pronged, and the outlet has 2 prongs, so I need to use a prong adapter to plug it in. The one I tested may not be the best one, because it displays a bad connection light on the side using the adapter, but not in my room (which has 3 pronged outlets). Are there any prong adapters that I can use to make my connection stable that you would recommend?

Thank you.


texts:
So I’m looking at building a pergola on top of our raised deck off the back of our house. Total dimensions would be 18’x16′ (roughly), raised 8′ above our deck. Our deck is raised off the ground 4′-6′ due to the slope of the lot, so I was planning on running the posts through the deck to ground, mounted to blocks on concrete.

For layout, I was wanting to have two rows of three posts (6×6 pressure treated brown) with the posts 8’3″ c-c in each row. I was ‘hoping’ to have the two rows 13′ apart from each other. At the top of each row of 3 posts I would mount my 2×8 beams on either side of the post, overhanging by about 12″. I would mount knee braces on each post (one on outside posts angled in, and two on center posts) supporting the beams. Centered on top of the beams, I would mount 16′ rafters (thinking 16 oc), overhanging each end by about 18″. I’m debating 2″x2″ slats on top for additional shade.

I don’t have a drawing, but I have some images that are very similar to what I am planning (from Google). This first one shows the general shape and layout of what I’m planning (two rows of three posts).

This second image is pretty accurate as to how I am planning on mounting my beams to my posts, as well as the braces on each post (two on middle one in foreground and one on corner posts in background). One difference is I was planning on having knee braces along the back row of posts as well as my structure would NOT be fastened to my house in any way.

So, a couple questions I have are. Do I run risk of sagging with the 2x6x16′ rafters spanning beams 13′ apart? I tried using this span calculator to help but I was not entirely sure to input for all the parameters.
I think it may be using data for rafters that have a load of sheathing on it? Not entirely sure… If I run risk of sagging, could I just jump up to 2x8 rafters? Maybe make the beams 2x10 then to compensate?

Another question, the beams I am mounting to my posts, I cannot seem to find a 2x8x18′ length.. So I was hoping to split each beam into two, using four 2x8x10’s and butting them together on each side of the post supported with some type of hanger. Am I going to run into any issues with this? The second image I linked actually does exactly this as I was planning. I was hoping to bolt directly through beams and post with nut and washer on each side (two per beam so 4 on the middle post)

Another question. Do I need knee braces going both directions? I was planning on doing them running the direction of my three posts, but do I also need them running the other direction? If I do, do I need another set of beams running that direction as well for the knee braces to attach to or can I fix them to the rafters. (I could raise the post to match rafter height and attach the two outside rafters to the post rather than float on the beam if needed)
edit: I should mention that I am planning on bracing the posts to the deck structural frame as they go by. Probably just with a coupling 2x6s on angled to various deck beams (it's all hidden).

Final question.. Wood type? I'm having a real hard time finding timber in the lengths and sizes I need. For three of the posts i need 6x6x14 to reach ground, while the other three would be maybe 6x6x12. Same goes for the beams (2'x8'x18'ish) and rafters (2'x6'x16'). I would absolutely love to do this in cedar, but I cannot find anywhere I could get the posts that long. Not 100% sure about the beams and rafters either. Would I run into issues if I did the posts in pressure treated (few suppliers have a red PT wood) and the beams and rafters in cedar (if I can find board long enough)? I guess that also loops back to my second question, could I butt two of the beams together on the side of a post to make my 18'ish beam.


texts: How to construct a 2 Ply Beam with screws:

texts: I need to make a 2 ply 2x8 beam, but I don't have a nail gun. I have seen a lot of articles on how to make a 2 ply beam by nailing in a double row pattern down the 2 2x8s (or 2x10, etc.), but how can I do this with screws? Do I use Faster Master flatLOK screws in a W pattern (with liquid nails between the boards of course)? It is not clear what Faster Master screws to use when constructing a 2 ply beam. Thanks!


texts: What should you do first paint ceiling and walls or strip and finish hardwood floors?

texts: I am remodeling my home and is putting on a fresh coat of paint and will be stripping and finishing the wood floors


texts: Need help understanding thermostat/heater wiring

texts:
I have 1981 house in Washington state with in-wall electric heaters and mechanical single pole thermostats. I want to replace thermostats with something less crappy. I unscrewed one of the thermostats and wiring I saw confused me: there were 3 cables (3 wires each: black, white and bare copper) wired like this (BL, WT and BC are black, white and bare copper wires respectively, grouped by cable, SW1 is a thermostat):

I was expecting to see two cables there: one from electric box and another to the heating unit. Why 3? The only guess I currently have is that the room had two heating units installed initially and then one was removed. No idea why wires are still connected though. Or am I missing something?


texts: Grey Water Coming Out of Our Toilets, Sinks and Showers

texts:
We have grey water coming out of our sinks, toilets and showers. I have noticed a funny smell a couple weeks prior to this from my shower, but I ignored it thinking it was nothing too major.

This first started when I came home. I turned on the sink to wash my hands and then all the sudden there was a gap in the water, kind of like extra air in the water and made a loud spurting noise, then all of the sudden grey smelly water came running out. Similar thing happened with the showers and toilets.

We have tried changing the water filter, and after running the water through the system, it resolved a tiny bit but still has grey water and a smell to it. Same results happened when we reset our water softener.

I would love to hear some feed back with this problem of ours. Thanks for reading, and please comment any thoughts about what the problem may be and any solution.


texts: How do I remove (food) oil stain from a wood table?

texts:
Spilled some oily salad dressing on a wood table that was not varnished or sealed in any way.  Not sure the type of wood - it almost looks like teak, but I don't believe it is.

We used water on the spill right away, but some of the oil seeped into the wood and has now stained it.  This table is already stained with other food spills, but this salad dressing spill is the largest.

What would be the best way to get this stain out, aside from refinishing the table.

I did read somewhere about using an iron with a tea towel, but I believe that's only for water damage.


texts: Attic Insulation in hot and humid climate

texts:
I am in central Texas and am looking to add insulation to my attic. My house is very old so I am pretty much starting from scratch as there is virtually no insulation.

So far from what I have read and understand, I need to add FACED insulation between the rafters as I am practically installing insulation for the first time. Now the question is, do I place the facing towards the ceiling below or upwards towards the roof? I have seen conflicting information. Some say that the vapor barrier ALWAYS faces towards the living space, while others say that the vapor barrier should go to the space that is hotter on average throughout the year. In my case, I air condition probably 95 percent of the time, so if that's the case, I should point the vapor barrier up.

Am I reading wrong information? Or is there a consensus that I missed? Thank you!


texts:
I have read some questions about cleaning the dryer (1, 2, and 3) but all answers deal with dryers with a venting system.

Mine, however, has no venting tube. Moreover, it is a washer-dryer (AEG, if the brand is needed).

Every time I use it I clean the filters, but the inside is not really accessible, nor the manual refers about cleaning it. My concern is about the grid you see on the right.

How can I properly clean it without harming it?


texts: can I combine electrical cords and their dimmeers?

texts: I have three identical floor lamps grouped together.  Each came with its own cord and slide  dimmer on the cord.  I would like to combine the three cords and have them all run on the same in cord slide type dimmer.  Is this possible?


texts:
I have one of those shower heads that has a twisty bendy cord that allows you to wash specific areas my easily. Also makes washing pets easier in the tub as well.

The last week or so the shower head has been wanting to twist itself to the far stage right. Towards the bathroom/shower curtain!

It also will not stay "up" all the way.

Being a tall man this renders it unusable and I've no idea how to fix it. I've tried twisting it the opposite direction as many times and it'll twist (about 2 and a half) and it twists "back" into the normal position. But as soon as I run water through it, it goes back to it far right twisted position and points further down.

Is it worn out or is there something I can do to fix it? :)


texts: Modifying bottom chord of roof truss to accomodate new AC

texts:
We just had a new AC air handler installed, and it's much taller than the old one. Due to an error on my part, it's actually too tall for the space. And it is deeper than the space between the trusses.

I need to cut a truss chord so that I can make an alcove in the ceiling around the air handler. My plan is run another 2x4 above the existing chord, then use 3/4" plywood on the face of the existing struts and chord with a notch cut out where I need to cut out the chord.

Here is a picture of what I am thinking of doing (red is new 2x4, blue is plywood, black is chord material to be removed):

Is this a good plan? Should I attach the new 2x4 to the existing chord somehow? What should I use to attach the plywood?


texts:
My in-laws have a deck out the back of the house. They're old and the deck hasn't been maintained in 10 years or more.

Many of the boards have blackened and are lethally slippery if the weather is even mildly damp. Also, several of the boards feel "spongy" when stepped on.

Is there anything I can do to restore this, firstly so that it's safe to walk on, and secondly so that it's good to look at.

Also, if "sanding" is part of the solution, the boards are ridged, do you need a special sander for ridged boards? (The boards are ridged like these . . .)

Will the spongy boards need to be replaced, or can they be treated somehow?

P.S. Forgive me but I know next to nothing about wood/gardening/DIY etc, but these jobs are falling to me now.

UPDATE To answer some queries . . .
The picture is from a catalog, to show the boards are ridged.
I don't know for sure, but would bet the farm that the decking is wood.
It'll be the weekend before I'm out there again, I'll determine the material and take pictures of the deck.
I'll also try to get in under it and see where the sponginess is coming from .

. . . and guys thanks for the responses so far, this really is all rocket science to me.


texts: Digital TV pixelation of picture at Manchester using Winter Hill

texts:
I believe our closest transmitter is Winter Hill. Lately, our digital TV has been playing with severe pixelation and sound cracking up. Now, our so called "qualified" electrician fitted the socket plate for us. Looks like the type you see on the back of the TV. It's as loose as anything. What should I replace it with?

Also if this doesn't fix it what can I do before we call the engineer? Our LG smart TV is saying the strength of the signal is 80% but the quality is 0% most of the time, but it fluctuates.

I moved the LED TV to the other room which doesn't use a face plate. It's a direct connection from the aerial. This works absolutely fine. It appears this particular engineer knows what he's doing which is good. The signal quality status according to the tv is also MILES better. It has a strength meter built into one of the menus.

I can only assume The issue is with the faceplate. It's the connection on the faceplate that's loose and always has been loose from day one. The faceplate is fixed onto the wall properly. I hear F connectors are better for digital TV.  Would the following be better?
http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Electrical/TV+Satellite/Screened+Socket+Single+Ftype/d190/sd3084/p70967


texts: We installed a new water heater and it is not hot. We think it is full. Does a water heater have to be completely full for the water to heat? We think we may possibly have a leak in the hot water pipes going to the faucets. Could that stop a water heater from heating the water?


texts: New Central Air Install: choosing single-stage vs dual-stage condensers

texts:
Specifically:  would a 2-stage 3-ton condenser be more efficient than a 1-stage 2-ton condenser?  Let's assume the same SEER rating for both.
What about reliability? - I heard that 2-stage are a lot more complicated, does it mean more maintenance?
Finally, is it worth the extra investment if we live in the NorthEast and will be using central air 2 months a year?
Please advise.


texts: Board on top of computer desk drawers blocking 2 cam locks because incorrectly installed upside down. Smashing and removing board cause instability?

texts:
I am disassembling a computer desk for a move.

I think that removing the cam locks would remove the top of the desk.

The problem is that there's a board on top of the drawers that is blocking 2 cam locks because the board was incorrectly installed upside down a long time ago.

The board should look like this (tower side):

If I can’t figure out how to continue, will smashing and removing the board on the right side cause instability in my desk?


texts: Setting minimum temperature for gas water heater

texts: My gas water heater heats water in its tank to about 60 C for use which is great. But I don't know how to set a minimum temperature so that water does not cool below 30 C. Please help me.


texts: Can I reuse the existing cement backer board when replacing tile in a shower?

texts: I have removed the tile carefully - still working on removing all of the tile cement.  Can I refloat the existing cement board and install tile on it?  Also, what is the best material to float the wall with?


texts: Why do the two large wires go into a 40 amp double pole breaker and the small wire go into a single pole 30 amp breaker?


texts: Is a standard power outlet sufficient for a 2.8 kW oven?

texts:
I'm moving some of my kitchen appliances around, where the oven is going where the Dish Washer was. The Consumer Unit has just a single breaker for all kitchen appliances (except the cooker hob, which has a separate breaker). Both, the Oven, and the Dishwasher are currently wired directly in to the wall outlet (i.e. not via a 13 Amp plug/socket).

So, after moving can I connect the Oven to the existing wall outlet that currently used for the Dishwasher. By numbers I'm guessing it should be fine, as even a 13Amp socket should supply enough power, but I just wanted to be sure.


texts: Is there a recommended size for vents in boiler cupboard doors?

texts:
I have replaced doors in my house and would like to replace a plain boiler cupboard door — standard 1981mm x 762mm (6½ft by 2½ft) door — with a 6-panel door matching the others.

The thing is that the boiler is a natural gas condensing combi boiler and therefore needs vents?

The current door has a 225mm x 150mm (9in x 6in) louvred vent at the top and bottom of the door and these won't fit aesthetically within the panelling of the door. However, I could fit two 9in x 3in louvred vents at the top and bottom to match the amount of ventilation.

Seeing as the boiler (a Potterton Promax Ultra Combi 28 ErP) is much newer than the central heating boiler previously fitted and the new boiler is fitted with a flue expelling exhaust gases outside the building, is ventilation actually needed any more? I cannot seem to find any information on it online.

If it is still required, how large is ventilation needing to be?


texts: Can water-damaged drywall be repaired, or does it have to be replaced?

texts:
We have a basement bathroom that has water damage from the bathroom above. The damage is old, so it has completely dried, however it has bubbled the paint so the damage is obvious.

Mold is not a concern. We have drop-ceiling tiles so we can see behind the wall to tell that there is no mold.

My thoughts are that I can repair it by scraping the old paint bubble off and using drywall compound to smooth it out before repainting it good-as-new.

My concern is that the drywall is 'ruined' by the water damage. So, is this kind of repair feasible, or will I end up having to replace it anyway?


texts: Id appreciate any opinions.  Just had a new roof put on.  Looks worse than the old. Please see the picture.  3 areas of concern. It was put on in cold weather so that may explain the shingles, but the bigger bumps and dips are concerning.  The board by "C" is just to show the dip. "A" is where we extended the roof, but they said it would be flat on the re-roof.  Many Thanks!


texts: What are the possible consequences of excavating an exterior basement wall?

texts:
I just bought my first home and right now we have a storm door entrance into our basement. This kind of baffles me why they put in a below-grade storm door because half of the exterior wall is exposed. On top of that, there is a somewhat steep downhill grade in the back yard already. I have a small backhoe that I've used for work in the past and I want to remove the remaining dirt from the exterior wall to make my basement into a walkout. So my question is:

Is this something that would cause any structural problems and what issues might I run into if I remove the dirt?

Other Info:

The other three basement walls are either completely below grade or over half below grade, its just the back.
I have been running excavators since I was a kid and am not an amateur.


texts: What are these brass spacers on a simple porcelain drawer pull called?

texts:
I have a few of these vintage, small, round porcelain drawer pulls; see pics below. Some have screws and “spacers” but some don’t. So I’m trying to figure out what those brass “spacers” might officially be called so I can buy some more of them. What the heck might be their official name?
Yes, maybe they are simply called “spacers” but when I try to search for “brass spacers” online I’m simply getting results for hex-shaped spacers that typically are used in PC cases and similar gear. Utterly not what this thing is.
From what I can see they basically act like big washers; they have no threads internally. They simply are used to make the knob stand off a bit from the thing — typically wood with a hole in it — for the same reason washers are used; to provide a protective middle surface.
  [


texts:
I took off the two screws on the interior plates, but I cannot remove the plates. It seems they are glued to the door.
It is supposed to be an easy job, Any ideas?


texts: What is low VOC paint, and what is the durability like when compared with 'standard' oil or acrylic based paints?


texts: How can I repair a leaking crack in a Terrazzo stone bathtub?

texts:
We have a terrazzo stone bath tub that has a crack that leaks. We love this bath and would love to find a way to fix it as it’s nothing we’ve seen before.
It has a stain on the bottom of it and the crack follows the outline of the stain. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.


texts:
My steam boiler, which supplies both heat and hot water, turned off a day or two ago, resulting in cold water. After some debugging, I found that the problem was with the pressuretrol, the device that turns the burner off when the boiler reaches operating pressure.  It is a very simple device, as shown here:

The brown box is a microswitch.  Below it is a lever.  The lever is pushed from below on the right side by a piston, which in turn is pushed by the steam.  On the left, the lever is anchored to an adjustable spring.  When the steam pressure is great enough to pull the spring, the switch opens and turns off the burner.

The problem was that either the lever or the piston was stuck. A very gentle touch with the screwdriver was enough to loosen it, and bliss and hot water was restored.

My question is, do I have to worry about the pressuretrol getting stuck in the closed (“on”) position, causing the pressure to rise too much and blow a pipe or (much more likely) an old, rusty radiator?  Should I have the pressuretrol replaced or inspected?


texts: Does anyone know if this is a Ethernet jack or a phone line?

texts:
I just moved in and I was wondering with this is?

It has 6 pins but I have no idea what it is.


texts: Receving 120 and 220 volt readings when testing a home outlet

texts:
I recently redid a room in my house (older home built in the 60's i believe). I decided to replace the outlets as well as they where loose and wouldn't hold plugs very well. When i pulled a few of the old outlets i found what i looked up to be called "bootleg grounds" on two of the three i replaced. I installed the new plugs without the jumper as they appear to be in conduit boxes and i read the jumper was a really bad idea. I looked up how to test these outlets to be sure the ground is there. (i have a nice fluke multi-meter) When i tested between the two slots i get 120v as expected, now hears where it gets weird and you have to forgive me as im a novice with electricity. when i tested from one slot to the ground hole i also got 120v which i believe is the hot to the ground so that should be expect as well, but when i switch to the other slot to the ground hole i get 220v, which i believe is a big problem, what i want to know is what could be the cause of this so i can try to start hunting this down. Could it be other outlets down the circuit with bootleg grounds causing the voltage to double essentially acting like a 220 circuit? I'm going to start looking for other outlets with the bootleg grounds but i wanted to get more info on this at the same time. Any and all help would be greatly appreciated.

EDIT: I ran around and tested a few more outlets some I'm getting 330 volts at and other 500+ volts..


texts:
Would removing the back-board of cupboards help against mould/mold?

In our new (to us) semi-basement flat we have a relatively small condensation problem, generally behind  cupboards... kitchen cabinets, bathroom cabinets and wardrobes.

I'm thinking of removing the back boards for all of them, for the following reasons..

1 They are mould contaminated already

2 Not knowing if the last clean is working is worrying, this way it can be monitored easily

3 New mould can be attacked immediately, without having to move/dismantle anything

4 More air can circulate

Downsides...?

What are the downsides of not having back to cupboards? Are they necessary, structrural or in any way important that I just don-t know about?


texts: I want to put snap together wood flooring over bathroom subfloor. Is this effective?

texts: Due to water damage I needed to repair a section of my particle board bathroom subfloor. This ruined the linoleum, which we removed. Now I want to put snap together flooring in. What do I need to do to prep flooring?


texts: Dimmable range on one circuit is different to another. Why?

texts:
We've recently had some dimmable spotlights installed in our dining room. We have a setup where we have 3 lights off one switch, and 6 on a second switch. The lights were not dimming very much, maybe to about 50%. We assumed it was usual for spots like this and we weren't too worried about the range.

Lately we noticed that one bulb on the 3 light circuit was blinking intermittently (it's generally set to the lowest brightness setting) I thought that to see if it was the bulb or not I'd swap the bulb with another on the same circuit.

Here's the funny thing. When I did this, the dimming range of the 3 lights has improved dramatically, going all the way from barely visible in the day time at it's lowest to full brightness at it's highest?!

Why has this happenned?

I am now in the situation where one half of the room dims to about 50%(the 6 light circuit) and the other all the way to 1%(the 3 light circuit). I want to get the other circuit dimming in the same way, but not sure what to change!

Very confused !!


texts: Moen Adler 87233SRS single handle kitchen faucet. New install. Water live at stops but no water comes out of the faucet. Spray head not attached yet.


texts: Several years ago I painted our old concrete patio with Olympic Rescue It! Wood Deck and Concrete Resurfacer, and it has lasted very well. Now we have new cracks which we are filling in, and I'd like to paint over the Olympic product. We are in the process of listing the house for sale.


texts: What could cause a 240v dryer outlet to have proper voltage but not power the dryer?

texts:
I bought a used washer and dryer about a month ago from a warehouse dealer that specializes in used appliances. The dryer worked for about a month then refused to operate. I called the appliance guy who checked the dryer, said it was fine. He was able to hook up another dryer which he was transporting which also failed to turn on. He left the new dryer and took the old one to his shop where it turned on fine. He blamed the outlet or some part of the electrical and insisted the dryers are working fine. he has offered to let me take any same price dryer from his shop and try it.
I told the landlord something may be wrong with the electric. He came and checked the breaker, tested the voltage, couldn't find anything wrong. Multi-meter showed 120 from each side to neutral and 240v across both. Breaker is fine, but he replaced it to make sure. Dryer still doesn't work.
I called the appliance guy back who took the dryer apart to look for a fault. Nothing. Tried a third dryer, no luck. So I call the landlord back who replaces the three prong dryer outlet which results in no change and insists his wiring is correct.
So we have tried three dryers that work at the warehouse that don't work at home. The outlet provides 240v but the dryers refuse to operate. Supposing the appliance guy isn't outright lying and these dryers work fine when plugged in at the warehouse, what might the landlord be missing in the electric lines? He is a very handy person but admittedly not an electrician.
If I need to get in person help would it be better at this point to contact an electrician to look at the lines or an appliance guy to check the dryer?


texts: How long should the smell of silicone caulk last?

texts:
I recaulked around my tub last night with 100% silicone caulk. It's now been a bit over 12 hours, so the caulk is set and I can get the tub wet (according to the instructions on the tube), but the bathroom still stinks of silicone.

The bathroom is pretty small, only about 6x10'. I don't know the CFM of the vent fan, but it has been running constantly for about 12 hours (from just after I finished the caulk job), and there's a pretty good gap under the door to allow fresh air to flow in.

How long should I expect that smell to remain?


texts: Why don’t I have power to new light fixtures I installed?

texts:
I have installed two new light fixtures that are on the same breaker; a hallway and bathroom vanity. I simply replaced the outdated ones.
The first one in the hallway worked fine.

Started working in the bathroom. Now, neither of them work
Everything is connected like it should be. I made sure no connections came undone.

I disconnected the bathroom. The
hallway doesn’t work.

I turn on the breaker there’s still no electricity being sent to the bathroom or hallway. Is there something I haven’t checked? Did I break my house?


texts: Could work done to lower a radiator have caused a loss of water pressure from a combi boiler?

texts:
Our new house has a year-old combi boiler. We are doing a lot of work in the house and 2 days ago early evening a bedroom radiator was lowered (pipes were frozen to do this) and a hall radiator was put back on after being off for a week due to decorating--all by our very good plumber.

Next morning I had a shower ok but when my wife got in no hot water!! Pressure gauge had dropped to zero so topped up and hot water again. Pressure dropped marginally by afternoon so topped up. All fine since. Can find no leaks in the system anywhere.

Could the initial radiator work I mentioned at the start of this HELP question be the cause? Having never had a combi with wall thermostat any help would be appreciated.


texts: Best way to ground an Intersystem Bonding Termination (IBT)?

texts: What is the best way to ground a IBT? To the main panel ground bar? directly to the UFER grounding electrodes?  Or to install the IBT on the meter base?


texts: Is it advisable to mount an outdoor air-conditioner on a wall with brackets?

texts:
I heard somewhere that mounting an outdoor air-conditioner unit in townhouses is not recommended, since vibration may propagate through the wall on adjacent units and thus disturb other tenants and even impact the integrity of shared walls.

Is this true? Are there exceptions to this?

To be more specific, I mean this type of AC units:


texts: T connection of two Beams To Support 2nd Floor - Post or No Post?

texts:
Context: We are building plans for an extension to our home, on three levels. We're working with a technologist and will be getting an engineer since they have to stamp any plans. We want to have a large opening - about 20' by 20'.
Problem: For our own knowledge (we're still waiting to hear from the technologist) we want to know whether it is possible to have a T shaped steel beam supporting the 2nd floor without a post where the two beams meet. On the picture below, in yellow you'll see where I "imagine" the beams would go, and I imagine that where the yellow circles are, I need to put strong pillars that are secured in the foundation (I do have a 2nd floor that I want to build there).
Question: Is there a way to build this in order to NOT have a post where the "?" is on the drawing below?


texts: Blocking next door noise in rental apartment

texts:
Any advice on cost-effective ways to block noise from a next door unit in a rental apartment? As I do not own the unit, opening the walls and adding insulation is not an option. There seems to be a thin part of the wall 2-3 meters in length where the noise passes through the most.

Looking to cover the following wall tile surface. Total length about double what is shown.


texts:
I am considering installing a radon mitigation pipe system in my home, but the only area where I could reasonably have the pipe exit my home is crammed with all my other utilities.

The best spot I've found that I can conceivably would exit the house very close to my gas meter.  It won't interfere or touch, but I wonder if I would violate some housing code or another.

I'm aware that local codes always vary, but surely there must be some generalized consistency between them, so I hope someone can comment based on their own knowledge and experience.

The attached pictures show the area where the pipe would exit.  I plan on using 2" PVC pipe in the immediate vicinity of the exit, then expanding to 3" pipe for the rest of the vertical run up to the roofline.  Imagine a 2" PVC pipe running about 12" to the left of and more or less parallel to the black gas line seen exiting the meter and entering the house.

Note that this pipe would not "vent" near the gas meter - the vent would be located 2 stories up, above the roof line.  Also, the pipe will only carry air from underneath the house, no gas or fumes, so I don't think that this question applies.


texts: Liquid line of outdoor AC unit is cold but the suction line is at room temperature

texts:
Its been a few days ago I bought a new General AC 1 Ton for my bedroom of 118 sq. feet.

From the first day of installation I never got the expected cold air from the indoor unit I asked the mechanic/ fitter why is it taking this long as it was first time for me but they said it will take a little long time for the initial start to blow the cold air from the indoor unit and they left and took the payment and I kept waiting for more than two and half hours for getting the cold air from the indoor unit but didn't got any cold air then I started diagnosing from my side I set the mode to fan and then cool to check if the temperature of the blown air has any difference in the two different modes which it should be but surprisingly the blown air are of same temperature in both mode then I tried to get more information about the ac parts and figured out about the liquid line and suction line.

So I checked while the ac is ON, the liquid (Smaller Diameter) line is very cold and sweating but the suction (Larger Diameter) line is neither too hot nor too cold its of normal temperature (i.e, Room Temperature).

Also I found that after letting the ac On for a while touching the foam coating of the liquid line near the outdoor unit is of normal temperature but touching it from the indoor side is a bit colder.

Please help me what should I do? Or whom should I complain the mechanic/ fitter or the company/ shop from where I bought?


texts: What is this box connected to my electric water heater?

texts:
My water heater was broken and I traced it back to a problem with the power. I was only getting 50 volts for a 240v unit. I found this box connected between the 240v line from the fusebox and the water heater and I'd like to know what it's for. The 240v line is coming in just fine but breaks down to 50v when it comes out of the box and into the water heater. I can bypass the box completely but I feel like it's there for a reason.

I can't find anything written on the box or components that would help identify its purpose.


texts: How can I remove white 'splatter' which has partially seeped into a wooden panel?

texts:
I'm looking at a wooden wardrobe, which has... well, seen a lot of punishment. But in this question I'm focusing on how its side was splattered/stained with white material which is either whitewash, or more likely, in-door wall paint.

I started by scrubbing (sort of) gently, with a rag. I then went on to make the rag moist and scrub again. I continued with applying some mild pressure through the rag (mostly to the areas with thick stains). These stages all helped, but a lot of white was still left. I tried scrubbing somewhat harder, and also scrubbing more gently, but with a (non-metallic) scouring pad. That also helped a bit, but I'm really not there yet.

I feel I was already kind of pushing it with the scouring pad, and hurting the varnish. I'm wondering - what should be my next step? I'm guessing some sort of material compound should be able to loosen/disintegrate the white splatter without affecting the wood/varnish much. Am I right? If not, what else should I do?

Here is the wardrobe side's original state:

and here is the current state (possible variations in lighting):

PS - Wondering about the gray swath at the bottom? 1. It's not my doing. 2. Just don't ask, I'm still traumatized by that. Suffice it to say some people should be behind bars for crimes against aesthetics and workmanship.


texts:
I have 6 dead daisy chained outlets in the kitchen.  Continuity test were good on the receptacles so it’s a wiring issue (no wire nuts seen in #1 to #5 electrical boxes). Resetting 6 GFCIs did not help.  I used a Cent tech cable tracker to confirm that all 6 outlets are on the same circuit. However, I could not trace power going to #1 outlet using same cable tracker. I heard a combination of faint tone and buzzing all over the place (I turned off breakers to all lights and outlets in the house). # 6 outlet only has line coming in (no line out)
However, I found an extra (capped)black wire that has power inside #6 electrical box. I switched out the dead black wire for this and the outlet worked. Looking inside the electrical box, there are 3 sets of wires coming in. The left one has black,red, white and ground. The middle has black, white and ground, and same goes for the one on the right.
The red wire is connected to the black wire from the right bundle.  The dead black wire comes from the middle bundle. The capped/hot black wire comes from the left bundle.
I plugged in a blender/juicer in this outlet and it didn’t trip the breaker. Left it hooked up overnight with no issues.
I’m curious if there are any safety issues I should be concerned with? Also can I hook up the dead outlets to #6 by reversing the lines in(meaning hooking up the original line out as line in. Do I need 2 white/neutrals on #6 or just leave the pigtail that was already connected? Please see attached pics and kitchen layout. Sorry for the long post and newbie questions. If I’m way over my head on this one, I’ll gladly heed your advice to call an electrician. Thanks in advance.


texts: What can soak up moisture from a closed space

texts:
I have a really weird problem.  I have a bedroom wall where the paint kept bubbling and peeling off.  I have re-textured and painted it several times.  I finally ripped all the drywall off and discovered that there is a large space behind the wall that has all the plumbing for two adjacent showers.  The problem is that those pipes changing temperatures are causing enough moisture to build up in the space that the adjacent drywall gets wet and will not hold texture and paint.  I checked for any leaks because it seemed weird to have that much moisture from the existence of pipes.

The question is: Is there anything that I can put in there when I close it back up to reduce the moisture?  Would a vent work?  A piano dehumidifier?  A combination of the two?  I would rather not have a random thing plugged into the wall.

EDIT: There are some really good answers so far, but I think I need to better explain.  Here is the set up:

I tried spraying down the roof and looking for leaks. I tried turning all showers and flushing all toilets.  There is no water coming from anywhere.  The vents go straight to the roof.  There is some insulation in there so I hate to just put an HVAC return register on it, but that and insulating the pipes looks like the only option.


texts: How do I insulate between bottom/top apartments?

texts: My house is a two-apartment house, where I live on the first floor and rent the second. It's an early 1900s plaster & lathe, and currently has no insulation. I want to add rockwool in the ceiling of the first floor to both insulate and sound-proof. Since each apartment has independent heating (ie, each has it's own steam heat boiler), do I need a vapor barrier on the bottom-side (first-floor facing) of the rockwool? If so, would that be 6mil plastic?  I will be replacing the ceiling plaster with drywall, and I prefer rockwool for both it's density and fire safety.


texts: Wiring An RV, AC/Generator/24v DC existing

texts:
Woo here I go.
Wiring up an RV as a type of Mobile Office.
Need to run:
6 High performance computers that can draw ~500 watts each, 3000 watts total
6 32" TV Screens, ~20 watts each 120 Watts total
13,500 BTU "Power Saver" 120V AC that claims 1100-1300 Watts running

The RV is wired as a 24 Volt system. 2 huge 8d style batteries:
2 of these 12v https://www.interstatebatteries.com/products/8d-xhd linked together to form 24 Volts.
These batteries have 380 Reserve Capacity (RC)@25 Amps each

An Equalizer joins the 2 together: http://www.vanner.com/brochures/Battery-Equalizer-PB-6-01.pdf

So...so many options. I know I need a generator.
I'm looking at 6500 max/5000 running watts inverter powered generator:
https://www.briggsandstratton.com/na/en_us/product-catalog/generators/portable-generators/q6500-quietpower-series-inverter-generator.html

The computers and TVs are obviously sensitive and need clean power in.

Now..do I run something off the 2 RV batteries? I'd like to get 5 hours or so. Can the generator charge the batteries as they're powering something?
a)the computers so would need inverter(s) to go from 24v DC to 120AC? ~3000watt draw
b)The Air conditioner? ~1100 watt draw
Have to take into consideration power loss from the inverter(s)

What's the deal with grounding this RV so I don't electrocute people?
What type of wire/conduit is safe for adding the 120v outlets? I hear stranded, maybe 14 gauge romex? Still would need some type of conduit I think?

Any other advice/help?
Thanks?


texts:
We have a smell that only comes from the kitchen sink sometimes.

I have tried cleaning it all different ways many times. Have taken the plumbing apart by the Ptrap and have done the baking soda thing all different ways.

We put in a new dishwasher a few months back and the smell subsided. It is now back but only sometimes from the sink, which makes it go to dishwasher also.
When dishwasher was installed the guys were told of the problem so I am sure my plumbing is right.

I also had a friend look at it and he told me it looked good. He is a plumber.

Can it be something behind the walls that I would have no clue about?


texts: What is the role of this telescopic pole-looking item in the ceiling?

texts:
I've recently viewed a property and done a first pass at the work that will need doing. But, I noticed this in the ceiling of the stairwell and I'm not entirely sure of a few things:

What exactly is it? (seems like telescopic pole or jack of some sort?)
What purpose is it?
What further inspections or work items should I make off the back of this?

I've noted that the paint marks are misaligned, indicating this has been altered since installation and likely has been installed for some time.


texts: How to fix a joist that has been cut out

texts:
I’m doing renovations in an old kitchen. I removed the ceiling as it was damaged, old and nasty. I found that when some prior owner renovated the bath above, they cut into the joists to add plumbing. The cuts are minor to cut right through in places. They did a poor job of attempting to scab a 3 foot section of 2x8 for support on one joist (the cut through one) and nothing on the other 3 joists. ( I guess I shouldnt worry, they only installed a large tub above the 4 joists they compromised!!!!)
The joists are 2” x 8” x 18” long (a full 2”x 8”, not 1.5” x 7.5”). The cuts are about 1 foot from the wall.
Four joists have been compromised.
What I am looking for is a solution to re-support them.
My initial thought was to build a header that would run below the 4 joists that would be supported by two studs on each end (there is a door in the wall below this point, so I couldn’t have studs all along the header). I’d prefer not to do this solution as the header would cause problems with cupboards.
My other thought was to remove the plumbing, scab 6 foot lengths of 2x8 to the existing joists using bolts then add the plumbing back in. I’d still have a concern with this as 4-5 inch holes would still be needed for the toilet drain. What if I were to scab 2 2x8s on each side of the joist?
Other options?
Hopefully the pictures below will help show the situation.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
(The wiring will be removed and done right!)


texts: How should I repair these loose tiles in the bathroom?

texts:
I was looking at replacing some caulking that has been cracking and I noticed there's a few loose tiles.

Here's a pic of the bathroom, it's on the second floor of our house:

Here's where I noticed the tiles, there's also a hairline crack on one near the toilet:

The grout highlighted here seems to be loose and the tiles wiggle just a little bit. There's also a (possibly unrelated) hairline crack in one by the toilet:

The surrounding tiles otherwise seem okay.

We replaced our toilet about a year and a half ago and the caulking didn't hold very well and is admittedly overdue for being replaced. That said, I think there always has been a creak in that spot.

How should I go about repairing this? What warning signs do I need to look for?

Update: I guess whatever the substrate is was cracked and the wood is damaged. Not sure how to lay something solid down to put the tiles on.


texts: Changing 220 15 amp to 220 30 amp. Present circuit is in conduit with two other circuits. Need some advice

texts:
Hello and thanks for any advice in advance.

My goal is to update a 220v 15 amp circuit in my garage to a 220v 30 amp circuit.
The 220 circuit I am trying to update runs through schd 40 pvc conduit with 2 other separate circuits.

The situation is as follows (I did none of the existing wiring - I recently purchased the house):

My Main panel is in the attached garage and built into the wall.

There are 3 circuits leaving the panel with NM cable running ~6 feet behind the drywall away from the main panel to a conduit body mounted on the drywall surface.

The conduit is schedule 40 pvc. It is 1" but steps down to 0.75 then to 0.5" (details below).
There are two 220 15amp circuits and one 110 15amp circuit

The three NM cables then run through conduit. It is 1.0" conduit in the area with the three NM cables.

The 110 NM terminates first

The first 220 NM terminates shortly after. It is 0.75" conduit in the area with 2 NM cables.

The second 220 NM terminates shortly after that. It is 0.5" conduit in the area with only 1 NM cable.

All three circuits are running 14 gauge nm cable through the entire length -- from the panel to the conduit body, then continuing through the conduit to the receptacles.

I have a few questions:

My understanding is that THHN wire is more desirable to be run through conduit instead of NM.
When updating one of the 220 15 amp circuits to 220 30 amp, I plan to use THHN wire.  I think it is likely best for me to update the other circuits to THHN as well. Agree?

My understanding that NEC updated for 2020 saying that all circuits in a garage must be GFCI protected - is this true? If so - I will use a GFCI breaker for the new 220 circuit when I replace it. The garage is dry and I'm not concerned with water contacting the outlets.

Can all 3 circuits share a ground that is large enough to tolerate the largest circuit (the 30 amp)?

My understanding is that I will have 6 conductors running through the conduit so must derate to 80%.  This should make no difference for the 110 15 amp and 220 15 amp with 14 gauge THHN wire (25*0.8=20).  But will make a difference for the 220 30 amp circuit as I cannot use 12 gauge THHN (30*0.8=24).  So I will step up to 10 gauge THHN for the 30 amp circuit (40*0.8=32).  If this is all correct, should I use 10 gauge ground? Or do I have to derate the ground as well?

As far as running new wire through the conduit - any advice? I understand attaching my new 10 gauge wire to the old 14 and pulling will not be easy - especially in the section where there are 3 cables. Should I pull the old NM cable with a pull cord attached to it, then use that pull cord to pull the new cable?


texts: How can I change the bulb in this three-clawed, ceiling-mounted dome light fixture?

texts:
I am having trouble retrieving the light bulb in this fixture:

I tried bending the claws to release the dome, but that did not work. I tried twisting the whole fixture many times in either direction, but it did not seem to help to remove the fixture. I tried pulling and wiggling the fixture out of the hole in the ceiling, and it came down a little bit, but it did not come out completely, and I am afraid of breaking something if I pull harder.

What should I do to replace the lightbulb here?


texts: I am shopping for a washer and dryer set. I see combos and separated sets in market. What is advantage and disadvantages of each kind? I am not short in space but one unit is a nice to have. Also I am interested in electricity consumption comparison.


texts: updating a kitchen light with a LED unit

texts: I went to the panel which is marked but not correct...I flipped off every breaker one at a time but the light did not go off.I did not shut off the main..I lowered the old unit and there are 2 sets of wires black and wht. only 3 wires on the old unit...should I just clean the wires with the MAIN switch off? Then copy the old connections?  The old light is a circular florescent type the wires look like the same color..


texts:
I have a mystery and would like help solving it. I have an old original Victorian door in my house that gets a wet patch on it. It’s permanently wet / damp in the same area, although sometimes the dampness gets larger.

It only happens to two doors. There is no damp around it (ceiling, floor etc). It isn’t near a bathroom and the bathroom door (which is the same) doesn’t have this issue. No other area of the door seems to get it.

My only guess is, does it have wood worm or something inside, that might been creating moisture in the door? Could it be the old adhesive in the door breaking down?!


texts: Tub spout leak where spout connects to wall of tub

texts: My tub spout leaks inside of the tub only when the shower is running.  I tried putting on a new spout but it’s been a pain finding one with the correct adapter.  I’d much rather solve this issue with the current spout.  Should I remove spout and clean it?  Again the small water drips from where the spout meets the bathtub wall ONLY when the diverted is pulled up and the shower is running.  Their is no leak when running the water directly from the spout to the tub.  Thank you


texts: How can I determine why my ceiling fan is noisy?

texts:
I have a 5-blade ceiling fan in a child's bedroom (Hunter Douglas).  The fan came with the house, so I know nothing about it.

It worked fine for a year or so, but it is quite reachable from an upper bunk by the room's inhabitants.  I can imagine that it has been used as a toy flinger and has been pushed and prodded quite a bit as well.

Now the unit has scraping noise when it rotates.  It's not a raw metal-on-metal sound, but somewhat muted.  When powered, it's loud enough to be annoying, and it's bothersome enough to the kids that they don't want the fan on, even when it's pretty warm in there.

I can rotate the blades by hand and hear the scrape even at quite slow speeds.  It appears to come from one side of the hub, and it's heard five times for one rotation (same as number of blades).  If I shove it sideways slightly, the sound is only slightly affected.

I don't know anything about ceiling fans.  Is there anything in there that I might be able to repair, or tips about where I could start looking?  Or is this something that I shouldn't try to work on?

As an update, I think I was initially intimidated by the blades.  I thought removing them would be either tricky or time consuming.  But I got into it and it went easily.

Yes, you have to take off the blades to work on it.
No, it's not that bad.  The blades have captive screws.  Even with limited access, it goes pretty quick.

After I got everything apart, I found that the electronics package for the remote control had been taped to the ceiling and the tape had failed.  The bundle was sitting on top of the motor housing, making a sound as it spun around.


texts: What's wrong with my thermostat (fan / limit control)?

texts:
I previously asked about wiring the White-Rodgers fan/limit control on my wood stove.

It's now wired and the wood stove is fired up.  I ran the fan wires to the fan (hot) and I capped the limit wires.  Since it's a wood stove I think I don't need the limit circuit.

But the fan control is not working the way I think it should. The stove is hot but the fan is not turning on.

When I open up the thermostat box, the temp dial is not oriented the way I think it should be.  I snipped this from the installation manual for the thing:

I drew the N to show where North is for the dial in its current state.  This seems wrong to me. The stove is pretty hot. I'd guess near 200F on the outside surface. Surely it's higher inside the box. At this level of heat, I'd expect the dial to rotate counterclockwise, to the limit of the temp scale. That would obviously turn on the fan. But that's not happening.

If I manually rotate the dial, it actually does close the circuit and turn on the fan: the microswitch is operating properly.  when I let it go, though, the dial returns to its position as indicated in the drawing.

Right now I have the lever on the control set to "Manual" to override the thermostat and keep the blower running.

What's the deal?  Is this something I can fix or adjust?


texts: When is a table top too heavy for just four legs?

texts:
I'm making a coffee table out of an old bowling alley lane and it's 4'x18".  I wish I knew exactly what it weighed but it is heavy.  It's too heavy for me to move without dragging it - although I'm not very strong.  My partner can move it down the stairs with a lot of effort.

So my question is that I wanted to use tube legs or hairpin legs but it would leave the entire centre of the table open - and it is heavy.  Should I have additional legs in the middle?  Or should I trust the wood?

I do of course have horizontal bars to keep the wood from sagging towards the middle horizontally (?) but I'm worried it will sag towards the middle length-wise.


texts: Best way to remove plastic veneer from wood trim

texts:
I have wood molding with plastic, not Thermifoil, covering (simulated untextured wood grain).
I have tried removing it with a heat gun, sanding and denatured alcohol. The heat gun doesn't remove it completely and the finer convolutions are hard to scrape.
Sanding is tedious and same problem with the finer convolutions.
Denatured alcohol only removes the  printed wood grain.
Looking for a fast and easy solution. Either a flexible sanding wheel or chemical to get it to peel off.


texts: Would retrofitting weep holes reduce dampness?

texts:
Our house is two story brick veneer and currently has no weep holes on the bottom level. It does have a damp course and some moss under the damp course. I'm currently getting moisture and dampness and want to know whether weep holes or vents would make a difference.

Also, would a bricklayer be the best person to contact to do this work? The house is on a concrete slab on the ground.


texts: How can I attach plywood to a wall without damaging the wall?

texts:
I live in a rental and want to avoid permanently renovating the walls. And I have very little home improvement experience.

I would like to temporarily attach plywood to the interior walls in a way that doesn't damage the paint underneath. The plywood wont be structural.

How would you affix the plywood to the wall and be able to remove it later?
And how do you panel the wall evenly so it doesn't look like a jigsaw pattern?


texts: Is it ok to use a ground rod at a subpanel instead of a fourth wire?

texts:
I understand running the neutral wire back to the main service panel and not bonding the subpanel... but running the equipment ground back to the main panel seems to get conflicting answers.

If code requires it, then I'm assuming it's because the main panel should be adequately grounded but is it against code to also install a ground rod at the subpanel just to be safe?  If the subpanel is mounted to a metal stake or metal building wouldn't it be grounded anyway?

Talking to different so-called experts some say on a long run to a subpanel just install a ground rod at that location and save the cost of a fourth wire.


texts: after sealing the chimney, fireplace still not insulated

texts:
I found a way to use a large chimney balloon and pretty much block all downdraft. Sadly, the fireplace and hearth are still very cold, and it sucks heat out of the surrounding floor too.

Perhaps the firebox has tiny cracks letting in air, or the whole thing (brick outside, stone facade inside, no idea what's underneath) is just too heat-conductive. I'm already planning to hire/rent a thermal camera (for the whole house) which should help figure it out. But after that, what can I do to insulate it?


texts:
I'm working on a projector theater project. I have the drywall up and have a projector mount drilled into the stud/joist. Problem I'm running into is "how can I finish the hole in the drywall where the mount comes down?" I'm looking for something similar to a cable pass through but larger so that the project arm can get through.

Or, do you have any ideas on how to finish the drywall where the arm comes out?


texts:
Do I need to cut the joist lumber's end at an angle so that it sits flushed to the beam when installing skewed joist hanger?

The below video tells me that it's not necessary.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5sQTT-xURE


texts: How do I update two 2-wire switches housed in a single box? Both switches are combination switch and PILOT light

texts:
I have a very OLD wiring so it isn't clear how to install my new switch per the provided wiring diagram.

I have 2 COMBINATION SWITCHES, each has a switch and a pilot light on them housed in a single junction box.  The old switches are brown, I want to replace them with white switches.

The old switches were wired with 3 wires, black, white, plain copper. I don't know that the plain cooper was to a ground screw or not. In the old switch the copper wire was attached to a screw that WAS NOT GREEN but was a single screw on the right side of the old switch.

I don't know how the old switch compares to the new switch. I only know that the old switch was wired with the black and white wire on the top/bottom of the two screws on the left side of the switch and the plain copper wire was wired to the one screw on the right side of the switch.

I wired the 1st new replacement switch as follows:

Black Wire to Brass Screw on switch
White Wire to Silver Screw on switch
Plain Copper Wire to Black Screw

I replaced the first old switch as above in 1, 2, 3 with the new switch.  Turned on power, switch worked as expected (pilot shows on when the switch is on, pilot off when switch off).

Then I replace the 2nd switch exactly at the first and it tripped the circuit breaker.

How do I wire using the 3 existing wires (Black, White, Copper) to the new 2nd switch in order without causing the circuit breaker to trip when it is used?


texts:
I have a Square D main panel with two separate load bus lines.
When I turn off main breaker I have 120 volts on each incoming supply wires to main breaker.
When I turn on any circuit breaker connected to the one bus line the voltage to that bus and to the incoming supply line drops down to anywhere from 20 to 2 volts.
But the voltage is great on breakers connected to the other bus line
What is going on.