texts: What are some alternatives to making birdsmouth cuts in a rafter?

texts:
I'd like to avoid making a birdsmouth cut in my rafters since they are extending beyond the top plate in a cantilever, and I don't want to reduce the strength too much.

I've seen that there is VPA (Variable Pitch Connector) hardware available that can do this, but it has some limitations.

Someone told me that in smaller structures, (mine is 8' wide) you can just omit the birdsmouth cut altogether and it is fine. The top plate might get crushed slightly but not enough to worry about.

The other alternative that I've heard is cutting the studs to match the pitch of the roof so that the rafter sits fully flat on the top plate without any birdsmouth cut. I don't understand how this would work in terms of load forces... wouldn't the loads tend to slide off rather than being transferred down into the stud?

Are there other alternatives to a birdsmouth notch?


texts: i purchased a tiny house as an abandoned project, and the electricity was already roughed in at purchase. I'm not an electrician, but all the work on the house seems pretty sound from my research. All the wiring is 12/2, with a an RV inlet (30 amp, 125 v). The panel confuses me, as it has both the ground and neutral on a single bus bar. The breaker is a square D 15 amp tandem, with only a single bus bar. Does this look correct?


texts:
I'm renovating a 4x5 ft. bathroom and I'm having problems leveling the sistered joists with the existing floor (the doorway). I've clamped the new sister joists to the old ones in order to see how it would fit. When I lay subflooring on the bathroom's joists, it is 1/4 in. higher than the existing subfloor in the doorway. How do I level it, so that it meets the existing plywood at the doorway? Is being a 1/4 in. out a lot?

Please see the pic below:  I'm level east to west but not north to south. (And north to south is the critical direction as I need to tie into the existing flooring.) The joists are 2x4s on a slab. The house is 50 yrs old.


texts:
Is there an easy way to remove silicone sealant?

Having had mouldy sealant have replaced with MicroBan to stop the mould coming back but is there any tips on getting the stuff off for next time?

My best tool seemed to be a sharp chisel.


texts:
I was building a subfloor in my basement.  3/4" osb on top of 1" xps, and spray foam around the perimeter.  I was in looking at Great Stuff foams saw Floor and Wall saw it was good for subfloors and foam panels so I grabbed it and went on my way.  Only until AFTER I applied it to the entire perimeter did I see ADHESIVE!  Will this still serve the purpose?  Or am I going to need to cut it out and apply the proper foam insulation?

Insult to injury I also got it on my hand :(


texts: Will the hole drilled into the furnace door cause problems? Gases etc. escaping?

texts:
I recently had a furnace service. A 3 blink code came up. The flame sensor  was dirty,and a curved white pipe outside on the roof had snow inside it. The tech drilled a hole in the furnace door so you could see the red "code" light.

As he had taken the module out before(to replace the fan, and never put it back properly). So you had to take the door off to see the light on the module. I placed sheet metal tape over the hole as l felt uncomfortable with the "repair". There is a Co2 detector 12 ft away which didn't go on before l covered the hole(or now).
Should l go for a more permanent repair to cover the hole drilled, or leave it? Should l call the tech back to repair the hole? I could use a magnet also. As l understand it isn't "code".
Another positive: the oil-canning stopped. The furnace seems to run slightly longer after the thermostat "clicks", but the loud metal bang is gone now.


texts: Use interior door as shed door but under cover

texts: I have a shed with a front porch and roof cover (5x8 feet). I plan to put an interior door at the shed wall but under this cover area. Is it OK? This won't be soaking wet. It will be slightly wet if rain with strong wind. I am guessing an interior door hollow core can stand lightly wet once in awhile and cold/hot temperature for at least few years. Let me know if you have a different take?!


texts: need help in identifying bathroom sink faucet set

texts:
This set is most likely 30 years old. (We also have the matching tub set.) I'd like to replace all of the faucet innards or replace the entire set.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks.

[


texts:
I would like to have a double wall switch for the toilet where one switch (#1) turns on both the light and the fan while the second switch (#2) turns only the fan. Please note the light and the fan are separate devices operating at 220V.

So if I turn on the switch #1 both the light and the fan are turned on and the switch #2 has no function while the switch #1 is turned on.

If I turn on the switch #2 while the switch #1 is turned off, I was the fan to be turned on while the light is turned off.

I usually deal with DC circuits and in that case I could most probably just throw 1N400X diode between the light and the fan both of which would be connected in parallel to the source. However, I'm dealing with 220V AC here and I'm not quite sure how to make it work in this case.


texts: How to improve the drainage of a patio with 6"x6"x39" cement blocks used for edging?

texts:
The patio looks like in the picture. I have no idea if this is standard practice but it looks dumb to me. There is a very small space between blocks and that is filled with dirt. Virtually the patio holds the water in heavy rain when the runn off water should go over the edge of a graded patio. I am wondering what would be the best way to improve the situation. I am thinking about drilling holes like below, one per block. I have no idea how easy it is. The other option would be to enlarge the spaces between the blocks.
The cement blocks are beveled, the maximum diameter of a hole can be 0.5"


texts: Are there high flow floor heat registers available?

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The weather has been pretty warm lately so we've been running our A/C. I noticed that it didn't seem like much air was coming out of the registers, so I checked to make sure the blades/louvers were fully open. When I pulled out the register there was a HUGE difference between having the register in (and completely open) and removed. There is easily 40% more airflow when the register is removed.

We have a few "scroll pattern" registers that are a bit better, but I haven't been able to find them locally anymore. All of the new ones seem to use this plastic louver behind the decorative plate that looks like it blocks 50% of the air even when fully open.

Are there high-flow registers available (4x10)?


texts: Does the pressure valve on the wall need to replaced

texts: Hi I just got my hot water tank replaced and the repair man said that the water pressure was to strong and that I need replace the pressure valve. And that the part costs $500. Is this true or am I getting ripped off sincerely new home owner


texts:
Question:

How much weight can a 3/4" x 8" lag bolt hold when drilled in half way? What about other lengths and thickness, and percent drilled in? Is there some sort of formula to calculate?

Optional Background:

I'm planning on building a modest treehouse, on a tree whose trunk is oblong and whose long sides are probably not exactly parallel to each other. Because of this, I had the idea where instead of using lag bolts to screw in the joists on those oblong sides, I want to screw the lag bolts independently into the tree, and have the joists sit on top of them. This way I could have a perfectly square floor even if the sides of the tree are not parallel - it gives me some flexibility. It's a similar idea to a TAB (Treehouse Attachment Bolt), but a much cheaper version, as TABS can cost from $200 - $400 each! I want to make sure the bolts can hold enough weight when screwed in partially. Here's a screenshot of a similar plan where they're using TABs (highlighted in the screenshot - I will be using lag bolts instead of TABs - and I'll probably have 2 on each side):


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In my basement wiring diagram - in Box #1  -- I have a 14-2 cable from the panel and a 14-3 cable terminating a 3 way switch (6 & 7) from the same circuit.

Is this ok, normal, against code, dangerous?

Is there a better way to wire my basement layout off of one circuit with two 3 way switches?

Thank you.


texts:
Previous owner of house ran 10/2 to his outbuildings which are 125 feet. He has lights and would run power tools like a mitre or smaller air compressor. At the breaker is a 20 amp for each run.

Is this ok? I won't be running anything other than what he had and I don't plan on doing anything more intense like awelder or IR heating. Just smaller power tools and lighting.

Or should I re run with larger guage?


texts:
My situation is:

I have a house with a full walk out basement.
I have a spot on the external side of my house that takes several dry days to dry out after a rain.
I have water under my basement floor as evidenced by water in the sewer cleanout access hole.  It takes several days of rain before the water level rises.  We have to have excessive rain in order for the water to rise above floor level.
My yard is largely clay.

My thought was that if I could dry out the spot on the side of my house then the water would would not rise under the floor.

To that end I dug a 30" deep pit and put a sump pump in the pit.  It appears the sump pump has run once.  That is, the water does not seem to be seeping through the clay into the pit.  It got a nice amount of water in it about an hour after I finished digging, but since then it does not seem to be taking in water except when it rains.

The external pump is about 4 feet from my foundation.  That is about as near as I felt comfortable digging next to my house.   it is also still in a rock bed so it is aesthetically pleasing location.  it is about 30 feet from the hole in my basement floor where I can observe water, but I would guess that my whole basement floor has water if one spot has water.

Is it a hopeless struggle to get water to seep thru clay and I should just fill in the pit and not follow thru with the rest of the installation?

The bottom of the pit is 30" from ground level and 36" from the top of my floor in my house.  I am of the mind to dig 6 more inches down.


texts: What wall cladding should be used along the floor of the garage?

texts:
I have an attached garage on a house with a wood foundation in Minnesota, USA. The garage is not temperature-controlled.
On a roughly three foot long exterior wall, I discovered the drywall was disintegrating (white powder fell out from between the paper) near the floor (from the floor to about 10 inches above it). I pulled that piece of drywall off and I want to know how I should repair it. Everything was humid but not wet. The nails that held in the drywall were rusted near the bottom of the wall. I didn't see or feel any moisture in the insulated cavities of the wall. The floor in the corner slopes slightly toward the garage door. In the winter, snow and brine often pools a bit in this area as it melts off the snowblower and shovels. I'm guessing the disintegrated drywall is a result of moisture being wicked up into the drywall and then going through freeze/thaw cycles - but I really don't know.

How should I finish this wall? I figure if I just put of a sheet of drywall, I will get the same issue in the future. Here's some potential ideas I have:

Replace the drywall but only down to the base plate - then put cement board from the floor to the bottom of the drywall.

Replace the drywall but only down to the base plate - leave the bottom area covered with something else?

Replace the drywall to the floor but then put some kind of water proof baseboard along the floor.

Replace the entire piece of drywall that I teared off with cement board.

Mount PVC trim board against the floor and run the drywall down to the top of the PVC board.

Something Else?

I'd like my fix to meet Minnesota code and the scrutiny of a home inspector in a few years.
At the bottom of the wall cavities is sand. The piece of steel in the left wall cavity is c-channel shaped and someone sprayed a bunch of expanding foam into the cavity. I don't know what that might be about - I'm guessing a previous owner had problems with water intrusion at some point - especially if the garage roof gutter hadn't been installed yet. I've never noticed water from anywhere but the garage floor and vehicles.
Here's a picture of exterior of the wall:

Eagle-eyed DIY-ers will recognize the dirt in the corner is a sign of improper drainage. I am having the concrete outside mud jacked later this week to fix the slope and the cavity between the garage and the gap between driveway and the garage re-sealed.


texts: How can I remove an energy gel stain from my carpet?

texts:
I appear to have a small solid 'clump' on my carpet. I'm guessing that it is from an energy gel, which is basically corn syrup mixed with water. Usually I'm pretty good on carpet stains (hey, I'm clumsy), but I have no idea how to remove this one. It's fairly solidly set.

If it's worth anyway, I've had this stuff dry all over clothing before and it's come out the of the washing machine fine. Of course, that's not quite a wollen carpet. I was thinking of blotting with vinegar.

Any other suggestions?


texts: How to work around not enough slots available in breaker panel

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I have a breaker panel with one open breaker. Problem is I was going to add a heat pump to my seasonal cottage but it requires 220. Will I need to replace entire panel to accommodate this heat pump?  It's a 100 amp max box as well. Cottage is 1200 square feet. Don't know the code for this rural town in Maine. Will need to get this.
Thanks


texts: Do branch circuits sharing conduit with sub-panel feeder wires require separate grounding?

texts:
I have installed a 75 amp sub panel with three #6THHN and a #8 ground from the main.
I need to move two branch circuits from main to sub since I do not have space in the 200amp main for the sub panel breaker.

Is a ground wire required for each branch circuit if they are in the same conduit as the feeders for the sub? One inspector said that each circuit has to have a ground. It seems redundant.


texts: Trying to find missing switch for outdoor light

texts:
I'm currently in the process of trying to figure out which switch in my house turns on an outdoor light fixture. Apparently this switch doesn't exist. The bulb is new, known to be working, and of the appropriate wattage. This fixture has never been on since I bought the house (which isn't all that long ago anyway).

The only thing that I can't explain is that there is a blank face plate opposite the wall shared by this light. Inside are 2 capped wires (shown below). I don't have the slightest clue what these were for, if anything. They were like this when I bought the house.

Could these be from an old switch? Is there a safe way to test them without shorting something? It's probably just a red herring to distract me from my search, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask about anyway. It's not very far from the fixture, so I didn't want to discount the possibility.

If these either are definitely not for a switch, or do not control the outside light, are there any tricks/tips I could attempt in terms of finding where my mystery switch is located?

Here is the box of the fixture outside:


texts: Where do I attach the rails for the keyboard tray on this desk?

texts:
First off - this is the final look of the desk:

The problem is that the white rails for the keyboard tray - I don't know where to attach them to the desk. I have three 727x510 milimeter planks that the top plank(the 1100x590 one) should be attached to. However I'm not sure which way should be up or down. Te 350 milimeter rail should be attached like you see on the picture, but I can't find the proper spots. Maybe I have them the wrong way? All three planks have four holes at the top which match the three lines of holes on the top plank, so I assumed that's where they attach to it and that's their top part. Their other part is smooth. Here is what I mean:

Top part:

Bottom part:

On the other hand, i have these "legs" that look like they match the holes in the "top part":

Here are pictures of the three planks front and back.

Front:

Back:

The order of the planks is the same on both the front and back pics. Here is the top plank's bottom side:

Can anyone give me a clue on which direction they should all be facing and where to put the tray rail? It doesn't match any 2 holes and if I screw it to a single hole it'll just rotate around it...that's not right.


texts: What material is my residence-adjoining common wall made from?

texts:
My house is a twin built in 1920. Most of the walls are plaster, some are drywall. Knocking on these with my knuckle yields a hollow sound, like tapping a door or window. However the center wall that divides our house is extremely hard, and when I tap on it, there is no sound whatsoever; except for some guitar sounds (mostly low strings) I can't hear a single thing going on next door.
What is this material? It runs down the middle of our entire house. To my eyes it's just a painted white wall!


texts: How to connect 2 thermostats and baseboard heaters on one breaker?

texts: I have already run the wire from the electrical box ( not connected) to the thermostats and heaters (not connected) now I need to know which wire is to be connected in order. It’s 12/2 gauge red and black. Thanks.


texts: Using old roof footings for a ground-level deck

texts:
I had a 40 year-old, asphalt shingled, hip roof (14x18) over a concrete patio that had 4 posts w/footings that supported it in a line opposite the house.  The footings, that are still there and were not disturbed in the roof demolition, are about 6' apart.  Could I use those footings to support a beam for a ground-level deck?

The ledgerboard will not be attached to the house but just will lay on the concrete patio (which is very stable).  Then there's a significant slope to the footings (8" over 12').  My thought is to lay a beam on short blocks across the footings to raise the outer edge of the deck in order to get a less drastic slope.

Then from the beam, I'd extend the deck another 6' and use pier blocks to support the outer edge of that portion.

Does this sound like a good idea?  Any and all comments are welcome.

Thanks!


texts: I want to drain an aluminum downspout into a 4" PVC pipe. How can I seal the space between the downspout and the pipe so that leaves and dirt do not fall into it?


texts: Here is my summer vacation project: I want to redo an old garage roof by replacing the old tongue and groove boards with sheets of regular plywood (not marine grade) but I do not want to re-shingle. Is there a modern day coating that I can just roll onto the plywood that will seal the roof and make it waterproof? Hopefully , if the answer is yes, I can buy this coating at Home Depot or Lowes  :-)  I don't care what the roof looks like,i.e.; the coating can be black or any other color.


texts: Wiring an outlet with two white, one red, and a ground

texts:
I recently moved into a house and found one outlet that did not work. Figuring it was a bum outlet, I shut off the breaker to the room and took the outlet out. I found two white wires, one red, and one bare ground.

I wired it up with the two white wires to silver, red to brass, ground to ground and found that the outlet still did not work.

Leaving the wiring open, I restored the circuit and found that none of the outlets in the room work. So, I imagine that it was wired in series rather than in parallel.

The voltage measured between the two white wires is 120V. I did not expect that.

EDIT: Red to ground is zero. But when both whites are hooked up to the silver, the outlet does not work but all the outlets in the room do work.

Can you shed some light on what's going on? And how to hook it up properly. Thank you in advance.

There are two grouping of wires coming into the box. One side has a white, black, red, and ground. The other side has a white, black, and ground. The black wires from each group are connected with a twist-cap.


texts:
I live in the top floor of a wood frame condo with high ceiling. Lately, my downstairs neighbor has been playing loud music with bass in their living room and I can hear the music and feel the bass on the floor. How can I sound proof the room? It is the wall right behind the TV area. Can I hang a rug or curtain on the wall and it will decrease the noise?

Update: will hanging sound panels on the wall work? How about adding brick veneer? With the strata bylaws, I can't alter the wall as it is a part of the building structure but I can decorate it.


texts: Tube Fitting vs. Flare Fitting vs. Compression Fitting

texts:
I am trying to connect a water filter with regular 3/4" FIP inlet and outlet to regular faucet tubes with 3/8" Compression Type female connectors. So, what I need, I guess, is a pair of 3/4" MIP to 3/8" O.D. Compression fittings.

My search has revealed to be a challenge, as there seems to be an uncountable number of fitting standards in North America, and a variety of labelling conventions for each type.

I have not been able to find any 3/4" MIP to 3/8" O.D. Compression fittings, but there seems to be many 3/4" MIP to 3/8" O.D. Tube fittings on the market. Are these two the same? And if yes, what is the difference between Tube and Flare fittings?

A link to the appropriate fitting would be a great help as well.

P.S. Are these the right fittings: (1|2|3)? How can I find/order them in Canada? It seems impossible to nail down the search on Homedepot website.


texts:
Working on the propane conversion of my gas stove. One of the orifices to be changed is in a very hard to access location - shown in the photo. The orifice is the "nut" I'm referring to, which you can fit a wrench onto.

Although it is possible to get a wrench on it there is a very limited range of motion due to surrounding apparatus. I've tried to mark this in the photo with the red lines.  The very short arc that the wrench can turn in means that it never gets a 'bite' on the orifice / nut and I can't even loosen it.

It would be much more work to disassemble the other parts in this area, so I'm hoping for a solution to remove and then reinstall just the orifice part. Maybe there's a specialty type of wrench... or something else I'm not thinking of.


texts: Can I add a second 100A service panel alongside the existing one on the same feeder lines?

texts:
I want to install central air conditioning in my home but my current service is 100 A, I believe.
If I were to upgrade to the 200 Amp service, could the breakers be configured where I have two 100 Amp main breakers? One will be the already existing breaker box servicing the house as usual, and the other would be just for the central air conditioning.
Is this possible to configure like this?


texts: Can I use the built in vacuum system for ventilation

texts:
I have an old house which has been updated but it doesn't have great ventilation in the finished basement and often smells a bit musty and damp

There are no leaks and the drainage system has recently been updated

I have used a dehumidifier and that helped

I have considered getting a hunidex system
Or putting in an hvac but that would mean holes and ducts and dust

Then I renembered we have a built in vacuum which had openings on every floor and which we never use

How about taking the central vacuum out and just replacing it with a system to gently suck out air which I could then pump out through a pipe out if the house

Does that make sense ?
Does such a device exist ?

Thanks +++ for any advice


texts: Is it safe to spray herbicide on the bark of a tree if you don't get it on the leaves?

texts:
I've got a bunch of poison ivy growing up a tree. I'd like to kill the poison ivy, but obviously not the tree it is growing on.

It is just about impossible to spray the ivy without hitting the tree, but I was curious as to whether it will harm the tree if I just get it on the bark and not the leaves.

I realize it is probably safest not to do this at all, but I was just curious how these herbicides work.


texts: What to use when sealing floor-to-wall and window-to-wall?

texts:
During my infiltration (air leakage) test we found two other major places where air is leaking through into my home:

the joints between the wood floors and the wall (wood) molding

the joints between the windows and the walls

In both cases I was told to simply "caulk" it closed, is there something SPECIFIC I should be using?


texts: Grounding metal box joining two BX cables without ground

texts: If I have a metal handy box used to join two legacy BX armored cables that don't have a ground wire, do I need to ground that box like I would with NM cable by connecting the box with the NM ground? If yes, how?


texts: When I was installing a quartz countertop, i had it upside down so I could mount the sink to it.  When I flipped it over, there was a small scratch in it (the quartz was brand new).  I assume there was a screw or something protruding from the cabinet underneath it.  I have seen you can use super glue technique to mask the scratch, but I was hoping there would be something else that would work better.


texts: Finishing nails into treated lumber indoors... a disaster waiting to happen?

texts:
We framed out our new kitchen island with some leftover lumber, some of which is treated. Our cabinets came with some extra skin, which is roughly 1/8" thick, and we already attached it to our island with some interior finishing nails. After the fact I read that the finishing nails are not recommended for treated lumber. Since this application is indoor only, am I still OK? Do I need to extract the finishing nails and replace them with SS or galvanized?

Thanks in advance


texts:
My porch lights are wired with 12-2. I want to control the ceiling fan, i.e. light and fan independent of other porch lights. I believe this requires running a 12-3, which I wont do. Having said that can I  still install/attach a wireless remote to the ceiling fan, granted the other lights will be left on but have ability to turn ceiling fan light on/off and or control fan with the remote realizing the other porch lights will remain on?
Or can I install a dimer switch to dim the other porch lights and control ceiling fan light /fan with remote?


texts:
I have a small apartment and a large freezer; I'm concerned about heat build up in and around the freezer.

I have a similar problem with an old PC tower, to which my solution was to create and external radiator from empty coke cans and fix it to the exterior of the computer case. It's worked very well and the always-on PC is as cool as can be.

My question is, besides warranty issues, is there any reason I couldn't/shouldn't make another external radiator, and use crocodile clips to fix it to the grounding and the internal heat dissipator?


texts:
Rookie door hanger here.  I'm trying to hang a prehung door in my opening.  It's a standard 2x4 framing, the door is a standard 2x4 prehung door here:
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Masonite-Classics-6-panel-Single-Prehung-Interior-Door-Common-30-in-x-80-in-Actual-31-5-in-x-81-5-in/1000061087

I've got everything up for the one side and just went to put the other side up and the pieces do not meet.  The framing is about 1/4 too wide for the door jamb?  I'm not sure what I did wrong.  The framing is 2x4's and the drywall that goes up to the edge like it should is 5/8 inch.  What did I do wrong?


texts:
The developers of my units gave the original owners (around 2001) some spec sheets for the finishes that explain the walls are painted with "Dulux Designers White Low Sheen Acrylic".

When I tried to buy some to match at my local paint shop, the assistant denied that was a colour, and sold me another (unmixed) Dulux white paint.

When I got home and googled it, I found several mentions of Dulux Designers White  e.g. Inspiration Point and Stylish Livable Spaces

However, none of the references are at Dulux.com so I am not sure if they are not all making mistakes (e.g. confusing Dulux with Solver Paints who have a colour by that name.

Should I believe the developers who say they used this paint colour, or the paint shop assistant who says Dulux never sold it?


texts: Why don't bookshelves come with wall mounting screws included?

texts:
I was assembling an IKEA bookshelf, and one of the most important steps to ensure safety is the installation of the L-bracket to secure the bookshelf to the wall. All the parts, including the bracket and the screw for attachment onto the shelf, are included (see below). To my disappointment, however, the long mounting screw for attachment to the wall is evidently missing. So now, I find myself unable to complete the project due to the missing mounting screws.
I don't think this is a special case for the bookshelf or for IKEA. Why don't furniture manufacturers include wall mounting screws in the package for convenience?

Source: https://www.ikea.com/us/en/assembly_instructions/billy-height-extension-unit__AA-982217-8_pub.pdf


texts: Can I cap off a gas line and leave it inside a closed joist space?

texts:
I am renovating my kitchen and will be switching from gas stove to induction cooktop. The gas stove is currently hooked up to a 3/4 inch iron pipe coming through the subfloor (below it is a drywalled finished basement). The wall where the old stove is located is coming down, so I cannot have the pipe sticking out.
Can I simply remove the valve, cap it off with a 3/4” iron cap and Rectorseal, and then 1/4 turn the whole assembly at the lower elbow so it is tucked away into the joist space? Or should I remove the pipe down to elbow and cap it with an threaded plug? The subfloor will be patched and then covered with a new hardwood flooring. Thanks.


texts: joint between cement board and existing drywall not flush -- how to treat?

texts:
We're redoing a wall in our kitchen because it was too uneven to lay our countertop-to-ceiling tile backsplash.

The base cabinets and countertops have been installed already, and there are no upper cabinets, so we decided to only redo the part of the wall from the countertop to the ceiling. We're going to install cement backer board directly on the studs.

To even out the wall, we'll need to shim the backer board up to a 1/2" in places, including along the horizontal cut line along the countertop.

I understand we should tape cement board joints with alkali-resistant fiberglass mesh tape, but I'm not sure how to treat the joint between the cement backer board and the existing drywall because they won't be flush with one another.

Can we tape the joint with an uneven rift? Or is there something else that should be done?

I'm not worried about it being visually correct because the recessed existing drywall will be hidden behind the countertop and base cabinets. I'm more concerned about anything that might cause cracking in the tile grout down the road.


texts: How does the smart switch learns my wifi settings?

texts:
This question is not about how to do wiring or configuring a smart switch. This is basically to kill my curiosity on how that stuff works.

So when you hook up a smart switch, you power it up by connecting the mains (live and neutral) and then uses an app to feed in the wifi settings of your home network. But you do not necessarily connect to the switch's hotspot or anything (in some modes you do, but this is not about that) so how exactly the switch learns your home wifi settings via the app?

Yes, the phone is connected to the home wifi but before pairing, the switch is not, and it cannot connect because it doesn't know the home wifi ssid or password. This seems like the classic chicken-egg problem to me :) Can someone explain it technically?


texts: One zone of baseboard heating not working, likely airlocked

texts:
Pretty sure I've got this, but would like confirmation.

One zone of 4 on my boiler is not putting out heat.  Gas company came out, gave boiler, valves etc. the thumbs up and say they believe the line has air in it and is not flowing.  They can't do anything because they are not plumbers.  So it's going to be -14 this week, and I have no heat in 1/4 of the house.

I did this many years ago, but would like to confirm what I remember from looking at my system.

Zone feeds, just beyond the zone control valves, with positive stops and drains on each:

2.Common return to boiler, with drain valve.

If I:
a. Shut down boiler.
b. Shut positive stops to all zones (orange handles in pic 1).
c. Attach drain line to offending zone drain (in pic 1) into bucket of the glycol mix.
d. Attach pump to drain line in 2 and feed from glycol bucket.
e. open both valves and start pump

I should push glycol up through the return line, through the offending zone and back out it's drain, pushing out air and refilling line.

Correct?  Or will I have a problem with the pump in 2 being in the return line I am trying to push the glycol through?

I don't want to screw up my boiler with even colder weather coming, let me know if I am overthinking this or missing anything.

THANKS for any help!


texts: Wall socket tripping out when putting the two screws into the faceplate

texts:
I have put an outside socket on the wall with new wiring into the back of an inside socket.

It all works until I screw the two screws in to hold the faceplate on the inside wall. If I just leave it hanging there there is no problem. I'm in England.


texts: Is it safe to split a NEMA 10-50 receptacle?

texts:
Is it safe to split a NEMA 10-50 receptacle to a range to add a pair of 5-15 GFCI receptacles?

Unfortunately, I am currently renting, and the homeowner refuses to allow any work to be done.  I have lots of experience in wiring things the right away, but I am not a licensed electrician.  I really don't want to do this, but I don't really see much of a choice.  I'm wondering if it can be done safely.

The main floor of my house only has two circuits to run four window air conditioners, 2 desktop computers, heat lamps for 2 reptiles, ceiling fans, microwave, air fryer, Keurig, fridge, etc.  We trip a breaker several times a day.  The biggest problem is the computers losing all unsaved work.  I've thought about getting a UPS for them, but it charging its battery after every outage could just make things worse.  We were tripping breakers several times a week even before we started using the air conditioners.

We only trip breakers when someone is using the microwave, air fryer, or Keurig.  If I could add a circuit or two to the kitchen, we'd be all set.  The Frigidaire fef389cfsk range uses a NEMA 10-50 on a dedicated 50a breaker.  I'd like to move the 120v kitchen appliances to that 120/240 circuit.  We don't use the oven in the summer anyway, but we do still use one of the burners.

Since the 10-50 does not have a grounding conductor, I'm thinking I should use a pair of 15a GFCI receptacles, since GFCIs are rated to run safely without a ground.  I would take a standard 10-50 range cord, run it to a 10-50 receptacle for the range to connect to, then to a pair of 15a circuit breakers, and finally into a pair of GFCI receptacles (one for each ungrounded conductor) mounted in a metal box.  So this would be a custom-built plug-in adapter.  I would not be making any changes to the range or the existing wiring.

My biggest concern is the metal frame of the oven.  If the oven was wired correctly, it will be bonded to the grounded conductor.  The same conductor that just 6' away the microwave would now be using as a current-carrying conductor.  I'm assuming the range already uses the grounded conductor as a current-carrying conductor for its lights, clock, timer, etc., but those are all minor loads.  The reason ranges are being switched to four-wire cords, instead of three, is so the frame is not bonded to the grounded conductor, but only to a separate grounding conductor.  I just don't have enough experience jury-rigging something like this to know if that is a real problem or a theoretical one, or if there is another problem I'm missing.

Better ideas are always welcome.

Thank you.


texts: Moist sandy gravel between frost-proof monolithic slab and insulation. Is it going to freeze and expand?

texts:
I’m planning on pouring a monolithic slab with insulation beneath to prevent frost heave of the ground below. It’s a somewhat common technique, there’s just not many folks I can find in Massachusetts with experience.

The contractor that came out first filled the bottom of the forms with a very sandy gravel mix, maybe 60/40 sand/gravel. The gravel was kinda moist, and then water was used to compact it, and then some water got into it when it rained the other day. This is in the layer that, see above, is called "non frost-susceptible fill." On top of this fill goes the vapor barrier, and then the concrete. The moisture under the vapor barrier is between foam insulation and plastic sheets: the moisture is trapped there for life.

I’m a little worried that with all the effort I’m putting in to mitigate my slab breaking in half, that water is going to freeze and break my slab in half. Contractor's already been fired for a myriad of other offenses, but should I go ahead and replace the gravel he's got down with pea gravel?


texts: Is copper piping required within a certain distance from a water heater?

texts:
I have read that National Code requires you to use copper for 18 inches from your water heater.  How can I do this when everything existing is PEX?

I need to replace my existing low boy water heater next to my kitchen sink.  It was installed by the builder ten years ago. All the pipe in the house is PEX.  The existing water heater is connected using PEX as well.

The supply line comes directly thru the wall to the HW Heater. There is no space to run 18 inches of copper! The heater is under the kitchen counter, and the countertop is directly over it. Only about an inch clearance.


texts: Which wire do I attach to what when installing a light fixture?

texts: I'm trying to change a light fixture for the first time and I don't know which wires to attach to which. Here's images explaining:


texts: Cutting notch out of tile- least wasteful/ fastest option

texts: I have a piece of 12 inch square porcelain tile that I need to cut notch out of one side to fit around doorway. Notch is about 1/3 way down one side and is 4 inches wide by 2 inch deep towards center of tile. I've read where you can use oscillating tool,snap cutter, angle grinder, tile cutter, or tile saw. However, they all seem to have disadvantages- oscillating tool( very,very slow) snap cutter ( chance of breaking tile), angle grinder (very dusty),  tile cutter (hard to make this type cut), and tile saw( cost). Is tile saw really best option?


texts: What are the drawbacks to bridging phases in my home electrical?

texts:
I'm installing some powerline automation equipment and I can't (for obvious reasons) control equipment that are on the opposite phase as my controller.

I've found a phase coupler, but I'm wondering if I will run into any issues or drawbacks from doing this.


texts: Need some help removing a kitchen sink drain

texts:
I'm trying to remove the drain/flange from a kitchen sink so that I can install a garbage disposal unit. I can not get the wide nut on the underside of the sink to turn. I'm assuming it's glued or rusted or painted into place. Is there any sort of special tool to help remove it or anything I can do to try and loosen it up? Right now I'm just using a 12 inch groove joint plier to try and remove it. It's just barely big enough to get a grip on it.

Attached is a photo of the underside of the sink


texts: So we were away from our home for 6 weeks and when we came back, we had cobwebs at a number of places in the house like the shower cabinets, ceilings, corners, closets, behind toilet seats etc. Is there a way to prevent cobwebs?


texts: How to deal with subpanel that does not have ground wire back to main panel

texts:
I am in the process of renovating a house that was built in 1933, and had an addition put on in the 1960's.  Original 1933 panel is 100 amps.  When the addition was put on, the electrical drop was moved to a 200 amp panel in the addition, and the old 1933 panel was turned into a subpanel.

The old panel is receiving two hots and a neutral from the main panel, and the neutral is just a bundle of wires with no inner sheathing.

In this subpanel, the grounds for the circuits that have them (the old 1933 circuits did not, but some had apparently been added) were just attached to the neutral bus bar, mostly double-tapped with their own neutral. A ground wire was added to the neutral bus bar, and it is attached to the copper pipes in the crawlspace at a point where they go into the earth under the house. There is no ground wire going back to the main panel.

I know that there are several things wrong here.  There should not be double taps, and in a subpanel the neutrals and grounds should not be bonded on the same bus bar. And there should be a ground wire going back to the main panel. There should be a second bus bar in the panel for the grounds, but there isn't because the panel was originally a main panel.

Unfortunately, a heat pump was added at some point right next to the new panel, which means that there are large ducts blocking access in the crawlspace to the place where I'd thread wires to reach the new (main) panel.  I might be able to push a wire down and hope that they poke out where I can grab them, but I haven't tried, so I don't know for sure that that would work.

My understanding at this point is that the best solution is to try to run a new ground wire from the neutral/ground bus bar of the new (main) panel and connect it somehow to the grounds (and the panel) of the old (sub) panel.  Could I just twist them together tightly, since there isn't a bus bar for them? Do I have other options if I can't run the wire due to the blockage in the crawlspace?

Do I leave the ground that is connected to the earth rather than the main panel in place or take it out?

And what do I do with the unsheathed neutral in the subpanel?  Right now it is touching some of the ground wires in the box, and that can't be good. Can I just wrap it up in electrical tape?

Thanks in advance.


texts: Which parts of a Moentrol transfer valve need to be exposed?

texts:
I am going to be finishing the shower wall over a new Moentrol transfer valve (3320)

This obviously requires penetrations for the two control levers, but it also has three of what appear to be adjustment screws on the face.

The instructions say that the penetration should be shaped to expose these screws, but that will likely impact my ability to waterproof the opening.

Why do these need to be exposed? Can I cover them with membrane?


texts: Why is part of a circuit without power after an applicance short?

texts:
Eight wall outlets, a portion of the electric "zone" named "family room" failed. The circuit breaker for the family room remained closed and passive. None of the other circuit breakers opened. All of the eight wall outlets were inoperable and had no current in them.

All of this happened immediately after a short circuit in a small appliance in one of the eight wall outlets.

An electrician was called, studied the problem, and decided to connect one of the failed outlets directly to the main source of power thereby restoring the use of the eight wall outlets. Nothing was done to identify any failed components in the circuit of the failed outlets, or to fix or identify the cause of this wall plug outlet failure.

What in your opinion might have been the cause of the failure of eight outlets in a room with many more outlets, all connected to a single circuit breaker that didn't open?


texts:
Greetings community of fixers, I have an aging deck that will be torn down and replaced within (hopefully) 5 years.  In the meantime, I'm trying to determine the best course of action to keep it maintained and safe for Viv the Kid (2 years old).

I'd like to repaint the deck so the color is lighter.  It was suggested I sand it down with some rented equipment, replace boards that need replacing, then stain with new coat.

So far we've gone over all the deck screws to be sure all are sunk or removed.  Is sanding the way to go?

I don't mind the look of a lighter deck with darker handrails and worse case I stick with the same color.


texts: What is the proper way to clean a paintbrush and metal pan with KleanStrip paint thinner?

texts:
I am finishing my hardwood floors tonight with an oil-based polyurethane. I bought a natural bristle paintbrush and a metal pan, as well as some KleanStrip paint thinner that is "made with Mineral Spirits".

At the end of the poly job I'd like to use the paint thinner to clean both the brush and the pan to make them reusable for future projects. What's the proper/best way? How much thinner do you use? How long does it take to work?

I guess I'm worried that if I use too much or just simply "dunk" the paintbrush in the thinner and leave it too long that I'll ruin my tools.


texts: My house is 5 years old and is a two story. This is on a ceiling upstairs in a vaulted area of my home. We have an attic but don’t use it for storage or anything. I can tell it’s the drywall but would this possibly be something related to structural or something I can easily fix? I am still under a 10 year structural warranty with the builder, so if it’s that, I want to have them fix it. Thanks.


texts: How can I stop loud rushing water sounds when we flush?

texts: Whenever we flush or turn on the two outdoor faucets, the sound of rushing water in the pipes is unbearable. If we open any other faucet in the house the sound of rushing water is normal, but flush any of our three toilets or outdoor faucets and the sound will wake you from your sleep. What could this be. I doubt the problem lies with the toilet because it occurs in all three. It is to the point that we hesitate to flush at night in fear of waking up the entire house. I believe I have one of those restrictor valves in the hallway closet. Could that need adjustment?


texts: What fastener should I use to attach an aluminium bracket to a wall?

texts:
Is it OK to use a regular zinc plated screw when fastening an aluminum bracket to a wall?

It might seem like a silly question but I have heard that mixing metals in fastening applications can result in corrosion.

UPDATE: It seems like corrosion is only a factor when dissimilar metals are used if moisture is present. For example boats. Otherwise dissimilar metals won't react. Someone said that zinc is actually a better choice than stainless for this application. I will keep my question here but I thought I would add this update based on my latest research.


texts: Washing machine won't turn on - loose connector on PCB - how and where do I reattach it?

texts:
My washing machine is completely unresponsive when plugged in to a working outlet. I opened up the machine to take a look and found that this connector had come loose. It seemed to me that the 'mouth' of the connector probably attached to the row of 8 pins visible in the top left corner of picture 3 below. I tried pushing it into place but it was still a little loose, so I held it on whilst plugging in the machine to test. No luck, having tried both sides up.
Could anyone a little more familiar with PCBs advise me? Am I attaching the connector all wrong, or is there perhaps something missing?
Any help would be greatly appreciated!


texts: What is the most efficient window design to maximise cooling in a tropical climate?

texts:
I am building in equatorial Indonesia. My building is roughly 10x4.5 metres in footprint, and it will be a two storey (3.5 metres each) concrete structure. The building backs directly onto a limestone rock, which is massive, being around 20 metres wide, six metres high.

For a variety of reasons, air conditioning is undesirable, so I would like to minimise ground-floor afternoon temperatures. Daily temperatures can go up to about 34C, but sometimes only up to 31C, and at night maybe 25C as a low. Humidity is very high.

What can I do in terms of window/ventilation design to keep things cool inside? Normally here they tend to use simple ventilation blocks (hollow concrete or wooden block with wire mesh installed), but I am not particularly keen from the perspective of appearance. Also it's worth noting that the tropical rains can be very heavy and necessitate closing windows/doors - you can be sitting three metres from an open window in heavy rain and still get wet.


texts:
My father replaced his furnace about a year and half ago.  His flame sensor every 2 weeks to month stops igniting and he will have to take it out to clean it. He's brought in furnace guys numerous times and they have no clue what's wrong with it.  They just clean sensor and give him the bill.
I did read on one post in here that washing machines/dryers in same room may cause the problem as well.  Not sure if this is the issue as house is about 20 years old and he never had this issue before with the old furnace.  With washer/dryer being in the same area.  Any ideas or suggestions on how to fix this issue?
Thanks in advance.


texts: I'd like to add an outlet to a 1st floor hall closet where I store tools.  The water meter for the house is in this closet, but nothing else (e.g. no water heater, furnace, etc.).  The closet is roughly 8'x 4'. The outlet will be used to charge batteries for drills, vacuums, etc. -- so very low amperage.  I'd like to wire the outlet into a dedicated 20A circuit I have for a sump pump. I don't have a sump pump and don't anticipate getting one, so the outlet is going unused.  The sump pump outlet is close to the closet, so tapping into it would be very convenient.  I plan on making the new outlet 20A and running 12/2 cable to be consistent.  Any concerns with this approach?


texts:
Repair AC adapter at plastic head
How can I repair this adaptor wires?


texts: How can I make a park bench more sturdy?

texts:
I purchased a park bench for my patio

But it's a little on the flimsy side and I'm afraid someone is going to throw themselves down on it and it's going to break. In what way can I strengthen the bench and possibly increase the weight capacity? The arms are cast iron and the bench has wooden slats. I was thinking of purchasing thicker wood and having it cut into slats but I'm not sure if that would really be the best way to do it.


texts:
I am trying to mount the following shelf in my bathroom:

Backside of shelf:

The current screws I have for the shelf:

Close up:

My question:

Are those the correct screws? Do they fit? Seems really close..
Can I drill without damaging the tiles?

If it is a bad idea I can mount the shelf in the kitchen but I prefer bathroom.


texts:
Previous owner decided to recess the hinge plate below the previous (larger) hinge plate. While the door closes, you have to pull it closes otherwise it will "spring" back open. The door makes contact with the jamb (on the hinge side), which I believe is caused by this.
I am going to go buy some new hinges, but how to I make the jamb look decent, while still having it functional to put on new hinges? I read this post for some inspiration.
I was thinking of filling the entire recessed portion with body filler and starting from scratch. Is there a simpler method I can do? I read about cardboard etc, but I imagine that looks terrible and is not a long term solution.


texts: Both my washing machine and shower have stopped working

texts:
Specifically both seem to not be taking in any water.

The shower and washing machine both buzz and both sound like they are trying to take in water but nothing is happening, this happened at exactly the same time, however there has been no interruption to any of the other supplies.

The taps in both the kitchen (were the washing machine is) and the bathroom function as normal. Both hot and cold.

Anything I can do or look into?

Edit: The only things I know are the washing machine has old copper pipping with blue and red valves, the shower is a modern power shower, it has some kinda pressure light on it that normally changes colour when turned on, this doesn't happen but everything else lights up as normal.


texts: I cannot remove bayonet bulb from a wall fitting. It keeps turning around and turning the copper bulb holder with it

texts:
I a light that has been put on a wall outside the kitchen to light up the back yard.It is connected directly to the electric supply.
It stopped working. So I wonder what could have gone wrong,power is still on I do not know how to go about fixing it. Please help.


texts:
I'd like to add an outlet behind our television.  I was going to pull power from an the outlet in the picture.  The outlet used to be switched, but the light switch has been re wired so it no longer controls the outlet.  How do I pull power from this outlet?
Also, I am out of 12/2 so I would like to use some 12/3 I have. I can do this, and either cut off the red or wirenut it right?


texts: Filling a crack in a wall with roughcast on limestone

texts:
Finally, I was not able to Limit the extent of cracks in the wall roughcast, which is finally cracking:

I have removed the crumbling parts, and protected the wall with a plastic sheet waiting for a dry weather.

What is the best method to fill the hole (about 25 cm wide or 10 inches)  and make a clean junction with the borders?


texts: How do I fix a hole/gap between my shower tile and the dry wall next to it?

texts: The dry wall immediately next to my shower tiles was damaged by being exposed to too much water over time. I let the wall dry out then removed the damaged section of drywall by pulling it out with my fingers. Now there is a hole/gap between the tile and the undamaged drywall (about a 1 inch wide gap that is about 3 inches tall). I have patched drywall before with a patch kit but I am not sure how to go about fixing this gap. There is nothing but air behind the hole and I can't attach anything to the tile.


texts: Why won't my outdoor motion detector shut off?

texts:
I have had 2 outdoor motion detectors on each side of the front door for approximately 5 years. They worked fine. Suddenly one of them refuses to go off. The other one continues to work fine. I tried a different bulb, and turning it off and then on again, but it hasn't helped.

Since it worked before, and the other one is still working, I am thinking it's not the wiring. Any thoughts? Do sensors go bad?


texts: How to connect 14 guage speaker wire to LED light strips?

texts:
I am installing 12v undercabinet led light strips in my kitchen. I have in-wall 14-2 speaker wire and I'd like to use this to connect a 4 short runs (8 ft total) of LED light strips. Most of the solderless connectors for LED slight strip application seem to be for using 22 or 18 gauge wire.
I'd like to use the 14 gauge wires, but can't seem to find a good way to attach the wires to the light strips without soldering them.
Perhaps I am missing something in my search. I am looking for possible solutions.
Thanks in advance!


texts: Can I connect two LED lights to the same power driver?

texts:
I have two Lights (12V, 18W each) originally designed to be installed in automobiles (trucks for flood lights). I want to use them as work lights and install them both on the same support. I would like to power them through my home electrical system (110vac). Could I power them both from the same LED Driver so long as that LED driver was rated beyond 36W (18Wx2)? How should I connect them together (i.e. before entering the DC input on the power driver or at the power driver input)? Thank you.
These are the lights: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00W6QBJNI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


texts:
Recently I had to change a washer in the shower for my hot water tap. I couldn't find the pressure tap for the hot water on my hot water boiler.

I asked a friend how to switch off the hot water pressure and he said:

  It's easy! You just turn off the cold water pressure at the tap out the front, then drain the hot and cold water pressure off at the basin, then you can change your hot water washer.

He was correct, but it didn't seem right. I couldn't visualise how the valves in the heater could make that possible.

As you can see in this diagram, there is an overflow pipe, as well as a valve to stop pressure going back up the cold water pipe. But if the pressure is being supplied by the cold water pipe, surely it just overflows through the overflow pipe and doesn't apply any pressure to the hot water outlet?

My question is: How does cold water pressure get used by a hot water heater to produce hot water pressure?

EDIT: This hot water system is in Australia.


texts:
I recently had to replace the ball valve from the picture.

The plumber used a wrench similar to this to hold the plastic nut. Is a Stillson wrench good too? I want to buy tools to do such works myself. What type of wrench and what size do you recommend for general plumbing work at home?


texts: Can I have a wand installed in tub in addition to a 3-hole faucet?

texts: I have a new tub being installed that takes a deck mounted faucet. I found a faucet I like which is a two handle, 3-hole type. However, it would be nice to have a wand mounted on the deck as well. Is it possible to add it? How do I control the water temperature on the wand if it is not integrated with the faucet?


texts: Should a copper central-heating water pipe be mortar-ed in when passing through an internal wall?

texts:
I've been trying to track down some very annoying 'ticking' sounds that happen within seconds of the central heating coming on.  I know that it likely to do with copper central heating pipes under the floorboards being incorrectly held in place (e.g. too tight against a joist).

I have, I think, narrowed it down to where a single pipe passes under an internal wall.  Taking floorboards up either side of the wall has allowed me to hear the ticking each side as if coming from the other side of the wall.

I noticed that the hot water pipe (15mm) is held firmly by mortar between the bricks of the internal wall.  Is that standard practice or is it bad?  Could it really be causing the ticking sound?  (If so, how come copper hot water pipes can be laid under concrete and not tick?)

I have all the floorboards up at the moment so I really need a quick sanity check from someone knowledgeable!


texts:
I'm working on framing a wall where a sliding glass door once sat. In retrospect, I believe I should have used 2x6 lumber to frame the wall, rather than 2x4. While one side sits perfectly flush with the existing wall, the other side (shown in the picture) sits about 1.5" back from the existing wall.

Can I screw 2x4s horizontally to the framing to "shim" the drywall into the correct position?

Also, these are several different things hanging on the existing wall (some sort of cement shingle, tar paper, foam board, etc) Do I need to remove all of these prior to hanging drywall, or should I leave them as extra insulation?

Here is an up close view so you can see the gap between the framing and the existing "wall":

Any advice is appreciated.


texts: Mild water damage on drywall from leaky roof

texts:
We have a fairly new house (built in 1997). Cheap roof and we had a big windstorm a few years back that resulted in some lost shingles that I had patched -- no major problems. Recently we had a much more mild windstorm that stripped off some more shingles. I was lazy, didn't check the roof for about a week or two and I noticed some water damage on walls. I went up on the roof, found a missing patch (that was clearly leaking) and patched it.

The damage is basically just a darkening along the top edge of the wall along 3 walls in the house. It's not immediately noticeable but it's fairly obvious upon close inspection. The areas around screw heads are darker and the screw heads themselves are in a few places slightly bulging.

What's more concerning to me is that some walls (and some ceiling joints) have become very visible. There's no obvious sagging or bulging, it just looks as if it was painted and someone someone didn't tape the joints at all. I don't know if this is normal water damage...

Because of the type of damage, it took me a while to notice much of it. Although I don't see any sections getting worse, I'm concerned that the leak may not be resolved.

Two questions:

Assuming that the leak is stopped, is this sort of damage something
that I can simply prime over and
repaint (and in the case of the
joints and the screw heads, just add a little joint
compound to level things out). Or
should I be cutting stuff out and
replacing entirely? The
perfectionist in me wants to replace
everything, but this is going to
cost a lot...
Are there are tips or
    tricks that I can take advantage of
    to test whether I do in fact have
    any additional leaking? I feel kind
    of stupid asking, but it's a real
    pain to crawl around in the attic
    trying to feel for dampness when
    it's a bit damp everywhere (we live
    in the Pacific Northwest). What
    should I be looking for to identify
    "chronic" leaks? I hate to wait
    until additional damage is apparent
    in the walls and would like some
    "assurances" if possible. There are what appear to be discolored rafters in the attic, but I'm assuming that that's from previous water damage -- not ongoing leaking.


texts: Using scaffolding boards (new or used) for flooring or counter tops

texts: I've got access to cheap scaffolding boards. Using those and a planer/thicknesser, are there any downsides to trying to use them in flooring or biscuit-jointed as worktops? I've installed normal flooring before (both engineered and tongue-and-groove), and this looks like it'll be simpler if the boards are straightened and squared.


texts:
There's a lamp attached to the ceiling of the entrance to the garages of me and my neighbours, and its bulb needs to be replaced. The problem is: I have no idea how to open it.

There is no way to identify the manufacturer or model; it's simply not listed anywhere on the lamp itself and reverse image search doesn't give meaningful results. So finding a manual online is not an option right now.

There are caps with a small hole (less than 1cm) on both short sides of the lamp (best seen in the first picture); I suspect these should be able to move but I'm unable to make them do so.

(click on the pictures to enlarge them)


texts: What is the easiest way to remove this stump (under wall)?

texts:
The picture shows the stump. We ground up the main stump, but there are parts of it and the root under a block wall/fence dividing my property and my neighbor's property. We suspect that this is pushing the block wall and causing it to lean. (I show a men's size 8 shoe in picture for scale).

I'm able to dig under the root/stump a bit.

What is the best way to remove this and any other remaining roots under the wall.

update
Added note that the wall is actually a block wall fence separating my property and my neighbors property. We suspect the root is causing the wall to lean towards his property. We hope to correct the lean once the stump is gone.


texts:
The top of a bay window I have is covered with a metal sheet.  The patina and color of the corrosion on it suggests that it might be painted copper.

What sort of paint should I use to freshen up this sheet?


texts: How can I attach an air compressor to the pictured sprinkler system

texts:
I bought a house that has a bad DIY sprinkler system.  I am trying to figure out how to attach an air compressor to the system so I can blow it out.  The below photo is the only external place on the house where it appears it would even be possible to attach the compressor.  The cap appears to be something you could unscrew, is about 2" in diameter, and says something on it about "Max pressure 150 PSI".

Any ideas?


texts: Cracked bricks/stones in the ceiling near fireplace

texts:
I have a basement with a fireplace (gas). The floor above also has a fireplace (non-gas). Today i opened up the ceiling tiles in the basement to install ROXUL insulation. Near the fireplace ceiling i noticed cracked bricks/stones. Some of the bricks have cracked all the way through. Fortunately these bricks seem solid (they do not wiggle when i press against them).

Are these a problem?
If so, how to fix this?

This is looking straight up into the drop ceiling:

This is the fireplace in the basement. Notice the gray bricks in the drop-ceiling area:

This is the "hearth" for the fireplace on the top floor:
Notice the sealed cracks. I suspect something happened here before we bought the house.


texts: How can I hang a 250 lb wooden piece of art on the wall?

texts:
I have 3x8 Brazilian Cherry timbers cut with tongue and groove that stack on top of each other to make a very large wooden piece of art to hang on my wall. I have all of the pieces glued to each other and 2 solid pieces of threaded rod running from top to bottom on each side right through the middle. (What a pain to put those in)

My question is now that I want to hang it on the wall, what is the best way of doing that without having and mounting hardware showing and wanting to keep it as close to the wall as possible? The whole piece weighs roughly 250 lbs and I can have no risk of it falling as it will potentially hurt or kill someone.

I was thinking maybe running 2x6 across the back cut in half at a 45 degree with match boards on the wall... my only concern is that it would be pretty far off the wall at that point. Maybe 1x6 would be better... Just not sure how many boards I would need to hold the weight and what would be the best fasteners to use to screw into the wood?

Keep in mind this wood is Jatoba.. about twice as hard as Oak.

Thanks!!

Picture of the wall laying on the ground


texts: Decrease dust in an old house, forced air

texts:
My house was built in 1940.  I have noticed the forced air pushes out a lot of dust.  This is evident from lint collecting on the bathroom vanity below a vent.  It only collects lint during Summer and Winter when the forced air is blowing.  I change the air filter every month but there's still significant dust.  How effective would it be to hire someone to clean the vents?  Is there a DIY option?

I've heard the amount of dust depends on how tightly the house is built.  This makes me think that with such an old home, cleaning the vents would only be a temporary fix.


texts: How should I route PVC electrical conduit around lightning prevention downleads?

texts: What precautions or steps are needed when routing Schedule 40 PVC Electrical conduit across (90 degree crossing) a lightning prevention downlead? This downlead looks to be braided copper cable approximately 1/2" in diameter. Is there a specified distance between the PVC conduit and the downlead? For your consideration, I live in Philadelphia and I'm looking to install security lighting on a 20 amp circuit running on 12 gauge THHN.


texts:
I need to mount a TV over my window. It is a 70" TV and weighs 96 lbs. I was thinking of using the framing of the window, there are 2 studs that are 54" apart. I included a diagram of my idea but I am not sure if this idea is going to work. I was thinking of filling the gap between the windows with some wood and drill the plywood over that onto the 2 studs. Then drill the TV Mount onto the plywood.

Are the studs too far apart with no support in the middle? Is this idea feasible? If so, how thick does the plywood need to be? What kind of hardware do I need, lag bolts, screws, etc...? How many do I need to drill into each stud? Any help would be much appreciated.


texts: How can I convert switched receptacles to half switched receptacles?

texts:
In my new house, I have two outlets which are both fully switch, and can be controlled by two different switches (three way of course). I would like to convert the outlets both to half switched, but if both cannot be done, my wife and I could settle with one. The problem is, I'm a bit confused on the wiring. I'm not a wiring expert, and haven't seen a three way switch set up like this, nor can I find a diagram similar. Pictures of both switches and both outlets are below.

The wiring is as follows. Please note: I'm not 100% certain the order of each item in the circuit, so don't let my order in the list dictate the circuit.

Outlet 1:
Two sets of 2-Wire, one set of 3-Wire. The 3-Wire and one of the 2-Wires exit top, and the other 2-Wire Exits bottom. The bottom 2-Wire's white is connected to the other 2-Wire, and the 3-Wire's black. Outlet has whites from the top 2-Wire and the 3-Wire, Black from bottom 2-Wire, and the red of the 3-Wire. All Tabs are intact

Outlet 2: One 3-Wire, One 2-Wire. Black wires are connected, outlet has both whites, and the red alone on one side. All tabs are intact.

Switch 1: One 3-Wire, One 2-Wire. White wire from 2-wire is connected to black from 3-wire. Switch has Black from 2-wire, and both white and red from 3-wire

Switch 2: One 3-Wire

Can anyone help clear this up so we can make at least one outlet only half switched? Thanks so much!!

Outlet 1

Outlet 2

Switch 1

Switch 2


texts: How should the green and bare wires be used when installing a new light fixture?

texts: I understand the connecting white and black wires. What do I do with a green grounding wire and copper grounding wire that is attached to the light fixture?


texts:
I am replacing my kitchen, and I'm going to use bamboo for the kitchen top. Imagine the rough layout where T = Top, W = Wall, S = Sink, R = Refrigerator.

WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW
TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTWWWWWWW
TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTWWWWWWW
TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTSSSSSSW
                              SSSSSSW
                              SSSSSSW
                              RRRRRRW
                              RRRRRRW

Because of the extra wall in the corner, the sink area can't use the same continuous material as the kitchen top. And besides, since it's a wet area, wood is not the ideal material anyway.

I thought some stone like marble would be nice, but 80% of the material will be cut away to make the hole for the sink, so you're basically paying five times what you end up using.

Thus I'm wondering if there's a smart and cheaper way out of this predicament. Is there a nice-looking, water resistant material suitable that doesn't involve a lot of wasted investment?


texts:
I just moved into a new home, and we have an outlet in the bathroom that was set up for a washer/dryer in case we wanted to go that route. The outlet is a NEMA 10-30R. We are happy with the dryer being downstairs, and my fiance wanted to put a towel warmer on that wall instead. However, I can't seem to find one that is 240V/60Hz, and within my price range. I was thinking the easier route would be to replace the outlet with a standard (US) 120V outlet. Is this possible?

I have replaced a few outlets already and installed a few light fixtures and a range hood, so I am familiar with electrical work, but something like this seems more dangerous to me.


texts:
I have a large backyard and it has a structure that's basically the size of a small home. It is made out of concrete blocks and cement floors. So it has poor insulation and it has a low, exposed roof. So the structure gets very very warm in the summer even when its reasonably cool outside. The temperature difference between the inside and outside can easily be 10 degrees or more.

What are some of the ways that I can cool/ventilate this type of structure? Is it an A/C unit? Or maybe some exhaust fans to take out the hot air? Or bring the cooler air in?


texts: I have a 240 volt dryer currently, and I want to change it out for a gas dryer that will utilize 120 volt.  Since the circuit is 240 volt 30 amp, I'd like to use the existing 6-8 gauge wire and pigtail it down to 12 gauge in the existing 2-gang box, and just cap the extra wire.  Is this within code, or should I pull the romex and run new?


texts:
We installed a new A/C in the corner room of our house a little while back, because we wanted to use it as a nursery. Installation went fine and the little one sleeps in there every night. A few months later we decided to get a baby cam, which happens to have an air quality monitor build in. I noticed strange things happening to the air quality in the room, which reaches concerning levels at times, hence my question:

What affects air quality indoors after home improvement?

Could the A/C unit itself blow in bad air?
Could the carpet or the ceiling cause bad air quality?
Could furniture (mattress / sofa / closet / drawer) cause bad air quality?

Now, I am obviously aware that keeping the windows closed and consuming air should gradually worsen the air quality, but what has been happening the last nights is more weird than that - the air quality suddenly goes from pretty good to bad in a matter of a few minutes. Now it could be a problem with the sensor, of course, but I did confirm with a secondary sensor, who gave similar results.

So, any idea what could cause sudden bursts of pollution into the air?
Is that an indication of mold or would you expect an A/C to be able to actually worsen the air quality (I generally thought it would improve it)?


texts: American standard, erosion at bottom of toilet

texts:
Wondering if anyone has some insight for us. We have a toilet that is only 2 years old. It's an American Standard. The bottom of the toilet where the water flushes the hardest is eroding away (https://photos.app.goo.gl/Ei5EDyNC1fYTKfbS9).

We have very hard water where live, and also due to our daughter sleeping right on the opposite wall of the toilet we often don't flush at night, let pee sit and then flush in the morning.

Could either of these things cause this erosion? If it could be hard water is there something we can put in the tank to help soften it? If the toilet has extremely strong suction power could that do it?

We're going to probably get a warranty replacement, but if we get a new one we want to avoid this happening again. Thanks.


texts: Electrical conversion from European to USA

texts:
I am currently living in the US and have bought a house in Italy. I would like to take the many electrical devices i have so i do not have to re-buy them there.
I have flat screen TV's, DVD's and kitchen appliances as well. Is there a way to convert or add US current with correct Hz so i can bring my appliances there to use?


texts: What are the causes of these marks on a ceiling?

texts:
Every number of years we get these marks on our ceiling - where they get progressively worse.
It is a dusty substance, but even a vacuum and wash don’t work longer term which results in a repaint.
Any thoughts as to what causes this? Seems the [very fine] dust is attracted to specific locations.

Room is heated by central air. Vents are not near or relative to the marks.


texts: Temporary supporting rafters in the middle for beam installation

texts:
I am intending to remove a load bearing wall that lies between the old perimeter of the house and the new extension.
It is holding the extremities of the old roof rafters as well as a wall holding part of the extension.
I would need to install a beam instead of the load bearing wall I want to remove.
I'm not worried much about supporting the extension but
I'm struggling to figure out how to temporarily hold the rafters before removing the wall and installing the beam. I would have to hold the rafters somewhere before their extremities.
So how do I attach a temporary supporting wall to the rafters and without damaging the rafters.
I highly appreciate your support.


texts: Removing a wallpaper border which has been painted over

texts:
I'm currently decorating a painted room which had a wallpaper border around it. The room has been repainted at least twice, and the border was never removed.

I have removed the border and this has left a good indent of a few layers of paint either side. Despite running a knife along the top and bottom of the border, some of the paint either side has chipped off, so I'm not left with a perfectly straight line around the room. To make things even more fun, some of the paint behind the border has flaked off too.

This has left me with a less than ideal surface to paint on. The question is, what is the best way to make everything nice and smooth for painting?

I have read this, which basically says to apply filler with a taping knife to fill the gap left by the border. Is this the best thing to do? Will the filler adhere to the paint properly, or do I need to treat it with something first?


texts: I am trying to install a light switch with a built in timer to replace my original light switch.  There are 2 switches side by side in the box but I only want to replace one.  The setup currently has 3 main power wires, all with one black one white and one copper wires in each.  All the white wires are wire nutted together, none of which are going to the current switch.  One of the main power wires has a black wire going to the switch.  The original switch had another black wire going back to the box where it was wire nutted to all the rest of the black wires.  The new switch that I want to install has one blue, black, and Green wires. I know the green goes to the copper but not sure which wires to connect to the Blue and black wires on the new switch


texts: Can I reroute these drain lines to make this stack more compact?

texts:
I currently have a drain stack that is piped like this:

The blue pipe services a sink, and I do believe continues on to become a vent above the sink. The red pipe services a toilet, and the green services a washer and another bathroom group on the 2nd floor.

As you can see, there is quite a bit of maneuvering going on up at the top of this stack to get everything connected, and then routed down to the stack.  I would like to reconfigure this drain arrangement to take up less space, to minimize the amount of boxing in I will have to do when framing this out.  I'd like to run the red pipe vertically down, to connect with the top of that 45 degree offset, and run the blue pipe around to the top of the wye where the green is connecting. This is crudely illustrated below.

I would use a long sweep 90 to transition the red pipe downways, and a wye to tie it in.  I can't find anything in my plumbing codes to prevent my doing this (IRC 2015 and IPC 2015), and the inspector I asked would only say "Yep, that's allowable."  Will running the red pipe down in to the middle of that 45 degree section cause me any issues with future performance of these drains?


texts: I just replace a 42 year old electric range.  The supply line was Al, and the pigtail from the old range was CU.  They were connected in a junction box with gray colored wire nuts.  The connection appeared to be in very good shape without any corrosion or oxidation as might be expected.  The replacement range had the same size copper stranded pigtail.  I connected the same way and it appears to be OK but seems I've heard bad stories about connecting to copper to Aluminium in this manner.  Will this be OK?


texts:
We just moved to the south and our house has a whole house fan in the ceiling of the top floor. I’m in a muggy climate in summer and a cool climate in winter.
We have a single air conditioner for both floors and the top floor obviously gets warmer than downstairs... but can the whole house fan actually do anything about this? I’ve read that you’re supposed to open the windows while using it, but then others say that this brings in pollen, humidity, pollution, etc.


texts: Is it normal for GFCI receptacles to explode and burn?

texts:
I noticed my tooth brush wasn't charging one morning and none of the plugs in my bathroom were getting power, I went down to the circuit box and saw a flipped breaker so I flipped it back and it immediately tripped again. I tried it once more with the same result so I started to investigate the plugs in my house to see if anything was obviously wrong.

The external GFI on my deck had obvious signs of smoke on the siding so I disassembled the outlet and the entire back of the GFI blew out.

Is that a normal failure mode? Could it be a manufacture defect / installation issue?

There was obviously a lot of heat as the wire connectors appear scorched and the box is filled with a thick black soot.

Do I need to worry about additional damage to the wires beyond what is visible in the box or can I just remove the damaged wires and install a new GFI? Time to call an electrician?

Additional GFI Outlet Images


texts: We're trying to install a chandelier and the instructions are generic (not for this specific light). I have hung chandeliers before but they always utilize the center threaded piece that holds the weight of the fixture.  This one came with a wire cable. How do I attach this? Should I loop it through the mounting bracket? I installed it without using the cable and then couldn't sleep as I imagined the chandelier crashing to the ground.  It was only being held up by the decorative screws on the canopy.  Is that enough?


texts: What's causing my gas oven ignitor to become dirty?

texts:
For months, my gas oven has been having issues igniting. The issue is somewhat intermittent but every time I run into this, I take a piece of sandpaper and rub it against the ignitor. This seems to clean off some kind of dirt or residue allowing the ignitor to spark and light the burner. The problem became more and more frequent to the point where it would stop igniting the 2nd or 3rd burn after cleaning the ignitor (5-10 minutes). I purchased an OEM ignitor and replaced it but I'm still having the same problem. The only way I'm able to get the oven to light is by first cleaning it with sandpaper.

What is causing this frequent problem. If this were over the span of weeks or months, I would sort of understand. But the fact that the ignitor stops working before the oven preheats doesn't make sense, and is starting to get really inconvenient.

[EDIT]
Something else that I forgot to include is that the broiler ignitor works fine. We rarely use it but every time I run into issues with the oven's ignitor, I test the broiler to make sure it's working. I feel that this takes away from argument that it could be dirty gas or a dirty environment, unlesl you can argue that the residue/dirt is settling on the bottom of the oven.

Could it be dirty natural gas or something else?

Any help is very appreciated. Thanks!


texts: Doorbell transformer wiring to an electrical outlet?

texts:
I just bought a new doorbell transformer (24V 40VA), to replace for current one (10V 5VA) because I bought a video doorbell.
I'm don't have any experience with electricity but I'm willing to learn (please bear with me). So I was hoping it was going to be an easy swap old for new.
Unfortunately what I see is a transformer going through an electrical outlet and no wire colors.

My concern is the wiring the new transformer properly.
The new transformer new transformer  has the Hot(black), Neutral(White), Ground(Green) wiring.
When I disconnect the disconnect the old transformer from the sides of the outlet, how can I tell where to connect the Black and White wires? In the picture of the old transformer, they are both black!
Any advice would be appreciated!
-M
=====================================
UPDATE:
Thanks all for your prompt feedback!
Just so I am being clear... I was just hoping to replace the old one with this new one.
I hope this new diagram better illustrates what I'm thinking:
I was thinking of running the the White wire from the new transformer to the silver screw on the outlet.
Running the the Black wire from the new transformer to the brass screw on the outlet.
Lastly running the Green wire from the new transformer to the ground screw on the outlet (pigtail it?).

Do you see any issue(s) with my setup?
Thanks again!


texts: Need More Water in Quikrete than Recommended

texts:
I am pouring a series of concrete slabs for a patio and I’m using standard 80lb Quikrete bags (https://www.homedepot.com/p/100318511).

The directions recommend 3qts of water per bag and a max of 4.5qts. Everything I’ve read states that even one extra quart of water can reduce strength by 40%.

I live in the desert, and the air is incredibly dry. I don’t know how that affects the ratio, but it takes about 5qts of water to get a bag to any kind of a workable consistency. With 5qts, the concrete looks about like what I see in the various videos I’ve watched.

My question is am I doing anything wrong or is this ok? These slabs will only ever carry light foot traffic, but I don’t want them to crack.

Surely getting the concrete to the correct consistency is more appropriate than sticking to the strict water ratio. Or no?


texts: Will condensation form and be an issue on an aluminium duct venting water heater exhaust?

texts:
I have built the unfinished chimney shown in the image below to get the exhaust for my neighbor's water heaters (which I believe are sealed combustion gas appliances, such as the Remeha Avanta water heater above the required height during a remodel.

The chimney will be enclosed and watertight. Both ducts will penetrate the chimney roof with a flat double-walled roof vent. I was planning on not insulating the chimney.
Could condensation form on these pipes and could that be of concern in the Dutch climate (that can range from -10 degrees celcius to +35 degrees celsius)?
The water heater one of these pipes is for is shown below. The fresh air is taken off the side of the apartment, only the exhaust is vented out the roof.


texts: Stacking new drywall on top of drywall that is behind tile

texts:
First post here.  I am currently doing a small remodel of a bathroom in a house I just bought and am trying to keep costs and time spent, low.
I had to tear out all the drywall due to the previous owner/s painting over wallpaper and not sealing the drywall before the wallpaper was applied (this causes the wallpaper to be nearly impossible to get off without ruining the paper backing of the drywall, too).
Anyway, I want to avoid redoing the tile.  I have removed the drywall to the point where there is still drywall behind tile baseboards and tile backsplashes and such.
Does anyone know of a good way to stack new drywall on top of the old drywall that still sits behind the tiles without it looking like a hack job?  I was thinking of using some sort of drywall bead but don't know it that will work out best.
I've attached some photos for reference.  Thank you all in advance!


texts: Where do I connect the drain for my new sink in this layout and why is it better in that point specifically?

texts:
Which of the points 1,2,3 is the best to connect the drain of the new sink in the below picture?
The green pipe you see in the wall is a dry vent (it will replace the vertical grey vent you see in the picture)
The white pipes are 1.5" ABS and for the common section I would assume it is 2" (for now it is under the slab, I can't see it)
To avoid breaking more floor I could run the drain for the new sink through the wall and land near the shower drain end and add a common dry vent there. Is that a viable option?

In the end it will look like this


texts: Plaster repair mistake fixing hairline cracks

texts:
I have some walls (brick and plaster) with some plaster in poor condition. Mainly hairline cracks.

I dug out the hairline cracks to a V shape groove and filled them with a repair compound. However, I made the mistake of skimming them flat with a float while still wet. Subsequently, the repair compound seems to have shrunk back a tiny amount into the groove. When painted, the paint finish is not dead flat - you can see channels the width of the V through two coats of paint. Very shallow, but visible.

What's the best way to proceed? Dig the cracks out and start again? Skim over the top and sand flat? Apply more paint and rub down? Give up on the repair and have all the plaster hacked off the walls and replaster?


texts: Why are some radiators hot when the system is off?

texts:
Yesterday I drained my heating system so I could cut the pipes on one radiator to raise it. After refitting, I filled and bled all the radiators and they were all working.  When I got up during the night to let my dog out, two upstairs radiators were still hot and hotter still when I got up this morning.

We have no hot water tank, its a direct feed system that works only when turned on, so no water is stored in an immersion heater. The heating system was not on.
I've tried bleeding the two radiators again just in case, but no air came out just water.


texts: Use of 8AWG Cu in 1"ID grey PVC buried for 120' on 50 amp circuit

texts: A 50amp 240volt breaker in an outside panel that also feeds 200amps to the house goes to a sub-panel 120' of run away in a shed using 8-3 interior clad cable (Romex? NM? whatever the term) inside of 1" ID grey PVC conduit. Other than some off-the-cuff comments that I've found here, I'm looking for something more authoritative if this is okay or needs to be ripped out and replaced at any cost. Thanks.


texts: toliet fill valve squirts a little water every 30 seconds

texts: Toilet fill valve (vertical float) one squirt of water every 30 seconds after the bowl is filled. I replaced the fill valve and the new one does the same thing. Also replaced the flapper no other issue flushes just fine and fills just fine to the water line. More annoying than anything else. What could cause this. Thanks


texts: Reinforcing a load-bearing bolt in metal-to-metal assembly

texts:
I just got a new pull-up bar and am slightly concerned about the design. The bar itself is attached to the main assembly in such a way that its only support comes from two bolts on either side that bear the entire body weight load in a downward direction. Even though it feels very secure to me, one reviewer of this product says that one of the bolt's threads stripped on him during a workout. Therefore, I want to reinforce the assembly as a measure of protection.

The first thing that entered my mind was to remove the bolt, apply epoxy to the threads, and reattach it. This would pretty much be a permanent solution which I am not opposed to, but I'd really like a solution that would allow me to disassemble all parts if I needed to.

I also thought of a possible way to use some kind of strap or cable that would wrap around the bottom of the bar and over the top of the handle as I attempted to illustrate in the pic, but I don't know what kind of strap could be used for that.


texts: Is schedule 80 electrical conduit appropriate for 4/0 4/0 2/0 wire?

texts: I am using 2-1/2" schedule 80 electrical conduit because it is being run along/under my property's dirt access road. From the research I have done and reading fill charts it looks like I can use either schedule 40 or 80 in 2-1/2". I just want to make sure it will meet requirements for fill without any question. Or, do I really need schedule 80?


texts: What is the worst that could happen connecting the neutral from a smart switch to ground?

texts: I have a WeMo wall switch that says I should not install if I do not have a neutral wire. What would be the result if I connected to ground?


texts: removal of mold in sump well that doesn't have a pump

texts: How do I remove mold from the sump well water and on the sides of the well and also return the water to clear and not cloudy


texts:
I’m remodeling an old kitchen. Drywall is removed. I’d like to add a receptacle in a spot between studs. I suppose I could add a stud but it is a 10’ ceiling and would hate to waste a 2x4 just for the receptacle (not to mention the cost of lumber now!!!)
Maybe I’m overthinking it! Any suggestions on how to frame it. Would it be just a simple as two cross beams and a horizontal mini stud between them?
I looked for code requirements for mounting receptacles but could not find anything specific. I’m in Ontario Canada if there are code considerations.
Thanks!


texts: Do I NEED to use correct colors when wiring always?

texts:
What I am wondering is if there is any code that is violated if the wrong colors are used in wiring outlets? For example, it is standard to use white as neutral and black as power but if I only had two blacks or some other color combination, does this violate any codes in the state of Michigan?

A follow up question which is what made me wonder this... I currently have a light in a closet that has a pull chain for the switch. I want to install a switch outside the closet that will control the light fixture instead (with a new light fixture that won't use a pull chain). The existing power is of course ran to the light. Is it perfectly legit to simply use a single 14/2 or 14/3 wire (in one conduit), running the white and black to the switch, one for return and one for going? I know many outlets use black and black going to the switch so is it a big deal to use black and white instead? Does it violate any codes in Michigan?


texts: Galvanized nails for ACQ treated lumber = must be hot dipped, or not?

texts:
We're having some construction done requiring treated soleplates on concrete slab.

As such, galvanized nails were used. However, they don't appear to be hot-dipped. My understanding (going back several years when I was building a deck back when ACQ was relatively new) is that hot dipped is a requirement for ACQ treated lumber.

So I went to get some, but then noticed that a lot of the galvanized nails at Home Depot now say "for all treated wood" even though they clearly aren't hot dipped. Here's an example.

Has technology changed a bit and are there now galvanizing methods that are suitable for ACQ that aren't hot dipped? Or is this some shoddy product claims?

I obviously don't want to re-nail every stud to the sole place if it's necessary, but at the same time, I want to make sure the hardware is suitable for ACQ use.


texts: Help me understand electricity - is the neutral always dangerous?

texts:
I've read the basics of modern domestic electrical systems, but I have a few questions about the very basic premise that I don't think was really explained.

The analogy used in the book compares electric delivery to water delivery - it comes into the house under pressure, and exits under no pressure. Anyway, the electricity leaves the house through the neutral wire, which is zero voltage, or "no pressure" as the book says.

Does this mean that if you have a circuit with just one outlet, and nothing is plugged in, wouldn't you still get a shock from touching the neutral? The voltage wasn't used - this is what I don't understand. If nothing is plugged in, how is the flow suddenly under zero pressure, or no voltage?

Is there a better analogy than water? Doesn't water leave the house either through gravity or... more pressure, i.e. other water pushing it towards gravity?

Oh one more thing: if electricity coming into the house is a constant loop, how does the meter work? Does it take a "resting" state and subtract the surges? The water analogy fails here, because if you don't use any water, no new water comes in (or is that incorrect?) With electricity, if it's always flowing (even if not used), how does the meter know how much you're "using"?

I'm on the brink of getting it, but I'm not quite there yet!


texts: Are transitions strips necessary from room to room if installing luxury vinyl planks throughout house?

texts: I would like to replace our carpet and tile with the locking/floating luxury vinyl planks throughout most of the house. Our house runs long and think it would look so much nicer without transition strips from room to room where there will be lvp only, such as between the living room and kitchen/family room as shown in this photo taken from the entry way. Is this possible or do you recommend transition strips to avoid buckling, etc.?


texts: Is it okay to mount this switch with a metal box?

texts:
I am mounting a bathroom vent onto a piece of plywood.  I took a 3 prong extension cord and cut the end off and wired it into the vent.  The other end of the cord will be plugged in to a receptacle.  I am wiring a switch into the extension cord to control the vent on/off.  My question is, is it safe to mount this switch onto the piece of plywood with a metal box?  It just seems like I might have to worry about touching the box and getting shocked.

Thanks for your advice.


texts: What is this piece inside the spigot supply hole, and what is it used for?

texts:
I'm watching videos online describing how to fix a leaky Delta kitchen faucet.  As I'm following the instructions I encounter an odd hitch.  Where, according to the video, there should be an empty and clear spigot supply hole, mines has this weird object I'm not exactly sure what it does.

Does anyone know what this part does, and is it needed to stay in the spigot supply hole are entirely optional to keep out? Is it possible this ist he source of the leaks?

With the piece in question:

Without the piece in question:


texts: Furnace blower comes on full time when the thermostat is set to Auto

texts: I have a Maytag furnace and the blower motor comes on right away when the thermostat is placed in auto and stays on when reaching the temperature set point and the heat goes off. I have replaced the board in the furnace, I’m not getting any fault codes, and I don’t see a fan switch or button telling the fan to stay on the indefinitely. The fan does turn off when I switch the thermostat to off. I have no idea what else to do. Please help


texts: Why would a circuit 'all of a sudden' read 50v? Its is an outdoor GFI that has worked perfectly for years and then not. Could it be at the breaker?

texts: I've used a voltmeter on the wiring to determine its not at the plug. Also replaced the original outlet.


texts: How can I change the lighted area on my restaurants refrigerator?

texts:
I'd like to change the area that's lit up on this refrigerator so it has my coffee shop logo:  https://www.restaurantsupplydrop.com/collections/refrigeration-units/products/atosa-bottom-mount-two-section-sliding-glass-door-reach-in-refrigerator-mcf8709

I want to put my business' information on it, this way it's not advertising the manufacturer.