texts: Stair riser templating when treads are already in

texts:
I've made a huge mistake.

Got new treads / risers / skirt boards.

The treads don't have a groove for the riser, it's a flush tread all around.

Installed the risers (nailed in) then the treads (glued down).

I used a stair template tool to get the precise cut for the risers and the tread since the wall is not true.

Wife didn't like the white risers, so we decided to replace them.

However, the idiot that I am, built a shelf out the old risers and now can't place my template because the tread is in the way.

I could get a template by using a compass tool (if I cut the 6" arm down) but I worry that I won't get the bottom stair tread distance accurate enough because there's no great way to get a tape measure in there and get a precise reading.

I don't trust the accuracy of the laser measure either.

Any suggestions ?

I also realized I might have issues inserting the riser so I figured I would table saw the top of it at 45 degrees since it will be covered up by trim anyways.


texts: How can I cover my wall furnace to prevent the summer heat coming through from the roof?

texts: I live on the top floor of an older apartment building- I can feel the heat coming from the roof through my wall furnace (pilot light is off).


texts: Air conditioner icing up; diagnostic questions

texts:
BACKGROUND

AC filter was replaced (1PM) and afternoon temperatures exceeded 83 degrees (target temp). Afternoon temperatures climbed despite the AC being on 5 hours straight (4-9PM).

OBSERVATIONS

Ice was observed at 10PM and fan was engaged to de-ice.

Indoor air entering coil was measured at 79 degrees and 72 at the duct: a delta of 7 degrees.  Upstairs started at 85 degrees and half an hour later was at 83.5 degrees.

QUESTIONS

I believe that the difference temperature delta should be more than 7 degrees: what is the acceptable range for the delta?

I believe that I removed all the ice (1 hour of fan treatment) however, I am turning off the AC and turning on the fan to ensure that all ice is removed. Is there anything else I should be doing to prevent \ remove ice?

More data /observations:


texts: I tried Borax with sugar as bait but these ants are not taking it. They wonder aimlessly on ceiling, they come from an electrical junction box in kitchen. There is no visible path it's just circling each other in a specific area on ceiling. I bug sprayed the area but they still go there. There are like dozen visible ants.


texts: How to fix an ineffective Extraction Fan setup in bathroom

texts:
I have an existing IXL (Heat, light and Fan) setup in a small bathroom (12.14 meters cubed).  The air exchange rating of the fan meets the spec required for the room, it works and doesn't look that old.  I have held a piece of toilet paper up to the fan (with the lamps taken out) and it seems to get sucked so it suggests the fan is sucking air.  I took it out of the ceiling to look around for obstructions but nothing seems in the way between the outlet vent of the fan and the roof vent which is situated above the fan (it's a flat roof, so no attic space.

My question is  does there need to be ducting between the fan and the roof vent ?
The amount of space where the outlet vent feeds to is only a basketball or two in space (before there is insulation), however there is a path for the air to then go up the roof vent (though the path is not direct).

Also, just in terms of safety, whilst up there the cover to where the wires all fit in came off when lowering the fan - I have just put them back without putting the cover back on as this was getting too difficult and awkward to do.  does anyone know if this is reason to be concerned?

Thanks


texts: Bathroom Floor Transition under door that hasn't been installed

texts:
We are about to install our laminate in our basement and I'm wondering if there is a method for creating a transition "line" under the door where I'm going to transition to tile? I need to know this so we can cut our laminate to this line. I don't have the door installed yet and I was just going to go upstairs and take a rough measurement, but I'm wondering if this is the right solution?

Do I:

Wing it. The transition should be along the drywall roughly. Chalk a line here and hope that it looks good.
Install the door for exact measurement, make a chalk line where the transition will happen, cut laminate to perfect length, and then cut around the bottom door trim to get a snug fit on the laminate.
Carry the laminate a little further into the bathroom, past the though transition line, and use an oscillating tool to make the cut along the chalk line once the door is installed and pray to god that there is no "fraying".


texts: Plaster & Non-Standard Wire Mesh Patching

texts:
Had some electrical work done leaving holes in walls that need to be patched.
The plaster and wire mesh in my house (built in 1920) does not appear to be the typical chicken wire mesh that most search results yield. My wires appear to be about 2 inches or so apart in a grid like fashion and placed under that was some sort of black fabric. The combination of the large spaced wires and fabric are what looks like was used to originally hold the plaster.
My plan is to mix Green Top and Plaster so it is relatively stiff and just go right over everything. My concern is on the deep holes I will need something to catch and hold this mixture.
If had typical wire mesh or lath behind the plaster I wouldn't be posting this as there are plenty of tutorials here and elsewhere on how to patch in those instances.
Has anyone encountered this before and know the correct way to patch this?


texts: Type of firm/place to contact to have house features pre-finished?

texts:
I installed a new pre-hung interior door along with new trim. The door was maybe $50 and trim maybe another $100. Very affordable, and all pre-primed.

Still, I spent hours and hours (and hours) painting all the trim and the door. And even then I'm left with brush marks and the door likely needs one more coat.

Given I have several more rooms and 7 more doors, I'm realizing I just don't have the time to devote to all this painting anymore.

Option 1 was to invest in an airless professional spray system...I think they run about $500. I'm all for new toys, but that'd still take a chunk of time to set everything up and mask off the garage or where ever I am spraying.

So I was thinking of an option 2: buy materials, buy paint, then take to a place that is already set up for this type of work and just pay someone to do it fast for me.

But I'm not even sure if this type of business/service exists. Would a cabinetry firm handle/want this type of work? Is there a different type of business I could contact that would do this type of work? (Is this maybe a business idea I should look into!?)


texts: What’s this pipe outlet looking thing on the wall below sink?

texts: Is this what’s known as a drum trap? What do I need to do with this?


texts:
I've encountered these doorstops in Japan, but I can't figure out what to call them. They are on interior doors.

They aren't on the hinges, so they aren't hinge-pin. They are mounted on the door frame - but searching "frame mounted" isn't consistent.

I also thought "door jamb stop" might yield results, and it does, but I still don't know what I should call it if I were to talk to someone about them.

So what's the name of these?


texts: Should I replace my fridge for power savings?

texts: Any guesses on how much power I would save per year by replacing this fridge with a new one? I'm wondering if it would be cost effective to upgrade (if it would pay for itself after a few years).


texts: Prevent Rodent incursion along a retaining wall

texts:
I live in a first generation suburb.  The retaining wall behind me is starting to crack, but it is not mine to permanently fix. After I concrete over any cracks in the retaining wall, I would like to do whatever I can prevent rats from burrowing next to that wall. I'm not a rat fan.

I would like to lay down some material along the retention wall and make it difficult for the rats to burrow. How wide and deep should I go? Fill it with big stones that are hard to move by a rat? fill with smaller stones that won't leave enough room for a rat to wiggle through? Bury some wire mesh under the grass along the wall?


texts:
my water heater (gas Rheem MODEL NO.42VP75FW) keeps on shutting off

this is the error code it shows

it means the maximum amount of ignations attempt have been made and the system has went into lockdown mode

when i turn it off, wait a little, and turn it back on the system works for around 10 minutes (heating up  the water) before locking up again.
what am i supossed to do ?


texts: How many circuits are recommended for this basement game room remodel?

texts: Ok so this paint photo is roughly what I want to do to my basement. The lights are 6 inch recessed lights. The fireplace blower was on the old 15 amp circuit so I dont see a problem there. It currently has the old black wiring that is on a 15 amp breaker. I plan of replacing the wiring maybe leaving the home run. Can I place all of this on one 15 amp circuit or should I split the lights and the receptacles to two 15 amp circuits? Or Should I use one 20 amp circuit?


texts: What fitting do I need to ground EMT at my residential electrical panel?

texts:
I know EMT can be used as its own grounding path, and no separate grounding ("green" or bare) conductor is required within the conduit, but what fitting do I need at the panel to complete the grounding path?  Is a grounded bushing required for voltages under 250V (I'm running a 120V, single-phase circuit in this case)?
Please let me know if I've left out any critical info for my install.  This is a simple branch circuit with a couple of 20A outlets in my garage.  Code citations are always appreciated.
Thanks!


texts: Hot Water Heater Pressure Relief Valve Hissing and Discharging Water after Draining Tank

texts:
I just drained the hot water heater, as I do every year (using the following video for instructions: https://youtu.be/qqaehhGYV_I). This time, the pressure relief valve had a slight hiss after I refilled the tank and closed the valve.

I noticed today the discharge valve on the side of the house is spewing hot water continously from the hot water heater.

Do I need to replace the pressure relief valve, or what is the issue?


texts: What can I use to repair a crack in a plastic AC Condenser Drip pan?

texts:
I've currently got an oldish furnace (early '90s Lennox), with an A/C system.  The blower motor burnt up on me last week, and I just had it replaced.  It turns out that the reason for the motor going, was that my AC condenser drip pan has a crack in it, and water was dripping down into the blower housing, rather than draining properly.

The drip pan is plastic, and is molded to the condenser.  So the only way to replace the pan, is to replace the condenser.  Unfortunately, the AC is an R22 system, and after calling near and wide, with the R22 phaseout there are no replacement condensers anywhere.  So to fix a cracked pan, I'd have to replace the entire A/C system.

This got me to thinking- I can access the crack in the pan easily.  Since it is simply a pan to divert water, would it be reasonable to simply patch/waterproof the crack?  If so, what would I patch it with?  Would a quality epoxy work?  A fiberglass patch?  Any ideas on how I might be able to fix this, without dropping thousands of dollars?


texts: Options for insulating glass sliding patio door in master bedroom other than replacing it?

texts:
Our master bedroom is a lot colder than any other room in the house. From what I can see, the patio door is leaking in a lot of cold. We don't want to replace the entire patio door right now. Looking for something quick/inexpensive to last us through the winter.
I have uploaded some pictures of the door and what the temperature looks like around the room and near the door: https://imgur.com/a/2D87YR4.
The edges of the windows in other rooms have similar numbers but they just have one window so its less of an issue. Maybe whatever solution I can find for the patio I can use for the other rooms too.


texts: Repair an ceramic sink / enamel, and have perfect color match

texts:
There was a little hole in this ceramic sink:

and I filled it with this "GEB Enamel Repair Paste". It works very well by mixing the resin and the hardener.

After 24 hours, I finished the work with sandpaper (with smaller and smaller grain).

The result is very good when you touch it (you cannot really feel the difference), the picture here is after the repair.

The only problem is the color: the sink is white, but not so pure white than the resin.

I know it's probably not worth it because the sink could be replaced for cheap (and it's old anyway), but I take it as a challenge to learn new techniques: would there be techniques to have a perfect repair in terms of color?

Are there some enamel paint that I could buy, with different shades of white?

I know it's possible: I saw a Youtube video in which a dental technician used many ceramic paints to match perfect color with dental prosthesis.


texts:
Are there any code requirements for buried communications cable (coax for TV/Internet)?
Rockdale County, GA if it makes a difference.

I have some jokers contractors at my house today who are supposed to be installing the cable, but their initial assessment when they arrived was "But it's already buried!" when they observed it to have been covered by 6 weeks worth of leaves - so I think it's understandable that I don't really trust them to do the job properly on their own initiative ...


texts: How to fill and paint over chip in powder coated aluminum chair

texts:
Not sure whether due to weather/humidity changes or what, but a pretty new outdoor chair that we have has warped and cracked. It's made out of aluminum and powder coated. Whats the best remedy here?

The gap should probably be sealed - I was thinking some stretchable outdoor caulk? (Would like to avoid any metalwork as I don't have the tools for that) Pillows will be put on the spot and folks will be sitting on it so there will be quite a bit of friction.

And then painted over (just wanna cover the spot, not repaint the whole chair) Just aluminum primer and a similar color outdoor paint?

Thanks in advance!


texts: Wiring diagram/configuration for 8 outlets with 1 GFCI

texts: I am installing a new circuit using a 20 amp breaker with 20 amp outlets and 1 GFCI. Should the GFCI be the first outlet from breaker panel? How do I wire this project?


texts: Layout method using concrete retaining wall block for angled wall

texts:
I am planning to use the rectangular 12x4 retaining wall blocks as below

http://www.lowes.com/pd_357656-215-30732___?productId=3722166

This is because we like the design of this better than using trapezoid shape (not available locally for Tranquil color and special order is too expensive).

Now this block is good for 90 degree edges only.  For example:

How do I lay them out in below shape and angle? Without cutting the 4-in concrete?

Or do people leave the gaps in the front wider as it's getting closer to the corner like that?

I am open to any creative idea for that corner. I was thinking about creating a small square-looking seating column using 3x4 of the blocks to "mask" the adjustment in angle and gaps.

Thanks.


texts: How do I repair a corroded water supply pipe under the sink?

texts: My bathroom sink cold water supply line (that comes out of the wall) is corroded through and dripping just before where the shut off valve is connected. Its hard to tell if the corroded line is copper or galvanized. There's so much corrosion build up it's hard to tell. Since there's rust, I believe it to be galvanized. A lot of white corrosion along with red rust. The house is 1962 and it seems like original pipe. Thanks


texts: Can a bathroom fan be mounted on one of the interior walls instead of the ceiling?

texts: Can a bathroom fan be mounted on one of the interior walls instead of the ceiling, and still meet code?


texts: Is Behr primer compatible with Sherwin Williams paint?

texts: Can I prime walls using Behr primer then paint over the primer using Sherwin Williams paint?


texts: What is this strip hanging down inside my dryer? Anyone know?

texts:
What is this hanging in my dryer???
Is this the rear drum felt?


texts: How do I plumb an outside line to a roof deck faucet?

texts:
I want to get water from the first floor up along the outside of the wall (with a parapet and projecting coping) to the second floor.

I got this working as follows:  1st floor hose bibb -> 4:1 hose adapter -> Garden hose-mpt adapter->mpt-sharkbite 90 degree elbow -> 14 foot run of 1/2" PEX that goes through a 45 degree curve (now vertical), and then goes in rounded manner over the parapet wall (supported only at the top, and over to a Sharkbite->MPT(Female) ->hose bibb attached to the deck railing.

Works fine, but PEX degrades in sunlight, so this isn't a long-term solution.  I'm concerned that the copper is heavier than the PEX and will put a lot of weight on the 4-1 hose adapter, and since the pipe is 6+ inches off the wall (thanks to the parapet), it isn't easy to support it.

What can I replace this with -- soft copper coil?  Hard pipe with sharkbite fittings?  PVC (???)

How do I support this from the top (I'd rather not drill holes in my wall)?


texts:
There's an unused 240v outlet on a double 30 amp breaker in my house. I believe it was one used for a stove.bI'm hoping to use it for my AC that's a typical 120v, as it's decent location and would spare my other circuits the load.
I've seen other posts about similar replacements, I haven't taken the front panel off the breaker box yet but as the outlet is 3 prong I'm assuming it's two hots and a neutral, so I'll have to switch one hot to a ground in the breaker box?
My main question is of I'd be able to use a 30 amp single pole breaker(and appropriate outlet) since the wiring is already sufficient for the load?
Edit: pictures of the outlet and breaker, I'll remove the panel and outlet next chance I get.


texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  what is beeping in my house?

I've tried ALL the suggestions on this site and the beeping continues, every 20 minutes, day and night. Been going on for two months. Have replaced literally everything with a battery on the first floor, which is where we hear it. Also, it moves around, sometimes sounding like it's coming from the gas fireplace and sometimes from the front hallway. Electricians had no idea. Help!


texts: How to connect 5-15P plug into 6-20R receptacle?

texts: I have a computer power supply (PSU), input voltage is 120-240V, I assume I can safely plug it into a 240V outlet. I have one those outlets in my garage, problem is that it is 6-20R type receptable and the PSU plug is 5-15P and does not fit. What should I do while being code-compliant? Change the 6-20R receptacle to a 5-15R and label it with 220V? Or, is there something like a 6-20R to 5-15R adapter that could be used? Please advise.


texts: Can I convert a roll up garage door to a side-hinged door?

texts: Can an old up and over garage door be converted to a traditional hinged swing open door, my door is an up and over but does not give enough clearance for my needs now . in order to save a bit of money i as hoping to be able to convert the door into one that opens outward.


texts:
I noticed a leak at the joint  of  a down pipe and An-elbow, yet rain water flows through the down pipe as expected but quite a large amount of water is dripping (I outlined with red on the photo).
There is an incline (so that water flows down), no holes in pipes. I tightened the connection but still for whatever reason it drips.
I looks to me that rain water traps in between the sloped pipe and the elbow and starts dripping to get its way out.
Any suggestions on what else I can improve to fix this?


texts: Does a device exist that can help find the source of a leak in a flat roof?

texts:
My Dad has a flat roof over his garage. It's covered with tar and felt.

We had an unusually hard and cold winter last year (Republic of Ireland) and since then the roof has developed a leak.

We've made several attempts to patch it, with no success. We know where the water is exiting the roof but we can't tell where it's getting in.

Is there some device that will trace the water from the leaks exit back to where it's getting in under the felt?

I'm thinking more tricorder, and less dowsing rod :)


texts: Installing a light designed to be hard wired as a corded light- what happens to the ground?

texts: I have a pendant light (single bulb) that used to be hard-wired in my previous house. I would like to install it in a closet as a plug in light (with an in-line switch). The fixture has a ground wire running up the chain and the plug wire has only the two wires. What do I do with the ground wire from the light? Can I just remove it and attach the cord?


texts: Advice on light switch replacement in old house

texts:
The light switch in my bedroom just started having issues. Sometimes when you flip the switch off the light remains on or the light flickers as if it's still getting partial power.

The house is from 1947 so the wiring is old and all of the original electrical outlets are two prong. I'm assuming no ground is available near this switch, but I haven't taken it out to look.

I see various switches on Amazon but the differences aren't very clear and I'm not sure which one would be the best replacement. Also, not sure what type of wiring I have (aluminum vs copper) and if that matters.

Thanks for any advice!


texts:
So I've been doing a lot of research recently regarding LED lighting, and attempting to do an overhaul of our entire house. But I've run into a few issues, and I really don't want to go back and forth testing out different LED bulbs to see what's going to work, and what's not going to work.

All of the Q & A i've found on this site is either OLD or not really related to my issues. So bare with me...

We have 2 Poll Lamps that are a 3-way switch of 50w/100w/150w. I know there are LEDs now that exist as 3-way bulbs, BUT i've only seen 30/60/100. Question: Is this type of bulb ok with my lamp? If not, what type of LED bulb would a person use? Do I have to find a 50/100/150 watt LED, if so, do they even exist?
People have been saying that using a Dimmer in this situation would work. Question: What kind of Dimmer would work for my the 50/100/150 watt scenario?
We have a TON of R40 Reflector type fixtures in the house, and most are setup as dimmer, and a few are not. I've only recently started taking care of the appliances and utilities of the house, and don't really know what wattage the lighting fixtures take. I checked one of the R40 Dimmer halogen bulbs, and it was set at 120v 65w. I checked a different one and it said 130v 65w. So i'm assuming i need 65w bulbs. Question: How do you check for the wattage on this type of lighting fixture? and whats the deal with the 2 different voltages?
We have a ton fluorescent lighting in the house, and it's old and was installed at least 30 years ago. I'm under the assumption that these take tons of power to operating, but I've never checked any statistics on this. I was thinking of removing the fixtures entirely and replacing them with something that's LED equivalent, Question: Does anyone have any suggestions that would replace this type of lighting?

It should be noted that money is not really an issue but I don't have a money tree in the garden.


texts:
My HVAC system had a problem during the winter where the blower motor stopped working.
I got a HVAC tech to come out and replace it.

However, now that it's hot again, the cooling system is still being problematic.

Basically, the air being blown into the house is not cool enough to reduce the temperature in the house. This causes the system to run continuously for days without ever shutting down.

What may be the cause?


texts: What's wrong with the wiring in this light switch box?

texts:
In another post it was brought to my attention (thanks @Harper) that the wiring in one of my light switch boxes might be incorrect. It was something about a shared neutral, but I don't have the knowledge to say more than that.

As far as I can tell, the black wires are energized by one circuit breaker (9) and all the others are energized by another (21). I don't know where the wires are coming from or really anything beyond what I see in the box. Here is the breaker box:

http://imgur.com/a/gcF9h39

What's wrong with this wiring? Can it be fixed? My ultimate goal is to install a smart light switch, but with the complexity of this wiring I'm not sure how to do it (nevermind if this is dangerous for some reason).


texts:
I have an old microwave/convection oven that came with 2 metal circular trays for cooking on (in convection mode), a tall one and a shorter one that fits underneath it. However, a long time ago, one of the legs of the taller one snapped off, leaving me with just the shorter one. This is OK usually, except when I want to cook 2 things at once (that don't fit on one tray). I can get a replacement for >$40, but I'm just not interested in spending that much.

I recently had the idea to solder a new leg to the tray. Presumably I'd need some high-temperature solder. Considering it may come in contact with food, it'll have to be lead-free too (maybe flux is also a problem?). I'll have a soldering iron that can supposedly reach 896ºF, and the oven has a max temperature of 450ºF. I need solder that is both solid and stable up to at least ~500ºF (It can't just not melt, it has to be able to hold its shape!). I honestly couldn't find anything that meets my criteria; some contain lead, most melt too low, and some just too high. Does anyone know if such a thing even exists?

Thank you!


texts: size breaker and wire to used on a car lift

texts:
Can someone tell me the breaker size and wire size to use on this car lift?

Here is a picture of the data plate:


texts: How to change an untwistable (by design?) fluorescent tube light bulb in a fitting with no slot?

texts:
Every guide to changing a flourescent tube light I can find has the same basic two steps: twist, usually 90 degrees, then slip the two pins out through the slot.

With this fitting,I have a fairly major problem with each step here:

My light fitting has no such slot
The bulb doesn't twist.

I've confirmed that the bulb isn't stuck (I read somewhere, possibly here though I can't find it again now, that sometimes pins get almost welded to the fitting - but at both ends it's possible to wiggle the bulb about 1mm from the fitting. It's not stuck, there appears to be simply no space for it to twist to.

Here's a couple of pictures of the fitting in question. I can't find any information about this type of fitting.

In this one, I've tried pushing the small rectangular shaped thing at the bottom where the slot would normally be, but it seems to be fixed in place, and even if it was removable, there would be no gap for the pins to fit through in the rim below it:

Here's the other side. Note that the circle that looks like a button in this picture is completely fixed in place, I think it's a vent:

These pictures aren't great (dark for obvious reasons!) - the upside-down-U shaped outer dim to the holder protrudes about 1cm along the length of the bulb, and the gap in the U is flush with the end of the bulb before the pins (so therefore doesn't provide a gap the pins could slip out). The dark line separating the holder from the main fitting in the second photo appears to be a small crack, there's nothing like a hinge or detachment here.

Both ends appear to be identical (though the other end is over a fixed fitted cabinet so is hard to see closely or photograph).

To provide a little context, I've quite  recently moved into this rented appartment, which is in West Africa and has a few electrical idiosyncrasies including about half the outlets being grounded and half ungrounded, and some sockets being the wrong type of plug for this country (e.g. South African "type M"). This particular fitting looks very old, based on the lack of information I can find online I imagine it's some old fashioned standard which has long been obsolete. No clues as to manufacturer etc that I can see.

All I can think to do is completely disassemble or replace the entire fitting, which I'd rather not do.


texts:
I bought this house with a gas fireplace we've never used.  While cleaning up the attic, I found these doors.  I'd like to install it as a deterrent to keep pets and children out of the firebox.

My assumption was that it had been installed before, but there doesn't seem to be any obvious way to mount it.  There's little structure beyond the brass frame, no visible attachment points on the frame or fireplace surround, no anchors or fasteners visible in the hearth and I'm completely stumped.  Am I missing part of it?


texts: Garage door does not close flush along the top

texts:
My garage door is sized 6'6" x 9'.  The ceiling is somewhat low, about 7' tall. The door has what I'm told are "sleds" to assist with the top of the door turning quicker so it doesn't hit the ceiling.

The door closes flush to the bottom of the floor. The top, however, is not flush against the frame. There is about a 1-1/2" gap. I removed the sleds and the garage door opener arm so that I could see if those were inhibiting its closing all the way.  With these removed, it will close another 1/2" or so but there is still a gap.

The frame as far as I can tell is square. There is nothing obstructing the edges of the door that would prevent it from closing flush. The hinge for the top panel appears to have at least another few degrees before it's flat, or a 180-degree angle.

Are all doors designed this way? Is this due to my frame being somewhat short? Seems pointless to have an insulated door when cold is just going to seep in through the top.


texts: Is this a correct installation for a doorbell transformer

texts: Transformer originally installed by builder 20 years ago behind the chime box. I'm installing a 16v 30va transformer for a Eufy video doorbell. Can I just replace the transformer as is or do I need a different installation? This is a tap in between a ceiling light and a light switch.  Not much wire to work with. Thanks for any help.


texts: What kind of wall material should be used in wet areas in a bathroom?

texts: I'm replacing a one piece fiberglass tub with a two piece (tub + surround) unit.  In the bathroom right now, there's just drywall, no special material.  Should I replace the drywall with greenboard, or with a cement board material (i.e. Durock)?  How many feet adjacent to the but should be replaced with one of those two materials?  Should I also replace the material behind the vanity with one of those two?


texts: Propane HVAC system - convert to use wood burning stove?

texts: is it possible to remove the propane part of the HVAC and replace it with a wood burning stove? If so what would I have to change - eg the chimney etc etc?


texts: Does FENSA certificate prove that bay window meets structural requirements?

texts: I am in the process of buying a house. One concern raised by the surveyor was that the replacement plastic bay window frames may not be adequate to carry the load of the wall (the original wooden frames would have carried this load). The local search shows that the works were carried out by a FENSA certified window person. Does FENSA have anything to do with structural standards, or is it more to do with thermal performance standards?


texts: Can I plug a generator into a dryer outlet

texts: I have an electric dryer with a 30 amp circuit running to it. If I had a male-male plug to run from a portable generator to this outlet, would it be safe to run essential appliances (water pump, refridgerator, sump pump, etc) during a power outage as long as I tuned off the main breaker and the total draw was less than 30 amps?


texts:
I have a crawl-space door that is starting to look rather beat-up.  I would rather repair the door rather then replace it as it has thick foam insulation on the other side.

What can I do to fix the bottom, and restore integrity.


texts: How do I fix a shutoff valve that isn't opening?

texts:
My dishwasher started leaking over the weekend. I turned off the water at the shutoff in the basement, it's a standard faucet type in the copper piping.

I then replaced the rubber heater hose used to feed water to the dishwasher, which had sprung the leak.

Trying to turn the water back on, I realized that the valve isn't opening. It turns repeated, and I've turned it many many times, but no water is flowing.

Is it possible that while turning off the water I stripped the thread, broke a washer, etc, stopping it from opening?

How can I fix this? Is it like a normal faucet that I can turn off the water to it, remove the packing nut, and replace the valve or whatever has broken underneath?

The valve itself looks something like:
http://i.ehow.com/images/a06/6q/tm/plumbing-water-stop-valve-installation-200X200.jpg
http://www.brass-plumbing.com/productsimages/brassneedlevalve_95381.jpg

Looking at those, what I'm wondering is if I can just remove the handle (which is broken anyway, I got a little rough), remove the packing not, emptying out the body, and replacing the contents with the header, nut, etc from a new valve. So I don't have to unsolder, the whole thing.

Also, valve and shutoff are new tag, so I can't create them, but would probably be relevant.


texts: Neutral wires or neutral and ground cause small “sparks”

texts:
With the light switch off, I can touch the neutral and line, or ground and line or neutral and ground and not feel anything, no shock.

But if the two neutrals or neutral and ground touch/rub, they cause a static electricity type of spark.

What would be the cause of this and would this be why my bulbs constantly go out.

I’m getting 4.2v between the line and neutral/ground with the switch off.  Can’t feel it when touching both.

The neutral also goes to another light which is fed power by a third red, hot wire.


texts: How to remove label from sink without damaging the sink?

texts:
Can a label like this be removed without damaging the porcelain? Should I use a razor? Can it even be removed without damaging the sink?
This thing is over a millimeter thick. I think it's plastic.


texts: When stopping and starting a tile job, what to do with the extra thinset from previous row's cleanup?

texts: When stopping and starting a tile job, you are left with the cleanup of the thinset that extends past the tiles that have been set.  This thinset can be scraped up with a trowel, but leaves a light residue.  Upon resuming the job, does this residue need to be vacuumed up with a brush and vacuum, wiped with a sponge, sprayed down with water, or can thinset just be placed directly on top of it?


texts:
I know there is a difference between silicone and caulk?

Sometimes I see caulk referred to as silicone caulk which makes me think it is silicone or a type of silicone.  Is it correct to use the term silicone caulk and why is it called so if its different from silicone?


texts: Overboarding thickness - how much smaller will my room be?

texts:
I have a lot of woodchip wallpaper and normal wallpaper, all painted over multiple times. Removing it is going to be hell.
So instead I was thinking of overboarding, but how much room will I lose to that? Some of the corridors are only 1m wide.
Presumably I'll need to put up trusses, screwed into the brickwork, and then plasterboard over those. Plasterboard is 10-13mm thick, plus say 10mm for the truss, on both sides, which suggests the corridor would end up being about 950mm wide at the end, not too bad.
Is that a reasonable assumption or will it be thicker than that?
This is a residential house in the UK. There will be wiring behind the plasterboard, i.e. through the trusses.


texts:
I am trying to remove a Delta Leland Kitchen Faucet.
]2
When I try to loosen the bolt from the bottom of the sink, the entire fixture spins.  I can't get any leverage to turn the bolt.  If I have someone while hole the faucet and I turn the bolt, it still spins.
Any way to got this off with out using a grinder?  There is a little bit of space at the base of the faucet, so would prying off the fixture be an option? Thanks!


texts: Rebuilding porch stairs - what size for treads?

texts:
I need to replace the stair treads and landings on two sets of porch steps outside my house.  The originals are about 25yrs old and rotten.  They appear to have used the same type of stair tread that you'd use for indoor stairs.  Each tread is 1 board and the landings are multiples of the same material with no gaps in between each board.  The originals are cupped and cracked.

My plan is to replace them with narrower, pressure treated boards (to be painted), and put a gap between the boards like what you'd see in a deck.  But I'm not sure what dimension lumber to buy or how wide the gap should be.  Plus do I use screws or nails?  The landings are at the top of the stairs if that matters.  Here are the measurements:

Stair One:
Landing:  50.25" x 37"
Stairs:  4 steps, each 42" wide

Stair Two:
Landing: 20.75" x 9'9"
Stairs: 5 steps, each 9'9"

All the treads are approx.  11.25" deep and 1" thick

-Thanks.


texts: How do I connect a C wire to an Utica PEG112CDE steam boiler?

texts:
I want to upgrade my old mercury thermostat that I currently have to a newer programmable thermostat. This little DIY project is for my first late 1920's home that I recently purchased. I currently only have heat hooked, and use window A/C's, however I have no problem running a 18/5 Cable down to the boiler instead of a 18/3.

My question is how to I the C wire from the boiler transformer.

Please see pictures attached from the manual for the boiler (I have no idea why they even have 3 listed). Currently the two cables that run from the thermostat are hooked up to
T-T  terminals (on the top of the figures that run from TH-2).

Would all I need to do is basically run a third cable to the empty C terminal in N-H-C-W-B  terminals on there?

UPDATE: The physical boiler has a Honeywell AT150D1001 transformer attached to it[next to the emergency cut-off switch]; which seems to be supplying the 24V to the system.(See picture below). My question now becomes do I use the white wire or the dark brown wire as the C wire that I run to the thermostat?


texts: Can I trim the plastic sticking up from edges of my basement wall?

texts:
Original question:

Before we bought our house, a moisture control system was installed on one side of our basement.  The channel runs along the foundation and ends at a sump pump.  This channel was filled in with concrete so the floor is unbroken.  There is a black corrugated plastic sheeting that is embedded in the concrete right up against the wall, it runs the whole length of the channel to the sump pump. It sticks up about 4 inches out of the floor.  Can I trim this off?  I believe it allows air down into the channel so the water can run?  That's a guess. It just catches everything and is hard to keep clean.

Update 4-23-16 - I was finally able to cover the plastic, I wanted to post a pic.  Peeling away the plastic I could see the dampness behind it, trimming it flush with the floor would have been a mistake.  I used a pre-painted 1x4 from my local big box home center, that is screwed directly into the concrete with concrete screws and finishing washers.  The plastic trim acted as the spacer, so the 1x4 sits pretty straight.  I then nailed a trim piece to the top to cover the plastic and seal it over.  I plan on running a dehumidifier to keep the dampness down, so I wont be caulking the seams, which should allow the plastic to breath and hopefully dry out.


texts: Is there a way to treat wood siding that is safe to burn?

texts: I'm considering putting real wood siding on, and would like to be able to burn the wood in the fireplace when it reaches the end of its life. I don't want to burn paint or anything else that produces a toxic smoke. What are my options?


texts: Self leveling showing popped bubbles and small chunks

texts:
I did self leveling concrete in my basement as below

But some spots showing small holes, potentially from popped bubbles

And some have little pieces like chunks not mixed well

I plan to install underlayment and engineered hardwood floor.

Is this a concern?


texts: Hey I just bought an older co-op from the 50’s. I want to put a ceiling fan in but ran into trouble.  I was trying to take down the existing box and it has a nipple in the middle with a flat head screw slot in the bottom.  I bought the usual box and anchor mechanism to put in but I have no idea how to get this box out.  Obviously I can't go in through the top due to the co-op situation.  Please help.  Maybe a YouTube video or something how to remove it. Thanks.


texts: Adding an outlet on a separate circuit in garage?

texts:
Attached is image of my panel  in my garage. In the past I explored a possibility of adding a subpanel as I have few wood working machines and running the dust collect and planer trip the 15 amp circuit in the garage. I got great help from this forum but I never got to add the panel as the only thing I need is another outlet (120 or 240 either would be ok) on a different circuit.
So I am now considering 2 options -

Replace the 220v dryer breaker with a quad 20/30 breaker. This will help me give a 20 amp 220v breaker. The problem is I don’t find EATON quad breaker 20/30 combo in local stores anymore. I did find on eBay but there are 2 models - BRDC220230 and BQC220230. I am wondering what’s the difference between them and what other manufacturer circuit breaker can be used in my EATON panel. My panel seems like have BR style breaker (I don’t know what it means). The existing quad breakers are BQC series.
Another option I have is to splice an outlet (120v) from my media outlet dedicated circuit. I took this for my audio equipments but for now I only have 1 receiver and they never will be used align with wood working tool. This would mean I will need to ping tail the original wire and attached to the same breaker. I am assuming the outlet needs to be GFCI as it would be in garage. Is there any concern here?

Among these 2 options, wondering if there is any advantage/disadvantage if one over other assuming they both serve my purpose.
Thanks in advance.


texts: Is the light intensity from inverter type welders different from transformer type welders?

texts:
I have tried researching this, but cannot find any supporting information.

I would like to know if the light intensity from inverter type welders is different to transformer type welders, and if so, what is that difference. I can definitely feel the difference between the two when welding so there must be a difference in their light intensities.

My father, is old school and does not like inverter - his reasoning "it gives arc eyes". I did not believe him at the time, but through many years of trial and error, I do find that even the slightest flash on inverter results in arc eyes, it even got so bad at one stage that I was convinced I was getting flash through the helmet - as a result I added more glass and thicker shades.

I generally even use less amps on the inverter welder, so its definitely not more power = more flash. Could there be a difference in the two light outputs?


texts: Re-purpose 240v wiring from electrical baseboard heat as 120v circuits

texts:
I purchased a house that had baseboard electrical heating (240 volt baseboard heaters) that were connected to multiple double pole circuit breaker inside the electrical panel.  The electrical heating system was throughout the entire house and it was in good working order. I had a professional even upgrade the panel as the old panel was non-functional.

Shortly after having the panel upgraded/ changed, I converted the whole house to a natural gas baseboard system and all the heating wiring was capped off and left in the walls and the thermostats wiring was capped off with the thermostats were removed from the wall in each room.

I would like to add more 120v circuits within the house and was wondering if I can re-purpose the wiring cables for the baseboard heating to create new 120v circuits without having to running new cable back to the panel. I do have access to the cable bundles from below in several access points. Suggestions?


texts: Comparing mixed orientation solar panels to non-mixed on a Brooklyn Solar install

texts:
I'm looking for advice on choosing from two solar panel proposals.  I have a historic landmark brownstone in Brooklyn with a flat roof and am looking for the most power that I can fit into the roof while still meeting all the fire and landmark requirements.

One proposal is a 9kw system with 25 SunPower X panels, mixed orientation and 2 degree pitch.

The other proposal is a 6kw system with 17 LG 360W panels with a 25 degree tilt.

They both have a similar price after tax credits and rebates, but the LG seller tells me that having so many panels on a Brooklyn roof like that will require delays in approvals and that a mixed orientation is not advisable and that the tilt angle is also not advisable.

If I were to look at purely an economic decision 9kw for the same money as 6kw makes the 9kw system an easy decision.

Are the warnings about the mixed orientation, tilt or the placement of so many panels a merited criticism?  Which system/provider should I go with in this case?  Are there hidden costs with going with SunPower vs LG360?


texts: How to troubleshoot wiring that trips AFCI breakers?

texts:
Here's the first part of the story.  Summing up, existing wiring was put on AFCI breakers. Some outlets had hot/neutral reversed.  Electrician corrected this.

Now, the front porch light, not part of work that electrician performed, trips two AFCI breakers! The lights go off in the two of the bedrooms and the hallway outside the bedrooms.  The two bedrooms are where the outlets had hot/neutral reversed. I didn't test the all receptacles to see if they have power. Each room had one receptacle that didn't have power.

What could be happening? How do I go about debugging this wiring?
What are the steps?

Update
Found this Siemens guide for troubleshooting.  I have the Siemens QA115AFCP single-pole 15-amp Combination AFCI Breaker.

Update
The house was built in 1939. There are metal junction boxes in various places (I've seen them in the attic). There is metal conduit that runs between junction boxes. I don't believe they are grounded.

Update 1/15/17
I tested all of the outlets in the house.  Here's more info.
All of the outlets in the living room (and one outlet in the adjacent room that shares a wall with the living room) trips the two AFCI breakers when I plug in a light and switch it on!
(Is it basically one offending wire that feeds all of those outlets?)

Update 1/16
The electrician checked it out and said that the wiring consisted of two hot lines and a shared neutral. He's rewriting two of the rooms that we're tripping to have their own home run.

Update 1/17
The electrician fixed the situation and ran a new home run with an AFCI breaker to the two bedrooms. He also discovered that the forced air heating unit was wired with a shared neutral so he also ran a new home run to that (with a normal breaker). The living room with outlets that tripped an AFCI breaker, they wired to a normal breaker.


texts: How to line / fill the ugly gap around my newly hung shed door

texts:
I have fitted a new door to my shed and as you can see there is a big gap and it looks a bit ugly. How would you recommend I make this look better? Some sort of external trim? Internal door stop?

Thanks!


texts: Can I extend my sump pump outlet and dig it down in the ground?

texts:
I attached an image of what I want, but essentially the water pools 6 feet from the house and ends up creating a swampy area for my dog to run though right out side the door.
Can I add a 45 degree and tilt it down run a 4 foot pipe, add another 45 and run another ~10 foot pipe, all graded slightly down towards the front of my house and essentially bury it under the ground and have it come out under my fence into a trench into the middle of my neighbors yard and mine?
Another option could be to do a 90 down, do like 1 inch then a another 90 just to get it in the ground a bit... and just do a 45 and run it to the corner of the fence under ground. I'm just worried to many joints will impede the flow.
So my question is, what is the drawback of extending this pipe that long if there is any, and am I going about this the right way?
Top Left corner is what it is now, purple pipe is what I want to add.


texts: Is this an alternate vent connection for my clothes dryer or does it serve another purpose?

texts:
I have gas clothes dryer in my new home. Behind the dryer you can see metal conduit for exhaust and gas intake and this seems to be where things are hooked up.

Above the dryer, on the wall is a 4" PVC pipe sticking out from the wall. It is covered loosely with a PVC cap and behind it is sealed with some type if paper/tape like material. When the dryer is running, this gets hot and you can see condensation.

My guess was that this was an alternate connection point in case you had a stacking washer/dryer instead of a side by side; however, I wanted to check if this was normal and it it should be sealed this way.

Here are some photos. Would love confirmation that everything is okay or suggestions on what steps I need to take?

Close up:

Behind the dryer:


texts: Best way to cover up this hole drilled when installing a ceiling fan?

texts:
So I installed a ceiling fan intending to cover up the wire holes with trim. As you can see below the holes drilled were too big. The entire house uses this size and type of trim. It would look weird putting larger trim here.

Would filling the hole with wood filler be a viable solution? Would the wood filler interact poorly with the fan wiring?


texts: Should I carpet the stairs or install hardwood flooring first?

texts: I will have hardwood on my first floor and carpet on the stairs and 2nd floor.  My question is:  regarding the transition, is it better to carpet the stairs first and then do the hardwood (as to avoid tucking the carpet in and risk making a mistake with the distance of hardwood to the first stair) or the other way around?


texts:
I'm looking for good resources for painting a wood house. I'm looking for the proper tools and techniques.

I don't want to hire somebody to do the job, I would like to do it myself. I just need to know:

What kind of paint is best to use on a wood house: Oil, latex, something else?
What techniques are there to give the house an aged look?
What other important information should I know before painting a house.


texts: Bringing power to a newly constructed detach garage

texts:
We are in the planning stages for a 40x40 detached garage / shop I am building and need to know what will be required in Everett, WA 98204 to bring power to the building.

First off, I will need to run a high powered arc welder that currently is running off a 40A dual-pole breaker so that if I need to crank it up to its highest setting, I wouldn't have issues with the breaker popping when making long welds.
The new shop will also have a dual stack oven that you normally find in a kitchen that we use for powder coating parts.
Plus I want extra power available so if the oven is on, someone is welding, and someone else turns on the shop vac and all the lights, I am not popping breakers.
I also plan to add even larger machine shop type equipment with time, like CNC machine, lathe, and mill (that's hopefully not going to require 3 phase).

I read other articles that say tie into the house breaker, which is only a 200A panel. I added up all the existing breakers as-is, which come to more than 200 amps.  But I do not really know how much power would actually be drawn on each circuit if everything in the house was to be turned on, appliance and heat wise (all lights are already LED to conserve power, and heaters are all 220v in each bedroom).

For example, the kitchen lights are only a handful of LED bulbs and outlets with no real power being drawn, but has a 20A breaker. Same goes for nearly every circuit off that panel. So I am probably sure I could run a sub panel off it.

But let's say there are 4 roommates in the house running every appliance, plus 3 people in the shop doing the same.  I don't know if that would equal more than 200 amps.  But the last thing I want to do is risk it.

So my questions are:

Can I run conduit off my meter on the outside of the house, instead of the existing house panel, and install another 150-200A panel 60' away in my shop?
I would like the ability, over time, to add a bunch of machine shop equipment like CNC machine, lathe, mill, and etc without having to do all new electrical service to the shop again 2-3 years later. What should I do to not have future issues?
Will conduit off the meter work instead of the house panel? If so what size conduit and cable to the new shop panel?


texts: I have a switch on an Arizona west facing wall without protection from the hot sun (making it at least 125 to 130).  The switch, installed by the landscaper (matching standard like the flip switch here: How do you weatherproof a light switch?) controls a small submersible pump operating the small water feature in our yard (low wattage, not dimmer adaptable).  I want to automate the switch to turn it off at night, ideally with SmartThings.  However, I have not found a smart switch or micro switch rated for that kind of temperature.  Even if I re-piped it somewhere into the shade, I am still above the normal rating of 104F.  Any suggestions?


texts:
I'm hoping someone can help me identify what type of bolt(if it is even a bolt) this is, what it is used for and most importantly how to remove it.

This is used to attached a boat engine to a transom, there are three other normal bolts (one in the bottom of one of the pictures).


texts: Find and eliminate musty smell in bedroom and bathroom

texts:
How can I find and eliminate musty smells in my bedrooms and bathroom?  These occur in the first floor above a crawlspace which frequently has standing water.  I've posted separately about making a vapor barrier, but here I'd like to ask about the smells.

One of my bedrooms has smelled musty for 20 years.  I tore down one of its external walls, did not find any mold, but replaced the 50-year-old insulation which smelled bad.  Could that mild insulation smell have been seeping through the sheetrock into the room?  Must I tear down the other external wall and replace its insulation?

The bathroom sheetrock is only two years old, yet smells very damp.  Inside one wall, there are small gaps in the subfloor around the water and sewer pipes.  This allows wet crawlspace air into the wall, but could that small quantity cause such a smell?  Or could I check for a leaking sewer or water pipe?  How can I treat the inside of this wall to remove the smell?  I will seal it from below, but want to treat it first.

Thank you for your help.


texts: What are the different gauges of electrical wire available?

texts: What are the different gauges of electrical wire available for homes and how do you determine which gauge you should be using? If it helps, I'm wondering specifically about recommendations as I finish my basement.


texts: Should one insulate rim joists prior to adding drywall if batt insulation already exists?

texts:
Unfinished basement room with 2 exterior walls.

Previous owner did the framing and batt insulation.

I will finish the room by adding drywall.

Should I still insulate the rim joists (adding pieces of 2 in. polystyrene foamboard) prior to adding drywall if batt insulation already exists?


texts: blue green water after softener installation

texts:
I recently installed a water softener.  We have SUPER hard water and it's now within a normal range.

When the softener recharges the water is super fizzy and has a light blue/green tint.

After a few hours the color change and fizziness goes away.

Is my water too soft? Could it be damaging the pipes or just clean out all the old crap that's been in the pipes for the last 20+ years?


texts: Why can't you use push connectors to extend a short wire when they are used like that when installing LED pot lights in parallel?

texts:
A typical led pot lights installation looks like this, with two or three ways push connectors in the box used to connect this light to the previous one and to extend the wire to the next one
When you need to extend a wire that is short why can't you use a two ways push connector the same way? (let's say it is close to a pot light so by removing the pot light it is at an arm length distance in the ceiling so you can practically reach to it)


texts: We are replacing carpet with laminate over concrete.  The carpet has pet urine areas.  The offending pet is still in the house.  Should the concrete be sealed with something before laying the laminate?


texts: Water heater won’t lite - replaces thermopile

texts: I replaced my thermopile after my water heater was displaying a 4 blink message (too hot). Now the pilot won’t light. What have I done wrong? Should I be concerned about continuing to mess with it?


texts:
I pulled up some old foam-backed carpeting in my basement laundry room to replace.  The concrete slab is old, and had crumbling concrete patch work, so I set to scraping that all up, seems the more I scrape, the more comes up.  AND, all the scraping has revealed 4 small (golf ball sized) patches of damp concrete.  Damp to the touch, but not wet, really.  A paper towel comes away dry.  A few had a small amount of mold under the broken concrete patch.  I cleaned up the floor as best I could and have been running a de-humidifier down there for 4 days, with no change.

I was planning on patching up the broken up areas, enough to level it for some more cheap carpeting. It's the laundry room, I'm not concerned with perfection, but now I have two worries.  First, is my house going to float away if I don't spend $20,000 getting my floor ripped out, new drains installed, etc.?  Second, if I wait til a dry spell, seal the concrete with something, fill with concrete patch and lay down some carpet tiles, will I go to basement water-proofing hell?

Fact#1:  the basement isn't really damp other than the floor patches.

Fact#2:this part of the house is old.  Real old. (1880)  The floor looks to be block with a thin concrete cap, though, so maybe its been re-done. Fact#3:  There is a sump pump, sitting below the floor level, functioning properly, and I can see 2 drain tile openings in the basin.  Water looks to be dripping from them, so drainage is working at some level.

The slab in question is smallish, about 100 sq ft, about 2 ft higher than the rest of basement, ( 2 steps up) which is a finished rec room with linoleum finish on floor. The concrete cap is pebbled concrete work, and looks like smooth concrete troweled over to patch in some areas.

Any educated thoughts would be wonderful


texts: What's the best way to separate house light from garage lights?

texts: Currently, I have an outdoor house light connected to the same light switch as a couple other garage lights (see sketch). I would like to separate the garage lights from the outside house light using two separate switches. Only thing is, the switch is already in a three-gang box. So, I already went ahead and bought a four-gang and I installed it, but now I'm having trouble figuring out how to wire it all. The way it was is confusing to me and I'll try to post an image of how it currently is. Anyway, the other two switches in the box control a light in the house and another completely separate that isn't causing any issues (dimmer switch for kitchen lights), so you can ignore that. So yea, main goal is to add a fourth switch to the box to separate the garage lights and outdoor house light. Thanks!


texts: Finding a normal looking kitchen faucet with side spray and filter

texts:
My current kitchen faucet is apparently cheap junk, installed by a previous owner of contractor who did not give a damn. It now needs replacement because it is leaking. Apparently, the reason it is leaking is that the Brita faucet filter I have had on it has added enough back pressure to wreck it's cheap junkness.

When I went shopping I was very disappointed in the available selection. All the faucets available look like goofy, stupid, designer things. I want it to look like a freaking faucet. I also want to have a side spray,or at least be compatible with added side sprays.

I'd like to have the filter built in, so I know it won't wreck the new faucet, but I will settle for having a normal screw-on aerator so I can use my existing one.

Oh, it also has to not be cheap junk.

Where can I find such a thing?

EDIT:
This is what I mean by normal looking. Single lever, straight diagonal spout.


texts: What to do about unattached drywall corner?

texts:
We purchased a medicine cabinet for a bathroom remodel and upon opening up the wall realized that there was a stud running through it in such a way as to make it impossible to put in the cabinet without having the door run into the wall next to it. Once the stud was cut, the corner of the drywall behind it was unsupported:

And the medicine cabinet niche was framed out like this:

Is there a good way to support the now-floating corner of the drywall? The unsupported width is 14" and height is ~36".

Clarifications:

The medicine cabinet will be 16"x36" on the outside, or 35"x14.5". The new framed area in the photo is for supporting the medicine cabinet.

The length of unsupported drywall I'm concerned with is between my fingers:


texts:
I have an unattended house which I kept the gas (propane) furnace running at 62 degrees to help keep pipes from freezing this winter.  I ran out of gas and the furnace shut down.  Can I have the tank filled a day or so before I get to the house to light the pilot?  Will the gas keep running if the pilot is not lit? filling the house with gas.
Thanks


texts:
I have to install Two 15amp square D receptacles in a kitchen here in northeast Pennsylvania. I need these to be up to code because of an inspection. If this is incorrect please let me know.
I plan on running off the breaker a 15 amp 12/2 wire to a steel junction box in the basement below the kitchen. From that box I will run one THHN wire to the left one to the right of my cabinets. I will use wiremold from the floor up to about 36 inches high? And put my gfci receptacle boxes. I'll secure the wiremold to the wall.
Will this be up to code?  If not kindly explain.
(I cannot run it behind the lath and plaster and don't think in the floor would work in a kitchen)


texts: Large voltage swing on incoming main hot line- definitely outside?

texts:
So for much of last fall, I had an issue of flickering lights in my house (half of the house seemed to flicker in unison).  Back in December, I called the electric company, who came out, and claimed they found and tightened "a slightly loose neutral" in one of their connections outside, but thought it wasn't the issue (he said there was no charring, and thus there had been no arcing).  So after they left the flickering lights went away.  Problem solved...

Until last night, when our lights started flickering like crazy (I mean to the point of almost going off).  So this morning, I opened up my main breaker box, to see what I could discover.  It turns out that when the lights are flickering, one of the two hot lines is having a pretty wild voltage fluctuation (I measured the voltage from the incoming neutral to each of the two incoming hot lines.  One hot line stayed rock steady at 119 volts, the other varied by 15-20 volts when the lights were flickering- dropping to 100-105 volts).

Now, this measurement was done on the incoming side of my main breaker (i.e.- I was measuring the hot lines coming in from my meter).

My question is- since I am measuring the hot line dropping in voltage on the incoming side of my breaker box, does this indicate that it is not something inside my house that is causing the fluctuation?  Or could something in my house be causing the kind of extreme voltage draw that I am seeing?


texts:
Which way does air typically flow in a furnace? Put another way, does the filter usually sit before the incoming cool air reaches the burners or after?

I'm trying to figure out which way the air flow arrow should point on my air filters. There are a lot of web pages that almost answer this question but not quite.


texts: Can I put a 75 watt equivalent led bulb in a fixture that says 60 watts max?

texts: Can I put a 75 watt equivalent led bulb(1100 lumes). In a fixture that says 60 watts max. I know the power going to the bulb is way less and the heat is also way less so should I worry about it? I'm trying to get more light out of a two bulb fixture with a 60 watt bulb max by putting 75 watt led's in it. Any thoughts?


texts: Can I run THHN wires through an attic without conduit?

texts:
I have a new workshop and I'm running 6/3 out to it. My run will need to go from my existing panel through the attic, down an external column (with normal housing siding) and then into an underground conduit.

I understand for the conduit portion of the run I should use THHN but do I need to change to romex for the attic part? Seems I should be able to just continue with the THHN, correct? I know THHN is unprotected but its not like its going through normal walls and it will basically  be "inaccessible".


texts: frozen pipe: heating tape, compressed air?

texts:
We have a shower on a second floor with a frozen cold-water pipe.  It seems to happen every time the temperature falls below 15 degrees F.

Previously I fixed this by taking the plate off around the shower control, where there's some access past the shower tile, and jamming a hair dryer or heat gun in there.  But that's a hassle, and I'm worried about the heat acting on the plastic of the shower control.

Currently I'm trying a space heater in the shower with the shower door closed.  (There's a nearby sink which isn't frozen, so I think the ice is limited to pipe pretty close to the shower.)

Could I shove some heating tape into the hole near the control as a solution?  I wouldn't be able to ensure it was right up against the pipe, though.

I also thought of forcing room-temperature air in there.  Is that a reasonably way to try to solve the problem?  I don't have a vacuum with reverse, though.  What kind of tool could I buy to do that...a cheap air compressor?

For a long term solution, I'd like to put insulation around the pipe, or between the pipe and the exterior wall (it's on the NW corner of the house), but there's pretty much no access at all, unless one were to rip out the shower tile.  (No, I didn't own the house when this silly situation was created.)  Of course, as the comment below points out, one way to deal with this long-term is to go through the wall from the outside.


texts:
My high-rise apartment building has gigabit internet service available via copper ethernet at the communication closet on my floor, but it's my responsibility to establish the connection from that closet to my unit. There is a single cat5e cable into my unit from the communication closet. It was intended for telephone service and is daisy-chained between my three phone jacks.

As I understand it, I have a few options with various pros/cons:

1. Wired ethernet to computer, daisy-chained over existing cat5e: Use the existing cat5e connection to my unit and terminate it to a wired gigabit ethernet connection at an existing phone jack.

Pros:

Requires no additional wiring to the closet.
Low cost.
This is what everyone else in the building has done.

Cons:

Daisy-chained jacks and questionable quality of existing cat5e wiring may limit speed to 100 Mbps.
Intermediate jacks in chain will have to be rewired so all eight wires are connected at the jack I want to use.
Traditional landline telephone service won't be possible anymore but VOIP is an option.
Two of three existing jacks won't serve any purpose and will be unusable.
Poorly located jacks for wired computers. Phone jacks are in poor locations, like high on the wall in the kitchen, which could require me to run wires across the room or along walls (ugly).

2. All-wireless network: Use 802.11ac WiFi and place router at first jack in daisy-chain

Pros:

Requires no additional wiring to the closet.
Moderate cost. (Will require additional Wi-Fi equipment but will be DYI.)
No issues with jack locations.

Cons:

Potential wireless interference issues impacting speed. I don't have issues now, but most of the internet seems to agree that wired is better.
Would have to buy new 802.11ac router and potentially network cards.
Traditional landline telephone service won't be possible anymore but VOIP is an option.
Two of three existing jacks won't serve any purpose and will be unusable.

3. Dedicated wired connection: Run a new dedicated cat5e or cat6 connection to the communication closet and install a separate jack solely for internet.

Pros:

New wiring, reliable gigabit speed. Potential upgradability to greater speeds in the future if using cat6.
Will not impact existing phone lines.
I can have the jack exactly where I want it.

Cons:

High cost. Building management likely will require a certified electrician to do the work and hundreds of $$ of deposits.
High effort. May be difficult due to running cable through existing walls. Will require approvals from building management to run cabling through common areas including a 30-day permitting process.
Could require (ugly) exposed conduit

I have reviewed previous questions such as the following, but I'm not sure these are the best approach given my particular constraints as outlined above. I'm looking for the best way to accomplish reliable gigabit ethernet given the constraints of existing wiring and cost.

Previous questions:
How can I convert Cat5e wired sockets to Ethernet?
How can I modify telephone Cat5 cables and jacks into Ethernet ports?


texts: Will I pass inspection/code if I install walls over carpet in a finished basement for a couple bedrooms?


texts: Ademco Alarm — identify these things on the wall?

texts:
Purchased a home built in 1999 and it has several of these things on the wall that are part of an ADEMCO-made security system.

Can you identify what the purpose of these devices?   The yellow light appears to blink when any one of doors in the room opens or shuts.


texts: How do I staple faced insulation to ceiling joists if the flange has been cut off for narrower spaces?

texts: I'm insulating a detached home office/shed. For the ceiling, the rafters are 24in on center so I got 22" faced insulation for that. However on the ends of the structure, the rafters are only 21in on center so I have to rip the insulation to fit. This means the little paper flange for stapling will be cut off. How do I staple that side to the rafters then?


texts: Toilet keeps blocking / bubbling and sink drains into toilet

texts:
We have recently had our bathroom refitted but the toilet keeps getting blocked up. When it happens the sink doesn't drain well or drains into the toilet.it is a combined toliet/ sink unit.

When it first happened the fitters removed the unit and cleared it and for a several weeks or so it was ok. However it has blocked again with the same issue. We've managed to clear it so that the toliet flushes and clears ok but can see that the sink drains into the toilet bowl.

What would be the cause of this happening yet again in such a short space of time.

Prior to the refit we didn't have these issues. Is it just coincidence or could there be a problem with the actual fitting of the pipestone the sink and toilet?

Thanks


texts: What are "termination points" and why do I need them on my electrical supply?

texts: An inspection of my electric supply service on the outside of my home in Maryland said I need 3 termination points and two grounding rods. The grounding rods I can get but I have no clue about these termination points. Can you explain?


texts: How do I bring a recessed wall outlet flush with newly installed paneling?

texts: I paneled a wall with three quarter inch thick paneling and now the two wall plugs are recessed in. Do any of you know if the have specialty plugs that would plug into the wall outlet to bring it to the surface and be used as an outlet.


texts: I-joists on an old dimensional lumber floor

texts:
I’m remodeling a room on my first floor and will need to move a HVAC duct, make it run across 4 joists of the second floor. Room is gutted, and I can see second floor has a 3/4" OSB subfloor on dimensional 2x10 joists, 16" OC, 13’ in span:

Ducting is 6" round so I cannot drill through the dimensional lumber I have in place without compromising it. But I could if I had i-joists (a 9-1/2" i-joist allows up to 7" roles per manufacturer). So I'm considering this:

Assuming this is my only option, but being happy to be proven wrong, my problem is: a 2x10 is actually 9-1/4" but the i-joist is 9-1/2", so I see two options to make up for the 1/4":

Align the top of the i-joist to the top of the current joists: that would bring my ceiling 1/4" lower only on those 4 joists so I'd need to shim every other joist to match. I'd also need to notch the beam and top plates so the i-joist can sit lower

Align the bottom of the i-joist to the bottom of the current joist: same issue, and even greater pain because it would mean ripping the subfloor upstair, shim the top of the other joists and re-install it

So #1 seems easier since ceiling is already gutted but I'd need to bring the whole first floor ceiling down.
Yet another option is go with #2 but route a 1/4" rabbet on the underside of the subfloor for the top of i-joist to tuck into. The subfloor is 3/4" which would leave 1/2" and I was planning on adding a 1/2" underlayment for hardwood floors on top of it anyway, so doesn't seem to me there would be a problem:

Looking for any ideas besides the ones mentioned here, or to be talked out of my hacky third option
Notes: Shaving 1/4 from i-joist flange is out of question, per manufacturer's manual. And I read i-joist manufactures make it a pain on purpose so builders are not mixing dimensional and engineered lumber due to differences on expansion rate, warping, etc. but that doesn't seem to be an issue on my case (I thought about sistering the current 2x10s with i-joist but after reading that I changed to replacing it altogether)


texts: Is a new refrigerator likely to trip a 20 amp AFCI/GFCI circuit?

texts: Will a new GE Cafe refrigerator/freezer work on my kitchen AFCI/GFCI 20 amp refrigerator outlet? My current 8 year old Samsung constantly trips the circuit.


texts: Is there a purpose for the concrete border at base of this house?

texts: My wife and I are in negotiations to purchase a house that is located in the Southeastern US.  The home inspector was a bit baffled by the concrete border (first image) that runs along the back and one side of the house.  At 4 or 5 locations there are steel plates (second image) about 12" wide butted up against the concrete border.  Do these features look familiar to anyone?  The inspector seems to think that it is evidence of some sort of foundation work, but because the walk-out basement is fully finished, there is no way to inspect things from the inside.  Since I don't own the home I can't just start digging exploratory holes in the backyard either.


texts:
I'm running Cat6 through my house, and I obviously need to crimp Cat6 connectors onto the ends (this is my first time), but I can't seem to keep the 8 wires from moving around after I've put them all in order, is there some sort of trick to keep the wires from moving around to get them into the connector?
Update:
I found out today the Cat6 I ran is too thin and not made to the proper specifications, the thicker wire works a lot better and is definitely easier.


texts: What are the pros and cons of adding a skylight?

texts:
A Florida Storage Facility has 3 aisles: each must be lit when customers are in the aisle.   A 15 minute timer switch controls existing LED lighting.  A new sloping roof is to be installed next week.   An idea to light the aisles with a skylight is to be evaluated.  Evaluation criteria that come to mind:

Cost
Energy impact on Air Conditioning cost
Skylight Leak Risk
efficacy of lighting

What should be considered to decide whether or not to implement skylight?


texts: What should I do about this gap between the tub and tile?

texts: anyone have any ideas what to do with the front edge of the tub.  My tub is rounded on the front top edges.  I have about a half inch gap. Looks to small to cut and mortar in a triangular piece of tile.   I was thinking of using sanded grout against the tile and caulk abound the tub.  Any suggestions? I have colored sanded caulk from the tile shop.  Could I just fill the gap with this?  Suggestions welcome


texts:
What's the difference between Roxul Comfortbatt for wood studs versus the one for metal studs.

Can I use Comfortbatt for metal studs on walls with wood studs? I'm finishing my basement and my local hardware store only have available the metal stud version...

Thanks


texts: Motion Sensor control on a carport light, with "over-ride" or "reversing" action from a 2 or 3 way light switch

texts: This project is to create a "security" system to light up the carport anytime someone enters or drives into the carport, but also with the ability to be remotely turned on for security suspicions or on/off for convenience use.


texts: What specs to look for in solar panels to know it can power a product?

texts: I wish to run a pond pump (such as this here) off of solar electricity, because the electricity in my area is very expensive, but clouds are rare. For this example, it is listed as running on 199 Watts and no other details are given about its electricity in the manual. I don't have a good understanding of electricity. What specifications do I need to search for when attaching a solar panel to this? Does it just need to have >= 199 Watts listed? Is volts or some other detail important? If the sun goes behind a cloud, and power is reduced, can that break the products that are plugged into it?


texts:
I have been installing new clapboard siding on my house. It is primed finger jointed cedar. The one time I had a friend help me he questioned my method of caulking. What I have been doing is installing the lengths then applying a bead of caulk to the ends where they meet the trim boards (I think that's what they are called. Basically, these are the long boards that run from the top to bottom of each corner) then finger smoothing the bead.

He suggested that I should be applying a thick bead of caulk, then apply the board squashing the board into the caulk.

Is there a preferred method? And is it one of the ones I listed?


texts:
we just had a new AC system installed in my florida house. the unit is in the garage, and the air handler is vertical with the evaporator on top.

the unit he removed had 2 condensate lines: one that drips outside on to the lawn and a second on that points at the floor but never dripped.

the new unit is only connected to the outside drain.

should the new unit have 2 drain lines?


texts: Correct gauge and jacket type for feeder wire to subpanel?

texts:
I need to install a 200A panel about 100 feet from the meter base.  I have 400A service coming to the building, broken out at the meter base into two 200A exterior disconnects.  One disconnect is currently unused, leaving it available for this project.  The loads on this panel will be: lighting/receptacles, HVAC units drawing 75A max, 2 clothes dryers, and 1 electric oven.  (Gas cooktop and water heater will be used.)

I'm seeing conflicting information about the size and type of wire to use in this run.

According to the 2011 NEC sizing table, 4/0 aluminum is the correct size to use, but max distance is not discussed.  Calculations show that there should be about 1.5% voltage drop across this distance at full current, which I believe is within the acceptable limits.

However, 2014 NEC and newer remove the sizing table, instead instituting the 83% size rule.

Cerrowire's ampacity chart shows 4/0 aluminum to be capable of 180A at 75*C, which does meet the 83% rule.  However, no voltage drops or additional heat due to increased resistance of longer distance wires are mentioned.

Also, I'm finding varying information about whether it's OK to run SE inside a building.  This page seems to indicate SE cables are fine, but if run through insulation, the ampacities at 60*C must be used.  In my installation, no insulation would be present, and the run would be through engineered wood I-joists between lower and upper floors of a single-family residential dwelling, so I am assuming I can use the 75*C ampacity numbers.

I discussed this with the electrical inspector, who seemed to be fine with 4/0 SER in this application.  However, I'm trying to understand whether I missed anything that can come back to bite me later.

I would appreciate your comments and suggestions on wire size and type in this application.

Thanks!


texts: Buzzing on laptop, stove and other electrical devices in Canary Islands

texts:
I have a friend who has moved to the Canary Islands (Spain) for a while.  She has told me that there is a buzzing that she feels when she touches many of the electrical devices.  I noted something similar when I was in Italy when I plugged in my laptop but the ground lead wasn't touching (strange plug on a power bar).  In the Canary Islands, there is no 3 prong plugs, only 2 prong.

So what I'm thinking is that this is more than likely a grounding issue.  I told her this and she told her landlord.  He stated that grounding on volcanic rock is very difficult.  Also, their water pipes are plastic, not metal like in the older houses in Canada, so grounding to that is not possible either.

So I have two questions:

Is the buzzing just an annoyance or is it in any way indication of a possible situation that could happen that is more dangerous?
She lives on a cliff overlooking the ocean, so I was wondering, if she were to get a big spool of wire, connect the offending appliances and the 3rd prong of her laptop to the wire, and throw the other end of the spool into the water (obviously stripping that end so that it is exposed), weighted down by rocks.  Would that be an acceptable ground?


texts:
First time here, hopefully first of many.
I have an older home, built in the early 1900s that I just purchased about a year ago. Okay in shape, but a lot of outdated items.
Currently, I am attempting to install ceiling fans into the three bedrooms upstairs, and I’m looking for some guidance/help.
Currently, the only lighting I have in each room is one wall sconce per room.
No light switches, nothing. The switch to turn the sconce on is attached to the sconce.
With it being an older home, there is no ground wire-simply a white and black.
I would like to install a ceiling fan and two switches(one for fan, one for light) into each room.
I have already prepped everything (holes, brackets, etc.) just need help with the wiring.
How do I go about it not being grounded? Is a metal box fine, or do I need a plastic one?
Also I imagine I can tap into what is in the sconce and use this to power the switches and fan? I’m existing black and white to switches, back up to fan? I imagine I would have to splice new wire in.
Forgive me if my vernacular is not the best, I’m just getting my feet wet lol
Thank you guys for all your help!


texts:
I'm stripping latex off my second story deck (8x38).  I've stripped approximately a 12x8' section using 2 gal of Jomax Stain & Finish Deck Stripper.  (This should have been enough to do 200 sqft instead of 90) While it says it will remove latex finishes, this product isn't exactly made to remove paint - but it has worked, slowly - dwell times of 1-2 hours instead of 15 minutes. It is also $20 per gal and I'd need 6 or 7 gals to complete the surface.

Since this, and most deck finish and paint strippers, are just Lye (Sodium Hydroxide) and a surfactant, what would a recommended ratio be to make my own solution?  1-2 oz lye to 1 gal - Stronger?

What surfactant - Tri-sodium phosphate? Dawn?

I'll whip something up tomorrow one way or another, so any pointers is appreciated.

I'll be neutralizing with oxalic acid.

I'm open to other recommendations for stripping that does not involve sanding or scraping.

[Of course, eye, skin, hearing, and respiratory protection will be worn throughout... ;)]


texts: I stripped the thermocouple adapter on the gas valve on my hot water heater so I cannot connect the thermocouple.

texts: I can tell the connection piece has threads, is there a way to unscrew that piece and replace with a new one?  The nut sheared off. Is there a way to alternately connect the end of the thermocouple to the gas control valve?


texts:
Doing a remodel and moved an outlet a couple studs over. Well once i hooked it back up....nothing. Plugged in a circuit tester and it's not reading anything, multimeter's got nothing either. Checked everywhere for a GFCI on that circuit. Also double triple triple double checked the breakers. I have a total of 14 outlets in my Living room and master that are dead. I think there are 2 separate breakers that control them. Where to go from here....

I may be imagining this, but it seems like the breaker switches to the said outlets are a little weaker then the others, as in, they turn "off" easier....

It was a pretty violent rewiring to say the least. I went through 1 of those blue receptacle boxes from the force used trying to manipulate the 14 gauge wires around and about 3 different holes. think i may have knocked something loose. What would an electrician do to start troubleshooting this?

Thanks Friends.


texts: Why's my fridge gasket so sticky, even after wiping it with warm soap water?

texts:
I'm asking just chiller gasket of my single-door Frigidaire fridge like this, bought new in 2015. I ask NOT the freezer gasket because it's not sticky and works normally. No food or liquid is leaking.
3 weeks ago, chiller gasket got sticky! It clings to chiller more tightly than usual. I have to use more force to pull chiller door open, and when it opens, I hear a much louder sound when suction pulls away.

I don't know how describe this sound. Any ideas?

If you find a place on the fridge seal (also referred to as the gasket) where air may be leaking because of gunk or other buildup, you can usually remedy the situation fairly easily by just giving the affected area a wipedown with warm soap and water on a rag.

I wiped down gasket 8 times now! 3 weeks ago, first I wiped with warm soap water just like quote. Second time, I wiped with just warm water rinse.

I repeated this 2 weeks ago, 1 week ago, and yesterday.  But chiller gasket still sticky! Why?


texts: Using red wire for smart thermostat voltage

texts: I want to add a smart thermostat. Why can’t I use the red wire voltage for the c wire? I’ve read where some say red wire is intermittent voltage, but mines constant.


texts: Why doesn't the new shower hose have the same protruding screw as the old one?

texts: I was just about to change my old shower hose, and I noticed that the new one doesn't fit, because it doesn't have a similar screw as the old one, as you can see in the following picture. The old one is on the left, the new one on the right. Also, on the producer's website, it says "This shower hose is compatible with most shower heads, with the flexible hose and stainless steel body."


texts: Strength of a 2 x 6 when 5.5" long hole is drilled through middle of the 1.5" face?

texts:
I haven't been able to find any information about the strength of a 2 x 6 acting as a joist or rafter when there are holes drilled through it in the middle of the 1.5" dimension, straight through the 5.5" to the other 1.5" face.  Most information is about the strength when holes are drilled through the 1.5" dimension...this question is about holes drilled through the 5.5" dimension.
Specifically, I am drilling 5/16" holes every 24" of a 10 foot 2 x 6, and I am curious how this affects the bending strength.


texts: How to remove combustion door for Kenmore Power Miser 9 water heater?

texts:
I removed the two screws on the sides of the door and tubes coming out from controller. However, the combustion door still don't want to come off so that I could service thermocouple (I have seen how this is done for other water heaters and access was easy in those cases). There are no other obvious screws that I see on the doors.

I found this "PARTS ORDER LIST" (although mine water heater Model # is 153.330952).

It shows parts, but it really does not explicitly point what else could be preventing the doors from coming off.

Could it be that door gasket due to temperature is simply stuck and I need to apply some force to remove the doors (or pry with screw driver)?
Is the gasket [factory] glued by any chance?
Any other ideas how to get to thermocouple?


texts: What are my options for installing a water softener on the opposite side of the house from the main water supply?

texts:
Background Info
My main water supply on my home is located on the east wall of the home, whereas my garage is located on the west side of the home. There is no water softener loop in the home, and in Arizona most water softeners are put in the garage on newer homes.
I would like to put in a water softener but I'm uncertain that I should re-plumb my water into the garage and back to the east wall into the house.
The way I see it I have two options:

Plumb from the mains on the east wall, under the landscaping and into the east wall of the garage. Then into the softener and out, under the landscaping into the east wall of the house.

Place the water softener behind the east backyard fence (outside), and plumb the east wall main through the fence and into the water softener. Then water softener to the east wall of the house.

My questions are:

What is: more cost effective and/or more logical to do?
What type of pipe should I use under ground, given we are located in Arizona.
Taking Arizona weather into account (Phoenix/Mesa area) if I chose #2 and placed the softener outside, what weather concerns should I know of: freezing, extreme heat, etc.?
Is there a specific type of softener I should look for?
Given Option #1 is the right choice, do I need to worry about line pressure drop going that far of a distance and back? approx 15-20ft each way (total of 30-40ft).

Pictures of the home
This is a crude drawing of option #1.

This is the location of the water main, as you can see its on the east wall in front of the backyard fence.


texts:
in a panel does it matter if the neutral wire goes to a different side of the panel than its corresponding hot wire?

or

can I connect two neutrals in a junction box that go back to different junction bars on the panel?


texts: How many degrees (angle) to open the water at the curb?

texts: If I want to turn the water on at the curb to I turn it 180? Or some other angle. It seems I've heard 90 degrees.


texts: Not to be used in totally enclosed or recessed luminaires

texts:
My question centers or the word "OR".
Should this be thought of
A) totally enclosed luminaires
   OR totally enclosed recessed luminaires
B) totally enclosed luminaires
   OR recessed luminaires.

Basically are NON enclosed recessed luminaires ok?
E.g., a ceiling with a recessed opening for a light but
      no cover of the recessed ceiling "hole"


texts: Can I glue poly supply line to a connector?

texts:
I just bought a new house. The PVC connection to the foundation watering drip line snapped off because of ground movement. I bought several 1/2" parts (black) and connected the PVC back up to the existing drip line (brown). However, the connectors seemed to go on too easy and now they are leaking some.

Can I glue these connectors in place? Or use a repair clamp?

Edit: I found another part of the brown drip line with netafim stamped on it. All their parts are sized in mm, so this confirms my suspicions that the sizes don't match exactly.


texts: What does "adjacent to water pipes within 3 feet of grade" mean?

texts:
Looking to see if I need to be careful using Termidor around water pipes and it says

Treatment of soil adjacent to water pipes within 3 feet of grade should only be done by the backfill method.

What does it mean to be "3 feet of grade" mean?  Does that mean I shouldn't use it anywhere near my water main or sewer pipe?
How does one measure a unit "foot of grade"?  If the ground is flat, what distance is that?


texts: Should I choose MDF or plywood for my false stair treads?

texts:
I'm looking to install false stair treads and risers on my basement stairs.  Generally, we're talking about a kit like this:

Which is installed with adhesive and finishing nails like this:

The project itself looks fairly straightforward, but I have an issue with product choice.

One product is MDF (IKEA Board) with 3/16 oak laminate on the tread surface, and the usual paper thin layer on the risers.

The other is plywood, with a similar laminate layer.

The price difference is pretty much a wash, so there's no clear advantage either way on that front.

Is there any reason I should choose the MDF over plywood or vice versa?


texts: Door sticks and drywall cracks, ledger board not level?

texts:
I noticed some drywall cracking in the corner above the door frame  on both sides of the door and that door is unable to fully close, a few weeks ago all was fine, crack was there but door could close (with weather warming up I understand it could be due to expansion).

This is in the addition of the house that was built about 5 years ago. This addition sits on top of crawl space and today I went down there to take a look.
I noticed where the ledger board beams meet, about 1/8” difference in their heights.

I used a 2ft level between the floor joists and some places was dead level some were a pretty off

The floor itself seems level. Don’t have a very long level to test on the floor. Just wondering if the floor joists all have to be dead level to each other or as long as the subfloor is level it’s fine? And also if one part of the ledger doesn’t line up with other, could it be by design? Or it shifted? It looks to be bolted into the foundational concrete blocks pretty well so not sure if it could shift?
Everything is dry and no rot anywhere.
I have no problem adjusting the door to close and patching the drywall around just want to make sure no foundation issue here or ledger I need to jack up and rebolt
Thank you very much and sorry for lengthy post


texts: We had an electrician move an outlet from one location to another, and he left a big outlet-shaped hole in our drywall.  The hole is 2.75" wide and 4.5" high.  When I looked inside, I noticed these two wires in there that seem like they're exposed (pic below).  Are these dangerous? Should I do something about them?


texts: Seal crack between brick wall and drywall

texts:
I've had an extension done a year ago and the builder did a wonderful job, but now after the winter the drywall is pulling away from the brick wall and there is a slight crack. The brick wall has been plastered and painted as well, just for the record.

I can paint it over but the crack will reappear, so I'm thinking about something more elastic. What is the best way to fix this?
Would silicone work? Or what about gloss paint, does that have enough elasticity in it?

This question is slightly different from this one which is more about a ceiling.


texts: Switch outlets to permanently hot. Switch to control new recessed lights

texts:
I have a small room with one switch outlet and 3 Hot outlets on the same circuit. The work is old and ungrounded. I’m looking to make the switched outlet permanantly hot and use the switch location to control 4 new recessed lights. I will be replacing the switch with a dimmer, replacing the outlet with a tamper-resist GFCI. Any help or brief walk through of what to do would be helpful. Here’s the situation:

Switch to the right inside door:

Switched outlet to right of switch

Hot outlet to the right of switched outlet


texts: Wood paint still not hardened after three weeks

texts:
We recently repainted our window sills from bare wood using one layer of wood primer, then five consecutive layers of an enamel based paint. We waited one day to allow the paint coats to setup.

The paint is still not hard enough, and putting heavy items leaves marks.

What has gone wrong? Do I just need to keep on waiting for a full hardening?


texts: Will this moisture problem persist after drywall is installed?

texts: we remodeled a trailer home recently, removed the aluminum siding, put up osb in place of the siding, then used the Lowes brand of house wrap. we installed new vinyl siding over that without using any of the thin fan board insulation that some people use.. on the inside, we are replacing drywall in areas where we took out or modified for new windows. we have waited for a week or so before placing the drywall and we noticed moisture between the insulation and the osb, question is, has this occurred mainly because the drywall was left off for several days while it is cold outside and warm on the inside of the house? we are hoping that the fact we didn't use that thin fan board insulation behind the vinyl is the reason for this problem. can anyone relate to this or know if I have a problem that will continue even with the drywall installed?


texts: How do you hard wire a garbage disposal?

texts:
I do not have a dishwasher. There was no existing garbage disposal and there is no plug under the sink. I'm trying to hard wire a garbage disposal there. I want to create a light switch off an existing plug and wire the garbage disposal to the light switch.

How do I go about doing that?


texts: How much structural support does a Gazebo require?

texts:
We are having a gazebo built on the end of a new deck. The deck is about 4 feet off the ground at the point where the gazebo will go and the contractor wants to use 4x4 posts dug into the ground all the way to the roof of the gazebo, to support the deck/and structure. The gazebo is 12x12, will have a double roof with cupola. With the roof I'm thinking it will be about 12' tall give or take. I know the inside will be about 8 feet clearance.

Will this be sturdy enough or should we use 6x6 posts?


texts: Why do my lights dim, when my neighbor's central AC turns on?

texts:
I understand that the lights would dim with a dryer or large AC on my own circuit system, but is it normal for that to happen when my neighbor's central AC turns on?

I validated the timing (hearing it from my window and seeing the lights, and it's even when there's nothing else on in the house.