texts: Does pumping a septic system disrupt the tank's ecology?

texts:
We are the original owners of a 4BR/2.5 Bath home that has been mainly occupied by 2 people over 14 years. (Occasionally 3 people for short periods of time, less than 1 year)

We have never had the cover dug/removed for the system / tank to be pumped.

I've gone by the "old school ecology" premise that if it is breaking down the intake effectively you should "leave it alone".  Once you start pumping regularly, you have disrupted an effective ecological working  system.

Is this a misnomer and a "plumber's tale"  or should I subscribe to the "pumpers tale" of thinking?


texts: How much sanding do I need to do to refinish a wood floor?

texts:
I'm planning to sand a hardwood floor, restain it and apply a clear coat.

I tried using a random orbital palm sander and a 40 grit sand paper on an inconspicuous location. The sander does remove material, but I am not sure if enough material has been removed for applying a stain.

Is there a rule-of-thumb or a test that I can perform to ensure the quality of the sanding?

EDIT :

Thank you all for your  comments. I rented a random orbital sander from a hardware store and these are the results :

What I did :

Used a rented random orbital floor and used 36,60,80 & 100 grit sand papers
Used a floor edger with 36(big mistake) , 60 , 80 , 100 grit
The floor edger ate up a lot of wood. I had to rent a square buffer floor sander and used 60grit and 100 grit papers.

The buffer helped feather out the edge with the rest of the floors. I'm hoping this does not become a big issue when I apply the finish. I'm applying a dark finish.


texts: Filling deep gaps at corners of maple flooring

texts:
I have fairly new natural maple 3/4" [about 4" wide] flooring installed. The installer was sloppy and where the flooring butted against doorways (no doors, just open frames), he should have side cut the vertical door moldings and placed the planks under, but he just straight cut and I have gaps. In the worst case I have an L shaped hole, 3/4" deep, 1/2" wide and about 3"x3".

As a result food from the adjacent kitchen, and water and anything can get in these spaces. I've though of filling with white silicon caulk to match the white moldings, or maybe beige to try and match the floor.  But I'm thinking that 3/4" deep is too much for that.

I have matching planks, so I could cut possible cut a couple of 1/2" pieces for the big gaps, but that won't work for the narrow gaps. I'm skilled in woodworking.


texts: Do ceiling joists need to rest on cross beams?

texts:
I am having a new home built by a national builder. They are framing now I see that ceiling joists in one area are not resting on a beam that divides two open rooms.

See the photo. The beam that runs in from the left side separates two open rooms. The room to the left of the beam has an 18' span. The room on the right side of the beam, has a 16' span. As you can see, the bottom rail (?) of the joists are not resting on the beam. Is this a structural issue I need to worry about?

The top rail of the joist is indirectly supported since it runs longer but I am not sure if this is enough. The same model is being built down the street and the same joists do rest on the beam, but only by about an inch.


texts: Identify voltage by looking into gang box

texts:
I was replacing few of my old manual thermostats with smart thermostats. While installing the new ones, I noticed that some of the gang boxes have 4 wires (2 black, 2 red). Some of them have 6 wires (3 black, 3 red).
All of my electric baseboard heaters are labelled as 208/240 V AC.
My question is,

Are the baseboard heaters that have 4 wires in gangbox running on 120v?
Are the baseboard heaters that have 6 wires in gangbox running on 240v?
Or they all are running on 240V regardless the number of wires in gangbox?

I do not need to know the actual operating voltage precisely, just need to know which range it is falling in, 120v or 240v.

This is in Canada.


texts: According to NEC 210.52 can this receptacle be counted as part of the required outlets in a dwelling?

texts:
Under NEC code artcile 210.52 Dwelling Unit Receptacle Outlets

...The receptacles required by this section shall be in addition to any receptacle that is:

(1) Part of a luminaire or appliance, or

(2) Controlled by a wall switch in accordance with 210.70( A) (1), Exception No. 1, or

(3) Located within cabinets or cupboards, or

(4) Located more than 1.7 m (5 ½ ft) above the floor

So my question is if I have a half switched outlet at 60" that is behind a painting, is that counted as part of the required outlets in a dwelling since it is less than 5 1/2 ft?


texts: Fence post behind retaining wall, drainage concern

texts:
I need to replace an old 2ft retaining wall(railroad ties) along my property line. There is not currently a fence there so I was going to take this project to add one. I am located in the PNW so there is plenty of wet.

I was planning on using concrete blocks for the wall and treated wood for the fence posts.  My issue is I don't understand how to best apply good fence post-drainage to the situation. I read up on fence posts for my area and it looked like the gravel for the bottom of the whole and concrete to just above the ground was the way to go.

The wall would be 2ft tall, the fence 6ft tall from the bottom of the wall, so about 4ft tall. If I did a 2.5ft hole relative to the bottom of the wall. Then in the hole gravel for 6" then concrete for 2ft to the bottom of the wall, I would have 2ft of post that is in the gravel backfill of the retaining wall.  Is that OK assuming my wall is well drained?  Or should I have 4ft of concrete?

The CAD below roughly shows my idea minus gravel and not to scale(the wall is 1ft in this CAD).

Thanks for the help!


texts: Finding one power wire to two lite switches. ugh!

texts:
I bought this house one year ago, have had some problems with its electrical. My bathroom switch controls bathroom clothing closet light and the bathroom light. I notice it really sounded funny at times like a short buzz when I would flip them on.
I asked around and was told probably switch needs changing out sounded like it was arking.
so I bought a couple of switches to change it out. When I got the switch off, I noticed one wire with insulation cut to bare and hook to one switch and then the end of same wire connected to the other switch.
So I had one wire connecting both in a rough fashion. I disconnected it from the closet switch as I can manage without that for a while and then wrapped the bare spot with electrical tape then attached it back to the one switch for the bathroom light.
Now of course the closet light doesn't work but the bathroom light does and you don't get that buzz when you flip it.
So Im thinking this wasn't a good wiring but I do not see another power wire available although there are a lot of wires in that box.
Can someone tell me a safe way of connecting that one wire to both switches so my lights work but I don't have that arc?
I am a female diyer...Ive installed ceiling fans and stuff cuz its color coded...but every wire in this box is either white or black and there is one copper looking wade in there too.
thanks


texts: Can I use an aluminium heatsink in a inox chimney?

texts:
I have recently installed a pellet stove  with an inox chimney.
I realized that the chimney actually warms a lot and part of this heat ends up being dissipated outside the house (where chimney goes out).

I was thinking about ways of optimizing the system. It would be desirable to dissipate as much heat as possible inside since that's the goal of having such a stove.

Part of the chimney is hidden behind the stove and I was thinking of putting on this area some heatsinks to dissipate as most heat as possible inside the room.

Would an aluminium heatsink work? The chimney gets very hot (I haven't checked yet) and aluminium is used in systems up to 200 degrees as far as I know.

Would this be a good idea? would it work?


texts: My house’s heater uses a hot surface ignitor. The ignitor won’t come on. All I hear is the motor running and no attempt at ignition. A professional checked it out and said electronics are good. This has happened to me three times, 2x in the past 30 days. He came the first and second time, not this last time. What could be the issue? Could it be the hot surface ignitor, or the flame sensor?[![enter image description here]3]3


texts:
We just repainted the wall and fixed the plaster last November due to water damage. Recently, I discovered that there appears to have some water damage on the wall again. This damage is right below a window. But the window has been closed the entire winter.

Can anyone help me to figure out what is the source of water damage?

I checked the exterior and couldn't find anything that needs repair including the tuck-point. Can it be condensation? The window curtain is also closed at all time which may make the condensation worse.

Below is the first time we had water damage last year.

2/2 Update: I took some photos as Jack recommends. I can see the paint on the exterior window sill needs to be repaired. But could that be the reason? We don't know much about whether if the window is original.But it's an old house and the window seems old.

Exterior Wall


texts: Can a lower cabinet be used over a floor vent?

texts: I didn't see this question asked after my search but I have a wall in the kitchen that has nothing against it and we are wanting to add some cabinets but towards the right of this wall, about 5' from it, is a vent in the floor. I was wondering if a lower base cabinet can be sectioned/front-cap removed or if there was a special fitting (such as a 90 vent cover just for the base of cabinets) to allow ventilation from a vent in the floor? We do get vary broad climate changes so I was curious to know if I do add a vent in the bottom base would that possibly warp the cabinet even if I insulate it?


texts: Can I build a 3 stage whole house water filter myself?

texts:
I wanted to get any thoughts and suggestions on setting up a 3 stage whole house filter for a well. The idea is to take the individual whole house filter and put 3 of them in series together.

First, I would be using a filter strainer to get any large debris (250 to 150 microns), then the stages would be 50 micron, then 5 micron, then 1 micron.

Well -> Storage -> PreFilter(150) -> Stage 1 (50) -> Stage 2 (5) -> Stage 3 (1)

I know you can buy 3 stage units but they charge around 170 to 200 and buying single whole house filters cost 25. Granted I still need to buy connectors and piping for each but the total cost will still be lower.

Does this sound like a decent whole house solution? Does the 3 stage units do something different than just a series?


texts: How does a contractor determine the water performance rating needed for a sliding glass door?

texts:
We had our home recently renovated, and after a large rain, during AZ's last monsoon season, we found a large puddle on water in the house back our new sliding glass door.  After determining we didn't leave anything open we figured out that the issue was due to water coming from the track.  After even more research, we found that the track our contractor install has no water rating.
Our contractor is saying that we approved the design of the door and they showed us that they were using the flush sill.  We were never told that the because they selected the flush sill that we may have water leakage or shared the image below.
My question is how is a contractor supposed to calculate the "PSF" rating for a sliding door?  Is there some sort of guide?


texts: Can led christmas lights flash on and off when they are completely unplugged from the wall??  I am not sure how my lights are doing this and usually late at nite, i can not find a logical reason...if anyone has ideas as to how or why this can happen ??


texts: Converting pool timer box to smart wi-fi sytem

texts:
I have a timer box going to my pool. Not sure whether its 115 or 240. I want to take off the timer box and install a regular receptacle to plug the motor into. Using smart Wi-Fi Outdoor plug.
thx


texts: GFCI conversion trouble: receptacle not screwing into outlet support plate

texts:
I'm trying to convert old "razor only" receptacles to GFCI protected ones in bathrooms. Since the old outlets are large 2-gang 4" boxes, I had to get GFCI conversion kits (manufacturer's specs) with a 2-gang, 1 centered receptacle support plate and wall plate:

The problem: the holes where the new GFCI receptacle should screw in (the small circles in the support plate at the right in the image above) are untapped.

It is extremely difficult to screw in the receptacle's screws into those holes.
The hole size seems about right, matching the shaft diameter of the screw without the threads. A 7/64" drill bit slides smoothly in the hole.

The receptacle's screws are tapered at the tips and they can get the threading started, but it gets stuck quickly. I tried using the old receptacle's screws to continue the threading and it is so difficult that the screw head broke. I also found another switch with what appear to be self-tapping screws of the same thickness and threading, and they can't even get started.

I unfortunately don't have taps. I also thought of drilling the holes a bit larger, but the next drill bit size seems to be 1/8" which looks too big.

Am I missing something? I would think this must be a standardized part that is meant for simple installation without so much difficulty or additional steps such as thread tapping. For example, this how-to guide.


texts: I bought an HDMI booster to help my 5 meter HDMI to get signal boost without any Audio or Video Dropout. I joined two different HDMI cable to use it on my projector but my projector keep re syncing every 2 sec when i'm using the booster for strong signal, Any idea why I'm having this re sync issue?


texts: Gap between wall flange and cement board

texts:
I know that it is recommended that a (shower and such) flange rests againts cementboard but that would result in my flange raised above the tile more that I'd like so I decided to tuck the flange into the cementboard so that, in the end, it is more flush with the tile. As a result, I have a small gap  between the flange and the cementboard, about 1/8" on average.

I did all the prep work but will be outsourcing the tile work. My question is, will the tile guy be able to work with this gap as is and still get the tile to go up to the flange (then maybe caulk or grout around) or should I reinforce it with mash tape and fill it with something like thinset or some product that comes in a caulking tube? I do have the luxury of access from the back (which is where my utiliy room is) and could reach to set mesh on that side.


texts: Electrical wiring methods , Acceptable or Not-Acceptable

texts: I came across newer Residential Remodel, in Southern California, where All work is alleged to have been properly Permitted by local jurisdiction" including electrical-system wiring for garage-door opener and a bathroom' s ventilation fan that backs into an interior' s hallway closet, see pics.  My question is the wiring' s type and / or wiring method are acceptable or done in accordance to common construction practice?


texts: What is controlling this baseboard heater without a thermostat?

texts: I have a baseboard heater in my bathroom. It doesn't have a thermostat on the heater itself and there isn't one on the wall either. When I want heat I have to turn on the breaker feeding that heater. The problem is, the heater gets warm but not warm enough. After half an hour I can put my hand on the baseboard heater and it isn't hot at all. It's warm. Since there isn't a thermostat anywhere, what would be determining the temperature of this heater? And can it be adjusted somehow?


texts:
I know this subject seems to be debated to no end but I have a few questions/comments.

My main service panel is in my attached garage and I want to add a 100 amp subpanel about a foot or 2 to the side of it to power a mini split, air compressor, welder, and few other future tools for my garage workshop (mill/lathe/CNC router, etc)

I have a Square D QO load center as my main breaker with lug attachments rated at 75C and it looks like Square D rates their breakers for 60/75C service. Looking at 310.15(B)(16), I can get away with 3 AWG CU or 1 AWG AL wire rated for 75C but I just need to make sure the subpanel terminal lugs are rated for 75C as well. Correct?

I'd rather work with copper conductors since they will be smaller and easier to manipulate but I'm not finding a whole lot of 3/3 cable available. I also figure that using SE cable would be easier instead of messing with conduit unless I come in right below the original service panel and run the wire straight down into the subpanel with a short, straight piece of conduit. Don't know if there's any code against doing that or not (height issues). But if I did it that way, I could use individual 3 AWG CU wires which might be easier to source.

Any thoughts/comments?


texts: Water coming in BELOW sump pit inlet pipe! Is this normal?

texts:
So, we live in a new house (moved in a year and a half ago as soon as the build was finished). We moved in during the dead of a Canadian winter. Even still, my sump pit would fill and pump put quite frequently. I knew the water table here was high, so not incredibly surprising. After about a month, we got a permit to route our sump to the sanitary floor drain which was great; didn’t have to worry about recycling water and creating a “fountain” effect.

Fast forward a year and a half and here’s the problem I’m facing. Although this past winter I noticed our pit didn’t fill nearly as much (chalk it up to water table changing and grading around the house actually being completed?), it has started filling like crazy over the past few days (mid-April) as the weather has suddenly warmed and we’re dealing with lots of snow melt. There’s no water resting directly against the house, but our whole area has a lot of pooling water. There are even little sloughs created across the alley past our backyard. So I feel like it’s inevitable that this rapid snow melt will affect the water table. Here’s the problem though—as my pit is filling, the water is coming in EXCLUSIVELY through a tiny gap between the bottom of the ABS pipe and the hole cut in wall of the sump basin that receives the inlet pipe. So the pipe itself seems to suddenly not be bringing water in; rather, water is coming in through a relief point through a crack between the inlet pipe and the basin wall (as it is not sealed all too well at all.)

I’ve called around and a lot of people seem to think it’s normal. They say that as the water underneath the slab gets higher/more saturated, the water is simply finding a relief point and is making its way through that crack. (Note that this isn’t a permeable/perforated pit; a solid pit with only the inlet and discharge pipes coming in/out.)

This makes some sense to me. However, I’m thrown off by how it seems like NO water is coming in through the inlet pipe anymore. Could it possibly have come detached under our slab? Most people I talk to seem to think not—they say the inlet pipe will be solid ABS pipe all the way to the outside of our foundation wall, after which point it will T off to perforated drain tile.

Anyway, let me know if this seems normal! I’m stressing over wondering if something underneath our slab is broken/detached and wondering if that’s why water is coming in through this crack instead of the pipe.

Thanks.


texts: What is the best drill bit to use to drill a hole in a chainsaw bar?

texts: I need drill a 3/8" diameter hole in my chainsaw bar to attach a plate on it.


texts: LEDs to illuminate underside of king bed

texts:
I purchased a king sized bed that was designed in the 1980s, and it was lit from underneath.   I thought that the bed was arriving with this lighting still in place, but the lighting was evidently removed some time ago.  I want to add lighting, to get the effect I thought would already be in place.   My vision is pretty simple:  White lights under three sides of the bed, set to a timer for a couple of hours at night and an hour in the morning.

I know almost nil about lighting.  I would appreciate advice regarding ways to do this project.   I have seen a few posts and blogs about ways to do this, but most that I've found focus on getting the lowest cost, and safety seems overlooked.    Also, a lot of the posts are a few years old, and I wonder if newer products are available since those posts were created.

I am keeping my fingers crossed that it will be simple, but it will be what it will be…   I am willing to hire someone, if needed.   Thanks in advance for any guidance you can lend.


texts: Type of Replacement Switch For Auto Dimming Outdoor Security Light

texts: I have an existing security light mounted on my garage, with two floodlight bulbs, that comes on at dusk.  The light is generally on in a dimming mode all night, unless the motion detector senses a presence.  This light can be operated from a switch (that has an anti-kid tampering lock on it) located in the house.  I believe the switch is in need of replacement.  What type of switch is used for this... single pole, three way, etc.?


texts: I'm thinking of setting up a drain from my sauna through the floor of my house into my crawlspace.  Practically speaking, would this damage the house?


texts: Water main entry change from1/2" to bigger to change pressure

texts: I change main entry from 1/2" to bigger and the rest of home piping still1/2 " will it change pressure or all piping has to be changed?


texts: How much clearance is required around a kitchen island?

texts: How much space should at least be around a kitchen island?


texts: How do I convert a ceiling fan with 2 separate wall switches to a separate fan & light switch?

texts: How do I convert a ceiling fan with 2 separate wall switches, 1 for the light and 1 for the fan, to a separate fan & light switch? My next question is it possible to convert the second switch from the ceiling fan to a wall outlet? The ceiling fan has 1 white wire 1 black wire and 1 red wire. I'd appreciate if you could show me wiring diagram if it is possible to convert the second ceiling fan switch to wall outlet.


texts: Selection of Breaking Capacity in Circuit Breakers

texts:
Modular Circuit Breakers such as this DX3 Legrand MCB (ref.) are rated with a:

Nominal Rating: 3x63A,
Operational Curve: C,
Breaking Capacity: 6kA 400VAC (IEC 60898-1) | 10kA 400VAC (IEC 60947-2),

The commercial alternatives for these kind of modules starts with 6|10kA such as the shown MCB, but 10|16kA rating and higher, e.g. for moulded case, are available.

How this last parameter should be specified, in particular, for electrical panels directly installed below transformers (150kVA 10kA transformer, in a 13kV line)?

I know some assumption about a typical line fault should be assumed for the whole distribution area, but I don't have any other specific calculation, such as in here.


texts: How can I level my basement floor, which has a 4-inch dip?

texts:
I googled today on how to level a basement floor. Most people recommend using SLC (self leveling concrete)... I don't think I can just use that because of the pitch of my floor (and from what I hear, the price of SLC). The house was built in the 1930's and has settled since then. Its higher in the middle. About 3-4 feet away from one of the walls it start to dip and at its lowest its about 4 inches down.

So what I imagine I can do is this:

Clean the floor
Use some sort of primer so that the concrete sticks together
Pour regular concrete, so that it comes close to level
Once that drys use the primer on top of that
Pour SLC

Will the SLC be strong enough to support wooden beams for the walls - that will be butt up against the joists near the wall?

What would your recommendations be? Please note that I plan on finishing the basement so I will be putting horizontal wooden beams around the room with drywall in front.

As a bonus question. There are two wooden joists in the ceiling in my basement that are holding up my fridge in my kitchen (as well as a wall). They have warped (sagging) about 1/2 - 1 inch and I would like to put a supporting beam underneath it in the basement. What can I get to very gradually lift the beam back in place so that I can place the supporting beam underneath it?


texts: What could be causing the washing machine waste pipe to overflow?

texts:
I'm the opposite of knowledgeable when it comes to plumbing however I have done a fair amount of searching through forums to find an answer to my problem and unfortunately still have questions.

To make it easier, I have taken a picture of the pipes as well as the actual waste hose behind my machine.

The hose from the machine sits in what I believe is called the standpipe on the left and goes approximately half a foot down.

I have taken apart the p bend (or u bend - still don't know the difference) and confirmed that there is no blockage.

I have run a snake down and around all the pipes with no issues and also used some soda crystals just incase but water flows through the pipes easily.

What I believe is the issue is that the output from the machine is producing water faster than it can travel through the pipes which are 40mm in diameter.

I believe that if I removed the p bend and just replaced it with a 90° corner, it would work fine but obviously it's there for a reason and particularly with the pipes only a 6 feet from the drain, I'm very reluctant to do that.

One more thing to point out is that on the right hand side, there is a pipe which I have capped off. I was wondering if that trapped air could be preventing the water flowing down as quickly and if I need to find some kind of air valve which may allow air out?

As it stands, I have just put the waste hose into the sink next to the machine and that has let me at least use it for now.


texts: Floating, click together vinyl laminate strips versus square tiles and spreadable adhesive?

texts:
I am planning to cover or replace an existing kitchen vinyl tile floor.

Home Depot user ratings on this click-together floating vinyl are split between high and low. The low ratings talk about difficulty to install.

One potential problem is an unlevel floor.  I can check the floor, so that is not an issue.

Another potential problem is expansion due to change in temperature. The HD video shows installing the floor around a floor HVAC vent.  That is what I will have to do.  Should I expect a problem over time due to the change in temperature.

Are there other installation or wear issues unique to floating vinyl versus vinyl tiles with spread-on adhesive?

The floating vinyl claims to be made of several layers and the salesman said they wear well as a result. I have not seen layers on the usual vinyl tiles.

In short, what are the pros and cons of using floating vinyl planks vs vinyl tiles and adhesive?


texts: Different Pressure in Parts of the House

texts: We are in the middle of remodeling our house. The water pressure in the bathroom is low but at the outside back faucet it is very high. The shower head doesn't have enough pressure to run it correctly. And the pop-off valve on the brand new water heater is leaking every time we run hot water. Any suggestions what may be going wrong and how to fix it?


texts: How do I install a bathroom exhaust system?

texts:
We are set to close on our house in about three weeks and one of the problems that the inspector noted was that the vent in the guest bath vents into the attic (never going outside) and the master bath does not have a vent at all.

We do not have much experience with DIY home repairs, but would like to do as much ourselves as is feasible so we have a better understanding of the house and how it works.

First of all, how simple would it be to extend the vent from the attic to the outside, and what would we need to do so without causing additional problems with the roof, and secondly, how easy is it to install a vent in a bathroom that does not have one?


texts: Would pipe from radiator to bottom of hot water tank be supply or return?

texts:
I have one radiator that does not work at all (although it has worked in the past). Unlike all the other radiators that come directly of the main supply and return pipe from the boiler I can see that one end of the radiator is connected to a pipe that runs directly to the bottom of the hot water tank. I cannot trace where the other pipes goes, it seems to run towards the back of the hot water tank but cannot see where it goes after this point. Because this radiator is newly installed we don't actually know which pipe is the supply and which is the return, both pipes are stone cold. Its replacing a previous one but the installer didn't make note of which end had the thermostatic valve before he removed it and redid the pipes.

My questions are:

Why has this radiator been attached directly to hot water cylinder
Will the pipe attached to the bottom of the hot water cylinder be
supply or return ?
Where logically should other pipe attach.
What could stop it from working ?


texts: Help wiring a GFCI outlet with multiple wires in the box

texts:
I was replacing/upgrading some electrical outlets in my house to GFCI. I did two of them, the third one is in the garage. The box has an outlet and a poll switch, I went to replace it but the outlet has 4 white wires, 2 black wires and a red. (Maybe because the switch is a 3 way switch?)
I broke the original outlet taking wires out. After trying to figure out the wiring diagram it started to get dark. I can't use the lights because power is off.
I couldn't figure out the GFCI wiring. So had an extra old outlet around and wired it for safety.
I need advice on how to wire it?
When I go back to the house   I will take pictures.


texts: What is this kind of security bolt head called, and how can I remove it?

texts:
A previous owner fitted the light fitting pictured above, and has not left me a tool to remove the bolt. The bulb has blown so I need to get in to the unit. The head diameter is about 12mm and the gap between the two notches is about 6mm. I would like to remove it with some technique involving more finesse than simply smashing up the fitting and/or drilling out the bolt.

I hope someone can recognise the bolt and give me a search term which will let me cheaply buy a bit for this bolt from somewhere like Ebay UK.


texts: Supporting foam board melts when cutting plywood

texts:
First time cutting plywood using foam board as support, and it burns, melts, and produces enough smoke that I have to open the garage to ventilate it after every cut. There is no damage to plywood, but burning foam does not support the cut, thus leading to chip out. Here is the example of what it does:

The foam board is a major brand pink insulation from a big box shop. That seems to be the kind that I see being recommended for that purpose, but it appears to be a softer foam than the one it should be, the harder styrofoam-like substance (For instance, Kreg talks about rigid foam insulation). What chemical compounds should I get for this application, and what should I avoid?

I use 4600 rpm worm-drive Skilsaw with the track sled attached and thin kerf 40-tooth blade, so it shouldn't be an issue.


texts: Should I add a vapor barrier to kraft faced insulation?

texts:
I am redoing our master bath. We completely gutted the room, and I have two exterior walls with R13 kraft paper faced insulation. Should I add a 6 mil plastic vapor barrier to the walls? Would it trap in moisture, or help as an additional vapor barrier? I'm thinking it will cut down on any leaking drafts as well. I have two large headers for two windows that have no insulation behind them (no room) I'm thinking the plastic will cut out any drafts. I have the same kraft insulation in the ceiling also, and want to do that with plastic as well.

Also is R13 the maximum I can use in a typical 2 x 4 studded wall?


texts: I've installed some laminate flooring, and am coming to do the edging.  I'm aware that I can't fix the edging to the floor itself, but to the wall.  However, the wall is just brick.  I've tried using PVA and even silicone, but it's very difficult to get it to actually stay on the wall.  Does anyone have any suggestions as to something else I could use to fix the edging in place?


texts: Are 2 prong outlets that are downstream of a GFCI outlet ground fault protected?

texts:
If I place a GFCI as the first outlet in a series of ungrounded 2-prong outlets, and connect the wires going to the other outlets to the load terminals of the GFCI, will it "protect" the entire series of outlets if a grounding event occurs?

If it would protect it, would a GFCI breaker on an ungrounded circuit accomplish the same thing?

I may have read some misinformation that said that the GFCI measures differences between the hot/neutral and hot/ground, so I'm not sure what's true.

I found a similar question (Are non-GFCI outlets that are downstream of a GFCI outlet ground fault protected if they are fed from the GFCI outlet's load side?) but it didn't say if it would work on an ungrounded system.


texts: Low pressure with shallow sand point, increased pressure tank to 86 gallon, how do I use more of the water in the tank before the pump turns on?

texts:
I have had really low water pressure. I have a 3 year old Sta-rite 1/2 hp jet pump and a 30' deep, 12 fixtures and a house built 12 years ago.

I get about 3 mins of decent pressure then the pump kicks in and the pressure drops considerably. I was told going from a 20 gal pressure tank to a larger tank would give a longer duration of decent pressure. I installed an 86 gal tank, and it did almost nothing, better pressure but for the same amount of time. I spent over $450 installing the new tank..How do I fix this?

It was a pre charged unit, I didn't install or change the pressure switch, the piping is cpvc after the pressure tank, bronze from the pump, galv from the point to the pump


texts:
I recently moved into a new house and during the inspection, the inspector noted that there was a fan in the attic space above the garage.

He also mentioned that I could probably just unplug it because they do not typically install them anymore now that houses have air conditioners because:

The fan moves the hot air out of the attic area
This pulls air from the main floor of the garage into the attic
Which pulls the air-conditioned air out of the house and into the garage.

Thus making the air conditioner have to run more often. He said that they instead are now just putting vents in those areas.

Is this true? Are there other considerations I should take into account? The attic area is pretty nicely finished and will be used for storage of things we will use about once a year (mostly Christmas decorations). I do not think anything that would be stored there is super temperature sensitive.


texts: Cut wire too short when installing light fixture - now what?

texts:
I was trying to install a hanging lamp in the dining room.  The wiring was way too long (the wiring was already quite a bit longer than the chain but I had to completely remove the because the ceiling isn't that high) so I measured and cut the wire, but when I then tried to assemble the lamp at the ceiling I realized I hadn't accounted for the face that the wire has to go through a narrow support tube before it comes out behind the ceiling cover.  As a result, when the wire comes through the tube it just barely sticks out, not even enough for the exposed wires to clear.   If there was maybe 1/2" more wire I think I would have room for the wire connectors to be connected. I'm not sure how I can splice the wires together because the tube isn't much wider than the wires and I don't think a splice would fit into the tube.  Plus, the exposed wired being right at the mouth of the tube would seem to make things trickier.

How can I recover from this mistake and finish installing the lamp?

Update: Here is a picture of the fixture:

I managed to get a bit more slack and put a wire connector on the ground for reference.  The hot and neutral wires could use a bit more exposed wire, but I think it will be usable as is.  If there was some way I could shorten the single chain link that could fix the problem, as presently I can wire it up to the ceiling if the link isn't taut (but then the fixture is being supported by the wire, not the link.

Second update: I replaced the link with something shorter and now I have enough slack that I can get the wires to touch, but when I put the connector on and tighten it up, it doesn't bite enough against the lamp wire to hold it.  Could I possibly splice it directly in the connector?

Final update: After the last update I was able to get both connectors to tighten up properly, one by itself and the other by twisting a bit of extra wire around both wires first.  The lamp comes on and doesn't have any flickering or other malfunctioning, so I think we are good.


texts:
Wondering if anyone had any suggestions to stop air leaks where floor meets baseboard. Is caulking the best way to go?

The room with the air leaks has a cold floor anyway as it sits over an non heated stairway, but stopping the leaks would be a good step in the right direction toward a bit more comfort.

Thanks!

Jam


texts: ComfortMaker GUH075 series high-efficiency (93%) furnace isn't making heat

texts: It worked a couple of days ago but today the fan blows but the burner doesn't seem to come on.  The status indicator inside the access panel flashes four times but I can't find any reference to tell me what that means.


texts: Grounding 200A Main Panel with Changes to Water & Gas

texts:
Going through an extensive DIY remodel of a "total electric" 60's town-home in Texas.

EXISTING is 200A main panel with neutral bonded to ground consisting of  #6 bare solid Cu to cold feed Cu pipe on HW heater. All plumbing is underground Cu back to meter (approx 70' to meter from HW heater). No other grounding apparent; no rods or UFERS.

REMODEL will:

Add a gas service and incorporate gas appliances wherever possible (largest will be combination gas range + 50A oven)
Use PEX from main water feed throughout (all underground Cu plumbing will be disconnected).

QUESTIONS:

How should the 200A main panel be grounded? (Note its currently 30'
of #6 to the old Cu water line that will run approx 50' under the
slab before it is disconnected)
How (if necessary) should the main
    water meter and entry line be bonded since it will no longer be
    bonded to the panel?
How should the new gas service be bonded?

THANKS!


texts: High Power Bills Related to Air Conditioner

texts:
So I seem to be having trouble with my power bills (they've often been near $400 while other people in my area with a similar sized house usually get around $140), and I've isolated the issue to my air conditioner (I shut the AC off during the day one day and saw that my power utilization instantly went down, we have smart-grid so the power company reports on an hourly basis on a website).

At first I started sealing just about everything I could think of (made sure my doors closed tighter, sealed off my fireplace, and used foam insulation just about everywhere I could think of) to get a tighter air seal.

I also had my AC system serviced (they added about 3/4lb of Freon and cleaned the evaporator coils), and replaced my filters and cleaned the coils on the compressor outside.

In spite of this, I'm keeping my house temperature around 80 degrees (it's usually 92-97 outside right now), and it's making very little difference that I can see during the heat of the day.  My ecobee3 is reporting that the system runs nearly non-stop in the afternoon.

The HVAC tech tells me that the system is doing just about as much as it can do, and what I have is what I have.  My house is 2,100 square feet and I have a 4 ton unit, which he tells me is appropriately sized.  I use the older R-22 style coolant as well (unit is about 12 years old).

Is there anything else that can be done to help with these high power bills?  I know my attic is pretty hot during the day, and when the AC first turns on, it feels like the heater is turned on.  I've thought about putting a fan and some duct-work up there to try and build a cheap ventilation system to try and cool it down some, but I'm not sure how much that would do.


texts:
I'm trying to add an outlet to this switch box, I live in the UK and tried to diagram this the best I can of what I can see.
How do I connect a T+E cable (attached to an outlet) to this system?


texts: Why do you need to have gate valves fully open?

texts:
My house's main water shutoff is a gate valve. My plumber has told me several times to remember always to make sure the valve is either completely open or completely closed, never in between.

I'm wondering why this is. The water pressure does not appear to be any different if the valve is halfway open or fully open, so why does it matter?

I'm not doubting the plumber's advice. I'm just curious about why this is the case.

Secondarily, if gate valves should never be only partly open, why don't they just make them so that they have to be fully open or fully closed, like a ball valve? Are ball valves a newer invention?


texts:
I am investigating routing scoop handles on some pocket doors that have already been installed. Is this possible? I would be using a CNC cut template clamped to the door.

Here is what I'm trying to do:

Can I use a router on a vertical surface? Anything else I should know?


texts: So much humidity in home over the winter

texts:
My home is a single level ranch style. All new windows that are less than 4 yrs old. It has base board heating. During the cold season, when the heat is on, there is an extreme excess of condensation on the inside of the windows in most rooms. In one bedroom, where there is a large bay window and small sliding window, I frequently find pools of water at the base of the bay window. Even the ceiling in one side of that room occasionally has droplets of water in about an area of about 1 foot and shows speckles of mold. I clean using a bleach solution but it comes back every month. This is the worst room in the house.

I have checked the insulation in the attic and it is sparse. Even the walls adjacent to the exterior are cold to the touch in the winter. I have 3 to 3 hanging bags of "Damp Rid" in the room but the problem persists. I have used a Dehumidifier in the past but it really drives up my electric bill.

My question is why is there so much condensation happening? What can be done to prevent or reduce it? Thank you for the feedback.


texts: Can landscape adhesive be used for a masonry fire pit?

texts:
I'm building a fire pit...Just like in this video.

At 1:40 he is using an adhesive (looks like versa-lok concrete adhesive).  I didn't think it was needed, but I like the idea.  I thought video would use it on the base, but they use it only on the courses.
I didn't see anything about high heat in on the tub.
Is it effective under heat?
Can something like this give off dangerous fumes when heated?


texts: Capped Water Heater Pressure Relief Extension Pipe

texts:
The answer seems fairly obvious, but maybe I am wrong.  Many water heaters have extension pipes plumbed into the pressure relief valves.  I'm assuming that this is to keep hot water from spraying around if the valve opens:

On the water heater in my garage, the pipe runs to a little bit above the floor and then ends.  This seems like the normal correct way to do this.  At my uncle's house, however, I noticed that the plumber soldered a cap on the end of the extension pipe.  This seems not only wrong, but potentially dangerous as the valve will simply open into a closed pipe which has no way to actually relieve the pressure of the valve it was installed for in the first place.
Is this as wrong as it seems, or a completely normal installation?


texts: Is there any problem using brass screws to fit zinc hinges?

texts:
I have a set of brass screws that fit the zinc hinges and in the interests of not wasting money and resources, I thought I could just use them together.

I realise that they may look a bit odd, but they won't be on show and may yet be painted.  I was just concerned that they may be weak or not work well together.


texts: What type of lubrication should I use on a squeaky swing set?

texts:
There's a bracket around the top tube with a hole in it. A bolt passes through the hole, to hold a doodad that the swing chain can be connected via an S bolt.

When the swing swings, it makes an awful squeak.  I was originally thinking of spraying it with silicone spray, but then thought white lithium grease or powdered graphite would be better. It's metal on metal contact, and outdoors.

What would be the most appropriate lubrication to use in this situation?


texts: How can I fix this portion of sliding screen door track?

texts:
The track which my screen door slides on has weep holes.  One of them finally gave way, leaving a gap ( see photos).  I cannot find this track style anywhere that I, as a general consumer, have looked. How can I get this fixed or fix it myself? I prefer to not have to replace the entire assembly if I can help it.

Is there, perhaps, a filler of some sort?

I'm currently searching on "sliding door track rail cover".

Click for full size image

Repaired

Based on the selected answer, here is the repair using multiple tiny clippings of aluminum from a can of dog food and judicious application of JB Weld.  The hold is extremely strong when pushed and the roll-over is fine.  There is no longer a weep hole here.  While I did coat the piece that lays flat on the surface, the epoxy either came off or receded; I plan to apply more epoxy to complete the seal.  Excess JB Weld has flaked off the track.

Update June, 2015: still holding strong a year and a half after the additional sealing.  I just moved, so this is the final update.

Click for full size image


texts: Enclosing cable run through living space

texts: I will be installing a 230v 20a outlet. To run the cable, it will run down the wall of my living room (brick house). The cable will be 10/3 cable (the orange plastic wrapping). What is the proper way to protect the cable? Will the stick-on cable management system be enough, or do I need conduit?


texts: Is torn kraft paper vapor retarder in the attic a problem?

texts:
I'm adding additional insulation in my attic. Unfortunately, I tore the kraft paper vapor barrier of the existing fiberglass insulation in many places while air sealing. Is this a problem? Or is this simply what happens when you air seal? Do I need to replace the insulation where the kraft paper is torn?

More Detail:

I live in Maryland. The vapor retarder (kraft paper) is facing toward the conditioned side. The house was built in 1967, so I had to pull up the existing insulation in order to air seal. As the kraft paper tabs on the existing insulation are stapled, I inevitably ended up with a lot of tears around light junction boxes, top plates, etc.


texts: Can I touch the metal frame or do I need to ground it?

texts:
I live in Eu and I connected the blue - neutral and the brown - hot to the light jack. There is no third ground wire in the cable and i am afraid to touch the black steel frame - is it dangerous, should I ground it or is it not necessary?

Please help

Edit and update:

I added new photos

I connected the blue neutral wire to the T210 and the brown wire to the OE50(or something like that) There is no label except class 1 insulation symbol on the light bulb socket and again class 1 on the electric cable and some others which I don't know what they mean.

No double insulation symbol so I guess I need to ground or buy a cable with ground wiring.

Here are the photos.

Update 2 and new related question.

I found out some celing lamp was wired as seen in photo. It is same level 1 insulation and the ground is not connected to nothing. Was that done wrong?
Should I turn off electricity at the fuse box as precatution and connect green/yellow - ground wire to that steel bolt, would that ground it?


texts:
My basement is CMU blocks and concrete floor.

I had water issues, so I waterproofed it with an interior french drain, drainboard at the edge and a sump pump.  This wouldn't take care of dampness so I added a dehumidifier.

I plan to finish the basement and here's my understanding of how I should go about it:

I think I'll avoid vapor barrier so I don't get mold problems.  It gets quite humid around here.  I'm in Washington DC on the east coast and if I interpret correctly the following: http://www.house-energy.com/Basements/Interior.htm, I shouldn't use vapor barrier.  I have a few minor cracks in the wall maybe I should fill those may be not.

Rigid extruded polystyrene installed directly on the wall.  Two inch R10 perhaps tucked into the drainboard of the french drain.  This way any moisture will go down into the drain.

Leave some space (inch or two) then build the wall from the ground so it's completely detached from the wall.

Not sure what I'd do with the floor; maybe would insulate it maybe not.  Height is only 7ft so any inch of height is precious.

Here's an article about this in BuildingScience.com:
http://www.buildingscience.com/documents/reports/rr-0309-renovating-your-basment

This is all theoretical, I've never done anything like this, so I'm looking for feedback.  Also, would I need insulation on the ceiling?  I like the idea of spraying fire-rated foam, is it an overkill?  Guess, I'd need soundproofing if nothing else.

Edit:

Since I'm starting with the walls, here are my first-priority questions:

Fill cracks or not?
Vapor barrier or not?
2 inch rigid foam or just 1 inch and then more insulation next to the dry wall? (I'm thinking all insulation better be away from the dry wall to avoid any condense around it)
Do I tuck it into the drainboard?
Do I glue the insulation or is there another method of attaching?
Use spray foam to insulate the parts of the wall between the studs?  Or is the rigid foam going to be fine?  (I'm thinking the spray would fill all gaps, therefore'd be better)


texts: What type and thickness of glass to use for floor over stairs?

texts:
We have created a new loft room and over the already built stairs, the covering over the deepest part of the stairs is a plywood covering.  I would like to replace this with glass that will be tough and strong enough to stand on.

For this purpose should I use a special type of glass, if so which?
Also what would be the recommended thickness of glass to use? This will not be a regular thoroughfare just needs to take the weight of a person.
The last question is how should this be mounted, with glue/silicone/putty or screwed/bolted to a wooden frame?


texts: Temporary "emergency" electrical power supply improvisation

texts:
Someone fraudulently terminated my contract with my local utility so they disconnected my house without my consent (also the grid operator's notice never reached the people living there and paying for energy, because the adversary also has post diverted).
The disconnect happened two days ago, which is against the law (not before weekends and public holidays). Emergency stand-by refuses to help because for them it is a contract issue, not a failure.

A kind neighbor plugged a single-phase, 230 VAC extension cord into a receptacle on the outside of their house, so I could charge my mobile and get rid of the candles at least.

I am in Lower Austria. We have three-phase 400 VAC supply to the main panel where circuits go off 1-N or 2-N or 3-N alternating to get the standard 230V for room outlets and light.

Their cable is on 16A fuse. Can I switch my main three-phase+N breaker to the off position, connect the three phases, and connect the live of the extension cord to that, and the common N to the extension cord's N, and both PEs to get a safe, temporary, emergency supply to my house, when I take care to switch on only a bare minimum of light/appliances at the same time?


texts: What kind of caulk should I use around my bathtub?

texts: I would like to recaulk between the bathtub and the ceramic-tile wall, but there are many kinds of caulking for sale.  What kind should I use?


texts: How can I install a Honeywell Wifi RTH6580WF1001 thermostat in place of a Honeywell RTH2300b?

texts:
I have separate heating (hot water) and air handler (cooling System). The current thermostat I'm using is a Honeywell RTH2300B and the new one I want to install is a Honeywell Wifi RTH6580WF1001.

The current system allows me to toggle between heat and cooling and so will the new one but the old thermostat didn't require a common wire but the New one does. Both systems have 24 volt power and I have an extra wire that I can use for that but the question is witch system do I take The 24 volt power from.

I would like to take it from my boiler as it is also my water heater so it is powered on all year round but I can leave power to my air handler on also.

The Green -G wire goes to the G on the Air Handler
The Yellow -Y  wire goes to the Y terminal on the Air Handler.
The White -W wire goes to a zone valve on the Boiler.
The Red-R wire goes to a zone valve on the Boiler.
The Brown -Rc Terminal wire goes to the R terminal on the Air Handler.

Can anybody help me?


texts: Stain and seal bathroom tiled floor grout - remove upper grout layer?

texts:
The grout of our tiled bathroom floor (approximately 8 ft x 6 ft total area ), installed some years ago prior to us purchasing the house, appeared stained in various ways, ranging from a sandy white to a dark brown color. The grout also seemed poorly installed (though I have no experience in this), with grout reaching the top of the tile and in parts even covering part of the tiles. We decided to use Polyblend Grout Renew to color (lighten) and seal the grout, a process that's been going just fine with the overall look much cleaner.

While working on staining a section of the grout I noticed that some grout had chipped off (circled), uncovering what looks like another layer of rough, grey grout beneath. This made me wonder whether the entire installation had for some reason been grouted twice.

My goal is to stain and seal the grout on the entire floor. My questions are:

If this top layer indeed is grout, is there a structural reason why it might have been (so poorly) applied in the first place?
Would it be worth trying to remove this upper layer prior to staining?

Removing this upper layer seems like it would be a lot of work (the tiles are 1.75x1.75"), but the result might look cleaner. Staining and sealing the grout as is however looks just fine to me.


texts: Switched a outdoor gfci for a working one but now other components in the house don't work?

texts:
I did some minor electrical work for a friend as I have some minor electrical knowledge myself, and he called me today saying that the heated floor and towel warmers are not working since I swapped out his old broken outdoor GFCI for a new working one.
The outdoor receptacle had 2 blacks, 2 whites, a ground, and is being powered from 2 breakers (3 and 7). There was a black on the top and bottom and same with the neutrals on the other side so I put everything exactly as it was already and added a ground wire to ground the box as well. The GFCI works and provides power still (as far as I'm aware).
My best guess would be to maybe try putting everything in the top half but with it being 2 breakers I'm not sure if I should do that.
Does any one have any advice on how I should go about this or what's causing it?


texts:
So to get to the point, I was wiring up LED high hat lights and I powered lights from a 2-way switch, which was getting power from an outlet. The switch got power from a white wire that was acting as a hot but was not taped with black tape. Not thinking, I didn’t realize this. So when I wired up my LED lights, I ran the white wire (which was hot, not neutral) to the white wires in the LEDs, and the hot black wire to the black wires in the LED lights. When I flicked it on, clearly something was wrong and the lights were very dim and fluttering. I turned it off shortly after and realized what I had done. I fixed my mistake and rewired the outlet that was powering the switch, turned the white wire back into a neutral, and everything works great now.
I am posting because I am wondering if there was any permanent damage from what I did? Is there a risk of fire due to my mistake? Is the 14/2 Romex damaged internally at all or the LED lights from receiving two sets of hot? Or should I chalk this up as a lesson learned?
Thank you


texts: Was FMC >6ft Ever an Acceptable Grounding Path?

texts:
Wiring routes out of my garage subpanel through exposed flexible metal conduit (FMC) to metal boxes for just about everything. Garage is detached, and 1990's era. The pool equipment, pool lights, and receptacle circuits all have a dedicated green wire equipment grounding conductor (EGC). The overhead shop lights and garage door circuits don't have such a conductor.
I'm replacing the garage door opener and wondering if I should pull a dedicated EGC wire to the box/receptacle that serves it power. Am I grandfathered in to some 1990's version of the NEC that allowed FMC to be a EGC if the run is greater than six feet? Or was the electrician who did this wrong?
Incidentally the subpanel is feed through a GFCI breaker at the main panel; does this provide code-compliance in the absence of an EGC, if the receptacles on those circuits are labelled appropriately?


texts: 20amp circuit 14a wire very short run intermittant use

texts:
14-2 outdoor direct bury rated wire to tap into a 12-2 wire 20am circuit I thought it was 15a anyway at the time. I wired a 20amp GFCI switch that will see intermittant use through the wall about 1 foot away. Is this really that bad? I realized afterward I 'shouldnt' have done that techincally. I know that particular wire might get slightly hot if in use by something that is pulling 20a. But it is outdoor grade. It is going literally a foot away.... I know what code says but what are the real risks?

Thanks


texts: In Wall Panel for Security System and Camera Cabling

texts:
I'm in the process of overhauling my home network and installing some door and motion sensors. I'd like to drop everything down into the Master bedroom, where I will install a panel that is set in the stud space. I see that most of these panels have knockouts in them for running conduit. If I used conduit coming out of the top of the box, would it extend all the way into the attic space? i.e. if you are in the attic you will see a little conduit poking up through the top plate of the wall.

Even though it is just low voltage POE Cat6 and security cabling I want everything to be up to NEC standards.

Thanks!


texts: Attaching Air Compressor To Junction Box

texts:
I have a 4 inch metal junction box with a 3/4" mud ring attached and recessed into the drywall in my garage. I want to connect an air compressor to this junction box directly without using a plug. What do I need in order to close up the junction box and have a hole for a 3/4" flexible conduit to run to the compressor?

Is it as simple as buying a blank metal 2-gang cover plate and drilling a hole in it? Is there something off the shelf that's actually made for this?


texts: I often come across screws that just won't budge with a manual screwdriver or even a driver bit in a drill.  They are of different screw types and heads in a variety of different materials. What are some techniques I can use to try and remove them?


texts:
What is the common name, as known in the construction industry / electrical trade, given for this type of a combination panel, Main 100 amp + Sub 70 amp.

One single strand aluminum wire is noted, as well as two different circuit breakers brand-names are noted.

The panel data plate is missing, however the house is built in mid 60' s in Southern California.

Thank you!


texts: Insulating a steel outbuilding, first major DIY project

texts:
My parents just bought a house. My dad, a disabled vet spends most of his time in his workshop. His new workshop is a 700 sq ft steel outbuilding that has no insulation. I have a local AC company installing a 24k BTU ductless A/C to replace the pitiful window unit hes trying to cool it off with now, and i have 30 r30 bats of fiberglass insulation on order from Lowes for the roof, but i need some advice. i have been doing research on radiant barrier insulation, that its best used in between the framing and the steel paneling to prevent the transfer of heat. Obviously its too late for that since its fully built and im doing all this work myself and theres no way i would be able to deconstruct the building.
My question: Im getting the radiant barrier insulation for the 2 roll top doors,
          1)would it still be effective inbetween the rafters before i put the fiberglass bats in
          2)if it is, should there be an air gap (some of my research says there needs to be an airgap, some says right on the bare metal)
          3)since im doing this myself, what would be the easiest, most cost effective way of attaching it since the studs are metal

Also, installing the fiberglass bats, my plan was to predrill holes in the rafters and put screws thru the plastic holding the insulation in.
          1)which would be better, plastic sheeting or housewrap so it can breath? (i live in florida so humidity is a concern)
          2)is there a better way to do it

Im on a tight budget so hiring outside help is out of the equation, I work maintenance at a hotel so i have some technical skills, but i have never dealt with a project of this magnitude and any help would be appreciated.


texts: How to screw using the holes in this enclosure?

texts:
I have this enclosure:

I wonder how I can connect some PCB (consider it as a plate where I drill holes) in to the holes from the enclosure (the 6 smaller holes in the bottom, where you can see 5 in the picture).

The holes do not have any screw thread. Should I drill through the enclosure housing to fix something using the hole? But it's a waterproof enclosure (and like to keep it that way). Or should I use screws which are a bit wide so they 'tighten' themselves in the holes?

How should I use these holess?
This is my first DIM (do it myself) project using enclosures.


texts: DIY Crawl Space Drainage and Encapsulation

texts:
Our house is in western Washington and during the winter we get a lot water in the crawl space. I'd like to tackle installing a drainage system – probably with a sump pump – and then encapsulate the crawl space to warm up the floors above and control moisture from the crawl space.

I'm thinking that the approach would be to install a drain around the perimeter of the crawl space that runs back to a sump (or sumps) and pump from there. I think my idea is similar to How should I install a curtain drain in my crawl space? and the follow ups Curtain drain in the crawl space - Part 2 and Curtain drain in the crawl space - Part 3. But I have a few questions about the design, details, and materials:

First is a design question, assuming that there isn't obvious evidence of a spring will a drain around the perimeter catch most or all of the water intrusion?
How far away from the stem walls should I keep the trench for the drain?
Is a "perforated drain pipe with sock" like this product from Home Depot a good choice for the drain or would I do better with one of the "drainage systems" that seem to the rage with the crawl space encapsulation specialists?
Assuming that the pipe and sock is the right material, is there a rule of thumb for how large the trench should be?
The pipe seems pretty flexible, so I'm wondering about keeping a constant grade. Do I want to do something like lay down a bed of sand and slope that to ensure drainage? Or is an overall pitch all I need?
Would there be any reason not to use the material excavated from the trench to fill in low areas in the crawl space? I was thinking of trying to create either a flat floor or a gentle crown in the center.
Is there anything else I should be thinking about?


texts: I have a 5-zone irrigation system with 1" Hunter PGV valves. This year, I have replaced the diaphragms twice in the same two zones after 10 years of trouble-free operation. All four of broken diaphragms had a small tear in the exact same spot. There is no debris in the valve body when I replace the diaphragm. These two zones feed spray heads; the others feed mostly rotors. Why would two of five zones start tearing diaphragms?


texts: Can I use Wago 221 and 2273 connectors outdoors?

texts:
Are Wago connectors of the type 221 and 2273 safe to use outdoors where there will be a summer/winter heat cycle of say -10 to +30 degrees Celsius?

Also how do the Wago connectors hold up against oxidation of the copper wire? in the long term?


texts: Questions about re-purposing double gang electrical box with two circuits

texts:
Currently I have a double gang box containing two paddle switches on two separate circuits: the kitchen lights circuit and the living room outlets circuit. Ironically enough, the living room outlets circuit switch controls two hanging light fixtures in my kitchen, while the other circuit's switch does not control anything at this receptacle.

Using a multimeter, I have determined that the bottom red wire is the line in and the top left red wire is the load out for the living room outlets circuit switch. I believe the white wire is neutral for this circuit because it will only show voltage on the multimeter when connected to the load, however, it was not connected to either of the switches.

The kitchen lights circuit is more confusing. I believe the black wire is the line in and the red wire is the load out, but both wires show voltage at all times (black: 120 V, red: 20-40 V).

My questions are:

Is the white wire a neutral wire for the living room outlets circuit? (Every single gang switch that I've looked in does not have a neutral wire.)
Why does the red wire in the kitchen lights circuit always read voltage in the range of 20-40 V?
Can I install a power outlet on the living room outlets circuit (left side) and re-purpose the kitchen lights circuit (right side) to control the actual kitchen light fixtures?

Here is a circuit diagram and picture of the electrical box for reference:


texts: What kind of compact fluorescent light bulb fixture is this?

texts:
I have search quite a bit to find what kind of compact fluorescent light bulb I need for this recessed can light?  It is in a bathroom above a tub.  I have include a picture of the base looking into it.  It has four electric blades, two on each side.  I tried buying a G24Q-I 4-pin base CFL bulb but that was too big.

I have looked at all the bases here but don't see any that match.  Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Here is a picture of the ballast too.


texts: No hot water pressure - perhaps sediment clogging exit pipe from water heater

texts:
Here's the situation:

Almost no hot water pressure (just a trickle) at all outputs (not just a single sink with an issue)
Cold water runs fine and has full pressure
Water heater is tank-style and is not leaking
Water heater was not regularly drained to reduce sediment buildup (and is old enough to likely have plenty of sediment inside)

Here's my rather uneducated guess: that sediment has built up inside the water heater and is clogging the exit pipe.

A repairman from the natural gas company inspected the water heater and said it's an easy repair: all that needs to be done is to clean off the water heater's exit pipe filter screen.

Okay... so I've searched all over the interwebs and I have not found a single site or video showing how to do this, or even if such a filter actually exists.

Is my guess of the cause of the issue a reasonable guess?  Is the repairman's recommendation correct?  Either way, besides calling a plumber, what's the best way to restore the hot water pressure?


texts:
I have a PHCC 2400 battery backup sump pump. It started beeping today and the controller light indicated that the battery terminals were corroded or that the battery was bad.

I opened up the case and checked the terminals, no corrosion. I pulled the plug on the controller (charger) and tested the battery and it read 12VDC. The manufacturer sells two different replacement batteries. One that you fill yourself and one that is pre-filled and sealed.

Can I use something like this instead?

Note: I found the actual product on ebay which lists it at 12V, 90A max. So it would seem the universal battery I found would fit the specs.


texts: Can I build a dry room in a moist garage?

texts:
I have a garage that lies in sloped terrain with the back wall almost fully below ground level. The garage is very moist, probably because of water seeping through the walls and floor.

I would like to build a small metalworking shop in the back of the garage. The shop would need to be reasonably dry to avoid rust on equipment. I have thought about building the shop almost like a shed within the garage, with a few inches of air between the garage walls and floor and the shed. The shed will have to be insulated because of temperatures below freezing in the winter.

Is this at all possible without digging around the outside of the walls and fixing the drainage?


texts: What can/should be done to mitigate asbestos danger after a disturbance?

texts:
I took down the ceiling from an approximately 12x10 foot room to deal with some rodents in the insulation and it turns out that the (painted) popcorn texture on the ceiling contained/contains asbestos.  Mistakes were made, etc.  I already have the material (infested insulation, drywall, texture and all) in contractor bags and under a tarp out of the house.  I guess I'll need someone who deals with hazardous materials to pick them up, but my actual question is:

  What do I need to do about the rest of the house?

There was obviously a fair amount of dust involved tearing the ceiling down (though I guess that was mostly gypsum---I didn't scrape the ceiling, just took the drywall down in big slabs).  Is the whole house potentially "contaminated" now?  Is there a way for me to test the level of airborne asbestos (not to test the popcorn texture, but to measure the level of airborne contamination)?  I imagine that there's some correct response between "clean up the area and forget about it" and "abandon the house."

Update: I got in touch with a remediation firm near me who suggested that the appropriate next step was a dust sampling (as opposed to air monitoring).  The pricing is also much more reasonable than I was expecting, less than $50 per sample, if I bring them in myself.  I'll update as my situation develops.  The good news is so far the costs to assess the situation are not onerous.


texts: Can I reduce temperature in one room on my hot water furnace based system?

texts:
We have a hot water baseboard furnace heating system. It all works well except for that one room gets way too hot if we are to keep temperature in all the other rooms.
This particular room is the only bedroom on that floor and is the first on the hot water circuit for as well. The room is also the only bedroom on the floor and when the heat kicks in early in the morning that bedroom turns too hot very quickly. Since it's a bedroom keeping the door open is not an option. Keeping the window open is of course possible, but I do not think the occupant wants that due to traffic noise. He also works nights and sleeps part of the day which makes this even harder.
Is there any way to limit heating output for that one room without affecting the rest of the floor without open windows or door?


texts: Stainless steel type and gauge for pizza oven

texts:
I'm building a stainless steel pizza oven having an inner and an outer dome.

I'm going to build it using a type of steel called "304" but my question is regarding the gauge (thickness): I don't want the sheet steel to get bent or deformed because of the high temperature.

How should I proceed?


texts:
I would like to use the same type of wooden planking used for shelving as in this picture:

Unfortunately, having searched for a while I cannot identify it. Any thoughts?


texts: Best lock for side hinged wooden garage doors

texts:
We've just had a new pair of oak garage doors installed at the front of our house.
We want to be able to open these doors from the inside and outside. Therefore, a simple padlock or internal bolt solution won't work well.
On the advice of the firm who produced the doors, I purchased a 5 lever mortice sashlock. However, the joiner who fitted our doors informed us that inevitable settling in the wooden doors will cause the lock to fail in a fairly short period of time. He was also of the opinion that this type of lock could easily be circumvented by forcing the doors apart with a prising tool.
I've consulted an independent security firm who agree, though the supplier still maintains that this is the most appropriate type of locking device.
We now think a long throw lock (Gatemate) will actually work much better and be more secure. However, this has no kite mark and is less favourable from an insurer's point of view.
Now I'm considering having both installed!!
Have I missed an obvious solution here? We'd love some advice, please.


texts:
I am replacing wall switches and unfortunately did not label the wiring before removing. I also changed 2 outlets that were switched on the bottom and always live on top to always live.

Wires 2W & 2B when tested are live and are switched by the Living Room Breaker.

Wires 5W & 5B are live and controlled by the Front light and time clock Breaker. Time clock is for driveway lights.

Wires 3W & 3B when connected to 2W & 2B allow all Living room outlets to work correctly.

Wires 4W, 4R (Red), and 4B, I currently do not know if or where these need to be connected.

Wires 1W and 1B, if I turn of breaker and connect white & black wires together that lead to porch light then I can read that I have a complete circuit with a ohm meter when testing across 1W & 1B.

Now my problem...If I connect 5W & 5B to 1W & 1B, I believe I should get my porch light. My porch light is a motion sensing light and only clicks and doesn't turn on but my driveway lights will work but pulse off every second or two. I disconnected porch light and the driveway lights do not work at all. I hooked another light to porch wiring and the light did not work but the driveway lights do work without pulsing. The light I tried was a direct wire ceiling light.

I originally had 3 switches. 1 for driveway lights, 1 for porch light, and 1 for living room outlets that I no longer need.

I believe/thought that 4W, 4R (Red) and 4B was wiring for the switched outlets that I changed to not switched.

Help, I need to figure out how to wire the switch for the porch light and then also a switch for the driveway lights.

Thanks for your help!!!!


texts: Why does my water hammer arrestor ask for 5psi less than house pressure and not 10 psi or 20 psi?

texts:
I have Watts LF150A water hammer arrestors attached to the hot and cold supply valves for my washing machine (my LG washer is crazy about the water hammer). The LF150A instructions say to add pressure in the valve that is 5 psi less than the house water pressure.
Can someone explain - preferably like I'm a 5 year old - why 5 psi is the preferred amount? What would happen if it were 10, 15, or even 20 psi less than the house pressure? How much less effective would the arrestor be? At what psi would the valve stop arresting?
What would happen if there was more pressure than the house pressure?
My house pressure is 65psi and I'm really curious about the physics of this. Thanks!


texts: How can I build custom air ducts for an in-wall heater?

texts:
I have a in-wall heater just like this one:

(source: oly5star.com)

It sucks cold air from lower part of vent, heats inside, and blows it out in the upper part of the vent.

Now I have the basic problem of putting a wooden cabinet in front of it. I can let the cabinet 8 inches away from the wall, but that doesn't solve my issue. The air stays hooked in that small region. The cabinet heats, which is not a problem. The problem is that the room stays cold!

What I really want is a different cover with a custom air ducts. I want the heater to suck air from the floor, heat it, and blow it straight to the top:

Is there an easy way to build these ducts myself? Remember the ducts must be heat-resistant!


texts: Are our new shower faucet stems too short?

texts:
We had a leaky shower stem (Price Pfister) and we had a plumber come to replace them. Now however, unlike before, the handles are completely pushed up against the metal plates when the water is off, and even when the water is on at a slow speed, and I’m concerned that when the water is off it could be pulling slightly on the stems or pipes behind because of the lack of extra room between the handle and the metal plates.
Does this sound like a problem, and is there a likely solution?
If it’s of any relevance, it also seems that it’s a lot harder to get precise temperature control at lower speeds, where turning it the slightest amount makes a bigger difference than it used to. Another observation is that there seemed to be a number of slight interruptions in water pressure, which could be noticed in the hose for the shower head looking as though it was getting occasionally tapped, which is something I didn’t notice much before.


texts: What could be causing my electric hob to leak voltage?

texts:
When cleaning my ceramic hob yesterday (wet, but not excessively), I noticed some voltage going through my wet finger when touching the shaft of one of the knobs (I had removed the knobs before). I immediately stopped the work and used the circuit breaker. (And that is what you should do, too, if feeling even the most gently voltage. Really)

The knobs are mounted right above on the hob, where it does get wet sometimes
The hob was installed by a professional electrician, but it is an old one.
The casing is connected to protective earth, but the knob shaft isn't (measured when the circuit breaker was open)

I cannot measure any voltage on the knob shaft, presumably because it has had enough time to dry. But I am wondering: Isn't it supposed to be connected to protective earth, just like the casing?

Because the plastic knob will not always provide good isolation: it's easily detachable, and even when attached, the 1/2 " it provides as a distance from the shaft sometimes gets really wet when cooking.

Should I replace the whole hob?


texts: Can garage and living space lighting be on same circuit?

texts: In california, by code, can a single 15A afci circuit serve both attached garage and living space lighting?


texts: Will a ledge of drywall get deformed with time?

texts:
I'm planning to install new lights in our living room. There's an existing support beam that I'd like to use as base for a drywall ledge where I could install my spots.

A side view of the idea looks like this:

The beam is solid and I don't want to drill in it, some I'm thinking of gluing a border to drywall (alternatives?) using good mounting glue.
Will the drywall keep its flat shape in this configuration or will it get deformed with time?
Should I add supporting L-brackets at some regular interval?
Any other factors that need consideration?


texts: What type of concrete sealer to use to prevent frost heaves in my driveway?

texts: I am about to put concrete sealer on a driveway and inside a garage. What sealer should I apply, if I am specifically interested in preventing water from  getting in cracks and causing frost heaves and less interested in aesthetics? Brand recommendations, as well as types (e.g., epoxy, silicates) are welcome.


texts: How can I install a window air conditioner in a metal window frame?

texts:
I'm trying to install a window unit air conditioner, but most of the installation instructions don't seem to work with this window configuration.

A little bit about the setup:  The apartment is the 5th floor of a pre-war walkup building that has gone through various renovations, but none that have made it too modern.  The window is about 30" wide, and is a metal frame.

There are two issues that make it hard to install a window AC unit:

The window sill is made out of metal, so I can't nail or screw anything into it
The base of the window has a thin (about 1/4") piece of metal jutting out of the buttom that's 2" high in the interior and 1.5" high in the exterior.  This means I can't rest any part of the air conditioner on the sill - it ends up just resting on that piece of metal.

Most of the AC units I've looked at have brackets that get nailed into the window sill, and also require that they can sit flat against a ledge to fall into the brackets.  Some examples of the instructions for the units for sale in my area are here:

http://manuals.frigidaire.com/prodinfo_pdf/Edison/2020211a1131en.pdf

http://www.lg.com/us/support-product/lg-LW6012ER#

Looking at my neighbors' apartments, it looks like their units have been there for decades, and some are propped up on things like phone books or 2x4s.  I'm hoping to find a safer solution than that, so I don't accidentally drop a 50 pound AC unit 5 stories.  I tinkered with it yesterday (using the LG unit), and the best I could come up with was wedging the AC in at an angle and closing the window, but that didn't seem safe or stable, and left a hole to the outside because the curtains weren't flush with the window.

Is it possible to install a window air conditioner in this setup, and how would I go about doing it?


texts:
I have pre made truss ceiling joist in the garage. The joists are 2x4x21'.

I want to use space above the joists for storage. I want to sister a 2x6x21' or 2x8x21' next to 2x4x21' is this ok?

If it is ok how do I  do this: nails, bolts? Any other recommendations? Or should  I  put the new lumber in between existing joists?


texts: Low ceiling clearance non load-bearing door opening question

texts:
I'm finishing my basement, and am framing in a room.  I have 81.5" of ceiling clearance to the ceiling joists, and am in the process of framing in a door for a bedroom.  My question is, since this wall is not load bearing, is it required to have double studs, as there's no structural header to hold up.  In this case, due to clearance issues, the header is also the top-plate of the wall.

I've attached a rough picture to give you an idea of what I'm planning on doing.

As you can see, the top plate extends the full length of the wall.  There is no room to install an additional plate as a header, the top plate will serve this function.  Since there's no normal header to hold up, is a jack stud needed, or no?  Is it ideal to provide support in the wall, or just not necessary?


texts: How do I use both hard and soft water when I have a water softener installed?

texts:
I moved into a house constructed in year 2000 that already has an Ionics Hydro 5000 water softener installed. The old owner never left a manual and I couldn't find a manual online, so I'll voice my concerns here.

The water softener is installed in the garage, which is in the front of the house:

On the adjacent wall in the front of the house, I see two spigots. I suppose one is for softened water and one is for the original hard water. I should be using the hard water spigot to wash my car so I can reserve the soft water for indoor use. How do I know which one is which?

In the back of the house, I have a single spigot. Is it serving hard or soft water? In the back yard I have fruit trees that need watering. The salt in the soft water will dehydrate trees, so it is cruicial that I don't use soft water on them.

As requested by @TDHofstetter, this is a closeup of the shutoff valves going into the head of the water softener:


texts: Can water supply lines touch or rest on each other?

texts:
I have 2 bathrooms that share a wall on our 2nd floor. Both have independent supply lines for hot and cold for each bathroom. One of the hot water supply lines was inoperable so I capped it and added a T from the other hot water supply as shown here:

Of course the hot water lines are on the outside of both sets of pipes and the sink drain in the middle. So, to be able to run the pex around the cold water supply and get it past the drain, it's resting against the cold water supply. As shown here:

Is this against code? Can these pipes be touching and resting against each other?


texts: How can I mount K-728 diverter valve without any clearance behind it?

texts: I have a 2x4 wall which doesn't allow for much room (maybe 1/4") behind the diverter valve. I do not want to extend the wall outward into the shower as that would be a headache. How can I secure the diverter valve (and pipes and everything else) into place so it is secure?


texts: I would like to build a entryway bench using a 3 foot length of 2 x 12. I plan to use 16" hairpin legs made of 1/2" cold rolled steel. Not sure if the type of wood matters, but I will probably use pine. How much weight can I expect the bench to hold?


texts:
Whenever it rains, the ceiling becomes wet at the corner of the chimney.

I ASSUME it's just a small leak, but obviously I don't want it to become any worse. I have a flat roof, so getting up there and doing some work is pretty easy for me. Any suggestions on what I need to do? My Googlefu has come up with this plan of attack:

Repair and cracks I find in the morter with masonry sealant.
Spray the chimney with water repellent.
Caulk where flashing meets the chimney with flashing sealant.


texts:
I stained my deck with Behr semi-transparent waterproofing wood stain.

It is NOT an oil based product.  It is more of a paint.

For the most part it worked well and the water is beading on the deck.

There are a few places where the stain is lighter colored and the water is not beading.  There are also places in the deck boards that are cracked and would like to coat the cracks a bit more.

What is a good technique for applying a second coat to the light spots?

For instance, do I need to sand first?


texts: i can't tighten the hinge screws on my aluminum swinging screen door, the screws just spin without tightening. how can this be remedied?

texts: i have an aluminum swinging screen door. the hinges are loose, but I can't tighten them, the screws just keep spinning. What should I do?


texts: how to remove ALKCO flourescent L40 bulb

texts:
I've got ALKCO "Lincandescent" flourescents in the master bath in a house built 8 years ago.  They apparently discontinued the fixture around the same time.  One bulb has burned out, I can't figure out how to remove it, and the mfr can't help.  Here's the product:
https://rexel-cdn.com/Products/84825A51-8E8A-441A-B16B-8D0CB23D2E6F/84825A51-8E8A-441A-B16B-8D0CB23D2E6F.pdf
Most flourescent tubes have pins on the ends and you twist out the bulb.  But these tubes don't have end-pins.  The tubes apparently look like this:
https://www.rexelusa.com/usr/Root-Category/Lamps%2C-Bulbs%2C-Ballasts/Bulbs---Incandescent/Incandescent---Tubular/Lamps---T10/Alkco-L40-Incandescent-Lamp%2C-T10%2C-40%22%2C-150W/p/206983
Any advice on how to remove it?  Thanks!
.
.
Thanks for the great advice.  Yes, it IS an incandescent, even though it's a long tube and has what looks like a ballast.  And quite right, when I pulled it straight out, very very firmly, it did come out, without breaking.  I replaced it with an LED, which is brighter and a bit harsher.  Now I need to decide if that's OK, or if I'll look for one that matches the brightness and color of the other three.
Thanks to all for the accurate advice and guidance.


texts: Can I build a concave mortared-stone sidewalk that will also act as a drainage flume?

texts:
I recently had a landscaping company install a mortared-stone drainage flume on the interior of a retaining wall at my house:

It looks great and works just as well.  It naturally has me wondering ... On the other side of my house, there is a natural water flow since the back of our house butts up to a rather substantial hill:

The head of the arrow shows the opening to which the water flows.  For reference, we had about two inches of water flowing across the path of the arrow this morning after a thunderstorm.

My idea:  I want to build a drainage flume/sidewalk.  The thought is the center would be about 12" with 6" sides sloped up about an inch.  (For the cross-section, it would be equivalent to about a 5" pipe.)  The length of run is about 45'. Also, there is already sufficient slope of drainage.

So, my questions are:

Is there anything I am missing about this that would make it a bad idea?
How deep of a footer would I need to pour?  The heaviest thing that will ever cross is my riding lawn-mower (~1000 lb)


texts: How can I fix the sewer smell in my bathroom?

texts:
After several hours and no use, the bathroom accumulates some noticeable "sewer gas" smell, with kind of garlic. It is gone after a few minutes when the ventilating fan is turned on.  The bathroom and house are new (circa 1990). There is a normal wood-frame townhouse apartment attached to an old brick house. There is no basement in the apartment.  The floors start from ground level.

I think there could be a tiny air leak from the sewer tubes through poorly applied PVC cement. But I don't know if it is a common and easy to fix defect. I even tried to seal a few small holes in the drywall with paper and glue where the sewer tubes from the sink are going through the wall but it did not help.

What could be the cause of this smell?


texts: Will adding blown-in insulation to my floor cause a moisture problem?

texts: I have a bedroom above my garage. The builder insulated the floor with R13 kraft faced insulation, leaving an un-insulated space in the floor. I was thinking of blowing insulation in the empty space that is between the floor and the kraft side of the insulation to insulate this area. Will this cause a moisture problem?  The garage is not heated and is finished with drywall.


texts: Tips to Remove Kitchen Cabinets and Countertops without Damage for Donation?

texts:
We're taking on a project to upgrade our kitchen cabinets and countertops, but we think that the current cabinets are quite new and usable (just not our style).  We'd like to remove them while minimizing the damage so that they retain their value when we donate them.  Any tips/info on how to do this?

Any ideas on the best places to donate kitchen cabinets would also be appreciated.


texts: Can I use the Y wire in place of the C wire for my new thermostat?

texts:
I'm looking to wire a Honeywell Lyric T5 to my furnace (I do not have an air conditioner, I do have a humidistat). My current wiring at the thermostat is G,W,Y,R. At the furnace it's G,R,C, and 2 at W, there is a spare wire capped off (same colour as the Y wire at the thermostat).

The humidistat is connected to W and C.

Since I don't have air conditioning can I sub out the Y wire for the C wire I need for the new Lyric? My new set up at the Lyric would be G,W,R,C. The furnace would be G,R,2C,2W. The humidistat would not change.

Thanks for your help.


texts: What is the cheapest way to make well water with 800ppm TDS suitable for bathing and washing dishes?

texts:
I have a 200 foot bore for water in my home. The Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) value of that water is around 790-800ppm. I want to make this water safe for bathing, dish-washing and clothes washing. I don't need to make this water ideal for drinking.

What are the cheapest possible solutions for that?


texts: How to avoid orange buildup on shower tile grout?

texts: Once a month, I have to use an old tooth brush to gently remove the orange buildup on the grout between our shower tiles. I don't have to use any solvents or chemicals. A little water is all that I use. What can I do after each shower to minimize this buildup? Using a tooth brush after each shower would be too time-consuming of course. I prefer natural remedies. For instance, would a watered-down white vinegar spray on the areas help without damaging the grout? Thank you for your time.


texts: Ceiling Fan w/remote, capped off red - but now dawn to dusk sensor on porch only stays on

texts:
I installed a new ceiling fan in our living room that came with a remote. Per the fan instructions all of the wires were connected properly but I had a left over red wire from the old fan. I capped it off properly.  On the wall plate the old fan had a separate switch to turn the light on/off and then a rotary dial switch to control the fan on/off and speed.  I ended up not using the rotary dial switch and have everything connected to other switch and leave it on so the remote will work.  All good with one exception...

After all this my porch lights, which are tied to a dawn/dusk sensor, quit working (the sensor). The lights will come on when the switch is flipped on but no sensor operation.  I climbed up and opened up the photocell and low and behold there is a common red wire in there; then I went to the breaker box and discovered my living room ceiling fan and the front porch lights are on the same breaker.  Since I capped off the red wire from the box up where the new ceiling fan is mounted I'm assuming that is causing my problem with the porch sensor?  Where do I connect the red wire I capped off at the ceiling fan, thank you.


texts: Should I put grout or something else between hardwood floor and slate stone gap?

texts:
This is a new hardwood floor that is next to my slate stone flooring:

The cut was nice and there is about an inch gap in between:

My hardwood floor guy recommended to just leave it like that and not fill with grout.

Is it a good idea to leave it alone like that? And if so, would it get dusty and even broken at the edge over time?

If I fill with grout, would it look ugly? Maybe due to color mismatch with the old grout?

Any other idea or suggestion?

Thanks.


texts:
I have a very specific, and very strange issue that I'm hoping someone with more knowledge can help me with.

In my bedroom, the majority of outlets (all on the same circuit) work just fine, and test fine.  ~120v hot to neutral, ~118v hot to ground, less than 2 volts neutral to ground.

However, I noticed that a single outlet has issues.  It appears that someone ran 3 wire electrical wire (I dont know why) from Outlet 1 to Outlet 2.  Outlet 1 tests fine, just like the rest of the room.  When testing Outlet 1 to Outlet 2, here's what I found:

Continuity passes from black to black
Continuity passes from red to red
Continuity fails from white to white

The white wire leaving Outlet 1 feels broken/loose, not sure how else to explain.  So, as a test, I used the red wire on both ends to connect neutral, and black for hot, and capped off the white wire.  Both sides are grounded.  Outlet 1 tests fine, but here's what happens then on Outlet 2:

Hot to Neutral tests at ~120v
Hot to ground tests at ~30v
Neutral to ground tests at ~90v

With Outlet 1 disconnected, the only impacted device I can find is Outlet 2.  But it seems as if the "broken" white wire in Outlet 1 is being used somewhere for ground, though I fear the problem is buried in the walls.

Is there something I can do here short of capping this off and running a new line from a good source?


texts:
we are planning on building an oversized deck 50 foot long, 18 foot wide, 9 foot high

Using  2x12x18 southern pine decking joist.

Planning on spacing  post 6 foot apart.

I’m looking for advice with design and materials to ensure a safe long lasting deck.

Thanks for any help.


texts:
So I have a ceiling fan in my office that is connect to a switchplte (With 2 switches). One for the fan and one for the light.

I noticed turning on the fan switch the light flickered for a second and then the fan stopped working....however the light still turns on/off.

How likely is it that the fan motor died, or can a switch go back on just 1 of the switches? Or are they actually likely separate switches?


texts:
I have a rather unfortunate problem, rats got into my crawlspace and managed to tunnel directly underneath one of the internal piers(there are quite a few down there, maybe every 8 ft square?

I am in the process of collapsing their tunnels but this will need to be fixed, the pier isn't very deep(maybe 6 inches in ground?).

How would you recommend fixing this issue?

If I could build a form around the pier and inject concrete into the tunnel I suspect this would be sufficient but I don't know. I don't know of any mini concrete pumps though.

Suggestions?

I should also say this is a 1 story house built in the 70s, pretty low load.


texts: Magnetic Mortise Latch for American Style Doors

texts:
I am looking to make the door handles for my kids' rooms quieter. Today I went through and oiled everything, but the latch / mortise assembly (??correct term?) that I have in my doors are still pretty noisy. I went in search or something that would be quieter.
Early in my search I found this Tubular Mortise Silent Magnetic Internal Door Latch, but it didn't look like the kind of latch I have on my doors. So I tried searching, and everything seems to be for Europe and nothing looks like an American style latch/bolt.
Whenever I searched specifically for American or US style, all I got was electromagnetic security doors (card reader type releases) or things for cabinets.
Do they not make these in American style doors or am I just not using the right search terms? While it seems the point is to remove the strike plate, I would like to keep it since its notched into my door frame already. I would like the bolt to just be hidden away and then magnetic engage when the door is closed, mechanically pull away when the handle is pushed down.
The hope is that this would allow quieter exits from kids rooms at night. I don't need a specific brand/product recommendation, just the right terms to find this if they make them as replacements for typical USA style latches. I have a door handle similar to this one if that helps.


texts: Mysterious Circle of missing varnish on newer dressor

texts: Can anyone tell me what is going on here? On stumped.  This is the side of a 7 drawer dresser. The side shown faces nothing but a wall and for the four years that I've had this piece it has literally never even seen sun. My father suggested that something peed on it, but I highly doubt that especially given the fact that my dog doesn't pee in my house and also the perfect circular shape. It's almost like something is eating away at the Varnish in this one little spot.