texts: Concrete retaining wall with lean and crack, looking for input

texts:
We bought our 100 year old house “as-is” a year ago with various small cracks and a firm, but somewhat eroded foundation.  This all needs to be addressed eventually, however, a large crack with leaning segment of the retaining wall is my current and primary concern.  My intention is primarily to prevent failure from an earthquake or some other novel cause of pressure or compromise.
Currently I see myself laying somewhat of a raised footing without excavating below the existing wall (no existing footing for retaining wall), placing concrete blocks and filling them with concrete and rebar.  I would also place concrete between the blocks and the existing wall to attempt to fill in the void that will be caused by building a level vertical wall in front of a leaning wall.
Since this will be only my second time working with concrete and the most substantial and permanent home improvement project that I have ever undertaken, I am here looking for any and all comments, advice, concerns, creative thought, first hand experience, and any and all reference to resources directly related to the task at hand.
The following may be extraneous, but is relevant if you have the time to read.
I could be wrong, but for the following reasons, I believe the factors that caused the issue are no longer at work: (1) I dug a ditch to install a drain and divert water from the foundation, but observed for a week before filling the ditch.  Some of the heaviest rainfall of the year came down during that week and I saw very little filling that ditch. (2) the house had no gutters for atleast 2 years before we bought it and likely no proper drainage before that time leading to the removal of the gutter. (3) The sewer line comes out just above the leaning wall and in ‘96 it was transferred from septic to sewer with all plumbing exterior of the wall replaced.  A wide shallow depression can be seen above ground where the pipeline is.
I’ve had three different quotes with three entirely different types of solutions suggested (all costs from memory).  The first was to install I beams to support the wall in addition to some other work that I can’t remember but would help reset the wall to vertical ($30,000) along with the suggestion that I first install a French drain.  The second was to seal the crack with an epoxy or similar and apply a sort of structural bandage perpendicular and over the crack ($5000).  The third was to shotcrete the entire basement foundation ($50,000).  The third contractor suggested that if he was me (with little experience, limited funds, and no access to the same types of professional tools), he’d put a new wall in in front of and spanning the compromised segment of foundation and atleast a few feet around the corner.
All of that being said, I intend to construct a wall as suggested and for several reasons. (1) All tools and supplies required don’t cost all that much.  (2)  It is a permanent and reliable fix suggested even by a professional.  (3) The fix doesn’t have to be immediate so I can gather supplies and tools over time and I have the means to transport said supplies. (4) I have the ability and the will to go through with the extensive labor that it requires.
Thank you for your time and please take the time to comment if you have it.

Panorama


texts: Is drywall replacement necessary where a bulkhead was removed?

texts: Is drywall necessary when bulkheads are removed and new cabinets will cover the space made by the removal?  Are there safety issues if the drywall is not replaced?


texts: Toilet does full-blast, one-second refill every hour or so

texts:
I wouldn't lose sleep over this, except the unexpected and fierce sound startles my girlfriend and cat every time.

So I just replaced the refill valve on our toilet (using a kit, so everything from the lock nut to the overflow spout, but not the plunger or handle).  It works great. No signs of leaking (at least not on the floor or walls). It does a full refill every time right up to the refill line printed on the back of the tank. The overflow spout is above, not inside, the overflow pipe.

Every so often (maybe once an hour), the toilet shrieks for a half-second, like the float drops just enough to cut on the flow and then rises with just a squirt of water.

My first thought was evaporation, but 1) I'm surprised it's that sensitive and 2) I know our old fill valve didn't do this (at least I don't remember it doing it, and I'm sure both gf and cat would have mentioned it if it did).

The one thing I didn't tweak was the water level screw, because the critical point line and overflow pipe were the specified 1 inch apart (eyeballed) and the water fills to exactly the above-mentioned line.

If it is the water level, is this spontaneous and short burst indicative of needing to lower or raise the water level?  And can someone explain why it happens at all? I imagine the water-level adjustment changes where the float "floats" so if the water level is where it should be after a refill, why would it run 30-60 minutes later for a short burst?


texts: What's the cheapest consumer method for testing my rental home flooring for CH2O (formaldehyde) off-gassing?

texts:
Trying to eliminate formaldehyde gas as a potential cause for some medical issues I've been experiencing.

I've been having acute idiopathic breathing difficulty and other strange symptoms for months since moving into a rental home while shopping for a home to purchase in neighboring areas.  My wife is now experiencing similar breathing difficulty and fatigue...  We've recently been consulting with several medical professionals and ENT/pulmonary specialists trying to pinpoint an environmental and/or dietary cause for the gradual onset of worsening symptoms we've been experiencing with little success (outside of possible adult onset anxiety disorders that have sprung up out of nowhere, which is a simple exclusionary hypothesis now being discussed at length with professionals).

Long story short, I have an engineering background and I'm uncomfortable throwing my hands up in the air and accepting the exclusionary diagnosis that both of our recent health conditions are contrived and mental when anyone who knows us would say we're both fundamentally averse to emotional drama of any kind.

With that said, this question is prompted by a breaking story my attending physician emailed to me yesterday as the following news broke:

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=60+minutes+lumber+liquidators

I have located the recently installed laminate wood flooring that's installed in our rental home on the LL web site and I'd like to know if there's a clever way to test it for formaldehyde off-gassing.  The home kits available on Amazon have few reviews and are running for $100+ for each - there has to be a better way...  Thanks guys.


texts: How can I square up slots cut with a circular saw?

texts:
I used a drop-saw to create these slots:

Due to the circular blade, it's obviously left a bit of the wood in place, more easily seen here:

My question is how can I clean up these slots? I've considered filing, of course, and I'd be happy to buy a file that fits if that's the best option. But there's a lot of wood there and I think filing would take a long time.

I also thought of chiseling. Again, I don't have a chisel that fits, but am happy to purchase. However, I can't see how it would actually work. Sure, I could chisel the sides of the slot, but then how would I actually knock the bit of wood out? I'd need a tiny chisel to fit the slot - 5mm or less.

Are there other options?


texts:
So, I recently attempted to install a new light fixture to old wiring with no success. I have no electrical experience, so forgive me if this situation and the following questions are either stupid or redundant.

The old -- three light -- fixture included three black wires, three white wires, a red wire and a blue wire. It was replaced with a new fixture using just one black, one white, and one neutral wire.

I connected the new fixrure's single hot and neutral wires to one black and one white wire respectively. As the old wiring included no recognisable ground wire, I simple attached the new fixture's copper wire to the green grounding screw on the new mounting fixture.

The light does not come on when I turn the switch.

Do I need to connect all existing black and white wires to the corresponding single black and single white wire on the new fixture? Should the red and blue wires be attached to anything else or left unconnected and capped? Is it normal that there appears to be no ground wire included in the old existing wiring?

To answer ThreePhaseEel,


texts:
I did an experiment with the central heater when I noticed it was blowing slightly cool air. I first let the temperature drop to 67 degrees. Then, I set the thermostat to 68, which triggered the heater to turn on. The air coming from the vents blew mostly cool with a hint of warmth. After letting the temperature level off at 68, I switched off the heater and let the temperature drop back down to 67. When I raised it to 70 degrees, the heater turned back on and the air blew much warmer and eventually leveled off at 70 degrees.
Is there something wrong with my heater? Why does the set point affect how warm the air that comes out of the heater is? Shouldn't the heater always blow with the same warmth regardless of the set point and just shut off when the set point is reached?


texts: What are my options for grab bar blocking when pipes are in the way?

texts:
As part of my master bathroom remodel I'm adding blocking for grab bars. In most areas where I need blocking, I can just use 2-by-something blocking without any problem. There's a corner though where I cannot just do this, due to pipes in the wall. Here is what it looks like:

All that you see in this image is work that was done prior to this renovation (probably going back to when the house was built). I've merely taken the drywall down.

There's no way to redo the design to avoid the need for grab bars in that area.

I'd like to avoid having to move pipes around.

A 2-by-something piece of wood won't clear the water pipe closest to the face of the stud, or the plumbing vent.

3/4" plywood can be used in place of a 2-by-something but it won't clear the water pipe or the plumbing vent either. I had thought of adding a stud to the right of the water pipes. A piece of plywood could then run from that new stud to the stud on the right of the plumbing vent but the plywood won't clear the vent. (And I don't know about the wisdom of sandwiching water pipes between two studs.)

The only solution I'm aware of that would clear the pipes is to use a 16 gauge galvanized metal sheet to attach to the front of the studs. I'd have to notch the surface of the studs to the depth of the metal sheet so that the metal sheet is flush with the rest of the studs.

I'm not very keen on the metal alternative because in my world when my drill bit hits metal in a wall it usually means STOP AND REASSESS. But if I go with the metal sheet, I'd be putting in the wall metal that is meant to be drilled into (except for where the pipes are).

Is there some other non-metal-based solution that I've missed?


texts: How can I temporarily remedy the rotten, leaky roof on a mobile home?

texts:
Ok I have a double wide mobile home with a really bad roof. The shingles are shot, the osb underneath is rotting from the exposure of water, and the insulation is starting to mold. I posted about one of the leaks
 here.  Unfortunately this is only one of the many leaks. It rained the entire weekend and several of the leaks expanded and the ceiling started to fall out in more than one area of the house. I need this roof to stay alive another three months till i get the money for a new roof!! Is there anything i can do besides replace the whole roof?

I think many of the leaks, which are at the very edges of the house, are coming from the crest of the roof. The reason i think this is because i put rolled roofing over the top of one the leaky spots in the roof and it didn't change the leak AT ALL. Even if it was a poor repair on my part it should have at least slowed the leak a little. Also the ceiling sags for several feet before the actual leak in the ceiling (I put the rolled roofing over the sag as well). So i think the water is getting in at the crest and running down to a point where the osb is rotten. This make sense to me because the rolled roofing was  placed over the shingles and not the deck itself. So the water would still run under the shingles and the rolled roofing both if it came from a point higher up on the roof.

Does my theory make any sense first of all? If that makes any sense how can i stop the leak coming from the crest? Also, If i'm off base on this one what do you guys think could be going on?


texts: House (old around 1965) wiring and line voltage differences

texts:
I have a problem with my Comcast cable connecting to the house. It is melting and partially burned out.  The burn is on the pole side coming to the house and not the house side.  There is an earthing connection secure between them.  I have these readings in my house outlets.
hot - ground = 16v,
hot - neutral = 122v,
neutral - ground = 5v.
Is this something to be concerned about or to be taken care of?


texts: Hanging clothes on a line between concrete pillars without drilling

texts:
Question says it all: I'd like to hang a "light" load (say 30 t-shirts/pants) between two concrete pillars, without doing anything permanent to the pillars, like drilling (they are public property and this is for a temporary event).

The pillars look something like this, except are thicker and farther apart:

I have 4mm x 30 m braided rope and would tie it around the pillars, but am worried it will slip down. This is outdoors and should carry the load in wind at 2x head height for several days, but doesn't need to be more permanent than that.

Budget solutions are also preferred, thanks!


texts: RCBO independent circuit immediately trips, connected only to an air conditioner, what should I troubleshoot and what could be the problem?

texts:
I have a RCBO circuit dedicated to an AC unit.  Obviously the AC is now off due to the fault.  It has tripped once before, but I flipped it back on and it seemed ok.  The AC stays off until I power it back on.

I noticed it has tripped again today, but when flipping the RCBO up, it immediately trips.

Since it is a dedicated line to just the AC, there is nothing else that could be pulling power and causing the trip.  What should I be testing and what can the potential problems be?

Edit 1: There is no intermediate switch.  I know enough (although unlicensed) to disconnect the AC unit from the wiring, insulate the ends, and see if the RCBO resets.

Edit 2: I've disconnected the AC from the wiring and the breaker trips immediately.  That's going to be a new question...


texts: Can metal framed single pane windows be sandwiched together to make an effective double pane?

texts: I recently purchased 10   4' x 10' single pane glass windows in metal frames. They were an indoor glass-walled conference room. Is there a way to stick two of them together to create a double pane and vent them so condensation isn't a problem? I'd like to use them as windows in a shop I'm building.


texts: How can I combine nine holiday light cords into one?

texts: I have a Christmas village that had 9 different electrical cords to each building, is there a way to join each cord together to make one continual cord with nine lights


texts:
I have Rheem HVAC system that is about 12-4 years old (its an R22 unit).  Today it started blowing the fuse on the board when cooling kicks on.  The tstat shows a message that says power failure, then 1-2 seconds later, the fuse blows, and the whole thing turns off.

Some additional background:

I can run the fan by itself without issue
I have an ecobee4 smart thermostat. Today I swapped that out for a 'dumb' tstat to rule that out as the issue.  Same problem of blown fuses.
About a month ago, I had the opposite problem. The fuse would blow when cooling would stop. I did all the troubleshooting I could Google, and ended up replacing the contactor in hopes that it was somehow shorting out when disconnecting.  I used the exact same model number contactor.  That seemed to fix it.  Until now...


texts: How can I keep animals out of my chimney?

texts:
I own a three story house with two chimneys. The chimney in the center of the house has two flue liners, one of which is used by our hot water heater and the other was for a fireplace that is sealed in by drywall, thus no longer in use.

Last winter a bat got into the center chimney and stayed for a while. Last month I heard a short blood curdling scream in the night, which I assume was a small animal being killed and eaten in the chimney, possibly by an owl. Although, I tried to let my wife think that the sound was coming from outside the house, but the chimney goes right past our bedroom.

Long story short, I need to put something on the chimney to keep birds and other animals out. I can get to the chimney by leaning a ladder on the back roof of the house over the addition. I was thinking about putting a stainless steel chimney cap on and sealing it with roof sealant. Is there any reason why this would not work? Is there something else that I should do?


texts: Drilled into drywall - plastic on the drill bit

texts: I drilled into drywall to secure a drywall anchor.  When I removed the drill there were two pieces of a plastic type material on the bit,  similar in texture to a plastic bag you get at a grocery or hardware store. Any ideas what this is before a rip a whole in the wall to figure it out?


texts: What size wire for 70 amp sub-panel to garage?

texts:
What gauge wire is need to make a 150 to 200ft run for a 70amp subpanel?
I’m putting a 70 amp sub panel in the gargare which has no service at all. Going to be running lights, garage opener and a few outlets.


texts: Building a shelf question, weight bearing advice needed

texts: If I were to take a bunch of 1x2's, say 13, and glue them face to face to reach a desired shelf depth of 9.75" (plus a 1/2" nicer wood facing to reach my total depth needed of 10.25"), a length of 6' and then properly supported with 4 steel brackets screwed into wall studs, would that support about 85 to 90 lbs. of record albums?  Asking for a blog project of mine.  Thank you!


texts: Old house, no ground wire, hoping for protection of new computer?

texts:
So, I live in an older house.  My current computer has happily plugged into a surge protector, which in turn plugged into a 3 prong adapter into the two pronged outlet for 8+ years.  The surge protector never complained, but finally died recently.

I got a new surge protector, and any time I plug it in, it screams and its LED for "wiring fault" is lit up.  I assume that is because there's no ground?

Anyway, I wish to purchase a new computer soon (desktop), and it's likely it will be a very high-end machine since I'm a software engineer and computer scientist.  I'd like to have some measure of protection for my computer, but also I'd like to avoid spending $8,000 - $15,000 getting my house ripped apart and new wiring everywhere.

I've heard GFCI outlets are a possible workaround?  But I've also read people saying surge protectors don't like these outlets either...  I feel like I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place.

I would appreciate any suggestions, constructive comments, etc. from those familiar with such situations.


texts:
During the process of remodeling my kitchen, I removed the Over-the-range Microwave but when I put back in, I saw this piece

I frankly cannot fit it anywhere, not in the bottom or on top at the vent

Here is the bottom

I had another microwave like this and never recalled a piece like that.

Is this from microwave or something else?

UPDATE 1

The microwave is ge model jvm3160rf3ss


texts: can someone disarm our ADT alarm system by removing the cable?

texts:
We have an ADT alarm system , the other night I heard a neibor saying he could disarm our alarm system .. he tried telling someone ells how to do it .. said it was the 3rd cable to the right or the internet , and tv cable.
is this true? .. and , would he have to have access to the basement to do so? .. also .. if disconnected will it set off the alarm.
we are scared now that he will enter our home.


texts: How to repair this kitchen drawer front panel?

texts:
We have a magnetic child lock attached to the inside of the front panel on a kitchen drawer.  Over time, due to tugging on the drawer a bunch without successfully unlatching the magnetic latch, we've managed to pull the front panel right off the drawer, and I'm curious what I should do to fix it.

Here's the opening where the drawer normally resides:

the drawer resting on a countertop (minus the front panel):

and the front panel:

The front panel looks fine from the outside, so I'm not opposed to a kludgy fix on the inside to avoid a costly bill to replace the drawer altogether.  All the sides of the drawer appear to be made of dense particle board, and this includes the piece that attached to the front panel and connected to the other sides via staples, so I'm not surprised this cheap construction eventually gave way.

Here are some more photos of what happened, starting with the backside of the front piece (the child lock is the white piece towards the left, which in hindsight, I should have mounted closer to the handle):

and close-ups of the way it attached to the sides:

My initial thought was to pull out the staples still embedded in the sides of the drawer, carefully re-attach the front panel to the sides using wood glue, and then use metal corner braces to reinforce the inside corners of the drawer.  Would that be a bad idea?


texts: How to join steel pipe for decorative purposes

texts:
I want to make a hanging bar made of steel pipe and connections for hanging some lamps. But I have no way to make the threads on steel and the only place I've found that does that wants to charge me a lot for making 4 end threads.

Can I weld or glue it somehow? I won't be subject to any strees or force and will hold at most a few grams from 5 lamps and sockets.

I think that I need to file the ends of the pipe so that it can fit inside the threaded connections, what is fastest way of doing that?


texts: How should I fill in decorative "gashes" in wood siding?

texts:
Our house has old siding with decorative holes:

At first I thought this might be termite damage but a house inspector examined it and confirmed that this is purely decorative style. I'd like to change this.

Is there a wood filler I can use here? Or is replacing the entire plank the only option?

I'm reluctant to replace entire pieces because there is insulation blown in behind the wall and removing the pieces could get messy.


texts: Is a conduit required or recommended when running SER wire in unfinished space?

texts:
I'm planning on installing a 100amp sub panel in the garage. The garage is right around the corner from the main load center in the basement, but part for that path goes through the stairway from the garage into the basement.
I think it might be required or at least a good idea to have the wire protected in a conduit for that part of the run.

I am planning on using 1/0-1/0-1/0-2 Al SER wire for the run.

Should it be in a conduit for some or all of the run? What size if needed?

The total run should be about 30 feet with going around bends.

Photo of the basement from the main load center looking to the doorway to the garage.

From the garage doorway looking at the stairs up and the back of the garage wall.


texts: Electrical : can I attach metal flex to pvc conduit?

texts:
I am adding a home run from the main panel to the garage.

On the outside of the house, it will be pvc.

Where I come through the exterior wall to the main panel, I'd like to use metal flex, for simplicity of installation.

The main panel is in an unfinished basement.

Is it OK to switch from pvc to metal flex inside the unfinished basement?


texts: How to remove hydrostatic pressure from basement floor so we can finish part of the basement?

texts:
We purchased a 3000 square foot ranch that was built in 1977. We would like to finish about 1000 sf of the basement. It has poured concrete walls and a concrete floor. Currently, we have two sump pumps, one at each corner of the house. They were put in separately and do not connect. We do not have standing water, just issues when we leave things sitting on the concrete floor. A cardboard box will result with some mold underneath. Carpet tile with a rubber backing will cause some molding, efflorescence, and lime deposits to appear. The efflorescence shows up in random spots throughout the basement whether they are covered with something or not. Sometimes the basement smells musty, and sometimes not. We run a dehumidifier.

We were looking at using a subfloor system such as DRIcore interlocking tiles or Delta - FL to lay under an interlocking floating waterproof flooring material. We purchased a few pieces of the DRIcore to test an area and after a couple of weeks, we removed the pieces and the concrete floor underneath was darker and damp.

We were thinking of having our landscaper dig down to find the exterior drainage tile at the corner of the house to verify that it exists and to see if it is clogged. But then what?

We called a waterproofing contractor and he recommended finishing the interior perimeter drain tile in the basement to connect the two sump pumps. We are waiting on his bid.

Not sure what to do first or where to spend the money. Will finishing the interior perimeter drain tile work? Shall we cross the drain tile at the center of the basement? What will this do to the structural integrity of the concrete floor? We would appreciate any advice that you all may have.


texts: AC wire hanging out by itself in receptacle, safe?

texts: I am replacing my smoke detector with a Nest one (battery powered) and no longer need this AC connection -- is it okay to tuck it into the wall as it is or should there be a cap or something? Not sure how safe or unsafe either route is (and whether a cap exists here to place on the plug). Thanks in advance.


texts: Removing lower section of an old chimney?

texts:
I know that removing an old unused chimney from a house is done from the top down.

I'm just wondering if it's even thinkable to remove a mid-section from the chimney, while reinforcing under the first removed layer of bricks taken out (would be at the ceiling of the "top floor" on the diagram) (as it's being taken down) to support the top part of the chimney, around 10 feet of it.

The chimney is not structurally tied to the house.

Is this something that's ever done or am I crazy?


texts:
I am trying to learn about wall textures.
Can someone share some knowledge about in which US states are textured walls (like orange peel, ....) common vs which states they are not common?
I would really appreciate any help!

Thanks


texts: Room Full of Working 120V Electrical Outlets, Except One Doesn't

texts:
I have a room with 5 duplex outlets (including 1 GFCI) and 2 single pole switches on a 20 amp circuit.

One outlet isn't working and measures 0V from hot-neutral, 1V from hot to ground and 1V from neutral to ground (and measures the same voltages when directly touching the wires, rather than just inserting into the receptacle).

The other 4 (including the GFCI) measure the expected ~120V from hot-neutral and ~0V from neutral-ground, but only ~11V from hot-ground (which I take to mean these are not grounded properly?).

Both single pole switches are working just fine, but I did not bother taking voltage readings (though I certainly can if this would help diagnoses).

I have no idea what steps to take in order to address the 0V from hot-neutral outlet -- does anyone have a suggestion?


texts: How do I shift a door's latch hole and strike plate up or down half an inch?

texts:
I have a few interior doors that do not latch closed because the bolting mechanism and latch hole are vertically misaligned. If I remove the strike plate I can extend the size of the latch hole, but then one of the screw holes of the strike plate ends up over the (now bigger) latch hole and the screw won't hold.

(Note: I don't want to move the door hinges since the doors align nicely in the casings.)


texts: What is this wooden sheet behind my drywall?

texts:
I bought a home recently which was built in 2004.

I installed a TV mount on a stud and I am now trying to run cable behind drywall, but when I cut through my drywall I found wood sheet behind my drywall. What is that for? Can I cut through that wood?

As shown in the picture, the TV is mounted on a stud and stud finder is also attached to that stud for reference.


texts: Flashing around 1941 windows with asbestos siding

texts:
I am in the process of replacing pulley-style windows in a 1941 house. The siding is asbestos and I do not want to remove it in order to properly flash the window (using flex tape and weather barrier). The window buildouts, as you probably suspected, are bad and there is weathering (no rot thankfully) around the adjacent siding sheathing which extends slightly past the siding itself. I want to protect the sheathing and surrounding casement but am not able to given the asbestos siding.
I know this is going to be controversial, but I am thinking about using the 5-gallon tub of premium elastomeric roofing sealant on all of the wood before putting in the new windows. I have thought carefully about this as I don’t want to create a situation worse than just doing nothing. The only issue I have been able to come up with is the possibility of moisture getting trapped between the sealant and wood and actually accelerating rot. However, given the nature of the sealant for roofing applications, I do not think this will become an issue.
Furthermore, as I apply the sealant, I can attempt to make sure there is still a path for water to run out if there are penetrations. I have done extensive research on the proper way to replace old windows but all the information I have seen so far involves extensive removal of the siding at least a few feet away from the window.
Your insights are greatly appreciated.


texts: I have an electric outlet to which I have connected an electric socket of 13amp and max wattage of 3250. I only connect an electric stove and a rice cooker to the socket but the fuse of this socket burns out every 2 months. The supermarkets don't sell a higher capacity electric socket than the one I have. I live in Dubai. What can I do to prevent the electric socket from burning out?


texts: How do I put a fluorescent light on a motion sensor?

texts:
I have a couple closets in my basement that I have outfitted with a fluorescent light attached to a motion sensor (this one).  The idea was that when you open the closet door, the light comes on automatically (and turns off automatically when you close it).

The first problem I ran into was trying to use a light with an electronic ballast, which didn't work at all.  After reading the instructions I found that you have to use a light with a magnetic ballast.

So, i replaced the light with one that has a a magnetic ballast, and now it comes on just fine when the door is opened.  After closing the door and waiting a minute or so the light should turn off.  But instead of turning off it just begins to flicker very rapidly.

Any one have any ideas about what might be causing that or what I might have done wrong?  Or any personal experience with fluorescent lights that will work with a motion sensor?

I thought about just using an incandescent light instead, but seems that code doesn't allow incandescent lights in closets.


texts: How can I fix a ceiling fan that is trying to spin both ways?

texts: Just installed a ceiling fan. Light works fine and I have power to the fan. The problem is that the fan will try to turn clockwise for a second and then counter clockwise and then back again. I can spin the fan by hand in either direction, then it will operate normally. It is wired to a single switch and operates by remote control. I have also tried the direction button on the remote while it is turning but to no avail. Is there a switch inside the fan that could be wired wrong? Please advise.


texts: How can I repair a flexible hot water supply hose that is leaking at the nut?

texts: The hot water supply hose under my sink started leaking after I replaced the popup drain on the sink. Apparently I disturbed the hose in some way. It is leaking from just above the nut where it connects to the shutoff valve. I removed it and added new plumbers tape, and after reconnecting it was still weeping after I checked it 10 minutes later (about 1 drop). So I tried tightening it more, and it began leaking faster (again, from above the nut). Do I need to replace the hose itself? I'm thinking the gasket/washer, whatever it is, is just old. I have no idea how old this hose it, at least 10 years.


texts: What could cause smelly water in the bathroom sink only?

texts: We put in a new sink/tap and plastic piping in bathroom about a year ago. Ever since, the water from that tap smells. Have tried plugging the drain and it still smells. Doesn't smell in the kitchen or in the showers at all and never has - only in this newly replaced sink. The plumber said he thought it was something to do with the new aerators (not sure of that spelling) but we removed that and it didn't make a difference. He checked the trap and that is set up correctly. The only thing that is different in that sink than all the others in the house is that we took out the copper tubing and replaced it with the newer plastic/bendable type feed lines - wonder if THAT could be the problem? The water tastes fine and is perfectly clear but it's enough to make you gag while brushing your teeth - yuck!!!


texts: On the outlet of my dishwasher/disposal one of the receptacles is open hot. (I tested with a gfci tester). The disposal works in this receptacle. When I plug the disposal into the other receptacle the disposal starts running (without use of wall switch). Why does it start the disposal unit on this receptacle and not the other (open hot)? And why would open hot be used to connect outlet?


texts: How long can I wait before staining a new deck?

texts: I just moved into a new (well, old) house.  The previous owners put in a deck probably about 1 year ago.  It's treated lumber, but they hadn't yet stained it.  Winter is approaching quickly here in upstate NY, so I'd like to wait until Spring if I can.  But I'm concerned that letting it sit unstained through the winter will have long term effects on the wood.  So, can I wait?  or should I do it?


texts: What would cause a clothes dryers thermal cutoff to keep tripping?

texts:
I have Kenmore dryer model 110.96588210. For about 10 years it worked flawlessly.

Then, its thermal cutoff started blowing in an unreasonable frequency. Since the hi-limit thermostat must be replaced as well when replacing the thermal cutoff, I now have a collection of about 10 perfect (but useless) thermostats...

The replacement kit is the so called 279769 kit. You can see an example here.

The rate at which this component has been failing is unreasonable, and in my search for explanation I eliminated the following possible causes:

I verified the the vent is not
blocked in any way.
I verified the lint screen is
totally clean.
I verified that the blower wheel is
good.

What possibly could explain a situation that has gotten worse to a point where the cutoff does not even last one full drying cycle?


texts:
I’m trying to replace a plug on a washer cord. I’m having a hard time identifying neutral and positive even using the 6 items in the electric code 400.22 that is suppose to distinguish the two.

In answer to the questions asked:

The wires are separated in the cord, however the only one with insulated covering is the ground wire in the middle, on the pic I left a little of the green there so you could see it.

There is know distinguishing differences in the two wires.

I will take an post a better picture ASAP.

This is for a Kenmore Elite Automatic Washer, Top Loading.  The model is 110.24942301.

Thanks everyone.  Hopefully this posts this time


texts:
I'm in the construction of a home cinema, and the plan is to make a 3-side (2 walls plus ceiling) wood frame construction that I'll line with fabric and fill with sound absorbing material.

Now I'm trying to estimate how thick wood I will need to carry the ceiling. Lo and behold my planning sketch:

The ceiling beams are 6x12 cm solid wood, the smallest ones that I could find in the length that I need (420 cm). They will carry some 2.4 by 4.8 cm cross bars above which I will place styrofoam as a sound absorber (not the best, but the lightest) and then close off the ceiling with fabric. One bar also will carry the projector, and there will be LED light strips and cables, etc.

I worry about the side frames (in light wood in this pic). How thick will they need to be to carry the ceiling construction? How can I calculate this at all? I have no clue about the strength of wood under various stresses. Should I make them more thick, just to be sure or am I worried for no reason?

Additional info:

I want the entire construction to be free-standing, if possible. I would prefer to not drill into the walls or ceiling. But if you can explain me why that's a really stupid idea and I would make my life so much easier if I would hang it from the ceiling, let me know.
In the pic, the side frames are made from 2.4 by 4.8 cm wood.


texts: What is my circuit breaker capacity load

texts:
I have sassin breaker
3SB1-63
C63
400v
6000A
What is the amp of it really confused


texts: How can I make an expansion joint in plaster?

texts:
I have plaster walls in a home that is about 50 years old. I have tried patching the plaster with both plaster of paris and drywall mud. Hairline cracks appear almost immediately.

I have probably about a dozen cracks in various places, such as the ceiling and under the windows. The cracks in the ceiling run the entire length in the living room and the master bedroom.

I know from experience not to fight the building, so I want to put in an expansion joint. But I don't like the conventional expansion beads ones because I don't like the idea of having a 1/4" gap, especially along the ceiling.

Is there a product I can use where I can cap both sides of the crack so they will be flush with each other but not as ugly looking as an expansion bead? I was thinking about using something like this, and making them flush with each other. This isn't what I am going to use, but it gives you an ideal of what I am planning.

What does everybody think?


texts: I’m having a 12x24 cabin put on deer camp. What is suggested for sub panel in my cabin?

texts: Having a small cabin dropped at deer camp and I’m wanting to run two 20amp 120v circuits. One will feed outlet for window unit a/c and additional outlet and other will supply outlets and lights. We have meter and main panel on pole which feeds couple other things at camp. What should I install for sub panel in my cabin?


texts: How do I attach a receptacle box to brick instead of a stud?

texts: I need to install some new outlet boxes in an old lathe and plaster wall.  I have the baseboards pulled out so I can see where the studs are, which is just great.  However, behind the lathe is a brick wall (exterior of the building) and I was wondering if it would be OK to just attach the boxes directly to the brick (through a box-sized hole) instead of having to dig out a bigger hole in the plaster to get at the studs and attach them there.


texts:
I'm trying to replace a few sections of rotted bottom plate in my basement. I want to use pressure-treated lumber as it will be in contact with the concrete on 2 sides (and it still occasionally gets wet in one section, still trying to fix that,) but the basement was unfortunately framed in 2x3, and I can't find PT 2x3 anywhere nearby. Do I have any good options?

Some ideas:

Rip a PT 2x4 down to size.

Use regular 2x3s, and treat the contacting faces with Copper-Green preservative (I already have a quart lying around)

Use regular 2x3s, and wrap the contacting faces in sheet plastic.

Would any of these work, or is there a better option?


texts: Code check: Installing a garage security flood light

texts:
Below is my current understanding of end-to-end project for installing a garage security flood light. Wonder whether this is NEC 2017 code compliant or not. Any suggestions/recommendations are welcome!
Context:

An outlet is protected by 20 amp breaker
There is no attic access (another room above)

Outside:

Install 4 in. PVC Round Weatherproof Box with Five 3/4 in. Outlets
Glue 2 male adapters on 6" PVC and stick it through the wall
Use THHN to go from the round box to a junction box
Use 3/4 in. ACC Non-Metallic Strain Relief in central outlet [goes into a wall]
Use UF-B 12/2 cable to go through the wall

Questions:

How to screw something to the external wall like this (with and without a stud)?
Should I cover all 4 remaining outlets? Or should I leave the bottom one open?

Inside:

Use Wiremold 700 series to extend a ceiling outlet (protected by 20 amp breaker), use it as a conduit and a junction box
Use 12/2 THHN wires from the outlet to the junction box
Use UF-B 12/2 cable 12/2 THHN wires to go through the wall (in PVC pipe)

Questions:

I would like to have an ability to turn off this security flood light. Is it allowed to install a switch in unreachable location (> 9 feet)?


texts: 2 GFCIs out of one box to different circuits

texts: I just rewired my garage using what was there and have non-functional brand new GFCI outlets. They both come out of one box and feed separate circuits in my garage (one to a wall and other to my openers). They worked before supplying one circuit to my openers. Is having 2 GFCIs in parallel causing this? There is also a mysterious ground coming into the box feeding them that I tied together with the incoming ground.


texts: Is there an easier way to remove glued-down hardwood than hammer & pry bar?

texts:
In preparation for putting in a new hardwood floor, we've taken the existing laminate out and discovered what appears to be the original parquet hardwood floor underneath. The parquet squares are glued to the concrete subfloor, and I believe they must be taken out to accommodate the new floor (chevron hardwood, which requires a perfectly flat surface).

Is there an affordable, less labour-intensive way to remove these squares than chiseling them out with a hammer and pry bar?


texts: My cord in my vertical blinds is fraying and I am afraid it is going to break at any moment.  Has anyone restrung their blinds?  Where is the best place to get replacement cord and what do I need to know about restringing it? They are Bali Magnum Vertical Blinds.


texts: How to cover gaps between hardwood floor and bottom of door frame

texts:
After my floor tiles have been replaced by hardwood floor I have a gap underneath every door frame that is about 5mm (see picture). How is this usually covered?
I am looking for answers that consider aesthetics, as well as possible problems (moisture, pests, ...).

I consider the question How to cover a gap between doors and hardwood floor? different, as this gap is only 5mm and could possibly be covered using some kind of silicone?


texts: Using metal paint can as cover for non-IC rated recessed lights

texts:
Do you think using a 1 gallon metal paint bucket as a barrier in the attic over 3" non-IC rated recessed lighting will cause any heat problems?

I've been looking for ways to keep the blown in insulation away from my recessed cans that will also allow me to seal and insulate over them and thought this would be a cheap way to go. It seems safer to me than plastic or a hand made foam board box. I plan to use fire-rated caulking around the perimeter of the can to seal it to the attic floor and make it air tight. I'll probably slap some HVAC mastic on the can's seams for good measure and then insulate directly over the paint bucket.


texts: My energy bill is twice (at least) as high as the neighbors with similar sized homes.  Of course the hydro co. thinks their meters are perfect.  I want to find out if an appliance is consuming much more energy than it should.  Is there a way to test?


texts: How can I stop foot-prints showing in Vitrified paving?

texts:
We've had some vitrified paving laid at the front of the house.  We're noticing that footprints are very visible (if someone comes to the door, we can see the exact route they took).

Is there a way to make this less visible, like 'sealing' them or something?


texts: How do I remove these wall mount faucet handles for my bathtub that have no screws?

texts:
I want to update these faucet handles for my bathtub but I cannot seem to figure out how to remove them.

There are no set screws. I think they’re made by Kingston brass. I don’t want to start pulling on  it.

I’m scared to destroy what’s in the background.

Can anyone help me ?


texts: How can I cut extremely heavy cast iron?

texts:
I want to cut up a large piece of cast iron (think storm drain cover) with thicknesses greater than 1".  What would be the cheapest way to accomplish this?  It doesn't have to be a fast method.

Could this be accomplished with:

A hacksaw with a special blade?
A 4.5-in angle grinder and then finish the job with an 8-lb sledge hammer?
A 3-lb hammer, a cold chisel and lots of patience?

The profile of the iron is at most 3 square inches, and is relatively square. I want the cuts to be somewhat precise (I'm not just breaking it up to remove it), but they don't need to be clean.


texts: What type of pipe is best for venting my stove hood? Does flexy hose work or should it be hard pipe only?


texts:
Replacing switches with new ones and wanting to add a zwave dual-relay while I'm at it. It's a 3 gang box and all are on the same circuit. I have an electronics background, but no electrical experience beyond replacing switches and a couple fixtures. I understand the theory but definitely don't know if this is to code. My brief googling is telling me that it should be switched hot for safety reasons.

The house was built in 1922, but it was remodeled in mid-2000 with upgraded wiring. One of the switches controls the living room light and an outlet. However, I discovered the outlet is not grounded when I took it off, so I guess not ALL the wiring were replaced.

Here are pictures of the gang box.


texts: When I turn on my bathroom switch the light comes on but the overhead fan on the same switch sometimes delays up to 5 minutes-what is happening?


texts: remove/replace door hinge on wood door frame

texts: Can the screws be removed from the hinge and wood frame, the frame painted and the hinge reattached with the same screws and holes?


texts:
I've just moved into an old (1950's) home.

The only shower is in a tiny bathroom and it's so small that when I take a shower the shower curtain is stuck to one side of my body and the blinds from a window on the other side of the shower are stuck to the other side of my body.

It's very unpleasant, but I don't have the square footage, time, or money to install a new shower.

Is there any easy way to make an improvement?

If nothing else, I'm thinking of restraining the shower curtain with a 2nd rod or something. For some reason (probably related to airflow or temperature, I don't know) the curtain seems to be sucked inward a bit when the shower is turned on.


texts: Should the neutral be bonded in my barn's sub-panel?

texts: I moved into a house with a barn. The barn has a 100 Amp panel. It feeds from a Main Entry 100A breaker in the Entry's box.  There are 3 wires to the sub.  Ground and 2 hot. The subpanel in the barn has 100 amp main breaker.  There are two grounding bars in the sub that are connected.  Am I hearing right?  That the white and grounds cannot be connected to the same bar?


texts: Confusion while diagnosing an open ground

texts:
I have an outlet tester and it says the outlet in my bathroom has an open ground and I'm trying to see if I can fix this by replacing the receptacle or if the problem is elsewhere.

With a voltage meter I tested voltage between hot and neutral and got 120 (good), I tested between hot and ground and got 50ish (bad, should be 120), and I tested between neutral and hot and got 40ish (bad, should be 0).

Next I shut off power, pulled out the receptacle, and then turned the power back on. With the outlet sticking out of the wall I can test with the volt meter by touching the screws where the wires connect and the bare copper ground wire. I still find 120 volts between hot and neutral but now I read no voltage between ground and either hot or neutral... huh?

Questions:

1) Why would the voltage difference disappear on the other side of the receptacle? For the volt meter to read positive volts I had to have a completed circuit right? So where did it go?

2) The outlet itself is not a GFCI outlet. Instead it looks like the breaker it's connected to in the breaker box is where the GFCI test button is located. Is that screwing up my voltage readings?

3) My volt meter doesn't have probes that are long enough to poke into a receptical, so what I do is plug in the outlet tester but only halfway and touch the volt meter probes to the exposed prongs of the outlet tester.  But the outlet tester has some kind of circuitry in it, will that screw up my volt readings?

4) And most importantly: Is replacing the receptacle likely to fix this issue, or is it time to call a professional?


texts:
My stairs are creeky and squeaky. They are probably as old as the house (100+ years) so they are probably full of lose nails, but still i‘d like to remove as much sound as possible.

I took off the drywall and found that screws have been added to the risers and treads. And some blocks have been placed under the treads. My current thinking is that i need to glue and screw a 2x4 under each tread. Would bracing betweeen the stringers also help?

Any other tips or tricks?


texts: New Backerboard in shower doesnt line up with old cement liner

texts:
I'm replacing a shower in our new home, because the old tile had totally cracked and rotted through. I pulled the old drywall out and am planning to replace it with backerboard. The floor is tile over cement pad, and I didn't pull the cement out (wood looked good both from in the wall and below). My plan was just to lay another layer of tile over the existing floor. For the walls we're just going to lay in big Formica panels. The shower is a tiny phone booth.

Here's the issue-- the top vertical edge of the cement pad is really uneven, and setting the backerboard on top of it leaves big gaps in some places. In a couple of spots, the raised tile will go above the level of the cement, so there will be a gap between the tile and the frame. Do I worry about those gaps? With the big panels of formica, there's plenty to anchor to. The plastic membrane is mostly intact, and I can patch the couple of rips that are exposed. If I am worried about those gaps, can I fill them in with something easily?

Thanks!

Pic. 1: Cement pad on right extends 1 to 2 inches above surface of tile. Pad on left is below level of tile, creating gap between tile and wall.

Pic. 2: Shows 3-inch section where cement pad has deteriorated and is now below level of tile.


texts:
I purchased a condo 3 years ago, the condo was painted with white primer, and for a number of reasons I never painted the walls.

If I now want to paint the walls, should I apply a new coat of primer before painting, or should the current coat be alright?


texts:
I had some water dripping under the sink from the valve and the faucet that was leaking. After fixing the faucet, some mold started to appear on the dry wall behind the sink. I have taken it out two times, once with vinegar. However, it has come back again. How can I fix it ? Would it ever go?

Full photo set


texts: How to figure out how to wire a 2 wire furnace to 3 wire thermostat

texts: I have a 2 wire furnace and want to wire a 3 wire thermostat. My red wire is connected to the c in the transformer and the white is connected to the load. It works fine 2 wire but I dont want to mess up the new thermostat by having the wires backwards when I add the common to it


texts:
I'm trying to baby-proof my staircase, but the stairs have no risers. (See image below.)

I am in a rental, so I don't want to spend the money on cutting, staining, and nailing up plywood.  I am thinking maybe corkboard, or using my staple gun to run a long cloth material down the underside.  I usually go over the top on things like this, but we will only be in the house for two more years probably, so I am looking to go the cheap and fast route.


texts: Flush Mounted PVC Electrical Junction Box or alternative ideas to supply two sub-panels

texts:
I'm not an electrician, but I am a pretty aggressive DIYer that wants to do things the right way (i.e. I plan on getting a permit and everything inspected but I need a gameplan first).

I have a 200A service panel in my garage and I want to add two sub-panels (the house is almost new and the builder left me with no extra space).  My plan was to add a panel next to the existing and move my AC (I have two 240v units) breakers to the new sub so that I can have room in the main for the two new 100A feeder circuit breakers.  The AC breakers are at the bottom of the panel so I think I'll have enough slack to move those Romex cables over to the new panel at one of the top positions. The other new sub panel will be in a detached shop that I'll run wire underground through 2" PVC.

My question is how to get the two large feeder cables out of the panel and off to the two new panels without going completely surface mount.  My garage is framed with 2x6 construction and the builder insulated and sheetrocked the whole place.  I would like to keep it looking nice so I thought some kind of flush mounted PVC pull box below the existing panel would help get the wires down from the existing panel and routed in the horizontal direction to cross through the studs.

I know its probably way easier to do this with conduit on the surface but I want it to be super clean and don't care about the cost or time.

EDIT:  I believe the existing panel is the Homeline HOM3060M200PC by Schneider Electric

I added this new picture below to show the obstacles to getting conduit from the service panel area into the rear yard where I can more easily trench.  This unknown (at least to me in my mind) was what was driving me to want to have everything run inside the wall.


texts:
BLUF: need help with what to do with a red wire from the panel.
I'm replacing a bedroom switch with a Kasa smart switch. The old switch didn't control anything (previous owner must have removed the overhead fixture), but I'm looking to connect the new switch prior to installing the fixture.
However I'm seeing that there is a black, red, white and ground wire coming from the wall. Both the red and black are hot. If it helps, this is connected to a tandem breaker.
What should I do with this red wire?
I don't quite understand its purpose here.
Here is a photo for reference (capped for safety):


texts: How can I create an air tight seal around pipes?

texts:
I live in an industrial loft. My downstairs neighbor is a factory. When they're running, fumes come up through my bathroom into my apartment. It's serious problem.

The guy who lived here before me put in the pipes himself (he left behind the tools, even) and I'm guessing he did a slapdash job of sealing around them. I'd like to find the penetration that the fumes are coming through, make an airtight seal around that pipe, and live in peace and harmony with my downstairs neighbor once more.

Problem step 1: How do I figure out which penetration is leaking fumes? (Some of the penetrations, like the 3 water lines to the faucet, are closed off behind a boxy sink, too.)

Problem step 2: How do I seal it?


texts: Do I need to waterproof fastener holes on the exterior of my home?

texts:
This is a general question that relates to a number of small DIY projects I want to do around our house, including

putting an awning over one of our door ways to keep rain away from the doorstep/foundation
hanging a string of outdoor lights with a small solar panel

If I use regular wood screws to screw things into the exterior wall of my house, is there anything I need to do to water proof the hole like add sealant or anything? In both cases, the screw should be under the awning/gutter, but I am still not sure about rain in the wind or just general moisture.
I hope that makes sense - any help would be appreciated.


texts: i want to install a ceiling fanlight without connecting it to the wall switch

texts: i want to install a ceiling fanlight without connecting it to wall switch, but now that it is installed the ceiling fan light come on every time i turn on the light switch and I don't want that,please tell me how to fix this issue


texts:
We have a problem with the condensate drain line on the air conditioner and water softener.  It is the only basement drain in the lowest building in the whole town.  It occasionally backs up.

The solution was to install a check valve before the trap.  That should work fine because condensate and softener purge are very clear/clean liquids, and unlikely to clog it with soapy water or hair.  However, the design of the available check valves has the flapper flap downward, so it hangs open at all times. The flapper is not particularly lighter than water (it's not a "float").... So if backflow comes slowly enough, it won't lift the flapper upward to close the valve, and slips right by it.

I was thinking, "OK, make the trap taller, and mount the check valve in the upward-flow side of the trap". That will make the flapper shut by default unless pushed upward by condensate/flush flow.  However, it will be immersed 24x7.  Alternately, I could turn the pipe flat horizontal and mount the flapper so gravity pulls it shut naturally.

Is any of these a good plan?  Or would another idea work better?


texts: Panted & Varnished but rough to the touch

texts: I have a rocking chair a Gentleman refinished for me.  He stripped it, sanded it down then painted it and put a varnish on it.  It looks really good but extremely rough to the touch.  Without messing up the entire job he did, how can I get rid of the roughness?  It's like it's got grit, but you can't really see anything.    Thanks so much!


texts: Can 4 ft T5 bulbs be used with T8 ballasts?  Why?


texts:
I’m dealing with some 1930’s era steel casement windows, Tudor revival style, that are in reasonably good shape for the most part. They need some maintenance and would like some suggestions for how best to handle this as gradually applied DIY work.

Some windows aren’t fitting so well and are hard to close. I’ve used WD-40 on parts and cleared out excessive paint layers that were in the way. This helps but perhaps there is warping that needs to be addressed? Anyone have experience with this?

Another thing I’d like to address is draftiness. The windows are just steel, no gasket material anywhere. That may have been the original design, or perhaps the gaskets all disintegrated over the years? Are there standard practices for ensuing well sealed steel windows? There is a sizeable air pocket between the outer and inner mating surfaces that perhaps was where a gasket used to live.

Finally, I’m wondering if there is a way to replace the single pane glass in the casement with double pane or some more insulative glass at reasonable cost. The pocket is probably deep enough to fit standard thickness double pane glass, but I don’t know any supplier that produces double pane glass in such a small size that I could glaze into there. Is that even something I would want to do? I’m guessing it would cost a lot, even for a few windows. I’m familiar with window films that can help with radiative losses, but perhaps there are other window glass options I should consider? Any laminated options, like what some cars use,  for strength, acoustic, and thermal improvements?


texts: I just took out an oven heating element without paying attention to which wire was hooked up to what end. Does it matter how I hook it back up?


texts: how to fill gaps in horizontally installed barn wood

texts: I have a barn with horizontal siding. I'm trying to figure out a way to fill the gaps and still have a nice "old barn" appearance.


texts:
I have the following situation. I have a raised ranch and we're having drain tiles installed. I wanted to use this time to install some additional insulation while we've got wood paneling down.

The basement has 4 feet of wall below grade and then above grade cinder blocks are moved two inches toward the exterior and start going up. Studs go against the bottom section and then above the 4 foot mark, these studs are separated 2 inches from the wall. I made some ASCII art below where the X's are the wall and floor and the S represents the stud. Note the gap between the stud and the wall near the top.

X  SS
X  SS        - Cinder block above grade wall
X  SS
X  SS
XXXSS
  XSS        - Poured basement wall
  XSS
  XSS
  XXXXXXXX   - Floor

We have a vapor barrier (plastic sheeting) stapled directly onto the 2x4s (the exterior side). Snug in between each pair of 2x4s we have R-13 fiberglass batts.

As for my questions...

1) Would it be okay for me to put some rigid foam insulation into that gap? I figure I could take down a 2x4 and start sliding insulation against the wall.

2) If I do that, should the vapor barrier be on the exterior side of the rigid panel or the interior?

3) Upstairs we have drywall attached to 1x2s which are then attached to cinder block. This situation sucks because barely any insulation fits in that tiny gap between the cinder block and drywall. This house is in Chicago too.  I'm looking at my options here.

A) Rip off all the drywall and little 1x2s and put in some real 2x4s in there w/ some batt insulation. Fix all the power outlets, window sills, etc.

B) Attach foam board insulation directly onto the drywall. Then put new drywall on that. Of course fix all the power outlets, window sills, etc.

C) ???

What would you guys/gals do in this situation?

Thanks,

mj


texts: Is there any reason to put 2 GFCI outlets in a 2-gang outlet box?

texts:
Is there a downside to using a single GFCI plus a regular receptacle in a 2-gang box?

This is in a bathroom, in LA County, and the work will be inspected, if it's relevant.


texts:
I’m trying to install a new ceiling fan. I’m having a bunch of difficulties. There are two wall switches that control the lights. Out of the ceiling there are 5 wires a ground bare copper 3 white one black.

One of the white and the Black was twisted together. So when I installed the fan I connected the black and blue from the fan to the white and black from the ceiling. I then connected the two whites to the white from the fan and then  the grounds.  When I turn the lights on it blows the circuit. To compound things I didn’t realize the remote has to wired in so I will try to put that in.

Let me clarify it is confusing there’s I think I missed a few.

I climbed in the attic. There are two red 3 black 3 white  two black  were white nutted together two red were wire nuted together. Leaving 3 white 1 black 3 green  I’m not concerned with the green. One black and one white were twisted together. So I think the red and black nuted together is a feed going to other lights.

The two switches are for the fan lights one by the bed one by the door the are unions in the attic I believe with on wire coming in.  I got new fan with lower power draw but just hooked thought all was good it was running with light on but when I cleaned hit the switch to turn the light off the fuse popped I’m confused have pictures this time I don’t quite get the black and white twisted together.


texts: Can I buy a remote for a ceiling fan that will not turn off. Remote missing when purchased home

texts: We just got our keys to our home and in one of the bedrooms the ceiling fan is on with no pull chains, no remote and switch does not control the on/off of fan.  What should we do?


texts: My 5th (top) floor apartment is shaking; what might cause this?

texts:
I live in a developing country (so don't have much faith in building codes), and have been experiencing increasingly noticeable and frequent "shaking" in my top fifth floor apartment. I'm seriously concerned.

My home has been shaking. I have felt small tremors from an earthquake before, and this is the best way to describe it, however, I do not currently live in an earthquake zone, so this is quite worrying.

The "shaking" bouts seem to last for about 5-10 seconds, by my estimate; I should also note that this country is not an earthquake zone. My home is the top floor of a five story building, that is rather "skinny" (in my judgement, something like a 2.5 - 3.5 : 1 X:Y ratio. When I first began experiencing this shaking a couple of months ago, I thought that it might have been the bed, or even just my imagination, and paid it little attention. However, over the past few weeks, the shaking has become markedly more noticeable, and I confirmed that my girlfriend also felt it. I made a query with the landlord, but I was told that there was no problem, or that it was "the wind". After some research on the internet, I found that buildings do indeed sway slightly with wind, and so felt at least somewhat placated in my perhaps overblown fears of building collapse.

However, today, I felt the most violent instance of shaking to date in the late evening, and confirmed that my girlfriend also felt it. This had me very concerned, so I took the step of also asking the tenants on the floor below, and they also confirmed that they had felt the shaking. Based on our positions at the time of the shaking, it was apparent that the shaking was felt at least on the 4th and 5th floors of the building, and at all locations, as I was in the middle, my girlfriend was on the "left", and the other tenants were on the "right" at the time of the occurrence of the shaking. There was absolutely no wind, and as it was late night, there was no construction going on that may have caused vibrations or such.

I should also note that since I moved into the apartment, there has been ongoing construction on the lower level floors; I obviously have no idea, but my fear is that they may have weakened a key supporting wall or some such.

I decided to leave the building immediately, and I'm currently in a hotel, and plan to cancel my lease and find a new place to live.

So, my question to you, in your opinion, am I overreacting, or is something reasonable likely to be seriously wrong with this building? What sort of tests would a structural engineer perform to determine the cause of the shaking / if a building like this is safe? I ask because it may be that the landlord says she will hire an engineer or some such to look into the problem, and in this case, I want to be sure that my fears are sufficiently placated, as right now I have absolutely no desire to move back into my apartment.

Hope you can help shed some light on this rather scary situation of mine!


texts: Is it safe to use a variable AC transformer to control the speed of a box fan?

texts:
I have seen recommendations for using a variable ac transformer to control the speed of a box fan. (like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BXJYO6I/?tag=stackoverfl08-20)

I thought that ac motors have to be in sync with the voltage frequency (ie 60hz) and the speed control switch on the fan changes which windings on the motor the current goes through.  So changing the voltage with a variable transformer will cause the fan to overheat. (https://www.mjguide.com/tutorials/ElectricalSafety/1540.htm)

Am I right or is it really okay to use a variable transformer to control the speed of a box fan?


texts:
I'm in the process of removing popcorn and repaint the ceiling.

After a few days of filling holes in my ceiling, the ceiling was primed. Staring at a primed ceiling, it becomes apparent that there's a joint that's sticking out.

Is it too late to do skim coat and prime again now?


texts: Can I connect my water heater pan drain to the building waste drain? (CPC)

texts:
This question is relative to the California Plumbing Code (CPC), specifically the Sacramento area.

I'm doing some remodeling of a bathroom where the water heater pan drain line comes across the ceiling a bit lower than I can allow because I'm replacing a drop ceiling with hard and I'd like to get it up higher than where the pipe exits the exterior wall.

The drain is running parallel to the wet wall of the bathroom and therefore I have access to the building sewage drain system. Is it okay, per the above codes, to connect the water heater drain pan to the building waste system?

I've found an inspection checklist which says...

  Drain-Pan shall be required when a water heater and/or tank is
  installed in a location where it could cause damage; in case of
  failure/leak to floor, sub-floor, drywall. Drain pan shall be
  installed with a minimum ¾” drain outlet and discharge that drains to
  the exterior of the building or an approved location. (2013 CPC Section 508.4)

...so being that the heater itself is in the attic space I have to follow this rule. But when it says (emphasis mine)...

  "that drains to the exterior of the building or an approved location."

...I'm not able to find where in the code it defines approved locations. Can anyone shed some light on this issue please?


texts: Uneven copper bellow threading when replacing copper pipes with PEX

texts:
I had a water leak behind my shower and found that it was leaking through the soldering of a copper pipe. There's a threaded male connected and the copper pipe was going inside of it and sealed with solder instead of using the thread, so I decided to cut the copper pipe and use a threaded female connector that would work with PEX. There is only about 4 inches of clearance in the wall I'm working in and have been avoiding to cut the wall away for more room because of a piece of wood that would still be blocking the plumbing. I've done my best to cut away the copper and have started to use a Dremel tool to grind away the remaining exposed copper and soldering to try and make it smooth so I can make a seal but there is still some leaking.

I am using ½" PEX with this adapter and a worm clamp to attach it to the threading with an o-ring inside of it. I'm using Rectorseal T plus 2 thread sealant on the threads to help make a seal and I'm tightening it as much as I can. Again, there's very little clearance which makes tightening very difficult.

Here's An angle from the right, an angle from the left, and a video of it starting to leak on the left side when I turn on the shower. I think I need to grind away more of the exposed copper to allow for a flatter surface for the o-ring, but I'm nervous to grind away more of it and am unsure if there is any other solutions to stop the leaking.


texts: What materials and spacing should I use for ceiling joists/strapping in this conversion?

texts: I have an old two bay garage that's 28'x50', that I would like to convert into a home. One thing I'm trying to figure out is how to do the ceiling. The ceiling is held up by metal joists approximately 12" high. The ceilings are 13' high and I would like to drywall them. I plan on spray foaming the roof prior to installing drywall. The bottom of the joists have a gap where I could run a bolt or toggle type fastener through. What should I use for studding and spacing?


texts: Is the ground resistance meter indispensable when earthing your home?

texts:
I'm Brazilian and I need to ground my house, especially because of some expensive equipment I don't want to use without proper protection.

By "grounding my house" I mean: provide an alternative path for current to flow to, in case of an electrical discharge or if the neutral provided by the power company breaks, for example. Here all power outlets have a third terminal for that purpose, and it's done by driving metal rods into the ground and connecting those terminals to these rods.

The thing is, I live in as small town and all the electricians around seem not to care for appropriately measuring grounding systems appropriately, by using a ground resistance meter. None of them even had one, and when I expressed my concerns about it (even though I'm admittedly I layman) they all dismissed it as something unimportant.

One of them told me ground resistance meters are expensive and that he'd test using a multimeter. If the voltage between ground and phase was the same as the one between phase and neutral, then it was ok.

Other would said he'd test it with a lamp. If the ground and phase could turn the lamp on, the grounding was good.

The other one (one whom I briefly worked with and the one I trust the most) was the only one who had a different attitude. He first asked me what kind of load I'd have on my system, what I planned to have connected. Then he told me I should have a separate electrical system for each of my showers (or other potent devices), each with individual grounding, and then all the least potent equipment could be connected to the main system, with one grounding for them all. But he also said he didn't have a ground resistance meter, but he'd tackle that by having 'three rods 3 to 5 meters away from each other providing the grounding'  and that it should suffice.

So I tried looking into some other info in the internet and everything seems conflicting. The one guy who made the most sense for me was an electrician who told it is indispensable to have a proper meter, but that if you're an electrician and don't have one, there are some tests that are somewhat reliable you could make to make sure the grounding is good.

Basically he said one should disconnect all equipment from the outlets in the house, then do the multimeter test I mentioned before. After that, if the voltages were the same between phase/ground and phase/neutral, he'd connect some potent equipment (he used a drill machine) to phase/neutral and measure the current with an amperimeter. After that he's do the same test while connecting it to the phase/ground and see if the current matches. If those matched, the grounding was good.

I'm now left wondering, I absolutely need good grounding in my house, but the way it seems, I will either have to buy the ground meter - and they're expensive, especially considering ill use it only once - myself or go for one those fishy 'solutions' above.

What are your thoughts on it?


texts:
Is an 150 psi air compressor enough for spray staining or painting? I have just tried one and the compressor kept working continuously

Update:

this is the gun
http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/mastercraft-hvlp-air-spray-gun-set-36-pc-0589311p.html#srp

and this is the compressor
https://www.lowes.ca/air-compressors-kits/porter-cable-c2002-0-8-hp-6-gal-150-psi-pancake-tank-electric-air-compressor_9676167.html


texts: How can I run wiring around an inside corner?

texts:
I am working in a garage and need to run electrical wire through a corner.  I cannot go over the corner through the ceiling (a long story), and going through the studs at a right angle will be a significant challenge.

Since this is a garage, I'm ok if the wire comes out of the sheet rock.  Can I just have the wire come out through the sheetrock, in a conduit, go around the corner, and then have it go back into the second wall?

Or must the wire go to a box on the first wall, come out of the box in a conduit, then go into a box on the second wall and then continue on?

Thanks for the repliess -  I think the trunking is the way to go.  I just don't know if I need to have an electrical box on each wall at the exit and entry points (?) or can I just come in and out directly, assuming the wire is within the trunk while outside the wall?...

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Southwire-6-ft-3-4-in-Liquaflex-NM-Whip-Kit-58004609/203424766


texts: Wainscoting a wall that has windows without casings. Is there a typical trim method?

texts:
We're redoing our front room in our house. We're thinking of going with a 'seaside cottage' feel and installing some wainscoting on the walls about 2/3rds the way up.

The catch is that our house currently has doors with casings, but the windows are using a finished sheetrock return. They do have a stool, but not casings around the outside.

Is there a typical way to handle finishing wainscoting around a caseless window short of tearing out all the sheetrock and actually fully framing the windows?

I had two ideas:

Bring the wainscoting up around the windows but stop short 1" or so to the corner. Allow the sheetrock to be exposed around the window.
Do the same, but extend the wainscoting right to the corner, and then apply a small (easily removable) trim piece to cover the outside corner around the window.

Has anyone done/seen that type of finish detail? Any other typical solutions for this?


texts: How to calculate therms usage from oil usage?

texts:
The Nest thermostat states I heated my home for 155 hours in November.
I estimate thats approx 100 gallons of oil used.
It got me wondering if I converted to natural gas, how much would that be?

Unfortunately, I'm unable to find a calculator to go from gallons of oil used to therms. Or hours of heat to therms.

I'm not looking for someone to do the conversion for me.
Just interested in the formula to calculate this.

Not sure if spec matter, but here they are:

My oil burner model is KV83 (I'm told it's middle quality burner so I may change it one day)
It's supplied by a Riello burner  oil gun.
-pump pressure 145 psi
-air set 3.5
-nozzle 0.90 x 80 degrees B
-headset 1.0


texts:
I had a question about repairing the boards and side boards of kitchen cabinetry. I am not actually wanting to fix the actual cabinets, but the sides of the cabinets are made with some type of wood and then it looks like they pressed with a faux wood grain veneer or contact paper. On  another cabinet (not shown), the faux wood grain paper/veneer or whatever you want to call it, has started to chip off. I think it’s either cause of old-age, humidity, moisture, etc. Since it’s just a faux wood grain finish on top of a cheap wood, what is the best way to repair it? I thought of a few options which range from a cover up to a complete replacement:
-try to match a wood filler crayon or marker and just cover up the missing portions. This would be a quick fix.
-find a matching tape or contact paper and just cover up the relevant portions
-find a paint that would cover up the portions
-find a contact paper roll or veneer finish and completely cut the paper and paste it onto the side of the cabinetry.

I really want to stay away from a replacement and would rather just find a quick fix or cover up. From your experience and insight, what do you think would be the best? What color do you think would match these faux grains?
picture of wood grain on side of cabinet


texts: Can I tape cement board with mastic instead of mortar?

texts: In the past, I have mesh taped cement board with thinset. Is it okay to do it with mastic instead? The reason I would prefer it is to avoid mixing thinset in my own tub, as opposed to the container the mastic is sold in the store and I just throw away, vs cleaning the tools after thinset, which is hell.


texts: Had to shim my double top plate -- how should I secure the trusses?

texts:
I am building a new detached garage, and one corner of the footing was about 1.5" low. To address this, I installed shims between the two top plates, as shown below. The size of the shim increases from left to right to make up the space. This way, the final height is level all the way around the building.

Now I need to secure the trusses to the top plate. For all the other trusses, I was able to use uplift screws from inside.

For the four trusses shown, I installed the screws from above -- otherwise they would not have been long enough to grab the truss. The manufacturer's documentation (pdf) indicates this is allowable:

Is this sufficient? Do I also need to connect down to the plate below? How?


texts: Plug molding rated at 15 amps, for kitchen it should be 20 amps

texts:
All Legrand plug molding is rated at 15 amps yet kitchen circuits are 20 amp with 12 guage wire.
How do I make this work. Connections inside plug mold need to be "butt type" as there is no room
for wire nuts.


texts: Oven suddenly tripping circuit breaker...bad oven or bad breaker?

texts:
We have a double Thermador oven in our house. We've owned the house for around two years, and the oven has worked fine up until the last few weeks. Now, using either of the ovens trips the circuit breaker after around 5 minutes.

The circuit breaker is a 50 amp breaker labeled "Internal Common Trip". You can see it circled here in this unfortunately grainy picture. Note, the one to its right and the pair below are also labeled "Internal Common Trip". No others in the panel are labeled this way:

And also, the bottom half of it here:

I can add more images when I get home from work.

Anyway, I'm trying to determine what's more likely the cause of the tripping. My wife says she smells a faint burning smell from the panel when it trips. I have a home warranty which will cover (with a $100 copay) repair, but I have to pay a separate copay for the appliance repair shop and then another if it turns out to need an electrician (assuming the appliance shop can't do the electrical work itself).

What would be more likely in this case? A bad breaker or a bad oven? Are there any steps I can take to narrow down the cause?

Thanks!


texts: How do I wire a light switch that has 2 switches wired in but should only use 1?

texts:
I just moved into a new home. The builder left the island lights capped, and I am trying to install them now. There are 3 lights over the island. The first one, for some reason, has the pot lights wired through it as well.

There are 3 sets of black and white wires, plus one red wire in Kitchen light #1.

I have named them:

Set #1 (black, white and red wire)

Set #2

Set #3

The red wire from set # 1 was originally tied off with the black wire from set #2. I hadn't seen this, so I just connected all of the other white wires to the white wire from the light, and the other 2 black wires to the black wire from the light. The result was Kitchen light #1 and pot lights on switch #1. Kitchen lights #2 and #3 on switch #2.

When I connect black and white sets #1 & #3, the pot lights work on Switch #1. The kitchen lights do not.

When I connect black and white sets #1 & #2 into the light, with white wire #3 into the light, and the red wire into black wire #3, the pot lights work on switch 2 and the kitchen light #1 works on switch #1. Kitchen lights #2 do not work at all.

When I connect set #1 into the light with white #3, tie the red wire connected to black #3, and tie off black #2 and white #2 separately, the pot lights work on switch #2 and light #1 works on switch #1.

Can anybody help me identify the problem? I have tried so many variations of the above. I just want the 3 kitchen (island) lights on one switch, and the pot lights on the other.


texts: The right tub faucet handle absolutely will not come off and may have become fused. I've tried a variety of ways and angles with maximum personal force (I'm a large guy) and even bought a faucet puller which couldn't make it budge, it's all stuck on there. The left one came off fairly easily. What are my options here? I'm not experienced with plumbing but is there something basic I could do with the faucet pipe pieces? Thanks.


texts:
I have an old oil furnace and I am looking for some clarification as to how it is supposed to work. It heats water filled radiators through out the house.

Currently it is connected to a thermostat by three wires. When it is needed the thermostat does heat the house but lets say it is 80 degrees outside, the radiators will not get hot but the furnace will still come on periodically for a short period of time. Is this how this system is supposed to run or might there be something wrong with the thermostat / wiring.

Note: The thermostat does manage the alert the furnace when it needs to but the air temperature is a bit different than the reading on the thermostat. ex thermostat says 65 and the actual temperature is 72.


texts:
I'm in the uk on 240V. I've got an extractor fan that isn't working. What I find is that at the fan and the switch that operates it, live to neutral is 160V. Ground to live reads 240 and ground to neutral reads just a couple. This is with the fan disconnected. The rest of the house is fine - it's just the fan. I presume that it runs off the light circuit which reads as expected.
Anyone any ideas what might be wrong?


texts: How can I remove the cartridge from my kitchen tap?

texts:
I have a monobloc kitchen mixer tap and need to get the cartridge out. Have got the handle and cover off, and can see the cartridge - it is recessed.
There is no nut to twist it seems (all the YouTube videos seem to have a nut). Just 4 little metal clip looking things - I'm not sure if these are holding it in or not.
It is possible its just stuck in there with limescale also..
Wondering if I should just be pulling outwards, or trying to twist. Or going to buy some WD40. Any advice/help would be amazing!


texts: Possible to check NEST system compatibility by looking at current thermostat model?

texts: I'd like to replace my Honeywell CT87A thermostat with a Nest thermostat. I see that Nest has a page to check system compatibility. Is it possible to identify if my system is compatible without taking it off of the wall, perhaps by the fact that I have a CT87A? It's bitter cold out and I don't want to turn off the fuse for the furnace.


texts: Where to place a radiator under a window seat?

texts:
I have a bay window in which I want to build a window seat like this:

However, a radiator is currently attached to the wall underneath the windows, with a radiator cover (the typical board with holes) covering the front, and a windowsill covering the top. I'm figuring that I could either leave the radiator on the wall and build the seat around it, with the same type of radio cover as the front of the bench, or I could pull the radiator off the wall and move it forward a bit to get it closer to the cover. This would allow me to use the space between the wall and the radiator for storage, and I presume the radiation of the heater would improve somewhat if it was closer to the cover. I figure I could also use some flexible PEX pipe to go back and forth on the wall a few times before connecting it to the radiator, so that there would be a heat source right under the wall, and the radiator would still be close to the front of the bench.

What are the pros and cons of both configurations? Would both combat the cold air from the windows in roughly the same manner? Would the effect of moving the radiator forward be negligible in terms of improving radiation?


texts: 3-prong to 2-prong extension cord/dimmer connections

texts:
I have a lamp with a 3-prong transformer.
I have those small 3-2 prong adaptors available to use.
I want to use a dimmer switch cable (in the form of an extension cord with a sliding switch at the business end that allows a lamp to be dimmed.)  Unfortunately, this dimmer/extension cord has a 2-prong connector.

So, I want to plug the 3-prong lamp (transformer) into the 3-2 prong adaptor, and the 2-prong side of it into the female 2-prong connector of the dimmer cable so I can adapt the lamp (with its simple on/off switch only) to be dimmable.

However, I see that 3-prong adapters have a safety metal grounding plate that is supposed to be screwed into the wall plate(s).  I understand that - but I can't possible do this on an extension cord-type (dimmer) cable!

Is it possible/safe to simply plug these three things together (the lamp transformer into the 3-2 prong adaptor, and this into the female connector of the dimmer extension cable)?  I believe so because I read somewhere that modern day contraptions (like this dimmer cable) are designed to be hmmm... self-grounding?

Is that true, and would it make my idea safe to use?

Thanks for any insights,

Richard


texts: What should I know before plastering a concrete pool?

texts:
These two videos do not make it seem extremely difficult to replaster the pool for, say me and a friend:

Swimming Pool Plastering Process (YouTube)

Marble Dusting A Pool Also Known As Pool Plastering (YouTube)

Seems that I can rent all the tools from Home Depot?

What should I know prior to making the move and buying that plaster (I am thinking DiamondBrite for about $20 for 80lb that each cover 25 sq ft, unless you advise otherwise)?

It is a concrete kidney shape pool of about 2K sq feet that just took an acid wash.

After reading a great article by Richard J. Kinch, I can break down "difficulties" to several stages:

Choosing or making/mixing you own plaster
Old plaster is no eager-to-bond, hence needs either a "bonding layer" or to be taken out in places where it's loose
Mixing plaster and water with no lumps
Delivering mixed plaster to a pool
Managing the time between mixing and applying
Splitting pool in less risky to more risky/difficult sections to learn gradually
Avoid "hot" joins [related to "timing"]
Striving for a uniformed thickness

These are just the few. Any others you would suggest? Or maybe solutions to the above.


texts: Washing greasy/contaminated construction textiles

texts: I'm collecting greasy/contaminated construction textiles (shirts, rags etc) in a dedicated bucket and not with general laundry. Is there a recommended general (meaning it works with most types of contaminants) treatment for such textiles before they are safe to put in a regular washer? Like soak it in some chemical to release the gunk.


texts: Oven elements don't heat, though electrical continuity and voltage exists

texts:
I have a leisure (range type) cooker. However the left hand oven has stopped heating up. When I turn the dial I get 230v at each element but no heat is produced. I have checked continuity on both elements and they are fine. After turning on, I have 230v at each element. Both top and bottom.

I have disconnected both elements and used a mains 13a fly lead to test both elements and they both get hot that way. To test the thermostat, I turned the oven on and applied a blow torch to the back of the thermostat probe. When it became hot it isolated the supply to the elements. So I know the thermostat works as well.

Running out of options!!! The model for the cooker is a CM10FRC leisure cooker. Built in 2004. Also, living in the UK hence 230 volts


texts: Changing Pull Switch Ceiling Fan with Faulty Capacitor to Remote

texts:
The capacitor of my pull switch ceiling fan (with light) is faulty (the medium speed not working). If I changed from pull switch to remote, do I still need to replace the faulty capacitor? Can I connect the wires from the remote receiver directly to the fan motor wires?

Regards, Eng Hup.


texts: How can I increase airflow through an attic without soffit vents?

texts: My house does not have soffit vents. The overhang at the eaves is too small. The ceiling leaks were sealed up by an HVAC company about 10 years ago. They also blew in insulation to an R30 level in the attic. There are gable vents (22” rounds) on both ends. A roofing company just put a new roof on and added a ridge vent. Am I ok to leave it alone? Do I need to put in a gable fan for air intake?


texts: Where should I install skirt boards on my oak stairs?

texts: I have had oak awaiting installation on my existing stairway for well over a year and will soon get to putting it in. The "experts" gave me (supposedly) all the necessary materials BUT I only have 1 10 inch x 8 foot board for a skirt. This will only be enough to skirt one side. Should I skirt the inside (already has a wall above the stairs) or the outside (railing on this side with wall below the stairway). Is there a preferred way for a single skirt?


texts: I'm replacing old dishwasher but the connectors are different

texts: Ok so the white is the piece comming out of dishwasher and other copper one is comming from water supply under sink. How do I connect the two together  when the white is threaded and two big to fit the copper fitting. I don't want to have to replace the copper line it's a older house and would require having to do do much.  I'm doing this on my own and I'm a girl but not stupid but am limited in tools and so need a easy fix thank you mary


texts:
I have an old house (about 150 years old) which has an issue with rising damp. Plastic sheets were placed under the floors, so they aren't affected, but the walls (up to a max of 4 foot) are damp because ultimately they sit on the earth, I suppose, and must soak up the water. I've treated some of the symptoms with anti-damp paint, but I have no idea how to deal with the cause.

Around the exterior of the property is concrete. On one side it is higher than the others (making one side of the property semi-basement). However, there is no obvious means for water to actually enter the property. It is possible that water seeps down from the garden. I also do not know if the drains/sewers have any cracks etc.

Does anyone know how any approaches for dealing with this problem, or at least mitigating its effects?


texts:
I've run into a problem with my Goodman GMH95 furnace not igniting...

Background: At the beginning of summer, the capacitors in my AC condenser outside caught fire. It roasted the wires in the condenser, shorted out the compressor and fried the control board in my furnace. I replaced the AC condenser and the control board in the furnace. The AC has been working great all summer.

Now we've had a few cooler nights and it (finally) occurred to me that I had not checked the heat. So I turned the thermostat up. Guess what? No heat. I noticed a char mark on the connector for the gas valve and replaced the gas valve yesterday. Still no heat.

Here's what happens:
1. I turn the thermostat up to call for heat.
2. The draft inducer fan starts.
3. The pressure switches both close (one on the blower box, one on the coil? cover).
4. The igniter starts glowing and glows for about 10 seconds.
5. After about 5 seconds, the gas valve receives 24V on the orange wire for about 3 seconds while the igniter is on. I do not hear any click or smell any gas from the gas valve.
6. The igniter turns off.
7. The blower runs for about 15 seconds longer.
8. The blower shuts off.
9. Repeat steps 2-8 two more times.

I checked the pressure switches by applying vacuum and monitoring the resistance across the sensors. Both close at very low vacuum. I can also hear both close when the draft inducer fan turns on.

I cleaned the flame sensor for good measure.

I'm wondering if I got a bad gas valve. It was an eBay purchase of a (supposedly) new part. I imagine it's possible I got a bad one.

What else should I check before I buy another gas valve?


texts: Can you ID this shower system/panel product?

texts:
We bought a new house that we're slowly learning was the victim of a rather cheap remodeling job. So, I'm slowly patching thing up.

One task is our shower enclosure. It's made up of some sort of panel system, with a matching shower base. It's the same material that the bathroom vanity top is made out of. I'm guessing it's something like Corian, though likely a lot cheaper of a product. Can anyone ID what this is?

The issue is that the corners of the shower walls had these inside corner trim pieces that had most of the caulking failing. I wanted to remove them, clean off the caulk, and re-caulk. Unfortunately, while one came off, the other came off in pieces as this material isn't terribly strong. It appears to be some sort of fibrous plastic material.

The problem is I have no idea what the product is, so don't know where to even begin looking for a replacement trim piece.

Bonus points if anyone can tell me more about the actual wall panels. Most stand-up shower systems I've seen have redundant joint overlaps to keep water from getting behind them. I'm pretty sure the shower pan has that, but can't tell on the wall panels themselves.

Shower (with corner trim removed):

Close up of surface pattern:


texts: Why does my house feel colder in one area after installing blown cellulose insulation?

texts:
I recently insulated my flat roof with blown cellulose insulation. I installed two vents on the roof as well. The house used to warm up well at 72°F. In order for our bedroom to be warm we have to set it at 74°F. I don't understand how after we insulated the whole house from the roof that we have to increase the temperature on the thermostat two degrees. Our bedroom which is the coldest is furthest from the furnace. But prior to insulating it is was fine at 72°F.

Why would this be, and how can we fix it?


texts: How should I remove the knockout for the drain in a recessed laundry box?

texts: I am trying to set up my new washer and dryer but I am stuck. Can anyone tell me how to remove the knockout from an Oatey box?


texts: Installing a low voltage pump to drain condensed water from a window air conditioner

texts:
I don't know much about electricity, calling all experienced electricians out there!
My goal is to merge the max 6V small water pump to my air conditioner. I'm trying to connect a small submarine pump with my air standard 115V window conditioner. I need a solution on how to properly and safely get this to work.
Essentially I want to power on the air conditioner and also have the small water pump power on automatically. I don't want to damage anything or cause a fire, so please let me know what I can do to get this to work.
P.S. If there are important steps required, please list them in laymen's terms.
Thank you!
Below here are links to the small water pump and air conditioner:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/DC-3V-5V-6V-small-Micro-Submersible-Mini-Water-Pump-Fish-Tank-Fountain-Aquarium-/254406810014
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/ge-700-sq-ft-14000-btu-smart-window-air-conditioner-white/6390678.p?skuId=6390678