texts:
Simple question
I have a light fixture in the bathroom that have 3 bulbs in 3 sockets
Today I noticed that one bulb went off
I Squeezed it a little in the socket and it went on again
Same issue happened again few hours later, and the socket seemed a bit tricky,if I squeeze the bulb too much it goes off again
So my question, is it the bulb or socket that is at fault
And if it is the socket, is this urgent, do I need to repair the socket soon
the light bulb is LED if that makes any difference (led bulbs should last 10 years, this one is around 2 or 3 years old)
**
the comment from K H, was the answer
**


texts: No AC. I have a few HVAC troubleshooting questions

texts:
I'm having issues with my AC. Basically, the symptom is that I feel cold air coming out of the vent, but it has no pressure, almost like I have to put my hand IN THE VENT COVER to feel any cold air. To me, it seems like the blower is not blowing any air, or it's clogged somewhere in the process and it is blowing.

Just some background... I just moved into this house, so I don't know too much history of the AC here. We haven't really tried it yet because the weather just got hot.

It's a central unit with the compressor/condenser outside.

I found the filter inside was extremely dirty, probably due to all the remodeling we did here. I will replace that. (Note: as of this question writing, I have not tried the AC with a new filter yet).

My thermostat is new (On a side note in case of relevance, the previous thermostat did utilize the B wire. I did some research and this is a common wire, the new Honeywell thermostat does NOT have a slot for it, and the instructions state to tape it up and move it out of the way).

Continuing on in my troubleshooting, I have identified the Condenser coils are extremely dirty with weeds and grass. I have also identified the blower fan is full of dirt and dust.

I have a few questions which would really help me in continuing troubleshooting.

1) Can the condenser fins be washed with a garden hose after sprayed down with condenser cleaner? I have read different opinions online regarding this matter (I have seen some units where the fins/coils seem to come off the unit, and others where people spray the unit with them attached). I don't know what kind I have. It seems kind of sketch to wash the unit with a hose when there is electrical components inside. I'm a huge fan of the shop vac in case I can use that on the fins, as well.

2) Here is a picture of my blower fan. Can I take my shop vac/compressed air to this bad boy without damaging it? I don't know a lot about HVAC, brand new to all this. I am asking so I don't damage it further.

EDIT (Removed the pics to my dirty blower, thanks for the answer).

06/23 EDIT:

@Ryan Smith -- I looked up the Model number I found on the evaporator box above the furnace.

While I didn't find an exact match, I found the newest models have only 4 screws holding the cover on.

Newest model:

http://www.adpnow.com/wp-content/themes/adp/flash/circles/hahe-2.jpg

Here is my setup:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/x6mg3q3sd9qiikn/Photo%20Jun%2023%2C%2011%2029%2016%20AM.jpg?dl=0

As you can see, I have some kind of tape covering my cover screws.

Looks like my top line can just pull out (Looks like a fit plug that pops out), and the bottom unscrewed... and I can check out how clean/dirty the evaporator coils are.

I don't know how (And don't have the tools) to do a test from the supply side, but I think there's still a benefit in being able to take this box off in that I can clean the coils off. Agreed?

Also, you told me to check out my ducting in the crawl space (I have a ranch style, so nothing HVAC in the attic) for leaks. I didn't even have to go that far. There's a hole in the duct right above the evaporator box. I posted a pic of it in a comment below.

Based on what I've seen so far, I'm not going to be surprised if the rest of the duct has holes all through-out... plus dirty evaporation coils.

Thanks for the help.


texts: Can I cut or cover a sewer cleanout pipe in front of my house?

texts:
I have a PVC pipe sticking up in front of my house, in a flower-bed area. It's 20 inches high and 5 inches in diameter. As I understand, it is a sewer clean-out pipe.

It's rather unsightly and I've been wondering whether I can cover it or cut it to a shorter length.

Obviously I don't want to prohibit access, but I've been thinking a hollow-bottomed bird bath might be ideal to put over it.

What should I do with this thing?


texts:
https://youtu.be/mhYfr3y6Jkw
See the video above for what I'm referencing. I noticed water shooting out from my spigot today (never seen this happen before).
Upon closer inspection it looks like it actually has holes designed in it (so I have no clue why this hasn't happened before).
How can I prevent water from shooting out of those holes in the water spigot? The garden hose is fully tightened already.


texts:
So my fridge sprung a refrigerant leak and leaked out a bunch of its freon, I I thought I could Easily fix it by refilling it witth R134a with leak sealer. However it continue to leak and this eventually caused the compressor to grenade itself (presumably due to the oil absorbing water from the air). Now I know how to install a new compressor however, if I simply install a new compressor and recharge it all of the refrigerant will leak out, I also suspect that the compressor will die fairly quickly as the old compressor probably sent metal bits though the system.
My question is how I would go about Flushing the system and patching the leak?
Buying a new refrigerator would not be practical as the one we have is a bit of a special size.


texts: How do I lower a cold air return from the ceiling for a basement rental?

texts:
I am living in the basement level of a rental unit with forced air heat.  There are 9 heating vents and one cold air return, all of which are in the ceiling.  The air isn't mixing very well resulting in a hot ceiling and cold floor.  I would like to hack together a cheap cold air return that we can lower down to the floor.  I suspect it will dramatically increase the comfort in our apartment.

Can you recommend a cheap non-permanent solution?  I'm imagining a plastic flexible pipe with a standard attachment to a heating duct.


texts: Why is this in my dryer? Can/Should I remove it?

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2 year old Kenmore 600 series dryer; 1st time maintenance.
Is this supposed to be here?
It is glued to the side, which makes me think yes. It also came loose and clearly burned which is troubling.


texts:
I live in an old house that is very narrow but tall. In the middle it features an old air/light shaft that looks very similar to this one. It goes through attic room, second floor bathroom, first floor bathroom down to basement/laundry room.

What do I do with it?

Ideally I would love to somehow "extend" the bathroom floors to make use of the shaft space  (the bathrooms are miniature).

Or I was thinking of putting in modern light tunnels to bring at least some daylight to the miniature bathrooms. Though I am not sure how efficient will the light tunnels be on the distance of 2-3 floors.

Or I was thinking of putting in some king of slide for laundry that would connect all the floors with a laundry room in the basement. But I was unable to google anything so laundry slide is probably not the correct term.

Any other ides? Any advice is welcome.


texts: Painting unfinished attic, what are the pros/cons?

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I have an attic that is pretty old.  House was built in 1939. Here's a picture.

I want to:

clean it up (get rid of all the wood chips, etc. which I think was from roofing...I don't see chipping in the framing members)
get rid of left over junk from previous owner
get rid of all the dust
and then finally paint it

What are the pros/cons of painting the attic?


texts: Is it possible to adapt a NEMA 14-50R to a NEMA 6-20P or NEMA 6-30P appliance?

texts:
In a Canadian residential kitchen, in a house built in the late 1970's, there is a NEMA 14-50R, on a 30 Amp breaker.

Currently a standard oven/range combo is plugged into this receptacle. I would like to replace it with a commercial induction range, e.g. BRIC 3000 or BRIC 3600, that has either a NEMA 6-20P or NEMA L6-30P.

While there seems to be commercially made adaptors for some configurations, I can't see anything for this specific setup.


texts: Furnace Fan (Heat Pump) having issues when starting sometimes with a buzzing noise

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We have a Central Electric Furnace model # EB12B.  It is paired with a heat pump.  We noticed the issue when we were running the A/C this year and is has continued while running the heater.

When the heat pump comes on, the inside fan for the air handler/furnace will sometimes come on with no issues and other times will start, stop, start (often multiple times) before finally coming on and running as normal. At times, the start up issues are accompanied by a buzzing noise.  On several occasions this summer it occurred in the middle of a run cycle (buzzing, fan cutting off/on/off/on).

The outside unit of the heat pump was replaced 2 years ago along with the interior A-coil.  The HVAC techs checked the interior unit and said that the rest of it was in good condition.

When this issue started this year we contacted the same company who replaced the heat pump.  They couldn't find anything wrong and of course the issue did not present itself while the tech was there and he didn't do a lot of testing.  He stated that it he thought is was the thermostat.

The second company we called did more testing and replaced the run capacitor in the furnace.  The unit was fine (based upon what I heard when I was home) for about 2 weeks and started doing the same thing again.  At that time we turned the fan into ON mode instead of AUTO (unable to continue with service call fees with no fixes) and it ran fine that way until 12/29/19.  At that time the fan went bad (cage separated from shaft, etc.).

A third company was called for service.  They replaced the fan and checked everything else out based upon the previous issues.  He found nothing but based upon the system responding immediately to the signals from the thermostat he did not feel that was the issue.  The unit ran fine for about 2 weeks and has started with the same symptoms (occasional fan start/stop/start, etc. with the buzzing sometimes).

Please note that the system runs fine 90% or more of the time with no issues on startup.  Can anyone help with this?  Am I better trying to replace parts at this point or bit the bullet and replace the entire furnace (hate to do that with new A-coil and blower).  What to try next?  Our next thoughts go to the sequencer, the relay or limit switches.  All help is appreciated!


texts: Splicing or not on the 12v side of a halogen lighting system

texts: I've concluded that the WH1601-E6A transformer in a light fixture has expired, and ordered a replacement. The 12v wires coming out of the transformer are wired as follows: there a crimp-ons on the ends of the 12V wires, and these slide into spaces where a hex-keyed screw clamps down on them. I'm assuming I should repeat thjs by finding some corresponding crimp fittings; the alternative would be to cut and splice the existing wires to the wires coming out of the old transformer.


texts: What kind of tool do I need to access this bolt?

texts:
I would like to unscrew a nut that is in a pretty hard to access position. It is at the end of a very long screw, in a cramped space. There must be a tool that allows me to work on that nut, but I don’t know what it would be called.

Can anyone name what I should be looking for on Amazon or the local hardware store?

For context, this is the screw that holds the toilet seat lid in place. In the pictures, it’s the one at the end of the long screw.

Edit: The top of the toilet seat looks like the following, I don’t see any screw, nor it seems possible to rotate the caps as they hold the lid in place and the sit can’t be removed unless I unscrew the nut first.


texts:
We're renovating a pier and beam house with a concrete ring wall that supports the outer walls. The existing walls are finished with vertically installed wood panels, approx 12" x 8', which lap over the ring wall slightly at the bottom. IOW - the outside of the ring wall is flush with the stud wall.

I'm going to be replacing the sheet siding, and I'd like to know what would be involved in installing a brick or stone facade.


texts: What technical reasons do builders use white baseboards over wood-woodstained?

texts: I am Italian and I live in USA since a few years. I bought house in Florida. Why in Florida everyone has a white baseboard (that seems made of a cheap material), and in Italy everyone has a wooden one (mostly solid wood)? I find the white baseboard not as stylish at the wood-colored baseboard, but I understand it is personal preference. I am redoing the flooring and I was considering changing the current white baseboards to wood color. Is there a specific reason I should not do that? Literally, every house here has a white baseboard. Never seen a white one in Italy in my life.


texts: Should I be worried about this gap in electrical conduit?

texts:
Background
My project this weekend is to get my garage repowered so my tenant will be able to plug his car in during the winter months. When I bought my house it was recently renovated by house flippers who made the basement into a suite and I suspect they used the circuit that was going to the garage to power the new bathroom's lights/fan.
The problem
As you can see in this photo I have a gap between my power pipe and my house.

The questions
Is this a safety issue? Is there something I can use to fix it that is water proof, electricity proof and cold weather resistant?
Area view
Noticeable features include dirt from grading and hail damage to the laundry vent...


texts: there's only one faucet in my house working but not the hot only cold please tell me what's the problem

texts: My faucet in the tub runs the cold side but not the hot but no other faucets run cold nor hot in the house what's going on


texts:
I have a complex fascia consisting of a 1x4 over a 1x6 over a 2x8 in a stepped fashion. We have some rot issues in some locations. With one of the worst offenders, I had to replace a 16 foot area of fascia which was no easy task as the drip edge was nailed to the 1x4 through the osb roof sheathing and the corner bevel/miters were difficult to make perfect.

Elsewhere around the house, there are a few pieces rotted but none as bad, mostly either the 1x4 or the bottom of the 2x8 in max 2-4 foot sections. As I really don't want to replace all this wood I was thinking of doing a dutchman patch in these areas using my multitool to remove the rotted material.

However, I was wondering if there was some sort of putty I could use to fill rather large areas that are rotted after removing the rot. The material would have to be rather stiff so it could be formed rather deep (3/4 inch) and sticky so that it could adhere to the wood. I was thinking of kitty hair, however, other suggestions are welcome.

Spackle and wood filler wouldn't work.


texts: Permanent wiring of external flood light from a garage ceiling outlet without conduit: code check

texts:
I'm installing a motion-sensor flood light on top of my garage door. This is my first attempt to do the work of such type.
After reading NEC 2017 (currently adopted by my state) and comments on StackExchange I think the below approach should work:

Will extend an outlet with a metal extension box
Cable will be secured with a connector
Will run the cable according to a picture: a) along the ceiling; b) down for 1 foot; c) through the wall
Will not use conduit, will clip every 12''
Will use UF-B 14/2 cable (since it will enter wet external environment outside)
Cable will not go below 9 feet

Wonder whether this approach violates any NEC 2017 code.
Update. Decided to change the project according to recommendations below. Keeping this question as is (it is about running without conduit). Asked a separate question here: Code check: Installing a garage security flood light


texts: How do I adjust this balcony door so that it doesn't let cold air in?

texts:
A PVC balcony door that separates the room from the outdoors (which is currently −20 Celsius) is about six feet tall and about two feet wide. It is attached with two hinges - the upper one

and the lower one

placed at the door corners.

The horizontal (short) sides of the door adhere to the frame perfectly and so do the vertical (long) sides near the corners.

The vertical (longer) side of the door also has two pairs of these metal parts that are meant to push the door onto the frame. They are located on the same side as the hinges. They are not latches or anything else with moving parts - just two solid pieces of metal with carefully designed shape:

and those parts are firmly attached with screws (and everything is tight and looks sound) and show nothing that could possibly be adjusted.

The problem is that everywhere except the corners the vertical (long) side of the door bends to the inside of the room and doesn't adhere to the frame and so the rubber gasket is not pressed onto the frame and lets cold air in. I guess something should be done to those two-component parts that force the door onto the frame, but have no idea what that should be.

How do I make the door with such hinging system adhere to the frame everywhere and not let air from the outside in?


texts: Should I replace old drywall in closet before I tape?

texts:
I am in currently in the process of finishing my master closet. Whoever started this project (one of the previous owners as the house is 70 years old) drywalled roughly 2/3rds of the walls/ceiling and did not tape any of it. I finished drywalling the rest of the space (lighter color drywall you can see in pictures is what I did. Brown paper is the existing drywall that was here already). Before I start taping and mudding all of it, I am wondering if I should rip the old drywall out and replace it with new drywall. Here are my main reasons for doing so:

The old drywall was installed with nails (I used screws on the new stuff) and those will eventually be visible with time/vibration.
It seems as though leftover/scrap pieces of drywall from other rooms were used for this closet as there are tons of small pieces of drywall used to cover the wall which results in a lot of seams that will need to be taped and mudded.
There was water damage to some of the drywall at some point due to a storm that damaged the roof. You can tell from the dark stains in various pictures. I know the roof has been fixed and there is no active water in the area and the stains are dry and likely will not create issues but still a concern I have.

Half of me is tempted to just replace the old drywall now rather than starting to mud and tape it just to see that it turn out poorly and I end up ripping it all out and replacing it anyway, and then having to tape and mud it all over again. The other half of me is telling myself that this is a closet and no one will spend that much time looking at the quality of the finish besides me obviously. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
I should also note that I am very handy but this was my first time putting drywall up and will be my first time mudding and taping drywall, if that changes the answer at all.


texts: Can I bury a 1 1/2" shower/tub drain pipe in an earthen floor?

texts: We are building an earthship and our bathrooms will feed a greywater system. We've spec'd the usual 1 1/2 drain for the tub...but we plan to bury it in an earthen floor in the bathroom (our code treats this floor as though it was a concrete slab). We read somewhere (of course can't remember where ) that the minimum size that can be buried in concrete is 2" pipe...do we need to upsize our drain sizes?  We are in Canada.


texts: Electric sockets directly under water pipes under the sink - Safety

texts:
I am in the process of buying a new bungalow. However I have noticed that there is a standard double 13a socket below the plumbing under the sink which is giving me cause for concern.
The builder advises it is fine as it has a cut out switch. There is no visible cut out switch so would appreciate any advice as to whether I should challenge this


texts:
I have seen the question about having two dryers on the same circuit answered several times. The answer is usually that you should put them on separate circuits. I understand that for traditional dryers.

But what about this scenario? Circuit is 208 volts / 30 amps. The two dryers would be condenser/ventless dryers rated at 2800W each. Seems like the maximum amp draw would be about 13.5 X 2 = 27 amps. In this situation could I simply use splitter like this:


texts: Plastic electrical box tabs - ok if broken?

texts:
I've come across this using "old-work" boxes, but all plastic boxes for switches and outlets are basically the same:

These boxes have 4 knock outs per gang and they open at an angle.  They seem to be made to allow the wire to enter one way and prevent it from slipping out like a basic clamp.

From time to time, one of the plastic tabs will break off leaving an open hole.  I've also found installed boxes that have the tab missing.

So, is it OK to use the box with a broken tab?  If not, to what level is it "not ok"?  Is it a best practice, or is it to the level that an inspector would make you replace it?


texts: Hot water comes out once toilet is flushed

texts:
I turn on the hot water faucet and cold water comes out. This happens everywhere around the house. Once I flush the single toilet that's on the first floor and wait 1-2 mins, hot water starts pouring out of the faucet. The second floor also has this issue where I have to flush the toilet on the second floor to get hot water anywhere on that floor. The hot water would continue to stay for about 1-3 days before having to repeat the flushing process again.

Read online that many place the blame on the water heater (which doesn't seem likely but would like to hear what you think) or the house having an old plumbing structure. If so, what can I do to fix it?
Thanks!


texts: Can a load on the line side ever trip a GFI?

texts: Can a load on the line side of a GFI ever trip that GFI?


texts:
Unincorporated Pierce County, Washington State, USA.

We're covered under Washington State L&I for electrical inspections and I've been digging around their site but have failed to come up with an answer.  This is honestly probably a stupid question but I'm going to ask it anyway.

We're building a detached shop/ADU and laying 2 inch conduit from our main structure out to the new building and bedding it in about 5" of sand.  We need to have a ditch inspection before we backfill.  However what I cant seem to find is, do we actually need to have wire in the conduit, or can it be empty for the inspection.

Reason being, we're not ready to make the full run yet, but need to backfill our trench as its blocking access to the worksite. Essentially I want to leave the conduit stubbed out above ground level next to the main house and complete that section later.  Plus pulling 2/0 2/0 2/0 AL and #6 ground that entire distance sounds like a major PITA.  It would be nice to pull from the new structure to where it comes out of the ground, and then finish the pull from that point.

Since I'm on the topic of conduit and this feeder, maybe someone can tag a separate answer on.  From where the new feeder comes out of the ground, we're going to run it up the side of the house and into our attic using a conduit body to make the 90* turn in.  Coming out of our main panel the previous builder put 2 inch conduit up into our attic for us for future use.  From where the old conduit ends, to where the new conduit enters the house, I was planning on leaving the wires exposed in the attic, would this be acceptable, and if so, what method of stapling would you use?  None of the staples I've seen allow for wire up to 2/0 in size.


texts:
Hi all. Firstly, awesome site - learning so much, thank you all!!!!

Mid-80's custom home in Florida. Changing out to some smart switches. Seems no ground in box, best I can tell? Was reading elsewhere here that it's possible box itself is grounded? I wasn't clear on how to check this? Appears to be metal box. If it IS grounded, what do I do with ground wire on new switch? Thanks again.


texts: According to the NEC, if I have an outside power outlet, like on my deck, that is part of a bigger circuit with other outlets, do I have to have an indoor switch that controls that outlet so that I don't have to turn the whole circuit off at the panel in case of emergency? The outlet is a proper outdoor outlet, GFCI with a plastic cap.


texts: How can I tape drywall joints at the ceiling with existing texture?

texts:
I am redoing my subbasement. Originally the inside corner where the wall meets the ceiling was not taped and jointed. Some floor trim was used as a poor man's version of crown molding, and it is hideous.

I am taking down the trim and wanting to fill in the gaps where the joints were not properly done. Both the wall and the ceiling have been textured. Is there a way to properly do the joint without having the scrape off the texture?


texts: How can I secure / fasten a half installed floating engineered hardwood floor?

texts:
I've got my floor "half" installed already.  No glue, or nailing, purely floating.  We've got a foam underlayment and are using spacers.  I'm noticing some trouble with the boards coming loose, gaps appearing between some of the boards.  I'm wondering if the first row needs to be secured to the sub-floor (plywood over 6" planks) somehow.  I'm really hoping that I don't have to pull up that first row, as that "row" is a bit not row-like, we have a great-room: living, dining and kitchen.

What can I do to tighten this up, without compromising the "breathing" of the floor, so as to avoid buckling etc?


texts: Can I connect 14 gauge wire to 12 gauge wire

texts: I have an existing ceiling fan with no light that has 12/2 wire in box which is ran to a single switch that is also wired with 12/2. Want to change out fan with newer model that includes a light kit. Also want to take single switch and make a two gang, switch for light and switch for fan. So my question is when I remove the existing 12/2 switch leg, can I run 14/3 from switch to fan? Or do I need to run 12/3?


texts: Venting Dryer to Outside Through Foundation Wall OR Vent?

texts:
I'm relocating and replacing the ducting to vent my electric dryer that is located in the middle of my home. I'm using 4" galvanized duct, I've installed a Dryer Box on the back (2x6) wall of my laundry closet in a downward venting position. The vent pipe goes down through the subfloor from the "Dryer Box" and immediately makes a 90-degree turn (elbow) back towards the dryer running in between and parallel with my floor joists. I'm hanging the pipe using galvanized strapping between the joists close to the subfloor (between the subfloor and rolled fiberglass insulation) with a very slight downward angle (1/4" per 5'). As a straight shot, it is 20' to the exterior wall from the elbow.
I've brought the pipe halfway to the exterior wall in a straight run from the elbow. I'm considering two options from here. I was hoping to get opinions on which one is better.
Things to note; it's a single-level home with 8" poured concrete foundation walls. It uses 9.5" i-joists which are hung off the foundation wall (no rim joist)
First option: Continue the straight run and vent directly through the exterior foundation wall using a 4" core drill to make an exit hole. This will place the hole about 2-3" from the top of the concrete. I can't imagine it will affect the structural integrity of the foundation wall but I am concerned about causing future cracking and the potential for blowing out the top (the foundation is 20 years old).
Second option: There is a foundation vent about 40" to the left, two joist bays over from where my pipe is now (which is where the builders had terminated the dryer duct originally using semi-rigid). From the end of my current straight run, I would have to do a 90-degree elbow to the left, drill 4" holes through 2 I-joists and then another 90-degree elbow followed by a straight run, terminating through the foundation vent.
I've checked product literature for the i-joists and it says making 4" holes through the middle of them is acceptable. I'm concerned about making a hole in the concrete but having fewer elbows seems better (not to mention going through a foundation vent looks kind of hokey). I've considered using a product called the "dryer-ell" (made by the same company the makes the dryer box) that claims to not restrict airflow like a normal elbow, however, it still has 2 extra turns and it seems like it would make for easier cleaning later on, keeping it as a straight run.
Any advice would be appreciated.


texts: Where to split existing water pipes for new pipe run?

texts:
Goal: Install a new hot and cold supplied exterior faucet for garden watering and year round animal watering.

Here's the rough situation:

We're on a rural property, drawing from a well, into a pressure tanks and 3 stage-filtration system. We have a handful of adorable dwarf goats in the back, and last winter we filled up buckets of hot water and walked it out to them every morning and night. Obviously that was a lot of work because we'd have to go around/through the house, so we figured this would be a good first step.

Question: Where do we split the existing water lines? I have read briefly about pressure drops when sharing pipe runs, which can apparently be addressed by adding a manifold at the source and then splitting off of that. Is this typically a concern? Should we be splitting at the place that is most convenient/shortest new pipe run, or going right back to the pressure tank/hot water heater, installing a (presently non-existent) manifold? As it stands, we have mediocre pressure, but haven't noticed a drop when the washing machine kicks on, for example.


texts: Cure/dry time for Polyseamseal with little air exposure?

texts:
What is the cure/dry time for nearly encapsulated Loctite All Purpose Polyseamseal Original Formula (new tube bought at hardware store yesterday)? Does this product dry or cure?  Hope I didn't mess up choosing this product given my application.

http://www.loctiteproducts.com/p/pss_seal_ap/directions/Loctite-2-in-1-Seal-&-Bond-All-Purpose.htm

Our 10+ year old vinyl floor (or linoleum) was glued down with a butt joint against the tub, except it is short/shy by about 1/16.  The old caulk is almost gone, and the flooring is peeling up a little bit, but lays back down flat with light pressure.

I bought an aluminum trim strip like the middle one here:

except it's not cove, instead it is a quarter-round profile, something like 3/16 or 1/4" radius.

I passed it over my table saw to cut off the unwanted, leaving just the quarter round piece. It is tiny.

Because it is water based and water-resistant, for better or worse I used the polyseamseal to 'glue' it in place.  To keep it clamped in place while curing/drying, I used a half dozen 10' long springy wood sticks to the ceiling corner every 10".

Did the work last night. Looks great today with almost no caulk exposed. Sticks are still in place.  But I'm wondering with little air exposure and only possible minimal exposure to the underlayment (possibly none if the vinyl adhesive was spread all the way to the tub), will it dry/cure? and how long will that take? How long should I leave the sticks in place?

If I chose the wrong product, what product would have used?


texts: Are torch-on-roofs the best solution for a low pitched roof?

texts:
I have a low pitched metal roof and it is leaking.

The roofer I spoke with says to stop the leaks they need to tear the metal off, put down plywood, and use a torch-on-roof system of roofing. He said due to the pitch and such this is the only way to effectively stop the leaks.

Is a torch-on-roof the best solution to solve a leaking problem for a low-pitched roof?


texts: How can I bore deep straight holes through wood?

texts: I wish to bore a 12mm hole in a 9x2 vertically.  How do I keep the bore hole straight through 9 inches?


texts: Am I likely to be able to run a circuit from this panel for an EV charger?

texts:
I live in a shared condo where two units share an electrical panel in an electrical closet behind the garage. I'm thinking of buying (well, leasing) an electric car and in order to charge it, would like to install a 30A 240VAC Level 2 charger (which requires a 40A breaker).

Before I pay an electrician to come out to do a site survey, I wanted to see if what I had in mind is even possible given the panel that I have now.

It's a shared panel with 2 meters, each unit has a 100A main breaker (under the plastic cover below the meters), but there are no other breakers or slots in the panel that I'm aware of. The meters and disconnect breaker for each unit on on the right-hand side of the panel, the cover on the left side of the panel is sealed with a tamper-proof seal with a tag from my local electrical inspector so I don't know what's inside.

My dwelling's electrical service runs about 40 feet underground to the kitchen in the middle of my unit, so I don't think that adding a circuit on my main panel and pulling it out to the garage is feasible. It's a straight shot about 20 feet from the electrical wiring closet to the garage wall where I'd want the charger so it'd be a pretty easy cabling run.

Since there don't seem to be any open breaker slots, it doesn't look like I can just pop in a 40A breaker in that main panel and run a circuit to the garage. But I was thinking that I may be able to:

Put a subpanel with a 40A breaker next to the main panel and somehow tap into the feed coming off the 100A breaker inside the main panel to feed that subpanel, then run suitable wiring from the subpanel to the charger. However, the subpanel may have clearance issues, it looks like there's room in the closet to mount it to the left of the main panel, but it wouldn't be in front of the door and would only have around 18" of clearance in front of it so that may not be sufficient.
If a subpanel in the closet won't work, then I was thinking that maybe I could tap into the 100A circuit and run 100A wiring to a subpanel in the garage with a 40A breaker for the charger.

(and when I say "I", I mean a licensed electrician, since this is not something I'd do myself, and it will have to be done under permit with approval by my HOA).

Does this sound at all feasible? I guess my biggest question is whether or not it's possible to tap into the feed coming off of my 100A breaker -- I'm guessing that there's no convenient bus bar to screw new wires into so I'm envisioning some sort of big pigtail with split-bolt connectors?

Is there anything else I need to consider? The 1000 sq ft house has gas heat and appliances and no air conditioning, so I don't think a 30A charger will push me over the safe loading for my 100A service.

Also as a part of this work, I'd like to run a 20A 120VAC utility outlet so I can plug in a vacuum cleaner or something, but I'm assuming that will be a relatively easy piece of this project.

Here's a picture of the panel:

And a closeup of the label on the left-side panel:


texts:
I cut open my ceiling drywall to take a peek in my "attic" (about 20" of vertical space) before I go about having a skylight installed.  I have a flat roof and I noticed one of the rafter/joists is cracked.  The span of the board is approximately 13', the crack is what you see: less than 2'

Is the fix to simply sister (screw) a 3' length of 2x8 to the problem area?
I don't really have access to the other side of the board unless I cut another access hole in the ceiling which I'd like to avoid.


texts: Combatting moisture in crawl space after venting window is sprayed with insulation?

texts:
I had a crawl space (top left) in my house which had a 12"x6" venting window. There is a room above the crawl space, so I decided to spray the walls of the space with closed-cell foam insulation which also closed off the venting window. The room above the crawl space is now warm in the winter so I'm happy with the insulation.

However, in the summer months, the crawl space (and, as a result, the entire basement) has a big moisture and mold problem. To alleviate the issue, I cut a small hole in the insulation where the venting window used to be and put a small 12V fan in which I leave on at all times. This helped the moisture problem a great deal - I would say that about 75% of the smell is gone.

My question is: what is the best approach to solving the problem completely? A larger fan? Spraying the floor of the crawl space? Something else?

Many thanks in advance!


texts: How do I stop water from coming out of the dispenser on the door of my refrigerator?

texts: How do I stop water on the door of my refrigerator from coming out?


texts: Accidentally locked the door and am panicking because I am house sitting. Would really appreciate the help


texts: Meynell mixer bath shower flows to trickle with no cold water after 10 minutes?

texts:
Our mixer tap shower in our bath is a Meynell thermostatic mixer shower tap. It's about 25 years old and no longer available, although there's a replacement which looks identical:
https://www.showerspares.com/search/meynell-bonus-bath-shower-mixer-mk2-pebs0026.1p/
Our hot water comes from a tank in the airing cupboard and we have a conventional boiler. The shower mixer works fine for just over 10 minutes, but then the cold water flow slows to a trickle, almost stops and there's barely any hot water. However the basin cold and hot water taps in the bathroom are still fine.  If I turn the bath taps on they work for a few seconds but also slow to a trickle. If I turn off the shower and back on, it works for almost a minute but then stops.  Leave it and later in the day it's fine.
Any ideas?  I'm thinking the unit must be faulty but reluctant to replace it (it's costly and in a very awkward place as the toilet is right next to the bath which itself is in the corner of the bathroom) if the same happens with a new unit.
As I said hot and cold taps seems fine so assuming its not the tank or plumbing?  Weird though why it happens after continous 10 minutes showering.
Simon


texts: Applying urethane to table: brush or pad?

texts:
I am finishing the stain coat of my revamped desk, and I am wondering, after much enjoying using a staining pad rather than a brush, if I could use a pad for the urethane as well — or will that leave streaks?
What do you folks use to apply polyurethane, is it a brushes-only world?


texts: How does one determine whether a waterlogged High HP pump is electrically OK to use?

texts:
A high power pump (the mechanic said it is a 0.75HP induction motor) is mounted on the old well using those huge bolts driven through the stone. During the recent rains the grounds were water-logged, and the well overflowed too. There is now a layer of silt a few millimeters thick at the base of the pump. There are also signs the water may have even reached the axle of the pump.

There has been little sunshine during the week since the device was waterlogged. I'm sure there was some ingress of water during this incident. Understandably I'm loath to apply power to the device, as this may potentially burn the coil, blow the kit-kat et cetera.

I've applied an analog multi-meter to the supply terminals - it shows 0 resistance. The multimeter needle does not budge when the probe is connected between the supply terminals and the body. This is pretty rudimentary testing though ...

How do I determine whether the pump is safe to use? It would also be good to be able to determine whether the water within has evaporated.

p.s. The linked image is merely a rough simulacrum of what is mounted - not an exact replica.


texts: Safe to use a 16 amp motor on a 20 amp circuit with a 15 amp outlet?

texts: I have a 1.5 hp table saw motor rated at 115v/16amp. My garage has all 20 amp breakers but all outlets are 15 amp. Does the 15 amp outlet present a hazard if the wiring and circuit are all rated at 20 amps?


texts: Water meter leak indicator moves once in a while

texts:
What is driving me a bit not sure recently is that the water meter leak indicator sometimes can move a bit over a long period (say an hour or a few hours). My water meter is a Procoder meter same as below.
I guess the smallest interval for the red leak indicator is 0.0001 cf which is about 0.1 oz or 2.8ml. Not sure if my reading is correct.
The red indicator sometimes can move a few intervals (~10ml) over a period of a few hours. But sometimes it just makes no movement over a period of a few hours. I wonder whether this is acceptable?
I cannot figure out what is happening. I do have a 40 gallon water heater and a water expansion tank (2.1 gallon). I sometimes wonder whether it can be just temperature fluctuation which causes either the water or the air in the expansion tank to contract/expand. Any suggestions?
Btw, I am doing this because the house had some pipe work and garden sprinkler lines done recently, and I am checking for possible leaks.


texts: Weatherproof stainable gap filler for rail to stile joint

texts:
I'm refinishing an entry door. There is a small gap between the bottom rail and the stile. (1/16" or less, I'd say.) I want to fill that gap to prevent water infiltration, but I'm concerned that, with the wrong filler, it will eventually open up again. Whatever filler I use, I want to be able to stain it.

What is the best solution for this sort of problem?


texts: Staple through a small electrical wire, will it still work correctly?

texts:
I'm running a small cable along a wooden beam, using a staple gun. I accidentally put the staple through one of the wires (the one with the black stripe).

It's very small gauge wire and the hole is all the way through. More worried because it's an electrical wire from a  solar panel, going to an outdoor security light.

How will the hole in the wire effect current and ultimately charging of the batteries on the unit? The picture is a bit blurry but you can see the hole in the wire.

Any direction is greatly appreciated.

Thanks.


texts: Size of outlet on my hot water valve for dishwasher supply

texts:
I'm trying to figure out how to hook my hot water supply up to my new bosch 500 dishwasher. I have this hose, which does fit the dishwasher:
And attached are images of the hot water shutoff valve under the sink that was hooked up to an old dishwasher and removed by someone else. I have no idea what fitting to get to make these fit, the supply hose I have is too small, can I can't tell what size this outlet is or what combination of parts I need.
I am thinking it might need a compression nut + pipe that then goes into the angle it came with, with another compression nut... but I could be wrong. Please help! It's a somewhat old valve, the house was built in 1989, I would prefer not to have to replace it if I can help it. Or maybe I need a different supply hose?

Edit: I think this is actually the valve that this one is, the other 2 above it are smaller and appear to be the 3/8" variety,  but I think the one below it is just an older version of this:
https://www.brasscraft.com/product/12-in-nom-comp-x-12-in-o-d-comp-7/


texts: How can I control water in my basement without a sump pump?

texts:
I dug the floor of my cellar down to allow more headroom. There was a thin coat of concrete, then clay. We removed the clay in the area and laid flagstones.

Within a week water was rising through the flagstones. We took up the flagstones and put in in a sump pump with water piping all the way round. We graveled it and the boarded over it it has worked well for over 5 years.

I now want to backfill it and take the pump away. How can I do so, and if I replace the concrete floor where would the water go?


texts: What's the best way to insulate a floor over a crawl space?

texts:
I have a crawl space that is roughly 50 square feet in space. The previous home owners installed a piece of plastic sheeting on the crawl space dirt floor. The floor above the crawl space is extremely cold during the cooler seasons. I've been researching a lot about insulating the crawl space, but still cannot decide on which of the following:

Installing fiberglass batts in the crawl space ceiling and rim joists
or
encapsulating the crawl space using rigid foam and 6 mil plastic sheeting.

I received quotes from multiple contractors that vary from fiberglass batts, rigid foam, spray foam or a combination of all three. The pricing is varying from $200 to over $2000 in some cases.

Ultimately, I would like to know which option is best. I've included pics of my crawl space.

My basement does have high humidity in the summer months, but I do have a dehumidifier that runs when it hits 55%. I am not sure if this will be a factor.

Any advice is appreciated.


texts: Is there a way to relieve the pressure on a model 30 expansion tank without draining the system?

texts:
I want to change my Xtrol model 30 expansion tank on my boiler.  It is not waterlogged but 15 years old and I'm getting ready to sell the house. Plus the pressure has been going a little higher than it should be.
My configuration is Auto relief valve on top of an air scoop and then a ball valve shut off underneath which the tank is screwed into.
I assume the shut off valve is meant for an easier change without having to drain the system.
If I shut off the ball valve  and release the pressure on the bottom of the tank,can the tank be unscrewed without spraying  2 gallons of water out or  will there be still too much pressure from the diaphragm even without the 12 psi?
.


texts: What kind of wall switch is needed for a natural gas fireplace to ignite consistently?

texts:
When we moved in, our natural gas fireplace worked well: Flick the switch & it would ignite.

Years later, it started acting erratically: Sometimes, the switch worked, other times, no luck.  We'd try turning the switch off & on again a few times ("Hello, IT. Have you tried turning it off & on again?") and occasionally that would get it going.

Most recently, the workaround hasn't, & the burners fail to ignite 100% of the time. The pilot is fine.

Knowing the fireplace doesn't use the house power (we could use it even during an outage), I figured the voltage was low enough for me to troubleshoot. I disconnected the switch and tried to turn on the fireplace by carefully joining the conductors. This worked 100% of the time. So, I believed the fireplace was OK and decided the switch needed to be replaced.

Since I had it open already, I immediately installed a spare switch I had lying around. This worked well at first, turning the fireplace on & off 100% of the time on that first day. However, the next day, it was acting up again and failing most of the time.

I'm thinking it worked that first day since I'd warmed up the fireplace by connecting the wires, and subsequent attempts that immediately followed, using the new switch, could take advantage of the higher starting heat that generated just enough voltage.  However, once the fireplace cooled to the pilot-only ambient temperature the next day, it wasn't enough voltage.

What kind of switch, exactly, should I be getting to fix this? I checked our big-box hardware stores but their switches all seem rated for typical 120V+ use.  I spotted thermostats in the fireplace section, yet no switches. Where, generally speaking, might I find what I'm looking for? I'd prefer just a wall switch, and I don't want to call somebody in to fix this.


texts: Installing grounded light fixture on box with no ground conductor

texts: I'm installing a brand new motion activated security light to an existing box on my garage. After removing the old light, I notice it only has white/black wiring while the new light fixture has of course white/black/green (ground) wires to attach. What do I do if no ground wire is available with the old box?


texts: Grounding rod required, detached garage?

texts: I have a separate garage, 50' from house.  It will have no 220vac, all 120 vac in garage for outlets and lights.  Will run 6awg from 100 amp subpanel in basement of house to 60 amp panel in garage.  Do I need a grounding rod at the detached garage for the 60 amp panel?


texts: Compressor melted hole in 5+ year old defrost drain pan, is compressor overheating a possible concern

texts:
It is quite possible that my defrost drain pan melting was just normal age/wear & tear but I wanted to double check that there is not possibly a larger issue with my compressor running too hot.
This is my defrost drain pan here and I have the part and am just going to replace it. The old defrost drain pan clearly had two large holes where the area melted/eroded away and I am sure compressor heat was at least partly to blame. I would show a pic but I already threw the old defrost drain pan out before thinking perhaps there is a larger issue with the compressor running too hot.
I just wanted to double check, if anyone on here, thought the compressor was running abnormally hot or if it is normal to see a 4/5 year old defrost drain pan, that sits/hugs the top of a compressor, develop a reasonably large hole from heat over time.


texts: Is it prudent to unclog kitchen sink with boiling water?

texts:
For months one side of the kitchen sink has been blocked or sluggish, while the other (on the side of the dishwasher) flows freely. After several applications, I am giving up on Draino. It does not help, not even a little.

But simply pouring boiling water unclogs the drain on the stuck side. This works for about a month.

Is it prudent to unclog the kitchen sink by pouring boiling water?

Even though I am careful about disposing of extra fat (butter, solid oils) before rinsing the plates and then putting them in the dishwasher, I fear that some of the fat solidifies and clogs the drain.

This all started right after a house party in which I let ever-so-helpful guests rinse plates and put them in the dishwasher, but maybe it was going to happen regardless.

Editorializing: Even though I use minimal fat during and after cooking, maybe that's an lesson to use even less fat. Perhaps what's happening in the kitchen sink is the same sort of thing that happens in one's arteries.

The motivation for my fear of this being unwise is that I may simply be pushing the fat (if the issue is just fat) further down the drain, and that this will only become a more serious issue down the road. Do you have an experience with this to comment one way or the other?


texts: "Press the push bar to activate control" message on Chamberlain or LiftMaster wall control panel

texts: My Liftmaster or Chamberlain garage door wall unit reads "Press the push bar to activate control" but doing so does nothing.  The door won't open by the wall unit, but will open from all remote controls, and the motor unit is reporting no flashing error codes.  Disconnecting and reconnecting the wall unit doesn't seem to help either.


texts: What is a proper size air conditioner for Texas 384 sq ft?

texts:
My cabin is in north Texas (aka Hell’s Furnace) and is 16x24. I have R19 walls, R25 ceiling, and R20 floors. The walls are 2x6 and I have 7/16 OSB sheathing and Tyvek wrap between sheathing and siding. There are two high quality fiberglass doors, and 4 high quality windows, 2@ 36x48, 1@24x36, and 1@12x24. There is one bathroom 6x8 ft where the 12x24 window is. The attic is vented with a ridge vent and vents are in place under the overhangs. Interior walls are 1/2 in drywall. Ceilings are 8 feet.

So having said all that, I am probably going to buy a window unit rather than a portable. From what I hear and research, they’re just better all around.

As far as sizing the unit, the boxes say 10k BTU is appropriate, and a calculator I found said 13k, but that’s seems right for normal places, not the sweltering sauna that is the Lone Star State in the summer. I figured I’d go to 14K. Does this make sense?

Also how is the quality of the big-box window units? Especially the GE models?


texts: Why does my window air conditioner cool but not dehumidify?

texts:
I have a brand-new 5000 BTU Frigidaire window air conditioner, and it seems to work fine except that it doesn't reduce the humidity in the room.

I turned it on last night, and the temperature was 81 °F with 63% humidity, and when I woke up this morning it was 72 °F with 70% humidity.

I thought that dehumidification was necessary in how air-conditioners worked. How could an air conditioner cool the air without removing the moisture?


texts: The lights and outlets in out bathroom and livingroom keep tripping?? I did some research and everyone was saying it was the GFCI outlet, so there is only one on that circuit so I replaced it and we thought we fixed it. But the next morning it tripped again!! What else could it be??


texts: I am looking to install a new thermostat that will require a C wire. I have a single stage A/C unit and my current thermostat has Rc, G, and Y wires. There is also an unused blue wire which I traced to the A/C unit electrical panel - it is not connected to anything. My problem is - the guys that installed my A/C were kind of "half ass" and there is no easy way for me to just connect the unused blue wire in the A/C electrical panel. The unused blue wire is wrapped around the brown wire.


texts: Should feather-edge lap siding be installed directly on sheathing or on furring strips?

texts:
I'm building a shed this summer. The plan is to use a stud frame construction. Cover it in 12mm OSB3 and a breather membrane to keep the interior dry and use feather edge as the cladding. The thing I am wondering is should I put the feather edge on rails or directly to the OSB3 through the breather membrane? I've seen it done it both ways online
It's pressure treated pine. I've planned a 20cm roof overhang so I am not planning for it to get soaked on a daily basis but I want to be on the careful side.
Using rails should mean there is a 40mm air gap between the backside of the feather edge and the breather membrane so if moisture accumulates on the backside of the feather edge there is some air movement to let it dry. This has the added advantage of meaning less holes through the breather membrane.
Without using rails mean less material will be required and I can use fence posts for the edge similar to this video on Youtube by Colin Furze. Seems like he knows what he's doing and lives in the same climate as me (UK - so moisture is gonna be a bit of an issue).
https://youtu.be/LP67MAoihZk?t=110
If anyone has got any experience doing it one way or another then advice would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers.


texts: Mounting to hollow wall through slate tile

texts:
I have slate tile on a wall in my bathroom and I want to mount a couple of robe hooks on this wall.  My plan was to use a couple of spring toggles, as the wall is approaching 1" thick with the tile and backer board behind it.  There are no studs where I want the robe hooks mounted.

The problem I've got is that the two holes in the robe hook bracket are only 5/8" apart on center.  The smallest spring toggle available is 1/8", which requires a 3/8" hole to be drilled.  I'm worried that drilling a couple of 3/8" holes through the tile that close together - leaving only about 1/4" of tile between the holes, edge to edge - will cause the tile to crack.

I know I can offset the holes a little bit to leave more material between the holes, but I don't have much wiggle room there either without the hole being exposed outside of the hook itself.  At best, I might be able to leave 1/2" between the holes.

Any other suggestions from anyone?  I'd really like to get away with drilling some smaller holes, but as far as I can find, I don't have that option with any other types of anchors that I can find.  Or maybe I give up drilling all together and use some sort of adhesive?

This is the hook I plan to use


texts: How can I get rid of the old wood/furniture smell?

texts:
I've just bough a place, renovated it a bit. The kitchen looks to be in decent condition, but I get that smell of old wood/furniture. How do I get rid of that?

I mean it's only for month or two, I will replace the kitchen of course, can't do all at once.


texts: container liner for easy cleaning when mixing concrete

texts:
Whether its a wheelbarrow or a 5 gallon bucket, is it okay to use a liner?

For example, put liner in container, mix concrete, pour concrete, pull out liner, dispose liner, squeaky clean wheelbarrow/bucket remains. If it is okay, what should I use as a liner?


texts: Hardwood floor - how to avoid different levels between rooms

texts: We removed travertine tile from the kitchen to extend hardwood floors through out the house.  Underneath the travertine was plywood on top of the 1x6s. Can we also remove the plywood and lay the hardwoods directly on the subfloor? I'd like to avoid transitions and different levels between the rooms.


texts: Daisy chaining ungrounded LED, what do with last ground wire?

texts: I’m daisy chaining 4 LEDs that aren’t grounded and was wondering what to do with the last ground wire. For the first 3 LEDs, I connected the grounds with a wire nut (see picture). What should I do with the ground wire for the last LED where there will only have a single 14/2 wire coming in? Cap it with a wire nut?


texts: How do I properly install GFCI outlets with existing 12/3 wire in parallel and on a switch?

texts:
I am trying to help my inlaws with a problem in their living room.  Two of their outlets stopped working and I don't really know why.  The outlets were wired to a switch in the hallway, which controlled the top outlet, and the bottom outlet was always powered.  They were also the middle outlets in a series of 6. I purchased 2 Leviton brand slim GFCI outlets.  When unhooking the existing outlets, I noticed that both red wires were attached to the top "brass" connector, and both black wires were attached to the bottom "brass" connector, while the white wires were attached to the silver connectors.  I have tried every combination of wires I can think of and cannot get it to work.

Any advice?


texts: How do you fix a leaking shower cartridge?

texts:
So the faucet cartridge in Shower 1 was about 12 years old and really stiff. I replaced it with a new one. But then it started leaking through the middle of the new cartridge. I thought it was a faulty cartridge. So I tried another new one. There was still a leak. I then tried using the cartridge from Shower 2, which I knew worked fine, but it still leaked. I have tightened the locking nut as tightly as I dared lest I damage the threads, but it still leaks. Is there something wrong with the cartridge housing?
I remember when I initially removed the locking nut in Shower 1 that it was really stiff. Much stiffer then the locking nuts for the other faucets in my house. Did the original plumber screw it on too tight and damage the faucet housing? I do notice there are some aberrations on the inside of the housing in Shower 1. Please find some photos attached. Please also see these photos of the housing for Shower 2, which look a lot cleaner inside. Is this the problem? How do I fix it?

[![enter image description here][2]][2]

Edit: forgot to mention, this is a mixer tap. here is an image with the handle on.

Edit (April 17):
My next strategy is to cover up these holes at the side of the cartridge with plumbing tape. I will post an update about how this goes.

Edit 3:
It didn't work. Water is still leaking from the cartridge. Guess its time to call a plumber :/


texts: What's a good way to anchor the central bolts of a pair of gates?

texts:
So I've a pair of new handsome wrought-iron gates for the bottom of my (tarmac) drive. The gates each have a long thin "bolt" that is intended to go into a hole in the drive itself.

My initial feeling is that a couple of short lengths of metal tube set into concrete should hold them nicely. But, I'm concerned they'll soon fill with mud or earth or leaves and turn into a maintenance headache.

Any guidance? Should the tube be long (in which case I'll need a deep hole) or short (but this might fill up faster?) Would a bit of old copper tube I've got about the place do the job?


texts: How should I vent bathroom exhaust fans in an old brick house with slate roof?

texts:
I recently moved into an old brick house (slate roof), containing several bathrooms without vents.  It's a problem that I've been wanting to correct, though I've put it off because I'm not sure if knocking a hole in either the brick wall or slate roof is worth the hassle (esp. with respect to what I want from the system).

Since the fan's purpose is to move air out to remove humidity and odors, are there any fans out there that push the air through some type of replaceable desiccant to remove moisture, and charcoal to de-odor, so the air could be released back into the attic instead of the outdoors?  To me, this seems like a reasonable option, considering I wouldn't have to worry about making holes in my bricks/roof (not to mention it eliminates the possibility of cold outdoor air flowing back in, which I hear is a problem even with dampered vents).  Has anyone seen or used any such exhaust fans (do they exist)?

With respect to outdoor venting, the only option I can see, since it's a walk-up attic with small windows on the gable ends, might be to cut a circular opening in the glass that just fit the vent pipe (with damper from the other questions I've read) and finding a way to seal it properly might be an option (which means never opening the window).  Is this an acceptable way to go about this?

Any suggestions and best practices for this old house would be appreciated!


texts: Should I use push-to-connect fittings for PRV installation?

texts:
I have excessive water pressure and intend to install a Pressure Reducing Valve (PRV) on my 3/4" copper water line.
While looking at PRVs I noticed that some products feature SkarkBite push to connect fittings. I do not have all of the supplies I'd need to solder to the pipe so using a push to connect would save me from having to buy them. It may also be easier because I'd be working in my crawl space.
I live in central Alabama so we do not get many hard freezes, and the PRV will be in an enclosed crawl space that is warmer than the outside during the winter.

Are PTC connections reliable long term for high pressure applications?
Are there any other factors I should consider when deciding whether
to solder in the PRV vs. use a Shark Bite?
In practice, how easy would it be to replace the PRV if I connected
it with PTC fittings, and would it be better to have soldered on
threaded adapters if I need to replace the PRV in 10-20 years?

Edit: I ended up buying and installing a PRV with Shark Bite fittings. Here is a photo of my finished installation. I didn’t notice when I asked the question originally that the ball valve that was already there was also installed with push to connect fittings.


texts: Why do some multi-zone heating systems have multiple circulators?

texts:
In a lot of photos I've seen here and elsewhere of hot water home heating systems with multiple zones, each zone has its own circulator.
In my two-zone system there is one circulator, with a zone valve on the feed to each zone and a common return pipe.  It seems to work well.  There is very little bleed between zones, and when both zones call for heat the radiators all get hot.
Is there a benefit to multiple circulators?


texts:
I have this ceiling fan in my house. The previous owner didn't leave any documentation about it. It came with a remote, but unfortunately the remote's screen does not turn on, even with a fresh battery.
The fan:
Here is the fan with the upper cover removed:

Here is a close-up underneath the upper cover. This is the writing I can find on here. The other side looks roughly the same, but without any writing on it.

Here is the fan with the lamp cover removed:

Here is a close-up underneath the lamp cover:

Here is the remote that came with it. Unfortunately, even with a fresh battery, the screen on the remote does not turn on.

Thanks in advance for your help! If we can figure out what kind of fan this is, I will try buying a new remote and see if that gets the fan going again.


texts: Miscalculated Subway tile spacing What should I do?

texts:
I miscalculated the spacing of subway tiles (literally misstyped a number in my calculator) I’m installing for my backsplash and ended up with a sliver left over at the top of my wall and under my cabinets.
What should I do? I’m thinking of leaving the under cabinet ones alone since I’m going to be installing deco strips which will hide it. But right near the ceiling there’s a 5/8” gap which means I’d have to cut 1/2” slivers to fill it in. I’m worried that will look bad.
Any thoughts from folks? Should I do it or is there an alternative solution?


texts: I wqant to add a wifi thermostat to a millivolt system. I would like to keep the current thermostat in case of power lost so that it would kick in at a minimum temp say 45 degrees. How do you wire a thermostat in parallel? Thanks


texts: I have a AercoCool Pro 4800 swamp cooler roof unit and need to get new rigid pads for it. Do the pads need be specific to the brand according to the cooler's spec sheet, or can I use any pad that is the correct dimensions?


texts: What's the best way to run a wire from inside my garage to the outside?

texts:
I'm installing an underground fence for my dog, which requires putting the receiver inside the garage (plugged into an outlet) and running the insulated fencing wire to the outside where it will be buried. Using a suggestion from the manual, my plan is to simply drill a hole through the exterior wall, then caulk around it after installation. Is this the best way, functionally and aesthetically?

My exterior is vinyl siding.


texts: installing electrical boxes for out door light fixtures

texts: want to install light fixtures on each side of my garage door if I use weather proof boxes should any type of light fixture fit over them?


texts:
In my kitchen I have two sets of under cabinet LED strip lights. These strips have randomly been turning on throughout the day. The strips are both controlled by a remote that signals to separate in-line dimmers that run on the same frequency. Both runs are plugged in to different outlets through AC adapters. The outlets are on separate circuits.
My initial thought was that the remote went bad and was erroneously sending out signals to the dimmers, so I removed the battery from the remote (I had a separate unused remote from the install). This problem has persisted even with the new remote.
I'm wondering if there is some type of RF interference somewhere within the house, but I can't imagine where. I haven't installed anything new in recent days. These lights were working fine for about 8 months before this problem started.
Just as a further clarification, sometimes one strip will come on while the other stays off and vice versa.
EDIT: These are in fact RF controlled dimmer remotes. According to the supplier they use RF Pulse Width Modulation.


texts: How can I remove large nails from cement?

texts:
I am redoing the flooring in my basement and removed a built-in toy chest. I disassembled the chest and the floor 2x4's are attached to the cement with large nails. If I had to guess on gauge I'd say around 0. I split the 2x4's and have removed them, however I have been unable to remove these nails. I've tried hitting them from side to side with a hammer to loosen them, but after about 20 minutes have no sign of them budging.

Is there a secret to removing these? I don't have an angle grinder so I'm hoping I can remove them without having to cut them off.


texts:
We have a closet door in the upstairs of our new house that is a bypass wooden door that slides on a track at the top of the door. Once we bought the house we discovered the doors were totally messed up and moving the door even a few inches would cause them to jump their rails making them pretty much completely useless.

So I went out and bought a replacement set of hardware including rails and rollers (like this) and went ahead and replaced the old one. Now I have the new hardware in, the door at the back rolls perfectly, but the front one still doesn't work at all. I had a hard time getting it on the rails in the first place and then moving it a few inches to the left and it falls off. It'll fall off on the right too, but I have to move it further to the end.

Does anybody have any suggestions?


texts: When I set the thermostat to X degrees, is that the temperature at which air is pushed out through the vents?

texts: My hunch is that most ac units aren't that sophisticated, and they just pump air that is "cold enough" or "hot enough" and pump it until temperature rises to the specified value. Is that right?


texts: How do you cut threads in plastic coated steel pipe?

texts:
I'm doing a home improvement project, and I want to bury 10' of 1/2" pipe.  I've been to the city and understand the codes to do this legal.  In my area, buried pipe has to be either plastic coated or buried within a protective plastic pipe (typically PVC).   I've got a couple of pieces of pipe that will need to be cut and threaded.

My local big box hardware store (no names mentioned) sell the coated pipe but refuse to cut threads on their expensive Rigid pipe threading machines.  They claim the coated pipe clogs up their threading machines, have a nice day.

I was looking at using a ratcheting pipe threader tool, but I notice from the Rigid catalog that they recommend a different die set for coated pipe?  ref: dies here and ratchet handles here.  That reference shows part # 51897 for 1/2 inch "high speed for plastic coated pipe".

The whole threading of plastic coated pipe sounds odd to me.  I don't understand why plain 'ol pipe threading dies don't just cut right thru the stuff.  Anybody know any details here?

If I'm careful with plain 'ol dies for black iron pipe work on the coated stuff?

Many thanks...


texts: How can I prevent air leaks in my single-hung windows?

texts:
In our house we have regular single-hung windows which are leaking cold air.
As usual, the double pane unit is encased in plastic trim. I can feel a draft coming out where the plastic has a seam with the glass. There is a bead of rubber going all along the seam, and it doesn't looked peeled off.

Is this a common problem? Could I be imagining a leak in this spot?
How do I fix it? Is applying a bead of silicone over the rubber seal a bad idea?

The arrows point to where the seam is:


texts: If my sub-panel is an extension of my main panel due to insufficient breaker space, then why is it necessary to separate my ground and neutral connections in my sub-panel?


texts: Refrigerator water dispenser runs fast then slow

texts:
I have a Whirlpool Gold refrigerator about eight years old. The water dispenser runs water in a glass for a few seconds normally but then runs slow. Note that it doesn't slow down. It's an immediate switch to slow dispensing after about 2oz of water is dispensed.
I think (I think) this started after replacing the filter a couple of months back. I believe I was to fill the filter with water and let it sit for a while (or somesuch) but forgot to do that and just installed it. I'm wondering if that may have caused an issue in the filter to make it clog after a few seconds.
I would replace the filter to find out but I don't have one.


texts:
I have an older Zoeller sump pump that has stopped working. I found the pump submerged in the basin with a foot of water. I toggled the float before pulling it but it didn't kick on. Since removing it, I found a few articles online describing general troubleshooting steps, but not really helpful for a novice such as myself. What I am trying to determine is whether or not the motor is salvageable, buy replacing the switch, or if the sump pump is garbage. It's a very nice pump, from the previous owners of our home, and I'd like to try repairing it if possible. I removed the switch cover and tested the motor leads with my ohmmeter. There is continuity in the motor, however, I'm not sure how helpful this is in determining if it will work once the switch is replaced.

One article recommended bypassing the switch and then plugging the pump in, but I was wondering if someone else might have some advice.

Thanks for any help.

-Update-


texts: How can I determine the date of manufacture of drywall?

texts: How to determine the date of manufacturer of drywall prior to 2005?


texts: Can I sink a hot water copper pipe into the ground and keep the heating functionality

texts:
we are remodeling a our kitchen and the hot water baseboard heating is in the way. We had two ideas.
1. we let the baseboard heating run under the cabinets
2. we cut open the floor and drop the copper pipe in, covering it up with a metal grille.

Regarding the 2nd Option, will it still heat up the room as it used to before?
Thanks for your Feedback.


texts: Can multiple outlets be directly attached to a single breaker?

texts:
Are either of these ok:

a) Two NEMA-5-20 outlets, each has a run of #12 wire, that runs all the way to a single breaker, which then clamps 2 black #12 wires.

b) Two NEMA-14-50 outlets, each has a run of #6 wire, that runs all the way to the breaker which clamps on two red leads and two black leads.


texts: What kind of router would you use to extend a cabinet opening?

texts:
I'm the proud owner of this guy:

http://www.cabinets.com/dsmw649h-mbc24-shaker-maple-bright-white-microwave-base-cabinet-1-drawer.html

The description is as follows (emphasis mine):

  1 bottom drawer, 1 shelf included SHIPPED LOOSE with no shelf clips,
  the shelf is intended to be field installed to help hold the
  microwave, this cabinet is intended for built in microwaves not
  countertop microwaves, must field install microwave, this cabinet does
  not have finished interior, cut out dimensions are 14 13/16" high by
  17 3/4" wide, maximum cut out is 15 13/16" high by 20 7/8" wide,
  premium UV finished plywood cabinet box construction, 1/2" plywood
  hanging rails, 5/8" solid maple english dovetail drawer box with BLUM
  motion integrated easy-close slides

What kind of router and bit is warranted here in order to cleanly and straightly expand the hole?


texts: How should I get the service entrance cable to my new adjacent panel location?

texts:
How do I have to run the SER cables from the original hole(where the SER cable goes through the wall) to the side of the new panel?

Can SER cable be exposed or needs to be inside a conduit? Conduit type? AFAIK I can not use EMT, the city inspector says that, and she is not very friendly on providing such information.

Edit/Update:
Here is the entire picture of old and new panel

EDIT about Service cable entrance


texts: What type of air conditioner can bring in outside air?

texts: Car air conditioners usually have the option to choose circulate on/off. What about house air conditioners? For instance, does a window air conditioner exchange air inside and outside the house?


texts: What skills and tools do I need to install a whole-home humidifier?

texts:
I'm looking to install a whole-home humidifier and am wondering what tools and skills are needed for the job. I'm specifically concerned about a non-standard installation or if something goes wrong / is not as expected - what are the common problems encountered?
For specifics, I'm looking at an Aprilaire 700 unit, and have what looks to be a Ruud model RGPE-07EBRQR (Rheem?) furnace / air handler. I have an Ecobee3 smart thermostat installed with 2 or 3 spare conductors in the cable. My main water supply and water heater are in the same closet as the HVAC equipment.
Edited to add pictures. An HVAC technician suggested we would need to install the humidifier on the upper part of the duct, where it is vertical, but that it should be doable.


texts:
I'm replacing a few light switches to new WeMo smart switches. The instructions show the neutral wire from the new switch connecting to the existing neutral wire.

I have an outlet with 2 switches and 4 existing neutral wires. The 2 additional neutral wires (one from each new switch) will make 6 total wires. This seems like too much to crush into a connector.

Can I connect 3 and 3 separately, or do all 6 need to connect together?


texts:
Our home has some areas where the different pieces of roof meet the primary roof. These may or may not meet the criteria for "dormers." I recently had a local worker do some caulking & painting. I thought he was going to clear & seal these areas where the roof line meets another portion of the roof line. After he had completed the job I got home from work late & inspected the work the next am. There is still a 1 1/2 inch gap between the areas of intersecting roof lines. He replaced the flashing & caulked where he worked, but there is still open areas that are angled & go directly into my attic. These 4 areas a re approximately 12 to 18 inches in length & were infested with red wasps & a bird nest. The wasps do not bother us, but if they can get into my attic, I assume other insects &  critters can too.
Okay sorry for the history. Should I seal these areas? They are against the primary roof & might be considered dormer edges.

Typical Gap - A similar one is on the opposite side

Overview

Full Image Gallery


texts: Is it okay if the underlayment is thicker than the subfloor? When the home was originally built it looks like they used a thinner plywood on top of the joists with a thicker underlayment on top of that. Did they reverse the order? Does it matter? Should I do the same when I lay the new floor? It would be easier to tie into their work if I copy what they did.


texts:
I was in the process of connecting a Reliance generator trow over switch , although the job was completed , I was trying to shut off power to the entire house by opening the main breaker but would not open . THe load center is an old Cutler Hammer ( 1988-92_ model ) and although Iwas able to operate and shut down individual breaker , I was concern that I could not close the main .Are these main breaker like that or should I get an electrician to replace the main breaker ?

Raul


texts: What's the difference between these two types of compression fittings?

texts: In my piles of random hardware I have a pile of brass compression fittings for water lines. I have two different types of compression nuts. One has a sleeve inside it. The other doesn't. What's the difference?


texts:
I am replacing a single 3 light track style fixture in our kitchen with an Ikea track that will better light the space.  Opening the switch box up this afternoon I saw that the wiring is a little unfamiliar to what I am used to.  All of the Whites are tied together and the Black is strung along the bottom of a few of the switches (it's a 5 switch box).  The top of the switch in question is a red line. Metering the terminals of the Ikea track I get 0 volts and 120 volts as one would expect with a switch.   When installing the dimmer switch (a single pole 2 black wire, one ground dimmer), I attached the black wire from the old switch to the bottom black dimmer wire, and the red wire from the old switch to the top black wire on the dimmer.  Turn on the breaker and the off position works dandy, but the dimmer goes from around 90 volts to 93 volts only.  I have no idea what to do!

thanks!

Adrian in Richmond, VA


texts: How to install insulation in a small space behind an existing shower?

texts: I have a 3" wide area the height of the bathroom wall behind at the corner of an existing shower on the external wall without insulation. The space runs the full 8' height I can only reach the top 8" or so that is above the shower wall. Is it a problem that this space is not insulated? Any recommendations how to fill the space to the floor with insulation and provide a vapor barrier?


texts: How can I fix a door that doesn't close because it doesn't fit the frame?

texts:
Two closet doors in my house won't close all the way. When they are about 85% closed, it stops because the top of the door is rubbing up against the frames. It looks like I need to move the door down about 3-6 inches a half inch. The doors are hollow except for about a foot on the top and bottom.

I want to avoid having to take the door and hinges off and redoing the hinges. Is there anyway I can avoid that? A step by step would be very helpful, even if there is no way to do it without moving the hinges.


texts: Is there a way to locate a receptacle closed behind drywall?

texts: I recently had my basement walls finished.  I am not sure about this at all, but I do have a slight suspicion that one of my electrical receptacles might have been closed up behind the drywall.  The room has an abundance of them, so that's not an issue, but I assume it's dangerous and illegal to have it closed up.  I don't really want to pull down the wall just to check for this, especially since I'm probably just being paranoid and there is no receptacle.  Is there any kind of tool or method for locating a receptacle behind drywall, just so I can be sure?


texts: What tool should I buy to cut through very hard plastic?

texts:
I have this 55 gallon blue drum that I just picked up from car spa, but the top is not removable. What tool should I buy to remove just the top part of the plastic drum so that I can replace it with a wire mesh?

Update: I just looked into the Dremel tool, maybe this could work?


texts: What to do with baseboard for this basement with concrete box?

texts:
This is in my basement and I plan to install wood flooring.
But this is what in the bottom of the wall:

It is like a box 2x2.

Previously I had baseboard on top of the concrete box running along the wall. BUT it was ugly.

Does anyone have a better idea what to do or cover this?

Maybe I can just paint it as same as the wall and run some 1x2 on top??!

UPDATE 1

The wall looks like this:

|
|
|
|
--
  |
--------------------


texts: I want to build a basement room under existing concrete deck how do I support deck while digging out beneath?  It drops off vertically would dig from that side. soft dirt. How to do this safely.  thank you


texts: Test Existing Natural Gas Barbecue Line Without a Hose

texts:
I have a natural gas hookup on my back deck and want to purchase a natural gas barbecue. There is a quick connect at the hookup and a valve to turn it on, but when I turn it on I don't feel any pressure (gas coming out after a few seconds). This pipe runs from the basement where there is another valve for it which I had also turned on. There is a three way splitter in the basement, one pipe to the hot water tank, one to the fireplace, and one to the outside hookup (which has its own regulator). Both the hot water tank and fireplace work.

Is there a way to safely test to see if gas is actually coming out? Do I need to leave it on for a while? I'm not inclined to try this unless it's my only option. I don't want to purchase a grill and have it assembled if the natural gas line doesn't work.

Thanks,
Ron g5spville

Edit: I turned on both valves, held a glass of water over the end of the quick connect and pulled back the sleeve, but there were no bubbles even after about 30 seconds. So mayber I need to have a hose connected in order for the gas to flow(?), or else it's just not working.


texts: What is this mysterious odor from the kitchen sink and how do I fix it?

texts:
The kitchen sink in our home has recently been producing an odd aroma - depending on the day, it's a mix of boiled eggs, sulphur, brackish water, or old food.
What we have tried

garbage disposal cleaner
clorox
ajax
regular dish soap

After any of our attempts so far, the smell returns within 1-2 days - even with no dirty dishes anywhere to be seen.
What we can't do* (it's a rental home)

replace the sink
major plumbing

What can we do to address this issue?
* if it requires anything "major", it will need a maintenance request, but we're hoping to avoid that and find something simpler


texts: What heating mechanism do I have and how do I turn it off?

texts:
This is a bit embarrassing but I'm unable to figure out how my house is actually heated.

I have some vents in the wall (just above the baseboard), which blow out hot air and are controlled by one thermostat in each room. The same thermostat + vent is in the living room.

Plus, the living room also has a gas fireplace.

Now, I've turned off all the thermostats + have put off the pilot light in the fireplace, but when I place my hands near the wall vents, I still feel heat. Not sure how to turn it off.

Please help me figure out the mechanism of heating and how to turn it off. Here are photos of the water heater in the basement, my only guess is that this has something to do with space heating too, but am not sure.

Pictures are here: https://imgur.com/a/XX1rvA7


texts: My goodman furnace is not igniting my burners

texts: I have a goodman furnace and when it is calling for heat the ignitor comes on and goes off and comes on again and the burners never comes on what could be the problem


texts: I recently had a situation where my fridge leaked water over a period of 2 years. I found it was a cracked pan and this is how the house was sold. In any case I didn't know it was affecting the base of the cabinet or toe kick adjacent cabinet and front facing toe kick. After much headache the hardie backer was removed. There was water damage on sub floor but a good sanding took care of this. The plywood toe kick a long with the oak veneer toe kick was removed and replaced. The tile is now set in. In preparing for the delivery of my new fridge I noticed a black discoloration on the toe kick located on the inside area of the oven space. The other side of this wall is a shower with fiberglass wall. There are no signs of water damage on the wall or inside cabinet. No damage that the floor guy can remember. Is the black discoloration on the particle board normal. There is no kitchen water source close by and the fridge was far enough.


texts:
I have a chandelier with Leviton bulb sockets marked: 75W 125V

My first question is can I use 120V bulb instead of a 125V bulb?

My second question is in relation the wiring and whether 12 gauge wire with a 20 AMP breaker is okay to use with the Leviton bulb sockets marked 75 W 125V?


texts: I wanna make a shelf 16' long 24" deep. I want to be able to put on this about 500lb. The 2x4 will sit on a 4x4 so this is good I think. The question is if a 16' 2x4 will hold it.


texts: Do I need to weatherproof my outdoor conduit?

texts:
I recently installed some outdoor conduit, with weatherproof boxes and (the most expensive bits) raintight compression connectors. Because this is EMT conduit, set screw connectors were also available, but, obviously not wet rated.

I recently got to thinking, however, that THWN is, on its own, wet rated and the conduit merely serves as physical protection.

So, do I need to install raintight/weatherproof connectors for conduit when the wires within are already wet rated?


texts:
My understanding is that drywall tape is to provide structure to the mud as the framing members shift. In my case, I've cut about 17 5" holes in my garage drywall ceiling and saved the plugs. I plan to plug the holes as pictured below (side view).

There's a gap between the existing drywall and the plug. Do I need to tape it? As the house shifts, the plug should shift with the drywall sheet since it's attached to it with the short lath strip.

Since the plug is circular, it seems like I'd need to use something like these (not cheap) instead of regular tape. Aesthetics aren't a big concern since this is a garage.


texts:
This single lightswitch zaps every time it is touched. Including twice in a 30 second period when touched by different people. It is not the screws, but the switch itself.
The zap is powerful enough that it goes through pliers with plastidipped handles.

Other things in the building are a little zappy; computers and whatnot. The outlets appear grounded.


texts: Can I replace 1 switch of a 3-switch box with a Motion Detector switch

texts:
Our bathrooms have a 3-switch box: 1-sink lights, 1-shower light, 1-fan. My son doesn't shut off the light, so it is on all night (or all day).

Can I replace one of the light switches with a motion detector switch?

thanks,
len


texts:
Older house built in florida in 1950's.
states it was "rewired" at some point.

Looking to add a breaker. and do some shopping

Wondering if someone can ID these breakers so i know what im looking for.

Thanks in advance.


texts: What is the 'orangey' colour on this pine and how do I remove it?

texts:
I've recently bought some pine furniture which is well built and solid but needs a bit of TLC.

It is also finished with something that gives it a kind of 'orangey' colour. It has some scratches and I much prefer the more natural, paler colour underneath. So I want to remove the finish.

My question is thus three-fold I guess:

What do you think the varnish/lacquer/coating is?
Can I remove it and if so, how?
What would you recommend as a natural coating to protect it but keep the 'natural' colour of the wood?


texts:
Our boiler's backflow preventer valve started to leak out of the vent around Thanksgiving. I read that it may have to do with system pressure and it may stop, which did stop dripping after a few days. Then around Christmas we have all 3 zones going with family in town and the dripping started again. I have a Solo cup under it and after 3 weeks or so the cup is full.

My question is, at this point is the issue probably either a old valve or crud effecting the valve inside? If that is the case, I would probably rather just spend the money on the valve to replace it unless it is not too time consuming to try and clean. What suggestions would you have for me? Thanks


texts: Mold on drywall. Should I clean-up or replace?

texts:
Apartment next door got flooded and some water sipped underneath the wall. The floor buckled and had to be replaced. After removing floor trim I discovered some mold under the baseboard.

I cut out a portion of drywall (see 2nd pic below) and sure enough, there is mold on both sides of both layers of drywall. But the mold formed only on the surface, in the paper coating. The gypsum itself looks white and clean. So here's the dilemma: should I simply scrub and clean with 1:10 bleach solution, or should I cut and replace affected part of the wall? I already made the decision to replace trim boards.

Bonus question: is there something I can do to prevent this from happening again? For example, can I put some kind of water barrier inside the wall, since it is likely that I will have to open it up anyway?


texts: Installable storage heaters - why manufacturers bother putting the bricks in?

texts:
Recently I have learned of "installable storage heaters". Those are fairly heavy devices which consist of a ceramic brick stack and electric heater. The brick stack is heated during the off-peak electricity hours and gives back heat the rest of the time.

This made me think: the density of bricks is at best twice the density of water. Heat capacity of bricks, on the other hand, is closer to being 4-6 time smaller than heat capacity of water.

A simple calculation thus shows, that device with exactly same dimensions as those available on the market but featuring a drainable water tank as a heat accumulator instead of bricks:

Will be able to store more energy
Will be light and portable when water is drained
Will have better efficiency transferring heat from primary heater to accumulator

So the question is: why offerings on the market mostly consist of immovably heavy, brick filled devices?


texts: Can I Run Electrical Wire through sewage pipe/ vent

texts: I'm trying to run new electrical wire from the basement to my 3rd floor apartment. There’s a cast iron vertical sewage pipe that goes in the exact route I’d like the wire to go. But there would be overlap with the first-floor toilet output. Obviously, I’d have to use wire that is suitable for wet conditions like UF-B. But I can’t find anything on if it’s okay to put electrical wire inside sewage lines. And if it is okay, what are the rules around it.


texts:
So moved into house, has gas for furnace and dryer. It seems that this is a gas line for the range, what I do not understand is the smaller pipe leaving the valve and off behind the wall. could it close loop or just vent? Havent tried to pill out from wall, it is an exterior wall Brick home, does not protrude to the outside.
Has electric range, but if this is gas the new range will be gas.
Thanks in advance


texts: Circulating main floor AC to above and below floors

texts:
In the summer the main floor with the AC is always comfortable, the basement is a bit warmer and the 2nd floor unbearably hot.

I'll be adding more insulation under the roof to help, but short of getting a mini-split or central air unit, I'd like to explore circulation options to help spread the cool air from the main floor to the basement and 2nd floor.

I have a 40 x 30 ft, 1945 home... basement, main and second floor, all finished. Heat is supplied via gas furnace, hot water circulation to all three floors. There are no air registers, duct work or openings between floors, the stairwells have doors on them.

There is one 14,000 BTU wall AC unit on the main floor that cools the entire floor, no trouble at all. It's mainly open concept with over 50% of the entire space open. The basement and 2nd floor are completely open, one room each.

My first thought is to install two vertical ducts on opposite sides of the house that run from top of the 2nd floor to the bottom of the basement, a fan in each, with an adjustable vent on each floor. The vents would be at the ceiling level of the 2nd floor and floor level on the main and basement. The fans would run in opposite directions when the AC is on.

Would this work? Am I missing anything important? I'm aware of the potential fire hazard when air is allowed free movement between floors.

I attached a photo of what I'm thinking. "AC" is main floor, "Warm" is basement" and "Hot" is 2nd floor. Air flow, register placement and fans are designated.

Thanks for any advice!
Brian


texts: What exactly is magnetic drilling equipment?

texts: What puzzles me is a term "magnetic" in the context of Magnetic Drilling Machines by Euroboor (for example).


texts: Restaining a deck after scraping, prime with oil base?

texts: We have scraped and washed our large older pressure treated deck which had originally had an oil based semi transparent stain, but now has a latex solid stain. We have always followed our paint stores advice to stain the scraped areas with an oil based primer and then do entire deck with solid acrylic stain (both Cabot). Is this still the best? I have some primer and lots of the solid stain.


texts:
I was mulling buying a powerline adapter, when I read this, from Which magazine.

  There's one major caveat, however - powerline adapters won't work if your home electrical circuit is split over more than one ring. If your upstairs wiring is on a different electrical ring to your downstairs wiring, where your router lives, then you won't be able to extend the wi-fi upstairs using powerline adapters.

I'm not sure what this means, but I have a vague idea. The gateway is downstairs, the router I want to connect to is upstairs. They're on separate RCDs, which I assume means that they're on different rings... or does it?

I live in the UK.


texts: How do I fix this depression in my concrete patio?

texts:
I have a concrete patio with a 4-foot by 2-foot shallow oval area that retains water.  The concrete is sort of a knockdown pattern (see photo). How do I resolve this depression without smoothing it over and making it slippery?
 How do I level the area and make the pattern match the surrounding area?