texts: What anchor type should I use for mounting a pull-up bar installation into concrete?

texts:
So yesterday I got a pull up bar at a really good price. Now the only thing I got to do is to mount it to a solid concrete wall. Since a nearby shop offers only a few different anchors, I bought two types that would fit best.

Sleeve anchor - 1/4'' (5/16'' drill) width x 4'' length,
Wedge anchor 5/16'' width x 2.5'' length

Pull up bar thickness is 4/5'' (2cm) and there are 8 holes

But here is the problem... I know that the sleeve anchors holding values are less in terms of shear and pullout than those of wedge type. On the other hand the wedge type anchors are really short and the pull up bar itself is thicker than the maximum value allowed for this length of the anchor.

The question is : Should I look for longer wedge type anchors? I live far from the city and would have to order some.

Or are the sleeve type anchors sufficient for the strain that's typical for a workout? Would also like to exercise using a TRX. (Not just me, flatmates too) so safety is a priority.


texts: How to fish a rubber seal gasket from dryer exhaust

texts:
So I bought one of these vent hose (https://youtu.be/JwqfSEbhCwY) and yeah I should've read the reviews. Well, the rubber gasket fell into the dryer exhaust. I stuck my hand as far as it can go but I can't get to it. The exhaust turns down the wall and the there's a 90 degree elbow and runs out the back of the house.

Our dryer is throwing an error and I believe it's due to the clog. I confirmed this by running the dryer without the vent hose attached and it was fine. Would a dryer vent cleaning company be able to retrieve it?


texts:
I'm actually rebuilding my terrace replacing pressure treated 6x6 retaining walls with 18x6x4 35 pounds concrete blocks.  Max wall height is about 20" but there is two levels so total height is about 40".  Block manufacturer says max height is 36" and they recommend gluing the blocks for "easy installation".

Side view ASCII art below :

                             |
        ||----- Terrace------| House
        || 20"               |
   ||---||                   |
   || 20"                    |
---||------- Ground ---------|

My questions are :

Any drawbacks to glue concrete blocks?
How to apply glue?  Spot, zizag pattern or it doesn't matters?
Should I glue them on every side too?


texts:
My phone/dsl system was installed with a CAT5e cable run to a central blue electrical box. The feed line was there connected to the four other cables that ran to the jacks in the house by crimping them all together with wire connectors.
I assume this was done by the builder or maybe Centurylink at some point. House was built in 2006.
I want to know if this is a reasonable practice to wire the rest of my basement or if there's a better way to connect the jacks to the utility box outside (patch panel or...)
I understand that I'm only going to be using one of these connections to hook up my router, but I wonder if the other wires that are not being used will cause any significant interference or problems with my internet connection.
It would be ideal to run a single cable to my modem location, but I want to maintain the flexibility of being able to put he router in different rooms and I want to keep the land line option intact.
Thank you


texts: How can I locate the source of a washing machine leak?

texts:
I have an older washing maching, a Hotpoint 6 cycle heavy duty high capacity (I see a label with WLW3400, which I assume is the model number).

It is leaking and I am trying to discern the source. I have verified that is neither the input hoses nor the discharge hose (I was initially guessing the latter).

Other than a pinhole in the drum (which seems unlikely; it doesn't seem to leak until it well into the wash; I would think a drum hole would cause leakage very quickly... unless it's very high, I guess), what other sources of leaks could there be?

I did find this thread: Why does my washing machine leak only during the spin cycle? which mentions a belt, although it doesn't explain how water can leak from a belt being loose (I can certainly imagine other problems, and the machine does have some vibration issues at times).


texts: How is this bathroom ventilation fan attached?

texts:
I'm trying to replace a fan in my bathroom.The old one is a NuTone 668RP.  I've managed to get all of the innards out of the old fan but can't figure out how the housing is attached. I don't see any screws or anything and it seems to be attached from the top. It's a downstairs bathroom so I can't get to the attic.

There's a stud on the "bottom" side (in the photo) but the side is not attached to the stud. I stuck my screwdriver up there and ran it along all four sides. Must be attached to the top somehow.


texts: Can you cover or hide a outside meter box

texts: My wife and I are working on our backyard and the patio, and we need to find out if is legal to hide or cover a outside breaker/meter box in Texas?, it's only for aesthetic purposes. Thanks.


texts: Testing my 2-wire home receptacles with a Southwire model 50020S-A

texts:
I'm about to put my 1885 Victorian on the market. When I moved in, every receptacle except those in the newly-remodeled kitchen was a "2-prong." There are otherwise no ground wires or armored cable in the house. For convenience, I installed new "3-prong" plugs, ungrounded of course, throughout. I was fully aware of the consequences. (I'm an EE.) I have no doubt that any prospective new owner will have a home inspector come in to check things out. While more of an industrial/factory new build EE, I honestly wasn't aware that replacing the old receptacles with ungrounded 3-prong receptacles broke code. Now I do. I've familiarized myself with NEC 2014, and begun installing AFCI/GFCI breakers in the modern panel. I called Leviton and they sent me a pile of "GFCI Protected" and "No Ground Connected" stickers to place on all of my receptacles. So I think I'm good, right?

On my last trip to Lowe's to get some more breakers, I bought one of those cute little plug-testers -- the one with the GFCI test button -- for about 8 bucks. Yikes! When I plug the tester into any of the receptacles in the circuit for which I've installed the AFCI/GFCI breaker, my initial reading is "Open Ground." (Yay. It works!) But when I press the GFCI test button on the Southwire tester, the AFCI/GFCI breaker does not trip and I get a code for "Hot and Neu Rev." It would seem to me that the Southwire tester's circuitry is attempting to use the ground wire that isn't there to perform this test. Is that true? I remember reading something a while back that the home inspectors' circuit testers don't report GFCI tests properly on 2-wire, ungrounded systems. If that's true, is there a tester that "properly" tests a GFCI on a 2-wire system? (Note: Both the AF and GF test functions work perfectly on the breaker itself.)

I noticed that one of the modern, new-ish GFCIs installed in the updated kitchen also seems to lack a proper ground, and yet when I depress the "test" button on the GFCI it does trip it. But the Southwire's test button does not trip it. Five feet away is a properly-wired GFCI, which reads with my tester that a ground wire is present and this GFCI trips with both its internal "test" button as well as with the test button on the Southwire tester.

In an effort to reduce how many pages long my potential buyer's inspection report will be (peeling exterior paint, ancient furnace, etc.) I'd like to make sure that the wiring is at least up to code standards. If I have to install new 2-prong receptacles, I will, but I'd rather offer something better.

Here are my questions:

Is this Southwire model 50020S-A receptacle tester really that bad that it can't trip a GFCI of any kind without a proper ground wire present?
If the answer to #1 is yes, is the LED indication that the hot and neutral wires are reversed when I depress the "test" button meaningless?
If the answer to #1 is yes, is there a proper receptacle tester that I should be using?


texts: Attic Blow-In Fiberglass Insulation with air handler

texts:
This weekend we're installing insulation in our attic. I've gotten everything ready except for my air handler for heating and cooling, which is located in the attic. I've got 30 bales of fiberglass insulation which will be blown into my attic.

Should I construct a plywood wall around the air handler to prevent the insulation from getting close to it? Should I just create a slope so that there is little to no insulation near the air handler? Or can I just blow the insulation right up under and around the air handler as if it wasn't even there? For reference, we're shooting for about an R-40 value, which is approximately 16" of insulation.


texts: Thermocouple with a built in safety overtemp disc verses a standard universal T/C?

texts: My water heater has a thermocouple with an in line overtemp disc stamped 190. The pilot will not stay on after holding the gas valve's pilot start button. So, i assumed like every other water heater i have repaired, that it must be the T/C. But i have never encountered before this, an in-line safety disc on a t/c. So i tried installing a standard universal type t/c and the pilot still will not remain on! is it possible my old t/c with the disc is creating a different mV value? the universal one screws right into the gas valve (same thread, diameter and depth). By the way the mfg of the heater is Kenmore.


texts:
Whenever I close the fridge door,the freezer door below pops open. Sometimes it closes by itself but equally it often stays open allowing the freezer to defrost.
I wondered if I could use magnets somehow to keep the freezer door closed.Any ideas?


texts: Craftsman HBW0777 garage door opener does not close door - light does not flash

texts:
I was given a garage door opener from 1994. Model number HBW0777. The case says Craftsman on the side, but I'm sure this unit is actually made by Chamberlain. It appears to be in decent condition, the plastic gears are not deformed at all. For now, the door is not connected to the opener. You will rightly want to point out that this thing is super old and not worth fixing. I'm a tinkerer and I don't like to throw things away if they are fixable. I am an opponent of the society of "everything is disposable" so if I can get this thing working, I want to try.
I do not have any remotes for this unit. When I press the hard-wired open/close button, the "bullet" travels a few inches towards the wall (the closing motion), then goes back to its home (open) position. The light does not blink. If I hold the button down, it goes a little farther, maybe 10 inches, then returns just like before. Again, no blinky light.
The sensors are connected and pointed at each other. For now, they are on a table sitting right next to each other. Their indicator lights are both on, and one of them goes out if I block their line of sight. I will run the wires to connect them properly later, if I can get this opener to work. If I point the sensors away from each other and press the button, it closes a few inches and goes back to open again just like before, but the light then blinks 10 times as expected when having a sensor problem.
The force knobs are right at their default halfway points, and the limit knobs appear to be at a reasonable position. I did try moving the "up" limit farther up, just to see what it would do, and it made no difference at all - the opener returned to the position it started at, which didn't go far enough to touch the limit contact. I put the limit knob back where it was.
Any ideas on things to check?


texts: Can range hood venting ductwork be hidden behind crown molding?

texts:
Installing a range hood in older home going out the side wall.

Am I correct in thinking that the duct-work can be hidden behind the crown molding? (is realistic?)

Does the duct-work contain itself? Does duct-work leak? This is a residence with average cooking usage.


texts: Why would furnace not come on immediately?

texts:
I had a brief scare just now. It is 7-degrees right now and getting colder so I definitely don't want a furnace failure.

I came home and house was at 62 with thermostat at 64 (my standard not-at-home setting) and I manually upped it to 72. Normally when I do this the furnace comes on in about 4-5 seconds. This time, however, nothing happened. The thermostat said "heat on", so I go down and every thing looks ok. Plenty of oil, water pressure is correct, furnace temperature is normal. I tried pressing the reset button but nothing happened.

So I go upstairs and get ready to call the emergency service when I hear the furnace come on, a good 3 or 4 minutes after I had originally turned the thermostat up.

What could have caused the delay?


texts:
I'm sorry this is slightly off-topic, but I was hoping this might be a fun brainstorm for some folks who are more construction-minded than I am.

Our church is taking part in a "Trunk-or-Treat", where you decorate your car, and serve candy out of your trunk.  We decided to go with a pirate theme for our car, and our trunk is like a big treasure chest.  To pull this off, we need a way to construct a mast that we can attach a bed sheet as a sail, and somehow attach it to the car without causing any damage.

The car has a sunroof, if that makes setting it up any easier, but I'm basically looking for ideas on materials and basic construction.  Ideally, this would involve relatively cheap materials that we could pick up at Wal-Mart/Home Depot, and fairly simple setup.

Any ideas are greatly appreciated, thanks so much!
-J


texts:
Last year the Nest (used only for cooling) was working after connecting the blue C wire to the HVAC. Last year I made it work only after I put the green wire for the fan in ob.
Now, when the green wire is in ob, the HVAC works and the fan is working too, but when I turn off the system the HVAC is off but the fan does not turn off. If I put the green wire in G the fan works but not the HVAC. I am not sure if that happened after an update.
I guess if someone helps with the proper wire set up it will work as it was working last year. Please see the pictures.


texts: How can I heat river water for skating rink construction without access to power?

texts:
I'm working on designign an ice flooding rig, and getting power to it is a big challenge. This is remote (middle of a river) so I'm looking to carry enough fuel to flood for a few hours straight, and pump water to refill when I need.
Immersion heaters seem like the way to go, but they're all electric. Is there a similar immersion style heater, that I can run off of propane/diesel/some combustible? I understand I'll probably be throwing efficiency out the window, but that's acceptable here.
Does something like this exist? As I understand it this isn't how gas water heaters work, but there must be use cases for things like this.
Edit: It seems "flooding rig" is too vague.
My intent is to flood (cover with a thin coat of water) a section of ice on a river, so that I can skate on it. This is generally done by a zamboni (large, heavy, expensive, etc.), where hot (or at least warm) water is sent through a distributor bar that trickles a bunch of small streams of water over a wide area, to give a smooth, even coat. Hot water is ideal, but my intent here is to simply get the water warm enough that the nozzles in the distributor bar don't freeze up over time (I'm doing this in ~-20 weather, and pulling water from the river, so it's just barely above freezing)


texts:
When I run the hot water to the bathroom sink, as soon as the water starts to heat up, the tap just stops, and I have to give the top bit a few more turns to get it flowing again. It will then usually stop a couple more times, and I find I have to switch it off then back on again to get it flowing again. Happens every time, but only this tap - the bath tub and the shower, both in the same room, are fine.

I've got a fairly new combi boiler (3 yrs), which is maybe 3 or 4 meters from the problem tap (in another room). The pipes going to the basin are a little wobbly, I'm thinking about zip tying them together to make them more stable.

Any ideas on what could cause this?


texts: What is the definitively correct way to hook up a 3-prong electrical dryer cord?

texts:
I have a new dryer, and I have a 3-prong outlet (NEMA 10-30). The written instructions and the video instructions for this model contradict each other. Internet research has only confused me more. Looking for a clear, definitive answer... Do I install the wires like this (pic 1):

...where the white wire is left connected to the chassis (this is what the manufacturer video says, and what most other videos I’ve found say)
OR do I do it like this (pic 2):

...where I connect the white wire to the middle (neutral) terminal? This is what some internet things say, and this is also what the written instructions say, with an additional claim that I need an external ground wire connected to the chassis and then imaginably, a ground.


texts: Why does my switch turn on one outlet and off another?

texts:
I have a wall switch that turns on one outlet but turns off another outlet at the same time. Am I missing something or what is the purpose of this? Ideally I would have one outlet on all the time while the other is controlled by the switch for a living room lamp.

Any information or advice would be very much appreciated.

Thanks!


texts: How to install drywall on existing basement stairs?

texts:
We are finishing our basement stairs, and I'm struggling with how to drywall the side that is parallel to and tight against the foundation. Should I pull down the stairs, frame the wall, hang drywall, and put them back up? Or can I just frame against the foundation and stairs and let the drywall tie into the stairs? I don't care what it looks like below the stairs because it will be a cedar lined closet.

We also don't plan on framing a full wall here because the stairs are already narrow and we can't spare the space. We planned on using 1x2 stock attached to the foundation, and securing the drywall to that.


texts:
Replaced a regular outlet with a 4 USB plate. Mistakenly removed the side screw and now it won't hold at all, and the hole on the back won't hold the hot wire (since the side screw that is now stripped should have tightened it in place).

How can I get the hot wire to stay tight?


texts: Can I install data wiring in a clothes closet?

texts:
I want to add network drops to several rooms in my house, and have them connect to one point, preferably inside an existing closet. I would like to put a cable modem and a WiFi router in this closet, as well as a reasonably presentable method of the wires entering the closet (I would still like to be able to use the closet as a regular closet). I figure that I would need to run power, RG-6, and all the network drops to this panel.

Is this something that could be code compliant? If I don't have a designated place for data wiring, is there a preferred place to put things like this?

Possibly relevant information: The house is a concrete slab foundation, and PITA attic access. All existing wiring (electrical, phone, coax) is loose on top of the ceiling framing. The other "low voltage" signals for phone and coax have their own junction box on the outside of the house, so I wouldn't be re-running or really touching those.


texts: Newel post at the top of the stairs was extremely wobbly so I took it upon myself to check it out. After taking a better look I have come to find out that not the post itself is broken, but the apparent wood piece that actually comes off the bottom that I guess goes into the floor and is screwed was broken in half. After taking out a couple of screws I was actually able to pull the newel post out easily. How can this be fixed? Can I break out the piece left in the floor, and cut the excess off the bottom of the post then maybe somehow attach a new piece to go down into the slot? Please help.


texts: covering a baseboard heater gap and fire hazard

texts:
I noticed a mouse crawl up behind a baseboard heater. I unmounted the heater and found large holes in the wall. exposing styrofoam insulation.
is it a fire hazard to cover the holes with 1/4 inch galvanized mesh.  the heater will touch the mesh and the mesh is close to the styrofoam.
I have also considered filling the gap with greatstuff fireblock foam, however I have the same concern with the heater being close to or touching the fireblock foam.
Would speckle with mesh beca good option?
Any advice is appreciated.


texts: Can Someone Help Me Identify This Switch?

texts:
I have a Swaby 5200 pump in my home, and I am hoping that someone out there might be able to suggest a replacement switch part number – or at least point me in the right direction.

Pump model: 5200
Serial number: E1228
Size: 2

The switch appears to be a double-pole, single-throw type. It has markings that indicate it might be a Tyco switch, but the only markings I can see on it are K395 and 0606 – neither of which come up in Tyco’s catalog. The switch attaches to the float’s rod with a cotter pin (split pin).
Here are photos of the switch (don't judge me for the duct tape residue; I would have never used duct tape on an electrical switch like this! It was the previous owners!).

I am getting radio silence from the manufacturer of the pump, hence my desperate post here. Based on the advice I received when I bought the home, the mechanical components of this pump have many years of life left (the pump is regularly greased and maintained), and so I would really prefer to replace this switch vs. replacing the whole unit.
By the way, the existing switch appears to be "sticking" and not flipping to the on position when it should. This results in the pump not running, and the water backing up and eventually flooding the floor drain. Luckily I have water alarms and have been home to manually restart the pump... but this is not exactly sustainable.
EDIT 2018-Dec-17: I received a response from Swaby today. They are offering to sell me a replacement switch directly (it can be picked up from their Chicago office, or they can arrange to ship from their Houston facility). I will update with a formal answer once I have this resolved.
EDIT 2020-06-27: Wow, quite some time has passed. Sorry, all. I did obtain a replacement switch from Swaby BUT it was a significantly different switch. Replacement switch pictures and information are below. To install this new switch, I had to rework the electric, so it wasn't a job for the faint of heart.
Replacement switch kit (Swaby K-395) instructions:

Kit contents:

Kit includes the Square D Class 9036 Type DG Float Switch, which is significantly different than the Tyco switch pictured originally:

Here's the kicker: after I did all this work, I was still having problems. It turns out that the float had rusted through and was no longer exerting enough upward force on the switch. We ended up replacing the whole unit with a submerged pump.


texts: Kitchen sink half-wall against brick: which layer to drywall?

texts:
Relocating a kitchen sink to an exterior wall, I'll be building a 2x4 half-wall against the brick in which to run plumbing.  I'll then install cabinets in front of that wall.

Which layer to drywall?  I could drywall the brick and furring, or the stud half-wall, or both?

Also note that there'll be an outlet under the sink and a whip for the dishwasher.

I intend to use greenboard FWIW.


texts: Moisture leaking out of chip in floor tile

texts:
I dropped something heavy and mildly pointed onto the bathroom floor.

The Bathroom is tiled with ~30cm square black "slate like" tiles, but where I dropped this thing, the surface has been badly (2-3 cm radius, ?1-2mm deep?) chipped, and underneath the tile is pale brown.

Since I chipped it, there has been moisture welling up, through the chip. Initially I assumed it was just from the object dropped (it was wet), but the chip is still wet, and if I pat it thoroughly dry with toilet roll, then it 'spontaneously' becomes wet enough to mark a mark on toilet roll again, in <10 seconds.

The rest of the chipped tile, the other tiles, and the grout between the tiles all seem fine; no darkness, claminess, or any other sign of dampness.

What have I done, and what do I need to do now?

I know nothing about the tiles in question and don't (to my knowledge) have any spares.


texts:
Currently at my house that I bought recently, I have one side of the house draining the gutters down some pvc pipes that end up draining into my sewage line. On the other side of the house, the gutters just drain down onto a side concrete path that butts against the exterior wall of the house.  This side is of course not a good way to deal with water, as it can pool against the side of the house.  I have a small strip of grass beyond the concrete that I could make a PVC "ditch" to which that side of the house drains to.

Now my question is, in general is it better to drain to the sewage line like the one side of the house, to let it drain down the slope of my yard (which is properly sloped), or to run the water into the street (which I am sure the city may not like so much and I am unsure if that violates any codes)? Is there any harm doing it any of these ways? Is it fine to leave the one side of the house as is, draining into the sewage line?


texts: What is this three-wire cable hanging from my ceiling?

texts:
When we bought this house in Seattle, Washington, the downstairs bathroom was framed, but unfinished. There is a thin gray cable hanging from the ceiling, and I can't identify it. Any guesses as to what this is?

The house is wired for security. Is it possibly connected to the security system?

Thanks!


texts: How to safely make space for attic ladder installation

texts:
I want to install an attic ladder in the ceiling of our 1930s house. There is no ideal location in which the attic ladder would fit between the ceiling joists, so a joist or two will definitely need to be cut. There are also wires in the way. Questions I have:

I've read that when joists are cut, trimmers need to be installed along the uncut joists that run along two of the sides of the attic door opening. Do the trimmers need to run the entire length of the joists to which they are fastened? Essentially, the entire width of the ceiling/attic?
How can I safely relocate the yellow wires that are in the way?
What are the white spindle-like objects with dark cord running through them, and can I remove them?


texts: Can outlet circuit ground wires be connected to the panel ground wire?

texts:
Introduction
My house initially had many outlets grounded to the copper plumbing using ground pipe clamps like this one which I know are no longer allowed via code:

I have gone through and replaced my copper lines with PEX for finishing a basement. In the process I had an electrician install a new breaker box. The breaker box itself has a copper line that runs from it to my water supply source (copper line).
Questions
To avoid having to run new 14/3 wire for all outlets, is it acceptable to attach my outlet grounds to the circuit breaker ground wire using a split bolt connector like the one shown below? If it is acceptable, is there any guideline to how many per terminal are allowed?


texts: NEC 14 wiring a remote / unfinished / garage with 120/240 circuits

texts:
I have read the answers related to "how-to install code compliant" questions for wiring a remote/unfinished garage.  The answers all are based upon earlier dated NEC code books.

Has anything substantively changed under the bureaucratic umbrella the NEC 2014 code regs impose?

THANK YOU FOR IMPROVING FOCUS OF MY APPROACH...(Some light background)

On a rural parcel, I am building a 40x40 concrete slab ag barn that by county local code doesn't require NEC 2014 compliance inspection outside of the plumbing & electrical systems.
By site plan efficiency, one corner of that slab is closest (+/- 100') from  the Power Company's main power disconnect, and, therefore where I intend to set my 100 amp sub-panel for all barn circuits to home run to.
That same corner of the barn is also only 40' from the septic system inlet so the toilet & the handsink I intend for the barn to have are logically wanting to be adjacently built/located.

1ST EDIT TO MY QUESTION:

If I locate the 100amp subpanel on that corner with inside of building access only, (read from the 5" higher concrete slab), is it code permissible I locate/build the other 3 walls of the bathroom lower/off the slab?  If it's floor is lower, but the bathroom would share a common wall with the subpanel,...does that construct bust any NEC 2014 insall/trade codes?

2ND EDIT/RESPONSES TO THE QUESTION & GENERATED COMMENTS:

We domicile on 45 acres on the plains E of Colorado Spgs.  I prior was 24 years a licensed B-2 GC in Nevada.  We separately have an active building permit with the regional building dept for work unrelated to my question.  Right or wrong, we have 2 consumer entitlement found under our local municipal.  1ST) As long as it's inspected & passes relevant UBC code, for every trade, by county/regional code only, it's permissible for the homeowner to do all of the work.

2ND)  Any structure being constructed for the use benefit of agriculture (RURAL BUILD LOCATIONS ONLY) isn't required to present itself for absolutely any inspections, so long as no electrical or plumbing phases are included in the build effort.

If any of/either electrical or plumbing phases are included in the Ag Building construct, they have to be installed up to the code that the prevailing municipality currently uses.  In Colo Springs, that's NEC 2014.

Because no CO is ever issued without everything being built/inspected/passed to the published UBC industry standard, the plumbing/electrical issues relevant to health & life safety are protected while not denying motivated "pudknockers" from doing their own work.

My barn/shop falls under such a qualified use entitlement exclusion.  I called/asked the electrical inspector for an informational site visit vis-a-vis the ag build exclusion with both electrical & plumbing phases present in the effort.  He said "I don't have the time to spoon feed you the code" & suggested that I google NEC 2014 code as it's applied to a "remote unfinished garage" and that's how I landed upon this forum's doorstep.

I've learned from each of those who generously responded here.  Thanks to one & all.  I'm indebted to this community & will try to give back appropriately.


texts: Is wall preparation needed for a border of glass tiles?

texts: Can I tile a 3" wide band of 1" x 2" glass tiles on a plaster bathroom wall (not in the shower area)  with no modifications to the wall?


texts:
So I have a question regarding paint vs paint and primer.

I have been painting my house, and admittedly, I have not been using primer. The baseboards, however, are a darker color, and painting them white has taken several coats (somespots up to 4 coats) to get the old color to cover. I have gone through a lot of white paint because of this.

My question is, if I use primer now on the baseboards, will the tint be off because of the primer underneath as opposed to just the original paint color and paint? I'd hate to have to reprime and paint all the baseboards I have done up to this point, but if priming them first and then repainting them is what needs to be done, then I will do so. If I can get away with just priming what's left, and painting the white over the primer without a noticeable tint difference, then I will do that.

Also, what is the best color primer to use with white? I was thinking like that light grey primer, but I am not sure the white would cover that very well. I was also thinking white primer, but I think it would be hard to tell the difference between what's painted already and what's only primered (even more so on second coats).


texts: Consumer unit tripping and hard to reset

texts:
I had a power cut this morning. After a lot of experimentation, it seems to be related to the washing machine.
The thing that confuses me is that when we power the washing machine the master circuit breaker in the consumer unit trips. It then refuses to reset. I have every plug I can find in the house disconnected, and every switch turned off. It still refuses to reset.
It seems like after enough banging my head against a wall, and slowly trying to reset the master circuit breaker, it'll give in. It takes a while though, and I have no idea why it eventually gives in, and even whether it will in the future.
Does this suggest that the master circuit breaker switch in the consumer unit needs replacing? Or perhaps there's some leakage between earth and live and it just takes some time for that to 'drain' out of the system?? I'm obviously guessing here!!
I can't exactly try many experiments with the washing machine as when it dies it's a pain to get power back.
I tried changing the fuse in the washing machine plug just in case. That made no difference. Surely that fuse should have blown first? I also tried adding in an rcd between the washing machine and the plug socket - that also didn't help and the main fuse went. Why could that be?
Any advice or suggestions really appreciated. I have an electrician booked in but the next available date is a few days away - and I'd also like to understand the issue a bit too!
Many thanks,
Dave.


texts: Using dry portland cement mixed with latex paint primer as a filler for weathered wood

texts:
One side of my home has been quite weathered and the wood is quite rough.
I wonder if anyone has mixed primer paint with  Portland cement to produce a thick and durable product that would fill the roughness and prime the wood for followup painting?


texts: Can I use a water tank and pump to feed a boiler?

texts:
As the title suggests I would like to know if I can use a water tank and pump to feed my boiler?

I want to get rid of my electric shower and currently I have large water tank with a pump feeding to the shower.

What I would like to do is remove the electric shower and then feed the water from the tank through the pump to the boiler;

thus improving pressure exiting the boiler?
If you are showering using the combi if someone flushes the loo or runs a hot or cold tap the person showering should not notice any changes in the temperature of the water?

Am I correct in my assumptions?


texts: Are Saddle Tees Acceptable According To Plumbing Code

texts:
I’ve been meaning to add a new fixture in my bathroom for a shower. The problem is the current way the drains are plumbed doesn’t allow enough slope for the horizontal parts of the new drain (tailpiece? tailpipe?) because the old drains are very old and we’re likely installed before these codes existed. Because of this, I am going to need to put a new branch is on the cast iron stack. I’ve been trying to research the best way to do this without having to cut a section of it and install a wye that’s connected to the iron pipe with no-hub connections, mainly because that is going to be quite the arduous task.

However, everything I’ve found says that is the way to do it. But the other day I saw this saddle tee on Amazon and ordered one, because it looks like it will save me from having to cut a section of the iron pipe. The documentation that came with the tee says that it will work on the iron pipe as long as I use an additional gasket, which I also ordered. It also came with some U clamps that hold it to the pipe, and the smaller pipe gets solvent-welded into it.

However I can’t find anything in the codes that says whether or not using one of these is acceptable. So my question is, to the plumbing experts/professionals here, is using a saddle tee a code compliant way to add a branch? (The town in which I live just uses the IPC for its codes)


texts: We would like to put in a utility sink in between our washer and dryer and the 220v dryer outlet is about 6" to the right and 6" below the top of the sink. I know code doesn't require GFCI for this, 120 washer outlet is GFCI, but is this safe or common practice? Thanks.


texts: Can a concrete block be split the same way you cut stone?

texts: I just bought a house with a large retaining wall built out of stackable concrete blocks.  At one intersection there's an extra block that sticks out awkwardly.  If I score a line with a chisel can I get the block to cleave cleanly along that line?  Or is the only way to use some kind of cutoff wheel or wet saw?


texts: Tankless Water Heater and turning off main water supply

texts: I presume there must be plenty of protections for such a case, but is there any reason to be concerned if I turn off (or my fortrezz value and smartthings turns off) my main water supply and my Rinnai tankless isn't turned off?  I looked at the instruction manual and it doesn't mention any thing about this situation that I saw.


texts: What is the technical term for this style lighting?

texts: It’s basically looking like LED strip lights, whose light bounces off the ceiling, and the strips are on top of some sort of mold/ceiling fascia. I don’t even know what to google to find a picture to add to the post


texts:
What's the best way to cover screw holes in pvc?
I was thinking about filling them,  then covering with a piece of plastic.


texts: Heil gas Furnace -- water in the pressure switch vacuum hose

texts: Every few days I have to remove and drain the the rubber tube from the pressure switch to the furnace or it won't ignite.  Why is water condensing in that tube?  It's not a hard thing to fix-- but I ought not to have to drain that tube at all. Seems to happen more often in colder weather.  I'd hate to be out of town for a few days, have the furnace not light and end up with frozen pipes!


texts: How to wire an Air Conditioner from the disconnect when exposed to physical damage?

texts:
Is there a general recommended wiring method for connecting an air conditioner (condenser on exterior of home) to its disconnect that is both not subject to physical damage and able to withstand a lot of vibration?

Per this question and answer, the LFNC whips that I see used on air conditioners installed at ground level without any surrounding protection everywhere can be interpreted as non-code compliant. Also, all flexible conduit options are subject to physical damage (refer to the code sections cited in "Question #3" from this answer).

Therefore, I was planning to use 3/4" EMT with liquid-tight connectors from the disconnect to the AC. However, I am now thinking about rigid materials mating with the vibrating motor of the air conditioner also being a bad idea since it will likely shake the conduit/disconnect mounts loose from the mortar of my exterior wall over time. If not another wiring method: Is there potentially something I could use to make the mounts for the EMT and disconnect less-susceptible to failure from vibration?


texts: How to cut off an old swing to get rid of it

texts:
I need to dispose of an old swing in my yard. Problem is some screws are so rusty they can't be unscrewed and the whole swing wont's pass the door.

Is there any simple way to cut this thing into a few pieces ? I guess the rods are hollow so perhaps it's not too hard. Any suggestion would be welcome.


texts: How do wire a dimmer in a 3 gang box with one incoming line.

texts:
How do I make my dimmer work? Right now it does not work :(
Any help. Diagram attached of current setup. I would appreciate any help. I am presuming it is because I am not completing the circuit for the fixture on the switch but not sure how to handle that given the current setup.


texts: Electrical workaround for wiring a smart switch

texts:
There's the following setup in my bedroom:

I need to wire the WiFi Switch in the setup above so I made the following workaround:

Basically I dimissed Light Bulb 2 in order to get the power line to the WiFi Switch and I reversed the Lin and N (I assume that the switch links Lin and Lout when activated).

Questions:

Does this setup pose any risks?
Is there a better alternative to this workaround? (I can't change how the wires are set up inside the walls; ideally I would get the N in the ceiling and the L in the wall).


texts: Bathroom vanity tail piece doesn't align with P-trap inlet

texts:
I recently installed a new vanity and the location of the inlet is 1/2 inch off from where the tail piece when the tail piece is straight and flush with the vanity.

When tugging a bit on the whole thing,  I am able to insert the tailpiece into inlet. However it is at a slight angle, enough that when I screw the drain onto the inlet it will not sit flush to the sink.

It seems as simple as extending the outlet but then looking at the sink, most of it is inside the wall and everything is glued together.

I was thinking I could just buy a coupler to extend the outlet. I don't want to because I think when I cut it, it will be so close to the P-trap that I will need to either remove ( chip away? ) the outlet part that's glued inside the p-trap so that a new one can be put inside, or buy a new p-trap and other parts.

What is the proper way to fix this ?


texts: What should I do about a receptacle with 2 circuits going through it where white wires are hot?

texts: I have a receptacle that has 3 white wires and 1 black.  The black wire is hot and 2 of the white wires are hot but on a separate circuit than the black one (2 bedroom's outlets on separate circuits but tied to this one receptacle).  This doesn't seem right to me.  All 3 white wires are hooked up to the white side of the receptacle while the black is on the hot side.  It takes 2 breakers to turn off the entire outlet (I was shocked when I found out). Really, I was shocked, that's how I found out.  I thought I had shutoff the breaker but didn't know the white wires were hot and part of another circuit.  It appears I should bracket the two breakers for safety.  My real question is "Is it o.k. for the two white wires to be hot and hooked to the white side of the receptacle?". Additionally, when this outlet is apart the second circuit does not work.  The whole setup just seems odd.  As a side note, the house was built in '63.  Maybe different regulations then.


texts: How best to repair 24 sqft dirt hole in concrete slab

texts:
I have a hole in the concrete slab of my foundation approximately 4' x 6'.  The slab was originally poured directly on the dirt.  The slab is approximately 4" thick with rough edges.  The hole is towards the middle of the slab.

I have a few questions:

1) Is there any point in putting gravel in the hole, for drainage, before pouring new concrete?  If so, about how much?  4"?

2) Considering that the edges are rough, do I still need to undercut them with a chisel?  Or will the new concrete lock onto the edges well enough as is?

3) Should I match the thickness of the existing slab for the new section (4"), or is there another more preferred thickness?

4) Would it be best to create some sort of metal reinforcing structure, or would fiber enhanced concrete do the trick well enough?

Thanks in advance for any help or insights you are able to provide.


texts: What's the difference between a No.4 and No.5 hand plane

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Background

Most current and past hand-plane makers seem to follow the numbering system (and design details) popularized by Stanley (and invented by Leonard Bailey?).

There are a bewildering number of different types of plane, but there seems to be a grouping of the general-purpose bench planes used in converting a roughly-hewn chunk of wood into a straight, flat, smooth, square piece of timber:

fore planes - used first to remove large irregularities.
jointer planes - used to flatten longer sections of wood.
smoothing planes - used last to produce a smooth finish.

A No 5 jack plane is often described as a type of fore plane (in some descriptions it is used after a scrub plane). A No 4 is a typical smoothing plane. One or other of these types seem to be most commonly the ones first purchased and used by DIYers.

Question

I have recently bought a second-hand Record No.5 jack plane and was pondering whether I should buy a No.4 smoothing plane. However it seems to me that the similarities are many and the differences few and that I could probably set up the No.5 to do a reasonable job of smoothing.

Similarities

Same iron angle (45°)
Same angle of grind on iron (25°)
Same width of iron (2 in.)
Same size mouth?
Same system (identical parts?) of adjustable frog, chip-breaker, lever-cap, etc.

Differences

Longer (14 in. instead of 9)
Heavier (due to extra length)

Images from old Record company catalogues

Is there any other physical difference that makes a No.4 more useful for smoothing, other than it's smaller size and weight making it easier to handle?

Addendum

Following keshlam's answer I found this guide to grinding plane irons which others might find useful


texts: I have a refrigerator door that opens up and hits the window of a steel door. What is the best way to stop this? I have been looking at door stoppers but they all have screws to attach them which won't work in this case as I don't want to put screw holes in the steel door nor in my steel fridge. Is there such a thing as a magnet to attach to a door that can be used?


texts: Should I leave a treeline to mitigate flooding in my backyard?

texts:
I have a 1942 colonial near Hartford, CT. It is a corner lot, and one of the streets I am on recently experienced a flash flood. Our house stayed dry, but we saw water up to three feet in the street and our yard flooded up to a foot or two. The water stopped closer to the house than I'd like. It drained within a few hours, but it was pretty crazy to see.

This was a fixer house, and one of our many projects was clearing out a treeline in our yard near the edge of the property to make more room before we put a fence in. We started this ourselves, but after the flood, we are reconsidering it and have halted the work.

I'd like to know if leaving the trees makes sense or not given that the area can flood. Some information is below:

The trees are mostly smaller and younger with the exception of one, large, red oak.
I'm not really sure of the density of the soil. It's pretty "good" soil to the best of my knowledge (in that plants grow very well in it), but I don't know what this says about it, exactly.
The treeline is maybe 50-75 yards from my nearest structure (attached sunroom) on the side that floods.
Flooding frequency is unknown. The neighbors said they hadn't seen it get to the point of flooding our yard in the two years they've lived there, but others have told us stories of cars being washed away on that street.
We plan to put a fence in behind this treeline whether we take it down or not plus a raised bed garden in front of the treeline in the yard.

There is poison ivy in the treeline, which is one reason we were clearing it, although mostly we were clearing it for aesthetic reasons and for the fence.

Please let me know any other information that would help!


texts:
I have a leaking water tank here in Bombay, India. I'm looking for suggestions on how to repair it.The tank is a plastic Sintex water tank. There are cracks around a water pipe running into the side of the tank. I am looking for approaches to sealing the leak. I believe soldering/welding is one option, but I think using some kind of sealant on it might also be an option. Opinions on the pros and cons of each approach would be helpful. Specific recommendations for sealant would also be helpful; I'm not sure what to look for. Here are some photos of the leak. In order, they show:

A row of tanks.
The pipe leading to the leak.
A closeup of the pipe leading to the tank.
A closeup of the cracks in the tank areound the pipe.
Another closeup of the cracks.


texts: Would a french drain solve my water issues?

texts: My yard slopes toward my house. The foundation is 2 to 3 feet below the yard. I have water that seeps into the crawl space after large rains. Would a linear french drain 6 to 8 ft. out from the house work?


texts: Moisture collecting underneath condo terrace deck boards

texts:
A little history - We bought this condo unit last year and just noticed that the paint the previous owner used on the deck boards were bubbling and peeling.
We inquired with the condo management to confirm that it is our responsibility to replace the decking boards.
Upon further inspection, some of the boards were noticeably moist and rotted. Some areas were worse than others. We initially thought it was due to the thick coating the previous owners used which may have trapped moisture and decided to replace all of the boards.
There is one area right above the floor drain that is collecting moisture on the underside of the boards. The new boards in the other areas of the terrace that were just laid down (not screwed down yet) and seemed to be ok.
This area in the winter is constantly warm and snow does not build up. Based on what we see, there seems to be a good amount of moisture in this area.
The structural base of the deck (and the deck boards) is constructed with pressure treated 2x6 boards which is sitting on top of a membrane.
Would larger gaps in between the boards (currently at 3/8”) allow enough airflow to prevent future rotting issues?  I’m thinking that something more needs to be done to allow for more venting and prevent it from building up in the first place.
This is the drain area:

NOTE: The deck boards are flipped up on their sides to help them dry out.


texts: How can I wire two switched outlets but power is connected at the first outlet?

texts:
I'm trying to connect a new switch and two new outlets (from switch) to an existing electric line.  This new switch should turn the two new outlets on and off.

However, I'd like to connect it as follows:

Existing power is closest to new outlet #1.
New light switch and new outlet #2 are on the other side of the room and located next to each other.

Are there any wiring diagrams to explain how to connect this?  I think I can do this with my 14-2 wire but I'm not positive.

EDIT: Does this diagram look correct?


texts:
We are looking at setting up the piping for under our wall mounted sink (no vanity, ie, piping will be exposed). And after our contractor finished putting the wall we noticed that the hole from the wall is not going to be aligned with the hole from the sink (faucet is wall mounted and cannot be moved, so we need to deal with the way it is).

We would like to use the below p-trap (purchased already, but can be returned if it is not going to work).

We have sketched below our layout with some dimensions.  If anyone has any suggestions as to what sort of pipes (ideally chrome finish to match the p-trap) we can use to get, somehow, an acceptable result.

Suggestions are welcome
Thanks

PS: We cannot break the wall and re-route the drain pipe as there are pipes on the way, so whatever we do has to be outside the wall (ie.: visible), we will likely put a shelf for towels below that could help cover a bit the piping.

Answer 1 layout:
Thank you bcworkz for your answer, can you let me know if the below is what you are suggesting? Also, what sort of adapters would you use for the joints (at the wall top end and around the hole in the wall).  Thanks again

Final Product
Hi guys, first wanted to thank you bcworkz for your answer. Find below the final product. We might end up putting up a small shelf that will fill with spare towels to cover that extra piping the back.


texts: Default setting for dimmable light bulb on a non-dimmable lamp

texts: I have a brand new dimmable light bulb, but a floor lamp that doesn't have a dimmer. Is the light bulb going to be working on full power out of the box i.e. it's not going to be dimmed?


texts: What wood protection should I use for a kids swing set in the desert sun?

texts:
I recently acquired this kids play-set which is all plastic except for the wood bars on the climbing net - see below:

I've read the answer to this question but am still unsure about what I should use to protect the wood. The set is about 5 years old and the wood is very dry and has small cracks. There will be kids climbing on it (obviously) and it's going to sit out in the Arizona sun all day long. What would you recommend I use to treat or seal these wood pieces and how long after treatment is it safe for kids to use?


texts: Lowest height accepted for 30A Outdoor Fused Safety Switch for water well?

texts:
I'm getting a new well drilled and was trying to make everything as least noticeable as possible.  According to the well driller I need a disconnect right by the well head, yet I see many home wells with no visible panel box. Assuming this is a new rule/regulation, what would be the minimum distance from box to ground(soil)? I'm thinking the lower to the ground the less visible distraction.

It will be 30Amp slow blow fuses with a red handle safetyswitch style. Exactly like this: SafetySwitch

If anyone can explain how other well heads don't have an ugly disconnect/safety switch right next to the well head I'd like to know how I can legally do that instead!


texts: Proper boxe for surface mounting GFCI outlet for a garage/utility space?

texts:
I'd like to replace the following electrical box, which runs a laundry:

What are good options for surface mount boxes?

It should hold the GFCI securely (not require funky mounting of the tabs, like some rounded covers do, and this octagon box did).
Be suitable for a second GFCI slave (four outlets total)
Look reasonably finished.
Allow for a firm clamp connection for the incoming armored cable sheath, which is the only ground in this case.  The ground needs to "pass through" this box via the box.

I don't really like the look of a standard knockout box with metal cover.  An outdoor box looks more robust and finished, but locally all I can find are in-use covers, which would look weird here.

Note the armored cable above, at least some of it, appears to have a grounding strip.  Note the strip sticks out from one of the clamps.  However everything is apparently so loose, the outlet tester says there is no ground here, or on the next outlet (which is three prong).


texts: How do I connect a 1/2" PVC slip joint to a 3/8" compression fitting on a sink faucet?

texts: I'm trying to get water to my sink in an unconventional setup. I have a water tank and a water pump so I don't need a shutoff valve under the sink. I have 1/2" female PVC stubbed up, and I have the two female 3/8" compression connectors hanging down from the faucet with a merge connector bringing them into one (I won't have hot water). I'm just wondering what's the cheapest and easiest way to connect these two? I can't seem to find any connectors that would work. It would be easy but I can't figure out how to connect to the compression threading with anything that can go into 1/2" female PVC slip joint. I would really appreciate some help.


texts: Fixing the wiring with a three way and a single pole combination

texts:
I am having a little difficulty fixing the wiring in my house. I have a stairwell with a 3 way at the bottom and at the top is my upper bedroom. There, I have a combination switch with a single pole and 3 way combined, a Leviton 5241. Unless one of the switches is on, the other won't actually turn on and off the lights. To try and fix the assumed wiring mistake, I first took the (breaker flipped first) bottom switch out and took the wires off and measured which one was hot, and found it to be the red one. So, it was wired back up in the same way as before. The hot to the brass screw and the two blacks (assuming they are the travelers) to the bronze screws.

I then went upstairs and did the same. Found the hot, a red wire, tied it to the common, and then tried to figure out the rest of the wires. Per the downstairs switch, I thought perhaps the blacks were going to be the travelers in my case and changed the wiring around to have both blacks be the traveler wires on the combo switch. I thought this would be it, but it did not fix it, and the same thing was happening as before. Thought I messed up, and then, thinking perhaps somewhere the wire color was changed, put the leftover red and the black seeming to come from the bottom of the box together, which was the same exact scenario as I started. Then I flipped the blacks, which then made the lights alternate on / off if I flipped on switch, making a light permanently on all the time. It was funny though.

But, it was late, so I wired things back the way I found them and went to bed.

Here are some pictures:

Appreciate the help.


texts: When I turn the key to open gas valve to light my gas fireplace I can constantly smell gas coming from the key hole. Is that normal? When I shut the valve off with the key I can no longer smell gas.


texts: Will heavy rain tomorrow be a problem if I pour concrete today?

texts:
If I start pouring concrete today at 2PM while it's sunny, and it starts to rain heavily tomorrow at 2PM... and not stop raining for the next 5 days (this is the weather forecast), will my driveway be fine?

Is 20+ hours enough time for the concrete to harden and not get "dug up" by heavy rain?


texts: Why American homes are wired TNC-S and not TNC

texts:
I wonder why American buildings are mostly grounded TNCS and not just TNC.
They have virtually no RCD protection, and also an RCD could work fin on TNC system as long as PE on outlet is connected on PEN before the RCD (or just left not connected). Aren't they just wasting copper?


texts: If my breakers in my wall aren't covered by a panel door or anything, can they screw a thin metallic sheet to the front of my breaker?

texts: Is it a violation of a code to place a thin metallic sheet over my breaker box?? It looks very trifling and unsafe!!


texts: Soundproofing a room from outside traffic noise and vibrations

texts: I need to soundproof a room to prevent traffic noise (not honks, but engines etc). How can I approach this?


texts: How can I prevent water from pooling against my foundation and patio pad?

texts:
When I purchased my house the builder flipped the stairs and grilling deck.  I can’t figure a way to fix the grade issue at the bottom of the stairs and along the back wall. The steps lead to an approximate 3’ x 3’ cement pad butted up to my foundation, which carries on to a cement walkway.

The problem is that the ground is graded on a slight downslope where water temporarily pools during rain.  The issue is my septic tank comes out of the wall a few feet away.  I can’t downslope the ground away from cement pad because my septic tank is too high.  If I try to raise the cement pad it will affect walking down the deck stairs(only 4 steps) and also become higher than the walk. I am getting water droplets under a large portion of my crawl space vapor barrier.

I believe the water intrusion is because of the grade issue.  Any advice will be greatly appreciated. Thank you


texts: Replace existing phone jack with network cable

texts:
I'm trying to get wired network to my living room since wireless isn't ideal for streaming high quality video.  My first instinct was to replace the existing phone jack, since I don't have landline phone service.  I figured I could use the phone cable to fish the network cable up to the attic, but it seems to be held in place.  I've tried pulling from both ends, but it won't budge.  The living room ceiling is vaulted, so there's no attic access directly above the jack.

Here's a picture of my living room with the existing jack circled in blue and the route I assume the phone cable takes in red:

And here's a picture of where the other end of the cable enters the attic:

This is a two-story house built on a slab, so there is no basement or crawl space.

Does anyone have any idea how (or if) I can make this work?  I would prefer to put as few holes in the living room walls as possible, but I can cut some holes if that would be the best way.


texts: How do I wire new bathroom exhaust fan with light?

texts: I am replacing a bathroom exhaust fan with light. There is 1 switch to control both fan and light. New unit has a white, black, and blue wire. Main wire in ceiling has a white, black, and copper ground. What do I do with the blue wire? I tried connecting with the black wires; light came on but fan did not. Instructions included with fan state to connect blue wire to red wire (shows going to switch box). There is no red wire present.


texts: Why replacing 2 cables with one did not work?

texts:
I have recently attempted to move a light switch on one of my walls by extending the cords a bit. At first I attempted to use one wire instead of 2 to save me some work

and it would not work till I replicated the previous setup with actual 2 wires (simplified pic shown below). Can someone explain to me why?

Another weird thing here is that the switch took 2 hot wires, which is unusual to me, but I guess it is something I need to lookup instead of asking a double question here.

P.S. I realize one (unrelated to the question) mistake that my initial decision introduced: I decreased the power capacity of that particular place by 50%. Feel free to criticize and whatever. I just want to understand that and to learn.

Edit: I don't know the wiring scheme of the house, but if I would swap the hot wires from 2 top cables, it would work, but it would also control 2 other switches on a neighboring wall (i.e. the switch would have to be on for those lights to function ;)


texts: How can I finish off a three gang switch with one switch missing?

texts:
I removed one switch from a three gang switchbox. I simply don't need it. All the wires to that switch have been trimmed and taped off and the same at the opposite end of those wires.

Now, what can I do to finish off the outside of that switch? The simple solution would be to plaster over the vacant third of the box and put a double gang cover on the outside. Am I breaking any codes if I do that? If so what's a decent alternative?

This is in Canada.


texts:
Installing a few outlets in my basement. The 2nd of those outlets will be on a switch. I'm running into issues with that 2nd outlet, it has power but isn't working. Using a plug tester it says, "Open Hot". I wired it using 12/2 and honestly I need some help figuring this out. I've tied the neutrals and grounds together in "Box #2" and I'm running the hot to the switch then to the outlet.

See diagram below and ask any questions if needed. Thanks!


texts: How to remove a screw inserted from the wrong side in an IKEA ALEX drawer unit?

texts:
We just bought an IKEA Alex 9 drawer unit. I assembled most of it without difficulty, except for step step 25 from the assembly instructions. I wasn't paying enough attention, and screwed the screw in from the outside of the drawer through the drawer castors/slides, instead of from the inside out as the instructions show. This means the drawer won't close. I've managed to get the drawer out from between the castors, but I can't get the screws out from the castors.

How can I get the screws out of the castors? If I try just unscrewing them, they just go round and round. (I guess either the thread doesn't go all the way to the head of the screw, or I've damaged the thread of the screw next to the head). I've tried applying pressure from the end of the screw while unscrewing, but that doesn't help. Any suggestions?

Some photos:

And this is a view of the thread on the castors/slides (from the outside) from one of the ones where I haven't put the screw in yet. You can see that there is a little bit sticking out with some thread on the inside:


texts: How to protect foundation, sill, and siding from moisture (snow)

texts:
I have an old house with a stone foundation and ~6x6 sill plate. The deck used to butt right up to the siding. I cut the deck away about 18" in order to get access to the area for some weatherization... removed some courses of clapboards, sheathing boards (T&G), and did some spray foaming. My question now is, should I take any measures to protect the foundation, sill, and siding from moisture - particularly snow that will fall from above and/or drift?

I was thinking several inches high metal flashing extending to an inch or two below the sill to a few inches above it. But then how would I attach the clapboards? Is there a better alternative? Or will I just have to live with replacing those clapboards sooner than the rest of them?

Here's a schematic (side view) to illustrate:

The vertical line represents proposed flashing.


texts: our range is on a 220 breaker. We lost power for approx 75 minutes. When the power came back on the oven door was locked.  Our instructions were to turn off the breaker, then turn back on and oven door should be unlocked. When the breaker is turned off the oven still has power, we left it off for 45 minutes and it still had power. Does the breaker need to be replaced?


texts: Replace rear bearing of Dewalt DWS520 Type 1 track saw

texts:
I would like to replace the rear bearing from a Dewalt DWS520 Type 1. I am not getting the armature removed. I did remove the yellow cover, but the armature is still stuck in the body of the saw. Can someone tell me how to remove the armature, so I can replace the rear bearing? Should I be able to pull him lose (tried that already, but it seems really stuck), or should I first open the gearcase on the backside and replace the gasket afterwards?

Many thanks for your answer!

Best regards,
Peter


texts: What is the port with the red cap for on my generator?

texts:
I have a (2005 - 2007) Briggs & Stratton 5,550 Watt Portable Generator - Model Number 030324 Rev Number 00.

I'm in the process of preparing it for shipment and I was instructed to leave it dry. After examining the generator I noticed the oil dip stick which is pretty long (4 inches maybe) and has a yellow cap as expected. However, closer to the bottom of the generator there is a red cap that's about a inch long that has fluid in it. The fluid appears reddish/pinkish. Nothing in the manual points to what it could potentially be.

What is this fluid?

I want to ensure when shipping the generator I ship new bottles of the fluid. Also, does anyone know what type of oil the generator takes and what spark plug?


texts: Installing outlet receptacle in unfinished basement furnace/water heater room

texts: Recently bought a house with a furnace/water heater utility room in the basement surrounded by a bedroom and playroom space. We just had a water filtration system put in this room that requires a plug. I thought it was really odd that there was no outlet receptacle in this room. My plan is to piggyback off the bedroom receptacle, but I want to make sure that there's nothing in the code about not putting receptacles X distance from water heater or furnace. I'm tracking that it's unfinished basement so the first outlet of the double duplex needs to be GFCI. Am I missing anything? Thanks!


texts: I am undertaking a bathroom remodel and lo and behold found some water damage against an interior wall. It is not extensive and doesn't run through the entirety of any of the studs or plates. I'm thinking I should be fine with a wood putty repair rather than replacing this but appreciate a second opinion from someone more knowledgeable than myself.


texts: I'm sanding the glossy paint of my bathroom before painting over it. But I realize it's hard work and I find the sanded surface still kinda glossy. Actually I have no idea how it should look like in order to qualify as a suitable surface to paint over it, nobody discusses this aspect in the web pages I came across, they just advise to sand. But to which extent, until seeing what?


texts: Changing the input voltage of oscillating fan

texts:
I have a pedestal fan which is rotating too fast. It's on the lowest setting yet it's stronger than the highest setting of any other fans I've seen. It's noisy as a drone, unnecessarily fast and i think it consumes more energy than it needs to.
Can I just use an adapter or something to reduce its input voltage so the motor rotates slower? Does it make sense? Would it harm the device?
Thanks,


texts: Y Plan Sundial - 150V on orange wire, boiler stays on in heating only mode

texts:
I have a Sundial Y-plan configuration. The 3 port midposition valve is a Honeywell V4073A and have a Worcester Greenstar 18ri.

After replacing an older 3 port valve which had become stuck with the Honeywell V4073A , I found that the boiler was no longer switching off when in heating only mode and the room thermostat was satisfied.

When the thermostat was demanding heat (pin 5/white live), I was seeing 230V on the orange wire from the 3-port valve (when disconnected from the wiring centre). When temperature was reached at the thermostat (pin 5/white 0V), I found that the orange wire from the 3 port valve was reading 48 volts! As the orange wire is connected to pin 8 and therefore the boiler live (L/R on pump overrun configurations), the boiler continues to fire.

Measured during Hot water was off, pin 7/grey live.

If I switch HEATING off, then WATER on, then water off on the programmer, then the boiler does switch off. The orange wire then reads 0V.


texts: I'm looking for a drywall finish that will hold a magnet

texts:
I want to modify a wall so that small magnets will stick, and even hold a small dead weight. I would prefer that the magnetic area not look all that different from the rest of the wall, I don't want to just hang a sheet of steel. I am imagining that 1/4" mesh hardware cloth could be attached to the face of the drywall, and skimmed over with joint compound. We will be skim-coating the walls in any case to get a specific plaster texture.

The hardware cloth I've looked at has 1/4" openings, and is woven from 23 gauge steel and zinc galvanized. Magnets stick nicely to the bare cloth. My concern is that the joint compound will react badly with the galvanization causing the wall surface to check or fail in time.

The wall in question is in a full bath, and so humidity is likely to be higher than in the house in general. One of the proposed locations is directly behind the sink, the other is open wall. We are still discussing the right spot.

Is this a viable approach? If not, what else should I consider?

Update: My intent is to use rare-earth magnets to hold up a glass mirror behind a bathroom sink. The mirror is a 20 inch square cut into seven pieces forming a puzzle. Using magnets to mount the mirror will allow guests to play with the shape of the overall mirror on the wall. My plan is to epoxy three NdFeB magnets to the back of each puzzle piece, or possibly just one on the smallest pieces.

The back of an envelope says that 400 square inches of 0.25 inch glass should weigh a couple of pounds, but I probably should go weigh the actual pieces since Amazon thinks the shipping weight is 4.6 pounds and there can't be all that much cardboard in the box.

Assuming the 4.6 pound figure is correct and that the box accounts for about .6 pound, the smallest pieces would 1/16 the total weight, or about 4 ounces, and the largest pieces would be 1/4 the weight or about a pound.

So the bottom line is that I do need a surface that will allow magnets to hold up about a pound.

Final Update: As all things in a home remodel are in continuous flux, this plan has fallen by the wayside. The answers and discussion have been helpful. I believe the mirror will find a home on a steel-backed whiteboard in the home office, and something more conventional will end up on the walls next to the sink.

I still plan to play with the magnetic primer paint, but from all I've read I'm not expecting it to work out to hold up anything more than a few sheets of paper. With that in mind, the answer pointing to the useful permanent magnet calculator gets the coveted green checkmark mostly because it has been the most useful in guiding us towards a location and use for the mirror.


texts: How can I create an "invisible" transition between different flooring types?

texts: I am looking for a flooring transition for tile to hardwood, tile to laminate, and laminate to hardwood.  I really do not like the transitions that are raised above the rest of the floor. All of the flooring in my house is exactly flush when it meets. I am wondering if there is some sort of "invisible transition".


texts:
The manuals I've seen for (cheaper) furniture refers to a cam nut and a cam bolt. Examples of them can be seen for purchase on Amazon.

I've recently decided I'd like to build my own desk and believe these would be a good means to allow future disassembly of the desk.

Is there a reason to not use cam nuts/bolts in my own furniture? I'm surprised how little info I'm finding on DIY'ing with them.

And what tool would I use to drill the hole for the cam nut?


texts: What's the purpose of 5.5mm concrete drill bits?

texts:
In (continental) Europe, all the plugs I've seen are either 5 or 6mm. So what's the point of 5.5mm drill bits, most commonly found in SDS-plus version? Is it to drill in crappy material and/or with a crappy drill/rotohammer where the 6mm hole would end up larger than expected if drilled with a 6mm drill?

I'm probably correct since some "economy" plugs, e.g. those with EAN 7332418018425, have a suggested drill hole of 5.5mm or 6mm or both (depending where you find them).

The 5.5mm might be UK-centric thing, since Bosch heavily sell sets which include that size in the UK (e.g. Bosch p/n 2607010546 has 160 reviews on amazon.uk) but it's barely sold in Germany (on Amazon, where in only has 16 reviews); instead the equivalent set with two 6mm bits is sold in Germany a lot more (Bosch p/n 2607010543 has 192 reviews on amazon.de... and a single one on amazon.uk). The former [UK-popular] Bosch set also includes a 7mm bit, for which I can find plugs on screwfix, but I've never seen them used [the 7mm plugs] in continental EU.


texts: Finishing technique for gaps between the wall and the live wood we installed that shrunk

texts: We installed a large slab of wood and it has shrunk away from the wall.


texts: Purpose of this diagonal board on underside of deck?

texts:
This board is nailed to the underside of the joists, and does not extend across the full width of the deck.
I'm planning to add a commercial under-deck ceiling, and would need to remove that board.
Would there be an issue removing that board?  What does it do?


texts: How do I remove countersunk baluster screws?

texts: How do I remove countersunk screws where the head is not accessible?  I'd like to find an easier way to do this than breaking drill bit after drill bit, trying to drill a large enough hole to pull the head end through


texts: Why do I have a 3 wire/double pole breaker for kitchen receptacle?

texts: I am switching my kitchen receptacle to a GFI; it has 3 wires.  I'm pretty sure I have to break the bar between the two hot screws, thus making the top and bottom on a separate circuit.  What is the reason for this way of wiring? The outlet is not feeding anything else, it's on its own circuit with a double pole 15amp breaker. Seems a little useless to me. The house was built in 1978.


texts:
I'm building a small (160 square feet) granny flat about 20' away from our main house. Our main house has a great blend of pellet stove + solar collection to keep the home warm. Rather than run electricity or install a wood stove in the granny flat I was hoping I could run ducting from the main house.

I'm planning on a simple 12V solar system for the granny flat's electricity, hence nothing powerful enough to run a heater.

I've seen R8 flex ducting, but it seems weird to dig a trench for ducting even if I re-enforced it in a box. Is there any best practice for running ducting through an outdoor stretch? I'd rather have it be underground regarding aesthetics.

Temperature-wise we're around 8,000 feet in the mountains, temperatures dip down to -10°F in the winter, highs in the single digits (~5°F) on occasion. Normally winter days are 35°F highs and 5°F nights.

Is there any best practice for running ducting through an outdoor stretch?


texts: What is a recommended height for tile edging?

texts:
I'm trying to put up a tiled mosaic back splash and I'm trying to figure out the profile height for the edging. My tiles are 1/4" (6mm) thick.

Should I be getting an edge where the profile height matches my tiles or should I get one slightly thicker to account for the thinset?


texts: I bought a standard 24v transformer and attached a plug to one end so I can plug it into a standard outlet. Can I just mount it to the wall by the outlet? Should I leave some space between the back and the wall, or does that not matter? I’m concerned some portion of it may get hot, or needs some air by it, etc.


texts: Cheap way to make cardboard box waterproof?

texts:
I will be attempting to make some concrete planters with two cardboard boxes. Below is the DIY that I will follow:

As you can see, the interior of the outer box & the exterior of the inner box must be waterproof.

So the instructions say to use duct tape for this, but duct tape is expensive. I'm thinking there may be a cheaper way, like maybe spraying the box with something to make the cardboard waterproof.

Does this make sense or is duct tape the only way?


texts: Should this 3 ply LVL bear on a single 2x4?

texts:
My engineer has designed a 6'6" beam to carry my load and this would consist of 3 LVL glued and screwed together. 7 1/2" LVL. Like most LVL, a single ply is 1 3/4" deep. So, as he has it specified 3 of those will be put together and that'll be 5 1/4" deep. However he has specified this will go inside / span the bearing wall, which is a 2x4 wall. In this case, he has also specified that each end of the beam will bear on only one 2x4. I don't doubt his design necessarily but would like more explanation on how/why it is legitimate to bear the 5 1/4" beam on a 2x4 ( 3 1/2" actual depth). I've attached a sketch below for clarity looking at the side of the 2x4

link to engineer doc https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vlIXbt2FQ_YYJN9PjOkHpAx7pcumKWch/view?usp=sharing


texts:
I found this hole a while back when removing my old carpet:

It was filled with a bunch of nice razor blades and nails, you know, the kind of stuff you just want to roll around in.  I need to find a way to close up this hole in such a way that the repair job can withstand the same amount of traffic as the undamaged subfloor in my room.


texts: When is priming a wall for painting necessary?

texts:
Say you just want to freshen up the walls of your apartment using the original paint color - the standard instruction is you need to prime the walls and then apply two coats. All these guides however assume you are painting a different colour.

The walls in my apartment are pretty new, the apartment itself is only 8 years old. The color is a very soft light neutral tone - probably the best way to describe it is a warm off white.

Is it necessary to prime the walls under these circumstances?

And also, how do I determine if more than one coat will be necessary?


texts: What material can I put on my wood kitchen island to make the surface smooth and waterproof?

texts:
We have this relatively low cost high top dining table that we've turned into our kitchen island. It's been working out great so far but the tables surface is ridged and has a lot of divots that don't all go in the same direction so it makes wiping it down a bit of a pain. Also, the constant wiping is starting to cause some of the finish to chip away.
I was wondering if there is an low cost clear epoxy type material that I can paint onto it that would make the surface smooth and water resistant?


texts: How to fix side of bathroom vanity damaged by water

texts:
My kids use the bath tub and water spills over almost everyday. I noticed that the bottom part of the side of the vanity is damaged with water. The water at times, goes beneath and I find the nearby wood affected mildly.

My question is .. how do I fix this ? And protect this from further damage ? Do I scrape and then paint ? Or cover with wood ?

Replacing the vanity is fine with me. But looks like it comes with a layer on top which extends all the way. I did not find similar stuff on sale. Overall the vanity is in decent condition and I would like to keep it, instead of buying a new one.

I really appreciate you reading this. Thank you once again.


texts:
There was a ceiling fan hanging and now there isn't and I need to install a plain flush mounted light.

Here's what I have: octogon box that has 4 wires coming into it, 3 of 4 wires have a black and white wire, the 4th wire has 2 sets of black and white wires.

It looks like all the grounds have been tied together. However, I tested the ground and the system is not grounded.

This is an older home. Any how. I have no idea how to wire this thing. Here's what I've figured out: one set is input power, one set of wires goes to a switch on the wall (presumably for the fixture that will be hanging), another set goes to the overhead range above the stove, I believe another set goes to the chandelier in the room because I disconnected all the wires and the chandelier no longer came on and there was some continuity there, the fifth set I have no idea what it goes to.

Here's what I did: wire nutted all the blacks together and then all the whites and kept that unknown pair wire butted together. Also connected the light fixture black and whites to the other black and whites. Turned back on the breaker. Light comes on when the switch is off, flip the switch to the on position and breaker trips.

I uninstalled the light, breaker still trips when the switch is flipped. And that's where I'm currently at. What's the 5th set of wires for?! Is that why the breaker is tripping when that one switch is flipped? The chandelier light switch works just fine and so does the stove range light. Just the one switch for that actual fixture is causing problems. I have no idea how this should be wired. Help! Please.

To Recap:
4 cables coming into box:
2 wires from switch (black and white)
2 wires from range above stove (black and white)
2 wires to ???? (black and white)
2 wires tied to other lighting circuitry in same space(black and white) SAME CABLE
2 wires power in (black and white) SAME CABLE)
Ungrounded System


texts: How can I repair blown plaster on walls?

texts: I live in a very old cottage (1747) some of the plaster mainly on exterior walls has blown/blistered with a powdery residue.  We have hacked off the plaster - treated the walls and re-plastered but slowly it is returning.  What are we not doing that we should be?


texts: Is the use of 14 AWG on 20a circuit acceptable? If not, how long has it been prohibited by the NEC?

texts:
During an effort to add an additional circuit my garage, I discovered that my house, which was built in 1999, has 14 AWG wire run off 20a breakers. My questions are simple:

Was this valid under code at the time of construction?

Do I have a problem that needs to be corrected?

I'm caught between trusting the circuits as they are, or biting the bullet and swapping all my breakers (about 20) for 15a. Not an insignificant cost or effort.

My background:
I am a structures engineer. Basic electrical theory was covered as part of my education.
I've been playing with electronics since I was a wee bairn.
I recognized that this was insufficient to be play with electricity in the real world so I pulled up the 2016 NEC and drilled into relevant sections. After my fun quota was filled by that, I settled down with Wiring Simplified (44th ed.) to make it all make sense. With all that, I'm pretty confident that I understand residential wiring at a better-than-apprentice level.


texts:
First a little background, two things.  I'm married to a Russian wife, which means hot water for showers are mandatory to keep the wife happy (only mostly kidding, we've been through tough times together and that's not why she loves me).  Also, I've only ever known electric water heaters.  One day 2 years ago, the thermostat fortuitously went out on our electric water heater and we resorted to only turning it on at the breaker.  I was busy with my day job.  Our electric bill went WAY down, like 30-40% !!! I knew they cost money but that drove the point home.

Now, we have natural gas which goes to a brand new HVAC unit, so that heating is done by gas.  A 50 gal gas water heater looks to be about 300-400.00 more expensive if it has a WiFi module.  My specific question is whether or not, or when, the cost-benefit of using WiFi to completely shut the water heater down at night and when we're away will/would make the WiFi worth it.  If you have numbers from actual experience that would be great!

PS I'm disinclined to install tankless water heaters - it's an old house, I know as I've worked on it.


texts: Tap into an Electrical Wire Under a Raised Cottage

texts:
I have a raised cottage that is exposed underneath. There is an nmd90/Romex/indoor-rated electrical wire running along one of the joists below it.

I realize that isn't up to current code, but it isn't going to be changed right now.

I want to tap into that wire and split it off into two.

What is the proper junction box for this given that it's not indoors, and how should it be done?


texts: How do I change an external door to a window?

texts:
I'm looking to change a Door to a window due to kitchen redesign. Can anyone give me any idea on what I will need. The door is a back door and is old and rotten its around 3 ft wide. Its a old concrete house ex pit house.

I'm thinking of bricking it up with a bit of a caverty.


texts:
Need advice on how to wire everything properly. There are two wire harnesses coming into the junction box:

H1: black(!), white, ground - comes from the fuse box
H2: black, white, ground, red(switch) - beginning of a circuit, extending into 2 rooms on the same floor.

I am adding an electrical outlet therefore i have black wire nut with 3 black cables, white wire nut with 3 white cables, red wire nut for the switch wire and ground cables are under the screws.

If I were to add a light fixture, obviously black is going under the same wire nut with red(H2), ground goes under a screw but I am not sure where the white one goes.
From my understanding, it can go under the same white wire nut that will result in 4 wires on a same wire nut BUT i could be wrong. Still reading material but not able to put everything together when it comes to the neutral wiring.


texts: Bathroom flooded by condo upstairs. Can there be mold on the drywall between the floors?

texts:
Upstairs condo neighbor had an ongoing leak for about two weeks in their bathroom. Not sure what was leaking, but they replaced toilet ring and shower faucets and since then the leak has stopped. This has caused the this damage to my ceiling:

There are only spots visible on the ceiling, but no signs of mold. Can there be mold growing in the ceiling drywall between the floors? Is it a concern? Does the drywall need to be cut out or is it sufficient to remud damaged area, sand and paint?


texts: Sidewall venting for natural gas appliance

texts: My natural gas hot water tank still uses black (ABS) plastic vents. Due to a building code change, these need to be replaced with System 636 pipes. The current abs plastic pipes go to the roof. I don't want to have to make holes all the way up 3 floors to replace the pipes, so as I understand most people change to sidewall venting when changing these pipes. However, the backwall of my townhouse where the sidewall vent would go has an air conditioner, a sliding door, and some meters (see picture). My understanding is that such vents have to be a certain distance from all these items, and there just doesn't seem to be any room. Is sidewall venting possible? Any alternatives that don't involve destroying walls?


texts: What's the best way to mount a shelf below existing cabinets?

texts:
We've raised all the cabinets in our kitchen all the way to the ceiling, and the plan is to build an open shelf to hang beneath it.

Like so:

I'm trying to decide what the best way to approach this would be. First of all, what type of wood should I get (I don't intend on making the shelve as beefy as pictured, unless it is advisable), and how can I construct them while being pretty minimalist about the design?

My first thought is build a shelf with a top and bottom biscuit jointed together, and fasten that to the bottom of the cabinets. I've never actually constructed cabinets before, so I'm a little slow on the planning part of this project.


texts: How can I protect my slate floor from essential oils?

texts:
I set slate tiles in my bathroom floor and counter top.  I notice that where essential oils (aroma therapy types) have dropped on the surface, the shine is gone and the sealer appears to have been eroded.

I sealed the surfaces with several coats of run of the mill sealer from the home improvement store.

Is there something better to apply over the existing sealer?


texts:
We have tenants that have carved holes on the drywall to access the heat pipes and AC mains. At some point they will patch the drywall very well. Perhaps by another piece of drywall that closely fits the hole and all that had to be done is paint it over and it will be as if nothing had been tampered.

So I need a way to detect any discontinuity on the drywall piece (sort of like a stud finder) if such a technique exists.

Of course, I can simply find where the AC mains and heat pipes run through and then sand the wall right in front of them and viola, I've found the patch. But, I was wondering if such a technique exists.


texts: I have a Scotsman dce33pa 1sc ice machine.  My problem is the water will not shut off.  The pump continually pumps water out.  I replaced the inlet water valve but that did not help.


texts: What are the pros/cons of using porcelain over ceramic tile in a bathroom?

texts:
I'm planning on tiling a bathroom floor and a walk-in shower (including the ceiling). I haven't looked into pricing yet, but I've heard that porcelain would be a better, yet more expensive material to use in a bathroom.

What type of porcelain should I use if I want it in a bathroom and shower?
What type of ceramic should I use if I want it in a bathroom and shower?
How much more expensive is porcelain (in general)?
Is it worth spending the extra money on porcelain?
What are the general pros/cons of each material?


texts: My Canister ceiling light bulbs, LED 65, BR30 burn out too quickly

texts: Have kitchen canister fixtures. The bulbs 65 watt BR30 Flood, burn out too quickly - one at a time in about 3 months. Ceiling (attic) heavily insulated


texts: replacing flooring with no subfloor - walls sit on top of finish floor

texts:
I need to replace the hardwood floors on the second floor of an old home. A challenge is that the existing floors are nailed directly to the floor joists, with the walls resting on top of the finish floor. There is no subfloor. I know this is a relatively common situation in older homes, but I am wondering how much of a problem this is going to cause me if I try to replace the floors. For walls running perpendicular to the floor joists, it seems like removing the hardwood up to the baseboards will be fine, since the flooring underneath the walls will be left intact and continue holding up the walls. I already know that each 3/4 inch T/G hardwood slat is nailed to every joist with 2.5 inch common nails, so the flooring is very secure.
For walls running parallel to the floor joists, however, I am going to run into issues, especially if the wall lands in between the joists. Once I cut the flooring, there will be nothing holding up the wall anymore. My thought was to cut the floor out in small sections and install cross-blocking as I go to keep the walls supported. I am wondering if this seems reasonable or if I will end up getting into trouble here. The existing floors are in really bad shape, so leaving them be is not a good option.


texts: I had a concrete driveway poured approximately 10 months ago the stains never came out of it dark gray stains throughout of it how can I stain  this smooth finish concrete driveway to make it look better


texts: How can I reduce the sound of rain on a range hood vent?

texts: We recently had our kitchen remodeled and that included adding a microwave over the stove. The contractor vented the microwave/range fan above the unit through a cabinet up through the attic to the outside. The problem is that every time it rains the sound of the rain hitting the vent tube is so loud it sounds like it is right in the cabinet above the microwave/stove. I checked for leaks but did not see anything (so far!) The contractor put some insulation around the vent tube in the cabinet and also in the attic however the problem still exists. Is there a certain type of vent (such as galvanized steel) that should have been used or is there something else you can suggest so that the sound of the rain doesn't echo into the kitchen. Thanks for your help.


texts: We moved into our house 5 years ago which is rendered. We learnt soon after moving in the builders who worked on the house were not very professional. The exterior of the house is rendered and painted but obviously not very well. Paint comes off down to bare render very easily. Unfortunately a year ago a local painter and decorator came and repainted the whole house. We explained that we didn’t think that the original painting/sealing was done correctly. He assured us that he could sort it. Now when it rains the paint bubbles and then the wind blows the paint off. House looks awful like it hasn’t been painted in years. As we have spent a lot of money already and can not get the guy back I will have to do it myself. Do I need to sand all paint off to render then seal then repaint?


texts: How can I reduce street noise behind my house?

texts:
My house backs up to a street, with 3 lanes in both directions.

Even though there is a good 30 feet from the back fence to the road, the street noise can get pretty loud during peak traffic times.

I'm looking for a solution to reduce the noise in the backyard.

The fence is currently an old wood post type (5ft. in height) with gaps between it - so I am sure it is not doing anything to reduce noise.

Is there anything I can put on the fence to drastically reduce street noise?

Is there a different type of fence that does this really well - that you have tried?


texts: Is there a way to reuse ADT's alarm sensors without using their central service?

texts:
We moved in to a house where previous owners had ADT's alarm system. The board is still there and I'm planning to remove it because it doesn't do anything at the moment.

But the (wireless) sensors are still on doors and windows and as far as I can tell are still functional. I would like to reuse those, but I would like a 'local' alarm system (that would just trigger a sound but nothing else), as opposed to centrally monitored one that you have to have subscription for.

The question is what are (affordable) options for units that could connect to existing ADT's sensors and that are reliable enough to cover basic security situations? (I don't care about sophisticated attacks. I just want to know immediately if anyone breaks into the house while I'm there. Everything else, I don't worry about.)


texts:
There are quite a few things wrong with this faucet.

There is a lot of dried up minerals that make it impossible to rotate the faucet. If rotated, the faucet rotates at the base instead of the mid section. The mechanism seems jammed. How do I clean this part so it rotates smoothly once again?

The base used to have some sealant which came off so I used some soft silicon gel to seal it at the base. As you can see the it has separated from the faucet's metal base but is still adhered to the granite (?). What is the right product to seal this properly?

In an effort to fix #1, I have tried going under the sink and tightening the bolt but no matter how much I tighten it, the whole faucet seems to move mainly due to the aforementioned mechanism being jammed.

Do I need to bite the bullet and replace the faucet or is this fixable?
We seem to live in an area where water is excessively hard (320PPM) so I am guessing this will recur. Is there a way to prevent it?


texts: Should I leave water in my galvanized radiator pipes when permanently removing boiler?

texts:
I have switched to using a ductless heat pump for heating and am planning on removing my gas boiler but leaving the hot water baseboard radiators and 65-year-old galvanized pipes (in the crawlspace).

I am wondering if it makes any sense to leave water in the pipes before capping them off. There is no risk of freezing since the crawlspace walls are insulated.

It seems like it would be difficult to purge all the water out (using compressed air?). I'm afraid that any remaining water might rust and cause a leak if the pipes are used again someday. My understanding is that the existing water has already used up all its oxygen and won't cause any more corrosion.


texts: What are the steps to map (and remove) unused electrical housing wire?

texts:
Hello Stack Exchange,
I'm a new homeowner that bought a house originally built in 1920 and has been since remodeled. It is my understanding that the previous owner attempted to remodel and add wiring to the house, but all knob and tube wiring. Then, the next owner (a contractor) remodeled the home and simply removed the knob and tube and wired the house very confusingly. For example, we have several ceiling lights that now cannot be turned on due to issues in wiring.
I'm wondering a few different things:

Based on the pictures, I really don't know how safe this is, but I'd
love to hear some feedback from the community.
How do I go about mapping the electrical panel to each part of the house?
Is there a way I can remove (or relocate) some of the circuits that are now shut off? The previous owner had a hot tub (again, wired through knob and tube) and the contractor just shut the circuit off. So I'd like see if I can reuse it.
Finally, there are some live wires with cloth wire coating. Should these be replaced?

I'm definitely comfortable working with electrical wiring, so I'd like to give whatever I can a shot before calling in an electrician. Whatever feedback the community can give would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks in advance, Dan

[


texts: I am installing some security cameras and was wondering if it is OK to nail RG6 coax cable nail clips into the roof flashing to run the cables. I've attached pictures. Thanks for the help.


texts: Patch holes in medium density fiberboard

texts:
[

3 screws fell out of lower portion of upper right bracket of ping pong table.  What's the wisest/strongest material to use to patch holes into 5/8" medium density fiberboard in order to rescrew (1/2" screws) back into fiberboard.
Thanks