texts: What lumber should be used for indoor stair stringers?

texts:
I have seen some books say to use laminated 1.5" plywood to build the stringers because they do not warp. Others say 2x12 stock works but I do not want to deal with warping over time.

So, what do you guys think? If laminated plywood is definitely better, what are the steps to create such stringers?


texts: What size beam to I need for a 14ft sliding door opening in an exterior wall?

texts:
I have a 2 level gable roof house with no basement. I want to replace a 6ft sliding door with a 14ft sliding door.

this particular wall has the 6ft door and a 72 in window, it is an exterior wall, the joists runs perpendicular to the wall and the wall also runs perpendicular to the roof peak.

the total width of the wall is 17.5 ft.

is this a load bearing wall? if it is, what size beam do I need to install?


texts:
I live in a 60 year old house with several old Schlage door knobs as in this photo:

There is a small hole in the collar and two smaller holes on each knob. Pushing small sharp objects in the hole in the collar doesn't release anything. Ditto the holes on the knob.

I'd appreciate any guidance about how to remove the knobs so I can tighten the assembly or replace.


texts: How do I fill cracks between stone steps and mortar?

texts:
I have a set of stone steps out front, built into a rubble-stone retaining wall on both sides. The steps are mortared into place with concrete. Over time a crack (~1/4" wide) has developed between the stones and the mortar. Obviously I don't want ice getting in there and making it worse.

What should I use to fill this? More concrete? Masonry cement? Silicone caulk?


texts: What advantage is there to a larger hot water tank with a lower FHR?

texts: This Rheem spec sheet shows that their 40 gallon tanks have a higher first-hour rating than the 50 gallon: 86 compared to 78. If this is true, why do the 50-gallon ones exist? By what metric are they better?


texts: Do these cracks indicate the foundation problem of a building?

texts: while searching for a house to purchase, I found that there are some cracks under the window. Even though they have been fixed by the original owner. However, I am not sure how serious they are. Do these cracks indicate any foundation problem? The house is a condo locating at the second floor of this unit. Thanks.


texts: Microwave resets after ~4 seconds heating

texts:
Samsung Model ME21F707MJT Over the Range Microwave built in July 2013.

It was working until trying to heat something caused it to completely shut off after a few seconds. I unplugged and tested the door switches and thermal switches. All NC and NO switches were testing OK. The two ceramic fuses have continuity.

After removing the PCB control board and then reconnecting everything, the microwave turned on and I was able to get it to heat something for about 1 minute before it turned off and reset the display, asking to have the clock set.

Then, roughly 4 out of 5 times trying to heat something, the display resets and asks for clock reset.  1 out of 5 times, the display turns off and does not come back on at all until unplugged for a while and plugged back in.

Today I used it successfully for 4 minutes of total heat time over several stops and starts as long as 2 minutes with no issues.

How can I isolate and repair this intermittent problem?

Maybe relevant: one of the two ceramic fuses has a discoloration like a faint line around the center. It might have been printed, or maybe is a failure indicator. But the fuse tests good for continuity and I don't have any replacements to test.


texts: 200 amp panel box with some circuits not working

texts:
I have a 200 amp breaker box in a mobile home. The power just suddenly goes out on all but two breakers/circuits. Each functional circuit is on opposite sides of the panel; the left side is one breaker down, while the right one is one up from the last. The functional circuits on the left side go up to the ceiling, so do the non-functional ones. The right is the same, except those go down under the floor.

There was no sound when it happened, no flickers, just suddenly out except these two. No breakers flipped, and there is no smell of burnt wiring.

I have flipped all breakers back and forth several times including the main and disconnect outside.

I am just perplexed as to cause. It is raining a lot but no more than usual. The inside of the box appears dry.

Do you have any idea what to look for?


texts: I am replacing my garage doors and the new door set has all the necessary hardware except the rear hangers. This is fine as I have punched angle iron I can use. The problem is that the top bar does not reach where the old doors did which is where a joist currently sits. Because of this, my top bar does not reach a joist, so I don't have a place to hang my rear hanger. What can be done about this, if anything?


texts: Why isn't my heat pump system kicking out cool air this year?

texts:
I have a Carrier heat pump/air handler system (looks pretty old) with a honeywell T-stat (looks pretty new) and I am not getting cool air. Heat worked all winter, but I have used it in at least a month. The fan (inside unit, air handler) seems to work fine. The outside unit (compressor and fan) do not come on. I just replaced the filter and the T-stat batteries, and I tried resetting the breakers for the air handler/outdoor unit.

I opened the outdoor unit, and it comes alive when I push the contactor in. If I hold it in for ~10 seconds it will click and stay on after I let go. It sounds like both the compressor and fan are running at this point, but I still get no cooling. Sadly I don't own a multimeter yet. Is there anything else I can check myself, or is it time to call for service?


texts: How best to isolate dirty power caused air conditioners or other motor driven devices at the dirty device itself?

texts:
I have two air conditioners that are the source of some voltage fluctuation/line noise in my home. The two A/C's running at the same time is definitely and unambiguously at fault. This is primarily a problem because it causes LED lights to flicker.
Rewiring/adding circuits is not an option, nor is disassembly or modification of the A/C's themselves.
I would like to isolate the A/C's with something that plugs in inline to keep the rest of the power clean. I'd prefer to stick something between the A/C's and the wall (because there are only two of them) than have to put lots of filters/conditioners on everything else.
My Google-Fu has failed me - I can only seem to find information on how to protect sensitive devices from EMI/voltage fluctuations (e.g. stick a online UPS between a computer and the wall), and not how to properly mitigate a known dirty device.
I'm in the US with 120VAC single phase power.
What is the proper device to add inline to an air conditioner or other motor-driven device in order to keep the rest of the power clean? Isolation transformer? Line conditioner? UPS (if so, what flavor - battery backup in an outage doesn't matter except as a means to smooth the inrush voltage fluctuations)? Massive ferrite bead?
Edit:
I have read several proscriptions against using a UPS or AVR, etc on electric motors, primarily because the startup current draw of the motor might exceed the capabilities of the device. (See almost every post on laser printers for reference) Most advice seems to treat this as a blanket prohibition, but in reality there is obviously more nuance to it: https://www.apc.com/us/en/faqs/FA158851/
So to refine the question somewhat - assuming the inline device is properly sized for the motor and providing a natural sinewave, as noted in the APC link above, what is the proper device to use to isolate/smooth a motor driven appliance from its 120V AC power supply?


texts: Can I use toggle bolts to mount a tv on a barnwood wall?

texts:
My wife and I recently purchased an old farmhouse and one of the many tasks ahead of me is mounting the TV.  We have a 40lbs, 55" flat screen and we've determined that the best place for it to go is int he corner of the room.  One wall on that corner is brick and has a window near the corner, so that isn't the ideal place for the mounting bracket.  The other wall is covered in old barnwood (vertical planks).  Doing some poking around, it looks like the barnwood is around 1/2"-3/4" and is relatively soft.  It is mounted via furring strips attached to 2x4 framing using nails (into the furring strips) around 4' off the ground.  The top of the barnwood is tucked in behind a beam that supports the ceiling.  Unfortunately, I can't really find where the studs are (I can see a few at the other end of the wall) and there were enough shortcuts taken in the construction that I don't trust them to be EXACTLY 16" on center across the length of the wall to allow me to drill with confidence.

My thought was to use a number of stout toggle bolts to hold the mounting bracket onto the barnwood.  But my other concern is that since the TV will be mounted on the wall, but situated in the corner, the mounting bracket will be fully extended (meaning the maximum amount of force being put on it).

Does this seems like a reasonable approach?  I really don't want to wake up to a crash in the middle of the night with my TV and half my wall in pieces on the floor.


texts: Wiring Help Lutron Diva Dimmer and Claro 3-Way with Claro First in Line

texts: I am having trouble figuring this out.  Attached is a diagram, best I could do given the tools I have. Please remember I am not an electrician so explain like I am 5 please.  In a nutshell, the 14/2 hot from the breaker comes into the electrical box where the Claro 3-way switch is located.  The Claro has 4 screws -- copper, ground and 2 silvers.  Out of that box goes the 14/2 to the light fixtures and the 14/3 to the other side of the room where the Diva Dimmer is located.  The Diva has 4 wires already attached - black, red, red/white and green.  Now ground goes to ground so that part I have figured out, but I am unsure of the correct setup here.  All the diagrams I can find have the Lutron dimmer first or are just for two conventional 3-way switches and that is confusing me for this setup.  Thanks for any help that can be given or if someone has a diagram for this. -Alan


texts: Was this damage to my ceiling caused by heat from a water heater vent?

texts: I want to know if this is normal. See attached photo. Can a water heater vent create this much heat?  It would appear that the garage ceiling all around my hot water heater vent is being burned by excessive heat-  even the textured plaster is falling down!!


texts: How can I install a Leviton timer switch in this box?

texts:
So i'm trying to replace the exterior light switch to a timer switch.

On the same switch panel, there are two other switches which control the ceiling lights in the hallway. The dimmer in the center is just a single switch, and the one to the right is a three way switch for another sets of pot lights.

SO the one I'd like to replace is the one on the left.  The image at the bottom is how I connect the timer but does not work ...

any suggestions??


texts:
I have a shower in the upstairs bathroom and water is leaking through the downstairs ceiling.
Initially I thought it was the caulking around the bathtub, but after redoing it did not fix the problem. I noticed that when the shower is point toward the wall, it rains downstairs, but when it is pointing away from the wall there is no leak.
However there is no hole or broken grout on the wall tiles, and even if there was it would not justify the amount of water falling down.
Any suggestions what could it be?


texts:
I have a new Leviton Decora Switch with built in pilot light (Catalog # 5618-2W). I want to replace a switch currently connected to two black wires. Three sets of wires come into the box. Each set consists on a black, a white and a ground wire.

I know the ground wires go to the green screw.

On one side of the switch I have a black screw and a brass screw. On the other side I have a silver screw.


texts: Want to know if we can make the window size of a bay window larger?

texts:
I'm not sure if enough of the framing has been exposed in these photos to answer this question, but thought I would give it a try. I have more photos I can add, but I can only seem to put one in?

We have one last window to replace in our home, the front room bay window. We would like to make any of these three windows wider if possible, particularly the two smaller side windows.

On the side of every window there is a double set of 2 x 4's.

We are wondering where there is 2 on each side of the small windows and then another two on the side of the large window, can any of those be changed to just one 2x4 so the window could be a bit wider? Or does each one need to be there for strength and support? It doesn't look like there are individual headers above each window.

If you look in the photo showing the exposed framing in the top left corner of the smaller window you can see at the king stud and two jack studs and the large header. That header runs right across the entire set of windows. The house was built 30 years ago if that helps with the answer.

Thanks!


texts: Proper framing for connecting two deck beams together

texts:
I'm designing a deck by modifying an existing plan I found. The design features a large triangular projection on the right side, which is supported by a double 2x10 main beam (supported by 3-6x6 posts approx 6'5" apart). There is a secondary beam in the shape of a triangle that is attached to the main beam on the two open ends, with an additional post at the end furthest from the house. My plan is to use a double 2x10 skewed joist hanger to make the connection, however I'm not sure if that is structurally sound or would meet code (Virginia). I wanted to get everything worked out before I go to the plan review.

Thanks!


texts: How can I cover a rounded window under a slanted ceiling?

texts:
We're soon moving into a new house, and my room has a big window (with a door  in it to access the balcony) under a slanted ceiling. The ceiling is quite steep, and there is very little clearing between it and the window.

I'm easily disturbed by light in my room when I'm trying to sleep, so I'm looking for a way to cover as much of the glass as possible with a material that lets very little light through.

Currently there are some very ugly curtains suspended to the ceiling, which you can pull away to the side and keep there with a tie-back. However, I'd prefer another type of covering. My desk is in the same room, so I'd want something that can let light through during the day (blinds for example, or perhaps two types of covering).

I've been thinking about it for a while, but I can't really find a solution to the problem. I'm not exactly up to date on what types of covering exist.

The illustration I added is not exactly to scale, but I think it captures the layout of that wall well enough. If accurate measurements or more info is needed, I'll be sure to add it.


texts: How can I prevent light from coming in around the edges of black out blinds?

texts: My experience is that black out blinds always let a little bit of light in round the sides.  What do other people recommend as a solution to this?


texts: Why is no water coming out of my new kitchen faucet?

texts:
Bought a Kingston single hole kitchen faucet. Took out old faucet and installed new one. Hooked up 3/8 to 1/2 braided supply lines. I tested the lines to be sure water came out, which it did, then attached supply lines to faucet.

Everything fits fine but when I opened the water lines again after hooking up the faucet, no water comes out faucet. I did turn the faucet handle 90* to accommodate the beveled  breakfast bar.
Any ideas?


texts: Issues with LED Recessed lighting with dimmer

texts:
I have installed recessed lighting in my home.

This is a 3 month old home and I got the light/ fan prewire from the builder

Below are the items I used:

Topaz RH6/R/IC/AT 6" remodel housing for 75W max
Envirolite 5/6 in. Recessed LED Ceiling Light with White Baffle Trim, 5000K, 93 CRI(EV607950WH50)
http://www.homedepot.com/p/EnviroLite-5-6-in-Recessed-LED-Ceiling-Light-with-White-Baffle-Trim-5000K-93-CRI-EV607950WH50/206852536
Envirolite 5/6 in. Recessed LED Ceiling Light with White Baffle Trim, 3000K, 90 CRI(EV607950WH30)
http://www.homedepot.com/p/EnviroLite-5-6-in-Recessed-LED-Ceiling-Light-with-White-Baffle-Trim-3000K-90-CRI-EV607950WH30/206852530
Lutron Caseta Wireless 600/150-Watt Multi-Location In-Wall Dimmer with Pico Remote Control Kit(P-PKG1W-WH)
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Lutron-Caseta-Wireless-600-150-Watt-Multi-Location-In-Wall-Dimmer-with-Pico-Remote-Control-Kit-White-P-PKG1W-WH-R/206754146

I did check for compatibility before I decided on the lights / dimmers. The light manufacturer's documentation lists the Caseta as a compatible dimmer

On my first floor I have 6 3000K lights with one dimmer and another 4 lights with one dimmer

On my second floor I have 4 5000K lights with one dimmer in 3 locations

All the lights go off of the prewire installed by the builder

I have noticed the below issues :

1) When I turn on the lights they come up nicely with full brightness, but after some time one(just one) of them flickers for a few seconds and then goes back to normal
This happens randomly, repeatedly. In one room, 2 of them flicker. I have noticed this behavior in all locations.

2)When I dim them to the lowest possible, one them flickers and eventually goes out completely. The others remain at the lowest level of dimming.

3)When they are turned off and I hit the up button on the dimmer(not the turn on button) all the lights flicker at the lowest dimming capacity and it takes a while for them to turn on

I intend to :

a) reach out to the manufacturers

b) do some testing with another brand of light

In the mean while, any thoughts /suggestions on how I can overcome these issues will be appreciated.

Thanks


texts: Power to ceiling light when switch is off

texts:
I have changed the old light fixture to a new one.
When I turn off the switch the light bulbs have a slight glow in them as there’s still power going to them and stay like this until the light is switched back on.
How can I resolve this ?


texts: What Type of Mortar do I need for a Glass Block Shower?

texts: I have a glass block shower that was not installed properly. I need to know the proper way to regrout. The mortar is disintegrating. I was told I need a water-resistant mortar and to add an agent to make sure it’s waterproof. Does anyone know the proper way?


texts:
I'm considering putting an offer in on a house that is a fixer upper. I'd like to keep the original (1945) hardwood floors but am concerned about their condition.
The floor has a large bare spot in the middle of the room where it looks like the stain and varnish have been worn away leaving the bare wood exposed. Other parts of the room have large black spots (2-3 feet long).

My goal is to sand the floors so they are no longer a darker wood color and then re-stain them a light maple or a natural tone like sand.
Is this possible with these floors?


texts: What would cause the outside ac motor to run than stop than start up again and continue this random stop and start cycle constantly. The house stopped cooling


texts: Do the guidelines for holes in joists apply to band joists?

texts:
This question have a great answer with all the guidelines for drilling holes in joists.

The question: Are the guidelines the same for band joists?

A bit of context:
I'd like to add an exterior outlet for my central vaccuum cleaner and the shortest path is through the band joist. But I'm not sure if I can drill a 2 1/2" hole in a 7" band joist.

If the guidlines applies (and are not more restrictive either), the maximum hole size would be 2 1/3 inches. I can get by with a smaller hole, but I'd have to get another hole drill bit.


texts: Adding 2X4 ceiling under lath and plaster

texts: If my old lath and plaster living room ceiling is solid and I am frame (2X4) and sheetrocking the ceiling 10 inches below the old one  , Can I leave the old ceiling up there or do I have to remove it?


texts: Can I safely plug a 13amp washing machine into a 15amp power socket?

texts: I have a 15 Amp wall socket and recently bought a washing machine with a 13 Amp plug. Can I plug the washing machine into the 15 Amp wall socket using an 3 round-pin to 3 square pin adapter?


texts:
Ok this is a weird one and maybe I just don't understand how mains work (though I feel I have a good enough knowledge to stay safe and do basic breaker work & wiring).

Buddy moved into a new shop and he called me to wire in a 240 plug into a closed off drop. He's heard the previous tenant was probably running a big air compressor or welder. So I wired in an outlet with the 3 wires that were in there, a black and 2 blue. Here's the resulting voltage:

After reading these values I figured I screwed up, so I removed the plug and put everything back to how I found it. However, there was another 240v plug in the shop that was already there so I decided to test it and it read the same values.

Violet and red make sense, but green seems impossible??

How is this possible? Is this normal? Was the previous tenant hooking up some non-standard machinery?

EDIT:
Continuity between the 3 sockets is infinity, there's no short, the plug seems good. The black wire was attached to the vertical slit (where violet and green meet). Black wire had a very low resistance to the conduit so I would say it's "safe" to assume that's the common rail and tied to ground as it should be. The coloring would also suggest this.

Thanks in advance :D


texts:
We're re-doing our kitchen that was built in 1980. The old countertops were cement & tile with the tile continuing into the backsplash on the wall.

We've removed the old counters, backsplash, and cabinets which has given us a better look at the current drywall situation:

As you can see there is still a significant amount of binding agent left over from where the tile backsplash was (it seems like cement but idk). Overall though, it seems like the drywall is in decent shape so I don't think we need all out replacement.

We are getting new cabinets and countertops and plan on doing another tile backsplash that has a similar (but probably not identical) footprint where the previous backsplash was.

Based on my research, we should be removing the old material in order to make sure the new tiles can be installed flush and bind successfully. My first instinct was to use our handheld orbital sander to try to remove it. Is there a better way?


texts: Why do my rooms heat to different temperatures?

texts:
Any advise would be appreciated.

We moved into a 30-year-old home and this is our first winter and we've noticed that some of the rooms are colder than the others but none of the rooms are actually at our set temperature.

We set our thermostat to 72 and I've attached a picture of the layout and temperatures in each room.

The room that has the thermostat in it faces east, but I've never seen direct sunlight hit the thermostat. And that room its self never seems to make it to the set point.

We're worried that this could be an issue with our HVAC since no rooms in the house actually make it to 72, 68/70 is actually our preferred setting. Our realtor said that the HVAC was old and that we would likely need to replace it in a few years. But we're wondering if there could be another issue.

I've attempted to play around with the dampers and in doing so I can make all of the rooms upstairs warmer but the problem rooms still don't hit 68/70 and I had to set the thermostat at 74 to get most of the house around 68/70 and by doing that the master upstairs becomes horribly cold.

Could this be a damper issue and I'm just not setting them right? Or is it something else because there aren't actually any rooms that are hotter than I want them to be.

I was reading about boosters for specific rooms but I'm worried that adding them will make other rooms colder.

I was also wondering how complicated and expensive it is to move the thermostat to another colder room upstairs and if that would help.

Thank you for your time.


texts: What should I do with the extra wires in my switch box?

texts:
Upon opening the ligthswitch box, I discovered that there are 3 pairs of black and white wires.  I have confirmed that one set goes to the light itself.  What should I do with the extra wires?
There are no plugs near by nor any other fixtures.
The pair on the right side go to the fixture, I have confirmed this.


texts: Can my generator power my deep well water pump?

texts:
I have a 120/240 volt generator with an output of 3250 watts peaking at 3750.  I want to be able to power my well water pump but I'm getting conflicting answers on whether this generator packs enough power.  I'm also unsure how large my well pump is but everything else in the house is pretty standard so I'm going to say between 3/4 and 1 hp.

Consumer reports says a well pump runs about 700 watts.  Multiply that by 3 to get a rough estimate of the starting wattage for the pump and you run about 2100 which still leaves plenty  of wiggle room in terms of wattage.
Consumer Reports Wattage Report

Doing some other research online there are a lot of folks saying you need at least a 5k watt generator to power a well water pump.  Obviously that's a far cry from what consumer reports is listing and well below the output of my generator.

I don't want to just plug it in and ruin my water pump or generator so I'm trying to find a solid answer or direction before doing so.


texts: Why isn't shed insulation working as I expected?

texts:
I insulated my 3x3.5 m metal shed with 55mm thick foil lined "space blanket". Foil inwards, of course, is, not facing the metal. The metal walls & roof was initially & thoroughly lined with Ametalin moisture barrier first.(4mm thick).

There is a gap under the only door allowing air in. There are no ceiling vents (yet).

On a nice cool ish sunny 22 degree day, the shed rises to 27 degrees. Previous night was 15 C. Shed was 17C at 11pm, the night before. This was disappointing. Why the poor thermal "lag"?

Floor is concrete with 19mm thick chipboard on top, so no heat source there!
So, I don't understand why with meticulous insulation, the shed temp rose 5 degrees above the ambient air temp, especially on a day that was only mildly warm.

In contrast the house remained 2 C below the ambient air temp. (I am unsure how else I can clarify this question).


texts: How do I install track for sliding closet door on laminate

texts: How do I install track for sliding closet mirror doors on laminate floor


texts: Use Textured Strand Lap Siding or concrete board to attach outside deck trim

texts:
I want to "cover" the outside of the deck trim because the look of treated wood isn't good. But if I use deck material (composite) to run around, it's going to be expensive. I am planning to just use Textured Strand Lap Siding / Concrete Board because they are cheap and durable. But I have several questions:

Can Textured Strand Lap Siding attach to treated lumber using screws without causing problems (like loosen over the year or chemical reaction)?
The board is 0.5" thick and I plan to paint similar color (I can match). Is this a good idea in general, especially coming to durability?

The board I like to get is "SmartSide 8 in. x 144 in. Textured Strand Lap Siding" (just FYI) from home improvement store.


texts: How can I waterproof walls that are not shower or basement walls?

texts: Have a room, ~10x10 that I want walls to be waterproofed and durable. This room will have parrots in cages. Cages will be periodically hosed off (have concrete floors, floor drain). There wont be intense water on the walls every day, like a shower, but there will be times it will be sprayed. Durable is because if they get out, they will destroy! : )  Have contemplated hardi-plank (or comparable), Durock, tile. I think tile could work well but the expense!!! Currently walls are framed. This room will be climate controlled. Maybe someone has other ideas?


texts: Can I replace 3 switches with one 3 toggle switch

texts:
I have three switches by my kitchen sink. One for the dish washer, one for the sink disposal, and one for the light above the sink. Three separate circuits. I purchased a Leviton 3 toggle switch with one pole on one side and three poles on the other. The sales person said to tie all of the hot wires together to the single pole and the other three wires to the three pole side. When I tied two of the hots together and turned the breaker back on it was like the 4th of July !!!  I used a volt meter to isolate the hots from the nots. So I know I followed the advise. The instructions on the box show the hot side going to the single pole but don't mention multiple hot feeds to the single pole. Is the issue that you can't tie different circuit hot sides together ? Is this switch just made to feed three different devices from one circuit ?

Thanks to everyone that replied to my question. Yes.. in retrospect I created a 240v circuit by putting the two 120v circuits together. Should have known better, but the resident expert at my local big box home improvement store told me that was what I needed to do. I realized the switch was probably meant for one single circuit after the sparks. Just wanted verification. Thank you all for your advice.


texts: How can I repair a sticking temperature gauge on heating valve?

texts:
The plumbing for my building heating system has temperature gauges on the outlet and inlet pipes. One of these gauges sticks - I can make it show the correct temperature by tapping the gauge quite hard or by flexing the dial.

It looks like it is held in place by a grub-screw. Is it possible to replace these gauges and are there suppliers in the UK?


texts: To stay within code I need an outlet on the wall to the right of my stove. There is a fully supported 2x8 rim joist right where I need to put the box. Is it ok to cut a hole for a single gang box in the rim joist?


texts: Is there some type of coating I can use to prevent condensate on my HVAC ducts?

texts:
I'm getting a lot of condensate on my HVAC ducts that run though my first floor (and HVAC blower) especially in July / August when humidity levels are outrageous (in NJ).  The 1st floor space space is rather frigid as one face of it is below grade so it's hard to convince the occupants to open the registers to dry it out (at least not without opening the windows and letting the humid air back in). However even on days when humidity is lower, I can occasionally notice a small amount of condensate build up which has clearly led to mold growth under the previous owners care. Further compounding things is the natural tendency for the cold air to make its way back down to the ground floor via the small gaps near return / air filter area and in the registers themselves.

I know most people say to just insulate it, but the previous owner did this in a few places (with neoprene peel-n-stick in some places, and standard batt in others) and it looks terrible, and it appears with standard batt insulation just provides another surface for mold to grow on.

Is there any sort of water repelling coating that that I could use to prevent the condensate from building up in the first place the way RainX works on car windows?

Is there some other trick I should be using to reduce humidity or condensate build up on the duct work?


texts: How to I get this Duravit toilet seat off to tighten the mountings

texts:
Both the pans in our house have loose seats.  I have tightened one, where the seat/cover lifted off vertically, but the second one is of a different construction:

Logic would suggest the key is to unscrew the screw, but it won't budge using the arsenal available to me, and it is made really difficult by the lack of clearance above the screw.

Suggestions appreciated.


texts: How much electricity does a thermostat consume?

texts: I live in a condo and the heat is supplied by a gas furnace located in the building. Heat is included in my condo fee but I'm wondering if turning on the thermostat uses any electricity and how much?


texts: How is wet cellulose insulation usually blown into walls?

texts:
I'm dried-in on new construction on my own house and plan to DIY the insulation as I have done many times. Not looking forward to stapling it up. I see companies offering a wall cellulose solution where they spray a wet cellulose on unfinished walls, between and over studs, scrape off excess onto the floor with a squeegee, wait for it to dry and then wall it up. No one rents or sells a machine pre-configured with a sprayer / mister that I can find.
Is this a rig it up yourself kind of thing and if so, how is it commonly done? Is it going to be a big experiment that won't save me time before I finally get it right (right amount of water and dispersal pattern)? I did find a local company that offers the service, but feel bad asking the "how do you do it" kind of question when I plan on doing insulation myself.


texts: What is the name of this metal bar with holes at the ends?

texts:
I need to find a metal part that looks a bit like this:

     hole for bolt                strong metal
      |                            |
   ___|____________________________v_______
  /   v                                    \
 (   (_)                              (_)   ) <--round end
  \________________________________________/

This looks like a common part from a Meccano set, but with just two holes at either end for bolts. Two of these can go around a 2x4, then bolts run through the holes.

    /__\                             /__\<--end of bolt
 ____________________________________________<--the part
     __                               __
     __                               __
     __                               __
     __                               __ <---bolt
     __                               __
     __                               __
     __                               __
 ____________________________________________<--the part
    [==]                             [==]<---nut

I am searching for a name so that I can find these to buy. Is there a common application where these appear? Are they commonly used by a particular contractor for a particular type of job? What is the name of this kind of part?


texts: Condensation on window frame in basement

texts:
Freaking out here. Just had a second coat of mud put on the seams in the basement drywall. Went down to close up some of the vents because my guy is going to sand tomorrow and noticed a bunch of condensation on the windows frames.

I had vents added right in front of each window to properly heat the basement. Not sure if that is the cause. Or if it is just because of all the moisture from the mud added to the walls.

Any ideas on why? Or how to fix this?


texts:
I have double hung windows. One problem is that the top sash tends to slip down, so that cold air blows in the top. The latch does not work on most of the windows because they are not sized correctly.

One thing I have done is to cut a piece of wood the exact size so that it fits between the lower and upper sash tightly and forces the upper sash closed.

It is kind of inconvenient to make these special props. Are there standard products that are designed to be adjustable and can be used to prop up a window sash?


texts: How best to remove fumes after applying polyurethane in a hardwood refinishing project?

texts:
I understand that oil based polyurethane used to refinish hardwood floors has a strong fumes and can stay for days. I also understand that opening the doors and letting air flow can help remove the odor faster. I also have been told that moisture is not good for the oil based polyurethane curing process.

Question: What is the tried and proven method to speedily remove the odor with out affecting the oil based polyurethane curing process?

Assumed weather conditions in a 5 day period

Temperature: Low of 25F (Approx) and High of 45F (Approx)
Conditions: Partly cloudy, Sunny and Mostly Sunny
Humidity: Low of 44% and High of 70%

I have been told to keeping the temperature at 71F for few days will help cure the oil based polyurethane best.

References:

When is it safe to live in our home?
How long does it take polyurethane to dry?


texts: Why does my toilet feed service valve still leak?

texts:
The metal pipe that comes out of the wall and feeds water into the cistern on my toilet is connected to the plastic cistern pipe (inlet valve pipe?) by a service valve. It is pretty much identical to this one:

http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Plumbing/Valves/Service+Valve+15mm/d20/sd2696/p44747

There is a leak in the connection between the female end of the service valve and the threaded plastic pipe to the cistern. The leak stops if I turn off the valve (so at least that's something) but starts again as soon as I turn it back on. Not a serious leak, just a drip, but it drips about a litre in 12 hours so without a big bucket under it, if I leave it on it will flood my bathroom while I'm at work.

I figured it was the washer that had gone, so I bought a pack of these:

http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Plumbing/Washers+Fixings/Fibre+Washer+38/d20/sd2703/p91174

I took the washer from the service valve to the shop when I bought them and compared them, so I got the exact same ones (or at least they look and feel identical). I have now tried every combination I can think of, and haven't been able to stop it from leaking. I have tried with a single washer, with two washers together, I have wrapped PTFE tape around the thread on the plastic pipe, I have even tried a washer wrapped in PTFE tape, but nothing seems to help.

My question is:
  - Is it worth replacing the whole valve? Could there be something wrong with the valve that isn't just the washer? The valve part works fine, because the leak stops when I turn it off. I did notice when I took the old washer out that there seemed to be tiny chips of what felt like concrete or something in there, not sure what that is or where it came from.
  - Could there be something wrong with the thread on the plastic pipe, or is this unlikely to be the issue?
  - Is it worth trying a rubber washer instead of the fibre one that was in there already?
  - Should I be tightening the valve onto the pipe really super hard, or should a few turns be enough if the washer is doing its job?

I have done a few bits of pieces of DIY before but I have not done much plumbing, so any suggestions would be welcome!


texts:
I  have a roof built relatively recently over a concrete slab. It's a reinforced concrete frame and this is how things are normally done. The roof done with pine wood and then has it has concrete tiles over it. One problem...wood-boring insects have attacked it, especially on the north and north-east side (much less sun on that side.)

After reading I seem to have some options:
1. Aluminum Phosphide. Even though I can't cover it, I can put a lot of it and hope for the best, at least it costs next to nothing. Problem is that it reacts with copper and can damage a lot of stuff there.

Spray the wood with chemicals and I have tried it but the wood has been  painted with some sort of tar and don't know if it works. I am not sure that they are still working or not inside.

So, what should I do : ) ? Drilling every few inches is a no-no since it weakens it and I have tried to insert fungicide /insecticide (<< edited) with a syringe on the exit holes. Do think this tar thingy lets enough down if I keep spraying?

Also, I am working to lower humidity.

Thanks


texts:
Most of the online advice I found focused on re-using the sash. I don't have any use for the old sash. I'm after the old wavy glass for another project.  They are divided lights, 3 long rectangular lights per sash, 2 sash, probably 36 linear feet of putty to remove.

Options found were steam or heatgun, and a chisel.

Here is one suggesting brushing on 50/50 bleach/linseed:  http://homeguides.sfgate.com/dissolve-window-putty-98740.html

Another post reported on brushing with kerosene.

Does not needing to respect the wood open up other options?

1) I suppose I could waste a router bit to get the bulk out, but if I hit a point with legs (in contrast with flat triangles or diamonds), I'm guessing it would crack the light. Big down side is the all the dust, likely lead toxic

2) I could cut up some plywood, screw it together as a steam box. That'd be quick, but when it comes to putty, heat is heat, no? Historic Preservation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVoc9HnHtCA  Dave Bowers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1bjOENLTQA

3) Or just soak the entire sash in water for a couple days.

4) I own a general heat gun.

5) I suppose I could power up the table saw to rip the rails and stiles to within an 1/8" of the glass, maybe the mullions as well. This would eliminate the support given to the lights by the sash and require removing the putty from the glass without that support.

6) lots of varying advice: http://www.diychatroom.com/f4/removing-putty-old-windows-glass-replacement-30292/

The one thing I have going is that I need only two intact lights for the current project, but would really like to preserve all five (one is cracked).

So I guess there are two tasks, remove putty from the lights, and remove the lights from the sash.


texts: Frigidaire microwave monitor switch failing

texts:
This is a 2 year old Frigidaire FGMV155CTD microwave. The interlock monitor switch was bad, and the other 2 switches were fine per the ohmmeter, so I replaced the monitor switch.
Powered her up with the door open, closed the door, heated some water, opened the door, and the circuit breaker tripped again. The new monitor switch is toast again. I double checked connections and continuity and all are ok. The switch failure seems to be mechanical as pressure button doesn't return.
Maybe I got a bum replacement switch or the top interlock switch has gone bad but measures good. Any direction you can point me in is gratefully appreciated.
thanks


texts: What kind of primer should I use on my kitchen walls that I scraped clean of old texture?  I put a number of gouges in the dry wall. Is that bad?


texts: How do I fix my crawlspace's mould problem given the floor is an improperly poured slab of concrete?

texts:
I have a 50 year old backsplit, with a minor mould problem in the crawlspace.  There are a couple of wet spots that can be fixed with simple exterior grade changes, and one spot that will need to be trenched and sealed.  The other issue is the floor in the crawlspace.  It's just about the crappiest concrete I've ever seen.  It was not trowelled at all, and looks like they used a garden rake to spread it.  It's also a bit hollow sounding.  This has lead to some rising damp in the crawlspace, which causes mould to grow on the manky floor.

After I have a soda-wash done on the walls and floor, What are my options to repair this?

Obviously, I could chip it out and have a new floor poured, but this is a lot of work for minimal functionality.  What are some other options to seal/repair this from the inside?


texts: Blade types for dry cutting pavers, diamond or composite?

texts:
When are diamond blades worth the extra money, or required?

I've been dry-scoring to 1/3rd thickness different types of pavers for a couple small 20-30sqft projects around the house, using the $2-$3 composite 7" masonry blades from Home Depot in a 'disposable' (but yet to wane or fail) light weight 10 amp $26 Drill Master circular saw from Harbor Freight.

Takes some time and requires rotating through different depth settings, but works fine.  If I were to start a big project, I'd look into a wet saw. But for now, dry cutting next to a 20" box fan is ok.

What would be the advantages of switching to a diamond blade?


texts: we have two bathroom wall lights on the same switch. the lights are left and right of our above sink mirror.  All of a sudden only one of the two lights will go on at a time. already tried trouble shooting with new bulbs.


texts: Replacing Dimmer with Switch - Online Examples Don't Match My Setup

texts:
I purchased a single pole boring light switch to replace a not-really-used dimmer, and I want to be cautious and check myself. I apologize if this is a duh question.

The guides all show switches that have one set of wires, or show a switch that is labeled. I have two sets of wires, and my switch just has two identical, unlabeled looking screws on one side and a ground on the other.

To describe the picture...

The white are connected to each other
The ground are connected to each other.
The black (dark green?) are connected each in turn to a wire off of
the switch with nuts

Should I just undo the black wires and screw them to either of the copper screws on the new switch? Does the order matter? What about the ground, right now, the two grounds are just lumped together in the box.

Thanks, and again, sorry if this is obvious.


texts: Attaching cable company service wire to side of house

texts: Currently, the various cable company wires that are attached to the side of my house are a mess, and I'm looking to clean them up before our house is painted in the near future. One of them is attached to the siding with some sort of tensioning system, and the others are zip-tied to the first line and the service mast. The one that is attached with tension is being removed and I would like to re-attach the remaining ones to something similar, but I've Googled without success as to what it is called. Is there another/better way to attach the cables that will remain to the house? Or can someone tell me what the circled things are called so I find and buy a new one?


texts: Can I reuse the garage door rail when replacing the garage door opener?

texts:
I have a chain drive garage door opener.  The sprocket on top of the garage door opener broke off so the chain isn't connected to the garage door opener anymore.

I want to re-use the garage door rail I have because it's one piece that's 6 or 7 ft long (I didn't measure but it's about that long).  Looking at the chain drive openers I can buy at Home Depot, it looks like the rail is in pieces since the box is like 2 ft long.

Assuming the length, load strength, etc. is the same for both the one piece rail and the multiple piece rail, is it a good idea for me to reuse the old rail?

I'm asking because I want to install less things if I can help it.  Also, the idea of a single solid rail sounds more structurally sound than a 5 piece rail that's screwed together.


texts: Fine tuning the location of an office chair on thick carpets

texts:
Rolling an office chair to one's home is problematic. You do want the comfort and flexibility, but the carpet is thick. If you don't use a carpet protector, it's only a matter of time until the carpet will wear out.

Putting a carpet protector, even one of the very thick variety, only helps with thinner carpets. If your carpet is thick, or it has some cushion padding underneath, you're still in trouble. The wheels sink and it becomes impossible to adjust the chair by small amounts in any direction. The wheels just fall back to where they left an imprint. (From experience, I know that these imprints will eventually crack the carpet protector, but then it's not meant to last indefinitely).

Hence I'm starting to think that a 5ftx4ft thin wooden board would do the trick. It would both protect the carpet and it would allow the wheels to roll. But that solution will look terrible in any home office, no matter how rustic the rest of the room.

How do you keep an office chair smoothly rolling, including the ability to fine tuning its location, on a thick carpet that you'd like to protect?


texts: How can I prepare slightly uneven tiled floor for vinyl 'planks'?

texts:
I recently bought some very nice vinyl planks for reflooring our kitchen.

It was only when I got home that I noticed it said they have to be installed on 'flat, smooth' surfaces. Our kitchen is currently tiled, and wavy in places.

I don't really want to go the route of self-leveling compound - for one thing I'm not entirely bothered about the floor being level, I just need it to be relatively flat.

What I need advice on is what kind of product can I use for filling in the fairly shallow 'dips' in the floor (i.e. about 1-2ft (50cm) wide and 3/16" (5mm) deep).

After that, I can just prime it and go... I hope


texts: Do I need exterior rated electrical cable to add a house mounted electrical outlet or disconnect switch

texts:
I am adding an external outlet to my house. I have come across a number of posts and articles on how to do this. For my AC unit I need to add an electrical disconnect on the outside of my house and also need to add a 110V outlet within 25' because of code.

What I'm not clear on is if I need to use outdoor rated cable when piercing the wall of my house to the external box. In all the other posts on this sites, it seems that outdoor rated electrical cable is only needed when burying or using cable in a raceway. In some pictures I've seen, it appears that indoor rated cable is being run through the wall to the outdoor box. Given that indoor rated cable is better in a fire, it seems that the indoor rated cable should pierce the wall. Then if there is any other runs outdoors, that the junction be made with outdoor rated cable. Is this correct?


texts: if your rise is 7.25" and your tread is 11.5" but you also have a 3" nosing is this legal

texts: If the rise is 7.25" and the tread is 11.5" and the nosing is 3", is this legal


texts: How do I fix an unsanded and uneven drywall repair that was painted over?

texts:
Based on the attached pictures, would anyone be able to tell me how I could go about fixing this ceiling imperfection?
I'm doing some renos and learning through mistakes. This time I attempted some drywall repair and then I painted it over, but I did a real poor job this time.
Should I try to sand everything down and start again? Or should I try applying some drywall mud to attempt to blend it into the surrounding ceiling area (with proper sanding and "feathering the edges")
Thanks,
Vlad


texts: What could be causing this strange behavior of a branch circuit?

texts: My uncle lives in an older house with crazy wiring. The kitchen lights, microwave, most receptacles and fridge stopped working yesterday for 4 hours. Then they came back on with us doing nothing. Well there off again now. Replaced the breaker, nothing. We went to the first receptacle that came from the breaker box and replaced it. Have power there when ground and either side of the receptacle are touched. Nothing when something is plugged into it. We touched the plug of a lamp end to the neutral and the ground and everything in the kitchen turned on. We could actually turn everything in the kitchen on and off with that lamp. What would the ground have anything to do with this and any thoughts on how or why this is happening or what else we should try. Baffled.


texts:
Objective

I took down my old ceiling fan and tried to put in the new one but can't follow directions because I have two wire sets coming out of ceiling. I'm trying to get one switch to turn on fan and other switch to turn on exterior lights.

Current Attempt

The current setup is below, I can get the center switch to power the fan and the right switch to power the lights but the right switch seems to over ride the center switch because when it's on it powers off the fan.  I think this is close to the setup I need to be.

I can't get the image to load but basically the fan has a blue wire in addition to the white black and Neutral.  I wired the 3 white wires together, the 3 black wires together, the 3 neutral wires together and the red wire to the blue fan wire.

General Setup

The previous fan had one white wire with one black wire (I tagged both with tape) and then all remaining wires were with like colors.

out of the ceiling is two wire sets:

set 1

White (w1)
Black (b1)
Red   (R1)
Copper (n1)

set 2

White (w2)
Black (b2)
Copper (n2)

The fan has 4 wires

White (w3)
Black (b3)
Blue. (U3)
Green. (N3)

I believe all the wiring needing to be done on the above but the switch info is below.  How do I wire this?

3 switches

Right switch (for exterior lights) on/off single pole

White wire
Black wire

middle switch (for fan) on/off single pole

Red wire
Black wire

Left switch (for outlets) on/off 3 way

Red wire
Red wire
White wire

Failed Attempts

I tried connecting all whites, all neutrals, r1 to b2, the remaining blacks and blue but both of the switches turn on and off the fan and the exterior lights aren't switching on at all.

Original old fan Setup

The difference is the new fan also has a blue wire (so white Black neutral and blue)


texts: How do I drywall a corner with a lally column?

texts: I'm finishing my basement and I've come across this lally column which is supporting a steel beam.  I want to frame an external corner for this interior wall at this "corner" but the distance from where the back of the drywall would be to the column (especially on the right side) is really small, like maybe 0.5"?   Since I can't fit a 1x1" there, how do I frame this corner?


texts: We just bought a major fixer-upper, our gas hot water heater is in an unfinished basement (storm cellar) on a dirt floor with nothing protecting the bottom and providing for runoff.  We do have a tube we installed from release valve which extends almost to the floor just in case.  We would like to elevate the HWH to protect it from surrounding dirt and provide for runoff.  What do you suggest?


texts: Cheap solution for underside of barn overhang (soffit, siding, something else?)

texts:
My wife and I bought a house and it has a barn with an overhang by the entry door on the side. The 2x6s (I think that's what they are) are exposed and the birds love it. There is also a little gap at the top where they can actually get into the barn. I need to cover it up to keep the birds out. What's a cheap solution for covering it and giving it a finished look and, most importantly, keeping the darn birds out? Should I use soffit? Or is there something cheaper that will work just as well? I'm less concerned about the look than I am about keeping the birds out. Thanks a lot for any suggestions.

edit

Here are a few pictures. It's about 12x16, I think. I had put up some netting/fencing that I had, but that was a temporary fix to try to keep some birds out. It worked better than nothing, but now I need something that works better and is a little more permanent.


texts: Ideal approach to level a 6x8 ft bathroom?

texts:
I am in the slow process of remodeling a small bathroom. The room is roughly 50 square feet. I am down to the bare joists and have 3/4" plywood that I'm about to screw down with 3" screws. After that, I plan to install half inch cement board followed by 1" porcelain hexagon tiles. The house is about 100 years old and due to settling the floor has a very slight yet continuous dip that goes downward toward the outside wall. What I mean by continuous is that if I lay a 6ft level perpendicular to the joists they are all in contact with the level.From one end to the other (a span of eight feet) I think it's roughly an inch in difference. It's by no means significant.

Since the lack of perfect leveling isn't substantial and since I  I will be installing a new toilet and pedestal sink and will reposition the original ball and claw tub (which by itself weighs several hundred pounds) I was wondering if pouring a thin layer of leveling compound over the cement board would be the most ideal fix to my unleveled floor issue. Obviously I'm not an expert in the area but I thought since the problem is somewhat minor that using a leveling compound would be the most practical solution.

I'd especially like the toilet to sit as perfectly level as possible so I am hoping to correct this minor flaw in the floor.


texts: Adjustable steel column is raised too high - can I lower it?

texts:
Refer to image: The red beam you see overhead in the picture (which runs perpendicular to the other beam) is directly underneath a hump which runs from the bathroom, into the hallway, and into the hallway closet.  It is a fairly large hump at nearly 1/2" above the floor.

Question I have is, can I simply lower the support using the lug at the top of the threads or do I need to enlist the help of a professional?  This is under 3 levels of condo units. Thanks!


texts: Tungsten wattage vs resistive wattage for Smart WiFi outlets?

texts:
What is the difference between both of them? There was a post similar to my question, but there was no answer about resistive wattage.

I want to buy a wifi outlet and I need to make sure it doesn't burn like my last one when I plugged it to my AC.
I saw this new outlet.
The ratings on the outlets are:
15A / 1875W Resistive
5A/ 625W Tungsten
125V/60Hz

my Air Conditionner ratings are:
8.4 A
SCE/EER 9.4
WATTS 851
BTU 8 000

Last time my outlet stopped working but it was 10Amps, will this 15Amps one work?


texts: I want to install an ECO 36 36kW electric water heater which requires 150 amps max. My house panel is 200 amp and is out of space. What are my best options?


texts: How to “lock” a bathroom door without drilling or spending too much money?

texts:
I am currently renting an apartment with a few flatmates, but it seems that the keys to the bathroom door have been lost. The owner of the apartment is not open to modifications.
We are trying to find a way to prevent embarrassing accidents on opening the door when someone else is in the bathroom. We are not very concerned with the safety aspect of the locking mechanism or whether it actually even locks the door; a way to prevent such accidents would suffice.
I found Temporary lock for a door, but it seems that the use-case of the asker is different in that question. Also, the suggested solution, which is a door knob lock-out device, is not readily available where I live, and would be expensive to order from outside.
This is how the locking mechanism looks like:

I believe the lost key looks something like this:


texts: Should I staple faced insulation batts to the face of the stud or the side?

texts:
I'm preparing to drywall my attached garage and have run into conflicting opinions on if I should staple the insulation flanges to the sides of the stud or the face.
I live in the San Francisco bay area, so it rarely freezes and winters are mild.
I am planning on installing faced insulation bats in the exterior walls.
I don't believe I need to install a vapor barrier, but will be double checking with the city building inspector if they are necessary.

I am inclined to staple the paper flange to the face of the stud in order to more completely fill the stud cavity. However, I've read that some people say this can cause drywall screws to pop more easily. It also makes it harder to glue drywall to the face of the studs (which I was not planning on doing). I am planning on doing only one layer of tape/mud and not planning on painting so I am not too worried about some popped screws.

Assuming the inspector doesn't care which method is used, which way should I go?


texts: Can I run 8 4 bulb fluorescent fixtures only on one breaker?

texts: Electrical  would 14 gauge wire 15amp breaker or should I use 12 gauge wire with a 20 amp breaker. It’s just lights only!


texts: Can an entry door unit with sidelight be disassembled and reversed?

texts:
My front door has this configuration:

I'd like to swap the door with the side panel to obtain this configuration (without flipping anything):

Would that be feasible?
By feasible, I mean simple enough to be overall cheaper than replacing everything :)

The images above refer to configuration.
The actual doorset I have installed is similar (except the panel and door are swapped) to the following one:

The door swings inside, is fairly recent and I believe it is PVC. The door and side panel look like two independent modules, with the junction covered by a wooden slab held in place by some visible sealant. That's why I was wondering whether it's possible.

More precisely, here are two pictures of the junction in the middle. This is the bottom part, where the door set meets the floor, taken from the inside. These images depict the actual door in question.

Thanks!


texts: Does CFM of a compressor increase if pressure is reduced?

texts:
In product description of the compressor, CFM is mentioned to be 185 Liters per Minute. And pressure is mentioned to be 115 PSI.
Lets say, If I only need 30 PSI for my spray gun but CFM required by the gun is 200 L/M. Would above mentioned compressor be able to provide required air flow?
Compressor has a 2 HP motor.


texts: Need a new roof but have2 gable ends and no overhang for soffit vents

texts: I have about a 1400 square foot roof with a 6/12 pitch.  The house was built in the 50's and there are no soffit vents, but there are 2 Gable ends.  I need to have a new roof installed and am adding a ridge vent.  Is it ok to leave the gable ends with a ridge vent or should I close them off and have edge vents installed?  I have no overhang to add soffit vents.  Any insight would be very helpful.


texts:
I am in the process of renovating an older home where I require just two or three counter top receptacles. I discovered in the NEC that:

  The countertop receptacle outlets in kitchens must be supplied by no
  fewer than two small-appliance branch circuits.

Unless I am mistaken, it seems that this requirement primarily pertains to counter top receptacles. Considering the limited electrical requirements of the kitchen, would I still need two circuits for the two or three counter top receptacles that I am to install? Additionally, there is a wall outlet on the opposite corner of the kitchen as the L-shaped counter top and it is branched off of the living room circuit which doesn't have much connected to it. Is this a code violation?


texts: Adding a 50a breaker in main panel to feed 30a rv breaker and plug

texts: I recently purchased a prewired 30a rv subpanel to plug in a travel trailer while sitting at home. The subpanel is complete with a 30a breaker and receptacle. Is it acceptable to run the romex (10-2) to a new 50a breaker in the main panel having the 50a feed the 30a breaker?


texts: Is it OK to extend furnace gas pipe to the other side of the house (traversal) to connect a barbeque?

texts:
I am doing some reno work and I will be opening up the ceiling above an area that would be traversed by an extension of the gas pipe if that could be used to feed a barbeque (winter time and summer time). The barbeque is outdoor and used on ocassions for certain dishes that require this.

The pipe will traverse the house in the middle (along the short side of a square shape bungallow) I would open an outlet there where I could connect a rubber gas pipe the same way I currently connect the barbeque to the propane tank

Is such an extension allowed?
Is using that rubber pipe OK (it will not be in the way) to use summer or winter?


texts: Storing ladder below subfloor in kitchen

texts:
My kitchen height is 9 feet. To maximize storage, I am planning to have cabinets all the way upto ceiling.

To avoid lugging in a ladder all the time, I am planning to build storage under subfloor. The ladder will be accessible by having a lid in the floor.

However, once the lid is opened, the ladder should be able to rest between floor joists - once the space between the floor joist has been reinforced to support upto 300 lb.

For clarity - see attached diagram.

Does anybody have experience in such a project. The image shows what I am planning.


texts: framing nailers : low profile for blocking but also with interchangeable tips for framing and use with metal connectors

texts: Is there such a tool as a low-profile framing nailer that can fit between studs set  16" o.c. for nailing blocking, but which also has swappable tips so it can do frame nailing of 2x members as well as aim nails accurately into the holes of metal-connectors?  I've found the one, or the other, but not both.


texts:
My dryer won't turn.  When I push the start button, I hear a hum.  If I hold it down, it will hum for a moment and then stop with a click.  I've checked the door switch and the belt, and tested for continuity on four thermal fuses/thermostats.  Everything looks good.  Is there a way to test if the motor itself has died?

Model: Kenmore 110 67904791

Thanks!


texts: LED light bulbs, RFI, and garage door opener

texts: I had to install new garage door opener (old one fried the lamp relay when the bulb burned out and arced), and noticed in the instructions not to use LED light bulbs because of possible RFI.  After some Google searches I was able to verify that, indeed, LED bulbs can create so much interference as to render the opener inoperable. There were also several articles I found that suggested using bulbs with the FCC logo imprinted on the side of the lamp base, which are generally about twice the price of the non-FCC compliant bulbs.Has anyone found an LED light bulb that will work with a garage door opener?Edit: new opener is Chamberlain LW5000EV


texts: How can I reattach a chandelier light fixture to the chain?

texts:
My first night in my new rental house and I bashed my head against the low hanging chandelier in the dining room.  Somehow my rock head hit it with enough force to snap the loop that attaches the light fixture to the chain that hangs from the ceiling.
The metal feels very cheap, almost like plastic, and I wonder how I can repair it in a way that it will still support the weight of the chandelier.  Would super glue or gorilla glue be strong enough to hold the piece back together? Or do I need another method of attaching the light fixture to the chain?


texts: Do I need to cover the pipes that will be under the shower base with concrete?

texts:
I am finishing the relocation of a drain after replacing the tub with a shower base and I will probably need to pour concrete back. The opening I created will be entirely under the shower base that I am installing so my question is this: How thick does the concrete have to be. The shower base is pretty sturdy (Kohler Ballast model 60x32) and heavy and it will be set in mortar as well.
I would avoid pouring a very thick concrete layer if I don't have to as this is my first job of this sort and I would like to be able to easily break the concrete and fix whatever needs to be fixed if anything will ever need fixing. I guess ideally it would be nice to just fill the opening in the floor with sand. :-)
The shower base will be along the right side of the picture with the shower drain in the deeper area that see in the picture

The plan is to set the shower base level and then add self leveling concrete around it so I can install tiles.


texts: So I recently purchased this home and moved in about four months ago. These cracks have been showing up and slowly spreading. I don't remember them being present during inspection or during walk through and moving in.


texts: How do I fix my garage door opener that stops working in hot weather?

texts: During hot weather, my garage door opener stops working.  Then it works OK when it cools in the evening.  Any ideas of how to fix?  Or what causes this hot weather stoppage?


texts:
I need a cooker hood with an offset flue.

There is a rafter right where I need to go through.

Whilst searching I came across one that had quite a wide flue that may just work (better measurements needed).

Does anyone know of a hood with an offset flue or anything similar ?

cheers folks

TheOldMan


texts: need some advice on how to look for the source of a leak around our bathtub. We have a tub/shower with surround walls. There is a small section of drywall on either side of the bathtub and the drywall on the same side as the shower head and nozzles has water damage. We at first thought it was condensation causing it and replaced the drywall and caulk. Over time we have noticed water damage again. Today when we looked at the wall it appears that there is a slow trickle of water coming out of the area where the surround and bathtub meet. It only happens when we turn the shower on. It doesn’t happen if we are filling up the tub. Any thoughts or advice on wear to look for a leak or what could be causing this. The drywall is only damaged from the point where the water is coming out and below. Thank you!


texts: Installing Ecobee 3 Smart Thermostat in Apartment

texts:
I live in Scottsdale AZ and I just purchased an ecobee smart thermostat. I’ve tried multiple ways when wiring up the thermostat. I followed all instructions closely. Can anyone help. The new thermostat calls for a C wire so I checked the wiring diagram on the HVAC system and found that the Y wire is the C. If I am not correct in that please let me know. I know wires are normally not color coordinated but in my case they were white went to W, green went to G, Rc is jumped to Rh with Rh running to HVAC system and yellow is attached to Y. The system blows hot air when I have it on cool. I’ve changed the wires around numerous times with no luck. Still blows hot air.

[![enter image description here][2]][2]
[2]: https://i.stack.imgur.com/9T4cz.jpg![enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/Bdf3i.jpg)![enter image description here]
(https://i.stack.imgur.com/FZhkb.jpg)


texts: My front porch has a corner railing post that is notched on two sides. The top is 4x4, but only about 1.5"x1.5" goes below deck and it's fastened to the rim joists there. It is quite wobbly, and not safe, and I'd like to fix it properly. Is there a way to do this relatively simply?


texts: Why did my tub drain start running slowly after going unused for a little while?

texts:
I recently moved into a new apartment and quickly found that the tub drain ran pretty slowly. I wasn't able to fix it myself, so eventually a plumber came in and fixed things up — the drain ran great for a couple of weeks. (I was out when the plumber came so I don't know what exactly s/he did.)

But then I went out of town for a week. When I got back, the drain had become slow again, though not as bad as before. Is there something about not using a drain that might make it slow down? Is there a home remedy (plunging, chemicals, etc.) that might to help even if it didn't before?


texts: Installing flooring in bathroom and new toilet

texts:
new homeowner here that decided to take on too many projects while moving in!  One of our projects is installing new "peel-and-stick" laminate tiles from Home Depot and are 2mm thick.  We are planning on installing the tile on top of the existing linoleum flooring.  My question has to do with installing the toilet wax ring.  The current flange on the floor was installed on top of the linoleum flooring.

Will the additional 2mm on top of the existing floor warrant a taller wax ring?  Should we replace the flange in the floor and install the new one (the current one is busted, I bought a metal flange to put over it already) on top of the new flooring?  Just wondering what the proper procedure for this is.  Thanks in advance!


texts: How can I mount an electrical box to exterior foam board?

texts:
I am trying to replace an exterior light fixture next to my home's main entry way:

The original light was mounted to a low-profile bracket that was mounted directly to the PVC "box" shown in the picture.  The new light fixture isn't deep enough to fit over the low profile bracket, so I cut a hole big enough for an octagonal box.  From the foam to the face of the PVC box is 1.5" so the box fits perfectly.

The problem I am facing is that there apparently is no sheathing behind this foam material (can someone tell me what this material is called?) so there is no way for me to securely fasten the junction box.

I've done some test holes to try and find a stud somewhere in this area but I haven't found any.  The PVC trim piece is also securely attached to the wall underneath the siding so I can't remove it.

I've also tried a few different types of anchors (mostly rated for drywall) which don't work (they spin freely once sufficient torque is applied).

I'm at a loss, but I'm hoping someone can tell me how to securely attach the electrical box.


texts: How to remove this fluorescent lamp from its fixture

texts:
tl/dr: I can't find how to release the lamp from the fixture.

Not spring-loaded
Non rotating
I can't find a way to remove the sides

I have a fluorescent lamp in my bathroom which lights up about 2 minutes after I turn the switch on, so I have to change the starter.
The problem is that the fixture is not a regular one with a slit where you just rotate the lamp to get it out. Also, it's not spring-loaded (I tried to push it to both directions), and I haven't found a way to pull one of the sides out to release the lamp (this was my initial thought as it has some kind of clips/buttons that I can't figure out if they have something to do with the sides or they just hold the bay cover under the lamp).
Lamp model: Osram Lumilux Plus 36W/41-827
I can't find any info on the model of the fixture
Also, this didn't help.


texts: Tap Into a 20 Amp Circuit Wired w/10 AWG Wire?

texts: I've purchased a house with an outside outlet about 100 feet from the house.  It is a GFCI, wired with 10 AWG outside rated wire (I assume because of the distance), run through conduit underground to the basement, where it ends at a 20 amp breaker. Inside the basement, there is a 12 AWG circuit that serves a nearby outside outlet on the deck, tapped into the 10 AWG wire inside a box. It all looks good, but question 1 is:  Is it legit to tap into the 10 AWG wire with 12 AWG to serve nearby outside outlet?  If so, can I tap another 12 AWG wire into the box to add another nearby outside outlet?  (I would probably use WAGO flat connectors rather than try to twist two 10 AWG and two 12 AWG wires together.). Thanks in advance!


texts: Front loading washer leveled but acts out of balance

texts:
My front loading washing machine is acting out of balance. It's not too bad when spinning empty but if there are clothes in it, it rocks and makes loud squeaking noises. I've leveled it, front to back and side to side are within level using a 4' bubble level.  When it's spinning I can see that the drum moves front to back relative to the door.

Can I open it and re-level the drum?  Any idea how to level the drum?


texts: Connecting fresh-air damper to Lennox furnace OR replacing timer with new smart thermostat

texts:
We replaced a 20-year-old furnace with a new Lennox furnace and added air conditioning. The new system is still controlled by the 20-year-old Honeywell Chronotherm III thermostat. The furnace had (and still has) a fresh air intake with a Columbia fresh air damper controlled by a timer. The timer also turns on the whole-house exhaust fan, and USED to turn on the furnace fan. However, on the new Lennox furnace, the installer said the timer could not be used to turn on the furnace fan. So, we no longer have fresh air brought into the house based on the timer — I have to turn the timer on manually and turn the fan on via the old thermostat.
Can the timer be connected to the furnace fan without damage or risk? If so, how?
A far better option would be to replace the current thermostat and timer with a smart thermostat to control everything. However, ecobee support said:

Essentially, the damper and exhaust for the air intake is similar to a
ventilator if there is no timer involved. If it required some sort of
trigger from the HVAC unit in order to run, the thermostat will not be
able to detect which parts that are needed and will result in it not
engaging properly.
That's why there is no way for the damper to be connected directly to
the ecobee, as far as I know as the ecobee won't be able to
communicate with the timer or the damper .
Hypothetically, if there is no timer involved and the damper doesn't
require any trigger from the HVAC unit, it is possible to have it
connected to ecobee as an accessory (ventilator in this case). You can
view this article Troubleshooting accessory installations for more
info.
However, this is hypothetical as it all depends on the functionality
of the intake and how it responds to separate voltage. Since it's only
in theory, I would stick with my former answer that it's not possible
for the ecobee to control the damper.

Is it possible to use a new smart thermostat to control everything? (I prefer Honeywell or ecobee.) If so, how would I wire it to the Lennox furnace control board? (I assume I would remove the Honeywell timer.)
THANKS!


texts: What is the most effective exterior insecticide?

texts:
I am planning on doing a perimeter spray around my house.  There are a lot of different options for insecticide but I have not been able to find any comparison or description of the different products.

From what I have read a synthetic pyrethroid is the way to go.  Pyrethroids are the most effective and least toxic of the general purpose insecticides while the synthetic variants are longer lasting.

Some of the synthetic pyrethroids I have found: Deltamethrin, Cypermethrin, and Lambda-Cyhalothrin.

What are the differences between these products?
Is one more or less effective or should I be aware of any special considerations between these?
Or are they all effectively the same and I should just go with the cheapest one?


texts: What could be the cause of eroded mortar in exterior brick?

texts:
This question actually reminded me of an issue with my exterior walls. I have the same problem with the vertical mortar being eroded/missing from several bricks at ground level on the exterior of my house. I live in Alabama, so we don't have much severe weather (unless you count ridiculous humidity), and I have no idea how this could have happened. The rest of the mortar is fine, but only a few joints are completely missing. Is there a way to prevent this from happening? Is this some purposefully built structural feature that I'm just oblivious toward - they seem to be fairly regularly spaced.

When the home inspector came by before we bought the house, he didn't mention anything about them, and I didn't really notice them until we moved in.


texts:
I have a combi boiler (less than 2 years old, with plumbing that may be 25 years old) and I'm doing some work which will require a full drain of the heating system.

I think I'm going to need some cleaner and some inhibitor, but I'm wondering - can I just add both to the newly-topped up system, or is there a process I'll need to follow?

I am looking at Sentinel X100 inhibitor and X400 cleaner


texts:
I don't have a drill bit set, since I wouldn't use most of the bits in typical sets. I buy individual bits depending on what I need for a project. I now have a motley collection of bits in various sizes, material, intended use and wear (often they come in sets of two so I'll have one "used" and one "new"). I can't easily identify a drill bit at a glance. Their original packaging is to bulky and fragile to use as storage.

Is there an easy, inexpensive way to keep them organized so that I can tell at a glance which bits I have and which is which? It should be a flexible system, that doesn't need to be re-set every time I go and buy a new bit - so it can't be a box with non-customizable slots for different bits, for example.

The best I can think of is to use a label printer to print flag-style labels and affix them to the base of each bit. I guess it's better than nothing, but I'm hoping for something more elegant.


texts: New Main Panel & Sub-Panel - Hooking up Ground / Netural - Connecting to Plumbing / Ground Bar

texts:
Older 1960's house.
The outside panel is a FPE Stab-Lok that needs upgraded.
Will be using this panel to upgrade it, which has a 125-amp main breaker:
The current box is directly to the left of the outside meter.  The box currently has a 70-amp circuit that leads to a sub-panel (about 20 feet away), a 50-amp breaker for the oven, and two 20-amp 120v breakers.  Grounding bar is outside but it is not bonded to copper plumbing.
Questions:

Any issues there or will that panel and hook-up be OK?
The 70-amp breaker will be changed out for a 100-amp breaker (since the subpanel will be upgraded to 100 amp).  Is #4 copper good to run between these?

Next, the inside panel also needs upgraded.  It is only 70-amp and the house will get electric heat/HVAC system (has only had window units but has had forced gas air so the vents and closet are in place).  So it will be upgraded to 100-amp.
Questions:

I'm sure that box is OK for the purpose?
There is copper plumbing very close to this box.  Is it safe to also provide bonding of the separate ground bar to the copper plumbing with the outside main panel ground bar connected to the ground rod in the ground?
I'm seeing all kinds of conflicting info on this.  I understand that the neutral and ground on the sub-panel should not be bonded / connected together correct?  Some people say yes and others say no.  Seen others actually connect a wire between the two, but that makes no sense to me.


texts: Has the DPC (damp proof course) failed if moisture is showing above paint?

texts:
We have just purchased our first house (hooray) and uncovered a few gremlins the home buyers report failed to pick-up.

There was some damp on the wall behind a sofa in one room (which failed to get noticed by surveyor) and in the corner of the same room.

We had a damp expert visit and hack-away at the plaster, apply DPC, lay a water-proof paste (bitchumin). Wait 1 week to dry then plaster over.

However the problem lies in the corner of the room (external wall) where moisture is still visible, almost forming where the DPC injections were placed.
Now i'm not sure whether this is the silicone of the DPC seeping through onto the painted surface, or whether damp/rainwater is slowly still seeping in from the corner (the damp in the corner was mild before).

Any advice is appreciated!

HP

Photo below


texts: Can anyone guess the size of these wires? They are not marked.


texts: Venting computer equipment, and negative pressure in the home?

texts:
I've got some computer equipment that burns really hot (90 celsius exhaust), and I thought it'd be a great idea to recycle that heat to keep the house warm in the winter.

The equipment is in the basement, and I routed the exhaust through 6" insulated duct into a heat register that blows in the home.  The problem is it's too damned hot!  As a test, I've put the thermostat at 19 degrees - and the house is at 24-25.  Furnace hasn't run in a few days.

I'm considering venting outside instead, tapping into the exhaust for my HRV.  I worry though, that sucking air in the basement and pushing it outdoors like this could have adverse effects such as negative pressure.

Should I worry about this? Sucking air in from inside the home, and pushing it straight outside?

Thanks for your guidance.


texts: Can I run a central air conditioner in the winter?

texts:
What happens if you run a central air conditioner when it's below freezing outside? Is this expected to work?

I know, it sounds crazy, but that's because you don't live in an overheated New York apartment building built in 1904 where the whole building is a single heat zone.

Our building has a big boiler in the basement that goes on for a certain number of minutes every hour, depending on the outside temperature, sending steam to every radiator in the building. In order to make sure that the coldest room in the whole building is adequately heated, that means lots of rooms are way overheated, and the temperature can reach the upper 80s (F of course).

The usual solution is to open and close windows manually. Apparently this is "by design", many of our windows actually have little panels in them you can open to get cool air. Then the temperature goes down to the lower 60s near the window, while it's still 80s elsewhere in the apartment, and it's drafty, too.

We're looking into installing thermostats on the radiators, but that is not the question.

The question is, what happens if we run the central air conditioner while it's freezing outside but over 80 inside?

The central air conditioner consists of an Aerosys THDC condenser (which is mounted through an "exterior wall" to an air shaft) connected through refrigerant lines to an indoors air-handling unit which has typical ductwork going to each room.

I don't think the people who made these condensers ever expected that they would be operating when it's well below freezing outside, so I am wondering if it should just work fine or if this is really a morbidly bad idea for some reason.

Empirically, it sort of worked for a couple of months, but when it got really cold, the condenser conked out, and now I have a repair call in to the AC company, but I don't know if that's because it was so cold outside or for some other reason.


texts:
I recently purchased a kit to enable me to put in some raised flooring into my loft (as my house has double-thickness insulation). This kit contains some supports which screw onto the wooden joists and some metal rails that you put on top of the supports, and you then put your boards on top of these rails.
Here's a picture I took:

As you can see the wooden joists go horizontally, and the rails and supports are at right-angles. Each joist is spaced 610mm and each of the rails is spaced 610mm (it's a 2.44m x 2.44m square).
I am going to be using 610mm x 1220mm OSB for the boards.
Now my question: what is the best way to orient these boards in order to spread the load across the joists best?
Would it be better to put them horizontally so they span three rails (Option A) or vertically so they are supported either side on two rails (option B)?
Here are some diagrams I threw together to illustrate:

The reason I ask this question is that my physics is not my strong point, so I was thinking that option B would perhaps be better since the load would be spread over three wooden joists rather than two, however, this would then place the load on two rails rather than three.


texts:
We're moving our washer from our current location (hallways closet) out to the garage. To do this, I need to put in a new standpipe and drain in the garage.

The ideal junction for the new drain (green line) into the main would be in a spot that's currently a rats nest (red circled area) of various pipes. There's the drain, but also various hot/cold water lines, a gas line and heating ducts. Kind of a nightmare.

So it looks like it'd be a lot easier to have the drain go past that mess then 'u-turn' back into the existing drain for the washer. The added bonus is I'd also have better slope by tapping into that point.

Is there any reason why this shouldn't work? Is there some law of drain physics I'm not aware of that frowns upon u-turns?

Sketch (top view of the crawlspace drains):


texts:
I've been searching these boards for 3 days straight and I still can't find an answer.. And I'm about to pull my hair out!

I have a small half bathroom in my basement, toilet and small sink. Over the sink is a medicine style mirror with a 17" florescent light fixture over it. This past weekend the GFCI outlet, which feeds the light, tripped for reasons unknown to me. I naturally hit the test button 16 times with no success. So I killed the power and opened the wall box, switch box, and light fixture. It was set-up to protect the downstream devices (line AND load). I replaced the outlet and that didn't help so I pig-tailed everything together and attached everything to the line terminal and that brought everything back to normal.

However, I don't want to just leave it as is because there obviously is a problem. Without tearing the wall paneling off, I think the setup is: Source>GFCI>switch>light.... I pulled all wires off the devices and tested for power and GFCI line black wire was the only hot one...

Thank you in advance!


texts:
So I went to go change my bathroom vanity light today and discovered that it simply had the wiring coming through a hole in the wall and the previous vanity was literally just screwed into the wall with 2 screws.

Went to the local home improvement store and the employees guided me to some old work boxes that look like this:

So I get it installed, but it had me wondering...is this safe? I mean the vanity light isn't THAT heavy (I weighed it at around 3 lbs). I do not have a stud nearby (that I can see anyways) (nor would it matter because I would need to have access behind it anyways), and I really don't want to be tearing out an entire wall ideally)

Is this ok? I looked at various guides on changing or adding vanity lights and most seem to use these boxes (Which "seem" to be rated for 6 lb's, and only mention NOT to use them for ceilings).


texts:
Maybe I could get some help?  I bought a 8.5kW (10kW peak) generator and made a 6ga. cord with L14-30 plugs—one for the 240v on the generator and one for the inlet box.  Inlet box is wired to the panel onto a 240v/30a double pole breaker that is off when the main is live and on only when the main is off and generator is on (I have an old box with the main switch in a separate box than the breaker panel, so no interlock switch is possible).  I tested it out and did this:
1. Turned off the main.
2. Turned off all breakers
2. Turned on the generator
3. Plugged in the cord gen—>inlet box
4. Turned on the gen breaker
5. One by one, turned on the breakers

And then I sat and wondered why the generator was humming along nicely but roughly 40% of the lights/outlets weren’t on, while the other 60% were?
Then I reversed the process, went back on company power and all the light were on.

So I figure I’m only feeding one bus in the panel somehow, right?  And that’s bad. So I need to check the voltage through my “generator system” (thru the new breaker, the wires to the inlet box, the inlet box, and the cord to the generator. And I’ll check it using utility power, not generator power.
Presumably I’ll find a loss of voltage at some point as I test out to the end of the cord to the generator.  Am I close?
I appreciate any help you might have, thanks.


texts:
What can I expect to find if I open up the wall above the fireplace (behind the T.V.)? Brick, wood studs, etc..
This is an exterior wall.
Thanks


texts: Cinder Block Foundation - Excessive Moisture

texts:
My garage has such excessive moisture that I am often replacing pliers and other tools due to the constant rust that forms on their surface.
It is not currently thermally regulated, but I have considered a dehumidifier (though, with such a large opening for the door, I feel like it would be moot).
The bottom floor is built out of cinder block, and is built into the grade of the hill. It appears as if they may have tarred the outside of the building, however I still get water weeping through the wall.
I've read that some people apply some sort of water-blocking paint to the inside, however that seems like it would invite frost-jacking when it freezes out.

What would be a good way to control the moisture, and prevent the intrusion short of excavating the entire perimeter of the building?
I have a "whole house" fan on the top of the building, not sure if this will invite more moisture or help remove it.
Since I've had this issue for a while now, I tend to leave the windows open to help it "breathe"... Again, this may not help either. I can't decide if making it air tight is better (condensing the moisture inside), or having openings (inviting the moisture to exit) is better.


texts: Do I seal just the grout lines or the whole granite tile surface area?

texts: i have just installed granite tiles in my entryway and was reading the sealer instructions . Do i just seal grout lines or the entire surface area?


texts: Should I be worried if grease leaks from inside the new electric drill?

texts:
I've just received my newly ordered drilling kit (Skil 6513 550 watts 13 mm Impact Drill). I found  some sort of grease or oil around the chuck (on its surface) as soon as I opened the package and dust was around it which I cleaned it now.

Originally, I received another machine and I saw the same grease (in a different place, i.e, near the cord) so I requested for a replacement then and got this new one with a similar issue.

What made me worrying?

E-commerce websites like Amazon & Flipkart are sending refurbished products these days and I am extremely worried about tools which needed to use for a
long time.
Earlier, I received a refurbished one and it was proved
The original serial number on the drill machine was covered by
another (a sticker)
The cord has scratches on it and I'm worried whether it lasts long

Could anybody tell me in what circumstances grease leaks from inside the drill machine? Also, other tools like pliers were not fixed well in the case and I saw them shuffled. Will that damage the drill kit?


texts: How can I more easily install a Nema 6-50 outlet?

texts:
I'm installing a NEMA 6-50 outlet in a garage for future potential car charging.  The wire is a #6 3-wire, red, black, and white.
I'm not used to this size wire, and it's very stiff and hard to fit into the box.  The box is a metal 4x4 inch box, but it still seems difficult to get the wire in the box once it's screwed into the outlet.  The wire extends maybe 3 or 4 inches into the box.
So my questions are:
Is my box big enough, or do I just need to cut the wires shorter?  Ideally I'd want a longer box to more easily accommodate these thick wires.  I'm guessing the box is large enough, since I can't seem to find anything bigger.  I'm more used to cutting the wires long enough that I can make them extend out the box a bit, and then push them out, but 6 gauge is so stiff, this is difficult.  I've not wanted to cut the wires too short for obvious reasons.
Can I pigtail the ground wire with a smaller wire, and connect that smaller wire to the outlet, or does the ground wire have to be 6 gauge?  This was one idea I had to make getting these wires to more easily fit the outlet, but I don't know if it's legal/safe.


texts: Can I run electrical wiring through basement ceiling joists?

texts:
My main electrical circuit breaker panel is on one end of our unfinished basement. I need to run 2 circuits to the far end of the basement. Normally I would mount these wires on the center beam that supports the home and runs down the center of the house. Since there is no more space left on that center beam, I would like to route #12 type NM wire through my basement ceiling by drilling suitable holes in the floor joists.

Is this legal and can I put 2 wires in one set of holes?


texts: How to select (size) a pump for a swimming pool?

texts: What are questions one must ask and the calculations that must be performed to select an optimal pool pump?


texts: Can a circuit breaker become compromised by flooding?

texts: I often hear about home basements being flooded by several feet of water. Hypothetically, if the water line is high enough to submerge the outlets and the circuit breaker, can it not only short circuit the outlets, but short across the circuit breaker, turning the standing water into an elecution hazard?  If so, how can it be prevented?


texts: How can I securely fasten a carriage bolt?

texts:
I recently made a bracket for mounting a TV onto a custom pipe mount that I built.

I was advised at my local hardware store to use a carriage bolt here for the following reasons:

These counter-sunk holes will be flush against the back of the monitor, so there'll be no way for me to make sure that the bolt doesn't twist when I tighten the nut on it.
By hammering in a carriage bolt, it will "grab" the edges of the hole and prevent it from twisting.

For anyone who, like me, previously did not know what a carriage bolt is:

(The square block at the top, when hammered into the material you're using, will grab and secure the bolt, supposedly.)

Unfortunately, this setup isn't working the best for me. I have lock-nuts, which are extremely difficult to get onto the bolts. When I try doing it with my drill, it actually strips the backside here and the bolt spins freely.

My main question is this: is there a type of carriage bolt that has some kind of phillip's, flathead, or allen wrench socket on the back to initially setup the tension? My plan for now is to do something with two nuts like this:

1.   2.  3.  4.
|-######-l|--|

1. The carriage bolt.
2. My MDF.
3. A lock-nut and washer.
4. The bracket, washer, and lock-nut.

I'm thinking that this will secure it really well, but I'll need to provide reverse tension while installing the first lock-nut. Any ideas?


texts: Powerline network adapter upstream of GFCI outlet

texts:
It's well-known that GFCI outlets can cause issues for powerline networking. However, is this true even if the powerline adapter is plugged in upstream of the GFCI outlet (i.e., on the same circuit, but between the panel and the GFCI outlet)? It seems to me that in this case the GFCI outlet should have no effect, but I can't find any explicit statements to this regard.

I'm planning to put a new circuit in that would be set up like this (panel => outlet for powerline adapter in basement => GFCI outlet for outdoor lights), but I want to make sure I won't regret it later. I can put in two separate circuits if need be, but since they would run in exactly the same location, that seems like a waste.


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I have a copper water pipe which has a mild kink in it, very similar to this photo, not even quite as severe:

It is hard copper.

The kink itself is not causing any problems but in the future I may need to do some work in this area and I'm concerned that it might make working with fittings near the kink difficult, especially since the pipe may need to be cut back a bit closer to the defect.

Obviously one option is to replace the kinked section, and that might be the best course of action.

But is there a method to attempt to restore the correct shape of the pipe? This seems worth at least trying first before taking on a much more laborious replacement. Especially if there is, say, a $15 special tool or something that could do the job and save a few hours work.

Thanks


texts: How to remove or fix the stain on this table?

texts: I think a harsh chemical remove the varnish on this table, how should I go about fixing it?


texts: Installing new basement post to support first floor post

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I am opening a first floor load bearing wall 15 feet wide . This wall sits one foot off from the basement center steel beam, with 2x10 joists 16" on center.
The engineer has specified the first floor posts are to be 3 2x6's. One of the posts will sit on top of the sub-floor and a single 2x10  floor joist. A basement steel column will be installed below.
What is the best way to add support to the single 2x10 ? Is sistering 2 short pieces of 2x10 and blocking to adjacent 2x10's adequate ?