texts: Can I install required breaker in my electrical panel?

texts: GOAL: installing an external 240v wall outlet to power a future air compressor.  I have attached a picture of the electrical panel in my house.  I would like to understand what I am looking at in the panel.  I do not know how to find the main breaker to stop the feed of current/voltage to this panel.  Lastly, do I even have room to install a breaker that is suitable for a 240v air compressor.  I am happy to be here and learning from everyone, first question asked, so please correct me in any way and school me up.  I am thirsty so if you have time just lead me to the water!


texts: Why won't my furnace complete the startup sequence when powered by a portable generator?

texts:
We recently had a power outage that lasted several days and the house was down to 41 degrees and expected power restore was several days in the future.

I purchased a 3500 watt (5250 starting watts) generator with the hopes to heat my house.

I only wanted to power the furnace and did not want to worry about having it connected to the house at all.  I purchased a single outlet and a plug and added them into the furnace line.   So when I want to plug in the furnace I first have to unplug it from the houses power and then hopefully plug it into my generator.

The Inducer fan kicks on, the ignition element heats up and the flames start.  Just before the blower fan kicks on the flames go out and the cycle starts over.

I am assuming I have 1 or 2 problems.

1) Grounding issue.
2) Dirty power

I would like to explore the grounding issue but am unable to find much on the internet that matches my symptoms (actually I am finding too much, but nothing that seems to fit exactly).  I do have a ground lead on my generator, where do I connect it to?  My house does have a few poles outside where things come in.  I do see a few green wires connected to a pole with a clamp.  can I connect my ground to that?   is there an easier way to test if this is it the problem first?   I've seen things about creating a neutral bonded ground plug and plugging it into a spare outlet on the generator but some reason shorting the neutral and ground didn't seem safe, but I am new to this.

If my issue is dirty power due to a cheap generator, am I out of luck?  Should I just sell the generator?

edit:
Furnace is about 20 years old.
Generator is not an inverter.
Furnace does not seem to have a method of delivering error codes.
Furnace works fine when I plug it back into the single outlet I added.


texts: Ceiling fan light went off completely and now it blinks one short blink and comes on okay

texts: Ceiling light went out completely and I turned off at the wall and it did it again.  I changed the bulbs (4) 60 watts.  Now it blinks one short blink when I turn the unit on at the wall and comes on okay.


texts: I've got a floor joist that is low between 3/16 and 1/2 in. Because of its position, I can't sister it. How can I level it? Can I rip a 2x4 and glue and screw it to the top? Would it be stable or compress over time? I've read that it's possible to use strips of asphalt shingles to level a joist. Can I stack them a 1/2 in. or is that too high? Are there other options?


texts: Location of manufacturer name on bifold doors

texts:
I asked a previous question on here about the adjustment of bifold doors.  Since that didn't produce a resolution, I guess my next port of call is to ask the manufacturer.  That leads to my next question: where, on the set of bifold doors pictured in the previous question, am I likely to find the manufacturer's name, please?
The full set of bifold doors:

The lead door:

The hinge on which I attempted adjustment, viewed from the side:

The hinge on which I attempted adjustment, viewed from above:


texts: Where does the excess electricity from my solar panels go?

texts: When my excess electricity goes back into the grid, where does it go after it has passed through my meter?  Does it go to the next closest house needing power?


texts: Where can I find replacement door knobs?

texts: In the apartment that I am renting, the bedroom door knob does not have a lock on it.  I am looking to replace the door knob with one that has one.  However, the door seems to have a knob mounting that I am unfamiliar with.  The locks that I've changed in the past have the screws inside the lock, and it seems that this one has them outside of the main hole.  It also seems like a larger handle. Is this a larger lock then normal?  What is a cheaper type replacement with a lock on it?


texts: Flex Drain - personal opinion from an experienced user

texts:
I am now working on extending my downspout under the sidewalk. Not something too complicated, just to distance the water a few extra feet away from the house.  While researching about different pipe options  (PVC or Corrugated) I found a product by Flex Drain.

This looks like a very simple product to use for this type of small project (DIY) that will suit my needs. Unfortunately I couldn’t find a favorable review when comparing this type of pipe vs Corrugated and PVC regarding strength and necessary slope (debris).

I would like to get someone’s personal opinion from an experienced user.

Thank you very much.


texts: Why does my fan increase speed when the light kit is switched on?

texts:
Ceiling fan with light fixture installed. The fan is wired to one wall switch plate and the light to another.
When the fan is switched on by itself it runs at correct speed. However when light is turned on with fan running the fan speeds up and lights get brighter. Help!


texts: What to do with an underground pool outlet now that the pool is gone

texts:
I took down a pool that has an underground wire( through conduit) that has an electrical outlet that supplied power to the pump. What can I do to terminate the outlet ?
The yard is set to be filled and graded and I would like to bury the wiring. Can I do that??


texts: Is this kitchen wall parallel with the joists load-bearing?

texts: I purchased a house with an outdated kitchen. I would like to remove an interior wall to open up the kitchen into the dining room space. I've removed the drywall and was wondering if this wall is structural or if it can be removed. The wall runs parallel with the joists and is made up 2x3s.


texts: I am trying to open up some solder joints on a 1/2" residential cold water line, and I am having trouble doing so. I am using a propane torch, and I confirmed that the pipe was evacuated. My brother says that some plumbers use solder with a higher melting point and MAPP gas. Is this true? The concept of this seems like a bad idea for so many reasons and I'm concerned about burning a hole in my pipe. I also don't like the idea of using a much dirtier gas indoors. Is MAPP gas the way to go, or should I try something else?


texts: these are the steps on the front porch :$   what's the best way to fill the hole and put a stone in front so it doesn't show such a big gap?  thanks for your help.


texts: hanging a water hose holder on stucco... do I need to find a stud?

texts: I am hanging a water hose holder for a 50 foot all-rubber hose.  This holder can be mounted with 6 screws (2 rows X 3 columns).  Would it be necessary to try to at least get that middle column attached to a stud or should standard wall anchors be sufficient?


texts: How to apply the primer over paint on a small chipped area

texts:
Someone has chipped the paint from corner of my wall. Do I need to apply a primer (I see the wall behind the paint)?

If so, I will inevitably put it over the previous paint a little. You know? I won't be able to only put the primer in the small chip in the wall, it will spill over inevitably a little. Is that okay? How does this work generally?


texts: What's gentler on screw heads: a regular screwdriver/drill, or an impact?

texts:
I'm going to be doing some screwing/unscrewing of screws that provide both a utilitarian and aesthetic function, so I'd like to protect the painted coating on the heads as best I can when I remove and re-insert them.

These are Torx (T45) rather than Philips head, so fortunately the heads are less likely to strip or be damaged than they otherwise would be. But having never used an impact driver before, while also having stripped plenty of Philips screw-heads with regular screwdrivers in the past, I am wondering what the best option for this job would be.

In short: in general, which is gentler on the coatings of screw-heads: regular screwdrivers, or impact drivers? (Impact drivers sometimes shearing off screw heads in the case of overtorqueing notwithstanding)

Addendum (added from comments):

  I'm doing some automotive work on a new vehicle. The bumper has a bunch of T45 bolts on it that are removable to add / remove accessories, and I'd like to keep them in the best shape possible, both for aesthetics and to prevent rust. While I'm specifically asking this question for this project, knowing whether or not impact drivers make screw head stripping less likely will help me decide whether or not buying an impact driver is worth it for the few projects I do.

  The screws in question are actually just going through the sheet metal of the bumper and aren't structural - but yes, in fact the "regular screwdriver" I was originally planning on using actually will be a socket wrench with a T45 socket.


texts:
I am trying to replace some outlets in my garage and I ran into some confusing wiring.

There are 2 double gang boxes on the wall. Both are hooked up to the same breaker in the breaker box.

The first quad box closest to this breaker looks like this:

It has 2 lines coming in (maybe 1 coming in and one going out to the other quad box). On the left there was originally a regular 15amp receptacle. On the right was originally a GFCI outlet but in the picture I have already started switching it over to a regular outlet. I've kept the wiring the same as it was when the GFCI was connected however I don't know if this is right/safe.

So my question is, will this quad box work without a GFCI outlet and wired like you see below?

Here is the other box down the wall.

This box is straight forward and I will just replace the outlets and keep the wiring the same.


texts:
I'm planning to build a 14ft x 16ft A-Frame on grade in Vermont this summer. The frost line here is 4ft. My site is at the top of a small, wooded knoll. I know from some exploratory digging that The first 10 - 12in or so of soil is somewhat gravelly forest loam.  Below that is layer of fine sand.  I dug 18 - 24in into this sand, but presumably it continues deeper.

Because the structure I want to build is relatively small, I am considering digging deep enough to rest the foundation on the layer of sand described above. The idea would be to pour nine footings on the sand layer that would serve as the base for short concrete piers to support three carrier beams that would be the base for the structure.

My hope is that the sand will provide adequate enough drainage to prevent freezing and heaving, even though the foundation would be resting above frost line.  I'm also hoping that, given the small footprint of my cabin, the entire structure would float up and down if the ground heaves.

Have others built small structures without getting the foundation below frost line?  How has this worked out for you?

Does the foundation I've described sound reasonable given what I am planning to do, or are there modifications I should make?


texts: How do I get the fluorescent bulb out of this fixture?

texts:
The bulb blew last night. I've been trying to get it out to change the bulb but it's not budging. I got the outer case off but the end covers aren't budging so the bulb won't pull or twist out.

How do I remove the bulb from this fixture?


texts: Is it possible to trace a wire to a breaker if you don't have access to the inner copper

texts:
Short version
Is there a device that can clamp around the outside of an insulated electric line (without contacting the copper) and identify the breaker that controls it by sending a signal through the insulation into the wire?
Long version
A thick black wire, diameter about that of a hot dog, goes into the ground near our front porch and travels towards the street. I believe it must have supplied power to a lamp-post that was original to the house, built in the 1940s. The lamp-post is no longer there, and I never saw it, but they're a common feature of the houses in my neighborhood. The electrical supply from the street is on a utility pole that connects up near the eaves and comes down to the meter box.
So, when digging a hole to plant a bush a few feet away from the porch, I did so very gingerly, and found the wire there again, about 6 inches below the surface. Then, when planting a second bush closer to the sidewalk, in an existing rock-garden, I encountered the wire yet again. But there was also a more modern 14-2 style supply line next to it. I have no idea where this newer wire comes from, or where it terminates.
I have a Klein non-contact style tester. If these wires are hot, the Klein should give me a rapid beeping sound, according to the manufacturer's website.  I've tested it indoors on a 12-2 and a 14-2 wire, both known to be hot, and it does give a rapid beep when held against their outer insulation.  Testing the outdoor wires, it just gives a slow pulse beep.
Another device I have lets me trace a wire back to the breaker box, but it uses alligator clips that attach to the copper.  Is there some device that can clamp around the outside of the insulation and do the same thing?


texts: Electric shock - was I stupid, unlucky, or a combination of both?

texts:
One of the double sockets in our garage needed replacing (damaged after a washing pole hit it) - a pretty trivial job that I'd done before. So I flipped the MCB for the ring main, used a non-contact voltage tester to check nothing was there, and set to work. I disconnected the old socket fine, and was lining the cables up to fit into the new socket when... ow.

My finger bridged the live and earth pins, and suffice to say the live wire was very much alive. Bar a few finger spasms I was fine fortunately, and believe me I realise I was very lucky in that respect (I'm in the UK, so that was 240V.) Before finishing the job I then shut off the entire property's electrics - I was taking no more chances.

Further inspection confirmed two things I immediately suspected at this point - the MCB in the garage (installed before we moved into the house) was shutting off power via the neutral, not the live, and the voltage tester was dodgy (I had tested it on the same socket earlier and it seemed fine, further testing showed it presumably had a loose connection internally and only worked sporadically.) Needless to say it's now in the bin, and an electrician has been called to sort the MCB and check the rest of the house for similar issues.

Unsurprisingly this has shaken me up a bit - I would say I'm a rather safety conscious person, and in this case thought I'd done all the checks properly (including taping over the relevant trip switch to ensure no-one flipped it back on while I was working.) In some ways I can't help feeling I was unlucky that the MCB was wired by a cowboy, in combination with the voltage tester failing in the way that it did, at the time that it did. However, I'm not one to solely blame tools - clearly some, if not most of the blame here lies with myself also.

So in short, what should I have done differently - and was I primarily being stupid, or really quite unlucky?


texts: Controlling one FCU with two thermostats

texts:
I have a chilled water fan coil unit that will feed two areas, living and the bedroom.

I want to control the FCU with two thermostats, one in the living and one in the bedroom, (preferably) in a master / slave arrangement.

The FCU fan speed and modulating of the chilled water valve actuator will be based on the average temperature detected by both thermostats.

The setpoint will be taken from the last entered location, meaning if I'm in the living and go to the bedroom and change the setpoint from there, THAT will be the one that the FCU will be controlled based on.

I know that this can be achieved with a DDC controller, but the catch is, that I don't want to pay for that.

Are there any master / slave thermostats / solutions in the market for this? (which can achieve this without a separate controller)

Thanks in advance!


texts: How many 240 volt fluorescent fixtures can I connect to a 30 amp breaker?

texts: How many 240 volt fluorescent (2 X 4 recessed, 4 tubes) fixtures can I connect to a 30 amp breaker using 4 mmsq cable?


texts: I'm in a new house, and the cook is getting frustrated with our new cooktop.  Water takes a long time to boil and when it finally does, there is no way to simmer as it is now too hot.  Is this normal behavior?  How can I test the stove for normal operation?


texts: What could be preventing my garage door from shutting?

texts: To shut the door I have to push the wall control twice, then hold it in until the door completely closes.  Usually about half way down it still stops and begins to open again.  The garage door opener is approx. two years old Craftsman, 1/2 HP.


texts: What kind of paint can I use to cover wood baseboards?

texts:
I mistakenly got white baseboards for a dark wooden floor. The person who made the delivery suggested painting them to match the wood color, however I'm not sure what kind of paint to use on top of the existing layer. Latex? Oil based?

The baseboards seem to be pine, and the white paint is a semi-opaque thin layer. Here are some photos: https://imgur.com/SZ2RqBW - https://imgur.com/3WIQHji

(This is my first post here so please let me know if I missed anything!)


texts: Do I need to worry about air bubbles in the first coats of drywall mud?

texts:
With new drywall, can I just wait until the third coat to sand any pock marks/fish eyes that may appear? Should I do it after the second coat instead since I am switching to a final coat? (Won't they just fill with succeeding coats?)
Also, is there a bonding purpose to sanding in between coats? I'm unclear whether it is necessary in general to sand after every coat. I'm using a 20k lumen light but its 5000k daylight and it misses things a good old fashioned halogen yellow doesn't.


texts: How do I ground a TV antenna on my shed with the cable running underground to my house?

texts:
I want to mount a TV antenna on my shed in my back yard and run the wire underground to my house. The shed is about 60 to 70 feet from the house. There is electrical service in the shed, but there is no ground rod at the shed that I know of (I figured I would have to put one there).

Google has led me to a lot of explanation of grounding with the antenna on the house and it states that you should have a grounding block close to where the cable enters the house. I am wondering if in my situation if it would be okay to have the grounding block at the bottom of the shed where the wire enters the ground.

Also, are there any other differences I want to consider when running an antenna from my shed to my house. I am planning on putting the underground wire in PVC.


texts: Can I mount a TV on a single metal stud?

texts:
I'm finding a lot of conflicting info on this.

I have a 53.1 lbs TV (65") that I want to mount using a flush mount (5.9lbs) to my wall. However the studs (24" apart) are off center so I would be looking to mount it on the center stud.

I live in a building that's about 12 years old, so modern construction. I've seen advice from "yes, snap toggles on the stud and anchors on drywall will do" to "you need a piece of plywood across 3 studs and then you can center your mount"... (as for that last one, the rightmost stud has electrical running through it so it complicates things even more!)

Any advice?

Thanks!


texts: Is there an advantage to single-ended LED replacement bulbs for fluorescent fixtures?

texts:
I installed 100 dual-ended LED 4-foot replacements last year and noticed that my AMZN supplier (Sunco) has replaced the product with a single-ended version.  Naturally, I do not want to rewire the 100 units a second time and would like to continue with the dual-ended LEDs to maintain consistency (KISS principle).

QUESTIONS

Is there advantage to using a single-ended bulb?
Is there cause to believe that single-ended bulbs will phase out dual-ended?

I ask these questions because if there is a significant advantage to single-ended designs, then maybe I should stock up on whatever dual-ended supplies exist if they are to become extinct.

If the winds are blowing in the direction of single-ended devices, then it may make sense to give up on consistency and replace existing fluorescent devices with single-ended LEDs.


texts: How long should I wait before painting or staining pressure-treated wood?

texts:
My husband is installing a new deck with pressure-treated lumber at our home in Tennessee.

How long does he need to wait to paint, or should he stain the deck now?


texts: Does this basement pit drain into the soil or the sewer?

texts:
My house was built in 1940.  I recently pulled up the floor and subfloor in the basement and noticed this basement pit.  There was about 6 inches of water in the bottom which I drained.  Below that is a layer of what I think is home-heating oil.  Maybe the house used to have an oil tank inside that leaked (it now has an electric boiler).  I removed most of the oil; below it is clay soil.  The pit is about 3 feet deep.  The short pipe comes from the garage floor drain (I think).  The 90 degree pipe goes to the sewer system (I can hear it).  This pit has probably not been opened in at least 30 years.  There are no signs of flooding or water damage in the basement.

My questions are:

Is the idea behind this that water drains down through the clay soil?  If so, maybe the oil was blocking it, that's why there was the accumulation in the pit?
Is the pipe to the sewer system for overflow should the pit fill with water and not drain quickly enough through the clay?
Should I be thinking about putting a sump pump in the pit?


texts: Is painted shoe molding more expensive than stained shoe molding?

texts:
Long story short: contractors did all the shoe molding stained to match the floor when I said I wanted it to match the trim. Now he's telling me that "painted shoe molding is more expensive" - hundreds more - but I have a feeling he's just trying to cover the cost of his mistake.

Is painted shoe molding more expensive?


texts: Why does standing water collect along the bottom edge of my roof?

texts: I have a glass-roofed lean to conservatory with a shallow roof pitch. After heavy rain there is standing water at the lowest part of the roof where it enters the gutter. What would be the least acceptable pitch of the roof be to ensure complete runoff of the water?


texts: How can I stop primer from eating my roller handles?

texts:
Whenever I use primer, it seems like I get about one room's worth of coverage before the roller handle seizes up, so that I'm pushing the roller along the wall instead of rolling it.  I'm conscientious about cleaning my painting tools immediately after use; I've tried cleaning the handle during use too, but this still happens.

Is there any way to prevent this, or should I just buy cheaper roller handles for priming, and keep the higher-quality tools for the paint (where I don't have this problem)?


texts: What is the device resembling a capacitor in my ceiling fan?

texts:
The light works on my ceiling fan, but the fan does not. My brief research suggested that I check the capacitor. I disassembled the unit, and I find two things in there that look similar--one being a bit smaller than the other. Neither one exhibits the bubbling/melting that suggests that it's been blown.

I've attached a picture that shows both. Can anyone help me identify what they are? (The larger unit has four wires--grey, pink, and 2 yellows--and the smaller has three wires--red and 2 whites.)

Also, if they both look OK, does it pay to replace them to see if that solves the problem? Or is it time for a new fan? (We moved into this house in June, and I don't think we've ever turned the fan on. The first time we tried, the chain on the pull switch broke, and I just got around to replacing that pull switch. That's when I found that the fan doesn't work.)

Many thanks!


texts: Will unpainted plaster become water damaged?

texts:
We have had our bathroom done recently and the builders plastered one of the walls, then fitted the sink and toilet.

I am now going to paint the walls myself, but I'm concerned about the plaster behind the sink and cistern.

Should I remove the sink and cistern to paint behind?
If I leave those hidden bits of plaster unpainted would they suffer from water damange over time?

(It feels wrong to pay someone to fit a bathroom, then immediately take out the units yourself)


texts:
We had a leaky pipe burst over the weekend. It seems that it had been leaking (slowly) for some time, so there's some water damage to the wall where it was located. In order to clean it up, I removed a cabinet on the opposite side of the wall from where we repaired the leak and found an unusual hole in the slab.

This cabinet is in a ground-floor powder room. The leak was in one of the exposed pipes in the wall on the left. The pipes running horizontally along the back wall are the result of a reroute of hot and cold lines due to two different leaks under the slab.
Some background: the house is in Southern California, constructed in the early 2000s.
The thing I'm curious about is why there's a hole in the slab, exposing the dirt below? My hypothesis is that the original owner had the option, while the house was under construction, to have a shower installed here. If that's correct, then I would expect to find a drain underneath that dirt.
If we wished to cover that dirt, what would be the best way to go about it? Can we did out some of that dirt, mix some concrete, and fill it?


texts: What should distance be between the two lower cabinets flanking a "30" inch range?

texts: What should the proper distance be between lower cabinets flanking a "30" inch kitchen range?  We have researched this subject and find more then one answer.   Some say 30 inches, others say 30 1/4 inches in case the range is not 'square'.  Is this ever a real issue?  We want to minimize the gap so food crumbs have less chance of dropping onto floor between cabinet and range, but are we 'taking a risk' of a tight fit by making the gap only 30 inches (the range is 29 7/8)?


texts: Which material should I use for a whiteboard that would erase easily?

texts:
I saw some DIY tutorials recommending to use tileboard to make a cheap whiteboard.

I had a piece lying around, and tried some dry-erase markers on it.
Turns out they don't erase well at all when dry, and I had to use a window cleaning spray to get it off completely.

Do you know of another cheap material that would allow to more easily clean those dry-erase markers off ?

Edit : I intend to make it large, so the lighter, the better !


texts: Why is my shower faucet turning itself off?

texts:
My shower has a wall mount single lever faucet similar to this: http://www.cn-faucet.com/Wall-Mount-Single-Lever-Faucets-141.html

Over time, it has become more sensitive and now, in most angles, gravity pulls and turns it off, unless water flow is very high. If I turn it to get very hot or very cold water, it becomes less affected, and at only hot or only cold, (when it's almost horizontal), it can stay on with a very slight water flow.

The lever has a screw that holds it to the faucet, and I haven't found anything else to touch.

I use it now without the lever, and it's quite steady (hard to use with the hands, indeed; I usually put the lever to turn it on or change water temp, and then put the lever aside).

What could be the problem, and how could I fix it?

Update:

The faucet itself:

The insides of the lever:

You can see the screw at the bottom of the lever; this screw bites the black plastic piece of the faucet to keep it in place; I don't think this is related to my problem, though.
In the center of said black plastic piece there's a screwhole, but there's no screw in it.

If a more detailed picture of some part is needed just ask for it.


texts: bathroom aerator doesn't want to screw tightly into place

texts: We have 2 identical faucet. We change the aerator of 1 without trouble. The second one is not staying in place. We tried to put some silicone around the threaded faucet, but it is not working. We are thinking that when we unscrew the aerator, the internal threaded must have some deposit and today it is too loose. What can we do ?


texts: Can this garbage disposal be saved ? Black gunk doesnt drip down to cabinet floor but my skin crawled when i saw this?

texts: Garbage disposal is about 3 years old. It got jammed , so i tried to find the reset button on bottom.  It wouldnt budge so i got a flashlight and got on the floor to make sure i was pressing right thing.  I was horrified when i saw this nasty sight in the middle of the garbage disposal. Looks like dried slime. It doesnt run down the machine or to the cabinet floor but something definitly is wrong.  I got disposal un jammed and it works fine but underneath scares me. Is it worth tryin to fix ?


texts: what would cause the second chime of a doorbell to sound muted?

texts: I've got a doorbell that works, it is the normal two chime "ding dong", but it goes "ding chunk" where the second chime seems muted.  I looked at it and it's mounted right, it gets hit with enough force.  What would cause this?


texts: Overhead lights don't work but voltage meter shows sockets have power

texts: Overhead lights don't go on but voltage tester shows voltage is reaching  sockets. Even when switch is turned off, meter shows voltage still reaching sockets. Receptacles on the same circuit  also show a charge with the voltage tester but appliances plugged in don't work.


texts: What are my options for making up for a narrower replacement door jamb?

texts: We just replaced an old sliding glass door in our house, but the new unit has a jamb that is about 1.5 inches narrower then the old jamb. We've decided to do a decorative tile strip for the floor, but I haven't settled on how to handle the interior trim. Should I tack a wood strip to the edge of the trim to cover the gap or something?


texts: Hot water faucets turn cold after15 minutes shower, some hot water faucets are still hot, we just replaced our hot water heater and furnace

texts: Getting cold water in multiple hot water faucets after someone takes a shower or hot water is run from a facut. This issues was not happening prior to installing a new Oil furnace and oil fired hot water heater. This does not happen in every faucet in house. Example 2nd hall bath start hot after 10 goes cold, kitchen sink below hot water faucet runs cold. Yesterday master bath show ran cold after 10 minutes, other bathroom sink were still hot.


texts: How to fix a double door that has shifted during the winter

texts:
Like many regions, this was the worst winter we've had in 20+ years. Over the winter I've noticed that my double doors leading outside have shifted considerably. The top of the doors now rub together, creating great friction when opening or closing a door. In fact, it is occasionally very difficult to open or close the doors and requires a lot of force. On the other hand, the bottom of the doors have shifted far apart and there's now a gap of perhaps 1/2 an inch.

A few questions:

(1) I'm assuming the cold weather has caused this issue. Would this be an accurate assumption?

(2) Will the issue resolve itself as the weather warms?

(3) If the issue persists, what's the right way to fix the issue?

(4) Is this a symptom of a larger issue that I may be overlooking?

Thanks in advance for any and all guidance on this.


texts: Limescale flakes keep blocking shower/taps

texts:
In my apartment, the showers+taps lose pressure every few days. When I remove the tap/showerhead filter, I see a lot of white flakes (see pictures below). I remove those, and the tap/shower is great... until a few days later. I don't know whether this happens only with hot water, or at cold-only taps too.
General Background
My area (Israel) has hard water. The apartment is in a newly-built (~2016) high-rise.
Apartment water history
I bought the apartment 2nd-hand, and found a gas water heater and a never-been-used tanked electric water heater (not connected to power). I took out the (leaking) gas heater and got the electric heater working. I also installed a whole-apartment water filter, but just a mechanical one against rust and sand.
First few months all was great. Then water pressure slowly degraded in all taps/showers, until eventually I got the whole-apartment filter cleaned up - it was full of sand and mud. The filter techie also showed me how to clean the tap/shower filters, which at the time had some rust captured in them.
Since then, the tap/shower filters have been clogging with white limescale, as described above.


texts:
We have just peeled off some old paintwork from our walls.

The wall is dry and the plaster looks in good shape for the most part but it is old and "dusty" - i.e. you can rub your hand over it and it generate dust - unlike new plaster which has a firm shiny finish.  I am nervous that if I paint on to this the paint will not key/adhere properly.

What's the correct thing to do?  Jut give the wall a good wipe down and then paint with a diluted emulsion for the first coat or fist seal it using PVA?

In my limited experience, painting over a PVA sealed wall is a real pain - the paint does not cover well and it requires more coats.

Any advice gratefully accepted.

A couple of follow up questions: -
1) If I do seal the wall, do I still need to water down the first coat of emulsion (as if I were painting on new plaster)?

2) Is there a difference between PVA sealer (e.g. Unibond) and PVA wood glue .  I have 5L of woodglue in the garage that I will never use - could I dilute this down and seal the walls with this?


texts: Is it OK to use motor oil as bar oil in a chainsaw?

texts: Someone told me that you can use motor oil in your chainsaw instead of bar oil. Is this a good idea? Will it cause problems over time?


texts: Best way to splice together 20/22 gauge wiring?

texts:
We have some holiday lights that had wiring snipped it seems and wondering what others have done to permanently splice 22 gauge wiring (fed from 3.5V plug).

Update:  On one set I have soldered the two segments together via gas stove (yes this worked well and it is one unit unless I break out scissors.  Which I guess I will have to do since you need to put on the crimper or whatever connector.  Guess I can redo once one of these is already on one side since it has power unit on one end and street light on another.


texts: How to calibrate continuous water Gas Heater?

texts: i have installed a gas continuous water gas heater, it is around 30 mts of pipe away. my shower has a mixer valve (one unique lever for both the hot and cold water). The problem is, whenever I am taking a shower, and after aproximately 5 mins, the gas heater turns off and i start to get cold water, forcing me to shut down the water, and turn it all hot again, and wait for the hot water to come again, so i can resume my shower, it keeps happening again and again. I have tried different sets of configurations for the heater (moving the minimum water, and gas level) nothing solved the problem.


texts: DIY way to wash sand/clay out of driveway gravel?

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I hate how the sand and fine dust blows around on our dairy farm's gravel driveway in the dry summer months.

It's not reasonable to talk about blacktop due to the long driveway and the fact that it would get pummeled and potholed year-round by a huge heavy milk truck constantly rolling in and out.

Is there any reasonably low cost DIY way to remove the sand and clay dust from a gravel driveway myself, that does not involve:

hire contractor to remove 6-18 inches of gravel top layer
they haul it away to an old quarry for burial
they bring in washed gravel to replace it

I've been looking for some way to do this myself, to buy or rent a very small sized "gravel wash plant", but I don't think there's anything affordable. I might have to build a one-off machine myself to do it.

(Most web searches for this topic are SEO'd heavily by idiot mining and gold prospector companies. Trying to find answers via a direct web search for a "DIY wash plant" is useless, as it all is steered in the direction of huge expensive mining and highway resurfacing equipment.)

In order to not create a ridiculously huge mess, I'd apparently need:

baby track excavator to pull up the gravel
baby trommel (rotating screened barrel sieve) with high pressure water spray wash heads
settling tank or centrifugal separator to separate the agitated/suspended sand and clay from the wash water
sealed dump truck bed for the liquified clay and wet sand.

The separated sand and clay gets dumped out in a pile in a back field or woods area somewhere, and goes back to nature.

Once all the clay is removed (consisting of possibly 50% or more of the volume of gravel removed for cleaning), I'd apparently still need to bring dump trucks full of fresh washed gravel to replace the large volume of clay removed.

Signs seem to point in the direction of just hiring a contractor as mentioned at the top, as full-DIY is probably going to be too ridiculously complex and expensive, requiring buying or building one-off gravel wash, and clay/sand settling equipment, that then is never used again.

Also, I am aware this is not a permanent solution, as the gravel will slowly fill with sand and clay dust as the years go by. But it may be a decade or more before it gets very dusty again.


texts: Are nail pops under vinyl flooring likely to worsen?

texts: I have been in my new Mobile home now for 5 months.Nails are starting to pop up slightly under the linoleum floor. Is this likely to get worse over time?


texts: How to retrofit a slab for protection from frost heave

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One structure on our property is built slab on grade. Located in the US in climate zone 6. This is a heated space which we will be removing part of. The removal will expose a lot of the slab to the elements.

Now, I assume that the slab is correctly constructed and has appropriate footings and is probably insulated underneath. (Assumed because we've had zero problems with it in 20+ years). However, we intend to cut away portions of the to-be exterior slab. The concern is that this will expose the slab to frost heave.

I am looking for suggestions as to how to protect it from this. Options I can think of include:
 - Adjust drainage to make sure water flows away.
 - Dig a new trench "footing" under the new slab perimeter, which presumably has to be down below front depth. (Not a load bearing footing, however - just a water diversion)
 - Dig a trench and use plastic or some other impermeable material to create a sloping surface to channel groundwater away from the slab. This would also have to go below frost depth.

These may not necessarily be mutually exclusive options. Cost is a factor, of course, but mainly I want to make sure I know how to do it correctly.

Edit - I think the foundation is a typical footing-below-frost-depth type. Not a shallow frost-protected design. This assumption is based on the age of the structure - built around 1990. According to this HUD report, at that time the shallow type was extremely uncommon in the US.


texts: Water heater not as hot when first bought (only 4 years old) even after flushing

texts:
My water heater is set at the default 120F temperature, I bought it 4 years ago brand new, and I remember for the first 2 years of use I would turn my shower faucet valve (located upstairs) to the middle (90 degrees) for a nice hot shower. Now I must turn the faucet far past the middle (130 degrees, towards the direction of hot) to get the temperature I used to be getting when it was new. I flushed out my tank fully and saw a lot of sediment come out of the hose but it still didn't help the unit perform like new.
I could set the water heater temp to "A" (130F) but the most energy efficient method is to keep it at the default 120F so I rather not do that.
Any ideas?


texts: Where is the ground wire on this light fixture controlled by a motion detector?

texts: I bought a Utilitech motion-activated floodlight 0072837. The installation instructions tell me to match up the white, black, and green (ground) wires to the house. I don't see any ground wire coming out of this light fixure. How would I ground it?


texts: I need to know what is the name of this valve that is for my outdoor water line and where can I get a replacement?

texts: this piece is from the main water supply pipe


texts: Water usage when some sprinkler heads are capped off

texts: I have removed several sprinkler heads. Does this reduce the amount of water used or do I need to reduce the time in that zone?


texts:
This is my first real woodworking project, so bear with me.  I decided to create a picture frame (18x24) for a print I bought for my wife for Christmas.  It's made out of 2" wide mitered pieces of oak.  I used a dado blade to cut the lip for the contents of the frame.  However, in my stupidity, I didn't test fit the glass after it was clamped (I did before it was clamped, but yeah, stupid me).

So now it's glued and I need to take about 1/8" off of the inside of the frame.  It seems to be due to the fact that it's not perfectly square since it's  only on the one side of the frame.  I started sanding with 100-grit sandpaper as that's the roughest I had around.  I'm sure you can guess that I'm not making much progress with it.

Should I invest in a set of chisels and work it down that way?  I thought of using a rougher grit paper, but not sure if it's going to work for the amount of material that needs to come off. Any other suggestions on what to do?  Thanks!


texts: Which tape to seal seams between XPS panels?

texts:
I am planning to insulate my basement walls with XPS. I'll be gluing the panels to the wall and taping the seams. However, I'm finding conflicting information on which tape to use. The most common recommendation I've found is Tyvek tape, but apparently Tyvek has recommended against its use on XPS:

  Tyvek warns against the use of Tyvek tape for sealing seams in plywood, OSB, or XPS foam. “The tape is designed to stick to Tyvek wrap,” said Alan Hubbell, a residential marketing manager for Tyvek. “Plywood and foam will expand at different rates from the tape, and over time it will crinkle and wrinkle and pull off.” link

I've also seen foil tape recommended, which seems like a good option, but I don't know if it's adhesive is compatible with XPS. Any other recommendations?


texts: Does the International Building Code (IBC), or International Residential Code (IRC) require a timer on bathroom vent fans? (I realize all code is local, but just trying to get the standard rule.)


texts: Exterior rated/grade adhesive to add final touches for my shade fabric applied to EMT rods?

texts:
all.
I was wondering if anyone had a sound suggestion or experience with my particular query. My original thread was started here: Inexpensive ideas to extend the height of my fence cinderblock wall outdoors
In that thread I started, user "ojait" provided a great answer and I took his advice and attached the fabric with pan-head screws. I installed the fabric myself and, so far, it has survived several mild wind storms with two of them having occasional gusts of up to 40-50 mph and it looks just as good as the day I put it up. So, naturally, I'm quite happy so far.
My question for this thread is involves a last refining step. The pan screws are holding up well but the fabric wants to curl away from the EMT rod. I thought applying some type of adhesive would. In fact, in one inconspicuous area I experimented and used "Fuse it" Liquid Nails but it's a dark gray in color and given that the fabric has a woven like rattan quality to it, the product sort of oozed through the strands of fabric and now it looks kinda nasty. Not to mention, I had to use a bunch of masking tape to hold it in place while it dried. Because otherwise I'd have to sit there and hold it down for hours. Which, of course, isn't feasible.
Could I use silicone sticks with a silicone heat gun and will this hold up over time? My concern is that it can get up to 121 degrees in the summer. I know that's still not hot enough to actually melt the glue but there is nothing on the packaging that says you canNOT use it for outdoor use. However I have doubts about using it. This is ideal because I can hold it down in place and in about twenty seconds it has cooled down enough that it won't budge. And secondly, the glue sticks are a clear like color so you really can't see it anywhere, which is another added plus.
If this isn't a good idea, what can I use that will dry and harden in a short time and that can allow me to work quickly? Keep in mind, this is just a cosmetic alteration. The pan-head screws are the ones doing the work of holding the fabric in place. This is just to keep the ends down nice and flat so that it looks more polished looking.
Including a couple photos to show what my project is looking like so far.


texts: Toilet makes high pitch whine after flushing, but only in the middle of the night

texts:
Sometimes, when my toilet is flushed in the middle of the night, it will make a high pitched whining noise for several (5-10 seconds) while refilling. This doesn't happen during the day, and it only occurs sporadically in the middle of the night.

Can this be caused by higher water pressure during the middle of the night?

Could the temperature of the water be the culprit? It is mid-April right now, and the daily temps are just starting to get higher (like in the 70s).

I have attempted searches on the internet, and most point to the refill valve or ballcock assembly having issues, but since this only happens sporadically, and in the middle of the night, I am wondering if it could be some cause outside of the toilet.


texts: I have a leaky shower. Builder thinks a total renovation to bathroom is needed to waterproof whole bathroom

texts: So the builder I got in thinks I should remove shower, vanity and toilet. Basically a renovation of the whole bathroom upstairs to waterproof the bathroom. The leak is obvious that it is from the shower. Is what he's saying excessive?


texts: How to move a garage opener switch and minimize damage to sheetrock

texts:
The garage opener was installed a couple feet away from the door which makes it awkward to trigger in enough situations that I finally just (temporarily) nailed it over next to the doorway.  But I need to do something more permanent and less ugly.

The problem is what to do with the wire?  There are two studs between where it's mounted and the door.

I'm thinking that since I have to repair the original hole anyway, maybe enlarge it to expose the stud, chisel or drill a path for the wire through it, and pop it up there above the light switch box.

Anyone have better ideas?  And suggestions on how to patch the hole?

[Update]

I opened up the wall around the hole to expose the 2x4.  As a complication, there's a wood backboard behind the dryway, so had to drill/chisel through that.  I didn't have a coat hanger, but had a similar stiffness wire that I used to poke through the insulation.  I twisted the end of the stiff wire into a loop using needlenose pliers and attached a flexible wire, pulled that through, and tied it around the door opener wire.  With all that done, the garage opener wire was easily pulled through the hole and reconnected to the opener.


texts: Home built in 2000 - Is this wall load bearing?

texts: Would love some help determining if this wall is load bearing. Pics and blueprints attached.


texts:
I'm not sure what type of walls I have in the first floor of my house, but it looks as though someone   tried to Spackle a hole     and the curtain rod bracket has just fallen out, since the bracket was attached to the Spackle.
Is there anyway to fix this?
Or is it just going to go on with me applying Spackle and it falling out of the wall until there's a hole big enough that I should just add another door?


texts:
I have installed a Leviton 15amp GFCI.  The one I replaced said 15Amps on it's metal tab but it also said 20A on the body.  The breaker that feeds this outlet is 15Amp.  After I replaced it, I was not getting any power to the unit other than a small green light at the bottom corner of the new GFCI.  I used a pen-tester and it showed power going to one of the black wires that connect to the lower side of the GFCI, but the other wires (white & black) had no power.

Any ideas out there as to what I am doing wrong?  Thanks.


texts: Why is my GFCI receptacle tripping when I add another receptacle to the circuit?

texts: I have 3 receptacles in my garage. One is a GFCI which protects all 3 outlets. I want to connect a new receptacle off the third receptacle (end of run) on other side of wall, and have it protected by GFCI. I connected black to black and white to white. But when I reset the GFCI, it won't hold/reset. When I disconnect the new receptacle, the GFCI holds. I made sure black was attached to brass side, and white is attached to silver side. What am I doing wrong?


texts: Where's the neutral bus bar in this picture?

texts:
Sorry about the newbie question here but just want to learn this the right way. Is the neutral bus bar the one with the white wires (on the right) or the one with the copper and green wire (on the left)? If it's the one on the right then what's the one on the left called and what is it for?

Thanks!


texts: Blower shut off but the AC unit ran for 20-30 minutes afterward

texts:
Last night I turned my AC down a couple degrees before going to bed. The AC was running at the time, so when I set the temp below the current temp, the blower turned off. After getting in bed, however, I could still hear the hum of the AC unit outside. I went outside to be sure. From the thermostat I turned the blower to manual, and sure enough, cold air came from the vent. I turned the blower off, the AC continued to run...

I then turned the thermostat from 'cool' to off. Still, the AC kept running. I wan't really sure what to do because it was 11pm. I unplugged and plugged back in the thermostat. Still it continued running...

Eventually, maybe 20-30 minutes after initially adjusting the temp, the unit finally shut down. I turned the thermostat back to cool, now set to 78 degrees, well above the current temp. The next morning I turned the temp down, the systems came on as usual, and after a few minutes, shut down as usual -- twice before I left for work.

Is this a one-off thing? Should I have the system serviced?

Also, the AC is on the interruptable circuit, but the light was green (circuit open) when this was all happening.

Any ideas? Thanks.


texts:
I am getting ready to paint my kitchen cabinets and need some advice on best way to go about it.  what is the best way to prep kitchen cabinets for painting and what is the best way to paint them, brush, roller, spray painter?

Also any special type of paint I should use?

Thank you


texts: There is a leak in one of the sprinkler system pipes in my yard.  I have shut off the electric controller but still leaking.  This irrigation system is running of of our well. Located a couple of manholes where some of the in ground controls are housed.  But all those seem to be electric and I do not see any shut-off valve.  Should I be looking for another man-hole close to well head? is there anyway to shut the whole system using those in-ground electric controls?


texts: How can I muffle street noise increase from triple-pane windows?

texts:
We recently had new triple-pane Soft-Lite vinyl windows put in around our house, to replace the older single pane, double hung sash windows that were in place before.  The odd thing is that the house is noticably more noisy now, we live 2 houses away from a semi-major roadway, it's not busy all the time but does get a fair amount of truck-traffic.  I don't get why the triple-pane windows would increase the noise this much, we bought the house because of its convenience to the road but it was really quiet originally.  Doing some spot checks with a Decible-meter we found the levels had gone up but when discussing this with the installers they didn't really have an answer.

Would there be a cause for this due to either the window boxes being removed and the current windows being slightly smaller?  I am thinking the frames may not be that soundproof and we are getting noise through those.  Or perhaps the insulation around the new window boxes is not sufficient.  Maybe losing the storm windows has lessened the sound proofing, still triple pane argon gas windows should not increase the noise levels - at least I would guess not.  While its nice to be more energy efficient, I don't want that to be dampened by increase traffic noise.


texts: Fireplace sealing to avoid "false chimney"

texts:
I'm building a new fireplace with a 2cm granite surround (around the firebox opening). This leaves (by design) a 1/2" gap between the back of the granite and the face of the firebox & smoke dome (gap is several inches wide x 1/2" thick).

My question is: To seal off this gap (to avoid a "false chimney" fire hazard), what type of grout should I use? Will the same standard thinset that I use to attach granite-to-fireplace work, or do I need some type of special heat-resistant thinset or mortar?

Or, instead, or in conjunction with, is there a caulk that is suitable for high temperatures that would work in this application?


texts: opening water pipe/tap has hissing noise throughout the house

texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  How to eliminate the “whooshing” sound of water running though pipes.

I have a 3 story townhouse. Any time when I open a tap, even very slowly that water is just dripping, it makes a hissing (can't really explain it, its kind of like hissing, sssssss) noise that can be heard on all levels. If someone opens the tap in the basement, I can hear it in my third level master bedroom and is a problem at night when the noise can wake me up.

Any idea what might be causing this?


texts:
I am considering using 10-2 to wire the opposite side of my house because of 12-2 voltage drop over 60ft distance. My house is 54x58 (see blueprint below). I called up Leviton and tech support says that their receptacles can handle from 14 to 10 gauge wire in the terminals.

REFERENCE:
http://home.leviton.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/RER15-Instruction-Sheet.pdf

If i do go this route:
   1. I'll have continuous runs of wiring without interruptions
   2. not much voltage drop as compared to 12-2
   3. Saves me time and money (2-2-2-1 SER runs for about $7/ft, i'll need around 70ft.

Any suggestions or is there something i am not considering?


texts: Can I remove or relocate a beam that acts as a rafter tie?

texts: I’m an converting our 20x25 detached garage to an in-law suite. I have a 12x20 beam spanning cross our loft. It used to hold the joist together, but I cut them off and opened the ceiling. My question is can I replace the beam with a collar tie, relocate the beam, or do I really even need it? You can see there is a jack stud holding the ridge board up, and the original building used 2 ridge boards.


texts: Range Hood - external blower: Is the design different?

texts:
I'm looking into installing a range hood. I'd like to install the motor in the next room, right on/in the wall that has the exhaust port. There are many companies offering external motor/rotor combinations for this exact purpose, but they always seem to cost about what a cheaper range hood with internal motor would cost, even when only in the 500m³/h range. A blower from a usual hood will produce about 400-900Pa pressure stoppered, or 600-1000m³/h flow, free blowing. Every design i saw (internal and external blower) was a radial rotor setup.

My question: I there a difference between the design for suction (as an external motor mainly needs to produce) vs. the design for pressure (as an internal motor mainly needs to produce) - or could i remove the motor from an internal design and just house it and install it externally? Is suction more difficult to produce and therefore more expensive, or are the products on the market just more rare and thus more expensive?


texts: I tried turning on the AC and it won’t run.  Checked the breaker box and the furnace breaker is flipped.  The breaker won’t stay in the on position When I flip it bacm.  So I must have a short somewhere.  What can I do to diagnose the furnace?  Thanks


texts: Current state of the art foundation waterproofing

texts:
I'm getting ready to dig up my yard and expose my foundation to waterproof it. What is the current state of the art for foundation waterproofing? I don't mean the stuff in a bucket that is typically spread on with a brush, but a true waterproofing system I know will work. I am also going to put in a drain tile below the footer. What have you done or had done to your house? What systems require a contractor? (hot tar?)

Second question: When I go to back fill, do I put gravel right up against the foundation, up to near the surface? How much gravel?


texts: How to reconnect disconnected elbow in waste pipe?

texts:
I live in a mobile home community, the septic recently was overflown, it was pumped, however the main line connecting to the pipes in my house was "out of place" when the maintenance person "banged it back into place" with a 2x4, now the entire connection (elbow) and all came off, they're telling me that this is my issue and that I need to contact a plumber.
Needless to say, a plumber is one hundred seventy five dollars per hour per person and this is a 2 man job. I am one woman but I am determined to fix it myself, I have done most of the home improvements already.

I can't find the correct connections needed, a diagram would be great but I am not sure where to find that either.


texts: Blue electrical boxes extend beyond finished ceiling

texts: My electrician installed the blue light boxes at an angle that  does not match my ceiling and they also extend 1/4 to 1/2 inch below the finished ceiling. we planned on 4 inch led gimbal lights to compensate for the angled ceiling.  If we trim down the blue box flush the light will no longer fit. The electrician has found a flush led to fit but no gimbal. anyone have an idea that will let me keep a gimbal? thanks k


texts: Application of Spar varnish on interior window sills

texts:
I redid the polyurethane finish on my interior pine windowsills, which had some mildew, discoloration, and peeled finish from repeated wetting due to frost buildup on very cold winter nights. I sanded to bare wood, then applied indoor/outdoor satin spar urethane rather than polyurethane, for its resistance to moisture.  The problem is that the spar urethane significantly darkened the bare wood, contrasting with the blonde color of the previous polyurethaned pine.  It looks very blotchy, and I want to redo it.

The easiest thing may be to use a chemical stripper to remove the spar urethane finish, then re-finish.  My Questions:  How do I prevent the wood from darkening again?  Would a wood conditioner, like one might use before staining, do the trick?  And should I not be using spar urethane in the first place?


texts: Junction box above ceiling to add second sub panel from existing sub panel feed

texts:
I'm posting this question to determine if there is a safe manner to do this that meets code and isn't a redneck solution.

The sub panel in my garage is run off a 50 amp breaker that is in my service box/panel outside.  The wire appears to be 4 awg (possibly 3, but at least 4) aluminum wire.  I couldn't seem to find any labeling on the wire or sheathing, so that has been annoying.  It seems I could maybe upgrade this to at least 55A if it is 4 awg aluminum, but that's another question.  The sub panel wire runs through roof just above the ceiling.

I need to add a 50A/240V circuit on the other side of the garage from the sub panel.  One option is to run it from the existing sub panel, and I can do that but something to note is that the sub panel wire runs directly above where I need to put this 50A outlet.

So, I'm wondering if there is an approved way to splice the sub panel wire in a junction box above the ceiling, and then I'd only have to buy wire to go directly down the wall from there (or in conduit, if need be).  This would save me all kinds of snaking and about 25ft of 6awg copper.

If the answer is yes, do I have to run it to a sub panel first, or can I run it directly to something like this:  https://www.walmart.com/ip/Parallax-PGU055C-60A-120-240V-Outdoor-RV-Power-Outlet-with-20A-1-50A-2-Pole-Breaker-14-50R-5-20R2-GFl-Receptacle/100815504

I guess that kind of negates the cost savings on wire, but it might be easier still.

As I write this I feel like I'm maybe asking how to cobble something, and I'd really rather not cobble electrical work :).


texts: Should I install floating solid bamboo flooring?

texts:
I have been looking at flooring choices for my new home. The house currently has carpeting on the upper story and a cheap laminate floor on the ground floor. I'm planning on replacing both.

I've been very interested in stranded solid bamboo flooring, due to the environmental advantages of bamboo, the hardness of the stranded product, and the style.

Many of the floors I have been looking at can be installed either with glue, nails, or as a floating "click and lock".

The floating installation is obviously less expensive since there is less labor involved. So what would be the benefits and downsides of choosing a floating installation instead of nailed?


texts: What is the name of this tool that is used to clamp a piece of wood for drilling?

texts:
What is the name of this tool in the picture?

It seems that the tool is used to clamp a piece of wood to a furniture to avoid cracking it when drilling holes? What precisely does it do?


texts:
Going to the hardware store right now to fix this leak (see crack in pvc in the photos). My main question is: what's the best product to get to temporarily fix this so we can use the sink until the plumber comes tomorrow?

Second question: Is this completely manageable to fix myself? Would I have to cut the copper or something?


texts: Lighted medicine cabinet needs GFCI outlet and Dimmer - why?

texts:
I'm having my GC prepare electrical for lighted medicine cabinet and I'm trying to understand the wiring instructions so I can make sure he does the work right before the walls go up. My confusion is why this lighted medicine cabinet requires BOTH a connection to a GFCI outlet AND a connection to a dimmer.

Is the dimmer switch here the same as any other dimmer switch that I'd use for a normal recessed light, which turns on and off and also controls brightness level? If yes, then why do I need to connect to a GFCI outlet at all?

If it isn't a normal dimmer switch for a recessed light, then what type of dimmer is it and where do i find one?

Thanks for your help in advance!


texts: Is installing a packaged HVAC unit (PTAC) a realistic DIY project?

texts:
I'm a handy guy and can do pretty much anything around the house that I put my mind to.

Assuming I can handle the part of the install that is outside (the concrete pad, the hole in the crawlspace wall, the electric), is it realistic for a handy homeowner to run flexible ductwork throughout a small (1000 sq. foot) house and hook the whole thing up?

What are the most likely mistakes a newbie would make in this process?


texts: How does a recirculation valve used with tankless water heaters work?

texts:
I understand that a recirculation valve will push cold water into the cold line from the hot line, until the water reaches a certain temperature in the hot line.
But curious how does it do it? What is the mechanism for this? And if you know, do you recommend its use with a recirculation pump system? If so, is only one per heater is installed at the furthest faucet, or one per faucet/point of use?
Thank you.


texts:
How often do I need to flush the sump pit with water? That is, pour water into it from a hose to change the water.

Also, can I do it in freezing temperatures? Inside the garage the temperature is about 10C but outside it's freezing.

The sump pump is not inside my garage but that of my neighbour.


texts:
Replacing some old wiring with crumbling insulation. One of the wires passes down through an exterior wall from the attic, to an outlet on the second floor, and continues down to the first floor.

I attempted to follow the same path, but I drilled over 6 inches into the bottom of the wall and still haven't broken through.

The drill seems to be really struggling through the wood. Started with a 3/4 auger bit on an 18" extension. That stopped making any more progress so I switched to a 5/8" spade bit on the extension instead. Now the spade bit is fully into the hole along with part of the extension.

Not sure if I should keep going. The old wire goes through, but is there a chance I'm going to cause problems if I keep drilling? The house was built in 1930, so I assume the drilling difficulty is due to the wood used. I'm just worried about weakening the beam or something.


texts: Refrigerator freezes contents, even when set to warmest setting

texts: Our refrigerator, an Amana/Whirlpool ABB1921DEW5, works very well -- rather too well, even, as the contents of the refrigerator are freezing, even with the refrigerator thermostat on its warmest setting (1), and irrespective of their location in the fridge (putting it in the door doesn't stop it from freezing).  Other than a stuck thermostat, what could cause this misbehavior?


texts: Is PVC ventilation duct safe for health in long term?

texts:
Some contractor says PP is safer (the arguments is it is used in food packaging...) and PVC will degrade and release toxic materials after 10+ years. But in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyvinyl_chloride there is no such thing.

Is PVC safe to be used as air duct in home for a long time like decades?

(Only health safety is considered, fire safety etc is not considered)


texts: What type of wood treatment does my garden office / summer house need?

texts: The exterior wood on the top of my garden office / summer house is looking a bit tired / worn out - see picture below. What kind of treatment should I use to restore/protect the wood? See the lower parts for how it should look.


texts: Kenmore 51789 Fridge - Trying to Troubleshoot Defrost Problem

texts:
Fridge: 1.5 year old Side-by-Side Kenmore 51789 (seems to be a Whirlpool model?)

Service Sheet: W10670778 A

Over the last few days, I’ve noticed my fridge and freezer were slowly getting less and less cold, with the fridge seemingly doing worst at keeping cold. Looking at the freezer, I discovered some frost towards the bottom, right around the vents. I decided to (manually) defrost the fridge by turning it off (from the front-panel, leaving it plugged in).

As the fridge was defrosting, I looked for some information online, which all indicate that it’s probably due to the control broad, defrost thermostat, or heater. I opened up the back panel on the freezer to find that the bottom portion (directly behind the vents) was very frozen/frosted, but the top (where the defrost thermostat is) was essentially free of frost. I ran the diagnostic tests from the service sheet (see results below), with the bi-metal test returning “bimetal open”. Since the fridge was already at room temperature, I believe that test to be normal (is that correct? the bimetal is open when the freezer is at room temperature, right?). Since there was still a lot of frost, I tried to initiate “Forced Defrost” and couldn’t get it to work (does the open bimetal prevent the “Forced Defrost” mode?).

After a day/night of defrosting manually, I turned the fridge back on and it seems to be working fine/better, although I’m already seeing a little bit of frost/white on the coils (they looked dry when I turned it back on, but maybe they were not). After being back on for about 3 days (and everything being seemingly fine), I ran the diagnostic tests again and got the exact same results (see below), with the bimetal test still showing open. Although I believe this indicates a bad Defrost Thermostat (is that correct?), I’m not sure that’s the case. I wanted to try to bypass the Defrost Thermostat but it’s plugged directly into the outlet, so that would require cutting the wires to do so. I also tried to make the Defrost Thermostat cold by putting frost/ice directly on/around it to make it colder but still got the open result in the test diagnostic.

Am I correct that this indicates a bad Defrost Thermostat? Is there a difference between a "Defrost Thermostat" and "bimetal"? Is there a good/foolproof way of testing it? What are my next steps? I’m trying to narrow down the problem as much as possible before committing to cutting wires and/or buying new parts….

As an additional question, I was unsure how to get the “Forced Defrost” to work (step #38 in service sheet) because it says the “command shall be sent at the exit of Service Mode”. Does that mean that I have to select the Defrost Mode (Short or Long) and exit straightaway? or do I need to go back to the step menu before exiting?

Diagnostic Tests Results (same results when freezer was at room temperature and when cold):

FC Thermistor: O1=Pass
RC Thermistor: O1=Pass
Evaporator fan motor and Air baffle motor: displays O2 (baffle is closed) and then switches to O1 (baffle is open)
Compressor/Condenser Fan Motor: O1=ON
N/A
Defrost heater/Bi-metal: O2 = Bimetal Open
Defrost Mode: I set it to O1=ADC ON as indicated in the service sheet. How would you go about setting it to O2 = Basic Mode (8 hour timer) since it says “The Defrost Mode must be set to ADC ON before exiting the Service Diagnostic Mode”?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.


texts: I opened a light switch and found an unterminated wire in the junction box. Is this unsafe?

texts:
I switched of the main circuit breaker to the house and opened up a light switch to see if I had a neutral wire, so I could buy a smart switch.

But when I took off the plate I found what appears to be a #14/2 wire hiding there in the back of the metal junction box-- just snipped off, with the hot, neutral, and ground wire exposed!

Is my family or my house in danger? What should I do to these wires?


texts: What are my options for erosion control under this fence?

texts:
I am looking at options for mitigating erosion under this fence area. It is also an easement area shared with us and the higher neighboring property. I need: 1. A simple and cost effective solution to reduce erosion at the fence line along the entire fence

The other side of the fence:

The other side of the fence:


texts: Lime plaster in Mumbai India - pros and cons?

texts:
I live in Mumbai India, in an old building. I don't know how long it is, but at least a century old, I would estimate. There is plaster deterioration in various parts of the structure. I'm done plaster work in some places, but more remains to be done.

I'm told that lime plaster used to be in general use in India, but is not longer used, cement plaster being used instead. But also that lime plaster is generally considered superior.

It seems that it would be quite difficult to find someone to do lime plastering work locally. But let's assume that I will be able to do so. Are the benefits significant? And what are the pros and cons? Is it worth going to significant trouble to use lime plaster instead of cement plaster?

I'm looking for answers from people with first hand experience working with these different kinds of plaster.


texts: How do I change the bulb on my kichler ceiling fan?

texts:
The light burned out in my Kichler ceiling fan, which came with my new house, so I have no idea how old it is or any other information about it.
I can't figure out how to get at the bulb to change it. I've tried gently turning the glass counter clockwise, as recommended in another post, but no luck.
Does anyone know how to do this?
thanks


texts: Rain Water enters through tracks of sliding glass windows

texts:
I have sliding glass windows on Aluminium tracks and when it rains heavily (especially when it is windy) the rain water comes in on the window sill & wets the wall underneath.

The water seems to be filling the window tracks & then entering. Any thoughts on how to fix this?

Edit:

I am adding a photo of the window tracks. The weep holes seem present and unblocked? There's a trio of aligned holes on the track rails. This is a three panel horizontal sliding window.

For approx. a 6 ft horizontal span of window there seem to be three sets of holes laterally. Do I need more holes? Larger holes?

What else could be the problem? The water influx seems to only happen when it rains heavily and on windy days. Being in a subtropical climate the thunderstorms can be quite severe.


texts: Why don't I read voltage on a disconnected heating circuit?

texts:
I am trying to replace a broken in-wall electric heater. I wanted to confirm if the heater voltage that I am purchasing is the right one, so I got a multimeter and set it at 200V/500V (AC (V with squiggly line)) and touched the white and black, but there seems to be no voltage between any of the wires (with all the circuit breaker switches ON).

Is my multimeter setting wrong (It is set at 200V/500V (AC))
How do I know if there's any point where the current is not flowing?
I have the same problem with the thermostat which is connected to this heater


texts:
Currently the detached garage walls are insulated with batts of insulation, however the ceiling is not, so here in Illinois, the garage is pretty much unusable most days in the winter. I use this garage as a woodworking shop.

The obvious approach would be to drywall the ceiling and just add more batts between the joists. However, the joists are spaced at 32", so Id have to install more joists if I wanted to drywall as well moving electrical that has been installed on the surface of the joists, so that option is last.

Another approach that would be cheap is to just staple down rigid foam boards on top of the joists.

Additionally, the roof does have 2 vents.

All in all, is there a better approach that wouldn't require drywalling?


texts: Cinder block or concrete for shed basement?

texts:
My town only allows 10x12 sheds so I planning to build a basement for it to increase storage. There seem to be two options: pour a slab then build cinder block walls on the slab, or build forms and pour the entire basement out of concrete.

Is there a reason for preferring one method to the other?

The concrete would have thinner walls obviously.

Which method would be less work?


texts: When roughing in a sink, how far should I extend the 1.5" PVC into the room (i.e. through the drywall).  Seems like if it goes past the framing, the drywallers are going to have to cut the hole before putting up the sheet.  Is there a length that's too long/short?


texts: How do I fix a stripped hole in a vinyl casement window?

texts:
While replacing my window crank with a T-crank I noticed the screw that is holding the gear box in place didn't seem to be doing it's job.  Upon further inspection it seems that it's stripped out.

How do I fix a stripped hole in vinyl?  Can I just use toothpicks and wood glue like I normally would?


texts: How to identify the C terminal on my HVAC

texts: As you can see I have a Y G W R/2 C/3 D/1 terminals on my HVAC. I am planning to change my thermostat to one that requires a c line. There are 2 spare lines available, however I am not sure which is the C terminal. This is a forced air heating (gas) cooling(electric) system. I am guessing that its the C/3 terminal. Any help would be appreciated.


texts: Why will my well pressure not go above 40 PSI even when I hold the pressure switch closed?

texts:
My well is probably 200' deep and is about 50' from the house.  I have no idea what the pump HP is.
I have tried different pressure switches and adjusted them up / down but I can never get more than 42 psi, so I have the switch set at 20 / 40.  If I hold the pressure switch closed for as long as 15 minutes it still will not pump beyond 42 psi.  I would really like to have 30/50 psi.  I now have the bladder tank set to 18 psi for 20/40 pressure setting.  In order to get 30/50 do I need a larger well pump?
(If I install a 30/50 switch the current pump never shuts off.)


texts: Odd wiring problem. Novice renovating house

texts:
I'm replacing sone outlets and came across one that I'm not sure how to replace. It has 3 white wires, 2 black, 1 blue, and a ground. It would appear that there is a white wire connected to the hot side as well.
Do I need a different outlet than the one I'm trying to replace it with so I can try to copy the wiring? The setup now works, but I need to replace the outlet.

https://vimeo.com/410424278


texts: How Do I Wire My Nest Hello Doorbell With A Plug In Transformer?

texts:
I wired up a nest hello doorbell to my existing chime. It rings fine but lacks enough power to operate properly. That’s ok, it was a little expected.

Unfortunately, changing the old transformer is not an option due to its placement and some external factors.

Per hello instructions, I have bought a plug in transformer. This allows the hello to work without the chime.

What I would like to be able to do is power the hello with the plug in transformer and  have the chime ring at the same time. Is this possible to achieve safely?

I have attached an image of my chime currently wired.


texts: How to select a good Triangle (Speed square?)

texts:
My father is now retired and has returned to his hobby of being a woodworker. He's been helping me build a standing desk for my office and happened to mention while we was working that he wished he had a better triangle.

I would like to buy one for him as a thank you for helping me build the desk, but I don't know what makes a good or bad triangle. He currently has a very solid metal 6" triangle. The only complaint against that one that he has is that is has a little nook as soon as one of the straight edges starts labeled "pivot point" that he says messes up the markings when he's doing small precise work.

How can I select a good triangle, or what makes one good? It's primary purpose will be to get straight edges or angles for woodworking.

Edit: I just found out that these are called speed squares.


texts:
Talking with an electrician some time back when the house was being remodeled we were discussing the virtues of the remote control of lights.  He had boasted that while the technology is neat, there are some things that just don't work well unless you wire them traditionally.

The example that he had used was a light house.  On the ground level, you flipped the switch, and the light at that level and one floor higher in the stairs went on. When you got to the second floor and flipped the switch there, the light on the ground floor went off, and the light on the third floor went on. And so on and so forth up the tower - each flip of the light switch turned on the light above and turned off the light below as you went up.  When you went down, throwing the switch would turn off the light on the floor above, and turn on the light on the floor below.

Now, I could probably do it in today's world by spending a boatload on hue taps and lights (it wasn't feasible at all in the x10 days - and I don't think that technology would work at all), but the classical approach still eludes me.

So, how does the wiring that the electrician work? What is the arrangement of switches that facilitates this?


texts:
18" tile part adjacent to toilet and under the flange cracked during toilet install (plumber).
first try result:  replacement tile is too high, i I had to remove it.
Complication:  tile rocks due to uneven sub-floor.  Attempt to level it elevates tile height even more.

question 1: I have Versabond fortified mortar ... is there an alternative to mortar?  Rapid Set Cement All (R) high strength PSI.  Or how about a mixture of Rapid Set and Versabond?  I don't have confidence in Versabond after first failure as tile popped right off with ease  after  24 hours.
With the height and level issue,  I am hoping for a stronger alternative that requires less mortar to keep height in check.


texts: Can I fill cinder blocks with soil/dirt?

texts:
I have two short raised beds made of cinder blocks (8 in. and 16 in. tall) that isn't finished yet. I was wondering if it's okay to fill the voids of the blocks with excess soil from my yard? I live in a country where it never goes below freezing so I don't need to worry about moisture freezing and cracking the block.
I've heard that soil inside a block can cause a moisture issue. But, it's being used as a retaining wall so it will have moist soil in contact with one face of the block always. What is the difference between this and having the moisture inside the block?
Will filling them with soil causes the blocks to degrade faster? Is there even any structural benefit in filling with soil?


texts: How to add grounds to a 120 amp panel and grounds electrical outlets

texts:
I'm buying an older home. The inspection showed no ground on the panel and no ground on some outlets. I'm assuming the outlets are near water, sinks, etc, that need the reset protection. I currently live in California, moving back to Michigan, by February 17th, 2019. The current owners are baulking about doing the fixes, $$$, and have us at a disadvantage, because we need to finalize the sale ASAP. ( I've helped to install a 240 amp panel in a pole barn that was going to use machines that needed the higher amps, so I'm fairly confident I can do the work myself.) However...

If I'm asking for advice, does this mean I should be seeking professional help? And then too our lender may make closing contingent on the work being completed before financing. Thusly making this question moot.


texts: External frost-free facuet gradually slowing flow

texts:
I have a Woodford Model 22 freezeless water faucet that is not providing much water. When installed (DIY) 3 years ago, everything worked fine. After about a year of daily use, the hot water got harder and harder to coerce. It started having to turn the knob a little extra, then more, then it maxed out and while water still comes out it's extremely slowly.

I took the faucet off and made sure the pressure inside is appropriate. I've had the whole thing apart, I've taken apart all the pieces I know how to, and still no luck. All I see is a tiny screw (I assume the retaining screw?), but water is barely flowing through what is now essentially a piece of copper pipe. Obviously I'm missing something...

After turning and mashing things (out of ideas) the valve seat and the retaining screw popped out. Now it's actually just a piece of copper pipe, and water is flowing fine. Was something too tight/too loose? How is flow controlled in faucets like this?


texts:
We have a Maytag Dryer Model # LDG9806AAE in our rental property. Our tenant said it stopped working so I checked it out today. When I pressed the "power" button. I hear a buzzing sound but the drum doesn't tumble. Any suggestions for investigating before I call an appliance expert come and fix it? Are there belts? or a motor needs to be replaced? Thanks in advance.

Mike


texts: Should I keep attic gable windows open for ventilation?

texts:
Our attic only has a ridge vent (no soffits).  It also has two windows on either end.  It was recommended that we keep them open to help ventilate the attic.

Is this a good recommendation?  Should we have them open year round?  (Mid-Atlantic location)
If so, how do I account for rain?  I'd prefer to not have to remember to close them whenever it is going to rain.


texts: Do I need rim joist for this tree house platform? What will happen if I leave them off?

texts: Because the angle is odd and the trees are not parallel my idea was to put everything up as is, tack the decking on and then strike a line on the joists to cut them exactly so they're even. You can see in this picture that everything is up and all I have left is to cut the joists to the right size, but, after having it like this for a few days we like the exposed looks of the joists and don't really want to add a rim joist. Is this a problem for cutting them to length but not adding a rim joists? I know it's there to provide lateral support but for this application do you think it's necessary? What could happen if I leave it off?


texts: How can I put a drain hose through a basement wall or window?

texts: I am putting a dehumidifier in our basement, but need to drain it to the outside.


texts:
I need to get this box off the wall! I started going in-between the box and the skirting board with a knife but the wires (and not knowing where they go inside) worry me.

Any thoughts on how to detach the box easily/safely?

Thanks


texts: What type of wire for subpanel in attached garage?

texts:
I'm getting ready to add a 60A subpanel in my attached garage, but I'm conflicted about what type of wire to buy. The wire will run exposed in the rafters in the basement, then through the foundation wall, out into the garage(the garage floor is 4ft lower than top of the foundation). I plan on casing the wire in metal conduit once in the garage. The chosen wire size is 6-3, most likely copper since it easily available locally. The entire run will be dry and indoors.

Can I use NM-B wire for this? I'm confused because I will be running it into conduit once in the garage, which results in a double race-way. Is this acceptable, or should I be using a different type of wire?

edit
I chose NM wire because I wanted to avoid hanging conduit in the basement. The ceiling is low, and the rafters are 12" apart, which could make running conduit difficult. I plan on using conduit in the garage up to around 12' high, to avoid any exposed jackets where they may get caught on something. However, If I were to use THHN wire, I could fully enclose the entire run within conduit.


texts: How to extend a 2x6 joist to accommodate a hanger board for stairs?

texts:
I live in an antique home with 2x6 ceiling joists. The stairs are being rebuilt and  the current hanger board for the stringers will not work. So I have attached a picture of the current setup and one of my idea to extend the joist down using a 2x12 and strong ties securing it to two adjacent 4x4 posts. Please let me know your thoughts on the strength of this design. Or any improvements or different ways to extend it down.

There is only about 2 inches behind the joist and posts to accommodate anything do to a finished room and basement stairway. This is why I've taken a minimalist approach.


texts: Extending pvc drainage pipe that's "type c" (tele-duct)

texts:
I need to extend some 4" PVC drainage pipe.  The problem I'm having is that the existing pipe is "Type C" ("tele-duct").  It has a slightly different outer diameter (4.350") than a typical PVC pipe (e.g. Schedule 40, 4.50").

I've only been able to find one possible "Type C to Schedule 40" adapter product, and it's from a wholesaler with a high minimum purchase.  Is there any way to wrap the existing pipe with some kind of sheathing to increase the outer diameter before cementing it to a "normal" Schedule 40 fitting?


texts: Should I perform annual maintenance on our heating boiler?

texts: We are new to having a boiler in our house. Should we be doing an annual inspection and cleaning of our boiler? One was done last summer. How often should the system be purged too? Thanks for clearing this up for us.


texts: Can I run these plumbing lines like this?

texts:
After calling about 8 companies and only having two come out who no longer answer, I'm going to give this one a shot before throwing in the towel. This is via permit and I'd like to be super sure before the inspection. This is in Michigan and I believe we follow a modified version of the 2015 IBC, if that helps at all.

I have a small old room that had been modifed to be a laundry room and we'd like to make it a bathroom. It is on the second floor of a house, with a 3" waste/vent in one of the walls. The proposed layout is shown here:

The red circle is the waste stack. The following image shows sink (bottom left), shower (bottom right) and toilet (top) drain locations and how I think they should connect to the drain. The joists are 2x10, but actual is a hair less than 9 and have been sistered. The top plate runs under the toilet and the toilet drain would enter an interior kitchen soffit before turning to the stack.

The toilet is on 3", shower on 2", sink on 1.5".

I have the following questions if you could help:

Does the run distance for the sink and/or shower require venting? I think it's ~4 or 5 linear feet in sink drain option 2 to the shower drain. Shower drain is ~6 or 7 feet to the main stack.
Addendum to above: There is a much closer 3" vent stack a few feet behind the wall - are the vent and drain pipes required to be the same?
I can't figure out a location to put a cleanout - is it required and where would be a good spot?
I think reaming out the existing/newish sanitary tee on the 3" stack (see below) and fitting a 3" street tee makes sense. Right below it, you can see another sanitary tee from a toilet in the next room. Issues with that?
Initially, I was told by the plumber they don't usually see pressure tests with this kind of stuff when inspected, but in the case of it being necessary, how could I possibly set that up?

Thank you for your time.
Some views of the stack from in the soffit:


texts: How do I rewire LED security light to bypass motion detector - without burning out solid state board

texts:
I purchased a deluxe motion activated light for my porch.  I assumed that there would be an override feature to bypass the motion sensor for manual operation; after a few days and nights of various trials with switching on-off patterns, I resorted the manufacturer's help line. Unfortunately, the answer was, "If it is not in the instruction manual, then it is not an available feature." And I was further advised not to attempt to bypass the motion detector, or I would burn out the circuitry.
Please, is there something I can do/modify to set this into a manual mode? I do want the photocell to continue to control dusk-to-dawn, just constant on throughout the night, unless I choose to return to motion detector operation (not a necessary option). I do want to keep this on a switched circuit (single fixture control). I can remove the motion sensor entirely if that is the most appropriate means.
I have not seen this simpler feature available in the deluxe, ultra bright twin light system (yet, anyway) otherwise I would have simply purchased a new light. I do have smaller, single outdoor LED lamps, but not the double lamp with it's broad illumination.
Thank you for any help.


texts: Terminology - rebar "tie wire" or "tire wire"?

texts:
This is about tie wire that is used in rebars in construction (e.g.: RCC beam and slab).

Sometimes I hear people say "tire wire" instead of "tie wire". Is "tire wire" a valid alternative terminology to "tie wire"? If it is, could someone provide links to prove its usage?

Thanks!


texts: Can I use different brands of Polyurethane on a single project?

texts:
I was applying Polyurethane to a wood bookshelf that I made yesterday evening.  Unfortunately I ran out before I was finished.  There is a small area that has not been covered at all and I need to apply a second coat to the entire bookshelf.

Normally I would just go to the store that I bought it and buy a second can of what I was already using.  Unfortunately, the store that I bought the first can at is far away.  I was thinking that I would just nip over to my small local hardware store and pick up a can of whatever they have.  Do I need to make sure that I get the same brand/type that I have already used?

Currently I am using: Minwax - Fast Drying Polyurethane - Clear Satin with long lasting protection.  Does the next bottle I buy also need to be Minwax?  Can I use another brand on top of existing layer?


texts: Clean way of Extending Stud for Mounting on Drywall

texts:
I am trying to mount hooks onto my walls to hang a crossbar for a photography backdrop roll. The backdrops are 86 inches.

However below there is a shelf that slighty jets into the area where the backdrop would be once it is hanging down. It jets into that space by like a quarter of an inch. So I only have around 85.5 or 85.75 of the desired 86 inches to work with. How do I extend the stud by half an inch (so the backdrop mount wont be in the stud directly but still supported by it) without mounting a separate piece wood?

A mounting plate is ok, just looking for something small and inconspicuous. I am trying to keep it clean looking. Its only half an inch at most. Any help is appreciated.


texts: How can I be sure if my toilet flapper is broken

texts:
My bathroom has been acting funny for some time. Water would not stop running from the fill valve initially. I noticed the old fill valve had a bended holder arm, so the float couldn't stay flat. I thought it was a fill valve problem, so I replaced the fill valve. After the replacement, water still runs into the water tank about every 5 mins, which is arguably better than before. Last night, I put food coloring in the water, and turned off the valve. This morning, the water in the tank is almost all gone, and the water in the toilet bowl is red, meaning water went from the tank to the bowl somehow.
I don't see any visible water flow that goes into the bowl. I'm wondering if I should definitely change the flapper, or if there is anything else I should check first.


texts: Installing a ceiling fan in a house built pre 50's

texts: If I am installing a ceiling fan w/lights to an old house with only 2 wires coming out of the ceiling a hot (black) and white (neutral) is it necessary to connect the green ground wires from the fan to anything or can I just tape those off and call it good or do I need to put a cooper wire in. I only see 2 clothes wires that come from the ceiling there is not a box. I know the blue and black wires from the fan are connected to the black from the ceiling  and white to white.


texts: What is the purpose of a bathroom fan filter? What is the risk of not using a filter?

texts:
Our bathroom fan filter was worn out and very dirty with cigarette smoke from the previous tenant¹, so we removed it.  We could replace it, but why does a bathroom fan need a filter in the first place?  What harm would be done if we continue using our bathroom fan without a filter?
The bathroom is a windowless room on the inside of an apartment in a 1990s apartment block in Germany with 12 units in the building in total.  I suspect the ducts lead to a shared pipe system through which the air goes outside.  The fan is a maico, but I don't know the exact model.
I found some discussion in German on focus, urbia, and vermieter-forum, but no clear conclusion, nor does this English language usenet discussion.  DIY stores do not appear to have bathroom fan filters widely available, although they do exist for sale, for example at lowes, directly from maico, or on amazon.  The product description on amazon claims:

Das Gerät niemals ohne Filter betreiben. Die Verwendung der Filter garantiert:

Optimale Filterung der Luft
Lange Lebensdauer Ihres Ventilators
Perfekte Passform und somit maximale Dichtheit ohne Leckluft filtAIRS
Luft ist Leben

which means:

Never use the device without a filter.  The filter guarantees:

Optimal filtering of the air
Long lifetime of your fan
Perfectly fitting and therefore maximal closure without leaking air filtAIRS
Air is life

Only the second bullet point addresses the need.  Does the filter increase the lifetime of the fan?
I recall reading that some people have a problem of bad smells entering their home from the neighbours through the ducts, but I don't know if the filter would be aimed for or effective at stopping this, and it is not a problem we (currently) experience.
¹In Germany, according to vermieter-forum, this would count as a small fix that is the tenants responsibility.


texts:
I decided to repair an old fluorescent lamp cabinet I have but i am no electrician and have no idea how the actual system works. I bought a new lamp (T5) and a new starter so I just have to figure out (this might be dumb) where the power goes? There is a ballast and the cables seem to be connected, but the cables that I think lead to the "power in" just actually lead to a power socket.

Or am I horribly misunderstanding something?

The starter goes at the end of the cable on the left and below it goes the bulb/lamp.

How do I get my light?

UPDATE:

Better picture of ballast.


texts: my house was completely remodeled about 8 yrs ago. a L beam was installed in basement with 2 house jacks as support.  The main wood floor was even, but as time had the house resettle the main floor is uneven.  The basement is finished and the jackets are enclosed in drywall.  What kind of professional do I need to get to level the floor, and repair any areas.


texts: Can I decorate this skirting board install?

texts:
I've just had a carptener install skirting board and I'm struggling to see how I'll decorate them so they look half-decent.

After he installed them he complained that the walls were difficult and therefore there were some large gaps between the skirting and wall (up to 11mm at its worst). He's filled these with caulk but already I'm seeing it come away in some places.

He's also put in a couple of joins on the longer lengths without asking me. These aren't especially long lengths so it's just him saving wood. They're only 2, 3 and 3.5m lengths. The joins are really obvious.

One of the external mitres is 2mm off.

Some of the nails aren't flush with the skirting.

Lastly, the gap between the skirting and the floor varies from no gap to 6mm.

Is it possible for me to caulk/fill around these issues? Or should I get him back in? I'm not sure if I'm being unreasonable or not.

Pictures here.