texts:
I am starting a bathroom remodel second story that requires a length of NM wire to be lengthened by a few feet. I realize I can't do this hidden in a wall or floor and need this done in accessible junction boxes. This is not a big problem because I have sheetrock down and can mount two boxes with the wire extension between them. One of these boxes would be in an out of view place and would just have a blank cover on it and be completely accessible. Without doing some fairly major surgery, the second box is in a terrible place and would stick out like a sore thumb. Right where the second box could easily go is right next to the HVAC forced hot air supply duct and register.
My question. Since I have the sheetrock off and access to the outside the of the rectangular supply duct can I legally:

cut a hole in the duct for a junction box
put a wood brace in the wall outside of the duct and mount a box sideways
to that. The box opening would be flush with the outside of the duct
put a mount a metal cover over the JB inside of the duct
put the register back on

Hope that makes sense.... In this scenario, at the end of the day, there is a junction box that has an accessible metal cover inside metal HVAC duct. The box itself is not in the duct, just the cover. This cover can be accessed by taking off HVAC register
Thanks in advance for any guidance or suggestion
Hope I did pics correctly!
Image with the duct work is where I would like to put a JB. The blank cover plate would be on the left inside side of the duct itself and the box would be mounted sideways in the wall. Then the register goes back over the duct and hides the cover.
The existing wire is in the floor about 18" in front of the wall and pops up thru floor as shown in second pic.
Second image is where I am too short.  There used to be a drop in jacuzzi type tub in this section so there was no issue.
I have an opening in the floor where the tub drain used to be. I want to cut the wire there, run one end to the where the duct is and come up thru floor base plate to new box.  Take remaining wire on other end and run thru studs as far as it goes (should get me close to corner and out of sight) and put in second box.  Then tie those together with third wire


texts: Big vertical crack in brick wall and loose bricks

texts:
I cleaned off some loose plaster (which was evidently a patch) around hairline cracks and I found this. The 2 holes actually contained bricks which were glued in with plaster (I saved the bricks).

top of crack
bottom of crack.

The crack itself extends to the floor above and the floor below, but it seems to be at its widest on this floor (the floor above ground floor). The crack at its widest is approximately 6 mm.

The holes in the brick wall had a lot of brick dust in them as well. The hole on the left contained only one brick, behind that brick you can see more hole. This hole contained a large amount of brick pieces and dust and no brick. I do no know how far it extends; I can get a folding rule in directed upwards for 20 cm, but it might block at that point due to the angle.

left hole frontal view
left hole view viewed from an angle (from below the hole, looking upwards into it)
right hole (no extra holes here)

The wall is a supporting wall of a row house and is very old (build around 1900). Most other houses in the area were built later, including the houses that share a wall with this one. The area has suffered burning and bombardment during the 2 world wars. From what we can tell, the bricks in the wall are of inconsistent quality: some are brittle and prone to crumbling into dust, some are hard as concrete.

Based on when I bought the house and the information I received from the previous owner, the crack must have been patched 8 - 15 years ago. The patch was rather shoddy: just a single layer of plaster, pushed somehwat into the crack and spread around it on the surface. There are no signs of patching with mortar or of replacing bricks.

Now for questions:

How bad of a problem is this? If this was a fairly new house with little history, I would expect a crack of this size and length to indicate a structural issue. Given the construction materials at the time it was built, the age and the history of the house, I'm not sure. The fact that the patch applied by previous owner cracked again is worrying, but I would expect plaster backed by air to crack eventually. So I'm not really sure how bad of a problem this is (not the crack and not the damaged and missing bricks).
How do I fix this?

Suppose this is a structural issue and I should have it looked at. Should I leave it open until a structural engineer had a chance to look at it or would the pictures be sufficient?
If it isn't a structural issue and I can just patch it, what would be the best way to go about it? I would think to patch the crack in the bricks with mortar and then plaster over it (potentially with reinforcement in mortar and/or plaster), but I'd like to get some more opinions as I'd like to avoid having to patch it again in a decade.


texts: Do future electrical works invalidate a satisfactory EICR?

texts:
I recently got a domestic EICR done for rental purposes. Certificate shows Satisfactory Result.

I am about to commission the fitting of a new light which will require wiring into the fuse board. Would this change to the property invalidate the certificate I currently have?

What should a qualified electrician provide for individual jobs to avoid having to do a full EICR retest every time some work is done?

(United Kingdom)


texts: Can I use old cloth-jacketed wiring to power a new light?

texts: I removed some wood paneling in a hallway closet and found this wire bundle between the studs. Is this electrical wires? Can I reuse this to install a light source for the closet?


texts: How can I make lime plaster more resistant to vibration?

texts:
I have a tiny house that I've just put some drywall up in. I am partial to the look and feel of Venetian/lime plaster, but since the house will move periodically I want to be sure it won't crack too much.

Here's a person who put lime plaster into their tiny house: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maMG1T8_u4I

He does comment on how it cracks when he drives it at about 5 minutes.

Is there a natural additive that will help prevent cracks/make the plaster somewhat more flexible?

I'm open to experimenting too :)


texts: how to wire two three way switch to a ceiling fan & add one switch for the fan and one for the light

texts: I have two three way switch when I'm closing one of them switch , the fan is automaticly close with the light & I hate that because it's a big place & I'm short so it's hard for me to grab the chain for closing the light to let the fan moving.So I want to add a switch for the fan only.The others switch will serve for the light. Someone help me please (show me a plan please )


texts: Is the water valve continuing to leak after I shut it off normal?

texts: In the process of replacing the T&P valve for my hot water tank, I shut the supply valve off, to the tank but it continued to leak. Is this normal?


texts:
I have an abandoned fountain next to my house. A while back, the previous owner told me there is a dead wire underground that used to power the pump. The pump was removed and the wire buried.

I'm thinking about restoring the fountain. I dug around the fountain 2 ft deep and don't see anything. I know it could be buried deeper 3-4 ft. My questions are: Is it possible to find a dead wire using some sort of fancy equipment? Do professional electricians have the means to do it?

I saw this on youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2NeGA7Q7Mo But I'm not sure if something like this works for dead wires (not live big cables).

Please advice


texts: Can I feed a sub panel off my 200A service box? Or would I need to run wire from the inside breaker box?

texts:
Can I add a sub panel feed off my 200A service box? If so what are the requirements?

Or would I  need to run it from the main house breaker inside the house and wire from there?
I currently have a 125amp? subpanel right next to my service box on the side of my house.  But it is wired not into the lugs, but into a 50 amp breaker that says "backfeed do not touch" for that breaker..

This subpanel is for an inground pool and I was going to add a heat pump to it.

Want it to be safe, but not spend a fortune or alot of work.


texts: Installing Moen Flo with SharkBite. Is this bent copper, soft copper?

texts:
I was planning on installing a Moen Flo on an exposed copper supply line using sharkbites, but the pipe was slightly bent to connect it to the branch line.
Can anyone tell if this is soft copper just from looking at this picture?


texts:
I just got a second hand fluorescent light ceiling fixture. Very pristine condition externally, both the fixture and the external electronics. Certification marks are in place, and it's manufactured by a known and trusted manufacturer.
I was just detaching the small plug from the end of the cord, when I noticed that the inside of the plastic plug case has a small lichtenberg figure, e.g. a singed lightning mark. It's a surface mark that hasn't corroded or greyed out the inside of the case in a general sense, it's more like some lightning lines about the strength of a lead pencil mark. No detectable smell. No flickering or buzzing of the light when I tested for a short while. The wires seemed to be connected alright. By the looks of it, the mark is not one of subsequent sparks but a one time phenomenon.
Is this normal or should I worry?


texts: What type of wall is it? I am new to this . How do i fix it and hang rod again. My curtains are heavy


texts:
A very basic question. I've just bought a digital time switch model TC 24.21 from Muller. According to the back of the timer it takes 230V~50-60Hz, and I'm a bit stuck exactly how and what to connect the timer up to to get it working.

All I'm trying to do at the moment is connect up the timer so the front turns on. I'll worry about the relay wiring once I've gotten that sorted.

Here is a picture of the back.

I presume I need to connect the  L (live?) terminal to the positive terminal of the power source and the N (neutral?) terminal to the negative terminal of the power source, but I'm stuck with what power source to use? I can't safely plug it into mains power?

Datasheet is here: http://www.hugo-mueller.de/download/39_DB_TCx4_en.pdf


texts: How can I build an automated water valve for a coffee maker?

texts:
Our home has a remodeled kitchen and we have yet to install a backsplash.  Before we do I was wondering if I couldn't add some functionality.
We currently have a simple coffee maker sitting on our counter.  Not that it's a huge pain, but it would be nice to run a water line up to it from the basement and add a valve so that we could easily fill the coffee maker with water without pulling it out and using the pitcher.
I'm thinking the same kind of water line that we use for our ice maker.

As a simple project I would like a simple push button valve (one that could not be left on and forgotten).  Lowe's/Home Depot have turn valves that could be left on to overflow the kitchen.

As a more advanced option I would like a valve where I could set the number of cups I want and it would automatically shut off when I reached the correct amount.

Does anyone know where I might be able to come across either kind of a valve?


texts: Trap adapter on wall drain rough in - what is this?

texts:
I'm installing a new p-trap for a vanity that is roughed in. I'm trying to get the trap adapter as close to the wall as possible, so the escutcheon will cover the adapter (it will be exposed), but there is some sort of collar around the pipe where it comes out the wall:

Is there some way  I can remove this collar so I can get my adapter up next to the wall?


texts: Adding strongback bracing to an existing floor truss

texts:
I just bought a house built around 2006. The floor has a ~32' span supported by 24" deep trusses on 19.2" centers. The trusses do not have strongback bracing installed (well there is a 2x4 nailed face down into the bottom chord, but that doesn't count). As a result there is some bounce when you go across it at a brisk walk. I plan to install 2 strongbacks at ~10' spacing. My question is how can I get the strongbacks into place? I have had a couple of thoughts but am unsure which one will provide the best performance. Trusses are a standard 24" truss web with no HVAC openings

Remove some siding and cut a hole in the rimboard and run the longest 2x6s I can get, and affix them to the verticals. Patch and seal the rimboard, patch and seal the wrap, replace siding and done.

Run ~6' ~2x6 sections up into the truss from the inside, lap them between trusses on the inside with a 19.2" 2x6, then run long (8' probably) 6" sections of more flexible OSB along the other side of the vertical to reinforce the connection (?) screwing it into the laps and the verticals.

Anyone dealt with this situation and have any thoughts?


texts: How to determine which of 2 common/neutral wires belong to my hot wire

texts:
I am rewiring my garage.  There are 3 circuits in the garage coming in through 1 conduit from the panel.

I carefully diagramed the current state but then in a fit of stupidity, disconnected my source conduit with 6 wires (no ground) and now am unsure how to pair up my common wires with their respective hot wires.  I have a multimeter.  Is it as simple as turning on one of the circuits and testing the hot/common wire combinations?


texts: How can I move a 500 lb wooden table top into my basement down a flight of stairs?

texts:
I am planning to install a large wooden work table in my basement. The top is 10 x 4 x 3" which means it will weigh about 500 pounds.

The problem is: how do I get it into the basement? The only access to the basement is down a flight of stairs. It is a straight shot, no turns, but I still need to get it down the stairs without damaging anything, so sliding is not a good idea.

Even with 4 men, each can only lift about 100 pounds, so that is not enough strength, and I don't see how I could get more than 4 men lifting the table. In fact, going down the stairs, it would be difficult to fit more than 2 men, one at either end.


texts: How can I improve the wiring under the sink for a garbage disposal?

texts:
My vegetable sprayer line broke yesterday, which led me underneath my sink. It wasn't until I was kneeling in a large puddle of water with the line draining on me and the floor that I realized how bad the wiring was for my garbage disposal:

This obviously needs to be addressed. My question is which of the following approaches will solve my problem and won't kill the next tenant?

Cover the J-box with a plate that has a hole and let the romex come through
Wire in an outlet (half-hot) and convert the romex to a 3-prong plug
Wire in a GFCI outlet (half-hot) and convert the romex to a 3-prong plug
Something else?

Completed project:


texts: High elevation non- pv Burnham boiler with Tejurland powerventer installed at sea level

texts:
I have a 203ncl-tei2 boiler installed in danvers Massachusetts. This town is at sea level, not 2000k miles up. This boiler also has a failed tejurland (universal control) powerventer motor on it that is only humming, not spinning. I Looked for a dead animal, or nest that would stop the squirrel cage connected to the motor from spinning freely and it was clear. Ontop of the boiler we have a factory automatic damper assy. Johnson controls or similar. I call burnham and ask what the original power venter model number is and they tell me what some pros may already know, (i didnt), that the tei2 in the model number is actually (t)taco, (el)elevation, (2) 2 is 2,000 ft

.Note:he was not.100% sure about the el. He was definetly sure PV would be in the model number and it was not tejurland. There is no chimney on this house, never was. The Power venter wall thimble outside is very old definetly older than the 1 year old motor that failed. Burnham also said this is not a boiler that can be converted to a powerventer which is something i do not understand because he said if it does not have pv in the model number it should not have one. Period. I am not questioning Burnham they help me out on a regular basis but no one is perfect. I have in the past converted a boiler with a factory reccomended power venter after a customer lost the chimney. I called burnham and got lucky they had an option for that specific boiler i was working on that day. i also remember seeing it in the install manual as an addendum or seperate manual, but i am not 100% sure if it was burnham or U.S. Boiler.

Is this a fact with U.S. Boiler?

Anyone have experience with this?

What are the ramifications of an elevated boiler installed at sea level? Other than it taking longer to produce heat? , burnham said the elevation was not a big deal as its been working fine for almost 20   years.

If i can not find another awnser, i will have to tell the customer they need a new boiler or i will have to walk away. Thank you in advance for your help.


texts: Can I replace my range cord with one having larger conductors?

texts: I want to move my 40A range. The cable is 2-8 + 2-10 on a 40A circuit with a 40A breaker. Problem is the 4ft cord is too short. Can I replace the cord with a 50A one (2-6/2-8 10ft)?


texts: My hose bibb drips out of the faucet. I want to fix it. I know I need to replace the washer but I can't figure out how to take it apart! Has anyone seen a hose bibb like this and do you know what to do? I tried removing the little circular cover on the front of the handle but there is nothing behind it but the hole the screw went into.


texts: How to screw in a screw that is nearly accessible?

texts: I have an antique coffee grinder and the plate is directly under the container.  What tool do I use


texts: Is Having Multiple Charge Controllers on a single 48V System/Battery Bank a "Bad Idea"?

texts:
I have a 48-volt renewable energy power system in my house that is presently off-grid.
It has:
- a 6kVA inverter/charger that can connect to a generator or the grid (charge controller #1)
- a 2kVA wind turbine with a built-in 48 volt controller
- a 3kVA solar panel system with a 48 volt charge controller
- a 1kVA water wheel that simply adds power to the battery bank through a 3-phase rectifier.
These are all connected to a single 820Ah flooded lead-acid battery bank.

We have noticed that when the generator is running and charging the battery and the wind is blowing, we see the wind turbine switching from 'charging' to 'not charging due to high voltage' and the voltage of the system increasing.

It would seem that perhaps the charge controllers are competing with each other, each raising the voltage against the other until they hit a cut-off and then repeating the process.

As a result, should the charge controls be coordinated in some way so that only one charge controller is actually charging the battery at one time?

Obviously this is not ideal, because I'd like to be able to charge the batteries with all the available power if the sun is shining, and the wind is blowing etc.


texts: Joist trak radiant tube length in last bay

texts:
I'm installing my first radiant floor system using 1/2 inch tubing and Joist Trak plates. I purchased a 1000 foot roll of tubing and cut it into 5 200' pieces. While running my loops, I'm finding there is either extra or not enough tubing to complete the final bay. I'm able to complete 5 bays but end up with enough tubing left over to complete half the 6th bay.

My question is what do you do? Do you complete the 5th bay and cut the remaining creating a shorter loop and undesirable waste or do you complete half the 6th bay and finish it up on the next loop?

If you were to finish it up on the 2nd loop, would it be desirable to go to the end of the 7th bay come back up the 6th bay halfway meeting the hose from the 1st loop and go back down the 6th bay where you would then come back up the 7th bay?

I'm trying to keep loops even while minimizing tubing waist and extra loops, any help would be appreciated.


texts: When sprayer is used, all water to sink (faucet and sprayer) shuts off, how to fix?

texts:
Whenever the sprayer for our kitchen sink is used, the water will suddenly cut off (to both the sprayer and the faucet) and not come back on again for several minutes. This has been going on for several months now, but today when it happened, the water didn't come back on at all (it's been about half an hour). Does anyone have an idea about what might be causing this and how to fix it?
Note: I checked under the sink and everything looks normal but I'm not sure if that means anything, the faucet doesn't feel any easier/harder to turn off than normal, all other water fixtures in the house work fine


texts:
Newbie here trying to DIY somethings around the house.
I am following these steps to cover/fix a ceiling hole:
Put sheetrock, apply mesh tape , apply mud, sanding and painting.
When I am sanding down the Mud, I see some of the mesh tape exposed. (picture)
Any idea what I should do here ? Can I just paint over it, or do I need to apply mud again and resand?
Thanks in advance.


texts: How to seal crevices in dry stack rock wall to prevent gopher activity?

texts: I've recently had a retainer wall built in the landscape using the dry-stack method (see photos).  Unfortunately, there has already been two occasions within past month of gopher activity behind the wall which has caused the soil to spill out onto the patio.  I would like to seal the crevices between the stones with concrete to keep the gophers from pushing the soil outward.  I'm not sure if portland cement or posthole concrete would be preferable.  Although there isn't a french drain behind the wall, I don't think that drainage will be a problem as there should be plenty of smaller weep cracks for water to drain.


texts: What's a good way to sharpen a carpenter's pencil, without buying a special sharpener?

texts:
I have a carpenter's pencil that's getting pretty blunt and I've realised I don't know how to sharpen it.

How can I sharpen it without buying a special dedicated tool for it?


texts: Why do electricians prefer not to use the push-in connections on receptacles?

texts: Why do electricians prefer not to use the back-stab or quick connect holes on switches and receptacles? If these were unreliable do you think they would be allowed by the NFPA and NEC?


texts: Circuit worked briefly after replacing GFCI, but stoppped

texts:
I recently had an issue with the outlets on a couple of circuits not working. After testing, I was able to determine that the issue was a faulty GFCI and replaced it. The outlets were working with no problem.

A couple of days later, the same outlets stopped working. When testing them this time, I was able to find that one of them was causing the GFCI to trip.  I fixed that and that outlet works now, but the others still didn't.

I checked the GFCI outlet to make sure everything was still connected and one of the load wires had come out, so I put that back and tested it, but the outlets still don't work.

The GFCI outlet tests, resets, and works when something is plugged in. Testing with a non contact voltage tester doesn't register anything, but I haven't tried a multimeter yet.

I checked the circuit breaker to make sure that it wasn't tripped and that it was turned completely on.

What's the likelihood that the next outlet in the circuit is causing the issue? It's not showing anything with the voltage tester either, but since the GFCI isn't either and still works, I'm not sure how much weight that holds. Any ideas about what to check next?

Edit: Thanks for the quick responses.  I replaced the GFCI because it flat out wasn't working.  It wasn't that it would reset immediately, the buttons just didn't do anything


texts:
Home built in the 50's has a fuse box that's currently being used as a subpanel in the garage. The garage is attached to the house by the means of a 8 foot wide enclosed breezeway/mudroom.
My problem is I would like to add some grounded outlets and the fuse box has no place for ground wires. If I understand correctly I don't want to attach ground wires to same place as the neutrals. correct?
There are only 3 wires coming into the fuse box -2 hots and 1 neutral. the come in above the ceiling in the breezeway into the garage from the main panel in basement.

can i leave the grounds unattached in fusebox or can i not do this?

My longer term plan is to install a load center with breakers but that leads to my next question.

Can I just pull a ground wire from subpanel to main or do i need to replace all the wires from the main to the subpanel?
Any help is appreciated. thank you!!


texts: Are there clips or "cotter pins" which can't get knocked out by accident?

texts:
My tractor has several R-clips, like this one:

These are used in various places. The problem is that they tend to get knocked off by branches or longer grass / brush and get lost.

I've tried orienting them both ways (or multiple ways if the pin they attach to can rotate) but to no apparent benefit.

Is there some other kind of clip or pin which would be available in a similar range of sizes (varied... but all are 2" / 5 cm or less, roughly) but be more resistant to coming off?

I've looked around my local hardware store and the options don't obviously seem any better. They have something like this:

which seems to me just as likely to have the same problem.

As a backup I may replace some of them with bolts, but obviously this sacrifices the convenience of adjustment that these removable clips are meant to provide.


texts: Trying to wire new cooktop.  There are 4 wires coming from the house - red. black, white and bare copper.  From the new cooktop, there are 3 wires - red, black and green.  What hooks up to what?  Thank you


texts:
I have some bare patches under trees. I've taken some of the fall leaves and covered up the bare ground and exposed roots already. I would like to put some soil and shade tolerant plants in these areas but I'll need soil to do so.

Is it possible (or wise) to set up a small compost pile directly over the bare patches where I want soil? Seems like it would save some hassle since I can just compost right where I'm going to want it.


texts: Replacing ceiling fan with standard light fixture

texts:
Ive replaced a ceiling fan with a standard light fixture in our living room. However the light turns on but the switch to the light doesnt work.

There is a red wire in the wall and in the ceiling which i assume allows the switch to control the light, but i dont know what to connect the red wire to in both the switch and in the ceiling. The black (hot) and white are connected properly and thus is getting power to the fixture. The red wire is currently disconnected on both ends.

Thanks in advance for any guidance on this.


texts: What are these transformers in my garage for and how do I disconnect them?

texts:
I just bought a house and there are two transformers in the garage. I'm trying to figure out what they do. The house was built in 2014 and located in San Mateo, California.
I suspect one of them is for the doorbell (since there must be a doorbell transformer somewhere). I'm guessing it's the one with two cables (one for the button and one for the chime).
I have no idea what the other one (the one with yellow tape) is for. What I do know is that it is hot, so it must be powering something. (The blue one is slightly warm, but definitely not hot.) Any idea what this could be for? It's not for the alarm system (I already identified the alarm system's transformer) and I don't think it's for the furnace, since it is not nearby.
I'm also not sure how to disconnect either of these transformers. At first I thought it was an ordinary outlet/plug. I pulled and it didn't come out. Then I noticed that it can twist. What kind of connection is this? and how do I "unplug" them?
I'm going to try disconnecting the wires to see what stops working. But I need to turn it off first via the circuit breaker. How do I verify that it has been disconnected since there is no direct indication that it is or is not connected?

UPDATE: I got a multimeter. The one with yellow tape and 3 cables is 14.7VAC and the blue one with 2 cables is 20.2VAC. I identified the correct breaker, but it also took out the lighting in the garage…


texts: will installing a ceiling fan below recessed lights cause strobe effect

texts: We want to install a kitchen ceiling fan. There are recessed "can" lights in ceiling. One electrician says this will case a "strobe" effect  when on. Need to have this opinion verified or not.


texts:
UPDATE : SOLVED !!
The problem was in the pigtail wiring. I checked the outlet right next it it, and it was burnt even this one was working fine.   By replacing this guy, the other two outlets start working properly!!

=======ORIGINAL POST================================
Two electric outlets in the kitchen stop working.
The circuit breaker is good; it shows 124v electric supply, but not from the wire on the wall.  Can anybody give me tips on this issue ?

Location: Dallas TX
Year of Build : 1985


texts:
I now own a deck where the previous owner (for some reason) stained half of it a year or two ago (they did mostly the inside). I'm lucky to have the same product that was previously used. If I stain the rest of the deck, will I end up with two very noticeable colors? If yes, is there something I can do to reduce the differences?

Note, I will clean as much as I can before doing anything.


texts:
In Colorado basement walls have to be floating. Basically they are suspended from the floor joists, with a vertically movable anchor into the base plate, in case the slab moves due to expansive soil. More info/diagram is at http://www.asktooltalk.com/questions/faq/framing/floating_walls/floating_walls.php

I've got my walls up and anchored with 60d nails into the base plate. The problem is that when you walk across the floor above the new walls, there's enough flex in the joists to move the walls, and the 60d nails squeak against the floating bottom plate.

I tried drilling some of the bottom plate holes larger and putting a 5/16" T-nut in, in hopes that a smaller area of metal-on-metal would be quieter than 1.5" of metal-on-wood, but no such luck.

Any suggestions to quiet these down? It needs to provide a fairly snug fit to the 60d nails to minimize side-to-side and back-and-forth movement, but still be quiet. My next thought is finding a nylon spacer that fits around the nail and putting it in the hole, and possibly wrapping the nail with slippery tape (e.g. http://www.leevalley.com/us/Wood/page.aspx?p=32182&cat=1,43455,53293&ap=1). I don't want the tape to work it's way off in a year though...


texts: What is the Pressure Number (PN) of Shedule 40 and Schedule 80 PVC Pipe?

texts:
Does anybody know the pressure number (PN) of schedule 40 and schedule 80 PVC pipe commonly sold in the United States and Canada?

The PVC in my part of the world is classified by PN number, and I'd like to know which PN number is ideal for DWV applications.

I'm interested in finding out the pressure number that is equivalent to schedule 40 PVC. We'll be using 5 cm, 8 cm, 11 cm and 16 cm diameter pipes for DWV applications. Also, our climate is subtropical (i.e. warm) and the temperature does not go below freezing.


texts: How do I stabilize a knob on a hollow-core bifold door?

texts:
The knobs on all my bifold closet doors are loose and spin around.

The knob is mounted in an aesthetically pleasing position in the middle of the door. The problem is that the door is hollow at this point, so any attempt to tighten the screw from the back of the door just makes both sides of the door bend inwards towards each other.

I need a way to stabilize the knob without bending/cracking the door's surface.


texts: Water supply has air bubbles in it when the well pump runs?

texts:
Yesterday while filling a large container from a garden hose I noticed that periodically some air bubbles would emerge from the hose.
The hose is plumbed into a tee close to the main water supply in the basement - which is from our well pump. Down in the basement I could hear the bubbles proceeding through the pipe. It seemed that pretty much they would occur whenever the pressure switch turned the well pump on.
All the pipework from main supply line to the hose is visible - I couldn't detect any leaks at all. So its not like air is entering that line somewhere.
I have no idea how long this has been going on. I only noticed as mentioned because I was observing the hose for a while filling a large container, but doing this is out of the ordinary.
I can think of these possibilities:

Well running dry. Except that it hasn't: water is plentiful. It has never run dry in the past. (~9 years in this house)

Leaky underground pipe in between the pump and the house. Pump stops, some air creeps in; pump starts up, pushes air out. The pipe is galvanized steel where it comes through the wall, not sure of its composition anywhere else. But if its original (from 1973) galvanized all the way seems likely?

There could obviously be something I'm not thinking of. Any tips on how to diagnose this? At least to narrow it down?


texts: How can I replace an Armstrong Astro 20B pump?

texts:
Can I replace an existing Armstrong Astro 20B Pump with a new one by just replacing what bolts on to the body without changing the base?
The pump has not worked for quite a while. I've been told it probably stopped working because the water was shut off to put in a new backyard irrigation system and the unit was not unplugged while that was done.

Or is there a less expensive way to repair the problem?


texts: How should I connect my new motion-detecting light switch?

texts:
I bought a Legrand RRW600U motion-detecting light switch and I could use some help wiring it to my bathroom light.  It's a renovation so I have complete access to the ceiling, wall, and floor framing.

The switch has three wires in the back (black, red, and yellow) and a single green(ish) screw.  The bathroom light has three wires:  black, white, and bare copper.  I am installing new, 14/2 non-metallic sheathed cable to connect the service panel to the switch to the light.

Both the printed instructions and the only YouTube video I could find seem to assume that the electrical circuit passes through the light before terminating in the switch.  I would like my circuit to pass through the switch and terminate in the light.

How would I wire the switch to the light in that setup?


texts:
I recently bought 2x8 to beef up some floor joists before framing in my basement.
I noticed the wood that came in measures at 7.25" where as my existing floor joists are 7.5".
I am curious if wood shiming is a good practice for this if the gap is .25" and if so, can I do this using 2x4 and stripping out .25" shims running with the grain of the 2x4.
I am only using shims on one side as the other side is being hung with joist hangers.


texts: How long should concrete set for a post before I perform additional work?

texts:
I'm installing a gate for a fence around the house and have set wooden posts in concrete foundations for support. I'm using Quikcrete and the bag states that I need to wait at least 24 hours before doing additional work, but a friend of mine was saying that concrete doesn't achieve full strength for 28 days.

The pour was done per the manufacturer's instructions and was as follows:

The post was approximately 4" diameter and 8' tall.
The hole dug was triple the post's diameter, so 12". Depth was 18".
Per the manufacturer's instructions, the hole was backfilled 6" dry concrete.
Post was set and concrete mix based on the manufacturer's recommendation for water. This was 3 quarts per 80 lb bag. A little water was added during mixing because of workability issues, but not much.
Hole was backfilled with concrete mix to grade and concrete was tamped in with a shovel during the entire process.
Per manufacturer's recommendation, the top was graded to promote standing water on top of the foundation and left to set.

I will need to drill holes in these posts to set hooks for the fence and am concerned that the vibrations might compromise the concrete. In addition, I may or may not cut the excess to height depending on if my wife wants to place climbing plants on it. If I cut, the exposure will be 4' above grade plus a few inches for gate swing clearance.

It's been 4 days since I set the foundations and while the posts wobble when pulled hard, it appears that the wobble is because wood isn't absolutely solid, not because they aren't firmly in the foundation.

Is it safe to drill the holes, or should I wait longer? Could I have just drilled the holes after the first day?


texts:
We moved into a flat built in the 1940s and have been busy renovating since a month.

In the living-room is a nice fireplace which was covered up. We got rid of that, filled the holes and repainted it white (mostly due to not being able to get the paint off).
I took a look inside the offtake and it's blocked.

It looks like this now

My question: What would you do with it?

Put tiles on top (it's just plastered now)? Or wood, or nothing?
Try to reactivate it (if that's possible)?
Put a panel in front of it?

EDIT:
Thanks for the suggestions. We definitely got some ideas now :). We have to wait for the renters association guy to come by and tell us what we can do with it, anyway. So still enough time to make up our minds.


texts: Plaster identification and screw recommendation

texts:
I need to fasten standard 15mm water pipes to a division wall in my house (built in UK in the 1970's). Some clips are already in place, but I need to add more (I am talking about clips like this: https://www.wolseley.co.uk/product/center-hinged-wrap-over-pipe-clip-15-mm/).

I am only familiar with brick, cement-plastered walls, so please bear with my newbieness:

What kind of wall and plastering do I have? See the pics of a hole in a wall on the same floor:

https://postimg.cc/gallery/2c7gbb97m/

What kind of screws (material, size, shape, gauge) do you recommend?
Should I use plugs (anchors)? I unmounted one of the existing clips and the screw seems to have none.

Any further advice on what I should/shouldn't do, or anything else, is welcome.

Thanks!


texts: rainwater entering doorway below driveway

texts: I have converted garage with door way about 4 inches below the driveway. Previous owner left this issue for me. My questions is i want to cut into concrete to create   drainage system, french drain with metal grating. I'm not sure how to handle the doorway. how far away from the entrance do i cut across. Do i need to cut out say a doormat piece of concrete in front of the door so entrance is level. Or just by creating this drainage to run the width of the driving place close enough the doorway(with out change it being below driveway) will resolve my water issue?


texts: Is it normal for wood to sometimes squeal when screwing into it?

texts:
I recently put up some kitchen wall cabinets.  When screwing in the cabinets one of the studs was more difficult to screw into.  I pre-drilled pilot holes for the studs and everything went OK besides one.

The one screw had a high pitch squeal when I tried to screw it in and became difficult to turn, I eventually drilled a little bit bigger of a pilot hole and it went in easier.  Is this just hard wood or maybe I hit a knot?  Does this sometimes happen?


texts:
I'm trying to paint this wall but as you can see, there are mold on it

What would be the best way to remove the mold on my walls?

Thanks


texts: Can you use the actual sink to route an undermount sink hole in a butcher block counter?

texts: I plan to install an undermount sink in a new butch block counter top that is 1 1/8" thick. In order to cut the sink hole, could I simply attach the undermount sink to the counter in the correct position, then use a router with a bottom bearing flush trim bit (1 1/4" carbide) to cut the sink, with the bearing running along the inside of the attached sink? I have read about the method of creating a template out of plywood, but this method seems like it would be easier and more accurate. Is there something I am not thinking about?


texts:
When I had my house built, it got cold and so we called the local power co-op energy savings expert to give us advice. One of the things he said was that we had the wrong kind of insulation in the attic, that it needed to be a higher rating. So, we hired an insulation company and they used something instead of fiberglass called "poly". They vacuumed all the treated, recycled newspaper insulation that was previously used, and brought in the poly, which they blew in. This worked well and among the other changes we did, it warmed the house up.

But then one of the attic fans broke where the fan part spun off the spindle because of a poor weld. This caused sparking as metal scraped metal and I ran into the attic to shut it off in the nick of time. We hired an electrician and he took the fan motor and blade into his shop and re-welded it back on very nicely, as well as added a bolt for extra reinforcement. This lasted us for several years until this year, when the bearing on the motor broke and it made an awful noise. The bearing was such that it would stop and start, but once it got started, it would run fine.

So, my fears are:

Is this poly stuff fireproof and the proper stuff to insulate my attic with?
What attic fan make/model would you recommend (I have two of them and they seem underpowered for my hot attic) that can withstand the extremes, last long, and reduce my fire risk?
What safety measures can I add to my attic to reduce the fire risk?

The other thing I don't understand is -- I've lived in several houses before over several decades, each with attics. I've never had to worry about attic fans at all until this house. Why is my attic an issue?


texts: Finding the other end of an ethernet cable that's punched into a 66 Block

texts:
I have a Cat 5 ethernet cable that runs from a stereo cabinet to an equipment closet. A couple dozen other identical cables run from other parts of the house to the same hole in my drywall in this closet. They’re not all well labeled. Originally, the cable in the stereo cabinet served as a telephone connection, with a 4P4C jack in the cabinet and the other end punched down into a 66 Block in the closet (question edited to show 66 Block photo).

Now, I want to re-purpose that Cat 5 cable to serve as an Internet connection to the cabinet. I have already re-terminated the cabinet end with an 8P8C Ethernet jack, and I want to find the other end of this cable in the closet so I can connect it to our data network.

If the cable from the stereo cabinet weren’t punched into the 66 Block, I think it would be easy enough to find it, using an answer like “How can I find out which ethernet cable goes where?”. But if I were to use a Tone Generator and Probe, then I would expect for every cable in the house that serves our phone system (all of which are the same gray Cat 5, and all of which are tied together in that 66 Block) to probe positive exactly like the one cable I’m trying to find. Right?

Because of this, the only way I can think of to find this cable is to start pulling wire off my 66 Block. However, I don’t want to do this unless it really is necessary, because I’m fearful that I’ll mess up our home phone system in a way I won’t be able to repair. (One problem I foresee is that I don’t have a lot of extra cable length to work with for punching wires back down.)

How can I figure out which of the many Cat 5 cables that are punched down into the 66 Block in my closet is the one coming from my stereo cabinet?


texts:
looking for some help with an old Rheem 1005 HVAC system. I’ve scoured the Internet for days, so this is a last ditch effort at self-help. I’m installing an ecobee to an existing 4-wire system that had a 5th C-wire already available at the thermostat. The thermostat is hooked up completely but I don’t know if the c-wire is connected at the other end in my HVAC control board because if I turn the ecobee on, it just cycles over and over and Shorts out or something, then immediately kicks back on. The inside of this unit looks like nothing I’ve ever seen before.

I just need to know if that loose blue wire is my C-wire and if so, where can I connect it, or if I need to wire a new c-wire.  Pictures are attached for reference.


texts: Can my lug and breaker insert be rotated 180 degrees

texts:
I recently posted a question about my panel, Cutler Hammer CH30E, being properly grounded. All ground wires were twisted together and stuck in two lugs screwed into the left side of the panel.

This didn't go over well with Harper. So I got the appropriate grounding bar for the panel. The two pretapped holes for the bar are about 3/4" above the lug /breaker insert and another set 3/4" below the insert. The lower location would be great except none of the grounds will reach. The top location would be behind the 2-2/0 Al wires. It would fit but be close.

Are the panels designed so that the lug/breaker insert can be rotated 180 degrees and the feed come in from the bottom instead of the top. This would free up the top area for the bar and all the ground wires would reach.

There are some improper handle ties from when they built the house. I've got correct ones on order.

UPDATE:
 Well I think I corrected the problem. I removed the two lugs holding all the ground wire. shown below are the two lugs and the screws that held them to the side of the box.

Here's the panel with the new grounding bar installed. The rep at the electrical supply store ( not Home Depot) assured me I could double ground on the holes, even triple ground, since I got the suggested grounding bar for the cutler Hammer panel. I tried to clean the panel up a bit but was limited because the builders cut the wires so short.

Thanks for your help.


texts: Breaker trips when fixture is not screwed to metal box

texts:
The scenario is, I think, rather simple, but I’m not 100% sure of the answer. You have a very simple circuit. A breaker feeding a black wire to a switch, then to a LED light which is mounted to a metal conduit box. All of this is connected using EMT, so it’s grounded. The LED fixture doesn’t have a ground sire, per se, it doesn’t even have a spot to attach a ground wire. The LED is connected to the switched side of the black wire, as well as directly connected to a white wire. Just two wires to the LED fixture.
When the LED is screwed to the metal box (grounded) then it appears to operate correctly. When I drop the LED fixture to examine wires, then try to power the circuit to test it (in preparation for adding more lights to the circuit), the breaker immediately trips. It works fine when the LED fixture is screwed to the metal box. But if it doesn’t contact the metal box, it trips the breaker. No GFCI involved, it’s just a normal breaker.
Is it using the grounding as a neutral?  I feel like this may be an issue, or maybe it’s ok and I just didn’t understand it. I can tell you the building is relatively new construction within the past couple years, and was professionally done, no DIY work in the build.
Edit: Yes, the wires themselves look good. They are connected to the LED using screw terminals. And they are connected to each other using push connectors, rather than wire nuts.
It’s just perplexing that the fixture works when screwed to the metal box (which would ground it). And trips breaker when not screwed to the box. As if it is getting its neutral through the grounding of the conduit
Reply to commenter: Well, I will need to look to get the model info on the LED. It’s a fixture and was installed by an electrical contractor who did a whole building. For what that’s worth.
Also, there’s no GFCI issue, as there isn’t one in the circuit. It’s a regular breaker. And the previous comment is backward: it only works when connected to ground. (Previous commenter thought it was not working when connected to ground). Fact is, when not connected to ground, breaker trips. When connected to ground, it works.
More replies to comments:
If I have the fixture hanging down, not contacting the box, it is supported by the hot wire and the neutral weird which are connected to the terminals on the fixture. It’s a very small, light weight fixture, a few ounces maybe. If the fixture is hanging down, there would be no way to ground it with a wire, because the fixture itself doesn’t have a grounding lug. But it obviously picks up ground when it is screwed to the box.
Of course I would only have it hanging for a few minutes while I was wiring other fixtures and testing them.  Now that everything is out together, it works normally. It just seems odd to trip the breaker and I was wondering if it points to a fundamental wiring mistake originally in the building. My sense is that the fixture should work normally without a ground...such as when it is hanging and not screwed fo the box. It wouldn’t be advisable or safe for long term use, but it should function and not trip the breaker. That’s my sense, and why I was concerned about it.


texts: Replacing two bath fixtures on one switch

texts: I am replacing two light fixtures in bathroom, they are on one switch.  First one went in as planned, black to black, white to white.  The second one, closest to switch, however is not looking normal.  The wires came off the caps as I pulled old fixture off (screws were bent and force was required). I have two white wires twisted together, they appear to have black ink dots on them (hot perhaps?) and just a copper ground wire. There are also two black wires capped together and farther into box, I don't think these had a wire attached to them as only two caps were loose, and the black attached together wires were pretty far into box. Issue is, if the white twisted together wires with black marks are my hot power source, and I attach black fixture wire to these, what do I attach white neutral fixture wire to?


texts: Measuring humidity through ceramic tile to deduce a course of action

texts:
Just bought a house, and during the inspector noted in his report that the "shower step" (the door frame on which glass door rail sits) has a slope the wrong direction, causing water to accumulate against the rail, and probably infiltrating in the "step".

He said that if underneath it's concrete straight (it's in the basement) there is no cause to worry, and that I could probably just redo the silicon. When he inspected, he measured the humidity on the outside of the shower step, and it was at 100%. (using a General Tools & Instruments MMD5NP Pinless LCD Moisture Meter or somethign that looked like that.)

What I was planing on doing is:

Buy such an instrument.
Measure the humidity as a benchmark.
Redo the silicon
Wait a few weeks
Measure again and compare.

If the humidity stays the same, consult someone to help me with fixing the step, if the humidity drops, leave it like that and keep an eye on it.

My question is: Is that course of action viable, or I'm just wasting time and money?


texts:
In my house upstairs in the bathroom, hall and bedroom, some of the lights and outlets have stopped working by others still work. This happened weeks ago and they came back on a day or so later without intervention. No idea why.

I flipped all the breakers and gfp outlets but this had/has no impact.

I have a call in to an electrician but would like some clues as to what may be causing this.

House is about 30 years old; breakers in basement. Lived here for 20 years with no similar incidents.


texts: I was sealing around air leaks in the attic and realized one can light had holes in it. My impression was that means the can was not IC compliant. I took the trim off and it does say IC on the sticker. Is it normal to have holes in these cans?


texts: How to get a gasoline odor out of my shed?

texts:
My shed reeks of Gasoline, (because, you know, it was used as a shed), I don't have a very large backyard, and so I'm happy using my push mower which doesn't use any Gasoline.

I'd like my Shed to double as a weight lifting and punching bag room, but I don't want to inhale Gasoline fumes while attempting to improve my health.

Is there any way to remove the smell and lower my risk of Gasoline inhalation?


texts: Can I paint over RedGard waterproof membrane?

texts:
I am redoing the bathroom.  I just finished hanging the Durock around the 3-wall alcove tub.  My plan is to waterproof it with RedGard before setting tile.

At the outside edges of the tub front (the two vertical parts of the tub on the "left" and "right" side that go from the tub deck down to the floor) I don't have enough room to place tile, but I am a bit worried about water splashing there.  Can I put a thin strip of Durock and put the RedGard on it, but then paint it with the normal latex wall paint?  Or should I cover the RedGuard in joint compound in this area (obviously I can paint over joint compound)?

I would hate to spend all this effort remodeling the bathroom just to get water damage along this thin strip by the tub if I just use drywall and paint it.


texts: I have small, decorative tiles just in front of my kitchen cabinets. However, my cabinets sit on a 2x4 platform to raise them and I need to put in a kickplate to cover the wood. Should I grout first or install the kickplate first? Please help me create a tag that would cover the kickplate.


texts: which type vaccum cleaner is used for cleaning window grills?

texts:
I generally use it to clean window grills, mosquito nets attached to the windows, cupboards (and items in them) and doors (which have designs - because the dust gets stuck within the carved doors, like in the below image - the dust gets stuck in those carved designs), , mattress, sofas, pillows.

I am looking for bagless versions because of their reusability.


texts: How do I apply foam board insulation behind a new recessed shelf in an exterior wall?

texts:
I want to make a recessed shelving in a exterior wall.
When i took out the drywall, I found no insulation between the studs.
Before I place the shelving parts, I want to put some insulation first ( I live in the Bay Area). I bought from lowes foil faced foam board (insulfoam r-tech) because it looks much easier to install than other insulation, and it is thinner and will not take much space. after a lot of reading, I am still confused:
1) do I need to put a Vapor barrier before the foam board? .
2) should I push the foam board tight against the exterior wall or leave a air gap.
3) Also, the foam has metallic foil on one side only. Should the foil side face the interior of the room, or the outside?,
4)should I fill the gaps between the stud and the foam with caulk?
5) when I took out the drywall, I did not find any insulation in between the studs. However there's is a thin black fabric sheet between the exterior wall and the studs. Any idea what it could be for?

Thank you.


texts: Is it ok to let something hang from its plug in a receptacle? (electric car charger)

texts:
When I charge my car away from home, sometimes I use the portable 120 volt charge cable that plugs into a normal outlet.   At work, we have receptacles mounted a few feet above ground.  The charge cable comes stowed and wrapped around a handy coiling device which also lights up during charging.  This device hangs directly down when the unit is plugged in, and depending on how much cable I need to unwind to reach the car, weighs around 2-5 pounds.

The question is, is it safe or harmful to hang this mass from the plug?  It was designed to work that way, so I have a hard time believing it poses a danger to the receptacle or the cord/plug itself.  There is a debate among my fellow electric car drivers about this.
Two of the receptacles recently burned out, so they are attributing it to this, and are insisting we all find a way to support the weight of our chargers elsewhere than from the plug.

Advice?


texts: Underground feeder short by 5ft, Main panel to subpanel

texts: So I have this aluminum underground feeder that is 110 ft that was supposed to be 115ft. Can you extend this line by splicing or creating a junction box or am I screwed and have to get new wire? The two hots are 4AWG, neutral is 2AWG, and ground is #4.


texts: What is the minimum thickness of concrete above hydronic heating pex

texts:
I am doing a diy hydronic heating system in a house I bought in the mountains. For the main part of the house I am using 3/4" x 9" strips of plywood with spacing for the tracks of the 1/2" pex. Above that I have a 1/8" sheet of plywood to keep the pex in place until I am ready for the hardwood flooring. Overall height including the new hardwood is 1 1/4" increase in the floor height.
The question I have is around the bathroom, kitchen and entryway. We were thinking that instead of doing something similar and then using hardiebacker and tile we would do a poured and polished concrete slab for these locations. The concern I have is about if I would be able to have 1.25" thickness in the slab, would that be thick enough to not have the tubes project through the floor and still have a warm floor? I was thinking of using GFRC but not sure if that would do anything better or not. I also do not think that the 1/2" above the pex would allow for any rebar to be put in. I may be able to use a thinner wire mesh.


texts: We bought new house and I need to test network (RJ45) and coax jacks to see which ones are working. How can I do that without actually connecting computers/cable boxes?


texts: Patio gate not at right angle to the house

texts:
I am currently building a fenced in patio, and the entrance gate will not be at a right angle to the corner of the house. My question: should I angle the post that sits beside the house to be square with the gate, or square with the house?

I intend to have a header above the gate. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers


texts: How should I adjust warped balcony door frame?

texts:
I'm living in an older apartment building, and I've noticed that I'm losing a fair amount of heat due to a gap in my balcony doors. Specifically, the sliding glass door fails to form a seal with the frame at the top.

What's the best way to solve this? The sliding door itself doesn't appear to have any aligning mechanism that I can use. The only thing I can think of is filling the slot for the most part, and then adding some weather seal that it can push against.


texts: Is it practical to dismantle water softener control head?

texts:
I have a Culligan water softener in my water treatment shed. It's been determined that our water is not being softened. My research of this problem suggests various steps for resolution, which I've performed (mostly) and somewhat out of order, which in this case, I believe is insignificant. My research also included checking this site for related terms.

The timer system works properly and performs timed recharges. This is confirmed by setting the clock to a normal hour and observing the discharge hose. It also performs properly with a manual recharge.

The salt tank had a salt dome. Clearing it with a stick didn't help.

The resin bed was 25-30 years old. Replacing it didn't help. It really needed to be replaced, though, as the iron in our water turned the beads almost black. Not too expensive, not too difficult.

The salt tank needed to be cleaned. I don't think this was ever done by the previous homeowner and not by me in almost 30 years! Six or more inches of salt mud in the bottom, well above the baffle level in the bottom. I believe this is a serious factor in the current failure.

After all the above steps, the mechanism filled the salt tank with water and appeared to perform a regeneration cycle, but the water remains hard. Over the past weeks, no salt has been consumed.

This implies that water is getting to the tank, but is not being pulled into the resin bed to do the work.

Considering that I had my own mud bath in the bottom of the salt tank, I suspect that some of the grunge has managed to plug up the works in the softener head.

My searches have come up empty for dismantling the softener head. I'm hopeful that it's practical for me to flip the plumbing into bypass, yank the head and tear it to pieces.

I'm equally hopeful that I'll find passages in the head that, when cleaned of the gunk, will place the unit back in operation.

Are there "sensitive" parts within the head of which I must exercise extreme caution?

Any hints on disassembly are appreciated.


texts: Do I need to do any sort of mold mitigation after a bathtub leak damaged a ceiling?

texts:
I recently purchased my first house and after the first time we went to use the jetted tub we noticed water damage on the ceiling in the kitchen below. So we got a plumber out there immediately and he determined that the drain needed to be replaced. He had to cut a hole in the ceiling to access the pipe because part of the drain pipe also needed replacement.

An approximately 2ft by 2ft section of ceiling was damaged by the initial leak. So we let it air out for a day and then my wife tried using the tub again. After she completed her bath I went downstairs to check for any more signs of water damage. That is when I found about a gallon or so of water on the floor.

I tested it, found that one of the jets was now leaking when water was in the tub and spraying when the jet was turned on. I got this new leak fixed and I have reason to believe the leaking problems have been resolved.

So at this point, before I have the ceiling repaired, do I need to do any sort of mold mitigation aside from letting it dry out for a few days?

Thanks!


texts:
Please see the pictures.  Single small hole in the drywall.  The debris is from one day.  Is this a termite exit hole?  We live in Sacramento - Central California.  I can't find any other signs.  The rest of the drywall is clean.

We had some bathroom work done about 5 months ago, which included opening an exterior wall.  There was some water damage to an exterior wall, but no obvious termite damage.  The bathroom door is about 4 feet away.  This is an interior hallway wall.


texts:
There's still about a foot of play in the middle.

I put wood glue and finish nails in the loose spindles but very little improvement made. Both newell post are solid.


texts:
I have a tall stairwell leading up to my attic 'den' and I was thinking about building a table top onto the railings to create a space for some turntables, mixer and laptop. Initially I thought I'd build it from wood, but experiments have made me see that even covering about a third of the stairwell makes it horribly dark. So I thought I could make a table top out of some transparent, heavy duty acrylic or polycarbonate that could be drilled and bolted onto the stair rails and take the weight of the kit (around 25-30kg).

Can anyone recommend a suitable material for loadbearing applications such as this? And any observations about thickness required, solving any sag issues, mounting techniques and so on would be very gratefully received.

Here's a crude schematic:

Photo of the room:

Dimensions would be approx 135cm x 750 cm.


texts: Bostitch BT 1855 nail gun doesn't drive nails

texts:
I have a jam on my Bostitch 18 gauge finish nailer.  It basically fires air. Plunger is not retracting NOR extending.
I removed the cap on top and added some oil but looks like the trigger is not pulling the plunger.  You can see in this 30 second video what the problem is.
If anyone’s had this problem or any suggestions please let me know.


texts: Can granite countertops be used as a desktop on a custom desk?

texts: Granite countertops have become quite popular lately.  How is Granite typically fastened to base cabinets?  Would it be suitable to use as a desktop, say with just four legs attached to it (not a full frame like a base cabinet)?  Or would a structure like a base cabinet be needed with a wood frame on all sides underneath to support and fasten the granite?


texts: What is the rated power of American central air-conditioning control circuit?

texts:
I want to know what is the rated power that American central air-conditioning 24V control circuit can supply, which is also the power supply for Nest.
Nest gets its power from the 24V control transformer, and converts it to DC. But what is the current value a device can draw from this 24V?
Thanks!

More:
I care more about the 24VAC HVAC system's capability of its power supply.
E.g. if I design a similliar device like Nest, but my device consumes more power, whether could I still connect it to this 24VAC line?

Now it is clear of one thing, 24V will provide power for both the control relays/heating/cooling parts and Nest. So how much power could Nest get? This is my key question.


texts: Tips on making classic brick and plywood shelves

texts: Moving into a new apartment in a couple weeks and I'm planning on making the classic brick and plywood shelves to put books and stuff. Any tips for me? Do I have to have it secured to a wall?


texts: Can I put a 60 amp breaker in my sub panel that also runs ona 60 amp breaker from main panel

texts:
I have a sub-panel that leads from my main circuit breaker in my house. The breaker in the main box is a 60 amp leading to the sub. Is it okay to run a 60 amp break in the sub panel for an electric car charger?
I only have a couple 20 amp outlets connected to the sub panel and another 40 amp breaker for my welder. Anytime I would be charging the car, I wouldn't be using anything else except maybe one outlet for a radio.


texts: Why does it seem all new faucets are using braided hose instead of stainless steel?

texts:
I have been looking for a new kitchen faucet recently at all the box stores, and noticed that pretty much all pull-out/pull-down faucets are now using a black braided hose instead of a more rigid stainless steel hose. For example, the black braided hose:

And the stainless steel (sometimes segmented) hose:

The last time I went looking for faucets, the more expensive ones (~$200+) all seemed to use the stainless steel hose, while especially on the cheaper ones (eg, <$100) used the black braided hose. What I've noticed is practically all faucets -- even $400 ones -- have the black braided hose, or sometimes a silver braided hose (which may be made of steel).

I previously had one of the braided hoses in my laundry room, and one thing I noticed was it didn't seem to be as durable. If pulled too hard, it could actually be pinched against the spout and block water, and it seemed like a lot of this use would cause it to break. The stainless steel / segmented hose is effectively crush-proof and doesn't seem to have this issue.

There must be some reason the industry is going to the black braided hose, but what is it? I could see this being a cost-saving measure, in that most people don't consider the hose type when purchasing, but I'd still expect the $300+ faucets to use what seems to me to be the higher-end hose.


texts: How to fix a huge gap between tub faucet and tile

texts:
We just moved into an old house and two of the tub faucets have huge gaps from the tile as pictured below. This is something that I feel needs to be addressed right away to prevent shower water from splashing back there and causing water damage to the wall behind.

How did this happen in the original install and how do I need to fix it?


texts: Can I mount wall 75 inches (50kg) tv on plasterboard?

texts:
I am going to mount a TV to a wall in my living wall.
The only problem I have is the TV weighs about 50kg and I am little bit afraid of hanging this amount of weight on pure plasterboard.

Is it safe to do so?

TV i am trying to put on the wall:

https://www.samsung.com/uk/tvs/qledtv-q9fn/QE75Q9FNATXXU/

The wall mount that I am planning to buy:

https://www.samsung.com/uk/tv-accessories/no-gap-wall-mount-wmn-m22e/

I am aware of where the studs are.


texts: Is it legal to torque-seal terminal screws on electrical equipment?

texts: Torque seal is a lacquer-like product used in critical applications after a screw is tightened to provide a visual indication if the screw comes loose.  Considering that a terminal screw on an electrical device coming loose can give you a Bad Day™, is it legal to use torque seal or an equivalent product (nail polish is said to work in a pinch) on electrical device terminal screws to visually indicate loosening?  Or is there something in Code that would prohibit such a practice?


texts:
My apartment comes with a wall-mounted microwave (KitchenAid KHMC1857WSS) that I clean periodically. While doing so, I see this component mounted on the right-side inside the microwave. It clearly has a dark discoloration, looking like it was burnt or blown out. The component reminds me of sandpaper because it appears to have a gritty surface.

I'm not sure what this piece is, but since it looks burnt and cracked am wondering if it needs to be replaced. Looking at the online user manual it's still unclear what this piece is. For instance, on page 6 of the above PDF, the section titled Replacement Parts, Accessories and Cleaning Supplies does not list any part name that pops out to me as being this piece.

What is this piece inside my microwave?


texts:
I have dug an irrigation well (40 feet), and installed this pump: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005X53JC8

It has the following description:  Red Lion RJS-75-PREM Shallow Well Jet Pump, Cast Iron, 1-HP 24-GPM

The pump did not come with a power cord, and therefore I'll need to wire up a cord and plug to the pressure switch.

What gauge wire does this pump take?

I current have wired up a computer cable, I'm guessing the individual strands in there are maybe 16 or 18 gauge (no idea, really).  I noticed that the chord gets pretty warm when the pump is running.

Should I go with a lower/thicker gauge?

Thank you in advance!


texts:
I am a new homeowner, and I am looking to buy a ladder so that I can clean my gutters.  There seems to be a wide price range and a lot of different features.

What should I look for in a ladder?  (Or, do you have any specific recommendations?)

EDIT:  If it helps, my roof is 13 feet from the ground, and the roof looks to be angled about 30 degrees.


texts: How to make white portland cement stronger?

texts: We are trying to make white pavers for crosswalks versus painting. In 2013 we made some that are still in fair shape, did not write down what we used as a formula. I think it was 3 to 1, one part Portland to 3 sand. When we broke one open it looked like porcelain. The ones we have made since are not holding up to freeze thaw and heavy equipment doing snow removal. We made some the other day using I part Portland 2 parts sand, we mixed acryl 60 1 part to 2 parts water. We mixed Portland and sand first then added water mixture mixing only long enough to hydrate. When we removed from the forms you could see they were full of holes. What's up ???


texts: I have a projector lamp that has been used over its life hours. Its still working though, no colour distortion, etc. But if I keep on using it, will it just won't light up when it finally stopped working or will it explode and destroy the projector?


texts:
I have a tap. I am struggling to work out how to change the main washers. How do I get access to the main washers?
I can not identify the tap, so answer will probably be speculative. Just tell me what experience you have, and what you would do.
What I have done so far.
I undid one bolt, and the front comes off.

I believe that the two small washers that are visible in the 2nd photo (the one of the tap handle), are not the washers to turn the tap off. I think they are to stop leaks along the shaft.
Some experimenting upholds the hypothesis that the tap handle pushes and releases an inter hidden bit, that in turn blocks the flow of waster: By pushing the inner hidden bit, I can modulate the flow of water (this was done by setting the isolation tap, to restrict flow. So pressure was low).
Next I looked at what is now at the front (after the tap handle is removed).

Option 1
There is what looks like a hex nut, but is it. I see not seam between this and the main body. Should I attach my grips and apply lots of force? Or is it just decorative?
Option 2
Go in from the back.

If I remove both of the attachment bolts (I will need to isolate hot and cold, as same time, to do this), will I be able to gain access from the back?

Images licence cc-by-sa ctrl-alt-delor How do I change the washers of this tap?


texts: Is there a remote switch I can use to replace a switch located in a wall being removed?

texts: I am removing two walls that contain light switches for the dining, and kitchen ceiling lights. Is there a wireless switch I can use for control, without fishing wires into the existing walls?


texts:
We have a bathroom sink that sits on a pedestal. We are due for a full bathroom renovation in next couple years, but I need a way to deal with a problem until then.
The sink was installed wrong (and/or the house is settling) such that the sink isn’t level when it is resting on the pedestal. It’s gotten so bad that not all the water drains out of the sink, because the lowest spot in the sink isn’t the drain. I’d like a way to deal with that for next year or two.
I thought of propping up the sink with webbing and some boards until it is level, and then filling in the 1/2” gap created (see photo) between the sink and pedestal with some epoxy. But not sure if that would work well, or if others have better ideas.
If I did the epoxy approach, any pointers on what kind to buy?


texts: Finding replacement for antediluvian lock

texts:
I would like to replace an internal lock on the cupboard door in my flat. The lock is very old and I struggle to find a similar type in B&Q. I can mostly find locks that are to be mounted inside the door not on the side, like the one I have. I'm looking to learn the following:

Does this type of lock have a proper name so I can search Amazon, eBay and find something similar?
Judging by the provided dimensions, is anyone in position to suggest a potentially suitable replacement?


texts: Do you need a shower floor slope if you have a preslope?

texts: In our shower we poured a mortar bed with a preslope, added a liner, and then poured mortar on top with a slope towards the drain.  But it started me wondering what the point of the top slope was, when using a self leveling bed mix would be much easier for the average DIYer (including me for my next shower redo).  Given that any water making it through the tile and mortar will just be directed to the drain weep holes by the liner on the preslope, is there any point to the slope other than to prevent standing water on top of the tiles?


texts: How can we repair cracked and broken concrete around a sewer stack in the basement floor?

texts: Last summer we had a sewer smell and an epidemic of sewer flies in the basement. There was no backup of water or sewage to indicate a blockage - just an odor and a lot of pforish flies. We called a plumbing company which sent someone out to rout the main drainpipe and examine it with a camera. Although there were no cracks detected in the pipe, he said there were "rocks" in the line and recommended bringing in a jetter.  The next day the drain was jetted. Immediately afterward the plumbing contractor said we needed to excavate the entire drainpipe, out to the street (tearing out walls, paneling, putting a hole in the foundation, etc.) at a minimum cost of $20K. We decided to wait to see what effect the jetting had. Meanwhile, the plumber left in a huff saying, "Don't have any big parties." We noticed that the concrete around the stack in the basement was cracked as a result of the vibration from the routing and jetting and the floor around the drain was seeping as a result. We removed the cracked concrete from around the stack. How do we fill the gap between the floor and the stack? The house is about 85 years old, as are the other homes in our historic neighborhood. I can attach a photograph


texts: Is this legal? And should we use 2 by 8s?

texts:
I posted a couple of days ago about joists not reaching the end of the wall, and it was only a subsection.
We’ve stripped off all floorboards and this is what we see.

Now the question is, these joists measure as 2"x 4"s, Surely the new ones we put in should be 2"x 8", no?
Not sure how they would fit and I’m not sure why they weren’t originally 2"x 8" either. There’s a good meter between the 2 bottom beams.
Is this common?
What should the span between beams be when laying 2"x 4"s or 2"x 8s"?
See full video with joists taken out here:
https://streamable.com/4hb7w1


texts: Best solution to protect the floor while painting the walls

texts:
For painting work I usually protect the floor using big sheets (like 4 x 4 meters) of transparent plastic sold in Asda that I spread around the room.

However it can move a lot while I walk on it and then there are spaces left exposed. Also it's not very flat.

Ideally I'd like something which covers 100% of the floor 100% of the time while being as flat as possible. Is there such a solution?


texts: Removing cartridge in single lever mixer tap

texts:
I have a dripping single lever mixer kitchen tap and need to replace the cartridge. I’ve got the handle off but the cartridge alludes me. It’s recessed in the housing of the tap and I have no idea how to get it out!
The four internal metal ‘lips’ on the top, bottom, left and right are on the outside of the blue ring of the cartridge, so you can’t get a wrench to the cartridge itself.


texts: What is the maximum length I can extend the water supply/drain hose coupling for my PORTABLE DISHWASHER?

texts:
I just purchased a full-size, portable dishwasher (Maytag). The water supply/drain hose coupling is not very long and I would like to extend it to approximately 10 feet long.
- Is there a maximum length at which point the dishwasher can't pump the water out?
- Is it best to cut the lines in the middle and add an extender with clamps?
- Any other advice?
Thanks...


texts: Can I install a new gas fireplace without changing cornices?

texts:
I have a room in which I am considering having a new gas fireplace installed.  There is approximately 3m of wall space available (between corner and window in the picture).  This will provide some heating but the primary purpose is for ambiance.

The existing cornices extend a long way (at least a 1m) into the room and I don't want to change them.

The wall is brick-veneer.

The pictures I've seen for installing new fireplaces involve boxing in an area from floor to ceiling which in this case would interfer with the cornices.

What are my options for install? I won't physically do the install myself, but want to understand what is usually done and what will look normal.

One option might be to box-in only partway up the wall, but would this lead to very large mantle that looks strange.

Alternatively, would it be possible to box-in to the ceiling and work around the cornice?


texts: How to compliantly bond galvanized water pipes if the water heater isn't an option

texts:
In a previous electrical inspection, I was told to add a 4 AWG CU bonding wire from the main panel to the hot and cold pipes on my water heater. I'm in the process of replacing my water heater with a tankless one, and the pipes leading to it with PEX. So, this bonding wire really has nothing on the water heater to connect to. I could add a short piece of copper pipe to the water inlet/outlet (currently planning on braided flex pipe, then ball valve, then PEX, then (inside wall) galvanized), but bonding to these does nothing for most of the galvanized pipes elsewhere in the house (which, over time, I'll replace with PEX).
There is some galvanized pipe in the walls that I'll connect the PEX to the water heater to. I'm assuming buried in the wall is not accessible and hence not compliant.
Can it be anywhere in the water system where there is galvanized pipe or does it need to be within 10' of the water entrance to the building (as I've read elsewhere, but can't find in NEC)? If I do that, I don't know I can do both cold and hot - there may not be hot water within 10' of where cold water enters the crawlspace. I could feed a bonding wire from the panel to within 10' of where cold enters the crawlspace, and then somewhere else bond just the hot and cold water pipes together. Of course, eventually, all hot will be PEX, at which point, I assume bonding is no longer required.


texts: How to determine storage capacity needed for water runoff tanks?

texts:
My region gets an average of 12 inches of rain per year, and 24 inches of snow per year. Nearly all of the rain falls in huge monsoons at the end of the summer, so I have to store everything that falls, and can't expect to collect some and use some, then collect more and use it later, I'll be collecting it all at once.

My local laws do permit collection.
I would like to collect as much possible water in a giant basin, but need to calculate the size needed.

Assuming my house is 1000 square feet, and I try to collect from all angles of the roof, how can I estimate how large a collection basin I'll need? Can I expect to also collect from the snow?


texts: Can I replace my furnace motor's startup capacitor with one matching its specifications?

texts:
I need to replace two capacitors in our furnance, a Lennox Elite CH33-42B-2F.

The two capacitors are still working, but not within tolerance (so the repair man told me).

The specs are 5uF 370VAC for one, and 7.5uF 370VAC for the second (photo below)

My question is, do I need to source an exact match for each, or can I just purchase from the specification? Is there anything else I need to be aware of when purchasing? (based in Utah, USA, if that's relevant)


texts: Best Removable Glue for Gluing Metal Towel Bar to Stone

texts:
I rent an apartment where half of the walls of my bathroom are made out of a beautifully finished granite.

This looks nice, but when it comes to hanging my chrome-plated towel bar, there have been some issues.

I do not want to drill into the granite, since I will want to cleanly remove the towel bar when I move out.
I think that gluing the towel bar onto the stone is my best option.
I have tried several glues in the past, but none have worked out well so far.
Gorilla glue is strong but is difficult to remove cleanly.
Silicone adhesives seem to work for awhile but the towel bar eventually falls off.

What is the best adhesive to glue chrome-plated metal to finished granite to bear the load of two wet towels yet still allow me to remove it cleanly when I move?


texts: What is the correct slope for a deck, and why?

texts:
I am building a deck (12' wide) and see that deck boards (at least when perpendicular to the house) should be sloped away from the house so water will run away from the house.  Seeing numbers for the slope from 1/8" to 1/4":

per foot
per three feet
per twelve feet
per (unspecified)

Is there a 'correct' value or range of values as such?  What makes it correct?
Does it vary based on (what) conditions?
Perhaps a higher slope for composite decking that tends to sag?
Note:  a one degree slope would be 0.209" per foot.


texts: How can I temporarily secure a wooden countertop to its base with limited cabinet access?

texts:
The title is a bit of a doozy, sorry.

I'm repurposing an old counter I bought off Kijiji to turn it into a kitchen island / kegerator. The old cuonter top was some terrible, cheap, laminate-esque thing. I'm tossing that and replacing it with a nice butcher block countertop I've bought.

The original countertop was secured to the base via screws, screwed in through the top frame in the base.

The problem is, I can't use this same method for the new countertop. Because I am repurposing the unit as a kegerator, I'm turning the inside into a fridge — using an open mini-fridge on one side, while an insulated box is attached and taking up the other, making use of the full inside space.

Essentially, I no longer have access to the holes.

The solution also needs to be non-permanent, as in glue. I need to be able to remove the countertop in order to remove the fridge, for transportation purposes (among others).

The solution ALSO needs to be fairly strong - the countertop will overhang the back of the base, to allow for some seating. I worry that with weak fasteners, anyone who might lean or put weight on the overhang might tear the countertop from the base.

In my head I'm picturing something stuck into the bottom of the countertop that will slot into holes in the base, which can then be "fastened", somehow. Possibly in the Ikea camlock type of way, where the "lock" would need to be inserted from the outside, which isn't preferable, but I don't have much option here, I guess. That being said, I doubt camlocks would have the strength to keep the counter attached securely. That, and I can't seem to find the screw portion of them anywhere.

In the same vein, cross dowels / bolts could be an option, but the bolt would have to be visible on the top of the counter, which is no good.

Another (maybe) possibility is something akin to a toggle latch? Something that locks / pulls the countertop tighter to the base. Though I'm not really sure how these would attach or where they could be placed so that they weren't overly visible.

Are there any kind of fasteners that exist that would allow me to accomplish this? One thing to maybe note — the legs seem to have a hole in their dead center that may or may not go all the way through (tbc). Perhaps there's some sort of incredibly long screw mechanism where a rod would be able to be screwed in to the countertop through the bottom of the legs?


texts: What's an easy way to build a level 6'x4' platform over uneven indoor floors?

texts: I recently moved into a guest room that has uneven floors. There is a one degree slant over the entire room and some of the tiles are higher and lower than others. I'd like to set up a 6x4 platform over a portion of this room where I do work at my desk, and have just that platform leveled somehow. Other than just setting up some plywood, how would I go about leveling this platform in a simple way suitable for a few months (before we hire a contractor to fix the floors/foundation)?


texts: What to use to backfill around the concrete pier block?

texts:
Given the image above:
What should I use to backfill the hole around the concrete pier block?

I am thinking to use one of the following:

(1) Paver base (again)

(2) Gravel

(3) Just the dirt that I dug out of the hole

(4) Concrete mix.


texts: Can I control a heat pump and boiler heat with one thermostat?

texts:
I want to swap out the old air handler for a new one and the old straight AC for a heat pump. I will not be putting a heat package in; I will use my boiler as the emergency heat.
The boiler is in the basement and only feeding baseboards. No hydronic coil up at the air handling unit. I only have the evaporating coil that comes in the unit to work with the heat pump. I’m not sure what kind of boiler it is.
Is this possible with any 1 cool 2 heat thermostats?
Separate wires are run already and I do have the right amount of conductors to switch to a heat pump instead of straight AC.


texts: What happened with my spigot and how to fix it?

texts:
I went to shut off my hose and this happened. (Fortunately, the water got shut off.) To what degree is this spigot busted and what is the general course of action now?

Edit following comments. After unscrewing the flange, all I was able to do was to pull it out slightly (see below). So I wasn't able to look inside. To add, the wall on the inside of the house is finished. To compound the challenge, there does not appear to be a shut off valve.


texts: Can I put 15 amp switches on 12 gauge wire

texts: We're finishing our basement and doing the electrical ourselves. We have a bathroom that we ran 20 amps to, 12 gauge wire, but we only have a few lights in there. The lights definitely won't be using any more than one amp, so I'm wondering, can I wire in a 15 amp switch for the lights?


texts:
Improving unfinished basement in 7 year old log home to have a small shop and a mancave
Installing sub panel 40 wire feet from main panel mainly because i don't want to home-run all my circuits to the main panel.  Shop wiring going to main....only man cave (240 volt 3000 watts of heat and lighting/tv) powered from new sub panel
125 amp eaton main lug sub panel and a Seimans main panel.   Put 50 amp breaker in main, and ran 6/3 with bare ground to sub panel.  ground appears to a 10 AWG.
Neutral bar was strapped to ground bar in sub panel from factory so I removed the strap.   Both ground bar and neutral bar are isolated from case via large plastic standoffs, so, i used the same strap to connect to floating ground bar to the sub panel enclosure. So, the neutral in the sub panel is only grounded back at the main panel.
THE QUESTION: Is the #10 AWG sufficient to ground the sub-panel to the ground bar in the main panel?
I am getting confusing info from other threads on this site and other web sites (probably my own reading comprehension issues).
The ground will never carry "neutral" current given the neutral is not connected to ground in the sub panel.  I have seen at least two threads that claim that the ground must match the size of the two hots (6 AWG).


texts: What's the right way to insulate and frame around this pipe?

texts:
I have been studying the latest engineering on how to insulate and frame basements after tearing out a partially finished basement that had wood and insulation in direct contact with the concrete.

Bonus picture:

From my research, it seems that the best option is to install rigid foam insulation glued and screwed to the blocks and taped at the seams to create an effective air, moisture, and vapor retarder and then frame the walls in front of that.

However, as you can see from the picture above and the picture below, there is a large cast iron sewage pipe that covers approximately 3/5 of the walls.

I'm thinking that my options here are:

Where the gap is big enough, follow the contour of the wall with 1/2" rigid foam insulation. Where I can't get the 1/4" or the 1/2" (e.g. around the collars), I'll leave an opening and fill with spray foam.  Put the framing in front of the pipe and fill the entire remaining gap with insulation (rock wool).  The problem is that this will require a lot of insulation along these walls.  Probably 9-10" of insulation to fill the cavity.
Where I have the sewage pipe, install the framing in front of the pipe and install 2" rigid foam board glued onto the back of the framing.  I'd go thick in this case because I can and to prevent a temperature gradient causing moisture to form on the inside of the right foam.  In this case, there will be a 5-6" air gap from the backside of the wall assembly to the concrete.  I figure as long as I can make the assembly relatively air-tight, it will prevent moisture from moving from the conditioned space to the wall.  And in any case, the walls will be bare concrete.  In general, I was thinking of doing this for the whole wall since the sloped transition ledge runs along the entire perimeter and makes it difficult and time consuming to install tight foam board pieces.
Like (1), install rigid foam board and use closed cell spray foam where necessary.  Then, frame a half wall below the pipe and a half wall above the pipe and frame a ledge around the pipe. Install insulation in wall assembly.  The problem with this approach would seem to be that the wall won't be very strong structurally with a break in between unless I attach the upper half wall against the concrete.  And plus, it probably won't pass inspection.

I should note that the original wall in this area was framed in front of the pipe with paper-faced insulation installed into the wall assembly not touching the concrete and this was the only wall in the basement where the insulation was not discolored and the back side of the wall did not show any signs of mold so in a way, I am inclined to go with #2.  I'm inclined to build the whole wall this way to avoid excessive seams and cuts to accommodate the sloped transition ledge.

A bonus challenge is what to do around the mechanicals.  There is not enough space behind the water heater to put rigid foam and build a wall assembly in front of it.  Should I move it?  Should I frame around the room and put foam board directly on the backside of the framing?

I'd really appreciate some input on the best way to manage insulating and framing this to avoid moisture issues in the future.


texts: How can I wire my bath fan to have automatic humidity control and manual switching?

texts:
I bought a bathroom vent fan with humidity sensor but no light. It unexpectedly arrived with 4 wires: ground, black, white, and blue. I only have 12-2 cable in the bathroom and no extra switch. This is a bugger of a space to run another wire and I am not inclined to do so for this.

I believe the blue wire is to run on automatic mode to sense humidity while the others are for manual operation. How do I wire it to existing 12-2 cable so that the humidity sensor is always on and the switch turns the fan on manually when I want to run it for other purposes (odors)?


texts: Can I operate a well pump with no pressure tank by using the breaker as a switch?

texts:
Working on my cabin.  Have a drilled well about 100 feet away (maybe a bit more, uphill).  1 inch black PVC well pipe comes into dirt crawl space, pier construction, under cabin.  I brought it upstairs so only 10 feet is exposed in crawl space.  Wrapping heat tape today on well pipe.  I don't have the pressure tank and such set up.  Any reason I can't just power up the well for now and turn it on and off with breaker, then have a pipe with water that comes out ?

Thanks.


texts: We moved into our home last winter and completely at random the microwave would short the breaker. We know that it has 2 plugs for the same breaker but we only ever plug in the microwave on it and if we do its never at the same time. The house is a relatively new build about 7 years old. My brother came in the spring to check if he saw any issues with the plugs wiring which he didn't and then it never shorted again until it started getting cold again. Im going to try plugging it into another plug to see if its the microwave or the plug that is causing the issues. Other then getting my brother back in which can only be around christmas any ideas on what could be the problem?


texts: Two-speed hot tub motor hums but doesn't run

texts: Have a hot tub 2.5 years old one of the motors is 2 speed. When I push start on that one it just hums. Could it be just the capacitor. If so how can it be checked ?


texts:
We just remodeled our laundry room. It is on the first floor, ceramic tile over concrete. Our washer is a front loader, so does not -fill- with water.

What are the pros and cons of adding a washer tray underneath? Here is my list:

PROS: Catch any minor spills from the washer. Prevent some damage if the washer has a major leak (we don't have a drain to connect the pan to). Others?

CONS: Takes away from the aesthetic of the laundry (its off the hall so guests see it coming into the house). Any particles under it could scratch the tile over time. It takes up space in our small laundry room. Others?

If no tray, what (if anything) should we put under the washer feet to keep them from scratching the tile?


texts: Possible causes of a loss of TV signal after reorganising masthead amp and splitter

texts:
I'm trying to diagnose an issue where my TV reports no terrestrial digital signal.

Some background. I've been doing a lot of home renovation and general improvement to my house over the last few years, as part of the changes I've been running new shielded coaxial cables from my loft to each room. I've not been terminating these cables and have left the original coax cables connected while I work through each room with the intent that once all be cables were run I'd be able to buy a new splitter for them all which could live in my loft to replace the multiple splitters mounted on the aerial mast. The idea being a single indoor splitter is better than many on the mast.

Well, the day finally came and I bought a labgear LDA2061LR 6way distribution amplifier, disconnected all the equipment mounted to the aerial mast and ran a single cable from the aerial receiver to the labgear and connected my lounge coax and voila, no signal.

So, there's the background. I'll try to be as detailed as possible about what set-ups and tests I've run already... Please be aware that I'm no more than an enthusiastic diy-er with some experience with cable termination and testing.

Original and attempted setups

Notes about diagram

A new cable was run from outside to inside the loft, this was tested during the new equipment test
I've also tested the original setup again, but with some of the dangling coax disconnected from the wolsey. Still didn't work
There will eventually be more outputs connected to the new labgear but for now just getting one working would be a good start

Things tested:

voltage tested coming out of both Labgears and at end of coax connected to Wolsey was 12v
multimeter testing of all parts of coax checking for cable breaks, there were none (after terminating some f-types)
adjusting the dB dial on the Wolsey slowly from 12 to 25dB

That's it, even with the above testing and all the combinations I've yet to see any digital signal on my TV. It's worth noting that combination 4 is the same as the original setup!

If anyone out there has any insight into what might be wrong or any other tests or combinations I can try please let me know. If I've inadvertantly blown something by connecting things together that shouldn't have been, I'd like to know that too. I totally get that I'm an amateur and one option is to get a professional in to sort out the problem but I'd really like to understand why even the original setup isn't working the way it was.

Thanks in advance.


texts: Why did polyurethane make wood feel coarse?

texts:
I have a piece of pine I want to use for shelving. I added some finish and then added a thin layer Minwax Fast-drying Polyurethane (clear semi-gloss) with a foam brush. It looks great, but the wood now has a coarse texture to it.

I've never done this before so I'm guessing I screwed up somewhere or am using a bad brand of polyurethane... or maybe just need to apply more coats.