texts:
I'm looking to finish this window by adding a PVC trim.

When putting the trim on, is it better to assemble ahead of time and put in as one, or assemble around the window in pieces?

Is it better to miter edges, or have the top or bottom edges run longer?

I've got some parging on parts of the window surrounding, which would make the bottom have a larger gap, should I just fill that with silicone caulk?

The concrete cutter blade went a little past where the 3.5" trim I've got would hide it, should I try to fill in the parging in that spot, or use a larger trim on the top?

There are still some gaps around the 2by4 that seem a bit small to get the expanding foam into, can I use silicone to fill those in before applying the trim?


texts: I have a chirping sound in my house that moves around

texts: It is not the smoke detector. We have just had rain and there was a ton of tree frogs out front in the trees. Could a tree frog be in my house making that chirping noise? (The chirping sound moves around the living room only.) And, if so how do I get rid of him.....it's just me & my daughter. We are afraid of them. I am because of their feet....those sticky things.


texts: How to remove old masking tape from glass?

texts:
My gridded windows (small pane, divided light) were masked for too long and now the tape is brittle and leaves residue.
I'm using a razor blade to scrape and Goo Gone to remove the glue but is there a better way?


texts: I have located a hard-to-find shower cartridge. I cannot find the specific stem extender currently being used in my shower. Any flexibility here?

texts:
After being told by several pros that the cartridge I brought in to them was a "delta knockoff" and that I'd likely never find another one unless I went to "some guy's basement in China," and that I'd definitely have to replace the whole faucet body, we found the cartridge. It's a proflo, found at a plumbing supply place called Fergusuns. It's the one at this link that just says "hot cartridge": https://www.ferguson.com/category/plumbing-parts-supplies/faucet-parts/cartridges-stems/mirabelle/proflo/_/N-zbq4hjZzbq6muZzbq6na.
Cool! But we also need an extender for it. The one in our shower is corroded so badly it doesn't function. (An entire centimeter of length of the extender has literally simply corroded off.)
Searching that website for stem extenders reveals no proflo branded ones. Searching the internet for stem extenders, both with and without search terms involving the specific brand and model number, turns up nothing that looks like the one we already have.
What we're not sure about is whether we might be able to use some other stem extender, or whether if we can't find this specific one, we will instead definitely have to replace the entire faucet rather than just fixing this one handle.
Your thoughts?


texts: I installed 100 sq ft of mosaic tile on a floor without cleaning excess mortar as I went. Now I have what seems like 10,000 grout lines that all need to be cleaned. Any advice or suggestions on how to clean them? How clean do they need to be?


texts: Mystery pipe under my sink and an intermittent sour smell

texts:
First question, what is the black pipe in the picture above where the drain pipr goes into the wall?

Additionally, we have an intermittent sour smell coming from this bathroom.  I replaced the wax seal of the toilet thinking that might be the problem.  However it was not.  Last night, the smell occurred again.  After some investigation and wafting, i think I narrowed the smell to underneath the sink (hence the picture and post).

I guess the second question would be how do i get rid of the sour smell?


texts: How can I stabilize the footing of a ladder?

texts:
Whenever I saw a professional on a ladder, there was someone else at the foot of the ladder holding the sides of the ladder.
Now that my rain gutters are frozen solid, they are creaking, and I'm concerned the load may break them.
Is climbing to the gutters above the second level really a task that an amateur should not tackle, certainly not alone, or does there exist a way to dig the feet of the ladder (by spokes into the ground, perhaps) to stop the ladder from sliding?
Update: The unstated (but, I figured, pretty obvious) reason why I'm asking this question is that I'd like to save myself from even the most mundane of fall injuries.
In other words, please do not add comments saying it's dangerous. If you'd like to mention that repairing a slightly chipped tooth is far more expensive than hiring someone to do it, well, I know that. Feel free to write instead as an answer why this is so dangerous that no amateur should tackle it. Some tasks (such as rolling/unrolling garage door springs) are so risky, no amateur should tackle them. Some are outright illegal for an amateur to tackle (modifying the gas pipelines). Cleaning gutters is clearly not in the latter category. Is it in the former? Arguing for this is a perfectly valid answer.


texts: So I tried installing my new Samsung 55" inch LED above the fireplace on an articulating mount (about 45 pounds on the TV) and found metal studs. I decided to open up the wall and install 2x4 wood blocking between the metal stud that was centre in the fireplace and one that was 16" away on centre. I ended up installing 2 of the 2x4, one at the top of the mount and one at the bottom. I then repaired the drywall wall and attached the mount to the blocking with 6 1/4" lag bolts. This is my first time hanging a TV and I am probably being paranoid but just wanted to check with some more expierenced people to determine if this will be strong enough.


texts: How do I install a "Lite in the Box" (brand) faucet?

texts:
I have a Lite In the Box kitchen faucet that provides two flexible supply tubes for attaching to water supply. These supply tubes have two o-rings on the faucet end and are attached last in the installation process since the mounting adapter is too small in diameter to allow the tubes to pass through. The pictures from the company web site show the tubes being installed last into the mounted faucet that must have been hand tightened.

Given this problem and no experience with supply tubes like these I want to be sure I understand the installation and that these sorts of tubes will not leak using the installation method. There is a requirement for an adapter to attach these tubes to the existing plumbing which is separate.


texts:
I have a Goodman gas furnace (GMH950453BXAE) that blows air but gas does not fire up.  The circuit board light shows 4 flashes, which is open high limit.  I've checked continuity of both high limit and aux relay and they both check good.  I've also checked for air obstructions both into and out of furnace and I do not find any.  Any ideas of what else to check?  I'm hoping I do not have to have the circuit board replaced.
Thanks for any help on this!


texts: Resources for extreme DIY'er to build brick garage

texts:
I'm an experienced DIY'er here in the upper midwest of the United States and was planning on building my own stick built 16x24 foot detached garage this fall 2021 or spring 2022. As we all know, the price of wood has skyrocketed and I'm intrigued by the thought of building my own garage from brick and block. When I look for information on the internet about how this is done, all I find are examples in the UK or Europe. My internet searches suggest this is an unheard of notion here in the United States for a DIY'er to build their own garage from brick and my local library has no books on hand about building brick structures. My guess is this mostly comes down to economics since wood here has always been less money, but my rough math now suggests otherwise.
So anybody have experience or advice building with brick stateside? Or any resources such as websites or books? I would sub out the foundation, but do the rest myself. Please don't say "this is best for a pro" unless you have experience why. Again, I have experience building stick built but admittedly no brick laying experience and I'd like to change that. Thanks!


texts: What is a really good light-bulb changing tool

texts:
I have a lot of 4 inch floodlight bulbs that are recessed in cans and that are very difficult to change by hand (you cannot get your hand around the bulb within the can that it is recessed in).
I bought a "Universal light bulb changing kit" from home depot that does not work at all (in fact, the suction cup does not suck, period).
Can anyone suggest one that is really well designed and built,   that actually works ?


texts:
To preface my question: I’m not too familiar with electrical and am planning to most likely have an electrician come take a look at my house.

My upstairs bedroom and guest bedroom are both running on the same circuit on my breaker. All outlets and lights work fine in my guest room. Lights in my bedroom work fine. There are 5 outlets in my bedroom and the one I would say is “first” or closest to the door is the only one that works.

They other four stopped working and I have no idea why. I attempted my best efforts to kill the main breaker and I took each outlet apart and examined the wiring(after making sure they weren’t hot of course) and I couldn’t find anything in particular to be wrong. I have no outlets that are turned on via a switch either so I couldn’t find any issues there. I haven’t checked the guest bedroom yet.

Anyone have any suggestions of where I could possibly take a look?


texts: Can oscillating "multi-tools" sand vertical surfaces?

texts:
I need to sand some rough spots on our old front door before repainting and am considering buying/using a multi-tool for this task (as well as some tricky flooring and drywall tasks later).

What's strange though, is that I haven't seen any demonstration videos where people are sanding a vertical surface. Do these tools require the surfaces to be flat and horizontal when sanding?


texts: Wood posts: install on concrete slab OR dig hole and bury them?

texts:
I am putting a shade sail up over a concrete slab that buts up against the back of the house. I am going to attach the sail cloth to the house (brick), and then put up 2 posts for the anchor points away from the house. I'm wondering if I can just put up 4X4 posts and anchor them to the concrete slab, or whether I need to install the posts by digging the holes just beyond the slab and bury them in concrete? Can the posts being mounted on top of the slab hold up to the tension or is it safer to go with the dig post holes and bury them?
Thanks for your help!


texts: Do sandstone patio pavers/grout need to be sealed?

texts:
I had an "expert" look at my patio (only 6m old) and recommend that I should have sealant applied to it to make it last.  I'd not heard of this before and googling is giving me mixed messages.  Since this guys job was selling/applying sealant then I'm concerned he might be a tad biased :-)

Its a sand stone pavers, not particularly expensive ones.

Some of my thoughts are:

Old building have sandstone paths that have been there hundreds of years and are doing fine - I doubt they were sealed?
Some websites suggest it will change the appearance of the slabs?
Some site also say you need to reseal after a few years - if you don't reseal will you just be back to if you hadn't sealed it, or is it a case of once you've done it once you have to keep going?
We were told not to use a power wash on the stones, but the sealant guy says you can do exactly that once sealed - so it is tough stuff sealant then?

Is it really something important to do (similar to say treating the wooden fence), or just a waste of money?


texts: DIY question: spray-paint steel balls evenly

texts: A DIY-hobby question rather than home improvement. I need to paint a bunch of steel balls (1/4-1/3" dia) but I can't get even coverage. I thought shaking/rolling the balls around in a small container while spraying would help, but the results are very bad: each ball got a bumpy, sticky shell. Is there a method for painting steel balls evenly?


texts:
I'm looking to put up some new backsplash. I took off the old tile as carefully as possible, but some drywall was damaged. I put one hole in the wall which I will patch, but the rest, as you can see in the pictures, is in rough shape. The drywall is still solid, but the top paper ripped off in a lot of spots, and in some spots the glue is still showing.

I'm wondering the best way to prep before starting. Can I take all the paper off and tile right over the brown paper on drywall? Should I run some drywall mud over? Maybe do a thin layer of mortar and let it dry then tile over that?

Thanks for help


texts: Sizing a Well Pressure Tank - Size Change

texts:
Recently went downstairs to find a floor full of water near my HW Heater, softener and well pressure tank. Checked all 3 units and found multiple pinholes in the side of the pressure tank. Time for replacing. Also possibly time to increase size. Want some answers/opinions before I do it.
**Current tank is a Goulds V200 (65 gallon). According to their site the drawdown for my 40/60 switch is 17.4 gallons.
**Current pump is 3/4 hp Jacuzzi that produces 18 gpm according to the installation tag on its disconnect box.
Researching how to size a tank lead me to understand 18 gpm should be sized at 1.5 gallons of drawdown per 1 gpm. That's a drawdown of 27 gallons. Seems like I'm short cycling my pump with its current 17.4 drawdown.
Looking at sizing up to an 86 or 119 gallon tank. The 86 has a drawdown of 23.03 gallons and the 119 has a drawdown of 31.86 gallons according to the manufacturer specs. My pump seems to be right smack in the middle of these. Would it be fine to move all the way up to the 119 gallon almost doubling my drawdown capacity? The pump would run longer per cycle but cycle less often.
Drawbacks?
Pros and cons?
Assumptions: Not concerned about tank cost at this time. There is proper space for the 119.
Thank you.


texts: What material should a year-round green house in high elevation be made of?

texts:
I am constructing a green house this summer. I live in Ely, Nevada. It is at a high elevation and cold more so than it is warm. Building the structure is not a problem for me, but I do not know what type of material to buy/use for the outside. Can some one maybe help me?

Winter weather usually lasts well through mid April.


texts:
I am trying to connect this spigot (3/4 in. FIP Inlet):
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MA9F8RE/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
to this elbow (3/4" NPT Male):
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004XUKSF0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
If I understand correctly, FIP and NPT are directly compatible - right?
Even with paste thread sealant (which I believe you are supposed to use for this kind of connection), and tightening it wrench tight, it still leaks. Not spraying, or even dripping, but just pooling up water enough to drip one drip ever several seconds. This seems wrong. I noticed that when I unscrew the threads, they are really clean (i.e. the paste sealant seems to have been "pushed" out entirely when I connected the two).
Am I doing something wrong here?


texts:
I recently purchased a early 1970's home that has this interesting outlet installed in the master bedroom. It is the only outlet in the entire house like this and I'm not real sure what it is for and if it should be removed. I haven't checked it for voltage or current yet as I don't have a multi-meter handy.

Just by looking, can anyone identify this for me? Is it safe, should it be removed? I haven't been able to see what it's wired to in the attic yet either as the wall is hard to get to in the attic.


texts:
In an answer to this question Iggy's answer contains a picture that says "Maximum spacing between receptacles on the same countertop space is 4ft."

Does this mean if I were to build a house with 28 feet of countertop in the kitchen, I'd be legally required to have at least 7 outlets, or more?  That seems like a lot, what if I just want 2 or 3?


texts:
We have a small cabin that we would like to extend 10 feet in the back. It has a crawl space.  The architect and engineers have designed a new floor plan for the house that involves putting new footings (Piers) under the back wall, in addition to several other footings to support the extension.  It's a pretty big job for such a small cabin. It involves putting a new roof on the entire structure too.

I was wondering, just out of curiosity, how is it possible to put a new deep footing under an existing wall? Digging a hole for a pier seems pretty straightforward with an auger in an open space.  But how would it be done underneath the exterior beam of the house? Is it even possible, or would the beam need to be removed in the process? Or is there some way to drill sideways to accommodate the pier?

I really wish the architect could have done it another way.  I won't be doing this myself, of course, but I was just wondering what we are asking the builders to do.


texts:
So my dad came over today to do electrical but I didn't realize he was going to drill holes into the load bearing beam to route cables.

It looks like this and there's 2 of them:

The diameter of the hole is 1 inch.

One in a 14ftx6in beam and another in a shorter beam I'm guessing 6ftx6in.

Is this okay or should I somehow fix them? I read that you can use epoxy glue to fill the holes?

Thanks,


texts:
I just got done wiring boxes for my hardwired smoke detector system and am about to start installing detectors.  When testing in the end, I heard they sell some test aerosol spray which is the officially (I guess) endorsed way of doing it.

Just out of curiosity, I was wondering if there are alternative safe (as to not burn something or the whole house down) and efficient ways of doing it.  I had done it before by burning a piece of paper near one but I'm thinking there are better ways.


texts:
I would usually go with CLR and think it's worth every cent at that, but for reasons that are beyond the scope of this question, I am expected to justify every purchase necessary, especially chemicals and everything else a good god fearing carpenter might feel a need for but may raise eyebrows.

I found lemon juice does an OK job, basically I want to get all the rust off all the old screws and bolts in a pile of junk, I'm not exactly planning an Apollo mission here so they will do just as good as new.


texts: What material to use for cosmetic red brick touch ups outside?

texts:
There are some holes in the brickwork on the outside of my house from unneeded cable clips, anchors and DIY jobs gone bad.

Nothing structurally significant but I do want to achieve a cleaner look.

Maybe some paste I can smear over the holes? If there is such a thing, how is it called so I can buy some?
Or maybe I can make something myself?

Thanks


texts: Is the orientation of an expansion tank with respect to the pipe important?

texts: Does it matter whether a thermal expansion tank (for water heaters) is installed above the pipe it tees from (tank's threaded port pointing downwards) or if it's installed below so that it hangs from it (tank's threaded port pointing upwards)?


texts: Why is my breaker tripping after hooking dishwasher back up?

texts: I had to move my dishwasher, and in order to do that I had to disconnect it from power. I made a mental note of where the wires were before I disconnected and then put them back when I was done. Now, when I turn on the breaker for the dishwasher, it immediately trips. I replaced the breaker and it is doing the same thing.


texts: Will transformer operate a door bell/chime 200ft away?

texts: I want to install a doorbell with two bells and one button so it can be heard in two places. One location is within 25ft of the button. The other is about 200ft from the button. Will the transformer work from 200ft away or should I place it so it's 100ft from each bell?


texts: Pros and Cons of sealing a flat roof with liquid rubber product

texts:
We have an extension on our 1950s house which looks like it was put in very early on, and it extends a single bedroom out into a master bedroom size room.

This extension has a pretty flat (it has a slight slant on it away from the house) roof, which connects to the main house underneath the current eave.

The structure of this roof is solid - I (a fairly substantial 40 year old man with too many pizzas under his belt) can walk on it without difficulty.  The top surface is metal (type unknown).

This roof has developed a leak in heavy rain, which I have tracked down to one seal between two metal sheets - I have sealed it with spray sealant and this seems to have resolved the leak during our southern hemisphere winter rains.  There is no obvious issue with the seal, ie no obvious hole or deficiency, but spraying this one particular area has prevented water ingress during several nasty and sustained rain storms over the past few months (the leak originally came to light during a fairly heavy storm overnight in the middle of last summer).

One of the two options for permanently resolving this issue (other than replacing the roof) is to use a liquid rubber product to coat the entire roof in a waterproof seal - it looks fairly easy to apply, is supposed to last a decade, and looks like it can be worked into small nooks and crannies to form a good seal and coat.

What are the downsides to using this sort of product?

A few I can think of include:

Its pretty permanent, replacing it later on probably means a more significant amount of work on the entire roof
It may cover up other issues
It may not work
Its another one of those "cheap options" (probably $100 for our roof) which makes me think I'm about to do something very very wrong

What am I missing?


texts: Which side of door should I install a threshold draft excluder?

texts: I purchased this door bottom, MD Building Products 3 ft. x 1-3/4 in. x 1-5/8 in. Vinyl Door-Bottom Moulding, and the directions are straight forward except they don't indicate which side of the door you would screw this into.


texts:
I have an old house which probably dates back to 1920s or so. Most walls are plaster and the outside walls are brick. Tenants in the 80s or 90s did not take good care of it. It was rehabbed, quickly and a bit shoddily (which I did  not really discover until after I bought it). So there are tons of examples of cutting corners (literally; when we removed some drywall to do some work we discovered one corner did not actually have a stud supporting it).

We had a handyman lay the floor but not the trim. He installed it against the existing baseboard and I'm installing shoe molding to hide the gaps.

The dining room has around 10 feet of base molding which bows considerably, as does the wall behind it.

I've heard people mention that sometimes older homes used green wood which bowed when it dried. Here's the thing, though: when I push against the bottom of the wall, it gives noticeably. I'm wondering if it's possible that this wall is not really attached to anything — at least, not in the bottom middle — and if it would be possible to attach the base of the wall to something sturdy behind it (probably the brick as I'm not at all certain that there are studs there that I can use) so that it no longer gives or bows.

If this is a bad idea for some reason, what are my options for attaching shoe molding? Do I just force it against the curved baseboard? Do I cut it into shorter pieces to compensate, and angle the lengths accordingly?


texts: 12 Volt DC wiring in existing home for under soffit LED lights

texts: I am toying with the idea of putting in down facing LEDs under the soffits in an existing vinyl sided home.  I have an old 300 W landscape lighting transformer I wish to use for this.  What kind/gauge of wire should I use?  How do I run the wire?  It is not a huge home, but by the time wire runs up over and around to all the points I need it, I can see it being 80 to 100 feet from the transformer.


texts: How to wire 3 hots / 3 neutrals into this new TR outlet with 2 screws?

texts:
I'm redoing some of the outlets in our house, as they are pretty loose. Some of these have been really easy, but I came across one today where there were 3 hots and 3 neutrals. All 3 were going into the quick-connects in a outlet which looks like this:

Don't mind the destruction on the quick-connect in the picture, as I broke that taking the wires off and am not re-using this outlet. My new outlets look like:

For my other installations I've been using the screws on the side rather than the quick-connects, but since I had 3 hots/3 neutrals I figured I'd try to put 4 on the screws and the other 2 in the little quick connect holes. However, this plan doesn't work because it seems that the wire is too large for the quick connect holes on my new outlets (maybe a 14 gauge vs 12 gauge difference? )

What do I do in this situation? Do I nut two of the hots and 2 of the neutrals together? If so, can I determine the exact type of nut I need with my wire stripper (AWG of the bare wire correspond to the gauge of the wire or do I need to include insulation?).

Edit: A picture of the sides of the outlet I'm replacing, in which it looks like the tabs are present:


texts: How do I clean the aerator or replace the head of my kitchen sprayer?

texts:
How do I clean the aerator or replace the head of my CFG kitchen pull-down sprayer?

It swivels from left to right for either spray or flow - I know it detaches just cannot figure out how to clean or replace the head


texts: What material might be behind my old bathroom tile?

texts: I am considering removing the tile in my bathroom.  The house was built in 1948, and I am concerned of what I might find behind the tile.  Can anyone tell me how they attached the tile back in those days?  Directly to a plaster wall?  I am assuming I will need to install cement board, but will I need to remove plaster and lath if it is there?


texts: bi folding pantry door to frosted single door?

texts:
I have a brand new home, and in the kitchen is a bi folding door on a track for pantry. I am looking to convert it to one of those frosted doors. Can I just put this on hinges to the wall? Or do i need to get it as a pre hung door and install it with a door jamb, and remove the drywall around it etc? Having trouble finding information as a DIYer for this.

Currently there is no trim around bi folding doors. Just the painted dry wall with notches cut out at floor baseboard and trim.


texts: Multi point door lock security and can I use wood screws near it?

texts:
I've had a break-in so looking to improve my security. I have what I believe is called a multi point lock - see pic. Basically when you lock the door there are pins at the top and bottom of the door that go into the frame, in addition to the dead bolt.

I have ordered a replacement Euro cylinder (this is in Ireland) that resists "bump" and "snap" (Avocet ABS MK3 Euro Cylinder) but was wondering if brute force was applied to the handle (say using a pipe as lever), could the lock be forced open this way?

Also, I want to add some internal bolts to the door, top and bottom. Given that the multi lock runs the entire length of the door, how near to the edge could I put wood screws in without hitting the locking mechanism? I don't want to take it out to look just in case I have problems getting it back in!


texts: Type AC cable -- why is it still made/used?

texts:
Old-style armored cable (Type AC) is still made and widely distributed.  Why is this, given that type MC cable is more versatile (more conductor configurations, more Code-permitted applications) than type AC cable by far, and the new type MCI-A products coming out eliminate any edge AC may have had in termination labor?  I'd have thought type AC would be utterly obsolete now, replaced in all new work and rework by type MC.  Are there applications where AC can be used but MC (especially MCI-A) can't?

(For those who haven't kept up -- MCI-A is a type of MC cable that uses a bonding means consisting of a full sized aluminum ground wire integral with the corrugated, spiral wrapped armor, usually aluminum as well.  It is available through multiple manufacturers -- Encore calls it SmartGround or MC-SG, Atkore/AFC calls it MC-Quik, and Southwire calls it MCAP.)


texts: Can I use a well pump cable to supply a sub-panel?

texts:
I have a pump cable (red, yellow, black, green) going from my house (in buried conduit) to my garage. It comes from a 200 amp service box on a 240v 30amp breaker. Previous owner was going to put in new pump, but city did so and wired it. Wire from house is just sitting there. I have a new Square D Homeline 100 amp 12 circuit box. Can I use the 240v pump wire to power the new box? If so, how? I only need 120v in garage. This is a flat cable with four individually insulated conductors, these conductors are also separated within the casing itself. wire is 10/3 with ground USA.
THANKS IN ADVANCE.


texts: How can I remove a cordless drill chuck?

texts:
I have a Dewalt DC725 cordless drill. I was recently drilling some holes through a plasterboard ceiling and I guess the drill has been jammed with plaster dust because the chuck is stuck in the fully open position.

I thought that if I removed the chuck I could replace it, but I can't get it off. I have removed the holding screw from inside, but as it is jammed, I can't tighten it around an allen key to unscrew the chuck.

Thanks a lot in advance!


texts:
I have 2 systems in my house, my heat is gas hot water radiator heating and  A/C is a separate newer system.  I'm trying to figure out if I can run a C wire off air handler from the A/C system to run a wifi thermostat.  When I hook up the new thermostat with my current wiring it pulses my boiler for power and causes it to just turn on and off making a horrible noise.  I have 3 unused wires behind my thermostat, red, white and brown.  Based on the wiring diagram can somebody shed some light on where I would connect the common wire to?

Here's my current thermostat wiring

Here's the wiring diagram

Wiring mess in the air handler


texts: Effective method for waterproofing a tube through a hole drilled in the side of a bucket?

texts:
How to prevent water leaking around a tube passed through the side of a bucket? The bucket is plastic approx 1mm thick wall and the tube is rubber with 6mm outside diameter.

I drilled a 6mm hole and passed the tube through it, applying Araldite glue/resin around the on the inside and silicon sealant on the outside. I happened to have these lying around and decided were worth trying, but it doesn't feel robust at all.

What is the proper way of doing this? Preferably cheap and easily mass produced as long as the solution is robust and reliable.


texts: Led Ceiling Driver Box - attached or NOT to wood structure?

texts: For a Recessed Slim LED 4" round light, can the Driver Box lay inside the ceiling, NOT attached to anything or is it Ontario Electrical Code to be screwed to a wood structure i.e. a 2x4 ?? Thanks!


texts: How do I "un-winterize" my sprinkler system?

texts:
I just moved into a house in which the sprinkler system has been winterized. I want to get it going again, but I'm not sure what to do about these four valves here.

The previous owner told me that I need to go under the house and open a valve to deliver
water to the sprinkler system. I did that that and may or may not have turned the two blue knobs (can't remember what state they were in originally), and water started spraying out of the four valves in the picture above.

I can tell from looking at it that I'm probably supposed to get a screwdriver and tighten or close those valves. But I don't want to make an educated guess and damage the system. Should I completely close off all four of them?


texts: What to look out for when installing a gable attic vent?

texts:
My attic needs better ventilation. On one end of the attic it terminates to a room that has a cathedral ceiling, and the other end of the attic terminates at an exterior wall (the main gable). It is about 800 square feet with a shallow roof.There are overhangs on the sides of the house but no sofit vents yet. The only ventilation in the attic, aside from being a bit drafty after standing for ~100 years, is a ridge vent (which seems well done but is buried by snow seasonally).

With so little ventilation, right off the bat it seems more is needed. To make matters worse, there's a shower vent exhausting directly into the attic, and it needs someplace to go. (Thankfully, the attic's woods all look good with only one small and non-structural piece I've seen that aught to be replaced.)

On account of the above, a gable vent seems like a good option to vent the attic and also give me a place to vent the shower exhaust.

What should I look for when getting a gable vent installed or doing it myself? I've done some carpentry but am not confident about cutting holes in my house's shell, and even if hiring it out I want to learn what to look for in a good job. Any tips would be appreciated about what to look for in the gable vent itself, making cuts and installing the gable vent, or routing the shower exhaust out through the gable vent somehow.


texts: I have a subpanel in a detached garage that has 3 wires run from the main panel.  To the main there is 400 amps run from the electric provider with 3 wires, and it is split to have 200 amp service to the garage with 3 wires.  I know code now says it should be 4 wires, but what can I do to add safety to this service short of digging up concrete and dirt and adding that 4th wire?


texts: How can I convert Cat5e wired sockets to Ethernet?

texts:
I recently moved to a new home and I noticed that the phone jacks (RJ-11) were connected using Cat5e cable. I'm thinking I can replace the RJ-11 plugs with RJ-45 and use Ethernet over the existing Cat5e cable in one particular room to avoid having to run a cable under the carpet. The cable guy who came out to install my home internet and land line said that I could simply unplug the Cat5e cable from the telephone tap box and terminate it using a female or male RJ-45 and then treat it as if it were a normal cable. I am afraid that somehow the cable might be "daisy-chained" somewhere in the walls and therefore by hooking up and sending data over the new Ethernet connection, it might screw up my home phone. I also read somewhere that the ringing over a phone line generates something like 70-90 volts and "could fry my Ethernet card".

I did some research (here & here) and apparently the Cat5e cable only uses 1-6 of the wires leaving the last twisted pair unused. Does this mean when Cat5e cable is used for phone connection, only wires 7&8 or the last twisted pair are used for the phone line connection leaving 1-6 or pairs 1-3 available for Ethernet? If so, that would mean I could run the Ethernet connection safely because no data would ever be sent over the last pair which is the phone connection and therefore no data would be interrupted? If its any help to this theory, I noticed the brown wires (last twisted pair) were crimped or connected together in the wall jacks.


texts: I have had water leaking through to the downstairs kitchen and have recently discovered a gap between the shower and wall, I was wondering whether mould could have grown inside the wall and that this could of contaminated the water supply I am very worried about this, I have a picture that I have found online that looks similar to this


texts: Does amalgamating tape adhere to wet surfaces

texts: I want to seal around an antenna cable and joint through an opening that is always damp, so, please, can I use amalgamating tape where the surface it has to adhere to is damp? I have left out all the details of why this is needed, but believe me it is, so please no answers suggesting, or explaining, why I should not be doing it.


texts: I live in South Mississippi and have lived in my home with a slab foundation for about 20 years.  I have never had a problem with the foundation and the ground is mostly red clay.  We do have a septic system which was replaced about 2 years ago with an aerobic system that drains into the woods about 50 yards away.  About a month ago I noticed water standing next to the foundation (slab foundation).  I dug around it and it filled up with water.  There is a faucet right there that has leaked at the faucet but I can turn it off enough not to leak.  I've monitored the water meter and there is no leak coming into the house.  I dug a small trench to get the water to run away from the foundation. The water does not smell and looks clean, not cloudy or grayish.  The man with the water company in our community said it is probably a spring and will dry up on its own.  When they installed the new septic system they hit at least 2 other springs in the yard within about 30 feet of this area.  I'm just concerned that maybe the water from the bathroom sink or tub is causing this leak.  They are both right where this water is showing up.  I even took green food dye and put it in water from the sink, bathtub and toilet but nothing showed up outside.  I let the water run yesterday for a while with no change in the water level.  But when I looked this morning the water was up.  Of course I had been digging in the area so that may be why the water has increased.  The water level never gets very high and stays about the same except for this morning.


texts: Took down the drop ceiling to paint it black and am installing new recessed lighting and cleaning up/ fixing the terrible wiring job i discovered after removing the ceiling. My question, along some of the painted cinder block walls there will be outlets, can my conduit stop once at the ceiling or should i just run all junction boxes/lights/outlets in conduit ?


texts:
We are putting a 100 amp sub panel in a building with an eye toward making it a small apartment.  We will need to run 160 feet of wire from the 200 amp main. We have been told to use 12/2 gauge and 14/2 gauge for wall plugs and lights. What gauge do we need to run between the two boxes?  Thanks.

lizabet


texts: Overhead lights in apartmenet units flicker and eventually goes off...what is the cause and fix?

texts:
I live in an apartment building with 4 units. All units are experiencing this weird problem.
Two nights ago the overhead lights started to flicker and then eventually went off. The outlets in all rooms still work!

What could be happening? All 4 units have their own main breaker box. It's strange to me that all overhead lights (in a all 4 units) are behaving strangely.

Tonight...the same thing happened...we were eating dinner and then all of a sudden the lights started to flicker and then they all went off.


texts: Dead electrical outlets after replacement

texts: So I replaced all my kitchen outlets to white. I put all the wires exactly as I took them off. The wall outlets now will not work and the new GFCI outlet will not go hot. I took all the outlets back out to make sure none of the wire nuts came loose, even put the old GFCI outlet back in to make sure I didn’t have a bad GFCI. I am at a loss as to where to go to fix it?


texts: Installing fascia boards on uneven roofline

texts:
I am doing some repair work on an old shed. I cut back rotted rafter tails and installed new eave trim. I plan on adding drip edge and new asphalt shingles next. When I installed the eave trim, I nailed it in following the roof line edge. However, after I installed the eave trim I noticed that there is a noticeable bow to the bottom of the eave trim. I have considered keeping the trim level at the bottom and adding drip edge at the top to hide the uneven junction between the roofline and the top of the trim.
What is the proper way to handle installing eave trim on a roofline that slightly sags in the middle (i.e. 1-2" off in the center of the roofline)?


texts: GFI Leviton LB115-DS Testing at outlet with GCFI Tester

texts:
We're purchasing a new construction home and had an inspection done on it. The inspector flagged that the bathrooms were not GFCI protected. The builder is telling me that the panel is using leviton GFI breakers (https://www.leviton.com/en/products/lb115-df) in the panel in the garage. I think they are model LB115-DF. I bought my own GFCI tester (https://www.lowes.com/pd/Southwire-Analog-120-Volt-Test-Meter/1000970284) and tried using that on the receptacles. The circuits in the kitchen trip when I press the test button on the GFCI tester. In the bathrooms, when I press the test button nothing happens. The power stays on to the outlet. The garage and laundry room receptacles trip when I use the GCFI tester and press the test button. All of the resets are on the panel in the garage.
Is the GFCI Tester I'm using not the right tool to test GFI Circuit Breakers? Also, all the breakers in the panel look the same. So I would assume all the circuits in the house have that protection, but it seems like only the Kitchen, Laundry, and Garage trip with the tester.
Is there a potential wiring issue here? Do I need a different tool for testing this type of breaker to be confident its working right?


texts: I am trying to find the right board combination for a bridge.  Need to build a 20’ bridge across a ditch for Kawasaki mule or atv ; example will 4 2x12’s support 1500 pound load


texts: Why would a compact fluorescent lamp randomly turn off?

texts:
I have a CFL in a desk lamp that I keep on for several hours every day. Recently, the CFL has been randomly turning off. There is no flickering before the CFL turns off like I am used to with incandescent bulbs when they are going bad. If I tap the lamp with my finger the bulb instantly turns on again.

Is this an indication that the bulb is going bad or that the lamp has a bad connection?


texts: We bought a 1928 house, the plaster is sagging here to the point it is flush with the trim. How should I go about repairing this? Is it worth fixing? Thanks


texts: How can I reuse lumber from the basement walls of my 1938 home?

texts:
I'm capable and ambitious but inexperienced.  If the solution to my question is obvious, I probably didn't find the answer because I didn't know the right terminology to Google the question!

In my 1938 bungalow, someone (probably in the first decades of the home's existence) created the semblance of framed walls in the basement.  The bottom and top plates, however, were not attached to the floor above nor to the concrete below.  (Some predecessor of sheetrock was clumsily nailed over the studs--a real mess which I'm glad to have outta there.)

I saved the studs and have them stacked in my garage. It seems silly to buy new lumber when I have this sturdy, dried, thicker-than-the-new stuff studs.  Only they're all too short to frame a wall in the tidy ways I read about and watch on the Internet. I should probably trim off the ends that were previously nailed, too.

What would be the best way to get use out of these 2X4s?  Would I double the top and bottom plates?  Is there some convention for building a wall where the studs aren't tall enough to run from top to bottom in a single length--essentially building a wall with a top, "middle" and bottom plate?

Hope that makes sense.  I appreciate your expertise and feedback.

By the way, from my initial research, I think I understand that what I'm proposing doing wouldn't probably be acceptable for load-bearing/exterior walls. If what I read is correct, the primary function of the walls I want to build will be to hold insulation and to secure drywall to.

Thanks a lot.


texts:
my house is a typical semi detached 1930 house, there are two cracks on the both side of the bay window
, they are roughly about 3-4cm wide, it was easy to filled it up with the mortar.

the crack is caused by the front wall slightly moving forward, or perhaps the rest of the house moving backwards while pulling the front wall to cause the crack.

most of the houses on the street have got the identical issue, after spoken to the neighbours no one seems worried about it!

when I first purchased the house, the home buyers report did mention it, but wasn't rated as a serious problem. and didn't explain the reason why the house has moved, or is it likely to get worst or not

my question is, is there any way to stop it getting worst? or anyone had the similar problem knows the more about
the cause of the issue?


texts: Hairy frayed white stuff around bathroom heater pipe joints: asbestos?

texts: I’m a bit worried about some frayed hairy/stringy material around my heated towel rail in the bathroom, sticking out of the pipe joints. It is white, so doesn’t look like hemp to me, and I’m wondering if it could be some kind of asbestos product used to seal the pipes. Any advice would be appreciated!


texts: How do I insulate a neutral bar when installing it in a sub panel?

texts: I am adding a neutral bar to an existing sub panel and need to insulate the mounting screws so I don't ground my neutral bar, any suggestions on what to use?


texts: Replacing a electric receptacle in the middle of a series

texts:
I have an electric receptacle that looks like this.

It's half-hot and in the middle of a series to one other socket.
UPDATE: The photo above is the one I had goofed up putting back together. Here's what it actually looks like (the red and black are on the same side as expected)

And this is of course a plain receptacle.

I haven't been able to figure out (even with similar results) if it's possible to replace the top one with a bottom one. Another problem is determining which wire in each pair is from upstream or downstream.
Am I supposed to pigtail the pairs, along with a third wire that goes to this outlet? Mentally that doesn't seem like the right thing, but I couldn't really tell you why.
What would be the "correct" replacement receptacle for this usage? I'm having a hard time picking the right search terms.


texts: Does the estimated cost of this plumbing repair seem excessive?

texts: My home was built in 1965. Recently, a slowly draining bathroom sink was found (on rotor-rooting) to be obstructed by soft mud, leading our plumber to conclude that drain pipe under foundation was broken. He proposed tunneling under foundation (about 40 feet, then to include 15 foot detour to include kitchen drain) , to replace all drain pipes from bathrooms/Kitchen to main drain, then install 8 piers to support foundation, then replace dirt and concrete over access area. Estimated cost of $48,000 seems excessive. Your thoughts?


texts: How can I prevent multiple socket from being damaged?

texts:
I have the following setup at home:

one PC (300 W PSU)
two 22 " TFT monitors
a speaker system
one external hard disk with separate PSU -

all of the devices are plugged into a multiple socket with a foot-operated switch (sorry for the poor wording. What's the real name for this ?).

Nomally (and during operations) I am well below the maximum ratings of both the safety fuse and the multiple socket (both rate at 230VDC, 16 A ==> 3680 W).

However, I just yesterday replaced the multiple socket for the second time, because the switch is no longer operational (it is always 'ON'). When I moved into a new home a year ago, I noticed that the safety fuse often triggered when I switched on the multiple socket. I then replaced the fuse with a more lazy one (meaning it does not trigger as fast on power surges)

I suspect that the issue at hand is, that the moment I switch on the TFTs and the computer PSU immediately begin loading their capacitors and I get a really hefty spike.

How could I go about this?
Would it be enough to to attach a ferrit bead to the TFT cables?


texts:
While installing a wall mount for a 48" TV, I realized I made a mistake. I drilled a ⅜ pilot hole in the wall stud and then installed the anchors provided with the mount that the lag bolts would be secured in. Going back to the instructions I realized my mistake, having used the directions for the "Concrete wall installation" instead of the "Wood stud wall installation."
The Concrete wall installation instructions say not to use these for a wood stud installation, but rather to use a 7/32 pilot with the provided lag bolt.
As far as I can tell, the only difference between the concrete and wood stud installation is that the concrete uses the provided anchors, and both use the same 4 lag bolts.
So do I need to fill these holes with wood filler or something and start over, or will the concrete anchors make a difference at all?


texts:
If you take apart an existing PEX connection, is it going to perform correctly if you re-crimp the same end of the tube - without cutting it - to a new fitting?

Often with PEX you can flex it a bit and get a little more length, and probably if that is the case you should cut a fresh end. But if you really have NO additional length to work with... would this work?

Assume that the tube end isn't damaged while removing it from the original fitting (which can be difficult). A really warped, cut, or otherwise mangled pipe end may pose a greater risk and isn't what I'm really thinking of. That said, even a carefully removed tube will have some distortion from the barbs it was pressed into.

Thanks


texts:
I was answering a trouble call in an apartment today that a pendant light fixture had come down and was hanging by the wiring.

I went to remount it, but noticed that the light fixture wiring was connected to Black and Ground. The white was unused and coiled up...and oddly, there was a coiled up unused red wire (Like for a 3-way switch, but this isn't a 3-way switch controlled light). They just used that type of cable for the wiring and didn't use the red wire - what a waste.

The light switch for the fixture is on a 2-gang box. The other switch on that box is for the kitchen lighting (which IS a 3-way switch controlled fixture). So I opened up to check the wiring in the box and think I see what's going on.

The kitchen 3-way light looks to be set-up like Wiring Diagram #1 from this link: https://dengarden.com/home-improvement/how-to-wire-a-3-way-switch-wiring-diagram

Power comes in to the kitchen light fixture and then runs over to the 2-gang box (Use that top oval in the wiring diagram for visual). The white wire going into the box is now the hot. There isn't really a neutral on this wire going into the box, right?

Well so now back to the problem pendant light fixture (not the kitchen light fixture). It takes it's hot from that white wire. But there's no actual neutral to tap into, so instead the problem light fixture uses ground as the neutral.

Does there need to be another power-in cable run to the 2-gang box for the problem pendant light fixture to tap into?

I need to check the other apartments now. Maybe this is how all of them are done.


texts: Replaced AC Filter and now AC is not turning on

texts:
I just changed the filter for my National Comfort model CPG41238-U23 AC unit and now the unit is not turning on. Initially it was turning on but constantly short cycling every 30 seconds. Now the unit is only blowing air via the fan. Does anyone know why this is happening? It is a relatively new unit and it was working perfectly fine until I replaced the filter. Thanks.
The brand and model of the HVAC unit is National Comfort Brands, Model CPG41238-U23
So currently the unit says its cooling according to my thermostat but it clearly is not as the temperature on the thermostat has been at 78 all day and I have the temperature set to 70. There is no cold air coming out of the vents, just the fan seems to be on. I checked to see if the heating works and it seems to be working just fine. The cooling is just not working. I looked for the switch that dandavis mentioned and there is a switch that seems to be triggered when the slotted door to the filter is opened/closed. There is no actual switch or anything that is directly touching the filter, only the slotted door. I turned the cooling off via the thermostat and then I turned the unit off using the lightswitch located near the unit. I checked the circuit breaker and nothing was tripped. I turned off the unit via the circuit breaker, waited 1 minute then flipped the circuit back on, then turned the unit on via the lightswitch, waited for my thermostat to reboot then turned on cooling. Still no luck. Here are some attached pictures of the units filter area including the switch I Found, the thermostat reading, as well as more information about the model. Thanks again for the help.
https://imgur.com/a/c3whP4V
Also, the outside unit is not blowing out any air either.
So I consulted with some other people and they are saying that since the thermostat is on cooling, the inside vents are blowing out room temperature air, the outside unit is not blowing out any air, and the circuit breaker was not tripped, they are saying that likely the capacitor is lacking a hard start kit. Since apparently changing the filter requires opening the slotted door which causes the shut off switch to be triggered and as a result the capacitor is having a hard time starting back up without a hard start kit. If anyone agrees or disagrees please let me know, I would really appreciate it. Thanks again for all your responses!


texts: AC Blower Motor not working during night

texts:
The blower motor in the furnace stops working at night most of the time when the AC should be on.  The blower motor (in the furnace) might run for one or two cycles at the beginning of the night but then it stops working the rest of the night.  The outside condenser will run all night, draining my bank account, since it's being told to by the thermostat.  Because the blower motor stays off most of the night, this causes the AC lines to freeze from the compressor (outside) to the evaporator (inside on furnace).  At some point during the morning, the blower motor starts working again somewhere around the time where the thermostat set point changes (programmable thermostat) and everything thaws out and starts working again.  During the daytime, there seems to rarely be problems, but they do happen occasionally as verified by my online data gathered by the smart thermostat (Ecobee).

I have tested as follows.  At 2:00AM, when AC lines are frozen, the condenser is running (fan and compressor), and the blower motor is called for but not working, I completely shut off the system at the thermostat.  I then use the thermostat's installation testing feature to manually turn on the "fan" (aka blower motor).  The blower motor does not come on even though I have verified 28VAC is present at the "G" (fan) connection at the furnace when this manual test is activated.  I have even disconnected power completely to the furnace, waited 10 minutes, plugged everything back in, and still see the same results most of the time.

When the problem persists for 4 or more hours, the thermostat will detect something is up and display the following on the screen - "Cooling problem... There may be a problem with the Cooling system.  For the past 4 hours the thermostat has been calling for cool, but the room temperature has increased by 3.9F"

My AC repairman has taken out the blower motor and tested everything, seeing no issues.  Now a new motor control board is on the way but I'm a bit skeptical that this will solve anything after reading some other posts on Stack Exchange with similar issues and no solutions...

Update:  The new motor control board was installed yesterday and everything worked during the day.  However, the system again froze last night after the furnace blower motor had been non-functional for enough time.  The thermostat again displayed the "Cooling problem..." alert as we were sweating in bed.  The low pressure line outside was a Popsicle when I checked it at sunrise as the system continued to cycle on/off with no blower motor.


texts: How to extend Sump Pump discharge pipe from house

texts:
My house's sump pump discharge pipe exit's the house a couple of feet high from the ground and runs straight down.  I don't want it dumping right next to the house (kid's sandbox is there now) so I was thinking of adding a 90 degree elbow and running it to a different spot away from the sandbox.

I'd rather not discharge the water right next to the foundation, but I also don't want to extend the pipe into the yard where the kids could trip over it (nor do I want to mow around it).  Any ideas on how to discharge away from the foundation without being a hazard?


texts: How do I cover up this partially exposed brick?

texts:
Looks like someone tried to parge this brick and then put a layer of skim coat over it? I tried to take off everything that was already crumbling off and what's left is pretty stuck on there. Any ideas?

I'm pretty new to all of this so the more detail (such as products and methods to use) the better.

Thanks


texts: I've had my Victorian flat rewired and this involved moving electrical sockets from the skirting boards (baseboards) leaving rectangular holes in the wood. Is it possible to patch these and repaint or am I better off replacing the boards?


texts: 3-way light circuit to an outbuilding with a disconnect

texts:
US, Southern CA, NEC 2017
I'm hoping to run power from a house to a new backyard shed and I'd like to be able to control the lights from both the shed and the house, but I'm not sure if I'd run afoul of the circuit-limitations for an outbuilding. For this use case adding a subpanel at the shed isn't an option, and both circuits are 120v. Hardwired solutions (no wireless switches) preferred.
Questions

Is there an acceptable method to control a light at an outbuilding using a 3-way circuit, with one switch inside the outbuilding, and one at the feed point?
Since there needs to be a disconnect means at the outbuilding, what could be used to satisfy this requirement?


texts: Is all copper pipe pretty much the same?

texts:
Is there different levels of quality in copper plumbing pipe? I see copper pipe at Home Depot and I assume plumbing supply stores sell it too. Does pretty much everybody sell the same quality of copper pipe, or are there differences I should be aware of?

By copper pipe, I mean the typical 1/2" and 3/4" copper pipe used in residential plumbing applications.


texts: Contractor not using thin set between sub floor and cement board

texts:
So, I've made a big stink with the flooring guys about how they have installed the Hardiebacker cement board for our tile.  They skipped putting down the thin set under the cement board even though the installation instruction specify that it is required.

from instructions:

Apply a supporting bed of mortar or modified thinset to subfloor using a 1/4” square-notched trowel.

The flooring guy called me and said that JamesHardie company tech support said that if he used screws instead of nails they could forego the thin set under the cement board.

So I called JamesHardie tech support and their offices are currently closed... So I can't verify this claim.  This seems quite shady.

Am I wrong to push the issue or should I just let him use the screws and go about the job?  They have umpteen years experience doing this stuff.

Also,  will this cause problems down the road, and should I continue pushing the issue?


texts: Why is there a current in my house panel grounding strip

texts:
When I measure current in the grounding strip coming from my house electric panel to the water pipe using clamp meter I am getting slowly fluctuating value from 1.5 A all the way to 4 A. In my understanding (I have PhD in physics and I work as an electronics engineer, so it is a reasonably good understanding) this strip is normally not supposed to carry any significant current.

Now, this current is not a result of any problem inside the house. The ground and neutral wires are bonded together inside the panel (I've checked), so even if something in the house leaks current to the ground wire this current returns to the neutral in the panel, it does not go into the grounding strip.

I am reasonably sure that utility neutral is bonded to earth at street transformer as well, so ground strip and water pipe and earth is just another way for current to return to the transformer, parallel to the neutral utility wire. But utility wire is 1 inch thick metal conductor and creates a very easy path for current to return, there should not be any reason for 4A of current to go through the grounding strip unless there is something wrong with utility neutral.

Is there any other explanation? I started measuring things because my power consumption is abnormal and I am looking for a reason.

Best regards,
Alex.


texts: Does lowering the regulator setting of fan minimize electricity usage

texts: We have ceiling fans with "regulators" that allow us to control the speed of the fan, so does reducing speed of the fan translate into power savings rather than heat dissipation in the control element?


texts: What should I do with the wires before I put a cap over the hole left by my (broken) electric smoke alarm?

texts:
We have a wired smoke alarm system. We've lived here 9 years and I have no idea if they work or not, so I installed battery-operated ones in pretty much every room.
One day the wired one upstairs was going off for no reason. It didn't even sound normal - it sounded like it was going out. So I pulled it off and detached it from the clip.
I want to find a cap to put over it to plug the hole but I'm wondering what to do with the wires. The orange/red wire is just hanging and the white and black wires are attached to the clip that went into the alarm.


texts:
My mom's house has two hot water heaters (duplex). The first I replaced 7 years ago and everything is fine. The second I replaced 5 years ago and the unions are very corroded.

The two water heaters are the same make. They use the same dielectric unions. They are both bonded. The both have anode rods installed. They both use the same city water.

The only difference is the newer heater has a blinking light controller the old one has a dumb controller.

The old heaters used regular unions and were not bonded. They had lots and lots of corrosion. After the first heater didn't develop any corrosion I figured that I solved the problem. I also don't see any leaks.

What could be causing this corrosion and how can I fix it?


texts: Is it better to install temp service or permanent outdoor service with future home as subpanel?

texts:
This is for a 10 acre new residential lot in NW Washington. The transformer is 200ft away and this will be a new underground service to the home site. I'll be working on building the house myself over the next few years. The power company wanted to install temporary service but they say it can only be "temporary" for 1 year and they charge another $175 to hook up the permanent service. Additionally some parts of the temp service panel wouldn't be able to be reused for the permanent installation so there's a few hundred dollars in other wasted costs.  At the location where I would put the temp service there will be a 30A RV hookup and a 20A circuit for some plugs. This is about 25 feet from the location of the eventual house. I would like to keep the RV hookup and plugs there after the house is done, so I thought why not make that the permanent location of the meter and main panel and run the house as a subpanel? My load calculations for the house alone using NEC 220 Part IV show that a 100A subpanel is more than adequate so I could use 2 AWG, XHHW-2 Al feeder wire from the main outdoor panel to a 100A subpanel in the house. The cost of 4 wires (2/2/2/6) are only $1.19/ft. The main outdoor panel would be 200A to accommodate the additional outside RV and plugs. The outdoor panel would also be able to handle future expansions like a  shop or hot tub.  I was planning on the Eaton MBE2040B200BTS 200A Meter Center for the permanent outdoor panel mounted on a 6x6 PT post or the side of a tiny shed with a roof overhang to protect it from rain. Are there any problems with this approach?

EDIT: I forgot to mention that an EUSERC approved panel is not required by my utility.

EDIT2: According to the comments below an EUSERC approved panel IS actually required by my utility.


texts: Materials for building a sound proof home office in a 5 ft x 6 ft x 8 ft cube

texts:
I have a big living room 16ft x 22ft x 10 ft(height). I wanted to take a small corner 6ft x 5ft x 8ft(high) to build a home office. I was initially planning on building a steel cube frame out of 3/4 inch square shaped steel pipes. And then tacking on thick(1/2 inch) sheets of plywood all around. However, while researching online I have found that drywalls may be a better better suited for my use case.

I am looking for the following attributes in this cubicle:

Sound proof: I'd like this cube to be as sound proof as possible.
Since this is a home setting, there would be noise in all
frequencies. Also, I am open to closing all the 6 sides of the cube
and installing a small split ac if that is the best way to do this.
Robust: I have a son who is 1.5 years old, I don't want the walls to
fall and cause any injuries.
Inexpensive or Mobile: This is a
rented place, I don't want to spend too much money into this if I
cannot move/reuse the materials to a new place.

So, my questions are, which material is best for my use case? Steel cage with plywood walls? or Steel cage with drywalls? This is all new to me, so please point me in the right direction :)

EDIT:
My primary requirement is to block the sound coming from my home into the cubicle.


texts: How do I connect a chandelier to this ceiling wiring?

texts: I just moved in to a 16 year old house and replacing a ceiling fan with chandelier. Chandelier has conventional white, black and ground. The fan was connected to red and ground only, which I guess was incorrect. How do I connect the new chandelier. Picture of the outlet attached.


texts: Does portable band saw have fixed blade width to go with them?

texts:
I've looked around blades for those ordinary stationary band saws and for the band saw I checked out that takes blades of length 59 1/2" (I won't say the exact product, as I don't want to sound as if I'm promoting it), it's specified that the blade width can go from 1/4" to 3/8".

Looking at other blades of length 59 1/2" from different brands, I've seen one that is even 1/8" in width. Though I don't know if the the stationary band saw mentioned can handle it.

I've ordered a portable band saw (again, I won't say the exact product) that takes blades of length 44-7/8". The manual of the portable band saw I ordered specifies 1/2" width of blade, with variation only TPI, but no other choice for thickness or width.

I've looked at other brands of length 44-7/8". At this point, it seems that blades of length 44-7/8" are meant for a number of portable band saws from different brands. I've checked these 44-7/8" blades from different brands and it seems that it only width it comes in is 1/2".

So is that the rule of thumb that portable band saws blades only come in fixed widths, as they are only meant for cutting straight through?


texts: Purple primer left on over night: can I use it?

texts:
I am using Oatey purple primer with Oatey medium gray pvc cement. This is a 2 inch PVC pipe job for pool pump to filter.

I have a joint where I applied purple primer then realized I am not ready for the fitting so I need to leave it overnight.  This fitting is to an ABS filter valve.  I realized I need Green ABS to PVC transition cement and will get some tomorrow.

Can I add some fresh primer on the PVC pipe before I glue it the next day with green PVC to ABS cement?  Or must I cut off that piece of pipe and start over?


texts: Sealing a Garage door during hurricane flooding

texts:
In 2016, hurricane Irma caused flooding of 8 inches into the garage.  Thankfully the flooding did not go into the interior of the house.  Hurricane Dorian is imminent: I do not expect to be able to keep out 12+ inches of water, but if I can keep out 8 inches with a small time / cost investment that would make sense.

Is there any history to show that polyurethane foam (marketed by Dow as "Great Stuff") applied to the garage door gaps (maybe in conjunction with a tarp) would buy / confer a degree of flood resistance?


texts:
I'm looking to do a little DIY project where I replace the refrigeration lines of my mini-fridge with some clear PVC piping to show what's going on inside. I haven't verified the PVC will withstand the operating temperatures, and I may have to look to another clear material, but is this something I can do without damaging the unit?

I believe the refrigerant will be highly pressurized, so I may have to replace it altogether I assume.


texts: How can I properly vent a basement toilet & shower using an AAV?

texts:
When we bought our house the plumbing drains for a basement bathroom were roughed in but they did not install any vent lines for them.

We have the first floor plumbing draining into the main stack which drains down into the concrete of our basement and out to the street. The basement bathroom toilet/sink/shower rough in drains tie into that main drain underneath the concrete. They are all capped right now. To properly vent with PVC would be too much demo to the upstairs so we are planning on using Air admittance valves(AAV)(Studor vents). (I can draw a picture if my explanation makes sense)

To vent the sink drain I'm planning to install an AAV inside the vanity.

How do I properly use an AAV with the shower and toilet? For the shower/toilet I'm assuming bust up the concrete, tie into that drain after the P trap with pvc, and run it up into the unfinished area and install AAV's there? Will that work?


texts: I saw a thread on here that kind of discussed this, but I am trying to hang a queen platform bed from a cement ceiling in a Loft apartment model.  It will not be used, just more decoration, although someone may sit on it.  The building is old probably 1920's cement ceiling. Can I use Red Head Multi-set II Drop in Anchors?  4 ropes to hold the four corners of the bed.


texts: Furnace blower intermittently stops working

texts:
The blower on my furnace is set to be on constantly. The last two nights in a row I have woken up in the middle of the night to hear that the blower is not running and that the temperature is dropping quickly.

Both nights I got up and turned the system off entirely.

Morning 1: Turned system back on, and it seemed to just blow cool air after running for five minutes. So I opened the furnace and pulled the filter, and found that someone (oops) had installed it backwards. Put it back in the right way and turned the system on, and it started blowing hot air. Eureka! I've solved it.

Night 2 the same thing happens, so I turn the system off and go back to sleep.

Morning 2, this time when I turn it back on, it works normally and is blowing hot air.

Any suggestions as to what this could be?


texts: Home extension causing existing structure damage

texts:
I have a pretty standard to North America wooden carcass home - two floors above ground, and a sub-basement below, plus an attached garage, sitting on top of it's own foundation.
Over the summer I had a room built over the garage, which went reasonably well, everything approved by the city and the contractor's architect.
During the recent snowfalls, I guess a large amount of weight was added to the new extension and I saw that the floor in the 2nd floor room adjacent to the new space kind-of bent upwards near the wall next to the newly added space, with the hardwood tiles spreading out.
I don't see any other damage (at least so far), but I wonder what I should do about it - if I simply fix the floor, will I be ignoring a larger issue? Will it actually cause even more damage in the summer when the weight of the snow is gone and the beams that are bending straighten out again?
Should I simply call the contractor and drop the problem in his lap, or get an inspector to take a look at the damage first?
Any other recourse?
Note - I'm in Canada, so the snow and extra weight isn't something rare like you'd expect down in Texas for example. I do believe the contractor should have examined the existing structure while he had the walls open and determined the existing beams are strong enough to connect the added structure to.
Thanks
Here's a closeup photo showing two floor pieces, one that remained in place and another that moved:


texts: Will I be able to replace the tub and shower fixtures in my apartment home myself?

texts:
I live in a roughly-50 year-old apartment building and would like to renovate the bathroom myself. I've tiled and replaced sinks and toilets in the past, but I'm unsure about replacing the tub and shower fixtures (knobs, spouts, etc.).

Will I be able to shut off water to the tub without needing to shut off water in my whole line of apartments? I can find a third valve underneath the neighboring sink that appears to control the hot water flow to the tub, but no clues about the cold water.


texts: Why do I need an 8 gauge cable for 40 amps at 220v?

texts:
I need to install a 220v circuit for 40 amps(on my 110v power), 8-3 copper wire is rated for 40 amps. However, isn't 40 amps at 220v actually 110v, 20 amps on each hot wire? (on the US split-phase power, that is) I may be misunderstanding something fundamentally, and please note I won't take a big risk, I'm just curious if I understand this correctly. Also sorry if I posted this in the wrong place, or asked the same question I couldn't find a question similar to mine.

UPDATE:
Thank you so much! I figured I probably misunderstood, I understand DC power pretty good, I must not quite understand AC completely then.


texts: What is the simplest way to create custom decorative LED-lighting?

texts:
I have always wanted to build decorative lamps with LEDs (application example: imagine a model boat with Xmas lights).

Is there a way (commercial, or custom-built) to power several LEDs, so that:

The power supply is compact, elegant, and wall-pluggable (not battery-powered)
There are simple and robust ways to wire the individual LEDs
The whole thing doesn't cost much ? (in the order of tens of USD for the power supply + LEDs + connectivity)

I know that I can buy plain LEDs from electronic manufacturers, build a power supply with my bare hands, recycle an AC/DC adapter from a phone charger, solder everything and have it running cheaply. I know (more or less) how to do this, but it would take me a long time and the result would be ugly and dirty.
On the other hand, I know that there are now LED systems that can be screwed just like a light bulb, but this is not what I am after either.

Are there any intermediate solutions that would be adequate for the above needs ?


texts: Any problem to build a house that covers a same-sized hole in the ground?

texts:
I have recently bought a piece of land to build a country cottage and perhaps eventually move there permanently. The terrain is sloped with only a few flat spots. The former owners dug a large rectangular hole in one of these flat spots, with about 1,5m deep, with the intention to have a pond, but never completed it. The hole has almost the same size I would plan to build a wood house, and at the right spot.
Since I plan to keep the available flat spots as they are, to have yard, and since I don't have any clever plan for the hole, I was wondering:
Would there be any problem to build the wood house over the hole, so as to cover it? It does not appear to accumulate water inside (at least not for long), and the vegetation at the bottom is suggestive of a well drained soil. (I can only tell so far, because I haven't visited the place so many times yet).
And if perhaps I can take advantage of the hole-house interaction, I would love to hear about any tips.


texts: Why do you double the bottom row of asphalt shingles

texts:
I've been taught that when you lay shingles, the first (bottom) row on the eave should have a double row, and that the bottom one is placed upside down.

Why?


texts: Wiring new ceiling fan to existing light switch box

texts:
I will be installing a ceiling fan/light kit in our bedroom that did not have any sort of ceiling fixture before.  Currently, the only light switch in the room is a two-way switch that controls the top half of a wall outlet (the jumper tab is broken off on the outlet).

My plan was to install a double-gang box in the wall where the current light switch is and run the new 14/2 cable through the attic to the new fan.  When I took out the existing light switch i noticed this configuration, where the white wire is always hot and the black is switched hot:

Then within the box is the following:

I know it may be tough to make out but one set of nutted wire are two white wires coming out of the wall.  The second set are three wires, the black and white coming from the switch and a red line wire coming from the wall.

My question is, if I want to add a second light switch for independent control of a new ceiling fan, how do I tie that into the current wiring configuration?


texts: 2x6 deck joists: salvageable or need replacing?

texts:
We have a roughly 10x30 elevated wood deck off the pack of our house. The joists are all 2x6 16oc. The posts are 4x4 and are holding up a beam that the joists hang off of with joist hangers. I feel this deck is under built, though I will say it feels very solid for what it is.

I plan on doing the following:

add a beam under the joists a foot or so in (to lessen the initial span).
use 6x6 posts.

The big question: Do I need to replace the 2x6 joists and make them larger?

I'm finding mixed answers out there on the internet. Some span tables include 2x6 and claim about a 9'6" span when 16OC. Others simply say "don't use 2x6 joists.

If I do have to replace the joists, we're probably looking at a full tear down and starting from scratch. I can live with that, but if I can save the time, money, and extra waste going to the dump by keeping the 2x6s, I'd be certainly for it.


texts: White spirit and wire wool to remove paint traces from wood

texts:
I've been stripping paint from some softwood beams using both stripper and a heat gun (very stubborn patches and I have no idea what the paint type is - we've only owned the house for a few months). I'm left with beams that have all the main paint off them but because they are rough softwood there are plenty of flecks left behind, which hopefully you can see in the attached picture, although my phone camera is pretty rubbish. I don't want to sand the beams since they have a dark stain on them which we would like to keep ideally (matches other beams) and also getting a sander into the angles is impossible.

I've been told at some point that white spirit and wire wool is the way to get rid of a fair amount of the residue (maybe not all but that's OK), however I'm now having doubts as I've heard this leaves an oily residue and we may want to wax or oil or otherwise treat the beams with something like Osmo Wood Wax.

Will white spirit be OK, or should it be avoided, and if so, what other strategies are available to me beyond sanding?


texts: Getting UPS Power from One Room to Another

texts:
I’d like to run power from a Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) in ROOM A to where a work computer is used in ROOM B. I was thinking of installing an outlet box in ROOM A near where the UPS is plugged in, then run wire under the house to another outlet in the other room. That way I could just plug the UPS power out into the receptacle in ROOM A and the computer into the outlet in ROOM B on the other side of the house. Of course this line would not be connected to a circuit breaker, only from outlet to outlet.

I want to run the UPS to be available for use in both rooms, that’s the reason for the additional line.

Would there be any problems with this from a code perspective?
Would it require traditional wiring and hardware (e.g. Romex, outlet boxes) to accomplish it?


texts:
I would like to remove two metal clothesline poles in my backyard. I was thinking of doing it by digging around the poles and cutting using a reciprocating saw.
Is this a decent method? It may be important to note that I would be using a Ryobi battery powered saw, which may not have the same oomph that electric saws have. The pole is shown in the back by the fence.
Should I be buying a particular blade for metal? I am a bit of a noob.


texts: how can I know whether my hardwood floor is glued down or nailed down?

texts:
I am not sure whether the floor is glued down. If yes, it will be a big challenge for me to replace it in the future...

Is there anyway to identify whether it's glued down or nailed down?


texts: Metal bracket to hang stringer below joist?

texts:
I need to hang a stringer (basically another 2x8) right below my deck joist 2x8. Look like this photo

Can you tell me what kind of hanger / bracket is it in the red circle?

The article is from here

http://www.familyhandyman.com/decks/designs/backyard-decks-build-an-island-deck/view-all

And I was looking at this skew hanger but I don't believe it has ability to allow the 2x8 to sit right below another 2x8:

http://www.lowes.com/pd_29926-166-LSSH15-TZ___?productId=3375802


texts: What are the main causes of loose connections in lighting circuits?

texts:
I'm fairly new to doing house jobs myself, so I apologise if this is an unsuitable question here.

I have a ceiling light which has started working only intermittently. I understand from the many answers to similar questions here and elsewhere, that I should be looking for loose connections as a first port of call, which I intend to do. The thing I've not been able to glean from those answers, which I'd like to know before I start looking, is what causes loose connections. I don't want to just 'paper over the cracks' of the problem, I want to solve the root cause if possible.

The switch I can understand, it's turned on and off hundreds of times and any one of them might well be the last straw on a worn connection. But people are suggesting looking at the ceiling rose connections and the junction box. The thing is, no-one's even so much as nudged those. The ceiling rose is completely out of reach and the junction box is in the attic. The light has worked fine for at least ten years and just wouldn't turn on one day, then it turned on fine the next day and has been intermittent ever since.

So my question is, say I open up the switch tomorrow and find nothing wrong there. What should I be looking for in the ceiling rose/junction box that might indicate what actually caused any loose connection I find there to suddenly spring into existence without anyone touching it after ten years of flawless service. As I say, I don't want to just paper over the cracks, tighten up the connection and ignore whatever factor caused it to just 'come loose' all of a sudden.


texts: Wall leaks due to rotten wood in footer!

texts: My home was built in 1979, and I have a small leak in the basement. It appears to me that the water is coming from a piece of 1x4 that is embedded in the footer, presumably this wood goes all the way thru to the outside and is now rotten and leaking. As this is the wet season, I'm trying "radonseal" to stop the leak for now, then a more proper fix this summer.  I'm thinking I can just dig out the rotten wood and patch with new concrete once things dry out.  My question is, why is this piece of wood sticking thru a basement wall in the first place?  Maybe it was intended as interior wall then they changed plan? Basement leak


texts: Mounting a monitor arms clamp on an IKEA desk, what can I use to distribute the load?

texts:
I have this IKEA desk which I use for my computer. It currently holds two 27" monitors.
The monitors are too low for my eyesight, so I bought this two-monitor arms to hold them up and free some space underneath.
I was reading a bit about how strong the desk is, and it looks like the desk is likely too weak for the weight to be put on one 5cm x 5cm spot on the desk, due to the wooden panel's structure:

So I need something to distribute the load across a larger surface of the desk. Probably something that's tough enough to actually distribute the load as opposed to something weak that will bend and just pass the load on the spot.
I'm not very experienced with DIY projects, any idea what I could use?
(I'm in London, UK, if it helps)


texts: Clothes washer , fridge, electric dryer , electric range not working

texts:
First time post here, hoping someone can figure out what is wrong with my electric circuit .
Our Clothes washer , fridge,electric dryer , electric range sometimes will not work(no power) but will suddenly back on again . Clothes washer ,fridge sharing the same circuit with 20A circuit breaker, range and dryer are individual 240v 30A and 50A .
can anyone tell me what is wrong ? Or anything to look for ? Thanks


texts: How could I address this dead space between my stair case and this wall?

texts:
Because the renovators squeezed a half bathroom in the space beside/under the stairwell, there is an awkward 3-4" dead space between the banister and the stairwell wall (pics below).

I've never quite seen anything like this, so I'm a bit puzzled as to how I could eradicate this space.

It might be helpful to know that both the stairs and the adjacent hallway are already quite narrow (25 in. or 63.5 cm each).


texts: Why is there an extra conductor in my hew home's light switch circuit?

texts: We are trying to install a ceiling light in a new build home. The wires are all there and connected to a single pole switch, but the ceiling box has 4 wires(black, white, red and ground) and the switch only has red, black and ground attached. What wires do I use for the light fixture itself?  Usually it’s white to white, black to black and ground to screw, but the red wire is throwing me off since there is only one switch for this light. Any help would be great!


texts: Making a small drain/vent/hole in a glass box

texts:
I've got a glass box that measures 900mm x 450mm x 450mm.

The width of the glass is about 6mm thick.

If I drill, cut, or grind a small hole in/through one of the faces; will it significantly affect the structural integrity of that piece of glass?

I'm concerned it might become prone to flexing, and cracking; if I pick it up to move (or transport) it, for instance.

Is there some kind of ratio, or formula that I can use to determine a relatively safe size, and adjacent edge distance for an aperture?

If you're wondering: It's basically a small indoor display garden / vivarium type situation, which needs at least a single outlet point through which gravity can be allowed to drain the excess fluids from the soil.


texts: What's going on with the electrical wiring (or devices) in this room?

texts:
I was soldering components onto a circuit board that was placed on a rubber-like soldering mat on a table. Simultaneously, I was listening to audio from my desktop computer, using wired headphones.
The computer and the soldering iron were plugged into different power outlets within the same room.
I hear electric pops through the headphones every time the tip of the soldering iron and the soldering wire simultaneously touch the metal parts of the components that I’m soldering.

Is this normal, and is it something to worry about? What is it a sign of?


texts: Connect 110mm pvc to clay oblique junction

texts:
I want to install a toilet and replace the existing 60mm cast iron pipe with 110mm pvc

It looks as if the cast iron has been cemented into the clay pipe junction

I’m trying to avoid replacing the clay junction as it is shared with four other properties

I’m thinking of drilling holes into the cement around the cast iron to remove a plug of cement leaving a hole large enough for the 110pvc

Does this sound sensible?


texts: New basin waste leaks, only when plug is removed

texts:
I've just fitted a new basin waste with a plug in a chain. I've tried with the supplied washers etc, and with plumber mait, and have the same results each time. The seal holds whilst the plug is in, however if I run water without the plug in or when I release a basin full of water, I get a significant leak coming out directly under the sink.

The waste has a hole either side for the overflow (seems fairly standard?) and I have lined this up with the overflow at the back of the sink, but it seems that when I release water down the plughole, it is coming out of these overflow holes and then travelling down the outside of the waste.

Despite watching many YouTube tutorials, I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong!


texts: Is a radiant floor enough to heat the room?

texts:
I would like to know if an electric or hydronic radiant floor is enough to heat the room or if it's just to have a warm floor. And if yes, what is the efficiency (the time it take to warm the room, the cost on the electrical bill, etc.) compared to an electric baseboard heater.

My question is general to any type of floor but if the answer depends on the type I use, I would say its for my bathroom (12' x 12') with ceramic tiles.


texts: Can I use a 30 amp generator to power some parts of a 60 amp subpanel

texts:
My main panel is in my basement and it has a 60 amp breaker that goes to a sub panel in my pole barn. The pole barn sub panel provides power for the pumps and blower motor of my outdoor woodstove.  Last winter I lost power for a week and had to run two extension cords from my 30 amp generator; one to the main panel in my basement to power the furnace and the other to the sub panel in the pole barn to power the woodstove.

I want to get a hookup for my generator so that I don't need all that sassafras if I ever lose power in the winter again.

While it would be easier to run the generator by the pole barn and backfeed the main panel, reading other questions makes me believe that is neither safe nor legal. So, I think I need to get a transfer switch or interlock kit setup on my main panel for the generator.  However, I still need to power the woodstove from the pole barn sub panel.

My question is, can I use a 30 amp generator connected to my main panel to power the 60 amp sub panel in my pole barn?  The only thing I want to power in the pole barn is the woodstove, which is on a 20 amp breaker in that sub panel.

References:

Is it reasonable to create a 30amp branch circuit for the purpose of feeding the panel from a generator?

Can I connect a portable generator to a subpanel to backfeed my house?


texts: Will mineral oil help prevent smelly basement traps during extended vacations?

texts: Will mineral oil in my basement traps keep them from smelling during a NY winter while we vacation elsewhere for three months?  Our remodeled basement has had a problem with the odor, which is fine if we keep running water periodically.  The drains are in a Kohler jetted tub and toilet, a kitchenette with small sink, and an unused sink in the storage area.


texts: How do I re-attach my kitchen cabinet's laminate?

texts:
Steam from my electric kettle has caused the veneer of one of my kitchen cabinets to separate from the doors and I need to stick it back on.

What is the best method to use? Should I peel the veneer all the way off, sand and then re-glue it on? Or would I be better off keeping it in place and gluing it down as-is?
What adhesive should I use? There's nowhere in my kitchen I can put my kettle where it isn't going to be under a cabinet, so the glue would ideally be steam/heat resistant.

I was thinking about getting a spray adhesive and applying it under the veneer without completely removing it but I'm thinking that it may not be a lasting fix.


texts: What are the steps to cutting polyurethane?

texts:
I've seen a lot of tips about cutting the first coat of polyurethane with mineral spirits to reduce drying time.  However, given that it's the first coat, I have a full can of polyurethane.  I'd pour some polyurethane out into a separate container, but am worried this will create air bubbles.  Likewise, I imagine the act of adding mineral spirits to polyurethane could also introduce air bubbles.
How can I add mineral spirits to polyurethane without creating air bubbles?


texts: Source for sample designs for a Tree House?

texts:
I have a nice tree in my backyard, the base is easily 10+ feet in circumference.

I want to build my son a tree house.  More correctly I want to build a tree house with my son.

I was wondering if there is a good site with suggested plans.  I am not entirely sure how to tie into the tree trunk, in terms of the trees health and whatnot.

The first branch is 30+ feet up, so it would be just around a nice clean, cylindrical tree body.


texts: How can I add/alter wiring inside single-brick walls?

texts:
Our house is full-brick. Double-brick on the exterior walls and single-brick for every internal wall. It was built in 1979 (I guess they liked to do things properly then).

We've only ever had the opportunity once of adding new electrical items to the single-brick walls (like a heated towel rail, new light switch and powerpoint), when we were renovating as the electrican had to chase a huge chunk out of the wall, lay the cables, and then the hole was filled back up and painted over. That's a pretty major operation.

Is there any other way that we can add or modify the electrical items inside a single brick wall? We now want to run CAT5 and we've got all the external walls done, but not the internals.


texts: Need to push fridge back but don't want to squish water line

texts: So I bought a new fridge that happens to be a little deeper than counter depth.  After getting the fridge to our house, we realized that our cabinetry is designed for counter depth.  We actually like the fridge despite the fact that it comes out "a little" further than it should so we are keeping it.  The only problem is that we haven't connected the water line yet.  The house was built in 2013 and it has a recessed shutoff in the wall, ready for the water line.  The only issue is that I want to be able to push the fridge back as far as possible without causing any distress to the line.  I purchased both a copper, plastic and braided stainless steel line and am willing to use whichever would be best for my situation.  I feel like since my shutoff in the wall is set directly forward that I'd benefit from some sort of right angle (elbow) connection to take away some pressure but I don't want to add more parts that could eventually fail.  Advice/suggestion?  I can provide pics if needed.


texts: Why do painters seem to prefer brush to spray gun?

texts:
I notice that the high end interior painters I use always insist on either using a roller or a brush. They never want to use a spray gun.
I know cars are painted with a spray gun, so I really don't understand why they think a spray gun will produce a bad quality finish.


texts: How to check the heater element of an Electrolux ESI 6160 dishwasher?

texts:
I have an Electrolux dishwasher, that occasionally does not heat the water. I suspect that the heating element is somewhat badly connected.

How can I check that. Especially, does someone have specific disassembly/assembly instructions for that model?


texts: I've got a shallow point well w/pump where the tube (some sort of hard plastic) from the pump to the well has failed.  It developed a pinhole leak.  Question is, what do I need to replace it?  Is there a specific type of tube/hose?  I was considering making a temporary connection with a spare car coolant system hose I have, but when I prime the system it sees full utility water pressure (not sure what it is, but I'm sure I'm guessing it might be 60psi and I'm not sure that cooling system hoses are good for any more than around 2.0 bar).  Tips or tricks?


texts: Odd Wiring in garage - split 240 breaker into two 120 circuits

texts:
Yup, that's right.  Now, maybe this is okay, but it seems terrible to me.  I bought this house about 3 months ago, so I don't know the reasoning why, but from what I've seen this guy made some poor choices in his DIY work.

There is a 30 amp 240 breaker wired to two individual 120v circuits through 12 awg wire.  All I can figure is they ran one leg to one wall of outlets, and one to the other, then somehow branched extra wires to bring the neutrals and grounds back together.  I don't know what the wiring looks in the walls to split this, or to splice the neutrals and grounds.

My question first, is this acceptable, and is the breaker size proper for the wire.

Two, I need space for one more slot in my panel, there is no reason for these circuits to be separate as far as I can tell - all they run is a couple outlets each, all in the same room. I'm sure this idea is BAD too, but can I bring both hot leads into a single 20 amp 120 breaker?


texts: Dealing with water on a bad garage slope

texts:
The slab in our garage has settled toward the house, so whenever our cars are slushy the snow drains into the garage, where we walk and have things stored.

We've been quoted about $4,000 to replace the slab, so that won't happen anytime soon. The concrete is severely chipped and flaking from 40 years of snow and salt, so I'm not really interested in mudjacking. And it's about 5" low across the entire garage (25') so self-leveling patch is prohibitive.

Is there any way to make a decently effective dam/water directing feature to keep this mess from getting everywhere? Anyone dealt with this in a somewhat effective way?


texts: What is the right adhesive to use with PVC interior paneling and trim?

texts: We purchased interior PVC paneling and baseboard for a project. We are unsure as to which adhesive is best to bond it to both a mortar and sheetrock surface.  We received conflicting answers to our question at the store we purchased it from. Does anyone have personal experience with this product that can answer this question definitively?


texts:
Crappy cabinets, shelves made of MDF. The contractor will be installing tile backsplash next week. I thought it would be the right time to fix the shelves, too.

The question is about the bottom shelves. I am less worried about internal shelves - these can be braced easily.

Edit: Upon doing some research, I came across this product. Google "shelf stiffener". I have not tried it but it looks promising.