texts: What switch and relay circuitry is required to manage two water well pumps effectively?

texts:
Here is my dilemma. I have two water wells; consequently, I have two deep well pumps. Presently I have a relay set up to switch wells each time the pressure switch requires water. They are labeled #1 and #2. #1 is the shallower well and will run out of water if demand is high (such as irrigating garden or lawn). This causes the pressure switch to shut off the pumps to keep them from operating dry.
I would like to set up my system to run #2, #2, #2, #2, #2, #1, but have no idea what kind of switching is required.      Any ideas??


texts:
We seem to have carpenter ants in our log house in the Berkshires, MA.
I see the wood saw dust every year during the summer. This is our weekend house and every weekend, I clear the dust and spray Bonide Carpenter ant killer and spread Terro ant dust. I haven't seen any other activity around the house.
The picture shows the amount of dust over 2 weeks since I last cleared and soaked the entire area with the Bonide carpenter ant killer spray

The deck is eTrex and only a couple years old. We never see more than 2-3 ants on the deck at any point in time. There are no ants inside the house. I've not been able to find the hole that they are tunneling into the wood.

The ants are large black ants and do not fly - roughly 1/2" long.

How do I get rid of these ants? Can I spray anything stronger than Bonide or Terro dust?

https://goo.gl/photos/pTYKLXiHGVpioAAD9


texts: Slider Door locks from inside but not outside with key

texts:
I  can lock my slider from inside with no problem but when i try to lock it from the outside with the key (I have tried several keys) it does not lock but I can see the hook go up the same as it does when I lock it from inside so before I take it apart again does anyone have any thoughts?
It is a new handle and lock and has worked fine for months until today


texts: Recomendations or information on adding biocides in furnace pan

texts:
I have heard that it is recommended to add some amount of biocides to a furnace in order to prevent mold building up in the furnace pan.

Is it common in residential buildings, or more common for industrial/commercial?

What kind of biocides are recommended, and what I should be looking for?


texts: Could space above a drop ceiling and below sound absorbing insulation increase echo in room?

texts:
Our builder has asked whether we have any objection to his laying sound insulation on top of the suspended ceiling he's going to install, rather than attaching it to the actual ceiling above. He advises that doing otherwise will increase room echo, a very important consideration for what will be classrooms without any soft furnishings etc.

The builder is reputable and we have no reason to doubt him but this seems to me perhaps the echo issue is a lie. I realise this would also make difficult access to the space above the drop ceiling.


texts: Where to add C wire on this air handler?

texts: Thanks for helping me here.  I am adding a new wifi thermostat to my system but need to add a C wire directly to the air handler (system is a First Co air handler with hot water boiler for heat and separate condenser for A/C).  I've attached a wiring diagram.  Can I simply splice into the brown wire directly off the transformer without effecting anything else?


texts: Can I safely cut a copper compressor pipe with r600a gas?

texts: Can I safely cut a fridge compressors copper pipes if it uses r600a gas. I've read of people taking out fridge compressors but I want to check whether it's safe to cut the pipes like this?


texts: Can I use this chlorinating liquid to disinfect my drinking water?

texts:
I have well water coming into my system and I noticed that in my water storage tank there are small particles floating around. It really could be anything, but I decided to buy some chlorine to treat the water, especially because I drink it. I do have a small system inside the house to filter the water, but I think chlorinating it from outside will help too.

My question is, is this the right product to use to disinfect bacteria in my storage tank outside?

Here is the link to the product I bought from Wal-Mart:
Link here

It is meant for pools, but I could not find anything for drinking water treatment.

If I can use it, how much approximately would I add to my storage tank? I think it holds 500 gallons.


texts: Exterior Piping for an open garage wood burning fireplace AFTER the triple wall piping passes thru the exterior wall.  The exterior siding is conc. hardi board.  Can the exhaust pipe going up be single wall?  What clearance away from the siding should it be if single wall piping is used?


texts: Fire hazard of exhaust fan with heating bulbs in bathroom?

texts:
Our strata gave us permission to install an exhaust fan with 4x 250W heating bulbs into our bathroom. We are on the top floor and the roof cavity above us is the ceiling for the building. There are no firewalls in the ceiling.

I've been told by a friend who's a licensed electrician that these items can be a big fire hazard, as if something catches fire in the bathroom and the fan is on, the fire will be sucked straight into the roof cavity.

What are the chances of this happening? I can't imagine there's much in the bathroom that could catch fire.


texts:
My kitchen faucet has a slow leak coming from the faucet.

I removed the hot side knob (while forgetting to turn off the shutoff valve first) and some parts went airborne while I rushed to turn off the water.

Which part or parts do I need to replace?

I think the spring and the rubber object next to it go in the hole in the well.

What order do they go in if I am right?


texts: What's the best way to repair or replace window sill & apron that's been sawed off?

texts:
The previous homeowner installed built-in armoire cabinets and bookcases that I plan to remove. In order to facilitate the opening of the armoire cabinet door, they cut into the window sill and apron with a Sawzall.

See photo here:

The way I see it, there are three options for repairing this:

1.) Try to replace the entire sill and apron. I'm not a carpenter, so this might prove to be impossible.

2.) Use some kind of filler compound / putty to rebuild the sill and apron to an acceptable level.

3.) Use compound / putty to rebuild the sill and replace the apron, which should be easier to replace than the sill itself.

I would appreciate any advice or help you can give me in making this determination. Thank you!


texts:
An electrician I recently got a bid from made a number of recommendations involving installing what he called "Four-Oh" lights.  I wasn't sure I was hearing him right, so had him spell it out.  He told me there are great fixtures which are labelled "4/0" and that, with LED bulbs in them, they would work well for some of the lighting projects we discussed.

So, while out at the home improvement centers for other things, I took a peek in the light fixture aisle to see these 4/0 lights, but I did not see anything labeled that way.  The Internet shows nothing, either.  Has anyone else heard of these, or have I been sent on a snipe hunt?


texts:
This is a joint for a 2" elbow underneath a unit-shower (in Japan.) The elbow is a special type which is clear, and using a blue glue shows the glue line so you can insure you have a good joint. An example of a good seal can be seen at this link -- Fitting mfg. product page
My guess is that the shower manufacturer requires the contractor to use this type of fitting because the joint is impossible to repair once the shower room is installed and assembled. The contractor was crappy, and I threw him off the job, but now I see that the plumber he used may have been questionable also.
From the photo, you can see the glue seal on the bottom half of the pipe (the photo is rotated so to the right is the slab, and to the left is the underside of the shower floor.) There also appears to be a thin line of blue at the very end of the pipe, so my guess is it does not leak. The silvery patches mean there is an air gap between fitting and pipe.
There is no seal at on the top half, and even the bottom half looks sketchy. I plan a leak test on Monday, but my real concern is that with future stress (temblors, temperature, age,) the thin line will crack and water will forever seep out.
So, does anyone know if this would be considered a satisfactory PVC joint? I can find very little on the web, I think mostly because this type of fitting is not too common, but what I do see says that with such poor coverage the joint needs to be redone.
To redo it, I need to disassemble the shower (several says of work) but I have not built adjoining walls and floors so I want to do it now if it needs to be done.
Thanks for any advice.


texts: How to remove broken light protector/cover from inside oven?

texts:
I bought a 6 year old house, and the Previous Owners did basically zero maintenance.

The oven is a Bosch underbench electric unit, and it looks like the glass cap/protector for the interior light has broken off at some point, so they kept using the oven with the lamp exposed.  The lamp does turn on when in use.  I expect this has been left like this for at least 2 years, maybe up to 6 based on the condition of the rest of the oven.

This leads to a threadded glass ring welded into the fitting by dried/hardened food/oils, and looks like this:

I've got the replacement cover already, and its essentially a very short glass jar with one thread around the top so I know this ring should unscrew conventionally.

I've tried blasting it with conventional oven cleaner to dissolve the shite, but its not getting into the threads.

I've tried some other solvents like "Contact 60" an electrical contact cleaner, and some other household liquid cleaners hoping they'd wick up the threads, but that's made no difference.

There's around 4mm of "neck" exposed so I can grip it with one hand and rotate, but the whole light fitting is loose, and I don't want to overstress whatever mountpoints are there.  The glass is sharp too, so can't put too much pressure on it, even with a teatowel to hold it.

Do I have to open the oven and remove the whole light assembly, then work it on the bench?
Should I try to break the remaining glass with a hammer, or alternating heat and cold like cutting the neck off a beer bottle?  Feels risky.
Or do I give up and get a service wallah out to do it?

Edit : Here's the new fitting, to show what the old one will be like:


texts: ac condenser spins slower than normal and buzzes on occasion

texts:
I've got a 4 y/o Carrier AC unit that worked fine all summer (bought the house this past winter). Today, I noticed that the house isn't being cooled, and the AC is making a loud buzzing noise. The noise is periodic - roughly ever 3-5 minutes, and lasts for about 5-10 seconds - like something's trying to start and failing. The condenser fan spins the entire time, but appears to do so more slowly than normal, and - no cold.

Could this be a capacitor issue, or should I call in a tech?


texts: How should I fasten window trim molding when I reinstall it?

texts:
I posted previously in regards to an exterior window trim issue I discovered, where the previous home owner did not put any waterproofing around the window.

I have since waterproofed around the windows using foam and silicone. However, the silicone is exposed and I would like to cover it with trim again (now that it is properly? sealed).

Is there anything I should keep in mind prior to putting on trim again? I was just going to brad nail it on, and maybe silicone between the trim and window.

--- UPDATE ---

So I decided to just not use trim. I stuffed backing rod in the gaps around the window, and siliconed the heck out of everything. These windows are now completely water tight. I am now going to put the highest quality paintable caulk I can find on the silicone then paint. As mentioned, the trim really only makes the problem worse by catching water and such. Thanks everyone for all the helpful comments and critiques!


texts: Is it safe to use an angle grinder with wood cutting blades?

texts: Being a newbie to DIY and trying to get more and more jobs done myself, safety is a concern to me. I recently bought a Makita 5" angle grinder to cut some metal balustrades, job done. I considered buying some wood cutting discs for it, which I have seen on-line - to do a few odd jobs around the house, but I found some dated Internet posts that strongly recommended against it, for the safety concern, I am guessing that it's for the grinder losing control. These posts where about 5 or 6 years old and from reading through, wood cutting discs were something not available then either. Now I wanted to ask the question again, am I safe to do so or is it a bad idea? Additional information - the kind of jobs I am thinking of using it for, would be mostly softwood and not thicker than 20 mm.


texts:
Edit: The answer below indicates that at least in some places inspectors consider it inacceptable to attach any wiring to pipes. However, I would still like to understand why it is a bad idea.

Original question: I had a gas boiler for the radiator hot water system installed. After the contractor left, I noticed that they ran two 12/2 NM cables from the boiler to the two pumps along the hot water pipe, attaching the cables to the pipe with plastic cable ties. I am concerned about the exposure of cables to the heat.

My questions:

Is this installation allowable?
If it is technically allowable, should I still be concerned?

Data: The two pumps are 0.75 and 0.81 amps respectively. The maximum allowable boiler temperature is 210F (but we won't ever run it that high of course, ours is set to 130F-180F depending on the outdoor temp).

According to my reading of 110.11 of NEC, it appears to be disallowed. On the other hand, according to the formula in 310.15(B)(2), using temperature of 180F it appears to be OK with a margin to spare. The 310.15(B)(3) does not apply since there are only two cables run together.


texts: Is this a termite? What bug has been eating my wood?

texts:
Replacing some drywall revealed something has been destroying the wood behind it. While removing things to see more, I saw 3 of these kind of bugs. I originally thought carpenter ants were the cause of the destruction.

Is the bug in the picture just a basement dweller that’s attracted to damp old basements? Or is it likely the cause of the wood damage?

FYI, it’s a 100 year old house in MN.


texts:
I'm trying to hook up a new light fixture and when I removed the old one, what I saw confused me.

The taped wire on the far left seems to be coming from the switch, I've tested with a voltage reader by turning on and off the power and testing from a distance with a wooden yard stick.

The bundle of black wires second from the left was within the box already when I took the old fixture off.

The remaining two wires are seemingly a neutral on the far right with the yellow cap (no voltage with power), and a hot that's constantly on.

When I first hooked up the fixture, I could power the fixture from the switch, and it seemingly worked fine. I had only hooked up the switch wire to the black from the fixture and capped off the remaining hot thinking it was from a fan the previous owners might have had. I then noticed that two rooms did not have power, realizing that the remaining hot needed to be hooked up, somehow.

I've tried seemingly every combination I can think of, even tripping the breaker at one point due to I think a live and neutral being capped together.

A couple of observations I've made:

If I connect the fixture black to the continuously hot black, the lights flicker, and the upstream rooms also flicker on and off, and the light switch doesn't work
If I connect the fixture black to the switch black, the light no longer turns on and off from the switch and nothing is on downstream from the fixture. Note: I can still turn the switch on and off and read voltage through my jury rig that is extremely dangerous I'm sure.
If I connect all three live wires together (fixture black, box continuous hot, and switch hot), it's similar to #1

My questions are:

What are these bundles of three random black wires?
Did the circuit tripping end up short circuiting the switch, and
that's why everything else is no longer working?

Thanks!


texts: Why is my new pine fence turning black? Can I stain right over it without creating a bigger future headache?

texts:
We put in a new pine fence about 2-3 months ago.
(Southern Yellow Pine, from Lowes. They called it “Severe Weather Pressure Treated Pine”)
I have been trying to stain/seal it for the past month and a half but we have had one of the wettest summers on record. And when it’s not raining, it’s 100 degrees and 30000% humidity.
Over the past 2 weeks the panels have rapidly started turning grey/black. I don’t think the sun ever directly hits this side of the fence so I assumed it is mold..?

Based on the picture and info, is my assumption correct?

If so, do I now have to remediate the mold by doing the whole bleach scrub and dry process?

If I don’t do the bleach scrub and just stain right over it, will I be creating a recipe for disaster or just end up with a sub-par looking stain job?


texts:
Brand new home built in 2017. The electrician sold me a lift for chandelier. Purchased a chandelier with 2 Leds in it. After I switch on the chandelier...after 20 min or so its starts flickering. It happens 6/10 times i switch on the chandelier. The electrician came 2-3 times ,cleaned the chandelier,the contact plates etc...works for a month and starts again. Chandelier company came and they changed the leds.... 1 month later flickers again. The chandelier company was curious and they tested the leds they took from home and was informed they worked perfectly well at their lab!!!AT this point no one has any clue whats causing the problem....
Any help diagnosing the problem is helpful....
Thanks
P.S: Not on a dimmer switch.


texts: Are neutral wires linked to the neutral bar in the fuse box safe to touch

texts:
We have a tipical fuse box, fuses and neutral wires connected to a neutral bar.

Let's say we have a closed circuit with a light bulb attached to it.

The bulb is working. The neutral wire is connected to the neutral bar in the fuse box.

Other neutral wires are connected to the neutral bar.

In my opinion the other neutral wires have curent in them from the light bulb.

Are they safe to touch?


texts: Sanding and revarnishing areas of different shades (wood floors)

texts:
I have been sanding my wooden floor with the intent of revarnishing.

However, before I did this I moved a few 1kitchen counters and such around. So now the areas which had counters on top for the last few years are a lighter colour than the areas that were exposed. (The same varnish was used, just the lighter areas have been covered for about 6 years, the entire life of the floor) In one case the floor area hadn't even been varnished beforehand.  Even after sanding, the difference is very noticeable

Is there any (hopefully easy) way of equalising or even blending together the contrasting areas so the difference isn't as noticeable?

[]


texts: Have a new Samsung dishwasher that emits a sewage smell while running

texts: My new Samsung dishwasher emits a sewage odor (started with the 1st use) through the dishwasher air vent, but only while it's running.  I think its pulling air through the drain hose while its running.  It actually smells up all the surrounding cabinets too. The installer felt that running the drain hose up and over the cabinet wall to connect with garbage disposal would create a sufficient air trap. Shouldn't the drain hose have an actual 'loop' before connecting to the garbage disposal? I did not notice this odor with the old dishwasher. Thanks for any advice.


texts: What gauge wire do I need to supply 15A to small building 440 ft from the main house?

texts:
I have a small building that is 440 ft from the main house, and I want to supply power to it. One 15amp circuit will be sufficient.

What size wire is needed to do this?


texts: Why does my stud finder report an AC warning over the entire wall?

texts:
I've tired to find AC Power on my wall in my house that is a brick wall and the entire wall is showing as AC Live on the Stud/AC Finder and I also used the Volt Stick on the wall and its also glowing Red, I've turn off the mains breaker by the fuse box to disconnect the power from the entire house and the wall is still showing up as Live.
The wall I am testing a a parting/common wall that is adjoining to the house next door.
I've used 2 different detector and 2 different Volt Stick
Does anyone have any advice on what the issue could be as I need to drill into the wall?


texts: How to fix hardwood floor moisture damage

texts:
We have hardwood floors in our kitchen, and had a floor mat at the sink area that turned out not be be waterproof.  It often got wet, and held the moisture against the hardwood.  The moisture soaked into the joints, expanding the wood and causing swollen ridges along the joint lines:

Roughly the top 1/3 of the picture (2 horizontal joints), and the bottom 1/4 (1 horizontal joint), show undamaged areas.  The planks are completely flat and the only way to see the joints is via the differences in wood grain.  The damage in the middle of the picture was hard to capture in a photo, but you can see light reflections off the raised joints and small gaps along the joints.

I expect that the wood will dry out over time, but it isn't clear whether the swelling will ever completely return to normal.  If I sand it smooth and then the swelling reduces, the joints will look like chamfered edges.

So I'm looking for how to approach fixing this.

Is there a way to speed drying, especially that allows the wood to shrink rather than locking the distortion in place?
Is there a way to know when all the shrinkage that will happen is done happening?
Is drying, sanding, and finish repair the standard solution?


texts: Suggestions on where to relocate a wall register I'm enclosing in a closet? (with labeled floor plan attached). Thank you!

texts:
I'm looking for some suggestions on where to relocate the HVAC wall register (shown in red), as I am planning to enclose it in a closet. It comes from 3x7 rectangular duct into the 2x4 wall and rests at floor level in the wall. It is fed by a 6" solid pipe (shown in orange) that runs under the floor parallel to the joists and to the furnace, which is right underneath where the orange line stops. The entire bedroom is down to the studs. There is one other floor register on the opposite side of the room. The system is used for heating only.

The basement below is unfinished right at the new closet walls and upward in the plan, and finished right from the new closet walls and below (in the plan). I'd prefer to not have to disturb the finished basement drywall. The floor joists are 24" on center and run left to right in the plan. One sits below the uppermost bedroom wall, and another sits 24" from that right below where I plan to frame the closet walls.

The only ideas I have had so far that seem even potentially feasible (which I do not like very much) are:

Continue the 3x7 rectangular vent upwards to the top of the wall it is currently in, 90 degree turn it to run across the ceiling to the from of the closet, and add a wall register above the closet sliding door. This would be blowing hot air from near the ceiling (not ideal) and also directly over the bed (not ideal).
Run the 6" duct under the closet floor to the right hand side of the closet wall and have it come up into the wall via a 3x7 rectangular vent and vent outwards near the floor. This would have it venting straight across the entranceway and towards the right hand side closet, rather than into the room (not ideal).

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!


texts: Replace switch with timer, instructions don't match existing wiring

texts:
I would like to replace a regular switch with a timer switch.  The timer switch I have purchased requires a neutral wire.  Looking at the existing switch (first photo), I have a black and a white wire connected to it, but I believe they technically should both be black, and I'll need to connect to the properly-labelled white neutral wires in the neighbouring box (second photo).  I've attached a photo of the current configuration and a link to the manual for the timer switch.  Any help would be appreciated.

https://www.manualslib.com/manual/911538/Woods-59007.html?page=2#manual


texts: Grohe Kitchen Faucet Membrane Replacement Instructions

texts: I have a Grohe K4 kitchen faucet and need to replace the rubber membrane covering the on/off switch. I could not find any instructions and am wondering how to replace it.


texts:
I live in Chicago. I try to replace my single pole light switch to a dimmer light switch.
When I open the current light switch , I can't find the ground wire.
How should I connect my new dimmer switch's ground wire to this metal box?
Thank you very much !
Sam


texts: Does it matter if my underground conduit overlaps or crosses over existing conduits?

texts: I'm planning on digging a trench for underground electrical conduit. I recently called my state "call before you dig" underground locating service. They finished marking the locations of underground utilities. They all overlap, perpendicular, to my proposed conduit path. Does this matter? Does this mean I have to choose a different path? Or do I need to give a certain amount of space? Or just be careful when digging?


texts: 1960s bomb shelter a safe place to wait out a tornado?

texts:
I have a 1960s 10x12x8 ft concrete room. It was built under our concrete kitchen floor which is at ground level in 1963. The concrete is 12" thick, except for the ceiling which would be about 24" thick. I do not know if it is rebar reinforced. It has a 36 inch doorway opening in the basement and is otherwise 100% concrete. The doorway just has a simple hollow core door.

This was built in the 1960s when everyone was afraid of nukes. In recent years however we've received a lot of local tornadoes that touch down within miles of me. Last night we had one right on top of us (took out a few houses near us) and we all used this as a shelter. Is this a decent shelter or not? What should be done to it in order to make it a safe shelter? Assuming it should have some sort of shelter grade door instead of the interior hollow-core it has now? There is no venting in there either. It appears to be the start of a bomb shelter that was never finished.


texts: Compatibility for Thomas & Betts breakers

texts: Need to replace Thomas & Betts 2-pole 30 amp breaker for a water heater. What brand would be compatible? Panel is also T&B. TBB10 (20-20) C Model #1


texts: Studs spacing too close together to put in sub panel in workshop basement

texts:
I am putting in a sub panel on a load bearing interior wall ( basement wall with 12ft ceilings )
The studs are 2x6 and around 10-12in OC so I can not fit the panel I have (14in wide)
The house was built in the early 80s, 3 story house and is on the large side.
The rest of the basement room seems to be framed the same way. The top floor of the house is framed 16in OC.
Without framing it out like a window is it acceptable to move a stud to the correct width without issues. I know code in my area is 16in OC so I am not sure if I am missing something.


texts: What tools will help when removing a glued down floor?

texts:
We are having a very hard time getting a glued down floor up. We have tried using large scrapers, a crowbar, and a hammer, none have been effective.

Are there any other recommended tools that we should try? We have an air compressor so pneumatic tool recommendations would also be welcomed.


texts: Do Federal Pacific baseboard heaters have a reputation for poor quality?

texts:
I know Federal Pacific is infamous for their American Stab-Lok panels which should be replaced on sight.  However, this panel is Cutler-Hammer CH type (the narrow 3/4" breakers).

It's the 240V electric baseboard heaters that are Federal Pacific.   There's a 2000W heater, and three 1000W heaters (all sharing a 30A breaker).

Is this something I should be worried about?


texts: What can I use to manage the wires when replacing a looped ceiling rose light fixture with one that just has loose wires?

texts:
I'm changing a looped ceiling rose (LCR) light for a light that only has 3 connections, Live, Neutral and Earth.

The looped ceiling rose has 3 different metal parts that the wires go into, like this:

(Image from http://www.flameport.com/electric/lighting_circuits/lighting_ceiling_rose_looped.cs4)

There's also an extractor fan wired into the LCR although if I can get the light wired in I should be ok with the extractor fan.

I guess I need the equivalent of the Loop, Neutral, and Line parts, but can't find anything that combines wires like this.

My plan was to recreate the neutral, loop and line 'combination' parts, with wires going from the line and neutral to the light.

My question is, in the UK, can I buy something to combine wires like this, similar to a Terminal Connector, but for multiple wires? Am I approaching this in the right way?


texts: How to use thinner insulation than the steel studs?

texts:
Here in Brazil I can only find insulation that is about 35-40 mm thick. I intend to use it inside steel studs that are 70mm thick and I'm worried it might crumple or sag due to the extra space.

What is the proper way to do it? Should I fix it to the drywall somehow?

Edit those are internal walls, and the insulation is being used for its acoustic properties.


texts: How can I prevent the hose in the toilet tank from popping out of the tubing?

texts:
Unfortunately, I do not know the appropriate terminology but, there is a small hose that fits into a tube within a cylindrical container in the toilet tank.  When this occurs, I can see initially hear and, after removing the toilet tank cover see water running from the hose intermittently; this also seems to have an effect on the water level in the toilet bowl.

I can temporarily solve the issue by removing the tank cover and inserting the small hose back into the tube.  This works well for a while but, then the problem seems to reoccur.  I live in a rental which most recently replaced our old-fashioned toilets with smaller “energy efficient” toilets.  I cannot help but notice how flimsy the plastic parts are in the toilet tank.

Is there something that I could do to permanently stop the hose from popping out of the tube or is it necessary to call maintenance?


texts: Can I hook up a dryer to the gas line in my kitchen that the stove in using?

texts: I recently moved and my sister gave me a washer and dryer.  It’s a gas dryer and I found out that my basement doesn’t have a gas line.  I have a gas line in the kitchen that the stove is using. Is it possible to safely get a splitter and run one hose to the stove and the other to the dryer?


texts: why do i get cold water during the shower every time the pump kicks on

texts:
I just had a new 50 gal electric water heater with a new 4 gal expansion tank installed. On a submersible well pump. I have hammering every time the pump kick on which happens every time any water is used. I turns on in 10-20 seconds, which causes the shower water to get cold 2 seconds after the pump kicks on and stays cold till the pump kicks off.
It give you about 3 seconds of hot water till the pump kicks on again. Very hard to take a shower.  I have replaced the D square 40-60 pressure switch and have the expansion tank set at 37. Not sure what else to check to stop the hammering and the cold water during the shower!


texts: Can you have both 15 and 20 Amp receptacles off the same 20 Amp GFCI?

texts:
Currently, in my kitchen I have a 20amp GFCI receptacle (faceplate only accepts 15amp plugs but back says it is 20 amp rated) off of that GFCI outlet there are 3 15amp receptacles, one is for a garbage disposal, the other 2 are at counter top level for usage. The breaker for the kitchen is 20amps. I have purchased two new 20amp outlets with USB charger capability for phones etc.

Is it okay to have the two receptacles at counter level be 20amp and the disposal be on a 15amp receptacle or should I return the new 20amp receptacles and install 15amp ones?

Not sure if it is correct to have both 15amp and 20amp receptacles off of the 20amp GFCI.


texts: How to run romex around window with no studs?

texts:
I installed a power outlet between two windows in my garage. I want to run power to the outlet from the other side of one of the windows. The trouble is, there are no studs to run wiring through. The windows are installed such that there are no studs under them, and a large header takes up all the space above them (again, no studs to pass through). What can I do to get the wiring around the window? I'll be putting up drywall after this. The ceiling was finished when I purchased the house. Living space above the garage.
Thanks!


texts:
This may be the stupidest DIY question ever, but I want to make sure before I return it: is this non-ferrous metals saw blade faulty?

In the picture, see where one of the titanium carbide teeth seems to be too large and to extend into the expansion slot. BTW, I had made 4 cuts of 9-15" or so, in 3/16 aluminum plate, before I noticed this; it cuts OK and seems like it could have been smoother, but I've never cut aluminum with a power saw before, so I don't really know what to expect.

Here is the blade:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LFCMI34/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

... and the picture of mine:


texts:
Going to try and give as much detail as I can so far. I'm in a mobile home, and I have a 100 amp service going into the house. my service disconnect is on the outside mast with the meter, 100 amp disconnect, and in with that is also a 25 amp, 240v (so a double 25 amp breaker) for my AC. I have 1 open spot on my inside panel.

I am wanting to add electrical to my shed outside. I want to do a florescent light ballast, an electrical outlet (which would power a table saw, Ryobi battery charger, and i know I'm going to need at least 2 outlet sets on the outside of the shed for an upcoming project (building a deck and doing low voltage lighting).  The low voltage lighting is going to split between 2 low voltage transformers, one for lighting on the deck and the other for lighting in the front of the house. I also will need an outlet outside for a set of outdoor bluetooth speakers.

so here's my question, what would be the easiest way to add a sub panel to the shed? should I use the 25A breaker on my outside service panel, put it at a higher rating, and feed that to a panel in the shed and then put the AC unit on the shed panel. or option 2 of feeding the sub panel for the shed from the inside house panel. in order to do this I would need to replace the inside panel with a new one that has more slots, because other than the open slot, the only single breakers are bathroom receptacles and the furnace, so i know I cant combine them.  and also what feeder size would i need for the shed sub panel?


texts: Why are my three-way switches behaving differently than they were?

texts:
I have four lights in my new house that each have two different switches to control them. They are wired so that one of the switches would have to be ON and the other OFF for the light to be ON. If both are ON or OFF, the light would be OFF.

The power went off a couple of months ago for a couple of hours. I now have 3 lights that the double-switch now works the opposite of how it used to work. Now if both switches are ON or both OFF, the light will be ON.

I tried turning off the power to the house when the switchers were all in the OFF positions but when I turned the power off, the lights went back to being ON. I then tried changing one of the switches to ON position and turned the power off and on again but the light remembered the state it was in and stayed the same.

I'm not sure what else I could do. How can I reset them to work like they did before - so that OFF + OFF = OFF?

Here are pictures of one of the switches. I thought they were normal switches and there was some other sort of switch that controls the light but it does look like there are two white leads and one black to each switch.


texts: garage door handle disconnected from lock

texts: My garage door is manual at the moment. I’ve had to lock it manually. Today, I realized I can’t lock it from the outside anymore. The handle connected to the lock moves freely and doesn’t move the lock whatsoever. How can I fix this?


texts: Can I wire-nut together and cut a switch out of my overhead fan?

texts:
I have replaced my bathroom extractor fan with a new model. The new model comes with a single-gang controlled switch which is wireless. You can slot it into the 1-gang box, but it doesn't need any wiring in. It takes a AAA battery.

Currently I still have the old switch in box, and the wireless just sits on the counter.

Does it violate any electrical code (I'm in CT, USA) if I just wire-nut and tape up the wires in the box, and remove the old switch? What's the best way to permanently join those wires. I'd actually like to do it all correctly.

The specific model is: https://www.homedepot.com/p/NuTone-ChromaComfort-110-CFM-Ceiling-Bathroom-Exhaust-Fan-w-Customizable-Multi-Color-LEDs-and-Smart-Phone-App-AERN110RGBL/307771471

Wall control is section 11: https://images.homedepot-static.com/catalog/pdfImages/85/85b96547-666a-4f8e-a586-4c4ecfc0b214.pdf

The wall control unit feels too big, if there's an existing switch behind the front panel.


texts: Is running ethernet cable through an air return allowed under US code?

texts:
I'm looking to wire up the second floor of my house and the cold air return provides a convenient, straight run from the office to the utility room. Is it safe and within code to run ethernet cable in the air return?

The air returns are not metal ducts, they are just open cavities in the studs.

Scope of this question is purely limited to running network cable through an air return, decisions on wired/wireless and the various wired options have already been made.


texts: How can I improve power quality into my house?

texts:
I live quite remote and power quality is not great. Currently I run all my computer devices through a 1.5kva UPS after having several power supplies and chargers fry. Since doing that, none of our chargers and supplies have fried but just recently a 2kva autotransformer that was too big to be used on the ups died after only a couple months of usage. I'm assuming once again, terrible power quality is the cause.

This issue obviously is costing me money and a detriment to the life of our tools. I don't know how to test the energy coming into the house and whether our energy company has a responsibility to do something about it if we were to prove it is faulty.

Either way, how can we clean up the power coming into our home and workshop and make it more stable?


texts: Any ideas for cutting door bottoms on pocket doors?

texts:
What can I do about pocket doors that are blocked by floor tiles?

Could you cut out the bottom (1/4-1/2 inch) on a pocket door while it is still in the frame?  What tools would you use?  How would you make sure cut is straight?


texts: How do I remove kitchen sink sprayer hose?

texts:
The sprayer is cracked and leaks like crazy. The replacement I bought does not fit on the existing hose. I thought this would be a real easy to remove the existing hose and put a new hose and sprayer in. I think it's one of those quick-disconnect types, but I can't figure out how to disconnect the sprayer from under the sink.  Please see the pictures below.  Any ideas would be helpful.

Edit: For reference, I have recently learned that this assembly is a Pfister Marielle faucet.


texts: How can I support second-floor beams when replacing posts in the basement?

texts:
We are excavating our half basement and need to replace the support posts with new ones on new footings.  The problem is that 2 of the 3 posts also extend to the 2nd floor.  We can't just jack up the joists with temporary shores as in most cases because the beam would be unsupported.

The post goes from the footing block straight up to the 2nd floor and would not be supported by the joists except by nails around it.

This video shows it in the first part.


texts: New light fixture - grounding wire connection

texts:
I'm trying to install a new light fixture for the first time in my life. I'm not sure what to do with the grounding wires, especially since the old fixture didn't have one. The directions
Do I connect the 2 grounding wires (one from the fixture,which is bare copper, one from the box) together?
Or, do I connect the box grounding wire to the green grounding screw on the fixture plate?
Or, do I connect the fixture grounding wire to the green grounding screw on the fixture plate?


texts: Would it be safe to leave charred wood on a deck until repairs can be made?

texts:
Had a small fire incident outside on our wood deck.  There didn't appear to be any structural damage to any of the supporting material, just a few surface boards which need to be replaced.

Can the charred material be left alone, or does it have a chance of igniting from heat form the sun due to the black color?


texts: Ceiling light won't switch off after replacement

texts:
I am replacing a ceiling light fixture. I thought about replacing switch at same time, but didn't. It is one light fixture on one switch using a red, black, white and ground cable.

The switch is connected to the black and red wires, white is capped off in this box.

I attached the light fixture  to the white and red and ground. I was pretty sure the black was capped off in the fixtures box.

The light won't turn off - is it possible that I should cap off the red and use the white and black for thew fixture?


texts: How do I even out a pair of bookcases on an uneven floor?

texts:
So, I have a couple Ikea Billy bookcases, normal.  I got them with doors, so with the forward weighting, I'm a bit extra paranoid about tipping.

I put them together; all fine. Then I try to place them against the wall. I find the floor is uneven. Not just slanted, but a little bowed as well. I want them flush together, but it seems if I try to get that they don't fit together right, and are not aligned vertically.  I can get them to sit nice together, but then they have a slightly forward lean (I can and will anchor to my wall with a bracket at the top).

So, if I shim enough to be perfectly level, they won't stand together right and I get a little stair step effect across the top.  I also get a bad gap with the kickpanel/toepanel underneath.  If I have them standing together right, they're not level across the top.  Is having them level all that necessary, especially since I will be anchoring to the wall?  Is there something I can do to make the gaps from shimming less noticeable?  Does joining them together with bolts make sense? I saw some parts from Home Depot that can bolt them together, would that help, or would the stresses from the bookcase shear the bolts? (unlikely, but as I said paranoid about tipping).

Thanks much.

EDIT: I accepted the answer closest to what I did. But this is what I did. I realized a few things. 1) the hinges on the Billy (standard Ikea hinges) don't have to be super level to work, they have a bit of a snap action to them. 2) I'm bolting to the wall, so with this and above, I don't need to be super paranoid about level, i can just join together at sorta level.

I actually got some binding posts and some breakable/adjustable length bolts. I drilled through the shelf holes in the bookcase, trying to use the ones where the hinges were anyway.  This got them together. Then I did some mild shimming, and bolted to the wall.  NOTE I got 3, I probably should have gotten more. I sheared one bolt by tightening too hard. If you break before Ikea does, you're not heavy duty use.  Seems to work well, and very solid.


texts:
I have problem locating my stud in my wall. I have tried many different ways to locate my stud but the results are weird.

Using Stud Finder:
The reading results are different everytime and weird. I get stud reading at higher location but than no reading right below. Please see attached image for the reading results
Using Magnet:
I use magnet to find the metal screws/nails but I found out all the screws/nails are 8in apart. Please see attached image I have mark all the screws I found mark with blue tape.
Knocking:
The entire wall sounds the same to me.
Electrical Outlets
I have two outlets on the wall. I open the cover but some how I can not tell if is attached to the stud or not and I use stud finder but I got not reading either from the left or right.

I was able to locate studs from other wall in my room but not this one.

I'm really appreciate if anyone can help me out on this weird wall.


texts:
I had a previous question about my toilet leaking in my washroom. For some strange reason, the washroom has a strong, persistent stink despite everything we do to remove it. What are the possibilities to investigate? Could it be mold?

We've tried:

Turning off the toilet water supply, flushing it to empty
Emptying the garbage
Cleaning the toilet bowl with strong, apple-scented cleaner
Spraying those washroom scents until the smell is gone

Despite all this, the stick returns, persistently. I don't think it's getting worse every day, but it's bad enough to keep us away from using that washroom. (We haven't used it in weeks, and since spraying and cleaning it; the smell returned in a day or two.)

I really hope it isn't mold; but what should I look for in terms of possibilities?


texts: Lichtenberg figures inside plastic casing of multicooker

texts:
I've had to disassemble a multicooker (this one, specifically) because I noticed a lot of condensation in the display/contol unit.

As I was doing so, I saw that the inside of the casing is covered in lichtenberg burn marks.

I haven't had an problem with the cooker, but I'd like to know if this is normal and reasonably safe.


texts:
Have a question on wiring a duplex receptacle. My living room presently has several outlets that are controlled (completely, top and bottom) by a switch. It also has outlets that are not controlled by a switch and are always on. What I'd like to do is convert one of the existing outlets to have the bottom be constantly powered and the top be fed by daisy chaining from one of the outlets controlled by the switch. My plan is to break both hot and neutral tabs and have the 2 wire from each go to the receptacle. Is there a problem doing this? Let me know if it doesn't make sense.

Thanks
Dan


texts:
Last saturday I was prepping some food when I see this little creature dash across the floor past me carrying a tiny piece of cardboard, on further inspection around the house I found a couple of very old mice droppings in the living room and a couple under the sink, here was my action plan:

bought a Victor Electric trap with peanut butter placed adjacent to the fridge.
Bought an ultrasonic sound repeller for the bedroom
4 sticky traps around the stove back and access to the counter top.
called exterminator and checked the poison traps (the one under the sink had been recently gnawed significantly.
Turned the bedroom, kitchen, living room and spare room top to bottom (no evidence or droppings found)
Dog food bag has been on the floor since forever, and no evidence of gnawing or other signs.

I am checking the kitchen twice a day, but no luck with the traps and no droppings since and no gnawing. Should I assume the issue has resolved it self with the lack of evidence and gnawing to the poison? or remain vigilant with my numerous traps.

Please help!


texts: Is it safe to use apple cider vinegar / baking soda to remove mold on (soft) plastic?

texts: Will the (soft) plastic be eroded or produce bad chemical due to the low / high pH?


texts: How to remove the cap/plate/cover off this tap

texts:
I've got a stuck cold water tap on the mixer tap below. If I could get the cover off the tap I'd be okay from that point I think but it's not budging.

I've sprayed plenty of WD40 into the sides of it but it doesn't pull, pop or turn at all.

Any ideas how I might get the cover off and get to the screw?


texts: Potterton EP3000 programmer HW and CH buttons not working

texts:
I've got a Potterton EP3000 boiler and the programmer won't respond to me pressing the HW and CH buttons.

It was working fine until I switched off the power to the plugs (to do some electrics). After about an hour, when I switched the power back on, we tried to get the heating back on and no luck.

The clock shows up fine, and we can program the time and day of week. Setting it to 24-hours or twice and trying the CH or HW buttons has no effect.

Any ideas or suggestions on why this won't work are welcome.


texts: How do I install a SensaSwitch on a 3-way circuit?

texts:
I recently purchased a SensaSwitch, Manual-ON / Timed-OFF (PDF of instructions) and I cannot install it in such a way that it performs as I desire. I have a switch at the top of my basement stairs and a second by the exit, both switches control the entirety of the basement lights.

I want to install a switch that will turn off after x minutes have passed that way when I leave through the basement the lights will automatically switch off without the need of using the bottom switch. I have been able to wire the top switch to perform this function. After dark, if a person enters through the basement he must turn on the switch by the door for the lights to come on. With the configuration that auto-turns-off, the bottom switch becomes completely useless. Is there a way to wire these two switches so that they perform as desired?

Here is a diagram of the circuit:

In the Top Wire Box (one gang) are five wires; because of the age of the wires it is difficult to tell the colours, mostly the wires look black except for a yellow and a red wire which are joined. From one port come a wire which is black with bits of white throughout, a wire which is black, and a wire which is red. From the other port is a wire which is yellow and a wire which is black.

I have tried a multitude of connections to the Timer Switch, but I have not unbundled the red and yellow wires (and I hope I won't need to). The timer switch has four ports: "3-Way," "White," "Hot," and "1-Pole." The configuration which seems to work is: Black & White Wire and Black Wire in "1-Pole," Black(marked hot) in "Hot." I have managed to make it function with a different wiring but I did not record it (the Black(marked hot) was in "Hot").

This Timer Switch comes equipped with LEDs which should illuminate when the switch is off, but all I have yet seen them do is flicker randomly. The instructions say that a Neutral Wire is necessary for the LEDs to work properly. I do not need the LEDs to turn on if it is possible to make this work otherwise, at the hardware store the sample did not have functioning LEDs.

Please advise. I am very eager to make this work and am willing to try virtually every combination (in fact, I've already tried a great many unsuccessful configurations).


texts: Why does hot water only run for 30 seconds in bathtub?

texts:
In the bathroom of this rental is a tub with a shower diverter. It's an older setup with a hot & cold faucet and a center valve (one direction diverts to shower, the other to the tub faucet).

If I turn on only the hot water, I get hot water for 30-45 seconds, then it goes cold.  The water is heated by a stove oil fired boiler which also heats the building via radiators.

If I go to the bathroom sink, or to the kitchen sink and turn on only the hot water, I have hot, hot water for virtually as long as I keep the faucet on.

One additional issue is the water temperature is set way too high. At the kitchen faucet, I measured the temp, and after about 30 seconds, the water temp stabilizes at about 185 degrees.

Too high, seriously dangerous too high, but the landlord insists the boiler has to be set that high, or "there won't be any heat in the winter, and everyone will complain about THAT."

This same landlord also argues with me that insulating the supply pipes to the radiators 'wastes' the heat in the pipes, and has forbade me insulating them in our apartment, even though they are a serious safety issue.

I don't see how the high temp setting would cause only the bath tub to have limited hot water, but after seeing what the hot water did to the drain pipes in the third floor bathtub, right above our second story bathroom, I'm wondering if the 185' water has damaged the diverter. [We have a suspended ceiling in our bathroom. A leaky hot water faucet in the 3rd floor bath tub leaked 185' water into the PVC drain pipes, causing them to deform, then leak, then soak our fiberglass paneled ceiling, (like in a typical office), which then caved in at 6:00am one morning.]

He ended up paying me to fix the plumbing and ceiling, and in 40+ years of construction, I've never seen anything like it. I had to replace everything from the strainer on the tub to the junction with the 3" cast iron vertical drain. It was all distorted and melted from hot ass water.

Anyway, we have the 185' water, and still have to take cold showers most of the time because of this strange issue with the diverter in the tub.

I have tried every combination of adjustments, but can't figure out what's wrong.  When I take a shower, I've noticed I get MORE hot water, if I open the cold water faucet further, but at some point, it doesn't help.

Any ideas?  Wild guesses?  Could the 'clowns' have installed the diverter incorrectly?  It's been replaced in the last 5-10 years, from what I can tell.

Thanks

GeoD


texts: Why does a GFCI trip when anything is plugged into the other outlets?

texts:
There is one outlet with the GFCI and several other outlets without. The GFCI outlet works fine, while anything plugged into the other outlets causes the GFCI to trip.

How should I detect and fix the problem?


texts: I installed some new bathroom faucets, but there is spacing between the counter top and the faucet handle. What can I do or add to fill in the space?


texts: Is this Landscaping Caulk on Outdoor Retaining wall Steps

texts:
I have steps leading up through my retaining wall and a few of the stones that cap the steps have come loose.

Looking at the place where the steps were, there appears to be some kind of caulk-like material on the stone cap and the base where it sat

Question

Is this some kind of landscaping caulk? Would this product be an example of this kind of caulk?

Extra Questions:

If this some kind of caulk, should I continue to use it? Will it last for several years? Or would it be better to buy some kind of Mortar (type n?) and use that to keep the stone steps in place?

Do you think there's enough surface area (the stone base, not the backfill of stone gravel) to adhere to that my steps should be ok?

Thanks in advance for any answers / insights.


texts: Can I add cords to recessed light fixtures to make them portable?

texts:
Imagine one of those 4ft led shop lights with a 6 foot plug-in cable that you can get from anywhere. If you had a basement with finished walls and floors but an unfinished ceiling with electrical outlets up between the joists you could simply hang the light where you want and plug it in and you're good to go, right?
Ok, so now imagine you want to do the same thing but instead of that 4ft shop light you want to use recessed light housings or retrofit kits. Rather than hardwire the housing or jbox though I would wire them up with 12 ft cords with plugs. This way I can mount the housing/retrofit wherever I want and simply plug it in like any other hanging lamp, right? Or no?
The reason why is that due to the size, shape, and ducts/obstructions in my basement it's not very clear how many lights I would need nor where they should be placed for best coverage. However if I can move the boxes around and simply plug them in then I can start with a reasonable best guess and then expand the system or relocate individual lights as needed.


texts: How do I seal off a small closet so smells there don't escape?

texts:
I've got a small pocket closet in a study right next to where I work that is actually a partition of a hall coset in an adjacent building entrance, and therefore not well isolated from it. Recently someone using the adjacent entrance piled some clothing for a few days in the hall closet that appears to have been exposed to mothballs, and the smell lingers. I don't really need my bit of the closet and would like to seal it off so that the mothball smell doesn't get through. I'm a renter (and not handy, and can't have a crew over under current circumstances) so I can't do anything permanent or complicated.

How do I seal off a small closet temporarily with so that the smells there don't leak into the adjacent space? Perhaps there's something I can tape around the opening (a few layers of some airtight material perhaps)?


texts: Chemical smell from older Viking Gas (propane) Range

texts:
I have a Viking Gas Range that runs on propane for 20 years. Lately, when I use the stove to bake something I'll get a crazy chemical smell. It happens about every 3rd time I use the stove. I end up taking out what's baking and finishing it in a toaster oven. This is not a propane/gas smell. It's an incredibly strong toxic chemical smell. It permeates the entire kitchen and dining room area. Any ideas? Do I need a new stove?

Thank you


texts: Finishing hardwood floors with shellac - bad idea?

texts:
I am refinishing the hardwood floor in a bedroom. It was originally finished with shellac, and I'm thinking of using shellac again, rather than taking the standard polyurethane route. I'd be using unwaxed shellac. I find shellac easier to work with, it doesn't have toxic fumes like polyurethane does and it seems environmentally friendlier.

Is there any good reason not to do this? I know shellac doesn't stand up to moisture as well as polyurethane, but I don't anticipate that being a big issue in this bedroom. I also know (from experience) that it's a pain to sand shellac off of a floor, but it's not impossible, and I don't anticipate it being my problem when it comes time to redo this floor in the distant future.


texts: Has anyone seen a humidifier installed this way: humidifier installed  to side of air handling unit (hole drilled into side of AHU and discharging humidified air directly into the AHU). Always thought humidifier was to be attached to either intake or output ducts?


texts: Installing Radiant Stiff Board Insulation

texts:
I'm in the process of renovating a bedroom on the second floor and I have a few boards of silverboard (a Polyisocyanurate Foam Board Insulation) lying around and would like to use. The exterior wall is brick followed by a spacing followed by another wall (some sort of concrete). Since the silverboard has radiant shielding on both sides and sandwiches a stiff foam board, would I:

1) install the silverboard in contact with concrete wall, or

2) leave a spacing in between the concrete wall and the silverboard?


texts: Should loose underlayment nails be driven in or removed?

texts:
When installing vinyl sheet you should not allow nails etc to be sticking out because these will show in the floor.

When taking up the old floor you will often find nails are sticking out.  How did this happen and if one was to hammer them in, wouldn't they come back out with time, in which case, isn't it better to remove and fill them up?


texts: What kind of lightbulb(?) is in this chandelier?

texts:
I've come across images from a chandelier by Mathieu Lehanneur for Chateau Borely. Even after looking at it quite for a while and going through everything I've ever seen, I couldn't really imagine what light source/bulb (I don't know the English word) this is. After reading the article on Dezeen, I saw that it's

  Glass tubes containing strips of LEDs

and at the end of the article

  LEDs, tubes of borosilicate glass, luminous control system.

It's hard to imagine how a glowing tube could be made out of LEDs as those are single/point light sources. How would this be build/made?

Images and copyright notices can be found on Dezeens original article.


texts: What kind of jacks are used for lifting of framing in various situations?

texts:
I have two vertical house jacks from the local tool library, which I've used to support framing during extensive dry rot and termite repair:

I'm into a section where the house jacks won't work.  I need to support, and then slightly jack up, a load bearing double stud to the left of a window.  The entire bottom plate is unusable for bearing due to termites, and access is needed to the double stud to complete the work.

Notes: The window corner bears no load (it's empty). All the cripple wall is mostly new with vintage lumber. And yes, that's electrical behind the kitchen cabinets which were built into the framing.  A Realtor(tm) arranged for that lovely work.

What kind of jacking techniques are used in situations like this?


texts: Can I replace a single watt (100 max) socket with a 3-way socket on a table lamp?

texts:
I just bought a table lamp which I assumed used a 3-way bulb since it has the knob that you typically have on a 3-way lamp.  However when I went to put the bulb in I saw that it says 100 watt maximum.  I tried a 3-way bulb just to check and it only works as a single-watt.

Can I replace the current socket with a 3-way socket?  or is the wiring different, so this can't be done. Thank you.


texts: measuring electricity on a shared circuit

texts:
I live in a flat above a business and my utilities are all shared with
the business. I need to measure my electricity usage so I can reimburse the business. I do not need to measure the gas. Can I plug in or install
one meter to measure all my usage? Do I need to put a power use meter on each used socket and ad up the numbers on all these socket meters?
Thanks


texts: Why does the GFCI protecting my in-floor heat trip when the bath fan is switched on?

texts: I have an under floor heating pad to heat the bathroom floor . It has a thermostat with a built in GFI in it and trips only when you turn off the bath fan . How can I correct this


texts: Do I need an egress bedroom window if I have a walk-out exterior door?

texts:
I have a basement with three hopper windows and a walk-out door.  There's also a staircase that connects the basement with the upper (main) floor of the house.

If I build a bedroom, do I need an egress window or is the basement walk-out door acting as such?  (Note that there probably be an internal door between the bedroom and the walk-out exterior door.)


texts: Need Tips for Mounting screw-in Slider electrical Boxes

texts:
I know they've been around awhile but I'm still kind of new to them. I occasionally have to mount these Allied slider boxes in new and old work situations, and sometimes they go in perfectly with no problems. However, yesterday I couldn't get them straight to save my life. Yesterday was an especially difficult case because the upward angle of the screws and proximity with the countertop made mounting fairly awkward.
I just find it too easy to get one screw slightly off course, and then the slider twists the whole box. This causes the box to telescope forward at odd angles when you try to slide it out later. Once a screw sinks into wood, it really wants to find that same hole again even if I try to readjust away from it. Anyway, I'm  looking for tips from anyone who knows what I'm talking about.How do you get these things dead on, every time?


texts: Is it frequent to use two Ethernet cables for one phone line?

texts:
I'm experiencing some noise on my phone when it is connected in the wall.  There's no noise when connected right in the modem.  So I decided to check things out and I noticed something that seems odd to me.  My telephone jack uses 2, yes two, Ethernet Cat 5 cables.

(source: max-worlds.net)

As you can see, both blue wires are connected to red wire on the telephone jack and both white/blue wires are connected to the green wire.  It seems like an odd setup to me.  This is a new house.  On a side note, I'm thinking they could have done that to allow an Ethernet network, but we already have a Cat 6 network going on...

So I'm wondering if this is a frequent practice, a recommended approach or a bad job.


texts: Should I purchase two lock cylinders to create a double-sided lock?

texts:
I have a deadbolt that I would like to replace.  On each side of the door it looks like:

Does one buy two of these for a door or is this another product?


texts: is there an oil-based sealant to discourage carpenter bees from eating cedar siding and trim

texts: I have read that only a paint or varnish layer will do the trick, but I'm wondering if there's any oil-based penetrating sealant for cedar that has some ingredient carpenter bees find noxious, so I can discourage them from chewing up my siding and trim.  Last summer was really bad, and today they're back.


texts:
This hinge has seized so needs replacing. But I can't even see the 4 Phillips screw head clearly, and a screw driver just slips so it's likely stripped.

What's the best way of removing these screws? I was thinking maybe use a Dremel to cut a new slot for a regular screw driver but in going to have access issues on the left.


texts: How do I finish an outside corner where plaster meets exposed brick?

texts:
I have an outside corner where plaster on one side meets exposed brick on the other. It all used to be plaster but I stripped off the side where it's now brick. The line is pretty straight cause I cut it with a 4.5" diamond blade but i would still like to make the corner fully plaster, i.e. cover the gray 3/4" thick old plaster with finishing to look like the plaster on the right side. IOW, I don't want the inner coat of plaster to be visible.

What I was thinking of doing is take a 2x4 and affix the 4 side along the brick side and the 2 side flush with plaster (hold it in place clamped to an adjacent window recess) and then tuckpoint the hole between the 2x4 and plaster to make a perfectly molded corner.

My question is: What is the best type of compound to do this with? I need something super light and strong so that it keeps adhered and doesn't crumble. I am afraid my plaster mix (2.5 masonry sand to 1 hydrolic plaster lime) might crumble and detach. Is drywall quickset mud a better option? Once I have molded the perfect corner, I plan to put a metal corner bead (using adhesive, not nails)


texts: How can we move a subpanel without replacing the supply cable?

texts:
We recently installed a subpanel, installed it ourselves and had it inspected. Now, as part of the ongoing renovation of the house, we have decided we need to move the panel over 22 inches. The 6 awg cable won't reach that far (why O why did we not build in some slack?). The cable comes up from the basement into the attic floor then across the floor about 10 ft then down into the subpanel, which has its highest switch at 5ft above floor.

So far the ideas we have are:

Build a bulkhead so the cable can go diagonally across that space, which gives us some - not much - slack.
Raise the subpanel so that the highest switch is 6ft 7" above floor (which I think is code max) - altho I think we'd still be short 5".
Pull new 6 awg. This is feasible because the drywall it runs behind is not yet finished.

Any recommendations, ideas? Thx


texts: What is a split bus panel, and how do I recognize it in the field?

texts:
I'm having trouble identifying a split bus panel. I design and install Solar systems, and lately (after Mr Wiley gave a few seminars to local inspectors) the local authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) are refusing to allow a second feed to a service panel if the utility feed is in the middle of the bus (center). Citing if the panel is a split bus, the 120% rule doesn't apply.

Can anyone confirm what a split bus is and how to identify. is it simply when the feed is in the middle of the bus in the panel?


texts: Can someone tell me where to connect the white, black and ground wires from my new light fixture to these existing wires.

texts: . This is what I'm looking at  I'm just lost as what to connect to what


texts: How do hardwood flooring expansion gaps work?

texts:
I know that when you install hardwood flooring, you need to leave a small expansion gap along the walls. I understand that this is to allow the wood some space to move when the wood expands due to humidity and temperature fluctuations.

My question is why the expansion gap works, especially with floors that are nailed or stapled to the subfloor. If each board is nailed down, how is an expansion gap along the edges of the room going to help when the wood expands? Wouldn't each board just collide into the ones alongside it?

Plus, even if you have a floating floor where most of the boards are not nailed down, the ones along the edge of the room typically would be nailed...so wouldn't they be immobile and prevent any movement into the expansion gaps?


texts: Can I still use a metal box if the cover plate mounting holes are stripped?

texts: The metal double-gang box (40 yrs old) is stripped where you place the 8/32 screws. I should have replace the box in the beginning. It took me an hour or so to put a nut on both of these screws from within (not touching any wires) behind the stripped holes to hold the screws. Do most electricians replace the box or get the next size screws up (10/32)?


texts: what is water line germ removal procedure

texts: I have an old pipe line in my house. I need to clean the water paths inside the pipe. Is Filling chlorine in a dense quantity inside pipes a better way for germs removal ? how can we do that ? from where we get chlorine ? what is the procedure ? can you help.. ?


texts: Old basement, insulation and existing framing advice

texts:
This post is similar to Mid project finishing basement: should I rip out new framing?, but I'm looking for alternatives.
I purchased a house with a basement that was on its way to being finished, but the project was probably abandoned 20 years ago. Unfortunately, the original owners built frames directly against the concrete and did not leave room for insulation. (They also were insulating with the wrong material between the studs.)
This basement has clearly had water damage in the past, which they installed a french drain and sump pump to address. I'd like to still be as safe as possible.
Is there an alternative to ripping out all of the existing work, installing foam board, and rebuilding that would also be sufficiently resistant to moisture?


texts: I have a Coleman D615MH furnace.  It will not kick off.  I have to turn both breakers off.  I just replaced the thermostat, thinking that was it.  I turned the breakers on & it was still running.  I turned the thermostat off & it continued to run.  So I have turned the breakers off again.  Any ideals on what it is.  The furnace works, so when it reaches the temp I want I just kick the breakers off.  When it gets chilly I turn the breakers back on.  Any help would be appreciated..


texts: Do I need a disconnect switch for my mini-split air conditioner?

texts:
As the title suggests, is a disconnect switch located near the outdoor unit of a mini-split legally mandated or a convenience item? In my case, the breaker panel is about 20' from the outdoor unit, and the mini split is on a dedicated (and labeled) circuit.

Since local codes may vary, I am in the US. I don't believe my city has any regulation requiring a switch, but I am less sure about the national level.


texts: I am removing the caulk around the bathtub and tile. I believe the previous owner removed the grout out and filled the gap entirely with caulk.  I applied silicone remover which is helping but there is still residue that I cannot remove or scrape out of the gaps.


texts: I am running 14-2 wire from a 15 amp circuit.  I want to use 3 dimmer switches for 4 lights on each.  Can I split or connect 3 wires in a junction box to each dimmer switch from the main wire?  I am only using LED lights.


texts: Double Pole GFCI - Pool Rewire - 120V trips GFCI

texts:
My pool system has a 3-wire connection to the main breaker box: 2 Hot and Ground. The wires go from the main panel to a 2 pole GFCI (pig tail not connected), from there to the timer and the pump. In order to connect a 120 V unit, I ran a neutral from the main breaker box through the same conduit into the GFCI sub-panel and connected it to the neutral bar (I made sure it's not bonded to ground). I connected the pig-tail to the neutral bar and ran a wire from there to a regular 120 V outlet (with one hot lead and ground).
The outlet measures 120 V and the pump system runs fine. Pressing the test button trips the 2-pole GFCI. Everything looks fine. However - as soon as I plug something into the outlet, the GFCI trips.
I could wire a GFCI outlet and take the hot before the 2-pole GFCI. But it is important to understand that the 120V outlet powers a pump and if it fails without the pool equipment shutting down, the pool pump will flood the equipment. So there's a relation that requires a fault in the 120 V circuit to cut the power to the pump as well. That's why I wired it this way in the first place.
Here's my question: Is it normal behavior for a double pole GFCI to trip in this configuration? How else can I get the desired behavior so that a fault on the 120V circuit will shut down the pool equipment?


texts: Help with moldy deck from bad boiled linseed oil job

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I need some opinions on what to do about my deck. About about a month and a half ago we applied linseed oil to our deck. Our first mistake was that the deck had a sealant, so the oil didn't really penetrate. The second mistake is that we didn't use an anti-fungal.

After some heavy rain we started to see mold spots on the deck. Really bad in some of the ruts where water collects.

I'm hoping that since the linseed oil didn't really penetrate that the mold is mostly just on the surface. I don't know how realistic that is.

I initially tried treating with concrobium, but it didn't really help. I am thinking that was because it could not penetrate the wood.

After that failed attempt, I cleaned the mold off with white vinegar. This worked great. All the mold just dissolved off. It hasn't rained again since I cleaned with vinegar, so I don't know how effective it was yet.

After cleaning with vinegar it has exposed the wood that was underneath the mold spots. I need to figure out what to do about this since I don't want moisture trapped in the wood, making it worse.

I've included some pictures of the deck and some mold spots. https://imgur.com/a/KsdA8JR

My question is: Should I just completely strip the deck and repaint? Or can I wait it out until next summer? I was considering sealing up the exposed wood from cleaning. One of the main places I'm concerned about mold is at the legs of the deck because they are in the dirt, so they are constantly getting moldy again from the moisture.


texts: Can my remote-controlled ceiling fan be connected to a wall switch?

texts: My Casablanca fan remote control no longer works and I have to turn the breaker on and off every time. They no longer have a remote control replacement. Can I have an electrician connect it to a switch on the wall?


texts: I'm Ahammed Sheriff from Oman. Here we have a building with 6 floors. On the basement floor of the building there is leakage on the ceiling. Is there any way to stop the leakage from the ceiling? Thanks in advance.


texts: How can I fill hinge mortises and latch bores so I can reuse old doors?

texts: I have several old solid wood doors.  I want to refinish them and use new hinges and doorknobs.  How is the best way to repair existing hinge cutouts and holes and door cutout and holes?  Thank you.  Jean


texts: How do I determine wiring colors for ceiling fan?

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I'm trying to install several ceiling fans for our newly built house. I've noticed the wires have a ground (metal wire), white (assume hot), black (neutral), and a red wire. What's the red wire for? I know there's a wall switch for the fan.

Is one of the white/red for the switch and the other for always on (hot) for the fan light? Is there a building standard for the red color?

The ceiling fan has the following wires; white (hot), black (neutral), blue (light) and green (ground wire).

Adding Country/Location: USA, Florida

The ceiling fan unit has a fan and a light. So, I'm assuming I should connect the fan in a way so that the light can be turned on without having to turn on the wall switch.

Black - Black
Red - Blue
White - White


texts: I'm going to replace these cracked bricks on the front of my home(see pic). What type of mortar should I use? Type S, N, or M? Is there a way to determine the type of mortar that was used when the home was built?


texts:
So I was looking into (and might, might not) installing a small solar panel setup. I was reading on DC to AC converters and there is modified and pure sine wave. I was reading how modified can over heat, be less efficient so on and so forth. That scares me and so I looked at pure sine, since it would not be a problem. But dang those are pricey! A pure is $200 where a modified could be as much as $50. And unless I actually got one for 'cheap' I will not do this...

The tools I would use this on would be my band saw, router, and any other tool that basically uses less than 5 Amps.

So, is it going to be a bad thing to use a modified converter? Will I wear down my tool much sooner? Will overheating be a problem? Anything on this would help.

Note: This came directly from the woodworking group. So if I left something out that is needed then please let me know and I will gladly update

Added: SO I was thinking, what could I make for a circuit to take the Sine wave from a modified to "clean it up" into a more, pure wave form. Or something fairly cheap that I could bye, I wanted a 2000 watt but... may not happen, not rich! Anything with that would help!


texts: Can I combine two power lines from power company

texts: My house used to have two residents. So there are two 110v power sources from power company. Now I want to combine them into one so I can have bigger current. Is it possible and how?


texts: I am using a 3 wings fan in my house and it works very slow, so i want to make it fast and it also do not contain any capacitor or a cylinder type small device.it's an old fan


texts: How do I remove a broken toilet auger from my toilet?

texts:
My toilet is suffering frequent clogs that could be cleared with a plunger, but recurs  the next time we send anything down.

So I went and got the fanciest toilet auger at Lowe's, Cobra brand heavy duty "drop head" (model 47030).

I got it to go down about 18 inches, and then it got jammed.  I tried reversing the twist, and the snake part became detached from the handle.

After much back and forth, I eventually got the snake out.  I have two issues:

Is there any special technique for reconnecting the handle?  Should I consider it defective?
It still clogs very easily.  Is it time to pull the toilet?  Or would a narrower auger snake be worth a try?


texts: How do I make a fake rock finish for a water feature?

texts:
I would like to create basin for a water feature.  It would look really cool if it can have a fake rock finish.

How would I go about creating it?  What material would be recommended, I have seen a couple for sale and it seems to be made of fibre glass.  I can buy it, but I would prefer to make it myself.


texts: Can I branch off of a 2 pole 30 amp 10-3 wire found abandoned in a junction box?

texts: Hello I was doing some remodeling in my kitchen and found a 2 pole 30amp 10-3 wire abandoned in a junction box under my kitchen island.  its wired to my panel but the breaker was turned off and  not labeled. I checked and it is live when the breaker is turned on.  My question is can I branch out from this with smaller guage wire e.g. 12-2 or 12-3  for outlets and a sink with a disposal for my new kitchen island?  I'm thinking no but not quite sure.


texts: How to replace threaded metal shower drain?

texts:
After removing a leaking shower base in a house built in the 1980s, I ran into this threaded metal sewer end with what appears to be plastic inside.
I was able to un-thread the old metal shower drain with plenty of WD-40 and patience.
Now I need to know what to replace the metal threaded shower drain with. I tried a 2 inch PVC threaded adapter but the metal threads for the sewer pipe are tearing the PVC and getting stuck.


texts:
I did some wiring and want to make sure i calculated it all safely.
I have a 30 amp breaker, single phase 240volts wired to a dryer outlet, don't know the awg of that as it's in the walls and has been built a while ago. I then attached a extension cord to the dryer outlet that is 50 feet long made out of 10/2 solid wire inside a armored conduit. I am drawing a constant 23 amps and the wire feels pretty warm. I can hold it it's not like super hot but it feels pretty warm. Now considering the legenth of wire and the amps being drawn I should be good and the calculations online say I should use 12 awg but I had 10 lying around. Also is solid core better in this case than stranded/braided (whatever its called)? I also will be drawing a constant 23 amps for 10-13 hours but then nothing for about 12 hours after that. So am I safe here or do I need to make my extension cord with #8? Or with stranded wire? I just figured that solid core will safely transmit power better and safer than the other stuff that's why houses use solid wire in the walls. Thanks for the help.


texts: Can I bypass a pull-cord switch by connecting the two wires?

texts: The chain broke on my ceiling fan light. I don't need it as I have a wall switch. Can I connect the two wires going into the light switch and just use the wall switch?


texts: How can I repair a rotted door threshold?

texts:
Recently the wood transition strip at the door from my garage to the backyard came loose. When I pulled the transition strip it appears the underlying wood is rotted, how would I go about repairing this?

Edit: I'll say what what I know might be underneath. This is the ground floor. I don't believe out basement extends under any part of the garage. My garage has a tile floor installed by the previous owner (she ran a kennel out of house before we bought it so all the rooms, not just the garage, had this crazy tile!). I presume the tile is on top of concrete based on what I can see at other parts of the garage where the tile ends) The red brick is the outside of the house, and the pavers were installed directly on the dirt by the landscaper.


texts:
I am replacing my tile back splash. When I removed the old tiles, about half of the surfaces were rocklath, while the other half was sheetrock.
The sheetrock fell apart and had to be removed while for the most part the rocklath held up. I imagine I will need to skim coat it with either an extra layer of mortar or plaster first.

I replaced the sheetrock with 1/2" hardibacker. I used 1/2 plywood in a few places to even it out which fixed the majority of the unevenness but there is still a couple of places where a corner is a 1/16" high.

My question is this: Based on the two concerns pits in the plaster covering the rocklath and a few slightly uneven hardibacker tiles, can I just to a base coat of mortar and be done with it, or is this going to cause problems?


texts: Connecting a Gas Dryer to a Propane Tank

texts:
I have a gas dryer for sale, but do not have a gas line hook-up.
Can I use a small propane tank to test the dryer for potential buyers?


texts: How can I fill in an interior hole in a block wall?

texts:
In an attempt to run Cat6 Ethernet cables to my living room, I cut a handy box sized hole in the the block, but was unable to run the cable down from the attic at the top of the wall (it was obstructed about 3 feet up or mid way on the wall). In the end we put the connections in the ceiling.  Now there is a 1.5x2.5 hole in the interior side of one concrete block.

My thought was to fill it using expanding foam and drywall mud.

What is the best way to fill it properly?


texts: Why is my new water heater making a clicking noise?

texts:
I have a relatively new water heater (installed by previous owner). I've only been in the house a few months and did not notice this noise until after being there a few weeks. What happens is after any amount of hot water has been run, a loud snapping/clicking noise can be heard from the water heater. Could something be wrong with it?`

Being that it is an electric water heater, I am wondering if it's the heating element turning on. However, like I said, I didn't hear it the first few weeks we were there


texts:
1st post so go easy :-) and hoping someone can help.  I am currently investigating the feasibility of this and whether to approach an electrician on it (i.e. is it even possible without massive rework).
I have a 100Amp main panel which has a 30Amp breaker connected to a sub panel in another part of the basement.  Wiring etc. all looks good and right gauge.
The sub panel used to power a small workshop but I want to add a laundry room in the basement.  Additionally there is no dedicated oven circuit and as this sub panel is closest to the kitchen (underneath) I would like to run an oven circuit.  All in then this equates to:

Lights: 15A
Outlets: 15A
Washing Machine and Dryer: 20A (it's a gas dryer currently but I would like to add future support for an electric dryer (30A)
Oven: 30/40/50(?)A
Electric Dryer (Optional!): 30A

From what I've researched this would be too much for the sub panel (if all items where on at once) as it's only a 30 amp panel.  Is this right?
I my pretty sure the sub panel lights and outlets (which service a small area of the basement only) can be wired to the existing basement lights and outlet circuits which could reduce it by 2 x 15A (I think this small section was wired this way to prevent ceiling tracking.  Would this make it more feasible?)
Photos (click to enlarge):
Current Sub Panel

Main Panel

Small Extension Panel beside Main panel

The plot thickens lol (im ditching the oven circuit for now for ease of understanding but will likely look at full upgrade anyway)
So turns out in the sub panel off the main panel there is a cable for the dishwasher and washing machine already!  So i figured as the washing machine one goes over the same area of the basement i want to move the laundry room too i could pull it down and use it but now it gets odd.  It seems like (from my research) this is wired as a split phase shared neutral (as per here: Term to describe two circuits run through one /3 cable) and in the receptacle i can see an entry and exit wire so i assume the exit wire goes off to the dishwasher.  The wiring in the panel is odd.  There seems to be 2 double pole breakers, one is 15A/15A the other is 15A/20A!  The wires are split between them.  Is there any easy way these can be split back to single dedicated lines? (excuse my horrific diagram)


texts: Can I repair a plaster ceiling with drywall?

texts: I had a leak from my upstairs bathroom that came into my kitchen.  The repairs for the leak can be done through the kitchen ceiling where the damage is.  My ceiling is plaster that has been wallpapered to look like a tin ceiling.  All of this needs to be replaced.  The insurance company gave me money for a drywall repair to my ceiling.  Can that be done, or does it have to be plaster? I plan to have it repapered.


texts: Need help programming chamberlain garage door opener replacement KLIK3U-BK

texts:
I just moved into this rental house in November and am trying to get a second garage door opener to work.

There's an existing working KLIK3U-BK model, so I ordered a second one of those. But none of the programming instructions I've tried work for me:

The opener itself says "press the learn button, then press & hold the remote button" until the learn button blinks.
Internet search shows "press the learn button, then press & hold the remote button for 3 seconds" then try the remote.
A previous search said "press the learn button" then try the remote button 4 or 6 or 8 times and it will start to work depending on the model on one of those presses.

None of this works at all. Should I:

wipe the programming of all remotes from the opener first? (This will be bad if I can't get the existing one working again).
Try a different model of the remote like the 953EV?

Any other ideas? Having one remote for 2 cars is cramping our style a bit ...


texts:
I want to connect 8 gauge wires to a 30 amp safety switch (http://smile.amazon.com/Leviton-3032-2W-Toggle-Double-Pole-Grounding/dp/B002MPPTBQ), but the wire is too thick to wrap around the screws on the switch. What's the best way to attach the wires to the switch?

(don't worry, they're on a 30 amp breaker in the panel)


texts: Should I be concerned that the sill plate is not lined up with the foundation?

texts:
I am in the process of building a one level home in PA. After the formed concrete walls were poured and the framing began, I noticed that on one side of the house that the sill plate was flush with the edge of the foundation wall in the rear, but, by the time the sill plate got to the front it was 2 1/2" away from the edge of the foundation wall. In summary, the sill plate walks from flush with the foundation wall at the rear to 2 1/2" at the front. This happens over about a 50' run.

Any thoughts or concerns would be appreciated. Any recommendations on what sorts of questions to ask when I meet the site supervisor on Monday?


texts: How can I replace a Delta 1400 shower valve cartridge?

texts: I have a delta 1400 shower valve that I had to replace. The existing one was full of sediment. When I put everything back together water just comes out the tub spout as if the valve wasn't there. When I look at valve/cartridge there is an ever so small gap between the metal casing in the wall and the cartridge. I assume this is why I am having water come out below, even though I don't quiet understand why it is full pressure. Is there a trick to getting this cartridge back into place? I've pushed it in quiet hard and it won't go any further. This is what I am working with.


texts: Which side is up for the undersink Contact protector?

texts:
I got the Contact brand Extra Large undersink plastic protector & I can't figure out which side is supposed to be up!  One side is super smooth & the opposite side has pretty flat but slightly raised ridge design.

Which side should be faced toward the floor?


texts: Nest 3rd generation UK Install Terminals 4, 5 and 6 are used to connect cables that switch your domestic hot water on or off. Hi have my new nest 3rd gen installed heating is working great for radiators. Its the Hot water i'm stuck on. any help appreciated.


texts:
One of my bathrooms has a clawfoot tub with a faucet similar to this:

Over the past 6 months a slow drip has progressed into pretty much a steady stream.

I've taken it apart the best I can but I couldn't figure out how to fix it (unfortunately there is no shutoff so I had to reinstall it).  I was expecting to find an o-ring or seal that could be replaced but I didn't find anything.

I also can't seem to find any tutorials or resources online explaining how these valves work and how to fix them.

I would just buy a brand new one, but as you can see they are ridiculously overpriced!


texts:
My son bought a house that has a window like this one.

When I push in the center from the inside, there is some play of a quarter of an inch or so at the bottom (and the top I presume). Maybe more. What does this mean? Was it not installed properly? Is there some part that needs nailing in the center? How difficult is the fix?

There is no caulk around it but the window is original, I think.

EDIT: The rumors of how much play is there were greatly exaggerated. The amount of give at the bottom and top of the window is just about 1/16-inch in the center. Still, is this too much?


texts: How do I know if my two floor house has one or two electric rings, one downstairs and one upstairs, or just one for all the house.


texts: How to fix concrete cracks with weed growing out?

texts:
I have cracks on my concrete stairs that have weeds growing out of. I was wondering what the (caulking-like?) product is to fill the cracks. Should I spray some sort of herbicide to supress growth before applying the caulking? I plan to eventually paint the concrete but not right away. Wanted to do a first step of patching the cracks first.

Here is what it looked like before trimming:

And after:


texts: Help adding C wire to furnace - Heat only system

texts:
Looking to add C wire into my furnace. Heat is currently running on two wires with older thermostats. Luckily the in wall wiring has three wires.

Any help to point out the C wire for my setup? Or tips to find it?

see image

thanks.


texts: Is it safe to use a portable microwave in a confined shelfspace?

texts:
I have an 900 watt emerson microwave that looks similar to this one:

It weighs about 30 pounds and the outside dimensions are about 19" (W) x 16" (D) x 12" (H).

We normally have it sitting on the kitchen counter space but my significant other would like it put in a more discrete location and suggested moving it to a semi-permanent location in the cupboard shelf.

I'm reasonably certain that it'll fit in the shelf and am confident that the shelf could hold the weight (and any heavy items we cook) but I'm concerned about ventilation.  The manual says:

  Ventilation: Do not block air vents. If they are blocked during
  operation, the oven may overheat and eventually cause oven failure.
  For proper ventilation, keep three inches of space between the oven’s
  top, sides, rear and the area where the unit is to be installed.

The shelf would have that 3" breather room but not much more.  Does that sound OK? Am I worrying over nothing? Is there anything else I need to be conscious of here?


texts: What is that dripping noise I hear in the wall whenever cold water is used after sitting awhile?

texts:
I live in a condo...upstairs with another unit behind me with the plumbing in the shared wall between us.  Whenever it's been awhile (say 45 minutes to an hour) since any cold water has been used, if I flush either of 2 toilets or run any cold water faucet, I hear a dripping sound that is loudest in the wall of the kitchen.

It starts about 15 seconds after the water starts (flush or open faucet), drips (tapping sound) very quickly and then slows down and stops.  After that, I won't hear it again until the water has been sitting unused for awhile.  It's only cold water.  The only thing I hear when hot water is used, is the slight knocking from heat expansion after it's running for 30 sec. (it's winter).

There is no apparent water leak upstairs in the kitchen or downstairs in another unit.  This just started about 6 weeks ago.  It's almost as if water is accumulating somewhere in the pipe and using the water pushes this accumulation out of the way.

I don't know if it has any bearing (or just coincidence that it started around the same time), but I believe the vent to the roof has something blocking it, as my toilet water levels (especially 1 toilet) go down at varying rates.  Sometimes I'll come home and find a tiny little something that backed up into the toilets.  A plumber has already checked for a toilet leak and it's all dry.  I'm waiting for the Spring until someone goes up onto the roof to check that out.


texts: I have a light socket that I was going to replace and the new socket has 3 terminals but I only have 2 wires (typical lamp cord) coming to the socket. How should I hook up the wires


texts: How to repair (or hide) chipped kitchen cabinets

texts:
Our tired old kitchen is getting a make-over!

Is there a method to repair damaged laminate-chipboard cabinet doors? As you can see in the photo the base has chipped away and it is very flaky.

I'm looking for a way to do this without replacing all the doors. Even just painting to hide it all is a possibility but I'm not sure that will work with the flakiness of the chipboard.


texts:
Disclaimer: I know nothing about electrical things.

House is 4.5 years old.

GFCI in wet bar had red light. Refrigerator was off. Hit RESET button and refrigerator turned on and light indicator turned off. Hit TEST button and refrigerator turned off and red light appeared again. Hit RESET once more and same thing happened light turned off, refrigerator turned on. FYI, all GFCI receptacles in house normally have active solid green light on.

Checked GFCIs in kitchen. All lights were off, however, GFCIs still working. Hit TEST and red lights turned on and GFCIs not working. HIT RESET and GFCIs are working but no light indicator on any.

Checked GFCI in laundry room and in master bedroom bathroom. Both locations GFCIs have solid green light. Hit TEST on them and green light appeared and no power. Hit RESET and both have solid green light again. Other bathrooms do not have a GFCI receptacle but instead have GFCI circuit breaker I think is what they're called so couldn't check lights.

Turned all breakers off and turned them on one by one but this didn't do anything.

Other weird thing: normally plug laptop into outlet in living area in lower level ranch that's near the wet bar but in the living space vs. bar area. I use a surge protector in this outlet. Same day noticed red light on GFCI in wet bar, both red and green indicator light on surge protector went out when plugged into that outlet. Outlet is still working but lights indicate that something is wrong and that surge protection is no longer working. Plugged surge protector into outlet on same wall a little further down and both indicator lights are on.


texts: Can I as a homeowner in Mass pull a permit to repair my roof myself or do I need a contractor, I have a friend who does handy work but is not licensed can I still use him for the job.


texts: Ceiling box has 2 black and white wires but fan/ light only has 1 of each

texts:
Installing a new fan/light with 1 red wire 1 white wire and 2 green wires
The box in my ceiling has 2 black wires, 2 white wires, and one bare wire.
(The 2 black wires were capped together, and the 2 white wires were capped together)

Manual says to connect the red fan wire to the black ceiling wire, the white fan wire to the white ceiling wire, and the green fan wires to the bare ceiling wire.

I have connected the green wires, but I do not know how to connect the other wires since there seems to be an extra set?