texts: Will styrofoam insulation prevent condensation from dripping from metal roofing?

texts: I live in south Georgia and am enclosing a back deck. I am using metal roofing.  Will styrofoam insulation prevent condensation from dripping from roof?  Would the silver side go up or down?


texts: Can I drill or notch a 2x2 bottom plate in a flat-stud wall?

texts:
Trying to get low-voltage cables from the basement to the attic, the best route goes through a utility closet framed with a flat-stud wall on two sides (the third side is an exterior wall which I would prefer to avoid). The bottom plate is a 2x2 sitting on top of the floor.

I can't find any mention in the building code here in Seattle about limitations on drilling or notching of bottom plates, only of studs and top plates. Should I take that silence as an indication that it's okay to drill or notch as much as I want of the 2x2 bottom plate in order to bring the cables through? Would removing a entire piece of the bottom plate be an option?


texts: Can I drill through the bottom plate of this first floor into the basement?

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I have a 1905 balloon-framed house in western Washington. I would like to run wiring down the front exterior wall into the basement. I've tried looking up designs for this architectural style but it's difficult to determine what is actually going on here.
In the picture below I'm aiming for the wall section to the left of the window, which lands me into the closet below.

I've made it from the attic to the first floor, and now need to get into the basement, however I'm hitting a snag. There appears to be a bottom plate on the first floor wall and I can't tell how it's lining up with what I'm seeing in the basement.
The basement wall is confusing. When I cut into the wall itself behind the insulation is a brick wall (wall appears just framed out to get insulation in). When I cut into the ceiling I don't see the cinder/concrete block wall at all, but a foot or so back is a joist that runs parallel with the block. Mind the former spider and mice remnants.

This joist is parallel with the wall and is a foot back from the cutout, probably 4 inches beyond the block.

The piece of wood with the partial hole drilled up appears to be in front of the face of the joist above.

My question: How is the first floor wall supported here? Can I drill through the first floor top plate and end on the inside of this joist, or will I end up drilling straight into the joist?
Obviously if I can't get in front of it, I'm not going through it. But also this is a finished basement with power and plumbing already run through the exterior walls, so how would those have gotten run through to other floors?


texts: What are those resin filled holes on outside walls

texts:
I was looking at a house and couldn't help but notice that literally all the external bricks were covered by small holes, most of them filled with what looks like a kind of resin:

I'm new to the country (Australia) and I've never seen anything like that. It's definitely not caused by frost, since the minimal temperature in winter is about 8° C (46° F) and nobody I asked remember having seen snow in the area.

Many people told me they had already seen this, but no one was able to tell me what it was.

My questions are:

What is this?
Is this a risk for the house on the long term?
Is there something to do or to worry about it?


texts: Painting skirting board already painted with glossy paint

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In one room I painted in white the skirting board that was painted in gray glossy paint. My white paint now goes away by small pieces after only a couple weeks.

In another room I want to do the same thing, without this problem.

Is there any quicker solution than removing the existing paint completely or applying a coat of some preparatory stuff before painting?
What can be done regarding the white paint falling apart, revealing the glossy gray paint underneath?


texts: What should I do about my concrete shower curb that I did not remove all the air bubbles from?

texts:
I'm building a concrete shower curb and pan. I built the curb and when I removed the 2x8 forms I notice that I didn't pack the cement all the way to the bottom in some parts:

A bit crumbled and fell out when my wife touched it, but the rest seems very solid. (There is a lot of dust near the curb left over from the install.)

I'm a little north of 200 lbs and I stomped on it and there was no movement or anything.

So:

Is this a failure?  Is failure of the curb imminent (within 5/10/20/etc. years)?
If it will not fail then how should I fill the gaps? Fill it in?


texts:
We bought a house, built in 1986. The home has a "real" fireplace (heatilator style)- (Center flue), furnace is direct vented (now), and water heater is vented through the chimney (right flue).

The Chimney has three flues:

So here is my question....

Clearly water is getting into the chimney. It probably has been for years. I'm confused on why someone would break down a flue like this and leave it open to the elements? The house plans show the left hand side flue as being used originally for the furnace, so when they went direct vent, I "guess" they capped it off? But when you look at the water heater vent you can see it was once much larger, like for the furnace?

So I suppose it is possible this flue was never used? Clearly repair work has been performed up top to include mastic, and new caps. Why would no one cap off this flue?

I've called some masonry contractors in the area and am awaiting a visit from one of them. Should I consider using silicone/mastic and repairing the cracks and capping the flue flush to the crown with a piece of ceramic tile/stainless/aluminum OR should I consider a full chimney chase cover which I'm assuming could be cheaper in the long run as I would not have to have it resealed often or worry about more cracks in the crown?

Seeing the basement picture and the open flue picture, I'm under the impression the structure of the chimney is fine internally, am I being unrealistic given that this has been this way for a minimum of 5 years (winters, rain etc)?


texts:
Ideal electrical setup for  26 kVA minimum pull? I know 200 Amps isn't gonna cut it. I have fans and other stuff. Ideally, I'd like to drop them to 240 to maximize power efficiency. I'll be running 21 or 22 15Amp circuits off of the panel. Each unit will have a 1300 Watt pull, 21 or 22 units. I never was a lead electrician, but I did a lot of electrical work back in the day. Any help would be appreciated, much respect to all you other sparkies.

(I am in south us)

Norman


texts: (UK) Toilet flush makes a vibrating, grinding sound just at the start of filling

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I had a bathroom renovation including totally new toilet (using the existing plumbing) with new cistern, pan, etc.

After installation, but not immediately, I started having this vibrating / grinding sound in the pipe after flushing, it happens just as it starts to fill up. When I open the lid, the part with the ball cock seems to visibly vibrate a bit when it makes the noise.

The sound lasts about 3-4 seconds and cistern fills normally so I don't think it's a problem as such but it is quite annoying!

It has only been installed for about a month so not long enough for scale to build up I assume.

I'm curious what could cause this (and if I can investigate/fix it myself without calling the installer back for something as minor as that) especially since it didn't start happening immediately after the installation?

I haven't changed anything else in the plumbing since it was installed.


texts: Maximum number of receptacles on a circuit in the UK?

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I have a single plug socket in my garage but want to install more.

What would be the maximum amount of safe sockets be from that one socket?

I'm located in the UK.


texts: What is the proper way to bring this wire up to code and add an outlet?

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The previous owner ran this line out of the house. It's obviously not up to code, and I disconnected both ends last fall.  I would like to retrofit a 2 gang gfci outlet below where the wire exits the wall, using the  existing cable run.

Is there an code issue having an outlet so close to the hose bib?

What would be the correct way to enclose the wire between where it exits the house and the outlet box?


texts: How to mount handrail to drywall over concrete

texts: Any help how to hang the railing back up on the stairway.  It is townhouse wall with drywall and concrete behind it.


texts: Trying to snake a clogged external tower style drain/standing waste overflow and can't seem to go further down

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The photos in this post are very similar to my own setup. I've used this photo to get an idea of how the standing waste overflow works.

I'm as stuck as my tub on this issue. I tried Liquid Plumr early on and that kind of worked and got some water to go down very, very slowly after some hours at one point but that didn't seem to fix anything as the next time I filled the tub with water, it wasn't draining. Which, this is my problem; the tub is just clogged and not draining any water.

After trying liquid Plumbr, I tried vinegar and baking soda along with hot water and that didn't work. Next I ordered a hand cranked drill auger and an electric drill auger and I wasn't able to have any success with either. When I use the drill augers, where I'm inserting them into the standing waste pipe, they go straight down, and then that's it, it's like I hit a wall. I can't seem to get them to do down where I assume is the low seal trap. I've tried poking down a metal coat hanger that I straightened to feel my way around down the bottom of the standing waste pipe to get a better sense of the situation but again, it's like I'm hitting a wall and I'm at a loss as to what I should do next.


texts: How to Pocket joist into double Wythe solid Brick wall?

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I have a project in which I am relocating a staircase in a home I recently purchased. The engineer's drawings show the joists being pocketed into the walls. My original understanding was that you could cut an opening into the brick next to the existing beams, make fire cuts on the new LVL beams, wrap the ends with some type of moisture proofing wrap (like 55# felt?), then install the beams.

The engineer's drawings provide zero details on how the beams should be pocketed other than "3 inches minimum bearing". Also, when I had a contractor look a the project, they told me that it is illegal in Philadelphia to pocket beams and that a ledger needs to be used instead otherwise this project would fail inspection.

Some of my questions are:

1.) Why is it so illegal to pocket beams if the entire building top to bottom (built in the 1940's) consists of pocketed beams (probably not even fire cut to begin with)? Isn't it more sound from a structural standpoint to pocket?

2.) If a ledger needs to be used, how would you deal with the joists where the stairwell spans? Do the ALL the joists need to be cut and hung from one long ledger off the brick then using joist hangers as specified in the drawing on the stairwell ledger at the other end.

3.) How would YOU have this done if it was your house and why?

Here is the drawing provided by the engineer. :

This was my original understanding of what should be done (based off the drawing) before I talked to the contractor:

Here are actual pictures from the basement:

The new stairwell will be located along the party wall (to the right of the last picture) where all those pipes are seen which will be in the process of being relocated.


texts: Identify this plaster cornice coving from the UK

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I am in the UK and need to replace some coving, and am not sure how to track it down. It's probably 20 years old now, but I'm not sure if it's a generic size?

Thanks!


texts: Loosen the lower element on a electric water heater

texts: Help!!!! I have diagnosed that the lower element has to be replaced on my electric water heater. I bought the tool suggested to lossen and remove the element. It won't BUDGE!!!! Any ideas???


texts:
I got a sand blasting kit for Christmas and just started playing with it by blasting some car parts. I want to use it on our cabinet doors to prep for staining or painting (undecided).

My question is, do I need a different configurations with the blaster to use soda vs walnut vs sand, etc. Basically do different media types require different setups (nozzles, hoses, pressures, etc)

I'm mostly interested in

Soda
Walnut
Glass beads
Sand

I did soda blast a few things the other day using the hardware I have and used baking soda I bought from the store. It did the job, but seemed like I was wasting a lot of the soda as it would often come out in large puffs.


texts:
My son smelled smoke and located it coming from the outlet behind and used by the refrigerator. When he pulled it out, he saw the one side of the receptacle had melted. He pulled everything out of the box and called me, a DIY wirer, for advice. Even after he sent me photos and a diagram, I had no idea why it was wired as it was, or why it had shorted. 2 wires entering the box are plastic insulated and the other 6 are fabric wrapped. I'm attaching photos and a diagram he made. Two fabric-wrapped black wires were attached to the outlet, he believes to the brass screws. The black plastic coated wire was in a silver push-in, and the the white wrapped was attached to a silver, where the insulation had been stripped.
We're wondering why it is wired as it is, why it shorted, and whether all the wrapped wiring with no ground will have to be replaced. When it was inspected before being bought the inspector said it was 50-75 years old.wires pulled out of box

[!wires pulled out of box
[]2


texts:
Dimmable energy saving bulbs are usually labeled as "Use only with standard dimmers. Not to be used with touch dimmers, electronic dimmers, timers, ..." After reading https://diy.stackexchange.com/a/7931/4390, I also understand why that is.

The problem: I'm living in a rented apartment with the following circuitry: To dim one lamp, I can use a push-button on one side of the room, and a touch sensor button on the other side (push and hold to dim up and down). Both are used to dim the same lamp (similar to a changeover switch). I'd like to keep this setup (and probably wouldn't be allowed to replace it anyway).

But when I install an energy saving bulb, it flashes brightly at about 5 or 10 Hz, when the dimmer is at OFF (probably due to the leakage current of the touch sensor).

Since filament lamps won't be available in the EU for very long anymore (and my new light fixture can't even be used with filament or halogen lamps anymore due to low heat resistance), I don't really know what to do.

Are there energy saving lamps which work with touch/electronic dimmers, timers, etc.?
Or are there suitable dimmers which allow me to control dimming from two locations in the room?


texts: Most affordable way to create a "T" connection between two pieces of EMT galvanized metal conduit for creating shade panels

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I started a thread about extending the height of my fence to create more privacy. That thread is here:
Inexpensive ideas to extend the height of my fence cinderblock wall outdoors
I am going the route of using EMT as per suggested by ojait who answered that question. The thing I'd like to do is create a horizontal support by creating a "T" connection at the top of each post so that I can run an EMT tube along the top as a way to attach the fabric. I feel compelled to do this so that I have more support on those occasional windy days we experience. This would be my way of hoping that fabric won't rip in the wind.
My question is what is a very inexpensive way to achieve the "T" connections I'm looking to create? I am currently using 1/2" EMT as the vertical rods connected to the fence. I thought what I could do is get 3/4" EMT pipe and then find the appropriate 1/2" drill bit and drill holes along the 3/4" EMT tube so that they meet up at every vertical EMT tube attacked to my wall. I would pop this into the vertical rods. I thought of using epoxy to help secure the connections in place. Then I'm going to wrap the fabric up and down both sides and secure them to the vertical and horizontal EMT rods using pan screws. So the tension of the fabric from the top and bottom to hold it all in place.
I did find these EMT connectors that would work. They only come in 3/4" size but have an adapter sleeve for only ten cents per connection to make them work with 1/2" EMT:

"T" connectors
They look really nice but I like I said earlier, I plan to wrap my fabric along the backside and along my side (the front) so the EMT will be housed inside of fabric, so to speak, without being visible. In case you're wondering why I'm doubling the fabric in this way it's because just one single layer doesn't create enough privacy. I just discovered this after I received my fabric in the mail. Not to mention, these "T" connectors being $3 will run me an additional $100 or a bit more in cost that I'd like to try and avoid.
If my idea of creating a 1/2" hole would work, what drill bit would I look for that would work with metal that is curved? Or any ideas? I'm open. I'd just like to get this done as cheaply and as quickly yet as well done as possible.


texts: Are magnetic bit holders interchangable?

texts:
Originally  I bought a Dewalt bit set and they have their own magnetic sleeve that goes over bits to magnetize them. It works well but because it's a sleeve if the bit is in an extension the sleeve cannot be used as there is not enough space to slide down.
Next I bought a makita holder which is like a little extension but claims to magnetize bits.
Finally I bought a new set of bits by Milwaukee on discount which includes a similar little extension that claims to magnetize bits.
Milwaukee extension + Milwaukee bits = pleasure to use works great.
Makita extension + Milwaukee or Dewalt bits = does literally NOTHING.
Milwaukee extension + Dewalt bits = works ok not great.
So what I don't get is are there different types of magnets and alloys that each company uses?
Is Makita intended to work with Makita bits?
Why does combining Milwaukee/Dewalt produces worse hold.


texts:
I have two adjacent light switches sharing a box. Live black wire comes from house control panel to the box. Then, presumably, each of the other two wire inputs into the box go one each to an interior light and an exterior light.

The problem is that when I connect only one of these "dead" blacks to the live black from the control panel, the third black then also has power; however, neither light comes on and the two switches are not operating independently. I have not modified the wiring in any way since the house was built. Any suggestions as to why it may have been wired in this way AND how to fix this (short of rewiring)? Thank you!


texts: Adding sheathing under a concrete tile roof

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I have a concrete tile roof that has just the skip sheathing.  Its common to get squirrels nesting up there because there is nothing there to prevent them from coming in through the eaves.  Is it possible to add additional sheathing behind the existing skip sheathing to help with squirrels and possibly leaks?

Here is the best image I have of the existing sheathing and back of the concrete tiles.


texts: Simple question...probably over-thinking it. I've framed out a medicine cabinet in my bathroom. I'd like to put a GFCI outlet underneath it. I'll connect the wires to the light above the medicine cabinet. Are there any rules regarding how I route the cable? Is it okay if I route the cable around the medicine cabinet framing instead of through it.


texts: Why can't SharkBite plumbing connectors be sold in CA and VT?

texts:
I've spent the last couple of weeks replacing my copper hydronic heat in the house. I'm now a convert to PEX and SharkBite connectors.

I had to run out tonight to Home Depot to pick up one more connector and got back and realized there was an odd statement on the tag:

  Note: It is illegal to sell this product in California and Vermont

Anyone know why this is? I did some Googling and found these theories from various places:

CA has a powerful plumbing lobby and they don't like homeowners having access to easier products
CA has strict anti-lead legislation where many brass fixtures still contain a percentage of lead

Both sound plausible and perhaps they're both true. Anyone know the actual reason?


texts:
My roommates share a room and they have been experiencing frequent outtages that last anywhere from 5 minutes to an hour. There are 4 outlets in the room, and when this happens only 3 go out. No breaker is switched either. They have 3 surge protectors, 2 in outlets that go out and 1 in the one that doesnt.

In one, they have an xbox, a ps4, 2 monitors, a computer, and desktop speakers plugged in. In another they have a TV, an xbox one X, a headset, and a dyson bladeless fan. In the third, which is in the outlet that doesnt turn off when this happens, they had phone chargers.

I assumed it was caused by too much power draw, but even when most of it was off it still happened. We managed to notice that when you wiggled the outlet that stayed on, the power would come on an off throughout the room as you wiggled. I took the outlet out and noticed that one of the hot wires was slightly exposed, so Im assuming it wiggled and touched the metal in the outlet. It also was slightly charred and looked as if it was heating up too much ("burnt" end and discolored insulation).

I took out that wire and capped it with a wire nut and electrical tap then put the outlet back in. Now the power still hasnt come back on, 2 hours later, but the outlet itself works (not the plug that isnt connected).

Im very confused by whats going on, and need some direction of what to do now. I want to avoid calling an electrician if possible (money is tight) but I also would prefer that over a fire if its an issue.


texts: Can lag bolts go fully through both pieces?

texts:
This is probably an overly long explanation for a question for which I think I already know the  answer to, (probably obvious) but other opinions would be great.
In tearing out some very old outdoor wooden steps that are starting to rot, a few of the center stringers for those steps split at the corners.  Hence, the new treads (11 inches deep) at these locations will not be supported by that full 11 inches.
My plan is to sister a new board to the center stringer at those spots (the existing stringers, except for the several split corners, are still in pretty good shape).
Both the stringers and sister boards are about 1.5 inches thick.
My question: I already have a good number of (expensive) 3.5 inch-long lag bolts that are plenty strong (1/4 or 3/8 inch).  However, the end of the lag screw would stick out by a tiny bit (~ 1/4 inch max if I use a washer).  I can't imagine this would be a problem (other than bothering me aesthetically, even though it will never be seen), especially since the end is tapered and not contributing to any holding strength, but just wanted to check.


texts: How to brightly light an entire backyard area with only one electrical box?

texts:
The end goal is a security light for a backyard that provides ~10,000 lumens total output over an area of roughly 85 x 45 feet  (26 x 14 meters).

The problem is I haven’t found any ready made way to do that using a single fixture (to avoid adding another electrical box to the back of the house).

Could a standard two bulb fixture could come close using two powerful LED bulbs, or would a more DYI solution be requires to make it possible and practical?

What have I tried or thought of so far:

I know there are bulbs bright enough for other uses. I just added a 60w LED corn bulb in the garage and wow, it makes working at night wonderful.  However corn bulbs don’t seem to be the right fit for a backyard floodlight, for example they’d be wasting light by shining 360 degrees.
I’ve also seen standard A19 LED bulbs at 22 watts which is of course very bright, but wouldn’t do the job with only two sockets, and again seems it may not be optimal to light up a backyard even if you fit in the ~5 bulbs it would take.

Maybe something like this wall light would be required?
https://www.amazon.com/Ustellar-Waterproof-Equivalent-Floodlight-Landscape/dp/B01NBTB717

Maybe there is no bulb solution which would mean forgetting standard two socket security light fixtures and I’m just looking for the best options.


texts: How to seal molded plastic shower when repainting

texts:
In preparing to repaint my bathroom, I noticed the paint around the molded plastic shower stall was peeling and exposing the joint compound underneath. There doesn't appear to be any caulking around the seam.

After I've removed the loose paint and touched up the joint compound, what should my next step be? Should I add some caulking and then prime + paint, or prime + paint and then add caulking after? Or both?

On a side note, do I need to add anti-mildew additive to the primer, or just the color coat?


texts: Verify existing torque on tightened bolt using a torque wrench

texts:
I have a couple of already counterclockwisely tightened bolts and would like to know how much they're torqued to in the first place. I know they're torque to at least 25Nm but how much more I don't know.

I have a torque wrench (3/8" drive), and wonder if I could start with 25Nm and incrementally set (2Nm increment per step) and verify the torque by seeing when the bolt can be lossened by turning the torque wrench clockwise.

Does this method give a good enough approximation as decide by the size of each incremental step?


texts:
I have a question that is similar, but different, than:

Can I have an office in my basement without egress?

I want to finish off my basement as such:

My question is, by putting the red walls up, am I closing off an egress for the rest of the basement?  Does it matter since there are no bedrooms down there?  What if the Office were to turn into a bedroom.  Would there be any problems since the bedroom has external access?


texts: Cat6/Low Voltage Termination in a wooden enclosure

texts:
I have been bouncing around the idea of running CAT6 thru my older (1970s) house.  Single story with an unfinished attic

I have identified a bedroom closet as the potential location for the central wiring location.  The closet is on the outer wall of the house.

Rather than install a patch panel in the closet itself and have to deal with tidying up all of the resulting cables, I was toying with the idea of a wooden enclosure directly above the closet

Something along the lines of this
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S89046815/
With a pair of 6U rails to mount the patch panels.  Rails would be mounted about 6" in on the client cable side and 9" in on the termination side

Nail some attic decking onto the joists and secure the enclosure onto the decking

Run all cables up into the attic
Drill a 4" hole on the side of the enclosure to feed cables from wall jacks (or maybe drill a series of holes and just run smurf tube directly into the enclosure)
Drill a 3" hole on the bottom and run a short length of PVC to feed the switch (24 port for now but possibly 48 later) or pass patch cables from router and VOIP up to the panel.

Would this raise any code violations?
Potential fire hazard maybe from terminating inside a wooden enclosure in the unfinished attic?
Any structural code issues from putting this near the outer wall/studs.

Any other problems this might cause that I'm overlooking?


texts: Need to develop a tapered spacer for under a car lift on an angled concrete slab

texts:
I need to fabricate/develop an angled spacer.  13 inch wide by 10 inch long, by 3/4 inch to 1 3/8 inch thick. This spacer is needed to go under two of the posts of a hobbyist car lift in my garage.
The garage floor is angled by the door where two of the four corner posts will go. These two rear posts need to be on a flat surface and at the same level as the two front posts.  Each post pad will need to handle approximately 2000 pounds.
I was thinking of building a 4-sided mold where the column pads would be on the angled concrete and pouring some type of epoxy, resin, or cement into the mold. Which the metal plate from car lift posts would sit on.
enter image description here


texts: What window part do I need for this window?

texts:
A lot of windows on my sun porch are missing parts of the latch. I am guessing that time and cold has led to the plastic latch mechanism breaking. Some of the windows are missing both latches resulting in the top window sliding down over time and leaving a gap at the top of the top window (think: flies, wasps, and the like).

What is the component called that I need to replace in these windows, and where would I find it? Note: No idea of window make/model. See pictures below.

Here is a picture of a window with the proper latch and "hook"

Here is a window where the part that is hooked into is missing

Here is the latch detail.


texts: Bathtub shower leaks in wall only when turned off

texts:
Our upstairs bathtub has a small leak inside the wall that over time softened the ceiling sheetrock below.  After removing the sheetrock we tested the shower, and it's weird -- it leaks about 1/4 cup ONLY when someone is IN the shower, and ONLY when the shower is turned off.  If we run the shower with no one in it, it doesn't leak no matter what.  While the water is running, it's fine.  Only leaks with someone in it and only at the moment it's turned off.

I've removed and re-caulked the tub spout/diverter and the valve decorative flange.

It's a 20 year old Moen single valve.

Any ideas?


texts: How can/should I remove paint from my overhangs?

texts:
Old paint is peeling off my overhangs (maybe eaves is the right term?) and I need to repaint.  Big pieces of the old paint are coming off by hand, but in many patches the paint is still holding on to the wood.

Should I scrape it off, remove it with some kind of chemical, or just paint over it?  If I should remove it, what's the best way?  I tried a hand-held metal scraper and I don't think it's a good solution for the whole house -- too much work, and I find myself gouging the wood almost as much as removing paint.


texts: Is there anything that common house ants won't burrow through?

texts:
I have an ant problem and have gone on a never-ending quest to seal off all their points of entry.  Believe it or not, I have been surprisingly successful due to how they lead me right back to their entrance, but now I am losing hope.

Two years ago, I filled in a fracture in my concrete slab with Quikrete caulk.  It kept the ants from coming in up until now when they figured out that they can burrow through it.  Now I'm considering giving up and just moving to ant traps =.

I don't know what type of ants these are, but I don't think they're the big, black carpenter ants.  They're also not those microscopic, orange ants.  They're the ones in between, the ones you see skittering around on the sidewalk.  I'd say they could fit through a hole of a small button.

BTW, while I am technically asking how to get rid of ants, I am specifically asking about seals/caulks/materials that ants cannot/do not burrow through because my goal is to seal off all the points of entry that matter so they stay away from my cat's food dish.


texts:
I just bought a house last year and there's this thing with what looks like string in the middle of the electrical system. The two pictures show said thing from a distance and close up.

What is this thing?

For reference, the house was built in the 50s and is in the Bay Area in California.


texts: How safe is it to use old air compressor?

texts:
I have air compressor 91915294 craftsman. I want to use it for spray painting. I bought it use and not sure how old it is. You can see on photos that it has a corrosion but i tried to sand it a bit and it looks like it has good metal under it.

Is there a way how to check how safe it is? and what are the chances it blows up?
Any recommendations of safe usage of it?


texts: Electrical circuit with too many lights and receptacles on it

texts:
Recently during a storm a circuit breaker switched off half of our home's lights and sockets. Thinking it was due to moisture we waited for the house to dry and then reset the breaker. It would stay on for a while but then flip back off. Finally it would no longer switch on. We called an electrician who said there was a short but it would require troubleshooting to identify the exact location. He offered us two options:

Troubleshoot the short only ($350)
Split the circuit ($1200)

We counted all the lights and receptacles on the circuit and found 24. The 15A breaker should only support a load of 1400W (15A * 120V = 1800W * 80% max load). So it definitely seems there are too many junctions on the one circuit.

Is it possible to split the circuit without running additional wire through the house? The electrician seemed to indicate it was but I wasn't clear on his explanation. He mentioned using pigtails but I'm unsure if he meant pigtail connections or AFCI breakers.

I don't mind spending more money but I'd like to get the root problem solved. Would splitting the circuit and using two 20A breakers be sufficient? If so, what changes to the wiring are necessary?

EDIT:

This is the breaker box:

This is the circuit breaker in question (OFF is the shorted circuit):


texts: Tile floor installation on top of hardwood

texts: Can I lay the backerboard for a tile floor on top of hardwood floor that is glued to 3/4 inch plywood subflooring?


texts: How to replace a CFL recessed light with LED fixture

texts:
I bought a few LED new light fixtures and was able to replace them in bedroom in 5-10 minutes each. But the ones in kitchen had a weird CFL format and not the usual lightbulb screw kind of holder so not sure what are my options.
I am attaching pictures of the current fixture and the new LED fixture that I bought. Any ideas appreciated.
Should I just snip the current holder and the new light bulb adapter and splice the black wire with the red and the white with the blue? Is that it?


texts: maximum ceiling joist to beam span without joist hangers

texts:
I'm building a tray ceiling and the assembly is easy to visualize.

In a 14' x 14' dining room, I'm coming in 18.5" to the inside of the beam on 2 sides with a 2x10, and then similarly cross-wise between them the other way, also 18.5" in.  Those in-between beams are hung with a 2x10 joist hangar.

So there is a 18.5" "band" all around and then it goes up with new joists 12" above the base level.

My question is regarding the band area.  The finger joists are only going to be 17" of span, with the other end sitting on the outer wall plate.  Are 2x4 joist hangars necessary for such a short span?  And bonus, do they need to be 16" O.C. or will 24" O.C. suffice?  Thanks


texts: Water Main coming into house - is just super cold and keeps the basement cold

texts:
Just getting out of the winter, although it keeps snowing here in Chicago. Recently moved into a new home, and have a concern regarding the main water line coming into the building.

The water line enters in the basement, at about 6 feet below the surface. Ever since we moved in, we have been fighting trying to keep the basement warm. But where the water line comes in (small little access space between outside wall and inside wall), is just super cold.

I've had a temperature sensor in there for the last 3 weeks, and even when its been 70+ outside (rare lately) the access area for the water line never went over 57.

I understand that since its below the surface, its going to take a while to warm up. Where my concern is:

1 - How is this going to work in the winter? Its keeping the basement cold now, at that depth under ground, does it get any colder?

2 - We added insulation behind the water pipe between the external wall and the pipe to seal off any drafts as best we can. It helped, we got the temperature up a bit more (54 to 57). Im cautious of putting insulation in front of the pipe between the inside wall and pipe as I feel some of the building heat needs to keep that pipe warm. Or are these main water feed pipes built for the cold?

What are the thoughts of helping keeping the basement warmer and not risking reducing the the heat (if needed) to the water pipe?


texts: Remove dirty/sweaty hand prints from painted wall

texts:
Sometimes while I am working, I inevitably end up touching recently painted walls with my hands. Though I try to keep my hands clean, the combination of the dirt and sweat on my hands leaves a very visible brown smudge on the wall.

I do not know what type of paint is used on the walls. The paint has had 24 hours to dry, but it typically has been applied within the past week.

What is the best way to remove the smudge? I would rather not carry around a spray bottle with soap water and clean rags. Would lightly sanding the spot with a very fine grit sandpaper work to remove it?


texts: Screwing down toilet flange spacers with metal flange still on

texts: After raising the floor and tiling the original waste line and toilet flange is well below the top of the new floor surface. Home depot told me to use some 1/4" souix chief flange extenders / spacers. Stack them up and use silicon in between to seal them. The toilet bolts go on one of the layers and I guess I need to fill the gap that makes with more silicon. The issue I have now is that the original metal flange is still on the waste line. It is my understanding you screw the spacers to the subfloor to secure them but the metal flange is in the way. Not sure of I need to remove it or screw through them. Any advice?


texts: Second floor bathroom making floor elevated but first laying plumbing pipes on top of osb

texts:
I'm putting in a small bathroom in Arizona upstairs as part of an apartment. The plumber will lay the pipe on the existing floor proped too create proper slope to main drainage then we will build an elevated floor over. Basically you'll step up eight inches into bathroom from the rest of apartment. Then we will put subfloor on top then lay click lock vinyle planks that have attached underlayment.

First the floor that pipes will lay on is actually osb. Do I need to put something over the osb wood or paint kilz or something for proper moisture protection even though the pipes under that  elevated floor will not create moisture. Then does the elevated subfloor that the  toilet, sink, and shower rest on with the click lock vinyle planks need to be osb or plywood or what? AND should I seal with some sort of kilz before putting clicklock vinyle planks?


texts:
I work week on and week of so my house requires completely different heating on these weeks.
What I want to do is have 2 thermostats set to the different setting and turn one on and one off depending on if I’m work or at home.
This way it allows me to actually program a 14 day cycle. For the week that I’m working this should save a lot.
That is the plan just wondering if it would work.


texts: can a vent stack be left inside a building and simply cut down

texts: I'm having a conservatory built. All my plumbing is being moved except for the vent stack. I won't need it to vent pipes, but it's venting a drain also used by nearby properties. The builders have cut the vent stack to approximately 2 feet above ground level. My question is: Should they have relocated it, as it'll now be in the conservatory? I understood vent stacks were for releasing gasses but the builders informed me it's a fresh air vent.


texts: Vinyl siding replacement and existing light fixtures

texts: I am thinking of getting the vinyl siding replaced for my house.  Currently there are three electric light fixtures and two outdoor power receptacles attached to the siding.  Is it the responsibility of the vinyl siding installer to take care of removing the fixtures and reattach them after the new siding installation, or I have to hire my own electrician?


texts:
I have an IKEA adjustable standing desk I'd like to anchor to the wall in case of an earthquake. Requirements:

The desk should still be adjustable, that is, I don't want to anchor it just up or just down; I should still be able to raise and lower it without removing the anchor.
It should be possible to adjust the desk without (say) crawling under it to switch anchor straps
I don't want to mar the top of the desk if I can possibly help it.

I've done some searches, but I seem to only be able to find fixed-position solutions.


texts: What type of register and/or installation method to use for a inside duct mounting holes?

texts:
I removed the original register cover from my vent, the screw mounts were inside the duct.
I'm not sure if the fact that this is on an external wall has anything to do with it, but there was no bite behind the plaster when I drilled that pilot hole. It's possible I was hitting the brick.
(The hole to the left of the duct is where I attempted to drill a pilot hole to install an updated 3 way register)
Typing this out I realize I could probably go down in the basement and confirm my suspicion that there's no stud there.
I'm curious

If these types of registers where the mounting holes are inside are still manufactured, and if so under what designation?

Alternatively how would someone go about installing a new grille in this setup?


texts: Closet HVAC unit was replaced with a bigger unit that sticks out into room and now door cannot be put back on

texts:
This unit was replaced in a tiny efficiency apartment and the utility closet sits next to the fridge. The closet HAD a door on it before that tempered the sound of the unit somewhat, and also looked nicer than a big ugly unit sitting 3 inches further into the room.

My landlord has informed me that this is just the way it is. I'm a more than a little concerned about whether or not this is safe. Shouldn't a door be on it?


texts: How do I keep my conservatory roof drain clean?

texts: Our conservatory roof is made from Everlite.  The problem we have is that where the roof runs into the drain is constantly filling up with soil, stones and moss.  I have no idea where it's all coming from, but my question is: is there a way to prevent this?  It's very difficult to properly clear out the gap (as it's not very big), and the clogging causes the water to back up on the roof.


texts: How do I verify that a 240v outlet is wired properly?

texts:
I recently had a dryer installed and it powered on, but wouldn't run. I was able to verify the voltage at 240v using a multimeter, but I'm not convinced that the outlet was wired properly. They are bringing a new dryer this weekend, but I want to test the outlet thoroughly prior to that time.

Is there a tester to verify it is grounded/wired properly? I've used testers for 120v outlets such as this one:

Is there something like this for 240v outlets?

or would something like this work?


texts: How to cut already installed fiberglass insulation to add new recessed lights

texts:
My basement has R-11 Kraft-faced installation already installed in the ceiling joists, stapled to the inside edge.  I'm planning to install a 6 of 5" or 6" recessed lights.

What would be the best way to cut out the insulation in order to make room for the can/housing?  The insulation is not as thick as the space is deep, so too much pressure will likely tear the paper or rip it out of the staples.

My top two thoughts are to try and carve out a circle with a standard knife and slide the can in with the brackets on the outside of the paper (would probably need to pre-wire before installing), or just try to cut out a section and then back-fill insulation after the lights are installed.  Not sure if there's an easier trick that I'm not thinking of.


texts:
At work we have some light switches that look like this, and I've seen similar ones at school and at other commercial offices. This one is installed in Vancouver, Canada

The lights also have a motion detector installed elsewhere in the room that can turn them on and off.

I'm wondering what type of switch this is, and where I could get one. It looks like some form of low-voltage/networked lighting but none of the major manufacturers have it on their website.


texts:
I closed the hot water valve under my bathroom sink and reopened it last night, and since then I'm seeing a strange problem. If I barely turn on the faucet on hot I get water flow, but if I open the faucet more the water stops (and I hear what sounds like some shaking in the line under the sink).
I closed the valve again, unhooked the water line from the faucet, and opened the valve with the water line running into a bucket - nothing came out at all. I reconnected the line to the faucet and as before, I could get water flowing as long as I kept the faucet barely open.
Any thoughts on what it could be? I read about floodsafe hoses and thought it could be something like that, but the water line appears to be simple rubber. Could there be an auto shutoff valve somewhere that is preventing hot water flow when there isn't enough resistance?


texts: Ensure smooth drywall surface around stone mantel

texts:
I have a follow-up question from this Frame drywall around brick fireplace regarding the "best method" to ensure smooth drywall surface on top and both sides of mantel.

Basically I have a very "rough" brick fireplace and I need to put drywall in the "green" area:

The "red" area is the mantel and the "yellow" area will be tiles.

The drywall will attach to horizontal metal studs as below which shows the "bottom" studs and no more studs under that one:

My question is: I can mount drywall on the studs and ensure they are flat on the top portion but how do I make the drywall flat for area on both sides of the mantel (label as #1 and #2)?

The bricks are very uneven and the whole fireplace is leaning "outside" a bit so it's not completely vertical.

I am thinking of 2 options:

Put mortar in #1 and #2 and try to ensure it's 1/2" below the top drywall. I am thinking of running several small strings horizontally to ensure they are flushed and parallel to the drywall. Then once that's dried, I can put drywall over mortar using concrete screws. However the hard part is to make it perfectly 1/2" depth. I could "mud" heavily the entire thing later as a finishing work.
Frame #1 and #2 but using lumber and put several "shims" and screw plywood in first, then drywall covering plywood. I don't know how exactly this will turn out but it will take several attempts to make it look right.

I am looking advise. Thanks.

UPDATE 1

Following advise below, I have two options to mount the metal studs:

Do one horizontal on bottom. Maybe the drywall is strong enough to go from top to bottom of the two studs?

Do 2 vertical studs like the photo for the left side of the fireplace as example:

Right:

Left:

(I haven't cut the metals yet hence two separate pics)

The second option seems harder to "line things up" due to the bricks BUT I can bend the metal and use screws/washers to position.

Let me know.

UPDATE 2

To @Jack credit below, I was able to complete my project and it looks beautiful


texts:
I have a Generalair drip humidifier attached to a Trane furnace, having the control circuit board d341396P05.

The humidifier is wired to the heat cycle of the furnace, so it starts working only when the thermostat calls for heat. However, when I set the thermostat FAN ON (instead of AUTO) the humidifier does not kick in.  It is still pretty dry in the house and my intention is to wire the humidifier such that it starts when the furnace fan starts (even without heat). I assume this has to do with changing the connections on the circuit board. As it is now, the 24V transformer of the humidifier has two wires connected to the HUM-N terminal (circled with RED in the picture) and to EAC-N terminal (circled with BLUE in the picture).

Could anyone please advise how to change the wire to achieve what I want, if at all possible? Your help is much appreciated, thank you!


texts: What's that black material that holds together these roof tiles?

texts:
I'm wondering if these rooftop tiles are made of clay and what is that dark grey material that keeps them together.
Could they potentially contain toxic material? (e.g. asbestos)
Thanks in advance.


texts: What to do with concrete/cement runoff from cleaning tools?

texts:
I'm completely new to working with cement/concrete. I can follow various guides online (I'm only looking at really simple loose-brick fixing for now).

However, no guide makes clear how I should safely dispose of the runoff water from cleaning my tools and mixing tub.

Can I just chuck this into the lawn?


texts: Why have cordless tools changed the battery style?

texts:
I was looking for replacement batteries for my cordless tools (drill, light, sander) and have been unable to find any.

My current battery is the style with a neck that inserts into the tool, but all the newer tools have batteries without a neck that just slides onto the tool.

Why the change?


texts: Open appliance which has a flat round disk as a screw head, no recess at all

texts:
I bought a 6 way with switches and a 4 way gang extension leads.
I bought them online and I found them being closed by these screws with a flat round disk as a head.
Now understanding the meaning of "security screws", it seems to me that this time they really got it right!
The questions are:
 - Are these screws or clips or something else?
 - Is there any way to open this extension lead other then using a sledgehammer?
Many thanks in advance


texts:
I have the opportunity to add some coverage to my insurance that would cover a sewer line collapse (amongst other issues with underground services).

Is there any rule of thumb as to how long they normally will last without attention?

In my case, I've got a house from the 1950s which probably has clay or concrete sewer piping, so we don't have the durability of PVC or HDPE.

Should I be sweating that this thing is going to go in the next 10-15 years?


texts: Necessary to sister joists in skylight frame?

texts:
Piggybacking on my previous question about the headers in a skylight frame (Double header for skylight frame), I'd like to know if it's required to sister the uncut joists on either side of the skylight well?

As a reminder, my ceiling has 2x6 joists 16 OC.  And the flat roof which is 20" above the ceiling has 2x6 rafters 32 OC.  There will be no cuts made to the roof rafters.


texts: What type of wrench do I need to disconnect washing machine

texts:
What should I be looking for to disconnect an old Miele washing machine. Connection in a photo below. Water comes in from right.

Thanks.


texts: How can I protect my hardwood floors from water damage?

texts: I just bought a home with hardwood floors everywhere, including the bathrooms.  While this is nice, I worry that they will be damaged by constant exposure to water.  Is there anything I can do to protect them, besides high quality bath mats?


texts: Etching solution vs muriatic acid to prep concrete for epoxy

texts:
I'm thinking of ways to remove the concrete cream from my concrete in preparation for epoxy finish. Rather than grinding, I need to use chemicals. Initially was thinking muriatic acid but it's in a basement, although pretty well ventilated and someone told me mixing the standard ratios of acid to water might cause fumes that can be even lethal (that's what he said). They suggested etching solution as a less harmful alternative but that requires a little more hands on approach and attention.

I am interested in the pros and cons of these two competing materials. I have three rooms to clean, totalling about 400 sq ft.


texts: Which terminal should be used for a “C” wire when none are labeled “C”? Older electric furnace/heat pump

texts:
I have an all electric air handler/furnace connected to a separate AC unit and it is also a heat pump. I've purchased the latest and greatest Honeywell WiFi "Smart" Thermostat and it needs a C wire. Because the furnace is all electric (not gas, etc.), Honeywell told me it's either not compatible or I'd need to hire a technician to determine.

Following are pictures which show the current thermostate wiring, furnace model #, terminal wiring and wiring diagram (it's a furnace from 1989, so please forgive any lack of clarity on the diagram).

I've read the other posts about the C wire, but am unable to determine from those if the B would work in my situation as a replacement for the C. I already have an extra Blue wire wired to B and am hoping I can use that for the C wire, but I don't want to damage anything and was concerned from some other reading that it may be for the heat pump.

Higher resolution picture of wiring diagram: http://i.imgur.com/68bhMjn.jpg

Any help would be greatly appreciated!


texts: Can I use #16 duplex wire extension to a 2800 watt chop-off cutter?

texts: Is it possible to use #16 wire as extension wire for 2800 watt cut-off machine?


texts: Cockroaches coming from floor drain in bathroom, way to prevent it?

texts:
Basically I have Oriental cockroaches coming from the bathroom floor drain. Now the floor drain is not really in use, as in there hasn't been water going in there as there is only a sink that works in that bathroom, but there is also no smell, so I don't think the P trap is empty as I am assuming that smell would've already come years ago.

I am assuming I won't be able to stop these roaches with a domino effect solution, as they keep coming from outside the house, although I will first try a bit of gel around the floor drains, but how should I approach this problem exactly? Is putting a lot of chemicals/insecticides like bleach and cleaning it up a bit first or as second (after gel baits) a good idea, and then buy a drain catcher and close it off like that then once in a while I will pour in water to maintain.

Let me know, and let me know how these guys came up from there if there was water in the p-trap.


texts:
I am installing a drain in an upper floor laundry and had limited choices for floor drains.  I picked up this "general purpose" drain. The only other option was a shower drain.   It will be located under the clothes washer so not visible or in a high traffic area.  I would like it to sit flush or just below the floor surface which is why I did not select the "shower drain" which would have a bit of a lip.  Any good advice on installing this?  Is this not the right drain for wood subfloor?

I have not selected flooring or installed any underlayment yet. But if I have my way, it will be some type of marmoleum or vinyl sheet (will need to work on my sales pitch to the boss ;) )

Here is my current plan:


texts: Whats the difference between black, blue and red PEX pipes sleeves

texts:
I'm using PEX pipes for water tubing, but I'm not sure which sleeve type should I use for hot and cold water pipes.

Whats the difference between black, blue and red sleeves? and which should I be using for hot and cold water pipes


texts: How would insulate/fill this large enclosed area behind my gas fireplace

texts:
I’m currently remolding most of my bathroom because I found some black mold behind a shower tile and then there just kept being moisture the more I uncovered. After opening the wall behind my fireplace, I discovered a large open space and i’m unsure of the proper way to tackle this. I feel the brick is poorly laid, I don’t know for sure since it’s my first time seeing the back of a fireplace. But I believe it use to be a wood burning fireplace that was converted to a gas fireplace and maybe that’s the reason. I don’t know if I should address the issues (if their are any) with the brick. And then how to go about filling the area. I was thinking of just slowly layering spray foam insulation and sealant. But I know the spray foam is flammable and shouldn’t be exposed to temperatures above 240 degrees F. And I’m not sure if any gaps behind the fireplace aid in any oxygen support for the fire to burn properly. I apologize for the long question/description I was just hoping to be discriptive enough to be helped. Hope I didn’t miss anything thank you in advance for you time and help. I’m also not opposed to removing it if that’s the best solution.

Images to follow shortly. After I figure out how to make them less MBs. Also the brick doesn’t look as bad as I remembered while writing this. And the also in quite as large as I remembered either… but I think it’s all still not great and rather roomy.

Also i’m From Minnesota and now live in southeast Texas so the fire place doesn’t get used.


texts:
I installed this turbine exhaust vent on my 1/12 (almost flat) roof.

As per the instruction, I used roofing nails to attach the bottom half of the flange while the top half is tucked under the roofing material (modified bitumen).
Do I need to waterproof these nails? If yes, can I just use roofing cement or should I use roofing patch tape (brand "Eternabond") like this:

Or is it better to use patching material like I had a professional apply for some repairs while ago with a propane torch, which looks like this:

or something else?


texts: Replacing ceiling fan with remote Control and keep wall switches

texts:
I'm replacing ceiling fan.
I have the following wall controls as indicated in the picture below:

I must say I haven't much experimented with the functionality of each one, however I can say for sure that the switch on the right is sort of a master switch, turning it ON or OFF basically restores the previous operation of the ceiling fan or turns off both fan and light. That's really all I know.

On the ceiling I have 4 wires coming out - black, red, white, green.
I also have remote control, which presented in the picture below:

Remote control has the five wires total.
There are two "inbound" wires - black and white.
There are three "outbound" wires (exactly matching the wires on the fan itself) - black, blue and white.

My goal, ideally is to restore the functionality as before. However when I removed the fan I saw that the black wire in the ceiling was not connected. What I would like to achieve is to be able to control the fan with remote, as well as from the switch in the wall.

If I connect all wires (ceiling -> remote control -> fan) based on colors, what do I do with the red ceiling wire?

Could you please recommend how best this can be accomplished?
Thank you.

Edit:
Added wall switches photos.


texts: Small amount of water in chimney after rain

texts:
This morning I woke up to find water in the bottom of our chimney.
We have no fire, the gas cowl is still in place, the flaunching and flashing are quite new. It's a metal cowl that is a cylinder with horizontal slots.
I looked up into the fire place and can see water in the ledge at the bend and I'm firmly sure I saw a drop come down from above onto that ledge.
I can't see anything else inside the house and having seen the drip come down it seems to be inside the fireplace.
The amount of water at the bottom is quite small, about a spoonful.
Any ideas what I need to check?


texts:
How frequently/long for should I run my pool pump? it's a standard single speed 1.5 hp electric motor pump.

I've heard different answers from various people and I am left wondering what is correct.
Factors seem to include: lifespan of pump; cleanliness of water; power consumption.

Some have said running the pump on a timer is bad because it will prematurely wear it out (from all the extra startups). Others have said it is good due to power savings (especially running it at night when electricity costs less)

It also makes sense that the water will not remain as clean running on a schedule since it's not cycled through the skimmer/chlorine as often. But is this a true factor?

So what is the optimal method to run the pump? 24x7? Nightly? 12 hours a day? Please cite anecdotes or any research/articles you've seen. Thanks!


texts: How do I wire a thermostat with an external 24V transformer?

texts:
My current wiring has 5 wires, R, Rc, Y, G, and W wires. No C wire.  I've added an external 24V transformer and connected one wire to the C connector but don't know what to do with the other. If I connect it to Rc, then I have heat but no A/C or fan.

Any suggestions?


texts: Water heater not producing hot water but everything seems to be working?

texts:
We just bought a house and the previous owner had a brand new water heater installed. The first day we took a shower it was not very warm and the next day there was no hot water at all.
I checked the breaker and found the breaker had been tripped. After resetting the breaker we noticed the hot water was still not working so I checked the breaker again and it seemed fine.
Next I got a multimeter and check both the top and bottom thermostats and those appear to be getting 228-230 volts to them (I thought they should be getting 240 so this might be a problem).
When I check the top element it was getting the same voltage as the top thermostat.
The bottom element was not getting power but from what I have read only one element can be on at a time. I did try to turn the top to 120 degrees and the bottom to 150 degrees to force it to switch what element was getting power but nothing changed.
Then I turned off the power and removed all the wires from both elements and tested their ohms. They both fell within expected resistance: the top was about 15 ohms and the bottom about 12.
Still we have no hot water and the inner wall of the tank is not warm to the touch so I know the water inside is not hot so it's very odd.
The model is a AO Smith E6-50H45DV 120.
I have also pressed that red reset button every time I turned the power back on but it does not seem to be helping either.
What could be going wrong here?


texts: Where can I find drawings of a mobile home's construction?

texts:
I bought my very first trailer/mobile home last August. I've never lived in one, never spent significant time in one, know less than nothing about them. That said, I have a doublewide 90 Commodore. Not sure of the exact model. I'd just like to find some information on how trailers are made, what's behind the walls, etc.

My entire 20 year construction background is on wood-studded homes. I'm completely out of my element. I've checked the homeowner's manual and installation manuals, Googled, checked YouTube, but nothing tells me what's behind the walls, without having to take them all down. I would like, at the very least, information on stud types and locations. Is it not standard to have them set 18"OC?  I'm really clueless here. Any help whatsoever would be appreciated!


texts: How to match F96 T12 bulbs with a ballast

texts: I have a 2 lamp 8 ft fixture. It is T12. The ballast is new but I  don't know if it will power the bulbs. I don't want to change to LED yet since the ballast is new. The ballast has 2 red,blue, and yellow wires on one end and black , white on the other. The tombstones are original to the fixture (1988). They are typical F96 (nub) type. The fixture is connected to a loop switch and another power outlet down the line. I can't get but 1 of the lamps(new) to light. I suspect the ballast is incorrect or I need another kind of bulb.


texts: Is there space between plaster ceiling lath and joists?

texts: Two story, midwestern suburban colonial built in 1947. Gable roof. Plaster walls and ceilings. House faces north, and ceiling joists run north-south direction. I am hearing rodents inside of interior bedroom walls and then running across my ceiling in a diagonal direction, i.e., northwest to southeast. I didn't think there would be any space between the ceiling and the joists that would allow free range movement like that. Am I misunderstanding how it's constructed, or is this a sign of a problem (other than rodents)?


texts: Is gap between the tub and the drywall necessary?

texts:
I have an issue with water leaking from the side of the tub..I removed the tile to see the issue and I found that the old construction left a gap (around half inche) between the first mold defense board and the drywall(really image and one I drew to explain)

1.Is there a reason for this gap?
2.If I closed this gap would it make an issue (I closed it by adding a mold defense board piece to extend the dry wall to the end of the tub)

Please help.

The water was going from the corner because of a bad tile,  through this gab behind the tile to the other corner of the tub and leaking to the floor.


texts: Foul smell in my bathroom when I run water anywhere in my house

texts: I have a foul sewer smell in my bathroom, it get stronger when water is ran anywhere in the house. But the smell stays in the bathroom. We have checked the sink pipes nothing in there. We used rid-x but nothing change. I tried bleach down the drain still nothing changed. The smell is not in any other sink, just the one. I need to know if this sewer smell is bad on health? I have my 80 year old mother here, and don't want her or anyone to get sick until we find out where it's coming from. What can I do to get this smell out of my bathroom? What could possibly be the problem?


texts: Can I safely jumper between either G or Y and RC at thermostat panel to troubleshoot AC problem?

texts:
I'm trying to troubleshoot a non-functioning AC.  The fan does not come on and there is no cool air/condenser does not run.

My thermostat is a Braeburn.  Three things I'd like to try for troubleshooting, but are they safe:

Can I safely just jumper between the G and RC posts at the thermostat
to see if the ran comes on?
Can I do the same between the Y and RC posts?
I have other Braeburn faceplates (the AC and the heat are separate
systems and the house has 4 zones for heat so I can 'borrow' a
faceplate from another location) - can I safely pop one of those on
the one thermostat that controls the AC to see if the Braeburn is
shot?


texts: Applying Wood Conditioner to Pine - How much should I use?

texts:
I have a pine window sill that was beat up over 40 years. I sanded it (down to 60 grit with sandpaper frequently clogging), applied wood preconditioner, and tonight I applied the stain (oil based). What I found when I applied the stain was that the pine just drank it up like crazy. I used a rag to smooth it out over the wood and a little spoon to pour.
When you use preconditioner, do you fellows ever apply more than one coat? How would you know when to stop? I attached a picture of the wood and you can see it patches all over the place. There was a strange board too that looked "dirty" after I sanded it in that it was gray. You can't see that in the photo.


texts:
I am replacing my old deck that was completely rotten. The original was non treated lumber so it just was toast. The deck is only about 2' off the ground and 15' out from the house. It extents 30' across the width of the house. I am using 2x8 joists and double joists around the perimeter. There are 3 original footings for caring the load at the end of the deck but I was wanting to run a double 2x8 beam at 8' to help carry the load and get the bounce out of the 2x8s since I think the max span is usually 11' not 15'. I live in north Idaho where the frost line is 2'.

Can I bury pre cast deck blocks 3' down and run 4x4 posts up to catch the beam? The original footings should carry the max load as it did before, these would just help. The photo below shows placement but the blocks are not buried yet


texts: How can I improve recovery time of my hot water baseboard system?

texts:
I've just purchased a 15-year old house heated with a gas boiler and multiple baseboard zones controlled with zone valves.    The house is built to be energy efficient, and I have no doubt that there's plenty of capacity to maintain reasonable temperatures, but recovery times are very long (on the order of 1 hour/degree F at cooler temperatures).   I've been told by our heating contractor that our boiler is oversized for the house; this correlates with my observation that the duty cycle of the flame is fairly low even during a long recovery, indicating that we are not extracting heat from the system as quickly as it can produce it.

We have two use cases for recovery - zones that aren't used daily, or only used part of the day (i.e., office), and when we are away from the house for days up to a few weeks.   I'd like to focus on the kitchen/living room zone, for the "returning home" scenario.   This part of the house has a good size run of baseboard in the dining area (approx 15-16'), a kick panel blower unit in the kitchen, and four in-floor blower units in the living room.   There really isn't room to add any more baseboard capacity (except possibly a second run above the existing), so I'm looking at other options:

add an air handler in the basement or coat closet and configure it as a second stage (there's plenty of room for a modest unit, but supply and return ducting might be messy)
explore options to increase the capacity of the existing in-floor blower units (I have not investigated these at all yet)
explore increasing the operating temperature of the system (currently set for 160/180˚F; perhaps only on the low end
get used to it, and start the recovery earlier with remotely accessible thermostats

Are there other options that might make it possible to eke more out of the existing baseboard runs (i.e., fans)?


texts: I have an outdoor lamppost at the end of my driveway. Its not currently on a GFCI circuit. Shouldn't it be? It does not have an outlet by it. If it did, then it would need GFCI for sure, right?


texts: Which type of pump is appropraite for my well?

texts: My well is 250ft deep with a 6 inch bore. Water yield is moderate and starts from 115ft. My house is a three story building. What kind of pump would be appropriate for this application? I am confused between compressor type, jet type and submersible type pumps.


texts: How to replace just a few boards in hardwood floor

texts: I want to replace a few boards in our pre-finished bamboo hardwood floor. After i take the damaged boards out and put the new boards in, how do i get the last board in? How do i get the existing floor board fit into the groove of the new one?


texts: How to wire a Hunter Remote Ceiling Fan (Exeter) and utilize both wall switches

texts:
I want to install a Hunter Exeter fan. The fan is remote operated for both lights and fan speed, however, I have two switches on the wall - one for the fan and one for the light.
I would like one of the switches to turn on the light, and the other to provide power for the fan (which I can then use the remote to control).
Here are the installation instructions
Diagram 1: This is my 'hack' attempted at it. Left switch goes directly to the light, the right one powers the fan.

Diagram 2: Below this is the version the manual says. I'm not sure which functions the yellow and blue wires from the receiver, so I'm taking a guess in Diagram #1. I don't like this one because the right switch is a dud after you've wired it.

**Update 8/15
I finally got around to wiring the fan, and the experts here on stackoverflow were right. The blue wire from the fan goes directly to the black wire from the ceiling to turn on the light directly from the switch. And yellow wire from the reciever connects directly to the black wire on the fan. Both switches work! I capped off the blue wire from the receiver.
Important Note: You might need to wire it per the manual first to make sure the light on the fan is turned on from the remote. The fan remembers the last setting and when powered goes back to that setting.**


texts: How to build up (or repair) this toilet outlet

texts:
I removed some bathroom tiles and much to my disappointment, the person who laid this out years ago did a horrible job and I’m now left with this mess to fix.
I’ll be adding a 2 inch foam base (concrete basement) and a 3/4 inch plywood subfloor.
I’m thinking about grinding this mess out and filling out a 2 3/4 inch thick concrete “block” where the new outlet pipe will sit on. About 3-4 inches wider than the outlet bracket so that the foam base and subfloor will be level with the block.
Hope this makes sense.
My only question is how to extend/raise the outlet pipe - I don’t want to dig out all the concrete, but feel it may be better for foundational purposes. Is this the correct approach?
Any thoughts on this would be appreciated as I really dont know how to fix this.


texts: I have an exterior water tap for a garden hose that needs new caulking

texts: I noticed that the caulking around my outside water tap was beginning to deteriorate and crack. I removed the old caulking to find that the builder had filled the gap where the pipe goes into the brick with bits of wood. I'm guessing this was to help stabilize the pipe, but the wood is beginning to deteriorate as well. Is this common practice for builders and should I remove the wood pieces before proceeding or should I leave them?


texts: How can I attach structure via oval holes in panel struts in a panel van?

texts:
I am trying to build storage for a panel van. My problem is how to make use of pre-existing holes for attaching bolts to. The loading space in the van has vertical structural beams which have holes that I would like to use to secure the storage. The holes are shaped something like this:

It is not easy to reach behind those holes - basically only via other similar holes some distance apart. Otherwise I might have used a particularly large penny washer and put a bolt through it. The distance behind the holes to the van's external panels is approx 25-35mm depending on location.

Is there a trick that professionals use to attach things to these holes? I presume that's what these holes are for in the first place?

The only alternative I can think of is drilling new holes and using a tap to thread them to accept a bolt directly.

Edit: Thank you for everyone's suggestions/answers. Lots of fresh ideas which I will pick out bits of and combine for my solution. Could not choose an individual answer, so up-voted all helpful contributing answers!


texts:
Was curious as I've seen plenty of pages indicating that a 240v circuits don't require neutral... in my head that means a branch circuit but I don't know if that is accurate.

My specific case is that I have 100+ feet of 1/0 aluminum triplex and four 100A subpanels. I'm not sure if the length is enough for all four. All of their branch circuits will be 240V. Everything from the service panel to subpanel to branch circuits is in EMT.

I was going to wire it up with all 4 (L-L-G-N).... but as 240V does not need a neutral... can I turn my triplex into 2-conductors + 6 AWG copper ground?

Being able to cut up the 3rd conductor for run to the last panel would allow me all the length I need for sure.


texts:
I've swapped a 2-gang switch for a simple 1-way switch to control the ceiling lights. Previously the room had wall lights on the 2nd gang which I've now removed. In doing so, the light in the next room is also disconnected.

My question is, from the attached picture, what would I need to do to effect a passthrough whilst maintaining the present switch?


texts: I see these all the time, but don't know the name of this wrench tool. Anyone know?


texts: How can I figure out why my electric bill is so high?

texts:
I have two homes (read flat or apartment) in two different buildings a few blocks apart. The homes are both the same size but, home 1 gets a huge electricity bill while home 2 gets 1/5 the electricity bill.

I've spoken to a few electricians and they have told me that this could be because of a few reasons;

Home One has a wiring issue where one of my neighbors homes is linked to mine. Have switched off all my appliances and the meter slows down to a near stop - I'm not quite sure if its supposed to stop completely or spin slowly when everything is off? Even if the ring is spinning when everything is off I assume, its slow spinning is adding a few units to my bill at the end of the month?
There is an earthing issue. I've apparently got some circuit installed that
The meter is busted (refer point number 1).

Any other guesses?


texts: Sliding Glass Door Mortise Lock Replacement

texts:
I live in Florida and I have a Hurricane sliding door there the lock has failed. I thought that this would be an easy thing to replace, but when I removed the screws to take the lock out, there is a metal bar behind the lock that prevents the lock from sliding down or up (I had to force it to where it is now). The metal bar probably goes up the whole length of the sliding door. I think that the only way to fix this is to remove the door from the track, lay the door down, loosen the bottom bolts then and remove / angle the side out. (I had to do this to replace the rollers a few years ago).
Anyone have any experience with this? Am I missing something simple or is my path forward the correct one?


texts: How can I cut a cinder block wall to run large round duct through it?

texts: When an addition was put onto the house that I own, the previous owner just ran the duct work into the crawl space through an old basement window.  I want to re-route the duct work by actually cutting a hole through the neighboring cinder block wall.  There are 2 flex-ducts being routed through the window.  I want to combine these into a larger, rigid duct (maybe 8" to 10")  and cut just a single hole.   What tool do I need to cut through the cinder block wall and should I be concerned with any pit falls.  I'm not positive what size I should use for the rigid duct, but I can ask that in another question.


texts:
Hi all I'm in a bit of a pickle
I bought a couple of rolls of 5m 5050 DC12V 60LEDs/m in warm white colour for a home project..... The only problem is that when they arrived they didn't come with anything else, no power supply, no adaptors of any kind, no transformers just the two rolls of lights.
My qusetion is can I run these lights on a normal 12v charger, multi voltage adaptor or do I need to buy the proper transformers/adaptors to power these.
Thanks in advance for any help/ advice that can be given


texts: How should I connect my humidifier to my furnace's circuit board?

texts:
I have ganeralaire 1042 humidifier.it connect direct to transformer . my question is can I rewire to furnace control board. model is hk42fz0222105.just want to be active when heat is on. but I don't know which terminal is for that. any one can help will be appreciated.
Edit: wiring diagram:
hi. my circuit board doesn't have hum terminal, can I connect 1 to com24v ,another connect to w1 is it ok or not? thanks a lot.
hi. thank you so much to answer my question. I will try when I am home. Hopefully it work, thanks again and have a nice day.


texts: Can I use a 220V rated LED lamp on a 110V line?

texts:
I am presuming the answer of this is no. (I haven't tried to use a 220V bulb from the supplier before but their supply of 110V or Wide Voltage bulbs is limited.)
E27 6W LED Maïs Lamp Koud Wit 750lm 6500K 69-SMD (AC 220V ~ 240V)
Is it safe to use this on a 110V power line?


texts:
Something very strange is going on at my mother’s house. The oven, which is not built in but just a pigtail plug has been malfunctioning. She has ordered a new oven and is ready to put it in.
When trying to cut power to the outlet, there are no breakers that work. She’s even had my brother go under the house to see if there’s another box somewhere and there is not.
They have cut off the main breaker to the house and everything is off but the oven remains on.


texts: Can I use a heat gun to melt the Ice from the external part of split ductless system?

texts:
I've got a Mitsubishi Mr. Slim split ductless system in the "mother-in-law" suite of my house.   There are 3 wall units connected to it, one in the front room, one in the bedroom, and one in the living room/office area.  The bedroom one is set really low because that room is small, so the unit almost never has to come on.

Currently, the other two units are blowing air that's only semi-warm, and are not keeping their rooms up to temperature.  Just a day ago they were able to do so easily.  The outside temp has fallen somewhat, but the difference in internal temp seems excessive.  I've noticed that there is ice on the bottom third of the cooling grid on the back of the external unit, and I'm wondering if this could be part of the problem.  If I get that ice off of there am I likely to get any warm air back?

If so, since the grid is delicate, I'm thinking my best option to remove the ice is a heat gun on low, but I'm not sure what that will do to the cooling grid since it's that really light-weight, easily-damaged aluminum.  Would I be okay using the heat gun?


texts:
We would like to increase the hot water pressure in our home to increase the flow rate in our upstairs shower.
We are in California on city water (no well). I spoke with the water company and they said we are on a gravity fed system and it is not possible for them to increase the water pressure. They calculated the water pressure at our tap at 38-43 PSI.
I have done the following:

Pressure regulator valve (located near hose bib in front of house before water pipe enters the home) is wide open (maxed out at 80 PSI).
Water pressure at hose bib in front of house, after the PRV, before entering the house is 38-40 PSI.
Water pressure at cold water inlet to the tank hot water heater is also 38-40 PSI.
I bypassed the water heater by connecting the cold water inlet flex hose to the hot water pipe going into the house and the water flow was the same at the upstairs shower. This rules out an issue with the water heater.
Removed shower head and observed same slow flow rate. It's not the shower head.
Checked aerators at faucets and did not find any significant deposits.

I am considering installing a water pressure pump (like SEAFLO 33-Series or similar, or a more expensive Davey brand pump). Some questions:

Would such a pump improve our hot water pressure for our home?
Do I need a water holding tank for such a pump, or can it work without it?
If I'm just trying to increase the hot water pressure, where should I install it - before the cold water inlet to the hot water tank, or after the hot water outlet of the water tank?
What type of lifespan should I expect from these pumps?


texts:
Over the weekend, a neighbor tried to remove a water softener installed outside their house, and broke the lines. I helped them fix it, but one of the solvent welded joints I made failed. The main water line is PVC and the piping in the house is CPVC. We used a slip transition coupler to go from PVC to CPVC. We used Purple Primer and All Purpose Cement, both labeled for use with PVC and CPVC.
I normally wait 30 minutes after cementing these types of joints before applying water pressure, but the water was turned on only a few minutes later. The joint between the coupler and the CPVC separated.
I primed and cemented both surfaces again, and reassembled the joint. 45 minutes later, I turned on the water and the joint failed again.
My neighbor was able to locate a sharkbite transition adapter at a hardware store 30 minutes away, so we ended up fixing it with that.
So my questions are:

Why did the coupler and CPVC pipe separate the first time? I thought that this type of cement sets within minutes.
Why did the joint fail a second time?


texts: How to finish 1" gap between tub and tile

texts:
We just tiled above a new tub--our first time. We started the bottom row 1/4" above the vertical flange on the tub. This left us with 1+" of gap between the flat tub surface and the bottom of the tile.
How should we have done it instead? We thought we were following instructions that would allow the tub to expand and contract without screwing up the tile, but aesthetically, something ain't right. Is there a clever way to fix it?


texts: Ragged laminate counter edge around under counter sink

texts: Under mounted sink was installed with laminate counter, now laminate edge around sink is fraying and chipping. Can this be fixed? It is a 30 x 16 hole, not sure about the corner radius, too small for standard 30 x 24  stainless steel sink rims.


texts: about the saying "neutral does not carry current"

texts:
It came across to me quite frequently online that people state "neutral wire does not carry current." I thin this is a false statement. My reason is the following.

For the electrical panel in my home, I only saw three cables coming: red, black and white. I think the white is neutral. Red and black carry 120 V signal with opposite phase. For most breakers on my panel, only two wires are connected, either red and white or black and white.

Let's take red and white for example. The red and white wires will go from the breaker to appliance, say a toaster. When toaster is working, a current flows in the circuit, and I think there is equal amount of current in the red and white wires. Thus the neutral white does carry current.

Why the current on neutral won't hurt people? My understanding is that although it carries current, the potential difference from neutral wire and ground (e.g. home subfloor or true electrical ground) is very small (less than 1 V according to my measurement). Therefore, even if you touch the neutral with bare hands, the current (could be large!) on the neutral wire won't enter your body, because the neutral wire is so much more conductive than human body that effectively all the current flows only on the neutral wire, bypassing the human body.

Please correct me if I am wrong. Thanks!


texts: Need suggestion on appropriate hinge type for fixing cabinet door

texts:
I have an antique cabinet and the doors are coming off. The top and the bottom hooks there to the doors are no longer holding the doors in place. The doors are supposedly inset and are having a thickness of 1 inch.

I did some research online and understood that for inset cabinets, the de-facto choice seems to be the usage of euro hinges.

However, I feel that this could be problematic in my case because the euro hinges require a 0.35mm diameter cup and boring this sized cup into a 1 inch thick cabinet could have a greater chance of breaking the door itself.

I may be wrong, not sure.

Could anyone advise if euro hinges are the way to go or if there are euro hinges that can suit a cup which wont break a 1 inch thick door or should I stick to the traditional hinges like these?


texts:
We live in an upscale relatively small and new building in suburbs of NY. It’s a 2bdrm. I and my husband keep it exceptionally clean —trash taken out near daily, sweeping-mopping-vacuuming done every other day, no food is ever left out, no dishes ever left in sink but placed into dishwasher immediately, any spills taken care of, etc.

Despite all this, for the last 2 months, we have had about 3 dozen flies hover above each of our three sinks (kitchen+each of two bathrooms)

Building pest control has come by and treated sinks and surrounding area last Tue by pouring pesticides down the drains. No improvements. Above each sink there is a constant swarm of flies. Pest control said they will treat once a week until the problem is resolved.

My husband and I are wondering: are the pest control people diagnosing and treating the problem correctly? What could be causing this?


texts: How can I prevent clothes and food stuff from going bad in a moist cabinet

texts:
My neighbors are constructing their house from ground up. We have concrete structures for almost all buildings here. When the walls are ready they need to water it so the concrete settles and get strengthened. This process absorbs a lot of water and thats where Osmosis kicks in with the neighbor's walls (also made of concrete) at the receiving end. So to cut it short all the walls in my house that run parallel to the neighboring newly constructed walls are sucking in water with salt deposits that have ruined the paint as well as making algae thrive over the walls' surface in moist weather.

Now there are cabinets built on these walls which contain everything that needs to be stored, and due to the hassle described above, algae climbs onto everything in its reach (clothes, food, utensils etc.).

Is there any way out of this? I have tried keeping fresh air passage open, but that only slows down the green goo. How to get rid of it and keep it from coming back?


texts: What is this metal pipe between the motor and tank on my upright air compressor, and why is it HOT?

texts:
So, I have an upright compressor (pictured below) that has a metal pipe leading from the motor to the tank. I had my compressor running and an air line was resting up against this tube and it has heated up the plastic enough to stink up my garage (It didn't melt it thankfully). I touched it and it burned my fingers like touching cookware. I assume it's normal operation, and I assume (But could be wrong) that that tube is how compressed air gets into the tank, but I don't understand why it's so hot. An explanation would be greatly appreciated.

  Unfortunately, I couldn't find a picture of the compressor from the
  backside showing the tube, but this is the compressor. The tube leads
  from the rear of the plastic housing to the top of the tank.


texts:
I have never resealed a bath before. I'm confident on what I need to do except for one thing...
A lot of the sealant is still in great condition. It's only the sealant behind the taps that has gone black. Do I still need to remove ALL of it in order to get a smooth continuous finish around the whole bath? Or can I just replace the bit behind the taps and it still look like the sealant runs smoothly around the entire bath?


texts: What are the steps for pouring more cement around metal fence posts that are leaning?

texts:
When the wooden fence was built, they used metal posts but only filled the 2' hole with one bag of concrete.  The posts are leaning at about a 25 degree angle. I want to dig out the hole again, then add another bag of concrete to each post.

My question is, will this work? or do I need to drill holes in the existing concrete and put in a few pieces for rebar to "marry" the new concrete to the old?


texts: I am concerned that my sump pump no longer turns on when the water reaches the appropriate level. As you can see from the picture the water level is about 3/4 the way up the inlet pipes. Which is high enough so that water doesn't really run in. Shouldn't the water level be below the inlet pipes? I bought the house last year so I am not really sure about the age of the pump. I can manually run the pump, but that doesn't really do much good if I were to get a lot of rain I would have to babysit it. Can I troubleshoot the automatic turn on by dumping water into the pit with a bucket?


texts: Why does tv sound go off when switching off the ceiling fans with pull chain?

texts: I read the comments on the sound going off on the tv when the ceiling fans are switched off. I have a ceiling fan/light in each room of my house. We operate the fans by a pull chain on the ceiling light and the lights by a single wall switch. when we turn the ceiling fans off by the pull chain the tv sound goes off for a second or so. All rooms do this. It doesn't effect the picture. I have cable tv(Charter) box and new tvs. Didn't used to do this but don't know why it started. It is possible these are all on the same ciruit. I have been told that a white electrical wire is loose somewhere on one of the circuits somewhere in the house and garages.(big job to try to find). Also i have been told the ground on one of the cable connections is not grounded properly. Can this do it? Any ideas of what is wrong? Please comment.


texts: Refrigerator fresh food section not cold enough

texts:
I have an Amana top freezer refrigerator and I recently measured the temperatures.

Manufacturer says 0F for freezer and 40F for fresh food.

So my freezer was -10F and fresh food about 55F

I adjusted the freezer thermostat and now the temperature is correct in the freezer compartment.

But no matter what I try, the lowest temp I get in the fresh food compartment is about 50F but nothing lower, even when I set the fresh food compartment's temp to the lowest.

The air flow appears to be fine (from freezer to fresh food) and there are no obstructions.

So my refrigerator has no problem cooling (it managed to maintain -10F in freezer compartment).

Ideas on what to check?


texts: How do I convert an old Satchwell/Sunvic TLX2203 thermostat wiring to line voltage wiring?

texts:
I have an old Satchwell/Sunvic TLX2203 thermostat.

It has 3 wires connected to it which look to be:

switched live (green)
live (red)
neutral (black)

(at least I think that's the case)
I would like to connect this to a more modern line voltage thermostat like the Sinope TH1123ZB. The recommended wiring looks like this:

My understanding is a line voltage thermostat should sit in series with the live line (basically sit in the middle of the live line between the heating unit).
How can I wire this up given the existing wires I have?
Edit: I may not have the correct terminology as I'm new to this. Perhaps line voltage is not what I need here? Either way, I'm looking to understand what my options are to replace the current thermostat with something more modern (ideally zigbee compatible) -- what I have is the wiring pictured above and it is a 240v line.


texts: How can I connect two propane tanks together with a regulator?

texts:
I just bought a park model home and the large propane tank was removed.
I bought 2 smaller tanks (30lbs each) and an auto change over regulator with two pigtails to attach to the 2 tanks.
What do I need to purchase to connect them all together?
The gas line coming from the ground still has the 1st stage regulator on it. Do I just need to add a hose to attach the 1st stage to the dual auto changeover regulator?
Any advice is appreciated - thanks


texts: Hot to ground voltages on an ungrounded 3 prong outlet

texts:
In my old, mostly ungrounded house I have found a 3-prong outlet housed in a metal electrical box that behaves strangely.  It operates fine, but when inspected with a digital multi-meter I observe:

Hot to Neutral: 120V
Hot to Ground: 80V (same for Hot to electrical box)
Neutral to Ground: 30V (same for Neutral to electrical box)
When I use a GFCI tester it reports "Open Ground"
Looking at the wiring, there is a ground wire coming into the box in the romex cable but it is not connected to the outlet
There are no outlets connected downstream from this one

My questions:

Why am I observing these voltages to what looks like a disconnected ground?
Is there any safety risk (e.g. electrical fire) in using this outlet as is beyond the standard ungrounded shock risks?


texts: How to fix big gap between aluminum double door stiles

texts:
I have an aluminum frame double door. The gap between doors is about 5/8. I use a deadlatch as a lock, since latch isn't long enough, there was used a piece of aluminum bar 3/8 thick as a fixed latch.

Is there a better way to solve this?

Also, I plan to put an electric strike - so if the solution will allow for an electric strike - that's extra bonus.


texts: Pros and cons of painting cinder block in basement?

texts: I have owned my house for 5 years.  The outside wall of the laundry room in the basement is unfinished cinderblock.  The cinderblock wall looks a bit unsightly, with dabs of paint, and the rough surface collects dust.  The basement does not get water.  In the summer, I run a dehumidifier.  What are the pros and cons on painting the interior side of the cinderblock wall?  If there are no real cons, what type of paint should I consider using?


texts: Can the overflow pipe on the water heater be screwed off to replace it with a longer one?

texts: Can you screw off a water flow pipe and replace it with a longer one that terminates closer to the floor.


texts: Low pressure on hot water, no cold water, frozen pipe?

texts:
We woke up yesterday to no cold water running in our basement toilet and shower. There is no cold water and very low pressure on the hot water. We had extremely low temperature outside (-24 Celsius) during the night, so our first guest was that it was a frozen pipe, so we left the hot water running and we heated up the bathroom with an external/heater. Note that we have a faucet in the same room and we have full water pressure for both cold and hot water. No issue elsewhere in our house.

+20 hours later, we still have the low pressure on the hot water line and no water on the cold line. The water coming in at the end of the hot water line is hot.

I'm starting to think it's not a frozen pipe for these reason:

1) The working water faucet is the one on the external wall, the shower and toilet are on an internal wall. It's still possible that's it's frozen between the faucet and the shower/toilet section

2) After running for +20 hours, the hot pipe still has a low pressure. I would have expected the hot water pipe to have at least unfrozen with all the hot running water running continuously for this long.

Any idea ? What could it be ? How can we explain that the hot water pipe is still "frozen" after running with hot water for so long ? Thanks !


texts: Question to code-legal of space between walls where circuit breaker box is located

texts:
I have the following challenge. The building I am in is undergoing a 40 year recertification which also involves each apartment. The breaker box had been build in the a small closet which is located between the kitchen and the entrance door. The space from the box to the opposite wall is 25", the wall itself has a length of 27" the height is normal room height. If by code the distance breaker to opposite wall must be 30" it seemes that I might have a problem. Any advice?

I tried to show the layout - see below, is not 100% accurate, just for illustration. For example the entrance door and the wall to the left from the door is about 12" inside the apartment so to speak!


texts: Can I extend #12 wire on a 15A circuit with #14 wire?

texts:
Okay, so here is what I got.  I have done a fair amount of replacing switches and outlets but this is my first time adding outlets.

I have a 15 amp breaker in the box running a couple of lights and outlets in my basement.  I want to move one outlet and add 3 more to the series.  The outlet at the end of the stream is a 20 amp outlet, and it looks like it has 12/2 wire attached to it.

I want to know if I can add 14/2 wire to finish adding the outlets, or if I need to continue the 12/2.