texts: Should I fill my crawlspace drainage trenches before putting down a moisture barrier?

texts:
I recently purchased a house by Lake Erie which has a crawlspace foundation. There are existing drainage trenches throughout it dug into the hard clay, which all drains to a sump pump. These trenches are not maintained, and have built up over time with debris and now have standing water.

As part of my renovations, I plan to lay down a moisture barrier and seal the crawlspace as best I can. I was recommended to fill the existing drainage trenches with crushed stone, but after getting a quote for how much that would cost I am now wondering how necessary that is. What are the downsides of just leaving the existing trench system, and laying the moisture barrier over top of it? The crawlspace would be almost never accessed.


texts: Symmons shower isn't producing hot water

texts:
A shower in one of our bathrooms isn't producing any hot water (but every other sink/tub in the house is).  I tried to fix this by loosening the limit screw so the handle would go a bit farther and warm/slightly hot water started to come out, but only as a light trickle.
From everything that I've read online, it sounds like I may have to replace the valve/cartridge (are these terms interchangeable?), but I'm unsure how to do so.
Below is a picture of what I'm dealing with.  The shower hardware brand is Symmons and the valve/cartridge below isn't what I've been seeing in any of the DIY YouTube videos.
If I wanted to replace this, how would I take it apart?
I can't tell if this is one piece or if I can take it apart piece by piece.  I've gotten some estimates from a couple plumbers and they're saying this is going to be a $300-350 fix for just labor, so I'm trying to see if this is something I can do myself.
Any advice and suggestions would be greatly appreciated!


texts: How would I troubleshoot a faulty GE electric oven?

texts: When in bake mode the bake element will start to function by heating up, but after a brief time, there will be 2 audible clicks and it will shut off well before reaching the designated temp. It basically short cycles and will repeat without the oven ever getting warm.


texts: Lighting fixture removed, only hot wired to switch

texts:
The previous owner of my house removed  a light fixture and installed canned lights in my living room. The light fixture location was capped and I had a switch that seemed to do nothing so I assumed that switch used to work the light fixture and I was planning on installing a fan (once reinforcing it). If you look at the picture below the switch on the right is the one I referenced and it is in fact wired to that light fixture (I tested the continuity of the hot wire). But the switch only has the hot wire connected, and the neutral wire from the light fixture is pigtailed in with the neutrals of the canned lights. Any help on why it would be wired this way is greatly appreciated.

https://imgur.com/a/qi529DK![enter image description here]


texts: Can I use a snake to clean out a shower head extension?

texts: I have a basic 25 to 50ft long 1\4 to 3\8 snake, with a 1\2 drill. Can I use that to clean out a shower head extension? I noticed sediment when taking the old shower head off. With the extension installed, the water pressure is poor.  It's a two axis extension, with about a foot between.


texts: My kitchen faucet has a hole in the side (see picture) which appears to have a screw slot. It leaks a lot of water. Why is it there? How can I stop it from leaking?


texts: Just installed Sure Vent is not working and sink is clogged. What did I do wrong?

texts:
Just installed a Sure Vent underneath our kitchen island sink. I added the T and 5-6 inch of pipe between the T and the sure vent.
Now water is filling up the sink and the sure vent pipe.
What did I do wrong?


texts: Can I use tile sealant in place of grout?

texts: We placed our tile in mortar using the recommended tool and it squished up higher than intended and dried in the grooves of the tile sides because I ended up in the ER at the time it was supposed to be cleaned out. We have been trying to scrape mortar out of the mosaic tiles but it is extremely difficult. We thought about options, ie. Scraping mortar, ( how best to do so, I don't know. The tiles are as small as 3/4 inch, a daunting task), using a tile sealing caulk in place of grout since there is not much grout, tearing the whole thing out and starting over(the least desirable. Suggestions?


texts: What should I do about a horizontal crack around my porch slab?

texts:
This crack runs all the way around my porch slab but doesn't go into the foundation where the basement starts. The ranch house was built in 1956. The porch was framed in and our office is in there now. I don't know if the crack was there when we bought the house but I assume it was. The porch sits next to a garage.

Is something I should be concerned about? If it's only cosmetic, what would be the best way to fill it in?


texts:
I have 4 down-lights in a bathroom.
When i turn them on maybe 2 will come on so I switch off again then  back on and 3 may come on then switch off and on then all will come on.
Anyone got any idea whats going on


texts: Why do building contractors turn down jobs, such as when the homeowner wishes to provide materials?

texts: When it comes to remodels/renovations, wherein the entire home is being completely gutted and everything is being redone, is this ever the type of project that contractors will turn down despite it being a stable and high-paying job? If contractors will turn down such a project, why is that? Does the homeowner having already picked out/purchased everything that they want for the project (flooring, cabinets, etc.) impact a contractors decision on whether or not to take the job? What can a homeowner do to find contractor who will take the job?


texts: How to remove tap valve within shroud (Franke ascona mixer tap)

texts:
I'm trying to replace the cold tap valve on a Franke Ascona mixer tap.

The valve is slightly recessed in a non removable shroud. The new replacement valve fits a standard 14mm socket set which I can use. However the existing valve I am trying to remove has rounded sides which prevents the socket set from attaching.

I have tried an adjustable spanner but because of the shroud I can't get enough leverage to undo the valve. How can I remove this valve?


texts:
I am looking for a swivel adapter that will allow the turning of screws at an angle.

Can someone help me?


texts: Washer causing pipes banging, is this dangerous?

texts:
Is this dangerous? We purchased a new washer (house is around 17 years old) and when the water clearly cuts off suddenly (it's one of those fill then check then fill washers) it makes a loud noise.

Is this something to be concerned about long term? Surely this isn't an uncommon problem?


texts: Why does my basement smell like my drop-ceiling tiles?

texts:
So I recently refinished my basement.  In the process, I replaced the entire drop ceiling with new tiles.  I finished that a couple of months ago.

I recall the distinct smell of the dust that these tiles create when handled or when I would drill holes in them.  I am now occasionally smelling that same dust in my basement.  Some days its there, others its not.

Nothing is disturbing the tiles (no, there are animals in the ceiling) and I haven't been moving them around for any reason.  They are just sitting there.

What could cause the tiles to emit dust and create that smell?  How do I get rid of it?


texts:
Past 3 weeks my humidity is hanging around 17-25 in each room. I see the water draining through the furnace humidifier so water is passing. Any ideas how to raise the humidity to 35-40?

Thanks


texts:
Putting apartment up for rent.
Just want to fix this hairline crack without replacing the whole sink.  It's about 1/16" deep (can just feel it with the tip of your fingernail)
Is it possible? How?


texts: Washing machine not agitating (very loud)

texts:
About a week ago, our washer started making a loud klunk when agitating when it switched directions.  This weekend we noticed that stuff wasn't getting clean.  I started it with nothing in it and after it fills, the agitator barely moves.  I drained it and the agitator seems to spin almost completely free (rarely engages the motor/gears when spun by hand).

So I pull off the agitator and I'm guessing the plastic gear teeth on the agitator is stripped and needs replaced ( ).  I just can't tell if the metal part is also stripped or why it stripped (only about 3 years old).

Should I replace the agitator first?  Or is my ignorance of how this works making me miss something?

Maytag MVWX655DW0


texts: Is this rotary hammer capable of driving a ground rod into hard soil?

texts:
I was thinking of purchasing this SDS Plus rotary hammer, and I'd like to drive ground rods with it.  Unfortunately, almost all of the ground rod drivers are SDS Max, not SDS Plus.

I'm going to be investigating my options (making my own, using a deep socket, etc.), but I just figured I should ask here first.  I'm unsure if this rotary hammer, or any SDS+ rotary hammer, is capable of driving a ground rod into hard soil.  Any feedback on that would also be appreciated.


texts: Can/should I install the breaker box in an annexed room?

texts:
I have three choices for the breaker box, in Brazil there is no national code restricting its location, but I still want it to have a good/proper location.

In my workshop that is annex to the house, but have its own locked entrace (you have to go to out to enter it), can be placed plainly visible but it is not easily accessible from inside the house.
Inside a half bath (just toilet and sink, 1.5x1.5m) opposite wall to the toilet.
In the laundry in the same wall next to the gas water heater. It seems to be the most recommend spot, but it also is very close to water/heat sources.

Can I put it in the workshop? If not, the half-bath seems to carry less water than the laundry.


texts:
I am carrying out some major driveway works soon, but would like advice on what to do with the electric meter.
The mains supply runs in the front of the property, goes into a garage there where the electric meter (Siemens S2AS) is located, and then carries on past the garage to supply electricity to the house.
So the garage is going to be knocked down, and a tarmac roadway put in it's place.  However I don't know what to do with the meter?  Once all the work is done I was thinking about having it in a small box or something near to the original location at the front of the property.

Should I move it to a temp location?  And can I do this myself, and get an electrical company to do a proper install later once I know where it's going?
Should I just get on and get the electrical company to move it to it's final resting place?  (not sure about this as the works are quite extensive and it could be in the way)
Any other suggestions?


texts: I am going to be finishing my basement.  I would like to design the new basement myself using design software.  What is the recommended home design software?


texts:
A lot of Youtube videos is showing subway tiles being installed without spacers...
Do you really need spacers or not for Subway tiles (Bathtub surround tiling) ??

Thank you

Andrew


texts: 240 volt house wiring, 130 volts on one leg and 112 volts on the other?

texts:
In my folks old farm house, at the panels main input from outside.
L1 is 130v.
L2 is 112v.
When a load is applied both legs down voltage, allot!  Anywhere from 10 to 20v.

The wires running from the pole outside to the house are old and exposed.

Could the old wires cause the difference between L1 and L2?
If so please explain why/how?

Thank you in advance for any input I can receive!!!


texts: Can turning off the breaker box damage it

texts:
I was removing a Jacuzzi and the homeowner turned off all the breakers for the house (even though I only needed one turned off). I don't know whether she flipped the master switch or the subsidiary switches first but she did both. Later we turned everything on but the jacuzzi breakers. I was fine working outside with my reciprocating saw plugged into the house. I remove the special secondary fuse then I cut the jacuzzi wires, put plastic hats on the ends and wrap them in tape.

Later she finds that most of the plugs and lights in the house no longer work. What happened?


texts:
we have a Settee that does not feel very sturdy. It is rated at 250 lbs and there is a slight wobble. What can I do to make it steadier and more load bearing? (e.g. 400lb)

Here is the settee: http://www.wayfair.com/Skyline-Furniture-Velvet-Settee-Loveseat-I-6006-SKY1440.html

Here are the instructions: http://imgur.com/a/LT7xt

Structually, it's essentially two solid wood sides and a bench held together by four 5/16th bolts.

Am I right in thinking that the legs are the weak point?


texts: Adding central cooling to home with oil furnace but with basement height limitations and basement functionality concerns

texts:
My house is 20x30 and 1.5 stories (6' concrete basement). The basement height is just functional at 6' and I'd like to minimize obstructions (e.g. sprawling supply ducts).
I'm planning to switch from window AC to central cooling but, to limit horizontal ducting and plenum height issues with the adding the condenser to the furnace, I'm considering positioning a cooling-only system near the duct stack that deals with house's 2nd fl. and kitchen. (supply & return) and leave only 1st fl return to the furnace (for safety) and have the supply plenum pump heat into the basement to then heat the house through convection. We were able to maintain 70 degrees with 6 "radiator look alike"/electrical type so we could maintain some of them in corners of the house that might not get the full warmth. I see it as essentially creating 2 zones (roughly upper and lower with some overlap) and letting the allowing the secondary zone to passively climatize. The synthesis of priorities is to maintain comfortable climate while also maintaining functional use of the basement.  Thoughts/alternatives?  Thanks in advance.


texts: Understanding GFCI configuration in basement

texts:
Good day-
I am putting a treadmill in the basement of our three-year old home, and the manufacturer warns not to plug the treadmill into a GFCI outlet.  Although the outlet I anticipate using is not itself GFCI, I assume it is downstream from the GFCI outlet next to the breaker panel in the basement.  Am I then correct in assuming that the same problem would be encountered, and I should not use that outlet?  And - what's the fix?  Our code officer will likely demand that any outlet in the basement is GFCI - is there another option?
Thanks


texts: How do I set traps in the kitchen ceiling when my roof is flat and I lack access?

texts:
At night we can hear mice scuttling about over the kitchen.  This area of the house has a flat roof above it, and a solid drywall ceiling with no access to the space between the ceiling and the roof.  There is no evidence that the mice have gotten below into the kitchen, but I suspect that it's just a matter of time before they do.

How do I set traps when I can't put the traps where the mice are?  Any ideas welcome.


texts: How do I connect two insteon switches to this wire box?

texts:
Update: I think one of the black/white cable pairs is for the thermostat. One of the neutrals/whites is not being used, and that's probably for the thermostat.

Here is a picture of my wire box that I made. I'm guessing the right is source and the two to the left are the light and the outlet that is controlled by the switch. I have two insteon switches that have a red, black, white and green/ground wire.

When I opened it up, there seemed to be a lot of extra connections/wires, so I removed two of the connections/wires. I didn't take a picture, and I don't remember how it was configured! The middle neutral wasn't used, the two blacks on the right were together, one red and one black were connected, etc. Now I just want to get to a point where I can use my switches and not have something catch on fire!


texts: How can I fix my toilet valve so I can stop jiggling the handle after flushing?

texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  Why does my toilet intermittently run continually?

Clearly the valve plunger (?) isn't seating correctly, but I don't know what to do about it.  If I flush, wait 2 seconds, jiggle the handle, then everything is fine.  Otherwise, the water will run all day.

Can I put vaseline around the edge of the hole in the tank?


texts: What is the best way to cut this PVC line in a hot tub?

texts:
I am helping a buddy replace a filter housing, on which the lid threads have split off, in a hot tub.  All of the piping is PVC.  The inlet and outlet have fitting right up to the junction of the filter housing, leaving basically no place to cut the line.

Top picture is the inlet, bottom is the outlet.  In both pictures, the housing is the gray piece on the left of the picture.

In the inlet, I could potentially just cut it way back before the tee, and replace all the pieces there after. On the outlet side, though, the pipe curves immediately upon exiting the last manifold fitting, making it very unlikely that it will fit into a new fitting.  Plus, cutting and replacing all off those hoses and fitting seems like a huge amount of work, if someone knows a better way...

Any ideas?
Thanks so much!


texts: I'm replacing an outlet and came across this wiring, which I had not seen so far in any other outlet in my house. It's not pigtailed, both neutral are just shoved into the same terminal. Should I mimic this in my replacement or do something different?


texts:
We're building some shelves to fit in an alcove next to our fireplace, and so we built 4 frames using 1x2s for the front and back of the frame and 2x2s as the ladder support in the middle (each spaced about 12" apart from each other). Each shelf is 49.5" long and 21" deep. I drew a SketchUp model to better visualize it.

We've installed it on the wall by screwing the back and two sides into the wall studs (image of installation below). Our next step is to install 1/4" plywood to the top/bottom.

Our main worry at this point is with the sag in the middle. Because our shelf is so deep (21"), we're afraid that over time it will warp and sag. We've thought of a few ways to fix this, but we don't know which way is the best. We've thought of installing some sort of brackets on the inside and/or outside of the frame, or just installing a long 2x2 to the bottom of the shelf towards the front to help prevent sagging. We considered adding braces to the bottom, but we are trying to have the floating shelf aesthetic, and adding braces (metal or wood) would eliminate the "floating" aspect to it. Are there any suggestions as to what we can do to prevent sagging in the middle while keeping it as close to this look as possible?


texts: Is it normal to see moisture inside my solar panels?

texts: They are installed about 10 inches above my sheet metal roof. The solar panels are Monocrystallin.


texts: What glue should I use for glue-down engineered flooring installation?

texts:
I bought a roll of FloorMuffler UltraSeal underlayment (essentially, sealed high-density foam) at Home Depot for this project. The instructions are very specific about which adhesive to use: "To be used with FloorMuffler HPA adhesive only".

This is problematic for at least two reasons:

It is not clear whether the installation will fail with any other type of adhesive, or they simply prefer that I buy their product. It has become fashionable, of late, to put statements in the manuals such as "this product will only function with OEM parts", some of which are outright ridiculous, e.g. use only XYZ-brand memory sticks with your XYZ digital camera, etc. Unfortunately, in this case I cannot tell whether I can ignore it or need to take it seriously.
Home Depot does not sell required adhesive. Worse still, I could not find it anywhere on the internet. They also have two different products, one to glue the foam to concrete, another to glue flooring to the foam. Seriously? To aggravate the problem, the manufacturer does not specify the type of glue they require, so I cannot even attempt to guess if it can be substituted or not. And by the way, the company's customer support is not returning phone calls, so no help there.

I bought some generic brand acrylic urethane glue for engineered hardwood flooring. Should I just go ahead and use that?

Update:
I glued underlayment to concrete using Roberts Engineered Wood Flooring Adhesive. The instructions say "open time up to 20 minutes" and "install hardwood while the glue is still fresh, do not allow it to skin-over". I probably gave it 10 minutes of open time before I rolled underlayment on top of freshly applied glue. There was a lot of trapped air that caused bubbles. I pierced them and pressed the air out. Next morning I was ready to install the floor, but I noticed the glue under the underlayment is still fresh. It cured around the edges, but it is completely fresh otherwise. What did I do wrong? What are my options now? I also posted this as a separate question.


texts: Can I change a switch within a circuit from powering multiple lights to a single light?

texts: I have a family room ceiling fan connected to a single pole light switch.  However, that switch also controls a bathroom light, staircase light and a bedroom receptacle.  There is only 1 cable coming into the switch from above.  No other cables go out of that switch box.  How do I go about deciphering the circuit and removing the power from the switch to all fixtures/outlets besides the ceiling fan?


texts: How to fix this water damage to ceiling?

texts:
Please see the picture, what's the best strategy to fix this? The skin which is quite thick is peeling off but the back end is quote solid. I have stopped further water leakage.

Should I be cutting the dry wall piece and put another one or I can manage fixing it without that?

Should I rip of the nearest crown molding as well and put it back?

Or this project better left to a professional?


texts: Some questions on framing a doorway in a hallway

texts:
I am hoping to add a door / wall in a hallway. The hallway is 42" wide. I have most of what I need to do figured out, but I was unsure about one part - attaching my door framing to existing walls/joists.

So where my door is going, there is a wall on wide side of it (let's call that "left"), running perpendicular to the door. There is no stud in the location where the framing will be. On the "right" side, it is a corner wall, and there's a stud there, of course. So I've got the joist above, the floor below, and a stud in a wall on the one side to secure this door framing to. Would that suffice? Or should I really be opening up the "left" wall and putting a wall stud in there?

My hope was to be able to just notch out the ceiling and drywall all around the frame, frame it like this article here, and nail the top plate to the joists above, bottom plate to the floor, and one side to the "right" stud. I thought about even putting a block under the top plate on the perpendicular wall, and above the bottom plate of the perpendicular wall to attach the leftmost stud of my door framing into.

Would this be too sloppy? Should I open up the left wall and put a stud in, or is the way I'd hope to do it actually an acceptable way?

Thanks for your help.


texts: What goes on threads first: tape or dope?

texts: Should the dope be applied directly to the male threads or should the tape go on first?


texts:
So I am going to use 12" R-38 kraft (paper) faced fiberglass insulation in my attic.  I plan on face stapling the paper to the bottom chord of each truss.  I imagine most of the seams sideways where stapled will overlap.

My question is since I am working with batts 48" long...should I tape the seams where each one meets?  The paper facing is to serve as my ceiling VB.


texts: Does a reverse osmosis system drain constantly?

texts:
I have come across the Pharmatap Fillmaster FMF-940 which is a pharmacy grade reverse osmosis filter system. I would like to install it in my kitchen but before I do, I need some questions answered:

Does the system drain constantly or just when it is refilling the tank?
If it is constant, is there any way to adjust the flow? (It is a fast drip and would waste a lot of water if it is constant.)

I have never had a reverse osmosis system before, but I have heard they are pretty good for removing bad stuff from drinking water.


texts: Moving Romex (or other NMB cable) to under the subfloor?

texts: While pulling up some linoleum to later install some hardwood floors, I found a little surprise. Someone had carefully laid the wires down, nailed them, and put a protective piece of wood over them. A joist runs on both sides of the wires; I'm guessing it's doubled up because there used to be a load-bearing wall there or something. How should I remedy this?


texts: Can I remove the top plate at top of an interior NLB wall?

texts:
Is it safe to remove the top plate in one section of an interior non-load bearing wall between two studs space 16" apart?

The reason I ask is because I need to run some ductwork to my cold air return trunk line, and the trunk line runs directly over and perpendicular to one of the interior walls in my basement.  I'd like to run the ductwork between the studs and into the CAR, but the top plate is in the way.  Can I remove the top plate?

The only thing above this wall is the HVAC duct, and the HVAC can't possibly be part of the load-bearing structure.  So I suspect it's safe to cut it out (heck, I bet I could remove the entire wall if I wanted - it's not in the original blueprints)


texts: What could be causing my sink and dishwasher to back up?

texts:
My sink backs up when running water for 3 min. Also into dishwasher.
It's also a double sink.
On the other hand, my dishwasher also backs up into sink.
This causes a disgusting smell through my home.
Especially in the bathroom and my bedroom.

I do have a basement, and when water backs up into sink ..it also backs up out of floor drain downstairs.
I had snake run through and it's not appearing to be stopped up.
New pipes were put in under sink and it didn't help.

Please give me something I can do.
I'm a single woman trying to figure this out.


texts:
I am upgrading the electrical service to a floating boat dock in a home I purchased last year. The lake is managed by the Army Corps of Engineers and has specific regulations I'm required to follow.

Currently, 12/2 NM UF is run from the main house on a 20amp breaker to a mast at the shoreline, where it terminates at a flood light and a GFCI receptacle. Is it possible to use this existing 20amp feed to power a remote weatherproof subpanel (required by the Corps for remote shut-off) with a single 20 amp breaker inside? The sub-panel is rated for 70 amps.

From my perspective, the amperage isn't changing, and all I'm adding is a shut-off switch, therefore nothing should be wrong with this setup. Is this a correct assumption?

From this shut off panel at the shore and a locking outlet, 12/3 (black/white/green) SJOOW is run to the dock ramp, and is junctioned to 12/2 NM UF (black/white/bare), which is run through 1/2" schedule 40 conduit beneath the ramp and onto the dock.

I am a heavy duty DIYer, but want to be sure I'm not doing anything wrong with this 20amp sub-panel since this is a first for me. Thanks in advance for any advice or answers you can provide.


texts:
We are in the process of remodeling our kitchen. One of the bigger tasks is to take an existing tiny pantry area (10" deep) and expand it to become a refrigerator enclosure.

I know the standard refrigerator dimensions are roughly 36" wide x 70" tall x 30" deep but what dimensions should I make the enclosure? I know some people build around a specific refrigerator or try to make it as tight as possible but I'm not building around a specific model and I'm more concerned about ventilation, generic sizing, etc. than I am about squeezing it into a custom made enclosure.

I could obviously just bump everything up and make it 38" x 72" x 34" but am looking for some input from the community.


texts: Brand New Weil Mclain Gas-Fired Water Boiler not heating zones

texts:
The other day, my heating guy removed our old system (completely) and installed a new system (Weil Mclain Gas-Fired Water Boiler) along with a new water tank. He said we didn't need all these 'elbows' on the new system and he wanted to redo everything.  He's passionate about his work.  Last week one zone stopped working. He fixed it by letting some air out. Then another zone wouldn't work and he fixed it.  Now the same second zone isn't working.

The home has 2 zones top floor / lower floor. Upstairs has a control unit just for heat and another just for A/C. They are seperate thermostats. Same for the first floor. One unit for A/C, and one unit for heat. This is just how the builder did it many years ago. There might be some reasons for this but I am not entirely sure as to why. Big home? 120 ft long?

When the HVAC guy was hooking up the thermostats to test out the system he was caught off guard when he noticed we had 4 thermostat controllers providing for two zones.

Here's a photo of new setup.


texts: Attach stone veneer evenly to irregularly shaped foundation

texts:
I'm planning to attach stone or stone veneer to the bottom 2–3' of my house.
At the front of my house, the poured concrete foundation is about 3' tall. Halfway from the front (toward the back), the foundation heigh changes to be quite low to the ground (around 4–5") with wood crippling to make up the same height as the concrete foundation in the front. See image .

The blue outline is the concrete foundation
The green is the wood crippling
The area on the other side of the outlined area is all crawlspace

I'm not sure how best to plan the installation to maintain an even depth/distance away from the wall while accommodating the backing needs of the stone.
Initially, I planned to install Hardie board on the back half where there is wood crippling. But, if I do that, the surface wouldn't be consistent (i.e., the thickness of the Hardie board would extend past the surface of the poured concrete).
I haven't decided if I'll use real stone or stone veneer (something like Eldorado or similar). I don't plan to use panels, but I'm not opposed to it. Either way, the backing needs aren't met by the wood crippling. I'd like to find a solution to this before purchasing the material.
What's the best way to approach this?
Edit: I've added several close-up images that show the transition in foundation height, flushness of the crippling, and different angles for clarity.
In the pictures, it shows how the crippling ranges between flush and 1/4" inset from the exterior side of the foundation wall. At the point of transition, it's flush. If I were to add 1/2" hardie board on top of that, the exterior mounting surface would be 1/2" proud. I'm cautious about using anything less thick than 1/2" due to the weight of the stone and general recommendations I've come across in my reading so far.
Also worth noting: It's not uncommon for snow to pile up to 2.5' during winters here. This is also partly why I'm considering the stone & cement board approach.


texts: Trying to hook up dimmer/fan switch but have an extra wire?

texts:
I am trying to replace a switch that had a 4 position light knob and a 4 position fan knob.  The old one had three wires coming out of it and the new one has 4.  Below is a picture of my wall and the new switch:

And here are the instructions:

Is there a way that I can properly wire this switch or do I need to return it and buy a different type?  If I need to get a different one, what should I look for?


texts:
I'm connecting a dimmer.

There are four wires coming from the wall. 2 black (one is HOT). 1 White. and 1 ground.

There are four wires on the dimmer switch I bought. 1 black. 1 red. 1 green (ground). and 1 red (for three way switch).

I've connected the black (hot) wire from the wall to the black wire on the dimmer and the other black wire from the wall to the red wire on the dimmer. However, when I try to push on/on on the switch nothing happens.

I've verified that there is power coming to the wire on the wall (hence I know it is HOT).

What could be the reason?


texts: Our top floor is finished/heated. How to prevent ice dams?

texts:
I'm in snowy Minneapolis, living in a 3-story house built in 1886. The top floor is fully-finished and heated, and there's no attic.

We've been getting crazy ice dams this year, but not previous years. The ice dams form right where the 2nd and 3rd floor meet. Fortunately I haven't noticed any leaks yet. But I'm worried, and don't know what to do since all the floors are heated.

1/3: This is taken from a 2nd story window.

2/3: Here's the outside. Apologies it doesn't show the whole roof.

3/3: This old real estate listing photo is taken from inside the top/3rd floor. The center-left window below is the top-center window above.

Since the floors are all heated, how can I prevent ice dams? Thank you!


texts: How can a voltage screwdriver light up when I test the ground wire or chassis of my washing machine, but multimeter reads no voltage or current flow?

texts:
I have been receiving shocks from my washing machine.

My proximity voltage detector beeps near the chassis, drum and ground wire.

My voltage testing screwdriver also lights up when touched to them.

But when I test them with my multimeter I get no readings of any kind.

My multimeter has been tested and works well.

What is going on here? Thanks.


texts: Should I vent my kitchen range vertically or horizontally?

texts:
In a planned kitchen remodel, one upgrade is to install an outside vented range hood. My choices are to vent vertically up through the roof or up and then horizontally (8') out the kitchen wall. The vertical option is considerably more difficult and costly. Are there drawbacks to the horizontal option?

The vertical option is not simple as it will need to go through a second floor and an attic in a 1934 house. Provided that building codes don't force that option, I'm hoping for the horizontal option as long as there are no serious drawbacks.


texts: Can I pigtail #10 and #14 wires in my service panel?

texts: I foolishly pulled 60' of 10/2 cable only to open the cover of my panel to find it has no room for the needed 30 amp breaker.  Can I pigtail the two 14 ga wires from two 15 amp breakers with one of the 10 ga wire conductors?


texts: For my window, what's the best way to seal and insulate?

texts:
The inside:

The outside:

The installers gave me a window unsealed on the outside but sealed with a rubber seal on inside around the frame (windows are uPVC).

After rain, the damage was done to walls by leaks and the rubber seal inside was blocking the exit for the water so I pulled it out. Unfortunately I'm unable to put it back in place as tight as it was, it's become completely loose after fitting in gap.

The windows are installed on uneven wall opening so there is expected wiggle room.

I prefer to do insulation myself since installers completely disregarded this. Should I try to re-fit the original rubber seal or glue it on, or caulk even though the window wiggles? Ive seen videos where people caulk the rubber seal?
Here's some of the damage, bubbled paint:


texts: We have an old box window in the kitchen (opening is about 58'' x 44.75''). They are double windows and both sides have cracks so we are thinking about different options to replace or repair them. Does it make sense to repair them? Or should we invest in new box or bay windows? What are rough costs of different options?


texts: 1950s bathroom sink faucet leaking at handle

texts:
This faucet is leaking at the handle (just behind part that turns) when water is turned on.
Does anyone know if this kind of fixture can be replaced, do they make something that fits a  1950s bathroom sink?
If I take out that screw and pull off the handle will I see the problem?  Is it a washer?
Can it be fixed?


texts: Testing electrical outlet wiring, arising from wikipedia

texts:
The following paragraph appears near the end of this article:

  Simple three light testers cannot detect two potentially serious house wiring errors: (1) neutral and ground reversed at the receptacle. (2) a bootleg ground, where the neutral and ground pins have been connected together at the receptacle. This may be done by someone fitting 3-prong receptacles on a circuit that has no ground wire. These errors can be detected with a multimeter and a test load, to verify that the ground connection is separate from the neutral and is not carrying normal circuit current.

Would someone please explain how to use a test load with a multimeter to do what's mentioned in the paragraph?


texts: Fix bulging back wall in GE Monogram zdwr240 wine reserve

texts:
In my pantry I have a under the counter wine cellar. Suddenly the door wouldn't close anymore. A little investigation showed that the back wall was bulging significantly. I am tempted to just try use some force and end it outward, but am afraid to completely break the otherwise functioning appliance.

What could have caused this and is there any way to fix this?


texts: Sealing plywood edge and faces (Shed Floor)

texts:
I am laying a plywood sheet floor in my shed. I have plywood that is certified for humid conditions rather than wet and the sticker on it also says that the edges and faces should be sealed. It is not pressure treated.

I expect the floor to stay dry as it is not in full exterior conditions. Similarly it is not in direct ground contact and is well ventilated underneath and will rest on pressure treated timber supporting beams. The beams will rest on bricks with a plastic layer between them to stop any water being wicked up from the concrete slab.

I wondered if it is worth sealing the faces and edges of the plywood to protect them if they are exposed to any water and from moisture in the air. I already have water repellent shed and fence coating paint (but it has waxes so not ideal for a floor or for overcoating) and basic multi-surface primer as well as interior wood paing and lots of old interior emulsion. What is good/sufficient for sealing the edges of plywood? I have considered and excluded epoxy sealer as overkill for this job.


texts: Pros/Cons of using Adhesive on Vinyl Plank Flooring?

texts:
I'm planning on building my own chair mat for my office chair. 3/4" particleboard will rest on top of carpet and on top of that will sit TrafficMASTER's vinyl plank flooring.

TrafficMASTER's install instructions state that it is a floating floor and that no adhesive is necessary. That being said, I've seen some online DIY guides for this project stressing the use of adhesive.

As far as I can tell, if the floor will be secure without adhesive...this seems like an unnecessary step and potential future headache. But, that's why I'm asking here. Are there any pros/additional cons to using adhesive for this project (chair mat) on this type of flooring (vinyl plank with 'GripStrip')?


texts: Sewer smell in bathroom ONLY when central a/c is on and kitchen sink is running water

texts:
This is a weird one, and have come across multiple handymen and none of them can pinpoint the problem when I describe it. Though they have never been in the room when it happens.
Here is the scenario...
We leave the central A/C on all day because we have big dogs in the CA heat, so when we get home, the A/C is running. When we turn on the water faucet in the kitchen sink, immediately one of the bathrooms emits a sewer odor that lasts for about 10 minutes. This happens consistently so much that the first thing when I get home is to open the bathroom window before my wife starts using the sink.
The details...
I have placed my face in the toilet, bathroom sink, shower drain, and A/C vent in the bathroom and cannot pinpoint where the smell is coming from. The bathroom in question has a wall that faces the front of the house and that part of the house is where the main water supply line is. When the scenario with the smell is happening in the bathroom, if I go outside my house into that part of the front of the house, I can also smell the bad odor, but not as strongly as in the bathroom.
I once had a plumber here to see if I could create the smell. It was about 9am and I turned on the A/C for about 20 minutes then turned on the kitchen faucet, and OF COURSE it didn't smell, so he couldn't help pinpoint the situation. I guess a prerequisite is that the A/C be on for hours or all day.
In conclusion, the smell doesn't come in any other scenario. It's just the combination of the A/C and kitchen sink (no other sink in the house causes it). And the smell is only that bathroom. I have another bathroom and no problem there. I've had the HVAC unit for 3 years and it's really been happening for a year now.
Ask me any questions you may have and thank you in advance for reading this long story and for any input you may have.


texts: Can mold growth be removed and cleaned up in a two-story apartment building successfully?

texts: I live in an apartment building that has 24 units which all the bathrooms vent into the hollow walls or their neighbors bathrooms upstairs.  (so in their ceiling, the smell and moisture comes out through my floor).  All the units vent to the interior.  There are four dryers in the building which also vent to the interior.  Nothing vents to outside.  It has been this way for at least the past five years.  You can remove parts of ceilings and see the mold on the backside of the sheetrock or sticking to the framing.  You can also see the mold in all the corners of rooms down by the floor.  It looks like a really fuzzy black caterpillar coming out of the corners.


texts:
I'm gonna get the material tested - already bought the kit. But I'm wonder what people think - I thought it might be old mineral wool since I've seen stuff that looks similar to it. I'd read that vermiculite is hard like pellets, and this stuff is soft like wool, so I don't think it's that.

Thoughts? It's from my attic - old house, built in the late 1860s. There's tons of it up there. It's old and moldy - we had a raccoon living up there for a bit after it ripped through the soffit - was quite a deal to clean up after(I wore a P100 respirator).


texts: I’m installing a nest thermostat and trying to turn off power to the thermostat before doing so.  I’m using a voltage tester and can see the wires coming in have power.  I have two systems, one for upstairs and one for the basement.  I’ve turned off the furnace breaker for both, and even pulled the large pull out head for the system, and the thermostat still has power.  I don’t have any other breakers indicating anything for the HVAC system.  I then started flipping off breakers for the surrounding area, and still has power.  How/where in the world is this thing getting power from?  Am I missing something else somewhere?


texts: 150cm X 25cm ceramic tiles - how to cut them?

texts:
I have wood-look large ceramic tiles for my bathroom and I don't know how to cut them without damaging.
While it was easy with smaller format tiles, cutting these alongside does make me worry that the tile might snap.
Any suggestions?


texts: Why does my kitchen faucet have low pressure after the water heater was replaced?

texts:
I recently replaced my water heater, and since then, the water pressure for my kitchen faucet is really, really, low. None of my other faucets seem to be affected (bathroom, shower, etc.). I can't really tell if my dishwasher is affected, but my refrigerator does not appear to be. The kitchen faucet, dishwasher, and refrigerator all run off the same set of pipes that come into the cabinet below my kitchen sink. The water heater is located a floor down almost directly below the kitchen.

My current theory is some sediment dislodged from the replacement of the water heater has blocked the faucet. Is this possible? Could this be caused by anything else?


texts: What wire and conduit is required for an attached-garage subpanel?

texts:
To make my garage more usable as a workshop, I'm planning to add a subpanel which can feed a number of additional outlets. 60 amps would be plenty for my current needs, but I'd like to go with 100 so I have the option to add an electric heater, or possibly a welder.

My garage is attached and I've found a path for the feeders that is about 40' long. What I've found so far leads me to believe I need #3 copper THHN wires, plus a #8 ground. Does that sound right?

I've also gleaned that these need to be enclosed in conduit, but I'm having a harder time nailing down the specifics for that. I'm thinking plastic conduit would be easiest for me to work with, but do I need a specific type? Also, it will be routed out through the rim joist into the exterior garage wall built with 2x4s, so max hole size is 1.4".


texts: Ceilling light wont switch off after a new installation

texts:
I have bought a new ceiling light to replace an old-fashioned one.

I have 3 grey cables hanging from the ceiling: 3 red wires connected together and 3 green wires connected together and 3 black but only 2 are joined together the single black not marked with any insulation.

What I did at first is joined all the black together and connected them to the neutral of the ceiling light and the red to the live and the green to the earth but that caused the breaker to break.

I then rewired it without the single black wire and the light came on but it won't turn off by the light switch. The only way to turn it off is by the main breaker. I have replaced the light switch thinking it might have been faulty but that didn't solve the problem.

How should the light fixture be wired?

The single black wire should be connected with the L on the light fixture, and the 2 black are the neutral. What about the 3 red wires, where should they be connecting?


texts: How to wire a standard switch from a dimmer switch?

texts: I’m replacing my dimmer switch with a standard switch. I have a black, white and ground wires coming out of the wall. Some of these wires were somehow tied together but I don’t recall how.


texts: What do I do if there are only two wires coming from my ceiling electrical box?

texts: I'm about to install several Hunter ceiling fans. The instructions that came with the fan show three wires coming from the ceiling box for a single switch light.  When I remove the light, there are only two wires leading to it.  And the wires are old, cloth covered.  (House was built in '50.)  Why two rather than three and what the heck do I do now?


texts:
Trying to use Powerline data/control devices and need to figure out which phases in my house go to where.

The double breakers are confusing me further - and I know they alternate phases vertically but is it the same phase right to left?

Question: Are the two breakers with red arrows on the same phase?

(120v+120v=240v)


texts: Why won't my condenser turn on when I run my heat pump?

texts:
I have a York Affinity condenser. When I run my heat pump, I expect it to turn on somewhere in the cycle but it doesn't. It generally does this once a year. The usual fix is to cycle the power of the ac and the furnace. This year, it didn't fix it and I have to use propane to heat the house.

Any ideas?


texts: Law mower stops quickly after start, unless I tip it back towards me

texts:
I have a Craftsman 917.370410 self-propellied lawn mower.  My question may seem similar to My push lawn mower will start when primed, then it dies unless I tip it backwards, however it may be slightly different.
When I start my lawn mower it will quickly die within 1 second now as long as it stays flat on the ground.  This interval seems shorter with each start.  If I tilt it back towards me, then the lawn mower will stay running for longer, however even then not at full power, it just delays the inevitable of it shutting off.
I have cleaned the air filter, replaced the spark plug and tried my best to clean the carburetor with the spray, however none of that seemed to make a difference either for the better or for the worse.
Are there any more easy fixes that I can try?  One note is that while I was able to get the cover to the carburetor off with a socket wrench, the air filter base will not budge to more fully expose the carburetor because it has 3 bolts which look exactly like the same bolt for the carburetor cover, but they won't budge with my socket wrench.


texts: How bad is long term bending load on PVC pipe?

texts:
I have plumbed in a garbage disposer under kitchen sink yesterday using PVC piping and plumbing glue - pretty much what was there, but I added the garbage disposer.

The problem is, the pipe that comes out from under the kitchen cabinets and goes down there into the floor after the trap is now slightly under load due to the way garbage disposer fits. Trap pushes the pipe down a bit, this pulls the end that is behind the cabinet a bit up. The pipe itself seems to be quite loose when disconnected from the trap as if inside the wall there is some flexible connection(? is it possible?).

Is it normal for sink plumbing to be slightly under load when system is finished or is it absolutely a bad idea and I should re-do everything so that there is no load at all and the pipe that goes into the cabinets and floor is as loose as it gets?


texts: Sealing a small crack in poured concrete foundation

texts: I have a small crack in my foundation that started seeping water when there was ice on the ground.  The water is flowing along the foundation under my fireplace bump out.  The cause of the problem will be fixed in the spring when I put in a new concrete patio, but I want to seal the crack in the basement wall to prevent future seeping.  Would a product like this be appropriate?  Is there a better recommendation?  The crack is fairly small less than 1/8" in width.


texts:
I am a novice diyer and I am attempting building a ground level deck in my back garden. I have seen so many different ways to dig and fill the hole it's left me more confused than when I started.
What is a great way to ensure longevity with regards the posts going into the ground? Many thanks


texts: What is this material between our concrete and bricks (lining our pool)?

texts:
The material lines our pool between the brick (edge) and the concrete. This material is only near our pool. It feels rubbery and bendable. And The material is over 30 years old is has been breaking apart in certain areas and needs to be replaced.

These are some images of the material.

High Resolution


texts:
I'm renewing our old outdoor concrete staircase going to the garden. I've decided to install glass mosaic as surface finishing.  I've got advice from the specialized shop regarding water-proofness of the seams and appropriate bedding.

Now I'm wondering whether I should install a protective 'nose' profile on each step (embedded in the thinset at placing time).
Would the mosaic be resistant enough on it's own or should I consider some alu profile?

As illustration, here's a mosaic sheet resting on a step.

-kr, Gerard.


texts: What should I do if my vacuum trips my AFCI device?

texts:
I have a vacuum that trips the AFCI device of the circuit that services my bedroom.

The vacuum has some age on it, and there is some wear on the motor's commutator.  This wear causes electrical arcing which, to the AFCI device, looks to be approaching an unsafe condition.  It is not an unsafe condition, however, because the arching is internal to the motor and the wear is part of the motor's design.  This knowledge, along with the fact that it sucks dirt really well, leads me to the conclusion that the vacuum is functioning properly.

The AFCI device has been engineered to detect the type of arcing caused by electric motors.  Although it occasionally trips when my older vacuum is in use, it does not trip when my neighbor's new vacuum is plugged into the bedroom circuit.  The device trips when it senses a potentially dangerous (although not dangerous) arc in my older vacuum, but also is able to distinguish the arc caused by by my neighbor's vacuum as from a motor and not dangerous.  This information leads me to beleive that the AFCI device is functioning properly.

Should I get rid of the vacuum?  I don't want to do this, because it sucks up dirt really well.  Also, if I get a new one, it will wear in a year or two and cause the same problem.  Should I get rid of the AFCI device?  I don't want to do that, because I want protection from fires and it is required by NEC.


texts: Installing pipe pullup bar between beams

texts:
My apartment has 8x10 beams running across the ceiling spaced about 64" apart. I realized recently that this would be a great place to install a 1" galvanized pipe with flanges at the end to be used for weight bearing purposes (pullups, gymnastic rings, hanging chair, etc) in one corner of our living room. In other words, there would be a 1" inch pipe spanning the 64" gap, with 4 fasteners at each end for the flanges.

1) Is there any reason this project wouldn't hold up to the activities I've described?

2) What fasteners should be used? Obviously not drywall screws, but would nails be better than wood screws given that there will predominantly be shear forces involved?


texts: HVAC drip line sweats during heavy AC use in summer

texts:
Our HVAC unit is in the attic. It has a PVC pipe that goes down the wall to the bathroom sink, draining into the P-trap under the bathroom sink.

Since last year, during the summer when the AC is used heavily, the drain hose under the sink from the HVAC unit is icy cold and causes the black rubbery hose to sweat. This causes a smell of mold and requires a bucket to placed under the hose to prevent further cabinet damage:

I have had plumbers and HVAC pros come out and they have replaced all the plumbing under the sink, and inspected the HVAC, but the problem persists.

In general, our house is often humid. There is mold around the exhaust vents. Often times it is more humid in the house than out of the house (Dallas, TX area).

If it gets over 90 degrees outside, the A/C never turns off and cannot cool the house below 75 or 76 degrees or so. It is during this time the cold water pours down the pipe and fills the P-trap with icy cold water.

Lastly, I had a general contractor suggest that my evaporator coils may be dirty. Since I've lived in the house (~15 years) I have never had them cleaned. Also, I have had problems with the filters being sucked in because the plenum was so tight, it bent the sides if the filters (even the 3" ones) and after that, they loose all structural integrity. You don't know until you go to change the filter.

What could be causing this sweating and humidity in our HVAC system?


texts: How should I wire 2 switches that control 1 light and 1 receptacle?

texts:
Last winter I pulled power into an attic. I put in a 2 gang box with 2 switches. One switch controls a light in the attic and works fine. The second controls an outlet and I realized months later that power is always on, the switch has no affect.

I had used some wiring books and made up the wiring diagram myself, so I'm guessing I have something wired incorrectly? I have black, white and ground in the power coming in and power to light and black, red, white and ground in the power to the switched outlet. If I need to pull the outlet to diagram how it's wiring I can do that. Here is what I have in the box for the switches:

EDIT: I'd like the whole outlet to work on the switch, nothing continuous.

Edit to add a photo of why I wired the receptacle the way I did. Changing it to the solution check-marked below worked.


texts:
I am doing a big renovation at my place but getting the lumber and all is hard with the pandemic. I found someone with roof   wooden I beam that could fit my project but I think they are on the line.
The blue print made by the engineer say the producer will choose the best truss for the project, but with the pandemic   the company does not really have time for a small project   and the price of the one I found is really fair.
Can someone confirm if they could work for my project?
Trust : NI-60 [2100f MSR] 3/8 in. web Depths 16 in.
Span : 21'1+1/4" 7" resting and 15" overhang (total length 24 7'1/4) death load 145lb/sf (wood 20, dirt 125 (greenroof 12") snow 50 + accumulation (accumulation are for balcony on another level) limite at L/360 under live and L/180 for total


texts: What style notched trowel should I use to lay 6"x24" ceramic on a shower wall?

texts:
I inherited a 3/8" square notched trowel and a 3/16" v-notched trowel.

Which is the correct for laying down a coat of thin-set prior to attaching 6" x 24" tile to a wall?
When is the correct time to use either trowel?


texts: How do I find where mice are entering my house?

texts: So the house I just finished remodeling, and am now living in, has a small mouse problem.  We have caught a couple of mice, and suspect there may be more.  Catching the mice does little good, if more mice are just walking on in.  I have walked around the entire house, and have found no voids > 1/4" in diameter.  There were a few smaller voids (no larger than 1/8") around entry points for wiring/plumbing, which I filled with expanding foam.  My question now is- how do I find where the mice are entering the house?  Any tips?


texts: Is it OK to take a piece of string and slip the conduit pieces you are putting together onto it before you assemble them? I was thinking that doing this would be easier than trying to fish or feed a guide-string through the conduit, or simply pulling the wires through it without a guide-string to help with the process...


texts: what is the correct procedure to patch up cinder block hole with plumbing?

texts:
(followup question to Why is this Ptrap installed in this location?)

Here is the hole that I want to patch up:

As you can see, it is a cinder block wall with concrete foundation with a new PVC drain pipe. I want to cover the hole to prevent future water damage to the foundation. I also want it to be relatively easy to break the wall again and expose the pipe in case there is a problem with it.

Here is my current plan:

use a shop vac to drain the leftover water and dirt
use "great stuff" expanding foam to fill up the left and right blocks
use the foam to cover the pipes with 1 inch layer
use mortar type s to fill up the rest - including the bottom block
wait for it to dry and paint over using the same color

Is this a good plan? are there any mistakes that I need to avoid?

update: a zoom out of the project


texts: Bypass water heater with Manablok system

texts: My water heater broke this morning ... will be replacing on Monday. I have a manablok system with all kinds of shut-off valves. How do I know which valve(s) to shut off to bypass the hot water heater? I have shut off all the hot water valves on the manablok ... it’s the other valves in the plumbing lines that I am referring to. I am not a plumber, but I do understand the basic workings.


texts: What is normally done to bridge skirting boards around an opening with different floor levels on each side?

texts:
I have to attach some skirting boards on recently plastered walls and openings. The issue is that the floors on each side of the opening are at different levels, therefore the opening has a step on it. What usually happens with the skirting board on each side and around the opening?

Do you not put the skirting board around the side of the opening? And if so, how do you finish the edge of the board to meet the opening so that it looks good?

Obviously with the floor levels being different you cannot just wrap the skirting board around the opening as it will not line up on the other side.

Hope this makes sense.

Edit: Here is a picture. The step is not yet tiled, but it shows the level differences.


texts:
I see a submersible pool cover pump such as the following advertised, and I am puzzled with several questions.

The power cable will be going into a large pool of water. I assume that the power cable is sheathed with PVC. How can PVC withstand a few months in the open? Isn't there an inherent risk (certainty, in the long term) that it will develop minute cracks? If that happens, wouldn't it be inherently risky?
The pump is indicated to be 3 lbs. That seems to be a lot of load to put on a vinyl cover. Wouldn't that weight resting still for at least six months over one spot cause the pool cover vinyl underneath to stretch or even possibly rip?


texts: How to hang a heavy mirror with rotating support hinges?

texts:
I'd like to hang a mirror on the wall. It's 4ft high and weighs about 50lb.

There are two hinges on either side of a metal frame.

The width of the mirror is exactly 32". I found that studs in the wall in question are indeed 16" apart.

I have two questions:

What kind of bolt should I use? I'm guessing it must have a pretty large flange. Is it possible for the two hinges to be stowed away behind the mirror? Is it a good idea to look for a kind of bolt/contraption that keeps the hinges perpendicular to the mirror and slant the mirror slightly down? What kind of bolt would work for that?
The studs in this area go down only from the ceiling to the middle of the wall, not to the floor. Should I worry that these are not suitable for a heavy object? I have no clue why my stud finder doesn't read anything from the middle of the wall down. The wall in question backs to the garage.

Update:

Here is the result. I used clamps and a 1/8" wire. A thinner wire would have provided sufficient tensile strength, but I was uncomfortable with producing crimping that will last. I opted for clamps instead. In any case, remember that during cleaning the mirror will take a bit of shaking, and so some extra strength in the wire and clamps will provide peace of mind.


texts: Is there anything else I should be concerned about while run low voltage landscaping cable through an exterior wall?

texts:
I'm hooking up a 300 watt toroidal magnetic transformer located in my garage; it's rated for inside and outside use, I'm using its plug into a GFI circuit, and I'm using 12/2 (12vac) power cable rated for in-ground burial use. I'm planning on drilling an approx 0.5 inch hole and using 1/2 pvc conduit from transformer through the wall and down the exterior side into the ground. The max load that will be placed on this transformer is expected to be about 40 watts, using LEDs, with a max cable run of about 160 feet.

Is there some other requirement that I should be aware of?


texts:
I am remodeling a small (6'x5'), 2nd story bathroom accessed from a landing that is 1 step (~8") below the upstairs floor level, and I want to bring the landing and bathroom floor up to the same level as the rest of the upstairs. I am trying to determine the best way to construct this "double-decker" floor so that it will be solid and still accommodate plumbing (supply lines and drains for a toilet and sink).

Toilet and sink will be relocated in the slightly enlarged space, so I need to pull up the existing plywood subfloor to access the drains. Would it be better to replace the plywood before installing the next layer of joists? Should the new joists run perpendicular to existing joists or is it better to use a parallel arrangement aligned with the existing joists?

Links to examples or best practices would be helpful as my searches are only turning up information about adding an additional subfloor layer (e.g., plywood over plywood) or building a raised floor over concrete.


texts: How do I handle a thin strip of vinyl plank flooring against a wall?

texts:
I am removing carpet and putting in vinyl plank flooring.
I have finished the living room and am moving onto the family room. These two rooms are connected through a passage and separated by a wall in between. I got to the point where I need to install flooring along the edge of the wall of the second room and I need a strip about 3/4" wide to keep the flow. I am not removing the baseboard, but I do plan on installing shoe molding once done.

Are there are risks with installing a 3/4" strip of flooring?
If so, how do I mitigate the risks without undoing everything that's done so far?

There is a gap between baseboard and floor and it's large enough in some areas to slide the flooring underneath, should I consider that?


texts:
I have two light fittings in my kitchen. Both have CFL bulbs which, as far as I can remember, were installed around the same time 10 years ago.

I was in the other room and heard this fizzling noise.  Went into the kitchen and saw that one of the bulbs had gone out.  Tried to put in a new bulb and it doesn't work.

I have read about how CFL bulbs act at the end of their life but can't find anything about them damaging light fittings.

Is this just a simple case of buying a new light fitting and swapping like for like or is this potentially something more serious that I need an electrician for?  (I would prefer to fix it myself as getting an electrician five days before Xmas is not going to be easy!)


texts:
What sort of heating cable can be installed in the downspout and subsequent drain drain ?
I was thinking of about 100 feet of drain that will be underground.


texts: Fast trick to figure out to where bathroom fan vents out

texts:
Recently had a guy come out to clean the clothes dryer and clothes dryer vent.  Asked him to clean out the bathroom fan vent as well.  He looked up the attic, on the roof, and along the siding, and could not figure out to where it vents out.  I would think it would be obvious, but it's not.

I opened up the fan and it is attached to ducting.  I'm concerned that the ducting might go straight up into the attic and terminate under the attic insulation.  I have an injury, so I haven't wanted to go up there and start tearing away insulation unless I really need to.

Is there a good trick to figuring out to where a bathroom fan vents out?


texts: I have a 40A 240V circuit which currently is wired to a 240V 50A receptacle. I would like to run 2 240V, 20A appliances on this circuit.. Is there anything that prevents me from Wiring up 2 20A 240V receptacles to this circuit?


texts: Name of connector that connects wires to washer drain pump

texts:
I'm looking to replace a connector that connects to my washers' drain pump.
I first suspected the drain pump to have gone bad, but it looks like the wire itself was burnt or sheared off. I was going to splice the wire back together but figured it would be better to replace the connector all together.

I've attached some pictures to help identify it.

The washer is an Amana NTW4516FW1


texts: Insulating the concrete attic with rockwool slabs

texts:
I want to insulate the attic with rockwool slabs in an unusual way. My house is old and we may have to rebuilt a new house in next 5 years, so I do not want to spend a lot of money on this.

Attic / ceiling of my house is made of concrete and the floor of attic is covered with nothing. I want to cover it with rockwool. I've heard that if you leave the rockwool slabs uncovered with planks or etc. you will end up with a lot of fleas in the summer. I am not sure how much of it is true!? So, I do not want to cover them with planks because of the cost of it. I also want to reuse the materials in the future for the new house. The area to be covered is 59 M2. We do not use the attic almost at all.

I thought about the styrofoam insulation but it costs more and once you do cement finish to cover it you cannot use it anymore.

Are there other alternatives used to cover the rockwool on the floor? Or, maybe there are other insulation materials that I can use instead of rockwool!?

Note: The attic's temperature differs from the temperature outside just 1 C degree or so.

Additional question: How much is it going to be effective to just have the attic insulated for the house?

Thank you for taking the time to answer


texts: Can I use a swamp cooler to cool an AC unit's condenser?

texts:
Swamp coolers work great and use a fraction of the electricity of an air conditioner in a dry climate with little humidity (like Phoenix) but there are downsides like mold and, well, everything feels wet in your house. Dry cool air is more comfortable than wet cool air.

Why don't the condenser units of a split system AC use water in some way to cool the condenser? Is it because the moist air would cause corrosion faster and the savings in electricity would be lost to the fact that you'd have to replace the unit? How do AC units in climates like Florida last more than a few years since it's humid all the time there?


texts: Will a door rubbing on the carpet cause excessive wear?

texts:
We recently had carpet installed in our master bedroom.

We love it!  My husband trimmed the door,  it opens & closes well for me.

The door is touching or rubbing the carpet when opening & closing.

My question is; will this cause excessive wear because the door is touching the carpet as it opens and closes?

This also keeps out a draft,  if cut more it may cause a draft.


texts: What breaker size for box containing two GFCI circuits?

texts: What should the main panel breaker size be to control a 60amp GFCI for a hot tub and a 15amp GFCI outlet. The gfci's are mounted in a box that will be wired to the main panel.


texts:
I'm (slowly) remodelling a bathroom, and have a shower-stall kit that includes thin plastic sheets to glue to the walls.  I'm debating if I want to tear out what I have now and replace it with cement board and fully tile it.

I was thinking that rolled vinyl flooring has come a long way recently, and maybe I could put that up on the walls?  I'm thinking a non-water based contact adhesive like from DAP would give good hold.

Is this a spectacularly bad idea?  Would I need to seal or treat it for this use?  Are there any companies that make a product intended for what I'm planning to do?  (a lighter-weight product that doesn't need to have the wearability of something you'd be walking on; there seem to be plenty of 'direct to stud' type shower walls available, but those are only available in a limited number of sizes and significantly more expensive)


texts:
I've got a very basic question - I have a 120V to 24V transformer https://www.functionaldevices.com/products/building-automation/details/TR40VA040/ and on the transformer surface it calls out "install in metal box only". So my understanding is that it's supposed to be screwed into the metal junction box, but the transformer itself is to be located outside of the box, possibly in the wall cavity, like pictured here:

Is this a correct way of positioning the transformer? Or does "in metal box" mean literally "inside of the metal box"?


texts: How do I get my small portable generator started?

texts: My portable generator has been sitting for quite awhile.  I drained out the old gas and refilled.  Squirted carburetor cleaner.  Spray starting fluid it starts as long as starting fluid is squirted.  I am pretty sure the carburetor is gummed up.  How do I clear the line inside the carburetor.


texts: How much weight can lagbolts hold, or how can I support this piece of slate on a wall?

texts:
I am hanging a 42"x60" piece of 1/4" slate on a plaster wall. I am planning on using three 1/4" lag bolts through an oak 1x4 with a rabbet. Can you confirm that this is a good plan?
The top will be held with another piece of 1x4 but I am not as concerned about it.
(EDIT TO ADD: three bolts because that is how many studs I have. they are about 16" on center)

Edit to add final photo:


texts: Can anyone help me figure out what type of bug this is?

texts: In the past weeks I've had these bugs show up.  First on my dinner table and now on a book shelf.  I've sprayed bug spray and then vinegar on the table itself.  But it doesn't seem to deter them.


texts: I have a mixer tap in our kitchen sink. When you close the cold valve, there is a bang from underneath the house. Tracing the banging, I can feel it from the mixer-tap pipe all the way through to the hot-water system (where the cold water inlet is). I can't feel it in any other pipes. All the pipes to both the kitchen and hot-water seem secured. Is this water hammer? If so, should I get a water hammer arrestor? And finally, does this belong near the kitchen mixer tap or near the hot water cylinder?


texts: How do I silence or muffle creaky floorboards?

texts: My house was built in 1920 and we live in Western NY. The floorboards on the stairs and the whole second story of the house creak very loudly with every step we take. It's not only annoying, but it's waking our 8mo daughter at night and during her naps. We can't afford to carpet the floors, nor can we afford to replace the floorboards completely. This might be a total lost cause until we move to a new house, but I want to know if anyone has ANY suggestions for helping quiet my noisy house. Please and thank you!


texts: How can I attach a 3.5" mounting plate to a 2.75" round electrical box?

texts:
I have an IKEA Ostana wall light with a 3.5" wall plate that I'm trying to attach to a electrical box in the wall with only two screw holes 2.75" apart. I've looked around but can't seem to find a simple way to get these to fit; even if I had a metal adapter plate with screw holes in the proper spots, the screws from the Ostana mounting plate go right about where the drywall ends in the wall. What should I be looking for?
I don't have the tools (power drill, work bench, clamps, etc) right now to machine holes into the Ostana wall plate, which would be an okay option except then I couldn't turn the light in certain orientations.


texts:
I recently converted from Oil to Gas. One of my zones is no longer working post conversion (it was working, then nothing worked, and then after they replaced a defective unit on the boiler it didn't work but other zones worked). The plumber said it's most likely the wire between thermostat and the and the system. Here's a picture of what the thermostat set up is:

Using a voltmeter I can measure ~28V between Rc and G and Y1 but only get roughly 16V (slightly under) for W1 and Rc. What could be causing this this voltage drop? On the other two thermostats the Rh and W1 wires read ~28V. Here's what the wiring looks like at the boiler for that zone:

You can see that there's an extra wire that's covered in tape that's coincidentally very close in color to the W1 wire. It's also the only zone that has that extra wire. All other zone do not. When I do a volt reading between the blue and yellow capped wires in the picture, I get ~28V when the thermastat says heat. When I do it between the taped and the yellow I get roughly ~58V. What is that wire? Should I wire it in? Is it part of the problem?

Edit more picture based on question below:


texts: Installing new dishwasher with existing power cord

texts:
I just bought a new KitchenAid dishwasher and was wondering if I could use the existing power cord (not hardwire) from my old dishwasher (about 14 years old). It has a ground, white and black wire to match with new dishwasher wires.

Logically, I don't see why not, but after installing the new dishwasher the first time, the pump gave out after a week and a smelled a strong electrical wire. My wife is blaming the cord but I think it's a coincidence is all.

Should I be concerned or is there any way to check definitively? I don't want to have to send another back.


texts: Choosing a feeder cable from solar shed to off-grid cabin

texts:
I have questions regarding electrical feeder sizing for an off-grid solar system.  I am building a purpose-built shed that will support the solar panels and house all of the equipment such as charge controller, batteries, inverter etc.  An A/C feeder will run in conduit 18" below ground for 140 feet from the main panel in the shed to the subpanel in the cabin.
The specs of the Magnum MS4448PAE Pure Sine Inverter/Charge that I am using are:

Continuous power: 36A @ 120V or 18A at 240V
Surge power (5 sec): 71A @ 120V or 35A at 240V
1 msec surge current (amps AC): Line-Neutral: 120, Line-Line: 70
100 msec surge current (amps AC): Line-Neutral: 75, Line-Line: 40
5 sec surge power (real watts):  8500
30 sec surge power (real watts): 6000
5 min surge power (real watts):  5400
30 min surge power (real watts): 4800
Continuous power output at 25 C: 4400 VA (L-L)

I intend on running individual conductors, not an actual cable.  I know about NEC Table 310-16 which gives the max amperage for each wire size, but I still have questions.
he owner's manual which has these statements:

AC wiring must be no less than 10 AWG (5.3 mm2) gauge copper wire.

The wire sizes recommended in this manual are based on the ampacities given in Table 310.16 (in conduit) or Table 310.17 (in free air) of the NEC, ANSI/NFPA 70,for 167°F (75°C) copper wire based on an ambient temperature of 86°F (30°C).

The overcurrent protection device must be a circuit breaker or a fuse, and be properly sized and branch circuit-rated for the wire it is protecting and the appliances being powered. When in Standby mode, the full AC continuous pass-thru capacity of the MS-PAE inverter/charger is 30 amps for each AC leg (AC HOT 1 and AC HOT 2). To obtain the 30-amp continuous pass-thru capability, each AC HOT input to the inverter requires a 30-amp continuous duty rated double-pole breaker 1, which corresponds to a minimum cable size of #10 AWG 2 in conduit.

Should I wire for 1-phase or 3-phase?  I do not expect any 240 V loads.  But maybe the wire sizes for 3-phase are smaller and therefore cheaper in the end?  And maybe 3-phase to future-proof?
Am I sizing based upon the surge current or the continuous?  I would suspect the surge current.
Assuming 71 amps total, is each conductor sized to handle 71 amps?
Aluminum or copper?
Bonus question, what size breaker should be in the shed main panel for the feeder?  The 30 amp breaker referred to in the owner's manual is for the input (pass thru).


texts: Can I have underfloor heating with solid oak floor?

texts:
I've seen that many underfloor heating mats (the electric ones) specify the need for tile or stone floor and I'm wondering if it will work as efficiently under a solid oak floor? (or any wood floor for that matter)

Also what will be the difference between 100, 150, and 200 w/m2 in the heating mat? What is usually used in  alounge?


texts: First time welding - how to connect this steel sheet and tube better?

texts:
After researching for a few weeks, making sure I understand the safety, I bought a small MIG welder/Flux Core Arc Welder:

http://www.princessauto.com/en/detail/mig-100e-flux-cored-wire-feed-welder/A-p8538886e

Here is my attempt at mounting a tube onto a sheet, both steel at 1/8" thickness:

http://imgur.com/a/102xe

My technique was basically to come down at a 45deg angle and slowly move across the sides, for about 60 - 90 seconds total. I kept the tip of the gun very close to the metals, kinda just dragged it along. I chose the wire feed speed as recommended for the metal thickness according to the manual.

It felt strong but then to test it I tried stepping on it sideways. After I applied enough force (less than my bodyweight though) the tube broke off =(

What techniques should I use to weld this connection better?

Any useful vids would be great as well. Thanks!


texts: I would like to repaint just the fin half of this radiator that is rusted. I would like to know of there is a special treatment due to rust that I should do. I do plan to sand the rust with a grinder and a flapdisk.


texts:
I am replacing part of a floor because of water damage. I have removed three layers of flooring. The joists were unaffected by the rot (as was the bottom floor, but I removed it anyway).

I only intend to put in one or two layers of 3/4" plywood for the new subfloor. I don't want to build up ~2.75" inches of flooring and try to match the thickness of the original floor. Instead, my plan is to sister the joists in this area in order to lift them to the appropriate height. So the entire weight of the floor will rest on top of the new sisters.

The sisters will cover only ~6 ft of the original joists' ~9 ft span. The original joists are undersized by today's standards (they are 2x5s [4.5" actual—never seen that before!] spaced 16" o.c.), but there is no noticeable sag, and replacing the entire floor is out of the question at this point. So I'm not looking for the sistering to create a stronger composite system, but simply to build up the floor.

Is it enough to glue the joists and nail them? (If so, is a couple of 8d common nails every 8 inches good?) Or is there occasion to use screws or bolts also?


texts: Help changing direct hard-wire to outlet for new dishwasher

texts:
I am swapping out an old dishwasher that was hard-wired to a new dishwasher that requires an outlet. As you can see in the picture, the original unit was connected to a cable that goes into the wall.

I was thinking of converting the cable to an outlet by...

Strapping the cable to the wall (using a hole strap) and feeding it behind the cabinet to underneath the sink.
Connect the cable to a 20 amp outlet (do I need a GFCI?).
Housing the outlet in a raised ground electrical box and mount it to the wall underneath the sink.

I would love to get your feedback if this is the proper way to do it and if you may have other suggestions. Thank you!

Edit: The new dishwasher make and model is Beko DDS25842X. I am wondering if it just easier to hard-wire this? I couldn't find any information online if this is possible for this model.


texts: How should a painted wall be prepared before being tiled?

texts: I want to apply tiles to a kitchen/bathroom wall. The surface is clean and freshly painted. Should the surface be prepared before being tiled, or will the tiles adhere properly to the painted surface?


texts: How to cut 2-1/4" diameter hole in sheet metal box?

texts:
I have a sheet metal (galvanized steel) box on my roof that's currently protecting the return and supply ducts for my old package unit air conditioner. I'm replacing it with a split system, and repurposing the steel box and original holes through the roof for the new refrigerant lines.

I bought a set of Sigrist exit seals to use for the horizontal penetrations of the new refrigerant lines through the wall of the box, but I have no idea how to actually go about CUTTING the 2-1/4" holes they require... the holes are way too big for a drill bit, and (AFAIK) hole saws are only for cutting through wood (and other relatively soft materials).


texts: Water is still dripping from tank connection

texts: I noticed a slow but steady dripping from under the tank by the connection of the water pipe that goes into the tank. When I turned off the shut off valve it continued dripping in that area I mentioned....what can be wrong ?


texts: What drill bit do I need to screw a hex cap screw into a wall stud? The magnetic DeWalt nut driver bits aren't an exact match

texts:
I am trying to hang a TV mount into the wall studs above a fireplace.  The hex cap screws that came with the mount don't fit snugly into the 7/16" nut driver bit and are too big for the 3/8" bit.  There is no way I can use a manual hex head screwdriver to get these things into the wall.  I need to use my drill.

Did I buy the correct attachment to use my drill to get these screws into the stud?  Or, is it possible the hex cap screws that came with the mount are not "to industry standard measurement."  BTW - I took a ruler to the hex cap and sure enough, it measures 3/8".

Where am I going wrong?


texts: Where is "C" wire on Honeywell 8043F1036

texts:
My home is 3 zones (2 hot water, 1 steam) and heated with oil. I added a Nest Thermostat E to one of the zones and while it does work without the 'C' wire, I would like to wire it anyways so my relay stops buzzing when the Nest is powering itself. All of my thermostat wires have 3 conductors and since I have no air conditioning here, I believe I can use the unused 'Y' conductor.

I have 2 zone relay valves (Honeywell 8043F1036) and I'm not certain where the common wire is on this relay.

I believe it is either wires 1 or 2 labeled in the picture. The wiring diagrams on Honeywells website aren't clear which terminal is common, or if it is even one of these terminals.


texts: Using one dimmer to control 2 sets of lights with each an On/Off Switch

texts:
I want to install some LED lights in my RV. I have 2 sets of 4 LEDs, connected on my 12V circuit. One set is for the front (kitchen area), one set in the back (living area). When all the lights are opens (both switches), I want them to be controlled by one dimmer to have the same intensity through the whole RV. I also want to be able to shut off one of the area independently.

Is that possible? Would the dimmer be wired up front, and from it connect both switches that runs to each set of LEDs in series?

Thank you for your help!

John


texts: I have setup a new water heater where I used 10-2 wire to a disconnect box. Then, connected a square D 30 Amp dbl pole in my breaker box. Water heater connections were black to black white to red and grounded to plate. My breaker was Square D QO230 wired with Black to one pole and white to the other. I then grounded it. As soon as I turned it on the circuit tripped. I thought maybe I had my connections switched on the breaker so I switched them and the same thing happened. I am starting to think I am supposed to use two 30 amp single pole breakers but I thought that was the same thing as a 30amp double pole breaker does that sound right? Could it be I have a different issue?


texts: What happens when pulling 160A out of a busbar rated at 100A?

texts:
I bought a BusBar from Amazon to parallel connect 5 batteries in my cabin. It is rated at a 100A. I will normally never pull anything close to that out of the batteries, but I have a 1800W non-adjustable vacuum, and I am pondering if I should run it off the batteries using an inverter. Due to normal inefficencies of an inverter, that would probably pull 2000W, equivalent to about 160A at 12V, quite a bit more than the rated max.

I am wondering if this will make the metal on the bus bar so hot it will become a fire hazard? Usually I am done vacuuming in 15 minutes. Usually, any rating is done with a bit of overhead, so maybe 100A means it gets to 20 degrees C, while at 200A it becomes quite hot (like 50 degrees C)?

This is how the bus bar looks:


texts: How can I trust a local window manufacturer? What to research or check?

texts:
I'd like to support local and there's 3 companies nearby that offer custom made vinyl windows. They all seem to be >30 year old companies, which I respect a lot.

I did a ton of research it seems like 2 out of 3 of the companies build windows using a system by Quantex and/or Chelsea Building Products, but it seems like hundreds of companies build windows using this system and all of those companies use different brand names for their windows. It's very hard to research the quality of these windows. It seems that most custom window shops use premade plastic extrusions or wood profiles and just cut/assemble like a custom art framing shop does, so I'm less worried about who engineered the windows, but I am worried about the quality. Who else is buying from them if they're this uncommon? Are they white label manufacturers for other brands?

I've read that a lot of the home store windows aren't great, and I know local lumber yards can order "better" national brands, but I'm at a loss on how this industry functions and who's making what quality. There's no readily available information on alternatives to these brands, most of the docs I've found are aimed at high rise architects, not small residential.

What would you look into for the local window companies? Any reason I should or should not go with a "no name" versus a national brand?


texts: How can I get floor paint to stick better on our outside stairs?

texts:
We have stairs leading down to our flat which are outside and we have painted them a few times, but the paint doesn't seem to stick very well, and always starts peeling off.

It mainly peels in the same places, which is where water drips on the stairs from the balcony above when it rains. We can't stop this dripping and so I want to know what my best options are for painting that will minimise the chances of it peeling off.

Previously the old coats of paint were not properly removed (the work was always done by people organised by the managing agents, we will be doing it ourselves this time) and so I'm going to use a drill scrubber to try and remove the paint first.

But is there anything else I can do?

Will adding PVA to the paint make it more likely to stick?

Is there some paint that is better to use?


texts: How to catch smart mice that avoid anything that remotely looks like a trap?

texts:
We've had mice since last year (maybe even the year before) and they seem to have smartened up after successfully using snap traps the first time we noticed them. We probably caught at most 10 and I'm pretty sure that they've bred a thousand more over the months.

I've plugged a couple holes in the bathroom walls with fine steel wool, one hole that isn't made by a mouse (no idea why it's there) and one that is. There's another hole in one of the bedroom walls that I'm afraid of plugging because I don't want to end up with the possibility of dead mice in the walls.

The steel-wool in the mouse-made hole mysteriously disappeared in about 2 weeks of plugging, and continued to do so within a week of replugging it. Bits of the wall were on the floor when it happened so I'm assuming the mice are pulling it into the walls. I just place a glue trap in front of it now instead of replugging.

Anyway, here's a list of other things I've tried:

Putting the food away. They still come to scratch the walls and other things to find nesting material I'm guessing.
A bunch of snap traps in the recommended positions, changing the type of bait occasionally when I noticed I haven't caught anything in a couple weeks. Unfortunately, they remained uncaught. I've even tried 'hiding' the traps with tissue paper, haha. One with bait under the paper, over the paper, and no bait at all.
My brother tried the live bucket trap; didn't work.
Glue traps worked twice. I'm not sure about the first time, but I'm positive the second catch was pure luck.
I've a Victor electronic trap that's been on for a few months with nothing in it. I've tried baited and unbaited (which it currently is right now), nothing.
We have those bait stations that go into a corner, but they haven't done anything since being put up either.

And that's about it. One thing about these mice is that they don't care what time of day it is, they'll still venture about the house, usually a day before, after, and on the weekends. I'm certain they also just walk around the traps. There have been times when they ran away upon seeing me and avoided all the paths with snaptraps waiting.

Anything I can do? Sorry for the long post.


texts:
I have a Milwaukee M12 Fuel hammer drill I purchased in July. Last week I was drilling holes through studs with a brand new 5/8” auger bit and the drill was constantly stopping due to overload protection. I was not putting a ton of force into the drill, trying to let it do the work. I’ve tried multiple batteries and both produced same result.

Is this normal for an M12 Fuel drill to stall out when drilling studs? Or is there a problem with my drill?


texts: Will a Bosch hammerdrill bit drill concrete faster than a cheap Makita bit?

texts:
I had to drill several 3/8" holes into very hard concrete. I purchased a Bosch LBH008 drill bit, but since I hadn't received it, I bought a cheaper $3.60 Makita drill bit that drills incredibly slow. Not only that, but the whole building can hear it since it's the very hard concrete used for the actual building (it's for a fence).

So today I received the new bit. Is it worth switching to this new bit or will it be as slow as the $3 bit I bought three days ago?

I'm using a Craftsman hammer drill.


texts:
I embarked on an ambitious project to restore a piece of furniture by stripping it, sanding it back, re-staining, and re-varnishing.

The stripping and sanding part has turned into an absolute nightmare. The stain just isn't coming out. Even after hours of work on a single small piece of the furniture, I still cannot remove the stain even near completely.

I just found out that it's largely MDF, not pine like I had thought. Is this why it's so hard to get the stain out? It seems to have penetrated very deeply and isn't sanding away easily at all.


texts:
I found that the subpanel in our newly built home may not have ground bar, though it has neutral bar. I attached photos for confirmation. Please let me know if there is any code violation. The house was built this year and located in California.

One more image showing where the big wires enter the panel box:


texts: Changed breaker to GFCI now it's always tripping...

texts:
I noticed my pond aerator was connected with a standard breaker and swapped it out for a GFCI breaker.  Now, when connected to the circuit, it always trips.  When disconnected it does not trip.
My circuit...

Double pole GFCI breaker is connected to black and white conductors with Ground conductor to ground bar.  Pigtail from breaker to neutral bar.

All conductors go to a simple Tork 1101 timer... the first conductor is connected to the power side of the timer.   The 2nd conductor is connected to one leg of the pump.  The ground conductor is connected to the ground of the pump.  The switched side of the timer goes to the second leg of the pump. There is an individual neutral attached to the other leg of the timer.

Why does it always trip and how do I fix it???


texts: How should I connect PVC plumbing for two sinks to old cast iron stack with two threaded tees?

texts:
Hello community,

So I have two sinks going to the one cast iron main line. Should I cut the main line and add a new single line to both sinks using no hubs? Is there a good way to just tie to the two cast iron fittings with pvc? (I am unsure if the threads are good, 60s home).

Thank you in advance.


texts: Can a porcelain sink be fired again to repair surface cracks?

texts:
I have a very large pedestal bathroom sink that has some micro cracks in the glazing.  The cracks are around the drain plug.  I think this damage occurred before I purchased the home by the owner tightening the joint too tight.  It is an expensive sink and I hate the idea of putting it in the trash, but it is getting impossible to keep those cracks free of dirt.

If I can find a local place that has a big enough kiln, can the sink basin be fired again to repair the cracks, or another layer of glaze applied, then fired?


texts: Installing 7 exterior lights on my new garage, motion or photo electric eye?

texts:
As I said 7 lights, 4 on the front and 1 for each man door which is 3. What I am looking for is, if I walk up to any side of the garage at night with motion detection added on I want all 7 lights to go on. Each light will have its own motion detection unit added on,  and connected to the rest.
Or would a single photo cell wired across all 7 so at nite the garage lites up. Will be using LEDs in each of the single bulb exterior lights. Can this be done to have all the lights turn on with only 1 motion detection unit added to one light or all 7 lights?  Even though all lights would have their own mini motion detection unit added and mounted 3 to 4 feet lower than the light fixture.


texts: Refrigerator Sparks when it touches the water line

texts: We bought a brand new refrigerator and connected the water line and plugged it into the wall in a GFCI outlet. When attempting to push the refrigerator back into the space against the wall, the water line touched a plate on the back of the refrigerator and sent sparks flying. The fuse in the main fuse box flipped and the GFCI has to be reset when the fuse was turned back on. The water line is copper pipe entering through the floor from a crawl space. What could possibly cause this spark and how do we fix it? Thanks in advance!


texts: Is this a brass or copper elbow pipe under the sink?

texts:
I just noticed that an elbow pipe under the sink had corroded through with a leak at the first elbow and needs replacing.  I temporarily fixed it with some flex tape and I need to find out what replacement pipe I need to order from Amazon.  Should I replace with a brass pipe or will PVC do fine as well?

Questions

What kind of pipe is that - copper?  Brass?  What do you call those tightening sleeve rings on it so that I know what to order?
What caused the corrosion at the elbow- are the big U pipes at the bottom brass?  If it's a mixture of copper and brass, it because it mixes copper with brass?
I noticed some white spotting on the longer elbow that the first elbow is connected to - should that be replaced as well?  Will it corrode too?  It seems 5” tall is that a standard size or would I have to get it cut?  I’m at home with no access to outside stores.
Is 12cm circumference == to 1 1/2 inch pipe?


texts: I replaced a draft inducer fan on my furnace, the two wires in the furnace that connected to the old fan are black and white. The wires from the new fan are both black. How do I know which to connect to which?


texts:
My house has a strange bit of plumbing.  It's a house flipped by a contractor.  It's plumbed for soft water, but there's no sewer near the closet where the plumbing is, and soft water units need a drain to flush water down during their regeneration cycle.  The person who flipped this house solved this problem by installing the drain line (1/2" copper) upward to the roof, where there is then a pipe across the roof to a sewer vent.

We recently had a problem where the 1/2" vinyl pipe that connects to the drain pipe came loose.  We think it was due to icing in the pipes across the roof, causing the joints to face the full house water pressure rather than just a small amount of pressure like one would expect on a drain.

We are already looking at ways to secure the junction more securely, but I was curious about trying to solve the icing problem.  Besides the obvious insulation on the pipes, the next obvious solution would be to drain the pipe.

I can't drain the soft water out to the nearby ground because we have a tree out there, but is there a good way to perhaps drain the standing water out of the pipe?

(or, if I'm totally missing the obvious solution, I'm open to answers which provide a more correct way of plumbing things that doesn't involve hacking up my slab to put new sewer lines in or poisoning my tree with salt)