texts: How to connect transformer to outlet for humidifier

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I purchased an aprilaire 700, and I plan to install a 15a electrical outlet on the furnace right where the electrical comes in. If I first feed hot wire to outlet, and then feed off outlet to furnace, what is the best way to install the transformer? Can I just double up and twist the hot wire together on one of the terminals? Also, can I just sit this on top of the outlet box or should I try to put it inside the furnace?  Thanks!

Picture:

https://imageshack.us/i/pn36DL2sj


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My fluorescent light trips an adjacent GFCI when it is switched on. It is on a separate circuit. The GFCI is new with an alarm.

Is this being caused by some sort of interference?


texts: Why don't HVAC service people want to use outdoor temperature sensors to increase efficiency?

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Here in central Virginia, most houses use heat pumps with electric auxiliary heat.  I have inquired with several different contractors about installing outdoor thermostats on my units to 1) disable the use of auxiliary heat above a set outdoor temperature and/or 2) stop the outdoor compressor from running below a set outdoor temperature.  No one I talk to thinks it a good idea or they have not done it before.

Looking at the schematics and examining the current wiring it seems fairly simple and the parts are very cheap.   It seems like running the compressor when it's too cold to do its job and running the expensive electric heat strips when the compressor is much more efficient and able to do the job just seem like a lot of wasted energy.

There are manufacturers that make outdoor thermostat controls that are designed to do exactly what I am looking for and can be purchased at my local HVAC supply. (one Example :TPI # LRD100A)

My question is why wouldn't you want to do this?  Are there downsides that I'm not seeing? (besides possible personal comfort)


texts: I have a two switch box with a single light on one switch and a ceiling fan and two separate lights on the second switch. There are 5 sets of wires coming into the box with one being the main feed. I want to separate the fan and two lights onto their own switch each... The way it is currently wired is a little confusing. All white wires are twist cap together as well as all the grounds.  The black wires are what is confusing... there is black coming into the bottom and top of each switch. Can anyone provide a diagram of what the wiring should look like for the four switch configuration?


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Last night my wife turned on a recessed light in the shower. Shortly after, the light buzzed, got brighter and started smelling so she turned the light off.
I took it apart today and see something I never saw before - a black rubber piece attached to the metal electrical box. I originally thought this was perhaps a sacrificial thing if a wire touches the metal box but the breaker didn't trip. This was the cause of the smell - it was burning.
Will end up replacing all this stuff just in case but what's the black rubberish thing called and what's it's purpose?
My house was built in the US in 1985.

"GTE RP"


texts: Cooktop wiring (stranded alu + copper) w/ downdraft

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First, thanks to all the users who take the time to respond to all the questions on here. I've learned so much over the years but this is my first post/question.

I'm wanting to replace my ~15yr old GE electric cooktop with a GE induction one. I took a peek at the current wiring in the box and I'm curious your thoughts. The previous owner of the house seemed to pull permits for any work ever completed so I can't imagine this was done incorrectly/unsafe, but I also can't be sure. My guess is that they had the appliance store do the install.

House was built in the late 80's and has stranded alu wiring coming into the junction box for the cooktop. Sounds like this common(?) for appliances like cooktops and stoves. The cooktop and downdraft has copper wire, and as you can see, everything is wire-nutted together. First question - is that okay? I've read articles ad nauseam about alu/cu but so much of it has to do with single strand aluminum wiring. There might have been some sort of ox-gard applied as there's a trace of sticky residue under the nuts.

Next question - if you look at my annotations below, the white wire from the downdraft is wire-nutted with the ground from the cooktop and circuit. Is that weird? Correct?

Everything has been like this for 15yrs but I'm not saying that makes it okay. Since the new induction cooktop has the exact same 3-wires as my current (old) one pictured below (and they're both 30a), the easy thing to do would be reinstall as it currently is (assuming it was done correctly) and coat everything in ox-gard.

Thanks for any input!


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I am trying to revive an old three phase 5HP HVAC system so I took a look at the 25 years old electrical system digram and came across 3 three sections which I could not understand completely (I am not en expert) highlighted here :

I became curious about their purpose and I am hoping some of you might be willing to help me answer these three questions:

What is the purpose of those #1,#2 wires on the J1 jack (highlighted in GREEN)? they seem to be connected only to the J1 jack and dont continue through the P1 port.
Which relates to first question, what is the purpose of the low voltage transformer's N1 neutral connector (highlighted in RED)? the transformer seems to get neutral from the N2 wire which leads to the main neutral through the 7-wires "TB" socket. it also appears that the N1 wire leads directly to those two wires I mentioned in my first question.
Lastly I would appreciate an explanation about the function of the indoor fan motor component highlighted in BLUE. does it relate to the rotor's spinning direction?

I haven't got much enough experience with these kinds of diagram so any help is extremely appreciated, sorry for my English.


texts: Mounting outlet on drywall furred out from cement

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I am in the process of adding an outlet to a wall in a previously renovated basement.  The wall is drywall, mounted to furring strips which are attached to the cement wall.

My two options as I see it are:

Externally mounted box run horizontally like wiremold or EMT and a handybox, or
Cut a hole in the drywall, mount a handy box directly to the cement. Fish NM down vertically between the drywall and cement wall into the handybox.  It leaves about 3/4" of the box jutting out from the wall.  Patch around it, paint, good to go.

Which would be more "proper"?  Any code concerns?

Edit: added image of the completed project.


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I'm getting some gurgling from my kitchen sink which I think is due to this S trap. No ventilation.  I want to convert to a P trap, and bring an AAV into the situation but with the current PVC layout I don't know if it's doable.  I started looking at this flexible pipe solution as a way to change the angle and give me more space to pipe into the drain.
Is that the way to go? Or is there a better solution?


texts: What is the proper term for a huge chisel-like tool used for building log cabins?

texts: Cabin builders use this tool for about the same purpose as a regular chisel. It is about 4" wide, 1 1/2 foot long, and with a 1 1/2-2 foot long handle. What do you call it?


texts: Excuse my noob question, but what does a vent stack look like? It's pretty easy to tell which pipes are for waste (I can hear the water running through them), and I'm assuming that all of the pipes with a cleanout are waste as well, but not sure what I should be looking for when trying to find a vent stack to tie into for my bar sink and dishwasher.  Is it possible that my basement doesn't have any vent stacks since venting goes up??


texts: Are directTV dishes energized in some way?

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Are directTV dishes usually energized in some way?

I was recently at my grandmothers house installing an over the air digital tv antenna. I decided to use the same coax cable that originally ran to her directTV dish.

I first unplugged the DirecTV receiver then checked other rooms in the house for receivers.

I then looked around for where the coax plugs entered the house.  The installer had drilled through the walls in each room and run the cable on the outside.

When I climbed the ladder to remove the old dish I was mildly, but quite irritatingly, shocked.  Any time i put my hand back on the bolt I continued to receive this mild shock.

I then went inside the house and turned off the main breaker.  Came back out and absolutely no shock.

Is this a symptom of a grounding problem of some type?  I have touched a live 120V lead before, and it was a SIGNIFICANTLY worse shock.

Any ideas?  Also let me know if this question should be retitled.


texts: Water level gets lower and lower in toilet

texts: The water level in the bowl of our toilet has slowly and steadily gotten lower over the last year or so.  I replaced the flapper last year, could changing anything in the tank affect this? Or would that be looking at the wrong end, and I need to replace the wax seal? Any ideas on what would cause this?


texts: Is there a way to replace the bottom part of wall?

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The bottom plate of an exterior wall is rotted quite a bit, is there any way to safely replace it, "DIY-style"?

It's a standard 2x4 wall, and I'm already tore into the inside-side to replace sheetrock.


texts: Why don't any of my electric ovens actually keep the temperature that is displayed?

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I had an older oven that was consistently 25-50 degrees Fahrenheit lower than what it was set to be and what the display unit stated. I purchased an oven thermometer and keep it inside to check the temperature. The oven display would show 450, but the thermometer inside would be 425 or even 400.
Thinking it was a problem with the oven, my landlord replaced it with a brand new oven. The first day I had the new oven, the temperature was maybe 10 degrees lower than it displayed. Yay, problem fixed, right? Sadly, no. Now, over time, the new oven gets really inconsistent temperatures. Sometimes it is 25-50 degrees cooler, and sometimes it is 25-50 degrees (or more) hotter! As you can imagine, this is causing a lot of issues with cooking.
Since the problem is likely not the ovens themselves, as two different ovens are displaying this behavior, does anyone have any suggestions about what could be going wrong?


texts: Is it typical to use protectowrap on a deck ledger?

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My deck has protectowrap between some of the house and deck boards. I never noticed this anywhere else before. Is this typical? I either need to replace it or remove it and paint instead. I’m inclined to paint but I would like some advice as far as how to proceed. I’m in the process of removing the boards to gain necessary access now.

EDIT:
Here’s the deck after boards removed


texts: Running too many appliances needing water on a well system and now no water

texts: My wife did 2 dishwasher loads, a washer load on high, and then took a shower....all of this in about a  time frame of 3 hours. Water comes out slow and weak out of the faucets in the basement and first floor and a trickle from the 2nd floor. I checked the welltron at that time and the psi gauge read 0.  Now, 12 hours later, it reads 15psi. Help!!!


texts: Loss of power when I remove item from the outlet

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I have this unusual electrical issue in our master bedroom. I was wondering if anyone else has experienced this.

We have this $3 LED night light in our bedroom and when we take it out, the power/lights go out.  Other things also trip it up (It doesn't shut off the circuit breaker) When you put it back in, the power/lights come back on.  Sort of reverse of what I would expect.  Something is triggering the power to go off.  I've reset the breaker, but still experiencing the issue.  I believe it's a special AFCI breaker.  Wondering if anyone has experienced this before.


texts: Best way to shield microwave and cabinets from stovetop steam

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We recently installed new cabinets in our kitchen and we also had our microwave vented to the outside.

From this two problems have arisen.

the Samsung microwave now sporadically gives a C-F0 error. I suspect that this is due to the cold temperature in the microwave meeting the warm house air (it was -30 outside this pretty cold in the microwave) causing condensation on the components inside. Like I said this is sporadic.
as you can see from the picture, there isn’t a lot of coverage for the front of the stove. This steam goes up and hits the cabinetry above the range and microwave. I am concerned that this will cause the paint to peel

These two items are pretty concerning. I cannot find a hood that I can attach below the microwave. Is there another method I can use to better capture this steam to be properly vented outside, both protecting the microwave from damage and also the cabinets

Thanks


texts: Is there a way to design/create a shower that is less prone to mold?

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I think I've had it with traditional tiled showers...I can't stand the site of mold in between tiles, on the tiles! on shower curtains, on shower doors, etc.

I think I'm pretty clean, but I always will see little bits of mold.

How can I build a shower that would minimize mold growth?

What materials would help? What about concrete? Can I treat the surface with anything?

What kind of enclusure structures would work? Can I treat the shower curtain with anything? What if the door were stainless?

Do I build a dehumidifying unit into the bathroom?

I'm looking for the ultimate bathroom/shower design.

I know that what ever the solution, cleaning will still be required...


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One of my lightbulbs went out a few days ago and I was replacing it today. I found to my surprise that the base was yellowing for no apparent reason.
I found this article online: http://www.montgomerynews.com/articles/2012/10/13/springford_reporter_valley_item/news/doc5075ce95acf4f692783257.txt
It mentions that CFL lightbulbs shouldn't be used in enclosed/contained fixture, or risk the hazard of fire:

CFLS cannot be used in lighting units where the base of the CFL is encased or enclosed. “The key is letting air around” the base of the CFL bulbs, Lengel said. That means track lighting, recessed lighting and any fixture that encloses the CFL bulb is not safe to have a CFL bulb in.
One sign of a near fire as a result of improper CFL use is when the base of the CFL bulb is turning brown.

Here are some images:

In the picture above, you can see the browning.

In the picture above, you can see the lightbulb information.
Finally, here is a shot (with the light turned out for contrast) of the fixture (there are two bulbs inside):

I would like to know if the lightbulb really is a fire hazard. If I was wrong in assuming that the bulb is not CFL, would it be a fire hazard if I did place a CFL (or two) in there?


texts: What is this grey fungus/insect, and is it damaging the woodwork?

texts:
Yesterday my parents discovered these 'things' attached to the varnished wooden fascia board outside the downstairs bathroom.  They are attached to the outside of the house, in a sheltered spot.  They live in Somerset, UK.

They are approximately 6 cm in length/diameter (some are round and some not - see photos), and have been there for about a week (it is about a week since this part of the house was looked at).

My questions are:
1) What are they?  Mould? Fungus? Insect?
2) Is it damaging the wood, and therefore should it be removed?


texts: What size wire do I need to connect a portable generator inlet to my main panel?

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I am planning on installing an interlock kit and backfeeding my panel with my portable generator.  The backfeed will be to a 30 amp breaker, coming from the 240/30A outlet on my Generac 5500.  The question is about the distance the generator can be from the panel.

I can install the outdoor inlet right outside wall with the panel, resulting in around a 6 foot run of 10-3 romex with ground.  However, while the generator fine there, it would be  little harder to get to in that location for refueling and maint.

Alternatively, the most convenient spot for the generator would result in about a 80 foot run of 10/3 romex.  Will that length of run affect the performance or reliability of the power?


texts: How to attach wheels to the base of slotted-angle rack?

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I want to build some heavy-duty racks with four wheels each as follows. The load is not more than 500 kg. The frame is made of slotted angle iron and the board is about 8mm thick.

The available wheels are

What is the easiest way to attach the wheel? There are two kind of wheels here, with a bar that must be inserted to the frame or a flat base wheel.

Edit

I found from the internet:

What kind of base plate is it?


texts: Leveling concrete for bathroom installation

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I am installing a bathroom in my basement.  There is a low spot in the concrete right were the base of the toilet would sit.  What is the best way to level this so I don't have a rocking toilet?
The area of the dip is right against the sewer pipe and is about 10 inches in diameter, and probably drops about 1/4 to 3/8 inches in depth.  What is the best way to repair this?
I will be tiling the floor above, and I am just wondering if it would be better to use self leveling concrete or thin set, or some other product to take care of this.


texts: My whirlpool side by side refrigerator is not cold and freezer is cold but not making ice?  I have replaced the relay switch on compressor, I have taken the back off inside the freezer and the fan is working, I have taken the damper off and it is working, I have been told if fans are working the control panel is working, I have cleaned the coils (the best I can), the fan is working to cool compressor.  Don't know what else it could be, help! please


texts: Can I replace a 15 ampere circuit breaker with a 20 ampere breaker?

texts: When I plug-in a conventional heating pad or a hair dryer into any bedroom duplex, the lights dim; and/or trips the circuit breaker. The home is of new construction-- placed in service 31 Dec 2013. My question is: Can I safely replace the existing 15 AMP Breaker with that of a 20 AMP? . . . the service cable is of 14 Gauge Copper Conductor.


texts: CT80 Thermostat Wiring Diagram Selection

texts:
Which terminal should the brown wire be connected to the RadioThermostat CT80?  The original thermostat was wired as depicted:

The brown wire is connected to terminal E  (not F).

As I understand it:

BRN => ? Terminal CT80 Radio thermostat
YEL => Y Terminal CT 80
GRN => G Terminal CT 80
WHT => W Terminal CT 80
RED => R Terminal CT 80
BLU => C Terminal CT 80
ORANGE => O Terminal CT 80

As I understand it, the brown why controls the Emergency heat relay.   Not one of the seven diagrams has an E-Wire.

QUESTION

Is it possible to select one of the seven schemes based on the first photo?
Where terminal should the brown 'E' be wired in the CT80?


texts:
I have been looking for a door lever/knob that comes with a deadbolt instead of a latch bolt (this means you would have to push down on the lever to close the door as well as to open it). The idea seems simple enough but I have had no luck finding a product that matches this description. I've also though about simply buying a door lever and replacing the latch bolt with a deadbolt but this is unlikely to work. I should also mention that a locking mechanism using a key is essential.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.


texts: Legal requirements regarding 100% asbestos duct work

texts: I am renting a condo.  After starting the heater, dusty air came out of the registers, so I called out a company to clean the ducts.  They verified the ducts are 100% asbestos and cannot be cleaned.  Is the owner of the property legally required to replace the asbestos with sheet metal ducts?  If so, are their building / safety codes that apply in California?


texts:
I have been looking all over to find 7 inch long 4- 40 screws.

I found McMaster carries threaded 4-40 rods that are 8 inches long but these are not screws.

I know they do exist as I found one just lying around (image) but haven't been able to find a vendor.

Could someone help me find 7 inch long 4-40 screws.

If not, what would be a good way to turn 4-40 threaded rods into makeshift screws?  there won't be too much strain on the screw so im not worried about the strength.


texts: Painting an old metal gate with some corrosion

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I have a front gate to my house that I would like to repaint

I have few issues. First there are a few spots with rust

And some with general corrosion

Also I wonder how to paint around where the gate attaches to the wall without painting the wall

Can I just spray paint over everything?
If so, what type of paint should I use?


texts: Is it possible to detect from the power outlet if there would be current that needs grounding?

texts:
In my house we have 2 outlet power sockets (no earth) and whenever I charge my laptop I would get electric shock from the laptop when I am touching ground like if I hold laptop on my lap and touch the wall or if my foot touches the floor. At the very least I feel vibrations in the laptop. Same for CPU body, mobile (if has some metal layer on it) ..

I have solved this problem for my room only by grounding my extension where I plug charger to garden outside my room. Basically my extention sockets have 3 outlets, I plugged one end of a cooper cable in one of the grounding outlet and the other in the garden soil.
This solved the problem for my room, I do'nt get any vibration or current shock from my laptop in my room.

The problem persists though in the rest of sockets in our house like if I charge my htc desire mobile which has a bit of metal on it, I would be shocked if I happen to touch it bare footed while it is charging..

So this situation is persistent now and not something that happens rarely or occasionally.

I have tested the 2 outlets of the power socket

I have checked the neutral/cold line shows no current (using the current testing screw driver), so assuming the potential is 0 there,
hot line indicated current as expected
The wire that I used in my room to ground one of the sockets, shows a bit of current

So given my situation that I have 2 pin power socks and house is not wired with grounding/earthing wire, how can I find the cause and resolve it


texts:
I just purchased a outdoor pavilion that came with an electrical package. It includes a #12 two wire plus a ground wire going into an electrical box for the on and off switch to run the fan and another #12 two wire plus ground wire going into a GFI outlet box. The GFI outlet should run constant while the switch should run when turned on.
My questions is how to correctly wire this. The power will be running off the GFI outlet.


texts:
I have a loose door handle. There is a bolt at the bottom which I've tried to tighten up, but it doesn't make any difference.
Not all of it is loose, the part attached to the door is very tight.
Only the bit the green arrow is pointing to in the photo is loose.
Any ideas?
Many thanks]1


texts: Why is the hot water pipe from this small boiler norprene, not metal? And could it be replaced with a metal pipe?

texts:
The diagram (full pdf instructions here) is of a small boiler that fits under a kitchen sink, and keeps a small amount of water constantly near boiling which you can use for cups of tea etc. (its my parents - I know, fancy!) It has a valve in the tap which allows the pressure to escape when not in use.

The problem is the hot water outlet pipe is made of flexible norprene hose (unlike the cold water inlets which are copper), which degrades quickly with use, and constantly has to be replaced which is expensive and annoying.

Why have they used norprene here rather than metal pipe? Could this be replaced with a metal pipe?

Many thanks!


texts: How to fix a socket that works and doesn't work and has a switch in the cord. It is a small one the size of a chandelier bulb.

texts: 25 watt round light bulb in a device that melts wax with fragrance in it goes off after a couple of minutes.  If I mess around with the bulb it will come on and then off again.  This fragrance melter is new and was a gift so want to fix it.  Do you all know how to fix it or buy a new small socket with a switch in the cord?  The socket is only 1 3/8 inch tall and is small like a chandelier bulb socket. Appreciate any help?


texts:
I am running a septic line from my mancave to the main 4" sewer line coming out of my house.

I want to splice into this line coming out of the house.

The total run is 60'; is this ok to do?


texts:
I have a 50 gallon gas water heater that's just under 10 years old. We're getting inconsistent water temps out of it - last night filling up a bath I had the tap all the way hot and it was barely warm enough for the kids bath (wouldn't have been near hot enough for an adult). Other times I have to substantially open the cold to temper the water down to a good bath temperature. This is at the same time of day, with the same usage earlier (none for >8 hours), so it should be about the same. It affects all outlets, not specific to one bath or shower.

It's a Kenmore Power Miser 9. The burner appears to cycle normally - we hear it kick on after taking a shower or using significant hot water.

I flushed it a few weeks ago using the drain valve with no change. The flushed water looked clear, it wasn't obviously full of sediment, so I didn't flush the entire tank, only about 5 gallons. Would flushing it to empty make a difference?

I've so far been unable to get the anode unscrewed to check its condition, but that wouldn't effect temperature, right?

Anything else I should look into/try?


texts: Replacing the railing on an old rock retaining wall

texts:
This house was built in the mid 1950s. I assume the rock wall was built at the same time. It has an old railing that is not attached anymore and needs to be replaced. My current plan is to cut off the old railing and build a wooden post and cable railing.

This is just an example of what I'm trying to accomplish.

My issue is that I'm not sure how to anchor the posts to the wall.

Here is the rock wall.

You can see that the mortar at the top isn't in the greatest of shape.

The span is about 16 feet total.

The current railing is secured via some odd pieces of rebar and having some of the metal posts mortared in to the wall. The rebar has detached in some places and some of the posts have just broken off, leaving the whole thing just flopping around.

My original plan was to cut the old railing off and get something like these post bases and anchor them directly to the wall using these bolt wedge anchors with some washers or something to shim it to keep the whole thing level.
I've since realized that bolt wedge anchors are probably not a good idea on these stones. I'm also worried that using a hammer drill on this wall will simply knock the rocks loose.

I think I've got a handle on how to build out the railing if I can figure out how to mount the posts to the wall. That's my concern right now. Thanks.


texts: What are the guidelines for drilling holes through rim or band joists?

texts:
I'd like to bore a 8" hole through 2"x12" rim joist. The hole will be used for a downdraft kitchen vent. Is that 8" hole size ok and up to code?

There are guidelines for boring holes and notches in regular joist, however, are there any guidelines or codes for drilling holes in rim or band joists?


texts:
My house's door open outwards and overnight the snow has accumulated outside (to half the door height) and prevented the door from being opened.

What to do in this situation if we want to open the door and go outside?


texts:
DO I need to provide 2 layers of 5/8" type x gyp board on garage side?
Plan checker is telling me I need to specify 2 layers.


texts: Tempstar furnace, pilot light turns on then off in 1 second

texts:
I have a Tempstar natural gas furnace. It has electric element for ignition of the pilot.

It was working fine all December. Now, it does not work as follows: the draft fan starts and runs correctly, then a good looking pilot light comes up. In less than one second, the pilot light turns off and the main burner does not ignite.

I spent a while troubleshooting this issue. I cleaned the pilot sensor with light emery cloth. It did not seem to help. It seems that if I remove two screws holding the pilot light in place and pull it out of the furnace, it does ignite and hold, and if I insert it back into the furnace, the main gas ignites.

I put it back in and everything seems to work. I turn the furnace off, then on, and the pilot stays and the burner lights. Then I went to sleep and again woke up in a cold house.

Overall this behavior seems to be somehow "erratic". As in, things seem to work, then after a while the pilot starts going away again.

Would there be some coherent explanation of this behavior.

Thanks


texts: How do I know if my lightswitch is wired incorrectly?

texts:
I recently replaced a couple of the really old lightswitches in my house. Shortly afterwards I heard Shirlock Homes on the StackExchange podcast and he mentioned that you can shock yourself if you wire it up incorrectly.

How can I verify that I have in fact wired my lightswitches safely?

NOTE: I'm sorry I don't know what information to include, I bought lightswitches that looked the same, and copied the wiring.


texts:
I've seen other similar questions (How to trace mystery switches), but I have some more details:

This is in a master bedroom
There is a 2 gang box right near the inside of the door - one switch (purple wire and yellow wire) controls the overhead light. The other switch (purple wire and orange wire) is the mystery switch.
There are no switched outlets (I tried with a lamp)
There are no outdoor lights that I can notice (as suggested in the other answer)
I bought a Fluke Pro3000, turned off the power (purple was power anyway), hooked the red alligator clip on the toner to the orange wire, and tried sweeping the wall with the probe, but it was inconclusive at best
The pipe the orange wire enters from the box goes up

Any new guesses or suggestions of other experiments to do?


texts: Suggestions for building plywood landing and connecting to concrete stoop?

texts:
I would like to add a plywood landing to the garage and kitchen door entryway from the concrete stoop.  The Cinder block garage, which was built later and abuts the house, has a horizontal crack that runs below where I want to attach a 2”x4” ledger with concrete screws.  The plywood landing, which would connect to the sloped stoop, would be about 29” x 8’ with some sort of railing.
Is it necessary to chip out and re-point the cinder block bed joints with mortar? It is getting pretty cold for mortar to set here in Northern Illinois. I can try to notch the legs that support the ledger but the floor is pretty uneven too.
I was planning on attaching a ledger to the wall and stoop in a L shape fashion.  Since the stoop has a slope should I just add a transition piece or should I build it sloped to match?
Also, the stair rise is high, the first stair is 10 1/2” and the second one to the top of the landing is 7 1/4”.  Should I just add a wood step to the bottom floor and secure it somehow?
This is for an 84 year old elderly family member who has a hard time with the steps. Any tips you may have on construction and design are appreciated.
Thank-you


texts: Compatible filter for a Hiyasu HR-24LA HVAC unit?

texts:
We bought a house with the A/C installed. We found a lot of dust, and realized that the filter was entirerly missing in the indoor unit. I have found it in the Hiyasu catalog, and I found a manual for it. The latter states that the filter should be cleaned, but does not mention any part number, model or type for the filter if it needs replacing. To make matters worse, the hatch for access to the unit is badly placed, and I can barely reach where the filter is supposed to be, let alone get a good look at it. I found a schematic for it here: https://tienda.splitmania.com/productpartsdiagram/index/viewparts/id/22630/ (in Spanish), but it also does not mention the filter. Does anybody know what type of filter I should get for this unit?
Just some further info: I stuck my head up there again to measure it, and also take a video. There appears to be a metal frame of 102 x 23 x 4 cm where I could place a filter. So what I can do is buy a roll of filter material with a thickness of 4cm, then cut a piece of 102x23cm and then push it in there? The metal frame doesn't have an inside edge, and I can't reach the far end, so I am not sure how I get the filter in without leaving a gap at the far end. Maybe I should build a plastic frame for it that I can put the filter in and then fit it over the front?
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9ioptUIdvc


texts: What is this strange coiled wire and should everything be redone?

texts:
Problem 1

So I'm going through my house, replacing the switches and came across this switch that controls a fan in my bathroom. It looks like this may have been something the previous owner did, and did incorrectly.

If you notice, there is this strange coiled wire looped around the terminals. The wire itself appears to be stripped in the middle for the terminal connections and continues with the tip exposed. This looks bad and I think should be fixed.

Problem 2

In the bathroom, the light switch controls power to this switch, so the light switch must be on to use the fan. I assume that the wires from the light switch, go to the light, then to the fan. From the fan, I believe the hot splits off and goes to this switch and back. There is no ground in the box for this switch.

The problem itself is not that big of a deal for me, just an annoyance.

Questions

Besides having the ends exposed, is using this coiled wire a hazard?
Should there be a ground wire with the switch?
Should it be replaced with standard 14 gauge wire?
Any other concerns that may stand out based on what I described?

Probably the best thing I can do is to replace it and make the fan independent of the light. This just puts a lot of work on my end as I only want to update the switch, for now. I have other plans to get an electrician to add circuits to my house at some point, just not anytime soon.

Edits

I'm a little afraid to pull it out as I believe the wires will not stay in place/can bare any weight without dangling. Here is a different angle of the switch, you can see the majority of the box.


texts: Would a bad limit switch cut power to the thermostat?

texts:
My Nest thermostat is not working and it says the red wire is not getting power. The gas company man poked around the furnace and thinks it is a bad limit switch.
Can a bad limit switch stop power from reaching the thermostat? If not, then can a bad pressure switch do the same thing? It would be easy to remove the pressure switch but the limit switch is inside a metal box.


texts: What is the difference between double glazing and triple glazing?

texts: Noise reduction is touted as the best attribute but isn't this down to glass pane thickness and spacing? So, is a triple glazed install better than double glazing?


texts: Can a wood fireplace be completely open without any boundaries and just a chimney?

texts:
I usually see fireplaces that are open only on one side. This would be a standard example:

https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/images/fireplace-with-fire-burning-royalty-free-image-75406522-1541632053.jpg

The flames are surrounded by 3 walls and open on the one viewing side. Recently I've noticed some fireplaces such as:

https://www.mason-lite.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/THREE-SIDED.jpg

http://www.mason-lite.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Western-Fireplaces-7-3-wLogo-1.jpg

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/af/68/aa/af68aaae13686134c06bce0da4c03947.jpg

These are open on three sides. Does this mean it would be possible to have a fireplace in the middle of a room that is completely open on all sides, with only a chimney? I suspect you would want some sort of protective screen for debris and such.


texts: Is twisted and taped splice on cable, objectively any less stable than wire-nuts or terminal blocks?

texts:
In Brazil, electrical connections are almost always done splicing electrical cables by twisting the strands together and insulating them with electrical tape. Here is a video showing some of the connections the way they are done in Brazil. Terminal blocks are only used on some specific applications and wire-nuts are nonexistent here.

Here on DIY.StackExchange and elsewhere, I've seen criticism of that method and statements that wire-nuts are the way to go.

Is a stranded cable connection, twisted and taped as shown in the video, objectively any better or worse than wire-nuts/terminal blocks?


texts: Why does my spa pump hum but not rotate?

texts: I have a Jacuzzi spa pump model s55cxnfe-7055. When the pump turns on it hums for a few seconds then turns off.  I turned the shaft using a flat head screw driver to spin the shaft right and left with no resistance.  When I turned the breaker on, the motor hums but this time I tried to spin the shaft right when it turned on to help it self start. however when I did this I noticed the shaft would not spin at all. It was locked up.  Any ideas?


texts: Electrical dimmer switches for 4 switch locations?

texts:
I have a bank of 6 - LED 18watt (dimmable) bulbs and this bank has 4 switch locations.  Is it possible to dim this bank?  I don't see any 5 way dimmer switches offered.

Thanks.


texts:
What are the most common DIY projects that you should not do yourself? What must be hired out?

Edit: Just to be clear, what we're looking for here are the things that a regular homeowner might think they can do, but should not.

Things that look easy but are actually hard. Last summer my landlord decided to put a new roof on the house. They removed part of the old roof, and then the the rain and wind started. It took them 3 weeks to finish. Much of their time went to securing tarps overnight or bailing water out of the attic. An expert crew would have done it in 2-3 days, and avoided all that hassle. (We're still finding nails in the grass!)

Things that have to be done right from the beginning and are hard to repair later. Like plumbing in a poured concrete slab floor.

Or things that could be dangerous in non-obvious ways. Like gas lines, where an overtightened fitting can fail, and the whole house burns down in a hurry.


texts: Removing mistakenly applied linseed oil over lacquer?

texts:
I recently bought a small kitchen trolley from Ikea. The top is treated with linseed oil and the instructions that come with the furniture say to apply more oil after unpacking. I dutifully did this, but I didn't read the instructions carefully enough and applied the oil to the whole piece. The oil didn't seem to soak into the legs and, after checking the Ikea site, I found out that the legs are already coated with an acrylic lacquer. The oil is now a glossy, slightly sticky coating on top of the lacquer. It looks pretty unpleasant and is easily scratched. I'd like to get rid of it.

How I can I remove this? It seems unlikely I'd be able to remove it without damaging the underlying lacquer but if that is possible so much the better. It's possible to scratch it off on small areas but doing this cleanly for the whole piece would be a pain.

From a bit of Googling it seems turpentine would remove it but I haven't yet been able to find this in Switzerland. Would white spirits work?


texts: Wiring ceiling light from switch that controls outlet

texts:
I am trying to add a ceiling light to a switch that currently controls a floor outlet (top plug only).  Coming into the light switch are a ground, a hot and a switched hot.  I have pulled an additional 12/2 wire from the ceiling light into the switch box and was wondering how I could wire it in to control both the outlet as it currently is, as well as the ceiling light.

The wire pulls into the attic are pretty difficult as there is 18" of insulation and plaster, so avoiding another pull to the outlet would be preferable, but I understand you gotta do what you gotta do.


texts: thermal cutoff switch keeps tripping kenmore he2

texts: My electric Kenmore HE2 thermal cutoff switch keeps tripping.  Replaced the switch and heating element and still trips.  Seem to have good airflow and cleaned the vent pipe.  Thermal cutoff keeps tripping.


texts: How do I fill in this hole in my ceiling around pull light?

texts: I recently had my bathroom done and a new light fitting was added. I have a hole left around it where the new light fitting is smaller than the previous one. How do I fill this in please?


texts: Finishing drywall that abuts against metal frame prone to condensation

texts:
I have a interior soffit (that encloses a structural beam running along the exterior of the building) directly above an exterior sliding door. The drywall covering this soffit abuts right up against the door's metal frame. From what I can see, the original drywall installers just ran the 5/8 in gypsum board right up to the metal frame and possibly used some mud to get a nice clean-looking line. Below is a detailed view of this area showing the bottom of soffit (top of image) against the metal door frame (left):

The metal door frame apparently does not have a thermal break and can therefore get very cold. It is also prone to interior condensation even when interior humidity is well controlled (as is visible in the image). My concern is that this condensation may also be occurring up inside the soffit and causing damage to the backside of the drywall. There are some signs of this happening already (bubbling tape seams near frame, etc.). Exterior water penetration has been ruled out.

My question is how is this intersection of dissimilar materials supposed to be finished given the characteristics of this metal frame? I'm assuming that at a minimum some sort of J bead should have been used around the edge of the drywall to create a buffer and make sure the paper backside of the drywall can't touch any sweating metal. If so, would it be possible to retrofit one? Also, even with a J Bead should some sort of air gap be left (maybe 1/8 in) next to the metal to allow for circulation and drainage, or would that just encourage more condensation? Of course an airtight seal is likely impossible no matter what.


texts: Is sheetrock/drywall required under woodpanelling?

texts: I live in an old house, built in 1940's. I have a wall between two bedrooms that bowed out terribly. It is not a supporting wall. I am pulling this wall out, reframing it, and installing 3/4" tongue-and-grove beetle-kill panelling. Is sheetrock/drywall required under the wood?


texts: How can I support both floor joists and roof trusses while I replace wall framing below?

texts:
I have a wall with some termite damage near the tops of the studs and into the top plates. The wall is external front of the house. Wall is in blue in the diagram below. It supports the floor above, which has its rafters depicted in red. However, the roof (trusses?) also meet  the top of this external wall, and I think they may be bearing load there. I know if I simply needed to support the rafters, I would place my support inside of the wall and do my work. However, since the roof truss lands there as well, I would think that would also need to be supported. Any idea how this is typically done?

General questions are 1) How do I know if the truss is load bearing on the external walls as opposed the upstairs kneewalls (or both)? and question 2) How do I support the truss if they are load bearing.

An additional note about what I am calling the truss, these do sit on a kneewall upstairs in this cape cod style home, and then near the top (where the upstairs cieling/attic is) there is a cross member forming a sort of A shape.

Picture below


texts: I've already got the shower floor tiled (4'x8'- half in 2x2 on shower pan and the other half 1'x2' tile).  Im using epoxi grout on the floor, and regular grout of the same color on the walls.  Should i grout the floor first, then tile the walls?  (walls ar 9' high)


texts: Rust on bathtub feet. Any way to provide support to bathtub without disassembling bath unit?

texts:
I have a Bette steel enamel bath similar in shape and dimensions to the one below.

The bath unit is supported by four support feet in the same configuration as the image below. It's set sideways into an alcove, with tiled walls on 3 sides, and the other long edge supported by a (tiled) wooden frame. I'm unsure if there are supports bolting the other sides to the walls.

I've noted the two bath feet next to the long edge of the wall are getting quite rusty.

I would usually remove the tiling from the support frame to install new feet, but the tiles are cemented solidly in place, and it would be a tough job to disassemble and reassemble them.

There is a 50 cm x 50 cm access panel in the tiled support frame that I can use to access the underside (directly next to the bath waste pipe connections) so my options are limited.

I was thinking of propping up the underside with several layers of 50 cm x 50 cm carpeting or thick fabric right under the middle of the tub. Another option is to put in supportive wooden beams of similar size, but the problem then is how to align them with the curvature of the underside.

I'd be very grateful for any suggestions that you may have.


texts: Sizing grounding conductor for multiple circuits in conduit

texts:
If I have two sets of conductors (two unbalanced 120V circuits) in a conduit, can they share a ground wire and if so, is the ground wire sized by the minimum ground wire sizes for the sum of the ungrounded conductor areas?

For example, if I have two 20A circuits (12AWG UF) with both hots and neutrals in the same conduit, can they share a ground wire (10AWG, if my calculations are correct)?


texts: Sudden shots of cold water from shower and sink faucets

texts: We have suddenly started experiencing extreme temp variations if someone flushes a toilet while someone else is showering — shower gets extremely cold, new issue after 15 years living here. Also when I run my kitchen faucet, it has more recently begun getting ice cold when first turned on, literally 1 second after turning off after running very hot water and still set to hot. Only new thing is this faucet, a gooseneck no-touch my husband installed. Water heater is pretty new. Ideas on the cause and solution? Thanks!


texts: Ota antenna on cable coax with internet on line

texts: Recently I had cable tv as well as internet coming into the home.  I cut the cord regarding tv service but still want the internet feature. I want to hook up an  antenna for tv. I hooked up an antenna and I tried connecting to a coax box in the house to distribute the antenna signal throughout the home but I get the previous cable subscribers error message on my tv screen telling me I need a cable set top box.  I have gone through the tv menu and set it to air instead of cable. I told the cable company that I want them to cut the tv feed so I get internet only through the line.  They say they can't do that.  Is there a way for me to filter the line so I can use the existing line for my tv antenna??


texts: Is this an appropriate way to add a single-pole switch (without a gang box) to a circuit with an existing single-pole switch?

texts:
I have a fun electrical challenge in my basement. I currently have power coming off of the breaker, to a single light fixture, and then on to a single-pole switch (Figure 1). I would like to add a new single-pole switch (on the other side of the room from the existing switch) on this existing circuit to just control the new light fixture. I still want the existing switch to only control the existing light fixture.

I know that I could install a pull-chain light fixture in parallel to the existing fixture, which would preclude the need for a new switch. This isn't a bad idea, but my wife would prefer a switch on the wall and wants the new light fixture to match the existing light fixture in the basement. I could also put the new switch in a gang box with the existing switch and just run wire all the way over to the new light, but we would like the new switch to be quite close to the new fixture on the other side of the room. There are no other circuits that I can easily tie into in this basement, and running a new circuit from the breaker is overkill (I think) for just one light fixture.

I took my best guess (Figure 2) as to what the desired circuit should look like. Does figure 2 look like an appropriate and safe way to wire this particular set up? Thanks for all your help.


texts:
Two out of three light switches in our basement have stopped working. They’re a weird kind of rotary on/off switch that snaps into either position when rotated far enough.

I’d like to get them working again, but it’s quite hard when I can’t seem to find them online. Could someone help me indentify them and give me a name/type to search for?

I can provide a gif if needed

Image:


texts: What would happen if ground and neutral got mixed up in an outlet?

texts:
I have conduit (plastic at both ends but I can't confirm no metal conduit somewhere in between) running underground to an outlet in my yard that needed to be replaced. I switched off the breaker and cut the wires from the outlet before realizing that there were 3 individual wires running through the conduit, not 3 wires together. All 3 wires are insulated so the ground isn't a bare copper wire. The green wire SHOULD be the ground but it appears that the little piece that remains attached to the neutral on the outlet is green. What would happen if I mixed up the neutral and the ground? The new outlet is a GFCI for outdoor use.  At the breaker, the ground is bare copper so the wire must be spliced somewhere or jumped off another outlet.

Thank you for your replies. I just added the picture of the original outlet with what appears to have the piece of green wire attached to the white/neutral which is the basis for my concern. Since getting these mixed up creates a safety issue, do you have any suggestions on how to figure out which is which?  I have the breaker turned off for the time being for obvious reasons.


texts: How to create nice corners when building a wall with these concrete blocks?

texts:
In a previous question, Why do many concrete blocks have this strange shape on either end?, I asked about the design of the concrete blocks having an I-shape at the ends.

That explains how to make a strong wall, but how does one go about using these strange-shaped bricks to make a 90 degree corner? Assume the bricks are positions such that the holes point upwards for rebar to be placed, won't that make the strange I-shape visible in the corners?


texts: How to fill an air gap under vinyl flooring?

texts:
I installed vinyl plank flooring, and a hump in the concrete caused an air gap underneath the planks near it.
How can I fill that void/gap without tearing out the whole floor?
Is there some kind of injection I could use to fill it?


texts: 2 pole 15 amp breaker off of a 2 pole 20 amp breaker

texts: I have a 4 wire 220v circuit coming from my main box with the power running through a 2 pole 20 amp circuit breaker. I now need 2 110v circuits near that 220 line. I want to put in a load center where I break off the 2 110v circuits from the 220 and run that power through a 2 pole 15 amp circuit breaker. In code? Sound safe?


texts: Why are the lights flickering when the a/c is on?

texts:
The lights flick on and off when the a/c is on and the sound of a/c is too noisy and look like it's going to blow.

I already checked the connection if they have a short circuit. Did not found any trouble


texts: Puzzled why motion sensor set off home alarm while away!

texts: While I was out of town, my neighbor had called and left me a message that my home alarm was running for about 15 minutes on Christmas Eve.  Upon arriving home the next day, I found the house secure but my security pad indicated that the motion sensor in the family room had been activated.  Outside of a roaming mouse in the house, I'm assuming that I have a motion sensor that needs to be replaced.  I'm curious if anyone else has experienced their motion detector to be erroneously set off? Is there a way to check the sensor?


texts: Does black iron pipe need to be cleaned before installation?

texts:
Black iron pipe comes coated in oil, presumably to prevent rust but possibly as a side-effect of having been machined. Does that oil need to be removed from the threads before assembly with thread compound?
My concern is that any contaminant will affect the thread compound bond.


texts: Can 12-2 Romex run close to the floor and the back up to the box?

texts:
I'm wiring up my new house/garage for work bench.
I've come across an area that I can not use the normal route to run romex as it's blocking my route to the gang  box
I was wondering if I could just run the romex towards the floor and over then up to my box.


texts: Need help with sagging gate double gates

texts:
My gate used to be a single very large gate, but a local handyman cut in half about 3 years ago and made it a double-sided gate with a latch in the middle and a ground rode on one side.  Both sides have cross bracing.

One gate has held up pretty well (Right Gate).  The other gate is sagging at the top inner side (Left Gate), which is causing the latch to be misaligned and also causing a gap at the bottom which the bankyard chickens like to escape through.

Reviewing the images below, does anyone have any recommendations on how to improve the Left Gate sagging issue?  Should I remove/ re-add the cross bracing?
 I noticed there were some gaps between the horizontal beam and the cross braces; maybe a tighter fit would help?  Should I implement the "X" pattern as seen on the Right Gate?  I also noticed there are products out there; they're a bit price, does anyone recommend these?

I'm not much of a carpenter or handyman, but I could get some 2x4 wood and put my straight edge and jigsaw to work on cutting some cross braces. Any suggestions would be appreciated.  If you could provide photos or sketches, that would be very helpful!  Thanks!

My sagging gate is of a similar nature this posted question (How can I fix the issues I'm having with large double gates?).

Product links: EZ Brace - Anti Sag Gate Brace $50... or Gate Brace No Sag Gate Kit $40... or Rocky Mountain Goods Anti Sag Gate Kit - Extra Strength zinc plated steel $18

Images

Image1: Cross brace design of both gates (Left=sagging / Right=stable)
Image2: Ouside view of gates (Left / Right inverted view)
Image3: Center latch & Left ground rod with gap problem
Image4: Left side angle (sag) & Right side angle (stable)

Image 1

Image 2

Image 3

Image 4


texts: What is this piece, that fell out of my Kenmore Dishwasher?

texts:
I have a Model #66513593K600 Kenmore dishwasher.  I had a fuse problem, and replaced it, but after I put it back together, I found that this part had fallen out and I'm not sure what it is or where it came from!  What is it?

I think this is the right Sears page, but I can't find the piece on there: https://www.searspartsdirect.com/model-number/66513593k600/0582/0130000.html


texts: How can I attach broken piece of shott ceran induction cooktop?

texts: A 1" x 2" piece of my Schott Ceran induction cooktop broke off.  I'd like to "glue" it back on.  It doesn't interfere with any of the "burners".  May I do this and if so, what glue is the best to use?


texts: How do I build a solar powered charger for a laptop with dc rating 19v, 3.42A? I'd also prefer to use some other batteries to store the electricity? How can I accomplish this?


texts: Can a toilet on concrete slab be moved about 4 1/2 inches?

texts: My toilet is situated such that it doesn't allow much room to get in and out of the shower. I'd like to move it back to the wall as close as possible, to allow more space. The toilet is on concrete slab. Is this possible? I saw this similar question (http://diy.stackexchange.com/questions/6123/can-a-toilet-be-moved-6-inch-to-the-right) was asked but that is for a toilet over subfloor. Also, I know there are different sized toilets but is the distance from the hole on bottom of toilet to the back of the toilet a standard size?


texts:
Q1: Should there be a(n emergency) power switch next to an electric water heater?

Q2: If A1 is no, is it okay to have one anyway?

Q3: If A2 is yes, what kind of power switch should I use? I don't think I can use a regular light switch because this cable is 10/2 AWG and both the black and the white are hot. I need something that has two charges in and two loads out.


texts: How to cut into plastic to remove a metal slug that had been press-fit to be flush with the surface?

texts:
What tool would be appropriate to cut a gap around a metal slug that is holding this plastic join together? It has been press-fit to be flush with the surface. There is no access on the opposite side for pushing it out.

I've been trying to cut a small gap around the perimeter so that I can grasp at it with a pair of pliers and pull it out. But I want to do it in such a way that I can reinsert it later.

It is a soft plastic. I drilled small holes around the perimeter and have cut away at it with an x-acto knife.

Is there a better tool that I can use to nibble away at this?


texts: How do I remove dried spray-can paint from glass?

texts: I used a good quality name-brand spray can of 'Paint & Primer' to paint a glass lamp, but after the second coat an 'alligator' texture developed in some areas. I followed the instructions before spraying the second coat, and the temperature was about 76 degrees.  I haven't been successful in removing the paint (the instructions say to use Mineral Spirits - but it is not working, most likely because the paint has dried). Does anyone have any other suggestions? NOTE: Scraping is not an option because of the texture of the glass.


texts: Need guidance on drilling through wall plates

texts:
I've got a ranch style home that I want to run cable from the basement, through the wall to the attic and distribute through the house. Only running 20 cables, max, through this trunk pipe.

The wall I intend to do this through is a garage wall that is shared with the house. Attached is a picture of this wall, from the Garage side. I've marked where the PVC is intended to go.

My concern is that I believe this wall to be load bearing, and willy-nilly drilling holes makes me nervous. I want to drill two (2x) 1" holes in the center of the top and bottom wall plates where the arrows are shown in the picture.

This same wall is where I will be mounting my TV and installing AV cabling through on the other side (from center, near where the pipes are intended, to the far right above where the RG6 run is currently and pointed out).

Picture of wall

Assuming the holes aren't exactly where the roof truss support studs make contact with the top plate, is this a good idea? Any insights or advice would be greatly appreciated since I want to do this Saturday and am giving myself indigestion over it.

Thank you all in advance!


texts:
I recently moved my old refrigerator into my garage next to my freezer. As soon as I plug in my refrigerator the GFCI pops. I have a 15 amp GFCI and a 15 amp breaker. The refrigerator and freezer are the only two items plugged into the five outlet circuit. They are plugged into separate outlets. The other three outlets are unused (including the GFCI).

I upgraded to a 20 amp GFCI and a 20 amp breaker. My refrigerator and freezer both run now without popping the GFCI. After some friendly advice as to check the gauge of wire I was using, I checked and sure enough it is 14 gauge wire. After reading in this forum it looks like 14 gauge wire is not to code with a 20 amp breaker and GFCI. Is this just a code issue or is this potentially a bigger problem of overheating and possibly causing a fire? Thank you so much for any help and or advice!

UPDATE:
The refrigerator is currently unplugged until I can replace the 20a breaker back to the original 15a breaker.

I forgot to mention that the first thing I did was to replace the original 15a GFCI with a new 15a GFCI. It popped too. That is when I made the (wrong) decision to "upgrade" everything to 20a.

If I am having a grounding or other issue with my fridge, why did it pop the new 15a GFCI but not the new 20a GFCI?

Could I just remove the GFCI altogether and replace with a standard receptacle?


texts: What is the best way to rebuild this shower drain?

texts:
Converting a tub to a shower, and with the drain location changing I'm just getting back to the underbelly and seeing the alignment of things before hooking it all back up.

You can see the new drain now sits into the room roughly 1.5-2in as compared to the max reach of the new p-trap. I put a piece of 2in into the drain to illustrate the shift. Side note, I do realize I will be transitioning from 2 to 1.5in, which is OK per code and flow rate of the shower head in my area.
I was hoping the extra pipe going to the p-trap was going to be the place to splice in, but now I'm not sure. Should I be rebuilding everything between the lines? Playing around with elbows to get it over to the new drain?
I'm comfortable working with ABS - just want to be sure it's the best approach.


texts: How high can I stretch my washing machine drain hose?

texts:
The waste hose through which the water is removed from my washing machine is inserted into a vertical pipe extending from the floor with a U shape at its end.

The problem is that there is foam coming out of the pipe where the waste hose is inserted.

Can I extend the pipe that is after (above) the U to leave more room for the foam to form and hopefully prevent it from overspilling?

Is there a height limit ?

If the hose can reach 1 meter above the washing machine, does it mean that it is safe to have the hose connected so high?

Is there a danger of causing damage to the washing machine's water pump that pushes the water outside if it has to push a water column that is too long/high ?


texts: Why is the upstairs a lot hotter in a 2 story duplex?

texts:
I've lived in my current duplex for about 5 years now and every summer, my upstairs portion of the duplex gets noticeably hotter than downstairs. I couldn't give an exact measurement but 10 degrees Fahrenheit hotter would not surprise me.

Over the years, I've added several things to the house to deal with this issue. It's made the heat manageable but by no means is it solved. I had to replace the AC (it was 20 yrs old), but even that didn't fix the cooling issue. I've added ceiling fans in all three bedrooms. I've added an attic fan as well to get the hot air out of the attic.

What I'm really doing is just guessing what the problem is. I've looked into companies doing energy audits and insulation, but I'm not sure if this is the most effective thing I can do.

How do I go about solving the hot air in my second floor during the summertime? What is the most effective approach to solving this problem? Is this something I can solve or would it be best to hire a contractor?


texts: I purchased a new Ecobee thermostat.  I don't have central air, so heat only.  My gas fired hot water boiler has the wires from the thermostats (Red and White) going to the T1/T1 and T2/T2 terminals.  Looking at the furnace control board, not sure where to hook up the common wire.  The board is an ARGO Technology board.  Any help is appreciated.


texts: Should I be concerned if the toilet water level drops after a flush?

texts:
After flushing, the water level in the bowl drops a bit. It takes about 30 seconds and loses between one and two inches. It starts dropping fairly fast, then slows, then stops, and then the level holds steady until next flush. Bowl still has a nice, respectable amount of water.

No other problems around toilet; no word from person downstairs about leaks or ceiling stains (but haven't had chance to ask them specifically since noticing this). I'm not sure if the floor's level; may slope slightly toward back of toilet, don't have a level handy.

This may even be normal for this toilet (is that likely/possible?)... I only noticed it now, about a week after clearing a clog with a closet auger, and hadn't paid attention to whether it dropped or not before.

About that clog: it was from a toothbrush dropped into the toilet and pushed further down when I tried to pull it out by hand. Auger didn't retrieve toothbrush, but I guess pushed it through to main drain, because toilet has flushed fine ever since.

Do any of these details make it more/less likely to be a leak into the subfloor? And if that is likely, I guess that makes things very urgent, or would it take a long time do any damage? (It'll be tricky to bring in a plumber until a few weeks hence, esp. if that means coordinating with other tenant.)

Apologies for full-on newb questions; this isn't so much DIY as should-I-have-someone-else-do-something, and how-panicked-should-I-be-if-at-all.


texts: How do I remove a double-ended T3 R7S bulb that isn't spring loaded?

texts:
A fixture using this type of bulb burned out of me. All of my searching seems to indicate that these are often spring-loaded but I applied significant force to both sides with no give. I feel so ashamed being defeated by a lightbulb.... how to I replace this?

I am able to jiggle the bulb around in the socket so I know it's not corroded into place but I feel that I'm applying far to much force than should be required.

I suppose it's possible that it is spring loaded but that I don't know where to apply the pressure.


texts: How to seal/stabilize crumbling particle board counter top?

texts:
I have a typical laminate kitchen counter top which is built of particle board under the laminate. The bottom edge, at the front where it hangs over the cabinets is bare particle board.

The section over the dishwasher is crumbling and releasing wood particles all the time, due to the steam from the dishwasher. We're having the counters capped with engineered granite/quartz and I'd like to stop the particle board from deteriorating any further first.

I am planning to brush it vigorously to remove all the loose particles. Then I would like to paint it with something to lock down the particle board and seal out moisture. I have some Zinsser 123+ sealer but that mostly is described as sealing stains from bleeding through. Is there anything better? Maybe some type of glue?

EDIT: I used a solvent-based polyurethane as suggested by @dbracey. It has held up well for two years.


texts:
I have a 1929 craftsman house.  The dining room has a bay window, original to the house, cantilevered outside the foundation.  The floor joists were covered outside on the bottom with tongue & groove flooring, then the interior flooring cut away to use the joists as a cold air return.  The wall is 2x4 stud, plaster & lath inside, wood lap siding outside, filled with blown polyiso foam 30 years ago.  The wood lap siding was topped with 1/8" green foam sheeting and vinyl siding in 1992.  1/2" styrofoam sheet (small white beads, like in a cheap cooler) was added under the window, most likely at the same time as the vinyl siding in 1992.  The rim joist under the window appears to have only the 1/8" green foam, vinyl, and lap siding covering it, no other insulation.

I recently found the styrofoam under the bay was only press-fit in some areas, no fasteners, held up by a friction fit on the back side of the lap siding.  This left air gaps on both sides of the lap siding, between it and the styrofoam on the backside and the green foam on the outside.

I recently obtained a pile of 1" styrofoam panels that I would like to use to cover the existing 1/2" styrofoam on the bottom of the bay.  To cut drafts, I would like to install it all the way out to the vinyl siding, screw and caulk it in, closing the air gaps around the lap siding.

I can imagine this would close the drainage path behind the vinyl siding, if the green foam wasn't there as a water barrier.  I can also imagine closing the gap behind the lap siding could possibly reduce air flow and drying to the outside, but the wall still has plenty of air flow inside.

Question... Would adding more styrofoam under the bay, closing the air gaps at the bottom of the lap siding & behind the vinyl, or insulating the inside of the rim joist (inside the cold air return) be a bad thing?  Can I close these gaps or should I leave them for drainage & airflow?

Edit:  Added 1 pic looking in cold air return register, showing the rim joist attached to the end of the floor joists.  The floor joists are covered underneath with tongue & groove flooring (outside) and sheet metal (in the basement) to create the cold air return for the furnace & a/c.  The smooth surface between the floor joists is cardboard laying loose on top of the t&g flooring.

Also added 2 pics under the bay window showing the white vinyl siding, 1/8" green foam sheet insulation, brown lap siding, heavily weathered white trim board, and 1/2" white styrofoam.


texts:
I've been working with a local plumbing company on a few large bathroom projects and they've done some things really well and some things poorly, and on a few cases, I've jumped in to just make the fixes myself rather than deal with them. In this case, they did the shower pan liner, but as shown, they actually cut the sheet around the bolts. They also just GOBBED sealant all over, including filling the weep holes and channels. It didn't drain from them at all till I took it apart cleaned them - it drains very well now. However, I have concerns about whether or not it was sealed really well underneath or if it's a long term issue that's pending. I have to pull part of it down anyways since they didn't get it flush in the corners (!), so I'm wondering if it's worth spending the 50 bucks to just do it myself. It's an oatey drain.

I'm leaning towards just doing it again, but I don't know - does the rubber being cut so far back indicate an issue or am I being uptight?

Thanks.


texts:
I was reading up that different finishes can be removed with different chemicals (paint thinner, alcohol, etc) based on the finish. Is there any way to identify what this finish on the wood in the back of my house may be. It was most likely put up in the 1950s, its peeling. I would like to remove it, and probably just paint over the wood white. Is there any way to identify the best way of removing this, with out buying different chemical removers to try each one?

Few more pictures here:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/WzkvpcRnDbMFwF6x8


texts:
I live in 7 store city building in Prague.

Last night I couldn't sleep not only because of the hot weather, but also thanks to drain which just wouldn't shut up. It makes gurgly noises every now and then. I never noticed it during the day, but then during the day I'm at work.

I assume this is caused by water falling from other apartments down the drain, causing decrease of the pressure in the drain pipe, which is balanced through the drain in my kitchen. I tried to temporarily solve the problem by clogging the drain with some rags but it wasn't enough.

Is the cause I assumed correct? Either way, what can I do to stop this from happening?


texts: Can faded stamped concrete be stained to match rest of patio?

texts:
Stamped concrete patio has severely faded - assume from sun and water runoff from canopy? Rest of patio and back steps looks great.It has been sealed several times over the years.
How do we restore colour? Does this require a professional?


texts: What is the "warm water method" of clearing a clogged toilet?

texts:
In this question the OP mentioned that, when having problems with blocked toilet, as his first attempt he tried warm water method.

I would like to ask:

  What is warm water method? For which purposes and in what situations can it be used?


texts:
Re:50cm 9W 5630 SMD 36 LED Cabinet Light DC 12V

I have recently brought the above strip lights.
Can someone please advise me which drivers I need to order to:
a) Power 3 of the above
b) Power 2 of the above
c) Power 1 of the above
Many thanks Colin


texts: Is it safe to use foil heat tape inside the dryer?

texts:
The metal air duct pipe inside my electric dryer does not seem to completely seal against the plastic housing of the exhaust blower fan.
Is it safe to use metal foil heat tape to join them together, and make sure there is a good seal?
This seems to be placed far enough away from the heating element. And the housing for the blower fan is made of plastic itself. That seems to suggest if they made the part out of plastic, it would not get too hot. So should foil heat tape also be okay?
To be clear: this is nashua style foil heat tape like this, the same I would use around the exhaust vent outside the dryer.
Background: I took my dryer apart to clean it. There is a lot of lint! I want to prevent lint from getting inside, if possible. I'm considering using foil heat tape around the exhaust vent, and around the metal guard that holds the lint trap, so nothing can get back into the body of the dryer.
..
Update: I called the manufacturer help line. They were not helpful and did not understand what I was asking. The agent could not directly answer any of my questions; they simply typed them to someone else, and relayed confused answers. I do not feel confident in any of the feedback. I have gone ahead and wrapped the vent with heat tape. If I experience any fires or my house burns down, I will attempt to update this thread.


texts: So is it better to go from a smaller pipe to a bigger pipe?

texts: OK I know it sounds confusing so here I go.  Doing some work on the washer supply lines.  Well they are copper right now 1/2".   Issue is there is leaking around the shutoff valves and such (old fixtures).  So the question is it OK to go from 1/2 to 3/4 in piping?  The distance would be about 6" for each hot and cold pipe and then and elbow then 4" to the new shutoff valve if that.  Shark bite connectors for the valve and what i would be getting is 1/2 to 3/4 couplers for copper to CPVC.


texts:
This may require a diagram, but as I’m doing this from my phone, that’s not doable at the moment.

I have an existing ceiling fixture in a bathroom that has 3 sets of wires going into it (no ground):

Black and white hot wire from fuse panel
Black and white wires out to a single pole light switch
Black and white wires out to a hallway light that has its own switch.

I need to add an existing fixture on the wall hopefully without tearing out a bunch of drywall. I ran a new set of wires from the ceiling fixture in the attic above, across to the wall and snaked it down to where I want the fixture installed. Easy enough.

My problem is that now I have 4 sets of wires and I really have no idea how they should all be connected to make this thing work. As you can probably gather, I’m not an electrician, but I have a basic understanding.


texts:
I'm in a new construction home, and the builder is basically blowing us off on questions about the wiring (what's that switch/wire/plate for sorts of things).  My focus for this Q is the security bundle:

I've got 4 22/4 wires I've identified: an entrance keypad, a master bedroom keypad, and a ceiling-mounted motion detector on the main and basement levels.

The only other wire in the bundle is a single Cat.6 labeled (as best I can read the Sharpie chicken-scratch on the cable) "WAP".  Now, in my experience that means "Wireless Access Point" but would it be the same thing in a security context?

Additionally, I have no idea where the other end of that Cat.6 cable comes out.  It disappears straight up through the ceiling of the basement and from there, who knows?  I've looked behind every blank plate I can find in the place, and I have accounted for and connected every data port.  Conveniently enough, the security wire is a different color than any of the data cables, so I'd know if I'd found it.  Any ideas how to trace the wire, without busting up the walls, if I can't get ahold of the electrician who installed it?

EDIT: Added several pictures.  Pretty much what you see here is all I get to see of the wiring.

Here's the security bundle as I found it.

Four 22/4s and a Cat.6, labeled "Basement" "Main Floor KP" "Main Floor Motion" "Master KP" and "WAP."  Most of that's pretty obvious.

Mostly they just vanish through here, no further way to trace them from the basement.

Apart from the yellow one, the one labeled "Basement," that clearly ends up here.

This is where the "Main Floor Motion" cable ends up.  Trust me, I'm not climbing back up there to open it up again just now.

Here's the entrance keypad wire.

And here's the Master Bedroom keypad wire.

That's all I've got to go on, and I could no doubt get something working with just the 4-element wires (and maybe internet monitoring), but I'd like to have some idea how that Cat.6 figures into the scheme if possible.


texts: House water supply "mystery branch" upstream from shutoff valve

texts:
I have a 1953 ranch with daylight basement. Pictured below is the point where (I believe) the water main enters the house horizontally (water meter is out in front lawn at ground level, aligned with this entrance). Upon entering, there is a T branch. Upwards pipe goes to a shutoff valve, while the downward branch disappears into the floor and is upstream of the shutoff. I can't figure out why this was done this way. It's possible I have it reversed and that supply comes out of the floor and then goes back out of the house at the T, again before the shut off valve. I am trying to track down the many possible causes of a damp floor in this area and would like to understand why this was done this way before going further. Thanks in advance!

UPDATE: I have called a plumber (I don't want to DIY myself into a bigger mess on this particular project) and will update once I get an answer.


texts: Why is boiling hot water coming out of every faucet, and even the toilet?

texts:
Help!  I live in a 80 unit condo (8 floors), with hot water tanks on the top floor (4).  They flow down 13 different lines to different units and hot water is recirculated through recirc pipes.  Around April several units, around 6, started experiencing boiling hot water that would come out of the cold water faucets (we have levers which you turn for cold/hot).  This is happening in the kitchen, bathroom, toilet, bathtub, washing machine, and you have to turn it on for 5-10 minutes and then cold water would finally come out.  You have to do this EVERY single time as the boiling hot water would return the minute you turn the fixture off.

The 6 units are scattered through different lines, and throughout the 1st-5th floors of the building with the EXACT same problem, which started at the exact same time.  We've had 3 different plumbers come on 4 different occasions.  I've had someone even take a look at the drawings and look at the tanks, the pipes, with no answers.  No one that we know has made any alterations to their plumbing in their units.

We thought we were getting close when we shut off the hot water valve in unit 102, and the problem was alleviated in that unit and the units above, but no solution was found.  All the faucets seemed fine, and cartridges were replaced in shower fixtures that seemed like they were leaking.  Turning off the hot/cold water lines to the washing machine in a couple units seemed to help in a couple units, but not for others.

The only work that was done in the building was section was repiped on the ground floor a couple weeks prior to al this (water was shut off, a section of leaking pipe replaced), but the plumber was adamant that did not cause the problem.

One plumber suggested we install individual shut off valves to each unit at a coast of $300 x 80 units (we cannot do it for just the 6), but some say this is pointless as it is expensive and may not even help.

We are at a loss as to what to do.  Please help!


texts: Can I add a booster fan to increase pressure?

texts:
How can I increase cfm in an area that is 3550 x 4288 x 2800 mm.
There is already a 700 cfm air handling unit working, but this is not sufficient.


texts: Sub-panel with single ground and common bar - with a twist

texts:
I know that this question has been asked and answered before however I have a possibly unique twist.

The old question: Does a sub-panel require that the ground and common wires be on separate bars?

The old answer: Yes.

So, looking at the 2 images below, the sub-panel in the second image would need to be corrected because as it is it is potentially dangerous. Correct?

Image 1 is the main panel where you can see common and ground separated. There is a 60 AMP breaker that feeds off to the sub-panel.
Image 2 is the sub-panel where the ground and common share the same bar.
Question 1 To correct this, I would need to buy and mount another bar to the panel on the left side of the box directly to the metal without any plastic spacer to complete the ground and run a ground wire from the main panel ground to it that is the same gauge as the line/common wires coming from the panel? And then reroute all of the ground wires to it?

Now the twist...please scroll passed the 2 images for more

Preface:

It is unclear if the previous owner did this himself (he is now deceased) or if a licensed contractor actually did the work. My issue is I am now the owner and doing some renovating and need to clear this up. At first I simply thought that the original panel was too full to handle any more circuits hence the need for a sub-panel. But today I began run some new circuits and made the first of 2 revelations, the first up above. The second is that it is possible that number 1 above may be correct OR that number 2 could burn down my house, kill someone or both.

This brings me to image 3 below.

I first thought that the wires from the 60 AMP breaker in the main panel passed through this panel and into the sub-panel, which it actually does. However, it does so after the switch in this middle panel first.

The previous owner had this switch going to a giant extension cord that plugged into his gas powered generator I assume for power outages.

So now I am thinking that this panel was not merely for additional circuits, but rather to isolate certain circuits that he could power during an outage with his generator. That would explain the use of the red (stranded) wires from the three breakers in the sub-panel (on the right side) that go into the main panel and are wire nutted to other circuits. The latter I began separating prior to realizing this.

Facts
The sub-panel breakers only work if the middle switch is flipped upwards ON. That is the side that is powered from the 60 AMP breaker in the main panel. In the OFF position pictured those circuits are off. Same as in the down ON position which of course plugs into the generator.

So more questions:

Question 2 Is question 1 above still valid? I would think either way It could not hurt to have separate bars and may be the only right thing to do.

Question 3 Is this actually a legit configuration. I am now living in Connecticut (US) and being from AZ and TX am not accustomed to major power outages so am unsure if this is new or not. It would be cool to have this as a backup someday but am not married to it and would just as soon remove it as it seems dangerous so your opinions are appreciated here.

There are probably more questions but will open this up for discussion first. I have more images of details and can provide clarification of the schematics if needed.

Thanks in advance!

A simplified drawing of how the three panels interact. I'll provide additional closeups upon request.

Main to switch detail.

Plug detail.


texts: Automatic turn off of water pump as water tank overflows (Manual turn on is needed)

texts:
I want to design a system that automatically turns off a water pump when the water tank is full.
Some background and details:
1- The pump is connected to main water supply.
2- The pump should turn on with a switch (manual input) and it should stop when water tank overflows.
3- It should not turn on automatically as the water level goes down.
4- The main water supply is irregular. Therefore, I prefer to have a manual turn on.

Can some one please suggest a circuit/design to achieve this?


texts:
The builder of our house put two double load-bearing studs in the middle of the media room wall where we want to install an in-wall center channel speaker. Would installing a box frame with double 2x4's for the top and bottom plate to distribute the load as shown in the picture below compromise the short or long-term integrity of the load?
The orange box in the picture is where the speaker would go.
This room in the only room upstairs in the 1 1/2 story house. There is attic space behind this wall up to the diagonal studs on the left side. Above and behind the diagonal studs is outside/roof/bricks.
I wouldn't do the work myself, but before I reach out to any contractors, I wanted to get the folks' opinions on this forum.
If it's too much of a risk/hassle, I may opt for a different option for the speaker. Such as mounting it on the wall or a shelf.
UPDATE:
Well I just found out the builder has already hung the sheetrock along with mudding and tapping it! They won't allow me to fur it our at few inches as K H pointed out below. Which I think would have been a good option.
Now I am back to the drawing board. So it's either cut the drywall or go through the attic to access the studs to put in re-enforced headers (a couple of 2x10's or 8's).
I've reached out to a residential structural engineer to get his opinion. I'm waiting to hear back.


texts: Should I leave a gap between clay bricks when laying a patio?

texts:
I have acquired many reclaimed solid clay bricks and plan to use them as a patio. I will likely lay them in a herringbone pattern. The edges will be side-by-side held in place with plastic edging. Similar to this:

.

My question is... should I leave a gap between the pavers to allow for expansion and/or to allow for a sand-filled joints? If so, how much gap should I leave and what would you recommend to use to keep the gaps uniform?


texts: Why do I have two blue and two red wires in my ceiling light fixture?

texts: I want to replace a lighting fixture in the bathroom ceiling. I think it was kind of heat light. I took the light out and realized that two blue cables are connected to the fixture and two red ones on the other side and there is no neutral. What do I need to do to connect to live and neutral to install a halo ceiling light box and light?


texts: Help for roof ideas for very large cat enclosure

texts:
I am building a very large enclosure for our cats. Approximate will be 20’ x 30’ 30’ x 30’ (pie shaped lot so one of the four sides is shorter.)
One side will use the house (stucco) as a wall. Two sides will use existing 6’ cedar fence as walls. The fourth side will need to be built and I’ll use steel fencing wire so they can see out.
I’m in Canada so we get a lot of snow sometimes.
How do we build a roof for this? (I’m leaning towards fencing wire so they get sunlight through).


texts: Would it be reasonable and legal to use AFCI receptacles next to a panel instead of AFCI breakers?

texts:
I've been googling, searching this community and looking over the 2017 NEC codebook (which can be very confusing) and I've come to the conclusion that a crystal clear, no nonsense, straight forward answer to this question doesn't exist.  I don't know how, I must have overlooked it, but best I can tell, the information (in a very clear format) isn't out there.  So could someone please help me out here?  (sorry for the preface, I'm used to being accused of not doing research/making duplicate questions so I wanted to, more or less, show the steps I took before I decided to ask a question here).

AFCI breakers are significantly more expensive than AFCI receptacles.  (Scratch that, it's the GFCI breakers that are significantly more expensive than the receptacles...well regardless, I'm still curious about this and it would be good to know!) and I had the idea of installing an AFCI blank face outlet (which, I can't imagine what other use a blank face outlet would have honestly) right beside the breaker box before heading out to the circuit so that the entire circuit would be protected.

Something like this:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Leviton-20-Amp-SmartlockPro-Arc-Fault-Circuit-Interrupter-AFCI-Blank-Face-Outlet-White-AFRBF-W/301767741

My idea was to buy a metal multi-gang box (or more) and mount them beside the breaker box, then run conduit to them (short runs) and have the circuit go through these boxes which will have blank face AFCI receptacles (one per each circuit)

The only crystal clear piece of information that I have though is that from the box, to the first receptacle, it must be armor clad cabling, or in metal conduit and the first box must be metal and grounded.  This is where I get confused though because I've seen a couple of people state that every single box downstream of the AFCI receptacle must be metal also.  I've seen that specifically mentioned, but I've also seen it omitted (only mentioning conduit to the first box and the first box being metal).  Considering the entire reason for an AFCI in the first place, it makes sense that they require armor clad cabling or conduit up to the first AFCI protected receptacle, as well as that box being required to be metal.  But I don't understand why every box downstream must be metal too since, for all intents and purposes, this receptacle would be acting exactly like an AFCI breaker, which I don't believe I've seen anybody say that device boxes and junction boxes must be metal on an AFCI breaker protected circuit.

I didn't see anything in the NEC code book though, that was very clear that all receptacles downstream must be in a metal box, but the way they word things can be a little confusing so I could have misread/misunderstood.  So I'm wondering if maybe somebody just made that assumption and said that but it's not actually required?

My concern is not about being code compliant, but rather safety.  Obviously I must be at least code compliant, but it's like it was stressed when I was driving a truck over the road;  Be SAFE and legal.  Safety ALWAYS comes before being legal.

Thank you kindly for your help!


texts: What could be causing our shower fixture to not work properly?

texts:
All of the sudden, we can't turn our Symmons shower fixture to 12 o'clock.  It stops around 10 o'clock in it's off position now.  We've noticed that when we turn the shower on lately it makes a really loud noise in the wall and it almost has a delayed start to the water flow.  What could be going on?

The only things that have happened lately is that we used our gas heat for the first time of the season and we had our boiler cleaned.  Not sure if any of this has anything to do with it.


texts: Strange problems that might be due to wiring

texts:
A few facts:
This house is in unincorporated Lake county Indiana
This house is all electric.
Was built in 1993.
Has all 20amp breakers.
Has all 15amp outlets (the cheaper type).
The problem:
Electronic devices seem to fail far sooner then they should.
Had two infants on apnea monitors that had a hard drive to record memory of breathing rates, etc...neither would record any memory..the company gave us two more, same problem. They had never experienced this kind of problem.
Turning on hair dryer causes lights in the bathroom to dim.
The blower motor on the furnace keeps burning out. Right now it is working on a lower amp fan that doesn't really keep up.

What could this be? I'm thinking of replacing all the outlets with 20amps. Am I wasting my time?  Any help would be appreciated.


texts: Do I need special primer for red(ish) paint?

texts:
I am getting ready to paint my living room using Behr's Glowing Firelight (S-G-200):

My building sidekick suggested not to use the regular Killz2 primer but some special gray primer for red(ish) paints.  I am posting here to confirm his suggestion and open a discussion for second opinions.  Which specific primer would be the best for this paint?


texts: Can I install an air gap faucet instead of a basic air gap with my dishwasher?

texts:
We are installing a new dishwasher and trying to figure out the air gap situation.  I know we need one, but I'd love to find a more functional alternative to a basic air gap.

I don't think we would really use a soap dispenser air gap and I've seen mixed reviews on them. I came across air gap faucets yesterday and am wondering if that would be compatible with a dishwasher instead of a reverse osmosis water system.

something like:
www.homedepot.com/p/Watts-Single-Handle-Water-Dispenser-Faucet-with-Air-Gap-and-Monitor-in-Chrome-for-Reverse-Osmosis-System-0958244/203208990

I think this should work in theory, but my only concern is the diameter of the hoses.  Apparently they are usually only 1/4" or 3/8" in diameter.  Is that too narrow for dishwasher waste water?


texts: My house has steel "2x4s" in the walls, can I hang cabinets, a TV, or some other heavy item from them?

texts:
The question is pretty much all in the title: My house has metal "2x4's" in the walls. Can I hang cabinets or a TV directly on these metal studs? If not directly, is there something special I must do?

My experience with wooden 2x4s tells me that they are super strong and with correct anchor screws you could mount very heavy items on them with no problem. The reason I ask about these metal 2x4s is because these metal 2x4s seem to bend very easily, and I'm worried that if I attach my TV to them that they might start to bend and put a lot of stress on the drywall causing it to crack or worse. Am I off base? Is there some technique I should be aware of?


texts: How to Make Freestanding Pegboard Walls?

texts:
I was just over at a place called "Value IT" which used to be called "Value City", and the owners were really creative; they dropped the "C" and the "Y: from the sign to rename the store without buying an entirely new sign.  That's just the spirit of that place.

Anyway, aside from this store having wonderfully cheap second hand stuff, it also has walls; and not just any walls; Perforated Hardwood walls, everywhere, so that the landscape of the store can be modified to suite whoever and whatever a vendor may be selling there.

Me being a meta sort of a person, I can't help but wonder where I can get some of these Perforated Hardwood walls for my own place.  It would be wonderful to see a mess somewhere, and then organize it on the wall!  And if I ever had to move as my capitalist masters frequently dictate; it would be nice to be able to just pack up my wall, and move it to another location...or if as with the vendors at Value IT, my needs would change, I could just take the wall own and re-purpose it.

Now when I was rummaging around "Value IT" as I frequently do, I found an entire stack of the Perforated Hardwood, and it read on the label "Georgia Pacific Clutter Cutter"; which led me to figure out that it was called Perforated Hardwood or "Pegboard".  But I was unable to find out what the stuff that fits inside these walls is called.  I mean you can't just setup some peg board unless you have a garage with just some wooden rafters behind it to go with it;  So in order to make the "walls" there are these vertical metal inserts that you screw the Perforated Hardwood into on both sides in order to form a wall.  I suppose it also requires that you have at least two walls facing a 90 degree angle, which makes it seem to me like there are probably at least two kinds of inserts.  Anyway the metal inserts for inside the walls were there too, but I couldn't find a label on any of them to find out what they were called.

Does anybody know what those metal inserts inside the walls are called?  If they indeed come in more than one variety, let me know that too;  Or if they go by one more aliases, just as the pegboard / Perferated Hardwood does.  They look pretty cheap and flimsy, but if they do the job, I'm fine with it.


texts: Are freezers afected by subfreezing temperatures, (weather)

texts:
A side-by-side refrigerator-freezer that was in a garage during the recent cold spell in Texas acted odd, the freezer became warm and everything melted. The refrigerator  side did not show any problems.  The freezer seems to be functioning now as a cup of water in it did freeze. The refrigerator is about 20 years old and had a thermostat replaced.
Is this a common event?
Is it related to subfreezing (about 20 degrees for extended periods) temperature where refrigerator was located?
What are there practical ways of preventing it?


texts: Outside of my house the concrete slopes away from the drain causing the water to pool in a corner,any ideas to fix this ?


texts: Automating water to flow through one of two paths

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I would like to have one valve to run water flow in exactly one of two different paths.  I realize this could be done easily with two valves (split the flow, then close one of valves and open the other). I'm wondering if there's a special kind of valve that would direct the flow one way or the other.

Ideally, there would be a control on the device, like the ones for automatic sprinklers, so that the flow could be directed through A or through B without manually turning it with your hand.  If this were automated, then I can see a two valve solution would be possible if the controller were set-up to open one valve, and close the other.  BUT that would probably mean powering one or the solenoid all the time (not good), and it would probably fail completely closed (so neither would get flow).  Another problem with the two valve solution is finding parts (finding a valve that failed open and the other that failed closed). So I'd really like a single device to redirect flow one way or the other, even if it were manually operated.

What hardware would be required to get water to flow down one of two paths?


texts: How can I find the square footage of an irregular driveway?

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I need to know the square footage of a long, curving private road with two irregularly shaped adjoining driveways.  I've printed out a bird's eye view of the property with Google, used the exact known dimensions of a house in the photo to establish the scale, then made measurements as best I can on the photo, which indicates the road total is about 6,000 square feet (the red box is about 235' wide and 300' tall):

Is some kind of online tool available that will give me a more accurate estimate?  For example, by outlining a region the tool will tell me the area?  Even a "pixel painting" program that lets me do a flood-fill then tells me the number of pixels used would work.