texts: How to install DWV piping for new toilets added to current system

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I am wanting to install a toilet in a cabin that is about 150ft uphill from my home. So waste will run downhill, thank goodness. And about 60 ft from my home on that same run I want to install another toilet in a changing room for hot pool. Then waste line will run into crawl space of house and hook up with 4" sewer line and then into septic tank.

So my questions are what size waste lines and venting lines do I need? And do I just need venting where toilets are? Or do I need vent piping along the 150' run along the way?

And anything else I am leaving out?


texts: TV Arcs with Cablebox through both Coax and HDMI

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Here is our setup

Outlet in older house that was replaced with a GFI last year. (no issues until recent)

The GFI doesn't have a ground wire running up from the basement.
Just the white and black wires. (From my understanding this is an acceptable configuration)

The outlet reads 119.0v when checked with my multi-meter.

The outlet reads less than a volt when the "positive" line and the ground are checked with the multimeter. Same with the "negative" with the ground.

A (real) surge protector plugged into the outlet

A large tv plugged into the surge protector

A cox cable box plugged into the surge protector

A coax cable (run by cox) from the outside of the house, split and sent to a modem and the cable box. The coax reads 0v (no leakage at all) when a multimeter is placed on the inner coax wire and the outer shielding. I tried this on both DC and AC settings on multimetter

The problem:
When either a coax cable or HDMI cable is run from the cable box to the TV, an Arc appears. This has already fried one TV.
My theory:
The coax cable is improperly grounded. I just need a way to prove it. The basis for this theory is the coax cable in a separate apartment tests with an AC voltage of 1.5v. The cable technicians are somehow less informed about circuitry than me. This is a hobby for me so I am lost in the sauce. Any Ideas?
Update
So I took the time to diagram what I have observed. This further supports my theory that the cable isn't grounded properly. I'm not 100% sure how coax is supposed to be run from a telephone pole though so I could be incorrect.
Just in case there is confusion, no the neutral is not plugged into the ground. I was just demonstrating that there is only two wires going to the GFI.

(Please right click and select open in new tab to see full size image.)


texts: Will removing shelving screws from studs damage the studs?

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We live in a newly built home. My husband hung some Ikea shoe bins on the wall and mounted them in to the studs.  I am going to paint the hallway and would like to remove the bins and hooks, patch the holes and have an even coat of paint from floor to ceiling. It is also worth nothing that I would like different bins and we won't need the hooks as we will soon be utilizing a closet for this purpose.

He instructed me to not remove the bins because doing so would damage the integrity of the studs and they wouldn't be as sturdy if we put the bins back on the wall in the same place. The same goes for the hooks.
Is this true?  Should I fill the holes with anything in particular to reinforce the stud, assuming I find different shoe bins and the mounting points won't be the same.

I cannot seem to find anything to substantiate this claim of holes compromising the studs online.  It just seems highly unlikely to me, given they are very average screws, it wasn't like a gigantic bolt or anything.


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Planning on building a cupboard under the stairs i was going to leave this section but the plasterboard was damp (Prob from cats water bowl spilling or something). So i thought i may as well make use of all the space under the stairs but i was wondering if any of these studs are supporting the stairs. I don't think they are but this is an old house so who nos. I would be happy just removing the front two and to be honest one of the front two has a big split in it so if they are offering support they wont be for much longer xD

Many thanks.


texts: Should all paint be removed before lining a wall?

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We recently had a wall painted (old style concrete then plastered wall), and although originally the paint stayed on for many years this time it has begun peeling within 2 months.

We are looking to line the walls with fiberliner and then paint on top of this - should all the underlying paint be scraped off first, or just that which is currently peeling?


texts: What is a good way to cat-proof (or child-proof) kitchen cabinets?

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Our 6-month-old kitten has figured out how to reliably open kitchen cabinets at floor-level, by standing on his hind legs and grabbing the knob.

What are some good ways to make it harder for him to get these doors open wide enough for him to walk in and sit in our cake pans, play with our onions, etc.?

I haven't looked into the options for child-proofing much yet, but I am under the impression that many options are a pain to install.  I'm particularly looking for:

Something that works (of course)
Preferably not a huge pain to install
Minimal risk of damaging the cabinets during installation
If possible, minimal (adult) human annoyance when opening the cabinets.

While writing this post, I watched our kitten figure out how to open a cabinet with a kitchen chair blocking it, by prying repeatedly until the chair gets bumped far enough away to open the door a few inches.  Then he sat on the chair, opened the cabinet above it, and pulled out a box of envelopes.


texts: Will my french drain clog/erode my soil if the pipe has holes on top?

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Yesterday, I bought some piping at Home Depot for my french drain project. The solid pipe looked good with the proper alignment of holes. However, I needed flexible piping due to the nature of my project so I got a 4" corrugated pipe. The issue is, the corrugated pipe I bought has holes all around its radius.

I am some what concerned because I know that there are supposed to be two hole near the bottom, but having holes facing up is not recommended.

Will having holes facing up (as well as down) cause me issues such as clogs and soil erosion?

Also, I've seen conflicting messages on whether I should wrap the pipe in a mesh, any opinions on that?

Additional Details:

*Will be a shallow pipe as I just need to redirect surface flow.

*The pipe will run a short length: <20'

*I am planning on using crushed rock on the bottom/sides


texts: Tiling back patio over concrete, with slant towards drain

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We have a small 9' x 9' concrete back patio that has a drain in the center (see pic).  The cement is angled towards the drain, so when it rains there actually isn't too much water build up, which is great.

We're thinking about adding tile to the patio to make it a little more personable and 'nicer', but are not really sure how to deal with the drain and the angled concrete.  Are there resources out there showing how to diy tile over angled concrete with a drain?  Do we need to level things out first, but if so, how do we prevent water build up?  Should I put down a water impermeable layer first?
Also, as a first time homeowner and diy-yer, please be honest with me, is this too complex of a project to take on?
Thanks!


texts: GFI breaker trips randomly upon turning on a wall switch?

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15 amp GCFI breaker trips randomly upon turning on a 2 switch - wall switch?
It is a bathroom circuit with 2 overhead vanity light fixtures, 2 recessed lights with 2 rotary dial dimmer switches & 2 - 4 gang (regular) outlets & 1 single outlet.
The GCFI breaker test trips successfully. The GCFI breaker may trip multiple times but sometimes reversing which of the 2 vanity light switches to turn on first will resolve the trip problem. And sometimes waiting a short period of time will correct the problem?
I have pulled out the wall outlets to check, tighten & replace 2 of the 5 (double) wall outlets. I also pulled the bigger vanity light off to inspect the direct wiring connections.
I also have tried removing all vanity light bulbs, resetting the GCFI breaker & then turning on the 2 wall switches, then reinstalled all of the lightbulbs.
The GCFI breaker tests fine but it is 25 yrs. old. Could the breaker be weak, causing this random problem.
Should I just replace the GCFI breaker? And I do have another GCFI breaker that is in service that I could possibly swap it with & try that?
It is now happening frequently but in the past it has happened like once every 2-3 months?
I would appreciate all help to find a permanent solution to this reoccurring problem.
Thank you!


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I am trying to replace a toilet which is on top of a block of wood. Before I uninstalled the old toilet, I thought that I would be able to remove the block of wood but now that I have removed the old toilet, I am not able to remove the wood block. After further inspection, I noticed that when I try to lift the wood block, the supply line moves which leads me to believe that the wood block is affixed to the plumbing some how. I have tried unscrewing the flange and also the two screws at the front of the block and it still isn't coming free. On top of this, the new toilet doesn't fit on the wood block so I am now forced to find a way to remove it.

What do I need to do to remove this block and install the new toilet?


texts: Replaced Door Knobs, How to Fill Extra Space

texts: I replaced some old door knobs with new ones. The doors are perfectly fine. The new plates that went into the door frame are not a perfect fit. There's gap on one side of it that goes down into the old hole. I was thinking of filling the gap with wood fill or wood putty, although I'm not sure what the difference is. Is this the right approach?


texts: Shower problem: Can't turn off hot water

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I turned the tap fully clockwise, as usual, to turn of the water.

Still, a significant volume of hot water continued to flow.

I removed the tap handles and used some locking pliers to twist the threaded, brass shanks that remain in the wall, but they were both already stuck tight in the "off" position, as far as they could go.

I don't know much about plumbing. The only way I know how to stop it, short of replacing the shower head with a terminating bolt (like a sump plug), is by using the main valve (outside) at the water meter. But that's getting old real quick.

Where is the problem likely to be located; or which component is causing the issue? And how's it fixed?

Okay, so now I've removed the compression valves from the wall and this is what I've got:


texts: How can I neatly take washer waste around the downpipe?

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I'm in the process of improving the looks of the back of our house, and want to now sort out the mess of pipes going into the drain.  One of the pipes is a 40mm waste from the washing machine, and is on the "wrong" side of the main house downpipe.

Assuming cutting the downpipe and fitting it directly into it isn't an option (it's too big/risky of a job right now), what are my options for neatly taking it past?

As seen in the photos, right now it's just using two 90° bends to take it out far enough past the downpipe.  There's just enough space to force a 32mm pipe behind it against the wall, but it would have to be bent (ie put under stress) to allow for any fixings.  Ideally I'd like to take the pipe back around to join up with at least one of the other two wastepipes before they drop into the drain.

Is there such a thing as a pipe designed to fit around the outside of a downpipe for this sort of situation, or is my best option to stick with 90° bends to do the job, using solvent rather than screw ones to make it look nicer/less bulky?


texts: Whole house filter/water softener affect water pressure?

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Since moving in we have some issues with the water pressure in our house.  I have adjusted the water pressure coming into the house and measured it at around 60psi (originally was set to around 35-40psi). That helped with the initial low pressure but is still very low when using multiple fixtures.
For instance, I cannot run the hose outside to water the grass and take a shower at the same time without the pressure at both outlets suffering tremendously. Or washing machine and kitchen sink. I get that doing these will cause lower pressure, but it's pretty significant.
Inside the house, the main water line comes up from the basement floor and runs directly to a whole house filter and then through a softener before running to any of the fixtures. Both the filter and softener are Morton brand if that matters. All plastic tubing.


texts: how to find circuit breaker for exterior light

texts: Most breaker finders seem to work with outlets, but I have 3 exterior light fixtures which are on all the time. I want to find the circuit so I can work on this and fix it.


texts: Are there alternatives to sinktop backsplashes and sidesplashes?

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I just got a new vanity with a counter top that I am having a hard time finding splashes for.  It's a very nice counter top as is and looks really good just nestled in the corner without any splash at all. I'd really like to just keep it as is.

I guess what I really want to know is what is the point of a splash?  Is it to keep water from going down behind the vanity?  There's caulk to prevent that.  Is it to keep water from damaging the drywall around the sink?  If so, aren't there waterproofing treatments that I could apply to the wall around the sink to keep such damage from occurring?

What are my options here as far as not using a splash and what are the implications of not using them?


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I have two doors at a 90-degree angle to one another and the doors hit each other when they are opened the full way.
I guess I could mount a door stop on one of the doors, but it seems kind of weird to put a doorstop on a door.
Another option might be to remount both the doors to either/both change the handedness or swing direction, but that would be a lot more work.
How can I keep these doors from hitting when opened?


texts: How can I tell what kind of heating system I have?

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Seems like a simple question, but I've had a very hard time finding a definitive answer to this.

I went to the hardware store to buy a replacement for a faulty thermostat and when I arrived and looked at what was available there were specific TYPES of heating & cooling system (single stage, multi stage, heat pump, electric baseboard heat etc) that each thermostat supported or didn't support. I ended up not purchasing anything because I didn't want to buy the wrong one - and to be honest didn't trust the recommendation of the employee.

In my specific case, I have a Rheem Criterion ii heater, but can't find any description online of which of those types of heating system types mine is. For my benefit and others, it would be great if someone could detail how to determine this?


texts:
What do you call those little round rubber things in door jambs?
Those things are used to prevent the door from hitting the jamb. It's kind of like a little round bumper.


texts: Can I fill sagging spots in my driveway with asphalt and hot tar?

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We've had these sagging spots for about 10 years now. They're not getting any worse. Sure, we might get a new driveway in 10 years, but other than this, our driveway is in beautiful condition! They appear to be divots from parking something too heavy at some point.

It's the winter now and it's impossible to shovel around these things. A few years ago, we tried compacting some asphalt fill into it. It's like 2 inches deep, maximum. Of course the edge isn't going to feather nicely, and during snow removal, shovels get hung up on it. If you're walking with some force.. ouch, that hurts.

What I'm thinking of doing is first using the grinding wheel to remove some concrete, eliminating the need for a feathered edge. I'd trust it being more of a quality repair if I took maybe a quarter inch out of the concrete, and I could fill right to the top with tar. Feathering it is just asking for it to peel off. I would use a wire wheel (and full a face mask) to remove some of the asphalt chips we put down, giving the entire thing a good puddle shape to fill out. Then I want to stack two steel five gallon buckets with a brick spacer, cut a few holes in one, and set them up as a melter with my propane weed eater torch. Once liquid enough, I'd pour it down and use a few pieces of wood to smooth it out.

Does this sound like a safe and quality repair for a few years? Are there other methods you guys would recommend?

Existing Issue:

Proposed Fix:


texts: What could be causing my touch lamps to come on by themselves?

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I am rewiring my house with major upgraded wire. I am installing #12 armorflex wiring and conforming to commercial code. Yes, I know most people use romex for houses, but I have seen plenty of attics and basements with bare wire from vermin and other problems... I prefer to do it this way.

My enigma: I have a floor lamp plugged into a bedroom outlet(plugged into a touch-lamp module). In the morning when I turn on my bedside lamp (plugged into an outlet on the same circuit, but across the room), the floor lamp comes on. On rare occasions, I will wake in the middle of the night to find the floor lamp on.

I did not have this happen before the upgrade. could this be an artifact caused by the metallic cover on the wire?

Has anyone heard of this before?


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disclaimer, this is my first attempt at doing any type of electrical work, so apologies in advance for any wrong terminology :)

I attempted to install a new Honeywell programmable thermostat. When I was in the process of taking down the old one (Lux), I noticed that there was no C wire, but that there was an extra blue wire coiled around the other wires, see below:

Per the Honeywell instructions, I found that you could use the extra wire in place of a C wire, so I continued on. But then, I got to the part where I needed to switch out the wires on my HVAC unit in the basement. When I got everything apart and took a look, I was a little confused by what I saw:

Does anyone know what that wire going into the C port is? It is definitely thicker than any of the other wires, and doesn't appear to be the same red wire in the RH port that was found on the thermostat. It does look that there is that extra blue wire coiled around the other ones, but am I able to plug that into the C port upstairs at the thermostat, and also into the C port at the HVAC unit (with the existing red wire)? Or do I need to run a whole new wire?

The furnace is a Ducane CG92TB067D12BA

Click for larger view


texts: Are some brands of shower valves compatible with others?

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I just finished all of our shower tile work in our new basement bathroom. Upon doing so, the wife informed me she would like to change the color scheme eyeroll.
We have our shower valve already installed. While I did install a 12"x12" access panel behind the valve, I'd rather not have to use that. We currently have an American Standard valve installed. It's near impossible to find an American Standard trim kit in matte black.
My question is, are there certain brands that are compatible with others? I picked up another entire "Tuscany" tub/shower combo not thinking it wouldn't be compatible. What gives? Any advice? TIA!


texts: Main water line from 3/4 to 1in, meter and pressure

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I come here with a question since the plumber from a company that I called earlier this week gave me conflicting information compared to what I've read online.
I've purchased a house last year and I am looking to do some improvements on the plumbing of the house. I am planning on doing the whole house in PEX A later on this year, which I am confortable doing, but I dont want to mess with anything without making sure my connection to the main line is safe and trust worthy.
Note I am currently in Lyndhurst NJ.
Currently I have the following setup coming from the street:

Before I do anything on the house I would like to hire a company to remove that elbow that reduces my 1in pipe to 3/4in right before the meter.
I understand that the meter would need to be changed (looked up the price and it's not too bad).
So now to the part I didn't fully understand from the company, they were saying that if I removed that elbow I would have a higher pressure on the house and that would likely be a problem.
I dont see why I couldn't just have the meter, a ball valve and then a pressure reducer for the rest of the house. My goal isn't to redo the whole house now, it's just so that I have more flow to be able to use the sprinklers and take a shower, or use multiple things at the same time.
Can anyone help me understand a little bit better what this plumber was talking about or if my theory here is correct that there would be no problems.
Here is also a picture of the actual setup:

best regards,


texts: Can I glue a decorative tile to the existing tile for a shower niche?

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I just finished tiling a shower for the first time and made the mistake of not planning out the shower niche very well. I was left with some pretty big gaps where the different planes meet.  I am thinking about gluing a decorative tile around the perimeter of the niche, but am not sure if:

This is the best solution.
If the decorative tile will adhere to the glossy tile.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!


texts: I’m new to this site. I have a question about an above ground pool, hope it is appropriate to ask here! We just put up a new Intex above ground pool. We may have been a little quick to do this, because the weather forecast has changed and temp is supposed to drop to 37 degrees F on Friday night. Just one night at this temp (so far, give it ten minutes and the forecast will change again- we live in southern Indiana). Does anyone know if this will damage the pool, or if there are any steps I need to take to protect it? The instructions that came with the pool talk about disassembling and storing pool in winter when temps start getting below 41 degrees at night, but this is one weird night in spring. Anyone have similar experience or any insight? Thanks in advance!


texts: How to raise this floor transition joint?

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I have this transition joint:

that I need to install between a section of floating floor and a section of vinyl floor.

Unfortunately, the height between the two sections is too high and the joint can't sit happily on both sides: there is a gap.

What can I do to 'raise' the joint?

I though about gluing Popsicle sticks with carpenter's glue under the join, but I'm not sure it's going to be solid enough (I assume that the sticks will break under the pressure at some point).


texts: How to remove a concrete-filled, steel bollard

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I have a set of permanent, steel bollards set into a small concrete slab that I need to remove, in order make room to build a small structure.  The steel is 1/4" thick, and the bollards themselves are open on top and filled to the rim with concrete.

I'm looking for suggestions on the best way (cheapest + quickest) to accomplish this.  At the moment, the best idea I have come up with is using a blowtorch and sledgehammer.

For those of you who need a picture, this attached picture is about as close to what I'm dealing with as I can find.

Thanks for your help.


texts: Secondary C Terminal on Furnace Circuit Board?

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I was trying to install an Ecobee thermostat, and there was no C wire installed. When I went to install the power extender kit, I saw the standard C wire terminal was broken out of the black plastic casing, and I couldn't attach the C wire. There appears to be a secondary C terminal that is a different style with a plastic plug plugged into it, and then the wire is spliced and connected to the wire heading to the AC unit. Can I add a second wire to this plastic plug, is this a secondary C terminal that should work fine? I attached a pic.

Thank you!


texts: What type of screw do I need for this faucet handle?

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Somehow the screw holding the handle of my outdoor faucet - the type you connect a garden hose to-  came loose, and my faucet handle detached from the stem of the faucet.
Normally this is the type of thing where  I’d just go down to the hardware store and find a replacement screw by going down the screw aisle and finding the right size by trial and error.  However, it so happens that COVID-19 is exploding in my area, so I’m loathe to incur extra risk for something so trivial. Even more since I can still operate my faucet with the handle, I just have to take it on and off every time (I’ve already lost it in my bushes once..)
So, I want to just order a replacement pack of screws, which can’t be more than a couple of bucks to have delivered. I just need to know what size screw.


texts: I have two ceiling fans powered by 2 (3 way switches}. The fans stopped working so I checked the voltage across the terminals on each 3 way switch. The voltage goes from 120 to 74VAC in about 5 seconds on my digital meter. I replaced both switches and still have the same problem.


texts: Choosing an appropriate general purpose HVLP gun for a 5.5 CFM @ 40 PSI Compressor

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I have an 8 gallon 125 PSI compressor that produces flow rates of 4.5 CFM @ 90 PSI and 5.5 CFM @ 40 PSI.  I would like to get a general purpose HVLP spray gun that will work with this compressor.

I would like to achieve as smooth a finish possible without orange peel artifacts.  My first project will be spraying clear coat on cabinets, but I will likely use it on other wood projects and smaller metal and plastic projects.  I do not plan on painting entire cars.

Other than the CFM rating on the gun, are there any other things that I should look for?

If I select a gun with a higher CFM rating than my compressor, what issues am I likely to run in to?


texts: Mr. Cool 24k mini split. Electrical install

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I'm getting ready to install a mr. Cool 24k mini split. The Electrical in the instructions is pretty vague. Just want to double-check that I'm correct on how I'm going to install it.

Inside my main breaker box gets a double pole 30 amp breaker. Then I run 10-3 to and outdoor a/c fuse box with two 25amp fuses in it. Then I run a whip cable into outdoor unit. Does that sound right? Thanks


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My contractor asked me to choose a direct vent water heater and have it delivered.  I (generally) understand the difference between direct vent and power vent, having read up on how they both work.

I see that some manufacturers actually have "Direct Vent" as part of the product name.  It appears that either Rheem does not name their products this way, or I have not selected the right product.

Does the fact that the product name and description say nothing about venting mean that it's direct vent?

The model number is XG75T06ST76U0, and a similar product that has "Power Vent" in the name has this model number: XG75T06PV75U0.  "ST" for standard, "PV" for power vent?  Also, the "ST" model is slightly cheaper than the power vent, which would align with the research I've done (that direct vent is slightly cheaper).

I called Home Depot, and they said it is not a direct vent water heater.  When I asked what type of venting it has, they said "it's just a natural gas water heater".  That did not make sense to me.

Product in question:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Rheem-Performance-75-gal-Tall-6-Year-76-000-BTU-Natural-Gas-Water-Heater-XG75T06ST76U0/204317751?N=5yc1vZc9waZ2bcu0v#product_description

If this is indeed a direct vent water heater, how can you tell?


texts: Half my circuit breakers are out I tryed resetting them all and reset main breakers

texts: I used a voltage meter and test them all half show power half do not. Any ideas what the problem may be?


texts: Just purchased a Samsung refrigerator and the icemaker is not producing ice after 24 hours. The water line works perfect but the refrigerator does not produce ice.


texts: Sink drain piping, smelly and trap isn't dry

texts: I recently installed a new sink and had to redo all the drain pipes.  There is a pretty bad sewer gas smell coming from the drain.  It is a kitchen sink so it gets used frequently.  I checked the trap and there was water in there.  In the picture the other pipe that goes to the right is the air vent from the basement bathroom plumbing.  I am stumped what is wrong, did I install something improperly.  An ideas are appreciated.


texts:
I'm replacing a light fixture with a ceiling fan and there's a black, white, and ground wire in the ceiling box (each branched off of a cluster of wires that continue on to power the wall outlets). But when I turn the wall switch off, the black wire still is detected as live by my multi-meter. Note that the wall outlets are always on, regardless of whether the wall switch is on or off, but the light would turn on and off with the switch.
The multimeter measures no voltage between the black and white when the switch is off (but does measure voltage when when it's on).
I don't know much about wiring, but does this mean the neutral wire is being switched, and is it dangerous to hook up the fan anyway?


texts:
I am working on building a 1.5ft retaining wall in between my yard and my neighbors yard. There was a previously a wood retaining wall but was poorly designed and blown out and I am replacing it.

My question is: Is it okay to use the metal fence posts to hold my retaining wall? The fence posts are ~6ft apart. The wall will be made of 2x12 and a 2x6 on top.

I figured with a good gravel base and being such a small wall to start, it would be okay but wanted to get some other peoples opinions.


texts: How to attach a TV mount to a resilient channel wall?

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first SE post!

MY QUESTION: How do I safely attach an articulating mount (tilt/pan) for a 75" LCD TV to a "sound deadening" wall that uses resilient channels?

Thanks to the miracle of the StackExchange Home Improvement answer to someone else's question, I learned that the bizarre insides of my wall are so-called "sound deadening:" drywall, attached to horizontal metal 'resilient channels,' attached to wood studs, attached to concrete cinder block.

Here's the inside of my wall (this is from 8 years ago when our water heater popped and drained down into the wall.)

I had never heard of such a thing and was image-googling "horizontal studs" when I found the pic that "Ecnerwal" shared in the linked post (reposting here to save you all a browse):

Except I don't think my building includes all the fancy layers, it's just drywall. :/

So what should be my approach?

Anchor the mount to the wood studs, through the metal channels?
Anchor to the wood studs, avoiding the metal channels?
Anchor directly to the metal channels, avoiding the wood studs? (seems risky)
Forget both the studs and channels, just mount a plywood backing plate to the drywall with 18 drywall anchors and attach the TV mount to that?

I really don't want to have to open up the drywall in the living room if I don't have to. Not finding any info about how to deal with resilient channel walls. Would love your thoughts.


texts: Can two GFCI outlet loads be powered by two separate circuits?

texts: My garage outlets and my outdoor outlets are all on the same GFCI circuit.  If outdoor circuit gets wet my garage outlets lose power.


texts: Basement rough-in PVC drain pipe is not centered with stud

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Our basement rough-in PVC drain pipe is not centered with the wall studs. It is not a load bearing wall since it's a newly framed wall (wall can no longer be moved). We now have to extend the drain to the vanity sink which is 3 ft out with two studs in between.
Can I angle a 3 ft long 1.5 inch pipe slightly to fit through the next two studs as centered as possible?
What are my options?


texts: Covered vent under a floating wood floor

texts: How do I find a covered floor vent under a floating hardwood floor?!?!.....magnet not picking it up, and can't hear it through a stethoscope


texts:
At work, the guy next to me goes to sites and does cable installs. He is having an issue with one site where there is a 90 degree bend and a traditional rod is not flexible enough.

He has been trying to source a tool for a while that he has used on a previous job that he thinks is called a "jimmy", which is very flexible and runs from a pump, but, after ringing around a few suppliers, we are unable to source the correct tool.

I was wondering if anyone knows what this is called or can anyone recommend any other tool for the job?


texts: Can I get a smaller toilet installed? (picture included)

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At the bottom is a picture of my toilet, where you can see the toilet pipe that enters the floor and that there is ~7 cm of space between the water container and the wall.

Question

Does there exist toilets where the pipe it bent/curved backwards, so the toilet is closer to the wall, and therefore gives more space in front of the toilet?


texts:
After a raccoon finally left my attic, I had the roof repaired. The roofer pointed out a problem that has apparently existed since the house was constructed. As the first picture below shows, far back under the eve, there is a barely noticeable open spot. What I had thought were a lot of small twigs is actually chicken wire. Someone was obviously aware of the problem long ago.

The second picture shows more detail. Not only is this hidden area a nicely protected spot for an animal, there is an opening in the stucco on the wall. It looks as if it was too difficult for the builder to reach for him to be bothered with sealing it up. (It's too late to come to terms with the builder.)

My question is how should I go about sealing this up? I'm not sure if I actually have to seal the wall. Generally, these attics are ventilated, so air flow shouldn't be a concern. (Am I wrong about that?)

I thought I might fasten a piece of marine plywood behind the blocking shown in the second picture, contouring it to follow the wall and the shingles to within about 1/2 inch, and then doing the same behind the fascia, meeting the first piece at a corner near the outer end of the blocking board.

I might laminate a piece of aluminum on the outside of both pieces. These raccoons can be persistent in getting back in. Of course, I would paint this all to weatherize it and to blend in.

Am I making this too complicated? What else can I do? I want to start with a good plan that can be accomplished without going up and down the ladder too many times. How would a professional do this if this was his own house?


texts: I replaced my fluorescent light ballast but the bulbs turn off immediately

texts:
I changed the ballast on the florescent lights in the laundry room yesterday. Now this morning when I throw the switch they turn on then off immediately.

Is this a loose wire connection? Should I go back and tighten up the the wires? Or do they need new bulbs?


texts:
I want to lift stuff (chairs or a baby stroller) and store them above my fridge.
I was thinking about installing some floor to ceiling rod and somehow connect a winch to pull some platform up and down.
The thing is that I need this system to have 2 axis, since once the platform with goods reaches its max height I need to push it back.

Any ideas?

Thanks


texts:
I am trying to finalize details on a home remodel project that calls for 3" of rigid foam outside the sheathing, then steel board and batten covering the foam. I am trying to figure out the best way to mount the siding since manufacturer suggests it going on horizontal furring. However this does not allow vertical ventilation or drainage unless I do another perpendicular layer of furring. We're talking a pretty thick wall at that point!!

Any suggestions getting vertical board and batten (steel not wood) on an exterior rigid foam house? It is a pretty dry climate in zone 5.


texts: Is it okay to reuse Alumiconn connectors?

texts:
After having redone the aluminum-to-copper pigtails in my house's electrical outlets using AlumiConn connectors, I subsequently had to undo a few to debug a wiring problem. All I did is unscrew the connectors and take out the wires; I did not otherwise damage the connectors or the wires.

Is it safe and acceptable to screw the wires back in, or must I replace the connectors entirely?

I am worried about reusing the connectors because pulling the wires out means (1) I've lost some of the antioxidant paste inside the connector and (2) the aluminum wires have been pressed by the set screw, so the wires' strength may have been compromised. Even if I clip the ends of the wires and re-strip them before reinserting them, that still wouldn't address issue #1. However, I don't really know – maybe I'm being too paranoid. I tried to find guidelines but my Google-fu is failing me in this case. Are there requirements or guidelines for this situation?


texts:
I want to transition from Romex to THWN in PVC. The transition, from what I hear, is rather common from going from the inside to the outside. My question is, I know the NEC is pretty finicky when it comes to grounding anything metal in or on a electrical box, and I wondered if in the following situation, the romex clamp would have to be somehow grounded?

Note: the junction will be inside (attic).


texts: DIY Tetherball Pole. Screw in or sink it into the ground

texts:
I am going to make an outdoor tether ball Pole. It has to be removable as its for a small city backyard. I have two choices.

Get a 10 foot 1.5 inch galvanised steel pipe that is threaded and a 2 foot threaded pipe of the same size. I want to sink the 2 foot pole in the ground with concrete and then use a coupling to screw the two threaded ends together. This makes for easy removal and storable.I can then cap the 2 foot pole in the ground for safety when not in use. My fear is this coupling will be too weak for Tetherball.
Drop a 10'x 1.5 inch galvanised steel pole into a larger piece of PVC with some puddy or wedges to keep stiff.I would cement the pvc in the ground 2 feet deep. This seems sturdy but I loose 2 feet of pole. Also there will be wiggle in the base.

Any thoughts? Also would  1 inch galvanised steel pole be tick enough?


texts: How can I meter power usage by an on-demand electric hot water heater?

texts:
I am installing a radiant heat system alongside a rocket mass heater.  I want to compare the cost of operating each.  For the radiant heat system, an on-demand electric hot water heater is being used.  I want to meter power used by this device as a way to quantify the cost of operating it.

The heater will be hard-wired and operates on split-phase 240v at 19A.  What's the best way to meter its actual power usage?


texts: Is it a problem that my laundry drain protrudes above ground level?

texts:
My plumber just moved the laundry's washer drain location and this is the picture from the outside:

It was re-connect to the old drain pipe and go into crawl space.

My question is: Does it look right like that when the pipe is somewhat high on the ground and sticking out?

I mean some kids would have been not smart enough and step on it, right?

Is it code violation or no? The city is Tacoma, WA.


texts: Do I need to angle/pitch pex tubing for draining in the winter?

texts:
I've never installed any plumbing before, but I'm going to try to install an outside faucet/sillcock because it seems fairly simple.  The only interesting part is that the pex tubing will be run under a crawl space that gets extremely cold in the winter months.

I'm going to use a shut-off valve that can be drained, but I'm not sure the best way to pitch the pex tubing across such a long distance.  I was going to use simple talon clamps.

Do I really even need to worry too much about the pitch?


texts: I have a hardwired ceiling light . I didn't know it was not switched. What is the easiest way to control (on/off) it?

texts: I didn't realize a ceiling lamp was not switched (hardwired) I need a solution


texts:
I intend to use schedule 40 3" pvc pipe to run my pex from outside water heater, through slab, up into an interior wall.  I will have sweeping 90 ells.  Will 1" or 3/4" pex be able to make the sweeping 3" 90 degree turns without a problem?  Never used pex before and I've made my mind up about putting it in conduit - I just need to know if I need 3" or 4".

Thanks


texts:
I have a few of these old school light switches in my current accommodation:

I now need to replace one because it is not working anymore so I'm trying to uninstall it from the wall. Alas, I'm not having any success. The visible screws give access to the wiring inside but not too the wall fasteners.

The threaded bars do not have a head I can use to unscrew them. There seems to be a nut buried here

But I cannot access it as there's little space available. I can fit a 5mm hex socket in the hole but the nut is bigger than 5mm.

Do I need a special tool for the job? How can I uninstall this old school light switch from the wall?


texts: One of those kids glow in the dark bracelets leaked overnight onto our nightstand and it dissolved the finish. I sanded it down to what I thought was bare wood, but the new stain is not taking very well. Thoughts on how to repair?


texts: What is the correct/conventional turning direction for double lever faucet handles in a shower?

texts:
Possibly this question depends on location.  I'm most interested in the US convention.

I have read here a convincing claim about sink faucet handles: when there are separate hot and cold handles, cross handles (knobs) should always turn on counter-clockwise, but lever handles which are off pointing outward should turn on by pulling them toward you: that's counter-clockwise on for the left, hot handle, but clockwise on for the right, cold handle.

What about a double lever handle for a shower, where the two handles, which are wall-mounted, are pointing outward and might turn either up or down?

Here, you are generally standing looking down at the handles.  Is down on, which would be counter-clockwise for the left/hot handle and clockwise for the right/cold handle, matching the sink configuration?  Or is up on, which has the same feeling of "pull toward you" but is actually opposite in terms of the direction of rotation?


texts: Can I use double sided tape to install carpet on a concrete floor?

texts:
I'd like to put some indoor/outdoor carpet in a portion of my basement, however, I'd like to install it so that it's semi-permanent.  Meaning, I don't want to use glue, nor do I want to use tack strips.

I've seen some YouTube videos, and read various sources that say a double sided tape can be used. Can I use something like Shurtape DF 642 double coated cloth tape to hold the carpet down?

Should I expect this method to last weeks, months, years, decades, or centuries? When it does come time to remove/replace the carpet, will I be able to remove the tape from the concrete?

The area to be carpeted, is about 10'×10'.

Since it's in a basement, there's always a chance of moisture. Though this particular basement is typically dry.


texts: How to connect garage outlet circuit to power source

texts: I have 2 outlets in my garage that I want to get working. When I traced the wires to my basement I noticed that the wire from garage to basement is not hooked up into panel box because there is no open slots. How can I wire up these outlets.


texts:
I want to run a treehouse design idea by you all.  I'm building a treehouse around a tree (not drilling into tree). Beam is 20 feet by 10 feet. I have six, 6x6s, on concrete footings. I'm struggling with finalizing joist to beam connections in the middle of my beam-framing. Here is what I have.
Idea 1 - Middle beam
On a 6x6 you have two 2x10s coming together with two more 2x10s intersecting at the middle beam. I plan to fasten with a Simpson joist hanger for two 2x10s. Joists will run off the inner 2x10.

Idea 2 - Notched 6x6
Here we have a notched 6x6 holding two 2x10s intersecting. Joists will run off the inner 2x10.

In both scenarios the joist will run across the 2x10s. I will not be building on top of these beams. The joist, which will be connected via joist hangers will run as shown. What do you all think? Which one is stronger? What connections do you recommend?
Thank you,
Dan
A Dad trying to make his kids happy
(not a contractor or engineer)
Alexandria, VA


texts: How can I accurately locate bricks covered in stucco or plaster?

texts:
Where I live, most houses are old and have red brick walls. On the inside, the walls are covered by stucco or plaster and then some decorative layer. The plaster and mortar in the walls are generally very weak. So when you need to attach something to the wall, you want to drill with a hammer drill through the plaster into the middle of a brick.

The only way I know of to drill into the bricks and not into the mortar is by trial and error and by looking out the window, where the bricks are visible, to guess the middle of the row of bricks.

I am looking for a more reliable way to find the right spot where I can drill. Is there some kind of scanner or instrument that can be used for this?


texts: Can I upgrade from a 240V 30A circuit to a 240V 50A circuit?

texts: I have a new range with a NEMA 14-50P plug. I find my 240V receptacle is for a dryer, with the top blade a 90° one. So I need to change the receptacle out. However, I think my range needs 50 Amps, and the 240V circuit breakers are ganged 30 amp. The reason I think this is the cord on the range is rated for 50 amps. The installed circuit breakers are type QP. Are these all plug in circuit breakers?. Is it sufficient to just upgrade the existing circuit breakers with 50 amp QP circuit breakers. Is that all I would need to do change out the circuit breakers, and change the receptacle? Do I need to change the circuit breakers or would the 30 Amp breakers suffice?


texts: How do you hard wire an Inalto Ceramic Cooktop given the following connecting points:- L1, L2 on one side of the connecting plate and N1, N2 on the opposing side of the connecting plate, with a PE (earth) point at the bottom end of the connecting plate. I have only three wires to connect one active, one neutral and one earth. An Australian connection.


texts: As shown in the pic, my one-piece tub/shower was installed poorly. There is a gap between the vinyl top layer and the tile floor. To make it look better I was thinking about caulking it, but I think the gap is too large (up to about 1/4") and there's nothing but air behind it. Recommendations would be appreciated.


texts: What preparation of the substrate needs to be done after removing a tile and prior to installing the new tile

texts:
A contractor really made a mess of our bathroom installation, and we are now trying to correct it.
Any advice as to the following procedure would be very much appreciated:

the old tile is removed, and all the old adhesive under is also be removed
a slurry of base coat( a primer which is cement based) and a bonding liquid mixed in the ration 5 kg base coat : 2,5 Lt bonding liquid, is applied.
wait 24 hours
apply adhesive and stick on the tiles. Carefully wipe away excess adhesive from the spaces between the tiles and the surfaces of the tiles
wait 24 hours
Apply grout
wait 2 hours - allow grout to set
wipe away excess grout
wait 24 hours
Apply grout sealer


texts: Does it make sense to try mounting the jigsaw onto the table?

texts:
I'm trying to get my shop completed for hobbyist woodworking. I own a jigsaw that's very useful, but I'd like to be able to attach it to a table-like surface (still don't got a pro-table, I'm using a few boards of hardwood glued together).

What I'm hoping for is to make it easier to cut long straight lines - I can do this by hand, driving the jigsaw with a straight template, but having it attached to a table would help greatly.

I know I should get a real table saw at some point, just asking for a solution for now...


texts: Why won't the heat shut off in one zone?

texts: we have a three zone baseboard hotwater furnace.  a few months ago one zone would randomly stay on, we did change the thermostat we have not noticed the problem again, but in another zone we have the same problem, we changed the thermostat & it has not helped, the heat stays on no matter what temp we set it on, we have to shut the furnace off.  please help.


texts: I need to know if this is load bearing. Removing old tub and new tub is larger. Need to cut studs out to make room

texts: Ive purchased a new tub thats larger than the existing.  I tore out the wall to make room.  Im not sure if this is a load bearing wall or not.  Any help appreciated!


texts: How to remove flaking concrete sealer/paint

texts: After my basement flooded and I removed the carpet I found the previous owner had sealed the floor but it's flaking up now and I want to remove it all. It's about 200 sqft so a wire brush by hand is not going to cut it. So, what's the best method to remove this stuff? I'm thinking something like a floor sander but with a wire brush roller. Not sure if such a thing exists.


texts:
I live in a block of flats in China. I had a lot of friends over a couple of days ago and since the toilet, sink and shower are all blocked.

The water on all those items does go down, but really, really slowly. The day after, the water was going down faster, but as of today, it the water is going down slower.

I have just put an auger all the way down the toilet - about 2 meters, but it doesn't seem to have made a difference. I'm going to try putting it down the shower drain as I fear this could be a drain blockage.

When the water from the sink or shower is going down, the toilet water bubbles.

Is this likely to be a drain issue? Is there anything I should keep in mind?


texts: Can't get air hose to connect back in to compressor

texts: I have a 10gal compressor used to fill up tires mostly.  A friend with Alzheimer's disconnected the hose from the compressor.  I don't believe he changed any fittings but I can't get the hose to connect.  I've sprayed with WD40 and am out of ideas.  Help please.


texts: When there is no room to stabilize a nut, what then?

texts: I have an electric chair that someone cut the power cord and power pack from and are no longer accessible.  I'm removing the motor and one of the bolts in the frame to it spins relentlessly along with a locking nut that is supposed to be permanently fused to the frame (I know this because the other locking nuts are attached to the frame) but this one is not.  There is no room to put another wrench to the nut while loosening the bolt.  What is the best way to remove this particular bolt?  Not ready to give up on it but definitely need some suggestions.


texts:
We just bought a home in the North-East and were told by the home inspector that we had some mold growth in the attic, but that he didn't think it was the "toxic" black kind so it wasn't urgent, but we should get it checked out at some point. We got a 2nd opinion who agreed and in fact said some people just live with it.

We had a mold test done to confirm and my understanding is that it concurred with what the home inspector said. It was mold, but not the worst kind.

Main House Air Test:

Aspergillus penicillium = 14 raw - 560 count / m3

Cladosporium = 5 raw - 200 count / m3

Ascospores = 6 raw - 240 count / m3

Attic Sheathing Bio-Tape:

Cladosporium: "Very Heavy"

He estimated it would cost $3,000 to remediate.

We then passed his remediation plan onto local mold remediation companies who quoted us $5,000 - $8,000! And that is just for the mold, does not include installation of an attic fan to prevent future growth or new insulation.

I want to be responsible with our health and the health of our house, but this feels like a crazy amount of money for a relatively low amount of everyday mold.

Is it irresponsible to do nothing?


texts:
I have an 20+ year old oil burner and a tankless boiler/furnace. There is a small round (2-3" diameter) window above the burner that lets you see the flame, I assume as an aid to tuning the burner.

After noticing a slightly smoky smell in the basement I found that this window was leaning outward from the wall of the furnace. There is an e-clip there as well. My assumption is that the metal groove for the e-clip has degraded enough that it can't hold the window in place any longer.

Is there an easy and safe way to repair this myself? I was thinking of some sort of high-temperature adhesive but I'm not sure what to use.


texts: AC disconnect box flush with clapboard siding

texts: I'm looking to install an AC disconnect box to the side of my house, however the clapboard siding wont allow it to sit flat.  I plan to run romex through the punchout in the back and straight into the basement. How can I seal the connection? Should I run a 6" piece of pvc conduit through the outside wall and connected to the box via a nut? Example photo which I found online


texts: Is 4 ten-feet 4x4s enough for a shed foundation?

texts:
I've ordered a 10x16 shed and building a shed foundation right now.
Basically I did 8 concrete piers and I'm planning to just run four 4x4 timber  posts in parallel.
Will that be enough of a support?

P.S> - shed will have five 4x4 runners along the floor, like shown here:

Edit 1:

Here's the manufacturer spec for the foundation.
According to the manufacturer this is according with CT building code:

http://imgur.com/a/KOQ2M

Edit 2: Well shoot. I've just realized that I've made a terrible mistake.
Manufacturer chart called for 8 ft on center (so 1 ft would be sticking out on each side). I've build it with 2 ft sticking out -> so 6 ft between concrete posts... wow. ho  w th hell did that happened. I think Ill be using sistered 2x8 now instead for support. wow.


texts: How to secure apartment windows with external fire esscape

texts:
Recently, a burglar attempted to break in to my apartment by coming up the fire escape and pry open the window.  Lucky I heard him and he was scared away when I turn on the light.
My apartment is on the second floor of a four story walk-up building.  The fire escape is in the backyard connected to each floor and meant to be access through the window.  Obviously, install bars outside is not possible due to fire code.  What are some of the things I can do myself or products to buy to secure the windows against intruders?


texts:
I have exposed piping throughout my condo that is used for the sprinkler system. It has been painted white. I would like to remove the paint and leave the pipes in their natural color.

The building is 100 years old but was converted to condos in 2007. By the way the sprinkler pipes are coordinated with the unit's walls (which were put up during the conversion), it's a safe bet that they were installed and painted at the time of the conversion and that lead paint was not used.

What is the best way to do this?

I am considering a heat gun as it is the least messy, least toxic option. However, from what I've seen, this method requires a putty knife to scrape up the paint after it has been heated. I don't imagine that would work well with a round pipe.

Would a heat gun still work or am I better off getting a paint remover?


texts: Burcam 506532ss booster pump pressure too high

texts:
New user here.  Hope someone can help.  I just installed a Burcam 506532ss Water Pressure Boost Pump

to help with my municipal water pressure.

Example:  Burcam 506532ss Water Pressure Boost Pump (Amazon.com)

It is in a closed system with a check valve to stop back flow.  We are at the end of the water line and the pressure coming in is very low 20-22 psi max.  I have gauges installed to measure before and after the pump.  The pump runs on demand and shuts off after the demand stops.

The problem is that it runs the pressure up to 100-120 psi and once the water heater kicks in it goes even higher due to thermal expansion.

I know this is not safe and from the specs on the pump it should not go that high.

Can anyone tell me what could be happening?  Any help would be greatly appreciated.


texts: Recessed lights still getting power when switch is off

texts:
I need help solving a mystery. A few months ago, I had an electrician install LED can lights in my son's bedroom. He completed the job with no issues, and it wasn't until a few days later that I noticed the problem. My son, sleeping in bed looking up at the ceiling, said "Daddy, the lights are still on." Sure enough, in the dark you could see that there was a very faint glow coming from the LED lights, even though the switch is in the off position. After a little experimentation, I figured out that this happens if the lights in the second bedroom are on. If those lights are off, there is no faint glow.

I'm figuring this is a wiring issue. I got in touch with the electrician but he was not helpful (essentially, "I don't know. Wasn't me."). If this can be fixed at the switch, then I can do it. Any ideas how this is possible and how to fix?

Here are all the details:

LED can lights getting residual electricity when switch is off, if lights in second room are on.
The switch is a Lutron dimmer with night light.
The wall switch used to control an outlet, there were no built-in lights in the room before. The electrician hijacked it to control the can lights that I had him put in.

Thanks in advance for any ideas or suggestions.


texts: Does door jamb size make a difference in installation?

texts: How can I install a 34 inch door made for a 4 inch door jamb in to a 6 inch door jamb. Can it be done?


texts: Do I have a fieldstone foundation and if so, do I need to use Type O mortar?

texts:
I own a house that was built in 1890. The area of my foundation that I need to work on is an exterior section that is above ground. It is the part between my driveway and where the siding starts. I believe it is fieldstone, but am unsure. I have contacted Sakrete to as what type of mortar they would recommend and they said Amerimix Tuck pointing mortar, which is only available a few hours from my house and is Type O mortar I believe. Is Type N a bad idea to use? The reason I ask is because it seems to be more readily available in my area, but I've read posts where people warn against cracking their stones as Type N has a higher psi than Type O.
We have had problems recently with mice and I would like to dig out the old mortar and fill in with the new to decrease the amount of mice getting in and to help maintain the exterior foundation. Any guidance on if this is actually fieldstone and the type of mortar that is acceptable would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!


texts: Hi we have a pipe where we want to take the wall out and put French doors in but are unsure what the pipe is and whether we are able to move it or get rid of it


texts: Where can I find or make a remote wireless light switch?

texts:
I have a light switch in my garage that controls lights in front of my home. The switch is located in a corner of the garage where a large shelf has been stored. It is very difficult to the switch.

I'm looking for some sort of wireless receiver/transmitter that I can install to emulate the switch being turned on from inside of the house.

Does anything like this exist?


texts: What's the best way to repair this floor joist?

texts:
Enroute to installing a new shower I find this giant hole cut out of the floor joist of the 1800's historic schoolhouse I call home.

Crazy thing is, the new shower placement...literally two inches over...makes more sense above ground and accommodates that pesky code rule that you actually have to be able to look down a drain and see the bottom of the p trap.

I'd hate to close up the floor if I could have done something to help repair that joist.  I enjoy building things in general, but projects around this old schoolhouse are extra special. I get to see things like these old joists and imagine the builder that first put them there in the first place so long ago. Wondered if anyone may offer a solution to right this path.


texts: How to space closet supports with even number of 16" spaced studs?

texts:
I want to put up a closet rod with shelf, my closet is 80" deep. The studs are 16" apart. Looks like this:

I'm not sure how wide the corner studs are, and it will be pretty awkward to try to screw them in there. So I was thinking of just attaching the supports to the inner studs. But since I have an even number of them, I feel I only have these choices:

Put the supports on every stud (1, 2, 3, 4) - looks a little crammed.
Put the supports on stud 1 & 4, and then put a support in-between 2&3 using a drywall anchor. I don't like the drywall anchors for this, but it would look balanced and not as crammed as option #1.
Put supports only on stud 1 & 4 - not sure if that's going to be strong enough, the rod might sag in the middle.

Are all the options viable, and it comes down to the aesthetic I want?

These are the rod supports:

Thanks


texts: After having a bathroom toilet drain clog cleared by a plumber by using a snake, we have experienced an infestation of drain moths. How may we eliminate the infestation?


texts:
We have very rocky land and need to dig about 3 feet (by 2 feet) next to the garage/home wall.  Is there a special equipment that will do the job without damaging the home's walls?
Thanks


texts:
I have been told that there is special "sand" to re-secure pavers that is weed resistant.
Is it something different from the normal paver sand (to secure patios) you can buy at the Home stores?


texts: Which should be first, pressure reducer or backflow preventer?

texts: Question pretty much says it all.  I'm installing a sprinkler system in the yard, and discovered the pressure is too high (valves were leaking when on, and kick when turned on/off).  I can see whichever device comes first reducing the work of the second device, but I expect it's the potential failure cases which would make it matter if one came before the other.  If it matters.


texts: What is the recommended thickness for wooden steps?

texts:
I know that it depends on the wood itself, but are there any guidelines for how thick each stairstep should be?

Assuming that it will be held by its sides (with no middle support) and will be around 100 cm (39 inches) wide.

I think the same rationale here could be used for shelves, but I also haven't found anything on that either.


texts: What's the easiest way to reframe a portion of a wall with minimal disturbance to the electrical lines?

texts:
I'm in the process of remodeling a bathroom and need to re-frame a portion of the wall that had water/termite damage.  The wood work itself shouldn't be too hard but there are romex lines running through the bottom of it:

I really don't want to run new lines all the way from the breaker box.  What's the easiest way handle electrical here?  I was originally thinking:

1) Shut off power.

2) Cut line and remove the both ends from the funky wall.

3) Fix the wall/frame.

4) Drill holes and reinsert the wire

5) Add a junction box and reconnect the wires.

The first issue though is that I don't think there's enough slack here.

So does that mean that I'll have to cut the wire and replace at least replace the part from the cut to the bathroom light, switch, etc?


texts:
I have 17°C in the basement and 70% relative humidity. I have calculated a dew point is an 11°C.
But what does this dew point mean in practice? I have read a definition, however, I don't really understand it.
Does this mean if I bring in the basement an object which has lower than 11°C, the condense will start to show up around this object?
Does this mean if my walls would have 11°C the water would start to create on them?
I can not understand how we can cool the air temperature to 11°C if we have 17°C degrees. Then the temperature would no longer be 17°C, but 11C and if it would have 11, then the dew point would have a different value. I really don't get the concept. Thanks.


texts: Cutting a window to see your garage from within the house

texts:
I found this design concept that someone did of their house. They had cut a panel out of their house that allows them to see their garage which is a cool idea.

Are there any projects out there that have done something similar?


texts: What do I do with the red wire on the new switch if there are only three wires in my box?

texts: It looks like white should go to white, black to black, bare copper to green.  What do I do with the red?


texts: Will layered roofing paper help level a floor?

texts: We plan to have a contractor install new hardwood over existing heart pine that is not refinishable. An area of one room is unlevel in this 100+ year-old house. At least one flooring contractor suggested folding over and layering roofing paper in the low area, then adding luan over that, before installing the new hardwood. Is this a reasonable solution? We do not want to pull up the old floor and level it from underneath.


texts: What's causing the sewer to back into the tub?

texts:
We've lived in our house for several years with no sewage problems to speak of.

A few weeks ago, my wife was sick of the sinks not draining very well so she went online and learned about cleaning out the traps. She did this. Around the same time, I learned where our DWV plug is, because I thought it was a rock and ended out breaking it off trying to remove it (it was buried in the dirt).

The cap was off for several days before I learned what a DWV plug was and what it was for and bought another one.

I put the cap on, but I didn't have anything to tighten it very well.

After she cleaned the drains for the next several days occasionally we would smell sewage from our bathroom sinks. We put it down to just the traps being clean and maybe something else. Then last Friday night, my wife called me to say that sewage was coming up in the showers and leaking from the bottom of one of the toilets.

She cleaned it up, and a friend came over and pulled the DWV plug, and there was sewage up to the top of the pipe, which is about 3' deep. He had one of those accordion style plungers and plunged the DWV pipe and after only a couple of plunges the pipe cleared.

We thought that everything was OK, though today I smelled some sewage from one of the bathroom sinks. Then about an hour ago my wife got home, went inside to take care of some stuff and surprise! More sewage. I was able to pull the DWV plug and plunging had the same effect: about 20-30 plunges and the sewage drained again.

We just spent the last hour or so pulling up laminate flooring and sucking up wastewater. It's been a crappy day, let me tell you. It's really the pits. It stinks.

So what could be causing this problem with the sewage going on in our house? And better yet, how can we fix it?


texts: Best way to reinforce beam for a deadbolt?

texts:
I want to install a deadbolt into the garage door but with that one beam of wood I feel someone could easily kick it open?

What's the best way to reinforce it before installing a deadbolt. Or if anyone has better lock suggestions I'd be open to them


texts: I am tiling a backsplash in the kitchen and there's an unsightly phone jack that I will never use. Is it advisable cut the wire, remove the box and patch over it? That's a stud behind the gap between the two electrical boxes.


texts: Ceiling Fan Universal Remote Wall Switch Install... Which wires?

texts:
Let me first state that I am very green to anything electrical. I know enough to hopefully not kill myself, such as to turn off power at circuit breaker AND to still test wires and switches with a multimeter or similar.

I purchased a Hampton Bay Universal Remote Wall Switch to control my fan from the Wall.

Switch URL:
Link to Switch I bought

The fan I am replacing in the living room is currently wired to be controlled by TWO switches.

The Hampton Wall Switch I am trying to install has three wires (black and black and green)

There appears to be 4 wires coming out of the wall for the fan/light (black, red, white, and it looks to be another white wire, but that could be paint? Ground?)

The way it is CURRENTLY wired is:
Black Wire #1 comes from Wall and goes into BOTTOM of FAN Switch.
Black Wire #2 piggy tails from main group of Black Wires into TOP of FAN Switch.
Black Wire #3 piggy tails from main group of Black Wires into BOTTOM of LIGHT Switch.
Red Wire #1 comes from Wall and goes into TOP of LIGHT Switch.

Here is a picture of the wall switch diagram:

Current wiring:


texts:
I am moving my bathroom exhaust fan from its current location to 2 feet farther, over the shower cabin.
I need to extend existing wire for this. I can't fish new wire because existing wire has been secured to joist/studs with nail/staples.
As per code I have to splice wire into junction box and it has to be accessible. So I have to install this box in ceilling and hide it with cover plate.
I found this other post which mentions some NEC exception which allows  this product called "Tyco NM splices".
Does this exception apply to my case? NEC language is sometimes hard to interpret.


texts: Should I redo this wall to avoid a mold sandwich?

texts:
Hello Internet DIYers!

I'm in the process of remodeling my bathroom and I've just realized something I might have done wrong around my shower.

One of the two walls of the shower is an exterior wall, so there was, and there still is, a plastic membrane vapour barrier. Then I installed there a layer of DensShield backer board. And then I waterproofed all the seems and screw heads with 100% silicon (along with the gap I left between the DensShield and the shower base lip). Now I would be ready to reinforce the DensShield seams with alkali resistant mesh tape and thin-set before installing my tiles.

But now I'm concerned that I just created a mold sandwich.

The vapour barrier comes behind my shower base lip, so if there is water stuck between the DensShield and the barrier, it will not be drained into the shower base, it will go on the subfloor. If there is moisture stuck in there, it will stay there.

According to what I have read, I need a vapour barrier on my external wall (according to code).

Now what are my options?

Remove the DensShield, remove the plastic vapour barrier or cut holes into it and use something like KerdiBoard as a tile substrate AND vapour barrier? (The idea is to "make it right".)
Leave everything like that, follow the plan BUT add a liquid membrane (e.g. RedGard) over everything before installing my tile. (The idea is to prevent as much as possible water from getting to the DensShield.)
Other options?

Thanks for any input!

Here is an image of the actual state of my work, if you need a reference...


texts: Can a ceiling light shade be replaced? Where can I find a replacement?

texts: The shade of a ceiling light in my apartment cracked and fell on the floor.  I started looking around on the web to see if I can buy a replacement but I'm having difficulty finding anything.  Can this be done, or does one normally have to replace the whole fixture?  It's  a circular fixture, about 8 1/4 diameter - three screws in the sides secure the shade to the fixture.  If the fixture has to be replaced, I'll have the superintendent of our building do it, as the apartment is a rental.


texts: Sound coming from lower floor to upper floor

texts: I am a new homeowner and this is my first post to this group. We were living in leased apartment before this and now moved to a two floor house. The problem is if my husband is working in the kitchen or watching TV etc on the lower floor, I can hear all the sound in the bedroom on upper floor. If I close the door of bedroom its fine. I always thought there would be some sound proofing between different floors. Is it normal to hear sounds like this in house or is there something wrong built/missed in this house?


texts:
I'm fitting a bathroom light which has live and neutral backstab connectors, both of which only accept a single wire. I need to connect two neutral wires though - the previous fitting had them both connected through a standard screw fitting.

Is there a standard way to handle this? If I connect the two neutrals using a three way connector along with another wire, and then connect that wire to the light, will it work or will I be burning down my house?


texts: AFCI Breaker with a two wire switch with no power to it going to a box for the ceiling light with new three wire power

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I have an existing two wire switch box that is going to a ceiling junction box where there is new three wire power and another two wire connection to an outlet.  I want to install a new light.

I purchased a new switch that has a ground screw. I connected the white wire from the switch to the black wire on the new light and the black wire from the switch to the new power.  There is no where to ground the new switch so that was left with no wire attached.

Turn the new AFCI breaker on and it does not trip but when I turn on the switch it pops the breaker.  Any thoughts?


texts: I removed old paper from the wall and want to paint it new . Before doing it I guess I should sand the whole wall so that it's smoother and for that I'll use a dry-wall sander. The question is which sand paper should I use and when to stop? How smooth should the end result be?


texts: can i use another delta instead of lasco #0267 don't get enough hot water

texts: I have a lasco delta #0267 scald guard cartridge can I replace it with something else don't get enough hot water no matter what I do.


texts:
Here’s a photo of the inside of a switch I’m replacing. As you can see it has no ground wire, plus it’s got a blue wire instead of the normal black. All the new 3 prong outlets I installed in this room replacing old 2 prong outlets also had no grounding wire. However, all the outlet boxes and the switch box are metal.

Does this act as a ground and I need to do nothing? Do I need to connect a ground wire from the ground screws on the switch/outlet to the metal box? Or is it not possible for me to ground any of the outlets or switch because the house was built in 1960? If it makes any different, the switch I’m installing is a Kasa Smart Switch. Thanks!

UPDATE

I bought a tester, plugged it into all the outlets I installed into the metal boxes without attaching any ground wire and got this same result in all of them Does this mean they’re grounded and good to go?

https://postimg.cc/vgDcT1Xs


texts: Does anyone have the name of a liquid that bonds to rust and produces a hard black finish?

texts: Years ago I purchased a thick substance/liquid in a small white plastic jar from Sears. It was a thick off-white liquid that one would paint onto a rusty metal surface. The liquid would change to a hard black finish that was quite strong. I cannot find it now. Does anyone know what I am searching for? It is not Rust-O-Leum. It is not a paint. It actually bonded to the rust.


texts: Tips and advice for installing a chimney cap?

texts:
I have an older wood-burning fireplace that is missing a chimney cap.  I'd like to install one prior to rain season here in California but would still like the ability to use the fireplace now and then (with the cap on).

I was originally thinking that this is a fairly simple DIY project but another post suggested that this can/should be done by a professional. I'm not sure if this was because the other post involved a Gas fireplace or not.

I have a couple questions:

What information is needed to purchase an appropriately sized chimney cap? I found a checklist here but wasn't sure if more info was needed.
Is chimney cap installation widely accepted as a task best left to professionals?


texts: Why is this airduct twitching and making a noise?

texts:
I have an air duct in my basement. It leads from my furnace (I think?) to the outside world.

However, as you can see from this video, it is "twitching".
Every second or so it jerks slightly and makes a noise.

https://youtu.be/u-WKaxWBnw4

The portion of the duct shown in this video is the end of the duct that terminates outside the house. The rightmost portion of this duct leads to an opening on the exterior wall of the house.

When the furnace switches on, the twitching stops. What's going on?
Do I have an alien living in my air-duct?

Update: The end of the duct is not connected to the furnace. It is connected to a clothes dryer. But I still don't know why it is clicking like this.


texts: Is a P-trap required for a shower drain?

texts:
I take care of unwanted and abused pets, and occasionally I have to bathe them in a bathtub. Sometimes they go poop and it breaks up in the water so it cannot be scooped out. When this happens, I have to spray it down the tub drain with a hose.
Over time, the drain clogs, and I have to use Liquid Plumber to clear it out.

Could a shower / bathtub be connected with a direct drop like a toilet instead of a p-trap or would sewer gas come back up since there would be no water in a p-trap to stop it?


texts: Island Range Hood Not Centered above the Stovetop

texts:
He, I'm in the process of doing a small remodel to my kitchen. We took out a half wall that the stovetop is positioned in front of and are converting the wall mount hood to an island. My issue is that the 8" duct for the hood was previously installed for a wall mount so when converting to the island, the new hood is only half over the stovetop and half into the dining room. The duct cannot be adjusted into the kitchen because it is up against a joist in the ceiling. Is anyone aware of any island hoods that have an off-centered duct shaft? I've seen a few photos but cannot identify models or brands.

Thanks!


texts: What can I do about my drains constantly getting blocked?

texts:
The one thing I have tried to do about this is use those foaming and non-foaming drain unblockers regularly. That has just been money down the drain, pardon the pun.

I suspect that unblockers only work if the blockage is in trap (the first bendy bit that blocks smells). I suspect my blockage keeps occurring elsewhere, because when the washing machine flushes copious amounts of water, it has no problem coming out of the bathtub drain - so clearly that part isn't blocked.

I've also tried the plunger (which occasionally helped to unblock the pipes, and always helped get the 30 minutes daily exercise), and a snake (long bendy cable thing), which has been a complete waste.

My questions: is there anything else I can try or is it time to call a professional? Also, does this sound like some sort of a design problem with the pipes in my flat, or is this just the way drains always are? (hope not!...)

I have since learned the following things about my waste pipes, which together explain the constant blockage and glugging sounds:

The pipe is far too narrow for a tub, two sinks, a dishwasher and a washing machine: only 4cm.
There's a very sharp 90° bend near the exit from the property, which is where a huge blockage accumulates (10cm deep solid chunk of waste). Apparently a waste plumbing no-no.
Most of the pipework lies flat on the floor, with zero slope. There's about 1.5m of it that is visible. Apparently against all plumbing codes and a cause of blockage.
There was a T-junction installed "backwards" (directing incoming water from a sink towards the kitchen appliances and forcing it to reverse direction in order to leave the property). There was a humongous second blockage underneath this T-junction.
There is no air vent (really!), explaining the noises. (update: the noises went away once the second blockage got eliminated)

Overall, a really bad plumbing job someone did here...


texts:
I am trying to change a couple of switches which are in the same junction box.  They control the light on my deck and the flood lights on the corners of the house.
I took out the first switch - it had a black wire (1) stuck into a hole in the back of the switch, and another black wire (2) on a screw on the top right of the switch.  (there is another screw on the top left, but no wire connected.) Since the wire in the box is too large to fit into the holes on the back of my new switch, I decided to take wire 1 and attach it to the bottom screw on the new switch, and wire 2 on the top screw of the new switch, since it was on top before.  Then I loosened the second old switch, only to find that wire 2 from the other switch was in a hole in the back of this other switch.  There was another black wire (3) in the other hole in the back, and then yet another black wire(4) on the screw on the top right of the old switch.  Gah! A call to my brother-in-law later, I decided to attach wires 2 and 3 together on the top right screw (he said I could do that??) and then attach wire 4 to the bottom screw.  Breaker back on - no light :(
Does anyone have any idea what i need to do?


texts: What insulation should I use in my attached garage?

texts:
I'm currently tearing out the sheetrock and everything in my attached garage to do general repairs to other things. I quickly found that there wasn't a single bit of insulation (which explains a lot on my heat bills in the winter I'm sure) so I'm going to do that too before I re-drywall everything.
My plan is faced r-19 in the walls (with the face towards the interior) and non-faced r-30 for the ceiling between the floor joists since there's bedrooms above it.
Question is, am I assuming the correct types (R19/R30) for this project, and do I have any airflow concerns (venting) I should address from doing this?
I live in the Midwest US and we can get some pretty cold winters, the garage doors are insulated types and the place is sealed pretty decent. There's another rear entry door and a door into the home, both have decent sealing on them and I just replaced the exterior door last year, it will be used daily once completed so I can't assume any "stail air" or excess moisture would get bottled up in there for too long at a time.
Any insight?


texts: Changing old bathroom receptacle to gfci

texts: The new gfci receptacle has only 1 set of connections while my old receptacle has 2 hot wires and 1 white. How to connect?


texts: Why is my lawn sprinkler system timer on but not operating the valves?

texts:
My lawn sprinkler system was working perfectly last summer. When I went to turn it on this summer, I've noticed that the timer isn't working. Well, it is but it isn't. The timer's display is responsive and I can get it to respond to different settings with the buttons and knob. This issue is that it's not actually turning the water on and off. I'd imagine that it should be controlling an internal component within the valves in the third image. Right now, I have to manually turn the valve shown in the second image to get the sprinklers to operate, I can't just leave it on and let the timer do its job. Its not the end of the world, but if you have a timer why not use it?

Does anyone know what the issue here is? Could it be electrical damage within the valve box? Any advise would be greatly appreciated.


texts: How do you determine how much electricity is used by a device?

texts:
How does one go about determining how much electricity is used for a particular device?  Where can I find the wattage ratings, and how do I calculate the cost based on my current electricity rates found on my monthly bill?

Specifically, I have a computer that I am debating how to leave it on a regular basis.  I wonder how much it costs in each of the following scenarios:

Leave my computer in standby mode.
Leave my computer in hibernate mode.
Turn off my computer but the cord remains plugged.


texts: Why should you add dry mix to water and not the other way round

texts:
During renovation I have used all kinds of dry compounds, be it mortar, conrete mix, tile glue, grout, plastering mud, ... On every one of them the instructions say to add the dry mix to water and mix thoroughly.
Is there any reason behind this order?


texts: Treating external shed wall in a tight space

texts: Can anyone offer tips or tricks on how best to treat an external shed wall that is 12 inches from a boundary fence?


texts: Determine highest "carbon reduced per dollar spent" option for reducing pollution generated by home?

texts:
I've been talking with friends and coworkers about how I can reduce the amount of pollution generated by my house (heating the air, heating the water, cooking the food, etc.)  Everybody has a different suggestion -

Replace my natural gas water heater with electric
Put solar panels on the roof
Buy wind energy credits
Carbon offsets
Geothermal
Don't replace my electric oven with gas (which I had been thinking about, since I hear how great they are for cooking)

I'm thinking that each of these has an amount of carbon reduced, and a cost, resulting in a "carbon per dollar" value.  And yes, I realize that will require a calculation that is specific to my house, my specific energy usage, and how my electric utility generates its electricity.
Is there a resource that lets me figure out, for each one, (1) how much of an impact it actually has, and (2) how much would it cost, so I can figure out the carbon reduced per dollar?


texts:
Is there any advantage in heating the first hot water for recovery time in the second ?
Do I only have the available hot water in the second for delivery to the fixtures ?
I did not install this but assume the goal was more hot water.
Is the only way to achieve more hot water, convert the plumbing to parallel ?


texts: We have a 1995 Rheem 3-ton unit cooling the upstairs of our recently purchased home. It has been running frequently, averaging about five hours a day in June. Unfortunately, it has now tripped the breaker two days in a row. An HVAC guy came yesterday and said it was drawing only 22A. He also said the R22 level was fine, and he just reset the breaker. The breaker is 40A. I have put the name plate in the image below. Any ideas or things worth checking? Do I need a new unit?


texts: Should we replace shingles that are curling and losing the asphalt coating before winter hits?

texts:
I don't know how long ago this roof was shingled, but we've noticed that the asphalt shingles, in two patches, have begun to curl and lose their grit.

Even after a late summer of fierce rain, at least for now, there is no evidence of water infiltration within the home (no mould, staining, drooping drywall, bubbling paint, etc).

How long can we wait until replacing the roof? Given the budget, should it be done urgently?

If it is necessary, but we can't get it done before the snow falls (which will be soon) are there any stop-gap measures we could try?


texts: GE Dishwasher Error Codes (PDT760SSF4SS)

texts: My GE Dishwasher is displaying active error codes F51, F65. I can't seem to find any information on the meaning of these. Can anyone tell me what these mean?


texts: Is a 7 degree slope for a roof too small in a rainy area?

texts: I want to build a car port off my house. Due to window placement the highest part of the roof could only be 10 feet above ground. It will extend out 16 feet. If I want the low point of the roof to be 8ft I get atan(2/16) = 7.1 degrees. I live in New Jersey, which gets a lot of rain. Is this too shallow of an angle?


texts: I have an old wood home raised several feet off the ground on brick pillars. At this point you can see the ground through some of the floors. I'm wondering if it would be effective to insulate the floor by putting foam panels across the joists to create an insulated air space (not looking for great insulation, just an improvement). Would there be a moisture concern? It is a waterfront home (on a bay, mildly salty). Am also considering skirting to enclose the area.


texts: I can't notch king studs to fit an electrical box, right?

texts:
My office has a wall of closely spaced windows. I am looking to remove one window and replace with a swinging patio door. A 3'-0" door is easily framed inside this ~42" opening with a couple 2x4's to take up the slack. The catch is that I would like to have a light switch next to the door and there's just no room to fit anything.

This is a load bearing exterior wall. After poking a few small holes around the window I've concluded that each window was individually framed with it's own header, kings and jacks. This leaves maybe 1" of space between adjoining king studs. I drew up what I think I have behind the drywall:

Am I correct in assuming there is no good way to cut into these king studs to fit an electrical box? The (unlicensed) engineer in me wants to assert that a strong metal box notched tightly between these kings would be quite strong but I'm guessing they don't make switch boxes designed to hold substantial loads and this would be a big no-no.

If this is correct then I think my only solution is to re-frame the door from scratch (i.e., remove all the dry wall between adjoining windows). By my calculation this would leave me with just over 3" between adjoining kings:

37.3125” rough opening (between jacks)
40.3125” header length (between kings)
43.3125” across kings
Up to 3.344” between adjoining kings
50” between next kings
56” between next jacks (1/2” drywall)
57” between next windows

Here's what the re-framed solution would look like. I'm tapping into the circuit on the right because the one on the left has an open ground that I have yet to pin down and I want an exterior light fixture and a GFCI outlet installed.

Any other ideas or suggestions?


texts: Can I use a 1KW inverter along with a motor starter to power a water pump?

texts:
For a long time, I have been using a Jinasena N110T/1 water pump. The specs are as follows:

1" x 1"
H max 80ft
1000 gph @ 42ft 0.75 HP
220-240V
0.56KWh

I have heard from many places and other questions on this site that starting the water pump (it is about 30 yrs. old) will take about 3x the current it takes for running. I have also heard with that with something called a "Motor Starter" it can allow me to start the motor on an inverter that is a Bestek 1KW. I found a Motor Starter on eBay AC Contactor Motor Starter Relay CJX2-1801 3 POLE+1NC 220V/380V 18A COIL 4/7.5KW.

I am new to this Motor Starter concept and am wondering whether this will suit my purpose and how it works.

I appreciate any and all replies.

Thanks in advance.

PS:- I hope I have posted this in the right place. I would appreciate it if anyone could inform me if that is the case.


texts: Can you run some sort of metal rod through your cement floor and connect that rod to a fireplace so when u use the fireplace it heats the rod and heats your house is that possible?


texts: Shortening a pendant lamp cord without cutting it

texts:
I need to install a pendant lamp that has a cord that is way too long for the room it's being installed in. The lamp has a canopy (I believe that is the correct term in English; the small cup screwed against the ceiling which covers the hook on which the lamp is suspended).

The cord of the lamp is too long. I'm supposed to adjust the cord to proper length and then stuff the extra cord inside the canopy. However, this is quite difficult since the extra length is quite long. Would it be possible to tie some kind of knot to the cord that would compress it to a smaller volume? Would tying a tight knot to an electrical cord possibly damage it? Or are there any other methods that I could use to fit the extra cord inside the canopy? Cutting the cord is not really an option here.

The type of lamp I'm talking about is the same as in this question:

Problem hanging ceiling lamp with cord set (from Ikea)


texts: When calculating circuit load, what should I add for outlets?

texts:
I have a 15 amp circuit that powers 8 recessed lights running 8 watt LED bulbs, a bathroom exhaust fan, a bathroom vanity light fixture and a wall outlet.  In case this detail is important: the wall outlet is located in the room next to the bathroom and it is not a GFCI wall outlet.

When calculating the load on the circuit, what should I add for the wall outlet?  Do I imagine a worst case scenario such as a vacuum cleaner, space heater or a clothing iron being plugged in?  Or is there a generally-accepted load factor used for wall outlets?  Thanks!


texts:
I'm planning on installing corrugated galvanized metal as a wainscoting in my bathroom.  Is there anything I need to put behind the metal to help prevent mold/moisture from getting behind it?  The walls are plaster.

This is the picture my girlfriend pulled off of Pinterest.  I would run the corrugated metal vertically at 48 in in height.  It looked like a good idea because it would match more of my personality and lifestyle, living on a farm.  I've read where people have used it in bathroom surrounds with little issues, however I haven't found anyone who has had it installed for more than a few years.


texts: In door ice maker quit working after water was turned off for a few days (Whirlpool)

texts:
I have a Whirlpool french door refrigerator (model WRX988SIBM) with the ice dispenser in the door of the refrigerator and it quit making ice the other day when I had to cut off my water for a few days to fix a leak (unrelated).  I am not sure if these events are necessarily related but seeing as they happened around the same time I am wondering if it could be part of the problem.

The freezer temperature reads/is set at 0 when I check on the menu and I do not feel any water or any ice at all when I put my hand into the ice maker. I have not disconnected or turned off the water to the refrigerator, only to the house and the water dispenser still works properly. I have confirmed it is not the filter causing the issue.

Could this issue have been caused by the ice maker not having access to water for a few days? I can't think of anything else to try, if there are any other ideas on how I can get this working short of calling a Whirlpool tech please let me know.


texts:
When I open my fridge to get stuff out (which take a short while because I need to snoop around), the door slowly goes back towards the closed state.

It never closes all the way and I've checked with the manufacturer - it's not a feature to conserve energy.

Imagine me, in the morning, buck naked, and just as I'm grabbing the ham from the back of the top shelf, the cold-cold door touches my shoulder or other parts. Not nice.

I'd like the door to stay at the angle I leave it or (if it's easier or quicker), to keep opening all the way until it hits the wall (which won't happen at a huge speed, precisely).

Since I'm not the superman, I can't tilt my building. What can be done about this annoyance?


texts: Extension cord requirement for outdoor string lights

texts:
I am getting ready to hang outdoor string lights in my back yard for which I will need an outdoor extension cord about 20’ in length to reach a GFCI outlet. The string lights have a two-pronged polarized plug which, as far as I know, tells me there is no ground.  However, in the safety information for the lights, it states:
“Use only two-wire outdoor extension cords that have two-prong grounding plugs and grounding receptacles that accept the appliance’s plug”.

This has me completely baffled.  What does that even mean?  Is there such a thing as a “two-prong grounding plug”?  Aren’t all two-prong plugs by definition ungrounded?  And does it even matter if I use a three prong extension cord (as pretty much all outdoor cords are) versus a two prong one?
If someone can enlighten me, I would greatly appreciate it.


texts: Adding a ground wire to old 2 wire wiring before extending to grounded wiring.

texts:
I am remodeling a house and the partially unfinished attic has old ungrounded, 2 wire wiring.  There are 2 circuits.  There is a finished bedroom with one circuit on 3 walls, and a second on the 4th wall. The 2nd circuit extends out into a hallway area and then stops.  I want to extend that wiring into the other side of the attic to make another bedroom and I want it grounded.  I already fished a ground wire from the fuse box up to the end of the line on the 2nd circuit. (I cannot get it to the beginning of the line as there is a chimney and shed roof and a whole bunch of ugly over there).

My question is multipart.  Can I start the ground there, or do I have to go back and ground the previous outlets on the circuit ?  (it is wood paneling, not drywall in the room, so I could take it off, albeit a big pain in the arse)  And can I try to use the same ground on the outlets of the first circuit? Do they have to be in a specific order?  Can I extend multiple grounds from one junction box?  I know I can use a GFCI at the beginning of the first circuit. But as I understand it, I cannot use them before the ground wire on the second.

Sorry, this question sounds about as confused as I am right now.  Believe it or not, I rewired 2 houses.  But I gutted them to the studs, so it was easy.  And I passed inspections.


texts: Any code problem putting single phase 240 and three phase 240 in same outlet box

texts: I am running both single phase 240 and three phase 240 in my shop. I discovered that each of the locking, industrial round plugs for these (L14-30R and L15-30R) can fit in one double gang box. Is there any code problem with doubling them up? The single phase 240 comes from the breaker, and the three phase 240 comes from a three phase converter fed from the same panel.


texts: Intuitive blinds roll up/roll down mechanism

texts:
By all means a "champagne problem", but half of the time I try to operate roll-up blinds, I get the blinds moving in the wrong direction. The cord is completely outside of the blinds, and it can easily twist, so I can't tell which of the two sides at the bight of the cord to pull.

What mechanisms for opening and closing blinds eliminate this guesswork?


texts: What are the requirements for supporting non-metallic cable through a finished wall?

texts:
I know this basic question has been answered before by reference to 334.30(B), but there's an aspect I don't understand.  Does 334.30(B) allow unsupported installation if 334.30(b)(1) OR 334.30(b)(2) are satisfied or only if BOTH are satisfied.

My situation is finished walls with some ungrounded NM leading to three-prong sockets (I already added GFCI protection, but I'd like a physical ground too) and a couple of places with 14-gauge NM on 20-amp circuits.  I have already replaced some by adding grounded NM drilled and fished from the attic crawlspace through the top plate, down through the horizontal fireblocks and down to receptacles near the floor.  It's stapled near where it goes through the wall's top plate and it's clamped in the new box (old work boxes, but the kind that screws into a stud, not the kind with the useless blue tabs).

I'm satisfied that it qualifies under 334.30(B)(1) as being fished through an enclosed space and that stapling is impractical, but I'm wondering if I'm also required to comply with 334(B)(2)'s requirement of no more than 4-1/2 feet between attachments.  It seems that it wouldn't make sense to require attachments every 4-1/2 feet where impractical, but it also seems like the code is missing the word "or" between parts (1) and (2).

I'm worrying about nothing and my installation complies with 334.30(B), right?