texts: Possible to Recess Over the Range Microwave Into Wall

texts: I bought a low profile over the range microwave that is 30" wide and 18" inch deep. My cut out area is 30" wide and 14" deep. My wall has brick veneer over drywall. Is it possible to cut out the veneer and drywall and attached the wall mounting plate directly to the raw studs, to save an inch or so? Alternatively, is it even possible to reframe the stud area someway to push the microwave even farther back (with the goal of making the face flush with the cabinetry)?


texts: Is it safe to inject termite foam into the wall around water lines/plumbing?

texts:
A termite company is proposing spraying Premise foam into the wall around some plumbing, and I am wondering how safe it is. I am somewhat of a worrywart and have concerns about the pesticide somehow contaminating the water lines (e.g. seeping through the joints where one pipe connects to another). I even found the usage instructions for Premise foam which state under "Restrictions": "Do not apply until location of heat pipes, ducts, water and sewer lines, and electrical conduits are known and identified."

That's the gist of my question; but here's all the background in case it helps:

I live on the bottom unit of a two-story condo building that is built on a concrete slab (I guess non-floating, though not sure).

The residents in the unit above mine are experiencing flying termites coming out from a gap between the drywall and the drain pipe under their master bedroom sink. The owner of that unit had an inspection done and it was confirmed that they are subterranean termites. Furthermore, the inspector could not find any evidence of termite activity around the outside of the building; and because the building is on a concrete slab, he believes that the termites are coming from under the slab through a gap or crack where the piping goes through the slab.

Since my unit has the same layout as the one above me, I guess the termite company people assume that the piping goes straight down, and they want to treat the suspected area (where the piping goes through the concrete slab foundation) via my unit, i.e. in the wall behind my master bedroom sink.

They are proposing drilling small holes in the drywall where my sink's plumbing enters the wall and filling the wall with Premise foam. Here are some pictures to get an idea of how large of a space I'm talking about:

The wooden-looking part is the back panel of the cabinetry under the sink counter; the termite people are trying to save me and the HOA the cost and hassle of removing more of that back panel and breaking open a larger part of the wall to confirm exactly where/if the termites are coming from where they think they're coming from. They are (and I quote) "90% sure" that the termites are coming from there.

They're the experts, so who am I to question their intuition; and based on my cursory research online, it definitely seems like a plausible explanation. But I also don't like the idea of taking action without knowing the true source of the problem, especially since it involves pesticides. Furthermore, my wife and I have not seen any termites or evidence of termites in our unit.

So, this is a little off-topic to the original question, but I would also appreciate any expert opinions about whether this proposed work is appropriate to take or if you think the termite company is jumping to conclusions.

Thanks.


texts: What makes single handle mixer faucet's cartridge become stiff?

texts:
What causes single handle mixer faucet's cartridge to become stiff
during the years?

Thanks.


texts: My spray bottle nozzle seems busted, what should I look for?

texts:
I have a mostly-plastic spray bottle that I use to spray water. I used to be able to set it to spray in a wide cone or a narrow stream, but now it only wants to spray in a narrow stream. Any ideas of how I should try to diagnose and fix this?
The inlet at the bottom of the tube feeding into the nozzle seems fine. At various points in time I have used this to spray alcohol, vinegar/water mixture, bleach/water mixture, and hydrogen peroxide/water mixture. Sometimes I have stored it full for a long time.
Update: There was a spring inside the nozzle with a plastic piece at the end; it looks like this got knocked askew. I messed it up more while trying to fix it and the spray profile got a little worse, so maybe the problem was caused by an issue with this piece. Bonus question: Does anyone know where I could get a replacement for these components?
Thanks!


texts:
I am trying to build (extend maybe a better word) the back patio like this

where the red box is where I want to add a new slab of cement. Like shown in the picture, the dimension is 18ft by 5ft-5in. This extension will be connected to the existing porch as well as one side of the house. I have watched a couple of YouTube videos on how to add a patio, but every video seems to provide a different sets of instructions. So far, the general steps are seem to be as follow:

1) Dig out the existing ground by 6 inches deep.

2) Use stakes and 2x4's to make a frame.

3) Fill the area with gravel (some videos use sand and some just fill the area with mixed cement).

4) Since the new slab is right next to the house and an existing porch, I need to put in some joint, so that the new slab will not move in case of flooding.

5) Put in rebar grid

6) Mix cement and pour it in.

7) Use another 2x4 to smooth out the top

So, my first question is, for that big of an area, should I divide it up into smaller sections (may be 3 sections of 6ft by 5ft-5in) and add in each slab individually? Next, I know that my guide is probably incorrect and/or incomplete, so can someone provide me or point me to a better guide?

Thank you.


texts: How can I prevent a faucet retaining nut from freezing to a steel washer?

texts:
My real question, after several hours spent removing the old faucet (progressing from tapping the basin wrench with a mallet, to an overnight soak in penetrating oil, to cutting it off with an air grinder) is "what idiot engineer uses a mild steel washer in a wet environment?" But it looks like they all do, or at least the ones who designed the new faucet do, so ...

On the assumption that I or someone else will someday want to change the faucet, what can I use to prevent the nut from freezing to either the washer or the faucet body? If I were working on a car, I'd use thread sealing compound. Does that make sense in this application? Or are there any professional tricks that aren't quite as messy?


texts: What goes into replacing a package unit (HVAC)?

texts:
I have an A/C, Heater package unit on the roof of my condo in Southern California. My unit works but my neighbor's unit just  kicked the bucket and it is being replaced.
The estimates she got varied from $7k to $12k. She picked the $7k unit, 3 ton. Our package units (condo built in 1986) are Rheem 2.5 ton, gas for heater and electricity for the A/C. I have a 40A breaker for it inside my condo. I know we need a crane to do the work (the unit are two stories, garage on bottom, condo on top) so that adds to the installation cost. Besides the electrical and gas connection there is a water drain (PVC) that need to be removed/connected to the old/new unit.
I see some package units from Goodman are about $3k shipped. Other brands are about the same price. Assuming the crane is about $500. Where is the rest of the expense? Does it really cost $2k - $3k to connect the electricity, gas and water drain?
I know my numbers are not exact ... taxes are unavoidable...lol. BTW no rebates being used. I'm wondering because I'm thinking of replacing my unit myself. I can do the electrical, gas and pvc without a problem. I can contract a crane but maybe I'm missing something? Does the weight of the unit keeps it in place or is it screwed on?
Oh the price does not include any modification to the base where the old unit is placed.
UPDATE: Added a picture of my unit


texts: Can I run 90 feet of 6/3 NM-B, carrying 220 Volts/50 Amperes, in schedule 80 PVC?

texts: I am adding a 50amp, 220v receptacle to my garage.  I am mounting 6/3 wire with ground (NM-B).  The run is approximately 90 feet long and it passes through one wall.  It will be out of harms way at the top of the wall at the ceiling.  For aesthetics I propose to put it in schedule 80 PVC.  Is this permitted?  For a run that long do I need junction boxes along the way?  It involves four 90 degree turns.


texts: what is the woodworking technique used to build this piece?

texts: I'm interested in building a side table similar to the one shown in this link. The woodwork technique looks complicated for an inexperienced builder (like me). How was this piece built?


texts: What are the advantages of a 21° v 30° framing nailer?

texts:
I've been borrowing my father-in-law's Passlode cordless framing nailer for years decades. It has served very well, but it's on its last legs now (after several trips to the repair depot), so I'm looking at buying one for myself (and loaning it to him whenever he needs it, of course).

I've made my decision on brand and power source, but there is the option of 21° or 30° nails. I understand that the 21° nailer supports full-head nails while the 30° nailer supports only clip-head nails. It seems to me that the clip-head nails hold just fine, as our garage, build with clip-head nails, has shown no signs of being worse for wear.

What are the other pros and cons of a 21° nailer and a 30° nailer?
What (other) things should I consider when making this final decision?


texts: Attic flue vent pipe...asbestos? If so, what should I do?

texts:
Can someone help me identify whether this kind of pipe contains asbestos?  I know that testing is the sure way to tell.  However, maybe it's possible to rule it out from a picture...I'm not sure what asbestos flue pipes looks like.

Here are two pictures.

The picture showing the long length shows the top of the pipe that goes through the roof.  And the lettering seems to read

"JM Transite flue pipe for gas venting"

The second picture shows where the pipe enters the attic.  This pipe use to go down to a gas floor heater unit.  The floor heaters have been removed.  I'm sure you're wondering what the orange flexible pipe is. Well, when the previous owner removed the floor heaters and added forced air heating, they ran gas from floor heater gas line to the attic.  And I guess they used the vent pipe as a path for the flexible gas tubing to reach the attic.

If this IS asbestos, what is the best plan of action?

UPDATE

Some research:
"Transite is a trade name for Johns-Manville asbestos-cement products made to specific formulations. For example, a line of Transite electrical ducts had 15 to 25% chrysotile asbestos, 45 to 55% Portland cement and 25 to 35% silica flour. I have seen a lot of asbestos-cement products in the US without the name “Transite,” not surprising since CertainTeed, National Gypsum, GAF Corporation, Celotex, Nicolet and others also produced it. I have never seen the name “Transite” used in connection with asbestos-cement products outside the US, where major producers included Eternit, Saint Gobain and James Hardie."


texts: I am curious to know if this new wall USB/Receptical is even legal to install? As I got talking with friends on Facebook, the question came up about low-voltage and high voltage in one box and what protection there is to prevent a 110 spike through the UBS ports. Also, ThinkGeek doesn't mention if it is UL Listed.


texts: The previous owner of my house had a sprinkler system installed and had it run off the main water supply in the house instead of a separate meter.  I had a new meter installed, so I do not have to pay sewage on my irrigation water.  Now I have a pipe sticking through my foundation that has been cut off and capped on each end.  It is not needed any more.  If I remove this pipe, what is the best material and process to use to fill the hole in the foundation?


texts: Can I use a 220V 80W fan with an 220V to 110V 50W adaptor to make it work slower?

texts:
In my country we have 220V system. I have a fan that is rated 220V 80W with 3 speeds, but even the lower speed is too fast and noisy. Since a fan is basically a simple AC motor I figured I could reduce the voltage in order to make it slower.

So I connected an old 220-110V 50W adaptor and so far (30 minutes) it works and at max speed it runs very silently and efficiently. The adaptor which I'm monitoring very closely is running at ambient temperature.

My question is: am I doing it wrong? is there any danger? Thanks.


texts: How to install a Wemo Three-way light switch in this configuration?

texts:
I currently have this configuration in my home and I would like to replace the left switch with a wemo three-way Smart light switch. I'm not able to find any information online on how to do this with the smart switch. It works with 2 regular three-way switch.

Update: I uploaded a picture of the outlets for all to see.

Box 1 contains 3 cables entering. 14/2 Source, 14/2 Light Fixture, 14/3 going to Box 2.

Smart Switch:

Source power goes to black to Common on Switch 2
Traveler 1 on Smart Switch to Red traveler going to bass screw on Switch 2
Traveler 2 on Smart Switch to White traveler going to brass screw on Switch 2
Ground to all ground
Source Neutral to Light Fixture and Smart Switch
Source Power to Black cable going to Common on Switch 2

Box 2:

Red travler to brass screw
White traveler to brass screw
Black power to Common
Ground to Ground

Issue: If Switch 2 is "ON" then smart switch can turn the lights on and off. If Switch 2 is "OFF" then smart switch cannot turn the lights on.


texts: How can I electrically test an RJ45 plug?

texts:
I live in a dorm and there's a RJ45 connector on the wall, which is connected to a router somewhere in the building (which I do not have access to). Supposing I do not know the exact hardware equipment connected to the other side, but knowing the following facts:

when connecting a RJ45 connector to the plug, I can often see sparks, which is odd to me;
the equipment has a bad reputation (frequent hardware issues).

Can I infer the equipment might have some electrical issues, or is it very unlikely/impossible?
Is there a way to test such issues on the RJ45 plug?


texts: Clothes dryer causing humidity problems in garage - would extraction fan help?

texts:
We have a double garage with a high ceiling which is also where our laundry is.

We have a problem with humidity in there due to the clothes dryer being in there which is used very regularly.

This is resulting in mould on the ceiling, and my tools going rusty.

We bought a dehumidifier and if that runs all day it extracts a lot of water but still doesn't seem to be able to keep up. Leaving the window open doesn't make any difference and even if I leave the garage door open for half an hour it doesn't help much.

I want to know if I add an extraction fan in the ceiling that draws air into the roof space is that likely to make any difference.

Also, if extraction fans draw the moisture into the roof space will that cause humidity problems in there instead?


texts: Do I have to wrap the wire around the outlet screw?

texts: Trying to install this wall receptacle and can't tell by instructions if I have to wrap wire around the screw or can I just use the holes?


texts:
My house is about 118 years old and I can tell from all around the house that there seems to be a sagging on my floors in one specific area. This sagging is obvious in the first and second floor. Now I just want to make sure that this is normal and if it needs to be fixed who should i call and for what price.

The sagging goes down to about a max of 2 inches and the floorboard feel loose throughout the entire second floor because of it. Any help would be greatly appreciated!


texts: Hang indoor swing chair BETWEEN two ceiling joists

texts:
I purchased one of those indoor hanging swing chairs for kids, specifically this one, which is meant to be mounted in the ceiling with a single eye bolt.

I want to hang this in a 38" space, between wall and bookshelf. This is pretty tight, so I need to mount pretty much in the middle. After finding the joists using a studfinder I found they are 24" apart in pretty much the worst place, a few inches near each side of the 38" space. In fact, directly between them is pretty much dead center.

My question is what options I might have to hang this swing (single strap) between the joists?

One idea is to attach a board between (what size? Attached how?). I do have access to the attic, there is some kind of loose insulation up there.

Another idea is to attach two eye bolts of some kind to the joists on each side and suspend with some kind of strap between, but again not sure the hardware I should use to do that.

Any suggestions are welcome. Thanks!


texts: Is it normal for installed PEX piping to be curved or bowed?

texts: Red PEX is curling or bowing throughout the main hot water line from hot water tank feeding all the faucets and showers.  Is this normal?


texts:
Apologies, but I currently do not have pictures.

The stairwell in my house is carpeted, but has visible hardwood for any tread that overhangs wider than the stairwell hallway.  Think bottom few stairs are wider, to accommodate railing and posts.

The bottom stair, which the railing support post is mounted to, has what feels to be a 4x4 chuck broken dead center, on the edge of the step.

We are getting new carpet in soon.  What I'm hoping is, if it's a small enough piece, is to just fix that section with either supporting that piece or buying some wood of similiar thickness and securing it.

I'm thinking of adding some wood against the riser on the inside, and also having some wood blocks screwed to the intact stair tread, and the broken tread, to stabilize it and provide some support. I have yet to cut the old carpet to look into the damage.

My question is mainly, is this type of repair a good idea?  Carpet is going back over this step, so i'm not worried about cosmetics.  I just want it to be safe and last at least a good 5-10 years.


texts: Does this tub repair method sound legit?

texts:
I have a 20 year old fiberglass tub/shower combo. It evidently lays over a wood support in a 3rd story condo unit. That wood is now wet from a leak as the neighbor below had a plumber cut a hole in their ceiling and say they can see the wet wood support and evidence of water coming from my tub somewhere.

The tub developed cracks and also "puffed up" in the middle from moisture due to a bath mat being left over the cracks and not removed for a year ( tenant caused ) making a fiberglass "inlay" repair -over the bottom of the tub impossible- because the inlay is flat and now the tub bottom is not.

I need to get this tub repaired or replaced immediately now. The tech who tried to do the inlay but could not- said replacement is the only option. A new tub\surround, demo and plumbing will cost 3.500.

I had a company come out who cuts out the tub bottom, reinforces or replaces the wood and uses cement to create a new bottom, then uses fiberglass to connect the new to the old and then refinishes the entire tub and surround. They warranty for 5 years and say they have had little failure with this method and have been in business for 20 years with 5 locations in my state. This costs 1,000.

They said the only failures they used to have was when work was done over wet wood or
only a partial cut out was made of the tub bottom and then joined. They said that now they will not work until the under- area is dryed out and they only do entire tub bottom cut-outs which eliminated the failure.

I cannot find anything about this method on the internet and folk's experience with it.
I do NOT have the money for the replacement but am very concerned about going with something I cant find info on. I must act immediately though.

Can any one advise regarding facts and experience with the method described?

ASAP would be appreciated. I have to do something fast!


texts: Is my AFCI outlet to blame for a trip when continuing a circuit outdoors due to moisture?

texts:
I have an AFCI outlet in my foyer, and the circuit continues through that outlet and out to the porch for an overhead light above the front door, and then past that to the front of the house for an overhead lamp above the steps leading up to the porch. The two outside lights are on a switch inside the foyer, and the wiring runs through the porch roof. It's 'inside' in the sense that it's not exposed to the elements, but it's 'outdoors' in the sense that it's not inside the walls of my house, the construction is old, and there is some suspicion that the porch roof may have moisture in it.
When the circuit has load (i.e. one or both of the lights are installed), flipping the switch and supplying power will immediately trip the outlet. When there is no load (no lights are installed and the wires are not connected), flipping the switch does nothing.
It was suggested that the two possibilities are:

The AFCI outlet is not rated for this use, and a small amount of moisture may be causing the trip
The circuit has a short in it somewhere between the outlet and the first porch light.  I've attached an image of how the porch light is wired. As you can see, the neutral on one of the wires does have a tiny nick, but it doesn't seem to go through to the copper.

What are people's thoughts about the most likely explanation?


texts: Will this 22" drawer slide replace the slide mounted to my 18" drawer?

texts:
I have a kitchen cabinet with 18" drawers, with slides on the side. The internal depth of them is 23" as is the length of the part of the slide mounted to cabinet.

The inside of my cabinet looks like this:

My drawer looks like this:

I wish to replace the slides because the rear mount is cracked like so:

So my question is will this 22" slide, this rear bracket and this frame mounting bracket work? There only seems to be 22" and 24" brackets and I assume I am somehow measuring wrong.

Replacing just the bracket is an option, but quite frankly none of my drawers in my kitchen slide very smoothly so I'm looking to replace all of them.


texts: How do I connect my new faucet to my supply line?

texts:
I purchased a faucet with integral Flex Hoses.
One of the hoses is not long enough to reach the supply line.

The hose has a female thread swivel type fitting.
Can I purchase a Male-Female extension or is there another simple way to make the Flex Hose reach?


texts: Insulating inside on an exterior brick wall

texts:
I have a city house that is over 100 years old and the bedroom has two exterior walls made of brick. Inside the walls are plastered over.  Normally, I would just add 2” framing and use polyiso foam.  This time under the paneling I see that used 1x3 furring strips and put fiberglass batts.  Says it is R9 which is hard to believe being that the furring is actually less than an inch and fiberglass should not be packed.

My question is how much is lost by crushing the fiberglass and should I just replace it with 2” R13 polyiso foam board. Will it make that much more of an improvement?

Thanks


texts: What methods exist for filtering air to alleviate allergies?

texts:
I've found out that I have an allergy, especially for the mold. I live in a very wet climate, so it's a problem.

I was given advice to buy this AIRFREE E60 air purifier. But now I'm interested to know if there are any alternatives? How can I clean the air in my bedroom (~11 square meters) from the mold?


texts: How do I ground an old two wire cable for use in a structured media centre

texts: My home was built in 1945.  The wiring has been replaced in most of the house but some sections still contain cabling with only two wires in them.  Black(hot) and white (neutral?).  I need to install a structured media centre to handle some cat 6 cables and tidy up what my phone and Internet service provider wants to install.  I installed a Leviton 47605-28w box.  I have fed the two wire cable into a plastic gang box at the base of the SMC. The SMC is inside the house and is mounted on an exterior wall. The homes grounding rods are on the opposite side of this wall (less than 5'away).  Is there a safe and legal way to ground the outlet and the SMC without having to install new cabling ( way too much drywall to remove) or run it all the way back to the main panel?  Thank you.


texts: Issue with cold water valve - kitchen sink

texts:
I have an odd plumbing issue.
When I open the cold water valve under the kitchen sink, it causes the cold water to automatically come out of the faucet, without having to move the kitchen sink handle (right side).
Normally, you open the valve, and then you turn the kitchen sink handle and water comes out.
I can't get the water to stop by using the handle, however. It would run continuously (cold water) if I didn't completely close the cold water valve.
Thoughts? Thanks!


texts:
is there a rule of thumb, for how close the bathroom vanity should be next to the toilet...

Doing a remodel, and would like to have a larger vanity, but don't want to encroach on the toilet and (um) comfortable seating.

And for full disclosure, I had a plumbing issue, the local ServePro guys removed everything in the bathroom - toilet and vanity - so, I could not measure it or "test" it before everything was torn out - let's say it was an emergency...

Thanks


texts: LG clothes dryer drum doesn't engage and error is shown

texts:
I have a standalone LG Dryer that when I hit More Time/Less Time the diagnostic mode reads u12 d06. I can hear the motor spin but the drum does not engage. What could the problem be? I've confirmed the belt is good and in working order (took off the top and saw tension and spined the drum around to inspect it).
Model number DLEC855W.


texts: Wiring for island D/W and GFI and Garbage Disposer

texts: Currently under sink I have a 12/3 and a 12/2 wire that come into a junction box. The 12/2 comes from another wall GFI and the 12/3 comes from the breaker panel. How can I connect wires in box to add the necessary GFI outlet on the island along with an undersink outlet and switch for the plug in disposer and run the direct wire to the hard wire D/W.


texts: What is a good barrier between grout and wood?

texts: A side of a tile flooring project abuts a strip of wood. How should I handle the side where the tile meets the wood so the wood won't absorb all the water from the grout?


texts: Here is the picture of an item I do not know the name of. Please advise what is the correct name of it


texts: How should I hang joists that are supposed to be doubled, but that will sit over the joining of two boards?

texts:
I need to hang a 22' ledger board, but I can only get treated boards up to 20' in length.  The deck plan calls for a doubled joist at the 18' mark, which is where the edge of the main body of the deck meets the upper stair landing (a 4x4 landing).  So it's a doubled rim, and the seam to the landing at the same time, I suppose.
So, the problem is that I need to split the ledger into two boards and I'm trying to figure out the best place to do it.
To further complicate things, the ledger is being hung on a brick veneer wall, so I plan to use these Simpson BVLZ connectors to do it.  Since I am going to have joists 12" OC, that leaves very little room in each joist cavity in which to place this ledger joint.
My thought is to split the ledger into a 4' board and an 18' foot board so that the split sits at the double joist I mentioned earlier.  But that means I either have to do it using two concealed single hangers sitting side-by-side, or use a double hanger that would be attached across the seam.

Is either one of these options allowable?  Preferable?  Is there another way I'm not thinking of?
P.S.:  just after posting this it occurred to me that since there will actually be two posts under the stair landing (only one is shown in the image), that part of the ledger should carry minimal weight, meaning I could eliminate one BVLZ to free up a joist bay in which to place the seam.  That means one very large and one very tiny ledger board, I suppose.  Thoughts on this additional consideration?


texts: Could stepping down from 220V/50Hz to 110V/60Hz cause issues with household electronics?

texts: I have a USA market Yamaha stereo receiver RX-V563 which is 110V/60Hz.  I have moved to China and have a 220V/110V stepdown transformer but I can not get my receiver to work.  The lights come on but I can not get sound out.  Could the 50Hz frequency be keeping the system from working?


texts: Identifying positive and negative speaker wires

texts:
My house came with 2 wall speakers. There is wiring for both of them. The right and left speakers have 2 wires each.

I'm trying to hook them up to my amp but I have no idea which wire is positive or negative.

They are both copper
Neither wire has a stripe
The insulation for both wires is the same color (gray)
There is no + or - indicator on the insulation

I'm at a loss. I also tried hooking up one speaker and then swapping the wires to see if the sound quality was noticeably different one way or the other. I honestly can't tell, it sounds good either way.

Sorry it's blurry but as you can see the wiring is identical. The insulation as Ecnerwal mentions in his answer is different - one is smooth and one ridged.


texts: Is there anything to be concerned with this picture?

texts:
I just got a W/D combo unit that only needs a 120V outlet and my laundry room only has a 240V outlet.  Rather than converting the 240V to a 120V, I want to be able to have both 120V and 220V outlets for flexibility and I noticed that my circuit breaker panel actually has a 20A circuit labeled "Washer" and a 30A labeled Dryer which controls the 240V outlet.

I also found a blank plate in the laundry room half way up a wall and I opened it and found wiring.  I attached a picture of what I found and there are four pairs of wires in there.

It doesn't look like there is any ground wiring and so I will need to make sure the box is self-grounded, but if it is, does the condition of the wires cause anyone to think that installing an outlet there is more dangerous than normal (assuming I can find the wiring that comes from the 20 A "Washer" circuit)?  Thanks in advance.

panel showing label for "washer"

[Wiring behind a blank plate

Here is a picture with the wiring moved out of the way a little bit.  I am assuming now that the shiny metal wires in the back are the ground wires, is there any reason there are two and they are twisted together?!  Also, not sure what the two white insulated wires are doing connected inside the box too, just wiring for down the line?

So I just tested the wiring with my non-contact voltage tester.
After switching the circuit switches in the breaker box off then on, only one black ever came live, and it was the one twisted connected with the white.  The bad news is that the circuit switch that turned it on was the 15A circuit for the downstairs bathroom fixtures and outlets.  I guess I am going to need to just convert my 220V to a 120V as the most cost-effective solution.  Thanks for everyone and their responses.


texts: Rule of thumb for prefilling drywall vs. recutting a piece of new drywall

texts:
I had a leak in the roof of my garage in the corner.  I called a professional to come and fix it, so the leak is now fixed.  I was left with a hole in my ceiling inside the garage.  I proceeded to investigate it and removed tons of moldy drywall.  After doing this, I attempted to patch all of it up with new drywall.  This is the first time I have put up drywall and I realize now how difficult it is to measure these pieces, I have a feeling irregularly sized pieces are required to make it look really perfect, while I cut pieces that were as perpendicular as I could make them.

When I put up the drywall, I realized that the pieces have evident gaps between the seams.  I googled it a little, and I saw one person saying to "pre-fill" these gaps.  The problem is, I don't know what the rule of thumb is for the size of these gaps.  I didn't realize, but I read somewhere that it's better to prefill these gaps before taping.

I have a couple of ideas on what to do now:

1) remove the drywall by unscrewing it and attempt to cut new pieces of irregularly shaped drywall, put it back on and I am hopefully good.

2) pre-fill these gaps with joint compound, but the question is, are my gaps too large?  What is the rule of thumb for the maximum size of a gap?

I am wondering if my drywall job is really that terrible, at first glance, it doesn't look like I did a good job.

Can someone advise on drywall gaps and how to handle them correctly?


texts: Wondering why there is a copper line under our sink connecting the hot and cold lines. It also has a standard ball valve located in the middle of it.


texts: How should I mount external hardware to a Greenboard/EPS exterior wall?

texts:
The external cladding of my house is rendered NRG Greenboard (an EPS product). What is the best way to mount simple external hardware (specifcally, a hose reel) to this material?

The reel itself just came with 4 screws that are meant to affix it to the external wall of the house, but it seems like with the EPS it wouldn't take much force at all to yank them straight out. What's the recommended procedure for mounting things securely to the EPS?


texts:
Appreciate some help here before i spend money in calling an expensive plumber because i think the problem can just be poor caulking in my shower. I noticed a small soft spot on my ceiling today. I pressed it and could sense the softness, except for that small spot all areas around it was solid. I dont see any staining in the area. Hence i think there maybe a small drip from my shower above (because of poor caulking) in that area. How can I confirm this. One way is to caulk and just see if the spot becomes worse but that may take a long time. Is there anything else I can try? Any suggestions

Please see pic below. The bulb and trim is in the picture to give an idea on the size of the soft spot


texts: Gap around plumbing in bathroom floor/subfloor

texts:
We've just put a lot of effort into overhauling our 3rd floor (1890's frame house) including a bathroom. Our carpenter/handyman and plumber thought it was a good idea to leave a lot of clearance in the floor around the claw foot bathtub's plumbing, to give the pipes some play.
I don't like it - especially the gap extending from the cold supply all the way around the drain
I certainly don't want to wait and see if mice will come through. The handyman's attitude is escutcheons cover all. Is that reasonable? If not, what are my best options for a fix - before the tub goes in.


texts:
We have an old house that happens to have forced air. Unfortunately, according to an HVAC tech it looks like there aren't sufficient return vents to add a compressor to our furnace.

I guess I'm confused why the heating system itself doesn't need as many return vents -- seems like it wouldn't work without one? The tech identified just one return vent in the whole house -- on the ground floor.

What options are there for adding return vents to a smaller home (around 1500 sq ft over 3 floors)? Where can I put them without having to build out my walls and sacrifice space.


texts: Advantages to quotes from Lowe's/Home Depot vs direct from contractors?

texts: I am looking to have vinyl siding installed on my home. Are there any advantages to getting a quote from Lowe's or Home Depot instead of contacting contractors directly? It seems that this is just adding a middle man that needs a cut of the profit. Does going through a store provide additional warranty on the work or anything else for peace of mind?


texts: Is deck flooring an OK alternative to a concrete slab for a sport court?

texts:
I'm thinking of building a sports court for mostly inline hockey. Similar to this one.

I have a land with grass and was wondering if there is another way to create a base, foundation under the floor tiles beside pouring concrete.

And I realized that one of the options could be to make a raised deck. Something like this:

Ideally like this but this below look little unprofessional:

Are there any directions on how to DIY the deck and is it even feasible or what are the pros and cons of using deck floor for a sports court? I checked this site and they don't mention this option. However, they mention Compacted Base but that's not recommended for larger courts. Why is this type of flooring for sports court not more discussed?


texts:
I have some planks and would like to make a wooden plate. So far I've seen this done by connecting the planks together but they've always had these prepared edges which hopefully the two images will describe better.

What is the tool used to do this job?


texts: Can a private electromechanical meter be placed between the utility's meter and the main breaker?

texts:
I want to run an experiment which compares the readouts of the newer electronic smart meters against older electromechanical meters.

Is there anything in the NFPA 70 or any other law or code which prohibits feeding the loads from the utility's power meter into a private electromechanical (analog) meter inside my home before passing the lines to the main breaker panel?

This would essentially make the analog meter a private submeter hooked in series with the utility's smart meter.

Some things to consider are whether one meter could interfere with the readout of the other or whether this would violate any terms of the utility company.

For the legal aspects of this question, I am a resident of California. Assume that the county uses the NEC 2013 or 2014 without amendments.


texts: Is there a way to make reasonably accurate visual measurements?

texts:
I'm planning to put up some holiday lights around the eaves of my home. The house is basically Tudoresque with multiple pitches. In order to make the measurements I would like to avoid climbing on a ladder with a tape measure.

Is there a way to make reasonably accurate visual measurements while standing on the ground? Or perhaps a method for measuring using photos?

Reasonably accurate would mean that a small overestimation would be ok, but an underestimation not so much.


texts: What is this tall light green grass growing with my bermuda?

texts:
We know it's not crabgrass, but I'm not sure what else it could be. I just laid some scott's turf builder on the lawn, which caused it to grow quite a bit more than it normally does, so I'm wondering if this is a result of that somehow?

I'm in Dallas, TX (USA)


texts: What could this white substance on grout be?

texts:
What could this white substance that appears on our shower grout be? I had cleaned it off less than 12 hours before this picture.

Overnight, we had a space heater on in the bathroom to dry out some shoes, so the temperature was about 35°C.


texts: How do I reconnect a garage to a house with existing underground wires?

texts:
I've got an existing garage about 30 feet from the house which I need to reconnect (wires were cut during house construction project). I have three 2-conductor cables running to the garage, as well as what looks like a low-voltage 2-conductor cable.

I'm just going to ignore the low voltage cable, which means I have 6 wires going to the garage: 3x 2-conductor cables.

There's no ground wire bundled in the cable. So what's the proper way to hook this up? Can I use two of the cables to run two 20A circuits out to the garage, using the third cable as ground? Or just use one cable for power and another wire for ground, ignoring the third cable? I have steel conduit in the house and in the garage, but not in between the two.

I was thinking of putting a panel in the garage with two breakers there, but now I'm thinking maybe just a shutoff there will be fine.

I'm not particularly asking about grounding or GFCI breakers/outlets (yet), as I think I have all that covered by other sources. I'm just not entirely sure how to hook things up given the existing wires.

And I will be rewiring the garage (house is all new wiring) as it's all a cluster-fun in there right now. IOW, there is nothing proper in the garage now that I could use for reference.

Thanks,
John


texts: Installing new fixture over medicine cabinet

texts: The old light had 2 separate cables coming from wall. Each had black and white wire and ground. There was only one black wire hot out of the 4. I used that bundle to hook up fixture. Black to black, white to white. Capped the other bundle. I could turn light on and off by circuit breaker but not switch. I took black and white from second bundle added them to black and white from first bundle this just tripped breaker. Not sure what I did wrong.


texts: Will water vapour travel through lime and feed mould?

texts:
I have some deep holes such as those in the pics and want to fill them up.  I’m sensitive to smells and vocs etc so I prefer to use lime.  I ha e heard that lime is breathable and could let water vapour through which could feed any mould inside the wall.

assuming the source of the mould cause has been removed.  If u filled these holes with lime could mold spores/gasses travel through the lime?

conversely could water vapours travel through lime and feed mould on the inside?

I’m not sure what my existing walls are made of, however I assume they have some level of breath ability, perhaps from the pics you can work out what they’re made off.  If I remember correctly there is solid brick inside and It may be covered in cement but I’m not sure.  Somebody told me your walls would have to be breathable otherwise damp and mold would have to develop. Is it fair to say that whatever my walls are made off using lime would make no difference the rest of the wall is probably as breathable as lime therefore I may aswell use lime?


texts: If an AC system is designed to keep liquid refrigerant out of the compressor, will the compressor be ok if installed upside down? It should only be dealing with gaseous refrigerant, but I don't know if there is something in the pump design where orientation matters. I know if you invert something like a complete window AC unit and try to run it, things will go boom when liquid hits the pump.


texts:
I have my bathroom sink rough plumbing coming from the 3" stack vent, running about 2 feet. My question is: can I use that same drain line for another sink?

Reasoning: about 2 feet from that sink drain I have a wet bar sink I want to put in. Using the same drain line sounds easier, only because of where the stack is, not because of putting in the second trap.


texts:
I have a switch in a ceiling fan's wiring. It controls the direction of the fan.

So it's a two position switch, but it has 6 terminals coming off of it!

Is this switching the phase and the neutral simultaneously?

I can envision some potential problems if the switch didn't switch the wires simultaneously. Am I misunderstanding what this switch does?


texts: How do I replace 4 GFCI receptacles on the same circuit?

texts:
The first GFCI has not worked in years. Today a hair dryer quit, and the remaining 3 GFCIs are not working. Replaced the first one and it seemed to be working properly. Went to the last in the series; it had power as did the one in front of it. Everything seemed OK. When plugged in, the hair dryer just quit. The old GFCI did not pop, but power was lost to all the GFCIs. We can't get power to the units even though we have power to the first unit.

All but the last have 5 wires, including ground. The last has 3 wires. All wires are attached to the Line side only, nothing on the load side. The outlets are 22 years old, except the new one installed today. Hope to replace them all.

The wiring of the GFCIs is puzzling. I don't know how the first one was wired, as I replaced it in a hurry and failed to note what went where, but they were on the Line side. After the first unit, the next one has the incoming line in going to the holes closer to the center. The wires out are furthest from the center. In the third unit the incoming wires cross. One goes to a hole closer to the center of the outlet, and the other wire goes to the hole furthest from center. Obviously, the wires leaving are in what is left over. In the third outlet, the incoming wires are in the holes closest to center. In the last unit, the two wires are going to the holes closets to center.

Power is present and the first unit has voltage on both incoming and exiting wires. The GFCI is popped. Measuring the other units, there is power until we reset the first unit; then, power is lost to all but the first unit. We can't get past this point.
What are we doing wrong?


texts:
I have several receptacles with two cables: one has black and white wires, the other - black and red wires. Can I replace these receptacles with GFCIs? If affirmative, how should I interpret the red wire? Thanks!

Followup: The black wires are originally twisted together, and the red and white wires are twisted together, too.


texts: Why does my overhead door reverse after closing partway?

texts:
My garage door will begin to close and will close about 3/4 of the way and then pop back up. It started a few months ago but it only occurred on rainy days, but now it's doing it daily for the past week. When this happens, I can walk up to the back of it and place my hand on the grooves and guide it down and it will close. I thought the sensors may have some dust or leaves affecting them, but they don't.

I've checked to see if there is anything that could possibly be interfering with the sensors but there's not. Now it's only closing fully without assistance about 20% of the time. I'm out of ideas. Any help or suggestions would be appreciated!


texts: How do I hang a round metal art piece on an exterior stucco wall?

texts: I have a round metal art sign I would like to hang on a stucco wall just outside my main door. What would be the best way to hang a sign like this?


texts:
I'm filling a pool, and looking to speed up the process.  I have two hose bibs, and wonder if I'm really gaining anything (and how much) by using both?

The house is supplied by a 3/4" line. This tees into two 1/2" lines, one going to each hose bib.

I'm thinking that with one hose, I'll get the volume provided by a 1/2" pipe. Adding the second hose will not double the flow, but should only make it as if a single hose was fed by a 3/4" pipe.

Is my intuition correct?


texts: How do I properly frame an opening to angle a through-wall air conditioner?

texts:
I'm going to install a through-wall air conditioner using a purpose-built sleeve.  The instructions from the manufacturer say to install it such that it angles slightly downwards to the outside (about six degrees) so any condensation or rainwater will run off and drain outside the house.

All the instructions and how-to guides I've read show the framing (header, supporting studs, etc.) installed level and at right angles.  The only thing I've seen that gives any indication of how to properly arrange the frame to support the downward installation is to install the header 1/4" above the actual size needed for the sleeve opening so that it falls back and down to the outside a bit.

Is this the correct way to do this?  Should the sleeve be shimmed at the bottom or should the horizontal studs be installed at a slight angle so the sleeve sits flush with the header and horizontal support stud?

I haven't done this before so any insight on how to get the installation angle correct and still maintain a proper safe and secure installation is appreciated.


texts: Is this wiring safe and is it according to code?

texts: A single 12-3 cable was run to a double switch to control individual lights. The white is used as a hot, is this wiring correct/per NEC code?


texts: Two 3-Way Switches and One 4-Way Switch Controlling two lights. How do I convert the 4-way to a single pole switch?

texts:
Here is the situation.
At the top of the stairs I have two 3 way switches. (the left one controls the upstairs hall light and the office ceiling fan/light and the right one controls the ceiling stairs light)
At the bottom of the stairs is the other 3 way switch that controls the upstairs ceiling stairs light.
There is a switch next to the bedroom that controls the Hall/Office ceiling light/fan just as the switch next to the bathroom controls the Hall/Office ceiling light/fan (I will call this light switch 2)
What happens in this scenario is that, not matter what the Hall light is on, ALL THE TIME (very dumb), and we will call the switch next to the bathroom light switch 3.
What I want to do, is make the light switch 2, next to the bedroom to act as a single pole switch, independent of the others.
Here are some pictures.
We will call this light switch 1 because it holds two three way switches.

Here is the wiring for light switch one with the switch to the hall pulled out.

Here is light switch 2 next to bedroom (I want this to act as a single pole switch).

Here is the wiring for light switch 2.

Here is light switch 3 next to the bathroom.

Here is the wiring for light switch 3.

Here is the situation above the stairs and "hall", which technically a hall but kind of. Stair light is present and I removed the hall light.

Top of stairs showing light switch one and two within 5' of each other.

Top of stairs showing light switch 3 within 5' of light switch 1 at the top of the stairs.

Here are light switch one close ups

Here are light switch two close ups.

Here is light switch 3 close up.


texts: Dating insulation or studs for determining when prior work was completed

texts:
Thanks in advance for any help. My wife and I purchased a house two years ago and have finally gotten around to remodeling the bathroom. When pulling down the old drywall we were surprised to see significant termite damage to the studs and top plate of a load bearing wall. Someone had sistered several studs and blocking to some of the damaged areas. The work is substandard. The previous owners did not disclose this damage and owned the house for 15 years prior to us. We were wondering if there was any way to date the mfg date of the insulation or studs so that we could see if they did or did not have prior knowledge of the work. Thanks,

Shawn in New Orleans


texts: Should I leave a gap between flooring and shower for caulk?

texts:
I intend to caulk either way, but wondering if leaving a small gap will help better seal the flooring the shower. Should I butt up to the shower basin and apply a small bead of caulk, or is it better to leave a gap and fill with caulk?
The floor is floating so I still have a chance too move it either way.


texts: Can I cover receptacles with solid metal cover without removing receptacle?

texts:
I have a few outlets that I don't want to be used by my kids. They are teens and the baby proof solutions will not work. I really don't want them to use it, not by accident, not because they forgot, or were lazy or any other reason!

I know I can remove the receptacles, cap the wires and put a solid cover over it. But I don't want to do that as someone might eventually need them.

So can I cover them without removing receptacles? I see it as no different than putting plastic baby proof plugs, only more teen proof. But want to make sure I don't miss something obvious (except better parenting skills) and do not inadvertently violate some electric code.

Thanks


texts: How deep do I cement a 21' tall, schedule 40 galvanized steel pole?

texts:
I have recently installed a new basketball goal for my kids. I now need to install a net behind it as the balls tend to end up in the neighbor's yard over and over again and it drives their dogs crazy.

I need to go up 17' with the poles (top of the basketball goal backboard with rim at 10' is 13' so I want to go up 4' over that).

I purchased two 21' schedule 40 galvanized steel pipes (3") along with #4 rebar and some 5/8" stainless steel all thread that I plan on putting through the base of the poles in a criss cross fashion to prevent the poles from turning in the concrete.

My question is how deep do I need to bury the poles? There will be no "load" on the poles as the net weighs less than 40lbs total. I have read everything from two feet to 8 feet.. My plan was to dig 4' down and 16" in diameter flared at the bottom of the hole and then plumb the poles and fill with concrete. About have way through the fill I was going to throw in 4 - 3' #4 rebar vertically then continue to fill.

My other question was the use of a solotube as opposed to just a hole in the ground with a flare at the bottom. Should I use the solotube sans the flared bottom or just dig the hole and flare it?

We live in central Phoenix so frost/freezing is almost never a problem.

Thanks


texts: How should I connect my new light switches?

texts:
I have 2 bedrooms in which I am trying to swap the old light switches out with new switches. After removing covers, found the old switches had 2 black wires connected to the two terminals, and 2 white wires connected by a wire nut - separately from the switch.

When I installed the new switch in the same configuration, the light wouldn't work.

What should I do to identify & fix the problem?


texts: How to release this accuride drawer slide?

texts:
I have tried everything, and looked all over the web.
This slide lacks release levers that I can find/see!
Other than unscrewing the plate from the drawer, is there a way to get teh drawer out?

I have tried:

pulling hard (nope, it is a hard stop)
lifting it out
searching for a release


texts:
In a recent storm a few shingles were damaged and need to be replaced, so I figured this might be a good question for the site.

What's the proper procedure for replacing single asphalt shingles?


texts: What's the recommended procedure for converting a single circuit light switch into two switches for controlling a bathroom fan?

texts:
I think my question might be similar to Controlling two fixtures on same circuit independently but I don't need anything as fancy.

Summary: I'm remodeling a bathroom.  Presently it has one switch which controls a single light.  I want to add a vent/fan.

Is there an easy way to wire a second switch off of the same circuit and have one switch control the fan while the other controls the old light?

The walls will be exposed so it should be relatively easy to run additional wiring.


texts: I have a sagging 1930s house and plan to level the floors using I-beams and jacks.  I've read that the process is very slow and I'm also wanting to install windows.  Will it cause any kind of problems to have windows installed before the floor is leveled?  I wasn't sure if it would cause the windows to not open properly, affect their angle, etc.


texts: White fiberglass looking material inside fireplace - what is it?

texts: I can see this white fiberglass looking material between the top of the aluminum hood inside the fireplace and surrounding metal. Is it dangerous? I am thinking asbestos, or is this fairly normal to put fiberglass in the fireplace like this?


texts: Flipping switch (by itself) trips breaker

texts:
I have a 30A 240V circuit breaker I have added to the panel to run a saw. From the breaker, it goes to a switch on the wall, which is high enough that the kids cannot reach. Using a multimeter, I have 240v at the breaker. When the switch is in the off position, I have 204v on circuit A of the switch. With nothing on circuit B, when I flip the switch to "on", it trips the breaker. 0V on circuit A and 0V at the breaker (well... 0.05v is what it actually reads).

I thought I had a faulty switch, so I replaced it. But, new switch does the same thing.

The wiring diagram is simple... but accurately reflects what I have done ... it's not complicated.

White is going into "line" (brass connector) on the switch, and black is going into "load" (dark connector).

What am I doing wrong here?

                                      Circuit A
    +------+           White            +---+
    |      +----------------------------+   |
    |Breaker                            | + | Switch
    |      +----------------------------+   |
    +------+           Black            +---+
                                        |
         +------------------------------+
                      Ground

Note: This question was suggested during review: 20amp breaker trips with NO load...Continuity between black & white wire at electrical box and the common wisdom here is that the problem would  be between the panel and the switch. This wire is brand new, and already sealed in conduit. I would have to rip everything out, and re-do 8 hours of work to re-run everything if this is the case. I am hoping it's something else simple that I have missed.


texts: Why am I finding condensation in my dryer?

texts:
I live in Houston, TX (Very Hot, Very Humid).  In the summertime, my dryer is dripping with water, when not in use.  I do not have overly excessive drying times.

My dryer is vented via an unfortunate run of over 25 feet with two elbows.  It exhausts through the roof.  Dryer is in the center of the first floor, so the vent goes up to the second floor, runs through the ceiling/floor, comes out in an attic and through the roof.  The attic is unfinished, with temps well over 120F on an average summer day in Houston.

My guess is that I have hot moist air pouring down my dryer duct, hitting my nice cool air conditioned dryer and condensating.

Initial google searches have pointed me at the Fantech DBF110 which is a booster fan that you install on your duct run.  I'm not certain this is going to solve my problem, as it doesn't run constantly, only when the dryer is running.

Would I get more bang for my buck by insulating the duct and trying to seal it up?  Any recommendations on materials if that's the case (thermal blanket, just wrap fiberglass, other)?

Update:

As Eric suspected, I didn't have a working flap on my dryer vent.  So I bought one and gave it a test run and I wasn't happy with how little the flap opened from the pressure on the dryer.  So, I installed the booster fan as suggested by Doresoom as well.  We had a few hot humid days after that, dryer stayed dry.  My clothes drying times are pretty low too, 30-45 mins.

Fan pic is before I cleaned up the electrical, looks a little neater now.  The ideal install for that fan is with the bracket on a stud, unfortunately there was no good way to attach a stud and avoid cutting a new hole in the roof.  Luckily the fan is pretty light.


texts: Can someone review this garage loft design for structure and stability?

texts:
I'd like to build a loft above a 12'x16' portion of my garage. My plan is to lag screw ledger boards to the studs and attach 2x10 joists to the ledgers using joist hangers. Additional supports will be added beneath the ledgers to help with shear.

Will this sufficient? Is there anything that I could add to make this more stable?


texts: Why am I getting no satellite signal after running electrical cable alongside the satellite cable?

texts:
I am adding exterior lights and I ran exterior grade electrical wire along the side of the house and tied this wire to the Dish Satellite wire running in the same direction.  Now I have no Dish signal.

Did I cause this by tying these cables together?


texts: Can I back feed my panel with a lower amp breaker than the service inlet?

texts:
I believe I can run my whole house off my current generator 3500W/4000Max if I don't use the electric stove and oven. The generator subpanel has power meters for both legs, which, even when my oil burner and fridge are running, never indicates higher than about 1500W load.

I currently have a generator subpanel fed by (A)60A breaker w/ 6AWG wire in main panel and (B)L14-30 input with 10AWG feeder from 3500W/4000Max Generator. I'd like to remove the generator feed from the subpanel, and rather backfeed a 30A breaker on the main panel with the same 10AWG feeder. I haven't looked for an appropriate main breaker interlock for my panel, but I am aware that I will need one for this application.

Other than the obvious "you can't run your house off 30A", is there any code reason that the main panel can't be backfed by an interlocked breaker?


texts: How do I repair this kind of drywall damage?

texts: Was wondering how to repair this kind of drywall damage that I have in 2 areas in my house (does it repair to replace with a new piece or is there some kind of putty/Spackle that can repair this?


texts: What could be causing thumping in the wall when the bathroom shower, toilet, or sink are used?

texts: I hear a thumping in the wall whenever the second floor bathroom shower, toilet, or sink are used (sound is similar to if you let the bottom of your fist fall against a sheetrock wall). It is 'almost' at a regular interval. I also don't recall hearing it in the summertime, but have only been in this house for a year. It is related to the drain, because when I put my ear up to the wall where the sound is coming from, I can hear the sound water rushing down the PVC very clearly. Once the water is off, the sound stops. Does anyone know what might be the cause of the sound?


texts: What are options for non wood basement panels. I would prefer ones that could be taken down to get behind the panels if needed. I'm looking to the install myself.


texts: Should I install bracing behind drywall for upper cabinets?

texts:
I'm renovating our kitchen and we will be installing upper and lower cabinets. My question is, should I take the time to install a horizontal brace between the wall studs to make mounting the upper cabinets easier?

What I'm thinking is installing a 2x4 between each of the wall studs at the height where the upper cabinet will hang, in effect making one big "ledger board". My thought is that this will make installing the upper cabinets faster since I won't have to find the studs again once the wall is patched.

What I'm thinking is something like this


texts:
TL;DR:

How should I fill this V shaped, shallow control joint in my garage most effectively?
Joint rough dimensions:

5/8 in. wide at bottom
1 in. wide at top
3/8 in. deep

Do I need backer material or can I just caulk it?
The joint has been painted over with an epoxy but it is an uneven surface

Should I rough up the sides of the joint prior to applying?
Will self-leveling sealant adhere to the roughly painted joint?

Details & Photos:

I need advice on how to caulk the control joints in my garage. I'd like to fill in the joints to make it easier to clean and make the floor a little smoother. That will help with my rolling hydraulic jack, etc.

I've done a bit of research so far and it seems like I need to get (something like) Sikaflex self leveling sealant for the control joints.

My primary issue is this: the control joints are not very deep. Do I need to use a backer rod when I caulk this or should I simply fill it the way it is? I have also heard of "silica sand" being suggested.

The joints appear to be about 5/8 in. wide at the bottom and 1 in. wide at the top. They are approximately 5/16 in. deep (maybe 3/8 in).

Additionally, the floor and joints have been epoxied and I am wondering if this will have an impact on the caulk's ability to adhere to the surface.

Here are some pictures:

Width of the joint from the top (perspective slightly skews measurement):

Width of the joint from the bottom:

Depth of the joint:

View down the joint:

Any pointers are greatly appreciated!

Update: Project Complete

Thanks for the help! Sorry I can't award more than one answer!

I finished caulking the floor almost a week ago and it turned out all right! I went a little overboard in some spots on the joints and should have used less sealant, but it will get the job done functionally. The sharpest looking areas have caulk just below the line of the joint.

Joints with tape around them after caulking:

Completed joints:

My garage is rather small - roughly 19.5' deep x 16.5' wide. I ended up using about 3-1/4 tubes of the 29 oz. Sikaflex Grey self leveling sealant. The joint is mostly 3/8 in. deep but I noticed some rough spots in the joint where it was closer to 3/4 in. This wasn't widespread, so I didn't address it and thus far everything has held out just fine.

I also used some extra painter's tape on the outward facing end of the center control joint to create a dam for the caulk. This is the end of the joint closest to the garage door that doesn't abut a wall; it's just open to the outside.

The caulk spilled out of the painter's tape "dam" a little bit, but I cut the spilled caulk off the tape when it was partially cured about 9 hours later. When the caulk is a little green it's pretty easy to cut with a utility knife. I've left the dam in place and plan on removing it tonight or tomorrow as I wanted the caulk to cure all the way through and not spill out the bottom.

Finally pulled a car into the garage on Sunday, so about 3-1/2 days after I caulked it. The caulk does seem to attract tire marks, but that's all right. The garage floor is intended for use.


texts: Can I use a pressure gauge to detect refrigerant leaks in a heat pump?

texts:
Update: I should have stated that the plan was to repair the leak and continuously monitor the pressure to detect any future leaks.  A recent decision was made to replace the heatpump.  Installer indicates a pressure range of 20-120 PSI.
I would like to measure the pressure to determine a refrigerant leak in the heat pump.  In the summer, a leak manifests itself as low pressure and causes the evaporator to freeze up.
I am considering adding a bluetooth pressure transducer, however at $200 it seems expensive and I am wondering if it would be simpler (more reliable and less expensive) to use a wired transducer.
The plan is to request that the AC tech install the fitting on the high side of the garage to measure pressure to detect drops in pressure (leaks).
Question: Have pressure measurements been used to detect leaks and shutdown the system to prevent icing?  If yes, is there any reason why this will not work by measuring pressure on the high side (in my garage and out of the elements)?
Any lesson-learned are appreciated.


texts: Which style transition/threshold do I need for carpeted stairs to meet floor boards?

texts:
I've had a new carpet installed on my stairs.

The fitter wasn't able to supply a threshold and I wasn't at home at the time of the install so I couldn't ask him what style I needed.

Is there a specific curvature/style/design name that I should be using for this scenario?


texts:
Having had a crazy rain storm yesterday, I discovered that my window leaks. There was a pool of water on the floor that was coming from the bottom moulding.

Any ideas as how to fix this (ideally without removing the window)?

UPDATE: I had a window guy come down and check out the issue. We pulled off the white trim on the outside of the windows, which revealed there was NO insulation OR any cladding. In fact, the trim was keeping the water from escaping, bringing it into our house. Previous house flipper was clearly out of his mind. . .


texts: Can the discharge of the water powered backup sump pump be connected to the discharge of the primary sump pump?

texts: When installing a water powered back-up sump pump can the discharge of the water-powered back-up sump pump be connected by a Y to the discharge of the primary sump pump? I read that it shouldn't according to the Uniform Plumbing Codes and IAPMO PS119. Also what is the proper distance  between the back up sump pump float and the primary?


texts:
I replaced my water heater 2 years ago, this weekend I plan on flushing it.  I have read steps anywhere from turn off the gas and stop the water line, to just open the spigot at the bottom and fill up a bucket a couple times.   How effective is just the spigot method without turning off the water supply or shutting off the gas supply and burner?  I have a 4 gallon bucket I plan to use and just as a test I opened the spigot and was surprised how powerful the water flow was.

Can I do any damage by just draining the water via the spigot?  4 gallons at a time and not a continuous run?  Is it effective to do this or am I just wasting hot water?


texts: How do I remove crumbling mortar from fieldstone foundation?

texts:
I have a fieldstone foundation.  As with most such foundations, the mortar is crumbling, and the sandy mortar is falling out onto the basement floor.  I have just read that I need to remove crumbling mortar and point (to fill the voids with new lime mortar).

How aggressive should I be about removing existing mortar, and what is the best way or removing it?   Should I use a steel brush, scrape with a chisel, or actually chisel away mortar?  Should I be concerned if the mortar is crumbled and loose far into the foundation?

The basement is about 130 years old and has had no water leaks so far.


texts: Can't determine which direction to install heat trap

texts:
I'm installing a new 75 Gallon Rheem water heater. It came with two valve heat traps, that were not pre installed, and I cannot determine how to installed them correctly.
These heat traps are not labeled for which direction they are supposed to be installed, or if one is specific for the hot or cold water side. The directions are very vague and indicate they were pre-installed.
I tried blowing into each, and I couldn't notice any difference in pressure.
Any tips on how to install these?


texts: Metal and Plastic Bathroom Faucets are the Same?

texts:
Today I spoke to a highly reputable bathroom faucet company, and they claimed that their all metal faucets and plastic faucets (internal parts) are generally the same when it comes to quality and how often they break.

And when they do break, they generally have the same issues.

Is this true? From my understanding, all metal faucets cost more because they are of higher quality.


texts: Getting rid of rough edges after removing old paint

texts:
I have an old weatherboard house.

Removed a lot of old, flaked paint recently from a relatively large section of the house above a rickety old garage. Because it wasn't the safest place to be, I was out of a lower grit paper for my orbital and as i'd been up there for two  days stripping, bogging and sanding some of the areas where I had removed old paint had not been completely feathered with the paint that remained. I primed it with two coats and these rough edges are noticeable when viewed up close (although not from the ground).

To get rid of these rough edges would I be best to sand the areas of concern with a lower grit and then reprime?


texts:
Ok here's the problem...
We are planning to lay ceramic tile in our kitchen. We stripped the old flooring off and down to the plywood subfloor. We secured all the plywood so there is no give to it. There were some low spots so we were advised to use self leveling compound to fix this. We used the primer and poured the SLC (covered the whole floor with it) and now we have tons of high/low spots...it's very uneven! My husband thinks we can just put durock over it and tile on top of that but I'm not so sure. So here's the question...should we sand the SLC down so it's even, count our losses and apply durock over the top and then proceed with tile?

Or, should we mix more SLC (maybe thinner this time so we don't have to trowel so much?) pour it over the top and tile directly over it? (assuming it turns out even this time). If we do apply more SLC and tile directly over it, how thick of a layer should it be? and do we need to apply primer again?


texts: Does a thin tandem 2x15amp breaker draw 15 or 30 amps for a panel load calculation?

texts:
I've multiple thin tandem breakers in my new home, and I suspect the panel is overloaded.
Does a 2x15 amp thin tandem breaker add 30amps or 15amps for a panel load calculation? I suspect 30, but I want to make sure.


texts: Should the interconnect wire for smoke alarms read 120v?

texts:
Today I installed some new Kidde PI2010 Hardwired Dual Photoelectric and Ionization Sensor Smoke Alarm with Battery Backup smoke alarms. I am interconnecting 5 of them in my home. When I hooked up the third one the other two went into alarm. I measured 120V on the red interconnect wire. Is this correct? I'm reading here that it should be 9V?
Any help would be appreciated.


texts: Are my direct-vent water heater flues installed in a standard manner?

texts:
We recently moved into a property with 2 water heaters installed in the basement. During the inspection, we were told that the water heaters were relatively new, but the exhausts were "odd".
Yesterday, we had a strong gas smell in the basement and promptly called the gas company. The representative told us that the cause was a downward draft of the flue gas.

A plumber came by and told us that he hadn't seen such an exhaust, and at first recommended we change the entire water heater, and after a while (seeing the neighbor's setup) told us to change the exhausts.

I have attached 2 pictures of the exhaust installation.

My questions are:
Based on the pictures, is this a normal setup?

There is silver HVAC foil taped around the vent. I removed it off one exhaust and experienced a draft of air coming down in the basement, near the water heater.
Would it help to reseal the duct with foil tape, poking holes in it, so the exhaust can escape?
This would be a temporary measure till I get some more opinions/estimates.


texts: Can an isolation valve be used to reduce pressure?

texts:
The pipes going to the shower unit from the boiler both have isolation valves on them, which look like this:

Can these valves be closed slightly to reduce pressure going through the pipes, or is it advised to only use them in fully open or fully closed positions?

Thanks!


texts:
I've been searching for the name of the part at the bottom of this door that's protruding outwards and diagonally on the sides, can anyone shed any light on this? I can't find the right term for it and it's exactly what I need to get

http://imgur.com/iRJUEm3


texts:
I was going to buy a swing for my two boys, each weighing under 100 pounds.  I can't imagine more than three of them on the swing, so 250/300 pounds max.  This silver maple is the only viable place for me to hang it in my backyard.  I was planning on using an single I-bolt, directly through a large branch.  Does this photo depiction look safe?

My biggest concern is that silver maples are notorious for having weak crotches that grow at angles, rather than perpendicular to the main trunk; however, I can also find articles that argue these trees get bad reputations based on hearsay more than fact.

See the pink I-bolt in the furthest right branch.


texts: Why is my steam radiator rattling like this, and what can I do about it?

texts:
I have one-pipe steam radiators in a home built in 1905 (condoized in 1998). Only one of the radiators, the largest, makes this awful rattling sound when the system heats up:

https://youtu.be/IHJjEDvBcLc

I’ve read about the typical sounds to expect from a steam radiator: hissing from the air vents, potential banging or clanging from trapped condensed steam (which can often be remedied by tilting the radiator toward the valve using shims). But this rattling seems unusual, and only one of my five radiators does it.


texts: How do I prepare an interior cement floor for painting?

texts:
I have an enclosed carport that serves as 4th bedroom/den in a 30 year old house. This room has long been used as storage, etc, and is in fairly bad shape.  I'm rehabbing it to serve as a home office, but so that it can still be advertised as a bedroom when I sell the house.  The floor is cement (the house is on a slab foundation), and is fairly well stained with traces of adhesive where the carpet padding was glued(!) down, some stains from dogs (yeah, both), and various other irregularities.  However, the slab itself is in good shape with no cracks, and a few divots from carpet tacks have been filled in and smoothed.

I live in Arizona, and painted or stained cement floors are common, and don't really have any problems regarding resale, so I would like to paint this floor rather than add flooring or carpet. Leaving the slab uninsulated helps with moderating the temperature as well. I think stain would not cover the irregularities well enough.

I've heard conflicting stories about how to prep the floor, etch or don't etch, prime or don't prime, etc.  I'd like to know what the best way of A) cleaning the stains as much as possible, even if they cannot be removed completely (the paint should cover light blemishes), and B) prepping the floor for long-term adhesion of primer and/or paint to avoid peeling or cracking in the future.  This is an interior room, so treatments like epoxy that are appropriate to garages and patios may not be appropriate here.

In case it matters, the room is about 12 X 15, with one expansion joint in the slab, about centered.  There is little to no issue with freezing, and thermal expansion and contraction is less of an issue because of that and the fact that it is an interior room.  This is also a room that sometimes in unusual circumstances gets small amounts of water seeping under the walls from outside (it's Arizona, inside vs outside is a much more fuzzy concept here), and though I am working to cut that off, it may not be entirely possible.


texts: I have a Ground Fault outlet in my bathroom and I replaced it  thinking it was bad.  The new will not reset unless I disconnect the load line. Can I safely use the outlet without hooking the load wires to the outlet?  I know my outlets outside will not work as they are connected to the Ground Fault outlet.


texts: New paint cracking on caulk bead along exterior trim and j-channel flashing

texts:
I recently had new windows installed and replaced an exterior door myself. I have aluminum siding and so there's strips of metal j-channel flashing along the door and window trim, butting up to the siding.

After the trim and jchannel was installed, I ran a bead of caulk between the trim and jchannel, waited a day or so, and then painted with new exterior black paint. After a couple of weeks in the sun, the paint seems to have torn where the caulk hits the steel j-channel. It doesn't appear that the caulk tore. I'm guessing this is because of the change in temperature.

What am I doing wrong? How can I fix this? I'm thinking about putting another light coat of paint over the top but want to make sure I'm not missing something here.

By the way, the caulk is an acrylic exterior caulk that is paintable. I forget the exact type, but it might be DAP alex fast dry or something along those lines.

Thanks!


texts: Depressurized pressure tank - how to pressurize again

texts:
We have a freshwater bore and I recently replaced the very old pump with a 1hp Pentax pump and Trevoli 18 litre pressure tank system.  For reasons I won't go into, the pressure tank has lost its precharge (nominally 2bar/30psi), and I want to recharge it.  The system runs as it is, but due to micro-leaks in the system, the pump runs for 6sec or so every minute.

I want to recharge the tank to minimize the pump cycling, and I'm worried that the diaphragm in the tank is being stressed somehow without the tank air pressure to contain it as the water enters the tank.

I have a digital pressure gauge and the tank has a standard bike/car tire valve fitting on top, so I'm assuming this will be OK to check the pressure.  The pressure gauge indicates sensible values on the car's tires.

I have a couple of problems:

I have tried putting air in with a cheap cigarette lighter adapter 12v air pump, but the pressure gauge fitted to the air pump shows the pressure ramping up very quickly towards the 150 psi tank maximum (I always turn the electric pump off way before it gets there !).  In fact, it's almost as if no air is getting into the tank.  Pressing down on the center bit of the valve doesn't result in the usual "pffft" and the hand-held pressure gauge doesn't show any pressure - it's almost as if the air pump is trying to pump into a dead-end.  My assumption is that the valve on the tank should open and let the burst of air from the pump into the tank.  The air fitting on the end of the pump has a lever-operated clamp instead of a threaded attachment:  and I'm wondering if this isn't allowing the valve to open (the fitting completely covers the shank of the air valve - the air fitting has a center protuberance which is supposed to depress the corresponding centre bit in the valve and I don't think the fitting can get far enough over the valve in order for this to happen and open the valve).  Any comments?
Instructions I have read say I should 1) turn off the pump.  2) open a faucet and wait for the water to stop flowing.  3)  Put air in to 2 bar / 30 psi.  4)  Close the faucet.  5) turn on the pump.  Should I expect the pressure tank to be empty of water after step 2 (it doesn't seem to be)?

UPDATE

I had some success with the following:

turned the power off to the pump
undid the hose from the pressure tank outlet and let the pressure tank empty out.
tried various methods to get air into the tank, none of which seemed to be doing anything.  I couldn't get an air pressure reading off the tank.
connected up the hose to the outlet.
switched on the pump.

Remarkably, it is behaving much more like I would expect it should.  Before (this is with no taps open), it was running for a few seconds every minute, now it runs for 20-30 secs every 30 mins or so, and the tank now holds an appreciable charge, i.e. it supplies water for a good length of time before the pump starts again.


texts: What is a "Holders/Sujetadores de Sujecion"?

texts:
I bought a package of locking peg hooks at Home Depot, along with some pegboard and other assorted stuff. When I got home, I hung up the pegboard. It fit just fine. I then attempted to attach my new peg hooks.
However, I didn't get far. After having used up the majority of the tools, I came to a part that the box identified as "Holders/Sujetadores de Sujecion". Well, that didn't help much. I searched the Internet and that was even less successful. Even the company name couldn't be found. And the URL everbilt.com redirected here.
The only other useful info on the box is "Eb Everbilt" and "Locking Peg Hook Assortment"
Ugh!
What are these "Holders/Sujetadores de Sujecion" and how can I use them?
P.S. Pictures coming soon!


texts: re-wiring/retro-wiring a Carrier 40MVC024 ductless A/C for external thermostat: guidance

texts:
My server room has two air-conditioning units, with acutely counterproductive controls. I want to rewire them for external thermostats.

Can I simply splice a traditional thermostat inline with the "indoor unit signal" wire?

The model is Carrier 40MVC024.  It's EoL and even when new did not have an available external thermostat.

Question is threefold (descending order of confidence):

is my splice point correct?
is my assumption valid on whether the unit will simply cool and then stop when the thermostat cuts the loop?
will this introduce other issues?  For example, the built-in temp sensors say keep cooling, but the thermostat has shut it off--will this create a conflict that confuses the innate programming and causes other issues?

My thought is that I can close this loop with the thermostat.  As long as the air handler would be on anyway (e.g. set at 54 degrees), it'll run.

Carrier 40MVC024, ductless.  schematic page 14 shows my unit**

My best guess is that I need to disconnect the wire to "P2" and connect it to the thermostat/relay.  UPDATE:  Better phrasing would be to splice the thermostat's relay into this wire.

I may choose active control over plain thermostat

TL;DR

I was not involved in the selection of these units.  They use IR remote control, either remote will control both units--often simultaneously.  Mounted one over the other, the eye is on the bottom, so controlling the bottom one also controls the top and makes me homicidal.

Each unit contains a coil, fan, dampers, and control electronics.  Hoses and control wire run to rooftop condenser units.  Power hits the rooftop first, then comes inside.  Small server room where the idea is to have N+1 redundancy: either unit could cool the room on its own.  The no-budget-for-that logic is:

set one unit lower and the other higher
if the lower unit fails, the higher one protects the gear
periodically reverse the two, for even wear

The (huge) problem is controlling them separately.  Switching units takes far, far longer than it should.

Controlling the top one alone is tolerably cumbersome, but controlling only the bottom one is infuriating.  I've tried covering with my hand, weird remote angles, even covering with tape (still only somewhat successful).  The units beep to signify "message received," but it's difficult in a noisy server room to tell which one beeped (or if both did).  Further, I suspect the "mode" (cool, auto, dry, fan) is stored in the remote and re-transmitted with each keypress.

No display on the wall unit, so no way to see what temperature a given unit is set at.  This leads to a highly-aggravating cat-and-mouse when making changes.  Stabilizing within tolerable levels took HOURS of experimentation and frustration today but should take 30 seconds of reliable and simple buttons or terminal commands.

SOLUTIONS

I may simply grab two thermostats, but I'd rather get a relay block and use shell scripts to intelligently manage it (better failover control as well).  If anyone's had good luck with a given model/technique/script I'd love to hear about it.

** uhh... huh huhuh, huh. unit.

BONUS
Since humidity icing up my coils prompted this discussion I'm will also soon investigate budget humidity control.  Anyone with experience please chime in.

Thanks for reading


texts:
I have a CCTV camera which is PoE, and an NVR. I already have two cameras connected fine, and have been trying to add a third today.

All the cameras are the same. The cable is Cat5e outdoor.

I've made up two lengths, 1.5m and 18m, the first for testing and the second will be actually used for this camera.

Both cables pass with all 8 lights on the cable tester.

The 1.5m cable works, the camera connects to the NVR.

The 18m cable does not work, the NVR can't see the camera.

I've re-crimped the 18m cable several times, which always passes the cable tester.

With the 18m cable, I know the camera has power, because you can hear a slight 'click' inside when it switches from normal to night vision.

So I can only assume that the 18m cable have signal issues, and not power issues.

Might I have signal issues because the cable is coiled up on the floor, so each part of the cable is right next to lots of other parts of the cable..??

Here's both ends of the 18m cable:


texts: How should I fasten air exchanger ducts to unit?

texts:
I have an air-exchanger, and the hoses are little loose. That is I can feel the air flowing out between the motor and the hose.
Here is a picture of the overall thing:

Here is closer picture that shows where the air escapes from exactly:

How do I make it more air tight?
I see that there is some sort of sticky aluminium foil or something that they used before:

Maybe that's what I need to use again? If yes, what's it called?


texts: How is my ceiling rose/light switch functioning?? UK

texts:
I recently changed a couple of ceiling roses for a newer ones that weren't grubby and yellow. I noticed something odd... in the fact there was only 2 cables going to them.
In previous houses I have lived at, there has always been 3. 2 which form part of the ring/circuit, and one goes to the switch. Im wondering, how on earth are the switch operating these lights?
Anyone have any ideas? I mean, the switches work, so something must be happening somewhere!


texts: Any tips on fixing a difficult wall for tiling?

texts:
I've got this small old bathroom that I want to lay with ceramic tiles. But to do that the walls should be straight - which they are not. Three of them are almost fine, but the fourth is... well, take a look at the pictures:

Wall http://valts.21.lv/problem/wall.png
Left: front view at the wall;
Right: side view at the wall.

This isn't to scale, but you can see the idea. First of all there is a large towel-dryer in the middle of it, stretching almost all the way across. Secondly, the wall starts slanting away on the upper half.

I cannot remove the towel dryer because the people who designed the original plumbing system (probably dead by now) were... not very smart, to put it politely. It is attached to the central hot water supply in the apartment block and turning off the water means that everyone loses hot water. To make it better, even if I did turn off the water momentarily and remove the dryer, I'd still need to reconnect the open ends or the water flow would be broken (my above neighbour gets the hot water that has passed through my dryer). And last but not least - to turn off the water and do anything with the dryer I have to call the authorities and pay them $30 every time. Royal pain.

So... what would you suggest?


texts: How can I unscrew this old bathtub faucet stem?

texts: I'm trying to fix a leaking bathtub faucet, but I can't unscrew these old stem at all...it's stuck. Do i need to open the back side of the wall?


texts: Can I match new to existing polyurethane floor finish?

texts:
I had painters tape pull up the finish on my flooring in a strip all around the room

Can I sand down the wooded strip and put polyurethane back on the one in strip and it be the same?


texts: Replacing a ceiling light fixture, I found a wire adapter

texts:
The existing pendant light is Ikea, which I removed. The wires were plugged into some kind of an adapter, as shown in the attached pictures. I am not sure if this is something new that they include with their products.

The new pendant light is a standard one, with three wires (black, white, ground). My house has copper wiring.

I am attaching pictures of the adapter. I even wouldn't mind using it, if only I knew anything about how to use it properly. My google search didn't produce much. The side of the adapter says CB-HFT tube, but that only indicates the shrink-wrapped tube.

Should I just remove this adapter, or is there a male part of the adapter that I should find for the new light pendant? Also, can anyone give more info on this adapter?


texts: Can I attatch my garden hose to a hose bib on the water main?

texts:
I was looking for a hose fitting closer to the front of my house when I noticed this valve with what appears to be threaded for a hose fitting right off my water main next to the water meter (Blue circled in the picture below).
Can I just screw my garden hose into it like normal and use it without blowing something up because of pressure or something?
I am not sure if attaching a garden hose so close to the water main will mean it's over-pressurized or something.  I don't know about plumbing at all.
As a side note; why are there three water main valves (yellow valves) all so close together (2 right away at the wall and one more after the water meter)?
If I ever need to turn off my water main does it matter which of the 3 valves I use?
The water main comes into the house from the street in the wall in the upper right.


texts: Which type of seal on a French door refrigerator is more reliable?

texts:
I'm going to buy a French door refrigerator and have seen 2 types of seals for the seam between the two doors.  One is the usual rubber+magnetic seal, but of course each door has the magnetic rubber gasket facing the other door.  The other type of seal is a long strip of plastic and metal that flips 90 degrees when you open and close the door.  On this one, each door's magnetic rubber gasket seals against the long strip.  To me it seems like the one with the flipping strip might be more durable over time and it seems like the seal would be less hassle to repair.

Has anyone had much experience with either of these types of seal?  When it goes bad, how expensive and how difficult is it to repair?


texts: What types of businesses have tree roots available?

texts:
I'm looking for some tree roots to make some custom tap handles. I live in the middle of Portland, Oregon so I can't exactly go cut down a tree by myself.

Do lumberyards sell them?
Do tree-removal companies typically have them left-over (before mulching)?
Will I have to ask around for homeowners who have recently removed trees themselves?
Are tree-root-furniture-makers likely to give up their source?


texts: water drained from one kitchen sink gushes out over another

texts:
I have a two-sink combo in the kitchen and it looks like this (sorry for the somewhat gross appearance :-):

sometime when i wash dishes by hands, the food residues slow down the water flowing down the drain and as a result a pool is created on the left. Somehow, some water seems to find another way out to the sink on the right and emerge there.

It's not bad so far,'cause eventually the water went away down the drain. However before it did, if I decide to expedite the flow and turn on the garbage disposal which was installed underneath the left sink, water gushes out on the right like a fountain of dirty water, ruining everything in the vicinity.

The garbage disposal looks like the picture below, the vertical white pipe is connected to the sink on the right:

The disposal was also connected via a pipe to the dish washer on the left. When I used dish washer, some water also emerged on the left sink.

I bought the disposal (badger 5, I believe) and installed it myself 'cause the propeller of the old one stopped working. I thought I followed the instructions preciously and did a good job and it did seem to work. Now my wife suspected that I didn't install it the right way, I protested the idea as if it were my political legacy, somehow I can't rule out that possibility.

Anyway I am wondering if anyone can help me out explaining what might have gone wrong, as the whole thing doesn't seem normal.


texts: Will electricians install light fixtures that are “UL and “ETL” listed in NB Canada or Do light fixtures have to be CSA approved in NB Canada?


texts:
I have a heating system with both a heat pump and a boiler. The rule for the system is that if the temperature in a zone is 5° F less than called for, then the boiler will come on, but otherwise the heat pump will try to heat the zone by itself.

The problem with this is that I can't get one of the zones to 72° F. What happens is that it is cold outside, so the heat pump can only get the temperature to 70° F and it stays there. If I increase the called for temperature in the zone to be 75° F then of course the boiler will come on, but it would raise the temperature to 75° F which is too hot.

How do I solve this problem?


texts:
I'm renovating my basement, which has one double-hung vinyl window (pictured). I want to add one more on the same wall and trying to get a close match. The windows in this house were replaced in 2007 (manufacturer is Vista).

My question is with the frame around the window, which I assume is from the original construction of the house (1991). I see it is on a window sill, with some kind of frame integrated with it. What is that, do I need to buy that in addition to a new window?

I don't want to damage the siding on the outside of the house, so I was planning to buy a replacement window (not new construction).


texts: New basement cracks found on concrete floor and poured walls after changing and adding one dehumidifier

texts:
My home is 14 years old. I have been using a 40 pint dehumidifier at 50% until this spring.  It was only after discovering mild amount of mold under my fiberglass insulation that I felt I needed to improve upon what I had.

My basement is almost 3000 sq. ft. I had purchased 2 70pt. dehumidifiers, placing them on opposite areas of the basement. (as I found the humidity was different in one area than the other).

The humidity now is between 40 - 45% where it was at 67% with first utilizing the new humidifiers.

I have noticed cracks that were not present in my walls and floors before, beginning at a 55% humidity level in the basement.  I have a neighbor who uses 2 70 pt. units in a smaller basement at a lower humidity level with no complaints, so I was surprised by this change.

It has been 4 months later and the cracks have stabilized.

Any thoughts on why this would occur?


texts: Can I avoid plastering after stripping the old wall paper

texts:
the old wallpaper started pealing off , and most of them have a uneven texture (surface), stripping them off wasn't that hard with the steamer kit

after stripping the surface of the wall looks decent enough, apart from some area are covered by the old wallpaper glue, problem is they don't look 100% smooth

the options are :

spread  with PVC then re-plastering the surface,
or just slightly sand the surface then apply the Matt finish paint directly.

I prefer the second option because it saves time and money
any better options? what would a professional do in this kind of the job?


texts:
I went to my local big box store this past weekend to find a replacement for my lawnmower blade (it's a Craftsman Precision Plus if that makes a difference, but it shouldn't).

When I got to the lawnmower blade section, I was impressed to find about 50 different sizes, although they all looked to be the same length.

However, despite very little variance in length, some were billed as being "42 in." (inches?) while others were billed as "21 in.". Although some were definitely longer than others, the variance was no more than a few inches. No way one was actually 21" and another was 42".

How do blade sizes work? Is "21 in" actually 21 inches? If so, how does that explain variances of only a few inches?