texts: Detaching wires from an outlet doesn't seem to affect others on the circuit

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I'm trying to ID the first outlet in a circuit. I've done this procedure successfully before, to install a GFCI, but this time around, I'm utterly confused. I've removed the wiring from three different outlets (separately, one at a time), all on the same breaker, but each time I had one disconnected, all the other outlets on the circuit continued to work. How can this be? Is this some novel wiring configuration? Each box houses a duplex and has two copper wires coming into it: white & black. The white wire is attached to one side of the receptacle and the black wire is attached to the opposite side.

This pertains to my upper-level bedroom circuit, but my kitchen circuit is (apparently) a multi wire branch circuit (I barely know what that means). I had previously suspected that perhaps my upstairs confusion was for the same reason (MWBC), but with only two wires in each box, it doesn't make sense to me. Is my upstairs just wired in a 'star' configuration: where all the outlets are fed individually from a single feeder line or junction box?


texts:
My no-frost fridge fan stopped working and it caused frost buildup at the back of the freezer and eventually the fridge stopped chilling the lower compartment. I assumed that the fan was broken but it turned out that there was no power at the fan socket and the fan was fine. I can't reach the back of the fan socket but I can connect the fan directly to the mains power.

Would it cause any problems? Is it supposed to work all the time (except when the door is open) or is should it only work when the compressor is working?


texts: How do I remove or cut a sewer pipe at edge of our basement slab?

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What's the best way to remove the unused sewer / storm-drain pipe in the attached picture? It's coming up through the edge of our basement slab where it meets the foundation wall?

We want to remove it b/c we're finishing the basement and would like to frame as close to the foundation wall as possible (i.e. the pipe's gotta go & we won't need to use it again).

NOTE: we're having an internal french drain system put in in a few weeks, so they'll be digging up the edge of the basement slab (about 1' width all around the basement to put in the french drain & waterproof the foundation walls). Should we remove ourselves first somehow or wait and coordinate with waterproofers?


texts:
I'm thinking of running power to my garage, it's about 40 meters away (as the cable flies).

I've been researching and already know the best way to do this would be to run a cable from the house consumer unit to a consumer unit in the garage, and then run a ring of sockets and lighting on appropriate fuses.

My question is, if I ran steel armoured cable from a normal UK plug socket to the garage (no CU) and only run basic lighting and restrict my use of power tools (nothing too high load) would I get away with this simpler setup?

Basically treating this as a large extension cord.

For those interested, the reason I ask is because the solution would be semi-permanent, in that I would be able to remove it in the future. I can't bury the cable and as I don't own the house don't fancy messing with the consumer unit.


texts: How to move stacked washer/dryer from closet

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I'd like to replace the water hoses on my stacked washer/dryer set - the purchase records for the set show that they are 6 years old, and as far as I know the hoses have never been replaced.

They are in a narrow closet that's only about 8 - 10" wider than the washer/dryer itself. If I took the folding door off, I think I could squeeze beside the set to reach the back and replace the hoses, but I still need to slide it out from the wall to gain access to the recessed hose box. It's in a small narrow bathroom, so there's not a whole lot of working space in the room itself.

Since I didn't see the installation of the units, I have no idea how to slide them away from the wall, I don't know if they joined the set outside the closet and slid them in as a unit, or if they stacked them inside the closet.

I see how I could pry up the front of the set to place it on a furniture slider or a very low dolly, but I don't see how to get the back to slide. The back of the set is only about 2" from the wall, so I couldn't tip it back very far to slide anything beneath it.

The washer is a front loader, and the washer/dryer set weighs about 350 lbs.

Is there some sort of specialized dolly that can jack up the whole set to move it away from the wall? Is there some other trick to moving the set?

Even if I wanted to split the set and remove the dryer to lighten the load on the washer or to make it easier to reach the hose box, I'd still have to get behind the unit to disconnect the dryer gas line and power cord.

Any tips/techniques for this, or should I hire an appliance repair person (or team) to do it?


texts: I’m UK based & I’m building a workshop where I want to be able to switch the dust extraction on or off from multiple locations. My intention is to use 2 2-way switches and 2 intermediate switches, all rated at 10 amps with a standard UK 13 amp socket for the dust extractor to plug into. I will clearly label the socket “10 amp max”. I have a 10amp type C MCB for the consumer unit. The question is am I ok to use 1.5mm T&E or do I need to use 2.5mm?  1.5 will be ok for the current but am I ok to connect a power socket using the 1.5?


texts: Can I use 12awg ground from main panel to subpanel?

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I recently rebuilt a shed that had electricity run to it in the past. There are wires run from the main panel to the shed underground. The old shed used 12 gauge black, white and green wires. There are also 10 gauge black and green where there was an old RV outlet. I have 3 - 12 gauge wires (blk, white, and grn) to a 20 amp breaker in the house and 2-10 gauge wires (black and green) on a 30amp breaker in the house, run to the shed. I installed a subpanel in the shed and am trying to figure out what is the best way to wire it up. Id like to have the 10awg wires because I could use more amperage (30Amps).

Can I use the black and green 10g wires for the hot and neutral (Jump the 10g hot to the other hot bus)? Also can I use the 12g ground from the main panel to the subpanel ground bar? (which is separate from the neutrals) I have a grounding rod also that will be tied to the ground bus.

The wires are in liquid tight and are individual thhn stranded wires. The rv outlet was a three pin outlet. I'll look up that 250.122 rule.

Today I opened the junction box that is halfway between the run of these wires and opened the main box to check. I noted that there is a white 10g that runs from main to junction box, then ties to the green 10g that runs to the shed. Im not sure why the person that ran these didn't continue with white. Can I use this green for neutral, or do I need to run a white and pull out the green?


texts: I have this metal ceiling lamp but it have two earth wires, one for the holder on the ceiling and one for the cover of the bulb, and I don't know if I have to connect them to the house wires or just leave them... can you explain me what to do with them?


texts: Does a self-adhesive membrane roof need a fire-proof layer?

texts:
I've received quotes from two different roofers for the installation of an elastomer membrane on a low-slope roof.

The first roofer is installing a fire-proof netting, followed by a membrane that is nailed down, followed by a membrane that is welded on.

The second roofer is installing a self-adhesive membrane without a fire-proofing layer. He claims that because no nails are used the membrane acts as a fire-suppressant by itself.

Is the second roofer correct? Do self-adhesive membrane installations require a fire-proof layer?


texts: What could cause washing machine drum to bang against housing during spin cycle after a repair?

texts: I just replaced the agitator cam and cogs and drive block in my Whirlpool top loading washing machine.  I put everything back together exactly according to directions and now the outer drum seems to be banging against the metal housing.  If it was doing this before, it wasn't near this bad.  The old drive block was badly rusted and a lot of jerking had to be done to get the inner tub out.  The suspension and counter balance springs aren't broken and look alright, and the suspension pads look good as well.  Could I have stretched and ruined the springs by jerking to get the tub out?  What other things could I check?


texts: What is the allowable span of 2 stacked 6x6's?

texts:
We made a swing set out of 6x6 posts.  The horizontal is two 6x6s, bolted together one on top of the other spanning 12'.

Is this strong enough for 3 large kids to swing at same time?


texts: Yellow mesh material in slab foundation cracks

texts:
We recently purchased a home in central Florida, built in the late 80s, a stick-built home on a concrete slab. Today I noticed a small uplift and depression through the carpet.
Touching the carpet, there’s a faint scent of vinegar, and a moisture detector did pick up a point with moisture. Due to where it is, I’m not able to easily pull back the carpet to inspect it, but I was able to lift an edge and stuff an endoscope under it. What I found was what appears to be a crack or hole in the slab, with a yellow material with a mesh pattern in it. My understanding is that there are barriers underneath slabs, but this only appears to be a quarter of an inch under the surface. There’s also no broken material near it as far as I can tell, making me assume this isn’t a recent development.
What is this yellow material? Why does the area near it smell like vinegar? Should I be concerned?


texts: How to improve the insulation seal on French Doors to stop drafts?

texts:
I have a few french that go to the outside in my house.
They look like below, the right door swings out while the left door typically remains closed.

In the above photo, the area circled in red is shown in greater detail below - as seen when looking up. You can clearly see that the door does not make contact with the insulation at the top-left corner of the right door.

In dire-emergency during the wildfires, I covered all of the insulation seams with masking tape to prevent smoke from pouring in. This was effective but not a long term solution.
I've tried closing the left door to different degrees. Shoving it in as far as possible vs closing it only so it is as straight as possible in alignment to the door frame. Neither of these situations has helped.
I am looking for the most effective long-term solution to fixing the air gaps that still allow for opening and using the doors.


texts: How to remove grime from shower handle hole? Can't remove handle for repairs!

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Hello: I have a leaky tub spigot and I think the issue is the valve behind the handle. I just can't get an traction with any allen wrenches in the hole shown -- I think this is because of grime/mineral deposits/whatever that are caked over what I believe is a hex screw. I've tried digging through it with a random objects, have sprayed some chemical cleaner down it, and have had my friend and dad take a look too. We just can't get the handle off. Any ideas?

I've considered just paying a plumber, but everyone I call either wants to charge an outlandish amount upfront, won't come because it's in a condo so I can't guarantee a great spot to park their truck, or they just seem completely insane and scare me when they start asking personal questions and talking about Jesus. I'm a first time home owner, this can't be how life really is. Driving me insane! Any help is much appreciated.


texts: Does the air temperature outside at the time of spring inspection matter when the tech comes to inspect and clean the inside and outside units?

texts: I have semi annual inspections done on my A/C units both inside and outside. Will the temperature outside effect the tech's ability to properly clean and evaluate the operation of the units? The company always tries to set up the spring maintenance in February when it is still freezing outside.


texts: Block view, but allow sunlight from windows

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I live in a rental property where some of the rooms (living room, and bedroom) are situated right next to the street.

I would like to block the view from the street so people looking in can't easily see the insides of my apartment - it's ok if people looking into the room from the street you can see the outline/shadow of people who are inside. I have some pull-down blinds (similar to http://made2style.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/dsc_03271.jpg) which can block the view but these also prevent the sunlight from coming into the rooms. Ideally I could block the view but allow some sunlight to still pass through.

Any suggestions on how to go about doing this? As I am just renting I'm looking for a simple solution - perhaps some kind of screen which I can temporarily prop up against the window?


texts: Luxaire furnace ignitor shuts off before gas valve opens

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I have two Luxaire furnaces in the house, same model. They both worked fine until a couple of days ago, when one of them didn't blow warm air anymore. My first thought was the igniter, so I replace it together w/the flame sensor. But comparing the two systems, they act a little different in the timing between the igniter and the gas valve.
On the good one, the igniter turns on, after abt 5 seconds the gas valve opens (I hear a click) and the burner lights up, and after another 2-3 seconds, the igniter turns off.  As one would expect.
On the not so good one (the one in which I changed the igniter), the timing between the igniter and the gas valve seems to be a bit off. I see the igniter turning on, after abt 7-8 seconds, it turns off, and only after that the gas valve opens (I hear the click) and the burner ignites as the igniter still has some thermal inertia.
Is there a way to adjust the timing between the igniter and the gas valve from the control board? Or is it something else at play?
Thanks so much for any ideas, Serban.


texts: Roll-on epoxy over self leveling concrete

texts:
Just started cleaning up my basement and trying to make some livable space for cheap.

Right now we just have the concrete floor from the foundation, It is not level and it is very rocky ( Not smooth at all).

I plan to pour self leveler until the floor is smooth and level, then I will roll on the epoxy.

Will the epoxy provide sufficient protection for the self leveling concrete?


texts: Single Electrical Outlet in home not working

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I have been replacing all the electrical outlets and light switches in my home. In one bedroom, one of the outlets stopped working after replacing all of the outlets in the room. I even tried several brand new outlets just to make sure I didn't have defective ones. I have checked every single outlet in the house, and they all work. I have tried every switch in the house to see if for some strange reason that was the cause. This particular outlet should be downline from a GFCI plug that I installed, the GFCI is not tripped, and every outlet down the line works. I have an old fuse box, and none of the fuses are burnt out. Any suggestions are much appreciated. I am not an electrician, just a DIYer.

Thank you


texts: Why would a gas water heater discharge water in the winter?

texts:
Bradford White gas water heater discharges about an inch of water into a five gallon bucket over 3 to 4 days. It is less than a year old.
Is it working properly, or does it need repair already?


texts: Transfer switch vs DPDT relay for a standby generator?

texts:
I want to wire an 8 kw standby generator to power my home furnace (120 v, 20 amp) automatically in case of a power outage.

The generator can be purchased with and without a transfer switch.

Is there important circuitry in the transfer switch (e.g., that starts the generator every week so)?  Or, can I just wire the furnace to a double pole double throw relay, for $20 or so?

(I plan to run a few extension cords to power lights, refrig, etc. but I will hook those up manually.)


texts: How do I install an occupancy sensor at a switch with only two wires?

texts:
How do I install a Lutron occupancy sensing switch on a switch box with two wires?

Also, what do I do with the green ground wire?


texts: What does code 15 on a pennco gas boiler series 15b mean?

texts: I have new pennco gas boiler,series 15b. It reading the code sta 15. I don't understand the explanation for code 15 in book. I think it may have to do with thermostat?


texts: Security for Outswinging Door (Patio) Not Sliding door

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I live on the 1st floor (Ground floor) in an apartment complex. The door opens outside into the patio not inside to the apartment. How do I secure the door while we are inside the apartment?
Any security bars or DOOR Jammers etc?

For front door we use this now: Brinks 675-83001 Home Security Commercial Door Jammer (on Amazon.com) (This is works perfect for door opens inside/inswing).


texts:
I would like to "customize" my Ikea Billy.

Therefore I would like to drill holes for the wooden dowels as well as the steel "dowel screws"

Is there a specific drill I could buy somewhere ? If not, how to determine which drill size I should use ?


texts: Will a window insulation kit help with heat loss in the winter?

texts:
I have shutters over my windows, but I can never have them open in the winter because, when I do, my room gets very cold. I do not believe that my windows are drafty as I cannot see light around the window's periphery, and I was wondering if a window insulation kit may allow me to have my shutters open in the winter without getting cold. Will it?

Here is the kit that I am considering: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000AXXCUC/ref=twister_B00G7KO1XO?th=1


texts: Waterproof seal between two submersed pipes

texts: I have an odd problem.  Essentially I am working on fabricating a connection between two fiberglass pipes that are intended to be submerged underwater (depth 30ft).  No water should make it inside of the pipe so I need the connection to be waterproof.  I am imagining something with an O-ring and a screw like mechanism (similar to a toy submarine) but I can't figure out how to create this or hack something together.  The pipes have an outside diameter of 4.74 inches and there are no threads, just a straight cross section.  I can't seem to find any sort of coupling with this weird diameter, and I'm not sure how I'd attach one if I did. Any advice?


texts: I want to install porcelain tile in my glass enclosed porch. Presently there is a 6” x 5/4” pressure treated lumber for the floor. The floor is only 2 years old and in very good condition. Can I use 1/4” cement board as underlayment?


texts: Foundation depth for mortared stone wall

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I am building a mortared stone retaining wall and I am wondering on what depth to dig down for the foundation with which the stones will sit on.  From what I gather from resarching, they say to dig down to the frost line to prevent frost heaving.  The problem I am having is that the retaining wall will only be about 2 feet high, and here in central PA, the frost line is 4 feet!  It seems silly to dig down twice the height of the actual wall, but maybe that's what people do? It is also just me with a shovel so I would like to not kill myself digging until the cows come home.

Would it work to only dig 2 feet down?  I also plan on using lots of gravel and install drainage behind the wall in the gravel. The wall will be cinder block with a layer of concrete and gravel on the bottom.

And opinions are appreciated!


texts: Is TXV required when an appropriate piston/orifice is used?

texts:
I had a Goodman GSX140181 1.5 Ton 14 SEER Air Conditioner R-410A installed with a Goodman CHPF3636B6 3 Ton Horizontal A Evaporator Coil installed by a contractor.  It came as a kit, along with a Goodman TX2N4A Kit 1.5-2 Ton R-410A Thermal Expansion Valve.  Note that it's a 3T evaporator and a 1.5T condenser.  That's the way the kit came, and it was priced well, so although the tonnage is different, it was sold as a kit, to be installed together, and was supposedly the way the manufacturer intended for 1.5T worth of cooling to be delivered.
The contractor installed the system and it's cooling nicely, but later I found out that he did not install the TXV (it's still in the box, in the attic).  When I asked, he said it was not necessary because he used the piston/orafice that was shipped with the condenser unit.  I saw that piston, which was in a bag, stapled to the condenser unit.
Although the system is cooling fine, and I'm getting about a 12 to 14 degree F temperature drop, I'm wondering about efficiency, long-term reliability, warranty, etc.
What's the difference between a TXV install versus an installation with the appropriately sized piston?  Will it effect efficiency, reliability, warranty, or anything else?  Is it worth the trouble to evacuate, install the TXV, and recharge?


texts: Should window well for basement window be attached to the house?

texts:
When answering this question, code references are great (IIRC) if there are any applicable, but I am asking specific to northern midwestern climates in the United States (up near Canada) and best engineering principles since the code likely doesn't get so specific.

Background:
Clay surrounds my foundation. We have heavy spring rains that saturate the ground and well-below freezing winter temperatures. I recently had a basement egress window installed where there was previously just a small glass block window. I was expecting the installers to fasten the window well to the house and use caulking around the edges to prevent water from seeping into the well, but there is a noticeable gap between the well and the house/foundation all the way down to the bottom when viewed from the inside. The installers did not add any drains from the bottom of the well to the storm sewers because they saw that I just had a sump pump system installed on the interior of my home. My concern is that if the water table rises high enough with spring rains that water may start to pool in the well and come in through the seams around the window.

The installers said that they intentionally did not fasten the well to the wall because of the differences in expansion and contraction of the metal well with respect to the cinder block foundation--over time, it would cause the fasteners to pop out of the cinderblock. In which case, the well would potentially damage the cinderblock and still be detached from the house (leaving room for the same problems as not attaching it in the first place).


texts: Trying to mitre a finished panel but results are not great

texts:
I have a kitchen cabinet that I need to [install a finished corner piece on][1]. I am planning on using the Ikea finished cover panels.

(for this I used a piece of scrap cover panel)

I used a table saw with a finishing blade, put tape around the panels to avoid scratches and also used 2 corner clamps to hold the pieces in. However, the finished result is less than ideal.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.


texts: How do I know if I will drill into a hole in a wall that was already made?

texts: I drilled 2 large holes for mounting a flat screen in the bedroom.  One hole is in a wood stud and the other is a metal stud.  I will be renting out our apartment and will be taking the TV down and filling the holes and repainting walls.  If I ever plan to move back into this apartment and mount a TV again in the same spot, how do I avoid not drilling in the same exact spot?  Basically, I don't want to hit a portion of the same hole and create an even larger hole, making it very unsafe to mount a TV.  Is there a way to mark the spot so that I know to avoid it in the future?


texts:
Currently, the exterior walls have batt insulation. It has the paper face on one side. A few months ago, I removed a window due to watered down drywall caused by the window. At the time, I didn't check to see if the insulation was the kind with a vapor barrier. (there is no plastic, that I know for sure) However, I dont know if the insulation installed was the kind with a vapor barrier.

Now, we have decided to do cellulose at some point. We are currently doing a remodel of 2 rooms so I need to decide if I should remove the drywall and the insulation and then get cellulose blown in. Or if I should leave the drywall and insulation as is and when we get new siding at some point, have cellulose blown in with the batt insulation.

Are there any advantages/disadvantages of leaving the batt insulation alone? Do I need to worry about there possibly not being a vapor barrier?


texts: Where are the fuses in my Kenmore dryer, and how do I access them?

texts:
I have a Kenmore HE3 electric clothe dryer. The problem is that it has no heat even its drum is turning. (I set the temperature at high).

The owner manual says it may have a fuse blown.

Is the fuse inside the front panel with all the electronic components or at the back? I don't even know how to take out the front panel.


texts:
I'm installing a solar panel system with microinverters on each panel.  An AC disconnect must be installed outside.

I've learned that AC disconnects can be fused or unfused. - the unfused variety basically being a large power switch.  I will have a breaker in my panel for the AC circuit feed, so I'm wondering if there is any reason to have a fused AC disconnect. Seems to me that the breaker should meet the requirement to protect the circuit from overcurrent.

Does an AC disconnect for a solar power system have to include a fuse/breaker, or can I rely on the panel breaker to meet that requirement?


texts: How to remove plastic anchor from brick?

texts: I was putting these plastic anchors into brick to mount a TV, but didn't drill the first hole deep enough! I've tried screwing in the screw a little and pulling it out that way, but it won't budge. What's the best way to remove this? At this point I don't think it's salvageable so it doesn't matter if it's destroyed.


texts: Sump is sealed for radon remediation and doesn't drain water. What can I do for water drainage?

texts:
Yesterday our 80 gallon water heater (less than 5 years old) ruptured - flooding our basement. Situated right next to the water heater is our sump - but it didn't do 1 ounce of its job, because it is sealed for radon remediation.

Any suggestions on how I can achieve both water drainage into a sump plus radon remediation?


texts:
I moved into a house in northern Virginia and came across this device on the shower head in the master bath. It's about 4 inches across, maybe 3 inches deep. It has a dial that can turn and displays the name of a month in a little window.

There aren't similar devices in the other bathrooms. It does not seem to be part of the shower head itself because of the different finishes.


texts: What is causing toilet supply water leaks above the coupling nut?

texts:
In my toilet, when the shut off water valve is open:

Water leaks above the coupling nut:

If I close the supply water valve and the tank is full, there is no leakage.  What could be causing the water leakage?  The water supply line is less than a year old.  I also taped the connection where the coupling nut screw over and it is still leaking.

Is it possible that the water supply line is broken at the nut?  Should I get a new one?  The supply line I have has a plastic nut and is flexible.

Solution:

There was actually a hairline crack in the plastic tube that comes out of the tank to the outside.  The plastic pipe was replaced with a brass one to fix the issue.


texts: Is it normal for a doorbell transformer to be warm and make noise?

texts:
To make a long story short I am in the process of hooking up my ring door bell and I need to follow these instructions: (I want to wire directly to transformer)

To my understanding I need to wire my doorbell wiring directly to a 8-24V transformer which has a resistor following their specs.

For my resistor I used this product
For my transformer I used this product

I went ahead and tapped into a junction box which has some 14-2
Wiring - I hooked the transformer into those. I then souldered the resistor onto my doorbell wiring and hooked up my doorbell wiring to the transformer (distributing 16v to my ring doorbell)

I have three questions:

the transformer is pretty warm to the touch....Not crazy hot but deff warm. Is this normal for a transformer? Or do I have to much power being distributed to it?
the transformer makes a decent amount of noise. The transformer had the built in clip with the screw (it just goes right into a pop out in the box) but it’s not very secure? I am assuming the noise is from the vibration of it not being very secure to the box. (Also if I hold it down by hand there is still some light noise)
I guess my overall concern is I understand the very (and I mean very) basics of a transformer and resistor. But are the above items normal? Should a transformer be silent and cool? Based on my set up is there any red flags?


texts: Can water based polyurethane be used to prevent knots in pine wood from bleeding through white paint?

texts:
I am renovating an old house and, long story short, we have some very knotty solid pine wood planks. They're the economy - or "cottage grade" as menards calls it - tongue-and-groove, beadboard 0.5x4 planks from Menards and they were only a few cents per square foot more expensive than the sheets of imitation stuff (I have a rule, no particle wood or osb in the house!). They will be used to cover the bedroom ceiling.

However, "cottage grade" means that the wood has many large knots, ragged edges and even bark on a few pieces. And I've read how these knots can be a big problem for white paint.

My plan is this:

install them
finish them with water-based polyurethane (water based so the color of the pine does not change/darken, we prefere the 'unfinished' look plus the protection of a urethane)
decide if we like the look or not
paint them white, or another color (light gray?), if we choose.

My hope is that, if we don't like the unfinished look (the water based polyurethane is virtually invisible but will provide the benefits of a urethane such as easier to clean and a little glossy) then it will also act as a sealer coat so we can paint them.

Will the water-based polyurethane be capable of blocking the resins in the knotty pine from bleeding into the paint? If not, can I put something over the polyurethane, and will that be enough? And if so, then what?

Thanks!


texts: Proper Orientation for Plywood Subfloor under 3/4" Hardwood

texts:
I recently purchased a house in New Jersey and the 2nd floor was filled with old carpet that we wanted to replace with hardwood flooring.  I ripped up the carpet only to find particle board under all of it.  I proceeded to remove all the particle board to find the 5/8" (19/32" really) CDX Subfloor over 16" OC Joists.  We are looking at a rather expensive hardwood so I want the installation to be ideal so I'm going to add a 2nd layer of plywood underlayment over the existing subfloor.  Here are my questions:

What thickness underlayment should I use.  The top step of the stairs is currently 1" lower than the rest so 1/4" plywood is not a problem but should I put 1/4" or go to 1/2" to make sure that the floor is stable with over 1" of subflooring under the hardwood.
What type of plywood should I use CDX? BC Sanded? etc.
The house is 'L' shaped due to a renovation done in the 90's.  The front of the house (short leg of the 'L') has the joists running E-W and the back of the house (long leg of the 'L') has the joists running N-S with the subfloor running perpendicular to the joists in each leg.  At the line of the renovation the subfloor is cut and turns 90 degrees.  Because of the look we are going for we would like to run the hardwood flooring perpendicular to joists on the long leg of the house which would then run parallel to the joists in the short leg.  Should I run the underlayment all in the same direction or match the subfloor and cut it at the renovation line? Is there going to be any issue at the transition point or something I can do to stiffen that line up (it's only an opening at the top of the stairs for the hallway approximately 4' long, everything else is under a wall)?
How should I attach the plywood underlayment to subfloor.  I was told by one of the hardwood installers to glue and screw (or ring shank nail would be allowable) to the joists.  Or I've read that I should not attach the underlayment to the joists and avoid them and attach underlayment to the subfloor using staples spaced tightly (Every 6") around the perimeter of each underlayment sheet and scattered around field?

Any help is appreciated as I want to get this right the first time.  Please let me know if you need any other information.


texts: How can we allow wind to pass through but prevents outsiders from seeing into

texts:
I lived in an apartment. The wind feels good. However, we only feel the wind when we open the door.

We want to allow the wind to pass through but we do not want to allow others to see inside our apartment.

How do we solve this problem?


texts:
Hi everyone I'm new here. About a month ago I noticed when I plugged  in my toaster to  the electric outlet, the outlet on the other side of the counter made a crackling noise for a few seconds. Both outlets worked fine. It only would make noise every now and again. Anyway, yesterday when I plugged in my toaster oven the outlet on the other side of the counter made a louder crackling noise. Today my toaster oven stopped working so I plugged in a lamp and that didn't work either. Now the outlet doesn't work at all but the one that made the noise is working fine. It doesn't make noise when I plug things in it, it only made noise when I plug into the outlet on the other side of the counter that is not working now. What would cause this and is it safe to use the outlet that still works? It only made noise when i pulled something into the other outlet that is not working now.
Thank you.


texts: My 2-way light switch doesn't work.  I need to replace it but all I have on hand is a 3-way.  How do I wire it to function as a 2-way?


texts: Getting a countertop dishwasher to work in a convenient manner

texts:
I purchased a Koldfront countertop dishwasher for an old home I've just bought.

I'm up to my knees in expenses and projects, so I don't want to get into anything major, like having a plumber trying to run a new hose to it (or trying to do that myself yet).

However, I want to get it working -- currently the faucet connection doesn't seem to fit the only faucet in the kitchen sink -- and I want to make it such that I don't have to unscrew my Brita water filter and screw on the dishwasher adapter every time I use it.

To get it working I think I need to order a "faucet adapter" from Sears for about $20 (?).

My real question is on the 2nd part -- what would I have to do to make it where I can permanently (or semi-permanently) attach both the Brita water filter and the dishwasher to the same kitchen sink faucet?

Is there some sort of diverter I could use to do this?


texts: How can I restore the waterproofing behind a shower/bath mixer/diverter?

texts:
After install a new shower/bath mixer, I am proceeding to restore waterproofing behind the mixer follow by the tiles.

Originally between the water pipes and the tiles there is a layer of gyprock (drywall, plasterboard) where the waterproofing to be applied on. Now that I bust into the wall, it is lack of solid surface and I wonder what is the best approach to go from here?

One of the easier option came up my mind is to knock out the remainder of the 2 broken tiles without removing the gyprock behind. Apply a soft net over where I can brush waterproof primer and coatings over. After that, apply tiles as normal hoping there are enough ground on its corners for the 2 tiles to sit dry.


texts: Installing an exhaust fan in place of a light fixture

texts:
I am installing a new exhaust fan with 2 lights. The box where the switch goes, has a 2 wire and ground coming in to it. The black is hot. When the light would be turned on both the black and white became hot so the white was my return. I am installing a 3 toggle switch in its place. Can I just use the wires there or do I need to run new wires from a power source. I am confused. I am thinking I need to run anew line, but don’t get it. Why can’t I use the wires in the box? The diagram for the switch shows a black hot coming in and then 3 blacks going out to the fixture. Then it shows white coming back as a return. Where do I hook that up? The existing white? Or no. I’m confused about that part. Yes there is a ground.

here is the picture of the old light fixture and box.

once the power comes into the switch box I plan to run into three toggle switch. I am running new wires from the box to the exhaust fan and lights


texts: Question About Wiring - Hooking up New Thermostat

texts:
Replacing this:

 src

With this Honeywell Mable thermostat.

Regarding the wiring, it doesn't exactly match up, can someone help clarify how to wire the the thermostat?

The old wires are hooked up like this:

 src

The new terminal looks like this:

 src

The G, Y, and W wires are pretty self explanatory, however I'm not sure about the red wire that goes into RH and the black wire that goes from RH to RC.

Based on the new instructions, if there is only one R wire, it goes to the new R terminal, so I would assume the red wire goes to R on the new terminal but techincally there's two R wires since the black wire is there as well.  Should I run both the red wire and the black into the new R terminal and the other end of the black wire into the new Rc terminal?


texts:
I opened up the rear of my Kenmore 80 Series gas dryer and discovered the following aspects of deterioration:

Corrosion near the bottom of the heater box. See photos 1 and 2.
Crumbling of the foam around the edges of the two large holes in the lint assembly. See photos 3 - 6.

With respect to each of these:

How concerned should I be?
Should I do anything to correct the symptom?
Should I do anything to prevent this from happening?

1: Heater box corrosion

2: Heater box corrosion, detail

3: Lint assembly top hole

4: Lint assembly bottom hole

5: Vent where the lint assembly top hole goes

6: Fan where the lint assembly bottom hole goes


texts: Is it possible to convert a switched light into an unswitched outlet?

texts:
I am installing an overhead automatic garage door opener. My only power source close to where I will be hanging the motor is an overhead light socket that is operated by a switch on the wall next to the house entry door.

I wanted to know if it is possible to rewire the light socket with a standard electrical plug outlet AND to remove the switch & wire it to provide constant power to the new outlet. The overhead light is on my 15A garage GFI circuit & the opener lists 120V/6A as its power requirements.

I live in the US.


texts: Water/ moisture coming through patched concrete hole in basement floor

texts:
We had our walls braced last summer and the basement guys had to drill holes in the floor to push the walls back in to place. They patched up the holes with concrete and I've noticed a few times (almost immediately after) those patched holes were a bit moist and today discovered one of the holes has pooled a small bit of water around it. Quick google search indicates that since concrete is porous this can happen especially if you live in a humid area (we live in WI and it's been a super humid summer - today is exceptionally humid and muggy)

The rest of the floor was previously sealed so I'm guessing this is why it's only happening in the areas they drilled and patched? What's the best course of action here? Our dehumidifier hasn't been working it seems like (runs but not doing anything) so was already planning to buy a new one this weekend. Other that that I'm thinking we should just re-seal those areas with waterproof concrete floor sealer? Should that solve the issue or it there something more we need to do?

Our basement is pretty cool on average even in the hot/humid summer and with our dehumidifier not working it's just been getting increasingly more damp feeling down there. (I didn't notice how bad until I was re-organizing the basement the last few days).

I already called and left a message for our contractors who worked on the basement last year asking why this would happen, what we need to do and if this covered under the warranty. We just had new drain tile put in along 1 wall and 2 walls excavated & brace less than a year ago so I know it's not coming from the walls.

Any advice would be much appreciated!


texts: My old thermostat had 4 wires. I replaced with a Nest thermostat. At times the AC condenser is running but the furnace blower is not running. Found other with this and they said need to add common wire. I do have an extra wire just not sure where to connect it. there is a C terminal on the furnace, just not sure if its to be used for the thermostat or not, it has 1 wire connected already. attached is a picture.  Furnace is a Kelvinator g6rc-080c:


texts: How to wire ceiling fan motor to supply but light kit to switch?

texts:
Situation: Two wire supply source is at overhead box. Two wire runs to single pole wall switch. New ceiling fan with light kit.

I would like the light kit to be controlled like a conventional overhead light, while the fan motor is controlled by the on-board pull switch.

Is it possible to wire the ceiling fan motor to the supply side, while wiring the ceiling fan light to the switch loop? I think I need three wire on the switch side to do this, but not sure. This is an older house, so no common ground to parasitize, either.


texts: Rewire Metal Halide Security Light to Use Standard Bulb

texts:
I have a Utilitech AHR100-00 http://www.lowes.com/pd_319896-33229-AHR100-00_0__?productId=3435358&Ntt=utilitech+security+light&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Dutilitech%2Bsecurity%2Blight&facetInfo=

This the second one I have had and both failed in the same manner - they start turning themselves off and on all night.  I have read this is a ballast problem.

I would like to rewire it to use a standard bulb.  I have the following in mind:  Disconnect the capacitor from the black wire between the supply and photocell, disconnect the white wires to the capacitor, ballast and ignitor, and connect the red wire exiting the photo cell to the black wire entering the lamp socket.

Will this work or am I missing something?

Manual with wiring diagram:  http://pdf.lowes.com/useandcareguides/845473031966_use.pdf

Thanks


texts: What to look at first when when circuit breaker that fridge is on is tripping?

texts:
I have a house where the circuit breaker has tripped a few time over the last several days.

It flipped one evening, we flipped it back and was ok for a couple days.  We went away for the weekend and sometime over that time it flipped again.  Since we have been back it flipped again.

Other facts:

Fridge is old (10 years)
It is has been hot here (approx 100 deg during the day)

My first thought was it was the breaker\house electrical but then doing a couple quick searches a lot of posts mention the fridge itself.

What should be looked at first, the breaker\house electrical or the refrigerator itself?

If fridge what should be looked at?


texts: Goldline/Aquarite Chlorinator electrical problem--what went wrong?

texts:
I'm installing a Aquarite chlorinator, and something went terribly wrong!

As instructed by the manual for 110V installations, I removed the jumpers from terminals 2/3 and moved them to terminals 1/2 and 3/4. This is connected to the Load side of my 110V timer. The load side is also connected to the pool pump. I also ensured that the bonding wire on the bottom of the cabinet was connected to the bonding terminal on the back of the pump.

But when I flipper the timer manual switch to ON, I immediately got a loud BANG from the Aquarite cabinet, and it flipped the 60A breaker dedicated to the pump/timer/chlorinator as well as the 60A breaker behind it in the main panel.

The timer and pump appear unscathed by the ordeal, but the main circuit board of the Aquarite shows significant damage to at least the two red MOVs on either side of the terminal block (you can see the pieces and smoke in the photo below).

So, what did I do wrong? As far as I know, the circuit is 110V, not 220, and the instructions explicitly told me to connect the controller to the load side of the timer so it would not be running while the pump is off.

In the photo below, I wired red to hot (timer load), and black to neutral (unswitched). The corresponding wires in the breaker box are black and white, respectively.

UPDATE: Idiot electrician did not label the breaker as 220V. Idiot me assumed it was 110V. So that was the problem. Just confirmed with voltmeter.

Shot of electrical connections http://home.tallent.us/postedphotos/web-2011-03-26-152002.jpg.


texts: Garage door opener will not close unless the wall button is held

texts: I do not know if this could cause the problem or not but it is hooked up to an extension cord (not sure what size). There are two garage doors plugged in with extension cords. One is working but it is closer to the outlet. Could this be the cause of the problem? Either way I am going to install outlets so she can plug them in correctly.


texts: Tonight I noticed this section of my wall in the basement. It looked like something had been eating through the drywall. The area is so tight and I know 100% that it wasn't damaged by me. So what problem could I have? I live in Ontario, Canada. I'm calling in pest control to have a look but that might not happen for 2-3 days. Here are pictures of the damage


texts: Potential Cause for these Bay Window Cracks in Victorian House in London

texts:
Two diagonal \ and / cracks at lower part of bay window.
Can not tell if they are visible from inside as there is wall paper.
None of the neighbours seems to have any cracks.
Crack width seems at most 1 mm as was unable to squeeze-in a 1p coin.
There appear to be no other cracks inside or at the back of the house.
There are also mirror fault lines in the window sill, but I suspect they are just countours of the three-part stonework; or are they?
The front "garden" has a weird open D ~ 30 mm metal pipe/tube sticking out upwards -- looks like a super-short bin.
East London location.


texts:
Long time reader, first time poster... so I thought I had my bathroom wiring layout pretty well nailed but the guy in the electrical department at the local big box store made me rethink my entire plan.

My original plan:
20A feed to bathroom from breaker box. That goes to the same wall box as GFCI outlet. The feed line from breaker is pigtailed to both the GFCI outlet above the sink (plus one normal outlet fed off this GFCIs LOAD) and the other feed goes to vanity light/fan/ceiling light 3-gang switch box. Inside 3 gang I would have a dead-front GFCI, a combo vanity light/fan switch, and a dimmer switch for the lights. The ceiling light/fan need GFCI because the manufacturer says so above the shower (broan 744).

Now the issue: The guy at (big box store) said you cannot have two GFCI on the same circuit at all because it will make neither of them trip and to just run the light/fan/vanity light all off the one GFCI. I feel like this is a big no-no because if anyone trips the GFCI while they are in the shower (like a curling iron left on sliding into the sink) the lights will be off and they will have to get out of a slippery wet shower in the dark or even if they were just using a curling iron while in front of the sink they wouldn't be able to see to set it down. I think my original plan would eliminate this because if the GFCI on the outlet plug blows then the lights (on a different GFCI) would not blow. He also said I cannot use canned IC recessed lighting in a bathroom at all without a glass shower trim ring. I was under the impression that you could use normal baffled recessed lighting in a bathroom as long as it was not above the shower.

Is my proposed setup unsafe? I don't care if I am wasting money on an extra dead-front GFCI if it means the lights stay on when my girlfriends ancient favorite blow dryer starts. Also, I know I could just run another 15A lighting circuit to the breaker box but I am all out neutral lugs (generator transfer switch install, it's a mess I didn't do it). Thanks for your time :)


texts: I bought a 1927 house last year and, afterwards learned I'm especially sensitive to mold and this house has plenty of it. I've eliminated mold everywhere I've found it except in the inaccessible crawlspace under a kitchen and bedroom addition (1960s? 70s?). I've fixed leaks and replaced drywall, ductwork, etc but I can still smell mold coming up from the crawlspace, which has no access panel but several vents. The height ranges from about 10 inches under the kitchen (worst mold area) to 2 feet at one bedroom corner. I don't know how to get rid of the mold under the addition: seal it and find a way to keep it dehumidified? pay someone to spray foam underneath? install ultraviolet lamps somehow to kill the mold? Help!


texts: How to reduce the sheen of a wall paint?

texts:
I got the same color of existing wall color. But the problem is that even though the existing paint is at the least glossiness, it is still a lot more glossy than the old walls. Is there any paint or method I can use to reduce the glossiness of wall paint so I can match the old walls with the paint I got?

Edit:
To further the conversation. Is there any coating paint that will reduce the sheen gradually by the number of layers being applied. For example, when I apply first layer, it will dull the sheen for certain percentages, and then the second layer will dull the sheen for certain amount, until I can very closely match the surrounding color and sheen?


texts: Should my toilet flange sit on top of the backer board or the tile of the floor?

texts:
The bathroom model saga continues.  The old toilet flange was rusting, and the subfloor was rotting, so I pulled up the subfloor around the toilet, and replaced the drain pipe with ABS, and an elbow.  The plan is to tile this bathroom.

So my question is- should the toilet flange sit on top of the backer board so that the top of the flange is close to flush with the top of the tile?  Or should the flange sit on top of the tile (thus raising the top of the flange 3/8" or so over the top of the tile)?  I've seen it recommended both ways, but have had some trouble finding the pros/cons of each.


texts:
I'm planning to rewire the networking in my home with Cat5e or Cat6 throughout. The wiring will go to a central patch panel, where my router and main switch will be located.
One issue, though, is that I'm a bit of a collector and I have a few legacy analog telephones (rotary dial) which I intend to keep...and I may add more. They work just fine with my VoIP box. Rather than run two separate sets of wiring, one of which (analog telephone) may not be of much value to a future purchaser, what I'd like to do is to run Cat 5e/6 to RJ-45 jacks throughout...and then use an adapter to connect the RJ-11 telephone plugs to the RJ-45 jacks. The jacks will all be identified and I will use the patch panel to segregate the analog telephone lines from the data lines.
Can anyone recommend a suitable adapter to use? I've tried an online search, but I haven't found anything which stands out yet. I suppose I can roll my own, but a suitable prefab solution would be preferable. Thanks for any suggestions.


texts:
I'm not a DIY home repair guy but I'm handy with tools.  I have a semi-circular window about six feet in diameter.  It's right above my home office desk.  In the afternoon, the sun often shines through the window and makes a terrific glare on the desk and makes the computer monitors hard to see (due to the high contrast).

My question: Is there a standard way to block sunlight from a non-rectangular window?   The desk looks out the window and I'd like to keep it that way. The problem is for a few hours in the afternoon.  Ideally the shade would be somewhat translucent to block the sun.

This must be a commonly-seen problem.  Any suggestions on where to buy a solution which I can install myself?


texts: Can I use 1" XPS and fiberglass batts instead of 2" XPS insulation in my basement?

texts:
I have read multiple sources on the internet suggesting use of 2" XPS foam boards to insulate basement foundation and then building a 2x4 wall in front of it.

2" foam board is very expensive when compared to 1" foam board and I am wondering if I will get the same/better results by following EPA air plus recommendation (link below) of using 1" XPS on the foundation and then filling the 2x4 cavities with fiberglass insulation.

http://www.epa.gov/indoorairplus/technical/moisture/1_12.html

As I missing something or do you think I have the right plan ?  I'm in South East Michigan and I have a walkout basement(last year temps dropped below zero for 2 weeks- usually worst night time lows are close to 15 deg F) . The basement gradually goes from 90% below grade to 100% above.


texts: Is it safe to turn off dehumidifier by switching power off

texts:
I am thinking of plugging my compressor dehumidifier to a smart switch so I can control it when it should turn on/off by controlling the power outlet.

The dehumidifier has an "Auto Restart" feature so that if power cuts off, it will go back to its last operation it was on before the power cut off.

In the manual it does state the following:

  Turning off: Never unplug the power cord without press the "Power" key
  to off first, as this could damage the unit. Never unplug the
  dehumidifier before the fan has stopped blowing. Always unplug the
  unit when not in use or moving location. To disconnect from the power
  supply, grip the plug and pull from the power socket. Never pull by
  the cord.

Not sure whether or not that was added just as a precaution or whether there is an actual cool down cycle of the compressor that it has to do in order not to damage the unit.

Anyone have any idea?


texts: Replace a bathroom drop in sink with cut out of 15" x 24"

texts:
Need to replace a bathroom drop in sink with cutout of 15" x 24". Have not found a sink that will fit those dimensions.  Any suggestions.
Thank you


texts: How do I configure my duct dampers for summer and winter?

texts: My levers on my duct work for my furnace are not marked with a "WINTER", "SUMMER" How do I know which way it opened and closed?


texts:
We moved in to a house a few months ago and for the life of me I cannot find the air filter for the furnace anywhere.  The furnace is a Payne brand. It's kind of old. In our hallway ceiling, we have the intake vent.  I unscrewed the vent itself and the filter is not there.  I removed the front panels of the unit and there is nothing that I can see.  I see two vents going up to the ceiling - one is the exhaust and the other, by the insulation, I'm assuming it's the hot air leaving the furnace.  Anyone know where the air filter might be?

Not to mix two questions...but what's the white powder in the second image?  We just moved in to this house so kind of nervous...Should call repair person or the DEA?

Thanks in advance fellows.


texts: How should I go about insulating a 1920's stucco house in LA?

texts: I own a two story, 3200 Sq ft house in Los Angeles.  The exterior is stucco and the walls are lathe and plaster.  A year ago we had some water damage after a rain storm.  When the contractor demo'd the lathe and plaster for repair of the wall, I was shocked to discover there was no insulation between the inner and the outer walls.  I want to lower my heating/AC bills, and make the house more livable.  What is the best route to go (Cost v. Benefit) to insulate my walls?  What are my considerations?  (Based on what I saw during the demo I do not believe there is any kind of "wrap" on the exterior of the house).


texts: What are the pros and cons of a whole house humidifier?

texts:
In the winter, my house (~2500 sqft) becomes unbearably dry.  Last winter, my wife and I used a tiny humidifier for the master bedroom to keep us from completely drying out, but since then I have been exploring a whole-house solution, complete with humidistat.  It seems well within my ability to install it.

The trouble is, everywhere I've read that a whole house humidifier should not be needed.  Normal humidity, they say, should be maintained simply by normal activity (showering, cooking, etc.).  If the house is dry, it's far more likely to be that I have leaks (say, around my recessed lighting), and then adding a humidifier would risk mold issues.

So this is my dilemma: in order to find air leaks, everything I've read is that I'd need to have an HVAC guy come out with a blower door, which is very not DIY.  So, expensive.  Or, I could go boldly forth and just install the humidifier, in spite of the fact that I might not need it.

So, what should I do? Any guidance would be most helpful here.


texts: Electrical wiring 14-2 wire connect 12-2 wire

texts: My outlets are 14-2 NM wire, wired into the attic, is it ok to connect a  12-2 NM wire to the 14-2 wires and connect them to the panel box w a 15amp breaker???


texts: Do I really need a special bulb in the oven?

texts:
My oven light burnt out recently. After dismantling it I found a 40W 130V "appliance" bulb with a standard Edison connector. The bulb is slightly smaller than a normal incandescent bulb. Looking for replacements at the local stores, all the similarly sized and shaped bulbs list fans and fridge/freezer as acceptable uses. The few ones I can find that actually list ovens as a use case are the wrong shape, size or base.

So do I really need an "oven bulb", or will the fridge/freezer appliance bulb work?


texts: Drilling/screwing into exterior metal door?

texts:
I am wondering about drilling/screwing into an exterior metal door.  I want to install a dart board & back board onto the back of my exterior door that leads into the garage.  My worries are as follows:
- Will this damage the integrity of the door (i.e. since this is probably a fire door, will this be a bad idea?)
- Will this cause the door to lose insulating value for the basement?
- What's inside these doors, will it be able to hold a dartboard mounted on plywood?

Thanks!
Sean


texts:
I'm trying to fix our wooden gate, which isn't closing well as it is sagging. I'd like to fix it by pushing the anchor inwards, but I don't know which tools to help me do that. I tried hammering it, but it is too hard and it doesn't move at all.

The upper anchor (first image) does not have an actual bolt to help me adjust it, whereas the lower one (second image) has it.

Two questions:

What tools would you recommend to do the job of pushing the upper anchor inwards?
Is it worth considering replacing the upper anchor with an anchor like the lower one (with a bolt) to help any future adjustments?


texts: Wiring problem on 4 gang metal light switch

texts:
I'm concerned with the current wiring of a bedroom light switch box (4 gang, metal box with 4 on/off toggle switches).

Based on the Wiring Diagram included in the post:

I believe the ground wires need to be corrected. Please confirm if
there is a problem with the ground wires. How should I correct if
needed?
There is a giant wiring nut with 7 wires (6 black, 1 red)
loaded into it... is this safe/up to code? What corrective action,
if any, should be taken?
I want to remove the two left (shaded blue)
switches. How should I do this and maintain electrical connection?


texts: Light fixture measuring 120V for both hot and neutral

texts: Hello I’m replacing a lighting fixture and I’m finding that both white wires are reading 120V. To be clear - it doesn’t matter where I place the red and black leads of my multimeter - I get 120V either way. The wires are both neutral wires. There are two hot wires that are directly connected together. This is not something I’ve come across before and was hoping someone might have an idea of what’s going on here? Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.


texts:
Black, white, green and bare from box

Fixture has black, white green.

Which wire connects to green from fixture?  Green or bare or both?  If only 1, where does other one go?


texts: How do I display the US flag at half staff with a standard house flag pole holder?

texts:
I recently purchased one of these (in the picture below) and a few flags to be on display.

However, how should I display the American flag at half staff?  Should I manually adjust it on the pole I have (it doesn't have pulleys to adjust it)  or should I just the lower pole location on the mount?

(Also sorry if this is in the wrong S.E. as I wasn't sure where this should belong)


texts: Is it safe to use this dimmer on LED bulbs?

texts:
I have a question about dimmer switches for LED flood lights.  My kitchen has six floodlights on a Lutron toggler dimmer switch, model AY-603P.

http://www.lutron.com/en-US/pages/SupportCenter/support.aspx?modelNumber=AY-603P&&SECTION=Documents

Up until now I have had fluorescent lights in them.  The lights needed replacing so I ordered some new ones, however, I accidentally ordered these LED bulbs instead...

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076HXK16H/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The LED bulbs I ordered are dimmable so I decided to try them out and they seem to work just fine on my dimmer switch, no buzzing or flickering.  My question is...

Is this safe?  I had read that I should only use LED approved dimmer switches with LED bulbs.  My dimmer model does not say that it is LED compatible, the manual for the Lutron AY-603P dimmer switch says that it can be used with halogen and incandescent lights, it doesn't say anything about LED lights.  Are there any electrical risks to using LED bulbs on a this type of dimmer switch?  Any commentary guidance would be welcome.  Thanks!


texts: Connecting Common Wire from thermostat to Air Handler

texts:
My apartment has a central heating/cooling HVAC system consisting of a gas-fired hot water heater which feeds hot water to a First Co air handler for heating, and a rooftop compressor which feeds coolant for air conditioning. I'm wondering if I can hook up the Common wire to a Nest given the following detailed configuration.

There is already a similar question here but with less detail.

The details of my setup is as follows:

First Co TAQ1824 Air Handler from 1996
Rooftop AC compressor - uknown brand/model
Johnson Controls cold weather shutoff for AC Compressor
Honeywell L6006C1034 "Aquastat" Circulator on hot water output of hot water tank. I think this is a just a temperature-based shutoff for heat control so we're not trying to heat with cold water.
Honeywell V804F1135 "Zone Valve" on hot water inlet to air handler
Honeywell TH1110D1000 digital dumb Thermostat with batter power.

It originally had a mechanical thermostat. The bundled furnace wire to the thermostat includes a black common wire which is not connected on either end.

The following installation instructions and wiring diagram are taped to the side of the air handler and clearly indicate a Brown Common wire exiting the handler.

I took the time to trace out all the existing connections in my system and I've included them here:

I recently tried to connect a Nest E thermostat in the place of the existing Honeywell unit but it does not detect any power. It indicates about 2.5V at its inputs, and when I measure them with a multi-meter I see the same. This should be more like 25-37V. I'm not sure why the Nest is unable to do its normal power stealing in this system, but in any case, I want to hook up the common wire now.

I should be able to just connect the black wire in the bundled furnace wire between the thermostat's 'C' terminal and the air handler's Brown output wire, i.e. add the following dotted purple connection:

Is that safe to do in this scenario? The one point I'm unsure about is the note in the air handler instructions that says "Should any add-on equipment also have a Class 2 transformer furnished, care must be taken to prevent interconnecting outputs of the two transformers by using a thermostat with isolating contacts."

The only item in my system I can't easily inspect is the AC Compressor, so I don't know if this warning applies to my scenario. I also don't know if the Nest or my existing thermostat have isolating contacts. Google searches were not revealing.

Any suggestions on making this connection are appreciated.

PS: On a safety note, although the hot water heater is gas-fired, it appears to be independent of the air handler/ AC/ thermostat system I outlined above. None of the electrical devices I'm discussing here directly interact with, control, or ignite gas. The hot water heater does its own thing, and keeps itself heated as hot water is pulled out either by the air handler or other household usage.


texts: Why did the neutral wire burn out in my electric shower?

texts:
I've had my shower fitted for about 3 years and just yesterday it went bang and stopped working. (My wife was using it and says there was a blue flame!)

When I checked inside the unit I saw that the neutral wire was burned out along with the adjoining section of the connector block. The wire had become so hot it had actually melted into the casing.

I'd like to know why this might have happened, after it had been running fine for so long. How dangerous was it- could I have been given a shock if I'd been touching the casing when it blew up? Also I'd like to know whether repairing it is a job it is safe for me to undertake myself or do I need a qualified electrician.


texts:
I'm doing some decorating at home and needed to remove the radiator. I still need to be able to use the gas heating throughout the house while the radiator is off.

I closed the TRV and lockshield valve, I then loosened the lockshieled valve nut and proceeded to drain the radiator. Once empty I removed and all was well.

My gas boiler was at 1.5 bar before this work, and 0 after - I expected this. I topped up the boiler pressure slightly to around 0.5 (by opening the valves), then I had a quick look at the radiator pipes and noticed that the lockshield valve side was leaking, a constant dribble of water. The water was coming out of the lockshield valve housing (the threaded part where the radiator connects). Image attached.

Was this because I repressurised the gas boiler?
Should I have capped off this lockshield valve housing somehow one the radiator was removed?

I panicked and put on the radiator again! So, not sure where to go from here really :/ My gas pressure is now at 0 again, although I still had hot water this morning.

Any advice is appreciated.


texts:
I have a toilet seat that has little by little, become very loose. I have searched the internet and found I had to tighten the two twisting things underneath the toilet bowl, in the back.

They are twisted / welded shut and always have been. If I manually jiggle the toilet seat, it feels as though the heads of the screws in the backs are firm, but the toilet itself is not locked to them. The toilet seat itself won't come off and only wobbles on the horizontal plane.


texts: Beam in roof has cracked, is this serious?

texts:
Light weight beams that don't appear to do anything? (https://i.stack.imgur.com/nTPd3.jpg)

Please can someone tell me if the beam in the photo that is cracked needs to be replaced? Can I just screw a piece of 3by2 down the inside of it to reinforce/repair?
I just had a roofer over and he seems to think that I can do the above and that these light weight beams are not doing a lot?


texts: How can I secure a wall-mount server rack?

texts:
I would like to install a 2-Post 12U wall-mounted server rack in my utility closet. The rack will hold up to 200lbs. However, my equipment will be just under 180lbs. Most of the weight will be at the last 4U of the rack (2-2U UPS Battery Backup units weighing in at 63lbs each)
I have two studs 16" apart that I can secure the rack to with 4 lag bolts included. However, my concern is not being able to hit the center of the stud and having the equipment rip off the wall.
Would ripping out the sheetrock and installing a 24" wide by 48" tall plywood board in its place be a better option? I could then mark the center of the studs once I see them and screw the lag bolts through the plywood first and then into the stud?
I could even add additional 2x4 going vertically and horizontally to strengthen the integrity of the wall.
Thoughts?
Specs of the wall-mount rack:
Weight (lbs): Approx 15.5
Size (in): 24.8 x 20.1 x 18.24 (HWD)

Here is a link to the actual rack


texts: Is it common to have wire leading to dishwasher without an intermediary plug?

texts:
I'm thinking of swapping my dishwasher for storage due to small kitchen size and the fact that we never use it. I'd do so in a way that if I (or a buyer when I go to sell) could easily put one back in.

I went to look under it to consider what all would need to be done, and I noticed that the electrical connection was just a 3-wire connection poking out between the drywall and the floor, hardwired onto screws on the dishwasher. No plug was used. Is this the standard setup in the US?


texts: Can these scrapers be used to remove paint from millwork?

texts: I was looking for some feedback on Allway and Bahco contour scrapers I came across on Amazon.  I have some original millwork (100 yrs +) that I will first apply Peel Away 1 to it and then use one of these scrapers to clean out grooves etc.


texts: How to replace silicone seal in ceiling fan?

texts: I am having to replace damaged wire in a ceiling fan. To replace the wire, I had to remove what looks to be some sort of silicone seal in the neck of the fan housing, where the downrod connects to the housing. See pic. What is this stuff, and how do I replace it? If it is just expandable silicone foam, would just any expandable foam do or is there something specific for this sort of application?


texts:
I've used these  around the house to hang pictures on the wall and so on (command strips is the brand name, sorry I don't know the generic name).

I'm thinking of getting a pan hanger in the kitchen and using these strips to attach it to the ceiling (rented accommodation, not allowed to drill holes etc.)

But I wonder whether these things will work as well on the ceiling. They're rated up to 7.2 kg and all the pans together are not that heavy, but they do weigh substantially more than a picture.

Has anyone used them on the ceiling?

Edit: the consensus seems to be against using this. Command's ceiling hooks are only rated up to about 200g, so they're no good. Does anyone else know of another brand which is strong enough to allow hanging 'real' things off the ceiling?


texts:
This is a strange question, but for the last four years, my garage door only goes up, but not down. The strange part is it works fine if the temperature is above 45º. Does track lubricant get too sticky and not 'liquidy' and makes the motor 'bind' and it then goes into the emergency mode and automatically go back up?

I have to get out of my vehichle when I go and return and hold down the button in my garage before it will go down.


texts: Is a 60A sub-panel adequate for my workshop/garage?

texts:
I am upgrading the service to the garage. The old needs total replacement.
In the garage i will be using

50A welder
small compressor
lighting for 400 square foot garage
6 20A receptacles

Would a 60A service be okay?

Total run From main 150A service is 65 feet to  detached garage


texts:
I've seen a lot of thread about this question but it seems that it doesn't suffice what I'm looking for.

So this what happened:

My wall outlet has three sockets and all of which was used. The bottom part was used with laptop, the center was used with lamp and the upper part was used with cellphone. As I got up, I noticed a hissing noise on the wall outlet. As a normal person I was bothered but then my curiosity struck so I tried to unplugged the charger of the cellphone then immediately, the hissing stopped. I tried to plugged it again and then the hissing started back.

I don't know if that was caused by interference of the current or what?
Maybe there's a need to fix the wall outlet?
I don't know if it was really caused by the cellphone. That was the only thing that I unplugged so I supposed it was.

I need to be enlightened. Thanks!


texts: Water dripping from freezer into fridge top shelf

texts:
My fridge has recently started dripping water into the top shelf. Have you encountered this? Any tips on how to fix it will be appreciated. Can I do it myself or do I need a specialist? It's not under warranty.

Here is a short video of the water dripping.

https://youtu.be/IIJjDIw8Htc

https://youtu.be/0uGOpegH0Dc

Thanks for reading. Appreciate your help.


texts: How do I insulate interior basement walls that are not against the exterior walls?

texts:
I'm in the process of building an office and family room in my basement and need some help with the walls and insulation.

There is a perimeter drain in the slab around the exterior walls that collects a small amount of water that weeps through the walls during the wet season. This perimeter drain will require me to place the studs about 4" from the wall.

In this scenario, with an airgap between the interior/exterior wall, should I use rigid foam insulation attached to the block wall, or traditional fiberglass insulation within the studs? Also, if fiberglass is used, should I include a vapor-barrier and on which side of the wall should it be placed?


texts: How should I wire an outlet and 2 switches in the same box with a hot white wire?

texts:
The wiring in this box has me stumped.  I have one outlet and 2 switches, 1 to a vanity 1 to an overhead fan/light. I replaced all the switches and outlets throughout the rest of the house. I had the bathroom and 2 back bedrooms left to switch out.

When I got to the bathroom, I disconnected the outlet and plugs then realized I lost power completely in the 2 other bedrooms and also lost power to a few outlets in the basement. I remember pigtails between the switches but forgot how the rest was wired up.


texts: Could this corrosion be caused by faulty ground wiring?

texts:
What might cause slight corrosion atop a tankless water heater's copper topped element assembly?

I checked all the grounding and reconnected the two element assembly grounding wires and ensured proper tightening. Then, I checked the grounding wire from the tankless unit to my breaker box. I then switched this ground wire from the neutral bar to the grounded bar. There is absolutely no bonding/grounding to a water pipe! I cleaned off all the corrosion.

Could the loose ground wires have caused the corrosion? I began the grounding issue because I discovered a faint pale green stain in one bathroom sink and suspected electrolysis. I have a whole house water processing system installed. I called the manufacturer but, was placed on hold for over 20 minutes. I eventually hung up.


texts: Why does my remote control garage door opener not work when garage door is closed?

texts: Why does my remote control garage door opener not work when garage door is closed.  It works fine when door is open but once the door is closed, it will not work.  Have reprogrammed same but still does not work.  Works if I am inside the garage or if door is open but once I am outside with the door closed, it will not open.  New batteries were also purchased and installed in remote.


texts: Recently replaced an inline ball valve and now the well pump will not shut off when up to pressure. Since the valve wad the first from the holding tank i had to drain it. What's the solution to this issue. Any and all help is deeply appreciated


texts: Is there a safe way to rewire original sconces?

texts:
My 1930's fireplace (Seattle WA, USA) has these inoperable sconces mounted on its face. The house has been updated to modern wiring, but these sconces were left alone and do not work. There is old fabric wrapped knob/tube wiring running from a central electrical box (pictured below) to the location of the sconces.
Two questions:

What wire is acceptable to replace/pull through the old wiring? I would use normal 14/2 romex but given the install I am unsure it I would be able to pull a wire of that thickness/rigidity through the fireplace surround. Is there a smaller/thinner/more flexible type of wire that would be acceptable to use?
These sconces do not have standard electrical boxes behind. Is it acceptable to run wire out of the wall directly into the existing sconces, presumable attaching the ground wire to the fixture body? Will I need to rework boxes here?
If a 120V solution is not safe/allowed/prudent/workable/desired, can I run wire for a low voltage (12v/24v) LED solution without any concerns?


texts: Are HVAC Transformers Interchangable (if their power ratings match)

texts:
I'm troubleshooting the blower not starting in a friend's HVAC system.

We think the issue is either a) a blown transformer, or b) the relay that controls the blower has blown.

The next step is to test these two components, if it's the transformer, I am wondering if there's any special information I should have beyond making sure the replacement I buy is rated for the same step-down:

Primary: 120V @ 60hz
Secondary: 24V (40VA)

Both transformers are clearly marked as Class 2 by UL.

Do HVAC vendors add any proprietary components to the transformers that would prevent me from using a non-OEM replacement? Specifically, I would be replacing an OEM York transformer with a Honeywell transformer.


texts:
Background

My home has vinyl siding installed over the original Masonite/hardboard siding. The vinyl siding wasn't installed correctly (don't caulk your J-channel, folks, or the nailing flange becomes the weep holes - into your home!) and it led to some massive rot around the foundation of my house. I wound up reframing the bottom half of my house it was so bad.

During that time, I had to remove the windows (because the framing around the windows had rotted away) and needed to reinstall them. However, the rot was only on the bottom portion of the house. I didn't need to remove any more siding than the bottom 6 feet. However, I needed to remove ALL of the siding, including the Masonite siding, to get at the sheathing and studs, and all of the Masonite siding was rotted, too.

After removing the Masonite siding, I was left with a problem. The new windows had a built-in channel for the vinyl siding, but if they were installed flush to the sheathing then the vinyl siding wouldn't terminate correctly because the rest of the Masonite siding had built it out too far. I could have removed the Masonite siding from the entire house (this is really what I should have done), but the entire process was exhausting and I didn't really have the time to re-side the whole house, so I used some pressure-treated material to build the wall out an inch:

My concern with just leaving the Masonite off was that it was still on the upper 10 feet of the house, and it'd cause the vinyl siding to "suck in" along the bottom 6 feet. I used the pressure treated material to build out around the windows, but I used rigid foam insulation to build out the bulk of the exterior wall, after wrapping the sheathing with Tyvek.

Now I'm to the point that I'm ready to (have time and money to) replace the vinyl siding, but I'm stuck with the decision I made previously - I could pull all of the windows, remove the P/T lumber, and re-install them, but it's too costly at this point to do that.

My major concern is with rot or water damage between the rigid foam insulation and the house - I just don't see how the wall section would ever dry if (when, it's always when) water manages to get behind the rigid insulation.

Question

I was wondering if it could be possible to strip the Masonite siding off, install pressure treated furring strips, and install the siding attached to the furring. I had originally dismissed this idea because I was worried wind would get behind the siding and rattle it, but then I saw this ProTradeCraft video where they're installing 1x3 furring strips with the intent of standing the siding off.

I used 5/4 pressure-treated decking when I built the windows out, so it's actually a 1 inch thickness, putting me about 0.25" further away from the wall than the ProTradeCraft video. Would this be okay to do?

What is an acceptable gap between the siding and the wall sheathing?


texts: How to run wires through a wall with existing wall wiring? (Tight Spaces)

texts: So I have a coaxial cable that I need to run from my TV to my sound system and there are already holes in the wall with wires from the last home owner. I've already tried using fishtape to run the cable through but there are too many twists and turns in the route. Are there any other options that I can explore to wire the cable through?


texts: I have a RUUD furnace that stopped blowing hot air last night.  I was thinking that it was the high limit switch gone bad BUT the coil ignites and lights but then goes out again after a minute, so since it actually ignites I ruled out that possibility.  If the thermostat setting is on AUTO it just keeps blowing continuously (cold air is coming out).  I have to turn the setting to OFF in order to stop the blowing.  Any other thoughts?


texts: Can I wire this light fixture set with the plate mounted directly to the stud?

texts:
I'm not an electrician.

Light fixture has terrible installation instructions. I bought two. I pig-tailed one.  I used 14-2 Type UF for the pig-tail because I didn't have 2' of Romex at the time.

In the past I've always mounted lights to a box and grounded the box. This fixture wants you to mount their disk and there is no grounding screw.

Can you review my connections for anything blatantly wrong or dangerous?

It works fine.  I just fear arcing or something similar.


texts: How can I connect my 30 amp electric dryer to a 50 amp plug?

texts:
I bought a used electric dryer and the connection that came with it says it's 30amp.  I also have an old school plug in my wall that doesn't go with the connection provided.  My current plug has 3 equal lengths that  are like this

 |
\ /

But the one that comes with it is almost the same but has an L shape on the top plug that looks something like this

 L
\ /

So I assumed that I had to find a new connection that looked like this

 |
\ /

with 30 amps.
Which I had no luck with.

So the man at home depot gives me a 50 amp connection that is also an 8 gauge.  It seems like the one that came with a dryer is a 10 gauge, not sure if it makes a difference.  So I came home and thought I'd take a look at the breaker.  The breaker is 30amps for the dryer, the plug on the wall says 50amps and the dryer says 120/280V- 23A and it also says 120/240V-26A.  So what do I do next? How can I fix this problem? Mind you, I have never dealt with anything like this before and I am also a woman lol. I recently purchased a brand spanking new Samsung gas dryer but the new apartment complex we moved into doesn't have a gas line so I am stuck using an electric dryer that I bought at a yard sale today for $50.


texts: How to mount handrail brackets to a concrete block wall?

texts:
I'm installing a handrail for a short flight of stairs at the bottom of an interior staircase which is adjacent to a solid concrete block wall.

The options I've been considering for fixing the handrail brackets to the wall include countersunk sleeve anchors and concrete screws.

I was thinking sleeve anchors would be more secure but there's only a very limited range of sleeve anchor sizes with the smallest being 6mm so I'm not sure if I would be able to find a handrail bracket with screw holes to match.

Another potential problem with using sleeve anchors is that they have to be spaced a minimum distance apart although there are handrail brackets with a single screw hole.


texts:
Our Goodman Furnace Model GM100 Serial# 9412063230 will start up and run but will not recycle after initially satisfying the thermostat.  If you wiggle the gray,(ground), wire on the gas valve, it will start again. It may run OK for up to three weeks and then fail, (3 times), to ignite and go into lockout.  This has been going on for about 3 months, but wanted to wait until the warmer weather before getting the furnace replaced, due to a possible extended time of replacement.

Does anyone kow what is in the little black terminal box on the gas valve?

Can the two screws and the black cover,(?), be removed to reconnect whatever is not making a good contact inside?


texts:
I recently had new HVAC installed. I am noticing it being little louder than what I had previously. The new system is American Standard 80% efficiency with ECM blower motor. My question is

Can I reduce the fan speed to make it little quieter? - I asked the contractor who installed it and he said he can certainly changed the fan speed but there might be and issue that your ac may get icing. So is that true that by reducing fan speed may create icing issue?

AC is not Turing off automatically even when temp reached to set point. I have checks that the fan is on auto setting and thermostat shows the set temp. If I increase the set temp to higher than what is currently on display then it shuts off automatically but when it gets to desired temp, it does not shut off automatically.

What could be the issue? Thermostat or faulty wiring?
Thank you in advance.


texts: How do I weatherstrip the bottom side of my sliding patio door?

texts:
The bottom side looks like in the picture below. THe second picture shows you the door and the corner that was zoomed in the first picture.
The verticals have their weatherstrips in place. It is just the bottom one that seems to be missing.

Can anybody figure out how I can install a weatherstrip to cover that 4mm gap?

Click for larger images.


texts: What dangers are associated with changing the pilot light assembly on a gas water heater?

texts:
My A O Smith ProMax gas water heater started going out at various intervals. I would re-light it and it might stay lit for a few minutes, few hours, or even a day or so. I figured it was the thermocouple, but my A O Smith water heater has a sealed combustion chamber, so just changing the thermocouple was not an option. I called a couple of plumbers but they didn't get back to me for several hours. So, while I was waiting I kept researching it and found that the whole pilot light assembly would need replaced. I looked up my specific water heater on http://www.waterheaterparts.com and found the exact replacement part # for my water heater. At this point, I thought it would be easy enough as I am fairly handy. So, I bought the pilot light assembly from my local plumbing supply company and went to task. I didn't really run into any issues changing everything out and the instructions that came with it were quite straight forward. I used soapy water (50/50 dish soap and water) to ensure the flare nuts didn't have any gas leaking around them after it was was done and the burner was back on. And the flame looks pretty much the same as it did before. I have a carbon monoxide detector located close by and there hasn't been a chirp. It seems to be working as normal. It heated up, stopped (except pilot light), and turned back on after a bath was drawn.

I still feel a bit paranoid. My questions are:

Is there anything I overlooked?
What dangers might there be and how can I test them?


texts: How do I remove a 4x4 fence post that is snapped off at ground level?

texts:
I'm trying to come up with a cheap and easy way to remove a broken-off fence post. It's a 4x4 lumber post that's snapped off flush to the ground, without any concrete around it.* I'd like to pull it straight out and sink another post in the same hole without digging too much.

*EDIT 2: I tried digging down a few inches last night to attach the 1x2, and discovered it was set in concrete about 6" below ground level. Looks like I'll be digging this one out.

The current plan that I have in my head is to dig down a few inches and nail a 1x2 strip to the side of the post. Then take a few boards, stack them up as a fulcrum, and wedge another board or a pipe under the 1x2. Then stomp on the other end of the lever to pull up the post. Will this work, or should I just dig it out?

I suppose soaking the area with a hose would help, but I'd rather not soften the ground since I want to reset another post immediately.

Note: I'd like to avoid spending anything extra if at all possible. It's my neighbor's fence, and he's told me that he's in no hurry to repair it. Since I want it back up, I'm taking the initiative and fixing it for him.

Edit: Here's some pictures of the fence line:

And here's where the fence post is snapped:

That big spot without any grass is where my neighbor's shed used to be before the tornado carried it off.


texts: How can I wire this switched GFCI combo outlet with two neutrals and two hot wires?

texts:
I’d like to wire a switched GFCI combo such that the switch controls the GFCI plug. I found this diagram for doing so:

This looks easy enough. However, after unscrewing the current outlet, I’m seeing there are two hot wires and two neutral wires (and one ground):

My house was built in 1948.
What do I do with the extra hot and extra neutral wire?
And, is there a difference between the two neutrals or a difference between the two hots?


texts: Prevent future holes in PVC vent pipe in walls

texts: Is there any practice or products out there to help protect a PVC pipe where someone might drill into the wall in the future for hanging stuff or something. I'm considering just using metal piping for my vertical vent pipe runs through the walls.


texts: Sealing porous basement common-wall for smells

texts:
Our unfinished basement shares an extremely porous cinder block wall with our attached neighbor. Because it is porous, smells transfer readily (ex cigarette smoke).

How can we seal this wall without using potentially toxic stuff like spray-foam that produces off-gassing?

(Even if you believe that off-gassing is not a real issue, my partner would not accept that. We have two young toddlers and want to avoid any potential exposure.)

Thank you!


texts: What concerns should i have about moving into a 100-year-old nj farmhouse?

texts:
The house was lived in and well-kept up til 5 years ago when my grandfather passed away.

There's no three-prong outlets except in the kitchen; i have a gaming pc pulling 750 watts or so, plus assorted other computers,  guitar amps, etc.

I plan to test the water, paint and dust for lead. (I've got a five-year-old.)

A recent radiator leak damaged the wall (cosmetically) and a dozen floorboards buckled, rising or sinking by an inch.

We'll be installing new smoke & carbon monoxide detectors too.

There's a well, barns in disrepair, railroad tracks, woods, rusting cars...

Anyone have any suggestions or advice? I'm mainly concerned with the safety of the house as opposed to the surrounding area (that's later!) All insights appreciated.


texts: How can I patch a hole in a painted wood paneling (or plywood wall)?

texts:
We just moved into a ranch house that's well over 100 years. Unfortunately our family made some unusual improvements to it while the last five generations were living there (during various decades).

In the master bedroom it was decided that there was more than enough room to add a bathroom WITHIN the footprint of the master bedroom. They accomplished this by basically framing-out a closet with wood studs and using plywood instead of drywall.

HERE'S THE PROBLEM: I just removed the huge medicine cabinet/mirror/outlet-strip/built-in-vanity-light so I can install a modern mirror and light fixture. Underneath it, I discovered an unwanted surprise. It appears they had used a saw of some sort to cut a huge 6" hexagonal hole on the far left side of the plywood wall, then the exposed wires had been run out of this hole and spanned about 12" behind the "mirror" to it's hard-wiring source at the top.

So now I have a giant hole to patch/fill in a plywood wall that I can't replace.

The hole isn't going to be hidden by the new mirror and is too weird of a spot to hang a picture.

How can I patch this hole? It's going to be painted but I was told that spackle won't stick to the plywood and will crack when it dries. Plus it's way too big a hole to simply spackle.


texts: Replacing two-switch, combo paddle light switch?

texts:
I thought this would be simple but of course I'm in over my head. We have a two button (paddle style) light switch in the bathroom. The top turns on a ceiling light and the bottom turns on a heat lamp and exhaust fan (both run together).

The back of the existing switch has 2 black wires plugged into bottom holes on back and 1 red wire plugged in top hole on back.

(Click for larger views)

I went to Lowe's and bought a 2 in 1 paddle switch but I'm confused on where the wires should go.
Left side has 3 screws (gold,black,gold) and right has 1 black screw. There is also a fuse that can be pulled out on the back?

How this should be wired? Do I even have the correct type of switch?

ETA: The switch is a Legrand RCD11WCC6.


texts: 220v outlet safety question - Circuit breaker not tripped after a fire

texts:
An old oven (20+ years) plugged into an 220v 3-pronged outlet suddenly caught fire when we tried to use the oven a week ago. We replaced the appliance today but found that it would not power on when plugging it into the outlet. I took a look at the circuit breaker but there was no tripped circuits. I turned off/then on all of the circuits and, after plugging the new oven in again, I get power (clock on oven turns on).

My concern is that the fire was not caused by the appliance but faulty wiring and I was hoping to get some advice on whether this is safe or not. If it helps, the home is from the late 60-s and the outlet itself is not GCFI.

Thanks in advance!


texts: PEX Pipes running along Ceiling on Inside Wall

texts:
My landlord fixed a leak from the baseboard heating system using a plumber who decided to run the red [guessing PEX pipes] from the water heater/boiler to the baseboards along the ceiling.  The pipes are exposed on the inside [hall, closet, and 2 bedrooms].  There is no insulation around the pipes and they are held in place by plastic nails/fastener.

To save money, she did not want to cut the gyprock and place the pipes inside the wall.

Now, I can see some reddish hue along the ceiling above the pipes.

Question: Is this safe? What dangers lurk by running exposed hot water pipes along the ceiling?


texts: What's the best way to seal a drafty door on an uneven transition without interfering with opening/closing?

texts: I have a door that opens up over carpet. The rubber sweep that is already there makes it pretty difficult to open the door. What's the best way to seal this door?


texts: How do I install a butcher block breakfast bar on a half wall?

texts:
Well, I finally got around to tiling and grouting the backsplash in our kitchen. This leaves one last project to do- installing the breakfast bar on the island.  The island is a bank of three base cabinets (2 30" and one 24"), that are attached to a 42" half-wall.  From the countertop to the top of the half wall is tiled, and there are 3 electrical outlets installed.  The top of the half-wall is an exposed 2x4, and the side opposite the countertops, and edges of the half-wall are finished with drywall.

For the breakfast bar, I have purchased a solid 1 5/8" thick wood butcher-block countertop, that I'll rip down to overhang 1 1/2" on the countertop side, 1 1/2" over the half-wall edges, and 14" over the back side of the half wall.  My primary question is- how do I attach it to the half wall?  Is 14" too far for a 1 5/8" butcher block to overhang without support? (i.e.- do I need corbels to support the bar?)  How do I physically attach the countertop to the top of the half wall?  I am guessing my finishing of the half wall is going to nail me here :(.  I have thought about using keyhole plates routed into the bottom of the butcher block, and heavy screws with large heads out of the top of the half-wall.  Is this reasonable?  Any insight would be greatly appreciated!


texts: Can I use CPVC to make a solar water heaer?

texts: I have a shed in my backyard and I have installed a sink on the outside to clean up with.  I have run a cold water line to the sink, but would like to attach a "heated" line to the hot water side.  I have found a few projects on YOUTUBE about making a solar water heater and they used "black tubing", but never said what kind of black tubing. I know CPVC is used inside of building for hot and cold water applications, but will it withstand direct sunlight. Also know it will be painted black to help heat the water.  Thank you for any advice in advance.


texts: New bathroom counters and sinks, what is the proper way to handle the difference in supply line length

texts:
So I got new counters and faucets. Unfortunately, the old faucet had an extender on the supply lines that the new one does not, additionally, it doesn't appear to something i can swap from old to new. Due to this, the water supply lines are too short to reach the new sink. What is the best way to handle this?

Old sink connector

New sink connector


texts: Power to a light, through two lights and then to a switch

texts: I have three lights with the power to the first light and passing through the other two and then to a switch.   How is this wired?


texts: Should I add vents to this plumbing system?

texts:
I have inherited an old family summer cottage in Maine. I’ve come to realize that the plumbing system has no real vent to speak of; it seems to have an air admittance valve at the top of the sewer stack, but no vents go through the roof.
We have never had any problems that I would associate with venting issues (slow drains, gurgling, etc.) I’m wondering if there are any potential future problems that I could avoid by adding the proper vents, or if I should just leave it alone since it seems fine for now.
The cottage is small, summer only, and has a minimum of fixtures (kitchen sink, bathroom sink, toilet and shower). The city sewer line seems large relative to our needs, so perhaps this is why we have not had any issues.
I will try to add pictures and measurements when I can.