texts: Why won't my air hose engage the quick connector on a Fortress compressor?

texts:
I recently purchased a 6 gallon 175 PSI compressor from Harbor Freight.  The compressor works correctly, but I can't get the fitting on the hose to index the quick connector fitting on the compressor.  I compared the quick connector to another one I have, and it appears that the collar does not have enough travel for the male 1/4" connector to engage it.  Has anyone else had this problem, or does anyone have a solution?
Thanks.


texts: May I block off all windows in a mostly below-ground basement?

texts:
I have read Is it necessary to put a special egress window in a basement bedroom if there's already a window above ground.  My situation is similar but different.

My basement has a furnace, a work bench, a ping pong table, a washer, and a dryer.  That's it.  There are no plans to create a bedroom down there, ever.

There are two small windows that let a bit of outdoor light in.  Each one has a window well and a plastic well cover.

Water comes in through the bottom of the two windows in a heavy rain.  We tried caulking, and that solved the problem initially, but after a couple months they started leaking again.  Maybe because of the change of season (late summer giving way to fall and early winter).

I am thinking about perhaps blocking off those windows in some permanent way.  Would that create a safety problem?


texts:
I have a plate of 3 light switches that's just taking up too much real-estate. See picture below:

As you can see, I've got a bookcase right next to it, and I could use a little more room there. The corner itself looks like a 4x4 inch post. The other wall has a pantry door just after the corner. Can't move the switches around the corner, and they're already as far to the right as they can. One possibility left: going small.

I've looked into triple rocker switches, but two of my three switches are actually three-ways that I would like to keep. Apparently three-way switches don't come smaller than the standard.

Are there any options for me for a smaller plate or setup?


texts: What wattage cable will be used for this oven installation?

texts: I was wondering if I bought an oven like this what wattage cabling would I need to power it? I'm a complete novice at electrical engineering and trying to learn a thing or two. If watts = voltage * a, and I had this oven running at 240v and the oven requires 15kw (it says 12.9 but just to make it a bit simpler), the amperage comes out at 62.5, which is seemingly extremely high, as most of the cables I know of are about 16A


texts: Are there advantages / uses to having disk and belt sander surfaces?

texts: On a tool like a Delta 31-300, what is the advantage of having a disk sanding surface as well as a belt sanding surface?  When would you decide to use one or the other?


texts: Installing a window unit in a metal window frame with two raised lips

texts:
I have a window that has a metal frame with two raised lips. All the diagrams in the installation manual show only one raised lip. The problem is that the bottom frame of the window unit that is supposed to rest against the lip is thicker than the gap between the two lips.

How can/should I go about installing this window unit.


texts: How should I build a base floor for a large summerhouse?

texts:
Hi my question has 2 parts about piles and creating a subfloor.

I want to install a 4.8x4.8m (~16'x16') summerhouse; its existing floor is 24mm (~1") floor boards on 75x50mm (~"2x3") floor posts.

I don’t want a concrete base so I thought I could create my own piles using 110mm (~4.5") pipe (filled with postcrete and topped with damp-proof membrane) for the sub floor to rest on.

Is 110mm (~4.5") good enough or should I get 150mm (~6")? How deep should I go with the piles and at what spacing.

I then want to create a base frame for the summerhouse to go on and was thinking that as it already comes with a 75x50mm (~"2x3") floor I could create another one (joist running the opposite way) with 75x50mm (~"2x3") timbers.

Are these good enough timbers for the sub floor as I don’t want to go too high either? what spacing should I have between them?


texts:
We have some pet rabbits. (don't ask... ;)

They're pretty good with the litter box...maybe batting .900 but it's that other 10% of the time that wreaks havoc on the carpet. Rabbit pee is pretty nasty and once in the carpet, it's staying there.

Our old house was all hardwood and it wasn't a huge deal. You see the puddle, you mop it up. We now need to tear out this carpet (it was cheap and ugly anyways) and replace it.

We'd rather not go with hardwood as the rest of the first floor is hardwood and we'd never match it so thought contrasting material might be better. I like the idea of Cork but have no idea how pet proof it is. Is the sealed/finished cork fairly durable? Would anyone recommend a particular type of installation over another? (Tiles? Snap-together-laminate? Sheets?)

Is a sealed cork floor porous at all? That'd be my primary concern.


texts:
We just bought a new house which needs extensive remodeling.

Our contractor, after ripping out the existing old carpet and damaged subfloor/padding, discovered that the floor was quite uneven, so we had an idea to install floated flooring for the hardwood (strand bamboo) that we were planning to replace the carpet with.

Can anyone suggest the pros and cons of the floated flooring approach?


texts: Damaged connection when replacing oven element

texts:
Our fan oven stopped getting hot the other day so I guessed that it is likely to be the element. Removed the cover and element so I could test it with a multimeter. Unfortunately on one of the connections the plastic thing broke. I am trying to determine what this component  is called so that I can source a replacement. A picture can be found below

And this is what the other one looks like.

Any help would be great, the oven is a Baumatic B904SS by the way.


texts:
I am looking at buying a home and the yard is a down slope to the road in the front and flat on the sides and in the back. The house was built in 1999 and had to have the driveway replaced in 2014. There are lines running towards the road on one side of the home and very soggy spots to the left of the house and driveway and towards the road in the front. The back seems fine. It hasn't really rained hard in a few days , just light sprinkles, but water seems to be seeping into the road with a red clay color that has stained the curb. I'm including a link to some photos and I am curious if there are serious problems here or just something that can be fixed with proper drainage installed.

More pictures of yard and house


texts: Basement walls above grade are wet outdoors

texts:
My basement walls are wet above grade on the outside of my house, does anyone know what's causing this? This is after a night of rain and after everything getting mostly dry.

Inside unfinished and mostly dry but I do have an active french drain system.

I'd like to finish my basement but working to fix all the water problems first.


texts:
Great explanation on the flat roof sloping. The question I have is if my roof is 6 x 7.5 m and the main slope goes 90 degrees across the joists (that is, the joists are across the narrow part of the roof and the drain is at the far end of the longest dimension), do I need to be concerned about cutting the furring strips and the required angle (direction of the joists) but as well the change in angle across the slope. Such a two dimensional cut to ensure the paneling would be supported only by the edge of the furring strips. Hope that makes sense. Regards

No wonder you didn't understand the question. whith your edit you put the entire message out of context.


texts:
The cook top I am replacing (a small, old Credo unit) uses a 2P 30A Circuit breaker.
The similarly small new Summit cooktop I plan to install has the following electrical specs:

Connection voltage: 220-240 VAC 60Hz 29A
Max connected power load: 6400W.
"Electrical requirements" specify that "the socket should comply with relevent electrical standards, or should contain a 1P circuit breaker with electrical loading of at least 40A."

What I'm thinking is that I'll have to replace the 30A 2P breaker with a 40A 1P breaker and change out the wiring from 10g (which I presume it is, but will check first) to 8g.
But, what I HOPE, is that the connection voltage and 6400W power load indicated for the Summit (@ 29A) means I could install it without changing out the wiring or the circuit breakers. Would that work?


texts: What could cause a Trane furnace to not start heating?

texts: I have a newer (2007?) Trane XL90 (model: tdx2b080a9422aa)forced air gas furnace. The problem I am having is the burner and fan will not start. The thermostat is set at 67 degrees and shows it is calling for heat but no heat. Noticed it started coming on and off intermittently over the last few days. I took a multimeter to the ignitor and its not reading ohms. Have not checked the flame sensor yet. Should I? Also the fan is on on the thermostat, however it will not start on the furnace. Is this a startup sequence issue? the fan should start first I believe. Any help would be greatly appreciated.


texts: Multiple 30A outlets on the same breaker

texts: I am upgrading my Garage/Shop electrical installation and adding a few 30Amp circuits. Is there any electrical code restrictions to have multiple 30A outlets on the same 30A breaker?


texts: How can I add a light switch to an existing lighting circuit?

texts: I have a Light switch that runs four lights, I would like to add a switch to the last light. Is this possible and how could this be wired?


texts: Why is the top step of a stair a different thickness than the other treads?

texts:
I'm a little confused about the finished floor (at the top of the stairs) and the thickness of the treads. The treads I'm looking at are around an inch thick.  The finishing (hardwood, as seen at my local big box store) for the top of the stairs is 3/4" thick at most.

Is it assumed that the top tread nose will be different from the others?


texts: Does this TV cabinet need the screws or can it rest on the frame?

texts:
I have assembled a TV cabinet / TV table. It is made of a metal frame, with "rings" on the inside of the frame on which the table plates rest.
The first image shows one of the "rings", the second picture shows the assembled table without the plate that goes on top of it. The third image shows the page from the instruction that shows how the top plate should be attached to the frame.
According to the instruction manual you are supposed to put a screw through the ring and screw it into the bottom of the plate (see image 3). None of the four plates have holes however, on either side. On the first page of the instructions a screwdriver is shown, but no drill. It looks like the production company forgot to drill the holes.
To me it seems like the screws would only make a difference when moving the entire table as you could lift them out of the frame when carrying it. They should be irrelevant in terms of stability and maximum supported weight (40 kg according to the website) as long as it is just standing there.
Do I need to get a drill and make the holes myself so I can screw the plate to the frame or can I use it safely without the screws? Is there a risk that it may break / fall apart when I put things on it due to the missing screws?
The plate itself does not really move even without the screws, it fits exactly into the metal frame.


texts: Why is the bathtub water backing up into the shower?

texts: When the bathtub water runs out, it backs up into the shower and floods the whole floor. We have cleaned the drain pipes, but it still happens. What could be the problem?


texts:
I'm trying to use flexible hose drain pipes that came with the sink. How do I attach this pipe to the wall drain?

Also, Can I attach dishwasher drain to this inlet - I believe its originally designed for overflow pipe, which our sink doesn't have.


texts:
Our 1954 home has very narrow soffits, with metal over them. The best solution I've come up with for adding soffit vents is 2 inch hockey puck style. I did a few several years ago and stopped. See photo:

I'm now committed to doing all I can this spring/summer. I've searched for full length soffits as narrow as I need but best I've found is 4 inch until I looked at my next door neighbor's house! See photo:

I think I could just buy standard soffits and cut them to do the same. The question is how to remove my current metal soffit and then cut the wood soffit that's attached to the rafter tail.

Do I use a tool to just cut what's there, and if so with what tool? Not sure how I'd slip the new one in though.

Otherwise, do I remove the gutter than then take off the front piece, hoping to expose the nails to pull out?


texts: Why do LED Lights Flicker on Low Dimmer Setting

texts:
I just wired up the following schematic and both sets of LED recessed lights will flicker when dimmed below full power. It doesn't matter what the other dimmer is set to (full power, low power, off). The flicker is very quick, it is sporadic and doesn't follow a pattern. All lights on each line are included in the flicker. When set to full power on the dimmer slider, no flickering occurs. Both of the dimmers are the same and they are listed as compatible on each set of lights. All of the wiring that I ran was 12/2 based on this being on a 20 amp breaker.

All of the LED lights come with junction boxes and screw on pigtails down to the actual light. In the set of 4 LED's on the left of drawing, I have all 4 junction boxes wired up, but only the last light is connected by its pigtail as the wife wants to wait for the countertop to be installed before deciding how many lights she actually wants over it. So I may be removing a 1 or 2 of those lights from the line.

The middle switches in each 3 gang box are simple on/off switches to run either a ceiling fan or an exhaust fan.

I am curious of what steps I should take to try and diagnose the flicker. I just rechecked all wiring connections and nothing is loose.

My thoughts are that either the three missing lights on run one are causing the flicker. Or the USB outlets sharing the neutral line are causing the flicker. Or the dimmers, even after being listed as compatible actually aren't.

Is there anything in this schematic that jumps out to someone before I start buying different switches and outlets to troubleshoot with?

LED Lights Link #1
LED Lights Link #2
Dimmers Link #3


texts: Which furnace thermostats support variable swing/deadband?

texts:
My home furnace is currently controlled by a programmable Honeywell thermostat, but it regularly thrashes the furnace by turning the furnace on for just ten or twenty seconds.

It seems that the thermostat will register a one-degree drop in temperature for a few seconds, turning the furnace on, but then switch back up to the previous temperature a few seconds later, turning the furnace off again. Presumably, air currents near the thermostat produce rapid swings in temperature of around one degree.

After some investigation online, it seem that what I need is a thermostat that supports "variable swing" or "deadband" -- that is, heat to a given temperature (e.g. 25 degrees), then let the temperature cool to a different temperature (e.g. 22 degrees). Apparently Honeywell thermostats do not support this.

Which thermostats allow a temperature range to be programmed? I don't want to spend hundreds of dollars on a smart thermostat; a simple and cheap programmable thermostat would be ideal.

Update: the thermostat is a Honeywell Pro TH4000 series, most likely a TH4110D.


texts: How do I fix damage to the skin of an embossed hollow-core door?

texts:
Could someone tell me how I can fix this crack in our door please? The door is hollow and painted gloss white. We are moving out soon so want to try to do something about it. Preferably without having to paint it as we don't know the paint colour exactly.

Here is a close up photo:


texts: Shower tile inside corner vertical joint

texts: Is it true it should be caulked ( not grouted) at vertical inside corner?  what is the best way to keep epoxy away from the vertical joints when grouting epoxy?


texts: What could be causing my gas furnace to make a loud noise?

texts: I have  a comfort air natural gas furnace when it call for heat,their is a loud boom noise,could the hot surface ignitor have a crack or needs replacing?


texts: I've ripped out the floor of my bathroom down to the joists. The bathroom is 5 ft x 4 ft. Should I use tongue and groove or can I use standard plywood? Does it matter?


texts: Is it possible for a fuse from the main breaker box to go bad? I have 3 outlets not working 2 in 1 bathroom and 1 in another bathroom all on the same floor. In the bathroom with 2 outlets had 1 GFCI the test or reset button wouldn’t do anything I figured if I changed it out with a new one that would fix the problem. It did not. So I changed all 3 outlets and they are still not working. They are getting power they are connected correctly. When this first happened last Sunday the breaker that all 3 lines are on felt spongy for lack of a better word. You could flip the breaker back and forth and there was no tension in the switch. After changing the outlets out the breaker feels normal it clicks when moving it back and forth. This is definitely above my basic knowledge and We do have an electrician coming to check it out. Just curious if anyone knows what this could be based off of my description.


texts: What kind of compound for taping with paper tape?

texts:
I’ve got a ton of EasySand 45 left over from a project, but everything online I can find ways to use a taping compound. But what is that? Should I be using All Purpose or some mix of All Purpose with EasySand?
Would be all hot mud, not premixed. I use premixed Plus3 for topping.


texts: Is my dryer outlet not getting enough voltage?

texts: I wonder if that's my issue as well. My dryer works fine, ( but won't heat up) and after replacing a few parts multiple times, and trying 2 different dryers on the same outlet, which all worked but wouldn't heat up. This CAN'T be a coincidence, much less very possible. What do you think?


texts: I was given a mobile generator but it gives an electric shock from the casing when running. Why? How can I check with an MM? How can I stop it happening without the need for an earth spike.


texts: Can I add rolls of unfaced insulation to increase the R value of my attic insulation?

texts:
I live in a two story home that is approximately 150 years old.  The attic  floor is constructed with large beams and old wood planks laid across the complete surface area, rendering the attic useful for storage.  The space is not that large, maybe 26'x 16.'  The previous owner of the home removed the center floor boards and just shoved encapsulated insulation the length of each bay.  This came no where near filling up the bays in both width and depth.  Obviously the upstairs was noticeably chilly.

Last fall I had new siding and new main roof installed on the house.  At that time I had a ridge vent installed as well as soffit vents on the front run of the main roof (unable to do them at the rear of the house because the main roof meets a flat roof).  Due to the nature of the floor construction in the attic we could not install baffles so we ended up drilling multiple holes in the wood floor in order allow some air circulation.

Moving forward, last January I had a company open up the center few planks of the attic floor and remove the old insulation and blow in cellulose.  To keep the soffits up front clear, they inserted fiberglass at the end of the bays.  Even though the bays are not deep, maybe 6-7 inches, I noticed a drastic improvement in the warmth of the upstairs even though the R-Value of the cellulose is not that high do to the size of the bays.  I also noticed my moisture issue in the attic was gone.

My question is, to achieve a higher R-Value, (I live in New Jersey) could I lay down unfaced rolls in the attic to get the R-value up to where it needs to be?  I do use the attic for storage, not packed full, just two rows of plastic containers.  If I stacked the containers to open up more floor space and then laid down R-30 unfaced rolls, would there need to be anything I should consider before doing it?


texts: Internal Only Home PBX Intercom Using Vintage Wired Phones

texts:
I would like to set up a home PBX that is INTERNAL only.  All of the other tutorials I see include an element of hooking to an outside line.  I assume this is to draw the power needed.

I would like to be able to pick up the phone in a room, dial a number (a one or two digit number) and have it ring a specific phone in another part of the house.  I understand this would need to be some sort of PBX, but again, I want it to be internal only.  I don't want to be able to dial to an outside line and I don't have or want landline service.

Any ideas on equipment needed?


texts: The wires connecting to the normally closed switch have a short circuit across them, which is causing the switch to stay closed all the time! The clock works, but when you try to cook something the fuse blows. What could be causing the short?


texts: Help in identifying a mystery wall socket

texts:
I am trying to identify a mystery wall receptacle that I have in my house (built in the 60s, USA).  I have one in the living room next to a fireplace, another in a bedroom.  It looks somewhat like the C8 socket, but is more rectangular and rough-looking.

Does anybody know what this is?

EDIT: added opened picture


texts: Why isn't door casing mitered to meet base trim?

texts:
Question Up Front

Why are door trims at the floor not cut at 45° like everything else is? Is it a style thing, or is there a functional reason for it?

Details

I have noticed in many houses that the baseboard is mitered and beveled so that the pattern of the baseboard continues seamlessly.

Example

The bisecting miters and bevels seem to be everywhere except for the bottom parts of doorways. The example below shows a doorway with a different trim than the baseboard, but it doesn't seem to matter whether they're different. The bottom of the trim is always cut at 90°, not 45°.

Example

Is there a functional reason for this, or is it just a ubiquitous style?


texts: Draft Inducer replacement motor part number

texts: The draft inducer motor in my Payne furnace started making a whining sound the other night, so I ordered a replacement from Ebay. My part number is HC21ZE121A, and the motor I got is missing the 'A' at the end. Are they functionally equivalent? Is this just a Carrier vs Payne branding thing?


texts: How to improve basement stairwell drainage?

texts: So we have a basement walkout door. There is a stairwell that leads down to it. There’s a big landing but this is the drain in the middle of it. It has a tendency to get clogged with debris from trees etc that float in. I popped off the metal grate which was easy enough but now I don’t know what is going on. There appears to be a 4 inch rough cut vertical pipe in which I can see some sitting water about a foot down. The existing metal fixture appears to be just concreted in place. I had got the atrium drain in hopes of attaching it but that doesn’t seem to be an option. Should I just get a 3x3 section of hardware cloth or a entrance floor mat with holes and just put that on top?


texts: Oil- or water-based polyurethane to refinish stair banister?

texts: I didn't know that water-based polyurethane was available as an alternative to oil-based until I saw it today at the store. I am refinishing a vintage stair banister and some surrounding trim. I wonder if I can expect equal (or better) outcomes if I use that or should go with the good old that has proven in the past in similar applications.


texts: How to fix a stripped hole in a plaster wall?

texts:
I hired a "professional" painting crew to paint the stairs area, where the crew installed new brackets for the handrail.  Unfortunately I did not supervise the work myself.  I recently noticed that I have two problems:

The screws for one bracket are not going into a stud!  I think the bracket was attached to the plaster.
The top two holes are stripped where the screw will spin freely.  I believe that those two screws do not touch the lath board that is behind the plaster.

How should I fix the stripped hole in the plasterboard?  Every time I am removing the screws all three holes get slightly larger as a bit of the plaster comes out too.

Should I start using plastic anchors?  I'd like to re-use the three #10 1 1/2" screws that came with the brackets if possible.

By the way my house was built in the 1950s.


texts: Best/easiest way to install access door to dead space in house

texts:
I have a roughly 6'x6' dead space on my second floor that was previously used to run exhaust pipes for my gas water heater and gas heater on the ground floor.  This dead space currently has no access, but it would be handy to be able to get in there because it sits right above the breaker box, and I need to run a couple new electrical lines for a new on-demand water heater that will soon be installed.
The only place where building a door would be possible is in a small closet upstairs.  The closet is a bit odd in that it's very short due to being against the roof line.  It's like 4ft high at the most.
Since this will be very rarely used and almost never seen, the emphasis is on simplicity of installation and not looks.  Is it possible to put some kind of door between the studs in the closet?  I am NOT an experienced handyman, so something pre-built and/or simple is highly preferred.


texts:
I'd like to seal the hole in the wall/vanity where the drain goes to. I assume there is some sort of circle cap that I could glue there.

The reason is that I feel a current of air going out of there. I am in the 4th/top floor of an small building, sometimes the air smells. I believe there is a chimney effect bringing air from the lower floors to mine.

Note: I know that's not the only crack/opening able of transporting air, however, I am just following the smell. It is faint (almost nobody else notices) so maybe if close the big holes that I can see it will go undetectable.

Please advise. thanks.


texts:
Background: Third floor radiators are cold. Pressure hovering around 11. Went to bleed everything and got stuck.
I have these old things on the first floor:

I can't find a traditional valve, all I have are these:

The top cap twists off, and water will pop out if you press down. Is that the valve? Or do I have to take off the front plate?


texts: Pneumatic screen door closer screws have loosened

texts: The screws that hold the pneumatic opener/closer to the screen door are loosing up and soon will fail.  The holes in the aluminum door are stressed and enlarging.  How can I fix?  Should I drill thru the door and attach with a longer screw and nut?


texts: Replaced a regular copper tee by a push in tee

texts: I replaced a regular 3/4 Tee with a push in 3/4 to 3/4 top 1/2 and now I lost like 75% water pressure. I don't get water in the restroom...Help.


texts:
I have three outdoor lights (2 porch and 1 sodium bulb) that are controlled by one switch inside.

The sodium bulb light fixture (it is large and boxy) has been removed and there are currently two wires sticking out of the junction box.

The two other lights still function from the switch.

How do I deal with the exposed wires / junction box? Do I just cap the wire ends, shove them back in the box and stucco over?

Tx.


texts: How can I stop the loud banging sound in my water pipes when using my clothes washer?

texts: We just bought a townhome and every time we use the LG Front loading washing machine there is a loud bang throughout the pipe system.  I checked the back and there are already 2 water hammer arrestors (Size AA) installed on the inlet to the washing machine's hot and colt water intakes.  When I checked the water pressure of the cold water it was at 80psi.  Does the banging have something to do with the water pressure or could I need bigger Water Hammer Arrestors?  We are on a municipal water supply.


texts:
I hope I am in the right stackexchange domain for this question.

I have acquired an old Makita SDS-MAX drill hammer in a garage sale for almost nothing because the rotor of the electrical engine is fried.
The issue is that the print with the tool reference is gone, and the series number are not helping me find anything on the internet. Moreover, Makita is now producing a new version of this tool so it is even listed on their website.

My question is thus : could you help me identify this powertool so that I can find the right part for it ? Thanks !
The details :

it is a Makita drill hammer for Europe (220 V)
the bits are SDS Max
There a two positions : hammer or drill hammer
It is probably ten years old but I can't say for sure.

Here's a picture


texts: Trying to identify neutral wire in switch box to use with Wemo Light switch (more than one neutral wire seems to be present)

texts:
So I am trying to figure out if I can use a Wemo light switch. Wemo says you must have a neutral wire and it must be a single pole switch.

This switch box has three toggle switches. One of them is for an outlet, the second one is for turning on the fan/fan lights. The third one I cant figure out what it does. It doesn't control anything in the room. I suspect it may have been for controlling the fan lights separately from its lights. I can't confirm because when we moved in here there was no fan, there was only a fan fixture plate to cover up the ceiling. The person who installed the fan also didn't tell us if the light switch or fan was capable of having separate toggle switches for lights and fan.

I am trying to figure out if a wemo light switch can be installed even if there are two toggle switches that control lights and fan on a fan separately.

Secondly I am trying to also figure out which of the wires in wire nuts is the neutral wire I need to use for the wemo light switch. Neutral wires are suppose to be white. This condo was built in 1994 so is that still the case? Anyways, there are a lot of wires in wire nuts that are not being used.

Here is a picture of the switch box:

A seems to be white but looks more like a cream color

B is the same white'ish color as well

C is black

D is black

E seems to be an exposed copper wire so that's probably the ground wire which wemo says is optional

If both of those white ones are neutral, does it matter which one I use for the wemo switch? If it does matter, how do I figure out which one I need to use?

As for the copper ground wire in the pic, if it is indeed the ground wire should I go ahead and use it on the wemo?


texts: How to fix water leak between tub and shower walls

texts:
Less than a year ago we remodeled our bathroom.  A new tub and shower panels were installed.  I was told by the contractor that it was not necessary to caulk between tub and shower panels due to the new interlocking panel designs.  I requested it still be caulked.
In less than a month, a crack had formed in the caulk.  I wasn't overly concerned based the prior discussion with the contractor.
Well, now I have a water leak that trickles behind the caulk out to the edge of the tub/panels.  My drywall is wet and hole has now formed!
I have had a second contractor in for an estimate to fix the leak.  He stated there is really nothing out there to prevent this from leaking.  Stated he can remove old caulk and replace it with a upgraded caulk.  If that does not work, then possibly having to replace new shower panels with tile.
I can not justify this huge cost for a new bathroom less than a year old.  Any suggestions?
Betsy


texts: When drywalling a room, should I do the ceiling before the walls?

texts: Is there any value in installing drywall (plasterboard) on the ceiling before the walls or does it not matter?


texts:
I really need help. I bought a 65 inch LG OLED TV 2 weeks ago. Since its an expensive TV so i bought "V Guard digi 200" from amazon, but here comes the problem. When electricity goes then it switches off my TV. My whole house is already protected under "Luminous Zelio 1100 Since Wave" inverter (but not ACs because i have taken AC off from inverter due to huge load that AC takes) so i am not sure why TV is switching off. Please help. I live in society so when electricity goes then power goes for 30 seconds before coming to society backup. Just for 30 seconds, I got Luminous inverter. which is working fine from last 2 years. But I am not sure why TV is switching off when power goes. Ideally my inverter should not let my tv to switch off. What I am missing.

I called VGuard Technicina twice. First technician said that your Inverter should be in UPS mode instead of ECO. So we tried that but that didnt work.  Today technician came and changed some card on stabiliser but moment,  power goes then it switches of my TV.  Tubelights and fans are still ON.  Please help as i am not able to figure out this


texts: Why is part of my wall shiny after cleaning it?

texts:
I have recently moved to a new house and there have been a lot of deliveries for appliances and furniture. In the process there were some stains on the wall, nothing major as the paint was intact. I tried to use a soft microfiber cloth damped with hot water to gently rub off the stains.

However, after cleaning, that part strikes out a lot shinny than the rest of the wall when looked at an angle due to reflection of light. As this is the main part of the wall visible from the entrance, it really looks bad.

Has anyone faced the same issue and fixed it somehow? Any help will be appreciated.


texts: run compact dishwasher drain pipe into kitchen sink

texts:
Amazingly I could not find any information about this on the internet!!!

I am renting a flat and the only option I have if I want a dishwasher is to buy a tabletop/compact dishwasher. Because of the layout of the kitchen, the only option I would have is to run the drainpipe into the kitchen sink...i.e.not connected below the sink to the trap, but just running the drain into the main sink from above the work surface where the dishwasher would be placed. Is this feasable? Would I need to make the drain pipe go up and then down or could i run it horizontal along the worktop and then down into the sink fr it to work properly?


texts:
How to protect carpeted stairs? The carpet on stairs is off-white, and I feel it's already showing signs of dirt/wear/tear even though it's been only about 10 days since we moved in.

If it was flat floor, rug was an option. If it was hardwood stairs, stair runner/treads was an option. However, it is carpeted stairs, and people think it's very dangerous to put stair treads/runner over carpeted stairs.

Is vinyl runner safer? We have a bunch of kids who like to run down the stairs on everyday basis, so I'm really concerned about skidding and slipping.


texts: Can you run an individual wire to link smoke detector together?

texts:
In my home, I have a hard-wired smoke detector / fire alarm (https://www.lowes.com/pd/First-Alert-Wireless-Interconnect-AC-Hardwired-120-Volt-Photoelectric-Sensor-Smoke-Detector/1000456469) that is linkable to another smoke detector down the line. It is connected with 12-2 or 14-2 but it needs 12-3 or 14-3 normally to link the smoke detector together. I do not have any 12-3 or 14-3 wire on hand and I am wondering if you can use another individual wire to link them together. It is my understanding that the linking wire only sends about 3-9 volts down the wire to the other smoke detector to make it alarm. Could I use a 14 AWG or 16 AWG? Trying to avoid re-wiring the whole thing but if it is the right thing to do I will do it.

Would wire like this work?
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Southwire-100-ft-14-AWG-Stranded-Red-Copper-THHN-Wire-By-the-Roll/1000777296


texts: Can I run hot wires for both GFCI-protected and non-protected branches in one conduit?

texts:
I have an new incoming circuit at box in garage that is not GFCI protected but I want to add a GFCI at that point (garage) and then add 2 more GFCI protected duplex outlets in garage downstream off the GFCI load yet still carry the  original non GFCI circuit forward in same conduit run. Is this possible by splicing properly?
I was hoping to utilize the same conduit to add a couple non GFCI duplex outlets to bedroom above garage.  My thought is that I will need to add additional conductors in conduit along with the downstream feed wires from first GFCI.
Will I just spice in first JB and carry the original non GFCI conductors (black and white) or can I share the hot for both?  I don't want to add any unnecessary wires or conduits in the garage if not needed.


texts: Bosch washing machine, E:00, unknown error when turning on

texts:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sI47qvVNiA

Actually works fine after this little blip.

According to bosch telephone support its a malfunctioning door sensor, but I'm not convinced as they originally said its because the door is open (which it isn't as follow-up movie shows same error with door closed).

I'm trying to avoid unstacking the dryer from above it.


texts: Reading electrical clamp tester higher voltage/amp 400A

texts:
A sub panel CH 60AMP 3 Pole breaker keeps tripping. I'd like to test the AMPs on the three wires. My clamp tool measures 7.9A while on the 400A AC setting. That seems awfully low to trip a 60 AMP breaker. Is this the right way to measure this kind of wire for this clamp setting?

This is the tester 21050T True RMS 400A AC/DC Clamp Meter.


texts: How to cut a piece of 2x3 wood crossways perfectly?

texts:
I'm planning to build a simple stool from pieces of 2x3 wood for the legs. It's my first foray  into woodworking as an adult so I'm trying to plan everything to aim for a decent result.

Bearing in mind I'm inexperienced with a saw and not gifted with my hands. How can I make the straightest cuts possible?

My current plan is to

Mark the lines to cut with a set square and sharp pencil.
Mount the wood to a Mitre box with a G clamp.
Clamp the Mitre box to an adjustable workbench.
Make the cuts on the 'waste side' with a tenon saw using long 'back strokes' to make each cut. Focus on elbow to make sure arm is not moving around wildly.
Sand down any excess with an electric sander.


texts:
I'm trying to reinstall the water meter pictured below. It it has plastic male threads on each side, and they connect to the copper piping using a flare fitting (I think that's the right terminology).

I can't get the connections not to leak, even if I really crank down with my pipe wrench.

Possibly relevant is that there are rubber gaskets that appear to go into each fitting, as pictured below. I used the gaskets and it still leaks, but perhaps the gaskets are just shot (they appear worn).

Any ideas on why I can't get the connections to work?


texts: How do I use a multimeter to check for power?

texts: I need to check that power going from my light switch, to a light fixture on the same wall, as well as a light fixture on the opposite wall. How do I use a multimeter to do that?


texts: Intermittently losing power in one leg of a Zinsco Panel

texts: I am 90% sure I am losing power to one leg.  Unfortunatelly, I have not had an outage since I discovered that three breakers on the same leg were un-tripped and losing power (5.7v on each). I initially thought it was one "bad" breaker and after power returned I cut the main breaker, removed the wire which looked good, scraped to get shiny copper, applied a dab of DE-OX and reattached.  All of the wire screws are tight and the box looks good. After the power went out a third time  I checked the internet more thoroughly for multiple breakers losing power.   It may be my service line shown in the attached photo which I should fix as I get severe salt air.  Is it likley to be the service line?  I need to do a little more research before I try to check continuity between the frayed service line and the problem power leg.    Any additional comments.  Thanks


texts: My kitchen lights won't turn on, what could be the problem?

texts:
My kitchen light will not turn on, even after I replaced all 4 bulbs. What could be the problem? The breaker is working fine, all the plugs and other lights are working in the proper condition, and GFCI switches were all reset.

Do I need to replace the entire unit?


texts: What's the advantage of PEX crimp/clamp over the expansion connection?

texts:
It seems the ease and reliability and no water pressure loss of the expansion connections makes them far superior to the alternative.

So besides slightly cheaper materials cost and less expensive tool what is the advantage of using the crimp/clamp connection?


texts:
I (stupidly) interpreted from the word-less IKEA light fixture instructions that the fixtures (2) had their own on/off switch.  As a result, I wired power to 2 fixture boxes, wired up the fixtures, turned the power on, and realized the fixtures actually have their own dimmer switch, but not on/off.  I was stuck with lights that were always on!

Question: is this drawing the correct way to fix my issue - for both lights to be controlled by 1 switch?

Much appreciated!!!


texts:
I'd like to tile my exterior concrete covered entryway landing. It's about 8'x 10'. The sides are level, but there's sort of a trough up the middle, worst case about 1/4" from flat. There is about 1/8" slope per foot too, for water. The concrete is over 50 years old and there are no cracks, so it's extremely stable.

Is there someway that I could screed material over the middle into the "trough" to make this flat? If there was no slope, I would use a self-leveling mix, but that's not the case. I've thought about grinding down the sides, but it's a bit messy and seems labor intensive.

I'm considering using tile that is about 15" to 18" square.

Any suggestions appreciated! thx


texts:
Installed vinyl siding has missing chunks.  I would like to purchase a small quantity to replace the siding.

What information do I need to provide to the local supply shop?
How is siding material purchase measured?

The job needs a very small quantity.


texts: How do I increase the water pressure in my shower in spite of water-saving hardware?

texts: I recently rented a new apartment that has water-saving hardware in the bathroom. My bath pressure is decent, but my shower water pressure is barely a trickle. How do I increase the water pressure and flow, i.e. the force and amount of water?


texts: Does a Split Central AC condenser circuit breaker need to be GFCI protected?

texts: Is the sub-panel circuit breaker feeding a disconnect to a 3 ton AC Condenser required to be a GFCI breaker, or just a standard 30A double pole breaker.


texts: Do I have to run an extra wire all the way to my new thermostat, or just to the "router"?

texts: I've got an older home (plaster walls) and an older furnace, It's a Peerless.  My current thermostat is located on my main floor and only has 2 wires to it, red and white.  I should mention that my heating system is hot water with radiators.  Anyway, I want to get a new wireless thermostat installed.  I'm pretty sure I will need a new thermostat wire with a C wire in it, but can I just install that straight from the furnace?  The "router" or base will be located in the furnace room so I'm not worried about having to snake it through the walls but I'm wondering if I have 24v coming from the furnace and if I can easily replace my current thermostat wire with a newer one with a dedicated C wire.


texts: Widening the stone entrance into a crawlspace

texts:
I've got a 200 year old house with a crawl space under one corner of the house. The entrance to that crawl space is very tight (pictured below), and I am a large man. I want to expand the entrance to the crawl space a couple of inches downward, and potentially a couple of inches to the left. The wall is granite stone construction, so i was planning on breaking down the mortar on the flat surface and removing a layer of stone. I need to repoint the walls on the inside of the crawl space, and it's currently very difficult for me to get in.

Can I lengthen or widen the hole a few inches without worrying about structural integrity?

EDIT: Added more photos for clarity. Apologies if it's still not clear, there's a lot of ductwork in the way that makes getting a good shot of it all difficult.


texts: What happens if I paint a concrete floor without pre-treating it?

texts:
I recieved some free polyurethane/alkyd based floor paint and painted my garage floor (used as a woodworking shop).
I did not pre-treat it in any way, just cleaned it. The workshop is relatively new (2014) and the floor was just screed flat (really well done job though).
From what I've come to understand you should grind the floor first, or acid etch it.
How big a miss is this on my part, is my floor going to peel off very easily, or is it mostly a looks question?
I don't need a perfectly flat and shiny floor, just want a brighter color that is easier to sweep clean.


texts:
Redoing a big a portion of the first floor in our 1984 home.
Need some advice on layout of floor planks.
I understand the material we end up choosing will affect layout pattern, but for now we are looking at either engineered hardwood, pergo, or allure planks...
Please reference the diagram and my thoughts for each possible layout. Which layout is best in your opinion?

OPTION 1:

I like this layout because it will make the hallway seem "long" and "large" since planks are going the length of the longest wall
Not sure I like how the expanded kitchen area could potentially look "smaller"

OPTION 2:

This option would not be cost effective, but has the potential to look unique and all around pleasant no matter which area you are in.
Not all floor materials will support this configuration because of plank ends and seams, etc.

OPTION 3:

This will make the expanded Kitchen look "long" and "large"
Could make the hallway leading into the kitchen seem cramped and narrow.

OPTION 4:

Compromise between Option 1 and Option 3.
Would require a transition piece at the end of the hallway leading into kitchen.


texts:
I have two upstairs bathrooms with ac outlets.  One outlet was working fine, then intermittently, then no power to the device (night light).  The wires are hot (voltage testor), but will not power anything.  I swapped out both outlets, replacing them with GFCI outlets and still no power (wires are still hot).  The outlets are on the same line as the outlets in my kitchen, all on a 20amp breaker, and all downstairs/kitchen outlets work fine.
Suggestions?


texts: What might be causing our cistern to fill very slowly?

texts:
We have a toilet cistern with a concentric float valve fill mecanism. Earlier this week, it suddenly started to take much longer to fill after flushing (ca. 15 minutes instead of less than 1 minute previously). Simultaneously, the sound produced by the filling became a much more noticeable hissing sound.

Inspecting it wasn't much help, as I'd not really looked at it before it went wrong. I did notice that the hissing sound is caused by water emerging from the top of the fill pip at pressure. That, combined with normal operation of other water outlets, leads me to believe that the problem is isolated to the cistern.

What might have gone wrong? Is there a simple fix? Or will I have to call a plumber?


texts: Does my Remote Light bulb use power when not turned on?

texts: I just recently bought an RGB light bulb which comes with a remote and I was wondering if you turn it off with the remote but you leave the switch on does it still consume power?


texts:
I'm looking to add a subpanel for a basement kitchenette.  Here are the power requirements and intended new circuits.

 Appliance  Voltage  Amps       Slot    Circuit Amps

 Oven/Range 220      28.0       1/2     40

 Macerator  110      4.5        3       15

 disposal   110      4.0        4       20
 Range Hood 110      2.0        4
 Microwave  110      9.1        4

 dishwasher 110.     15.0       5       15

 Fridge     110      6.0        future? 10

What size sub-panel breaker do I need and what size cable is required (indoor 30 ft away)?


texts: What kind of electrical connector is this and how do I remove it?

texts:
I am replacing a bathroom ceiling light fixture. The house is pretty old and has cloth covered wire. The fixture I'm replacing is relatively updated but when I went to remove it, I noticed it was connected to the wires out of the ceiling using some kind of wire joining implement that I've never seen before. I lightly tugged on one  the old black fixture wire and it came right out of this connecting device. The white wire won't budge. Since it was for the old fixture I'm replacing, I cut it.

What is this connector and is there some kind of release button/switch on it that I need to press to disengage the wires?

Pictures are below.


texts: Is insulation necessary under slab with hydronic radiant heat?

texts:
We are getting ready to pour a new concrete slab over top of an old slab where a house was demolished. The old slab is 4-6 inches thick, and the new slab will be 3-4 inches thick. We would like to run PEX lines for a hydronic radiant heat system in the new slab.

From the research I have done, everyone says to use insulation under the slab to prevent the heat from going into the ground instead of into the house. I am wondering how critical that is and how much it will affect the efficiency of our system since we don't have the option of putting insulation under the slab. Should we abandon the radiant heat idea?

Any advice is appreciated!


texts: Why doesn't my replacement kitchen sprayer work as expected?

texts: I have an older Grohe Bridgeport kitchen faucet with a side sprayer. It is different than what's being sold today, as the two valves and the spout are not bridged together, but are separate. The side spray hose started leaking recently and I installed a replacement today. Now, when I turn on the spray, the water continues to flow from both, the rotating spout and the side spray. When I took the body apart, there is a small flap under a spring that is supposed to shut off the water flow to the main spout, but it doesn't. Any ideas?


texts: How do I run a 3 Phase/1hp TEFC motor off of a regular household outlet?

texts:
I recently bought a brand new TECO-Westinghouse Electric motor .

3 phase
HP: 1
Volts : 208-230/460
RPM: 1750
HZ: 60
Fr: 56
Cat no: ZA.0014TE2/56
Type : AEFAZA
Enclosure : TEFC

I would like to run this off of my household power. My understanding is that I need a 1 phase(household) to three phase converter to do this.
What size wires do  I need for the plug from from the house to the on/off switch? From the switch to the converter and from the converter to the motor?

I would like to plug this into a regular 15 amp receptacle-the motor will be about 75 feet from the receptacle.


texts: How do I fix my seemingly improperly ground outdoor lighting circuit that trips my RCD when it rains?

texts:
This is for a UK wiring issue, but I suppose the issues here are universal.

Every since I bought my home, my outdoor garden lighting circuit trips the RCD when it rains.  After multiple expensive visits from 2 different electricians, without success and before I spent money on rewiring the whole thing, I decided to look at this myself first.  Bear with me, I have a basic understanding of circuits and DIY enthusiast, but not electrician.

Quick overview of the outdoor wiring.   Armoured cable goes from the house to summerhouse into breaker box with RCD and circuits for summerhouse interior lighting and sockets , one circuit for outdoor lighting, and one circuit for outdoor pond pump.  Its definitely the outdoor lighting circuit tripping the RCD when it rains. The RCD never trips when that circuit is OFF.

Worrying thing #1 I noticed is that the pond pump circuit and outdoor lighting go through the same 4 core flex cable going outside. Black and Blue for the lighting,  Brown and Gray for the pump.  There is no earth connection between the earth terminals in the breaker box and the outdoor circuits. That didn't seem right or safe to me, how are my metal encased outdoor lights grounded?

OK, so I followed that 4 core flex cable to the first IP67 junction box from which many connection spur off to the pond pump and lighting.  I wanted to see how the ground wires where connected.

Worrying thing #2: the ground wires from the lighting and pond pump where all connected to a hole in the back of the junction box into the wooden fencing. My outdoor lights with metal casings and pond pump are grounded by my wooden fence. I'm no expert but wooden fences seem like a poor choice grounding.

See the ground wire going through a drilled hole into the wood fence:

It's not even a conductor right?  Unless it's wet and soggy by rain,  then it becomes slightly more conducting, which brings me to Worrying Thing #3, my fence lights up my volt pen from about 1 foot away from the junction box:

OK, so I have an electrified wooden fence,  which means that something live in my outdoor connections is touching the ground, which is "fine" in dry conditions, but as the fence gets wetter it conducts more and more until it trips the RCD.  Am I correct?

It seems to me that whoever wired this couldn't be bothered to have a dedicated 3 core wire for the lighting circuit and one for the pond circuit, connecting them to the fancy ground terminals in the breaker box, and avoid frying small mammals like my kids.  Am I correct?

In terms of fixing this,  what should I do?  It seems the right fix would be to get rid of the shared 4 core flex wire and get me two dedicated 3 core flex wire coming from the breaker box , one for each of the two outdoor circuits , so I can ground both circuits to the terminals in the breaker box. Having that in place, I will test the ground connections for voltage and if they still light up my volt tester, I will disconnect parts of the outdoor lighting circuit to try and isolate where the issue is. Does that sound right, so far?

Also those metal duct clamps on the pictures,  they are not grounded either.  You can get special metal grounding plates for these IP67 boxes for these type of metal connectors, to which you can attach a grounding wire using a screw. I quite like the ducts, but does anyone know if these ducting clamps exist in plastic? Sounds better to me if they exist.
Should I get a bigger junction box? It seems unsafe to have so many wires in there.

Should I be suing those 2 electricians (I'm not), that supposed to check the whole wiring , but at best came up with saying I have a couple of dodgy light fittings needing replacing , or am I making a fuss about nothing?

Rest assured, I will have work I do certified.


texts: Insulation with multiple polyester layers instead of one

texts:
I am getting 3cm thickness polyester sheets for free and while it could be great not having to buy insulation myself, I wonder is it a good idea to insulate it with multiple layers of these sheets for walls (I want to do 10cm thickness insulation).
Would I lose R value by doing so, or it doesn't really affect thermal insulation of the walls?


texts: Is it safe to block the hole in the wood in the basement?

texts: I discovered today that there are some holes cut in the wooden frames (located near the ceiling of the basement). I suspect that mice come through these holes. The holes are of regular shape (trapezium); it is definitely man made, and I also found holes of the same shape in other parts of the frame at similar relative locations (near a rebar). What are these holes for and is it safe to block these holes with steel wool and caulk?


texts:
I am working on a project where I install an electric system by my property entrance, than I have to run a wire about at least 700 feet. I do want to deliver 240VAC and I know that voltage drop is a thing.

I've calculated aluminum wire 2AWG at 850' 200 amps over distance like if I want to power up a table saw for example at the end. Then I get voltage drop which leaves off 156 vac at the end.

My main question is, how can I convert 151vac to 120vac?

FYI, I will actually install an outlet at the end of 850' and power things over night. Generator won't be an option.

PS: I made major edits, I am not going to use copper wire, and I will supply 240 vac 200 amps instead of 120.


texts:
I have 4x 55W florescent tubes in my garage, two per fitting.  Its dark in there, the garage door opener has a uselessly tiny light.

So the plan is to fit an omnidirectional ceiling motion sensor.

Here's what's in the paperwork:

Does this mean the sensor switches the Active line while the Neutral line is simply straight through?  IE

Does that fill in the missing details correctly ?


texts: Moved into a new home and theres a hunter ceiling fan in the room. When I put light bulbs in It they dont turn off. The pull switch dims and brightens the lights but doesnt not turn them off. There is no light switch for the fan. I was told that there was a 3-way switch that turned off the outlets but they removed the switches and have them constantly on (they were half outlets at one point). Any ideas on why this could be? Couldve the 3-way switch controlled the ceiling fan but now it's hard wired and way to get around it?


texts: Running a generator on the back of a flatbed - Safety Concerns

texts:
Fourth of July is coming up, and we're doing music for the parade off a 1990's Dodge flat-bed truck.

Equipment

Electric drum kit... the brain is the only electronic (see below)
PA system (2000 watts)
Generator (3500 watts) (Gas powered) - if you need exact model I can get it

I have safety concerns.

The diesel truck fumes on top of the output from the generator might be a lot of carbon monoxide. I can only sit about 5 or 6 feet away from the generator at most. The best I can do is point it off the back. We're driving slow, maybe even stopped at times...
Power requirements. Is watts all I have to care about? I'm going to have in ear monitors hooked up to this system. I don't want to get shocked to death because it spikes or damage equipment because it can't handle it. How do I test how much power this system is using?

People have mentioned purifying the "dirty power" from the generator. Not sure what that means?

This may not be worth it, which is a bummer. I'd like to do it if I can safely.


texts: Rigid foam board in walls between studs, plus fiberglass batt?

texts:
I've got access to some discounted (factory seconds) of rigid foam board and looking to cut it up and place it against the exterior walls on the inside of an old (1894) converted house that is now four 1br apartments. Thinking of going with 1" of rigid foam board and then adding a fiberglass batt on the inside of that. With the old house, the 2x4 studs are actually at least 4", not 3.5.
It's in southern Illinois and I'm trying to get some good advice on whether I should be concerned about vapor barrier and if the fiberglass batt makes this better or worse?


texts:
I'm contemplating putting a skylight in a bathroom that would otherwise get little natural light. I've received some mixed advice with one person telling me the shower condensation will cause a long term problem while another says it will be fine.

Is that a good reason to avoid a bathroom skylight?


texts: How do I seal my baseboards from drafts?

texts: Some rooms in my house have a pretty bad draft along the edge of the floor, where it meets the outside walls. But I am less than thrilled (to put it mildly) about the prospect of ripping out carpeting and moldings just to seal the draft. Is there any simpler solution out there?


texts:
I am in the process of installing wood like tiles and I was wondering if my floor is level to install those tiles. right now if I use 72" beam box level, it is having 1/8" of uneven floor. So how can I make sure if my floor is ok to install 6"x24" tiles. How to check the floor for leveling.

Thank you,
Nishant Balwan


texts:
Looking for advice on how to install (or if I should install) gutter under this roof.

This is a back porch that sticks out from the house. Unfortunately the basement does extend under the porch, so the main reason for wanting to drain away water here is to  keep the runoff away from the basement.

I already had issues with the basement wall being forced inwards by freezing/expanding water over the years (house was built in 1930). I would like to prevent this from happening again.

The roof doesn't seem to have a normal fascia board, with the roof edge sticking about 3 inches past the existing board. Maybe I should use hangers with straps? Or maybe I should use shims behind the gutter to position them in the correct place?

The other issue is where to put the downspout. The ends of the porch are away from any sort of structure to attach a downspout to. I think I probably need to wrap the gutter around the corner of the roof and have the downspout come down by the house. I would have a similar problem here: how to I hang the gutter?


texts: Why would ceiling fan reverse air flow without me changing directions?

texts:
I have this exact ceiling fan, and so far it has worked nicely. It is mounted in my bedroom, I believe height to floor is about 12 feet and the rod from the ceiling to the actual fan is about 18 inches (estimates here, if you want more specifics I could go and measure).

But for all of summer it was blowing fine - pretty powerfully, but largely hot. Now that the climate has changed and the breeze is cooler, I literally feel absolutely NO AIR below it. When I hold my hand beside it, I can feel breeze up there - almost as if it is sucking air from the bottom and pushing it to the top.

I haven't tested this theory fully yet, by say taping a piece of paper to the roof and seeing how it responds when the fan is turned on, but a lot of this is anecdotal just based on what me and my wife feel.

Is there any reason that the air flow would reverse, without any explicit reason. I was looking for a switch or something on the fan, and I can't find one - so I don't think someone could have flipped it while it was being cleaned, or is there some hidden mechanism that I am unaware of?

Help!


texts:
One of our vanity doors is in very bad shape after a leak some time ago. Now I'm trying to save it if possible. I've managed to sand away the very bad swells

However the bottom feels rather fluffy.

Can I just use any undercoat and paint it with any interior paint?

Any advice appreciated.


texts: Hi there: this screw from my bathroom vanity handle has broken. I'm curious about the two grooves that you might be able to see on the remaining screw. Do they serve any purpose? Should I be trying to find a replacement that offers those two grooves? Or are they not necessary?


texts: Fluorescent lights will only work when it rains

texts: Half of my fluorescent shop lights will only work when it rains I've checked breakers, replaced all the bulbs but nothing has changed.   They just started doing this recently,  could the balasts cause this?


texts: Furnace installation: What separates the good from the bad?

texts:
This page says,

  Poor installation can reduce [a high-performance furnace] to a mediocre furnace

Conversely, asm-air writes,

  Remember, who installs your HVAC unit is more important than what type of unit you buy.  A good HVAC contractor can make almost anything run efficiently.

What does a good furnace installer do to make the furnace run well and/or
what mistakes might a novice (or unqualified) installer make which could reduce the performance of a furnace?


texts: Replacing drywall above boiler... to Code? Inspection?

texts:
I own a mid-1800's house in New England, with a fieldstone foundation and dirt floor basement. I now have a mold problem in the basement.

There is lone sheet of drywall above the boiler & water heater, presumably as fire protection. Among my many problems, that drywall is covered in mold and must be replaced.

My question: is this something that might need to be done to code, with an inspection, etc.? Should I call my town about it?


texts: Two different color wires under single outlet screw

texts: I have this outlet with two wires under a single screw on both sides, which I've learned can be resolved through pigtailing. However on the hot side, one of the doubled-up wires is black and the other is yellow. Is it safe to pigtail these two together? I'm not sure what they're for to be honest, nothing is connected to this outlet normally so I'm not sure if it was for something it was previously used for or not. It's a 120 V 20 A outlet.


texts: Information resources for Traditional Japanese Homes

texts:
My family and I are preparing to purchase a more or less traditional Japanese home in Hawaii.  I am checking up on the claims that it was brought here from Japan and built in 1965.  Interior construction appears to be the real thing.  Open ceilings, exposed beams (some rough/unmilled), lots and lots of joinery.
The past 50 years have been pretty good to the house, but previous owners have done some things to it that it does not agree with.  For instance, there are effectively three parts to the house, the Main House (that portion that was erected in 1965 and brought from Japan), the tall addition (a two story addition that adjoins one side of the Main House), and the finished downstairs (the Main House sits on a very steep slope, and underneath has been finished to provide a couple of bedrooms and bathrooms for a tenant.
My main focus is going to be on the Main House.  It has been divided into two parts; originally it looks like there was a shoji screen divider between the halves which were removed and cheap fake bamboo walls were put in.  Portions of both sides have pretty obviously had the tatami mats removed and have put in hardwood flooring instead.  The clay tile roof superficially looks good, but some water damage of unknown age is present on the interior of the open ceiling and so a good roof inspection needs to be done.
What I am looking for is a good resource (or a bunch of resources) from which I can learn the more common architectural elements in so-called "Traditional Japanese Homes".  I don't even know what they are accurately called in Japanese.  These would be homes that with interior construction like that in the image:  Notice the large exposed beam just behind the red paper lamp.  Still has the natural bow of the wood intact and the sanded protrusions of knots and normal growth.
I have read a couple of books on the subject, but mostly they were concerned with the evolution of architecture through Japanese history, or they were about the process that one company went through to build a Japanese Tea House.  As informative as this last book was, it did not really go into the details that I need.  Things like:
Anatomy and terminology of clay tiled roofs and the tile types (this house has 'S' shaped tiles similar to these :
Terminology and design of structural components
I understand the idea of ken in relation to sizing and measurement, but would like to understand how these homes are supposed to flow so that I can get this one back to that paradigm.  Names of beams, and supports, etc.
Common elements to look for concerning deterioration
These structures are typically built by joining wooden elements together then driving wooden pegs into matching holes to semi-permanently hold them together.  Other members have large (looks like wrought iron) hooks that hold pieces together (I am told that this is earthquake mitigating stuff).
Anyhow, much of the stuff that I have found online is either not correct or it does not quite describe the elements in this home.  Any good books out there that someone knows has lots of information on Japanese home like this?


texts: How to safely remove this old hot water radiator?

texts:
I want to permanently remove the radiator picture belowd. The home has been retrofitted with central air and a few mini splits and the radiators are no longer in use. The boiler has been removed from the home already. My questions are:

Is there any good way to tell if the pipes still have water?
What kind of mess should I expect to come out of these?
I unscrewed what I believe to be a air bleed value, and there wasn't any water or air coming out. Does this mean I'm ok to remove the pipes?
Should I just cut the copper pipes? I tried getting some movement on the compression fitting with a crescent wrench but that thing is on there really tight.
Any other recommendations on preparedness before I take these out?

Other notes: there are no cut off valves before the copper hits the radiator.


texts: Can you have an existing breaker panel in a pantry closet. The breaker panel is in bedroom closet, I want to get rid of closet to enlarge kitchen. Can I put breaker panel in a closet used as a pantry?


texts: Can I plug corded light fixtures in outlets in ceiling per code?

texts: I  have build a new pole shed. I installed 20 amp switch with 12/2 wire from the switch to 20 amp outlets in the ceiling to power plug in LED lights. I can plug up to 8 LED lights on a 15 amp circuit (according to the packaging). My question: will plugin light fixtures with corded plugs meet code?


texts: Plumbing utility sink into washing machine with no vent

texts:
So I currently have a washing machine that has its hose running into a 2" standpipe that is coming out of my basement floor.  A humidifier hose and AC hose also squeezes into that standpipe and it's pretty tight and janky looking.   I'm trying to clean everything up with proper piping, install a laundry box and also a utility sink.

There is no vent or additional plumbing nearby that is easily accessible.

The standpipe is on the left, machine in the middle and the sink would be on the right.   Can I have a single PVC pipe that connects the sink to the machine that then connects to the standpipe?   Do I need a mechanical vent for it to work?   It all seemed to work fine before but I am sure it wasn't to code (Toronto).  What is the best way to connect the humidifier and AC to the same pipe?   Should I have individual connections piped to the standpipe?

Here's the standpipe on the left with humidifier and washer draining into it:

Diagram of the current setup:

Proposed setup - sink on right and washer on left, draining into standpipe.

Or here's another proposal.   My understanding is I need to swap the sink wye and put it above the washer so there's no chance of backing up the utility sink.

What considerations should I be making with regards to venting, angles and heights?  Any other considerations?

Thank you for your help!


texts: Using 230V-115V Transformer for 240V supply

texts:
What would happen if your ac power system uses 240V and you are using a 230V-115V step down transformer?

Would it degrade the winding faster?

Why is there a 230V-115V ac? what countries use it?


texts: Can I attach the hot hose from my washer to my boiler relief?

texts:
I just moved into an older house and there is only a cold tap for the washing machine. The machine is located right next to the boiler so I was wondering if I could just attach the hot water hose to the drain outlet located at the bottom of the boiler to give the washer hot water. I checked and the hose attaches just fine.

Any help would be really appreciated!


texts:
I have a very small loft (4sqm) that is part of an extension that sits above a utility room between my home and garage. I would like to turn the loft space into a small server closet due to a lack of suitable location in the house. Due to this, I would like to somewhat insulate the loft space to keep it warm in winter and cooler in summer to stop my equipment going kaput.

I have attached some images that hopefully give you an idea of what's going on.

https://imgur.com/a/z1DVEFN

As you can see, the three walls in the loft are not external, so I am hoping there won't need to be any work done there. It is mostly the roof I am concerned about. To make clear, I don't intend for this to look like a nice space, my hope is to put simple loft boards down on the joists, insulated and plywood the roof area, and start screwing into the wall to hold equipment. I guess my questions are as follows;

Can I safely insulate between the rafters, or will this cause damp issues? Do I need to leave a gap? I have attached pictures of the membrane below the tiles, is this breathable?
If I insulated between the rafters, how do I close up the gap towards where the rafters meet the wall plate?
Do I then need to apply a moisture barrier over the insulation?
Do I need to put anything on the brick walls, or can they stay as-is?
Is there anything I have overlooked?

Many thanks in advance :)


texts: What kind of window is this? And how to open it?

texts:
This window sits above our (sort-of) 3/4 glazed french doors onto our balcony.

It looks like somehow this rod should turn, allowing the window to fall back into the room but we've had no luck so far. The only part that appears to move is that the rod (?) can be lifted up and down a few centimetres which shuts or opens the window a tiny bit.

The window is quite high up and start about 8ft above the floor and requires a ladder to reach.

I've tried googling a number of different window styles and can't find other similar windows, or even how to open it.

The mechanism to open looks very similar to this 'preston system opener':
It looks like the mechanism is similar to a 'preston system opener':
https://www.ironmongerydirect.co.uk/product/preston-system-opener-bright-zinc-plated-311878


texts: Can I have two main panels from a single service drop?

texts: Can I run 2 main panels both with separate circuits and main disconnects all off of 1 electrical service from the street?  basically separate 1st floor 2nd floor with different boxes and only one service.


texts: Nail sticking out other side of wooden door - how do I remove the sharp end?

texts:
I've hammered two nails into a wooden door and approx. 2mm (the sharp ends) are sticking out the other side.

What's the best/easiest way to take the ends off the nails?

Thanks in advance,
Stephen


texts: Choosing a power supply, breaker amperage and wire size for a 220V welder

texts: I have a new SMAW welding machine (80-250A) and I want to use it at home. I don't know yet how to make an outlet for it. Would it be correct to plug it into an outlet in my house with a 15-amp breaker?


texts: Confused about two way wiring on stair case

texts:
I have two light bulbs controlled by three light switches. I replaced two of them a while ago (can't remember what the wiring looks like) with no problems. However, I encountered the following issue when attempting to replace the third light switch. The diagram belows shows the old one on left - the new one, to be installed, on the right :

Any advice on how to wire up the new switch ? The red lines show a connection outside of light switch and earth I have not included, it is also outside of switch.

The two lights themselves are both either turned on or off, ie I can can turn both on at one end of hallway and then walk along to other end (or the middle) and turn both off - they work as intended. But I have no idea how to wire up the new switch, is it even the right type of switch ?


texts:
I am in the U.S. I know that it is a good idea to have a capped or plugged nipple outlet somewhere on your interior gas pipe system where you can mount a test gauge that can be pumpted to a certain pressure to see if it leaks overtime.

My question is: Is having such an outlet mandated by the law/code?


texts:
Is this giant mess made of plumber's putty, and if so, what can I expect to find behind it if I chisel (or Dremel) it off?
It has a slow leak so I'd like to fix it, but I'm not sure what it is, and I'm trying to prepare for what I'll need to do once I get it off. (Perhaps a trap adapter to marry the PVC + main drain pipe nipple?)


texts: Filling in hole in bathroom counter tile

texts:
The previous owners drilled a hole in our tiled bathroom counter for a soap dispenser, but they never installed anything. We're not fans of built in dispensers and would like to fill in the hole. Precisely matching the tile isn't a key requirement as we eventually want to completely redo the bath completely. We mostly just want the hole to be covered up (water intrusion isn't a problem). I don't have any spare tiles nor any information on the type of tile used in this project.

Are there any practical options to install some sort of plug that will be fairly unobtrusive and structurally sound?


texts: How to install surface mount box under eave with aluminum covering

texts:
I want to install a flood light under the eave of my house. I ran the electric from the basement through 2 floors to the third floor attic and into the eave already. I bought the flood light and a round surface mount box.
I asked a guy at Home Depot about the install and showed him this pic I took:

He seemed to know what he was talking about, but didn't mention anything about the eave covering. I then looked up how to do the install on YouTube when I got home and the first video I saw said to not install when the eave has a ridged covering with channels for airflow, which is what it looks like I have. The claim was that this could cause water to get into the box:
https://youtu.be/SQxaWKmGbIw
Should I abandon this little project or can I like, cut a hole in the either aluminum (or vinyl? - I'm guessing aluminum because that's what the garage has) covering to mount the electrical box?
This is the type of box I got:

Round Bronze Weatherproof Box with Five 1/2 in. Threaded Outlets

https://www.homedepot.com/p/204208043


texts: How do I cut an access panel in an inside wall?

texts:
I have a home theatre and I need to run some cables from the floor through to the roof.

My original plan was to drill from the roof down through the beams and then cut a small hole at the bottom through which to feed cables through.

However, I can't find a way of drilling from inside the roof down through the cross beams in the wall frame.

So now I want to cut a panel out in the plaster of the front wall.  The panel will be hinged so I can open and close it.

What this means is that I will be able to get a drill in there then and drill through the beams and thus get cables to run through the wall.

I was wondering how to approach this so that the edges weren't ragged but nice and straight into which i can then fit a (door) as such to cover the hole.


texts: What natural-wood finish should I use to protect a door from pet scratches?

texts:
I'm installing a new solid-core wood door in one of my bedrooms.  I want the door to have a natural wood look.  However, I have a dog who will scratch at the door to open it looking for me / squeaky toys / a quiet place to chew said squeaky toys.

What type of finish should I use to minimize -- or eliminate, if possible -- the damage from pet scratches?


texts: How to install an outdoor outlet in new stucco (not retrofit) -- with details done right

texts:
Previous questions pertain to adding an outdoor electrical box to old stucco (How do I install electrical through existing stucco (e.g. "old work") ).

What are the ways it's done on a wall that will be re-stuccoed?

In this case I'm interested in a design suitable for a weather side wall with heavy blowing rain and baking hot summer sun.  It could be flush mount or surface mount.

How can the all the details be done right: flashing, penetration, and protecting the house should the crappy foam seal on the outlet cover eventually fail. I prefer using metal, as I know plastic boxes get brittle in such conditions after only a few decades (short compared to the life of an old house).


texts: Is there any way to get around a high waste outlet pipe?

texts:
I've recently replaced my ancient sink with a new one, the taps don't leak it's sealed to the work top and looks great but the waste out let pipe was just below the old sink and the new one is a slightly deeper design.

As a result the water level in the piping is just below the plug fixture.  I have a second out let for the washing machine but it is in the corner of the room behind all the fixtures so would rather not have to use it.

This is my leaky setup at the moment


texts: How can I determine what size pressure pump and tank do I need?

texts: we have a cistern tank that is 3 meters deep , the desired pump would have to pull the water from the cistern (vertical distance is 3 meters) then the water would be pushed horizontally for about 22 to 25 meters)   then vertically to the overhead tank which is 21 meters high.  What size pump in HP would be good plus the size of the pressure tank.


texts: What type of wood should I use as an outdoor table top for a BBQ?

texts:
I am going to build a brick BBQ similar to something like the below BBQ picture.

The position will be against the house and will get wet from rain. I only plan to cover the BBQ.

Would I be ok to have a wooden counter top?

What types of wood should I look at?

How to protect?


texts: A plumber replaced my water heater last week and he left the main valve half opened.  Is there any good reason for this or he just forgot about it?  Is it safe to put it back fully opened as it was?  The valve model is "Watts regulator FBVS-1".


texts: How to Wire New Ceiling Fan with Remote and Wall Switch?

texts:
I wired my new ceiling fan to the picture attached. It was not working because the light stayed on all the time so I put the blue from the ceiling fan to the black and black from ceiling and receiver. That fixed the light issue but now the fan only works when the light switch is ON.

What wire to I need to change to make it so the fan works when the light switch is on and off?


texts: Should I replace this cracked bathroom wall tile?

texts:
Just had someone install ceramic tiles for bathroom. But to my surprise one tile on the shower walls, appears to have a hairline crack. I asked him about it and he said it was a manufacturing cosmetic defect and it's not a real crack more like a harmless scratch. I don't know, but I know replacing it is not easy. The pipes out of the tiles are for the fauce, so there are two holes for them in the same tile already.

The tile has 4 horizontal squares and two vertical, the two important holes are in the center:


texts:
I have natural gas for all main appliances except for our AC system.
However, there are breakers and outlets for all 240v appliances. They are unused and in the off position. Presumably if someone wanted say a gas oven/dryer/water heater etc they could then do that without issue.
My question is, while I never plan on getting anything but natural gas appliances, it is nice to know that I could go electric should I want to. So, that being said, am I able to use one of the existing 240v breakers to drop my own 240v plug in a place that doesn’t currently have one?
Let’s assume all proper calculations like wire size, expected draw, etc were all figured out. The question is simply can you have two separate leads on the same breaker going to two separate outlets? My gut tells me no, because I don’t see anything like that in the panel. But I’d like to ask.
Note: currently there is no more space in the panel, so that’s why I have this question.


texts: What are these kind of assemble-able "Erector" sets generally known as or called?

texts:
What are these kind of "Erector Sets" generally known as?

I know this is based on "Aluminium Sections". I was wondering if there is a class of products/ companies in the space that are called "something" and not only one of them.

Origin:

I had some DIY ideas I wanted to execute, but found the Wood work/ Metal-welding and drilling pathways a bit more hard core and cumbersome and not easy to disassemble-reassemble nor very light weight.

Someone suggested looking at a certain site/ brand (not promoting them as I am a consumer who likes the mechanism but would like to find other options in the space as these do not seem to be available where I am in Asia right now).

Is there a general name/ categorization or "what they are called" in common terms so that I can google and/ or ask around to find their availability?

Not sure if I should link to them but here is URL and a little about them.

T-slotted Aluminum framing system is the only term/ word I could come up with from their material.  Is there a industry/ general set of terms/ names for it?

http://www.8020.net

  80/20 is a T-slot aluminum  building system you can use  to
  construct virtually anything.  When you think of 80/20 think  of “an
  erector set” for adults.


texts: AC blower turns on and off 1 or 2 times per second

texts: I have a Carrier Weathermaker 8000. When using the A/C and the house is below the temperature called for by the thermostat, the blower motor randomly turns on and after 10 seconds or more will start to cycle off and on 1 or 2 times per second. I simultaneously hear a clicking sound and loud shaking/vibration from the constant off and on process. What can cause this?


texts: What to do first in a house with poor thermal performance and high energy bills

texts:
I just moved into a house and am a little bit disappointed in its thermal performance so far. It's winter and cold outside, and the furnace heats the house up pretty quickly, but then the house gets cold again pretty soon. So the furnace is on, then off again, then on again, and I suspect it's not reaching its efficiency potential from this. Furthermore, the dry air blown around the house isn't terribly comfortable in the already-dry northern New Mexico climate. The tile floors set right on top of the slab are really cold. The gas bill is irritatingly high.

So I'm wondering what I should tackle first to to remedy this situation. Here are some more details:

The house is a 42 year old ranch-style, and the conditioned space is 1,200 square feet.
The house faces west, so the main living area only gets direct sunlight early in the morning and in the late afternoon.
The heater is an 80% efficiency 125,00 BTU central forced air furnace with ducts in the unconditioned attic and vents in the ceilings.
There are lots of air leaks.
There is a large sliding glass door that was double-paned, but one pane is missing
The entry door is un-insulated.
The walls are 2x4 construction with fiberglass insulation.
External sheathing is cream-colored stucco, with no continuous foam insulation or anything nice like that.
The attic has loose cellulose insulation, about 6" maybe. Higher in some places, lower in others.
The roof sheathing is made up of light red asphalt shingles. Roof decking is 2x10s.
The house is built on a slab-on-grade which is not insulated at all. The footings have been extended outwards to form a ring of concrete around the whole house that you can walk on, making it impossible to effectively insulate the edges without removing the extra concrete first.
The windows are double-pane, but old and aluminum-framed. The aluminum frames feel very cold to the touch when it's cold outside. They also do a terrible job of noise cancellation. Inside the house, you can hear people 30 feet away outside.
There is an attached, uninsulated garage.

What should I do first? I'm planning to stay in this house a while so I'll have time to tackle large projects eventually (i.e. replace shingles with metal roof, add continuous foam insulation) but I'd like to know what's the general order I should tackle things.


texts: How much concrete is required to hold 125 lbs/sqft permanently?

texts:
I have an garage with asphalt floor and concrete footings. I plan to put a 500 lb safe in the corner, partially on the footing. That's about 125 lbs per square foot including contents, permanently.

To make a level base, I plan to dig up that patch of asphalt and pour high strength concrete.

What depth and quality of gravel do I need under the concrete pad to safely hold this weight? What depth of concrete do I need?

Here are some additional details. The corner of the garage actually has a U shaped concrete footing with asphalt in the middle. The gap between the footings is too large for the safe. The portion of the footing holding up the garage wall has been repaired and is solid. The unused/bare footing and the asphalt is known to be weak due to insufficient base.


texts: How do I install a GFCI receptacle to replace an old non-GFCI receptacle in a switch controlled outlet?

texts: I wish to replace an old non-GFCI receptacle with the new GFCI receptacle in a switch controlled outlet in my bedroom. The photo shows the bare ground wire connected to the ground screw, the two white neutral wires "backstabbed" into the neutral wire slots, and with the two black hot wires pigtailed together. Also there is a red wire which only occurs on a switch controlled outlet, which is backstabbed into one of the hot wire slots. So which wire goes where on the GFCI? The Leviton instructions that came with the new GFCI receptacle declare that if there are more than two wires inside each of the two  Romex cables (four total, excluding the ground wires), to consult an electrician instead.


texts: Is there a trick to make an electric screw driver with adjustable torque from a nonadjustable drill?

texts:
I have an electric drill  without a feature to adjust its torque. Because too many bolts and screws to fasten as quickly as possible, I need an electric screwdriver.

Using a screwdriver bit directly connected to the drill is very risky because the excessive torque might damage the screw head, etc.

Question

Is there any trick to solve this problem with at most $30?


texts:
I'm looking at different shelving options and I really like the look of this shiplap wood. I'd like to use it for shelving by connecting two of them together widthwise to make a shelf that is approximately 12" in depth. I'm unsure about this for 2 reasons:

I don't know how strong the shelf would be (my brackets will be 16" apart)

I'm not sure how I can attach the pieces together (would glue be enough?)

The entire depth of the shiplap would be supported by brackets so the joint doesn't need to be super strong.


texts:
The cabinets in our kitchen were installed just prior to us moving into the house.  The cabinet above the fridge is deeper than the other cabinets so that it protrudes over the fridge.  This would be fine if they had also used an end panel to enclose the fridge.  Installing an end panel is not an option as the counter top and backsplash would not allow it to lay flush.

So, I want to either alter the depth of the cabinet to be flush with the other cabinets or simply replace the cabinet.  Considering that a new cabinet would be in the $150 price range, would it even be worth it to try to alter the existing one?

Would I need to disassemble the whole cabinet and cut the boards individually or would it be possible to use a sawzall or something else to shallow out the cabinet before reassembling the back panel.


texts: Need to fix the grading of my backyard: remove the sod or turn it over?

texts:
I want to fix the grading of my backyard. I think that I have two options: a) remove the sod, grade the soil and put the sod back AND b) use a rototiller (rent it from HomeDepot) and turn the old sod over

I would like to go with b) because:
-the existing sod is poor quality
-there is less work involved to remove and put back
-I understand that using a rototiller will also help me to aerate the soil, make it easier to be graded

To get my lawn back I can either buy sod or seed and wait for the grass to grow back. This should be easy with the wet summer that we are in for here in To.

Any pros and cons ?

And here is a soil level picture


texts: LP fireplace: My pilot and burner both shut down

texts:
My Pleasant Hearth liquid propane fireplace (it's either 20k or 30k BTUs) is only a year old. I am using a 100 lb tank attached to a copper line (with a regulator, of course). I live in Maine, so the copper line is wrapped in foam insulation.
The fireplace worked perfectly last winter, but this year it occasionally shuts down entirely--meaning both the burner and the pilot shut off. The pilot comes on again when I re-light it and will continue to stay lit, but if I turn it up high enough for the burner to come on, it runs for less than five minutes and then the whole shebang shuts down again.
I've done most of the troubleshooting--checking air flow, making sure the tank's not empty, all the obvious stuff. Could it be that I need a new regulator? The one I'm using is several years old.
I will be eternally grateful for any and all input!


texts: Is grout faulty if it has some color variation, or just drying out?

texts: hi just had my new bathroom installed and tiled the tile used Ivory grout but when I am looking at 3 days later most of it is Ivory but there are a few cream areas in grout not sure if it is still drying or it is faulty


texts: Does Landing At Bottom of Small Staircase Need to be 36" Long

texts: Does international building code require a 36" landing at the bottom of a small staircase? I see it mentioned all over the internet that it's required for a large staircase, but am unable to find if there's an exception for a smaller staircase.


texts: I moved my electric dryer to another room, and in doing so I realized it needed a longer cord for it. Searching the internet I found that the plug on my dryer is a three pronged / type plug with the third straight down. I noticed these are for Ranges that push 50 amps and my dryer is 30 amp. Since I run this through a fuse box with thirty amp fuses is it safe to use a range cord on the dryer?


texts: Pulling wire through EMT and PVC conduit

texts:
I'm running two circuits outside to other side of yard. I don't have much experience pulling wire so I wanted to make sure I'm doing it right. I have stranded and solid 10awg. I purchased both not sure which to use. I figured my new construction house is all EMT with solid wire, I will use solid to stay consistent.

The solid wire is much stiffer, so I purchased the wire lube to help pull it through and watched some videos about trying pull string in multiple places and electrical taping it.

I will have about a 40ft run of EMT in the basement and then a 60ft run of PVC outside. The PVC will have the LB coming put of house, two 90 deg sweeps (coming out of house, and going up to receptacle), and two 45 deg bends.

I will most likely be doing this myself, so can I pull each wire individually? It will be two circuits, so 5 wires total, (2 hot, 2 neutral, 1 ground).

I purchased a 500ft role, and plan on taping each end to color code. So I was going to pre-cut 5 wires and mark them and pull starting at the junction behind the LB and through PVC, then feed the rest the opposite way through the EMT, basically piecing the EMT as I feed it.

Is this a good idea? Also, can I pull one wire at a time through PVC to make it easier? Or is there best practices to follow to reduce nicks in wires.

Finally, can I pull a 6th wire through and leave it unused to possibly be used in future for a 220 volt with neutral.

This is for a pool circuit and general use receptacle. As of right now I don't need 220 because it's an Intex storable pool. But later on when upgrading the pool pump or heater, may need a 220.


texts: Why isn't my table built from lumber taking stain well?

texts:
The stain is so horribly bad that I'm concluding the wood must be treated with something preventing staining. It's Douglass Fir, so I know it's hard to stain, but it literally looks like a zebra after one coat and doesn't change after subsequent coat.

Is my wood just bad wood?


texts: Connecting downspout to first floor gutter

texts:
I am looking to connect my second floor downspout to the first floor gutter.  In any sort of wind, the water misses the gutter completely and makes a big mess.  I found the thread here very helpful for what I want to do but being new I cannot comment on it.  What I cannot determine is if there is anything special I need to do to attach the downspout to the roof?  Will 2 gutter screws at the top A style elbow be enough?  I'm trying to avoid putting holes in the roof!

Update:

I ended up using 2 A style 45 degree elbows, since the standard 70 degree elbows were too much.  I then connected the downspout and gutter with the appropriate tiny screws.  It's pretty sturdy and tonight's expected wind storm+rain should be a good test.

I wish I could get the colors to match better -- I bought Linen, but I think I needed Almond.  Oh well...


texts:
Need 240V 20AMPs in detached garage for 16 AMP Level 2 EV Charger (Chevy Spark) at my MIL's home.

1200 sqft House, has a 100 AMP Panel. Furnace, Dryer, and Stove are Gas. All circuits are 20AMPs, and currently unlabeled. Only 240v appliance is 20AMP for central AC.

Garage is currently fed by 20AMP circuit from the main panel via Underground conduit run (probably about 25-30feet). Feeding a couple lights, outlets and 2 car garage door opener. No heavy equipment in garage

Here's what I'm thinking:

On Main Panel: Upgrade 20AMP single to 30AMP double
Pull out existing Romex run, upgrade to 10/3 to feed garage Sub Panel
Garage Sub Panel: 1 20AMP double(Dedicated for EV), and 1 15AMP single(outlets, lights, etc)

Updated Information

The Main Panel has 12, 20 Amp Circuits @ 120(Including the garage I want to switch to a subpanel 30 @ 240). And 1, 20Amp @ 240 for Central AC.
Pipe feeding the garage is 1 inch.
If it can support running a 50AMP subpanel for futureproofing Im all for it, but if its a difference of upgrading the main panel or not, I'll take the less intrusive option.
I used the calculator located here Electrical load Calculator and it output Total VA Load = 12600 Total Amp Load = 53.


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