texts:
11/29/18
Moved into a condo and inherited this laundry pair.
I have same exact problem with the washer as OP on 02/19/18 except model # is GE GFWN1100L3WW.
Washer fills with plenty of water, drum senses one or two rotations, then drains, unlocks door and flashes the pause button.
No cycles run complete.
I unplugged, replugged for 15 seconds.   Then tried 15 minutes.
I cleaned the drain at the bottom of the machine, as well as the filters just inside the hot and cold water hoses.
I changed the water inlet valve.  Still no resolution.
Ran a test for error codes.  There were several.  We cleared the codes and re ran the tests.  Got an E46 (motor or control).  Called our usual repair man and he is still trying to get info on the error code fix.

Any other suggestions before I give up and replace the darn thing?

TIA


texts: Adapting an outside wall outlet to suface mount conduit?

texts:
This was a previous question with some great answers.
How can I adapt a wall outlet to suface mount conduit?
One answer was: "There are collar boxes available that have conduit KO's (knockouts). Just install one on top of the existing device box and run your conduit."
I was wondering if there was a way to do this while maintain weather proofing of the outlet for outside applications? Is there a gasket box extender that could be used? I have a plug I would like to adapt to conduit that is on a partially covered porch. It would not be exposed directly to rain or weather but could potentially get wet.


texts: Extension cord out of electric box for toilet seat bidet

texts:
I'm buying a new apartment and I cannot easily modify the walls to add an additional electrical box. There's only one outlet and it's by the mirror over the vanity.

I want to install an electric toilet seat bidet but I don't want the aesthetic of the cord or loss of use of one of 2 outlets for this semi-permanent installation.

Is there a way to wire up a narrow extension cord to come out of the electrical box and straight down to the ground where I can plug in the bidet?

EDIT:
Would it be a bad idea to build another GFCI box and route the cords together down the wall to this box?


texts: How to stop a whistling hot water tap which also has a mind of its own?

texts:
The hot water tap in my kitchen whistles quite loudly when it is in a certain pressure range -- at very low and high pressures it is fine, but within the sweet spot it whistles away.

It also seems to have a mind of its own, where it will turn itself anti/counter-clockwise (to higher pressure) without me touching it.  It can become quite annoying (and dangerous!) when washing dishes as suddenly the water will become hotter because the hot water tap has turned itself to a higher pressure.

The cold water tap is unaffected by this.

I recently had my hot water system replaced because it was leaking, but this didn't make a lot of difference to the behaviour.

Other than getting a plumber out, is there any way I can figure out why this is happening?


texts: Removing old paint from wood ( professional vs DIY)

texts:
I am trying to determine the best way to remove layers of paint from wood attachments on my wall. The layers of paint hide the details and simply look really bad.

I've been using rock miracle stripper to remove the paint. But it takes a lot of effort and time.

What do professionals use to strip paint ?
Approximately how much would a contractor charge to remove paint off 1 door and how long would it take them ?


texts: How to tackle this carpenter ant ingress point?

texts:
Since moving into a new house about 6 weeks ago, we've occasionally seen small black ants indoors. We see about 5 a week on average. They don't seem to be doing anything specific indoors, i.e. they're not pillaging the dry goods cupboard. We keep the place pretty clean, food sealed, and we've never seen them in the kitchen area.
However, I did discover that there are some gaps in the sealant around one of the windows, and ants are coming and going from there. I assume it's the same group of ants and some of them are exploring further indoors. Next to the window are some vines with aphids living on them that the ants appear to be quite feeding on. I gather carpenter ants will eat honeydew created by aphids. If I watch for a while, I'll see the odd ant come or go through one of two small holes in the caulking of the window.
I think these are carpenter ants based on appearance and size. Most of them are around 6-8mm long, but I caught a couple yesterday that measured 9 and 13mm long.
I don't suspect a large scale infestation because I rarely see them indoors, and I've seen no evidence of frass (sawdust expelled from tunnels in wood by the ants).
So, I'm wondering how to tackle this issue. I see three main options, two of them DIY:

Use either Borax- or Diatomaceous-earth-based slow-acting powders/ baits around the opening they're using, with the hopes that those either kill off the colony if I've got one inside that wall, or just make the area inhospitable enough that the ants move on if this is just a shelter point for them when feeding on the aphids. In parallel, cut back the vines/ spray aphids to eliminate that food source. Once the ants are gone, seal the holes with pest deterrent expanding foam and fresh caulking.
Use fast-acting ant killer like Wilson foaming spray, just pump a generous amount into those holes, give that a day or two to do its thing, then again seal with the pest-resistant foam and caulking, and in parallel try to reduce the aphids.
Third option is just get a pest professional in right away.

My worry with #1 is it may just not work and may take a while (multiple weeks?) to determine it's not working. Reviews on Borax/ Diotemaceous based approaches seem very mixed. My worry with #2 is that the foaming pesticide leaves a lot of ants alive and now sealed inside, forcing them to tunnel out elsewhere, possibly further into the house.
Any thoughts on the above options or alternatives would be appreciated. FYI, I'm located in Ottawa, Canada, in case geography is relevant.
Here are some pictures:
The window - the vines and ingress points are in the lower left corner:

Ingrress points - I've only seen ants coming and going here:

Ants tending aphids:

Ant close up - I'm pretty sure these are carpenter ants:


texts:
My home is about 8 years old. Despite being painted, my external gas meter has rust at every thread/joint location. The rusting is mainly on the pipe threads. I'm afraid this could eventually lead to leaks.

I have several questions:

Is this a significant enough problem to warrant removing the rust and repainting?
If "yes" is the answer to the above question, what is the best way to remove the rust and repaint? Based on other posts and my experience, I would wire brush the rust spots then use CLR, Evaporust, or some other rust-removal solution. Then I'd paint with a rust-proof paint.
The answer to this post implies the Gas Company is responsible for maintaining the gas meter. Should I just notify them?


texts: How to patch small holes in concrete slab basement floor?

texts:
I am preparing to install luxury vinyl plank (LVP) in my basement (specifically CoreTec Pro). The subfloor is just concrete slab.

Previously this room had carpet with tack strips nailed to the cement. When I pulled up the old tack strips the nails pulled out small chunks of concrete (maybe 1/4 deep, 1-1.5 inches across).

What is the best approach to match these before I put down the vinyl floor (floating install)?


texts: Temporarily remove electrical panel off wall

texts:
Good evening,
I am removing the wood paneling in my basement the previous owner put in due to water damage and have an issue with the electrical panel and wood board being attached to the panel. Is it safe to temporarily remove that to replace/remove the 2x4 and panel behind it?


texts: How can I install r-max insulation on the interior side of a cinderblock wall?

texts:
I am planning on insulating  the lower level of my house with R-Max in a method similar to this:

I have a few question about it though:

Can I use something other than Treated wood as this is going inside my house? Maybe cedar?
Where does my electrical fit and mount into all this?
I am planning on using vertical wood paneling rather than Gypsum Board (see image below). I know R-Max is fairly tough and rigid but it does not seem like the most solid thing to mount something too?
What about piping/ducting for hot water radiators/vents? Isn't the best place to have these is under the windows for circulation?


texts: kitchen falcet over pressurized when you turn on

texts: When turn on water it comes out at first with so much force it will knock cup out of your hand then its normal after using but let it not be used for awhile and happens all over again


texts: Outlet making sci-fi sound when lamps in room turned on or off

texts:
Several lamps (different types plugged into different outlets) & my ceiling fan/light now make a sci-fi sound (like from a space ship in a movie) for 3 or 4 seconds. One lamp makes the sound when turned off, the other when turned on. The lights seem to be just as bright & don’t flicker, they just make the strange sound. Either going on or off. Any ideas?
Last night I discovered I t’s not the lamps making the sound, it’s an outlet. The 2 lamps aren’t plugged into the same outlet, but the sound is definitely coming from that outlet. Last night I unplugged one of those scent dispensers that use oil thru a slightly heated tubular sponge, & that set off the spaceship sound too. We took a video of the sound happening when I turn on the lamp that’s plugged into that outlet. I’d attach the video, but this website seems to only accept photos.
To sum up, this 1 outlet makes a sound like I’d expect from a spaceship when either the lamp that’s plugged into it is turned on, a lamp plugged into an outlet 10’ away on another wall is turned off, when scent dispensers are unplugged from that outlet, & occasionally when the ceiling fan is turned off. The other day it made that sound with no one touching anything electrical in that room, but it may have been responding so something being turned on or off in the room below it. The switched are all standard & each of the lamps has different types of bulbs.


texts: Return vent in unfinished basement causing first floor to become pressurized

texts:
I have a 3 year old home and the builder installed a return vent on the main intake trunk that connects to the furnace. This is super annoying for a few reasons:

It pressurized the first floor. This is very noticeable on the
first floor when opening the door to the basement. You feel the rush
of air being sucked into the basement.
It pulls odors and dust from the basement into the first floor.
It is heating the basement unnecessarily by pulling hot hair through
the underside of the basement door

I tried capping the return vent but it resulted in the blower motor making a slight noise. I mentioned this to my HVAC guy and he said this is a sign of the motor working too hard and i should remove the cap. He said there is insufficient return air coming from the first floor. I will note that prior to the cap, i have heard this same noise coming from the unit from time to time.
We have 2 return air registers on the first floor for about 1500 square feet of living space. They measure 11x11 and 10x13 but the 11x11 one seems to be doing most of the work.
What is the best way of solving this problem? My HVAC guy offered an approach of turning the basement into a full zone and utilizing dampers to have that furnace operate both the basement and first floor zones. This would be useful for finishing the basement which is something I am interested in. He was a bit hand wavey about how he would solve for the pressurization problem. I would really need to see a full system diagram to be confident. Is there a simpler solution to this problem?


texts: Adding an additional fixture to an existing three way switch

texts:
Box one.
I'm doing a remodel and want to add a fixture to an existing three way, it would be a ton of work to reach the existing fixture or the three way switch that has the power supply in it's box.
My question is can I, or how do I add a fixture off the other switch location.
This is the exiting switch configuration. I want to add a light fixture off the switch on the right.


texts: We're having a "common man olympics" where we do dumb things like "unload groceries in one trip" or "hang a picture straight without a level." I want one of the events to be "Start a cranky lawn mower." The problem is, most lawnmowers are easy to start after they have been started the first time, which means the person who goes first has a disadvantage. However, I did have a mower once that was consistently really hard to start. I had to be careful to never let it turn off until I was done mowing. It was actually easier to start the first time. Any ideas how you would go about sabotaging a mower so that it is hard (but not impossible) to start every time? Enough to make you break a sweat, say.


texts: Do I need a transformer to use this lamp in the US?

texts:
I bought a lamp that was advertised as having 90V - 260V US power supply, and it has an LED screw-in type light bulb.

I received the lamp and it has a type C plug adapted to type A for US power. However, the tag says, "220V - 240V ~ 50 Hz, E27 Max 40W."

It has the CE certification, which I think means it's safe to use in the US, am I correct? And I don't know what the other 2 symbols mean.

Is this lamp safe to use as-as, long-term, by plugging into my US wall plug (120V)?

Thanks for your help!!


texts: Why would plastic anchors pull out of the wall?

texts: What is going wrong?  To install plastic anchors I was taught to drill a small hole (exact size of anchor or slightly smaller.... lightly tap in anchor until fully recessed and face is flush with drywall... screw the screw into anchor slowly so it bites.  Isn't this correct??  A large percentage of my anchors pull out (screw and anchor together)... Is there any reason this might be happening?


texts: How do I keep my shower handle's entire stem from spinning?

texts:
I unscrewed the knob and pulled it off, then took of the escutcheon, then removed the entire valve body.
The stem screws in and out of the valve body which is what controls the water flow.
The valve body is smooth and has a rubber o-ring at the end of it.
My question is what holds the valve body in the seat?
The body just keeps spinning when I turn the handle.
I read this on another forum which sounds similar to my problem:

"the hold down retaining nut that you remove that secures the stem in the body needs to be very tight so the barrel seat will not move. some of the barrels have an "O" Ring seal at the base and can cause the barrel to slip, so tighten it down real good. Let me know if that helps...."

I did make the nut pretty tight, but it still spins.
Any other ideas?


texts: Is there an easy fix for bad air balancing?

texts:
This is my situation: My condo has central heating and air with a zone for each of the two floors, but the balancing of the system is pretty bad: Our upstairs master bedroom and our upstairs office have incredible temperature differences-- I'm not sure how much but both rooms are uncomfortable. With the thermostat set to 72 degrees, I imagine the bedroom is probably 68 degrees, and the office is warmer than 76 degrees. The thermostat is in the hallway between these two rooms.
I think the issue is this: The bedroom has a larger duct supplying a single 10x10 vent immediately after the air handler and the office has a smaller duct supplying a single 6x8 vent at the end of the line. So the pressure difference at the two vents is dramatic. It creates two issues:

As indicated above, it makes one room much cooler than the other.
It makes the vent in the master bedroom very loud. If it is all the way open, it is tolerable, but loud enough to drown out our Honeywell air purifier on high. If I close it, even a little, it is no longer tolerable while sleeping and produces a high-pitched whistle.

Today it's 100 degrees outside, and so I closed the vent to the bedroom 3/4 of the way. This seems to balance the air load well enough (this is the first time my wife has ever complained about being cold in that room), but I'll have to re-adjust it tonight since it will be impossible to sleep with the noise.
I'm wondering, is there a relatively easy way to adjust the airflow into our bedroom so that 1) It's not too loud, and 2) airflow is restricted enough to leave sufficient pressure for the office?


texts: Mount ceiling fan to joist on sloped ceiling

texts:
I need to mount a ceiling fan to a ceiling joist in a sloped ceiling. I recently installed an electrical box onto the joist for this. The problem I have now is that the ceiling fan bracket is intended to be bolted left-to-right whereas the mounting holes on my electrical box are top-to-bottom along the joist.

If I mount the fan bracket vertically, the little key, which needs to be at the bottom of the bracket, is on the left side (see pic below). I don't think that mounting the bracket sideways is an option given the way that the joist and box are oriented. So should I modify the bracket - by attempting to hacksaw off the key and JB weld it onto the bottom (best idea I can think of)? Any other ideas?

Sloped ceiling

Electrical box

Hanging ball

Mounting bracket with key on the left (normally on bottom).


texts: What are these lines called (on an air duct end) and how do you rebuild them if you cut the end of the duct?

texts:
I need to cut the end of the pipe and connect a 4" 90 elbow there
How do you rebuild those ?
In my case I am cutting short a ceiling pipe that ends like that and I need to connect there an elbow like the one below and then an air difused
As far as I understand it is not recommended that these lines shoud be present at the upstream end of a duct when joined with another one
So in this case I need to recontruct them at the end where I cut the duct


texts: How to hang a mosquito net safely over a bed?

texts:
We have one of those hoop-style mosquito net that hangs off a single hook.

When we first put it up, we hung the net with a small brass hook--the kind that you just screw into the ceiling with no wall anchor for lightweight stuff. Maybe not ideal, but we already had it on hand and it seemed to work ok.

Until...our son either jumped or sat on the net or rolled on it and the whole hook fell out of the ceiling with the net. We could just replace the hook with a larger hook that has a wall anchor, but I'm a bit concerned about whether if he rolls, yanks, or jumps on the net, it's going to either rip a bigger hole in the ceiling and/or rip the net in half. Is there a way we could attach the net so it would safely detach from the ceiling if it is yanked sufficient tension that won't result in it falling down every couple days?


texts: What are the steps for landscaping a lawn?

texts:
I bought my house in 2007, and we inherited a crazy backyard. I'd like to completely redo it, but cost is a big issue. Estimates for a complete landscape are around $30,000, which unfortunately is out of our budget. Since our house has lost quite a bit of value, a HELOC is out of the question.

It's too much work for just one person to do, so I've considered hiring day laborers, and doing it myself.

My plan is to have them remove all green, saving a few apple trees for replanting. But outside of that I have no idea what else I need to do.

Is there a person I can hire to figure out a plan, and coordinate this whole ordeal, or will they have their own personnel?
I have a yard waste recycling bin, but the amount of brush needed to be removed will be more than a single bin full--What are my options for getting rid of the underbrush?
The yard is tiered, and ideally I'd love to level it out. Is this feasible?


texts: If I want to remove a soldered joint in a shower valve by heating it and pulling it, would that heat cause damage to the other soldered joints about 2-3" away on the valve?


texts: Why does my corner bead flange still show after multiple coats of drywall mud?

texts:
I'm done with my 2nd coat and still seeing plenty of light between outside beads and the wall. I swear I have used mud but it sure doesn't look like it. Some of them are filled but most are not.
I used no coat beads and some of the corners were definitely not 90 but after 2 coats it sure seems like I'm getting nowhere.
I've used all different types of knives. Probably have as many options as an actual drywall worker. 4 inch all the way to 14 and multiple brands of each because I keep dropping and dinging them. Can't use a trowel to save my life and everything else flexes even with all the pressure on the outside.
Anyway. Some are really bad and I'm trying to focus on the voids and where my pressure is at but its not working. I see a 4th coat in my future. Never had this problem before.
I can still see edges of the corner bead. If you've seen no coat, the part I can see is the paper part that bonds to the undercoat. The edges are covered but I can still see the bead. Maybe the light between the wall and the bead was a ton more than it should've been in the beginning and I didn't notice it.


texts: What could cause an underground leak that happens every other day?

texts:
We have a leak of just a few gallons coming up from the foundation in our garage and outside in the RV parking area. It runs for just a few minutes, then stops. It happens every other day, between  5:00-5:30 am. The water company didn't detect a leak and our water bill didn't go up either.
This has been going on 3 months. We drilled 2 seep holes, but it didn't change anything.
Could this be an underground stream?


texts: Using a flexible fittings for direct to sink drain commercially legal?

texts: Came across this on a commercial sink. Is using a flexible fitting on a sink drain for commercial or residential legal? I personally like the idea of it. Since the grip is greater to hang onto the pipe versus a slip fit. The trap was at the end of a three series sink. Location is Olympia Wa Thurston County using IBC and WA


texts:
Our shower has a has sill about 4" above floor level made from a single piece of marble, approximately 60" x 6" x 1".   The shower surround runs down the center, and is well-sealed to it, with no evidence of seepage.   However, there is a wide run of soft limestone on the outside which is eroding away, leaving a lengthwise crack in the marble; this has been growing increasingly wide and deep over the past few years.

I'd like to clean it out and fill it with something epoxy-like (ideally black to match the dominant color of the marble), but I'm wary that anything that expands during curing might cause further problems with the stone.    Are there any materials that are well-suited to this?


texts: How can I improve the stability of this DIY pull-up bar?

texts:
I built this pullup rig:

as part of my calisthenics workout.  The problem is that it there's too much swing.  The first version also suffered from instability issues, even with more pipes:

A Lowe's employee suggested I add diagonal pipes that attach to vertical pipes at an angle, using angle brackets typically used for fencing (suggested to me), but I'm not sure how that looks like.  I've also seen this solution using clamps with diagonal supports (video).

What are my options in reducing the swing?

I'd like to optimize for ease of installation and cost, as I don't have experience drilling.


texts:
I'm building a new set of stairs up to a deck. The concrete landing for the stairs is less than 3 feet wide and has a fence along the opposite side from the stairs.

I basically have 2 options that would give me acceptable run and rise measurements:

have the bottom of the stringers fully resting on the landing about 2 or 3 inches in from the back edge or...
have about half the bottom of the stringers overhanging the back edge of the landing.

In the first example (see figure 1) it would only leave about 1 1/2 feet from the front edge of the stringers to the fence.

In the second example (see figure 2), the run is approximately 12 inches and about 5 and 1/2 inches would be overhanging the back edge of the landing giving me an extra 7 or 8 inches of landing.


texts: How to replace beam with supporting wall

texts:
I have an old beam in my barn/garage. The building has a second story, so it is the main support for the center of the building. I want to remove this beam because its very old, and replace it with a supporting wall.
How do I do this?


texts: Is installing a chimney liner a DIY project?

texts:
My chimney (25ft approximately, one story house) was recently inspected and the guy recommended a chimney liner for the furnace due to the grouting having been eaten away. He quoted $2000 for the parts and labor.

It looks like this should be a fairly simple thing to install, not only that but the most expensive and largest diameter kit I could find online was still well under $1000.

Is this a reasonable DIY project?
What sort of surprises should I be aware of? (i.e. needing to expand the hole in the basement)


texts: What is the optimal configuration of a cross brace on a wooden gate?

texts:
I'm building a wooden gate for my deck, and I want to put in a cross brace to reduce sagging. I want to install the brace so that it transfers the load from the top unhinged corner, to the bottom hinged corner.

I'm just not sure what the best way to achieve that would be.

Given the image above. How should the cross brace be installed?  Does it even make a difference?


texts: How to resolve a crack in the shower floor?

texts:
My dad did a great job renewing his bathroom, but sadly a crack has appeared on the shower's plastic floor base.

He believes the crack has developed because he installed it on top of wooden beams rather than cement.

Is there a work-around to fix this, or is it a case of ripping it out and starting again?

Here is a picture of the shower (the crack is located underneath where the mat has been placed):


texts: When researching wood finishes, I often see that varnish is attributed with the ability to "protect" wood.  In what way does varnish protect wood?  From scratching? From fading? From moisture?  From direct contact with water? From something else?


texts: I have a water/castile soap/lemon essential oil mix I use for cleaning. We've recently moved and have quartz countertops at our new place. I'm having trouble finding information on what is/isn't safe for quartz countertops. Is the above mixture safe for them if wiped off with a damp cloth?


texts: Algae build up from pond is clogging sewer drain

texts:
A small pond about 100 feet across in my yard (located to the right in picture below) drains through the small path into a nearly non-grated sewer drain.
In recent years, more and more algae has been flowing through here possibly due to cattails having largely died off.
The algae sits on top of the water and never seems to drain with the water. The algae is 1-2 inches thick in this photo, with maybe a couple inches of water underneath that flows very slowly.
We've had to scoop this stuff out a few times and it's extremely thick and difficult to clean up. It doesn't take long before more flows through and it fills up again.
Any suggestions for ways to get rid of this stuff or prevent it from coming back?


texts: How do I determine what load values I need to use when using door/windows header sizing tables?

texts:
I'm designing the framing drawings for a building with window and door openings in a roof-bearing wall (no floors above) and I need to determine how thick my headers need to be. There are span tables that do this, but in order to use them, I need to know the "Live or Ground Snow Load", the "Dead Load", and the "Load Duration Factor, Cd".

Here's an example set of tables:
http://www.southernpine.com/span-tables/headers-beams-size-selection-tables/

There are six different tables based on which load factors are needed.

How do I determine the required load values so I know which table to use?


texts: What causes this brown discoloration in residential water supply?

texts:
Recently I have noticed a brown discoloration in water from my taps under certain circumstances.

I have a shallow well water supply with minimal gravity feed and a shallow well jet pump with a pressure tank.  The supply line from the well to the pump is ABS.  The plumbing around the pump is mainly lead-free brass.  There is a copper distribution manifold supporting PEX distribution lines to the fixtures.

I first noticed the brown discoloration after one of the brass fittings (a shutoff valve) began to leak.  At around the same time, hot water taps began spitting and spurting as if there was air in the lines.  This happens immediately after the shutoff valve has been opened (and there is an accompanying sound of bubbles in the lines when this happens).  I expect the leaky fitting is letting air into the line after enough water leaks from behind it to depressurize that section of water line.  Typically the pump also operates at around the same time the valve is opened (since it has to re-pressurize the line and then I generally go use water from the taps the line leads to).

The discoloration is most noticeable when the fitting is spurting and letting air out.  If I leave a tap full-open for a minute or so then it seems to clear all the air and the discoloration goes away - until the next time the leaky shutoff is operated.

A water test two years ago resulted in an iron level of 0.226 mg/L and a total dissolved solids of 169 mg/L.

New information: I have replaced the leaking shutoff valve.  The taps no longer spit and spurt and there is no longer any visible discoloration in the water.  After replacing the shutoff valve I flushed the pressure tank but I didn't observe any discoloration in the water coming from that process.  Rubbing my finger on the inside of some non-brass metal fittings (not exactly sure what they are) I had open as part of the replacement process, I found something of a color similar to what I had seen in the water.  This all seems to point towards rusting fittings to my untrained eye.  I'm a bit surprised there would be any fittings in a modern plumbing system that can rust, though.

What causes this discoloration?


texts: Adding pergola beams to an existing deck

texts:
I have a 12' x 12' deck with posts set at 6' on the sides & 4' on the front. There are 2 x 6 along the outside at the top of the posts.  I would like to add pergola beams across the top,side to side to cut the sun a bit.  Will the 2 x 6's hold those beams or should I add another 2 x 6 to the inside for more support?

Thank you.


texts: How long can pressure-treated plywood be left wet?

texts:
I built a 12'x20' shed foundation on the Oregon coast last Summer. It is 3/4" pressure-treated Doug Fir plywood over P-T framing. The plywood was very wet when purchased and installed wet like most PT woods. I still plan on installing a lino or laminate floor over the plywood once finished. I plan on erecting walls when I return in the Spring. A neighbor told me that water has now leaked under the 10 mil Visqueen cover and is puddling in places. The sheets are screwed 6" O/C in addition to construction adhesive at all framing members. Will this standing water damage the plywood very much if I don't re- wrap it before spring or am I OK?

Thanks


texts: Is hooking up led lights to a timer cost effective?

texts: I have 2 strings of small led Christmas lights above my cabinets in the kitchen as a accent lighting (probably about 100 bulbs total) I  have each hooked up to a lamp timer, and they turn on for about 6 hours a night. A friend at work laughed and said that it would be cheaper to leave the lights on 24 hours a day then to run the timers. I can not find a definitive answer, but it makes sense. Anyone know?


texts: When will drilling through wall members affect structural integrity?

texts: When can you freely drill medium to large sized holes in studs or door jambs, and when do you need to be concerned about damaging the structural integrity of the structure?


texts: What metal is most suitable for a ladder submerged in an underground water tank?

texts:
I need a ladder in my underground water tank at home, to enable easy access for cleaning and maintenance operations. The water from the underground tank is used for drinking, apart from other household chores.

What would be the most suitable metal for this submerged ladder in the underground water tank? I don't want any water contamination due to sustained contact between ladder metal and tank water, as the water is used for drinking. TDS of water supply is ~125 mg/liter.

EDIT - I would also want to know any metal treatment (paint, varnish, etc) to prevent water contamination due to sustained contact between ladder metal and tank water.


texts: Why is my toilet not flushing completely?

texts:
I have reviewed the other questions here related to this. I'm pretty sure it's not clogged because it doesn't back up and usually only takes 2 flushes to get everything down. Usually it seems to be paper that's left after the first flush, which seems odd. The water does swirl, but it does seem to be kind of a weak swirl, for lack of a better term. The water and paper just doesn't go all the way down.

Here's what I've tried already:

used a plunger
used a snake/auger, going down from the toilet
used a snake/auger, from the roof, going down the vent; it was maybe 15 feet long; it came back wet but clean
held down the handle to make sure the entire contents of the tank is emptied; this didn't have any effect, it still didn't flush completely; although I did notice that when I didn't hold it down, it did seem like the flapper closed early, so I should probably try a new flapper
took out the 'filler' in the tank; there is a large plastic spacer thing in the tank which I assume is there to take up volume and save water; I removed this so that the tank was completely full; still no change
we have hard water, but we've had a water softener for the last 12 or so years we'e been in the house (out of 15); so I'd think any mineral deposits wouldn't be there, or at least wouldn't suddenly appear; I haven't done the CLR scrum around the rim jets yet
I tried pouring in a couple gallons of water from a bucket to see if it goes down, which it started to and then stopped; I don't know what this may indicate

This is in an upstairs bathroom. I don't hear any gurgling out of the sink or bath when I flush.

This is the original toilet, or at least since we moved in 15 years ago; the house was built around 1988. I have replaced the flush valve or whatever you call the main mechanism inside the tank a few or several years ago.

It has been doing this for a few months now (yea I'm slow getting to it); I mean it's basically functional with a 2nd flush, just kind of gross.

EDIT: I finally pulled the toilet, after trying everything else (except CLR); I tried to snake/auger it from the bottom and didn't find anything there either; I couldn't get the snake all the way thru, but I feel like this is more due to the sharp bend; it just completely stopped; everyone will probably say this obviously means you have a clog, but it felt like it just wasn't turning, rather than hitting any obstruction. It's an older auger from my father; kind of spools out of a funnel shaped metal container, rather than the closet augers I've seen in related youtube videos

So now what? Might be easier at this point to just replace it, since I didn't change anything after pulling it, and I'm afraid if I put the old one back on I'll have the same probably since nothing changed


texts: What circuit should I use for a new outlet in my living room?

texts:
My house (built in 1953) has a number of electrical inconveniences, including the fact that the same circuit that powers the outlets in the living room also powers many other disjoint locations throughout the house, such as all the lights and outlets in the basement, outlets in the back porch, closet lights and the entire second floor (!)

The previous owners had installed a built-in wall A/C unit in the living room that used a dedicated 240V circuit (probably installed in the 80s). When we removed the wall A/C, I disconnected that circuit and used its breaker slots for a new dryer. I left the wires in the wall, and would love to install a new duplex grounded outlet in its place.

My dilemma is, though, what circuit should I use to power the new outlet?

Using the same circuit as the other outlets in the living room would make the most logical sense, but it would further contribute to the potential overloading of that single circuit. Also I would have to find a way to splice into that circuit inside or near the breaker box, where the existing wires already terminate.
Using another existing circuit would be less prone to overload issues but would be confusing when the breaker is tripped or off for maintenance. I would also still have to solve the splicing issue.
Adding a new circuit just for this outlet is possible; I would have to buy a new tandem breaker since the box is full. It seems a little silly, though, to have a dedicated circuit just for a single outlet in the living room that may only have a floor lamp and a laptop charger plugged into it.


texts: Voltage sensor indicates power but ceiling fan and light not working

texts: i have a sperry adjustable voltage sensor turned to least sensitivity. Working on a hunter ceiling fan. The black wire in and out of light switch is hot, when on. The white return wire is hot but no light. Pointing the sensor on the bulb it is hot. If put sensor inside empty socket it is hot. Did this on all 3 sockets. If i remove all 3 bulbs. White is cold. Any ideas.


texts: Why does this fluorescent ceiling light go out after a few seconds (every time)?

texts:
I have a strange problem with a fluorescent ceiling room light. There are four small fluorescent tubes. One day for no apparent reason they all just suddenly went out.

When I turned the light switch off and then back on, they turn on for a few seconds  then went out again. I can repeat this any time.

Note that the two tubes on the left turn on instantly but the two on the right show a short (half-second?) delay at which time the orange glow of the filament inside the tube is visible.

How might I go about debugging this and eventually fixing it?

note: I live in Taiwan (120 V, 60 Hz), most electrical fixtures and appliances here are pretty standard. My apartment building isn't very old but watching the flickering of the light inside the switch I'm pretty sure that it's the old neon lamp type rather than an LED.


texts: What should be done when clothes wrinkle from being too long in a tumble dryer?

texts: I'm new to the whole tumble dryer business, and I recognize that if the clothes aren't folded immediately they will wrinkle completely. My question is, what is the most effective way to get rid of the wrinkles again. I've seen people suggesting just running them a bit more, throwing in a wet towel, etc. but I'm wondering whether the only true solution is to soak the clothes and run the drying process again, as energy inefficient as it seems.


texts: SDS drill vs normal drill when drilling through external wall into joists behind

texts:
When drilling into the ceiling void from outside, does an SDS drill with SDS wood arbor bit make drilling through the thick joists easier? It certainly did make drilling the brick wall much easier than my expansive DeWalt cordless.

I remember how difficult they were to drill with my small muscles and arbor drill bit when install a large network of down lighters.


texts: What kind of lock set do I need for this door?

texts:
I need to install a door knob and latch on this old interior door (the cuts in the door were there when I bought the house, and the original hardware is long gone):

Could someone please tell me what kind of lock set I need, and whether I should be able to buy it off-the-shelf? I can't find any in my box store that fit.

I think it might be called a mortise lock, but the only locks of that type that I can find are too big for the opening on the side of the door.


texts: Is there a tool I can use to cut out the templates for door hardware?

texts:
I just bought some new hardware (knobs and latches) for the interior doors of my house. Currently the latches look something like this:

(source: homedepot.com)
And the new latches look something like this (at least the square shape, though I realize this particular latch looks like its for an exterior door):

(source: cavlon.com)
The problem is the second latch (the one that i bought) does not fit INTO the door frame. In otherwords, I can put the latch on but then its wont be flush with the door because apparently that square metal plate on the end is supposed to go INTO the door, so that the face of it is flush with the side of the door. I want a tool that can cut into the door so that the hardware will be flush with the door. I dont want to use a chisel because Im not a carpenter and Im not experienced with carpentry so I just want to make it as simple as possible. I've heard you can do such a thing with a router if you have the right bit and some templates but I dont have a router so I wonder if there is some other way?
So ultimately Id like to know if theres some tool I can use to do what Im trying to do and what that tool is called (or what my options are)?
edit ---
Just found out about the Ryobi door latch installation kit from home depot. Thoughts on that?


texts: Attaching Three Copper Wires Together Without Using A Wire Nut?

texts:
I am trying to splice a third copper wire to two currently present wires inside the electrical box of my switch I am trying to replace. Most resources online are telling me to use a wire nut to attach the third copper wire but perhaps I am just not skilled enough but I am having major difficulties doing this. The wires seem to be 12 awg solid copper wires and are very difficult to twist and bend in such a tight space.

My question is; Is there an easier way to splice this third copper wire without using a wire nut? I have used special splicers for speaker wire before but those don't seem strong enough for solid copper wires. Thank you.


texts:
We have a large fireplace and plenty of free or cheap wood and love having fires for warmth and entertainment. An open fireplace is not an ideal source of heat, but I wanted to know if there's a relatively simple way of increasing the amount of usable heat we get from the fire.

We're in a rental property, so a permanent installation such as a wood stove or fireplace insert is not possible.

I've seen a couple commercial solutions, such as this Texas Fireframe or fireplace heat exchangers, but I have no idea if these actually make a difference. I've also heard that just putting a cast iron plate at the back might reflect some heat back. Is there something I can put together myself with some Home Depot supplies?


texts: When it rains, I have two leaks in my garage.  I have had people look for this leak, but they can't seem to find it.  I don't know if it's my windows or roof. Who should I call to help me with this problem.


texts: electric heater keeps needing to be reset by turning fan on and off atleast every 1-2 days

texts:
My electric furnace is about 23 years old, it quits working but does not trip a breaker. It feels warm to hot at furnace and just kind of clicks occasionaly when I turn thermostat up to 90 to try and get it to kick on.  If I turn the switch on at the furnace and back to auto it will work again for a day or two.
It almost acts as though it is shutting down for safety reasons.

I am considering getting a heat pump. What should I do?


texts:
I have a window in my bedroom that moves up and down with a sort of helical rail.
Its become stuck and in doing a web search on how to get it moving I realized I have no idea what its called.
What type of window is this?


texts: I need to drill but have detected metal approx 3" x 3". Not pipes, not wires. Can I drill?

texts: I cannot vary the location of a hole I need to drill in a masonry wall, but I have detected metal - about 3 x 3".  This spot of metal is completely isolated ie does not track in a line to plugs, switches etc and is definitely not pipes.  i am in a basement so nothing comes up from underneath.  it is an internal wall and this 'patch' is also detectable from the other side of the wall where there is also no plug sockets etc.  what is it likely to be and can I drill safely?


texts: I just moved into a new house where there are two 240 volt 10-30R outlets in the garage, each with a 30-amp breaker and 10 gauge wire. Voltage across the hot terminals is 247 and, of course, approximately 124 volts from each hot terminal to neutral.  So far, so good.  However, on both outlets, the voltage across the metal face plate to either of the hot terminals is 14-18 volts.  Why the heck is that?  There is a bare ground wire in each of the boxes, but there is no ground terminal on the 10-30R receptacle, so the ground wires are just pushed to the back of the boxes.  Where the heck is that voltage on the face plates coming from?  And is it a safety problem?


texts: Need advice on installing motion sensing light switches

texts:
Trying to install motion sensing light switches at the top and bottom of my stairs. I read that I need 3 way units but was not sure if there are specific ones required.

Should I remove the old ones, take pictures and post them here for advice?

Other 3 way switches in the home seem to have 3 wires which I assume are positive, negative and common.

Thanks!


texts:
What I have is a back boiler that runs my central heating via a pump. The domestic hot water is gravity fed.

At present I have to turn the domestic hot water on via a timer switch this then gives me hot water for the central heating pump to circulate when the room thermostat dictates.

I now have a Nest thermostat, this will sometimes switch the pump on earlier depending on the temperature outside so I connected both HW and CH to come on together via the Nest thermostat but because of it's properties the house may get warm before the hot water tank. If the HW is switched on manually then so is the CH pump.

Can I change the link wire with a wire with a diode and if so can someone spec it? The reason I want to do this is to keep it compact, the HW and CH will come on via the Nest thermostat but when HW switched only the HW will come on as the Diode should stop any power going back to the Nest and pump.

Room stat has been replaced with the Nest thermostat, N & L to respective position on Nest stat, 4 & 5 to 2 & 3 on the Nest.

for the heating to work the Nest starts the CH pump but only a timer stars the boiler(been like that since installation years ago) I have linked 1 & 4 together this means the Nest switches the pump on and the link starts the boiler = good enough!
What this also means is that if the boiler terminal 1 is switched on then by virtue of the link the CH pump terminal 4 is switched on.

This is why I asked the question, to put a diode in the link between 1 & 4 so that switching 1 doesn't switch 4 on. I'm only suggesting this to keep within the existing footprint of these controls.

1 is switched live to boiler,2 is live (feeds 1 when switched on HW) 3 left vacant for this application, 4 is switched live for CH pump, 5 is live(feeds 4 when switched by room stat(Nest))


texts: How to install an extraction fan in a ceiling which has an existing hole larger than required

texts:
I have an existing issue with my bathroom ceiling fan, as detailed in this post: How to fix an ineffective Extraction Fan setup in bathroom

I now wish to change it to a Fan that:

a)  Has a new motor, so it works
b)  Has an outlet vent that points upwards not sideways so the air can easily go to the roof vent

The IXL original (https://www.bunnings.com.au/ixl-tastic-original-3-in-1-bathroom-heat-fan-light_p4442438)  seems to fit this requirement.  However the cutout required is 262mm by 262mm as detailed on the third page here (https://2ecffd01e1ab3e9383f0-07db7b9624bbdf022e3b5395236d5cf8.ssl.cf4.rackcdn.com/Product/009c39d0-4f3b-4fd5-aacf-f58341f2d9d1.pdf)

My current ceiling aperture is 300mm by 300mm, which fits the Heller Silver Mason model (https://www.bunnings.com.au/heller-4-x-275w-led-silver-mason-3in1-bathroom-heater_p4441815)

I can either replace with exactly the same model, but I thought since I'm changing it over I may as well get one that has an outlet vent pointing upwards rather than sideways to suit the roof vent existing.  Unless there is another reason they did not use one of these initially that I am missing (maybe debris that fall through the roof vent would get into the Fan?)

Any advice on how to fill the gaps that would be caused by using a smaller unit is appreciated.

Thanks


texts: What type of material is this shower base?

texts:
I have a shower in my apartment with a pretty dirty base. I'd love to give it a real good cleaning, I haven't tried much yet, but I think the best strategy would be to determine the material of the base and then learn about cleaning that material.

What can I do to determine the material?
Does it even matter, is there some kind of cleaning solution I can use no matter that material?


texts: Why would an outdoor floodlight only work in test mode?

texts:
I have a new outdoor floodlight that works in test mode.  Adjusting the range works.  It turns on when you walk in front of it.  But as soon as I switch it to 1 minute, 5 minutes, or 10 minutes... the sensor doesn't work at  all.  The red light is flashing so I know it's on.

I have tried in bright conditions and in very dark conditions but it doesn't work.  I tried in auto mode and manual mode but nothing.  The thing is it works in test mode which lasts for 5-10 seconds so I know it's working.  What else could I try before returning it?


texts: Are large temperature variation in a water heater normal?

texts:
I live in an apartment with a water tank and heater in the laundry room. About a month ago I had the heater replaced because it was leaking on my floor. Right after it was installed I noticed the water was nice and hot (dial read 120°F).

Recently I've noticed the water seems cooler and cooler to the point that today I turned the shower handle all the way and it felt luke-warm. The temperature reading was 75°. I decided to let the shower run a little and the temperature rose after about 5-10 minutes to 95°, which was certainly hotter, but still not the nice 120° that it was originally.

I checked the dial on my heater and it was set to "B" on the Low, A, B, C, Very Hot scale.

Is this normal for this much variation, or should I have someone come look at the heater (or maybe something I can tweak)?


texts: I have R-13 exterior insulation around my foundation. Do I need more inside to finish the basement?

texts:
My home was constructed in 2016 with exterior insulation around the foundation (see image). They also put in this hanging batt fiberglass insulation on the inside of the walls, which seems superfluous. (On another note, part of me is worried that they did this to hide something...)

I started framing my finished basement and was planning on leaving a 1.5 inch gap between the concrete wall and the framing.

I live in PA, where I think you only need R-10 insulation on the walls.

Is it worth my while to put any insulation on the inside of my exterior walls at all? I was considering cutting up the batt insulation and shoving
between the studs at the very least. But I was also considering just trashing it and putting a 1-inch foam board on the wall.

Is this all overkill?

Edit:
To clarify: I guess I'm asking, with the exterior insulation > R-10, do I need any insulation at all inside? Or can I throw away this fiberglass insulation that's billowing off the walls?


texts: How do I check my upstairs bedroom for insulation in the ceiling?

texts: I have a bungalow home in Michigan that has plaster ceiling. How do I check if the ceiling is insulated between ceiling and roof with no access point? The upstairs room was meant to be an attic but converted to a bedroom. Now, in winter it is freezing and in summer extremely hot.


texts: How do you retrofit attic baffles in attics with very little room?

texts:
Just wanted to get some best practices or opinions on this.  I have two teenage sons that want to make some money on one of my flips.  The house has literally no insulation - maybe 4 inches at its peaks and not solid throughout.  So I told them they could install baffles, mark electricity and put in insulation.

The current baffles are just 12" of cardboard, flimsily installed but doing their job given the insulation isn't loose fill.  I would like to install something like this baffle.  Given the roof doesn't have a huge slope the areas where you install the baffles are extremely small.

Is there any way to make this process easier?  Any suggestions on install method or a type of baffle that would make retrofitting easier?


texts:
I have a detached garage whose wiring is fed by just two conductors running back to the main panel. There's no ground wire in the feeder and no separate ground rod at the garage. The feeder has only one black and one white conductor. Can I add a ground rod at the garage and rewire to update the wiring to support a bare ground wire in the new wiring? The garage subpanel is modern, replacing old glass screw-in fuses with circuit breakers. That subpanel also feeds a separate shed. In both buildings a circuit tester shows a missing ground, I assume that is because there's no ground rod at the garage and no bare ground wire running back to the main panel. Basically, is it OK to have each building equipped with separate ground rods used just for the bare ground wires in those buildings?

The distance between the main panel and the garage is about 160 ft. It is underground, probably without a conduit, as none of the other wiring uses a conduit and the feeder wire just appears out of the concrete floor of the garage. Most of the construction was done in the 1960s by a non-professonal. No 240v is involved. There's a single 30 amp breaker on the feed to the garage. I don't need more than 15 amps on any of the feeds going from the garage subpanel. I realize that feeds off that garage subpanel could add up to higher than 30 and trip the breaker back at the main panel.

I have looked at the previous, similar questions but see conflicting answers. Some folks say that you cannot have too many grounds. A satellite tech recently put in a new antenna on the distant shed. He grounded that to some rebar about two feet long. After he got done that particular circuit no longer showed a missing ground with a tester. Another circuit in the same building shows open ground. I realize that two feet of rebar is not much but don't see how that could be a hazard when used just for the bare wire. I just wanted to expand on that solution.


texts: Why would I have i lost one leg on 240 after maintenance guy changed 100 amp disconnect at the meter

texts:
I was having trouble with my lights flickering, then the power went out totally. I checked the main breaker inside, and it was not tripped so I went out to the disconnect at the meter and found that it was tripped there.
I reset the breaker, and the power came back on.
The next day some circuits were dead but others still worked, so I checked the disconnect again and saw that one side of the the prong the breaker attaches to for hot was loose and not on the frame. When I tried to seat it, the breaker felt loose so I shut it off and called the maintenance guy.
They changed out the box and the 100 amp disconnect. While doing so they arced the hot wire to the box almost starting a fire, but they were able to get the box replaced and the power back on.
The problem is that now I only have one hot 120v leg in my mobile home. The outside disconnect has 240v across both legs, 120v between each hot and neutral. I noticed that it only has 3 wires, which go underground and come out under the house as 4 wires: red, black, white and green.
Inside, the panel has a 100 amp breaker. Red and black are hot, white and green go to neutral and ground which are joined together.
I show 120v from each leg to ground and 240v across both legs with the main on.
With the hot water heater breaker off and the main on I show 120v from one hot leg to ground, 0v from the other leg to ground, and 120v across both legs. Resetting all breakers has not helped.
I am concerned that the wires may have shorted between the point that the 3 wires leave the outside disconnect, and enter the house with the 4th (ground) wire.
The ground seems okay in the disconnect, and there is 240v across the hot legs. If there was a problem with the neutral or the ground, wouldn't I have problems with both legs?
Right now I have all the 240v breakers off and show no signs of trouble. The 120v circuits that are on the remaining leg shows 120v in all the plugs that are hot, and the lights seem fine. Is there something I am missing, or anything else that could have caused one leg to be dead?


texts: How do you correctly pull the steel wire and crimp so it's tight enough for turnbuckle?

texts:
So I'm installing wire between two 4x4 wooden posts. I've done two but it seems to take forever, so I know there's a more efficient way.

Here's what I'm doing:

The wire's plastic-coated, so I remove about 5" of plastic coating and crimp one side (where the eye screw is).
I take the reel and go to the other post, with the turnbuckle.
I reach the other post and I pull the wire (without bending it) to know the distance from the eye screw to the turnbuckle, say 30ft for example.

I add about 7" (for the crimp) and cut the wire. Then I remove the plastic and put the wire through the crimp.

The difficult part is pulling the wire so it's as tight as possible, holding the crimp so that it doesn't move, and then trying to use the very heavy and very uncomfortable swaging tool.

At the end, I'm able to crimp the sleeve, but the wire's sagging. The turnbuckle tightens it a bit, but it could be tighter.

Is there an easier way? I was considering buying a tool that I can use to pull the wire, but I don't know.


texts: Need suggestion for replacement Porcelanosa NK One flush valve - looking for specific make/model # of part

texts:
Backstory:
We bought a home which included a few Porcelanosa NK One toilets. (Porcelanosa product page here.)  A while ago, the fill valve on one of them failed.  I bought a Fluidmaster 400AH PerforMAX fill valve on Amazon as a replacement.  I couldn't replace it myself, so we had a plumber come in and do it.  Perfect, works great.
Then, the fill valve in a second toilet failed.  Bought the same replacement fill valve on Amazon, had a different plumber come in to replace it.
The problem:
After he replaced the fill valve, it now seems that the water is draining out of the tank rather quickly.  There don't appear to be any leaks, so I am assuming it is draining into the bowl.  If you flush the toilet, the water refills, and as soon as the fill valve shuts off, you can see the water level in the tank dropping, and very quickly the fill valve float sinks to the point that it kicks back on and refills the tank again.
I am assuming this means that we would have to replace what would be the "flapper", but in the Porcelanosa NK One, there is no flapper, there is some strange cylindrical device that is hooked up to the top-mounted flush buttons.  Here are some photos:

What I need to do is find a replacement for that part.
I have done a ton of Googling, and have not come up with anything definitive that says it is a replacement for a "Porcelanosa NK One" flush mechanism.  I can't seem to find any that are actual "Porcelanosa" brand.  I am used to seeing replacement parts made by third-party manufacturers that have their own make/model number, but usually those include a long list that clearly state "compatible with: make X model X-1/X-2; make Y model Y-3; etc.", and I haven't found any that specifically list the Porcelanosa NK One.
I did find this promising looking part on the Lowes website, and was encouraged by the claim that it "Retrofits to any 2 in. flush valve toilet, and fits most 1.6 and 3.5 GPF models".
But I'm also a little concerned.  The specs on the current Porcelanosa NK One product page say that it has a "1 7/8" (50mm) trap diameter".  I'm not sure if the "trap diameter" is the same thing as the flapper hole, but 1 7/8" is awfully close to the "2 in." described in the replacement part, but not quite.  Which means it might not work?
Also, that replacement piece seems to hook up to a side mounted flush lever, not top mounted flush buttons, so does that mean it won't work?
However, the current NK One specs also say that it is 1.2/0.8 GPF, which mine is not, mine is a 1.6/1.1 GPF tank:

So... if the model that I have has a slightly bigger tank, does that mean that it might have a slightly bigger flapper hole?  The replacement part at Lowes does say that it "fits most 1.6 [...] GPF models", which mine clearly is, so is that a good indicator that it would work?
Looking for help finding the correct replacement part here.
Any suggestions of specific replacement make/models that are known to be compatible with a Porcelanosa NK One with a 1.6 GPF tank would be most welcome.
The current recommendation from the plumber seems to be that we replace the entire toilet.  I find it hard to believe that that is the best solution here.
NOTE: the dual-flush action never worked, so if the replacement part suggested would fit, but doesn't have dual-flush, that is completely acceptable.


texts: Over the past few months, I've noticed occasional "gurgling" within my bathtub drain. Over the past week, I've had 2 occasions where there has been significant backflow from the drain into the tub. Along with the water, there is what looks like dust and other types of debris. I'm considering a call to a local plumber in order to have the drain snaked, but I'm wondering what may be causing this. I live on the first floor of a 3 floor condominium complex and I'm wondering whether this is something that I may have caused, or whether this could be a building-wide issue, and therefore a matter for the HOA. In other words, is it likely that a plumber can resolve this issue by snaking my drain, or might this require something more involved? Thanks for your help.


texts: Second coat of Quikrete High Performance Self-Leveling Resurfacer

texts:
I've just poured a first coat of Quikrete High Performance Self-Leveling Resurfacer and have irregularities due to not pouring each bucket fast enough for the area I'm resurfacing (250 sf) and, i think, that the water:concrete ratio was too thick to flow. Perhaps due to the relatively low humidity where i am?). I need to level the first coat.

I submitted a support request on Quickrete's site but no response yet.

Can i pour a second skim coat?
How long can i wait? Or must i wait?
Is any additional surface prep required?

Thanks


texts: Self Priming Aura paint vs Priming Then Painting

texts: We've just finished an addition and had it skim-coated.  Does anyone have an opinion on whether or not we should prime and then paint or use a so-called "self priming" paint, i.e., Benjamin Moore Aura self priming.


texts: How do I remake my floor using hardwood such that it will not squeak at all?

texts:
I have carpet in my bedroom that when you walk on certain spots makes lots of noise. I am tossing the carpet and putting down hardwood flooring. I am using 3/4 in prefinished oak in widths of 3 1/4 inch.

I dont want my shiny new floor to be squeaky. What should I do to kill any noise in the current floor, sub floor, and new hardwood floor?

I have joists at 16" on center with 1/2 plywood layer on top and nailed down. This is my current floor after I got rid of the carpet that used to be there.

What do I do now, what steps do I take, what materials/ tools do I need?

EDIT: thanks all, i will 100% use screws and drive them in near each nail already in the plywood to hold things together well. then i will go around and knock each nail in good.
then add the paper and install hardwood on top.


texts: How do I diagnose a strange interaction between adjacent switches?

texts:
This is new work, and has not previously functioned.
I have three switches in a 3 gang box. 2 of these share a circuit, and have an odd interaction. The fan is connected to the box with a 3-wire which is independent of the 2 wire which connects the lights. The black wires from these two are connected to the terminal on Switch 1 with a pigtail.
The plan:

Switch 1 is intended to power the lights in the area, including the lights on a fan.
Switch 2 is intended to power the fan motor only.

Reality:

Switch 2 functions as expected.
When Switch 1 is flipped, the output terminal on Switch 2 is hot (tested with a voltage detector), regardless of the position of Switch 2.

Things I have tried:

I entirely disconnected the 3-wire running to the fan, and used a multi-meter to check for a pathway between any of the wires (I am unsure if this is adequate to assess is there is damage to the wire)
Swapped out Switch 2 in case it was in some way defective
I connected everything as I would expect to work, and used a multi-meter to check expected pathways with all configurations of Switches 1 and 2. I detected nothing

I am unsure what the next steps should be for debugging, and I haven't been able to google for this problem effectively. Thanks!

Details on the above image:
The third switch (right-most) is on a separate circuit (B). All grounds are shared between all three switches. The white neutrals with the yellow cap inside the box to the top left are for the circuit breaker relevant to that second circuit. The left two switches, those I am referring two as 1 and 2, are together on a different breaker (A). They share the neutrals that I pulled out of the box to the left.
Of the /3 going to the fan, the red wire is connected to the motor, which is going to the middle switch (2), and the black wire is connected to the light fixture (pigtailed with the other lights) on the left switch (1).


texts:
So, I purchased a frameless mirror to mount on my bedroom wall and it was sitting on the floor for a few days before I had a chance to mount it.  When I mounted it today, I found that it was slightly bent and therefore will not sit flush against the wall.

Had no issues mounting it, just bugs me that it's not sitting flat.  Anyone know how I can correct it and flatten the mirror?


texts: would a surge protector with an appliance that might be shorting, protect my house circuit?

texts:
I have a Playstion with a composite RCA connection that gets hot from the ps3 exhaust.  I think it killed the power to my apartment when a subwoofer flashed and went boom.  I turned the ps3 back on within a minute, as the loss of power didn't last, and it blacked out a portion of my building for an hour, i think.  Would a surge protector help the apartment if that was accurate??

The game stores are closed so i cant get a new cord :(


texts: Proper reinforcing of electrical box on drywall

texts:
There is a 2-gang outlet/electrical box that holds plugs rather well (hair dryer, vacuum, etc). That is usually great, however when pulling the plug from the socket, the whole electrical box gets pulled and bends slightly. It always bends back after the plug is removed, though I worry that one day it will not!

Luckily, the other side of the wall is in a basement utility room, and thus exposed. It can be seen that the box is mounted with 1 screw and 1 nail, driven in to a block of wood that extends from the wall stud. Since the box is only mounted on one side, it bends on said side when pulled, especially when pulled from the GFCI outlet (right side of the last photo below, opposite of the screw+nail). I don't see how to secure it on the other side though.

How can the box be more properly secured?
Is a bit of bend typical? The box only has one mounting side, so I assume that the one side is usually enough. Still, the physics of it make me think there should be mounting options on both sides.


texts: Do I need a special kind of locksmith for accurate installation of latches in a solid door?

texts: I have some expensive doors made of solid oak and I need them to be drilled and mortised for latch sets. I am a little nervous about hiring a random locksmith to do this work, because if they screw up, it could ruin a very expensive door. Are there special kinds of locksmiths that work on high-end furniture and such that I should be looking for? What are they called?


texts: How to air-seal apartment breaker box and range hood duct

texts:
I live in an apartment on the top floor. It's the dream apartment for me except for the heavy cooking smell from neighbors entering the unit. I believe the main culprit is the bathroom fan without manual control, it has a motion detector and runs for hours whenever sees any light or movement. The smell was tolerable the summer since we kept our windows open, fresh airflow.
It's now winter, and we keep the windows closed. When the bathroom fan runs, it creates suction, pulling air into the unit from wherever it can.
I detected two sources of air coming in:

The breaker box in the entrance (on the shared wall with another unit)
Range hood duct (poorly sealed, duct shares a common "box" on the rooftop with other units)

The smell does enter through the range hood duct even when the bathroom fan is off.
So far maintenance only interested in hood duct exit, and installed a second flap to prevent air from coming into my unit to that said box, no difference. There were talks about installing a backdraft motor on the rooftop as well, but at this point, I'm pretty sure I'm being ignored and not confident to press on this since "smell" is hard to prove.
Since I'm on a rented property, I want to address these with light, reversible modifications. My ideas are:

Breaker box:

Use a thin rubber seal around the inner gap of cover. A snug fit should work, the cover is rarely opened.
Use clear silicone to fill the gaps around the frame.

Range hood:

Modify it to use the ductless recirculation mode.
Remove the duct connection, place a duct cap, and seal with foil tape.

Does this sound like a good plan to you? Are there any fire/safety codes that I'm missing, or some alternative that would work better?
Attached images of the breaker box and range hood duct.


texts: Any words of advice on dealing with termites?

texts:
I have confirmed today that I have a termite infestation in my house. We found a recent tube build through the crack in the foundation and some termite activity outside.
Any words of advice on treatment options?

I already heard that the two major options are a liquid "perimeter" defence and bait stations that kill termite colonies. The latter seems the preferred choice of a couple of contractors I talked to. Pros and Cons?

If you dealt with this problem before, I'd like to hear anything you'd like to share.
I will post updates as I get treatment estimates and proceed with exterminating the colony.


texts: code requirement for cooktop gas hookup to be in another cabinet?

texts:
The manual on my kitchen cooktop states:

  If a built-in wall oven is to be installed below this cooktop, the
  grounded outlet and gas supply piping must be located in an adjacent
  cabinet.

Is this a US code requirement? Or just a concession that there is no space for a gas hookup in the cabinet when a wall oven is installed in a base cabinet (since they go all the way back to the wall).

I want to move the gas line to inside the toe kick area of the cabinet with the oven and cooktop, as the 5" height there is more than enough space and is accessible when the oven is removed.


texts: Do I have to secure an IKEA TV stand to the wall?

texts:
I'm a young adult preparing to move out into an apartment the first time, and I'm trying to fill out some gaps in terms of furniture before I get going.

I found this IKEA tv stand that's perfectly small and cheap, but there's this business about anchoring it to the wall? I've never seen furniture anchored like that in my life!

Do you think it's really necessary to drill holes and all that fuss over such a small stand? (I'm looking at the MOSJO if that helps).

Edit: People keep mentioning kids. I'm moving out for the first time! I don't have a kid or pets! It's just me and a little apartment.


texts: What is the maximum sub-panel amperage I can use, and is my setup okay?

texts:
I would like to install a sub-panel in a garage by running cable underground.  I have 60' of 2-2-2-4 aluminum service entrance cable -- gray jacket, 3 conductors insulated.  While I have 60', the distance will only be about 40', most of it underground.  So my questions are:

Can I lay the cable direct-burial, or does it need a conduit?
What is the maximum amperage breaker I can use at the service side to supply the sub-panel?
What number of 15 and 20 amp 120 volt breakers can I use in the sub-panel?


texts: How can I check if my well still has water if the pump is broken?

texts:
I just bought the house recently and this is my pump :

Not in a great shape as you can see, but new one will do just fine. My questions is more on the well.

How can I check if it still has water? Or what are the steps I need to take to make sure there is still water there before connecting pump (let's pretend my pump is primed and ready to go)?


texts:
I'm trying to bury cables for my garden. The requirements are to have 12v power for a water pump 30-40 watt (2.5 amp), network connectivity for sensors and a webcam. I want 4 stations at opposite corners - the maximum distance is about 600 feet to the house from a station. From what I've read maximum distance for ethernet is 100m or about 300ft.

I've also been reading about lightning surges and grounding cables. Fiber seems less susceptible to interference and lightning strikes and no 100m distance limitation like ethernet. I know once power and network connectivity is there the camera can plug into that. I'll need another cable for power to drive a water pump.

One person said use flexible PVC conduit so there are no joints underground - should I even use conduit or just buy direct bury cables?

Should I consider some hybrid network system like RS485 or something or just go with fiber?

I've read dual separate conduit if power and data but if fiber and power together in the same conduit this should be OK?

What type of wire would you use for 600 feet 12v 30-40w?

Any other suggestions as to how to achieve what I'm trying to do?


texts: Concrete column/structure behind drywall

texts:
I have recently moved to a new apartment and I am planning to mount a TV in the living room. The apartment walls are dry lined. Right in the middle of the designated place for the tv, the dry wall seems to have like a seam, but what is strange to me is the sound and vibration less of the drywall at that point. When I tap with my hand the drywall does not vibrate at all, and the sound is like there is a plastered wall behind. This area appears to be 15-20 cm wide from what I can tell.
First of all I am not sure what is behind the drywall at that point:

Is that a concrete column of the apartment?
If so, is it possible  to drill holes? I suspect I need a powerful drill to make a hole there.
Is it safe to install the TV wall bracket? Am I allowed to make holes into it?

The difficulty that I am finding is that I have a stud detector (which usually is not so accurate) and close to this seam it is really not accurate, so I do not know how to proceed here. Any help is very welcome.
Additional info:
The apartment is in Ireland, the development has 4 floors my apartment is in the ground floor. The distance of the seam from the external wall is around 220 cm. While the wall itself is around 7m long. Through its length there is only the innermost edge of this wall that makes the same sound. The walls are dry lined with studs. I have previously mounted stuff on the studs before (not on this wall).
Thank you.


texts: Do I need hidden decking fasteners on both sides of a joist?

texts:
I am thinking about using the below fasteners with wood planks. Do I need them on both sides of the joist?

Update: Deck framing layout below (height is 46") House located at the south east corner of the picture (along that side of the deck)


texts: Something in my home is making my family sick. How do I determine what it is?

texts:
My wife and I moved into a new rental house two months ago. Our small dog, my wife, and myself have all started experiencing symptoms such as headaches, runny nose, constant congestion, cold-like swelling in the sinuses, neck, and throat, general head-cold-like symptoms, and allergies (dog sneezing included); the dog had exhibited very strange and constant anxiety, lack of appetite, and an erratic bathroom and feeding schedule (all of which were previously extremely predictable). All three of us have also experienced extremely erratic and poor-quality sleep.

We had not considered that the house was to blame until we left for a week-long vacation. The dog stayed with my parents; all of our problems were alleviated by the third day of being away from the home, and all of our problems returned within two days of being back in the home. This is what made us suspect the home or something inside it was the cause. Being sick or having symptoms of illness for nearly two solid months except the time we were away from our home for a period of days. My wife and I get sick very irregularly (my wife, for example, only twice in the last six years she has lived in this city), and none of us have any allergies, seasonal or otherwise.

Needless to say, it's quite frustrating and worrying.

I do not know what it is about the house that is causing these problems, but I would like to work with my property management company to get it fixed or to work out an exit from our lease and find a new place to live. How do I determine the problem? I called a general home inspector and their only suggestion was a mold and termite inspector. If it is not mold, what other possibilities are there, and is there a certain type of inspector or inspection I should look for to diagnose the cause of our health problems?


texts: How can I replace 2-prong receptacles in a code compliant way?

texts: I have some 2-prong non-grounding type receptacles, and I'd like to replace them with 3-prong grounding type receptacles.  According to National Electrical Code, what are my options?


texts: How should one size ductwork for a new air return duct?

texts:
I recently had a contractor build a wall which split one room into two.  The new room is an office with two computers, and four monitors.  It gets very, very hot, until the air conditioning turns on, then it gets very, very cold.

My contractor does not seem to know that much about sizing ducts.

There are two ways we can run a duct to that room.

Option A - The most direct way would be to run a four inch duct (the only size that will fit in that route) approx 20 feet with four right angles.

Option B - The other option is to run a duct (up to 12 inches) 60 feet around the basement up through the house and through the attic, about 60 feet with three right turns.

I think that Option B is the way to go, he seemed to think that a four inch duct would be fine for a small room (about 90 square feet).

Is there any way that a four inch duct would actually do anything over that distance with that many angles?  Neither one of us has any ideas on how to size ducts (but at least I am aware of my ignorance)


texts: What type of electric heating system is the most energy efficient?

texts:
I am about to buy a flat that hasn't got any central heating system.
There's no way to use gas heating.

The only way to produce heat is by converting Electricity.

The flat at the moment has some electrical panels mounted close to the windows, but I don't see it as an efficient solution.

I am considering heated floors, but I am interested in hearing from you.
I want to use the heating method  that is energy efficient / calorific power balance.


texts: Are there residential light switches that don't have a arc upon toggleing

texts: I am looking for residential switches that don't arc when toggeled


texts: Trying to replace and make a 3-way dimmer switch work

texts: We are replacing all of the outlets and switches in our house. This one set of lights can be controlled by either a switch or a dimmer that is on another wall. The only problem is the switch has to be turned on for the dimmer to be able to turn the lights on or off. I replaced the switch with a new 3-way switch. I noticed that the old one was also a 3-way. Then I decided to replace the dimmer but there were only 2 wires connected to it. A red and a black. The same black was also connected to another switch in the same box but controls an outside light. I noticed the red wire came out of one cable and the black wire came out of another. I hooked these 2 up to the dimmer, putting the red on the contact with the different colored screw. The light would work with it this way but it still required me to have the switch on the other wall on. I tried to attach the white wire coming out of the same cable as the black but when I flipped the switch, it popped and wouldn't work anymore. I hooked up another dimmer but this time connected the white wire that was in the same cable as the red but then I couldn't get the lights to turn on with the dimmer or the switch. I noticed the black wire that was in the same cable as the red was sitting in there with barely any of the wire stripped. It made me wonder if it may have broke and was some how connected to the old dimmer at one point. I can take pictures and get any other information needed.  The dimmer is a Lutron TGCL-153PH-WH.


texts: How do I cut grooves in self-leveling concrete to incorporate an existing drain?

texts:
This is a follow up question to my previous question about leveling a basement floor without losing the drainage.  After the feedback I decided to use self-leveling concrete and cut (or form it in advance) grooves (canals?) that lead to the existing drain.

I just found that I received an answer with the same idea.  But I'd like to elaborate more.  For example:

Is it necessary to redo the drain or can I just leave it lower, perhaps by just adding another grill on top?

Can I use forms, for example pieces of wood that go all directions (like rays) from the drain?

Or is the best idea to use a screw driver like Justin Kuhs suggests in his answer to me?  (BTW, Justin, thanks a lot for your answer, I didn't think of the screw driver at all, great idea!)

Have people here done such things?  What were your experiences?


texts: Is it safe to install the outdoor unit of an inverter AC indoors?

texts:
We are planning to buy an AC unit based on inverter technology for heating our living room. I am not an expert as far as HVAC or heating technologies are concerned, however based on my understanding the outside unit is used to take air from outdoors, compress it and then use the resulting heat to heat the indoors, obviously with some magic (not really, but I don't know the details) happening in between.
We have an underground (UG) floor directly beneath the living room. The UG has windows, and we use it as a garage as well. I was thinking whether it would be a good idea to install the outdoor unit of this split system in the UG/garage instead of outdoors.
Based on my limited expertise on the field, the benefits of doing this are:

It will be better protected than outside
The air in the UG floor/garage might be warmer than the the one outdoors, especially when it will be snowing, therefore more heat for the outdoor unit to transform inside, and less need for electricity to make up for the difference.

Open questions (downsides):

The air circulation in the UG/garage is not as good as outdoors (obviously), how does this impact the heating and air quality that will blow inside?
How will the air that will flow out of the outdoor unit impact the air in the UG/garage.

Is it safe and sane to install the outdoor unit of an inverter AC indoors? Are you aware of any such installation?
To avoid any ambiguities about what this technology is, here I provide links from the manufacturer's website:
https://www.daikin.com.au/articles/category-1/air-conditioner-heating-and-cooling-guide
https://www.daikinindia.com/inverter-technology-0


texts: Help needed to calculate the R value of a brick veneer wall (house built in 1958)?

texts:
I live in a house that was built in 1958. I am looking for the R value of my brick veneer walls. For that I would need to know how the wall was built (there should be the brick, some sheating, insulation etc. This is the part that I am missing: the layers that were used to build my walls.
This is in Toronto Canada. If anybody is familiar with this topic I would really appreciate some help
Here is what a wall looks like. The house in the back is identical with mine

There is good chances that my wall looks like this:

I am using the Heat2000 program to calculate the thermal values for my house. I decided to go with the below settings. This will give me a conservative R value of 13.5. I will use a second iteration with no batt insulation and see what I get.
I need this in order to properly size the furnace, the contractors that I have contacted for this are too lazy for this so I will have to do it myself


texts:
I have a 4 way circuit (3 physical toggle switches).  I am use to seeing this setup with two 3-ways and a 4-way in the middle. Looking at what I have, I have a 3-way, and two 4-way switches! All 4 terminals on both 4 ways have wires. There is not a 4th switch anywhere.  One of those 4-ways should be a 3-way. Would one of those wires into the 4-way be useless? Is this just a different way to wire up a 4-way? In the end, I want to remove the 4 way and just be left with 2 switches in a normal 3 way. I thought I could just remove the 4 way, connect the travelers and be left with a 3 way, but I'm not sure what to do with the second 4-way.
Thanks for the help.


texts: How to install a new window header that overlaps an old one

texts:
I'm attempting to move some windows. I have an engineer drawing up the exact plans of how to make sure it is structurally sound, but my question here is more on actual implementation.

In one or two locations I will be installing a new header of fairly significant size (~7') which is higher and offset from an existing header. This is a grade level previously converted carport that I'm leveling the floor of and incorporating into part of the house. The existing header is where the garage entrance use to be. It looks like this (orange is new header for a window [approximate location, does not include structural components, just for visualization of what I'm trying to accomplish]).

I have a hip roof and the ceiling joists for this particular location run parallel with the exterior wall the distance of both the old and new headers.

How can I add the new header safely and how much of the existing header do I have to remove?

My only thinking is to punch some holes and build some temporary supports perpendicular under the top plate... lots of work!


texts: Backwater valves, furnace drains, and vent pipes

texts:
I'm having a house built and I got a picture of the drain pipes in the basement prior to pouring the slab, and it looks like this:

The left blue circle is a floor drain for the furnace, the right blue circle is an unused 3-inch stack, the left red circle is a 2-inch vent, and the right red circle is a backwater sleeve.  The line drains toward the top of the picture and out to the sewer.

The builder installed a furnace and placed it such that it didn't cover any of these pipes:

The placement of the furnace would have blocked a wall I want to put in to finish the basement later, so I asked the builder to move the furnace, which they did.  However, as you can see in the next picture, the furnace is now covering the two red-circled pipes which were cut and capped, and the builder modified the unused stack to make it a 2-inch pipe:

I asked the builder about this and was told that the backwater sleeve didn't need to be exposed, the vent pipe was cut and capped, and the unused stack is now going to be used to vent the drain, which is why they modified it with 2-inch PVC so it can have an air admittance valve installed later.

My questions are:

Now that the backwater sleeve is covered by the furnace, how in the world am I going to service it if needed?  How often do backwater valves need maintenance or replacement?
Can the vent exist in the new location?  Doesn't it have to be between the furnace drain and the backwater sleeve?  If it's on the other side of the backwater valve, doesn't that mean there's no venting for the drain when the valve is closed?  Will the water move through the pipe?


texts: How do I cap off a pipe below by hot water heater's cutoff valve?

texts: I live in Texas and am dealing with a destroyed external tankless hot water heater. When I restore water to my house via the street valve I have water gushing out of the pipe below my hot water heater as it appears to have multiple cracks. I would like to at least use water to the rest of my house while I wait who knows how long for a plumber. What would be the easiest way to cap off this blue pipe or the pipe coming out of my house?


texts: What to consider before removing a drop ceiling?

texts:
My basement has a drop ceiling in a semi-finished part of it and we've removed many of the panels in the process of updating the house's wiring. With most of the panels off and clear view of how discolored and dusty they've become, we're thinking to remove the drop ceiling entirely and trash what's unusable or donate the panels and frame that are in tact.

Before we do so, I want to check what reasons there might be for keeping the drop ceiling and putting it all back together replacing damaged panels? I haven't been able to find a list like that though so I turn here.

We don't like the aesthetic or the materials, and we can use the extra couple inches of height we get. The joists showing above the drop ceiling are beautiful old beams, and we like seeing the utilities and guts of the house, making it easier to do maintenance as well. On the other hand, the house is drafty and on the 1st above ground floor, the wood floor is quite cold. Also very little sound insulation, and I know removing the drop ceiling won't help with that. Lastly, we'll probably rent the place out eventually, not sure if that has any influence on reasons to have drop ceiling or not.

Anything I'm missing? What should one consider before dropping a drop ceiling?


texts: How do I safely bleach basement cabinets?

texts:
My basement has built-in cabinets and posts that are stained a dark brown and I want to lighten them - ideally something closer to white oak. I researched online and found that a chlorine bleach is used to remove/lighten stains. Many of the instructions recommend applying the bleach in a well-ventilated space, but I can only remove the cabinet doors and possibly the shelves from the basement - the rest would have to be bleached in place.

What can I do to increase ventilation in the basement and to protect myself from the fumes? Or is chlorine bleach in such a situation a bad idea?


texts: Can an open junction box be allowed over an enclosed ceiling?

texts: I am renovating my basement and there is currently a suspended ceiling. After removing some of the tiles I noticed there are some junction boxes without covers. I want to replace the suspended ceiling with drywall. Do I have to cover up the boxes? Or should I be doing this all differently?


texts: Tilted header repair ?? for 200lb 13 ' x 18 ' Awning from > 1 ton wind effects to lag bolts

texts:
I am a happy owner of a 13'L x 18'W motorized canvas awning over the rear deck.  However, after 6 to 8 yrs of continuous use under the sometimes inclement weather, when it was not retracted (unfortunately), acting as a sail it had lifted up and crashed down with a great deal of strain on the header bolts to the rear of the 2 story house. The mounting height is well above the main floor ceiling so it is not bolted to the 2nd-floor joists.   I am unsure how the header is lag bolted into the house as it is covered with an aluminium siding over the 2x8" and the house also has similar siding.

The issue is the long-term leverage of the canopy to the main header brackets have (4) bolts to the wall thru the header have pulled away somewhat.

Effectively the 2x8" header is tilted by more than 20 degrees with about 1.3" gap at the top away from the wall. I would prefer 10-degree tilt but cannot adjust it any further.

All the details that I know may be relevant are in the photo, which I hope is clear, if it is zoomed in.

It is usable now, but the edge of the canopy is just below my height of 6" and there is 2" wide bolt with a big ring head for cranking the awning with an extension rod to a higher canopy elevation angle. That is as tight as it will go or as much as I would like to try.

I would like to raise that 6~12" which is equivalent to pulling the header into the wall by 1/4" probably with some > 1-ton force thru the headers to the 2nd-floor wall frame. There is no evidence of wall damage.

So my question is this.  What fasteners will accomplish this?

I was guessing at least a dozen 7/16 to 1/2" lag bolts x 6" assuming I can locate the exact centre of the 2nd-floor outer wall frame studs which have horizontal oxidized sheet-metal finish. ( not good for a stud finder)

The hand sketch of the canopy or awning is actually tilted worse than shown ( not to scale) by about 6~12" drop at the lower end leaving a 1.3 gap at the top of the header from the wall.  This gives the brackets some strain relief but the elevation angle mechanism can no longer be raised any higher."

Edit:

After finding the bracket dimensions, the single lag-bolt position 5" down was correct but the bracket bottom edge is only 1" down from that bottom bolt hole which makes the cantilever ratio 12':1" or 144:1 stress amplification from awning outside edge to the bolt relative to the bottom edge.

That's a huge ratio and seems to be a previous installer fault.


texts: Wifi Thermostat, No C wire on HVAC unit. No control board? Condo

texts:
Looking to install Ecobee thermostat. Only 4 wires coming from unit.  Ecoboo has power extender kit but there's no control board on the HVAC unit, so I can't locate a c wire.  Any help would be appreciated. Pics of wires aren't great, they're all in the same spot.

One group of wires goes to the fan.  Other group goes into smaller main box, took the top off and it's just more relays.

Top right wires from thermostat, go down through connector on right. Red turns into blue and goes top left.

Wires to fan.

Thx


texts: Shower leaks when valve is shut off but doesn't leak when the valve is slightly open

texts:
Our contractor left in the middle of the shower job and we noticed that our shower leaks into the wall when the shower valve is completely shut off. When looking for the source of the leak, I noticed that the leak stops when the valve is slightly open.

The water leaks from the joint between the pipe in the wall and the shower head pipe. I noticed that the contractor did not use the PFTE tape when connecting the shower head pipe to the pipe in the wall.

I am not 100% sure about the model, but the valve looks like this.

Do I need to replace the shower valve to fix the leak or is it because the contractor did not use the PFTE tape when connecting the shower head ?


texts:
I'm trying to dismantle some wall boards, but I don't know how to remove the pictured bolt - close up attached.
Its head has the dome shape of a carriage bolt, but there is a hole in the center, with a square-shaped pin deeper inside. Note the hole is circular and not hex, so this is not an allen bolt.
Its a wood-and-fiberglass board attached to a metal frame. I would love to cut up the board, but the metal frame surrounds the entire board, and is attached with these bizarre bolts. Any suggestions or ideas would be most appreciated.
Thanks!


texts: Another flooring identification question

texts: Whatever was used as my living room flooring has a huge range of grain patterns, and I'm wondering what it is. I've tagged this hardwood but that's a guess... Apologies for the odd perspective; pic is upside down but I don't think that matters.


texts: Two rocker switches stopped working after replacement

texts:
I replaced 20-30 switches in the house today, and all but two (which coincidentally share the same double gang box) work. I've tried re-terminating the wires, swapping wires, and trying a different switch, but they no longer turn on.
I checked all of the gfci outlets in the house to make sure that wasn't causing an issue. Unfortunately, I don't have a voltage tester so I'm hoping that including these pics may lead to the issue for someone more experienced.
I'm happy to bring in an electrician if I have to, but I wanted to check here first.
Thanks in advance
https://imgur.com/a/gj9qINF


texts: I'm wondering if these two things were allowed by the electrical Code in 1981 in California

texts:
My wife an I bought a house built in 1981 located in Lake County California.

I've been switching out receptacles and switches and found some "interesting" wiring. Now, these all look like "as built" items, not where the new owner hacked in a new circuit.

First: Stripping the middle of a wire to avoid a pig tail: Several 2 gang outlets are wired like this. The hot and common wires run to the first outlet, where a section of insulation is removed from the middle of the wire. This is then wrapped around the screw terminal and the rest of the run is attached to the second outlet. (Sometimes the screw terminal, sometimes the stab connector.)

Second: Using an outlet/switch as a splice junction. Here was another odd one. The switch is wired normally, but a hot and neutral running to the next box in line is not pig tailed, but taken off the stab connectors on the switch. In another, the two gang box with double outlets are wired as above, except a next in line circuit is taken off the stab connector on the first outlet. (And, to make it extra weird, the common is pig tailed.)

As I am going through, I am correcting these with proper pig tails, but can't help wondering how it ever passed inspection.

Thanks.


texts: I recently found an incomplete set of dull, rusty spade bits that belonged to my father.  They are likely 40-45 years old.  Are they worth trying to clean up and sharpen or should I just throw them out?  I don't have a grinder so I imagine it would cost more to have them sharpened than to replace them.