texts: why do faucet control valves use packing

texts: Why do faucet control knobs use a continuous rotating compression packing when other in line stops use a positive stop gate or ball valve


texts:
Installing pvc molding, so we don't have to prime and paint. What s the best method to fill nail holes. As i stated we are not painting. Also have 1 wall where i have to butt 2 pieces of molding together, and the best method for that is?
  Thank you


texts: I have a mantel clock which had mildew damage. I been working on getting mildew off. To restore it to its original color as seen in right part of frame below, would I need to sand and stain it? I know linseed oil was used on it when it was built about 30 plus years ago.


texts: How do I tile across two different wall materials?

texts:
I would like to install a continuous pattern of tiles from floor to ceiling on a wall that is a combination of plywood (mounted to 2x4 studs) and a short concrete stem wall.

Is there a suitable backing/decoupling material I can install so I can tile continuously from floor to ceiling without an expansion gap, or do I need to change the wall tile design?


texts: What is the working load limit of a 18-foot 4x6 pine beam?

texts: Can you give me the load limit on a 4x6 pine board 18' long used for a swing set?  Thank you


texts:
Recently bought a house with some questionable finishes. Just wondering what I would use here to transition between the tile and laminate flooring?

I am guessing I cannot use a T-moulding, as the notch will not fit. Thus, do the make something that is used for these particular situations? From the videos I have seen online, the gap is normally much larger than shown in my picture.

I was thinking of something like an oak carpet strip, as I can stain it. But it has screw holes, and I would prefer to glue something down? Again, I have zero experience here.


texts: Sand like substance between the painted wall and Sheetrock making the walls crack

texts:
There is cracking in both the entry way and one bedroom of the house with this sand like substance underneath. I have had no luck looking up why this could be happening and any suggestions for how to fix the cracking. Does anyone else have this issue or know what the root of the problem is or what this sand like substance inside the wall is? I have taken a spackling tool and it falls right off and the Sheetrock is fine.

Thanks in advance!


texts: Toilet bowl fills and overflows but the tank won't fill

texts:
toilet bowl fills and will overflow while my tank wont fill up , what is the problem?   is this a plugged up toilet?  I tried the plugger it but not doing anything
..  a couple of hrs later the bowl will empty


texts: what would cause a breaker box enclosure to be electrified?

texts:
I was working installing a 2 pole 50A 240V GFCI breaker and trying to debug an appliance. I turned off the GFCI breaker I was working on, but the main breaker was on.  About the time I had one of the wires undone I put my hand on the metal enclosure of the breaker box and received a shock.  What could possibly have caused this?  The main was on, and the GFCI breaker was connected to the box via the pigtail to the neutral terminal.  Any heuristics/diagnostics to determine why the external enclosure became electrified?

The subpanel (in a detached garage) has 4 wires coming in: 2 hot to the main breaker, one to the grounding bus, and neutral to the neutral bus.  In addition, there is a very thick copper wire running outside the conduit that appears to terminate in the ground below the deck on the outside of the building.

There is continuity between the neutral and ground bus, which I understand is not normal for a subpanel.

Am I right in suspecting that the grounding electrode is not grounded?  How would I test this?


texts: Installing a stud wall without connecting to ceiling?

texts: what is the best approach to installing a stud wall (making walk in wardrobe) without also screwing into the ceiling? I am going to pull back the carpet and nail into the floor but I am wondering if I can secure by another means instead of going into the ceiling as well. Thanks


texts: How do we wire a new bathroom exhaust fan to our bathroom?

texts: In our attic we have a junction box that has the power wire connected to a hallway ceiling light. Can we tap into that to get power to install a bathroom exhaust fan? We would be putting in a double rocker light switch in the bathroom (top switch would be for the vanity light and the bottom switch would be for the exhaust fan switch). How would we wire this?


texts: How would I connect power from an emergency security flood light fixture?

texts: How would I connect power to the inside of my apt. Building from  the emergency security flood light fixture outside the building?


texts: Looking for a "lightbulb" that wirelessly controls an electrical outlet

texts:
To explain the context, I have a lightbulb socket in the ceiling of my apartment, which I do not want to use, and a floor lamp which I do want to use. The light in the ceiling is controlled by a light switch, but no outlets are controlled by any switch.

I'm not sure if such a product exists, but what I would like is something that I can plug into the lightbulb socket (or just wire up like a light fixture), and something that I can plug into my outlet, such that when I use the switch to turn on the light, the outlet is powered on, and when I turn off the light, the outlet is powered off.

Essentially I want a wireless connection between my ceiling light fixture and an electrical outlet on the wall.

I don't want to change the actual wiring in the apartment as:

I'm renting it, I don't own it
It's expensive
I may want to move the lamp in the future

Does something like this exist? Ideally I'm looking for something that will work with European plugs/voltages, but products for other regions would still be helpful.


texts: Low Frequency Hum - exactly 30 minute duration at random times

texts: I am having an incredibly annoying vibration/hum through my wall/ floor. It is Reverberating at about 36Hz. I am an audio engineer so I have the equipment to analyze it. It happens randomly throughout the day but mostly in the evening / night while I'm sleeping. It happens for exactly 30 minutes to the second. Sometimes it doesn't start again for many hours sometimes it will start again after a 10 minuet break but still always 30 minutes. I am in the 3rd floor of an apartment building. I have run around feeling pipes while it is happening to see what this could be. It's not the air conditioners. Sometimes it goes of 7 times a day. Sometimes it goes off 3 but always during the night. It sounds like a motor or compressor I can't sleep. I can't tell anyone when it's going to happen to call anyone to come out. I am going crazy. Please help!


texts: My Insinkerator Model HWT has been leaking water out of the right vent tube after each use, and it is leaking down the casing. How can I  repair it?


texts:
I have a water heater room 5x8 that needs a GFCI receptacle added to the ceiling for a hot water recirculating pump. The heater is large and obviously hard plumbed in so cannot be moved and rigid conduit can not get around the back of it. Can FMC cable be used to get around it and strapped to the walls? This is San Diego commercial building. Work will be done professionally but I'm looking at the options. I've tried looking at the NEC but get lost.
Thanks


texts: Replaced the wax ring but now it bubbles when the shower runs

texts: I replaced the wax ring after it started leaking now when the shower is running the toilet bubbles and if you push the toilet you can hear air escaping from around the toilet bolts plunging doesn't help it will slowly drain then you're able to flush the toilet properly


texts: Is black residue on wiring cause for concern?

texts:
While running coax cable in our newly-purchased house, I removed a receptacle and box (which was not attached to or supported by anything but paint and drywall mud, but that's a story for another day). The cable coming in was wrapped around some insulation and the portions of it touching the insulation were covered with this black residue.

I have read elsewhere that this can be caused by tar from old insulation, but the insulation in this case does not appear to be particularly old, and the insulation itself doesn't seem to have any discoloration.

The residue appears to only be on the surface, as you can see from the couple places where I scratched it off with my fingernail to expose the cable sheath underneath. The sheath itself does not appear to be compromised. (The silvery patch on the cable in this picture, which I had initially thought was a hole of some sort, appears to have just been a piece of foil or other material as I was able to peel it off and reveal the white sheath beneath.)

Is this cause for concern? Or is it in fact tar from the insulation, or something else entirely?


texts: How do I prepare a chipped, peeling, deeply cracked wall for painting?

texts:
I recently moved into a new apartment where it was understood I would handle the maintenance if they provided the materials. This was an attractive proposition. I am little excited to get my hands dirty and learn some new skills. One of the first tasks is to put on a fresh coat of paint. However, the paint on the wall is really chipping. How much should I chip off? My inclination is ALL of it, but this will leave a bit of an uneven surface. How should I handle this? Painting over it will not look great.
I have been living in apartments the past decade and haven't really done any work in those years. I can't wait to get started, but I do not want to mess anything up. I Attached a picture below.

UPDATE:
This apartment was built in 1910. I can confirm there is no lead paint. I went ahead and chip the paint off and sanded. Most of the paint on the wall came off. However, the wall itself started chipping off in the corner. I am sort of unsure how to handle this.
I've attached a picture below. You can sort of see in the first picture posted above in the corner that there appears to be a crack. It gets worse.


texts: What does "Level flat to 3/16 per 10 foot radius" mean?

texts:
I am looking at USFLOORS CoreTec Plus installation instructions (http://www.usfloorsllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/USF-COREtec-Plus-Angle-Tap-Installation-Instructions.pdf) and it says

  Level: flat to 3/16" per 10-foot radius".

What strictly does that mean?

For example, If I have a circle room 10 ft radius, and it is perfectly flat everywhere except one 2 ft wide 2/16" deep dip, does that satisfy "3/16 per 10 foot radius" requirement?


texts: Does an Electrical Metallic Tube (EMT) Inside Corner Pull Elbow count towards the 360° total bends?

texts:
When running EMT, my understanding of Code is that the conduit cannot contain more than 360° in bends.  If more bends than that are needed to complete the run, a pull box is required.
Do angle fittings such as this inside corner pull elbow count towards the no-more-than-360° rule, or are these considered a pull box/pull point?
(I see "pull elbow" in the description of the product, which leads me to believe they do not count towards the 360° rule, but I don't want to make assumptions).
Relevant Code citations are always appreciated.  Thanks!


texts: Wiring up a ceiling light with earth cable

texts:
I'm changing a light fixture in my kitchen. It's something I've done plenty of times but this one keeps on tripping my circuit breaker fuse, cutting power to all my downstairs lights.

The only difference I can see with this setup to all the others I've done myself is the light itself has an earth wire whereas all the other lights only have live and neutral.

My ceiling rose is a loop circuit which has 3 of each coloured cable. Brown for live, Blue for neutral and Green & Yellow striped for earth.

The light itself is a 5 arm ceiling light. It has one brown wire, one blue wire and one green/yellow wire. It then has a second green/yellow wire connected to dome that hides the wires in the ceiling (because its metal).

So I'm connecting blue to blue, brown to brown and both green/yellow all to to the right place but it just trips the fuse as soon as I turn the electric back on (even if the light switch is off).

I've tested the light by wiring it up to a plug and running it from a wall socket and it works fine! And when the light isn't in the ceiling, the fuse doesn't trip.

What am I doing wrong? Should I be doing something else with this earth wire? I've never seen a light with an earth wire before (except for the ground wire connected to metal fixtures)

Edit: I think I may have found a problem! I was taking some photos for you and it looks like one of the live wires is melted. I'll attach the photos for you. Please note I did not install the ceiling roses. They were there when I moved in. I just put my light fittings on them. They look quite old and it may be hard for you to see because it seems quite "cramped" in there.

If the live wire is indeed melted does this mean the light is too powerful and has overloaded it? I'm guessing this is going to need to be replaced now?


texts: Why do the radiators in my home heating system get extremely hot?

texts:
I have a standard British heating configuration at home - there is one gas heater that provides hot water both for the boiler (and bathroom etc.) as well as for central heating. There is a small electronic device where you can set if you want to heat the water or run the central heating (it has a timer, etc). The central heating works based on a thermostat in the living room, which shows green when the actual temperature is lower that the set value (hence the heating is working), or red otherwise.

Recently we switched the central heating on for the first time this year, but it didn't work as expected. When the hot water is off everything seems fine. But when the system heats the water up, all the radiators got boiling hot, despite the thermostat showing red all the time. What might have gone wrong? Is it something I could fix myself?

EDIT:
To be more precise I did a test and the results are as follows:(CH - central heating, HW - how water)

HW off, CH off - everything cold [OK]
HW on, CH off - everything is hot [WRONG]
HW off, CH on, temp > thermostat - everything cold [OK]
HW off, CH on, temp < thermostat - everything cold [WRONG]
HW on, CH on, temp > thermostat - everything hot [WRONG]
HW on, CH on, temp < thermostat - everything hot [OK]

So it seems that the hot water switch now operates both HW and CH, and the central heating switch does nothing at all (and thermostat is likewise ignored). Is this something I could fix myself?


texts: Can you touch up epoxy garage floor paint?

texts:
Not my garage, asking for a relative. Garage was previously painted with a 2 part epoxy floor paint. Shortly after painting something spilled and pooled around the tires and ate away the paint. Plus there are a couple other slight imperfections like peeling paint.

What would you do in this situation? Can you use the same type of 2 part epoxy paint over the existing paint?

Would you repaint the whole floor or do you think the colors will still match?

Do you know if they make repair kits?


texts: I punched a very large hole in the wall. I think I know how I should go about fixing it, but I am asking here in order to double-check. I've cut circular hole into a slightly larger rectangle. I plan on positioning a piece of wood behind the hole and covering it up with a block of drywall and sealing it up with mud.


texts: Is softwood appropriate for furniture squares on a hardwood cabinet?

texts:
I'm building some cabinets out of 3/4" plywood, and I'd like to use 2x2" (nominal) stock as furniture squares.  These squares will be on the interior only; it's not visually necessary for the interior wood to match the wood of the piece.

I'm planning on using a setup like this, except I'll be using 18 gauge brads instead.

Checking at my local lumberyard, it looks like this 2x2" stock is very pricey.

Would it be acceptable to use pine or poplar from Home Depot for these squares instead?  The prices look much more tolerable.

Anything else I should consider?


texts: I hooked up the following (see pic).  All was a success until I wanted to dim the lights and they just flutter.   From box I only had orange load wire and black tied to “onward” black.   I connected Blue, black, and white from fan/light to corresponding blue, black, and white from one side of the transmitter.   The red from other side of transmitter went to orange load from box.  The white from other side of transmitter went to the two blacks from box.  As long as I keep lights fully lit, no issues.  The fluttering happens from wall and remote.  Any idea how I can get lights to dim? Thank you.


texts: What is the difference between an AFCI and a whole house surge protector?

texts: Is there a difference between a whole house surge protector and an arc fault circuit interrupter (AFCI)?


texts:
Every year I do Christmas lights I run into the same issue over and over...and I'm just tired of it! :(...It's probably due to the fact that I am electricity stupid - I just don't know enough about electricity to know why this is happening.  In any event I cannot understand how others deck their entire house, bushes, and every other thing on their lot with lights and I cannot seem to do the basics.

Here's my issue...I've got non led (I know I should invest in getting LED but I haven't yet) Christmas lights in the form of nets, which are basically the same as just the string of lights however they come in the form or shape of say a checker board all tied together.  I also have just some regular lights...all in all we are talking about 30-40 lights across my bushes and in my trees.

I have one of those devices that come with a remote that allow you to sit in your house and press a number (1-3) to turn on the bulbs.  Great so I start by placing the item number 1 "Remote Control Plug" into my main outdoor electrical socket, that way I can hook up a surge protector directly to it allowing me to simply press my #1 remote and all turns on.  Fine, I add about 3-4 extension cords to my surge protector each piggy backing about 3-5 light sets.  This is a GFCI outlet by the way that goes back to my basement.  Then I take another remote control plug and place it in another electrical outlet in my garage (#2 this time) that way all I have to do is press 1 then press 2 and bam all my lights go on.

I run a heavy duty extension cord (pretty thick) from my garage under the garage door back outside to about 5 lights that piggy back each other, as well as another extension cord to support 3-4 more.  Note this one doesnt have a surge protector as I dont really need one here.

Great 2-3 hours later I am done and I turn on my lights an all looks well...go back inside and within 10-15 minutes I'll look outside and either #1's set are all turned off or sometimes #2's sets are all turned off, other times both.  I havent blown any fuses and I Dont even have to look at my circuit box.  Sometimes the reset in my surge protector has been suddenly clicked off, forcing me to turn it off and back on and the lights go on again.  Other times I Just use my remote and turn them back on...

Am I just using too many lights?  I decided to head over to home depot and the representative tells me ahh I know your issue.  Get rid of #1 and #2 and plug your surge directly to your outlet for one, and plug your heavy duty extension cord to your garage outlet for #2.  This eliminates the cool I am inside a warm toasty house and can turn on the christmas lights from my house.  I thought fine Ill open my front door and flip the switch to turn on my power strip, then Ill go to the garage and plug in my heavy duty extension cord and all is well.  Within 10 - 15 minutes again they are off with the power supply reset switched flipped off again!

So that doesn't appear to help...what gives and what can I do to keep my house blinging with christmas lights?


texts: Three way switch with common terminal hard-wired to traveller

texts:
I live in a house built in the early 1980s. I am replacing all of the switches and outlets. There are no neutrals in the boxes.

At the bottom of the stairwell, there is a three way switch (A) that has the common terminal hard-wire connected to the traveller.  At the top hallway there is an old switch/auto timer (B).

I cannot find any reference to this wiring online. I'm not sure I should be re-wiring the new switch in this way.

Any ideas?


texts: Is this a proper way to drain water from flat area under deck so it does not penetrate basement wall?

texts:
I have a flat area under a 6 by 30 ft deck in front of my split level house. I am currently replacing the deck boards on this (Pictures are below). The soil underneath this deck is relatively flat and does not drain well, which causes moisture penetration into my basement (below the grade under the deck frame).

I am considering install a drainage system (similar to a french drain) in this area while I have the deck up, to fix this. It will run water to the right of house where it will flow down the hill and away from the house. My intention is to overbuild this feature, since it will be next to impossible to modify once I put the new deck in on top of it.

My plan:

Re-level the grade so water runs to the right of the house.
Dig a trench running downhill with the new grade as well (parallel to the front of the house in pictures).
Line the entire area under the deck with 6 mil plastic.
Lay a couple inches of gravel in the bottom of the trench
Run perforated drainage pipe (with silt net) down the length of the trench until it drains on the side of the house. This pipe will be lower than the grade, due to being laid in the trench.
Cover rest of the exposed pipe and 6 mil plastic with gravel
Replace my deck boards and not have to mess with it for 20 to 30 years when the deck boards give out next

I have looked around online and have not seen anyone doing anything quite like this. How long should I expect the 6 mil plastic to hold up in this almost buried state?

It seems to me that this would work better than a french drain because I wont have to put soil on top of it, which will eventually fill the thing up with silt and the plastic will ensure that none of the water gets into the soil below.

Should I expect any other issues with this approach?

Thanks for any comments or suggestions!


texts: Just installed a new "smart" thermostat. The fan works on both the heating and cool setting when it is on auto. When I set it to the run position I get nothing. Is there a wiring issue?


texts: We are replacing an old ceiling fan with a new Hunter ceiling fan.  The instructions say to connect the black wire in the new fan with the blue and black wire from the fixture.  There is an extra red wire.  What do we do with that?  Can we just cap it off?


texts: How do I shut down power on my standalone generator so it doesn't backfeed while I put a 100 Amp panel in my polebarn?

texts:
Hello to all of you folks this is probably going to sound like a stupid question and I'm kind of feeling stupid for asking it but I need to know??

Ok my dad has a stand alone generator and what I need to know is how I disable it from coming on while i'm putting a 100 amp panel in place of the old fuse box that is currently in his tool shed?? Thanks so much.


texts: How can I replace the star-shaped base of an office chair?

texts:
I've got two office chairs, one whose base (the one that is star-shaped, holds all the wheels together and joins them with the bar/gas compressor) is broken, and another that is just fine.

How can I take the other's base out without breaking it (it's plastic)?


texts: How to connect PBI to detect an open door

texts:
What's the best way to connect a wired magnetic contact stripe to the door, in order to detect whether or not it's open.

I'm not interested with a wireless one, I'm building all the electricity from scratch, so I want a wired one.

The way I thought to do that is, to use a push button interface (in my case, a KNX PBI), and connect it to the a magnetic contact stripe on the door.

On the door the magnetic contact stripe would close/open the circuit and notice the PBI when the door is closed/opened.

My question is, what's the best location to place the PBI? Should I place a switch near the door, and put the PBI behind it?

Should I pull the cables of the PBI far, to the fuse box?

Thanks,


texts: Why is my front room ceiling fan switch setting off my smoke alarms

texts: When I come down in the morning and switch my ceiling fan on it sets off the fire alarms. It shouldn't be set off by a surge in the circuit as far as I know as the fan is downstairs and the smoke alarms are connected to the upstairs lighting circuit. I have got a box for the alarms on the wall with the option to locate alarm, test alarm and silence alarm but when I press the silence alarm button it just seems to reset the alarm and it goes off again. It only happens in the morning when the fan is first switched on.


texts: Home value - relocating laundry to basement?

texts: I would like to turn our first floor laundry room to a powder room and relocate the laundry room to basement. Is this a good idea to improve home value?


texts: Is it safe to use a receptacle with wires broken off in the backstab connectors?

texts:
I bought a new doorbell which required me replacing my transformer. My current transformer is attached to a receptacle that sits right below my panel. Turned the power off to it, unscrewed it, found my current transformer wires were backstabbed into the receptacle (and my ground wire was not secured to the ground screw as a nice bonus). My receptacle didn't appear to have a release hole so I tried to tug and twist to remove but both wires ended up breaking off with a small piece of the wire still stuck in the outlet. Below is a photo of that. You can see the broken off (stranded?) wires on the lower half of the receptacle between ground wire and neutral wire. There are other backstabbed wires but also an available neutral and hot terminal on the receptacle:

From what I have read backstabbing is not code unless it's 14 AWG solid copper wire right? These seemed stranded to me. Is it safe to continue using this receptacle if my plan is to attach the new transformer wires to the terminal screws instead? I would also of course make sure to re-attach the ground wire.


texts: What is the effect on baseboard heating capacity of running the return pipe within the enclosure?

texts:
Baseboard radiators can be installed with the return pipe running within the baseboard enclosure itself. While this is a configuration explicitly supported by manufacturers I can't find any hard data on what effect this will have on the rated heating capacity.
I have read on internet forums general statements that it might reduce the heat output by "25%" but without any official documentation or manufacturer's information to back that up.
I've looked at documentation from a # of different manufacturers (samples below) and don't see this information. They DO publish tables of heat output at various average supply water temperatures but neglect the different piping configurations.
Even a single solid example would be useful (better than nothing) even though baseboard performance does vary a lot.

The examples below are just that - I'm not asking about any particular product.
Here's an example of Slant/Fin documentation regarding this type of installation:

(source)
And from Synergy another example of how the physical install is provided for + an example of their heat output data:

Optional “easy-glide” cradles are available for return piping
installations.

(source)

(same source)
Tables like the above are very common - what I'd love to see would be a second table showing the values with the second pipe in place.
Details which I imagine would be important is whether the pipe runs above or below the fins, and whether the bare pipe or the finned pipe carries the return water.


texts: Is it any relevant the energy consuption of IOT and RF receiving home devices?

texts:
I am designing and building my own house. I am very interested in automatizing several devices as blinders and lights.

In general, I am thinking in using Zigbee (Xiaomi and Aqara), RF and IR devices. The latter two will be controlled by a RF + IR controller.

Each device itself won't probably consume too much.  However, imagine all my switches are connected and my blinders are always waiting for an RF signal to activate them. All those devices needs then to work with DC, which makes them, at least, need the use of an AC/DC converter.

How much could this devices consume? Is it relevant? Should I worry about it and try to reduce or optimice the number of connected devices?

Thank you so much,

Ricardo


texts: nest 3rd generation compatibility with honeywell

texts:
My home has a honeywell thermostat (THM5421C)! It has 3 wire: DATA,R and C. Humidifier is Aprilaire 700 Series and Furance is Armstrong A97USMV!

furnace side:

The wire connection as below:

Is it compatible with 3rd generation nest?

My guess wire connection as below:

But still not sure:

P1 - OB and P5 - * has been connected to the same wire! I marked it as blue line! How should I fix it?
P9 point (to humidifier) still not connected, where should I connect P9?


texts: Why is the hot water in my tub fluctuating between hot, warm and cold?

texts:
I've been living for a year in a 1985 (or so) 8-floor condo in the NYC metropolitan area. The building is well managed.
I have a kitchen and a bathroom with both a separate shower and a jacuzzi/whirlpool tub installed.
The tub is a Kohler ('Devonshire' model).
The 2-handle faucets looks like from Pegasus ('65602 Estates Roman Tub Faucet').
Hot and cold water works fine everywhere in my apartment but the tub.

** PROBLEM **

When I turn on the hot water faucet of the tub (assume it's the only thing running water), I get first very hot water as expected for a short moment, then it becomes warm and cold. I have to play around with the faucet (turn off, or turn more or less) to get some hot water again. But the cycle will repeat.
It's frustrating.

I'm not sure what is causing this. The problem has been there since I moved in.

Elsewhere, the water works fine (kitchen, bathroom sink, shower) with this minor note:
In the shower, I have a Pegasus single handle with a typical problem.
Assume turning the handle from Right to Left, starting at the 6pm position.
- From 6pm till 1pm, I have increasing hot water as expected,
- Then at 12pm, it shuts down all water.
- Then continuing from 12pm back to 6pm, cold water (not sure if there's any hot water at some point, I've never tried long enough but I doubt).
It's not a big problem for me since I've been able to take showers, so never had the need to fix it.
I'm mentionning the shower just as FYI, in case it could have anything to do with my hot water problem in the bathtub.

Oh yes, jacuzzi button works fine too.

I have the feeling all I need to do is replace something in the tub's hot water faucet, but not sure what. I've had hard time finding a PDF specs or manual/instructions for that Pegasus 65602 Estates Roman Tub Faucet.

Thank you for any help or advices.


texts: installing a copper pipe on exterior wall (but inside the house)

texts:
I want to add a pot filler. The Stove on the exterior wall of the kitchen.The wall is (from the outside in): Brick, Styrofoam insulation, 1/2" drywall, 1/2" plaster (yes plaster/drywall mud or something).

So, My thought was to:

(along the stud) remove the plaster
drywall and possibility some the insulation
install the pipe
secure to stud
spray form insulation?
fill hole
new install of backsplash for oven area.

Thoughts? I live in Canada so first obvious concern is the freezing of the pipes thing. Especially since a new tiled backsplash will go over on top.

Thanks


texts:
In the house where I live (two-storied building), we have a problem with water pressure. The pressure in the water mains is OK, it is ~ 4.3 bar, but the pipe that brings water to our house is simply too narrow. Therefore, when someone downstairs consumes water, the narrow pipe does not manage to supply enough water, the pressure in the system goes dramatically down, and someone upstairs has big trouble when taking a shower.

In an attempt to improve this situation, we obtained an expansion vessel.

Brand: Reflex
Model: Refix HW
Pressure from the factory: 1.5 bar
Max working pressure: 10 bar
Volume: 100 liters
Web site: http://www.reflexcz.cz/cz/expanzni-nadoby-refix-de-junior-hw

It is located in the cellar. After it was first installed, we observed some improvement, but after a couple months, things got worse - almost same state as before. Since then, I have made several attempts to re-pressurize the air bag with various results.

I have devised the following methodology:

Close the street water mains valve.
Release all water from our water system in the house, including the expansion vessel. I do this by releasing the valve in the garden.
Pressurize the air bag in the vessel to 1.5 bar (using a small electrical air compressor from Black&Decker).
Release the street water mains valve and fill the system and the vessel with water again.

While doing step (4) I am always measuring how much water flows in by reading out the "before" and "after" value of the counter. I am doing a statistic of how much water flows in depending on the air pressure I put to the air bag.

My results look as follows:

1.5 bar -> ~ 28 liters flow in
1.0 bar -> ~ 34 liters flow in

In an empirical way, I am trying to figure out what the best pressure is to make best of the vessel. My findings are as follows:

If the air bag pressure is too high, little water is allowed into the vessel and so the vessel can supply us with water for only a very short amount of time.
If the air bag pressure is too low, a lot of water is allowed into the vessel but the air does not have the power to push it out of the vessel, so again not good.

Now the questions:

I've always let out all water out of the system so I can measure the pressure of the air bag (1.5 - 1.0 bar). This is quite a significant waste of water. Is there any way to re-pressurize the expansion vessel while there's water inside?
I am only trying to figure out the best air bag pressure empirically. I would prefer if I could calculate the values somehow. Could you point me in the right direction?
Also, I seem to have to re-pressurize the vessel every 2 months or so. Is this a normal state, that the air from the air bag gets into the water so quickly?
For a 100 liter vessel, what would be the best amount of water that can still be effectively used?

Thank you.


texts: Is an ethernet cable threaded inside a metal conduit is more protected from electromagnetic interference?

texts:
I am at the end of a renovation, and only now  I discovered that it is not recommended to run ethernet cable in parallel and closely to power cables, even if they are in separate conduits, but I may have the option to improve the safety and the data integrity:
As you can see in the photo there are 3 pvc conduits runs parallel to each other. Each with a diameter of 16mm. In one is threaded a telephone cable, in the other a cat 7 ethernet cable and in the third a 240V power cable.( I dnot know in what order)
On the left side there is an additional 50mm in diameter flexible PVC conduit also parallel and closely to the three conduits, but it is empty.I estimate that there is  2-3 cm between the cables. (not between the conduits)
I have the option to cancel the cat7 that is threaded inside the 16mm conduit, and thread a new cat7 cable inside a flexible metal conduit (that protects low voltage cables from electromagnetic) and thread the metal conduit into the flexible 50mm PVC conduit (conduit within a conduit)
Is it worth making this change?
(I am thinking of a future option that maybe I will increase the network speed, and even if there is a lot of amperage in the power cable which increases the strength of the magnetic field)
And another question: can there be an interference to the telephone cable as well because it is run parallel near to the power conduit?
It is not shielded and not a twisted pairs, but I can replace it with a more high quality cable, and also transfer it in the 50mm conduit.
Thanks in advance for any answers


texts: How to test existing ethernet cable outlets?

texts:
I moved into this 15 year old house about a year ago and there's a RJ45 wall jack in my office (2nd floor) and there's another one in the living room near TV. I'd assume there's planned in for TV to use Internet. I have not seen any other RJ45 jack anywhere else through the house.

So I plugged a cable from my router to the jack in my office, and I have no signal on the other end in the living room (I plugged a switch). I took out the wall cover plates on both jacks, and the they are the same type of Cat5e cables. Is there a easy way I can test these?


texts: Drilling Countersink for Acrylic Tub-Shower Surround Fasteners

texts:
I am planning on installing a Delta 400 Classic Curve Acrylic Tub and matching Surround.

Above, and around, the surround will be Purple drywall or Cement Board. Tile will not be involved.

I would like to put the board directly over the flange, rather than resting it on top and mudding the gap.

The instructions call for Pan or Round Head screws.

I was hoping to use quality weather proof screws like Deckmate Bugle Heads.

In either case, without countersinking, the fasteners will stand proud and deflect the wall board.

I have different options, and I'm trying to understand what the best choice is.

Countersink
Panheads vs Bugles
Backcut wall board
Mud the gap vs overlap
Allow deflection

Etc.

Thanks.


texts: Control fanlight with both remote and switch

texts:
I would like to control my fan using remote and the light on the fan using both remote and switch. Is that possible.

I have 1 black wire, 1 red wire for light, neutral and ground wire coming from the ceiling. I have capped the red wire and connected the black wire to the remote receiver. I am able to control the fan using remote. I connected the black wire to single pole switch to control the power to the fan.

I heard using external relay, we can achieve the above functionality. Don't know how to implement. Could someone please guide me ?


texts: Is it possible to replace a fusebox lever without replacing the whole box?

texts:
I'm pretty new to DIY stuff... but I'm selling my home soon and was wondering if it was possible for an electrician to fix just the part causing the lever to not come down in my garage's fusebox (sorry, I'm not sure what the term for the piece that's broken--but it's the brownish colored piece that moves the metal bar up and down).

I'd rather not have to replace the fusebox, but am guessing this wouldn't pass inspection since the box won't shut off when the lever is pulled down into the "Off" position.

Is it possible to replace just this piece? Is it an easy fix? I really don't want to spend thousands of dollars installing a new circuit breaker.


texts: Where to start and end kitchen backsplash?

texts:
This may be a trivial question but I can not find an example online specific to my situation. I have heard you end at cabinets, end at countertop, add bullnode at very end of wall, etc. Here is the wall I am trying to add subway tile to:

As you can see there are some oddities. The switch at the top will not be fully covered by the tile so a tiny part of the top will be uncovered, the countertop ends very close to the end of the wall, etc. Any suggestions about where to start the backsplash or any picture examples would be greatly appreciated!


texts: Should the meter base be installed before chink siding in new construction?

texts:
I'm planning to do my own electrical for a new house that will have pine chink siding. Should I:

A. Install the meter base on the OSB sheathing, and flash the Tyvek around it?

B. Install the meter base on the sheathing over the Tyvek?

C. Wait until the pine chink siding is fully installed and put the meter base over that? (there will be gaps behind the meter though, do to the elevation changes in chink siding).

D. Install some kind of board over the OSB, screwed through the sheathing to the studs and then attach the meter to that? If so, how should it be flashed?


texts: Grout or caulk between acrylic bathtub and tile?

texts:
Contractor who remodeled our bathroom used non-sanded grout between bathtub (acrylic) and first layer of tile. He said that he recommends that instead of caulk as caulk will be trapping moisture and grout is better against mold.
Now, year after, I see the grout along bathtub cracking and mold appearing in it.
So what should I do? I am thinking of scrubbing some loose grout and refilling. But should I use grout again or should I use caulk this time? If caulk, then what kind of caulk should I use?


texts:
I live in a new property where due to the underlying characteristics of the land, piling was required for the foundations.
Due to the additional cost, I'd like to explore what options for extension or conservatory I might have that do not require additional piling.
Does anyone know if there are regs relating to size, load or construction that might determine whether I have to pile or not?
Thanks


texts: Exterior Door Width is Shorter than Jamb

texts:
I have an exterior door with a large gap to the strike-side jamb. When closed I can see a 1/4" inch gap from top to bottom. Fortunately the dead bolt works but the latch bold is just hanging in there. It's as basement door and I am need to fix it before casing it.
I was thinking of adding 1/4" strip on strike plate side to make jamb smaller but not sure if that right way to do it. Try to search on line but was not able to find answer for my specific issue.
Also, thinking about weather strip that I may need to take out and replace it back on top of new 1/4" strip and what about outer side. Do I need to add the strip on outer side too?


texts: Structurally required? I-beam support under stair opening header

texts:
The stair opening into my basement is framed like this:

A partition wall (non-load bearing) sits on top of the header.

A square duct runs parallel to the header, and on the other side of this duct is an I-beam (3" x 3") supported in the center by a single adjustable steel column:

Two small bolts (maybe diameter #10 or 1/4"?) run through the column flange and I-beam to fasten them together. The column sits on top of the concrete slab floor. There are no seams anywhere in the floor -- if there is a footing beneath the column, it was put in before the floor was poured.

My house has many modifications that are clearly DIY. This whole beam and column have a very "DIY" appearance.

Between the stair opening header and tail joists (which are end nailed) there is maybe 1/4" separation (max). This may just be due to the header being rotated slightly. I believe the previous owner may have noticed the separation and installed the support as a preventative measure. Or maybe there were floor vibration issues? If it were done professionally, I would expect the support directly under the header -- not some 14" away on the other side of the duct -- and a footing poured beneath the column.

I did deflection calculations with both uniform load and joist-point-load models and got similar results -- a max header deflection of about L/600. Additionally, the stairway opening basically meets the prescriptive code in my area (Wisconsin UDC). It would be code compliant if the header and tail joists were supported by framing anchors instead of just end nailed (house was built late 60s).

So I am thinking the header/trimmers by itself should be sufficient. I would like to
1. Install framing anchors on the tail joists and header "to be safe" (and meet code)
2. Remove the I-beam and column because they are in the way.
Solution not feasible -- see edit below.

I will wind up hiring a structural engineer to confirm, but before I pay $$ to have one come out I wanted see whether I was missing something obvious. So does anyone see a reason for that I-beam and column?

Thanks!!

EDIT: Additional deflection calculations estimate 40psf live load trimmer deflection (w/o I-beam) at 0.4" or ~L/360. I am betting this much deflection in the girders caused vibration issues.

Columns at either end of the header would lower deflection of trimmers to ~L/774. That would be a suitable solution, but would require tearing up the slab for column footings. I don't know a lot about concrete, but I am guessing doing so may be the only proper solution? I would put a load bearing wall in below the header instead were it acceptable to spread the load on the slab, but I am guessing even spread out, a load bearing wall like this would require a footing?


texts: I own a house on Long Island and do a lot of DIY projects, some of which are electrical in nature. I often find myself wishing that I could add dedicated outlets in certain places, or run wiring behind walls to lead to new installations. I have training in physics (And electro-magnetism in particular from my college physics classes (As far as basic/intermediate theory anyway, I'm well aware that applying such theoretical knowledge is somewhat different). What options are available for me to be able to do such things as a homeowner (On Long Island-NY) without having to run to an electrician every other week? Are there programs to train and certify that you can do certain things in a code-compliant way, without having to become an electrician? What options are available?


texts: How can I remove a large obstruction from a storm drain pipe?

texts:
This is a hypothetical question, so that I'm prepared if it happens again.

Sometime ago someone dropped a ball that was almost the same size of the storm drain pipe (10cm/4in) in it. By luck it rolled out without a problem. But if the pipe was dirt or had sand/soil in it the ball would probably be stuck.

How can I solve prevent that?

The pipe section that troubles me is about 20 meters long and has 2 short 45° turns and 2 long 90° turns (the first 90° is vertical, the rest is horizontal).


texts: Should I be worried if my A/C ran with the cover on?

texts: My wife accidentally switched on the "cool " mode and the a/c was activated, however the cover was still on the unit outside. Ran like this for about 2 hours. I noticed it and turned it off and went outside to remove the cover and it was pretty hot. What damage could have been done? Symptoms I should look for? Should I get a service tech?


texts: There's a leak, most likely a freeze burst, in a vertical section of 1/2" copper pipe that runs behind some drywall.  In order to minimize the amount of drywall that I have to tear out, I'd like to locate the burst before hacking up the wall.  Is there a way to do this?


texts:
I am trying to separate the thin layer of laminate that is glued to the chipboard.
I have so far managed to cut the piece across the width, and after soaking it in water for several days the chipboard does come off a little if a scrape it with the teeth of a saw, but there is a high risk of damaging the laminate.
Is there a solvent that would work in this case?
This is originally an 18mm chipboard typically used in kitchen cabinet.
The piece of wood in question:


texts: Anyone know what bit would fit this? I have only seen the 2-prong spanner bits...


texts: Is this termite damage and if so how do I repair it?

texts:
I was moving a bolt storage rack in the basement, and when I took it off the wall, I noticed that the wall behind it was moldy. Then I noticed a ripple in the paint going all the way up, and when I followed it with my hand, the paint cracked off in a relatively well defined vertical path. I knew at that point the wall needed to be removed.

As I did that, I found very soft drywall, and the insulation behind it was blackened.

I removed it all, and I found some wood had been eaten. Then, I realized that a LOT of wood had been eaten. I'm not sure what I have here and how to proceed.


texts: Grounding an old 2-Wire system in my bathroom

texts:
I have been remodeling my bathroom in an old house with a 2 wire electrical system without conduit.  It had a 2 prong outlet at the lower wall that I've replaced with a new standard 3 prong.  Also I've installed a new 3 prong GFCE outlet for use at the sink - splicing it to the wiring that traverses between two old light fixture boxes where the old medicine cabinet was and am keeping for the lighting in the room.  I am determined to ground all those properly, but without conduit to feed wires through, I am challenged to ground these without being somewhat creative.  Also there are ground wires leading out from the light boxes themselves.

I have wired the GCFI at the lighting circuit using the input and output features on the back of the outlet, so that there are a total of 4 wires along with the ground, so two wires are going from the back of the outlet to the second light, and two wires leading from the first light.

I am determined to ground the electrical items for the bathroom, despite learning that GCFI outlets are okay to leave ungrounded.  Further, having a ground to the lights seems like a good idea anyway and want to use the ground wires from the light boxes.  I have tested the outlets using an outlet checker, temporarily using the cold water pipe as a ground, and the lights indicate "correct" for the power and the ground.

I am not intent upon using the water pipe, but only to test what I have already done.

Can all those items be grounded with to a single common ground wire - considering that the lower wall outlet is possibly on a different circuit from the lights and the new GCFI?  Does the ground for those items have to return to the common ground at the electrical box? Can a separate grounding rod be used if more convenient? Is it okay that I've spliced the GCFI outlet in-between the two light boxes the way I described?  Can I run the ground wire(s) outside using some sort of weatherproof wiring ( if such wiring exists ) stapled to the exterior of the house?

Is my determination to ground items in the bathroom warranted?  Should I consider simply relying on the safety features of the GCFI outlet and then install another GCFI at the lower wall - without grounding anything?  Would leaving the light boxes ungrounded despite noticing ground wires be okay?  Is the reworking of the bathroom this way making the old wires leading into the bathroom subject to replacement.. or are they okay as they are?

The house does have a breaker box at the back exterior.

Please word answers simply as possible without jargon like "daisy chaining" as I become confused easily sorting out condensed phrasing and concepts familiar to professionals.

Thank You


texts:
I have a fiber glass tub, which has developed cracks and was sealed with epoxy. 6 months ago, the crack reopened and so I re-applied the epoxy. 2 months ago, the crack extended in front of the epoxy and then I reapplied epoxy. So right now, it has 3 applications of epoxy + a fiber glass patch. (see photos here: https://imgur.com/a/SRbXUeD)

Was wondering if this tub still has life, or should I bite the bullet and have it replaced. I was quoted $3,800 + tax for 1. demolition of the tub/surround, 2. Adding a new tub, waste and overflow, 3. A new cement backerboard + waterproofing, and 4. 12" x 12" tiles as the new surround. Wondering if this is reasonable (I live in Seattle). Thanks!


texts: Change timer setting on a bathroom fan (sharing a switch with the light)

texts:
In our new house, the bathroom fan goes on about 3 minutes after the light has been switched on (single switch for both), and goes off about 10 minutes after the light has been switched off. I would like to decrease the latter duration to something 3 minutes, or even remove the timer function so that the fan is only on while the light is on.
However, the fan is behind a casing that has no screws or other bits that can be removed. I tried pulling it lightly, but it wouldn't come out and I don't know if popping the lid out from the edges with a screwdriver won't break the lid or damage the fan behind.
Is it likely that any adjustable timer setting would be behind the case, or is that just a 'constant' built into the fan circuit? Ultimately, I would prefer to deactivate the fan altogether than to have it run for so long, but I'm not sure how the lid (pictured below) is meant to be removed.


texts:
I have a 220 V line in my kitchen for an oven. We are remodeling the kitchen and moving the oven and, thus, need to move the 220 V outlet.

Can I extend the line by joining cables in a junction box and moving the outlet where it needs to be?
Can I just have a long cord (6–10 feet) from the oven to the original location of the outlet?

Here is a photo of what my outlet currently looks like

Here is the inside:
It may be hard to see, but there are only three wires, no ground.

Here is another picture of the inside of the box. You can’t see very well outside of the box. There is a ground wire attached to the metal box. There is no conduit. There should be something (I don’t know what it’s called) that clamps the wires as they come into the box, but there isn’t.


texts:
I mix and pour a lot of concrete, your standard 3-2-1 (agg-sand-portland), and was wondering why a 5-1 deck mud mix (sand-portland) is preferable over a straight up stiff concrete mix, which to me should prove stronger?

I ask because I will have (2) shower bases to pour in the next year or so and my inclination is to simply whip up a batch of stiff concrete and pour that for the sloped shower base, unless there is a compelling reason to use a deck mud mix instead?


texts: Removing side panel from dishwasher for part replacement - general advice

texts:
I am trying to replace a part (the dish rack holder) in an old Candy dishwasher (CDW 250). I have the replacement part, but it seems that replacing it will require removing the left panel. Unfortunately, I can't find an appropriate service manual or any information on disassembling the panel. It is a metal panel which has a lip at the top, back and front. It has four screws which are visible without removing any other parts, two at the front and two at the back. Removing these loosens the panel slightly, but it is clearly held in elsewhere, possibly on top. The top of the dishwasher is just a piece of plastic which can be pulled off, so there may be more screws there.

I was wondering if there are any standard ways such a panel would be held in, places I should look for screws, and ways I should try to pull it off once loose. I assume that the standard stages for dismantling the machine would be to remove the plastic parts, then the metal panels, but maybe I'm missing something.

I've had the machine for almost 20 years and it works fine apart from the drawer holder, so I'd like to be able to fix this without damaging the machine.


texts: What are watertight storage solutions to protect objects from flood water?

texts:
Our home is prone to occasional flooding during the rainy season. There was only one time in 26 years where our home was devastated by the flood reaching up to half of the 2nd floor. This destroyed so much of our things such as our car, electronics, furniture, documents, and etc. Other than that, there are a few instances of flooding that reaches only a few inches into the home but it was also rare.
I am considering buying quite an expensive monitor, CPU, and printer but I am thinking that rainy season just arrived and I am afraid they will just get destroyed. The only way I can be reassured I can buy these if I can find some kind of storage solution that if I place my appliances/electronics in them, there is an almost 100% certainty that water will not be able to enter and damage the objects in case it gets submerged (assume the entire thing is submerged for hours to days).
I have looked for flood bags, but all I can see everywhere are either sandbags or sandbag-like fibres that absorb water and create a barrier to prevent water from entering, but these are surely only for mild flooding. If it is on the scale where it will reach the items of value,  it will be a massive flood thus a watertight storage solution is the answer.
I have been looking but I cannot seem to find any good solution. I am thinking of something like a garbage bag, but I know garbage bags are not the best choice as they are not watertight despite having several layers of them


texts: Master override light switch complicates smart light switch installation?

texts:
I moved into a home built in 1975 last week and there is a most interesting switch behind the door in the master bedroom.  It appears to override the light switches in the entry way, upstairs landing, living room, laundry room, and kitchen (three switches in the kitchen, including one that controls the hardwired dishwasher). Several of those lights are actually 3-way switches as well. When the master switch is off, all other light switches function as expected.  If I turn on the master switch, it overrides all the other light switch settings and they all turn on.  When I turn the master switch off, they return to their prior settings (if a light was on before turning on the master switch, it stays on; if it was off, it stays off).
This isn't a feature I would want or use, but I could just ignore the switch.  However, I want to install smart switches in almost every location that is currently controlled by the master switch, and since I don't understand how they are currently wired to do this, I'm wondering if that complicates anything.
One other minor annoyance is that I use the master switch, all the lights flicker and it appears to also cause a brief loss of power to the dishwasher. I think it causes the dishwasher to lose its cycle.  Not a huge issue if I don't use it, but annoying.
So my questions are:

Can I remove this feature completely, possibly by simply removing
the switch from the master bedroom and capping off some wires or by disconnecting certain wires from the individual switches?
If it can't be removed, is there any harm from ignoring the master switch (pretty easy to do) and installing smart switches in the locations I want them?

To answer questions asked by P2000: Yes, you are correct.  When switched on, the master switch turns on all lights I mentioned no matter how their switches are positioned.  When I turn the master switch back off, they return to their prior state no matter what that was.  No basement here but there is a box in the garage between the main panel and the house. I've attached a picture below.
Adding photos as requested:
This first photo is the master or override switch located in my bedroom. Looks pretty normal to me. Just the line/load connected, no traveler or anything else. Neutral and ground in box but not connected to switch.

The next three photos are different angles of the switch for the entry.  This is a 3-way switch.  There are a total of four wires connected: a red, a white, and two blacks. The red "hops" over to the other switch in the box that is for the porch light just outside (this is the only switch for the porch light so isn't a 3-way switch). Neutrals appear to be bundled in the box as well as a ground but again are not connected to the switches.

This photo is of the other end of the 3-way switch for the entry light.  It has three wires connected: a white, a red and a black. No neutral or ground in this box.

This is a picture of the box in the garage. Haven't opened it up; it's up high. Maybe there are some sort of relays in it?


texts:
100 year old brick house with a new front door. Thee door is awesome at stoppiing the cold, but there is a space under the door where cold still comes in. I originally  put some fiberglass pink insulation in there, but that didn’t do much. I think I need to stop the air flow better.

One option is to fill it with spray foam. But I’m not sure if I want everything glued together for all eternity. And I believe you should only fill cracks, not voids.

Another is to cut a piece of plastic and glue/caulk it along the front (so the insulation is behind).

Any other ideas?


texts: Is my well booster pump GPM is too high, causing pipe erosion?

texts:
I am suspecting my well booster pump is causing errosion corrosion inside my house where 3/4" copper exists. It is 2 HP and operates at 25-44 GPM. The 1" line outside the house tees off into the fire sprinkler system which is supposed to require 20 GPM.

Is errosion corrosion likely here? Getting a smaller booster pump is complicated by the fire sprinkler requirements. Is there a 10 GPM flow rate limiter I can put at the house (after tee to fire sprinkler system) that would help?


texts: Where should I connect a C wire on my Goodman PGB030075-1 furnace?

texts:
Is this where I can piggyback for c wire on Vine thermostat?

Thanks


texts: Can I put a 3-gang box and a 2-gang box (Old Construction) just next to each other to make a 5-gang box?

texts: Home Depot doesn't seem to have 5-gang boxes - can I put a 3-gang and a 2-gang box together assuming that existing wiring reaches as required?


texts: On a typical US NEMA 5-15 outlet, what parts are generally safe to touch when it is live?

texts:
I'm particularly curious if the yoke on typical outlets (e.g. NEMA 5-15) are safe to touch when the outlet is energized.

My understanding is the only way the yoke would be energized is if there is a short circuit somewhere (hot wire touching the yoke, or touching another conductor which touches the yoke) and the outlet is not properly grounded.

So in general, what parts of an outlet are safe to touch when it is live? Only the plastic? Plastic parts and the yoke?


texts: Which kitchen appliances can be grouped on the same circuit?

texts:
I couldn't find a direct up-to-date answer. For example the comments on this answer contradict each other.
So, which of the following kitchen appliances are allowed to be grouped onto the same 20A circuit (USA)?

Fridge
Microwave (built-in)
Range hood
Dishwasher
Garbage disposer
Under-cabinet lights


texts: What are our options to update this brick facade?

texts:
I'm interested in updating the look of the brick facade on our house. The first image shows the wall and planter below the window and the two planters by the entry way.

The previous owner painted the brick red and the mortar white and we want to get back to a more natural, monochromatic, color scheme. Our initial thought was just to repaint the brick but I 'm wondering what other options exist short of replacing the brick?

So, assuming we want to reach a more of a dark gray color, what would you do? What are my options other than painting the brick again?

Thanks!


texts:
Hi I got some Dupont grout sealer for the grout lines around some vinyl tile. Realized the bottle says use for ceramic, porcelain, and stone tile.

Don't know if that means I can't use it on grout if next to vinyl tiles.

Anyone have experience with this?

Doesn't make much sense why the tile type would matter except maybe for cleanup. I remember grouting that tile and the grout was difficult to scrape up off the tile.


texts: How can I find a fault causing loss of internet signal on mains

texts:
I have a powerline system which was working well then suddenly stopped. The signal will travel well between 2 or 3 or 4 outlets out of 14 then drops to next to nothing. At the time of failing nothing was being changed or added.

Is there any way to trouble shoot this? (myself or a professional)

I've isolated all but one ring at a time, unplugged every appliance, all appliances still work, all sockets work - all without success.

I've bought new adapters and they behave just like the previous ones - OK in the right sockets, no signal in others so I don't think it's a 'technical' problem.


texts: Replacing carbon block filters in deionization (Ion Exchange) system annual maintenance

texts: Below is the image of my setup. I replaced all maintenance items at the same time, carbons blocks and resin, however noticed the ppm was around 5x times (100ppm) after replacement, and only after three weeks or so is now down to 1ppm. I think I remember hearing a local water shop mention it is best to soak the carbon blocks in water for a day, then run water though them for about 15 minutes before replacing the resin. Phrased differently, prepping the blocks beforehand will not discharge the newly charged resin?


texts: Is my Heat pump and gas furnace installation incorrect?

texts:
I moved into a house about 2.5 years ago, and the previous owners had a heat pump installed, together with a gas furnace.  Recently I had my furnace repaired (faulty igniter) and the HVAC technician said the installation was done against code because the heat pump was connected to the return air pipe, instead of on top of the furnace.  He said I could be "red tagged" with a B-type warning and be required to fix this within 45 days.

Is that true?  Why would they have installed it into the return air pipe if that's against code?   are there health risks with this?  I use the heat pump (hot mode) when it's between 0 to 15 degrees C outside, just the furnace when it is below 0, and the cold mode heat pump when it's above 35 C.

What are my alternatives for fixing this?  Can a contractor just fix the pipe to go to the right place?

I am located in Toronto, Canada.


texts: Stair Handrail loose, but not due to screws loose

texts:
I have stair handrails held on by brackets like the one in the image. The bend in the loop piece has a larger diameter than the diameter of the post on the bracket that it loops around. Also the post on the bracket sticks out a bit longer than the loop. These two things lead to a little bit of play back and forth in the directions indicated by the arrows. So the handrail can wobble back and forth about a quarter inch or so.

Looking around online for a solution it seems most everything is just assuming there are screw(s) loose somewhere that need to be tightened.

I've double checked every screw on both the wall bracket side, and the handrail loop side and all of the screws seem to be fastened securely.

Is there a "correct" way to tighten up the loop so that it grabs the bracket post more securely to prevent the handrail from moving at all?

My first inclination is to use some sort of filler, perhaps a little piece of cardboard or something wrapped around the bracket post to make it a little bit bigger so that the loop will fit more snugly to prevent the movement. Are there any reasons why that is a bad plan?


texts: How can I remove the coating from black iron pipe?

texts:
I'm building a couple industrial style tables, using black pipe from Home Depot for the legs. The fittings and smaller nipples are all a faded gray color that perfectly complements the black cherry stain I used on the wood. But the longer segments of pipe come in a black color that is too dark and very patchy and uneven. I would really like to remove it and ideally match the color of the fittings.

Based on some research, I tried using mineral spirits to clean them up. This had very little effect. Next I tried sanding. This does break through the black, but is very slow going and the sand paper quickly fills up with black goop. Also this cuts all the way through to the underlying metal, which results in a shinier color than the fittings. There's got to be a better way.

According to this video, the black stuff is mill scale and can be removed with Jasco paint and epoxy remover. This does look effective from the clip, but the Jasco stuff is $45/gal and seems pretty toxic. Also I'm skeptical that the black stuff is actually mill scale.

Before I drop the money on the Jasco, can anyone tell me what the stuff is and maybe recommend a less toxic way of removing it? I wouldn't mind painting over it if I can figure out how to properly prime the current surface so the paint stays on.


texts: Safe, sensible to turn off BRANCH circuit breaker for range, every day when house is empty?

texts:
After one oven turned itself on middle night, everyone in my family is now scared stiff silly of ranges!!! We always turn off all Branch Circuit Breakers ("BCB") except for fridge, before we leave condo to vacation. We livein  Toronto Canada. Certified ON technician found nothing wrong.

Still we want turn off BCB for range EVERY TIME WE LEAVE HOUSE – ALMOST EVERY DAY – this is how much we distrust ovens! But this website discourages it.

  golden23 Mar 2017

  You are right, katiekate. They are not for regular flipping. A switch installed by an electrician would be better or remove all the knobs before you leave the house.

  Katiekate Mar 2017

  I would not be flipping the circuit breaker off and on. They are not designed to act like a light switch...they will not stand up to the wear involved.

As you request I picture my Circuit Breakers and range details.


texts: How can I measure the gauge of stranded wire?

texts: What is the best way to measure the gauge of stranded wire? I cannot tell between a 14 or 12 even though I have a standard awg gauge tool for solid wiring.


texts: Can I hang this heavy and deep cabinet on this wall safely?

texts:
Do you think it possible and safe to hang this cabinet on this wall with no support below it?
It is 38 x 90 x 100cm and weighs something like 30kg, It is intended to fill it with dishes and such so it'll get even heavier. The wall is reinforced concrete.
I've looked around at videos and forums for advice but can't find anything definitive and I don't want to whole thing falling off the wall in the middle of the night.
If it is possible then what are correct type of supports to use? Thanks for any help and advice.

Edit after reading all the answers and comments:
I accepted an answer which I think seems good for fixing something like this to a concrete wall, but I have my doubts about the structural integrity of this cabinet floating on a wall (full of crockery) after examining it further and so I'm going to find a table or base cabinet for it instead. Thanks to everyone for your great input.


texts: How do I remove painted knockdown texture?

texts:
We scraped our popcorn ceilings and had somebody do knockdown texture in the whole house. Problem is, that when the guy went to prime over the texture, some of the texture started peeling off on the roller in the master bedroom and living room. There may have then several issues that caused this... Including mixing The Home Depot Tuf-Tex bag incorrectly, possibly the ceiling still had some popcorn dust on it, we're because we're in Florida, the humidity may have gotten to it.

I really believe the problem lies in the mixture or application... Because the guy inspected the ceiling, said we did a really good job, and even though we're in Florida by the water, the temperature has been low and relatively dry during this whole process. he tried to blame it on everything else but himself, but it didn't add up.

Anyhow, he went back and patched the parts that peeled off, but when we went to go paint over it with a sprayer using a pretty light coat, with in just a couple of hours it started spider cracking everywhere. All this is besides the point though...

I really fear just patching again because it could crack in other areas after we did the next layer of paint... And besides, especially in the living room, the cracking is bad all over the place... So we're considering taking it all down, and redoing everything from scratch, possibly using somebody else, and possibly priming prior to texturing.

At any rate... The texture comes off fairly easily on about 30% of this 14x22 ft ceiling. The issue is the other 70%, where removal seems fairly difficult even with water.

What I'm considering doing he is using a sander with a back attachment or something to try to at least get through some of the paint and primer before trying to wet scrape again. I've read about skim coating... But the ceiling, being 14 X 22, seems like a huge job to tackle that way properly.

Can anyone please recommend a decent sander to use? Hopefully one thats affordable since we've already spent so much money on this remodel.

Either that, or please offer an alternate method or tips to tackle this issue.

Please note that hanging new drywall underneath the old drywall is probably not an option because some of the walls have mirrors going all the way up to the ceiling and other trim that gets in the way. We could possibly replace the ceiling all together, if that seems like a huge daunting task... Let alone expensive.

Thanks in advance for any advice given!


texts: My hot and cold water mix in the shower lasts only about 2 minutes ,then the water goes cold ,would like to know the reason ,its only happening in my shower .


texts:
It seems as if the seal at the bottom of the tank is no longer perfectly planar. It is slowly leaking until the flotation device is low enough to trigger refilling.

I am guessing that this can be fixed by replacing just the part that rotates (name?), and that it is not necessary to replace the entire mechanism.

Is this accurate? In particular, could the leak be the result of the bottom part of the seal becoming crooked, which would be a lot more complicated to replace?
Does the rotating part come in a standard size or in one of a variety of few sizes? Does this picture tell you what I should be asking for at the hardware store?

Update

Assuming that the "flapper" (credit for naming it: Michael Karas) is the part attached to the hinge, I noticed that the flapper has another seal attached to it. The seal is made of silicone and is the soft material that stops the water. Is the seal a replaceable part on its own? Alternatively, I do not see which movement will detach the hinge. The material for the axis (as you see in the picutre) is a very thin tube of plastic. Breaking it would mean that a trivial repair would all of a sudden become a serious one.


texts: How to prevent heavy rainwater from jumping the gutter?

texts:
During heavy rain, the water collects from my second floor roof and runs onto the first floor roof as it should. The problem is that since all this water is now concentrated from the second floor downspout, the heavy volume causes it to race down the first floor roof and "jump over" the gutter.

Is there any way to prevent this from happening and to what extent is this a normal, unavoidable result of the heavy rainfall?

I've looked at "gusher guards" but was warned that these might cause damage to the gutters once Winter hits from the snow and ice pulling at them. I'm in Michigan, so lots of snow and ice. I've also considered adding an extension to the second floor downspout so the water is dumped directly where it should be, but I'm afraid it'll stick out like a sore thumb and look janky.

Any suggestions? Is there a "standard" way of dealing with this situation?


texts: Connecting PEX and my existing Boiler Heating System

texts:
I was thinking of running oxygen barrier PEX under the floor between the joists in a cold room with a crawl space below and then putting rigid foam insulation below to keep the heat in.  I have an existing boiler that is used to supply the hot water radiators.  Can I hook this system up to my existing boiler?

The systems uses a Weil-McLain gas fueled boiler that circulated the water at 140 degrees F.  This boiler used to run 10 large radiators but we remodeled and added an in attic forced air unit and it now only runs 5. The 9 x 15 room already has forced air heat but because it has a crawl space below, three exterior walls, 8 windows, and is located in Minnesota means that that the floor gets very cold in the winter.  I thought I could use one of the empty runs to heat the floor of this room and make it more comfortable.


texts: Pouring concrete for fence posts in heavy rain

texts: My contractor just poured the concrete and set the posts for a new fence we are getting and much of the work was done in the pouring rain. Will this hurt the concrete and effect how it holds up down the line?


texts: I was looking into getting some ball valves for a plumbing project and I noticed that many of them have a "WOG" number. What does this mean and is it something I need to be concerned about when selecting valves?


texts:
I live outside of Chicago, and my house has older wiring.  The wiring to the kitchen oven is armored cable with two hot conductors and a neutral.  My wiring system uses the metal sheathing of the AC as a grounding conductor.  I want to convert my current three prong plug to a four prong one.  Is it safe and within code to use the AC sheathing for a 60 amp circuit?  I thought I read somewhere that 20 amps is the limit.

My second question is: Is the grounding hole in in a 50 amp plug bonded to the surrounding metal plate like in a 15 amp plug? So, if the metal plate is connected to my metal box, which is grounded through the AC sheathing, I don't need a jumper cable from the back of the plug to the box, right?  The plug I bought is a Lengrand 3894CC6 and here's a couple of pics.  Thanks.


texts: Double-stick magnets for wall / ceiling mount

texts:
I'm looking for magnets that will double-stick to the wall or ceiling, and will also double-stick to the item that I'm attaching to the surface. The idea here is that I'd like to attach USB-powered LED lights and USB battery packs to the wall or ceiling in a non-permanent manner in an apartment closet and kitchen.

Is there a better way of doing this, or a recommended magnet? I seem to be having trouble finding simple, double-stick magnets that have "both sides" of the magnet.


texts: How can I remove ductwork that is butted against a foundation wall?

texts:
I need to remove the existing ductwork in my basement to install insulation behind it. I'd like to do it without destroying the ductwork. The vertical duct is right against the foundation, so I can't pull it off the end of the pipe:

What's the easiest way to do this? On the other end of the horizontal duct, it goes into the top of the main trunk, so it's not any easier to disconnect on that side. Do I just need to suck it up and hacksaw through the round duct, and replace the cut piece?


texts: What will happen if I try to apply paint/stain to damp wood?

texts:
I'm 1000 miles away from home working on a deck for a family member who recently suffered a stroke. He's recovering, but for the time being he's very unsteady on his feet. The deck in question had a lot of mold, and was very slick when wet. I've already pressure washed and cleaned the surface, so that the mold is gone and it's no longer slick. That was the main goal -- in his present state, the deck was outright dangerous; now it's much safer.

However, the deck wood now has no protection against rain and moisture... I just stripped it all away :) If I don't also do something to protect the wood, it'll be slick again in no time at all, not to mention start to rot. My problem is that I'm only here for another couple of days, and the weather is not cooperating with finishing the project. It's dry enough to get out and work without getting rained on, but not enough for wood to dry out. After the last scattered rain, there is no chance it will dry in time for me to do anything before I need to begin the journey home.

I have some Behr Deck Over, which I reckon is either something in between a paint and a stain or just a thick paint. The hope is that it will hold up better and protect against moisture like a stain, but cover the surface more like a paint -- and not show the few remaining bits of old paint, as I was time-constrained in the removal, as well. But still, the wood is kind of damp. At this point, given my time constraints, I'm considering applying it over the damp wood.

My questions are, what will happen if I try to apply this to damp wood? What are my alternatives? Is there anything I can do to improve the chances of a good application? I'm really looking to see if someone will talk me out of this before I do something dumb.


texts: Intentionally use both latex- and oil-based paints in a room?

texts:
I recently learned that latex-based paint does not bond well to oil-based paint without some extra prepping first.  Is there any reason not to exploit this feature, by using oil-based paint on the ceiling & trim, and latex-based on the walls?

The idea is that, if you are careful with your cutting in the first time, during future applications the cutting in can go quicker, and you could possibly forego taping edges, etc.


texts: AC Condensate Line Location - Outside vs Inside

texts:
I'm installing a few mini-split AC units in my house, and I'm trying to determine the best place to run the condensate line. Right now it's either between running it outside with the line set and tray cable, or sending it down to the basement and running it into the slop sink.  Running it outside along with the line set is the easiest solution, but I'm worried about insects, enticed by the water and damp environment, climbing inside the line and either making a nest or coming inside the house.  Is this a valid concern?  Is there anything I could do to prevent that?  Anything I need to consider when placing the condensate line?

This is a gravity drain.


texts: Driveway expansion joints are rotting wood: What to replace the wood?

texts:
My driveway was poured in sections with lengths of 2x4 which remained between the slabs as expansion joints.  Due to heaving and moisture many of these are in poor shape.  I replaced one once by carefully carving a 2x4 on a table saw to fit the oddly shaped gap, but I'd like a better solution.

Is there some pourable product I can use to replace these joints?  Should I just grout them now with additional concrete?


texts: 110v outlet on 220v circuit with 220 GFCI to boat dock

texts:
I am rearranging some wiring on a boat dock, where there were two jet ski lifts that were powered with 220v originating in a sub-panel (at the house) which has a 20a GFCI two pole breaker.

I was a bit surprised to find a 110v outlet was powered by one leg of that circuit (which further downstream powers the two jet ski lifts).  The outlet is not GFCI itself.  A neutral and ground are provided (separately) and the wire looks appropriate (though I have yet to open up all the conduit involved).

My question is that outlet and the 2 pole GFCI.  I am somewhat familiar with the Multiwire Branch Circuits rule, but not 2 pole GFCI breakers. Can such a breaker legitimately protect a single leg outlet?  Logically I would think so (since logically a leak of one leg is the safety issue it should be protecting against anyway), but code is ... well, different at times.

Also: an outlet tester inserted in that outlet reads correctly, but hitting the GFCI test button fails to trip the breaker in the panel.  That might indicate faulty panel breaker of course.  But it made me wonder if this was really legit overall.

My original plan was to take the 4 wire run, use only three, swap the 2 pole GFCI for a single pole GFCI and turn those two jet ski locations into general purpose 110v outlets. If this setup is legit, I could use all four wires, and have twice the current capacity and not even need a new breaker (well, except that it might be defective -- should a outlet tester trip it?).

So I think this boils down to: where a GFCI is required, can a two pole breaker provide the protection for an outlet only on one leg?

Thanks for any insight,

Linwood


texts: What does the Plumbing Code say about securing a bathtub faucet to the studs?

texts:
My son is renting an apartment.  It looks as if the bathtub faucet (spout and valvehandle) are only secured by the grout of the tile and haven't been properly secured at all to the studs.  I know that most counties have their own amendments to the International building Code, but what is the bare minimum?  Should the faucet be secured by more than just tile grout??

Can someone point me to the code section that would define this?


texts: Is there a storm door closer product with a timer function? i.e once opened it should stay there for set amount of time before closing. This is really helpful so that door doesn't slam on your back when you are entering slowly(say you are carrying something into the house).


texts: Parents cable box caught fire, hour later half the house is out of power?

texts: So, My dad was working on a leaking sink in a bathroom and my mom yells there is a fire. Their cable box caught fire, they put the fire out without a problem and mom called the cable company. While mom was on the phone with cable people, the house lost power but only half of the house.. My uncle is pretty handy with electric stuff and couldn't figure it out. There is no way they can afford an electrician. Any ideas please? Any thoughts are welcome


texts: How can I stop my boiler from making all this noise?

texts:
I'd like to preface this post with the fact that I'm a complete diy amateur.  I may say stupid things, or things that make no sense.  Please feel free to correct me as I'm always open to learn.

So, it's winter in my area and it seems like pretty much every morning at 5am, I have some pretty loud sounds in my house.  They're pretty much like pinging and popping sounds.

I suspect that it's my furnace, since I've never heard these sounds in the summer (I turn the boiler off in the summer, pilot light and all), and I did experience this last winter but to a smaller degree.  At that point I suspected that it was just the house settling.

I have a central boiler with connected rads in each room.  What is strange though, is that I've changed the time when my house heats up (I've heated up the house at 4:00am, and at 6:00am) and I still get the sounds at 5:00.  Is it possible that there's some sort of a self-test going on?  I really don't know much about boilers.

From what I've read, a lot of people suggest bleeding the system, but I'm not 100% sure how to do that.  There's a sort of barrel in the ceiling of the room where my boiler is, with a typical valve and threading where I could hook up a hose.  I want to say that this is the expansion tank, but I'm not sure.

I'm not sure if I should just attach a hose there and open that up until water flows steadily or what?  Since my boiler is a "closed system" and just uses this tank when overflowing (by magic?) I'm guessing that I should not do this.  How can I be assured that my boiler will self-fill itself if I overdrain?

Other suggestions have said that I should go to the highest point in my house and open up the rads individually until water flows (while the water inside is hot? cold?), then shut it off, and systematically hit each radiator moving down the floors until I've done them all.  Although I've never been able to find a legitimate article that says whether this applies only to standalone radiators, or also to closed-circuit boiler systems.  I did take a quick look at one of my rads and found something that seemed like it may be used to bleed the system, but it looks like if water came out of it that it would be very messy and hard to control.

If anybody could provide me with some reading materials about how these systems typically work as far as how they self-fill and self-regulate, etc. (I have done some Googling and reading, but didn't find a single good resource) that would help a lot as well.


texts: Adding Light to Existing 3-Way Switch Configuration

texts:
I currently have a 3-Way light setup like the one pictured below but I want to add an additional light to the circuit on the right hand side switch.

I can not add any wires between the two lights as everything is closed up in the wall. Not sure how to go about with the wiring, any help would be appreciated.  Thanks.


texts: Two switches, two lights, one light always on.

texts: I would like to use two switches to operate two lights, where as one light goes off the other light goes on so there is always one light on. When you flip either switch one light turns on and the other turns off.


texts: Is 1/2 inch hardboard more durable than mdf for a table top?

texts: I'm totally new to woodworking and as my first project I want to make a small table. I'm planning to paint it so the wood material will not be visible. And I want to bevel the edges using a router. I'm trying to keep it on a budget since it is just a practice. There are several board materials I can use with almost the same price. OSB, plywood, MDF, and hardboard. I read online that mdf is stronger than plywood and OSB. But I can't find any info on the strength of hardboard. So my question is, if I use two layers of 1/4 inch hardboard, would it make a stronger tabletop than 1/2 inch MDF? Thanks.


texts: How do you increase humidity with HRV system?

texts: I’m wondering how to increase the humidity in my home. I have a venmar constructo HRV system and have looked at the manual and many videos and can’t find the answer. I’d like my humidity to be 35% for winter as we have triple pane windows. It seems that no matter where I set the dial, it never gets higher than 32% and seems to fluctuate between 30-32% regardless of the setting. Does this mean that my newer 2015 system is broken already or is something else going on? I’ve had the dial set between -4F to 23F and even higher and the actual humidity doesn’t seem to change. Right now the outdoor temp is around 23F (-5C) so I’m worried that it’s only going to become dryer as it gets colder. Any thoughts/ideas to help me please?


texts: Does an air return duct do anything when the air conditioning or furnace is not running?

texts:
I recently had a contractor create a new wall which cut me off from the rest of the house.  There is one AC/Heating vent in the room and when the door is closed it gets very, very hot.  As soon as the AC kicks on the room gets very, very cold.

The same contractor later told me that I needed a return air intake to cool the room down.

My contractor is a good carpenter, but his HVAC knowledge seems a bit iffy.  The air intake return would doubtlessly help the AC run more efficiently, but - would an air intake vent do anything when the air conditioning is not running?


texts: How should I paint around my newly hung doors?

texts:
I just replaced my old doors with some new pre-hung ones.

Taking out the old ones ripped some of the thick paint off. Also, in some cases, the new trim doesn't reach to where the old trim was, so there is a gap that needs to be painted.

My main concern is how think my existing paint job was. It tears off like paper. Can I simply paint over it? I would HATE to TEAR my existing paint off, and repaint my ENTIRE HOUSE!

Here is the picture where my old paint meets my new doors.


texts:
My 3 year macadam driveway is losing rocks in spots (forming little potholes, little because they are the shallow depth of lost single layer of gravel, see picture). The problem is that other rocks are now easily coming off around these spots.

Couple of questions - if you can tell from my photo:

Is this anything to worry about? or is this normal wear and tear
Is there anything to be done maintenance wise to avoid big repairs later?
Is macadam and tar-and-chip the same thing? Is it possible to tell from my photo?

Thank you very much for any tips on above.


texts: Can a GFCI power a light and a switch in this order?

texts:
I made some repairs in a bathroom which included pulling an old outlet, switch, and the light. I'm coming back now to replace them with updated versions (gfci, switch, light) and scratching my head on how the wiring was working before. I should have taken a picture, but I didn't :(
The bathroom is on its own breaker. The source comes in to the GFCI, and then a cable feeds to the light, and finally from the light to the wall switch.

How can I wire this so the outlet remains on and the switch controls the light? I'm seeing a lot of examples of the light coming "after" the switch but that isn't how it was setup in this room. Everything is 14/2.


texts: Wiring 2 or 3 outlets controlled by one switch

texts: I want 2 ( maybe 3) outlets controlled by the same switch. Easy enough. But, in addition, I want  half of each outlet controlled by the switch and the other half of each outlet always hot. Is there a wiring diagram somewhere for this? I just haven't found it. A diagram would help confirm how I think it should be done. They will be in the same room and the wiring will be relatively easy to run.


texts: Is it acceptable to use a 15 A switch to control a 15 A duplex outlet on a branch circuit with a 20 A breaker?

texts:
I am working on a wiring project at my home, and I have a specific question about whether something I am doing is advisable or allowed by the NEC.

Background

I have a branch circuit with a 20 A breaker and 12 gauge wire throughout. It feeds a 20 A GFCI duplex outlet in the garage. Downstream from the GFCI is a 15 A duplex outlet outside near the eaves of the house, serving as a connection point for Christmas lights. Both receptacles in this 15 A duplex outlet are controlled by a 15 A smart switch inside the home.

The Problem

I am concerned about both receptacles in the 15 A duplex outlet being controlled by a 15 A switch while on 20 A branch circuit. I know not to overload the switched receptacles beyond 15 A, but I have no guarantee that anyone in the future will know that. What if someone loads up one receptacle to 12 A and then the other to 5 A? Then the switch would have 17 A through it, exceeding its rating, without tripping the breaker. Perhaps I am misunderstanding; is the maximum rated current for a 15 A duplex outlet 15 A total, or 15 A per receptacle? If it's per receptacle, then I am in trouble. I think a solution, if this is the case, would be to have only one of the receptacles in the 15 A duplex outlet controlled by the switch.

My Question

Is it acceptable to use a 15 A switch to control both receptacles in a 15 A duplex outlet on a branch circuit with a 20 A breaker?

https://i.imgur.com/v2lHftJ.png


texts: Can I use metal masonry device (switch) boxes in a stud wall?

texts:
I am installing new wiring and need to place 5 lighting switches in one location (yes, I understand the problems/issues of confusion, etc.). These will all be 3-way switches, non-dimmable.

I plan on using 2 dual 3-ways (two 3-way switches on a single strap that fit in a one gang box) and one regular 3-way. The switches are UL listed and rated for the load. I would prefer to use a 3 gang box.

My concern is box fill. Each 3-way has 3 wires (not including the ground): two travelers and one common for each circuit. That means 15 wires for switching, plus at least one white out for each circuit (5), one white in and one ground (2). Each single gang switch is treated as two conductors (6 more). That is 28. Assume all conductors are 14 gauge and connectors are external.  The code requires 2 inches per conductor. That adds up to 56 cubic inches.

The largest standard 3 gang box I can find is 54 cubic inches. But there are metal masonry boxes that range in the 60s. Is there any reason I shouldn't use one of those (recognizing that I need to properly secure it to the non-masonry studs wherein it will sit)?


texts: Why are light switch designs different between Europe and the US?

texts:
Every single home I've visited in the US has one of these two light switch designs:

In contrast, homes in Europes usually have their light switches designed like this:

Is there a practical reason for this difference? Could I use a European light switch in the US (or vice-versa)?


texts: Can 12 gauge wire be inserted into 14 gauge switch connector sockets?

texts:
Is it safe for a 12 gauge wire to be inserted into the 14 gauge slot on a light switch? I moved recently and was changing some light switches and noticed that several of the lights are wired this way.
Am I going to have to swap out all of these switches? These are single pole lights that have connections via both the screws and the slot being used.


texts:
I have a large gap at the bottom of by stud bay where it bumps up against the siding. My house does not have sheathing, so what you are seeing is the siding. It is hard to tell, but the gap in the photo below is between 1/4 inch and about an inch.
My question is, what is the best way to fill this gap? I am thinking of either using a strip of wood or backer rod and putting a thick caulk or canned foam, but I am curious if there is a better or more proper way.


texts: What is the cabinet covering a range hood called?

texts:
What's the name of this curved cabinet overhang / mask? I can't figure it out.
I assume it's to hide the unfinished side of the upper wall cabinet, and I need one, but I don't know what to look for.


texts: second window for toilet on rented apartment

texts:
I rented my apartment in the summer, now with the cold weather starting (Australia). I noticed how cold the toilet window makes the apartment, there is zero isolation, and is basically a window with separated glasses to the outside (second floor).
I want to install a second window that fits on the whole frame for the old window, maybe with just a frame and plexiglass or glass.
So my question is, how to make this isolation window so is easy, cheap. That I can install and uninstall (when the summer comes again).
Is there a preferred solution for this case?
Thanks in advance.


texts: What type of wood should I use for a washer/dryer platform?

texts: I would like to build a shelf that will allow me to place my washer and dryer on it as well as two shelves.  Ideally, I want to house laundry baskets under the shelf.  What type of wood would you suggest I use and what thickness?  Thanks


texts:
I am replacing some of the galvanized plumbing in our basement and shut of the main supply line pictured below. After cutting away some of the cold water line I have a steady stream of water (filled 5+ gallons so far) and I’ve opened up the water faucets on our second floor. I assumed it was coming from the gate valve, so I tried to tighten it a bit since it’s seemed a bit corroded. It turned a bit and started to turn a little easier after the initial torque—but now it just continues turning. I can hear the water sounds to shift from a varied subtle flow as I turn the valve. At one point it stops but then starts to trickle through again. Does this mean the valve is bad and needs replaced?
If so, will the water continue flowing after I cut away the pvc to remove the valve and attach a new one?