texts: I have 3 way switches at the top and bottom of the stairs operating two cans in the ceiling.  For 20 years, they've never worked right.  Either switch would turn the lights on or off, like a single pole switch, but neither would turn the lights off if the other switch had turned them on. In other words, flipping either switch up would turn the lights on, but both had to be down to turn them off. That's the history.  Now I find the bottom switch does nothing at all, while the upper switch will turn the lights on and off. I disconnected both switches and tested the wires in each box for voltage.  Both switch boxes have one romex bundle going into the box, BWRGnd, and nothing else.  In both boxes I found 120 volts on the white wire when testing it to ground.  No voltage on the other colors.  I went ahead and replaced the lower switch, thinking it may have gone bad.  I wired the white to the common terminal in both boxes, and the black and red to the travelers.  Still, the upper switch works, the lower one does nothing.  I've spent many hours scouring the internet for this problem and found nothing quite like it.  Can someone advise me?


texts: Need help understanding power ratings on kitchen range

texts: This is the serial plate on my electric range. Why are there 2 rows of power usage. One for 6.9 kW and one for 9.3. Is it possible to determine the amperage from this information? I looked up an online manual for this range and it said it was 20 amp , but I believe that was for the gas cooktop version.


texts:
I have several wooden cabinets where the finish appears to be coming off. How can I repair this?

With flash on

With flash off

Wondering if there's an easy to touch these up?

Was also wondering why this was happening? These are the 1st cabinets I've ever owned which were stained, typically I've had painted cabinets.


texts: Reducing sound transfer of finished basement drop ceiling on a budget

texts:
I have a home built circa 1960 (US).  The original subfloor on the first floor is 5" tongue-and-groove planks that are at approximately a 45 degree angle to the joists (is there a name for that type of subfloor?).  I don't know if they were originally installed wrong or have simply dried out and contracted over the years but the tongue-and-grooves no longer fit together in many places leaving a fairly weak floor with lots of gaps.  On top of that is a classic red oak hardwood floor.  It is in great shape but likewise does not quite fit seamlessly, particularly in colder, drier times.

At some point in the home's history, the basement was finished.  The ceiling in the basement is a drop ceiling with 2'x4' tiles that I suspect are pretty much the cheapest that could be found at the time.

The floor has so many gaps that sound transfers between the first floor and basement as if there is almost no floor there at all.  Someone talking or watching TV at a normal level in the basement transfers up to the first floor without much dampening at all.  On top of this, I'm in a band and we practice in the basement so you can imagine how bad that gets for people in the rest of the house.

Tearing up the floors and replacing with a better subfloor like plywood isn't really an option due to the cost, disruption of life, and the fact that the oak layer is in great shape and looks great.

I am aware of things like sound reduction rated drop ceiling tiles, insulation, etc. but not sure what will actually be effective or if there are better approaches.

What's my best approach for damping the sound as much as possible without major renovations?


texts: Do I want low-SHGC windows on the east and west sides?

texts:
I live in sunny New Mexico and am doing research for having my windows replaced. I'm torn on the question of whether I want low solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) windows, though. My house faces east-west with only two small windows on the south side (definitely going LoE with these). Most of the windows are east or west, and these windows cause the house to gain undesirable amounts of solar heat in the summer, especially a large west-facing picture window which just gets scorching hot. The east and west windows are semi-shaded, but still let in a lot of direct sunlight. However, they also let in a lot of desirable solar heat in the winter when the sun is lower and gets under the shading more.

So I don't know if I should be spending more for the fanciest LoE coating available for these east and west windows. On one hand, it seems like it would help with summer overheating, but if it's going to block an equal amount of desirable winter solar gain, what's the point? Would I be better off getting less LoE and putting up adjustable blinds or something?


texts: Should I increase the duct size of my bathroom fan outlet?

texts:
I have a new bathroom fan that I'm installing that is 70 CFM. It will only be in the water closet part of the bathroom as the bathroom already has a larger 150 CFM fan in it.

The 70 CFM fan has a 3 in. duct outlet. I was wanting to use insulated ducting to run to the outside of my house but can't find any locally and am not finding many options online either.

Am I ok in using a 3 inch to 4 inch duct increaser to attach a 4 inch duct to my fan or would I be causing some issues with the air movement?

The duct will be about 12 feet in length and will have a pretty strait shot venting out through an exterior wall.


texts:
I just bought an above ground 24'x52" pool like the one in the link below. Right now the area I am planning on placing it does not have electric close by so I am looking for an easy way to run electric to it for the pump and filter.  Could I simply do a good extension cord or do I need to run some wire underground from the panel?

https://www.amazon.com/Summer-Waves-Ground-Swimming-Accessory/dp/B01FN4I27U


texts: Attaching a towel hook to a glass shower door

texts:
We have a glass shower door. We have nowhere else to hang our towels in our tiny bathroom except on the back of the door. We've tried Command hooks, and we've tried using them with what we were told was an "industrial" adhesive for them, but they keep coming off.

What's the correct way to permanently attach a towel hook to tempered glass?


texts: How to fill in exterior paint on plywood

texts:
I have a wooden garage door that I'd like to paint.  It has been painted before, and the old paint had been chipping and flaking off.

I scraped off as much of the old paint that I could, and then I sanded with medium grit, and finally washed the area with a high-pressure hose and let it dry.  After I did this, there are areas where the wood is exposed, but around them is the original paint.

Then I painted my new coat, but the areas where the chips were scraped off are still very apparent.  The area around those chipped areas is much higher and it looks bad.

Should I put more coats on, or will that not smooth it out?  If not, should I try some kind of filler, or do I have to sand all the old paint off so that it will have a nice, smooth finish?


texts: Is our flooring contractor extending our hardwood floor correctly?

texts:
As part of our kitchen renovation, the contractor is extending our hardwood floor. As you can see in this photo, they have cut out boards from the old floor and are adding new boards. I think this is called "toothing". It looks like they are not putting underlayment under the new boards that join with old boards. What you cannot see in this photo is that we have a basement below.

It seems to me that either the underlayment is necessary between the hardwood floor and the plywood subfloor, in which case it must be under all boards, or it is unnecessary, in which case they are wasting time and money. It seems that being inconsistent could cause bowing or warping.

So, my questions are:

Should the contractor be putting strips of underlayment under the new boards that join with old boards?
Given that this is the floor for a kitchen, where liquids may spill, does that change the importance of the underlayment or of being consistent with underlayment?


texts: How can I open a stuck, overfilled kitchen drawer that doesn't have a horizontal entry point?

texts:
Slightly different to other questions I've seen.

Solutions to them have you put something through the small gap (ruler, coat hanger, straw, anything).

However, ours has a slight vertical dip before it goes horizontal. Which means anything we slide into the very small gap goes straight down and touches the bottom of the drawer, rather than heads towards the back of it to get what's stuck.

It's a built in drawer in a new build house, so is hard (and maybe impossible) to take apart. There is no drawer next to it.

Any ideas to help me out would be amazing.


texts: How to determine whether my electric wall fan heater is 120 or 240 volts?

texts:
Would like to replace wall heaters in the house, but it looks like the previous owner forgot to cover them when painting and now I can't determine the models to look up whether they are 120 or 240 volts.

Does the fact that there are two breakers for each heather in the box mean that all of them are 240V?

Also, if I don't know the model, how do I determine which wattage to replace with?

This is in the US, of course.

Below is all I have to identify the models. But I couldn't find anything definitive other than Dimplex WH 6100770000 manual, which says that there are both voltage and multiple wattage models within the series.


texts: How should I cut odd angle miters when working with molding?

texts: I am installing some chair rail, and the points where it's a 90 degree connection (inside/outside) are no big deal... I cut 45s and then fit them together. But I have a couple of places where the angle is 130 degrees, so I have to cut at 65.  For this stuff, I was using a hand saw and doing the cut, but I am wondering what the best way to handle these odd angles?  Is there a trick or technique that could help me?


texts:
I need to make a bevel plate (of 10 degrees) to support wooden I-joists on a single slope (shed) roof assembly. I'm working with 2x6s, and I'd really like to cut the ten degree bevel across the 5.5'' dimension of the board, but I am really struggling to figure out how to do it.
Just to be clear, I need to rip these 2x6 long ways, with a 10 degree bevel going the width of the board to support a wooden I-joist at 10 degree angle.
I thought I could cut the boards on both sides with a circular saw, but unless I have a monster (8'' + inches) circular saw they blade is too short for the cut to meet in the middle.
Any ideas?
Update: Just to follow up for those who want the "problem", I have a single slope roof and I am using wooden I-joists for rafters. I am going to use a birdsmouth cut for the lower bearing wall.
For the higher bearing wall, the office documentation for those I-joists (and all other I-joist documentation I have seen) says I need a "bevel plate" (see 10a in the attached).
I think I will end up just putting a 10 degree cut bevel in a 2x4 and putting that on two top plates as suggested here, but open to hearing more ideas and thank you for taking the time.


texts: Splitting 220v breaker to two separate GFI circuits

texts: I have a mobile home that has an outdoor box which is just used as a main 200 amp breaker and spaces for 6 breakers. One double 20 amp breaker is used for 220v pump circuit which the pump installer used 12-2 romex with ground in PVC conduit. There is just one ground bar where the bare ground wire attached. I have two sheds and wanted to put separate 110v in them. Installing a 20 amp dual breaker(both white and ground to same bar)  I ran 12-3 with ground UF cable out between the sheds. I installed an outdoor box  with a GFI and 110v (black wire) in the shed for grinder/cordless chargers. All working well. Today I used the red with the ground and neutral to a GFI recpt. in the second shed. I have an octagon box below the first GFI where I did all the connections. I had a float charger in the second shed GFI and as soon as I connected the load red to the red to the second shed with the float charger the  black circuit kicked off. Baffled me. Is this a phase issue, ground/neutral or something I'm missing. Thanks and God bless.


texts: How can I make my outlets more secure in their boxes?

texts:
The holes for some of the receptacles in my house are a bit too big:

So when I screw them to the box they are wobbling. Any easy way to fix it?


texts: How can I install a recessed light container in an abnormally thick ceiling?

texts:
We are in the middle of our home remodeling and we have just noticed that our ceiling seems to be a bit thicker than what the maximum our recessed lights allow for.

As shown within the picture link below, our ceiling is comprised of different layers (of different thicknesses):

Lower layer: (visible from the room) made out of sheetrock (5/8in thickness)
Mid layer: Plaster (3/4in thickness)
Top layer: Lath (1/8in thickness)

The recessed light container we are using has adjustable clips for different ceiling thicknesses although we have just noticed that our ceiling is too think so the clips would not really sit on top of the ceiling but rather create resistance on the hole.

My question here is if there is some sort of drill bit that, after drilling the initial hole diameter where the container is going to fit in, could expand the hole diameter above the lower layer of sheetrock.


texts: Purpose of on/off circuit box next to circuit breaker in shared area

texts:
I have a circuit breaker in my apartment and one downstairs. However, the one downstairs has its own private on(black button, which lets the current through when pushed down and does not when tripped up), and off(red button, when pushed pops the black button up) buttons.

Could anyone please suggest the purpose of this second circuit breaker attached, and why once wound have had to attack this second circuit breaker?

circuit breaker with circuit breaker to the left


texts: Where can I find parts for attic pulldown stairs?

texts:
I need two rollers replaced in my attic loft pull down staircase - the big ones on the picture. These drums have tension spring inside that helps to pull the stairs up and down.

The mechanism is quite similar to sectional garage doors but garage door contractors I have called would not even go past "oh, we only do garage doors"

Where would I look for these parts? Or for a whole new rope system if nothing else.

(I have no idea who and when built that staircase)


texts: How to remove rebar passing through an inaccessible pipe

texts: My maintenance crew recently discovered that someone drove a rebar through a sewer pipe during construction. Obviously this causes problems. The rebar in nearly dead center of the pipe which is encased in a concrete floor. Any ideas to remove the rebar with out breaking up the floor? There is access from the outside about 10-15 feet from the rebar. Thanks.


texts: Does clear silicone sealer damage stone?

texts: I purchased some ice breaking mats. They are supposed to be attached to steps using clear silicone. I am worried that the clear silicone will damage the steps when removing the mats. The steps are made of blue stone. Please explain what affect the silicone has on the blue stone steps. How difficult is removal of the silicone? Thanks.


texts: Was my exterior door installed backwards

texts: We moved into a house recently and have discovered some less than good work that was done on the home. I am assuming this was done incorrectly as well but am not an expert and am looking for some input. The exterior door has no threshold on the outside, it is on the inside of the door sloping towards the inside. I have ants and water damage under the actual door frame as they did not caulk or use any type of protective membrane. I also noticed it is right on the  edge of the exterior wall. Isn't that where a screen door should go and the actual storm door should be where that thick molding is that is 'framing' the door way? Do I buy a new door with frame and rip out that molding and move the door back?


texts: How can I remove vinyl base without damaging the drywall?

texts:
My house has vinyl base material attached to the walls in the laundry room and bathrooms. This material is glued directly to the drywall. It is presently unclear if the glue was a pre-applied layer on the back of the base material or if the glue was applied in a separate step.

I want to know how to remove this base material with minimal damage to the underling drywall. Previous experience in another house has shown that the outright brute force removal of the base material will rip the paper off the drywall leaving a huge mess to repair.


texts: What is the NEC-compliant way to add a conduit in this configuration?

texts:
I'm about to open the interior side of a kitchen wall. My breaker panel is on the exterior side of this wall. I'll be adding insulation, making future pulling of cable difficult, so I'd like to take the opportunity to install a conduit between the breaker panel and the crawlspace below this wall. Then the conduit can be used for future circuits or when replacing existing wiring. I'd like the conduit to accommodate six NM 12-2 cables. Note that this stud bay contains no wiring currently; I'll just be installing an empty conduit for future use.

What type and size of conduit should I use? How must the conduit terminate in the crawlspace?


texts: Pilot Light keeps going out when thermostat is kicking on furnace

texts:
So I have had furnace man come out 4 times, plus the Gas company.  Here is what has been done:
- New thermocoupler
- Two new gas valves
- New Orface and line blown out
- Gas company changed gas valve on outside of building.

Everytime I hear the "click" like the furnace is going to go on I listen for the burners to come on which is 99.9% of the time, never.  It seems the thermostat is sending its signal to the furnace to start but with that "click" the pilot light goes out.  Talked to two other furnace people and they have no clue either, other to say bad thermocoupler.  WTH is wrong with this thing. Been good for years and just started this crap last November 2017.


texts:
We had ice dam damage on our garage roof during a January cold snap in central New York.  We are unsure how to use our Emerson Easyheat cables.

We expect 5 degree lows this weekend. The cables are on and high temps are around 28, snowing off and on.

Should the cables be on the whole time this weekend?


texts: Multiple outputs from a single outlet box

texts:
I want to supply power to a walk-in closet that I just framed.  Well, I split a large room into two sections (the closet is smaller) and want to use the current circuit to supply outlets on the new wall and an overhead LED light.

Will I violate code if I split the circuit in a standard size outlet box and feed the other wall receptacles and the light (switched) as well?  That would mean one wire in and two out obviously.

Is this acceptable?  Should I wire nut everything together with a pigtail feeding that outlet?  presumably I could use a combination of the screws and holes in the back of the outlet but that seems like a real hack.

Thanks.


texts: Is there an average number of outlets that are wired off of one circuit breaker?

texts:
I recently demolished my basement to start a reconstruction/improvement project. My first horror was the electrical layout. I've got hidden junctions, mismatched wire sizes, improper junctions and quite possibly mixed wire types (copper and aluminum). Needless to say it's all coming out and getting redone properly.

My question is as follows: Is there an "average" number out outlets that are wired off of one circuit breaker? I know the amperage of the appliances plugged in can't exceed the breaker capacity but I'm just curious if electricians only wire up X number of outlets per breaker. From the looks of things now I only see 2-3 per breaker but considering the other problems noted above ... I'm not going to trust the logic behind this number.


texts: Do I need to use paint or just cleaning agent for marks on kitchen wall?

texts:
I have some marks on the kitchen wall from a tall trash can. Do I need to paint over them? If so, do I need to degloss/sand the wall first?

I have tried a damp towel and failed. Can they be cleaned off with some cleaning products?


texts: How to connect multi battery operated light to AC source

texts: So I bought a few letters light that works with 2X AAA batteries and i am trying to connect them together to one AC source instead of using batteries. I opened one of them and there is nothing but the lights and the power on/off switch. Can I connect all the positives together and all negatives together? if so, how much AC power do I need? is it 3V or the total of the used batteries? I have 14 letters that's mean I need 28 batteries.


texts: Is it safe to put a radiator pipe through a load-bearing brick wall?

texts:
I am getting a new radiator installed to replace an old ones. The pipes came from room next door and existing pipes were unsightly, partly because they came through bottom of joist/floor/bottom of skirting.

I asked installer to install new pipes directly through wall to then be used with corner valves to give neat finish with pipes not really visible.

But installer said not safe to install through solid wall. Is he correct and if so can it be done safely, by casing the pipe as it goes through within something else?


texts: Building a one or two step staircase in garage of awkward total rise

texts:
I am curious what your recommendations are for building a set of garage steps in my situation.  I am wanting to replace the step in my garage which is an 8" movable hollow cement block.  The distance between the bottom of the door to the ground is between 17" measured to the top of the door metal weather-strip.  It is between 16.5" and 16 7/8" if measured from floor to bottom of the weather-strip.  I can find a lot of information on the internet about building stringers, but this height is a bit awkward.  8.25" is a bit beyond code requirements of approximately 7.75" maximum riser height.  However, doing two steps would require me to have a riser height of 5 2/3" which is way below the ideal 7.5".  I believe the unit run would need to be about 13" in this case as well (your thoughts), which puts me at a total run of 26", which is doable, but not optimal in my eyes.
So my question is

if there are any code exceptions for a single step in a garage (live in Maryland).
which do you think would be more comfortable, perhaps in spite of code requirements (single step of 8.25" or two steps of 5 2/3").
Depending on whether you chose option (1) or option (2), what do you think an optimal unit run length would be?

Thanks for all of the input!  Just to clarify two questions that have been asked:

The stair is from a doorway in the house stepping down to concrete inside of the garage.

The door cannot be lowered.  Without the weather seal, the door would be level with flooring.  The flooring is also of small thickness (laminate in that area), so the door is essentially level with the subfloor.


texts:
My house has a concrete slab foundation and the floor in the kitchen and living room is all tile. It is always freezing downstairs in the winter and I'm wondering if this is due to the floor or maybe there isn't proper insulation in the walls. Upstairs it gets hot because the hot air from the heater rises up. So while it is 72 degrees downstairs it feels cold but upstairs it is hot.

The living room and kitchen are small and they are the only rooms downstairs, next to the built in garage. I'm tired of wearing coats and hats downstairs simply because we can't afford to have the heater on so high all throughout winter. How can I fix this??


texts: How to properly relocate wiring on different circuits

texts:
We're in the process of remodeling our kitchen and removing soffits around the perimeter of the room.  I've opened up a portion of it above our cooktop and refrigerator and wanted to get some advice on how to proceed.  As you can see, there are several NM cables that are on various circuits.  These wires need to be routed above through the joists.

When I splice the wires, is it recommended or required to have separate junction boxes for each cable?


texts:
I was reading some tips from a pro-drywaller and he stated to not screw within 7" of the top plate when attaching wall rock.

  Do not screw into the top plate. Fasten walls about seven inches below the top plate. On the rare occasions that I have had screw pop problems, they were concentrated at along the top plate.

I was wondering if this has any science behind it? And doesn't it go against the installation instructions per building code and USG company? (8" to 12" on all edges)


texts: How should I air-seal this gap by the floor along an exterior wall?

texts:
There's a gap between some of my floorboards and the baseboard:

The gap isn't just cosmetic. I used a wooden skewer to probe the hole and was able to insert it around 6 inches in:

This is an exterior wall, so I believe that means this gap is open to the stud cavity of our exterior walls. This is a 125-year-old balloon-framed house, so even though we have blown-in cellulose insulation in the walls I'd like to better seal it to reduce air leakage.

This need is compounded because I'm planning to install baseboard hot water radiators along this wall. That will require me to remove the wooden baseboard, which will presumably make the gap even bigger. I'd like to install something to seal it better before I attach the baseboard radiators.


texts:
I'm wondering to reinforce the posts in my carport as it seems one good earthquake could throw these off.

Any thoughts on building a form out of wood and pouring concrete around and half-way up the wood post? Would that be sufficient or do I need to go further down/up? Goal is primarily to prevent slipping off in an earthquake[![enter image description here][1]][1]


texts: Towel warmer (hardwired) - electrical code considerations

texts:
We have a new towel warmer, which I believe would not technically comply with codes in the U.S.  Electrical connections need to be inside junction boxes, unless I'm mistaken, and this towel warmer does not include a junction box.  So it looks like the connection would need to be made inside the faceplate of the towel warmer mounting bracket, from what I see in these instructions.

I've seen a lot of towel warmers without junction boxes included (some have them), so it's unclear where the connection is supposed to be made.  (I've also seen nobody complaining online about failing an inspection due to a towel warmer.)  Are all these towel warmers being sold in the U.S. violating code if they are hard wired?

Or is there a water proof faceplate I can buy made for this situation?

Also, our town requires metal conduit which further complicates things.

Here is a picture of a different towel warmer with a junction box that would be code compliant I think:


texts: How to connect dishwasher drawer that's installed above counter level

texts:
In my upcoming kitchen cabinet replacement, I'm getting a single dishwasher drawer to replace a full sized one and I want to install it at height of about 35" (that's its bottom, so the top will be at about 51" from the floor).  It will most likely be hooked up to drain into the garbage disposal which is under the sink right next to it.

All installation instructions and all related questions I could find talk about draining assuming that the dishwasher is next to the sink, which this one is next to the sink, it will be higher than the sink.

What changes would need to be made to the draining set-up for the dishwasher drawer in this scenario?  Given that the bottom of the drawer will be roughly at the same height as the very top edge of the sink, it seems unlikely that any blockage would cause backflow would end up in the dishwasher, so does this mean there's no point to air gaps or looping the drain hose under the counter?


texts: Why does Fix-It-All sometimes dry yellow?

texts: I've used the Fix-It-All brand patching product.  Sometimes my patches dry paper white, sometimes they end up yellow. Why might this be?


texts:
I have a light fixture that I want to wire to a plug-in wiring setup. The fixture has three white wires and three black wires, it also has a separate, bare ground wire. My plug style wiring is a normal 2x15A 300v plug. One side has a ribbed edge and the other has a smooth edge.
The fixture is a three bulb setup, thus, the three wire connection. I am just unsure how to safely wire this to a plug in wiring arrangement.
Thank you.


texts: Someone "polished" my varnished mahogany dining table with teak oil.  How do I remove it?


texts: How can I prevent my refrigerator door from hitting the wall?

texts:
I have a stainless steel counter-depth refrigerator door (LG LFXC24726S).  The right wall sticks out a bit further than the frame, and if the right door swings too far, it hits the wall and will eventually chip itself, and/or scratch the door - two outcomes I want to avoid.

Per the photos, I have placed three small clear rubber bumps between the door and the wall, but

they look ugly
they keep shifting, so I'd have to glue them in place

I need to find a solution that is not visually intrusive, but creates a good barrier.  One solution I considered was somehow adjusting the door's swing radius to prevent it from reaching the wall, but I don't believe that can be done with this model (perhaps I am wrong).

Alternately, I need some form of bumper, but I don't quite know what to search on/for.  I'd prefer something clear that won't scratch the door.  I suspect some sort of 4-5 inch long clear rubber corner wrap would work, but I wouldn't even know what to call it to identify it, let alone know where to obtain one (ostensibly, "the internet" once I know what to search for).

Ultimately, aside from the non-starter suggestion of removing this piece of wall, how should I prevent the door from hitting the corner?

Bumpers Detail. Click for full size image

Open Door Detail. Click for full size image


texts: What amperage fuse for Trane XL-80 gas furnace?

texts:
I would think this would be something that could easily be Googled, but I've tried and can't find it.

We have a Trane XL-80 gas furnance and when we had an insulation guy checking out the furnace, he remarked that the furnace switch in our furnace closet should really be an SSU switch with a fuse in it. I forgot to ask him what amperage fuse to use. Anyone know?


texts: Is there any advantage in a polyamide vs polyester roller nap? I'm generally aware of the differences between polyamide and polyester: the former is more elastic and retains more water; it feels softer in hand. Is a polyamide roller just a marketing gimmick (to justify a higher price) or is there some concrete advantage in using a polyamide roller nap?


texts: Kenmore washing machine stuck at sense cycle with drum bashing against side walls

texts:
For a while now the spin cycle has seemingly got ever so more loud. I removed the surround to the tub which looks to be for fabric softener to drip into it and then into the double wall of the bowl, which lessened the issue for a while. Now the sense cycle (with lid lock bypassed such as I can observe the bowl during the operation of the washer) has the drum start spinning balanced but within a second spins out more and more, stops and then starts a few seconds later, and is stuck in this cycle.
Diagnostic mode shows that a test wash, rinse and spin cycle still completes without error.
I have replaced the supports that connect the drum to the body, with no change in symptoms.
I have seen others suggest online there might be an issue with the gears, bearings, etc, but they don't elaborate on how that can be the issue (parts for my washer seem to be scarce, but am technically minded and up for the challenge to repair instead of replace), and even better pictures of what part of these components is causing this issue.
Can take a video of the symptom if this would be helpful to anyone to understand the issue better.


texts: How can I lighten plywood to a finish that resembles pine?

texts:
I need ideas for making some plywood attractive. Ideally I want to lighten it and then varnish it, so it ends up with a pine finish. Is this possible? Alternatively I might stain it with a diluted white paint before varnishing. Is this a good idea? I want to avoid a plain color: leave some visible grain if possible.

Edit: a hardware store suggested I try applying some bleach. I will try that on an offcut and report back


texts: 8 AWG solid EGC in raceway for 100 amp subpanel

texts:
I'm adding a 100 amp subpanel to my detached garage and have a question about the EGC I've already pulled through the underground LFNC-B raceway.
Taking the advice from a similar post on this forum, I decided to use a 8 AWG bare solid copper conductor for my EGC in the underground raceway back to the main house. The other 3 conductors are 3 AWG THWN-2 stranded copper. I did double check the NEC tables to ensure these were appropriately sized for the underground feed portion of my run and ensured the conduit fill was less than 40%. What I failed to realize though (until after I won the good battle of pulling this set though the raceway) was that there is a section in the NEC that prohibits the use of solid conductors 8 AWG or larger in raceways:
"310.3 Stranded Conductors. Where installed in raceways, conductors of size 8 AWG and larger shall be stranded."
Dangit! Now I'm questioning why I didn't just use insulated green THWN-2 - it would have made my pull much easier! Rookie mistake.
So how bad have I goofed up here? Let's say the inspector fails to call this out. Is this a safety issue? What's the rationale for the rule anyways? To prevent numskulls like myself from trying to pull larger gauge solid wire through a raceway and possibly damaging the other conductors? Or is there more to it? Interestingly, there seem to be several exceptions in the NEC that do allow for using 8 AWG solid EGC in raceways (690.46 for Array Equipment Grounding Conductors for example).
I'm just trying to get a feel for the severity of this goof-up and if it's worth fixing if not required by the inspector. Any feedback from the experts would be much appreciated!


texts: Can I keep unused paint in the roller tray?

texts:
I've partway through a multi-weekend project involving turning two free-standing metal shelving units into a fully enclosed workshop-cupboard. The enclosing material is MDF and since this will be on my balcony, the MDF needs some weather-protection. So I'm painting it.

Naturally, I don't have space to use a while 2L tin of paint in one session. After a second extended washing of the roller tray, I was wondering whether putting cling-wrap over it for a week would be a good idea, not only saving sending the surplus paint down the drain, but also saving me 20 minutes of washing the thing. And is a week too long to expect the paint to still be usable?


texts: Sound of hard drive coming from inside wall?

texts:
Last night I heard a sound that sounds exactly like an in-use hard-drive coming from our living room wall.  It sounded exactly like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J09pWNQPK7U&t=12s
with the same short bursts of extremely fast low-tone clicks at random intervals, followed by varying lengths of silence.
Nearby the apparent source of the sound we have:

A normal electrical outlet, a few feet below the source
The electrical panel for the house (we have no basement, so it's in our living room) a few feet to the left
A mini-split ~ 10 feet to the right, which was set to 'heating'

I'm worried it may have been an electrical problem, but I've never heard of arcing sounding like a hard-drive before.  The sound went away in the early hours of the morning.
What could have caused this sort of noise?


texts: Is it OK if I can feel fiberglass cloth texture after curing?

texts:
I'm restoring a popup camper (not technically home improvement, I guess, but the question overlaps just fine) and I covered up some holes in the aluminum roof with Bondo-brand fiberglass cloth and resin. The repair went pretty well and everything seems structurally solid and well-adhered (I ground the area around the holes down to bare aluminum and cleaned it with acetone afterwards, so it should be solid). However, in a couple of places, I can still feel the texture of the fiberglass cloth on the exterior of the repair, whereas other places had enough resin on top to be smooth.

I've sanded everything down so that it should be fairly smooth and well-feathered once I put some paint on there. However, I'm wondering if there's any reason to put another coat of fiberglass resin on top of the places where I can still feel the texture of the fiberglass cloth?

I don't care about the aesthetics so much, it's more of a longevity/structural question.

I've tried Googling, but I haven't found anything specifically mentioning this.


texts: Can ceiling be left open if hidden by cabinets?

texts: My contractor is not going to drywall portion of kitchen ceiling as it will be covered by 9" cabinet crown molding.  There are mechanicals (water supply lines, HVAC, and drain pipes) in the way.  The area behind is unfinished dead space around a curved staircase.  I worry about mice getting into kitchen as I have a wooded backyard. I also wonder if there is some type of fire barrier safety issue. Is this a good solution? Is this acceptable and compliant?


texts: Best tool to cut 4mm thick straining wire

texts:
I need to cut several 1.5m hoops of 4mm thick galvanised steel wire.
What's the best tool to do this at a decent pace?


texts: What is the laziest way I can build a non-structural, non-aesthetic cinder block wall to contain compost?

texts:
I have a ton of brush that I used to burn, but I recently bought a chipper/shredder and want a spot to compost it along with grass clippings and greens. I also have 3 tons of CMUs that are just sitting here, removed from an ugly garden fence.

I want to make a 3 walled container for the compost, sort of like you'd see at a gravel yard. The back wall the tallest, and the other sides slanted down. I'll likely push the compost against the back wall, then when I mix up the compost, I'll just rake it flat and shovel it back into the back.

What's the laziest way I can build this with what I already have so that it doesn't fall over in 5 years or develop other issues?

I was thinking I want to do a 10 inch gravel footing and dry stack the CMUs. Maybe I'll fill a few with concrete, but that would require mixing concrete - maybe I'd rather fill them with really coarse gravel.  I'll likely cut some of the CMU's diagonally with a diamond grinder so I can get a nice straight taper down and cover the CMUs with some cap blocks.

I don't know about mortar, because the CMUs are dirty. I don't know if it'll stick, and I don't know about how long it would take to clean them. I suppose kissing them with a grinding wheel would do the trick if it comes down to it, but I don't really feel like learning how to mortar anything either.


texts: Furnace blower motor makes buzzing noise and won't start

texts:
I'm having a bizarre issue with my HVAC forced air blower motor.  Specifically, it will not start and just buzzes while showing a great deal of startup current (20-22 amps).

Background:  This is a TEMPSTAR Model# NUG5150BKA1 furnace that is ~8 years old.  I purchased the home last December, and I noticed back then when the blower fan would turn on, I would hear a loud buzzing sound for 1-2 seconds and then the fan would kick on.  When the old motor failed a few weeks ago, it was just buzzing continuously for a minute and by the time I ran downstairs the motor was smoking.

A friend and I just replaced the motor with an equivalent new model (same brand - FASCO).  We went through the entire wiring and verified to the best of our ability that it matched up with the wiring diagram on the blower door.  When we power on the system and have the thermostat call for cool / cycle on the fan, the motor BUZZes loudly and will not turn over.  A clamp ammeter on the high speed motor line shows 20-22amps (running full load is rated at 9.5 amps).  When the motor terminals are disconnected from the board, the terminals for the motor show 117volts as they should when the system thinks the motor is on.

Link to video detailing noise.

We have replaced the blower motor with a brand new unit as well as a brand new matching capacitor.  The capacitor test setting of the clamp meter indicates the capacitor is good (reading 15.2mfd on a 15mfd rated cap).  We have also tried replacing the contactor relay in case that was the source of the noise.  No difference.

I'm absolutely stumped.  Is it possible the brand new motor is also bad or am I missing something obvious (or perhaps less obvious).


texts:
How can I prevent my instant on hot water heater from starving my furnace of gas? Just installed a new tankless water heater. I have 1 inch gas line going to 3/4 inch gas line reduced to 5/8 gas line to the water heater love it. it works excellently.
The problem is and I have observed this to be true. When I turn on the hot water after about 30 seconds my pilot light in my furnace flickers and goes out. To my furnace I have a 3/4 inch gas pipe from the meter reduced to a half inch to a brand new gas valve and a brand new pilot and brand new thermal pile. As long as I don’t turn on the hot water this works all day long.
This is how bad it is I can be taking a shower in the morning with the furnace on, because it’s cold now, and the furnace goes out . I’m not talking about the pilot light at this point I’m talking about the furnace fully rockin hot and it simply goes out. When I turn the hot water heater on. This to me indicates that the hot water heater is starving my furnace from natural gas. How do I solve that problem???!


texts: Will Latex screed prevent heat transfer from under floor heating

texts:
We're about to have a wet room floor re-laid after the previous installers installed the gully and under floor heating incorrectly.

The base floor is wooden joists with cement board on top to provide a sturdy base (the previous install was with marine ply).

The next step - starting today - is to lay a latex screed layer on top of the cement board to provide a level surface. (There is a shower former in the shower area with correct fall gradients ashtray that will not be latexes)

Once the screed is down the tanking membrane will be instead on to according to the manufacturer's instructions. Then the underfloor heating mat (electric) will be installed on top.

All this sounds good so far.

The tiler who will lay the floor tiles, however, had asked for another latex screed layer to be laid on top of the underfloor heating. He claims that this is normal and protects the underfloor heating from damage from the tile laying process (in particular his sharp trowel).

This is what is being planned:

In the previous installation there was no second latex screed layer, the tile adhesive was put directly on top of the heating mat which allowed heat transfer directly into the tiles.

I am concerned that a second latex layer might create an insulating layer between the heating mat and the tiles on top.

Or am i worrying about nothing?


texts:
I recently remodeled the bathroom in my 1910 craftsman. We pulled out give layers of rotten subfloor and fixed a leaking sewage pipe, then had a tiler make a new shower.
When he was done there was a strange slightly raised bit that you can see in the attached picture. He said he was unable to get this leveled but it shouldn't be a problem.
It was working fine for about a week, and then over the last couple of days I've noticed a strange white liquid leaking from that strange bump. And I can push down a few of the mosaic tile with my finger which makes me think it's mushy under there.
I don't even know where to start on fixing this and would appreciate any advice about what might be causing it.


texts:
My dog run attaches to the back side of my house, and every time my dog sees or hears something in the front lawn worth chasing after, she goes tearing after it around the side of the house. When she does this her lead crashes against the side of the house and his been wearing away at the siding.

This has been happening for almost a year now, and as you can see, the area where the dog lead smacks against the house has rubbed the metal corner pieces loose, and in some cases, completely off the corner of the house.

As the photos show there are several areas where felt paper and even plywood are visible. This has to be fixed immediately. What are these metal pieces called? Are they universal or do I need to find the exact model made by the manufacturer? How do I install them, and for the ones that are just loose (but still connected), how do I fasten and seal them? Thanks in advance.


texts: Connecting push fit to a 3/8in supply faucet line: NPTF to compression threads?

texts:
I have a dedicated water filter faucet with a 3/8 female 'compression' supply line (parallel threads). I am interested in connecting a push-fit based filter system to this faucet, but I'm not sure how to connect the push-fit tubing to the faucet. The faucet supply looks like this:

The most viable option at the moment seems to be the PP051223W stem adapter from John Guest. The problem I see with this is that the threads are NPTF but the faucet line has straight threads. Won't it leak? Is there a better way to connect 3/8 tubing to 3/8 compression faucet?


texts: What do I do with this pipe/well that is flooding the front yard?

texts:
I   recently moved into my house and found this in the front yard which was disguised as a birdbath.
After winter, I took a step near the "birdbath" only for my foot to sink 8 inches in the mud caused by a constant flow coming from the pipe.
I used an old pool hose to temporarily redirect the water flow onto the driveway and it has been flowing for over a week straight now.
If anyone has any ideas on what I can do or who I can call I would appreciate it.
 it!


texts: When painting with a roller, the perimeters are first painted with a brush.  If one is to apply a second coat on the perimeters, should the first roller coat be applied before the second coat on the perimeter?


texts: Some wood seal got removed on my desk. There is a noticible spot. Is there anyway to fix it without refinishing the whole thing?


texts: Does anyone recognize this tub cartridge?


texts: What is the proper way to install windows on the house that is not level

texts:
My house is sloped at least 1/8" per 1' along the front side. It also has long horizontal siding. So if windows are installed level it may be pretty noticeable. Leveling the house is not an option. So I wonder how can I minimize visual effect of the difference in levels between house and windows.

Should windows be installed parallel to the siding (and be out of level like old ones) or should they be exactly level (and what do I do to minimize visual effect)? Or should they be installed lets say with 1/16 angle - is it still ok?


texts: Why do you need to not use cement when laying block paving?

texts:
When you lay block paving surely you have to lay it with cement rather than just sand as it hold the block down securely.

So why is this?


texts: How can I store a paint roller for a second coat?

texts: It's my first time using paint rollers, and I have a problem. How do I store a paint roller cover for 2 hours so that I can use it for a second coat?


texts:
I recently got a "new" (used) dishwasher and have installed it myself. It is a Frigidaire Ultra Quiet iii. There is a problem with it draining water. Here is what the setup looks like:

The pink is the drainage hose. Note that the hole in the side of the wall is near the ground while the pipe is about 2ft off the ground.
The water does not drain (at least not fully). There is always a little puddle in the bottom of the diswasher. I've researched a bit and found some discussion about a high loop. So I tried that. I used the clips on the side of the dishwasher to make a loop:

This still does not properly work. I checked the end of the drainage pipes and there doesn't seem to be anything blocking in there (I put a screw driver in and it's clear, plus the sink drains just fine).
So to diagnose, I disconnected the pipe end of the hose and put it into a bucket just to see if it drains, like so:

THIS WORKS!
It drains very well into a bucket. The pump is clearly doing it's job.
So my suspicion is that the 2nd loop is a bit tough for the pump to push through. Could that be correct? The fix would be to drill a hole near the top of the wall such that there is no loop down before it goes into the drainage pipes. Before I drill, I just want to confirm that this could be the issue.
Thanks for the help!


texts:
I have a AprilAire #2210 Air Filtration system connected to my central AC unit in the attic (https://www.aprilaire.com/whole-house-products/air-purifiers/model-2210). I am trying to figure out how often I should change its chunky filter. Recommendation is 9-12 months, but is it 9-12 months of use? I only use this filter for AC and not for heating, so 9-12 months would be at least two summers of AC use - or 2 years. Or does this mean 9-12 months regardless of use, in which case I'd need to replace it before the summer since I installed it last June.

Lastly - the current filter has been there since last June (almost 1 year ago, but only used in AC season) and when I look at it now it looks very clean. Is that an indication of anything?

Thanks for bearing with me on this.


texts:
I want to add screens to the wood-framed casement windows in my house, and while examining the existing frames, I found what appear to be connectors for screens (the oblong bit on the right in the photo). Only the windows that open have these. The fixed-pane windows don’t, which reinforces my assumption that these are for screens.

I’m planning to build custom screens myself, and I’d love to use these connectors if possible, to avoid drilling into the window frames. Does anybody know what these are called and what I would use to connect into them? The windows were made by Pella, if that helps.


texts: How can I test a three prong dryer receptacle for open neutral/ground?

texts:
I have a dryer that recently stopped working. After speaking with more than one appliance repair person, and trying more than one dryer, I'm sure the dryer is fine and some electrical fault is to blame.

The receptacle has voltage. A multi-meter reads 110 from each hot to neutral and 220 across both hot wires. I suspect an open neutral but my landlord is adamant that my dryer must be broken because there is power to the receptacle.

I would like to somehow show him a fault so he will stop blaming my dryer (and the second dryer I tried that also didn't work). I see that for normal outlets I can buy an inexpensive tester that plugs in and shows off a variety of faults using three colored lights. I can't find one anywhere that is designed to test the dryer plug. I believe it's a 1030 R. I've included a picture below in case I'm wrong.

Where can I get a circuit tester for this type of outlet? If that isn't really an option how can I use a multi-meter to test for the same things?


texts:
I am installing in-ceiling speakers. However those come in with an adapter that transforms from 100-240V to 24V. I want to hide the adapter, preferably in the ceiling of my house. According to NEC that is not allowed.
The manufacturer of the speakers is based in UK and they explicitly state on their manual that for US installs(only) NEC prohibits the adapter being stored in the ceiling.
Reading on here I think the reason is this:
NEC requires a distinct separation of low voltage wiring and high voltage wiring
More information here.
What other options do I have to hide the adapter or hide it in the ceiling but make it NEC compliant?
EDIT As requested I am adding a few images of the setup.


texts: Drilled too deep into a thin wall, how can I fix that?

texts:
I'm very new to this & totally didn't take into consideration how thin the wall was. Now I have a hole running from one side to the other. How can I fix this from the other side?
I was mounting an IKEA Malm drawer to the wall for safety using the screws & tools in page 9 here https://www.ikea.com/de/de/assembly_instructions/malm-kommode-mit-schubladen__AA-2022892-5_pub.pdf


texts: LED Light fitting has started making clicking sounds after power outage

texts:
The other day we had a power outage and apparently surge that was enough to blow out the PSU on my computer. A day or two later I've noticed the ceiling light in my office is now clicking, regularly (around once a second at an estimate.).

It only makes this sound when it's powered on, stops immediately on powering off, but doesn't always make it even when powered on.

I've included a video of it, and I'm wondering what is causing it, is it dangerous and am I likely to be able to replace the broken part or will I have to replace the entire lamp?

The clicking starts around 10 seconds in, stops momentarily and starts again:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQ65tr330HA&feature=youtu.be


texts: What to do with metal fascia wrap when attaching ledger board for a pergola?

texts:
I want to install a pergola over a space out my back door. My plan was to cap and remove the gutter from a section of the fascia and attach a ledger board (secured to the rafter tails).

What I'm not sure about is the aluminum trim currently covering the fascia. Should I leave this in place and sandwich it between the fascia and the ledger or remove it and replace it with some other covering?


texts:
So I have an old house (circa 1790) that I'm trying to install data cable into. It has 2 floors for living, and attic and a basement. The issue that I'm running into is that there are only a few places that reach from the basement (where the modem and switch are housed) to the attic and they all already have either plumbing or electrical wires running through them, and the walls are all plaster, which I don't want to mess with to make new routes. There's on spot in particular that would be ideal for getting a wire through (I managed to get fish tape from the attic to the basement with relative ease), but there is an electrical run already there. However, there is also a derelict coax cable already installed there as well, which was able to transmit HDTV with no problems when it was still in use. I'm wondering if that is a good enough sign that shielded Cat6 would perform ok there, or whether I should look into either fiber or finding another path down. The run would be about 70-80 ft total with 30 ft or so alongside the electrical. Thanks for your input!

Side note about the electric runs: the wires that are not in a conduit are only to connect the attic lights, which are seldom on, and then there is a shielded conduit which houses the power for the HVAC system up there.


texts: How to repair a microwave door with a broken spot weld

texts:
My microwave door slacks down and I have to lift it up a bit before shutting it. I sent this picture to Frigidaire and asked what I should do:

Their support emailed me back saying:

  I'm sorry, there is no screw that goes in the hole. that actually is a
  broken spot weld for the hinge. The hinge cannot be repaired.

Here's a short video of the issue:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMWu6HFAwN0&feature=youtu.be

I want to fix the issue without replacing my entire microwave. Anyone have any ideas on how I can fix this?


texts:
I have the back of my kitchen sink base unit that has popped out, is made of thin plywood. Now it's raised outside if it's groove and I need to hit it with a rubber mallet to push it down into the slot. My problem is hitting it from the top is not possible as the space is quite tight, I can only raised the hammer about an inch.

Is there such a thing like a elongated 'Z-shape' metal bar that one side of the 'Z' I can hang onto the plywood and then the elongated neck brings the other lip of the 'Z-shape' down where I can comfortably hit it? What would this piece of tool be called if it did exist? Or is there another way around this?

Thanks


texts: troubleshooting smart switch installation

texts:
Tried installing a Gosund smart light switch this weekend...didn't go so well. Got it wired up (I think) correctly - attached a picture of the rat's nest behind the plate and did some highlighting of some unclear wires - but the unit wouldn't power on. Trying to figure out next steps.

edit: a (maybe?) better shot with the original switch and as many of the wires separated as possible. not shown here - the pigtail on the ground was getting in the way so I temporarily disconnected it (and I made sure to reconnect it before switching the panel back on):

The picture's a bit of a complicated mess, so let me walk through it. There's a 2-gang box, switch on the right is a 3-way switch whose pair is literally four steps away on an opposing wall. There's a single pole switch on the left that controls an overhead light fixture - that's the one I'm trying to replace because I'm geeky and also using a smart bulb doesn't do me any good if someone flips the physical switch. The ground for the original switch looks like an extension from the wire nut used to ground the 3-way switch and just loops around the screw on the original switch before going into the 3-way. There's a single black wire coming from the panel (if you count left to right, it's the second sheath of wires) that is connected to the bottom of the original switch, and another black wire going from the top of the original switch into the first sheath of wires. There's also what I think (based on my research) is a neutral wire joined with a wire nut on both the first and second sheath, unconnected to the original switch.

When I installed the smart switch, I:

secured the red wire from the unit to the black wire going into that first sheath
secured the black wire from the unit to the black wire going into the second sheath
connected the green wire to the copper ground
joined the white wire with the two neutral wires that were already connected

Fired up the panel, got nothing out of the unit. Replaced the original switch, everything worked fine. By way of background, the house was built in 2008 so ostensibly things should be up to code? Right? No one in my city ever cuts corners when building a set of houses over three blocks...

Curious what troubleshooting tips I can try here?


texts: Water seeps through basement floor at drain exit during heavy rain

texts:
We've been having heavy rains in Madison, Wisconsin, lately, and on two occasions I've found water seeping into my basement in this location:

The red x's mark pipes that seem to have no function. When I moved in two of them had crude wooden plugs, which I improved upon with a steel cap and a rubber stopper. One appears to be a lead pipe that was bent over with a hammer.
The large cast iron pipe is the main drain for the house.
The pipe in back drains a utility sink and a bathroom sink.

The water is clear and doesn't smell, and we weren't using much water the two times I discovered the leak (so I don't believe it's coming back up from the house drains).

It seems like water pressure from the drenched soil is forcing rain water through the penetrations where these drain lines go through the basement floor.

The house is 100 years old. The basement is poured concrete (including walls) and there is no sump pit or drain. It's a shallow basement (about 4' deep).

Is there a reliable way to seal around these drain lines to keep this from happening in the future?


texts: How do I install a garden door that's thicker than the wall?

texts:
I thought I found a great deal on a used garden door and the problem is that the wall is 2 x 4 studs and the garden door is 6" thick.

Is there any way possible to increase the thickness of the wall?


texts: Leviton Dimmer 3 way remote switch only turning off

texts:
I've been trying to get this three way setup working for a few days now.

The wiring diagrams that came with the kits are not consistent and when I wired according to the diagram I was not able to get the lights working at all.

Current behavior: WiFi Enabled Leviton DW6HD turns the lights off and on as expected.  Remote Leviton DD00R-DLZ switch on the same circuit turns the lights off as expected. However after turning the circuit off the remote switch ceases working.

Expected behavior: Remote switch works to turn on lights after turning the lights off.

This is the WiFi enabled DW6HD switch as it is currently wired.

This is the WiFi enabled DW6HD switch unwired (showing for reference).

This is the matching Remote DD00R-DLZ switch as it is currently wired.

I have also tried the following configurations:

Both Black wires on BK screw with Red on YL/RD [ Lights turn off with
remote switch but does not turn on]
Red on BK screw with both black wires on YL/RD [ Lights turn on and off with WiFi enabled switch, remote switch shows online but does not do anything]
Red on BK screw with taped black wire [ Lights do not operate on remote or WiFi enabled ]
Red on BK screw with un-taped black wire [ Lights do not operate on remote or WiFi enabled ]
Red on YL/RD screw with taped black wire [ Lights do not operate on remote or WiFi enabled ]
Red on YL/RD screw with un-taped black wire [ Lights do not operate on remote or WiFi enabled]

Edit:
As requested here are the images of the inside of the boxes.

This is the box with the DW6HD WiFi enabled switch, the lines coming in from the bottom are hot from the outlet on the other side of the wall (an electrician that was over here trying to help told me that when we were testing it).

Here is the box with the remote DD00R-DLZ switch.


texts: How can I connect floating 2x6 wall plates to 4x4 posts?

texts:
I've started designing an outdoor shower for my house, and need some advice on the framing. The vertical posts are 4x4 PT lumber and are the only thing already in place.
As I've designed it, the sides are made of 1x8 PVC trim boards. I'm building a frame to support the (floppy) PVC boards, and my plan was to run 2x6 boards along the top and bottom of each wall, use them to hold vertical studs in place, and then screw the PVC trim into the studs (in addition to screwing the ends into the 4x4 posts). The 2x6s are also cosmetic, providing a little border above and below the walls.
You can see that I've notched out the ends of the 2x6s to fit neatly around the back of the post.
My question is: how should I attach the 2x6s to the 4x4s? They won't really be supporting a ton of weight (their own weight, the studs, and whatever weight from the PVC trim is transferred down via the studs). But this is a high wind coastal area and I'd like it to be rock solid.
There's no obvious way (to me) to bolt them in place. I've thought about using angle brackets underneath the joint, and/or routing a shallow dado into the post to receive the end of the 2x6.
What do you think? How would you design this joint? Any other flaws you see in the design? Thanks!


texts: How do I Unstick a Fixture Mounted to Bathroom Tile

texts:
Let's say, hypothetically, that I bought one of those lighted, fogless mirrors like this which stick to the tile in your shower and chose a really bad location to mount it. How do I get it off? I thought it would pull off fairly easily, but it feels too stuck and I will just break it by pulling.
Also, if you all have any good recommendations for shower stall mirrors, I'd like to hear them, too.


texts: Is sand mix concrete appropriate for a shower floor?

texts:
I am looking to have the floor in the shower fall in a single-direction towards to a linear drain, I'm planning to have a fall from 50mm (finished floor level) to 35mm (drain height) over 1400mm, there are underfloor heating pipes in the floor which are roughly 20mm high.

Firstly: Will a regular sand and cement mixture be strong enough to complete this job or will I need something stronger?

Secondly: The rest of the floor in the bathroom has already been poured, will I need something between the floors to allow for expansion/contraction or can I pour right up to the existing floor?


texts: Alternatives to circular saw for cutting 2x6 wood?

texts:
I need to make straight cuts to several 2x6" pieces of wood and I don't have a circular saw. I was checking several stores and a decent circular saw costs over $70.

What alternatives do I have for clean straight cuts of 2x6 pieces of treated lumber? It doesn't have to be fast, but it has to be clean.

I have a drill and a jigsaw.

Thanks.


texts: Will snow/water damage my floating deck?

texts:
I'm planning to build a floating deck over some patio stones in my backyard, but I would like a second opinion since I have no previous experience on this.
My idea is to set it directly on the ground(patio stones) and it's a 12x10 floating deck.
So I would buy:

8x  - 2x8x12        spf dimension lumber
2x  - 2x8x10         spf dimension lumber
25x - 5/4 x 6 x 10"  treated wood decking

I live in southern Ontario(Zone 6) so we do get snow here, will snow damage it? If yes, what should I do to avoid it?
This is the frame that I have in mind:


texts:
In the house I'm building, I will be using a flat roof with a parapet around it. The total area will be around 120 sq meter and the roof will be a concrete slab (at least 8 cm).

What is the best way to drain it? People in Brazil don't like to use those kind of roofs so I can't get good info on the subject.

I will be waterproofing it using some type of asphaltic membrane rools that are covered in alumminum foils (for protection).

I'm on the starting phase of the construction, so I'm quite flexible with what I can do, but here we don't have fancy siphonic drains, mostly PVC pipes are used (100 and 150 mm).

BTW: If possible I don't want anything inside or below the concrete slab (I'm partial to scuppers).

EDIT: What about this idea: make the whole roof sloped (2% inclination) towards the back, and there use a single gutter with a tube down each end? Is that good design? I know that one end of the roof will be almost 30 cm higher than the other (the lenght is 13,5 meter), but since I'm at construction phase I can make the roof concrete slab sloped from the start.


texts:
What protective clothing (upper body, lower body, and footwear) should I wear for circular saws?

Regarding lower body, I read that chainsaw Kevlar chaps stop safety-spec-conforming gas-powered (but not electric) chainsaws by using fibers to jam them. Will this prevent battery-powered circular saw kickback from cutting through? Or if a blade falls out during use, will it prevent that from cutting through? Or buy enough time to let go of the trigger and be unscathed? Are there better alternatives? Many of these chaps have open crotches, so will a regular sports hard cup prevent it from cutting through? Nutshellz make bullet-resistant ballistic Kevlar cups. Do these help against circular saws though? It’s marketed to baseball players and law enforcement.


texts: I've tried turning, and the light cover is loose but no matter how much I turn it, it is not coming off. Any help/tips would be appreciated.


texts: Is it safe to remove this wall transformer?

texts: I bought a house a bit ago and it came with this plugged into one of the walls. I'd like to remove it as I don't know what it does or if I need it and when thunder strikes the thing makes a noise like it's exploding which scares me. Can I remove this without issue and can I cut the cables?


texts: No electric current going into Water Heater

texts: We bought a brand new water heater back in November. Came home last night to no hot water.  Check circuit breaker and it wasn't tripped.  Turned it off an on anyway.  Nothing.  Hit reset button on thermostat, nothing.  Check for electric current per manufacturers instructions and there was nothing.   Put in a new circuit breaker.  Still nothing.   What else could it be?


texts: Single pole switch with lighting "zones"?

texts:
Somewhat of a challenge...

I'm going from a single light to recessed lighting in my studio condo.
There is a single pole switch that this single light is currently connected to.

I'm going to install about 10 recessed lights, but; I want only 5 lights to turn on when I press XYZ button and all lights to turn on when I press ABC button.

My main challenge here is with this switch, it's housed in a concrete wall with hard drawn solid copper 10AWG wires, so there's no options for rewiring anything, all wiring goes into in a concrete wall and ceiling.

Is there anything I can use to control an array of 10 different lights with an immovable/modifiable single pole switch?

My idea was to leave the single pole switch as is with the dimmer, and have some kind of wireless routing panel in the closet that would allow me to then switch between the lighting "zones" (if that's what they're called) using a wireless switch installed "next to" the current switch. I see Lutron makes some interesting products, but I'm not sure which will do what I need, or the less expensive alternatives. Expense isn't a serious issue here, but I'm not trying to spend $4000-$6000 on a solution.

Does anyone have any idea what I should be searching for, or the proper name of what I'm looking for to make this work?

Thank you in advance for your help


texts: Installing a shower flange in a subfloor

texts: I have just installed a new shower flange in a second story subfloor. There are a few small spaces/gaps around the flange that are open due to the hole in the subfloor being cut a little asymmetrical and a little too large in certain spots. However 90+ percent of the underside of the flange sits on solid subflooring. Should I silicon seal these gaps? A prefab shower pan will be installed over the subfloor and over the top of the flange (adhered to the subfloor with modified polymer thinset) and silicon sealed to the top of the shower flange around the bolts--so in theory moisture should never get to the subfloor and leak through the small gaps around the outside of the flange. My gut tells me to seal the gaps around the outside of the flange, but my concern is that in the event the seal between the top of the flange and the underside of the prefab shower pan ever leaks (not likely but you never know), the water would just get trapped and spread along the subfloor (if I seal those gaps) as opposed to draining through those holes, dropping down, and staining the drywall ceiling below. So should I fill in those gaps around the outside of the flange?


texts: Why do light fixtures, dimmer switches, etc. use stranded wire?

texts:
As the title puts it , why is stranded wire used for most light fixtures and dimmer switches. I have never dealt with stranded wire until recently doing a few upgrades in the house and i feel like stranded wire could increase the chance of a poor connection in wire nuts. Twisting the wire nut with the stranded wire without pretwisting worked best and I removed the nut just to check on each connection before putting it back on. But one time twisting it causes the stranded wire to break (twisted to hard I guess). I could see this happening to other people so that is what got me curious why manufacturers would even take this chance of electrical failure (arc from broken wire in nut, etc).
I assumed it might just be due to cost but Lutron dimmer switches are not cheap and more high end from what I read so maybe cost savings isn’t the reason?


texts: Good way to remove something from a bathroom sink overflow drain?

texts:
My wife dropped an earring down the overflow drain of her bathroom sink.  The earring is about 1" in diameter, so the hole which goes from the overflow to the main drain is too small for it to pass through.

The earring is silver, so it's non-magnetic (I checked the other one to make sure).

Short of removing the sink and turning it upside-down, any other ideas on getting that thing out? I thought of just a hook and wire, but it would be a crapshoot on being able to hook it.

Just want to add, here's what the sink looks like. Note that the overflow drain is very narrow, and if you measured between the opening and the back of it, it's maybe 5/8":


texts: I have an exposed ceiling in the basement. Want to come off a daisy chain and connect 2 light fixtures and one independent switch

texts: I have 5 fluorescent lights connected in series two way switches. I want to jump out of the daisy chain to power two recessed LED lights and control only those two lights by a single light switch. When complete the daisy chain operators as it did from the two way switches and the two recesses light are controlled with one newly installed switch. The walls are insulated with foam and covered with drywall.


texts: What type of wire should I run when updating a ceiling fan?

texts:
I started to change out my ceiling fan and noticed the support brace is actually laying on the drywall and not firmly attached to a beam. I also noticed the new fan has a blue wire where the wiring in the ceiling box doesn't have a red wire. The wiring coming out of the ceiling is also really too short to connect to the new fan easily.

I understand I need to get in the attic (lucky the support brace is in the attic) and fix that box properly so no weight is on the drywall. Since I will be up there I am want to also run a new electrical line and replace the single wall switch making use of the multi switch / light fan.

What type of wire should I run from the wall switch to the celling box to support the new fan's blue wire?

What type of wall switch should I install to control the fan and light independently?


texts: Can I install 3-way switches using two 14/2 cables with another switch for a separate light?

texts: There are 2 boxes. Box 1 has the source power and box 2 has an unrelated second switch and fixture. Here is a diagram of what I am working with. Is it possible to have a 3-way using this setup?


texts: How can I get my upper level to be as cool as the lower level?

texts:
new homeowner, attempting to fix the upstairs before it gets too hot without getting a second HVAC. Right now, it will be 72 downstairs, but 84 upstairs. We've got a new ecobee thermostat with a sensor upstairs and one downstairs (the thermostat). it attempts to balance the two and has helped some. We had an entire new HVAC and ductwork installed our first week as the existing system died and ducts were full of mold. Looking for any suggestions on how to keep it cooler.

I am about to replace the insulation on the walls as i have attic access to some of them. (current is yellow and damaged from a rodent). After i finish my electrical work i plan on adding a few more inches of blow in. I've also closed about half the dampers downstairs to push more air upstairs.

other than having a second HVAC unit installed dedicated to upstairs is there any other suggestions one can think of? I have a 16 SEER monster unit. 2400 sq foot home, told the unit can cool 3000. upstairs is only 2 bedrooms and a bath- 4 registers. The house originally had attic fans that had live wires going to nothing in the attic i just removed (aluminum wiring...) should i consider adding new fans? This is not my area of expertise, thanks for any suggestions!

not opposed to an upstairs HVAC, but i will be paying off the downstairs one for a bit so adding another is not doable for a while...


texts: How do I control a heat lamp with a thermostat?

texts:
My girlfriend is crazy about making bread. However, as the temperature is often very cold around here, I would like to make her a box in which the temperature can be controlled.

I have purchased a thermostat and have figured out how to wire it to a heat from a heat lamp (simply breaking the circuit and putting the thermostat inbetween).

I would also use a metal box as housing. Is there anything else I should be aware of? I have zero experience wiring AC power.


texts: Nicked and exposed UF cable exits house underground

texts:
While digging a hole to plant a bush, I hit the cable supplying power to our lamp post. Due to erosion over the past 40 years, the cable was barely covered with earth, and is now partially exposed in places. The cable is UF rated, but is not buried deeply enough, not protected by conduit or GFCI, and exits the house underground. Also, I nicked the UF cable sheathing while digging. I've disconnected the hot from the switch until I can fix this.

To protect the cable where it exits the house, and to prevent water entry into the house, I've thought of using a PVC Type LB fitting, however it seems these can't be buried. Could I protect the circuit with a GFCI switch, seal the hole with silicone caulk, and just add dirt against the foundation to get to 12 inch depth where it can enter conduit?

The nicked sheathing could possibly be mitigated be running the whole length through conduit, or conduit plus a underground splice kit could be used.

The rest of the cable I'll bury in 3/4" or 1" PVC schedule 80 conduit buried 12 inches.

What is the proper way to fix this?


texts: Is it permissible to cover over an ethernet (or other low voltage) wall plate

texts:
I am building a built-in bookshelf that covers a good portion of a wall.  I know it is not to code to bury an electrical junction box, so I moved an outlet accordingly.  I also have an ethernet data outlet that needs to be moved.  I am planning on moving it, but it did make me wonder:
Is it also a code violation to bury outlets like ethernet and coaxial cables, etc behind a permanent bookshelf, or does the code just apply to regular electrical junction boxes?


texts: Home Electrical Questions & Network PDUs

texts:
I'm in the middle of a home network upgrade and likely need to also do some electrical upgrades as well.

I have a set of pictures of all the equipment here.

I have a GE TLM2020 200AMP main panel.
I have a GE TLM812SCUD MOD2 subpanel.

I believe this is rated for 125A, but I'm not 100% sure.
I had a licensed electrician install it a few years ago.
There are only two circuits in the subpanel (they appear to be 20A each), one for a treadmill in the basement and one for the current network equipment.

*First questions, regarding the breaker in the subpanel:

The breaker looks like it's either two "slim" breakers in a single slot or one breaker with two switches on it. Either way it's definitely connected to two circuits.
I looked it up and it appears there are "slimline" breakers and "1-pole" or "2-pole" breakers. 2-pole breakers are for powering a 240V circuit, which is not what I want, so I assume this is 2x "slimline" 1-pole breakers occupying a single slot.
It has the # "AP120" on it. When I google "GE AP120 Slimline" I get this, which leads mt to believe it's two of those installed in a single slot.

Back to the network & PDU:

My current equipment is connected to a DLI 16-Outlet/8 Circuit PDU.

The PDU is has two input circuits, each designed to be hooked up to a separate 15A circuit.
The input connectors are standard NEMA 5-15.
The PDU has an onboard 15A fuse for each input circuit.
The PDU has 8 'output' circuits (two outlets on each).
Four of the circuits (8 outlets) are powered off input A and four are powered off input B.
Since I only currently have 1 circuit in the basement, I have both PDU circuits connected to the two outlets on the one circuit. With my current equipment I'm well under the maximum usage.

I have a whole new set of network & server equipment on it's way, including a second PDU (identical to the one described above). I'd like to set up the power properly.

So a couple questions on the electrical wiring & components:

Most of my home circuits are 20A on Romex 12-2. It appears that's common practice. However, since this PDU is specifically designed to run on 15A circuits, should I stick to setting up 15A circuits with 15A fuses in the box, or should I still install them as 20A circuits? As mentioned above, each PDU has an onboard 15A fuse for each input.
If I install 15A fuses, I'm assuming I don't need to "downgrade" from Romex 12/2 to Romex 14/3. Sticking with the Romex 12/2 would allow the 15A breakers to be swapped out for 20A breakers in the future without rerunning the cable. Just looking to confirm there's nothing wrong with that.
Is there any reason to install GFI outlets rather than just standard power outlets for this use-case? I would think not, since there's already a bunch of expensive electronics in the PDUs monitoring the circuits.

So based on that, I think I purchasing the following is everything I need to do complete the project:

Southwire Romex 12/2WG NMB (250ft)
12/2 Plastic Staples
GE 15A Single Pole Thin Breaker (4x)
4 Gang New Work Box
4 Gang Wall Plate
15A Receptacle (4x)

Does this look good?

I understand that the first impulse is to tell me to have a licensed electrician perform the work. I understand that, respect that, and in the end it may be what I do. I'm got several books on home wiring I'm currently reading and I would like to to do this myself, however if I don't feel comfortable doing it, I'll just have my electrician come out.

So all that being said - any advice or suggestions?


texts: GFCI Problem with Three-Way Switch WAS Two Switches Neutrals Only, Switched Hots Not Used

texts:
I replaced an old two-prong receptable with a three-prong GFCI (no ground) yesterday. It won't reset. I found out that "downstream" there is a light on the next level down that is controlled by two switches, one at the top of the stairs, one at the bottom.  The original receptable is fine (resets, green) as long as that light is not turned on. As soon as it is turned on, the new GFCI receptacle trips.

Now for the weird part. I open the light and it has two cables coming in, each with a black, white and pink wire. I assume (not a great idea) these are one cable each from the two switches, and that based on the color they are hot(black), neutral(white) and switched hot (pink). I would have assumed the light fixture's bulb holders would be wired with the switched hots (combined together) as hot (to the bulb holders' black wires) and the white neutrals should be combined and attached to the white of the bulb holders, but they're not.  Instead the neutrals (really I should say "white", 'cause who knows what they are) from one cable is fed to the hot of the light holders, and the neutral of the other cable is attached as neutral.

Does this make sense? I just bought the house, and the light and switches worked until I installed the GFCI, and the GFCI I just installed doesn't work either.

I would have thought that the pink switched hots should be combined and attached to the hot (black of the bulb holders)  Of course, if it were that simply, why was it not that way already?

Edit:

Edit2:
When I took the switches out of the boxes so that I could take pictures, not disconnecting anything, the upstream GFCI would not reset, even with the switches open. When I put them back again, it would.

Again, it all worked before I changed the two prong outlet upstream with the GFCI.  That is the only change I made.

When I looked in the 2nd switch box a second time I noticed there were some bare wires, maybe grounds I had not seen before.

Is it possible all this is about a ground or a neutral?  If so, how do I track it down?

Edit 3: Addl pics as requested

Edit 4:
Add pics of the "unrelated" switch, per request. See below.

Bottomline, if I can't figure this out shortly, I'm in trouble with the wife, so I bought another standard, non-GFCI receptable so shortly I'm going to install it. I don't have a ground, but the box is metal and the cable is armored, so I think the receptacle is grounded. I gather I can test by seeing (carefully!) that I get 120V AC across the hot and the box? And if I don't, it's not grounded?

Edit5: Adding pics of the missing junction box!! Great catch.


texts: How to remove a bathroom fan vent grille for cleaning

texts:
I have a bathroom fan vent that doesn't completely come off, it stays attached but pops down (see attached images).

Should I clean these things using a ladder, or should I remove them and wash them somewhere else?


texts: Can a full expansion tank prevent the furnace from going on?

texts: Woke up this morning and the furnace wasn't working. The furnace is relatively new, and there appears to be a small amount of water dripping from the top of the expansion tank. I know that the expansion tank should be half full of air. The pilot light appears to be on, but the thermostats won't trigger the furnace. Could the full expansion tank be causing the furnace not to turn on? or is that indicative of a bigger problem? Is there some sort of safety sensor? I read that I should turn off the furnace and drain the expansion tank, Im not 100% certain about how to turn the furnace off, just looking for some instructions.


texts:
I’m starting to build a deck, however I’m not sure how close to the above ground pool is safe to dig.
I’m aiming to stay one full foot away   so  my 12” footing will have the center dig out at about 19” - 20” from the wall.
Due to the way the decking sits, I don’t think I can get much further than this.
Will it be OK?  Or am I still undercutting the pool too much.  How close do you think is too close?
For what it’s worth; 12” footings at 44” depth.  There are quite a few near the pool  so they are plenty large enough for the load.


texts: I was told by the electrical inspector that I needed to install a RK1 insulator. I have looked everywhere and I find a myriad of devices that look similar to what he described, but nothing explicitly called "RK1".....can anyone point me in the right direction please???


texts: How best to secure rigid duct near a ceiling penetration

texts:
In order to vent a kitchen cooktop exhaust hood I am running rigid 6" round metal duct from my ceiling to a roof vent. The cooktop is on the front wall of my house. For aesthetic reasons I wish to avoid venting on the front wall or front roof. Instead, the duct will run 2 ft vertical into the ceiling, through a 70 deg bend, then 16 ft straight on a diagonal to reach a vent that I put in near the ridge line on the rear roof.

Where the duct penetrates the kitchen ceiling is close to the eave and there is very little space in that part of the attic to work. I'm struggling with how best to secure the vertical, bend, and diagonal pieces near the eave. I would like to leave a stub coming down from the ceiling to which I can attach the vertical duct as I install the vent hood. The diagonal run needs to be insulated to avoid condensation I'm using 5' lengths of foil-faced fiberglass insulation packaged as a tube sized for 6' round duct. The adds some bulk and weight and makes it very difficult to see what I'm doing in the attic near the eave.

My plan is to use the bend piece as the stub that penetrates down from the ceiling. In the comfort of my living room I will attach the bend to a 5' length of duct (3 nails plus foil tape). Then secure one end of the insulation as far down the bend as practical (flex tie around the fiberglass, cover with foil and wrap with tape). I will take this piece up into the attic and position it so that the input end of the bend pokes out from the hole in the kitchen ceiling. I have a roll of metal hanger strap for holding the diagonal duct in place between rafters.

This is where I get unsure. I think it would be best to secure the bend to the ceiling and not just to the vertical duct that will fit into it. To do this I could cut 3 tabs into the bend with tin snips, bend these down against the drywall around the hole, and secure with screws. I would still secure the vertical duct to the bend with 3 screws and wrap with foil tape.

Is this a good idea?

The ceiling hole was cut with a 6" hole saw so it's quite tight. The duct probably can't rattle in the hole. Maybe I'm overthinking this and should simply attach the vertical duct to the bend and call it a day?


texts: What type of tape do I use on a dryer vent?

texts: I need to install a dryer periscope vent in my new dryer unit, However, it needs to be sealed for leaks. What type of tape should be used to tape a periscope dryer vent?


texts: The furnace started blowing cold air so I checked the furnace and the burners weren't lit only the pilot was on. This happened last year and repairman said that if it got too hot would trip a sensor and needed to be reset. I pushed the reset button and turned the furnace back on another burners lit but the flame was kind of wild and you could smell smoke from the vents so I shut it back off. The filter is a little dirty is this the problem?


texts: How do I find out if Air Admittance Valves (AAVs) are allowed in my municipality?

texts:
I saw Richard Trethewey of Ask This Old House install an AAV as part of a kitchen island sink system. I thought I might be able to use one for the water line for my washing machine. I'd like to relocate the machine but I don't want to have to open a lot of wall area for the air vent. The AAV seems like an good approach but apparently its not code in a lot of places.

I live in the San Francisco Bay area of northern California. Apparently California has the "California Building Code (CBC)...based on the... International Building Code (IBC)" but I think one has to be a professional plumber to read those. How can I find out if I'm allowed to install an AAV?


texts: Fact-check on metal roof quote by roofing company

texts:
I hope this is an appropriate place to ask this question. We've just bought our first house and it is in need of a new roof, so I'm shopping around for quotes. Metal roofs seem like something we'd be interested in for their "cool roof" (thermal) effect and their longevity. I asked one of the roofing companies whether or not they install metal roofs and if so, how much that would run for compared to composite shingles, and I got this response:

  Metal roofing is extremely fragile and is susceptible to leakage only after a few years, we do not install any metal roofing anymore as a result.

This seems to contradict everything I've read so far about metal roofs. For full context, I was specifically asking about CertainTeed Presidio Metal Roofing, so maybe their answer was about that specific product instead of metal roofs in general? Regardless, I am a bit perplexed about how to reconcile all that I've learned about metal roofs vs this statement by a company that does nothing but install roofs. The roofing company was highly recommended by several of our neighbors who recently had their roofs redone (with composite shingles).

Are metal roofs a bad decision? Are metal roofs via Presidio Metal Roofing a bad decision? We live in the San Francisco Bay Area, so snow is not a concern for us; wind, rain, and fire are probably the three biggest threats to our new roof as I understand it.


texts:
History:
A year or 2 ago, my fridge started leaking from the freezer (bottom freezer) so I tried to fix it myself, assuming that the drain was clogged.
I discovered that a large ball of ice had build up on the copper pipe leading to the coils in the freezer, so I broke it up, melted all the ice, and made sure the drain was clear.
After that, things worked pretty good except the ice ball was reforming. But I put off doing anything about it because we have a separate chest freezer. So we just didn't put much in the fridge freezer and it never leaked again, but cooled great.

Current Problem:
Yesterday I got ambitious and figured I'd attempt to fix it for good. My thought was that the copper coil was supposed to have insulation on it since it probably doesn't get warm like the rest of the coils and evaporator during the defrosting stage, so it just never defrosted that part.
So I melted all the ice away and tried packing some insulation around it to see if that would help. Throughout the day it seemed to work fine, stuff got cold.

But then this morning my fridge was warm and the coils in the freezer won't get cold anymore. I ripped out all my insulation thinking I'd covered a temp sensor or something, but it still won't cool.

I opened the back of my fridge and the compressor seems to be running.  It's humming and is hot, but the coils are currently at 11 C and probably because that's the air temp in the fridge now.
It was getting cold all day yesterday after I put the insulation in. It just stopped overnight.

The fridge is 6 years old.


texts: At what height should support handrails be mounted in a home?

texts: Mom broke her hip, and I am trying to make her home more elder-friendly while she is in rehab.  While I have found lots of hardware that is available, I have not yet been able to find specs, such as how high a support rail on a regular wall should be, and particularly in the bathtub.  Mom is about 5'2".


texts: Devices that can slowly lower and raise 200 pounds ~2 feet?

texts:
What are some devices that could slowly lower and raise roughly 200 pounds roughly 2 feet?

I have been looking at hydraulic equipment, but they are all designed for tons and i do not need the ability to lift that much. I would like the device to be small, lightweight and self sustaining. I do not want to have to charge, fill with liquid, check for leaks, replace after a year... stuff like that. I want to install and forget.

I need it to be able to slowly lower and slowly raise.

My goal is to have a device that can lower and raise a desk.


texts: in-line water filter gets clogged weekly after well-water pipe replacement

texts:
About a month ago, the pipe that brings the water from the well into the house was replaced. I have a inline water filter between the water tank and the UV remediation lamp. I replaced the filter with a new filter after the work was done.

Since the replacement, our water pressure is weaker than it was before. I checked the pressure gauge in the tank and it works as expected. After two weeks, the filter got clogged. I had the well contractor come in and suggested that I should've let the water run for sometime after the work was done. I told him that I did let the water run for 5 mins. then shock the pipes, and let them run for another 5 mins and put in the filter. He said I should've let it run longer because some dirt might been kicked up during the work and that's what clogged the filter. I replaced the filter again. Now, it is two weeks since then and the filter is dirty again. It is not clogged but it is affecting the water pressure.

I brought up the issue with the well contractor and his solution is to remove the filter so the water flows freely. The problem cannot be the pipe since it is new and the pump is working fine. His other suggestions are to add a water softener or a screen/second filter that will catch the debris before they get to the filter.

My Question: what could be the cause of so much debris coming in the water after the pipe was replaced? It was never like this before even when there was a leak in the pipe before it was replaced.

When I asked this question to the contractor, his response was that "well water  is never the same. It changes when it rains. Before it was clear, and now the rain must've bring dirt from the surface". While I am aware that whatever is on the surface eventually affect the water table the well is feeding from: I am not quite sure i believe this is how it works.


texts: What are the tabs on this face-plate for?

texts:
The Steel City RS-6 4" face plate has metal tabs that break-off easily. What is their purpose?

(click for full-size)

As you can see, they are cut and bent to leave a gap/slot.


texts: Re-wiring ceiling light/fan combo with smart switches

texts:
I want to install GE Jasco toggle smart switches to control my lights and fan. I have done it before in other rooms, which had only one switch per box. And since it was very neatly wired, I could just repeat the wiring from the old switches to new ones with addition of neutral wire.

But now I want to replace a set of switches in this room. This is what I have inside the box. All the wires on the drawing are the same color as they are in the box.

The switches that I want to replace are the one in the middle and the one on the right. I've located pigtails of neutral and ground wires. The old switches aren't grounded for some reason by the way.

I am curious about best practices in this case since I can't just repeat the wiring on new switches. New switches can't allow to be connected by loops like I have here. Will I have to cut wires and make more pigtails? Also, I thought that I have located line and load on every switch, but what confuses me is the difference in color of wires.

Here's a photo if it's of any help.


texts: I would like to change the light setup in my garage. Right now there is one switch that controls 3 lights, I would like to change to 3 Switchs that controls 6 lights.... 2 lights per one switch, can you show me a simple way to do this


texts: Non-contact detector shows elec. from wall switch, but light will not come on

texts: In our basement there is a small room we use as a pantry. We put a screw-in receptacle where a light bulb would go and plugged in a fluorescent shop light. The wall switch is blocked by a refrigerator. So for 20 years we have left the switch on and turned the light on and off by the pull string switch. It stopped working. I took it down, replaced the bulbs, plugged it in a wall outlet to make sure the new bulbs worked and everything was fine. I put it back in the pantry, plugged it in and it still would not work. I have replaced the ceiling fixture and the wall switch and it still does not work. A non-contact detector indicates there is power all the way to the fixture. All the other lights on the breaker with this switch work fine.  What am I missing?


texts: What can I do about a toilet drain pipe that is too high above the floor?

texts: My toilet drain pipe protrudes about 1/3" above the floor, and  makes the toilet wobbly. What can I do to fix this?