texts: How long should I run my pool filter per day?

texts:
I'm trying to determine how long I actually have to run my pool filter per day, but my maths are not adding up. Most places on the internet (that I've come across), recommend 8-12 hours per day.  The maths I've done, says ~4 hours per day.  Why is there such a large discrepancy?
I've calculated that the pool capacity is somewhere around 11,227 gallons.
Volume = pi*r*r*h
V = pi * 126" * 126" * 52"
V = pi * 15876 * 52"
V = pi * 825552
V = 2593548.0983563609875993121703532 cu.in.
1 cu.in = 0.004329 US gal.
Gallons = 2593548.0983563609875993121703532 * 0.004329
gal. = 11,227.469717784686715317422385459
The documentation that came with the filter lists a Design Flow Rate of 100 gallons per minute (GPM), and an 8 hour turnover of 48,000 gallons.

Hayward XStream® Filtration

Based on all this, it seems that if I run the filter for 8 hours, I'll have turned the water over more than 4 times.  Is this really the case?  Could I run the filter for only 4 hours a day, and still meet the  recommended 2 turns per day?
Using 100 GPM rate, and the capacity of the pool. I've calculated a running time of just under 4 hours.
11,227.5 gallons x 2 turns = 22,455 gallons per day
22,455 gallons / 100 GPM = 224.55 minutes
224.55 minutes / 60 minutes = 3.7425 hours
I'll have to check to be sure, but I think the pump I have is the Hayward Power-Flo® LX (SP1580X15).
The gauge on the filter reads ~14 PSI, so...
Head (feet) = PSI * 2.31
Head = 14 * 2.31
Head = 32.34
Based on this chart, I should actually be somewhere around 80 GPM.

80 GPM
22,455 gallons / 80 GPM = 280.6875 minutes
280.6875 minutes / 60 minutes = 4.678125 hours
70 GPM
22,455 gallons / 70 GPM = 320.78571428571428571428571428571 minutes
320.78571428571428571428571428571 / 60 minutes = 5.346 hours
60 GPM
22,455 gallons / 60 GPM = 374.25
374.25 / 60 minutes = 6.2375 hours

Bonus:
Is it better to do the 2 turns at once (run 8 hours straight), or split it up (run twice for 4 hours each time)?


texts: How can I remove a beeswax finish from a wooden countertop?

texts: I want to remove the beeswax that has been rubbed into my kitchen countertops and refinish them with with Waterlox tung oil and sealer.  how do you remove beeswax from countertop?


texts: Hanging a shelf using 3 wall-mounting brackets: How to align the drill holes?

texts: Each bracket has 3 holes (two at the top, one at the bottom) and I'd like to align them to give me a proper horizontal (w.r.t. gravity) alignment. What's a reliable way to tell me where to drill? I only have a rather short level. The shelf (just a wood board) I'm trying to mount is approximately 4' long, the level I have is at most a foot long. In the past I've tried "extending" a level line by moving the level along but results have been... mixed.


texts: How do I keep my pool water clean without nasty chemicals?

texts:
Is there a chemical-free way to keep pool water safe and healthy, that is without chlorine or bromine?

How about using UV radiation to sterilize the water?


texts: I have a single GFCI receptacle under my kitchen sink, and I want to power one end with constant power for the dishwasher and the other end with the switch leg from a switch on the backsplash for the disposal.  Can this be done?  I don't see the normal tab you can break on regular receptacles to do that on the GFCI.


texts: How to fix front door that needs to be pulled for latch to open?

texts: My front door lever/latch feels as if locked from the outside when unlocked, either you have pull the door a bit and then press the lever or press down really hard and the lever opens the latch. Is this normal, or is there a way to fix this?


texts:
Background...

We have aluminum rails that have been painted over a few times over the years. I believe that they were originally powder coated, but I'm not sure. They have now gotten to the point that large voids have formed between the paint and the metal and is breaking off in chunks. The metal underneath is corroded, which I believe is magnified by the salty air that comes from the salt water that is maybe 200 hundred yards away (Gulf of Mexico).

Parts of the rails can be removed, but some of them are concreted in.

Tested...

I have tested a small spot with an etching primer (spray can). I then (the next day) painted over the primer with a spray paint for color.

The primer seems to have done a great job. It seems to have bonded with the aluminum in a way.

The colored top coat looks good, but it not very durable - I could scrape it with my fingernail. I think this is the main thing that I need to change from the test, but please correct me if that is not the case. It seems that I need a top coat that does a good job sticking to the primer and is very durable.

So, my questions are...

Is the spray paint a good option? Would I be better off using a brush?
Is an etching primer a good long-term solution (10 years would be nice), or is there a better option?
What options to I have for a top coat that is long lasting, resistant to salt air and sun, and durable enough for rails?
Is this a reasonable DIY job, or would we be better served hiring professionals? (Special tools needed? Labor intensive?)


texts: Does anyone know how to split the 240 V wire components of a dryer from the 120 V?

texts:
We are living on an island where the electrical grid is already 240V. We shipped a US dryer here and are trying to figure out how to wire it properly (me and local electricians). From my research dryers use 240 V only for the heater and motor. The panel components just use 120 V. They need two live wires to combine and make 240V for the heater and motor.  Dryers here are EXTREMELY expensive, and hard to come by so we are trying to make this work to make the wife happy.

The house we are in is wired so that it has the US 120 V. and the 240 V outlets. They have a big transformer by the breaker box doing the step down from 240 to 120 for all the 120 V outlets in the house.

The current idea is to separate the 240 V. components from the 120 V. components. So have two plugs coming from it. One that connects to the 240 V plug to power the heater and motor. The other plug to come and plug into the 120 V. outlet.

After looking at the wiring inside it looks like one live wire stays up top to power the control panel. While the other life wire along with the ground goes below to connect at a junction on the motor to power that and the heater. I also notice a neutral white wire going from the electrical control panel up top, goes down to the bottom and meets at that same junction. I imagine to give down below the extra 120 V. to become 240V?

So finally the question. Can I just get rid of that neutral wire to separate the two systems and wire them to two separate plugs???

Here is the electrical schematic that was inside the dryer. Not sure how to read it but hopefully it helps.


texts: Do I need to waterproof the external walls of my house?

texts:
I have just completed a renovation of my house. Where possible, I am putting decking around it to keep the brickwork dry and ventilated. One wall, however, will have sand and dirt added to build up the land by 30 odd centimetres. Before I so this, should I paint the lower part of the wall in bitumen paint to waterproof it or is that just overkill?

BTW: I am adding sand to protect a number of PVC pipes that run next to the wall.


texts: How do I smooth out spray paint drips on a metal monitor stand?

texts:
I purchased this monitor stand. However, I did not like the color. So I sprayed painted it semi-gloss black with this spray paint. Suffice to say, I'm not very handy. It ended up un-smooth on the curved edges because of paint drips.

How should I go about smoothing it out?


texts: Are the plants too close to the building?

texts:
Are these greens too close to the building or not? I heard different people say differnt things: some recommend 6 inches clearance between greens and the building; but some said it's ok to leave as it is now. Should I worry about these greens? The concern is that plants will hold the water near the building or attract insects, and thus damage the building in the long run

Another question: should I remove leaves on the ground and below the vines?


texts: Why is the pilot on my GE water heater turning off when the burner turns off?

texts: I have 2 GE 28 gallon water heaters, both of which have the same problem. The water heater is turning off after a while, and I have to light the pilot again to got hot water. What could be causing the pilot to extinguish when the main burner shuts off?


texts: Can I run this motor on a 30 amp breaker? The saw Is "prewired 230v" but the wire from the motor to the plug is only 14 guage. Is that a hazard?


texts: Dehumidifier shuts off after a few seconds

texts:
Steps to reproduce:

Plug in dehumidifier. The green LED goes on.

Press the power button on the control panel (lower free hanging
PCB in picture).

The fan starts running. The compressor doesn’t turn on as far as I
can tell. After about five seconds the dehumidifier shuts off with
a click sound, possibly from a relay. Even the green LED goes off,
which – I believe – should remain on even when the machine is in
standby.
Occasionally there is a bunch of lights blinking, sometimes all of
them. Normally though, it just shuts off.

Now it’s dead. Pressing the power button as in step 2 won’t revive
it. What needs to be done: Remove the power plug and reinsert it.

Whirlpool SS226, 220–240Vac, 50 Hz
I have checked all capacitors, all sensors, and the three big relays.
They all seem to be OK. The compressor turns on when I bridge the
respective relay. Furthermore, I’ve tried to no avail:

Replace the starter capacitor with a spare part.

Bridge the sensors with suitable resistors.

Disconnect the compressor, the ionizer, the fan.

What could be the issue? What else can I try?
I bought the dehumidifier used in Hong Kong. When I arrived to pick it
up, the seller – an individual who is moving out of his apartment –
said that he just realized that it doesn’t work anymore. In fact he
had two of them, both broken. Apparently they still worked last
summer. I nevertheless took one of them for a few bucks. If I cannot
get it running, I’ll dump it at the recycling center around the
corner.
I did search extensively for a service manual online, but couldn’t
find it. The included user manual does not cover my error condition.
Update: After checking the relays, the status LED blinks green, and
the dehumidifier cannot be turned on anymore. It’s possible that I
inadvertently damaged the circuit when I applied voltage to the relay
coils using a bench power supply. Hopefully it’s something else.


texts: When should a waterproof membrane be installed for shower tiling?

texts: For what kinds of wall structure - tile type combinations a waterproof membrane should be used between walls and tiles?


texts:
Well, here is another question related to my OLD carrier furnace. Again, it is a 58DXA060-101GG (or 100GG.) The issue is that during the day it seems to do pretty ok as far is starting a heating cycle. At night/early morning it seems to be a different story. The thermostat will call for heat, the inducer motor will start up. After a pre-determined time (1 minute?) it shuts off. The thermostat is still calling for heat. If I power cycle the system either from the thermostat or the circuit breaker, or furnace blower door switch, it will run the cycle again and 9 out of 10 times it will continue as normal. Sometimes during the day/evening it will do this as well. But usually we wake up to a house, set to 68-72, and it is 62-66.

I have replaced the pilot once before (3-wire spark pilot), and it still had the issue. I replaced the ignition lockout control, still same issue. These 2 items were "diagnosed" as issues by an HVAC repair person. Obviously they were not the solution. I can't make the furnace replicate the issue, because when I power cycle to test the furnace, it "resets" and works fine. If I don't power cycle, the furnace stays in lockout and I can't take any readings.

I really don't want to throw money replacing parts in hopes it fixes it. My next parts on the list of possible problems are the main control board and the gas valve. I have read similar issues on other sites that people replaced the main control boards and that solved the problem. The furnace is so old that it doesn't have and LED or other indicator to show an error code. So that option is out. Also no flame sensor in this furnace as the 3-wire pilot is a b-metal switch that acts as a flame sensor. Any suggestions?

My plan was to buy the control board next. It looks like the new replacement versions have LED lights, which could help in the future.

Other observations include:
     Spark igniter will spark for an extended period of time sometimes.
     Pilot light will sometimes "sputter" and the igniter will spark again to re-light.


texts: Kitchen sprayer only uses half the water, how to fix?

texts:
I have a Moen kitchen faucet with separate sprayer. When I use the sprayer, it only cuts the main water flow by about half and sprays with the rest. Every other sprayer I've used will transfer all of the flow to the sprayer, cutting off the main faucet while in use.

What can I do to fix this? Do I have some strange model where this is by design? Is it time to buy a new kitchen faucet?


texts:
I purchased a house back in April 2013 and at the time I purchased a new filter and softener system for the house as the water had a strong rotten egg smell. A year later I had the issue with the hot water (rotten smell in hot water), and I resolved it by changing the anode rod every 6 months. Now two weeks ago I started getting the rotten egg smell in cold water only. I called the company that installed the systems and they did all the chemical tests in water and everything resulted in normal readings. So they recommended line chlorination because they said there might be bacteria growing in plumbing and it might be producing that rotten egg smell. Therefore, we agreed to try; but unfortunately 3 days after the chlorination the smell came back, but it came back even stronger. and again only the cold water. Then the next two days the water was fine without any smell and then it started all of a sudden. (Basically the smell comes and goes.) The strange thing is that I always go check outside to see if the water right after filter also stinks like rotten eggs, but it doesn't. The smell is only inside the house, on showers and sinks.
Thank you very much in advance.


texts:
I have several buckets of four-year old latex paint leftover from finishing our basement.  Many are still in unopened original containers, in particular, our primary wall paint.

I opened one to use for wall patching and found it to be completely separated.  This bucket was also in the garage and was subjected to freezing temperatures.

With just a little bit of stirring it seems to be back to life, but I just want to be sure that I won't have any adverse affects using it to patch several chips and scuffs around the house.

How long is the shelf life for latex paint?


texts:
When I plug a light (in a metal enclosure) into an outdoor GFI, the GFI trips.

This happens on two different outdoor GFIs that are near to each other.

My test meter detects no connection between the light's casing and it's hot or neutral wires, even on the meter's most sensitive setting.

The light fixture's ground wire has no detectable resistance to the fixture's casing.

However, if I insulate the light fixture from the ground (by putting it on a table), the GFIs don't trip and the light works.

If I put the light fixture in the kitchen sink (which is grounded), then a different GFI does not trip and the light fixture works.

Why do the two outdoor units trip?


texts: What cabling should I run for LED panels with a 0v-10v dimmer?

texts:
Just bought an '80s house with a finished basement with 4 overhead neons. I;d like to replace them with 4 dimmable LED panels. I found some "Commercial Electric" 2' x 4' pairs (2 panels per box) at HD and bought two sets (a total of 4 panels).
First thing I learned is that I would need a 0v-10v dimmer/switch. I went with a Leviton DS710-01z, one of the recommended ones by the LED mfr.
So, I've had pretty good luck mounting the panels and I'm ready to start wiring.
The dimmer has 4 wires out and a ground...2 (black and white) 14AWG line voltage (120v) and 2 (gray and purple) 18AWG Low Voltage and the ground. If I'm going to run 4 connecting cables from the dimmer to the 4 panels, could I do 4 runs of 14/4 cable with ground? Or should I be running 4 runs of 14/2 for the line voltage and ground, then another 4 runs of low-voltage wire for the 0v-10v?
By the way, as I'm wiring all of this stuff parallel, might I be overloading the Leviton dimmer? (by using 4 panel). I couldn't find any indicators on the Leviton as to whether or not it had limitations?
So thanks in advance, I'll really look forward to your help here!


texts: Can rough in shower drain be offset below grade?

texts:
Dug out the drain box for my basement shower/tub drain. It's about 2" off from where the tub drain will line up. I need it to b 14 5/8 from the stud wall per the installation instructions for a 30" tub. The pipe in the floor is 17" away from the wall right now.
Can the plumber offset the drain/trap to line up, or would it be better to move the wall closer to the drain?


texts: How do I dig a 3 foot deep narrow trench in soft clay

texts:
I need to dig a 3 foot trench in soft clay to put in a new water pipe.

If I use I drain spade to dig it about 16cm ( 6 inches) wide will I have enough space to do the digger?

Is there a better type of spade to use?

About what length of trench can fit people did in a day?

(I hope I will only need to dig about 12 feet of length, but may need to dig about 30 feet if I am forced to connect to the other road.)


texts: How should large, stranded ground conductors be connected to metal junction boxes?

texts: Say I have a #6/3 cable being spliced in a metal junction box. How would the (presumably stranded #8) ground wire be connected to the box?


texts: Installing base cabinets - Securing to floor/shimming?

texts:
I am in the process of installing base cabinets in my kitchen.  From what I have read online from articles such as this, it sounds as if base cabinets only need to be fastened to each other and the wall, not the floor.

This sounds reasonable, except that my kitchen floor has a considerable amount of runout (1-1/4" from highest point to lowest point, on opposite ends of a 11'x12' room).  In this scenario, the cabinets in the low spots would be floating if only secured to the wall.  It is my plan to make some custom blocking/shims to bring these cabinets level and to the proper height, but it doesn't quite seem sufficient just to have these blocks floating between the floor and the cabinet.

Is there a standard practice for this scenario?  My thought was to at a minimum secure the blocks/shims to the floor with fasteners or construction adhesive.  However, cabinet to floor I don't have many options at all due to the construction of the cabinet. It's made from 1/2" plywood and the floor of the cabinet is ~6" from the actual ground it rests on, so I would have to make some sort of blocking that goes behind the sidewalls to screw in from the side or blocking that reached the bottom of the cabinet to secure downwards from the cabinet floor.

Also, for other cabinets were only small, wedge type shims are going to be used, do you just break them off in place and leave as-is?  Seems like over time these could walk out with only a thin 1/2" plywood sheet resting on top of them.

Edit: After looking at some more tutorials, it seems this one suggests that you run screws into the toe-kick at a downward angle to sort of toe nail it in place.  Seems a little tough to do through 1/2" plywood and not split it, but if it's only to hold the shims in place that bear the weight of the cabinet that make sense.  I'll just need to use longer screws on the cabinets that are shimmed more.


texts: Can I use a larger garage door motor as a substitute for proper springs?

texts:
I have a wooden garage door which is very old and heavy. The cable is broken. A spring was broken sometime back and I got the spring replaced with a new one. The guy did a poor job and the spring does not carry much weight. At this point will the replacement with a higher capacity motor (1-1/4 hp) for the existing 1/3 hp motor be worthy? Are there any parts that would not work with a different capacity motor?

What other things would I need to watch during the replacement process?


texts: There is a scorch mark in  the wall where the pipe goes into from the hotwater heater. Should I be concerned


texts: Why would my TV image turn black when electrical appliances turn on?

texts:
I have my computer connected to my TV via HDMI. Every time something electrical happens (fridge turns on, stove sparks, etc), the image on the TV goes black for a second and then comes back on. And before anyone asks, trust me, I checked other options, it is perfectly in sync with the fridge/stove/etc and not some random coincidence

Anyone have any ideas as to what is causing this or how I fix it? Or should I just get a new HDMI cable?

The lights do not flicker or dim when this happens.

Also, if it is on the same circuit, how do I figure that out?

And will connecting the TV to a regular surge protector work, or do I need to put it on a voltage stabilizer?


texts: How do I interpret a central air conditioner label?

texts: The label on my central air conditioner looks a lot like this one (photo below). What do the two numbers (separated by a slash) mean for voltage and the three amperage ratings?


texts: How to seal the hole for a spigot through a stone wall

texts:
I have a faulty spigot, which goes from the basement of the house, between two joists, to the outside.  The outside is a stone wall which is about six inches thick.

There is already a hole through the stone wall, going into the basement.  I will easily be able to replace this spigot, but I don't know how to seal up the hole.

Do I need to have a sleeve around the new spigot piping?  I don't think there is a sleeve now, but I want to do this the right way according to code.  If I put a sleeve in, how do I seal it so that rain doesn't get into the house through this area?

I tried to Google this problem, but there doesn't seem to be much info on how to seal a pipe that goes through a stone wall.


texts: Can I mix my own thin set to apply fibatape to backerboard?  I have Portland cement and sand.  Forgot to pick up thinset at store


texts: What can be sprayed over ceiling mastic?

texts:
I want to spray a ceiling to seal it and possibly also obscure the uneven surface but am unsure what will stick well.
This ceiling assumably used to have tiles. There is an array of thick glue-like blobs over drywall. I believe this mastic could be unsafe to leave exposed and unsafe to scrape or sand, in addition to being a lot of work.
I have an airless paint sprayer and can rent a large texture sprayer for cheap. The question is, what will adhere to this ceiling and not fall off? Can I spray drywall mud, then primer, then knockdown texture, then latex paint? Are there special products that might bond better than the drywall mud?


texts:
I've moved into a smaller room and would like to maximize my space. I've decided to build a new bed frame, but for that to work how I would like I would need to eliminate my box-spring as it would make the bed too high.

I currently have a standard mattress, with a box-spring, on a metal frame. If the new bed frame has a solid enough foundation, could I eliminate the box-spring?


texts: Can I use flex duct for a range hood exhaust?

texts:
I am replacing an old range hood with a hood/microwave/convection oven. The vent from the old hood does not line up with the vent position on the new unit. I know how to remove the old vent and patch the siding.

Installing the new vent is the problem. Just punching horizontally through the wall for the new vent won’t work. It would require cutting a vertical stud in a load bearing exterior wall (that was already cut and braced for the old vent). Cross bracing under the cut stud would be very difficult since there is an existing cabinet in place that limits access to the wall cavity.

I am thinking of using the top vent option on the hood unit, routing it up through the floor of the cabinet, transitioning to a round 6” duct adapter ant then horizontally through the wall to a 6” round wall vent.

There is just room for the round wall vent, to the side of the vertical stud. But because of an obstruction on the outside wall, there is not enough room to use a standard 90 degree elbow to the side (away from the stud) and then another 90 degree elbow toward the outside wall.

Can I use semi-rigid aluminum ducting (6” inches of course) in this kind of setup?

Some of the ads for these products list range hood venting, but others do not. And some specifically say not to use for dryer venting.  What are the criteria for an acceptable flexible duct for range hood use? (I do know to avoid the filmy foil-over-spring type.)

Note: I know this question suggests that it can be done on it, but does not indicate which type of ducting is acceptable.


texts:
My hot water tank has a lot of corrosion on both hot and cold water connections on the top of the tank. Also, it looks like the water is causing the top of the tank near an inlet it looks like the tank is breaking down from the corrosion.Some of this corrosion is blue. Also, every time I was my hair I get intensive itching to the point where it really gets to me. I can't stand to have my hair even touch my skin because it immediately itches. I have been to the doctor where he hadn't been able to determine why I have this itching.
Could there be something in my water that is causing these problems? What could it be? Can it be fixed?


texts: Is a ridge beam necessary for a small shed roof?

texts:
I am planning a 12x8 shed and looking at frame designs on the web. I see a mix of ideas out there that are all presumably just as good as the next. One inconsistency I see is that some roofs have a ridge beam while others have the rafters standing alone.

For a shed this small does it really matter? I plan on using tin on top of OSB for the roof so I imagine it would be sturdy enough anyway.


texts: I have just reset furnace due to a trouble code, what should I monitor or re-do over the next few days?

texts:
My furnace was throwing a trouble code. The code was 31 and for my manufacturer (Bryant) and others thats is a pressure switch code. I was able to resolve this code and get my heat back on simply by working through the troubleshooting steps not by changing or replacing parts or removing blockages.

Steps I took to find the problem:

Smelled and felt for gas leaks FIRST
Took off furnace cover and observed blinking-light trouble code, 3 short 1 long, sticker on the cover says thats a pressure switch
Power cycled furnace
Replaced filter
Checked outside vent and intake for blockage, felt good airflow through both
Checked drain hoses and pipes for kinks and blockage, flexible pipes inside furnace were bent around a bit but not kinked
Observed burner through observation window, saw pilot ignite, saw main burner fire up

Through the course of trying to discover the problem the furnace came back on normally. I do not like "it just started working again" fixes, something was wrong and may still be wrong and I want it properly fixed not luckily fixed!

What should I monitor over the next few hours or days to ensure that the problem stays fixed?

Are there any parts I should replace as preventative maintenance for this trouble code?

Any actions I should take as preventative maintenance for this trouble code?

Are there any tests or measurements I can take? Voltages? Pressures in the exhaust/intakes?


texts:
I currently live in North Carolina and this past fall I had tall fescue sod and an irrigation system put in my backyard.  This spring I used Scotts fertilizer (in March).  Since then I have been watering my lawn twice a week for 25 minutes each session (unless it was already raining).

I was cutting my lawn once every couple of weeks for the past couple of months.  In the last two weeks I have started doing it once a week (I learned that you do not want to cut more than 1/3 of the blade with each mow).  I use a bagged lawn mower and take the grass clippings away from my yard.

A couple of weeks back I noticed that my fescue was starting to wilt (see attached pictures).  I have tried doing some research online but the only information I can find points to Brown Spot disease.  Looking at my grass it does not appear to match the description of brown spot disease though.

Why is my fescue wilting and what can I do to make it green again (and stay green)?  I am considering consulting with TruGreen but figured I would seek advice online first.


texts: No 24VAC between R and C on Rudd R801 Control Board

texts:
I’m replacing a older programmable thermostat with Ecobee 4 which is to control a Ruud R801 HVAC unit installed last year. I have access at the thermostat to a wire (orange) that goes to the C terminal on the control board, but the Ecobee doesnt power up. Ecobee customer support I determined there is no significant voltage (<.01VAC) as measured by a multi-meter between the R and C terminals at the control board. That’s true in idle (status 0 on control board display), or heat (status H)

I’ve attached  pictures of the thermostat terminal on the control board but can’t figure out what the problem is, much less fix it! The old thermostat (and humidistat) continues to work fine when Ecobee removed and re-installed.  Can post other pics if I figure out how to do it on this site.


texts: click lock floor install with hot water baseboard heat

texts: I am installing a floating bamboo floor on concrete,with appropriate underlayment.The house has hot water baseboard heat.There is a small baseboard molding under the heater now,should that be removed and do I need to put the molding back cut smaller to take into consideration the thickness of the new floor or can it be left without a molding under the baseboard heat.


texts: Are these brick walls properly constructed?

texts:
I'm looking into buying an apartment and I'm visiting some locations. During one of my visits I saw this exterior wall of a future apartment building:

I'm not an expert but it does not look good to me.

I have two questions:

Are those walls badly built?
What guidelines must be followed when building brick walls?

Here are some more photos of this work (click through for a larger version):


texts: Can I use duct tape instead of a draft hood?

texts: I have a small opening between my vent and water heater. Instead of buying a draft hood, is there any harm in using duct tape?


texts: Should I secure a free-standing vanity sink to prevent drain pipe damage?

texts:
I recently installed a free-standing vanity sink in my laundry room, similar to the one pictured below.

Due to the configuration of the drain and supply pipes in the room, the sink could not be installed in the room's corner.

Because the unit is free-standing and not attached or adjacent to an existing structure, I am concerned that pushing or bumping into the sides of the unit, or even opening the drawer too quickly may put unneeded stress on the plastic/pvc drain pipes.

Is this a common concern for these types of installations?  If so, what is a common way to address the issue?  I plan to build a counter between the room's corner and one side of the unit in the future, so that will mitigate some of my concerns.


texts: What thickness cable should I use to wire these outside lights?

texts:
Looking at purchasing a few of these:

3X 30W Warm White PIR Motion Outdoor Sensor Security LED Floodlight Security Spot Lights IP65 LED PIR Motion Sensor Induction Lamp

We have two existing that have stopped working; there is already a hole through the external wall for the cable to come through, but apparently these are known for shipping with a really short cable.

In looking for outdoor-suitable flex to use to replace the short cable with before fitting, I realised I don't really know how to calculate the amps that will pass through from the spec of the lights, to ensure the cable can handle the load. These are being wired straight to mains. The wall is a brick and breeze block, and likely has cavity wall insulation.

So, as an example, would a flex able to carry 20amp be enough?


texts:
I have a 4" square box which I'm going to put a GFCI outlet in.

I got one of the raised covers with a rectangular cutout for GFCIs.

However, the outlet itself doesn't sit flush with the cover. When I put it over the outlet, the screw holes at the top and bottom of the outlet stick out too far and prevents it from sitting flush. I know that I can remove the corner perforated tabs but there are still additional screw holes that stick out.

See circled in blue here:

Do I just bend the secondary screw holes back or something? Seems kind of weird because I've only read online about removing the tabs and not that second set of holes.


texts:
Working on a small cottage by the Delaware Bay. Last year I had to repair the plumbing in the two bathrooms because the solder joints pulled apart. This year some pipes fell out under the house because the joints pulled apart. As I was making measurements for repair, a joint on the main line in came apart. Joints are a dull powdery grey in color. Mostly original plumbing done in the 60's. Should the house be re-plumbed? Will I be chasing leaks on a regular basis?

Thanks.


texts: Are Porter Cable 20v and 20v Max batteries interchangeable?

texts: I have this drill and batteries and am wondering if it would fit a PORTER-CABLE 20V MAX Random Orbital Sander.


texts: basement drywall over vertical brick surface

texts:
I'm attaching drywall to the studs in my basement.  The wall's frame of studs is standing on top of a tiny wall of bricks, one brick deep.  The bricks were already there, acting to dam water so it would flow towards a sump pump.  We've stopped the leak by fixing our grade in the yard, so water doesn't come in anymore.

My question is this: When I put up the drywall, is it ok if the bottom edge touches the brick (vertically by just going up against it)?  Or would moisture from the brick seep up and mold the drywall?  If so, can I prevent this with some kind of plastic shield?

Please see the pictures, and let me know if you'd like any more information.


texts: Ceiling fan light kit will not work properly

texts: I have a four bulb light kit for a ceiling fan. It works great with three bulbs but when I add a fourth all of the bulbs go off. The three sockets used or order doesn't matter; only when I install the fourth bulb.


texts: What are some tips for fixing gaps between door and jamb in an exterior door?

texts:
I have an exterior door that was apparently installed by unskilled monkeys. The gap between the jamb and door when it is closed goes from close to normal (1/4") at the top to large enough to see daylight in the middle (1/2") to close to normal (1/4") at the bottom. The hinge side of the door is plumb top to bottom as is the door. The only thing off is the right side jamb.

Based on some pics I saw on this site, it is a right hand in-swing (not sure if that makes a difference or not).

My idea to fix it is to remove the interior trim on the right side, prying up or unscrewing any nails or screws holding the right side of the door frame to the wall and then shimming the center section out (with flat stock so as not to cause a tilt in the jamb) so the jamb is plumb and evenly spaced from the door from top to bottom. Then, of course, reattaching it, foaming any gaps behind the jamb, reinstalling the trim and voila.

Does this sound like the right course of action? I am pretty handy, I have tools, I have never installed installed a door, but I have seen it several times on TV and once in person. Do I need to remove the outside trim on that side too?

Any advice is greatly appreciated!


texts: Replaced tile grout-soaking up moisture and comes out on my hand

texts: I replaced the grout in my shower tiles the other day. I removed a good layer of the old grout and applied new grout on top. All looked fantastic for 48 hours until I used the shower. Now the grout has soaked up loads of moisture and is very wet to touch. If I run my finger along a grout line it comes off on my finger as if it's just been freshly applied. Any ideas on what I may have done wrong??


texts:
I have an issue with my recessed light fixtures.
The problem is that the all quit working but one of them. It is not the bulbs we changed out the bulbs the switch is on because one of the lights works. It is not the first one ( not the closest to the switch) in the group that is working either.
They did not quit working at the same time either.
We have the same type of fixtures in a different room that was installed at the same time and they all work (different circuit).
Thanks SDF


texts: What kind of paint do I need for baseboards?

texts:
What is the keyword to use when looking for paint for baseboards. I am assuming that regardless of the color of the wall and the floor, the baseboard is always painted a pure "snow" white. (I am not sure why, but I'm happy with that.) In any case, is this the same kind of ultra-white paint I'd use for (interior) doors, door frames, and closets?

While I'm asking about baseboards, I find it a bit wasteful to use such lengths of masking tape on both sides of the baseboard and not have a chance to reuse them. Is there any solution I'm missing? I tried in the past to paint ever so slowly without a masking tape, but no matter how careful I am and how steady my hand gets, I'm simply unable to get a perfectly straight line.


texts: Bypass the Timer FM-DS3(e) on Hyundai heater

texts:
I have the oil heater Hyundai with mechanical Timer FM-DS3(e).
I want to baypass the timer. Let the energy go on the heater.
Looks like energy (red)cabel comes to 4 and one part of (white) cabel comes to 1.
Any help will be appreciated.


texts: Leaking joint/pipe. What product to use?

texts:
Our “plumber” drilled hole in main down pipe (plastic) instead of in the ceramic main out pipe (Black). Probably good that he didn’t touch that!

Anyway, the product he used to seal the “joint” has degraded over last two months, and is now leaking. Short term, I need to re-seal. Wondering if anyone can tell me what product to use?

The flexi pipe is the out from the washing machine.

Many thanks


texts: Connect Bidet with 1/2 inch supply line to 3/8 toilet line

texts:
Bought a bidet with 1/2 inch Supply line

I need to connect it with Toilet which has 3/8 inch line

I assume I need a Tee to connect it. But need help as it wouldn't be a regular 3/8 or 1/2 inch Tee. Probably need a 3/8 to 1/2 inch adapter.

Confused!! Need help.


texts: AC doesn't cool room well in old poorly insulated apartment. What can I do to fix? What are the causes?

texts:
I live in a two story apartment and I'm in the top floor. The apartment is pretty old, 54 years old. Due to that, the insulation is really lack luster. The windows are single paned walls are relatively thin.

Even if I keep my windows covered and windows closed, after a hot day, the room becomes a sauna when I get home at night. It's cool at night so I just have to vent the heat out. However, during the day, r it is almost impossible to get the AC to make much of a difference. I have to stand in front of the AC to feel cool. The AC feels plenty cold and strong and my apartment isn't very large(<600sqft).

What is causing this? Is the cool air simply escaping? Is it all the heat coming through the windows? I have pretty thick light blocking blinds.

What can a renter do to make the apartment a little nicer in the summer?


texts:
We are having a power chair friendly house built in the spring.  Because carpet has to be glued to the sub-floor to prevent bumps and wrinkles, we would prefer wood floors.  (We like them better anyway.)  We've been thinking about bamboo flooring.  How well does it hold up?  Can it be sanded and refinished?  Approximately how long should it last under these conditions?

The power chair is used inside and out, so it picks up pebbles, dirt, etc.  Another question: Is there a matting that can be used to remove some of the outside debris from the wheels?


texts:
My tub faucet is leaking from inside the diverter control arm inlet ( little whole below the valve with yellow arrow).    Any idea if it can be fixed without replacing the whole unit?
The red arrow points to the stem that controls both hot and cold water.  I don't know the make and model as the trim plates markings have worn off.  The lever that controles  the shower head diverter just slides into the whole (yellow arrow) and controls the flow to the shower head by sliding to the left (off) or right(on)  the blue arrow points to the diverter control lever on the trim plate.  Don't know the make and model.


texts: Should I replace a sump pump that's not keeping up?

texts:
My 1/2 hp sump pump has to pump up about 4' and then downhill about another 50'-60' to a creek and can't keep up during steady rainfall.

Would a stronger pump fix this problem or would just adding a utility pump be better?


texts: Can I run NM-B inside EMT conduit for protection?

texts:
If I'm adding some new receptacles to a garage, and the wiring will be run surface-mounted to walls and ceilings, I think protecting the wiring with EMT conduit is probably a wise way to go.

I'm seeing some conflicting information as to whether it's OK to run NM-B (e.g. romex) inside EMT tubing. The more typical application is individual THHN conductors inside EMT. Rather than having to buy two types of wiring, is it OK to run the NM-B inside the EMT? Are there any special considerations?


texts: Must trim paint (for baseboards) be gloss or semi-gloss, or can it be flat?

texts:
What are the specific properties or style of paint that one needs to use for trim. By "trim" in this case I mean mainly baseboards and baseshoes.

The reason I'm wondering is that I used the left style of paint ("all-in-one primer and sealer") and the middle one ("interior ceiling flat"). I understand that I need to look for something called "trim paint", but the closest I can find is the third style "paint & primer in one". In this case they're all from the same make.

Is the third style "interior semi-gloss enamel, paint & primer in one" indeed the one I should be using for baseboards and baseshoes, and is the idea then for baseboards/shoes to be somewhat shiny (semi-gloss), hence something like a primer & sealer, despite being up there in whiteness, would not look right?


texts: Must I switch both live and neutral on equipment that is not part of a permanent installation?

texts:
I've learned that you always switch live in electronics. But today I realized that if you are using equipment that have a regular wall-wart plug that can be inserted either way you have no chance of knowing if the polarity is switched.

This may be an obvious question, but am I right that in equipment that is connected to wall outlets you have to switch both neutral and live? Or is there some other clever way around this?

Edit: I should add that I am based in Denmark and live in an older apartment where the wall outlets are not grounded and the plugs that go in them are not polarized.


texts: Wire and Conduit for Indoor Sub Panel with Outdoor Main Panel Through Attic

texts:
My main panel is outdoors on one end of my house.  Planning to add a sub panel for very occasional welder use, electric car charging, and future expansion in the garage on the other side of the house.

By far the easiest path would be outdoors from the main panel along the wall (that side of the house is obscured from view, luckily) up to the attic.  Into the house at the attic, across the attic and down the garage wall.

Is it sane to run individual conductors through liquid tight non metallic conduit for this?  Would the conduit need to be continuous through the attic?  Total run will be about 75 feet.  Is there a better solution?  I assume 3-3-3-5 SER is not viable since it can't be installed in conduit and I assume this will have to be in the outdoor exposed section.

As a side note, not sure if I can use the 75 degree chart or 60.  The wire plus the breaker on the main panel and the connections sub panel determine this?  If 75 degree, I could run 4 awg for an 85 degree breaker?  That seems adequate.  What size ground and conduit?  If I have to use 60 degree, I'll go with 3 awg, and I believe 1" conduit and 5 awg ground?


texts:
Last night I heard scratching in the wall and upon investigation found that a squirrel had managed to knock loose a piece of wood (I assume as there was no covering to be found) in the eaves where one level of roof (over main house) drops down to a second level of roof (over garage). As a temporary measure, as I had no other readily available supplies, I blocked the hole with some scrap wood and nailed in place until I could create a more permanent fix. My question is what would be the best approach.

The external hole itself is approximately 6"x 6" (I say approximately as it is really an isosceles triangle) and seems to be a no brainer (prep a board that I cut to size, nail in place). My question is really for backing behind it. In my limited examination looking into the gap I could see some posts that I believe was some of the beams from the attic. The total gap size is approximately the size of a toaster (could not think of how else to describe it).

Should I try to use some foam spray, and would that work (space seems a bit large for this to work properly) or otherwise fill in the space in some other way? My concern is less the squirrel as I am sure I could seal it well enough to keep it out, but smaller rodents and/or bugs/wasps finding their way in through such a convenient opening if I leave any space at all.

Any suggestions?


texts: I have a door that swings left and a door that swings right. Can I remove them from the entire door frame for both and switch them? I want both doors to swing the other way. Is there any reason this is a bad idea?


texts: Replace dated light fixture mounted to metal stem in ceiling medallion

texts:
I recently took down an old chandelier that I found was screwed into the metal stem.  Stem is hanging about 2.5" below the hole of the medallion, and the threaded nipple at the end of it is 0.5" in diameter.  I nipple is part of a 1.5" extension that can be unscrewed to leave a 3/4" diameter threaded stem that goes several inches up to the junction box.
The innermost medallion diameter is between 3" and 3.5" depending upon whether you measure the only the flat surface or from the inner diameter of the decorative carving.
I'd like to install a semi-flush mount fixture (possibly having a pancake canopy rather than the bell-shaped canopy a chandelier would have) to this without removing or cutting the medallion further (chandelier was too low for the room).
My first thought was to mount a 3" pancake junction box to the threaded stem with a 3/4" nut and large washer, then mount the fixture to that.  That seems like a hack, and I'm wondering if there is a better way.
UPDATE: In reference to what light I want to install, we are still making a final decision, but the idea was a light structured like this: https://www.wayfair.com/lighting/pdp/foundstone-vivian-3-light-126-cluster-cylinder-semi-flush-mount-w000825429.html or like this: https://www.wayfair.com/lighting/pdp/zipcode-design-lavina-3-light-15-shaded-tiered-semi-flush-mount-w003219538.html.  They have a pancake-shaped canopy with a very short rod leading to the light itself.
A fully flush mounted (surface mount?) fixture (such as: https://www.wayfair.com/lighting/pdp/orren-ellis-mcatee-2-light-shaded-drum-flush-mount-qz12691.html?piid=28665557%2C28665558) is not desirable as we would like to keep the medallion visible.
Thanks


texts: Combining a solar collector with photovoltaics

texts:
Our house has 10 solar collector panels, each 1 by 2 meters, installed around 20 years ago. By now their polycarbonate covers are breaking down due to the elements, and we've thought about the possibility of adding a UV-blocking layer above them and maybe some photovoltaics inside while replacing the original covers.

In theory, the UV from sunlight would be blocked by the outmost layer, then the new polycarbonate sheets would let visible light and infrared through, below that the visible light would be captured by a layer of photovoltaic foil and finally the infrared radiation would heat the water in the collector pipes.

So far I haven't found any outstanding problems with this setup, since PV cells always used to have UV-blocking coatings to reduce degradation by UV (therefore pre-filtering UV should not reduce the efficiency of PV cells), and IR beyond 1120 nm is unusable for PV cells: pveducation.org.

Does this approach hold water or is it just a pipe dream due to some unavoidable factors?


texts: What type of exhaust ventilation is best for attic?

texts: We want to add exhaust ventilation to our attic (hip-style composition roof).  Which type is most effective, passive or power?


texts: Where can I find a replacement for this 3.5" door knob spindle?

texts:
I broke the spindle on my ~100 year old door, and I'd like to just replace the spindle instead of the entire door knob assembly as this seems to be the original piece. Unfortunately I've been unable to find a 3.5" assembly that is the same as what I had. Here is a (very low-quality) picture of the original spindle, all the spindles I can find online seem to be threaded in some fashion. Is there anywhere I can order a spindle like my original one?

This Baldwin spindle is the closest I can find to what I had, but instead of having screw holes it looks like it has a pressure fit.


texts:
I'm having a bizarre problem. At least it's bizarre to me.

I'm repacking a HW faucet connected to our washing machine. To do so, I turned off the HW heater, and then the valve on top of the HW heater.

I then opened up the HW faucet on the sink in our downstairs and upstairs bathrooms to drain as much water as I can out of the loop. Works fine. No hot water coming out of any faucet now--including the one for the washer.

Then my son enters the bathroom and turns on the cold water. It sputters for a second but then comes on as you'd expect.

Now here's the weird part...suddenly, water comes sputtering out of the HW faucet for the washer!

Turn of the bathroom cold water, and water stops coming out of the HW faucet for the washer. Turn it back on for 10 seconds, and we get 10 seconds of water coming out of the washing machine faucet.

Now it's an experiment. We discover that any bathroom will cause this (As they are stacked, so likely all on the same wet wall). The kitchen faucet will not cause it.

What's going on here? Is there some natural siphoning thing going on somewhere in my system where cold water is being siphoned into the HW line? Or do I just have very messed up plumbing?


texts: Should I use caulking or silicone to seal around a new door frame of exterior stucco house?

texts: A have installed a new exterior door frame to my stucco house and I still need to seal the perimeter before the winter rains. However, since I plan to repaint the exterior stucco a different color next summer should I use a paintable caulking instead of silicone?  Is there a silicone-like caulking product that is superior to others?


texts: Are there simple ways to construct shelving under a kitchen worktable?

texts:
I have the following worktable in my kitchen:

I'd like to have another "shelf" below the table top. Are there any simple solutions to this problem?

It might be possible to purchase another shelf from the manufacturer, but I think this would be expensive and installing another shelf by "slipping" it on will likely be very difficult.


texts: My little one dropped a bottle of kerosene and it's all over my vinyl floor in the kitchen. Water is not working to clean it, and I'm scared to use anything else. Any suggestions from expert people? Thanks!


texts: How far is it recommended for pipework to be from electrical sockets and switches?

texts: I need to know when radiator pipes are buried into wall,how far are legal requirements stating pipes need to be from electrical sockets and switches? also what is the minimal depth  an internal building block or brick wall that is dividing a living room and a wet room has to be be if chasing in pipework for a radiator.


texts: Can Shark Bite fitting be connected to galvanized pipe? Have broken galvanized water pipe on outside of house.Want to connect pex pipe with shark bite to place where galvanized pipe broke.


texts: What would cause a chainsaw to only start when trigger is pulled?

texts: I have a ~1yo Husqvarna chainsaw.  It used to start on the first pull.  Now it will only start if I'm also pulling the "trigger" that is used to run the chain.  If I prime it, pull the choke, and pull the starter cord, it will not start.  But if I squeeze the trigger and pull the starter cord, it starts usually on the first pull.   I put the brake on so I don't lop my arm off starting it, but it's pretty awkward to pull the cord and squeeze the trigger.  The air filter and plug look fine, and I've only ever run no-ethanol gas in it with the recommended oil mixture.  I could probably pull the thing apart and clean it, but was hoping somebody could point me toward a particular component to suspect.


texts: How can I add a 3-way switch to my light? (confused about existing wiring)

texts:
I'm trying to install a 3-way switch for a specific light but I'm not sure how to do the wiring.

The existing switch box has quite wires inside:

3x 12-2
1x 12-3

The hots (black) are all tied together, the neutrals are all tied together, and the grounds are all tied together.

However, the existing switch has one hot (black) wire connected, and a RED wire from the 12-3 wire.

The light fixture itself only has 12-2 connected (black, white, and copper/ground).

How would I install a second (three-way) switch to this setup?


texts: What do I need to do to safely reconnect an A/C-powered smoke detector?

texts:
In an unfortunate incident, the plastic plug for one of my A/C-powered smoke detectors became detached from the wires coming out of the ceiling.  My ceiling now looks like so (click for full size):

The detached connector:

My question is:  how can I safely reconnect the plug?  Can I just stuff the wires back into their respective holes in the plastic connector?  And, if I turn off main power to my house in my the circuit breaker box, that should be sufficient to ensure that I do not electrocute myself, correct?


texts: What do I use for backfilling septic pipe leaving my home?

texts:
I have a 4" PVC septic pipe leaving my house on the cinder block wall about 4 feet below my house.  There was a crack inside of the part where it leaves the house and I need to replace it (from settling/35 years old).  I am going to do the digging and replacing of the soil myself, but was wondering what was recommended for backfilling?  Right now the dirt is a sandy/clay like substance with random bricks and rocks in it.  I was wondering if it is okay to use the same dirt to backfill or if I should use pea gravel (or something else) around the PVC pipe whenever I backfill the soil.  This will be an area about 5 feet long and 5 feet wide.  The pipe will go into the house (so backfilling around pipe and next to my house).
Thank you in advance for your help!


texts:
I'm considering using nails as an alternative to "backer" screws. The manufacturer recommends "1 1/4" hot dipped galvanized roofing nails" for this application - hardibacker underlayment for bathroom tile job. I don't care about pros/cons of hardibacker, it's a moot point.

I cannot find 'hot dipped' nails anywhere it seems. All are "electroplate galvanized". It seems to me the electroplate types, due to their 'smoothness' won't hold as well as 'dipped'. But I am more concerned about the efficacy of electroplate galvanized to withstand the potential adverse effects of this environment. Is there much of a difference between hot dipped and electroplate galvanized or am I just being paranoid?


texts: Risks of Unplugging Lennox HealthClimate Unit

texts:
I bought a home with a space age lookin' Lennox HVAC.  Instead of using a basic paper air filter like you can get at a local department store, the unit has a big paper air filter and a photocatalysis unit.  The photocatalysis unit consists of 4 pricey Ultra Violet bulbs and an expensive honey-comb titanium-dioxide catalyst insert assembly.  Both the paper air filter and the photocatalysis unit are housed in the same "Healthy Climate" (R) container.  The Healthy Climate container has to be plugged in so the UV Bulbs can be powered on 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

I suspect my duct-work leading from my HVAC unit to the vents in my home are somewhat leaky so I think it is pointless to try to obtain near "perfect" air at the unit itself.

Would it be okay for me to:

remove the bulbs and honeycomb pattern catalyst from my "Healthy Climate" (R) container
Leave the big huge paper filter in the "Healthy Climate" (R) container
run my Lennox HVAC with the "Healthy Climate" (R) container
unplugged?

If I do choose to run my Lennox HVAC with no UV Bulbs and no honey-comb titanium-dioxide catalyst, would I compromise my family's health or the integrity of my master HVAC unit?


texts:
I'm looking to install a ventilation fan in my garage. I want to install it in the middle (mainly for looks) rather than having it offset to one side or the other. Am I OK to cut through the middle 2x4s shown in the picture below?

I saw Garage gable fan proper installation where one person said this was possible, but it looks like this truss is slightly different. If I do go this route, would it be worth framing the vent fan with new 2x4s?


texts: Electrical power for brick BBQ. GFCI outlet constantly tripping

texts:
Electrical power for exterior brick BBQ plugs. GFCI outlet constantly tripping. The GFCI has two sub-outlets. There are three item plugged in:

Fountain Water Pump with cord running in ground
BBQ rotisserie motor
A low voltage transformer timer for yard lighting.

I have replaced the transformer, the rotisserie motor and the GFCI outlet. the results continue to be the same. Ideas?


texts: Would it be better to temporarily lay vinyl on a carpet, carpet underlay or floorboards?

texts:
I wanted to quickly lay vinyl sheet down.  I will put hardboard subfloor on top of floorboards at a later date however right now I'm happy to loosely lay it over the carpet. As I mess around with the floors I noticed the vinyl looks quite smooth on the carpet underlay.
So I'm wondering now should I temporarily lay the vinyl sheet on the floorboards(which I know are uneven), on the carpet underlay or even on the carpet??
It will just be temporary but is even so is there a reason to prefer one temporary subfloor aesthetically and functionally speaking?
Thanks


texts: Multi-light dimmer switch broken: one light dims, other lights brighten

texts:
I have 3 light installations in my kitchen that are controlled by one of two switches. The switches either turn all 3 lights on/off, or dims/brightens all 3 lights at the same time (with a long press).

Lights cannot be turned off individually, or dimmed individually, only from these two switches.

However! Today, something changed: when dimming the lights, 2 of the lights dim (correctly), but the other light brightens. When brightening the lights, only 2 brighten, but the other dims: the relationship appears to be inverted.

This change happened spontaneously: I didn't do any re-wiring, change any bulbs, etc.

This behaviour is exhibited when using either of the two switches.

The below picture is of the dimmer: the top switch is the problematic one. The bottom switch controls a different light, which is working properly.

How should I try and debug this issue?


texts:
I just purchased a home that appears to have a reverse osmosis system, but nothing comes out of the spigot, so I'm not sure if it is in fact R/O, if it's broken, etc.

Here's an album of the system in question: http://imgur.com/a/1vyrK -- it's the thin white tube that runs to the wall, but there's no filters that I can see. It just appears to run into a smallish box on the wall, then up to the spigot.

Any ideas?


texts: HVAC - hot air flowing on both zones when only 1 zone should be on

texts: I have 2-zone forced air heating, with separate thermostats for each zone.  Normally, if the thermostat in zone 1 triggers the system to go on, the heat will only blow through the vents in zone 1.  Now, when the thermostat in zone 1 triggers the system to go on, heat blows through the vents in both zone 1 and zone 2, not just in zone 1.  What's wrong?


texts: Best way to insulate supply duct with minimal clearance

texts:
I wanted to wrap the supply side ductwork, but the return is mounted so close to it, in some spots barely 3/4 of an inch of space between them. What is the best way to insulate in this case? Supplies both heat and AC located in an unfinished uninsulated basement of a 2 story house in Chicago area, basement is pretty chilly right now in March and the supply spans the whole length of the house so there is a pretty large temperature difference when you get to the end of the run 30-40 feet away from the actual blower.
I thought of 2 possible ways I would do it:

Getting 3/4" foam board and shoving it up in the space and then use R-6 fiberglass duct wrap on the other 3 sides.
Fill the gap with spray foam, as this would also close up any leaks. Then again use fiberglass duct wrap on the other 3 sides.

Supply is the smaller duct on the right in this picture, the gap looks much larger than it is in the pic, on average about 3/4 spacing.


texts: Fixing a 1920 row house - hardfloor cupping/buckle/warpping

texts: So today my wife noticed the new floor (3 weeks installed) has a funny feel in one spot.  I noticed a few wood panels look warped and cupped   particularly in one area.  What causes that and how to correct it. ?


texts: What type of insulation/sheathing material is this?

texts:
I have a house that was originally built in Chicago in 1954 that had an addition put on in the 90's.  The original roof and part of the original exterior was built over is now visible in the attic of the addition.  This is a picture looking at the back of one of the original walls, it may have been an exterior wall.  I'm not sure if this was sheathing or insulation.  Notice there are white strings running through the material and it's uneven, almost like tree bark.  The gray on the right of the photo is the exterior, which is brick.
Any idea what this material is?


texts: High or low speed for Dremel cut-off wheels?

texts:
When using a cut-off wheel for a Dremel or similar tool, should I be running the Dremel at high speed (high RPMs) or low?

I don't know that the application matters, but I'm cutting a bunch of bolts.  I want a decent job, but I'm not worried about aesthetics.  I guess I'm mainly interested in the long-term health of the cut-off wheels (though, of course, long-term for an abrasive wheel is pretty short).


texts:
I own a home built in 2003.  The laundry room is in the middle of the house, but also adjacent to the garage, I live in Florida.

The dryer venting system is close to the floor, turns, 90 degrees, goes straight up, and into the attic.  In the attic it does a 45 degree bed and travels directly to the roof.  The vent is somewhere between 18 and 20 feet long.

I have had a long history of dryers lasting only a short time.  I typically get about 2-3 years out of a dryer.  The last dryer that died, I took apart and the dryer had all kinds of lint on the internal parts.  My prejudice is that since the vent does not work very well, the lint gets blown back into the dryer, and kills it.

BTW, I regularly clean the dryer vent with one of those brush, drill and extension flexible pole things.  I clean it about every 6 months and just did it the other day.

So my current dryer is acting up.  When vented to the duct, clothes will dry after about 4 or 5 70 minute cycles.  When I vent directly into the garage, the clothes dry in about 50 mins.  (This is done by running the flexible hose from the dryer through a door open to the garage.)

What can be done here?  Should I redo the duct through the roof?  Should I pursue venting directly into the garage?  Who is qualified to do this kind of work?  I don't think I can pull this one off myself.

Again, we live in Florida so it has not been bad leaving the door to the garage open as it has been pretty cool, but in the summer this would stress our AC unit and run up our electric bill.


texts:
I am plumbing a small bathroom. The total number of supply lines is five -- shower (hot and cold), sink (hot and cold) and toilet.
I want to place hammer arrestors but I'm not sure if I need 5 hammer arrestors, or if I can just place two for the sink, or if I should place them as the pipes enter the room, and protect the whole room that way.
All the diagrams on the internet indicate placement as close as possible to the faucet.
The total length of pipe from where the pipe enters the room until the furthest faucet is only about 10 feet. Total including verticals.
I'm attaching my poorly drawn sketch of the plumbing. The arrestors are "orange". Should they g near each tap or can they go as the pipes enter the room?


texts: cannot get last radiator on the line to heat up

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All radiators but one are toasty. The cold one is up on the second floor, and is the last one on the line, farthest from the boiler.

It has been bled of air. It shoots out a thin stream of (cold) water in a small arc when the bleed valve is opened.

There is a supply main and a return main (black iron pipe from the 1940s).

Boiler is cutting off as expected at about 188F, with pressure reaching ~21psi.

The expansion tank is empty. It rings hollow. (I know from firsthand experience the dull sound of one whose bladder has failed so that the tank is full.)

This radiator was working fine until we lost electrical power a couple of weeks ago after a storm, and so the boiler was non-functioning for 24 hours. I thought perhaps the line had become frozen, but wouldn't the small arc of water from the valve indicate that there is no blockage?

EDIT: On the cold radiator in the new room, there is a shutoff valve on both the return and the supply. There's an arc of water from the bleed vent when supply is open and return is shut, and when the supply is closed and return is open (and of course when they're both open).  But the water is cold even when the boiler is firing and the circulating pump is on and the system temp has reached 185F and about 22psi.


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Hello everyone! Need some help here (trying to help a family member) They recently purchased a home that has a furnace and AC ( with central air) in each room there at these honeywell thermostats. Doing some research, I believe they control some baseboard heating element.

Issue: I can not locate any baseboard heating in any of the rooms. No previous holes in the room or markings anywhere. Each room has normal outlets and no signs of another heating source (except the air vent for the central unit)

does anyone have any clue what this knob controls?
Thank you!!


texts: How do I determine what size the outlet should be on a new shut off valve?

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I'm going to be replacing several shut off valves throughout my home.  They are a very old type where the supply line is part of the shut off valve, not it's own separate entity.

I've done this once before for a toilet with great success.  Thankfully, the supply line included with the new toilet told me what the outlet size should be on the new shut off valve.

The shut off valves I'm going to be replacing are under bathroom sinks.  What is the traditional shut off valve outlet size for that?  1/2" 3/8" 1/4"?  Does it really matter?


texts: Looking for a practical way to find the metal posts locations in finished walls

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I am looking for a practical way to find metal posts location in a finished basement walls or finished ground floor walls. I am trying to understand how my house was built. I would like to remove a wall to make an open concept kitchen & living.(pictures below). Cathedral ceiling in the living might be an option

How do I find out where the steel posts are located?
The same question goes for any horizontal steel beam that might be installed in a house.
My house is a bungalow, rectangular shape (25'x47')
The trusses look like this:

Apparently the roof sits on the exterior walls only but I suspect that there must be some bearing beam on the ground floor

Here is where I am driving with this investigation

The diagram was created when I did not have access to the house, but now I know what the trusses are like.


texts: I've got a Dremel 4000 tool and its motor brushes ran out today. I was wondering if I can still use it without the brushes until I've got a replacement?


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I found a water leak behind my refrigerator.  It was about 3 feet wide a 1 foot high.  I pulled the drywall and I'm running a blower and dehumidifier in the kitchen.
The studs have some mold on them.  Is there a commercial product that I should use to clean the studs?  Should I just spray it on, or should I wipe or scrub it?  I've seen others paint the studs when treating.  Is this a special paint?


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Seeking some help.  Breaker is fine.  Other outlets on same circuit working.  Everything downstream of light switch is not working.  Light switch appears fine.  Back stabber outlets not working, neutral to ground is live, hot to ground is live, neutral to hot is not.

Also note, was  using space heater.  Popped the breaker the first time.  Then after flipped the tripped circuit back on, the outlet the heater was plugged into plus the 6 outlets upstream of it to the light switch that powers them stopped working.  Help.


texts: I have separate wall switches to control fan and light, both black, white, ground (no red).  What are my connections to the ceiling fan/light


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In the home my wife and I recently purchased, I noticed more and more dirt pouring out of one side of our retaining wall surrounding our driveway. It occurs right at the seam where the retaining wall meets the rest of the house

I'm not sure if a squirrel might be digging in there, if the rain is washing it out, or what.

Is this any cause for concern? Should I take any action to prevent / fix this? Is it indicative of any deeper problems?

If it helps, here's an image of the top of the retaining wall, looking down into the driveway


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The son of a friend of a friend dragged a chair with an unprotected bottom across the length of our living room (about 20 feet) leaving highly noticeable but very very shallow scratches on the floor.

We live in a rental flat --- so short of a major project that would require the landlord's approval, is there anyway to minimize the appearance of this damage to the floor?


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I am considering getting a soaking tub (pdf here) for my second floor master bathroom. However, I am unsure of how much weight the floor and walls below can support.

The house itself is wood frame pier and beam, built in 1885, with an addition in 1941. The bathroom is roughly 8 ft by 9 ft, and straddles the line between the two, 4 ft in the 1885 half, 4 ft in the 1941 half. The room has 2x10 joists running long-ways under a double layer of 3/4 inch tongue-and-groove subfloor, with an easily accessible 3 ft space underneath (installing the plumbing will be easy!). The walls of the 1941 half are 2x4s at roughly 16 inch spacing, and the walls of the 1885 half has 4x4s at 24in spacing. The 8 ft sides are both exterior walls, and the 9 ft sides are both interior. The 1941 9 ft wall spans a room, otherwise all the walls continue down to the foundation. As far as I can tell, there is no sign of rot, water, or insect damage.

The new bathtub will sit in the corner, with the long edge against the 9 ft side of the 1941 half. It's a two person tub with an "average fill" of 75 gallons, though by my calculations it could hold almost twice that. It will be half-sunk into the floor, with three 9 ft long 2x10 joists supporting it underneath and two 9 ft 2x10 joists (under the floor) holding up the frame. The upper and lower joists rest on top of 2x10s that are directly attached to the outside walls. The upper and one of the lower joists are part of the original 1885 building; the others are new lumber.

I want to make sure that what I'm doing is not only safe, but would pass a building inspection; I don't want to spend a lot of time and money drawing up plans and applying for permits if I don't have a hope of succeeding. Will my floor hold the tub with ample safety margins?


texts: How do I caulk shower edges with the same color as my grout?

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I've used a tan colored grout between my shower tiles. I've noticed that the edges of the shower have already cracked after 1 week. To prevent cracking, many people on the Internet suggest caulking the perpendicular edges instead of grouting. The company that made my grout also makes caulk with an exact color match. When I looked at the fine print on their caulk, I saw "do not use in areas with constant water exposure". So what are my other options to have a color-matched caulk that can also withstand constant water exposure?

My grout is Sahara Tan colored:

The company also sells a Sahara Tan caulk:


texts:
While I was at work today I had a power outage in one of my rooms. I know because I had multiple computers in there that were off for several minutes(fully booted back up in 14 minutes), but the computer in my bedroom did not shut off.

I would like to find out why this happened. Is it possible that a fuse is going bad, but has not completely blown? The fuse is warm to the touch from all the power I'm drawing in that room.

I also tried gently flicking the fuse with my finger(in case the metal strip inside was starting to come off) but the power remained running.


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I have a room over an attached garage which gets much colder than the rest of the rooms. I think there is no insulation in the garage ceiling (I haven’t checked it yet). I saw some suggestions online and some of them mention taking the drywall off and using spray foam. I do not want to go that route since it will be costly option.

What I am thinking of doing is have someone use blown in insulation in the garage ceiling or take down the drywall and put the foam board between the joists, then seal it with spray foam from a can, and then put batt style insulation and put the drywall back and finish it. Is this still a good option?


texts: Run additional wire from junction box to existing light switch?

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I would like to replace an existing analog light switch with a wireless one.  The new switch requires a neutral electrical connection to work.  There is no neutral connection at the existing switch, only two wires: live and switched-live.  Would it be possible to string an additional wire through the stucco wall with the use of, say, a snake used for opening clogged drains?

The junction box is located about three feet (almost) directly above where the switch is in the wall.

Also: the existing wires are stiff copper ones.  Can I use a more flexible kind of wire for the new neutral connection?  Specifically, can a wire be capable of carrying high current, yet be flexible at the same time?


texts: Small electric water heater below sink to get instant hot water?

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There is quite long pipe going from the gas water heater to our kitchen sink. This means that there is a delay before hot water actually becomes hot, especially in winter months.

Now I saw that there are mini electric heaters that are quite affordable (in the 100-200USD range). Some come with small tank (120V) and some are tankless (240V). I am thinking of putting such electric heater below the kitchen sink in series with the gas heater.

Would using such "heaters in series" setup be a good idea to get instantenously hot water at the kitchen sink?
If yes, What would be pros and cons of going tankless?
Would the electric heater be able to correctly adjust output water temperature (because the inlet temperature will increase once the cooled water from pipes is drained).


texts: How to detach this faucet sprayer? Photos included

texts: I want to install an extra add on to the sprinkler head, but I'm not sure how do I detach this?


texts: How can I stop water from coming in through a crack near the top of my bulkhead wall?

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I have a bulkhead entrance to my basement.  The bulkhead walls are mostly fine, with the exception being near the top.  The top 6 or 8 inches or so of the walls are constructed of what appear to be cement bricks (or something similar).  The metal doors are attached to these bricks, and the bricks are somehow adhered to the walls below.  The bricks are covered in some sort of mortar or cement, and I wouldn't even have realized they were distinct from the poured wall if some of the mortar/cement fill hadn't started to chip away.

What has resulted is a situation where, if you look at the bulkhead walls from the inside, you can see a horizontal crack ~6-8" below the top of the wall.  When it rains, some water seeps through this crack and accumulates in the bulkhead.  (ground level is approx 2 inches below the very top of what you see)

Here's a close-up of the top left corner.

Finally, a shot of the "bricks" on the right side of the stairs in a place where it's not leaking, just to show how they are attached to wall.

I am going to try putting some hydraulic cement along the crack on the inside.  However, I am wondering what else you might suggest?

I was thinking of digging up a foot or so of the soil around the perimeter of the wall, and replacing it with gravel to help water quickly flow below the level of the crack.  Would that help?


texts: Why does my bath faucet drip for a few minutes after it's shut off?

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I have a traditional two handled (one hot and one cold and they are separate) bath faucet. I recently had it reseated and the washers replaced, however, what I noticed was that immediately after shut off, there is still water coming out of the faucet, but slowly after a 3-5 minutes there eventually will not be any water dripping out of the faucet. All my other faucets in the bathroom do not drip at all immediately after shut off. I can't figure out why. I really want to understand if this is normal or whether this is fixable. It's annoying to me now because every time I use the bath I tend to stare at the faucet until it stops dripping.

This picture looks very similar to my bath faucet.


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Google is useless. I can't believe I am the only one out there looking for this solution. I want to be able to open and close my home and truck doors, normally as in manually with my hands, but I also want to be able to CLOSE (only) the door with a fob or a remote. Several car companies offer this, auto open and close rear hatches that can also be used normally. Linear actuators wont work, they offer automation only, and manual actuation would ruin the motors.
How is this done? All I need is to install it myself.


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My city (Redmond, WA) enforces the 2015 International Residential Code, but I could not find any requirements around distances of downspout and/or sump pump drainage from property lines. Perhaps I'm not searching on the right nomenclature.

What is the minimum distance from property line water can be drained? Does it differ for downspouts and sump pumps?

Please refrain from sharing recommended distances. I'm looking for the code.


texts: Difference between interior and exterior headers

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This appears to be a great site for calculating header and beam requirements:
http://learnframing.com/wood-beam-calculator/
But it distinguishes between interior and exterior beams -- and the results are very different.
I am adding an addition to my one-story house. I am knocking a 10' wide door between the existing building and the addition. This door is going into the existing "exterior" wall. But when things are finished it will be in an "interior" wall. I have calculated the weight, and added the weight of the new roof to the existing. But I can't understand the tool's differences for interior vs exterior and hence not sure which to use.


texts: How can find out the right paint to handle this unpainted gap?

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I have recently got someone to fix the fencing of a deck. As you can see circled in the attached photo, there are some surface area not covered by the green paint.

I have no idea of either the name or the code of the green colour.

How can I fix this problem?


texts: Had kitchen cabinets repainted, new paint pulling off like rubber

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Elaborating on the title:

I hired a licensed and bonded painter to repaint my kitchen. Two days after he finished the job I noticed a small patch of paint came up (very easily) after my fingernail brushed against it while opening a cabinet. Then I noticed a nickel-sized patch that had been rubbed off where two cabinet doors rub together when closed. These little imperfections have happened in a few other spots.

I know he painted the kitchen with a semi-gloss latex, but I’m unsure of what the original coat was, although I suspect it was oil. He’s coming by this week to see what’s going on. But in the meantime I’m curious about the root cause and would like to educate myself on the solution so I can be comfortable with his.

Assuming it was oil he painted over, would the new latex paint need to be stripped off completely before repainting? Or is there a way to avoid that?

And FWIW I think the prep-work was probably “shortcutted”, hence the poor adhesion. Thanks!!


texts: Is it OK to use 1/4" OSB over a standard subfloor before installing 3/4" hardwood on top?

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I'm planning to install a hardwood floor to butt up against ceramic tile.  The tile looks like it will be 1/4" proud to the wood.  Can I install 1/4" OSB over the subfloor, then the paper, then the Oak Flooring?
Any problems long term?


texts: House about 15 years old. Upstairs bath has light switch (ceiling and 4 bulb over vanity) , exhaust fan switch and two GFCI plugs either side of vanity. Flipping the light switch trips the breakers - both. The lights over the vanity have been burning out frequently over past 6 months. Exhaust fan does not trip and any and all appliances plugged in do not trip. The light switch trips and then I took out all bulbs and it still trips. I replaced the switch and it still is the same. What should I check next? I'm thinking one of the fixtures, either ceiling or vanity must have a problem. Any other thoughts or confirmation would be appreciated - what to look for?


texts: How do you match depth of already installed trim?

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One of the harder things I have come across when buying houses is making some of the poor craftsmanship, look at least OK.  One of the things that keep popping up is when floor trim (and actually this house here has exterior trim work with same issue) does not match up.  It has 6 inch trim and they met this trim in the corners with a taller trim that presumably should be the same depth - I understand that some stick out for effect but this isn't it.

So I have a piece of trim about 1/16 deeper than the piece right next to it.  It looks like they had sanded it down in the past and added some spackle to smooth out the transition but that wore off I guess.

Is this something that I just have to sand down?  Is there some that works faster or better?  I thought about using a planer but not sure how well I would do with a 2 inch planer and 6 inch piece.


texts:
I have an oil fired boiler (baseboard) that also heats my hot water.  The hot water has a line from the cold supply to feed the system then it circulates through the boiler and into a tank for storage.

I've noticed in the summertime, I get a lot of hot water in the cold lines.  When I run the cold tap and it comes out hot, it goes back to cold in 30 seconds or so.

What I'm suspecting is that the pressure on the supply line is dropping here and there throughout the day; lots of irrigation around here and backflow prevention on the supply line.  When the supply pressure drops, the hot water backs into the cold system through the line that feeds new water into the hot system.  When I open the cold valve, it flushes that hot water through the lines and pressure is restored.

This is just my theory right now, maybe there's something more sinister going on; but I've noticed as the summer wears down this problem goes away - in the winter this never happens.

The line that adds cold water into the hot water system is just a straight pipe off of the supply; could I remediate this problem with a check valve on that line?

I've been close to just adding a check valve blindly to see if it does the trick, but then stopped.  I think my hesitation is that if this is actually a problem with the pressure in the hot system (not lack of pressure in the cold system) a check valve would bottle that pressure up and could cause bigger problems.

Anyone here dealt with a similar situation?  Is my hypothesis even possible?  Can summertime irrigation cause enough pressure drop for hot-water to back into the cold line?

Thanks,

Matty


texts: Would drilling a small hole through joist / sole plate cause structural problems?

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New home owner. I need to wire some ethernet and coax across the basement up into to the first floor wall. The perimeter wall is cinderblock, it is a twin and this is the shared wall. It looks framed. I believe I would want to go up through the sole plate? of the framed wall but there are two joists that run lengthwise across the basement that I can't get through very easily, there is a very little crack in the back of it I can scope up and can see what I believe is the first floor and not the sole plate.

Can I drill an angled hole through these joists and up into the wall behind the drywall or should I be worried about the structural integrity? Can I reinforce them? Looking for options.

Thanks


texts: I soldered 2 AAA batteries together in series but am not getting double voltage

texts:
I'm sure this is rudimentary, but I'm very inexperienced in anything practical with electronics. Would like to try to get a 3volt battery go run some LEDs. I thought I could just take two AAA batteries (1.5v each) and wire them in series to get approximately 3v.

So using some tape and solder I ran a (green) wire from the butt terminal of one battery to the head of the other:

However, when I try to test the voltage, I do not get what I expected

I thought hooking batteries together in series should double the voltage? What am I missing?


texts: How can I temporarily support a PVC pipe in use as a delivery mechanism?

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I would like to use a PVC pipe to send candy to kids 10 feet from the door on Halloween. I'd put candy in the high end and it would come out the low end into the kid's candy bag. I could use help in figuring out a way to mount such a pipe without having the benefit of a railing to attach it to. I will need a free-standing solution.
I am going to need something to hold up the high end of the pipe about 5 to 6 feet and something to hold up the low end of the pipe about 3 feet. Whatever I end up with needs to be sturdy enough to not get easily knocked over, and cheap and easy to setup or quick to build. I plan to give out those Palmers chocolate eyeballs so they roll down the tube easily. I might even mount a giant eyeball on the low end of the tube so the chocolate eyeballs pop out of the pupil!
Any suggestions for what to mount the pipe on would be greatly appreciated. I'm thinking a 10 foot pipe with a 4-inch diameter.


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My house has mostly AC/BX wiring.  I have added a light to an existing lighting circuit and pulled #12 Romex into an existing metal box. Problem is, this box has no 1/2" or standard size knockouts. It has only the smaller AC knockouts.  I need a snap-in cable clamp to properly ensure my non-metallic insulation doesn't get cut on the metla box opening.

I feel like this would be a nornal request but the folks at home Depot looked at me like I was speaking a different language.  I did find some 3/8" push-in cable clamps but they still looked to big.

Thanks!


texts: How should I apply ambient air temperature ampacity correction factors when exact temperature is unknown?

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Is there a good method or rule of thumb for determining ambient air temperature for wire runs through non-climate controlled areas in residential applications (e.g. attics -- I've read literature from the Copper Development Association that attics can get anywhere from 30 degrees to 50 degrees hotter than outdoor air temperature)? There seem to be so many different factors that it would be difficult to get right unless the area is climate-controlled.

The NEC does not seem to give any guidance on how to determine ambient air temperature for use in applying ambient air ampacity correction factors (e.g. Table 310.15(B)(2)(a)):


texts: Need help building a ceiling lamp (LED Pin-socket Bulbs to mains)

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I have tried my best to gain as much information as possible, but I am mostly stuck at the connection part.

To start with here is the goal of my DIY project:

Now here is what all I have bought/acquired,etc:

Ceiling lamp socket + clothed wiring (that should go from the socket to the lamp)
Extra clothed wiring - has 3 wires inside (3 metres)
Light Bulbs - 5W G4 AC230V. Here is a description and I have translated from German in black

The microphones - Got some cheap microphones and emptied them of all "audio
components". Dimensions are approximate - 60cm x 45cm x 45cm. The cases
where the lights are planned to be installed are made of hard-plastic.
I do plan to buy a fuse. 3 bulbs * 5W/230V = 0.06 A. Am I doing this right?

Important Information: I live in Munich, Germany. Voltage is 230 V

Now my questions

1. How do I connect these pin bulbs to the mains - any special holders? transformers, etc?

I mean the bulbs are meant to take AC directly so it does not look like the case with other LED lights where you need transformers for AC to DC. I could get different bulbs if needed too.

2. What amperage (if needed) should the fuse be?

3. The microphone shells are this hard plastic type. Should I do something about insulation so that the plastic does not melt or something?

All help will be appreciated! I want to hang these in my music studio.

I really want to go ahead with it though many a times I just think its too much work or might be a disaster. Also sorry but my electrical knowledge is all rusty. A few friends who have studied this stuff would eventually help - but they are not "ceiling-lamp-geniuses" so need help


texts: Can I reduce the width of a board half an inch by sanding?

texts: I am building a bed frame. Like a fool, I thought 2 x 4 lumber was actually 2 x 4 inches. Now I have a gap that is .5 inches too wide on either side of my frame. I'm wondering if there is a good fix for this without reordering more boards.


texts: What wire gauge is required for a 220V air compressor?

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I just bought a new stationary 5HP air compressor, and I need to know what wire gauge I should use for it. Relevant compressor details:

40 Amp draw
Magnetic starter
Length of run from power box to air compressor is 25 feet


texts: Why does my gas oven not ignite properly?

texts: I have a very old Magic Chef gas range. Every time I use the oven, I have to open the bottom drawer and fan air towards the pilot light at the back to get the flames going to heat up the oven. The pilot light does come on when I turn the oven temp. knob, it's that the long rows of flames do not light up unless I fan air into the bottom of the oven. What is the problem? Why do I have to fan it every time? And can this be fixed, or is the range just too old? Please help!


texts: Additional brick veneer to existing construction

texts: I am looking at a home that is a 2 story colonial. The first 10 feet or so from the ground is brick veneer (one row thick), and the upper story is vinyl. The vinyl is looking pretty bad. Is it possible, that since the foundation is obviously there for the first story brick, that I could remove the siding, and just continue the brick to the top?


texts: Installing 6-20R receptacle in the kitchen (Ontario)

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Was thinking of installing one in order to take advantage of 240V countertop appliances (i.e. a heavy-duty induction cooktop)

Are there any specific Canadian electrical code requirements for installing heavy-duty receptacles in your kitchen?


texts: Mounting pull up bar on cinder block wall

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So, I've read through a bunch of stuff online for mounting a pull up bar to a cinder block wall and before I go out and rent a hammer drill I want to see what would be the best anchor system for my specific scenario.

I plan to mount the bar in my garage. It is cinder blocks, but until I drill I'm not certain whether it is hollow or if the blocks are filled. In either case, it is a load bearing wall as on top is a cement slab, over top some sort of metal sheeting. I do have access to the other side of the cinder blocks both from the outside and the inside of the house, but would prefer not having something sticking out the other side if possible.

I'm not sure if I can just use 3/8 in. sleeve anchors, or if it would be better to mount some 2x8's vertically with cement screws and then bolt into those, or drill all the way through the wall and then bolt it through that way. I just want to make sure it is safe and secure for years to come.

I'm reasonably handy, but I've never really drilled and mounted into concrete and I know this is a somewhat special case due to the inconsistant force being applied.


texts: I need to install two breakers into my panel. My buddy already ran the two wires into the panel, but has kind of left me hanging. I've attached a picture of my panel and was going to copy what the builder did (home is 2 years old). It looks like I can use the same bar for both neutral & ground? Why do some breakers have 2 whites and that's it? Did they use a white as the hot? Why do some breakers just have 1 black? I'll be installing two Eaton All In One. These have the white pigtail. I'm assuming I just tie the ground in with another ground on the bar, use a new space for the neutral, run the hot/neutral to the breaker followed by the pigtail to the bar in a new space as well. Suggestions? Sound right?


texts: Does the NEC limit the maximum size of junction boxes?

texts:
In this question, the OP has constructed a large junction box out of several extension boxes attached to a "regular" junction box:

Is there any upper limit on the size of a junction box (either as-built, or expanded)?


texts: How Do I Plan for an Intrusion Detection System?

texts:
I would like to plan for an intrusion detection system in a home that is currently under construction.  The home has a walkout basement that is sloping, shown in the rear elevation picture shown below.

I've included an image outlining the major alarm system components to provide a clear reference when referring to different components.

I was planning on installing magnetic contacts (#7113) at each window on the basement, and first floor level.  I was planning on installing a garage door contact (#7456) on each garage door.  Also, recessed magnetic door contacts (not in component diagram) at each of the 3 first floor entry ways.

I'm planning on installing a keypad near the entry of the front door and the door coming in from the garage (#7508).

The security system itself will be installed in the basement, with 22/4 home-runs running from each window/door contact, and Cat6 from the keypads to the panel.

These are the main questions I have:

Should I install a keypad anywhere else?
Is it recommended to install window sensors on windows that are not accessible except by a ladder (2nd floor, and some windows on 1st floor)?
I need help on where, and how to install glass break sensors (#7356), if necessary and recommended.
Do you recommend motion detectors, and if so, where would you recommend them in the floor plan?
Where is the siren typically installed?
Any other considerations?

Note, that the elevation diagram is from the stock plan purchased from an architect, and the  other floor plans are something I put together to show some modifications made to the stock plan/window placements.

Thanks.

Basement

Main Floor

Second Floor

Rear Elevation


texts:
My house is missing a hose bibb at the front of the house, there are two all the way in the back of the house. To get water to the front of the house (for watering my lawn and washing my car), I have two garden hoses connected to the back to the front. Now I'm thinking of installing a hose bibb on the front of the house. I have existing 3/4" PVC pipe to the front of the house from the old HVAC. In the picture below is the pipe, lower right. It's been cut off when they installed my new HVAC:

This pipe connects to the outside. Originally this pipe removed water from the old HVAC:

Here's the water supply:

I was thinking to connect a water supply valve to the cut off pipe in the first image. Then running the line to the water supply at the top of the water heater (which goes out to the sprinkler system, also broken). Can any one please give me some advice about how to connect the pipe to the water supply. Thanks.


texts: One of my IC1004-WH Legrand ON-Q Inquire 1000 intercoms isn't working, is it possible a POE injector would help? It's a pretty long run, although other longer ones are working. It has worked somewhat in the past but gave a bad hum. Now it doesn't work at all. I have two different ones I've tried, with the same result. Circuit checker says I've got continuity all the way through but I know it might not be enough to carry a power signal.


texts: I am curious on how timer networks are used in Corridor Lighting systems and what components are used?


texts:
I wonder on what kinds of things the second, third and fourth bits from the left can work?

What kinds of things can the fifth and sixth bits from the left work?