texts: What types of tile require a wet tile saw?

texts:
I have tiled with all kind of tile in the past. When redoing my kitchen I custom ordered hand painted tiles to match the odd color of the granite. So I only had enough tiles for the project without breaking a single one. So I decided to split the two evils and rent a table saw. When everything was said and done I tried to manually cut one of the tiles to see if it could be done without chipping the finish. To my surprise it worked fine.

The question is this. Are there any guide lines for cutting tile without a table saw, and instead using a manual saw with a guide? For years I have cut plain white tile with a hand saw and I get perfect cuts every time, but for something like terracotta I get chips. Also are there any procedural steps that work better for some tiles than others, for instance when cutting a thick tile, I use a hack saw for the first cuts into the finish, then switch over to a true tile hand saw to handle the "meat" of the tile. In this way the finish and features on the tile remain unchipped.


texts: How do you store a magnetic base and a dial indicator to prolong their life and retain accuracy?

texts:
I'm getting into turning with a lathe, starting small with some decent-used tools from the local ebay(trademe) and some janky chinese-grade tools.  But I want to learn Best Practices.  Right now I have one mag base/noga-style arm, and one dial indicator, and one test indicator.

How should I store a magnetic base and a dial indicator to prolong their life and retain accuracy?

  A magnetic base.

These have a circular core which can rotate 90 degrees.  In the on position there's a solid magnetic field from the underside, to hold the base on a ferrous surface like a lathe, drill, mill, or similar Big Tool.   When off, there is minimal magnetic attraction so the unit can fall over, but it won't attract metal chips and filings.

do I store the mag base in the ON position, clamped to a metal surface?  Or do I store it OFF?
should the unit be vertical or horizontal or doesn't matter?
should I leave the dial indicator in the mag base permanently or return it to a shelf?

(mine are all sub $20 items, so the boxes aren't good for long-term storage.)


texts: How to attach quarter-round molding to the base of a shower stall

texts:
Looking to attach this quarter-round to the shower stall.
Should I glue and should there be a gap for caulk. Don’t think I can nail as concrete flooring below laminate. If gluing, should I glue to floor and caulk to stall or glue both? Worried about floor movement if glued to floor.


texts: How to transition between 2rooms when gap is wider than standard 2" " t molding strip laminate

texts: How can I transition between 2 rooms if gap is wider than standard 2"t molding strip for laminate floor? Looked for wider strip but could not find one.


texts: Should tiles of "stones" be removed from the backing?

texts:
We had a stone floor installed in our shower. The stones came on 1' x 1' "sheets". The installer kept the stones on the backing, and now you can clearly see lines in both directions where each 1' section meets.

I've seen other showers where the stones are randomly placed so they don't look like tiles.

Is it reasonable for me to have the installer re-do it, or is it normal for those tiles to be installed that way?

Here is a photo (ignore the wet part):


texts: Why are my recessed IC lights overheating?

texts:
I was sitting in my new home with dimmable recessed incandescent lights when I noticed one light fixture "click" off and then 10 minutes later click back on. Then the fixture on the other side of the room did the same thing. I put my hand on the ceiling next to a fixture and sure enough it seems quite warm.

OK, so they're overheating... but why?

One bulb is a 40W A19 bulb and the other looks like a 45W R20.
The fixtures are Elite B4IC-AT-W with B401W/WH trim, which the spec sheet says "Accommodates up to 50W PAR20, R20, and A19 lamps."

Are they installed incorrectly? Should I just replace them all with LED (or CFL) bulbs and not worry about it?


texts:
Here is a rough breakdown of the house in question:

A one floor home built in approx. 1960s or 1970s
A full basement, unfinished
A full attic with blown in insulation

I have been removing some bulkheads in the kitchen that look very similar to this:

I discovered a single, small run of 1.5" copper piping jutting out. The problem is that this copper pipe appears to go from the basement up to the attic for absolutely no reason.
This appears to be the waste water pipe, going directly up from the basement to beneath the kitchen sink - however, it seems to keep going up behind the wall.
The house has no history of dramatic changes or updates, certainly not anything involving a waste pipe being required in the attic.
The only clue is that almost all the copper water supply pipes in the house did something similar - supplying to the spot where they were needed, then running further up the wall a foot or so to be capped off. I believe this was a method for relieving excess water pressure. However, this pipe is a waste pipe, and seems to go much higher - all the way to the attic.
Does anyone know why a waste pipe might run much further up the wall than needed?


texts:
edit 12/30/2019:
- adding a picture of the vent stack above the subfloor and to the right a sink drain that has it's own vent that ties in
- there is a red plug in the T. where the trap from the shower drain will connect. This was a tub being converted to a shower with a tile floor, hence the desire to reinforce the subfloor

I need to drop the bathroom subfloor level to the tops of the joists by sistering joists onto the existing joists dropped by 3/4". The black cast iron sewer pipe in this picture has a threaded T that you can't see, but is interconnected with no-hub couplings right now and is capped with threaded steel pipe and a pipe cap. All of this is fine, but I want to drop it down about an inch to put in a plywood subfloor.

My thoughts are to convert that whole section to black ABS sewer pipe, assuming that the process may allow me to drop that T down the inch that I need. Before I hit the pipe fitting aisle at home depot, I thought I would run it by here and see if anyone had any ideas about this. thx


texts: Water coming from the cistern is not capable of flushing the commode?

texts: Its been months now that our water pressure is not enough to fully flush the commode, every time it must be filled manually or wait until it fills for the second time for a complete flush out.


texts: Wiring Kitchen Lights: 6 lights a 3 way switch with 1 light within the 6 being controlled by another switch

texts:
I am remodeling my kitchen and changing the light configuration. Currently I have one large light for the full kitchen controlled by two switches and another light over the sink controlled by a different switch on a completely different circuit I believe.
I would like to change this so that I have 6 LED recessed lights that light the full kitchen via the two switches and have 1 light of the 6 controlled by the switch over the sink. My question: can this be done in general and if so what would the wiring diagram look like? Thanks.


texts: What are these small things on my laundry room wall?

texts: I'd like to install a floating shelf here. I guess I should remove these. But I want to understand what these small things are and make sure I won't regret removing them.


texts:
I’m finishing up a deck build.

Steps from lower deck to upper deck are 60 inches wide with 7” rise per step. Total rise is 28”

I wonder if is adequate to place a single hand rail in the center of the steps. Some have a preference for right hand rail others for a left handrail.
Center handrail seems to satisfy both.

Am I overlooking any potential issues with my plan to use only a center rail?


texts: well system pressure stops after a couple minutes

texts:
We had a new well tank installed a year ago. We hoped that water pressure will improve.  Recently, I have noticed that pressure will start then stop for several seconds and return.  Tank pressure is within the required range.

We have no filters on our system. Could that be an issue?   We recently moved in our house. Water pressure stinks even with new tank.  Can we clean /purge and add a filter pre storage tank? What is the standard protocol?  I am very handy and  capable of doing basic repairs.

I would love to improve the water pressure, but mainly provide basic constant pressure.  Thank you for any help that you can extend.


texts: How do I install this knee brace to my pergola post?

texts:
I have built a 7' x 13' pergola over my deck and have a slight wobble, so I intend to install some knee braces.  Each post has two pairs of perpendicular beams stretching to the adjacent posts.  For the brace-beam connection, a simple through bolt will be easy to do.  But what's the best way to secure the brace-post connection ?

I was hoping to use a through bolt here too, but can't figure out how to create a surface to hold a washer to the angled face of the brace.  Any suggestions?


texts: Do I really need dedicated 20 amp circuit?

texts:
Am installing a sauna and manufacturer says it needs 20 amp dedicated circuit or the warranty is voided.
My question is that since I already have 20 amp shared circuit, so long as I don’t plug anything else in that circuit is this okay ?  The manufacturer says that is not okay but I’m doubtful about what they say.  Seems to me they may not trust people when they say they won’t plug anything else into the circuit.


texts: Lifting mechanism for height adjustable sitting standing desk

texts:
I have put together a sitting standing desk and all but one part works. The bit I would like some advice on is how to dynamically raise the keyboard/mouse surface to switch between ergonomic standing and sitting workstation heights.

It is very important for use that this height adjustment can be done very easily,
essentially in one move, and definitely without requiring any unscrewing and without needing any kind of tool use.
At the same time, I'm not looking for an electrically powered lift, but a mechanical manual design.
and the keyboard and mouse need to stay flat horizontal throughout the raise

A)
I have a solution in mind, but the current issue I have is I do not know how the component I am looking for is called :) So I cannot search for it or order it, which I would like to do. It is a metal component, one of which is attached to each side of the keyboard surface, but explaining it with words is not easy, so I made a video showing the component made out of Lego

https://www.dropbox.com/s/8aj37nav7umwp9t/2015-07-10%2012.57.25.mov?dl=0

Do you know what this kind of component is called? Or even better, where such components are sold?

B) Maybe there is a better dynamic mechanical solution? Maybe this component will not hold, although I'm sure I have seen it somewhere working?

P.S.
What I have is not actually a desk as such

but a shelving unit based on http://www.shelfstore.co.uk/thesystem.asp
And the keyboard surface is actually a shelf on a slide http://www.shelfstore.co.uk/component_details.asp?component_type_id=46&submit_action=component_find
And it has shelves above the keyboard surface to hold the computer displays
and can provide support from either above or on the sides if needed (unlike a desk)

P.P.S.
This question is related in general aim to this one How do I make a height adjustable desk?
but my question is a bit more specific and has design constraints in mind.


texts: Roofing shingle replacement: Hand nailing vs nail-gun

texts:
I live in the North East.

Architectural asphalt shingles (whatever those are) need replacement or might last 4 more years depending on who I talk to.

One roofer tells me hand nailing is what he does.  He says nail-gun is how other roofers cheap out.

Is hand nailing a roof the sign of quality work?


texts: Ungrounded outlet indicates grounded when an UPS is plugged in

texts:
I moved into an old apartment that has a mix of grounded, ungrounded, and GFCI ungrounded outlets. My computer is plugged into an ungrounded GFCI outlet. Plugging in a tester indicates open ground. But when i plug in my uninterruptible power supply (opti ups 1000c) the tester indicates "normal". I'm wondering what's causing the tester to indicate ground. Is this safe the way it is? Is the setup still capable of protecting my equipment without real ground?

Edit: to clarify, the tester alone plugged into the outlet indicates open ground. When I plug the UPS into the remaining outlet, without touching the tester, the tester indicates normal.


texts:
I have the Lutron Maestro 2 Sensor Switch. As seen in the picture, it has a ground and 2 black wires.

My junction box has black and white, and is a metal junction fully grounded. Im not sure what I do with the second black wire on the switch.

Update:

@manassehkatz pointed out that the wiring was most likely a switch loop, where the installer just used the black/white for the hot and the switch-hot, therefore confusing my insanely newb brain when an unmarked white was being used for the return hot from the light.

THANK YOU


texts: Can I get a wireless boiler enable signal?

texts:
I have wireless thermostats which are connected to my wiring centre which controls the pump and valves for the underfloor heating downstairs. On my wiring centre I have a boiler enable signal, which I plan to route up two stories to where my thermal store is located. Routing a wire all this way is quite a task, as the rooms have all been decorated and flooring is down and so on.

As I already have wireless thermostats (to make positioning them easier), I went looking for a wireless boiler enable signal type of device. But I cannot find anything of the sort. Wireless thermostats appear to be the only wireless item when looking at heating. Am I just looking in the wrong place, or would I be better off putting something together myself?


texts: How to install tile over area with no drywall

texts: Plumbers made a mistake by placing a mixer vertically when it was supposed to be horizontal. I had to remove 3 tiles and some cement board in order to the mixer. Now what everything has been positioned properly, there is no base to install the tile onto. What can I use to create a base for tile installation? Foam?


texts: Can't remove single handle shower handle

texts: I have a Delta Monitor Multichoice 13/14. Removed the hex screw but handle will still not come off. I tried all kinds of twisting and banging on it. Some people suggested rotating the handle past 180 degrees which i tried with some light force but do not want to break the assembly at the same time. Is there something I'm missing or are the pieces most likely corroded together? I'm assuming they were not glued together.


texts: RG6 vs RG11 - conductor size and connections

texts:
I depend on an OTA antenna for all my TV programming.  From the antenna, there is coax going to the outside part of a signal booster, then coax going down into the ground, through my foundation wall, into the crawlspace, where it connects to the inside part of the signal booster.  From there it goes about 40', through the crawlspace, up inside a wall, to a faceplate where it connects to a female coax connector.  On the other side, the cable goes to a splitter and into two HDHomeRun quad tuners.

Originally all the coax was RG6, but I changed it to RG11 last fall.  This spring, on hot days, I would lose the TV signals until in the evening when things cooled down and I could get a signal back.  I talked with a tech where I got my antenna and he said they've seen this before, with RG11.  The conductor is larger than the conductor in RG6 and stretches the connectors.  They sent me a new antenna (at no cost).

He said a big issue (that they've seen before) is that the RG11 conductor is notably thicker than the conductor in RG6, so it tends to expand the female connectors to the point where the connection is not as solid.  He said that if I have RG11 in place, it helps to use short RG6 cables to connect to my devices so the connectors in the devices aren't ruined.

I do have a few components with female connectors that have had RG11 cables in them.  If that's stretched out the connectors, what do I do if I need to connect some RG6 to them now?  Can I do something like insert some aluminum foil to fill the gap and provide a better connection?ler conductor where it connects to the booster.

I'm open to other ideas about whether to use RG11 or RG6, but with some of the weaker TV signals, I got better signal strength in the house when I upgraded to RG11, so I don't want to just replace all the RG11 with RG6, but I'm worried about this issue of the RG11 having stretched connectors on some of my components.

Are there other things I should be considering to deal with the issue of smaller RG6 conductors in stretched female connectors?


texts: What kind of fastener do I need to attach this securely to the studs in my garage?

texts:
So, my wife bought my daughter a "Home Gym Yoga Hammock" which is basically a large swing that she'll do exercises in.  The intention is to hang it from my garage studs so she has a place to work out; she's a dancer and her normal routines have been badly disrupted by the studio closure due to social distancing needs.

However, the installation video shows how to install it in concrete, and then cuts off right as it's about to cover how to install it to wood (sheesh...).  The included hardware is, I believe, concrete fasteners, and it's my understanding that they won't be durable if I try to insert them into wood studs - certainly not for my daughter's weight while she's exercising.  Of course if they come loose she could get badly hurt, so I need to get this 100% right.  She's 5'8" and essentially fully-grown, so don't think "only supporting a child's weight".

Here's a picture of the mounting plate, and two of the bolts (one assembled, one disassembled) that came with it.

What kind of fastener do I need to properly secure this to my garage rafters?  Edit: note that my garage has a drywall ceiling on it, so I’ll need to pierce the drywall and drive into the studs.


texts: Can I replace a 30A breaker in my panel with a 50A breaker (and new wiring)?

texts:
I need to add a 50 amp breaker to be used to supply a plug for EV charging.  My current panel is maxed out of spaces, however I do have a 30A breaker that is used for our Dryer that isn't currently being used as we have a LP gas dryer.
Is it safe to remove the current 30A breaker and replace with a 50A breaker?  Obviously there will be newer wires with the proper gauge running from the Nema outlet to the 50A breaker.  Assuming this is doable, what should be done with the Dryer wires that used to hook up to the 30A breaker?
Thanks,
Phil


texts:
I'm planning to build a bed-side table and wish to build it with gently curved legs. I'm planning to recycle wood some old hardwood doors by cutting the blocks out with a circular saw, then cutting the curve in with a jigsaw.

Now the questions:
Do I need a planer with a curved base to get a nice finish on the curve? Will a manual planer work best in this case? Power planers with a curved base seem pretty rare.

In order to keep the legs strong, do I need to ensure that the centre part of the leg runs from the top to the bottom of the leg without being cut?

BTW: my chippie skills are so-so. I've build simple furniture-like things before, but pretty simple ones.


texts: One of our two toilets keeps running (septic system); both toilets have black sediment (sand-like) in toilets and tanks and slightly gray water. The toilet closest to drain field keeps running (has 3-mo old flush valve, 3-mo old toilet) and the septic system and drain field were recently serviced. Please help!


texts:
My washing machine started to emit a very strong ammonia-odor.
I googled around and seems that this happens when doing laundry at low temperatures.
I do my laundry at 40 degrees (can't even remember last time I did at 60).
I did 2-3 runs without any clothes at 95 degrees.
The odor decreased a lot but still needs more so that it smells fresh.
Can I use vinegar or some other trick to make the odor go away faster?


texts: Why won't the GFCI-protected devices in my kitchen work even though they seem to have power?

texts: I have a GFCI receptacle that will not reset, and all of the switches -- which are to my garbage disposal, dishwasher, and over-sink light -- will not work. I checked it with a voltage detector after shutting the power off and I still had live wires. How do I get this resolved?


texts:
I've been in my new house for a few months now, and I end up plunging one of our two toilets about once a week - they tend to swap turns on which one gets to be finicky each week. Is there a more serious cause behind this, or do I just have 'crappy' (hehe) toilets? I don't know if it could be an issue with my septic system. The previous owners weren't too into home repair, so I have no idea if it's ever been pumped, but the house is only 7 years old.

While I have managed to refine my plunging technique to an art, I'd appreciate any advice that will let me take a break.


texts: Does Mineral spirit make for good wood Pre-Conditioner?

texts:
I was at the HomeDepot the other day and was informed that I could pre-Condition wood using Mineral spirit. However, this is the information came from the very same person who told me that I could use Mineral Spirit to clean dried stain from my wood project, but after pouring a gallon of the substance on my project with no result, I realized that the guy probably does not know much of this stuff.
 Before this I had been using MinWax Pre-Conditioner and noticed how quickly one runs out of those and has to head back for more. I have a gallon of mineral spirit that could come in handy and wanted to know from those here is Mineral Spirit can in fact do the same job the MinWax Pre-Conditioner does, and seems to do well?


texts: Garbage disposal problem -- do i need to replace?

texts:
My garbage disposal (2008 InSinkErator Evolution Compact) started leaking today because the rubber of this part that connects to the tail pipe split open. I pulled it off and noticed this on the inside of the disposal. I know nothing about disposals, but that doesn't look right to me -- so before I go through the effort of trying to fix it, is this the sign of a greater problem and should I be replacing the entire disposal?

This is the first issue I've had with the disposal in the 2+ years I've owned the house -- so will cleaning it up and replacing the part be enough? More photos of disposal here.


texts: What's required to wire a repurposed cooktop in my shed?

texts: A friend gave me a stovetop that was separate from the oven which burnt out.The two pieces were inserted into cabinets .I want to hook up the stove top in my shed for cooking. Its the type that has all the knobs built into the top.The problem is that theres only two wires plus a bare ground coming out of it.How do I hook this up?


texts: Mice are getting in my house in a area of my home where I have ducts coming from the crawlspace through the floor up to our second floor and I would like to find a solution what can I use to seal off this entry point since ducts are flexible I can't think of anything that will bond subflooring to ducts


texts: Intermittent fan blower on heat, cool, and off

texts: Fan will run on odd time increment (6 seconds on, 1 min off, 2 hrs on , 3 min off, 20 sec on, 1 day off 12 hrs on etc....). Does this on heat, (satisfied stat) cool and stat turned off. Indicator lights normal. Clean filter. In summer and winter. No literature on this. 3 yrs old york. Very frustrating.  Have to turn off main power at times to stop it because sometimes it will run for days, then be off for days all the while the stat is off.


texts: What might be a good way to fix this damaged drywall(?)?

texts: I had 2 3M Command hooks on my wall. When I was removing the hooks, I damaged the wall, as you can see in the photos below. I wonder what might be an easy/good way to patch the damage. Thanks!


texts: Why does my electric oven present the option of 40A and 50A breakers?

texts:
The oven in question states 40A with 120/240 volts.

In the installation manual:

  This range is manufactured with the neutral terminal connected to the
  cabinet. Use a 3-wire, UL Listed. 40- or 50-amp power supply cord
  (pigtail) (see following Range Rating chart). If local codes do not
  permit ground through the neutral, use a 4-wire power supply cord
  rated at 250 volts, 40 or 50 amps and investigated for use with
  ranges.

To me this is saying a minimum of 40A cable but can use 50A.

If I install a 40A then how much safety buffer is included? Is there a safety factor built into the stated slide in oven 40A rating? i.e. it will only pull up to a certain percent below the 40A rating? I do not imagine running a 40A cable where during operation its reaching the upper limit of the cable and associated breaker.

Also why state: 120/240 volts?

How do i decipher the meaning of 120/240 volts isnt it one or the other??


texts: What is the best way to hang a weight lifting pulley system in my detached garage?

texts:
I want to hang this pulley system in my garage (partially pictured above) and probably will be loading it up somewhere between 100-200 lbs of plate weights:

https://www.spud-inc-straps.com/econo-triceps-and-lat-pulley.html

What is my best option? Putting a 2x4 across multiple trusses with lag screws and hanging from that?  Doubling up some studs and building out some kind of arm support system?  Some other option I am not aware of?  I am not familiar with how much additional weight (beyond keeping the roof up) either of these two options can support and don’t want to cause any kind of structural damage, to the garage or myself!  Thank you.


texts: Do I need building control approval to install an external security camera powered by power over ethernet?

texts:
In the UK, I understand that to wire in a new external plug socket or light using mains voltage, I either need to get a qualified electrician to do it or have the work inspected by building control.

If I install an external security camera powered by power over ethernet, do the same regulations apply? There would be no mains voltage involved and no modifications to any circuits. Simply an ethernet cable going through the wall and wired to the camera on the outside and plugged into a router and POE injector on the inside.


texts: Installing Honeywell RTH9580WF on ICM280 Furnace Control Board

texts:
I bought for my new apartment thermostat Honeywell RTH9580WF to replace my old Honeywell TH3110D1008. I watched almost every video I could find on internet "How to do it", but I couldn't fined anything to fix my problem.

I have gas heating system/cooling system controlled by one thermostat. My old thermostat doesn't require "C" wire but the new one does. My heating and cooling system are controlled by ICM280 Furnace Control Board witch doesn't have "C" terminal - the one that I need for my new thermostat.

I'm attaching some images where you can see that my old thermostat works with 4 wires - white for "W", blue for "Y", green for "G" and red for "R", also I have jump wire between terminal "R" and "RC" on my old thermostat. On my control board I have only 3 terminals: W, G, R.

My question is where should I get wire for my terminal "C" on my new thermostat? Thanks for any help. Also I'm attaching picture of the same control board as mine but different brand.


texts: Mounting bracket best practice for cabinet against wall

texts:
I just received a (nearly) floor to ceiling Wayfair cabinet that needs to be mounted to the wall to stay secure so it won't tip over. At this point, I installed a 90 degree metal bracket with 2 screws on the top and bottom of the right side (you can barely see a bit of the bottom bracket on the right side of the first picture a few inches above the baseboard).
The right-side brackets have one screw dead center in the middle of a stud, and the other screw in a 75 lb rated drywall anchor. I do not believe there is a stud at a convenient location on the left between the wall and the cabinet.
I have about 45-50mm of clearance on the left side, and of course I can further secure it by getting a ladder and putting more angle mounting brackets on top. I have a good 12-18" of clearance on the top before hitting the ceiling.
The bottom of the cabinet cannot be perfectly flush with the wall because it has baseboard behind it, but the top is being held flush with the wall by the right-hand mounting brackets.
When I try to wiggle the right side of the cabinet, I get zero movement at all with a good strong tug - it's very secure. When I try to wiggle the left side of the cabinet, it easily flops around. I'm worried too much movement might pull out the screws securing the right-hand brackets to the cabinet.
What type of brackets should I buy and where should I put them?
I do not live in an earthquake prone area, and this just needs to be good enough for a home job, not a commercial building.


texts: Is it okay for an electrical switch to get warm?

texts:
I installed a FEIT Electric dimmer switch on a circuit that controls 2 overhead lights.

I noticed that, even when not using the dimmer, the toggle portion of the switch is warm to the touch.  Is this okay?

This is the switch:

Here are a few more details:

The circuit includes 2 switches.  The other switch is a standard non-dimmer switch.
The 2 overhead lights each house 3 60W bulbs, for a total of 3*60*2=360W
I think the bulbs in the light fixtures are halogen bulbs
All electric wiring and circuit breakers are less than 15 years old


texts:
There are plenty of tutorials for sealing/caulking bathtubs.
However, my bathtub has a kind of skirting around its edge, as in picture:

How do I go about that? Should I caulk both edges? I plan to use standard silicone, would that be good for both? Is there any particular I should keep in mind for my configuration?

Note that the skirting is difficult to remove because it has a flange trapped beneath the tiles to keep it in place.

TIA


texts: How can I prevent a tankless propane on-demand water heater from freezing up in very cold climates?

texts:
We are considering installing a tankless propane on-demand water heater in a residential setting, where multiple tenants use a shared bathing facility (presently served satisfactorily by a 40 gal electric tank heater). A big concern about installing a propane tankless heater, is the possibility of a cold air down draft in the chimney into the unit and having the core freeze (and break).  We experience wintertime lows outside temps of -40°F to -50°F and colder.

In this setting there might be early AM use and then, possibly, a long period through the day with no demand until dinner time. (i.e. natural use will not necessarily have the unit cycling on and off).

Does anyone know of units where there are dampers in the flue that positively (as opposed to passively) close that would protect against such a freeze up. Anyone with direct experience?


texts: Masking Tape Removing Backing Paint/Wallpaper

texts:
I'm currently painting my walls, and having a constant issue with different brands of masking tape pulling the backing off with it. I've tried non-branded, branded and low-tack.

To prepare, I ensure the backing is clean of dust with no loose pieces. I run the masking tape on my trousers to make it less tacky and start, placing the masking tape on 4" at a time, ensuring a tight fit pushing it on.

I do my painting etc and immediately start to pull the masking tape off, however, the backing paint/wallpaper the masking tape is adhered to, is also pulled off.

This is pointing to my prep/implementation of the tape, but I am unsure what I am doing wrong?

[EDIT]

To Clarify, the paint under the masking tape is a final coat of emulsion - usually dulux or Farrow and Ball. The final coat is on top of two lots of undercoat of brilliant white emulsion.

The tape is on for no more than 20mins/30mins and when being pulled off to remove, it is also tearing the colour paint behind it


texts: Can I use Gorilla Epoxy to fill epoxy resin?

texts: I just used epoxy resin on my counters and there are a few small imperfections.  Was hoping I could use this small, syringe style 2 part epoxy to fix it rather than doing another flood coat.


texts: AC is dead, should we open the windows to release the heat and humidity?

texts: Live in Central Texas where the temp is in the upper 90's, low 100's. My AC went so I had to put a single room AC unit for my Master bedroom and bath. Square footage for coverage is 600 sq. feet. Well, it's humid in the rest of the house and my Mother keeps reminding me not to open the windows because it will develop mold. Well, I have a dehumidifier floating from living room to kitchen. Is it safe to open the windows at night to release the heat in the house?


texts: How can I control water and algae in drainage ditch?

texts:
My house has a drainage ditch running in front next to the street. Unfortunately, my next door neighbor has neglected his ditch and now my ditch does not drain properly and fills up with algae. I'm working with the city to have this resolved, however in the meantime...

Are there any plants or other non-chemical methods for controlling the algae in the ditch? Are there any methods for helping the water evaporate faster? Perhaps changing the slopes of the ditch?

I'm not looking for something like fish because there's not enough to support them, but even during summer there's a decent amount of water in the bottom (I live along the Texas Gulf coast so there's a decent amount of rain year-round).


texts:
I need to build a ramp into a shed to roll carts in and out.
It has to be removable.
Door opening is 50", rise is 10" and I have 48" of space in front of the shed.
Max weight on the ramp at one time will be 800 lbs.

Will a piece of 3/4" plywood, 48"x48" (unsupported) work?


texts: Can I use EP 80W/90 oil instead of EP90 oil in a Belle MiniMix 150 gearbox?

texts:
I have a Belle MiniMix 150 110V Electric Cement Mixer  the documentation says to use a EP90 oil, but these days it seems that most outlets only sells EP80/90 oil.

What is the difference and doe sit matter?


texts: Is it OK to hang drywall in a free-standing workshop WITHOUT taping or mudding?

texts:
I'm having a workshop built (20'x24'). I want to insulate it with kraft-faced insulation batts. First, do I even need to cover that with anything? (I have read the insulation value will be poor without something over the top of it.)

Second, if I do have to cover it, can I just hang drywall without taping/mudding the joints? Other than "appearances", is there any reason that would be bad? Please note I DON'T CARE about appearances. The shop will soon be a mess anyway, due to the nature of my work. Also, I won't be doing any welding or anything with fire or heat (other than having a little electric heater in there).

So, bearing in mind that price is definitely a factor...can I just put up the drywall and forgeddabouddit?


texts: Is it more economical to use hot water before boiling or to bring cold water to a boil?

texts:
Since the arrival of our newborn, we have been using the stove to boil water in order to sterilize the nipples, bottles and rings.

Which got me thinking, is it more economical to start off using hot water to help accelerate the boil or are we better off bringing the cold water to a boil?

EDIT:
This question is was to satisfy my curiosity more than anything. I used the fact that I need to constantly boil water to sterilize baby related items as an example, this is not the first time it crossed my mind (preparing pasta for example).


texts: Previous Expansion Encroaches on Property Line

texts:
I bought a property with two structures in 2014. I later found that the second structure cannot be occupied as a residence because a later expansion encroaches on the property line, making it non-conforming.
I want to remove the expansion. The builder created the addition by extending existing load-bearing walls and constructing a new clear-span exterior wall. If I remove the add-on, I will have a 5' setback the city code requires.
I have been unable to hire an architect to provide necessary plans to show how I will support the original structure because all local architects are too busy, and the job is small. How can I get a set of plans to submit my project to the city?


texts: Toilet flush button is corroded and gets stuck

texts:
My toilet flushing button gets stuck with one button extended. It doesn’t affect the toilets flushing but it is a little ugly. I’m very new to DIY so I’m not sure if I can just scrub the blue stuff (which I presume is corroded metal?) off and then put the button back in place. Or would that just mean the button would get even more corroded.

Thanks


texts: What happens to carpet when the padding is not thoroughly fastened to the subfloor?

texts: What happens when the pad is not stapled down correctly.  My pad had staples anywhere from 3in to 10in apart most were about 10in apart one section about 6ft long did not have any.


texts:
So I'm just getting started on basic home improvement type tasks, as I am now in a situation where I'm permitted to actually drill holes and stuff ;)  I've got a bicycle rack that is supposed to be screwed to the wall, and then you hang the bikes on it.  I'm trying to set it up in my garage.  The garage wall looks like its made out of stacked cinder blocks or something, so I pulled out my drill and set about making a hole.

The following points concern me:

1- According to the rack's documentation, it is designed to work when mounted into a wooden stud.  According to my stud-finder, the entire wall is a stud, so I think I ought to be ok?  The rack says it won't work with metal studs, but I don't know how I would know the difference.

2- When I drill into the wall, The 3/4 inch or so goes real easy.  Then the sound that the drill bit makes in the wall changes and progress comes to a complete halt.  I could keep trying to drill, but I'm worried that I might be drilling into something that maybe I shouldn't be?  Do walls normally vary in difficulty by depth when drilling, or is that a red flag?


texts: How to access the ceiling over an indoor swimming pool

texts:
How is the ceiling of an indoor swimming pool accessed, if repairs
 need to be done to anything up there?

This is an indoor pool at a K-12 public school district. I need to take this speaker down and repair it. It is located over an irregular sloping floor between the shallow and deep end.

The ceiling lights can be replaced by the school district maintenance staff, because they are over the pool deck around the sides, so there is room to drive a vertical ceiling lift up to the side of the pool and get up there. However they don't have a way to access the middle of the ceiling out over the water.

,

This pool is drained every August for cleaning before the next school year begins in September, so there is a time of the year when the floor would be exposed without water.

This pool has a shallow end and a deep end, with a ramp that slopes
 down from the shallow to the deep, with a diving board off to the
 side, and so the slope itself is uneven from left to right across the
 slope.

Apparently some sort of platform is needed to level the slope so that
 a ladder or scaffolding could be utilized on top of it.

Also some sort of bracing is needed to keep the platform from sliding
 down the slope. The only thing I can think of, would be a long pole
 from the structure to the wall of the deep end.

A one-time-use wooden frame structure could be built, but it would be
 better if the platform could be adjusted and reused in different
 locations across the uneven pool floor.

Is there any sort of product or device that already exists, that is
 capable of doing this job?


texts:
I have a garden swing that has broken due to high winds. The part that broke is the part that attaches the canopy to the frame. It looks like this:

The broken part is where it screws into the canopy on the upper left. The plastic cracked around the screw holes, so it is unlikely that the screws are going to hold. I tried contacting the manufacturer, but apparently there is just no possible way to contact them.

So my question is, is there any way to find some similar type of hardware that could do the same job? The piece on the right inserts into the metal tube of the frame and then those teeth mesh together so you can adjust the angle. And the piece on the left them wraps around the smaller metal tube around the canopy.

Any ideas? Or should I just look to toss the whole swing?


texts: I'm using hardi backer board under my tile, over a wood subfloor, and I will be using thinset between the hardiboard and the subfloor; can I tile immediately after installing the hardiboard?


texts:
I live in central Florida (by Orlando) and I have well water. The sediment filter is before the softener and after the pressure tank. I've lived in this house for a year and replaced the filter about once every 2-3 months. A couple days ago, I replaced it, but today I noticed a significant drop in pressure. I realized that if two faucets were open (i.e. try to wash hands while toilet is refilling) then there would be very little pressure/flow.  I checked the filter and saw it was completely clogged, as if we hadn't changed it in like 9 months. It was an orange/beige and clay-ish. I know we have a problem with iron, but this almost looked more like sand. There's been construction in the area (the county built a new sidewalk and new driveway), recent heavy rains, and also a drought. We've also had the famous "rotten-egg" smell for a while that seems to have gone away, not sure if this is related.
What is the cause of this problem, and what should we do to fix it? We use this filter by GE, so replacing it every two days would be expensive.

Update: I called the company who installed the pump and pressure tank. The only information they had was that it's a submersible pump and was installed in like 2006.


texts: Turning light on turns power to fire alarm off

texts:
I have a ceiling fan connected to a two way switch. When I turn the ceiling fan/light on, the power to the hard wired smoke detector is cut off, whereas turning the fan/light off returns power to the smoke detector. I am stumped. Any ideas?

Thank you in advance for your responses!

Alex


texts:
Picture in the link is in my garage. I have four 14/2 cables. All whites are nutted together. 2 blacks are nutted together, and 1 going from that nut to each both switches.

The below pic has three 14/2 cables. Two blacks are going from the wire nut to the switches, and 2 blacks are being run from the wires to the switches. Then my 14/3 wire is pictured.

Not sure how to run the wires to make this work.

This is what I am thinking. The whites from the new cable get wire nutted in and the red goes on one of the screws in both outlets. Keep that black jumped from the wire nut to the switch, and have the black from the 14/3 go on the other terminal on the switch?


texts:
This is one of those "it looked good on paper, but not in practice" stories...

We have river stones in between concrete pads leading to our garage.  They're pretty, but the stones migrate for a few reasons:

The driveway is on a slight incline.  Stones like to roll downhill.
It's pure sand between the concrete pads, so there's nothing substantial to hold the stones in place.
If the car tires don't stay exactly on the concrete pads (and they don't), they push the stones around.

So the question is: how would you anchor the stones in place so they don't continually migrate?  They don't have to be absolutely rigidly held in place -- maybe something semi-elastic would be ideal.

Here's a picture of what the stones should look like:

And here's a picture of how the stones end up:


texts:
I live in a house that I can hang pictures on the interior walls, but if I try and put a nail in an outer wall, I can't.  I assume that means my walls use some type of infill.

In order to hang stuff on the walls, I need to know what I'm drilling into.

I see a yellow plaster wall from the inside and a red brick from the outside.  How do I determine what's in between them?

I hope that these answers can apply to other people.  My situation is a house in the midwest built in the late 1920's with an unfinished basement with concrete walls all the way up to the first floor.  The brick starts at the bottom of the first floor which is 3' in the air.


texts: Can I run a 15A table saw on a 15A circuit if there are also shop lights on the same circuit?

texts:
I apologize if this is a tired question, but none of the other similar questions I found are close enough to what I really need to know.
I am hoping to buy a DeWalt table saw for use in my garage. The only documentation I can find shows that the saw draws 15A, 120VAC. For reasons that I will never understand, the garage was wired for just 15A instead of 20A. I recently installed 4 40W LED panel lights with a total power draw of just a couple of amps (I haven't pulled out the multimeter and actually measured this).
My question boils down to this: Can I run the table saw with the lights on?
More specifically, is the table saw going to draw 15A constantly and definitely trip the breaker? Or is that a "burstable to" or "maximum" rating, with a constant power draw of fewer amps?
In theory I would only need to run it for a few minutes at a time, so it might fall into the overcurrent "grace period" I have seen mentioned in other similar answers. I am just not wise enough to know.
Another option, of course, is to find a 20A circuit and run an extension cord to the garage. That seems hacky and gross, not to mention inconvenient, but it is an option if necessary.
I appreciate any insight you can offer in my dilemma!


texts: How can I prepare this old exterior wall for painting?

texts:
I have an old wall in need of a paint. It's in pretty bad shape having been subject to a lot of direct sun and rain. Here are some pics:

How should I prepare the wall for painting to ensure this coat lasts and doesn't peel?


texts:
I am replacing my bathroom ventilation fan and moving it right above the shower area. According to code Fan needs to be on GFCI now.
Please take a look at picture near vanity wall.
On Left there are two switches, one for fan and one for light.
On right side, there is a GFCI outlet.
Currently, neither of the switches are on GFCI.
Although on same breaker circuit, GFCI outlet and switches are getting power from different lines (red lines in pictures)
There is a wall cavity between switch box and outlet box.
I am thinking of fishing short length of 14/2 NM cable (green line in 2nd picture)between switch box and outlet box and feed power to 2nd switch (for fan) from load side of GFCI outlet. This way fan will be protected by GFCI. No change for light switch wiring.
1st picture shows current wiring.
2nd picture shows proposed wiring.
Red lines are supply lines.
All cables are 14/2 NM cables.
Please let me know if I can do this or not.
I am not sure if there are any violations in my plan.
If you can also explain how I should connect neutral and ground wires coming from green line to 2nd switch , I would really appreciate.
Current wiring

Proposed wiring

Additional details
Fan make/model : Broan-NuTone AE80B
GFCI outlet is on 15 amps breaker circuit.
GFCI outlet doesn't feed any other outlets. Only wire goes in it is supply line.


texts: Error code UE on Kenmore Elite Front Load Model 79641162410

texts:
Have a Kenmore Elite Front Load model 79641162410.   Throws error code UE every wash cycle.  Wash cycles take > 6 hours to complete with multiple manual re-balances required.

My first examination found nothing obviously wrong.  Washer is well maintained, clean, level, and draining properly.   The user is a non-profit animal shelter and their wash loads consist of large numbers of (really nasty) towels and blankets.   As such this washer is being used for heavier duty than it was really intended for, but its no different than washing a load of towels at home.  The washer should be able to do it.

I have scoured the internet for solutions and found that this is an extremely common problem but no one seems to have a clear solution. In particular the most common cause - too small of a wash load - clearly is not the problem in this particular case.    Also the problem began relatively recently.  The washer had given satisfactory service for 6 months after being bought used before it began having this problem.

I am considering that the problem could be with the balance weights or the shock absorbers.  Can anyone describe how the balance weight system works on this washer?  Are there any known cases of failure of the balance weights or shock absorbers?

Any known fixes to this problem?   Can anyone advise on the possibility of turning down the unbalance sensitivity to allow a bit more vibration before it attempts to re-balance?


texts: What type of saw should I use to raise the legs of my hearth woodwork?

texts:
I need to cut down about 4cm th legs of a wooden mantel since I have now fitted an elevated hearth. It is an odd cut and I am wondering if it would best doing it with an electric saw rather than a manual saw.

If the answer is yes, what sort of electric saw?


texts:
which electric device can scan all waves exist at home.

would like to find which channel of waves home appliance using and find hidden waves or communication channel or wireless or microwaves or other kind of waves emitted from home appliance

do amazon sell this scanner? what is the name of it?
if really can scanned this, how to visualize and observe what is in the channel or waves?


texts: What is the best way to ensure new air conditioning units stay level?

texts:
We live in Northern Illinois (-20F in Winter + 1-2 ft snow to 100F summer) and have two a/c units which are now 30 years old and it is time to replace them.
They are located on the north side of our house which also has all of our neighbor's yard sloping toward it and we have continued to have water leakage into our basement from this in spite of draining all our gutters away from the house.
The current ac units sit on plastic footings set in a bed of gravel, problematic both because this conducts water to the nearby window well and because we end up having to "re-level" them every year. We are not sure if the gravel shifts, or the soil below it is settling, or what. We also have/had a sidewalk next to it which has settled/moved at least 1-2 inches over the 12 years we've lived here (due to those same water issues and/or chipmunks).
When we replace the units we are planning to get rid of the current gravel bed and replace that area with clay to try to reduce water infiltration to that side of the house and the nearby window well which results in basement leakage when we have hard rains (3" in a day).
What is the best solution for new A/C mounting?
Top considerations:

Minimal/easy maintenance (re-leveling)
Economical
Quiet (AC units are right outside the home office)
Water handling (allow water to run AWAY from the house, not act as a water reservoir right next to our house like the current gravel bed)

We've looked at the following options but aren't sure which is best:
1. Pour a new concrete pad
Pros: should be durable
Cons: May be expensive, hard to do, (and/or hard to find contractor to do) and if it still tilts/sinks (which we've seen with both the sidewalk and our driveway) may be expensive/hard to fix. Suggested methods would probably disturb soil and might add to water infiltration to basement.
2. Plastic pad
Pros: Cheap, light, easy install, seems to be favored by contractors
Cons: Not sure how durable these are - seems like it would be hard to replace if expected life is 10-15 years and it goes before we next intend to replace the AC units (which might be another 30 years). Also, may still tilt/sink if the soil below it moves and it's not clear how we'd fix the tilt.
3. Mount on wall of house
Pros: Should eliminate the possibility of tilting/moving
Cons: Not sure if allowed by code in Northern Illinois; Might be noisier since connected to house (but maybe there's a way to prevent noise transmission?); Not sure where to find materials to do or if contractors will be willing/competent to do it.


texts: How can I remove this old tub drain stopper?

texts:
My girlfriend recently moved into a house that was built in the early 1940s.  Most of the house is in great condition, but, of course, there are a few items here and there that need fixing.  The tub is slow in draining and we suspect part of that is from hair in the drain.  (It got worse with her daughter there, so that's part of the reason we think it's hair.)

The problem is we don't know how to remove the drain stopper so we can clean it out and see if it's just hair.  I have a picture of the stopper below.  I haven't tried forcing anything, but we've tried pulling it up and out, unscrewing it (clockwise and counterclockwise, just in case), and even combinations (like holding it up in a higher position and trying to unscrew it).

My guess is that I need to use some leverage (like channel locks with a towel to protect the stopper) to unscrew the top ball and then remove the rest of the stopper.

Is that right?  Or is there something else I should do to remove this so we can clean the hair out of the drain?


texts: Is using 15 amp components on a 20 amp breaker against code?

texts:
I have noticed in a few different houses in Oklahoma that 20 amp breakers are used, but all of the outlets and switches only seem to be rated for 15 amps. This goes against everything I know to be proper and safe. The wire used is 12 gauge, so at least that is fine.

I have started to replace all of the switches and outlets with the decorative switches (the rectangular ones) and have found it very difficult to find switches that are rated for 20 amps. As for the outlets, I have can find them rated for 20 amps, but not in the 10 packs that I see for the 15 amp versions. To be clear I am not speaking about the shape of the plug, rather I am talking about the rating of the internal components of the outlet.

Is there something about electrical code that I am missing?


texts: Connecting string of cafe lights to power source sans outlet

texts:
I'd like to string up cafe lights on my back porch, but there's no outlet or power source for them to plug into. The cafe lights wrap around the porch roof perimeter and end about 2 feet away from the porch light (see photo).

My question: is there a way to cut the male end of this string of cafe lights and, with the help of additional wiring and end caps, somehow splice/connect it to the porch light so it can be operated by the light switch that turns on/off the porch light? Or is there a better and safer way altogether to connect the cafe lights to a power source? For reference, here's a closeup of the porch light:


texts: What's the reason to sand after priming?

texts:
I'm painting my kitchen after some hired help put up drywall and skim coated. They sanded the wall, I cleaned up and wiped the walls clean of dust.

My contractor said that I should prime, sand with 100 grit before I paint.

What is the reason and benefit of sanding after priming?


texts: Can you use mesh tape on inside drywall corners or should I use paper? Is it a matter of preference or are there some rules that are generally followed?


texts: How to fix a leaky toilet flapper valve over brass outpipe

texts:
I have a 1950's toilet that leaks into the bowl through the flapper.  It differs from modern toilets (this question) in that the outlet pipe is made of brass.  I am not inclined to replace the toilet because it is pink in an entirely pink bathroom.  (I am inclined to replace the whole bathroom, but not yet.)  I have replaced the flapper rubber.

We noticed that the brass out pipe is not completely flat, and has undulations that cannot be smoothed out with sandpaper because they are too wide.  I figure that the whole pipe end needs to be brought back to true, but the only thing I could think of was to use a detail sander on it for a few minutes.  This seems to have mostly got rid of the undulations, but I cannot be certain (suggestions?).  The flow has now reduced from about 1 litre/minute to less than 0.2 litres/min, but this will still cost me about $45/quarter in water charges so I would like to go further.  Is there a better way to bring the pipe back to a true flat surface?  How can I determine when it is flat?


texts: I'm looking to do a concrete countertop and would like some advice on where to make the seams.I was thinking either where the red or the yellow lines are. Thanks, greg


texts: Home Office Space using garage conversion room

texts: I am using a room that was once a carport that's now a room as an office.  between the converted room and the rest of the house is a (formerly) exterior window plugged/covered with a drywall layer section on the interior and the side in the room is just a window with the bare drywall behind it.  The drywall "plug" on the interior side is obvious with its outline visibly taped with mud and painted to match the wall.  How can I remove the window plug with the least amount of work/damage? would I just cut the taped outline and pry it out and add some kind of frame for its wall-space? I want to restore the window and use it as a wall-opening between the two rooms, as the air pressure from the HVAC in the converted room needs to be vented back to the rest of the house return flow...?


texts: How to mill a spiral groove in aluminium without a milling machine or lathe

texts:
I need to make my own lathe-like chuck out of aluminium for a one-off machine I'm making.

It will be self-centering so I need to make a spiral groove, 5mm deep, in a 10mm thick, 150mm diameter circular plate of aluminium. The grooves will be around 3-8mm wide, and spaced about the same.

I only have diy tools to do this - a mitre saw and pillar drill and the usual hand drills etc etc, no lathe or milling machine.

It it possible to do this somehow?


texts: How do I replace the actual chain part of the ceiling fan?

texts:
I probably need to buy a new switch but I can't figure out how to take out the chain of the old one. I have a housing that separates the bottom of the chain, with its round piece that you pull on, from the top of the chain, which goes into the switch.

The problem is that the housing only has a little hole separating the ends which neither end would fit through without taking off the switch or the round pull thing, and I can't see how to do that. How do I do this?

Also, the new switches come with a small bit of chain. How would I connect the old chain with the original end piece?


texts:
I'd like to move an outlet that is in a wall between a finished spaced and an unfinished space.  Right now my TV is hanging on a wall and connected to an outlet that is too high for my tastes.  I'd like to move it down maybe 18-24".  I know that I could put in a junction box to extend the wires down, but from what I've read you can't have a junction box buried in a wall.  I could put a blank template on the existing outlet, but that'd just be ugly.

Since the current box is in a half finished wall (i.e. it's in a wall with a workshop on one side that's not finished), is there a way that I can extend the power cables and drywall off the old hole?

My guess would be that I could take out the old box and put in a junction box, but instead of the "facing" towards the finished space, I could just put the access panel part toward the unfinished space.


texts: I would like to put a convection microwave oven over the counter and above my dishwasher so that I have counter-space that is clear for working. How would I attach the oven to the wall - it is an exterior wall.


texts: Air handler ramping up and causing noise throughout supply ducts

texts:
Have a new 2.5 ton heat pump (14 seer) and new air handler (Trane 2.5 ton tem6).  All Electric.  Our biggest issue is the noise coming out of all supply registers.
This replaced a 3 ton TWE036 air handler and 10 seer outside unit.
We have been told a lot of different things and it seems like where we live, no one does manual j or d type analysis.
House is 2000 sq. ft, on a slab.
Air handler in a laundry room with a 10 in base (downflow application)
Supply ducts in the slab (10 runs of 6 inch corrugated black plactic duct), not a perimeter set up.
Return in 4 bedrooms and one in main hallway (not noise in returns), told 2000 CFM can pass through the return system, which is basically a drop ceiling in shape of T.  Where the return connects to the Air handler there are 3 openings feeding into the return plenum (6x18, 6x12, 6x10 approx.)
Filter is 20x20x4 merv 8 above the coil
Installing company says to create a divider within the base to minimize air turbulence or go with a TAM4 air handler possibly.
Another company said to add more return air, but did not specify how.  Another company said it is a supply duct issue and to add a new supply run up through the attic to some of the colder/hotter rooms to alleviate pressure.
Static pressure readings were done with two companies saying .25 and .18 of total ESP and the other company saying it was 1.13 (all readings based on before filter and done within base)  Temp drop over the coil was 22 degrees
This has confused companies and us as well and even one company thought it was the evaporator coil causing the restriction.
I am not sure what is going on within this industry, but it is tiring on hearing how much experience everyone has and then they cannot figure anything out.  Also, I wish contractors would not blame the ductwork.  If the ductwork cannot be modified, then just propose a solution or the system to fit the ductwork.
In addition, we had over the summer condensate drain backup twice as well water blow off into the blower compartment.
We have tried all the dip switch settings, but nothing changes.  Noise goes away when remove blow cover and just get air noise.  Also, seems to be confusion on how much CFM can go through supply ducts as well as if corrugated duct is more or less noisy.  Depends on contractor.  Any direction would be appreciated.


texts: What's the best way to replace this sink supply line?

texts:
When removing a pedestal sink to put tile underneath, I busted one of the supply lines. I know I can get a flexible mesh supply line at the store, but I don't see any threaded connection on my wall side. Is this a normal way of installing supply lines? What's the best way to proceed from here?
Also, what are the pros and cons of the new mesh style vs the ribbed style I have now?


texts:
I have this mixer tap which has recently developed strange symptoms:

It leaks for a little while after every time we use it, with a kind of gurgly emptying noise. What's strange is that it will also do this when someone upstairs or downstairs (we're in an apartment block) turns their water on. On top of that, it doesn't seem to make much difference whether it's the hot or cold which is turned on.

I've tried having a look inside to see if I could replace the washers, but I can't actually work out how to get much further in. Taking the C-clip out doesn't seem to make the cartridge release, and the brass fitting looks/feels like it is welded (originally or by age?) to the body.
Any ideas on possible causes and possible solutions?
(NB: not in the US)


texts: The main breaker panel has the grounds and neutral hooked together and has bonding screw installed. Where do I put the ground wire for the sub panel? Do I put it on the neutral bare where the white neutral is also? So the main panel would have the ground and neutral wire for sub panel on the same bar? Also should I leave bounding screw off on sub panel?


texts: How to wire multiple 240V, 20A electrical baseboard heaters

texts:
I have two baseboard heaters to install on a 240V, 20A circuit. One heater is 1500w and the other is 2000w.

From my panel, I leave the 20A breaker with 12/2 wire to reach the first baseboard. Obviously I will be waiting for my electrician to come and do this but I am curious as to how both heaters will be plugged.

Will these be plugged in series? If so, how does he do this?

P.S: Located in Quebec, Canada


texts:
I have a couple of dining room chairs from IKEA, which have been quite good for a number of years.

One of them, however, has started wobbling a bit, and I saw that it was because the back of the chair is no more strongly fixed to the frame.

I am trying to disassemble it, but the latch/joint that is used, I can't understand, how should I remove it.

As you can see in the image, it is 2 metal parts, which slide and probably click into each other (it was ages ago when I assembled it, so I don't remember):

They are fixed firmly and are not moving in any direction. There is a small slit between the parts, when viewed from below:

However, I can only put in a very short length of screwdriver  inside, there doesn't feel anything much there and I am concerned I might break the screwdriver if I pushed harder.

Any ideas how to dismantle this?


texts: How do I repair my window and stop water coming in

texts:
We have a fixed pane window that is wood in the inside but seems to be vinyl on the outside.

Inside the house there is a removable pane, then it's a fixed exterior pane.

I noticed a damp patch appearing, so I put silicone on the exterior windows between the glass and the vinyl,

this doesn't seem to have fixed the issue and the damp patch was spreading, so I removed the wood

There was a lot of wet decaying wood.

I noticed there is a little plastic tube that isn't quite aligned with the weep hole, can this cause the issue?

I think I can just fill the hole with epoxy or plastic wood, but
 1. Do I need to do anything with the small plastic tube drain, that is near the weep hole?
 2. There seems to be caulk/silicone inside the rotted space that is coming off, can I just caulk outside the window? Or should I try to seal it from the inside? I can only seal up to where I have removed the wood

Any other tips?


texts: studfinder’s ac setting is going off AFTER placing screws

texts:
I have a precise question about what my walls are getting up to, and reading the experiences of others hasn’t helped much.

I have a vivreal studfinder that includes metal and ac sensors, and plaster walls.

I recently installed 9 screws over a 5’ x 5’ area in a corner of my house, 3 into studs and 6 using plastic anchors (I’m just hanging some art prints, I’ve hung a couple dozen things in this house without problems). I scanned the entire area and then carefully scanned around each potential hole before I started drilling, and the prints have been hanging in peace for about two weeks.

I have some more prints that I want to hang, I marked where I’d drill the holes when I was hanging the first round. I wanted to double-check before going for it today, and the AC sensor is suddenly hollerin at me. It yells over the exact spot I want to put this hole, or sometimes 2” above and to either side (along some pencil marks I’d made to keep my holes even). Placing my hand against the wall immediately stops this, but causes it to go off in a different spot that doesn’t get any reaction if my hand is off the wall. It also goes off in the exact center of where my previous holes were drilled.

The spot I’m aiming for is 2-3 inches from a stud, and the nearest outlet is a diagonal 3’ below. This corner is also the literal exact opposite corner from where my house connects to outside power lines.

I think the studfinder is just confused, but I haven’t found anything about the science behind it online. Would anyone mind explaining what’s going on here?


texts: How to fix a window, keeping rain out but allowing wind in?

texts:
It's always raining heavily here at my place and I had to keep the room windows shut due to the electrical appliances near the window inside the room. However, the room quickly becomes ill-ventilated.

What's the best solution to this dilemna?

Is there a window or material covering that does not allow rain and water to enter, yet allows the wind to enter?


texts: How do I replace a Zanussi washing machine's front door seal?

texts: I have a zanussi jet system 1200, model wjd1257w. It is a washing and drying machine. It leaks water, I guess at the spin cycle or perhaps before it. I searched and found out that it could be either due to loose connection of the pipe to the gasket or the door seal itself needs to be replaced. I could not find that for doing it at home should I open the top and front panels all, or just I can do it by working around the front door?


texts: How to provide power to laptop in unused ceiling access panel?

texts:
In my closet there is an access panel which formerly was used to access the attic. There is a new access hole in the hallway with steps.

The old access is covered up from the top with the attic floor. The hole is 16 by 18 inches with a wood paneling door that rests on the trim to keep it shut; tto open just remove one piece of trim and slide the door.

I recently put pieces of wood up there to make a shelf. I am planning to place an old laptop up there for a server but I somehow I need to get power up there.  I know it is definitely against code to put an outlet in the panel so what are my other options?  There is no outlet in the closet or in the attic so I'm stuck. I was thinking of running a D.C. cable through the wall to an old laptop power adapter somewhere in the room.  Does that seem safe? Any suggestions or code violations are welcome.


texts: Would insulating a basement wall with XPS and reflective insulation create a moisture problem?

texts:
I'm in Massachusetts (ICC 2015 w/ mods) and want to finish my basement walls. I'm thinking about using a combination of 2" XPS, 1x2s horizontal 24" OC, Reflectix (double reflective insulation, here), 1x2s vertical 16" OC and drywall. This should give me R-17 with the XPS (R-10) and R-7 given a 3/4 inch air gap both under and over the Reflectix. Would this be legit? Am I asking for moisture problem with furring between two vapor barriers (XPS and Reflectix)?
Follow-up details:
Basement walls are all below ground and over ten years without water after doing some exterior drainage. There is efflorescence so I assume at least some moisture.
I'm not sure where the frost line is, so certainly higher up the wall the ground behind it is below freezing. Not sure of the wall surface temp itself. The basement is generally quite cold.


texts: Service Entry Wire/Ground Location (100 amp service)

texts:
I am getting 100 amp service connected to my cabin (currently off grid). The power company wants me to install my meter base on the corner of the property, and for me to install 200' of underground conduit from the meter base pole to my cabin.

I plan to install a main panel on the meter pole, feeding a sub panel hung on the side of my cabin.

My question is, what type of wire should I use for the underground run? Also, do I need to ground the sub panel at the cabin as well?


texts: Preventing a frozen pipe on an extreme weather night

texts:
Last week, we had a night that got down to -18F.  In the middle of the night, the cold-water pipe going to the kitchen sink froze (but luckily did not burst).  After some investigation, it turns out it froze where we had a dryer vent installed.  The vent comes in between two floor joists, right where the sink's cold water pipe turns up and goes to the sink (see attached cross section image).  The installer had removed a bunch of insulation from the bay between the joists, and not replaced it.  The pipe is about 5" inside of the rim joist on the outside of the house.

To remedy the problem, I insulated around the dryer vent pipe, and put about 4" of fiberglass batting insulation on the inside of the rim joist (the thickest insulation that would fit between the cold water pipe and rim joist).  I also wrapped the copper water pipe in foam pipe insulation.

Tomorrow night, it is supposed to get down to -30F.  Does it sound like I've insulated things enough to prevent freezing?  Would it be smart to shut off the main water supply, and drain the pipes for the over night, or can that cause other issues?  Any feedback would be appreciated.


texts: Slow filling toilet tank after new valve kit installation

texts:
I did a new installation of Fluidmaster (400ARHRK) on both fill valve and flush valve. Now the refill after flushing is much slower than before (took about 2 minutes).

I read the post and reply of why my toilet fill too slow, but it didn't seem to address my issue. I have opened the cap and water come out of it fine (probably not long as suggested 15 seconds). Some has suggested there is a flow restrictor inside the shank that I can pull out - I am not sure that is the root cause. Earlier I did another one with 400CR, just the fill, it didn't have this issue.

Any ideas or suggestions?


texts: Frame Overhanging Slab by 3inches and not attached to support bolts

texts: I'm using a contractor to build a brand new 2000sq foot home.  There is one section on the house that looks suspect.  The slab subs obviously overpoured, and it looks like it was compounded even more by the framers doing a shoddy job.  There are two 5 foot sections that are not attached to the slab bolts (if that's what you call them), and the corner support strap is bent all up.  Can anyone tell me if this is 'normal' or not?  My builder said this is not uncommon and that it is secure and that 'all is well', but I'm a little apprehensive to just let this one go.  My bank is going by for an inspection soon, so should I bring this up to them, or call in a 3rd party inspector?  Any thoughts, please I'm open for suggestions.  I'm adding some pictures here:


texts:
I have a coffee machine that uses a significant amount of power and is often not switched off.
Therefore I'm looking for a device that is able to switch off the power after a certain amount of time (say 30 minutes).
I found some countdown timers, such as

http://www.amazon.com/EcoSavers-Chargestop-Countdown-Programmable-Energy/dp/B00GJMMK4C
http://www.amazon.com/50030-Indoor-Countdown-1-Outlet-Grounded/dp/B00FSQTSB8

However, they all have the same problem: they require interaction to be activated.

Ideally, I would like to set the countdown time in advance, turn on the coffee machine (and have no interaction with the countdown timer), have the countdown timer start as soon as the coffee machine starts, and then kill the power after the programmed time.

I was wondering if anybody knows a device that can do this, or has a solution for this kind of problem?


texts:
I recently purchased a reconditioned impact driver from Bosch and everything is good except one bothering thing. When I try to countersink a screw, the clutch kicks in right before the screw head enters the surface. Then, to push it further, I have to keep pulling the trigger to force it to move foward, which makes the screw move slowly with the continuous clicking sound (due to the clutch). Unlike my drill driver, this impact driver does not have the no-clutch setting.

Because I purchased a reconditioned one, I am wondering if this behavor is normal or any mechanical failure.


texts: Light Fixture Junction Box with Remote Switch

texts:
UPDATE: Problem has been resolved. The solution was checking the connections in nearby junction boxes on the same circuit to determine that a neutral connection had become loose.

I have a junction box in my house that (I thought) connect a hot line with a remote switch (near the junction box but on the other side of the wall) and a ceiling lighting fixture. The ceiling fixture is difficult to access.

My goal was to add an an electrical outlet where the junction box is. When I connected the outlet, I had 120V on both the neutral and hot (relative to ground) so I knew I had done something wrong. When I tried to reconnect the fixture the way it was, I couldn’t get the light to turn on. Here is how I thought the fixture was originally wired:

There are three romex cables coming into the junction box. When they are all disconnected, only one hot had 120V (relative to ground). That hot was connected to another romex cable hot going up to the fixture, the neutral from the fixture romex was connected to the hot on the switch romex, and the neutral from the switch romex was connected back to the neutral on what I’ll call the “panel romex”. I was able to tone out the switch romex with my multimeter to identify it. This was how I THOUGHT it was wired. Though when I reconnected this way, no light. I then tried switching things around so that the power was going to the switch first, and then fixture, still no power. In that case, there was 120V on the neutral wire after it had come back from the fixture.

I then completely bypassed the switch, thinking that the fixture should be permanently on, still no light at the fixture. Replaced the bulb in the fixture, still nothing.

Testing the voltage between the “panel romex” hot and neutral, I’m getting 40V, which seems strange to me. I’m thinking that I am not understanding how this is wired, and perhaps the “panel romex” is actually coming from the fixture or elsewhere? Right now, everything is disconnected and everything else in the house seems to be fine. Any idea what could be going on, and should it technically be possible to put an outlet at the junction box?

Thanks in advance.

Edit: junction box photo


texts: I can home from work last night to find that the contractor began tiling in the master bathroom and is applying the ceramic tiles directly to the existing subfloor. My knowledge isn’t vast, but I would see this as a huge problem. They’re supposed to continue tomorrow. Is this acceptable practice? Shouldn’t there be a backer board of some sort?


texts: How can I tell if my vinyl floor is inlaid or contains asbestos?

texts:
I'm removing the flooring sheets from an apartment, and I'd like to figure out whether it's linoleum (as we've been calling it this whole time) or vinyl sheets or what else.

Here a picture (more can be found here):

I'm wondering:

Would you know whether it's Linoleum or Vinyl or what else? According to what I read on the internet I believe it's most likely Vinyl flooring (no uniform color, the sheet itself is just a couple of millimeters thin, it was installed around the '70s etc).
How do I get rid of it? They say Vinyl flooring is made of PVC and is quite toxic. A dumpster is the way, isn't it?
Most likely there's no asbestos, right? I'm just being paranoid here, since on the internet they seem to link vinyl flooring to asbestos a lot.

The apartment is located in a 14 store mid-to-low-end apartment building built in 1969 in West Berlin (West Germany), if this can help.

Thanks!


texts: Access Panel to gas stove shutoff valve on other side of wall in laundry room to code?

texts:
My location is Burlington County, NJ

The cabinetry to the right side of the stove top cabinet has drawers in it. Typically I would put the access panel for the shutoff valve right in the side of an open cabinet.

I was thinking of an alternative solution since the room behind everything is the laundry room. Would it be to code if we put an access panel with the shutoff valve in the laundry room on the other side of the wall? It would be a short distance to go in there and shut it off. Before I do it I want to make sure it will be to code.

Also any other suggestions would be great.


texts:
I have a housemate who tends to snore during the night. Since our rooms share a wall, I tend to hear it. We live in an apartment building made from concrete panels.

I'd like to do some basic soundproofing so that it doesn't bother me (at least not as much), but 1) I'm not the owner of the apartment and I can't make huge changes, and 2) I want the room to still look good after changes are made.

I don't need to soundproof the whole room, it's just this wall that bothers me. I've been thinking of putting up fabric acoustic tiles, but I'd prefer not to cover the whole wall for both cost-saving and aesthetic reasons.

What portion of the wall do the acoustic tiles need to cover to effectively reduce noise from the other room? How much space should there be between each? Where and how should I place them?

Or is there a better solution?


texts: What backer board for Kohler Choreograph in the shower - osb or greenboard?

texts: I want to install Kohler Choreograph sheets in my shower over tub.  It currently has a full fiberglass unit.  Should I use osb, greenboard, or possibly cement board, and do these have to be water-proofed?


texts: How to clean wood stain off of vinyl porch?

texts: I refinished our dining room furniture out on the porch, and stupidly didn't put a tarp or anything down. Now there is woodstain all over. The porch is plastic (maybe vinyl, not sure what the difference is). Is there any way to get it out?


texts: How to remove broken freeze plug adapter in a spa pump

texts: This is the wet end of the Emerson pump in my Jacuzzi spa.  Pictured above is a broken freeze plug adapter.  The freeze plug adapter threads into the pump (lower center of pic).  It broke with part of the threaded end still in the pump.  What is the best way to remove the part that remains in the pump?  None of these parts are metal.


texts:
I am building a brick smoker and need to seal between the door (a small panel on the top of the firebox) and the bricks.

What kind of material is appropriate here? I was thinking some kind of flexible rubber gasket, maybe the kind used to make custom gaskets for engines?


texts: How do I troubleshoot a dishwasher that runs normally until wash cycle begins, then doesn't wash?

texts:
My dishwasher stopped working correctly a couple of weeks ago.  After loading dishes and starting it, it successfully fills with water, rinses the dishes, drains, and then switches to the actual "wash" cycle.

When in "wash" the soap door opens, however water does not circulate and the spray arms remain stationary.  At the end of the cycle it transitions to "dry", at which point it resumes normal operation (however there is undisolved soap still in the tray as well as grime on the dishes.

It seems that all components work, except in the wash portion of the cycle.  I've verified water enters the unit and rinses successfully; so I presume the issue is likely in the controller.  How can I verify this, and what else may be broken?


texts: Wiring a box that has two switches to multiple lights

texts:
I have four outdoor lights that are controlled by a switch. I am replacing that switch with a Leviton Decora Smart switch. I can't seem to figure out how to wire it properly, hence I'm asking for help!

In that same switch box is another switch which controls a single light. Here's an image:

Full size

I think I've figured out which is line and which is load. The black wire coming out of #3 is line power. The black wire returning to the bundle of wires is load to the lights. I suspect I may be wrong here because the black wire coming from the switch on the left also goes to the bundle of black wires. The red wire going to the switch on the left is coming from #3 as well.

Basically, the switch which was on the right had two black wires, one of the black wires coming from #3 and one coming from a jumper connecting to the bundle of black wires.

I powered it on and nothing happened. But, nothing shorted either.

Can someone please help me in wiring the dimmer on the right? I haven't had any issues before. This is the first time a switch wiring situation has stumped me. Also I'm a bit sick so I'm kind of hazy (excellent time to work with electricity btw).

Thanks!


texts: Worth it to just clear coat a marginally beat-up wood floor?

texts:
The wood floors in our new-to-us house are kind of beat up. There are very few indelible marks and scratches that will require strategic furniture placement, but most of the damage is just superficial scuffing, discoloration, and irregularities in the stain. Notably, they have no polyurethane or other clear coat protecting the finish.

Ultimately they deserve to be stripped, sanded, and refinished. However, with the number of pets and young children we currently have, I'm reluctant to do a full refinish job when realistically they will get pretty beat up again within 3-5 years. I'd like to delay the full refinish until after this damage-intensive period of child rearing tails off. However, I'm concerned that with the total absence of clear coat the floors may in that intervening time acquire much more damage than they would with one.

I'm now thinking that I'd like, for now, to lay down some polyurethane on the freshly cleaned but otherwise unrepaired floor. This would be cheap, give some protection from incurring further damage, and only take a day to do. My question is, will doing this make my already beat up floors look appreciably worse?


texts: Raise and support a sunken laminate floorboard without removing the entire floor?

texts:
I have a tongue-and-groove laminate floor, laid on 3mm foam underlay on concrete slab.  After around 10 years of use, the long edge of one floorboard now drops around 1mm when stepped on.  I think there was a slight step or ridge in the concrete slab here, the floorboard was supported by being locked to its neighbour, but now the tongue has snapped off. (Photo below shows pushing down hard on the broken edge.)

The floorboard is right in the middle of a large open plan space and lifting the surrounding floor is not really an option.  There is also no clearance between the board and its neighbour to insert any tool.

My plan so far is:

drill some small holes (say 2mm) through the board close to the sunken edge;
insert screws in some of the holes, and turn until the board is lifted level with its neighbour;
inject some kind of liquid resin through the other holes using a syringe, and plug the holes with more screws;
once resin has set, remove screws and fill the holes with matching filler.

Does this sound like it would work?

What could I use as the liquid?  It needs to be very thin, but probably not water-based.  I have no experience with resins and no idea what to use.

Thanks in advance.


texts:
I have 1 outdoor light on the front of my house and 2 on either side of my garage that are on the same switch as the light above the front door.  How can I keep power to the three lights without them being on the switch?  The three lights all have photocells and I want to make the switch control just the front door light so that can be turned on when needed but not burning all night?
Aren't the wires from all of these lights meeting in a junction box somewhere and then to the switch?
Thanks for any help!


texts: Is a P-Trap needed for dishwasher return line?

texts:
Currently my kitchen Plumbing is torn apart. I had new countertops installed and the plumber came today and said the top gas cap ((?) protecter from fumes I'm assuming) no longer fit and CUT it off.  He left to get new parts, never to return...
So, I'm installing my faucet and replacing the PVC starting just under the Y that attaches to a P-Trap. I've been told by a licensed plumber that the P-Trap is "old school" and the dishwasher drain line can go directly into the disposal. I see where it could be attached, is this correct?
I'm a "Shemale" Landlord, I've got a little experience with plumbing but far from a professional!!
Appreciate any advise!


texts: Can I use a round metal electrical box for an exterior light fixture to be mounted in an insulated concrete form (ICF) wall?


texts:
Edit: See my answer below for the solution I eventually used.

I bought a poor-quality clothing rack made out of metal tubing. Due to a design or manufacturing flaw, it sways badly from side to side. I want to fix it by adding a simple diagonal brace between the vertical bars and the horizontal base bars. Here's a simple illustration (the real brace should probably be longer and attach further out):

I'm not much of a DIY'er and I have a basic set of tools but no metalworking tools. My best idea was to try to find some metal tubing, flatten the ends, bend them with a vice/pliers to 45 degree angles, drill holes through the flattened end of the brace and into the clothing rack bars, and fasten the brace into the bar with a screw.

I browsed a hardware store and couldn't find anything like the above, and all the metal tubing / pipe I could find (in plumbing, etc.) is much too thick to be easily shaped/drilled like that.

Any suggestions on what I might look for, or other simple and creative ways to make a brace?


texts: What could cause a drawer in a bedside table to become stuck?

texts:
Firstly, I apologise if this has been posted in the wrong place but I thought it would be worth starting here!

I have a bedside table with three drawers - I'm in no way whatsoever a DIY person, so all I understand about these is that they're all connected to individual runners. Whilst two of the drawers worked without issue and would open all of the way up, my top drawer wouldn't and would only open about half way. Thinking that something might have been blocking it from opening completely, I reached my hand inside and to the back of the unit - but nothing existed in the gap that could be the cause. Then, with one hand I slowly began to pull the drawer from the very back - this worked, and the drawer eventually came all the way out. I haven't had any problems with it since.

Now - my question. If there was nothing that could have been physically causing the drawer not to open, what could this have been? As mentioned, since using some force to open the drawer it has been absolutely fine since.

Thank you for your time.


texts: Bringing new 12/2 circuit to old knob/tube switches, but do not see a neutrals anywhere. Hidden?

texts:
I finally have an opportunity to complete 2 new 12/2 circuits (from one 12/3 on opposite phase breakers)  an electrician left when when the permit was closed after new service and substantial-but-not-complete update was done in 2004.

I have an opportunity to de-energize an old knob and tube branch the electrician left wired to a (different) new circuit, and dedicate a 20-amp circuit to bathroom lights/fan and another receptacle, although the bath already has a separate, dedicated 20-amp GFCI outlet.

But I got confused, because at old K and T switches I keep seeing only one hot power feed going into the box and only one wire for each fixture/or fan going out. (single power feed to switch with separate fan/light wires switched together shown here) They worked but I was unclear where the neutrals were (in the ceiling?) or how I could get it to work with the new 12/2 power feed. I did not want to rip up even more walls/ceiling than I have already if there is no need - so was going to keep the legs from switch to fixture if I could. Maybe that is a bad idea. Who can tell me what is going on here?


texts: Should I use a sanitary tee or a wye into a diagonal section of pipe?

texts:
I'm installing a temporary drain line for a kitchen sink while a remodel is taking place.  The most convenient place for me to tie in the temporary line is into a section of 2" cast iron drain line from a bathtub.  This particular section, though, is at a 45° slope.  Should I use a sanitary tee at this section? A wye?  A combo wye and 1/8?

Here's my thought process on why a sanitary tee should be acceptable, but I'm not a plumber nor a Code expert; this is just my engineering two cents.

It's a temporary drain line (and Code would consider it a temporary line).  We're moving a kitchen (have permits, etc.), and once the new kitchen sink is installed, this temporary line will be removed (full disclosure: the remodel might take up to a year with everything else going on with the house)
The shower is used daily.  I understand why sanitary tees aren't used in the horizontal direction (buildup), but the 45° angle should mean buildup is reduced, and the higher flowrate of a shower drain should help avoid (or at least prolong) the problem.

I have the space to use a wye or a combo, but the other geometry of the area would definitely make it easier to use the sanitary tee.  Still, I'd like to do the job properly.

Thanks!


texts: In my apartment bathroom there is a GFCI receptacle with 2 switches on the wall directly to the right when walking in. There is also a receptacle right by the sink. Does the receptacle by the sink need to be GFCI protected or is it protected by the GFCI receptacle closer to the entry of the bathroom?


texts: Can I cut in my walls with a latex primer sealer by gliden if I already rolled walls with zinser oil base sealer


texts: Honeywell thermostat oozing yellow and programing not working

texts: I installed a Honeywell thermostat last year for our boiler and it worked perfectly. This year we were having issues with it not following the program schedule. The thermostat should be sleeping and then will turn on. I took the faceplate off and there is yellow goo inside on the components. Is this just a faulty thermostat or is something else going on? Honeywell has been no help when I have tried to contact them. Thanks!


texts: European Light Fixture in the US - Does it require a ground connection to light up

texts:
A bit of an oddball question.  We bought, through a US distributor, a ceiling light fixture that was made in Europe (Netherlands).  It is a metal fixture, connected to the ceiling via a metal chain, which connects to mounting bracket which has a grounding wire attached to it at the bracket only.  The lamp wire is 2 wires, one with blue sheathing, one with brown sheathing.  The bulbs are E14 which I connected with an e14 to 12 reducer.  I checked on EU standards and blue wires are neutral, brown is for line.  When I wired it, it did not work but it was not hung at the time (I was testing it).  It was sitting on cardboard box that was on the floor.  A non-contact tester lit up when near the fixture (all over it) when the switch was on.  I immediately disconnected it (after turning off the breaker).  This is a well made fixture from a reputable company, wires appear intact, no obvious reason to think there is some kind of a short. It did not trip the breaker when hooked up.

My questions are
1) Using a multimeter, how could I test the fixture if re-wired to ensure that it is not actually live (maybe the non-contact tester is measuring a floating ground?)?

2) Is it possible that a fixture will not work without being connected to the "ground?"  I have had that happen with a step down transformer which would not work until the ground wire was hooked up.  No idea how or why that was that way (if someone knows please let me know).

Thank you very much for your help.

Lastly, I am contacting the seller to find out if this is approved for sale in the US.  The company website does list the US as an area of distribution.  I think they also make some of the fixtures for a large US light seller so I'm pretty sure it's ok.  Thank you again.


texts: Is my plan for replacing 4x4 deck posts with 6x6s reasonable?

texts:
We're planning on resurfacing our deck this summer. As preparation I got an inspector to take a look at the substructure to make sure it is still in good shape. The good news is that for the most part it is. However, he recommended that 5 of the 4x4 vertical support posts be replaces with 6x6 posts instead. The 4x4s aren't failing but they are attached to the beam incorrectly (just with lag bolts, as in the "wrong" example here) and they are about 6 feet high. It's more about future-proofing than an imminent safety issue.

I called around for quotes and the first contractor I talked to basically said it can't be done and I need to tear down my deck and start over. This surprised me. There are videos all over youtube with people doing this. The process seems straightforward enough:

Dig/pour new footings
Jack up the deck with temporary vertical posts
Add the new ones
Cut out the old ones.

Am I missing something?

As an alternative, I've considered just adding 3 more 4x4 posts and attaching those to the beam (and retrofitting the old ones) with these

Thoughts?

Screen grab of the relevant section of the inspection report:


texts: Paint chipping too easily on trim and jambs

texts:
I've painted my trim and jambs the same color using a Matte paint (perhaps not the best call).  It's about a few days old and it's already chipping.  Granted we just got the carpet put down which likely did a fair amount of contact but it seems like it's chipping too easily.

Is there anything I can do to make it stronger or more chip resistant?  Could I put a different type of paint like a semi-gloss on the jambs and not have it look too radically different?  The paint is Behr mid-grade so it's not horrible paint. I did a light sanding with 220 (perhaps could have done a better job), and the boards were pre-primed

This was the trim/baseboard:  http://www.menards.com/main/doors-windows-millwork/moulding/all-unfinished-mouldings/base-moulding/7-16-x-3-1-4-primed-pine-ranch-base-wm723/p-1444424218714.htm

Thoughts?


texts: How can I DIY this fireplace refurbishing project?

texts:
My fireplace box is 21" x 29", 8" deep. This is what it looks like now:

The previous owners bolted a sheet of metal to it and stuck a heater in front. I pulled out the heater after turning off the gas and started peeking behind the metal, to find (what I think is) a metal flue within. It's rectangular and about the size of a gutter downspout.

It is not connected to any other units in the building using a gas fireplace. Can I cut this part off so I can have a clear box for setting in a rack of electric powered "logs" after paint the brick inside? And how do I cut this metal more cleanly or remove the bolted on and painted over steel bit?