texts: Water Softener Drain Line with Loop - Flexible PVC to Sharkbite?

texts:
So, I bought a Genesis Revolution upflow water softener to install in my first house in Laveen AZ. We have a water softener loop already plumbed into the house. The airgap is in the laundry room upstairs. This question is about the drain line. I have the 1" Sharkbite flex hoses for the inlet and outlet, not a problem. I'm having a huge problem figuring out exactly how to attach a drain line. The directions for the water softener only say to "connect 1/2 drain tube" with no clear indication on how to attach it to the copper drain pipe. Everything I've Googled or YouTube'd is about fitting it to an air gap PVC fitting, which I cannot do with my loop setup.

Everything I could find, said to use PEX and a Sharkbite connector. Easy enough, except that the drain on the Genesis valve head is a barb fitting and the 1/2 PEX tubing I bought does not fit on there. It's too rigid.

The other solution was to get "flexible PVC" tubing, using a tube clamp to clamp it to the barb. Easy enough, except I don't think that will work on the Sharkbite connector to the copper pipe, will it?

Does anyone know how to make this work? I'm at a loss after 10+ hours of being online, reading forums, watching videos.


texts: Need to fill nail holes in fiber cement siding

texts: What type of product should I use to fill nail holes in fiber cement siding? Nail holes are from a flag pole I removed.


texts: Dryer isn't drying clothes. I've tried all of the common solutions (I think)

texts:
My wife and I just bought our first house. I think that we discovered that our dryer vent is going to require some regular maintenance to keep it clean and able to dry our clothes.

When we moved in, we found that the vent opening in our laundry room was absolutely full of lint. I got the vacuum cleaner and sucked up as much as I could and reached up and pulled out some more. When she ran our first load of laundry though, it didn't dry much at all. I went up to the attic and looked in our vent up there and there was more lint but not as much. I picked up an attachment for my drill that I used to clean the vent and ran the brush through the entirety of the dryer vent and removed a lot more lint. I was confident that our problems were solved. However, there hasn't been a noticeable improvement.

My wife noted that when she tried running the laundry, the clothes would be steaming when she pulled them out. Our next plan is to disconnect the vent from the dryer and test to make sure air is actually coming out of the dryer. I really don't want to have to call someone to come out and look at it.

I don't know who I would call
I don't want to spend the money on something that I feel like it should be something I can do.

Can anyone offer any other suggestions on how to try to fix this? We don't have enough hangers to hang all of our clothes up to dry.

EDIT: I mentioned that I was going to check out the air flow from the dryer itself but its also worth noting that when I first started cleaning the dryer vent, I went to the attic while the dryer was running and when I opened up the vent and started pulling lint out, the air flow was good (I don't know how strong its supposed to be) and warm. It was strong enough that lint was blowing out. Our dryer vent is set up something like this [red is the vent]:

[I know my drawing skills are awesome!]


texts: What is this 'wall box' port on my garage door opener?

texts:
The back of my Boss OL4 garage door opener has a square port with two pins labeled 'wall box' - see top of page 11 in the manual here.

Thing is there are also separate terminals for a push button to open/close, which I already use - so I don't understand what the wall box is for and how it's different.

Confusingly the manual doesn't actually mention what it does, and I'm unwilling to do too much probing in case I damage something.


texts: build 6x6 single post from 2x4s for swingset?

texts:
This is really a 1.5 part question.  The first half has to do with whether it's okay t use single post for one side of a swingset (the other side will be attached to a play structure).  I've seen some designs with 6x6s and maybe that's beefy enough when sunk 3' and concreted in.  Any thoughts about that would be appreciated.  It seems like the top might swing a little and the forces (especially if an adult is swinging) could loosen the concreted block in the ground even if the post doesn't sway.

The 2nd and primary question is whether I can save money on a 6x6 post and make build one up with 4 2x4s.  It will also be easier to handle (bring home from home depot) and cut and I can get pressure treated 2x4s in lots of lengths including 10ft so I can sink it into the ground far. I realize it won't be 6x6 (5.5" x 5.5") but it'll be 5x5.

And because it's hollow it won't be as strong as a 6x6 but should be much stiffer than a 4x4.  I guess I'd need to cover the top so water doesn't get in.  I guess I could stiffen it up by putting a few blocks internally as well.

Any guesses on the strength of this approach and downsides?

update: here's a picture of the layout of the swingset

Another set of options is (1) attaching the post to the garage so that it is more stable to the back and forth motion when swinging or (2) attaching the horizontal beam directly to the corner of the garage.


texts: How to prepare home to prevent pipe leaks during a severe winter storm?

texts: The news has shown much footage of homes in Texas being destroyed by pipe leaks after a storm hit in February 2021. I live at a similar latitude to the places impacted by the storm, though it did not cause such destruction where I live. What should homeowners do to prepare the home, either in advance, or shortly before such a storm, to avoid having this from happening?


texts:
We learned here:

Purpose of Fill Valve Tube Going into Overflow Drain

...that the fill valve sends water directly into the overflow drain...and that fills the bowl.

However, how does the tank (directly or indirectly) get filled?


texts: What is the name of the resetting ratchet component found most often in head rests?

texts:
There is a component which I've seen most often in car seat headrests which acts as a ratchet.  You can pull the headrest forward and it will lock at steps until you pull it too far, and it will reset all the way back.
It's sort of a ratchet mechanism which resets after a certain range of motion.
I don't know what it's called.  I've tried "resetting ratchet", "resetting step lock", and many other queries.
Do you know the name of this component?


texts:
Is it possible to use a hydraulic bottle jack or similar to rotate a 10 x 12' x 6" a few degrees or about 5 inches?
I have a recent pour not quite in position.
3/8" rebar throughout in a 6 x 6 grid formation (6 pieces at 9ft, 6 pieces at 11ft, 6" actual thickness + 1" tamped gravel.


texts: What's this bolt head type and how can I open it?

texts:
There is a bolt screwed inside a long hole:

I don't know the bolt head type. Is there a trick to open it?


texts: Will ovens emit carbon monoxide when off at high altitude if not properly adjusted?

texts:
This CBS news story seems to say that a turned-off oven emits carbon monoxide when not properly adjusted for altitude, such as 1 mile high in Denver, CO.  My BS detector is going off.

https://denver.cbslocal.com/video/4208794-carbon-monoxide-detector-found-behind-wall-at-belmont-buckingham-apartments/


texts:
I'll be framing out some walls on a tile floor laid over a concrete slab subfloor.  As I understand it, the proper way to do this is to cut out the top flooring, and attach the walls' base plates directly to the subfloor, in this case the slab.

The tile floor is in fine shape, so what I'd like to do is use an angle grinder or circular saw to cut out channels through the tile for the walls.  Will this work?  If I cut a line down a tile and it cracks, the finished product will not look good, because I'll have to replace the broken tile with whatever I can find that looks similar.


texts: Radon test results came back as 1.7 pCi/L, is it safe to exercise in my basement?

texts:
My Pro-Lab Analysis Report just came back and it says that my basement has 1.7 pCi/L (Picocuries), the average result of both tests.  The basement is the only place I have to exercise, so I'm wondering if it's safe to do so.  We also have our laundry and winter coats down there; so I'd like to know if it is safe to use the basement or live in the house;

The report also reads that the risk of cancer from radon exposure, rounded up to 2.0 pCi/L is about the same as the risk of dying from poison, or that about 4 out of a 1,000 people who never smoked (like we don't) were exposed to this amount over a life time would get cancer.

Considering it effects smokers more so than non-smokers, and that I don't smoke, is it safe for me to exercise in the basement?


texts: How to transition two different types of roof so there is no rain leaking between them?

texts:
Below are some renders of an unfinished structure I've made to protect a stack of wood next to an existing shed.

It's made of a very simple frame with a pin-and-hole fastening setup at the ends that attaches to the existing shed's support structure. The cube is just a representation of the shed, but the two dangling pieces (just touching the shed) are actual cutaways of the support structure of the shed that the frame is being fastened to.

I intend on covering the frame in sail fabric, but then I'm not sure how to transition the asphalt roof of the shed to sail fabric so that the rain going down the slope of the shed's roof doesn't fall off before it gets to the canvas roof. Looking for ideas.


texts:
The little handle came off. There is a loose piece inside the dome piece. Without it the handel doesn't stay in place. I don't know how to take it off and reattach it. The faucet doesn't leak. It still works fine. The par that the arrow is pointing to needs to be fixed.

How can I take it apart and fix it??


texts:
I have this small but powerful and relatively versatile Dewalt.

What I would like to do is rip a piece of lumber but so that the cut side is at an angle to the other lengthwise side and not parallel to it. IOW, my one end needs to be 0 or close to it (which would make it a triangle) and the other side 3/8" across a length of about 6'.

It is easy to do angles on this saw but only if you are doing across and not lengthwise (using the little protractor guide) or the angle of the actual cut itself (using the protractor lever below the surface to the Dewalt logo). I do not see how to achieve the same effect lengthwise because the stationary guide to the right is fixed at a right angle.


texts: how do I smooth out the bottom of a hole in granite

texts:
I am using a diamond core bit to drill tea light holes in granite rock. I am not drilling through the granite, but am making stopped cuts.
I have used a 30mm diamond core bit to make the initial cut. Then used smaller core bits to drill out the core. The bottom of the hole is very rough - bumpy with the smaller core bit marks. I am hoping there is a way to smooth that all out.
How do I smooth out the bottom of the hole?


texts: What products should I use to add sound insulation to a party wall?

texts:
My bedroom shares a wall with my neighbours bathroom and I would like to add some sound proofing to my side of the wall. Can anyone recommend any particular products?

The wall is brick and does not have a cavity. Ideally I want to lose as little space as possible from my bedroom so adding a cavity to my side is not an option that I want to consider.


texts: Lost Nuetral - Turning Lights On Stops Others Flickering

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Today we had lights flickering, odd brown outs, and power surges. Problems would come and go. Called our power company. The man they sent determined we had lost our connection to the neutral.
Before calling, I tried my hand at determining if it was something in the house.  Discovered a really odd symptom.  The lights in the kitchen would be flickering, but when I turned on the basement lights, the kitchen lights would stop flickering. That's when I realized it was over my head. When I learned to wire ACs 40 years ago, increasing load shouldn't improve load on another circuit.
Any idea why that would happen? If I have another problem brewing, I'd like to know and get it fixed before it becomes something.
Both are on the old panel from the 80's.  As we can afford, we're moving things to the new panel.  The basement lights are fluorescent and one ballast probably needs replacing.  The kitchen lights are screw in LEDs.
Thanks
Update: Am satisfied with the answer. Thanks. And dimmers are way too high tech for this place. (Don't let it know about the WiFi.)


texts: Is there any way to remove hydraulic cement from a concrete slab without ruining the concrete?

texts: So the previous owners of my house put hydraulic cement along the edges of the wall in the garage and it looks pretty ugly.  Is there any way to remove it?  I've seen these Portland Cement dissolving sprays online, would that work?  Or would it damage the concrete slab?  Thanks


texts: What could be causing lights to be flickering and multiple breakers tripping and won't reset?

texts: I was outside yesterday when my wife called to me saying the lights in the kitchen were flickering. Next thing I know the power to the TV went out so I went downstairs to the breaker box to find that 5 of the breakers had tripped. When I went to reset them only 2 would reset. I called my electrician who wasn't sure but had some ideas which I wasn't quite fallowing.. And he swapped out one of the less needed breakers that worked for one that was broken until he could get some new ones seeing it is a holiday weekend. He left, I went to do errands I when I returned I found six more breakers are tripped And broken.... And as I write this the lights in the kitchen are flickering every few minutes. Any ideas?


texts: Would it work if I prime only a partial height of a painted wall?

texts:
I'm looking into repainting a classroom in an NGO facility (can seat about 80). Due to both time and budget constraints, I don't have freedom of spending too much time priming and painting the entire room. I suspect I can readily prime half the wall height and paint the whole room within the allocated time.
Would I create an odd mark on the wall if I only prime up to about head height? I plan to use a dry roller between the primer and bare walls to even out the edge so it doesn't get a sharp bump.
The rational for priming half the room is because the marks on the walls are all chest height and lower. I've already used a power sander and lightly sanded all the marked areas, and have sanded all repaired sections of the wall. I'll want to put primer on the repaired areas and the marked up areas to help with paint adhesion.
2020-09-01 Update: Wall material mixed. I can tell there is concrete and dry wall, with a layer of wall putty. Region is Hong Kong, which is typical to simply do Putty + Surface paint, skipping the primer. I know this doesn't work well and high humidity = putty failing, and paint peeling off.
Sanding wise, it is light sanding. It isn't past the paint layer. It is mainly to get the surface scuff marks off so the primer can attach better to the existing paint (instead of some random material). Any deep gouges are filled with wall putty and sanded flat.
If I had more time, I would sand past the paint and putty layer, and do a thicker sealer/primer layer onto the material. The current paint is not showing any major area failure, so I think it'll hold a repaint.


texts: How many ceiling fans and switches can I put on one breaker

texts: I have a person that wants to wire in four light boxes and four ceiling fans with switches and I need to know if I can run all four of them safely from one breaker and if so what kind of breaker? This question may be absurd but I just don't know the answer to it. I do home improvement work for a living at least I have the good sense ask a question before I even attempt something I don't know about. needless to say I have not done a lot of extensive wiring. I have put up plenty of ceiling fans and even ran one circuit very short distance in a garage from a breaker panel and I knew to have the proper testing equipment and to take my time and to ask questions if necessary and also most importantly to have the proper tools and some basic knowledge of how to use them. Also, do I have to run the wire through conduit in the attic?


texts: Can I leave one side of my metal frame dry half wall open for appliance ventilation?

texts:
I am installing an indoor metal frame half wall that will hold a countertop in a bar. The The wall is L shaped and anchored on concrete and against a wall at the top of the 'L'. The long part of the 'L' is 270cm and short side 55cm. Height 110cm.

The counter top is wood covered in copper sheet and weighs aprox. 35 kg.
The outside of the wall will have plywood and dry wall.

Inside the L will be a lower (85cm) stainless table and underneath this 2 wine fridges & a drinks fridge.

Space is very tight. '

I am exploring the idea of leaving the inside of the long part of the 'L' wall uncovered below the stainless worktop to use as part of my ventilation space for my appliances?

If this is crazy I'm happy to hear!
thank-you.


texts: Attach Ledger to Rim Joist with peace of mind

texts:
Assuming I use a ledger board (vs freestanding...ehem) I will be attaching a ledger to my rim-joist which is an engineered heavy 1" thick OSB material.  I know it's structurally sound, but, I have my concerns about the method my rim joist use to secure to the I-Joists which are TJI 11-7/8" standard.  AFAIK the rim is nailed to the I-joist flanges, since that's the only meat they have to fasten to.  That scares me for a few reasons - 1.) Nails, not screws on something that will have a load tendency to pull out 2.) I wasn't there during the install to know how well it was secured to the I-Joists... and 3.) this isn't just a 2 or 3' high deck, it will be about 9' high.

So, I discussed it with the building inspector and he thought I didn't need to worry, but for my own peace of mind I am thinking of using 2x material on the interior side that I know is secured to the i joists and using a few lag or threaded bolts long enough to anchor to 4 or 5 of these spaced every 3 or so feet while the rest of the ledger is just secured to my rim joist.  My two concerns are 1) What is a full proof method to secure to the i joist flanges from such an awkward angle and only having access to one side....2)Should I be concerned that this just puts more uneven pressure on the rim joist since these 2x would be essentially sistered with the rim joist?

I'm sort of brushing the fear off by theorizing the fact that the majority of my load will be directly down, and not as much out.  The rim joist would never budge if it only has the down force, it's the idea of the top wanting to pull out that I fear.

My only other bright idea is to toe-screw through my rim-joist at an upward angle such that the screws could anchor into the meat of my bottom wall plate.


texts: Should I replace toilet fill valve or cap

texts:
My toilet fill valve leaks at the top only when the bowl is full.
Until the bowl is not full it is not leaking from the top.

This is a video of the leak:
https://vimeo.com/270998266

I want to decide whether I should only replace the cap
of the fill valve or the complete fill valve. I ask because the cap is 10 bucks cheaper. Should I replace the cap or the complete fill valve? Is there any test I can do to figure out this myself if this information is not sufficient to decide


texts:
I have a gas fired furnace with forced hot water. Off of the expansion tank there is a drain pipe. Recently it started leaking, roughly a mason jar a day.
Why is this happening and can I solve the issue?

Tank is right above and next to boiler


texts: What's the right way of removing an indoor telephone line?

texts:
I'm in the process of removing an old telephone jack that has wiring running along the wall. The jack is easily removed, but I'm unclear on what to do with the wiring.  It seems short sighted and foolish to just snip it off.
On the other hand, the wire seems to lead into the crawlspace below the house, and I'd rather not go under if I can avoid it.


texts: Is it common to have no ceiling joists above joist-parallel walls?

texts:
I own an old 1 story house that was built in 1926.

Looking in the attic, I've noticed that all the interior walls that run parallel to the ceiling joists have no joist above them.  These walls are all spaced such that there "should" be a joist above them, but the joist is simply not there.  Instead there is just a double wide gap between joists, with the wall running underneath where a the joist would be.

Is this normal for older houses?  I'm sure it's not allowed anymore, but might it have been acceptable practice back in the '20s?

The main reason I'm curious about it is that I'm planning to remove one of these walls as part of a kitchen remodel.  I'm guessing I'll have to put a joist in above where the wall is/was.  I'm wondering if this needs to be done before the removal of the wall if it could be done after.


texts: Dimmer function does not work after replacing light fixture with 3 lights

texts:
I have replaced a light fixture and the 3 lights. Old lights worked fine and were dimmable. I had to replace the lights because of a diff size fitting, they are LED and according to the package are dimmable. Nevertheless the dimmer does not function. I have not paid attention to which wire is the hot one and which is neutral. Could this be the problem?
Thx/Robert


texts: How can I tell if my gas fire is fitted correctly?

texts:
In a correctly fitted gas fire should the ignition system be so visible, and the base so high?

How could I find if this is a correct fitting for this fire, or if not how it should have been fitted?

This is a new installation, a new gas fire supplied with a new fireplace.


texts: Repair bottom plate rot in bathroom interior wall

texts:
Just started a bathroom renovation in my (new to us) 1961 ranch house built over crawlspace in NC. I planned on new floor, new vanity & sink, new toilet, but I want to keep the cast iron enameled tub and the tile surround on the walls above the tub.  The old flooring consisted of 3 layers of linoleum, and a 23/32 plywood underlayment. The subfloor is diagonally laid 1x6 planks over 2x8 joists roughly 16" on center.

After I took up all the linoleum, it was clear that there was flooring water damage in the tub x wall corner on the side w/the showerhead.  The underlayment was shot, and so was the subfloor plank in the corner.  I trimmed the damaged plank off at the nearest joist and blocked the 2 joists w/2x6.  But...turns out that the rot got to the bottom plate of the interior bathroom wall too.  There's about a 10 inch stretch of the bottom plate w/moderate to severe rot.  This particular bottom plate runs parallel to and directly above two doubled joists (not sure what to call them...they're not fastened but they are set less than 1 inch apart).  By visual inspection in the crawlspace there is zero rot on the joists

The problem is...part of the rot is located behind the tub.  Again, I'd rather not take out the tub or the tile surround above it.  Below is a picture of the bottom plate damage. Any ideas or advice?  Can I repair the bottom plate rot and keep my tub & tile?


texts: When running AC, Heat turns on once thermostat reaches desired temperature

texts:
I just recently installed a new wifi thermostat for my system. I went from a Trane to a Honeywell. I followed the instructions and put the wires in the right terminals (i believe)

Everything is running great... except when the thermostat reaches the desired temperture.

for example, room temp is 83 degrees. I set it to 77. It cools the house down to 78. Once it reaches 77, it automatically kicks on the heat until it jumps up to 78, and kicks on the AC. What gives? Any help would be greatly appreciated!


texts: Fixing slope on concrete patio - grinding a drainage channel?

texts:
My house has a concrete patio (about 16x16 though its 5-sided) which is not sloped properly for drainage. In some sections it seems basically level, in others (near the doorway of course) it actually pools water.
The worst area I estimate slopes about 1/8" per foot the wrong way. I mapped it out by making puddles; this area is about 6-8' across, sort of an oval. It, and the door, are in one corner of the patio. From the door to the yard is about 16'.
The concrete itself is in excellent condition. It doesn't show any signs of settling nor is it cracked, I think it was just not poured with correct slope in the first place.
I am planning to deck this over with sleepers laid over the concrete. So the concrete appearance is not very important.
Ideas how to deal with the slope:

(CAN'T DO) Pour some leveling compound - height by the doorway is already very tight, can't afford to lose any of it

(POSSIBLE) Grind channels to achieve at least 1/8" per 1' slope, from the low spots to the yard. Rent a grinder like the example pasted below. Concern: might have to grind off a lot of material, maybe this is not practical.

(POSSIBLE) Cut channels with a diamond demo-type saw with correct slope. Cut as many as needed. Concern: thin channels may clog with time.

Are either #s 2 or 3 feasible? Am I missing anything important, or is there another option I'm ignorant of?


texts:
i looking forward to install LED Strips (Cool White) in my new home. But I am not sure what kind of LED Strips should I use.

Till now I have read that I can use 5050 or 3528.

In the photo the whites demonstrates the where the LED is going to be.
The doted line is the kitchen where it is supposed to be in the middle.

The whole area where the stairs appear is about 45 - 50 m2. A middle light source is going to be in the center each room (in total 3) one in the kitchen, one in the siting room and one in the middle. Also spot lights are going to be there 24 x 3w each (led cool white).


texts: How to fix persistant cracks on this section of the wall and why do they show up even after repainting?

texts: There is a section of the wall in the bedroom that even though been repainted several times by actual painters, within weeks the cracks would resurface again. im trying to figure out if there is an easy temporary fix since im not painting the room again, and what should i take into consideration next time i decide to repaint the room? This is concrete or whatever, not drywall. Here is what some of the cracks look like:


texts: Determining minimum dimensions for circular driveway

texts:
What should be the minimum dimensions for a circular driveway on a 100' wide property, including the radius?

The property is flat, and the house will be wherever we want to place it relative to the circular driveway. Largest vehicles using it will be Ford Explorer, Toyota 4-Runner, so driveway will about 9'-10' wide. We want enough space for a small lawn between the driveway and the house. I guess the real question we have is: what is the minimum distance the outside curve would be on the 100' wide property, so we don't use up too much front property for the driveway itself?


texts:
I've heard that bolts should be used for connections that must be secure, rather than welds. To me this seems odd; I was under the impression that the whole idea of a weld was to make the two pieces of metal bond and behave as if they were one piece of metal from the beginning. To me that "sounds" stronger than a method where one must drill a hole clean through a piece of metal in order to attach the bolt.

Why might a weld be weaker?


texts:
I have a roof leak. Based on the images below I think it is in the flashing above a small overhang. Please speak up if you don't think that's correct.

Can anyone provide some guidance on what to look for in order to verify the source of the leak, how to fix it, and how to ensure the fix was successful?

Images

The image below shows a wet ceiling. Water was dripping from behind the window trim where I'm pointing.

The image below shows the window interior.

The image below shows the window exterior. Based on this image I believe there is flashing right above the leak.

The image below shows a closeup on the corner of the overhang above the leak


texts: How can I hang heavy objects on a wall, without leaving any marks?

texts:
Command Hooks don't hold very much weight wise and I would like to mount heavy objects - e.g. a whiteboard ...

any ideas?

(yes this is drywall - I cannot leave any marks in it ).

context: college dorms; they're not happy with any holes of course.


texts: Unexpected rain less than 24 hours after staining

texts:
I painted some exposed wood surfaces (window beams) with an acrylic/oil mix stain/sealant.  The can said to paint when rain is not expected in 24 hours and that drying time is 24 hours.  I did not see any rain in the forecast, although this time of year it's possible for scattered thunderstorms to show up unpredicted.  Sure enough, only 8 hours later a short downpour rolled through.

Now what?  I examined the wood surfaces and they appear wet although I am not sure if that is simply because the rain touched the surface or if the paint has actually gotten wet.  It wasn't terribly humid last night (< 50%) and the surfaces were looking - not dry - but they had already changed noticeably from the wet sheen when paint is first applied to a duller appearance, so I am thinking maybe after 8 hours they are (hopefully?) dried enough to resist a quick downpour, but what if more rain comes?  I don't see any evidence of running at the moment.  After everything is completely dried out, should I apply another coat just to be safe?  Or do I need to try to sand everything down and try again?  It's a rather irregular (older) wood and not completely smooth even after extensive sanding.


texts:
I have a panel in a closet with my phone (RJ11?)cables in there.

I want to convert one of those to RJ45. I want the cable that goes into my living room. I know there are connectivity testers out there, but those work with cables that are already terminated in RJ11 or RJ45. How do I figure out which one of the blue cables I want to change?


texts: Sealing pressure treated deck, to be stained later on

texts:
I have just finished building a deck from pressure treated lumber. We've put the deck to use immediately and having all our meals on it. I'm worried about greasy food morsels staining the deck.

My plan is to let the wood dry/age for 2-3 years before staining it. I've read that it is recommended to wait a bit for the wood to dry and change color before staining. I've also seen that there are detergents that can remove oil stains before the actual staining. But, is there anything I can do in the meantime to protect the wood from food stains? If I seal with a water/oil repellent seal, won't that prevent the actual stain from penetrating the wood properly?


texts: calculating waste factor for hip roof w/ valley using cedar shakes

texts:
I've been told that my hip roof would result in a whopping 30% waste factor with cedar shakes, that three additional squares of shakes are needed above the amount required to cover the raw square footage. I do not agree with the calculation and would like to know what I'm overlooking.

Let's assume  my hip roof is exactly 1000 square foot.

There are four hips -- front, west, east, and rear (so five "hip ridges" or "hip junctions" in addition to the main ridge) and there is also a valley.   At a 7.5" exposure there are at present 20 courses of shingles eave to ridge, not including the starter course and the ridge/hip caps.

Here's what I think is the worst case waste scenario: imagine a 12" wide shake being cut in half diagonally and half of it being tossed into the waste pile. That wastage occurs at each of the 20 courses at each hip junction on either side of it. So a full shake is wasted at each course at each hip junction.

5 hip junctions x 20 wasted shakes  =  100 shakes of waste on the diagonal cuts for the hips. An additional 20 wasted shake for the valley, worst case. We're not really going to be cutting the 12" shake in half diagonally.

Total waste because of these diagonal cuts, 120 shakes.

At a 7.5" exposure (18" shake with felt interlay) that's about 72 square footage of waste, or approx. 3/4 of a square.

I come up with only a 10% waste factor.


texts: Outside Ceiling Fan Problems: Light But No Fan

texts:
Over the course of the winter, the ceiling fan on my screened-in deck stopped working. The attached light still functions properly, so it is definitely getting electricity, but the fan will not operate. Pulling the cord results in no response whatsoever.

What can I do to try to troubleshoot this further? Is it even worth the time/effort to do so, or is it best to just skip ahead to replacing the entire fan?


texts:
I'm attempting to replace an old kitchen sink with a same-size drop in sink, but I'm having trouble removing the old sink clips.
Some of them were accessible so I just unscrewed them as expected, but others are not so accessible.
Any tips on how I might remove these? Maybe a specific tool I should use? No need to preserve them for future use.


texts: Electrical circuit dead, wire seems broken

texts: We have 2 small appliance circuits in our kitchen. They are carried over the same physical cable, one circuit is on black, the other on red. The black circuit works fine. The red does not. Its rather annoying since that represents half the outlets in our kitchen, including the one that our microwave should plug into, so we are forced to put it on the countertop. I found what I think is the first outlet in the chain (it is a GFCI). First, I tried replacing the GFI outlet, nothing changed. Next, I took the longest electrical wire I had and used it to extend the lead of my multimeter, and checked for continuity between the red wire on the breaker, and the red wire at the outlet, no continuity. I swapped the red and black wires on their respective breakers just making sure it was not some kind of weird problem at the breaker. The black wire worked fine on the red wire's original breaker, and the red wire continued to not work. SO I put them back. Then I just gave up for a while. I went to Harbor Freight yesterday and bought a wire tracer (tone generator and probe). When I connect the tracer to the red wire at the outlet the tone immediately gets very, very quiet, enough that I would say its "dead". I cannot trace it, because after I'm a few inches away, there is nothing but noise. Take it off, the tone comes back. If I attach it to the other red wire at the outlet (the outgoing) I can pick up the tone in the wall to some degree, and pick it up at the downstream outlets no problem. Why would the signal die on my red wire? What does that mean? Do I need to disconnect it from the breaker? Any other advice or suggestions for how to figure this out?


texts: I have some guys coming in two weeks to pull the shrubs in the flowerbed in front of our house and replace them with others.  The problem is that I have no idea what I should put in.  Is there an online application (free) where I can mock up ideas to see what they would look like?  Preferably one that allows head-on views more than from-above views.


texts: I am switching out a 8 gauge aluminum wire on a 30 amp 2 pole breaker for my dryer less than 25. Can I use 10/2 copper? '

texts: I have an old house where some aluminum Branch wiring was used. On the oven, water heater and dryer. There is an 8 gauge aluminum wire for the dryer on 30 amp double pole breaker. I already bought and installed 10/2 solid copper Romex wire. Home Depot was sold out of 10/3. When I got home my receptacle and plug are both on a three-prong so it worked out. But should I have an extra hot anyways and switch out the receptacle also? My number one concern is fire safety with my family. Will I be okay?


texts: Can I wire a Pump Start Relay to an outdoor GFCI outlet?

texts:
I have an existing outdoor GFCI outlet. Can I wire a pump relay to the existing outlet, and put another GFCI outlet after the relay? The goal is to have the second outlet only powered when the relay is "switched on."

Background:
I've got a tank that is collecting rainwater. I'm wanting to use that water to feed some raised beds using an opensprinkler pi (OSpi). I want to use the OSpi to activate a pump start relay, which would then give power to the outlet and turn the pump on (pump is activated when hit with power, no on/off switch). I already have a pump that has a three-prong plug, and I'd like to keep that intact if possible, hence to wiring the outlet.

Setup:
-Dedicated circuit on a 20A breaker
-Existing outdoor GFCI outlet on the previously mentioned circuit
-All outlets are/will be housed in weather resistant bubble enclosures (like this)
-Pump Start relay comes with/will be housed in weatherproof enclosure
-Pump and sprinkler valves will also be in weatherproof housings/covered

Proposed Design/Wiring Diagram

Link to the above image can be found here: https://i.imgur.com/pia2Zry.png


texts:
I was looking in my attic today for the first time; it's been on my list to check up there to make sure nothing looks off (i.e. no water damage, the roof isn't falling apart, etc).

One thing I noticed was there's some gray coloring in my pink insulation up there:

Normally I'd just assume this is dust settling in the attic which I never go up in, but after Googling a bit it apparently could be mold. I'd like to get a second opinion to determine if it's mold growing in the pink insulation or if it's just dust settling on top.

If the images I've posted do not provide the proper insight please feel free to comment to let me know and I can provide more specific pictures.


texts: Is my outside sewer cleanout a straight line from my basement drain?

texts: I'm trying to locate my sewer cleanout outside the house. Is it usually just a straight line from my basement drain hole?


texts: If i build in my attic 2 bedrooms do I need to have a access door to the outside or some kind of ladder. The attic is the 2nd story of my home and has normal stairs going up from the main floor living space.


texts: How to get retaining blocks with a set end angle

texts:
I am trying to section off hexagonal areas in my yard. My initial thought was to get those trapezoidal blocks you can use to build retaining walls (Home Depot refers to them as Retaining Wall Blocks), and use them to make the angles to get the (mostly) perfect hexagons.
However, having checked several local gardening center/box stores, I can only find blocks with 110 degree internal angles, which make nonogons (or decagons, might have messed up the calculation/drawing). I calculated it, and it appears I need 120 degree internal angles to make hexagons.
Here are a couple of rough diagrams of my calculations, to give you a sense of what I'm wanting.
Hexagon:

Nonogon (not what I want):

I also looked into pavers and edging stones, but those aren't usually trapezoidal, and if they are, also aren't the right angle.
How I can make hexagonal areas like this? These are intended to be permanent, and buried into the ground, so whatever is suggested needs to be able to stand up to that.


texts: Do non-wrapping epoxy drawer slides still exist?

texts:
I need to replace the slides in a chest. The slides are epoxy slides manufactured by 'Waterloo'. The pieces that mount on the drawers do not wrap around the bottom of the drawer; they are screwed, flat, onto the sides, with the bottom of the slide about 1/4" above the bottom of the drawer side.

Polling around the internet and visiting Rockler have both come up empty. Is this an item that no longer exists, or am I simply looking for it under the wrong name somehow?

To clarify my goal: I was hoping to find an exact match so that I didn't have to recalculate the location of anything. Based on comments here, I concluded that this was not likely, so I bought a set of metal drawer slides and I sweated through the process of determining the alignment so that the drawer will go back where it came from. It only took two tries.


texts: Making a 15kg table to move around without drilling

texts:
I have a table weight about 15 kg (length: 250 cm, width: 60 cm, height: 80 cm). Currently, the table does not have ball bearings or wheels on the four legs. The table is currently empty with nothing on top of the table and nothing inside the drawers

My current concern and intention is that I wish to make it portable (so that I can move it about without having two person to carry it). I was also concern if the wheels can take the weight of the table if I start to put things on the table or into the drawers.

Also, I prefer a solution that require little efforts as possible. I have no intention to drill holes on the table and I also do not wish to saw the table too.

May I know how do I go about doing it such that I can make a unmovable table to a portable one.


texts: How to fix a part of a washed out asphalt driveway?

texts:
This is what a washed out part looks like:

and (same spot, from the front):

from looking at fixing potholes online, it seems like filling it with a paver base and topping it with a couple inches of backtop repair might work, but I am not sure whether those work for the area this large.

What would be a recommended way of fixing this? I understand that repaving the whole driveway would fix it, but I'd like to see whether spending 35 times less and fixing it myself is also an option.


texts: Can I use an adapter to plug a 230v air conditioner into a 120v outlet?

texts: Can I use a 240v to 120v adapter to plug my 230v window air conditioner into a normal wall outlet without having loss of power to the unit or without potentially facing any other problems?


texts: Switching bulbs? PAR20 halogen to PAR20 LED, is this a problem?

texts:
I have recessed lights that were sold as 'PAR20 halogen' use.  I see that there are PAR20 LED lights around, which would save some energy and last much longer than a halogen, and I was wondering if this was an ok thing to do?

When going back to the question/answer on the big orange website, the question had been asked and answered with an unequivocal no.

If you have the appropriate dimmer which is compatible with the bulb, what would be wrong with it?  Can't seem to find a good not to or any danger in it...


texts: Brand new Fujitsu Halcyon split system unable to keep temperature

texts:
We had a Fujitsu split system installed, with 4 indoor units.
The issue I'm seeing is that the system is behaving in a way that I can only describe as "erratic".  We're observing a couple of problems, some manifesting on all the units, and some only on one particular unit in our bedroom:

Sometimes the units have trouble achieving temperature when heating: when set to 70F, they would only get to 66F and stay there indefinitely. Not obvious what could be going on.  At the moment as I write this, for example, my room is at 67F, while the thermostat is set to 72F.  It's 32F outside if it matters.  The device is has been unable to get to 72F for the past hour. The room is very modestly sized, I'd say no more than 300sqft.
One of the four units is in our bedroom.  If we set it to keep 67F overnight in heat mode, it would start blowing cold air with full power around 2 or 3 AM or so.  The HVAC installation person visited once post-install based on this report, refilled the heat exchange liquid and replaced something in the unit -- but the behavior wasn't fixed.
Sometimes when commanded to heat, all units would just blow a little bit of lukewarm air, despite the inability to achieve temperature.
Sometimes, the units would heat beyond set temperature, or would turn the fan active even when the temperature is far above its set point for heating.

All in all, it has been a very confusing experience. I would think that if you instruct your heater to achieve a certain temperature, that it does its best to do so.  And if you tell it to keep a temperature lower than the current room temperature, that it does not attempt to heat up the room even more.  Instead, we got a system with seemingly a mind of its own, and one that doesn't align very well with our ideas about home comfort.  I really would think that controlling temperature is such a well-researched problem that any unit you buy today would be able to follow instructions flawlessly.
What is going on here?
Worth noting, we installed a Honeywell smart thermostat next to each of the units to schedule their work, or operate them remotely.  Each unit also has a regular remote that came with the unit.  I observed that if both the smart thermostat and the remote are used, the device sometimes gets confused.  What un-confuses it is shutting down via both the remote and the smart thermostat, and then using only one of the two to control the unit.  (The smart thermostat can communicate with the unit, but supports fewer commands than the remote.)


texts: How can I repair a chip in an acrylic shower pan?

texts: It's new but since it was layed out first when building the bathroom, workers came in and out being careless around it. Any way to repair, and is it harmful? The shower pan I think is arcylic.


texts: How can I shorten ABS pipe to move a drain trap?

texts:
What’s the right way to shorten an abs pipe. I’d like to move my basement  sink over 3 inches to make room for a wall.
Should I simply cut a chunk out of the Horizontal pipe and join the ends with a coupler ?
See attachment.
Thanks!


texts: How to fix gap at the bottom of a door after installing new door bottom

texts:
Last season I picked up these vinyl slide-on door bottoms that you slide onto the bottom of the door and screw in.  They worked great on all of my doors except this one that has about a half inch of space between the door bottom and the threshold.

Here you can see that a children's book fits under the door:

I would like to fix this problem without purchasing a new door.  It looks like the door is possibly not tall enough?


texts: Single pole circuit breaker won't close unless double pole above it is closed

texts: I was trying to find out where a trip was in my house and turned off a double-pole breaker then a single-pole breaker. Went in reverse order to turn the single-pole breaker back on and it would trip back open immediately. Only when I closed the double-pole breaker would the single-pole breaker close. Is this a serious problem?


texts: Use external switch to control blower fan on furnace

texts:
We have a modern furnace with an old thermostat that controls heat and has a wire pair traveling to the furnace's control board. I'd like to wire up a local light switch by the furnace to manually turn on the blower fan to do some extra filtration of the air in the interior of the home.

Here's the current wiring feeding down into the PCB input terminals

Could such a function be achieved by running a wire from the G terminal through to a light switch, followed by a second wire from the switch to one of the terminal clamps (COM, W, Y, or R) shown above? Which one would I connect to and why, and would this external wireup potentially damage or confuse the thermostat during its normal operation?

My understanding is that the G terminal is dedicated to controlling the blower fan. Also for those modern thermostats that can manage 4 wires what are they doing exactly in terms of these terminals and the closing of certain circuits and what not? Does it essentially connect G to R or Y or something to that effect? Does it become a conditional jumper between these terminals?


texts: Do I need to have a water supply connected to a refrigerator to seal the plumbing against microbes?

texts: I bought a new fridge and moved the old one to the basement. Do I need to connect water supply to the old fridge to stop contamination of the lines, and water filter, by bacteria? I don't need the ice or water down there, but I don't want to damage the units either.


texts: How to fix smashed wires in washing machine?

texts:
I believe the motor capacitor with its bracket fell down and pinched two wires going to the motor. I spliced them back with two blue wire nuts. The motor works again.

However, this made me thinking, can I leave this as permanent solution or is there disaster going to happen if wire nuts come off (there were 2 14 or 16 awg wires that were rejoined)? Should I get Wago connectors instead? Solder? Crimp? Or change the whole harness? What's the best practice?


texts: This is too weird to describe. (See below) What kind of driver will fit this screwhead?


texts: I have a Roper (by whirlpool) washing machine. When it comes on, the water pours out of the spout, but the basin never fills. I suspect that it has something to do with the plugging mechanism. Does anyone have any experience fixing a problem like this?


texts: Fixing a Botched Exposed Aggregate Patio

texts:
After pouring a new 12'x6' patio (50 60lb bags of Quickcrete 1101) I ran out of time, and the mix had begun setting up before I could get the 3/8" gravel down and floated. Only half the gravel stuck and lots of it came loose when I tried to brush away the butter because I had sprayed periodically with water in a panic effort to delay setting. The result is a lumpy, ugly surface on a solid 4" concrete pad.

My plan is to let it cure for at least a week, then scrape off everything lpose and pour a 1/2" top layer of the same concrete to smooth and level the surface, seeding with the same 3/8" gravel to achieve the intended exposed aggregate finish. My calcs say it will take 3.7 bags of mix.

Questions: Do I use a bonding additive, such as DAP? Do I mix all the mud at once (rented wheelbarrow) or do it one bag at a time? Also, do it now or wait until it's completely cured and dry? (It's been two days.)


texts:
Recently a plumber came and fitted a new pan connector to my toilet. It needed to be replaced and there was a sewage smell for about a week before it was replaced.

Since then the smell has reduced but hasn’t gone. And in fact is getting worse day by day.

Investigating it I found that the pan connector seems very loose on the back of the toilet. I can move and wiggle it with one finger.

I will post a video of it...
https://youtu.be/X-4e2jS0ZW0

Could this be the source of the sewage smell? I presume it should be an airtight connection? So any amount of looseness will cause air to escape?

Thanks


texts: Panasonic fan works intermittently in conjunction with Lutron timer. It does not stay on or go through the timer sequence.


texts: How far should the well for a temperature gauge extend into a 3/4" pipe?

texts:
I have a 1/2" well insert for a temperature gauge. I'm connecting it to a 3/4" pipe thought a tee fitting. I've noticed that when it's inserted the well obstructs quite a bit of the inside of the fitting. Not just on the sides but between the bottom of the well and the wall of the pipe.
My concern is that the well will obstruct the flow of water to a significant degree.
What kind of clearance should exist when using an insert type temperature gage in a 3/4" pipe?


texts: How can I connect a smart switch lead wire to a screw eye loop from the old switch?

texts:
I have two black wires, one of them is a continuous wire with a small loop of bare wire which connects to a screw on the old switch.

My new Lutron on off switch has wires, not screws.

How do I connect to the continuous wire?


texts: Help Repair Chemical Damage to Dresser Surface

texts:
Okay, so I think this dresser came from Lazy Boy or Ashley Furniture, it isn't vintage or built like they used to make it. Nonetheless, I am getting ready to move, and this has been driving me crazy for the last 2 years.

My nephew left a bottle of carpet stain cleaner, or some other type of cleaner, on my dresser, and it leaked through the bottle. When I picked it up I saw that it had eaten through the laying of paint(I don't know terminology, sorry). In its place it left an outline of the bottle, and soaked into some paper(the white fuzzy stuff). This is a beautiful dresser, but I cannot stand this eye sore anymore.

Can anyone give me some insight into how I might go about fixing this. I figure I need to sand it down, and then repaint or stain it. I've been researching this online the last few days, and I am more confused then when I started.

If you have any insight or guidance as to how I can at least improve the texture, even it out, and get it somewhat black again I would greatly appreciate it.

I've never done much in terms of DIY home repair, aside from my fixation on FleaMarket Flip, but it is something I am dying to get into. So yeah, I would love some help with this.

Thanks,

Chris


texts: Aluminum wire size needed for new 60 amp garage panel 130' from main 200 amp service in house?

texts: What size aluminum wire for a new 60 amp garage panel to be fed from a 200 amp main service in my house 130' distance?  How many wires?


texts: Is it typical for 1 of the (pipe) lines from my outdoor AC unit to have condensation? The AC tech added 1Ib of freon yesterday. Don't know if this has anything to do with the condensation.


texts: What type of wood panels could replace the glass in a storm door?

texts:
A couple of days ago I opened the inside door and the full view window in my storm door shattered and fell onto the living room floor. I have been considering replacing the window with a wood panel. I do scroll fretwork as a hobby and was thinking of doing some panels with a frame that replaces the window part of the door.

What wood would you recommend for the frame and panels?


texts: How can I remove just one tongue-and-groove subfloor board?

texts:
I am not talking about laminate planks, but actual subfloor sections.  My entire room consists of tongue-and-groove boards.  I was under the impression that the point of this was so you didn't have to fasten them to joists with nails or screws, but all of mine are nailed in.  Pulling up the nails is not a problem, but being able to lift up a section of floor without damaging the tongue (which I have done prior to figuring this out the hard way).

Are the tongues necessary?  Can I just take my circular saw right between the boards, cut them way, and then screw them back down afterward?

I am doing remodeling and think I have a squeaky joist.  I want to tend to it before putting an underlayment over it.  If someone can tell me how to secure a potentially squeaky joist through the top of the subfloor and not from below then I will change the title of this question and mark you as the answer.


texts: Bathtub Resurfacing Options: Pour-on vs. Spray-on

texts:
I'd like to resurface an old cast iron/porcelain tub, and in my research of professionals I've found they use various products, but two methods of application: pour-on and spray-on.
I'm looking to understand the pros and cons of each methods. It seems that the advantages to pour-on are that it's odorless, thicker, and possibly harder (so maybe it's more durable?); is this correct, and if so, what are the advantages to spray-on?


texts: Why do unfinished basements need GFCI outlets?

texts: I was replacing outlets in the basement and noticed that unfinished basements require them to be GFCI protected.  While I did do this, I can't help but wonder:   WHY??  I searched for the NEC definition of "unfinished basement" and I just don't see why the fact it's not "habitable" it needs GFCI.  I can understand moisture areas like outlets near sinks, etc., but not this:  my basement is very dry and whether the basement is finished or not does not affect the moisture content.  Does the NEC explain this?


texts: Why is there a wire through the top ears of a clock outlet?

texts:
I found an outlet hidden behind a clock, and the way someone mounted it is baffling.

Why would someone do this, and what is the best way to undo it?


texts: Securing range hood with tile & concrete behind—should I pre-drill wider?

texts:
I need to secure a range hood on my new subway tile backsplash. Behind the tile is the thinset, drywall, then concrete block. I don't think my furring strips are ideally located for mounting purposes.

My plan is to use 1/4" Tapcons which require a 3/16" pilot hole. That's fine, but should I first drill the full 1/4" through the tile, thinset, and drywall until I reach the block? My concern is that driving the Tapcons through the tile and thinset at 3/16" could potentially crack the tile or affect the integrity of the thinset.


texts: Frigidaire Stove Model FEF368GSA range and oven both no heat lights and clock work

texts: I am in a mobile home that was built in the 1970s. Someone flipped the circuit breaker to the electric  stove. Now the clock and oven lights work but no heat from any of the burners or oven. We replaced the oven control board but it did not fix the problem. I tested the 240v circuit with a multi-meter. I am getting 120v per side so we should be getting the 240v altogether. Please help. Thanks.


texts: What is the Source of the Approximate "R Value" Chart?

texts: There is a Chart labeled Approximate "R Value" of Walls, Windows, Ceiling & Floor in one of the responses to the question How can I measure the r-value of a wall? What is the source of this table?


texts: Newly put together wooden bed and the one screw bolt on the headboard decides to thread?

texts:
I just recently bought a new wooden framed bed, flat pack basically.
Everything is fine, all except this one long screw/bolt that decided to thread inside the headboard. I applied the same pressure as to all the rest of the places to fasten together, just this one wanted to be weak and to continuingly turn. And now the headboard, although tight on the leg but the top part where threaded jerks and creaks. How can I fix this?
Considering it's just a long bolt screw that passes through the top of the leg into the headboard, using a supplied alankey, I'm guessing as in previous answers to some questions is a larger similar bolt screw??


texts: What is the white/cream colored plastic behind drywall in my wall?

texts:
I am running into a problem using self drilling anchors, where there appears to be a thin hard white plastic surface on the backside of the sheet rock.
This is the last pole of 6 that I need to install to the wall; the first 5 were no problem--I either used a stud or the self drilling anchors. On the last one, which is on a different interior wall, I find that the self drilling anchors go in a little then stop, when I try to put more weight behind the drill the anchors just spin then break.
In one of these holes I took a skewer and dug around a bit and I  see this white plastic something, I then pushed the skewer through the pilot hole I had drilled and it went right through into the wall cavity and out the drywall on the other side, so it is not PVC or the skewer would have hit the other side of it.
What the heck is it, and can I use the Zinc self drilling anchors instead ?


texts: Does code allow reducing wire size in a circuit?

texts: I am running  12/2 from breaker to switch then 14/3 to garbage disposal and dishwasher but realized we have the new codes to think about and wasn't sure if this is code compliant. Because my coworker mentioned what if someone plugged in an under cabinet instant hot water heater to dishwasher plug instead?


texts: Is my contractor doing a bad patch job on my framing?

texts:
We had a leak in our kitchen months ago that caused water damage to one of our ceilings in the basement. We're now having repairs done. After inspecting our contractors work from the day I suppose I expected things to look a little less "patched".

Are these repairs unsightly, but sufficient? Or does this look like a total disaster to anybody? I have no background or knowledge in home construction so any advice would be great.

Thanks!


texts: Where to connect common wire (no C terminal at furnace)

texts: Trying to add a c wire for my nest thermostat and I have a free wire in the bundle (blue) but there isn't a c terminal at the furnace. I know there have been similar questions just want to ensure I get it right for my setup. Thanks.


texts:
I'm looking to make a deck railing similar to this idea. 1-1/2" unmanila (synthetic manila) rope, with netting. In case, there will be rope at the top and bottom of the net, but that's beside the point.

I'm unsure how to attach the rope at the final post. It could pass through the hole, with a knot to prevent it from slipping back. But with 1-1/2" rope, that would be a gigantic knot.

Ideally, the securing mechanism would be hidden inside the post. I'm thinking of somehow winding the rope and sinking two long screws through the post, biting right through the middle of the rope.

Any other suggestions?


texts: How to get Condensate Pump to talk to Sonoff 4CH Pro R2

texts:
I currently have a WiFi water alarm triggering a Sonoff 4CH Pro R2 to kill my whole house humidifier. So I have some experience with triggering the relays and getting the two devices talking to each other via IFTTT.

Here is my question as I want to take things a step further. I want to be able to kill my AC and Whole House Humidifier when the condensate pump fails. I have a Sonoff 4CH Pro R2 and a Little Giant 554425 VCMA-20ULS with a safety switch. How to I go about sending a signal to the Sonoff when the condensate pump safety switch is triggered? Is there another WiFi device I need to purchase or is there a hardwire way?  Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Sonoff 4CH Pro R2
Little Giant 554425 VCMA-20ULS


texts: What's the point of a thin (1/4" width) piece of wood set diagonally between two studs?

texts:
What's the point of a thin (1/4" width, ~2-3" wide) piece of wood set diagonally between two studs?

I just took out a piece of drywall for some other work I'm doing, and between two studs, there's this thin piece of wood diagonally, notched in each stud so the diagonal piece is flush with the studs.

I doesn't have anything nailed into and it is getting in the way of some 4" venting duct pipe I'm installing in the wall.

Can I just remove it?


texts: Does the Nest thermostat automatically change modes?

texts:
I understand from the Nest website that the thermostat has heating, cooling, and heat/cool modes. I also know that over time Nest learns your preferences based on how you adjust the thermostat, and changes set-points based on this learning.

Does the learning feature ever include changing the mode, or does this always have to be done manually? Would Nest automatically switch from heating mode in the winter, to heat/cool in the shoulder seasons, then cooling in the summer?


texts: How should I touch up my exterior door's paint after changing hardware?

texts:
After installing some new locks and handles, I realized that the previous owners didn't have the entire door painted but rather it was only around the hardware. I have the paint color and paint type, but should I have this sprayed professionally or is there another way to get this painted by myself?

It looks like it is not primed as well, so I'm guessing I will need to prime this?


texts: How can I run 2" sink vent stack through top plate?

texts:
I'm renovating my kitchen which used to have soffits. We've pulled out all the soffits and framing of the soffits.
The vent stack for my sink goes up the wall and comes out of the wall just before the top plate - then it goes into the ceiling where it runs in between two joists. The wall is an exterior 2x4 wall.
If you saw it from the side it would look something like this:

I'm wondering - can I reduce that 2" vent to 1.5" vent and drill through the top plate and feed the 1.5" PVC through and then enlarge it back to 2" inside the ceiling?
I'm thinking something like this:

Is that possible? Are there any other safe ways to get that vent through that top plate and into the ceiling?? This would be in the state of IL if that matters.


texts: How would I feed a subpanel from this service pedestal?

texts:
I would like to power a shed at a total run of 80 feet from this 200 amp service. We mostly need lighting and outlets for tools. Two 20A circuits would be fine, but the ideal scenario would be a local 30 amp RV outlet and 60 amp subpanel in the shed.

How would I go about connecting the feed cable, and can I also supply the existing outlet?


texts: What are the best practice in drilling anchor screw holes in right locations?

texts:
I am setting up several stations side by side that look like this:

For each station I have to install a mirror that has two hooks behind it and look like this:

Those hooks are supposed to hang on anchor screws heads that have to be installed in the wall. The problem I am facing is that I have to locate the right locations on the wall where to drill the holes for drywall anchor screws, so that:

I drill the holes correctly the first time because (I) I can't drill holes close to each other to fix small alignment issues without patching up the previous hole; AND (II) I can't drill holes few inches to left or right because then I would create a gap between stations that are already correctly installed.
The mirror needs to be high enough from the floor so that it would almost "sit on the table" and be next to shelves on the left.
the hooks in the mirror would hang on drywall anchor screw heads.

So far I tried locate location for drywall anchors by using measuring tape. However, the holes were off by a 1 cm and this does not seem feasible to install multiple stations.

Another solution I thought about is to get a huge clear plexiglass sheet, hold it against mirror to mark where are the hook holes. Drill them on plexiglass. Then put the Plexiglas against the wall and mark the holes on the wall. Note, the station and/or mirror do not have perfect 90 degree angle on the lower left corner. So I may have to create such template per mirror which could turn out wasteful for a such one time work.

I am wondering if there is a more elegant solutions than to use Plexiglas approach?

Like, would one one of the laser leveling/measuring devices help here (if so what features to look for in such device)? Adjustable aftermarket anchor screws or hooks that I could use? Anything else?


texts: Using ent conduit “smurf tube” for 4 4awg wires

texts: I’m currently running power to my garage. I have to special order 1.5”  flexible metal conduit. So I was going to just use some one inch stuff. I didn’t want to buy 25ft. So I found smurf tube. Can I use that for my flexible conduit from the outside of my house to my box inside my house? I’ve tried to find any code on it. I don’t go over the fill limit. But I got told that that’s not conduit that it’s only for data and low voltage. I’m using 29” of it from where it comes through my wall to my box. Any info would be great


texts: What is this layer of material in the kitchen floor?

texts:
I have decided to replace the linoleum flooring in my kitchen with a layer of LVT Underlayment, and then Vinyl plank flooring. There were sections of the original floor that were not covered by the linoleum (underneath some, but not all counters) and so I began removing the existing linoleum.

The layers of linoleum peel up easily enough, as it is still flexible enough to score with a blade, and roll it as I peel, however this leaves a white fiber-ish layer. That layer is glued down to what I originally assumed was the subfloor which I thought was plywood but one area of it began to scrape away quite easily as I was attempting to remove the glue. From other questions asked, I think it may be rosin paper, but it seems to be fairly thick and links to rosin paper do not seem to match that quality.

After I removed the dishwasher, I discovered a small area of what looks to be OSB, and so I am now unsure, what exactly this layer that the linoleum is glued to would be.

If the 4th layer (linoleum, white fiber / glue, brown unknown layer - maybe rosin paper?, OSB?) is in fact the true subfloor, would the best idea be to remove everything down to that, and glue the Vinyl Underlayment directly to that surface, before installing the free-floating vinyl planks?


texts:
We have a single handle faucet in our kitchen sink, it started having issues where the water flow would sometimes be fine, sometimes non at all, or somewhere in between, at random, but almost never what would be considered functional. The model is parts blowout; it has a cartridge style ceramic valve that one would assume works or does not, no in between.

So when the problem started I figured something in the valve was stuck, sure enough, when it would trickle, a sharp rap on top with a wooden spoon and it would open up and flow fully.

So lifetime warranty, contact manufacturer and they send me a new valve cartridge... This new one does it much less frequently, but it still does it.

Since the faucet is nothing more than a housing to route water through the valve to hoses and pipes... and just to make sure I was not losing my mind, I actually disconnected all hosing and verified there was no debris clogging one and moving around...  My only reasonable conclusions are -- new valve flawed same as old or something else is happening.

We have no other faucets of this type in the house, and this is the only faucet having an issue.

I have noticed what seems to be some hammer in the pipes lately that I never seem to have noticed before, is it possible this could be pressure related? We live on level ground with several new duplexes built up the hill up the road which leaves us between them and the pipe from water company, and we had to have a pressure regulator put on our home service a couple of years back because of this and some blown pipes... (maybe needs adjustment again?)

Figured a plumber may have seen something like this before and could comment before I hire one to come diagnose further.

Please and thank you.


texts: How do I deciding whether to install an attic venting system?

texts:
I live in Colorado, and the weather is starting to warm up. In a couple months, the temperatures will rise pretty high. Thankfully, I have a well insulated house (there is over 20 inches of fiberglass insulation covering the entire floor of my attic) that keeps me nice and warm during the winter for relatively low cost. Conversely, that excellent insulation makes maintaining a livable temperature very, very costly during the summer months, despite Colorado's rather moderate summer weather (in the grand scheme of things.) I would keep my windows open, however I am just close enough to busy roads that keeping windows open is an impractical solution during the night (which is really when I need things to be cool.)

I have noticed a variety of venting systems that can be installed in homes, involving foundation vents, intake vents, and attic venting systems. From all the information I've been able to find, it sounds like such a system can greatly reduce the energy costs required to keep a home cool during summer months. I have some concerns however, since I live in a well-seasoned state where winter temperatures can get down to around -15°F.

Given the seasonal temperature dichotomy, would it be wise to install an attic venting system? If so, what is really necessary for the whole system to function? I am not sure if intake vents are necessary, and if they are, how they might affect the insulation of my house during sub-zero winter weather.


texts: How to protect an outdoor electrical cable which can’t be buried?

texts:
Last week we had an electrical point installed at the bottom of the garden (about 15m from the house). The cable runs alongside the property boundary. The electrician did not bury the cable as the weather was “so hot” that day and advised that the cable needs to be buried 50cm underground. Obviously I’m very annoyed, and that’s a separate story. I’ve started to dig out the trench where I can but have two questions:

Can the cable be left as it is (on the ground/on the ground with a protective Hard plastic cover over it) for the section where is runs under a row of conifers?

How to best protect the cable for areas where it cannot be buried (there are two trees along the boundary and so I won’t be able to dig the trench under their roots). The cable will have to come back up from their trench, over the roots, and back down).

Finally, can I check I am doing the right thing by burying what I can; putting a warning tape over it; filling in the trench; putting something like wooden sleepers down that length of garden as an extra measure/reminder that there is cabling there?
Many thanks


texts:
I updated the switches in my master bedroom. It used to be 3 switches - one for the ceiling fan's light, one for the ceiling fan blades, and one to control a few outlets (for floor lamps).

I added a dimmer to the ceiling fan light, a three-speed fan control for the fan and a regular switch for the outlets. I simply followed the wiring as it was originally installed in the box - replaced each switch one at a time while being sure not to mix up the wires.

Everything works but I want to double-check that the wiring is correct since this is more complex than anything I've done before.

Here is a picture:

The switch on the left controls the outlets. The switch in the middle is the 3-speed fan control. The switch on the right is the dimmer for the ceiling fan light.

The box has three wires coming into it. Two of the wires have white, black, ground and red wires. The third wire is just black, white and ground.

All of the white wires are spliced together and don't connect to any switch - I haven't seen anything like this before. All of the black wires are spliced and then go out to the switches. The ground wires are spliced together and then one wire leaves the splice to connect to the green screw on each of the switches.

As I said, everything works exactly as it should. The only odd symptom I'm seeing is that the small LED light on the fan speed switch is noticeably dimmer than the LED on the ceiling fan dimmer. They're the same brand so I assume they should be the same brightness. The fan speed switch's LED also flickers off and then on when you adjust the speed.


texts: How can I remove a Philips screw with a stripped head?

texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  How to remove screws with stripped heads?

I'm trying to take a cupboard off a wall, but one of the screw heads has stripped making it pretty difficult to do.

I have briefly tried to use a flat head screw driver and a hammer to give the screw head some definition (this may still be the way to go) but its not really working.

I'm sure this has happened to everyone, and there's got to be a reasonably easy solution, I just don't know it yet.


texts: OSB vs plywood for window padding/shimming

texts: I need to use 1/2" plywood or OSB on both vertical sides of my retrofitted window frame. I was wondering if there is any difference in OSB (cheaper) vs plywood (more pricey) for this application considering that if somehow moisture got in (which I'm making sure it doesn't but who knows) and the material gets soaked and swells (like I think OSB is more likely to in moist conditions), it may squeeze the window on the sides too tight, causing it to break.


texts: How good do I need to make my primer coat?

texts: When doing a primer coat do I need to get everything or can I pretty much fly through it leaving it kinda blochy?


texts: Alternatives to forced hot air unit heaters?

texts:
The current heat source in the house a Cadet in wall unit heater in each room. They are really noisy and often emit this "iron left in one place too long" odor from (I presume) scorching dust.

I've seen some wall mounted heaters that look they might be more or less "drop in" replacements - for example the Stiebel Eltron CNS series.

Is this likely to work or am I chasing a unicorn? Ultimately I'd like to go to a mini-split heat pump system, but that isn't in the budget right now.


texts: Is this black mold/wall damage fixable without professional help?

texts:
Renting an apartment, had a bad flood last year, restoration company came and left (and forgot about) an industrial fan for 6 weeks, afterwards they said everything should be fine. Bookcase was not moved. After moving the bookcase (roommate moving out), we found this seemingly significant damage. Is this fixable/cleanable without professional help?
Dimension from wall on left is 65", "blocky" section is 48"x18"


texts: Why does a nearby switch turn off when I use a switch I just replaced?

texts:
I recently replaced a dimmer switch with regular switch. The problem now is, whenever I turn the lights off, the electrical switch near by switches off as well. (which it never did before).
The box has 2 black wires and 1 red wire and 2 green wires which is screwed into the box. (the two green wires I have not touched at all)


texts: I have 12/2 burial wire that runs outside to my sewage pump. Is it possible for me to split off of it with a ground junction box to run a light to my shed 30 ft away?


texts: What type of chimney liner and vent pipe are required for a wood stove?

texts:
I am working to rehabilitate an old chimney for use by a wood stove.  There will be approximately 18 ft from the wall chimney socket (this is probably not the correct name for it) to the chimney top on the roof.  I plan to situate the stove right next to the socket, so not much exposed vent pipe from the stove to it should be needed.

Which kind of pipe should I use for the liner and for between the stove and the chimney socket?  I did this very similar job before but for a radiator boiler and water heater, which both run on gas and for that I used Type B vent pipe that is twist and click.  I imagine for wood stove I would need a different type of pipe.


texts: Anti-Vibration mats for top loading washer?

texts:
I am getting a new washer/dryer set.  I originally had a front loader set, but it started smoking and I got tired of the front loaders.  They will be installed upstairs and I was curious if the anti-vibration mats actually work? Does it depend on location? I found some selling online, but do you actually need to get one of those or can you just use something else?

Also, I was thinking if the washer/dryer come with feet, isn't it best to just have the feet flush with the bottom of the washer/dryer so you avoid the feet being out of balance?


texts: Where should I look to rent time on a router table?

texts:
I have a woodworking project which requires a CNC router table.  It would need a decent sized table for the 36" x 28" panels.  Somebody that spends thousands of dollars on one of these machines must do jobs for other people or rent their expertise and time on it.

What should I be searching for?  Is there a specific name for this service or a type of facility which does small jobs?  I live in Maine and there doesn't appear to be much for groups equipped with high-end tools, such as hackerspaces or woodworking groups.


texts: How is a septic system different from a cesspool?

texts: Here in New England many towns do not have public sewer systems, so homeowners have either a septic system or a cesspool.  What is the difference between the two?


texts: Third Wire in 14-3 Wire Showing 50V When There Should be None

texts:
In the basement I have 19 recessed lights connected to 8 3-Way switches.  There were dimmers on the 4 switches located in the main 4-gang box, and they were making a lot of buzzing noise.  Not only that, the lights (CFLs) would flicker quite a bit and burn out a lot more quickly than they should.  So I decided to replace the dimmer switches with standard 3 way switches.  The new switches are working properly.  However, I noticed some strange voltages while I was checking things out.

There are 2 circuits feeding the 4-gang box with, as far as I can tell, one 14-3 wire which goes to the panel.  The red and black wires are the "hots" from the 2 circuit breakers at the panel and the white wire is apparently acting as the neutral for both circuits (I know that's a no-no, but I'm not sure that's related to the 50V).  The ground is tied to the other grounds.  The red wire is feeding the power to 2 of the switches, and the black wire is feeding the other 2 switches.  As far as I can tell by sticking my head above the drop ceiling, the white wire in the 14-3 is the only neutral going back to the panel and there are no breaks or junction boxes in between.

To rule out the possibility of something backfeeding voltage into the red, black and white wires, I disconnected them inside of the 4-gang box.  At the panel, I turned off the breaker for the red wire and still read 50V between the red and ground and 120V between the black and ground.  If I turn off the black breaker and turn on the red breaker, I'll read the 50V between the black and ground and 120V between the red and ground.  If I turn on both breakers, both read 120V to ground.  If I turn off both breakers, I read 0.0V for black and red.

So, theoretically, all I have is a 3 conductor + ground wire going out to a box with the ends completely disconnected, yet I'm reading 50V between one of the wires and ground if the other circuit is powered.  The only thing I can think of is that the red and black wires must be touching somewhere.  I tried a continuity test between the black and red wires, and found no connection.

I traced the wire from the panel to the 4-gang box and couldn't see any obvious kinks or cuts, etc.  Is there some electrical phenomenon which is causing 50V to appear on the other wire?  Was this mystery voltage causing the CFLs to flicker?  Is there anything else I should check out?


texts: Does leaving fridge doors open several minutes at a time lead to partial freezing of food?

texts:
I was hoping someone could help weigh in with a technical explanation here.
We have a Whirlpool fridge that is only a few years old, and often notice that food near the back of it (and usually towards the top shelf) is partially frozen. As you get away from the top-center of the fridge this seldom happens, and again, this is an intermittent occurrence (sometimes no food is frozen anywhere in the fridge and everything is fine).
I often go to the fridge and leave the doors open for a few minutes at a time. Usually its to load/unload lots of food to/from it in a short amount of time. My husband says this is the root of the freezing problem we have. His argument is that, since I leave the doors open for a few minutes, the fridge is working harder than it normally should have to in order to keep the food cold, and because of this its over-refrigerating and causing the partial freezing that we're seeing.
However, my understanding (please correct me if I'm wrong) is that there is both a condensor and a thermostat in a modern fridge that should work in unison together: the thermostat tells the condensor when to kick on (such as if the space inside the fridge is too warm) and the condensor is the little unit of magic that cools the air by somehow condensing it.
So, if my understanding is correct, then I would expect the following flow:

I leave the doors open for a few minutes
The air inside the fridge gets too warm
The thermostat tells the condensor to start cooling the air
At some point in time later (few minutes) I finally close the doors
At some point in time later (again probably a few minutes) the air is cold again, and the thermostat tells the condensor to stop cooling

So again, if my understanding is all 100% correct, then to me, it sounds like the problem is actually the thermostat, perhaps not telling the condensor to shut off soon enough, and hence allowing it to partially freeze our food at the back of the fridge.
Hence, this problem probably would occur even if you were to very rarely open the fridge doors, and regardless, a correctly-functioning thermostat would take care of this altogether?
Can someone with mechanical/appliance know-how please weigh in here?


texts: How to fix old un-suppported basement wall in house that has had added basement?

texts:
I have an older house (circa 1919) that was built without a basement (just a crawl space). About 1965 a basement was added.
Along one of the old concrete foundation walls there is a 7 foot section that has nothing under the bottom of the wall! (See image below.) In the last 10 years 2 pieces of the wall have cracked off the bottom . The pieces weigh maybe 150 lbs and 50 lbs. This concrete wall is only about 2 feet in height (the bottom is maybe 20 inches below ground level).
It seems to me that this wall is at risk of falling in completely. I realize I could call in a professional to fix it ($$$). But would like to at least consider any options I may have to fix this myself. I am an avid do-it-yourselfer and in 25 years have only ever hired a contracter one time (to replace my steep roof).
Anyone have any good ideas about how to fix this problem? Extra points if your suggestion is work I could do myself. :-)
Thanks!

EDIT: My diagram may give the wrong impression about one point: the old foundation wall is unsupported for a 7 foot section only. But somehow it is still hanging in place. The rest of the wall does have dirt under it holding up.


texts: How can I attach a pipe to a flat surface?

texts:
What type of fitting is used to attach a pipe to a flat surface such as a barrel or other container?

The reason I ask is because I have built a tray out of sheet metal that is intended to contain plants. I now need to tap a drainage pipe into the bottom of it for the excess water.


texts:
Question: Is having a branch off the end of main heating HVAC duct bad and if so, why?

Background:
A heating and cooling contractor sales representative came to my home today. He saw the situation pictured below and said that having a branch off of the end of the main heating duct is bad because it does not allow the main branch to maintain pressure.

I presently fail to see how a branch off the end compared to the same sized branch off the sides (recommended by the sales representative) of the HVAC would make any difference in the performance of the system. I would like to understand the physics behind why this is bad before I pay to have it corrected.


texts: What options are available to hide a TV in the bedroom?

texts:
I'm having a wardrobe fitted in the master bedroom of our house, and I'm in a bit of a conundrum as to where I'm going to put the TV.  The room itself isn't big, when the wardrobe's fitted it will look something like this:

The wardrobe isn't going to be big enough to fit the TV inside as well as having enough room for the storage we need.  The TV size is 40", we watch a lot of TV in the bedroom and, while I wouldn't mind if I had to  reduce the size a little (perhaps as low as 32"), I'd prefer not to have the extra expense.

We've looked over several solutions but unable to find anything suitable.

Wall-mounted, swivel TV bracket
We feel this would look untidy as we have several boxes connecting (Sky box, blu-ray) with wires.  A wireless HD solution would fix this too, but again, it's even more expense.
Ceiling mounted TV lift
This is the dream solution, but those things are ridiculously expensive.
Ottoman with TV lift
Slightly cheaper than the ceiling mount idea, but taking extra space at the end of the bed and shrinking the available floor space.
Bed with TV lift at the foot
We have a really nice bed and we're reluctant to change it.  Of course, this is also an expensive option.

I had an idea of my own, but I'm not sure how viable it is.  I wondered if there were any mounts which would allow the TV to lift up into a horizontal position and slide backwards into the wardrobe, laying flat on a shelf above the hanging rails.  This would mean we would have to live without sliding doors, but it seems like a neat solution to the problem.  I've seen this bracket, but it's only for small TVs.

Does anyone have any better ideas, or a way to implement my own idea?

EDIT

The dimensions of the nook, which will effectively be the external space of the wardrobe, are about W74" x D36" x H95".


texts:
I have been troubleshooting this for some time now. Any help would be great!
A friend of mine's wife plugged in a hair dryer and lost power about 2 minutes into it. A few hours later the power was back on.... nobody messed with any breaker or anything.
Now when she turns on the hair dryer the power goes out and no tripped breaker.
I'm reading 120v one neutral to ground and 120v hot to ground. During my troubleshooting I have disconnected the neutral from the bus and energized the circuit to see what I get from neutral to ground. 120v from neutral to ground at the panel.
Just to see I re-landed the neutral to neutral bus to see if it would trip the breaker, no tripped breaker.
Since no breaker tripped I tested ground bus to neutral bus and got 120v. With that being said I opened the breaker and tested neutral to ground and had 0 volts.
So, I pulled all the plugs out and inspected all the wiring and found no issues.
I can't give up till I find this issue and now the power has returned. Can anyone recommend my next step?
I'm almost thinking a staple has made its way through the insulation on the Romex.


texts: i want to wire two lights with the power coming in the first light go to the second light and then to a switch

texts: I have two lights with the power to the first light and passing through to a second light then to a switch. how is this wired?


texts: Product & technique recommendation to trim this door

texts:
So I had a new retaining wall built for the walkout from my basement, and there is a small gap (about an inch) between between the door frame and the wall. Currently it is filled with spray foam that's about 20 years old.
Quite clearly this looks crap, and is a poor choice for winter proofing. My current plan is to remove the old spray foam and replace with fresh product, then apply a veneer of mortar between the wall and doorframe. Also thinking about putting some basic white trim over the exposed section.
So my question is, if this was your house what product(s) would you use and how would you trim the door? I'm in Ontario, Canada.


texts: Bought a US appliance and powered directly off Aus mains, is it boned?

texts:
Hope this is on topic for this stackexchange.

I recently bought a lamp from the US and had it shipped to Australia. Stupidly I powered it straight off the mains through an adapter. The device is rated at 120V 60Hz and Australian mains are 240V 60Hz. The lamp turned on for a split second and wouldn't power on at all after that. The device has a fuse in the back of it that appears to still be whole, the manual says this should be replaced if the lamp no longer dims correctly.

Have I written off the device or is it possible that it has remained intact? (I know it is impossible to say definitively but some information would be of great help)


texts:
I'm curious why this particular shape of jaws on digital caliper like this one has.

I mean the tapered pointy ends of the outer and inner jaws. The different shapes of the inner jaws one having a step.


texts: Should I replace my trunk-and-branch setup with a PEX manifold?

texts:
My house is plumbed using PEX trunk-and-branch, with the main 3/4 line coming in, splitting off to 3/4" to the hot water tank, and then a 1/2" trunk that all the other branch supplies tee off from. Hot water is the same, with a 3/4" line coming from the tank and splitting to two 1/2" lines.

The pressure changes when you are using a faucet or in the shower are very noticeable as other fixtures are used, particularly with the washing machine.

I need to do a couple of changes anyway (including adding an outside tap), am both experienced with and have all the tools for PEX, and don't mind spending a couple hundred dollars on this. How much of a difference will I notice if I:

Replace the 1/2 "trunk" lines with 3/4"
Replace the 1/2" trunk lines with a PEX manifold

I'm just looking for someone's experience/anecdotal evidence that it would not be a complete waste of time/money to do this.


texts: Can elbow fitting be used to line up drain tailpiece with trap

texts: I installed a new vanity and the drain tailpipe does not line up with the P trap. Can I use two 90 degree elbow fittings to make this connect? Can elbows connect to elbows directly or does it require an extender in the middle? See the picture of my problem.


texts: Would a single section of 3 LED's from a LED strip still need the required 12V?

texts:
I have some LED strips which run off a 12V power brick, but what I don't know if that applies to even a single section which is only 3 LED's?

I was basically wondering if there was a way I could cut a single section of the LED strip and power it with a battery.


texts: How do I stabilize power to my PC from an erratic power supply?

texts: An erratic power supply with low voltage particularly at night exists in my area (in India).The UPS tag tells a 220v/50Hz which I know not what. It does not tell about any amp marking. Can I use a voltage stabilizer for that ? If so of what kind or type?


texts: Are impact driver bits a different standard than screwdriver bits?

texts:
I bought a Milwaukee M4 cordless screwdriver (Milwaukee 2101-22) from Home Depot.  Home Depot has plenty of Milwaukee screwdriver bits and I bought a set.
The bits are too short.  The head of the bit is nearly inside the socket; it's hard to even reach it with my fingers to remove it, let alone drive screws with it.
Reading the label on the bits more carefully, I realized that it says "SHOCKWAVE Impact Duty".  So my best guess is that this set of bits was intended for use in a Milwaukee impact driver.  (I guess with an impact driver a shorter bit is better, for strength.)
The cross-sectional size of the bits seems identical (1/4" hex drive), but it seems that the M4 screwdriver needs longer bits.  Yet it's nearly impossible to find the suitable bits on the Home Depot web site; almost all they have is SHOCKWAVE.
It seems strange to me that there should be two standards for screwdriver bits, differing only in length.  And if there are two standards I would expect the Milwaukee web site would make it easy to search for exactly the kind of bits you need, but there's no obvious way to search for non-SHOCKWAVE bits.
Am I correct that there are two standards and I need different bits for the M4 screwdriver?  Or will the SHOCKWAVE bits work somehow with the M4 screwdriver?  Maybe there is some kind of common adapter I could get?
P.S. I believe I found one set of bits that would work with the M4 screwdriver.  Here's the link, and a link to a SHOCKWAVE bit set for comparison.  Sorry for using a Home Depot link but I cannot even find non-SHOCKWAVE bits on the Milwaukee web site at all!  Not even using Google to search for part number 48-32-1552!
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwaukee-Screwdriving-Bit-Set-64-Piece-48-32-1552/306715205
https://www.milwaukeetool.com/Products/Accessories/Accessories-Sets/SHOCKWAVE-Driving-Set/48-32-4062
EDIT: Thanks for the responses.  Now that you educated me, I checked to see if the SHOCKWAVE bit set I bought includes a bit tip holder, and it does.  (In fact it has two bit holders, a 3" and a 6"!)  I feel silly that I wasn't able to figure this out on my own, but with your help I eventually figured it out.


texts: Using spare red insulated 10 gauge wire as a ground

texts:
I had some spare 10/3 NM cable from which I repurposed the black, white, and bare wires and ran through conduit. There's a circuit junction nearby that doesn't have a ground and isn't spliced inside a j-box. The line side is just a hot and a neutral. The load side goes to a light outside and is 14/2 NM cable. The spare red wire from the 10/3 NM, can I use that to ground the 14/2 NM and just identify it as a ground with green electrical tape every few feet?
The portions of the NEC I've read pertain to identifying the neutral but I can't find something that references the coloring of an earth/grounding wire.


texts: Replaced water filter now very low water pressure

texts: Had very strong water pressure through water dispenser. Then replaced water filter and now very, very slow water.  Did all the things everyone has suggested to no effect.  Found that by pulling the bottom of the filter towards the front of the refrigerator water pressure increased.  Shouldn't have to do that and may lead to breaking the water filter off but doesn't seem like there is any other solution.  I will tape a wedge of some type to the lower portion of the filter so that it pushes against the inside rear wall of the refrigerator and pushes the bottom of the filter towards the front of the refrigerator.


texts: What did cable installer use to tap onto my service ground?

texts:
I have a somewhat mysterious service ground apparently underneath a concrete entryway. All that is visible now is a heavy gauge bare copper wire coming through the cement. When the cable company hooked up my internet they bonded the coax ground to this service ground using some sort of clamp:

What is this square clamp called? I have pored through hundreds of Google Images for "ground clamp" and "square ground clamp" and "copper ground lug" and whatever else I can think of and am not finding something like this, which is apparently designed for bonding in this sort of situation.

I am adding some of my own antennas and need to bond their grounds to this same service ground wire. So I need something like this that can split into two pieces around the middle of my service ground wire, and clamp it tightly onto the end of an additional ground wire.

(Rather than directly connecting my lightning arrestors, in actuality I'll probably be driving a second "known quantity" ground rod nearby, and bonding that to the service ground — but then I'll still need basically the same sort of clamp.)


texts: Toilet Problem- Water not able to flush at all

texts:
Hi I am having problem with my toilet as whenever I am flushing it the water is not passing by. Now the condition is so bad that my toilet is filled with more than half water all time. It is not passing through. At the same time I  have notice, sometime water reach the bottom in the pot and some sound started to come from it , at time some bad smell (very very smelly ) come out of it all of it own.

I have tried to clear the sewage but of no use. Please advice what should I do. Thanks


texts: interior french drain installed causing wall to be wet due to condensation?

texts: I had an interior french drain installed and I have water condensing on the durawall panel that is installed against the wall above the trench.  The durawall panel runs about 2 feet above floor level.  The wall is wet from the floor up to about a foot.  This is causing my garage to be wet.  Is this normal?