Can I vent my plumbing prior to the main entering the house? If I plumb each fixture inside my house using an air admittance valve (AAV), my understanding is that they will drain/flush properly since air is being let into the system.

My question concerns the sewer gases that will need to be removed from the system. Instead of venting the fixtures in the traditional manner, resulting in a roof penetration, can I simply vent the main DWV 4" line just before it enters the house? Seems to me that the gases are going to rise at the first opportunity.

So, would the combination of AAV's and a single exterior vent suffice?

That's an interesting question, with a logical thought process applied to the term 'vent'. With that being said:

The wastewater system contains noxious, ﬂammable sewer gases. These gases are kept out of the house by means of a P-trap at each ﬁxture that seals the end of the pipe with water When wastewater is released from the ﬁxture, it displaces water held in the trap. A vent on the sewer side of each trap supplies air so that draining water cannot create a suction to pull water out of the trap.

Source

Vents aren't used to let the noxious gas escape out of the house, they'll always be there so it's impossible to get rid of them. The vents are used to avoid siphoning of the water seals which prevent the gases from leaking in to the house(per example, why you aren't allowed s-traps anymore as they had a risk of siphoning). Because of this you are required to have most fixtures within a certain distance of a vent or vented stack.

My post is more for information rather than an answer.

I believe this post will be of use to you, however.


How to deal with a dishwasher height issue without tearing out cabinetry when installing flooring? The house I purchased has nice new cabinetry and counter tops but cheap flooring.  We plan to install 3/4" wood flooring (already purchased) but learned that installing the flooring would make it so we can't get our dishwasher out, if it were to leak or fail (the legs of the dishwasher are almost all the way up).  It seems that we would need to remove the cabinetry and raise it to solve this problem.  But how well will the cabinetry go back together and can the counter tops (granite) be salvaged? I imagine it won't go back together just as it was.  Are there better ways to solve this problem?

Can you keep a section of wood flooring separate in front of the dishwasher? Or, if the floor boards will be parallel to the front of the dishwasher, you would just have to remove a few of those to get the dishwasher out. ( Keep extra floor boards in case you damage the originals and need to replace them?)

Just an idea.

(Never done this or seen it done.)


What should I expect when using electrical equipment rated for 100V/120V at 110V I have a number of electrical home appliances that are designed for

100V, 50Hz
120V, 60Hz
230V, 50Hz

I have a converter 100V <=> 220V-240V (according to the description). My power outlet has (supposedly)

110V-115V, 60Hz

and in other places

220V, 60Hz.

What effects do I have to expect when I use my appliances (with or without converter, as appropriate), where the appliances are

(120V/60Hz) stand mixer (simple motor)
(100V/50Hz) rice polisher (turns for a pre-programmed number of times)
(100V/50Hz) rice cooker (with complex functions such as indicating time, calculating time remaining for a particular rice cooking program)
(120V/60Hz) mixer (variable speed)
(100V/50Hz) CD player
(230V/50Hz) printer

at the slightly different voltage?

Is it sensible to measure the voltage and frequency before using the appliances and, if so, what equipment do I need?

You can measure voltage and frequency with either a good-quality multimeter (e.g. a second-hand Fluke 77 on eBay

or a plug-in "Kill-a-Watt" type of meter.

Cheap $5-$50 new no-name Chinese-made multimeters are usually not really safe for use on 230V

Personally, I doubt a 10% difference in voltage will be critical for any of those devices apart from the Japanese 100V items, that could overheat. n.b. EU supply = 230V+/-10% US supply=120V+/-5% so running a nominal 100V device at 126V might be cause for concern.

Japan has a mix of 50HZ and 60Hz supplies so I'd expect Japanese made 100V appliances to be happy with either.


How do I remove multiple layers of paint from wooden entrance ledge? Here's a picture:

If I recall correctly I have already tried a chemical stripper years ago and it didn't work. What would be the easiest way to remove the layers of paint all the way down to bare wood?

An angle grinder? Sheet sander? Random orbital sander? Rotary tool like dremel?

I have a cheapo rotary tool but I doubt it can do the job. I can buy either an angle grinder, a sheet sander or a random orbital sander....or any other one tool that can do the job.

Do I need to sand the wood after the paint has been removed? Can this be done with the same tool I will use to remove the paint? (for example, by changing disks/bit/sandpaper).

One of the best tools to begin the process of removing old, thick paint is a simple hand scraper

I would remove the metal strip, if possible, and use the scraper to remove most of the finish. The edges on the scraper can be rotated as they get dull.

Then you can follow up with either stripper (there are new citrus based that are pretty effective if you let them sit), or an orbital sander.

If it is very resistant, you could use a multitool with a scraper blade or even the grinding plate if it is very hard. This is an example, but there are many simpler and cheaper versions.

Caution with the multitool because once you cut through the paint, the wood may gouge or tear.


What to do with this fire place? We moved into a flat built in the 1940s and have been busy renovating since a month.

In the living-room is a nice fireplace which was covered up. We got rid of that, filled the holes and repainted it white (mostly due to not being able to get the paint off).
I took a look inside the offtake and it's blocked.

It looks like this now

My question: What would you do with it?

Put tiles on top (it's just plastered now)? Or wood, or nothing?
Try to reactivate it (if that's possible)?
Put a panel in front of it?

EDIT:
Thanks for the suggestions. We definitely got some ideas now :). We have to wait for the renters association guy to come by and tell us what we can do with it, anyway. So still enough time to make up our minds.

Our house was built in the 1970s and we had a similar dilemma.  We covered the brick added a new mantle added black granite tiles as well as covering the opening with a cover we bought at a home improvement store.  We also widened the area a little as well to offset the mantel.  With the doors shut it looks very modern and clean and hides the internals.
Hopefully this gives you some ideas.
BEFORE

AFTER


How can I best create a motorcycle tie-down point on or through my cedar fence? I have this style of fence abutting my driveway (but this is not my fence):

Currently, I don't have a good way to attach my motorcycle's inch-thick cable lock to it (or to anything), other than to feed it through the fence'S slats, which is not only going to damage my fence and the hedge once it grows in, but it's a pain (not to mention that a crowbar would make quick work of the fence anyway).

The driveway is a pavé uni made of 6-inch square blocks, so I'd like to avoid drilling and installing an anchor in the driveway.

What creative options do I have? There's a very wide flowerbed on the other side of the fence: what about sinking a cinderblock and running a chain up and through the fence that's long enough to afford me some room to anchor easily?

Bonus: if someone can give me the technical name for this type of fence, that would be cool, merely because I'm curious.

I like the buried chain idea. In fact, you don't even need to use cinder blocks. They make 'earth screws' which are large auger-looking thing that you literally screw into the earth. Typically used as playset tie-downs or party-tent tie downs.

Alternatively, maybe attach a bar to one of the fence posts. I'm thinking one of the stainless hand-bars you'd normally mount in a shower. It's one piece, shouldn't rust, and would look OK.


Is this plastic container in my toilet tank necessary? We have two toilets that don't flush well.  You have to hold the handle down for the entire flush, and even so they don't flush enough water.

Inside the tanks are plastic baffles that seem designed to limit the amount of water per flush.  It looks like they were installed with the tanks; they're mounted between the tank floor and the inner drain flange:

I'm all for water conservation, but this is a really poor design; the water flowing in from the top (instead of from all around) keeps knocking the valves closed.

Is there any reason (except for water usage) that I shouldn't just cut these out with a Dremel, leaving an inch or two in place?  I would prefer not to take the tanks off.

No, the plastic sub tanks are not necessary. They are an after market modification to an older toilet design used to supposedly conserve water usage.

From looking at the picture of the inside of your toilet tank I would think it would not be a bad job at all to temporarily de-mount the tank so as to fully remove the baffle unit. You could also replace that antique float ball filling valve with a newer style that has the float integrated into the fill valve itself. This would leave room inside the tank if you wanted to try the idea of placing one or two large plastic soda bottles filled with water into the tank as a displacement to save on amount of water per flush.


Grout and/or thinset flushed in septic system All.

My contractor is awful. If we weren't almost done with the project, I would kick him off my property and sue him.

Anyway, it appears that he dumped excess thinset or grout into my basement toilet. It caused a backup in my basement tub, toilet, and sink. It looks like someone hastily cleaned it up, but only a little. I have now cleaned it from the room and everything is flushing and draining normally.

However, we have a septic system. Will we need to have the septic tank pumped?

Thank you!

I would call a plumber that has a snake with a camera to inspect the drains to see if the thinset or anything else has plugged or partially restricted the drains. A partial restriction can result in debris plugging that line from time to time and certain types of tissue getting caught by a rough surface. It would be better to fix the problem now than having issues at a later date.  my 2 cents


powerwash cedar shake roof I have a 13 year old cedar shake roof. I send someone from a roofing company twice a year to do maintenance and cleaning of the roof.That person has told me that some of the shakes have started to bend and it might be a good idea to do powerwash of the roof and do chemical treatment.

Is powerwash a good idea for a wood roof? I am worried that it might do damage.

Also, how long do these roofs last. My maintanence person tells me that i have max 5 years.

Pressure washing is the best way to clean the roof. I would also use a cleanser, such as FLOOD (picture below). Very safe and will do a wonderful job. Safety should be your biggest concern. Make sure you point the force of the spray downward (toward the gutters) to prevent any leaking. Also, don't hold the wand too close to the shakes or you can damage them or cause a lot of weird discoloring. Try to maintain the same distance from the roof all over. About 12-16 inches should be sufficient. Also remember to use the wide fan tip and not the thin stripping tip.

Your maintenance person was most-likely referring to the chemical treatment that is on your shakes. Those need to be redone every 5 years or so. The shakes themselves should last 30-40 years if properly maintained.

Regarding the chemical treatment, there are many different types of treatments and sealants to consider. Careful though, because some will damage copper flashing and can kill vegetation. Make sure the roof is completely dry before you apply anything.


Could a saturated drain field cause a toilet to back up? My drain field is over saturated from excessive rain, but before I figured that out, I replaced the wax ring on one toilet due to leakage from the bottom.  I also had to replace the flange and build up the flooring next to the pipe as it seemed to be deteriorated (gone).

I was having no issues with the second toilet. I had not flushed the toilets or run any water in the house for a week, and flushed the toilet that I had replaced the ring, heard gurgling in the shower, but water seeped out from the bottom of the second toilet.

I called a Septic Pumping company, explained the yard has excessive water in it, that I just recently had the septic tanks pumped and asked if that would alleviate the issues. To which they told me no, that I would have to wait until the yard dried out.

Will I have to replace the ring on the second toilet? Could there be issues with the existing drain field, which I assume is 32 years old as the house was built in 1982? I did not have any issues with drains or toilets flushing prior to the rains.

As to backups into the sewage system, yes, a saturated drain field could cause that, no place for the grey-water to go.

Check around the inspection hole on the septic tank, should be a lot of leakage if that's the case as the tank will be full with no airspace if it has clogged outflow.

Excessive rain and drowned drainfields is a common wintertime issue here in Western Oregon. It's one reason our local city boundaries got massively redrawn to include a large area of the valley into the sewer district as the high water table and precipitation meant surface water was a health hazard.


What should I look for in a Whole House Fan I see a lot of variance in the prices of whole house fans in the market, and not a lot of clarity or comparison between vendors and models.

We're looking to buy some to install in our newly purchased duplex.

What are some things to look for and common issues or concerns with the installation and operation of these devices?

I have spent hours, even days researching whole house fans, and have found them to be one of the most cost-effective energy-saving home improvements one could choose to make.

After sorting through all of information out there, Here's what I'd look for:

Quiet operation - This allows you to run the fan during the coolest hours of the day (the nighttime, while you sleep) and get the maximum cooling effect. Dual speed operation is also nice, because the low speed is in many cases much quieter. Exchanging the air is important, which high speed can do quickly, and low speed can be used over night to cool the thermal mass of the structure down to the core. This way you can use your structure as a 'shield' against the heat the following day, and you can actually get more of a cooling effect with less airflow.

High Efficiency - If you are considering installing a whole house fan, you are most likely trying to save energy by reducing A/C use. So finding the most efficient whole house fan seems only logical. Some manufacturers have begun using ECM (electrically commutated motor) technology, which allows for AMAZING efficiency numbers -- and also extremely low noise levels -- especially on the lower speed settings.

Automatic, Insulated Doors - Unless you like crawling into your attic every season to insulate the hole in your ceiling (or if you live in a mild climate)  you'd be better off finding a product that features mechanical insulating doors. Keep in mind that the seal created when closed is as important, if not more important, than the insulation level (R-level) provided. When shopping, ask whether or not the seal is maintained when the unit is off. Without a seal, it does not matter what the R-level is, and the insulation can not do its job.

Good luck in your search, and keep these features in mind when shopping.


Is it ok to run 14 gauge wire for lighting off of a chain of 12 gauge outlets on a 20 amp breaker? So, I had a friend wire my basement for me because even though I had a basic understanding of it, I wasn't 100% comfortable with doing it alone (he's been working construction for several years now). I noticed he wired a string of 8 outlets and then two can lights in the bar. He used 12 gauge wire for all the outlets but 14 gauge for the lights. All this is running on a 20 amp breaker. From what I've read, this is technically not code, but I'm not too concerned with that. I just want to know if it's safe. I also wanted to add an outlet to the circuit for under the bar for a mini fridge, so I'm thinking I need the 20 amp breaker for that reason, otherwise I'd just switch it to a 15 amp breaker. Any thoughts?

Not only is it "technically not code", it is not to code and could be  dangerous. If you need a 20 amp breaker, then you have to change that wire to 12 AWG.  It might be easier to run a new 20 Amp circuit to the bar and change the lighting circuit to a 15 Amp breaker although 8 outlets is a lot for a 15 Amp breaker. This is the kind of stuff that can kill a sale in the future or be a reason to insurance companies to drop you.


Access Panel to gas stove shutoff valve on other side of wall in laundry room to code? My location is Burlington County, NJ

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

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

Also any other suggestions would be great.

Yes, putting the gas service shut-off in the laundry room would be fine (though they are typically found behind the appliance).  Remember, this is a service disconnect valve (for maintenance or replacement of the appliance) not an emergency disconnect valve (in the event of a gas leak).  The "emergency disconnect valve"  is at the meter since the first rule for gas leak safety is to exit the building.


Can my front door swing away from the wall? Currently we have a 36" front door that we want to replace.  It has a faux door vintage late 60s USA on the outside.  So on the outside it looks like we have double doors but really just one door - so we need to cover a 72" gap that is surrounded by brick on each side.

The current dooris right handed and  is about 8 inches from wall that it hits when it is opened.  So it opens at about 110 degrees into a wall.

We are moving to a door + a sidelite/window setup on each side at 14"-18".

So window panel then door then window panel to cover the whole door space of 72".

Should the door still open to the wall or does it matter?  So if we go to a LH door it would open all the way to the wall the door is on - 180 degrees.  If we go RH door it will eventually hit current wall it is on (could put a bench there) but at a greater angle than it current does since it will be at least 12-16" further away - hinges to wall.

If I read it right, you have room for it to swing either way. No it does not need to swing to a wall.

Two things to consider for your door, does the swing help enter the room? In other words does it help the traffic flow? The other is were the light switch is for that space. Typically the light switch in on the latch side, not the hinge side.


Would I use a reverse thread lag screw swage stud for tensioning cable? I was watching several videos showing an installation of wire rope for a fence, and the lag screw swage stud on one end would be driven clockwise while the other goes in counterclockwise. That way it can be tightened correctly, which makes sense.

In the video, both terminal ends are the same, the only exception being that one has regular threading and the other one has reverse threading.

My question: how can I drive a lag screw swage stud counterclockwise? Would I need to buy one with this type of threading?

The reason for the question is that I want to buy something like this, but it doesn't include anything about reverse threading or going in counterclockwise. None of the items in this page mention anything like this.

Thanks.

Yes, you'd purchase swage hardware in both "hands". Swages in left-hand thread (LHT) are readily available, as seen here, for example.

The alternative would be to use swiveling swage fittings, which will allow you to tension the cables without regard for direction.


Is it ok to run a new a power line under the roof as opposed to the ceiling? I am planning to run a new circuit to install ceiling lights, fan, etc. My attic is very low (approx 3 feet), and there is insulation between the joists (B in picture), so it is going to be a hassle to drill a hole in each one to run the cable through and under the insulation. I have a roof joist (A in picture) that is under the peak of the roof. I would rather run the cable along that, but I'm not sure if there are any issues with doing this. Is this a good idea?

P.S. I am in Seattle, so almost no lightening storms.

P.P.S. This is not my roof, but it is very similar. Except it isn't insulated.

If there's no permanent ladder or stairs leading to the attic, you may be able to simply lay the cable across the rafters.

  "Where this space is not accessible by permanent stairs or ladders, protection shall only be required within 1.8 m (6 ft) of the nearest edge of the scuttle hole or attic entrance.".

  National Electrical Code

  Chapter 3 Wiring Methods and Materials

  334.23 In Accessible Attics. The installation of cable in accessible attics or roof spaces shall also comply with 320.23.

  Article 320 Armored Cable: Type AC

  320.23 In Accessible Attics. Type AC cables in accessible attics or roof spaces shall be installed as specified in 320.23(A) and (B).

  (A) Where Run Across the Top of Floor Joists. Where run across the top of floor joists, or within 2.1 m (7 ft) of floor or floor joists across the face of rafters or studding, in attics and roof spaces that are accessible, the cable shall be protected by substantial guard strips that are at least as high as the cable. Where this space is not accessible by permanent stairs or ladders, protection shall only be required within 1.8 m (6 ft) of the nearest edge of the scuttle hole or attic entrance.

  (B) Cable Installed Parallel to Framing Members. Where the cable is installed parallel to the sides of rafters, studs, or floor joists, neither guard strips nor running boards shall be required, and the installation shall also comply with 300.4(D).

Article 300.4(D) says that if you do attach the cable to the ridge beam, you'll have to keep it 1 1/4" away from either edge.

  Article 300 Wiring Methods

  300.4 Protection Against Physical Damage. Where subject
  to physical damage, conductors shall be protected.

  (D) Cables and Raceways Parallel to Framing Members
  and Furring Strips. In both exposed and concealed
  locations, where a cable- or raceway-type wiring method is
  installed parallel to framing members, such as joists,
  rafters, or studs, or is installed parallel to furring strips, the
  cable or raceway shall be installed and supported so that the
  nearest outside surface of the cable or raceway is not less
  than 32 mm (1 1⁄4 in.) from the nearest edge of the framing
  member or furring strips where nails or screws are likely to
  penetrate. Where this distance cannot be maintained, the
  cable or raceway shall be protected from penetration by
  nails or screws by a steel plate, sleeve, or equivalent at least
  1.6 mm (1⁄16 in.) thick.


What should I expect when removing a chimney? Our brick chimney is leaning away from our house.  The breast is in the living room, pretty much flush with the wall.  The backside starts in the attached garage, goes through its roof and up past the second floor house roof.

We are thinking of removing it to below the garage roofline so we don't have to deal with the living room at this time.  We also have a metal roof very much like this but not as steep:

The chimney basically goes through the peak of the garage roof, although not quite centered.

I expect we'll need a roofer and someone else to patch the vinyl siding (there is none where the chimney used to be against the house.

What kinds of things should I expect?   Cost (understood to be very general), approach (hopefully not throwing the bricks down the chimney), damage to roof besides closing the hole, or anything else to watch out is what I'm after.

We were able to find someone to do this.  They removed part of the roof on the garage and built a ramp over the ply wood to toss down bricks.  They removed it to below the roof of the chimney and patched the hole in the roof and reinstalled the metal panels.  They also put siding on the house where the chimney was.

No mess in the living room and it was about a fifth of the price of a teardown and rebuild, approx. $2300.  This is in New England, so price might vary.  Also, the foundation for the chimney wasn't done right when built, which is why the rebuild price would have been so high.


What kind of connector is this and where do I find it? I recently bought some electric solenoid valves online, and I don't know what kind of electrical connector this is using, and where to get a female version.

Does anyone know where I can find the female version of this so I can attach it to a pair of long wires?

Those look to me like male "flag" terminals, so maybe one just uses single wires with female flag terminals.  For example:

http://www.allelectronics.com/item/6225/1/4-fully-insulated-female-blue/1.html


What could be causing cracks in the drywall of a newly renovated home? We bought an older home and completely renovated it about 18 months ago. Now I am starting to see small cracks in the drywall in the ceiling and walls. What could be causing this?

I am not a structural engineer.  I'm just a homeowner/remodeler.  This kind of diagnosis requires a site by a structural engineer.  If you are really concerned about your house, I'd recommend hiring one for an hour or two to visit your home and provide their opinion.  Cost is likely $125-$250.  Don't get talked into making complicated drawings for lots of money unless they see that there is a problem.  You may already have some drawings if you had a permitted remodel.

However, I can talk about what might generically cause issues like this in a house.

There is, as BrownRedHawk suggestions, the benign explanation.  These crack could be normal signs of age, material expansion, or harmless settling.  If these cracks are primarily at corners or in lines at seams in the drywall, then they may simply be a bad mud job on the drywall.  Even how you hang the pieces around doors and windows can significantly affect cracking.  If it is the benign problem, you could probably just have a drywaller redo the cracking joints, possible with fiber tape if that wasn't used last time or corner beard, and see if it cracks again.  I wouldn't do that until you eliminate the more serious problems.

However, you could have more serious problems.

Some possibilities:

if you have an especially wet year, especially in areas with clay or
a high water table, expansion of clay soils could cause some lift and
settle of the house or the water table could cause a new range of
settling.  If either problem is chronic, it should be addressed with
floating basement walls and/or basement slab drainage.  Neither are
cheap solutions.  You probably know best whether you live in a high
water table, a clay soil area, or had a very wet or very dry year.
If door and window operation is affected or if enlarged or added any windows, the structural elements around the window or door may
have been compromised or installed incorrectly.  During an old
remodel, I found two previously remodeled windows where the header
was unsupported (improperly installed).  This could cause some
movement in the wall or ceiling around the window, cracking the
drywall.
If you removed any walls during the remodel, even if you didn't think they were structural, they may have been accommodating some
other structural weakness in the house.  If you did this kind of work
and that is the area that is cracking, you'll definitely need to talk
to a structural engineer.
Did you convert any flooring from carpet to tile?  Tile, especially if properly installed on concrete board, is quite heavy.  If some
element of your structure was at its load, the tile load could have
caused some settling into the new load.  I might expect some cracking
tile in this situation.
Were any roofs lor gutters or drainage systems altered or compromised during your remodel?  Is it possible you now have
drainage water running next to your foundation etc that was
previously safely directed away?
If there was heavy equipment or digging on your site during the remodel, a french drain system outside the house could have been crushed or destroyed by the digging or heavy equipment.  If you know
where water goes into your french drain system and where it goes to
daylight again, you could have it camera snaked by a professional
sewer cleaning company.  You could also try a poor mans trick of
filling it with the garden hose.  If it doesn't come out the other
end, you probably have a problem.
Is your water usage excessively?  If you have a leaking water main or sprinkler system, which would probably be indicated by heavy water
usage, the water could be running underground near the foundation and
causing settling or expansion.
Last you could have an actual foundation problem.  A crack in a slab or a really old foundation (think stone not concrete) could be
failing and causing some cracking.  If your foundation is visible
around the outside of the house (most older homes have some
'freeboard' concrete showing), you might be able to see a problem.
Or if you have a crawl space you could examine the foundation in the
crawl space.  I don't think this is especially likely unless you have
a stone rubble foundation.

So those are some very general things that could cause this problem.  I'd strongly suggest investing in an hour or two of a structural engineer's time if for no other reason than to sleep better at night.  If something really foolish has been done structurally, hopefully they would notice and you could correct it before the problem becomes more serious (structure or life threatening).  I'd also consider having a drainage guy out to look at your gutter and drainage systems if they aren't in great shape.

Hope that helps.


Adding 2 led flood lights to 15amp breaker I currently have a 15amp circuit that runs outside to a 4 outlet receptacle that was for a

pool pump which is no longer in use. It was run with #8 wires with a #10 ground. I want to

hook up 2 flood lights with 14/3 wire to that circuit. Can I still leave the  4 outlet

receptacle hooked up. I would have to disconnect the #8 wires and run a pigtail back to the

panel. If so would I need to run the pigtail in #8 wire.

I know it would look weird but is it legal

You should be able to run your 14/3 wire directly from the outlet box to your new lights. You can also leave the outlets connected as the wire from the panel to the outlets is so oversized. Also those two led lights should not add too much load to the existing circuit.


Should the backer board be in front of or behind the tub flange? I'm installing a new bath tub and shower.  I've removed the old tile down to the studs.

Should the backer board be in front of or behind the tub flange?  I put it on the rear tub wall from floor to ceiling at first, but I can easily remove it if it should go OVER the tub flange.

Let's look at the three pictures above.

#1 - This is probably the most common install.  You cement board is on the same plane as the flange.  It is thicker so it ends up hanging over.

Tip - If you are using cement board by itself I would strongly suggest using 1/2 inch.  Also I am a strong supporter of hardibacker since it doesn't allow water through or hold water.  Durarock is a great product but I use hardibacker in wet areas.

#2 - Some people are going to look at this and say never do it.  Well it is done.  Two main reasons.  First is the tub tub deck isn't exactly flat.  Some bow towards the middle.  This allows the backer board to almost sit it on some spots and maybe be 1/4-1/2 inch up in others.  The second is smaller tiles.  If you are going small glass mosaic all the way up not only should you do this but it is a must.  If you stagger the backer the bottom tiles could move if hit near their bottoms (especially if you are caulking the deck to tile transition).

Tip - In a lot of my tub surround installs I start with 1/4" drywall, plastic sheet (moisture barrier) then 1/4 hardiboard.  This is a fast install, allows you to get something like picture #2 minus the furring strips (which are not fast), the 1/4 inch backer is much easier to get screws in right, and with a total of a half inch you can meet the rest of the room.  I read about this install over at the johnbridge forums probably 8-9 years ago and have done at least 20 this way without one issue (2 in my home).

#3 - Same deal as the first picture but with a goofy flange.  Again you could use furring strip or drywall.

Tip - Once you fur out the back or the front of your tub you have a dilemma.  How do I meet up with the rest of the room.  Let's first of all say you need to fur out a 1/2 inch.  Wow if you fur out and put up 1/2 inch backer you are out an inch.  So that is why I say to keep the drywall+backer method in your back pocket.  You can go 1/2 inch drywall then 1/4 inch backer.  Also how do you meet up with the rest of the room?  Well if it is a small bathroom I have double layered drywall along a wall.  This is very easy to do and maybe $20 in materials vs furring out the whole wall - which is harder to match things up. An alternative in this case is to use 5/8 for the rest of your room and transition under tile work.  Very easy to build up 1/8 inch using extra thinset.

Normal Install Instructions

If you need to push out the install add furring strips or drywall.
Staple moisture barrier (plastic sheathing) to the studs (or furring strips or drywall).  The plastic should go a few inches into tub deck and above your highest backer board.  It if fine to take it to the ceiling too.
Screw in backer board using roofing nails and approved screws.  First every piece should have 6-8 screws.  They are a pain to get flush so use roofing nails for the rest (need at least 1 1/4 inch).
Put up your alkali resistant mesh tape on all backer to backer seams (gray mesh sold near backer boards at the big box).  If it doesn't say alkali resistant it isn't so don't buy the drywall mesh.
I strongly suggest that you hide backer to drywall transitions under tile.  When I do a normal tub surround I buy 4 pieces of backer.  One goes up vertical on each side (5 feet), one horizontal on the back, and another cut at 2 feet horizontal so that we have 5 feet above tub deck all the way around.  Drywall above that .  I even do the drywall if tiling to the ceiling.  Then the tile is going to at least 5 1/2 feet above the deck and 3 1/2 feet from the wall.  No transitions for me.
First step of tiling day is to mix thinset a little on the soft side.  Go over the joints that have your mesh tape and fill them in.
Plan your tiling pattern.  If you have to make cuts, hide them in the corner. Plan to never cut your tiles height-wise - just tile a little higher (or lower).
Start at the bottom.  With bigger tiles you may need to start at the second row and have them sit on a strip until the thinset is strong enough to not sag.  Make sure your bottom row is 1/8 inch from tub deck.  Note that on curved tub deck you might have to be 1/16 of an inch on some parts and much bigger on others.
After you are done tiling cut the plastic right at the tile level all the way around.  Push plastic under tile gap.
With the new cheap plastic tub you pretty much have to caulk the deck to tile transition.  For heavier more solid tubs you can grout this area.  I like grouting the bottom because you can always go over it with caulk in the future.  People will say to never grout because it will crack.  As I mention above it depends on the type of tub.
Caulk your corners and caulk the top area of tile.


Are some power cables too old to be safe? Found some really old extension cables (+20 years). Is it safe to use them? I was worried that the plastic could deteriorate with time, but I have never seen a power cable with a best-by date.

No, no 'Best By' date codes LOL.  However, your instincts are on track.  As the plastic jacket ages it becomes brittle and can crack allowing in moisture and presenting an obvious hazard.  However, if with inspection the jacket appears to be without defect; if it feels relatively flexible and supple then it may be ok. The cord ends need to be inspected as well.  Any signs of heat, burning or serious abuse chuck em. Thanks for being safety conscious.  P.


candelbra base too long, is it safe? I bought a candelbra bulb that fits correctly in every way except the length of the base:

As you can see the bulb's base on the right is longer than the one on the left. Is it safe to use the bulb on the right?

When it put it into the lamp, the base sticks out maybe 1mm from the screw-slot (the hole in the lamp where the bulb screws in).

It is okay to use it this way?

Also, the bulb hums sometimes. The lamp is dimmable (the bulb too supposedly) but if I set the brightness to anything other than the minimum or maximum I hear a humming.

So does it all sound about right or I can't use the bulb on the right to replace the bulb on the left?

Thanks.

If the lamp is properly wired, the shell of the socket is connected to neutral. This means that, under normal conditions, the voltage on the shell is minimal vs. ground and so this is generally safe. However, in case of an open neutral or a miss-wired socket with hot on the shell, this could expose lethal voltages.

If this a chandelier which is out of reach, I'd not hesitate to use this bulb. Otherwise, I'd prefer to use a better fitting bulb.


How do I fix a broken brass drawer pull? This drawer pull comes from an antique dresser; it mates with a threaded screw that goes inside the drawer.

The collar on the drawer pull has gradually become thinner and cracked, and no longer grabs the screw with sufficient force to pull the drawer out.

How would I repair this drawer pull (there are actually 7 with this problem across 2 dressers)?

You may be able to find some NOS (new old stock) pulls of the same type on eBay or Etsy. I recently did the same thing for an old writing desk that was missing one of the pulls. I couldn't find a match for the missing one, so I replaced the whole set.

If you want them repaired, then they will probably need to be brazed and re-tapped. That is a job that you should have done professionally if you aren't comfortable using a torch.

Brazing


Sealing siding at foundation wall I've been trying to determine if and how siding (aluminum in my case) should be sealed along the bottom edge at the foundation wall.

I've found some small gaps that last summer let ants in and I'm thinking that is how mice are getting into my attic as well.
I may not be searching for the answer correctly. Most results are about sealing your house before siding or sealing around windows.

Haven't found the rules for sealing at the foundation wall.

I figure it has to been done correctly fore water and moisture control.
Anyone know the right way of doing this?

Thanks

I have a similar situation, cedar siding that comes down to within a foot or two of the ground, depending on where around the house you are.

I kill the ants, foundation spray, shake pellets. Ants are, for the most part, smarter than I am and will always find a crack or crevice I didn't and they aren't afraid of heights.

I would never seal my siding at the bottom. Depends on different situations, the house is 60ish years old. Well before things were tight and meant to be tight. I don't want to trap moisture in a space that was not built for it and where this house needs to breathe or weep excess moisture. Could be wrong, but there is a reason you don't seal stucco there either, water needs an out (I am North East if location and weather matters to you).


What could cause only one radiator to not become warm? I have gas powered hot water heat in a home I purchased. When I tested it this morning I got a lot of whistling and other noises that subsided for the most part. After the heat had run for 20-30 minutes, I checked it radiator in the house. All the radiators were at least warm, with the exception of one of the radiators upstairs.

What could cause this single radiator to not get warm at all? I noticed slight temperature variances between the other radiators, but this one seemed to not be warm at all. I assume it should get warm if the hot water is flowing through it, and I also assume the hot water must be flowing through it to complete the circuit. So, what gives?

Air.  Bleed the radiator.  Air can very, very easily be trapped in one radiator, which will cause it to not heat.


Only apply primer to concrete roof? Our building has decided to paint a 13-ft x 13-ft section of the roof that's leaking (just a few drops with lots of rain). This roof has a fence since it's an "outdoor" area that we all share, so it's secure to work there. We live in the Caribbean, so this roof receives lots of sun. The roof is not covered.

Someone went over there to quote the job, and he said that he would apply a primer and then an "ultra-white" roof coating. I was checking in home depot, and most (if not all) roof coatings are very white.

So my questions:

Since we don't need the roof coating to reflect the sun or UV rays, is it possible to just apply a very good/thick primer and that's it? Many years ago they applied a white roof coating, and it was so bright that we couldn't sit up there.

We only need a product that will seal the concrete and stop leaks. I don't know much about this, but I was thinking of something like a Satin Clear Seal Concrete Protective Sealer or a Water-Proofing Membrane. Whatever we apply, it can't be a bright white.

The ideal product would have the following characteristics:

Seals the concrete and stops the leaking
Since the concrete is very rough, it'd be great if the coating's thick enough so that the concrete doesn't fill so rough if someone falls.
If the product has some color, that'd also be great. But it's OK if it's clear. It cannot be ultra-bright white.

You really need a sealer. White is chosen to reflect the heat AND this will last longer than black. When we used hot tar on roofs we then painted them silver or white. If we did not do this the tar would end up in puddles.

Primers are made to seal wood and wall coverings, not a concrete roof. You need a coating with some “body” that maintains flexibility and don’t go cheap, get it sealed before it gets worse. Multiple coats may be needed but a quality product will probably work with one coat based on your description.

So get the right product for the job and don’t go cheap.

Edited: I noticed the link for the Elasto lock , read the instructions this product suggests power washing, they mention acid etching to clean newer pours and do not mention primer at all. DO NOT USE PRIMER WITH THIS PRODUCT!. It needs the porosity of the concrete to bond as I have mentioned in several comments.
But I believe it would be a good product to use to seal your leak.
As I have not used the satin sealer in the original question I looked up some info. A question was asked about a concrete roof leaking here is rustolium’s response:

Rust-OleumSupport
March 04, 2019
Thanks for reaching out, Richard. Rust-Oleum Sealkrete Clear Seal Concrete Protective Sealer will offer waterproofing qualities, but you may need to consider two coats for adequate coverage. You will get 150-300 sq ft of coverage and you can recoat the product in 2 hours. - Rust-Oleum Product Support 1

So so as I said I would not use that sealer it only had sealing properties,  but the ElastO lock you linked to looks like a good flexible product made to seal cracks. And no priming is required but cleaning is.


Door jamb on a 2.5" thick wall What approach can be used to fabricate and install a door jamb on a 2.5" thick wall? The wall is composed of 2x4 on side (1.5") and two sheets of 1/2" drywall.

Edit:
I have an old 5 panel door that fits the rough opening and old casing that I'd like to use if I can.

I can think of two options using the prehung doors available in HI stores:

You can pull the door apart (they come in two pieces for the installation) and cut about 3/4" off of the inset part of the door.  Since this side goes into the channel on the other half of the door, you'll never see it if the cut isn't pretty.  I believe there's at least 1/4" of play in that channel, but measure first.

Second option is to get some strips of 1/2" wood to install behind the trim around the door.  Hang the door as you normally would, but leave it 1/2" out from the walls.  Then, before nailing the trim into the wall, place the 1/2" strips of wood behind the trim around the doorway.

The first option is a bit tricky since the door is very weak when disassembled and the trim makes the corners difficult to cut around.  The second option comes in handy when you realize the problem after you've already installed the door (we all forget to measure first sometimes), but I don't think it looks as good to have trim sticking out like that.


Converting a Single-Bulb Light to a Dual-Bulb Light - Your Opinions Please? There are tons of questions about installing and replacing ceiling lights already, and I was looking through them but I didn't feel like checking 106 pages of results to make sure my question isn't a duplicate of another one! So... here we go. :)

I am very illiterate when it comes to electric installations and wiring, but I have a dated flush mounted ceiling light in a hallway I'd like to replace. Today I removed all the parts I dared to, but now I'm not sure where to continue.

First of all, what is all that insulation stuff inside the base of the old fixture? I'm hoping I didn't just expose myself to asbestos...

Second, many of the new fixtures I've looked at are for two bulbs and this one is just for one bulb. Is there any way I can use the existing wiring to install a two-bulb light fixture?

Third, I've seen pictures and read about there being a ceiling bracket that the light connects to. Will that be above this round box? I don't want to go too far and remove everything from the ceiling if it's not necessary.

I haven't bought a new fixture yet, but decided to get this much done for now.

So... what are your opinions on this? Is my goal possible? Do you see anything "scary" about what's there that I should address?

Nothing too scary about your situation.  That is fiberglass insulation.  I still would avoid breathing it in.  One thing to start with is that light fixtures do not last forever, especially when they used incandescent bulbs.  They deal with so much heat that the metal parts start to break down.  I recommend that you replace the fixture.  That is a pancake box screwed to the ceiling joist.  Leave it be.  Get rid of everything else except the pancake box and the wires coming through the back of the box.  Purchase a new fixture, preferably with LED lights either integrated of bulb style. Follow the instructions with the new fixture for installation. You can do this! P.


How can I wire a single gang 3-way fan control and dimmer? My client's new fan is installed on a 3-way switch above stairs. The switches are located top and bottom, on separate breakers. The fan and light are operated simultaneously. The light attachment has an on/off toggle, and remains off. There are no pull chains. Simple yet unfinished.

Modern Fan Co 'Stratos' included single pole, single-gang fan + light control unit. I'm guessing this will not accommodate, unless I convert to single pole. They offered one 3-way option, while also recommending Lutron (90$ each I believe).

In a nutshell:

Are two 3-way single-gang dimmer + fan controls necessary?
Is snaking necessary?

I'm not clear if the current wiring (3-way, 3-wire) would support 4 different controls (via single gang, two locations).

Would I need to snake additional wires? Upper would be more practical from attic. Lower may increase difficulty, and most likely be out of budget.

The supplier's tech-guy practically threw his hands up in the air and recommended a remote, unfortunately the manufacturer suggested against this.

I often defer unknowns to professionals when I have multiple clients waiting. I feel like nothing is out of my league. I've installed 40+ fans in my lifetime, and I'm confused here.

Spending more than a few hours on this install is unacceptable by my standards. Therefore I'm setting some time aside to educate myself, and avoid costs.

Explaining this to clients and salespersons can be strenuous. Any input is greatly appreciated!

I don't think it's possible to get everything you want because of the 3-way requirement. There is no true 3-way dimmer setup with double throw switches. The ones promoted as such use electronics to detect the change of state in the satellite switch and mimic 3-way operation. Such a setup may or may not work with your current wiring, you would need to refer to the installation instructions for a specific device.

And even if the pseudo 3-way dimmer is made to work, it cannot be done in a single gang box, the fan control would need it's own box. The closest scheme I can imagine would require a double box at one end with the sole fan control and a separate dimmer control. The other end could be single gang to contain the dimmer satellite control. No fan control would be possible from the satellite end. Even so, you are likely a wire short between fan control and fan, but it's not possible to say for sure without detailed information on all the devices involved.

With most fans available today, it's unlikely to be able to switch the light and fan all with a single pair of 3-way switches. The typical fan needs it's own dedicated speed control. As it's controlled electronically, it's not even possible to set the speed to maximum and then toggle it on and off with a wall switch. When you cut the power, the fan "forgets" it's status. When power is restored, it most likely will default to the off state. And the fan would never work on a dimmer controlled circuit no matter what.

There are other possibilities, but in each case, you will need to give up one or two things, either single gang, dimmer control, use existing 3 wires, or 3-way control. Depending what you would be willing to give up, a solution likely exists. You just can't have it all.


Is it ok to turn off the fridge for a few hours for defrosting? I havent been able to locate a seperate off switch for the freezer compartment, I dont think there is one. So the only solution would be to turn off the whole freezer+fridge combination.

Would it be safe for the food inside the fridge for the whole thing to be off for a few hours so I can defrost the freezer?

I tried placing hot water inside the freezer while it was still on, wasnt very effective.

The US FDA says that an unopened fridge should keep food for about 4 hours before it starts to spoil. This time is reduced if the fridge wasn't already cold, or if warm food was recently placed into it and hasn't cooled down. It'll also be reduced if the seals or insulation on the fridge is bad. Not sure how much defrosting you'll get in 2 or 3 hours though...


Standard water heater outside the house? A guest house built with one bedroom also had a nice sized portion left unfinished for storage and freezer space. We have decided to finish this area, making a second bedroom.

Currently the 50 gal water heater is installed in this space.
The home is total electric no gas.
We don’t want an electric tankless water heater because of the expensive upgrades to the electrical system.

I have seen the little water heater enclosures sold at big box stores.
I am considering moving the 50gal tank heater outside into one of these.
We are in South Carolina with pretty mild winters.
What drawbacks are there to this type installation and what considerations should be taken to insure that I don’t have problems with such a project?

I live in Georgia and we have similar weather in the winter. You shouldn't have an issue using that enclosure. However, I would insulate this very well. You never know when we could get another winter superstorm like we experienced in 1993.


Reduce suds created from washing machine rinsing? I live in a 6th floor of an old building with piping that clogs easily and frequently. We have to fix that, but it's expensive so we have to find temporary alternatives in the meantime.

Our washing machine has a drain hose that dumps the soapy water to a sink. The water coming out of the hose doesn't have suds, but as soon as it hits the sink, you can see the top layer of suds being formed. Our neighbor in the 1st floor sees these suds coming out of their dishwasher and rightfully complains.

On the other hand, to make sure it was the soap, we tested by filling the sink with plain water so it goes down the drain. The neighbor didn't see anything in her sink.

I know I can use less soap, but it will still make suds.

My question: what can I do to minimize the suds that go through the drain pipe? The ideal solution would be that the water in the sink does not have suds, so the water that goes down the drain does not have suds either.

Also, I just read that vinegar can reduce suds. But my concern is that the vinegar will reduce suds inside the washing machine and not the suds buildup in the sink when washing machine is rinsing.

If you use soaps marked HE (High efficiency) there will be less suds.


Converting closed stairs to open stairs I am removing the 1st floor wall section of my stairs.  The stairs were constructed with stringers under the treads, but a closed skirt board was attached.  I have removed the walls surrounding the stairs and the old skirt board.

Should I add a false stringer mounted all the way at the ends of the new, longer, treads or should I build a small wall with different height top plates to effectively make a stringer but provides a nailing surface for drywall?

EDIT:
Sorry, I really asked by question poorly...

The stairs are supported by 3, strong, full length stringers.  I will not be changing the construction of structural part of these stairs.  The two outside stringers are right at the edge of the current tread.

Open stairs is exactly what I am doing, in fact I have already finished opening them...  What I need to do is build a wall on either side of the outside stringers to support the last few inches of new, longer, tread as well as support new drywall.    Note that that last 2' of the first floor wall, which previously enclosed the stairs, is still present.

My question is actually about the construction of this new wall.  Should I basically just build a stair shaped wall?  Should I install a false stringer to get the stair shape, or just make the stair shape from 2x4s?  I want to be able to bring drywall right up to the bottom of the new treads.

There are 2 ways to do this, the first way is in essence just cutting the wall at the top of the skirt board and capping it off and setting the handrail on top of the cap that is finishing off the cut wall, sounds a bit crude, but essentially that describes what you will have.

The up side to this is you will not need to do a floor repair, depending on where your wall ends where the newel will be.

The other way to do it is by removing the wall entirely, repairing the floor, removing the treads and risers, and set longer ones with return nosings on either side. and re-support the stairs with a new walls under the existing carriages.

This is the most work, but will give the best result in my opinion.

Jan. 2, 2014 edit

Here is the work I did in 1989 that shows what I did. This one shows the best example of the effect I was trying to explain. I do not have a shot that shows how the handrail goes past the ceiling, but with a little imagination you could picture what the rail would have to do if the stairs were much wider at the bottom.

Edit #2

I did a little calculating to help, if it may


C Wire for Thermostat I am upgrading my thermostat (Have AC & Heat) and found that it doesn't have the "C" wire that I need to power my new thermostat. The furnace does have a terminal for C, but only condensation pump is connected. Can I simply run an 18 gauge wire from the furnace C to the thermostat C. to have a fully functioning, powered thermostat? There are already 5 wires connected. I have attached a picture of my furnace wiring in case more information is needed.

Technically, to do it properly, you should run a new cable with more wires.

But yes. If you connect the C terminal on the thermostat, to that C terminal on the furnace control board. That should power your new thermostat.


Inline water heater temperature floor? I have an inline water heater. Once it gets hot it will stay that way for 20+ minutes at a time easily.

When the shower gets used it feels like their is a floor in how cold the water will get - if I turn the cold up past a certain point it runs ice cold.

This waterheater has been in a while. I've already flushed the lines with vinegar and tripple checked the gas and gas regulator.

What more should I look at? My guess would be the water flow control mechanism but I really don't know.

Tankless/on-demand (is this the same as inline?) water heaters only heat if the water flow rate is above some minimum, typically around 0.5 gallons per minute. As the water temperature is made more cold, less and less hot water is going into the mix. At some point, the hot water flow decreases below the threshold and the water heater turns off, yielding cold water flowering through the hot water pipes.

Your water heater may have an adjustable flow rate threshold, and if so, it could be decreased. Another solution would be to decrease the temperature setpoint to be closer to the desired final temperature (though you may need the hotter water for dish or clothes washers).


Is it safe to use foil heat tape inside the dryer? The metal air duct pipe inside my electric dryer does not seem to completely seal against the plastic housing of the exhaust blower fan.
Is it safe to use metal foil heat tape to join them together, and make sure there is a good seal?
This seems to be placed far enough away from the heating element. And the housing for the blower fan is made of plastic itself. That seems to suggest if they made the part out of plastic, it would not get too hot. So should foil heat tape also be okay?
To be clear: this is nashua style foil heat tape like this, the same I would use around the exhaust vent outside the dryer.
Background: I took my dryer apart to clean it. There is a lot of lint! I want to prevent lint from getting inside, if possible. I'm considering using foil heat tape around the exhaust vent, and around the metal guard that holds the lint trap, so nothing can get back into the body of the dryer.
..
Update: I called the manufacturer help line. They were not helpful and did not understand what I was asking. The agent could not directly answer any of my questions; they simply typed them to someone else, and relayed confused answers. I do not feel confident in any of the feedback. I have gone ahead and wrapped the vent with heat tape. If I experience any fires or my house burns down, I will attempt to update this thread.

To be absolutely clear, this duct carries the fan-blown and lint-filtered air coming OUT of the dryer drum. It is NOT the duct carrying the heated air into the drum.
Given that, the upper working temperature of that tape is listed as 200°F. My guess is that this is above the max temperature of the air coming out of the dryer, but I'm not sure. At worst, the adhesive would fail; I doubt you'd have a fire hazard, especially since the environmental lint, which would be far more flammable, isn't expected to burn.


wiring an Eaton 200 amp box adding a 30 breaker. need to know where the neutral is connected Eaton 200 amp breaker box, adding 30 amp breaker for 110v system. Not sure where the neutral is connected. Can you shed some light?

The neutral or white wire goes to one of the silver busses in the panel. If this is a main panel it won’t matter which one if a sub panel one will have all the white wires the other will have all the bare or green wires follow what they did before. 120v 30 amp is not a common residential circuit you are using 10 gauge wires I hope. And the device will be listed?


HE Front End Washer vibrations on wood floors: any tried-and-true solutions? We recently purchased a new washer and dryer set. It's a High Efficiency front loader washer with the high speed spin cycles.

It's causing us grief. It vibrates like crazy. To the point where it's walking across the floor and you can feel it throughout much of the first floor.

I've 'tuned' the feet to make sure it's perfectly level, and it helps, but is not a cure-all.

There seems to be a lot of chatter online and theories, though I have yet to find anything definitive (maybe I'm adding to the chatter...)

Questions:

is it true these really should only be purchased if used on concrete slabs? Seems that's a common statement about these HE washers.
is there a tried-and-true way to beef up the floor? Seems that one solution is to rip out the hardwood and then glue-and-screw two layers of high quality sub-floor products together. Then add lots of cross-bracing to the joists underneath. However, I still read that this doesn't fix all situations. And given how much work that'd be, I'd like to be a bit more confident in the solution before beginning.
we have a plastic 'leak pan' underneath that the feet sit on. Should I omit this? This is obviously an easy thing to try so will probably give it a go--though we do end up losing the (albeit small) benefit of having the leak pan.
or should I just give up and see if Home Depot will allow a return and swap it out for a lower efficiency top-loader?

Note I have researched the rubber pads. However, my own experience with them previously (on a top loader) and feedback from plenty of people online is that they really don't do much, if anything.

After spending several hours researching, there still appears to be little consensus on this topic. But here is a summary of potential solutions.
The Problem
But first, the problem: the issue with High Efficiency Front loaders is that the vibrations are vertical. The drum spins horizontally so the vibration is all in an up-and-down motion. It's also incredibly high speed. The problem is that wood framed houses aren't designed to withstand the vertical vibrations of these newer washers that well. a HE top loader, while also fast, transfers the vibrations horizontally, which the floor framing of a house is better suited to handle.
The List of Possible Remedies
Get a top-loader instead.
A traditional top loader (agitator) spins, but not nearly at the same speed as a front loader. It also does it horizontally so doesn't transfer nearly the vibrations that a HE FL will.
The catch is that these are harder to find and more and more top loaders are now HE top loaders. Instead of an agitator, it uses jets of water. Reviews of HE top loaders seem to be mixed. However, there seems to be consensus that they don't clean quite as well as front loaders (a con) but that they also don't vibrate as violently as a front loader (a pro if vibration is an issue in your house).
Only put HE Front Loader washers on top of concrete slabs.
10 years ago, this was supposedly the only option. Apparently technology has improved to allow these to be installed on wood framing--however many professionals still do not recommend installing it on a second floor (as second floors tend to not be built to handle the same loads as the first floor).
Make sure the washer's feet are all level.
This is the easiest/first thing to check. I thought mine were but on careful examination I was able to improve things further by adjusting the feet. The easiest way to check this is to reach to the back of each rear corner and try shaking it towards the opposite front corner. You're are testing the diagonals to figure out if one of the corners needs to be raised. I had one ever-so-slightly out and adjusting it helped quite a bit (I suggest grabbing the rear corner is that is likely sheet metal and rigid rather than the front, which is often plastic and hard to 'feel' for wobble).
Move the appliance towards a wall/corner
The closer to a corner, the more rigid the structure may be (might be closer to a support beam, walls may add lateral rigity, etc.) I moved ours closer to the corner of the laundry closet and it seems to have helped.
Use rubber vibration feet/pads/matts
There are dozens upon dozens of companies selling anti-vibration feet. A majority of people claim that these help, but a strong majority claim it makes things worse. My (non-physics-expert-mind's) opinion is that when they do work, though you may reduce the transfer of vibration to the structure, you are likely increasing the total amount of vibration the appliance, itself, now has to absorb (reducing its lifespan).
Use pool noodles on the sides
A common youtube/facebook suggestion is to take the pool noodle foam floaties and cram one between each side of the washer. This will only work, of course, if your washer sits close enough to the wall on one side and the dryer on the other. I haven't tried this yet. My (again, non-physics-expert-mind's) theory is that this spreads the vibration load out to more planes/points of contact.
Reinforce the floor
I see many suggestions of this, but not necessarily any first-hand reports as to how succesful it is. I'm guessing it's just because it's likely a pain to deal with. The suggestions are to tear out the floor and then glue-and-screw two layers of subfloor together with a tight screw schedule. The subfloor being plywood or dedicated subfloor products.
In addition, add blocking to the joists underneath and, in extreme cases, ass a support beam/post directly under the laundry area.
My conclusion
As previously mentioned, double checking the level of the feet has helped considerably. And while I'm happy with the improvements, it still vibrates hard enough on its final spin cycle that you physically feel uncomfortable standing in front of it.
I'm now narrowing it down to two options:

Try a HE Top Loader. The problem is that I really do like the front loader's performance. It uses less water and cleans better that the top loaders apparently due. And because of the extreme spin cycle, we save a lot of energy with the dryer. As such, I think I'm going to...

...reinforce the floor. Right now the sub floor is chipboard with hardwood flooring. Neither is all that sturdy. I'm going to take out the hardwood (bonus is that we can use this to patch parts of the kitchen later) and possibly the existing subfloor if it's not too difficult. I'm then going to glue-and-screw down one or two layers of 3/4" plywood (I may use maple ply for the top one and apply poly on top to make it a 'finished' surface). I'm also going to add blocking between the joists.

What we ultimately ended up doing
I bought a 4x6 and created a beam in the crawlspace under the washer/dryer area with two lolly columns. Alas, that still didn't seem to remedy the situation.
So, we gave up. I hired an electrician to wire up a space in the garage and I plumbed a new drain line and vent stack and we moved the entire thing into the garage onto concrete.
And things are good now. I do believe that these HE front loaders are truly only really designed for placing on concrete slabs.
The plus side is now we don't have to try and do laundry in a hallway closet.


Is this asbestos insulation? I was removing some panels in the garage of the house that I rent, and found one wall filled with insulation, at first I thought of mineral wool but as it all fell in crumbles I'm afraid it might be Asbestos insulation. Will take a sample to the lab but would like to know your opinion in the meantime.

Thanks

Looks like fiberglass or rockwool(this is not asbestos). Safest to have it tested but you should seal off the space and not enter it until you know. I've two Aunts who died from indirect contact with asbestos.

Even if it is fiberglass you should be wearing a filter mask as it is essentially spun silica (glass) and the particles can cause silicosis (and skin irritation).


Can you recommend tools and materials for building a gate like this? I want to improve my home by building a nice gate like this one.  Can you recommend tools and building materials?

Mike

Oak or teak has a much tighter grain pattern so yes, that's likely cedar, maybe redwood. Depending on where in the world you are, it might possibly be stained cypress (because cypress is generally lighter) or Goncalo Alves, a.k.a. "Tiger Wood", but that would be one heck of an expensive gate!


Will spray paint bleed through paint on new plaster walls? I had kids come on the construction site and spray paint my bare plaster walls with graffiti!!!

If I paint the walls now will it bleed through the paint? Do I have to take off the plaster and start all over again? What paint can cover it and not bleed through? any help would be appreciated!

Thanks

Ann

Primer will cure a lot, and this is one of them.  I'm assuming you will be using painters, they will know how prep the walls so you will never see where it was graffiti-ed.


Are there manual pumps that can be use to drain water from a toilet prior to uninstalling it? I hate emptying a toilet of its residual water by the repetitive process of soaking it up with a rag and then ringing it out in the sink or a bucket.  There has to be some sort of manual, hand-held pump that I can use to remove the bulk of the water, leaving just enough left over that I can get it in one shot using the towel method.

Shop vac w/ the filters removed - suck the water right out of there, easy peasy, works every time.


Installing circuit for tanning bed 220v 30 amp I'm installing a circuit for a tanning bed to treat my son's psoriasis but I've seen some conflicting info regarding proper wire gauge.  Would it be correct to use 10ga copper or 8ga alu or do I need a larger gauge?  I'll be using about 30-40' of wiring.  Thanks in advance for any tips!

For a 240V/30A circuit, 10 AWG copper is indeed correct (it's the same stuff you'd pull for a dryer hookup).  You'll want to use 10/3 NM (instead of 10/2) so that you can have the option of converting the circuit to 120/240V 30A or installing a subpanel at a later date.


PVC vent pipes or concentric vent pipes for tankless gas water heater? I am trying to select a natural gas water heater to install into my house.  It has to service two bathrooms with showers and two kitchen sinks, a dishwasher, and a washing machine.

I've narrowed my selection down to three:

Rinnai RUC98i (max 199k BTU, 9.8GPM)
Noritz NRC1111 (max 199k BTU, 11.1GPM
Takagi T-H3 (max 199k BTU, 10GPM

My application is indoor, and my plumber told me to look for a "direct vent" model because we want to vent horizontally to the exterior of the house (distance < 3') instead of going up through a second floor and a metal roof. This leads to the question: how do I evaluate the venting options?  It seems that at least two of these models support multiple venting types, and I have no idea how to evaluate them.  For example, the T-H3 overview has a bullet that states:

  Venting with Schedule 40 PVC, CPVC, PP, Category III stainless steel

I like having options, but there are 4 different things there and I don't know how to evaluate them.

Is there a particular advantage of concentric stainless steel over PVC or vice versa?  Is concentric PVC even a thing?

Concentric PVC is a thing. I like concentric pipes because they only require a single penetration rather than two. Honestly, any of your options should be fine for a high-efficiency gas appliance and a three foot pipe run. The exhaust temperature of condensing, high-efficiency gas appliances is pretty low, which is why PVC is an option. PVC might be expected to have greater longevity since it can't corrode, while stainless steel can (it's stainLESS steel not STAINless). And it should be cheaper in materials and labor too. Your gas plumber probably prefers it for those reasons, whether he passes the savings onto you or pockets the profit.


coleman/york furnace 7 red flashes My furnace "fails to start" 3 times, then it flashes 7 beeps and quits trying.  I can hear it start then the flame "just stops" 3x in a row.  What gives?

7 quick red flashes sequence means "lock out" in this case which is a generic for "it's not going to try to start again for an hour".

"Something else" is initially preventing it from starting, could be the flame isn't igniting (you can tell by watching it, does it ignite to blue flame?) or the flame sensor isn't working, etc.

What you need to do is carefully watch the beeps between starts when it first tries to kick on, it'll give you another code with the "real problem reason" instead of the more generic "3 attempts failed" which 7 beeps mean, which occurs after the 3 attempts.


What could cause the water flow in house pipes to suddenly be altered? After 23 years of steady water flow when using toilets and all taps in our house, we noticed that in the last few weeks, whether it is in using the shower, or the toilet refilling, the water ebbs, then flows harder, then ebbs again, continuously. At first it was slight.  Now it has become more pronounced.  We are on a well, the pump was replaced a year ago, and our area is above its rainfall quota at this time. Does it sound like a problem with the pressure tank?

Yes, it does sound like a pressure tank problem. Without a properly functioning pressure tank, the well pump has to try and maintain pressure with fluid alone. That's what you're seeing at the faucet--the cycling of the well pump as pressure very quickly jumps and drops.

The problem could be a tired bladder or a leaky seal elsewhere. Try re-pressurizing the tank according to the manufacturer and see if it holds, and check for leaks at the fittings.


How to install a replacement lock in a mailbox? How do I install this lock in my mail box?

Where do I twist/turn/rotate/pull to separate the thick front part from the end part?

Remove the hex nut. Insert the lock. Replace the hex nut.

You'll probably need to use the key to hold the assembly while you loosen the nut, but it shouldn't be too tight. If it is for some reason, maybe use a large flat-blade screwdriver and just insert it a bit into the keyslot. In a worst-case scenario, put a wrench or pliers sideways on the lock latch and hold it that way.


Using aluminum to mold drywall mud I need to do an unusual molding of an outer corner which has plaster on one side and exposed brick on the other. I need to make the plaster side flush with the brick along the edge where it's now missing about 1/2". I can do it by using a 1x4 along the plaster edge as a mold and filling the gap with drywall mud but I'm afraid the mud will stick to the board and crumble when I take the mold off.

If I put aluminum flashing over the board before filling the gap with mud, will that prevent sticking?

The drywall mud is just as likely to stick to the aluminum flashing as it is to the board. Just observe how well dried mud sticks to your drywall mud taping knives. It may be possible to put a light coat of mineral oil or silicon lubricant spray on the metal beforehand to minimize the mud adhesion. But you would definitely want to experiment with some small samples before committing to the whole corner.

I believe that you would be way better off trimming out that edge with an appropriate style of drywall edging and then applying the drywall mud up to and over the fin of the edging.

(Image borrowed from ClarkDietrich)

The reason for this is due to the fact that if you try to build up a large thickness of drywall mud it will always be subject to damage and crumbling out when it gets hit from the corner.

Stability of the L-Stop Bead edge will likely require that you install a backer strip of wood along the edge of the corner to fill in the space.


self-improvement vs licensed-contractors This is a question about the ability of doing remodeling on one's own, compared to hiring licensed contractors.

I realize some remodeling/repairs require permits from your local township/city to be "legal" upgrades that are registered for benefits of resale and taxation.

Examples (and not sure if this includes a full list) would be adding/removing walls, replacing roof and/or shingles (permits for this is required in Flint, MI), electrical outlets (possibly needing to submit new electrical blueprints); I would assume that plumbing wouldn't need any town/city permits.

Also it is my understanding that only jobs requiring permits actually need any type of inspection. Is this correct/wrong? But the biggest question that I have for this is it possible to pull a permit for say electrical work, do the work yourself (making sure to follow all NEC regulations), and then have it inspected to be qualified to the town/city? As well as inspections of such type are done by certified masters of that field or is that a different certification to be an inspector?

It depends where you live if you need a contractor or DIY in my state Oregon and several others I have lived a home owner or close family member can do everything. Non load bearing walls usually do not require permits but any change to load bearing walls, new electrical circuits usually do require permits, in 1 state I lived a permit was required for changes to the plumbing and replacing the roofing. Checking your local requirements is the first step if you post your location I am sure we can find a more complete answer.


What additional precautions should be taken with this plumbing repair? A plumber came over for installing a wash basin on a Saturday morning. It was expected to be an hour-long job, but it turned out to be a wasted Saturday morning. I narrate the ordeal below along with the steps taken to mitigate the problem:

The house is in India where RCC construction is done unlike the wooden construction in the US.
The plumber, while installing the wash basin, drilled a couple of holes into the wall without first locating the water pipeline and, like it always happens, the worst thing happened (Murphy's Law: If something can go wrong, it will). The drill bit went straight into the pipe. See picture 1.  This resulted in water, water everywhere!
Fortunately there was an inlet valve that we shut off.
After some thought, it was decided that we deadend the pipe so that the warm water pipe is effectively out of the water circuit. A small piece of the water pipe was then cut out with a hacksaw and two CPVC ends were glued to both the ends.  See picture 2. . This was done mainly to limit the damage. It is okay if the warm water is unavailable in the wash basin. The "Fake CPVC" piece of pipe was only inserted to signal the deadends should there be a future repair, there is no functional purpose of it.

I will now monitor the situation and will slowly release the valve and check if there are leakages. My questions to the forum:

Would you strongly suggest against such a "hack"? What are the potential dangers?
What additional care should be taken to make sure there is no leakage?
What might be the expected life of such a repair? I am expecting this to last at least 4 years.

Update after a day
It was observed that hot water pipe (drilled through, now deadended) is not leaking at all, but the other cold water pipe had a thin cut inflicted by a chisel that started leaking! You can see that in picture 2, bottom right. Because it started leaking, the plumber has decided to use a grinder to remove the concrete and siporex wall material around both the pipes, connect both the pipes with proper pipe connectors (which are, I believe, CPVC ones), and make it like how it was before (sort of) (completing both the hot and cold water circuits). Perhaps you can let me know any additional precautions to take now by editing your previous answers.

That will not last long, source and use a proper pipe connector for that pipe.
The heating and cooling will cause the glued joints to fail, it may be that the glue will not adhere well to the outer pipe covering anyway.
Either there will be a repair version which is made long or you will need two end or butt connectors or joiners and a piece of spare pipe to join the gap between two connectors. This means you will have to make a larger hole in the wall.


Should I modify the end trusses to accomodate a gable vent? I am currently building a detached, single car garage and getting ready to sheath the roof. I had originally specified a ridge vent but am strongly considering switching to a gable vent. I have some reasons for making this choice which I'm not looking to discuss here.

My question is, if I install gable vents, will I need to modify my end trusses? These are the end truss plans:

Left as-is, the gable vent would be partially blocked by web ST2, which is untreated lumber. I'm not concerned about the limit to airflow, rather the fact that this web would be partially exposed to the elements.

If I do modify the truss, I assume this would be similar to window framing?

Twin 2x6 header
Twin 2x4 bottom plate/sill
King and jack studs left and right
Cripple studs centered above and below

Some details of the project:

12' by 20' detached, single story, single car garage
I am not insulating at this time but plan to later on
I'm in Wisconsin, USA -- hot humid summers, cold wet winters
Trusses are factory made
Gable ends will have a 1' overhang

The only circumstance under which I'd even remotely consider modifying a truss is if I had an engineer's stamp.

In this specific case, you're thinking about the opening as a simple downward carrying load, and I don't think either of us are qualified to make that assumption. (Trusses probably have side and up loads that aren't obvious to mere mortals.)

I'm not sure why you wouldn't just have an asymmetric vent, or split the vent between two smaller symmetrical vents.


How to wire a sub panel from a 15 amp circuit existing run I'm adding power for an outdoor pond, I will need four outlets in the end.  I have an existing 15 amp circuit out of my main house service panel that connects to an outside wall.  I want to tie into that with 12-2 and run it about 80 feet away (buried in rigid conduit) and it was suggested that I put a small sub panel on the remote end to help isolate that run later (Question 1. Is the sub panel unnecessary in the first place?).  In the end I need four GFI outlets near the pond.

Concept: I was going to take a typical AC disconnect box and swap in a new 15 amp breaker.  The question is about the wiring.  The AC disconnect box has two main lugs and what I guess is the neutral bar at the bottom.  I'm guessing I need to add a ground bar and then my incoming 12-2 will connect this way:  Hot (black) to one of those lugs, Neutral (white) goes to the neutral bar, Ground (bare copper) goes to new ground bar.  I assume the ground bar and neutral bar are not bonded in this scenario?  Should I also bury a ground rod and tie that panel's new ground bar to the ground rod?  From this new breaker I'll run the two new outlets in a separate weather proof box.  I will use one GFI and then connect the second standard outlet on the load side so they're both protected.  Have I described it proper or did I miss something major?
Thanks!

UPDATE: Answering questions
Load to consider on the pond end:

Pump: 12 Volt, 28 Watts, 60Hz,
UV: 120 Volt, 60Hz, 9 Watt UV Lamp
LED: 0.76 Watts

There is a single outlet on the existing circuit.

You don't need a shutoff or subpanel for a single outdoor circuit.

You should not put 4 GFCI receptacles outdoors if you can avoid it.

The best way to handle the GFCI requirement is to find a place along the circuit still inside your dry house.  Put the GFCI there, whee itvwon't get destroyed by weather.   You know how to use the LOAD terminals on a GFCI to protect downline things, so do exactly that for your entire outdoor circuit.

Now, because the wiring is also protected, you are allowed to use direct burial at 12" cover.   Though since you are using Rigid, you only need 6" cover.  You can use THWN individual wires in the conduit and do not need a ground since Rigid is the ground.


Grout recommendation and how to get at corners? I have a shower where some grout has fallen out at the corners, where the walls meet the floor. I went to home depot and they sell a few types of sanded grout (the gaps are 1/8" or more).

I saw a brand named "fusion pro" which does not require any sealer, so it's just one application. Has anyone used this kind? link Or would you recommend sticking with more traditional types?

And lastly, can anyone recommend how to get the grout into these corners? All the videos I've watched are on the flat wall faces and use a float.

Thanks

That grout looks like it should work, the problem is that most grout require you to take out most of the previous grout. Certain groups, such as Mapei flexcolor, is built so you can add more to previous grout jobs, but it might have to be the same type.

As for the corners, you should use a colour matched caulking rather then grout. This allows for contraction/expansion. Most brands of grout have caulking in the same colours to make it easy to match.


Fastening THHN cable in junction box I am installing an electrical subpanel in my garage and have a 2" PVC conduit run up approximately 5 feet from the panel through the ceiling to the garage attic. In the conduit i ran 2 12/2 NM romex runs for 2 separate circuits.

The AHJ said that this is not permitted and that i would need to run individual wires.  I plan on installing a junction box on the top of the conduit where i will make the connections between the NM cabling and the individual THHN wires i am running into the subpanel. My question is do i need to fasten the THHN cables in the junction box?  The NM cables will have the plastic insert in the knockout.  If it does need to be fastened, any ideas how?  I could drill holes in the jbox and use strap ties but don't think that meets code.

Fastening not needed

For a short run like yours, you do not need to fasten the wires to the boxes -- the NEC folks have worked this out, and for 12AWG wires, you can run 100' straight up in conduit before you need to put any support in.  (This number comes from NEC table 300.19, by the way.)


Electricity to my shed I live in the Dallas, TX area and have a 10' x 10' Tuff Shed that is located 3' from my house. I want to run electricity to the shed to power A) internal light (4-tube 4' fluorescent fixture at 120 watts) B) exterior light (LED 14 watt) C) exterior outlet (for casual use for hedge trimmer, weed eater, etc.). So let's call it 2-amps (rounding up a lot) with both lights on and say another 5 amps when I plug something "big" into that outlet. All together a max of about 7-amps.
The plan is to install a 20-amp breaker in the breaker box and run a single 12/2 UF-B cable from the breaker, thru the attic, out the soffit, down the exterior house wall, underground, up the shed wall and finally into the shed.  The breaker box is on the other side of the house from the shed, so the length thru the attic will be about 65', plus maybe another 25' going up and down and around.
As the cable comes out of the house soffit (vertical), I will put it inside 3/4" schedule 80 PVC conduit to a 1-gang weatherproof box mounted on the side of the house which will have a 15-amp GFCI outlet rated WR/TR with an in-use cover.
From the external box, the PVC conduit will continue down into the ground 12" with a curving 90 to run the horizontal 3' to the shed, then another 90 curving bend up the exterior side of the shed to another weatherproof 1-gang box. This box will contain an exterior switch (for a cutoff) and the wires will finally run into the shed from the back of the exterior box.
Once inside the shed, I'll continue to use the UF-B 12/2 cable (exposed) to the 2 lights, 2 switches and WR/TR exterior outlet with in-use cover (I don't really need an interior outlet in the shed). I will run all the horizontal wire runs at the top of wall headers (to keep them out of the way) and come down vertical on a stud to the 2 switches, lights and outlet.
My questions about all of this are:

Any problem running the 12/2 UF-B cable in schedule 80 PVC 12" below the ground? I think I could run THWN-2 wires in this conduit at 12", but I would rather use the UF-B cable I already have instead of buying THWN-2.  Since it's such a short length with only 2 bends and the pipe is 3/4", I don't think I'll have too much trouble pulling the cable wires thru the conduit.
Do I really need the cutoff switch on the shed? My understanding is that every remote structure requires its own cutoff switch at the structure. Even though I have a GFCI outlet on the house that is technically a "cutoff switch", it's on the house (3' feet away) and not the shed. And I think I understand the the GFCI is required BEFORE I go underground. Is a simple switch good enough, or should I get like an AC disconnect? And can the switch is on the exterior or should it be inside the shed as the first thing on the circuit? I could also put another GFCI outlet inside the shed as the "cutoff switch", but a switch would be cheaper/easier to install.
Do I have to ground the shed with a grounding rod? The shed is sitting on concrete blocks and does not have a foundation, and I only have 1 20-amp circuit. So I don't think I need to do this.
Do I have to protect the wiring inside the shed (with for example flexible metal conduit) or can I leave it exposed? I don't plan on covering the walls so the wiring will always be exposed. My "protection plan" is keep the horizontal runs high and the vertical on studs, all stapled, clamped at the boxes, etc.
Should the GFCI outlet be 20 amps instead of 15 amps? The breaker in the breaker box will be 20 amps and I'm using 12/2 wire, so I really can do 20 amp outlets. On the other hand, I don't need anywhere near 20 amps for what I intend for this shed, and the wire run from the breaker box into the shed (after all is said and done) will be around maybe 90 feet, so my thought is to never allow a 20-amp device on this circuit. Is this reasonable thinking, or too conservative?
Any input/comments to improve anything?

UF can be run in conduit, but the size can be tricky. There isn't a chart that says a specific size. NEC Chapter 9, Table 1, Note 9 says:

(9) A multiconductor cable, optical fiber cable, or flexible cord of
two or more conductors shall be treated as a single conductor for
calculating percentage conduit or tubing fill area. For cables that
have elliptical cross sections, the cross-sectional area calculation
shall be based on using the major diameter of the ellipse as a circle
diameter.

And then calculate per the allowed fill of 53% for a single conductor. I think 3/4" SCH40 PVC will work for 12/2 UF, but an inspector might require the math.
Then search NEC Table 300.5 for required cover over conduit in trench.

Yes you need a switch, it could be as simple as a snap (light) switch.

A single circuit (even a MWBC) doesn't require ground rods.

The NEC allows cables to be exposed, cables must be secured to maintain 1.25" clearance from either faces of stud or nail plated. Additionally it requires protection where subject to "Physical Damage". The NEC doesn't define that well, giving local AHJ's broad room to adopt ordinances or arbitrarily decide that in a shed is all susceptible to damage from garden tools.

15A duplex receptacles are rated as 20A devices, you don't need 20A configuration.

Other thoughts. I don't put UF in conduit, it's hard to pull and generally a PITA to work with. If you run conduit and THWN wires then for almost no more work you can run a 4 wire MWBC, and double your capacity decreasing the chances of tools tripping lights.


How to improve the look of skirting board in tenement flat? The flat I’ve moved into has some nice period features, however the skirting boards are a bit of a mess:

There are globules of paint and many other imperfections on the surface of the skirting boards
Certain boards have some ‘divots’ taken out of them
There are varying sized gaps between the skirting boards and wooden floorboards.

For example:

I’d like to tackle these issues myself without replacing the skirting boards. I’ve purchased a stick of pine moulding which looks like it might solve the gap issue, but want to rectify the others as well. See:

As someone relatively new to DIY, does any have one pointers as to the best overall approach to sorting skirting in this condition?

You're renting, so...
Get it in writing from the landlord that it's OK to make permanent changes like this. Otherwise you risk losing your damage deposit. Yeah, even though you're making it better, some may get picky. Better safe than sorry. Oh, did I mention get it in writing?

To spiff up the existing trim:

Use some sandpaper on a sanding block (a fancy store-bought one, or just a block of wood) to sand down the lumps & bumps.
Use the sandpaper free-hand to sand the paint off the surface of the dips. You may need to dig into some dips with the paper wrapped around your finger tip. You'll want to get as much paint off as possible for the next step.
Fill in the dips with some wood putty, then sand the surface flush and smooth when it's dry.

Apply the molding:

That pine molding is called "quarter round" and this is a perfect application for it!
The nice straight quarter round may show dips and bumps in the floor or wall. If it does, and you want to go to the extra effort, cut back the quarter round to go around the bumps and to fill in the dips
Use small diameter finishing nails (they have a very small head) to nail the quarter round in place. You'll want the nails to be about twice as long as the quarter round is deep. If you want to do a really good job, get a nail set and some wood filler.
Use the nail set to drive the head of the nail just below the surface of the wood.
Use a dab of putty to fill in the resulting hole.
Sand the putty smooth once it's dry.

Paint it:

You should be able to use any latex paint to cover the whole thing up.
If you're getting fancy, you could scrape up a chip of paint and your local paint store should be able to computer match the color exactly.
Sand the edges of any paint chips, filled dips, etc so there is a nice smooth feather from the painted to unpainted wood. Any edge will be magnified when you're done painting.
Put a line of masking tape on the floor next to the quarter round. Put another line of tape against that one, holding down some newspaper/drop cloth/whatever to protect the floor from accidental drips.


How do I frame this oddly spaced rough in It's been a long time since I posted about this stupid rough in (dang kids), but I'm attempting to get back on it.  The spacing for these pipes are driving me crazy.

For a quick reference, the following pipes are as follows

Drain and vent for basement sink
Toilet rough-in
Backwater Valve
Tub Drain

The idea to finish the bathroom as such:

There are 3 big problems (for me) with this rough in.

2 is 15.5" on center from the foundation wall.  If I were to leave up the current insulation and put up a wall, I'll run out of room.  The current insulation can poof anywhere from 3-4".  If I were to put up a 2x4 wall with 0.5" drywall/cementboard, I'm looking at loosing 8" of that 15.5".  That means the toilet hole is only 7.5" from the finished wall.  That's not gonna work.  If I were to rip out all of that perfectly good insulation and put up 1.5" XPS, that still only leaves me with 10", which is no where near the standard 12.5" offset from wall.  How can I possibly frame that wall so that it A) still has insulation (in my state we're required to have R10/13 in the basement) B) is wide enough to enclose the #1 pipe (which is slightly more than 3" from the foundation all to the outside of the pipe) and C) leaves enough room to place a toilet without an offset flange.

2 is 49.5" OC from the wall on the right.  We'd like to place a stand up shower where #4 is.  But doing the math, if code requires a MINIMUM of 15" OC for a tub to the shower wall and 30" MINIMUM for the shower INTERIOR space, that only leaves me 4.5" to put in insulation, framing, cementboard, AND THE FRAME FOR THE SHOWER.  Since there are no wires/pipes to run on that wall, I could get away with 2x3" furring strips?  To get an R value of 10, I'd need 2" of XPS, plus the 1.5" of the furring strip + 0.5" cement board.  That only leaves me 0.5" to do the exterior of the shower.  If I'm doing a tiled shower with a step in, isn't that going to be at least a 2x4 and then some?

3 and #4 are so close to each other. There's roughly 8-9" between the two for me to fit the wall with the pipes.  There's no way that I'd be able to put in a tradition square center-drain shower in there.  Will I have enough room to put in the wall and be able to have a free standing shower?

Given multiple issues there, I think the correct and possibly simplest, albeit messy, solutiion is going to be cutting the floor open and putting the pipes where you need them.

Concrete is not forever.