Making of durable plywood frame I am making a custom camera rig for the kite aerial photography and I need a ┏┓-shaped frame like this:

(depth × width × height = 40 × 200 × 100 mm, thickness ~5 mm).

I cannot use bent aluminum as it is pretty dense (2.7 g/cm³) and I do not have any bending machines.

I cannot use 3D-printing as I don't have an easy access to a 3D printer. The plastic seems to be dense too: 1 – 1.4 g/cm³.

So, my choice is old-school wood. Plywood. As a bonus, it is very lightweight: about 0.6 g/cm³!

I could probably cut tree ▌-shaped plates and glue them together at 90°. But I am afraid that the whole frame would not be rigid enough if forces applied to like this:

Just get me right: I am pretty sure that it would not break, but I am just uncomfortable with that feeling.

Moreover, as the plywood is pretty thin, I would probably need extra plinths to glue the surfaces:

So, I am thinking about CNC-cutting ~ten ┏┓-shaped parts and gluing them together:

It seems for me, that the resulting frame would be much stronger to forces applied in all the directions, compared to the three plates versions above.

Question is: am I right? Or should I just make the frame of three plywood plates? Any nuances in assembling together such a stack of parts?

Of all your designs, the last one certainly has much to its credit. If you use sheets of plywood to create the individual inverted-U shapes, you'll gain that much more strength. Consider a combination of the design previous (with the gussets) and cut your shapes to include an arc to the inside of each leg. This provides for contiguous transfer of forces as well as looking good.

Alignment is unlikely to be critical in your application, but you'd want to have as clean alignment as possible. Drilling holes in each plate in the same location, then pinning the layers with a dowel rod will make for ease of assembly. Once glued together, you can glue the dowels in place or remove them as you like.

If your plywood source is recycled skateboard planks, your work will resemble the last image that much more!


Over the Range Microwave not bolted from cupboard above My over the range microwave that came with the home I purchased 18 months ago blew up.  I purchased a new one, however, I can not figure out for the life of me how the old one was installed as it isn't bolted to the cupboards above??  I am completely stuck and need to get this old one out so that I can install the new one.  Any suggestions on how I may be able to get the old one out and how it may be installed, if not bolted from above?

It's hard to say without looking at it. Some have a mounting plate that attaches to the back wall and mounts from the side or from above. Some have a tray that gets mounted and the microwave slides in/onto the tray.


Why does hot water come from the faucet when only the cold water tap is on? On occasion, when I open the cold water tap on the kitchen sink, the flow from the faucet briefly becomes warm: it starts cool, becomes warm for about 30 seconds, and then returns to the desired cold temperature.

I have only observed this to happen early in the morning, when the plumbing has not been in use all night.  It seems to happen no more than once in a day.  What could be the reason for this?

There are a few possible reasons:

Some hot water recirculation systems use the cold water as a return. In these systems, warm water is returned in the cold water pipe until hot water reaches the the temperature valve that controls the recirculation. Or, perhaps the one-way valve near the pump is failing.
Hot water pipes could be touching a cold water pipe (probably near the water heater). The two pipes touching would heat up the cold water pipe.
Cold water pipes could be touching a ventilation duct. In the winter, the duct would be warm and would heat up the cold water.
No heat trap in the water heater inlet. Hot water might flow up out of the water heater into the cold water pipes.

In the morning, try to feel which parts of the cold water pipe are hot, and that'll be your answer.

Another thing to check, but is likely unrelated, is the condition of a water expansion tank (generally mounted near the water heater) if you have one, or contemplate installing one if you do not (they're needed if you have a pressure reducing valve or a one-way valve in your water meter).


Is this type of under-sink connection appropriate? I had my bathroom remodeled about 6 months ago and today I noticed water under the counter.
To my completely untrained eye, the plumbing connection between the sink and the drain line looks hacky. The PVC pipe is fitting loosely over the top of the metal pipe that is integrated with the sink. If I grab the PVC pipe I can make it slide up and down about 3/4", or side to side a couple of millimeters.
My gut instinct is that the installer was taking a shortcut because he didn't have the correct fittings on hand, and just tried to "make it work" in a way that makes it prone to leaking.
Is this a valid reason to go back and complain about unfinished work? And if so, do contractors typically come back and fix issues that are months old?

Yes this seems faulty, not just a poor alternative. Installer needs to come back and fix it, at their cost, with proper seal rings ...etc. This is very straightforward and easy work that should and easily could have been done right.
In the interim, try to slide a bucket, a container or a lid (inside facing up) under the P trap to collect water and prevent damage to the cabinet.
Should it be hard to slide something underneath as-is, you can open the P-trap rings, remove it to place a bucket underneath and close again. Have a cloth handy (like you seem to have) to collect any run off.
You can also fix this yourself. No glue is needed. Take measurements of the length and diameter of the pipe, and take the picture to a hardware store. They will be able to tell you what parts you need and how to assemble it all. If you can disassemble the parts, take them with you.
If the installer is irresponsive, the DIY route is viable even for a beginner. You can always come back to this site for more questions.


Electrical Question-Ground/Ceiling Fan First time here, hopefully first of many.
I have an older home, built in the early 1900s that I just purchased about a year ago. Okay in shape, but a lot of outdated items.
Currently, I am attempting to install ceiling fans into the three bedrooms upstairs, and I’m looking for some guidance/help.
Currently, the only lighting I have in each room is one wall sconce per room.
No light switches, nothing. The switch to turn the sconce on is attached to the sconce.
With it being an older home, there is no ground wire-simply a white and black.
I would like to install a ceiling fan and two switches(one for fan, one for light) into each room.
I have already prepped everything (holes, brackets, etc.) just need help with the wiring.
How do I go about it not being grounded? Is a metal box fine, or do I need a plastic one?
Also I imagine I can tap into what is in the sconce and use this to power the switches and fan? I’m existing black and white to switches, back up to fan? I imagine I would have to splice new wire in.
Forgive me if my vernacular is not the best, I’m just getting my feet wet lol
Thank you guys for all your help!

I can't speak to the issue of ground requirements - one of the pros will have to answer that. Note that references below to /2, /3, /4 refer to the number of wires in each cable, excluding ground.
But I can answer the rest:
You will need two cables for each fan. In the old days, you could use a /2 from power (the sconce) to the ceiling and a /3 from the ceiling to the switches. However, due to the requirement for neutral at switches (relatively new requirement), you would need a /4 - which is a more unusual cable - in order to provide neutral. So I would recommend the alternative setup: /2 from power to the switches and /3 from the switches to the fan.

If the existing circuit is a 15A circuit then you can use 12 AWG or 14 AWG wire/cable. If the existing circuit is a 20A circuit then you must use 12 AWG wire/cable.
In the sconce box (hopefully it is mounted on a proper junction box), you will either find one cable (power to sconce) or two (power to sconce and power going on to another room). You need to connect all hot wires (normally all black) together with a wire nut, including the new cable's black wire. You need to connect all neutral wires (normally all white) together with a wire nut, including the new cable's white wire. If the wires are currently in wire nuts then it may be advisable to replace with newer wire nuts (you can check on the package as to which color wire nuts handle different numbers of wires). If the wires are not in wire nuts - e.g., if there is only one black and one white going to the sconce - then you will need to add some short pieces of matching wire ("pigtails") to connect the sconce since the sconce wires will now instead go to wire nuts. You can get these extra pieces of black & white wire by taking some cable and stripping off the outer insulation.
Run the new /2 cable to the switch box.
Run a new /3 cable from the switch box up to the fan.
In the switch box, connect the black wire together with two black pigtails using a wire nut. Connect each pigtail to one screw on a switch (doesn't matter top or bottom, but wire the switches identically.) Connect the red and black wires to the other switch screws. Connect the two white wires together with a wire nut.
In the ceiling fan box, connect the white wire to the fan/light neutral. There may be one neutral but there could be two - they all go together. Connect the black and red wires to the fan & light hot wires. Those wires may be black and red or black and blue - or potentially any colors except white (neutral), gray (neutral), green (ground) or bare wire (ground).
Not knowing for sure about the final ground configuration, it would make sense to me (but if Ed or Harper or one of the other experts says otherwise, do what they say!) to connect the round wires of the fan/light and the cable together with a wire nut, and connect the /2 and /3 ground wires together and pigtail them to the switches. The big question is what to do with the ground at the other end (sconce/power source).


Why does my GFCI periodically trip, especially after a few days' rain? I have a GFCI in my living room bath that controls a couple of lights in the basement and bedroom upstairs (weird, thats what it seems to control).

Now, every 2 or 3 weeks or so, it seems to trip and the light in the basement for won't work (thats what I use regularly so I notice) . It seems to happen mostly when it has rained, but not necessarily with the first rain. It may take a couple of days' rain to cause the trip.

I have been just switching it back on again (must have done it 50 times) and keep going. Will I run into a bigger problem at some point?

I have two lights outside that do not have any covers so rain may be leaking into it through the gaps, but they still work even if GFCI has tripped.

Any ideas to troubleshoot or find the source of the problem?

This one is going to be nearly impossible to solve without actually being there.  My advice is to call in a licensed electrician to have a look, he'll be able to trace the lines and likely find the issue quickly.


2nd floor bathroom floor is sagging with some water damage Replacing tub and surround, I removed vinyl  floor to find plywood tongue and groove decking with water damage.  Cut out the damage to learn that the construction plumbers had cut the 2x4 top of floor joist (TRUSS BUILT WITH TOP AND BOTTOM 2X4 AND CLEATED BRIDGING.) to accomodate the p-trap for the tub drain.  They did not add any supports and over the years the bathroom floor has sagged approx 1-1/4 inches between the two unaffected joists (48 inches). I installed a section of 2 inch x 3/8 inch  angle iron and fashioned a jack using a 1 inch threaded stud and nuts to work like a house jack.  Seemed like a good fix, except the cleats started to come out of the plate, and then the ceiling of the room below had drywall tape pop out along with a few sheetrock nails. I also did not get the bathroom floor level enough to properly install the tub and new ceramic floors.  That particular floor joist spans the width of the townhouse and does not have mid point support.  The adjacent joists are level and secure, thus causing a valley between two peaks.
Is there a better way to support and repair the chopped out truss.  The offending plumbers are long gone .  They probably informed the GC who did nothing about it.
Thanks for  any suggestions

You'll need to header off the cut truss. This will transfer and redistribute the load on the cut truss to the adjacent trusses. To do this, you'll need to remove the tub because you'll need the space to work, or you can do this from the room below and cut the ceiling for access. Either way, I would still recommend moving the tub so you don't have to deal with the weight. Support both sides of the truss cut truss from below. For the headers, cut out a section of the sagging truss where the p trap is. Sixteen or so inches should suffice. Cut two 2x12s long enough to run perpendicular to the cut truss between the adjacent trusses, then cut two more for the other end of the sagging truss. Cut four pieces of ¾" plywood as long as the headers, and as wide as the truss, then fasten two to each 2x12 header. So now you have a box around the p trap. If the drain line needs to run through the header, just cut a hole through it to run the pipe. Putting in these headers is structurally sound, and should also satisfy local code. Also, keep in mind that this is not a trivial task, and I wouldn't recommend a casual diyer doing this. I would instead find a local carpenter with experience in this area.


Can new cabinets be installed with old floor tile cutouts? I'm doing a kitchen remodel. After ripping out the cabinets, I noticed that there were no tiles underneath them. Since the tiles are in good shape, is it possible use this exact same tile cutout with new cabinets? How likely is the new cabinet going to exactly fit these cutouts? Do the new cabinets even need to match exactly? Or is it much more preferable to install new floor tiles wall-to-wall?

Are you ordering custom cabinets? If so yes they can be mad to fit. If ordering premade cabinets. If the cabinet is larger the tile can be cut to allow the cabinet to fit. If the premade cabinets are smaller molding can be added to hide the gaps matching grout colors is almost impossible. Depending on the size of the kitchen the above choices may save a large amount of $.


Are there masks that will reduce polyurethane's VOCs? Cans of polyurethane state a number (250, 350, etc) of Volatile Organic Compound (VOC).

When sanding wood, a NIOSH N95 is required to safely avoid inhaling the small particles, but..

Does a NIOSH N95 stop VOCs? I am guessing that the airborne molecules are far smaller than the 0.3 micron size that such a mask is meant to prevent. Can you confirm that this guess is accurate? Are there other masks that will catch the VOCs, or is keeping the area well ventilated the best that one can do?

Yes, their are things that help with polyurethane fumes, masks with volatile organic vapor cartridges, usually activated charcoal.

VOCs are not particles of "stuff" so a particulate filter (N95, P95, Etc) does not help with them.  This means a typical size in microns is also irrelevant because you are dealing with molecular size when it comes to vapors.

The particulate filters help with solids like dust and dirt, but not vapors.

Organic vapor cartridges absorb the vapors in the cartridge like a sponge absorbs water.  A sponge does not clog like a filter but gets saturated.  An organic cartridge also gets saturated by vapors and eventually needs replaced; but not because it is clogged.

You use a pre-filter with organic vapor cartridges to capture the particulates (solids) before the vapor cartridge.

I use a 3M half face mask with a 3M organic vapor cartriges and P95 prefilters for things with VOC's.  I can spray cabinets with laquer (lots of VOCs) inside and not smell a bit of the fumes where my wife walks in and almost gets knocked over by them.  Since paint has VOCs we also use the same organic cartridges when spraying the interior of a house.

The mask can also take particulate filters so we use those as well when in really dusty environments for prolonged periods of time such as during demo during a remodel.  Remodel dust does not have any dangerous vapors (they have already vaporized) so we do not need the bulkiness of the organic cartridges.


Garage fan selection and placement I would like to put a fan in a 2 car garage woodshop (it's getting awfully hot to work in in the summer). I was thinking something like this:

http://www.airkinglimited.com/page/industrial-ceiling-mount-fans.html

http://www.airkinglimited.com/page/industrial-wall-mount-fans.html

The prices seem marginally more expensive for the bigger motor and the bigger blades, so perhaps a 1/3 HP 30" variety.

However, I have no idea how to select a placement. Why would I choose ceiling mount vs wall mount? Like is there an "ideal" place to mount the fan? If wall mounted - high or low on the wall? Near a corner or in the middle of the wall? If ceiling mounted, near the center of the room? Corners? Wall centers?

Also, I assume oscillating is "better" than fixed (again, the price is only marginally more)? Is just "better airflow"? Are there any downsides?

Last gotcha - I have a door to an air conditioned house. Would keeping that door open while working (in a further attempt to cool the garage) be useful? If so, would it change the placement choice?

Any tips would be appreciated!

However, I have no idea how to select a placement. Why would I choose ceiling mount vs wall mount? Like is there an "ideal" place to mount the fan? If wall mounted - high or low on the wall? Near a corner or in the middle of the wall? If ceiling mounted, near the center of the room? Corners? Wall centers?

The fans you've referenced are fundamentally the same. I.e. the "ceiling" version still is designed to move air horizontally (as opposed to what we usually think of as a "ceiling" fan).

I would say that the choice of ceiling vs. wall mount is primarily going to be driven by the exact location you think the fan will be most useful, and the convenience of installation (e.g. where you already have existing wiring). It will have more to do with what's the best location to mount the fan, rather than any particular aspect of operation.

  Also, I assume oscillating is "better" than fixed (again, the price is only marginally more)? Is just "better airflow"? Are there any downsides?

Oscillation is a question of how you want to use the fan. An oscillating fan does a couple of things that a stationary fan does not:

It provides air movement over a broader area of the room, especially useful if the intent is to provide a breeze for two or more people at the same time, but who will be working in different areas. (Of course, you could accomplish the same with more than one fan, but that increases cost.)
It will help mix the air in the room more evenly. Depending on the nature of the heat, this may or may not be of concern. (Note that even a stationary fan can accomplish this to some extent, and other brands of fans, like Vornado, which specifically drive the air in a more vortex-like "beam" can do this even more effectively, as the motion of the air is better-preserved even after hitting a wall or ceiling.)

Bottom line on those two points: there's a reason the fans are offered in different configurations, and the reason is mainly because different users have different needs. You'll have to think about how the space is to be used, how you expect to use the fan, and what would be involved in installing the fan, and use that information to drive your decision. Within the four-option matrix (i.e. the four combinations of oscillating or not and wall or ceiling mount), there is no best option overall. It just depends.

As far as locating the fan, again that will depend on your specific need. If you want a stationary fan to blow on a particular spot, then a location at the right distance from that spot where the fan can be properly positioned would be best. If you just want to mix the air in the room, an oscillating fan positioned near a wall, or maybe up to 1/3rd of the width of the room (depending on how large the space actually is), might be better.

At the end of the day, you might find that practical considerations related to where you have power and structure available for mounting are the primary factor.

I note that in one comment, you mention that there is living space above. That could also be a consideration. It might be easier to control noise infiltrating the living space if you mount the fan on the wall rather than the ceiling. Assuming that's a concern, of course.

  Last gotcha - I have a door to an air conditioned house. Would keeping that door open while working (in a further attempt to cool the garage) be useful? If so, would it change the placement choice?

Unless you plan to hang the fan directly in the doorway, and preferably on the cold side of the doorway, it's unlikely that the fan would help much with mixing the air conditioned air with the warm garage air.

On a broader note: it's important keep in mind what a fan can and cannot do. The fan is not going to change the temperature of the room. In fact, running the electric motor is going to increase the average temperature a hair.

What the fan can do is even out the hot spots in the room, if any (e.g. you are using welding equipment, or doing something else that generates heat, or maybe there's a spot in the room that gets a lot more sunlight), and can provide a breeze to aid in cooling a person's body, taking advantage of the body's own mechanisms for dealing with heat (i.e. sweating and dilating blood vessels).

Even with a fan, if you're working and the room is hot, you're going to feel hot. Staying hydrated will be at least as important as any other consideration. If you really want to cool the room, you need something else that will actually change the temperature, rather than just your perception of it.

For somewhere between the same price as the fan you're looking at and less than double that price, you could get a window-mount or portable A/C unit. At the higher end of that range, you could even get a dual-mode (i.e. heat pump) model that will heat the space in the winter if needed.

At the lower of the scale, you also have the option of exhaust fans. Depending on the climate in your area and why the garage gets hot in the first place and whether you can provide an effective source of make-up air for one, an exhaust fan could be used to keep the space cool enough that a fan to actually move air in the space isn't needed, or at least would be a lot more effective.

Don't get me wrong: fans that just move air around have their use. I find them especially useful for spaces where conditioning isn't even possible (e.g. the space isn't even fully enclosed), as well as an accessory to be used in combination with conditioning methods (because it's always still helpful to mix the air in the room, conditioned or not). But if your primary complaint is just that the space is hot, a fan might not be the most cost-effective solution from a price/performance perspective, even taking into account the significantly reduced operating costs as compared to A/C.


Are there benefits to having the dishwasher drain into the garbage disposal? My dishwasher is not draining properly and while taking a look at things I realized that the drain hose is not tied into the garbage disposal. Is this incorrect? Are there certain benefits for having it this way?

If you connect it to the garburator, any backups fill the sink, rather than the cabinet under the sink.


What could cause a furnace to short cycle? My Ducane MPGA100B4B furnace is shortcycling (2 minutes from fan on to fan off)
The thermostat's Heat Anticipator setting doesn't seem to matter for the on-time, maybe the offtime changes
The thermostat is of the round mechanical variety, not digital
The furnace's control board seems to be blinking healthy codes - steady blink when off, faster steady blink when on.
The air filter on the bottom left side of the unit doesn't seem too dirty.
If I turn the thermostat to below-temp for a few seconds and then back above temp, the furnace will turn on again immediately for its 2 minutes.
It's cold in here!

What might it be?  What can I check?

Have you checked the temperature inside the furnace?  It is possible the pilot light went out.

Disclaimer: I don't hold any special knowledge about furnaces.  They are dangerous if tampered with. Re-lighting pilot lights can blow your house up. I don't recommend anything.


How do I secure wiring in an exterior electrical box? When I replaced the GFCI in one of my exterior receptacles, I found that the installer had simply drilled a 3/4" hole through the house's wall and fed the cable through it and through the threaded opening in the back of the electrical box:

What should I use to secure the cable where it enters the electrical box?  I'll be re-applying caulk around the electrical box when I'm done; is there anything else I need to do to seal the hole in the wall (3/4" seems excessive for a single 12/2 cable)?

What you see is very common, no RX connector. I think you will find that a common $0.50 3/4 inch romex (NM) connector will screw directly into the treads of the knock out.

Simply remove the tork nut and thread the connector into the box hole threads.  This will work fine with the back hole since your going to seal the box to the wall with silicon.  If you were to use the side, top or bottom knock outs, or not otherwise give the opening a water tight seal, you would have to use water tight connectors for the wire size.( rubber insert for 12/2, 14/2 UF/NM Etc.


Question on toilet mounting; No visible bolts? OK,In the early 80-81, My Aunt allowed her Husband to build in a dead Attic space over the Foyer that has 15-17 ft ceiling, a rather sizable Laboratory(I'm not quite sure what to call it.). the floor was on 3 or 4 different levels,highest part 8-10" from the lowest part. but the built in Ventilation, shelving, Commercial stainless counters and sink made it work. So the space was anything. but an easy space to work with.

In 06-07 my Aunt had her Late Husbands Laboratory(Amateur Perfume & Healing oil Blender, Later a Black room I think as well.) converted in to a 3rd bathroom in their 100+ year old home. In 2009-2010, she had the toilet painted/colored white to match the Walk in Bath/sauna tub she had installed.

So now you know this is not a simple room.  Now the issue. the foyer has a blue water marks in the ceiling. I suspect its the toilet. But the toilet has no floor mount nuts/bolts or covers or anything.

2 different flooring guys couldn't match the non-slip semi-clear Ceramic tiles that cover the bathroom floor and stairs to it.

I talked to the people who were supposed to have recolored the toilet. but their paper work says they refused the job because the toilet was unmovable. But they may have had one of their techs do such work off the books. because there is no insurance on it since they could not dry the color properly.

So are there any Toilets that mount up through the floor? bolts Bolting in to the bottom of the toilet??

I suspect its a Toto toilet 20" Height, This is matching up the lines and curves of the bowl. But the height of her bowl is to low for the measurements of the one i suspect it is or it's mounted 4 1/2" below the tiled floor.

Or any other suggestions? IDeas?

Many toilets are held in place around their bases with silicone sealant only these days, especially if the cistern is fastened to the wall.

No toilet I have ever seen (in 30 years in trade) is mounted directly from underneath i.e. accessed from under the floor).

Many modern toilets have a pair of plastic multiholed brackets that are screwed to the floor, the toilet drops over these and screws through the side of the pan hold it in place. Silicone sealant is still advised.

Older toilets screwed directly through the pan base into the floor.

Anyone seen anything else?


Can I terminate ah HVAC condensate drain line through a soffit? Problems with running attic condensate line drain out the soffit on the side of the house (3 floors up)?  Condensate line is leaking and I'm trying to avoid destroying walls to find the leak.

An A/C system in an attic usually has two condensate lines. One is the Primary line. The other is a Secondary line. The primary is usually ran to a main plumbing drain. The secondary line is ran to a Conspicuous spot. A spot that is EASILY seen. If the Main line plugs up, then the "overflow" secondary line will start to drip. this is to let the homeowner know there might be an issue with the the condensate or with the coil itself. If this is the case I would have a Tech come take a look at the system.

The secondary line is a safety device to help keep condensate liquid from leaking into the structure of the home.

Hope this helps.


How can I remove hard water build up from a washing machine? What is the best way to remove any sediment build up from having hard water from a washing machine?

There's a product called CLR (Calcium,Lime, Rust) that you can pour on a sponge and scrub down the drum.  Use gloves!  It probably wouldn't hurt to pour the rest of the bottle in and run a small load (no clothes) to clean out the piping as well.


What is required to fix this plastered drywall ceiling? A tree hit our house and made one of the trusses fall somewhat. The structural repairs have been made but I am uncertain how to best repair the drywall ceiling. Originally it was a popcorn ceiling but we had it scraped and skimmed with plaster. Do I use drywall tape and joint compound over the plaster to repair the cracks?
Or could I just plaster over the areas that need repair?
Or should I chip off the plaster, perform drywall repair with tape and joint compound, then re-plaster?

As you can see, I still need to do some fill in work with the drywall. This picture was just to show the lines where the tape or plaster would need to go.

This picture is an example of how much plaster was used over the drywall.

This was a nice straight plaster ceiling and I'm assuming you want it to look that way again. I would be sinking those drywall screw to the drywall level, add the drywall to the still damaged area and the plaster over the whole area. If some of the old plaster is loose, break it away first. This should give you a smooth finish to the rest of the wall. I think taping it would be really hard to hide.


What does blinking LEDs mean for GE DFCI AFCI/GFCI Breaker Breaker in question: http://www.geindustrial.com/products/circuit-breakers/dual-function-circuit-interrupter-dfci

When I press the test button both LEDs blink continuously (blinking does not stop) and the breaker does not trip.
The manual does not mention anything anything about continuous blinking LEDs and GE support has been no help.

If I unplug my PC and surge protector from the circuit the test button does function normally, however I'm not sure why those devices would cause the test function to stop working.

According to the manual..

Clearing Last Known Trip Condition
The last known trip condition can be cleared by the following process:
 1. Turn the DFCI to the “OFF” position.
 2. Press and hold the Push-to-Test (PTT) button.
 3. Turn the DFCI to the “ON” position.
 4. Release the PTT button after 3 seconds.

After clearing last known trip condition the breaker should stay on work properly.

If that doesn't work there is a good chance a device on the circuit is bad or the wiring has a fault to ground. Less likely problem could be a bad breaker but probably not in this case.


Where to Caulk Around Windows on Exterior of Home? Is this a Drip Edge? It's winter time again and our windows are really drafty so I am going to start replacing some of the old cracking caulk around the windows on the exterior of the home. In the process of examining my windows, I noticed that there is what looks to be a drip edge above the window but underneath the lintel. See attached images for reference.
My questions are:

Is this actually a drip edge (it is plastic and not metal)?
If so, is the drip edge normally installed under the lintel instead of on top of it? I haven't seen that done before.
If it is a drip edge, should it have been sealed with caulk between it and the lintel as shown in the picture?
If it is not a drip edge, can I caulk it to prevent drafts that may be caused by it?

That looks like a metal L-bar which is holding up the bricks.
Overall I would not caulk that because water will have nowhere to escape. Here is how water will likely travel:

Don't close off its escape route or else you're asking for trouble.
Overall I do not see an accessible place to caulk which would prevent drafts.
I would schedule a consultation with some window or energy companies to assess how to best seal your windows. They will likely point out problem areas and explain how they would fix them.
If you do end up caulking things then make sure to use exterior paintable silicone and not that cheap acrylic stuff.
The best bang for your buck is going to be to take off the interior trim and insulate the space between the window and rough-in frame with expanding foam. As you re-install the trim you should caulk with a high quality paintable silicone. This should fix draft issues. If you find that you also have moisture or rot issues then that is a completely different ball-game.

Other sources of draft/coldness:

Bad wool pile weather stripping
Window sash is not straight
Double pane seal is broken and argon insulating gas has escaped


I need a new shingle roof, does the 12/2 minimum pitch still apply if I use peel-n-stick? Does the 12/2 minimum pitch rule for shingles still apply if peel-n-stick is first applied to the roof deck? Why would I have to put down a membrane on 12/1 pitch above the porch, instead of shingles, if there is peel-n-stick? And then can't I just install the shingles right over the peel-n-stick? I just want the whole roof to look the same. I live in FL.

If there are not asphalt shingles and  it meets the manufacturer specs for install, I can't find why not but you may still need to get it approved.

All from Florida Building Code 2004

  CHAPTER 9: ROOF ASSEMBLIES

  SECTION R905 REQUIREMENTS FOR ROOF COVERINGS

  R905.1 Roof covering applications. Roof coverings shall be applied in accordance with  the applicable provisions of this section and the
  manufacturer’s installation instructions.

  R905.2 Asphalt shingles. The installation of asphalt shingles shall comply with the  provisions of this section.

  R905.2.1 Sheathing requirements. Asphalt shingles shall be fastened to solidly sheathed decks.

  R905.2.2 Slope. Asphalt shingles shall only be used on roof slopes of two units vertical in 12 units horizontal (2:12) or greater. For
  roof slopes from two units vertical in 12 units horizontal (2:12) up
  to four units vertical in 12 units horizontal (4:12), double
  underlayment application is required in accordance with Section
  R905.2.7.

  R905.2.3 Underlayment.  Unless otherwise noted, required underlayment shall conform to ASTM D 226 Type I, ASTM D 4869 Type I,
  or ASTM D 6757. Self-adhering polymer modified bitumen sheet shall
  comply with ASTM D 1970.

  R905.2.7 Underlayment application.  For roof slopes from two
  units vertical in 12 units horizontal (17-percent slope), up to four
  units vertical in 12 units horizontal (33-percent slope), underlayment
  shall be two layers applied in the following manner. Apply a 19-inch
  (483 mm) strip of underlayment felt parallel to and starting at the
  eaves, fastened sufficiently to hold in place. Starting at the eave,
  apply 36-inch-wide (914 mm) sheets of underlayment, overlapping
  successive sheets 19 inches (483 mm), and fastened sufficiently to
  hold in place. Distortions in the underlayment shall not interfere
  with the ability of the shingles to seal. For roof slopes of four
  units vertical in 12 units horizontal (33-percent slope) or greater,
  underlayment shall be one layer applied in the following manner.
  Underlayment shall be applied shingle fashion, parallel to and
  starting from the eave and lapped 2 inches (51 mm), fastened
  sufficiently to hold in place. Distortions in the underlayment shall
  not interfere with the ability of the shingles to seal. End laps shall
  be offset by 6 feet (1829 mm).

  CHAPTER 1 ADMINISTRATION

  SECTION 104 DUTIES AND POWERS OF BUILDING OFFICIAL

  104.11 Alternative materials, design and methods of construction and equipment.  The provisions of this code are not intended to prevent
  the installation of any material or  to prohibit any design or method
  of construction not specifically prescribed by this code,  provided
  that any such alternative has been approved. An alternative material,
  design or  method of construction shall be approved where the building
  official finds that the  proposed design is satisfactory and complies
  with the intent of the provisions of this  code, and that the
  material, method or work offered is, for the purpose intended, at
  least  the equivalent of that prescribed in this code in quality,
  strength, effectiveness, fire  resistance, durability and safety. When
  alternate life safety systems are designed, the
  SFPE Engineering Guide to Performance-Based Fire Protection Analysis and Design of  Buildings, or other methods approved by the building
  official may be used. The building  official shall require that
  sufficient evidence or proof be submitted to substantiate any  claim
  made regarding the alternative.

Note: Also be aware of local amendments and declaratory statements


Is it possible to retrofit an external kitchen fan in an existing house? I have a 2-storey half duplex that was built in 2008. The kitchen (1st floor) has a range hood fan that exhausts to the side of the house through 8" aluminum duct. The outside vent is not directly above the wall where the range hood is, but on a wall perpendicular to it. The vent duct goes up, then right, then right again and then out, about 4 or so meters total. Walls are drywall.

My question is whether I can retrofit an external vent (link below) as the current hood fan is very loud. There is no electrical anywhere around the outlet where the external fan would have to go. The question is whether running the wiring from the kitchen through the aluminum duct is a crazy idea?

I'm thinking that if I insulate the wire properly and bundle it up I can send it through the aluminum duct to the outside fan. Would this pose any risks?

This is the external vent I'm looking to use.

Running the wiring inside the duct work would be a code violation. The grease and oil in the duct will not be kind to the insulation and if a grease fire in the duct next will be an electrical fire not a good idea. Run the wiring along the outside of the duct.


Whats the difference between black, blue and red PEX pipes sleeves I'm using PEX pipes for water tubing, but I'm not sure which sleeve type should I use for hot and cold water pipes.

Whats the difference between black, blue and red sleeves? and which should I be using for hot and cold water pipes

The color is just for convenience. Making it easy to identify hot and cold pipes under a house for instance. The chemical makeup and temperature ratings are identical besides the actual dye used to color it.


Leaky shut off valve to toilet need to know what kind of sealant to use can't turn off Main water I can't afford a plumber at this time and the valve is leaking so badly it floods the bathroom. And somehow the main shut off is not working either. My house has been vandalized which is why I believe this is problem.

I really need some kind of help can somebody answer me please thank you

Dry ice on the pipe to freeze it so you can replace the valve has worked for me in the past. Pack 2-3" of dry ice around the supply or main line if you can access the smaller line to the toilet 1" would work. Turn on a cold water tap after several minutes to relieve pressure and verify there is no water flow. Once pipe is frozen replace valve, remove dry ice and you will be good to go. Use gloves with dry ice or instant frost bite will ocour if handled with bare skin.


Is this a compliant way to control three circuits with two switches? I'm planning to replace two dimmer switches -- but I found the following clever wiring when opening up the junction box.  Three circuits where the neutral lines are spliced together, one live line spliced to two switches, and the remaining two live lines going to the respective switches (photo below).

I'm tempted to just replace the switches and keep the wiring the same, but this looks very dubious!  Is my concern warranted, and if so, how should I correct the problem?

That isn't three circuits, it's only two. The Romex on the left is the power coming in from your distribution box, and the other two are your two loads. Each switch is connected between the incoming power and one of the loads.

I'm not sure why there are so many wirenuts on the supply side — it seems that if one wirenut can connect three wires, then one should be all you need. Get rid of the extra pigtails.


Bathroom exhaust fan wiring Hi all I am needing help.  Wires to fan box 1 white , 1 red, 1 black and 1 ground.
The new fan has
Pair - white & black
Pair - white & red
Pair - white & blue
1 ground [see pic)

Currently it appears you have 2 switches Providing power to the location and 3 loads,
On the fan. Normally all the whites go to the white,
the green and bare copper wires are connected ground there should be one or the other or a green ground screw to land the ground on.
Next try putting black with black red with red and leave blue disconnected to test.
Did the light come on with 1 switch and the fan with the other? Make note of what happened.
I usually connect the fan and light together on 1 switch if they are the ones that came on turn the power off again put them both on the same switch.
Now put blue on the other switch. Now when you are in the bath the light and fan will be on and only when you want heat turn the other switch on.
If this is a different setup possibly a timer or humidistat we might need to make more changes to the wiring but for a light, fan and heater this wiring would be normal with 2 switches.


Connecting Aluminum Angle using Screws I am trying to join 2 pieces of Aluminum angles (6061, 90 degree, 1/16" thick) together using this self-driving screw:

Extra-Wide Rounded Head Drilling Screws for Metal
#8
1/2" length
From McMaster Carr (Part # 91515A100)

Problem: Since the 1/2" long screw is longer than two 1/16" thick Aluminum angles stack together, the sharp end of the screw will be protruding out and may injure someone.

Ideal Method: Quick, cheap and safe. Need to make thousands of connections in a day. Looks does not matter.

Is there a quick way to make the end less blunt?

Or will you suggest replacing the self-drilling screws with self-tapping screws which have a blunt end?

Background: I am using self drilling screws with a 20V cordless drill because it is quicker using than using rivets, and I need to make thousands of connections in a reasonable time frame. The rivet gun seems like it will tire me out real quick. I also have no experience using rivets.

I would suggest "brute force"; put in nuts and bolts. Although for a similar situation I have used 3 electric drills; One drill puts a pilot hole through both members, the second puts a clearance hole in one member only. the third drives a self tapping screw ( passing through the first member and threading into the second.)


Do I need to replace soaking wet insulation resulting from a plugged A/C drain? I had a company install an A/C evaporator unit on my existing heating system.  A plugged drain caused the plastic pan inside the evaporator to overflow with water, which then ran out through the metal housing into the safety catch pan underneath. But the insulation inside the evaporator underneath the catch tray is soaking wet now.

There is no drain hole in the bottom panel, so water trapped with the insulation can only leave via evaporation. I am worried that the insulation will become moldy before it dries out, causing health issues. Currently there is no smell or any other problems.

In order to inspect/replace the insulation, the entire evaporator unit needs to be removed, which would take a considerable amount of time and effort.

Does the insulation need to be replaced or will it evaporate dry before it becomes moldy?

I would appreciate any help.

Insulation can get wet as almost anything can.  If you can take the insulation out and dry it properly it will be fine - fan and moderate heat.

Insulation itself does not harbor mold quickly.  It is associated with mold because insulation (fiberglass/rock wool) holds water and makes things around it moldy.  As long as you get the insulation thoroughly dry within a few days it does not need to be replaced.


Why isn't this 3-way wiring working? Below is a diagram that I drew to help me rewire a couple of switches. The left switch is a standard 3-way switch. The right switch Cooper 275W-BOX combination single pole and 3-way switch. The single is the top switch; the 3-way is the bottom switch. They share a single power source.

The single pole switch works. The 3-way PARTLY works. The right 3-way will only control the ceiling fan/light if the left 3-way is in the up position. What did I do wrong?

I had 2 existing, separately wired and powered single pole switches. One went to a light in a foyer and the other to the ceiling fan (the light and fan are wired together, so not separate switches). I disconnected and capped off the power wire that was powering the ceiling fan/light, and rerouted the wire to the other switch for the 3-way.

Since I was using existing wires coming up from the switches, I added some junction boxes and tied into those wires rather than pulling new wire. (The electrician stapled the original wiring to the studs everywhere he could. That coupled with insulation in the exterior walls made it very difficult for me to pull new wire.)

The original home wiring was 12-2, and the new wire I ran is 12-3. I did not use any of the ground wire.

If this wiring diagram is accurate, then I may have made a mistake in one of the junction boxes, and will need to figure out where I messed up. I hope it's something I can fix without getting back into the attic.

Let's see if I can draw this all once again...

CAVEAT: I'm an electrical engineer, not an electrician. My description of the circuits will be correct, but someone should double-check me on the color-coding conventions.

The basic concept of a three-way circuit is that you have two single-pole, double-throw switches hooked up back to back:

        Switch 1                             Switch 2
Black     .___________Black Traveler_____________.           Black
Hot ____./                                         .________ Switched Hot to load
          .___________Red   Traveler_____________./
White                                                        White
Neutral_______________White  Neutral________________________ Neutral to load

Green or bare                                               Green or bare
Ground _______________Green/bare ground____________________ Ground to load

When both Switch 1 and Switch 2 select the Black Traveler, or both select the Red Traveler, current flows and the load is powered. When they don't agree (one selects BlackT and the other selects RedT), current can't flow and the load gets no power.

The most common error made when connecting these is to get one of the switches "backward", connecting its common to one of the travelers. This results in a circuit that looks like:

        Switch 1                             Switch 2
          .___________Black Traveler__________________
Hot ____./                                         .__)
          .___________Red   Traveler_____________.              Black Switched Hot
                                                  \._________   To Load

White                                                           White
Neutral _______________White  Neutral________________________   Neutral to load

Green or bare                                               Green or bare
Ground _______________Green/bare ground____________________ Ground to load

Now, if Switch 1 is up (BlackT), then it doesn't matter which way Switch 2 is set, since there's no way current can get from the top of Switch 2 to the bottom (they can't both be selected at once) and the load gets no power. If Switch 1 is down (RedT), and Switch 2 is up (BlackT), both travelers are now hot, but there's still no power to the load. Only if both switches are down, connecting hot to RedT and RedT to the load, will current flow.

"Oops."

The fix, of course, is to figure out which switch is hooked up incorrectly and turn it around so it faces the right way. If the circuit has been properly color-coded (in the US, that means the travelers are black and red; it doesn't much matter which is which), you can tell this by inspection; each switch should have a black wire connected to its common, and a black and red (from the same cable) connected to its other two terminals. So if you can determine which of the two cables the red belongs to, you can see which switch is hooked up incorrectly and fix it immediately.

If you can't figure out which black belongs to the same cable that the red does, in either box, don't panic. Assuming that both switches do have a red and a black at their outputs, what has almost certainly happened is that the installer picked the wrong black for at least one of the switches. Swap the blacks at one switch (you DID turn off the breaker before opening the switch box, right?!?), turn the breaker back on and see if the switches now work as intended. If not, turn the breaker back off and swap the blacks at the other switch; turn the breaker back on and try again. If it STILL doesn't work as expected, turn the breaker off one more time, go back to the first switch and put the blacks back the way they were; this is the only remaining possibility and when you turn the breaker on one last time it should (finally!) work.

If it still doesn't work as intended, you've got a malfunctioning switch or bad wiring, and you should probably go after it with a multimeter or voltage probe to figure out which. Of course you could have used a probe earlier and saved yourself all the experimentation, but I've been presuming all that's available is a screwdriver and patience and the Mark 1.0 Eyeball.

Note: If you don't see the expected color coding -- one cable having black and white wires, and the other having black, white, AND RED wires -- STOP and find out what your country's conventions are for this, and/or figure out how the weirdo who set this up actually wired it.

There's one other complication, though.

I've been describing the most common setup, where the load is connected to the second switchbox. You can confirm that by the fact that there are two cables coming into each box, each switch has a black at common and a black and red as the two travellers, and the two whites (neutrals) in each box are connected to each other (so neutral runs alongside the travelers and is available in the second box for connection to the load).

Sometimes, however -- typically when the second switch was added later -- the load is actually connected at the first switchbox rather than the second. In this case, what you'll see is THREE cables coming into one box (Switch A) and ONE cable coming into the second box (Switch B). This winds up looking like:

        Switch 1                              Switch 2
Black     .___________Black Traveler_____________.
Hot ____./                                         .________
          .___________Red   Traveler_____________./          \
White                                                         )
Neutral____      _____Return Traveler_______________________ /
           |    |
      White     Black
      Neutral   Switched hot
          TO LOAD
           Ground
Ground ______|________Green/bare ground____________________ Ground

OK, that works... but now we need to figure out what color the Return Traveler should be. The US-standard three-wire-plus-ground cable only gives us the four colors we've mentioned: Black for hot, White for neutral, Red for "alternate hot", and Green for safety ground. We don't want to have to buy another kind of cable just for this uncommon usage...

So there is, essentially, a Standard Cheat. In this setup, the Return Traveler uses the white wire in the traveler cable, BUT the electrician is Morally Obligated, On His Honor As A Member Of The Guild, to tag it with red electrical tape (or hit it with a red marker, at least!) at both ends so the next guy to open the box knows that it is intended to be a Second Alternate Hot -- another "red" -- rather than a neutral.

(Of course gods only know whether homeowner-installed circuits have been properly labelled this way. You can hope that the guy who was there knew what he was doing and left you this indication, but don't bet your life on it!)

The same problem of a reverse switch (or two) can occur in this case, of course. But now it should be a bit more obvious how to correctly hook up Switch Two, since the common should be this Second Alternate Hot... so if one of the switches is backward it almost has to be Switch One. And if that isn't the cause, as above, start checking that the switches actually work and that the wiring is intact.

Whew.

There will be a quiz next Thursday. If you have any questions, please ask your TA during the recitation section. I'm gonna go get a cold bubbly.

(One advantage us old farts have: We still remember how to draw ASCII graphics!)


How is a high altitude natural gas burner different? What is the difference between high altitude natural gas burner and conventional low altitude gas burner and why high altitude natural gas burner are needed?

The basic chemistry of efficient natural gas burning is about a 10:1 air to fuel ratio.  The air at high altitudes has less oxygen per volume (the air is less dense)

There are a number of ways to compensate.

Derate the burner by decreasing the fuel orifice size.  This returns the burner to the correct air-fuel ratio, but produces less heat.  This method is going out of favor in higher efficiency appliances.
Add air to the natural gas.  You are in effect derating the gas content to get the proper air-fuel ratio.  This is done at the utility, your appliance vendor will know what percentage is added (if any) in your area.


Why are some light bulbs labeled “Not For Sale in the United States"? My wife was in a convenience store in New York City, looking for light bulbs. She came across several packages of 40 watt GE bulbs. The packages were labeled in English, and said, in part, “Not For Sale in the United States”. Putting aside the fact that New York City is in the United States (although there were also packages of bulbs labeled in Spanish), why would light bulbs be labeled that way?
The only additional information she has is that they were manufactured in Hungary.

Chances are that those bulbs were produced during the U.S. incandescent ban (2007-2019). I'd look for LED bulbs instead, for both cost and environmental reasons.

In 2014, the Department of Energy issued regulations that would extend the efficiency standards of the 2007 EISA law to some specialty bulbs, effective January 2020.[91] The new standards would apply to Edison, globe, and candelabra bulbs among others. In February 2019, the Department of Energy announced a proposal to withdraw this change. In September 2019 the Trump administration rolled-back these energy efficiency standards for lightbulbs with the Energy Department's publication of regulations in the Federal Register.[92][93] The Energy Department announced the reversal of the 2014 regulation that would have taken effect on January 1, 2020 and implemented the last round of energy-saving light bulb regulations outlined by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007.[94]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phase-out_of_incandescent_light_bulbs#United_States


wiring furnace blower to turn on when make up air damper is powered to open I have a make up air damper that is opened to supply make up air to the system return air duct when the kitchen range hood is operating.  There is a pressure sensor in the range hood vent duct that sends 24 VAC signal to damper motor.  I want the furnace blower to come on when this occurs to help pull more make up air into the return.  I have furnace control board with a smart t-stat (Ecobee) wiring landed on the Y,W,R,G and C terminals.  Could I simply cut one of the wires coming from the pressure sensor and connect each end between the R and G terminals?  Or what would be recommended method?  I would like the heat or cooling to also be able to continue to turn on fan when heat or cooling is calling from the t-stat.

I understand you probably have a tight house and when your exhaust fan is on you want the furnace to provide fresh air to keep the smoke out of the house.
I have used the power to the fan  to pull in a relay.  The relay and the furnace transformer to power the call for the fan just like if the thermostat was in fan only, this way if the call for heat or cooling is active when you are cooking there will be no problems with the controls. You will need to run a piece of Romex to a box in the area of the thermostat I have done this in the attic the hardest part was fishing the wires up the walls from the thermostat. I did this on the last house tract we built as one of the features of our buildings.

Edit for 24v operation after re reading.

Be cautious using power from separate systems , I re read the question and you could use a Separate 24 v relay that is powered from the damper 24 v to create a signal from your thermostat to your fan control signal.
then you would not need to tap the fan supply, when there is 24 v for the damper that same 24v can be used to fire a relay (think electronic switch) when the relay fires or pulls in it can send the signal to the fan the same as your thermostat so it won’t matter if the furnace is running or not.
when the 24v is there the relay turns on the fan.
I would caution from Using the 24 from another source can cause many problems including damage to your thermostat and or furnace control board , the fan is usually the green wire or G terminal at the stat or control board, the red wire goes to the R or V terminal this is your hot  if you jumper red to green the fan should start , now add the relay on the red Common wire for the relay and and the green to the NO (normally open) contacts for the relay then run some door bell wire or better from the relay coil a1 and a2 or input and the other end to the damper where the pressure switch powers it or come from the pressure switch itself. If your 24 v comes from the furnace it is much easier just take the hot to the green terminal as the common or c wire should be the same, if not powered by the furnace use a relay as I have seen folks blow up 800$ control boards & thermostats because they had 2 different transformers.


How long must be the vertical leg of support brackets? I need to install some heavy granite contertop (650mm depth) on masonry walls, and I have a lot of angle iron (1 1/2" by 1/8") and U channel (70mmx30mm x 5/64") leftover and thought about welding them myself.

I do remember something about levers and pull strenght, but I don't quite remember how to calculate the ratios of horizontal and vertical legs to get a good support. Can anyone enlightmen me?

I thought about using at least 300mm (1 ft) on the vertical leg, but using angle iron I will be able to use only 2 bolts (one at the top and 1 at the bottom, since the middle doesn't really need to be bolt because most of the force is at the top).

Another choice that I have is using 4mm (5/32") plate as the backing (which goes agains the wall) about 100x100 in size welded to a U channel (5/64") cut in a sort of triagular shape (like the image below). This will allow me to have 4 bolts (2 on top and 2 on bottom) on the backplate.

The first design has less bolts but a longer leg, the second has more bolts and large footprint, but a shorter vertical span. What would be stiffer/stronger?

The first option would be vastly more appropriate for a heavy load. Pullout tension is inversely and exponentially proportional to the length of the mounted leg, so you'll have many times more stress on fasteners with the second option. For that matter, your backplate may not be up to the task of resisting that much torque.

As to how long the legs need to be, that depends on several things. First, what will you use to mount to the block wall? Can it handle the stress? Next, will the blocks in the wall take the stress? If you put all your anchors in the block web you're unlikely to break the blocks. If you were to anchor to the hollow cavity faces, you just might tear them out.

Keep in mind that the length of the horizontal leg isn't as important as is the actual depth of the countertop. I'd see to have a vertical leg that's at least 50% of the counter depth. I'd also put double fasteners near the top, where the most pullout force exists.

It's difficult to offer more specific advice without dimensions, weights, etc., but this should get you in the ballpark.


Can I plug a 13A washer machine into a 20A power source? I recently bought a 2nd hand washing machine, when it was delivered there was no plug attached, just the standard 3 wires and a wire holder.

I pulled the plug off an old power strip and attached it to the end of the washer.

I got nervous when I read the wire holder, It said 25A, the plug is 13A fused, and the socket is 20A.

Will this work or will I need to change it?

I could not find anything on the washer regarding its electrical input.

This is what came attached to the wires when I received it:

This is the standard plug and wiring I changed it to:

This is the wall socket and power source just says 20A
Thanks for the help.

The markings on the terminal block should indicate the rating of the terminal block, not the electrical consuption of the appliance.

Also, washers usually do not consume more than 1,000 watts or so; at 120Vac things would be fine given about 8-9 amps current draw @ 1,000 watts.  At 240Vac, you should be golden with a current draw of 4-5 amps.

I say wash away without worry.  Could be wrong though I guess.


How can I find the source of a smell? OK we moved recently, it's been less than six months. I don't know if it matters but the weather has been its warmest sense we've been here. I think it's relevant because this smell just started about two weeks ago. The smell is only in my room, it smells like it's coming from the two vents, one under the window and one in the bathroom. The bathroom does have a spot on the floor with some pretty tough mold about three or four feet from the vent. When the heat was on you couldn't smell it, but now that the air is on you can, which I thought was weird because it smells just like spoiled milk, or maybe some type of weird mould, but definitely not a dead animal. I did just have some people move my new bed frame in by the window, about two weeks before the smell started. I looked in the vents, down just before they turn, nothing there. I smell it the most when I'm setting on the edge of my bed, the edge by the vent, and at my desk, which is by the the bathroom door, which is where the vent air flow is. You can see why I think it's the vents. But I'm confused and haven't called any professional because I don't know if that's really where it's coming from, because of the stuff I said before and because I haven't smelled it anywhere else in the house, but I spend the most time in my room. I guess that's about it. I just want to find the source, I can take it from there.

Had the same issue in my home with a brand new HVAC system installed. It always happens when shifting between heating and the cooling functions. I don't know the "why" but I do know that turning the speed of the fan motor higher solves the issue. No clue about your HVAC but mine has an electronic board that has a bank of tiny switches under the front cover. You can change the speed of the blower motor using different combinations of on/off with these switches. You'll need to find your HVAC manual and the section that pertains to the blower motor speed. The switches and writing are super tiny on these boards so get a magnifying lens and go to town on it.
Make sure you turn off the switch that sends power to the HVAC before you start messing around with the switches!!! Most modern homes will have a light switch of some kind right next to the HVAC system.


Gap between top mount sink and new counter Is there anything that can be done about this gap? This is a fire clay sink and it seems to be warped a little.

If it is warpage (that should be a word)... you can sand out that area given this isn't stone.   You could sand a groove for that and set the back into it.  I am just look at a picture but it looks like the back of the sink has a little bend on it (is the other side look exactly the same?).   The first 80% seems straight though.
So I am not sure if that bend is causing it not to sit flat or if there is something next to the sink that is protruding where it shouldn't be... or both.   Can you wiggle the sink around?   If it is ultra tight your cutout may need to be a little bigger.
Just FYI - fire clay sinks always have small deformities.   Most too tiny to notice.  I did get one where the bottom was jacked and basically at a 15-20% angle - you know where you connect your plumbing.   I had already secured it to the top weeks before and had to hit it with belt sander for about 20 mins before it was flat enough to not leak.   You can sand the sink but I personally wouldn't given the picture here.
In the end this isn't the end of the world.   The gap isn't humongous - yes bigger than normal or bigger than you want.    When caulking this (clear silicone) fill in the voids on the first pass.   Let it dry a couple hours.  Then go through with finishing layer.


How common are wet rooms in the US? I have a half bath to which I'd like to add a shower.  It is quite small; currently, the smallest shower pan I've found (32"x32") is too large to fit.  I've considered turning the entire room into a 'wet room' like I've seen done in Europe, in which the entire room is the shower, and the toilet and other fixtures are all waterproof.

However, keeping resale values in mind, is this an accepted approach in US bathroom design?

I worked as a contractor for years and there is really only one rule... There is always a buyer, if you wait long enough.

Having said that, 'wet rooms' are not very common in the US at all.  In the 100's of homes I've worked in I've only ever seen 3 of them.  My advice here is two fold.

First: If it is worth it to you do it and don't think re-sale, you may lose money, but if it makes your life a lot better for the years that you live there it's probably worth it.

Second: If you decide to go this way, do it right! Make sure you take lots of photos to show people, have (and keep) all of the permits, and make it look perfect.  People who would consider buying it even if they may not be familiar with a 'wet room' will run if it looks shoddy or sub-par.


What are the possible consequences of excavating an exterior basement wall? I just bought my first home and right now we have a storm door entrance into our basement. This kind of baffles me why they put in a below-grade storm door because half of the exterior wall is exposed. On top of that, there is a somewhat steep downhill grade in the back yard already. I have a small backhoe that I've used for work in the past and I want to remove the remaining dirt from the exterior wall to make my basement into a walkout. So my question is:

Is this something that would cause any structural problems and what issues might I run into if I remove the dirt?

Other Info:

The other three basement walls are either completely below grade or over half below grade, its just the back.
I have been running excavators since I was a kid and am not an amateur.

Knowing very little about your home's design, I can only say that it's unlikely that you'd cause problems by excavating along that wall. Backfill soil is almost never a structural component of a building. In fact, it causes many problems.

It is possible that you'll encounter drain tile or other utility items that you'll need to deal with. Drain tile that's above the footing would need to be routed elsewhere or left in place.


What are chances of split/weakened joists from ceiling hanging hardware? I was supposed to hang some stuff to make space in the garage. So I started indiscriminately screwing a bunch of crap into the joists. Now I realized that I was stupid in my haste. How do I evaluate this?

I drilled pilot holes for the large hooks (though probably not large enough - they were slightly smaller than the core of the screw), but not for the 3 wood screws in each of the 4 joists holding that extra board.

I think I used this simple 2-inch screw: i.stack.imgur.com/EkxHE.jpg (left over from a playhouse project, not even sure if it's brass or what?),
but knowing me, it could have been a 1+1/2, 2+1/2 or 3-inch version.

What are the odds that I have created a serious structural defect for the bedroom above? I'm potentially weakening/splitting a bunch of nearby joists.
People generally don't use pilot holes for drywall screws, right? But if I used larger/longer screws, it would be more likely to cause a problem. Would I cause more problems by taking out a couple screws to see?

The thing is you are screwing against the grain - which is exactly why home construction is done the way it is, almost making it impossible to have to screw into framing with the grain.

Meaning you could easily put screws a good 40-50% of the dimensional thickness of the lumber with no repercussions.  You could put in those hooks every foot on every rafter and they would have no impact at all.  However... With hooks and screws usually comes weight.  Bikes are no worry at all but if you start hanging large shelves in the middle of a 16 foot span in a garage, you should worry about sag.  That is a different question though.


Installing Crown Molding - Metal Studs I'm thinking about putting up crown molding in my living room, but the apartment building I live in has steel studs. I've seen people online use the x method of nailing to secure the crown molding to the drywall itself. Do you think this would be enough support to hold the weight of the crown molding?

I've also read about using self-tapping screws but that would be much more difficult and more permanent, since the room is large and the ceilings are very high.

Any advice or recommendation is appreciated!

Questions about rental/landlords aside, you could X nail with some construction adhesive and as long as your crown isn't huge (less than 5"), it should stay up fine.

If I was doing this, I'd have temporary bracing (1x2s would be fine) while the glue sets, and add plenty of nails wherever the crown looks loose against the wall/ceiling.

One last tip you didn't ask for... when I do crown, I center it on the wall, shoot the middle to pin it in place, then do the corners with a bit of scrap (cut to the other side of the corner) to tweak the angle perfectly. If you have to twist a lot to make the corners right, then pin the corners and then pull the middle off and do over. If you just have to twist a tiny bit, then keep nailing. Twisting works much better on mdf than wood, obviously.


Gas combi boiler removing radiator I'm doing some decorating at home and needed to remove the radiator. I still need to be able to use the gas heating throughout the house while the radiator is off.

I closed the TRV and lockshield valve, I then loosened the lockshieled valve nut and proceeded to drain the radiator. Once empty I removed and all was well.

My gas boiler was at 1.5 bar before this work, and 0 after - I expected this. I topped up the boiler pressure slightly to around 0.5 (by opening the valves), then I had a quick look at the radiator pipes and noticed that the lockshield valve side was leaking, a constant dribble of water. The water was coming out of the lockshield valve housing (the threaded part where the radiator connects). Image attached.

Was this because I repressurised the gas boiler?
Should I have capped off this lockshield valve housing somehow one the radiator was removed?

I panicked and put on the radiator again! So, not sure where to go from here really :/ My gas pressure is now at 0 again, although I still had hot water this morning.

Any advice is appreciated.

Seems your TRV was allowing a small flow to maintain the temperature of the (disconnected) radiator.

Try capping the open end of the pipe, the male end in your illustration.

Your local hardware store will have the right sized cap; take a cell-phone photo of the threaded open end with a ruler placed next to it, at the maximum width of the threads. To be certain, do the same with the radiator's end of the connection.

This should stop the TRV's flow (your "leak") and allow your boiler pressure to rise to normal while you have the radiator detached.


Running 20 AMP switches to shed that is 100ft away from main panel Im preparing and researching about a conduit installation. I have a shed that is 100ft away from the main panel which is located inside the garage. I would like to bury 1" PVC 40 Schedule from just outside the main panel which is located inside the yard area to the shed. I would like to run 3 - 10 gauge wire to the shed to feed three 20 amp circuits. Once inside the shed I would like to distribute the 20 amp circuits to various points in the shed. I have a workshop that I am currently running an extension cord to run devices one at a time.
Also, once the 20 amp circuits are inside the shed I would like to run 12 gauge wire inside to various outlets.
Will the idea of the three 10 guage wire inside the 1" Schedule 40 PVC going to the shed to feed three different 20 amp circuits work? If not how can I be able to run the three 20 amp circuits.
Thanks

One circuit too far for your idea
You are only allowed to effectively run two circuits (one multiwire branch circuit, really) to an outbuilding, given single phase power, or else you'll fall afoul of NEC 225.30 (quote snipped as the rest of it doesn't apply to you):

225.30 Number of Supplies. A building or other structure
that is served by a branch circuit or feeder on the load side of a
service disconnecting means shall be supplied by only one
feeder or branch circuit unless permitted in 225.30(A)
through (E). For the purpose of this section, a multiwire
branch circuit shall be considered a single circuit.

There is a silver lining though
The silver lining to your thinking though is that 1" PVC conduit is useful for more than just branch circuits; instead, you can run a feeder in it to provide power to a subpanel at your shed, allowing you to have more power and more branch circuits than your proposal would provide.
In particular, if your inspector permits Schedule 40 PVC for stubups, you can pull 3 2AWG Al XHHW-2 wires and a bare 8AWG stranded copper ground through that 1" Schedule 40 PVC (it uses just over 205mm² of the 214mm² of usable fill your 1" conduit provides), providing a 90A(!) feeder to your subpanel for less money than all that 10AWG copper would have cost you!  Even if they require Schedule 80 where the conduit emerges from the ground, you still can run 3 6AWG THHN wires and a bare 10AWG ground in your conduit, giving you a healthy 60A feeder.
With that feeder squared away, we can then fit a 100 or 125A, 24 or 30 space, main breaker panel at the shed to provide the local disconnecting means, with matching 20A breakers and 12/2 NM for the branch-circuit wiring.  You'll need GFCI protection for the receptacles, by the way, although it's best to keep the lights off GFCI, and put them on a separate circuit for that matter, even, so tripping a breaker or GFCI with a tool doesn't plunge you into the dark.
Don't forget to buy and install the appropriate grounding bar for your panel if it doesn't come with one fitted! You also need to ensure that the green bonding screw or strap is removed from it so that it can be safely used as a subpanel with a 4-wire feeder as per the NEC; once that's squared away, you can run more of that 8AWG bare copper from the subpanel's grounding bar to a pair of 8' ground rods driven 6-8' apart, so that your shed has a grounding electrode system that can return wayward natural electricity directly to Mother Nature.
With that and an appropriate 80 or 90A breaker for your existing main panel, you can enjoy all your shop tools and more without having to worry about Code issues or running out of power.


Repressurising baxi duo tec 2 28ga combi boiler? I have a towel radiator that really needs bleeding however I'm concerned that my boiler is going to need repressurising after bleeding. Most tutorials I have seen have had 2 blue taps that you need to open in order to increase pressure, however mine has 4 black taps and a yellow tap. I can see that it also has a notice about a pressure relief valve? Sorry I'm a novice at these things but don't really want to have to call someone out. The boiler is a baxi duo tec 2 28 ga combi. Any help appreciated.

I really think you have to open 2 valves as in UK systems,there's an odd use of not having a 'load' valve integrated with combi. In your case I think you have to open the valves on the 'by-pass' pipe connecting the fresh water inlet to system return.

Open the circled ones:


How to drill a hole in brick with precision? I have bought old cabinets which I would like to hang on a brick wall. I have marked the spots on the wall, but I find it very difficult to drill precisely, because the drill bit follows a path of least resistance.

What are the techniques and tools required to drill a hole with less than one millimeter between the actual hole and the mark ?

The most important part is to start off in the correct location. Once you have started the hole it's relatively easy to keep straight if you take it slowly and have a steady hand.

If your drill has a variable speed - either via a selector switch or by varying the pressure on the trigger - use the lowest speed possible to start the hole. A drill that uses trigger pressure is best as you can start with the drill bit on the mark and then gradually increase the speed. This prevents the bit skidding on the surface.

Once you have the first few millimetres drilled bring the drill up to full speed. You will need to push but don't use your full weight on the drill.

You might find it useful to have someone else watch so they can tell you if you aren't holding the drill perpendicular to the wall.

If you don't have an assistant you can do various things to help you keep the drill level.

Attach a spirit level bubble to your drill at 90 deg to each other. The success of something like this will depend on where you fix the bubble - it has to be parallel to the drill bit and somewhere you can see while drilling.
Use something like this (currently not available for sale) attachement that projects a series of concentric rings on the surface you're drilling into. I've not used anything like this myself, but it looks like it might work.
Buy a drill with built in levels - either bubble levels or electronic.


Why does my kitten's urine clean my carpet? I have an old house with very old wall to wall carpets. The carpt by the front door is just awful, and I have been trying to clean it for a while, with poor results. Recently, however, my kitten, who is not yet house broken, peed on a spot on the carpet, and it was immediately cleaned of all the old dirt (the pee needed cleaning up, of course)! Since I have no plan to make the kitten pee everywhere, does anyone know exactly what in the pee cleaned the carpet, and maybe how to duplicate the effect in a more sanitary way?

Urine (human and animal) contains ammonia, paricularly if it's left for a while, e.g. if you didn't notice it at first.  Ammonia is used in carpet-cleaning products.  In fact it's been used for stain-removal since Roman times.
You might want to track down an ammonia-based carpet cleaner, but use it when you can open all the windows and sit outside for a bit afterwards.


Where do I begin finding estimates for problems with my potential first home? I'm looking at purchasing an older home as a primary dwelling.  On going through the house with an experienced Realtor and several experienced DIY people for reference (but not a home inspector or other professional), I've identified several possible problems:

A very cold basement, some smells, and other signs - including the seller's agent mentioning possible water into the basement, points to the presence of at least mildew and maybe mold
The metal pipes appear to be corroding in places
Flickering lights when other electricity is run and very old switches and outlets indicate possible wiring issues
The dryer is not vented to the outside, which is a fire code violation
There is a recent crack in a wall due to (speculation at this point) a window being replaced with a new window that has too big of a header
The flooring in the kitchen is an odd orange color from some sort of leak
There are several settlement cracks in walls, ceilings, and what looks to be one in a floor

Perhaps some of these problems could be addressed via DIY, but many of them require professionals (I am no plumber or electrician, although I can handle things like fixing flooring and drywall).

Is there a way to get an informal estimate on some of the issues to figure out if the cost of the house plus the cost of the repairs is within my budget or not?  I'd like to be able to do this prior to making an offer - if I decide the headache is worth it - so that I can offer what the house would be worth without the many repairs needed.

Take a walk through with the home inspector and see what he says.  If you are still interested in the house, find a good general contractor (that you trust) and take him on a walk through.  The contractor should be able to give you a good estimate on what it will cost to fix any issues, he may also give you some price breaks if you are willing to let him handle all the work.

Just make sure you are comfortable with the contractor before you ask them to go on the walk through, they might be upset if they take time to walk through with you and then you find a new contractor to do the work.  Keep in mind, however, that if the contractor starts work and does a sub-par job, you can always fire him and find a new contractor.


Why does my shower head stop abruptly after a few minutes? Recently my shower has been stopping after a couple of minutes. The tub faucet is fine, water pressure everywhere else in the house is fine. I get city water if that matters. I checked my shower head and it's good.

Does anyone have any ideas what might be causing this and how to fix it?

Long shot: perhaps this is one of those energy-saving shower heads that automatically turns off when the water supply has warmed up. You then flip a level on the shower head to restore flow for the duration of the shower. This is for people who turn on the shower to let it warm up while they go do something else; it stops water waste after the water heats up.


AC disconnect box flush with clapboard siding I'm looking to install an AC disconnect box to the side of my house, however the clapboard siding wont allow it to sit flat.  I plan to run romex through the punchout in the back and straight into the basement. How can I seal the connection? Should I run a 6" piece of pvc conduit through the outside wall and connected to the box via a nut? Example photo which I found online

I would buy a high grade exterior caulk and caulk the box after you've screwed it in. That should prevent any water or insect intrusion.

As for the connection in the box, a standard NM clamp should do. Conduit is more or less for exposed wire and this wire would be solely inside the wall. Be sure to run conduit or UF cable from the box to whatever you're connecting to outside.


What did I do wrong when wiring a new light fixture? I'm replacing a single overhead light in a bedroom with recessed lights. In the junction box for the light were other junctions that fed electricity to the outlets in the room.  The wire that came from the wall switch was a 3 stranded wire that went from the wall switch to the junction box for the light.  When I dropped the light down there were other junctions which seem to feed the outlets in the room.  So there were 3 things going on. Two white wires were connected and tape wrapped.  Three Black wires were tape wrapped together with a long lead that connected to the black wire on the light. Then there was a white wire with red bands connected to the white lead of the light. The switch turns the light on and off but doesn't affect the outlets.

After cutting the power, I removed the light and disconnected the remaining wires.  I cut the switch wire back as it had reached the middle of the room and I didn't need that much wire to reach the recessed lights.  I installed the recessed lights and connected them together as instructions showed. I connected the switch wire with red-banded white going to the white quick connect (as it HAD been connected to the white on the old light), I put the black in the black quick connect. I also added a length of 14-2, putting the black wire in the quick connect, and wire nutted the remaining white wire from the switch inside the can light. I then took the wire to a new junction box and connected all the whites and all the blacks together to power the outlets.

When I energized the circuit, I got power to the outlets, and in testing with a circuit tester, everything else seem hot.  I put a light in a can to test the switch but the light did not turn on.  Everything else seems good.  What's the best way to figure out what I did wrong?

You probably know this already, but the purpose of a switch is to break the "loop" of electricity that feeds the lights.

Find out where all your wires come from and go to, draw a picture of the circuit and that should narrow down your problem or at least help you in describing your problem to someone who could help you. Drawings are very helpful for issues like this.

From your description, it sounds like the black (hot) wire to the original light was not switched, but the white (neutral) wire was the break in the circuit via the switch. If you wired your can lights up with this in mind, and things still did not work, then there is something else going on that you need to do some investigating to see why your original assumption of where the wires go to/from failed. One of those wires doesn't go where you think it does, or the white/red wire that goes through the switch is not in the same "loop" as the black wire (not likely, nor really possible, but not impossible).

This might be a good opportunity to put the light and the outlets on different circuits. I think that may even be required by code. (ThreePhaseEel suggests that this is only required in bathrooms and kitchens, not necessarily for bedrooms.)

One way to check if you have the same wire (or branch of a circuit) at both ends is to flip the breaker, ground one side of your wire in question to something grounded (pipe, conduit, green ground wire, etc.) and measure with a multimeter that you have 0 Ohms of resistance to ground  at the other end (i.e. place one probe on your wire and the other probe on somethign that's grounded...pipe, conduit, green ground wire, etc.). undo the ground and your resistance should go to infinity (or OVLD or something similar). There are also helpful circuit finding tools that would do this same trick...check amazon.


Hints for handling rust in shower drain I need advice or additional hints on how to handle rust in a shower drain.

Our landlord installed a shower with a shallow drain. The drain is fixed with 3 screws and a big seal that fits the rim of the drain whole above and beneath, consider it U-shaped. I discovered a missing part in the seal, at least on the upper side, and opened dismounted the drain founding rust on the enamel upper side of the shower.

Now I got a new seal and will change the broken one. How should I handle the rust part? I would go with a bit of sandpaper and clean the rust off, but then? Should I use some sort of coating before remounting it with the new seal?

If you wish to actually de-rust the tub, you have a few options, most of which are slightly destructive, to remove the rust.

Wire wheels or other powered grinding/sanding devices will be quickest, but remove the most material.
Hand sanding/abrading will remove less material and may allow you to shape your result more easily.
Using an abrasive cleaning product will remove the least material of these manual processes, but may take considerable effort.
Electrolysis would remove only the rust, but likely involve some serious disassembly, not to mention voltages high enough to minimally cause pain (or worse).

I recommend Bar Keepers Friend. Not affiliated in any way, we found it recently when trying to do some deep cleaning on a steel kitchen skillet, and have since tried it on more things than I care to remember. The latest is an electrical stove with three years of hard use and no interim cleanings. Within 5 minutes everything was off that should have been and the finish was unharmed.

If you were doing a more involved and personal restoration, I'd suggest electrolysis, but not for a rental unit.

Lastly, you may want to consider requesting a fix from the landlord, as the problem may manifest again, given the installation of that recessed drain.


What circular saw blade would i use to cut laminate flooring planks? Can you tell me what circular saw blade and with how many teeth I will need to use for cutting laminate flooring planks?

You will want a fine tooth blade.  The more teeth the better.  This will reduce the risk of chipping the laminate surface.


Are the 3 wires found in standard NM-B electrical cable functionally identical? NM-B 14/2 cable (used for indoor residential electrical wiring) contains 3 wires:

The cable contains:

(1) copper wire with black sheathing (to act as the hot wire)
(1) bare copper wire with no sheathing (to act as the ground wire)
(1) copper wire with white sheathing (to act as the neutral wire)

Are all three wires physically identical, in terms of the gauge of the current carrying conductors within it, and special properties of the cable itself?

Here's another way of phrasing my question: Could I (hypothetically) use, for example, a black wire as my neutral, a white wire as my ground, and the bare wire as my hot wire?

(I don't actually plan on doing this, since this is in obvious contradiction of protocol and is needlessly confusing. It is a theoretical question, as I try to understand if the wires truly differ in any way.)

If the answer to my question is "yes," then what role does the sheathing play, other than as a means of identification? Does the sheathing on the two sheathed wires differ in any way?

No, they're not 100% identical. The hot and neutral can be counted on as being identical; or in 3-conductor +ground cable the hots will be identical. In larger sizes of cable, the ground is smaller, and in 3-conductor cable, the neutral may be smaller. That's because in large feeders, 100% neutral imbalance is unlikely. For instance 2-2-4-6 is a cable size; #4 neutral #6 ground.
But the hots (or hot+neutral in 2-conductor 3-wire cable) are the same size.  If you were wiring a UK device with US wires, you might tape the white to be red (hot) and leave the black as neutral.
Ground, however, is special.   It is not simply another conductor, it performs a very different function than than neutral, and that is what makes it reasonable to not give it insulation.
The outer sheath and inner insulation serve many purposes more than you are giving them credit for.
The wire insulation's jobs
Aside from the obvious (insulation and color coding)... the insulation provides protection from abrasion on sharp edges, and when wires are stuffed into a junction box.  It also must not burn easily, and must not emit toxic gases if it does.  And it must not deteriorate over time (UV notwithstanding).
The sheath's jobs
First is grouping.  Grouping is vital to understanding how a circuit works - e.g. if you have a 3-way switch and 2 wires go into one cable and 1 wire into another, you know which ones are the messengers.  It keeps neutrals paired with partner hots, which is mandatory and AFCI/GFCI breakers require this.  Since currents should be equal, keeping the wires together assures that the wires' EMFs cancel each other out, and with nothing between the wires, it prevents inductive/eddy current heating.
Next is binding and strain relief, as the cable is clamped where it enters the junction box.  Clamping the individual wires would create a stress point.
Also stopping nails. The usual rule is that cable is stapled or penetrates at the midpoint of a 4x4 joist, and one should use 1-1/2" or shorter nails so a nail isn't going to reach the staple or hole.  But between holes and staples, the cable floats and can come within 1-1/2" of the wall.   In that case you want the cable's skin to be tough enough that the nail moves the cable rather than penetrates it.
The cable also must hold the markings which identify the cable type, which decides where it is legal to use based on its characteristics. Color coding is often done - 14AWG being white, 12 AWG yellow, and 10 AWG red.


Is it ok to have mixed grounds and neutrals on bars in a breaker box? So to continue my line of electrical questioning (and perhaps narrow down my flickering light problem), I took a look through the two panels in this house.  There is a 200amp main service in the basement, which then feeds up to a 100amp sub-panel for the main floor.  This 100amp sub feeds a kitchen (fridge, microwave, dishwasher, gas range), a bathroom, 3 bedrooms, and a living room.  The 200amp main feeds the 100amp sub, 2 bedrooms, a living room, a washer/dryer (gas dryer), a utility room (well pump, pressure tank, gas water heater, gas furnace), and an A/C.

My first concern is that the main service panel has the bare ground and neutral wires mixed on the two bus bars.  Reading around, some say this is OK, other's say it is bad.  Any thoughts?  The sub-panel is wired with grounds and neutrals on separate bars.

My second concern- is a 100amp sub sufficient for the main floor?

The wiring issue is not a matter of pride, neatness or whatever... it's a safety issue. :)

At the service panel (ONLY AT THE SERVICE PANEL - HUGELY IMPORTANT) the neutral bus bar is bonded to ground.  You should see the ground lead and neutral tied to the same bus (the neutral bus bar).  Based on your description, it sounds like your panels are wired correctly. It just doesn't "look right" based on how the other panel is made up.  I can completely understand how this can seem incorrect from a common sense perspective.

However, any sub-panel after the primary service from there MUST have an isolated neutral.  DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT bond neutral to ground in a sub-panel.

Why is this?  When you tie neutral to earth ground in a subpanel, you create a potential parallel path for current to return via earth (ground). In the event of a fault, your ground conductor has assumed the role of the return path for current and now everything that you've grounded (sub-panel, appliances, metal fixtures, etc) to that sub-panel is now hot.

All it takes is a preexisting fault, one rainstorm, or wet feet, whatever... and you touching something energized - and you're doing the 60 cycle shuffle.


Buying a house that has a natural spring flowing through the basement out to a pond. What to do? My husband and I are looking to buy a house from the 1800's and there is a natural spring in the basement that is stone trenched (open) out to an attached pond in the yard.
The current owners put plexiglass over the trench inside (We assume, because of moisture issues the open trench caused in the basement).  The plexiglass does have a lot of condensation on it.
What are the concerns with a trench like this and it being covered?
Do you think the moisture is still of concern?
Should the plexiglass have vents in it Or is there enough venting with it flowing to an outside trench?
Also, are there concerns of little critters or snakes attracted to this space?
Any experience towards owning a house with an open spring is greatly appreciated!  we're not sure if this is a deal breaker.

Would not (in concept) be a deal-breaker for me. Specific case might vary with detailed examination.
If you want to go high-falutin' Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater had a spring in the entryway as well as being built over a stream (can't do that in new construction...)
The one you are looking at probably served as basic refrigeration and drinking water supply when built - stick the milk cans in the trough of cool water.
Critter control would normally be (this era) by having stainless steel screen that the water flows out through, but critters don't come upstream through.
I would not "vent" the covering to the house - that would defeat the point of having the covering.


How to automatically open a regular window? In the winter I always face an issue where I occasionally need to ventilate the room whenever the air feels "stiff". I cannot leave the window open since the air is too cold and doing it manually is a bit annoying.

Is there a system I can install on my window to automatically open it remotely? My windows are standard European plastic ones and look approximate like this:

Not really. There are plenty of ventilation systems in use, but it would be cumbersome and expensive to involve windows.

Exhaust fans do the job by sending stale air out. This creates a very slight low pressure condition inside the home, so that even if there's no "makeup air" or air exchange system installed, air will be drawn in through the many small leaks any home has.

I strongly suggest that you install a digital/smart timer on your bath fan or furnace so that you can run them on a schedule or on demand, instead of seeking a motorized apparatus that's likely to be unsightly and noisy.