long drain pipe leaking My main drain line has rust spots that looks like they are ready start leaking. i want to replace this line with PVC. The drain line is galvanized pipe that measures 2 3/4 inches in diameter. my home improvement store only carries 2" and 3" PVC. They also sell the rubber boots to connect PVC to galvanized. Should i use 3" PVC for this job? Will the 3" rubber boot fit the galvanized pipe? Thanks

One thing to consider is that metal pipes are often grounded and may even have electrical connections using them as a ground (think appliances). Running a section of PVC will interfere with this so be certain that nothing is connected or run a seperate grounding line back to the other pipe or to the nearest feasible point.

Using the larger pipe will be better especially if it has solids passing through it (kitchen sink for example), don't be afraid to use online stores to find exactly what you're looking for. One option is to buy from the hardware store and return the fittings if they don't fit (although if you've used solvent weld etc then that may cause issues but nothing stopping you from sliding them over and checking before installing).

Bring your tape measure to the store!


Can I replace a high limit switch myself? Thank you for the answer, can I change this myself or do I need to get the HVAC company to do this? I have turned off the breaker in the panel box so that it does not come back on. What is the purpose of a high low switch?

You might be able to do it yourself.

Google for "service instructions <brand and model>" of the furnace to determine where the limit switch is located.  With power disconnected, open the necessary panel(s) to assess whether it is something you would be comfortable doing.  It may require removal of the blower assembly and/or reaching past sharp and delicate heat exchanger protuberances.  Or it could be right there, front and center held in by only one simple screw.  It is well worth taking a look.

If you decide you aren't up for replacing it, you don't have to call an HVAC company.  Maybe you have a handy friend, relative, or neighbor?  In such a case, etiquette calls for exchanging their services and skills with a tasty drink or meal, depending upon how much you value their help.


What is difference between BTU and MBH for house furnaces? When selecting a new house furnace most calculators display results as BTUs (based on the square footage, number of levels, estimated temperature, etc). What's interesting is that most new furnaces are spec'ed at MBH.

What is the difference or correlation?

BTU is how much heat is produced at one instant, BTU/hr is the amount of heat produced in an hour. MBH is 1000 BTU/hr. However, BTU is sometimes used as an equivalent to BTU/hr, so the conversion might work. Wikipedia has an article that might clear things up.

1 MBH = 1000 BTU/hr. Thousand BTUs per Hour (MBH).

Comment converted to answer


Sagging Deck rail repair This question below that someone else asked fits my situation.  One of the answers said to use double wedges.  What are those?  How can I raise the railing slowly so as not to break or crack the existing composite railing?

The original question:  How to fix sagging composite deck railing

  I have a composite deck (Fiberon boards with a Trex Designer railing
  system). The guy that built the deck didn't install any of the
  crush/foot blocks and now the railings are sagging. He's no longer in
  business, so now I need to try and fix this myself. I found a place
  online
  https://www.diyhomecenter.com/trex/transcend-railing-adjustable-footblock.aspx
  that sells the adjustible foot block, but I don't know if that'd do me
  any good. How can I install the footblocks now that the deck railing
  are already in place?

Since I was the commenter in question ;-)

Doubled wedges are just wedges put point-to-point and driven towards each other - the wedge is one of the basic machines if your history class even touched on those.

I'll be very amused to see alfreema try what alfreema has written. The wedges described there are at a very steep angle and would be quite difficult to make work in practice. Something more like a 1:12 angle works a lot better - if you have a 4 inch gap you need to be a 5 inch gap, you put 3 inches of blocking flat, and drive two 1.5" thick (at the fat end) 12-18" long wedges point to point on top of the blocks.

If making the wedges daunts you you can buy plastic wedges for felling trees at a logging supply, or you can use cedar shingles or shims, which are sawn with a taper (they are rather soft for some heavy jobs, but would be up to the railing job) - you may need to use a sizable stack of those since each one is quite slim - but you can do that - and they are 16-18" long with less than 1/2" of taper, so the wedge angle is low (which makes it powerful - at least until the force is so great the wood crushes, where a harder wedge would be better.)


How do I adjust the gap on interior French doors? I reversed the doors to my bedroom (they're small "french" doors I guess but they don't have glass or open to the outside like normal french doors) so they open out instead of in (the room is small despite the big door opening).
After reversing the door swing and hanging the new door, the gap between the doors is different at the top than at bottom. I know that means something isn't level but I checked it with my four foot level before I attached the door frame and everything was fine.
Any tips to hanging interior doors? It looks so easy on TV!

Did you check the frame again after hanging the doors?  Could be that the frame wasn't securely attached to the studs and the weight of the doors is causing the frame to pull out slightly.

Also, maybe too late for this now, but you mentioned that the old frame was about an inch wider than the new one.  That seems a bit strange.  Is that the rough in dimensions, or the finished frame dimensions?  Usually the rough in is a couple inches or so wider than the actual door frame dimensions to give you some room to plumb things up with shims.

So if you had a 48" door set, the rough in width would be 50" - 48 for the door, 1 more for the frame, and 1 more for shimming.


What type of nail gun is recommended? Was reading this post:
Are cheap electric brad nail guns worth it for fixing mouldings?

I'm in the middle of fixing up an older home.  I have an air compressor with a couple air powered brad-nailers (Porter Cable) and I've been quite happy with this setup.

As part of the on-going remodel, I've been hanging prehung doors using 6D nails and a hammer.  I inevitably have missed and marked up the wood on occassion.  Doors are Oak 6-panel doors and I've been staining them so I spend a lot of time counter sinking the nails with a nail punch.  I've learned to use shims under the hammer in case I miss but beyond that it's slow work and since I'm a one man show, I sometimes need a 3rd hand to hold stuff in place where as with a framing nailer seems it would alleviate some of the tricky balancing act.

On top of this, I plan to build a shed this summer.

My point is that I think I have enough work to justify a framing nailer.  Cost is not too much of a concern.

I would like mobility in the form of a cordless nailer but I wonder if cordless has the same power of compressed air variety?  And of the cordless, there seems to be a couple versions: Compressed Air Canister and Battery Powered.

I really am leaning toward a compressed air one because there may be long stretches of no use and batteries, like ones in my cordless drill, tend to need replacing if you don't use them very long.  So I don't plan on selling the gun when I'm done and would like to have it for other projects that come and go beyond what I have on my plate now.

What do the experts recommend.  Will be using to frame doors (6D nails), framing, and building workbench and various wood structures in the future.

Also, 2nd question, do framing nailers generally allow for different size nails?  Can I, for example, shoot 6D and smaller (not as small as a brad) nails with same gun?

Please educate me on this topic.

I have to say that I am no fan of cordless framer nailers. I have had two different ones, a Porter Cable and a Pasload. Both were gas fired. The PC was a disaster. Had lots of problems with the propane cells seating properly and nails jamming.  Got the Pasload, worked OK, but slow and the smell was so bad that I only used it outdoors.  The gas cells are expensive also.  After two days on a job, I went back to my trusty Bostich 88 and ran the compressor off a gen set. The other thing I hated was that it could not shoot 10d wire collated nails that I use in my other air framers. Those plastic bits flying at your face sting and you have to reload much more often. Absolutely hate plastic collated nails!

To be honest, I have not tried one of the new battery operated models yet. For framing, I like the largest, thickest nail.(3 1/4") and most cordless ones don't shoot the same larger nails I use in my Bostich.

Since your projects are at home and you already have a 135# compressor, I really think you will get a lot more nailer for the $$$ if you stick with a Bostich 88 mag or similar. You will be able to shoot 4d to 10d nails. The unit itself is much lighter, cheaper and very dependable.

For what you pay for a good cordless, you could own a good framer, 16ga finish and 18ga brad gun, thus having the right tool for every nailing job.

I have to say however, a good cordless finish gun is wicked handy and the battery models have plenty of power, but this humble carpenter is not sold on cordless framers.


Is it safe to put a woodstove on a sheet of cement board? I'm looking at how to install a woodstove in a yurt. In this example, it looks like he put 1 sheet of cement board on the floor, and another against the wall.

(click for full size)

Is a single sheet of cement board enough to protect the wood floor from the heat of the stove?

(More pictures here: http://www.barefootboy.com/yurt/. This is not my yurt.)

The woodstove I'm looking at says this in the manual:

  A combustible floor must be protected by a non-combustible material
  (like tile, concrete board, or certified to UL-1618 or as defined by
  local codes) extending beneath the heater and a minimum of 6" from
  each side and minimum 16" from the front face of the stove and minimum
  6" (or the rear clearance to combustibles whichever is smaller) from
  the rear of the stove.

which doesn't tell me much.

EDIT: I just got this response from the manufacturer:

  The woodstove does not require a R value, the pedestal or heat shield
  and legs raises the firebox high enough not to require the R value.
  You just require the floor protection like a piece of sheet metal and
  tiles etc.

Actually there are a few considerations you need to take into effect.

You first need to look up the "R" factor required from combustible materials for your specific stove. Every manufacturer has a safety insulation factor. This can be provided by materials such as concrete board, high density fiberboard insulation, steel sheets and air barriers.  The factors can be different from the bottom, sides and back of a stove, so it is important to have the full specs. You should also check with the local building inspector to get the minimum distances from combustibles in your area. I believe most communities use the NFPA specs, but always check local requirements.

Practically speaking, using a single piece of concrete board under a wood stove is rarely enough insulation factor. I think 1/2" concrete board only has a R-rating of 2 or 3, which is much too low if attached directly to a wood floor without an air space. I would feel much more comfortable with a layer or two of brick or brick over high temp fiberboard insulation. High temp fiberboard can be rated as high as 800 degrees F per inch at 6 inches away from heat source. Available at any HVAC supplier.

After all the work you have done on your yurt, be absolutely safe and sure of you woodstove installation.

Good Luck my friend.


Can I reuse underlayment for vinyl flooring replacement? I have Armstrong vinyl sheeting over underlayment. If I remove the vinyl can I use the sub floor that's already there?

I think what you meant was underlayment; but generally, yes you can still use it, unless you suspect or find damage. And scraping up vinyl is so tedious that many people or contractors would not even bother to tear up the old vinyl before laying down another floor, but I suppose that depends on the situation... for example maybe new vinyl over the old vinyl is not a good idea because the old vinyl is not in good condition anymore.


Recessed lights quit working All 4 of my kitchen recessed lights quit working yesterday. I tried installing a switch but I have a black and white active nutted together.

I have two black wires one active one not and an active red. Copper is ground.

I can't figure out why they still don't work. The wires going into the light are black and white. Not getting a reading off of either of those. My understanding is to check the light closest to the switch.

More information is needed.

Is this a condo or house? What is the general location? United States?

Are the lights controlled from more than one location?

Is that a new switch or what was there before?

From what is visible in the photos, it suggests that there is another box in between the switch and lights. In a condo that could even be one of the counter plugs where it then goes to the cabinet lights.

Most important question, what was done since the lights were last working as intended?


Overflow pipe from water tank constantly dripping My cold water storage tank overflow pipe is constantly dripping (and sometimes a small, constant stream of water). I assume the stopcock is on the way out.

Here is a photo of it:

And a closer up photo:

And from the back (outside the tank):

I have a few questions:

What do I need to do to fix this?
Is there anything I can do to fix the current valve?
Or will I need to buy something like this?
Do I need to make sure the diameter of the pipe matches up with a new valve?
Does the height of the float need to be configurable on a new valve?
When fitting a valve, will I need to use thread-seal tape?
Will I need to do anything to the bolts on the outside of the tank (pictured above)?

What do I need to do to fix this?

It would depend- if you are fairly certain that the overflow issue cause is the fill valve then that needs to be addressed, as you already seem to know.

  Is there anything I can do to fix the current valve?

Maybe- if you are fairly handy you could probably disassemble the float valve and repair or replace the washers inside, but it might be easier to just replace the valve. One trick would be to carefully bend the float-ball rod a bit more to the downward position. This causes a bit more pressure against the bibb washer when the level rises and might make it seal; this is a temporary/cheap-ass fix.

  Or will I need to buy something like this?

Your link is to a new float valve, which is fairly inexpensive and easy to replace; I recommend it as long as you ensure that the diameter (the hole it fits into) and threaded connection size/type are the same or are adaptable to your existing equipment.

  Do I need to make sure the diameter of the pipe matches up with a new
  valve?

See previous comment above.

  Does the height of the float need to be configurable on a new valve?

You can adjust the water level by using different length rods and bending them as needed.

  When fitting a valve, will I need to use thread-seal tape?

Yes, on the threaded water connections to ensure a good seal.

  Will I need to do anything to the bolts on the outside of the tank
  (pictured above)?

If you replace the float valve you will need to ensure a seal between the valve and the tank. This is usually accomplished with a rubber gasket between the nut and the tank, if the old gasket is soft and crappy you made need to get a new one (the new float valve may come with one).


How to fix a loud, vibrating Maytag top loading washer? I have an older Maytag top loading washer that sits on a concrete floor. It has never vibrated in all these years, except when it contained an unbalanced load---easy fix. Now it vibrates and moves around making a very loud sound that scares the pets, no matter what size load and no matter how well balanced the load is, starting with the spin cycle. What are the most probable causes for this and how can I fix it?

Ensuring the washer is level is always a good thing to do for anyone owning a washer. This sounds more major than a simple leveling. I think one of the suspension springs are either broken or has become detached. By removing the sheet metal cabinet, it shouldn't be too hard to check the springs. Depending on where the problem lies, it could be an easy fix or major surgery.

I believe this machine has 3 large lateral springs and a smaller vertical spring in back. This vertical spring can lose it's lower attachment to the frame because the frame rusts out. The solution here is to drill a new attachment hole nearby in competent metal and reattach the spring in the new hole.


How do I drill a hole flush (or nearly flush) against another surface? How do I drill a hole flush (or nearly flush) against another surface? (eg. in a tight corner; a 90 degree angle.) The power drill bit is offset a little by design, and I don't want to drill at an angle. What kind of tool or attachment should I be using?

You could try a 90 degree drill bit adapter.


Shape of logs of insect screen frame I am about to create a frame for a mosquito net, and I have read in various places that the end of the logs of the frame should be cut diagonally, and the logs joined along this diagonal cut (see fig. 1), instead of just joining them along the edges (fig.2)
I never found an explanation, why is the diagonal cut better. So my question is: what is the advantage of this diagonal cut? Is it just aesthetic or is it also more stable in some way?

Fig. 1.

    _________________
    |\______________/|
    ||              ||
    ||              ||
    ||              ||
    ||              ||
    ||______________||
    |/______________\|

Fig. 2.

    _________________
    |________________|
    ||              ||
    ||              ||
    ||              ||
    ||              ||
    |________________|
    |________________|

The 45 deg cut gives more surface area for glue if you glue and more strength , 90,s are easy and can be nailed or glued but any paralyx (not totally square) will show more and be weaker than a 45. I have done both in the past but 45's look professional and last longer. Just look at your door frames, sliding screen doors and you will find 45's not 90's


Should I perform annual maintenance on our heating boiler? We are new to having a boiler in our house. Should we be doing an annual inspection and cleaning of our boiler? One was done last summer. How often should the system be purged too? Thanks for clearing this up for us.

The oil boilers I'm familiar with should be inspected and tuned annually.

Many newer gas boilers need  preventative maintenance only once every two years.

I suspect pellet boilers want attention every year, but that is a guess.


Framers installed shear walls, seismic hardware, and the entire roof with the wrong nails. What now? I hired a framing crew to frame a new home in Anchorage, Alaska. When they were done I found that most of the nailing on the shear panels and seismic hardware was done incorrectly.

Many of the shear panels have nailing that is too narrow and too short. I verified with my designer and the nail manufacturer that the nails are wrong and do not have the shear strength of those specified in the plans.

Moreover, almost all of the Simpson seismic hardware on the outside of the building (twist straps and coil straps) was installed with nails that are also far too short. Simpson requires a minimum 2.5" nail when nailing through sheathing. My framers used a 1.5" nail.

In other places, the nailing on the sheathing, and the sheathing install generally, is just plain terrible:

I'm in a pretty serious seismic zone here. The 1964 earthquake was the second-largest ever recorded in history and killed over 100 people, and in 2018 we had a 7.1 just a a few miles north of the city. My home location is also exposed to a lot of wind.

How should I go about fixing the sheathing? The nailing is already extremely tight due to our seismic requirements--but the nails are all wrong. Could I pull the nails and replace them with slightly larger screws (something rated for the appropriate shear?) or do the panels need to be pulled and rebuilt?

There are several issues you’ll need to resolve: 1) was a Building Permit obtained, 2) was the contractor licensed and bonded, 3) is the design correct, 4) was the installation incorrect, 5) is the installation unacceptable

1) This project requires a Building Permit. If one was not obtained, who is responsible. (The contractor will say the home owner is responsible because they are doing just a small part of the construction.) Obviously footings were poured, etc. and those should have been inspected and approved. Now, the framing should have been inspected and approved or rejected. Did the Building Inspector approve the framing? If not why not?

2) The contractor is required to be licensed and bonded. If he was not, why not?

3) Was the design correct? The designer needs to confirm that he did not make a mistake and is v CCB orrery for this installation. Designs are not random. They follow specific guidelines laid out in the Building Code for your area (region). You don’t want the design to be unreasonable, or if it is, then why the “extreme” design.

4) Perhaps the framing was incorrect. You’ll need the designer to confirm the design is correct AND the construction needs to be “fixed”. (“Fixed” May mean “replaced”.) Get their determination in writing. That way, you are not being unreasonable, just following your designers recommendations.

5) You’ll need a third party to review the installation and determine that it is unacceptable. (The contractor will obtain their expert witness and they will say it is acceptable.) Not every project is designed to the maximum performance of nailing, blocking, etc. Often, a lesser nailing pattern, smaller nails, etc. will still provide “adequate” structural performance. Your expert will need to show how the installation is defective AND make a recommendation for the “fix”.

Btw, there is a Builders Board that license contractors in your state that can referee this issue if you do not want to go to court.

Summary:

Just because it was not installed correctly, doesn’t mean it needs to be replaced. Do your homework and get everything in writing.


How many holes will hanging a heavy panel on my wall require? I would like to build panels to put up on my apartment wall, with a backing (probably wooden) strong enough to attach faux bricks onto my 8' high walls. The panel-making process is as follows:

Lay out 1/8"-1/4" foam tape in a brick edge pattern on panel
Mix all purpose joint compound and cement colorant mixture
Fill inside of pattern with compound and texture with rough brush
Allow to firm and remove foam tape
Allow to dry and texture with sanding block
Fill gaps between bricks with accent joint compound and cement colorant mixture

One source lists 1/8 in. plywood as 0.56 lbs/sqft and Sheetrock brand of compound by itself is about 0.6 lbs/sqft. If these are reasonable one of my walls, 17 ft long, would have to support 157.8 lbs. It would ideally cover the entire wall. How many screws into studs will this require per square foot?

If you do opt to go with 1/8" ply, I'd suggest you use "washer head pocket screws" (1-1/4" if you have 1/2" drywall). If you're putting the sheets of ply sideways, I'd use a screw every foot or so on each stud. That might be slight overkill, but my thinking is to mimic the fastening of a sheet of normal drywall, which (a) needs to support the weight, and (b) doesn't flap loosely.

Personally, I'd opt for a slightly more substantial ply (1/4") for better fastener holding. Whatever you use for mud, go for something that advertises "low shrinkage" on the label. Pre-mix is probably not a good choice; setting type compounds are apt to be better.


Should it possible to remove the heat exchanger from my natural gas furnace? I have a 20 year old heating and cooling system. I was able to remove an inspection panel and clean the backside of the evaporator coils.

To clean the front, it appears the only way I will be able to is if I remove the heat exchanger from the natural gas portion of the furnace. I disconnected the natural gas and turned off the power. I was able to remove the portion that supplies natural gas.

I then removed about ~15 screws around the perimeter of the heat exchanger. However, there is no clearance between it and the top of the stamped steel cabinet. Any attempt to remove it just results in it getting caught on stuff and wedged at odd angles. There is no possible way that is was installed like this. It appears the top of the cabinet is literally resting on this now.

Is it likely that over the years it has become only thing holding my A/C unit together? Should I give up on trying to remove it if it is this bad of condition? I'd like to clean those evaporator coils, but it seems that trying to get this apart is just going to be destructive overall.

Firefox, firebox who cares (it's just a typo). But why would you take the furnace apart to clean the evaporator coil. Does it really need to be cleaned. If really needs to be cleaned, there are service companies in business to do this type of work and to protect people from themselves. I and many others on this site have worked on furnaces and A/C units for many years and I don't think any of them have ever taken a furnace apart to clean an evaporator coil.  Please  call a licensed furnace service company to correct the  mistakes you are making and save your family from a pending disaster. If you do not know what you are doing PLEASE PLEASE call for help.


How to remove metal pipe stuck in ground that is filled with concrete at bottom I have a metal pipe sticking out the ground that an old tv antenna was attached to many years ago. How should I go about cutting it off where it doesn't show show up above ground? Pipe is around 4 inches wide, maybe 1/4-1/2 inch thick and filled with concrete up above being level with ground.

Look up "how to cut a lally column" for illustrations, as that's exactly what they are (steel tube full of concrete). Dig a hole, cut the steel with whatever tools you have (hacksaw, grinder, sawzall) hit the top with a hammer and it will snap easily. If you happen to have a large pipe cutter for steel pipe you can use that, but odds are you don't. There are also specialized tools for lally columns - again, you probably don't have convenient access to one.

The essence remains that once the steel is cut the concrete will snap easily.

.


Primer must NOT form a film? I'm confused about the recommendation that "The primer must not form a closed, shiny film" found in quite a few primers sold in the EU as basis for emulsion (US ="latex") paints, e.g. in Caparol Tiefgrund. Why is film-forming a bad thing? I thought that was the purpose of the primer.

I've checked the German version and it's not a translation error: "Die Grundierung darf
keinen geschlossenen, glänzenden Film bilden". If you google this last phrase, you'll find lots of hits in other (some non-Caparol) primers, so it's unlikely to be a mistake.

A glossy finish is Bad News on a surface you are going to recoat.

Paint bonds to the underlying surface one of two ways:

the next coat of paint is chemically compatible with the last coat (usually that means the exact same paint), and the last coat is still chemically active enough for a chemical bond to occur.   If you read paint cans, that's what "recoat time" is all about.
the surface is microscopically rough, i.e. has lots of jaggy mountains and canyons.  This is called tooth.  A surface which has been recently sanded will have this characteristic.   The next coat will form a mechanical bond by the drying paint interlocking with the dry paint.

Gloss and tooth are contradictions of each other. Gloss requires a mirror smooth surface, which a glossy topcoat is designed to give you.

In even the best paint systems, primer and paint are often chemically dissimilar.    Therefore you rely on the mechanical bond.  Primers are designed to leave a rough surface when applied normally, as a timesaver.  If you managed to lay down primer in a glossy surface, you'd need to "scuff sand" it to create the tooth needed for the next layer.

But a glossy primer would also raise the question of whether you applied it correctly, and by extension whether it would cure and perform properly under those circumstances. For instance if you put it on too thick, you might want to give it a few more days to cure.


Why is my lawn sprinkler system timer on but not operating the valves? My lawn sprinkler system was working perfectly last summer. When I went to turn it on this summer, I've noticed that the timer isn't working. Well, it is but it isn't. The timer's display is responsive and I can get it to respond to different settings with the buttons and knob. This issue is that it's not actually turning the water on and off. I'd imagine that it should be controlling an internal component within the valves in the third image. Right now, I have to manually turn the valve shown in the second image to get the sprinklers to operate, I can't just leave it on and let the timer do its job. Its not the end of the world, but if you have a timer why not use it?

Does anyone know what the issue here is? Could it be electrical damage within the valve box? Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

You'd want to check the voltage at the valves to see if the controller is working correctly. If there's voltage, then the valve solenoid is probably bad and needs replacement. It's a common failure.


Why is my chainsaw stalling? The last time I used my chainsaw, It kept stalling. I could not keep it running. I had just used a new batch of gasoline with two-stroke engine oil added. As this was the only difference from the previous times I've used the chain saw, I suspect that I either added two much or too little two-stroke engine oil. Which would cause my chain saw tall stall like this, too much two-stroke oil in the gasoline or two little?

Look for the "H" & "L" carb adjustment screws. Get a small screwdriver that will fit those screws. Crank it up, keep it running with the trigger. Adjust the "L" screw one way or the other, in quarter turn incriments, until it idles how you want. Keep track of the turns, in case that doesn't work.

Wind it up again, H screw may need a little tweak to get back up to the rpms you're looking for. Again, count your turns.

If that doesn't work, you may just have dryrotted gaslines, leaking too much air into the jets. $30 fix at most shops.


Home tool for making wood edge slots? I have some planks and would like to make a wooden plate. So far I've seen this done by connecting the planks together but they've always had these prepared edges which hopefully the two images will describe better.

What is the tool used to do this job?

The usual way would be to cut the grooves with a table saw and a dado set, and cut the floating tenon on the table saw as well, but for small stuff, biscuit joinery works much the same way.  You could also cut the groove with a router table.  (It would be hard to cut the groove on the edge with a router without a router table unless it's a BIG piece of wood.)


how do I fix hinges to sandstone (that is quite soft) I have a sandstone wall that I want to fit a gate to.  The sandstone crumbles with little effort. I am concerned any fixings will work loose quickly with any use

You could drill out larger holes, then fill with epoxy, then mount the hinges through the epoxy. But that seems like a lot of work.

I'd instead install a post alongside the wall and use the post.


How is a Phillips screwdriver size determined? I have two different sized Phillips screwdrivers that both say they are 00 sized (click here for full-sized image):

The green screwdriver came from an iPhone 3/4 disassembly kit, and on the package it says "Phillips#00".  The tip is about 1.5mm wide.

The screwdriver on the bottom is a Craftsman and it says "P-00" on it.  The tip is about 2mm wide.

One of these screwdrivers cannot be 00 sized.  Which one is 00, and what size is the other one?

The Phillips screwdriver size is based on the size at the very tip.  Based on diagrams of the tip from the original Phillips patent (shown in one of the links to sizes.com), I'm guessing that the relevant physical size is the cross you see when you point the screwdriver at your nose (as though it were a screw) and look at it end-on, or something directly related to that.  How much the tip widens to become part of the shaft is irrelevant.  You could make one that widens to a meter in diameter, making it nearly impossible for humans to use.

I tried this experiment:  using some digital calipers, insert just the tip between the calipers, and measure the distance from one point on the cross to the opposite point.  This is difficult to do accurately since if you insert a little more than the tip, you get a result that is too large.  I tried several different sets of screwdrivers and bits for them from different manufacturers.

The results:  PH3: 0.141 inches, PH2: 0.086 inches, PH1: 0.071 inches, PH0: 0.055 inches, PH00: 0.048 inches, PH000: 0.039 inches, and PH0000 is so tiny I really couldn't get a consistent reading.  I don't have a PH4 and I'm not sure I've seen one.  As I said, it's difficult to get an accurate reading.  I can quite consistently eyeball the difference between a PH3 and a PH2 or a PH2 and a PH1.  It's difficult to consistently see that a PH00 is larger than a PH000.  I can see that like sizes give similar results, and measuring the same bit over and over also gives similar results, however, the ranges for adjacent sizes overlap a bit for PH000, PH00, and PH0.

A serious attempt to make these measurements would probably require several vices, a powerful magnifying glass or a microscope, and digital calipers with a thinner edge than the set I have.  Either that or I'd need about 6 hands.

I presume a PH0000 screwdriver is intended to drive #0000 screws, a PH000 screwdriver is intended to drive #000 screws, and a PH00 screwdriver is intended to drive #00 screws, as these seem to be the only screws smaller than #0 in the inch-based "numbered screw" system.  There could be a #00000 screw, but it's less than one-hundredth of an inch wide and probably can't take much torque, and a #000000 screw would have a negative diameter, which is obviously impossible.

Somewhere buried in an ANSI standard is the physical dimension that determines the driver size.  I may have found one of them, but it costs $65.


Workarounds for single-zone HVAC? Second thermostat? Adjust vents? I have a two story brick home built in 1970 with a relatively new HVAC system blowing through original ductwork. In the summer its too hot upstairs and too cold downstairs. I know that the full solution is to rework the ducts and introduce a second zone. This is not practical at this time.

I can often get the upstairs temps to be comfortable (mid-70's) by simply forcing the fan on and closing vents in unoccupied rooms. When I do this the temperatures downstairs will drop to the mid-60's. At night this actually makes the entire house too cold to be comfortable. There is also the added cost of having the blower run all the time.

If it matters I work from home. I am here all day so summer comfort is important.

Is there an intermediate fix I can make until I have saved enough to go to a two-zone system?

Can I install a second thermostat? A smarter thermostat?

Are there any vent opening/closing tricks I can try?

There are a few things you can do which can help:

1) Adjust the dampers in the duct work. Partially close dampers in the ducts going to the first floor and fully open the ones to the second. Take some time to mark them so you know what goes where. It will probably take a few tries to get them set right. That's usually the first thing an HVAC guy will do for this situation.

2) Seal off the leaks in your duct work. Go around and find leaks and seal them with the aluminum backed tape. It's real sticky and has a peal off backing. Oddly enough, duct tape always seems to come loose on my duct work. Go figure. There are services which will come out and blow a smokey substance through your system to locate leaks and seal them.

3) This can be controversial, but you could cover your low returns in the summer and high returns in the winter. The theory is that this will pull more warm air out in the summer and more cold air out in the winter. There are magnetic covers you can get for this purpose like this:

But you may have better luck with stronger magnetic sheets and custom cut them yourself.

I'm not a fan of closing registers, but that's probably one of the simplest things to do.

There are systems that can be installed which will automatically adjust dampers in your duct work based on thermostats placed throughout the house, but they're pricey.


Is there such a thing as a 1 1/8" water spigot reducer? I'm sorry if this is a basic question, but I've been around the world and back looking for a reducer for my outdoor water spigot, which has a 1 1/8" diameter. (And to fit most hoses, I assume I'm looking for a reduction to 1".) Does anyone know where to find one, or if I should just go ahead and replace the spigot entirely?

Search for: 1" female NPSH to 3/4 GHT male

  The thread standard for garden hose connectors in the United States and its territories is known as "garden hose thread" (GHT), which is 3/4" diameter straight (non-tapered) thread with a pitch of 11.5 TPI (male part has an outer diameter of 1 1⁄16 inches (26.99 mm)). –Wiki

1 1/8" pipe does not exist. More likely, you're trying to put a 3/4" GHT hose on a 1" NPSH spigot. You're measuring the OD, standard pipe goes by ID (e.g., 3/4" pipe has a one inch Outer Diameter).

According to jgbhose.com, female NPT is not compatible with male NPSH (although I think it might work well enough). You could try NPT if you can't find any NPSH fittings in the isle. Just make sure that whatever it is, it has a rubber washer.

Most of this is research and also some guess work, as I've never dealt with 1" garden hose. Verify your fitting size and thread type before making any purchases.


Replacing an old light switch with a new one. Trying to figure out correct wiring My old light switch did not have the common labeled and just had two brass screw connectors. Coming in the bottom of the box was a black, a white, and ground wire. The ground was connected to another ground and out the top not connected to the switch. The black was to the switch and the white to another white and put the top. Coming off the switch was a red that went out the top. Not sure which to connect to the common connector and which to the other. I also wrapped the ground wire around the ground screw.

Here is how I wired the new switch:

Coming into the bottom of the box was a black, a white, and ground.
The ground was wired to another ground coming in from the top of the box, the old switch was not grounded. The white coming in the bottom was connected to another white from the top (I assume straight to the light) the black was looped around one terminal and then connected to a black coming from the top of the box. Then there was a red wire coming from the top of the box on the second terminal on the switch.

This should be a better picture (sorry I’m on my phone and first time posting here). I went and got a single pole switch. Can o wrap the ground wire around the ground screw then up to the ground wire coming in the top?

You are attempting to replace a "normal" switch with a a "3-way" switch, which is why you have a "common" terminal you don't know what to do with.

You also are replacing a switch that depended on the box screws for grounding with a switch that has a ground terminal. You need to maintain the connection to "the ground wire going out the top" and you should also have a "ground screw connected to the box" (unless it' a plastic box - hard to tell from that picture) as well as the "ground screw on the switch" - it is unsafe and improper to connect only to the ground screw on the switch, particularly if (as I read it, which MAY not be what you MEANT) that's at the cost of the ground going out to the fixture. Basically, you need a wire nut for the grounds, and you need "pigtails" (short wires) coming off that to make the connection to the box & switch. "Special for grounding" wirenuts are made that allow one of those pigtails to be from one of the wires going straight through the wirenut - whether you want to bother with buying one for a single switch is up to you, you don't have to use them, a regular wirenut will work.

Edit to add in response to edit of question: Yes, if you have adequate wire to do so, you can just bend the ground wire around to connect to the ground screw on the switch, and keep the wire-nut connection to the top ground wire. The bigger picture does appear to be a plastic box, so you don't have to try to ground that as well.

Best solution would be to get the proper replacement switch. However, you can simply leave one terminal disconnected and use a 3-way as a regular switch:

Can I use a 3-way switch as a single-pole switch?


What adhesive to use when tiling the fireplace hearth? I am tiling the wood burning fireplace hearth and it gets really hot especially in the top-middle.
I am wondering what kind of adhesive should I use for this purpose? I don’t want it fail due to high heat and would like to get some advise.

Thank you

I have tiled many areas around wood stoves. It’s not only the adhesive but the tile, backer board and air gap that all come together. I normally use thin set with an admix. It is tougher to keep in place until set but I have had mastic melt several years later and the tiles start slipping down.

The gap I mention helps the backer board radiate heat so the tiles do not get overheated. With a wood stove your stack should not be getting above 350-400 (500 is getting close to problems). When I used to install free standing we always left a magnetic temp indicator that showed the stack temp. A single wall stack to the ceiling kept below 500 should do fine with thinset.

If mastic is used keep the stack temp lower or it may melt and the tiles will start slipping down and falling off.


How do I wire a new ceiling light with power to the ceiling and 3-way switches? I'm trying to install a new light fixture in the front hall. Currently, the light is activated by 2 switches (on each end of hall). The NEW fixture has 1 black wire and 1 white wire. The ceiling wires have 2 black and 2 white coming down. The OLD single light has the 2 wires connected separately by a little metal tab.

I tried connecting the 3 black and 3 white together and attached the metal ground to the green screw. It kept on switching the breaker when I went to turn it back on.

How do I connect this light so I can still use all switches? Again, 2 black and 2 white in ceiling, 2 switches, new light has 1 black, 1 white, and 1 ground.

What you have is power to the ceiling, and 3-Way switches.

My best guess, is to wire the two blacks together in the ceiling, with a wire nut.
One of the whites should be marked.  This will go to the Black of the fixture.  The other white wire should go to the white of the fixture.  And then connect the ground.

So the path will be  Panel Hot -> Black wire -> [ Switch Common -> Switch Travellers ->Switch common -> ] WHITE -> Light -> Panel Neutral.

the stuff in Brackets [] is in the wall, and you won't see it.

See this http://diy.blogoverflow.com/2012/01/poles-and-throws/ for more information on 3-way switches.


Can I use cement instead of paint for interior walls? I live in Mumbai (India) where clay brick walls are reinforced with concrete. On the interior part of these walls (inside the house), some layers of plaster followed by a layer of oil paint or any other paint is applied. Having read somewhere that these paints are toxic, I wonder whether I can use cement/concrete as a coating for the interior part of the wall. Maybe I will apply a thick layer of white cement with some color pigment.

Generally, people paint walls with oil paint after applying 2-3 layers of plaster (Plaster of Paris) and Distemper.

If yes then, some of my concerns are:

Durability: will it scrape off in few years like plaster due to water erosion etc?
Health and safety: is it toxic?
Time needed for the cement to settle.

Feel free to add more to this list, if you have any.

Cement is acceptable as an interior finish.  The reason why it isn't used more is that it is heavy and terribly hard to make look nice.  Basically once it is dry it is done for good.  Also cement adheres to dry cement but not that well so patching is not easy.

As for durability it depends how you prepare the surface and the thickness of the install.  In my area it was a thing to finish basements with a cement coating (over the poured cement walls).  These went on about 1/4-1/2" thick and looks a bit like plaster after a few coats of primer and paint.  You can certainly give the concrete a pigment but it has a pretty prickly surface that a thick coating of paint would help smooth.

The other thing to think about is hanging things on the wall or doing things like electrical.  You have to know that if you hang something on the wall you will need to use adhesive.  If it is something heavy you might have a hard time taking the adhesive off without ripping out the underlying cement.  In the older basements we would go in we would see dozens of little cement patches missing from things like pictures or whatever.


How to reroute a circuit that goes through a return air plenum Old house, need to replace a wire where the insulation has been stripped off from when the original installer pulled it through a joist.  Normally I'd just follow the original path of the old wire, but in this case it runs through a return air duct:

I believe it's NEC 300.22 (B) that states that I could do this exact thing with MC cable, EMT, IMC, and rigid conduits, but there are supply ducts are on the other side (so no conduit) and I'd like to not mess with MC unless I need to.  I think this leaves me with the option of either:

Routing the cable around the duct (would have to take circuit to the center of the basement, and then back to get around the plenum) EDIT: Plenum runs the whole length of the basement, have to go under or through
Putting up a running board across the bottom of the joists / tack wire to running board (NEC 334.15(C))

Am I missing any other options?  I also thought about running a conduit along the joists, but I think the running board would be cheaper.

Is that acceptable for new construction?  No.
Does anything compel you to fix it now? No.

I'd check very carefully that the insulation on the black & white wires is unaffected (sounds like it is).  Then slip something over to mechanically protect those wires.  A stiff bit of plastic sheet rolled up and slipped through the joist should do it.

Then caulk the hole for airflow purposes, and consider replacing the entire return plenum: there is no caulk and it leaks air.  At best you're getting basement air into the plenum because the pressure is lower.


How to repair/replace old tongue and groove plank subfloor in bathroom? After my bathroom was demoed, I discovered that the subfloor is in bad shape. The home was built in the 1960s and the subfloor consists of 3/4" thick tongue and groove planks running diagonal to the joists. I do not know if it was poorly constructed or if this naturally happened over time, but the tongues and grooves of the planks across much of the floor are no longer nesting within each other. As such, the floor does not have much structural integrity.

As you can see in the photo below, a section of the floor broke away easily during demo. There are other sections that flex so much that I feel like I'd break through if I attempted to put my full weight on it.

This is a bathroom that will have a tile floor so the goal is to properly support the tile, a bathtub, etc.. Outside the bathroom is 3/4" hardwood and I'd prefer not having too much of a differential with this.

I have had a few contractors present some different approaches that include cutting out the old floor and completely replacing it or simply adding a thin layer of new plywood on top of the old floor. The thin layer on top seems like the simplest approach but I have concerns with both building on top of a questionable old floor as well as about the extra height (what would be the minimum acceptable thickness for the new layer in this case?).

What is the proper way to repair this floor?

The following options will perform equally, their differences are time, cost, and thickness of the subfloor. Best case scenario you'll still have a 3/4" subfloor, worst case you'll have 1 1/4" (sorted most economical in cost/time to least):

Lay 1/2 or (preferably) 5/8 over the existing floor. It's simple, and should provide enough strength with the existing strips to support tile.
Replace the strips that are weakened (you should be able to find a piece of 3/4 that would fit the space. All strips should cross a minimum of three joists for strength.
Follow up by laying 1/2" or 5/8" on top.
Remove and replace. This is a challenging option, those strips probably cross the entire house, what this means is that the walls are resting on the strips. When you remove the existing strips it will cause sagging in adjacent rooms so you'll need to at least block out beneath the walls/between joists to support the flooring on the other side. You'll also have to block out in between joists, and at the edges where the joists are more than a couple of inches away from the bathroom wall.

Once you've blocked out the floor reinforcements take a look at the joist spacing.

Subfloor replacement selection - OSB or Plywood. For tile, plywood is generally recommended by manufacturers over OSB.

Picking sheathing

Not all sheathing is created equal, however if you're picking up sheathing grade from a big box store, they hold a respectable graded sheet which is what I'm going to base the rest on.

What's your joist spacing? What is the nominal size of the joist?
If it's 18" and 2x8 (most likely case) or greater, you can probably get away with one 3/4, but I'd recommend 2-5/8" cross installed. If it's 16" and under, you'll be fine with a single 3/4"

If you're going to lay sheathing on the existing floor, you need a minimum (emphasis on minimum) of 3/8". Whether it's T&G or not, anything less than 3/8 is a waste of money as it's not structural.

Install

Either T&G, or square edge is fine, what's important is to space them 1/8" apart (use something that's credit card thickness for spacing). Ideally glued in the seam if it's T&G, and to the joist using an ASTM D3498, or APA AFG-01 conforming adhesive (PL-400/Premium, Lumber Lock, AdvanTech for example). Before applying the glue, make sure all surfaces are clean and dry.

Cutting and Blocking

There aren't any perfect videos, however for the preparation this video has great considerations:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgWtHSsww-4

Notes about blocking, use a minimum of 2x6. If you're going to use screws, I'd suggest structural screws like these

Otherwise 16d common nails will work.

End product should look like this, ready for a well supported subfloor:

Sources

Ditra install guideline (they guarantee replacement if tiles crack so they'll give safe numbers) bottom of page 7 for your setup:
https://sccpublic.s3-external-1.amazonaws.com/sys-master/images/h71/h71/8858545389598/DITRA%20Installation%20Handbook.pdf

Page six for the bare minimum required for sheathing based on joist spacing: http://www.tolko.com/system/resources/W1siZiIsIjIwMTcvMDEvMTgvMTBfMjFfMzNfMjM3X0FQQV9FbmdpbmVlcmVkX1dvb2RfRmxvb3JfU3lzdGVtc19Db25zdHJ1Y3Rpb25fR3VpZGUucGRmIl1d/APA-Engineered%20Wood%20Floor%20Systems-Construction%20Guide.pdf


What is the most effective way to get rid of silverfish? I recently moved to an apartment near the ocean and the air is more humid/moist than any of my previous homes. I've noticed that at night a few silverfish always come out in my bathroom (linoleum floors) and when I try to catch them, the would often escape through the crack between the wall and the floor.

I did some research and found that diatamaceous earth is a non-toxic material that helps with the control of these little guys. I bought some and laid down this fine dust along the floor boards of my bathroom. However, this didn't do that much to control the silverfish.

I recently found a couple of babies inside a framed print! I've also seen some on the carpet in the apartment (I might see more, but the carpet camouflages them a bit!).

What is the best way to control these pests short of fumigating the whole place?

(n.b. I have a cat and a newborn in the apartment)

Silverfish like cool, damp locations and feed on paper and other starchy materials.  If the source of your silverfish problem is a crawlspace you might improve things by laying down heavy plastic sheeting over the ground and making sure it's properly vented to reduce moisture a little.  Otherwise, silverfish are very annoying but basically harmless (except to your valuable books/documents- keep them sealed up).


Pergola on flat roof: Can it be done safely? I want to put a pergola on my flat roof but am not sure if it's possible to construct one safely. My roof is a wide open flat surface built to be  enjoyed as a rooftop deck with tufflex deck layer. I want to attach the posts directly to the roof (that seems the most secure) but I don't think that is possible due to compromising the integrity of the roofing layer (I assume it would require redoing the entire roof to create brackets that would be more properly sealed from leaking). On the other hand I'm not sure how to calculate if concrete blocks are enough to prevent it from flying away which would be catastrophic as it would fall 3 stories. Unfortunately there is no structure I can attach it to other than the ~4ft walls around the roof that are capped with a metal sheet.

Has anyone done this or do you have ideas on if it can be done safely? I was originally planning to just attach the pergola to concrete blocks but I'm worried about gusts of wind and have no insight on if this is safe or what amount of weight is needed to secure it. For the pergola frame I plan to use bamboo due to its light weight and strength: my idea is that the center of mass would be much lower using bamboo vs a traditional hardwood or even an aluminum frame. It would also put less load on the roof itself, but I sacrifice potential stability as cedar pergolas are 5x the weight I believe.

The roof looks like this:

In summary, is it possible to construct a pergola on a flat roof safely given my constraints (roofing material, no obvious part of the house to attach it to, etc)?

Edit: The roofing material is actually tufflex

Edit2: Added a more representative picture due to commentary

Yes, I’ve done this, but it was designed into the roof. That is to say, we tied into roof beams with round steel pipes. The pipes were bolted into the roof beams and extended up through the roof about 12” or so. We caped the pipes so they didn’t leak and then used “plumbing jacks” (like ones made for plumbing vents,) to keep the roof from leaking. We then bolted cross beams to the pipes for the gazebo floor and kept the floor off the roof about 6” or so for drainage and cleaning. We then installed posts and a roof. (The structural system used bolts not just nails.)

Also, the roof beams were designed to hold the gazebo up, but it was also designed to hold it down (I live in a high wind area.) That means the beams need to be secured to posts and the posts need to be secured to the foundation adequately.

If you use your concrete block idea, be sure that the roof is designed to support that much additional weight. Remember, roofs are usually designed to just support snow loads not live loads with all your drunken friends celebrating your 30th birthday.

Wind factor increases the higher you go up. The effect of putting your gazebo on a three story structure means you’ll have significantly higher effects (lateral loads and uplift) of wind than one sitting on the ground.

BTW, if you’re creating a roof top gathering place, you’d better install a guardrail to keep your friends from wandering over to the edge and falling off. (Blood is difficult to get out of sidewalks.)


How to install flush mount lights when ceiling electrical box is 1/4 of an inch below sheetrock? We recently bought a house and are changing the lights. The ones that are currently installed have a dome base. We bought ones that will sit flush. The issues is that some of the electrical boxes hang down up to 1/4 of an inch below the ceiling. This causes the new light to not sit flush.

What options do we have?

Options:

Put back the old light fixtures.
Convert some of the new fixtures to the dome type base.
Access the electrical boxes and remount them.
Rip out the old boxes and install new boxes in the correct alignment.


Calculating U Value of a room I am converting a garage to a usable room and am researching different options when it comes to insulation.  I know more insulation is better, however there is a point where adding more insulation will never reduce the heating bills by enough to pay for itself.
Assuming the external dimensions of the room is 5.5m long, 3.5m wide and 2.5m high, this would give a surface area of:

5.5m * 2.5m * 2 walls = 27.5 m2
3.5m * 2.5m * 2 walls = 17.5 m2
3.5m * 5.5m * 2 (1 roof and 1 floor) = 38.5 m2

The total surface area would be 83.5 m2
If 75 m2 had a 0.33 w/m2k and 8 m2 has a 1.5 w/m2k (windows and doors), would I be right to assume that this would give a 37 w/k for the entire room?
If the difference between the internal and external temperature was 10 degrees C, I assume that I'd need 370 watts to heat the room.  If the walls/ceiling/floor had a 0.22 w/m2k, then without listing all the calculations I'm assume this would be 270 watts, therefore a saving of 120 watts or about £0.03 of electric per hour.
Firstly, I was wondering if someone could please confirm if I'm at least on the right track please?
Secondly, any recommendations on how I can work out the division of lost between the walls, floor and ceiling please?

I think the simplest way to evaluate this is with a spreadsheet, where you collect the area of each "type" and can plug in numbers for different insulation values for each type, and view the effect on that part and on the total.
i.e if all the windows are the same sort or will be when purchased, you can lump that area & U value.
If there are different types, separate them into different rows in the spreadsheet.
The walls get a row, unless the walls differ, then they get as many rows as there are different areas of wall-types.
The ceiling gets a row.
The floor gets a row, but is often tricky to characterize since insulation value and exterior temperature is harder to know for sure on the floor.
...because that's the way I do it.
Other then "metric R" tacked on the end, this is all in "English" units mostly used only in the USA now, but it's easy to do in the units applicable to your area. A few numbers are input, most are calculated. It's easy to see the difference that changing one part makes to that part and the overall result. For instance, increasing my ceiling insulation can be done, but will have little impact on the overall use as it's already less than half what the walls are, and likewise less than half what the windows are.

When you get heavily insulated, you also need to pay attention to the heat lost (or exchanged) via ventilation, with or without heat recovery, as it becomes a significant part of the overall load.


Drywall installation when ceiling joists lower at the edge I am trying to install ceiling drywall and everything is fine until I reach the edge.

You can see there are 3 2x8 joists at the edge and it's somehow positioned 1/2" to 1" lower than the rest. So my drywall basically flush to the bottom of the 2x8 lumbers.

My questions are:

Is it OK to just putting drywall compound and paper and sand this 6" area? I think it will terribly crack later due to wood vs. drywall movement.
If not, how best to cover this area and make it smooth with the rest of the ceiling without having to use any trim/moulding?

Thanks.

UPDATE 1

Here is another photo at the corner where the joist lumber is almost 1/2" lower:

Could I use Floor Ram Board such as https://www.homedepot.com/p/Ram-Board-38-in-x-50-ft-Temporary-Floor-Protection-Roll-RB-38x50/202823781 to nail and create a smooth transition?
Could I use 1/4" plywood with 3 feet width and mount as in the green area below? Then I can slowly mud the 1/4" thickness difference to spread for maybe 1-2 feet more.
Would "Rock Hard Water Putty" (https://www.walmart.com/ip/Rock-Hard-1-Water-Putty-1-lb-Cream-Powder/23217846) work to fill the gap and not use anything else? I have tried this before and it's as hard as wood once dried.

No. That's in no way going to yield a satisfactory result for the reason you mentioned.
By now you realize that you should've examined the framing before you began hanging drywall. You have two options:

Pull down part of the drywall and install shims on the joists approaching the beam to blend into it, creating a downslope in the ceiling. You could reduce the amount of the slope by using some 1/4" drywall under the beam itself and setting your other drywall flush with that.
Pull down all the drywall and shim the entire area down flush with the beam.


Should the contractor be able to drill holes in a quartz countertop? Sometime in the future I'll be having quartz countertops installed in a new kitchen. They'll be silestone's eco line of countertops. Should the contractor doing the install, assuming he's a professional, be able to cut small holes in the counter top to install things like the faucet or a soap dispenser? Or are those sorts of things normally done at the factory/manufacturer etc?

I've seen diamond coated drills bits that are supposed to be used for things like this so I'm guessing any reasonable contractor that does this for a living should be able to drill some holes.

Thanks

Sink holes (faucet/soap/whatever) are almost always done on site.  The actual sink cutout is already done at the shop and the company doing the install probably does not want to risk even further the chance of cracking/breaking.

Anyone with a drill and a $15 diamond circle bit can cut these holes out in a couple mins per hole.  If they can't they shouldn't be installing your countertops.

If your contractor says they are a pro at installing countertops and they DO NOT do this then it is equivalent to a plumber saying they don't hook up shower heads - get another installer.  The holes should be drilled before it is on your cabinets (often these holes might not leave much room from behind for a drill to go straight down).  You do not want to have another guy come out and drill these - if something went wrong who would be at fault?


Having some trouble with Sanding hardwood floors I thought I sand my floors myself so last night I rented random orbit sander from home depot. Using the 36 grit sand paper. I did not get the result I was hoping to get. It is my first time using the sander. Upon closer look, I found that some of the planks are not even. Some planks are higher some are lower due to which I feel like the sander didn't do a good job. What do you recommend I do at this point? Should I rent the drum sander? Here is the result. Close up pictures show better result.

10/15/2017
UPDATE: I decided to hire someone to do this job. I found a lot of mix reviews. I personally didn't feel comfortable using the drum sander which is exactly what this floor needed. The drum sander that they used was 220 volts and was way more powerful than what I could rent. Here is the latest picture.

It's hard to tell without pictures or exact model number, but based on your comment you've probably rented a buffing (finishing) floor sander not unlike this one. For very uneven floors you should have indeed started with a (flooring) belt (or drum) sander. Belt/drum sanders (flooring or otherwise) can remove a lot material quickly.

Even Home Despot's own video recommends you get a drum/betl sander for solid wood (as a start). The orbital sander they rent is for finishing. They say nothing about their random orbital, and I suspect it will work by itself, but slowly; you'll probably have to change discs 4-6 times (in each pass) for the entire surface you have to make steady progress. I can't tell from the pictures how uneven your slats are or how much extra time (and sanding discs) that might take.

Dealing with the height differences is a little tricky even with a drum/belt sander: you'll probably want to sand at 45 degrees initially so the sander never rests on a single slat (or entirely misses the adjacent one), then go with the grain for the subsequent passes. I'm guessing you can achieve the same effect as 45-degree drum sanding with a random orbital by hovering long enough in an area until it levels itself. YMMV.

A NYT article on the topic also has this interesting titbid:

  Some online sources recommended the U-Sand sander [which seems to be a random orbit sander with four discs -- my note], which theoretically eliminates the need for a drum sander and a buffer. The manager of my local rental agency tried to talk me out of it, saying seven out of 10 people trade it in for a more powerful drum sander.

And the reporter also had issues with the U-Sand: even after using it for four hours he couldn't get to all the "valleys" in his floor. So unless you have oodles of time at your disposal, a random orbit sander is probably not the best idea for a floor that's pretty uneven at the start.

Clarke has quite a bit to say about their multi-purpose random orbital  (which just as the U-Sand is intended to replace both the belt and edger) but what I read into that marketing (especially if you compare to what they say about their drum and edger) is that it's a gentle machine wiht low risk of wrecking floors in the hands of the untrained, but in the subtext that also says it's rather slow in removing material or making progress with uneven floors. The same user experience with respect to dips/valleys has been reported for the Clarke random orbital as well.


Can you terminate more than one common on the furnace C terminal? TL;DR: Can you terminate more than one common on the furnace C terminal?

Background:

I've linked a diagram of how my non-programmable thermostat is currently hooked up. I want to replace it with a Trane Z-Wave thermostat that requires constant power. There's already a blue wire in the 18/5 bundle, but it's disconnected on both ends. The C terminal on the furnace control board is already in use by the rooftop condenser. If possible, I'd like to connect the blue wire to the stat and terminate it on the same C terminal on the furnace that is already in use by the A/C.

Some model numbers:

Furnace: Goodman GKS9 Gas Furnace with A/C (CAPF) - manual(PDF)
Old stat: Honeywell TH3210D1004 non-programmable
New stat: Trane TZEMT400BB3 Z-Wave

Yes you can terminate any number of connections on the C terminal.  All of the connections will be in parallel.  This is very common.


What size wire for a 300' run to a 60A sub-panel? I am going to be running wire underground to my shack about 300' away. I will need a 30amp a 20 amp and a 10 amp at the sub panel at the shack so 60 amps total. I assume I am going to need a 2 pole 60 amp break in the main panel. What wire am I going to need from the main panel to the sub panel?
Update - It is going to be a sugar shack about 20x20. I need 30 amps for a reverse osmosis machine, 20 amps for the pump im running most of the day then 10 amps for lights or whatever.
230 volts is what I run it on it draws 5.5 amps. 110 bolts is 7.5 amps. That is for the pump
The reverse osmosis is 110v 30amps

Subject to revision depending on your actual loads and how tight the budget is (cheap can be expensive later on, though) I would suggest:
3x 1 AWG aluminum (hot, neutral, hot) 1x 4 AWG Aluminum (but 6 AWG is technically acceptable if cutting it to the bone) Ground. That allows for up to a 100A feed - you may find some use for that, but it also allows for reasonable voltage drop at 50A and 300 feet.
Use 1-1/2" schedule 80 PVC conduit - trenches are expensive, conduit is cheap. If there's any odds you might want even more power at some point, consider 2" conduit. If you might yearn for telephone, intercom, or internet or camera coverage, put in an extra conduit for communications lines. If you are careful about placing the conduit and filling the trench you can save a few bucks by using schedule 40 where it's fully buried - if you are not willing to put the effort into being careful about that, schedule 80 all the way may save you agony. You need schedule 80 where it comes out of the ground anyway (unless you are running this overhead on poles - very retro but acceptable - subject to falling tree damage, though.)
If the shack is "yet to be built" put an UFER ground in the slab or footing, and drive a ground rod outside. Otherwise drive at least two ground rods outside, separated at least 8 feet. Use a 100, 125 or 200A panel at the shack (does not matter so long as it's "at least as big" as the feed breaker) and be sure to remove the bond and keep grounds and neutrals separated (grounds bond to the case, neutrals are isolated from the case.) You require both the grounding system at the "shack" and the grounding wire (connected to them) back to the main feed.
Or if you are SURE 60A is all you'll need and you want to go cheap-as-possible:
3x 4 AWG aluminum (hot neutral hot) + 1x 8 AWG aluminum (Ground) - gets about 6% drop but should still work, and will be less drop when not fully loaded.
That only gets your conduit size down to 1-1/4" - using a 10 AWG copper ground would get you down to 1".

So, the actual loads appear to be:
Vacuum pump needs 20A breaker, runs at 5.5A, 240V - continuous load (runs more than 3 hours) size for 7 amps (wire has to be sized for 20A due to the breaker, breaker presumably has to be that size to start it.)
Lights etc. 120V loads: 7.5A - use a 15A breaker, 14Ga wire, Provision for 9.5 since lights tend to be continuous loads especially in sugar season.
Reverse Osmosis - 120V at 30A.
So your "actual load at 240V" is 50A (minimum breaker size) to support the 20A 240 and the 30A 120, (the 15A 120 you get "for free" by putting it on the opposite leg from the 30A - you could even add a second one) and your "continuous" load is 16.5 between the lights and the vacuum pump, with the the RO bumping up to 35.5 A (again, the lights become "free" in terms of amperage [not power used] but you have the vacuum pump power added to the RO power, whatever that actually is (using the full 30A for now.)
If you go with the cheap option your RO will be dropping 5% or so if it pulls the full 30A - it probably uses a bit less. You could also pick a size between 4 AWG and 1 AWG to suit your price/performance/expansion or no-plans-for-expansion preferences. If your RO can be reconfigured to use 15A @ 240V you might be able to shrink the wire a bit more.


Method to fasten pink board to interior foundation wall So I'll be finishing my basement soon and will be using 1.5" pinkboard attached to my interior foundation walls.

What is the best method to fasten this to the wall (construction adhesive, caulk)?

Should the pink board touch the floor?  if not how much room should I give myself?

Should it touch the joists?

What should I use to seal the between the boards (caulk, foam, teflon tape)?

Thanks,
Joe

For attachment, a few options:

adhesive. They make adhesive just for this.
Powder Actuated Nails with washers. These are fun. You essentially are shooting nails into the concrete. Probably overkill, though.
Nothing. One option is to just place them against the wall...maybe hold them with tape, and then just have the interior stud wall hold them against the wall.

  Should the pink board touch the floor?

It won't hurt anything.

  Should it touch the joists?

Again, it won't hurt anything.

  What should I use to seal the between the boards (caulk, foam, teflon tape)?

I've used house wrap tape in the past. Works fine. Another option, price allowing, is to use two thinner layers of foam instead of one thick one and overlap the seams.

You could also leave small gaps between all boards and then come back and fill with expandable foam. That'd give you the most air-tight and insulated envelope.


How can I restore power after a switch was shorted with scissors? Ok, so I'm a 15 year old kid and my parents werent home, my house is under construction and I wanted to see what would happen if I put scissors to my light switches, so I took the pair of scissors and I put it to the light switch on the hot side and It sparked really big and really loud, and now I can't get the light to turn back on or any of the other outlets in the bedroom. What do I do now? Also, there are little marks by where I touched it with the scissors that are very black

Only possible answer: Fess up to your parents.  And make sure you're very, very sorry when you do.

They will be angry with you, and rightly so.  You're worried about what damage you've done to the socket and the house wiring, and that certainly is an issue.  That's why fessing up is the right thing to do, because the black marks round the socket suggest your house wiring didn't have proper protection on it, and it all needs checking.  If it isn't checked, this could result in a house fire and your entire family dying.  (This is NOT an exaggeration - house fires are the reason we have electrical safety codes.)  We've already established that you aren't safe around mains electricity, so really don't try flipping breakers or anything.  If the house is still being built, it shouldn't be a major issue to get this sorted.

But more than that, you've been stupid enough to put your life in danger, and you are really lucky to still be alive.  This will freak your parents out.  Brace yourself for some grief, driven by the fact that they're relieved you're still alive.

If you're a good liar, you could make up a cover story.  Like perhaps the plug wasn't in all the way, and you just happened to drop the scissors so they touched the plug prongs.  This isn't possible with UK mains plugs (there's insulation around the plug prongs except at the end where they make contact with the socket) but it may be possible with plugs wherever you live.  Or maybe you saw some dirt in the socket and thought you'd poke it out, but didn't think about the consequences.  (A guy in my class actually did this in the physics lab during a boring lesson.  Took out all the power in the lab for a day while they got the fuses changed, and that socket was permanently disconnected because it was cheaper than replacing it.)


What should I use to replace extra thick (1.75") sill plate? Should I shim 2x dimensional lumber? My house was built in 1956 and I have come across some sections of sill plate on the cinder block foundation wall that need to be replaced due to termite damage or rot. It seems that they used some extra beefy lumber, and it measures 1.75" thick.

I understand the basics of how to replace the plate, by jacking up the floor joists, etc. However, what would you suggest I do about making up the extra 1/4" compared to a modern 2x lumber?

Some options I thought of:

Custom order lumber
Rip 4x stock to size
Shim with:

Rip 1/4" redwood  shims
1/4" ply
2 pieces of 1/8" Redwood Benderboard
2 pieces of 1/8" Masonite
1 piece of 3/16" Masonite and ignore the extra 16th

Just ignore it? Seems like a lot to ignore.
What options am I not thinking about?

Thank you for any advice.

You can go two ways with it. You can purchase a 4X6 or possibly a 3X6 and have it ripped to the 1 3/4" thickness you need, presuming the original is close to 5-6" wide. Or you could get the standard 2X6 and use non shrink grout to tuck under the plate after it is shimmed up in places to allow the grout to go in the areas that are the most important, under the joists. In either case the material need to be pressure treated since you have termites present in the area.

An added third way, you could even shim the joists with the sill plate tight on the block with no grout and use wood shims. Pleas please do not use masonite, it is terrible for shim stock.


Fixing an offset pilot hole in steel? I'm trying to put a 16mm hole through the centre of some 35x35x2.0mm square hollow section (SHS) gal steel. The holes need to be fairly accurate, because they're going to be holding an axle that needs to be straight. I put some 3mm pilot holes through both layers with a drill press, but the press table flexed, and now my holes on the back side are out by about 1-2mm. That's really gonna screw up the axle.

I can't easily re-drill the holes, because the correct centre is inside the existing pilot hole. Is there a simple way to fix this mistake, and get a hole centered in the correct position?

Get some flat bar and drill the hole size that you require. clamp the flat bar into position over the existing hole (in the correct position). Then drill or file into the flat bar hole (acting as a guide/template) to your desired position.


How much space do I need at the top of the stairs? I'm in Pa and iI can't seem to find anything explaining this. I am building an addition and trying to save as much space as possible. My question is, if i have a half wall at the top of the floor and a 31in cleareance between the half wall and room wall down to first step leading to the basement, would that be okay? Would that first step down be required to be a landing?

Thanks.

Yes, a landing is required at the top and bottom of residential stairs. The simple answer is it should be 36" in the direction of travel. (There is an "exception" to that, but does not apply to you. )

To solve your problem, (and I get points taken off my "reputation" for offering advice that doesn't stick to the question, but I'll offer it anyway...) try a 2 or 3 step winding step stair (pie-shaped treads) for the last few steps. Basically you're making a 90 degree "left-turn" at the top of the stairs. There are several requirements to those steps, which I'm not smart enough to figure out, but basically each step should not be less than 6" wide "where you walk". Where-you-walk is defined as a point 12" from the narrowest point of each step... Oh, the widest depth of a "winder " step can't be more than 12" at furthest point out...

Don't forget the handrail (mount between 32" and 38" from nosing of each step.) Handrails in residential construction is required on one side of stair only.


Can I cool 540 sq. ft. with a single A/C unit? I have a small apartment - about 540sq ft.
The layout:

Click for larger view
The red square would be the internal unit, and to the left and right I have 2 rooms.
I also have a 6 month old little girl, so I wouldn't want a unit in her room. I'm thinking that I could have a single unit, that would reasonably cool both rooms indirectly.
Will it be pointless? Should I go for a multi-split?
More info:
The doors stay open most of the time, and the windows are only on the right side of the building (as you see it in the picture). Each room also has a balcony, and that takes most of the sunlight. The sun enters the room usually after 4 pm during the summer.
The average temperature in the summer is around 90F, but can go up to 105F for stretches of 4-5 days.

Someone would need a lot of detailed information about your apartment to determine the actual cooling load. Even assuming you have a properly sized air con unit, it seems silly to me to spend good money on an air con system and then need to rely on box fans to get it to work right. You basically should have a fan/coil unit in each room that you require to be kept at a comfortable temperature.

If you do not, one room will inevitably be too cold and the other too hot. But on the average I suppose you could claim your apartment is comfortable ;)


Power Supply Req: Need 20A 240V Sorry for the basic question, I am not especially electrically minded.

I have a system that requires 16A and 240V power, however we only have 10A wall outlet power available.

I did consider connecting two transformers in series across two 240V 10A wall outlets to produce 240V 20A, however I'm not confident that this is the best/cheapest/most convenient solution.

Aside from having an electrician come out to install a 20A wall outlet, are there any convenient or more versatile solutions to this issue?

Dude: Don't monkey wire this up.  There's no way you;re going to get 16 amps at 240 out of a 10 amps outlet.  I understand in the down under your convenience outlets are at 230 or 240, if not, and you are at 120, it's even much worse. But still, whatever you are supplying, do it right.  The approach of parrallelling  two transformers to deliver the needed amperage.... that would require them  to be on the same phase forever. That is a hack job. Just run the correct cable and breakers and sleep easily.


Is there a special tool to remove this shower cartridge cover? Underneath the shower handle I've found this interesting design where there's a cover or shroud encapsulating the cartridge. The threading on it is interesting: the threading isn't required for the handle and there are two flat areas near the end. I'm guessing there's a special tool I should use to get access to the cartridge. (No, I don't think I'm referring to a cartridge puller.)
How would I find this tool? Or can anybody identify the manufacturer?

Does not appear to be any "special" tool requirement per these pictures.
Put a strap wrench on the outermost silver bit and unscrew, or (judging the beat-up look it already has) just scar it up some more with slip joint pliers like the last guy did, at a guess. If the central part turns when you do that, put a wrench on the flats to prevent it from turning as you unscrew the silver part. If the silver bits are more conjoined than it appears, you might need to take the screw(s) in the wall out too.


How to map out downstream outlets for GFCI install I live in an older home with 2 prong plugs. I want to update these with 3 prong. My plan is to put a GFCI at the first outlet in the circuit and then regular 3 prong outlets downstream from there.

I can figure out which outlets are on the same circuit by flipping the circuit at the breaker and noting which turn off. My question is, how do I figure out which outlet is "first" in the circuit?

Usually it's physically obvious - depending on how exposed the wiring is (typically in the basement, if at all) it can be easier or more difficult to be sure, but it will almost always be the one closest to the breaker box. In some cases the wire routing won't be so straightforward, but usually it is.

I'm assuming you are capable of safely working with exposed wires, though I'd never suggest (and don't myself) doing anything more than check for voltage on them when exposed and live. Always turn off the breaker and check for voltage before actually manipulating wires.

So you pick the closest outlet on the circuit. You turn off the breaker and open the box. You disconnect one set of wires positioning them safely or temporarily taping them, and turn the circuit back on. if all other outlets are dead, you got the right outlet. If some other outlets are live, do the same thing at one of them. Ultimately you need to not merely find the outlet, but find which set of wires are the supply from the breaker (that will be connected to the "line" terminals on the GFCI) and which are the wires leading to the other outlets (that will be connected to the "load" terminals on the GFCI.)


Adding floor joists to an attic I am trying to add floor joists to an attic and intend for getting decent amount of support for plywood flooring and storage.

The existing truss is 13' across and 24'' span between 2x4 ceiling joists. these won't hold a pillowcase from what I've been told, even with the added support boards binding them to the rafters.

My question is what I can do about adding the support to joists so that I don't accidentally overload the wall itself. This garage wall is open but filled with cabinetry and would be a pain to add in extra studs. Do these added joists need to be above the studs period? If I don't sister the existing ceiling joists, will that be a mistake? I'm aware that the joists need to lay on the load baring walls but I'm not entirely certain how intense the requirements are for a bare plywood floor for storage space are.

https://imgur.com/a/txo06wK

It sounds like the existing 2x4’s are 24” oc and span 13’. (The truss has nothing to do with the existing ceiling or future floor of attic.)

Yes, the existing 2x4’s can barely carry the existing ceiling material.

To create an attic floor, I’d add 2x6’s at 24” oc spanning 13’ to support about 25 - 30 lbs. per square foot, depending on the species and grade of lumber. (This is good for Christmas decorations, luggage, etc.)

For more support, I’d add 2x8’s 24” oc spanning 13’ to support about 40 - 45 lbs. per square foot. (This will support books, people, etc.)

I doubt the existing walls will need to be modified, if they are bearing walls now.


How can I clean grease from a carpet? Accidentally put a greasy material on my carpet. I tried to give it a dry clean, but no luck. What else could I do to remove that greasy stain?

First - don't scrub it.  Scrubbing with improper treatment will work the stain further in.  Good news is that oil doesn't dry, so you can get it out. Bad news is that whatever filth is in the oil may set.

(I was curious what regular people do, so this is from Good Housekeeping)

1) Apply an absorbing agent. Baking soda is a good go-to and is relatively cheap. Apply liberally and let sit for 10 minutes. Vacuum it up.

2) Use 1 tbsp vinegar + 1 tbsp hand dishwashing detergent + 2 cups warm water. Sponge the stain and blot till absorbed, repeat as necessary.

3) Sponge with cold water and blot dry to absorb vinegar solution.

However, I have doubts as to the effectiveness of using any solution of mostly water on carpeted oil or grease.  What I would do, and know works, is use odorless mineral spirits to get the stain out.  Any kind of paint thinner will do, but OMS (as the name implies) doesn't have the same smell as others. Whatever OMS is not removed by blotting will quickly evaporate, along with the smell.

If you go the effective OMS route - follow the safety guidelines.  It's flammable until it evaporates.


Can I mix brands of chainsaw chains? I have a Stihl 260 chainsaw, with a 3/8" chain and a 20" bar. What criteria do I need to apply when picking a second chainsaw chain?

I'll defer to the experts but personally, I wouldn't mix brands of chainsaw chains.

I seem to recall that Stihl chain designs help reduce/prevent kick-back and binding (which presumably explains why they're more expensive). Plus, they use a green and yellow color-coding system to help you select a powerhead, bar and chain combination that complies with kickback requirements of various safety standards (e.g. ANSI Standard B175.1).

But again, I'm no expert -- just paranoid about safety. =)

-M


What is the correct method to determine the drill bit size from the measured threaded diameter? I'm trying to decide the correct drill bit size for a hole I have to make to fit my thread.

I measure the (major) diameter of the threaded section as 0.5325 inches. The threads are not supposed to go into the plastic.

I looked at the chart provided by Bosch, and assuming I have a 9/16 thread, the drill bit size should be 31/64. I tried 31/64 drill bit and drilled a test hole to see if it fits and it did not. I don't have 33/64 bit, but I tried 1/2 inch and it barely fits.

What is the correct method to determine the drill bit size from the measured threaded diameter? Also, since I am drilling into plastic, what is the correct way to determine the correct pilot hole drill bit?

When you look up a chart of drill sizes, you want clearance sizes. As an example, this drill chart has the drill size used to create holes that will be threaded with a tap, as well as the larger size you would use to create a hole that will clear the given threaded fastener. It actually gives two clearance sizes for that. You might want to use the larger if those two sizes for non-precision work that has more than one fastener, otherwise you could end up with alignment issues between pieces, where the holes don't line up.

Here is a wikipedia table of the same thing.


What basic safety equipment should everyone have? When doing DIY what safety kit should everyone have (and use)?

Safety glasses and ear plugs (and work gloves too).

Get a good pair of safety glasses so they are comfortable, won't fog up, and do not scratch easily and then take good care of them (just like they are regular glasses).  Wearing safety glasses when you are working below anything is huge to not only protect your eyes but also just make it so much easier to do the work.  If you are working outside then get the sunglass ones (they can double as just regular sunglasses too - I leave them in my car).

Buy a package of the foam ear plugs... and use them all the time.  This is the other item that is huge to protect your hearing but then also make it much much more comfortable to do whatever loud do-it-yourself job you are working on.  You will notice a big difference between your stamina when wearing the ear plugs.  For instance, if you are pounding in nails, with the ear plugs in you won't notice the sound, but without them, the constant high pitched noise takes a toll on your ears (and wears you out for the job faster).  (They also are great for just blocking out noise to let you concentrate.)

The other basic safety equipment is work gloves.


Is it ok that the drain line for a septic system is above ground? Looking to buy a property with mound septic.  The pipe coming out of the house going into the mound is above ground.  Is this ok?  Would the pipe not freeze?

Thank you.

It would seem strange that the waste drain pipe goes straight out of the house above ground to the mound.  The primary purpose of the mound is for the distribution of water after it has passed through an enclosed septic tank and a pumping tank.  These two chambers are normally underground.  The pipes from the pumping stations would also be underground up to the mound and still would be buried in the mound as it travels to the top of the mound to the water distribution pipes.
I would have the owner explain where the septic tank and pump tanks are located and why the pipes you see are above ground.
Photos and more details on the pipes would be helpful.  Are these pipes on the surface of the ground?  What is the distance from house to mound?
Is it OK, depends on whether a fully functional septic system has been installed.


How do I replace a strip light with wiring that doesn't match the old light? I'm replacing a strip light, but the wiring on the light I'm putting up does not match that of the strip I'm taking out.

Coming out of the ceiling there are two cables. The larger white cable contains a live, a neutral and an earth wire. Alongside it is a white cable containing one live wire.

Here's the wiring of the light that's being removed. It has a row of three screw holes plus an additional point for the earth. The red wire from the single cable is wired to the upper screw. The three screws are labeled P, N and P - (Positive, Neutral, Positive). There are two bulbs on this light.

I'm removing two of these lights, each with two bulbs. There are two dimmer switches on the wall, each dimming one bulb on each of these units.

Now here's the light that will be going up. There are three screws; a live an earth and a neutral.

I don't know how to assign the four wires coming from the ceiling with these three screw holes.

Any help would be much appreciated. I'm in Australia.

If I understand this situation correctly, both red cables are Positive and carry the current from switches. You may want to check both red cables if they really correspond to these 2 switches. If so, I guess You need to choose which circuit (1st red + N + E or 2nd red + N + E) You want to use, cuz I guess You will be using just 1 switch/dimmer (as Your 'new' light needs only 1 Positive cable).
I would check (for safety meanings) red cables (if both run current while switch/dimmer is on), put 1 red to 'A', 1 negative to 'N', 1 earth to 'E' and ISOLATE remaining red cable (using some isolation tape or else). If everything goes well, 1 switch will turn Your 'new' light up and remaining switch would be obsolete.
I'm not sure about all the fixing (if it needs to be done by qualified worker), but I did something like that several times myself.


Should I add a return air vent in a refinished basement? We are refinishing our basement, and are nearing competition.  The walls are drywalled, and the ceiling is dropped.  There will be about 500 sq ft of finished space, including a full bathroom, and about 300 sq ft of unfinished space.  There are two existing vents from the supply heat / AC directly from the main duct supply, that I plan on extending down the few inches into the dropped ceiling tiles.  No problem.

My question is that there are no cold air return vents pre-cut and should I add one? I can easily add one, but dont know if this is necessary in the basement.  Someone told me that since all the duct is exposed (on the unfinished side and above the dropped ceiling) and the furnace is right in the middle of the basement, this would suffice in allow air circulation in the basement.  I dont know if I but that argument.

If I do add one, I think I should add it at the floor level, not in the ceiling like the supply vents.  This way the warm air (for heat) coming from the ceiling would be circulated to the floor for the return.  Should I place it at the floor level?

Yes , add at least 1 return at or near the floor ( in the wall). All the cold air in the house heads to the basement since cold air is heavier than the warm air. In some installations a central return duct and grill is installed in a central location to reduce cost,( this has become the norm) but is only to save costs. Every room should have supply and return registers. you cannot push supply air into a room with out having a way for the air to get out, ( its like a balloon). If you have a central return grill you normally need to have the bottoms of the doors shaved to allow the extra supply air to flow out. If you do not do this then the room will not receive enough air to cool or heat depending on the time of the year


What could cause a clicking noise in an electric water heater? I get clicking sound from our electric water heater as well. it lasts for a while, then
stops...then starts again, etc. we recently had technician out who said it needed to be
cut back on the setting for temperature, it was set at about 132 degress...he turned it
back, I believe to 120 degrees.  We bought it in 1996. Only name I see is on the control box, amf paragon? says 50 gal capacity. Is the clicking sound something normal for the process of keeping water supply heated up as it cools down or something? Or could this
be a problem due to age. I saw in one reply to someone else that sediment could be built up and needs flushing? I am afraid to mess with it, so wonder how critical something like this is?

For starters, I'd suggest you shut down the heater, drain it completely, and replace both electrodes.

The danger with a water heater this old is that in draining it and dislodging sediment within you could expose small leaks.

At 16 years old, I hate to say it, but you'll probably find it more efficient just to replace it.


How can I fuse galvanized sheet metal with a circular bottom together so that it is water tight? I want to make a large circular pot out of sheet metal that can hold water. How should I construct it so that it has a circular bottom and ensure it is leak-proof.

Boiling water will be poured into this pot.

Thank you

Soldering is the usual method, but without metal-forming equipment I'd guess you don't have, that's not going to be a likely (or affordable) road to success for someone with no experience, for any value of large.

Buy a galvanised washtub or trashcan is the direct, simple route to a watertight circular metal "pot" over a wide range of sizes. Move into "stock watering tanks" for a larger size, though most of those are more oval. Without exhaustive shopping around:

17 gallons, $30:

31 gallons, $19, with lid:

This one is 477 gallons, circular, and costs $219.

Now I've gone and started to think that would make a nice country-style hot tub, and the price is so right...


mesh with an older circuit When extending an existing electrical circuit in an older home (comprised of 2 wire service (common and hot with no bare wire ground)) should one use 2 wire with a bare wire ground for the extended portion, connecting the bare wire to the common wire of the existing circuit?

No, you should not do this. Grounding wires must be kept separate from conducting wires in all cases.

First, check if the circuit you are trying to extend is truly ungrounded. Does it use metal-clad cable and metal electrical boxes like this?

If it does, the metal jacket may provide grounding for the circuit. You can try using a multimeter to measure AC voltage between the hot wire and the metal jacket. If you get about 120 volts, this is good evidence (but by no means conclusive proof) that you have a grounding system in place. You can then use two-wire-with-ground cable (e.g. 14/2 NM cable (or "romex")) to extend the circuit by bonding the bare ground conductor to the metal junction box with a green grounding screw.

If you don't have a ground at all, then the only safe way to extend this circuit is to add a GFCI receptacle and connect the extension to the "load" terminals of the GFCI.

This will allow you to install three-prong outlets or grounded fixtures safely on the extended circuit. These devices must not have a ground wire connected, and must be marked with a sticker that says "NO EQUIPMENT GROUND." The upstream GFCI will protect those devices in the case of a dangerous condition. Here's a diagram: