How to clean up a large plaster penetration Renovating a bathroom in our 1940's house.  Removed the current vanity and found this

I'm eventually tiling over this wall with 3x6 subway tiles.  Any suggestions on how to obtain a surface I can adhere some tiles to reduce the size of the opening?
Many thanks...current status

I'd just remove the plaster the rest of the way in the area of interest and replace it with backerboard / cementboard.
Tile is expensive in both materials cost and labor.
Putting tile on a dubious substrate is, therefore, a poor choice. If the substrate fails, your expense in both money & time invested is lost. The slight additional money and labor to provide high quality substrate for tile is well worth it.
You could do any standard large-hole drywall patching technique if you would rather. I would not advise that, and I would not advise tiling the wall (beyond the hole) as it stands, based on these pictures. You might get away with it. You might not.


Can I wire both a 50 amp hot tub and 50 amp RV plug in the same box? I have two projects in the works, installing a hot tub and building an RV pad. Both the RV and hot tub run on 50 amps and 220 volts. RV's plug-in but hot tubs are wired directly. Is there a single GFCI box that can accommodate both or do I need a subpanel and a GFCI box? Can all of this run in a single conduit?

They both sit around a corner from each other. I would route the conduit 5 ft from the tub in line of sight.

I will not be performing the electrical hook up myself but I do want to save some money and dig the trench and lay conduit before laying pavers for the RV pad.

I've included links to a few pictures of my main outside panel to make sure my box can even handle this. My individual breakers for the house are in an inside panel. Thank you!

Most people in the general population seem to believe that the size of the breaker indicates the size of the load, but that's nor true. Breakers (overcurrent protection) are installed to protect the circuit. We don't know the actual load of your RV. We only know that one of the standard feeders for an RV is 50A, but if yo are just parking it and the only thing running in it is the refrigerator and the water heater. Then what's the load? Or are you using it to park an RV for someone to live in/ Then what's the load? Are you going to be using the hot tub and the RV at the same time? Once again what's the load? It appears you are using this panel to handle a current feeder of 100A. What's its current load?

So you can see that we really can't answer the basic question of whether or not the service to the panel can actually operate since we need addition information about your entire dwelling. Can you add 2 - 50A/2P breakers into the existing panel? It looks like you can, but the photos don't even show if you have a ground and it doesn't show that you have a neutral. Are you going to have any 120V load? Also it shows your line in was attached to your bus by drilling two holes in the side of the panel. This is a very dangerous situation since the current carrying conductors are not bundled and this is causing mutual induction in the panel itself. This can cause electrical shock and potential melting of the insulation of the conductors.

In short you are wise to get an electrical contractor on your project as soon as possible and let him work the through the details before you start your projects

Good luck.


Combine two bathroom exhaust vents? I have a tiny bathroom for the toilet, perhaps 83 cu ft adjacent to the master bathroom for the shower and tub, perhaps 1266 cu ft. Currently only the toilet has a vent with a fan. It’s being removed in the remodel. I’m adding an exhaust register to the main bathroom and I’d like to vent both rooms with a single 8” 210CFM in-line duct fan.

Since the toilet is so much smaller, should I restrict its airflow with a smaller pipe ex 3” vs the main bathroom 6”? Then have them meet at a wye before the in-line fan which would exhaust out via a 6” pipe?

Obviously I want more air to be pulled from the larger space but want to do that while maximizing the in-line fans capabilities.

Lastly, would the damper, to restrict backdraft, go after the fan or before?

There are some companies that make zoned bath ventilation systems if you need such precise control.
One fan unit, multiple register units at each location that has a damper control at the register. Depending which zone is turned on, the corresponding damper at that register will open to allow airflow. For example, American Aldes Vent Zone


How can I extend a surge protector's cable? I want to buy surge protected socket however these products generally has 1.5-2 meters long cable but it isn't enough for me. On socket there is a warning:

"Plug in this product directly to.wall plug and do not use any other extension sockets in a row."

In this warning last sentence confused me. I need 4-5 meters long, therefore I'm thinking about plug in typical triplet sockets to wall plug and then using surge protected sockets. Is it appropriate use?

We just had the Fire Marshall visit our business and give us a fire inspection.

We got wrote up for several things.

Extension cords are for temporary use. If you need power at a remote point, get an electrician in and extend an existing circuit or run a new circuit.
No Zip-Cord type extension cords to be used, Ever!! They don't have abrasion resistance like SJO type cord. Laying over a sharp edge can cause cold flow of the insulation and they cannot withstand being kinked or having sharp objects dropped on them. Plus the insulation can age and crack.
If you must extend the number of power sockets (multiple outlet tap), it must have an internal circuit breaker.
If you must have a permanent extension to bring power to a remote area, use a power strip with an internal circuit breaker and appropriate length SJO type cord (3', 6', 10', 15', 20', 25').
Never chain power strips, they are available with different length cords (to reiterate).
Any UPS installation shall either be plugged directly into the wall socket or an appropriately rated power strip with internal circuit breaker.

Note: You probably won't find the long cord power strips locally, I would try online for the country appropriate type you need. Industrial/Commercial applications or Server applications tend to have the longer cords.

Zip Cord Multi-outlet Extension Cord - No Circuit Breaker, No Outer Jacket on cable (arrow to best view). In the US, this is referred to as Zip Cord as the grooves in the insulation allow for the different conductors to be Zipped apart for termination. The insulation will tear along the groove. The insulation is soft, easily penetrated and abraded, and with age, can crack and expose conductors. It is also easily kinked which can break the inner conductor leading to a  high resistance fusible fire starter which is also why there is a US code requirement for Arc Fault circuit breakers to be used on rooms where corded lamps are likely to be used now. AKA Lamp Cord.

Jacketed SJO Cord - SJO style cord with individual conductors, fiber filler and protective outer jacket which also may unfortunately be referred to as zip cord as it can have an internal string to allow cutting the outer jacket when pulled to expose the inner conductors.


Odd sized exterior door options One of our many projects last year was to replace our back exterior door.  It is in a converted porch, unfortunately, which means it's an odd size.

Specifically, it's 75-76" x 30".  Unfortunately, none of that is negotiable - more than 30" and the door opens over the steps to the basement, and more than 76" and the jamb would be cutting into the structural supports.  It's also not straight, because the porch has a bit of a lean to it.

Last year, we bought one of these, a 30x80 composite wood door, from Home Depot.  We cut it down to the requisite size - managed to do a decent job of that, amazingly - and installed it.

Unfortunately, despite being an "exterior" door, the wood started peeling almost immediately.  This is Northern Illinois, so a bit harder on doors than warmer locations, I suspect.

The question is, what options do we have here? What's our best bet to get something that will last at least a few years?  I suspect eventually we'll take out the porch and make improvements to extend the whole house back some - our house is the shortest in the neighborhood in terms of how much of the lot is used by the house itself - but that's 5-10 years down the road at least.

Buy another slab, cut it down again, and try better finishing options.
Buy a steel slab, like this one, and cut it down - but can you cut a steel door like that?
Find an all-hardwood slab door that can be cut down (do these exist?)
Something else?

Is there a "best" approach here that doesn't involve a few grand for a custom door?  Is that the only real solution to this kind of problem that won't need replacement every year or two?

Some suggestions:

Regardless of the door type, a good coat of primer and exterior paint will be the better of the finishing options.
a fiberglass or steel surface should outlast a wood one (they should both be 'trimmable' with the right saw blade)
Check to see if your door slab could benefit or be harmed with the inclusion of a storm doors. Some doors benefit (water protection) other's can be damaged by it (over heating in the sun).
consider ripping out the entire door and door jamb and installing a whole new all-in-one pre-hung exterior door. This will allow you to re-square up the opening and also likely give you the most water-tight seal.


Sewer smell in bathroom ONLY when central a/c is on and kitchen sink is running water This is a weird one, and have come across multiple handymen and none of them can pinpoint the problem when I describe it. Though they have never been in the room when it happens.
Here is the scenario...
We leave the central A/C on all day because we have big dogs in the CA heat, so when we get home, the A/C is running. When we turn on the water faucet in the kitchen sink, immediately one of the bathrooms emits a sewer odor that lasts for about 10 minutes. This happens consistently so much that the first thing when I get home is to open the bathroom window before my wife starts using the sink.
The details...
I have placed my face in the toilet, bathroom sink, shower drain, and A/C vent in the bathroom and cannot pinpoint where the smell is coming from. The bathroom in question has a wall that faces the front of the house and that part of the house is where the main water supply line is. When the scenario with the smell is happening in the bathroom, if I go outside my house into that part of the front of the house, I can also smell the bad odor, but not as strongly as in the bathroom.
I once had a plumber here to see if I could create the smell. It was about 9am and I turned on the A/C for about 20 minutes then turned on the kitchen faucet, and OF COURSE it didn't smell, so he couldn't help pinpoint the situation. I guess a prerequisite is that the A/C be on for hours or all day.
In conclusion, the smell doesn't come in any other scenario. It's just the combination of the A/C and kitchen sink (no other sink in the house causes it). And the smell is only that bathroom. I have another bathroom and no problem there. I've had the HVAC unit for 3 years and it's really been happening for a year now.
Ask me any questions you may have and thank you in advance for reading this long story and for any input you may have.

This sounds like a similar problem I saw with a utility sink in a home.
You could see the gas bubble in the sink, so I made a larger trap about an inch deeper. It slowed the bubbling, but now another sink in a bathroom on the other side of the wall started doing the same.
When this was happening the house was developing slightly negative air pressure. I found the make up air duct (which is supposed to bring in fresh air from outside) had broken and was just pulling from the inside. A few air leaks in the attic and the home went negative and started sucking air through the P-traps.
I pulled the insulation that had been sucked into the duct, reconnected the flex pipe, and the problem was solved.
It sounds like you have a similar issue but it takes the additional water being added to the drain to cause the smell. I would add a make up air duct. They do waste a small amount of energy but make the home air healthier (even without the sewer issue). You may need the plumbing checked but if the house is positively pressurized this probably will quit happening.
That house had multiple sinks on the same vent that trapped air in the 2 back to back, this may be the same issue that a new vent or make up air would solve.


CSST Gas Line is a Couple Feet Too Sort I'm finishing my basement ceiling which includes building a bulkhead around ductwork, plumbing and two CSST gas lines. When the house was built (2002) the contractors used just enough of the CSST to get from point A to point B pinned to the underside of the ceiling joists. For the most part I'm able to tuck the lines inside the bulkhead for the length of the room, as opposed to having them run just above the drywall. Everything would work great if one of the lines was just a bit longer. (See attached photo.)
Shouldn't I be able to splice in 4-5 feet of CSST to make it fit? Information seems scarce on this but some sources seem to say (according to codes) that you can't "splice" CSST gas lines -- that it has to be one continuous run. That seems odd but I can't find anything saying that splicing is just fine. I know my stuff when it comes to carpentry, plumbing and electric, but have no experience with gas lines. I'm not opposed to bringing in a professional to make this happen but wanted to see what options are available. Any help greatly appreciated!

To close this out, I had a friendly, professional, licensed plumber come out and make the change and it set me back all of $110 + a $20 tip. In retrospect, there was no reason to be concerned about cost and every reason to pay a professional. Sharing this in case it's helpful for someone else facing a similar situation.
Editing to add details: The plumber used all existing lines. He added a few inches of slack by connecting to one of the manifold fittings that was just a tad closer. I'm not certain, but he may have also swapped out the "short" line with an existing line that was just a tad longer.


How to close this water valve THis is a valve where a pipe comes from below and goes to two pipes on top. How do I close the valve? I have tried moving to different positions but it just doesn’t work!

What’s the name of the valve if I need to google

Those are called stop valves; when configured with the outlet(s) at 90° from the inlet they are commonly called angle stop valves. Yours look like dual outlet stop valves. To shut them off you turn the oval shaped knob clockwise all the way.

Internally, your valves use a bibb washer and seat assembly to effect shut off. It is very common for the bibb washer to be so soft/worn that tight shut-off is no longer possible. You could try tightening the knob with pliers, thereby forcing the washer (or whatever remains of the washer, or maybe the end of the stem where the washer used to be) onto the seat, to try to get the water to stop flowing.

In the end, if tightening the knob clockwise does not stop the flow then the valves need to be replaced. Many are poorly/cheaply made. Make sure you buy high quality replacements (not cheap ones) and consider the ball valve style, rather than the bibb style.


What's the difference between a pilot hole and no pilot hole I'm wanting to drill a piece of wood onto the ceiling as a cover for an old vent. Do I need to pre-drill a pilot hole first?

Typically, a pilot hole is used to create an "easier" path for driving a screw. In some cases, it is necessary to prevent wood from splitting due to the wedging forces applied by the screw.

Drilling a hole larger than the screw primary diameter will result in an easy driving but provides only for the head of the screw to retain the object being secured.

Having a hole slightly smaller than the primary diameter eases the driving forces, as noted above, and also allows for more "gripping" force of the item being secured, as the friction of the item against the shaft of the screw can be significant. This is mostly applicable if you wish a single point of attachment with minimal or zero rotation.

Screws are not usually loaded in shear, which means the head of the screw should be large enough to accept the forces applied to the item.

Allowing for your description, you would have to drill holes in both the board used as a cover and the portion into which the screws would be driven. In this situation, the holes in the board could be the same diameter as the major diameter of the screw, but the holes in the wood(?) surrounding the opening MUST be smaller diameter, no larger than the minor diameter of the screw (the portion between the threads).

Soft woods such as pine will tolerate smaller pilot holes, sometimes none at all, but that's risky. Hard woods and screws driven near edges of the wood will frequently split when fastened without pilot holes.

The above is a summary of similar information located here:
Why Drill Pilot Holes


Is it safe to have a gas stove on the same circuit as a couple lights I've always heard that stoves and ranges should be on their own circuit, but am not sure if that applies to only electric or both.

We have a gas stove and I discovered recently that it is on the same circuit as the kitchen light (nothing big--it's a small kitchen) and one outlet. I want to add the dining room light fixture to it.

Is this safe to do or should my gas stove be on its own circuit.

It's only necessary that electric stoves (ovens in the UK) have their own circuit. This is because they draw more current (30A in the UK) than a lighting or power circuit.

It's OK to have a gas oven plugged into a normal mains circuit as they only use electricity for:

The clock/timer
Lights in the ovens
The ignition circuit

None of these are heavy load, so can be safely accommodated on a standard circuit.

The same rules about not overloading a circuit apply of course, so check what else is on this one as well as the cooker.


Wattage on ceiling socket? I noticed on most ceiling sockets the wattage is listed as 660 or 600 Watts. Why is it listed this way and what is the safe amount of wattage that can be used by bulb in such socket. Picture of what I am talking about is below

Generally speaking, light fixtures are limited due to a housing (creating a confined space), or flammable material near the bulb  (such as a lamp shade). In the case of a simple "keyless" socket, neither is the case, so wattage (heat) tolerance is higher.


Strengthen a Stud Wall for more Roof Support What is a good way to improve the strength of a stud wall so that it can better support the roof ?

On this 20'x20' garage, there is a wall with only 33" of non-opening.

Is there a super strong steel stud that can be used instead of 2x4s to make it stronger?

I suggest that you hire a structural engineer for this situation. There's too many factors that go into this for both gravity and component and cladding forces. You also need 4 shear walls. Right now it looks like you only have the aspect ratio for 1.


My washing machine stopped working. Should I replace, repair or call a technician? I have a Whirlpool front-loading washing machine (not sure about the model at this moment - I'm slacking off at work right now ;P). A month ago the torque transmitting belt went off. I put it back on and used the machine couple of weeks. Next it fell off I used it perhaps for a week. Now it won't stay even one washing cycle.

The problem is, as far as I researched, ruined bearing or broken spider. I watched some movies on YouTube and figured out how a repair is to be conducted. The problem is that the whole machine has to be taken apart nearly to the last screw.

I am not asking how to repair the machine. My question is should I spend the time trying to fix it (I have some limited technical background, though nothing specific), should I call a technician and wait him to work, while I do nothing, or should I just scrap the old monster and go for a new one?

First, figure out the replacement cost.  Based on that, figure out what you're willing to spend on keeping the old one running.  Never call a technician unless it's still under warranty.  Parts + Labour for one call can be up to half the price of a new machine.  (This is not a slight against the technicians.  They're entitled to a fair wage, and your 1 hour call actually takes two hours when you count travel time.)

If you decide to do it yourself, make sure you do your research as to how to take it apart. It's far too easy to get led down the wrong path and remove a whole lot of unnecessary stuff.

Remove the damaged part, and make sure it's actually damaged. Go to your parts store and get a price. The replacement cost will probably astound you.  It only takes a few replacement parts to quickly add up to the cost of a new machine.  Which means you need to look around and see if any valves or bearings look loose.  If they do, toss the machine,  and get a new one.  It'll need expensive repairs soon.


About the thing in bathrooms which looks like a ladder What is the thing that is in some home bathrooms and is like a ladder (you can see it in the picture)? What is it called? What is it there for?

That ladder like thing in a bathroom area is a combination towel rack and heater. The heater is generally used to warm and/or dry the towels but can also lend to taking the chill off the bathroom.

It has been my experience to see those mostly in Europe and I cannot actually remember ever seeing one installed in the US but I am sure they are used here.


Planting tree - hit sever line? I was digging a hole to plant a tree in front of my house last night (it was still light but the sun was down). The home is only a year old and is in California.

When I got a bit over a foot down, I came across a layer of rocks. Below the rocks, I hit something else.

I thought I might have hit the sewer line but when I look at it this morning, it just looks like clay pots - one inside another.

Reasons I am still concerned:

It may be some new funky pipe I never seen.

The rocks may have been an indicator.

The line/pots are perpendicular to the front of the house.

The line/pots line up with the closest bathroom.

Why would there be two pots (one in another) buried that deep?

Reasons why it's probably just pots:

The land was previously a large single home site with junk everywhere.

It looks a lot like a clay pot - about 8 or 10 inches wide.

Seems to be a really bad material for sewer line - I thought it would be PVC.

I thought the sewer would be deeper.

So can someone confirm that there isn't any kind on sewer or other line in or out of my home that looks like this? The piece in the upper right fits into the missing piece in the circle - I moved it to show there was more underneath.

I would have to dig up a lot more to get a better idea of what it is and am trying to avoid that.

Clay has been used for a long time for sewer pipes - and for transporting water in general (google "clay sewer pipe California").  It could also be a drain tile installation - like a french drain.  The simplest way to tell would be by having someone flush the toilet, or take a shower (something that will generate flow in the sewer) and look inside the pipe to see if there is more flow.  You could also  call 811 (Digsafe) or look up building records with your local town hall to see where the sewer line is on your property.


Do I need to sand between coats of varnish? I have sanded down a table and put 2 coats of paint on it. I have also applied two coats of varnish. The first coat was smooth but the second coat of varnish seems rough. It looks like wood that got wet around the corners. Should I have sanded between coats of varnish?

Yes, you should lightly sand between coats (applies to paint & varnish), this removes any dust or particles that may have stuck to the previous wet coat and provides a "key" for the next coat to adhere to properly.

Not sure what could the "looks like the wood got wet" part though, perhaps it was not fully dry...


Can I move the main electrical panel to the unattached garage? My main electrical service runs overhead from a pole behind my unattached garage, to the back of the house.  There is also an underground conduit from the house to the garage supplying a sub panel there.  Because I've had tree limbs pull this line down in a storm, and because the overhead wires are in the way of some home improvement projects, I've been considering having the lines buried.  I'm wondering if I have another option.  Can I have things rewired so the garage panel becomes the main panel supplying the panel in the house?  This would allow a very short overhead connection from the pole to the garage.

Thank you for any feedback.

There's a few ways to do this, though service conductors cannot pass through another building, so all the methods will have to avoid that.

One option would be to install a service disconnect, and then branch from that to the panels.

With this method, you'll handle all the grounding and bonding of the neutral in the disconnect.  So you'll install 4 wire feeders from the disconnect to each panel, and keep the neutral isolated in each panel.

Another option is to use the first panel as the service disconnect, and feed the second panel from the first.

With this method, you'll handle all the grounding and bonding of the neutral in the first panel.  So you'll feed the second panel with a 4 wire feeder, and isolate the neutral in the second panel.

With is approach, the first panel will have to be rated to handle the total current of both panels.

In all cases, you're going to need properly sized feeders, and a grounding electrode system for each building.

The scope of this project is far too vast for a short answer format site, such as this.  I've given a high-level overview of how you might approach the project.  For a more detailed plan, please contact a local licensed Electrician.


Shower is either all hot or all cold I have new house and one shower is either all hot or all cold. The shower head in the off position is down and when I turn it to the left its all hot. center is off and right is is all cold. I tried adjusting the plastic adjustment ring and that worked a little but is there a way to make is so it goes off to all cold mix then all hot like my other shower is?
Also if this fix can be made by changing the cartage can someone help me identify the brand based on the picture attached.

It looks like you have an issue with the mixing valve which looks like this -

More specifically it is probably due to an issue in the cartridge which is the front part of the mixing valve and is usually a white plastic cylinder that look like this -

These are in the wall right behind the shower handle.   It is likely that something is either jammed up (sediment) or broken in the cartridge.   If you open things up and take pictures we can help more.


No power in my outlet I have two outlets that seems to be having this same issue within a room. The other outlets in the room work fine. The outlets are reading 11.2 volts on the multimeter instead of 120. Is there a wire issue or should I replace the outlet?

Starting at the last working outlet, pull the outlet out, after turning off the power, and check the connections, If the backstabs are used, remove them and use the screw terminals with a shepherd's hook on the wires. Then work your way down doing the same to the remaining outlets


Is 12 gauge electrical cable ever wrapped in a white sheath? I am trying to add a new outlet by branching off an existing one (for my mounted tv).

The cable that goes into the box contains one white cable and one black cable that has an extra red wire (as part of this box is on a switch).

I am comparing the new 14 gauge wiring with the existing wiring I have in the box and it seems smaller (somewhat). The housing on the wiring is white which is why I was under the impression that it was 14 gauge.

In this picture below the wire, i am holding is the new wire I just purchased. Where the solo white wire is the existing electrical outlet wire.

Am I just being paranoid / is it just the wire housing that makes it seem bigger?

Yep. White was standard for #14 through #8 or even #6 until a few years back, when color codes came into fashion. Read the stamp or printing on the sheath to be sure.


Can I install tiles directly over a concrete floor in my basement? We are redoing our basement.  In some areas (bathroom and laundry room) I plan on putting tile down.  The basement is dry and level.   Can I attach the tile directly to the basement floor?

I don't see why not.

It would be worth sealing the concrete to make it waterproof where you are going to tile, particularly as you are making a bathroom and laundry room where there'll be a high risk of water spillage.


How do I find the studs on my ceiling through 4.5" of polyiso? I am starting to install  polyiso on the interior of my slanted cathedral roof assembly and am having trouble finding the studs through the 4.5" of polyiso that I have.
Things working against me:

not all studs are perfectly 16" OC.
The ceiling deck is at an angle.
When I place the screws in it's hard to get them into the studs or even find the studs with the angle of the ceiling.

Are there any videos or techniques that can help me find the studs...I'm at a loss here!

Never installed polyiso but if I was presented this issue this is what I would do.

I would go one sheet of polyiso at a time and find the studs on the ceiling before I put the polyiso up.  Measure the distance of the studs from the edge of where the polyiso will be stalled and then mark the polyiso with those messurements.  Use a chalk line to give a nice straight line where the studs will be on the polyiso.  Installing will be simpler this way.


Thermal protection switch replacement in recessed incandescent can lights I find very little discussion of this issue on the net.  My son has a Nutone Scovil 60 watt max incandescent recessed can light, damp location rated, in a shower with a high ceiling.  Its thermal protection switch has been flaking out and now it is totally dead.

I contracted Nutone who tells me they have been out of the light fixture business for many years and don't have that part nor can advise on a replacement. I read that these switches are not generic but engineered to work with the fixture's particular design.

The fixture is not in an easy position to replace as it's been crowded by later added A/C ducts and a distribution box. (It's not covered by insulation and has plenty of air around it and I can reach the electrical connections, but it will be a pain to remove the fixture).

So.... I wonder if it's okay code wise to remove the switch and use an LED replacement in place of the 60 watt incandescent?

To see how hot they get I unscrewed a LED from my kitchen spot that had been on for hours and no part of the bulb could even be described as warm.  My thought is if I can't feel any heat from the LED (whereas a 60 watt incandescent gets too hot to hold) then what purpose does the thermal protect switch serve?

I thought I would cross out 60 incandescent watt max and write "LED only" realizing that someone could ignore the warning... but that's always been possible such as over-lamping with a 100 watt instead of 60.

Yes it has always been possible to replace a 60 with a 100 in one of these fixtures but that would set off the thermal even faster. Back in the day before thermal cutouts were installed people started fires by using an oversized lamp in a fixture that was not protected. If you cover it with insulation it holds the heat and only exacerbates the problem.

Replace the incandescent with the LED and hopefully the cooler lamp will keep it from tripping the aging thermal relay.

If it still trips you may have to remove the thermal and replace it or replace the whole fixture.

Good luck!


Replacement part for coal stove blower rheostat I have an Alaskan coal stove and my blower rheostat broke this morning. I opened it up hoping to be able to fix the part instead of buying a whole new fan controller. Any motor controllers that I found online have two inputs and two outputs, while this part only has one of each. I don't really know anything about how the blower is electrically designed. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what kind of replacement part I need?

That looks like a standard A/C dimmer switch circuit:

http://forum.allaboutcircuits.com/threads/potentiometer-w-switch-wiring-for-lamp.79664/

I'd imagine you could replace it with a standard A/C variable motor control like this one:

http://www.globalindustrial.com/p/hvac/exhaust-fans/in-line-duct-fans/kb-electronics-vari-speed-ac-motor-speed-control-kbwc-15-solid-state?infoParam.campaignId=T9F&gclid=CN-z8pGMtsoCFYM8aQodWAoOaQ

The 4-wire versions require you to connect the white wires in your box as well.

Alternatively, Harbor Freight and other sellers sell a replacement for this fan controller here:
http://www.harborfreight.com/router-speed-control-43060.html

All it is is a dimmer switch in a box with an extension cord.


Ceiling Fan with new light kit stopped spinning TL;DR - Installed a light kit in two existing fans that both used to work. Lights now work, fan hums, but blades don't spin.

Here's what I did:

Just moved into a house that had ceiling fans already installed (and controlled by a wall switch) but didn't have lights. The fans both worked fine. I thought "that's easy, I'll grab some light kits at Home Depot and install them." Pop open each of the fan assemblies, connect the blue and white wires, flip the switch...no lights. Still fan, but no lights.

Hmm, problem must be higher up. So I get into where the fan is mounted to the ceiling and sure enough, the blue wire for the lighting is tucked away and not connected to anything. Since there is only one switch per fan (no separate switch for lights), I connect the blue wire to the existing black wire connections, screw everything back together, flip the power back on and now I have lights but no fans. I can hear the hum of the fan on each of the three speeds, but blades don't spin.

I also did this to both fans. I did the first and tested it but really was just testing to see if the lights worked, I didn't think to re-check the fans at that point. So the problem exists on both. Based on what I've been reading it seems like it may be the capacitor in the fan assembly, but the fact that this happened to both of these when I installed the lights makes me think the fix might be more than "buy a new capacitor."

Also, if I disconnect the blue and black wires for the lights in the fan assembly the fans still do not work. I haven't tried disconnecting the blue and black up in the ceiling yet (it's a huge PITA to get up there) but I feel like disconnecting in the assembly should be enough to kill that circuit.

Any ideas?

[UPDATE]
FYI, the fans in question are Casablanca Airflow 1040 fans. I think this is the relevant manual. The blue lighting wire is also labeled "D1 Option" but I can't seem to figure out what that means.

Alright, figured it out thanks to the help of an electrician and about $50.

TL;DR on the solution - one fan had the forward/reverse switch in the middle, the other fan had a blown cap and a loose ground wire.

My main error was an incorrect assumption I made. Once both fans were wired up and both not working, I assumed that they must have both had the same problem. Upon making that assumption, I designated one fan to be my "tester fan" where I would diagnose the problem.

Turns out, the non-tester fan had a very simple fix which I had seen online and tested on the tester fan: make sure the forward/reverse blade direction switch is not in the middle. Needless to say, I felt pretty dumb when the electrician came in and flipped the switch and had my fan working in a matter of seconds after I had assumed it hadn't been working for 2 weeks.

The other fan's problem at least validated my trials a little bit. It turned out it needed a new capacitor for the motor and that there was a loose ground wire in the light kit assembly. In all likelihood, testing some voltages across the cap or in the light kit probably would have revealed the problem, but doing that proved a little more difficult than I thought as there weren't many exposed wires to test the voltages there.

Long story short, I learned:

Don't assume that if two things are broken they are broken for the same reason
Check your wire connections
Doing a lot of prep and having things disassembled for the electrician will save you some cash on their hourly rate

Thanks again for all the help and suggestions here!


Where's the neutral bus bar in this picture? Sorry about the newbie question here but just want to learn this the right way. Is the neutral bus bar the one with the white wires (on the right) or the one with the copper and green wire (on the left)? If it's the one on the right then what's the one on the left called and what is it for?

Thanks!

There's a neutral bar on each side of the panel, which are bonded using the large strap across the top of the panel. Then  there's a grounding bar down on the left side.


Paint peeling in bathroom The paint is peeling in my bathroom. I would like to repaint it. I assume I scrape as much of the peeling paint off as I can before painting. Should I sand it smooth before painting? I have never painted a ceiling before, so any advice is welcome!

You'll need to scrape away all loose paint, and then skim those areas with good joint compound. Your best bet is to use a setting type compound which is less affected by moisture.

Then you'll need to seal and paint with paint suitable for wet areas. This is often an enamel type paint. Typical interior latex is likely to blister and peel again from the moisture.


How to remove the handles from this joint bathroom faucet There doesn't seem to be a way to unscrew the handles from this faucet. Anyone have any tips?

Tough to tell exactly from the pic but it appears the only way to access the cartridge/washers inside would be to close both water supply lines, and carefully unscrew the flange (round top piece) that mounts to the valve body with a pair of pliers using caution not to scratch the chrome finish. Once that flange in removed the entire faucet handle and guts should screw out.


Proper Setup for Water Heater Gas and T&P Relief Valve I will be replacing my water heater soon and want to get two clarifications.

First, is the only issue with the current gas line that a sediment trap is missing or is there anything else that needs to be done to bring it up to code?

My second question would be the piping for the T&P and what our the options. I have read the wording in the code, but I am unclear what should be done in a finished basement with limits options for draining. This is the setup that is currently there. The pipe exits the utility room and run behind the wall before dropping into our drain.

All backed up

The primary problem with your setup is that what you have right now is a sanitary hazard, as there is no air gap preventing sewage from backing up into the T&P discharge line.  A standard water-softener or standpipe type air gap fitting can be used for this task, though, and is inexpensively available wherever plumbing supplies are sold.

The rest of the setup, though, is OK; the cellular core ABS pipe is fine since it's downstream of the standpipe, and discharging T&P relief water to a standpipe via an air gap is an acceptable means of T&P discharge, as per IRC P2804.6.1 point 5 which permits discharge of T&P relief water to a "waste receptor", which by Code can be a hub drain, standpipe, floor/mop sink, or floor drain.


Light trips circuit breaker when connected to box I'm replacing conventional lights with Model CLL56-2WW LED fixtures and all went well on first 3 installs.

The 4th is wired just like the rest- white to white, black to black, ground to ground and works fine when the light is unmounted (hanging from wires).

However, when I connected it to the box, the Cbreaker tripped- I imagined I had somehow damaged or inverted a wire, however when I dropped the fixture all looked well and the light worked after the circuit breaker reset.

So I imagined that maybe a surge had taken place and tried the whole thing over again- This time there was a spark at the screw that connects the light base to the box before the breaker flipped. Light still works fine when unattached to box.

So I stopped and can't imagine what is going on-

I was thinking that since this is an old house, maybe black and white are reversed- However, if this was true, why didn't the previous fixture short and why did the other new installs work?

I do have a nice LCR multi-meter and I would really appreciate any thoughts to diagnose and fix!

Thanks in advance!

Adding photos:

Also note that image 2 is much simpler than it looks- The black wire is wrapped around white wire near white wire nut (from being pushed up into box) and then runs behind the ground nut. He should have pulled down more and they would have pulled away from each other for a clearer photo- all 3 wires are totally independent and appear to be in good condition.

And note singe mark in photo 3 where bolt sparked.

In this picture the black wire looks damaged right as it comes out of the fixture.  In other pictures you can clearly see that one of the mounting screw holes has electrical burn marks on it.

Because of the scorching, we know that one way or another, the hot side of the circuit found a path to ground through the fixture.  This is either because the wire going into the fixture is damaged, or something else is wrong.  If it was internal to the fixture, the ground wire should be causing the breaker to trip immediately, so I'm still thinking it's a damaged wire.

Warning - if the fixture trips the breaker when it's installed in the box, that means the entire fixture could be electrified when it's turned on.  Don't even touch the fixture when it's turned on.  I would make sure the breaker, not just the switch, is turned off before touching anything at all.


How can I find the burnt dust-like odor in the house? I'm trying to find what is causing an irritating smell in the house stronger in the room closest to the garage. It smells like burnt dust--like the smell when the heat comes on and the registers are dusty. Whatever it is makes my eyes burn.

I did have a broken line in the AC and freon was leaking. It was repaired a month before. Could that be the problem, still lingering.

Obvious starting point: close all doors for a couple of days and see if you can isolate it to a particular room. If your place is an "open plan" design, this might still work, or you might need to hang plastic sheeting temporarily to isolate areas. After that, all I can suggest is trying one corner at a time to see if it's stronger in a particular area.

Actually, if you think it's electrical, youi mght want to try turning off circuit breakers for similar time periods and see if you can find it that way. Though if it is electrical and not obviously related to something like an electric stove, I agree that you probably don't want to spend too much time looking for it.


What to do with dimmer ground wire? I am replacing an old dimmer switch with no ground wire with a dimmer switch that has a ground wire.

The metal box in my wall is grounded, but there is no ground screw or anywhere else to attach the ground wire from the switch.

Is it safe to simply cap off the wire, or should I remove it from the dimmer box?  Even if it is capped off, the insulated portion will be touching other wires inside box due to limited space.

Use a grounding clip to attach the ground wire to the grounded metal box.


streamlined snow shoveling In my snow removal history, I've used a total of 2 different methods. The first and current method, involves using a normal cheap snow shovel which isn't very effective, strains your back, but makes hot chocolate the best drink ever. The other method being that of a snow blower, which is great at doing most the work for you, however, it is expensive, loud, maintenance expenses, may not blow snow as far as you want or to where you want it to go, and is very vulnerable to wind conditions.

I am not looking to spend anymore than $80. I have been searching online for different shovels/methods so that I can figure out how to finally defeat the snow this winter. I've found some new types of shovels/methods that I was unaware of, but I'm still not sure. Most seem not to be that great or have stupid design flaws. I'm looking to receive advice from any self-proclaimed snow conquerors on what are the best, cheap tools/methods for snow shoveling.

A couple things I've came across that caught my interest :

One of the most interesting newer techniques I've found online was the Snow Wolf. I've watched some YouTube videos on it, and I think this thing would work great. It's just too expensive for me at around $150 plus any accessories.

Another interesting technique I found is this homemade bike plow. I think it would probably cost too much to create a decent bike plow and it supposedly doesn't work well or at all with heavier snow.

I recommend the Chad 5000 (my neighbor's teenage son)

He's self propelled, runs on Mountain Dew, and costs next to nothing.


Building a wood gate too hard for DIY newbie? The gate in my carport is falling apart, having been built very poorly by the previous home owner. The quote to replace from a reputable firm is $2,850.

I'm wondering, given the posts are already present, how hard would it be for a complete novice to (me) to re-build this properly? Does this seem doable?

Some questions for anyone whose built a gate like this:

Would two hinges plus a diagonal wood brace be sufficient to prevent dragging? (WIDTH: 11' 6'' Double Swing)
Do I build the two frames first, mount them, then attach the boards as shown? or assemble it all first then attach?
For the frame, do I have to use a fancy joint style or can I simply screw the pieces together?
Does the length of the hinge matter? Will it help prevent sagging if longer?
Not seeing many plans online for this style fence. Any general tips?

In order to build a gate properly you need the Z/reverse Z frame and build everything around that.

How to design your fence properly

The key points are the intersections where the 45° lumber meets the horizontal and vertical lumber. You need good solid joints there. The rest is just decorations. For gates that wide I'd still put wheels on just because it'll be difficult to secure such a heavy load to the wall without some serious lags in very good brick.

Here's an example of one:


What is the mounting bolt spacing of a typical toilet tank? I'm mounting different toilet tank on an old bowl. What is the mounting bolt spacing of a typical toilet tank? By this I mean the 2 bolts that attach the tank to the bowl.

There is no spacing standard, friend.

Tighten all them by hand first then go around and tighten them until you think its good. You don't wanna tighten too much because it'll break the toilet. After you tighten them check 4 leaks. If it leaks then tighten them.

The tank will always have a little wobble, unless its installed close to the wall, so you'll want to ensure if its free standing, meaning nothing is bracing it, tighten it to a degree that there is a bit of stiffness in relation to movement and you should be fine.


How can I be sure my water softener is working? I recently purchased a 12 year old home in Central Indiana that came with a water softener (waterboss model). The owners claimed it to be working during the closing. When we moved into the house, we filled the softener with salt and allowed the softener to regenerate. Then we tested the water from several faucets and sinks using a standard water softener test strip and it shows that the water is hard (between 180-250 ppm). However, at the same time the water feels quite slippery, esp. after washing with soap and the dishwasher absolutely leaves no scales.

Also I used the common test suggested in the web : taking a bottle, filling it halfway with water, adding dishwasher liquid and shaking to check for foam. That seems to work pretty well too, the mixture foams up quickly and stays like that.

Should I replace my water softener? Any other tests to check? Just want to ensure that it is not working before buying a new one.

Any pointers will be greatly appreciated.

Depending how they work, I'd have to wonder if the test strips are being thrown off by the "soft" salt ions replacing the "hard" calcium ones. But I really don't know for certain how those tests work.

You might try your "functional" tests on water that is drawn before the softener to see if the water after the softener behaves "essentially the same" or "significantly differently" in your testing: which would be one indication of "appears to do nothing" or "appears to work."


How can I repair drywall after removing tile? We installed ceramic tiles for our kitchen backsplash and after 1yr, I am unhappy with it. How would I repair the drywall after removing the tiles? I do not want to re-tile over the backsplash (I want a clean white wall again).

I'm sure that there will be a lot of surface damage to the backer. Was it sheetrock of cement board?  Regardless, remove as much of the old thinset and grout as possible, even it it gouges into the backer a bit.  You can refinish the backer with a first coat of setting type drywall compound, or regular general purpose drywall compound. Try to use the widest knife possible to apply the compound to minimize the trails.  Knife or sand down any real high spots after the first coat dries.  If you want a smooth finish surface, mix some GP compound with a little bit of water and a small amount of Ivory dish soap, mix well.  Again, apply with a wide knife, let dry and sand.  Touch up any flaw areas with this same mixture and finish sand.  Be sure to prime the new mud finish with a PVA drywall sealer/primer, then paint as you wish.  Good Luck


How do I repair this retaining wall? I have a two-tiered retaining wall at the front of my property. I've been here for about 3 years now, and I've noticed there have been cracks forming in the mortar. I don't want to let it go too long before repairing it in case it becomes more difficult/expensive in the future.

Any recommendations for a DIY repair before I call a mason for a quote?

Retaining walls fail for several reasons: 1) settlement, 2) rotation, 3) freeze/thaw, 4) expansion/contraction,

1) Settlement is caused by uneven compaction of the subsoil. This can occur immediately upon the completion of construction or settlement over time. In your case, this appears to be cause of the cracks. I doubt the crack occurred immediately, but occurred slowly over time because rocks have moved VERTICALLY from the mortar, as seen in pictures #2 and #3.

2) while the rock wall seems to tip outward, it does seem to be the cause of the cracks, because the seems to be in-line. Differential settlement will cause a portion of the wall to rotate more than another. This is not occurring here. Also, of major concern is water backed up behind a retaining wall. This will cause stress on the wall and cause it to rotate. This is not occurring here. In fact, the semi-dry-stack rock wall allows water to deep out from behind the wall.

3) Freeze/thaw effect shows up at several locations. This appears to be at one location.

4) All materials will expand and contract, depending on weather conditions. Those cracks appear vertically through the entire wall.

Often a new load will be added to the top of the wall, called: “surcharge”. I noticed in picture #4 there is a steep slope above the top tier wall. This is a heavy surcharge on the walls. Depending on when this surcharge was added, it could cause significant settlement.

Because the wall appears to be unreinforced (gravity retaining wall), and because the cracks have occurred over time, I’d remove the rocks at the cracks and reset the rocks as necessary to repair the wall for visual affect. That is to say, the wall is not failing structurally, but rather just visually.

Your greatest challenge will be getting mortar the same color as original. You can add coloring to mortar. I’d spend some time getting it just right or it will “stand out” after the repair.


How can I repair damage to EIFS stucco? Wondering how to fix/patch this:

The Synthetic stucco as shown in the photo is applied directly over Polyisocyanurate foam core board with a Glass-mat on both sides.
That application does not meet the EIMA standards.
The way this Synthetic Stucco was applied would render it to be unrepairable.


How can I repair or remove my bathroom sink's tailpiece? I easily removed the S bend pipes, but the "last piece" actually in the sink is leaky.

(I do not know what that piece is called.)

Notice I've got it a bit loose .. close up ..

close up underneath ...

is there a special tool for this maybe?
notice the last large image - that large plastic turnable collar/bolt - in fact, is my problem just that I have to turn that? It's very hard to turn more, unclear if it can turn more. (If so I will get more purchase on it and do so, but maybe that's not the issue?)
last image - notice the black flange-thing against the white sink, has a kind of notch to our left - is that relevant to my problem ?!
notice the unit has the "stopper inside the drain".  I hate those, so, I will ideally replace it with just an ordinary plain one, no stopper mechanism. (So, up top the silver pull handle behind the taps will just do nothing.) Is that OK, no pitfalls?
If it works out, do you use a sealant?? or such putting the new piece in?
Finally - I know every detail of how to, say, plaster a wall. But I always get a plasterer to plaster a wall! Is this one of those things where you really need someone who has done it 1000 times, to end up with a perfect seal?  (The whole point here is it has a drip I can't beat.) Should I just get a plumber?

Maybe I have H.U.A. and the drip is not related to this, I mean, perhaps replacing this piece is misguided in some way?

The typical setup here is you have

The top collar
A rubber gasket or sealant (i.e. plumber's putty or silicone)
The sink holes
A rubber gasket
A compression collar

The rubber gasket can be a fiddly thing, where you need to seat and re-seat it to get a positive seal. If you're having trouble with it (and based on the pictures I'd say that's likely) try coating it in petroleum jelly. It should help if you have any odd spots in the sink hole that the rubber can't fill


Splitting maul handle cracked... is it still usable? I was splitting logs for firewood today, and must have swung wrong, because the outer shell of the fiberglass handle on my maul shattered.

Although the core of the handle appears intact, and the head isn't loose on the handle, I'm having second thoughts about further use.

Ludell had a lifetime warranty on it, but the company that acquired them isn't honoring said warranty.

What I want to know is, can I still (safely) use this maul, or is it pretty much landfill at this point?

First of all, that is a splitting maul, not an axe.

Secondly, the handle consists of a tough layer of plastic over a core layer of fiberglass. The plastic cushions the fiberglass, and, more importantly, keeps your hands from getting nasty splinters.

Because the strength comes from the core fiberglass center piece, you can still use the maul, but I'd wrap the broken section with a few wraps of duct tape. It will eventually break (depending on how often you miss), but that could take years.

Should you want to remove it, the best way is to cut off the handle with a saw and then use a drill to drill out the epoxy, and get replacement handle kit. This is time consuming, hence my recommendation to use the handle until it actually breaks, as it often becomes easier to remove then.


Retiling a fireplace I want to re-tile our fireplace. It is an old home built in 1935. I am able to find lots of information online on how to tile a brick fireplace but nothing on re-tiling. I assume I just take a hammer and break away the tile that is there and try and get back to the (I'm assuming) original brick. Are there any additional things i need to be concerned with? Are there an online guides available?

You need to be very careful when removing the tile, as you don't want to break the substrate.  Taking a large hammer to the tiles is a great way to break the brick that is behind the existing tile.

My recommendation would be to get a tile chisel, and use that to break/pry up the existing tiles.  You'll likely be left with a very uneven surface.  Using the chisel, take off as many of the high points as possible.  However, even with lots of attention, you'll likely still have a pretty rough/uneven surface.  To take care of this, use some leveling mortar- apply the mortar in a thin layer, making sure to leave as smooth a surface as you can get with the trowel.  The point being to raise the surface to be flush with the highest points left after you chisel out the tiles.  Let it cure.  After it is dry, use some medium grit sandpaper to make the surface smooth.

Now you have a nice, flat, smooth surface to tile over.  Use a good wall tile adhesive, and tile away.


Waterproof stains for outdoor kids toys I'm working on a large sandbox for my kid and the neighbours' kids to enjoy (it's a big Millennium Falcon). I've managed to design it so it's just wood, large 12" structural screws, and some large galvanized carriage bolt plus nut and washer couplings.

I chose to make the entire thing out of spruce 2x4 planks, since pressure treated pine wouldn't make sense, and I opted not to go with cedar since some kids might be allergic to cedar oil.

What is a good stain or resource for info on stains I could use on my masterpiece? My concern is small kids getting it on their hands and putting their hands in their mouths, so it has to be completely non toxic. For wooden utensils, I've used mineral oil and walnut oil, but for something going outdoors, I need something else, and I'm not too familiar with stains and protecting outdoor furniture.

Also, should I pre-treat each spruce board after cutting to length/shape, or can I just treat the finished product, and not have to worry about the unexposed areas?

Advice?

Thanks!

Polyurethanes are fine since they're on all furniture & all the kids are plastic poisoned anyway, but the poly's don't last to long outdoors. I'm a huge fan of One Time Wood Protector & it's completely different, lasts much longer & just needs to be re-coated & not stripped or sanded at the end of it's life. But, it's UV cured so the Sun has to bake your awesome project for a week before use & abuse.

Of course, ask One Time about your intentions & concerns...it's got an unlimited shelf-life so you just keep it & use it as needed. I've only used it on a 2-car garage door & multiple outdoor furniture items & I stopped licking & chewing on non-food products a few years ago, so I can't speak to its flavor or ingestion effects. Though, I was tempted.


Can I replace two 15 amp fuses with 10 and 20 amp fuses? Currently I have 4 x 15 amps fuses. My question is: Can I change the left fuse shown in the image with a 10 amps fuse and make the other 20 amps? Would that work?

Edit:

There's another one behind the fridge that I can't take a picture of but I think they're identical. So 2 outlets in total.

Nope, either way

First, "upgrading" the 15A fuse is not allowed.   A few people are talking about the rules by which the circuit might've been wired for 20A.  That's dreaming.  If the circuit met those requirements, they would've used a 20A fuse in the first place and you wouldn't be having this discussion now.  So I wouldn't go getting my hopes up on that.

Now, it's not illegal to swap the 15 for a 10. However, it's a bad idea because then, the next guy won't know what fuse is supposed to go there.   You may notice something about that fuse box, there is absolutely nothing on the box that tells you what the fuse should be.

That 30A rating is the rating of the fuse box itself.  It is saying that you could hypothetically use that fuse box with dual 30A fuses, 10AWG wire and feed an electric dryer.  However in your case, the wire is almost certainly #14 AWG, which only allows 15 amps.

I would be surprised if the refrigerator were the "other" appliance.  They tend to be quite low draw unless they are older units, and if they are older units, most electric companies will be happy to give you a new fridge, because it's cheaper than adding generating  capacity to power your old one... and I would be amazed if your landlord would oppose a free new fridge.  He probably just hasn't bothered to ask because he doesn't pay the electric bill and doesn't have time to deal with it.  This is an opportunity for you.

Now it may be a different appliance, perhaps one that you consider inconsequential, because most people frankly don't know what devices draw.  They think "$20 toaster must draw a tiny fraction of the huge expensive fridge" nope, it's the exact opposite.  If you can identify that other appliance, that may solve it.

Most kitchen appliances which use heat use 1500 watts (12.5 amps) whether large or small.  It wouldn't matter if you had a brand new house with fresh 20A wiring, no kitchen circuit can support two 1500W (12.5 amp) appliances at once.

It's also possible you have a large deluxe microwave that pulls 1500+ watts and cannot share a 15A circuit.  Take it back and get a 1000W mini.


Feedback on ideas for stopping water from coming under garage door I have two garage doors that both occasionally experience water coming in. This happens on rainy days, but only when the wind is against the door. The grade is OK, except there is an inch or less of depression right in front of the door - it's like the door fits down into a groove. So water doesn't run from the ground into the garage, however water runs down the door itself, pools in the depression, and eventually gets inside. My actual problem seems similar to the one in this question, however I would like to ask for review of my own remedy idea:

I would like to put something like flashing to extend a lip out along the bottom front of the garage door(s), to direct the water running down the face of the door away to the graded slope (less than an inch away).

What materials might work for this? Metal flashing is obviously a possibility (not sure I have the skills for this). Being DIY-minded, I'm thinking about experimenting with a stiff waterproof canvas - if not stiff enough, glue two layers together. I could glue a thin strip of wood or some kind of small profile moulding along the bottom of the garage door, then after it is firm, glue a strip of canvas, held tight at a 90 deg angle above and along the top of the wood strip, so it would make it stick out. Think it would work, or would I just be messing up my door?

Try this idea before you mess up your doors. Cut small drainage grooves on the outside of the depression to allow the water to escape. A small kerf at either end and maybe one in the middle should be all that is needed.


Why do my LED Christmas lights glow when plugged into a light fixture via an adapter? I have an outside light that is controlled by a light switch inside. I took the light out and put a adapter to plug in an extension cord to run LED Christmas lights. When I turn the switch off, just the first strand of lights glows very faintly so I wonder is my switch used as the ground and the lights are finding ground at the tree they are hung at.

If the switch is a dimmer, remote operated switch, or a switch with a neon backlight, it may allow a small amount of leakage power even when off. It's not enough power to light an incandescent light, but it may be enough to dimly light led lights.


How much drywall should I cut to re-route some wires? I am just looking for advice on how much drywall to cut to move some wires.

There's a wire in the ceiling that has incoming power, and a switched leg for the light in the entry way, and another wire coming out of the wall (exterior light) that I'd like to put into a new 2-gang box on the wall. (I'll need to use a junction box high up on the wall because the wire is too short, and I think that is easier than getting in the attic to run a totally new wire.)

The lower wire goes to outlets in the room, which I need to get down into the crawlspace below. (From there I'm adding a new circuit, and relocating the switch to the wall in the foreground right. Will be nice to not have the entire front side of my house on one breaker..)

The exterior walls are 24" OC, and have either kraft-faced insulation or there is kraft paper used as vapour barrier.

How much of this wall should I open up to minimize disruption of the vapour barrier, insulation, and make it easier to repair later? Should I go right over to the stud, top-to-bottom (so I have a 24"x8' section) or should I cut holes and try to fish wires?

Edit: I cut over to the stud, got the wires run, put new vapour barrier and sealed it with acoustic caulk, and then screwed down the drywall. Having the wall all the way open definitely made running the wires way easier, and of course I had something to screw the drywall down to.

Unless you have scrap laying around, you'll be buying a 4x8 sheet of drywall anyway (unless you can find damaged panels or the hardware store sells half sheets).  So anything less than 4x8 will be about the same amount of work to patch, so cut out as much as you need. Just remember to try and end in the middle of a stud.

If it's 8ft. from floor to ceiling, cutting out all the way to the next stud would mean you'd only have to tape one seam. This would likely be easier than patching a bunch of holes.


How do I install a GFCI in a box with two 2-wire cables and one 3-wire cable? I need some help please.  I'm replacing a standard receptacle with GFCI but the instructions that came with the GFCI doesn't explain how to make the connections when when there is a 3-wire cable.  Even more confusing is this box has 3 cables feeding into it (one 3-wire and two 2-wire).  Thanks in advance!

Easy peasy.  Most GFCI receptacles have a method to attach 2 wires to each LINE screw.
That is exactly what you do.  The two black wires go on the brass LINE screw.  The 1 white wire goes on the silver LINE screw.  And you're done.


How can I use a 12VDC bilge pump with an Intermatic timer for pond circulation? I have built a small rock water feature using a 12V bilge pump as the circulator. I purchased an Intermatic 12V light timer/transformer to power the pump.

There are two connection terminals on the timer which I assumed connected to the two wires on the pump.

When I connected the pump to the timer the pump ran rough and would not pump.

I checked the pump on my car battery and it ran great, fast and smoothly. I connected one wire to the + terminal, and the other to - terminal.

So my question is how should I correctly connect to the timer terminals?

A couple things could be going on, as @bib and @BMitch allude:

Your transformer could be putting out AC 12V instead of DC 12V. (Sometimes these are labeled VAC and VDC, respectively.)
Your transformer may not be able to supply enough current to power the pump. The pump and transformer should both have their current listed (in the case of the transformer it will be a max current). If the pump is trying to draw more than the transformer can supply, both will be unhappy.
Your pump could be sensitive to polarity and you've got the two wires crossed. I think most DC motors should work forwards and backwards, but of course the pump will only function properly one direction.
If the transformer is cheap it may be putting out "noisy" DC power which the pump isn't liking. A car battery puts out pure DC power but the transformer needs to rectify and filter your household AC power, and some transformers are better than others.


Most efficient garden irrigation for rainbird kit? I am using Rainbird brand irrigation kit to water my garden and am trying to find the optimal layout for the sprayers. The kit i bought connects from a standard garden hose to the 1/4" hose that can be configured with about 12 sprayer/bubblers attached. Problem is i'm losing pressure about halfway though the setup.
Here is the current setup. I begin to lose pressure around the third set of sprayers. the last four have little to no water coming out:

I'm thinking of actually forking at the water source before the sprayers, then having 6 on each branch instead of one line trying to power all 12. So something like this:

Which one would be a more efficient use of water? Or is there another setup i should try? Maybe every sprayer has it's own line off the main line?

Having that many heads on at 1 time you may not be able to get proper coverage.
I would defiantly say the branched setup so you can run half at a time if needed.
It’s not so much efficiency but coverage that will be effected. Or possibly our terminology needs to match.
Separate branches run independently will cover more area and provide a more even coverage pattern.


Concrete walkway work - considered acceptable? Hello I just had a concrete walkway done and I feel like there are a few issues that are important enough to address with the contractor but I wanted a second opinion on what is acceptable and what is unacceptable.

The main issues I see are the risers of stairs are not finished well, and the bigger issue I see is there are some gaps and where the risers meet the runs, there's a weird Gap that slopes into one another.

Is all of this to be considered normal and acceptable work? My gut feeling tells me no but I wanted another opinion.

Thanks

"Normal and acceptable" is subjective but should be thought about as being inversely proportional to how much you paid for the work.

The form boards need to stay in place until the concrete has set sufficiently to hold the vertical surfaces from sagging; this takes awhile. A craftsman would stay on site, testing the set and removing the boards at the earliest opportunity, then finishing the areas where the form boards were. I have seen this done with a wet wood float, a wet steel trowel, a light spray and a broom; all depends on the desired finish.

For private homes it has been my experience that the rough work on your job is the exception, nice finish work is the norm. Remember the old adage- "You get what you pay for".


Should an optical cable inside a house be run in conduit? I am hoping to run a fibre optic cable from the office/study to the "server" room where I'll have my NAS. The idea is to use a 10 Gbit/s connection.
We are building and are currently framing. Should I run conduit and put the fibre in it, or is it fine just to staple the fibre optic cable (with wire staples of course)?
I doubt it'll need replacing, but who knows.

Run Conduit
Then if you need a 2nd fiber later, or this one goes bad, or you want to add something else, you're all set.
Plus, one staple that hits wrong, and you've clobbered your fiber - you can't (realistically) splice and patch the way you could with copper Ethernet.


How can I add 100 amp electrical service to a shop? I am going to wire my shop and want ot run #2 copper to a 100amp breaker panel. I really do not have the space in the 200 amp panel in the house, my question - is there a way to pull this wire off the service entrance straight to the shop, and does that require another meter base or what?

reasons going to the service entrance will be difficult:

you'll have to open the meter box, and most meter boxes are tamper sealed by the electric company so you will have to involve them.
the meter box lugs are probably not sized for multiple connections.
this creates a potentially dangerous wiring setup. someone may assume that the main panel in the house covers the entire house.

i would go with connecting a subpanel to your main panel. i assume that the existing circuits in the shop go to the main panel? take them out and use the space you just freed up to wire in your subpanel.


Driveway Erosion Problem I live on a hillside and due to the road being narrow large trucks and school buses use an old driveway to turn around. My problem is that every time it rains it tends to wash the gravel away and sometimes on to the top of the road. I am looking for a recommendation for fixing this issue. Currently, there is not significant ditch cut into the ground because the lot is full of large boulders and rocks. With these large boulders I do not have the equipment to dig them up and/or move them myself. Suggestions?

Below are photos of the area. These photos were taken after I filled and packed the rut down with more gravel.

One of the things I have done in the past with crushed rock driveways is pack it with a roller or plate compactor until there is no movement, then use some Portland cement on the surface and broom the surface so the cement gets in the cracks, this is not a big area but with a bus or other heavy equipment using it the cement (dry powder) swept in and a light sprinkle with water will help it hold. As an example my last home 1 of the driveways dropped 30’ in 70’ steep. It was crushed quarry. I used several bags of Portland cement it never washed out and really stayed in place quite well for many years.


Can I use a 60 watt Halogen bulb instead of a 100 watt incandescent bulb? I have a new pendant fixture that calls for up to 100 watt bulb. Can I use a 60 watt Halogen bulb for a brighter effect?

Yes. Outlets are rated for current draw (wattage) not brightness. If you have a more efficient bulb, the outlet doesn't know or care.


Seal the base of a drafty wall Our dining room has a wall that adjoins the outside. The wall is drywall (I think) and the floor is fitted wood squares. At least one of the squares is pulling up away from the floor. At the base of the floor, I can feel a draft. I have not been able to locate my pre-marriage incense sticks (my wife hates the stuff) to do a proper smoke test, but I think it's blowing in from the inside. Would that just be regular caulk? Is there a good way to ensure that it doesn't look too bad?
Due to recent masonry work, I have learned that there is a passage that at least leads to where the wall is, as I started to get brick dust coming into the house until I laid blankets out across the base of the wall.

If there is a draft, it is 99% chance it is coming from outside.
Uh, yeah you can caulk it. You can caulk anything. I have seen boats with so much caulk on the windows that there was more caulk than window.
If it were me, I would (A) find out how air is getting into the wall and stop that from happening, then (B) remove the baseboard and properly build the wall all the way to the floor using joint compound (drywall wall) or plaster (plaster wall), then reattach the baseboard.
Here is a basic principle: when building walls, the wall is supposed to go COMPLETELY to each of the 4 edges.


Wiring L14-20 Receptacle on generator to a 6-20 Plug Big question. On my pigtail, do I use 2 hot + ground and tape off the neutral?

Correct.  The 6-20 plug has no neutral. It needs no neutral.

You don't even need to use /4 flexible cord**.  You can use /3, hot-hot-ground or hot-(taped white)-ground, and there won't be a neutral wire to connect.

** In flexible cord, grounds are counted in the number, unlike Romex/NM cable.


Looking for a match to these cabinet doors I got these used from a homeowner who had no information about them.
They have no manufacturer labels hidden in any of the usual places. Do they look familiar to you? I'd like to get more doors to mount on additional boxes I have.

That is one cabinet maker's take on a mitered design. Mitered is a style (much like Raised Panel and Shaker are styles) but there would be hundreds... no, thousands of different variations within that style.
Cabinet makers attach many different names to their designs (sometimes the names don't even reference the basic style used). Your best bet to match would be to visit cabinet builders and suppliers in the area surrounding where these were found. Another option would be to take a door to a custom cabinetry shop near you. These shops can be found everywhere, you just don't know they're there until you start looking.


Hardware recommendations for heavy beam mounted to wall I am forging 3 mantel brackets out of mild steel for a 99"x 9" x 4 1/2" old barn timber that weighs 90 lbs.  What type of hardware would you recommend to secure it to the studs?  Each bracket will have 2 holes on the vertical run to attach to the wall/stud and will be 1/4" thick.  I can get #20 (5/16 shank) pyramid head wood screws that are 2 1/2" long.  Or, should I go with a 3/8" to 1/2" lag bolt?  What would be an ideal length for these?

I think your choice of 5/16" size lag screws, 2-1/2" long, is fine.  I would say 3/8" is overkill but if you just like the look of the bigger fastener, it would be fine.
I'd actually use something a little smaller, but longer - 1/4" size, and 3" long. (And washers, whatever size you use, I'd use washers.)  One of those is adequate to support 90#.  I'd also drill a pilot hole, 3/16" bit works well for 1/4" fasteners in most wood.


Is it a problem that my bathtub drains directly into the wall? Here is what I see inside the hole

My landlord said is ok. But I think water going directly to wall can't be a good idea.

My question is how bad is it? Needs fixing right away?

If needs fixing, how can I fix. The side of the bathtub is sealed and I have no access to the bottom of the bathtub.

Thanks

Update: Finally they figured out this is not normal. Basically all the pipes below the bathtube fell down. They said the screw got loose and fell. The bath has other half ass fixes, which I guess are from previous tenant. To fix they had to open the wall on the side of the bath (thank god the tile can easily come up without breaking it) and they replaced with some custom pipes (different than original). I'm not sure if it works, but it should!

OK I am going to answer this like you are in the US.   It doesn't differ much but to give a baseline.

To sum it up - This is F'ing crazy as hell, unsanitary, and not code.

So it looks like there is a basin siphoned off from the foundation that drains to a sump pump and the pump pushes water to... who the hell knows (it doesn't matter).

Issues:

If there is a floor (basement) below the tub then a lot of water could eventually cause a leak into the adjoining wall.
If the pump stops working or gets clogged you have a backfill of sewage.
Yep I said sewage.   Bathtub drain off is sewage not soapy water.   There is pee and feces that goes down that drain too.   You aren't taking showers before you shower.
Eventually mold will start growing.   It looks like whoever created this mess did it probably in a smart mcgyver type of way - the materials look to be stone/organic that resist mold.   It can't last like this forever because eventually your hair and other things will get down there, create a spot for mold to grow and it will.
Plumbing like this would certainly void any insurance in almost all areas of the world.   If something happened your insurance wouldn't cover it for sure.

Final thoughts...  This is just weird.   I have seen things like this in France but they were installed WWIIish.   Everything you are showing, shows new materials from the past 30 years.   That makes it really weird.   Also the tub seems rather elevated.  Which makes it even weirder.   Why exit like this when they are for sure going to go downhill to the main branch?

Also my answer isn't meant to scare you or cause you to react drastically.   This could function for quite some time.   It might not be completely sanitary (you have fecal matter right below you) but a shower with low usage - a shower a day... This thing could work for years until the pump goes out, gets clogged or the wetness effects foundation pieces.

And to clarify - YOU cannot fix this.   Your landlord needs to run the shower drain to the main stack so that this can exit with the rest of the sewage from your house.


Low water pressure at toilets after main supply valve replacement Just replaced my main water valve that feeds the house. It's copper line and I used shark bite fittings. Kitchen sink, master shower and both toilets have very low pressure now. All other faucets are fine. Tried clearing the braided lines in kitchen sink. Got some sediment out but still nothing. What else can I do?

Some toilet valves can be taken apart to flush the sediment out. Turn off the valve that supplies the toilet and flush it. This will allow the fill valve to depressurize. I have been able to clean two types. Both had some arrows / instructions, one you pushed down and rotated the top of the fill valve and it pulled straight up then slight turn the water on--this clears the stuff in the line (I found putting a glass on top allowed me to turn the water up and really clear the line).

The second type I have only had ~75% luck with they have 2 plastic clips that you slip a small screwdriver under and lift the cap same as above for flushing, but use caution the plastic breaks very easily and a valve replacement is needed. As for the other valve / tub, if it has a shower head or arrestor they need to be cleaned also. If it has washerless valves you may need to disassemble the valve flush and reassemble.


Cutting a thread deeper in metal. I am trying to put together a TV Stand with 3 legs- 2 of which are supported via  18 inch metal rods within plastic tubes, screwed into the base. The depth of the hole in one of these is too shallow so the rod is easily loosened- rendering it useless. How can I increase the depth of the threads in this (aluminium) hole; or increase the rigidity of the rod?

If the hole is there but not threaded you can cut the thread deeper with a tap. You need to be sure of the size, which is easier to measure on the external thread of the mating part. Often the hole is also too loose though.


Is there something like a power switch that I can control from a computer? I need to control a LED light from a computer program that I am writing, i.e. I want to turn that light on or off from the computer. Is there some kind of power switch or alike that I can connect to from a computer, e.g. its USB port?

There is a whole world of home automation products that are designed to be computer controlled. Search for "Smart Switch" and you will be overwhelmed with choices and dismayed at the confusing array of options.

Some can be controlled directly over WiFi, others require a "hub" which your computer talks to that then relays the command to the switch.

Buying guides are strictly off-limits here at SE, and a tutorial on HA is way beyond my capabilities and what would fit into an answer box. However, just a little bit of searching will also help you find the various pieces of software available to control the switches and, in many cases, the APIs to allow you to write your own code to do so if that's what's necessary for your use case.


What does a receptacle tester reading of "Correct" really mean? I'm a new homeowner with plenty of theoretical background in electrical engineering but until now, zero practical experience in home wiring. I recently replaced a few 2-prong outlets with 3-prong outlets and GFCIs. I plugged in my receptacle tester, and the rightmost two lights illuminated, showing a reading of Correct. When I press the Test button on the GFCI or receptacle tester, the outlet goes dead, and turns back on when pressing Reset. Is that reading of Correct all I really need to know to tell me that I did the job correctly? It's my understanding that there are ways to "fool" a receptacle tester to give a Correct reading even though the wiring isn't actually correct.

Are there any common pitfalls that would cause a Correct reading despite incorrect wiring? Or does that usually result from deliberate miswiring that would be unlikely to do by accident? I'm reasonably confident I did the job correctly, but am wondering if the receptacle tester output can give a false sense of security.

We like to call those 3-light testers "magic 8-ball" testers because their legends are often comically wrong and misleading.  The lights are great, though, and are very useful.

Now, many things about mains electrical can be surprising to EEs. It is wired as an isolated system with discrete current returns (not backplaned) because of  the need to avoid overloads and keep currents equal in all cables (so magnetic fields cancel; since it is AC, eddy currents are a big deal). There is also a safety shield called "ground" (not GND) that must never carry current.

To keep the AC voltage on the isolated system from floating, one conductor has an equipotential bond to safety ground. This "grounded conductor" is called neutral.  The bond is in precisely one place and should flow 0 amps.

So your center yellow measures between hot and neutral.

The end yellow measures hot to safety ground, which connects back to neutral via the official ground bond. This detector cannot detect an exchanged neutral and ground, but if you have good assembly skill that should be rather unlikely. It also cannot detect a shorted neutral-ground, nor either one bootlegged from the other.

The red lamp connects neutral to ground. You are most likely to see this in a lost ground situation, when H-G and G-N lamps are now in series with each other.

The GFCI does not interact with ground in any way. It simply compares the current outbound on one conductor to the current returning on the other conductor. The only way currents could not be equal is if something is storing a tremendous number of electrons (cyclotron?), or if current is leaking out of the loop somehow.

Your tester needs ground to create an alternate route for current to leak into.


Vibrating PVC exhaust pipe from high efficiency furnace We have a two year old house that has this heating season developed a vibration in the exhaust pipe that can be heard on the first floor of the house. It seems to have decreased as the season has progressed.

The exhaust exits the furnace with a 2” pipe has 2-45 bends in the first 2’ then transitions to a 3” pipe. It’s a Lennox furnace and this only occurs during the heat cycle.

Could I cut out a piece the 2” pipe and install a fern on fitting to eliminate the vibration?

A couple of things- if it's started vibrating... you might have had a rodent or bug intrusion. That would create a 'dead zone' where air has to rush around (probably in the 3" section). The exhaust motor would work harder to overcome this, and that would shift things.

Your house could also have settled, and the wood could also have swelled slightly with moisture. As the winter dries out, everything goes back to normal and the pipe stops rubbing.

Vibration can be carried up the pipe as well, so you'll need to lay a hand on it (or a cell phone, say) and 'listen' to the pipe. Maybe you can track down where it's pinching at and causing the noise.

You could also download a spectrum analyzer app to see what's the main frequencies of vibration. Might be fun to see.

As for putting in a fernco, the answer I remember was 'no'. Basis being ferncos can not be used on pressurized systems, ever. And that won't necessarily fix the issue, either, depending on where the problematic sound is coming from. The manual should state the venting requirements of the furnace. And a quick call to your local code office should give you an idea too.

Here was a quick google-
However:
http://www.inspectionnews.net/home_inspection/heating-ventilation-air-conditioning-hvac-home-inspection-and-commercial-inspection/24693-fernco-furnace-vent-pipe.html


Why does my basement smell like my drop-ceiling tiles? So I recently refinished my basement.  In the process, I replaced the entire drop ceiling with new tiles.  I finished that a couple of months ago.

I recall the distinct smell of the dust that these tiles create when handled or when I would drill holes in them.  I am now occasionally smelling that same dust in my basement.  Some days its there, others its not.

Nothing is disturbing the tiles (no, there are animals in the ceiling) and I haven't been moving them around for any reason.  They are just sitting there.

What could cause the tiles to emit dust and create that smell?  How do I get rid of it?

Just as new homes and new cars smell new for years, your basement will smell new until enough activity and ventilation have occurred. I lined part of my basement workshop with OSB two years ago and I still smell it when I walk down there.

I suggest time and air. Worst-case scenario you replace the tiles, but I doubt it'll come to that.


Why isn't my GFCI receptacle working? I am installing a GFCI outlet and I am having some issues.  I have identified the hot and neutral wires.  They test positive with the voltmeter when I turn on the switch.  I connect the receptacle to the wires, turn on the switch and power is not getting to the outlets.  I test the screws which hold the wires in place on the receptacle and it gets power, but the outlets aren't getting any juice.  I tried pressing the reset button and test button a bunch, nothing.  The LED on the receptacle doesn't light up either.

If I read your original question correct you said that "the outlets are not getting any juice" but you confuse me with your later statement about the LOAD side still having the tape on, this would suggest that there is no connection to other receptacles on the load side. Can you clarify that please?

If I may suggest that you make sure your wires are stripped the proper length and fixed to the line side of the GFCI receptacle using the side screws and not the push-in holes, I have experienced poor results with the latter method making a good contact just plugging them in. also it is a good idea to make sure the breaker for the circuit is off when making the connections.

If the problem persists you may want to get an professional on the scene, at $25 a pop for the outlets you could save yourself a head ache and get it done in one go.


How can I wire a bathroom light switch which has an outlet, exhaust fan, and vanity light all from same junction box? Trying to wire the bathroom light switch, but vanity light will not come back on. There are two wires, black and red, plus a ground wire that wasn't hooked to anything originally just touching the side of the box. The black and red wires were stuck straight into the back of the switch that went out, not wrapped around the screws on the side. I am at a loss as to what to do. The red line has been dead until just recently when I got a second new switch to hook everything up to. The red wire is now currently hot after not having been so during my previous attempts.

sounds like you probably have a 14-3 wire but the red wire may not be doing anything. The black wire should be across the switch and anything on the other side of the switch will go off and on with the switch. White wire shouldn't go across any switches. On receptacles, the black wire always goes to the brass screws and the white wire always goes to the silver screws. There are two ways to connect to a switch or receptacle with 14 gauge wire: you can push it in the holes in the back or you can connect it to the screws.


Add Countdown Timer for Electric Heater I have a ceiling mounted 240V 30A heater that is currently controlled by its built-in thermostat. The heater is in a workshop (in an out building). The heater is wired using three wires (two hot and a ground).
I'd like to be able to add a countdown timer so that I won't have to worry about forgetting to turn the heater off when I leave the workshop. Maybe, one that could be set for up to an hour.
Thanks in advance for any help you might offer.

Just to answer your question, you could always use a common Intermatic double pole single throw timer. You'd have to have a fixed "off" pin and just rotate the time wheel to an hour before the "off" pin each time you used the shop.These timers are relatively inexpensive and available everywhere. It would also give you the ability to set the heater to go on at a certain time so it's warm when you get there.

Another alternative would be to get count down timer from a heating supply company. They're good for up to a 6000 watt heater. They are over twice the price of the Intermatic

Providing more information on your heater will help us to help you further.


Protecting solar panels from kids who may throw stones to get monkeys off roof I have read this question - Solar panels and hail and my question is similar. I have the possibility that neighboring kids may throw stones at my roof top solar panels to scare off monkeys which are a local pest.

What protection measures I can take as I do not think my insurance will cover that damage ?

I have been told  by my neighbor to use chicken wire. Will that reduce the output of solar panels ?

Chicken wire

UPDATE
Background - I stay in a rural area where monkeys are common. I also live in a hilly terrain and there are houses above and below me. So kids may accidentally throw a stone at a monkey when it is over my roof.

The real problem is the monkeys. The collateral damage due to flying rocks would best be dealt with by trapping and relocating the monkeys. Or, it might be helpful to use an electric (chicken wire) fence to keep the monkeys off the roof. Other deterrents might be motion activated sprinklers or ultrasonic alarms.

Obviously, there is not a perfect solution, but reducing the monkey population should cut down on the number of rocks being thrown at your house.

An alternative to chicken wire would be (bullet-proof) polycarbonate. Supposing that you have a glass solar panel, I would particularly recommend replacing glass with polycarbonate, especially if they do break the glass, because polycarbonate is much cheaper and more durable. Polycarbonate will become hazy after a few or several years, so it will need to be replaced occasionally for efficiency.

Pros and cons (polycarbonate vs glass):

Pros:

Polycarbonate is significantly cheaper than glass.
It's durable/bullet proof.
It can be cut to shape.

Cons:

If you replace the glass with polycarbonate you will get about a 9%
reduction in power. But you would definitely want to replace the glass, because if you use polycarbonate over glass, it will reduce the efficiency by about 20%.
It becomes hazy after several years and needs to be replaced.
It expands and contracts, so you need to attach it with screws and allow room (around the edge) for expansion.


How do I repair a floor joist which has a hole drilled less than 2 inches from the bottom? I have three floor joists that have approximately 1/2 inch hole in them less than 2 inches from the bottom. Is there a recommended fix or approved method to correct this to meet code?  These joists are in excellent condition otherwise. Someone drilled through them years ago to run cable through. There are other holes above 2 inches on other joists.

Replacing them? Getting an engineer? For a 1/2 hole in at least 8in joist? Seriously? I mean I'm sure the joist has lost some percentage of its strength. Like  pretty small percentage. I would speculate that the lost strength is within tolerance limits for wood, which is not uniformly perfect. Unless you plan on having sumo wrestlers fight on top of those joists, I would just let them be....


Difference between NEC code book and handbook (who is the target audience?) My city requires electrical work to be done in accordance to the 2014 NEC.  Therefore, I am purchasing the 2014 NEC.  I see there are several other NEC-related books available.  My question is: What is the benefit of the handbook over the regular NEC (how do they differ)?  More to the point, who is the target audience of the NEC?  Is this type of resource intended for the average DIY'er who has no interest in NEC certification (am I in the NEC's target audience), etc.?

The code book alone is pretty hard to understand, it's 900 pages and all written in legalese.  The handbook is useful, it adds some non-legalese clarification to the NEC itself.  Mike Holt's materials are great, they are made to make sense of the legalese, and they're popular for a reason.
However none of the above are in any way a design guide or an installation guide.  In my opinion a DIYer is better served with the many DIY / residential wiring books available, and for anything beyond the bare basics, get your work inspected.
Note that most of these books are revised for each code cycle, so your best bet is to buy the revision that was written for the code revision in effect in your locale - the 2014 NEC in your case - even if it's no longer available new, it's easy enough to find prior revisions of these books used online.


Should I upgrade #14 wiring on a 20 amp circuit to #12? I have a 20 amp breaker feeding my detached garage. It comes in on 12/2 to a receptacle that’s for the garage door opener then splits off to 14/2 on 2 light fixtures. Should I change those to 12/2 for those light fixtures because I wanted to add another receptacle?

The electrical code rewires that ALL of the wiring on a circuit has to be of a size compatible with the rating of the circuit breaker. For a 20A breaker all of the circuit wiring has to 12AWG or heavier gauge.

The problem with the lighting circuit branches at 14AWG is that such wiring is not rated for 20A. If a fault or short circuit should occur in the lighting section of the circuit that wiring can overheat and could even cause a fire.

The fix for this problem can take one of two forms:

Replace all of the 14AWG branch circuit wiring with 12AWG wiring.
Consider equipping the wiring entry point at your detached garage with an entry point distribution box that can support multiple breakers. Feed the incoming power line in through a 20A breaker. Then add load breakers as needed to the box to feed down stream circuits. Use a 20A breaker for the existing 12AWG wiring that goes to the garage door outlet. Reroute the 14AWG lighting circuit wiring to the distribution box and connect it to a 15A load breaker. Finally add another 20A load breaker and 12AWG wiring that routes to the electrical box(es) where you want to add the additional outlets.

Note that if you choose to go the route of item #2 the existing 14AWG wiring for the lights may not be long enough to reach to the distribution box. If you have to add wire make sure to connect the added wire to the existing wiring inside an approved electrical box that remains accessible.