Upgrading thermostat: 2 baseboard heaters (6 wires) I'm upgrading a thermostat, and the installation isn't quite as simple as I'd hoped. In this COVID era, I think I'd like to avoid having an electrician inside my home...
Some facts:

the circuit breaker box has 2 switches that are "tied" together. I think this means 240V.
the existing thermostat controls 2 baseboard heaters (one is longer than the other by ~30%)
inside the gang box, there are 3 cables, each with white, black, and ground wires.
the 3 ground wires are all twisted together
one of the cables coming in to the gang box (the middle one) looks different, it has yellow casing, and its wires are smaller gauge

The thermostat I'm replacing has 4 inputs: T1 and T2 (termed Black/Line) and L1 and L2 (termed Red/Load). I attached pictures of the existing thermostat (I haven't changed anything), but tracing the lines is a bit hard so here I'm writing it out too. These are currently connected by:

L1/Black/Line is connected to the top and middle blacks
L2/Black/Line is connected to the top and middle whites
T1/Red/Load is connected to the bottom black
T2/Red/Load is connected to the bottom white

So which one is the supply? The middle one perhaps because it's conspicuously different? The bottom one because it's connected differently?
The installation instructions for my new thermostat say:

Note: The supply and load wires are not interchangeable. If you are unsure which of the two wires is the supply or load wire, simply try one configuration.

Does that advice still apply when there are 3? I suppose I could pick 2 cables to figure it out and then add the 3rd.
I'm reluctant to turn the breaker back on and test voltages, but I do have a voltmeter and I think I could be careful enough to use it (but which pairs should I check?)
EDIT: I mixed up my L and T, now fixed. That is, it looks like two line wires are combined to create 240v and somehow one load wire is used for both heaters? Not sure if that makes sense or if I'm still mixing something up.

When you see 2 wires connected to supply/LINE side, it simply means that one of them is supply from the panel, and the other is supply going onward to somewhere else.  They are both supply, and it doesn't matter which is which.
You need to connect them both to supply/LINE, or to be more precise, connect them to each other, and then, connect a pigtail to your device's Supply input.


Thermostat wiring: heat and fan of but AC not cooling & 2 disconnected wires! I moved to a new home last winter. I have a PTAC unit. Fan is working well, same with the heat over the winter. The building has changed the building's system to cooling for the summer but unfortunately I'm not getting any cold air out of the unit, only the fan blowing ambient air through the unit.
I removed the thermostat and I'm seeing two wires that are not connected but I can't seem to be able to find if that can be the issue. It seems orange and yellow wire can be related to cooling, but when researching it seems the wiring color is not standard (e.g. blue for Y1?).
Does the picture make sense to anyone? I'm thinking those two wires are probably the culprits!
Thank you for your help!

It's fine that the orange and yellow are not connected; this assumes they are not connected to anything inside the furnace.
Running 7 wires for a thermostat is normal for future enhancement of either your HVAC system or the thermostat itself. The additional benefit of running too many wires is that if there is a faulty or broken wire like red then you can just repurpose a different color without running a brand new t-stat wire. If you only ran 5-wire and red turned out to be faulty then you need to run a whole new wire; hopefully 7-wire this time ;-)
Yes, there are generally accepted colors for stuff but there's nothing physically wrong with using "wrong" colors as long as they land in the correct terminals at both ends of the wire.
You'll notice there's some gray tape on the blue wire which is a standard wire color for cooling in an A/C unit. The yellow should have been used but whatever.
The only way to truly know which wires go where is to read the manuals: thermostat, furnace, and A/C unit. G needs to land on G at both ends of the wire regardless of wire color.
To me everything looks fine here. You need to add pictures of the wiring inside the furnace and in the A/C unit. If you're not able/willing to do this then you need to call a professional.


Garbage disposal plugs up all the time I have an in sink errator garbage disposal. It came with the house and I have no idea what was done to it before I owned it.
I do not put large things down the disposal. Just occasional gross things from the sink. The disposal seems to plug up all the time. Water backs up into the sink. Cycling the disposal switch for less than a second will unclog it.
The clog is only happening in the garbage disposal. The water only backs up in the one sink and not both. What makes it annoying is that the dish washer is connected to the garbage disposal and when it's running it will sometimes fill the sink.
Is there something common that will plug the disposal? Is there a way to clean it out really well?

In general, you should keep running water and the disposal for at least 10 seconds after it sounds like all the stuff you are disposing has gone through to rinse things clear. If you have not been doing that, that may help. Depending what your dishwasher is putting out, debris may be piling up against the grinder screens, especially if you use the disposal infrequently, since "the clog always clears up in less than a second of running the disposal."
Run the disposal when the dishwasher is draining - not "for just a second" - through the whole drain cycle (run hot water into the sink as well) to help clear it out. Not the whole wash cycle, just when the dishwasher is pumping out. The extra volume and dishwasher detergent should help clear things up.
In a different direction (can be noisy) run cold water, fire up the disposal, and dump in ice cubes - which can help to clear build-up off the blades and mechanically clean things up.
If you'd rather not get into tearing it apart (or you'd like to exhaust all avenues before you do) a third option is to plug the drain, run the sink full of hot water, and dissolve a good bit of baking soda in the water, then unplug & run that through and let it sit, without rinsing or running more water for several hours or overnight. The less hazardous end of drain chemicals...turns grease to soap. But so does most dishwasher detergent, so it may not do much more than the first approach.


What is the maximum angle I can set my window AC unit? We know an AC unit must be angled to allow runoff. But what is the maximum angle and what is the issue with having to large of an angle? I've seen people say the angle is "5/16" or "3/16" but this is nonsense as an angle is not a length.

I am installing a window unit and would like to try and get the optimal angle if there is one.

All the window air conditioning units I have looked at—a total of about six different models—had a drip basin which is tilted toward the outside.  Or if they have a drain hose, then the pan is tilted toward an exterior corner where the hose nipple is.

So leveling the bottom of the a/c should be the right thing to do.  If it is tilted too far, that could cause water to accumulate in the wrong place and interfere with the condenser, or maybe just overflow onto the sill bypassing the drainage system altogether.


Should I use MDF, plywood, or something else when building a desk? I'm looking at building a desk but have been reading a lot of conflicting info about which material to use. My main concern is having the desk sag at all. I will also be painting/coloring the desk. Which material is stronger while bearing weight? Which would be the best choice for building a desk without sag?

Any sheet goods are going to be lacking in strength in terms of deflection so your construction will have to compensate for this. You'll want to create rigidity using geometry of some kind like this torsion box or maybe by adding solid wood stretchers and aprons. As far as materials go, I'd be partial to MDO for a project like this but here's your options.

Plywood is the strongest of the sheet goods and takes mechanical fasteners by far the best. But it's either a terrible surface to paint (if you get construction grade) or too nice/expensive to cover up (if you get cabinet grade).
MDF paints well but is monstrously heavy, is the most prone to sagging, and will not take fasteners in its edges.
Particle board is inexpensive but it's flimsy and is almost impossible to seal up well enough to protect it from water damage unless you cover it with laminate but then you've just got a counter-top.
Melamine has an durable, stain proof film on both faces but as such it cannot be painted. It's also susceptible to water damage as it's just particle board in the center.
MDO is a sheet of plywood covered in a thin layer of MDf. This gives it the strength and versatility of plywood while keeping the weight down, but it also takes paint just like MDF. It's only draw back is that the edges are not finish grade in the traditional sense so they'll need to be banded or captured in some fashion, and it's a bit more pricey than MDF or CDX.


How to remove ceiling joist cross blocks without tearing up roof? I have a building on my property where the roof is made of 12' 2x4 joists with plywood laid directly on top of it.  Between the 2x4 joists there are 2x4 cross blocks positioned where the pieces of plywood meet together.  The plywood is then nailed to these cross blocks.

The 2x4 joists are sagging so I am planning to sister 2x6s to them to give more support.  In order to do this I will need to remove the 2x4 cross blocks.  My first thought was to just take a hammer to them and knock them out - I assumed that the nails would just come out.  The problem I am running into is that instead of the nails pulling out of the cross block, they are pulling through the plywood that makes up the roof.

How can I remove these blocks without damaging the plywood that is above?

To clarify what is going on i've attached some pictures.  Here is a picture of the joists and the one block that I have removed, on either side of it you can still see the blocks:

This is a closeup of where I have knocked out the block.  If you look closely you can see that the nail heads have pulled through the plywood roof above:

Tools required:

Standard wood chisel or flat bar
Hammer, 16 oz. or larger
Reciro-saw (Sawzall) and a long blade, preferrably fine-toothed

Procedure:

Cut any nails driven through the rafters and into the ends of the blocks:

Drive the rafters outward with the hammer to create a small gap between them and the blocks, one at a time, then run the saw blade through the gap.

Cut the nails driven through the roof deck:

Drive the chisel or flat bar between the sheathing and the block at several locations to create a gap.
Cut the nails by running the saw blade through the gap. Flex the blade to force it to run along the inside surface of the sheathing and not cut into it or the blocks.


Can I use self leveling compound to level old thin set over plywood subfloor? The previous owner of my  house tiled all the bedrooms on the second floor. I would like to remove all the tile and lay down hardwood flooring. So far I have removed the tile and now have all the thin set underneath. My question is whether it needs to be completely removed with a grinder or if we can use a very thin layer of self leveling cement to fill in all the grooves and make a level surface on which to lay the hardwood flooring? On the first floor there is a concrete slab and I used an industrial concrete grinder to remove all the thinnest. That worked great but I am concerned that this type of machine will just rip through the subfloor. And the idea of grinding off all the thinnest with a hand grinder seems like it will take forever. Any suggestions on the self leveling compound and if so which product would be recommended? Thank you

Yes you must remove all of the thinset - FOR SURE.  Thinset is not meant to be exposed and a leveler on top of it will not protect it enough.  From walking and moving furniture you will end up with chunks of thinset/leveler and it will just be a mess.

You either have backer board or plywood under the thinset.  You have would really grind off thinset in this scenario but you can:

pry up the first layer of subfloor and redo it.
try to hit it with a heavy scraper.
and what I would try first... pound it out.  Most thinset will disengage with heavy vibration.  Try a hammer or mallet on a small area.  Strike the thinset repetitively pretty hard in a circle pattern.  See if you get some chunks disengaging after the first few minutes.  If this works it get much easier after you start.


Best way to run 40 lan cables in loft style office I have a project to run around 40 lan cables in loft style office. The office don't have any conduit attached to ceiling at all. The location of RJ45 Jacks is multiple.
I wonder what is the best nice way to run all this cables to multiple locations in tight budget? I was thinking about floor corners (how to attach and protect it?) - but the 40 cables seems pretty big to hide it. J-Hooks and wall - there is a doors, windows and columns, I doubt it will look good. Was thinking to run them attached in center of ceiling, and here is a questions:
1) Should I put it in conduit by code or can run just tied all together set of cables.
2) Should I attach it close to ceiling or just suspend it? If so - how?
Here is a picture of the office:

And here is my plan,

So center line is like 40 cables and each branch from center line have like 4-10 cables. Was thinking about plastic wiremold, but can't find so thick to have 4-10 or 40 cables inside. The pipes you see it is fire sprinkler pipes.

Thank you.

You won't want conduit, as you'd need a huge pipe to fit 40 cables.  Instead, the common solution is to use cable tray.

It's available from many manufacturers, in many sizes, styles, and colors. Follow the mounting, and installation instructions for the particular product you choose.


Grout clogging up drain in bathtub I believe the person (idiot) who remodeled the home I recently purchased let the grout and other construction material he used to rehab the bathroom go down the drain.  I believe it has dried in the pipe and there is only a very small opening for water to drain through.  The house is a slab, so I can't get to the pipe under the tub.  Is there anything I can use to dissolve the grout so that the water will drain faster.  He obviously didn't know what he was doing as the tile is already bulging behind the faucet.

I have used a Powerful Wet/Dry Vac for loose pieces before, if that is not the case, and the Grout is a solid piece, Go to the hardware shop and buy a small bottle of Hydrochloric acid, it’s also called Muriatic acid in some places.

Dilute the acid with water (2 parts water, 1 part muriatic acid) and pour it down your drain. You may need the repeat the process a couple of times still the grout is dissolved and flushed away.
Make sure you wear eye, skin and breathing protection. Turn the bathroom fan on and open the windows. When you pour it down the drain leave the room straight away and close the door, come back in about 10 minutes and turn the water on the flush the drain.
If you are not confident doing that get someone else who has had experience with this type of acid. Hydrochloric acid is used a lot on building sites the clean and remove grout.
What I would try first is get the contractor back to your place and have him do it for you. That’s the least he can do for you. If he won’t come back I’m afraid you will have to do the job.


How should I insulate a bedroom in the attic? After doing lots of research and reading lots of different opinions I would like to know what is the best way to insulate and vent a 1 1/2 story house that has a bedroom upstairs in the roof/attic area. I live in Minnesota and want to know the proper way to do this so the upstairs bedroom stays warm in the winter and cool in the summer without having to worry about ice dams or lost heating/cooling air.
Here is an image i found that diagrams two different methods

(source: dspinspections.com)

The picture isn't really two different methods, but two different plans.  It's one method (soffit at the bottom and ridge at the top).  The only difference is what you actually insulate - and it's the same thing.  Insulate anything that you want kept at "livable" temperature, since it will be part of the conditioned envelope of the house, keeping in mind that the larger you make that area, the more heating and cooling you're doing.  We did a blog post on this subject as well, check out http://diy.blogoverflow.com/2011/12/resuscitating-the-roof-providing-adequate-roof-ventilation/


How to undo an union on sacrificial anode? I was planning to inspect (and possibly replace) the sacrificial anode rod on my water heater. However, the union from the cold water supply to the rod looks differently from what I saw elsewhere. In particular, there is some kind of compound on the threads. What is it? Can I simply use a wrench to undo the union, or do I need to remove the compound somehow first? What should I use to remove it (either before undoing the union or afterward, before using PTFE tape to seal the union again)?

What you are assuming is the anode rod appears to be your hot water outlet. The anode rod should be under that plastic cap you see in the pic toward the back of the water heater. Removing the plastic cap should expose the top of the anode rod which will require a   1 1/16" socket wrench to remove.
Before you do this be sure to close the water inlet into the water heater shut down the heating element and depressurize the tank. When reinstalling the anode you can use pipe thread dope or teflon tape on the threads.


Good technique for squaring-up hardwood edges? I'm building a small shelf for organising my desk, using sections of 42mm*19mm hardwood. I've cut the pieces to appropriate length using a hand saw, allowing some tolerance for the kerf. Now I'd like to ensure the cut ends are square.

Using a sanding block with some garnet paper, and a try square for checking, I'm trying to shape the cut edges. However, I'm finding it difficult to get a good perpendicular line with the sanding; it seems that I'm rounding the end off too much, rather than sanding perfectly perpendicular to the piece.

Back in high school woodwork class, we'd do this with a disc sander mounted into a solid table, ensuring that the sanding is done in a flat plane. Unfortunately, having left high school some 13 years ago, I no longer have access to one of these.

So, does anyone have a good technique for sanding the edges square? Or should I give up on sanding and use some other method? Or bite the bullet and buy a small disc sander?

You don't say what saw you used to cut the wood, but if you use a tenon saw you should get a cleaner cut in the first place that requires less sanding. This is because the saw has finer teeth for a smoother cut and a stiffening spine that means you get a straighter cut.

Clamping a second piece of wood to use as a guide is another alternative.

Alternatively you could use a plane to remove the excess wood - but make sure that you clamp a piece of scrap wood to the end of the plank to avoid it splitting:

------> direction of plane
+---------+---+
|         |   |
|    ^    |   | <- Scrap
|    |    |   |
|    |    |   |
  direction of grain


Latex paint peeling off oil based paint. How do I apply a new layer of paint? As I understand it, a few years ago, latex paint was applied on top of oil based paint.

The top layer of paint is now peeling off. Would like to apply a new coat of latex paint, but I'm unsure how to proceed.

Do I need to sand?
Should I apply a primer?
Some other process?

Thanks!

Painting over a glossy oil paint is indeed different than painting over an oil primer. I just came from a customers's home where the seller did the former - you can literally pull sheets of the paint off the trim. Maybe there are better latex paints that tend to adhere more strongly and you can get away with putting them over oil, but I'd never do it.

Don't take the chance. Either stick with oil-based paint on trim that already has it, or sand and prime first before switching to latex.


Can I use a Sharkbite connector to join copper to rubber pipe? Can I use a Sharkbite connector to connect a copper pipe to a rubber tube instead of PVC pipe?  I am trying to make an outdoor drinking fountain. I have run black flexible piping up to a copper T-joint and want to connect the two pieces.

Can I use a SharkBite connector to do this?

SharkBite® only officially supports 4 types of pipe, according to the FAQ

Q:  What types of pipe can SharkBite fittings be used with?
A:  SharkBite fittings are certified for use with:

Copper pipe hard drawn Type K, L and M and annealed Type M not to exceed 3/8 nominal, complying with ASTM B88
PEX pipe complying with ASTM F 876 or CSA B137.5
CPVC pipe complying with ASTM D 2846 or CSA B137.6
PE-RT pipe complying with ASTM F 276

If you're trying to use the fittings with other types of pipe or tube, there's no guarantee that it will work.

If you're plumbing a drinking fountain, you'll want to make sure you use materials listed and labeled for use with potable water. "Rubber hose" is not a technical term, so there's no way to tell what type of pipe it actually is. So before you continue this project, you'll want to figure out exactly what type of pipe you're using, and make sure it's safe to use with drinking water.
Since this fixture is going to be outside, you also might want to consider installing a check valve somewhere on the supply plumbing. This is done to protect the rest of the water supply, to help reduce the risk of contamination.


pex manifold no cold water in showers after hot water turned off I recently had a second leak happen in a water heater, it is currently disconnected from the house (we are on cold water only). We have a pex manifold system in the house, this is a new one because the original one developed a leak.

Rundown: original water heaters quit,
         installed tankless water heater,
         shut off water to the house,
         turned it back on to discover the manifold had a crack from the
                factory,
         new manifold and tankless water heater put in,
         tankless water heater developed leaks (in coils),
         shut off water to the house,
         waiting for parts so no hot water, turn water back on,
         but also no cold water in showers, cold runs fine everwhere else

When I shut off the water to the water heater the first time - I had full pressure on the cold side, but now with the new manifold installed I have no cold water in the showers.

What could have happened?

Summarizing comments:

You have thermostatic mixing valves.  They must have equal pressure incoming on both hot and cold feeds.

You solved by feeding cold water to box pipes while waiting for your hot water heater parts.


Does it matter if the power in goes into fixture before switch? I have a basic understanding of electrical and have been trying to learn as much as I can over the past few weeks.

I bought a house with a basement that a few light bulbs on pull down switches with the power going into the first light closest to the breaker.

At the very end of the line with the last light I was planning on replacing that light fixture with an outlet box and adding a switch to control the outlet box after looking a lot of things up I notice that standard practice is having the power in go into a switch first then into any fixtures, I also saw that you can still wire everything if it goes fixture then switch but that seemed rare.

So what I was wondering, is it better to rerun the wire to my switch first or is going into a fixture first then a switch perfectly fine and not just a hack that works?

What you are proposing is called a switched neutral and is not a good idea, as well as being against code. The problem is that if you turn off the switch, there is still power being applied to the light fixture. If you go to, for example, replace a broken light bulb (where the base was left in the socket), even with the switch off, you could be electrocuted!

You should add the wire loop so that you can switch the hot side.


Water leaking up the stem on the main water shutoff valve There is a leak (and getting worst) where water is coming up the stem on the main water valve (angled globe valve I think). I know I may be able to fix this by tightening the gland nut, but I cant find the gland nut! I have attached the photo, can anyone help?

The alternative is to get the water authorities to come out and close the value which is somewhere on the street. They'll charge $120 for doing this and wont let me do it. I then would need to have a plumber present at the same time, to replace the value and then have the water people turn the water back on. The total cost will probably be several hundred dollars. Ouch. The leak is not increasing my water bill since it is before the meter, so I have kind of not been paying attention.

Your help is very much appropriated.

Tightening the packing nut (the large nut that is visible with six facets) would be the only option I know of. This valve is the water company's responsibility where I live. I assume you've inquired.
Hope this helps.


How many "zones" should my underfloor heating system have? We're putting underfloor heating in our new apartment. On top will be a wooden floor for most of the apartment, stone/tiles in bathrooms and probably also in part of kitchen.

The constructor said that three zones would be enough:

Red zone (office and dining room)
Yellow zone (entrance, kitchen and large bathroom
Green zone (bedrooms, hallway and small bathroom)

Is this a fair and sufficient distribution of zones?

Usually 3 zones is plenty for a single story structure of this size. In this case I think your contractor has given you good advice.  The distribution is to like living areas which is good. Obviously, more zones allow more flexibility and control, but the costs of equipment and labor rise as more zones are added.


Home electronics break daily and wiring is OK. Any ideas? We have a very old house, circa 1850-1900. It seems that as often as every week we have had to replace an electronic device. In the past six months, we have had to in total, replace:

1 washing machine
1 refrigerator
1 PC motherboard (of my custom PC)
1 laptop
3 laptop chargers
4 hard drives
1 tv
1 monitor
1 Nvidia shield remote
1 PLC controller board
4 modems and routers
1 plug in smoke alarm

I tested all outlets in the house for voltage, they all test 108-120 volts, AC. Within reason, correct? Under full load, every circuit stays above 108 volts. Polarity is correct on all plugs but one, which is never used. All electronics (that can be) are protected by at least a 2000 joule surge protector, a piece.

No one in my family knows what is going on. Most of the insulation is tar, and hemp, however, there seems to be nothing wrong with the circuit, as I said. I have taken every measure (that I know of) myself to diagnose my problem, but came back empty handed. Any suggestions?

The only other thing I could say is that my area seems to be really weird with electromagnetic radiation. Half of the time, we can't get a local radio station broadcasted no more than 20 miles away. We can't get any AM half the time either. Could there be something there? Or would it just be something to have FirstEnergy look at?

No, 108V is NOT "within reason". You have all the symptoms of a VERY SERIOUS power wiring problem. You should consult a licensed electrician immediately before your house burns down. The symptoms you describe suggest that your power wiring could catch your house on fire at any moment.  Seriously, this is not something to fool around with.


Possible damaged fridge, low/high voltage throughout the house I'm not sure what is happening but it seems that maybe there was a short-circuit, and now when my fridge is plugged in, the voltage levels in the whole house change.

The two phases in the main circuit breaker panel normally show about 122v / 122v (balanced).  When I plug in the fridge or turn on its breaker, the two phases show 106v and 133v.  There is a visible change in lighting and audible change in fans.  The fridge doesn't seem to start either.

Now this morning (after going all night with the fridge unplugged) I'm noticing the same problem resulting from the coffee maker.  As the heating element cycles in/out, the voltage throughout the house is changing.

What would be happening that causes the voltage issue throughout the house?  What could have been damaged to cause a problem that affects circuits throughout the house?

Turn everything off and call your electric company and tell them that you have a floating neutral.

This is a very dangerous condition and rates an emergency response. It is beyond the ability of the homeowner to safely repair.


Is it wrong to connect the red ceiling wire to the blue wire on my receiver for the remote and the blue wire from the fan? I have installed a ceiling fan with a light kit and remote control. I connected all the wires as per instructions but, there is a red wire coming from the box that is extra. I connected it to the blue wire coming from the receiver and the blue wire on the fan motor. I have two wall switches, one for light and one for fan. Everything works fine but, I am worried about the connection of the red wire causing an electrical fire in the future because I know it is a 'hot' wire and I just guessed at what to do with it. Should I have just capped it off?

You should have capped it, or connected it to either the black or blue from the ceiling fan only.  The remote receiver takes power from the switch (black and white input leads), and outputs power to the light (blue output lead), the fan (black output lead), or both.

With the black wire from the ceiling connected to the receiver, one of the switches will supply power to the receiver. With the red from the ceiling connected to the receiver, the other switch would power the receiver.

If you connected the black wire from the ceiling to the receiver, and the red wire from the ceiling to the black wire from the ceiling fan. One switch would control the receiver,  and the other would control the fan. In this case the black (output) wire from the receiver should be capped off.

If you connected the black wire from the ceiling to the receiver, and the red wire from the ceiling to the blue wire from the ceiling fan.  One switch would Connell the receiver, and the other would control the lights.  In this case the blue (output) wire from the receiver should be capped off.


How do I identify this square light fitting so I can replace the globe I'd like to know of this light fitting is a standard type of light fitting (and if so, what is it called), and whether or not I'd be likely to find an existing globe / cover that mounts over the fitting. In case it's relevant to identify the fitting, I'm in Australia.

The bracket is a square piece of metal that hangs out from the wall, with the outer edges of the square measuring 20cmx20cm and the inner edges measuring 16cmx16cm with two small notches in the bottom edge.

Save yourself a lot of trouble, and purchase an entirely new fixture.
If nothing else you'll get more light out of it (note the rather limited reflector at the back of the luminary).

In our throwaway and style driven world, models change and few companies provide spare parts.


Is it possible to convert an octagonal electrical box so that it can house 2 Duplex outlets without changing the shape of the box? I currently have 1 Duplex outlet installed in an octagonal box mounted on the ceiling.  I need to add another outlet to make it a 2 gang.  However, I can't find a cover that will hold a 2 gang outlet for octagonal box.  Is this possible without changing the box?

This product by Hubbell is about the only thing I can think of that will provide the equivalent of a two-gang duplex (quad) receptacle on an octagon box.

http://ecatalog.hubbell-wiring.com/press/pdfs/H4416R.pdf

Amazon.com even has them: http://www.amazon.com/Hubbell-HBL415BK-4-Plex-Receptacle-5-15R/dp/B00NGPR9MI/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1440803585&sr=8-15&keywords=hubbell+4-plex


How do I run wiring past this octagon box? I have a 4" x 1-1/2" octagon box with 1/2" and 3/4" knockouts mounted to a 2x4" rafter in my shed located in Indiana.
I'm putting a NEMA 5-20 outlet in the box and I'll have a switch-controlled 12/2 NM-B going into the box to supply power and another leaving the box to supply power to the next box.
I need to run another 12/2 NM-b past the box to provide power to another box in another location. Unfortunately, as you can see by the picture, the 4" octagon completely covers the 2x4 so there's no room to slide the cable past on the outside of the box.
The options I've come up with:

Run the "passing through" cable through the box behind the outlet. Do I have enough room to do this without over filling the box and is there enough room in the 3/8" grommets to allow this? This seems to be the easiest, at least until it's time to stuff everything into the box...

Repeat the above, but rotate the box so I've got the 3/4" knockouts in the direction of cable travel. Again, not difficult until it's time to put the outlet in the box & put a lid on it.

Drill a hole through the rafter on either side of the box and run the "passing through" cable to the other side of the rafter, then back to "this" side. Note that "either side of the box" could be near the top & bottom of the rafter so the cable makes almost the entirety of its run on the other side of the rafter. Not terribly difficult, but doesn't seem as "neat and tidy" or "professional looking".

Run the cable along the bottom of the rafter as it bypasses the box. The shed will remain unfinished as long as I own it, so there won't be any concern about this interfering with interior covering, however, this wiring is above a loft storage area, so it would be more susceptible to bumps and bangs from boxes and other things being put into and taken out of the loft. Quite easy, but just seems... wrong.

Which of these is code acceptable? As a "bonus", opinion-based question, how would our resident pros do this or want to see it done?
Here's a "head on" view of the box showing that there's no room to squeeze another cable past without going through, behind or below.

Any reason you can't install a 2"x4"x2.5" deep junction box horizontally at this location and just run your additional 12/2 above the box?


How to properly caulk a plastic shower? I have installed a 3 piece plastic shower wall liner and the two vertical seams require caulk.  I've caulked them with GE Silicon II bath and shower caulk multiple times but it always pulls away from the plastic after a short time (1-3 months) leaving a crack between the plastic and the caulk.

I have a theory that it's either a change in temperature causing the walls to expand (the walls get really cold in the winter, but heat up when a shower is taken), or that the plastic is really smooth and doesn't get a good 'stick' to to caulk, ..or obviously something else.

How can I caulk these seams so that it doesn't pull away from the plastic?

The most likely reason is that this specific caulk doesn't have good adhesion to the specific plastic. The problem is solved by using some other caulk - the best bet is to figure out which plastic you have and look for caulk that claims "adhesion to X" where X is your plastic.

I had a similar problem once - otherwise very useful Henkel sealant that adhered to tile so good I had to cut if off with a knife wouldn't hold on PVC window frames. I changed the sealant to the one that claimed adhesion to PVC and it still holds perfectly.

Btw maybe elastic silicone sealant is a better fit for the application you describe.


How do I build shelves on non-square (>90 degrees) walls? I want to build shelves into an alcove, but the corners are not square. What is the best approach to this?

"Not square" can mean two different things: not a right-angle, or rounded.

If the walls are not at right angles, you can use a T-bevel to measure the angle between the walls.  If you don't have a T-bevel, you can hold a piece of light cardboard against one wall and fold it so the crease is against the other, which you can use as a template for cutting the shelves.

If the corners are rounded, I'd use the cardboard again: estimate the radius of the corner, cut a quarter-circle of that radius, and check how well it fits into the corner.  If necessary, adjust the estimate and repeat.  Then use the quarter-circle as the template.


Sewage coming out of concrete in basement floor My basement has been flooding a little (1-inch or so pooled around a ~20 square foot area) for the past week or so. Whenever I pump out the water, new water starts seeping back in from through the concrete in the floor. It appears to be sewage (seems to have some toilet paper etc. in it) although it's hard to tell. It doesn't smell as bad as I assume sewage would (smells more like a muddy pond than feces), but who knows.

My question is: Can a sewer back up like this? There is no drain or clean out in the area that is backing up. There are cleanouts in other parts of the basement, but they are all dry. Is it possible that a pipe buried in the concrete floor has failed, and sewage is seeping up out of that and through the floor? If so, why would it back up out of the pipe and into the floor, but not out of cleanouts?

Also worth noting is that the water seems to stay at a certain level consistently: If I pump it out, it will come back up to a certain level, then stay at that level until I pump it out again. Doesn't seem to get deeper over time, which I assume it would if it were the sewer backing up.

Also may worth noting is that the house has old cast-iron drain pipes, and it once had integrated storm gutters that connected to the storm sewer system (so it's possible those are backing up, not the sanitary sewer).

I think that it is very like to almost surely that your basement is related to the city sewer drain being full. Note that while it is often referred to as the sewer or sewer system, it does not contain sewage but rather it is for rain water runoff. The system that carries waste water from your home is (depending somewhat where you live in the world) a completely separate system.

So the good news that the water in your basement is probably not sewage but just rain water. Which explains the lack of smell. The particles that look suspicious might just be dirt or other debris from the basement (these can't go through concrete anyway)

If you have not contacted your city about the water situation then I would do so, and tell them the situation and that it's flooding your basement.


Loud noise from outdoor unit several seconds after AC turns off I haven't been able to find anyone online with quite this issue... I have a Carrier heat pump system, and through the winter it would often make that torpedo noise when heating the house (I later learned this is defrost mode to melt condensation that has frozen). It seems my AC system goes into defrost mode more than necessary, as I live in Florida and the temperatures are rarely below freezing, even at night. I do remember reading that humidity alters the freezing point somewhat. I also read there's a hack to get defrost mode to turn on only when necessary, rather than when the system "thinks" there is ice buildup.

Anyway, now that it's the hottest time of the year, I periodically hear a similar torpedo-shooting-like sound come from the outdoor unit. This happens several seconds (about 10 seconds) after the exhaust fan turns off. I have a Nest thermostat and so the air handler fan will run for a minute or so after the outdoor unit turns off. This noise is not made every time the outdoor unit shuts off, and seems to only happen at night, when my thermostat moves the temp from 78 to 74.

The only info I could find was that a spring was bad in the compressor, and it's a sealed unit so replacing it would mean replacing the whole outdoor unit. Is this a good use of my home warranty (it is covered)? Assuming this is something I can ignore, it is next to my bedroom window, and wakes me up at night.

If there is a bad spring in the compressor , the compressor can be replaced, you do not have to replace everything.
  In cooling mode the outside unit should never need a defrost the condensing coils are actually hot, if there is any ice it would normally be on the suction line and is normally caused from a low charge but an over charge can also cause icing.
As far as the torpedo noise I am not sure what you are describing but if non compressibles (air) has gotten into the system it can sound louder as the high side pressure drops once the compressor stops. With the noise and possible icing it is time to call a tech and make sure your unit has a proper Freon or refrigerant charge. As far as a home warranty if it is covered you should use it but at this point a service call is needed to identify what the problem is. You should get a recording of the noise so the tech can hear it it could be something like the reversing valve opening since you mentioned the temp set back but that is a guess, as It is really the only thing I can think of that would really dump the pressure and make a noise intermittently.


Small caulk holes around new windows I'm trying to determine how strict to be when reviewing a contractors work.

We had new windows installed, which involved caulking around the outside, between the vinyl window and the new wood siding. There are places where there are small holes in the caulk. It seems like even a small hole defeats the purpose of having any caulk at all, since now water can get in.

Is 95% coverage good enough, or should it be 100%? Are a few 3 mm gaps here and there an issue I should bring up, or is that reasonable and expected with this type of work?

If it is a place where water can get in, it needs to be touched up. There are places where caulk should not be used so it will act like a weep hole. Since there is no picture to see the condition of the caulk, I can only assume the missing caulk is in a place where water can get in.


Are all epoxy created equal? I'm under mounting a sink to a slab of granite and there many different brands of epoxy. Is one better for this type of job?

Absolutely not. Epoxies are formulated for different cure times, cure temperatures, bonding to different materials, performance in various extreme environments, etc. That said, amongst the various hardware store 5 minute general purpose epoxies, I doubt there is a lot of difference between brands. I know nothing of the specifics for this application, I would expect there is a specific adhesive to use and recommended by the sink manufacturer. If not, I would check with the stone supplier for recommendations.


Safe to mix wire gauges when installing dimmer switch? I've purchased a Lutron dimmer switch (DVWCL-153PH-WH) to install for ceiling mounted LED lighting. The wires for the current switch are 12 gauge with a 20A circuit breaker while the dimmer switch wires are 16-18 gauge (didn't measure precisely, but significantly thinner).

Is it safe to join these different gauge wires together with wire nuts? Haven't installed a dimmer switch before so not sure if this is standard.

The wire that comes on the switch / dimmer is UL listed for use on 15 & 20 amp circuits. They have a wattage limit many around 600W for incandescent / halogen type lights and 150W for the led type this is the limiting factor with dimmers put two many lights on the dimmer and they get hot and usually will shutdown if they don't have thermal limiterss the electronics in the switch fail before the wire is damaged so you are ok in this case joining the smaller factory installed wires from the switch to your 12 AWG wire.


What is the difference between an electronic and a magnetic ballast? The ballast in my bathroom burned out (brand new bulb won't light up).  Looking online, it seems that there are two different types of ballasts: electronic and magnetic.

I recently replaced my kitchen ballast, and the new one was much lighter than the old one.  I assume that is because the new ballast is electronic and the old one was magnetic.  Other than weight, what is the difference in terms of reliability, longevity, efficiency, etc.?

Reduced Weight
As you've noticed, electronic ballasts are lighter.
Reduced Lamp Flicker
Because the electronic ballast operates at a higher cycle rate, flicker is less noticeable.
Quieter Operation
Again, because of the high cycle rate, hum is reduced.
More Efficient
Magnetic ballasts can have losses between 5-25%, while electronic ballasts have better current control making them more efficient.
No Starters Required
Magnetic ballasts required a starter to get the lamp lit, electronic ballasts do not require a starter.
Higher Price
Electronic ballasts are typically more expensive, though you may find that this is no longer a problem.


How do I repair a bedside Lamp? My beloved bedside lamp fell down, on the carpet, so it wasn't a big hit, and stopped working. Now, I tried to replace the bulb, but it doesn't change anything. Since this had happened to me another time in the recent past, I thought it would be useful to ask here a few things:

What is the best way to make my lamp re-usable not spending more than the cost of a new lamp?

Lamp repair is very sensitive to the value of the lamp to you - buying a new lamp or a new-to-you used lamp can often be cheaper than new repair parts, much less assigning a value to your labor. Of course, some new lamps are junk quality brand-new, so...

One method that can work is to transfer parts from a yard sale/thrift-shop lamp, if you find one with the electrical parts in good shape but unloved and low priced for other reasons, like being terminally ugly.

Having been tearing the things apart and putting them together for decades, starting when I was a kid, I'm a lousy source for "how to websites" and I'll let someone who came to it later take a stab at that part.


Does my Water-Heater stand need to be metal or fire rated drywall? I have a water heater that is on a plywood stand over 18" high. Does the stand need to be replaced with a metal stand or fire rated drywall?

There certainly are codes written for how to install appliances, especially gas ones. There is also specific rules for how to install drinking water appliances, so in the course of a Water Heater, you have both.

Here is an example (google) for Las Vegas Nevada. That is just an example. You should check your local county/town ordinance and verify their rules. Also, check your water heater model # and read the manufacturers guidelines.

I'm not too sure why you would use drywall for a stand? Is there a different portion of the question you meant to ask? You would not want to frame a stand out of Drywall. Conversely, Making a stand out of plywood works, but only if it meets code and is well built to hold the load of the water + tank weight + some % buffer (say, 25% SWAG).

Anyways, here is a really good discussion on this very topic here: How high to raise water heater above floor?

Oh, I almost forgot - based on code & manufacturer, you may not have to raise it at all, but the cinder block approach is pretty foolproof.


What kind of screws in to pressure treated plywood? I am making hurricane panels for my house using the technique described here.

The plywood I purchased is pressure treated. The sliding bolts are zinc, so I assume the screws that came with them are also zinc. Is this ok, or should I be using different screws and/or bolts?

They are not actually zinc, but zinc-coated steel, also known as galvanized steel.

The treated-wood industry recommends the use of hot-dip galvanized or stainless steel fasteners for use with treated wood.  Electroplated/electro-galvanized and mechanically-galvanized coatings should not be considered to be hot-dip galvanized. (Class 55, or higher, mechanical galvanizing provides galvanizing equivalent to the hot-dip galvanizing used on connectors and fasteners.)

Source: Strong-Tie's pressure-treated wood FAQ, which has additional information about various kinds of pressure-treated wood, galvanized steel, and stainless steel.


Can I prevent my tub faucet from leaking by diverting the water to the shower, and shutting off the shower head? So, my tub faucet is leaking. I live in an apt and I'm not too sure when the landlord is actually going to get this issue fixed. Right now, there is a steady, light stream of water coming out of the faucet. I know fixing this would be pretty easy , but I don't have access to my water heater, etc so I can't do it myself. To temporarily stop the faucet from leaking until it actually gets fixed, I found I could divert water to the shower head and turn off the flow of water with the flow control on the shower head. This results in dripping from both the shower head and the tub faucet, which is less than the stream with no water diverted to the shower head. My question is, is there any consequence to temporarily slowing the leak like this? I'm just concerned that there could be some sort of pressure build up or something that could affect the pipes or something.

Diverting the leak up to the shower head using the diverter valve should not be a problem, but your assumption that fixing it will be "pretty easy" may not prove to be true. You are correct in that hot and cold supply to the tub/shower valve needs to be shut off. Sometimes apartment shower valves have built in shut-off valves called integral stops.

Sometimes apartments are equipped with individual remote shut-offs. Sometimes the whole building will need to be shut down.
Removing the valves may require special tools like deep valve sockets.

The repair may be simple washer replacement or may require more complicated cartridge replacement.

I do recommend that you try it but make sure your landlord is cool with it in case something breaks, and have back up shower facilities available in case it ends up being out of service for a while.


About how much would replacing a septic tank cost me? We recently had our septic system inspected and were informed that the tanks themselves were shot and would need to be replaced.  I'm in the process of getting estimates but in the meantime, I was wondering if someone could describe the procedure and ballpark costs.  I assume we're talking about several thousands of dollars.

Additional Information:

House is located in Aptos, CA
House is located on a mostly flat lot (9000 sq ft) and is elevated up from street.  Front-yard is small and that's where the current septic tank is located.
House is 48 years old
Existing septic tank is concrete and 2250 gallons (according to inspections).
Still waiting to complete details in report.

I found some rough estimates at costhelper.com

  Installing/replacing a conventional
  septic system (including the tank)
  averages  $2,000 -$5,000 in the
  Midwest, but can be  $4,000 -$12,000
  or more in areas where materials and
  labor rates are higher.

  Enhanced, engineered or alternative
  septic systems that use mounds,
  sand/peat filters, aerobic systems
  and/or constructed wetlands can cost
  $10,000 -$20,000 or more, according to
  the Rhode Island Regional Water
  Quality Program. These alternative
  septic systems work better than the
  conventional approach for sites with
  high groundwater or slowly/rapidly
  percolating soil, or near drinking
  water supplies, wetlands, coastal
  ponds or other water resources.

  The cost of a septic tank alone runs
  about $500 -$1,800 depending on size
  (ranging from 300-1,000 gallons) and
  type. Piping and other needed items
  adds another $100 -$200 to the total
  cost of materials.


Can I use OSB or plywood instead of 1x6 boards to hang metal panels? I'm going to be putting up two louvered panels that will hold plastic hanging bins (think akro-bin type). I won't be able to mount the panels on studs, so I'm trying to decide if I should mount regular boards or OSB behind the panels. The panels weigh 11lbs each, and I'll probably have no more than a 100-150lbs of stuff in all the bins.

If I go with OSB, I would put up something larger than the panels do it would easy to mount  other things from this area later. But, I'm concerned OSB isn't strong enough to support the weight. Is it?

UPDATE (I moved my "answer" to here and expanded it for other to find): I ended up using two 5ft x 2ft x 5/8in panels made of pine rather than OSB. They are screwed into three wall studs. I ended up with way less than 100lbs hanging on it.

Yes, OSB or plywood would be a suitable substructure. It will distribute the load and create a stable mounting surface for your assembly. OSB is similarly strong to plywood and can be  more uniform, depending on the grade of plywood. Its drawback is its susceptibility to swelling and flaking due to repeated moisture exposure.

Individual boards are less solid as a system and you may end up with concentrated loads. That said, if they're mounted solidly, they could carry substantial weight as well.

The key is that the anchors you use in the substructure need to be adequate to grab sufficiently in only 1/2" of material. Larger diameter screws substantially increase pullout strength.


How to keep two water tanks have maintain the same water level? My home has two water tanks (side by side), one used by the owner and one used by us. Unfortunately for us, the owner has a good supply of water and we don't. I have asked him to connect the two tanks at the bottom through a pipe so that we too would get enough water, but he doesn't want to as he thinks its too much work.
Now, I am looking for a way to connect the two tanks somehow, so that the water level in them is the same at all times. I know that I can use a pipe to suck out water and put it in my tank to level the tanks temporarily. However, this doesn't work in the long run. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Edit:
These two tanks are on the top of a three storied building.

Note: this answer is for pressurized plumbing of two hot water tanks. Rereading the question I'm pretty sure it's an incorrect assumption so I'm only leaving it here in case it helps someone with this problem.

The typical way to do this is to run the two tanks in serial instead of parallel. You would connect the output of one tank to the input of the other. I've seen this with a solar and electric tank combination. The solar tank was there to preheat the water, and the electric was the second tank that would run on cloudy days. Connecting the two tanks is quite complicated if you need the ability to bypass either tank. Here's a quick ascii art of what I've seen:

         +----X------+--- Hot
         |           |
Cold --+------X----+ |
       | |         | O
       O +----O----+ |
       | |         | |
       C H         C H
       WH1         WH2

The X are closed valves, O are open valves, C is cold input to a WH, H is hot output from a WH. The valve setup that is shown here is for the cold input for the home to go to WH1, back out the hot, into WH2, and back out the hot to the hot line for the house.

You could simplify this if you don't need the ability to isolate one of the water heaters:

Cold --+             +--- Hot
       |             |
       O +---------+ |
       | |         | |
       C H         C H
       WH1         WH2

The nice thing about having the water heaters setup in serial is that you can completely turn one off and still have hot water available to the entire home, just in lesser quantity. And in times of high demand, having both heaters running can get the water back to the high temperature twice as fast.


does an inside the cabinet outlet need gfci? I have an outlet inside a base cabinet that powers the downdraft for the cooktop.
It trips the gfci on the counter from which it is fed.
Can I feed this cabinet outlet which only serves the downdraft without gfci protection?

There are some rare kitchen GFCI exceptions - e.g., refrigerator, but only when it is a single receptacle (not the usual duplex), but I doubt the downdraft would get an exemption because there is no real basis for that - as opposed to a refrigerator where there is a real risk of serious harm (both monetary and health) due to spoilage.

But more importantly, if it is tripping the GFCI then you very likely have an actual Ground Fault. Fix the problem, don't bypass it. I would be particularly concerned with a downdraft because things happen fast when cooking - spills & thrills & wet hands & steam - not a good place to have an actual ground fault within easy reach.


Reducing voltage drop to shed I ran about 90 feet of direct burial 14/2 wire from an existing breaker box from a 20 amp breaker to my new breaker box also 20 amp. I had everything done but now it is tripping the breaker in the new shed and the original breaker box. It was told it was from a voltage drop because the wire is not long enough. Is there anyway to correct this without running new wire and digging everything up? I also have the option to run the original line out from a 220 breaker but don't know if that will fix it or if I need to add some form of voltage converter to the breaker so I run the additional plugs with out burning them up or causing damage. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

You are using the wrong wire

I ran about 90 feet of direct burial 14/2 wire from an existing breaker box from a 20 amp breaker to my new breaker box also 20 amp.

For 20 Amp, you normally need 12/2 wire, not 14/2. 14/2 is for 15 Amp circuits. Do you need bigger wire (e.g., 10/2 for 120 V or 10/3 for 240 V)? I'm not sure, that depends on how much of an issue there really is with the voltage drop, and also depending on what equipment you are actually using (or planning to use in the future) at the end of the cable.


Can you mount a floor-standing bookcase on the wall and which fittings would you use? Is it possible to mount what should be a floor-standing storage unit on the wall?  I am redoing my kitchen and have found a large oak bookcase with doors that I wanted to mount on the wall but I wasn't sure if it would be too heavy.  We have solid walls.  And what fixings would you recommend?

Dimensions: 196cm x 175cm x 39cm

You don't say how high off the floor you'd like this cabinet mounted. To mount the cabinet properly on the wall, you'll have two forces you must counteract properly. If you fail to counteract either of the forces, you'll hear a crash sound.

From this point on, when I say cabinet, I mean the cabinet and the heaviest contents it would ever have.

Force 1: The weight of the cabinet. This is a shear force. It wants to slide the cabinet down the wall.

Force 2: the tension (pulling force) caused by the weight of the front of the cabinet. This is strongest at the top of the cabinet, and would want to pull screws out of the wall. This is probably a much smaller force.

To counteract the shear force #1, consider adding back legs to the cabinet. This could be as simple as cutting a piece of plywood as wide as the cabinet and as high as the gap between the floor and the cabinet's bottom. The weight of the cabinet will press down on the plywood, which will press on the floor. We'll assume the floor can carry the weight of the cabinet (and the plywood!).

Alternately, you may be able to only screw a shorter strip of wood to your wall (a rail). This strip might be 5 cm tall plywood, slightly narrower than the width of your cabinet. You'd use strong screws fastened into wood behind your wall covering. This is how Elfa closet systems hang from closet walls- using a rail or cleat.

To counteract the tension force #2, you could put front legs on the cabinet, but that defeats the hanging look. Instead, you can use screws that resist pulling out and screw them through the back of the cabinet into wood behind your wall covering. Keep these points in mind:

The back of the cabinet must also be securely fastened to the cabinet sides and top. If not, the cabinet will tear off the wall, leaving the back of the cabinet nicely attached to the wall. Not a good result.
The screw heads must be large enough not to tear through the cabinet back material. If the cabinet back material is paperboard, you will need a rail on the inside of the cabinet back to spread the force across the entire cabinet back. Otherwise, the cabinet back will tear around the screw. You'll see screws poking out of your wall with little bits of cabinet back stuck to them. Also not a good result.


Do old, dry boards continue to warp? I have a number of 2x12’s that have been exposed to Florida weather for about 8 years.
Because they have not warped, I wonder if I can expect them to remain relatively straight as deck boards?
I do not know the wood species, not yellow pine though.

Regardless of the wood species boards warp for several reasons. Primarily it's when a difference in moisture loss (or gain) occurs at different areas of the lumber. Grain direction also effects movement.
If your boards have been out of the elements for 8 years and have remained straight then they should remain so. I would be more concerned about the boards decaying at this point. Unless they are protected from rain and sunlight they will decay from fungus, termites and U.V damage.
Place them several inches off the ground with 2 x 4's (stickers ?) spaced about every 3 feet. Stack the boards tightly together (if dry) and than cover with an exterior tarp.
8 years is a lot of time for lumber to remain unscathed from the elements. They should be protected or used.


water drainage WHEN IT RAINS what is the best way to raise,my cement sidewalks level a couple of inches for better water drainage 2 1/2 feet W  X 20  ft length

The best way to raise a side walk of the type you describe is to remove the old one by breaking up the old one and hauling away the old material.

Then you prepare the base area with new fill to build up to the level needed. Note that it may be required to even replace some of the old base material if it was not properly prepared under the original sidewalk. One thing to look for is organics in the soil that can decompose over time leading to voids in the fill.

Finally the time comes to build the forms for the new sidewalk to define the size and top level of the replacement sidewalk. Before filling the forms with new concrete make sure to think about adding suitable wire mesh and/or rebar.

Try to avoid the short cut of just adding a few inches of concrete on top of the old sidewalk. The problem with doing this is that it does not last a long time, especially in areas with freezing weather. Water can seep into the joint area between the two layers. When it freezes it expands and can push the layers apart and even cause the relatively thin top layer to crack.


Identifying the conductors in a light fixture The lead on my chandelier was too long so I cut it, only to find the wires are not colored (there are 3 of them, all white).

Is there anyway I can still wire it up? I don't want to have to throw it away.

Generally, one of the three wires should be ground, one hot, and one neutral. You should be able to tell which is which by measuring the resistance from each to different parts of the chandelier using a voltmeter with a resistance scale. I'll assume that this chandelier uses standard screw-in bulbs.

First, a sanity check: none of the three wires should be connected to any other (i.e. there should be infinite resistance between any two of the wires).

The ground wire should be connected to the metal body of the chandelier. The hot wire should be connected to the button on the bottom of each lamp socket. The neutral wire should be connected to the threaded sleeve at the side of each lamp socket. (Here's an explanation of hot versus neutral in lamp sockets.)

Note: The chandelier may instead be wired with two hots and a neutral, with one hot going to a third of the bulbs and the other hot to the other two-thirds, giving an easy way to adjust brightness with a pair of switches. If you can't find a ground wire, you might check for this.

Having said all that, get the wiring wrong and you'll have a nice, suspended electrocution hazard. So, if you aren't confident you can figure this out correctly, and in particular if your test results don't make sense to you, do not let it slide; binning may be the way to go.


Can I install data wiring in a clothes closet? I want to add network drops to several rooms in my house, and have them connect to one point, preferably inside an existing closet. I would like to put a cable modem and a WiFi router in this closet, as well as a reasonably presentable method of the wires entering the closet (I would still like to be able to use the closet as a regular closet). I figure that I would need to run power, RG-6, and all the network drops to this panel.

Is this something that could be code compliant? If I don't have a designated place for data wiring, is there a preferred place to put things like this?

Possibly relevant information: The house is a concrete slab foundation, and PITA attic access. All existing wiring (electrical, phone, coax) is loose on top of the ceiling framing. The other "low voltage" signals for phone and coax have their own junction box on the outside of the house, so I wouldn't be re-running or really touching those.

The current solution being installed in new homes is a "structured media enclosure" that you can install between the studs in a closet wall. Since it's between the studs, you need to make sure nothing is currently running in that space today (although an outlet that's wired from below servicing the other side of the wall would be very convenient). You want this on an interior wall so that you're not dealing with insulation. The outlet is installed as part of the enclosure and the enclosure is covered to reduce the risk of clothing blocking vents and starting a fire.

Here's a sample enclosure:

See this question for photos and a discussion about typical wiring in one of these enclosures. Your patch panel for networking, phone splitter, cable splitter, router/modem are all installed inside the panel. Typically, electrical is wired from below and all the data wiring goes through access holes in the top. When closed, no wires come out the front of the panel, everything stays inside the wall and panel.

I'd also recommend installing an access panel in the ceiling of your closet to make it easier to fish new wiring, unless there is access from above. If you're going to open up a lot of walls/ceilings to fish the wiring, then you may also want to install some conduit to each of your drops in case you want to change this network in the future without opening everything up again.


garage door opener motor drive problem Ihave a 1988 Stanley dlux 1/3hp door opener that cracked the gear case where the worm gear engages the rest of the mechanism.  I replaced the gear case and there is nothing that is binding or seized, but the motor does not turn the drive gears.  When power is applied, the motor hums but it does not activate the drive.   In the process of changing the gear case I had to change the adjustment mechanism behind the circuit board in between the gear case and the circuit board.  I am wondering whether the up and down door mechanism is far enough out of adjustment to create my problem, or whether I should be looking for something else.
In the process of breaking down the mechanism did try to operate the door both up and down, which may have put it out of sequence.
I would appreciate any ideas and information.

Many garage door openers use fractional horsepower PSC motors.  These motors have a run capacitor that can get weak or go bad, reducing the motor's start and run torque below acceptable levels.  This is a very common failure with single phase HVAC equipment, too.

On garage door openers I have repaired for friends and family, units that displayed the symptoms you describe had a bad run capacitor.


Using angle grinder to shave wood? I have several 4-ft x 4"x4" pieces of wood, and I need to shave off a few millimeters of wood.

Can I use an angle grinder for this? It doesn't have to be perfect, and I would only be shaving the millimeters from a 8-inch section of the 4-ft post.

You can use it, they work for coping and other sundry shaping. Then again, the fact that you can make a statue with a chainsaw doesn't mean that every carpenter ought to have on in their toolbox. A plane will give you a much flatter surface and probably be just as quick. I would suggest avoiding the grinder unless you can accept a wavy surface, since it will be difficult to keep the wheel flat and wood abrades much more quickly than metal or stone.

Speaking of chainsaws, I would suggest avoiding the chain-wrapped wheels for grinders in their entirety. I've never heard anyone suggest that they're a good idea. If you haven't seen them it's a grinder wheel with a chainsaw blade around the perimeter for sculpting wood.

A better solution is one of those abrasive flap wheels which mount sandpaper flaps to a grinder disk. It's not a replacement for belt sander but it's an economical solution if you already have a grinder.


Squealing faucet (water off, not necessarily running anywhere in house) We have one faucet that emits a horrible, high pitched, squealing noise.  When it does this, the water at the faucet is off and there are no drips (sink is completely dry;  no drips in an hour+).

Tends to happen in late afternoon and throughout the night.

If the faucet is left to drip at the slowest possible rate, the squealing noise stops entirely.

My uneducated guess is that air is building up at the faucet and water pressure is driving the air out of the faucet, which happens to squeal when it does so.  Since it seems to happen when the air temperature -- and pipe temperature (over the roof piping that is insulated, but still gets cold overnight) -- drops, I'm not sure why that would cause it to be worse and not improve.

Unless it is sucking air in through the faucet?!

It's a type of water hammer enabled by an incomplete seal,  tighten it further if that silences it you need to repair the valve, a new washer might do it, or the valve seat may also need fixing.

Overtigtening causes accelerated wear on the valve stem thread, and so should not be treated as a fix.


Is this column load bearing? I want to remove the pony wall, the floor to ceiling column that separates the kitchen from the family room. I have oodles of original plans, and I don't see any obvious-to-me indicators that this column is load bearing, however at the same token I don't see anything that tells me it is NOT load bearing. Help?

Several things suggest that it's not load bearing:

The fact that it's at the end of a "pony wall". This is likely a horizontal support post that wouldn't be present if not for the wall.
The wording "to ceiling". This suggests no structural integration with the roof framing or any supporting member.
The lack of blocking or other load-transfer notes in the floor framing layout.

Some things that would seal the deal:

Footing layout showing no supporting structure at this location, and...
Main floor truss diagrams showing no concentrated load below the post.

With what's presented here I can only be about 98% certain. If you want more than that, consult a local professional.


Is there any corelation between housing and lamp data? Is there any method, table, equation, mathematical procedure, computer algorithm, or data base to convert lamp data such as a Philips PAR30L flood lamp or LED Par38L flood lamp to minimum housing size? Simplified, what do PAR30L or PAR38L mean? I believe the 'L' is for long neck.
Also is there any table to calculate the housing, for Halo 6 inch new construction fixture, heat rise knowing the lamps dissipation in watts for a kitchen housing installed in the ceiling between the kitchen and attic. Typically on hot days the attic will see temperatures of about 120 degrees F.

Here's a quick breakdown of the most common residential lamps here in the US.

"A" lamps are mostly used in table lamps or maybe outside wall fixtures.  If the lamp is a 60A19 then it is 60 watts, "A" shaped and is 19/8 wide, or 2-1/8 inch.  Divide the number after the style by 8 and you will get the width.
"R" or "BR"  lamps are reflector lamps, thin glass.  If the lamps is a 75R30FL then it is a 75 watt "R" style, 30/8 wide or 3-3/4 inches.
"Par" lamps or Parabolic aluminized reflectors is a hard glass reflector lamp, where the lens of the lamp is a separate he piece from the rest of the lamp but not removable.  Because of the different type of lenses this style offers more directional control of the beam spread.  Everything measures up the same as the other lamps, the difference is that the part number will usually give you the degree of the beam spread like a 50PAR20/HAL/NFL30 except the HAL is halogen or capsylite, the NFL is narrow flood and the 30 is the 30 degree beam spread.

I cannot answer the question about the thermocouple that protects the fixture from over heating.  I don't know what my attic temperature is, mostly because in the summer time the ambient outside temperature floats between 110 and 120 most of the day and about 2 months of night time temperatures in the high 90's at midnight.  It's the same can as what you buy.


Is there any such thing as a rectangular tripod mount or something like that? So I bought this 20€ foldable laptop table:

But I work with at least 2 external HDDs at a time, so I needed to find a way of having them "attached" to the table, too. The best, cheapest, most elegant way of going about that I found this after a lot of pondering and looking around the web was this:

Which is basically just a tablet and phone holder, which holds both things at once, thereby allowing me to hold my 2 HDDs at the same time.

Now, this is when things got a little more complicated than I expected. First I thought of attaching the holder to the top shelf itself. But after putting the HHDs onto the apparatus, I realised I'd be adding a lot of unnecessary weight onto the shelf when I could use one of the legs instead, and it will be much more stable and perhaps even more out of the way.

The holder has 2 tripod mounts (that is 1/4-20 screw holes), one —the one that's visible in the image— around the middle and another on the base. I have some GoPro sports-attaching-accessories lying around which I really don't need, so I thought I might give them I try. Right now I've managed to fit a bike handlebar mount onto the leg and it works fine in terms of holding everything in place but it really gets in the way of my wrists, as the mount is much wider than it really needs to be.

I've been looking all ove the place for a square mount or rectangular mount, as a pose to a round mount (which is that is used for the handlebar, with is round), but my searches are coming out empty. So I want to know if anyone out there knows of a rectangular mount or even what that kind of clamp or mount or bracket would be called, so that I may be able to search for something more adequate? Or perhaps you guys might have a better idea as to how I might attach it. Right now this is basically what I need:

I know it's really specific... The chances that I might find something like it with a tripod mount screw attached are very improbable—to say the least. But perhaps someone out there has seen something similar that I might adapt into something more adequate for my specific needs.

The measurements of the leg are 15mm on the thin side and 40.50mm on the thicker side.

I've also found this mount on Aliexpress which, though a little bit pricy for what it is, it is made of aluminum, like the table's legs, which is cool and is almost the same width which would allow it to be almost flush with the leg. The issue is I need to drill a hole into the leg and somehow attach a 1/4 female tripod screw mount... or drill a hole on both sides and somehow get a 1/4-20 screw that'll go all the way through in order to attach this mount—so it'd have to be at least 16mm long, and it doesn't seem to exist.

As you can see, any option I find has it's pros and cons. Any ideas? Please!

Pro tip when hardware hacking: When you have to work this hard, yer doin it wrong.

Get two mesh pouches - like laundry bag but the size of a cell phone / external HDD.  Make sure they have draw strings you can velcro or knot shut.

Get a rectangular plate of thick mylar or thin aluminum sheet somewhat smaller than the HDD.  Put it inside the pouch.

Attach the plate to the bottom of the laptop tray with pop rivets or epoxy.   If glued, scuff-sand all flat surfaces.  This will trap the upper part of the pouch between laptop tray and plate. Free the lower part of the pouch from the rivets.

Put HDDs inside pouches, cords coming through opening.  Draw string/velcro to secure.


Difference Between Flashing Drain and On-Grade Drain? What is the difference between an "on-grade" drain and a "flashing" drain? What situations call for which? If installing a basement floor drain, which should I use?

In case it's not clear, here are the items I'm researching:

On-Grade Drains

Flashing Drains

Just read the brochure, its all in there.

On-Grade Drains
on-grade floor drains are for use in
ground-level applications, or where a waterproofing
membrane is not needed.
Flashing Drains
Flashing drains are typically installed when
a waterproofing membrane is used to protect finished
areas under the drain.

you are going to want an on grade drain for almost all basement slab applications


How to cover gaps between hardwood floor and bottom of door frame After my floor tiles have been replaced by hardwood floor I have a gap underneath every door frame that is about 5mm (see picture). How is this usually covered?
I am looking for answers that consider aesthetics, as well as possible problems (moisture, pests, ...).

I consider the question How to cover a gap between doors and hardwood floor? different, as this gap is only 5mm and could possibly be covered using some kind of silicone?

The short answer is that it isn't usually "fixed" by inserting something in that gap. Ideally there would have been an underlayment installed to bring the new flooring up to the level of the old, but I can see why that effort and expense would be foregone.
Just about anything you'd put in there will make the situation more conspicuous and possibly create more nooks for dust and dirt to accumulate. From an aesthetic standpoint I think I'd gently scrape away the caulk or whatever's on the door trim and call it done.
I'm not sure why you feel like you need to seal between interior rooms in your home--every door in mine has about a 1" gap under it anyway. If you do, here are some ideas...

Rope caulk: foam bead or plastic tubing that you'd insert under the trim, following its shape.
Custom-cut plastic or vinyl plates that match the shape of the trim profile. I'm really not sure how you'd make or procure these, but maybe someone with a 3D printer could help. You'd secure them with something like silicone caulk as an adhesive.
Simple rectangular plates of plastic or vinyl, sized to the outer dimensions of the trim.


Proper way to brace a knee wall with hold downs So I've taken out a section of wall between my kitchen/living room and am leaving only a knee wall (41" high) that will have a breakfast bar on top of it.  Removal of the wall went fine, however, the remaining knee was is fairly flimsy and does not tolerate side load at all.  Kitchen cabinets will go along this wall and probably add some stiffness, however, the fact I will put a breakfast bar on it makes me think I need more rigidity.

I would like to stiffen the wall and am thinking the most appropriate solution would be using a Simpson hold down, although I'm uncertain on both the hardware and blocking that is necessary.  The wall itself does not sit directly above a floor joist but is instead offset so that the outside edge of the wall follows an inside edge of the joist (see picture below).  I'm thinking that bolting the bracket through the baseplate to the subfloor won't do much, so it was my plan to run a 4x4 the length of the wall in the corner of the joist and subfloor, then run a threaded rod through it.

Questions:

Does this sound like a reasonable solution for bracing an existing knee wall?
Is that an appropriate hold down for this application?
What hardware would you recommend securing the 4x4 with to the joist/subfloor?
What diameter threaded road would you recommend for the anchoring?

Thanks

Yes, you're on the right track to improve lateral stability. Your ideas will all help.

Some things to add is a layer of OSB or plywood as wall sheathing on one or both sides, if possible.

Another thing would be joist blocking in the floor below. An example of that would be a few 14.5" long 2x10 between the joists a bay or two on both sides of the knee wall (if your floor is 2x10 at 16" OC.)

Use screws and subfloor glue instead of nails for this. You already know it's not strong in the one direction, but also try to imagine how everything will move if you installed a countertop and a person lifted up and pushed down on the edge. The top and bottom plates will try to rotate, but the OSB/plywood wall sheathing will resist that. Screws and glue will also prevent that rotation.

If your wall would be too thick with OSB/plywood, then at least use Simpson coil strap along both sides of a few studs to prevent rotation between the studs and plate. What I'm saying is that even if you make the studs stiff, your next weak point is at the plates.

Even if your wall is super stuff, next the floor sheathing (and the single floor joist under it) will flex/bow as the wall is wiggled, so that's what the floor joist blocking is for. If you can't do full depth joist blocking, do cross bracing (it's like making an X with 1x4s.) The tops of your floor joists can't move since they're connected to the floor sheathing, but the bottoms of your joists are the place that movement will occur, so adding something to stop that will help, even if it's just a direct applied drywall ceiling/lid below.

Kitchen cabinet lowers will help so much more than you think. I've had to put countertops with and without cabinets on a knee wall for commercial receptionist desks and the difference is night and day. We always overkilled it if there wasn't a cabinet to hold anything, since we can't stop people from sitting on the edge of the countertop after it's installed. Cabinets added a ton of stability though.


is it possible to do a 3 way switch if power source is in the second switch? In my research on how to install a 3 way switch, i've seen different ways on how to install the wires but i haven't found the schema that would help me in my situation.

Here's a screenshot of my installation.

The background in green is my current installation
The background in yellow is what i want to add
i have access to the wires of my current installation. I can change if i need to

Is there a way to install a 3 way switch like in the schema above by leaving the power source where it is? If yes, a detailed explanation would be welcome!

Yes, it is possible. But you may need to replace the existing switch. The key to making it work is that you need a connection behind the existing switch between two wires.

You need to do this:

The existing switch needs to be a change-over switch, switching active.
The two poles of the existing switch are cabled to the new switch, as well as a single return wire. (That's three wires between the switch plates.)
The new switch is also a change-over switch, switching the return wire between the other two.
Behind the existing switch, you connect the return wire to the light socket's active wire. This is the connection which doesn't connect to the existing switch.

Normally you would use the loop terminal for the last point, but that might already be in use for the neutral connection. In that case, you will need an in-line connector.

http://www.familyhandyman.com/DIY-Projects/Electrical/Switch/how-to-wire-a-threeway-switch/View-All">site</a&gt;">


Code requirements for the proximity of Power outlets to wash machine water outlets? In a laundry room (in the USA) - is there a code in the NFPA - NEC for minimum distance the Dryer and Washer Electrical outlets must be placed from the washer water pipes ?

Ok so after doing some searching I found two posts very similar to what I needed.

The only code requirement seems to be the distance with in 6 feet of the dryer or washer - other than that no other requirement.

https://terrylove.com/forums/index.php?threads/proximity-of-washer-dryer-outlets-to-washer-valves-tub.33541/


When to retire aged copper extension cords with intact jackets? If not abused, do the conductors in extension cords degrade over time? If so, how does one determine when they need to be retired?

If the insulation is fine, the wire is almost certainly fine.

If you plug it into a GFCI and it trips as soon as you plug it in (without anything plugged into the far end) it's toast.

If you see cracks, it's best to consider it toast.

If you plug in something appropriate for the gauge and length of the cord and it fails to operate normally (lights seem dim, motor seems slow) and does not exhibit those symptoms when plugged into the outlet directly, or into a different but still appropriate gauge and length cord, it might be that miniscule edge case that put an "almost" in the first sentence. Unplug the cord and feel for a part that's noticeably warmer than the rest - that would be where the rare defect case is, you can cut the cord on either side and have two shorter cords (for home, not commercial uses) or opt to throw it out. More often this is a problem of the plug or socket making poor contact, and the wire in the middle is still fine.

Until then, use it.


Sound coming from lower floor to upper floor I am a new homeowner and this is my first post to this group. We were living in leased apartment before this and now moved to a two floor house. The problem is if my husband is working in the kitchen or watching TV etc on the lower floor, I can hear all the sound in the bedroom on upper floor. If I close the door of bedroom its fine. I always thought there would be some sound proofing between different floors. Is it normal to hear sounds like this in house or is there something wrong built/missed in this house?

Such is the down side of hard floors; they aid in sound transmission. Carpets used to absorb this, but nobody likes carpet any more.

There is no building code requirement for sound proofing between floors. It is often done as a "feature", but not having it is not indicative of something being "wrong" with the construction.


Is it a problem that my post bases overhang the footing edge slightly? I am building a pergola, which will be supported half by the garage with a 2x8 ledger board and half on 3 posts. I poured the 3 footings, without thinking too much and they only had 8" form tubes at the store. I really want to use 6x6 posts, because I like the look, even though it's a complete overkill.
(The span between each set of posts is 10', which will be supported by a pair of 2x8.)
I have rebar and anchors in the footings, however the OZCO 6x6 bracket will stick out about half an inch out of the footing. I realized now that the footings should've been quite larger to look proper.
I've done mechanical engineering, but zero construction knowledge, especially about concrete. How worried should I be about the brackets sticking out of the footings? (Also, Quikrete 5000 was used.)
Thanks a bunch!

If I understand correctly that the post bases overhang the sides of the concrete piers slightly, it's not an issue. As you said, 6x6 posts are unnecessarily large for the load, so as long as you have the equivalent of a 4x4 resting on the concrete it's all fine.
Just use caution when drilling for the post bases so you don't spall out the corners of the concrete. Skip any fasteners that are too close to the edge and put in extras elsewhere if possible.


Carpet padding with bi-fold closet doors? I am in the process of my first ever DIY carpet installation, in a room that has bi-fold doors for the closet.  During tear-out of the previous carpet, I wasn't observant enough to notice if the floor underneath the lower hinge brackets had carpet underlay installed, or not.  While installing my new carpet underlay, I did add in some small pieces there... but now I'm worried that if I proceed this way, that once I have the carpet down over that pad, the lower hinge brackets won't line up with the original screw holes in the door jamb.  (As it stands right now, if I test-fit the hinge brackets directly over the padding, I must press down on them a little to get the original holes to line up.  But, my new pad is thicker than the previous one.)

Do the areas pictured usually have small wedges of carpet underlay pad placed in them, like I've done in the picture below?

I would take the little piece of pad out and place a scrap piece of 3/8" or 1/2" plywood in there if you have it. The pad will compress, the plywood will not. The doors are height adjustable, the bottom pivot in the door has threads that allow it to rise up or drop down. The original holes are not critical to keep. Place the bottom pivot guide onto the carpet and set the screw into the plywood through the carpet, the bracket may go at an angle, but press it down at the jamb end and set the screws into the jamb. Adjust the bottom pivot for height if needed.


How can I protect an exposed refrigerant pipe outdoors? I have approx.12 ft. of copper pipe carrying freon laying on top of the ground. Best way to protect it without cutting in two & loosing all freon? (Not enough slack to bury.)

There is now made a product that is called a a/c line set cover.  Google 'line set cover'.  tons of companies will pop up more than happy to sell to you.


Can granite countertops be used as a desktop on a custom desk? Granite countertops have become quite popular lately.  How is Granite typically fastened to base cabinets?  Would it be suitable to use as a desktop, say with just four legs attached to it (not a full frame like a base cabinet)?  Or would a structure like a base cabinet be needed with a wood frame on all sides underneath to support and fasten the granite?

I wouldn't just try to attach the legs directly to the granite (or really any material used as a work surface). The result will probably be quite unstable.

I'd build a free standing frame and then fix the worktop to that.


Replace Tork 1101 timer with smart switch I have a Tork 1101 mechanical timer that controls exterior house lights. I want to replace this with a smart timer/switch of some kind so I can set a sunrise/sunset scheme and don't need to remember to change it. I have two questions:

How is this wired?
Can I replace this with any smart wall switch?

Here is a photo, thanks!

Go for it

You should be able to get a deep single gang "handy" box and fit it to the nipple in place of the existing timer enclosure, then fit whatever smart switch into that box that you wish, given that you're only trying to switch ~150W of load.  Note that the red wire is your always-hot and the blue your switched-hot, according to how the current timer is connected, with white being the neutral of course.


Are there any downsides to an Economy7 meter? I believe my current electricity meter is faulty, and have scheduled an appointment with the Power company to come and inspect it.
They've asked whether I want the replacement (if needed) to be Single Rate or Economy7 meter (not tariff). When asking that question they said:

It is advisable to have a single rate meter if you have a single rate tariff however if you plan to switch to a dual rate tariff then economy7 meter are better, the choice is yours.

To me it seems a no-brainer to get an Economy7 meter?

If I have a SingleRate meter, then I have to have a Single Rate tariff .
Whereas, if I have an Economy7 meter, then I can choose to have an Economy7 tariff or to stick with a Single Rate tariff , in which case I just have to add up 2 numbers each time (or possibly the Power company's website/DB will add them up for me :D )

I can't see any reason to get a Single Rate meter, nor any reason that it would be 'advisable' if I were on a Single Rate tariff.
I asked the rep why he'd said that and he never replied. His English was poor, and I suspect he was working in a very generic overseas support office, so I'm not particularly inclined to trust him over common sense.
Is there anything I'm missing?

In the process of comparing utility companies, I've stumbled across evidence that:
A) there's a national database of "what kind of meter is installed at each address".
B) Some Utility companies will only offer you a matching rate (Bulb, by default won't match you up with the wrong rate)
I'll be contact Bulb support to see whether that's something they can override in their backend.
But it's certainly possible that having an Eco7 meter will not always be compatible with having a Standard rate tariff, dependant on Utility company.


How should I strengthen my floor joists that are too small? I have a house that is 120yrs old. The floor joists on the ground floor are only 74mm x 55mm and spaced 350mm on centres. The brickwork that holds up the floor joists is pretty rough and doesn't have foundations, just laid directly on the ground. It is generally sound but the spacing is also 1.5m, so the span of the floor joists between the brick support is 1.5m.

As you can imagine there is quite a bit of bounce in the floor and I have repaired some of the joists by sistering some treated timber that I ripped down from 90mm x 45mm pieces. I have done this in the areas that needed it with stainless steel coach bolts. This is OK for the repair work but could full replacement be an option also?

I was considering putting in additional brickwork in between the current spans, but obviously this is a significantly different cost basis, not to mention not being able to do this myself, whereas the timber I can.

My question is, should I continue to sister the current joists, or consider another method? Obviously 74mm joists are not going to be the best to reduce bounce in the floor, but I can't increase the height too much without causing issues of height on door frames etc.

I was also planning on putting down two layers of 18mm ply in place of the current 22mm floor boards, glued and screwed, but not sure if I am overdoing it if I can use another method, not to mention the height issue also.

Room dimensions are 3.2m x 3.6m with the joists running along the 3.6m length.

Thanks in advance.

Your joist timbers are very small dimension (top to bottom) for a length span of 3.6m. I suggest that when you have sistered on the few additional side beams that this is barely enough to help unless you at least doubled (or more) its top to bottom dimension.

You would probably be better off adding additional support at right angles to these puny joists that spanned the 3.2m width of the room. You could do this at two places across the room to roughly break up the spacing to thirds across the length of the joists. The ends of these beams can rest on posts by the side walls. You could adjust the position as necessary so that any doors could still operate OK. The height of such beams would be a key factor at stiffening up the floor above. Obviously the higher the better but if you were able to make a beam for this with some a couple of 45mm thick members with plywood sandwiched in between it could be quite sturdy even if only 170mm in beam height.