Anchor drywall edge to ceiling next to a wall running along joist? I am working on a wall that will separate the main basement area from the storage area (with a door). This new wall will run along the above floor joist which removes the possibility for drywall anchors. I cannot add blocking there either because it is covered for an air return from the main floor.

The attached image shows a basic view of the proposed wall and where it would run along the joist.

Can I still put drywall up without anchoring this edge? Will the wall's future drywall butting up against the loose ceiling edge be sufficient to anchor it?

You can purchase metal "corner backing"--essentially a sheet metal angle that you attach to your top plate. It's very similar to corner bead, which could probably serve as a substitute, but it doesn't have holes and it's slightly larger. The drywall then screws into that.

Obviously the screws will penetrate the air return, but I don't consider that a problem.

There are also clips like this that you'd slide the ceiling panels into. They'd be oriented opposite of what's shown here.


Adding recessed lighting to ceiling fan switch I currently have a single ceiling fan controller by two light switches (at the same location), one for light on fan, one for fan only, or Both switched on for light and fan. I replaced my fan with a light to a fan without a light. It has 14/3 wire.
My question is what is the best way to install 2 led recessed lights?
The attic is narrow but assuming I can get to the ceiling box in the attic. Can I run 14/2 romex from the ceiling fan junction box to recessed lights? Wire white to white, black to red (Assuming fan is off black), ground to ground and do the same at my recessed lights?
And if I didn’t want to tap into the ceiling fan Or can’t reach it can I just run 14/2 from the new recessed lights to my current light switch box on the wall, into a new light switch then pig tale to main power line?

Yes, you can do this. The easiest way would be to extend the wiring from the ceiling fan box to the new recessed lighting cans and connect them the way you listed.
You could also run additional wire from the switch box to the recessed light location but running new wire down a wall would probably be harder than tapping into the ceiling fan box. From your description, it appears the feed source is into the switch box so you'd be OK, just cap of the the unused wire from the 14/3 (red from your description) to the ceiling box at both locations.


Do I need mortar between 1x6 deck boards and cement board? I have a screened and roofed porch/lanai. Original floor is pressure treated posts, beams, joists and 1x6 decking. Former owner decided they wanted tile. They screwed a plywood underpayment over the decking, then laid mastic and tile. At some point, they drilled some holes through the grout so any rainwater that blew in could easily drain. Well, it drained down into the plywood and decking, causing rot.

I have removed the tile and rotted plywood and repaired damage to the subfloor (the original pressure treated decking). I want to put down a travertine floor. My plan was to screw Hardy cement backer board to the subfloor, then apply a waterproof membrane (such as Schluter), then mastic/tile. I want to ensure the floor is completely waterproof and there is no way for water to reach the subfloor or joists.

Do I need to attach the cement board with thinset in addition to screws? And if so, Do I need to put something over the original 1x6 decking before attaching the cement board? I can’t imagine putting thinset on the 1x6’s. I would hope that laying a waterproof membrane over the entire floor would alleviate the need to tape the joints.

A membrane won’t be adequate. If you want ‘waterproof,’ think shower pan. Not literally but by making this area semi-vitreous, there must be a drain or drains and a slope.

If you’re trying to avoid the disaster of the previous owner, I wouldn’t recommend the travertine, unless you put in a drain.

Have you considered Saltillo tile, limestone, or another type of stone? You can make wonderful, colorful installations indoors and out.

Regardless of materials used, the water will have to go somewhere and if you post some photos of the area, better suggestions can be made to make a beautiful and practical new flooring solution.


Installing a stud wall without connecting to ceiling? what is the best approach to installing a stud wall (making walk in wardrobe) without also screwing into the ceiling? I am going to pull back the carpet and nail into the floor but I am wondering if I can secure by another means instead of going into the ceiling as well. Thanks

Often walls in office buildings do not extend to the roof or floor above. (Suspended ceilings are installed in the offices.)

If the room is about 12’ or so with a double top plate, it probably doesn’t need to be braced. If it’s over 12’ or so, I’d add a 2x4 brace from the top of the wall up to the floor above.


Mixing Bora-care - how do I know how much to use? I'm planning to use Bora-care as a preventive measure on some exterior wood.  But I don't understand how to calculate the amount of water and concentrate to use.  Here is the label with instructions:
https://nisuscorp.com/download/bora-care?wpdmdl=1389&refresh=5f9496ee86a861603573486.
For this first project, I have 500 cu. inches of wood (about 5x100x1) and I'd like to use a 5:1 ratio.  So how much concentrate should I mix with how much water for that volume of wood?
I know I can mix 5oz of water with 1oz of concentrate or 6oz total, but is that enough to treat 500 cu. inches of wood?  What if I want to use the same 5:1 ratio for 1000 cu. in. of wood? or 10,000?

Your area calculation makes it seem like you are treating a single 8' long 1x6 board.
Anyhoo, the amount you need depends on the porosity of the wood. The instructions say to apply "to the point of saturation". If your area calculations are correct, than you probably need less than 1 gal. of solution. So, at an approximate 5:1, you need about 105 oz. of water and 21 oz. of concentrate to make a tad bit less than a gal. of solution at 5:1.
P.S.- math is not my forte
P.S.S.- I don't think you need perfect accuracy here...


Break wall has void under a corner My break wall on the lake has a 8” high by 2’ wide void under a corner and is leaking into my retaining wall chamber. It is under the water line. How can I fill this hole?

Drain the lake then repair properly or dam the water back and then repair.
Which you can do is governed by the size of the lake.


TV antenna moves a bit - problem? I'm partway through installing my own outdoor TV antenna.

I've gone with a "through the roof and screwed into a beam" method rather than the "sit on top of roof and stabilise using 3-4 wires screwed into points on roof a few feet away" method.

PROBLEM: My antenna mast seems to be "shakier" than my neighbour's antennas though: it sways back and forth a little in light wind.

It's a pretty solid mast 3m (10') of 19mm (0.75") diameter, 1.6mm (0.063") thick galvanised steel, so I thought it'd be fine (looking at it now, some neighbours antennas do appear thicker, though it's hard to tell).

QUESTION: Is a little bit of movement going to affect the TV signal significantly? Do TV antenna masts need to be very rigid, or just steady enough so they're not swaying like crazy?

It sounds like your antenna is for terrestrial broadcast TV, in which case it should be OK.  You want it to be facing the transmitter as squarely as possible, but a little bit of variance won't affect the signal reception too much.  If you have digital TV broadcasts in your area, you may not even notice anything at all.  Furthermore, if you do find that it's a problem, you can always secure it with wires later.

Satellite TV is more finicky: since the transmitter is much further away, you need to have the dish pointed more accurately.  But satellite dishes usually have a sturdy base, and are smaller than terrestrial antennas, so they don't move as much.


How to add more light and outlets in garage I would like to be able to add a fluorescent light fixture (T8's) and outlet to my indoor garage. I plan on running 1/2 inch conduit with 12 gauge romex wires. I have an existing 60 Watt light fixture circuit (tied into a light switch) I want to use the power from. However, I need a little help with the wiring. I went ahead and made up a rough draft drawing of my plan to wire this.
EDIT
Or... there is an existing outlet I can also use power from as well. If this would be easier?
*Edit#2
Disregard my ground wires question. The only question I have is if this wire diagram that I have drawn is up to code and is safe to wire it like this?

Your drawing looks fine, as it is. However, the "up to code" section is tricky and more involved:

Your current existing wiring had to be up to code as it was at the time the house was built, and we assume it was. However, if you alter the circuit (add outlets, lights, etc.), the whole circuit has to be up to code as it is now. So all receptacles have to be GFCI protected, a certain minimum height from the floor, etc., etc.

Without knowing more about your current wiring, and without knowing your local bylaws, it's impossible to tell if this change you're planning will be up to code or not.

There are also other things to consider, like maximum fill for a electrical box (if you're adding more wires to your light switch box, you might be in violation of the electrical code because of that).


How to finish Butt joint and corner bead within 5"? I created pass through door between my kitchen and dining room. I am done screwing sheetrock to cover framing. I need to finish this job with drywall tapping and corner bead installation.

Now as you can see in picture, butt joint and edge of door (where vinyl corner bead will be installed) is just 5" away from each other.  How many coats of mud should I apply and in which sequence ? Can my 3rd/4th coat for butt joint be applied during corner bead coat ?  I am assuming that my corner bead coat will be wide around 6" anyway to blend in corner beads.

Other than the first coat being forced into the joints, this is not two separate operations. You're going to be looking for one joint from the corner bead to the feather-edge of the butt-joint.

As for number of coats, as many as it takes, remembering not to waste time fussing over them - get mud on, let dry, sand or scrape for high spots, more mud for low spots, until there are no more low spots. There is no fixed number.


Is super insulating exterior walls with rigid foam board insulation possible? 2" rigid foam-board insulation can have an R-value of up to R-10, layering 4 boards would create a R-40 value, right? However that creates an 8" foam wall above the actual wall. What would be a recommended way to attach all the boards to the exterior wall? Also how would you attach the  finishing wall surface to the foam?

Reason to use rigid foam board insulation, is that its cheap?

Cost to insulate 16 Square feet to an R-40 value, $70 USD  for rigid foam, $238 (not including installation) for closed cell spray foam.

I am thinking plywood base, vapor barrier, foam board base, screwed and glued down to base. Then can I glue??? the remaining insulation foam boards in place on top of one another?  Then lastly how about attaching the exterior weathering wall, maybe something like exterior cement fiberboard? Can that be glued to the insulation foam-board.

Products in mind are:

FOAMULAR® 250 rigid XPS foam insulation for exterior walls
Natura Pro exterior fiber cement panel

Note: Spray foam insulation cost can be estimated here

Yes, Rigid foam (XPS and ISO) boards are frequently used in exterior applications, and can be a great option for improving efficiency. There are a couple of issues with your proposed approach, though:

Vapor barrier location. The vapor barrier should be on the warm side (probably inside, unless you live in a very hot & humid climate). Ideally, this is immediately behind your interior drywall. You also do not usually need an extra vapor barrier layer adjacent to rigid foam sheets, they are typically highly resistant to moisture.
Attachment. You cannot rely on glue to support foam and siding panels. These need to be mechanically fastened.

On a wood frame house, you'd want to use this order:

interior drywall
possibly a vapor barrier (e.g. poly sheeting), though the wisdom of this is debatable (see the comment from iLikeDirt below)
wall studs (optionally with batt or cellulose insulation in between)
exterior sheathing
rigid foam
wooden strapping for attaching siding, screwed to studs through foam. This provides support for the siding and also allows air circulation behind the siding, so any moisture that gets behind the siding can dry out.
siding panels, nailed to strapping

Here's a visual from Fine Homebuilding, which has a couple of good articles on this:

Note that adding foam on the exterior of your house complicates some things. You will likely need to redo the trim on your windows and doors, which will become more in-set. These inset areas will need to be flashed properly or you will have leaks, which have more potential to do damage when you've got multi-layered, thick walls that could trap moisture. If done well, you can get very good insulation. But make sure to work with someone who knows what they're doing!


30Amp Sub Panel for EV Charger Need 240V 20AMPs in detached garage for 16 AMP Level 2 EV Charger (Chevy Spark) at my MIL's home.

1200 sqft House, has a 100 AMP Panel. Furnace, Dryer, and Stove are Gas. All circuits are 20AMPs, and currently unlabeled. Only 240v appliance is 20AMP for central AC.

Garage is currently fed by 20AMP circuit from the main panel via Underground conduit run (probably about 25-30feet). Feeding a couple lights, outlets and 2 car garage door opener. No heavy equipment in garage

Here's what I'm thinking:

On Main Panel: Upgrade 20AMP single to 30AMP double
Pull out existing Romex run, upgrade to 10/3 to feed garage Sub Panel
Garage Sub Panel: 1 20AMP double(Dedicated for EV), and 1 15AMP single(outlets, lights, etc)

Updated Information

The Main Panel has 12, 20 Amp Circuits @ 120(Including the garage I want to switch to a subpanel 30 @ 240). And 1, 20Amp @ 240 for Central AC.
Pipe feeding the garage is 1 inch.
If it can support running a 50AMP subpanel for futureproofing Im all for it, but if its a difference of upgrading the main panel or not, I'll take the less intrusive option.
I used the calculator located here Electrical load Calculator and it output Total VA Load = 12600 Total Amp Load = 53.

1/2 inch conduit would accept 4 #10 thhn /thwn  conductors for your original  30 Amp design.

3/4 inch would  accept 4# 6 thhn / thwn for your 60 amp design, but not certain of your local code, where in some places, it will require 1".

What size panel is your MAIN  panel ? If it's 100 amps, I believe you are beyond the design limits. If your MAIN panel is 200 amps, you'll be fine with a 100 Amp Sub panel, as long as your MAIN it isn't loaded up with other stuff ...

The OTHER thing you're going to have to do when you wire that new sub panel...

REMOVE the tie ( jumper ) between the ground and neutral in the sub, if it has one..
...Unlike your MAIN has got, any sub panel must have that ground-to-neutral jumper removed.

This is for when you hook back up your existing 115v. circuits, if there is ever any faults to ground, they do not travel up the neutral that is in your sub panel.
 All ground faults will travel through the grounding conductor in your sub to your main.


Why didn't homeowners get electrocuted when appliances were grounded through the neutral? I read that appliance at certain times in the U.S. (for example stoves) were grounded through the neutral wire.  Since the neutral wire carries current does this means the case of the stove itself is carrying current.  Why didn't homeowners get electrocuted with such a setup? Is it because as long as the neutral is connected/grounded properly the current is going to "chose" to take that path (least resistance) instead of the homeowner (much resistance)?

The US distribution system uses a neutral conductor which is grounded at the service entrance of each house/building. The neutral conductor and the ground conductor are physically and electrically bonded at the main service entrance, and tied to actual earth ground via rods and/or metallic water pipes as well.

The devices which were commonly "grounded via neutral" were exclusively 240V primary loads. In the US system those loads are fed by two hot conductors, each 120V away (in opposing directions) from ground/neutral. No current flows in the neutral conductor from one of these loads (generally, they are not even connected to it.)  If there was any 120V power used in these items, it was a minor load such as a clock motor. The neutral conductor, however, was full-sized for rated load of the appliance - 30A for a typical dryer, 50 A for a typical stove. So any 120V load that would actually cause current to flow in the neutral conductor would cause a small current to flow in a large wire that was grounded at the far end. As such, no appreciable voltage would ever arise on the neutral conductor.

The move to a 4-wire system with separate ground conductor is, notably, not one where the powers that be decreed that all your old devices needed to be ripped out and replaced since they were scary and hazardous to own; new devices need to meet the new standard. How much "real improvement in safety" there may be is, frankly, debatable; but that debate is somewhat pointless (4-wire is a done deal) and probably also off-topic.

In general, even a current-carrying neutral on a fully-loaded 120V circuit should not have sufficient voltage above ground to cause a shock. Correctly sized wires should limit the total voltage drop in the wiring to 3%, or 3.6 volts, 1/2 of which will lower the hot voltage and 1/2 of which (1.8 volts) will appear as a difference between neutral and ground.


Can a yurt be a dwelling? Yurts are beautiful, charming, quirky, easy to build, portable, and cheap.

I bought a 30' yurt from Pacific Yurts. It includes the insulation kit.

Can I use it as a dwelling?

Probably not, but obviously it depends on where you are.

The main concern is insulation. It's difficult to get enough insulation on a yurt to satisfy most building codes. My yurt came with an insulation layer of foil-faced bubble wrap. It makes a difference, but it's no where near what you find in a modern house.

Consider that in much of the USA, exterior walls are framed with 2x6s, allowing 5.5" of fiberglass. A yurt doesn't have deep stud bays for insulation. You could add them, but then you'd be very close to building a house. However, if your local building codes don't require much insulation, then you may be able to get by.

In my part of the world (Washington State, USA), you're allowed to put up a yurt for up to 6 months without a permit. No heating or plumbing.

Another possibility to consider is a non-dwelling yurt, for example as an outbuilding. In my jurisdiction a non-dwelling yurt can be permitted, as long as there is no heating, no plumbing, and you can provide engineering documentation to the building department. We're in an earthquake zone.

My yurt manufacturer (Pacific Yurts) provided this documentation (it's 80 pages long!) but it depends on having a few upgrades to the yurt structure, called the "snow and wind kit". This basically adds studs (2x4s, roughly 22" O.C.) around the perimeter of the yurt, with metal brackets providing a continuous load path from the floor to the compression ring at the top of the yurt. Screws through the lattice wall in to the studs protect against racking. It also includes a pair of wires that tie the rafters together more securely. Finally, you must add blocking between the studs, somewhat like a top plate in conventional construction.

Another option is to live somewhere else! We parked an RV next to our yurt. No permitting required for RV, and it provides all dwelling needs (kitchen, bathroom, etc.) while the yurt is an open space for daytime use.


Previous home owner had hole drilled for shower drain through the metal web joist in the floor. Is this structurally ok? It was approved by the town inspector, but maybe they missed it. I would like to know if this is ok structurally.

Um.. NO. That is a HUGE hole in the width of that strut. and those nail plates are not strong enough to handle compression like that.

They should have added a couple of 2x4s  (Narrow side up) , nailed frequently to the top strut, across and on either side of that join, preferably to the next web, to replace the material lost.

They should also have fired the plumber or the architect...

It does look like you can add the 2x4s yourself fairly easily, though swinging the hammer on the rear side may be a challenge.


Can I just cover PVC pipes with elbows with soil underground? I had a leak in my piping, I fixed it and I'm going to cover it with soil. My concern is that somebody can walk over this spot when it's underground. Can pipe elbows break in that case and how can I avoid that? (I also have copper to pvc coupling there, which may not be that flexible)

Add loose soil then carefully compact next to and under the pipes. Repeat until you have compacted soil fully supporting the pipes from underneath. Then add soil in batches compacting each batch with your feet or with  a manual compactor plate on a shaft.
The purpose of this procedure is to avoid leaving uncompacted soil underneath and beside  the pipes. Uncompacted soil below or even on the same level as the pipes would compact over time and exert a bending moment on the pipes which could cause a break. Uncompacted soil above the pipes will eventually compact but will not stress the pipes.


Fixing IKEA Stolmen into concrete ceiling I am going to install Ikea Stolmen to my bedroom.
It needs to be fixed into ceiling. But i can't decide on which screws/anchors going to use for such task.
I had this installed on my old house but setup was done by someone else. I can't really remember what kind of screws were used back there.
Floor part doesn't require any screws.

Left one is ceiling part and right one is the floor part:

My installation going to be identical to this one:
stolmen http://imanada.com/daut/as/f/s/stolmen-system-combinations-all-parts-ikea-1-section-white-width-50-depth-19-58_floor-to-ceiling-shelving_home-decor_wholesale-home-decor-halloween-nautical-affordable-christian-christmas-decorating-s.jpg

My ceiling has made of concrete.
Should i use "tapcon" screws or plastic wall anchors with appropriate screws?

Thank you all.

This is one of the few applications where the nature of the anchor doesn't matter much.

All of the forces to move the piece are lateral, and the main factor is the shear strength of the screws. There is no tension pulling down since the piece is fully supported at the base.

Tapcons have their advocates, but I find them difficult to get them just right. I might use other masonry anchors, such as lead anchors, less flexible than plastic.

As long as the screws are strong and the fit is pretty tight, any system should work.


Replacing an oddly sized French Patio Door Purchased a new home and working through the litany of issues with the place. Nothing undisclosed but just a royal pain in the ass. I have a leaky exterior door that needs to be replaced. It is a french door that only opens on one side. I wanted to switch to a double door in the process.

I pulled the molding off and took a measurement 66 1/2" by 81. So I hop on Lowes and Home Depot it is not even a filter option. Additional searching yielded nothing. I brought a contractor in and basically I have no wiggle room in term of size due to the exterior siding. I have other things to attend to and I do not want to spend a lot of money on this. How can I get a door that fits that opening. I want a pre-hung double door unit.

Any ideas?

A pair of 32" doors should fit easily. Any slop at the siding can be trimmed out with a piece that covers the existing siding.

Go to a real door place. They'll be able to give you a reasonable price for what you want/need. And if you need a deeper jamb for the aforementioned overlap strategy, they're equipped to deal with that. I've hated every big box store door I've had to touch over the last 5 years.

I'm a little surprised that your contractor didn't tell you all this. (Well, except for the rant about big box stores... that might just be me.)

ps, if you must search online, use "64x80" for a size.


Cost effective insulation for a 100 year old home? My home is in central Indiana -- climate zone 5. It has lasted 100 years with no insulation at all. I've removed all of the super thick and heavy 3/4" cement sheet rock on the exterior walls and found that the exterior cladding is all 1" pine boards, with a few patches and holes.
The house doesn't have any exterior wrap -- and right now it has vinyl siding over that 1" pine. I'm planning on leaving the vinyl siding on until I save enough $$ for hardi-plank, and at that time I'll add the house wrap and do a bunch of exterior sealing.
I've tallied up the exterior walls square footage and I've got ~1300 SQFT to insulate. I'm DIY.
I'm considering -

Spray 2" thick closed cell foam i.e froth-Paks, I would require about 2600 board feet of coverage. This would cost about $3000 for 4 froth pak 620s. This would give me ~R13, and 3.2 water vapor permeance.

Spray 1" thick closed cell insulation, then pack 3.5" fiberglass batts into the leftover 2.5". 1" spray foam is R6. The bats are  3.5" R11 packed to 2.5" is R9, which gives me total of R15. R11 is .22 a foot, which brings my cost down to $1700. This would give me 6.4 water vapor permeance.

glue 1" thick R4 EPS foam board insulation, leaving a 1/4" margin around edges, seal those edges with spray foam to create a vapor barrier. then pack R15.  the EPS, R15 batts and several cans of spray foam would cost around $1500, total R Value would be 15.

My question is this -- I'm leaning towards option #2, but are there other options that might be more cost effective and still eliminate condensation on cold exterior wall, provide a comparable R value and water vapor permeance? I'm currently investigating using a sprayed or rolled on liquid waterproofing material, which would let me use full thickness R15 bats, but the products I've found so far would be more expensive than froth-paks. I'm also considering 6-10 mil plastic sheeting glued or taped to back of stud-bay, but I haven't figured out how to air seal the plastic to the sides of the stud bays.

I'd go with rock wool batt insulation in the stud bays.
Rock wool has several advantages over fiberglass.  Better sound deadening ability.  Better fire resistance.  R-value unaffected by moisture.  Low air permanence ( slows air down = slows heat loss ).  Higher recycled content.
Tape and acoustic seal poly on the interior stud surface for your vapor/air barrier (climate zone 5 is vapor barrier on the warm side of the insulation).  Once you've got your drywall up if you want better air sealing get aerobarrier to come in.
Spray foam insulation over time will crack so the air sealing ability is over-rated.  The propellants for spray foam are not typically very environmentally friendly.  While the foams are treated with a chemical to prevent fire spread they will burn when they burn they emit toxic fumes.  The fire retardant chemicals are not non-toxic - avoid putting chemicals in your house if you can.  Spray foam if improperly installed can be stuck in a non-cured state and continuously release volatile organic chemicals (VOCs).
I still use spray foam but I try to minimize where I use it.


How compatible are toilet repair parts? I've got one that's doing the ol' dribble for a few minutes after flush.  Ran out to the store today to get new seals with the plan of replacing the inlet seals and scraping out the gunk.  However, it appears you can't buy just seals any more.  Everything is a complete inlet side replacement.  With how cheap they are, no surprise, the seals used to cost nearly that much!  However, other than a couple that listed very specific toilets they say "fit almost all toilets"...  Is this one of those things you just have to buy, try, and throw away if it doesn't fit?  Other than carrying the old parts into the store and trying to look at them for comparison, is there a standard?

Anecdotal:

I had to replace the lever in my Toto toilet. I went to the store, asked for a lever with a dual 45 degree bend "S" in the lever. The guy got me one. I had to return it, because Toto has multiple lever models with dual 45 degree S bends in them. I never thought they were that specialized.

In short, it depends.


How to prevent router from grabbing board when doing face moulding? I'm creating a picture frame out of a piece of 1"x6" Oak. I have a router table, with my face moulding bit inserted. I am guiding the wood in from the right side toward the left side (the direction of feed indicated on the router table).

Unfortunately, the router bit keeps grabbing the wood, and force-pulling it through the bit, causing all kinds of problems (not the least of which is risk of injury, but it's also screwing up the cut). I'm somewhat inexperienced in routing, so I believe this to be a problem with the way I am doing things.

How can I prevent this from happening, so that I can get a clean face cut without endangering myself?

Router bits have to be carefully checked against the type of cut being created. For the general cut there is a correct feed direction and there is an incorrect direction. For some bits used in a certain way there is no ideal cut direction.

The general principal is that the work piece should be fed into the router bit so that the incoming wood is pushing against the direction of bit rotation. If you feed the wood into the bit in the same direction as the rotation of the bit the cutting edges will most assuredly grab into the wood and try to pull it along.

The picture below shows the concept for the proper direction doing an "outside" cut on the wood piece when looking down from the top of your router table.

If you are trying to do some other type of cut then you should post some pictures so we can make additional suggestions.


Recommended Insulation For Finished Basement I am planning on finishing my basement and have read a LOT of material out there on the best way to insulate (live in the northeast, region R value of 5). I feel like I have read so much that I am now confused on what my best option is.

I was originally going to put faced r-13 fiberglass insulation rolls stapled between the studs of my wall. I was not going to have a plastic vapor barrier, because I didn't want to trap the moisture.

I am coming out 3" from my concrete block foundation wall, mainly to allow the walls to breathe a little more.

I am now reading however, a lot of people are slapping on XPS right on to the concrete wall with a construction adhesive.

My question is, should I abandon my earlier plans and go with the XPS stuff? Arguments made on sites like this offer reasons to go XPS. However, while summer time humidity in my basement can get as high as 68%, I thought having a dehumidifier and well circulated air flow would mitigate problems.

I finished my basement a few years ago, and I did a lot of research before I began.  The code here (in Ontario) says you need R-12 with batt insulation, a vapor barrier, and tar paper behind the batts but only, I think, 3' below grade.

From everything else I read, this is the wrong way to do it.  I should also mention that when we had the house built in 2006, it was insulated exactly like this, just without drywall in the basement.  I decided to take off the vapor barrier and take out the batts, and there was already some fungus or mold starting to grow on the basement walls behind the batts.  My opinion is that the code is wrong.

There's a home improvement guy around here named Mike Holmes, and not everybody likes him, but he's generally all about "doing it right".  He's been advocating spray foam, or in lieu of that, using XPS.  I also came upon a website called Building Science.  It had some good information published comparing batts with vapor barrier vs. spray foam or XPS, and they clearly showed the foam better.  They also gave a pretty good explanation of why...

An effective "air barrier" is more important than a vapor barrier.  Spray foam, or very-well-sealed XPS is an effective air barrier, so humid air from inside can never contact the cold basement wall behind it, so condensation can't form.  The foam is also moisture resistant.  The air can only contact the top of the foam, and that's at internal room temperature so it won't condense.  Also, the closed cell nature of the foam will allow moisture in the wall to (very slowly) move towards the inside, where it will evaporate into the room.  For this reason, they pointed out it's important to not have a vapor barrier on top of the foam.

The idea is: concrete is wet, and doesn't mind being wet.  The foam has to tolerate wetness, and block humid air inside from contacting anything below the condensation point.  Allow the wall to dry to the inside, to prevent moisture from building up in the wall.

I opted for spray foam, including up in the headers, which saved me a huge amount of time.  They were done in 2 hours.  The main thing with spray foam or XPS is that you need to cover it with something that has a 15-minute burn rating.  Typically this is just drywall, but you wouldn't be able to leave foam exposed.  I have drywall walls but a suspended ceiling in the basement, so the spray foam up in the headers isn't protected, so the inspector had me put Roxul insulation overtop of it, to act as a 15-minute fire barrier.  He did say that the code still technically requires a vapor barrier, but I disagreed, we had a short discussion, and he basically said, "sure, OK."

I also used 1" of XPS on the floor, sealed with tuck tape, and then plywood over that.

That was about 4 years ago, and I'm very happy with the result.  It's a comfortable space.


Protecting 3/16" wire rope going through poles? We have 3/16" wire rope (1/8" covered to 3/16") that will be going through several poles. Something like this:

How can I protect the vinyl coating from being cut if/when it rubs against the hole edge? This should also cover the hole so that water doesn't go into the pole.

Thanks.

A quick Google search using various terms eventually resulted in using "hole protector sleeves for 3/16 wire rope" leading to many links, one of which is Amazon:
VistaView Stainless Steel Protector Sleeves for 1/8", 5/32" or 3/16" Cable Railing

Being stainless steel, they are pricey and as Harper noted, unlikely to prevent water intrusion. One could use a silicone sealer when performing the installation to improve that aspect, but it's not going to be permanent or one-hundred percent effective. Temperature changes will pull humid air in over time.

You did not reference that the protection had to be done after the cabling is installed, and that's a good aspect, as I found zero links for after-install grommets or protection.


How to avoid water build-up in bathroom's passive ventilation shaft? Our apartment building is 23 years old, and the bathroom has passive ventilation: basically there's a hole in the wall just under the ceiling, where warm moist air slowly escapes. It usually has a nice cover, but I've removed it in the attached photo.

It seems that the ventilation shaft ends just below the wall hole, and the bottom of this shaft slowly fills up with condensation water. Apparently the condensation adds more water than the amount that naturally evaporates. This is a net positive so eventually the water overflows the shaft bottom and trickles down the bathroom wall. That's how I discovered this.

I've just improvised a siphon using a few drinking straws and to my horror I extracted more than two liters of old water from that shaft. This must have been accumulating over the last several years. Obviously this is a construction fault.

Question:  How can I avoid this water build-up in the future?  Can I add an electric fan to the hole, to blow out the moist air before too much of it condensates in the shaft?

Left: the wall. Right: the shaft with water.

The problem can be solved by draining the vent. Be sure to use a p trap to prevent sewer gas from entering. Yes, the problem could be condensed moisture, but it might also be rainwater that is collecting. Either way, a chimeny cap that is shaped like a cone will cause an aspiration effect (like the negative pressure under an airplane wing) which will naturally draw air upward through the vents; plus it will make sure that rain water doesn't collect in the vent.

I would also consider adding a ball valve after the p trap, because with these corrections, I wouldn't expect to find enough water (through condensation) to fill a p trap; and sewer gas could enter through the p trap if there isn't any water in it... so have the ball valve ready (to close the drain) just in case the chimney cap solved the problem.


Should I be concerned about rust on a post in my basement? How long do support posts last? Any reason to be concerned with rust on them? Seem to be working fine.

Obviously rust isn't a good thing. I don't seen enough here for immediate concern, but eventually you'll need to replace them if action isn't taken.

Since they appear to be sitting on the slab, as opposed to being embedded in it, you can easily replace them with screw-type floor jacks. They aren't terribly expensive, and you could use a bottle jack and a wood 4x4 as a temporary post while you do the work.

You might just paint these, though. Use a wire brush to clean away loose material, then apply a suitable primer. Stop there or add a nice top coat. Wait 20 years and repeat.


How do I finish off a silicone sealant like a professional? I have patched a couple of places at the base of my shower with silicone rubber sealant, using a caulking gun and it has worked well. The water no longer escapes from the shower. However, where I have done the patching, it is lumpy. Where the original sealant is there is a smooth continuous finish.

Two questions:
1. Can the existing lumpiness (now dry) be made to look smooth?
2. What should I have done to make the finish look smooth and professional?

You will have to remove it and reapply.
The trick is soap. Have a bowl of water and a bar of soap. Dip your finger in the water then rub it on the soap before using it to smoothe the silicone.


Air conditioner HVAC filter size and frequency of change I've been struggling to understand air filter sizes and the frequency of changing them out.
We have a Rheem 4 ton AC unit.
Below is the filter (20x25x4) we currently have in our attic and some info from our warranty registration.

How frequently is it recommended to change this filter? These are fairly expensive (compared to a different place where I only used 1in depth filters) and some say to change every 3 months which adds up. I suppose it depends on several factors, but we live in Texas and it's just 2 people, no pets.

It seems like I should just check it visually to see if it's ready to change - I can see this lasting easily over a year. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
Model Serial Registration Date Install Date

RA1648AJ1NA 16 SEER CUBE A/C - W221838882 8/9/2018 8/8/2018
R801TA075421MSA 80+ UPF GAS FURNACE RHEE - W221845259 8/9/2018 8/8/201

Change when it is blocked or just before...
Dusty seasons will cause more rapid filter blocking.
You could make a U tube manometer to see the difference between clean and getting too dirty.


How do I mark out gradient for tiling? I am planning to lay a blue stone tiled terrace at the back of my house that needs to run in a slope away from 2 joining walls.  The diagram might explain this better.

How can I mark out this sloping gradient so they terrace slopes away from both walls. Also what is a recommended gradient for such a terrace to ensure rain runs off?

A quick check says a slope of 1/4" to 5/8" per foot.

So over a 8' wall length, that's an elevation drop of 2-5 inches.

But, you need it to slope away from both walls. (Dual pitch)  That means that you'll need to go another 2-5" deeper for the free corner.  You could get away with the 2" drop along both walls, making it 4" deep at the corner.

OR,
You seem to want the water to flow off to the left.
I'd go with one course of tiles on the left hand wall, carefully graded at the maximum slope (5/8" / ft) to keep water away from that wall, and then do a single pitch away from the other wall. (Say 3/8").  If you lay it carefully, you won't notice the difference in pitches.


Why does my stove vent fan take time to turn on The vent hood is quite old. For some reason when I flip the switch to turn it on it takes 10-30 seconds to actually turn on. I've checked it and there's no power flowing for those 10-30 seconds. There's no sound during that time or any indication of what's going on. At first I even thought it wasn't getting any power until it suddenly started after I'd left the switch on for a bit. I mean, its definitely not getting power for those few seconds but I thought it was a dead motor or something at first.

It always does this, even if it was just running. Turning it off and then on again will cause it to stop and take its time to turn on again.

I'm fairly decent at DIY household electricity, but I've never encountered a problem like this. It defies my basic understanding of electricity.
I think it might be the switch but I don't know how to check for that and don't know what to do to replace the switch on an old stove range if it is.

Probably kitchen gunk on the switch contacts. It takes that long for the contacts to "sink" through the gunk. Replace the switch,


Priming spackling in preparation for repainting room We are painting a room that was previously painted, however there 2 areas approx. 5"x2' that required some re-tapping and spackling to fix cracks in the drywall.

The already painted non-fixed areas as I understand do not require a coat of primer, however I figured that all the newly fixed areas will require a coat of primer. Will priming one area, but not priming the entire room (as 98% of the room doesn't require it) affect the final paint-job?

Current paint: yellowish-orange
primer: white (obviously)
new paint color: beige

Priming those small areas could be a factor, but not likely the sole or primary causal factor of an undesired issue with the final surface treatment appearance. The difference in the surface texture at the repair sites will be your nemesis.

The way the light reflects from the surface (look up hold-out factor) will change the way the repair areas look compared to the previously painted areas. In critical applications, professional decorators would skim coat the entire wall with plaster to avoid this issue. All is not lost, however. Flat and low-sheen paints are much more forgiving than glossy paints. Walls where the light strikes perpendicular rather than at an angle makes imperfections hard to see. Use of a paint roller with a bit of nap will really help hide surface imperfections.

And there is always texture. You could use a plaster-base texture material to completely hide the repair, or use a textured paint additive.

In the end, if this is a normal home with normal people looking at it (as opposed to a museum, showroom, executive suite, etc.) you will probably be the only one who sees it.


Can I install a main water shutoff up higher? Why is it that the main water shut off to a home, is always installed down low?
Can I install it higher, like hip high?

example:

Water line coming in apx. 3'' through wall.
Install elbow going up.
Install 4 feet of pipe going up.
and finally main shut off.

Normally the valve is installed as soon as possible upon entering the home, and the pipe enters low to protect it from freezing (at least in freezing climates.) The logic is that this minimizes the area where a fault can occur that you cannot shut off. The secondary logic is that you rarely need to shut off the main supply, so it need not be too convenient.

I do not know if anything is enshrined in code to that effect, but that's why it's done the way it's done. If you do what you propose, you have an extra 4 feet of pipe and an elbow that could fail with you having no way to shut the water off from inside the house.

If you feel strongly about it, there's nothing that would prevent you from installing a SECOND shutoff valve where you propose, leaving the original one where it is. Personally I like to set up secondary shutoffs to minimize inconvenience when things do need to be shut off - ie, have two, one of which leaves bathroom A functional, the other of which leaves bathroom B functional, so that (at least) one bathroom can be used when the water is shut off to the other half of the fixtures.


How can I preserve paint and brushes between projects? I'm painting up a project, where I don't have the space to place all the pieces in the open and paint them all at once. So it's

prime a piece (wait X hours)
lightly sand it
spackle/fill spots
topcoat one (wait)
topcoat two (wait)
install it
repeat

This procedure could easily take a couple of weeks. I'm using primarily short (4"/6") rollers and paint brushes for the project.  I'm using water borne paint and primer, which cleans up with soap and water.

My questions revolve around the concept of how do you manage the paint?

One way is to open paint can, stir it carefully, dip brush into can, and continue. The would get messy and would risk contaminating the paint. I gotta believe moving to a smaller easily sealable container would be MUCH easier.  Problem is, what kind of container works best here?

Every time I've used an old jar with screw on top as a paint storage container, it takes about three or four times before the lid is permanently sealed to the container because of dried paint.

Perhaps an old canning style jar would work?

Perhaps the new style inexpensive Tupperware containers? I'm not exactly sure what these are called. They appear to be vacuum formed containers that look like Tupperware stuff, but its the kind of thing you'd use four times then recycle. Besides Tupperware, I think Rubbermaid and other manufacturers have their own versions of these...

The thought is you'd use these two or three times, toss out as required.

What do you guys do?

Additionally, how do you pour from a large paint can into a smaller container without making a total mess?

I generally pour my paint into a smaller paint pail, like this:

and then brush from there. They make liners for those pails, although I find they clean up relatively easy (most have a non-stick coating of sorts). They make pour spouts to making pouring easier, as well:

Depending on the size of the pieces and how many you can paint at once, I may just dip the brush right in the paint bucket, though. Get fairly high quality brushes, and be mindful of dirt and dust, and contamination isn't usually a big concern. When I'm done, I pour the remaining paint back into the big paint can.

As for storage, put the brushes, roller covers, and paint tray liners in a plastic zip-top bag(s), and put the bag(s) in the fridge. It will keep the brushes in good enough shape overnight, or over a few nights. You could give them a quick rinse before using. You'll probably want to wash them out after a couple of days, and definitely when switching colors / after priming.

Note that linked products are examples only, and do not represent any endorsement.


Splintered sub floor under kitchen Just purchased a new house and found a splintered sub floor under neath our kitchen. Anyone see anything like this?  Is it a problem that should be addressed immediately?

Just looks like someone drilled a hole for a wire or something and didn't use it. We might be able to speculate more if you gave more details about the location.

It's not really a concern unless the floor is spongy there, in which case something more serious is going on.


what can be used as a small container for paint? I need to touch up a corner. I'm wondering, what can I use to poor a little latex paint (with primer in it) into to do the touch up? I prefer not to bring in the whole paint canister from the garage but to transfer maybe 100ml into a small container and bring that up to the house.

Can I use plastic? Specifically, I'm wondering if there's a risk of the latex paint and plastic chemically reacting and ruining the paint.

Also, can I throw the latex paint with primer plastic container into the recycle bin after I'm done? Or do I have to clean it first?

Thanks

Can I use plastic?

"Paint kettle"

I have a few of these but I often use an old (but clean) glass jam-jar.

I also clean my used paint kettles.

  can I throw the latex paint with primer plastic container into the recycle bin

Hell no! Yikes!

In my part of the planet, liquid paint has to be taken to a household waste recycling centre and placed in the "paint" receptacle there.

If you used the remaining paint to paint some old cardboard boxes or newspapers, after it dries you can place the result in the normal (non-recyclable) rubbish-bin/trash-can. Some people suggest mixing the paint with sawdust/shavings etc to solidify it for disposal, but I didn't find that at all satisfactory.


Toilet bowl fills almost completely before flushing When I flush my toilet, the bowl fills almost completely (but does not overflow) before the water finally empties out.  The bowl then refills to a normal level and stays there until I flush it again. All of the original contents of the bowl are flushed out, but it definitely requires much more water than expected to make that happen.

I'm wondering if the issue is with the toilet itself, or with the drain line. Replacing the toilet is simple and cheap enough, and that would be my first route. But I'm also wondering if the drain is partly blocked, causing water not to exit the toilet until a large volume has built up inside the bowl.

The house in question is a foreclosure and had been vacant for over a year, for what that's worth. It was apparently winterized prior to being abandoned (and they appear to have put antifreeze in the toilet bowl), but I have no guarantee that the winterization was done fully or properly.

Any thoughts?

To me this sounds like a partially plugged toilet. A toilet auger will probably clear the problem up unless the drain has been sanded. A toilet auger is a short heavy duty snake made to clear the U bend built into the toilet. I have seen bad renters put sand in the drains of a home this makes clearing the blockage tough as the sand keeps falling into the U bend or trap, but it sounds like a blockage close to the toilet is your problem, once the pressure or water level is high enough the natural siphon takes over and clears the bowl.


Sanding between coats of water-based finish I built a farmhouse table with Douglas Fir, applied Saman water-based stain, and then applied the first coat of water-ased finish. The folks at the store said I should sand after the first coat, using at least 220 grit sandpaper, which I did, using my random orbital sander. But the sanded surface is now full of milky white scratches, and in a couple of smaller patches the stain came off. What did I do wrong? Should i not have sanded, or did I sand too hard or should I have used a finer grit? Finally, do I need to start all over again and re-stain the table?

sanding between coats should just be a light rub, usually it's less effort to use a hand block, or a sanding sponge than to lift a power tool,  you only need to remove the sheen, when the paint looks mostly dull that's enough rubbing.

Water based finishes can take considerable time to set, especially during cold or humid weather.  If you ignored the makers advice for suitable painting conditions you will have to wait longer than the label suggests for the paint to be hard enough to sand.


Installing grounding rods...without hitting something critical? Is there an easy way to figure out where a safe location for grounding rods are?
I don't want to hit a sewer line or a water line.
Our house is on a raised foundation and has a crawlspace underneath.
The electric panel is outside on the back wall of the house.

Yes: call Dig-Safe , assuming you're in the USA.  The number is 811 , at least in the states I checked very briefly.

That will take care of gas & electric and I believe water lines.  Tracing the sewer line, if not covered by Dig-Safe, should be pretty easy as it's almost always a straight run from wherever the pipe leaves your house to the street.


Space between 12'x24' tile is it 1/8 or 1/16 I bought a T-lock leveling system.
I'm stacking my tile vertically.
What space should I leave between the tiles and also between the tile and wall.
Shall I use 1/16" spacers or 1/8" spacers?

This will be a matter of opinion but my opinion would be to have at least 1/8" spacing between tiles. You want enough space for the grout to grab onto. If you're using a contrasting grout for a designer affect, then a larger spacing could be used.


Clips for holes where wire rope goes through? For simplicity's sake, let's say I'm building a small square fence like the one below. It has four 2" pipes that are secured to the concrete. The wire rope will go through each tube, like in the picture. The wire has to be tight enough so that the wire is straight, but that's it.

Few questions:

What clips (if any) should I put in each hole to secure the wire? If clips are needed, would the holes need to be a certain size? These clips would also prevent water from going in. How are these clips called?
How do I tie the two loose ends of the wire rope to each other?

Thanks.

Try searching for grommets, specifically rubber grommets would seal the holes.

As to connecting the ends, whenever I've seen this type of system the ends aren't connected.  Each end would have a type of swage terminating the wire rope and be secured to a bolt or turnbuckle to allow the rope to be tightened.


Should electrical wiring be placed above or below plumbing pipes I'm putting a bathroom in my garage/shop. I'm going to have to run wiring and water supply plumbing through the same walls. should I put the wiring above or below plumbing?

It makes absolutely NO difference. Even if the water pipes broke and flooded the stud bay the cable would not typically be damaged or harmed. NOR would it"short out" even in the slightest, even if it got into a device box.

Worrying about having electric and plumbing in the wall together is tantamount to worrying about having gas in the gas tank of your car with the exhaust 6" away.


Rewire a string of lights using 14/3 or can I add a red wire? I have a situation where I have a switch at the bottom of the stairs that turns on a set of canned lights on the same circuit. The current wire used is 14/2.
I am in the process of finishing the basement and my wife wants me to add a switch at the far end of the hall to shut off or turn off the same lights on the string.
My question is will I have to purchase 14/3 wire and rewire everything or can I just add the traveler separately.
I didn't by the 3 way switches yet so if there is a tip on how I should tackle this please let me know.

I have attached an image in what I believed was the correct approach. However, the power source is going to the fixture first whereas the power source is going to the switch first.
Can I achieve what this picture is showing by adding a 14/3 wire from the one switch to the other? In the picture it shows one light but I have 6.

14/3 Wire Example

With traditional switches

You are using the word "traveler" in singular.  3-way switches do not work that way.  They need 2 "travelers".

So if you are currently supplying hot and neutral down that /2 cable, you cannot simply add "a traveler" to the pair.  You need to add 2 travelers, so you need /4 cable, which is expensive, or in some cases, /5 cable, which is unobtanium.

So you are actually better off leaving the /2 cable in place doing whatever it's doing... and adding a /3 cable between the two switch locations.  This will keep the wiring simple.

With smart switches

Smart switches either need 1 traveler, or 0 travelers, depending on their particular design.  With the right smart switch, you may not need to do any modifications to the wiring.  Shop carefully and save yourself some trouble!


Can I put the sub-panel for my attached garage in the attic? I want to install a 30A outlet in my garage for my 240v compressor along with a 20A outlet for other tools. I will run a 6/3 w/g NM from a 50A dual pole breaker at the main panel at the other end of the house through the attic. I’d like to mount the 60A sub-panel with 30A dual pole and 20A single pole breakers in the attic space above the garage (accessible through a drop-down door with ladder) to avoid having to mount it on the hollow block wall of the garage. From there I will run my smaller NM cables through the attic space above the garage and then drop 3/4” conduit through the ceiling along the wall to the outlets. My question: is there any reason other than a slight inconvenience in accessibility that I shouldn’t put the sub-panel in the attic?

Yes: Accessibility and working space.
You need a zone 30" wide x 36" tall x 78" high in front of the panel, so the electrician can stand and work on the panel. This space must be clear at all times; it cannot be blocked by anything.  Ingress to the space must also be clear.
Why is this required?  Because quite often, when a person is being injured or shocked by a machine, the only sure way to stop the injury or electrocution is to shut off the breaker.  For that to happen the breaker has to be accessible.
The problem with your flop-down ladder is that invariably, that space it flops down into is blocked by other things.  Like in a garage, a car parks there.   Can you imagine the absurdity?  You're being shocked by a saw, and your partner has to run into the house, find the keys, pull the car out, lower the loft ladder, climb the loft ladder and cut the power?  No sale.
The ideal place for a panel is in a threshold or pathway, so that the working space is inherently kept clear because it's a pathway.
Also, go big on your panel.  You'll thank us later.
Breaker spaces are worth their weight in gold when you're trying to expand your electrical. It's very frustrating and expensive to find yourself "out of spaces". Yet, spaces are dirt cheap when you are initially installing the panel. Therefore, we recommend you always install a Very Large Panel. Like, absurdly large, like "will never use all of those spaces" large.  You'll use more than you think, especially when you have a surplus.  The cost is very small compared to total project cost.
There are lots of other places to scrimp (why on earth spend on copper feeder?) but the panel is not one of them.
A 30-space panel is not excessive.
Since you're using a 50A breaker to supply a 60A panel, you know that panels are allowed to have busing that is larger than the supply breaker.  So it could also have 125A or 200A busing.  There's not a problem there.


How can I convert my home's phone lines to internet lines? I am not too familiar with the technical terms of what I have. (If anybody needs more information then I will do what I can to provide it, I am not sure if these are Cat 5 cables.).
Question: Can i convert the ends of my cables to Cat 6 so that I could plug in Cat 7 cables in order to run gigabyte internet.

Cat5e cable is capable of running a gigabit ethernet home network. For the telephone jacks you've posted in the photos only wire continuity is important; telephone is on a different level than ethernet, as far as wire consistency and specifications go. You'll have to make sure as you re-terminate each cable that proper pairs are used and are untwisted only as much as necessary.
Each cable should be a "home run" to a central point. Your punchdown panel in photo 2 looks like it may already be a suitable location, but you will likely have issues with cable length there unless there is some slack in the walls. A lot of that unjacketed cable should be cut off. If you have room, it would be good to put a small patch panel in that location - if not you can use modular ethernet jacks. You can probably fit 6 keystone ethernet jacks into a wall plate there.
On each other end at the individual jacks like shown in photo 1, a modular ethernet jack can be used with a wall plate (keystone again would allow you to keep the coaxial in the same plate as shown) and it looks like you have a little slack to work with there.
Once the jacks are in place you can connect a router or switch to each jack in the central "hub" location (photo 2) using patch cables (cat5e would be fine, as another commenter said your network connection will only be as good as your worst cable so cat7 is overkill here) and another patch cable at the wall plate ends to connect the devices.
The Cat3 you have outside the house doesn't matter, ignore that. You can remove it or leave it (but if you remove it, be sure to seal up the holes in the exterior siding).


Crack in concrete slab of house - what best to fix it with? I have had different people suggest bondcrete,  polyurethane, silicone and various layered combinations thereof, as well as epoxy, concrete caulk and mortar. In addition, on this stack site a search of "house foundation crack" gives a number of issues which are similar, and I've come away with similar information. Any advice for Australian property specifically would be good.
I am renting out a 10y old house I built on clay soil Lake Macquarie NSW. Extensive concrete piering was done under the house. There were some problems with draining /flooding in patches of yard not addressed until last year as I was living abroad, and a fair bit of movement over the decade is indicated by some cracks in walls vertically and some pieces of cornice have separated from the wall by a few mm.  Most of the house is tiled or floating floors and no problems with damp  EXCEPT...
Over the past few years in the two carpeted bedrooms,  after a heavy rain there seems to be some rising damp.  (These bedrooms are on the side of the house that does not have drainage and it does not flood,  but can get very wet. We have realised we need to add drainage along this side of the house as well.) These carpets have become a bit musty so we have pulled up to replace them with floating floors.
We have have purchased Dunlop's Damp Proof concrete sealer but have found several cracks,  maximum 1mm wide and up to 1m long. These are near the patches of floor that have been getting damp.
We are really hoping we won't need to resort to more expensive options like a structural engineer, injections or replacing whole bits of concrete. We haven't been able to get anyone to come and look at the floors and have tenants in,  so need it resolved soon. We are hoping to try filling cracks and sealing floor, as rest of house has no  rising damp problems,  and monitoring issue.
The advice we've been given over the phone varies between sealing the cracks with bondcrete / polyurethane / silicone. I can't get a clear idea from Mr Google either. Has anyone dealt with something like this prior?
Thank you, see attached pics as well.

The fact that you have water seeping in through the cracks is much more concerning to me than the cracks themselves.
I'd start at the outside of the home and find where the water management on the property is not working right.  Check your downspouts, check your grading, check especially outside the room that this concrete is in.  Solve that problem and you should resolve your moisture issue inside.
As far as the crack itself, nothing really must be done but there are tools "crack chasers" that you use to cut out a wider slot following the crack and then fill the now larger crack with a concrete crack filler product that will seal it up.
You must, however, deal with the water first as it will recur if you just patch it.


Shower drain: plunger helps but only momentarily The water in my shower doesn't drain properly, so I used the plunger and the problem seemed to be solved. However, the next time someone uses the shower it's the same problem again: water doesn't drain, plunger, water drains.

I wonder what the problem is, because the pipe seems to be clean, otherwise the water wouldn't drain as it does (after using the plunger). But why doesn't the water drain the next time? I was wondering if it has something to do with air in the pipe. But even if this were the case, I wouldn't have any idea how to solve the problem. I'm grateful for any suggestions.

A slow-draining shower is often caused by hair caught on the crossbar where the screw that holds the strainer attaches. Unscrew the screw in the middle of the strainer and lift out the strainer and the screw. If there's a bunch of hair there, pull it out. (Ewww...).


What type of light bulb connector is this? Hi there I have just bought this hanging lamp whose bulb connector type I cannot identify, I got it in Italy and the only thing I am sure is that the light bulb must be some kind of tube shape for it needs to go through a decorative casing that's no longer and no thicker than an index finger. I have included photos:

It looks like a G9 base for a halogen lamp.


How to remove bird droppings from woven patio furniture? We have a set of patio furniture with a steel frame, but a loosely woven cloth seating surface. Since we live in a very wooded area, a chair was recently dive-bombed. I have a bucket and scrub-brush - should I use laundry detergent, or something stronger or is there a preferred product or method?

I think I would stay away from soaps that suds up a lot since it will make rinsing more difficult.  A general around-the-house cleaner should do the trick just fine - you can even use a mixture of vinegar and water.

The sooner you clean it off the better as bird droppings tend to eat away at materials over time (they will even etch car paint!)


Easiest way to dig trench along existing fence My friend cannot currently allow his dogs in his backyard because they dig under his privacy fence. I wanted to fix it for him and just planned on digging a trench (8-10inches deep, 6-8inches wide) and burying chicken wire. Then covering the chicken wire in gravel.

Cost of rental not being a factor, mainly just time, what is the easiest way to dig that trench? It's a long enough fence that digging it manually seems like a bit much. Is there an excavator that can dig right next to the fence? Anyone solved this issue before?

Thanks in advance

In my experience, the easiest way to dig the trench is to let the dogs do the digging.

My former neighbor had dogs that would dig under her privacy fence. Putting a few bricks in the places they had started to excavate was enough to dissuade them from digging further in those locations.  We used enough bricks to block the light through each hole they started.


How to attach a 2x beam to the side of a post? I want to attach a 2x to the side of a vertical 4x4 post.

I can think of several options:

nails
through bolts
lag screws
a cleat under the beam
Sampson Deck-Joist Tie

I know that notching the post makes it stronger, but I don't want to notch.

What are the guidelines for selecting proper fastening, e.g. the number & size of fasteners for a given load?

If the 2X stock is part of the supporting structure such as a wrap or beam attached to a post,  it must be secured by a threaded device, not nails unless it is held by a metal support. Local codes vary a lot on this type of connection, but IRC simply calls for a threaded device in applications like this.  A through bolt is always a good choice, but sometimes lags work well because of limited access to the back of the post. Usually two per union is good, 5/16"  to 3/8" is usually fine, but 3 pieces and a bit larger may be better if the 2X stock is larger like 2X12.   You can use a 10d nail or two to hold your stock in place while you drill or pilot for your threaded device. When you drill for your bolts, be sure to use the exact size bit or under size the hole by 1/32" so your bolts will fit extra snug. Drive them in with a hammer. Never oversize the hole just to make insertion easier. Get a bigger hammer!


Does it make sense to put quality (=pricy) underlayment over 3/4" subfloor+1/2" extra plywood layer? I have standard subfloor + 1/2" plywood on top, to correct for joists going different directions, so that all hardwood boards can be laid one direction for a clean look and avoid sagging where they would go parallel to the joists. The sagging problem apparently solved - but would it still make sense to go through the expense of quality underlayment? Or the extra layer of plywood be just as adequate for sound/vapor/heat control? Thanks

I would.  I put underlayment for all engineered.  I spend about .25 a sq/ft for my high quality rolls so not sure what you are looking at.  The point of the underlayment for engineered flooring is to provide a surface for the wood to slide across (wood on wood gets stuck sometimes) and to decrease the noise between hardwood and subfloor.

Imagining your situation I feel like you might hear Clydesdale clicking and clacking if you don't install anything.


What size wire do I need to connect a portable generator inlet to my main panel? I am planning on installing an interlock kit and backfeeding my panel with my portable generator.  The backfeed will be to a 30 amp breaker, coming from the 240/30A outlet on my Generac 5500.  The question is about the distance the generator can be from the panel.

I can install the outdoor inlet right outside wall with the panel, resulting in around a 6 foot run of 10-3 romex with ground.  However, while the generator fine there, it would be  little harder to get to in that location for refueling and maint.

Alternatively, the most convenient spot for the generator would result in about a 80 foot run of 10/3 romex.  Will that length of run affect the performance or reliability of the power?

As has been discussed many times in this forum, back feeding a generator into a double or even a single pole breaker without a transfer switch is risky business. If the main  breaker is not disabled while generator is online, you will be back feeding power to the grid and pose a safety hazard to utility workers.

With that said, look at the following link, http://www.southwire.com/support/voltage-drop-calculator.htm   The wire size for an 80 run at 30 amps/120vac is 8 AWG.  Use this calculator to determine wire size or determine voltage drop. 3% drop is usually considered max for 120/240 runs. Once you start to draw amperage, the drop can become greater as you tax the voltage source with a fixed or max amp output.


Occupancy sensor to turn off socket I want to install an occupancy sensor, preferably something simple that I can just plug into the wall socket, like one of those:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Westek-Plug-In-Motion-Activated-Control-MLC4BC/203675444
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Westek-4-in-1-Wireless-Motion-Sensor-Dusk-to-Dawn-Light-Control-White-MLC18BC/310550582
But I want it to turn off the socket when motion is detected (how I would use it: noisy air filtration is automatically turned off when I enter the kitchen, and couple similar uses). All the models I've found are designed for light control, and can only turn the socket on when motion is detected, and don't provide way to do the opposite. What's the easiest solution to do this?
Is there any ready solution, either stand-alone, or maybe in-wall socket type?
I can't find anything and started to think about following, but would like to avoid it and use off-the-shelf solution if possible:

get one of those above, disassemble and see if I can change wiring to do what I want,
buy a smart sensor and smart socket, automate with IFTTT,
build DYI one.

You could combine a standard Occupancy Sensor:

with a Relay:

The Occ Sensor controls the relay, and you use the relay's Normally-Closed terminal to power your Outlet, something like this:

So when the Occ Sensor is off, your outlet is on.
You would probably need a 2-gang box to be able to fit the sensor, the relay and all the connections (the relay is mounted outside the box through a knockout, so make sure you get a box with knockouts.


Insinkerator Instant Hot SSRV-1 Spitting Air -- Need Ball Valve My Insinkerator Instant Hot undersink water dispenser is about 8 years old and it has begun spitting air when running water.  It is not a steam/overheating problem, because it only spits air when running water out of it, and it still spits air if the heat is turned off and it is running cold water.  Thanks to another post on this site, I dis-assembled the unit and narrowed my problem to one thing:  a bad one-way ball valve.  The ball valve is at the bottom of the plastic water return/expansion tank at the top of the unit.  It appears that the ball valve seats in a black rubber seat, which has disintegrated with age.  Now the ball valve no longer seats, causing the unit to suck in air when it is running and spit the air out the faucet.  Does anyone know where I can get a new expansion tank?  My unit is Insinkerator Instant Hot Water Dispenser Model SSRV-1.

Here is the trouble-shooting explanation of how this unit works, and why I need the part:  The tank is not pressurized with water, except when you press the dispenser.  The water pressure goes straight to the dispenser, and when you press the handle it runs down into the tank, coming in at the green-circled pipe.  The water eventually fills up the tank and pushes hot water out the middle tube up to the hot water faucet.  When water rushes into the tank at pressure, it runs past a venturi (green circle) which creates a vacuum and sucks water in from the grey tubing that connects to the bottom of the plastic overflow/expansion tank.  So long as there is water in the expansion tank, it is being sucked into the metal tank together with the cold water.  But when there is no longer any water in the tank, a little floating ball drops to the bottom of the plastic tank, and stops air from flowing into the grey tube.  So, the ball valve acts like a one-way valve when there is air in the line, but is stays open when there is water.  That is because, if there is air line the line, it will be sucked in at the venturi (green circle), creating bubbles in the top of your tank, which will spit out when you are dispensing hot water.

You can confirm that this is your problem, by disconnecting the clear tubing from the red-cicled inlet pipe, and hold your hand over the inlet while someone else runs the dispenser.  If the spitting stops, you know that air coming in through this plastic tank is the source of your problem.

So, while I am waiting for this part, can I just crimp off the clear tubing that is coming into the unit attached at the red-circled inlet?  Based on other posts about this unit, I think that two things may happen if I do this:  1)  I may get a momentary slug of cold water when I first press the dispenser, because this is the tube that water runs down after the dispenser is shut off;  2)  If the unit boils a bit at the very end of a heating cycle, or expands the water, it will force hot water out the dispenser rather than running into this overflow tank.

My next question is, if this overflow tank is not offered anywhere for sale, can I buy a one-way air valve that is open in water?  In other words, a ball valve that floats, like the one that is sealed inside this tank?  So I can install it inline with the bit of grey tube that is showing?  Any other ideas?  Thanks.

I believe you can add one one way check valve to the vent line going out to the dispenser (red circled line in your photo) oriented to allow air to exit if the expansion tank fills but will not allow it to suck air in when operating the dispenser.


Is it necessary to replace plastic covering pink insulation in bedroom exterior wall? I'm doing a little project where I'm fishing some CAT6 cables from a 3rd floor bedroom to a second floor office. Because of the layout, I had to first fish the wire along an outside-facing wall before fishing it down inside the second floor wall separating the office and the second bedroom.

In order to do this I've had to cut some small holes in my drywall in order to position my flex drill bit and drill through the studs. Since this is an outside facing wall, there are patches of pink insulation between each stud, and there is also a sheet of plastic covering the insulation and the studs (based on my research, this would be a vapor barrier, or a moisture barrier, I think? I still can't tell the difference between the two).

My question is this : as I was cutting the holes in the drywall, I also cut through the plastic covering the insulation. When I'm done fishing all my wires and it's time to patch everything up, is it important to replace the plastic that was originally covering the insulation? And if the answer is yes, what's the best way to do this? The holes I cut out are approximately 4" x 6"

The best answer I could find was that in a basement, it's necessary to have to have a vapor / moisture barrier to conform to building code. But I couldn't find any information about bedrooms.

I live in Calgary (Alberta) if that matters.

You are fine. Vapor barrier holes of that size and bigger are typical in wall construction, in the form of switches, outlets, plumbing, etc.

Let's keep calling it a vapor barrier. Makes geeky engineers squirm in their ergonomic wheeled chairs....


Filling post holes where fence was removed - suburban backyard environment My next door neighbor had their fence replaced recently.  The new fence is further from the property line than the old fence was, so I have either 5 or 6 holes where the old posts were located.  I am going to fill these holes with gravel and then add dirt/topsoil and some grass patch quick fix.  Is there a recommended amount of topsoil to put down on top of the gravel?  I know I will have settling with the gravel fill, so the grass will wait until next year.

Why use any gravel? Fill entirely with soil.


Why is my desk still sticky? I recently applied a varathane bar and table finish to a desk of mine. It said it would be ready to touch after eight hours and fully cured after seventy two hours. its been three days and its still sticky. How do I change that, or make it not sticky?

When you apply varathane you're basically spreading around a plastic (polymer) dissolved in a solvent. When the solvent evaporates, the plastic comes out of solution and solidifies.
If its still sticky, the solvent is not entirely evaporated yet. You may need to wait longer because your room is cold. Or, perhaps your wood was not clean and had lots of natural oil on it (some sort of exotic wood) and this oil is slowing down the evaporation process.
Best option is to keep waiting (unfortunately) but if it does not set in a week+ then you may need to strip everything, clean everything, and start over.


How can I repair a leaking wall valve for future laundry sink? Just found the stub for an unbuilt sink in our laundry room is leaking. Tightened but moisture continues to collect below the valve. Not sure about next steps to explore before calling a plumber.
You can see it here:

Unscrew it & likely the short pipe it's attached to & put in a new short pipe with Teflon Tape wrapping both ends & screw-on a nice new Quarter-turn ball valve. You'll be solid for decades.


Why does our "granite" worktop mark so easily? We had a new kitchen installed, supposedly by experts, but the "granite" worktop that was installed is really really fragile.  I had expected a granite worktop to be hard and durable, but this is almost not fit for purpose as a kitchen worktop.  You only need to put a mug or plate down slightly too hard and it leaves a clear white scratch.  I have an off cut and I can easily cut into the surface with a Stanley knife.

As for being marked by liquids, again it is a nightmare.  If you don't clean up any spillage straight away, then it is highly likely to leave a mark.  I did a test again on the off cut and blackcurrent cordial left on for just 5 minutes was enough to mark it.

I've had dark granite worktops in rented accommodation before and never given it a second thought, and they never marked at all.

This one is apparently called "Bianco perfecto" (it is a light grey, with lots of darker grey veins) and when I spoke to the installers they said it was actually a "quartzite" not a granite.  Is this the reason it is so rubbish?  We'd have never have gone for a stone worktop if we had known it was so fragile.  Would proper granite have been better?  Since this is the first time I've been told it was only quartzite and not granite can I get them to replace it?

What some manufactures call quartz is actually ground granite and epoxy or Silestone. In most cases they are great and don't require sealing like solid granite does.  I suspect you may have purchased a bargain brand that is inferior to Silestone or solid granite or good grade Quartzite type.
Also, do not confuse Stilestone or similar to real solid quartz which is a granite rich in pure clear or milky quartz.

If you feel you were mislead in your purchase, you could go raise a stink at the retailer. Insist they inspect your counters and make it clear you are not satisfied.


Pool pump duty cycle \ schedule A Florida small HOA pool needs approximately 8 hours of pump time

What is the thought process to optimize the duty cycle?   For starters,  minimizing transients (cycling on / off) should extend the service life the pump.

My first cut at a schedule is a controller that switches the pump on at 6 AM, and off at 11 PM.  Hopefully, someone with a success story can provide a better suggestion.

Some of this was discussed in your previous questions. The 8 hour run time in a generally accepted standard at least here in Florida. It is used to determine pump and filter size.  While once a day cycles limits transients, it hardly extends live of pump. The actual wet end usually fails before the motor, and it's easier and probably cheaper to replace the entire pump that mess around looking for a wet end only to find out the motor shaft has corroded threads.
Many power companies offer a time-of-use rate where you get a discount for running your pool pump from maybe 9PM to 5AM.


What Type of Coaxial is this? I've been to at least 3 hardware stores trying to find a fitting that will work for this cable. I've had a hell of time getting an RG-6 compression fitting on here. RG-59 won't fit either. It looks like there's metal wires, then a metal jacket, followed by more metal wires, a second metal jacket, white foam, and then the copper wire. From what I can tell this is a triaxial cable but the fittings for that are over $50. What is this cable and where can I find fittings for it?

(Memorializing the answer I suggested in comments, since OP says it’s correct)

If it looks like RG6 and an RG6 connector is hard to slide on, then it’s likely RG6Q or quad shielded RG6 cable.  You’ll need a connector marked for RG6Q, such as this:

RG6 and RG6Q “look” very similar but the specs are different enough to require RG6Q connectors.  (Also RG59 is much smaller than RG6 so if you’re having trouble getting an RG6 connector on then it’s most likely quad cable.)


How to deal with water damage from backed up AC drain We have a central air conditioning unit that has one part of the unit in a closet.  The blower connected to the ductworks and coils in this part of the unit, while outside there is a compressor and blower unit.

There is a rather long PVC drain line from the indoor unit to the outside.  There is a catch connected to the drain via a small hole which opens up into larger PVC, which then goes down into the floor, and comes out about 6 feet lower on the outside of the house, where it then goes down another run of PVC to the yard.

The issue is that periodically this rather long piping clogs.  There is not a large amount of catchment at the unit itself, and there is no indication if the drain is clogged, so it fills up and then starts overflowing into the intake vents space below the unit and the eventually works its way to the flooring where it proceeds to cause damage to the wood, causing it to curl upwards.

I am not sure what to do about this.  When it happened the first time I was able to clean the drain line by attaching a vacuum to the PVC outlet, and then flush more water (by carefully pouring it into the catchment area and waiting for it to drain) until I was pretty sure it was cleaned out.  There seemed to be some green stuff suggesting some kind of biological buildup, so I also flushed some bleach down, and have been pouring bleach down monthly.

I was not, however, able to figure out what to do about the damaged part of the floor.  The local flooring store was not able to tell me anything - I took a sample of the flooring and they were clueless aside from redoing the whole floor with something completely different.  I tried looking for handymen on Thumbtack but didn't get any responses from my inquiries that made me confident in wanting to let any of them come out and look at it.  At the time only about 2 square feet around the closet were damaged, part of it under the door.  I do not want to replace the whole hardwood floor (it's in a hallway adjoining two bedrooms and is wall to wall hardwood in the whole thing) so nothing was done.

Now however, despite the monthly bleach regiment the unit has backed up and overflowed again, this time damaging around 6 square feet of flooring.  There was no green in the suctioned backup this time, or any obvious gunk, although it was a bit dirty looking (this could have partially been due to remaining stuff in the vacuum from a previous cleaning).

I have two questions:

Why does the blockage keep coming back?  How can we prevent it from coming back since it is so hard to spot and damaging when it does?
How can we repair the flooring?  I have tried prying up the loose wood, but the parts that are not wet are very securely glued and I don't know how to detach them without making a big mess (breaking the piece, leaving lots of remnants stuff attached which I have to somehow remove).

Pictures:
1. The floor in front of the air intake.  The grate has been removed, as well as the flooring that would come up.

The floor near the hinge of the door of the utilities closet.

View of interior showing catch (black plastic) and exterior piping leading away from unit.

4.Closer view of catch, including opening to PVC piping.

The drain pan should have a limit switch/sensor which prevents operation of the unit if the sensor detects the pan is full. Either this switch/sensor has gone bad or was never installed to begin with. I've never installed/replaced such a sensor so I cannot state how hard it would be to do so, but my guess is it should be fairly simple.

The condensate is not pure water. Sometimes it can seem more like syrup--at least that is what I have observed. There are various options. Periodically adding vinegar is one option. Bleach is not recommended. Note, you can also have this issue in winter if you have a high-efficiency condensing furnace. You definitely should clean the drain out bi-annually. Quarterly would be better....

If it were mine, I would probably rip out the flooring and replace with tile or vinyl depending on how visible the area is and how often it is accessed. This flooring appears to be some type of cheap laminate (read that: not worth trying to fix) in my humble opinion.

Read more here: https://www.artplumbingandac.com/air-conditioning/how-to-unclog-an-ac-drain-pipe/


How to fix a dripping part in toilet? This part in my toilet slowly drips water:

It's not a big problem but I still want to fix it.  I already tried to screw the part as tightly as possible but it did not change.

Should be an easy fix.  Shutoff the water at the valve on the wall.  Unscrew the leaking joint.  Try cleaning or replacing the washer.  And then reattach.

If that doesn't work, replace the hose.  They are sold with the plumbing supplies with the other toilet parts.  The only part that is throwing me off is the white plastic angled piece in the hose.  So if you need that, and can't find an exact match in the hardware store, you're better off just fixing the washer.

Edit: looking at the picture again, I'm guessing the white plastic is the inside of the hose and the metal braiding is pulling back from the end.  If that's the case, I'd replace the whole hose with something a little longer.  I'm pretty sure they come in several lengths in the store, and you could use an extra 6" to make a better curve in the line.


Removing wires from old breaker I'm changing my first breaker, a GFCI. There is no main Breaker in the panel.
Everything was going fine until... I couldn't remove 2 of the 3 wires from the old breaker because there was no screw to loosen them.

Do I have to cut the wires and re-strip them, or can I stick an appropriate thin tool into their slots to open what I presume to be a spring-type catch?
(I'd rather not shorten the wires.)

Old breaker is an ITE.  Panel is a Gould (now Siemens).  New breaker is a Siemens.  Absolutely no main cutoff.  I turned off all breakers before I started...safety first.

Old breaker: ITE GFCI, about 38 years old or less.  I found no hole in which to insert a tool to release the load neutral, for which there is no set screw.  In fact, 3 different wires go into the same port (hole) in the breaker, with no visible means of release:

the load neutral (white);
the panel neutral (white with black spiral stripe);
and a 2"-3" dark grey wire, which loops into another port in the breaker, also with no visible means of release (but which is not necessary to change the breaker, anyway).
The load line (purple) releases easily with a set screw.

I'm still stuck with the choice of either finding out how to release the load neutral or cutting and re-stripping that wire.  How can I get that wire out???

While I had the breaker detached from the service buss, I could see that the tab from the buss to which the breaker snaps on, is not clean, but has what reminds me of a spark plug that needs to be cleaned with a wire brush or replaced.

Will the performance of a new breaker be compromised by this?
Can the tab be cleaned (sanded or wire-brushed)?
If it is cleaned, is there a potential for metallic dust particles or other particles from the cleaning to contaminate a clean panel, especially at breakers lower in the panel, and cause short circuits?
Is such a tab rendered unusable for accepting a breaker?
I noticed that the old breaker, which I've now removed and reattached twice, hasn't fit tightly in its slot since the first time I removed it.  Is that more because of the breaker itself?  (I keep it switched  off, of course.)

re: "No Main":  I was referring to no Main breaker in the panel or in a separate box between the POCO meter (which is on a wall at the front of the house) and the panel.  There is/are NONE.  I would have been happy to pull the meter off the wall.  That would have certainly cut all power to the panel and the whole house, providing the ultimate in safety; but I was informed by the POCO that that would be illegal.  The same goes for anything on the street-side of the meter.

I have become completely comfortable with the safety procedures I am using, including shutting off all the breakers before starting. (The parts I have to touch are a good distance from the service lines and lugs at the top of the panel.)

Edit: the load neutral does enter one of 3 plastic wire nuts, all on the right side of the panel.  It looks like 3 wires come out of each wire nut.  (Also, the only neutral buss I see is on the right side of the panel.  If there is another, it is also on the right side, under the first and blocked from my view by wires.)

PRIORITY: How do I remove that load neutral with no screw set?

Breakers are meant to be replaced.  Once it is pulled free from the rails inside the box there should be no electric power on those wires.  But it sounds like the box itself will still be live.

If there are no screws then most likely you will find a small slot right next to where the wires are pushed into the breaker.  Use a small screwdriver in there to push the internal retainer clip back to release the wires.  The wires themselves are probably cut and stripped correctly already.

Once the wires are inserted into the new breaker it should just click into place inside the panel.

btw, there definitely is a main breaker somewhere.  Usually the fire department will want to be able to cut off all power before they begin to spray water inside, so it is supposed to be in a location they can find quickly in an emergency.

If your incoming service is underground then the main breaker might be in a box at the sidewalk, in which case you may not have access to it - sometimes the boxes are green with a key-lock on them, and often they serve as main feeds to more than one home.

When working near the live rails, remember the electrician's left-hand rule:  Keep your left hand behind your back.   That way if there is an accidental discharge it will go through a limb and not through your heart.

If you have successfully gotten the breaker out without touching the rails then you should have no trouble getting the new one back in after the wires are transferred over.

--Edited based on your comment


Hose repair using a clamp I replaced a damaged hose's end with the brass and chrome-plated clamp you see in the figure.

Since I wasn't able to get a direct grip with the clamp, I added a second layer of the hose, pictured.

I have two problems with this solution:

It leaks.
The sharp end of the chrome part is just waiting to cut someone's skin.

I could experiment with layers of teflon between the hose and the brass to stop the leak, but I can't think of a reasonable solution for the exposed sharp clamp right where the hose would be held.

What else should I be doing?

You may have to crank down on the hose clamp. If the size of the repair fitting is two small it will take some tape to build up the barbed part that goes inside the pipe. I have used electrical tape to do this in the past, Teflon might work but not as well as a vinyl that is thicker, I like the hose clamp style they don't strip out as easy but then I wrap the end with electrical tape,,, you guessed it I am an electrician. We have many hoses at our farm with tractors and horses stepping cutting hoses we have lots of repairs and this has worked well for me.


What is this black stuff that appeared on my drain after cleaning with a bleach-based cleaner and how do I clean it? Recently, I had problems with a pinkish/orange-colored bacteria (Serratia marcescens) in my bathroom. The bacteria would show up in my shower and sink, specifically near or around the drains. To counter the bacteria, I bought some mold and mildew remover which contains bleach.

This seems to have soundly defeated the bacteria, but has unexpectedly led to a new problem. Unfortunately, some form of black mold has appeared around my shower drain.

Now there is black stuff around my shower drain.

I thought this would be a good challenge for the mold and mildew remover. After spraying and letting it sit, when I tried to wipe away the mold, it left black streaks across the shower floor which were very hard to clean off.

I wanted to make sure this black stuff (whatever it is) was gone for good, so I sprayed an excessive amount of the mold and mildew remover and let it sit without wiping away. To my surprise, the black stuff came back stronger than ever (the picture above).

I think it is unlikely that I have found some sort of super mold that feeds off of bleach, which leads me to believe that letting a bleach-based cleaner sit on my drain has somehow caused it to corrode.

If it is corrosion, how should I go about cleaning it and treating my drain so it doesn't happen in the future? If it is something else, what are my options for taking care of it?

This may not be mold but the chrome plating having pin holes and the cleaners / moisture eating the base metals have created a new problem. I would try to dry the area and use a quality fingernail polish to seal them. If this works it may last for quite a while but with plated fixtures once moisture gets under the plateing it is hard to stop the damage.


Dishwasher automatically turning on batch feed disposer? We have a circa 1985 KitchenAid dishwasher and a Maytag batch disposer that may be from the same era.  I had no doubt that the dishwasher turned on the disposer automatically when it was draining until the appliance installer came to our house and insisted that this isn't possible.

Is this an obsolete feature, or a kluge someone did when installing our appliances?  Or am I just plain wrong?  I did happen to see in this thread that the dishwasher has its own food grinder, which perhaps I have been mistaking for our disposer running?

Some dishwashers have an internal food grinder, so there is no need to use an external one. It was common practice to connect the discharge of the dishwasher to the disposer, but not likely that the disposer would be activated by the dishwasher.  In fact, it could be quite dangerous if the disposer was to activate automatically.

It's not impossible for the dishwasher to activate the disposer, but it's not likely (or common, or possibly even safe).  You could verify whether or not the disposer is activated quite easily, simply by running the dishwasher and monitoring the disposer to see if it does indeed come on.  There would also have to be some wiring running between the dishwasher and the disposer, so you could look to see if there is.