How do I fix my melted stove top? I was boiling water and turned the setting to highest, left it for less than five minutes and the next thing that happened our electricity fluctuated and our burner was on (a small) fire. I had to turn the setting twice to turn it off. A small section of our burner melted and so did a small part of the pot I used. We covered the burner and the knob that was used for it as well.

My questions are:

Is the stove, excluding that one melted burner,still safe to use?
If it's fixable, how do I fix it?

P.S
Our stove is old, not sure when it was bought.

Many times the element(s) crack and burn up like what happened to you. There are replacement elements for most stoves you need to match the size. To replace unplug the stove and usually there are screws or slip on spade connectors (these spade connectors are special high temp ones) if one needs replaced don't use normal ones from the big box stores, unless they are stamped high temp (I think 900 deg F) The stove should be fine to use just not that burner until replaced.
A link to 1 element not very expensive.


Do I need to replace the door chime when installing Ring Pro? I’m looking to get a Ring Doorbell Pro and I know I need to replace my doorbell transformer, but someone in this online forum suggested replacing the mechanical door chime (which is as old as my 35 yo home) as well ,  as it risks getting burned out when used with Ring Doorbell Pro.  Is that accurate info?

A mechanical doorbell chime is a simple electromagnet that energizes when you press the button and magnetically attracts a striker that then contacts a chime plate that makes a ringing sound.  With a higher voltage, the electromagnet will increase in power, and the higher voltage can also cause more heat in the thin wire coil of the magnet.

The higher force could make the chime sound bad, and the extra heat in the wire could break the coil.  I haven't tested this, but if you are going from a 10v transformer to a 16v transformer, I think that the biggest issue will be sound.  I don't think it will burn up the doorbell unless someone is holding down the button, and that's not possible with the Ring, because it simulates the "button push" for a set amount of time.

That said, doorbell chimes are very cheap and unless its very hard to get to, you should just replace the chime.  The old one will most likely sound broken and could actually break down the road.


Mysterious ground wire So I’m trying to replace my old light switches with some nice new dimmers but I have a problem. As you can see in the picture, all the ground wires run up and out of the box to an unknown location. Really unsure of how to proceed. Any help would be much appreciated.

Update:
After some finagling I got the bundle of grounds out or the hole(see picture below) but now I have found that the 2 dimmers I have won’t even fit in the receptacle together. It is not a metal box it looks like some kind of fiber product, probably asbestos knowing my luck. It says CU. IN. 24

The cure for this is a surface conduit starter box.   This box will sit on top of the existing box about 1-1/4" proud of the wall.  It will provide both the statutory cubic inches you need for all those wires and yokes, and the practical cubic inches for your dimmers.

Normally it's intended that you then use its sides as a launch point for surface conduit, but if you don't do that, I won't tell :)

Now, I can't guess what's going on with all those black and white wires.  I surely hope you can.  Normally I expect to see some of them be wire-nutted to each other, and this positional data is very important. Usually the only evidence that tells you which wire does what is how they are connected in the box.  I gather two of the blacks are switched hots, and the other two are supply and onward, which need to be connected together obviously.

With those ground wires, I would tuck 3 of them back, and send the fourth into a wire-nut to meet the pigtails from each switch.

Now as far as cubic inches statutorially, you need to count the wires and the "wires".

I see 8 wires in there - 4 pairs of black-white.  I also see a bunch of grounds - all grounds together count as 1 wire.   If any of the switches have pigtails, pigtails do not count.  Each switch (or to be more precise, yoke) counts as 2 "wires".   So I see a total of 8+1+2+2=13 "wires" in the box.

#14 wires require 2.0 cubic inches each, for 26 cubic inches.  #12 uses 2.25 cubic inches per wire, or 29.25 cubic inches.  The 24 c.i. plus a starter conduit cover should get the job done.

If you want flush mount, you must replace the junction box in the wall. What you want is a 4-11/16" square box with a 2-gang mud ring of appropriate depth.  This will be bigger than your normal box, but will undoubtedly fit the two large dimmers.  You can try getting it done with a 4x4" square box with a 2-gang mud ring, and this will fit in the footprint of the existing box... but it could be a tight fit.


What can I do about foggy double glazed windows? We have double glazing throughout our house, and most of the windows have started to "fog up".  Doing a quick search revealed this video, which looks very much like the problem that we have.  I have two questions:

How realistic is this video (there seems to be a plethora of similar services / claims out there)?
Is this type of service available in the UK, and is it likely to be financially viable (i.e. could it work out more expensive that replacing the windows)?

I'm not sure if this is relevant, but our windows have a UPVC frame.

Usually this is a sign that the seals have failed and moisture is getting inside the window.  The video you posted seems to be of a service that can apply a solution to prevent the fogging, however the seals are still gone which means the window is no longer insulating as it should be.

Depending how new they are, they might still be under warranty in which case you should contact the manufacturer.  Otherwise you can contact a glazer to see what would be involved in replacing the glass and seals, though sometimes it's cheaper just to replace the whole window.


Is it OK to use 12-3 awg to wire a ceiling fan and light? In a 2000 era home in Georgia, I replaced an overhead lighting fixture with a combo ceiling fan and light.  (Yes, I reinforced the junction box appropriately.)

The wiring was simple enough, the power supply is via the switch box (now two switches).  The question is:  For the wiring that runs between the switch box and the fan & light, can I use a single 3-conductor cable instead of two 2-conductor cables?  Electrically, it works.  Safety and code issues?

Ground and neutral connect through the switch box to both fan and light.  I split the incoming hot (black) to supply both switches, then on the outbound side I ran one switched hot for the fan (via the red), and the switched hot for the light (via the black).

It's not just that I'm cheap (I am). The rationale for doing this is that it was easier to pull a replacement single 3-conductor wire rather than pull a second 2-conductor cable.

There's no problem at all with what you've done. In fact, that's the way it's supposed to be done.  If you were to use two /2 cables, you'd either be paralleling the neutral (310.4), and/or not running all the circuit conductors together (300.3(B)). Parallel neutrals are not allowed in this situation, so you've actually avoided a code violation by doing it with /3 cable. You've also kept all the circuit conductors in a single cable, and avoided violating that code section.


manual transfer switch - 2 main panels I have 2 main panels, each 150 amp, each connected to meter.
I'm installing a Reliance transfer switch (model 3006HDK). All instructions show how to wire circuits from a single main panel.

Can I wire 3 circuits to the reliance transfer switch from panel 1, the other 3 circuits from panel 2?

thanks.

Same meter, then yes, you can, But --

A wise man will not use all the circuits in a new breaker box.

The day you find the one you forgot about, there is no place for it to go.

The prewired tail on the reliance manual boxes are just not designed to work the way you want.

Each circuit has to run from the wire that is under the breaker, to the reliance box and back to the breaker. So you will have to run more than a few wires between the panels.

It is easier to move 3 breakers from one box to the other than to try and wire 3 transfer circuits into each box.

It is wiser to spend the $250 - $300 and get another 6 circuit box. Then put one on each panel, and you will have spare circuits in each panel. You will find a use for some of them in the future.

It will also make it much less difficult to change to 50 amps of back-up, if/when you outgrow the 30 amps that only the one box will give you.


Stabilizing steel table legs for dining table I had two steel table legs fabricated for a dining table. It is made from flat steel of size 80mm x 8mm (3.15in x 0.3in).  It looks like a rounded square and the size of each leg is 700mm x 700mm (27.5in x 27.5in) . When I tried to attach a wooden table top, I noticed a bit of wobble. The wooden table top is around 1500mm x 800mm x 50mm  (59 x 31 x 2 in)and weighs around 30kg (66lbs). I was thinking of adding three cross supports to prevent this wobble. Would this be a way to do it? Or can someone perhaps suggest a better type of support for connecting both legs? Many thanks!

You have to think in terms of triangles when resolving issues like this. The upper inside corners of your leg frames want triangle type corner braces. You also want to have triangle braces from each leg frame up to the underside of the table. Done properly this will eliminate all of the wobble.


How should I connect an outlet to two white and three black wires? I am trying to set up a outdoor patio. I realized that I have this outdoor outlet that is not set up. I did some research online and learned that to set it up:

test electricity for which one is line and load

connect it to a gfci outlet.

However, I noticed that there are 2 white and 3 black with one green wire. Isn't it usually 3 whites and 3 black with green as ground?
I am super new to electricity and DIY things in general. So thank you guys for your help.

That's  because  your wiring is in conduit, which is actually the deluxe way to do things.
I disagree with the advice you are getting regarding "hook the supply wires to LINE and the other wires to LOAD".   You should not use LOAD at all, ever, unless you are doing a very specific thing, you know exactly what you are doing, and you comply with Code in doing it.  That "thing" is extending GFCI protection to other outlets.  You must label those outlets "GFCI Protected", which obviously requires that you know which ones they are lol.
Protecting random downlines-you-know-not-where seems like a "can't hurt, might help" sort of thing... but actually, it can go badly wrong several ways, and you don't have the experience to resolve those problems.  It is likely to turn into a fiasco... Just avoid LOAD altogether as a general rule.
Those wires don't appear to be color-coded.  My guess is you are looking at
2 whites = neutral (supply and onward)
2 blacks = always-hot (supply and onward)
Solo black = switched-hot
If there's a switch somewhere that appears to do nothing, that may switch  this wire.  (provision for Christmas lights?)  Perhaps they wanted to give you the option of a "split receptacle" (one socket powered one not).  That won't happen with a GFCI obviously, but you could choose whether to attach the GFCI to the unswitched or the switched wires.
So you'll be putting 1 or 2 wires on each LINE terminal... read the GFCI instructions for how to do that, and torque the screws HARD (preferably to spec with a torque screwdriver).


How should I repair the cracks in my ceiling before painting? I want to repaint my ceiling, but I can’t quite tell what’s going on. Is there a layer of drywall? Plaster?

What should I do if I just want to repaint?

You have two main issues: 1) crack length of room, and 2) top coat and brown coat separating from scratch coat.

1) When we see cracks running in the middle of a room, it’s usually from undersized ceiling framing. Lumber bends most at the center of a span. If the lumber is undersized, it will deflect excessively and thus cause a crack in brittle materials like: plaster, ceramic tile, etc. You’ll probably need to sister an additional joist next to the existing joists.)

Before you fix the crack and paint, I’d suggest you verify the ceiling framing is adequate. (There are span tables on the internet that can tell you what size lumber should be used to carry the existing plaster plus any additional plaster (or gypsum board) repairs...or you can ask on this forum giving span, spacing of existing joists, any loads above ceiling, etc.)

2) Plaster is generally a 3 step process. Each layer requires the new layer to bond to the previous layer. Looking at the missing piece, it appears the plaster separating is about 3/8” to 1/2” thick. That means the brown coat (about 3/8” thick) and finish coat (about 1/8” thick) is separating from the scratch coat.

There is no easy way to repair this problem without removing the brown coat and finish coat. (You can’t just nail it back up because it’ll continue cracking and separating and it will be very uneven.)

Often people choose to remove the worst areas and then install gypsum board over the entire ceiling. However, that adds a great deal of load, but you may need to reinforce the existing ceiling joists anyway.


How do i remove this bulb from my bathroom fixture? My bathroom fixture has one of these and I can seem to remove it.

Any ideas?

With a glove (in case the bulb shatters), push it sideways (assuming it's horizontal) and then pull forward.

When replacing, do not get skin oils on the new bulb... it is highly likely to break. You can use a paper towel or something similar.


How can I remove grout and mortar from a drain? I accidentally poured some mortar and grout down my bathroom drain when I was cleaning the remains of a bucket of mortar after tiling the kitchen. The drain was plugged up pretty bad so I tried to scrape some of it out with a wire hanger down the overflow, and that got it flowing again, but its still draining kind of slow.

It's an old house, so the drain isn't PVC, it's galvanized, or bronze, or whatever they used back in the 50's

You probably (and hopefully) have a large amount of sand/grout stuck in the P trap.  If so your best bet would be to remove the P trap and give it a good thorough cleaning (out in the yard, with a hose).
(While the trap is off you'll be able to inspect the tailpiece and the drain line as it goes into the wall and clean those up too if necessary.)

If you can't detach your P trap you have a few options:

If your trap has a cleanout nut, open it up and run water through until gunk stops coming out (you can employ your wire hanger here too, to "encourage" it).
(My experience is most older pipes that have such a cleanout nut are so old that the thing is frozen and can't be opened without breaking the pipe, so be careful if you try this)
Remove as much of the tailpiece as you can and clean out the trap with a shop-vac and/or spoon/wire/etc.
Work a snake down the drain and whip it around like crazy while running LOTS of water
(In the hope that you'll wash enough of the grout further downstream that (a) your drain runs quickly again, and (b) it doesn't clog your pipes further down the line where you can't get at it.
This is really a last resort and just delays (or moves) the need for a proper fix...)


Acoustic stud wall - over laminate flooring or not? I have one question for whoever might know a thing or two about sound insulation. I will install a stud wall over the existing brick party wall for sound proofing purposes.

Currently we have laminate flooring over the old floor boards, is it ok to install a stud wall over the laminate, leaving 1cm gap at the bottom for the acoustic sealant, or should I cut the portion of laminate beneath and go with the studs down to the floor boards?

Laminate flooring should typically not be pinned by cabinetry, walls, etc. It needs to be able to move slightly. I would cut a channel for the new wall plate.

Be aware that many such floors have very hard wear layers. It can be hard on saw blades.

Update: I now understand that you're talking about a suspended wall, or perhaps just furring strips on the brick. In that case, it's fine to run the flooring underneath. However, I'm not sure even acoustic caulk is flexible enough to prevent problems. I'd probably use foam rope caulk--something that isn't actually bonded to either the wall plate or the flooring.


Can I use mortar to roughly level a basement floor for workshop? I recently got my foundation repaired and am left with a very cracked and uneven concrete floor next to the wall. Along the very edge any leveling compound would be at least an inch deep.  All I plan to do in the room is put down some epoxy floor paint and turn it into a workshop.  So basically I don't need it to be picture perfect, and self leveling compound is very expensive, so I was wondering of mortar would work well enough in this situation.  My primary concern is whether or not it would adhere well enough and whether or not such a large slab of the stuff would be prone to cracking.  Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Mortar will most likely crumble.

To ensure good adhesion, you could cover the existing floor with PVA before mixing up some granite chips with a little sand and plenty of cement. Leave it a little low, and don't bother where you need only a thin covering, then you can cover the whole floor with a thin self-levelling screed to give you a smooth finish all over.


How do you connect a long string of LED strips to power at both ends when including a controller? I'm looking to use 24v LEDs (https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B01LYNJTBN/?coliid=I359TOA9WZGE2V&colid=3HRP4V1TLBJ6P&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it) along my fence to help light my pool area.  I understand from reading online that I'll want to connect power to the strips at both ends to avoid voltage drop.  However, details on how to do that for an electrical novice are sparse, and none discuss how to wire a controller into the setup.

I would like to setup a waterproof 21 amp outdoor power supply at the foot of one corner of the fence.  I would then like approximately 65' of LEDs to run from there along my fence to the West daisy chained every ~6' (run A).  I would also like a 20' run from the PSU North along my privacy fence daisy chained every ~7' (run B).  I planned to give each of these runs their own controller.

My guess is that I'll need to get two DC pigtails to run power from the PSU to the controllers.  Then I need a very long piece of (10 awg?) wire to run from the end of run A all the way back to the PSU.  What I'm unclear on is:

Do I connect that wire coming from the end of run A to the same terminals on the PSU that the DC pigtail is connected to or a different set of terminals?
Where do I connect the positive and negative of that return wire to?
Will the controller act as a switch and continue to properly function when I'm connecting both ends like this?
Will connecting run B cause any problem in this setup, assuming it's on its own set of terminals on the PSU?

My alternative is to go with this 120v system that will end up costing me over twice as much: https://www.birddogdistributing.com/rgb-color-changing-led-strip-light-120-volt-high-output-smd-5050-65-feet/

Update

Given the answer provided, I assume that this would be the appropriate way to wire Run A, with Run B a completely separate controller/strip coming off the same PSU:

My understanding is that the amplifier will take the signal from the first strip and use that to control the color and brightness of the second strip.  Am I likely to notice anything odd where the end of the first 10m strip meets the beginning of the second, since the second has a fresh 24v power source?

Don't bother with the 120V system.  It's less safe and more expensive.  Learn to wield low voltage at long distances.  Feeder is the key.

This is a 5050 system, which means it is very power-hungry.

Because you're at 24V, you won't need to connect power to both ends of each 16.4' (5m) strip.  However, you will need to connect power to one end of each strip.  That means you will need to carry your 10AWG "feeder wire" along with the strips most or all of its way.

10 AWG wire sounds right, however it would need to be 10/3, assuming  your local Codes allow you to use the ground wire for DC return (a bold assumption). Remember you must use outdoor-rated cable, so UF for instance, never NM.

If you want to control the two sections independently, then that is fine.   However, if your reason is because you are hitting current limits for 1 controller, couple things on that.

The right way to handle that is actually 1 controller and amplifiers.  The controller's output is used either as power to some LEDs, or signal input to the amplifiers, or both at once is also fine.
Amplifiers also let you use a different power supply for each amplifier.
It is virtually impossible to keep 2 controllers in sync.  You must use the 1 controller+amplifier(s) method if you want them to match.
Don't run this Cheese junk anywhere near its rating - it will fail if you do.

That goes double for the power supply, by the way.  Don't run it at spec limits unless it says General Electric or Siemens.  I wouldn't even push a Meanwell near limits. For a cheap random Chinese thing with no UL listing, I'd derate it by about 66%.

Mind you, all that "Sold by blah-blah and Fulfilled by Amazon" stuff evades all our product-safety laws, and has never seen the inside of a NRTL testing lab.  Since it's direct-ship (or drop-ship via Amazon), you're the importer for purpose of product-safety laws.  I don't particularly care about low-voltage stuff, but anything that touches mains electric ought to be UL-listed.


how to keep a wet edge applying poly to the floors of a whole house My floors are ready for poly. Is it possible to keep a wet edge, when the whole house needs poly, and every room conects to another with 2 diffrent doorways? Every path i can think of to take will end up with me runing in to a dry edge before i can finish a coat.

I see the pros use a large applicator, specific for floor finishing, looking a lot like a household mop. Not the old stringy style, but a sponge mop, theirs having a cotton pad instead of sponge. This way you can cover a lot of area. If any of the doors have the flooring running across the door rather than running through it, cut along one of the joints in the floor. The lap of the finish will be disguised by that joint. This will give a small bit of relief from the hustle.

If you go this route, have another person to check the progress and quality of your passes with the mop. A 4" brush is used to cut in the edges before "mopping".


Where to place shower curtain rod in relation to the tub? I am not asking how high to mount the shower curtain rod (that is easy to determine from an existing shower curtain).  I am trying to figure out how far "into" the tub it should be mounted.  I want the curtain to not be in the way when showering but still have the bottom edge inside the tub.

I see a few possibilities, what the pros and cons of the following options:

Line it up with the inside of the tub but that seems like it will be prone to "billowing in" when showering.
I could line it up over the outside edge of tub.
Center it over the tub curb.
Put it "outside" of the tub completely

My preference is to line it up with either the outside edge or center of the tub so any decorative curtain outside the shower hangs nicely. The waterproof curtain on the inside can just be draped over the inside edge of the tub, and this gives you more space in the shower.


What does NEC require for strapping down conduit and wire here? Below is a picture of the current conduit and wire setup for my new underground service into my house with generator automatic transfer switch and manual transfer switch to allow me to switch to an inlet.

The conduit is all very well secured by the ground and the boxes. The piece of SER wire between the meter pan and transfer switch is only secured at the boxes.

What does code require that I do to secure the conduit and/or SER? I'd like to get that squared away before I call for inspection. I am in NJ and we follow the 2014 NEC.

2014 NEC Article 352.30(A) states that PVC conduit should be supported within 3' of each outlet box, disconnect, panel, etc. That also Includes strapping the 90% ells you have installed. I can see that you have installed expansion joints so the strap has to go above the joint to allow the joint to expand with the grade.

Also the ground wire is attached above and below the expansion joint binding the joint and connection. You would be better off attaching the ground to the building instead of the conduit as the comments have already indicated.

Good luck.


Extension cord female end-3 plug end I was needing to replace female end on extension cord. The existing female end is made to accept 3 plugs on that end. Do replacement ends like that exist or will it have to be converted to just a single plug on the female end.

It would be called a "replacement triple tap" and you might try asking an electrical supply shop if they have any.  Seems like they used to be made, but not anymore for compliance reasons.

Otherwise, a "triple tap adapter" is the solution Tyson is suggesting.


Why would there be a timer in the master closet? I've been going to quite a few open houses lately, and I've noticed a strange trend.  In more than a few houses, I've noticed a timer high up on the wall in the master closet.

I've seen alarm control panels in the master closet before, but I can't fathom why a timer would be in there.  I'm thinking maybe it could be for landscape lighting, or a sprinkler system. I just can't understand why you would choose to install a control for those systems, in a second floor closet.  The first time I saw it, I didn't think anything of it (I have kids, so I understand the purpose of keeping things away from curious hands). After seeing it in more than a couple homes, I started to question the practice.

Anybody have any experience with this, that could shed some light on the purpose of it?

Thus looks exactly like the timer we used to have hooked up to our water heater. We had it set to turn the water heater on at certain times right before we knew we would need hot water.


Can I utilize unused 30amp circuit for 20amp welder? I have an unused 30amp circuit from an old dryer with 2x30amp breaker at panel and 10 gauge wire.
I read a similar question asked by someone here and very good explanation why not to use 15 or 20 amp outlets in 30amp circuit.
Can I remove the old dryer outlet and bring wires to a box to install a 20amp outlet, removing one 30amp breaker at the panel? I would use an extension cord for my 20amp welder or compressor, just one at a time. (With leaving safety note on how to use that outlet, while I own the property and if I’m selling then just remove outlet and close as jumper box!!)

TL;DR Replace the double 30A breakers with double 20A breakers. Keep the 10 AWG wire. Replace the dryer receptacle with 2 20A receptacles wired as a MWBC - one hot to each, neutral shared. No safety notes or special procedures once the changes are complete.
And now all the gory details:

Replace the double 30A breakers with double 20A breakers

You can't have devices designed for use with 15A/20A circuits on a 30A feed. There are certain very specific exceptions (e.g., a 15A receptacle that comes pre-installed as part of an electric range, where the range is itself connected to a 30A or larger circuit), but in almost all situations, if you are going to either install 15A/20A receptacles (whether 120V or 240V) or hardwire devices that are designed for 15A/20A circuits, you must replace the 30A breaker with a 20A (or 15A, but that gains you nothing in this case, so go with 20A) breaker.

Simply removing one of the 30A breakers doesn't help. It does remove power from one of the hot wires. But it does nothing to change the 30A vs. 20A problem.

Replacing both 30A breakers (and they are really a pair, removing just one would not be so easy anyway) with a double 20A breaker provides advantages for use as an MWBC (Multi Wire Branch Circuit) which (a) lets you get 2 20A 120V circuits without changing the wires and (b) lets you use 20A 240V equipment as well.

Keep the 10 AWG wire

This may seem obvious, but it includes some important details. You can use 10 AWG wire with 20A breakers (should be no problem at all) and receptacles (if they can't take 10 AWG wire directly, you can connect using a pigtail). Leaving the 10 AWG wire in place avoids having to run new wire now (which may be trivial or may be a lot of work) and also allows future usage for a 30A circuit if desired.

Replace the dryer receptacle with 2 20A receptacles wired as a MWBC - one hot to each, neutral shared.

This is where it gets interesting. The existing dryer receptacle, if original (or straight replacement) to the 1959 build, is a 3-wire connection. This includes two hots and a neutral, but not a separate ground wire. This has safety implications, which are actually easier to resolve with 20A 120V circuits than with a 30A 240V circuit! The methods include:

If you have metal conduit or an existing (but unused because of the 3-wire connector) ground wire, use that as the ground for your new receptacles.
If you have an accessible ground from another circuit 20A or larger (so that the ground will be large enough for this circuit), you can run a ground wire from the new receptacle to that circuit's ground.
You can install a 20A GFCI and label it "No Equipment Ground". This gets tricky (but doable) with MWBC (either only use 1/2 the MWBC, or install two separate GFCI receptacles).

Any of these solutions will take care of "old dangerous dryer circuit without ground". Note that if the receptacle is in a location that requires GFCI (which is a lot of places now, depending on your state's version of the NEC), you may be required to install GFCI, either at the receptacles or using a double 20A GFCI breaker.
As far as MWBC, this lets you use any combination of:

240V circuit - black hot/red hot
120V circuit "1" - black hot/white neutral
120V circuit "2" - red hot/white neutral

which conveniently lets you get two 20A 120V circuits without running any new wires.

No safety notes or special procedures once the changes are complete.

This is crucial. For some oddball separate device, you can get away with your own funny procedures. But you can't do that for hardwired equipment or receptacles, because procedures will be forgotten. For example:
You leave the 30A breaker in place and wire up a standard duplex 120V 20A receptacle. You sell the house in a hurry, forget to (or run out of time to) change things back. New owner has no idea. Plugs in 2 or more 120V devices at the same time rated for high power - e.g., a couple of space heaters and some tools. Total power usage goes to 40A. Not enough to trip the 30A breaker for quite a while. But enough to overheat the 20A-rated wire (especially if it is older cable).
A proper installation - with the most important piece being the 20A breaker - avoids any special requirements. What you or any future owner can use is determined at a glance by the receptacles available. Unambiguous. Safe.


Why won't one of my gas stove's burners ignite? I have zero experience working on stoves. We have a 3-year-old Whirpool and the right-front burner won't ignite properly.

When I turn the dial for that burner it sparks one or two times and then stops - the burner doesn't light.

If I turn that burner's dial so gas starts and then turn one of the other three burner's dials, the front-right burner lights. [I learned that this works because whenever one igniter sparks, they all spark]

I've watched several videos but I can't determine if I need to replace the spark electrode or the igniter wiring harness. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

How many clicks, sparks, does it usually take to ignite? If you have gas on, and try to ignite another burner, it will ignite. You have sparks when you try to ignite this one by itself? If so, then the igniter is good, unless it normally sparks longer, then it could be faulty. However, you probably have a faulty gas valve. It is not opening the gas for ignition.

What is the stove model number? Can you post a video of the problem?


Should a smoke alarm be installed in the attic? I installed hard-wired and interconnected smoke alarms through the house. I wondered, though, if a fire spread through my attic I might not know about it until the ceiling or roof collapsed.

Should I install an interconnected alarm in the attic?

Is there some reason this isn't required/recommended?

FEMA writes:

  Few, if any, smoke alarms are Underwriters Laboratories
  (UL)-listed for use in the temperature extremes an attic can
  experience. Few, if any, codes require alarms in one- and
  two- family residential attics where nearly all (90 percent)
  of attic fires occur.

  — “Attic Fires in Residential Buildings”, Topical Fire Report Series 11(6), January 2011


Baseboard/skirting board before or after carpet tiles? I ask this question here as all results from my searches relate to installation of regular carpet, not carpet tiles

I'm tidying up a small laundry room under a stairway. I will be installing carpet tiles (50cm x 50cm vinyl-backed carpet tiles) and some skirting/baseboard. Should I install the carpet tiles first, then the skirting board on top? The arguments for doing it the other way around with regular carpet don't seem to make as much sense for carpet tile, which can easily be removed by lifting it from the centre and it does not have a tack strip.

You could do it either way. I probably would not put carpet in a laundry room as that area is more subject to spills, like a kitchen, and it’s harder to clean up detergent or water from carpet than vinyl, but...if you choose it, then: there are advantages to either order. The carpet tiles may need trimming and putting the baseboard on last will cover the edges so that will look a little neater.

Applied last, the baseboards will sit a little higher off the subfloor and may just look a little different. Only downside I see is if you want the baseboards to sit at a level that matches the height of another section of baseboard not above carpet tile, in which case you could rip it on a tablesaw to make it shorter to match the final height.


Removing pole and concrete base from yard I debated between putting this question here or on SE Gardening and Landscape, but I think this question will be a better fit for this site... Let me know if I need to move it.

So I'm now leading into my third summer at this rental home in North Carolina and I've been think about what I can do to make mowing my lawn a bit easier. I'm currently using a push mower for about a third of an acre because I don't have a garage or a shed -- more like a utility closet to store my mower.

One thing that's always bugged me about the backyard is this roughly 3 foot tall metal pole sticking out of the middle of the yard. I've tried digging under it to see how deep it goes and there seems to be at least 6-10 inches of a concrete base below ground level.  The only thing stopping me from going even deeper and really trying to remove it is that I have no idea what it actually is doing there.  There also seems to be a small landscaping stone on one side of it.

So my question is, can anyone figure out what the purpose of this may have been?  Additionally, will I end up running into any electrical or gas lines if I try to dig this thing out?

Side away from the house

Nob or nobs on side facing the house

Top down view

Some clipped off line?

This is the remnants of a natural gas or propane grill, gas heater, or perhaps a gas lamp. The flared tubing fitting and old control valve stem are the giveaways here.

Look around the structures adjacent to the yard for signs of a pipe with a valve for which you cannot ascertain a purpose, so you can at least try to confirm that any leftover fuel supply line is shut off. Although I doubt anyone would be callous enough to cap, bury, and abandon a live gas line, it is not out of the realm of possibilities. There is also the chance that the fuel supply came from a portable tank...

Either way, I would start digging until it was excavated, then chuck it. If in the course of digging you encounter an old pipe or buried tubing, be careful and try to locate the source to ensure it is shut off and safe to leave as-is.


How is the minimum conductor size (of some type) for a certain run determined? I have a 200A service in a garage.  I would like to run cable from this to a 100A service in a house.  I would also like to run from this to a separate 50A service in the house which will supply generator-backed-up power.  Both runs will be single-phase 240V.  The run lengths are no greater than 160'.  The cables will run through buried PVC conduit.

How do I determine a suitable conductor size for these cables?

Considering ampacity alone, I would expect to be able to use #3 copper (SER or THHN) or #1 aluminum (SE) or #2 aluminum (THHN) for the 100A run.

By the same logic, for the 50A run, #6 copper (NM) or #8 copper (SE or THHN) or #6 aluminum (SE or THHN) or #8 aluminum (NM).

However, considering the voltage drop over 160', large conductors seem indicated.

To achieve a less than a 3% voltage drop for the 100A run, it seems like #2 copper (Vdrop 2.6%) or 1/0 aluminum (Vdrop 2.7%) will be required.  For the 50A run, #6 NM copper (Vdrop 3%) or #3 SE aluminum (Vdrop 2.7%).

Another factor I know matters but that I don't know how to evaluate is the temperature at the breaker terminals.  For example, will #2 copper in the 100A run remain below the required 60C or 75C when actual load approaches 100A?

I'm also not sure whether 3% is the right magic number to select for Vdrop.  It seems allowed (encouraged?) to accept a 5% Vdrop in situations like this one.  Yet allowing even 3% loss on a 100A line seems like a lot of wasted power.  Have I understood this part of the decision properly?

And, not being a professional, I wonder if there are further questions I should be asking that I'm not even aware of.

So, what are the proper conductors for this scenario and why?  I am interested in both code compliance as well as good performance of the resulting system (should those two not necessarily be the same).

Thanks.

The key is that a 100A line isn't 100A all the time

... Or, ever.

Go read the brochure website on any power plant, particularly a nuke or solar installation, it will say something like "this 1.5 gigawatt plant serves 1.5 million homes".   Um.   So they are saying the average home takes 1kw (about 4.1 amps at 240V).  Seriously?

Yeah, seriously.  They are saying your house spends most of its time asleep, drawing even less than 1 amp because everything's off.  The dryer pulls 23A but only 90 minutes a week.  Averaged through the year the A/C draws only 2 hours a day.

Your electric bill proves it. 1KW is 1KWH per hour or 720 KWH per month. At 12 cents a KWH, with fees, that amounts to about a $100 power bill.  If your house drew 100A all the time, your monthly power bill would be $10,000.  It's clearly not.

So you have to pause and think about your realistic load - the level of load you care about.   It really helps to have experience with a whole-house power monitor.  Then, in those odd moments, those excessive peaks when the dryer is running while someone is cooking and the A/C is kicking -- how much voltage drop can you live with?

There isn't anything wrong with heating a little wire in those 1-in-1000 moments.  As long as you follow the specs in those charts (NEC 310.16) it guarantees the wire cannot get too warm, no matter how much length or voltage drop you have.

Those voltage drop calcs are a menace...

... because they don't think about that.  One guy had a calc tell him to run #6 for a 20A circuit of only 135'. Datz kray.  I showed him for realistic loads, #12 would be fine and #10 would be overkill.

It's pretty much my "hat" here to have someone coming in complaining that the calc told to use 600kcmil for his 2000' run to a 100W pole light... And then I show him how to do it with 14AWG wire, the smallest size you can use on mains wiring.

So to start with, set your amp values to the realistic common number.   Put "acceptable percentage" to 5% just so it's not bumping you up a size just because the smaller size would be 3.06% (that happened in the 20A case).

Try a couple other numbers and up the permissible percentage.

Then do punch in the nameplate amp number, but put 99% for permissible voltage drop.  And see just how bad the worst case is.  If it gives you a gory number like 19%, then back the number off to 18% to force it to go one size larger at a time.

That said, why not provision for 200A?

I seriously doubt you plan to use 50-100A in the garage.  So why not go ahead and plan for 150-200A wire for the "main" circuit to the house?  That will certainly remove any concern of voltage drop at 100A usage levels, and give you the headroom to use your entire 200A panel capacity.  That would be 250KCmil aluminum for 2.64% drop at 200A and 1.32% drop at 100A and you never have to give it another thought.

By the way, a person wouldn't even think of using copper at these large sizes, unless they were tragically misinformed.  Aluminum has 12 times the conductivity of copper, when measuring by dollar of raw metal.  (and twice the conductivity when measuring by weight.)

I take it the generator will be in the garage?  Normally you're not allowed to run two parallel services between buildings, but a special usage like a generator is permitted.   On that, #4 aluminum will give you 3.06% voltage drop at 50A. **

** remember what I was saying about how those calculators getcha?  When you did it, you got #3 aluminum because  you told the calculator to limit drop to 3%, which 3.06% failed.  Passes in my book.  That's why I started by telling the calc 99% was acceptable, to see what it would say.

Oh and it's coincidence that it was 3.06% in my earlier example.  This last was an edit.  I just did the calc now.  This happens a lot.


Why does my heating work poorly in moderately cold temperatures? My house has a gas-fired boiler and hot-water radiators. I've noticed a strange problem since moving in a few months ago.

If the weather is moderately cold (in the 30F - 40F range), my house feels chilly.

But if the temperature gets very, very low (say between 10F - 20F), bizarrely, the furnace seems to do a better job. My whole house feels toasty; so much so that I'll often be caught off guard when I leave the house.

What could cause this?

Just a guess, but the colder it gets the longer the boiler cycles and the hotter the delivery water temperature gets so therefore the radiators get hotter before the thermostat shuts the boiler off.

In moderate temperatures, the thermostat shuts the boiler off before it gets very warm and so your radiators are barely above room temperature.

Check to see if your boiler has any kind of temperature control on the delivery water going out into the system. You may be able to adjust that for better performance in moderate weather.

Good luck with your project!


Is it a residential building requirement to caulk between a bathroom tile floor and a wood base? Is it a residential building requirement to caulk between a bathroom tile floor and a wood base? I live in Snohomish County, WA.

No, the code does not specifically require caulking between anything in a bathroom. However, it does require, “a non-absorbent floor and walls up a minimum of 6’ for tubs and showers”. (See IRC R307.2)

However, as we all know, that wood you’re concerned about will absorb moisture on the “end-grain” very easily. You should protect it with a few coats of sealer or paint to protect it...especially in a moist environment like your bathroom.


How can I be sure there's a connection between the telephone line and the power line? (Answer: they should not be connected.) I noticed there I can feel the electricity when I touch one of my telephone wires. I thought that we couldn't feel the 48 V that is usual for this kind of wire.

Maybe one power line 127 V is submerged with this wire and that's why I can feel it.

I have a multimeter. To verify it should I measure the voltage in relation to the nearest ground or what?

Here are my results

ACPhone 1Phone 20
DCPhone 1Phone 245

ACPhone 1GND0.4
DCPhone 1GND0.1
ACPhone 1Neutral0
DCPhone 1Neutral47.8
ACPhone 1Phase77
DCPhone 1Phase47.8

ACPhone 2GND0
DCPhone 2GND0
ACPhone 2Neutral17.3
DCPhone 2Neutral2.8
ACPhone 2Phase129
DCPhone 2Phase2.8

Many people can feel the 48V on a phone line pair. The big issue with 48V is that it is relatively safe and should not cause electrocution.

There should be no direct electrical connection between the phone line and the power line. If there is you have a serious safety issue to get cleared up right away.

The phone line itself operates as a current loop from one wire to the other. If one side of the phone line or the other is connected to GND or some other wiring circuit it will unbalance the phone pair and make the phone not work correctly.


Wall light switch in pantry, moving to cabinet side I have a pantry enclosed on two sides by standard partition walls faced with cabinet wood, then two short sides open to the kitchen on the outside made from cabinet wood, then the door is mounted at 45 degrees on the two short sides - like !http://www.modabakeshop.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/turkeydraw1.png where the red line is the door. The light switch (actually a 3-position off/sensor/on) is awkwardly located under the bottom shelf at the back of one of the full walls.

What I want to do is to turn the existing receptacle into a junction box (blank plate cover for access) and then move the switch to a chest level switch, still on the inside, but mounted on the short cabinet wall right next to the door. This means it would have to be a receptacle box that sticks out from the wall - something like this I guess: !http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/productImages/400/f8/f80e4798-4436-4ccb-aa86-50777d412598_400.jpg

Wiring would come out of the existing receptacle somehow (blank faceplate but with a gromitted hole?!), then run in plastic trunking around the wall then up to the new receptacle.

Firstly, is this acceptable in terms of installation? I know there are local variations to code so I'm talking generally.

Secondly, when extending wiring from the existing receptacle to the new, can I just run the switched core? In other words, use a single 3-core cable (1 ground) and run the hot up one core, via the switch, and back down the other core? I believe in other localities that is allowed as long as the "wrong" core is taped to show it is live rather than neutral.

Thanks - it's hard searching for the right way of doing it when I can't get the right terminology for what I want to do! Location: southern California.

You have two questions.  To the first question of how to get the wire out of the existing box, you would mount a surface-mount box on top of the existing box and put a blank face place on it.  Then the plastic wire mold could come out of the raised, blank box and run to the new raised box.  The wire must always travel inside an approved box or conduit.  You can't just have wire coming out of a hole as you have described.

For the number of wires that you need to run, the current National Electric Code (NEC) guidelines say that all switch boxes need to contain a neutral.  If the existing switch box contains a neutral I would use a "4-core cable" which is sold as "14/3 w/ground" (14 gauge, three conductors) or "12/3 w/ground" (for 12 gauge - not common for lighting) to run to the new switch.  If the existing box doesn't have a neutral, I'm not sure what code and local rules would say.  I would think with such a minor change, you could just extend the wires as they currently are, and you are right that the white wire would need to be marked with black tape for the switch loop.

However, even if that is the "obvious thing to do" or "what most people would do", it might not be legal or proper, so you'll need to get clarification on that.  If you have a neutral, extend it to the new switch and you'll be ok.


Most reasonable way to raise desk by 4 inches I have this desk, and I love it so far. It's a big desk and pretty sturdy for being extremely cheap and made of particle board. The sides are at least 3/4" thick, and might be as much as 1".
My problem with it is it being 4" shorter than my last desk, which I thought I could get used to but that is proving impossible. I get strain in my lower back and shoulders when I am at my desk for more than 2 hours, which previously I could work for 8 hours straight and not even notice.
I want to raise my desk by 4 inches, hopefully in a more elegant way than shoving some books under it or wood gluing some 2x4s.
Thanks,
Lelentos

I probably would rip a 2x6 down to 4 inches, make a three sided frame out of that and put the desk on top of it. Then attach the desk to the frame with some pieces of metal called "mending plates". make the inside dimensions of the frame the inside dimensions of the desk. Paint the new wood and plates black. If you wouldn't like the look of 2x4s at the bottom, you could cut some strips out of 3/4 plywood (or whatever thickness the desk is) and attach those to the desk bottom in some way, like more mending plates or pieces of wood.

You could Isherwood's idea, only use 2x4s instead of aluminum tube. Probably be a cheaper.

There are also "bed risers". They re small cone line platforms. It would take 4. I personally wouldn't like this because it wouldn't be that stable.


Why are their no cheap wifi thermostats? We have a simple analogue dial-based room thermostat. The sort of thing that costs about £15. I'm considering replacing it with a programmable one - which would cost maybe £30.
When I recently went to buy a timer plug for an electrical appliance, I could buy a wifi-enabled one for much the same price (£10) as a normal programmable one, but that allowed me to set the schedule, etc using an app, which I found much more convenient.
How come this isn't a thing for a room thermostat? Instead I seem to need to buy an expensive thermostat, some sort of hub, etc, etc. Easily £100+.
Is it because a typical room thermostat doesn't have a mains connection and so having normal wifi built-in would drain the batteries too much? Or something else?

Simple programmable thermostats use so little energy that they can run a meaningful amount of time on batteries.
WiFi requires a considerable energy budget.  That characteristic of WiFi is why Bluetooth was created, to make earbuds, headphones etc. possible.  You'd have to change batteries twice a week if you had a battery powered WiFi thermostat!
As such, a WiFi thermostat needs to have a means to sap its own internal power needs off of the power going to the furnace etc.  That's actually a bit tricky, especially to get past regulators (i.e. to have a TUV, BSI or genuine, earned CE mark.)
Also, you are comparing apples and oranges.  Many of the "WiFi smart plugs"  you are seeing are cheap Cheese junk that is direct-imported, or direct-imported using Amazon's warehouses as a free-trade zone drop ship point.  The upshot is that the CE certification is worthless and faked.  That the item has earned its CE mark is the responsibility of the importer.  That's you. If you got it from Amazon, don't look at them - they insist they're "just a platform" for the third party seller you actually did buy the item from... And that seller has no presence in Europe, so not responsible for safety compliance.
Apparently our far-Eastern communist buddies are not that keen on offering dirt cheap WiFi smart 'stats for sale, or else they'd hit your price point too, I'm sure.  Probably for the best.


What steps are needed before brazing attic a/c copper tubing with a leak? Yesterday I discovered water stains on one of the air ducts in my house. I went up the attic and saw that a copper pipe cool to the touch which seems to be linked to the condenser? had a pin point leak. (pic at bottom of post)
After googling around, I've seen this can be fixed by brazing it with a torch. I've called around, but none of the local a/c techs seems to work with the plumbing part of a/c's. I have experience in welding and working a torch, but that's about all I know when working with a/c's. I want to tackle this problem myself, but before I do, I've been reading that these tubes are filled with freon or something of that sort.
Can anyone fill me in on what these copper pipes do, how to bleed them before working on them and refilling them back up? What kind of equipment is needed? Any google/search terms you might want to throw my way would be helpful so I can figure out how to do this.

Since this appears to be a plumbing leak, the fix is to shutoff the water, drain it as best you can, cut out the bad section, and solder in a replacement section. The whole process is maybe a 30 minute job and will be much more permanent than any patch you attempt to apply. A pinhole leak in one place may just be the first sign of the entire section of pipe going bad, so I'd replace everything that's easily accessible and showing signs of corrosion. It would also be good to double check the grounding straps in case poor grounding is accelerating any issues.


prepare a wall for plumber and piping I'm getting a plumber to put in a toilet in a new location. He will need to run water pipes etc. So I assume the drywall has to come off in the area where pipes will go. However before the toilet is connected permanently, the drywall needs to be replaced/repaired.
I wonder if there is a smarter way of doing things than breaking/fixing drywall on the spot. Perhaps I could cut out a piece of the drywall in advance and replace with plywood on hinges to make a "door"? The edge would need to be covered with some sort of a trim.
The new location is on the other side of the wall from the current location, only a meter away.

It is not uncommon for folks to install "access hatches" in areas that commonly have problems (e.g. shower valves) but I don't see any reason for access in the spot you reference. The in-wall plumbing for your new toilet is no different than all the other plumbing in your walls that is covered up with drywall.
Access hatches are always visible (and not usually pleasing aesthetically) and creating one is more work than just repairing the drywall. I don't see the point.


Do I need a vent on this emergency drain? Code allows the use of a wet vent for the bathroom group which in my case is a sink, toilet, and shower drain. About 10-15 feet down stream of this group I have a washing machine drain with its own vent. I also need a emergency drain in my mechanical room. Does this need a separate vent?

If it's really an "emergency" drain - one that you will never use in normal circumstances - then it shouldn't be connected to the rest of your plumbing at all.  It should just have a straight pipe leading into a basement sump pump, outside the house, or even into a crawl space (just put some screen over the open end to keep critters out).  The reason for this is that if you connect it to your normal plumbing, you will need a trap.  The trap stays partially filled with water to keep the smell of the sewer from entering your house. Over time, the water in the trap will evaporate, letting the sewer smell enter your room.  In a drain that gets regular use, this is not a problem, since you refill the trap every time you use the drain.  I'm guessing your "emergency" floor drain is only there to get rid of water if the washing machine malfunctions and overflows.  In that very rare scenario it's not a big deal to just let the water run into your crawlspace or yard, although directing it to a sump pump (and from the sump pump into your yard) is probably the best option since it keeps the open end of the pipe inside your basement if you have one.


Outlet inside the wallboard I read all the information and answers given in response to this same question and I readily acknowledge why this isn't a good idea but hear me out with my issue.
I have a tablet. It has been provided to me by ADT for security purposes to arm and disarm the home. The tablet comes with 6' of attached wiring and an adapter which you plug into a nearby outlet.
The tablet is anchored to the wall near the back door just above a light switch. Cannot use the light switch for power as it is a slave switch to another light switch on the opposite side of the room.  So I have the tablet secured and the wires droop down maybe 4' to the outlet where the adapter is plugged in.  There is extra wire on the floor.
I can take care of the wire issue but the whole setup looks stupid and unattractive.
If I can't hide the whole setup in the wall what are my options?

You can put it in the wall as long as you have an accessible cover that doesn’t damage the finish. For years I have done this and made “picture frames” that were held in with Velcro, an inspector mentioned that I could screw them in it would still be legal he thought my picture frame idea was a good one. So yes you can conceal things they just need to be accessible without damaging the building finish.


How do you disconnect a TV cable that runs all along the walls throughout the house? Is it dangerous to disconnect it by myself, or is the standard protective gloves and shears sufficient?

The cable was installed by Time Warner Cable company, and now we no longer have their service.

The co-ax TV cable in the house is considered "low voltage" and shouldn't pose a hazard to people (unless something is seriously wrong with the wiring, like it touching the mains somewhere).
First, I'd ensure that the cables in the house are disconnected from the cable service line. There should be a grounding block on the side of the house where the house's cable lines connect to the service lines. They may look something like:

Disconnect the "house" side cable from the block, and then cut or tear out whatever cable you'd like. After this disconnection, the line should not be energized at all. As GrecMac commented, it is a good idea to use a non-contact voltage detector to ensure that the cables do not carry a dangerous voltage.


How do you access under a front loading washing machine drum to remove a trapped coin? We had a coin trapped under our front loading washing machine drum (found out after it was removed).

The washing machine engineer got it out by prising the lip of the inside of the drum upwards, pulled out the coin, then bashed the edge of the drum back down with a metal wrench. This has now left the drum dented and the enamel scratched. I am currently in the process of complaining and getting the damage caused rectified.

Was this the only way he could've removed the coin? The scratches are now going to cause rust and potentially rip delicate clothing. It looks horrible too. See picture below.

Secondly, what is the best way to fix the damage that has now been caused? Can it be repaired or is a new drum/machine required?

There is certainly a method for removing/replacing the drum.  Most newer models have exploded parts diagrams online, both by the manufacturer and third party appliance part vendors.  The vendors frequently have videos (hosted on YouTube). You can google them by using the washers model number.

As far as fixing the rim damage, one of the rotary tools, like Dremel, would make short work of making it smooth. Start with a metal grinding bit and finish with buffing wheels loaded with buffing compounds.

The dented section (above the rim in your picture) should not cause clothing damage, it just ugly.

I doubt the drum will rust, as its likely stainless steel throughout.  Any paint damage (not seen in picture) that is scratched through the topcoat, should be primed and painted with automotive or appliance grade products.

I hope you get satisfaction from the shop.  This damage was careless and unnecessary.

Do know that a full drum removal would have been quite expensive, due to the number of labor hours needed


Should water reach inside my window sash before draining out? One of my large upstairs vinyl window frames is leaking rainwater onto the window sill. The base of the frame is filling up with water, which is then overflowing onto the sill, where the window meets it. By comparison, the bottom of the adjacent window frame (which isn't leaking) does not have any water in it.

I don't know whether water is SUPPOSED to get in, but then drain out, or whether it shouldn't enter to begin with. Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

Blocked drainage. Try poking the holes were the water is filling up inside the frame the holes i am talking about is the long slots about 20mm long. Try a plastic straw .to unblock the obstruction. Then pour some water in the holes to see if the water drains outside onto the cill.


Wet Drywall Question My french drains were incorrectly installed and I had water sitting around my basement for 3 months. I had a large mold bloom in the unfinished part of the basement and mold grow on the baseboards. The moisture levels in the baseboard ranged from 21 to 24. One wall was moisture tested with a probe and the drywall removed to 1 foot (levels were 17). The rest of the room was not probe tested. Room has been dried out with 4 dehumidifiers for a week. The re-mediators say there is no need to replace the drywall even if it was wet. Is this accurate? They have also not checked behind the drywall for more mold as non was visible on the front side.

They are wrong. Drywall is gypsum and paper. In the presence of standing water, paper will grow mold and gypsum will turn to mush. It is water-soluble. That means it will dissolve. Give it a kick with your shoe on. It will probably feel soft and mushy.

Replace everything with materials that are not affected by water: cinderblocks, cementboard, lime plaster, tile, etc. Wood and drywall in a basement are, in my opinion, terrible ideas. Basements flood. It's just a fact of life. And when they do, all the pretty wood and nice drywalled stud walls are toast.


How do I look up a contractor's license status in Pennsylvania? I've seen this question but it's a few years old and isn't specific to a state.

I am past the inspection stage on a potential new house and the seller wants to use a certain plumber to do some repairs. They forwarded me an estimate and the plumber's address comes up as a residence. I realize that doesn't necessarily mean much, but Googling the business name also yields no results. Does the state of Pennsylvania maintain a searchable online database of licensed contractors in the state, so I can see if this plumber is in fact licensed and insured in PA (specifically, the city of Philadelphia)?

It turns out that licensing for plumbers (and other contractors) in the city of Philadelphia is separate from whatever licensing concerns the rest of the state of Pennsylvania. I ended up calling the city's 311 information line and they were able to search their database of licenses for me (it turns out this guy is not licensed).

The city does maintain an online database of licensed professionals of several types (including plumbers) here: http://www.phila.gov/li/Pages/FindLicensedProfessional.aspx. But from what I was told by the city, that list is not comprehensive, only contractors who agree to appear there show up. So if someone is listed there, they are definitely licensed, but if they aren't listed, that doesn't necessarily mean they are not licensed. For a definitive answer, you need to call the city's 311 line.


Does spray mount adhesive damage the paint on walls after the object attached to it is removed? I would like to place posters on walls using a spray mount adhesive, such as link to 3M product on amazon. It is said that the use of the adhesive will create a delicate transparent gel on the object that is to be placed on a wall, but I am unsure if it will create damage or alter the paint/plaster on the wall itself. Will the gel be able to be removed from the wall as well without damaging the wall?

I've had acoustic foam on my walls for a for a year, it's stuck with caned spray on adhesive and it doesn't seem to be damaging my walls, but I can imagine that with stronger spray-on It could be really difficult to remove it without damaging the walls


Split/broken rafters a concern? I'm buying a home and had a building inspection yesterday. The only major defect the inspector found was two split/broken rafters inside the roof. Can anyone tell me if these are a major conern?

Thanks

I see two issues here, and I'd have some significant concerns.

1. Fixing What You See

Repairing these rafters is no big deal, but it looks like there's no access to the space to get to the broken rafters.  You'd likely have to remove and replace the ceiling drywall to repair the rafters, and if that's the case, that's kind of a big deal.  It's easy enough to remove some drywall, but replacing what you remove and repainting it - that's a lot of work.

2. Fixing What You Don't See (Yet)

The greater concern is that there is a structural deficiency, that the roof was not designed properly in the first place.  There could be additional issues not visible to the home inspector.  It looks like that vertical 1x3 might have been added to prop up a sagging roof, then the rafter broke around the propping.

Resolving this could be a lot of work, worst case you'd have to remove the metal corrugated roof, replace / add / upsize rafters and purlins, and put back the metal.

If sagging pulled the roof apart in any spot, it could have caused water damage, which could have caused mold ... big can of worms.


Temporary brace for a wooden retaining wall I have a 2.5 ft tall retaining wall made with 2x6 planks held up by 4x4 wooden posts.
Part of the retaining wall is now blowing out after the Texas winter power outage.
I believe that my pool behind the retaining wall has a cracked pipe somewhere.
While I wait for insurance and contractors, I need a way to temporarily hold the retaining wall up.
I think some 2x4s braced against the ground would be fine enough, but Im not entirely sure how to make sure that the 2x4s themselves dont push out from the wall.
Does anyone have an image or drawing of how a temporary brace would look like?
I have searched online, but I have only found braces that you can buy for concrete walls in larger construction projects.
Any help would be appreciated.

No need to purchase special braces, just use some common lumber.
When i set fence posts I use a 2"x 4" and wood stake.
Lay your 2x4 on your wall at angle, the farther the end that will be at  the ground/stake is away from the wall the more lateral stability you will have. Secure the brace to the wall, you may need to add some scrap wood to attach it to, another 4 foot 2x4 screwed to the wall vertically will give you a good attachment point.
With brace in place set your stake at the end of the brace right up against the side   and use a heavy hammer to drive in the ground solid. Now you can screw the brace to the stake. It is best to pilot drill the stake so the screw does not split it.
Tutorial for setting fence posts
Photo from link.

I have No affiliation with Outdooressencialproducts . com


How do I dig a fence post hole in a cramped corner? In the corner of my yard 4 other neighbors’ fences meet. At that junction there is no post they are all just nailed into eachother.

One side has a double fence. Old residents of my house didnt want to repair the rotten section so the neighbors just built a small section on their side.

I am tearing down the rotten fence and just leaving the neighbors fence up. The problem is that there is no corner post. So I need to dig a hole and put one in.

Simple task but its in the corner behind my shed. Theres about 2 feet from the shed to fence on either side.

How would I go about digging this hole for the corner post with very limited range of motion with a post hole digger or auger?

Attached is a sketch of the area.
Red circle=dig hole.
Brown=fence thats staying up
Orange=rotten fence to tear down

Please help. Thank you.

I don't think there is any clever way to accomplish this that is going to make it any less unpleasant. It's a tight space and it doesn't sound like there's any hope of getting an auger in there. I'd get a nice sharp (yes, sharp) post hole digger and a spade, plus a wheelbarrow to haul the dirt out, and have at it. Really, digging a 3-4' hole there isn't going to be that awful.

Only thing I can think of that might make it easier is to try and convince your neighbors to temporarily take down part of their fences to clear the area and give you more area to work in. You might be able to grease the skids a bit if you pitch the new post as something that all of the fences could then attach to for improved support. Normal people aren't going to turn down your offer to improve their property for free, and the less work they have to do, the more true that becomes.

I'd actually like to see a photo of the current situation. 4 fences meeting like that with no solid support sounds really janky. I can't imagine anyone is particularly happy with it as-is.


How to install a grab bar in a tiled shower I would like to install a grab bar in my tiled shower.  Do I need to find a stud or will wall anchors be enough?

Studs are best
There are anchors that are quite strong. But drywall is sometimes weaker than expected. This is a special concern for a grab bar because the force is not a static weight like a mirror.
If you can mount the bar to 2 studs with long screws then you're set. If not, I would mount a piece of wood to two studs. Paint or stain to match the decor. Mount the grab bar to the wood with screws.


New home build - cracks in basement concrete floor PicturesI have a new house under constructions and recently found many many cracks have developed on the concrete slab in the basement. The worst run along straight lines where the sections were poured. These don't have shrink seams in place, they are just cracking along a straight line. There are also some jagged/random cracks that extend off of these.

Here's the final pour for the slab; you can see it's a non reinforced non-structural slab.

My builder has asked the concrete contracting firm to take a look at it but said he things these are just shrinkage cracks and they will be sealed up before they are done.

I would appreciate opinions and learned assessment based on the pictures so I am prepared when the concrete company responds.

Those "straight lines" are control joints (as opposed to expansion joints). The contractor knows that concrete slabs invariably crack, and they install those to make the cracks less conspicuous.

That said, you do seem to have more cracks than I'd have expected, and they appear more open than is typical. The one is oddly close to the exterior wall. I'd ask your builder about backfill and compaction practices.


Any problem with installing two identical circuit breakers in series? Suppose I want to reduce risk of a circuit breaker malfunctioning and failing to disconnect a shorted circuit.

What if I install two identical breakers sequentially (one after another) so that if one of them fails the other one steps in and disconnects the circuit? Is there any problem with such installation?

There is no problem here.

In fact, this is often how subpanels are configured; the main panel has a breaker that feeds the subpanel, and the subpanel has individual circuits protected with their own breakers. The subpanel will have an amp rating. The minimum of the subpanel rating and the ampacity rating of the wire feeding the subpanel will dictate the appropriate breaker for the main panel.

Appliances that require their own local disconnects (such as air conditioners, water heaters, etc.) frequently use a small enclosure with space for just one circuit breaker. This could be a good option for whatever application you are thinking of.


It is current -5° F. Is this much condensation normal? I noticed there is a lot of frozen condensation on the inside of my windows. It is -5° F outside right now. Should i be worried?

While this might not be a huge problem on its own, it has some negative side effects. Your windows are letting a lot of cold in through the pane and around the edges. This significantly increases heating costs and it can add uncomfortable drafts. If that frost melts and runs into the wood, it can cause mold which potentially could turn into a big problem.

If I were in your shoes, I would seriously consider upgrading my windows and if -5°F is common (or even if 15°F were common) then it may be worthwhile to look into some high quality 3 pane windows. When looking at windows, Argon filled is a plus but ultimately you mostly want to look at the U-factor. You want to get windows with as low of a U-factor as possible.


what type of guard rail is needed on an open part of a 5 tread stair I am putting a long continuos handrail along the closed wall of my stair but need to know what is required at the bottom where 5 steps are open on the other side?

For new construction, over 3 rises requires a railing to code (can't pass a 4" sphere). At a minimum I'd think you'd want a continuous handrail (extending to a newel post) for safety. I had a similar situation in my previous home, and I did exactly that. It was never a concern for small children in my case, and the inspector at sale didn't flag it.

If you can't switch your rail to that side, consider a newel post and rail to the end of the wall, even without balusters.


DWV: Clothes Washer and Utility Sink I have been going through new houses under construction in my area to learn about Drain, Waste, and Venting (DWV). I found this configuration (reference image below) and it does not look to be correct. A short section looks like a wet vent for the Clothes Washer.

Is this permissible in the Plumbing Code?

Will there be problems with this type of configuration?

Would the water in the Clothes Washer Trap be syphoned out when the Utility Sink is being used?

Should a Sanitary Tee, like this one, be used instead (reference image below)?

What other configuration would have been acceptable?

Revised Feb 2, 2021 @ 3:05 PM: Found this information at bfdrona.com:
Install The Sink Drain and Vent lines

I would suggest spending some time reading the code applicable to your area - for me, that's the IPC (with a few local changes) and it's easily available on-line.
Pretty much the entire point of vents (that pipe in the middle that goes up) is to prevent siphoning of traps. So, no, that should not be subject to siphoning the trap when using the other fixture, since there appears to be an adequate vent. That's a perfectly acceptable arrangement - well, it might be missing a required clean-out, at least under UPC, as I understand UPC (but I don't spend a lot of effort on it since it does not apply to me.) What code section makes you think it's not?
That is a "Double-Tee" or "Cross" - it's not particularly superior to using a pair of Tees. At toilet scale it can even be a problem (and you'll find that in the codes if you read them.)


Can i use larger/smaller circular saw blades on my circular / plunge / table / miter saw? I own a plunge saw and a miter saw. Can I use blades from one saw on the other saw?

Especially within the same size class of saws (eg. 8.5", 10", 12") you will find that machines sometimes have blades which differ in size up to 5 mm / 1/5" (12": 300–305 mm, 10": 250–254 mm). For the less common sizes the size difference might be even more obscure: consider Mafell’s MT55 requirement for 162 mm blades, which is slightly smaller than 6-1/2" (165 mm).

Disclaimer: To avoid injury you should always only use circular saw blades recommended by the the manufacturer for the model of circular saw you are using. The following answers are from my personal experience with working with many different saws on a daily basis. Follow the advice on your own risk and use common sense when doing so.

Can I use larger blades?

Short answer: No.

Long answer: You should only ever use larger circular saw blades, when the difference is fairly negligible (1 mm / 1/16").

The reason for that is that for safety reasons most saws are built to tight tolerances. The tolerances accommodate slight differences in size due to production tolerances or design differences for the same diameter saw blade. Especially with newer models these tolerances are fairly small. Using a larger blade risks damage to the tool and danger of injury from resulting debris.

Blade geometry: Make sure the blade you want to use is built with a geometry intended for the type and model of saw you want to use it on. The angle of the teeth is usually significantly different on miter saws where you can clamp down the material to be cut. Also make sure that the kerf,  blade width and max RPM speeds are compatible.

Asserted force: The more powerful your circular saw is and the larger your blade diameter becomes, the more your circular saw’s motor has to work to apply the same torque to to the teeth of your circular saw blade. This can lead to increased stress on the motor and the motor burning out prematurely.

Example: A 216 mm / 8-1/2" circular saw blade will not fit on a Festool TS-75 (210302.4 mm, or 8-1/4"). Even though you adjust the riving knife, the larger diameter of the blade will not clear the blade housing.

Can I use smaller blades?

Short answer: Within reason, you can.

Long answer: For safety reasons the blade gap should not be larger than 1/8" (3 mm). If you do not care about workplace safety, you can use smaller circular saw blades in most cases.

Blade geometry: Make sure the blade you want to use is built with a geometry intended for the type and model of saw you want to use it on. The angle of the teeth is usually significantly different on miter saws where you can clamp down the material to be cut. Also make sure that the kerf,  blade width and max RPM speeds are compatible.

Asserted force: The more powerful your circular saw is and the smaller your blade diameter becomes, the more force (torque) is applied to the teeth of your circular saw blade. Depending on blade geometry (teeth geometry, material, kerf) this can be an issue when the used blade is significantly smaller.

Cutting depth: Depending on the type of saw you need to adjust for the reduced cutting depth.

Miter saws: The nature of the technical construction of miter saws limits the reduction in size. Any further reduction will prevent you from making cuts. On miter saws the reduced diameter will also result in accelerated blade wear (as you cannot adjust for the reduced cutting depth).

Dado blades for table saws: The only case where it might make sense to use a significantly smaller blade on purpose, is when you install a dado blade set on a low powered table saw. See Can I use an 8" dado blade set in a 10" table saw?

Example: It is safe to use a 160 mm blade on a Mafell MT55. In fact Mafell offers both 162 mm and 160 mm blades for the MT55.

Can I use blades with a different kerf / blade width?

Short answer: No.

Long answer: Within reason you can.

Kerf: From my experience if the difference in kerf is reasonably small (max. 0.2 mm, or 1/120") it should work out just fine.

Different blade width: Depending on the mechanism for mounting the blade to the hub you can use different blade widths. Refer to your owner’s manual to determine which blade width is okay to use. Using out of spec blade width can lead to wobble, increased wear, and damage to the motor, hub and blade housing.

Example: I am using a circular saw blade with 2.8 mm kerf / 1.8 blade width on a Festool TS-75 without issues. The owner’s manual states a blade width of up to 1.8 mm and a kerf of 2.4–2.6 mm. Festool officially sells blades with a kerf of 2.2–2.6 mm for the TS-75.


if your rise is 7.25" and your tread is 11.5" but you also have a 3" nosing is this legal If the rise is 7.25" and the tread is 11.5" and the nosing is 3", is this legal

Its going to matter where in the world you are as looking at your localbuilding code will tell you if it is legal, but from the common sense side, there is a reason why a nosing of ~1" give or take 1/2" is typical - becasue it is safer than 2" or 3" or 1'.......

I'm going to bet a 3" nosing is not allowed in your area (or any???) but again, check the code. It promotes a tripping hazard.


Which kind of plaster to use on concrete walls, prior to painting? I have a small holiday apartment in Europe that has pre-fabricated concrete walls. The surfaces are relatively smooth but I want to prepare them for painting by applying a skim coat of plaster. Which kind of plaster is the most appropriate for this purpose.

By the way, these are internal walls.

Any top coat plaster should be OK.

It might be worth priming the surface with a diluted PVA solution (5 parts water to 1 part PVA - from memory so double check) to seal it.


Shallow well with two pressure tanks Disregard the old setup in the background, the old horizontal pressure tank is rusted out.

I have a shallow well and I want to set it up with two pressure tanks. Obviously the goal is to make the pump run less because it's kinda loud in my house.

Should I install a tee in the inlet of the smaller tank, connect the tee to the larger tank, and then equalize the air charge in the two tanks? What is the correct way to install this setup?

You have the idea of it, I think, so long as you're not going for something cockamaimie like tying the air charge sides together. I don't actually think you are saying that; in any case, don't do that.

You just set those both 2 psi below the cut-in (ie, 18 PSI for a 20/40, 28 PSI for a 30/50 38 PSI for a 40/60 pressure switch setting, with the water side empty) and connect the water line to both tanks.

If the old vertical tank is still in usable condition, you could tap it in as well, though logic would call for a 1/4 turn ball valve; that might be a good idea for the new tank as well, since eventually it will be old, and may need service/replacement - price of the valve .vs. being able to service/replace the tank without shutting the whole system down - your call.


Why does paint on the table blister and wood swells? My friend's study table looks like this. Why does this happen? Why does the wood under the paint swell and the paint peel?

Although it is difficult to tell by the picture, the damage shown is typical of what happens when painted particle board (which swells when exposed to moisture) is allowed to get wet.

Why does it expand? Because it is made by compressing sawdust with a binding resin, and unless it is protected from moisture the binder is compromised and it "decompresses".


Can two GFCI outlet loads be powered by two separate circuits? My garage outlets and my outdoor outlets are all on the same GFCI circuit.  If outdoor circuit gets wet my garage outlets lose power.

It may be possible to add a circuit and split where things are fed from. The best option would be to add heavy duty covers or in use covers with proper seals as code requires on outside receptacles in wet locations this keeps the receptacles dry so they won’t be the cause of the trip.
If the garage is attached to the home adding circuits is much easy and less restrictive rules apply than for a detached structure.


In the majority of UK-based traditional boiler setups, what does the hot water thermostat look like? I realise that this may be an impossible question, but I was wondering if somebody would be able to help.

For the majority of traditional boiler setups in the UK where hot water is stored in a tank, what does the thermostat connected to the tank to control the temperature of the hot water look like? I'm totally blind, and it appears that there are lots of things that look like taps connected to my tank but I haven't/wouldn't want to touch anything until I was 100% sure that it was the right control. I realise that this may not be easy to answer, but something to get me on the right track would be very much appreciated.

A boiler cylinder thermostat is usually a small rectangular box, often with a temperature adjustment knob (which may be recessed for screwdriver adjustment), which is fixed to the side of the cylinder with a strap or cord going round the cylinder horizontally. Sometimes this is an elastic wire like net-curtain fixing wire. The insulation between the thermostat and the copper cylinder should be removed so the thermostat is in good contact with the cylinder metal. It will have an electric cable coming out of it to a junction box connecting to the boiler control circuits.

In some cylinders the thermostat will have a probe on the back and this will slide into a pocket in the cylinder to make good thermal contact.

If the thermal contact between the cylinder and the thermostat is poor, the boiler will not recognise the water getting hot enough and your hot water will be too hot.

The other thing(s) actually on the cylinder will be immersion heaters, and they will usually be at the very top or the very bottom of the cylinder, be fixed into bosses on the cylinder, and have a stiffer, thicker, electric cable to a switch on the wall.

The immersion heaters will have thermostats under the covers to control the water temp when using the immersion heater, but this won't affect using the boiler.

Older boiler installations often don't have a cylinder thermostat and rely on the boiler's internal thermostat to control heating and hot water temperature, which is wasteful.

Larger boxes connected to the pipes are likely to be zone valves to change-over between heating and hot water. They'll thunk when they operate, and will often have a manual override lever on the side.


What could cause a digital circuit breaker finder to not find a breaker? I just purchased a Klein ET300 Digital Circuit Breaker finder. I tested it with known circuits so I can figure out how it works.

One room in my house that I have always had problems with is not showing any corresponding breakers to the outlets. Almost as if it had no breaker. The room was once two rooms many years ago which was merged into one room. The house was built in 1966 so some of the electric does not have "ground" connections. This house was an electrical nightmare when I purchased it. I repaired much of it myself to correct things such as "over 15 outlets/fixtures on one breaker" and "heavy loads on one line" to resolve these issues I have had to run completely new lines and reduced the loads on the original lines.

What could be the problem with this room? or Line?

I can not help you with that particular tool.  But a word of advice.  Sometimes I have to put down my induction testor, or magnetic resonance testor and grab the radio.
plug in radio to outlet in that room and turn on high.  Turn off all breakers.
turn them back on one at a time, listen.  Do not stop if you hear the radio. Go through all the breakers.
You may have two circuits feeding that room.

Tools are nice but sometimes there is no substitute for direct observation.


Any way to fix old rusted utility sink drain? https://imgur.com/a/a37rvbW
My old (1940) house has a basement utility sink that has started to leak at the drain (shown in picture). Is there a way to replace the section that is rusted or do I have to rip the whole thing out and replace it? It looks like its a very different mechanism to modern utility sinks, it doesn't have a threaded base or a threaded drain strainer (just a hole). How do I go about fixing this?
Edit: From some googling, this is an old concrete tub and weighs and absolute ton.
Edit: I decided to have a professional plumber look at this and he ran water in the sink for a minute and he could see that the concrete itself was weeping a bit, so it was worth demolishing the sink and installing a new plastic one. He just took a sledgehammer to it, loaded it in a few buckets on his truck, and installed the new sink in a couple hours.

There's not much you're going to be able to do with that. Your best bet will be to start removing the whole drain piece, clean up the concrete and then try to match the drain with something similar from a plumbing supple store. Good luck.


Draining a shed roof using a water butt I'm trying to sort out drainage for a large shed roof. It's 23 sqm. I'm going to stick gutters on it, but my nearest drain is the other end of my garden, 25m away.

My current plan is to drain the roof into a single, large (200 litre or similar) water butt behind the shed, then run 20mm MDPE pipe from there down the side of the garden and into the drain. Will this work? If my water butt is roughly a metre high and I put the drainage hole near the bottom, then I've only got a metre of head. I can raise the butt up, maybe half a metre.

I don't need any great pressure from the flow, just enough to reach the drain and to empty sufficiently between storms. I live in Leicester and the average rainfall is about 600mm per year.

I don't want to spend a fortune doing this.

I've looked around the net and on other forums, but no-one seems to have quite done the same thing. I asked a company about a similar setup but using a soaker hose instead of running to the drain, but they don't think there'd be enough pressure to force the water from the hose. I'd like to avoid using a water butt pump if possible - I don't want the maintenance, or the hassle for what is essentially waste water.

The annual rainfall isn't so much of an issue as how much you get in one go (before your water butt can drain). One millimetre of rain works out to one litre per square metre so 23 square metres of roof means you can collect 26mm of rainfall. I'm south west of you, but we probably get that in a few hours a few times a year.

Here's a calculator that should help you. Plugging your numbers and assuming the roughness value they prefill means you can drain 13 litres per minute (if that's 20mm bore, I'm not familiar with MDPE). That sounds to me like it would work even with some additional losses. But you would want to maximise the head, and consider what happens to any water that overflows, as this will be when the ground is already wet.

The soaker hose does need a bit of pressure, and it would dump the water onto wet ground - the advantage over just enough gutter to keep the rain away from the door probably isn't significant.

I would do it slightly differently - I'd take the pipe out near but not right at the top of the water butt. This would decrease the size of the buffer but increase the head (in a ground level pipe) and therefore the flow rate, while giving you some stored water to use in summer


How to Plumb Sink to Drain My vanity was roughed in with the waste outlet offset to where the sink ended up, as the vanity choice hadn't been made at the time.

As a result, I need to get the trap outlet over to the waste pipe.  I want to add a 45 to the waste outlet and then plumb the p trap into that.

Once the waste pipe is in the wall, it makes a 90 over to the waste/vent pipe. If I add a 45 under the sink, do I need a cleanout?

Also, any preference on the ABS trap vs pvc trap?
[

1) You do not need to add a cleanout if you put a 45 elbow on your rough in. You probably want that 45 plus a short straight piece of ABS DWV to make it easy to adjust your P-trap.

2) Go with the PVC P-trap so you can easily adjust the location of your joints. You don't want to glue up the ABS and have to shift your tailpiece a fraction of an inch, or start at the tailpiece and have your trap glued to your drain pipe with just a tiny bit of engagement because your stub is a fraction of an inch too short.


Retrofit Fan box for horizontal 2x4 truss I am attempting to install a retrofit fan brace and ran into an issue where my 2x4 are horizontal and not vertical, what are my options to support a fan or are there alternative braces for this setup? (also if any of the wording is inaccurate based on the picture please update/comment)

Answer
I ended up using 3 screws a top 2x4 and a sideways 2x4 and screwed into the brace, seems very stable but I noted it for only a light or lightweight fan (for now it's just a pool table light anyway) and then used the retrofit kit, which secured nicely (I hung on it for a few seconds at 150lbs)


Small crack along windowsill I am decorating my new home and i've noticed a thin crack around the entire of the windowsill.

It is only visible if you are looking for it.

Is it something i need to get resolved or am i ok to fill it with something?

Yep, filler up with a finger swipe of caulk & see if it ever reappears. It's likely just a paint separation from temperature & humidity effects on different materials.


Is it safe to stuff some insulation above my electric stove? I have a coil-style electric stove with a "hood" above it.  The hood has a nice light fixture built in.  It also has an exhaust fan which I frankly never use.  The problem is that there is a gap where the hood meets the wall behind the stove, and there's a tremendous cold draft along that gap.  I am thinking of stuffing a strip of fiberglass batting into that gap, but I wonder if that's completely safe.  What if a bit of the batting came loose and fell and caught on fire?

How are these darned things supposed to work?  How is the exhaust fan supposed to NOT leak air as much as a chimney with the flue open??

Use your exhaust fan.  It removes grease, products of combustion and most of all moisture.  Do you just never use your stove top?  I suppose if all you ever do is microwave and use your oven you don't need to.

You can fill the gap with roxul insulation which is fire proof.

Typically your exhaust fan venting will lead to the exterior wall which has a wall cap.  The wall cap has a damper.  The damper usually seals somewhat against the wall cap to prevent drafts and only fully opens when the fan pushes air out causing the light metal flap to push outward.


Safely felling elevated wooden structure? How would you go about safely and quickly removing a wooden structure on four legs with a chainsaw, such as an elevated hunting blind? Here you can see a few examples of such structures.

My idea was to bring the entire thing down by cutting one leg at a time, but I'm thinking this might be unpredictable, particularly if the structure starts twisting as it falls. A second option is to actually enter the structure and work from the top, removing bits to bring the total weight down to a safe level. Does anyone have experience with this?

Before anyone asks, the removal is legal and will be supervised by the police. The person operating the chainsaw (myself) has a sawyer's licence, but I've only worked with trees up to now.

On a day with calm winds, cut 3/4 through each leg, near the ground, with the cuts all starting from the same compass direction. Post an observer to watch for movement in the upper portion of the structure and warn the sawyer.
Pull the structure down with human, animal, or machine power using suitably strong and long straps in the opposite direction as the cuts. The legs will crack together. A crowd-pleasing crash will result.


Replacing broken PVC pipe I want to remove what is left of the pipe. The pipe just takes liquid from the heater to the sewer. Part of the pipe is screwed into the heater, as you can see.

Extractor tool, like $5 at your local hardware store:


Can I wire a GFCI so that each receptacle is controlled by it's own switch? Can I wire a GFCI so that each receptacle is controlled by it's own switch? This is for a water fountain pump and light. Diagrams, please.

If you mean a GFCI duplex receptacle, no.

The way to do this would be to use a GFCI (either duplex receptacle type or barefaced) for the GFCI function, and from its "LOAD" terminals provide power to two switches, which you would connect to the outlet you wanted to control - if part of a duplex outlet, you would break the tabs connecting the two sides of the outlet (at least on the hot side) to have independent switch function.


Can the cooling wire (Y) be used to activate the furnace fan with a programmable thermostat? Simple question I think, but you guys make the call.

Can the cooling wire (Y) be used to activate the furnace fan?

My neighbor has a Honeywell RTH7400 programmable thermostat used for natural gas heat with fan only (he has no AC).  I've already figured out how to turn the fan on manually, and that's OK.

I, however, was wondering if the cooling contact on the t-stat can be used to turn the fan on automatically if I set the t-stat to be a Heat and AC system.

The t-stat is presently set to 'heat only with fan'.
Only reason I ask is 'cause I don't want to ruin anything.

Thanks in advance.  I appreciate your input.

When the t-stat is set to cool the fan comes on automatically when the temperature is set below the house current temp. But the fan will not turn off unless the house temp falls below the set temp. The (y) terminal does not need any wire attached to it. But do not try to make any terminal connections for anything but what it is intended for. You can easily burn the transformer, fuses or the low voltage wiring!!!


Is okay to use commercial appliance inside average US home? For electricity spec: 115/60Hz/1 Ph (NEMA 5-15) I want to buy a commercial Countertop Merchandiser/Freezer for home use.

Model at this link. Maxx-cold.com

Does my home in the US meet the Volt/Watts requirement to use it?

The electricity requirement is 115/60Hz/1 Ph (NEMA 5-15).

Why 115 volts, because 120 volts is standard in the US.

That's fine, they are nominally the same. 120v is utility supply defined by ANSI C84.1. 115v is point of use desired voltage, generally specified by NEMA. One is 120v +5/-10% tolerance, the other is 115V +/-10%.

NEMA 5-15 is a standard receptacle used throughout a US home.

This document says the cabinet draws 2.0 amps, should easily be used on any nearly any circuit.